The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has announced that it will launch a probe on Apple, Samsug and other tech companies that manufacture certain touch devices. Its decision was prompted by a complaint filed by Ireland-based company Neodron, which accused several device manufacturers of infringing on its touchscreen-related patents.

Neodron's portfolio of patents was originally granted to Silicon Valley firm Atmel. It's a fairly new company founded in 2018 and is notorious for suing various tech corporations for patent infringement. For the case that prompted this particular investigation, it's asking the ITC to issue limited exclusion and cease and desist orders again several companies. The ITC says its probe will cover Amazon, Apple, Asus, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Samsung and Sony. According to AppleInsider, two of Apple's products involved in the case are the iPhone 11 and the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

The ITC clarifies that starting an investigation on the companies doesn't mean it has already made a "decision on the merits of the case." It will set a target date for the probe's completion within 45 days after starting it and an evidentiary hearing will be held at a later date.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha there have been reports regarding the presence of illegal immigrants in the country and that possibility of their staying in religious places may not be ruled out. The Minister gave out this information in a written reply in the Lower House of the Parliament.

'Some of them are illegally staying after the expiry of their stay'

"There are reports regarding the presence of illegal immigrants who have entered the country without valid travel documents. Some of them are illegally staying after the expiry of their stay. Possibility of their staying in religious places may not be ruled out," said the Minister.

To another question in Lok Sabha, the Minister said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise. "Statistics of foreigners arriving in India are not maintained community-wise. However, 25,782 persons belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan granted Long Term Visa (LTV) from 1 Jan 2015 to Dec 2019," Rai informed. The minister said the government has extended various facilities to such people living in India on LTV.

These include a grant of LTV for a period of five years at a time, allowing their children to take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical/professional institutions without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration, permitting them to engage in employment in the private sector, purchase of dwelling unit and accommodation for carrying out self-employment, the opening of bank accounts, issuance of driving license, PAN card and Aadhaar number, he said.

Congress, NCP, DMK members walkout from Lok Sabha

Meanwhile, Opposition members, including from the DMK, Congress and NCP, on Tuesday, walked out of the Lok Sabha claiming they were not allowed to ask supplementary questions during the Question Hour.

Some Opposition members stood up in protest when Nityanand Rai was replying to a question related to the official language. As Speaker Om Birla took up the next question during the Question Hour, DMK leader T R Baalu vociferously protested that they should be allowed to ask supplementary questions.

READ | MoS Nityanand Rai says NPR exercise to be carried out from April to September 2020

Amid the din, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intervened and said it was an issue at the heart of the people of Tamil Nadu and that supplementary should be allowed. He was apparently referring to issues regarding the official language.

READ | MoS Nityanand Rai confirms receiving proposal on renaming West Bengal to 'Bangla'

With the Speaker continuing with the next question, members from various Opposition parties, including DMK, Congress, and NCP walked out from the House. Some Congress leaders were also seen talking to TMC leader Sudip Bandhoypadhya but the party's members remained in their seats.

READ | 'Assam NRC data fully secured', says MoS Nityanand Rai, after list went offline last month

READ | 'Existing laws for citizens' protection cover journalists too': MoS on scribes' safety

(With agency inputs)
Starting at midnight on March 17, Ukraine blocked all types of traffic across the state border as part of measures to combat the Covid-2019 epidemic. This was reported on the website of Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers.

"From 00:00 March 17, 2020, all international scheduled services - air, rail and bus are canceled in Ukraine. The National Security and Defense Council recommends Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling abroad and those who are outside the country now  return home," the message says.

The restrictions will remain in force until April 3, unless otherwise is decided in the fight against the coronavirus by the authorities.

As we reported earlier, on Tuesday, March 17, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) will hold an extraordinary emergency meeting on counteraction of the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

According to sources, the meeting will focus on measures of counteraction of the spread of the coronavirus, and the NSDC will make a number of important decisions.
People order drinks and crowd around the Field House bar in Center City Philadelphia on Saturday, March 14, 2020. People were celebrating in honor of St. Patrick's Day at the bar, despite social distancing recommendations due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Read more

The coronavirus pandemic has led many Philadelphians to begin preparing for significant disruptions to their lives, from emptying grocery store shelves to avoiding public transportation. But some young people are jumping at the chance to take advantage of cheap flights and hotel deals.

And before Mayor Jim Kenney shut down nonessential businesses on Monday, young people were still going out to bars and restaurants through the weekend.

This is not a smart move, physicians said, even if people under age 30 are less at risk for contracting coronavirus than older adults.

Airplanes can be a potential means of getting the virus, said Ron Goren, an infectious-disease specialist at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne and Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia. Even if you dont get the virus, you could wind up in quarantine for two weeks. Theres a reason why flights are so cheap. Its probably better to get a good book and Netflix, and hunker down for the time being.

Lawrence Livornese, an infectious-disease specialist and the chairman of the department of medicine at Main Line Health, said that even though young people are at lower risk for dying from coronavirus, they need to follow recommendations from health officials to help prevent community spread. Research has shown that people can still spread the virus even if theyre not showing symptoms. Social distancing can help reduce the number of overall cases, keep the health-care system from being overwhelmed, and buy governments and the private sector time to develop treatments, testing kits, and other supplies.

The whole concept of social distancing is to protect the community, Livornese said. Theres a social obligation to help protect the public, even if that doesnt directly affect you."

Goren agreed. From a purely societal point of view, we may run out of ICU rooms and ventilators, he said. Young people can make a contribution by doing the best they can not to get it, so they dont spread it to other people they love who may be at a much greater risk than they may be at."

Preliminary research from China has shown that while most COVID-19 cases can be managed at home, 15% of people who get infected have to be hospitalized, and 5% of them require intensive care. The statistics from Italy, where the population is older and more susceptible, are more concerning  over half of infected individuals required hospitalization, and 10% needed treatment in the ICU.

The more people that are sick, even if its a low percentage of 30-year-olds who get severely ill, that will be enough to flood the hospitals and stretch the health-care system, said Henry Fraimow, an epidemiologist at Cooper University Health Care.

And for those young people who assume if they get COVID-19, theyll develop immunity, experts caution that thinking is dangerous.

Fraimow said that physicians are not yet sure whether coronavirus immunity will work more like immunity to measles, which is lifelong, or like immunity to seasonal influenza, which can vary year by year due to small changes in the virus.

For a lot of respiratory viruses, we have no preexisting immunity, especially when a new one like this shows up, Fraimow said. When you become infected, part of that response is that your body makes antibodies as a response, and the response gets more mature over the course of the infection.

Goren cautioned that young people with underlying health issues, like asthma and diabetes, may be at greater risk. Thats a population that should be aware that they may run into trouble with coronavirus, he said.

He also pointed out that not all young people who have gotten the virus have survived. Last month, Chinese citizens mourned the death of 34-year-old Li Wenliang, the ophthalmologist in Wuhan who first tried to warn his peers that the viral infections could grow out of control. Two otherwise healthy 29-year-old medical professionals in Wuhan fell ill after working long hours, and only one recovered.

Doctors are also unsure of the long-term complications of contracting the disease. Livornese said that other respiratory viruses and infections can leave people with asthma, but cautioned that since the world is only two months into the outbreak, all preliminary reports must be taken with caution.

Above all, get your information from reliable sources, like the CDC, Goren said. Dont read social media. Do things like hand washing, hand sanitizing throughout the day. Bump elbows instead of hugging or shaking hands. Stay home if you feel sick and out of crowded areas, and dont panic.

Livornese said that when looking at other countries fighting the epidemic, there is no question about the seriousness of the situation.

This is an event thats unprecedented in most peoples lifetimes, he said.
Following the confirmation of three positive coronavirus cases in Kenya, Makueni County has banned touting and suspended all market days with immediate effect.

Speaking on Monday at his office, Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana also ordered Muguka and miraa chewing joints to close down as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the virus in the county.

Bars in the county will remain open from 5 pm to 11 pm but will be required to provide their clients with soap and water or sanitizers.

The county boss further directed residents to limit funeral attendance to close family members and relatives and minimise on gatherings like weddings, meetings, workshops, seminars and religious meetings.

Additionally, public transport vehicles including boda boda riders are required to use hand sanitizers or have handwashing facilities at various stages.

Supermarkets, malls, places of work and gyms are also required to provide alcohol-based sanitizers or soap and water.

We shall also enhance sanitation, especially along Mombasa Road stop overs with soap and water or sanitisers. We also encourage residents to have the same handwashing facilities at homes, said Prof. Kibwana.

He said hospital visits for patients admitted in public and private hospitals will be limited to designated visitors.

The governor also called on the members of the public to avoid panic buying of consumer goods and warned traders against inflating prices.

We urge traders to observe consumer protection by maintaining fair prices, added the governor.

Prof Kibwana said isolation centres had been established in all the six sub-counties to combat the virus.

We are continually training health workers on the virus and have dedicated a county hotline 0790777756, he said.
OTTAWAGen. Jonathan Vance says the Canadian military will take a hard look at how to respond to the skyrocketing number of requests for assistance with climate-related emergencies.

The Canadian Armed Forces has seen a 1,000 per cent increase in the number of requests over the past four years as floods, snowstorms, fires and other emergencies have swamped different parts of the country.

In a recent interview with The Canadian Press, Vance says providing such assistance is a key role for the Armed Forces, and one it is happy to do.

But he says the growing frequency and scope of the disasters threatens to stretch the military thin, and is concerned it will start to detract from militarys primary focus  preparing for war.

The federal government is preparing to launch a major review of North Americas defences that will look at everything from ballistic missiles to cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns.

But Vance says natural disasters will also figure in the discussion, including whether to boost the capabilities of the military, including the reserves, or civil organizations that are also tasked with responding to emergencies.
The next hearing on March 23 will be closed to press and relatives of the victims

The trial in the Netherlands of four men accused of murder over the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 will continue behind closed doors later this month due to the coronavirus outbreak, the court said on Tuesday.

Pre-trial hearings in the case against three Russians and one Ukrainian began in Amsterdam last week, Reuters recalls.

Prosecutors allege that the defendants helped to arrange the Russian missile system used to shoot down the civilian aircraft, killing all onboard. Of the 298 victims, most were Dutch.

Read alsoDivine retribution. Will The Hague Tribunal bring Russian killers of MH17 passengers to justice

The next hearing on March 23 will be closed to press and relatives of the victims, and the number of prosecutors and lawyers allowed into the court room will also be limited, the court said.

Thereafter the case is scheduled to continue in June.

UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Russia-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands.

The Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system.

The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia.

On June 19, 2019, JIT investigators accused four Russia-controlled military intelligence officers of involvement in a missile attack that shot down MH17. The first four suspects in the MH17 case are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin (AKA "Strelkov"), who in the summer of 2014 was the so-called "Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"); Russian General Sergei Dubinsky (nom de guerre "Khmuryi"), who led the "DPR intelligence;" Oleg Pulatov (nom de guerre "Gyurza"), who in 2014 headed of "the 2nd division of the GRU of the DPR;" as well as Leonid Kharchenko (nom de guerre "Krot"), who was a leader of the "reconnaissance battalion" of Russia-led forces.

The trial in the Netherlands started on March 9.
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) share price has dived 35% in the last thirty days. The recent drop has obliterated the annual return, with the share price now down 28% over that longer period.

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. 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 Boston Scientific

How Does Boston Scientific's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

Boston Scientific's P/E of 8.16 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. If you look at the image below, you can see Boston Scientific has a lower P/E than the average (32.7) in the medical equipment industry classification.

NYSE:BSX Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 17th 2020

Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Boston Scientific shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Since the market seems unimpressed with Boston Scientific, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. 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

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. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.

Story continues

Boston Scientific's earnings made like a rocket, taking off 179% last year. And earnings per share have improved by 136% annually, over the last three years. So you might say it really deserves to have an above-average P/E ratio.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. 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.

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.

So What Does Boston Scientific's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Boston Scientific's net debt equates to 25% of its market capitalization. While that's enough to warrant consideration, it doesn't really concern us.

The Verdict On Boston Scientific's P/E Ratio

Boston Scientific's P/E is 8.2 which is below average (12.7) in the US market. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Boston Scientific over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 12.5 back then to 8.2 today. 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 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 find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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 suspected robber accused of stealing 17,000 from a Singapore bank has been extradited from the UK to face criminal charges.

David James Roach allegedly walked out of the Standard Chartered bank with an envelope of cash after handing a note to the cashier saying: This is a robbery, I have a gun in my bag.

A 26-year-old cashier, fearing for her safety, quietly handed over the money in the July 7, 2016 robbery.

Two days later Roach is said to have flown to Thailand. However, he was stopped at customs with an envelope of cash and sentenced to 14 months in prison for violating money laundering and Thai customs laws.

The Canadian was deported in January 2018 and detained in London.

Judges have now ordered his extradition back to Singapore to face robbery and theft charges.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has urged Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to provide an adequate number of masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure the protection of doctors from the risk of coronavirus infections.

In a letter to Dr Vardhan on Tuesday, the FORDA, an association created for the welfare of resident doctors all over India, has also highlighted that doctors in the country are not covered by any health insurance scheme.

"Doctors are at the frontline and the first point of contact in emergency response. The medical fraternity stands in full support of the effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic. However, sadly the frontline warriors are ill-equipped in this battle and are at very high risk of contracting the infection and de, eloping the disease which has no cure or vaccine so far."

"We would hereby like to request you to ensure the protection of doctors working in healthcare institutions in this on-going COVID-19 pandemic by making arrangements for health insurance cover and to provide an adequate number of masks and other PPE on an urgent basis," added the FORDA in the letter.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 126 on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry has said.

The country's highest tally of 36 cases is from Maharashtra, which includes three foreign nationals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Annual General Meeting of Arion Bank 2020 was held at the Bank's headquarters at Borgartun 19, 105 Reykjavik, on 17 March 2020 at 16:00. Electronic voting was used at the meeting for the first time.

When the results of the voting were examined at the end of the meeting it emerged that not all shareholders' votes had been counted in respect of certain items on the agenda. Due to human error, votes cast in a different system were not properly transmitted to the main voting system. In the case of the proposal under item 14 (Authorization to issue warrants and corresponding amendment to the Articles of Association) this error meant that the incorrect result of voting on the proposal was announced at the meeting. It was incorrectly stated that the proposal had been rejected when in actual fact it was accepted with 80.8% of votes cast. The aforementioned error did not have any effect on the results of voting on other items on the agenda. The minutes of the AGM will be amended accordingly. Detailed results of the AGM will be published on the Bank's website within 15 days.

Below are the results of the meeting:

1. The report of the Board of Directors on the Bank's operations, activities and financial situation during the last financial year was presented by Brynjolfur Bjarnason, Chairman

2. The Bank's annual financial statements were approved

3. A proposal on a dividend payment was postponed

Before the AGM Arion Bank received written requests from shareholders controlling more than one third of the share capital of Arion Bank to postpone a decision at the AGM on dividend for two months. The requests were made on the basis of Article 84 (3) of the Public Limited Companies Act No. 2/1995. The request is in line with the suggestion of the Central Bank of Iceland that financial institutions reconsider their proposals on dividend in light of the economic uncertainty due to COVID-19.

4. Election of the Bank's Board of Directors

The meeting approved the proposal from the Nomination Committee regarding the following candidates to be elected to the Board of Directors and the Alternate Board. Brynjolfur Bjarnason will be Chairman and Herdis Drofn Fjeldsted Vice Chairman.

The Board of Directors is now presented by the following 7 candidates:

 Brynjolfur Bjarnason (Chairman)

 Herdis Drofn Fjeldsted (Vice Chairman)

 Gunnar Sturluson

 Liv Fiksdahl

 Paul Richard Horner

 Renier Lemmens

 Steinunn Kristin orardottir

and the Alternates are:

 Olafur Orn Svansson

 Sigurbjorg Asta Jonsdottir

 rostur Rikharsson

5. It was approved that Deloitte ehf., will continue to act as the Bank's external auditors

Deloitte ehf. was elected to continue to act as the Bank's external auditors until the next AGM. This proposal is based on an agreement between Arion Bank and Deloitte from August 2019 and Article 90 of Act no. 161/2002, on Financial Undertakings.

6. A proposal on remuneration to the Board of Directors and compensation to members of the Board's sub-committees was approved

It was approved that the monthly salary of Board members be ISK 490,900, the monthly salary of the Vice Chairman be ISK 736,200 and the monthly salary of the Chairman be ISK 981,400. The salary of Alternate members will be ISK 248,600 for each meeting attended, up to maximum of ISK 490,900 in the case of more than one meeting a month. In the case of foreign Board members, the aforementioned figures shall be doubled. Board members residing in Iceland shall enjoy private pension rights (Ice. sereignarsparnaur) in accordance with the Confederation of Icelandic Bank and Finance Employees labour agreement. In addition, it will be permitted to pay those Board members who serve on Board committees of the company a maximum of ISK 196,300 a month for serving on each committee, and the chairmen of Board committees ISK 255,000 a month.

7. A proposal on remuneration to the members of the Nomination Committee was approved

Members of the Nomination Committee, including the chairman of the Committee, will receive ISK 154,500 for each Committee meeting attended, up to maximum of ISK 154,500 per month in case of more than one meeting a month and maximum of ISK 927,000 per calendar year.

8. Share option plan

The AGM authorized the Board of Directors to implement a share option plan for the Bank's employees on the purchase of shares in the Bank, limited to ISK 600,000 market value purchase price per annum every year for the next five years. The option plan will be enacted on the basis of the provisions of Article 10 of the Income Tax Act no. 90/2003.

9. A proposal from the Board of Directors concerning the Bank's Remuneration Policy was approved

The meeting approved the Bank's Remuneration Policy as it was presented to the meeting. The full Remuneration Policy is attached.

10. Rules of Procedure for the Nomination Committee

It was approved to change the Rules of Procedure for the Nomination Committee, as proposed by the Nomination Committee. The Rules of Procedure are attached.

11. Two members of the Bank's Nomination Committee were elected

There were two candidates and they were automatically elected without voting taking place:

 Julius orfinnsson

 Sam Taylor

12. Proposal to reduce share capital by cancelling the Bank's own shares and a corresponding amendment to the Articles of Association was approved

The Meeting resolved to cancel 84,000,000 shares amounting to ISK 84,000,000 of the Bank's share capital, reducing it from ISK 1,814,000,000 to ISK 1,730,000,000 at nominal value. The reduction will be executed by cancelling the Bank's own shares amounting to the above mentioned amount provided that all applicable legal conditions are met.

13. Renewal of an authorization to purchase own shares and a corresponding amendment to the Articles of Association was approved

The meeting renewed the authorization to the Board of Directors, based on Article 55 of the Company Act No. 2/1995 to acquire on behalf of the Bank up to 10% of issued share capital in the Bank. The authorization shall be used for setting up formal share repurchase program or for the purpose of offering shareholders generally to sell their shares to the Bank, e.g. through auction, provided equal treatment of shareholders is ensured should such offer be made. The repurchase of shares under this authorization is conditional upon the prior approval of the Financial Supervisory Authority in accordance with paragraph 3 (a) of Article 84 of the Act on Financial Undertakings no 161/2002.

In order to achieve the objective of implementing a formal share repurchase program the Board is authorized to repurchase shares in the Bank up to the authorized ratio of issued share capital, which is 10%. The highest permitted price for each share shall be the latest independent trade or the highest independent bid, whichever is higher. The Bank's transactions with its own shares under a repurchase programme shall be published in accordance with laws and regulations

This authorization shall remain in effect until the Bank's Annual General Meeting in 2021 or 15 September 2021, whichever occurs first. Older authorizations to purchase own shares are cancelled by accepting this authorization.

14. Authorization to issue warrants and corresponding amendment to the Articles of Association

The Board of Directors of the Company was authorized, until the Company's Annual General Meeting in 2022, to issue warrants for up to 54,000,000 new shares in the Company. The Board of Directors is furthermore authorized for five years, until 17 March 2025, to increase the Company's share capital in relation to the exercise of the warrants. To whom the warrants are offered shall be at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Neither shareholders, nor others, shall enjoy priority rights to the warrants nor shares issued in relation to their exercise. The Board of Directors determines the final price of the warrants on the basis of a book-building process in a private placement and other terms and conditions of the warrants.

15. Amendment to the Bank's Articles of Association was approved

It was approved that Article 10.10 of the Bank's Articles of Association be amended in such a way that a shareholder's right to have a specific matter dealt with at a convened shareholders' meeting, if it makes a written or electronic request, be limited to the Annual General Meeting.

16. Other business

Brynjolfur Bjarnason, newly elected Chairman of the Board, on behalf of the newly elected Board of Directors thanked the meeting for the trust shown to them.


Todd McFarlane talks about his first Spawn team book and the culmination of the 'Year of Spawn'

The comic book icon looks back at the 'Year of Spawn' and forward to his first-ever team book The Scorched
Battling rising number of novel coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government has suspended the use of breath-analyser for testing drunk driving cases for the time being.

A senior Home Ministry official said the move is aimed at minimising the chances of viral transmission by restricting person-to-person contacts.

"We have decided to suspend the use of breath-analyser apparatus for the time being," he said.

It is in fact a very useful equipment to maintain the neutrality and objectivity of police officials who use this apparatus during checking, the official added.

However, regular checking of vehicles by police personnel will continue.

A circular in this regard was issued by Vinay Kargaonkar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Maharashtra Highway Police, on Monday.

"Outbreak of coronavirus has been reported in the state. To contain the spread of the virus, the police personnel need to take precautionary measures accordingly.

"Hence, Traffic Police personnel in all police units should not conduct breath-analyser tests for alcohol consumption by motorists," stated the circular.

The test would be resumed once the situation gets normal, he added.

Kargaonkar told PTI in Nagpur that the decision was taken to prevent further spread of coronavirus infection.

He said police personnel are vulnerable to the infection because they have to place the breath-analyser apparatus into the mouth of motorists to check whether they are driving drunk.

Meanwhile, the Home ministry official said that though the number of drunk driving cases declined from 18,000 in 2015 to 11,700 in 2018, the number is still high.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Microsoft India and NASSCOM Foundation on Tuesday launched the Innovate for Accessible India campaign aimed at empowering people with disabilities with the technology and tools required for better integration into society and access to equal opportunities.

The campaign will be an aggregator of workable technology solutions developed using Microsoft cloud, artificial intelligence and other technologies that address gaps faced by people with disabilities, especially in acquiring services and support in education, skill building, employment, mobility, rehabilitation and other government services.

The campaign will invite applications from students, citizens and social impact organisations to build customised solutions that address challenges faced by people with disabilities across the 21 officially recognised disabilities.

The10 best solutions that address key challenges faced by people with disabilities will be provided mentoring support by Microsoft and NASSCOM Foundation, along with grants to develop and scale their solution.

The winning innovations stand to win a grant of Rs 10 lakh each in the established projects category (pilot testing with a group of more than 25 beneficiaries) and a grant of Rs 5 lakh each in the early stage category (working prototype tested by less than 25 people).

"With over a billion people around the world living with some form of disability, it is critical that we find new ways to use technology to enable everyone to fully participate in the socio-economic environment around us," said Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari.

The campaign is in partnership with Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Department of Science and Technology, and National Research and Education Network.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, March 17 : Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur has said that people should not panic on the issue of coronavirus and take precautions instead.

The MoS Finance also said that the Prime Minister has asked all the MPs to create awareness when they find time and on weekends.

"Need to take precaution and not panic," said Anurag Thakur.

The Government has already issued certain guidelines on the issue of spread of COVID-19, the government on Monday prohibited the entry of passengers from the European countries and Turkey as a precautionary measure from March 18 to 31. The government also announced to expand the minimum quarantine for people travelling to India from the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

He said the decision will come into effect from March 18 12:00 GMT, at the port of first departure.

He also said that the government has prohibited the entry of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the UK to India with effect from March 18.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and new cases in Karnataka, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala.

The government has taken several steps to contain the virus, including suspension of all visas to India till April 15, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Hagelgans family on their front porch in Souderton: (from left)Kendall, 12; Scott; Laura; and Ethan, 15. Lauren was working as a contract special needs physical therapist assistant at two suburban school districts, but when Montgomery County shut its schools, she lost her paycheck. Read more

Hey, Washington and Corporate America: Its time to rescue the Hagelgans. And fast.

This Pennsylvania family and countless others across the country are in financial crisis. They have been writing me from as far away as California since last week as the coronavirus pandemic has cut them off from paychecks. I had called for immediate aid in a column last week. They are our nations independent contractors, and they are desperately afraid. Heres what they need  and what even deep-pocketed money guys agree is of utmost importance:

The federal government must send cash for wages that have been cut off. Sizable cash  not crumbs.

Government must expand unemployment benefits, for which these gig-economy workers are ineligible.

And the corporations that could bankrupt these folks must step up, too. The time is now for reductions in hefty monthly cable and cell phone bills  not just deferments of late fees  as their kids are home doing schoolwork on computers. Mortgage help, too, will be essential to keep Americans from losing their homes because theyve suddenly lost one or more incomes.

Dont believe me. Listen to Lauren Hagelgans. The wife and mother of two cried as we talked from her Souderton home this week.

I work in a school district. Theyre all closed, which means I have no work, which means I dont get paid, Lauren said. Id called after hearing from her dad, Inquirer reader Louis Russo, who was worried sick for his daughter. I receive nothing. And Ive got kids home. I have bills to pay. I have a mortgage. I have car payments. I have everyday household bills  everybodys cell phones  that right now I dont know whats going to happen.

Lauren, 45, lost all income from her part-time contract job as a physical therapist assistant for special-needs children at two suburban Philadelphia school districts on Friday. It happened as Montgomery County schools were ordered shut to prevent further spread of the coronavirus in what, up to that point, had been Pennsylvanias epicenter of the outbreak just outside of Philadelphia.

Its a job with no benefits through a third-party company. She had taken the post only after being laid off in October from a job that had paid sick leave and vacation time. The reason she had lost that other job? Changes in the federal governments Medicare reimbursements that forced cuts at the facility where shed worked.

Her husband, Scott, a draftsman for a surveying company, is the familys financial anchor  until and unless his own job falters in the weeks ahead. Hes lost jobs twice in the last 20 years due to the economy.

My husband has a 401(k) and we borrowed against it so that we could get through those three months with Christmas and just regular household bills, Lauren said. And now were depleted, basically, at this point. [Combined], we make enough that we can pay our bills  but not enough to put in savings.

They have a 12-year-old daughter and a son who turns 16 in two weeks. They live in a $165,000 home. They pay $1,350 a month in mortgage and local taxes, more than $300 a month for cable, and more than $300 a month for the familys cell phones.

Unlike the staff teachers alongside whom Lauren works at the North Penn and Norristown Area school districts, Lauren gets nothing while schools are closed.

The same terror is spreading among restaurant workers, employees at other small businesses, and contractors everywhere who  like Uber drivers or Realtors  get paid no benefits and get no unemployment.

Just hours after I visited Lauren and her family on the porch of their home Tuesday morning, President Trump announced a potential federal aid package that would send an unspecified amount of cash to Americans. His people were mum on how big those payments might be.

But prior to his announcement Tuesday, Trump had been seemingly fixated on big-employer-friendly payroll tax cuts  a useless remedy that would do nothing for businesses that close due to Americans holing up at home as many governors have now ordered.

Meanwhile, a House-approved rescue bill that was hammered out last week with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi remains in limbo as the Republican-controlled Senate led by Mitch McConnell has sat on it

This is not how you rescue ordinary Americans.

We are in a once-in-a-century crisis. We must save people immediately  and that means real money in real peoples pockets fast.

Over the last decade, big-money investors have sought to glamorize the marginalization of good jobs by labeling benefit-less Uber drivers and other contractors as gig economy workers. As though the no-benefits work were akin to a jazz show in a grotto somewhere.

In reality, the proliferation of these jobs has allowed corporations, universities, and school districts to get quality labor on the cheap, while turning private equity investors into billionaires by shoveling cash from gig economy industries into their already-overstuffed pockets.

It is time for our capitalists to return the favor. The social compact of democracy calls for nothing less than all hands on deck  and those hands had better start shelling out real cash to rescue this countrys workers and its families  before its too late.
Security guards are being redeployed to keep the peace in supermarkets and temperature-check office staff coming in to work.

The security industry, which employs about 148,000 licensed personnel nationally, is bracing for a severe loss of business after the federal government banned gatherings of more than 500 people for the first time in a century.

But Grant Talbot, director of Security Guards Melbourne, said businesses had been requesting guards do other services amid the coronavirus pandemic, including checking people's temperature at the front door.

If you're 'a little too warm' you're not coming in. Credit:Andrew De La Rue

"One of our major clients is an international chemical company we supply with 24-hour security [and] we are now scanning other employees coming in. And if they are a little bit warm they dont come to work."
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One of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case on Tuesday moved a court here to seek quashing of his death penalty on grounds that he was not in the city on the day of the crime.

Mukesh Kumar's plea before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana claimed he was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, one day after the crime.

The plea, three days before the four men convicted for the gangrape and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern are scheduled to be hanged, also alleged that he was tortured inside the Tihar jail.

The matter is scheduled to be heard later on Tuesday.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants for the execution of Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) on March 20, 5.30 am.

This is the fourth death warrant. The earlier three were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.

On Monday, Mukesh moved the Supreme Court seeking restoration of legal remedies and alleging that his earlier counsel misled and forced him to sign the papers.

The apex court had refused to entertain his plea.

On July 9, 2018, the court dismissed his review plea against its judgement. Later, his curative and mercy pleas were rejected by the top court and President Ram Nath Kovind respectively.

The young woman, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless one), was gangraped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Stormont Executive has agreed to introduce a package of measures in the coming weeks to mitigate against the worst effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

Proposals include rates relief for businesses, the continuation of free meals after schools close and steps to protect the most vulnerable, specifically the elderly and the homeless.

The decision was made at an Executive meeting on Monday night, after the meeting deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill repeated her call for schools to close immediately.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to avoid non-essential contact with others and travel during a press briefing on Monday.

However, he stopped short of closing schools, instead asking people to avoid pubs, clubs and other social gatherings.

Mr Johnson said everyone should work from home if they can.

The PM also said people with symptoms, or living with someone with symptoms should self-isolate for 14 days.

We think at the moment, on balance, its much better if we can keep schools open for all sorts of reasons Boris Johnson

Mr Johnson said he is confident people in Northern Ireland are being protected from coronavirus as well as those in the Republic of Ireland, despite the decision not to close schools.

This position was reiterated in a statement from Northern Ireland's education minister in a statement on Monday afternoon.

Peter Weir said he understands the concerns of schools and parents and said he wants to reassure them his department is working with partners in the education and health sector as well as across government.

It's after Belfast's 10 special schools closed indefinitely from Monday as principals sought guidance from the Education Authority (EA) on the health and safety issues concerning children with special needs in relation to the virus.

Several schools have taken the situation into their own hands and announced they will shut their doors.

Queen's University Belfast has said all lectures will cease from Wednesday and course material will be delivered remotely.

Arlene Foster said school closures could last up to 16 weeks when introduced.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Robin Swann confirmed on Monday that there have been 52 positive test results for coronavirus in Northern Ireland - an increase of seven from Sunday. 54 new cases were confirmed in the Republic of Ireland.

Read More

A growing number of bars, restaurants and venues in Northern Ireland have also announced their temporary closure in a bid to stem the spread of the virus. A joint statement from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and Hospitality Ulster said jobs and livelihoods could "go to the wall" as a result.

Check out our live blog to see how the latest coronavirus developments unfolded:
India on Tuesday reported its third coronavirus fatality with a 63-year-old dying in Mumbai, health ministry officials said as the number of positive cases rose sharply to 137 and more parts of the country shut down to stem the spread of the infection.

IMAGE: A man looks at the masks in the wake of deadly coronavirus at a market in Kolkata. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo

The government, which on Monday banned the entry of passengers from European Union countries, Turkey and the United Kingdom from March 18 till March 31, also closed its doors to those from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.



Unheard of till just a few days ago, 'social distancing' was the buzz-term as public spaces, including monuments such as the Taj Mahal, shut down and many thousands of people prepared to spend the next few days confined to home, working or studying online.

The Mumbai patient with a travel history to Dubai is the first COVID-19 death in Maharashtra, which has the most number of coronavirus cases at 39, officials said.



Earlier, a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi in Karnataka with a travel history to Saudi Arabia and a 68-year-old woman in Delhi died after they tested positive for the infection that according to Johns Hopkins University has infected 1,82,000 people and claimed over 7,100 lives globally.



The Maharashtra patient, whose wife also tested positive and is stable, was in a private hospital for five days and subsequently referred to Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital, officials said. He reportedly did not disclose his travel history when he was admitted to the private hospital.

IMAGE: Passengers wear masks to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic at Chennai airport. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the exact cause behind his death is being ascertained as he was also suffering from various ailments.



The 137 positive cases, 23 more since Monday night, have been reported from 15 states and union territories. The number includes 24 foreign nationals.



Among the new cases are two people from the suburb of Noida bordering the national capital. One recently returned from France and is already in isolation. The other has also been quarantined, Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said.



In Bengaluru, two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 late Monday night.

"We have got 2 more #COVID2019 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10," Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu tweeted.

Both are admitted to a designated isolation hospital.

One is a 20-year-old woman who travelled from the UK and the other a 60-year-old "contact" of the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who became the country's first coronavirus casualty last week, officials said.

IMAGE: A security guard stands guard at the entrance gate of Safdarjung Tomb in New Delhi. All monuments are closed temporarily as a protective measure against coronavirus. Photograph: Reeti Agarwal/PTI Photo

The Union ministry did not immediately add the figures to its national count.

According to ministry data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients who were discharged last month following their recovery from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

Kerala also has the highest number of COVID-19 patients after Maharashtra with 26 patients, including two foreigners.



Asking Bharatiya Janata Party MPs to spread awareness about the coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear the Budget Session of Parliament will not be curtailed as lawmakers should be seen to be doing their work at a time such as this.



In his address at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi heaped praise on doctors and other medical staff as well as airline crews and others involved in tackling the coronavirus crisis, saying they have worked positively and tirelessly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters.



Amid rising coronavirus cases, the government has said no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far.

IMAGE: Sanitising operations at the Kempegowda international airport in Bengaluru. Photograph: PTI Photo

With the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a health ministry official said over 5,700 people who had come in contact with the positive cases have been identified through contact tracing and are under vigorous surveillance.



He said all essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment, trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened.



The Central Railway cancelled 23 trains citing preventive measures and also non-occupancy. And the DGCA instructed airlines to ensure that all aircraft are deep-cleaned and disinfected at least once in 24 hours.



GoAir announces the suspension of its international operations and offered leave without pay for its staff on a rotational basis amid the sharp decline in air travel.



The Central government also issued an order asking all ministries to install thermal scanners at government buildings and suspend the routine issue of visitors and temporary passes.

As consternation mounted, public events such as concerts and plays and even weddings were called off or pushed indefinitely. People queued up to stock up on essential provisions in the eventuality of a lockdown of their neighbourhoods.



Educational institutes, cinema halls as well as several gated communities and other residential neighbourhoods curtailed the number of visitors as did offices that asked many of their people to work from home.

Photograph: Sahil Salvi/ Rediff.com IMAGE: A volunteer holds placard to create awareness about COVID-19 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.

"At midnight today we at first fiddle are shutting down all our restaurants till 31st March across the country and we will be back with a bang once the virus goes," said Priyank Sukhija who owns restaurant franchises, including Flying Saucer, Lord of the Drinks and Tamasha, across several cities.



In Uttar Pradesh, the state government announced the closure of all educational institutions in the state till April 2.



Competitive and other examinations have been postponed till April 2 and tourist places in the city shut, a minister said.

Upcoming polls to Maha local bodies postponed

The Maharashtra state Election Commission on Tuesday deferred the upcoming elections to local bodies in the state till further orders as a precautionary measure to check the spread of coronavirus.

State Election Commissioner UPS Madan said the government had requested that the elections be postponed in view of coronavirus infection.

The election commission also stayed the poll-related process.

"As per a Bombay High Court order dated August 10, 2005, the SEC has powers to postpone elections in view of natural calamity or a sudden situation. Accordingly, the SEC has stayed the process of ward delimitation, voter list (updation) and other activities related to elections from today (Tuesday) onwards," Madan said.

He said voting for 1570 gram panchayats was scheduled to be held on March 31. The nomination process was completed for this election.

He said the process of finalising voter lists for the elections to Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai municipal corporations and for by-elections to one seat each in Nashik, Dhule, Parbhani and Thane municipal corporations, is also stayed.

Madan said the process for delimitation of wards in the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation, and municipal councils/nagar panchayats of Ambernath, Kulgaon-Badlapur, Wadi, Rajgurunagar, Bhadgaon, Varangaon, Kaij, Bhokar, and Movad has been stayed as well.

The process was also stayed for Bhandara and Gondia zilla parishads and in 15 panchayat samitis under their jurisdiction, besides in 12,000 gram panchayats.
The White House on Tuesday proposed a roughly $850bn emergency economic rescue package for US businesses and taxpayers amid the coronavirus crisis  a sweeping stimulus package unseen since the Great Recession.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will outline the package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week. It provides relief for small businesses and the airline industry and include a significant tax cut for wage-earners.

Two people familiar with the request described it to The Associated Press news agency on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly.

The White House hopes the measure, first reported by the Washington Post, will pass quickly, possibly this week. It was an enormous political undertaking as the administration scrambled to contain the economic fallout of the severe disruptions to American life from the outbreak. Trump was been accused of initially downplaying the threat of the virus and not acting quickly enough. His administration has also come under fire for the lack of testing kits throughout the country.

White House officials offered senators a preliminary briefing late on Monday at the Capitol, saying they want the plan approved by Congress as soon as possible, suggesting in a matter of days.

ASAP, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said late Monday. Theres an urgency.

Traders watch US President Trump on the monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York

The rush to inject cash and resources into the economy is an effort unlike any since the 2008 economic crisis, with political and economic interventions and eye-popping sums to try to protect Americans from the health and financial fallout.

Weve got a lot of work to do from here, Mnuchin told reporters late Monday.

House bill

At the same time, Democrats have proposed their own $750bn package.

Senators returned to an emptied out US Capitol, clear of tourists or colleagues from the House, to confront an even more dire situation than the one they left for a long weekend before Trump declared a national emergency.

Pending is the House-passed aid package approved early on Saturday  with sick pay, free testing and emergency food  that is endorsed by President Donald Trump and ready to become law.

But action was stalled for much of the day as the Senate waited on the House for technical corrections as Republicans and a leading small business group raised objections, a setback only resolved late in the evening with a House voice vote of approval. Senate passage could follow as early as Tuesday.

All sides  the House, Senate and White House  agree the pending bill is not the last and not nearly enough to handle what is coming. At the start of the month, Congress approved $8.3bn in initial aid. Trump quickly signed into law the measure, which provided federal agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments, and funding to help state and local governments respond to the threat.

We will need big, bold, urgent federal action to deal with this crisis, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday.

Schumer floated the Democrats proposal for at least $750bn to boost hospital capacity, unemployment insurance and other direct aid for American households, businesses and the healthcare industry. Republican senators conferred privately over their priorities.

Republicans, often reluctant to spend federal dollars, did not flinch at the head-spinning number, as a roster of Americas big and small industries  airlines, hotels, retailers  lined up for aid.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney called for sending $1,000 to every adult American.

The president conveyed that legislators should not be impeded by the price tag, said Eric Ueland, the White House legislative director.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wants a comprehensive approach with significant steps for the economy, particularly Main Street businesses. He opened the Senate on Monday with a message to Americans: The Senate stands with you.

Pelosi exchanges an elbow bump, exhibiting caution amid coronavirus concerns, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at a Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill [Tom Brenner/Reuters]

The days ahead will test whether Congress can quickly respond to the crisis.

Industries representing a broad swath of the economy are seeking help in withstanding the fallout as schools close and Americans are being told to stay inside, skip nonessential travel and avoid gatherings with 10 people or more.

That means no dining out, no boarding planes, no shopping in malls as a great national shutdown sparks business closures, layoffs and lost paychecks for rents, mortgages and everyday needs.

Requests for help

The nations largest business organisation, the US Chamber of Commerce, asked the Trump administration and Congress on Monday to act rapidly to help companies have access to cash and avert a potentially devastating hit to the economy.

The request from the US airlines alone could easily top $50bn, according to Airlines for America, the trade group representing the carriers.

Were going to back the airlines 100 percent, Trump said at a White House briefing. Weve told the airlines were going to help them.

Empty retail stores are seen in the Manhattan borough, following the outbreak of COVID-19 in New York City, US [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

In a letter to Trump and congressional leaders, the Chamber of Commerce called for legislation including a three-month cancellation of the taxes companies pay to support Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance.

No family and no business should go bankrupt just because of the temporary disruption in income caused by the coronavirus, said the chambers CEO, Thomas J Donohue.

The nations governors were also calling on Congress to swiftly bring economic aid, particularly for the unemployment insurance system to help displaced workers, and fast.

We need a better response from the federal government, said Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, a Democrat. I am out of patience.

What are we waiting for?

Pulling together the new package will challenge the basic logistics of governing as Congress itself struggled to adapt to the new normal.

House Democrats were told on a conference call they will not be recalled to Washington, DC, until the next package is ready for action, according to people familiar with the call but unauthorised to discuss it and granted anonymity.

The 100-member Senate convened for an evening vote  a potentially stunning sight in the new era of social distancing. While different authorities around the country have issued conflicting advice, the Trump administration said at a Monday news conference that Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people over the next 15 days.

The No 2 Senate Democratic leader, Dick Durbin of Illinois, counting the number of senators on the floor, questioned what example they were setting. He urged swift passage of the House package. What are we waiting for? he asked.

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) workers cleaning a station at the lobby of Grand Central Station during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, in New York City, US [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

Despite Trumps robust support, a handful of Republicans said they wanted to make changes in the House-passed measure. It doesnt go far enough, said Republican Senator Tom Cotton.

In addition, the National Federation of Independent Business, which counts hundreds of thousands of small-business members, initially opposed it.

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 (WHO), people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise

New Delhi: As many as 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) in last five years, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise.

A total of 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) from 1 January, 2015 to 31 December, 2019 after their arrival in India, he said replying to a written question.

The minister said the government has extended various facilities to such people living in India on LTV.

These include grant of LTV for a period of five years at a time, allowing their children to take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical/professional institutions without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration, permitting them to engage in employment in private sector, purchase of dwelling unit and accommodation for carrying out self employment, opening of bank accounts, issuance of driving license, PAN card and Aadhaar number, he said.
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An iconic market in the heart of a major Australian city sits practically empty as the hoarders tear each other apart at suburban supermarkets.

Melbourne's iconic Queen Victoria Market was eerily quiet on Tuesday as Australians continue to lock themselves away amid coronavirus choas.

Market shopkeepers wearing masks stared into the wilderness with tonnes of fresh produce untouched while maniacs punched on for scraps at the big supermarket chains.

The Queen Victoria Market was eerily quiet on Tuesday morning when it would normally be bustling

Fresh produce was in abundant supply, but hardly anyone was buying it. Smart shoppers raided the meat section, but there was still loads left my midday

The Queen Victoria Market is a tourist hot spot and go to place for fresh produce. It was quiet on Tuesday as people stayed at home

By lunch time the smart shoppers had cleared out much the meat section, but enough still remained.

Any butcher will tell you stock is in healthy supply outside of the big chains.

One butcher in Melbourne's west told Daily Mail Australia he had sold a month's worth of meat in a day, but expected supply to keep rolling in.

Across Melbourne, it was a similar scene as bored shopkeepers wearing masks watched what remained of the world pass by.

Shopkeepers that remained open on Tuesday are uncertain about how much longer they will be able to.

Business has all but died anyway.

While not totally empty, the streets of Melbourne have been reduced to what resembles a lazy Sunday in winter when an AFL game isn't being played.

Hardly a soul walks down the Bourke Street Mall.

The State Library just down the road is usually bustling with students and tourists who sit outside on its lush, green lawns.

On Tuesday a rope had been strung across the doors and the grass was all but clear.

The court district on the corner of William and Lonsdale streets has been reduced to a crawl.

The Flinders Street Station clocks are a well known meeting place and are usually busy any time of the day. On Tuesday they were practically alone

The Supreme Court of Victoria on Williams Street was quiet on Tuesday. Most trials have been put off due to the coronavirus outbreak

The Bourke Street Mall looks like it might on a quiet Sunday when no footy is on in Melbourne

While a few 'silks' can be seen walking along the road, the courts have practically come to a halt.

Sitting by the Federal Court, one can hear the rattling of the flag pole.

It is deathly quiet.

Just off Collins Street, between Flinders Street, Degraves Street has become a shadow of its former self.

It is the go to place for a quick feed for office workers and tourists alike.

It's all quiet now.

A stone's throw away at Flinders Street Station, the iconic clocks look sad and lonely.

Hardware Lane is routinely packed throughout the day with diners and people just out for a coffee

Chinatown has struggled now for weeks. Delivery vans continue to stop along the route, but very few people are

Degraves Street is a go to place for city dwellers any time of the day. Its a hot spot for tourists too, but on Tuesday few ventured there

They are usually a meeting point for hundreds of Australians who use their central position to meet.

The normally busy intersection the station sits upon is devoid of the foot traffic it's accustomed to.

In Chinatown, where the silence first hit, it remains desolate apart from the constant flow of delivery vans.

It remains a wonder as to what the restaurants are doing with the product that continues to be delivered.

With universities and schools moving to an online education model over the coming days and weeks, Melbourne is expected to come practically to a stand still.

Trams and trains are already close to empty.

A drive into Melbourne from the outer west took just 30 minutes in peak hour on Tuesday - and that was with a crash on the dreaded West Gate Freeway.

Who knows what lays ahead tomorrow.

EMpty seats outside Melbourne's iconic Queen Victoria Market. Meanwhile people in the suburbs have gone crazy to get food
Thomas Maguire, 62, of Bensalem, Pa., after voting at Bensalem High School in a special election for a state House district in Bucks County on March 17, 2020. Read more

County elections officials from across Pennsylvania are urging the state to postpone the 2020 primary election, currently scheduled for April 28 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Elections administrators from five counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the region hardest hit by the outbreak, are drafting a letter to send to Gov. Tom Wolf and the Department of State, which oversees elections, requesting that the primary be delayed until June 23. County officials elsewhere said in interviews that they are making similar pleas to lawmakers and the Wolf administration.

Were having issues, said Deborah Olivieri, elections director for Berks County. Give us the time to do it right.

In addition to public health concerns, the officials say it could be difficult to actually run an election. Some institutions are backing out of serving as polling locations, and some poll workers are saying they cant work on election day.

We have to be able to literally hold an election, said Lee Soltysiak, Montgomery Countys chief operating officer and clerk of its elections board. Elections staff have stayed at home as part of a government closure there, and the elections offices in Philadelphia were similarly closed Tuesday and Wednesday this week. That means voters arent being registered, absentee ballot applications arent being processed, and other election preparations arent moving forward.

Its nearly impossible, frankly, for us to continue making progress preparing for the April 28 primary, Soltysiak said.

Retirement communities and nursing homes have been the first to say they dont want to host voting this time, given that older people are particularly at risk from the virus. But administrators also worry about churches and some other locations. And more poll workers, who tend to be older, will likely decide to sit out this election, they said.

Were pulling fire alarms all over the place, trying to tell the state what bad situations were in, said Forrest K. Lehman, elections director for Lycoming County. It gets to the point where  you have no infrastructure left.

Other state political leaders said the situation was not yet dire. My own personal view is theres probably a little bit of time to make that decision," U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) said Tuesday, adding that its a decision for state officials to make, not federal lawmakers. "This is a late April primary, I think, and we do have mail-in ballots that can be used widely.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told reporters Tuesday that he didnt have a position on moving the primary.

We have to see where we are at the point in time when we have to make a decision," he said. But well consult with everyone involved and make that decision when its appropriate. I think its a little early.

Philadelphias chief elections official, City Commissioners Chair Lisa Deeley, said Monday that having an in-person election on April 28 will be exceedingly difficult.

In northwestern Pennsylvania, Mercer County elections director Jeff Greenburg said he gets frustrated when he hears people say there is still time to decide. The decision needs to be made now, he said.

If we are going to move it, or we are going to make some other determination or contingency, we need to make that decision yesterday," he said. Its not comforting to hear from our leaders that ... we can hold off.

Wolf has said state officials are considering their options for the primary, which in addition to the 2020 presidential race includes elections for U.S. House, state House, and state Senate races.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania may delay its presidential primary election because of coronavirus

Its unclear whether the governor can act unilaterally or whether lawmakers would need to amend the state Election Code, which sets the primary election date as the fourth Tuesday in April. Mike Straub, a spokesperson for the House Republican caucus, said lawmakers have already started to poke around at what can be done.

Elections officials are generally loath to reschedule elections. But as the coronavirus pandemic has worsened, a handful of states have postponed primaries, and others are considering it. Bucks County officials tried Monday night to persuade a court to delay a special election held Tuesday, but they were denied.

Delaware County Councilwoman Christine Reuther said June 23 would give her county enough time to prepare, and for schools to let out for the summer.

One challenge, she said, is that the county wants to roll out new voting machines before November.

If a decision is not made to postpone the primary ... it may also result in us not being able to deploy the machines, she said.

The counties want to make sure the election is done right.

No matter what, well do an election. Because thats peoples right, Reuther said. But how well it happens  that is another issue entirely.

Staff writers Jonathan Tamari and Laura McCrystal contributed to this article.
Tourist information helpers wearing face masks walk along a nearly empty shopping street in Seoul, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. AP



Ten more countries have banned the entry of people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns, raising the total number of countries and territories imposing such entry or quarantine restrictions to 150, even though Seoul has seen a marked drop in new infections.



Eighty-five countries and territories were set to impose or were already imposing an entry ban on people from Korea, up from 75 the previous day, the foreign ministry's chart showed Tuesday.



Canada was the latest in the list with its plan to bring into force an entry ban on Wednesday (Canada time). A few other countries, like Russia, Chile, Georgia and Paraguay toughened their measures for people from South Korea, as opposed to having imposed stricter quarantine procedures.



Many of the new countries, like Suriname, a coastal nation in South America, now belong to this category, having declared national border closures and the banning of any arrivals by foreigners to stem the spread of COVID-19.



Lithuania, Bulgaria, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire also joined the list.



Some exceptions apply to diplomats and those with long-stay visas, residential permits or other essential reasons.



Azerbaijan was added to the list of 17 countries and territories, including 23 provinces, cities and autonomous regions in China, imposing stricter quarantine procedures for travelers from South Korea and several other virus-hit nations.



Travelers flying into these countries and territories are required to go into isolation at designated facilities for at least two weeks.



The number of countries and territories implementing stricter health screenings and requiring or recommending self-isolation stood at 43, joined by Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Guinea.



Five countries were barring entry of people who have visited Daegu, southeast of Seoul, and North Gyeongsang Province  the two epicenters of the virus outbreak  in at least the past two weeks, unchanged from the previous tally.



The rise in the number of number of countries restricting travel from South Korea comes as the number of new infections in the country has dropped significantly in recent weeks.



South Korea reported 84 new cases of the virus Tuesday, bringing its total infections to 8,320, with 81 deaths. It was the third straight day that new infections were in double digits.



U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams has also praised South Korea as a model in fighting the coronavirus.



"We have a choice to make as a nation. Do we want to go the direction of South Korea and really be aggressive and lower our mortality rates or do we want to go the direction of Italy?" he asked in an interview on Fox News.



Italy is the worst-hit country outside China, with at least 27,980 cases and 2,158 deaths.



"And when you look at the projections there's every chance that we could be Italy," Adams continued. "But there's every hope that we will be South Korea if people actually listen, if people actually social distance, if people do the basic public health measures that we've all been talking about as doctors all along, such as washing your hands, such as covering your cough, and cleaning surfaces." (Yonhap)


Italy's Coronavirus outbreak led to relocation of Tom Cruise blockbuster to England.

Mission: Impossible 7 and its Hollywood star Tom Cruise have said 'arrivederci' to Italy and relocated to the UK, reports the British media.

Production of the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible series came to a standstill three weeks ago in Venice, as filming coincided with the start of Italy's Coronavirus outbreak which has since been classed as a pandemic.

Filming is reportedly taking place at Longcross Studios in Surrey where the 57-year-old Cruise has been photographed by The Daily Mail carrying out his own stunts, as per usual, alongside actress Rebecca Ferguson.

Venice

The first leg of filming had been scheduled to begin in Venice on 24 February however due to the Coronavirus outbreak the three-week film shoot in Venice was halted.

Paramount Pictures explained that its measures were taken "out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings."

After Venice, filming was scheduled in Rome, for a period of around 40 days from mid-March, with open-air film sets and car chases expected in the centre of the capital.

Spanish Steps

Insiders say it is unlikely that the film crew will be sent back to Italy for the "foreseeable" future, however The Sun reports that the new set will feature a replica version of Romes Spanish Steps.

Mission: Impossible 7 is directed by Christopher McQuarrie and, in addition to Cruise and Ferguson, will star Nicholas Hoult and Hayley Atwell.

It is set for release on 23 July 2021 however it is not known if the halt on filming could delay this.

Tom Cruise and Italy

Cruise filmed scenes for Mission: Impossible 3 in Rome in 2005, returning a year later to marry actress Katie Holmes in a sumptuous wedding ceremony at the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano.

When Cruise arrived in Rome to film the third installment of Mission: Impossible he and his entourage stayed in the Hotel Hassler, above the Spanish Steps. Cruise made headlines in Rome at the time for filming the unforgettable speedboat chase on the Tiber, which he did without stunt doubles.

Movies in Rome

by Woody Allen and of course, the James Bond movie In recent years there have been a string of international productions filmed in Rome, such as Zoolander 2 , To Rome with Loveby Woody Allen and of course, the James Bond movie Spectre with Daniel Craig in 2014.

Movies filmed in Rome during the previous decade include Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks, The Talented Mr Ripley with Matt Damon, Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts, and Gangs of New York with Leonardo DiCaprio in 2000.
(Newser)  China announced that it will revoke the media credentials of all American journalists at three major US news organizations, in effect expelling them from the country, in response to new US restrictions on Chinese state-controlled media. The foreign ministry said early Wednesday that American citizens working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post with credentials expiring before the end of the year must surrender their press cards within 10 days, reports the AP. The move comes after the Trump administration designated five Chinese media outletsinclude the official Xinhua News Agencyas foreign missions and restricted the number of Chinese who could work for them in a de facto expulsion of about one-third of their Chinese staff.

story continues below

China described its steps as necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the US." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disputed the comparison between the US and Chinese actions, telling reporters in Washington that they enjoy press freedoms that don't exist in China. "The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely," he said. "They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. We've identified these as foreign missions under American law. These arent apples to apples, and I regret Chinas decision today to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct free press operations."

(Read more China stories.)
The number of federal MPs required in Parliament next week to pass emergency legislation will be cut by more than 40 per cent as access to the building is restricted amid the coronavirus outbreak.

NSW Liberal senator Andrew Bragg became the third Australian MP to be infected with COVID-19 on Tuesday, following Queensland senator Susan McDonald and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

A half-full house of representatives. Credit:AAP

The measures, agreed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on Tuesday, will see up to 30 pairs granted for MPs in the House of Representatives, meaning up to 60 out of 151 MPs and their staff will not need to be physically present. Pairing arrangements allow MPs from both major parties to miss votes without affecting the outcome.

Parliament must sit next week to pass the government's $17.6 billion stimulus package. Up to $11 billion is set to be pumped out in less than three months, including cash payments worth $750 for more than 6.5 million students, pensioners and the unemployed.
While much of the world heads into lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, a group of penguins at an aquarium in the US have made the most of humanitys retreat into self-isolation.

Schools have been closed, social gatherings banned and travel restrictions imposed throughout the country  but for the rockhopper penguins at Chicagos Shedd Aquarium, this weekend brought a rare venture into the outside world.

With the building closed to visitors as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid-19, the animals were allowed to leave their usual habitat to explore the rest of the aquarium.

Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals, the aquarium told the Chicago Tribune.

Introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviours.

In one video posted on Twitter by the Shedd Aquarium, a penguin called Wellington can be seen peering into the tank of a school of Black-barred Silver Dollar fishes.

The aquarium said it would also be continuing to celebrate animal birthdays.

While we are closed to the public ... animal care staff are onsite 24/7 to continue looking after the animals, including celebrating birthdays! Today on #PiDay giant river turtle Yam turns 28 years old...and so does animal care specialist, Evan! one tweet read.

In a statement released on its website, the aquarium announced it is planning to close to the public until 29 March in the best interest of overall wellness for our community and for each other.

While we are disappointed that we wont be able to welcome you to the aquarium during this time, we are closing out of an abundance of caution and to do our part in the social distancing efforts to help stop the further spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The aquarium added it would be continuing to provide round-the-clock care for on-site animals.

Meanwhile, all bars and restaurants in Illinois have been ordered to remain shut to the public until 30 March.

As of Monday morning, more than 3770 cases of infection and 69 deaths had been confirmed in the US.
Hundreds of Chromebook laptops filled several boxes on carts just inside the vestibule of the Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill shortly before 1 p.m. Monday.

A dozen or more cars lined up outside with parents waiting for weapons to wage the next battle in the war on the coronavirus: laptops.

Cherry Hill was one of over 600 districts statewide and thousands within a several state radius ordered to close to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Remote instruction over the internet is the goal here as it is in many other districts.

District officials hope to help bridge an internet and equipment divide with loaner laptops for online classes. The district schools are scheduled to remain closed until March 30 but that could easily stretch another month if guidelines from federal health officials are heeded.

On Monday, Cynthia Caldwell, a grandmother and retired Newark teacher, was helping out her three grandchildren in Cherry Hill by being the first in line to pick up equipment.

I think its kind of sad that they have to go through this, said Caldwell, who retired 12 years ago after teaching 20 years in Newark and 10 in East Orange. Its going to be a lot of work on the teachers and administration. Its going to also be a lot of work on the parents. But its been a crisis where we have to do what we have to do and work as a team to make the dream work.

A district worker hurried out to Caldwells car to get a student number for her grandchildren and hurried back with three laptops. Caldwell had thought she would have to hustle to another school to get laptops for her other grandchildren in 1st and 2nd grades but was surprised to find she was able to get them all in one stop here.

Caldwell said she has another daughter who is currently teaching in Newark. She said her school there handed out work packets to be completed by students during the time school is closed.

By the time she pulled out of the tight cul de sac where the school is located, nearly two dozen cars were lined up in both directions on Roosevelt Drive to make right and left turns into the cul de sac.

School officials at Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill hand out assigned laptops to residents lined up in their cars who pre-registered.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Med

District officials said 1,000 new Chromebook machines were on hand in three locations to be distributed to parents who had applied to receive them. Cherry Hill is a district of 11,000 students in a K-12 district with 19 schools. It is 9 miles east of Philadelphia.

Im confused about this whole thing and stressed out about it. I dont know what to say, said Ellen Morabico after she picked up two laptops for grandchildren in middle school and high school. Im 68 years old and this is the first time Ive experienced anything like this.

Chimere Lynn, a mother with three high-schoolers and two in middle school seemed relieved after she was able to pick up five laptops at Carusi without making stops at two other distribution locations.

I probably have one of the most difficult situations, Lynn said. I have five children in four different schools. I was supposed to go to multiple locations. I appreciate Cherry Hill would respond so quickly for our needs. I think theyve done a good job preparing."

She paused and then thought about what happens next.

Im interested to see how it pans out with all the kids at home, she said before navigating her way around traffic on the crowded street in front of the school.

In addition to the distribution of laptops, district officials have also handed out information packets for families without adequate internet connections to receive free internet connection for the next three months from some major providers.

Cherry Hill will also begin distributing breakfast and lunch meals Tuesday at Cherry Hill High School East and West from 10 a.m. to noon for students who qualify for free and reduced price meals, district officials said.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 22:59:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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COTONOU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Benin confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on Monday, the country's Ministry of Health said in a statement.

According to this statement, the patient is a 49-year-old male of Burkinabe nationality, who entered Benin on March 12.

"By retracing the route of the patient, it appeared that he left Burkina Faso on February 21 and stayed for 11 days in Belgium. He returned to Burkina Faso on March 4 and stayed there for 8 days until March 12, when he enterd Benin by air ", annonced the statement.

He went about his business on March 12 and 13 and did not respect the self-isolation measures prescribed at the airport. The patient went to a clinic on March 14, after presenting signs such as coldscoughs and fever.

"The patient went to the Cotonou isolation and care site on Sunday morning where he has received a test. The analyzes carried out on March 16 by the Beninese health authorities confirmed his diagnosis of COVID-19", added the statement.
TEOCO and Swisscom Collaborate to Optimize Connectivity for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

FAIRFAX, VA., USA ? TEOCO, the leading provider of analytics, assurance and optimization solutions to over 300 communication service providers (CSPs) and OEMs worldwide, together with partner Enkom, has today communicated a joint development cooperation with Swisscom, Switzerland\-\-s leading mobile operator, to optimize its mobile radio network to support commercial UAV traffic. In particular, TEOCO is helping Swisscom to explore the potential of their cellular network to support U-space, a set of new services designed to ensure the safe, efficient and secure access to airspace for large numbers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Already deployed by several tier-one operators globally, AirborneRF ensures effective, mission-critical connectivity to enable efficient traffic management and control for UAVs in the lower airspace. This includes providing risk analysis of adequate mobile network coverage in the flight planning phase to support UAVs to reach their destinations safely and securely.

?Swisscom\-\-s reliable and secure mobile network is ready to support UAVs,? said Dr. Rico Schwendener, Head of Innovation at Swisscom. ?Our joint development cooperation will further help us providing the required levels of mobile broadband connectivity to support safe and reliable flights for UAVs, servicing a wide range of different use cases.?

?The aviation industry considers connectivity a given, but mobile networks are highly dynamic and by default not designed or optimized to support aviation,? said Thomas Neubauer, VP Business Development at TEOCO. ?Swisscom clearly recognises this challenge, but also understands what a great opportunity commercial UAVs can provide, beyond the provision of basic connectivity. With our AirborneRF solution we can help operators determine where it is safe to fly within their radio network and connect them with the aviation ecosystem. We have proven experience of deploying AirborneRF with other tier-one operators around the world and can share our experiences to drive uptake of commercial UAV traffic.?
By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Oliver Hirt

ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse <CSGN.S> will be giving employees needing to care for children and family members affected by the coronavirus outbreak a month of paid leave through mid-April, its chairman and CEO told staff in a memo late on Monday.

As the global coronavirus pandemic spreads, business practices around the world have been affected by school closures, travel bans and lockdowns in a growing number of countries.

"The Executive Board has decided to grant paid leave until mid-April for all those employees who have to find childcare solutions due to school closures or need to take care of older family members, in particular, as a result of the situation," Chairman Urs Rohner and new CEO Thomas Gottstein said in the memo to employees seen by Reuters.

"We will continue our efforts to offer rapid and straightforward solutions if we have to make any further adjustments to our working models."

Switzerland's second-biggest bank said it was in discussions with authorities about providing loans to sections of the Swiss economy particularly affected by the coronavirus.

Credit Suisse and other Swiss lenders are considering a 20 billion Swiss franc ($21 billion) loan program to help small businesses, the Handelszeitung newspaper reported on Friday.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; editing by Jason Neely)
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday said the BJP-JJP coalition government in Haryana was pushing the state towards "bankruptcy".

The leader of opposition in the state assembly, Hooda also charged the state government with "fiscal mismanagement" and claimed that the state was "failing behind" on all key financial parameters and being pushed into a deep debt trap.

"The state is failing on all key financial parameters and it is heading towards bankruptcy... Fiscal mismanagement of the BJP government has pushed the state into a debt trap," he claimed and demanded that the state government issue a white paper on its mounting debt.

Hooda said the outstanding debt which stood at Rs 60,300 crore in 2013-14 had now risen to Rs 1.98 lakh crore. Till 2013-14, the ratio of debt against Gross State Domestic Product was 15.10 which now jumped to 21.14, he said.

This increase in the debt to GSDP ratio demolishes all arguments that the BJP has in its defence as they had claimed that the debt had increased in line with the economic growth, said Hooda.

"Haryana was earlier counted among the country's rich states, today it is in the list of states in deep debt," he claimed.

The proportion of total government expenditure on loan and interest payments is increasing due to rising debt. In 2016-17, 18.51 per cent of the total debt was used to repay the debt, which has now increased to 28.61 per cent, he said.

The two-time chief minister warned the state government against taking loans by "mortgaging the pride" of Haryana.

The government should come up with a time-bound, clear plan to control the ever-increasing revenue deficit and cut fiscal deficit, he said.

Hooda further said the fiscal deficit was 2.07 per cent during his term in 2013-14 which has now increased to 2.82 per cent in 2019-20.

Similarly, the revenue deficit which was only 0.97 per cent in 2013-14 has increased to 1.76 per cent in 2019-20, Hooda said.

"Our government brought hundreds of big projects, metro, railway lines, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, medical colleges, power plants, nuclear plants and hundreds of big industries were established during our government," he said.

"The BJP government must tell the state why they took massive debts when no institution, investment or industry was established in Haryana under BJP rule," he asked the BJP-led government.

Hooda also attacked the state government over the issue of "farmers' distress" in the state.

"Farmers are falling into debt trap due to the government's indifference towards them as they are left to fend for themselves in the wake of crop damages suffered due to inclement weather," he said and demanded compensation for the damage at the earliest.

Hooda took on the government over the issue of "rampant" paper leaks and alleged that every paper, from the board exams to the recruitment exams, was being leaked during the BJP rule.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Wellington: The New Zealand government has splashed the cash in a bid to lessen an expected coronavirus-induced recession, unveiling a $NZ12.1 billion ($11.98 billion) support package.

A wage guarantee, welfare increases, an aviation industry bailout, tax relief and new health spending feature in the bumper package, equivalent to 4 per cent of GDP - double Australia's spending per capita.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters speak to media at a press conference following a COVID-19 financial response package announcement at Parliament on Tuesday. Credit:Getty Images

Finance Minister Grant Robertson was brutally honest about the economic turmoil to come, unveiling a new Treasury forecast that sees New Zealand slide into negative growth.

"A recession in New Zealand is now almost certain with the advice that we are receiving that the shock will be larger than that seen during the global financial crisis," he said.
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Award Winning Digital Marketing Agency "We wont even sign a new client unless they are onboard with boosting their website's conversion rate, otherwise the channels we are managing for them wont do as well as they should, and we refuse to have any disappointed clients."

Experience Advertising, Inc., an award-winning digital marketing and online advertising management agency based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is celebrating their 13 year anniversary as of March, 2020. Experience Advertising was founded by and currently led by e-commerce expert Evan Weber, who began his career in the digital marketing industry in 1997 when he launched a free auction website and started selling collectibles on eBay and through e-commerce websites.

Evan Weber, CEO and Founder of Experience Advertising, Inc. stated, I couldnt be more delighted for my agency, staff members, and clients as we celebrate our 13 year anniversary as a cutting-edge digital marketing agency. Over the years, we have evolved into an award-winning digital marketing agency that provides industry-best digital agency services in as many as 10 distinct online marketing and digital advertising channels. Our team is made up of quality, competent digital marketing professionals that manage the top digital advertising platforms for our clients at the highest level in the industry. I would put our processes, procedures, optimization strategies, and results up against the largest digital agencies in the United States. However, we deliver these services at an affordable cost, as opposed to typical over-priced agencies with less than experienced account managers.

Experience Advertising, Inc. began in 2007 as an affiliate program management agency (or OPM), specifically focused on growing and managing affiliate programs for companies on affiliate networks like CJ Affiliate, Linkshare/Rakuten, Shareasale, and inhouse programs. Over the years, Experience Advertising has added additional digital agency services to their menu of online marketing management services. Weber continued, Since I had the advanced background in managing and growing the core digital marketing channels from my previous successful Internet company Dentalplans.com, and given the fact that many companies desperately need better management of those digital marketing channels, it was inevitable that we would begin to offer agency management in a wider variety of online advertising channels. Now, when you come to us for a particular need like affiliate marketing, you may just end up having your paid search, SEO, retargeting, and website conversion rate strategies managed by us as well. Its a really exciting position to be in. In fact, I often tell prospective clients that when they hire Experience Advertising, they are getting much more than the typical digital marketing agency. Rather, they are getting to work directly with a true digital marketing and social media expert like myself, with a proven track record of exponentially growing online revenue for companies of all types. Someone that, with the click of a mouse, can increase the rate at which their website converts traffic into sales on all of their online marketing campaigns, which instantly increases their bottom line profitability and revenue. As you can imagine, they get pretty excited at the prospect of that occurring. Then, when it does occur, they get even more excited and we go from there to properly scale their company online.

Experience Advertising places extreme importance on boosting their clients overall website conversion rate. Weber stated, We are one of the only digital agencies out there, if not the only, that is actually able to significantly increase our clients website conversion rate through a series of proven strategies, tools, and tweaks. When a websites conversion rate is increasing steadily over time, their website sales will increase proportionately. Also, the ROI on any current digital advertising campaigns will increase, which provides additional budget to drive more targeted traffic from the primary sources like Google Ads. Most companies arent able to realize all of their paid search volume, which is a huge problem. Therefore, by implementing effective conversion rate optimization tools and strategies, our clients are able to fully realize their online advertising potential. In fact, we wont even sign a new client unless they are onboard with boosting their website's conversion rate, otherwise the channels we are managing for them wont do as well as they should, and we refuse to have any disappointed clients. Experience Advertising has been implementing effective conversion rate optimization strategies for companies for 10+ years.

Experience Advertising, Inc. manages the following digital marketing channels for their clients:



If you are looking to work with one of the leading digital marketing agencies in the U.S., or directly with their CEO Evan Weber on a digital marketing consulting basis, contact Experience Advertising to learn more about their services and to contact them for a complimentary evaluation and proposal.
Idris Elba has been praised by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation for his 'brave and powerful message' after confirming he has coronavirus.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend the actor, 47, for speaking about COVID-19, telling him to 'take care and stay strong'.

Idris revealed on Monday he had been tested positive for coronavirus and that he and his wife Sabrina Dhowre, 29, have gone into self isolation.

Brave: The Director General of the World Health Organisation has praised Idris Elba after the actor and his wife Sabrina posted a 'powerful message' confirming he has coronavirus

Dr Tedros wrote: 'Take care and stay strong, @idriselba! I admire your brave and powerful message to the world. We're all in this together. Solidarity will beat the #coronavirus. #COVID19.'

Idris said in his video message he 'feels ok' and has no symptoms but has decided to self-isolate following his exposure to COVID-19.

The Luther star had attended the WE Day UK Charity event and concert in London last Tuesday March 3 with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Inspiring: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend Idris' for his bravery for speaking about COVID-19 (pictured last month)

Stay strong: Dr Tedros wrote: 'Take care and stay strong, @idriselba! I admire your brave and powerful message to the world. We're all in this together. Solidarity will beat the #coronavirus'

Isolating: Idris revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus via Twitter on Monday

She announced she tested positive for the virus last week and gone into self quarantine.

Idris shared the video with the caption: 'This morning I tested positive for Covid 19.

'I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus.

'Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing. No panic.'

Isolating: 'Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing. No panic,' Idris said

Event: Idris attended the WE Day UK in London last Tuesday with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, spouse of the Canadian Prime Minister, and Lewis Hamilton. She has also tested positive

Idris confirmed wife Sabrina had not yet been tested but said that she also 'feels ok' at the moment.

The Luther star addedhe only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus, before quarantining himself and getting tested 'immediately'.

He received the news of his results this morning.

Keep calm: The Luther star added he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus

Reassured: The pair have also told their families and colleagues. Idris finished the clip by saying 'stay positive and don't freak out' (pictured in December 2019)

'Look, this is serious,' he continued. 'Now is the time to start thinking about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that there are people out there who aren't showing symptoms, and that can easily spread it.

'So now is the time to be really vigilant about washing your hands, and keeping your distance.'

The pair have also told their families and colleagues. Idris finished the clip by saying 'stay positive and don't freak out'.

Take action: 'Look, this is serious,' he continued. 'Now is the time to start thinking about social distancing, washing your hands'

Fans were quick to share their best wishes with the star, praising him for using his platform to encourage people to take more precautions.

Actress Ava DuVernay wrote: 'Thank you, @idriselba, for using your platform to educate and inform. No symptoms, but positive.'

But others were quick to point out that his wife Sabrina should have separated herself, as she had not yet been tested for the virus.

Another follower commented: 'If you are positive, and Sabrina has not been tested then why are you anywhere near her?'

The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia.

The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results on Instagram urging the public to 'take care'.

Hanks revealed they had experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.

Taken ill: The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia

Before their diagnosis, the couple had visited crowded Australian hotspots including Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House - raising fears that others were infected.

The opera house have been trying to track down 207 people who could have come into contact with the couple at a concert on Saturday night.

And on Sunday night, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko announced she had tested positive for the now-widespread virus.

Star fever: Bond girl Olga Kurylenko - who starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (pictured 2008) - has tested positive for coronavirus

The 40-year-old, who played Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace, said she was diagnosed after feeling 'ill for almost a week' with fever and fatigue.

She is now facing days in isolation and posted a picture of her locked window on Instagram last night as she revealed she was 'locked up at home'.

The Soviet-born actress added: 'Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms. Take care of yourself and do take this seriously!'

Taken ill: The actress (pictured in a photo she shared with her social media followers) said she was taking paracetamol and eating garlic
The chief justice of Oregon on Monday imposed significant new limits on court operations statewide, curtailing all but essential court hearings to limit traffic in and out of courthouses and stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Chief Justice Martha Walters announced the new limits late in the day. Court operations around the region were already straining under the toll of the public health threat. Early in the day, Multnomah County court officials sent home all jurors as a precaution.

Walters said the restrictions will be in place until at least March 27 and may be extended.

The nature of this public health emergency has led me to order the postponement of most trials and court hearings, Walters said in a statement. The guidelines that were issued just last Friday no longer reflect the recommendations from the Centers on Disease Control and changing circumstances here in Oregon.

"We will do our best to provide people their day in court when we can safely do so, and we will pursue options for continuing our work without requiring in-person appearances, but, at the present time, limiting the number of people coming into our courtrooms and courthouses is paramount, she said.

The announcement postpones with limited exceptions jury trials and other trials and hearings scheduled to begin between Thursday and March 27. Some courts will implement the postponements as early as Tuesday. Jury trials scheduled to wrap up by before Thursday will continue.

The limited exceptions include court proceedings involving people in jail with a legal right to a speedy trial, civil commitment hearings and certain protective order, family law, guardianship and treatment court proceedings.

Walters also banned in-state and out-of-state work-related travel and banned internal meetings of five or more people. Larger meetings will be conducted remotely or rescheduled.

Presiding judges in each county will decide which judges and court staff need to work at the courthouse or remotely from home.

The Oregon Court of Appeals has also canceled oral arguments that were scheduled to start Thursday.

In Multnomah County, officials said civil commitment hearings will be held by phone instead of in person at hospitals. People who want to apply for stalking protective orders can do so at the Justice Center, located at 1120 S.W. Third Ave. Delinquency and dependency preliminary hearings and 10-day detention review hearings will be held at the Juvenile Justice Center.

A half-dozen organizations that work with or in the criminal justice system had also pressed for far more limited court operations statewide in light of the spreading pandemic.

The groups include the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, Disability Rights Oregon, Partnership for Safety and Justice, the Oregon Justice Resource Center, Sponsors and the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Together, they asked Walters to impose stricter limits on court operations across the state.

Meanwhile, Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett on Monday took steps to reduce the jail population. Garrett said his staff identified about 60 inmates it considered eligible for early release due to their medical condition or the nature of their sentences.

He said people serving short sentences or nearing the end of a sentence were considered for release.

He said his office plans to expand the use of home detention bracelets and will cover their costs.

People in custody for sex crimes and domestic violence are not eligible to leave early.

He said he expects to release people by Tuesday.

We are not just doing this to let offenders out of jail, he said. We are taking measures to prevent virus infections, to protect everybody in the jail facility and to maintain the long-term viability of our jail operations.

Meanwhile, work crews made up of people who are incarcerated will focus their efforts on the cleaning the jail instead of outside assignments.

Garrett said hes also asked local police chiefs to ask officers to issue citations when possible instead of booking suspects into jail. He said his goal is to book fewer people and to focus on serious violent crimes.

That is going to trim the number of offenders who come into custody, he said.

He said that change is going into effect immediately.

A spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said the agency is not evaluating inmates for early release.

-- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Click here for the March 18 update

The state of Pennsylvania reported there were 96 positive cases of coronavirus as of 1 p.m., March 17, 2020.

Here is the locator map and details of the known cases. Municipality maps, when available, are below the overall state map. If you are unable to view the map below, please click this link. This post and map will be updated throughout the day as additional details on cases are released by individual counties.

Please note that starting March 16, the state has changed how it labeled cases from confirmed positive and presumed positive to either negative or positive.

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.

 An adult in their 60s is in isolation at home.

 An adult in their 60s is hospitalized at Jefferson Hospital in Jefferson Hills.

 Three people over the age of 18 have been diagnosed. Two were exposed during international travel, the third was exposed during domestic travel. They are in isolation at home.

Beaver County

 An unknown person from this county has been diagnosed. Peter Carbone, superintendent of Aliquippa School District, indicated that the person is from Aliquippa.

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, who had been in contact with the affected cardiologist from Montgomery County. They are in isolation at home.

 An adult, who recently traveled to Spain, is in isolation at home.

 Four unknown people from this county have been diagnosed.

Chester County

The county is maintaining a coronavirus database site. All information below has been pulled from it.

EAST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP: Two cases have been reported - a 20-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man.

EAST MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP: Two cases have been reported - A 51-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man.

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP: A 30-year-old man has been diagnosed.

WEST PIKELAND TOWNSHIP: A 56-year-old woman has been diagnosed.

Cumberland County

 Two adults and a child were diagnosed. Their ages and gender have not been released.

 Seven additional people from the county, whose ages or gender were not released, have been diagnosed.

Delaware County

 An adult woman, who recently returned from a conference in Boston. She was treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland.

 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.

 Seven other people from the county, whose ages or gender was not released, were diagnosed.

Lehigh County

 An adult from Bethlehem, who works for the Lehigh Valley Health Network. They are in isolation at home.

Luzerne County

 An adult from the county, who was diagnosed after traveling, is in isolation at home.

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

 A five additional people from this county have been diagnosed. Their ages and gender has not been released.

Montgomery County

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP: A 70-year-old woman is hospitalized at a Philadelphia hospital.

COLLEGEVILLE: A 45-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, who both had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus. They are in isolation at home.

CONSHOHOCKEN: 58-year-old woman, who had contact with a previously identified person in Montgomery County with the virus. She is in isolation at home.

DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP: A 38-year-old has been diagnosed.

EAST NORRITON TOWNSHIP: A 37-year-old has been diagnosed.

LIMERICK TOWNSHIP: A 50-year-old has been diagnosed.

LOWER GWYNEDD TOWNSHIP: Two women between the ages of 18 and 54 have been diagnosed. The teen is a student at Germantown Academy. Both live in the same household and they are in isolation at home.

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP: There are six cases so far in Lower Merion Township. They 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

 A fourth-grade teacher at Cynwyd Elementary School. The teacher is in isolation at home.

A person, whose age or gender has not yet been released, was diagnosed in the township.

LOWER MORELAND TOWNSHIP: A 20-year-old has been diagnosed.

LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP: Six people have been diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 58. They include:

 A 31-year-old woman who had contact with a previously identified case. She is in isolation at home. (Source)

 A 42-year-old who had contact with a previously identified case. She is in isolation at home. (Source)

LOWER SALFORD TOWNSHIP: A 39-year-old who had traveled throughout the United States is in isolation at home. (Source)

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP: A 2-year-old child has been diagnosed.

PERIKOMEN TOWNSHIP: Two people have been diagnosed. The first, a 35-year-old police officer, 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. The second, a 34-year-old, is in unknown condition.

SKIPPACK TOWNSHIP: There are three cases so far in Skippack 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.

UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP: Two people have been diagnosed. One, a 62-year-old woman, is hospitalized at the University of Pennsylvania. The second, a cardiologist, is in critical condition at the University of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that more than 20 patients and 17 workers were exposed to the doctor.

UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP: A 72-year-old woman has been hospitalized. Officials say its the first case of community spread in the county.

WORCESTER TOWNSHIP: Two people have been diagnosed between the ages of 43 and 56.

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.

 Seven additional adults from the county, whose age or gender have not been not released, have been diagnosed.

Washington County

 An adult from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed.

 An unknown person from this county has been diagnosed.

Wayne County

 An adult man who traveled extensively in Europe was treated March 4 at Carbondale Family Health Center. He is in isolation.

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.

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.
Pregnant Millie Mackintosh has penned an emotional Instagram post revealing her anxiety about being pregnant and giving birth amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The ex Made In Chelsea star is expecting her first child, a daughter, with husband Hugo Taylor in eight weeks time, but has admitted her worries now the government has advised pregnant women to stay indoors for three months.

Millie admitted she will keep busy by 'nesting' with Hugo and 'taking each day as it comes'.

Difficult time: Pregnant Millie Mackintosh has penned an emotional Instagram post revealing her anxiety about being pregnant and giving birth amid the coronavirus pandemic

Sharing a photo of pink blossom on a sunny London day, the reality star gave her 1.3m Instagram followers an update on Tuesday, writing that 'with a little under 8 weeks to go until our daughter is due to arrive, the situation the world finds itself in with Coronavirus is very much a concern'.

'Even though I'm fully aware that worrying gets you nowhere, it's understandable to be anxious about my baby arriving during this time, our natural instinct is to protect!'

'The final pregnancy stretch brings with it a whole wave of emotions and as I'm trying to get into nesting mode, the world around me is in panic mode!'

Loved up: Millie admitted she will keep busy by 'nesting' with her husband Hugo and 'taking each day as it comes'

She continued that she is trying to adapt to the changing situation and make the most of some enforced down time, explaining: 'I certainly didn't envision my daughter arriving into the world during the throes of a pandemic, however that is where we are and instead of resisting it and causing internal personal panic I am trying to embrace the uncertainty by taking each day as it comes and enjoying this enforced maternity leave.'

ARE PREGNANT WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE TO COVID-19? There is no evidence that pregnant women become 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 symptoms because more severe symptoms such as pneumonia appear to be more common in older people, those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions. If you are pregnant you are more vulnerable to getting infections than a woman who is not pregnant, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. If you have an underlying condition, such as asthma or diabetes, you may be more unwell if you have coronavirus because is poses a higher risk to those with underlying health conditions. In terms of risk to the baby, there is no evidence right now to suggest an increased risk of miscarriage or transmission to the unborn baby via the womb or breast milk. Some babies born to women with symptoms of coronavirus in China have been born prematurely. It is unclear whether coronavirus caused this or the doctors made the decision for the baby to be born early because the woman was unwell. Advertisement

The fitness fan added that she has plenty to keep her busy indoors, revealing: 'I plan on doing at home workouts, watching all the tv on my to watch list, cooking my favourite comfort foods, reading, organising the house for our daughters arrival and spending quality time with Hugo'.

She ended her lengthy caption by urging her followers to look out for one another, writing that 'humans are wired for survival but that can sometimes take us to a negative space where we self serve and don't look after our community (remember it takes a village and in this case a nation).'

'Scare mongering and panic buying will only make things 10 times worse. Please look out for your family members, friends and those less fortunate around you, particularly elderly neighbours!!'

'Make calls and reach out to each other (perhaps not with our hands) and lets pull together (again, not literally) Be kind and take care. Wishing you all health and happiness during this daunting time.'

During Monday's briefing from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, it was revealed that the Government have added mothers-to-be to the list of most 'at risk' people for the first time along with the elderly and those with health conditions.

Officials said the measure was 'for precaution' because it is too early to say whether COVID-19 poses a significant threat to expectant mothers.

Generally pregnant women are more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant.

Millie recently revealed she was 'starting to feel the strain' as she entered the third trimester of her pregnancy.

The beauty explaining she is suffering from constant heartburn and struggling to sleep as her body adjusts to the final three months of carrying her 'precious baby'.

The TV personality said her feet are 'aching so much she can only wear slippers or trainers' and revealed she's even struggling to walk at times after experiencing a 'flare up of pelvic girdle pain'.

Difficult time: Officials said the measure was 'for precaution' because it is too early to say whether COVID-19 poses a significant threat to expectant mothers

The beauty wrote: 'Pregnancy update - Entering the third trimester and oh boy is my body starting to feel the strain of carrying this precious baby around.

'My feet are aching so much I can only wear slippers or trainers. Hugo even suggested crocs to wear around the house! (not sure I'm there just yet!).

'The heart burn is pretty constant and I'm REALLY struggling with sleep (3am wake up calls are no fun), it's just so hard to get comfortable!

'More recently I've been experiencing a flare up of pelvic girdle pain which makes it painful to walk sometimes.....???? No wonder I've been feeling super emotional.' (sic)

Millie and Hugo tied the knot in June 2018 at his uncle's country estate, Whithurst Park in West Sussex, one year after he proposed during a holiday to the Greek island of Mykonos.

The couple briefly dated during their Made In Chelsea days back in 2011 and reunited in May 2016 shortly after Millie's split from her first husband, rapper Professor Green, 36.

Millie was married to the musician, real name Stephen Manderson, for two-and-a-half years before they announced their split in February 2016.
BJP member Jagdambika Pal's



demand that the Centre either bear the GST of 12 per cent on the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund or hike the annual amount of Rs 5 cr to negate the tax burden drew cross-party support in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Members belonging to different parties raised different issues during the Zero Hour with Tapir Gao of the BJP highlighting incidents of discrimination against people from northeastern states in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

He urged the Centre to issue a advisory to states against the alleged racial discrimination. Students from northeast states living in different parts of the country are being asked to vacate their rented accommodation, he said.

Karti Chidambaram of the Congress spoke about complaints that people being quarantined over coronavirus suspicion, have been kept in "substandard" facilities under unhygienic conditions.

He said many of these people, most of whom were quarantined following their return from abroad, have the wherewithal for self-isolation and should be allowed to do so.

With the Congress, including its former president Rahul Gandhi, attacking the government over its handling of the virus, Chidambaram said should not be played over the issue and the government should be complimented for its efforts.

Pal raised the issue of annual MPLAD fund of Rs 5 crore provided to every member of Parliament for development in their respective constituency.

He said the UP government has been paying the GST on a similar kind of fund for the state's MLAs so that the entire amount they get is spent on development.

The Centre should also pay the GST or hike the MPLAD fund by Rs 60 lakh so that Rs 5 crore is entirely spent on development projects, he said, drawing support from many members.

Two National Conference MPs, Hasnain Masoodi and Akbar Lone, said the government should evacuate Indians who are still stranded in Iran, which has been hit hard by coronavirus.

BJP's Jamyang T Namgyal, who represents Ladakh, said 836 Shia Muslims, most of whom are from his constituency, are still stuck in Iran and should be evacuated.

BJP's Rajdeep Roy, who represents Silchar, raised the issue of non-tribals living in Meghalaya facing attacks from anti-CAA protesters and sought measures to prevent them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Footfall in Dublin City centre has declined by 28% according to a representative group for businesses in the city, DublinTown.

The data, for the period Monday March 9  Sunday March 15 revealed:

* Grafton Street saw a reduction of 34% versus the same week in 2019;

* OConnell Streets footfall dropped by 28%;

* South William Street, with a large restaurant and pub offering, saw the greatest decrease, down 44%.

Numbers in the city are expected to fall further this week.

Reacting to the figures DublinTown has reiterated its call for specific supports to be introduced by the Government for retail businesses, in addition to the hospitality sector.

CEO of DublinTown, Richard Guiney, said: While this drop was to be expected, they starkly illustrate the challenges facing businesses in the city. However, Dublin city has shown its ability to bounce back quickly before and DublinTown is calling on the Government to support hospitality and retail businesses at their time of need so they can emerge from the other side.

We applaud the initiatives, like the Feed The Heroes campaign, being organised by people across Ireland to support front line staff with meal deliveries as they strive to keep us all healthy and safe.

"This should be considered in calls for the blanket closure of providers of hot food services. Many restaurants either already offer or have started offering a takeaway service and have redesigned their seating layout to reflect social distancing recommendations as a means of continuing to meet the community need for hot food.

Mr Guiney went to suggest that in order to aid businesses in the city and their employees the group were are calling on the government to develop specific supports for the hospitality and retail sectors.

"DublinTown welcomes the Governments provision of 200m of financial support through SBCI. We further believe that it will be appropriate to utilise NAMA funds to augment the SBCI funds available to ensure that as many employers as possible can maintain their presence through the crisis.

We have continuously indicated our belief that the standard rate of VAT should be reduced to 20% while the hospitality rate be reduced to 10% as a matter of course. However, there is a strong argument to suggest that for the duration of this crisis VAT should be reduced to the lowest level permissible in accordance with the EU Directives.

"DublinTown also recommends the postponing of Employers PRSI until the crisis is resolved to assist employers in maintaining their core staff members.

Mr Guiney also suggested that as income reduces, businesses will find it increasingly difficult to meet their costs.

"The State through costs such as rates represent a significant proportion of these outlays. For the duration of the crisis DublinTown is calling for the state to meet these local authority costs through a HAP style scheme, which would see central Government meeting local authority charges. This scheme would unwind as the emergency reaches a conclusion.

We are continuing our engagement with Government, and relevant local authorities, as we work together to find solutions to the issues at hand. We are calling for responsible, calm, and focused actions to achieve a collective effort, as people and their health will always come first. We are working to give our members the best advice now, in order to support them in the future.

"Our team is providing information to members, including materials for premises relating to personal hygiene, contactless payments and more. We welcome every responsible action taken by our members in this time of crisis, who are working hard in unprecedented times.
Stocks in Asia Pacific were mixed on Tuesday as they seesawed after shares on Wall Street plunged to their biggest day drop in more than three decades overnight, and the Philippines shut its markets temporarily.

Stocks in Australia led gains among the region's major markets as they attempted to recover from the plunge a day earlier. The S&P/ASX 200 closed 5.83% higher at 5,293.40 after plummeting nearly 10% on Monday.

In a Tuesday release of minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) meeting in early March, the central bank said: "In considering the policy decision, members observed that it was becoming increasingly clear that COVID-19 would cause major disruption to economic activity around the world." The RBA cut its cash rate by 25 basis points in March to 0.5%, a new record low.

Meanwhile, shares in mainland China ended their trading day lower. The Shanghai composite slipped 0.34% to around 2,779.64 while the Shenzhen composite edged 0.425% lower to approximately 1,704.74. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index advanced 0.61%, as of its final hour of trading.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 closed slightly higher at 17,011.53. The Topix index surged 2.6% to end its trading day at 1,268.46.

South Korea's Kospi, on the other hand, closed 2.47% lower at 1,672.44.

Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index slipped 0.12%.

Meanwhile, Philippines halted trading at its stock exchange "until further notice." In a statement on the Philippine Stock Exchange website, it said trading was suspended "to ensure the safety of employees and traders in light of the escalating cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)." On Monday, the country's benchmark PSE Composite Index plunged almost 8%.

Investors watched the rapidly evolving situation surrounding the global coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 168,000 across the world and taken at least 6,610 lives, according to the World Health Organization. Fears over the economic impact of the virus have triggered strong moves in global markets in recent days.

"Drastic measures by the Fed and other Central Banks have failed to appease markets with investors still running towards the exit door of risk assets as governments step up their radical measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak," Rodrigo Catril, senior foreign exchange strategist at National Australia Bank, wrote in a note.

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Sunday a massive monetary stimulus, in an emergency move. On Monday, several central banks in Asia also announced measures to combat the impact of the coronavirus.

"The problem is that we have an uncertainty that the market is finding it hard to parameterize," Timothy Moe, co-head of Asia macro research at Goldman Sachs, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "The economic impact of this viral outbreak is still hard to fully determine and the numbers keep moving around a lot."

"I think as long as there is uncertainty about ... how to, you know, price and evaluate  the economic effect, the market is likely to remain in  quite a jittery mode," Moe said.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

House Democrats passed another version of their coronavirus relief bill late on Monday that made significant changes to their paid leave program.

The new version tightens eligibility for sick pay beyond 12 weeks to only parents taking care of children.

Businesses had warned they may not have enough money on hand to pay workers two weeks of sick leave for coronavirus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

House Democrats quietly passed another version of their coronavirus emergency relief bill on Monday evening that scaled back who would be eligible for additional paid time off for sick leave.

The Wall Street Journal reported that congressional Democrats modified their paid leave program they passed last week. It would still extend two weeks of sick pay to people who are affected by coronavirus, which includes those in quarantine and those caring for children whose schools closed their doors.

Related Video: Pathologists Debunk 13 Myths About the Coronavirus

But any extension beyond that  10 weeks  would only be granted to parents taking care of children with shuttered schools and day care centers. Health care workers, emergency responders, workers in quarantine or looking after family members with coronavirus would no longer qualify for the extra time off, The Journal reported.

Businesses had warned of the financial burdens of offering sick leave to their workers, given they may not have enough money on hand to pay workers as they confront significant disruptions. The legislation would have compensated them through tax credits.

The original bill had a provision providing paid medical and sick leave for up to three months at two-thirds of a worker's wages. The Monday vote occurred as most House Democrats were away from Capitol Hill.

The Democratic-controlled House voted on Friday to approve the bill, which boosts unemployment insurance, adds funding for food stamps, and makes coronavirus testing free. The Republican-led Senate still needs to pass its own version, which could include further adjustments.

Story continues

Read more: The best thing to do with your investments if the stock market drop has decimated your retirement savings

There were already big exemptions in the emergency coronavirus bill that would have left out a significant segment of the American workforce. Companies employing more than 500 workers didn't have to comply with the rules compelling two weeks of sick pay to workers, even as they compose just over half of the labor force.

Most large companies provide some form of sick leave, though it averages out to around eight days. Small businesses with fewer than 50 workers can also lobby for exemptions through the Labor Department.

Experts like Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said the original bill hadn't gone far enough to guarantee sick pay for American workers.

"It will expand coverage to millions of workers, but at the same time millions of them will fall through the cracks with the bill," Gould previously told Business Insider. "The more people we send home, the more we flatten the curve," referring to efforts aimed at preventing the virus' spread to a point that's manageable for the nation's healthcare system.

Business Insider
When Olfert Landt heard about the coronavirus, he got busy.

The founder of a small Berlin-based company, the ponytailed 54-year-old first raced to help German researchers come up with a diagnostic test and then spurred his company to produce more than 1.4 million tests for the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the end of February.

My wife and I have been working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, ever since, said Mr Landt by phone about 1am on Friday, Berlin time. Our days are full.

By contrast, over the same critical period, US efforts to distribute tests ground nearly to a halt, and the countrys inability to produce them left public health officials with limited means to determine where and how fast the virus was spreading. From mid-January until 28 February, fewer than 4,000 tests from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were used out of more 160,000 produced.

The United States struggles, in Mr Landts view, stemmed from the fact the country took too long to use private companies to develop the tests. The coronavirus pandemic was too big and moving too fast for the CDC to develop its own tests in time, he said.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

There are 10 companies in the US who could have developed the tests for them, Mr Landt said. Commercial companies will run to an opportunity like this.

As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, causing more than 80 deaths and more than 4,000 confirmed cases, the struggles that overwhelmed the nations testing are becoming clearer.

First, the CDC moved too slowly to tap into the expertise of academia and private companies such as Mr Landts, experts said. For example, it wasnt until last week that large companies such as Roche and Thermo Fisher won approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to produce their own tests.

While FDA and CDC officials have attributed some of the testing delays to their determination to meet exacting scientific standards they said were needed to protect public health, the government effort was nevertheless marred by a widespread manufacturing problem that stalled US testing for most of February.

The CDC has yet to fully explain the nature of the manufacturing problem but told the Washington Post on Monday that the design of the test could also have resulted in flawed tests.

But the US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, said earlier this month that it is investigating the defect in many of the initial coronavirus test kits.

It has been long-standing practice for CDC scientists in emergencies to develop the first diagnostic tests, in part because the CDC has access to samples of the virus before others, officials said. Later, private companies that win FDA authorisation can scale up efforts to meet demand.

In responses for this report, CDC spokesperson Benjamin Haynes said in a statement: This process has not gone as smoothly as we would have liked... CDC has a responsibility to ensure that all CDC laboratory research and development activities, testing processes, and data are the highest possible quality and are traceable, reproducible, and documented with appropriate rigour. He said the manufacturing problem may have arisen because of the tests design or because of contamination.

Recommended CDC recommends no meetings of more than 50 people for next two months

Finally, acknowledging that there is a great need for test manufacturers to rapidly make testing available, the statement said: Commercial labs are working to develop their own tests and hopefully will be available soon for clinical settings throughout the country.

But critics say US government officials should have moved much more quickly to bring on expertise from outside the CDC.

The CDC has good scientists and they are proud, Mr Landt said. But in this situation, they took the wrong approach.

At the very beginning, US efforts to develop a diagnostic test for the coronavirus kept pace with the rest of the world.

Shortly after publication of the viruss genome in early January, German researchers announced that they had designed a diagnostic test. Then, within days, scientists at the CDC said theyd developed one, too, and even used it detect the first US case.

We actually do have laboratory diagnostics here at CDC that are stood up, Nancy Messonnier, the CDCs director of the National Centre for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on 17 January.

From there, however, US efforts fell behind quickly, especially when compared with the efforts of the WHO, which has distributed more than 1 million tests to countries around the world based in part on the method developed by the German researchers.

As early as 6 February, four weeks after the genome of the virus was published, the WHO had shipped 250,000 diagnostic tests to 70 laboratories around the world, the agency said.

By comparison, the CDC at that time was shipping about 160,000 tests to labs across the nation  but then the manufacturing troubles were discovered, and most would be deemed unusable because they produced confusing results. Over the next three weeks, only about 200 of those tests sent to labs would be used, according to CDC statistics.

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In fact, the US efforts to distribute a working test stalled until 28 February, when federal officials revised the CDC test and began loosening up FDA rules that had limited who could develop coronavirus diagnostic tests.

During that critical interval, the CDC repeatedly assured the public that progress was being made, even as public health officials around the country began to raise alarms about the shortage of tests.

In January, CDC officials boasted during the coronavirus briefings that the United States has one of the strongest public health systems in the world.

At a briefing on 12 February, Ms Messonnier said rapid development of a diagnostic and rapid deployment to the states is clearly a success.

On 14 February, she said: We can be proud. . . . We moved quickly.

On 21 February, Ms Messonnier acknowledged problems with the testing kits but described the issues as normal.

But by that point, public health labs around the nation had run very few of the CDC tests, according to the agency. Health officials across the country began pleading for a test that worked, or at least the authorisation to use another test.

In the absence of tests, the calls for the United States to tap into the expertise of academia, hospitals and private companies, such as Mr Landts, grew more insistent.

It took [the CDC] a while to come up with the test, honestly, said Alex Greninger of the University of Washington.

His lab had developed its own test and began seeking approval to use it on patients on 18 February. But that test, along with others that had been developed in various academic centres and hospitals, could not be used on patients until the FDA relaxed its testing rules on 28 February.

He noted that many of the state public health labs had also figured out how to use the CDC test properly  by removing one of its components  but were not allowed to actually do so until the FDA approved the workaround that same day.

We had all these state public health labs that had a perfectly good [test] on their hands, and they knew it, they were upset, Mr Greninger said.

What surprised me the most was to hear how much emphasis there is at CDC on quality control  to the point where, in my opinion, it really compromised surveillance, said Michelle Mello, a professor of law and medicine and Stanford who recently wrote a paper about the delays in testing for coronavirus in the United States. You cant track what you dont see.

On 7 March, FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn stressed the importance of quality, noting that diagnostic tests in some other countries have been flawed. He did not specify which countries he meant, but Chinas test may have produced lots of false positives, according to a recent publication by Chinese researchers.

Whats important here is that we have a test that the American people can trust, Mr Hahn said.

But even a small firm is capable of producing a lot of high-quality tests and could have helped the efforts in the US, Mr Landt said. His company, known as TIB (short for TIB Molbiol Syntheselabor GmbH), based their tests on the methods the German researchers published in January.

Though it has just 55 employees globally, TIB had experience in developing tests for Sars and the swine flu. It began producing the coronavirus tests in mid-January, just days after the Chinese researchers posted the viruss genome, Mr Landt said. It can produce about a million of them a week.

As wearying as his schedule has been, Mr Landt said, I like the feedback from people.

Exactly what went wrong with the CDCs first tests in the first critical weeks hasnt been fully explained by the agency, aside from the possibility that the design was flawed or that the tests were contaminated.

While such diagnostic tests can vary in the specifics, they typically involve trying to match the genetics of a patient sample, taken from nasal and throat swabs, against those of the virus.

In the case of the CDC method, the test consisted of attempts to match a patient sample against three distinct pieces of the viruss genetic code. A patient was declared to have coronavirus if each of those three attempts came back as a match.

The trouble with the CDC test arose because the third attempt at a match, known as the N3 component, produced an inconclusive result even on known samples of the coronavirus.

While the cause of the problem in the CDC test may be unknown, it meant that in the weeks before 28 February, the public health labs were left waiting for a usable test.

By 8 February, public health labs were notifying the CDC of troubles with the test, and four days later, about a week after the first CDC tests had shipped, officials acknowledged the problem during a news conference.

Some of the states identified some inconclusive laboratory results, Ms Messonnier said on 12 February. We are working closely with them to correct the issues and as weve said all along, speed is important, but equally or more important in this situation is making sure that the laboratory results are correct.

In the following weeks, CDC officials repeatedly said they were working to resolve the manufacturing problem. Then, on 28 February, the agency announced that it would just scrap the N3 component of the test that had been causing trouble. Officials also contacted a private company called Integrated DNA Technologies and asked it to make new test kits, the company said.

While the problems with the CDC test persisted, the vast majority of testing had to be done at the CDCs Atlanta lab, and the numbers being tested were woefully below what experts said was needed.

As late as 27 February, 203 specimen tests had been run out of state labs; another 3,125 had been run out of the CDC.

James Lawler, director of the global centre for health security and an epidemiologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre, was one of the infectious disease specialists who flew out to meet the Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers in Japan and flew back with them to the United States. Mr Lawler said the problem was not just in the manufacturing of the test but in the design.

In his view, the test has design problems that make it too difficult for many labs to make it work unless they have perfect conditions.

He said that even though the University of Nebraska Medical Centre  a world renowned infectious-disease institution that houses the states public health lab  was able to get the CDC version of the test to work, the Nebraska centre developed its own test based on the German lab design published by the WHO.

Its very nuanced and complicated to make a diagnostic test, Mr Lawler said. If you dont go back and fix things . . . and realise, Hey, maybe I should try a different target, thats when you can run into problems. . . . Everything down to the details of the humidity and temperature in some peoples laboratories is going to be different.

If the design of the test is flawed, he said, all of those conditions may come into play. Some people have been able to get reproducibly good results and others havent.

Shortly after 28 February, when CDC officials announced the decision to reconfigure the CDC test, the number of those tests run by public health labs soared, from roughly 25 or fewer per day to as many as 1,500. At the same time, authorities were allowing other facilities to use their own tests  including the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University and Mr Greningers at the University of Washington.

Even so, complaints of testing scarcity continued to roll in last week. And even as tests become more widely available, experts and officials have cautioned that a backlog will continue due to a critical shortages: swabs to collect patient samples, machines to extract the genetic material from the swabs, workers qualified to run the tests.

Even if those problems are resolved, however, those critical early delays, when the CDC was struggling to issue tests to the states, significantly damaged efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, experts said.

In a CDC briefing on 29 February that included some local and state public health directors, local officials lamented the initial inability to test. A reporter asked: Did the lack of testing capabilities delay finding out who these cases were, particularly the person who died?

In answer, Jeff Duchin, the public health chief in King County, Washington, where 37 deaths have been reported, suggested that the lack of tests was critical, in addition to the fact that authorities had limited who could be tested. Initially, they had said tests would only be used for those who had travelled in affected regions of the globe or had otherwise been in contact with an infected person.

So, you know, if we had the ability to test earlier, Im sure we would have identified patients earlier in the community, possibly at hospitals, but we were also looking at not only availability of testing but whether patients met criteria for testing, Mr Duchin said. So, given the fact that we just recently acquired our availability of testing and new criteria were published, this person was brought to our attention.

Thomas Frieden, an infectious disease physician who served as CDC director under Barack Obama, called on Sunday for an independent group to investigate what went wrong with the CDCs testing process. He said that in the past, the CDC moved quickly to produce tests for diseases such as H1N1, aka swine flu.

We were able to get test kits out fast, Mr Frieden said on CNN. Something went wrong here. We have to find out why so we can prevent that in the future.

Mr Frieden said the agency has been muzzled under Donald Trump and despite the multitude of problems with the rollout of testing, the CDC is still the greatest public health institution in the world.

The Washington Post
The novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has spread to more than 100 countries and territories around the world, killing thousands.

Below are March 17 updates. For March 18 updates, click here.

White House Postpones Tax Payments for 90 Days for Most Americans

Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin announced that the tax payment deadline for most Americans has been extended by 90 days amid the coronavirus epidemic.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has postponed the filing date to July 15, instead of April 15. Mnuchin said the reprieve would cover a number of small businesses. The IRS will continue to process tax returns, and taxpayers must file their returns by April 15 but can defer payment for 90 days, according to the Wall Street Journal. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin: President @realDonaldTrump has authorized the deferral of $300 billion in payments to the IRS. pic.twitter.com/aLXq2oN5gP  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2020 Read more here.

NYC Mayor Warns of Shelter in Place Possibility

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters on Tuesday that people living in New York City should be prepared to shelter in place within the next 48 hours over the coronavirus outbreak.

This is a reality that is being talked about because the crisis continues to grow. We are all deeply concerned about the direction and the trajectory, the mayor said at a news conference. It has not happened yet but it is definitely a possibility at this point.

De Blasio said he is prepared to sign a shelter in place order but didnt say how it would be carried out in the city, which has a population of 8.5 million people.

All New Yorkers, even though a decision has not been made by the city or the state, I think that all New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order, he said, saying that there are more than 800 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, in the city.

Read more here.

Chinese Regime to Expel American Journalists

The Chinese regime is set to expel U.S. journalists based in China who work for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, in retaliation for the Trump administrations recent actions targeting Chinese state-run media outlets in the United States.

In early March, the U.S. State Department designated five Chinese state-run outlets as foreign missions, and slashed the number of Chinese staff allowed to work at the media outlets offices in the United States. An administration official previously labeled those outlets, including Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, as explicit propaganda organs of the Chinese Communist Party.

At the time, senior administration officials said such actions were an act of reciprocity against Beijings continued use of intimidation to silence members of a free and independent press.

In retaliation against the United States for reducing staff sizes at those outlets, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a March 17 statement that it would require all journalists of U.S. citizenship employed at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of the year to hand back their press cards within 10 days.

Read more here.

China Was Putting Out False Information: Trump

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Chinese Communist Party provided information that was false about the COVID-19 coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, in his first critical comments towards the regimes handling of the outbreak.

China was putting information which was false that our military gave this [virus] to them, he said. That was false, and rather than having an argument, I have to call it where it came from. It did come from China.

He was responding to a question from a reporter about his Twitter post on Monday evening, where he referred to the novel coronavirus as a Chinese virus.

I didnt appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them, he said. Our military did not give it to anybody.

The president told reporters the term doesnt create a stigma against China and described the term as accurate.

Read more here.

Spain Unveils Unprecedented 200 Billion Euros Coronavirus Package

Spain announced a massive 200 billion euros ($220 billion) package to help companies and protect workers and other vulnerable groups affected by the spiraling coronavirus crisis.

Police carried out checks at borders with France and Portugal, turning back foreigners attempting to enter Spain as part of strict measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus in Europes second worst-hit country.

Half of the assistance measures, which are worth 20% of Spains economic output, are state-backed credit guarantees for companies, and the rest includes loans and aid for vulnerable people.

Spanish stocks rose by more than 6% after the announcement.

These are extraordinary measures, without precedent in our countrys democratic history, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told a news conference attended remotely by journalists.

Spain will pay benefits to workers temporarily laid off and suspend mortgage payments for those whose employment has been affected by the outbreak, among other measures.

We want to protect employment and we want companies to know the government will help them, Sanchez said. Nobody will be left behind.

NY Officials Predict Peak in 45 Days

New York public health officials believe the peak of coronavirus cases in the state will happen in 45 days, with as many as 110,000 patients needing hospital beds and 37,200 requiring beds in intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals.

Officials made the announcement at a press conference on March 17 while reporting a surge in cases in the state to 1,374, with 432 new cases in the past 24 hours.

New York has the most cases in the country. The virus, which originated in China last year, has infected over 5,700 people in the United States. Its killed dozens, including 12 in New York.

Read more here.

White House Seeking Huge Stimulus Package

The White House is seeking what President Donald Trump called a big and bold coronavirus relief plan, said to be worth at least $850 billion.

At a press briefing on March 17, Trump said that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was working with the Senate and the House on a package to provide relief from the economic fallout of the pandemic. COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, emerged in China last year before spreading around the world. It has caused major disruptions, leading businesses to shutter, and sparking fears of an imminent recession.

Its going to be big, its going to be bold, and the level of enthusiasm to get something doneI dont think Ive ever seen anything quite like it, Trump said.

Mnuchin said that while the administration favors tax relief in principle, the urgency of the situation demands quick action that will put cash into the hands of individuals and businesses amid virus-related shutdowns.

Mnuchin said, a payroll tax holiday would get people money over the next six to eight months, and were looking to send checks to Americans immediately.

Marirott Begins Furloughing Employees

Marriott, the worlds largest hotel company, told several media outlets on Tuesday that it would furlough tens of thousands of employees as the company struggles amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson for the firm didnt say exactly how many workers would be furloughed. The firm is expected to close numerous locations around the globe to curb the spread of the virus.

The spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that there have been no layoffs at the corporate level, but its under discussion. Another spokesperson told Bloomberg News and the WSJ that employees can keep their health benefits for now.

Marriott Chief Executive Officer Arne Sorenson and MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren are expected to meet with Trump administration officials Tuesday at the White House.

Iran Death Toll Increases 13 Percent

Iranian officials reported a 13 percent increase in deaths from COVID-19.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said Tuesday the virus had killed 135 more people, raising total deaths in the country to 988 out of 16,000 confirmed cases.

Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.

A state television journalist, who is also a medical doctor, warned that hundreds of thousands of people could die.

Dr. Afruz Eslami cited a study by Tehrans prestigious Sharif University of Technology, which offered three scenarios. If people begin to cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over, she said. If they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths, she said.

But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Irans already-strained medical system, Eslami said. If the medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be 4 million cases, and 3.5 million people will die, she said.

Eslami did not elaborate on what metrics the study used, but even reporting it on Irans tightly controlled state television represented a major change in a country whose officials had for days denied the severity of the crisis.

Infections in Spain Soar

The number of deaths in Spain due to the new coronavirus has jumped from 309 to 491 in 24 hours and new infections have risen to 11,178, nearly 2,000 more than a day earlier.

The numbers were reported Tuesday by the nations health emergency center director, Fernando Simon. With a population of 46 million, Spain became on Monday the fourth country in the world with most coronavirus cases, surpassing South Korea and edging closer to Iran.

Spanish police started enforcing land border checks Tuesday after the country, already under strict lockdown measures, banned people from entering or exiting the country in an attempt to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

At the La Jonquera border, a key crossing point for trucks from and to France in northeastern Spain, masked agents of Spains national and Catalan regional police stopped cars and trucks, checked documents, and redirected some of the vehicles back to France.

Spanish citizens and residents are allowed to return home, and goods are allowed in and out.

Vietnam to Stop Issuing Visas

Vietnam will suspend the issue of new visas for all foreign nationals to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian nation, state media said on Tuesday.

The government sees the visa suspension policy as an effective measure to constrain the rapid spread of the virus, given many countries are now at high risk of infection, the state-run Nhan Dan newspaper said.

Its temporary. The restriction will be in place for 15 to 30 days, it added, without saying when the ban would take effect.

Hanoi has denied entry to visitors from Europes Schengen visa-free area and Britain from Sunday, and ordered mandatory quarantine and testing for all arrivals from virus-hit areas.

Schools stayed shut nationwide on Tuesday. Authorities have ordered the closure of cinemas, clubs and bars, massage parlors, karaoke lounges, and online game centers in urban areas until the end of March.

Russia Closes Its Borders Until May 1

Russia will ban the entry of foreign nationals and stateless people from March 18 to May 1 in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the government said on Monday.

The ban will not apply to diplomatic representatives, airplane crew members, and some other categories of people, it said.

Russia has reported 93 cases of the virus so far.

Indiana, Texas Report First Coronavirus-Related Deaths

Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb confirmed the first COVID-19-related death in the state in Marion County on Monday.

The victim was over 60-years-old and had underlying medical conditions. It is believed to be a case of community spread as the individual had not traveled abroad.

Indianas bars, nightclubs, and restaurants are now closed to in-person dining. Delivery and takeout is still allowed, the governor said.

In Texas, a man in his late 90s from Matagorda County died on Sunday of symptoms consistent with COVID-19. A test confirmed on Monday that he was a carrier of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Officials said the man died at Matagorda Regional Medical Center.

They added that the state has launched an extensive investigation into the origin of the infection, and that evidence exists of a possible community link to the earlier positive case in the county.

Taj Mahal to Close

Indias culture ministry has announced that it is closing the Taj Mahal to protect the thousands of visitors that visit the countrys monument of love every day.

Culture Minister Prahlad Patel said it was imperative to shut it down, according to local media reports.

India has confirmed 119 cases of COVID-19, with two related deaths. So far, around 6,000 people have been tested for the SARS-like virus.

Patel said the monument, including other cultural sites across the country, would be closed until at least March 31.

Hundreds of Inmates Escape Brazil Jails

Hundreds of prisoners broke out of four Brazilian jails on Monday, the day before their day-release privileges were due to be suspended over the coronavirus outbreak, Sao Paulo state prison authorities and local media reported.

The Sao Paulo state prison authority said it could not say how many inmates had escaped as it was still tallying the exact number of fugitives.

Local media reported that as many as 1,000 had fled from four jailsMongagua, Tremembe, Porto Feliz, and Mirandopolisahead of the lockdown.

The Sao Paulo state prison authority said acts of insubordination had taken place at the jails ahead of the suspension of the day-release program.

The suspension was necessary, it added, because 34,000 convicts would be returning to jail and would have a high potential to install and propagate the coronavirus in a vulnerable population, generating health risks for servers and custodians. It said law enforcement was taking care of the situation.

New Zealand Announces Large Stimulus Package

New Zealands Labor government on Tuesday announced one of the largest per capita stimulus packages in the world, amounting to 4 percent of its GDP, in an attempt to soften the negative economic impact from the coronavirus outbreak.

The NZ$12 billion ($7.3 billion) package was larger than that implemented during the global financial crisis, and bigger as a proportion of GDP than those announced by countries like Australia and Singapore, authorities said.

The government is pulling out all the stops to protect the health of New Zealanders and the health of our economy, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a news conference.

The fiscal package included wage subsidies, tax cuts, income support, investments into health, and support for an aviation sector hit hard by travel restrictions.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said preliminary Treasury department forecasts showed annual growth was expected to contract by 1 percent year-on-year in March 2021 if the package is implemented, a slower contraction than the 3 percent forecast without the support.

The stimulus will substantially increase debt, Robertson said, with core government debt now expected to exceed current New Zealands target of 15-25 percent of GDP.

We will have an extended period of deficits and our debt as a country will have to substantially increase, he told lawmakers, adding a recession is almost certain.

New Zealands central bank eased rates by 75 basis points following an emergency meeting on Monday, as it prepared for a significant impact on the economy.

The fiscal injection is part of New Zealands Go hard, Go early, Contain COVID-19 strategy, Robertson said. This is not a one-off package, it is just the beginning.

Millennials Core Group That Will Stop Virus Spread: White House

The White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx singled out millennials on Monday at a press conference announcing new coronavirus guidelines, saying that millennials are the core group that will stop this virus.

I want to speak to purely to our largest generation now, our millennials. Im the mother of two millennials, Birx said. They are the core group that will stop this virus. They are the group that communicates successfully, independent of picking up a phone.

They intuitively know how to contact each other without being in large social gatherings. We are asking all of them to hold their gatherings to under 10 people, not just in bars and restaurants, but in homes, she added.

Philippines Suspends All Financial Markets

The Philippine Stock Exchange closed indefinitely on Tuesday while currency and bond trading were suspended, the first market shutdowns worldwide in response to the coronavirus, with authorities citing risks to the safety of traders.

The shutdown comes after some markets around the world closed trading floors or paused trade after falls in market value, but it is the first blanket market halt.

The Philippine Stock Exchange said trade was suspended until further notice to ensure the safety of employees and traders, amid a broader national lockdown.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon cited the lockdown as the reason for the suspension of fixed income trade. Currency trading is to resume on March 18.

The Philippines benchmark index fell 8 percent on Monday and is down 20 percent for March so far, already its worst since October 2008.

US House Passes Bill Mandating Free Virus Testing

The House on March 16 passed a revised multi-billion dollar emergency coronavirus relief package as the virus continues to spread across the United States.

Lawmakers initially passed the legislation in a 363-40 vote in the early hours of Saturday morning, but it was later bought back to the floor after speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin together outlined technical corrections that could not be fixed administratively.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) had initially threatened to block the package until reviewing the details after expressing concerns that it would have harmful impacts on small businesses. However, he later withdrew his objection Monday evening.

Read more here.

Analysis: Why the Virus is Targeting Iranian Officials

The coronavirus appears to be heavily affecting political circles in Iran, and there is mixed analysis as to why.

The Chinese Communist Party, meanwhile, has launched a large-scale disinformation campaign against the idea that the virus originated in China.

Watch the video analysis here.

Hong Kong to Quarantine Everyone Entering the City

Hong Kong will quarantine 14 days all people entering the city for 14 days starting midnight on Thursday, the Asian financial hubs leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday.

The government also advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel.

Four of the 157 confirmed coronavirus patients in Hong Kong have died. The majority of the recent cases have been imported.

Americans Told to Stop Eating Out, Avoid Gatherings of More Than 10

The White House coronavirus response team has recommended Americans stick to discretionary travel and avoid eating out and gatherings of more than 10 people, as well as to homeschool their children, in order to mitigate spreading of the novel coronavirus.

President Donald Trump estimated the virus may wash through by July or August, based on the expert opinions hes received.

The guidelines arent mandatory and are to be reevaluated in 15 days, the team announced during a March 16 press briefing at the White House.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the most effective measures to stop the spread of the virus are social distancing as well as self-quarantining the whole household when one member is diagnosed with the virus.

Read more here.

Zachary Stieber, Melanie Sun, Mimi Nguyen Ly, Joshua Philipp, Petr Svab, Katabella Roberts, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this article.

For March 16 updates, click here.

From The Epoch Times
But unlike in L.A., residents of the affected counties will also be mostly barred from leaving home except for essential activities and travel.

What does that all mean? Heres what you need to know:

How many people are affected?

The counties that ordered residents to shelter in place have a combined population of roughly 7 million. For comparison, Los Angeles County has about 10 million residents, as we mentioned above, and Orange Countys population is about 3 million.

But the Bay Area counties have been among the hardest hit by the virus, with more than 273 confirmed cases and four deaths attributed to the virus.

And how long will this last?

The order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Its set to last until April 7, but officials could extend or shorten that time.

I get that Im supposed to stay home and most businesses are supposed to close but can I still 

Go to work? Not unless you work for whats considered an essential business or service provider. (More on that below.) Youre also not supposed to travel  including on foot, bicycle, scooter, motorcycle, automobile or public transit  unless its to do one of those essential things. Of course, if youre already working from home, then thatll probably continue.

Go outside? Yes, but only if you can stay at least six feet away from any people you dont live with. That applies to shared outdoor space, say, at your apartment complex, and parks.

Go to restaurants? No, except for takeout. Restaurants are considered essential businesses and officials are encouraging them to stay open, but only for pick up or delivery. If you can, call your favorite local restaurant to see what steps theyre taking. (Here in L.A., there are restaurants offering pickup specials or adding extra provisions to their menus.) Schools that feed students are also supposed to send the food home with them.

Hang out with friends at their houses or at my house? Alas, not really. The order says that, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit are prohibited, and that any time you leave your house, even for essential reasons, you should be able to stay at least six feet away from others.

Are there exceptions to all this?
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The Hinduja Group has sought the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) permission to raise their stake in IndusInd Bank to 26 percent from the existing 15 percent, The Economic Times reported.

We have just recently written to the RBI to increase shareholding from 15 percent to 26 percent. When I saw that Kotak Mahindra Bank has got a dispensation, we also thought of writing to them. Why not give us that dispensation as well? Lets see how they respond,  Ashok Hinduja, Chairman of the Hinduja Group of Companies (India), told the publication.

Kotak Mahindra Bank's promoters recently received the RBI's green signal to cut their holding to 26 percent, capping their voting rights at 20 percent.

The central bank's norms stipulate that a private lender's promoter needs to slash their holding to 40 percent within three years of receiving the banking license, to 20 percent within 10 years and to 15 percent within 15 years.

This norm was relaxed for Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bandhan Bank, which received their banking license in 2003 and 2015. IndusInd Bank received its licence in 1994.

My message to the regulator is that, when the original licences were given, promoters could hold more, about 40-49 percent. The stronger the promoter, the more committed he will be  more capital will be infused by the promoter in the bank, Hinduja said.

He added that when the stock market crashes, promoters are likely to sell their stake and even exits banks since they are financial investors.

The IndusInd Bank stock has fallen almost 61 percent in the past one-year.

This is the right opportunity for us to support the bank, though it does not need capital for two years, Hinduja said. It is always better to come in when the prices are down, he added.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia has released information about the preventive measures, border crossing and movement restrictions and other necessary actions which are enforced during the state of emergency.

Entry and Exit through the Armenian border

Armenian citizens cannot leave the Armenian territory through the land border: with an exception of freight transport, for example drivers.

Armenian citizens, their family members (regardless of citizenship), persons registered and residing in Armenia can enter the territory of Armenia.

Other foreign nationals - who are citizens of countries with a tense epidemiological situation, or have traveled to such countries during the last 14 days, are banned from entering. The list of these countries will be decided by the commandant of the state of emergency.

Regardless of all cases, diplomatic representations, for example ambassadors, representatives of consular offices and international organizations and their family members will be able to enter Armenia.

At the same time, the commandant has the power to allow the entry of persons (otherwise banned to enter under the state of emergency) to Armenia based on situational circumstances and special cases.

Preventive Measures

Persons entering Armenia will be screened.

In the event of symptoms, persons will be hospitalized, quarantined (self-quarantined) and (or) other restricting measures

If a person refuses from such measures, they can be temporarily isolated in respective areas defined by the commandant with the purpose of testing, treatment and prevention of the virus spread.

If it turns out that a person has arrived from such countries where a tense epidemiological situation exists, they will be transported to special quarantine zones or they can be instructed to self-quarantine in their homes or other places upon their discretion, ruling out contact with others.

Restrictions on Movement

Although the state of emergency has been declared nationwide, restrictions will be enforced only in communities and areas decided by the commandant. Communities where potential restrictions will be decided to be enforced will have the following regime:

Special regime on entering or exiting the community will be enforced, which will be guarded by police, healthcare authorities, Ministry of Emergency Situations and other authorities.

Entry and exits for the supply of goods, medicine, petrol and other first necessity products, as well as other urgent cases, will not be restricted.

Quarantine (Self-Quarantine), regulation of free movement (time, number of people etc) can be implemented.

Disinfection, anti-epidemic measures can be implemented in residents apartments.

Suspected and confirmed cases of the virus will be quarantined.

Participation in Events

Assemblies and strikes are banned nationwide. In addition, the commandant has the power to define territories where public events such as sports, cultural, educational events, other leiruse events, birthday celebrations, weddings, funerals etc. can be banned. Such events will be banned in such territories if the number of participants exceeds 20 persons.

Educational Process

Classes are banned in all public, private schools, kindergartens, vocational schools and universities. The ban does not cover remote education (online).

Other Restrictions

Visits to prisons, military bases, psychiatric hospitals, social service institutions and institutions carrying our childrens case or defense facilities are banned.

Publications Online and in the Press

If individuals or news media want to publish information on social media or other means about the novel coronavirus cases, health condition of persons, virus sources, number of quarantined people, they must exclusively use and cite official information provided by the commandant (government) and maximally re-publish it. Published articles cannot contradict the official information. The same applies for information which cause panic or contain danger of causing panic situation. Such materials are subject to immediate retraction.

Violation of the rules and regulations during the State of Emergency leads to administrative liability.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
A security guard opens the door for a person entering a COVID-19 assessment facility, Saturday, March 14, 2020 in Ottawa. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

As the number of cases of coronavirus continues to rise in Canada, several provinces and cities across the country are enforcing tougher measures in an effort to slow the spread.

Provinces and territories under emergency advisories:

Alberta (public health emergency)

British Columbia (state of emergency, public health emergency)

Newfoundland and Labrador (public health emergency)

Northwest Territories (public health emergency)

Nunavut (public health emergency)

Ontario (state of emergency)

Quebec (public health emergency)

Prince Edward Island (public health emergency)

Saskatchewan (state of emergency)

Yukon (public health emergency)

Manitoba (state of emergency)

New Brunswick (state of emergency)

Nova Scotia (state of emergency)

Whats the difference between a state of emergency and a public health emergency?

A state of emergency can be declared by a federal, provincial, or municipal government if they believe they need to take immediate, temporary and extraordinary measures in the interest of public safety. These can be enacted during times of war, natural disasters, major accidents or disease outbreaks.

A public health emergency is declared using the province or territorys Public Health Act, which gives a variable level of authority (depending on the province) to the chief public health official. Depending on what powers the province needs will determine which declaration they use. Its entirely dependent on what powers are associated with that province or territorys health or state of emergency legislation.

Nova Scotia becomes last province to declare state of emergency

Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotias chief medical officer of health, declared a province-wide state of emergency, effective 6 a.m. on Mar. 23.

Any resident who has travelled outside of Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 14 days. The only exemptions are for essential services such as trucking and healthcare.

There will be border controls at every land, sea and air entry point.

Story continues

Gatherings are limited to no more than five people, and police are now authorized to enforce orders related to self-isolation and social distancing, and can issue summary offence tickets for people who are not adhering to those orders.

Manitoba, New Brunswick declare states of emergency

As of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, both Manitoba and New Brunswick have decided to enact a state of emergency for their respective provinces. Manitobas Premier Brian Pallister said the decision was made to protect citizens, with the province diagnosing 17 cases as of March 19. The measures will limit public gatherings of no more than 50 people, which includes places such as bars, restaurants and places of worship.

New Brunswicks Premier Blaine Higgs made the same decision a day earlier, while ordering all public schools, universities and colleges to close, as well non-essential retail stores.

Eight new cases prompts state of emergency in Saskatchewan

Much like other provinces, Saskatchewan enacted broader powers on Wednesday in the interest of public health. Gatherings over 50 people are not permitted, and restaurants and bars must limit seating to 50 per cent of capacity or 50 people, whichever is lesser. Gyms, fitness centres, casinos and bingo halls are closed, and bills for crown-owned utilities will be deferred without interest for six months. It is also recommended that residents do not travel outside the province.

Nunavut follows other territories, declaring public health emergency

While there are no confirmed cases in any of the territories of COVID-19, Nunavut became the third province to declare an emergency situation on Wednesday. The public health emergency declaration expands the powers of the territorys chief medical officer to include: authorizing qualified people to render specific aid; enter into an agreement for services with any agency of the federal or another provincial/territorial government; get and distribute medical supplies and aid to any part of Nunavut, order travel restrictions to or from the territory, and take any other measures they deem medically necessary for the sake of public health.

State of emergency declared in B.C.

British Columbia declared a provincial state of emergency on Wednesday, which would allow the province to support provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in any sweeping measures she may recommend for the safety of the province. Public safety minister Mike Farnsworth said the state of emergency ensures B.C. has access to a critical supply chain to ensure adequate food and supplies. A public health emergency was declared by B.C. on Tuesday. This order limits gatherings to no more than 50 people, and orders the closure of bars, pubs, night clubs and restaurants to close if they are unable to maintain social distancing of one to two metres, or offer only delivery or take out.

Newfoundland and Labrador call public health emergency

Newfoundland and Labrador announced on Wednesday that it would enter a state of public health emergency, declaring that gatherings of 50 people or more are no longer permitted. Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the provinces chief medical officer of health, also said that certain businesses would be forced to close, including gyms, cinemas, arenas and bars.

Yukon, Northwest Territories declare health emergencies

Yukon also declared a health emergency on Wednesday, although at the time of publishing there were no recorded cases of COVID-19 in the territory. Schools have been ordered to close until April 15, and public recreation facilities will be shut. There will also be a restriction on hospital visits.

The Northwest Territories also declared an emergency scenario, where there are also no confirmed cases of COVID-19. The declaration was made to allow chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola to make swift decisions in the interest of public health as needed. Kandola said on Tuesday that there should be no gatherings of more than 50 people. Schools are not yet closed.

Remember: our best defense against this virus is each other, Kandola said. If youre sick, stay home, avoid contact with others, and call your local public health or healthcare centre. Wash your hands  a lot. Keep at least two metres between yourself and others.

Alberta enters public health emergency to discourage public gatherings

Alberta announced on Tuesday that it would be invoking specific powers and restrictions. This includes prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people. Restaurants and bars are limited to less than 50 people or less than 50 per cent their capacity, whichever number is lower. Residents are prohibited from visiting public recreation centres, casinos, bingo halls, bars, nightclubs, fitness centres, arenas, museums, and indoor children's play centres.

Alberta has now declared a public health emergency on #COVID19AB.



Find out what that means here: https://t.co/K01mqZmQ2M



The latest information on COVID-19 is always available at: https://t.co/MlbcCcYeoB pic.twitter.com/jFzL7WSI3i  Jason Kenney (@jkenney) March 17, 2020

Essential services, including grocery stores, airports, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and the Alberta legislature will all remain open.

State of emergency declared in Ontario

Earlier on Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency for the province, prohibiting all organized public gatherings of more than 50 people until March 31. This includes events like parades and services at places of worship.

A state of emergency grants the premier special capacity to order the closure of public and private facilities, as well as restrict set prices for goods, to inhibit price gouging. It also gives the premier the power to restrict personal travel.

In addition to the ban of public events, many facilities in Ontario will be forced to close. These include indoor community centres, libraries, daycares, private schools, theatres, music venues, and bars and restaurants, with the exception of those that offer take-out or delivery services. For the time being, public transit remains open, as well as office buildings and shopping malls.

Our government is taking the necessary action to protect Ontarians and combat COVID-19 by declaring a State of Emergency up until March 31 2020. We are taking this extraordinary measure to ensure the health sector has every power possible to fight the spread of this virus.  Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 17, 2020

The premier also announced the introduction of a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package of just over $304 million. The funding will be spent on more hospital beds, assessment centres and medical supplies. It will also ensure resources for northern, rural and remote communities.

Calgary first city to declare state of local emergency

While Ontario is the first province to declare a state of emergency, Calgary was the first city in the country to declare a state of local emergency in response to continuing climb in numbers of COVID-19. On Sunday, Mayor Naheed Nenshi announced that all city-run recreational centres, pools, arenas, partner facilities like YMCAs and city library branches would be shuttered for the foreseeable future. The following day, Red Deer and Leduc announced a state of local emergency, closing all community, cultural and performing arts centres. In Red Deer, City Hall and other office buildings will remain open for now.

Quebec enforces legislative tool for first time

Quebec announced on Saturday it would invoke the Public Health Act, a section in the legislature relating to public health emergencies. Its the first time in the provinces history that this tool has been enacted.

On Sunday, the province furthered restrictions on public places, ordering the closures of most recreational facilities, including bars, clubs and concert halls, in an effort to prevent the escalation of COVID-19. Schools and universities have also closed for the time being, while all sporting teams were forced to pause their seasons. While restaurants will remain open, Premier Francois Legault instructed that they not serve more than 50 per cent of capacity.

P.E.I. follows similar measures as Quebec

In P.E.I., Premier Dennis King followed similar measures as Quebec, in announcing a public health emergency, under the Public Health Act. Under the act, the Chief Public Health Officer has the power to:

order Islanders to refrain from attending any public gatherings;

align resources to where they are needed most; and

manage hospitals and other health care facilities and ambulance services.

The premier also announced funding for a contingency plan to support workers, small business and self-employed workers affected by COVID-19 in the province.
The Swedish National Debt Office has been tasked by the Government to take preparatory actions for issuing state credit guarantees for Swedish airlines. The guarantee programme is a measure for mitigating the economic impact of the new coronavirus.



In accordance with the mandate, the credit guarantees shall altogether amount to a maximum of SEK 5 billion. They are being issued to benefit companies with a Swedish licence for commercial air transport and which have their main operations or are domiciled in Sweden.

As a first step, The Debt Office will now request information from the airlines that may be included. On the condition that the Riksdag and the European Commission approve the proposal, the guarantee programme will be set up as soon as possible.

"The Debt Office continuously works with central government guarantees. Under crisis conditions, they are one of the tools we can use to maintain financial stability and protect the economy. Now, the Debt Office is working swiftly to be able to set up a guarantee programme. Thereby, the negative economic impact of the coronavirus can be mitigated and the Swedish economy supported," says Director General Hans Lindblad.

The mandate stipulates that the issuance of guarantees shall be carried out in accordance with the Lending and Guarantees Ordinance (2011:211).

New credits shall be able to be guaranteed up to 90 per cent of the loan amount.

The companies' share of the guarantee framework is determined based on the size of the company.

The share of the guarantee framework for SAS AB may amount to a maximum of SEK 1.5 billion.

The unique market situation resulting from the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) means that the companies' financial standing and financial integrity should be assessed based on the previous year's annual accounts.

The terms of the guarantee shall be designed taking into account the risk to the central government and to assert its rights.

A guarantee may not be issued unless there are terms in the guarantee contract to prevent the guaranteed provision of liquidity being used for a purpose other than that which is absolutely essential to prevent the failure of the company, such as profit withdrawals or bonus programmes for senior executives in the company.

Read the Government's press release

Read more about the Debt Office's work with central government guarantees and lending
The federal government is still considering whether to close the nation's schools as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise.

'We are continuing to take the very best medical advice on that ... That advice is very clear at the moment that the best thing as a nation that we can do is keep our schools open,' Education Minister Dan Tehan told Nine's Today show on Wednesday.

But some public and private schools have already opted to shut their gates.

The federal government are considering whether to close Australian schools amid the coronavirus. Pictured: Epping Boys' High School was temporarily shut over virus fears

Education Minister Dan Tehan (pictured) explained that medical experts said closing schools would impact the medical workforce and increase the virus risk for elderly Australians

The federal Education Minister explained that medical experts said closing schools (file image pictured) would impact the medical workforce and increase the virus risk for elderly people

'That is up to them,' Mr Tehan said.

The government has been hesitant about closing schools for two reasons.

'One is we have to look after our workforce and especially our medical workforce,' the minister said.

'Up to 30 per cent of our medical workforce could be impacted if schools close.

'The second reason is a health reason. If you have kids at home often elderly grandparents have to come in to look after them and that puts them at danger.'

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

Recent cases in schools, including Epping Boys' High School and Willoughby Girls High School in Sydney, have resulted in them closing down for cleaning, but reopening within days.

National coronavirus cases are approaching 530 and five people have died.

Some 81,000 people have been tested, 99.5 per cent of whom returned a negative test.

The pressure on schools to close steadily increased as the government continued to announce protective measures against coronavirus.

On Tuesday, Australians who were overseas were urged to return home as soon as possible and would-be holidaymakers were told to 'reconsider their need for travelling'.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: 'If you're already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means.'

The update was released a day after the Australian Government's 14-day self-isolation for all international arrivals came into effect on Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 11:42:36|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that Hong Kong will quarantine for 14 days all arriving passengers from outside the region starting from Thursday to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

The new measure is included in a red outbound travel alert to be issued by the HKSAR government, which advises residents to avoid all non-essential trips abroad.

For the past two weeks, 50 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were imported ones out of all the 57 confirmed cases, Lam said at a media session before the HKSAR Executive Council meeting on Tuesday morning.
The nomination of ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha has drawn sharp criticism from several former judges, including Kurian Joseph, who said taking up post-retirement positions "demeans" the independence of judiciary.

Joseph, who along with Gogoi and two other senior judges J Chelameswar, Madan B Lokur (all now retired), held an unprecedented presser on January 12, 2018 questioning the functioning of the apex court under the then CJI, said that Gogoi has "compromised the noble principles" of independence and impartiality of judiciary.

"According to me, the acceptance of nomination as member of Rajya Sabha by a former CJI, has certainly shaken the confidence of the common man on the independence of judiciary, which is also one of the basic structures of the Constitution of India," the former apex court judge said.

Referring to the press conference, Justice Joseph said he, along with the other three judges, had come out in public in an "unprecedented move", "to tell the nation that there was a threat to this foundation and now I feel the threat is at large."



Recalling the statement made by Justice Gogoi in the presser, he expressed surprise as to how the ex-CJI accepted the Rajya Sabha nomination.

"'We have discharged our debt to the nation' was the statement made by Justice Ranjan Gogoi along with the three of us on January 12, 2018.

"I am surprised as to how Justice Ranjan Gogoi who once exhibited such courage of conviction to uphold the independence of judiciary, has compromised the noble principles on the independence and impartiality of the Judiciary," Justice Joseph said.

Former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice A P Shah and retired HC judge R S Sodhi also reacted sharply to Gogoi's nomination by the government.

Justice Sodhi said that a judge should never retire or accept post-retirement positions at all.

"I have always been of the opinion that judges should not accept post-retirement jobs at all. Judges must be strong enough to resist any temptation of compromising their independence that is led by anyone in authority that can demean the independence of judiciary," he said.

He said that the only solution to judges accepting post-retirement jobs is integrity of the judges.

"The solution is your own integrity. A judge should never retire. There is no question of accepting post retiral benefit," Justice Sodhi said.

Justice Shah, who is also former chairman of the Law Commission of India, in an interview to a web-site reportedly said the nomination of Justice Gogoi to Rajya Sabha was a "clear quid pro quo".

Joseph said that he had decided not to take up any posts after retirement.

Former apex court judge Madan B Lokur said that he will express his views once Gogoi speaks to the media in detail about accepting the offer of a seat to the Upper House.

There has been a debate in political circles and other quarters on the nomination of Gogoi, who had retired in November last year as the CJI after serving for about 13 months.

Gogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgements including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was on Monday nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chloe wears the rainbow every day. Natasha is a confirmed colour-phobe. What started as a fun challenge  to wear each others clothes for a week  resulted in some startling, soul-searching discoveries for them both

When youve found your signature style  a way of dressing that makes you feel most you  its tempting to stay in your sartorial sweet spot

How we dress is about so much more than choosing clothes: its how we express our personality  our identity  every single day. What we wear tells a story about who we are  serious, playful, rebellious, sophisticated. An outfit can say, Look at me, or Dont mess with me. Colour plays a huge part: a dress in neon yellow broadcasts a very different vibe to the same style in beige.

Our clothes affect how we feel about ourselves, too. They can be mood-enhancing and confidence-boosting; thats why we reach for certain favourites when we need a little lift. The right outfit can set the tone for a big day (or night out).

When youve found your signature style  a way of dressing that makes you feel most you  its tempting to stay in your sartorial sweet spot. But sometimes you need a little push to try something new.

Natasha Tomalin-Hall and Chloe Sharp are YOU magazine staffers with polar opposite wardrobes. Natashas is a crisply curated, all-black affair. She never wears colour. Meanwhile, Chloes bulging wardrobes (plural) are a rainbow riot of clashing patterns and prints, with a lot of faux fur. The pair work together every day but what they wear couldnt be more different. So we set them the ultimate challenge: swap wardrobes for a week. Here is what they learned about fashion, identity and self-confidence.

Chloe, 28, Art Director: Addicted To brights

Chloe, 28, Art Director: Addicted To brights (Dress and boots, topshop.com)

Each of the four wardrobes I have at home is an absolute tip. Im a magpie: I like colour, texture and anything iridescent or fluffy. Pink is my favourite shade but I also love lilac. My style influences are eclectic: a little bit 90s Spice Girl with a sprinkling of noughties Britney Spears. Growing up I always loved combining colours and patterns, much to my grandmothers dismay. Whenever I went to visit her in my printed dress and tights shed always change me into plain M&S clothes from a collection she kept just for me.

Whereas Natashas look is very polished and sophisticated, mine is probably more childish and extroverted  clashing prints, faux fur, patchwork, platform trainers. My idea of a formal shoe is a pair of mint-green mules.

I dont really do smart and Ive found that even though Ive climbed the career ladder quickly for my age, Ive still had to prove myself in spite of my style. I dont want to sacrifice my personality in order to be seen differently in the office.

Channelling Natasha and wearing only black was really weird. Putting on the first outfit  a black blazer over a black blouse, with black trousers  I felt as though I was heading to a funeral. Colour influences my mood and I felt really flat all week. I clung to my red lipstick because I had to get a little colour in somewhere.

The first night I came home wearing Natashas floor-length black coat, my boyfriend asked me what was wrong  and why I was dressed like an extra from The Matrix. In the past hes always been a bit shocked when Ive worn smarter things to the office, because it isnt really me. I know he found the whole week strange.

Usually, my outfits are quite eye-catching and people will comment on them, but no one noticed me and I definitely missed that. Although I felt more groomed and chic, it seemed as though I was playing dress-up and I stared enviously at people wearing colourful clothes. It was frustrating not being able to express myself.

I see why having an all-black uniform such as Natashas makes life simpler. I can be really indecisive and spend half an hour switching up elements of my outfit trying to find a look that works. During the style swap it took two minutes to get dressed.

Even though Im jealous of how quickly she can get ready (and how tidy her wardrobe is compared to mine) I know Im always going to reach for colour. What I wear is an extension of how Im feeling each day. Although I like the idea of putting together outfits in a single colour  its very striking and makes a real statement  I think it would be cooler to do top-to-toe pink.

Left: Top, topshop.com, Trousers, arket.com, Shoes, office.co.uk. Right: Dress, topshop.com, Boots, topshop.com

Statement sleeve (left) I wore this to a night out at a ball pit with friends and I felt so weird and overdressed being head to toe in black in a fun place like that. None of my friends really noticed I was dressed differently, but they all sensed something was off  one even asked if I was pregnant!

Flattering fit (right) This was Natashas favourite on me  she said it was really flattering  but something this fitted makes me feel physically uncomfortable. All the compliments I got made me doubt myself. Do I look a lot bigger in my normal clothes? Id never wear this again. It isnt me at all.

Left: Dress, hm.com, Tights, falke.com, Boots, office.co.uk. Right: Blazer, zara.com. Top, topshop.com. Trousers, asos.com. Shoes, topshop.com

My kind of cut (left) At least this is a bit more of a me shape. I wish I could style it with a pair of coloured tights and a bright coat, though. I also like the boots  although, again, Id rather team them with a fun outfit to give them more life.

Mums favourite (right) I wore this for dinner with my mum who was annoyingly complimentary about it. Why dont you always dress like this? she said. You look so sophisticated and grown-up. I found this outfit the worst  so severe and serious. I really did feel that I was dressing in someone elses clothes.

From left: clashing prints aged three, 1994; sizzling summer-holiday style in Lisbon; wearing a corduroy suit in her favourite shade of eye-popping pink; Chloe cant resist texture and fluffy faux fur

Natasha, 32, Creative Director: Allergic To Colour

Natasha, 32, Creative Director: Allergic To Colour (Blazer, trousers and shoes, topshop.com. Top, asos.com)

Five years ago I started dressing solely in black. I can pinpoint the exact moment I made the decision: I was at a networking event and spotted a man dressed top-to-toe in black. He oozed cool, grown-up confidence and I thought, Thats who I want to be.

I had just been promoted to a senior position at work but was struggling to feel like a boss and was worried about being taken seriously. Something needed to shift and changing how I dressed felt like a good place to start. I culled all the colour, florals and prints from my wardrobe: only my black clothes survived the purge.

My new dress code instantly boosted my confidence. I looked sharper and more grown-up, which made me feel more authoritative. It sounds silly but I honestly felt as though I was better at my job. Black is now my daily uniform.

I always feel chic, and its so easy. Everything in my wardrobe goes together and shopping online is simple: with one click I can filter out the colours. I dont think black has to be boring: I like interesting details  an organza sleeve or a lace collar. I did wear white at my wedding, but my bridesmaids were in black.

At work, Chloe is the ray of sunshine and Im the thundercloud  thats what makes us a good team. Her style suits her but wearing her clothes for a week was horrible. I felt self-conscious and uncomfortable, like an entirely different person. Strangers would smile at me on the tube and I didnt like it. People I know blanked me on the street  they just didnt realise it was me. When I met my friends for drinks wearing purple trousers and a candy-pink blouse they were genuinely worried: Who are you? What is going on?!

My husband wears dark tones, too  forest green, navy  and I like the fact that we look chic when were out together. He laughed when he saw me in a green dress and furry fuchsia coat. By day three, though, hed warmed to the colours.

The hardest part was feeling that I had lost some of my power. Turning up in the office wearing a pistachio trouser suit, three people told me that I looked so young. They meant it as a compliment but it touched on my old insecurity about being thought of as inexperienced. How I dress has become such a huge part of my identity; when I switched back to my trusty black, I noticed that I was much bossier in the office!

My wardrobe will be staying monochrome but I am more open-minded about the cut of clothes I wear. Usually I stick to form-fitting styles, but trying the looser, less structured shapes Chloe likes has made me rethink. Although she can keep her neon tights.

Left: Shirt, hm.com, Jacket and trousers, lazyoaf.com, Shoes, topshop.com, Right: Sweater, topshop.com, Trousers, asos.com, Sandals, office.co.uk

Dont heart this (left) Chloe was most excited about me trying this outfit as she loved the pattern. I wore it for dinner with friends at a posh restaurant, but I felt like a little girl out with her parents. Used to seeing me in black, my friends werent impressed either  some said I looked like a clown.

The it-knit (right) I felt more chic in this outfit than any of the others. I assumed that the looser knit would swamp me, but it felt quite good when I put it on. Even though the jumper was oversized it actually made me feel sexier than the other outfits did.

Left: Dress, asos.com, Tights, falke.com, Boots, topshop.com. Right: Dress, lazyoaf.com, Shoes, topshop.com

A dash of clash (left) I nipped out of the office at lunchtime to grab a sandwich when I was wearing this and spotted a friend in M&S. I waved at them  and they blanked me. Its amazing that even though I was wearing so much colour, I felt invisible.

A definite no-no (right) Ill be honest, I didnt even last a morning in this. I had to take the dress off because I felt so stupid in it. Some people said it didnt suit me, and I felt it made me look as though I was six months pregnant. My self-esteem was at an all-time low.

From left: already drawn to the dark side, aged three; head to toe in black for a winter walk; proving that summer dressing doesnt have to be all about brights; wearing her go-to style staple last spring

Hair: ALEX SZABO AT CAROL HAYES MANAGEMENT. Chloes faux locks: MeaKoom, Instagram/@khairsforyou. Make-up: Nadira v Persaud using Burts Bees
Zubby Michael

Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael has taken a swipe at organizers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards over an alleged snub of pillars of Nollywood.

The actor who maintained that most organizers of the award are Yorubas, described it as a joke and highly political. Zubby also wondered why the original owner of Living in Bondage was snubbed while its remake got 8 awards.



Read his post below;




WASHINGTON  In a massive federal effort Tuesday, President Trump asked Congress to speed emergency checks to Americans, enlisted the military for MASH-like hospitals and implored ordinary people  particularly socially active Millennials  to do their part by staying home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

His proposed economic package alone could approach $1 trillion, a rescue initiative not seen since the Great Recession. Trump wants checks sent to the public within two weeks and is urging Congress to pass the eye-popping stimulus package in a matter of days.

As analysts warn the country is surely entering a recession, the government is grappling with an enormous political undertaking with echoes of the 2008 financial crisis.

At the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed the Senate would not adjourn until the work was done.

Obviously, we need to act, McConnell said. Were not leaving town until we have constructed and passed another bill.

But first, McConnell said, the Senate will vote on the Houses $100 billion package of sick pay, emergency food and free testing, putting it back on track for Trumps signature  despite Republican objections. Gag, and vote for it anyway, he advised colleagues.

Senators gathered at an otherwise shut-down Capitol as Americans across the country were implored to heed advice and avoid crowds. Young adults, in particular, are being urged to quit going out because even seemingly healthy people can be spreading the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness.

After a savage drop at the start of the week, the stock market rose as Trump and aides sketched out elements of the economic rescue package at a briefing. Economists doubted that would be enough to stop millions of jobs losses, even if in the short term.

Bigger than the $700 billion 2008 bank bailout or the nearly $800 billion 2009 recovery act, the White House proposal aims to provide a massive tax cut for wage-earners, $50 billion for the airline industry and $250 billion for small businesses.

The amount that would be sent out in checks Americans is not yet disclosed. The White House said it liked GOP Sen. Mitt Romneys idea for $1,000 checks, though not necessarily at that sum and not for wealthier people.

Also Tuesday, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said the state has reported its first positive case of the coronavirus, meaning that all 50 states have now confirmed cases.

Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller are Associated Press writers.
U.S. Rep Peter DeFazio and two House Democratic leaders on Monday called on Homeland Security officials to delay the October requirement that all domestic air travelers have a federally-recognized form of identification to board airplanes or enter federal facilities.

Starting this October, all domestic passengers on airplanes must have a federally recognized and secure form of identification  like a Real ID, passport or passport card -- to board a plane. State drivers licenses that dont comply with the federal Real ID bill, which was passed by Congress in 2005, wont be accepted.

Oregon is expected to be the final state in the country to have its Real ID program operational. The states 60 DMV locations wont start issuing those cards until July 6.

DeFazio, a Springfield Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued a statement with several other House leaders calling on the Trump administration to push back the October deadline due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The request comes also as the administration has cracked down on foreign travel from Europe, leading to scenes of massive crowds at airports in some portions of the country this weekend.

While we recognize the administrations commitment to ensuring the nations full compliance with the REAL ID Act, the challenges presented by the coronavirus outbreak and its impacts on the aviation industry must lead DHS to delay the Oct. 1 implementation deadline, DeFazio, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., said in a joint news release. For implementation to go smoothly, DHS would need tens of millions of Americans to get new identifications over the next several months. Creating lines at Departments of Motor Vehicles would be foolish during a pandemic.

In January, DeFazio and Thompson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers asked Chad Wolf, the acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to work with Congress on potential contingency plans. DeFazio said the administrations response was inadequate and instead focused on complete compliance with the Real ID act.

In absence of DHSs articulation of viable contingency plans and the urgent need for certainty among the traveling public, we see no other alternative than to ask DHS to extend the REAL ID implementation deadline until a date that allows for widespread adoption by the public and a smooth implementation at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, the lawmakers wrote.

The travel and tourism industry, and the aviation industry in particular, have been hard hit by this global pandemic. The last thing travelers need is more uncertainty around traveling, they continued.

They added that given the exceedingly large number of Americans who do not hold REAL ID-compliant identification, it is difficult to see a reality where enforcement of the current REAL ID deadline would not prolong this uncertainty.

According to previous figures issued by the federal agency, some 95 million REAL ID cards had been issued.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawmakers plea.

Last month, DHS eased rules allowing states to accept some portions of personal identification from would-be drivers through websites before they visit an office, an effort to speed up the in-person delays that are expected to be significant in some states this summer.

Tom Fuller, an Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman, said Oregon wont be one of those states allowing online submittal. The electronic submission of documents is not within the scope of our new software system and its too late for us to change the scope now so thats not an option for us, Fuller said.

Oregon had estimated that some 960,000 drivers would want a Real ID card this summer. It estimated that would translate to 32 licenses issued per minute for 62 business days between July 6 and Oct. 1.

Oregon last fall started encouraging residents who didnt have one to get a passport instead of banking on obtaining a Real ID during the summer crunch.

According to the U.S. State Department, it can take six to eight weeks to obtain a passport. Passports can be expedited in certain cases or issued the same day in certain locations.

Oregon is one of the last in the country to take action on Real ID because lawmakers stiff-armed federal regulators in 2009 and prohibited the state from spending money to comply with the federal act. The state wasnt the only one to do so, but it is likely to be the last to comply with the federal rules. In 2018, the state Legislature repealed the previously bill and set a path toward compliance by 2020.

-- Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Poland's government was under quarantine on Tuesday after one minister tested positive for the novel coronavirus as authorities introduced sweeping measures to combat the spread of the disease.

All members of the government who attended the March 10 meeting had been tested and the results should be known Tuesday, said Michal Dworczyk.

"Until that time, all these people remain in quarantine," he told reporters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nissan launched the Ariya Concept at last years Tokyo Motor Show, with its simple-yet-powerfully modern aesthetic called Timeless Japanese Futurism, featuring a shield front element.

The Nissan Ariya Concept is the first example of an entirely new design direction for the company. It features a spacious, premium cabin with advanced technology and a body that conveys the pure, clean nature of electric cars, which dont need a traditional open grille to let air cool an engine. As a result, designers were able to experiment with the concepts signature V-motion design, creating the shield.

Traditional hand-held shields used in battle merged function and design, utilising strong materials with intricate designs meant to communicate prestige and strength. The shield on the Ariya Concept shares the same statement, offering much more than an aesthetic placeholder for a grille. The final look and application is not only striking, it also allows the advanced technology behind it to work through the design elements without interference.

By replacing the conventional grille with the tech shield  with innovative 3-D texture within that goes beyond aesthetics  we wanted a way to highlight the technology within the vehicle, just behind the surfaces, said Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president of global design at Nissan.

In this case, its advanced technology that helps the Ariya Concept read the road and visualise things the driver can't see making what is invisible, visible.

The Ariya Concept is the ultimate expression of design freedom. The concepts 100 per cent electric vehicle platform allowed for new approaches to existing components, removing fundamental limitations.

Traditional grilles on an internal combustion vehicle have taken all shapes and forms since their inception, but have needed to maintain a level of cooling for the vehicles engine cooling system and be strong enough to deflect the occasional rogue rock in flight. These functional aspects have limited their design, look and feel.

Since the Ariya Concept has no engine, a grille in the traditional sense is unnecessary. Designers decided to repurpose this space to add a new type of frontal fascia. The shield is constructed as a single piece with a geometric traditional Japanese pattern composed within for a new EV expression while hinting at Nissans J-DNA.

The surface has no gaps, explained Program Design Director Giovanny Arroba. Its smooth like a sheet of silent water, with the kumiko pattern sitting just underneath the surface.

Capturing this stillness was a challenge in itself. Arroba and the design team set to work testing every element of the shield, from the thickness of the material to the amount of metallic flake in the paint that allows the kumiko pattern, reimagined for the EV era, to pop.

To protect the shield and technology within against severe weather and road debris, designers utilised the same durable polycarbonate material found on the cars headlamps.

They wanted the shield to not only be tough enough for the job, but also to look stunning, embrace aerodynamic proportions and fully embody the companys new Timeless Japanese Futurism design language.

Of course, with a concept, we could have taken other direct approaches, Arroba said. But we wanted to find an authentic balance between the styling intention and mechanical requirements.

The Ariya Concept embodies the companys Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision of personal transportation  one where electrification and vehicle intelligence will offer seamless and adaptive travel experiences free of accidents or harmful emissions. Nissans new design philosophy directly supports this by blending advanced technology, including safety, connectivity and human machine interfaces, with a Japanese minimal approach to seamlessly fit the customers lifestyle.

The Ariya Concepts shield stands out as one of the primary elements designers focused on that could exist in the real world. The car looks ready to roll down the streets of Tokyo, London or any global city.

Features like the award-winning ProPILOT 2.0 advanced driver assistance system, e-Pedal and the e-4ORCE dual-motor all-wheel control system have already been put to the test.

Concept cars have always been a tool to help visualise the future. But the Ariya Concept also shows how future Nissan cars will actually perform.-- Tradearabia News Service
With the number of people infected by Novel Coronavirus outbreak in India crossing 100 and a number of states going into a partial lockdown, sale of automobiles in the country has plummet by as much as 70 percent in the last four days. This has prompted the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) to knock on the doors of Supreme Court for an extension of the deadline for BS-IV vehicle registration beyond March 31.

"In the past week there has been drastic drop in sales and customer walk-ins have reduced to a trickle as caution sets in due to fear of spreading of the virus. Counter sales has fallen by 60-70 percent across auto dealerships in these past few days," said Ashish Harshraj Kale, President, FADA. "The situation has worsened in the past 3-4 days with partial lockdown situation in many towns and cities and a few district magistrates have started issuing notices of closure of shops and establishments including auto dealerships to stop the spread of virus."

The domestic industry, which is getting ready for the transition to BS-VI emission regime from April 1, 2020, finds itself in a catch-22 situation. In February, the Supreme Court had reiterated that no BS-IV vehicle could be registered for sale beyond March 31, putting the onus on dealers to liquidate all remaining stocks by then. The steep decline in footfalls at dealerships due to the spread of the virus has, however, put a serious doubt on that.

"This is a situation that is beyond our control. The fact is many of our members may face dealership closures if leftover with unsold BS-IV stocks," Kale added. "We have once again approached the apex court with a request for permission of sale and registration of BS-IV vehicles till May 31, 2020 and hope to get an urgent hearing in the Hon'ble Supreme Court owing to the criticality of the issue and the deadline of 31st March approaching fast."

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Trend:

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Education has commented on the rumor of suspension of the educational process at the country's educational institutions.

The information is false and groundless, Jasarat Valekhov, department head of the Azerbaijan's Ministry of Education told Trend.

"If there are any changes regarding the education process, the public will be notified," he said.

False information has been spread in social networks using the logo of the Ministry of Education that holidays in general education institutions will be extended till May 31, and that all academic debts of students are canceled and they are exempted from passing exams.
The measure aims to combat the spread of coronavirus. Every day, around 415 thousand people cross the border between the two countries. Singapore imports over 90% of food from all over the world. Malaysia confirms another 125 new infections: the number rises to 553. Mosques closed in two states.

Singapore (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning the Singapore authorities have assured its 5.7 million residents that the city-state can count on "months" of supplies of fresh and packaged food. The government promises to help companies cope with supply disruptions, while neighboring Malaysia says there will be no exceptions to border closures.

Kuala Lumpur approved the measure yesterday to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The new Malaysian premier, Muhyiddin Yassin, explained that all Malaysians will be prohibited from leaving the country from March 18 to 31. Those returning from abroad will have to undergo health checks and a 14-day quarantine. Foreign visitors, including tourists, will also not be able to enter Malaysia during this period.

Malaysia and Singapore, which split after a short union in the 1960s, have close economic ties and share a border. Every day, around 415,000 people use two checkpoints for work and school, or to transport goods to the city-state. Singapore imports over 90% of the food from all over the world. It is unclear what percentage of food supplies come from Malaysia, but government statistics show that in 2018 Kuala Lumpur supplied vegetables, cooking oil, fruit, eggs, chicken, milk, sugar, fish, duck and pork to their neighbor.

Singapore health authorities confirmed 243 cases of contagion from Covid-19 in the country. Of these, 109 are healed and 13 are critically ill patients. Last night, Malaysia confirmed another 125 new infections, which bring the total number of cases to 553. Of these, 95 are linked to a tabligh (religious gathering) in a mosque in Sri Petaling (Kuala Lumpur) between February 27 and last March 1st.

Speaking to press, Health Minister Adham Baba said "nearly 7,000 attendees came forward to be checked,". Around 14,500 Malaysians and 1,500 foreigners went to the mass religious meeting in the mosque. The event raised concerns about the formation of new outbreaks after Brunei confirmed that 45 of the 50 affected by coronavirus had taken part in it.

The religious authorities of two Federal Territories of Malaysia have announced the suspension of all rallies. In Negri Sembilan, all mosques and surau [buildings for worship and religious education, ed.] will remain closed for 10 days starting today. The state's Mufti, Mohd Yusof Ahmad, said that the committees managing places of worship will use these days to clean and disinfect buildings.

The Fatwa State Council will decide whether to reopen mosques and surau after March 26, added the mufti. His counterpart in Perlis, Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, said on social networks that for the moment all group activities in the mosques, including Friday prayers, will be stopped. "Muslims are invited to perform solat jema'ah [community prayer, ed.] Staying at home for 14 days, starting from the maghrib prayer [immediately after sunset, ed.] On March 16 up to the isyak prayer [of dawn, ed.] ] on March 29, "he said. The mufti added that the call to prayer in mosques will be changed to say "pray in your homes".
The Los Angeles County sheriff has reduced the jail population by more than 600 people and is asking officers to cite and release offenders when possible to protect inmates from the coronavirus.

As of Monday morning, the inmate population had been reduced from 17,076 to 16,459 since the end of February, in part by granting early release to those with less than 30 days on their sentences.

"Our population within the jail is a vulnerable population just by virtue of who they are and where they're located," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday at a news conference. "So, we're protecting that population from potential exposure."

Arrests have dropped from around 300 a day to around 60 a day, the sheriff said Monday. The aggregate bond amount for people to be booked also went up from $25,000 to $50,000, with those under that amount being cited, he said.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus within the jail, but nine inmates are in isolation housing at a correctional treatment center, while 21 inmates are in quarantine at the Men's Central Jail and five are at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, he said.

Staff at the correctional treatment center and the Medical Observation Specialty Housing unit are also checking the temperatures, looking for fevers, of anyone entering, Villanueva said.

Image: Los Angeles pedestrians (Chris Pizzello / AP)

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California tweeted that the reduction of more than 600 inmates "is a start but nowhere enough" and urged Villanueva to release anyone who would not pose a physical safety risk to the community.

There are 94 coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County, which includes Los Angeles and such cities as Compton, Beverly Hills and Long Beach, according to the county Public Health Department. One death has been reported, and 15 cases are being called likely instances of community transmission.

The sheriff spoke about preparations at the jail and the department a day after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered the closing of gyms, bars and nightclubs, as well as restrictions prohibiting in-restaurant dining, until at least March 31. Takeout and deliveries are still allowed, and places like grocery stores will remain open.

Story continues

In the northern part of the state, San Francisco and surrounding counties told residents Monday to stay home "except for essential needs" beginning at midnight.

The Los Angeles County sheriff said all vacations have been canceled for staff through the end of April.

"Over the weekend, we've had several of our personnel come into contact, and they have been self-isolated," Villanueva said. "However, fortunately, no one has actually tested positive for the virus."

Patrol station lobbies will remain open for people who need to conduct supervised visits or custody exchanges, but he encouraged people with reports to call ahead or make them online.
One of the strangest manifestations of the threatened coronavirus epidemic in America is toilet paper hoarding. Justin Wolfers, an economics professor at the University of Michigan, has put together a tweet thread explaining why people are hoarding toilet paper. According to him, the motivation behind toilet paper hoarding is the same as the motivation behind runs on banks  people are afraid that, if they don't keep up with others who want the same finite resource, then the resource will be gone.

The economics of toilet paper shortages is the same as bank runs. [thread]



Even if youre not freaked out about a pandemic, you worry that everyone else is & theyll stockpile to , & you dont want to be the left paperless. So you stockpile to avoid being shut out by others.  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

So you run and get toilet paper not because you need dozens of rolls, but because you fear that others are going to stockpile leaving none for you.



And theyre buying because they fear (correctly) that youre running to the store to stock up, leaving none for them.  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

So you run and get toilet paper not because you think society is about to crumble, but because you fear that others fear this. Fear of a run on toilet paper  like a run on banks  is enough to create an actual run.



And when the runs start we need help. (pun intended)  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

The result is that shelves are empty. Capitalism fails, and we all start to worry about  .



The whole mess is created by fear, but the reality of toilet paper shortages means that fear is rational. pic.twitter.com/I6izGTU3NC  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

The problem is we have two equilibria:



1. Normal times: Everyone believes there will be  so no-one stockpiles.

2. Panic times: Everyone fears shortages, which leads them to stockpile, which creates shortages.



Thats happening now.https://t.co/PTdtERyXoQ  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

Heres how we solve the self-fulfilling panics that cause bank runs:

1. The FDIC insures your money, so even if everyone else is running to the bank, you dont have to try to beat them.

2. Lender of last resort: The Fed lends to banks facing these runs, so they can keep operating  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

All of this says that what we need right now is a government-backed Strategic Toilet Paper Reserve.



That Reserve makes a promise that even if your local Costco an out, you still have the right to buy 2 rolls per week from the governments stockpile.  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

The Strategic Toilet Paper Reserve removes the incentive to stockpile. It ensures that even if you see others running to the store to stockpile toilet paper, you no longer need to try to run to beat them. You can relax, knowing that youll still be able to wipe your bum. pic.twitter.com/iDYynXd25X  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

So the economics of bank runs really is the same as the economics of toilet paper shortages. Both point to problems with unfettered markets. And both have problems that can be solved with clever government regulation. The only difference is whats on the paper. pic.twitter.com/7FttR6ynwx  Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) March 4, 2020

(Hat tip: Don Surber.)

That's a cute and clever analogy. Taken at face value, it works perfectly to explain the fear that wealth may have permanently drained from an economy. As for toilet paper, in the face of the current upset, it's not quite accurate. That's because, in America, we know that, in the future, there will be more toilet paper.

Thus, the fear that's driving people other than profiteers crazy isn't that toilet paper will vanish entirely, a reasonable fear in a communist country or in time of war. Instead, the fear is that people will find themselves quarantined at home for a period exceeding their existing toilet paper stock.

Even as we're stuck at home eying our diminishing supply of toilet paper, we know that our factories will continue to manufacture toilet paper. Once it's made, our truckers will deliver it to warehouses across America, and from those warehouses, more truckers will take it to our local stores. The stores will restock their shelves, and we will once again have our all-American soft tushie tissues.

At Conservative Treehouse, Sundance explains the mechanics of supply chains  that is, how goods make it from the warehouse to the store shelf. His point is that, short of a magic wand, there's no way retailers can restock shelves instantly, but they will be restocked. Because this is America and not the Soviet Union, when people finally finish using the 200 rolls of toilet paper they bought in a panic-induced frenzy, their local store will once again have a shelf full of toilet paper.

However, here's some advice for those who lack strategic toilet paper reserves within their own homes. Turn your toilet into a bidet. It's dead easy. Then you never need to worry about toilet paper again  and your derriere will thank you.

If you're still able to leave your home, your local hardware store will have the tools you need. Otherwise, you can order things online.

And please, don't panic. If worse comes to worst, get yourself off the potty and sidle over to your shower. Your derriere will probably like that, too.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 01:17:49|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- At least one civilian was killed and four others wounded on Monday by an explosion in Syria's northeastern province of al-Hasakah, state news agency SANA reported.

The explosion was caused by a booby-trapped motorcycle that went off in the city of Shaddadi in the countryside of al-Hasakah, according to SANA.

The exact target of the explosion wasn't immediately known but the area there is controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led militia.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that lawlessness hits a new high in areas under the SDF control in al-Hasakah and the countryside of the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. Enditem
The Ministry of Health is calling for all passengers on these seven flights to have their health checked immediately with local authorities

Accordingly, the seven flights where COVID-19 infections were detected are:

- SQ 176 (Singapore Airlines) departing from Singapore to Hanoi on March 15;

- VJ 826 (VietJet) departing from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to Ho Chi Minh City on March 4;

- TK 162 (Turkey Airlines) departing from Istanbul to Ho Chi Minh City on March 8;

- QH 1521 (Bamboo Airways) departing from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc on March 9;

- QH 1524 (Bamboo Airways) departing from Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City on March 13;

- SU 290 (Aeroflot) departing from Moscow to Hanoi on March 12;

- QR 970 (Qatar Airways) departing from Doha to Ho Chi Minh City on March 10.

The Ministry of Health asked all passengers on these seven flights to contact the CDCs in every city and province to receive guidance and have their health tested. Travel agents should inform these passengers about the recommendations of the Ministry of Health.

As of the end of March 16, as many as 61 cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in Vietnam, 16 of whom were successfully cured last month, while the remaining 45 cases (18 foreigners and 27 locals) are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the country.

VN0054 flight departing from the UK on March 2 was the first one carrying infected passengers arriving at Hanoi, where 14 cases have been reported positive for the novel coronavirus. Patient 59 is the latest case of infection from this flight after two weeks.
ALABAMA

Gov. Kay Ivey issued statewide shutdowns of all beaches, child care facilities, dine-in restaurants and other services effective 5pm March 19.

All public schools are closed until April 6.

This extended previous rules closing day cares, senior centers and on-site restaurant dining across six counties and banning public gatherings of more than 25 people across the state.

ALASKA

Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced March 16 that state-run libraries, museums and archives will be closed through the end of March.

Schools are closed to students until March 30.

Anchorage banned dine-in service from 5pm Match 18 until March 31.

Theaters, gyms and bingo halls closed through March 31.

The mayor of Anchorage signed the order Monday closing gyms and entertainment venues and barring restaurants, bars and other establishments from offering dine-in service to the public through the rest of March.

ARIZONA

All schools closed through March 27.

Arizonas Country Thunder music festival scheduled for April 16-19 in Florence is postponed.

Visitors banned in most hospitals and clinics.

Gov. Doug Ducey ordered the shutdown of bars and dine-in options in counties affected by the coronavirus.

The action came after several Arizona cities  including Phoenix, Tucson, Tempe and Flagstaff  had issued their own bans.

ARKANSAS

Arkansas' schools will remain closed through April 17 and sit-down service at all restaurants and bars were banned from March 20.

All schools closed from Tuesday.

Arkansas casinos, gyms and other non-essential businesses also closed.

Mayor Frank Scott issued a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. from March 18 in Little Rock.

PENNSYLVANIA

All liquor stores and licensee service centers will close indefinitely at 9pm on Tuesday.

Gov Tom Wolf extended the shutdown to the entire state of Pennsylvania on Monday bar essential services.

A new list was released March 20 citing the 'life-sustaining' businesses that may continue operating during the shutdown: All sectors of the natural resource and mining industry, dry cleaning and laundromats, specialty food stores, insurance carriers, agencies, and brokerages, and accounting and tax preparation services.

Barber shops, nail and hair salons, tattoo shops, and similar services will shut from 8pm on March 21.

LOUISIANA

All bars, nightclubs, casinos, movie theaters, gyms and health clubs will be closed until April 13. Restaurants may open for take-out options only.

Governor John Bel Edwards said the new restrictions take effect Tuesday and will last until April 13.

Public gatherings of 50 people or more will be banned. No one will be allowed to eat onsite at a restaurant.

In heavily Catholic New Orleans and in Baton Rouge, church leaders announced cancellation of masses until further notice.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been postponed.

CONNECTICUT

Gatherings of more than 50 people banned.

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers.

Clubs, bars, cinemas, gyms shut indefinitely.

Hospitals across the state are restricting visitation, and some, including UConn Health in Farmington, have announced the indefinite postponement of elective surgeries.

Barber shops, nail and hair salons, tattoo shops, and similar services will shut from 8pm on March 21.

MASSACHUSETTS

Gatherings of more than 25 people banned.

Bars and restaurants to offer take-out only until April 7.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is shutting down construction sites across the city. Walsh also announced all branches of the Boston Public Library will close.

NEW JERSEY

Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all non-essential retail businesses close their stores and all residents to stay home on March 21.

This exempts essential workers such as those in healthcare and food.

All weddings and parties are banned.

This marked an extension on previous measures which included:

Barber shops, nail and hair salons, tattoo shops, and similar services to shut from 8pm on March 21.

Hoboken residents ordered to isolate at home for a week from March 17.

Curfew from 8pm  5am; gatherings of more than 50 people banned; bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-out.

Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely.

Indoor malls, amusement centers, public and private schools, colleges and universities closed.

NEW YORK

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a new order on March 20 that 100 percent of non-essential workers must stay home, upping the rule from 75 percent.

The only workforces that are excluded are grocery stores, pharmacies, certain government workers and news organizations.

People can go outside but are urged to stay indoors as much as possible.

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-out. Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely.

Barber shops, nail and hair salons, tattoo shops, and similar services shut from 8pm on March 21.

New York City - Eateries could only accept takeout and delivery orders. Mayor Bill de Blasio also ordered nightclubs, movie theaters and other entertainment venues closed.

New York City announced its public school district, the nation's largest, will be closed starting Monday, joining most of the rest of the country.

New Rochelle - one mile containment area set up.

ILLINOIS

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers until March 30.

The Governor of Illinois announced a stay at home order on March 20, ordering people to only go out for exercise, to the grocery store, to seek medical care or to pick up take-out from restaurants that have stayed open.

The shutdown of Illinois elementary and high schools will be extended through at least April 7.

KENTUCKY

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers until March 30.

The Democratic governors of Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington on Monday all ordered the full or partial closure of certain categories of businesses.

OHIO

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers, but can offer take-out.

Ohio marked St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday with no parades and no primary election over fears of the coronavirus. Health Director Dr. Amy Acton issued an order late Monday shutting down polls Tuesday.

Youngstown State University and Capital University in Columbus were among those announcing the cancellation of May commencement ceremonies, saying they couldn't comply with restrictions severely limiting the size of gatherings.

Ohio's Roman Catholic bishops suspended all publicly celebrated Masses through Easter on April 12, extending an earlier suspension of services through Palm Sunday one week earlier.

OKLAHOMA

Public schools closed at least until April 6.

Oklahoma's governor declared a statewide emergency Sunday evening.

The Oklahoma Legislature approved sweeping changes to the state's Open Meeting Act on Tuesday to allow government bodies to meet via teleconference.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt both ordered the immediate shutdown of bars, while restaurants can serve only take-out orders. Similar measures were also imposed in Stillwater and Norman, including orders that theaters, gyms and amusement facilities must also close.

Officials with the Remington Park horse track in Oklahoma City said it was closing to the general public and races would be held without spectators.

The archbishop of Oklahoma City announced Tuesday that all public masses and liturgies at Catholic churches in the archdiocese of Oklahoma City would be canceled through Easter Sunday, April 12.

MICHIGAN

Bars and restaurants shut to dine-in customers indefinitely, but can offer take-out. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has banned more than 50 people in a gathering at a time.

Whitmer issued a sweeping order Monday banning dine-in customers at restaurants and closing all bars, movie theaters, gyms and other sports facilities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The measure was to last through March.

Besides those restrictions, all Michigan schools are closed.

WASHINGTON

Restaurants and bars ordered to shut temporarily.

Gatherings of more than 50 people banned for at least two weeks.

MINNESOTA

Dine-in restaurants and bars ordered to shut through March 27 beginning Tuesday evening.

Gov. Tim Walz ordered bars and restaurants across Minnesota to temporarily close to customers who dine in.

Delivery and curbside takeout services may continue to operate. The temporary closure also applies to other places of public amusement, including theaters, museums, fitness centers and community clubs.

Affected businesses must close by 5 p.m. Tuesday. While the governor's order runs through March 27, he said he'll likely end up extending it. Supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers are not affected.

OREGON

Gatherings of more than 25 people banned.

Restaurants and bars allowed to offer take-out only.

Gov. Kate Brown on Monday banned on-site consumption at bars and restaurants around the state for at least four weeks in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and said gatherings will be limited to 25 people or fewer.

Restaurants can still offer takeout or delivery, she said at a news conference.

Gov. Kate Brown announced an extension of her previous statewide school closure order to combat the spread of coronavirus, saying now schools will be shuttered until at least April 28.

Only essential medical and emergency personnel can visit residents of long-term care facilities statewide, except for residents who are in the end stages of life.

CALIFORNIA

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued an unprecedented statewide 'stay at home order' directing the state's 40 million residents to hunker down in their homes for the foreseeable future effective immediately. This was an extension of the shelter in place rule already issued across parts of the state, including San Francisco, and Palm Springs.

Disneyland closed to the public.

'Few if any' California schools will reopen before summer break, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

Los Angeles extended its citywide ban on restaurants until at least April 19, from the previous order until March 31.

WASHINGTON D.C.

Restaurants, bars and clubs to shut down by 10pm Monday, with take-out and delivery still available until April 1.

Health clubs, spas, massage parlors and theaters to shut down.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a state of emergency.

Organizers of the popular Cherry Blossom festival, which was scheduled to begin March 20, announced that several events would be postponed.

Officials recommended that all 'non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions,' be postponed or canceled through the end of March.

Georgetown University joined the growing list of higher-learning institutions to cancel in-person classes.

MARYLAND

Bars and restaurants shut indefinitely for dine-in customers, but can offer take-out.

Clubs, bars, cinemas and gyms shut indefinitely.

FLORIDA

In Florida, Walt Disney World and Universal-Orlando closed Sunday night for the rest of the month, joining their already closed California siblings.

Farther south, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale closed their beaches, where thousands of college spring breakers flocked.

All bars and nightclubs are set to close.

Officials in Clearwater Beach, Naples voted to close the beach by Monday March 23, while others along the Gulf Coast in Florida's southwest communities are also being closed.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an order limiting parties on beaches to 10 people per group, but after Spring Breakers flouted the rules, said stricter control will be rolled out.

All movie theatres, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, arcades, gymnasiums, fitness studios and beaches were shut in Broward County and Palm Beach County from March 20.

All restaurant dining areas and gyms in the state shut March 20 with immediate effect. Restaurants can offer take-out and delivery orders.

All hotels in Florida Keys closed down March 20.

NEVADA

Casinos throughout Nevada were closed Wednesday, along with other nonessential businesses, under an order from Gov. Steve Sisolak.

All public, private and charter K-12 schools in the state will be closed Monday until at least April 6 in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Monthlong closure of non-essential businesses like bars, movie theaters and gyms. Restaurants must shutter their dining rooms and only offer takeout or delivery.

COLORADO

Colorado's 12,000 bars and restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery orders under a 30-day ban on gatherings of 50 people as the state expands testing to try to brake the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Jared Polis said Monday.

Polis also announced the closure of all theaters, gyms and casinos until further notice.

Vail Resorts said it will keep its North American resorts closed for the rest of the ski season.

People arrested for low-level crimes will no longer be booked into jail.

INDIANA

Bars, nightclubs and restaurants closed for dine-in with and takeout allowed until the end of March.

Honda said Wednesday that it will shut down plants in North America, including one in Greensburg.

RHODE ISLAND

All restaurants, bars, coffee shops shut down for dine in until March 30.

Drive-thru and delivery services remain open.

The Rhode Island Statehouse will be closed to visitors and certain popular government services will be curtailed.

The popular, downtown Providence Place Mall will be shut down.

Catholic churches in Rhode Island are suspending Mass services.

VERMONT

Bars and restaurants can only serve takeout from Tuesday night.

All pre-K-12 schools in Vermont must close no later than Tuesday

DELAWARE

Gov. John Carney directed that restaurants and bars in Delaware restrict their operations to take-out, drive-thru and delivery services.

GEORGIA

All public schools and universities closed.

A large outdoor music festival in Atlanta has been postponed until fall. Organizers of the Shaky Knees Festival on Wednesday said the event featuring headliners the Black Keys, the Strokes and Smashing Pumpkins is now set for Oct. 16 to 18.

HAWAII

Visitors asked to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days.

Directive that all bars and clubs close and that restaurants shift to serving food through drive-through, takeout and delivery service. Gatherings to be limited to a maximum of 10 people.

The National Park Service said the Pearl Harbor National Memorial has closed temporarily.

IDAHO

Gov. Brad Little said state is adopting federal guidelines that include avoiding social gatherings of more than 10 people.

The guidelines also call for not eating or drinking in bars, restaurants and food courts, but to use drive-thru or pickup options. Little also recommended avoiding discretionary travel and shopping.

Boise: State of emergency declared Monday, city buildings closed with the exception of the Boise Airport

IOWA

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered restaurants, bars, fitness centers, theaters and casinos to close for two weeks.

Also bans events of more than 10 people, including parades, festivals, conventions and fundraisers, in line with federal recommendations.

KANSAS

Kansas State University to teach remotely.

In Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday banned public gatherings of 50 or more people for the next two months.

All of the state's K-12 schools to close and to move lessons online for the rest of the spring semester.

MAINE

Maine's largest city, Portland, declared an emergency and adopted a curfew to prevent the spread of the virus on St. Patrick's Day.

The curfew applies to establishments where groups gather all day Tuesday and from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. from Wednesday to Saturday.

L.L. Bean is closing all of its retail stores across the country, including its flagship store in Freeport, Maine, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

The North Haven Select Board voted Sunday to ban visitors and seasonal residents immediately to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to the Penobscot Bay island, where there have been no cases yet.

A growing number of municipalities declared emergencies and imposed curfews.

MISSISSIPPI

Casinos, public universities and school districts closed until further notice.

Mississippi legislators are suspending their work until at least April 1.

MISSOURI

Restaurants, bars and movie theaters ordered shut for 15 days in Kansas City metro from Tuesday

MONTANA

Public schools closed for two weeks.

Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Butte and Helena restrict restaurant openings.

NEBRASKA

Omaha bars and restaurants limited to 10 and under patrons.

The Douglas County Board of Health issued an order limiting gatherings within the county, which includes Omaha, to no more than 10 people. The order also says that a venue must be large enough for all people in any gathering to be at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart from each other.

The order is effective through April 30.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Restaurants will be restricted to take-out, schools are shut down and large public gatherings are being banned in an effort to contain the coronavirus in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire's directive, which extends until April 7, also will ban public gatherings of 50 people or more.

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and affiliated hospitals are no longer allowing visitors.

NEW MEXICO

Restaurants and bars to operate at 50 per cent capacity; tables must not seat more than six people, and must be separated by at least six feet.

NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is ordering all restaurants and bars be closed to dine-in patrons.

Cooper's office announced he would issue a new executive order directing the closings effective at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The establishments can continue to offer takeout and delivery.

NORTH DAKOTA

No mandated closing of restaurants and bars.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum issued an executive order closing schools across the state for one week beginning Monday.

PUERTO RICO

Two-week closure for the majority of businesses; 9pm overnight curfew through March 30.

Puerto Rico Secretary of State Elmer Roman said at a press conference on Monday that no one is allowed to go to the beach.

On Sunday, Gov. Wanda Vazquez ordered a two-week closure of nonessential government offices and commercial businesses except for gas stations and those in the food, health and finance sectors. Puerto Rico also cancelled major events, including an Ironman race scheduled for this past weekend.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston banned gatherings of more than 50 people outside of stores and private offices.

Columbia restricted businesses to no more than half their legal occupancy and won't allow more than six people to sit at a restaurant table.

Schools closed from Monday

SOUTH DAKOTA

No current plans to close restaurants or bars.

The governor signed a state of emergency order last week, requesting public schools to close and ordering non-essential state employees to work from home.

South Dakota public universities announced on Monday that all classes will move online next week after an extended spring break.

TENNESSEE

All bars closed in Nashville; restuarants ordered to operate at no more than 50 per cent capacity.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday asked schools to close, exhorted people to avoid crowded bars

TEXAS

Austin joined other major cities statewide in closing bars and restaurant dining rooms to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Texas Capitol in Austin also will be closed to the public.

SXSW canceled.

The University of Texas System on Tuesday instructed its eight academic campuses to, effective immediately, move all classes online for the rest of the spring semester and postponed graduation ceremonies until the fall.

El Paso closed its bars and ordered restaurant capacities cut in half.

Galveston Mayor Jim Yarbrough ordered the island city's bars and restaurants to close, as well as all public amusement venues, including museums, the Pleasure Pier and Moody Gardens.

Houston has also enacted restrictions on bars, clubs and restaurant

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

State of emergency declared

All public schools closed for at least three weeks from Wednesday

UTAH

Salt Lake City shuts restaurants to dine in customers and bars; take out continues.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert ordered statewide dine-in closures at restaurants, bars and other eateries while health officials in the national parks hot spot of Moab halted new overnight tourists.

Authorities also closed restaurants, except for takeout, and other public places like theaters and gyms in Grand, Carbon and Emery Counties.

VIRGINIA

Gov. Ralph Northam bans public gatherings of more than 100 people.

All K-12 schools to close through at least March 27.

WEST VIRGINIA

So far, West Virginia has just one coronavirus case.

WISCONSIN

Bans on 50 people or more gatherings; bars and restaurants limiting customers. Gov. Tony Evers ordered that child care settings have no more than 10 staffers and 50 children present at the same time.

WYOMING

Dine in customers banned at restaurants and bars.

Airlines are wrapping up winter-season flights to Jackson Hole weeks earlier than usual.

The resort and two others in northwest Wyoming  Grand Targhee resort and Snow King Resort  have shut down early.
(Newser)  A Connecticut man has been charged with threatening to kill House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff via the Democrat's website. Investigators say Robert Michael Phelps, 62, sent a meeting request to Schiff's office on Nov. 12, saying "I want to kill you with my bare hands and smash your sick little round fat lying face in," the Wall Street Journal reports. The FBI traced the message to Phelps, who "stated he was a Republican and needed to protect 'his president,'" according to a criminal complaint. The complaint states that Phelps admitted sending the message, but "did not see the message as threatening."

story continues below

Schiff, who took a lead role in impeachment proceedings, was a frequent target of President Trump before, during, and after his impeachment. On the day Phelps is accused of sending the threat, Trump tweeted that Schiff was a "corrupt, compromised, coward & congenital liar." On Jan. 26, the president tweeted that Schiff "has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!" Phelps, who was released on $25,000 bond after his arrest Friday, faces a charge of threatening to assault and murder a US official, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and making interstate threats, which has a maximum sentence of 5 years, reports CNN. (Read more Adam Schiff stories.)
By Express News Service

MANGALURU: More than 90 passengers and crew members of a Dubai flight that had landed in Mangaluru on March 14 were put under home quarantine on Tuesday after it was learnt that one of the passengers from Kerala in that flight had tested positive for coronavirus.

Earlier in the day, the authorities and people of Mangaluru were left anxious after the news spread that the person who had travelled from Mangaluru Airport to Kasargod had tested positive.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVE COVERAGE OF COVID-19

Soon, the Dakshina Kannada district authorities got in touch with their counterparts in Kasargod to find out his route map and people the patient had come across in the airport and other places before he reached Kasargod.

However, by evening, the Kerala government announced that the person had travelled directly from Mangaluru to Kasargod without stopping anywhere in between.

Meanwhile, the Dakshina Kannada district administration which sprang into action managed to zero in on all the passengers and crew members who had travelled with the patient and put them under home quarantine.

Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh said that there were more than 90 passengers and crew who had travelled with the patient and so far none of them have symptoms of COVID-19. However, she said that they will keep a watch on them.

ALSO READ| Kalaburagi doctor who treated coronavirus-infected man tests positive

According to the route map of the patient released by the Kerala government in the app 'GoK Direct', the passenger along with his cousin arrived at Mangaluru International Airport from Dubai in Air India Express IX 814 flight at 5:20 am on March 14. From the airport, he was picked up two other persons and they proceeded to Kasargod in a private car.

At 7 am, they reached a private hospital in Kasargod and gave his blood sample. Over 90 passengers had landed in city in the same flight. Health and family welfare minister B Sriramulu who was in city to take stock of the situation over the dreaded coronavirus had said the incident is a matter of concern.
Father of trans-identified teen, Christian broadcaster facing charges for defying court order

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An independent Christian journalist and the father of a trans-identifying teen girl are facing charges for speaking out against the experimental practices being performed on her body to gender-transition her to appear as male.

The British Columbia dad, who is called "CD" in court documents and has been battling in court in an attempt to stop a hormonal gender transition of his daughter, along with broadcaster Laura Lynn Thompson could be charged with criminal contempt of court, Life Site News reported.

The father is legally forbidden from speaking to media about the case but did so anyway. Thompson may face charges because she posted a video of an interview she did with the father last month.

She initially refused to take it down but eventually did remove the video. The footage is viewable on some sites within Canada and around the world as the case has garnered international attention.



The father has also done an interview with another independent outlet called Press for Truth, retelling his story and outlining his objections to the medical interventions.

In court proceedings last week, it emerged that attorneys for the trans-identified teenager, who is now 15, were not acting under the direction of their client, Thompson told LifeSite News. The teen girl has been receiving testosterone injections for the past few months, against the wishes of her father.

British Columbia Supreme Court justice Michael Tammen referred the matter Tuesday to the province's attorney general to consider prosecuting both Thompson and the father.

Thompson said it was a shock that the judge made such a move but indicated that she is undeterred.



I feel that there is a call from the Lord on my life, to sound the trumpet and sound the alarm on what they are doing, she told LifeSiteNews.

The high court previously ruled that if the father did not acquiesce to using opposite sex pronouns or his child's new chosen name that it would be considered "family violence" and he could potentially face being arrested. In January, that decision was revised to say that indeed he had not done that but nevertheless issued conduct orders, forbidding him from speaking to the press and directing him to use the male name and masculine pronouns when speaking to his daughter.

The matter in Canada comes amid other contentious disputes surrounding the medicalization of gender now being adjudicated in other western countries, particularly as it pertains to minors.

In the United Kingdom, a judicial review of Tavistock gender clinic in London is now underway where it has been alleged that treatments were being administered that lack a robust evidence base and that the risks are not being adequately explained.

A 23-year-old detransitioner, a young woman who identified as transgender and underwent hormonal transition at the clinic during her teen years, is a claimant in the case and says the medical pathway she was put on was dangerous and now believes she was too young to give consent to such practices.

In the United States last fall, the case of 7-year-old James Younger elicited massive public outcry when a Dallas jury originally awarded conservatorship to a mother who had expressed her intentions to transition the young boy into a girl named Luna against the wishes of the father, Jeff Younger. The judge in the case, Kim Cooks, overruled the decision in the case and awarded joint conservatorship to both parents. Cooks was ultimately recused from the case, which is ongoing, but her ruling presently stands.
Although the goal is simple, Dr. King calls the experiment ugly because the rich system has an overabundance of factors at play. This makes the problem not easily amenable to elegant theory or simple analysis, he said.

Dr. King has been pursuing this line of investigation for several years. As research problems go, its a birds nest of a birds nest: All the input parameters and boundary conditions are interwoven, in ways that prove difficult to tease apart.

More than a metaphor

The paper recently published by Dr. King and his collaborators primarily reviews the field of nest research, such as it is.

One reference on Dr. Kings bookshelf is a classic title by Mike Hansell, Bird Nests and Construction Behavior. Dr. Hansell, a professor emeritus of animal architecture at the University of Glasgow, conducted field work in museum collections around the world. At the Natural History Museum in London, for instance, he found an unremarkable looking cup nest of grass and rootlets by the now extinct piopio (Turnagra capensis) of New Zealand.

The bird itself was last observed in 1947, he wrote. Possibly no other nest of this species remains in the world. It is an enduring expression of behavior that can no longer be seen. To touch it is to be as close to its maker as to touch a brush stroke of a Van Gogh sunflower.

In cascading chapters and subsections, Dr. Hansell explored topics like nest shape, decoration and size, and the nest as a factor in mate selection. For the blue-footed booby, nest-building is reduced to the exaggerated presentation of tiny pieces of vegetation by the male to the female, a trait that might well be expected to be under the influence of sexual selection, he wrote, with a nod to Charles Darwin.
Journalists protest against attacks on colleagues during Delhi riots

Jobanpreet Singh (Punjabs online journalist was killed in police firing on December 19),

Vijay Gupta (Kanpur-based scribe shot dead by close relatives on October 29),

Radheyshyam Sharma (Kushinagar-based journalist murdered by his neighbours on October 10),

Ashish Dhiman (Saharanpur-based photojournalist shot dead along with his brother by neighbours on August 18),

Chakresh Jain (Shahgarh-based freelance journalist died of serious burn injuries on June 19),

Anand Narayan (news channel contributor of Mumbai murdered by miscreants on June 4),

Nityanand Pandey (magazine editor in Thane killed by an employee on March 17), and

Kerala-based journalist K Muhammed Basheer lost his life on August 3 as a government officer driven vehicle mowed down him.

Pak journalists protest against attack on press freedom

Guwahati-based scribe named Naresh Mitra died on December 9 after sustaining head injuries in a mysterious accident inside the city. Otherwise, the trouble-torn northeastern region has once again evaded murder of any journalist in two consecutive years. Tripura reported the murder of five media persons between 2013 and 2017, whereas Assam and Manipur witnessed the last killing of media persons (Dwijamani Nanao Singh from Imphal and Raihanul Nayum from Dhubri) in 2012.

Till the recent time, the region was a breeding ground for insurgents fighting against New Delhi with demands for self-rule to sovereignty. Both the states were once severely affected by militancy, where over 30 separatist armed outfits went on with disruptive activities including extortion, kidnapping, and killings.

The year 2017 was recognized as a deadliest year for working journalists for India, as 12 scribes (Hari Prakash, Brajesh Kumar Singh, Shyam Sharma, Kamlesh Jain, Surender Singh Rana, Gauri Lankesh, Shantanu Bhowmik, KJ Singh, Rajesh Mishra, Sudip Datta Bhaumik, Naveen Gupta and Rajesh Sheoran) were either murdered or killed in suspicious situations.

Among the casualties, Tripura reported two incidents of journo-murder (Shantanu and Sudip Datta) that year. Earlier 2013 emerged a dangerous year for scribes with 11 casualties including three media employees (Sujit Bhattacharya, Ranjit Chowdhury and Balaram Ghosh) from Tripura.

Various national and international media rights bodies like RSF, IFJ, New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), etc. came out with separate reports on journo-murders in 2019 and rightly continue raising voices for due probes and punishments to the culprits.

---

*Guwahati-based scribe-activist

Even as attacks on journalists continue unabated in South Asia and across the world, Pakistan has reported the murder of a journalist this year, whereas India has so far not reported any across the country. Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) indicates that nine journalists have been killed till date this year while on duty. Highest number of casualties are reported from Iraq (3) followed by Syria (2), Pakistan (1), Somalia (1), Nigeria (1) and Paraguay (1). India witnessed one targeted casualty last year, though in all nine journalists were killed because of other reasons. Across the world, 49 scribes lost their lives while on duty. Except Pakistan and Bangladesh, Indias other neighbours namely Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Tibet (under China), and Bhutan evaded any incident of scribes murder in 2019.According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Mexico tops the list with 10 incidents of journalists killings last year, followed by Afghanistan ( 5), Syria (5), Pakistan (4), Somalia (3), Yemen (2), Philippines (2), Brazil (2), Haiti (2), Honduras ( 2), Iraq (1), Haiti (1), Nigeria (1), Northern Ireland (1), the Philippines (1), etc.Pakistan reported the mysterious death of Aziz Memon in Mehrabpur locality of Sindh province on February 16 last. Memon used to work for KTN Television and daily "Kawish" and his body found near his residence. The country lost four scribes (Aman Ullah Gharro, Ali Sher Rajper, Mirza Waseem Baig and Zafar Abbas) to assailants last year.Afghanistan witnessed the murder of Javid Noori, Shafiq Arya, Rahimullah Rahmani, Sultan Mohammad Kairkhah and Nader Shah Shebzadeh, whereas Bangladesh reported the suspected murder of online journalist Ihsan Ibn Reza Fagun in 2019. India witnessed the incidents of nine journo-killings in 2019; of these one incident emerged as a case of targeted murder.Andhra Pradesh-based journalist K Satyanarayana (45) faced the fate because of his performances as a working journalist. The committed reporter of Telugu newspaper "Andhra Jyothy" was hacked to death by miscreants at Annavaram village of East Godavari district on the night of October 15. Local scribes informed that Satyanarayana was targeted in an earlier occasion too.Others who were killed this year include:Bihars scribe Pradeep Mandal was targeted by miscreants on July 28, but he survived luckily. He contributed a number of news items against the local liquor mafia for Dainik Jagaran and invited enmities from the goons.
UPPER DARBY  More than 900 students on Monday took advantage of the Upper Darby School Districts coronavirus food delivery and response plan. Stations were set up outside of all nine elementary schools and district employees, including bus drivers and cafeteria workers, manned the distribution tables.

This is a wonderful thing, said bus driver Dottie Kaikowski. I am very happy to be here this morning helping to distribute this food to the children. There are many students who depend on this for their daily nutrition.

Pre-packaged breakfasts included cinnamon sticks, apples, juice and chocolate milk for breakfast, and a cheese sandwich, carrot sticks and milk for lunch.

A parent who brought her three children said she was very grateful to the district for continuing the food program.

This is such a big help to me and my family, she said. We have fallen on some tough times and when school was closed because of the virus I didnt know what I was going to do. So, thank you very much.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan McGarry expressed appreciation to the employees who distributed the food, and the crossing guards, who spent the morning making sure the students were safe. He also praised Wendy Elgart, director of federal programs, grants, food service, counseling and social work, for all of her hard work in planning the food distribution.

Today is a great day, McGarry said. People rallied around each other and the end result could not have been any better. This is a total team effort.

Breakfast and lunch will be served daily to students 18 and under at the elementary schools for the remainder of the time school is closed.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, on March 13, announced the closure of all non-essential travel, services and activities in the county, including all schools through March 29 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
International Trust Machines Corporation (ITM), a Taiwanese blockchain solutions provider, recently received pre-A round funding from IC design house MediaTek.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company is using the funds for product development targeting B2B users.

Established in 2019 by Julian Chen, CEO, ITM provides a blockchain software development kit (SDK) that can be ported on low-level IoT chips and is secured with a fingerprint on blockchain. The company is currently working with global brand names such as Microsoft, Qualcomm and Taiwan Mobile.

FinSMEs

16/03/2020
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" " Giant shark megalodon was the apex predator in Earth's oceans for millions of years, before going extinct about 2.6 million years ago. Richard Bizley/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

The largest shark in the history of the planet was named megalodon, and could grow to lengths of 60 feet (18 meters). Megalodon ruled Earth's oceans for more than 20 million years. But if such a beast could get by for that long, why did the giant shark species die out about 2.6 million years ago?

Past hypotheses have suggested that megalodon, the largest known apex predator in the ocean's history, faded into history due to the ripple effect that climate change had on its ecosystems. New research published in the Journal of Biogeography, however, has concluded that the gigantic predator died out because its food sources became less diverse, and because other, smaller predators evolved into direct competition.

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" " The megalodon range in the world's oceans changed over millions of years. Catalina Pimiento

A research team from the University of Zurich's Paleontological Institute and Museum examined 200 megalodon records from museum collections and databases around the world, recreating a picture of the shark's range in the world's oceans, and how its population grew and eventually dwindled compared to the world climate. According to the research, megalodon populations neither shrank when the temperature dropped worldwide, nor increased significantly when water temperatures increased.

"We were not able to ascertain any direct link between the extinction of C. megalodon and the global fluctuations in temperatures during this time," lead researcher Catalina Pimiento, also in the running for coolest scientist name of the week, said in a press release announcing the findings. "Changing climatic conditions do not appear to have had any influence on the population density and range of the giant sharks."

Instead, Pimiento and her team believe that a drop in the diversity of filter-feeding whales, which served as shark chow and acted as indicator of overall biodiversity, had a bigger impact on the megalodon's eventual extinction. The team also proposes that the emergence of smaller competitors contributed to megalodon's fade. The ancestors of today's orcas and great white sharks could get by with less food than an eating machine weighing upward of 50 tons (46 metric tons), as some estimates of megalodon's size suggest, would need.

Now That's Interesting The scientific community doesn't wholly agree as to whether megalodon's scientific name should be Carcharodon megalodon or Carcharocles megalodon, coming down to different readings of the evolutionary record.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 09:18 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b193c1 1 National MUI,MUI-edict,fatwa,Friday-prayer,mosque,COVID-19,coronavirus,pandemic,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak,outbreak-in-Indonesia Free

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has issued a fatwa on compulsory Muslim prayers specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MUI Fatwa Council chair Hasanuddin said in a written statement on Monday that Muslims in areas where COVID-19 had spread uncontrollably were not permitted to perform Friday prayers in those areas until the situation returns to normal.

They are obliged to replace [the Friday prayer] with the zuhr [midday] prayer [at home]. Likewise, it is [forbidden] to hold religious activities that involve large numbers of people that could further spread COVID-19, Hasanuddin said in the statement.

He added that Muslims in areas "less affected" by COVID-19 could perform the Friday prayer at mosques. However, people were encouraged to minimize physical contact, bring their own prayer mats and wash their hands diligently.

The MUI also prohibited Muslims who tested positive for COVID-19 from attending Friday prayer at mosques, and instructed them to replace the obligatory Friday prayer with the zuhr at home.

"It is haram for a [person with] COVID-19 to carry out sunnah activities that create opportunities for contagion, such as performing the daily prayers in congregation, the tarawih [special Ramadan prayer] and the Eid prayer at mosques and other public places, as well as attending public [Quranic] recitations or majelis taklim [Quran study groups], the fatwa stated.

The statement also said that the bathing the bodies of the dead should be carried out by medical authorities in compliance with their protocols and with regard to Islamic law.

Hasanuddin added that funeral prayers and burials should be conducted as usual, but with precautions in order to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

The fatwa council also stated that actions that caused panic and/or public losses, such as hoarding basic necessities and face masks, were haram.

On March 16, Indonesia reported 134 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including five deaths. The virus has spread throughout the country, including major regions like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, Banten, Bali, North Sulawesi and West Kalimantan. (aly)
The New Jersey National Guard is answering a call for help from Gov. Phil Murphy by deploying about 150 of its 8,200 members.

Murphy on Monday announced during a news conference in Trenton that he is calling on the Guard to help in any way necessary the states efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

But this isnt a mobilization, said Kryn Westhoven, spokesman for the state Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. A mobilization would be if the Guard were called into service by the federal government.

Thats when youre calling up whole units, he said.

This effort, so far, is also a lot smaller than when the Guard was put into service for Superstorm Sandy. About 2,100 were deployed then.

This time were not worrying about doing high water rescues, Westhoven said. Its a whole different scenario.

The troops from the Army and Air National Guard units across the state will work for N.J.'s Office of Emergency Management and be paid by the state.

Theyll send military police officers to help direct traffic at drive-by testing sites. Others will use National Guard Humvees and trucks to deliver food and other supplies. And theyll be ready to set up temporary hospitals if needed, Westhoven said.

Were in the planning process right now, he said. It takes a while to get all the people ready.

The Guardsmen will likely begin their work later this week, Westhoven said, but that too is still being worked out.

Weve done this in the past. Its something the Guard is prepared and trained for, he said. Were ready and able to serve our fellow citizens.

This is the first time the Guard has been deployed in New Jersey since Superstorm Sandy, in 2012, but they have helped in Florida and other states during natural disasters.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
President Trump on Monday announced new social distancing guidelines calling for Americans not to gather in groups larger than 10, while the U.S. surgeon general warned an infection rate near that of Italy is likely if Americans do not radically limit their public interactions as soon as possible.

While many people have been frightened by the sudden change in tone from the White House and the federal government, Yahoo News Public Health contributor Kathryn Jacobsen, a George Mason University professor specializing in global health epidemiology, said there is still time to reduce the scale of infection by keeping interactions between households limited as much as possible.



Asked about the shift in tone from Washington, where just yesterday officials had said gatherings need only be limited to 50, Jacobsen said theres no magic number.



We dont know what the threshold is that would minimize transmission between people at the community level, Jacobsen told Skullduggery hosts Daniel Klaidman and Michael Isikoff. Weve never seen anything like this before.

Jacobsen, who has served as an expert adviser to the World Health Organization and other international health organizations, said there is no playbook for a threat like COVID-19.



The social distancing is about trying to remove that physical contact between people, Lets just slow this down the best we can for now, Jacobsen said. Asked for the best-case scenario moving forward, Jacobsen said she would consider it a huge win if two months from now people say, Wow, we really overreacted.

While only 88 Americans have died from COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning, Jacobsen said that number will grow exponentially in the next week or two. When we see the number of deaths, were seeing where the number of infections was two or three weeks ago, she said. Were not going to see the effect of whether these social distancing measures are limiting the number of new infections for another week or two.



While most people arent ready for the kinds of lockdowns that it seems may be happening in the near future, Jacobsen said they are necessary. If we take this seriously for a few weeks, we can shorten the timeline for when we get this under control.

Story continues

A sign hangs on the door of a Denver-area YMCA as gyms have been forced to close in Colorado's efforts to fend off the spread of coronavirus. (David Zalubowski/AP)

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkeys export of cement to Uzbekistan has decreased from January through February 2020, making up $1.1 million, which is 58.4 percent less compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 17.

In February 2020, Turkeys export of cement to Uzbekistan decreased by 67.1 percent compared to February 2019, and made up $679,000, the ministry noted.

Turkeys export of cement to world markets increased by 15.3 percent in January-February 2020 compared to the same period of the last year, making up $597.8 million.

Turkeys export of cement was 2 percent of the countrys total export for the reporting period.

In February 2020, Turkey exported cement worth $309.7 billion to world markets, which is 16.3 percent more than in the same month of 2019.

Turkeys cement export share in the countrys total export made up 1.2 percent in February 2020.

In the last 12 months, i.e. from February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey exported cement in the amount of $3.5 billion.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover in 2019 exceeded $374.2 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The Karni Sena, which protested against Bollywood film Padmaavat over historic facts, has now asked the producers of Prithviraj, an upcoming movie featuring Akshay Kumar, not to tamper with history.

Members of the outfit, led by its national president Mahipal Singh Makrana, staged a stir at the shooting of the film in Jamwaramgarh village, on saturday and asked the director, Chandra Prakash, to stop the shooting.

Prakash assured them that there was no tampering with historic facts in the film's script.

However, the Karni Sena demanded a written assurance.

Akshay Kumar was not shooting when the Karni Sena members staged the protest on Saturday.

We held discussions with the director, Chandra Prakash, regarding the film's script today. We told him that no tampering with historic facts will be tolerated, Makrana said on Monday.

Prithviraj Chauhan should not be portrayed as a lover in the film. The director has assured us that there is no such thing in the movie but we want a written assurance, he said.

Previously with the Sanjay Leela Bhansali spectacle 'Padmaavat' the Karni Sena had protested alleging that the filmmaker had shown Rani Padmavati in a bad light.

Produced by Yashraj Films, Prithviraj is based on the life of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.
Tens of thousands of Australians and foreign visitors who are supposed to be in self-isolation to stop the spread of coronavirus are not being monitored by authorities.

Despite threats of arrest and fines of up to $50,000 for breaches of public health laws most Australian police forces are not checking on people in self-isolation.

Instead, authorities have said they expect those in quarantine to simply 'do the right thing' and not endanger the rest of the community.

Police forces in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory have no current role in actively enforcing self-isolation orders.

Victoria Police has said it would respond to tip-offs about compliance breaches but would otherwise trust potentially infected people to remain in isolation.

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Thousands of travellers who are supposed to be in self-isolation to stop the spread of COVID-19 are not being monitored by authorities. Pictured are passengers leaving Sydney Airport in January. It is not suggested anyone pictured has failed to comply with quarantine rules

Authorities have said they expect those in quarantine to simply 'do the right thing' and not endanger the rest of the community. Passengers are pictured arriving at Sydney Airport. It is not suggested anyone pictured has failed to comply with quarantine rules

Despite threats of arrest and fines of up to $50,000 for breaches of public health laws most Australian police forces are not checking on people in self-isolation. (Stock image)

The New South Wales Police Force has provided no information about its role in enforcing coronavirus quarantines other than to state 'this is all still being discussed across the government agencies.'

Only Queensland police appear to be conducting spot-checks on residents and tourists who are supposed to be in quarantine, having undertaken more than 1,850 such visits.

People who are believed to have contracted COVID-19 or been in contact with patients while they were ill with the disease have been told to stay at home for 14 days.

All international arrivals have also been ordered to self-isolate for a fortnight.

During isolation, individuals must stay at home or in their paid accommodation and cannot go anywhere they might have contact with other people, such as work, school, childcare, university or public gatherings.

Those who ignore the orders are putting the community at risk of catching a disease that has already killed more than 6,800 people globally and infected at least 450 Australians.

Victoria Police received an order from the state's Chief Health Office on Monday about enforcing self-isolation and the prohibition of gatherings of more than 500 people.

'Police will be looking to people doing the right thing voluntarily and will continue encouraging people to do the right thing,' a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

States and territories have varying penalties for those who breach public health laws. Passengers are pictured arriving at Sydney Airport on March 16. It is not suggested anyone pictured has failed to comply with quarantine rules

A health worker in protective clothing prepares to conduct consultations with passengers arriving at Brisbane Airport on March 16

'We will be enforcing arrests and detaining people as a last resort. We know that the vast majority of the community do the right thing.

'If people have concerns with other people breaching self-isolation, please call Triple Zero or the Police Assistance Line.

'We will be triaging the calls in relation to their veracity and assessing the risks about those calls.

'Common law discretion will be there for police officers to determine what action they will take.

Queensland police have conducted more than 8,500 checks on citizens in self-isolation since February 5

'Our priority is not around arrest. Our priority is around community involvement, community consent, and community doing the right thing.

'We don't want the community to be reliant on resources of the police being taken by engaging in enforcement activities that are not necessary to engage in.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday anyone arriving in Australia would be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

'Up until now, that has been a voluntary arrangement,' he said. 'There has been no potential sanction that might apply against a person for not following that requirement.

'Once state authorities are in a position to give that its legal enforcement, then that will be a change.

'If your mate has been to Bali and they come back and they turn up to work, and they are sitting next to you, they will be committing an offence.

'It's a matter for state authorities as to what penalties they'll place on that.'

Each states and territory has its own penalties for breaches of public health laws, however police forces simply cannot strictly monitor self-isolation orders.

'This provides the backstop of a legal enforcement, but the idea that there'd be significant resources dedicated to that task would not be practical,' Mr Morrison said.

Police have visited thousands of Australians in random checks to ensure those who have self-isolated amid the coronavirus outbreak are staying at home. Victoria Police put a mask on this man as he was arrested in Melbourne's Swanson Street last week

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged citizens to take it upon themselves to tell authorities if they were aware of anyone violating self-isolation orders.

'There are penalties in place for people who don't respect what we've done,' Ms Berejiklian said. 'We really need people to step up as well and to follow instructions.

'Because there's no chance we're going to be able to monitor every single person that gets off a plane for the next two weeks. It's not going to be possible.

'What we do want is to make sure we do have those provisions in place, so that if we do know cases - and people should report these cases, if people are turning up to work when they shouldn't.

'If they're engaging in community and social life when they shouldn't, well let us know. But I'm hoping most people will step up and do the right thing.'

Ms Berejiklian said police could fine or imprison anyone who failed to self-isolate and could arrest event organisers who allowed functions attended by more than 500 people to go ahead.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a month-long state of emergency, authorising police to detain citizens, restrict movement and prevent entry to premises. Pictured is the international departure terminal at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport last week

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews raised the role of police when he declared a month-long state of emergency, authorising officers to detain citizens, restrict movement and prevent entry to public premises.

'It is an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act to not comply with the orders that have been made,' Mr Andrews said on Monday.

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

Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk has said police in her state were monitoring individuals in self-isolation cases and people had been complying with the rules.

'We have random police checks to make sure people are compliant with that notice,' Ms Palaszczuk said.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman confirmed officers had visited more than 1,850 individuals in self-quarantine since February 5 without having to take any enforcement action.

'The QPS is conducting ongoing support to Queensland Health as part of a whole of government response to the COVID-19 situation,' the spokesman said.

'The visitation of those people in self-quarantine is part of that support process.'

A South Australian Police spokesman said he could not comment on operational matters other than to state SAPOL would respond to the crisis 'as required'.

'SAPOL are actively planning and preparing for any directions or assistance the SA Department of Health may require involving the COVID-19 virus,' he said.

The Western Australia Police Force was 'working closely with WA Health and Commonwealth agencies including the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force to ensure the process is seamless and consistent across the country.'

All international travellers have now also been ordered to self-isolate for a fortnight. Passengers are pictured arriving at Sydney Airport on Monday. It is not suggested anyone pictured has failed to comply with quarantine rules

A spokesman for ACT Policing said the service was working closing with the territory's chief health officer to assist in the response to the pandemic.

'ACT Policing is confident those in self-isolation will follow the appropriate measures to protect the most vulnerable in our community,' the spokesman said.

'To date there have been no requests to confirm self-isolation activities.'

MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR BREACHING PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS NSW - $11,000 fine and six months' jail QLD - $26,690 fine SA - $25,000 fine WA - $50,000 and 12 months' jail TAS- $8,400 fine VIC - $6,600 fine ACT - $8,000 fine NT - $1,256 fine or six month's jail Advertisement

Northern Territory Police have no involvement in compliance checks for self-isolation.

A Tasmania Police spokeswoman said: 'At this stage Tasmania Police has not been asked to assist the Director of Public Health in enforcing the Public Health Act 1997.'

Queensland and NSW police have stopped conducted random roadside breath and drug tests as a safety measure.

Each state has varying punishments for breaches of public health orders.

In Western Australia, people who ignore a public health order could be hit with a $50,000 fine and spend up to 12 months behind bars.

Under the South Australian Public Health Act, people who refuse to comply with policies could be forced to pay a maximum fine of $25,000.

In New South Wales, people who breach the public health order can be fined up to $11,000 and face six months behind bars.

Queenslanders who fail to comply with health orders could see fines of up to $26,690 along with other penalties.

In Tasmania, a maximum fine for disobeying rules under the Public Health Act is $8,400.

In Victoria, people could face a fine of up to $6,600.

In the ACT the maximum fine is $8,000 and in the Northern Territory it is $1,256 or six months in jail.
Coronavirus Diaries is a series of dispatches exploring how the coronavirus is affecting peoples lives. For the latest public health information, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website. For Slates coronavirus coverage, click here.

This as-told-to essay has been edited and condensed for clarity from a conversation with Christina Cauterucci. Slate has granted the source anonymity to protect the sources job. As of Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence hasnt been tested for the coronavirus. A White House official told CNN his medical team does not think its necessary.

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In the middle of last week, I attended a work meeting with Vice President Mike Pence. More than a week earlier, the U.S. surgeon general had recommended that everyone avoid shaking hands to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. So had the head of the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had also told Americans to stop handshaking in its advice on keeping the workplace safe.

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And yet, as soon as Pence entered the room, he shook everyones hand.

I have regular contact with an older aunt here in D.C. She has an autoimmune disease, which means she cant be in contact with people who are ill. So I, as someone frequently in contact with her and other family members who are older, had been taking the coronavirus super seriously. Id been limiting contact with people at work. Id had an opportunity to go to a couple of birthday parties last weekend and did not. Id been avoiding meeting up with friends at bars. I hadnt been going out to eat, and I normally always go out to eat. Id definitely been changing my normal habits: not taking the Metro and biking instead. I think I probably took it more seriously earlier than most people because I feel like I know a lot, and I think I have understood the warning that if youre young and healthy, sure, youre good now, but the people around you might not necessarily be.

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The meeting with Pence was kind of a last-minute thing. As I was leaving work one day last week, my boss told me we had a meeting at the White House the next day. I knew it was related to the coronavirus, but my first thought was I really hope my suit still fits, because I hadnt worn one since 2018. I was more worried about what I was going to wear thenI didnt even think about how anyone would be acting there, because theyre the coronavirus task force.

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The next day, we go to the White House for this meeting. Ive had occasion to be in meetings at the White House for about a decade, and this was a very typical White House meeting, in that the hour we were told the meeting was going to start was not when it started. So after a lot of waiting around, we finally see everyone jostling around in the hallway, and Kellyanne Conway was there. Mike Pence walks in, and the very first thing he does is stick out his hand and say, Hey, nice to meet you, and shake everyones hand.

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Then he sits down and has a glass of water, and everyones kind of looking around nervously and looking down at their hands. I pulled out some hand sanitizer and immediately did my thing because, as luck would have it, earlier that day our office had handed out hand sanitizer. Thank God I had taken it with me, because this was happening as all of the reporting was coming out about his interactions with the Brazilian officials. It felt pretty crazy because its the person in charge of coronavirus containment, and hes shaking peoples hands.

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I know it sounds like such a minor thingits just one handshake. But thats literally how this shit happens. Leadership is always by example. It was so befuddling to me that someone whos in charge of this very, very, very serious thing wasnt taking it very, very, very seriously. Theres so much shit every day that youre constantly like, Oh, whatever, its the Trump administration. Of course crazy stuff happens. But this was so beyond the pale because of the seriousness of it. It seems like a minor thing, but its so not. It gets to the root of the fact that these people dont actually know or care what theyre dealing with. And thats so terrifying.

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It was so befuddling to me that someone whos in charge of this very, very, very serious thing wasnt taking it very, very, very seriously.

It definitely seemed like Pence was deliberately shaking everyones hands in the middle of this pandemic to make some kind of point. The people in the meeting discussed this afterward, and when we were telling co-workers about it, they were like, Are you serious? Thats when it really hit home to me. Hearing other people react to it made me feel not crazy for being so skeeved out by it. You would really think the people in charge would be more careful. But the cavalierness of itthere is this real sense of Well, Im not concerned about it. Why would you be? Lets just touch each other. I get so mad thinking about it right now, that he would be so forthright about flouting public health recommendations in that moment. And he and Trump kept doing it in public later that week!

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At the same time, it never even occurred to me to refuse Pences handshake. Im not the type to get star-struckits D.C., there are important people around all the time. Im not the kind of person who melts if Ruth Bader Ginsburg is at a bar. But you also kind of work under the assumption that they should be the smartest people in the room, and why would they go out of their way to be unsafe? It all happened so fast, and then it was like, Oh, my God, he just touched me, and he might have the coronavirus, from Matt Gaetz of all people. It took me about 10 seconds to process it. And then I was like, Well, thank God I have this hand sanitizer on me.

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I wasnt even thinking about being discreet when I immediately sanitized my hands. I was not the center of this meeting, and my role was to be as much in the background as possible. But I cant say I was particularly subtle about it. From my recollection he was in the process of shaking other co-workers hands at that point, but I dont know if one of his aides noticed or something. But thats on them.

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One of my co-workers in the meeting texted me, like, Hey, can you hand me some of that hand sanitizer? I kind of slid it over to her. A lot of my co-workers were already skeeved out because theyd been in various meetings with people who had been at CPAC and other places where people whod been in the presence of folks whod tested positive had been. Everyone basically wanted to take a biohazard shower anyway. Our office management had already been sending us messages about upping the cleaning of the offices, and people had printed out the little wash-your-hands-with-the-lyric things and taped them to bathroom mirrors. We were very aware of how quickly the virus was spreading. Pences handshaking was yet another thing that put everyone on edge.

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In the days after, I watched Trump and Pence defend their continued handshaking, and it justyou become so immune, you just start to accept this level of disingenuous, chaotic behavior from this administration. But this is one instance where it feels likeI dont know if theyre actively trying to put people at risk, but it certainly feels like theyre actively not putting other peoples best interests first.

Members of Congress who were in contact with people who tested positive for the coronavirus have been quarantining themselves, and thats the kind of leadership you expect from elected leaders. Weve seen this from both partiesleaders setting an example of what youre supposed to do if this happens to you. Thats what really gets me about the Pence handshake. It was such a flippant way to disregard public health protocol.
Falcone Capital Holdings, LLC InterNexs Velocity platform integrated seamlessly with our ERP platforms...it was a natural fit for our companies

Falcone Capital Holdings, LLC, a holding company of award winning, technology driven international and domestic transportation brands is pleased to announce the signing of a $2.5-million-dollar revolving credit facility with asset based digital lender InterNex Capital. The facility will be used to refinance existing debt as well as provide liquidity and working capital to the Falcone brand of companies.

The initial facility with InterNex will be utilized for working capital, strategic acquisitions and to fuel our record growth for the past 10 years, stated John Falcone, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Falcone Capital Holdings, LLC.

With a tenured record of strong financials, we were fortunate to be able to entertain many traditional and non-traditional lenders. InterNexs Velocity platform integrated seamlessly with our ERP platforms coupled with their customer centric and process driven culture, it was a natural fit for our companies, specified Falcone.

The Falcone Companies tenured record of success, technology innovation and current growth trajectory were an immediate attraction for InterNex Capital to become their long term growth partner, indicated Paul DeDomenico, CEO at InterNex Capital.

About Falcone Capital Holdings, LLC:

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Falcone Capital Holdings, LLC is a global leader in International and Domestic transportation and logistics. Operating across six continents through our wholly-owned subsidiaries and partner offices, the Falcone Brand of companies are synonymous with premium and cutting edge services across all modes of international and domestic transportation. The Falcone Companies are licensed, bonded and insured through all federal and state agencies including the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is a certified and validated member of the Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT). For more information, please visit http://www.falconecapital.com.

About InterNex Capital:

InterNex Capital is a Digital Asset-Based Lender using technology integrations, real-time analytics and AI to fund small and medium-sized businesses on their Velocity platform. InterNex product suite includes accounts receivable based funding solutions ($250,000 to $10 million) for growth and general working capital needs. Headquartered in New York, NY, with regional offices in Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, and Milwaukee, WI.

For more information, please visit: http://www.internexcapital.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter: @internexcapital
New Delhi, March 17 : In recent times as we are adopting modern lifestyle, one of the vices has been excess use of plastic and it has inadvertantly affected the water bodies on a larger scale. Plastic emits harmful carcinogenic substances in the water that cause cancer in humans and disrupt the marine and freshwater ecosystems.

To create awareness, as per UN declaration World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

One of the biggest primary users of plastic is the FMCG sector, especially the food/drinks/beverage and the packaging industry. And no wonder, the most common form of plastic usage is in the form of a good old bottle of water.

This is where Veen stands apart and is trying to take a step ahead to sustatainable sourcing of water in the packaged water segment. The Finland-based brand sources its water from remote and unpolluted areas of Finnish Lapland and Bhutan.

Spearheaded by Ganesh Iyer, Director operations India & Indian Subcontinent, Veen sets itself apart from other players in the market terms of it's sustainable packaging. It comes in premium, recyclable bottle is made of extra flint crystal clear glass. We caught up with Iyer, also country's first and only Water Sommelier talks more on this. Excerpts: Is there any gold standard for "drinking water"? What should one look for while choosing drinking water for daily use?

Iyer: Ideally in the world of a water sommelier, a gold standard for drinking water would be any natural mineral water that is bottled in premium glass packaging. When it comes to water for the day to day consumption in my opinion for the man on the street the best water to drink from a hygiene and safety parameter is boiled water.

What is the difference between a packaged/bottled water and natural mineral water? Iyer: Natural mineral water which is bottled at the pristine source ( and not processed in any form) maintains its neutrality, virginality, pH level, and the overall Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) when served in a premium glass packaging and therefore acts as a perfect accompaniment to a finely curated meal and in doing so one gets a complete fine dine experience.

In comparison, packaged drinking water served in PET packaging is just purified water devoid of any natural minerals and therefore does nothing to enhance the fine dining experience.

How Veen sets itself apart from other players in the premium packaged water segment? Iyer: Without water there would be no wines. You wouldn't you be sipping your favourite single malt or brewing your relaxing cupper neither. Similar to growing different grape varieties in different regions and vineyards, VEEN has found multiple unique natural spring sources where it produces distinctive bottled water products of individual characteristics.

Finnish Lapland is Veen's place of origin and the home of its first spring source. The brand discovered its second home in 2014, the source of its natural mineral water spring in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, a carbon negative nation.

Veen's water sources are among the purest waters and environments on the planet. Our sources are exceptionally rare in characteristic, in that they are in extremely remote, unpopulated and unpolluted parts of the world. Additionally, the sources are no less than superior in virginal which means the water is unspoiled by nitrate with 0mg per litre.

Who is the target segment of Veen in India... has it diversified since it's inception in 2012? Iyer: VEEN essentially operates in the B2B segment wherein our customers are hotels, restaurants, cafes, premium caterers, and HNIs and it continues to grow. A nascent addition to this list has been close to 70-80 corporate houses on a pan India basis who are going green as a part of the Anti Plastic Campaign and have now become our loyal customers. To name a few, we have Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, ACC, Sterling Holidays, Rahejas, Wipro, Anand Automotive, Hero Motors etc.

Q: How has the price-sensitive Indian market responded to your product? Iyer: Contrary to popular belief and perception, in the B2B space that we operate, we would not rate India as a price sensitive market, because most of the products in the non alcobev space that are available aren't upto international standards both in terms of presentation and quality offered and therefore its a bit unfair to say that we are in a price-sensitive market. Yes, there are pockets in parts of India which could be price sensitive but that's still in a relative context to what is being offered as an option.

The 3 pillars that define VEEN are ( A ) Award Winning Finnish Design Glass Bottles( B) Bottled at the World first and Only Carbon Negative Country- Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan ( C) Premium Quality Glass Packaging as denoted by Flint Type-III. These are many firsts which till date only VEEN has to its credit, and these are the firsts that are patronized by our marquee customers being it a Taj, Hyatt, Accor, IHG, ITC and many such brands.

Since it's foray into the Indian market, how has business has expanded in India and subcontinent market? (elucidate on the topline and bottom-line growth, future forecasts) Iyer: As a natural mineral water brand that has been in business in India for the past 7 years with focus being HORECA ( Hotels Restaurants, Cafes 7 Caterers) having footprints in 40 plus cities in the country, the brand has witnessed a CAGR of 38-40% Y-O-Y since inception and we see this trend continuing for the next two years.

What are the fun ways we can pair Veen water to other gastronomic experience? Iyer: Across the globe, there are quite a few culinary hotspots/restaurants that have taken that leap of fine dine experience so much so that they have a water menu which essentially lists down the characteristics of the different types of natural mineral waters and sparkling waters and their pairing with foods which either complements or have a contrast to the texture of the said dish that's being served.

So for eg, a barbeque dish can be best relished with either a standard natural mineral water which has a good amount of TDS or sparkling water which has heavy bubbles. Likewise, a seafood salad or sushi is best paired with a sparkling water that is low on the carbonation so to ensure that the relative the rawness of the dish is maintained without the carbonation overpowering it. Likewise, a fresh block of cheese is best enjoyed with waters which have high levels of bicarbonate.

How VEEN is committed to protect and conserve the water climate? Iyer: VEEN is bottled in a water surplus nation- i.e the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Just as Finland is known as the country of Lakes, Bhutan is considered as a country of spring waters and therefore spring sources are available in bountiful.

(Aditi Roy can be contacted at aditi.r@ians.in)
Chandigarh, March 17 : Even as he took on the Central government for failing to stand by the Punjab farmers who had saved the nation from hunger, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said his government will not allow 'kurki' (confiscation) of the land of the beleaguered farmers, who had been trapped by the banks in loans and mortgage.

At a conclave here to mark the third anniversary of his government, the Chief Minister dismissed the Centre's promise of doubling farmers' income as mere hogwash in the absence of any concrete steps.

"Does the Union Finance Minister even know what agriculture is all about?" he quipped, demanding that she should explain what the Centre planned to do to boost farm income, after first ensuring that every grain of Punjab is lifted and not allowed to rot in the godowns.

Taking another dig at Nirmala Sitharaman, Amarinder Singh said later, in response to a question, that while he could not reel out figures like her, he was confident that given the right atmosphere and assistance, Punjab's hardworking farmers and industry could increase their incomes on their own.

Referring to reports that the Centre was mulling doing away with MSP for crops, he suggested that if they felt there were now enough stocks of paddy and wheat, they should extend MSP to alternative crops instead of simply dumping the farmers of Punjab who were responsible for giving India its food security.

The Centre has to help out the farmers, it has to support diversification, said Amarinder Singh, making a strong case for Central support to Punjab's farming community.

"Punjab stood by you, now you have to stand by it by supporting our program of diversification," he asserted.

The Chief Minister lashed out at the Central government for forgetting that when India was dying of hunger, it was Punjab that came to the nation's rescue.

Agriculture has to be patronized, the Chief Minister stressed, asking "where will Punjab go if the Centre does not support us in either agricultural development or industrialisation?" Pointing out that Punjab has no land and has to find ways to make agriculture profitable for small land holdings through horticulture and other diversification methods, just as Japan has done, the Chief Minister said while his government was experimenting with cultivation of fruits, that would take time and the Centre needed to support the farmers in the interim.

In the context of the huge farm debts, Amarinder Singh described banks as the root of the evil, having lent out more money than was permissible by mortgaging the land and properties of farmers, who also started using this money for non-productive reasons.

It was important to help these farmers, he said, adding that his government was already giving the maximum debt waiver, notwithstanding its poor state of finances, much more needed to be done.
Over the past two weeks, in response to the coronavirus outbreak, cultural eventsincluding theater, opera and concertshave been shut down in country after country.

Musicians and other artists around the world, many of whom have little or no secure income and subsist on poverty wages at the best of times, have been hard hit by the impact of the closure of cultural venues and the cancellation of concerts.

Nevertheless, many of the worlds leading musicians have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by making their music freely available online or performing for online audiences, or both.

In South Korea, one of the worst sites of the current outbreak, but where the further spread of the coronavirus might now be slowed through widespread testing and relatively decent medical care, the Seoul Philharmonic Concert put on a live broadcast on YouTube of Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. 3 (the Eroica or Heroic Symphony), as a tribute to medical staff, officials and volunteers who are helping to fight the pandemic.

In Singapore, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) has launched its #DabaoSCO series, which makes available concerts to the public on a weekly basis on Facebook and YouTube. In a press release, the SCO explained, We understand that during this period, it is best to stay home, adopt good personal hygiene practices and be socially responsible. Therefore, Singapore Chinese Orchestra has recently rolled out the digital concert series, to bring our music to everyone.

Igor Levit twitter concert

One of the first and most innovative responses to the spread of the coronavirus to Europe came from the Russian-German pianist Igor Levit, an outspoken critic of the far-right in Germany. Last Wednesday, he began offering Twitter house concerts livestreamed on his Twitter account on a daily basis. Levit introduced his first performance by explaining: Its a sad time, its a weird time, but acting is better than doing nothing. On his Twitter feed, he has been urging solidarity and stated: Lets bring the house concert into the 21st century!

So far, he has played, among other pieces, Beethovens Waldstein and Les Adieux piano sonatas, Bachs Chaconne and Frederic Rzewskis piece The People United Will Never Be Defeated, a magnificent musical reckoning with the tragedy of the 1973 military coup in Chile. Although the sound quality has inevitably been limited, Levits performances have been extremely passionate and moving. Within a few hours, his concert videos were viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Hundreds commented on his performances and he has gained thousands of new followers within a few days.

Maurizio Pollini (Photo creditDundak)

The Berlin Philharmonic, one of the leading orchestras in the world, has now temporarily made freely available its full archive of the Digital Concert Hall. The archive includes outstanding performances from the last several decades featuring musicians and conductors such as Daniil Trifonov, the recently deceased Mariss Jansons, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maurizio Pollini, Claudio Abbado, Mstislav Rostropovich, Herbert von Karajan and many more. The digital archive also includes interviews and discussions with some of these artists. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has also made its archive freely available.

The Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich has begun to livestream concerts without audiences, including one on March 16 with Igor Levit playing Franz Liszts First Piano Concerto under the baton of Joana Mallwitz. Livestreamed concerts without audiences have also been scheduled by the famed Wigmore Hall in London, the Budapest Festival Orchestra on Facebook, Y92 and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City, the Philadelphia Orchestra and many more. (For a more comprehensive list of upcoming of livestreams of concerts click here)

Anne-Sophie Mutter (Photo creditA. Savin)

In the US, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, which has cancelled all performances through March 31, has begun streaming encore presentations from its Live in HD series on its website.

In Italy, the European country worst hit so far by the coronavirus outbreak, the spread and use of music to both lift the spirits of medical and other workersand as a means of expressing solidarityhas been particularly moving and widespread. Videos of people singing on their balconies have been shared widely on social media.

The quarantined opera tenor Maurizio Marchini recorded himself singing the aria Nessun Dorma from Giacomo Puccinis opera Turandot on his balcony and later shared it on Facebook. Similarly, the first violist of Milans La Scala opera house, Danilo Rossi, played music from his balcony where he also set up a banner reading Lets not give up, we will make it. The Teatro la Fenice in Venice is making available a number of livestreams of operas and concerts.

The move toward making classical music accessible to virtually the entire global population that can get access to the Internet has undoubted significance.

Daniil Trifonov at Carnegie Hall_ 2017 (Photo creditSteven Pisano)

It represents a step toward the further democratization of the access to culture. Some of the most important cultural achievements of humanity, previously locked behind paywalls or limited to local audiences, are now available to virtually everyone in the world who has access to the Internet.

Through platforms such as YouTube, which includes an enormous archive of classical and other music as well as various films, the Internet has long been a central vehicle for both the spread of and access to culture. However, the move by musicians and orchestras throughout the world toward free online concerts marks a new stage in this development and will have effects well beyond the crisis surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Decades of social and cultural reaction and stagnation have deprived workers of access to high culture in two critical ways: First, the vast social inequality and the privatization of much of the arts world have created conditions in which access to leading opera houses and concert halls has become financially and physically beyond the reach of the majority of the population. Even the poorest seats at the Metropolitan Opera cost well over $50. Meanwhile, musicians performing for some of the finest orchestras in the world struggle to make a living on their salaries.

Second, the general assault on public education has been accompanied by extremely severe cuts to music and art education in general. Thus, the appreciation of the so-called high arts and classical music in particular, which requires for their enjoyment and understanding a certain degree of training and exposure, has been made more difficult for broad layers of the population. This has significantly contributed to an artificial divide between so-called high culture and popular culture and to the perception of classical music as something elitist.

Mstislav Rostropovich (Photo creditVladimir Vyatkin)

Now, with leading musicians performing online, it becomes apparent not only that this culture can be made available to everyone, but also that there is genuine interest in it among great numbers of people.

Those who are now being introduced to these remarkable works and performances will not easily accept being cut off again from access to this sphere of culture and social life. Many will begin to recognize that free and full access to culture is a fundamental right of the international working class.

Moreover, the altruistic attitude that finds expression in the various actions taken by musicians throughout the world is part of a growing sense among workers, intellectuals and youth that a collective response must be found to this enormous danger facing society all around the globe. It is an initial, elemental indication of what will become an enormous upsurge in international and class solidarity.

It is worth pointing out that one of the most popular composers being performed now by orchestras and musicians around the world is Ludwig van Beethoven, whose 250th anniversary is being celebrated this year. The music of Beethoven, profoundly shaped by the Enlightenment and the principal slogans of the French Revolutionliberty, equality and fraternitystrongly speaks to the tense, complex situation facing the global working class today. There is a growing sense of the inevitability of big struggles and a determination to take them up, renewed heroism and a strong belief in the democratic rights and equality of all people, a belief most famously given life in the Ode to Joy that concludes Beethovens Ninth Symphony.
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NEWS.am daily digest: 11.01.22

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NEWS.am daily digest: 10.01.22
Last week, the US Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bicameral, bipartisan intergovernmental body created by the 2019 Defense Authorization Act, launched its official report on the organization, policy and technical issues surrounding how to best defend the country against digital security threats. Inspired by a commission established in the Eisenhower Administration to tackle Cold War era problems, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission is co-chaired by Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI). It counts among its 14 commissioners four members from Congress, four senior executive agency leaders and six experts from outside of government.

The objective of the commission is to cut through the thicket of government bureaucracy and terminology and archaic structures surrounding cybersecurity to come up with implementable action plans that address the issues uncovered by the commissions investigation. The report spells out 75 recommendations for action across the public and private sectors.

Layered cyber deterrence

Most notably, it advocates a new overarching strategic approach the commission calls layered cyber deterrence, aimed at reducing the probability and impact of significant cybersecurity attacks. To reach this state of layered cyber deterrence, the Solarium Commission says three things are needed:

Shape behavior to promote responsible behavior in cyberspace.

Deny benefits to adversaries who have long exploited cyberspace to Americas detriment.

Impose costs on actors who negatively interfere with the United States in cyberspace.

(The report acknowledges the limitations and misleading nature of the term cyberspace, citing William Gibson, the famed science fiction writer who coined the term, who himself criticized the word he created as evocative and essentially meaningless.)

The three layers, in turn, are supported by six policy pillars spelled out in the report. The six pillars organize the 75 recommendations. The policy pillars include:

Reform the US governments structure and organization for cyberspace.

Strengthen norms and non-military tools.

Promote national resilience.

Reshape the cyber ecosystem toward greater security.

Operationalize cybersecurity collaboration with the private sector.

Preserve and deploy the military instrument of power to deter cyberattacks.

Government cybersecurity reform is key

Central to the entirety of the reports recommendations is the first policy pillar of reforming the governments structure and ability to tackle issues in cyberspace. To that end, the commission recommends creating an updated national cybersecurity strategy that reflects layered cyber deterrence and the establishment of a House Permanent Select and Senate Select Committees on Cybersecurity, along with a senate-confirmed national cyber director.

The report emphasizes that a strengthened Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the independent arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with overseeing the governments cybersecurity needs, should be coordinating the range of efforts needed to establish the new approach to cybersecurity. We need to elevate and empower existing cyber agencies, particularly the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and create new focal points for coordinating cybersecurity in the executive branch and Congress, Senator King and Representative Gallagher wrote in their preface to the Commissions Report.

Recommendation to defend forward

Of particular note is that the deterrence strategy outlined in the report incorporates the controversial concept of defend forward, which was first embraced by the Department of Defense (DoD) in its 2018 Cyber Strategy and then later adopted as one of the authorities granted to the Secretary of Defense in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-13 (NSPM-13). As the report states, defend forward holds that to disrupt and defeat ongoing adversary campaigns, the United States must pro-actively observe, pursue and counter adversaries operations and impose costs short of armed conflict. In other words, defend forward might mean the US takes actions first to preempt adversarial action in the cybersecurity arena.

To this end, the commission recommends that the congress direct the DoD to conduct a force structure assessment of the Cyber Mission Force: to ensure that the United States has the appropriate force structure and capabilities in light of growing mission requirements and increasing expectations, in both scope and scale.

The need to boost spending on the militarys Cyber Mission Force is demonstrated by the fact that its current operating capabilities were set in 2013 before Russia took down Ukraines power grid or conducted cyber attacks against the US during the presidential election. The Cyber Mission Force is tasked with conducting a diverse set of missions, at scale, and must also have sufficient capacity to maintain steady-state operations while surging to respond to an emerging crisis, Erica Borghard, senior director and lead, Task Force One, for the Cyberspace Solarium Commission and Shawn W. Lonergan, a senior advisor to the US Cyberspace Solarium Commission, wrote in Lawfare.

Whether this or other recommendations by the commission will see the light of day in terms of actual legislation is a question mark. Conservatives in congress may fear any further incursion by the government into the swiftly moving cybersecurity arena.

Megan Brown, Associate Director for Cybersecurity Programs; Partner, Wiley Rein LLP, and Senior Fellow at the National Security Institute at George Mason University said in a statement, The report is a clarion call for more regulation and government power. It makes several helpful recommendations but includes heavy handed commands to the private sector.

Senator King, who was instrumental in pushing for the creation of the commission, admitted that he doesnt yet have the full support of the Oval Office. However, some leading Republicans are proponents of the commissions recommendations. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said, This report is the beginning, not the end. Now, its time to execute.

One of the congressional members of the commission, Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI), who co-founded the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus and chairs the House Armed Services Committees Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, urged Congress to take action on the reports recommendations. Saying that the federal government faces a void in comprehensive cyberspace policy, he called for a new strategy that will make our nation more resilient for years to come....This report is a clear call to action highlighting specific steps we can take to make America safer.
A Trader Joe's employee breaks the news to customers that there are no early hours for senior shoppers at the Monrovia store. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

Julie Carol was in good spirits Tuesday morning as she approached the front of Trader Joes in Monrovia. The 71-year-old would finally get that elusive carton of eggs.

As fear of the coronavirus continues to change peoples everyday lives, some grocery stores recently announced theyd host special shopping hours for senior citizens.

Word had gotten out that those 65 and older would have a special 30-minute time slot to purchase groceries at Trader Joes in Monrovia before it opened to the general public at 9:30 AM.

Very quickly, the mood went from hope to confusion and heartache. And anger.

A Trader Joes employee on site told those gathered that to his knowledge no such special shopping hours had been planned.

Anna Romo, center, waits with daughter Viola Chatman outside the Trader Joe's in Monrovia. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Were open to everybody, he told the folks in the queue that had already made its way past six adjacent businesses to Party City.

In the early morning, the atmosphere among people in line had been calm and friendly. Suddenly, it turned uncharitable.

A woman among the first five people in line yelled at seniors who had congregated near the front of the store, The lines back there!

Some seniors obliged and trudged despondently to the end of the line. Others didn't budge.

One man with a cane and a shopping cart made a phone call. "I don't think I'm going to make it into the Trader Joe's," he said, speaking in Spanish. "I'm going to stay in the car. Let's see if there's a chance in the afternoon."

As people were slowly let in at 8:54 a.m., some seniors who had congregated near the front managed to squeeze in. Excuse me, sir! Theres a line! Come on! yelled the same woman near the front. She looked to the employee overseeing the line, who shrugged.

Senior citizens arrived early to the Trader Joe's in Monrovia believing doors would open earlier to older residents. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Its a disappointment, Carol said as she sat on a planter in front of the store as other people trickled past her. They shouldve stuck to the agreement.

Carol, who just had knee surgery, watched as her husband headed to the end of the line. Too late, she figured.

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On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged people 65 and older and those with chronic health conditions to isolate themselves from others and stay home. The move reflected intensifying efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus and the toll it could take, especially on a demographic that is especially vulnerable.

At the Northgate Gonzalez Market in Long Beach, shoppers also waited in line in hopes of grabbing items on their grocery list. The Latino market is one grocery store chain that implemented a new policy where senior citizens, including people with disabilities and pregnant women, can shop from 7 to 8 a.m. before it opens to the general public.

This is very important for seniors who cant move around easily, Alex Rojas, 45, said in Spanish as he waited in line. The Huntington Beach resident was on the hunt for powdered milk and eggs. He said stores should also include pregnant mothers within these special hours because theyre feeding their baby.

Silvia Quintero Artellano, 62, had just left El Super on Long Beach Boulevard because the line was too long and estimated itd take her two hours just to get inside. The Long Beach grandmother said she was looking for masa or crema  anything she could get her hands on to cook for her family.

Grocery Outlet in Altadena will also have special hours every Thursday for seniors from 7 to 8 a.m. Store owner Michell Guajardo said employees will also be on site to help make grocery runs for immunocompromised shoppers while they wait in their vehicle.

At the Trader Joe's, customers were given a limit when purchasing some items: two dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and two proteins from the meat department, an employee announced.

I feel for others. Everyone is making a sacrifice," said Marissa Flores, 28, of Monrovia, who was the first in line. She lived nearby and was able to make it to the front of the line by 7 a.m.

A TV reporter who was on hand Tuesday morning at the store told the Los Angeles Times that, earlier that morning, two employees had told her they would be holding special shopping hours for senior citizens. A Trader Joe's employee later told The Times that that was not the case.

Trader Joe's spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said in an email Tuesday afternoon that the grocery store chain, which is headquartered in Monrovia, hadn't implemented company-wide special shopping hours but each store is doing what they feel is best for shoppers.

"Our focus continues to be on best serving all of our customers, from providing a safe and clean shopping environment, to doing everything we can to help ensure customers need special assistance," she said. "Or other accommodations, and in those cases we will do what we always do, with care and integrity."

Carol said she'd been told by an employee the previous day to come by in the morning bright and early for the special time slot.

Seniors waiting in line said their children told them about the special hours and theyd read about it online, too.

The Monrovia Trader Joe's opened to shoppers of all ages at 9 a.m. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Fred Nava, 67, of San Gabriel and his neighbor Don Busapathamrong, 54, were among the first shoppers to get in and out of the store Tuesday morning.

The two arrived at 8:55 a.m. and, managing to blend in, headed straight inside.

I just walked right up and got sucked right in, Nava said.

Nava said he invited Busapathamrong to join him the day before. Busapathamrong, an ER nurse, said they tried to keep an eye on websites offering special shopping hours.

Nava said older people needed the extra help.

Seniors cant move fast enough and theres limited handicap parking," the retired auto insurance employee said.




* Airlines for Europe calls for widespread tax deferrals

* Sector could need up to $200 bln from governments - IATA

* Coronavirus in markets covering 94% of passenger revenue

By Sarah Young and Laurence Frost

LONDON/PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - European airlines demanded urgent tax relief to avoid multiple bankruptcies, as coronavirus disruption continued to spread around the global industry on Tuesday.

As the region's transport ministers prepared to discuss financial support, the Airlines for Europe group called for widespread tax deferrals "to ensure that as many airlines as possible survive" the crisis.

The call came as the aviation industry's main global body, IATA, said total support needed from governments worldwide could reach $150-200 billion.

Appeals from the sector are becoming more urgent as airlines continue to ground planes, slashing routes and jobs in response to unprecedented travel restrictions to limit the virus's spread, including the closure of European Union borders.

Job cuts are adding to pressure on governments. IAG-owned British Airways informed unions on Tuesday it planned to make an unspecified number of pilots redundant.

"We are extremely disappointed that a company like BA with a strong balance sheet and cash reserves has rushed into redundancy consultation," said BALPA pilot union chief Brian Sutton.

"This is the biggest crisis the aviation industry has faced in decades," he added. "Without more government support we fear the impact will be far greater."

Most major airlines have made drastic, unprecedented schedule cuts - often bringing operations to a near halt - as restrictions bite and demand dries up.

Singapore Airlines cut more capacity on Tuesday, as Emirates suspended dozens of destinations and Canada's WestJet halted international services.

The Philippines' Cebu Air cancelled all flights starting March 19, and Jetstar Asia announced a three-week shutdown after parent Qantas cut its own capacity by 90%.

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JOBS PRESSURE

U.S. airlines have asked Washington for $50 billion in federal grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief.

In a letter to political leaders, United Airlines management and unions pleaded for urgent financial support to "allow United to continue paying our employees as we weather this crisis, protecting tens of thousands of people."

Boeing has also held talks with White House officials on possible assistance. European arch-rival Airbus said on Tuesday it was halting production in France and Spain as coronavirus lockdowns affect workers and suppliers.

The global airline industry will need "something like $150-200 billion" from governments including loan guarantees, IATA head Alexandre de Juniac told reporters on Tuesday.

The coronavirus is "now covering markets that represent 94% of global passenger revenue," the Geneva-based organisation's chief economist Brian Pearce said in the same presentation.

Three-quarters of airlines now have liquidity covering less than three months of unavoidable fixed costs, Pearce said. "The majority are in a very fragile place."

EU transport ministers will meet by video-conference on Wednesday, an official said. Governments including France, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain have expressed readiness to extend financial support to airlines.

Lufthansa is expected to receive a government cash injection, one German banker told Reuters. The flag carrier is also making plans for an emergency cargo airlift on a scale unseen since the 1948-49 blockade of Berlin. (Reporting by Laurence Frost and Sarah Young; Additional reporting by Arno Schuetze in Frankfurt, Tim Hepher in Paris and Josephine Mason in London; Editing by Mark Potter)
The top leaders of a Marine infantry battalion that lost a pair of rifles during a North Carolina training exercise have been removed from their jobs, Military.com has confirmed.

Lt. Col. Clinton Kappel and Sgt. Maj. Elson Aviles were relieved of their duties last week by Maj. Gen. David Furness, head of 2nd Marine Division. Kappel was the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, and Aviles the unit's top enlisted leader.

Furness made the decision to relieve the two over a loss of trust and confidence in their ability to lead, said 1st Lt. Dan Linfante, a 2nd Marine Division spokesman. The reliefs were first reported by Task & Purpose.

Kappel and Aviles did not immediately respond to a request for comment through their command. Linfante did not provide information about their current assignments.

Related: The Marines Still Haven't Found 2 Rifles That Went Missing at Lejeune

Officials did not confirm whether an investigation into the December training incident, in which a pair of rifles and a flak jacket went missing, played into Furness' decision to remove the leaders from their posts. Linfante said only that the infantry division "must continue to put our subordinate units in the best position to fight and win."

"As such, decisions like this are taken seriously and with the intent of ensuring a given unit's continued success in future operations," he said. "[Third] Battalion, 6th Marines, remains a proficient unit, capable of performing at a high level and carrying out the full spectrum of operations that are expected of an infantry battalion in the Marine Corps."

Jeff Houston, a spokesman for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which is leading the investigation into the lost weapons, said the rifles have never been found. The investigation into their whereabouts, which began Dec. 20, is ongoing, he said.

"No charges have been brought at this time," Houston said.

Lt. Col. Ryan Gordinier has assumed command of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. No one has replaced Aviles yet. Until a replacement is named, the battalion's leadership chain has assumed that position's duties, Linfante said.

Kappel, a prior enlisted Marine, had led the battalion since September. That's the same month Aviles was promoted to the rank of sergeant major, according to his official bio.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read more: East Coast-Based Marines Will Take Operational Pause Amid Coronavirus Crisis
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- As the coronavirus outbreak continues to shut down more and more of Michigan and people are being encouraged to stay home and practice social distancing, food pantries are getting creative to make sure the most vulnerable still have something to eat.

Nonprofits across the Grand Rapids area are moving to grab-and-go style or drive-up options for people who need food.

"It was a pretty easy decision,said Chris Slater, CEO of Catholic Charities West Michigan. Slater said getting creative with handing out food during this time was necessary.

People are still hungry. A lot of these people this is the only meal that they get a day and theyre experiencing the same stress that everybody else is with the crisis right now.

Catholic Charities West Michigans Gods Kitchen programs are open from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Located at 303 S. Division Ave., the program will have pre-made, take-away meals for the next 30 days. Officials plan to reevaluate their plans after that.

They are currently looking for donations of to-go containers of all kinds -- soup containers, sandwich ziplock bags, pre-packaged utensils, 2-ounce and 4-ounce containers with lids. The organization said it also needs dry pasta, frozen vegetables, bottled water and sealed drinks.

Gods Kitchen also still offers its regularly scheduled home-delivered meal program. However, the baby and toddler pantry is temporarily closed, though it will supply free diapers and wipes to current clients.

In Rockford, North Kent Connect has converted its food pantry to a drive-up service only. It is scheduled to operate as a takeaway service from March 18 through April 6. The food pantry is at 10075 Northland Drive NE in Rockford.

Clients of the pantry can pick up their monthly items from 9 a.m. through 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. through 3 p.m. on any of the following days: March 18, March 19, March 23, March 24 and March 25. April dates are still being coordinated.

We know this is a difficult time for everyone, but particularly for clients struggling to keep food on the table, Claire Guisfredi, executive director at NKC, said in a Facebook message. As long as we are able to provide food in a safe manner, we will remain open for our clients.

K-12 schools across the state have been shut down since March 16, and public and private universities and colleges have moved to online instruction. Public gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned and restaurants, bars, movie theaters and other places have shut down or switched to pickup/delivery service only across the state, leaving many without jobs.

Were obligated to give this food to them. Our mission tells us thats what were supposed to do, Slater said.

Here are some other food pantries changing to drive-up services around Grand Rapids:

North End Community Ministry:

Clients will be given a box of pre-selected food at the door of New City Church, 214 Spencer NE. The boxes contain fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. Pantry hours are from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

South End Community Outreach Ministries

The organization has closed its resource center, but will provide emergency food assistance during normal food pantry hours: Monday through Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Officials ask that people stay in their cars and call (616) 452-7684 option 3 for assistance. They are located at 1545 Buchanan Ave. SW.

Meals on Wheels

The organization will continue to deliver meals to seniors. They are also preparing shelf stable meals in the event they have to stop deliveries. For their food pantry, Meals on Wheels is pre-packaging meal boxes of items for clients. The boxes will include dry goods, dairy, meat and produce.

There are four pantry locations in the Grand Rapids area. You can find them along with the hours they are open 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:

 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.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 23:36:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOGADISHU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Somali government on Monday vowed to intensify efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) after Mogadishu confirmed the first case.

Health Minister of Somalia Fawziya Abikar Nur called on Somalis to remain vigilant and take prevention seriously.

The minister said the first case is a Somali citizen who is among the four persons who had been quarantined after returning to Somalia from one of the COVID-19-affected countries last week.

"Following the testing of the four persons who were under quarantine after arrival, one case has turned positive for coronavirus," the minister told journalists in Mogadishu.

"This citizen was among four people under quarantine, the three others are feeling well, they don't have the symptoms of this disease but they are still under control," Abikar said.

She said the ministry received the result of the examination from abroad on Monday, noting that the ministry was making every effort to protect the country from the virus spreading.

The minister said the government will make efforts to create special areas to quarantine coronavirus suspects, urging people to stop unnecessary gathering and meeting and maintain hygiene.

Abikar said emergency health centers have been established at main entry points such as airports and ports to deal with the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Somalia has announced a two-week ban on international flights effective Wednesday.

The ministry said humanitarian and emergency cases will be exceptional but the suspension of all international flights will take effect nationwide.

So far, Turkey, UAE, Djibouti, Kenya, Qatar and Ethiopia had direct flights to Somalia.
WASHINGTON  While the U.S. Senate remains stalled over a coronavirus package passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday, Congress and the Trump administration are already developing plans for hundreds of billions of relief for Americans and businesses hit by the epidemic engulfing the nation.

The Trump administration proposed to Senate Republicans this afternoon a roughly $800 billion package including a direct checks to American workers, aid for the airline and hotel industries and help for small businesses the White House announced Tuesday.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested if Congress approves, the government could send checks larger than $1,000 to Americans in the next two weeks.

Were looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said. Americans needs cash now.

There are now over 4,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, across the U.S. as of Tuesday morning. As schools and businesses close and the stock market reels, there is bipartisan agreement that Congress must do more to respond to the crisis, even when its last effort to help workers has not been signed into law.

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Several senators have backed the idea of direct cash assistance for Americans. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Monday proposed immediately giving every American adult a check for $1,000 to help them deal with lost wages and other struggles during the coronavirus outbreak, among other proposals. Congress took similar action to help Americans during the 2001 and 2008 recessions, Romney said.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Monday also suggested monthly cash stipends for low- and middle-income Americans.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said Tuesday she would "seriously consider" both the cash stipends and industry relief pitched by Trump.

Americans and New Yorkers need our help and I will seriously consider policies that support working families by boosting the companies facing coronavirus-related financial stress," Gillibrand said.

Instead of direct cash assistance for all, a $750 billion or more aid package developed by Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., would use existing government programs like unemployment benefits and food assistance to help Americans have more money in their pockets, Schumer's office said. Schumer pitched his plan to Senate Democrats Tuesday afternoon.

"We will need big, bold, urgent federal action to deal with this crisis, Schumer said. The kinds of targeted measures we are putting together will mainline money into the economy and directly into the hands of families that need it most."

Schumer's bill would direct $400 billion for medical supplies, federal funding for child care and loans for small businesses, assistance for seniors and children whose schools are closed, improving Internet connectivity, grants to states and other measures. An additional $350 billion would go toward increasing unemployment benefits, increasing food assistance and canceling student debt payments during the coronavirus crisis.

It would require companies that receive grants from the government to provide paid sick days to workers and pay them a $15 minimum wage.

Even as they work on a third coronavirus aid package, the Senate has not yet passed the House's coronavirus bill approved early Saturday morning. The House bill also makes coronavirus testing free for all, expands food assistance and unemployment benefits, and makes the federal government pay a higher share of state health care costs.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

It follows an $8.3 billion bill passed by Congress earlier this month to fund federal agencies, state and public health authorities fighting the virus.

The White House has encouraged Republicans to pass the House bill.

The centerpiece of the bill is language that would give 14 days of paid sick leave to all workers whose employers do not offer the benefit and up to three months of paid medical leave for people who have longer periods of illness or must care for the sick. The sick leave and medical leave would only be available for people impacted by COVID-19, and medical leave benefits for leaves within a year after the bill's passage.

Employers would be responsible for paying workers during their sick days and leave, and later would be reimbursed by the government through a tax credit. But large employers with more than 500 workers are exempted and some small businesses could seek exemptions too, meaning millions of Americans might not actually have access to the paid time off the bill intends to deliver.

Gillibrand, who supported an earlier version of the bill that did not include these exemptions, slammed these changes that were negotiated between House Democrats and Mnuchin last week.

The bill falls short. Over half of the private sector workforce was left out of the paid sick and family leave provisions," Gillibrand said.

On Tuesday, she proposed new legislation for the federal government to immediately reimburse employers for coronavirus-related employee leave and enact a permanent paid family and medical leave program for all Americans funded by a payroll tax.

The administration also announced Tuesday that Americans will be able to defer tax payments for up to 90 days after tax day, April 15. Mnuchin said the White House encourages people to file their taxes so they can get their refund if they are eligible for it. Americans who must make tax payments can defer up to $1 million for individuals and $10 million for corporations, interest free and penalty free for 90 days.

The Federal Reserve has also launched a special fund to buy up to $1 trillion of commercial paper, Mnuchin said Tuesday, the short-term loans that businesses rely on for funding to pay bills and other expenses.

The administration has no intent to shut down the stock market, but may consider limited hours if needed, Mnuchin added.
(Bloomberg) -- Benny Gantz, whos been trying to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu for more than a year, was handed the chance to form Israels next government -- another twist in the countrys long-running political crisis.

President Reuven Rivlin will hand Gantz the mandate on Monday, according to a statement from the presidents office. Gantz received recommendations from 61 members of parliament, which, if theyre folded into a coalition, would represent a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahus Likud party won the most votes in Israels election two weeks ago -- the third in less than a year -- but his bloc of nationalist and religious parties was still smaller than Gantzs, whose connecting tissue has been the goal of forcing the legally-embattled Netanyahu out of office.

While that was enough to give Gantz a head start its still unclear if this constellation of parties would sit together in government -- and Netanyahu may still have a chance if Gantz fails. Both men failed to form governments in the second election, when the voting results were similar.

Two of Gantzs key backers -- Yisrael Beitenu, a secular nationalist party headed by former defense minister Avigdor Liberman -- and the Joint List, an amalgamation of Arab parties led by Ayman Odeh -- have an acrid history of political disagreement. Liberman takes a tougher line on relations with Palestinians, who have ethnic ties with Israeli Arabs.

But the men remain united in moving Israeli politics into the post-Netanyahu era. Gantz, who only began his political career a little over a year ago, quickly rose to prominence because of his security experience and his a record free of suspected corruption that has dogged Netanyahu for a few years.

Netanyahu was due to start his corruption trial this week. That was delayed by two months after the justice ministry, headed by a Likud member, placed the courts system in a state of emergency because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Rivlin has been calling for Netanyahu and Gantz to unite in government to help the country tackle the spread of the virus. The political stalemate had already rendered Israel unable to deal with national problems like a growing budget deficit, and now emergency measures Netanyahu has taken to contain the illness may cause the economy to contract this year.

Story continues

Gantz says he is ready to help the government in the campaign against the coronavirus, though he has accused Netanyahu of cynically manipulating this emergency to postpone his day in court.

(Updates with background starting in eighth paragraph)

To contact the reporter on this story: Yaacov Benmeleh in Tel Aviv at ybenmeleh@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nayla Razzouk at nrazzouk2@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher, Linus Chua

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Moskalkova seeks observance of healthcare rights of Russian prosecuted in U.S.

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

15:42 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI) - Russias High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has forwarded an appeal in defense of the rights of Russian man Oleg Nikitin prosecuted in U.S. on several charges to the Director of the countrys Federal Bureau Of Prisons Michael Carvaja, according to the ombudsmans press service.

According to Moskalkova, Nikitin suffers from several deceases and needs regular use of certain medicine. However, American authorities have failed to examine him physically and approve the drug use.

The ombudsman has requested the U.S. prison official to provide required medical aid to the Russian citizen and to inform her about the measures taken, the statement reads.

Nikitin and several other defendants could face up to 20 years in jail and a $1 million fine if convicted of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Enhancement Act and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018; and up to 5 years in jail and a $250,000 fine if found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Under those changes, workers affected by the pandemic  as a result of quarantine, caring for a family member, or closed schools and lack of child care  receive two weeks of sick leave. Any paid leave provided after that time is limited to workers with children whose school or child care has been closed. The original legislation offered 10 additional weeks of paid leave at two-thirds pay for all workers affected by the pandemic.

The bill allows exemptions for workers in companies with more than 500 employees or fewer than 50. Under the amended version, health care providers or emergency responders could be declared exempt from receiving the additional paid leave by the Labor secretary, who is now given the discretion to make that decision.

Ms. Boushey said she was alarmed by those changes. I dont want my first responder to be sick, she said, adding that the scope of benefits in the bill for workers who lose their jobs amid the crisis was also inadequate. She and other economists, like Andrew Biggs of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, say the government should effectively make up for the full lost wages of workers who become unemployed, rather than partially doing so. Ms. Boushey said lawmakers should also fully compensate workers whose hours are reduced during the pandemic.

Senate Democrats, including Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, say they will push for expansions of paid leave and unemployment benefits in a new bill, in its early stages on Capitol Hill, that is likely to include $1 trillion or more of economic stimulus, like direct payments to workers.

Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, introduced another paid-leave bill on Tuesday along with other Democratic lawmakers, as part of an effort to expand upon those provisions in a third coronavirus relief package still under discussion.

How do we make sure that people will stay home and not spread the virus? said Ms. Murray, whose state has been a center of the outbreak in the United States. Either we give people the means to stay home or this will continue to spread.

In a sign that the debate defies traditional partisan lines, the conservative group Heritage Action for America said on Tuesday that the Houses paid-leave plan should be expanded to more workers.
(TNS)  WCNY is working with Syracuse, N.Y., city and area school districts to put public school classrooms on television as schools shut down because of the coronavirus The idea is to provide classroom lessons for all grade levels on TV. Ultimately anyone in WCNYs 19-county viewing area can watch if they have Spectrum, Verizon Fios, DirecTV or an old-fashioned antenna, said the stations president and CEO, Mitch Gelman.But the primary goal is to reach children whose families dont have Internet service, or who live in broadband deserts. The effort matches the mission of public television, which is to educate viewers, Gelman said.Well provide the set and production and distribution, Gelman said. Well look to the (education) experts to decide what the curriculum will be.Scheduling details are not yet available as official are building the new educational platform. The next meeting with school officials is 9 a.m. today. Officials are working out what subjects will be covered, which teachers will do the instruction, and when the shows will air.Starting today, all schools in Onondaga County are closed. But this work started about a week ago, when Syracuse city schools Superintendent Jaime Alicea reached out to WCNY, Gelman said. Alicea was looking for ways to reach the 30 percent of Syracuse city students who dont have access to broadband.Gelman said WCNY will help fill that void in two main ways.First, the station can preempt regular daytime shows on its flagship WCNY channel to make way for more educational programs: historical documentaries, regents reviews, quiz shows and spelling bees. That change could happen very fast. Gelman said hes just waiting to hear from school districts about what specific content they want.Second, WCNY is going to change its Global Connection channel into an all-classroom setting. WCNY has a production set thats ready for broadcast classroom instruction. Itll work something like this: An 8th-grade teacher will use it for a 25-minute lesson. There will be a number for kids to call if they have questions; other teachers will answer those phones. Then the television teacher can follow-up in the subsequent televised lesson.Districts will contribute the teachers and the courses to create an overall programming schedule, he said. The goal is to do it as long as its needed, he said. WCNY has set up a resource page for kids and parents who are looking for educational and relaxing programming.Additionally, WCNY has provided schools with some advice about its existing programming and how that might align with various grade levels.The plan for now is to produce the shows at WCNYs studio on West Fayette Street in Syracuse. If travel restrictions make that impossible, then production might switch to online recordings of teachers. Were flexible, Gelman said.WCNYs main channel in the Syracuse area is 24.1 for antenna, 11 for Spectrum basic, 11 or 1221 for Spectrum digital, 11 or 511 for Fios, 24-1 for DirecTV and 24 for Dish.WCNYs Global connection channel in the Syracuse area is 24.3 for antenna, 1276 for Spectrum digital, 467 for Fios, and 24-2 for DirecTV.
Kirbyjon Caldwell, the Houston entrepreneur-turned-pastor who leads one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the country, faces a prison sentence and punishment from his denomination after pleading guilty to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

As a part of a plea deal in US District Court in Louisiana last Wednesday, Caldwell agreed to repay nearly $2 million as restitution to victims before his sentencing in July. He faces 57 years in prison and a fine of up to a quarter million dollars.

Windsor Village, a 18,000-member African American megachurch, stood by Caldwell when he was first indicted on conspiracy charges two years ago. He was accused of selling $3.5 million in worthless Chinese bonds to the elderly.

The UMC allowed Caldwell to continue to lead under the indictment, but he will now fall under church discipline.



Caldwell preached the week before his plea and appeared in a promotional clip for last Sundays worship service, but the livestream of the gathering instead featured a sermon he preached back in January.

The church has not publicly addressed its senior pastors recent plea.

Caldwell had maintained his innocence, even when his alleged co-conspirator, a Shreveport investment adviser, pleaded guilty last year. His third request to postpone his trial was denied earlier this month.

Caldwells attorney, Dan Cogdell, said the pastor believed the historic Chinese bonds were legitimate investment opportunities (rather than worthless mementos) and never intended to defraud anyone. According to prosecutors, Caldwell used the investment money to pay off personal loans, including mortgages and credit card debt.

The US Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana accused Caldwell and the investor of using their positions to trick elderly victims into trusting them. My office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who use confidence schemes to prey upon the elderly and people of faith, David C. Joseph said.

The UMC Book of Discipline lists commission of a crime as a chargeable offense, and regional conference leadership said that following his plea, the disciplinary process will begin immediately.

I am deeply saddened by this admission of guilt, Texas Conference Bishop Scott Jones said in a statement to the United Methodist News Service last week. This now triggers a disciplinary process. We do not tolerate crimes being committed by our clergy, and it is now clear that Kirbyjon Caldwell has violated our standards of conduct.

Well-connected and financially successful, Caldwell is known locally for his community development work in Houston over the past 30 years, investing millions into his neighborhood and ministry. On a national level, he served as a spiritual adviser to presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Caldwells legal issues occurred in the midst of ongoing debates on whether his congregation should remain affiliated with the UMC and how it might be affected by a potential denominational split. Windsor Village had been the UMCs biggest congregation for years (Kansass Church of the Resurrection now reports more members), and its still its largest African American congregation.

The church discussed and prayed over potentially leaving the UMC in 2018. Caldwells other two entities, Kingdom Builders and The Power Center, are not affiliated with the denomination and have their own boards and leadership.

Just 1 percent of Americans who identify as United Methodist are black, according to Pew Research Centers Religious Landscape survey.
U.S. health officials say the first human trial has begun to test an experimental coronavirus vaccine, as scientists race to find treatments for the pandemic.

Scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle gave the first shots Monday to a small group of healthy people. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) said the trial would involve 45 healthy adult volunteers ages 18 to 55 years old who would be given the experimental vaccine over a six-week period.

One of the test subjects, Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle, told the Associated Press, "This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something." She said her two teenage children "think it's cool" that she is taking part in the trial.

The vaccine was developed by scientists at NIH and the biotechnology company Moderna, which is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is one of many studies of experimental vaccines that will take place around the world in the coming months to try to find a way to protect people against COVID-19.

Scientists say that a vaccine will likely not be available for widespread use for another 12-18 months, as all potential vaccines must go through several phases of testing to prove they works and are safe.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a news briefing on COVID-19 at City Hall in Manhattan, New York, on March 14, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

New York City Mayor Considering Shelter in Place Order Over Coronavirus Pandemic

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he could soon issue an order mandating residents stay in their homes and only leave to get food, medicine, or exercise in an attempt to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Monday announced residents in the city and several nearby counties would have to remain inside unless they need to perform essential activities or essential business. Violation of the order is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

Breeds office did say in a press release, Individuals may go on a walk, get exercise, or take a pet outside to go to the bathroom, as long as at least six feet of social distancing is maintained.

Asked about the measure during an appearance on CNNs New Day on Tuesday morning, de Blasio said, Were absolutely considering that.

Were going to look at all other options, but it could get to that for sure for the whole country, he added.

A man walks while wearing a mask as coronavirus continues to spread across the United States in New York City on March 16, 2020. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

De Blasio has announced measures against the virus, which originated in China last year, later than most other mayors of large cities. He shut down schools on Sunday along with restaurants, days after other cities ordered schools and shops to close, along with other so-called social distancing measures.

De Blasio said that New York Citys bars and restaurants will likely be closed for months, noting that establishments are still allowed to serve take-out and delivery orders.

We need to have in our minds that this could be a crisis of at a minimum several months, he said, calling on Congress to pass direct income replacement for those who cant work under the new guidelines.

Schools could be closed into May or even longer. April 20 is when were going to make our first attempt, but watching the trajectory its hard to imagine thats going to work, the mayor said.

De Blasio this week introduced a plan to boost the number of hospital beds in the city by about 8,200 by converting unused privately-owned and city buildings into places where patients could be treated. He said Tuesday that the city needed surgical masks, hand sanitizer, and other items for healthcare workers.

Chairs are stacked in a Starbucks coffee shop that remained open for customers purchasing for take-out in New York City on March 16, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

The national government should distribute the items, similar to what happens during a war, and medical personnel in the United States military should be deployed to the parts of America that are suffering the most, the New York City mayor argued.

The city has 463 patients who tested positive as of Monday morning, according to the citys Department of Health.

There is now widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in New York City, meaning the sources of new infections are unknown. Everyone in New York City should act as if they have been exposed to COVID-19, it said on its website.

New York state has one of the highest case counts, with nearly 1,000 confirmed cases, according to the state Department of Health.

De Blasios comments came a day after President Donald Trump asked Americans not to congregate in groups of 10 or more people.

My administration is recommending that all Americans, including the young and healthy, work to engage in schooling from home when possible. Avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people. Avoid discretionary travel. And avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants, and public food courts, he said at the White House.

If everyone makes this change or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus. And were going to have a big celebration all together.
1. Yes. The downtown area needs a good draw. Some quality taverns would be a plus.

2. Yes. Too many storefronts are vacant. Bars could help to bring in needed revenue.

3. No. Putting a number of bars downtown is just asking for trouble. Dont change things.

4.No. Several churches have located downtown. Putting bars close by would be a bad fit.

5. Unsure. It would depend on how the law is written and what standards are enacted.

Vote

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Supreme Court's retired Justice Kurian Joseph on Tuesday said that he was surprised to see how former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who once exhibited conviction to uphold the independence of the judiciary, has compromised those principles.

He said that the country continues to be firmly grounded on the basic structures and the Constitutional values mainly due to the independent judiciary.

"I am surprised as to how Justice Ranjan Gogoi who once exhibited such courage of conviction to uphold the independence of the judiciary, has compromised the noble principles on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary," said Joseph said in a message to ANI.

The retired justice, who along with three other judges had held a press conference to highlight the alleged discrepancies in the functioning of the Supreme Court on January 12, 2018, said that when the confidence of people is shaken, the tectonic alignment of the nation built on solid foundations is also shaken.

"The Collegium System was introduced by the Supreme Court in 1993 only to strengthen this alignment and make the judiciary completely independent and not interdependent. I came out in public in an unprecedented move along with Justice Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Madan B Lokur to tell the nation that there was a threat to this foundation and now I feel the threat is at large," Justice Joseph said.

He said that this was the reason why he had decided not to take any positions after his retirement.

"According to me, the acceptance of nomination as a member of Rajya Sabha by a former Chief Justice of India has certainly shaken the confidence of the common man on the independence of the judiciary, which is also one of the basic structures of the Constitution of India," said Justice Joseph.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday nominated former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi to the Upper House of Parliament, a decision which has largely been criticised by the opposition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A worker assembles a box for delivery at the Amazon fulfillment center in Baltimore on April 30, 2019. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters/File Photo)

Amazon Limits Non-Essential Shipments Over Coronavirus Pandemic

Online retail giant Amazon told third-party sellers that it will no longer accept inbound shipments of items under the Fulfillment by Amazon program unless the products are deemed a high priority amid the coronavirus pandemic.

We are seeing increased online shopping and as a result some products such as household staples and medical supplies are out of stock. With this in mind, we are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies, and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers, Amazon wrote on Tuesday.

The Seattle-based company said that for any other products, it has temporarily disabled shipment creation and will take a similar approach with retail vendors.

The new measure will be in effect from Tuesday, March 17, until April 5.

Amazon said the following categories of items will be shipped as normal: Baby products, health and household, beauty and personal care, grocery, scientific and industrial, and pet supplies.

We will let you know once we resume regular operations. Shipments created before today will be received at fulfillment centers, according to the statement. The move will be in place in the United States and European Union only.

We understand this is a change to your business, and we did not take this decision lightly, Amazon added.

A Spanish police officers check a car at the border between Portugal and Spain, following an order from the Spanish government to set up controls at its land borders over coronavirus, in Vilar Formoso, Portugal, on March 17, 2020. (Rafael Marchante/Reuters)

Over the weekend, Amazon wrote that it was running out of popular household items and noted that delivery will take longer than usual.

In particular, you will notice that we are currently out of stock on some popular brands and items, especially in household staples categories, Amazon wrote in a blog post on Saturday. We are working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on additional capacity to deliver all of your orders, it added.

A quick review of items like bottled water, toilet paper, and some canned goods showed they are currently out of stock. And Amazons usual one-day and two-day options showed delays of several days.

According to Vox, on an Amazon message board for third-party sellers, some said that the new changes will essentially destroy their businesses.

Amazon just put tons of businesses out of business, one seller wrote on Tuesday. Destroyed thousands of jobs amidst a crisis. Horrible joke. Absolute joke. No warning. Expect major lawsuits coming from sellers who now will go bankrupt.

It is not doable, another seller said. Most of us do not have the infrastructure in place. We do not have the boxes or packing material to do this.
[March 17, 2020] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) on Behalf of Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. ("Norwegian" or "the Company") (NYSE: NCLH) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On March 11, 2020, the Miami New Times published an article, titled "Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Lie About Coronavirus." According to the article, the leaked emails show Norwegian managers pressuring sales employees to lie to customers about the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-2019) to protect the Company against cacellations. One of the emails reportedly advises sales staff to tell customers, "Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $5.47 or over 26%, to close at $15.03 per share on March 11, 2020, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Norwegian securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.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/20200317005252/en/

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By Vijay Prashad and Paola Estrada. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He has written more than twenty books, including The Darker Nations: A Peoples History of the Third World (The New Press, 2007), The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South (Verso, 2013), The Death of the Nation and the Future of the Arab Revolution(University of California Press, 2016) and Red Star Over the Third World (LeftWord, 2017). Paola Estrada is in the Secretariat of the International Peoples Assembly and is a member of the Brazilian chapter of ALBA Movements (Continental Coordination of Social Movements toward the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America). Produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute

Swiftly moves the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), dashing across continents, skipping over oceans, terrifying populations in every country. The numbers of those infected rises, as do the numbers of those who have died. Hands are being washed, tests are being done, and social distance has become a new phrase. It is unclear how devastating this pandemic will be.

In the midst of a pandemic, one would expect that all countries would collaborate in every way to mitigate the spread of the virus and its impact on human society. One would expect that a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude would provide the opportunity to suspend or end all inhumane economic sanctions and political blockades against certain countries. The main point here is this: Is this not the time for the imperialist bloc, led by the United States of America, to end the sanctions against Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and a series of other countries?

Medical Shortages

Venezuelas Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told us recently that the illegal and unilateral coercive measures that the United States has imposed on Venezuela are a form of collective punishment. The use of the phrase collective punishment is significant; under the 1949 Geneva Conventions, any policy that inflicts damage on an entire population is a war crime. The U.S. policy, Arreaza told us, has resulted in difficulties for the timely acquisition of medicines.

On paper, the unilateral U.S. sanctions say that medical supplies are exempt. But this is an illusion. Neither Venezuela nor Iran can easily buy medical supplies, nor can they easily transport it into their countries, nor can they use them in their largely public sector health systems. The embargo against these countriesin this time of COVID-19is not only a war crime by the standards of the Geneva Conventions (1949) but is a crime against humanity as defined by the United Nations International Law Commission (1947).

In 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump enacted tight restrictions on Venezuelas ability to access financial markets; two years later, the U.S. government blacklisted Venezuelas Central Bank and put a general embargo against the Venezuelan state institutions. If any firm trades with Venezuelas public sector, it could face secondary sanctions. The U.S. Congress passed the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in 2017, which tightened sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea. The next year, Trump imposed a raft of new sanctions against Iran which suffocated Irans economy. Once more, access to the world banking system and threats to companies that traded with Iran made it almost impossible for Iran to do business with the world.

In particular, the U.S. government made it clear that any business with the public sector of Iran and Venezuela was forbidden. The health infrastructure that provides for the mass of the populations in both Iran and Venezuela is run by the State, which means it faces disproportionate difficulty in accessing equipment and supplies, including testing kits and medicines.

Breaking the Embargo

Arreaza, the Venezuelan foreign minister, told us that his government is alert to the dangers of COVID-19 with a health infrastructure that has been affected by the sanctions. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is leading a presidential commission to manage whatever resources are available. We are breaking the blockade, Arreaza said, through the World Health Organization, through which we have obtained medicine and the tests to detect the illness. The WHO, despite its own crisis of funds, has played a key role in both Venezuela and Iran.

Nonetheless, the WHO faces its own challenges with sanctions, particularly when it comes to transportation. These harsh sanctions forced transportation companies to reconsider servicing both Iran and Venezuela. Some airlines stopped flying there; many shipping companies decided not to anger Washington. When the World Health Organization tried to get testing kits for COVID-19 from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into Iran, it faced difficultyas the WHOs Christoph Hamelmann put itdue to flight restrictions; the UAE sent the equipment via a military transport plane.

Likewise, Arreaza told us, Venezuela has received the solidarity from governments of countries such as China and Cuba. This is a key issue. China, despite its own challenges from COVID-19, has been supplying testing kits and medical equipment to Iran and to Venezuela; it was Chinas vigorous reaction to the virus that has now slowed down its spread within China itself. In late February, a team from the Red Cross Society of China arrived in Tehran to exchange information with the Iranian Red Cross and with WHO officials; China also donated testing kits and supplies. The sanctions, Chinese officials told us, should be of no consequence during a humanitarian crisis such as this; they are not going to honor them.

Meanwhile, the Iranians developed an app to help their population during the COVID-19 outbreak; Google decided to remove it from its app store, a consequence of the U.S. sanctions.

End the Sanctions

Yolimar Mejias Escorcha, an industrial engineer, tells us that the sanctions regime has put a lot of pressure on everyday life in Venezuela. She says that the government continues to make an effort to ensure that people who most need it get health care, education, and food. The opposition has tried to say that the crisis is a consequence of the governments inefficiency rather than a result of the imperialist blockade on Venezuela. On March 6, she tells us, a new campaign was launched in the country called Sanctions Are a Crime. She hopes that this campaign will explain clearly to people why there are shortages in her countrythe sanctions being the core reason.

In 2019, a group of countries met at the United Nations in New York to discuss the U.S. unilateral sanctions that violated the UN Charter. The intent was to work through the Non-Aligned Movement to create a formal group that would respond to these sanctions. Venezuelas Foreign Minister Arreaza told us that Venezuela supports this initiative but also the declaration of principles drafted by Iran against unilateralism and the Russian formal complaint about denial of visas for officials to visit the UN building in New York. We hope to resume meetings this year once the difficulties presented by COVID-19 are overcome, he said. They want to meet again, Arreaza said, to advance joint, concrete actions.

What Arreaza told us are initiatives at the interstate level. At the same time, there are ongoing initiatives led by popular movements and political organizations. In November 2019, an anti-imperialist solidarity meeting was held in Havana, Cuba, with representatives from 86 countries. At this meeting, it was decided that attention must be focused on the inhumane use of power in our time; a call was sent out to hold a week of anti-imperialist struggle between May 25 and May 31. The aim of the week is to alert the worlds public about imperialism andin this contextabout the murderous sanctions regime driven by the United States, more murderous in this time of COVID-19.

The question that a week of activities such as this poses is quite simple: What kind of moral fiber holds together an international system where a handful of countries can act in a way that goes against all the highest aspirations of humanity? When the United States continues its embargos against more than 50 countriesbut mostly against Cuba, Iran, and Venezuelawhen there is a global pandemic afoot, what does this say about the nature of power and authority in our world? Sensitive people should be offended by such behavior, its mean-spiritedness evident in the unnatural deaths that it provokes. When the U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was asked about the half-million Iraqi children who died because of U.S. sanctions, she said that those deaths were a price worth paying. They were certainly not a price that the Iraqis wanted to pay, nor now the Iranians or the Venezuelans, or indeed the majority of humankind. We march in May against this desiccated worldview; we march for humanity.
A health care worker at Massachusetts General Hospital has tested positive for coronavirus, the latest in a growing number of workers in the medical field impacted by the illness.

The positive test result follows another health care provider at Massachusetts Eye and Ear testing positive as well, the hospital confirmed over the weekend. Both workers are in quarantine and the hospitals are notifying patients who came into contact with the them.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Their results follow two doctors at Brigham and Womens Hospital being diagnosed, bringing the total to at least four health care providers in Boston testing positive for the virus.

Across the state, 70 workers - including 54 nurses - at Berkshire Medical Center, the largest hospital in Berkshire County, were placed in quarantine after exposure to people diagnosed with coronavirus. Nurses wore face masks but not eye shields and gowns, as recommended for medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients. Hospital staff who came into contact with the patients have been furloughed for 14 days, a spokesperson for the medical center said.

As the novel coronavirus spreads across the globe, it is inevitable that health care workers will be infected, as is now the case at the Brigham, a spokesperson for Brigham and Womens said in a statement. We are in the process of contacting patients and staff who may have been exposed.

The number of coronavirus cases increased to 197 on Monday, a jump from 164 cases on Sunday.

Middlesex County, the most populated county in Massachusetts, has the most cases, with 83. Norfolk and Suffolk Counties both reporting 36 cases. In the Berkshires, 11 cases are reported. Eight cases were reported in Essex County, six in Worcester, three in Plymouth County, two in Bristol and one in Barnstable and Hampden Counties. 10 cases were not tied to a specific Massachusetts counties.

The majority of cases - 100 - are tied to the Biogen conference in Boston last month. Community spread was behind 28 cases and 18 are travel related. The connection to 51 cases remain under investigation.
Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) CEO Yoon Jong-won speaks with officials of Hutech Engineering, a metal cutting machine manufacturer, at the company's factory at Siwa Industrial Complex in Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. IBK said Yoon visited the firm to examine small and medium-sized companies' fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. / Courtesy of IBK
Kenya supports Egypts positive stance on the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), President Uhuru Kenyatta told Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in a phone call on Tuesday.

El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady said the president received a phone call from his Kenyan counterpart in which they exchanged developments on the dam after the collapse of Washington-mediated talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan last month.

Kenyatta described the Egyptian stance as one that comes out of sincere political will, according to the Egyptian statement.

Addis Ababa did not attend the last round of US-sponsored talks on the dam in February, citing the need for more time for further domestic consultations.

Only Egypt has initialed the resulting agreement, drafted by the US, on the filling and operation of the dam, with Ethiopia and Sudan both declining to sign it.

Over the past weeks, Egyptian officials have delivered messages on developments related to the GERD to Gulf and European partners, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France and the European Union, in an attempt to seek support.

Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry began an African tour this week to garner further support on the matter.

Shoukry made stops in Burundi and South Africa and is set to visit Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Niger and Rwanda.

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Boris Johnson is standing by his decision not to shut schools yet but insists that if they do, 'plans are ready to go' to help parents whose children might lose free school meals if they do.

The government has so far insisted school closures are not justified as part of the effort to combat Covid-19 despite concerns from worried parents they are 'Russian Roulette' with students across the country.

At his daily press conference today, the Prime Minister said: 'On free school meals, as we come to the decision on schools we will have obviously plans ready to go on that.'

Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday evening at a press conference) has been accused of 'playing Russian Roulette' with school children across the UK

'Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, has a plan to make sure that parents with kids who are eligible for free school meals get the compensation or the treatment they need one way or the other, we certainly anticipated that.'

The possibility of school closures is contained in the Government's action plan for the pandemic and Number 10 sources said they had 'never shied away from the fact' that might have to happen.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, announcing the suspension of routine Ofsted inspections, said closures would only take place if the chief medical officer or chief scientific adviser say it is in the best interests of children and teachers.

The National Education Union called for schools to be closed 'at least for some time and at least in some areas' due to the outbreak.

The NEU said the running of schools will become 'all the more complicated' as they advise teachers and staff who are classed as vulnerable to self-isolate.

And a petition launched by worried parents and teachers has reached nearly 640,000 signatures and many parents have warned they will pull their children out of the education system.

A petition launched by worried parents has reached nearly 640,000 signatures

Social media users started the #Covid19Walkout trend yesterday, encouraging students and school pupils to stay at home and one school in Derbyshire.

Last night the Prime Minister urged residents across the UK to implement social distancing and also advised a ban on mass gatherings.

But the government says it is keeping the situation in schools under review, with fears closing them would mean key workers in the NHS would have to drop their duties to look after children, and have limited benefits in reducing the spread.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty insisted last night that evidence suggested children tend to be less badly affected than adults.

Teaching union urges Boris Johnson to close schools for 'at least some time' A teaching union has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding schools are closed 'at least for some time and at least in some areas'. The letter from Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, said that they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'. It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college. 'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated. 'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.' Advertisement

So far there have been 55 deaths in the UK because of the virus and 1,543 confirmed cases.

Prof Neil Ferguson, a scientist at Imperial College who has been advising the government on coronavirus, said closing schools and universities could stymie the spread of the coronavirus but warned of uncertainties and negative impacts of such a move on the NHS.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'From a purely epidemiological perspective, we think with a lot of uncertainty that closing schools and universities would further reduce transmission.

'I have to say we don't fully understand whether children are transmitting this virus in the same way they transmit other viruses but, assuming that, it would have an impact.

'It would also have a number of negative impacts, particularly on health system capacity - a lot of nurses, a lot of doctors have school-aged children.

'So what's currently happening is there's a very thorough review of what a likelihood of school closure would be.'

But Chris Keates, acting general secretary of teachers' union the NASUWT said the lack of 'clear and definitive' direction from the government over what schools should do has 'created a rising sense of panic'.

She said: 'The NASUWT has to date been advising our members in the context of the advice issued by governments and administrations and public health bodies across the UK.

'However, the lack of clear information with regard to the steps to protect teachers, headteachers and other staff working in schools in the context of commentators constantly referring to the threats posed by children carrying Covid-19 is causing chaos and confusion and placing intolerable pressure on all staff in schools and their families.'

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, wrote to the PM saying they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'.

It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college.

'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated.

'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.'

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Ian Robinson chief executive of Oak Partnership Trust in South West England which runs four schools said they are facing a number of issues.

'I can't criticise the government at the moment but I do feel the message isn't clear enough for schools and where it is becoming clearer for other organisations. We are still playing catch up in schools, we have within our trust a special school which has a large number of children with medical conditions and we have children on education healthcare plans also with medical conditions and they are at increased risk to the coronavirus.

'Schools are like a petri dish as soon as one child comes in with the coronavirus - our kids are great at a washing their hands they are really good but as soon as they wash their hands their hands are next to their face, they are holding hands with each other, they will hold hands with adults, I walked into school the other day and as soon as I walked in a child took my hand and led me to their work'.

He said he then went to wash his hands but as soon as he came out another child held his hand.

'The challenge for schools is massive, we have got lots of vulnerable children and adults that will be affected by that very quickly'.

Many parents have hit back at the advise with some claiming schools are like a 'covid pit'.

People across the UK hit back at Boris Johnson this morning as they claimed he was 'playing Russian Roulette with the lives of children across the UK

One said: 'Boris is now playing Russian Roulette with the children of the UK, saying if he closes the schools to protect the children the adults will then have to stay at home to care for them & wont be able to get to work, looks like Boris is just about to lose any respect he had'.

This is while one expert this morning said on BBC Radio 4 that classes are like 'petri dishes for the deadly bug'.

Another parent added: 'Most of my partners' kids' teachers are off and self isolating (as she is - support staff at the same school). I've just dropped them off in a potential Covid pit because to not do so would be illegal'.

One said children being 'crammed' inside school rooms and canteens would not help stop the spread of the virus.

This is while some said that keeping schools open during the crucial early phase was a 'poor decision by the UK'.

Another said people should 'spare a thought for primary school teachers in the front line surrounded by hoardes of bio-hazards'.

It emerged today that one school in Derbyshire had closed due to the concerns around the virus.

This is while a school in Stretford said it was not 'operationally possible to run the school'.

The school will close its doors today and will remained closed until April 14. In a letter she said: 'We find ourselves in this situation because we cannot follow all of the government's advice AND keep our children and our Stretford families safe.

Some highlighted what teachers would be going through while another said this could be a 'poor decision from the UK government

'The staff members who have symptoms are not being tested. They won't be tested because, thankfully, they are not seriously ill. I do not know if one, none or all have the virus.

'This is not acceptable. Staff who work in sectors which are not being advised to work from home should be tested.

'This would have allowed me to either keep the school open or to be able to identify who, if anyone, is at risk.

'Even if we double up classes to accommodate staff absence, we cannot operate at this staffing level. I also do not feel comfortable grouping pupils into even bigger groups which increases the risk of spreading the virus.'

Mr Robinson added: 'The idea of not going having to go mass gatherings for other people doesn't seem to apply to schools at the moment.

'The three criteria that was talked about in the briefing yesterday, we have staff that are within two of those criteria, staff with underlying health conditions and staff that are pregnant.

'At this moment in time they are still being expected to go into school which is a mass gathering.

'One of our headteachers, from last week we were told seven days in isolation, one of his children has a high temperature so was self-isolated from Monday. By the end of Monday when we were still in a meeting to discuss the rest of the week it had become 14 days and all family members, so already today I am facing the challenge of one of our schools not having a head teacher'.
The public health crisis sparked by the spread of the coronavirus has quickly become an economic crisis as well.

There have been cancellations of everything from conferences to concerts. Restaurants, bars, malls and movie theaters all have fewer customers as people stay away from crowded spaces. With demand for goods and services dropping, workers are seeing their hours reduced, or they are getting laid off entirely. If those workers have sufficient savings, they might be able to weather the storm without dramatically reducing their own spending and spreading the economic damage further. But unfortunately, millions of households don't have even $400 in savings to draw on in an emergency like this. Those households will now have to struggle even more to pay rent or keep the lights on which, in turn, means even fewer customers for a wider array of businesses. The vicious cycle of recession has begun.

This is where the federal government must step in. It's probably too late to stop a recession, but it's not too late to stop a depression. One idea that has gained a lot of support recently is having the federal government send cash directly to most  or even all  households. A fast, large infusion of money can be a bridge for families who have been impacted by the downturn and can keep the cycle from spiraling too far. With more cash in their pockets, workers who just lost their jobs will still be able to make their mortgage payments, put food on the table and get their cars fixed. Without that cash, not only will workers suffer terribly, but the businesses in the community that rely on their patronage will suffer too.

There are some objections to the idea of sending out cash, however. One concern is how to balance the need to get this cash out fast while also ensuring it goes to those who most need it and who are most likely to spend it, which will help reverse the vicious cycle of recession. Ideally, we wouldn't send checks to millionaires and the owners of giant corporations. An extra bump in their bank account isn't going to help the broader economy. But time is also of the essence. It's possible that adding conditions may make it take longer for the government to process the aid. But if it doesn't slow down delivery of the assistance, we should exclude the rich.

A second concern is that direct cash assistance will not be as effective in this downturn as it would be in others because so many people are deliberately reducing their demand for goods and services as they self-quarantine and try to reduce the spread of the virus. This is a legitimate worry and it's likely that direct cash assistance won't have as big of an impact right away. But for the millions of workers who have already lost income or are about to lose income in the coming weeks, they will spend this money immediately on necessities like groceries and rent. And for everyone else, a little extra will help the economy bounce back faster once we can leave our homes again.

But while direct cash payments should be a key component of relief measures, it is far from a standalone solution. This crisis has laid bare the weaknesses of our public health infrastructure, labor protections and social safety net. Imagine if we'd already had a robust, national paid leave system in place before this virus arrived. Imagine if all food service workers had the ability to earn and use paid sick time. Imagine if workers could rely on strong, well-funded unemployment insurance. Imagine if more people were earning enough income during the good times to put some savings away for the bad times. Imagine if income inequality weren't already sapping consumer demand and weakening our ability to withstand temporary setbacks. Imagine a federal budget that invested in public health and disease prevention. In that world, the coronavirus might not have pushed us to the brink of an economic disaster.

The coronavirus outbreak and its economic fallout are going to be, and already are, far worse and more painful than they had to be. Emergency cash payments to nearly all households as soon as possible can help prevent more suffering and boost the economy at the same time. It should be the next step, but it definitely cannot be the last one.
A Tennessee father has described what it was like to be 'patient zero' when he became the state's first case of coronavirus.

Chris Baumgartner told how he was repeatedly asked 'if you are the ''one''' by an 'irrational public' who demanded answers from him.

The 44-year-old was the self-proclaimed 'patient zero' in Tennessee, and said his symptoms were at the mild end of the spectrum.

But despite not suffering greatly from the disease, Baumgartner says he and his family endured 'mass hysteria' and the 'stigma' of having the virus.

In a lengthy Facebook post written on Sunday and published alongside a picture of Baumgartner covered in bubble wrap, he described how it affected him and his family mentally.

Chris Baumgartner and his wife Holly wearing home-made 'protective gear' of bubble wrap and a black garbage bag

Baumgartner, a worker at Biogen which saw an outbreak of cases following a conference, described his symptoms as at the 'mild' end of the spectrum

Baumgartner said fellow Williamson County residents demanded 'to know if you are the ''one'' where you live, and if you might have somehow infected their child or family'.

He wrote: 'These past few weeks have certainly been interesting, to say the least.

'My family has not only had a front row seat to the mass hysteria we are now experiencing as a nation, but we've also been part of the storyline.

'It's given us a whole new appreciation for those who live under the cloud of stigma every single day of their lives.'

But despite those issues, hordes of other community members have empathized with his family's ordeal, Baumgartner said.

Supporters have sent the family meals, groceries, cards and books, among other items to help keep them occupied during their time in quarantine, Baumgartner said in his post, which also pictured his wife wearing a black garbage bag.

He said that while some people treated him with hostility and fear, others offered to help him out by bringing supplies and other essentials

Baumgartner (pictured with wife Holly) said he and his family endured 'mass hysteria' and the 'stigma' of having the coronavirus

He added: 'We've had literally hundreds and hundreds of calls, messages, and texts encouraging us, praying for us, and people pausing from their own challenges in life, to walk through this crazy situation with us.

'Something incredible happens when fear and anxiety are replaced with acts of kindness and compassion.'

Baumgartner wrote on social media that he is still recovering and ofered to house sit for any neighbors over spring break.

Coronavirus cases continue to grow in Tennessee and across and the US with Tennessee's Department of Health reporting 52 cases as of Monday.

On March 5, Govenor Bill Lee announced that a Williamson County man had tested positive for the virus, making it the first case in the state.

Williamson County now has the second most amount of cases in the state with 18.

Across the US as of Monday, the number of COVID-19 cases topped 4,600 with 86 deaths.
The longest serving congressman in state history is recommending his fellow Hoosier Democrats nominate state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, for Indiana attorney general.

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Gary, said Tallian has earned his "unconditional support and endorsement" because the 15-year state lawmaker "has been a true public servant throughout her career" and "demonstrated that she cares about the livelihoods of all individuals and families."

"I know she will be a thoughtful, judicious and honest attorney general for every person and community in our state," Visclosky said.

In particular, the 36-year congressman pointed to Tallian's successful efforts to secure state funds for two major expansions of the South Shore Line, her unwavering support for the Region's steel industry and union labor, and Tallian's unceasing work to preserve the Lake Michigan shoreline.

"I am proud to support Karen Tallian for attorney general," Visclosky said. "She has the trusted experience and temperament to continue her career of public service and fight on behalf of our environment and all workers, individuals and families in Indiana."
The following account was submitted to the WSWS by a retired teacher and writer who has lived in Florence, Italy for more than 40 years.

Whats it like to live in Italy now, with the draconian measures being taken by the government (and which seem to get more and more restrictive every day) to combat the spread of Covid 19?

There are two levels of the effects of these measures on my familys lives. The first goes deeper and will almost certainly last for a long time and has to do with our economic situation.

Florence and Santa Maria del Fiore [Wikimedia.org]

We (myself and my husband, my daughter and her partner and their nine-month-old baby) live in Florence, which is obviously highly dependent on tourism for its economy. My daughter is a self-employed tour guide who counted on starting up work again this spring with the high tourist season. Now, obviously, the tourists have disappeared (museums and other attractions were closed a few days ago, and as of yesterday, restaurants and accommodations as well) so she will have no work, and therefore none of the income they were counting on to support themselves and the baby.

Her partner is a cook in a breakfast and brunch place that caters mainly to American students (here in Florence there are many American study abroad programs), which has had to close for an indefinite period of time. He has a fixed salary, but it has been decided that the next few weeks will be considered his vacation time, so this summer hell have no vacation. And that, of course, is the best-case scenario, because if the current emergency goes on for long, theres a risk that the place might close down. That would be a total disaster for them economically.

As for me, though Im retired I still continue doing translating and tutoring. My students wont be coming to my place, but we can work out some way of doing lessons online, at least for a while.

The government (led by Mr. Conte) has announced promised economic help for small businesses, workers and self-employed people in various forms. So far this is all quite vague, but Im hoping that some of these measures will be available to my daughter and her partner. Meanwhile, Ill have to dip into my savings.

As of last week, all Italians have been asked (ordered?) to stay at home for all but essential movements, which include work, medical necessities, food shopping, returning to ones home elsewhere, and assisting sick or elderly family members. Gated squares and parks have been closed and taking kids to the open ones is not allowed. This is being enforced by the police, who are patrolling the streets and public squares.

Everyone who can is being encouraged to work from home (they call it smart work !!!). All stores and services except for pharmacies, food stores, newspaper stands, post offices and banks are closed. Public transportation is still going, but most people dont want to take buses if they can at all help it.

Theoretically, its possible to order food by phone or online and have it delivered. But, in fact, the phone lines are clogged and deliveries are not guaranteed before several daysone supermarket that we tried to contact mentioned up to 10 days!

Fortunately, there are still some small food stores in the neighborhood that were counting on, and the local supermarket is open, though there are lines to get in, since they are letting in a closed number of people at a time. So far, the lines arent very long. The problem is that once youre in its hard to keep the mandated distance (1 meter? 2? Its not clear) in the crowded aisles.

Then there are some rather ridiculous, if not stupid, contradictions. One example: I had to go to the local post office to pick up a registered letter because the postal service had suspended home delivery. Which meant I had to leave the housesomething I am strongly urged not to do, as a 75-year-oldto go and pick it up. They werent allowing people in unless their number had come up, and so I had to wait on the sidewalk. But its a narrow sidewalk, and the entrance is precisely at a bus-stop, so there were quite a few people congregated there. Which is, of course, exactly what they say must be avoided at all costs.

Then theres the problem of what to do about the baby. Italians generally live in quite close quarters, mostly without any outdoor spaces. So its especially important to be able to take children out to the local parks or piazzas. This hasnt been forbidden, but the children are not supposed to get close to one another. Its not easy to take them to the piazza not to play with other children.

Since all schools are closed until April 3, the problem of how to care for children whose parents are still working away from home is critical. Of course, in Italy a lot of slack has always been taken up by family members, especially grandmoms, but now that old people are the most vulnerable, its doubtful that they should be staying in close contact with the children. The government has promised aid to cover the cost of baby-sitters, but again, this is still to be seen.

If asked how well the countrys medical system is coping with this crisis, I think Id say that so far its holding up more or less, but obviously the structures, equipment and staff are being stretched to their limits. Emergency measures are being taken, like having recourse to private facilities, emergency hiring, and asking retired medics to pitch in.

There is a great difference in Italy between one region and the next as regards the public health systems, with the north in general being far superior to the south. Tuscany, the region Im in, is generally considered one of the best, but so is Lombardy, which has been the region hardest hit so far, and many significant weaknesses are showing up even there. Everyone is frightened that the contagion will spread significantly to the southern regions, whose health systems are very poor.

These inadequacies are largely due to the constant cuts that have been made to the national health system over the last two-three decades, under every government whether center-right or center-left. Structures (buildings and beds), equipment and staff have been progressively decreased, so that by now even in ordinary times getting an appointment with a specialist or for a test or an operation is a very frustrating experience, sometimes involving a wait of months and other times simply not possible in the foreseeable future.

Clearly, many of the personal problems Ive described above are more vexatious than really serious. But if the situation goes on for long, it will be hard to go on. And the long-term effects on the Italian economy are bound to be very serious indeed, if not devastating. So, one tries to keep a stiff upper lip, but underneath were pretty worried.

There are some strikes in factories where workers dont want to be put at risk.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) United Nations, United States  Tue, March 17, 2020 10:12 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b1e900 2 World UN,Security-Council,meeting,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

The UN Security Council called off its two remaining meetings for the week on Monday due to the coronavirus crisis.

After the earlier cancellation of the meeting planned for Tuesday, the Security Council was planning to discuss the situation in Sudan's Darfur region and hold a multilateralism meeting on Thursday.

The council was "still functioning" despite abandoning its remaining sessions for the week, said the Chinese mission, which holds this month's rotating presidency of the body.

"Council members will maintain communication and consultation on issues on the agenda with a view to taking necessary actions as needed to fulfill the Council's mandate," a spokesperson for the mission said in a statement.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told journalists that a positive COVID-19 case had been identified among staff at the organization's Secretariat in New York, after a Philippines diplomat was reported infected last week.

The United Nations building remains open and Secretary General Antonio Guterres was in his office on Monday, Dujarric said.

But he added that the number of people entering the building in New York city has shrunk to around 900 people per day, down from a daily average of several thousand.
Canadas homeless population is at especially high risk for a COVID-19 outbreak, which could potentially overwhelm our healthcare system and cause many deaths.

Public health officials advise at-risk individuals to practice social distancing at home. However, this is not possible for the estimated 35,000 Canadians who are homeless on any given night. Of this population, one quarter are women and one quarter are children and youth.

Recent travel, an important risk factor for COVID-19 infection, is common among 40% of homeless shelter residents who are new immigrants or refugees. Homeless individuals who have high rates of chronic diseases, and those over 65 years old, which comprise 6% of shelter residents, are at particularly high risk of death from COVID-19.

In addition, homeless individuals often sleep in crowded rooms with suboptimal ventilation and are required to leave shelters during daytime hours, which could lead to rapid spread of COVID-19.

Protecting homeless individuals who are already at increased risk during the pandemic is a pressing public health priority. To prevent a deadly outbreak, we need to immediately enact three strategies: implement strict infection control procedures, increase shelter beds and improve systems-level coordination.

Given the close proximity of homeless shelter residents, strict infection control procedures are required. That includes increased cleaning of shelter facilities, particularly in shared spaces and dining areas. Education on hygiene and social distancing practices should be provided to all shelter residents.

Similar to hospitals and long-term care facilities, shelters must implement routine screening for infectious symptoms and recent travel among all residents, visitors and staff. Those who screen positive should follow appropriate public health recommendations for timely diagnosis and management.

Since self-isolation remains unfeasible for many who do not have their own rooms, governments need to allocate funds immediately to expand shelter beds and secure spaces for self-monitoring.

Individuals with recent travel, infectious symptoms or confirmed COVID-19 must be provided with a private room and bathroom along with timely transfer to a healthcare facility when necessary.

Many public buildings remain closed during the pandemic, so spaces such as community centres, motels, and hotels could be strategically used to facilitate rapid assessment and serve as safer living arrangements.

Some organizations like Torontos Shelter, Support, and Housing Administration have proactively acquired additional motel space for individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Communities could follow examples of cities like San Francisco which has set aside $5 million to increase cleaning and keep shelters open 24/7.

Improving systems-level coordination is crucial to preparing for an outbreak. Homeless shelters should be surveyed regularly to assess staffing needs, infection control practices, and resources including personal protective equipment.

Homeless shelters and community agencies should collaborate closely with local public health units and healthcare facilities to implement strategies to assess and manage potential COVID-19 cases.

To our knowledge, there are currently no cases of COVID-19 in homeless shelters. Thanks to ongoing efforts by front-line providers, public health and government officials, large scale measures are being rolled out to address COVID-19.

However, with over 420 confirmed cases across all 10 provinces, we are at a critical crossroads. It is only a matter of time before we encounter a potentially deadly outbreak among Canadas homeless population.

We must act now to protect and care for those who are most vulnerable before it is too late.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele barred gatherings of more than 75 people on Monday and ordered bars and nightclubs closed for 14 days.

"We do not want to use force, but we would do so in case they don't comply," Bukele said.

He also ordered that a convention centre be converted into a temporary hospital with 2,000 beds and 300 intensive care units.

El Salvador hasn't reported any cases of COVID-19 so far, but the country continues to prepare for an outbreak on its territory.

Bukele issued an order for businesses to allow all employees over the age of 60, and all pregnant women, to work from home.

Meanwhile in Guatemala, President Alejandro Giammattei closed schools for three weeks and barred gatherings of more than 100 people.

Sporting events would be played behind closed doors, or rescheduled.

Giammattei also announced that flights to and from Guatemala would be grounded for the next 15 days.
If you have health insurance it will cover you if you travel to a destination within the country. But what if you are travelling to an international destination, asks Bindisha Sarang.

IMAGE: Passengers being checked with a thermal screening device on arrival at Kolkata airport in view of the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Photograph: PTI Photo

To travel or not to travel is the question boggling many minds today.

Owing to coronavirus and the panic it has created worldwide, many are questioning whether they should go ahead with their travel plans that were made months in advance, and for which bookings have already been done.

If you are one of them, here are a few things that will help you make the right choice.

If you don't want to go

If you cancel, what happens to your money will depend on where you bought the ticket.

Some players are offering a complete refund.

Says Aloke Bajpai, co-founder and chief executive officer, ixigo: "We are providing a no-questions-asked full refund on the countries most impacted by COVID-19, irrespective of the airline's own policy in this regard."

But not everyone has a policy like this.

So, check with the airline its policy in this regard.

Vistara, for instance, said it was cancelling 54 international flights in March and customers could opt for a full refund for these flights.

SpiceJet, too, has cancelled flights from New Delhi to Hong Kong till March 28 and is giving a full refund or fee waiver.

In short, flyers can avail of a full refund or utilise the booking amount to travel with the airline in future.

The point to note here is that airlines may give refunds or offer free rescheduling if they are cancelling their flights, but not if you cancel your travel.

Want to go

Airfares on several international routes have dropped considerably in the aftermath of the virus outbreak (see table).

"While traffic to the countries that have been impacted the most has slowed, demand for travelling to other destinations still exists," says Bajpai.

If you want to travel, observe a few precautions.

Says Mukul Lalka, a Mumbai-based foreign travel expert: "Travel with minimum luggage. Wear and carry disposable masks and plastic hand gloves, like the ones chefs use in kitchens. Apply cream on the face, wash it regularly with soap, and reapply the cream, and use a sanitiser when you remove your hands from the gloves."

Plastic gloves will help you avoid contact with a potential virus-infected surface.

Keep your hands folded as much as possible to reduce inadvertent contact.

As for fresh bookings now, some players are offering special schemes in response to the uncertainty prevailing among travellers.

SOTC has also rolled out its "Ultra Flexi Scheme" for new customers.

"Under this scheme, customers will enjoy flexibility on departure dates, and only actual visa charges will be made in the case of cancellations due to COVID-19," says Daniel D'Souza, president and country head, leisure, SOTC Travel.

Will insurance protect you?

If you have health insurance, it will cover you if you travel to a destination within the country.

"Our health insurance plans cover such virus outbreaks. New diseases such as coronavirus will not fall under the category of pre-existing illness, so there will be no waiting period associated with them," confirms Biresh Giri, appointed actuary, head of product development and chief risk officer, Acko General Insurance.

Disease-specific cover is available now.

"Digit Insurance has launched a new policy that exclusively covers medical costs associated with coronavirus, but again treatment will be covered in India only," says Pravin Sinha, senior vice-president, Anand Rathi Insurance Brokers.

Disease-specific cover is less expensive than comprehensive health plans and may be purchased as a stop-gap measure by people who do not have health insurance.

But what if you are travelling to an international destination? "Overseas travel insurance policies will cover the disease as currently there is specific exclusion for covid-19," says Sinha.

However, he suggests checking with your insurer, especially if you are travelling to a country for which the government has issued an advisory suggesting you should not travel to it.
Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has moved the supreme court seeking immediate floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, on Tuesday accused the Kamal Nath government of employing "pressure and allurement" tactics to save it from falling.

Chouhan's statement came hours after the apex court asked the state government to give by Wednesday its response to his plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test.

Chouhan also reiterated that the saffron party has the requisite numbers to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

"Everything will be clear...The Kamal Nath government should face the floor test at the earliest. They are buying time so that the attempts could be made to save the government through pressure and allurement," Chouhan told reporters here when asked about the apex court order.

He said the BJP paraded its MLAs in front of Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday.

"The Kamal Nath government has lost majority (in view of resignations by 22 MLAs of Congress last week). The BJP has the required majority among the available numbers in the House and it will be proved in the Assembly," the former chief minister said.

Chouhan and nine other BJP lawmakers, including leader of opposition in the state assembly, moved the supreme court on Monday just after Speaker N P Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test.

The floor test was ordered by the governor who wrote to Nath on Saturday night, saying that his government was in a minority.

After the speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators.

These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted.

The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.

On Monday evening, the governor once again directed Nath to hold a floor test on Tuesday.

After meeting the governor in night, Nath claimed that his government enjoys majority, virtually ruled out holding a floor test as demanded by the BJP.

In his two letters to the governor, Nath had stated that the MLAs of Congress who have resigned are held in captivity in Bengaluru by the BJP with the help of local police.
EDWARDSVILLE  Felony charges recently filed by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Mickey D. Henry, 33, of East Alton, was charged March 16 with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on March 13 he allegedly strangled a family or household member. Bail was set at $20,000.

 Edward J. Stephens, 47, of Alton, was charged March 16 with aggravated driving while under the influence, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on Dec. 24 he was arrested by Edwardsville police for DUI and had previous convictions for DUI in Missouri. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Dalton C. Miller, 25, of Edwardsville, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on March 14 Miller allegedly attacked an Edwardsville police officer by kicking a chair at him, striking the officers arm. Bail was set at $50,000.
Marijuana legalization has made significant progress over the years, and Malawi is the latest country to permit its use. The African country of about 19 million people will now allow cannabis to be used in medicine and in the creation of hemp fibers. While it doesn't permit the recreational use of marijuana, it's another significant step forward for Africa, where Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa have all loosened their laws relating to cannabis.

With North American cannabis companies struggling over the past year, this is a welcome sign for investors, as it means there will be more options to invest in other parts of the world. For companies, it also creates the opportunity to import pot from other regions where it's cheaper and easier to grow year-round. And the good news is that there's another country that may soon be about to legalize pot.

Lebanon looks to legalize medical marijuana

The Middle East is a potential hotbed for cannabis cultivation, and Lebanon has a history of it that goes back more than 100 years. With a population of 6 million, the country isn't as big as Malawi, but there's significant potential for marijuana production there.

Lawmakers drafted a bill that permits cannabis where the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels are below 1%. It's not enough for users to get high, but there can be many medical applications for it. In 2018, the U.S. legalized hemp, which is cannabis characterized by very low levels of THC -- 0.3% or less.

In Lebanon, the draft legislation is awaiting a final vote. No date is set as to when that might happen, and the country has been working on legalizing medical marijuana for multiple years in the hopes of boosting its economy. Yassine Jaber, one of the members of the Lebanon Parliament who helped draft the bill, believes that Lebanon has "a competitive advantage in the cannabis business" and that "our soil is among the best in the world for this, and the cost of production is low compared to other states."

As countries open up to cannabis, it creates opportunities for foreign companies to expand there.

Canopy Growth to expand into Israel

Earlier this month, Canada-based cannabis producer Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC) announced it was working on a deal with Univo Pharmaceuticals (TASE:UNVO) to market and sell medical marijuana products in Israel. Not only is this an opportunity to reach a new market, but under the agreement, Canopy Growth would be able to utilize Univo's facilities to help export its products into other European countries -- once it's legal to do so. Medical marijuana is legal in Israel, and the country's conducted a lot of research and development on cannabis over the years.

The move by Canopy Growth is just the latest example of how it and its rival Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB) have been expanding to other countries in the hopes of not just gaining first-mover advantages, but securing low-cost supplies of cannabis as well. Unfortunately, it's a long-term strategy that hasn't paid off just yet, with both companies still struggling to stay out of the red.

Should investors expect more foreign expansion?

The opportunity to get into foreign markets like Malawi, Israel, and perhaps Lebanon soon could be very attractive to companies like Aurora and Canopy Growth. But with cannabis investors focused on profitability more than ever before, it may not be feasible in the near term. Many cannabis producers are looking for ways to conserve cash rather than spend more of it, and that's likely the largest impediment to foreign expansion today.

However, for investors, it's an opportunity to look for new up-and-coming pot stocks from countries that legalize cannabis. With lower-cost production, they may prove to be better investments with more realistic expectations of profitability. Currently, North American pot stocks remain very risky, as is evidenced by the markets where the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF has fallen nearly 80% in the past 12 months while the S&P 500 has declined a much more modest 12%.
Across millennia, we dont know or understand how that happened, but microorganisms managed to colonize this environment and developed strategies to survive and thrive in this pretty barren environment, Jonas said. As a result they had to become super efficient at using the very rare resources they have. For us as a species, with the 10 billion of us on one little planet (by 2050), and global warming, looking at organisms that are more efficient and do more with less, is relevant.
A view of a sign for a Carphone Warehouse mobile phone retailer in London.

Hundreds of Carphone Warehouse stores will close across the UK, leading to the loss of around 2,900 jobs.

The retailer Dixons Carphone (DC.L) announced it will close all 531 of its standalone stores. The retailer said around 1,800 staff were expected to be kept on, with the company focusing on its shops-in-shops and online sales.

But it said it expected 2,900 redundancies when the stores close on 3 April. The stores make up 8% of Dixons Carphones total UK retail space.

The company promised to go well beyond its legal obligations in providing financial and other support for workers.

Read more: Norwegian says half workforce risk temporary layoffs over coronavirus

There's never an easy time for an announcement like this, but the turbulent times ahead only underline the importance of acting now, to ensure a business fit for the future, it said.

The company said it was an essential next step in turning around its loss-making mobile business. The mobile arm is set to make a 90m loss this year, according to the company.

Customers are changing the way they buy mobile devices and connectivity, replacing their handsets less often and buying them separately or as part of more flexible bundles, the company added in a statement on Tuesday.
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Market Research Future published a research report on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Market Research Report - Global Forecast To 2023. Report gives a clear picture of current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size. The report provides detail information and strategies of top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study about different markets segments and regions.

Market Research Futures (MRFR) report on the global acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period of 2017 to 2023 and culminate in a value above USD 1 Bn by the end of the assessment period. This type of cancer is comparatively rare and progresses at a rapid pace thus creating significant demand for effective treatment and diagnostic options.

Market Segmentation

The global acute myeloid leukemia treatment market is segmented on the basis of disease type, treatment, and region. By disease type, the market is segmented into promyelocytic, myeloblastic, myelomonocytic, monocytic, megakaryocytic and erythroleukemia.

By treatment, the market is segmented into chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The chemotherapy segment is further segmented into post remission and induction.

The regional segmentation of the AML treatment market divides the globe into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa.

Regional Analysis

Led by the US, North America accounts for the largest share of the global market. The presence of various market-leading players and increasing investments in R&D for drug development drives the market. The region has favorable reimbursement policies and high healthcare expenditure which bring it to the forefront of the global acute myeloid leukemia treatment market. Europe follows the North American market due to a large number of hospitals present in the region combined with high disposable incomes. North America and Europe follow similar growth patterns.

The Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the review period due to large unmet potential present in the region. Countries such as India and China are anticipated to drive demand for AML treatment. The rapid growth in the region's economy combined with a growing demand for advanced healthcare is expected to encourage considerable growth for the APAC.\

Global Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Market Information; by Disease Type (Myeloblastic, Promyeloctic, Myelomonocytic, Monocytic, Erythroleukemia, Megakaryocytic); by Treatment (Chemotherapy (Induction, Post Remission), Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation) - Forecast to 2023 @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/acute-myeloid-leukemia-treatment-market-3223

Key Players

The competitive analysis of the global AML market reveals key strategies used by various leading market players. Prominent players included in the report are Ambit Biosciences Corporation, Novartis AG, Sanofi, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer Inc.

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Muscle Stimulator Market

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About Market Research Future

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services

Contact:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA)  The UN system in Mauritania has denies the allegations that it closed its services to the public, saying we keep our doors open regarding the hygiene and preventive measures recommended by the Mauritanian government
A team of scientists at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), Australia, was able to test blood samples at four different time points in an otherwise healthy 47-year-old woman, who presented with COVID-19 and had mild-to-moderate symptoms requiring hospital admission.

A 47-year-old woman from Wuhan, Hubei province, China, presented to an emergency department in Melbourne, Australia. Her symptoms commenced 4 days earlier with lethargy, sore throat, dry cough, pleuritic chest pain, mild dyspnea and subjective fevers.

She traveled from Wuhan to Australia 11 days before presentation and had no contact with the Huanan seafood market or with known COVID-19 cases. She was otherwise healthy and was a non-smoker taking no medications.

Clinical examination revealed a temperature of 38.5 degrees Celsius, a pulse rate of 120 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 140/80 mm Hg, a respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute, and oxygen saturation 98% while breathing ambient air. Lung auscultation revealed bi-basal rhonchi.

We looked at the whole breadth of the immune response in this patient using the knowledge we have built over many years of looking at immune responses in patients hospitalised with influenza, said Doherty Institutes Dr. Oanh Nguyen, co-author of the study.

Three days after the patient was admitted, we saw large populations of several immune cells, which are often a tell-tale sign of recovery during seasonal influenza infection, so we predicted that the patient would recover in three days, which is what happened.

The researchers were able to do this research so rapidly thanks to SETREP-ID (Sentinel Travellers and Research Preparedness for Emerging Infectious Disease), a platform that enables a broad range of biological sampling to take place in returned travelers in the event of a new and unexpected infectious disease outbreak, which is exactly how COVID-19 started in Australia.

When COVID-19 emerged, we already had ethics and protocols in place so we could rapidly start looking at the virus and immune system in great detail, said Doherty Institutes Dr. Irani Thevarajan, first author of the study.

Already established at a number of Melbourne hospitals, we now plan to roll out SETREP-ID as a national study.

The team was able to dissect the immune response leading to successful recovery from COVID-19, which might be the secret to finding an effective vaccine.

We showed that even though COVID-19 is caused by a new virus, in an otherwise healthy person, a robust immune response across different cell types was associated with clinical recovery, similar to what we see in influenza, said Doherty Institutes Professor Katherine Kedzierska, senior author of the study.

This is an incredible step forward in understanding what drives recovery of COVID-19. People can use our methods to understand the immune responses in larger COVID-19 cohorts, and also understand whats lacking in those who have fatal outcomes.

Current estimates show more than 80% of COVID-19 cases are mild-to-moderate, and understanding the immune response in these mild cases is very important research, Dr. Thevarajan said.

We hope to now expand our work nationally and internationally to understand why some people die from COVID-19, and build further knowledge to assist in the rapid response of COVID-19 and future emerging viruses.

The study was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

_____

I. Thevarajan et al. Breadth of concomitant immune responses prior to patient recovery: a case report of non-severe COVID-19. Nat Med, published online March 16, 2020; doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-0819-2

This article is based on text provided the University of Melbourne.
The Nigerian government over the weekend issued a statement and banned Americans from obtaining visas to its country.

This release has been intercepted by a freelance journalist based in New York and it came from the Nigerian Embassy in New York.

The recent outbreak in the Coronavirus is subject to the bank as the United States infectious rate continue to increase

Below is the release from the Nigeria embassy
As Sephora, Ulta Beauty and other makeup stores temporarily shutter, they'll join a growing list of retailers roiled by the coronavirus outbreak, but they face unique challenges.

Closed stores will suspend many of the retailers' typical sales techniques: Tester stations, one-on-one beauty advice and complimentary makeovers. And the retailers will have to overcome potential changes in customers' habits, as people cut back on social gatherings and work from home.

Analysts and investors are unsure how long it may take for customers to return to the beauty counter  and if they'll keep up their shopping in the meantime.

Ulta Beauty said Tuesday that it is shutting all of its 1,254 retail stores until at least March 31 and also said that store pickup of online orders would not be available. Sephora, owned by Louis Vuitton parent company LVMH, is closing all U.S. and Canada stores until April 3.

Both said they'll continue online sales. Sephora said it's waiving standard shipping fees and extending its return policy to 60 days to be more online-friendly.

Benefit, also owned by LVMH, and Glossier are closing stores, too, and Glossier said it will delay the opening of a new store in Arizona.

UBS analyst Michael Goldsmith said beauty is "highly discretionary," but he said it doesn't suffer as much as some other categories in a recession. He said customers often prioritize buying makeup and skincare items, even as they watch their wallet and sometimes opt for less expensive brands.

But, he added, it's unclear how customers will shop as they stay at home. He said people may use less makeup as they stream movies instead of going out to a restaurant or concert and skip purchases, since they can't try products in stores.

"On the one hand, beauty can be a category where you can get an immediate positive emotional response from a purchase," he said. "On the other hand, in the case of prior recessions, they may not necessarily be the right comparisons for what we have now because there wasn't this social distancing."

The coronavirus outbreak has injected additional uncertainty into the cosmetics industry, which already faced a slowdown. Makeup had a compound annual growth rate of 7% to 9% from 2015 to 2017, according to a UBS note. That dropped to 4% in 2018 and it's been more volatile since, it said.

In a research note, UBS analysts said cosmetics sales are weaker because of fewer unique and trendy product launches, a shift toward skin care instead of makeup and a "Marie Kondo" effect as people limit their beauty items, among other factors.

In a recent research note, analysts from Nomura Instinet noted that Ulta already faced headwinds. It said company leaders "now fight two battles: weakness in makeup and the virus."

Ulta Beauty withdrew its guidance for fiscal 2020 Tuesday and said it would not issue an updated outlook because of uncertainty. Shares were down 5.3% to $152.80 Tuesday afternoon.

As stores are closed, retailers have encouraged shoppers to make purchases online, follow social media accounts for beauty tips and try special features, such as digital makeup try-on services.

In a letter on Glossier's website, the startup's founder and CEO Emily Weiss encouraged customers to connect with Glossier's beauty team on social media, even as they socially distance. A few years ago, she said, the company tried a FaceTime program that allowed customers to sign up for a 10-minute virtual consultation.

"Whether it's this or something like it, we're going to try to use this moment to spin up new, creative ways to foster community and connection and make magic happen," she said.

-- CNBC's Lucy Handley contributed to this story.
Dealers at Hana Bank watch monitors in a dealing room at its office in Seoul, Tuesday. The benchmark KOPSI closed at 1,672.44, down 2.47 percent from the previous trading day. The won-dollar exchange rate also surged to close at 1,243.5 won per U.S. dollar, up 17.5 won from a day earlier. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The government plans to expand dollar liquidity by supplying its foreign exchange reserves into the currency swap funding market in a bid to ease concerns over a dollar shortage here, according to the financial authorities Tuesday.



The move is one of the administration's comprehensive market stabilization measures scheduled to be unveiled at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday.



"The Bank of Korea (BOK) and the finance ministry have been in talks to introduce a set of measures, as analysts have noted that local businesses and financial firms are having difficulty in securing dollars (on the swap market)," an official from the financial authorities said on condition of anonymity.




Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked BJP MPs on Tuesday to spread awareness about the coronavirus and made it clear that the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament will not be curtailed as lawmakers should be seen to be doing their work at a time when the country is staring at a health scare.

In his address at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi made a strong pitch for Parliament to carry out its business as per its schedule and took a swipe at those making calls, including writing letters, for the session to be aborted due to coronavirus, sources said.

What will happen if medical professionals and railway and airline employees also speak about not working due to the health scare, he wondered, asserting that parliamentarians must carry out their duties at a time when over 130 crore people of India are going about their business while taking precautions.

Though he did not name anyone, BJP MP and former Union minister Vijay Goel had written to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, urging them to consider adjourning their respective House sine die because of coronavirus as Parliament sees presence of a large number of people during sessions.

That Goel's letter found its way in the media also did not go down well with the prime minister, the sources said.

The Budget Session is scheduled to continue till April 3.

There has been speculation that the session may be curtailed in view of the health advisory against big gatherings.

When over 130 crore people of the country are facing a health concern, MPs should be seen to be doing their work, including to deal with coronavirus, and Parliament should function, Modi said, according to the sources.

Briefing reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Modi heaped praise on doctors and other medical staff besides airline crews and all those involved in tackling the coronavirus crisis, saying they have worked positively and tirelessly. Joshi ruled out any curtailment of the session.

Modi also lauded the media for spreading awareness on the virus, and said no amount of praise for its work will be enough.

As the parliamentary party meeting ended, many BJP MPs were seen passing on the prime minister's appreciation to reporters in the parliament complex.

Modi asked BJP MPs to spread awareness among the people in small groups and suggested that they should refrain from launching any mass agitation till April 15.

He told them to meet medical professionals in their constituency and praise them for the work.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan briefed the MPs about the measures taken by the government to deal with coronavirus. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke about the Yes Bank crisis and how the government is dealing with the matter, keeping in mind the interests of depositors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Media experts say better news literacy was needed before the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. But the rapid spread of misinformation along with the disease itself, they say, has created a different kind of pandemic. KCUR is tracking the latest coronavirus developments in the Kansas City region on our live blog.
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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.
BAD AXE  At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Huron County Board of Commissioners announced that the county buildings will be closed to prevent possible spread of COVID-19.

All county-owned buildings, including the Huron County Building, Courthouse, and Michigan State University Extension, were closed Tuesday at 5 p.m. and will remain closed to public use until 8:30 a.m. on March 24.

County employees are still expected to show up to work and continue working as usual, though individuals who require county services or have a previously scheduled appointment should call ahead to the respective office before going to any of the county buildings.

The decision follows Gov. Gretchen Whitmers declaration of a state of emergency in Michigan regarding COVID-19.

The commissioners have a scheduled meeting March 24, which will go on as planned, as they are not allowed to have a meeting without the doors of the building being open. They may announce another round of county building closures at that meeting.

If the situation around COVID-19 worsens in Huron County, chairman Sami Khoury said he will make the call on whether to postpone the meeting and close the buildings for longer.

Various department heads who were in attendance said they were already taking preventative measures to stop any potential spread of the coronavirus.

The probate courts plan on restricting visitors and adjourning cases until April 6, while the circuit court has been handling sentences through its polycom phone system and been working with attorneys to keep cases moving.

Ann Hepfer, the Huron County health officer, said that at the moment, the health department was not allowing visitors, scheduling appointments one hour apart, screening people at the front door for any symptoms of the coronavirus, maintaining a 6-foot distance between people, and having immunizations available on a call-in basis.

Hepfer said the department had been getting out as much information from the Centers for Disease Control about the virus as it could to all local organizations before the state of Michigan had testing capabilities. She also said the states capabilities are not wide open yet, as they are running about 125 a day, and we should not be surprised if the number of cases goes up with the number of tests performed.

Its like planning for a flood, Hepfer said. We got our sandbags and are placing them along the riverbank and by peoples homes. Its about how to mitigate the risk. Now its raining, and before long, we will have more than a trickle.

Hepfer said the goal of taking such measures is to flatten the curve of cases and to not overwhelm area hospitals.

The number of face masks are already in short supply, and Emergency Services Director Randy Miller said the county would receive a shipment of supplies, including masks, this week. Those will go to hospitals first before law enforcement can get some.

There are no known positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, though Hepfer said there are people who have travelled outside of the county in quarantine, mainly those who have been to states with pockets of known cases.

RELATED:

 Local businesses adjusting to 'new normal'

 Huron County courts close a precautionary measure against coronavirus

 Health department reports no known local cases of coronavirus

 City of Bad Axe closed to public use

Miller said that central dispatch will limit the number of people who come into its building as they have a limited staff and cannot easily train someone to use the equipment used there.

Miller also encouraged people still working at an office to wipe down their workspace before they leave at the end of the day, as janitors might miss a spot.

Miller finished by saying that people should not be surprised if this shutdown is extended through April, and urged them not to panic about it.

The register of deeds and county treasurers offices will partner with the veterans office to utilize a dropbox for deeds and payments. It will be placed outside of the south entrance of the county building.

People should not place cash in the dropbox for payments to the treasurers office. Title companies and attorneys are encouraged to use this drop box for the Register of Deeds office.

The following phone numbers are available for people to call the various county departments.

 Adult Probation: 269-9975

 Board of Commissioners: 269-8242

 Building & Zoning Office: 269 -9269 x 412

 Circuit Court: 269-7122 x 331

 Computer Information Systems: 269-6459 x 492

 County Clerk: 269-6642 x 306

 County Treasurer: 269-9238 x 321

 Director of Assigned Counsel: 623-2904

 District Court: 269-9987 x 377

 District Court Magistrate: 269-7201 x 401

 Economic Development Corporation: 269-6431

 Equalization Department: 269-6497 x 474

 Family Court Clerk: 269-9942 x 302

 Friend of the Court: 269-9545 x 386

 GIS/Tax Mapping: 269-9421 x 471

 Juvenile Department: 269-9267 x 386

 MSU Extension: 269-9949

 Probate Court: 269-9944 x 342

 Prosecuting Attorney: 269-9255 x 485

 Public Guardian: 269-7971 x 392

 Register of Deeds: 269-9941 x 311

 Sheriffs Office: 269-6500 x 219

 Veterans Counselor: 269-8911 x 422

Additional information regarding access to the county buildings will be released as it becomes available.
Two more people have been reported to have tested positive for coronavirus in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Anurag Bhargav, Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Budh Nagar informed on Tuesday that of the two people who have been tested positive for the virus, one comes from Sector 78 and another in Sector 100, news agency ANI reported.

Gautam Budh Nagar CMO Anurag Bhargav: Two persons test positive for Coronavirus; one in Sector 78 and another in Sector 100 with travel history to France. Both are admitted in designated isolation hospital pic.twitter.com/gGNSMajTwq  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 17, 2020

Both people reported to have travelled to France recently and are currently admitted at a designated isolation hospital.

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday updated the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the country to 125.

Also Watch | Coronavirus | EU-India travel ban to Siddhivinayak shutdown: Top 10 updates

Maharashtra and Kerala account for the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country, the ministry said.

India has so far reported two coronavirus deathsone in Delhi and another in Karnataka and said 13 patients have successfully recovered as the disease spread to 15 states and Union territories.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka reported two fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the total of number of coronavirus cases in the state to 10.

Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu confirmed the same in a tweet posted on Tuesday morning.

We have got 2 more #COVID2019 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10. 20 yr old female who travelled from UK is tested positive & another contact of P6 (kalburgi deceased patient) is tested positive. Both are admitted in designated isolation hospital, Sriramulu tweeted out. The central government is yet to confirm.
Chandigarh, March 17 : A 29-year-old woman in Haryana's Gurugram who has travel history to Malaysia and Indonesia tested positive for coronavirus, a top health official said on Tuesday.

The woman works for a Gurugram-based company.

"This is the first positive case of the coronavirus in Haryana," state Director General of Health Suraj Bhan Kamboj told the media.

The woman has been admitted to a hospital in Gurugram and her condition is stable, he said.

Her throat swabs sent to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology confirmed her positive for coronavirus.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Senior clinicians working on the WA Health response to COVID-19 have called for every mechanism to flatten the curve to be initiated in the state.

A document by the Combined Medical Leads Advisory Group, which comprises representatives from the biggest hospitals in WA, says now is the time to act.

The Combined Medical Leads Advisory Group has called for every mechanism possible to be used to 'flatten the curve' of coronavirus cases. Credit:Nic Walker

The cohort includes Clinical Professor Michaela Lucas, who is the incoming President of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy and immunologist at PathWest.

This is a time-critical recommendation, the document prepared by Dr Stephen Watts on behalf of the advisory group reads.
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Linkedin Padraic Halpin (Reuters) Dublin, Ireland  Tue, March 17, 2020 09:08 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b190ec 2 World Ireland,Prime-Minister,Leo-Varadkar,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Ireland expects its number of coronavirus cases to increase to around 15,000 by the end of the month from 169 currently, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday, as the government advised against all non-essential travel overseas until then.

Ireland has so far closed all schools, universities, bars and childcare facilities until March 29 and limited mass gatherings in a bid to curb the spread of the virus that has so far led to two deaths.

Publishing a plan covering everything from energy security to policing aimed at reducing the economic and social disruption as best the government can, Varadkar warned of a rapid rise ahead and pleaded with the public to help slow the surge.

"We would expect that by the end of the month there would be maybe 15,000 people who would have tested positive for COVID-19. Most of those will not need treatment but a proportion will need to be hospitalized and we need to make sure that it doesn't happen at the same time," Varadkar told a news conference.

"It's not about locking down the country tomorrow and stopping the virus spreading. That's not possible. ... Nobody can predict it, but I definitely think we're going to be dealing with this for many months, not weeks."

Ireland upgraded its travel advice, urging those not involved in essential services like haulage to stay at home. Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said that included travel to neighboring Britain, but not the British region of Northern Ireland, which shares an open border with the Irish Republic.

Varadkar added that 100,000 or more workers could find themselves unemployed because of the economic fallout over the next couple of weeks and that he was confident banks would be able to offer forbearance to mortgage holders who lose their jobs.

Ireland's economy was the fastest growing in the European Union before the outbreak, bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.8% and its workforce up to a record 2.36 million people.

Some 20,000 alone presented at unemployment offices on Friday to apply for jobless benefits, the government said.

'Your country needs you'

After struggling to implement "social distancing" measures, many pubs announced voluntary closures before the shutdown, and restaurants around the country continued to follow suit on Monday as the industry's main lobby group called for the government to shut the entire industry down.

Industry body Retail Excellence Ireland also reported on Monday that many of its members had temporarily shut their doors, calling it the "hardest and most challenging day in Irish retail history."

Varadkar said his public health team's advice, however, was that restaurants should not close and that they had an important function.

Ireland's chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, said the next seven days were vital in the battle to slow the spread, urging citizens to reduce social contacts to only a handful of people and keep 2 meters away from anyone else in shops and supermarkets.

As the government prepared to source additional beds for recovering patients in facilities such as hotels, Health Minister Simon Harris said a massive recruitment drive would begin on Tuesday aimed at retired doctors, part-time healthcare workers and university students with sufficient skills to help

"We will hire everybody that we can to work in the Irish health service for this pandemic. We need you, we want you, your country needs you," Harris said.
Myanmar: Dont return home for Songkran

THAILAND: Myanmar has asked the Thai government to pass on the message that its people working here should not to return home for Songkran next month.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthSafetyMyanmar

By Bangkok Post

Tuesday 17 March 2020, 02:42PM

Migrant workers wait for their registration in Pathum Thani province. Photo: Bangkok Post file

Suchart Pornchaiwisetkul, director-general of the Employment Department, said today (Mar 17) the Myanmar government also asked Thai authorities to inform migrant workers that the Songkran celebrations had been suspended this year. The Myanmar advisory warned that workers who returned home during Songkran would have to follow disease control instructions when they return to work in Thailand afterwards. This would include quarantine. The Employment Department talked with Myanmar representatives led by counsellor Maw Bala and labour attaches Myo Myint Naing and Ye Yan Aung. Both sides agreed to announce the cancellation of returning to the homeland and activities during the period, Mr Suchart said. He also said Thailand would not waive re-entry fees for migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar who return to their homes for the Songkran festival this year.
OSWEGO, N.Y. -- Oswego County health officials say they are checking in on four residents who recently returned home from traveling abroad and are under quarantine.

Two of the residents two traveled together are from the same household, but only one is showing symptoms of coronavirus. Both are being tested, said Jodi Martin, supervising public health nurse with the Oswego County Health Department.

The results of those tests are still pending and expected by the end of the week, Martin said.

The other two residents are not related and did not travel together. One is showing symptoms of coronavirus and being tested; the other is asymptomatic and being monitored, Martin said.

The two residents who are asymptomatic are in a precautionary quarantine, so county health officials check in with them once a day electronically.

The two residents with coronavirus-like symptoms -- including a cough, fever and shortness of breath -- are under mandatory quarantine.

We dont know what theyre sick with, said Diane Oldenburg, senior public health educator with the Oswego County Health Department.

Nurses with the county health department go to their homes unannounced at varying times once a day to make sure they are at home; they also check in with them once a daily either by phone, text message, email or FaceTime, Oldenburg said.

We are making every effort to make sure they have everything they need, she said.

As of Monday evening, Oswego County had no confirmed cases of coronavirus, she said.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Oswego County has tested less than 10 people for the disease. Everyone so far has tested negative, Martin said.

These are really anxious times for people, whether theyve traveled or not, Oldenburg said.

Oswego County health officials ask any residents who returned home after traveling or who present coronavirus-like symptoms to call them -- and not go to an emergency room or urgent care.

Call ahead unless you cant breathe so the proper health care teams can be ready and have proper personal protective equipment, Oldenburg said. Stay at home if youre sick.

Other ways to prevent the spread of many respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, are to:

- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.

- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

- Get a flu shot.

- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.

- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

- Call your health care provider if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath.

- Do not go to urgent care or an emergency department unless you are experiencing life-threatening conditions.

The Oswego County Health Department has additional information available online. Anyone with questions can also call the NYS COVID-19 hotline at (888) 364-3065 or the Oswego County Health Department COVID-19 hotline at (315) 349-3330.

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Fully implement their commitments to ensure the right of all individuals to profess and practice religion or belief, either alone or in community with others, and in public or private, and to manifest their religion or belief through teaching, practice, worship and observance, including through transparent and non-discriminatory laws, regulations, practices and policies;

Delivered by Ambassador Neil Bush at the OSCE Permanent Council on 12 March 2020.Delivered on: 12 March 2020 (Speaker's notes, may differ from delivered version)Published 12 March 2020From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Neil BushThe United Kingdom remains concerned about the situation of Jehovahs Witnesses in the Russian Federation. The ruling of the Russian Supreme Court in July 2017, which rejected the appeal against the decision to categorise Jehovahs Witnesses as extremists, criminalised the peaceful worship of 175,000 Russian citizens and contravened the right to religious freedom that is enshrined in the Russian Constitution, and in multiple OSCE commitments.Since that ruling, we have witnessed an increasing number of detentions, criminal investigations and prosecutions of Jehovahs Witnesses across Russia.We echo the deep concern over the allegations of torture and mistreatment of Jehovahs Witnesses. On 6 February this year in Orenburg, five Jehovahs Witnesses were transferred to Penal Colony #1 and, on arrival, were all beaten by guards. One of them, Feliks Makhmmadiev, was hospitalised as a result. On 10 February, there were reports that another Jehovahs Witness, Vadim Kutsenko, was tortured in a forest near Chita.Participating States have affirmed their commitment to eradicating torture and we reiterate our condemnation of all forms of torture as one of the most flagrant violations of human rights and human dignity. We urge the Russian authorities to ensure thorough investigations into these allegations.As well as these worrying individual cases, 869 homes have been searched, 316 individuals have been charged under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in extremism), 26 individuals are in pre-trial detention, a further 23 under house arrest, and 29 persons have been convicted.Respected NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Forum 18 have documented the restrictions on Jehovahs Witnesses. House raids are often conducted in the early hours of the morning by large numbers of masked and armed police. Local police are accompanied by Rosgvardia (National Guard) personnel, special rapid reaction police and Federal Security Service (FSB) officers. Officers have confiscated bibles and other religious materials, as well as computers, phones and other personal items.So-called evidence used against those convicted includes regular aspects of communal religious life, for example reading the Bible at a Bible study session, participating in worship, or hosting people in a home for Bible readings or worship.Sentences have included imprisonment, suspended sentences, or fines of about a years average local wages.In 2017 and on a number of subsequent occasions, the Delegation of the Russian Federation have attempted to justify the ban on Jehovahs Witnesses while also assuring the OSCE Permanent Council that individual Jehovahs Witnesses were able to practice their religion at home, stressing repeatedly that no permission is required to pray in Russia. In December 2018, President Putin queried why Jehovahs Witnesses were being persecuted, noting that all religions should be treated equally.It is clear from the figures above that any manifestation of their faith by Jehovahs Witnesses can result in the search of their homes, lengthy detention, criminal prosecution and imprisonment. The scale of the home raids, including a number of raids within a city on a single day, creates the impression of an organised campaign of persecution against Jehovahs Witnesses.In Vienna in 1989, OSCE participating States agreed to ensure the freedom of the individual to profess and practice religion or belief. In Kyiv in 2013, states again agreed to:We call on the Russian authorities to end the persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses, and to uphold the commitments on the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief for all individuals across the Russian Federation.Published 12 March 2020
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (standing) at the campaign to call for public support for COVID-19 fight (Photo: VNA)

At a campaign launched in Hanoi to call for public support to the effort, broadcast live on TV to all the 63 cities and provinces with the participation of about 2,300 delegates, the PM said Vietnam has entered the second phase of the fight since the 17th patient was reported on March 6.

The pandemic has spread to 158 countries at an astonishing speed with close to 170,000 infection cases and over 6,500 fatalities, he highlighted, adding that Vietnam has so far reported 61 cases with 16 fully recovered and no deaths.

The communication work has been implemented effectively, helping raise public vigilance over the disease, the leader said, stressing that the initial success demonstrates the common will of the whole Party, army and people in the fight with a spirit like fighting the enemy.

The PM affirmed that Vietnam has sufficient capacity, resources, will and experience to deal with the disease. The Party and State always place the top importance and priority on the public health.

He thanked people and soldiers nationwide for trusting and responding to the nations policies, and praised individuals and businesses for making significant contributions in the field.

The banking sector donated 140 billion VND (6 million USD) to the fight. Besides, Vietnams largest dairy producer Vinamilk has donated 10 billion VND.

The leader firmly believed that Vietnam will do well in the fight by applying all measures and initiatives to protect the public health and soon bring peoples life back to normal, as well as strive to realise the national socio-economic development targets.
The mother-child duo are being treated at separate hospitals with the mother being moved to a special infection hospital.

A newborn baby, in London, has become the youngest person to contract the novel coronavirus.

The child's mother was rushed to a hospital days before she gave birth as she was suspected to have pneumonia, which is one of the symptoms of the virus. She has also been tested positive for the virus but the results came in after she had given birth. Authorities are not sure whether the child was infected in the womb or after it was born.

The duo are being treated at separate hospitals with the mother being moved to a special hospital and the child is still at the first hospital.

A source told The Sun that the medical professionals who came in contact with the pair have been advised to self-isolate themselves in case that they have been infected as well.

In a statement, the 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. 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.

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has advised that healthy babies should not be separated from infected mums and they can be breastfed since there is no evidence that the virus can be transferred via breast milk.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 17:00 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b4c8e7 1 Science & Tech COVID-19,LINE,coronavirus Free

Japanese messaging app LINE introduced a new official account on Tuesday to provide up-to-date and educational information related to COVID -19 for Indonesian users.

The LINE Siaga official account provides updates from the Health Ministry on the development of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, such as hotline and emergency numbers; a list of hospitals that can accommodate COVID-19 patients; precautionary steps and real-time statistics on cases in the country. Additionally, it also provides disaster-related information, such as updates on earthquakes from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Read also: Think you have COVID-19? Here's how to get tested in Indonesia

According to a statement received by The Jakarta Post, the updates on COVID-19 are also accessible on the app's Timeline Banner in real time. When they are clicked, users will then be taken to the LINE Siaga timeline for more detailed information. This banner will also feature daily information related to the number of confirmed and suspected cases, as well as the number of recoveries and deaths.

Users can add the LINE Siaga account through this link. (gis/kes)
Iraqi president Barham Saleh named Adnan Zurfi, the former governor of the Shiite holy city of Najaf, as the new prime minister Tuesday, the second attempt to find a head of government in recent months.

Zurfi, a 54-year-old lawmaker, has 30 days to form his cabinet which he must then put to a vote of confidence in Iraq's notoriously divided parliament.

He would replace outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, who resigned in December following popular mass rallies against a government that protesters see as corrupt, inept and beholden to powerful neighbour Iran.

An earlier nominee failed to form a cabinet by March 2, triggering a new 15-day deadline for Saleh.

Zurfi is a current member of the Nasr coalition led by ex-PM Haider al-Abadi and a former member of the Dawa party, a longtime opposition party to ex-dictator Saddam Hussein.

Since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam, cabinets have been formed through a sectarian power-sharing system, leading to widespread horsetrading among various sects and parties.

A senior government source told AFP that political factions had intensely debated names for days, seeking a "non-confrontational" figure to preserve the status quo.

The announcement came just hours after Iraq faced a new rocket attack targeting foreign troops stationed at military bases across the country.

Two rockets hit the Besmaya base about 60 kilometres (40 miles) south of Baghdad before dawn on Tuesday, according to the Iraqi military, the US-led coalition and NATO, which all have forces stationed there.

The Iraqi military made no mention of casualties and a NATO press officer told AFP that none of its forces were hurt in the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The release of Rana Daggubatis multi-lingual film Haathi Mere Saathi (Aranya in Telugu), which was slated to hit the screens on April 2, has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Directed by Prabhu Solomon, Aranya is the story of a man who has lived in a jungle for 25 years. The film focuses on ecological issues and the deforestation crisis.

Eros International, the filmmakers, said in a statement, We have always kept our audiences interest at forefront as a core value. Healthy and happy audiences have always kept us motivated to produce and distribute unique stories that have never been told before. In light of recent developments of COVID-19 Coronavirus, our recent announcement regarding the scheduled release of Haathi Mere Saathi stands changed.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With New York City public schools closing until at least April 20, school locations in all five boroughs are open this week for grab-and-go meals while the city works to identify locations to provide meals moving forward.

New York City students can visit school locations from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each weekday at the main entrance of any school building. Breakfast and lunch meals will be offered at all schools -- and you dont have to go to your childs current school to receive a meal. The city said students can go to their nearest public school location.

Any student can pick up breakfast and lunch at any school building until further notice, according to the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

During a press conference Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city is working to make sure food is readily available for kids at various locations around the city in the days and weeks going forward.

Carranza said Monday on 1010 WINS that New York City will transition to feeding centers that will be geographically distributed all over the city.

The DOE announced Tuesday that beginning March 23 grab-and-go breakfast and lunch will be provided from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 100 to 150 hub sites located across the five boroughs, according to the DOE. These locations will be identified by March 20.

The meal service will be available to all children under 18 years old.

In addition to meals, students and families can pick up medication or receive any standard medical services from Tuesday through Thursday during regular school hours, according to the DOE. School nurses and school-based health center staff will be on site.

MOVING TO REMOTE LEARNING

De Blasio announced students will transition to remote learning on March 23. The DOE will be distributing guidance about what remote learning will look like to teachers and principals this week. Friday will be another day of virtual training for those who need it.

As the mayor has announced, on Monday the 23rd we will launch into remote learning across the city, said Carranza. We feel confident that students will be able to continue to engage academically. It belies any logic to say it will be the same thing as a student in a classroom with a teacher. But I have tremendous, tremendous faith in the teachers of New York City and the administrators of New York City, and I know that if theres any school system that can launch into remote learning on a moments notice like were about to do, it is the New York City Department of Education.

Students will pick up materials, including technology, to participate in remote learning when needed, according to the DOE.

Ursulina Ramirez, chief operating officer for the DOE, said during Sundays press conference that the DOE will purchase 300,000 iPads from Apple at a reasonable price to distribute to students. The DOE said the first batch of 25,000 iPads will be delivered next week.

The agency will also work with T-Mobile, Verizon, and Spectrum to provide internet access.

Carranza asked parents to sign up for the NYC Schools account, which will be critically important as the DOE pushes information out and resources for remote learning needs.

Its going to be critically important that all parents have a New York City Schools account, said Carranza on 1010 WINS. Go onto our website, there is a really clear, obvious link where you can sign up. It will take a matter of seconds.

You can go to www.myschools.nyc for more information.

***

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CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (CDC) has made an urgent announcement that it is looking for people who attended a religious event in Malaysia after hundreds of participants in the event have contracted the novel coronavirus.

The event was organized at a mosque in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur between February 27 and March 1.

According to Malaysian authorities, about 14,500 Malaysians and 1,500 foreigners attended the religious gathering.

A total of 243 people linked to the event have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Channel News Asia reported.

Of the 1,500 foreign attendants, a 42-year-old Vietnamese man hailing from the south-central province of Ninh Thuan was confirmed on Monday to have caught the virus.

He left Vietnam for Malaysia on February 27 and landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on board flight VJ826, operated by Vietjet Air, on March 4.

The man came back to his hometown in Ninh Thuan and developed a sore throat and fever on March 10.

He was admitted to Ninh Thuan General Hospital on Sunday. His test results came out positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday.

He is being quarantined and treated at the Ninh Thuan hospital.

The Ho Chi Minh City CDC thus advises all participants in the aforementioned religious event to self-quarantine at home and immediately contact the Ministry of Health via hotline numbers 1900.9059 and 1900.3228 for instructions on taking preventive measures.

Participants living in Ho Chi City are recommended to call the hotlines of the municipal CDC or the districts medical centers as follows:

Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control 0869.577.133 Medical Center in District 1 0902.318.877 Medical Center in District 2 0909.887.119 Medical Center in District 3 0986.199.575 Medical Center in District 4 0931.427.504 Medical Center in District 5 0913.917.779 Medical Center in District 6 0378.676.975 Medical Center in District 7 0913.679.909 Medical Center in District 8 0903.186.883 Medical Center in District 9 0842.322.345 Medical Center in District 10 0986.875.637 Medical Center in District 11 0903.031.921 Medical Center in District 12 0906.656.542 Medical Center in Binh Tan District 0982.630.450 Medical Center in Binh Thanh District 0902.418.869 Medical Center in Binh Tan District 0866.623.723 Medical Center in Phu Nhuan District 0902.963.115 Medical Center in Tan Binh District 0912.178.991 Medical Center in Tan Phu District 0909.138.400 Medical Center in Thu Duc District 0908.204.263 Medical Center in Binh Chanh District 0981.689.486 Medical Center in Can Gio District 0913.117.677 Medical Center in Cu Chi District 0984.226.168 Medical Center in Hoc Mon District 0902.881.396 Medical Center in Nha Be District 0903.632.153

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 182,700 people and killed more than 7,100 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 61 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

Forty-five cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Chattanooga firefighters had an early morning house fire under control in a matter of minutes after finding a mobile home engulfed in flames.

Crews were called to a vacant double wide trailer in the 8100 block of Old Cleveland Pike at 3 a.m. Tuesday. Neighbors had reported the blaze to 911.

Firefighters started to attack the fire from all sides of the house. It was called under control in 10 minutes, according to the battalion chief in command on the scene.

When it was safely possible, crews used thermal imaging cameras to look into the house from the exterior and found that there was no furniture or belongings inside.

Neighbors confirmed that there was no one living in the house and that it was being repaired.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no injuries.

EPB, CPD, Hamilton County EMS, and Tri-Community Fire Department provided assistance to CFD.

Quint 7, Squad 7, Quint 6, Quint 8 and Battalion 2 Chief David Thompson Jr. responded to the call.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 07:35 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0d3fb 1 City COVID-19,Jakarta-administration,Jakarta-malls,economy,novel-coronavirus Free

Following announcements by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan regarding the need for a city-wide lockdown of the capital to curb the spread of COVID-19, retailers fear the move would cripple Jakartas economy.

Indonesian Shopping Center Tenant Association (Hippindo) chairman Budihardjo Iduansjah said the association hoped the capital city wouldnt be locked down.

We hope the province will not be locked down, because the coronavirus disease can be prevented in other ways, depending on the system implemented by the government, Budihardjo said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

He added that mall tenants were looking to adjust their operating hours in response to the COVID-19 outbreak as mall visitor numbers had slumped by up to 50 percent following the announcement of positive cases in the country earlier this month. The situation had worsened, he said, after an announcement by the central administration and the city administration over the weekend urging people to stay at home.

Anies said on Sunday that his administration was considering imposing a lockdown to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus. He said in his televised speech that he believed Jakarta needed to restrict activities and close ways for people to enter or leave Jakarta.

Read also: Lockdown not yet an option for Indonesia, says President



To overcome the situation, the association mulled opening stores from 11 a.m. and maximizing operations at night, Budihardjo said.

We held a meeting on Friday but havent decided on much, as we are still waiting for the governments policy. But the mall tenants wanted to open in the evening [due to the decreasing visitor numbers], so we agreed on doing that, he said, adding that it could be a temporary measure to minimize losses.

While mall stores were planning to open later than usual, supermarkets were advised to open earlier to facilitate people shopping for essentials.

He said the governors decision to close tourist destinations also affected the number of mall visitors, adding that the declining number of visitors only affected Jakarta so far.

We still havent estimated the loss, because, for tenants, it is calculated from the cost per meter compared to the minimum sales target. It really depends on the size of their store.

As of Monday, Indonesia has reported 117 confirmed cases of the respiratory illness, with five deaths. (mfp)
The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed that interns attached with the judges will not be allowed to access the court till further orders in view of coronavirus pandemic.

A circular issued by the registrar general of the high court also asked the security agencies not to honour the intern passes till further orders and directed the authorities not to issue such passes for the time being.

"In view of the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Chief Justice and judges of this court have been pleased to direct that interns attached with judges shall not be allowed to access to this court till further orders. Security agencies are hereby directed not to honour the intern passes till further orders. Registrar (general/admin) is also directed not to issue any new intern passes," it said.

The high court had decided on Monday to limit its functioning due to the coronavirus pandemic and hold hearing of only few benches till March 20.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the high court's eight-judge administrative and general supervision committee headed by Chief Justice D N Patel and the president and honorary secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) "to contain the spread of pandemic coronavirus".

On March 17 and 19, four division benches, four single judge benches for civil jurisdiction and three single judge benches each for criminal and original jurisdiction would hear "only urgent matters".

On March 18 and 20, three division benches, three single judge benches for civil jurisdiction and three single judge benches each for criminal and original jurisdiction would hear "only urgent matters".

In the normal course, a total of 26 benches sit for hearing all the matters.

With the coronavirus cases reaching 137 nationwide, several states have taken steps to restrict or close certain public places so as to check its spread.

All the courts in the national capital have also curtailed the functioning and restricting the entry of people on their premises.

The high court had said all the pending matters, listed from March 17 to 20, before the court as well as the registrars or joint registrars would be adjourned to April 14, 15, 16 and 17 respectively.

The urgent matters to be listed on the following day shall be determined by the designated joint registrars (JR) and it can be mentioned before the JR (judicial) from 10.30 am to 12 pm everyday till March 20.

It was also decided in the meeting that the trial courts will only take up bail matters and cases which require urgent stay or injunction till March 31 and rest of the cases would be adjourned.

The high court, in its advisory, said no undertrial would be produced before the subordinate courts till March 31 and if production is indispensable, the facility of video conferencing be utilised.

The Delhi Judicial Academy would suspend all its institutional training programmes till March 31, it said, adding that the committee will review the situation on March 20.

On March 13, the high court had decided that all possible preventive and remedial measures be taken to combat the impending threat of coronavirus, including making sanitisers available in the courts for visitors and staff, "particularly those manning windows where there is constant public dealing".

The Supreme Court had also taken a similar decision a few hours before the high court.

The high court had issued a separate advisory for regulating entry of litigants in all the district courts in the national capital.

"Thermal scanners (non-touch) may be procured at the earliest, handlers be trained and they be put to use at the existing check points," the advisory said.

"Till the present situation persists, no adverse/default orders be passed in matters where parties are found to be absent," it had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Australian government is switching to a wartime style of manufacturing as highly sought-after supplies run low amid the outbreak of coronavirus.

The government is now asking companies to focus on making products to help fight the pandemic including face masks, goggles and hand sanitiser.

Ministers have described the move as a 'wartime-style shift in manufacturing', Nine News reported, due to companies being asked to contribute to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Funding may be available to help companies produce these supplies that have been stripped bare in supermarkets by panic buyers.

The Australian government is switching to a wartime style of manufacturing with the focus on producing supplies to help with the coronavirus pandemic

Panic buyers have stripped supermarkets and chemists bare of face masks in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak

The Federal Government is also reportedly negotiating with a manufacturer in Victoria which could see face masks being made in bulk.

Financial support may also be given to employ more staff and assist with buying machinery.

3M which manufactures hazmat suits have also been asked to build up their supply of face masks as the disease continues to spread at a rapid pace.

The move follows after French designer, Louis Vutton, announced the brand would be using its perfume production lines to make hand sanitiser to help with the global pandemic.

The hand sanitiser will be offered for free to health authorities.

Many chemists around Australia have reported running out of hand sanitiser amid the outbreak of virus

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 government was forced to ramp up the demand for supplies after panic buyers emptied out supermarkets and chemists of various hygiene products.

Some chemists announced they had ran out of hand sanitiser, while toilet paper and tissues are almost impossible to come by.

The government recently announced a ban on all mass gatherings of more than 500 people.

The government will meet on Tuesday to discuss the potential of setting another ban which will see no gatherings of more than 100 people indoors.

There have been 407 confirmed cases of coronavirus and five deaths in Australia.
Married At First Sight has avoided the coronavirus pandemic by filming its episodes months in advance.

But an overseas press trip involving cast member Cathy Evans has been affected by the health crisis, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Cathy, 26, is currently in her native New Zealand promoting the reality show, which airs on Three across the ditch.

Coronavirus strikes Married At First Sight: Cast member Cathy Evans (pictured) will self-isolate for 14 days when she returns to Australia from a press trip in New Zealand

The logistics investigator will have to self-isolate for 14 days when she returns to Australia in accordance with the government's new rules on international arrivals.

She told Hit FM's Sam & Rach For Breakfast that she will binge-watch her favourite Netflix shows while in quarantine.

'I've been [in New Zealand] for the last week, catching up with friends and family. It just started to become a bigger deal while I'm here,' Cathy said.

Press trip: Cathy is currently in her native New Zealand promoting Married At First Sight, which airs on Three across the ditch. She will have to self-isolate for 14 days when she returns to Australia in accordance with the government's new rules on international arrivals

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government's new rules for self-isolation on Sunday in a bid to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 450 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, including five deaths.

Penalties for not self-isolating will be determined separately by each state and territory.

Statistics: As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 450 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including five deaths

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed the state's Public Health Act has provisions that will allow the government to enforce the self-isolation requirements.

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said that people who don't comply with the self-isolation rules face fines of $13,000.

In other countries, there are penalties of up to $50,000 for breaking self-quarantine.
Rebel Congress MLAs from political crisis hit Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday claimed 20 more MLAs from that party want to join them and they were thinking of joining Bharatiya Janata Party in the days to come.

IMAGE: Rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh address a press conference at a resort, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Speaking to reporters for the first time after arriving in Bengaluru and sending in their resignations, the 22 MLAs said they were ready to face any consequences.

"Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader; we have been doing politics with him for years, most of us are in politics because of him...We are still thinking regarding joining BJP. If we get protection from central police, we will go to Madhya Pradesh and think about it," a woman MLA said.

The legislators claimed 20 more MLAs are with them, but have been kept in captivity. If they too were with the rebels, Congress would have clearly broken and no law could have been enforced on the group.

The rebel MLAs said they are ready for any consequences and were confident that people of their constituencies are with them.

In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent youth leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion last week 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse.

Scindia joined the BJP on March 11.

"We were quiet when our leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was not made Chief Minister. Kamal Nath, who became CM, did not give any funds to our constituencies, while clearances were given for Chhindwara (constituency represented by Nath) at almost every cabinet meeting", a rebel MLA said.

Another MLA said Nath had no time to meet them and hear their grievances.

"When there is no development in our constituency, what is the use?"

Several MLAs also alleged that seniority and capability were not considered in forming of Ministry after the elections.

They said they even met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in this regard, but nothing came of it.

Rejecting claims by Congress leaders that they were held hostage in Bengaluru, the MLAs clarified that they had come to the city voluntarily.
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Department of Social Security - Covid-19

The Department of Social Security advises the public that as part of HM Governments response to the Covid-19 outbreak arrangements for Social Assistance payments due this Thursday 19th March 2020 will be paid on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March 2020 in a scheduled manner and in a controlled way.

The Department would like to thank those claimants who have already provided their bank details. However, they would like to make the claimants aware that this weeks Social Assistance payments will be made in cash, and the next Social Assistance payment, due on the 2nd April 2020 will be transferred to the bank account they have provided.

Claimants are advised to check the table below for their respective time slot:

Claimants who are in employment and who are in receipt of Social Assistance Weekly Top ups are advised to attend on Friday as normal, given the relatively small number of people required to attend our cashiers.

The public is advised that the counters will shortly be permanently closed and therefore alternative arrangements to payment in person must be made immediately. Anyone who has not yet provided the DSS with their bank details, or in the event that they do not hold a bank account, that of a close relative or friend with a bank account as an interim measure, to urgently provide those details via the bank forms attached or which can be downloaded from:

https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/uploads/documents/social-security/bank-form.pdf

https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/uploads/documents/social-security/third-party-form.pdf

In the case of individuals who do not possess a bank account, they are encouraged to arrange to open one. Government is liaising with banks asking them to assist in expediting the process for those who are eligible.

Please advise the department on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 20048472 / 20048479 if you do not have an existing bank account and are unable to open one.

You can help reduce the spread of the virus by keeping to the time slots scheduled above and by respecting a 1 metre gap from other people whilst queuing at our counters.

The public is reminded that everyone over the age of 70 must stay at home. Family members are encouraged to collect the forms and make alternative arrangements for their loved ones. Anyone over the age of 70 who does not have family support and requires assistance are to register with the DSS so that alternative arrangements can be made.

The Government says it is mindful that many elderly people use this service and will therefore ensure that no one is left behind.

Reminder:

For any advice related to Covid-19 please call the helpline on telephone number 111 or consult the GHA on www.wuhan.gi
The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):

12 a.m.

The Ottawa Senators say one of its players has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The NHL team did not name the player when releasing the news tonight.

The Senator becomes the first NHL player to receive a positive COVID-19 test.

The Senators say the player has mild symptoms and is in isolation.

---

11:50 p.m.

Westjet Airlines says some of its passengers may have been exposed to people infected with the novel coronavirus on recent flights.

The Calgary-based company made the announcement on their website and social media Tuesday, listing the flights and affected rows.

It says passengers in affected rows are considered close contacts to those infected and could be at risk of exposure.

The company says a total of 14 flights between March 12 and Feb. 28 had passengers on board who tested positive for COVID-19.

---

11:30 p.m.

A federal government official in Ottawa says Canada and the United States are working out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries to try to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The official, responding to a report by CNN citing American government figures, spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of talks that are still ongoing.

The network reported tonight that the two countries are working on a joint statement that would be issued within a day or two.

The restrictions would be designed to ensure that cross-border trade and commerce can continue.

---

11:20 p.m.

The future of the 2020 Calgary Stampede is up in the air after 80 per cent of its staff were laid off today as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stampede CEO Warren Connell says the organization had laid off a total of 890 workers -- 608 were casual part-time and the other 282 that were regular part-time and full time.

He says the Stampede is a not-for-profit group and can't afford to keep things operating as usual.

Connell says the remaining staff will continue the planning process to see if it's possible to hold the annual event.

He says it's premature to say at what point that the Stampede would have to be cancelled.

---

9:54 p.m.

Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs have postponed all meetings and discussions about a draft deal that centres on Indigenous rights and land titles.

Hereditary Chief Na'moks, who also goes by John Ridsdale, says it is a precaution to ensure the safety and health of their elders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He says they have no set date for continuation of clan-nation discussions.

Na'moks says they also plan to keep size of gatherings and cultural activities to a minimum.

He says he has no symptoms but is in self-isolation because he recently attended large meetings and gatherings.

---

9 p.m.

The Federal Court of Canada has indefinitely adjourned all hearings that were scheduled to occur between now and April 17 in a bid to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

All general sittings of the court are also cancelled during that period.

The court says it will make exceptions for urgent matters and matters that need to proceed on schedule for "exceptional reasons."

For example, it says applications for a stay of release from detention or for a stay of removal from Canada will be considered urgent if the release or removal is scheduled to occur before April 17 or shortly thereafter.

An application for seizure of a ship would also be considered urgent, as would matters in which hardship or substantial financial consequences are likely to result.

---

8 p.m.

A federal prison in central Alberta has been locked down as a precaution as some inmates who showed flu-like symptoms await test results for COVID-19.

Correctional Services Canada says there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Bowden Institution, but a group of less than 10 inmates has been tested for the novel coronavirus.

A spokeswoman says these people have been isolated from other inmates as they wait for the test results.

The medium security facility near Innifail, Alta., can house up to 470 inmates.

Correctional Services Canada says the health and safety of its employees, offenders and the public is its top priority and it continues to take preventative measures, including testing any offenders as required.

It says it has its own health care services in its institutions and can handle cases of influenza and respiratory illnesses, such as COVID-19.

---

7:15 p.m.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs have declared a state of emergency for 62 First Nations due to COVID-19.

The move includes closing reserve borders to non-essential travel.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas says First Nations do not have the physical housing ability to socially isolate and must take extra precautions.

The Southern Chiefs' Organization also declared a state of emergency earlier Tuesday saying First Nations are at risk due to chronic overcrowding, lack of equitable health care and poor infrastructure.

None of the 15 cases of the novel coronavirus in Manitoba have been reported from a First Nation.

6:30 p.m.

British Columbia has declared a public health emergency after reporting three new COVID-19 deaths today.

The province now has had seven fatalities during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says six of the deaths stem from a care home in North Vancouver.

She says a man in his 80s died on Monday in hospital in the Fraser Health region.

The province also recorded 83 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. to 186.

---

6:20 p.m.

Alberta is reporting 23 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 97.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, says the cases include 70 people in the Calgary zone and 20 in Edmonton zone.

Hinshaw says Alberta Health Services is postponing scheduled and elective surgeries until further notice.

She says urgent, emergency and oncology surgeries will continue as well as scheduled caesareans.

Hinshaw, who had placed herself in self-isolation, says her test for the novel coronavirus came back negative.

Earlier Tuesday, the province declared a state of public health emergency, banning gatherings of more than 50 people including worship gatherings and family events such as weddings.

---

6 p.m.

The Manitoba government has announced seven more presumptive cases of COVID-19.

The new cases include a man in his 60s, a man in his 30s, a woman in her 40s, two women in their 50s and two women in their 60s.

The majority are in Winnipeg but two are from a community in the southern health region.

It brings the total in the province to 15.

---

5:15 p.m.

The Saskatchewan government is changing labour laws to provide unpaid leave for workers during a public health emergency.

The government made the announcement as it confirmed its eighth positive COVID-19 test, one more than a day earlier.

Health officials say the new case is someone in their 50s who was tested in Regina after returning from a dental conference in Vancouver.

-

4:30 p.m.

Alberta is declaring a state of public emergency in reaction to the COVID-19 virus.

As part of that effort, Premier Jason Kenney announced that any gathering larger than 50 people will be cancelled  including weddings.

Public recreation facilities, casinos, bingo halls, bars, museums, art galleries will also be closed.

Kenney says any worship service or conference of more than 50 people should be cancelled.

Nonprofit community kitchens, soup kitchens and religious kitchens can remain open under strict sanitation rules.

Grocery stores, shopping centres, health-care facilities and airports may also remain open.

He says his government would spend $60 million on charities and non-profit groups helping people cope with the effects of the virus.

---

4:06 p.m.

Costco says it has had a surge of business since the COVID-19 outbreak, and is going to start controlling the number of customers allowed in its warehouses in response.

The company is also reducing some services and is asking customers and employees to practice social distancing in its stores.

Limits have been placed on the number of certain items customers are allowed to buy at once and the company is working with suppliers to make sure in-demand items are available.

Costco has also stepped up sanitation of its carts, cashes and product shelves.

3:50 p.m.

The number of coronavirus cases in Quebec has jumped to 74.

The province added 11 more cases this afternoon, in addition to the 13 reported earlier today.

The new cases are scattered across several different regions, including a total of five in the Lanaudiere and Laurentides regions north of Montreal, and two in the Monteregie southeast of the city.

---

3:15 p.m.

The B.C. government is suspending all in-class instruction in the province's schools indefinitely.

Education Minister Rob Fleming says his department is working with school districts and teachers to figure out a plan to continue learning, but not in classrooms.

The suspension of classes will not affect students who are scheduled to graduate this spring.

Fleming says all students who are on course to graduate from Grade 12, and those progressing to the next grade, will do so.

Meanwhile, Premier John Horgan is promising a provincial plan in the next day or two to help companies and workers deal with COVID-19.

He says the province is waiting for the final details of the federal government's plan before announcing its measures.

But Horgan says there will be financial support for businesses and changes to the Employment Standards Act to prevent workers from losing their jobs.

---

2:45 p.m.

The New Brunswick legislature has passed legislation to delay the municipal elections planned for May. They could be delayed up to a year.

The legislation also makes it possible to postpone two provincial byelections if necessary. They are currently set for June 15.

After passing the election legislation, the Legislative Assembly rose today until further notice.

Premier Blaine Higgs also called on banks to consider what they can do to help small businesses stay afloat.

1:40 p.m.

New Brunswick's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Jennifer Russell says the province has a new presumptive case of COVID-19.

The newest case is a 10-year-old boy who is a close contact with one of the two confirmed travel cases in the province.

New Brunswick now has a total of eight cases, two confirmed and six presumptive.

---

1:30 p.m.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault is imploring youth to abide by rules in place forbidding gatherings amid a rising number of cases of COVID-19.

Legault made the plea today to athletes, artists, YouTubers and influencers  anyone with a young audience  to transmit the message that it's not the time to be holding parties.

He says the province is launching a blitz to get that message across to younger people, who apparently haven't heeded the advice of health officials.

The province is reporting an additional 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the total to 63.

---

1:30 p.m.

The East Coast Music Awards have been cancelled in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The conference and festival was scheduled to run from April 29 to May 3 in St. Johns, N.L.

A statement from the East Coast Music Associations board of directors says the event was cancelled after considering recommendations from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the regional health authority and the City of St. Johns.

The association is looking into alternative ways to honour award winners and celebrate the accomplishments of our world-class regional talent.

---

1:20 p.m.

British Columbia Premier John Horgan, flanked by his finance and education ministers, speaks to the province later today in an announcement expected to focus in part on upcoming plans for the school system.

Elementary and secondary public school students are currently in the early days of a two-week spring break but there have been calls to extend the break to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

The hard-hit tourism industry and other sectors have also appealed for a provincial assistance package to blunt the effects of measures aimed at combating the spread of the new coronavirus.

---

1:20 p.m.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Liberal government is "urgently reviewing" whether to stay the course on allowing U.S. citizens to keep coming into Canada, noting "nothing is off the table."

She says the Canada-U.S. border is a "lifeline" to Canada and that includes how we get many important supplies, including groceries and medicines.

Freeland is also urging all U.S. citizens who do not need to be in Canada to stay away.

She says now is not the time for residents of either country to cross the border for non-essential reasons.

Health Minister Patty Hajdu says Canadians who live near the U.S. border and are used to crossing over to pick up packages or buy cigarettes, alcohol or groceries should refrain from doing so.

---

1:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump is acknowledging Canada's decision to continue letting American citizens into the country, even though the borders have been closed to other foreign nationals.

Trump says the U.S. is working very closely with Canada, and also with Mexico, but he's refusing to say if the White House will close the doors to either country's citizens.

In a news conference today, Trump singled out the new North American trade deal, which Canada finally approved last week, and described the relationship with both countries as "outstanding."

The federal Liberal government says the exemption for U.S. citizens is to accommodate those people who live and work on opposite sides of the Canada-U.S. border.

The move has been panned by opposition critics who say it risks exposing Canadians to a potentially significant source of the virus.

1:10 p.m.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau says he is in close contact with airlines as well as Via Rail about the unprecedented impact on their operations.

He says the demand for air travel has dropped in an almost precipitous manner.

Asked about compensation, Garneau says he is in discussions with the sector but does not have anything specific to share at this time.

---

1:00 p.m.

Prince Edward Island still has only one confirmed case of COVID-19 but health officials are alerting anyone who was on West Jet flight 3440 on March 7 from Toronto to Moncton, N.B., to self isolate.

Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer says the woman who is the confirmed case on the Island did return on that flight after travelling on a cruise ship.

Morrison also says all restaurants and bars will close in-room dining and dental clinics will be closing for 14 days.

She also says wakes at funerals will be family only with gatherings limited to no more than 20 people.

---

12:57 p.m.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the federal government is preparing to isolate irregular border-crossers after they're intercepted and processed by the authorities.

People who walk across the border between official crossings to seek asylum are by definition not subject to the screenings most travellers get.

Those screenings have been expanded in recent days as the government tries to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Blair says creating facilities to hold irregular crossers is needed.

---

12:53 p.m.

Manitoba has announced that licensed daycares and preschools are being closed at the end of the day on Friday.

Premier Brian Pallister says it may be possible for a few to stay open as an essential service, and home daycares will continue to be available.

The province has also announced that all casinos will close tomorrow due to concerns about the novel coronavirus.

There are eight cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba, and all but one have been confirmed at the national lab.

12:26 p.m.

Canada's top doctor says most of the more than 440 COVID-19 cases in the country are still among people who have recently travelled.

That includes eight Canadians who were repatriated from the Grand Princess cruise ship who are currently in quarantine at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

But Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, says officials are concerned about the increase of cases in Ontario, particularly three cases being investigated as coming from community transmission.

She says there are also a number of cases in several provinces connected to a large dental conference that took place in Vancouver.

Tam also underscores the need to avoid large gatherings and stay home as much as possible.

She encourages Canadians to keep donating blood, and noted that Canadian Blood Services has all the procedures in place to keep people safe.

---

12:10 p.m.

Newfoundland and Labrador has announced two more presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total number of cases to three.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the provinces chief medical officer of health, says the woman and man live within the Labrador-Grenfell Health region, which covers Labrador and part of Newfoundlands Northern Peninsula.

The cases are linked to contact with the provinces first presumptive case announced on Saturday.

Dr. Fitzgerald recommended the closure of public spaces including fitness facilities, arenas, bars, performances spaces and said all St. Patricks Day celebrations scheduled for tonight should be cancelled.

---

12:07 p.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Emergencies Act is a tool the federal government can use to enact measures it would otherwise not be able to enact.

He says the Liberal government is looking at other ways to impose new measures without calling a state of emergency.

Trudeau also says that with three million Canadians living or travelling abroad at any time, it would not be possible to expect that everyone would be able to come home immediately.

Trudeau also says Canada is in a good fiscal position to be able to invest in Canadian individuals and businesses to make sure the country gets through this difficult time and continues to "prosper and grow" once this moment is over.

---

12:00 p.m.

Quebec's finance minister is delaying the deadline for individuals and businesses to pay their taxes in order to ease financial pressure caused by the novel coronavirus.

Eric Girard said today individuals and businesses will have until June 1 to file a return and until July 31 to pay their taxes.

The finance minister says the measures will affect about two million individuals and 500,000 businesses and will immediately liberate about $7.7 billion worth of liquidity into the Quebec economy.

Quebec is the only province that requires individuals and businesses to file separate provincial and federal income tax returns.

---

11:55 a.m.

Health officials in Ontario are confirming the province's first death in a patient with COVID-19.

A spokesman for the province's health minister says the 77-year-old man in the Muskoka region was not a confirmed case, but the illness was discovered after his death.

The exact cause of his death is still under investigation.

It's the first Canadian fatality outside British Columbia linked to the novel coronavirus.

---

11:55 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also says he expects to make a major announcement on economic actions tomorrow.

He says the Liberal cabinet is meeting again this afternoon.

Ottawa will have more to say about the upcoming tax season this week.

---

11:50 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Parliament might be recalled for a brief period for the federal government to pass legislation needed to roll out assistance for Canadians who need help weathering the economic storm caused by COVID-19.

He says the Liberal government is also looking at the Emergency Measures Act to see whether it is necessary or if there are other ways to protect Canadians from the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Trudeau also says Parks Canada is suspending all visitor services at national parks and historic sites beginning tomorrow.

He once again encourages all Canadians to stay home whenever possible in order to help frontline health-care workers do their jobs and protect neighbours and vulnerable people in the community.

---

11:45 a.m.

Nova Scotia reports two new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positives in the province to seven.

The two new presumptive cases are travel-related and connected to earlier cases.

One of the initial three presumptive positive cases have now been confirmed by the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

The affected individuals are in self-isolation and recovering at home.

---

11:20 a.m.

New Brunswick RCMP is limiting front counter services at its headquarters in Fredericton and detachments across the province, as part of efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

In-person services such as fingerprinting, criminal records checks, vulnerable sector checks and general information requests are now suspended until further notice.

Front counter service is still be available for reporting of crimes and/or non-emergency complaints.

The public is asked that whenever possible they call rather than report to a detachment in person.

---

11:00 a.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous is temporarily closing many of its meetings across Canada in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

AA, which typically meets in churches, legion halls, and other public meeting rooms, is directly affected by government mandates to close facilities where groups may gather.

Meeting lists in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver show several groups have temporarily closed with warnings that more are expected.

8:55 a.m. (Pacific)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Parliament will likely sit again to pass emergency measures for the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He says a major announcement on supporting the economy is coming tomorrow, and the government is planning changes to upcoming tax deadlines.

Some moves will require legislative approval, and Trudeau says a short limited sitting is needed to get it.

The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern):

10:43 a.m.

Ontario is reporting eight new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the province to a total of 185.

Five of the new patients are in Hamilton, two are in the Middlesex-London area and one is in York Region.

All are in self-isolation, but information on their ages and how they became infected is unavailable for all but one case.

A man in his 60s in York Region had recently travelled to Costa Rica.

The 185 includes five cases that have been fully resolved.

---

10:00 a.m.

COVID-19 is having an effect on the multi-billion dollar LNG Canada project in northwestern British Columbia.

In a post on its website, LNG Canada says out of concern for its workers, staff will be cut by 50 per cent at its Kitimat construction site over the next several days.

It says most of the cuts are being made by reducing the number of workers flying in on rotation but, if necessary, staff could be cut to levels required only to maintain site security and environmental controls.

LNG Canada is a consortium of five global energy companies, including PetroChina and South Korea's KOGAS, building a 40-billion dollar liquefied natural gas production and export facility.

---

9:20 a.m.

St. Patrick's Day won't be a party in Vancouver as health authorities have asked all bars and restaurants in the city to close their doors for the day.

The request from the Vancouver Health Authority came just hours after the city's mayor said the shutdown would help efforts to control COVID-19 by keeping people away from packed St. Patrick's Day events.

Gatherings of more than 50 people are now banned in British Columbia.

The province's latest official count of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus is 103, including four deaths and six patients under care in hospital.

---

9:15 a.m.

Quebec political leaders have announced the provincial legislature will be closed until April 21 after today's sitting due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Simon Jolin-Barrette, the government house leader, made the announcement today alongside counterparts from Quebec's other major political parties.

Jolin-Barrette says the suspension is to limit the spread of novel coronavirus and to allow legislators to work from home.

He says legislature members also need to be available to constituents in their ridings.

---

8:45 a.m.

A new survey suggests half of Canada's small businesses have already seen a drop in sales due to the economic effects of COVID-19.

The survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business also says four in 10 of those affected businesses are also reporting a drop of more than 25 per cent.

The CFIB survey found the sectors most negatively affected were hospitality, arts and recreation, retail and personal services.

It says 43 per cent have reduced hours for staff and 20 per cent have started temporary layoffs.

Thirty-eight per cent say they have experienced supply chain issues.

8:30 a.m.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is declaring a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state of emergency prohibits organized public events of 50 or more people in Ontario until March 31.

Effective immediately, all public libraries, private schools, licensed child daycares, theatres, cinemas and other public venues in the province must close.

All bars and restaurants must close except to provide takeout food and delivery.

Essential services such as grocery stores and pharmacies will continue to operate.

---

6:21 a.m.

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce is changing the hours at its bank branches and temporarily closing some that do not offer over-the-counter cash and banking services.

The bank says 816 of its locations will remain open, but operate under modified hours, while 206 will temporarily close tomorrow in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

CIBC says any employee affected by the temporary changes will continue to receive their full pay.

The bank is also introducing assistance for clients impacted by job loss or other circumstances and urged those that need help to contact the bank.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After returning home from spring break last week, students dorming at St. Johns University in Grymes Hill quickly packed up their belongings to return home after the college announced it would temporarily move to online learning in lieu of in-person classes due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

Residents at St. Johns University received an email late on March 9 that they were required to return home by Wednesday, March 11, at the latest. They were advised to take what they needed from their dorm rooms before leaving campus, like textbooks, notes, course materials and other items.

But after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the St. Johns University Queens campus, the school will move all classes online for the rest of the semester, it was announced Monday.

A QUICK TURN AROUND

Junior Francis Gomez said he returned to campus after spring break that Monday morning -- and hours later was forced to take another bus home for more than four hours to Maryland. He was on campus for less than 24 hours before he returned home.

At first I was surprised and shocked, but I can understand why theyre taking precautions. But then again, its like how come you couldnt tell us before we came back? he questioned. It was a waste of money, essentially, and time. For some of my friends who came back also, they live even farther and they cant just buy a ticket and go back home. So that kind of sucked.

He said he wasnt sure how some of his classes will move online, including electives like art, which requires physical drawings.

*** CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Paola Sosa, a junior at St. Johns, returned home on Tuesday to Ossining, N.Y., which is in Westchester County -- an area of New York with a bulk of coronavirus cases. At first she was excited she didnt have to wake up early to go to class, but later realized that meant she wouldnt be getting paid -- as she works on campus.

ITS DIFFICULT'

She said it was particularly hard for international students who may not have been able to go home, as they live in an affected country. Some students were able to get approval to stay as residents at St. Johns during the closure if they couldnt return home.

Students rely on dorming, she said. Not everyone is in the situation to come home. I am fortunately very blessed and privileged to go home and have my mom pick me up, and some people dont have that. They have to take multiple trains or buses or different ways to get home if they dont have a home to go to -- so its difficult."

OTHER COLLEGES

On Monday, Wagner College announced that beginning March 23, all coursework for the rest of the spring semester will be delivered online, according to a notice on the Grymes Hill colleges website. Residence halls will remain open for students on campus, however, no visitors (including commuter students) will be permitted in residence halls for any reason.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during a press conference last week that State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) classes will be moving online for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. CUNYs 25 campuses, including dorms, libraries, research facilities, and essential on-campus services will remain open.

However, the campus was closed Monday after five more campus members are either awaiting results of the coronavirus (COVID-19) test or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus, said the schools president in an e-mail to college students and faculty.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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There is an urgent need for India to dramatically expand the pool of patients getting tested for the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19), allow voluntary testing, and rope in the private sector, said medical experts on Monday, calling for an immediate overhaul of testing protocols to fight the disease that has killed over 7,000 people worldwide.

As of Monday, authorities had tested barely 9,000 people despite having at least 300,000 kits, putting India in the bottom rung of countries, and possibly robbing doctors of accurate information about the spread of the infection.

Globally, nations such as South Korea have been successful in using aggressive testing regimens to control the spread of the virus while others such as the United States and Italy have been criticised for their sluggish pace of testing. While India has tested only 6.8 people per million residents, South Korea has tested 4831 people. The number stands at 42 in the US.

I am quite concerned by the lack of adequate testing. India has the resources. If you dont test, how would people know they have the disease? If people dont know, then how will secondary infection be prevented? asked Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy.

Indias current strategy is to test only symptomatic people with a history of travel to global hotspots or those with close contact with a positive case, with those showing symptoms getting priority. But this has led to widespread panic with many worried about symptoms.

Designated government hospitals continue to turn away many people without symptoms who travelled from affected countries and wanted to get tested even though symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear.

The government needs to broaden screening criteria for testing as you cannot control any epidemic without testing people. One of the reasons people dont follow home quarantine properly is because they dont know the gravity of the situation; you put the real picture out and see how they will cooperate, added Laxminarayan.

The government, however, insists it has the situation under control. India doesnt need to test more. We do not want to create unnecessary panic by allowing indiscriminate testing, said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare.

A technical committee in the health ministry decides the testing protocol. As of now, they have not suggested widening the testing net, but since it is a constantly evolving situation, the committee is periodically reviewing the protocol, and will revise it, if necessary, he added.

But experts worry that the delay might prove dangerous in the fight to avert the deadly community transmission phase of the disease where it spreads between people who have neither travelled to global hotspots nor been in contact with positive cases.

In the absence of adequate testing, medical professionals say it is difficult to know if the strategy to stave off community transmission is working. The assumption that we dont have community transmission is only an assumption, said Laxminarayan.

To add to the problem, testing of random samples  which has begun at 50 of Indias 106 Virus Research and Diagnostic Labs  is still woefully short, with institutes testing just 20 people each with severe acute respiratory infections, which includes pneumonia, for the coronavirus. Random testing is important to gauge the spread of the infection and the paltry numbers are not representative in a country with a population of 1.3 billion.

Experts say the government will need to expand its testing criteria to control the surge in numbers that the country is likely to witness soon. Aggressive testing is also important to give authorities and the people a realistic idea of the infection at a time when many patients are fleeing quarantine centers and suppressing symptoms.

How we see things right now, people are not following home quarantine dos and donts. These people could develop symptoms and infect others. What we need is effective screening at the points of entry that should include testing them at the airport itself, said a senior expert in infectious disease management, requesting anonymity. The expert pointed out that rapid tests with quick results may be a solution.

There are not enough designated laboratories and even if it takes five hours for test results to arrive, because of rising numbers lag time is increasing, which is evident in discrepancy between the data shared by the states and the Centre. Rapid tests could work in such a situation as our numbers are high and its only going to increase, he said.

India has the capacity to test 300,000 samples for Covid-19 at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-run 62 virus research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) across India, and also in the virus laboratory run by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi.

ICMR is scaling up testing capacity further and has placed an order for one million testing reagents from Germany. Nine more laboratories for testing and sample collection are being added to the network.

The ICMR has a network of 106 VRDLs that can be pressed into action, if required. As of now we dont feel the need to test more people as there is no evidence of community transmission available, said Dr RR Gangakhedkar, head, epidemiology division, ICMR.You can say we are not testing enough if there is community transmission, but in case of localised transmission, as we see in India right now, the numbers being tested is enough, he added.

But on the flip side, without adequate random testing, there is no way to know if the spread is only through localised transmission. As numbers grow, it will also be important to rope in the private sector in a country where more than two-thirds of the population depends on private healthcare. Such intervention should come sooner rather than later, say experts.

We should plan to involve the private sector for testing as it has wider reach than the existing centres. It is important, said Dr Lalit Kant, infectious disease expert.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, founder of Mahajan Imaging, said, The private sector is willing and capable, and should be engaged if not in testing then at least sample collection.

Some government officials said involving the private sector had its risks. If I test in private sector then will I be able to successfully do contact tracing? Will the status of positive cases be disclosed to government accurately? These are risks that we run when involving private sector, as we see in notification of disease such as tuberculosis, said an official on condition of anonymity.

Aggarwal, however, said the government was not averse to involving the private sector. But there is no need for it now, he said. Not everyone is in agreement, and examples from US and Italy dont inspire confidence.

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An Irish company is preparing to release rapid Covid-19 testing kits, which can provide results in 15 minutes and potentially act as a "clinical weapon" against coronavirus.

The tests have been developed with the same technology contained in pregnancy tests and although they are in a pilot phase, they could reduce testing times dramatically from four hours to just 15 minutes.

Assay Genie, a Reagent Genie brand, will be releasing the rapid POC (Point of Care) kit within weeks globally and already some Irish hospitals have been in touch to sample the product, according to Colm Ryan, biochemist and chief executive of Assay Genie.

The test measures one drop of blood and according to the co-founder and CTO of the company Sean Mac Fhearraigh "ultimately, we would have a clinical weapon to combat the spread of the virus".

Mr Ryan and Mr Mac Fhearraigh met at UCD when they were studying biochemistry.

They both have PhDs and were able to develop the kits after learning early on how the virus was spreading so quickly in Wuhan, China, where it was first identified.

Expand Close High hopes: Sean Mac Fhearraigh, left, and Colm Ryan of Assay Genie / Facebook

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Whatsapp High hopes: Sean Mac Fhearraigh, left, and Colm Ryan of Assay Genie

"We were working on this as soon as we found out about coronavirus, as we have contacts in China," Mr Ryan, from Co Tipperary, said. "We were ahead of the curve, due to that.

"So we worked with a partner to develop the kit to bring it to market and it's CE certified for diagnostic use in Ireland.

"We need to come together to fight this battle.

"It's similar to going through a war but we will stay together and get through it and unite."

The kit uses lateral flow technology to detect Covid-19 within just one drop of blood.

Currently, the virus is detected via an advanced molecular technique called quantitative real-time PCR, which takes four hours to deliver a result.

The Assay Genie kit uses colloidal gold immunochromatography to detect the virus and antibodies in human blood, serum and plasma.

Positive samples are shown by a colour change within the test kit.

The kit is so far a research-use only test but there have been "lots of contacts from Irish hospitals and in the UK, and round the world," Mr Ryan said.

"They're taking free tests on the first batch. We should have a consignment out in seven days.

"We are getting a lot of contacts from frontline staff, especially from pharmacies.

"We need a quick way of responding to this virus.

"There's a global shortage of raw materials for the test kits being used currently.

"And I think some people don't realise the mammoth task involved in testing."

Mr Ryan said he believes those showing symptoms should be tested and rapid testing should be used on medics who are dealing with the crisis up close.

Large companies have also shown an interest in the rapid tests, as they are concerned about having staff away from offices in self-isolation.

A rapid test for workers who may be showing cold symptoms could rule out coronavirus, or flag just when medical help is needed.

Mr Ryan also believes that anyone who is caring for the elderly and the vulnerable should also have easier access to testing.

But he says the rapid tests could only potentially be used by GPs and other medics.
: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K



Palaniswami on Tuesday ruled out curtailing the ongoing Assembly session, saying all legislators were screened for COVID-19 before entering the House.

He also announced constituting a task force, headed by state Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, to closely monitor the preventive measures taken against the spread of COVID-19.

Detailing the initiatives taken up in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Palaniswami said there was no need for panic and assured his government was working in full swing to implement the preventive measures.

So far, one person from the state has tested positive for the virus, but has been cured and is set to be discharged soon.

"The government is taking whatever precautionery measures are required," Palaniswami said, adding, reports suggested coronavirus is a 'dangerous disease.'



"In fact there are reports this virus has spread to 136 countries. It is because of that there is a fear about the disease," Palaniswami said.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar has been issuing detailed explanations on the initiatives taken up by the government in the Assembly, he pointed out.

"There is no need for panic. At the same time there is no necessity to postpone the assembly proceedings. All legislators are provided with adequate safety measures. We all enter the House only after being screened," he said.

He also expressed government support to legislators who would prefer a medical examination vis-a-vis coronavirus.

The ongoing Assembly session is scheduled to go on till April 9.

Further, Palaniswami said that in order to monitor the preventive measures initiated by the government, a Chief Secretary-headed task force has been constituted.

The 18-member task force comprising officials of various departments would regularly meet under Shanmugam to ensure the government directives are promptly followed in controlling the spread of virus and also offer its guidance to the government, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The pundit class has piled on, too. David Frum, a speechwriter for President George W. Bush, charged that Sanders has never fought a race in which he had to face serious personal scrutiny. Fellow Iraq War supporter Jonathan Chait writes that Sanders vulnerabilities are enormous and untested, adding that he has never faced an electorate where these vulnerabilities could be used against him.

In truth, however, Sanders has faced serious personal scrutiny against an incumbent Republicanand won. His 1990 election to Vermonts single House seat (29 years and 5 months ago, but whos counting) marked the first time in 82 years that a GOP congressmember in the historically Republican state had been ousted. Sanders went on to 30 years of electoral success as a self-described democratic socialist.

Sanders 1990 opponent, a moderate Republican in the era of President George H.W. Bush, was no Donald Trump, a far-right xenophobe. Yet Sanders faced similar challenges then as now: a vastly better funded opponent with the advantage of incumbency; a media landscape and Democratic Party establishment that ranged from skeptical to actively hostile; a reluctance from major unions to back him; accusations that his plans didnt add up; and attacks that cast him as a hypocrite, complete with redbaiting and character assassination.

How Sanders won that House seat in 1990 is tellingand may offer a glimpse of how Sanders, the campaigner, would fare in November 2020.

Vermont Rep.-elect Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, stand outside the Capitol building during an orientation session for freshman congress members on Capitol Hill, Nov. 28, 1990. (Photo by Michele McDonald / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The House Divided

In 1990, Sanders was an eight-year mayor of Burlington who had suffered two defeats for higher office. He lost his bid for governor, to Democrat Madeleine Kunin, in 1986, and his first House race, to Republican Peter Plympton Smith, in 1988. Labelled a spoiler candidate (a disgusting word, Sanders later said) for much of 1988, he was projected to win on election nightbefore being overtaken by Smith. (Sanders would quip to Rachel Maddow decades later, The Democrat was the spoiler, not me.)

[Sanders] was emotionally crushed by that [loss], John Franco, a Sanders staffer in Burlington, told the Rutland Daily Herald.

After Sanders fourth term as Burlington mayor ended in April 1989, he took a sabbatical from politics, traveling to Cuba and Nicaragua and taking up a visiting professorship at Hamilton College.

But members of the Burlington-based Progressive Coalition, a group of Sanders supporters working to become a third force in Vermont politics, urged him to run for governor again in 1990. A nervous Kunin reportedly directed allies to push Sanders toward the House race instead, and Vermonts Democratic speaker of the House, Ralph G. Wright, warned he would oppose Sanders gubernatorial bid. Sanders weighed his options. In March 1990, with internal polls reportedly showing Sanders within striking distance of incumbent Smith, he announced his House campaign.

The stakes were high, says Steven Rosenfeld, Sanders press secretary for that campaign and now a national political reporter at the Independent Media Institutes Voting Rights Project. He felt if he didnt win that race, he wasnt sure what his political future might be.

A nationwide right turn had just seen President Ronald Reagan pull off two historic landslides, and Vermont was still largely GOP territory. Between 1854 and 1988, it had voted for a Democratic presidential candidate just once, for President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

With a 98% re-election rate in the House, incumbents, as always, had the advantage. An incumbent congressmember hadnt been beaten in Vermont since 1960. A GOP congressmember hadnt been booted from office in the state since 1908.

Sanders didnt do himself any additional favors by running as an Independent. An Independent hadnt sat in Congress since Virginia Sen. Harry Byrd left office in 1983.

Characteristically, Sanders swore off funding from corporate political action committees (PACs), choosing small-dollar donations from supporters instead. He acknowledged Smith would be very difficult to beat with access not only to his personal wealth but to all the corporate money in America.

Sure enough, Smith rejected a proposal from both Sanders and the Free Press for a campaign spending limit and raised tens of thousands of dollars from corporate PACs, including those of Philip Morris, Amoco and United Technologies. Sanders, who in 10 election campaigns over 18 years had only taken one PAC contribution (worth $300), called Smiths PAC money an outrage and an insult to democracy. Without a campaign spending limit in place, Sanders ultimately vowed only to take PAC money from organizations like unions and groups agitating for peace, healthcare reform and the environment.

As a GOP House member, Smith had spent two years positioning himself as a Vermont moderate, racking up progressive votes on gun control, the environment and other issues, which earned him the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters before Sanders even announced. Later, the Sierra Club and abortion rights group NARAL backed Smith.

Most of Vermonts prominent Democrats swung their support behind Sanders, but some powerful Democrats (just as today) saw him as dangerous and out of step. Sanders years of railing against the Democratic Party, along with Smiths voting record, prompted a string of defections. Former Gov. Thomas Salmon asked Democrats to join in a one-time exodus from the Democratic Party to vote for the Republican, in order to send Sanders a message from Democrats that he will not soon forget. Others urged support for neither, such as 1988 Democratic Senate candidate Bill Gray, who feared Sanders victory would help ignite a third party to challenge Democrats.

Further complicating the race was the decision of Dolores Sandoval, a professor at the University of Vermont, to enter as a Democrat, much to Sanders chagrin. Sandoval quickly began attacking Sanders, claiming his Independent label would be a liability in Washington and calling him a hypocrite for seeking Democratic Party support.

Independent Bernie Sanders campaigns in Burlington for Vermonts lone House seat alongside his wife, Jane, in October 1990. Meanwhile, Rep. Peter Smith, the Republican incumbent, campaigns in St. Johnsbury, holding his own sign. (Photo courtesy of The Rutland Herald)

From All Sides

For much of 1990, the Sanders campaign faced a series of negative stories.

Bernie never had a friendly relationship with the biggest media outlets at the time, Rosenfeld says. He had a very testy relationship with the Associated Press, because he felt they were biased against him.

But true to style, Sanders frequently hit back at critics. When newspapers and opponents accused him of hypocrisy for soliciting money from progressive PACs Its getting hard to distinguish between Sanders and the bad guys, wrote the Brattleboro ReformerSanders continued to contrast his donations from people whom I philosophically agree with against Smiths funding from corporations who have wrought havoc on the environment, [dodge taxes]  and have treated their workers with contempt.

When a Reformer op-ed hit Sanders for not voting in the September Democratic primary, he countered that, had he voted, I would have been called a hypocrite for voting in a party primary in which I dont belong.

When the AP calculated Sanders had overestimated how much money a 10% tax hike on the wealthiest Americans would raise, Sanders acknowledged the error and complained they were missing the larger imperative, the need to raise taxes on the rich.

When newspapers reported on Sanders tax returns, which showed he and his wife, Jane, had made more than $85,000 in 1989 (around $180,000 today), Smith suggested Sanders was among the wealthiest 10% and not serious about his tax plan. Sanders complained about Smiths lack of similar transparency and responded, We own one house. My wife and I took out a loan to send our children to college.

One kerfuffle concerned how the Sanders campaign classified some staff members as independent consultants rather than employees, in an alleged attempt to avoid state and federal taxes. The staffers insisted they had sought the status themselves and paid their own taxes, and it soon emerged that everyoneeven then Lt. Gov. Howard Dean and longtime Sen. Patrick Leahyhad engaged in the practice. That included Smith, who had paid a single employee under this arrangement almost as much as Sanders had paid his entire 1988 staff. Even so, Smith and his campaign wasted no time in painting Sanders as a tax-the-rich hypocrite who wanted to avoid taxes himself. In response, Sanders accused Smith of gutter politics and called on him to come back to the high road of Vermont politics that you and I have shared for many years.

After Sanders won the June 1990 endorsement of Vermonts largest union, the 7,800-strong chapter of the National Education Association (NEA), news coverage instead focused on its top-down endorsement process. Rather than polling its members, the unions board of directors chose Sanders through the same (undemocratic) method it had always used.

This time, however, the media extensively covered the disgruntlement of the rank-and-file teachers. The Reformer quoted one Smith-supporting teacher saying that, even if they endorsed Peter Smith, I really, honestly, would tell you that it was unfair. Sandoval decried it as sneaky, power play politics and likened it to a coup attempt.

As in 2020, Sanders got more traction in 1990 with local unions than with wary national labor organizations. The national NEA rejected the Vermont chapters endorsement, electing to stay neutral because of Smiths decent voting record. In response, over 10 days, teachers around the country raised $3,001 for the Sanders campaign, helping to offset the $5,000 Sanders lost out on through the reversal, handing the money over in a stack of bills and checks held together with a rubber band.

Sanders suffered another national union-related setback after a labor PAC funding competitive House races declined to endorse him. Even so, Sanders won the support of many Vermont unions. As his campaign gained momentum, the AFL-CIO came on board.

Perhaps the campaigns biggest obstacle, however, was the outbreak of the Gulf War in August 1990, with Saddam Husseins Iraq invading neighboring Kuwait. The conflict scrambled the Vermont House race, shifting the discussion away from Sanders favored terrain of economic inequality and toward foreign policy.

Sanders, who had spent months calling for a five-year 50% cut to military spending (We dont need to spend $140 billion a year to defend Western Europe), triangulated a response to the war, applauding Bushs decision to send troops and jet fighters to the Gulf as quite rational, quite intelligent and very reasonable. Stressing he was not a pacifist, Sanders held to a carefully calibrated position for the rest of the campaign: He urged a defensive buildup of troops and economic and diplomatic pressure on Iraq, preferably with UN backing and international cooperation, but argued an invasion or fighting a ground war in the Middle East would be a disaster. Progressive activists were dismayed and Sandoval attacked Sanders as a hawk whose political ambition has overcome his common sense. When Sanders later called Bushs troop build-up overkill, Smith accused him of flip-flopping.

With Junes poll numbers showing Sanders 10 points behind Smith and the late-summer situation in the Middle East, a Sanders victory was far from assured.

Coming Up Bernie

While Sanders didnt have the poll numbers, he did have his relentless, issues-focused rhetoric, his opponents miscalculations and his vast door-to-door campaign operation.

With the Bush administrations regressive policies coming on the heels of the greed of the Reagan era, the Sanders campaign channeled a populist backlash against the finance industry. Much as the 2008 crash and bank bailout would later become grist for his 2016 campaign, Sanders centered his 1990 campaign on the previous years bailout of the savings and loan industry. The S&L crisis marked the worst bank collapse since the Great Depression, borne of waves of deregulation and startling corruption. The bailout cost taxpayers nearly $500 billion and Smith had voted for it, giving Sanders an opening.

Sanders hammered Smith on a dead wrong vote for the bailout, calling it the greatest financial rip-off in the history of the United States. Sanders instead proposed making the richest 5% foot the bill. He pointed to an epidemic of criminality in U.S. institutions and promised to stand up against the sharks and swindlers. Between March and July 1990, Sanders called four press conferences on the topic.

After the Iraq debacle that August, Sanders campaign was gifted an October surprise of its own: an unpopular deficit-cutting package pushed by Bush and supported by Smith, which pulled back Medicare and hiked regressive sales taxes on cigarettes, beer and gas. Sanders spent the month leading up to election day savaging the fraudulent bipartisan package and its equally unsuccessful sequel, demanding Smith apologize for backing it. In a televised debate, Sanders held up the infamous October 22 cover of the conservative U.S. News and World Report magazine that labelled the plan a fraud. The headline screamed, Throw the Bums Out.

Smith was forced onto the defensive, belatedly calling for a more progressive plan, criticizing Bush and calling for tax increases on high earners. After initially telling Sanders his only regret about voting for the plan was it didnt win, he reversed course under Sanders constant criticism and suddenly developed severe reservations. Sanders benefitted from a reputation for consistency that Smith lacked. As Election Day approached, Smith had to face the wrath of Vermonts gun owners, who were incensed that he had pledged to oppose new gun restrictions only to co-sponsor a ban on 11 semiautomatic weapons once in office. The NRAwhich had helped put Smith over the top in 1988launched a negative ad campaign against Smith and distributed Dump Peter Smith bumper stickers throughout Vermont, with a young Wayne LaPierre (who has headed the NRA since 1991) urging the states 12,000 NRA members to cast a protest vote for Bernie Sanders.

Though Sanders repeatedly and publicly disavowed the NRAs supportand made clear, sometimes to gun owners faces, he supported the same gun control measures as Smiththe matter became a question of trust and credibility.

Smith was hurt by that notion of him as waffler, says Dennis Gilbert, who met Sanders at Hamilton College and worked as a pollster and issue researcher on the campaign. Vermonters polled, Gilbert says, thought Smith was inconsistent, broke promises and was a typical Washington politician. It worked in Sanders favor. At least hes consistent and tells the truth, one gun store owner said about Sanders.

A delegate to the Vermont Federation of Sportsmens Clubs, who switched allegiances to Sanders, explained:We vote for people because we dont want to worry what theyll do after we elect them. If you cant count on their word, by golly, theyre not even worth the spit.

Meanwhile, Sanders transplanted the door-to-door, boots-on-the-ground campaigning of his mayoral days. While Smith relied primarily on mailings, media coverage and press releases, hundreds of Sanders volunteers traveled across Vermont to register thousands of voters, a volunteer army of which the NEA and its teachers formed a crucial part.

They worked like crazy in the 1990 election, recalls Jim Schumacher, who directed the campaigns field organization. They were one of the most reliable sets of volunteers I ever worked with.

While Smith opened only one campaign office, Sanders opened fivethree of them in southern Vermont, where Smith had won 92% of his winning margin in 1988 and where Sanders now spent days campaigning. With his mayoral days behind him, and with Smith holed up in Washington, Sanders matched his volunteers intensity, crisscrossing the state.

He wanted to shake as many hands, meet as many Vermonters, as humanly possible, Gilbert says. And he went out and did it.

What Bernie would do, he would get in a car with [current senior advisor Jeff] Weaver driving, and they would go from one end of the state to another over the course of the day, Rosenfeld says. Theyd make sure he would get interviewed on a handful of media markets.

And despite Sanders initial difficulties with disgruntled local Democrats and national unions, the majority of the states prominent party members (including, crucially, those from the south) swung their support behind Sanders.

By October 1990, Sanders and Smith were tied in the polls.

But the fatal mistake that finally put Sanders over the top was Smiths decision to launch a negative campaign. Like Sanders opponents today, Smith cherrypicked quotes to make him seem anti-Democrat and sympathetic to authoritarian, Communist regimes. An attack ad Smith ran on Vermont TV misleadingly quoted Sanders saying he had been nauseated by President John F. Kennedys inauguration speechthough the comment had actually been about Kennedy and Richard Nixons Cold War one-upmanship. The ad also hit Sanders for praising Cuba, leaving out his criticism of the authoritarian government.

In interviews, Smith demanded Sanders reveal the identity of his small donors and began assailing Swedish-style socialism for its high taxes and cost of bread.

The people of Vermont, however, were not surprised to hear that Sanders was a socialist. At first, we were wary of Bernie Sanders, one conservative police officer told the press. The socialism stuff.  But after eight years with him, I can tell you that hes played fair.

The Sanders campaign debated how to respond and, according to accounts by Gilbert and Rosenfeld, split along gender lines. The men argued for Sanders to hit back with his own attack ad. The women, including Jane Sanders and campaign manager Rachel Levin, staunchly urged Sanders to keep the high ground. Ultimately, Sanders refused to launch a negative campaign (Its something I never have done, never will do) but did hit back with a new ad: It featured him speaking directly to the camera, regretting that my opponent, finding himself behind in the polls, is now resorting to the most negative and dishonest advertising this state has ever seen.

The backlash was swift. Vermonters across the political spectrum made their disgust known. I cant believe that Smith is redbaiting, one voter told the Bennington Banner. Its McCarthyism. Redbaiting is a thing of the past.

Even Smith backers like the Burlington Free Press and former Gov. Thomas Salmon criticized the ads. Furious Smith supporters told him he had lost their vote. His neighbor of 20 years refused to shake his hand.

Without a word, Smith abruptly cancelled a five minute attack ad meant to run three times in a week.

Though Sanders remained uneasy, with memories of the 1988 campaigns final hours haunting him, Smiths miscalculation spelled the end. According to the Sanders campaigns internal polling, Smiths numbers plummeted after the negative ads.

When the polls closed, Sanders had beaten Smith 56% to 40%, winning every single county but oneeven Republican strongholds. The southern strategy paid off, providing Sanders with Vermonts two biggest cities in a complete reversal, while the anger of gun owners had delivered the overwhelmingly red western part of Rutland county.

Long-time Sanders ally Terry Bouricius says the 1988 and 1990 House races followed a familiar pattern, one he sees in Sanders decision to run again after 2016: You run, you do better than people expect, you position yourself to be the serious candidate next time, and then you win.

This is the third time the same logical sequence occurred, Bouricius says of 2020.
Iraqi President Barham Salih designated a former governor of Najaf, Adnan al-Zurfi, for the prime minister's post March 17. He has 30 days to form his Cabinet and get approval from the parliament.

Salih designated Zurfi after the two largest parliamentary blocs failed to nominate a new candidate for the position this month. After the March 16 deadline for nominating a candidate passed, Salih could name any candidate without having to discuss it with the largest blocs (and this was confirmed by the Iraqi federal court March 16). Salih then nominated Zurfi, who was supported by several Shiite blocs in addition to Sunni and Kurdish ones.

The Nasr coalition of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Ammar al-Hakims Hikma movement, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Malikis State of Law coalition and the Sunni Forces Alliance are among the groups that supported Zurfi and their representatives participated in the designation ceremony.

Zurfi, 54, is a member of the Nasr coalition. He also has been a member of the Dawa Party and State of Law.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment when Saddam Hussein's Baath party ruled Iraq, but escaped from Abu Ghraib prison in 1991 after the Shiite uprising against Saddam. He went to Saudi Arabia after the uprising was brutally suppressed. He then moved to the United States, where he received his second citizenship. Zurfi returned to Iraq with the US forces in 2003 and rejoined the Dawa Party and became a member of parliament and governor of Najaf. In the 2018 elections, he joined the Nasr coalition.

Zurfi had a significant role in fighting Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army when it started a rebellion against US troops in 2004. Zurfi has maintained a good relationship with the United States since he was appointed as governor of Najaf in 2004 by Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, which provided a provisional government in Iraq following Saddam's 2003 ouster.

Zurfi has supported the anti-government demonstrations in Iraq that started in October, and was even accused of being involved in burning the Iranian Consulate in Najaf during the protests.

Soon after his designation, the Fatah bloc associated with Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Units condemned Salih's move, saying it went against the constitution and promising to work to prevent Zurfi from winning a confidence vote in parliament.

Hassan Salim, the head of the Sadiqoun bloc associated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, called Zurfi the Joker and his designation a betrayal of PMU fighters who have been killed. Iran-backed militias in Iraq have been accusing the anti-government protests of being part of a US scheme against them led by pro-US figures whom the militias ridicule as jokers.

Sadrs Sairoon bloc has been silent about Zurfi's nomination, but could become supportive if the bloc is asked to participate in the new government.

Zurfi's government, if it gets approved by parliament, would be in charge of organizing early elections and leading the country to what is hoped to be a new and stable government. Zurfi would face four main issues: 1) the coronavirus crisis, 2) the country's economic downturn, caused in large part by the oil price drop, 3) the increasing tension between the United States and Iran in Iraq and 4) the protesters, who have already started expressing their objection to his nomination in Baghdad and Najaf.
French President Emmanuel Macron is seen on a television screen as he speaks during a televised address to the nation on the outbreak of COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus, on March 16, 2020, in Paris.

France will spend 45 billion euros ($50 billion) to help small businesses and employees struggling with the coronavirus outbreak, the country's finance minister announced Tuesday, after President Emmanuel Macron declared "we are at war" against the virus.

Speaking in a televised address late Monday, Macron told the French people they are only allowed outside their houses for essential trips, such as to buy food and medicines, for a period of two weeks. He also said the French army will be moving coronavirus patients from overwhelmed regions to other parts of France, where there's spare capacity to take care of people; and that there will be "unlimited" state financial aid for businesses.

"We have to mobilize all our forces," Bruno Le Maire, the French finance minister, told RTL radio Tuesday, adding further details to the promises made by Macron.

"We don't want bankruptcies," Le Maire said.

The coronavirus outbreak, which emerged in China late last year, has weighed heavily on all major economies. Airplanes are not taking off as people are avoiding vacations, restaurants and coffee places are working reduced hours in some countries, and other nations are in total lockdown  meaning that only pharmacies and grocery stores are open.

However, Le Maire said he is expecting the French economy to contract by 1% in 2020.
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Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is the latest legislator to criticize Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), saying McConnell is responsible for delays on a coronavirus relief package for families affected by the pandemic, which has claimed at least 97 lives across the United States.

Mitch McConnell has wasted four days in the middle of a pandemic. Now Republican Senators are using procedure to cover for him, Brown said in a tweet, concluding that the Senate should do its job.

Mitch McConnell has wasted four days in the middle of a pandemic. Now Republican Senators are using procedure to cover for him. @SenatorDurbin is right  enough with the excuses. The Senate should do its job. Watch this exchange. pic.twitter.com/kT4w0lbZJk  Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) March 17, 2020

Brown included footage of a Monday Senate session during which he lambasted the Senate Majority Leader for shuffling his feet on a response to the growing crisis.

I asked Senator McConnell on this floor, I opened this door I pointed down the hall and I said Senator McConnell should come back here and lets work on this bill. Whether they are actually finished in the house, down the hall, doing it or not, we should be working on this, he said at the time.

He added: Senator McConnell had to go back to Kentucky. I dont really know what he went back for. We asked him to stay and finish this and negotiate and do it, to take care of stopping this virus, to take care of all the people in my stateto take care of all these people that are losing their jobs and dont know what to do.

Senator McConnell went back to Kentucky, wasted three daysmake that four days. Its three more days of people worrying, its three more days of people self-quarantining, its three more days of businessesshutting down. Its the anguish that you feel if you think one of your loved ones is sick, all of thatand we are just wasting another day.

McConnell, for his part, has tweeted assurances that Senators on both sides are eager to act quickly to support those adversely affected by the pandemic.

The Senate is still waiting for the House to finish processing their coronavirus legislation and transmit their final version to us. Senators on both sides are eager to act quickly to support American workers, families, and small businesses.  Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) March 16, 2020

Other lawmakers have had harsh words for McConnell, who has said he doesnt expect a vote on a relief package until later this week but promises bold and bipartisan action.

Earlier this week, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused McConnell of being remarkably irresponsible and out of touch for calling a recess as the crisis mounts.

It was remarkably irresponsible & out of touch for Sen. Mitch McConnell to send senators out of town in the middle of a public health crisis before the House passed the #FamiliesFirst Coronavirus Response Act. Sen. McConnell & Republicans should pass this bill as is IMMEDIATELY.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 14, 2020

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also criticized the decision, saying that every instance that Fed action is delayed puts lives at risk.

Every minute, hour, & day that Fed action is delayed on Coronavirus puts lives at risk. The House has been hammering away at a coronavirus relief package. We just called in every member to vote on & pass a deal at almost 1am.#WheresMitch McConnell? Taking the weekend off.  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 14, 2020

McConnell has not issued a direct response to criticisms, though earlier this morning, he said Senators are crafting the major legislation that the American people deserve in the face of this major challenge, adding that the Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps, above and beyond what the House passed, to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm.
B oris Johnson has introduced new drastic plans to ramp up the UKs response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Prime Minister urged people to avoid pub, clubs and other social venues and those most vulnerable take that advice particularly seriously.

It comes after the number of people in the UK who have tested positive for coronavirus jumped by 171 on Monday.

Here, we answer some key questions raised after Mr Johnson revealed the latest guidelines on tackling Covid-19 in the UK...

- Who will this affect?

Most people in society have been asked to change their day-to-day lives in some way. It will particularly affect people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions.

- What will it mean for the general population?

Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /45 Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures The Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate is almost empty in Berlin AP The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is deserted Getty Images Barcelona's cathedral, Spain AP Duomo Square in Milan, Italy, AP Colosseum in central Rome AFP via Getty Images The Autobahn 12 is completely empty shortly before the German-Polish border crossing near Frankfurt AP Closed shops following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium Reuters The Malagueta beach is cordoned off in Malaga, Spain AFP via Getty Images Vienna, Austria AP Deserted Hotel de Ville in Paris, France Getty Images The highway leading to Barcelona is seen empty of cars AP City of Gdansk in Poland is virtually deserted Reuters Ratusz Arsenal metro station visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters St. Peter's Square, Vatican in Rome, Italy Reuters The Royal palace in downtown Madrid, Spain AP The usually busy Larios street remains empty in Malaga AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty square in Naples, Italy during a lockdown across all of the country, imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus, in Naples, Italy Reuters Galleria Umberto in Naples, Italy Reuters A street is almost empty in downtown Naples AP An empty beach in Barcelona, Spain AP Homes and an empty street are seen under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Ronda, southern Spain Reuters Restaurants remain closed on a seaside promenade in Valencia in Spain AFP via Getty Images A deserted Westland shopping center in Brussels BELGA/AFP via Getty Images A view of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade in Milan, Italy AP An empty street in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Itlay Reuters An almost empty Roemerberg square, the main tourist spot in Frankfurt, Germany AP An empty Via Condotti street in Rome, Italy Reuters Piazza Trilussa in Rome, Italy Reuters The Louvre Museum Getty Images Musee du Louvre in Paris is closed to the public AFP via Getty Images The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: "In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes Reuters An empty Disneyland Paris PA Old Town area visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters Old Town area is visually deserted, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters

Boris Johnson said: "Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel."

The Prime Minister urged people to stay away from pubs, clubs, theatres and "other such social venues".

Where possible, people should work from home.

He added that mass gatherings would no longer be supported by emergency workers.

Matt Hancock confirms coronavirus death toll reaches 53 in England

- What is 'whole household isolation'?

If one person in a house has symptoms, including a continuous cough or fever, the whole family should stay at home for 14 days.

They should avoid even going to the shops to get essentials, the Prime Minister said.

People should only go out for exercise and ensure they do not come into contact with people while doing so.

- What about people who live on their own?

The period of self-isolation for people who live on their own remains at seven days.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said: "If you are ill with symptoms of the new, persistent cough or fever you isolate for seven days. If you lived on your own, that's what you would do.

"Now what we're saying is if anybody in the household gets it, the whole household stays together isolated for 14 days. The reason for that is the other people may pick it up over five days or seven days and then they've got seven days to have it and get better."

Mr Johnson added: "It's the difference between individual isolation and household isolation."

Key moments from Boris Johnson's Covid-19 briefing

- What does it mean for vulnerable people?

In coming days, everyone classed as vulnerable will be asked to ensure they are "largely shielded from social contact" for around 12 weeks, or possibly longer.

This includes people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions.

- Which illnesses will this include?

Government guidance says those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus should be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. This group includes adults under 70 who would qualify for a flu jab due to an underlying health condition.

They include people with chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis; chronic heart disease, such as heart failure; chronic kidney disease; chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis; chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy; diabetes; problems with the spleen, such as sickle cell disease or if the spleen has been removed; a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and Aids, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy; or being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above).

- What did the Prime Minister say about healthy older people?

"Many people, including millions of fit and active people over 70, may feel that there is something excessive about these measures, but I have to say that I believe they are overwhelmingly worth it to slow the spread of the disease, reduce the peak, to save life, minimise suffering and give our NHS the chance to cope," Mr Johnson said.

Boris Johnson Covid-19 Press Conference

- Why pregnant women?

Prof Whitty said that including pregnant women in this group was a "precautionary measure" as experts are "early in our understanding of this virus".

- What about children?

Although older people are at a higher risk of being infected, children can still catch the illness, the World Health Organisation said.

It added: "While the vast majority have experienced mild disease, some have experienced severe or critical disease and some young adults and one child, that we are aware of, has died."

- Are schools staying open?

Schools remain open at the moment. The Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point.

"Those things need to be done at the right time," he said.

- Is any part of the country worst affected?

The Prime Minister said the peak of the epidemic is coming faster in some parts of the country than others. "It looks as though London is a few weeks ahead," he said.

- How long will this go on for?

Prof Whitty said measures to tackle the spread of the disease would need to be in place for a "prolonged period".
Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Mauritius will extend travel restrictions for a period of two weeks on foreign travellers coming from or having transited countries of the European Union, including United Kingdom and Switzerland, during the last 14 days as from 20:00 GMT on Wednesday, the Government Information Services (GIS) announced on Tuesday
The Pentagon is stepping in to aid the coronavirus outbreak, with Defense Secretary Mark Esper saying the military would donate up to 5 million respirators to hospitals, with 1 million being made available immediately.

Esper said the military also would donate 2,000 ventilators held in reserve, as part of the scramble to get U.S. hospitals staffed and outfitted for an anticipated crush of victims of the coronavirus.

Ventilators have become an acute issue, with only about 62,000 in use and others in stockpile, but an anticipated need that is far greater. The military normally keeps respirators on hand to protect troops from whatever they might encounter on the battlefield.

Some of the respirators are intended for 'single-use,' Esper said. In the case of ventilators, training would be required, with the military available to step in to teach civilians on their use. Officials have struggled to get the critical equipment on-line, and it requires technical aptitude to properly monitor patients experiencing breathing issues or lung failure.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Monday, March 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Esper said the Navy would make available two hospital ships, the USNS Comfort in Norfolk, Virginia and the USNS Mercy in San Diego to assist in assisting hospitals ill-prepared for an anticipated flood of patients. However the Pentagon has noted they are not designed for being stocked with patients with a highly contagious disease.

Esper said he will consult with state and local governments about deploying M.A.S.H. hospitals, an idea President Donald Trump mentioned at a press briefing Tuesday. They can help relieve hospital rooms that may become overrun, he said.

The announcement of the flow of military equipment came on a day Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday urged construction firms to donate specialized N95 masks to their local hospitals as the government tries to head off a rush of demand for equipment to protect doctors and nurses from the coronavirus outbreak.

Pence made the plea at a televised press conference along with President Trump and top government health officials, amid a nationwide shortage of equipment.

Trump said he has started the process of having the U.S. Army Corps of engineers construct field hospitals to boost the volume of hospitals beds. 'We are starting the process,' he said. He said they would be M.A.S.H. hospitals, or United States Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals.

President Trump spoke about deploying the Army Corps of Engineers to build hospitals and Mike Pence called for construction firms to donate specialized masks

'They do call them M.A.S.H. hospitals,' Trump said. 'Were looking at different sites in a few different locations.' New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made a request for assistance, which Trump said would be provided.

The number of U.S. military testing positive for the virus doubled, to 36 from 18 Monday, according to the latest record-keeping. There also have been numerous reports of emergency room physicians and other caregivers testing positive for the deadly virus, as the administration pleads with Americans to stay in their homes to help slow down the spread of the disease.

State and local governments are preparing for an onslaught of hospital patients as the coronavirus outbreak spreads  with the national stockpile also not up to the anticipated demand.

'We would urge construction companies to donate their N95 masks to your local hospital and for go additional order of those industrial masks,' Pence said.

'Those industrial masks are perfectly acceptable for healthcare workers to be protected from a respiratory disease,' Pence said. He pointed to the industry, which he said Trump knows well' from his real estate background.

He also asked construction firms to forego additional orders of the specialized masks, which can both protect medical professionals and keep infected patients from spreading the virus.

Pence's appeal came as federal officials have told doctors and health workers the nation's stockpile doesn't have enough basic medical equipment like masks and gowns to meet the expected crush of coronavirus cases.

The stark assessment, conveyed in a conference call Monday, comes as the Health Department has begun distributing supplies a national stockpile created for such health emergencies. But the administration is acknowledging the supply is 'finite' and sending the equipment out to priority areas and based on a population formula.

With a looming shortage of beds that public officials fear could fall well short of demand in an outbreak, the White House is even considering the use of hospital ships, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx said. The problem: the Navy only has two of them, and they can't get inland.

Vice President Mike Pence (l) announced the call for masks

A man displays a protective N-95 face mask and goggles, at an office in Washington, DC. The masks are vital to protecting medical professionals

Pence wants construction firms with excess supply to donate their masks

A nurse emerges from a tent with a kit to test for novel coronavirus COVID-19 at a drive through testing station for University of Washington Medical Center employees in Seattle, Washington, USA, 16 March 2020. The federal government is shipping equipment from a national stockpile to meet needs

'The president is considering all of the options. We're looking at hospital beds, ICU beds, informed by the data from Seattle and Santa Clara, and I just really want to thank the governors and the health commissioners from those states who are providing us the on-the-ground daily reports of hospital utilizations,' Birx told Fox News.

'There are multiple options in our reserve, including the V.A. Hospitals, Department of Defense medical treatment facilities and even hospital ships. There are a lot of things to consider and all of those things are on the table right now,' she said.

In New York state, 19 per cent of positive coronavirus cases are being hospitalized, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a televised briefing from Albany, in a state where cases continue to spike.

Adding to the need are infections that have been identified among medical professionals serving on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House is considering using hospital ships to meet demand, says coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx

Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, enters a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital to test patients who have symptoms of the coronavirus, Friday, March 13, 2020, in Lewiston, Maine. U.S. hospitals are setting up circus-like triage tents, calling doctors out of retirement, guarding their supplies of face masks and making plans to cancel elective surgery as they brace for an expected onslaught of coronavirus patients

In a Friday, March 13, 2020 file photo, Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, mops the floor of a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital where patients are tested for of the coronavirus, in Lewiston, Maine

An auxiliary tent stands outside the entrance to the emergency department at EvergreenHealth Medical Center, where an emergency department doctor is reportedly in critical condition with coronavirus (COVID-19) according to local media, in Kirkland, Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020

'It is essential that the federal govt works with this state and that this state works with the federal government. We cannot do this on our own,' he said.

On Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar refused to say how many ventilators the government had and now many were projected to be needed, calling it a 'national security issue.' The following day, the administration announced recommendations that Americans not gather in groups of more than ten people and stick to their homes.

HHS officials communicated the information to medical professionals in a conference call Monday, CNN reported, and said the nation's stockpile was insufficient to meet needs. The representatives from the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Reponses said the government had not yet identified a solution.

Congress is trying to deal with the problem with new purchases, but it is not yet clear how quickly it will be possible to get equipment online.

According to a statement released by HHS Tuesday, 'Because of the finite supply of PPE in the commercial supply chain, delivery of products from the SNS is prioritized based on need.'

Equipment goes out to all 50 states, 8 territories, plus urban areas including Chicago, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

'The distribution is based on a pro-rata formula that is proportionate to the population size of each jurisdiction based on 2010 U.S. Census data. For areas facing high transmission rates, additional allocations are available,' according to the agency.
Spirometry Market Overview:

The global Spirometry market is witnessing a significant rise in its revenues, mainly due to the rising occurrences of respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. Besides, the growing rate of diagnosis processes conducted for the detection of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis fosters the growth of the market. Moreover, the increasing exposure to risk factors and the ever-increasing population is driving a large share of the market.

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According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the global Spirometry market is expected to garner a valuation of USD 1,106.76 MN by 2023, registering 10.03% CAGR over the assessment period (2018-2023). Factors such as the increasing healthcare expenditures and technological advances in respiratory care devices are estimated to support market growth over the forecast period.

Drivers & Restraints:

Spirometry is a medical test to evaluate lung functions vital for detecting asthma, COPD, and other breathing disorders. Spirometry is also performed for therapeutic reasons for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and restrictive lung disease. Growing exposure to risk factors, including smoking and pollutants such as chemicals, fumes, and dust, is fostering the growth of the market, increasing the prevalence of respiratory diseases.

On the other hand, factors such as the high cost of tests that require different spirometers and reimbursement limitations are inhibiting the growth of the market. Nevertheless, factors such as the growing government initiatives to spread the awareness and funding support to drive R&D required to improve diagnostics techniques and devices would support the growth of the market throughout the assessment period.

Global Spirometry Market  Segments

The analysis is segmented into five main dynamics to widen the scope of understanding,

By Product : Table-top Spirometry, Hand-held Spirometry, and Desktop (PC) Spirometry, and others.

By Technology : Flow Measurement Spirometry (Pneumotachograph System and Mass Flow Meter), Volume Measurement Spirometry, Peak Flow Meter (PFM), and others.

By Application : Diagnostic (Asthma, COPD, Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis, others), Treatment Monitoring, and others.

By End-user : Hospitals & Clinics, Research & Academic Institutes, Diagnostic Centers, Home Care, and others.

By Regions : Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Rest-of-the-World.

Global Spirometry Market  Regional Analysis

North America dominates the global Spirometry market with the growing prevalence of respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, and others. Besides, the huge technological advancements and rising adoption of Spirometry devices for improved diagnosis processes drive the regional market growth. Also, factors such as the availability of state-of-the-art facilities & infrastructure and growing awareness are fostering the demand in the regional market.

Additionally, the presence of large payers, high healthcare expenditures, and expanding rebate on diagnostics is further promoting the growth of the regional market. The North American Spirometry market is estimated to create a valuation of USD 444.99 MN by 2023, registering 10.25% CAGR during the forecast period.

Europe stands second in the spirometry market, growing rapidly. Factors such as the presence of large medical device companies in Germany and increasing healthcare expenses substantiate the growth of the regional market. Moreover, the proliferating healthcare industry and developed infrastructure in the region are major factors that are driving the market growth further. The European spirometry market valuation is expected to climb up to USD 322.33 MN by 2023, posting 10.25% CAGR throughout the review period.

The Asia Pacific Spirometry market has been witnessing significant growth, demonstrating the tremendous potential for future growth. Low diagnostic costs and large unmet clinical needs for respiratory diseases in the region provide ample opportunities for market growth. The valuation of the APAC Spirometry market is estimated to reach USD 247.52 MN by 2023, registering 10.64% CAGR during 2018-2023.

Global Spirometry Market  Competitive Landscape

Highly competitive, the Spirometry market appears to be fragmented due to the presence of several well-established players. There is a definite shift towards the hospital testing department, which dominates a large market share. As a result, players rely on their collaborations and partnerships with hospitals to increase market penetration of their products. Besides, these players employ numerous distributions channels and engage healthcare payers such as insurance companies to enhance their competitive share.

Major Players:

Players leading the global Spirometry market include NDD Medical Technologies, Inc. (US), Carefusion Corporation (US), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Germany), Vitalograph (UK), MGC Diagnostics Corporation (US), Schiller AG (Switzerland), Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (US), COSMED Srl. (Italy), Midmark Corporation (US), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), and Smiths Medical Inc. (US), among others.

Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:

December 04, 2019 - VivaLNK Connected Health Solutions (the US), a leading global provider of wearable medical solutions for continuous patient monitoring, announced scoring a CE mark for its multi-vital medical wearable sensor, SDK. VivaLNK mentioned that it had landed a Class IIa medical device CE Mark for its multi-vital medical wearable sensor & software development kit. The new technology allows researchers & clinicians to continuously stream a patients respiratory rate, ECG rhythm, heart rate, and RR interval & three-axis acceleration.

The company also mentioned that it has recently signed a deal with Current Health (the UK), a leading healthcare technology company for the distribution of VivaLNK that offers axillary temperature and spirometry measurements capabilities sighting on the European market. The company also claims that its sensors have been integrated into clinical trial monitoring and heart failure detection as well.

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If you compare those graphic images to the outpouring of love and concern that came my way from my audience, it overwhelmed me so completely that nothing else mattered, says Shabana Azmi from Budapest, Hungary, where shes currently shooting for Steven Spielbergs Halo. The veteran actor met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune-Expressway a couple of months back. As her upcoming short film, Sheer Qorma, on same sex relationship is about to release, she opens up on the changing portrayal of homosexuality in Hindi cinema across decades. Excerpts:

You met with a road accident in January. How is your health now?

I am completely fine and have fully recovered. Currently, I am in Budapest shooting for Halo (produced by Steven Spielberg) and I am happy to be back on the sets.

Pictures of the unfortunate incident were circulated on social media. Many felt that it was insensitive and intrusive. Did that bother you?

My family was upset. It was kept away from me for the longest time as I didnt have my cellphone. When I saw it, I was on my way to recovery. At that moment, I was just really grateful to those who helped me and the hospital staff.

Right from Fire (1996), the release of which was opposed and banned, to Sheer Qorma now, how do you think the portrayal of the LGBTQ community in Hindi cinema has changed?

I have to say that this genre has opened up, really. The frequency of films that deal with a sensitive subject like homosexuality are being made, have increased in the last few years which is a great sign. The audience, too, is accepting this kind of cinema. Earlier, homosexuality was ridiculed in mainstream cinema but now, we see this subject being tackled sensitively. But at the same time, I feel it is only a section of audience especially in the metros who has have accepted this change.

What would you attribute this change to?

The notion of a family is changing. It is no longer just a heterogeneous family that we accept as a norm. We have seen two partners of the same sex having a baby and I think it is a healthy sign. The notion of family is being redefined as it is no longer restricted to having a baby biologically.

Also read: John Abraham shares meme of himself as Hulk, will use coronavirus quarantine to bulk up for Satyameva Jayate 2

What do you think about mainstream actors working in films dealing with sensitive subjects?

I always believe that films are a reflection of our society and good films can influence society. There is a relation but there is an acceptance, too, and that has to be applauded. Actors today, arent shying away from experimenting.

The credit should also go to the producer who is ready to back a film on a sensitive subject and the writer who writes the script. The Supreme Courts decision of scrapping Section 377 was a big propeller towards positively changing the perspective that people had towards the LGBTQ community. It is a great time to be an actor. Gender and age are no longer considered while casting someone.

In a career spanning over 45 years, have you ever faced sexism and ageism?

I have been extremely lucky and my career has always been about being at the right place at the right time. It was my good fortune that Shyam Benegals Ankur (1974) became the film that propelled parallel cinema forward. Consequently, I got many different roles from what I would have got had I worked only in mainstream cinema. I never faced lack of acceptance.

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Russian President states significant violations of convicts rights

 flickr.com/ Andreas Eldh

18:05 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  President of Russia Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday that lots of violations of rights of inmates had been fixed.

In the last years, prosecutors enhanced supervision over observance of prisoners rights; however, the number of such breaches remains buoyant, the Head of the State said during the extended meeting of the Prosecutor Generals Office.

Putin ordered the prosecutors to step up efforts to ensure safety of convicts in custody, prevent offenses in penitentiary facilities in cooperation with Russias Federal Penitentiary Service, Presidential Council for Human Rights, ombudsmen.
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Bangkok, March 17, 2020  The Myanmar military should immediately drop its criminal defamation complaint against editor Ye Ni and stop using legal threats to stifle reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Yesterday, a Yangon court agreed to hear a complaint filed by Lieutenant Colonel Zaw Min Tun of the Yangon Region Command against Ye Ni, Burmese-language editor of the independent news website The Irrawaddy, over the outlets coverage of armed clashes between state forces and the insurgent Arakan Army in Rakhine states Mrauk-U town, according to a report in The Irrawaddy and Ye Ni, who communicated with CPJ via email.

Zaw Min Tun filed the complaint in April 2019 at Kyauktada Police Station on behalf of Yangon military commander Major General Thet Pone, according to reports.

If convicted under Article 66(d) of Myanmars Telecommunications Law, Ye Ni faces up to two years in prison, those reports said. Ye Ni told CPJ that he paid a 10 million kyat ($7,000) bail yesterday and that the next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 30.

Myanmars military should drop its charge against The Irrawaddy editor Ye Ni and stop threatening to jail journalists, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. If Myanmar wants to be taken seriously as a democracy, military intimidation of the media must stop, and journalists must be allowed to cover the militarys actions freely.

Ye Ni told CPJ he thought the 11-month-old case was revived due to his publications recent coverage of the armed conflict in Rakhine and Chin states.

We are doing our job exposing what is really happening on the ground and reporting the suffering of the people living in the conflict zone, Ye Ni told CPJ. We will defend our rights and press freedom according to the law.

Ye Ni, of The Irrawaddy, pictured in Yangon, is facing charges under Myanmars Telecommunication Law Section 66(d) over the outlets reporting on conflict in Rakhine State. (CPJ/Shawn Crispin)

CPJ emailed Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, a military spokesperson, for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

On March 8, the military filed a similar complaint under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law against the Reuters news agency over its coverage of the conflict in Rakhine state, as CPJ documented at the time.

A Reuters spokesperson said that the news agency stood by the reporting and there was no basis for a lawsuit.
Cracking the whip on



misinformation being spread about novel coronavirus infection, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has issued a notice to a Mumbai-based doctor who had termed the virus as a "Chinese fad" which will not survive in the Indian summer.

The MMC has sought explanation from Dr Anil Patil from Dadar in central Mumbai whether he has any study to substantiate his claims.

"The notice has been issued to Dr Anil Patil about whether he has any study or database to substantiate his claims about the virus," MMC president Dr Shivkumar Uttekar said on Tuesday.

He said Dr Patil had made several claims in his interviews that are prima facie violative of advisories issued by the Central government.

"It is unaccepted on the part of Dr Patil to speak against the advisories of the Central and state governments regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak. We asked him to clarify his views as he had repeatedly dismissed the outbreak and its seriousness," he said.

Dr Uttekar said Dr Patil had reportedly made claims that the fear over novel coronavirus is unwarranted and that the virus will not survive in Indian summer.

Dr Patil had also claimed that the virus is a "Chinese fad" which is aimed at creating business opportunity for factories that manufacture masks, the MMC chief said.

Dr Patil had also claimed that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which had appeared in China in 2002, had no effect on Indians.

"His video clips have gone viral on social media, which may encourage people to remain careless about personal hygiene. Hence we have issued notice to him," Dr Uttekar said.

Maharashtra has reported one COVID-19 death while 38 people have tested positive from the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Commanders with the Texas National Guard were working Tuesday afternoon on possible options for action in connection with the novel coronavirus, but no decision had yet been made on how to make best use of the military resource.

Gov. Greg Abbott activated the Guard on Tuesday to support the state's response to the pandemic, but said deployment is not yet necessary.

Texas joins than 21 other states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia that have mobilized 1,560 Air and Army Guard troops. The National Governors Association said those states include California, Florida and Arizona.

What it means in the immediate future, however, isnt clear.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

By activating the Texas National Guard, we are ensuring Texas is prepared as we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Abbott said in a statement. I am grateful to the men and women of the National Guard for their dedication to serving their fellow Texans, and want to assure the public that this is a precautionary measure to make sure the Texas National Guard has the capability to serve at a moments notice where they are needed most.

Abbott called the order a preparative measure that would ensure that the Texas National Guard can assist in various forms throughout the state when needed. His order excluded Guard members who are health care workers and first responders so they could continue serving people in their civilian jobs.

The Texas Guard, the nations largest organization of its kind and among the most battle tested over the past decades, was in the middle of preparations to ensure it could respond around the state. Commanders are awaiting approval on what exactly they will do, said Lt. Col. Laura Cross, a spokeswoman.

Were still in the planning stages right now, she said.

There are close to 21,000 soldiers and airmen in the Texas Guard, which has deployed repeatedly to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2004 and led a multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia 20 years ago. It also has been called on to provide support on the Texas-Mexico border.

The guard has a wide array of equipment that includes a large aviaition force. It flies UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters out of Martindale Airfield in San Antonio and AH-65D Apache Longbows in Houston. Those aircraft, based out of Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, belong to the Texas Guard's 1-149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.

The squadron flies C-130 Hercules cargo planes at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth and ground-based units at 90 armories around Lone Star State that utilize tactical vehicles capable of being used in all weather conditions.

Just how those troops, as well as Hercules crews with the Texas Guards 181st Airlift Squadron in Fort Worth, would support COVID-19 response efforts had not yet been determined late Tuesday.

The Texas National Guard has unique resources and equipment to support our civilian partners and we bring a wide breadth of expertise and assets to enhance the COVID-19 response with trained personnel for this type of emergency, spokeswoman Cross said without elaborating.

John Goheen, spokesman for National Guard Association of the United States, said Guard members are playing a variety of roles across the country. In San Francisco, he noted, the Guard helped drive some passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship to quarantine. In West Virginia, the Guard has helped teach officials how to operate safely in contaminated areas.

The Texas National Guard will do what the governor asks them to do, he said. If you look around the country, what has the Guard done, what has it been doing, it has staffed drive-through testing centers, Goheen said.

In other states, the Guard has delivered  supplies. The Guard has been involved up in New York with the cleaning of some facilities, he continued. When state and local authorities need vehicles, people expertise that the Guard possesses, they call out the Guard  whether its a flood, earthquake, snowstorm. This is why we have a National Guard, and I am sure in Texas theyre on the governors speed dial.

sigc@express-news.net
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 16, 2020 | 02:53 PM | WESTERN KENTUCKY





Jackson Purchase Energy announced they will be closing their lobby to the public beginning Monday. Staff say visitors are being asked to reschedule, and aren't being allowed into the building. All payments and new services are to be handled either electronically, through the drive-through, night deposit, or through the mail.







Paducah Water has also announced the temporary closure of their offices. In a press release, they say their office will be closing beginning Monday at 4 pm, until further notice. Staff will still be in the office during normal business hours to provide customer support by phone.



Paducah Power System is also limiting contact with customers by closing their lobby at 4:30 pm Monday. Their drive-through window will remain open. General Manager Dave Carroll said almost any business can be conducted with PPS using the telephone or internet. The utility has also announced they will not be disconnecting anyone's residential or commercial service, effective immediately, since some customers may have their budgets affected by the outbreak.











Atmos Energy announced Saturday they have temporarily suspended natural gas disconnections, knowing that some customers may experience financial difficulty due to illness, quarantine or a disruption at work.

West Kentucky Rural Electric says that while they are keeping their offices open to the public, they are encouraging members to avoid entering the office if at all possible. In their announcement, they note that they are happy to answer questions, set up new service, arrange for disconnects, and more by phone at 1-800-495-7322. They also have drive-through service at their Mayfield and Murray offices, as well as drop boxes at all three locations. Payments can also be made on their website.Atmos Energy announced Saturday they have temporarily suspended natural gas disconnections, knowing that some customers may experience financial difficulty due to illness, quarantine or a disruption at work. Kentucky Utilities Company has announced an attempt to assist customers who may be dealing with financial difficulties due to the impact of COVID-19. Until May 1, disconnects for residential customers are suspended, and late fees incurred during this time will be waived. Offices will remain open at in operation at this time, although they also encourage their customers to use their website, phone, or mail payment options.

Mayfield Electric & Water Systems has announced that they are also suspending all disconnects for nonpayment until further notice, citing the financial strain the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on families. They encourage members that can make a payment to do so by mail, website, night deposit box, or their drive-through.







This story will be updated as we receive additional information.

Local utilities are announcing their efforts to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

On the Net:
SEATTLE  The death toll from the new coronavirus in Washington state reached 50 on Tuesday morning when Clark County health officials announced their first fatal cases, a husband and wife in their 80s.

Washington has the highest number of deaths in the U.S., with most being associated with a nursing home in Kirkland. By Monday, the number of positive cases topped 900.

Gov. Jay Inslee imposed strict new rules this week to help slow the spread of COVID-19. He mandated an immediate two-week closure of all restaurants, bars recreational facilities. He also increased the limits on large gatherings.

The new orders went into effect Monday night and will be in place through March 31.

If we are living a normal life, we are not doing our jobs as Washingtonians, Inslee said. We cannot do that anymore. We need to make changes, regardless of size. All of us need to do more. We must limit the number of people we come in contact with. This is the new normal.

King County continues to report the highest number of cases and deaths, with 488 cases as of Monday and 43 fatalities. Twenty-nine of those deaths were associated with the Life Care Center in Kirkland.

Snohomish County reported four deaths and had 200 positive cases. Grant County has lost one resident to the disease. Clark County has now reported two deaths.

Washington state health officials are expected to update the situation across the state by mid-Tuesday. Eighteen counties have reported cases.

Inslee is scheduled to sign a list of bills Tuesday to provide some relief to the state as it deals with COVID-19. One measure provides $200 million to fund the response to the coronavirus.

A group of community and legal activists have submitted a letter to Inslee to implement a list of measures aimed at protecting people held in the state's jails and prisons.

People live in close contact with one another, social distancing is difficult, hygiene services and essential medical equipment is in short supply, and medical treatment is not easily accessible, the letter said. Once COVID-19 breaks out, it will likely spread quickly through our prisons and jails.

They pointed out that a correctional officer at the Monroe Correctional Complex tested positive for the disease, putting inmates there at risk.

The group said the most effective way to stop the spread of coronavirus in the prisons would be to release elderly inmates and people who are within six months of release. They also urged the governor to help local governments find ways to reduce the jail populations.

The Clark County couple were hospitalized at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center last week and died Monday night, according to Clark County health officials. One had been living in a small adult family home, and the other was a resident of an assisted living community.

This is a horrible tragedy, said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this time.

-- The Associated Press
Kenya and Somalia have another border dispute, this one largely created by Abdirashid Janan, a Somali warlord accused of numerous atrocities as well as corruption. At the end of August 2019 Janan, currently the Minister of Security in Jubaland, was arrested at Mogadishu airport by the federal government. Four months later (late January) Janan escaped from the Mogadishu jail and three days later (September 2nd) was back in Kismayo, the largest city in Puntland. There Ahmed Madobe, the state president of Jubaland backed his Security Minister. Madobe is also accused of corruption but not to the same extent as Janan.

Ahmed Madobe is accused of doing business with al Shabaab in order to finance his Jubaland government and maintain control of Kismayo. Madobe is also refusing to turn control of Kismayo over to the federal government as an earlier agreement stipulated. The Somali government does not want to start a war with Jubaland over this and asked that the peacekeepers in Jubaland arrest Janan. That has not worked because most of the peacekeepers in Puntland are Kenyans, the rest are Ethiopians and neither believe they should be acting as enforcers for the Somali government.

To further complicate matters several dozen Jubaland militiamen loyal to Janan fled into Kenya two weeks ago and occupied part of Mandera Town, the capital of Mandera country. This was all about Kenya being accused of sending a light aircraft to Jubaland to fly fugitive Abdirashid Janan to a safer sanctuary in Kenya. Kenya refuses to arrest Janan or use force to get the Puntland militia out of Mandera town. Mendera country officials are threatening to take the Kenyan government to court for forcing the army to expel the Jubaland militiamen from Mandera. Kenya does not want to upset shaky relationships with Jubbaland which are key to keeping the peace along the Somali border.

The Substantial Somali Presence

Somali refugees and ethnic Somali Kenyans living in Kenya near the Somali border have been a major source of al Shabaab recruits for raiding and terrorism in Somalia as well as Kenya. Somali violence, both from al Shabaab and clan disputes, is less frequent throughout Somalia but persists in the couth, on both sides of the Kenya border. On the Somali side is the autonomous Somali region of Jubaland. Across the border are the Kenyan counties (provinces) of Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit. Occasionally the violence extends to cities elsewhere in Kenya. What is keeping al Shabaab active here and not elsewhere in Somalia are lucrative smuggling operations the Islamic terrorists dominate along the border.

In addition to bordering Somalia, there are several other reasons for all the Somali violence in this part of Kenya. First, there is the pervasive corruption in Kenya and Africa in general. In addition, Somalia is recognized as the most corrupt nation in the world. Al Shabaab takes advantage of the police corruption in Kenya, where the largely Christian police are particularly brutal towards Kenyans who are ethnic Somalis. Similar attitudes are directed at the Somali refugees. That brutality and discrimination make Kenyan Somalis reluctant to cooperate with police in finding al Shabaab terrorists or smugglers. About 76 percent of the four million Kenyan Moslems are ethnic Somalis who are citizens. Kenya is largely (80 percent) Christian with a Moslem minority (12 percent of the population) that has been known to harbor Islamic terrorists. Most Kenyan Moslems live in coastal cities like Mombasa, where about a third of the 1.1 million population is Moslem. A lot of ethnic Somalis and Moslems live in northeastern Kenya and that is a problem when most of the soldiers and police are Christians and non-Somali. Al Shabaab exploits this friction to continue recruiting in Kenya and enjoying some local support in the Kenyan border areas.

On the Somali side of the border, the situation is worse. Currently, there are five somewhat autonomous federal states in Somalia; Puntland in the far north, Galmudug just south of Puntland, Hirshabelle (Central State), Southwest State and Jubaland on the Kenya border.

Jubaland is something of a special case because it contains Kismayo, the second largest city, and port, in Somalia. Jubaland also borders the more peaceful and prosperous Kenya. Jubaland leaders never got along with the Somali government in Mogadishu.

Since late 2019 the Somali federal government has been cutting economic aid to the Jubaland. The federal government accuses Ahmed Madobe, the recently elected Jubaland state president, of corruption. That includes rigging recent elections. The federal government believes Ahmed Madobe is pursuing a long-term plan to turn Jubaland into an independent state like Puntland and Somaliland up north.

The federal government concept was put into operation during 2016 and has only been partially successful. It was agreed that the federal states would have some autonomy and the ability to elect local leaders, especially the state president. But the current de facto local leaders throughout Somalia dont trust the national government and believe the central government will interfere with the state elections and otherwise limit the autonomy of the states. The federal form of government is supposed to provide the states with a lot of autonomy. In return, the central government would provide muscle to help control bandits and warlords throughout the country. The central government also controls most of the foreign aid coming in. There was growing acceptance for the federal form of government but many politicians prefer to try and concentrate maximum power in the central government.

This Jubaland feud got started back in 2013 when the federal government agreed to recognize the Ras Kamboni militia, and its leader Ahmed Madobe, as the dominant power in the area along the Kenya border that had earlier declared itself the independent state of Jubaland. The peace deal allowed the clan behind Ahmed Madobe and the Ras Kamboni militia to rule the area for two years as a semi-autonomous region. After that, it was back to negotiations. Ahmed Madobe believed that in two years he would be strong enough to keep Jubaland independent. The government believed that in two years they will be strong enough to make Jubaland a part of Somalia again. Neither belief was accurate. This strategy was also a threat to the two northern statelets of Puntland and Somaliland.

The 2013 arrangement was not a peace deal but a ceasefire. Back in mid-2013, Ahmed Madobe proclaimed himself the president of Jubaland. Kenya backed Ras Kamboni. The other Jubaland clans did not initially accept Madobe as their leader but did not feel strong enough to continue fighting over the issue. The prize here was the port of Kismayo because whoever controlled it grows rich from fees charged businesses to use the port and market places. Ras Kamboni claimed control but that did not go unchallenged because theres too much money involved. Ras Kamboni has long had the most powerful armed force down there and in 2013 it had the tacit backing of the Somali government and Kenya as well.

Border Wars

In addition to the feud with Kenya over Jubaland, there are also problems with ISIL up north in Puntland as well as border disputes between Puntland and Somaliland as well as with Somalia proper.

The dispute over the maritime boundary between Kenya and Somalia is still unresolved. This was all about both nations claiming a 100,000 square kilometer offshore area that may contain oil and gas deposits and definitely contains valuable fishing areas. An international tribunal is supposed to decide this issue this year.

March 15, 2020: The government announced that one of four Somalis who had just returned from China had covid19 (Coronavirus). This was the first such case known to be in Somalia and the man is being treated. If covid19 gets loose in Somalia the local health system wont be of much help because the local health system is largely non-existent.

March 14, 2020: Four Kenyan jet fighters were seen flying over Jubaland near the Kenyan border. The jets did not attack. Kenya and the UN complain that the violence in western Jubaland (Gedo region) has forced 50,000 civilians from their homes, creating more refugee problems.

March 11, 2020: In the south, across the border in Kenya (Mandera country) al Shabaab carried out an attack in the county capital Mandera Town.

March 9, 2020: In the southeast (Lower Shabelle region), American UAVs attacked al Shabaab, killing five of the Islamic terrorists. This is the sixth such UAV attack in March and that makes the 2020 total about 35. Most of those attacks were against al Shabaab targets with the remainder directed at ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) forces in the north. In 2019 there were 63 UAV attacks in Somalia for the entire years.

March 4, 2020: In the southwest (Gedo Region), fighting between Somali soldiers and Jubaland milita left 11 dead and dozens of Jubaland militia fled into Kenya where they proceeded to occupy part of the nearby Mandera Town.

February 29, 2020: In western Jubaland, the Somali Army sent several hundred soldiers into the Gedo region along the Ethiopian and Kenyan border. This is a violation of the agreement between Jubaland and the federal government and the UN demanded that the troops be withdrawn. Gedo consists of thinly populated forests and was long a hideout for al Shabaab. The Somali government said the troops were there to protect the border from the threat of Kenyan invasion.

February 22, 2020: Some 320 kilometers west of Mogadishu American UAVs attacked an al Shabaab compound killing Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, an al Shabaab commander responsible for planning the January attack on a Kenyan airbase. Also killed was the Mahamoud wife, who was also an active member of al Shabaab.

February 19, 2020: In the southeast (Lower Shabelle region), soldiers repulsed al Shabaab attacks on two bases. Al Shabaab lost fifteen dead and twenty wounded. At least ten soldiers also died.

Across the border, in Kenya (Mandera country) al Shabaab gunmen in Kenyan police uniforms tried to stop a bus from Ethiopia. As the bus sped by (the driver knew there were no police checkpoints in this area) the al Shabaab men opened fire, hit the bus several times and caused the bus to go off the road and crash. The al Shabaab men pulled out all the passengers, identified two that were not Moslem and killed them.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:11:36|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Tuesday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has climbed to 16,169 with the death toll reaching 988.

A total of 5,389 people have recovered, Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the ministry, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.

Meanwhile, Iran's health minister Saeed Namaki said that by Monday 14 million people had been screened for coronavirus symptoms as part of a national plan to curb the pandemic, Press TV reported on Tuesday.

Namaki said that a significant number of those people were screened via the health ministry's online platform and the rest through phone calls, electronic health dossiers and online health screening systems run by the ministry.

"Out of the 14 million monitored for the coronavirus infection, 73,435 had symptoms. After evaluations, 3,415 of them were referred to hospitals, out of whom 1,605 were hospitalized and the remaining were either discharged with prescriptions or sent to other centers," he said.
Opinion Article

17 March 2020

Last December, over a 100 industry experts and scholars attended the 3rd Revenue Management & Pricing in Services Conference (2019 RevME Europe), hosted by the Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne in collaboration with The University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), STR, Hotel Performance and Room Price Genie. The aims of the conference were to create a unique platform for addressing issues related to Revenue Management and Pricing in the services, the role of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, and lastly new approaches in revenue management education and training. What follows is a summary of the key takeaways proposed by the experts in the field.

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The importance of data science in Revenue Management

With experienced speakers representing Google.com/travel, Expedia and IDeaS, all agreed on the important potential associated with using big data and artificial intelligence in revenue management, and emphasized the need to adapt the revenue management discipline to new technologies that already exist in order to become competitive on the market and maximize returns. The role of AI, machine learning and data science cannot be underestimated if the savvy traveler is to make speedy decisions and if the smart hotelier wants to forecast market occupancy, send price optimization alerts and gain insights into clientele trends. Admittedly, certain human roles are affected: with tools such as Rev+, the post of a Revenue Manager is now changing into more of a Revenue Strategist, since machines cannot be outperformed but someone is still needed to look at the bigger picture and identify goals. The rise of AI cannot replace the need for human intelligence.

Examples of how Data Science can impact Revenue Management

Mr. Kevin Hof , Data Scientist at RoomPriceGenie highlighted the big potential for revenue management practices in the Swiss hospitality industry, especially for small, independent hotels. He shared a case study where nine hotels experienced a 22% increase, on average, in revenue and a 4% jump, on average, in terms of ADR after adopting a pricing optimization tool.

, Data Scientist at RoomPriceGenie highlighted the big potential for revenue management practices in the Swiss hospitality industry, especially for small, independent hotels. He shared a case study where nine hotels experienced a 22% increase, on average, in revenue and a 4% jump, on average, in terms of ADR after adopting a pricing optimization tool. Mr. Emanuele Mansueti , Consultant at HotelPerformance, demonstrated how tools such as Smart Pricer and Dynamitick, just two of the many pricing platforms that enable businesses in a wide range of sectors (sports, theatre, cinema and concerts), can help increase revenue by adapting prices to fluctuating demand. He also discussed the emergence of dynamic pricing on secondary markets and its implications.

, Consultant at HotelPerformance, demonstrated how tools such as Smart Pricer and Dynamitick, just two of the many pricing platforms that enable businesses in a wide range of sectors (sports, theatre, cinema and concerts), can help increase revenue by adapting prices to fluctuating demand. He also discussed the emergence of dynamic pricing on secondary markets and its implications. Mr. Daniel Krisch , Senior Director at Oracle Hospitality, focused on how artificial intelligence can help to provide a better hotel guest experience. AI applied to hotel property management system (PMS) can enhance auto-room assignment, which helps to minimize operational costs while meeting guests' expectations. He also explained how the system can identify a guest's persona based on profile and transaction data mining, and predict a guest's interests.

, Senior Director at Oracle Hospitality, focused on how artificial intelligence can help to provide a better hotel guest experience. AI applied to hotel property management system (PMS) can enhance auto-room assignment, which helps to minimize operational costs while meeting guests' expectations. He also explained how the system can identify a guest's persona based on profile and transaction data mining, and predict a guest's interests. Dr. Luciano Viverit, CEO of Hotelnet, showed how cloud machine learning tools such as Microsoft Azure or IBM Watson can be utilized for predictive analytics for hotels. While business intelligence is a 'descriptive' diagnostic, advanced analytics using machine learning tools are predictive and prescriptive so that decisions can be automated.

The future of Revenue Management Education and Training

Regarding issue of how to improve revenue management education and training, panelists agreed that there is a growing demand for well-qualified revenue managers but that the skill sets of the job are changing, hence RM education has to evolve accordingly. While good analytical skills are important, good communication skills (for sharing valuable information based on data analysis among colleagues in the organization) are even more critical. To this effect, data visualization tools can be used productively in revenue management education.
Its a big shift for him personally, and his use of the bully pulpit is a new dynamic in Democrats push to shore up voting laws in key states before its too late to make a difference for them in the midterms.
New Delhi [India], Mar 18 (ANI): The Indian Council of Medical Research has revised the criteria for testing coronavirus (COVID-19) patients. According to the ICMR, an individual should home quarantine himself/herself for 14 days if they develop symptoms.

An expert committee met on Monday and gave its revised protocol for COVID-19 testing. Previously, on March 9, ICMR had issued testing protocol for respiratory illness and now issued a fresh testing standard for COVID-19.

Prof (Dr) Balram Bhargava, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR told ANI, "The fresh testing criteria for COVID19 has been finalized today. First, the current testing strategy is that all asymptomatic patients who have undertaken international travel in the last two weeks should be home quarantine for 14 days. They should be tested only if they become symptomatic with symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. If tested positive, they should be isolated and treated as per standard protocol."

Bhargava said that patients should stay at home and quarantine themselves for 14 days. They should be tested immediately if they have symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

The third, is for all healthcare workers managing respiratory distress or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness who are showing symptoms of acute respiratory illness. "These healthcare workers should get a laboratory test for COVID-19. If these cases are tested positive, then they should be isolated and treated as per the standard protocols. As of now, we have got samples of about 25 healthcare workers. Test results are awaited," said Dr Nivedita Gupta, Scientist at ICMR.

So far, India has reported 137 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Out of which, 120 are active cases, 14 patients got cured and discharged and three people lost their lives due to the virus.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it has pandemic. Globally, over 1,45,000 confirmed cases have been reported and more than 5,500 people have died.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group founded by the former CEO and executive chairman of Google is huddling with venture capitalists to discuss how they can quickly use their resources to help fight the coronavirus.

Seth Bannon, a founding partner of venture capital firm Fifty Years, told CNBC in an interview that the group, Schmidt Futures, is hosting a conference call on Wednesday with philanthropists, including leaders of firms like Bannon's, to discuss groups they can start funding that are looking to combat COVID-19.

Eric Braverman, CEO of Schmidt Futures, will lead the call along with and Kumar Garg, head of partnerships at Schmidt Futures, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The call will also include representatives of Google.org, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, the Bridgespan Group, the Science Philanthropy Alliance, the National Science Foundation and many others, the people said.

The Schmidt group, Schmidt Futures, which also lists Schmidt's wife Wendy as a co-founder on its website, describes itself as a group that "invests in and makes grants to for-profit and nonprofit organizations in order to support the most talented people and most promising ideas," including those focused on scientific breakthroughs.

"This call is particularly for smaller, and more nimble funders," Bannon said. "It's for people who can write checks from $100,000 to up to $1 million, but people who can do it quickly," he added.

The call is the latest of many moves being made by Silicon Valley as an extra deterrent against a virus that has led to over 5,700 cases in the United States with at least 94 deaths.

Last week, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins held a call with tech leaders about the best ways they can help and invest into organizations on the front lines. Executives at the behemoths of Facebook, Apple, Alphabet and Salesforce were all invited to attend.

A spokesman for Schmidt declined to comment. A Schmidt Futures representative did not return a request for comment.

Still, beyond the giant tech companies, venture capital firms, often a key source of funding for startups, have become capital hubs for businesses that are trying to take on the virus.

Bannon's firm has a slew of health care companies in his portfolio, and he says they expect to spend millions in investments to help fund businesses such as HelixNano, a California based biotech company that is trying to create a vaccine strategy for the coronavirus.

"In the last few weeks, they've developed a broad COVID-19 vaccine strategy -- essentially a plan to make a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that will work as the virus mutates," Bannon said. "It really does feel like an all hands on deck situationthis response has been pretty inspiring."

There are at least eight other organizations that are part of Bannon's partfolio that are looking to assist in the nationwide effort, such as a company called Nurx, that previously specialized in delivering birth control but now, according to its website, are preparing to launch home testing for the coronavirus.

Outside of venture capital, there are Silicon Valley backed lobbying groups, such as FWD.us, that are calling on executives in the tech world for help. FWD is a bipartisan political organization that advocates for a better immigration and criminal justice system.

A note FWD sent potential investors calls on business leaders to help raise funds for Global Response Management, a nonprofit that assists in medical needs in low income areas. The group, according to the memo, is looking to "immediately erect a triage operation and field hospital equivalent for care" in Mexico, close to the U.S. border.

FWD's founder, Todd Schulte, told CNBC it helped raise over $400,000 so far. The organizations founders include tech power players such as Schmidt, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Greylock partner Reid Hoffman, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
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It is true that God is a righteous Judge who will one day pour out His wrath on a rebellious world. But the overwhelming emphasis of Scripture is not on the wrath of God but rather on His mercy. As the psalmist proclaimed, The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love (Psalm 103:8).

Can you imagine if Gods character was the opposite of this? If He was slow to mercy and abounding in anger? We would have been wiped out many millennia ago.

As the psalmist continued, He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:914).

And remember: These words were written long before the cross. Long before God displayed His love for us through His Son. Long before the perfect Savior paid for our sins. Yet the psalmist, David himself, understood the greatness of Gods mercy and kindness. And compassion and longsuffering. That is who our God is.

The prophet Micah, who had much to say about divine judgment, also said this about the Lord: Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy (Micah 7:18).

Our God delights to show mercy.

Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel, who too prophesied about the judgment of God, said this on behalf of the Lord: Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:3132)

Yes, our righteous God looks for opportunities to show mercy. He desires to demonstrate His compassion. And while He will not overlook our rebellion and sin  that is, if we refuse to turn away from it  He is longing to forgive.

The Book of Genesis contains a remarkable dialogue between the Lord and Abraham, related as a face to face conversation between the two. (See Genesis 18:16-33.)

The Lord is about to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. But Abrahams nephew, Lot, lives in Sodom, along with his wife and children. So God, in His incredible condescension, wants to let Abraham know in advance, prompting Abraham to take a bold step in faith.

As Genesis records, Then Abraham approached him and said: Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing  to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:2325)

What an extraordinary prayer. And what an outrageous appeal.

To paraphrase, God, I know that You have every right to judge these places, but You are a righteous Judge. And that means You wont destroy the innocent along with the guilty. So, if you find 50 righteous people there, will You spare the whole population?

Remarkably, the Lord  the Creator and Sustainer of the universe  acceded to Abrahams request: I will spare the city for the sake of the 50.

But Abraham wasnt done.

What if there are 45 righteous?

Ill spare it, was the reply.

How about 40?

Abraham was really going out on a limb!

Amazingly, the Lord said yes to that request as well.

In fact, He said yes to every one of Abrahams requests, which ended with God agreeing to spare the entire city of Sodom if He could find just 10 righteous people in it.

Sadly, He could not, so judgment was poured out.

Yet we get an incredible glimpse into Gods heart towards His creation. He will bend over backwards to withhold judgment. He will give us every chance to repent. He will be incredibly longsuffering and patient. Only then will His wrath be poured out.

The ultimate proof of this is found in the cross. There, rather than God pouring out His judgment on all of us  yes, all of are guilty sinners in His sight  He poured out judgment on His Son. Jesus took our place. Jesus bore our guilt. Jesus paid for our sins.

That is the heart of the gospel. That is the heart of God.

As we pray, then, for the Lords intervention in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, let us appeal to His mercy and compassion. God alone knows what caused this viral outbreak, and God alone can dramatically turn the tide.

So we pray, Have mercy on us, O Lord! And grant us repentance from our sins. We have no hope outside of You.
A dying man told a nurse at an aged care facility that he "didn't do anything wrong" and just "picked up his best mate with a cute little boy near a shed at Kendall school," the inquest into William Tyrrell's disappearance heard.

Ray Porter told Uniting Mingaletta nurse Kirston Okpegbue he was referring to "the little boy that went missing down at Kendall", the inquest heard.

William Tyrrell disappeared from Kendall on the Mid North Coast in 2014. Credit:Nine

She asked if he meant William Tyrrell, and Mr Porter said yes.

Asked by counsel assisting the coroner Gerard Craddock SC if Mr Porter had made a hand signal to indicate dropping something off the side of a boat, Ms Okpegbue said she didn't remember anything like that.
BRADDOCK, Pa.  About a year ago, Chardae Jones finally had enough money to pay off some student loans and move out of her parents house into a third-floor apartment across the street from a steel mill that helped build America.

When Jones, 31, looked out her window at night at the mill Andrew Carnegie built 145 years ago, she wrote down what she saw and heard:

The wailing whistles and vicious vibrations coming from the steel mill sometimes sounds like the sky is crying especially since the smoke is always bellowing out almost as if it was the Earth begging for a break

Jones grew up in Braddock, a town of 2,114 people about 11 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River, and last year became mayor. She was used to the pollution. What she found more troubling was U.S. Steels plan, in the works now for more than two years, to lease 10 acres to a New Mexico-based oil and gas company to extract natural gas a mile beneath the surface using a controversial drilling technique known as fracking.

A lot of this area is in a flood zone, she said. Were near a river. It just seems like a recipe for disaster.

As word spread, others grew suspicious of what the proposal might mean for public health. Some of them got elected to local and state office. And in January, a neighboring town revoked the gas companys permit to build part of a well site on its land.

Opponents hope that might kill the proposal altogether  something that one prominent local Democratic politician, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, warns could cause U.S. Steel to shut down the mill and force mass layoffs, even as the company promises to invest more than $1 billion into the mill and another Pittsburgh-area facility to make them more energy efficient. The company says the on-site natural gas source would significantly reduce its costs at a moment when the steel industry has faced new struggles.

More than a decade into a natural gas boom that has driven down energy costs for consumers and literally reshaped the landscape with thousands of wells and pipelines carrying gas across the state, this pocket of Southwestern Pennsylvania is facing a reckoning over the issue. It comes as one of the leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders, has proposed a federal ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a technique for unlocking natural gas from rock formations like the Marcellus Shale with high-pressure injections of water, chemicals, and sand.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner, has resisted a ban but called for no more drilling on federal land. Weve got to take on the fossil-fuel industry, Sanders chided Biden during a recent debate. Your plan doesnt do that.

Some Democrats warn that a fracking ban would clear the way for President Donald Trump to again win the critical electoral battleground of Pennsylvania.

The debate over fracking has turned into this binary choice: Either youre pro-fracking and youre evil and you want the world to burn, or youre against it and like virtue-signaling," said Fetterman, who once campaigned as a fracking opponent but supports the proposed drilling here and warns its defeat would jeopardize 3,000 family sustaining union jobs.

The truth is messy, he said, speaking in his living room, where steam rising from the mill was visible through the window. The biggest collision of those two [positions] in American politics is right here in Pennsylvania. Its happening across the street there. And its happening anywhere else where you have a fringe of our party claiming you can walk away from all of this, and then at the same time lamenting: Where did all the jobs go? Where did all the union jobs go?' Or you wonder, Why are they voting for that crazy man in the red hat? Because hes not trying to run my job out of existence."

As with much else in American life, tribalism and mistrust exacerbate tensions, especially when the stakes seem so high. Jobs might be at risk. If climate change is an urgent threat, the fracking opponents wonder what it says if their elected officials wont take a stand in their own backyard.

We cant even have a conversation about the health impacts without you being accused of hating jobs, said State Rep. Summer Lee, whose district includes Braddock. Thats disingenuous. ... While these towns, while these people, while these workers who are in the midst of it may not be able to afford to think more long term, your politician is supposed to.

Shale-industry jobs in Pennsylvania jumped from 9,143 in 2007 to 20,146 in 2016, an increase of 120%, according to a 2018 analysis by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That doesnt include jobs indirectly linked to drilling. However, a glut of natural gas has driven down prices and slowed production. Chevron said last month it was getting out of the Appalachian basin and would eliminate 320 jobs in Pennsylvania.

The politics of fracking and energy policy in a state that sits on the second-biggest natural gas reserves in the country is more nuanced than absolutist positions might indicate. Last year in historically Republican Chester County, for example, Democrats took the courthouse for the first time ever, in part because of public anger over the Mariner East pipeline, which carries natural gas from Southwest Pennsylvania.

In Harrisburg, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs biggest second-term initiative  a $4.5 billion infrastructure plan that would borrow money against future tax revenues on natural gas drillers  is facing opposition from progressives who say it underwrites the states future on fossil fuels. The GOP-controlled legislature has long opposed a severance tax on drilling. The industry is one of the most powerful interest groups in state politics, having spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions.

And in Philadelphia, the sale of Philadelphia Energy Solutions bankrupt and shuttered oil refinery divided building trades unions and workers against progressive Democrats and climate activists.

Perhaps nowhere is the intraparty divide more pronounced than here in Allegheny County, where the Democratic mayor of Pittsburgh ignited a storm of controversy late last year by opposing any additional petrochemical companies coming to Western Pennsylvania.

And the fight in Braddock is laced with tensions over racial and social justice, as some in the minority communities surrounding the proposed well say they have missed out on Big Industrys supposed economic benefits even as they have endured its health hazards.

It also shows how the grassroots energy on the left activated across the country by Donald Trumps election sometimes results in conflict with old-guard party structures.

All of this is unfolding as Trump campaigns for reelection declaring he has ended the war on American energy, as he put it in a speech in Pittsburgh last fall. In 2016, Trump told Pennsylvania workers he would unleash an energy revolution and bring back coal jobs. He hasnt revived coal. And however improbable some of his promises may have been, they are central to his message that he stands with the white working-class voters who helped elect him.

Pennsylvania voters are split on a fracking ban, with a narrow plurality (42%) opposing it, according to a February Muhlenberg College/Morning Call poll.

Fetterman, in the interview, motioned toward the steel mill and its two blast furnaces. Look over there," he said. "You think you can power that off solar panels? Its time to get real.

A legacy of racial tension

In the steel industrys heyday during the first half of the 20th century, Braddock was booming: 20,000 people lived in the 0.6 square-mile town, and the downtown on Braddock Avenue was filled with movie theaters and department stores. Vestiges of that time frame a wall in Summer Lees Braddock Avenue office. There are other signs of the boroughs decline: pictures of the 2010 demolition of a hospital down the street, a closing that resulted in the loss of hundreds of jobs, and baby pacifiers found in the rubble.

Lee, 32, took an interest in local politics in 2017. Shed recently worked on Hillary Clintons campaign in Pennsylvania. After the election, her high school alma mater was in the news. The principal, who was white, allegedly threatened to assault a 14-year-old black student. A few months later, a school resource officer was accused of knocking another students tooth out. The school district would later settle those and other claims in federal court.

The Woodland Hills School District was created in the 1980s when a federal judge ordered the integration of racially segregated school districts in the Braddock area. The new district remained under court supervision until 2003  when Lee was still in high school there.

She helped organize a successful campaign for school board, then decided to run herself in 2018, for the state House against a longtime incumbent. She planned to center her campaign around education. Then Lee, who grew up in North Braddock and now lives in nearby Swissvale, learned about the fracking proposal at U.S. Steels Edgar Thomson Works mill. It was like the one thing that galvanized people, she said.

We already have among the worst air quality in the nation," Lee added, speaking before the coronavirus outbreak hit in Pennsylvania. "We already have disproportionately high asthma and cancer and respiratory illness rates. We already have blight. We already have poor infrastructure.

The shale gas boom may have contributed $21 billion to the economy in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia between 2004 and 2016, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found. But most of those benefits flowed to rural areas, and the researchers also linked drilling to as many as 4,600 premature deaths associated with air pollution, and billions of dollars worth of environmental costs concentrated in urban areas.

When the fracking proposal came, everybody was like, Thats one more thing thats going to harm us, Lee said.

U.S. Steel says the well would enhance the long-term competitiveness of its Pittsburgh-area facilities. The driller, Merrion Oil & Gas, says it would comply with state environmental regulations and hire local contractors to ensure the safe and proper execution of the project while taking all steps necessary to be good environmental stewards.

Lee defeated a 20-year incumbent with 68% of the vote in the 2018 Democratic primary. She became the first black woman ever to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the legislature.

The same year, Fetterman, whod served as mayor of Braddock since 2006, was elected lieutenant governor.

A police shooting emboldens an activist

While Lee was waging her primary campaign, another political newcomer was mobilizing.

Jonathan Reyes, now 32, had been living in public housing his whole life, most recently in McKeesport. He not only was used to hearing gunshots every day, he knew firsthand how devastating they could be: In 2009, Reyes was eating pizza with a friend when, he says, a gun he carried for protection accidentally went off, killing his friend.

Reyes ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor involuntary-manslaughter charge.

A decade later, he had become active in antiviolence initiatives and was married with five kids.

I didnt want to live in a community where its no longer a shock when somebody gets shot, said Reyes, who works at the Braddock Carnegie Library.

Reyes did some research and decided East Pittsburgh would be safer. He bought a house there in March 2018.

But on June 19, 2018, a white East Pittsburgh police officer shot and killed Antwon Rose II, an unarmed black teenager who had fled the scene of a traffic stop. Officer Michael Rosfeld was acquitted of homicide charges last year.

A bystander captured the shooting on video, bringing national attention.

Reyes, who later learned that Rose had taught his niece gymnastics, marched in protests.

Around the time of the shooting, Reyes also learned about the fracking proposal at U.S. Steels facility. The unconventional well site would span parts of three municipalities: North Versailles, East Pittsburgh, and North Braddock.

Reyes started knocking on neighbors doors and found that no one knew about the plan. He decided to run for the local council.

Reyes connected with other grassroots activists. By the time the group North Braddock Residents for Our Future caught wind of the new proposal, the towns of North Versailles and East Pittsburgh  persuaded by a new revenue opportunity  had already voted to approve permits for Merrion Oil & Gas. Merrion still needed permits from the state.

Activists, frustrated by what they described as a lack of transparency, held meetings, educated the public, and pressed for more information. Their prodding led to a March 2019 meeting held by the state DEP, U.S. Steel, and Merrion.

Officials explained to hundreds of residents that Merrion wanted to drill a well 6,700 feet underground and extend it laterally 10,000 feet, or almost two miles, into the Marcellus Shale formation.

Residents expressed concern that the proposed well was near a densely populated area and a flood-prone river. New Mexico-based Merrion had never drilled an unconventional well, and had never drilled any kind of well in Pennsylvania.

Merrion says it has operated hundreds of wells over 60 years and would hire local consultants and contractors that have a tremendous amount of experience and expertise in drilling unconventional horizontal wells in Southwest Pennsylvania.

In Braddock and East Pittsburgh, the population is predominantly black, and more than 30% live below the poverty line  more than double the state average.

In November, Reyes and another anti-fracking candidate were elected to the East Pittsburgh Council. When they took office in January, the council voted to revoke Merrions permit  issued in December 2017  declaring it had expired.

Merrion is appealing the decision to the East Pittsburgh zoning board. A hearing is set for March 31.

In an email, Merrion operations manager Ryan Davis said the company is moving forward with its plan to drill.

Davis said drilling near a floodplain is common and proven to be safe in practice when state regulations have been complied with, and we will be in compliance.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Environmental Protection said Merrions permit applications remained under review.

I see where youre coming from

The fight isnt over. Lee is facing a primary challenge from a North Braddock councilman who supports the fracking proposal and says hes running to support Gov. Tom Wolfs progressive agenda.

Last month, the Allegheny County Democratic Party and the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council endorsed the challenger, Chris Roland. Building trades unions have supported pro-fracking candidates, citing construction jobs associated with big projects like a Shell petrochemical plant being built 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

The fear was... that if that fracking didnt come, they were proposing to shut down the mills, Lee said. "I think thats disingenuous. I dont think U.S. Steel is going to do that.

A spokesperson for U.S. Steel said that beyond reaffirming the companys commitment to the region, it would not be appropriate for us to respond further to speculation about natural gas exploration plans that have not been approved or finalized.

Yet there are signs of hope for collaboration. Just the other day, Mayor Jones of Braddock, the one who wrote the poem about the steel mill, met with a steelworker at a taco place on Braddock Avenue. Steelworkers Local 1219, which represents hundreds of workers at the Edgar Thomson mill, is creating an environmental committee and wants to inform the community about whats going on at the mill, he told her. (The unions president didnt return messages seeking comment.)

Jones explained her concerns about fracking to the steelworker. He was like, Yeah, I see where youre coming from,  she said. He was a nice guy.

I understand why some of the steelworkers get upset, or get antsy, when people say things like fracking is bad," Jones said. "A lot of the steelworkers have been there so long. ... That is their career. You dont want anyone to jeopardize your career.
Cohesion Policy: over 1.4 billion in 14 sustainable projects

(17 March 2020) - Today the European Commission has approved an investment package worth more than 1.4 billion of EU funds in 14 large infrastructure projects in 7 Member States.

The countries concerned are namely Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

The projects cover several key areas such as environment, health, transport and energy for a smarter, low-carbon Europe.

They represent a massive investment to boost the economy, protect the environment and improve citizens' quality of life and social well-being.

More information
Yves here. Were far from alone in calling out reductions in polling places in low-income and left-leaning areas, such as with high student populations, as vote suppression. Making people stand in long lines to vote is great way to make sure that some and likely many punt.

Another trick is moving a polling station at the last minute. Voters show up at the wrong spot and dont feel they have the time slack to deal with going to the correct location. This is particularly true for those who show up before they go to work.

And its not as if Republicans are the only ones to suppress votes via these polling games. I heard of plenty of this sort of thing in Democrat-owned New York State. But I have to point out that Shelby County is a stones throw from where I live now.

By Joshua F.J. Inwood, Associate Professor of Geography Senior Research Associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, Pennsylvania State University and Derek H. Alderman, a Friend of The Conversation and Professor of Geography, University of Tennessee. Originally published at The Conversation

Delays and long lines at polling places during recent presidential primary elections  such as voters in Texas experienced  represent the latest version of decades-long policies that have sought to reduce the political power of African Americans in the U.S.

Following the Civil War and the extension of the vote to African Americans, state governments worked to block black people, as well as poor whites, from voting. One way they tried to accomplish this goal was through poll taxes  an amount of money each voter had to pay before being allowed to vote.

This practice was abolished by the passage of the 24th Amendment in 1964. Further protections for nonwhite voters came with the Voting Rights Act, which closely followed the Selma to Montgomery civil rights protest marches 55 years ago, in March 1965.

But in recent years, new barriers have gone up that, we believe, constitute a new type of poll tax on working people and minority voters. We are scholars of the American civil rights movement, including the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committees voting rights efforts.

Unlike past poll taxes, the modern poll tax isnt paid in money, but in time  how long it takes a person to get to a polling place, and, once there, how long it takes for them to actually cast their ballot.

Securing the Right to Vote

Almost immediately after the 15th Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote in 1870, state governments in the South passed a series of laws seeking to limit freed blacks voting power.

In addition, white supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan used violence to intimidate African Americans from casting ballots.

This situation remained largely unchallenged for almost a century, until the 1960s, when the years of protest by the civil rights movement bore fruit in the abolition of poll taxes and federal protection of citizens voting rights.

Creating a New Poll Tax

Since the 1960s, there have been efforts by state and local officials to limit these hard-won victories.

The most recent chapter in this battle is the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which lifted restrictions on states that have historically blocked African Americans from voting, so state governments no longer need to seek federal approval before taking actions that might disproportionately harm black citizens right to vote.

Since the Shelby County decision, local election boards and state governments have closed over 1,600 polling places. That is approximately 8% of total voting locations within jurisdictions affected by the Shelby decision.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a bipartisan independent study group started in 1957, found that states claimed polling-place closures were intended to save money, centralize voting operations, and complying with Americans with Disabilities Act  but really the goal was reducing voter turnout, particularly among minority voters who were historically disenfranchised. Using publicly available data, federal lawsuits brought against states and counties the report documents clear patterns of discrimination.

These closures, often done with little notice or public accountability, have occurred across communities of varying racial and demographic characteristics. What unites these places are the costs they impose on voting  from longer wait times to transportation obstacles  experienced disproportionately by voters of color, older voters, rural voters, voters with disabilities and poor working people in general.

In the 2016 election, for instance, scholars at UCLA found that voters in black neighborhoods waited, on average, 29% longer to vote than voters in predominantly white communities. The study found, Even within the same county, voters in a hypothetical all-black precinct would wait 15 percent longer than voters in an all-white precinct.

The study found voters in majority black precincts were far more likely to wait longer than half an hour to cast a ballot than voters in majority white precincts. A study of the 2012 election found that the voters who waited in long lines paid, collectively, over half a billion dollars in lost wages.

Considering Time

We believe that polling place closures represent a modern-day version of the poll tax.

In our view, access to polling places is a key element of citizens right to vote. People need fair and equitable access to places to vote  and determining what that means should include time and travel costs imposed on voters. This would expand traditional understandings of access to polling places beyond narrow legal opinions and take into account the full range of racial and class barriers to being able to participate in U.S. democracy.

Everybodys time is valuable. But wait times have different effects depending upon a persons socioeconomic status.

Working people calculate daily how much time, if any, they can afford to be away from their hourly wage job. Interminable waits at polling places may not fit in the schedule with a second or third job. Work supervisors may not excuse a late arrival or an absence. A working person may feel pressure to leave a polling place before casting a ballot, just to get to work on time and keep the money coming in.

Importantly, the Supreme Courts Shelby County ruling did not invalidate all of the Voting Rights Act. Rather, it threw out the method by which the federal government could determine which areas of the country had policies that resulted in widespread voter disenfranchisement.

Congress could enact new legislation detailing a new method of making that determination, which would then restore federal oversight to states that create barriers to voting.

However because of our federal system where states have direct oversight of elections many of these decisions ultimately take place at the local and state level. As a result, election officials need to work in transparent ways with diverse communities to ensure that changes to voting locations do not disproportionately limit minority access. In addition, states could also ensure equal access to voting by creating, or expanding, early voting periods, and making it possible to vote by mail.
Vogue Williams has been seen for the first time since announcing that she is expecting her second child with husband Spencer Matthews.

The Irish presenter, 34, shielded her growing baby bump in a cosy black padded coat as she took her dog Winston for a walk in Chelsea on Tuesday.

On Monday Vogue announced that she was five-and-a-half months pregnant with a baby girl, two years after she and Spencer welcomed their son Theodore.

Glowing: Vogue Williams, 34, stepped out for the first time since announcing that she is pregnant with her second child, as she walked her dog Winston in West London on Tuesday

Vogue cut a casual figure in a cosy black padded jacket as she walked Winston in the sunshine.

The expectant star teamed her relaxed look with skinny black leggings and trainers as she chatted on her phone during the low-key stroll.

Sweeping her blonde tresses into a chic up-do, Vogue didn't seem to be letting the coronavirus outbreak prevent her from going about her daily errands.

Casual: The Irish presenter shielded her growing baby bump in a cosy black padded coat as she walked her pet pooch in the sunshine

Exciting times: On Sunday, Vogue and Spencer announced that they were expecting their second child, two years after welcoming son Theodore (pictured December 2018)

Expectant: The star didn't seem concerned about the recent coronavirus outbreak as she headed out for the day

Mr and Mrs: Vogue and Spencer married in 2018, after learning that they were expecting their first child

On Sunday Vogue and Spencer announced the exciting news that they are expecting a baby girl.

The Irish beauty and the former Made In Chelsea star, 31, announced the happy news in HELLO! magazine after welcoming their son Theodore in September 2018.

Vogue revealed she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition which affects a woman's ovaries.

Out and about: Vogue cut a casual figure in a cosy black padded jacket as she walked Winston in the sunshine

She told the publication: 'We're delighted. It's so exciting but kind of scary to think we're going to have another newborn. There's no doubt that I feel lucky to be having another baby.'

The TV host - who revealed she was expecting Theodore at the three-month mark in March 2018 - revealed the couple have been trying to conceive since last summer and decided to 'keep it under wraps for longer' as the pregnancy 'hasn't been as straight forward the last one'.

Vogue said: 'It was certainly a different path for us this time, so it's really nice to be here and talking about it now. I wouldn't say alarm bells were going off, but we did wonder how we could make it work a bit more efficiently.'

Cute: Speaking about her impending arrival, Vogue admitted she has already bought 'an obscene amount of clothes' for her daughter

PCOS is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work, with symptoms including excess androgen, polycystic ovaries and irregular periods - which can make it difficult to get pregnant as a result of irregular/failed ovulation.

Looking ahead to welcoming their new addition, the Jump star - who previously made a pregnancy pact with mother-to-be Millie Mackintosh - said she has already bought 'an obscene amount of clothes' for her daughter, branding her unborn child 'my little doll'.

On experimenting with 'exotic' names, Clean Liquor Company founder Spencer shared: 'There won't be any degree of stupidity to the name though. I think you can be fresh, and new and different, but it has got a bit silly in a few cases. So we'll try and rein it in.'
A woman crosses the millennium bridge wearing a face mask for protection against the corona virus in London, England on March 16, 2020. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Newark Mayor: Officials Searching for Coronavirus Patient Who Gave Fake Name

A coronavirus patient who went to Newarks East Orange General Hospital in New Jersey gave a false name and a false address to doctors, prompting the citys mayor to urge her to come forward.

Because you gave a false namebecause you gave a false addressyou put yourself and many, many people at risk, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a video on Tuesday. Not only just in the City of Newark, but all of the surrounding cities in this state as well.

He said the patient, a female, tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. But she provided a false name and a Newark address, Baraka said.

When police arrived at the Newark address, they found no sign of the woman, the mayor said.

As of today, she has not been identified, he repeated, later describing her as a young lady. Newark officials are now working to obtain a court order to force East Orange General Hospital to give them a video and other information about the woman.

We still have no knowledge of who this individual is, Baraka said, adding that she is a public health threat due to her positive test.

If you are that person and you went to East Orange General Hospital, and you were sick and were tested the coronavirus test came back positive, the mayor pleaded. I am urging you to contact a health provider [or] go back to East Orange General Hospital if you can.

Baraka didnt say whether the woman will face any charges.

This is not a joke, he said. This is a very, very, very serious matter.

Reports said that at least 178 cases of COVID-19, which emerged in mainland China last year, have been confirmed in New Jersey. As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 20 positive cases have been confirmed in Essex County, according to a New Jersey Department of Health tracker.

In Newark, the states largest city, authorities said a male resident in his 50s tested positive for the virus and was self-quarantined at his home, reported NJ.com. However, most of the states COVID-19 cases have been identified in Bergen County, authorities have said.

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said the county is planning to close malls, non-essential retailers, and wants to ban groups of four or more people. They are to be implemented on Saturday starting at 8 a.m.

As I said yesterday, while these may seem like extraordinary measures, these are extraordinary times. Our procedures make every attempt to be consistent with State guidelines, but we must remember that the severity of the situation in Bergen County is greater than any other area in the state, he said in a statement to the Daily Voice.
On March 12, Russias Severnaya Verf (a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, USC) launched the Project 20380 (Steregushchiy-class) corvette Retivy (Strenuous), according to the enterprise.

Project 20380 corvette Retivy (Picture source: Petr Kovalev / TASS)

The Retivy is the seventh ship of the Steregushchiy class and the fifth Project 20380 corvette built at the Severnaya Verf. The surface combatant is being built for the Russian Navys (VMFs) Black Sea Fleet. The first four Project 20380 naval platforms, namely, Steregushchy (Excubant), Soobrazitelny (Quickwitted), Boiky (Brisk), and Stoiky (Uncrushable), were issued to the Baltic Fleet.

The corvette Retivy (factory number 1,007) was laid at the Severnaya Verf on February 12, 2015, along with its sister ship - Strogy (Stern; factory number 1,008). In October 2017, the ships hull was formed; in March 2018, it was fitted with powerplants and speed reduction gears.

In February 2020, the platform was moved from a covered berth to a floating dock to have its bulbous radome, ship stabilizer, and steering system installed. The launch will be followed by the tugging of the Retivy to a building berth for outfitting. The enterprise will start to load cable runs, outfit the crew compartment, and install communications, navigation, and armament systems.

The mooring tests of the Retivy are scheduled for late 2020. The ships crew will be trained at the Navys Joint Training Center under the programs, which incorporate the latest technical solutions (including those in the field of radars) introduced to the design of the new surface combatant.

"The backlog of orders from the USC subsidiaries and, in particular, Severnaya Verf will provide the enterprise with workload for the following decade at least. We will lay the keels of new frigates soon," said Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko at the launching ceremony.

"The [Project 20380] ships have shown decent performance as reliable naval platforms with high combat potential. It is a good series of ships <> The Severnaya Verfs main task is the building of corvettes; however, the laying down of frigates keels is also suggested," added the Navys Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov.

"Two our ships are passing through their trials in the North. We are planning to finish them and deliver the platforms to the Navy," said Severnaya Verf Director General Igor Ponomaryov. According to him, Russia is now serially building blue-water ships, reducing those platforms costs and terms of construction.

According to President of the USC Alexey Rakhmanov, the Project 20380 corvettes feature high effectiveness. "These ships will be built at Russian shipyards. Moreover, Severnaya Verf is waiting for a large modernization," he said.

Compared to the first Project 20380 corvettes, the Retivy features an improved radar and modified structures. "Both Retivy and Strogy will be fitted with a new radio-technical suite and a more powerful electronic warfare station," said then-acting Navys Deputy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Viktor Chirkov during the official ceremony of the laying of the abovementioned corvettes keels.

The Project 20380 type ship, Steregyshchy (factory number 1,001), was laid in December 2001 at Severnaya Verf. The ship was launched in May 2006, and the Navy commissioned it in early 2008. Then the enterprise laid the keels of three more such naval platforms, namely, Soobrazitelny (factory number 1,002; laid down in May 2003, launched in March 2010, and commissioned in October 2011), Boiky (factory number 1,003; laid down in May 2005 launched in April 2011, and commissioned in May 2013), and Stoiky (factory number 1,004; laid down in November 2006, launched in May 2012, and commissioned in July 2014). The Amur Shipbuilding Plant laid the keels of two more corvettes, namely, Sovershenny (factory number 2,101; laid down in June 2006, launched in May 2015, and commissioned in July 2017) and Gromkiy (factory number 2,102; laid down in April 2012, launched in July 2017, and commissioned in December 2018).

All the aforementioned ships feature a common radio-technical suite. The first Project 20380 corvettes were fitted with the Monument-A fire-control radar (FCR) and the Furke-2 radar, with both sensors mounted on a foremast in radio transparent radomes. The corvettes were also equipped with the 5P-01-02 Puma (Cougar) bow structure-mounted FCR.

Both baseline and modernized Project 20380 corvettes (except for the Steregushchy) have the same armament suite, which comprises the Uran missile system with the 3M-24 anti-ship missiles (the Uran incorporates several inclined four-cell 3S-24 launchers mounted behind the bow structure) and the Redut naval surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. The Redut integrates three four-cell 3S.97 vertical launch systems (VLSs) and is armed with four types of SAMs, including the short-range 9M100E, the medium-range 9M96E, and the long-range 9M96E2 and 9M96E2-1. These highly maneuverable missiles have been unified with the S-350 Vityaz (Noble Knight) SAM system. It should be mentioned that the Steregushchy features the 3M87-1 Kortik-M naval anti-aircraft gun-missile system instead of the 3S.97 VLSs. The ships are also armed with two AK-630 30 mm close-in weapon systems, which are mounted in the aft part of each board.

The Project 20380 corvettes carry a bow-mounted A-190 100 mm naval gun. The Paket system with two SM-588 324 mm eight-cell launchers incorporating either anti-torpedoes or compact anti-submarine torpedoes maintains the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the surface combatants. A hangar and a helicopter pad for a Kamov Ka-27-family (Helix-A) rotorcraft are mounted in the aft part of the ships.

In the early 2010s, the military decided to build a series of the Project 20385 corvettes armed with the 3S-14 VLS for the Kalibr SS-N-27 Sizzler and Oniks SS-N-26 Strobile missiles and 16 3S.97 cells of the Redut SAM system. The new ships were supposed to be powered by MTU powerplants; however, the cooperation with the German company was ceased in 2014 after the imposing of Western sanctions. By then, the industry had laid down the keels of only two ships, namely, Gremyashchy (factory number 1,005; laid down in April 2012, launched in July 2017, and commissioned in December 2018) and Provorny (factory number 1,006; laid down in July 2013). Despite the replacement of the MTU engines with diesel powerplants built by the Kolomna Plant, there is no plan to continue the series of Project 20385 ships.

One can strongly suggest that the cessation of the Project 20385 program has resulted in the construction of more Project 20380 corvettes with an upgraded mast-mounted multifunctional radar developed by JSC Zaslon. The shipbuilding industry is now building four modified Project 20380 surface combatants, including two at Severnaya Verf (Retivy and Strogy) and two at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant (Hero of the Russian Federation Aldan Tsidenzhapov (factory number 2,103; laid down in July 2015 and launched in October 2019. The ships commissioning is scheduled for 2020) and Rezky (factory number 2,104; laid down in July 2016. The ships launch and commissioning are scheduled for 2020 and 2021, respectively).

At the Army 2019 military-technical forum held in Kubinka near Moscow in June 2019, a representative of JSC Zaslon told TASS that the company was manufacturing six multifunctional radars for two Project 20385 corvettes and four such devices for Project 20380 ships.

The new all-round radar comprises a control system, a multifunctional X-band radar with non-rotating active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs), an S-band radar with a rotating AESA, a multifunctional radio-technical environment control radar, and a naval artillery control device.

The new multifunctional radar employs electronic scanning of beam patterns and special regimes and algorithms of observation and target detection and tracking, providing rapid reaction, high information-handling capacity, and good accuracy of target designation.

In active mode, the radar works in X- and S-bands at a distance of up to 200 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km. The sensor can detect a vehicle with a radar cross-section of less than 1 m at a distance of up to 75 km in a jamming-free environment. The radar tracks up to 200 targets. In passive mode, the system works in L-, S-, C-, X, and Ku-bands, detecting emitting radars at a distance of up to 300 km. When detecting aerial targets, the radar works in S-, C-, X-, and Ku-bands and tracks more than 100 targets simultaneously.

The modernized Project 20380 corvette also lacks an aft structure-mounted mast after the stack. The bow-mounted antenna post of the Puma FCS has been removed as all the radar sensors of the ship are installed in the integrated mast-tower construction.
LANSING, MI -- In Lansing and a growing number of communities, if someone steals from your garage during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, police probably wont respond in person.

Limiting public interaction, or social distancing, is a growing trend as police agencies across the state pivot to maintain public safety while protecting law enforcement and citizens from the potential spread of coronoavirus.

Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green in a March 12 coronavirus exposure mitigation memo said his officers, until further notice, wont respond in person to reports of larceny; property destruction; retail fraud, if a suspect isnt known or the value of the theft is under $1,000; attempted break-ins or break-ins at unoccupied buildings, including garages or vacant homes; ID theft when the victim isnt financially harmed and reimbursed by their bank; harassing phone calls or emails; credit card theft if the charges arise outside Lansing and calls of lost property.

Reports for those crimes may instead be entered on the citys website or via phone. Lansing isnt alone.

Meridian Township issued a similar statement Friday, stating: The Meridian Township Police Department will limit in-person responses to calls in certain situations but will continue to respond to all violent and in-progress crimes.

While the Oakland County Sheriffs Office didnt announce plans to limit deputy response for certain crime reports, it is limiting public access to offices and other facilities.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the Sheriffs Office is asking the public to try and limit coming in for certain Sheriffs Office services when possible, the Oakland County Sheriffs Office said in a statement issued Monday. All citizens are encouraged to visit the Sheriffs Office website for the most up-to-date information on changes to services.

The Oakland County Jail canceled on-site video visits with prisoners and is instead offering a remote, online video service that allows prisoners one free remote visit per week."

All on-site visits ... have been suspended  with the exception of an emergency and crime reporting, Grosse Pointe Farms Police said in an announcement Monday. Citizens will not be able to come into the station for fingerprints, purchase permits, visitation or any other services.

In Montcalm County, 911 dispatchers are collecting more than immediately pertinent emergency information. Theyre asking callers about possible symptoms of illness and notifying medics, firefighters or police if there is any chance the victim might be showing signs of coronavirus infection.

In an effort to promote safety for everyone involved, a new line of questioning has been introduced to our call in-take process, Montcalm County Central Dispatch posed to its Facebook page Monday. "Until further notice, we will be asking questions about the health and exposure risk of all of our 911 and business line callers where a responder could potentially have face to face contact with the public.

We assure you that our added questioning is not going to slow down response times.

Montcalm County Sheriff Mike Williams said his deputies, once notified of a possible health risk, are able to take further precautions to protect themselves, such as using gloves and keeping a safe distance from those at the scene, if possible.

Like anyone with any communicable disease, we ask they disinfect their gear and their cars, anything they touch, and they wear gloves or other personal protection equipment, he said.

Williams said interviews with suspects and witnesses, when possible, are being conducted off site. The agency is no longer conducting fingerprinting for CPL licenses, limits the office to essential personnel," is restricting police transporting of arrested suspects to the booking area, halting work-release programs and ending weekend-only incarceration.

Williams, a law enforcement veteran of 24 years, said he recalls working through past pandemics, like the 2009 spread of the H1N1 virus, but said, weve never seen anything like this.

There is not across-the-board consistency regarding how agencies across the state are handling in-person contacts, nonviolent crime reporting or jail policies.

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.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

 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.

READ MORE:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

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Officials from both sides in war of words over origin of coronavirus, with Trump calling it Chinese Virus.

A spat between Washington and Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic escalated when United States President Donald Trump angered China by referring to the pathogen as the Chinese Virus.

The two countries have sparred over the origin of the virus for days, with a Chinese official promoting theories claiming it was brought to China by the US army and Washington officials using terms seen as stigmatising a nation.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus, Trump tweeted on Monday night.

Trumps allies had previously referred to the pandemic as the Chinese coronavirus.

On Tuesday, China said it was strongly indignant over the phrase, which it called a kind of stigmatisation.

The US should immediately stop its unjustified accusations against China, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters, adding that the US should first take care of its own matters, referring to the growing outbreak there.

R acist and xenophobic

A commentary by the official Xinhua news agency said using racist and xenophobic names to cast blame for the outbreak on other countries can only reveal politicians irresponsibility and incompetence which will intensify virus fears.

The war of words reignited diplomatic tensions between the two countries, which have tussled over trade and other disputes since Trump took office. His comments were criticised inside the US, with warnings it could incite a backlash against the Asian-American community.

Our Asian-American communities  people YOU serve  are already suffering. They dont need you fueling more bigotry, tweeted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose state is one of the hardest-hit by the virus in the US.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) said more cases and deaths had been reported in the rest of the world now than in China.

The new coronavirus was first detected late last year, with Chinas own health officials initially saying its source was a live animal market in the central city of Wuhan, whose government had initially tried to cover up the outbreak.

But China has sought to distance itself from the virus, saying the origin is still unknown, while seeking global goodwill by offering aid to countries facing serious outbreaks.

Pompeo slams China

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a phone call he initiated with top Chinese official Yang Jiechi, voiced anger that Beijing used official channels to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States, the State Department said.

On Friday, US State Department summoned the Chinese ambassador, Cui Tiankai, to denounce Beijings promotion of a conspiracy theory that had gained wide attention on social media.

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A senior Chinese foreign ministry official, Zhao Lijian, suggested on Twitter last week that patient zero in the global pandemic may have come from the US.

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.

Last week, Republican Congressman Paul Gosar announced his self-quarantine has stirred a debate on by calling the coronavirus the Wuhan virus, referring to the Chinese city where the virus is believed to have originated.

Pompeo himself has sought to link China to the global pandemic, repeatedly referring to the Wuhan virus phrase despite advice from health professionals that such geographic labels can be stigmatising.

Yang issued a stern warning to the United States that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail, Xinhua said in its summary of the call with Pompeo.

The key Chinese foreign policy leader noted that some US politicians have frequently slandered China and its anti-epidemic efforts and stigmatised the country, which has enraged the Chinese people, Xinhua said.

Yang called on the US side to correct its wrongful behaviour.
On the eve of a set of primaries that could decide his future as a presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders has fallen 20 points behind Joe Biden in the crucial state of Arizona  a newly competitive state the Democrats are hoping to flip in November.

The polls have also put Mr Sanders behind in the other major states voting on 18 March: Illinois, Florida and Ohio. While Ohio has postponed its primary out of fears voting could aid the spread of coronavirus, the other two states will be going ahead.

Yet even as Mr Sanders looks set for his third Tuesday in a row losing badly to Mr Biden, he and his campaign have been hitting their opponent with everything theyve got.

While the Democratic debate two nights before the primaries was overshadowed by the growing coronavirus crisis, the Sanders campaign were ready to pounce on all opportunities to lay into Mr Bidens voting record.

Mr Sanderss Twitter feed slammed Mr Bidens voting record as a Senator. Joe, be honest, read one, You have tried to cut Social Security for 40 years. #DemDebate.

Another took the argument wider: I voted against the Defense of Marriage Act. Biden voted for it. I voted against the war in Iraq. Biden voted for it. I voted against NAFTA and PNTR. Biden voted for them. It takes courage sometimes to do the right thing. #DemDebate

Others advised followers to go to the YouTube and watch old clips of Mr Biden and Mr Sanders in their congressional days advancing different stances on social security.

And on the night before the primaries, Mr Sanderss campaign held a livestreamed digital rally featuring celebrities including Darryl Hannah and Neil Young, as well as a speech by the candidate that reiterated his campaign is winning the generational battle  albeit with caveats.

Now for whatever reason  and I plead guilty to this, maybe its some of my own doings, or lack of doings  were doing poorly with older people. Thats simply a fact. And I gotta work on that, because in truth, the agenda we have is the strongest agenda for senior citizens in this country  nonetheless, were not doing well with seniors.

But you know where we are doing well, phenomenally well? Im talking about 70, 80 per cent support among younger people in this country. And it is the younger people who will determine the future of this country.

However, they will not in all probability determine the next Democratic candidate.

Write-ups of Mr Sanderss performance on Super Tuesday and then mini-Tuesday a week later almost universally counted him out of the fight for the nomination.

The night of the 10 March primaries, on which he won only the delegate-poor North Dakota, Mr Sanders declined to give a speech. Instead he repaired to Burlington, Vermont, where he gave a televised address the next day.

That speech was widely read as only just short of a full concession, Mr Sanders acknowledging that his campaign was losing the arithmetical contest that will actually decide the nomination  even as he was at pains to argue he was winning the generational argument.

Still, just before Arizonas polls opened, Brianna Westbrook, the campaigns co-chair in the state, took a defiant and optimistic tone:

This week, Democrats will have an important choice to make. And the contrast between those two choices couldnt be any starker. Well be either accepting politics as usual or voting for a new vision, for a big, bold structural change to rise to this unprecedented moment in American politics.

I for one will be voting for that new vision, and I am asking you to join me.
LONDON and LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading independent wealth management group James Hambro & Partners (JH&P) has selected global FinTech firm InvestCloud to support a digital transformation that will put it far ahead of most peers in the way it communicates to clients.

The London-based manager, which has over 3.4 bn assets under management, is embarking on the biggest technology spend in its 10-year history. InvestCloud is a platform for the development of digital financial, pre-integrated cloud solutions and supports more than US$2 trillion in assets.

JH&P will use the InvestCloud Blue suite of apps to enable digital client communication, automation and management. InvestCloud Blue digitises client onboarding, engagement and advice, including financial planning and reporting, giving managers a comprehensive view of all clients. InvestCloud will also empower intuitive and responsive client experiences tailored for specific client bases.

Using InvestCloud's experience with Iress Pulse, alongside its modular and scalable software, JH&P expects to achieve significant cost savings through client onboarding automation.

Andy Steel, CEO of JH&P, said: "We have an increasingly complex client base and we have to deliver a flexible technology solution that allows people to absorb our services in the way that best suits them. If that's sitting across the table having a one-to-one discussion that's great  we're always going to be here for that traditional approach. But busy people on the move want to absorb data in different ways. They want information at their fingertips in a format they can configure to best suit them."

He added: "We chose InvestCloud because it's the only FinTech company that we think has solved the digital transformation needs of the investment management industry. We wanted to modernise our client and adviser digital experiences without increasing our IT department. InvestCloud's innovative solutions will help us future-proof the way that we serve our adviser clients and their end-investor clients alike. Client growth and retention is paramount  along with operational efficiency  and InvestCloud enables these."

InvestCloud's financial digital solutions provides clients with intuitive financial platforms and an ever-expanding library of modular apps. The company's Programs Writing Programs (PWP) technology enables the customisation at a scale that JH&P requires.

John Wise, InvestCloud's Co-founder, CEO and Chairman, said: "As a well-respected discretionary fund manager in the UK with a strong digital vision, James Hambro & Partners is a welcome addition to our strategic client base. By using the InvestCloud platform, the firm will be able to leap-frog the competition. InvestCloud will help it significantly advance not only the way that it communicates with its professional adviser clients  and how they, in turn communicate with their investor clients  but also how it onboards clients. This will bring significant operational efficiency to its growth strategy. Andy's team has the digital ambition to drive significant success, and we are excited to be working with them."

About James Hambro & Partners LLP

James Hambro & Partners is an independently owned wealth management group established in 2010 by Jamie Hambro and long-serving industry experts. The founding partners wanted to create a wealth manager that offered the high standards of personal service often associated with smaller businesses, while delivering strong investment performance by capturing the best aspects of expertise and process found the best large, less-personal investment houses.

A growing number of professional advisers now outsource investment management to the group, which also manages money for charities and not-for-profit organisations. JH&P also offers financial planning and wealth management to private clients. The firm, which has 3.4bn assets under management, has won a host of industry awards for performance and service and was most recently named Discretionary Fund Manager of the Year in the Professional Adviser awards.

About InvestCloud Inc.

InvestCloud is a global company specializing in digital platforms that enable the development of financial solutions, pre-integrated into the Cloud. The company offers on-demand client experiences and intuitive operations solutions using an ever-expanding library of modular apps, resulting in powerful products. Headquartered in Los Angeles with additional offices in New York, Toronto and London, InvestCloud supports more than $2 trillion in assets across 700+ diverse clients  from some of the biggest banks in the world, wealth managers, institutional investors and institutional asset managers to family offices, asset services companies and financial platforms.

For more information, visit investcloud.com.

SOURCE InvestCloud

Related Links

https://www.investcloud.com


A state employee working at the Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton, which houses both the New Jersey Supreme Court and the state Attorney Generals Office, has tested positive for coronavirus, NJ Advance Media has learned.

On Sunday, state authorities notified employees that one of their colleagues had tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend."

It was among the first cases in New Jersey of state workers contracting the illness.

The employee had no symptoms while in the office, but out of an abundance of caution, all areas where the employee had been in the building on Thursday were cleaned, including the first floor, the cafeteria area, the 4th, 5th and part of the 6th floors, the email said, according to a copy obtained by NJ Advance Media.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General Gurbir Grewal confirmed the content of the email but declined to comment further.

The sick worker was identified in a second email obtained by the news organization as an employee of the Division of Criminal Justice, which oversees major criminal investigations and prosecutions across the state.

The first email assured workers at the justice complex that it was safe.

The building has been cleared for use, and employees are expected to report for duty as in the regular course of business, it said.

The news came after Gov. Phil Murphy ordered each government department to institute its own work-from-home plan by Wednesday and raised concerns among workers in the building on Monday that they could become unknowing vectors for the virus.

Weve all been told self-quarantine, flatten the curve, yet we get this email saying somebody contracted COVID but they cleaned and were expected to be here, said one employee of the Attorney Generals Office, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation for criticizing the department.

Its like a ghost town in here, the person said, with rows of office doors usually left open to discuss pending cases and trade insight sealed shut.

Everyone has their door closed, the person said. People are wearing masks.

Two other people who regularly work in the complex said some employees were calling out sick even before the email, and expressed concern at how little they were being told about the situation.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Blake Nelson contributed to this report.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
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L.A. City Council Meeting Diverts From the Norm During Coronavirus Outbreak

In a shift from its normal routine of hearing public comments, the Los Angeles City Council today allowed people to speak their peace remotely from the Spring Street Forecourt at City Hall, in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Though they couldnt been seen on television, disembodied voices echoed through the chamber, giving comments and criticisms while City Council

President Nury Martinez called for caution and patience as the council continues to govern through the pandemic.

In light of the situation, I have taken the necessary steps to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to limit the exposure of

anyone who comes into this building, and that includes the public waiting outside to make their public comment as well, Martinez said. As the

legislative body of the city, it is important to move the citys business forward. However, with that being said, I want to make sure we are doing it

with the utmost consideration of others.

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Media personnel were not allowed to have cameras in the dais area, where reporters with credentials are typically allowed. The Council Chamber was also limited to only 50 people and council members were allowed just one staff member to be present, unless they made a special request.

This pandemic has touched every corner of the world, and it is increasing at a global scale like we have never seen before, Martinez said.

We are in uncharted waters, and it is up to us to make sure we are doing our duty as public servants, and I hope we are doing that here today.

People who arent city employees have not been allowed to enter City Hall since last week. The City Council is expected to meet March 24 and March 31, but all council committee meetings for the month have been canceled.

Several public speakers voiced their displeasure with having to wait outside to speak, as there were no heaters or outdoor restrooms.


Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar held a meeting with Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) and Maharashtra State Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials on Tuesday, after which a reduction in the schedule of daily buses was announced.

As a precautionary measure, instead of 1,714 PMPML buses that ply the city roads daily, 1,131 will ply from March 18. A total of 583 bus schedules have been cancelled between 12 noon and 4 pm daily. All buses during peak hours will run as per schedule, said Mhaisekar

With MSRTC, most buses are currently running empty. In the last two days 18,000 passengers have travelled out of Pune city and 8,000 passengers have come in to Pune via MSRTC buses. Most students are travelling back to their hometowns and villages due to the Covid-19 outbreak, added Mhaisekar.
San Francisco, March 17 : Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the company has taken down thousands of videos related to dangerous or misleading coronavirus information using its Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based technology.

In a blog post, Pichai said that since January, Google has blocked hundreds of thousands of ads attempting to capitalize on the coronavirus pandemic.

"Last week, we announced a temporary ban on all ads for medical masks and respirators," he said on Monday.

"We continue to remove videos that promote medically unproven methods to prevent coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment. On Google Maps, our automated and manual review systems continue to take down false and harmful content such as fake reviews and misleading information about healthcare locations," Pichai elaborated.

Meanwhile, Google said the coronavirus tracking and screening website that US President Donald Trump announced the company is building with 1,700 engineers is delayed to "later this week".

Google's subsidiary Verily is building the website to direct people to testing facilities.

"With local and national guidance evolving rapidly, Google will continue working with relevant agencies and authorities to roll out a website later this week that will surface authoritative information for people in the US, including on screening and testing," Google said in a statement.

Pichai said the company is partnering with the US government in developing a website dedicated to COVID-19 education, prevention, and local resources nationwide.

"Right now on the Google homepage we're promoting the "Do the Five" campaign to raise awareness of simple measures people can take to slow the spread of the disease, according to the WHO," he informed.

"Do the Five" raises awareness of simple measures people can take to slow the spread of the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

"On YouTube, we're using the homepage to direct users to videos from the CDC or other locally relevant public health agencies. We're highlighting content from authoritative sources when people search for COVID-19, and inserting information panels to provide additional context from high-quality sources," Pichai said.

Google is also witnessing more people using the premium features of Meet, its video conferencing app, which it made available to all G Suite customers at no cost until July 1.

"Through our philanthropic arm Google.org, we are committing $50 million to the global COVID-19 response, focusing on health and science, access to educational resources and small business support," said Pichai.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
M illions of Californians have been ordered to stay inside their homes and keep away from neighbours as America introduces sweeping new measures to fight the spread of coronavirus.

The shelter in place order is being enforced from today in San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties following a 14 per cent spike in cases.

The move was announced hours after President Donald Trump urged Americans to avoid gatherings of 10 or more and stay at home wherever possible to combat the invisible enemy.

Californias restrictions, enforceable by possible fines or prison terms, stops just short of the stay inside orders in China and Italy, but directs 6.7 million residents in the region not to leave their homes unless it is absolutely necessary for the next three weeks.

They will be allowed out to buy food or household supplies and get medical care but businesses that do not provide essential services must send workers home. Residents will be able to go outside for fresh air or exercise as long as they keep away from anyone they do not already live with.

The strictest crackdown in the US so far applies to San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Other districts and states are expected to follow suit.

While the local authorities say they will not rush to enforce the order, police in San Francisco warned today they will be checking bars and clubs in the city to ensure they remain closed.

Many of Americas biggest citiesincluding New York, Los Angeles and Boston  have already ordered bars, restaurants and other venues to close.

In an acknowledgment of the seriousness of the pandemic in the US, where there have so far been 4,661 cases and 86 deaths, Mr Trump admitted for the first time that the situation was bad.

I have spoken, actually, with my son, he said, referring to 13-year-old Barron. He says, how bad is this? Its bad. Its bad. But were going to be, hopefully, a best case, not a worst case. And thats what were working for, he added.

After criticism for appearing to downplay the situation, Mr Trump said he now thought it may be July or August before the outbreak washes through and claimed he deserved 10 out of 10 for his handling of the crisis.

But hours later, the President found himself at the centre of a new row after posting a tweet using the phrase Chinese virus to describe the coronavirus. The tweet triggered a backlash with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio accusing Mr Trump of fuelling more bigotry.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will close the countrys borders to all foreigners except Americans. Canadians arriving home from abroad must self-isolate for 14 days.
Kiran Narayanan By

Express News Service

KOCHI: In the wake of the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the district, the district health department is on a mission to expand isolation facilities to educational institutions, private hospitals and hotels. One such facility has been proposed at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) and is awaiting District Collector S Suhas nod.

Ernakulam District Medical Officer said the decision to set up more isolation wards was taken to manage any rise in the number of COVID-19 patients.The proposal to set up a ward at Cusat is under the collectors consideration. We have finalised a few hostel rooms at Cusat and will set up the facility without causing inconvenience to the boarders, he said.

Cusat Vice-Chancellor K N Madhusoodanan said they will cooperate with the officials, but had requested them to ensure the safety of students currently staying at the hostels.

The officials told us the facility will be set up only if there is an emergency. Almost 100 students from north India and a few research scholars are staying at our 12 hostels. Since travelling to their hometowns would create more problems for them, they have been advised to stay back, he said.

Along with Cusat, Tripunithura Ayurveda College and a few private hospitals have been shortlisted. We are mainly considering hotels with basic facilities. All medical facilities, including doctors, will be provided at such centres, said Kuttappan.

At present, 680 people are under observation in the district of whom 30 are in various hospitals. On Monday alone, 6 new patients were admitted to isolation wards.Meanwhile, District collector S Suhas on Monday directed the Aluva tahsildar to take over the hostels of Sanskrit University in Kalady under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, for use in emergency situations.

S Suhas commandeers paramedics from private hosps to fight COVID-19

KOCHI: The district collector who is also the District Magistrate, has enforced the Disaster Management Act in the district, commandeering the medical/paramedical staff of various private hospitals and non-governmental institutions to the agencies involved in preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19. In an order, collector S Suhas said the staff should be made available from these establishments without affecting their routine activities. The Commissioner of Police, Kochi, SP (Ernakulam Rural) and sub-divisional magistrates of the district shall contact the hospitals and other agencies who can spare paramedical staff and utilise their services for the prevention of COVID-19, in consultation with district health authorities. The Act was enforced as the number of persons getting affected is increasing and it is important to identify affected persons at an early stage and quarantine them... depending on the severity of the infection.

Plea seeks closure of malls, tourist places

Kochi: A petition has been filed before the High Court seeking a directive from the state government to take immediate action by temporarily closing down places where people gather, including malls, schools, universities, theatres and tourist places in the state. The petition also sought to take immediate measures to control the price of hand sanitisers and masks and ensure their availability. The petition was filed by Justice Brigade, a Kochi-based voluntary organisation of lawyers. The petition stated 16,7329 persons were confirmed for COVID-19 across the world and 6,455 persons died.
NASA is taking precautions to protect its Houston-based employees and Astronaut Chris Cassidy, who is in Russia preparing for an April 9 launch, from the new coronavirus.

"Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement on Tuesday.

As of Saturday, NASA had two known cases of COVID-19: one at Ames Research Center in California and another at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.

Related: Does climate change play a role in infectious diseases like COVID-19?

All of its centers, including Houston's Johnson Space Center, were placed on "Stage 3" of NASA's response framework. Stage 3 mandates that all employees and contractors telecommute, though mission-essential personnel will be granted access to onsite facilities.

NASA Johnson Space Center directly employs 2,952 people. And there are an additional 8,056 Houston-area contractors that support NASA.

To prevent illnesses being shared with astronauts, namely Cassidy who is set to launch next month to the International Space Station on a Russia Soyuz spacecraft, NASA said it's closely adhering to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which include cleaning surfaces, social distancing, hand washing, limiting contact with crew members and encouraging NASA team members who are sick to stay home.

It's already standard protocol for astronauts to undergo a two-week quarantine prior to launch to ensure astronauts are not ill or incubating any illnesses. Cassidy, alongside Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, will begin their quarantine on March 24.

If an illness were to occur on the space station, there's a robust pharmacy onboard to treat a variety of ailments and symptoms. And a Soyuz spacecraft is always docked at the space station, ready to return astronauts if there's a medical emergency.

"NASAs early and thoughtful actions in coordination with our countrys unified response to this health emergency is an incredible display of national solidarity," Bridenstine said in his staement. "Thank you for your vigilance and flexibility. I am confident your diligence and commitment will ensure our mission will continue. Please make certain you are giving the appropriate attention to your health and that of your family."
Two top bosses at Britain's largest energy supplier Centrica have stepped down in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

Chief executive Iain Conn and chairman Charles Berry have both resigned from the British Gas owner with immediate effect, the company announced on today.

Centrica's finance director Chris O'Shea will temporarily take over from departing chief executive Iain Conn until the company finds a permanent replacement.

Berry will hand over to long-time board member Scott Wheway.

Chief executive Ian Conn has resigned from British Gas with immediate effect

The resignations do not come as a surprise as Conn announced he would step down in July last year, while Berry has been on medical leave since the beginning of February and was told by doctors to reduce his workload.

New chairman Wheway said that his first task would be to find a permanent replacement for Conn, promising to look at candidates both from inside and outside the company.

Whoever takes over from interim boss Chris O'Shea faces an uphill challenge to get Centrica back on its feet, following the exodus of 3million customers, a string of profit warnings  and now even the coronavirus crisis.

'I'm acutely aware that I'm taking this role at a time when we need to navigate our way through the current volatility caused by the impact of coronavirus,' Wheway said.

Centrica shares were last 3.37p or 8 per cent down at 38.97p just before the close. They are down more than 75 per cent since Conn took over in 2015.

British Gas is a subsidiary of Centrica. Ofgem data showing its share of the energy market dropped from 24 per cent to 19 per cent since the beginning of 2015

Conn has turned Centrica's focus to its consumer business while offloading its legacy oil and gas assets  but he has also presided over thousands of job cuts.

In February, he unveiled a loss of 1.1billion for 2019, blaming the price cap for a fall in earnings and falling gas market prices.

Centrica has struggled to keep up with the advance of smaller competitors like Ovo, Bulb and Octopus, with Ofgem data showing its share of the energy market dropped from 24 per cent to 19 per cent since the beginning of 2015.
BJP leaders including Gujarat



Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Tuesday took digs at Congress MLAs who are camping in Jaipur ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, saying they may catch the coronavirus there.

Another BJP MLA even said they should be quarantined for 14 days when they return to vote in the election on March 26.

Rajasthan government would be responsible if anything happens to Congress legislator, Patel said, speaking in the Assembly.

Congress MLAs staged a walkout on Monday after the Speaker refused to accept their demand to postpone the ongoing Budget session. Later they flew to Jaipur to join other MLAs who are staying at a resort in Jaipur.

The opposition party has moved its MLAs out of Gujarat to prevent attempts of horse-trading ahead of the election.

"We brought back people from (coronavirus-hit) China, Iran. But they (Congress MLAs) went from a safe place to a place where coronavirus exists," Patel said.

Gujarat does not have a single confirmed coronavirus case yet while Rajasthan has reported a case.

"The Rajasthan government will be responsible if anything happens to them," Patel, who also holds the health portfolio, added.

The Congress MLAs should be tested for the virus at the Rajasthan-Gujarat border when they return, the deputy chief minister said.

He asked the Speaker to allow health officials to examine them before they enter the Assembly when they arrive to vote for the Rajya Sabha election as he was also concerned about the health of BJP MLAs, Patel said.

"They are respected MLAs, Leader of Opposition, party (state Congress) president...It is my responsibility to ensure their good health. If you permit, we will dispatch a team of doctors (to Jaipur)," he quipped.

The Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday discussed proposals for the urban development and general administration departments in Congress MLAs' absence.

BJP legislator Purnesh Modi too quipped that Congress MLAs may contract coronavirus infection while in Jaipur.

"From Gujarat, which has not reported any positive case of coronavirus, Congress MLAs have moved to Jaipur which has reported a positive case," he said.

"When they return to Gujarat, they should be quarantined for 14 days....They should be barred from voting on March 26," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:13:41|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Barham Salih on Tuesday appointed Adnan al-Zurfi as the prime minister-designate who will form an interim government, the official television reported.

Salih received al-Zurfi in his office in the Presidential Palace in central Baghdad and handed him the task letter to form a new government within 30 days, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

Al-Zurfi's nomination came one day after the deadline of 15 days set by the Iraqi constitution for political blocs to submit a candidate for the post of prime minister-designate to Iraqi president.

Al-Zurfi is an Iraqi Shiite politician, who was born in the city of Kufa in Najaf province in 1966. He joined the Dawa Islamic Party in his early life and fled the country during the Saddam Hussein regime and returned after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

He served as the governor of Najaf province for several years after 2009, and withdrew from Dawa party to form al-Wafaa Coalition in 2013. He is now part of al-Nasr Coalition led by former prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

According to the Iraqi constitution, the prime minister-designate has 30 days to put together a cabinet and present it to the parliament for approval, as the parliament must approve the government program and each individual minister in separate absolute majority votes.
Funerals are being conducted virtually or downsized and mourners asked not to embrace as the industry gears up for a potential spike in deaths due to COVID-19.

Funeral directors are preparing for a worse case scenario as they push for national guidelines on how to best handle the pandemic.

As of Tuesday 2pm, there were more than 400 cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five deaths. The numbers are expected to rise.

In Italy, where more than 2000 people have died, morgues are overflowing and mourners have been forced to grieve alone after the country banned funeral services.
Loading  Loading 

By Ibe Nwachukwu

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Anambra state

chapter has expressed sadness over the on-going killings of Christians and non

Christians alike in the country.

CAN however noted that Christians would not embark on a

revenge mission because we all can learn from the spirit of the church and at

the same time following the footsteps of Jesus Christ the son of God and

saviour of mankind who taught humanity that it is even better to lose ones

life and inherit the kingdom of God than to inherit the world and spend our

eternity in the hell fire.

State Chairman of CAN, Rev.

John Ndubuisi in a press statement siiued yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra

state, via SMS, declared:  Normanl human reactionswhen hurt is to feel

pain but the Christian church has God who has taught them the virtues of

patience, peace, tolerance, love, justice, equity, among others.

The church in Nigeria has faced various kinds of

molestations, persecutions and unbearable provocations to the extent that

christians forebear all these evils because of the spirit of peace that rules

in Gods kingdom.

For instance, the statement continued, in Bornu state,

human beings have been mercilessly massacred and too many churches without

rebuilding and many families rendered homeless . Also many communities have

been forcefully ejected out of their God-given land and have been made slaves

and refugees in their own fathers land of nativity.

Adamawa state has the same ugly story and picture and

so it is with Yobe, Taraba, Benue and Kaduna states, just to mention but a

few..

In the Southeast zone, the Fulani herdsmen will kill,

kidnap and rape women at gun point, even before their husbands. What a

humiliation and desecration and a taboo to the church kingdom?

Yet we cry and agonize all alone in the spirit of

brotherhood and oneness in keeping with the indivisible and indissoluble

philosophy of the Nigerian constitution. The South-South communities have also

been terrorized by the herders and yet nobody comes to their rescue.
| 2020-03-17 09:14:34|Editor: ZD

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A Red Cross volunteer gives out hand sanitizer to students at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar in Dakar, Senegal, March 16, 2020. Senegal, the second most affected country in Sub-Saharan Africa, has reported 26 cases of COVID-19, among which two are declared cured and discharged from hospital. Senegalese President Macky Sall announced on March 14 to ban all public events on Senegalese territory for a period of 30 days as a measure to fight COVID-19 in the West African country. Schools, from primary to universities, will also be shut down starting March 16 for three weeks. He also demanded the strengthening of systematic health checks at all borders, and temporary suspension of all cruise docking. (Photo by Eddy Peters/Xinhua)
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 19:15:15|Editor: zyl

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BERLIN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- After falling by more than 12 percent last week, German stocks continued to suffer heavy losses on Monday, with the benchmark DAX index decreasing by 503.6 points, or 5.5 percent, opening at 8,728.48 points.

This marks the first time since February 2016 that the German DAX has fallen below the 9,000-point mark.

The least decreasing company among Germany's 30 largest listed companies was telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom, with shares falling by 3.56 percent on Monday.

Pharmaceutical companies Merck and Bayer came in second and third, decreasing by 3.77 percent and 3.81 percent respectively at the start of trading on Monday.

Shares in MTU Aero Engines fell by 8.89 percent. The German aircraft engine manufacturer was the biggest loser at the start of trading on Monday.

Germany's government and airlines are to discuss further coronavirus crisis-related aid measures at midday on Monday local time.

The yield on German ten-year bonds went up by 0.004 percentage points to minus 0.581 percent on Monday morning.

The euro was trading almost unchanged at 1.1154 U.S. dollars, decreasing slightly by 0.01 percent on Monday morning.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday advised Americans to stay in their living rooms instead of going on Spring Break to help cut back on the spread of the coronavirus.

He also admitted he's 'not happy' with people who are defying the social distancing guidelines and wouldn't rule out limiting domestic travel.

'I would say enjoy your home,' he said when asked his advice to spring breakers. 'We have to get this problem fixed, and we will get back into business really quick. We will open up our country. We will open up our society. The world will hopefully open heart. We see areas of the world that haven't done well. We see areas. We are doing very well for a country so big. I think I would recommend that they just enjoy their living room.'

President Donald Trump advised Americans to stay in their living rooms instead of going on Spring Break

A busy beach scene during the outbreak of the coronavirus in Miami Beach, Fla.

Trump wouldn't rule out a ban on domestic travel at a time when the airline and cruise line industries are suffering

Clearwater, Florida, a popular spring break destination, had its beaches packed with visitors as have other Sunshine state beaches.

Trump expressed his disappointment with people who were not following the guidelines the White House offered on Monday, which recommended eating taking out instead of going to restaurants and avoiding gatherings larger than 10 people.

'I am not happy with those people,' Trump said in the White House briefing room. 'Those people are being shouted down by other people. It is almost policing.'

And he wouldn't rule out limiting domestic travel at at time airlines and the cruise industry are begging for a financial bailout.

'It is possible. We will see how it goes. There has been great cooperation with the local governments and states. We will see how it go,' the president said.

The White House is considering financial aid to the airline, cruise, and hospitality industries, which have been hit hard by the coronavirus.

There are some predictions the airlines could go bankrupt by the end of the year without financial aid.

The cruise line industry is also working to stave off disaster after all the big operators called for a break in operations due to the coronavirus.

'We are going to do whatever it takes,' Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday to help industries in trouble.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill about a financial aid package to help industries affected by the coronavirus

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday to discuss a financial aid package.

Meanwhile, President Trump on Monday released a series of coronavirus guidelines to slow the spread that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools.

'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room.

And while his guidelines will be revisited after the initial 15 day proposal, the president warned the virus could affect American life well into the summer.

'People are talking about July, August, something like that,' Trump said. 'They could be right in that period of time where it washes through.'

The two-page list, called '15 Days to Slow the Spread,' advises avoiding 'eating or drinking in bars, restaurants, and food courts - use drive through, pickup, and delivery options.'

It also calls on governors that have states with 'evidence of community transmission' to close schools in the affected areas.' And it asks those states to address childcare issues as well as nutritional needs of children who use schools for their meals.

And there may be stronger guidelines to come.

'We have taken a tough stance. We may make other decisions,' the president said.

But that does not include a nation-wide lockdown, a step other countries have taken. France has gone on a 15-day one and Canada has closed its borders to non-citizens.

'At this point, not nationwide,' President Trump said, 'but there are some places in our nation that are not very effective at all. But we may look at certain areas, certain hot spots as we call them and at this moment, no we are not.'

President Donald Trump on Monday released a series of coronavirus guidelines to slow the spread

The president said the guidelines were to slow the spread of the highly-contagious disease.

And much of his focus was on young people. Millennials, in particular, have been urged to stay home and curb their social lives to limit the spread of the virus.

That age group is unlikely to get - or get a severe case of it - but could pass it on to others.

'We would much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it and that's where we are,' Trump said. 'Therefore, my administration is recommending that all Americans including the young and healthy work to engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid a gathering in groups of more than ten people, avoid discretionary travel and avoid eating and drinking in bars, restaurants, and public food courts.'

The president said he's spoken to his son, 13-year-old Barron, about the coronavirus.

'I've spoken with my son and how bad is this, it's bad. Hopefully it is going to be a best case, not a worst-case. That is what we are working for,' Trump said.

The recommendations advise that 'even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others.'

The guidelines also suggest avoiding social gatherings of more than 10 people, avoiding 'discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits,' and not to visit nursing homes.

The recommendations also state that if you 'are an older person, stay home and away from other people.'

Additionally, there are practical suggestions including following the directions of authorities, stay home if feel sick, staying home if you have the virus, and practicing good hygiene.

On Monday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and his deputy announced they would stay separated - holding conference calls to coordinate their work - in an effort to stop the spread of the disease and preserve the chain of command.

President Trump said that was not something that he and Vice President Mike Pence were considering.

President Trump on his coronavirus test President Trump, at his press conference on Monday, clarified he was tested for the coronavirus on late Friday night and said there was nothing pleasant about the experience. I had no symptoms whatsoever, the doctor said you have no symptoms so we don't see any reason. But when I did the press conference, everyone was going crazy did you do the test. It is a very late on Friday night I did the test, he said, adding We tested negative. The president, a famous germaphobe, said he washing his hands more than ever in this time of the coronavirus. I always wash my hands a lot. Probably if anything, more. Certainly not less. As for the test itself, the president said its 'not something that I want to do every day.' The coronavirus test involves inserting a swab in a person's nasal cavity all the way back to the throat. It's a medical test. There's nothing pleasant about it, Trump said. Advertisement

'We have not thought of it,' he said in response to a question from DailyMail.com. 'I will say this. We are very careful. We are very careful being together. Even the people behind me are -- they have been very strongly tested. I have been very strongly tested. We have to be very careful. But everybody should be vigilant. We have to be vigilant.'

Pence later clarified he has not taken a coronavirus test, pointing out he shows no symptoms and is in consultation with the White House medical staff. He did say he has his temperature monitored.

'I have not been tested yet. I'm in regular consultation with the white house physician. I have not been exposed to anyone for any. Lack of time that had the coronavirus. My wife and I have no symptoms. We are checking our temperature regularly. Every day. We will continue to follow guidance. Which I think may be a good place to land at the end of the day,' Pence said.

The stock market closed while the president was at the podium in the White House press room. The Dow dropped nearly 3,000 points in one of its worst days.

But the president said once the virus was contained, both life and the stock market would return to normal.

'My focus is really on getting rid of this problem, this virus problem. Once we do that, everything else will fall into place,' he said.

'The market will take care of itself. The market will be a very strong as soon as we get rid of the virus,' Trump said.

He also rated his response to the disease as a '10.'

And when asked if the buck stopped with him, Trump replied: 'Normally. This has never been done before in this country.'

President Trump answered questions on the coronavirus crisis for nearly an hour

The new guidelines from the Trump administration were particularly aimed toward the young, asking them not to go out to restaurants and gather in groups bigger than 10

President Trump, in his nearly hour-long press conference, urged Americans to work together to fight the spread of the disease. And noted the country would celebrate together when the virus was defeated.

'If everyone makes this change are these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus and we are going to have a big celebration altogether. We can turn the corner and turn it quickly, a lot of progress has been made,' he said.

The guidelines come as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announce their states are shutting down at 8 p.m. and several states have announced extended school closures.

New York will close its bars and restaurants at 8pm on Monday night for 'as long as necessary' along with casinos, gyms and movie theaters as part of an effort with neighboring states Connecticut and New Jersey to stop the spread of coronavirus.

New Jersey has also launched a statewide 'curfew' between the hours of 8pm and 5am for all 'non essential travel' but it is unclear what that is or what will happen to anyone who does not follow the rules.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has not confirmed whether or not people will be able to go to work between those hours or how he plans to enforce it, but is only saying that he 'strongly discourages' anyone from leaving home between those hours.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the shutdown in a tweet on Monday morning after urging Trump to shut down the country to fight coronavirus and said the current 'patchwork quilt' system of some states being more vigilant than others is not working.

The order applies to New York City too.

There are more than 4,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 71 people have died.

People wearing medical masks are seen walking in Times Square in New York on Monday

New York City is all but shut down. Broadway has been closed since Friday, bars and restaurants will close on Tuesday morning

The city of San Francisco announced on Monday that a three week lockdown is going to be issued on Tuesday at midnight

Cars line up outside the Central Outreach Wellness Center on the Northside of Pittsburgh Monda for drive-by testing for coronavirus

Additionally, San Francisco's mayor has announced an unprecedented three week lockdown that will begin on Tuesday at midnight and bans anyone from leaving their home for anything other than doctor's visits or trips to the grocery store.

In addition to the lockdown in city parameters, six counties in the Bay Area are being told to 'shelter in place'.

The lockdown is the strictest action to be taken in America. Anyone who breaks it faces legal repercussions.

It will last until April 7. Mayor London Breed called it a 'defining moment' on Monday morning.

'This is going to be a defining moment for our city.

'We all have a responsibility to do our part to protect our neighbors and slow the spread of this virus by staying at home unless it is absolutely essential to go outside,' she said.
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.
Everything seemed as usual at the LPOA Roadkill Cafe at the Houston rodeo cook-off. A DJ played country, tejano and rock n roll music. Brisket, ribs and sausage cooked on the grill.

Among attendees, coronavirus was far from mind. Only after the rodeo closed March 11 did team president Roy Garivey find out the bad news: A Patton Village police officer who tested positive with the virus had been in its tent on the night of Feb. 28.

DON'T MISS AN UPDATE: Follow the Houston Chronicle's live coverage of coronavirus in the region

Its a sort of nightmare scenario people around the region are preparing to confront. As they went about daily life, its possible people were exposed to an illness that has mild effects on many, but severe or fatal health effects on some.

Three more cases later emerged in connection to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Garivey says he believes all three individuals were in their tent that night  a tent where a majority had a connection to law enforcement.

Local officials, citing privacy issues, have not confirmed the link to the specific tent, first reported by Channel 13.

SCHOOLS EXPAND CLOSURES: Here's the full list of school districts that have announced longer closures

A woman in her early 30s from northern Galveston County was connected directly to the Patton Village officer, who was in critical condition late Monday, authorities said. The woman was in self-quarantine in Austin.

More for you These essential businesses can stay open amid stay-at-home

A man and woman age 35 to 45 were confirmed to have attended the cookoff, but Brazoria County officials said they believe they went on a different day. Officials did not specify a tent.

The LPOA Roadkill Cafe takes its initials from the National Latino Police Officers Association. Members overlap, but the tent is not officially sponsored by the NLPOA.

Pray and wait: Patton Village officer fights coronavirus

After he learned the news, Garivey made sure to notify the 18 people who helped out in the tent  including those who cooked, worked the door and manned the bar  so that they could inform those they had invited to the party, which is a sort of kick-off to rodeo season.

Some 100 to 150 people attended that night. People might have stayed for the events entirety, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., or hopped from tent to tent where they had other invitations.

It makes me nervous for my team and all our guests, said Garivey, who has been involved with the event for 25 years. We dont want anybody else to get sick, thats for sure. We would not wish that on anybody.

Its unclear if the tent connection is coincidence or if the virus spread there. Garivey said he has not heard of anyone else feeling sick.

We all know each other, said Danny Avalos, president of the greater Houston chapter of the NLPOA, who had decided not to attend the event because it was cold. It hits so close to home.

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
British mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today released from an Iranian prison along with 85,000 other inmates in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The 42-year-old's release on Tuesday came as the government in Tehran warned that the contagion could kill millions of citizens if health advice is not followed.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year prison term for sedition after being arrested in April 2016 at Tehran airport as she was returning home to London with her then 22-month-old daughter, Gabriella, following a family visit. She denies the charges.

Government spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour today told a press conference the virus, which has now killed 988 in Iran amid 16,169 infections, could claim as many as 4million lives if citizens failed to observe new public health rules.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released from Evin Prison at 3pm local time with an ankle tag binding her to move no further than 895ft from her parents' home in the west of the capital.

Husband Richard Ratcliffe who has campaigned tirelessly for her release, said following the announcement: 'Unfortunately, Nazanin will be exceptionally required to wear an ankle tag during the furlough, which her parents have now hired from the authorities. Nazanin's movements will be restricted to 300 metres from her parents' home.'

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was seen wearing an ankle tag (left) after her temporary release from an Iranian prison today and (right) in a video call with her husband, Richard

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe embracing her daughter Gabriella in Damavand, Iran following her release from prison for three days in August 2018

He added in a statement: 'The Free Nazanin Campaign is pleased to confirm - as has long been promised - that Nazanin was this afternoon [Tuesday] released temporarily on furlough for two weeks until 4 April 2020.'

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged the Iranian regime to 'ensure she receives any necessary medical care' while on temporary release.

He said in a statement: 'I am relieved that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today temporarily released into the care of her family in Iran.

'We urge the regime to ensure she receives any necessary medical care. While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK.'

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was a charity worker with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was strenuously denying the charges against her.

Her daughter Gabriella had remained in the country cared for by family.

Repeated calls for her release by the British Government - including a direct appeal by then-prime minister Theresa May to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani during a UN general assembly in New York in 2018 - failed to produce results.

Mr Ratcliffe has previously said his wife was told by judges in court that her case related to an unpaid 400 million debt the UK owes to Iran in relation to the purchase of Chieftain tanks in the 1970s.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe holding an old picture of herself with her husband and daughter (left) as she poses for a photograph in West Tehran, Iran following her release from prison for two weeks. She is also pictured (right) in a car as she left the prison today

British mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella

However, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released today on furlough for two weeks from the Iranian jail where she has been held.

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq MP said today: 'We are pleased and relieved that Nazanin will be with her family rather than in jail at this time of terrible chaos and uncertainty.

'However, we have been here before and know from past experience that Nazanin will be treated like a prisoner in her own home. The UK Government must get reassurances from Iran that she won't be harassed or intimidated while on temporary release.

'Ministers should also be doing absolutely everything they can to make this release permanent. This includes resolving the debt we owe to Iran and making Nazanin's case a deal-breaker in their ongoing negotiations with the Iranian Government.'

Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK's Director, said: 'The immediate priority is that Nazanin gets proper medical care, including a full coronavirus check-up.

'Beyond the immediate health concerns, let's not lose sight of where we are - Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, convicted after a deeply unfair trial who should never have been behind bars at all.

'We're now calling on the Iranian authorities to end Nazanin's ordeal and finally allow her to return to her family in the UK as soon as she's well enough to travel and as soon as any coronavirus travel restrictions allow.'

Raab earlier today hinted that British-Iranian nationals held in Iranian prisons could be granted temporary release amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Gabriella Zaghari-Ratcliffe standing next to her father Richard Ratcliffe and his mother Barbara, as they address the media in Downing Street after a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in January

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released from Evin Prison in Tehran at 3pm local time after being arrested in April 2016

The Foreign Secretary told MPs he wanted to be 'careful and wait until I've got actual confirmation' after outlining that the British authorities are waiting to hear back on individual cases from their Iranian counterparts.

Speaking in the Commons today, Conservative former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt asked: 'Does he know if Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is amongst the political prisoners that Iran has today released?

'And does not the ability of a highly dangerous disease to spread through a prison not highlight the immorality of detaining people who are wholly innocent?'

Mr Raab praised Mr Hunt for his work in trying to secure the release of all British-Iranian nationals, adding: 'I spoke to the foreign minister yesterday, I've made clear not least as Iran considers releasing prisoners on a pretty large scale that there is no excuse for not releasing all of the UK dual nationals on furlough.

'We're waiting for confirmation in relation to individual cases but I can assure him we're getting - I want to be careful and wait until I've got actual confirmation - but this is a high priority for the Government and I raised it, as I say, with foreign minister [Javad Zarif] yesterday.'

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016.

She was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.

She was later afforded diplomatic protection by the UK Government, which argues that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.

It follows Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili saying half of the prisoners who were released were 'security-related prisoners'.

People gather outside the closed doors of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom last night

A group of worshippers pictured praying behind the closed doors of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom, Iran's holy city, after it was shut due to fears over coronavirus which has continued to spread through the country

A man kisses the door handle of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country

Iran closed four key Shiite pilgrimage sites across the Islamic republic yesterday, in line with measures to stop coronavirus

He said: 'Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak.'

The United Nations has warned that inmates have already been infected in Iran's overcrowded and disease-ridden jails, and called for all political prisoners to be released.

The judiciary spokesman did not elaborate on when those released would have to return to prison.

Iran's COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst outside of China.

The regime has been widely criticised for its handling of the outbreak, including for its reluctance to shut down holy pilgrimage sites. Most cases across the Middle East have been linked to Iran, with many countries shutting down travel.

A woman prays outside the shuttered Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom as they are closed due to the virus

A cleric prays outside the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom on March 16. Iran's COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst outside of China

The United Nations has warned that inmates have already been infected in Iran's overcrowded prisons. Pictured above are two men wearing face masks in Qom today

A woman wears a face mask as she heads through the city of Qom in Iran today. The square behind her is almost empty

Iran had already announced the release of 70,000 prisoners, but Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, said only those serving sentences of less than five years had been freed.

He said: 'Political prisoners and others charged with heavier sentences linked to their participation in protest marches remained in jail.

'A number of dual and foreign nationals are at real risk if they have not... got it [coronavirus], they are really fearful of the conditions.

'This is also my worrying concern and therefore I have recommended to the state of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release all prisoners on temporary release.'

People wear face masks today as they ride the Tehran metro. The United Nations has told Iran it should release all prisoners

Workers wearing protective clothes and face masks at a bank in Tehran today. They are believed to include hundreds arrested during or after anti-government protests in November

Rehman has described how overcrowded and unhygienic conditions were causing the spread of infectious diseases. Pictured above is the city of Qom this morning

Iran previously said it had 189,500 prisoners, according to the report Rehman submitted to the Human Rights Council in January.

In a February report, Rehman described how overcrowded and unhygienic conditions were causing the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis C.

The United States has also urged Iran to release political prisoners, including Americans held on spying charges.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier in March: 'The United States will hold the Iranian regime directly responsible for any American deaths.'

The Iranian regime has freed around 85,000 inmates including political prisoners to stop coronavirus, the government of Hassan Rouhani (pictured) said today

A mosque pictured in Qom. The Fatima Masumeh Shrine has been closed to visitors to prevent the spread of coronavirus

An empty classroom pictured in Tehran after schools were closed in a desperate bid to contain the virus

A man stares into an empty playground in the city of Qom today as schools remain closed due to the virus outbreak

In response, Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had similar concerns about several dozen Iranians held in U.S. prisons, mostly for violating sanctions.

Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: 'The state of America's prisons and their health situation are worrying ... we are ready to bring the jailed Iranians in America back to Iran.'

'American officials should pay serious attention to the health conditions of the Iranians who have been taken hostage in America. They have been imprisoned without any legal basis.'

Pompeo said that any nation offering aid to Tehran should seek a reciprocal humanitarian gesture of releasing prisoners.

Washington has long demanded that Iran release American citizens including father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi, Navy veteran Michael White and former FBI agent Robert Levinson.

Tehran denies it holds people on political grounds, and has mainly accused foreign prisoners of espionage.
The rise of the coronavirus has turned the healthcare world upside down and has turned long-accepted accomplishments into liabilities.

Oregon has prided itself on its success in managing patients chronic conditions and avoiding hospitalizations. But that success has resulted in the reduction of beds by the states hospitals. Now, this slimmed down healthcare infrastructure has become a giant problem.

COVID-19 will required the addition of 1,000 hospital beds and another 400 intensive care beds in a matter of weeks, an OHSU scientist has determined. Currently, the state has somewhere between 6,000 and 6,800 hospital beds. So adding 1,400 beds amounts to a 20-23 percent increase.. by April 11.

Thats because we are on the cusp of a truly mind-boggling expansion phase. Dr. Renee Edwards, chief medical officer at Oregon Health Sciences University, said if the models are correct, the number of new cases will double every 6.2 days.

At OHSU alone, administrators figure they will need to add 80 intensive care beds. Currently, they have 80 beds in the ICU, meaning they have to double the number in weeks. Other hospitals face similar issues. Many already are forced into emergency room boarding," referring to the practice of keeping patients in the emergency department for hours because there is no room in a more appropriate setting.

Of course, many of those existing beds are occupied by patients who are recovering from injuries or surgical procedures. Hospital officials have coined a new word not generally used in healthcare: displacement. In other words, how can you get current patients out sooner, to make way for the COVID-19 patients.

Edwards said thats why social distancing is so important as it may flatten the curve of expected new cases.

Jeff Manning

503-294-7606

jmanning@oregonian.com
This aerial photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows a view of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge at night in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. China reported on March 17 just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad. (AFP)

Beijing: China reported on Tuesday just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad on Tuesday.

Nine of the 20 new imported cases were in Beijing and three in Shanghai, raising the total number of confirmed infections from abroad to 143, according to the National Health Commission.

China also reported 13 deaths, raising its toll to 3,226. The country has recorded 80,881 total cases, but fewer than 9,000 people remain infected.

The country's progress stands in stark contrast with the growing crisis in other countries, with the World Health Organization saying there were now more deaths and cases outside China.

The number of deaths worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 181,500 cases in 145 countries.

The single case in Wuhan will boost China's view that it has "basically curbed" the spread of a disease that is believed to have emerged in a live animal market in the central city in December.

Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei province going under lockdown in the following days.

Authorities tightened restrictions in the city even further on February 11, confining people to their homes as health workers faced a daily deluge of well over 1,000 cases -- a move officials say was critical in containing the virus.

Other cities across the country enacted further measures to compel most people to stay indoors, and no new domestic infections have been detected outside Hubei for many days in a row.

But the country is now concerned about an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day.

Beijing started on Monday to require almost all international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels.
Casinos have joined the airline industry in asking congress for emergency financial help as Las Vegas and other tourist destinations take a severe financial hit from the coronavirus outbreak.

The requested aid for the casino companies, raised by lobbyists in recent days, could come in the form of a comprehensive bailout package, similar to what congress may provide to airlines, cruise companies and the hospitality industry. Other possibilities include direct cash payments, deferred taxes, or special bankruptcy protections, said two people with knowledge of the conversations, who were not authorised to speak publicly.

One person said that on a strategy call with members of the American Gaming Association, which represents the industry, a representative of Wynn Resorts raised the possibility of the industry seeking cash payments. Wynn Resorts was previously run by one of Donald Trump's biggest political donors, Steve Wynn, though he resigned from his post in 2018. A Wynn Resorts representative did not respond to requests for comment.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) issued a statement to the Washington Post on Monday, saying that with the $260bn (212bn) industry at a near standstill, additional funds are needed to support casino companies and their employees.

As state governments close casinos as a part of the urgent public health response to Covid-19, elected leaders should move just as urgently to support the workers and businesses who will bear the brunt of those effects, said the AGA, referring to the disease caused by the coronavirus. Our immediate priorities are actions that provide liquidity to allow us to support employees.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

The casino industry has been battered by shutdowns related to the outbreak, with an increasing number of states demanding that all casinos, restaurants and bars close immediately to minimise person-to-person contact and reduce crowds.

Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Maryland have been shut down. Wynn Resorts announced that it would close the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore properties, while MGM Resorts International said it would close all Las Vegas casino operations on Monday, followed by closing the hotels on Tuesday.

Some casinos in Las Vegas and across the country continue to operate despite recommendations from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention that people reduce in-person contact and that events of 50 or more people be cancelled.

The Trump administration has already moved to help the oil and gas industry by announcing plans to buy oil for the strategic petroleum reserve to buttress companies hit by a downturn in energy prices. Officials have also said the administration will push for special financial relief for the airline, cruise, and hospitality industries, which have been also hit hard by coronavirus.

A bipartisan package approved by the House of Representatives and supported by Mr Trump did not include bailouts for these companies, but assistance for specific industries, particularly the airlines, is expected in a third congressional package. Representatives have started to work on that package this week, according to congressional aides involved in deliberations, as the Senate takes up the legislation approved by the house.

The gambling industry supports 1.8 million jobs, according to the association, which could argue that thousands of low-wage workers would suffer if the companies aren't bolstered by the federal government. But extending financial aid to casinos may provoke more political opposition than efforts to support airlines or other travel industries, particularly as politicians face scrutiny over whether they are picking winners and losers in an economy broadly affected by the pandemic.

Casinos could also receive additional scrutiny given the close personal and professional ties that Mr Trump, a former casino developer and owner, has to the industry. Steve Wynn, a top Republican donor, has known Mr Trump for years and was vice chair of his inaugural committee. After Mr Trump entered the White House, Mr Wynn was named chair of Republican National Committee's finance committee, before stepping down after sexual harassment allegations.

A spokesperson for Mr Wynn did not immediately return a request for comment.

Mr Trump still owns a hotel with casino magnate Phil Ruffin, the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. Although the hotel does not have a casino, Mr Trump's company operates the property and it relies heavily on Las Vegas tourism for business.

Trump administration officials have sought to compare their efforts to the targeted help offered to the airline industry after it was hammered by the 9/11 attacks.

Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, testifying to congress this month, denied that the financial assistance being considered amounted to a bailout. Among the ideas floated were the deferring of federal taxes for certain industries and the provision of low or zero-interest loans to certain firms.

This is not a bailout, Mr Mnuchin told congress. This is considering providing certain things for certain industries.

The Washington Post
BBC presenter Dan Walker during the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Dan Walker reckons BBC bosses could've done more to defend his co-host Naga Munchetty when complaints were levied against her on comments she'd made about remarks made by Donald Trump.

Munchetty was said to have breached the corporation's rules surrounding impartiality on BBC Breakfast after stating that the US President's comments implying four US Congresswoman should "go back home" were "embedded in racism".

However, it was a decision which was eventually overturned by Director General Tony Hall.

Read more: Bill Turnbull defends Naga Munchetty after complaint overturned

Walker told Radio Times: "At the time it felt a very natural conversation. We knew in that moment that it was different to the sort of things we usually talk about. But I dont regret it, and I dont think Naga does either.

Naga Munchetty arrives at MediaCityUK in Salford to host BBC Breakfast for the first time since she was at the centre of an impartiality row over her criticism of Donald Trump. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

The BBC should have given a more robust defence of their presenters. We do think it could have been dealt with very differently. It was the right decision to overturn the original finding, but it didnt need to get that far. Both of us felt we sailed near the line but we didnt cross it. They came round to the right decision eventually. Theyve apologised to Naga.

It was later revealed that Walker had been included in the original viewer complaint, however, no action was taken against him.

Walker also revealed to the publication that he wrote to the Director General Hall as he explained: "If Naga is guilty, then Im guilty. At the time I didnt know Id been mentioned in the original complaint.

The presenter added that while the hosts do share bits of themselves in their broadcast, in that instance they may've "shared a bit too much".
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha will erode people's trust in judicial system and caste a doubt upon fairness of judgements delivered.

"Nomination of former CJI RanjanGogoi as a RajyaSabha member by NDA, soon after his retirement is very surprising," Gehlot tweeted.

"It shows NDA is hell bent on destroying independence of every institution and as Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur said, it redefines the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary. This will erode people's trust in judicial system and cast a doubt upon fairness of judgements delivered," he said.

Gogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgements including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was on Monday nominated to Rajya Sabha by the Centre.

A notification announcing his nomination to the Upper House was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday night.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than two dozen Senate Democrats urged Trump to invoke the Korean War-era Defense Production Act to increase production of masks, ventilators and respirators, as well as expand hospital capacity to combat the coronavirus. Federal officials said the administration is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to see about erecting temporary hospitals, as is done in the military, to handle an expected surge of cases.
Catholic Faith Technologies Offers Free Online Faith Formation During Pandemic

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic Faith Technologies

March 17, 2020



OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 17, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic Faith Technologies wants to help keep dioceses, parishes, schools, and families safe and productive during the COVID-19 pandemic. To serve those preventing the spread of the coronavirus by voluntarily isolating or entering quarantine, CFT is offering as many resources as possible to meet faith formation needs.



During this time, CFT is serving the faith by providing:

Grade School - FREE Faith and Life* courses through the generosity of Ignatius Press for those students soon celebrating Confirmation, First Communion, or enrolled in on-site religious education.



High School - FREE Didache* series courses and online materials in partnership with the Midwest Theological Forum that will allow students to continue their studies at home.



Adult Formation - FREE Faith Foundations* courses from My Catholic Faith Delivered.



Professional Development - We offer online courses brought to you by Catholic Distance University and network of partner dioceses, these are also available on My Catholic Faith Delivered or through your diocesan formation office.



For those schools already scheduled for NCEA IFG - ACRE or Adult Survey - testing, we are supporting rescheduling the assessment window or converting to the online version.

CFT President, Jay Breeden says, "During times like this, people turn to their faith. It is comforting and it helps to normalize their lives. To reduce disruption for students in faith formation and other others partaking in faith-based learning, we are glad to be able to provide sense of continuity through our online platform. Especially now, its the best way for us to continue our mission to serve the Church and we are so thankful to our partners for allowing us to bring these courses to you."



Built for a higher purpose  And this is it!



CFT was built to help dioceses streamline and scale all mission-critical initiatives while creating touch points for each parish and school to maximize engagement, faith formation, certifications, centralized communications, and more. This mission is not one to be put on hold due to a global emergency. The very nature of our offering makes it possible to continue consistent communications, integrated learning, and community engagement without disruption.



Because CFT's operations are not dependent on any single physical location, we can ensure continuity of service and access to online content no matter where you are.



If you have questions on any of these updates, we are happy to discuss it  info@catholicfaithtech.com.



* Courses offered free of charge through June 30, 2020 at which time access will expire.



SOURCE Catholic Faith Technologies



CONTACT: Jay Breeden, 913-800-6886



Related Links



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The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), has issued a strong warning to Nigerians who drive with their earpiece on.

According to the assistant route commander for Ikeja, Mr Olukayode Ayoola he said such action often lead to loss of concentration which inadvertently leads to accident.

It is unfortunate that people know the right thing to do while driving but refuse to do them. All precautionary measures put out by road safety are not for formalities but are meant to be adhered to, for the safety of all.

Use of phones and earpiece is seriously discouraged while driving, it is an offence; these will serve as distractions and could lead to accidents and eventual deaths,
House leaders were discussing the Senates measure, a senior Democratic aide said late Monday.

President Trumps unpredictability on surveillance issues could also upend negotiations. The president hinted last week that he might not sign the bill because it did not rein in spying aggressively enough. But Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the House Republican leader, later said the president assured him that he would.

The Senates action on Monday is an effort to put off until June the expiration of four F.B.I. powers dating to the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, including one authority that most lawmakers agree should expire.

Under that authority, the National Security Agency is allowed to operate a system that could swiftly access logs of Americans domestic phone calls on the servers of phone companies, enabling counterterrorism analysts to scrutinize social links in search of hidden associates of terrorism suspects.

The Freedom Act system replaced a previously secret program in which the agency systematically vacuumed up logs of Americans phone records tracing back to the Sept. 11 attacks. It was exposed in the 2013 leaks by the former intelligence contractor Edward J. Snowden.

But the Freedom Act system proved dysfunctional, expensive and inadequate. The National Security Agency repeatedly had to purge the records it collected from the system after discovering that phone companies had sent more data than the agency had the legal authority to sift through.

The agency spent about $100 million on the system between 2015 and 2019, when it shut down the program, and obtained only two intelligence leads that the F.B.I. did not already know about, according to a recently declassified report by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

The most frequently used of the three powers that the F.B.I. is keeping for now is the ability to get a FISA court order to obtain business records deemed relevant to a terrorism or espionage investigation. The other two involve special FISA wiretaps: one that lets the F.B.I. swiftly follow a suspect who changes phones to evade monitoring, and one that lets the F.B.I. target a lone wolf terrorism suspect who lacks ties to a foreign group like Al Qaeda.
The U.S. military says it has plenty of coronavirus tests ready to meet demand. But not everyone meets requirements to get tested.

Military family members and retirees covered under Tricare and veterans using the Department of Veterans Affairs health system can receive a test for the novel coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19, but only if they meet certain conditions, officials said.

Who Can Be Tested for COVID-19 and Have the Fee Waived?

The VA and Tricare have instituted similar rules around who qualifies for testing:

The patient has COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath.

The patient has traveled to one of the affected areas, like China or Italy.

Or they have been in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

The VA also requires that the patient live in an area where there has been community spread of COVID-19.

Tricare announced via Facebook Tuesday COVID-19 testing is free for all beneficiaries. While it will still be no-cost if the test was prescribed by a network or non-provider, the usual copay or cost-share for the doctor visit will apply.

The VA is offering free testing to enrolled veterans, a VA spokeswoman said via email Monday. This extends to Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA) beneficiaries.

"VA currently has capacity to meet the demand for increased testing," the spokeswoman said.

What Should I Do If I Think I Have the Virus?

Tricare and VA both are asking patients not to go directly to a medical center without first calling.

The VA is urging veterans to receive care virtually by downloading its VA Telehealth App; Tricare wants beneficiaries to call into the Military Health System Nurse Advice Line and chat with a registered nurse to assess their symptoms.

"If needed, they can coordinate a virtual visit with a health care provider," a Tricare official said via email.

What Happens If I Need to Be Tested?

If a patient needs to be tested, he or she will be given more information on next steps through the nurse advice line or VA app.

Officials said 14 Defense Department laboratories are performing COVID-19 testing, and they expect more to come online. Military clinics can also utilize state public health labs, officials said.

Where Can I Find Additional Information?

The VA is providing information updates via its coronavirus page here and has offered guidance for facility visits here.

Tricare beneficiaries can stay up-to-date on the latest information here.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with new information about testing offered by Tricare.

-- Dorothy Mills-Gregg can be reached at dorothy.mills-gregg@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DMillsGregg.

Read More: More COVID-19 coverage
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now counting down the day until they officially step down as senior members of the royal family. As they are a few days away from the independent life that they are dreaming of, Meghan's estranged brother opened up about how he feels with his sister's decision.

In an interview with Express, Thomas Markle Jr. said that he hopes that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will stay together forever, but he voiced out his fears of a possible divorce when things went south for the couple.

Tom Jr. said that he thinks Prince Harry has changed over the short period of time that he has been married to Meghan.

"I hope they are madly in love, but Harry has changed quite a bit," Tom Jr said, adding that the change is done to suit what the 38-year-old Duchess wants.

"I haven't seen a picture of Harry smiling in God knows how long. But before he was with Meghan, he was smiling all the time," he added.

When the falling out happens between the Sussexes, Tom Jr said he is afraid Meghan will not have a family to run to.

"When it is all done and said and over with if it does go south. She is going to turn to her family and probably not be welcomed with very many open arms," Tom Jr. added.

Meghan's 54-year-old brother also believed that 'Megxit' is brought by Meghan's attitude of not wanting to be told what to do and her eagerness to be in the center of attention.

Tom Jr. also expressed that he could not understand Meghan's decision to cut ties with the royal family.

"You are giving up thousands of years of tradition and an amazing lifestyle," he added.

Thomas Markle's Dying Wish

During the emotional interview at his mother's house in New Mexico, Tom also revealed that their father's only dying wish is to make peace with Meghan and finally meet his youngest grandson.

"My dad's dying wish, he tells me on the phone, is just so he can make amends and see Archie. And have his daughter back in his life," Meg's half-brother said.

Tom Jr. suggested Meghan to step down from the pedestal and reach out to their father. He said that Meghan owes the Markle family's patriarch a lot since the man dedicated his whole life to Meghan.

"Call your daddy. Seriously he has only got a few good years left," Tom Jr said.

Since Meghan joined the royal family after marrying Prince Harry in May 2018, the former "Suits" actress has not spoken to her father or half-siblings. Royal experts claimed that the Duchess will only make amends with her estranged siblings and father when they stop making money out of press interviews and staged paparazzi photos.

Meghan and Harry just wrapped up their final royal engagements in the United Kingdom and will be officially stepping down as senior royals on March 31st. They will be given a 12-month transition period to make sure all details of their exit is beneficial to all parties involved.
An Argentinian tourist has been quarantined at a hospital here in Assam's Silchar on Tuesday as a precautionary measure amid the novel coronavirus scare, an official said.

Luis Lisando was travelling by Silchar-Guwahati Express and the medical team at Silchar station referred him to the S M Dev Civil Hospital.

The tourist did not have any symptoms of the disease but he has been quarantined as a precautionary measure, the official said.

The Argentinian had been to Nepal recently and was planning to visit Myanmar next as part of a world tour, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australians should continue to visit their elderly relatives provided they were practising social distancing, had not been overseas or in contact with a person diagnosed with coronavirus, an epidemiologist and adviser to the World Health Organisation said.

UNSW Professor Mary-Louise McLaws also stressed that people must be completely symptom-free and assess their risk of transmission before each visit.

The death rate from coronavirus is profoundly higher among people over 60, especially those over 80, and those with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness.

The death rate from coronavirus is significantly higher among People over 60, and especially over 80, and those with conditions often associated with age, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

Anyone who has recently travelled overseas or has been in close contact with somebody who has recently returned from overseas should stay away until after they have self-isolated for at least two weeks, Professor McLaws said.
New Delhi, March 17 : Conceding the effect of coronavirus on the Indian tourism industry, the Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel claimed that the loss to industry stakeholders was evident but stressed that safety is of utmost importance.

"Travel agencies, hotels, and others related to tourism industry will have to face economic loss and it is evident that coronavirus will affect tourism in the near future too, but the government is standing by them," Patel told IANS in an exclusive interview.

He added that restricting tourists influx in the country amid coronavirus outbreak was a tough measure but a correct one.

"Safety is the priority, business comes second. So, I feel that the decision to put in restrictions on travellers is correct," Patel said.

He said the evacuation of Indian students from China, Italy, Iran, combined with the safety first attitude of Indian government will help the country in gaining goodwill in the world.

"We want to ensure safety even after the pandemic is over and before removing restrictions from tourismm. Despite a big challenge, I firmly believe that we will be one of the strongest nations who can guarantee security to the tourists," Patel said.

Agra, which has reported the maximum number of eight coronavirus patients in the past two weeks, is one of the worst-hit cities in Uttar Pradesh.

More than 50 per cent drop in tourism has been recorded in Agra in recent weeks.

According to reports, there was a drastic drop in the sale of tickets to the Taj Mahal on Sunday.

Data provided by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) shows that the number of foreign tourists fell down to a mere 1,274 on Sunday. In comparison, on any normal day, there are more than 20,000 to 25,000 visitors at the Taj Mahal.

Meanwhile on Monday, the authorities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands suspended all tourism activities in the Union Territory from March 16 till March 26 in the wake of coronavirus scare.

(Rohan Agarwal can be contacted at rohan.a@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mr. Bradley, who was a top aide for the House Republican leadership during the 2008 crisis and helped negotiate the recovery package, said that the term bailout gets carelessly thrown around when it shouldnt. He noted that banks ultimately paid back the funds they were allocated in 2008.

A program where the government doesnt lose money is difficult to describe as a bailout, Mr. Bradley said. It is a loaded term, and opponents use it indiscriminately to apply to things that dont even meet the textbook definition.

Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist and former top aide to Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader during the 2008 debate over the financial rescue package, said the value of government relief was sometimes in the partisan eye of the beholder.

If you are a Democrat, assistance to families is much needed economic relief or an economic stimulus, and some will call aid to businesses a bailout, Mr. Manley said. If you are a Republican, aid to businesses will be much needed relief or a stimulus, and some will call aid to families wasteful spending.

The bank bailout came in the final months of the George W. Bush administration, though it is often associated with President Barack Obama, who took office in January 2009. It passed on bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate, though blocs of Republicans in both chambers opposed it.

While its real political effect was in the future, it still became something of an issue in the 2008 election. Democrats ran ads against Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader who was up for re-election in Kentucky that year, hitting him for supporting TARP even though Democrats backed the bill. It infuriated Mr. McConnell.

By 2009, Mr. Obama was in charge, and Republicans had determined that they would unite against his economic program, including a $787 billion stimulus package that not a single House Republican supported and just three senators stepped across the aisle to back. Republicans ridiculed it as wasteful and insufficient. For some Republicans, voting against TARP and the stimulus measure remain proud political moments, despite the fact that the programs fueled an economic comeback.
The shelter-in-place order in effect across California since mid-March has shut down nonessential services, including non-emergency medical appointments and surgeries to preserve critical health resources for COVID-19 cases and reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

But on April 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom took a small step toward loosening the statewide stay-at-home order and said hospitals could begin scheduling some elective surgeries again.

Heres what you need to know if your non-emergency medical procedure has been delayed by the shut-down, as well as if you have symptoms of COVID-19, have other medical needs, or are pregnant:

Q: What should I do if I need a medical procedure? Which procedures are allowed?

A: First, contact your individual provider for more information to see whether your situation requires in-person treatment. While non-emergency medical procedures were canceled when the shelter in place orders went into effect, to keep hospital beds and medical personnel available for a potential surge in coronavirus cases, the ban has been lifted as the health care system has not seen the expected surge of coronavirus patients.

Newsom said hospitals could begin rescheduling surgeries that are foundational to peoples health, including tumor removals, heart valve replacements, colonoscopies and operations to treat chronic diseases like diabetes. Purely cosmetic surgeries will not be permitted.

These are important medical procedures that if not attended to could become a crisis and ultimately burden the rest of the health care system, Newsom said. Its not an emergency but, if left neglected for months and months, could become an emergency.

The cancellation of surgeries and other non-urgent appointments was a major financial hit to hospitals and private medical practices, many of which temporarily closed or laid off staff, including physicians, due to the decline in patients and revenue.

Q: What are the symptoms of the coronavirus?

A: Symptoms can vary, but the main ones are fever and cough, plus shortness of breath as the illness progresses. People with COVID-19 tend not to have runny nose and sinus congestion or gastrointestinal issues that often come along with influenza, but they may. Heres how to tell the difference among allergies, flu and COVID-19.

On April 27, the CDC added to its list of possible COVID-19 symptoms, including: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell. These symptoms could appear two to 14 days after exposure

And a study in northern Italy found that 18 of 88 COVID-19 patients, 20.4%, developed rashes. The lesions range from purple discoloration of the toes to blisters and occasionally hives, often in the buttock area, dermatologists said.

Q: What do I do if Im symptomatic?

A: If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever and coughing), you can take an assessment online, call a hotline, or contact your doctor  see our information about telehealth providers. Also, many counties have set up special phone lines for coronavirus inquiries from the public; your county public health department should have this information online.

Doctors said that if you have mild symptoms, you can be treated at home in isolation. The treatment is similar to the flu: rest, drink fluids, take a fever suppressant as needed and dont go to work or school.

If you are experiencing shortness of breath and your symptoms are severe, you may need to seek hospitalization. Call ahead before you go to the ER so that health care providers are prepared to isolate you and take other precautions to protect you and other patients when you arrive.

Q: Can I get tested?

A: The CDC and local health departments say that tests should be prioritized for patients ill enough to be hospitalized, older adults and people with chronic medical conditions, and health care workers who have treated a known COVID-19 patient  but they give clinicians leeway to use their judgment to decide whether to test a patient. People who are not showing any symptoms should not try to get tested.

Some health care providers in the Bay Area are offering testing with caveats: check our running list.

Q: What if I have an urgent medical need that is non-coronavirus related?

A: Avoid going to the hospital unless it is a true medical emergency. Its critical that resources are preserved for those with the most acute symptoms to avoid overwhelming the health care system. Reaching out to a doctor virtually should be the first step to assess your situation and get medical advice on what help you need.

A broad range of conditions can be and are already treated by telehealth, including but not limited to: therapy, sexual health, skin conditions, colds and the flu, asthma, allergies, rashes, diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, hypertension, thyroid issues, prescriptions, pediatric visits, etc.

Doctors stress that telehealth should be the default right now, but its not a last resort: Its still the patients choice about how to be treated. If you do need to go to the emergency room for another critical medical need, hospitals may direct you to certain entrances, will screen you for symptoms, and ask about your travel history, then you will be directed to the appropriate department.

Q: Can I visit someone in the hospital?

A: In San Francisco, all hospital visitors including spouses, partners, family members, friends and clergy are banned until April 30. Special permission for necessary visitation will be given for those performing critical legal or medical duties, like end-of-life consideration, or the care of minors or people with developmental disabilities.

Other hospital systems have also limited visitors to protect patients and healthcare workers.

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.

Q: What if I am or my partner is giving birth?

A: Hospitals are implementing their own policies for partners of women giving birth.

Sutter Health, which operates California Pacific Medical Center, is allowing one support person in the birthing suite after they thoroughly wash and disinfect their hands. The partner may stay or visit after the birth.

UCSF, which has a labor and delivery center at its Mission Bay location, is letting one support person in the delivery room after they undergo health screening. They are allowed to stay after the birth, but will be screened upon re-entry.

San Francisco General is allowing one visitor per day; it may be a different person each day.

Kaiser is allowing only one visitor who does not exhibit symptoms in patient rooms at a time, although clinical exceptions may apply in labor and delivery under the clinicians guidance.

Q: What should I do if Im pregnant?

A: If youre pregnant, take the strictest precautions possible to protect yourself. Some hospitals are offering remote virtual tours or prenatal parenting classes via video call or educational resources online.

At CPMC, prenatal visits, which require physical exams, and C-sections are still scheduled. Check with your hospital for its specific policies.

Q: What if I need medication?

A: Pharmacies will remain open during the shelter in place. If youre over the age of 65, comply with recommendations to stay inside and ask someone younger to go for you to avoid exposure.

Chronicle staff writer Catherine Ho contributed to this report.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@mallorymoench
VASEP expects local shrimp exporters to seize opportunities and boost shrimp exports

Though the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) is making for an increasing disturbance, Ho Quoc Luc, general director of Sao Ta Foods JSC based in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, assumed it is no cause for worry for the local shrimp industry if the epidemic stays for just a few months, as the peak season for shrimp exports is still months ahead.

Luc argued that consumption patterns in Europe would be changing due to the epidemic. Particularly, the demand to import convenient canned and frozen seafood would pick up as it is easier for processing than fresh products. In the long haul, exports to the EU will also benefit from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Sao Ta Foods sold 937 tonnes of shrimp products last month, generating $10.7 million in export value. The companys farms are rearing pedigree shrimps in preparation for the upcoming season.

As Vietnams largest shrimp breeding company, Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation is deploying a policy on postlarvae support to help farmers during the COVID-19 time.

VASEP expects that the enforcement of the EVFTA hopefully in July would widen the doors for Vietnamese shrimp to deepen its foothold in the market.

According to Bui Ba Su, the companys deputy general director, this is the largest support policy of its kind extended to farmers until present. The programme aims to help farmers reduce input costs while ensuring that product quality remains unchanged.

In addition, shrimp farmers should consider rearing postlarvae right from now to be able to take advantage of the demand picking up post-epidemic, leading to better prices. More importantly, it is essential to ensure good breeding practices and clear product origin to increase export opportunities to the EU thanks to the EVFTA, he said.

Similarly, Quy Nhon Frozen Seafoods JSC is taking measures to boost exports to the EU. Mai Ngoc Son, the companys director, noted that to benefit from the EVFTA, firms need to innovate technology, improve product quality, and ensure the clear origin of their products.

Tran Dinh Tai, general director of Hoai Nhon Fishery JSC based in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, shared that in the past, export to the EU was fraught with difficulties due to the yellow card for fishing practices and other technical barriers.

Now with the multiple opportunities the EVFTA could bring, our company will make constant efforts to keep up with surging market demand, he said.

According to the Vietnam Association of Shrimp Exporters and Processors, more than 70 per cent of the local shrimp export volume went to Japan, the US, and Europe, while the remaining nearly 30 per cent went to China and South Korea.

The US topped the list of Vietnams shrimp export markets in January 2020, accounting for 20 per cent of the countrys total export value of shrimp, fetching a tidy $37.9 million, a 7.7 per cent jump compared to January 2019.

In the EU market, Vietnam raked in $36.4 million in January 2020, down 26.6 per cent against the corresponding period in 2019. VASEP, however, expects that the enforcement of the EVFTA hopefully in July would widen the doors for Vietnamese shrimp to deepen its foothold in the market.

The COVID-19 outbreak in China and South Korea has led major shrimp importers (the US, Japan, and Europe) to curtail export volumes from these two countries, and local shrimp exporters need to avail themselves of the opportunity to scale up exports to these markets.
The coronavirus crisis has left bartenders in New York City 'freaking out' after their earnings plummeted to zero, after previously making up to $550 a night in tips.

Thousands of bartenders have been let go after the decision by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to shutter the city's bars and restaurants to stop the spread of the disease.

With no sick pay, no vacation pay and no health insurance, several are rushing to sign up for unemployment benefits, which are a fraction of what they normally earn.

Despite the glamorous illusion of the job, most bartenders earn just $10 an hour as a basic wage and rely on tips to make a living salary. Most live paycheck to paycheck and with no money coming in, a majority of bartenders fear being evicted because they can't pay their rent.

In New York City, the nightlife industry makes $35 billion in annual revenue and supports about 300,000 workers.

BROOKLYN: Thousands of bartenders have been let go after the decision by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to shutter the city's bars and restaurants to stop the spread of the disease. Pictured: A shuttered bar in Brooklyn

Now with several out of a job, there's been a spreadsheet set up where patrons can tip their favorite bartender, even though no drinks are being made. Even whiskey maker Jameson donated $500,000 to the Bartender's Guild for emergency grants to support its members.

On Tuesday, Trump's administration addressed workers who rely heavily on tips, saying the White House is reviewing plans to give every American at least $1,000 within two weeks.

But until financial relief comes through, many are anxious about how they will make it through the month. DailyMail.com spoke with bartenders in the city to see how they are coping during the shutdown.

Jenny Makholm: From making up to $550 a night in tips to $0 and savings wiped by May

Bartenders are 'freaking out' in New York City after the city shut down bars due to the coronavirus crisis. DailyMail.com spoke with several bartenders to see how they are coping during the shutdown. Jenny Makholm, 37, (pictured) said on a busy weekend night she'd make $550 in tips, but now has no income and will burn through her savings by the end of April

Jenny Makholm said that on a busy weekend night at Broken Land in Greenpoint, Brooklyn she would make $550 in tips, although that meant getting home at 7am after an exhausting shift with hundreds of patrons.

Makholm, 37, said that last Saturday there were just seven customers in and that she and the staffers were 'constantly cleaning all the surfaces'.

Makholm said they were 'terrified of one customer not giving a f***' and spreading the coronavirus.

Since the bars have closed Makholm said that 'money is my biggest concern' and is worried about making her $1,700 a month rent.

For a lot of us we're hit hard, most of us live paycheck to paycheck, most of us rely on cash tips for our income. People can't feed themselves.

She has $1,800 in savings - which is more than most in her industry - and $300 in her checking account.

Makholm gets $800 a month workers compensation from an injury to her hands but even then she is scared of being evicted.

She said: 'I'm in a far more privileged financial circumstance than most of my fellow service workers for multiple reasons: I have savings, I'm on the books, my tips are accurately recorded, and I have a worker's compensation check that comes regardless of anything else twice a month.

'Even with all of those benefits, my savings will be completely gone by the end of April'.

Makholm, who has been bartending for 16 years, said it was 'terrifying and disorienting for all of us'.

She tried to apply for unemployment benefits but the website malfunctioned under the strain.

She said: 'I kind of mentally prepared about two weeks ago, I was following the news when it was just in China. I was worrying before other people were worrying.

'For a lot of us we're hit hard, most of us live paycheck to paycheck, most of us rely on cash tips for our income. People can't feed themselves'.

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN: Makholm said that on a busy weekend night at Broken Land in Greenpoint (pictured), Brooklyn she would make $550 in tips, although that meant getting home at 7am after an exhausting shift with hundreds of patrons

Anne Robinson: Applying for unemployment after working at a upscale bar co-owned by Robert De Niro

Until Monday, Anne Robinson worked as head bartender at Locanda Verde, an upscale Italian bar at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, which is part owned by Robert De Niro.

Patrons were a mixture of wealthy hotel guests, locals and bank workers, and she could earn up to $300 a night in tips. On a good week, she would take home $1,200 before tax.

Then the order came down to shut the bars and Robinson was laid off.

Anne Robinson (pictured) said: 'I guess rent would be the biggest worry... I think it's the not knowing and wondering how long it will go on'

TRIBECA: Until Monday, Robinson worked as head bartender at Locanda Verde (pictured), an upscale Italian bar at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, which is part owned by Robert De Niro

Now she is applying for unemployment benefits, which amounts to just $500 a month.

She and her boyfriend will have to pool their unemployment checks to pay their $2,400 a month rent.

Robinson said: 'At the moment the biggest issue is getting the unemployment benefit website to work so I can have some income.

'I guess rent would be the biggest worry although I think I have enough savings to keep us hanging in there for a while. I think it's the not knowing and wondering how long it will go on.

'If it's more than two or three months I'm not even letting myself think about it'.

Robinson, 35, said that most of her friends in the bar industry are 'freaking out'. She said: 'I think people still have hope but it's only day one'.

Max Green: Negotiating rent so he doesn't lose his bar but is more upset he can't visit his sick mother in case he spreads coronavirus

Max Green has turned to organizing to help keep himself busy during the shutdown.

He has been working with colleagues to take over bar spaces that are closed to make meal plans for people without income.

He is also looking to help bar backs, dish washers and others who get lower tips than bartenders and are suffering even worse.

Green's biggest issue is the bar he owns in the East Village called Blue Quarter. With no revenue, he has to negotiate with the landlord about paying the rent.

Green said that he saw a 70 percent drop in sales by last Saturday and realized that things were serious.

Bar owner Max Green (pictured) said he has to negotiate his landlord about paying rent and is upset he can't go home out of fears he'll spread the disease to his sick mom

EAST VILLAGE: Green's biggest issue is the bar he owns in the East Village called Blue Quarter (pictured). With no revenue, he has to negotiate with the landlord about paying the rent. Green said that he saw a 70 percent drop in sales by last Saturday and realized that things were serious.

He said: 'Most people are trying to figure that out the rent and have a conversation with our landlord. None of us can afford to pay 10, 15, or 30 thousand dollars a month when we have no revenue'.

Green said that bartenders at higher end cocktail bars could earn up to $1,200 a week, but in New York it wasn't as much as it sounds because of the high cost of living.

Green, 32, said he thinks many bartenders are more concerned about health than money, saying: 'Most people in their mid 20s which is a large swath of the bar staff have the concern: ''Do I go home to my family or do I stay in New York? But if I do that, do I risk bringing the illness to them or my grandparents even though I'm asymptomatic?''

'That's the biggest risk, spreading without knowledge'.

Green's own mother is single, elderly and had heart surgery last week. He said: 'That's my biggest fear right now. I can't see her. She's getting better every day but not being able to take care of a person who has taken care of you for your entire life is not the best'.

Sirjoon Elassal: Eating food being thrown out by the bar where he works

Until Monday, Sirjoon Elassal was mixing $15 drinks like the Freya Regal at Amor y Amargo, a Manhattan cocktail bar.

Now he's going to dip into his savings to pay his rent, which he said was between $1,000 and $500.

The 26-year-old said: 'It's terrifying and it's not easy to accept as a reality because this industry seems impervious, the most in the world, Through storms and hurricanes there were places that were open.

'But because this is a pandemic that relies on socializing, that's the one weakness we have'.

Until Monday, Sirjoon Elassal was mixing $15 drinks like the Freya Regal at Amor y Amargo, a Manhattan cocktail bar. Elassal said he has been living off food he was given from a bar he worked at

EAST VILLAGE: The 26-year-old said: 'It's terrifying and it's not easy to accept as a reality because this industry seems impervious, the most in the world, Through storms and hurricanes there were places that were open.' Pictured: Amor y Amargo where Elassal worked before the shutdown

Elassal said that on a good night he could get enough tips to cover three quarters of his rent. Last weekend there were four people in the bar and 'the only thing we could talk about was the coronavirus'.

He said: 'There's so much uncertainty it causes so much fear. It's crazy'.

Elassal is thankful he does not have extravagant tastes but he says that he is a workaholic and finds having nothing to do difficult.

He said: 'The longer this goes on the worse it will get. The unemployment aid will be a bandage on the gash but that will run out eventually. We have no sick pay, nothing like that. We're kind of out on our own'.

Earlier this week Elassal was helping the owner of another bar he worked at to take out the perishable food.

He said: 'He told me to take as much as you want, this is food for you. I got two weeks worth of food from him which I'm very thankful for'.

Andrew Fafoutakis: Can't afford to shop for groceries

Andrew Fafoutakis was earning up to $300 a night in tips at Hudson Malone in Midtown East until the shutdown.

He lives in the Bronx and pays $800 a month in rent - low by New York standards - but he is anxious.

He said: 'On a good night you're hoping for up to $300 a night which sounds like a lot but the cost of living in New York is insane.

'That's why it's so hard for tipped employees - one night off and it hits you hard. You have a week off and it can devastate you in terms of rent'.

Andrew Fafoutakis said he went from making $300 a night to nothing, admitting he can't buy groceries because he is so broke

MIDTOWN EAST: Fafoutakis said he was 'praying' for a rent freeze and didn't know how he would pay his cell phone bill. He has not been out grocery shopping yet and has been working through food that is in his apartment. Pictured: Hudson Malone where Fafoutakis used to work

Fafoutakis, 36, said he was 'trying to be good natured about it' so far. He said: 'This is only week one. If week two or week three comes by I will feel worse.

'I'm taking it day by day'. With no health insurance or sick pay, getting the coronavirus would make this situation even worse. He said: 'I'm self quarantining. I've been monitoring my symptoms but so far I've not seen anything'.

Fafoutakis said he was 'praying' for a rent freeze and didn't know how he would pay his cell phone bill. He has not been out grocery shopping yet and has been working through food that is in his apartment.

He said: 'I'm reducing expenses and I'm trying to go bare bones and not indulge. I'm watching a lot of TV and Netflix is a saving grace. Now it's crazy how important social media is, we're all sharing stuff through Instagram and Facebook.

'Even communicating and sharing our concerns. A lot of us are freaking out right now as we've never seen anything on this level'.
Germany and France have imposed stringent new measures to limit social contact as countries across Europe try to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, even as US President Donald Trump said the nationwide coronavirus emergency could last until the end of the summer or even longer.

Trump said Americans over the next 15 days should not gather in groups of more than 10 and avoid bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms and crowds, a BBC report said.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced an enforced lockdown, a step similar to curbs imposed by Italy and Spain, saying: "We're in a health war".

Macron also said the European Union's external borders would be closed to travellers from Tuesday. France has so far registered more than 6,000 infections and 148 deaths.

In Germany, most non-grocery shops and venues have been ordered to shut. Chancellor Angela Merkel also banned religious services and told people to cancel any domestic or foreign holiday travel. Schools across the country have already been shut.

Germany now has close to 7,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 14 deaths. Large gatherings nationwide had already been banned.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not announce compulsory restrictions but urged people to avoid pubs and clubs and refrain from non-essential travel or having contact with others.

Earlier, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said governments were not doing enough to combat the pandemic, and urged them to step up their testing programmes.

"You can't fight a fire blindfolded and we can't stop this pandemic if we don't know who is infected," he said at a news conference in Geneva. "We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test."

There have been more than 174,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally and over 6,700 deaths, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths outside China has now surpassed the number inside. More than 87,000 people have been infected outside China, while just over 80,000 cases have been reported inside.

Spain started controls at land borders at midnight on Monday and only Spanish citizens, residents and special cases will be allowed in the country.

The Spanish government imposed a partial lockdown on its 47 million inhabitants on Saturday, as part of a 15-day state of emergency. People are barred from leaving home except buy essential supplies and medicines, or for work.

Italy, the worst-affected nation outside China, where the virus originated, has more than 20,000 cases and has suffered more than 2,150 deaths.

Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that damage from the virus would be "serious and widespread", adding: "After the coronavirus, nothing will be as before, we will have to sit down and rewrite the rules of trade and the free market."

Greece is shutting all shops, bars, chemists and petrol stations and putting all arrivals from abroad into quarantine for 14 days

Iran, which has the third-highest number of confirmed cases globally, on Monday reported 129 more deaths, its highest tally in a single day. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour urged people not to travel outside their province.

The fourth-most-affected nation, South Korea, again reported a slowdown in new infections, with President Moon Jae-in saying he was increasingly confident of overcoming the virus.

There has been a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in Africa. Strict measures are being introduced in many of the 26 countries affected, with schools and borders closing in several parts of Africa.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to reports that US President Donald Trump wanted to buy exclusive access to a potential vaccine developed by a German biotech firm, saying: "We cannot allow others to seek exclusive results."

At the White House, Trump said the country is facing "an invisible enemy" that is "so contagious". The US has so far had more than 4,600 cases of the virus and 85 deaths.

All older Americans are urged to stay home, while work and schooling for everyone should be from home. Discretionary travel, shopping trips and social visits should be avoided and people should stay away from nursing homes or retirement facilities. Anyone in a household who tests positive for the virus should remain at home along with everyone who lives there.

"We've made the decision to further toughen the guidelines and blunt the infection now," a sombre-sounding Trump told reporters. "We'd much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it."
MFA urges Singaporean students studying abroad to come back

Photo courtesy: Twitter/@ChangiAirport

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is urging all Singaporean students studying abroad to consider returning home given the evolving COVID-19 situation and rapid increase of COVID-19 cases around the globe.

As per a statement issued by the MFA, Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore have begun recalling their students currently on overseas internship or exchange.

Given the evolving #COVID19 situation, Singaporean students studying overseas are encouraged to consider returning home soon.

Read more here: https://t.co/I9rJgqPwUp  MFAsg (@MFAsg) March 17, 2020

The statement says that students should consider returning home as many countries are imposing travel restrictions or closing their borders, transport operators and airlines are cutting services, and many services and facilities, including educational institutions, have also been closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The Government will liaise with airlines to facilitate flights to key cities when necessary during this period, to cater to demand for return flights to Singapore, added the statement.

The MFA also issued the following advisory to overseas Singaporean students yet to return home:
A recent exchange of high-level threats between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, was heavy in symbolic numbers. Trump took to Twitter, threatening to strike 52 sites in Iran. Rouhani responded using the same medium: "Those who refer to the number 52 should also remember the number 290. #IR655 Never threaten the Iranian nation.

The 52 refers to the number of American hostages taken by Iran in 1979. The 290 refers to the civilians killed in July 1988, when the US Navy accidentally shot down Iran Air flight 655 in the Persian Gulf. But was Rouhanis riposte an implied admission that Iran played a role in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103?

In December 1988, I was a foreign policy adviser to Senator Ted Kennedy when Pan Am flight 103 was bombed in the skies over Lockerbie, Scotland. 270 people, including 189 Americans, died on the plane and on the ground. Because many of the senators constituents in Massachusetts were killed, we became heavily involved in all aspects of the case, including the quest for the truth on behalf of the families of the victims.

In 1991, two Libyans were indicted for the bombing. A decade later, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi turned the two over for a trial before a specially convened Scottish court at the Hague in the Netherlands. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted in the bombing and was sentenced to life in prison. In 2009, Megrahi was returned to Libya on compassionate grounds and died more than two years later.

A small number of people have long believed that Megrahi was not guilty. I was never one of them. Ken Dornstein, whose brother David was killed on Pan Am flight 103, found further compelling evidence of Megrahis guilt in the summer of 2011, when he went to Tripoli at the height of the Libyan revolution. His journey is chronicled in a 2015 series, My Brothers Bomber, on PBS Frontline.

But Libyas guilt and Iranian involvement are not mutually exclusive.

In April 1994, Senator Kennedy wrote to Tony Lake, President Clintons National Security Adviser, not only calling for the two indicted Libyans to be brought to justice, but to enlist the administrations assistance with the many unanswered questions regarding possible Syrian and Iranian involvement. It was never ruled out that Iran may have financed the attack, that Syrian-based terrorists planned the operation, and that the Libyans placed the bomb on the plane.

The most widely held theory at the time was that Iran, seeking revenge for that July 1988 downing of Iran Air flight 655, sponsored Ahmed Jibril, the Syrian-based leader of the PFLP-GC, to carry out the bombing. (Following that downing, Irans Ayatollah Khomeini vowed that the skies would "rain blood". At the time, Hassan Rouhani was the deputy commander of Iran's Armed Forces.) Jibril's plans were disrupted in the fall of 1988, when the German government raided his terrorist cells in Germany. After Jibril's cells in Germany were disrupted, it was believed that he went to Tripoli, where he handed off the project to the Gadhafi regime. Gadhafi would have been all too happy to back an act of revenge for the Reagan Administrations bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi, which itself was retaliation for Libyas 1986 bombing of a Berlin discotheque which killed two American soldiers and one civilian.

We felt that, upon indicting the two Libyans, the Bush administration was too quick to drop the Iran and Syria links. Why would that be? It may have had something to do with bigger geopolitical considerations. It is worth remembering what was going on at the time. In November 1990, Brent Scowcroft, President George Bushs National Security Adviser, said on "This Week with David Brinkley," that President Bush and Secretary of State James Baker asked Syrian President Hafez al-Assad to turn over Jibril to the United States to face charges for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. But by 1991, Syria was part of Gulf War coalition and Iran remained neutral. By mid-1991 the Pan Am flight 103 investigation, which had been pointing to Syria and Iran, was redirected to Libya. When the two Libyans were indicted in 1991, Syria and Iran were quickly absolved by President Bush and, within a month, four American hostages and one British hostage were released by pro-Iranian captors in Syria.

Tony Lake, the CIA, and Robert Mueller, who was President Clintons US Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, all told us that they wouldnt say that Iran and Syria were not involved, it was simply a matter of having solid evidence on which to indict the Libyans.

In Rhythm Section, a film recently in theaters, Blake Lively plays a woman whose entire family was killed in an orchestrated plane crash. Her character personally tracks down and kills those responsible. Thats only in the movies. A journalist in the film tells her, Youre another victim. Youre just not dead yet. There are plenty of living victims of the bombing of Pan Am 103, and they deserve the truth. It is time to take a fresh look at the case.

Trina Y. Vargo is the president of the US-Ireland Alliance and the author of Shenanigans The US-Ireland Relationship in Uncertain Times. The views expressed are the author's own.
During a previous voyage, an Italian man complained of heart trouble and was taken off the ship in the Cayman Islands on Feb. 29, Costa Cruises said in a statement. He later tested positive for the coronavirus and has since died. On the current voyage, an Italian woman who disembarked in Puerto Rico on March 8 after complaining of breathing trouble has also since tested positive for the virus, as has her husband, who was traveling with her, the company said.
New Delhi: At least two persons on Tuesday (March 17) tested positive for Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. According to Gautam Budh Nagar CMO Anurag Bhargav, the first case has been detected in Noida's sector 100 with a travel history from France. The second case is from sector 78 in Noida and the person is a doctor by profession who reportedly came in contact with a relative who had recently returned from Dubai.

Both of them have been quarantined at the Government Institute of Medical Science (GIMS) in Greater Noida while their test samples have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Iran's supreme leader has issued a religious ruling prohibiting 'unnecessary' travel amid the new coronavirus outbreak.

Semiofficial media in Iran on Tuesday reported the fatwa by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

It comes as state television earlier warned millions could die in the virus outbreak.

The death toll in Iran saw another 13 per cent increase on Tuesday. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus had killed 135 more people to raise the total to 988 amid over 16,000 cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Obama administration officials have been claiming that President Trump and his then-national security adviser John Bolton dissolved the office at the White House responsible for disaster preparedness. Trumps legion of knee-jerk critics have run with this claim.

But according to Tim Morrison, the former aide to whom direction of this office was assigned, the office was not dissolved. It remains in operation under Morrisons successor.

Writing in the Washington Post, Morrison states:

When I joined the National Security Council staff in 2018, I inherited a strong and skilled staff in the counterproliferation and biodefense directorate. This team of national experts together drafted the National Biodefense Strategy of 2018 and an accompanying national security presidential memorandum to implement it; an executive order to modernize influenza vaccines; and coordinated the United States response to the Ebola epidemic in Congo, which was ultimately defeated in 2020. It is true that the Trump administration has seen fit to shrink the NSC staff. But the bloat that occurred under the previous administration clearly needed a correction. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, congressional oversight committees and members of the Obama administration itself all agreed the NSC was too large and too operationally focused. . . . The reduction of force in the NSC has continued since I departed the White House. But it has left the biodefense staff unaffected  perhaps a recognition of the importance of that mission to the president, who, after all, in 2018 issued a presidential memorandum to finally create real accountability in the federal governments expansive biodefense system.

(Emphasis added)

As part of the effort to make the NSC more effective, the Trump administration created the counterproliferation and biodefense directorate, a consolidation of three directorates into one (the three were arms control and nonproliferation, weapons of mass destruction terrorism, and global health and biodefense, which obviously overlap). Morrison says it is this reorganization that critics have misconstrued or intentionally misrepresented. (Emphasis added) But, if anything, the combined directorate was stronger because related expertise could be commingled.

In short, the pandemic response office was not dissolved. It still exists and, in Morrisons judgment, its current staffing level is fully up to the job.

Morrisons name may be familiar to some readers. He testified during the impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

Morrison was present during the telephone call in which Trump discussed with Ukraines president investigating the 2016 election and the Bidens. He testified about that call, saying he didnt find it improper.

He also testified that Gordon Sondland told a Ukrainian official that the country would probably get military assistance unfrozen if the government announced investigations into Democrats. Morrison testified he heard this directly from Sondland and that he knew Sondland talked to Trump about half a dozen times this summer as the White House froze aid to Ukraine. Morrison also said Sondland told him he was acting at Trumps request.

Morrison resigned from the NSC right around the time he gave this testimony.

Morrison, then, is not an apologist for Trump. Hes an ally of Bolton, his boss at the NSC whom Trump has attacked. Reportedly Morrison has been called Bolton without a mustache.

Morrison concedes that some of the criticism of the presidents response to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak is warranted, though much [is] not. (The odds are strongly against any leader not making mistakes in responding to something as unprecedented as this pandemic.) But the claim that Trump dissolved the pandemic response office isnt just unwarranted. It is fake news.
RTE have set out their coverage of religious services and events over the enxt few weeks.

Today, Tuesday March 17 - St Patrick's Day, on RTE One television & RTE Radio 1 Extra/Longwave 252, Fr Peter Rodgers OFM, a member of the Capuchin community in Dublin's Church Street, will celebrate Mass live in the chapel studio of Kairos Communications, Maynooth, Co Kildare.

He will be with members of the Schola Cantorum of St Finian's College, Mullingar, directed by Gerard Lillis. The same group will then celebrate Mass in Irish on Raidio na Gaeltachta at 12 noon.

Christian worship will then continue to air on RTE TV, Radio and Online at 11am every Sunday and, of course, RTE will mark the major liturgies of Holy Week and Easter on all platforms.

You can also log onto churchservices.tv, which offers live daily video streams from over 150 churches across Ireland and the UK, so you can connect with worship in a church near you.

RTE hope in the coming days, to offer religious content for members of the Muslim community who are unable to attend Friday's noon Jummah prayers.

On Sunday April 5 , at 17.35, RTE One will be marking Passover, or Pesach, with the Irish Jewish community and, on April 11, at the same time, RTE One will celebrate Vaisakhi with Ireland's Sikhs, though their colourful public festive gatherings have been curtailed.



On Radio 1, A Living Word continues to offer a short daily spiritual reflection from a range of religious positions, every weekday morning at 06.15.

Also read: Managing cash flow through Covid-19 crisis
European leaders agreed Tuesday to close the European Union's (EU) external borders for 30 days in a new effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The travel restrictions at the border are temporary and aim to reduce most non-essential travel from other countries into the European Union. The new rules will apply to 26 members of the EU, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Ireland has not yet decided whether to implement the restrictions.

"It's up to them now to implement it. They said they would immediately do that," Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission told reporters Tuesday evening about when the external border checks would be applied.

Von der Leyen also suggested the U.K. was not applying restrictions to its external borders, but its citizens would still be allowed to travel into the EU. The U.K. has a unique relationship with the EU: it exited the bloc in January but remains subject to its rules until the end of the year.

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Movement of people within the European free-passport area will still be allowed under the restrictions. This means that people in the so-called Schengen area will be able to move from one country to the other.

The travel restrictions do not apply to medical staff, medicines or goods.

"The flow of goods has to be swift, we need these goods for the functioning of the internal market," von der Leyen said at a press conference. "But we have also to make sure that the commuters can go back and forth where they live, or where they work," she added.

Some countries have imposed certain restrictions at borders with other EU countries and that could ultimately raise issues in the supply chain. "It is absolutely crucial that we unblock the situation," von der Leyen said.

The EU will also arrange for the repatriation of citizens of member countries.

"The Union and its member states will do whatever it takes," said European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs the discussions among the heads of state.

The EU is an economic and political union of most of the countries in Europe, including Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Benelux nations, Austria, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and all Scandavian countries with the exception of Norway.

On Monday, Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said he was closing his nation's borders to foreigners, with the major exception of U.S. citizens.

This story has been updated to reflect that Ireland has not yet announced whether it will impose the travel restrictions.
Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday said that he accepted the nomination as he was firmly convinced of the need for the legislature and judiciary to work together for nation-building.

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday said that he accepted the nomination as he was firmly convinced of the need for the legislature and judiciary to work together for nation-building.

"I have accepted the offer of the nomination to the Rajya Sabha because of strong conviction that the legislature and judiciary must, at some point of time, work together for nation-building," NDTV quoted him as saying.

As per a report in the Indian Express, he told an Assamese news channel: My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa."

However, he added, that he would speak in details about the reasons behind his decision once he had taken oath.

"I'll go to Delhi probably tomorrow. Let me first take the oath then I will speak in detail to the media that why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha," ANI quoted the former CJI as saying.

President Ram Nath Kovind had on Monday nominated Gogoi to the Upper House of the Parliament, attracting criticism from many, including leaders of Opposition parties.

Gogoi served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from 3 October, 2018, to 17 November, 2019. On 9 November, 2019, the five-judge bench headed by him had delivered the verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya dispute case.

He also headed a Supreme Court bench which monitored the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam.

On 12 January, 2018, Justice Gogoi  along with Justices J Chelameswar, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph  had called a press conference and said the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things had taken place. Unless this institution is preserved, "democracy will not survive in this country," the four judges had said.

A day later, Gogoi had said that "there is no crisis" in the Supreme Court.

Gogoi will be the second Chief Justice of India to become a member of the Upper House. Former CJI Ranganath Mishra had been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1998-2004 after joining the Congress.

With inputs from agencies
Small retailers in Korea's shopping districts have seen a decline in customer traffic of around an 80 percent due to the coronavirus outbreak, causing an estimated W300 billion in losses a day (US$1=W1,226).

The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise analyzed KT big data and found that customer traffic in the Jung district of central Seoul declined 78.5 percent from 9.3 million to two million from Feb. 9 to 29.

The federation calculated small shops' daily revenues in 2019 at W560,000 and assumes there are 670,000 small stores in Seoul. "An 80 percent decline in customer traffic across the country would mean a daily loss of W300 billion," it said.

The federation last week asked the government and National Assembly for emergency funding, tax waivers and eased loan obligations for small shopkeepers.
Camp Fire Midland County Executive Director Therese Ashmore says it was a tough decision to temporarily close the child care organization, but it was necessary because of declining numbers of children attending and recent stricter federal coronavirus guidelines.

Camp Fire sent an email early Tuesday afternoon to all the families whose children have attended Camp Fire this school year. The email stated that Camp Fire would close on Wednesday, March 18, and reopen on Monday, April 6, when Midland Public Schools is currently scheduled to reopen.

"We always want to have the best interest of our children and our families in mind when making difficult decisions such as this one," the email said in part.

Spark Side, at 1621 East Wheeler, is the only one of the organization's four centers that had remained open following the closing of MPS schools on Monday.

The three school-based centers, at Adams and Plymouth elementary schools and at Carpenter Pre-Primary Center, all normally offer before-school and after-school care, as does Spark Side.

On Monday and Tuesday, because of the schools being closed, Spark Side was open throughout the day for students from kindergarten through age 12. However, only about 15 children were present on each of those two days, Ashmore said.

"We have fewer and fewer children here," Ashmore said. "I think it's because (parents) are taking the work-from-home options and being smart about how serious the coronavirus really is. So we're going to follow suit and do that for our staff and our families as well.

"It's not an option we would like to do," she added of closing. "We would rather stay open. But we have to listen to what the CDC and the president are saying."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday made a new recommendation that gatherings of 50 or more people be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks, and President Trump on Monday said that no more than 10 people should gather in one place for the next 15 days.

At this point, though, Gov. Whitmer has not directed Michigan child care centers or preschools to close.

But Ashmore noted the needs of young children make it almost impossible for child care staff to consistently practice "social distancing," or remaining at least six feet away from any other person in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

"If they need you, you're going to be there for them," she said of the kids. "If they fall down, you're going to help them up."

Camp Fire, which is described on its Facebook page as a "not for profit licensed before and after school youth development program," has had more than 200 kids total attend its four centers during this school year.

Ashmore said that Dow Inc.'s shifting of many employees to working at home this week, as well as the closing of all bars and restaurants on Monday, may also be contributing to the fact that fewer kids are coming to Camp Fire.

"As the workforce is changing, the need for care isn't as great," Ashmore said.

She acknowledged that some parents, especially those who work as first responders or those in households where neither parent can work from home, still need a place for their kids to be supervised during the day.

"That does worry me, but I have to look at the greater good of my staff and the children," said Ashmore, who also noted that families generally know that they have to have a backup plan for child care.

The email from Camp Fire to parents also requested that any payments for Camp Fire invoices be paid by check through the mail if possible. If that is not possible for a parent, they should call or email the office to arrange a payment over the phone on a Friday.
Big Brother contestants in Germany will be told about the coronavirus pandemic during a live episode on Tuesday night.

Plans to keep the contestants in the dark unless a relative became unwell have been overturned following an uproar on social media over the decision.

The group of 14 contestants, who are being housed in Cologne, are currently some of the last people to be informed about the deadly virus, reports the Guardian.

Ignorance is bliss? Big Brother contestants in Germany will be told about the coronavirus pandemic during a live episode on Tuesday night (contestants pictured on the show)

The producers initially defended their decision not to enlighten the housemates and told local newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung they would only be informed in certain circumstances.

But the channel which airs the reality programme - Sat.1 - has since faced backlash online from viewers who suggested it was unfair not to tell the housemates.

Many took to Twitter to air their grievances over the situation, with one person writing: 'I read today that contestants on Big Brother, Germany have no idea what's going on in the outside world with the Corona Virus and TV company is debating whether to tell them! What a liberty!'

While another penned: 'So are we gonna talk about how the members of Big Brother in Germany currently have no idea about the coronavirus and nobody is allowed to tell them?'

Reaction: But the channel which airs the reality programme - Sat.1 - has since faced backlash online from viewers who suggested it was unfair not to tell the housemates

A third said: 'There's people in the big brother Germany house who have been their since Feb 6th and they have no idea about coronavirus [mind blown emoji]'.

Another impassioned viewer said: 'People on Big Brother Germany, Brazil, Canada haven't been told about Covid-19.

'I've read some f***ed up s***t recently but that is f***ed up.'

The contestants will be told during a live episode which is set to air ahead of its regular slot at 7pm on Tuesday evening.

They will be informed about the crisis and given the opportunity to ask questions as well as receiving video recordings from their loved ones at home.

Show bosses have also insisted that 'special hygiene measures' have been taken to protect the contestants from getting the infection.

Most of the housemates entered the show at its inception on February 6, when the global threat of coronavirus seemed unlikely and only cases in Wuhan, China were confirmed.

Four more contestants were introduced to the house on March 6, just three days before the country reported its first coronavirus death.

The original quarantine zone: The Big Brother housemates are said to be blissfully unaware of the developing coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: the Big Brother compound in Manly, Sydney

Since the show began it has only been interrupted in the same way once before, as in 2001 the American version of the show broke the news to contestants about 9/11 when one relative was presumed missing.

Currently their are two other versions of Big Brother airing across the globe in Brazil, Canada where it can presumed the housemates are equally clueless.

Big Brother Australia began filming in Manly, Sydney, three weeks ago, however it has been pre-recorded for the first time ever and their is no set airdate.

According to The Australian, Channel Seven has chosen not to tell the contestants about the health crisis while they're in self-isolation.

Coronavirus was confirmed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. The first case in Australia was reported in January.

The Big Brother set is possibly one of the safest quarantine zones in Sydney.

The housemates are in total isolation in a purpose-built compound, which is understood to be well supplied with food and essentials.

They aren't told about major news events until after they've been eliminated.

No need to panic? Channel Seven has chosen not to tell the contestants about the health crisis while they're in self-isolation. Pictured: 2014 housemates Ryan, Travis and Skye

Australia has more than 300 confirmed coronavirus cases, including five deaths, as of Monday afternoon.

Of the five deaths, four were in New South Wales, where Big Brother is being filmed.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.

Big Brother Australia, which is being pre-recorded for the first time in its history, has no confirmed airdate.

Seven's programming chief Angus Ross told TV Tonight in January that the reality show would likely launch before the Olympics in July.

Despite no longer being a live format, viewers can still vote for their preferred winner, but it's unclear if there will be a live finale like previous seasons.

She's back! Sonia Kruger (pictured) was recently confirmed as the host of Big Brother. It's unclear if she has any physical contact with the housemates

Big Brother contests aren't the only people who have been left unaware of the pandemic.

Jared Leto has been left stunned after emerging from a 12-day desert retreat to discover the spread of coronavirus has now become a global pandemic.

The Oscar winner, 48, was shocked to learn that much of the world was taking extreme measures to fight COVID-19, with countless people self-isolating at home.
Both freshwater and sea fish -- procured from rivers, inland fisheries, or the Arabian Sea and the creeks dotting the Maharashtra coast - have been hit badly as prices have shot up by an average 50-60 per cent in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Mumbai: In the wake of rumours about consumption of chicken and mutton amid the coronavirus scare across the country, sea-food prices have suddenly skyrocketed in the city and surroundings areas in the past one week.

This is having serious repercussions on the cost of fish items served by specialized 'sea-food restaurants' and regular eateries where it is one of the options, though prices have not been hiked so far.

Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samit President Damodar Tandel attributes many reasons for the price rise which has got compounded due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

"Monsoon 2019 got extended on the Konkan coast with very rough weather, besides the massive floods in several districts last year. Since Diwali, the usual catch has sunk because of LED lights used by big trawlers and purse seine nets," rued Tandel.

The 'Bhai Bhandarkar Maha Machimar Vishwastanidhi Trust' Chairman Vijay Bhandarkar said that for the past two years, the fishermen are in the same predicament as the farmers of Maharashtra due to various reasons.

"First, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission keeps expanding and encroaching upon fishing territories. Second, the maritime traffic in the Arabian Sea has gone up considerably since it's a key global route and all vessels discharge their wastes here," Bhandarkar told IANS.

Added to this is the massive pollution near the coastal areas with untreated sewage discharged from major cities or towns on the entire coastal Maharashtra, besides Gujarat and Karnataka which has driven away marine life.

"According to our estimates, the catch has dwindled by more than 70 per cent, the costs remain constant, so prices go up accordingly. This has also hit exporters of fish, plus the dry fish market which is extremely popular among the people in coastal regions," Bhandarkar explained.

A fisherwoman from Andheri market said that in the past 10 days or so, retail fish prices have zoomed by more than 40 per cent and are shunned by potential customers.

"Medium-sized pomfrets pair sells for around Rs 1,200-Rs 1,400, small-sized Bombay Duck and mackerels go for Rs 200-Rs 300 per portion. Surmai and 'ravas' have virtually disappeared or command price of Rs 700-1,000, and prawns between Rs 500-Rs 800 per portion, depending on size," said fisherwoman Gauri Patil.

"Freshwater fish like Rohu and Katla also sell between Rs 250-Rs 400 per kg as per size, making it unaffordable. It's difficult to source fish from the wholesale markets where they are 'booked' by hotels and restaurants," said Dahisar housewife Priyanka Gowale.

On the other hand, poultry business suffers due to rumours, which has pushed customers to consume sea food.

A Kandivali poultry seller Jabbar Shaikh said that owing to the rumours over coronavirus, videos of culling of hens and chicks at various places, unfounded fears have been created in public mind, leading to a sharp drop in demand for fresh chicken and eggs.

"Retail sales have plummeted by as much as 60 per cent and even prices have come down by 50 per cent. Until the coronavirus scare goes away, customers won't come back," lamented Shaikh.

For instance, chicken prices hover around Rs 100, down from Rs 220, but there are few takers as people consciously opt for fresh or frozen sea food.

Tandel and Bhandarkar say there are around 20,000 big and small fishing boats and trawlers which operate on the state's coast off Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad, besides a few in the local rivers, dams, lakes and other water bodies.

Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in

Disclaimer: The story has been cleared from an automated feed with no modifications to the content. Only the headline has been changed.
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When economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton first published their research on deaths of despair five years ago, they focused on middle-aged whites. So many white working-class Americans in their 40s and 50s were dying of suicide, alcoholism and drug abuse that the overall mortality rate for the age group was no longer falling  a rare and shocking pattern in a modern society.

But as Case and Deaton continued digging into the data, it became clear that the grim trends didnt apply only to middle-aged whites. Up and down the age spectrum, deaths of despair have been surging for people without a four-year college degree.

In the early 1990s, the number of white adults without a college education who died from drug overdoses, alcoholism or suicide was fairly low  and the death rates for younger adults were lower than for older adults.

But over the past three decades, deaths of despair among whites without a college degree  especially those under age 50  have soared.

The death rate for whites with a college degree, by contrast, has risen only modestly across all age groups and remains lower for the young than the old.

Case and Deaton  a married couple who are both economists at Princeton  try to explain the causes in a new book, Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism. Their basic answer is that working-class life in the United States is more difficult than it is in any other high-income country. European countries have faced the same kind of technological change we have, and theyre not seeing the people killing themselves with guns or drugs or alcohol, Case said. There is something unique about the way the U.S. is handling this.

Inequality has risen more in the United States  and middle-class incomes have stagnated more severely  than in France, Germany, Japan or elsewhere. Large corporations have increased their market share, and labor unions have shriveled, leaving workers with little bargaining power. Outsourcing has become the norm, which means that executives often see low-wage workers not as colleagues but as expenses.

Many of the problems afflicting the working class span racial groups, and Case and Deaton emphasize that these problems arent merely financial. Life for many middle- and low-income Americans can lack structure, status and meaning. People dont always know what days or hours they will be working from week to week. They often dont officially work for the company where they spend their days, which robs them of the pride that comes from being part of a shared enterprise.

The result of these trends has been a coming apart, as Case and Deaton put it, of day-to-day life for whites without a college degree versus those with a college degree.

Marriage rates have diverged as well. People without college degrees are also less likely to attend church. Surveys show that a growing number of working-class Americans find it difficult to do basic things, like climb a flight of stairs or socialize, partly because of chronic problems with their mental or physical health. Many people are also drinking more. And they are unhappier.

Given all of these alarming social indicators, its not surprising that some other causes of death  in addition to suicide, alcoholism and drug overdoses  have also started rising for Americans without a college degree. Heart disease is the most significant, exacerbated by obesity, drinking and drug use.

The combined result is a divergence in the life expectancy of white college graduates and nongraduates. Overall mortality for whites between the ages of 45 and 54 has held roughly steady in the last 25 years. But that average hides a big increase in death rates for nongraduates and a big decline for graduates.

What can be done about all of this? Many of the solutions are obvious, if difficult to accomplish. The medical system should be overhauled to put a higher priority on health than on wealth for people who work in the industry, Case and Deaton argue. (And that doesnt necessarily mean a mandatory version of Medicare, they add.)

The federal government should do a better job of keeping big business from maximizing profits at the expense of its workers, by enforcing antitrust laws and encouraging new kinds of labor unions. Governments at all levels should help more people earn college degrees, both four-year degrees (like BAs) and meaningful vocational degrees.

Other economic research has found that a college degree isnt simply a marker. Students who attend and graduate from college do better in life than otherwise similar students who didnt get the same opportunities. Graduates are more likely to be employed, earn more, marry and stay married, be satisfied with their lives, be healthy and live longer.

These findings suggest that college itself  both the classroom learning and the experience of successfully navigating college  brings long-term benefits.

David Leonhardt is a columnist for The New York Times.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

A strict lockdown requiring most people in France to remain at home came into effect at midday Tuesday, prohibiting all but essential outings in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Mar, 2020 ) :A strict lockdown requiring most people in France to remain at home came into effect at midday Tuesday, prohibiting all but essential outings in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread.

The government has said tens of thousands of police will patrol streets and issuing fines of 38 to 135 Euros ($42-$150) for people without a written declaration to justify their reasons for being out.

President Emmanuel Macron announced the measure Monday night in an address that was viewed by 35 million people, "an absolute record for a televised intervention," according to a spokesman for the Mediametre audience measuring group.

The country has reported 148 deaths from the virus, a number that health experts warn could soar in the coming days, seriously straining the hospital system.

Macron said that under the new regime, gatherings among friends and family would no longer be allowed, only "necessary movements" like shopping, medical visits or working when tele-commuting was not possible.

Schools have been closed since Monday.

But Health Minister Olivier Veran said Tuesday that self-confinement rules could be eased in two weeks if the spread of the new coronavirus is sufficiently contained.

"If in two weeks we see that things have calmed down enough and we can lift some of these confinement rules, we'll do it," Veran told France Inter radio.
The police in West Bengals Hooghly district have arrested a person for selling cow dung and cow urine, claiming that consuming these would help people get protection against coronavirus disease Covid-19.

The person, Sheikh Mamud, a man in his 50s, was booked under sections 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. All the sections are non-bailable.

Following the police action, Mamud argued that he was inspired by Hindu Mahasabhas event in New Delhi last week where supporters of the organisation consumed cow urine in public.

The person has been arrested and we are investigating his motive, said Humayun Kabir, commissioner of Chandannagar police commissionerate.

Mamud was produced before a court in Hooghly on Tuesday which remanded him to four-day judicial custody.

He was selling urine of Indian cow at Rs 500 per kg and that of Jersey cow at Rs 400 per kg at a roadside stall at Dankuni in Hooghly district, about 25 kilometres from Kolkata.

In a separate development, an FIR has been registered at Jorabagan police station on Tuesday against unknown persons for feeding cow urine to people. The case was registered in connection with a gaumutra (cow urine) party organised by a local BJP leader, Narayan Chatterjee, who claimed on Monday that cow urine provided 100 per cent protection against novel coronavirus.

A home guard of the Kolkata Police, who lodged the complaint, said he was misled by the organisers, who passed of cow urine as charanamrita or ambrosia.

The police have registered the case under sections 269 (unlawfully or negligently spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), 278 (making the atmosphere noxious to health) and 114 (abettor present when crime is committed) of the Indian Penal Code and started investigation.

Meanwhile, BJPs state unit president Dilip Ghosh said that distributing cow urine was no crime. Many of those who are opposing cow urine have consumed it secretly. I myself have consumed cow urine many times and will keep consuming it for its health benefits, Ghosh, a Lok Sabha MP from Midnapore, said on Tuesday.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln stationed at the Arabian Sea in May,2019, local time. (File photo: AP)

By Nie Shuyi

Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., Commander of the US Central Command(CENTCOM), said on March 13(local time) that US Defense Secretary Mark Esper had approved the deployment of two carrier strike groups (CSG) - USS Harry S. Truman and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - in the Middle East in the following period to cope with the tension in the Gulf region. Washington will also deploy the Patriot airdefense missile system and counter-rocket, artillery and mortar defense systems in Iraq.

This is the first time that the Pentagon deployed two carrier strike groups in the Gulf region since 2012, a move that was obviously in response to the earlier attack on US coalition-base Camp Taji in Iraq and to put more pressure on Iran on the military front. But given the current US-Iran strain, such a move will do nothing but aggravate the tension in the Gulf region. The Iranian Foreign Ministry warned the US not to do anything dangerous.

The move will sharpen the confrontation between the US military and Iraqi Shiite militias.

According to AFPs statistics, the Camp Taji attack on March 11 was the 22nd assault against Americas military facilities in Iraq. In fact, the presence of American troops is a nuisance to many Iraqis. After the US killing of Suleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, at Bagdad International Airport on January 3, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution asking all foreign troops, including American ones, to leave the country, putting the American troops in Iraq in a more awkward position. Under such circumstances, fortifying its presence in Iraq on the excuse of the March 11 assault will add fuel to the fury of the Iraqis, especially the Shiite militias.

The move is to put more pressure on Iran.

With the death of Suleimani, the struggle between the US and Iraqi Shiite militias has become the US-Iran game. Although the two countries pulled the plug on the verge of a head-on war, it is generally believed that Iran will rally peripheral forces, including the Iraqi Shiite militias, to take revenge on the US.

While Iran is having a hard time fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, the US wants to step up the blockade and sanction against the country through an enhanced military presence in the Gulf region.

Knowing this only too well, the Iranian Foreign Ministrys spokesperson on March 13 urged US President Donald Trump to reevaluate the presence and actions of US troops in the Middle East, saying that Washington has only itself to blame for taking the consequences of its illegal military presence in Iraq.

Implementing strategic contraction in the Greater Middle East region but strengthening the presence in the Gulf region is a core of the Trump administrations Middle East policy. Since its military base in Iraq was attacked, American troops have not only intensified the crackdown on Iraqi Shiite militias, but also deployed the Patriot air defense system in Iraq on the ground of strengthening the bases air defense capability. We can say that the assault of the Taji base on March 11 served as a pretext for the UScontinued presence in Iraq and the Gulf region.

Its safe to say that the US is leaving sparks all over the Middle East under the disguise of preserving regional peace and stability. Its reckless withdrawal from Syria has left the country once again in chaos, the US-initiated Palestine-Israel peace deal that is appallingly in favor of Israel has re-ignited conflicts between the two countries, the hastened peace deal with Taliban has pushed peace in Afghanistan even more beyond reach, and the unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement with maximum pressure on Iran has iced the US-Iran relation again and almost thrown the Gulf region into war.

As a matter of fact, it is Washingtons unilateral, short-sighted Middle East policy that has constantly magnified the geopolitical risks in the region. Finding itself where it is now, the US has no choice but add water if there is too much dough, and add dough if there is too much water, which is so scrambled and chaotic that it will either leave the region with its tail between its legs or drag itself down the quagmire of war even further.

Disclaimer: This article is originally published on haiwainet.cn, which is the website of Overseas Edition of the People's Daily. The article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Quarantines and pandemics are scary things, and can be even more scary for children. Being a kid in the age of the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, isnt easy. Thats why its more important than ever that parents do their best to help with their kids mental health.

When it comes to the current situation, that means having some honest and open discussions.

Its important to keep in mind that kids of all ages typically know a lot more than we think they do, said Dr. Jessica Mattingly, a psychologist with Penn State Health Medical Group in Hershey. It is important to have an open and honest discussion with them that addresses what the virus is, how its contracted as well as the protect steps being taken -- not just on your family level, but also in the greater community level and world

We spoke with Dr. Mattingly and consulted the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) about what parents can do to help kids understand whats going on and not freak out about it.

Start a dialogue. So we know that having a talk with children about COVID-19 is important, but how do you even begin that conversation? Dr. Mattingly suggests asking your children what theyve heard about coronavirus. You can then correct any false information theyve heard. Teenagers can also be encouraged to do their own research.

Be honest and clear. Be sure to use words your child can understand, Dr. Mattingly said. And encourage your child to come to you with any questions or any new information they know in order to keep that conversation going.

Being honest doesnt mean talking only about the negative. Its important for kids to know that most people who get the virus dont get really sick, Dr. Mattingly said. And let them know that there are people who have been working their whole lives to help in situations like this.

But you shouldnt sugarcoat it either. Let them know that some people who get sick will die, but most people will get better.

CHOP also recommends explaining to kids why they may see people wearing masks. Explain that masks can help protect from germs when people cough or sneeze, but it doesnt mean that if you wear a mask you have the coronavirus.

Let them know its okay to be frustrated or scared. Validate their feelings and let them know you feel the same way. In fact, its normal to feel that. Let kids know that its okay to feel whatever emotion they have and that these feelings are uncomfortable. Dr. Mattingly suggests telling younger children these feelings are their brain telling them to stay healthy. Teenagers can be assured that this is a sign that they care deeply about the situation and their community.

Take the time to, again, remind both yourself and your kids that experts are working on stopping the pandemic. You can also flip the quarantine situation into a positive one, with Dr. Mattingly suggesting you think and talk about how awesome it is that the whole world has come together to be safe by staying inside.

Emphasize the importance of good hygiene. Let your kids know that things like washing your hands is something everyone can do to keep themselves healthy. Enacting good hygiene habits will also give kids a sense of control. Be sure to model good hygiene behavior for them too. You can make washing hands a family routine before meals and snacks, letting kids pick the songs to sing as you wash. Make sneezing or coughing into an elbow a game and, if they mess up and cough into their hand, just say whoopsie! Now we have to wash it off.

Establish a routine. Routine is important not just for kids but adults as well, Dr. Mattingly said. She encourages parents to post a visual schedule somewhere in the home and to stick with it. This will build a sense of consistency, predictability, stability and security. Make sure the schedule includes things like bedtime, time for exercise and meals. Dr. Mattingly also setting aside time every day to do a family activity that you know helps everyone in times of stress. This could be watching a movie or playing a game.

Limit mass media exposure. This includes news reports. Dr. Mattingly said that if parents do need to watch the news, they should do so in a way where they can limit how much a child hears it - which could mean putting in earbuds and watching it on your phone. If you do have to turn on the TV, she encourages you to engage with your child afterwards and see if they have any questions about what they heard. Always assume they heard something too, even if they were in another room when you turned on the news report.

Encourage teens to reach out to friends. Teenagers may have an especially hard time being kept away from their social circles. Dr. Mattingly recommends letting them know that those feelings are valid and are ones that you also have. That its also frustrating that grownups cant see their friends either. But at the same time, theres plenty of ways to connect using technology, so encourage them to use facetime or group video chats to stay connected.

Take care of yourself too. Theres nothing wrong with taking a break, Dr. Mattingly said. Remove yourself for a little while and do something for you. This could mean reaching out to friends and family members to give yourself a dose of adult conversation and support. There are also hotlines you can call if youre having a hard time. Dr. Mattingly suggests the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services hotline, also known as SAMHSA. The number for their disaster distress hotline is 1-800-985-5990. You can also text TalkWithUs to 66746.

Reach out for help. There are great resources out there to help families during this time of isolation. Dr. Mattingly recommends the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, which has a guide for helping families cope during the pandemic. You can access it at nctsn.org. Unicef also has a guide to talking with your child about COVID-19. You can find it at unicef.org.

CHOP recommends pulling information from the National Association of School Psychologists, which also has a guide to talking to kids about COVID-19. You can find it at nasponline.org. CHOP also suggests using information from the Child Mind Institute, which has a guide to support kids during the crisis. You can access it at childmind.org.

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This story has been updated to correct Dr. Mattinglys profession.
More than 10 countries have expressed interest in Vietnams test kits for detecting the presence of the novel coronavirus, which causes the flu-like disease Covid-19.

The locally made test kit to diagnose novel coronavirus infections will be shipped overseas

These products are made by the Vietnam Military Medical University and the HCMC-based technology firm Viet A Corporation, reported local media.

The kit is based on a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, a technique that combines the reverse transcription of RNA into DNA with the amplification of specific DNA targets using a polymerase chain reaction. It can detect the novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, in droplets obtained from the respiratory tract and blood samples.

Cambodia, Nigeria, Poland, Australia, Germany, Finland, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey and Ireland, among other countries, have expressed interest in made-in-Vietnam virus test kits.

The Vietnamese producers have sent 50 initial batches of test kits to Ukraine and 100 batches to Finland so that their partners can complete registration procedures for official imports.

The Hanoi government announced a plan to purchase 4,000 test kits, which can be used to conduct 200,000 tests. Most of these kits will be provided to local hospitals in the capital city while the remainder will be donated to hospitals in Italy, the most virus-stricken country in Europe.

Each kit includes a total of 50 tests and costs some VND400,000-VND600,000. Each test can be used on one individual, and it takes roughly two hours to produce results, including the time needed for taking samples.

The producer is able to turn out some 200 test kits per day. More than 40 local hospitals and centers for disease control have registered to buy these products. A number of hospitals and testing laboratories have already started using them.

HCMC prepares worst-case scenarios for Covid-19 outbreak

Passengers declare their health conditions at a local airport. HCMC has mapped out the worst-case scenarios for the Covid-19 outbreak

HCMC has set up more isolation centers, acquired more medical equipment and provided training for health care workers, having mapped out the worst-case scenarios for the Covid-19 outbreak in the city.

Specifically, the city has prepared isolation centers for 3,000 people and will raise the number of facilities to be able to accommodate over 20,000 people.

Aside from 400 infectious disease doctors, the city is offering training to more health care workers in various specialties to provide treatment for 1,000-1,400 patients.

Besides this, it increased the number of hospital beds from 600 to 1,600, equivalent to 16,000 infection cases, and added 1,200 medical ventilators.

Experts forecast that Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, could spread further and will likely last for at least several months or even a few more years, HCMC Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan told a meeting on March 16.

Last week, seven cases were recorded in the city. If one person tests positive for the virus, the competent agencies would have to isolate 280 people on average, Nhan noted.

Accordingly, the southern hub is set to quickly identify and place in quarantine all suspected cases and to keep coronavirus infections below 100 in the city, the citys Party chief said, adding that significant efforts are needed to make this target achievable.

The municipal Party chief also encouraged local residents to share the coronavirus-related burden with businesses as the pandemic has affected all aspects of social life. Students have had to take time away from school for months, businesspeople have encountered losses and employees have had their salaries reduced.

Nhan suggested the city dwellers and companies active in HCMC adjust their daily activities and operations to combat the spread of Covid-19 and keep socioeconomic activities from a steep plunge.

Earlier at the meeting, Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the HCMC Health Department, said that five new confirmed cases in the city and 41 others nationwide are linked to flights arriving in Vietnam from foreign countries.

To address the situation, the municipal health authority will increase the number of kits that can quickly detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 to 50,000.

The city will test and classify all passengers entering HCMC from virus-hit areas to minimize the risk of community spread. Further, it is preparing funding for operating 20 negative air pressure rooms at field hospitals in the outlying districts of Cu Chi and Can Gio, according to Binh.

Patient 59 tests positive for coronavirus after three negative tests

A health worker disinfects a Vietnam Airlines aircraft. The countrys coronavirus Patient 59 is a special case as she was found to have the virus in the fourth test - PHOTO: TNO

A Vietnam Airlines female flight attendant, confirmed as the countrys coronavirus Patient 59, is a special case as she was found to have the virus in the fourth test, according to the Ministry of Health.

Nguyen Manh Ha, chairman of Hanoi Citys Long Bien District, told a meeting on March 16 that the 59th confirmed case, who was a flight attendant on Flight VN0054 that landed at Noi Bai International Airport on March 2 and lives at a boarding house at 162 Nguyen Van Cu Street in Long Bien District, has been quarantined since Patient 17 was detected after arrival.

L.T.Q. was taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District for a 14-day quarantine, Ha said, adding that she had tested negative for the virus for the first time on March 7.

After three negative tests, the patient was moved to Gia Lam General Hospital, but she then showed some symptoms of the Covid-19 disease, the local media reported.

The flight attendant was sent back to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District on March 14 as she had developed symptoms of cough and fever.

On March 15, eight days after the negative tests, the fourth test result showed that she was infected with the coronavirus.

The district immediately reviewed her case and made a list of those who were in close contact with her to place them in quarantine, Ha stated.

Addressing the meeting, Hanoi City chairman Nguyen Duc Chung noted that the city had witnessed two cases where people tested negative for the coronavirus in the first test, but only seven or eight days later, they developed symptoms of the coronavirus disease called Covid-19.

As such, it is necessary to closely monitor the cases in quarantine, he said.

Travel on domestic rail routes suspended over Covid-19 fears

A staff sprays disinfectants along a train to prevent Covid-19 infection. Railway companies in Vietnam have temporarily suspended operations on some domestic rail routes over Covid-19 concern - PHOTO: VNA

Railway companies in Vietnam have temporarily suspended operations on some domestic rail routes beginning today, March 16, due to mounting concern over the new coronavirus, according to Vietnam Railway Corporation.

Hanoi Railway Transport JSC noted that it has halted the operation of 10 trains on the Hanoi-Haiphong, Hanoi-Dong Dang, Hanoi-Thai Nguyen and Yen Vien-Ha Long routes.

On the Hanoi-Haiphong route, the firm stopped the daily operation of the HP1 train departing from Hanoi station and the LP2 train starting at Haiphong station.

Meanwhile, two trains---HP2 and LP7---will only run on weekends. Specifically, the HP2 train will depart from Haiphong station at 6:40 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays, while the LP7 train will leave Long Bien station at 6:26 p.m. on Fridays and start from Hanoi station at 6:15 p.m. on Sundays.

Besides this, the QT1/QY2 trains on the Hanoi-Thai Nguyen route, the DD5/DD6 trains linking Hanoi with Dong Dang and the 51501/51502 trains travelling from Yen Vien to Ha Long will only run on Sundays.

Hanoi Railway Company will refund all train fares to passengers affected by the suspension of the trains.

Earlier, the firm had temporarily halted the operation of the SP1/2 trains, running on the Hanoi-Lao Cai route. The NA1/2 trains, travelling between Hanoi and Vinh, had their schedules adjusted and will only run on weekends.

Saigon Railway Transport JSC also discontinued the operation of the SQN1/2 trains on the Saigon-Quy Nhon route.

The SPT1/2 trains, travelling from Saigon to Phan Thiet, will only run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays each week.

In addition, the HCMC-based railway operator applied a shorter itinerary to the SE21/22 trains that typically run on the Saigon-Hue route. They now travel between Saigon and Danang.

The railway authority also asked train ticket buyers on all ticketing channels, including train stations, ticket agents, websites and mobile apps, to provide their full names, national identity or passport numbers and phone numbers.

Covid-19, which is linked to the new coronavirus, has taken a heavy toll on the countrys transport activities. For the railway sector alone, the number of passengers last month fell 45% versus the figure seen in January and more than 47% over the same period last year. SGT
Bhopal: Even as the political situation in Madhya Pradesh remains muddled, the Kamal Nath-led Congress government has been rushing with appointments in the last couple of days much to the chagrin of the BJP.

Apart from the reshuffling of several IAS and IPS officers, the government has also placed some hand-picked officers in key postings. One such appointment was of IPS officer Vivek Jauhari, who was named the DGP. Jauhari was DG BSF on deputation and his services were returned to MP on the request of state government.

Senior IAS officer M Gopal Reddy was on Monday appointed as the new Chief Secretary and outgoing chief secretary SR Mohanty was appointed as Director General of Administration Academy, Bhopal.

Mohanty, a trusted aide of CM Kamal Nath, had applied for voluntary retirement and is expected to be appointed as chairman of MP Electricity Regulatory Authority.

On the same day, Abhay Tiwari, head of Congress IT Cell in MP, was elevated as chairman of MP Youths' Commission. The post was lying vacant since 2009.

Besides, on Monday, Shobha Oza, the Congress media cell in charge of Madhya Pradesh, was appointed as chairperson of MP Women's Commission. Oza joined in the new capacity on Tuesday. The post was vacant for the last one year.

Another Congress leader, JP Dhanopia, was on Tuesday appointed as chairperson of the State Backward Classes Commission.

The most important, however, has been the removal of pro-Jyotiraditya Scindia officers posted in Gwalior-Chambal region soon after the Guna royal left the Congress and joined the BJP.

Sources claimed these officers were posted in the region on Scindia's recommendation.

Several of these political appointments were eagerly awaited by Congress leaders since the party wrested power in the state in 2018, but the party high command kept postponing these appointments, fuelling internal anger.

A large numbers of political appointments in boards and corporations are still pending.

Upset over these political appointments being made by CM Kamal Nath in the last few days, the BJP on Tuesday complained to Governor Lalji Tandon, claiming that amid a political crisis like this, the Governor reserves the right for appointments to constitutional posts. The delegation of BJP leaders urged the Governor to reverse the decisions taken by the Kamal Nath government in last three days.
Stanton Healthcare Implements New Protocols During the National Emergency to Combat Coronavirus

NEWS PROVIDED BY

March 16, 2020

BOISE, Idaho, March 16, 2020 / Standard Newswire / -- Stanton Healthcare based in Boise, Idaho is a movement of life-affirming women's medical clinics that specializes in serving women with unexpected pregnancies and has national and international affiliates along with a public policy center in Washington, D.C.

During this national emergency for the coronavirus, pregnant women are one of the most vulnerable, neglected and needy communities.

Stanton is looking for ways to network with local churches, community organizations and healthcare professionals to provide information, support and care for pregnant women.

Brandi Swindell, CEO and Founder of Stanton Healthcare, states,

"Every American is understandably concerned and worried about the uncertainty our nation is facing with the coronavirus crisis. This is especially true for pregnant women who are deeply concerned about how COVID-19 will impact their pregnancy and pre-born child and are being overlooked during this national emergency.

"At Stanton Healthcare we recognize these concerns and are doing everything we can to provide comfort, assurance and support to these expecting mothers. First, Stanton has implemented new protocols for our clinics with things such as enhanced cleaning and sterilizing procedures, providing masks for clients if requested and updated information from the CDC.

"Stanton is also looking for ways to network with local churches, community organizations and healthcare professionals to reach expecting mothers with emotional, spiritual and practical support. Finally, we want to continue to supply necessary items to our mothers during this difficult season and we are currently addressing the baby wipe and diaper shortage.

"During this national healthcare emergency, Stanton will ensure that there is no interruption in the quality of care we provide. As our doors remain open, we will be adding online client advocacy care visits, consultations with our medical staff, webinars for our mothers, current updates on COVID-19 and wellness encouragement for those who are practicing social distancing and/or are symptomatic.

"It is essential during this national health emergency our communities do all within their power to assuage the fears and concerns of our mothers."

Nancy Ferris, Stanton's Director of Operations, adds,

"During this national health emergency, it is especially important that our Stanton moms and pregnant women everywhere know there is support and guidance. In response, Stanton Healthcare will continue to be a place of hope with the highest standards and protocols.

"We exist to serve one of the most vulnerable populations who are especially impacted during the COVID-19 crisis and we are diligently working to address and reduce their stress and anxiety.

"Working with Stanton's nurse practitioner Jennifer Malberg-Grant MSN,WHNP-BC, our medical director, Dr. Earl Crandall MD, and following the guidelines of the CDC, we will ensure our clients get the best possible care. Dr. Crandall has over 30 years of experience in obstetrics and gynecology and is one Idaho's most respected physicians."

For more information or interviews call: Brandi Swindell at 208.867.1307

SOURCE Stanton Healthcare

CONTACT: Brandi Swindell, 208-867-1307

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President Donald Trump on Monday changed his rhetoric on the coronavirus while straining hard not to admit he had undersold the threat. Asked about his past comments that the situation was under control, Trump tried to maintain he meant the response was under control, not the virus itself.

But he's not the only one refusing to admit he gave people dodgy advice.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., on Sunday morning urged people to go to bars and restaurants, even while Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, was on other shows urging the opposite. Trump then on Monday echoed Fauci, saying the administration was urging people to "avoid discretionary travel and avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and public food courts."

That left Nunes with some cleanup work to do. So he took to the friendly confines of Sean Hannity's Fox News show, where he tried to suggest he was talking about takeout - not actually eating at the restaurant.

"So what I was saying is you have empty restaurants, you can go through the drive-through, you can do takeout. It's a great place to go," Nunes said. "The media freaks can do what they want, but they're endangering lives here by continuing this panic when we have no food shortage in this country."

It's a clarification that might have been nice in the 36 hours between his initial comments and his Hannity interview, but Nunes' office didn't respond to multiple requests from The Washington Post for further comment.

It's also a clarification that doesn't really hold water.

In his comments on Fox News on Sunday morning, Nunes had this to say: "If you're healthy - you and your family - it's a great time to go out and go to a local restaurant. Likely you can get in easy. ... Go to your local pub."

At no point in the interview did Nunes say that he was talking about takeout or drive-through. In fact, he said, "Likely you can get in easy" - which suggests there would be no wait for seating. (One also wonders how many people are ordering takeout from a "pub," though admittedly I'm not familiar with the establishments in Nunes' district.)

Nunes, though, wasn't the only on dealing with the fallout from his bars-and-restaurants advice and refusing to back down. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, another Republican, drew criticism over the weekend for posting a picture of him and his family eating at a restaurant that said, "Eating with my kids and all my fellow Oklahomans at the @CollectiveOKC. It's packed tonight!"

Stitt later deleted the tweet and on Sunday declared a state of emergency. But then his office again went against the advice of Fauci and health officials, telling CNN on Monday, "The governor will continue to take his family out to dinner and to the grocery store without living in fear and encourages Oklahomans to do the same." (The comments came before Trump weighed in but well after Fauci's comments.)

This attitude has permeated the GOP, with a poll this weekend showing just 12 percent of Republicans had stopped or planned to stop going to restaurants and bars. A Marist College/NPR/PBS NewsHour poll on Monday also showed just 40 percent of Republicans viewed coronavirus as a "real threat," versus 54 percent who said it was being "blown out of proportion."

It's a time in which officials would do well to choose their words carefully to make sure they comply with the guidance from health officials - and now even with the guidance we're getting from Trump. Trump was asked Monday about the advice Nunes and Stitt had given, which Trump said he was unfamiliar with. After it was (accurately) summarized for him, he noted that Oklahoma isn't yet hard hit but added, "I would disagree with it" and "It's adverse to what the professionals are saying."

It is, and no amount of attempted cleanup is changing that.
Indias most famous tiger habitat - Corbett Tiger Reserve - and all protected areas and zoos in Uttarakhand will be out of bounds for tourists till March 31 as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus, the state government said Tuesday.

Rajiv Bhartari, chief wildlife warden of Uttarakhand issued an order stating that all protected sites in the state like national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and zoos will be closed for the public from March 17 to March 31 to curb the spread of coronavirus infection.

With rising cases of coronavirus, many states like Assam, Maharashtra, Kerala have closed protected sites in their states for tourists and other public. Archaeological Survey of India has also closed monuments till March 31 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On the same lines, all protected sites in Uttarakhand including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and zoos will be closed for tourist activities till March 31, the order states.

RK Tiwari, warden of Corbett Tiger Reserve said that the step has been taken following advisories by the central and the state government.

In addition to the Corbett Tiger Reserve, Corbett Museum at Kaladhungi has also been closed for tourism activities. Arrangements had already been made at the reserve to screen tourists entering the park. All infrastructures had been set up to screen tourists with symptoms of coronavirus like fever, cold or cough, said Tiwari.

He further added that tourists will be refunded the money paid for bookings made during this period.

Corbett Tiger Reserve which is spread across 1,288.31 square kilometers is one of the most loved tourist destinations in the state. The reserve currently has around 260 tigers. The gates of Corbett open on November 15 every year for six months till mid June.

Corbett draws around 3 lakh tourists every year across its six eco-tourism zones, with Dhikala and Bijrani being the most popular ones.

The Uttarakhand forest department further ordered that the as per section 28 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 filming and research activities will also not be allowed inside the premises of protected areas till March 31. Further orders will be issued by the government after monitoring the situation.
Senior Congress leader and Legislator Prem Chandra Mishra on Tuesday demanded sacking of Road Construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav for use of "inferior quality steel" in reconstruction of superstructure of the Mahatma Gandhi bridge which connects south and north Bihar.

Mishra claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report 2018-19, parts of which appeared in newspapers Tuesday,has highlighted use of low quality steel in rebuilding superstructure of the 5.57 km long bridge on Ganga river.

The report, which is likely to be tabled in Parliament in the current session, must be made public, he demanded.

Mishra,a Congress MLC, demanded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to order a probe against the minister,Road Construction Department's Principal Secretary Amrit Lal Meena and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials in the matter.

"The CAG has in its report accepted that low quality of steel is being used in the construction of superstructure of the bridge. The agreement has been violated by those involved in the construction," Mishra told reporters here.

"This is a big scam worth Rs 1000 crore...This has thoroughly exposed the tall claim of 'sushashan and rule of law' made by Nitish Kumar government of which BJP is a partner," the legislator alleged.

Mishra was accompanied by senior party leaders H K Verma, Subodh Kumar and others during the press meet held at the party office here.

He said he raised the issue twice in the Legislative Council but did not get any satisfactory reply.

Mishra said he also wrote an email to union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari in December 2018 highlighting the issue but nothing happened.

He alleged that three engineers associated with the project were removed because they wrote to the road construction department that the work was not done as per the agreement.

Not only this, the company, engaged in the bridge reconstruction work, made a profit of Rs 300 crore by dismantling the entire bridge in one go whereas it had to be dismantled in three segments, Mishra alleged.

Road Construction Minister Nand Kishore Yadav, however, refused to comment on the matter.

However, a senior official of the department, wishing anonymity, said that the entire issue falls under the domain of the central government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Disney has already delayed "Mulan," "The New Mutunts" and "Antlers," but held off on postponing "Black Widow" in hopes that it wouldn't have to scrap another big film. But the move was inevitable since movie theaters in multiple states, including New York, New Jersey Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, have been ordered to close. Only AMC Theatres has given a timeline on how long its locations might be closed, estimating six to 12 weeks for venues nationwide.
Lucy Knisley

Lucy Knisley is a critically acclaimed and award-winning comic creator. She lives in Chicago. She specializes in personal, confessional graphic novels and travelogues. Her last name is confusing and has a silent K. It's pronounced kind-of like "nigh-slee." You can find her online @LucyKnisley.

Is Stepping Stones your first written and illustrated graphic novel of pure fiction?

Yep! This is my first fiction. The fact that the main character is a ginger girl who reads comics and doesn't like snakes and is bad at math is all coincidental! Okay, let's say it's "fictionalized."

What made you want to create a story about the change from city life to country life? And adjusting to life with a blended family?

I went through both! It isn't something I'd like to repeat, but it's something I'm glad happened. Now that I'm a parent, I've been thinking quite a lot about how, when you make a choice for yourself, it's really a choice for your family--the kid is just along for the ride. It's one of the most frustrating aspects of childhood and I wanted to get into that and how it can take you to surprising places.

The protagonist, Jen, doesn't really like her mother's boyfriend because he's kind of a jerk. Not in a dangerous way, exactly, but in a way that feels very true--sometimes, people are just jerks. What made you want to include this character?

Walter is based, of course, on my own mom's boyfriend, who lived with us for six or so years. He was totally obnoxious and it was the first time I recognized that an adult can be annoying! They can be immature and dumb and bossy and all these things I'd thought adults were "beyond"! But we all have to learn how to deal with people, even the annoying ones. For kids, it's complicated by being in a position where those adults can be authority figures. Once I got older and was in more of a position to ignore my "Walter," it was a lot easier to love him. I think the concept of personal boundaries and "this situation sucks" vs. "I suck" is something that took me a long time to understand, and I wanted to make that a major part of this story. It was a fine line to walk, though! I had to write him as annoying but in a way that doesn't make you really REALLY loathe him!

On the note of truth... the panel in which the baby chickens immediately destroy their home feels oh so real. Have you worked on a farm? Were there chickens?

Ha! Yes! They're the worst! I found it hilarious when all my adult peers started getting chickens in their little city backyards. You could not pay me enough eggs.

How does it feel to be one of RH Graphic's inaugural creators?

So great. I've been working with Gina Gagliano for more than a decade now, and she's a dear friend and a force of nature in comics. It's awesome to get to work with her--and Whitney Leopard and Patrick Crotty--on making my first middle grade AND fictionalized book!

Is there anything specific you hope readers take with them from reading Stepping Stones?

I hope you recognize yourself or something from your life in these characters and stories. And go into new experiences beyond your control with a little more hope--it might turn out to be annoying but also great.
Three people, including a doctor



who had treated the country's first coronavirus victim, have tested positive for the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka to ten.

The family doctor of the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who died last week was among the infected, the Health and Family Welfare Department said in an update on Tuesday.

The 63-year-old doctor had treated the elderly man who died "due to co-morbidity and also tested positive for COVID-19."



He is under strict home quarantine, the department said.

A 20-year-old woman, a resident of Bengaluru, who returned from the UK, has also tested positive for the virus.

Earlier on Monday, a 32-year-old man, a software engineer who arrived from the US via London earlier this month, tested positive for the virus.

He was on the same flight as another person who was later confirmed to be infected.

He was under home quarantine, and has now been admitted to an isolation facility, the update added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This is clearly a different situation, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander said Tuesday afternoon, following a meeting with his colleagues. Weve had occasions when the economy has shut itself down. But weve never had one where the government has deliberately shut it down. And we have a responsibility.

Inside the meeting room in the Russell Senate Office Building, Republican senators and administration officials, like Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, were outlining the first steps of whats being called phase three legislation addressing the coronavirus pandemic. This is going to be the big one, landing somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 trillion in spending to help suffering individuals, businesses, and industries as economic activity comes to a halt to contain the pandemic. The Senate plans first to pass the Houses roughly $100 billion phase two relief bill in the coming days while simultaneously drafting the next one.

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Republicans are discussing ideas not typically discussed by proud small-government types who believe in letting markets run their course and wreak carnage where they may. That includes some measure of cutting checks to Americans to make ends meet.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney made a splash on Monday when he said that every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy. The belief spread beyond this one well-known traitor to the movement. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, a conservative ally of Trumps, also put forth a plan to cut $1,000 checks to each American tax filer earning less than $100,000 annually, with tack-ons available for dependents. By Tuesday afternoon, Republicans were talking about how cutting checks to lower- and middle-income Americans was a proudly conservative idea.

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Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a member of the Republican leadership, said he was open to the bold idea, citing such conservative movement legends as Milton Friedman and Charles Murray for having developed similar ideas. (He threw in Andrew Yang, the former Democratic presidential candidate who organized his campaign around sending monthly $1,000 checks to each American, when a reporter mentioned his name.)

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The simplicity of the proposalor the image of Americans receiving $1,000 checks in the mail signed by DONALD J. TRUMPhas caught the presidents attention, at least for the moment. On Tuesday, he backed off of his push for a payroll tax holiday, which had no traction on the Hill, and his administration signed up for check-cutting instead.

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We are looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said Tuesday. Americans need cash now, and the president wants to get cash nowand I mean now in the next two weeks.

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At least some Senate Democrats, recognizing that sending checks to working people should be their jam and not Republicans, have gotten behind a bolder proposal to release $2,000 checks to adults and dependents (up to a certain threshold) and subsequent payments depending on the duration of the crisis.

Whatever the specifics of the checks turn out to be, there is bipartisan interest in moving $1 trillion out the door as quickly as possible, with extraordinary measures for doing so being put on the table by Republicans and Democrats alike. This is not how the debate over the last major economic stimulusthe roughly $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, more commonly known as The Stimuluswent. The price tag on that bill was pushed down from what economists recommended, in the name of the need to win broad backing. These efforts to make the relief effort as widely acceptable as possible earned the popular new Democratic president, Barack Obama, zero Republican votes in the House and three in the Senate.

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So wheres all the enthusiasm for trillion-dollar stimulus coming from now? Several Republicans, like Alexander, made the distinction that these are different crisesthat the financial crisis and the resulting economic fallout were the result of economic actors making poor decisions. Here, the economy was humming along just fine until some disease swooped in.

Were not talking about businesses here that make bad decisions and are asking to be bailed out, Rubio said. Were talking about a virus. Were talking about an effort to control the virus that requires us to tell businesses to close, and people not to frequent them, in order to save lives. That is an extraordinary development. This is not an economic downturn, this is not some  normal event that happens in the cycle of an economy.

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Sure. But also, come on.

We cannot ignore the trend of seasonal Republican Keynesianism that exists only when Republicans are in the presidency.

The 2008 stimulus that President George W. Bush signed into lawbefore the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and before the crisis was in full swing, and with no public health emergency behind itcut checks of $300 to $600 to individuals, with barely a peep of dissent in either chamber.

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During the Obama presidency, meanwhile, the cost of the ARRA scared nearly 100 percent of Republicans away from supporting iteven as individual members would go on to hold groundbreaking ceremonies for the projects it would fundand Republicans anti-spending panic brought about the 2011 Budget Control Act, introducing discretionary spending caps for the next 10 years.

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Once Trump was in office, the spending caps were increased by hundreds of billions of dollars, and then eliminated permanently when Democrats retook control of the House this Congress. And now its check time again.

This arrangement of separation of powersa Republican president, especially this one, and especially in an election year, combined with a Democratic Houseseems to be the only one under which lopsided, bipartisan votes in favor of economic stimulus are allowed. Its great that Democrats, when theyre out of the White House, arent willing to take down the economy to inflict political pain on their opponents. It would be even better if Republicans were held to the same standard going forward.
Former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has said he has never attacked a woman as he started giving evidence in his trial.

Salmond took to the witness box at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday morning facing accusations of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.

The 65-year-old has 13 charges of alleged offences against nine women, all of which he denies.

But he said he wished he had been more careful with women's personal space as he took to the witness box for the first time.

Alex Salmond, 65, took to the witness box at the High Court in Edinburgh during his trial over accusations of sexual assault and one of attempted rape

The former politician told jurors he has never had a non-consensual relationship with a woman in his life as he was questioned about an allegation he assaulted a woman in his bedroom at Bute House, in late 2013.

He said he and a Scottish Government official, known as Woman F, had 'collapsed into what I would describe as a sleepy cuddle' on a bed after they drank the Chinese spirit Maotai together.

'My left arm was underneath [the complainer], my right arm was around [her] and both her feet were still on the floor.

'It was not a comfortable or easy position to be in. We were side by side and we were both fully dressed.'

He explained he said sorry two weeks after the incident after the issue was raised by one of his staff.

The former politician faces 13 charges of alleged offences against nine women, all of which he denies

'I apologised. I was the first minister. She was in my bedroom. We were tipsy, it shouldn't have happened,' he said.

But asked if he had intended to rape her, Salmond said: 'Not in the slightest... I have never entered into a non-consensual sexual relationship with anyone during my entire life.

'In these circumstances, I don't even think I had an intent to cuddle. It's something that happened in tipsy circumstances and as soon as (Woman F) made it clear, by saying, 'it's a bad idea,' I snapped out of it and said, 'it's a very bad idea,'. We were still fully dressed.'

Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including an attempted rape, spanning a period between June 2008 and November 2014.

His lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi.

Consent was given as a defence for three alleged sexual assaults and an alleged indecent assault against three women.

Salmond was formally acquitted of one charge of sexual assault on Monday after the Crown offered no evidence, reducing the total from 14 charges against 10 women.

The Crown case concluded on Monday, while the trial before judge Lady Dorrian continues.

Salmond also told the court he wished he had been more careful around women's personal space, and claimed some of the allegations against him were political attacks.

He said: 'From where I stand now, I wish I had been more careful with people's personal space, but there was no intention whatsoever to offend.

Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including an attempted rape, spanning a period between June 2008 and November 2014. His lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi

'But I'm of the opinion, for a variety of reasons, that events are being reinterpreted and exaggerated out of all possible proportion.'

Asked why, Salmond said: 'There were two reasons - one is that some, not all, are fabrications, deliberate fabrications for a political purpose. Some are exaggerations taken out of proportion.'

Salmond also said publicity over the past 18 months may have led some people to 'quite innocently' reassess their opinion.

But he added: 'At least one of the charges against me on the indictment, I think there was a legitimate grievance, even if it wasn't what actually happened and not what was presented at the time.'

Salmond has denied claims there was a policy that prevented him being alone with female civil servants at the first minister's official residence, Bute House.

'No there was no policy like the one that's been described,' he said.

Salmond agreed with his barrister that 'things that didn't happen' or 'innocent things' had been 'turned into sexual offences', as he was taken through the charges against him

But he said there would be 'a blurring of the normal social/professional boundaries' in the '24/7' role with 'people living out of each other's pockets'.

Asked by his counsel Gordon Jackson QC if there were problems with female staff, Salmond said: 'In general, no. There was an incident I was made aware of, but in general, no.'

Salmond agreed with his barrister 'things that didn't happen' or 'innocent things' had been 'turned into sexual offences', as he was taken through the charges against him.

He said a civil servant in the Scottish Government, who accused him of grabbing her and trying to kiss her following a meeting in Bute House in 2010, had 'misremembered' the incident.

Known as Woman B, she told the court on Monday Salmond had asked to recreate an image of a Christmas card design, featuring a man and a woman about to kiss beneath the mistletoe.

'I think over the passage of time the incident is misremembered,' he said. 'I did say, 'let's recreate the Christmas card. It was a joke, it was hijinks, it was a piece of fun. It was not meant to be anything more than that.

'She said, 'don't be daft,' and we sat back down again.'
Allyson Rothrock

A task force of local nonprofit and government leaders, convened by The Harvest Foundation, kicked off this weekend to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their first order of business Sunday was how to help working parents find child care during the two or more weeks that k-12 schools across Virginia will be closed. Gov. Ralph Northam announced the closures last week in an effort to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus strain in the state.

As of Monday, the task force has identified 155 openings for emergency placement of school-age children affected by the closing. Providers include:

Martinsville-Henry County YMCA, 276-647-3089

First Baptist Church ELC, 276-632-2636

Stanleytown Amazing Grace Baptist Church, 276-629-1886

First United Methodist Church, 276-656-6199

Freedom Baptist Church, 276-638-3802 ext. 106

Happy Feet, 276-403-4183

Fresh Start  Gods Creative Learning Center, 276-634-5526

Clydie Harrison  Family Child Care, 276-957-4645

The Harvest Foundation will share more information as it becomes available. Visit www.theharvestfoundation.org/covid-19 to find out more about community efforts surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impacts.

In a news release from the foundation, President Allyson Rothrock said, Were working within a fluid environment to determine the best solutions for our community when it comes to the coronavirus response. Community leaders are having important conversations and taking this matter extremely seriously. We will have updates throughout this time as we collaborate with our partners to support Martinsville-Henry County.

Task force members include the Henry-Martinsville Department of Social Services, Martinsville-Henry County YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge, United Way of Henry County and Martinsville, Smart Beginnings Martinsville-Henry, Patrick Henry Community College, city of Martinsville, county of Henry and the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation.

Representatives from the school systems were unable to meet during the weekend because of the short notice, Harvest Communications Director Latala Hodges said in an email, but Senior Program Officer DeWitt House will touch base with the divisions to see what type of community support is needed at this time.

As of now, there have been no formal funding requests related to the task force, Hodges said.

The initial meeting was Sunday, so theres still much work to be done to determine the scope of the task forces work and if any funding will be necessary, she said, adding that legislators are considering financial aid for coronavirus response at the state and federal levels. If approved, those bills may be able to provide support in our community.

Kim Barto Meeks is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at 276-638-8801.

Kim Barto Meeks is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at 276-638-8801.

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A Bra Boy thug that left court smiling after receiving community service for savagely beating a man has allegedly glassed another just two days after his sentencing.

Jackson Travers, 21, is alleged to have smashed a bottle over the head of a 25-year-old man outside a party in Mascot, Sydney, on Friday night.

A 22-year-old woman attempted to stop the attack but Travers, who is part of the infamous Maroubra surfing clan, allegedly grabbed her by the throat.

Jackson Travers, 21, (pictured) smiled as he left court on Wednesday after being sentenced to three years' community service before allegedly glassing a man on Friday

The victims were able to escape the alleged attack to alert police before the 25-year-old was taken to hospital in a stable condition, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Travers was arrested by police over the weekend and charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and drug possession offences.

He appeared in Waverley Local Court on Monday where the court heard Travers was recently found not guilty of stabbing retired bus driver Peter Hoffman to death in 2017.

Travers and his brother Ray spent a year in jail before being acquitted of Mr Hofmann's murder on the night of the second State of Origin game in 2017.

Travers and his brother Ray spent a year in jail before being acquitted of Peter Hofmann's stabbing murder in 2017

Magistrate Allison Hawkins said the facts around the case were 'disturbing'.

'They outline some disturbing level of violence.'

On Wednesday, Travers was ordered to complete the Equips anger management plan and a three-year community corrections order for attacking a man in Redfern last September.

Travers approached Sateki Tuitavake, 26, during an argument over the NRL semi-finals outside the Regent Hotel and punched the man in the face eight times.

Travers was found not guilty of the murder of retired bus driver Peter Hofmann (pictured)

On Wednesday, Travers was ordered to complete the Equips anger management plan and a three-year community corrections order for attacking a man in Redfern last September

He initially claimed to be defending himself, but police laid charges after obtaining CCTV footage of the drunken attack.

Ms Hawkins said the recent alleged attack could not yet be considered a violation of Travers' community corrections order as he had lodged an appeal for the sentencing of the previous bashing.

Travers was granted bail on conditions including that he report to police every three days and to abstain from drugs and alcohol.
BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker has finally broken his silence about his co-host Naga Munchetty's racism row with Donald Trump.

In July last year, presenter Naga, 45, was temporarily censured by the broadcaster after she admitted she was 'absolutely furious' at the US president's decision to tell four congresswomen to 'go back home' during an on-air discussion with Dan, 42.

Over eight months on, Dan has expressed his regret over failing to publicly support his colleague as he confessed: 'I felt I should have said something in support of her, but she didn't want any more attention.'

'I should've said said something': BBC Breakfast's Dan Walker has finally broken his silence about his co-host Naga Munchetty's racism row with Donald Trump (Dan pictured with Naga in July)

The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) had originally ruled that Naga - who has been an employee at the company for over 10 years - had breached editorial guidelines when she condemned Trump's comments.

In partially upholding a complaint against the TV star, the BBC was itself accused of racism, with broadcasters Sir Lenny Henry and Krishnan Guru-Murthy among others launching a campaign for the BBC to reverse its decision.

Journalist Dan revealed he encouraged BBC's Director General Tony Hall to change the ruling as he said in this week's Radio Times: 'She was at the centre of this storm. The day the story came out, I wrote to Tony Hall, saying, ''If Naga is guilty, then I'm guilty''.

Outrage: Presenter Naga was temporarily censured by the BBC after she admitted she was 'absolutely furious' at controversial comments made by the US president (pictured on Monday)

'At the time I didn't know I'd been mentioned in the original complaint. The BBC should have given a more robust defence of their presenters.'

The British-Indian presenter hit headlines when she responded to the controversial tweet by Trump as she stated: 'Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.

'Im not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean.

'Furious. Absolutely furious and I can imagine lots of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious a man in that position thinks its OK to skirt the lines by using language like that.'

Drama: In the 'racist' tweet shared over the summer, Trump told four congresswomen to 'go back home' to their countries of origin

Following the outrage over the BBC's ruling, the corporation's executive Tony sent an email to staff, claiming the decision 'sparked an important debate about racism and its interpretation'.

He said: 'Racism is racism and the BBC is not impartial on the topic.There was never a finding against Naga for what she said about the Presidents tweet.'

'I have looked carefully at all the arguments that have been made and assessed all of the materials.

'She didn't want anymore attention': Over eight months on, Dan, 42, (pictured in 2017) has expressed his regret over failing to publicly support his colleague

'I wrote to him, saying, ''If Naga is guilty, then I'm guilty''': Journalist Dan revealed he encouraged BBC's Director General Tony Hall (pictured in 2016) to reverse the BBC's ruling

'I have also examined the complaint itself. It was only ever in a limited way that there was found to be a breach of our guidelines. These are often finely balanced and difficult judgement.

'But, in this instance, I dont think Nagas words were sufficient to merit a partial uphold of the complaint around the comments she made. There was never any sanction against Naga and I hope this step makes that absolutely clear.'

Available: This week's edition of Radio Times is out now (Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc pictured)

He hailed Naga as 'an exceptional journalist and presenter', adding: 'I am proud that she works for the BBC.'

Earlier this year, the University of Leeds alum revealed she was encouraged to speak out on racism as her parents had been abused because of their ethnicity while working as nurses in London.

In an interview with Vogue magazine, the media personality said she had witnessed the impact racism had on her parents who moved to Britain in 1971.

She said: 'My mum has been told, "You P*** bitch, get your hands off me," when she's cleaning someone. My dad has been told the same thing. When their cleaning someone's a***. A racist person's a***.

'I've lived in south London until eight years ago. And I've been told many times "why don't you just f*** off to where you came from?"

'So trust me, when things touch you, sometimes you physically can't let that go. If you're saying you saw me sit back - frustrated, angry - it's inevitable when you've had these experiences.'
In a March 10 letter to Vice President Mike Pence, chair of the task force, the Academy expressed growing concern about the unavailability of testing kits; the lack of a clear protocol for when and how testing should be conducted; the scarcity of personal protective equipment for physicians; and inadequate communication among federal agencies, health departments and frontline primary care physicians.

"The AAFP, on behalf of our 134,600 members, formally requests a direct meeting with you and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force to share concerns we are hearing from our members and discuss the immediate and necessary steps that should be taken to inform, equip and empower family physicians as they prepare to care for thousands of patients impacted by COVID-19 in the coming days," the letter added.

The Academy expects to participate in such a meeting with the task force on March 18.

On March 11, the Academy called on Congress to ensure that the task force would speed up the flow of information, supplies and resources to physicians working on the front lines.

That same day, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

"Consistency and coordination will be the key to successfully responding to this public health crisis," the Academy told the majority and minority leaders of both chambers in the March 11 letter. "We are doing all we can to assemble and disseminate information prepared by the CDC and the World Health Organization to our members; however, we still lack critical information."

And on March 13, the Academy again wrote to congressional leaders, this time to call for swift passage of legislation to address the pandemic -- including support for crucial components of the primary care safety net.

"It is time for Congress to make the necessary investments to ensure that the health care system is prepared to provide care to people in this time of national emergency," said the letter. Like the previous correspondence, it was signed by Board Chair John Cullen, M.D., of Valdez, Alaska.

Specifically, the March 13 letter asked lawmakers to reauthorize and fund the community health center and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education programs that were left in limbo earlier this session.

"Continued underinvestment in primary care education and training will only result in further strains on our primary care system in the future and weakens our ability to confront and manage future outbreaks and pandemics," the Academy said.

The March 13 letter further called on Congress to

immediately increase Medicaid payment rates for all evaluation and management services provided by family physicians and other primary care clinicians to match those of Medicare;

create a time-limited telemedicine grant program for solo and small primary care physician practices; and

pass the Primary Care Patient Protection Act (H.R. 2774), for which the AAFP advocated last year.

The barrage has been necessary.

Alarming early test kit failures and the White House's slow response to the pandemic have raised the pressure on primary care physicians to calm patients and prepare for unprecedented circumstances.

The Academy's recent advocacy regarding COVID-19 also includes a Speak Out campaign, through which members are encouraged to add their voices to these recent messages.

AAFP members, including those working at the vanguard of the health system's response, continue to lend their perspectives to a newly established member community on COVID-19.
Today marks 35 years since Neighbours first premiered on Australian television.

It was 18th March 1985 when the soap created by the late Reg Watson first debuted on Seven. It ran for just over six months, underperforming in Sydney, when programmers pulled the pin.

But 10 swooped on the series -forced to rebuild sets after Seven destroyed them- and from January 1986 the rest, as they say, is history.

The series is now the longest-running drama in Australian TV history, having launched thousands of careers both in front of and behind the cameras.

One who says she owes it all to the show, and famed casting director Jan Russ, is Stephanie McIntosh who returns to the show this week as part of 35th anniversary storylines under Executive Producer Jason Herbison.

McIntosh played Sky Mangel (the teen version of a former series infant) for just over 4 years from 2003. With a famous half-brother in Jason Donovan (Scott Robinson), and neighbour to Alan Fletcher (Dr. Karl Kennedy) she already had links to the show.

When I became a teenager, I started babysitting for Alan Fletcher and I would come out to set with him, she tells TV Tonight.

I actually think I even said to him once Im going to come back as Sky Mangel.

Lo and behold a few years later, they wrote her in again as a teenager coming back to see Harold (Ian Smith).

I got the call for the audition from the divine Jan Russ. She gave me that break, and Ill be forever grateful. Neighbours changed my life, in all the best ways.

It felt like we were some sort of a platform

Sky was portrayed as an alternative adolescent in a very vanilla street, having teen romances with Boyd Hoyland (Kyal Marsh), Dylan (Damien Bodie) and Stingray (Ben Nicholas). But it was the crush from Lana (Bridget Neval) that drew wider attention, for portraying a same-sex teen romance in an early evening timeslot.

Bridget Naval, Stephanie McIntosh

That was really exciting and a privilege to go down that route at a time where maybe it wasnt as socially accepted. Im proud of Neighbours for grabbing onto something that should be so normalised so early on, she continues.

I got a huge volume of extremely positive feedback and a lot of people coming out to me, wanting to say thank you for bringing attention to something that they feel they needed in the LGBT community.

It felt like we were some sort of a platform for people that needed that.

Someones got to lead the way

Any press controversy at the time was outweighed by the benefits.

I understand that it wasnt as socially accepted, so to speak, but I think thats where Neighbours just did the right thing. Someones got to lead the way.

McIntosh has been invited back to the show on previous occasions -she made an appearance by Skype for the 30th- but as a mother of 2, the timing was right to make it happen in 2020.

It was like walking into a time machine

Returning to the Nunawading set brought a rush of emotions.

It was a really out of body experience. It was like walking into a time machine but then not. I keep saying to everyone Its Same same but different,' she explains.

The drive here starts to become nostalgic, as youre turning onto Hawthorn Road and then you come through those back doors and theres a smell, a memory thats triggered instantly every time you walk through the Cast backdoors. Everything just comes flooding back, and its a life that I know so well.

In one breath it feels like theres been no time gone at all, and then in the other its Wow theres so much history here!

Often you do a project and it wraps and thats it. To come back to something I was so fond of, and so lucky to be a part of its the best.

That was a major moment of feeling very nostalgic.

Her return reunites her with her former castmates Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne, Ryan Moloney and Stefan Dennis.

It was really lovely seeing them. That was a major moment of feeling very nostalgic. But then, of course, you look around and you see all the new faces and you realise that time has moved on. Including my niece.

Her niece, Jemma Donovan is now playing Harlow Robinson. McIntosh also feels the time away has given her added maturity to appreciate the experience more.

Its so beautiful coming back and having this hindsight this time around, and having a lot of growth. A maturity that I didnt have back then, and an appreciation maybe that I didnt have. I definitely knew how lucky I was landing the role initially, but theres definitely a different sense of gratitude this time around.

Neighbours 35th anniversary week includes a string of weddings, and Skys return will see her tie the knot with Lana.

I find that this is very authentic and for Sky theyve come full circle with a storyline that had a huge effect on a lot of people, she hints.

Ive been focusing on playing mum

And while family comes first, she is open to the idea of more acting work should it come her way again.

I have two beautiful girls, a five and one year old. So that is always the focus personally, but I did step back for a little bit while Ive been focusing on playing mum. So it feels so great coming back into work. and maybe seeing whats out there again professionally for me.

Im excited and optimistic about going forward again.

Neighbours airs 6:30pm weeknights on 10 Peach.
NEW YORK - Grocers big and small are hiring more workers, paying overtime and limiting purchases on certain high demand items as they scramble to restock shelves that have been wiped out by panic shopping in response to the global viral pandemic.

Amazon said Tuesday that it will only accept shipments from suppliers of cleaning equipment, medical supplies and household goods at its warehouses for the next three weeks to fill surging demand. It is hiring 100,000 people across the U.S. to keep up with a crush of orders as more people stay at home and shop online. It will also temporarily raise pay by $2 an hour through the end of April for hourly employees.

Many grocers are also limiting purchases of products like Purell sanitizers, Lysol cleaning spray and canned soup so that there is enough to go around. And companies like Walmart, Target and Wegmans are curbing store hours for the public in order to give workers time to restock shelves.

The moves come as industry executives insist supply chains remain strong despite frustrated customers showing up to stores and sometimes walking away empty-handed.

When you have runs at grocery stores, there is a little time needed to catch up, said Lowell Randel, vice-president for government and legal affairs at the Global Cold Chain Alliance, a trade group representing the refrigerated warehouse and delivery industry.

The National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association on Sunday urged shoppers to restrain themselves, asking that if they didnt need an item in the next two weeks to leave it for someone else who does.

Hoarding and stockpiling creates unnecessary gaps between the time that someone who truly needs a product can find it back on retailers shelves, they said in a statement. This is particularly important for our most vulnerable neighbours  the elderly and those who are struggling with other health issues.

Some stores like Target, Northeastern grocery chain Stop & Shop and Australias Woolworth are implementing special hours to accommodate elderly customers, who have been avoiding crowds that leave them susceptible to COVID-19, the disease that has infected nearly 130,000 people worldwide and caused more than 4,800 deaths. Jim Barth, owner of a family-owned butcher in New Providence, N.J., recently started a delivery service catering to older or sick customers but stopped taking online orders after getting inundated with other shoppers who were also trying to avoid crowds.

In France, the Rungis distribution centre outside Paris feeds about a quarter of the countrys population. Food arrives there from producers all over France -- cheese makers, farmers, orchards and more -- and elsewhere in Europe, to be parceled out to the supermarkets across the countrys north. Normally popular with tourists hardy enough to arrive when it opens in the wee hours, its been closed to all but the 12,000 employees.

French officials, like those elsewhere in Europe, say theres no reason for shortages if customers shop reasonably. In Paris on Monday, residents raided supermarkets in anticipation of a lockdown.

Border closures to keep out the sick are also posing problems around a Europe designed for open frontiers. In Slovenia, which lies in the path from Italy and Austria to the Balkans, cargo trucks recently waited for more than 24 hours for checks.

To help ease the bottleneck in the U.S., the federal government has suspended rules that limit the number of hours that truckers can drive. And on Sunday, President Donald Trump had a conference call with 30 food, grocery and beverage retail executives who recommended certain actions like establishing a point person in the administration to oversee co-ordination with various government agencies in order to deliver essential food supplies faster to stores.

Meanwhile, manufacturing facilities are seeking exemptions to state and local restrictions that limit the size of public gatherings so that they can keep moving their products. And retailers are wrestling with labour shortages as workers worry about being exposed to the coronavirus and stay home.

For the workers who show up, sheer exhaustion is taking a toll as they must work faster while dealing with angry customers. Barth said his workers are now taking on longer hours to fulfil higher customer demand that has spilled over from big chains like Costco and ShopRite.

Brittney Legowski, a part-time college student who works as a personal shopper at a Walmart store in Menomonie, Wisconsin, says she started feeling more overworked late last week when online orders spiked. She picks about 100 items per hour for a typical customer; now, shes picking 170 items an hour and up to half of them arent available.

Were racing through the aisles just to keep up, said Legowski, who has gotten yelled at by irate shoppers and is thinking of quitting.

Scott Nash, CEO of MOMs Organic Market, which operates 19 stores in the mid-Atlantic region, says that his business has doubled in the last two weeks. His stores use to sell $50,000 worth of merchandise a day; now, its $100,000. But out-of stock items have shot up to 1,500; typically, they number around 150 in normal times.

Nash noted the problem is not the food supply but how quickly shoppers are grabbing it. He said that inventory turns were typically on average about every 10 days. Now theyre about every five days.

He said his 1,500 workers are working overtime to stock shelves and some are starting to call out sick because theyre tired. But he believes that the panic buying is going to wane.

People can only fit so much in their stomachs and pantries, he said.

_______

AP Writers Tom Krisher in Detroit; Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia; Lori Hinnant in Paris and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.

______

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The New Jersey Assembly passed a wide-ranging package of bipartisan bills Monday in response to the growing coronavirus outbreak to assist the people, schools, businesses and local governments in the state grappling with the medical and financial impacts of the public health crisis.

The more than two dozen measures, which quickly went through two committees Monday before votes in the full Assembly, target people losing wages as more and more businesses close temporarily and social distancing wipes out commerce, and the closed schools attempting to meet new nutritional and educational demands.

The coronavirus is a concern globally, and in New Jersey we are committed to making sure residents and businesses are prepared and equipped to continue to live and work as we continue through this pandemic, Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, D-Hudson, chairwoman of the Homeland Security committee, said at the measures passed at the Statehouse in Trenton.

Some of the bills before the committee today are measures to help children continue to receive lessons outside the classroom and ensure those who may not be able to eat at home continue to receive the meals they would be given at schools, require insurance carriers to cover coronavirus testing and treatment, and ensuring no employee is fired due to having to be quarantined," McKnight added.

At least 178 New Jerseyans have tested positive for the coronavirus and two have died. Gov. Phil Murphy announced draconian steps Monday to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, including closing schools and some businesses.

The governor ordered many businesses, including gyms, movie theaters and casinos to close, while limiting restaurants and bars to takeout and delivery services. These steps and the chilling effects of social distancing and fear of the virus have generated a lot of financial anxiety from tipped and hourly workers.

A bill passed by the Assembly, 65-0, on Monday would create a temporary lost wage unemployment program for workers whove lost wages because they were tested positive for coronavirus, needed to care for a sick relative or a child whose school or daycare closed because of the outbreak. Unemployment compensation under this program would be equal to a workers normal wages, according to the sponsors.

Another bill would free up cash assistance for some low-wages workers enrolled in New Jersey Work First, while yet another would put a moratorium on evictions, whether by a landlord or bank.

Losing income because you are recovering from this illness or staying home because your childs school is closed should not cost you your home," Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, R-Bergen, said in a statement.

Others legislation would donate $15 million to food banks across the state and require school districts to provide meals or vouchers while theyre closed to students eligible for free-or reduced-cost lunches. Murphy ordered all public and private schools to close by Wednesday.

Lawmakers say they plan to help school districts with a bill setting aside $20 million to defray the cost of building cleaning and a grant program to shrink the so-called digital divide between districts that have a device for every student and those that do not.

The Assembly also passed bills that would grant a one month extension for filing state taxes if the federal government extends its deadline and offer grants for small businesses.

We have to think about the small business community, who rely on their customers to frequent their stores. These businesses will be adversely affected by the need for many to stay indoors and potential quarantines, the bill sponsors said in a statement.

Lawmakers also voted to allow the Assembly to conduct business by electronic means during an emergency, to give local governments more time to pass their annual operating budgets. They also acted to give notaries the ability to perform their business remotely and corporate shareholders to meet remotely during an emergency.

The state Senate would need to pass the bills and the governor would have to sign them before they became law.

Murphy over the weekend declined to weigh in on the legislation.

We take each one seriously," he told reporters. Conceptually, some of them are completely consistent with what were talking about and doing 24 hours a day."

None of the bills were available publicly by the time the full Assembly voted Monday afternoon. Lawmakers used an emergency provision that allowed them to suspend normal legislative rules and vote the bills through in one day.

The Assembly canceled most of its committee hearings scheduled for Monday, with Speaker Craig Coughlin saying it would address only the most pressing bills. Coughlin, D-Middlesex, said he planned to allow 100 members of the public to attend to comply with a recommendation from the governor to keep public gatherings to no more than 250 people.

The state Senate canceled all of its Monday hearings. On Saturday, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, called for more than a dozen initiatives to mitigate the financial toll of the outbreak, including extending unemployment benefits and suspending payrolls and sales tax collections.

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Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus.

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After Padmaavat, Akshay Kumar's Prithviraj On Karni Sena's Radar; Members Of The Outfit Halt Shoot
Investigation underway as six-year-old dies in Moria fire Greece's migration minister expresses 'deep sadness'

(ANSAMed) - ATHENS, 17 MAR - Greece's migration minister Notis Mitarakis said he was "deeply saddened" after an investigation began on Tuesday following the death of a six-year-old girl in a fire at the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesvos.



Firefighters on the North East Aegean island announced on Monday that the six-year-old child died in a blaze that broke out in the afternoon, and said that they are investigating the cause.



According to initial local media reports it is suspected that the fire may have started from a gas stove.



The death of the young child marks another black page for the notoriously overcrowded Moria camp, which is home to around 20,000 people staying in a space designed for just 3,000.



"I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic event of the loss of a six-year-old child following a fire that broke out at the camp on Moria. I would like to express my sincere condolences to the child's family," said Mitarakis in a tweet via his Twitter account.



Following this latest incident, opposition party SYRIZA called on the government to begin a "drastic decongesting of the islands" immediately. "The latest tragic incident of the death of a 6-year-old child in a fire at Moria only goes to show that the immediate and drastic decongestion of the islands that we have been asking for for months is the only acceptable solution to avoid other similar incidents," said shadow migration minister for SYRIZA, Giorgos Psychogios, in a media statement.



"In what has become an entire city of 22,000 people, where 16,000 live in shabby and miserable conditions, it is now necessary to move vulnerable groups to decent structures on the mainland for the benefit of both refugees and local communities," he added.



Meanwhile, as if the problems of mass overcrowding and limited access to basic needs was not enough, staff working for the asylum services in Lesvos and other islands have also suspended any work that requires personal contact with applicants due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus (Covid-19).



Greece is on shutdown mode in general, and measures at the migrant camps are expected to last until April 10, during which time asylum applicants will not be able to sit for interviews, receive any decisions pertaining to their applications, or renew their temporary residence permits.(ANSAMed).




A witness of the Economic and Financial Commission EFCC, Aminu Muhammed, Tuesday absolved former Secretary to the Government of the Fe...





A witness of the Economic and Financial Commission EFCC, Aminu Muhammed, Tuesday absolved former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Engineer Babachir Lawal of any wrong doings in the controversial N544m contract that led to his trial.





At the resumed trial, the witness, a Principal Procurement Officer in the SGF office told an Abuja high court that neither Babachir Lawal nor any of the defendants in the trial participated in the bidding process or award of the contract in dispute





Muhammed, who is a member of the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE ) testified that the body was solely responsible for the award of the contract without Babachir Lawal who was then in office as SGF.





On cross examination by Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, counsel for the ex-SGF, the witness stated that non of defendants on trial played any role in the procurement process conducted by the Presidential Initiative.

Recall that Babachir Lawal is standing trial alongside six others in an alleged N544.1M contract fraud. that Babachir Lawal is standing trial alongside six others in an alleged N544.1M contract fraud.





The former SGF, his brother, Hamidu Lawal, who is a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar and the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John Monday, are being prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice Jude Okeke, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.





They are facing a10-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.





All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them





The EFCC witness added that none of the seven defendants was a member of any PINE committees or Ministerial Tenders Board (MTB) and did not play any role whatsoever in the award of contracts to both Josmon and Rholavision.





The witness told the court that the letters of award of contracts were signed after the tenders board had given approval for the award of the contracts to both Josmon and Rholavision.





He added that PINE did nothing wrong in awarding contracts to both Josmon and Rholavision.





Testifying further, the witness told Justice Jude Okeke that he was a member of the evaluation committee of the Presidential Initiative on North-East (PINE).





According to him, after evaluating the bids submitted by companies bidding for projects by PINE, including Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited, his committee sent reports to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Ministerial Tenders Board in the OSGF.





He stated that the technical reports sent by his committee was for approval by the MTB, adding that where any irregularities occurred, the reports would be sent back to PINE for correction.





They are to check the report and approve or send it back to PINE. When the report is approved, the company gets the contracts, he stated.





The contracts, the witness said, were awarded by PINE.





Members of the MTB, according to the witness, were Permanent Secretaries or their representatives, Directors of Legal, Finance, Procurement, Internal Audit and Press in the OSGF.





Muhammed stated that he was the person who signed the letters of award of contracts to both Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.





He added that it was not the MTB in the OSGF that allowed him or the PINE secretary to issue letters of award of contract.





Muhammed who is the prosecution witness number four (PW4) further stated that about 108 companies including the fifth and sixth defendants, bidded for different projects from PINE.





However, in a drama that followed, counsel representing EFCC in the trial Mr Ofem Uket expressed frustration by witnesses coming to testify from the office of the SGF.





He opened up on his alleged frustration after leading Aminu Muhammed who testified as the fourth prosecution witness (PW4) in the case.





According to him, 80 per cent of the witnesses called by the anti-corruption commission so far were from the OSGF, adding that he knew what he was facing from them.





The witnesses I bring to court, about 80 per cent of them are all coming from OSGF, Uket stated.





He told the court that the case was adjourned at the last sitting in January but had to be rescheduled at the instance of the fourth witness.





I called him last week, he said he was in his village. I called him in the presence of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) and he said he was in Bauchi.





The IPO told him that he (IPO) had a tracker which showed that he (witness) was in Abuja. It was then he admitted that he was in Abuja. I only saw him today, Ufem told the court.





Justice Okeke however, said that the court had nothing to say to the complaints raised by the prosecutor against his own witnesses





Meanwhile, Justice Okeke has adjourned the case till April 8, for continuation of trial.




A ten-bed isolation ward has been set up at the district hospital here in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Monday. The Union Home Ministry had on Sunday announced that all types of passenger movement would be suspended from March 15 midnight through the Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders, barring a few specified border checkposts.

Uttar Pradesh shares a 599.3 km long open border with Nepal touching seven districts - Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Sravasti, Balrampur, Sidhharthnagar and Maharajganj.

"An isolation ward containing ten beds has been set up in the district hospital in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Efforts are also on to sensitise the locals about the disease," Bahraich District Magistrate Shambhu Kumar said. "The entry of nationals of other countries including Nepal into the district will be allowed only after proper screening,"

Foreign tourists will be allowed entry through the Rupiadeeh check post," he said. The entry of those showing symptoms similar to coronavirus will be allowed after proper medical examination, the official said. Kumar added no COVID-19 case has been reported in this district of Uttar Pradesh so far.
The leading business group has downgraded its UK GDP growth expectations for 2020 to 0.8%, from its previous forecast of 1% (stock photo)

UK economic growth is expected to slow sharply in 2020 amid disruption caused by the impact of coronavirus, according to the latest economic forecast by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The leading business group has downgraded its UK GDP growth expectations for 2020 to 0.8%, from its previous forecast of 1%.

Outside of the 2008/09 financial crisis, this would be the weakest full-year growth out-turn since 1992 and down sharply from UK GDP growth of 1.4% in 2019.

A lack of clarity on the UK's future trading relationship with the EU and other partners around the world and a struggling global economy is also predicted to limit UK's near-term growth prospects, BCC has also warned.

Suren Thiru, head of economics at the BCC, said: "Our latest forecast indicates that the UK economy faces a challenging short-term outlook.

"It is increasingly likely that the boost from higher government spending and more political certainty, will be surpassed over the near-term by the negative impact of coronavirus on the UK economy."

Meanwhile, Adam Marshall from the BCC said the Chancellor and Bank of England must act quickly to support businesses.
One of the final contestants to go through to Hollywood on Sunday night's American Idol was 23-year-old Amber Fiedler, who performed while she was 38 weeks pregnant.

She revealed during her audition that she was placing her baby in an open adoption, which stunned Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.

Fiedler, a server from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, opened up about why she's giving up her baby in a video package about her life.

Impressive Amber: American Idol contestant Amber Fiedler wowed the judges on Sunday's final auditions show, to which she arrived 38 weeks pregnant

Katy: 'Do you have a name picked out?' judge Katy Perry, 35, had asked Amber, a server from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, when she entered the room

Fiedler explained that her mother was, 'a user most of my life,' adding that her grandma raised her.

'The last few years I was going out and drinking a bunch. I was getting caught up in life. With this pregnancy, I've learned who I was as a person,' Fiedler added.

'I've had time to sit and think, and looking at the big picture of life, there's days where I don't even have $20 in my pocket. If I'm not ready to be a mom, why would I put her through that, you know?' she added.

Hard time: In a video package, Amber explained that she'd had a hard time growing up, as her mother had been a substance abuser most of her life, and her grandmother raised her

She added that she has chosen a family for her baby, who will have the ability to, 'give her everything she wants,' because she knew she wouldn't be able to, which lead to her getting choked up a bit.

Fiedler added that she hopes her daughter will eventually: 'understand I am trying to choose the best for her.'

The video package included shots of Fiedler with her mother, Shamara, who has been clean for four years.

Choked up: She added that she has chosen a family for her baby, who will have the ability to, 'give her everything she wants,' because she knew she wouldn't be able to, which lead to her getting choked up a bit

Understand: Fiedler added that she hopes her daughter will eventually, 'understand I am trying to choose the best for her'

Mother and daughter: The video package included shots of Fiedler with her mother, Shamara, who has been, 'clean for four years'

She added that having the baby gave her: 'time to think and reflect on my life,' adding that, 'the baby, she saved me. She really did.'

Fiedler told the judges that it was going to be an open adoption, meaning that the child will 'know' her while she's growing up.

She went on to sing Etta James' Trust in Me, which impressed all three judges thoroughly.

Saved: She added that having the baby gave her, 'time to think and reflect on my life,' adding that, 'the baby, she saved me. She really did'

Impressed: She went on to sing Etta James' Trust in Me, which impressed all three judges thoroughly

After Amber finished singing, the judges applauded, with Luke Bryan, 43, pointing out that she'd performed flawlessly even 'with a foot in her ribs.'

'You definitely have a very big shot of going very far if you want to,' Katy said, worried that Hollywood Week started a week after Amber's due date. 'You may be late, you may be early.'

'Yeah, I'm just like, 'If it's meant to be, it's all just gonna work out,' Amber replied.

Her shot: 'You definitely have a very big shot of going very far if you want to,' Katy said, worried that Hollywood Week started a week after Amber's due date. 'You may be late, you may be early.'

Luke joked that his fellow judge Lionel Richie, 70, 'would like to put his name in the hat for godfather.'

All three judges voted to send Amber through, leading Katy to crow, 'You're going to Hollywood!' before adding, 'Don't run too fast!' as Amber raced to grab her ticket.

'Slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, mom,' Lionel warned.

Godfather: Luke joked that his fellow judge Lionel Richie, 70, 'would like to put his name in the hat for godfather'

Slow: 'Slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, mom,' Lionel warned

'Maybe you're not ready to be a mom, but you are ready to be an American Idol,' Katy cracked.

'Do you hear that, baby?' Amber said to her baby, before running off the set, as Luke yelled, 'Quit running!'

American Idol's Hollywood Week kicks off Monday March 16 on ABC.

Ready: 'Maybe you're not ready to be a mom, but you are ready to be an American Idol,' Katy cracked
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will cover the cost of telehealth services to members with existing telehealth benefits through April 30 to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by in-patient visits during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

President and CEO Daniel Loepp said the move should help health care workers on the front lines address the most serious cases of coronavirus coming to hospitals and physician offices. Blue Cross hopes waiving copays for the virtual services will encourage members with manageable flu-like symptoms to have their initial consultations with doctors from home.

We dont want the co-pay to get in the way of our members being able to consult with doctors from their homes, Loepp said in a statement. No-cost use of telehealth by our eligible members will help get their questions answered."

READ MORE: Dont try to get tested for coronavirus without calling ahead, and more tips from Michigan doctors

Blue Cross had previously waived co-pays and deductibles for members who require a coronavirus test.

Health officials have advised Michigan residents not to visit their doctor or another health care provider seeking a COVID-19 test without prior screening. Testing is most important for patients admitted to the hospital and require critical care.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read MLives complete coverage 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:

 Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

 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.

Read more on MLive:

Michigan doctors offer their best tips for preventing coronavirus

Michigan coronavirus case count up to 53, including 1 child

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to order bars, restaurants to close dine-in services over coronavirus concerns

Coronavirus has Michigan pursuing temporary closure of casinos, governor says

Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home




South Korea has sent 51,000 coronavirus test kits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in "emergency exports," Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.







So far, 17 countries have formally requested the items from South Korea, it added, amid the global attention being paid to the country's rapid testing regime that is apparently behind a lower-than-average mortality rate.







The UAE is the country South Korea can ship the kits to the fastest, according to a Cheong Wa Dae official, who added that the move is part of "important international cooperation" on the pandemic.







The kits arrived in the UAE earlier this week, the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. (Yonhap)


Happy St. Patricks Day!

Also, a reader note: As you may have noticed, our comments levels are very high these days, and we are gratified that so many of you are coming here to share your views and information.

However, what you may not have noticed is the fractiousness has also risen. In some cases, newbie readers (and even a few established readers) have taken overmuch to Making Shit Up. Its one thing to speculate or offer something on memory and label it as such, and another to offer information confidently as fact when its not true, or inaccurate enough to be misleading.

As a result, our main comments DJ, Jules, who pitches in 7 days a week, is overstressed. Please be considerate to reduce the load. The toxicity is vastly more wearing than the volume.

And I am sorry for the lack of original posts. I need to make sure I get enough sleep.

Penguins FREE at CHICAGO AQUARIUM  LOCKDOWN MEME YouTube (Kevin W)

The WHO has changed its position on coronavirus and pets Quartz. Olivier L: Have you ever seen a more regal cat?

North America Has Lost More Than 1 in 4 Birds in Last 50 Years, New Study Says Audobon (Dan K)

Scientists Discover Ice Age Structure Made From Bones Of 60 Mammoths Gizmodo (Kevin W)

Restore soil to absorb billions of tonnes of carbon: study PhysOrg (David L)

4 Reasons Why Airplanes Dont Fly Over Tibet Interesting Engineering (Chuck L)

Lego bricks in the ocean could take 1,300 years to degrade Independent (Kevin W)

The UK is scrambling to correct its coronavirus strategy MIT Technology

#COVID-19

Coronavirus: Trump says coronavirus crisis may last all summer BBC (J-LS)

U.S., World Leaders Step Up Efforts to Slow Spread of Coronavirus Wall Street Journal

15) BOTTOMLINE: To survive the #COVID19 epidemic, to wait until vaccine in 12-18 mo extreme sacrifices in personal freedoms will have to be made. Report author Prof Ferguson warns: We might be living in a very different world for a year or more  wont be the same again.  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) March 17, 2020

Dont stop: When Carnegie Hall canceled, show went on Associated Press (David L)

12 things to know today about coronavirus The Hill

Nine Thoughts On COVID-19 And Whats Coming Caitlin Johnstone (J-LS). Note the bit about increased censorship of YouTube

Divorce cases spike in China after couples spend too much time during coronavirus quarantine Daily Mail

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The designers of Performance Practice (Dance), a Master's programme at the Ambedkar University, Delhi, have decided that it must neither be heavy on text or theory, nor should it focus on one specific form. It also encourages students to become the agents of their own learning, unlike more traditional one-on-one relationships with teachers, which tend to seep into the students' personal lives

With an interest in generating accessible writings that makes the connection between the larger social and political landscape of the country and its performing arts more evident, this monthly column is an attempt to un-bracket the dance discourse from its contained category of Arts for Art's sake. Read more from the series here.

***

This interview is a follow-up to the author's previous essay on dance pedagogy.

Keeping the practitioner at the heart of it, the MA Performance Practice (Dance) programme based out of the Ambedkar University, Delhi (AUD) is a much-needed critical intervention in the field of dance. What follows is a conversation with Ranjana Dave, Mandeep Raikhy and Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy  all three of whom have been involved in running the programme at various stages.

Mandeep Raikhy led the curriculum design since its inception and is now an assistant professor at AUD. Ranjana Dave, also an assistant professor at the university, joined the process in 2016 and has participated in the development and the implementation of the programme. Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy has participated in the curriculum design and was a guest teacher in the first year of the programme.

What were the initial triggers that led to the coming together of this course? What did the early conversations look like?

Mandeep Raikhy: The first conversations on starting a structured programme began in 2012 after finishing a dance residency that we used to conduct every year since 2009. Anusha Lall, the founder of Gati, Abantee Dutta who was also at Gati back then, and I had a conversation about how a residency is a fantastic space for slightly experienced artists, but Indian dance was increasingly starting to look young. It looked like the needs of younger artists were very different, and the model of the residency would not be sufficient in helping address these needs. The younger artists seemed to be in search of a lot of inputs and so we began to feel that we should probably think of putting a course together.

A lot of the projects that we were doing already cut across creation, pedagogy, performance and research. They were, however, independent of each other. Different artists were involved in these projects independently. No artist was diving into all of this together. So we were beginning to feel that a course  a year long diploma probably  could be useful to bring all these strands of learning together. We put together our first proposal towards a structured programme for a Delhi-based think-tank called Art Think South Asia (ATSA) in 2013.

From the first residency that we conducted in 2009, it has taken us about 10 years to actually arrive at the Master's programme. The labour that went into putting together the residency and running it year after year was primarily focussed on building a pool of mentors. Over the years, we collectively began to think critically about questions such as  What does it mean to mentor? What does it mean to open up information that could be useful for others? What does it mean to skin down our own practice and make it available to other people as a kind of resource pool of ideas? So, in the initial years, we spent a lot of time with mentors thinking about what practices of research could really look like in dance.

What are the gaps in the existing practice of dance pedagogy that this course hopes to bridge?

Ranjana Dave: India has had a long history of dance training. Within institutions, the existing dance degree courses that we have are all based around certain forms, like a Master's in Odissi or Bharatanatyam. A university in Orissa is coming up with a Performing Arts degree, but even that is centred around Odissi. Another widely popular kind of training (especially in classical dance) happens in informal dance class spaces  you may give one of the exams, but your learning is usually with a single teacher and is often structured based on your relationship with the teacher. The third kind are the performance studies programmes which are available in a few universities, particularly JNU and even Ambedkar University, Delhi. Because of the design of these programmes, they tend to not have room for students who particularly have an interest in practice. Increasingly, these programmes are becoming flexible, but often they require outcomes to be in writing. For these reasons it is very hard for practitioners to partake in such programmes. The MA that we run positions itself somewhere in the middle, where we have have made a choice:

a) To not focus around a specific form. The diversity among the students that it has drawn has made us feel like this was the right decision to take

b) To not make it text- or theory-heavy

The course focusses on giving students tools which can help them work with their prior training, without necessarily trying to force their bodies into a form which doesnt interest them. Parallelly, theyre also exposed to culture studies and performance studies where they become familiar with theory. Initially, there was a reluctance to engage with text which has happily changed in these past two years. Because as a dancer, you don't have a first-hand relationship with text; you begin to fear it when you encounter it in this quantity and in academic language. Over the last two years, not only have they become comfortable reading, they are also able to bring these readings into their own work. Many have found their practice somewhere in between text and body, bringing both of these together as research.

Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy: This course stands apart from most other courses because it gives students the time and space of two years to think like not just a dancer, but also a choreographer. Two years of looking at every aspect of art making from the perspective of a creator is something this course was developing towards when I was engaged in the process of designing it. Often, you get trained as a dancer, and many dance companies that offer courses also just focus on producing a dancer. Once a student is out, she is expected to begin creating immediately. Only later does one realise that creating is a different ball game.

How do you think taking dance education into an institutional space influences the equation between the teacher and the student? The programme description on the website mentions that students are encouraged to become agents of their own learning". Can you also comment a little on this?

Ranjana Dave: Outside of institutional spaces, in a one-on-one relationship between a teacher and a student, when things get complicated, they get very complicated. I feel like institutionalising it in this way gives it a distance it needs. It doesnt mean you don't care any more; you are still invested, but the training leaves the personal space. It protects the relationship from becoming a space of inter-personal conflict.

Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy: Before starting the course, we did a laboratory series where we tried out some course structures we had planned for the MA. Soon I realised that classes which involved creating and critical thinking would just not work if the relationship between the facilitator and the student was a hierarchical one. Especially because we are so invested in holding a space where students can start creating rather than being taught how to create, equal give and take became indispensable. So these laboratories helped us approximate at the relationship that were trying to achieve: what is the right time for us to step into their work, at what time should we step out, when is our intervention too much? To look at a student as an agent was not a decision that was made, it was arrived at after a process of conscious experimentation.

You are all dancers who engage with the body, both physically and intellectually. How differently does this course look at the dancing body?

Ranjana Dave: Just as we look at the student as an agent, the idea of the body as an agent is central to the programme. Because in my training I know that the body has constantly been something to discipline, something that is subject to a series of constraints. This gets us used to thinking about what we can do with the body in a limited way, and consequently, you actually find it difficult to work without those constraints. During the course of the programme the students have got used to working with their bodies in a way that allows them to imagine their bodies in a range of contexts and do different things with them, which is something that form-based learning as I have known it has taken away from the body.

Mandeep Raikhy: One primary objective of this course is to enable a process of thinking through the body. It looks at how cultural studies, dance history, dance theory can all come together and become a mode of critical engagement with the body at the heart of it. What this opens up is also the idea that the body is not only informed and shaped by the socio-political contexts that it inhabits, but also that it can participate in shaping this very landscape.

Students are beginning to formulate their research questions by drawing from their own bodily experiences with regard to the various identities that they embody and assert in the political space. For example, one student is looking at care and support as resistance, where she explores dance as a system of care for the body. Another student is doing a dissertation on studying the pelvis as a site of performance by exploring the history of the pelvis in Indian performance traditions and sculpture. This is an exciting moment and I am waiting to see what can happen with this line of inquiry of thinking through the body. What could happen to dance in the future, if we continue to think of the body as a political entity?

Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy: Before we even look at the body in larger political contexts with various identities layered on it, what this course does is to look at the body as an intelligent being. The act of looking at the body as intelligent is itself political.

Your course has fee waivers and reservation for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Given that it is a course on dance, have you considered engaging with marginalised communities of hereditary dancers? Do you feel young practitioners from these communities could benefit from such a course in any way?

Ranjana Dave: I do feel like the university space is far more willing to acknowledge hereditary histories than the arts itself  the classical dance space. Ive seen that even my access to information on how forms like Bharatanatyam were appropriated have come from university spaces, because in classical dance spaces, people dont talk about it. At least not enough. To really further that not-appropriating, it would be useful for people from hereditary communities to join this conversation, because, right now, even if the university space is sensitive to this information, it is still discussed and spoken about by people outside of these communities.

Mandeep Raikhy: From the very beginning, one of the things that attracted us to AUD was the fact that it was a university that would make the course accessible to a wide range of students. Many students who cannot afford it can access the course at a fully subsidised fee. This ensures that entry is not limited to students who can afford it.

However, we did have to deal with the fact that it was a Delhi-based university. It has a mandate to support students from the region of Delhi (Gurgaon excluded). There is an 85 percent Delhi quota. We look at this both as a limitation and an advantage. But what was key for us is that we bring in people from various kinds of training backgrounds, and thats when the learning becomes more interesting.

I think in future runs, we would like to get students from more diverse backgrounds into the course. In a way, the course was meant to help students re-evaluate given histories and to rethink how these forms have become what they have, and under what political conditions. We need to begin re-assessing these moments in history not so much with an intention to challenge these forms, but to explore the possibility of extending these forms, to loosen their nuts and bolts, to begin to infuse new energies, questions that are relevant, that stem from today's context.

In what capacity do you as teachers expect students to integrate into society after they finish their course? That is, at the end of this course, what kind of work could be expected out of a student from here?

Ranjana Dave: The first batch of students are currently in their last semester, and in the course of two years, their options with respect to what they can do after they leave the programme have radically expanded because of the wide range of things we do.

Based on their interests, they have the option of performing, researching and writing, making performances, teaching (this is also something they are trained to do). During the programme they have constantly been in interaction with various people in the arts community. They even performed last weekend with Black Box Okhla. The people who they have interacted with are familiar with their work, as well as with how they are growing from month to month in some cases. Apart from this, they also take up internships at the end of the programme for six weeks, for which they are given financial support. So when they leave, they have some interface with the arts community already.

They also understand that their work needs to be recognised and compensated. In the arts in general, and dance in particular, the question of not being paid for your work is a big one. They understand that they have invested a considerable amount of time training and they should expect to be compensated for it.
3 1 of 3 Saratoga County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





BALLSTON SPA - A parolee who was responsible for a string of Clifton Park home and car burglaries pleaded on Monday to two counts of felony burglary in Saratoga County Court.

Tyler E. Lester, 26, of Foxwood Drive in Clfiton Park, was arrested in October for a spree of burglaries of homes and cars on Crescent, Grooms, Lapp and Moe roads. At the time of his arrest, Sheriff Michael Zurlo said that Lester committed the crimes while residents were asleep. Lester, who lived nearby, would slip in through opened garage doors or cut open screens to enter homes to steal cash from wallets and purses.
DGAP-Ad-hoc: Airbus SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

Airbus SE: Airbus provides update on COVID-19 related measures



17-March-2020 / 07:52 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Ad-hoc release, 17 March 2020

Airbus provides update on COVID-19 related measures



Amsterdam, 17 March 2020 - Airbus SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) continues to closely monitor the evolution of the COVID-19 virus across the globe and is constantly assessing the situation, the impact on employees, customers, suppliers and the business.

Following the implementation of new measures in France and Spain to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbus has decided to temporarily pause production and assembly activities at its French and Spanish sites across the Company for the next four days. This will allow sufficient time to implement stringent health and safety conditions in terms of hygiene, cleaning and self-distancing, while improving the efficiency of operations under the new working conditions. In those countries, the Company will also continue to maximise homeworking wherever possible.

These measures will be implemented locally in coordination with the social partners. Airbus is also working together with its customers and suppliers to minimise the impact of this decision on their operations.



Airbus continuously updates its workplace safety and travel recommendations to employees, customers and visitors, according to the latest developments.

Airbus is following the guidance from the World Health Organisation and national health authorities.

* * *

About Airbus

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2019, it generated revenues of  70 billion and employed a workforce of around 135,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Contacts for the media

Guillaume Steuer guillaume.steuer@airbus.com +33 6 73 82 11 68

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Justin Dubon justin.dubon@airbus.com +33 6 74 97 49 51
BEAUMONT  Expanded testing almost certainly will show there are Southeast Texans already infected with the coronavirus, two health officials told Jefferson County Commissioners Court on Tuesday.

Despite a lack of confirmed positive tests in the greater Beaumont area thus far, a growing number of local jurisdictions have put in place emergency orders canceling events, encouraging the limitation of crowd sizes, instituting a 24-curfew for children and establishing penalties for price gouging. On Tuesday, the commissioners and other Jefferson County leaders met to discuss additional precautions that could be taken.

Jasper, Orange and Newton counties also passed disaster declarations and emergency orders that are largely identical to those passed Monday by Jefferson and Hardin counties, although Jasper County will only enforce a 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. curfew.

Among the topics for discussion were the number of potential cases of COVID-19 that have been tested, the potential for shutting down dine-in options at local bars and restaurants and precautions to be taken by the county itself to protect staff members.

Related: Coronavirus test kits headed to Jefferson County

At least three cases have been tested in Jefferson County, all out of Beaumont, although Commissioner Michael Shane Sinegal said the effort did not seem coordinated.

After the meeting, Port Arthur Public Health Director Judith Smith expanded on those challenges, noting that since hospitals have started sending out tests, its harder for health departments to keep track of when the process is started. The health departments are, however, expected to be alerted to and receive copies all positive and negative test results.

Sinegal called for more clarity in what to tell people who show symptoms.

Theres no definite direction that we tell people  do this, stay home until we send someone to you, he said.

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said he and other local leaders and health representatives are working together to establish a call center for anyone in the county who is concerned they may have coronavirus, whether they live in an incorporated area or not. The center would be staffed by nursing students with instructions on how to log symptoms and what to do if someone calls in and needs to be tested.

Related: Matagorda County reports first coronavirus-related death in Texas

The Jefferson County Mobile Medical Clinic would then be sent to that person to do the testing and send the test kit to a lab.

Branick didnt have a timeline on when that process would be implemented, but Sinegal said it needs to be expedited.

Despite the lack of confirmed cases, Jefferson County was heeding warnings to limit the size of public gatherings, with a sheriffs deputy posted at the door to the meeting counting the number of people going in. Once the crowd reached 50, he and Branick urged people to have a single representative from each agency attend the meeting, although many more people were gathered in the lobby just outside the meeting room.

The Beaumont City Council took similar precautions at its regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting, which included an informational report about the virus and response.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Only 50 people were to be allowed into the council chambers. Everyone else was encouraged to watch the meeting online or sit in an overflow room the city designated.

After a recap of the virus, how it spreads and other related information, the commissioners discussed the future, which looks like it will get worse before things get better.

Branick and commissioners Sinegal and Everette Bo Alfred pressed Dr. Ray Callas of Beaumont, who is a member of a number of state and national medical organizations in addition to serving on the states Commission of Licensing and Regulation, and Dr. Cecil Walkes of the Jefferson County Health Department about decisions made by other cities to shut down dine-in options at local bars and restaurants.

The only way we can stop this for sure is to isolate this and let the virus die down, Callas said after acknowledging that such measures will hurt the country economically.

Related: Daily disruptions: Closings, cancellations and changes

He also promised that increased testing in Jefferson, Hardin and Orange counties soon will reveal positive cases and its 100% likely that young people already are walking around with mild or no symptoms and spreading the virus.

Walkes said the only way to beat the virus is to keep people separate and practice good hygiene. But he said he thinks it would be premature to close bars and restaurants before the county has at least one and maybe three cases.

Branick said he expects a decision on that issue next week, as long as the county doesnt see a spike in cases within the next 36 hours.

However, whos being tested still is a concern.

Kenneth Coleman of Beaumont Public Health said everyone in Jefferson County who qualifies for testing has been.

Related: Nearly all SETX schools close in response to coronavirus

Public Health Director Sherry Ulmer echoed a similar message at the Beaumont City Council meeting.

However, Branick said he got a call during the meeting from a nurse practitioner, who was treating a soldier stationed in the area for a year with all the symptoms and was told by Beaumont Public Health that the department was not testing.

Test kits are available in Beaumont if you meet the criteria of a fever, cough and shortness of breath, she said. That is done through a hospital or health-care provider, not through the health department.

Ulmer said most providers are testing patients for flu and strep before ordering a coronavirus test, and most of the local tests have come back positive for some type of flu.

Related: BISD board to vote on employee payments during pandemic

Walkes said Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas has 200 test kits and is expected to get 400 more soon. Other local hospitals and private labs are expected to see more tests in the coming days.

As it stands, only about 25 Houston-area kits can be tested per day, as only one Houston lab has been doing the testing. That number is expected to increase exponentially this week and next as more labs come online.

Coleman cautioned that there likely still will be lag time as the providers usually have to send the collected specimens to another part of the business that actually runs the testing.

Callas said one of his biggest concerns at this time is having enough ventilators for severe cases of the virus and masks and other supplies for medical professionals who have to treat the cases.

Related: Coronavirus challenges those who work with homeless

When asked if he had heard of any conversations about potentially using any of Southeast Texas closed hospital facilities to hold infected people should the need arise, he said infected people can be put in a regular room if necessary. Its the ventilators that do much of the work to actually keep these people alive that medical providers may not have enough of.

He couldnt say specifically how many cases would strain the medical system in Southeast Texas, but addressing a hypothetical situation posed by Alfred where 55 people were infected, Callas said if all of these are severe cases, there could be a problem.

The commissioners also took time during the workshop to hear county elected officials about precautions being taken to protect staff members.

Sheriff Zena Stephens stressed that the jail is not being emptied of violent offenders but asked that municipal police departments refrain from arresting people for Class C misdemeanors and bringing them to the county jail.

Were trying to keep people out of the courthouse, keep it sterile, keep the jail sterile, she said.

Related: SETX counties impose curfew, price controls

Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Allison Getz said she wants people to know that Gov. Greg Abbott waived certain rules about vehicle registration, parking placards for people with disabilities and titling.

She said the temporary reprieve will help keep safe her employees as well as people who typically would come to the courthouse to carry out those tasks.

The commissioners are expected to meet again on Monday, this time in a closed session with their attorney and a representative from the Human Resources Department, to discuss the potential creation of a policy regarding how to pay employees should they need to be sent home for an extended period of time.

Jacob Dick contributed to this story.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

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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.
Guwahati/Agartala, March 17 : Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was on Monday nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind, said on Tuesday that "his presence in the Parliament would be an opportunity to underscore the viewpoint of the judiciary before the legislature and vice-versa".

Gogoi, who retired in November last year after presiding over the Supreme Court for around 13 months, told the media in Guwahati: "Probably I would go to Delhi tomorrow (Wednesday). Let me first take oath (in the Rajya Sabha), after that I would speak in detail why I accepted this offer." A resident of Guwahati's Zoo Narengi Road, Gogoi said during his brief interaction with the media at his residence: "I (have) accepted it (the offer to be a member of the Upper House) since I am confident that the legislature and the judiciary must at some point of time work together for nation-building. My presence in the Parliament would be an opportunity to underline the views of the judiciary before the lawmakers and vice- versa." Gogoi, who headed the five-judge bench which delivered a landmark judgement in the 70-year-old Ayodhya title dispute case before he retired from the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), was among the four sitting top court judges who had held a first-of-its-kind press conference in January 2018 when Dipak Misra was the CJI.

These judges, then in office, had alleged "selective assignment of cases to preferred judges" and "sensitive cases were being allotted to junior judges" by Justice Dipak Misra.

Leaders of the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) separately reacted to the nomination of Gogoi as a Rajya Sabha member. Citing news reports, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the government's move, saying, "Justice Lokur rightly summarises it... 'Has the last bastion fallen'?" "Did Prime Minister Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and ex-Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabham," Surjewala tweeted.

"The recent development taking place involving the highest judiciary and the senior judicial officials is very unfortunate. We have to wait for a certain period of time to see when he (Gogoi) becomes a (Central) minister. The people of India are now expressing their doubts over the judgements passed by the courts. His ((Gogoi's) acts were condemned across the nation," CPI-M politburo member and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik sarkar said in Agartala on Tuesday.

Gogoi became a judge in the Gauhati High Court in 2001 before being transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010. He was appointed Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2011 before being elevated to the Supreme Court on April 23, 2012. He was appointed the 46th Chief Justice of India on October 3, 2018.

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New Delhi, March 17 : The Centre in a preliminary affidavit point-by-point responded to the criticism against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said India is constitutionally secular, and also told the Supreme Court that the CAA does not violate any fundamental right provisions of the constitution and therefore, the question of violation of constitutional morality does not arise.

The amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.

The Centre insisted unlike the particular neighbouring countries, "India is a constitutionally secular country and further has a large population of persons belonging to the classified communities already residing as Indian citizens".

The Centre said after considering the totality of factors, including factors of international geopolitics, the demographic profile of nations surrounding the particular neighbouring countries, the situation of or the presence of other persons of classified communities in other nations surrounding the neighbouring classified countries and the presence of state religions/theocratic regimes in other countries surrounding the neighbouring classified countries, "makes it amply clear that India represents the sole rational and logically feasible place to seek shelter for the said communities." The Centre in the affidavit said, "It is submitted that constitutional morality is not an unruly horse and cannot become an independent basis for challenging the constitutionality of validly enacted legislations." The Centre in the affidavit said that the CAA, 2019 does not confer any arbitrary or unguided powers upon the executive. "Under Section 6B(1) the Central Government or a specified authority would grant citizenship only in a manner where certain conditions & restrictions would be satisfied by the applicant. Appropriate rules under Section 6B are being framed to clearly lay down these conditions, restrictions and manner of grant of citizenship", said the affidavit.

Addressing the issue of citizenship for Rohingyas, the Centre said that thousands of Rohingyas have come into India mainly through Bangladesh in search of better economic opportunities. "It is submitted that the Rohingyas are not on the same footing as the religiously persecuted minorities who have fled into India from the particular neighbouring countries", said the Centre.
As thousands of Australians increasingly work from home, self-isolate or in quarantine in a bid to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus, one parent has made the decision to keep her kids at home.

Melbourne mother Annie Nolan, 30, started home schooling her three kids - eight-year-old son Malachy and twin daughters Cheska and Delphi, aged six - on Monday.

Besides setting her own activities she prepares for her kids every day, the family are also following a 'COVID-19 daily schedule' which she found on social media.

Starting their day at 9am, the timetable includes a morning walk, academic learning with and without electronics, arts and crafts, 30 minutes of chores, reading time and outdoor bike riding.

'It was an easy decision for us to stay home as our twins were diagnosed with premature lung disease, placing them at higher risk,' Ms Nolan told Daily Mail Australia.

Annie Nolan, 30, (pictured) started homeschooling her children this week (pictured with her twin daughters Cheska and Delphi, aged six)

On Tuesday, her eight-year-old son Malachy (pictured) made 'pancakes' as his craft and created a poster on the physical and chemical changes the ingredients had when put together

Besides setting her own activities she'd prepared for her kids, the family are also following a 'COVID-19 daily schedule'

Ms Nolan was just 27 weeks pregnant when Delphi was born first weighing 900 grams, followed by her sister Cheska who was delivered via an emergency caesarean weighing just 700 grams on March 23, 2013.

And in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the wife of AFL star Liam Picken has taken her kids out of school temporarily after her stand-up comedy shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival were cancelled.

While the Australian government has not ordered for schools to be closed, many parents are choosing not to send their children to educational facilities.

'At the moment they are doing learning programs via the internet, and they do an hour of creative time,' Ms Nolan, who's known on social media as Uncanny Annie, said.

'But we are also taking the opportunity to do some self guided learning, learning about things they want to know about.

'This afternoon we are going to do an activity on different categories of animals such as invertebrates, mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish etc. We are also in contact with their teachers but at the moment we are improvising.'

The young mother said she decided to home school her daughters after they were diagnosed with premature lung disease, placing them at higher risk of coronavirus

Delphi (left at two weeks old) was born first weighing 900 grams, followed by her sister Cheska (right) who was so tiny, her mother's engagement ring fit over her entire arm after she was delivered via an emergency caesarean weighing just 700 grams

She said her children are aware of the coronavirus outbreak after they were taught about it in school last week.

'They know it's contagious, it's internationally spreading, that it's in Australia. They know to avoid getting it we have to practice good hygiene, and that some people can get very sick if they get it. All those factors were taught at school,' she said.

'We are doing what we can though so we are trying not to discuss it in too much length as I know they'll just get worried and there is nothing more scary to kids than feeling like the adults are scared or that things are out of your control.'

And while she knows her children are learning in a safe environment, Ms Nolan admitted there's been 'lots of distractions at home'.

'They'll start doing something and then they want to play with the dog 10 minutes later,' she said.

She said her children are aware of the serious side effects of the infection after they were taught about it in school last week

Ms Nolan and her AFL husband Liam Picken visiting their twin daughters after they were born 13 weeks early in March 2013

'I think routine is essential to getting through the boredom and being productive in isolation so we are gently encouraging structure. So far they like it because if they follow the routine, we've agreed they get to stay up an hour past their bedtime.

'And it's not as dry as it all sounds - our daughter Cheska also loves the role play of her parents being teachers now and found a wad of stickers of which she gave to us and said "you put these on our chest when we are being good".'

Besides school work, she also gets her children involved with household chores in between learning.

'I'm trying to get them involved. Yesterday I gave them all buckets and they washed the windows. I think if the balance is right between learning, helping, playing and resting, then they are fine to do their bit,' she said.

On Tuesday morning, twin sisters Cheska and Delphi learnt about the different types of plants and pressed flowers onto paper during craft time

She said her children are aware of the virus after they were taught about it in school last week

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the wife of AFL star Liam Picken said she had the option to take her kids out of school temporarily

Ms Nolan said she hasn't decided on when she will send her children back to school.

'I have no idea to be honest. I think we'll all know what the trajectory of the situation is over the coming weeks and we'll decide from there,' she said.

'The twins birthday is next Monday and our son's is the Monday after that. I think all three might have lock-in birthdays. Lucky for them, they had their parties a month ago because we wanted the warmer weather to swim.'

As panic-buyers race to the supermarket to stockpile on essential items, Ms Nolan said they have been 'affected with groceries, just like everyone has'.

'With the kids, we are trying to keep things as normal as possible so scheduling in snack and lunch like school does, otherwise they would be sitting in the pantry all day eating,' she said.

'We've managed to buy what we need to get by though, so we are doing fine.'

For any parent who's torn between sending their kids to school or keeping them at home, Ms Nolan said: 'Listen to your doctor, listen to the experts and listen to your gut feeling.

'And if you do decide to stay home, text other parent friends who are going bananas having kids home and schedule in a virtual Skype or FaceTime coffee date.'
The Stanford Clinical Virology Laboratory now tests hundreds of patient samples each day from around the Bay Area and beyond for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus sweeping the globe.

Within the next week, the lab hopes to be able to conduct more than 1,000 tests per day. Results are typically delivered within 36-48 hours.

We are tapping into the rich resources of Stanford University and Stanford Health Care to scale up our capacity as quickly as possible to provide the tests that clinicians need to care for their patients, said lab medical director Benjamin Pinsky, MD, PhD, associate professor of pathology and of infectious diseases at the School of Medicine.

As of March 16, there were 4,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States and more than 179,000 cases globally. More than 7,000 people worldwide have died from the disease, which causes mild to severe respiratory illness. The disease is particularly dangerous for elderly people and those with pre-existing health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

The Clinical Virology Laboratory is providing testing services not just to Stanford Health Care, but also to several hospitals in the Bay Area. A drive-through testing site also has been established at Stanford Health Cares same-day primary care clinic in Palo Alto.

More testing needed

More testing is needed to identify people infected with the coronavirus and their close contacts who may be infected but are not yet experiencing symptoms. Quarantining exposed people before they infect others is an important way to slow the spread of the disease, which is transmitted through the air via respiratory secretions when infected people cough or sneeze.

On Feb. 29, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was relaxing the restrictions on the use of diagnostic tests developed by laboratories in the United States for COVID-19. Prior to the announcement, doctors had to rely on public health laboratories or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test samples from patients  a process that could mean several days before learning the results.
Future Females mission is to support female entrepreneurs and this is now more important than ever. In the context of recent developments with COVID-19, Future Females is moving its global events online.

The goal for us through this time is consistency. We are a strong and supportive community that our members can count on, especially when uncertainty for them is high, and so rather than canceling events, we are moving them into a safe, online format. - Lauren Dallas, Co-founder Future Females

Future Females events, which are known for bringing people together, facilitating networking and featuring aspiring speakers, will be held online over the next few months during the height of the Coronavirus outbreak. This new event format will be supported by software tools like Zoom and the latest technology in order to guarantee a great user experience for all attendees.

The companys current online community counts over 30 000 members, and events are currently being hosted in over 30 cities worldwide. Future Females will continue providing value for its entrepreneurs globally by:

Hosting a free online webinar tonight on Corona-Proofing Your Business - How to Overcome Challenges & Support Customers.

The webinar will focus on: the biggest challenges and opportunities for your business during COVID-19, bringing your events, sales, and operations online - the tools and strategies, and how to support and nurture nervous customers and grow your business online.

The webinar will be hosted Monday, 16th March 2020, 7pm South Africa (GMT+2). If you are unable to attend the webinar but would like to watch at a later date, please register and a replay will be sent to anyone who wasnt able to attend.

Creating new webinars and mini courses tailored to the needs of the community and the current situation. Future Females will release more online products addressing the current and upcoming challenges that will arise over the next few weeks. The webinars and virtual mini courses will cover themes like How to Manage Your Team Remotely and How to Engage with Your Customers via Social Media.

Continuing the workshop series in partnership with UK-SA Tech-Hub by hosting the workshops virtually.

The workshop series in partnership with UK-SA Tech Hub will focus on equipping entrepreneurs with practical strategies to help them better understand their customers and reach their business goals. The workshop series is free of charge and intends to encourage the positive impact entrepreneurs can make within their communities.

By moving the upcoming workshops planned in locations like Langa and Durban online we have the opportunity to reach even more people. - Kaila McDonnell, Project manager Future Females
Dental Monitoring tele dentistry solutions allow dental professionals to connect with their patients remotely and in a HIPAA compliant manner. Our unique technology enables dentists and orthodontists to assess, monitor treatment, and communicate with their patients as much as needed, even when they are at home.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005750/en/

Photo: Dental Monitoring 2020

Given the unprecedented situation we are facing worldwide, and with patient access to practices becoming more difficult, Dental Monitorings priorities have shifted to supporting all dental professionals whoever and wherever they are, to continue the care of their patients, as well as ensuring the continuity of their practices. Our current solutions use the full extent of our AI engine, and complete onboarding for practices can often take a few weeks to integrate fully. Therefore we have decided to refocus our company priorities to launch immediately two new Light  versions of our existing solutions. These new versions will be simpler and more immediate to implement for these times - rapid on-boarding and roll-out to all patients:

Photo Monitoring Light :

Simplified at-home monitoring platform with instant two-way communication with patients.

Capturing pictures of the mouth through the DM App allowing doctors to :

Evaluate remotely their patients' current oral situation or treatment progress as if they were in the practice

Have two way communication and guidance between doctor and patient

Send annotated pictures directly via the patient App so patients can better understand their doctors guidance.



Photo Monitoring Light will also enable the clinical team to request an immediate DM scan when a patient requests immediate feedback, so that the doctor can better evaluate the patients situation and advise accordingly.

To implement Photo Monitoring Light: please visit https://dental-monitoring.com/maintain-patient-care/

SmileMate Virtual Consultation:

Remote assessment of new and existing patients.

All patient calls can be pre-qualified remotely using the SmileMate assessment tool directly through doctors practice websites.

The process is simple:

Step 1- The patient clicks on the widget on the doctors website, creates a profile and takes five intra-oral pictures on their smartphone (no need to download an app or use cheek retractors)

Step 2- A comprehensive customized report and treatment option is automatically generated by our AI engine and sent to the doctor

Step 3- Doctors qualify the patients needs on their SmileMate portal

Step 4- Doctors customize and share the report with the patient with advice or a booking link.

To implement SmileMate Virtual Consultation please visit: https://dental-monitoring.com/maintain-patient-care/

Fast-Track Accelerated On-Boarding.

Photo Monitoring Light and SmileMate Virtual Consultation are ready for use in minutes after doctors and their teams have performed our free fast-track accelerated training. Implementing fast-track onboarding into dental practices is simplified through our new streamlined process, which is done 100% remotely through webinars by our customer support team.

Call us or visit: https://dental-monitoring.com/maintain-patient-care/ to book a time slot for our next training session.

Opening up a dedicated 24/7 hotline to answer any questions or needs during the pandemic.

Our priority has always been our customers and their patients. Over the next few months, we will be solely focused on delivering solutions that can help doctors maintain the expert care they provide to their patients. To that extent, and during the pandemic, we will maximize accessibility to our solutions by reducing our price on these new solutions by 50% :

Photo Monitoring Light will be accessible for US$3 per month/patient monitored

For SmileMate Virtual Consultation will be at US$150/month for 50 unique patient scans

We have also directed our worldwide sales force to focus 100% on Customer Service - working side by side with doctors to help treat their patients remotely.

About Dental Monitoring (www.dental-monitoring.com)

Founded in 2015 by Philippe Salah, Dental Monitoring is the first AI-based company to target dental professionals needs. The DM software suite is designed to address the needs of dental professionals all along the patient journey: before treatment to increase the patients engagement, during treatment to improve the quality of care provided by the doctor, and after treatment to ensure the stability of the treatment outcome. The company currently operates in Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific. It employs a team of about 250 employees across its 5 offices located in Paris, Austin, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005750/en/
The government has denied foreign media reports that coronavirus cases in Egypt are likely higher than official figures suggest

The Ministry of Health slammed reports published by a number of British and US newspapers surrounding the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt as inaccurate and false. The reports, all published earlier this week, claimed that cases in Egypt are likely higher than official figures suggest.

On Tuesday Egypts State Information Service withdrew the accreditation of The Guardians correspondent and issued a warning to the New York Times correspondent for publishing inaccurate estimates and figures on the number of Coronavirus cases in Egypt.

In a statement on 16 March the ministry said a report published by The Guardian, estimating the number of coronovirus cases in Egypt at more than 19,000, was completely false.

Spokesperson of the Health Ministry Khaled Megahed stressed on Monday that the ministry immediately announces confirmed cases in full transparency in line with international health regulations and standards, and in coordination with the World Health Organisation [WHO].

The Guardian cited research by Canadian disease specialists claiming that there is a higher rate of coronavirus infections in Egypt than official figures suggest. Infectious disease specialists from the University of Toronto estimate an outbreak size of 19,310 cases in Egypt, The Guardian claimed.

Megahed slammed the newspapers reliance on the speculation of a Canadian research in estimating the number of infected cases in Egypt.

Official figures of the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt stand at 166, with the number of deaths rising to four.

In a TV interview with Al-Hekayas Amr Adib on Monday night, Minister of Health Hala Zayed said the research which the newspaper used to publish the 19,000 figure can never be described as scientific. It is quite difficult to hide anything in Egypt if the figures are higher than we announce, families of the victims can never hide, Zayed said, adding that WHO is closely following up the cases with the Health Ministry and that members of its team in Egypt are with local officials on the field to report all cases detected.

Zayed emphasised that the WHO monitors all preventive measures taken by the Health Ministry with those infected and their contacts.

Zayed said on the same day that foreign reports on Egypts coronavirus were published, the WHO praised Egypts efforts to curb the spread of the virus. I think this should be a good enough response to all foreign reports published about the virus in Egypt this week, Zayed said.

The cabinets media centre also denied the reports on its Facebook page on Monday. The cabinet cited a statement by WHOs representative in Egypt John Jabbour who told CNN that Egypt and Oman have one of the strongest monitoring systems in the region before praising Egypts containment of the virus infection rates.

Minister Zayed said some patients test positive after they have recovered. So the figures are rising and dropping and you cant give a specific figure on one day, Zayed said, adding that the major source of the infection comes from European tourists and Egyptians returning from Europe or who were performing umra (minor pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia. The minister said the drastic measures the cabinet recently took, including suspending air flights and closing and sterilising hotels, will stem any higher possible outbreak.

The Guardian claimed that a 60-year-old Egyptian woman was declared dead on 12 March in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura. Zayed, however, said the woman was not from Mansoura. She was living in a small village in Daqahliya governorate and the reason for her death was that her son, who had just returned from Italy, was a carrier of the coronavirus, Zayed said. Zayed ordered tighter preventive measures in Daqahliya, Damietta, and Minya governorates, where cases have been reported.

MP Ahmed Abaza, deputy chairman of the Arab Affairs Committee, said in a statement on Tuesday that the fact that the WHO praised Egypts efforts against the virus is the best response to The Guardians lies.

This is not the first time The Guardian publishes unprofessional reports about Egypt, Abaza said, adding that just like they falsely claimed that the coronavirus cases in Egypt exceeded 19,000, they falsely claimed in 2011 that the wealth of the late president Hosni Mubarak was estimated at $70 billion.

MP Hussein Gadallah told Al-Ahram Weekly that in 2014 The Guardian claimed that Egypts President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi had appointed former UK prime minister Tony Blair as his political advisor. The paper claimed the information was given by informed sources but Blair challenged the paper to reveal the name of the sources, Gadallah said.

The New York Times also caused controversy by referring to the unverified Canadian study on the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt. But unlike The Guardian, the NYT reporter, Declan Walsh, tweeted to clarify that the figure 19,000 was an overestimate and that the lower estimate of the coronavirus cases in Egypt was closer to 6,000.

Minister of Health Zayed told TV host Adib that if cases in Egypt are closer to 6,000, then this should entail that the number of deaths must be higher. So far, only four deaths related to the virus have been reported.

Egypts daily Al-Ahram cited an unnamed health official on Tuesday as saying that if Egypt has 19,000 or even 6,000 cases, then this should mean that thousands of people were taken to hospitals. But we have not seen anything like this, the official said.

A number of social media accounts showed that the unverified Canadian study which was used by the NYT and The Guardian was made by a Canadian, Issac Bogoch, who describes himself as an infectious diseases physician and scientist.

Bogoch, like the NYT correspondent, said on Monday that his studys figure claiming there are 19,310 coronavirus cases in Egypt was an overestimate and that it was perhaps closer to 6,000. Bogoch said his study was the result of collaboration with two colleagues, Ash Tuite and David Fishman. Bogoch, however, did not say anything about the contents of the study and how he reached the 19,000 or 6,000 figures.

Zayed said in order to publish a scientific report, it should be previewed by a certified and verified scientific team and published in a respected scientific journal. But to cite an unverified study by a little known researcher has nothing to do with science or facts, Zayed said.

Another report published by The Washington Post on 14 March claimed that a Nile Luxor cruiser helped speed up the coronavirus outbreak. The newspaper, which like The Guardian and The New York Times, is highly hostile to Egypt, claimed that hundreds of foreign passengers, including dozens of Americans and Egyptians were potentially exposed to the virus on a ship sailing between mid-February and early March, a dramatic illustration, the paper said, of how, from a single, overlooked infection, the novel coronavirus could swiftly multiply and be carried across the globe. The long Washington Post story suggested that American tourists on the Nile ship contracted the virus in Egypt and that the local health authorities did not take the matter seriously.

But Dina Touta, the tour manager of the American group on the quarantined boat on the Nile, denied on her Facebook account on Sunday what was cited by The Washington Post. The boat was not the source of the virus. Most infected passengers were French. Fourteen of them apparently came on the boat already carriers of the virus from France and accordingly transmitted it to three Americans and one Indian. Two of the Americans have gone home, she said. The minister of tourism was calling me in person every day to check on the passengers and talk to the crew and raise their morale. Tests conducted on all the passengers were supervised by the WHO, and those tested negative went back home Tuesday (10 March) upon the request of their governments.

The three Western media stories led Bashir Al-Adl, chairman of the Committee on the Defence of Press Independence, to ask the Ministry of Information and the State Information Service to invoke the measures necessary against Western foreign media which have been heavily involved in disseminating and repeating lies about Egypt. These media outlets have always been interested in publishing unprofessional reports that are based on unverified sources or hostile human rights organisations. And so we urge authorities to stand up to these outlets to defuse their lies and biased reports, Al-Adl said in a statement on Monday.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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If you've been to or near a grocery store (in affluent areas at least) you've seen the evidence of full-on panic buying.

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.

When we asked the California Grocers Association last week about what they were seeing they told us:

"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."

And that has remained true, with meat and other staples like eggs either not available or rationed.

The sustained panic-buying prompted Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to bring out a cadre of grocery store representatives from across the industry at a news conference on March 16.

Hoarding food, he cautioned, "has a consequence" for vulnerable people and -- this is key -- is also unecessary. Garcetti said there is plenty of food, and toilet paper and paper towels will be replenished quickly.

"Supply chains are completely uninterrupted, and there's no shortage of food," he said. "There's no reason to make a run on the supermarkets. Hoarding is hurting our most vulnerable Angelenos."

Clearly, the fear caused by the unfettered spread of this virus has been a stress on the supply chain.

So we wanted to do a reality check on when everything be back in stock.

Stick with us, because in some cases the answer may be:

\_()_/

But as this big surge in buying levels out, we should see items back in 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 is 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 were 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."

This article was originally published on March 14. It has been updated with new information.

SOME STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT COVID-19

We're all living through this extraordinary and frightening pandemic. The vast majority of our newsroom has been working from home (here's some advice on that) since March 11 to bring you calm, helpful reporting. We are answering your questions and taking more.

LAist is known for our events listings but now hopefully we'll be known for our non-event listings and tips for parents to try to keep you sane. And we're looking for your nominations for everyday heroes in this time of crisis. We're here to help. And if you can help support that effort financially, we'd be grateful.
Even as we take significant steps to distance ourselves from one another to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the hardest decisions has been whether to close schools.

There are strong arguments on both sides.

The case for shutting down schools

The biggest concern of many experts is that if we get too many infections too fast, the number of sick people could overwhelm the systems capacity to care for them. By slowing transmission in the population, we flatten the curve, and keep the number of people sick at any one time at a manageable number.

Although most children do not appear to suffer much when they contract the virus (many probably dont even know theyre sick), they do contract it, and they can give it to others.

Adults can be given instructions on how to prevent person-to-person transmission, and can be relied upon to follow those instructions to varying degrees, but its almost impossible to get children, especially younger ones, to do so. If you have a child, you most likely rolled your eyes if you read my recent article about the importance of getting children to wash their hands rigorously, cough into their elbows only, and not touch their face.
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Digital Editor
Its the type of sign the Bay Area needs right now. Taped to the counter of Le Beau Market in Nob Hill it reads:

Are you elderly or know of anyone who is and are afraid of going to the store?

We have a team of neighborhood volunteers ready to help with grocery delivery!

We are young and healthy and will take proper precautions.

- Your Nob Hill Neighbors

Theres a heart next to the final line, a phone number for people to call and a sign-up sheet with the names of two dozen young, healthy neighbors willing to deliver groceries for the elderly.

We were here for the 89 earthquake, I remember what we represented to the community back then, said Joseph Omran, who has owned and operated Le Beau for 35 years. We had no power for a week, and outside of getting food to Marina Middle School where people were sheltered, we had to do what we could for people who didnt have anything. Thats the last time I had to deal with a situation close to this. But [the coronavirus pandemic] is an animal of itself.

Now, Omran is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable from this latest unique crisis, particularly those over 65 years old.

We have a lot of people on the hill that are in that age group, he said. I thought it would be a good idea to reach out to the community to help volunteer to get food and provisions for them. [Seniors are] coming in right now still, and Im telling them, 'Look, you dont have to be here.

The gesture is a powerful one.

Omran works in the store every day, as do his two sons. His wife is a senior, meaning hes increasing both his and his familys potential exposure to coronavirus every day. He currently only allows 20 people in the store at a time, requires everyone use hand sanitizer as they enter and, of course, if you pick up a piece of produce you take that piece of produce. He may lower the 20-person maximum, and also reduce hours to limit exposure for his staff, but its a delicate balance as he tries to remain a rock of the community hes been so integral to for three and a half decades.

Statistics are not in our favor, Omran said. Im caught between needing to provide the community service that we are in need of right now with the safety of our staff and myself. I had a very sleepless night last night.

But the response from the neighborhood  particularly as members of the community grapple with the shelter-in-place order from San Francisco Mayor London Breed  has helped Omran get what little sleep he has had this week.

You know, weve got a great little community up there. Were a tight-knit group. As desperate as it seems at times, theres a core group thats been there for a long time. We all know each other by name, they know the staff  a lot of small businesses have those relationships. Were very fortunate our community has been so supportive to let us stay there for 35 years. Im proud that the community has rallied around businesses like ours, he says. Some of the people who signed up to run groceries came by and just said, I want you to know that whatever you need, let us know. Were around, were working from home, were right down the street, across the street from you.

What groceries will be available when they do come by is anyones guess, according to Omran. Traffic to the store has sky-rocketed (he says sales are up 35%), and deliveries are trickling in from vendors as they adjust supply lines following recent panic buying.

We dont know exactly what were going to get until it gets here. Yesterday, our manager ordered 200 items, we got 40, he said. On Thursday were supposed to be getting 1,000 cases, but we might get 500 cases, we dont know until then.

Which makes things all the more complicated when a senior submits a grocery order to be delivered by a neighbor.

Thats going to be the biggest problem  its a lot easier if they could call, but its so slammed weve had a hard time answering the phone.

Omran, who is in the middle of receiving a dairy delivery when we chat, has turned to Nextdoor to post updates on deliveries, plus provide an email address for seniors to place orders and for young and healthy folks in the neighborhood to sign up to make deliveries.

Its easier than signs in the window, he says.

But no less effective  he already has a handful of emails via Nextdoor from folks offering to help. Turns out whether theyre on the street or on the internet, there are plenty of San Franciscans out there looking to help.

Le Beau Market is located at 1263 Leavenworth St. in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood. It's currently open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. but hours could change due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Grant Marek is the Editorial Director of SFGATE. Email: grant.marek@sfgate.com | Twitter: @grant_marek
So, you need instant coffee, Irish whiskey and the best cream you can find, thickened but not whipped. Layer the coffee, whiskey and cream in that order in a tall mug. In Ireland, they use a heatproof glass mug so you can see all the layers. I succumbed and purchased an Irish Coffee mug so I could recreate the experience at home, but you can serve it in any heatproof mug.
While a national stockpile of ventilators exists, it is unclear how that will be doled out. In a conference call on Monday with a group of governors, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, President Trump said that states should not count on the federal government for more ventilators and other equipment. We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves, he said, according to a recording of the call.

Most of the New Yorks major health systems have declined to provide details about their ventilators or what they will do if they run out. Some hospital administrators have said they believe new measures, such as closures of schools and restaurants, can slow the spread of the virus and keep the number of critically ill people below levels that could overwhelm hospitals.

But officials have repeatedly said that a ventilator shortage is one of their top concerns.

These ventilators are expensive to begin with, and they are scarce, Mr. Cuomo said on Sunday. Youre going to be thousands short. Thousands.

In interviews, ventilator manufacturers warned that, amid the pandemic, they do not have the ability to provide New York more ventilators  which can cost at least $25,000 apiece and require significant training to use.

Im nervous, said Dr. Akshay Ganju, an emergency room physician in Westchester County. Im steeling myself for the possibility that at some point Im going to have to look a daughter in the eye and tell her that I dont have a ventilator for her father.
The federal budget deficit could hit a record high $100 billion and public debt approach $1 trillion as the government lifts spending to fight a "coronavirus recession" while its revenue sources collapse and costs go up.

Ahead of the government's second multibillion-dollar stimulus package and a string of measures from the Reserve Bank aimed at propping up the economy, new analysis of the pressures on the nation's finances suggest the biggest deficit in dollar terms on record.

BIS Oxford Economics on Tuesday said instead of the forecast $5 billion surplus this financial year, the government was facing a deficit of at least 2.5 per cent of GDP or well above $40 billion.

The biggest hit to the budget comes in 2020-21 in which the government had been expecting to post a surplus of $6.1 billion. Instead, BIS expects it to be a deficit of at least 5 per cent of GDP or $100 billion.
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The word crisis gets bandied around a great deal when it comes to the NHS.

We are all used to hearing how issues such as bed-blocking, waiting times or flu outbreaks are stretching our beloved health service to breaking point.

But make no mistake, dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest single challenge the NHS has faced in its 70-year history.

On Sunday, health secretary Matt Hancock appeared on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show pleading with British manufacturing firms  even those not normally involved in producing medical equipment  to start making thousands of extra ventilators that could be needed if intensive care units are completely over-run with desperately sick patients in the coming weeks and months.

He told viewers the NHS has around 5,000 ventilators  machines that help critically ill patients with their breathing, usually through a tube placed in the mouth or nose  but needed 'many more times that'.

We are all used to hearing how issues such as bed-blocking, waiting times or flu outbreaks are stretching our beloved health service to breaking point. (Stock image)

The message to engineering giants including car maker Rolls-Royce and heavy plant manufacturer JCB was clear  you make them and the government will buy them.

But modern ventilators are high-tech devices, packed with all kinds of electronic sensors which are produced by a limited number of specialist firms.

It's unlikely that a company that makes cars or tractors will be able to switch production over easily.

Old-fashioned mechanical ventilators, with fewer cutting edge features, are simpler to produce, and it may be possible to fast-track production of them in the next few months.

Now we are also told there is a potential shortage of oxygen if there is a wave of coronavirus patients. The government has asked suppliers to quadruple production.

But even if Britain's manufacturing fraternity does somehow manage to magic up extra life-saving ventilators and oxygen overnight, there is still one big problem  we still do not have the staff to operate them.

Vague ministerial references to bringing retired doctors back into service and mobilising thousands of student nurses to help out ignore the fact that intensive care medicine is one of the most specialised fields of healthcare, requiring a huge amount of bespoke training and expertise  for doctors and nurses.

Make no mistake, dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest single challenge the NHS has faced in its 70-year history. (Stock image)

For example, an intensive care nurse who has completed their normal nursing degree then needs another one to two years of specialist training to work with seriously ill patients.

It's a job that requires a particular set of skills  constant monitoring of high-tech equipment, precise control of drug dosages, being able to supervise haemodialysis, where patients with failing kidneys are hooked up to a machine that cleans and filters their blood.

And it's also one of the most labour-intensive jobs in a hospital. At the very least, there is one specialist nurse per patient, and often more.

Staffing aside, many hospitals also face the logistical headache of where to put very sick patients.

In an average district general hospital, an intensive care unit might have eight to ten beds.

Most of the time, at least 80 per cent of those will already be occupied; in many cases, it will be 100 per cent. Some operations will be cancelled, which will free up beds. This will also free up space in operating theatres for makeshift intensive care beds.

These beds need an abundance of electric sockets to run all the equipment, as well as built-in piping to supply the oxygen to the ventilators.

You won't find those in a corridor, or even on a general ward.

We are also told there is a potential shortage of oxygen if there is a wave of coronavirus patients. The government has asked suppliers to quadruple production. (Stock image)

But these are extraordinary circumstances that require an extraordinary response. Hospitals needing makeshift intensive care capacity will need to look at areas that could be quickly adapted for use.

One such area is the recovery room, usually used for patients coming around from surgery.

These often have eight to ten bays available, with access to ventilators and oxygen. By cancelling routine planned surgery, recovery rooms could double as intensive care units.

Extra ventilators could also be drafted in from operating theatres if planned surgery is put off.

They're not as complex as those used in intensive care; so we might need to use them for less severely ill patients and keep the more sophisticated ones back for very difficult cases with severe lung injury from the virus.

But how do we get around the staffing issue?

One possible solution is to draft in nurses with some knowledge that could be put to use in intensive care. These might include operating theatre staff, who share some of the skills used in critical care  such as constant observations of vital signs.

Nobody is suggesting they would be left in charge of critically ill patients on their own. But we could have a system where one highly experienced intensive care nurse supervises half-a-dozen or so less skilled staff. That way, all patients would still get the highest standard of care available.

It's not a perfect solution, but we are working with an imperfect system.

When swine flu struck in 2009, the NHS emergency preparedness plan swung into action and we managed to cope.

But in the decade that has passed since, intensive care has been starved of proper resources. Demand for beds has risen by an average of four per cent every year, yet we have seen nothing like the same increases in staff, beds or funding.

It means we are in a much worse starting position than we were with swine flu to cope with a virus that is much more dangerous.

All of us now face a period of great uncertainty.

The only thing we can be sure of is that front-line NHS staff will do everything in their power to provide the best possible care.

And when this latest crisis is over, I will be demanding a high-level review of how we fund and staff our precious and life-saving intensive care sector.

Next time  and there almost certainly will be a next time  we must be better prepared.

Doctor Pittard is a consultant in intensive care medicine at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine.

...and what about your op - or an appointment at the GP?

By Fiona MacRae

Tens of thousands of routine operations could be cancelled to take the pressure off hospitals battling coronavirus.

Some hospitals are already cancelling outpatient appointments such as physiotherapy sessions, others are carrying out consultations by phone or video call, wherever possible.

Hip replacements, hernia repairs and cataract surgery are among the procedures expected to be put on hold in England  with details due later this week.

Thousands of routine operations could be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Stock image)

'If you stopped doing elective surgery, you could convert theatres, resuscitation rooms and recovery areas into places where you could provide intensive care,' Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, told the BBC's Newsnight.

The Royal College of Surgeons, which is working with the Government to finalise the plans, says that a blanket ban on elective, or planned, operations, is unlikely.

Instead, individual hospital trusts will decide which operations to cancel based on the resources available to them. The urgency of the procedure will also be taken into account, with some heart and brain surgery, for instance, being vital despite being classed as 'routine'.

Wales has already started cancelling routine operations but has stressed that cancer therapy, kidney dialysis and other urgent treatments will continue as planned.

The Royal College of Surgeons is urging those waiting for routine operations not to call their hospital but to wait to be contacted instead.

GP appointments are also being hit, with all practices told to carry out consultations by phone and video call 'wherever clinically and practically possible'. Some surgeries have gone further, by telling patients not to visit them 'at any time'.

Your GP surgery will be in touch with you if you have an appointment which is cancelled.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National race course will close on Tuesday at 6 a.m., due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, and horse racing at the Grantville, Pa., track will temporarily go on hiatus, as well.

The news was announced in a press release on Monday as businesses around the state continue to announce closures while events are being postponed due to COVID-19.

Its unclear when the casino and track will re-open.

Some horse racing tracks, like Gulfstream Park in Florida, Aqueduct in New York, and Santa Anita in California, have vowed to stay open and continue racing.

Elsewhere in the world of horse racing, media reports say that Churchill Downs will make an announcement on Tuesday about the status of the Kentucky Derby, which is the first of three races in the sports Triple Crown and is held every first Saturday in May at the Lexington, Ky. track.

More of PennLives coronavirus coverage
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday cited Ranjan Gogoi's remarks against post-retirement appointments last year to take a swipe at the former Chief Justice of India over his Rajya Sabha nomination.

Pawar said institutions are being attacked and the situation for the judiciary was no different.

"I read in a newspaper that a former CJI had observed, 'There is a strong viewpoint that post-retirement appointment is a scar on independence of judiciary'. This statement was by Justice Gogoi. Now we read that his way to Parliament has been cleared," Pawar said.

He made the remarks at the launch of Bhalchandra Mungekar's book "My Encounters in Parliament" in the presence of former vice president Hamid Ansari, CPI general secretary D Raja and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Pawar also cited Justice Deepak Gupta's remarks to make his point.

Justice Gupta stated one cannot expect justice from those who, on the verge of retirement, throng the corridors of power looking for post retirement assignments, Pawar said.

"We hear about the state of the judiciary from the representatives of the judiciary themselves," he said.

Pawar said even the media sector is under constant scrutiny of the government and if somebody expresses views against the government they are given a message that what they have done is not right.

The independence of the media is under strain, he alleged.

A row erupted on Tuesday over Gogoi's nomination to Rajya Sabha with the Congress and other Opposition parties alleging that the "brazen action" by the government subsumes the independence of the judiciary.

Gogoi, who retired in November last year, said he would speak in detail about accepting the nomination after he takes oath.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday, March 9th, The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset hosted a joint meeting with the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise, in recognition of World Rotaract Week which commenced on March 8th  15th. The meeting was led by both club Presidents; President Jaida Nisbett of Rotary Sunset and President Gabriel Flanders of Rotaract Sunrise as well as the clubs Sergeant at Arms Tamara Wilson and Hendrick Snijders.

World Rotaract Week is an annual celebration observed by Rotaractors and Rotarians around the world in commemoration of the first chartered Rotaract club, in 1968. Rotaract is one of Rotarys youth programs that bring together young professionals between the ages of 18-30 to exchange ideas with community leaders as well as to develop professional and leadership skills, through a framework of friendship and service.

During the meeting, President Gabriel discussed their upcoming activities for their Rotaract week celebration. Both presidents discussed their clubs future projects with special mention of a joint project between both clubs providing maternity baskets to the pediatric ward on both sides of the island in recognition of Rotarys theme, Maternal, and Child Healthcare. President Gabriel sealed his commitment to the joint project by presenting a check to President Jaida to purchase items for the maternity baskets.

Amongst the Rotaractors present at the meeting was Akeesha Laurence-Gittens, a Rotaractor visiting the island from Trinidad & Tobago as a friendly exchange between the Rotaract Clubs of St. Maarten, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago. Rotaractor Akeesha shared details of her club and expressed appreciation to the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise for their warm hospitality thus far. President Jaida expressed appreciation to the Rotaractors for successfully co-chairing the meeting and encouraged them to keep up the good work on the island and in the world.

The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to extend an open invitation to young professionals interested in being a member of the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise to attend one of the general meetings scheduled every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at the University of St. Martin at 5 pm or contact the club via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To deprive serving women officers of the opportunity to work as equals with men on a permanent commission (PC) in the Indian Navy is plain discriminatory, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, saying serving short service commissioned (SSC) women officers in the navy were entitled to PC.

A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta followed up its February 17 decision in a similar case relating to the Indian Army, in which the top court had struck a blow for gender parity by holding that SSC women officers in service in the army were entitled to PC.

To contend that women officers are ill-suited to certain avocations which involve them being aboard ships is contrary to the equal worth of the women officers who dedicate their lives to serving in the cause of the nation, the court held on Tuesday, brushing aside the argument by the central government that sailing in the Indian Navy was not a proper career for women.

The court struck down a restrictive stipulation imposed by the central government in 2008 as per which PC for SSC women officers were to be granted only prospectively from January 2009, thereby denying the benefit of PC to women officers who were already in the service.

The stipulation in the policy letter dated 26 September 2008 making it prospective and restricting its application to specified cadres/branches of the Indian Navy shall not be enforced, the court said in its verdict.

The decision was delivered on two appeals, one filed by the Union government against a 2015 judgment of the Delhi high court which had ordered the grant of PC to serving women officers and another from a 2016 decision of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) which had asked the Centre to consider the claims of the women officers for PC.

A permanent commission entitles an officer to serve in the navy till he/she retires unlike short service commission (SSC), which is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four more years, or a total of 14 years.

The restriction can be traced to section 9 of the Navy Act as per which women are not eligible to join the navy unless the central government lifts such restrictions. The provision, however, conferred on the Union government the power to stipulate the departments, branches or bodies of the navy in which women can be appointed or enrolled.

The central government, in exercise of those powers under section 9, had issued two notifications, one in 1991 and another in 1998, lifting the restrictions on allowing women in the navy and had permitted their employment in stipulated branches.

On February 25, 1999, the Union government took the decision for the grant of PCs to both men and women officers in the navy.

However, the ministry of defence issued a policy letter on September 26, 2008, granting PC to SSC women officers in all the three branches of the armed forces. But this was restricted to certain categories and was to operate prospectively for the benefit of future batches inducted on SSC after January 2009.

Seventeen women officers who joined the Indian Navy as SSC officers in the logistics and air traffic controller cadres and the education branch challenged this 2008 policy. Their grievance was that despite completing 14 years of service as SSC officers, they had not been considered for the grant of PC and were discharged from service.

The high court had held that exclusion of serving women officers from permanent commission was irrational and arbitrary.

Serving women officers in Logistics and ATC (Air Traffic Control) Branches are also equally entitled for grant of permanent commission, the high court had ruled, directing the navy to grant PC to serving women officers.

The AFT, in a similar case had also come to the conclusion that serving women officers should be allowed PC.

However, the AFT, while directing the consideration of the claim of SSC women officers to the grant of PCs by the Indian Navy, stopped short of the direction which was issued by the Delhi high court. Appeals were filed before the Supreme Court against the Delhi high court and AFT verdicts.

The central government took a stance before the Supreme Court that sea-going duties are ill-suited to women officers. This was turned down by the top court on the grounds that it is premised on sex stereotypes that male officers are more suited for certain duties by virtue of the physiological characteristics.

In this regard, the court referred to its own judgment in the Babita Puniya case delivered on February 17 in which the apex court had held that arguments founded on the physical strengths and weaknesses of men and women to deny PC to SSC women officers in the Indian Army do not constitute a constitutionally valid basis for denying equal opportunity to women officers.

It, therefore, quashed the decision of the central government to restrict PC to prospective recruitments and held that all SSC officers in the education, law and logistics cadres who are presently in service shall be considered for the grant of PC.

To accept the contention urged by the ASG (additional solicitor general, who represented the central government) would be to approve the socially ascribed gender roles which a commitment to equal worth and dignity of every individual belies, the court held.
Pennsylvanias senator from the Lehigh Valley blamed federal bureaucracy for delaying the production of critical tests for COVID-19 disease.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., told reporters Tuesday during a conference call that most obstacles have been removed from the production of COVID-19 tests in Pennsylvania and at Health Network Laboratories and the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

But these obstacles held up testing when Pennsylvania residents needed it the most, he said.

We are doing far more tests today than we could do a month ago but were still quite a ways from where we need to end up, Toomey said Tuesday.

Data from tests can help determine where the coronavirus is showing up, who it affects and who needs to be quarantined, he said. Toomey said hes been working for weeks to make COVID-19 tests available.

The Lehigh Valley Health Network has the capability to make these test kits but its progress was stalled by the federal governments initial inability to authenticate the locally made tests, according to Dr. Ronald Walsh. He is the clinical laboratory director at Health Network Laboratories/Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Walsh said hospital labs in Pennsylvania had technical difficulties with kits sent by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to verify their local lab test results. So they had to send back those kits and get new ones. Also, local labs had to present individual patients to the CDC in order to prove there was even a need to produce COVID-19 tests locally, Walsh said.

Toomey said one hospital in Pennsylvania was prepared to start making tests and needed only RNA from the virus to start the process. That hospital was told by the National Institutes of Health it would take two to three weeks to provide the RNA. After a call from Toomey to NIH immunologist Dr Anthony Fauci, the RNA was sent the next day.

The delay was not a malicious thing. I think it was just a bureaucratic thing, Toomey said.

Messages sent to the press offices of the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control werent immediately returned.

Lehigh Valley Health Network has already started free testing of suspected COVID-19 cases using tests produced outside of the area. Locally made tests should be available for use in the next couple days, Walsh said.

Walsh wasnt sure when the worst of the disease will hit the area. Testing patients and staying indoors will help the area avoid a huge spike in cases, which threatens to overwhelm hospitals, he said.

Toomey said most barriers are now removed from producing tests locally, which is important because the tests are sorely needed.

It does not mean that overnight we can have unlimited tests, Toomey said. Its a story of progress that has been made but a lot more progress is necessary.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Photo credit: Johner Images - Getty Images

From Men's Health

I moved from Oregon to Seoul, South Korea, almost seven years ago. I'd known a few people teaching in Seoul, and it sounded like it could be fun to live here for a few years. So I got a job teaching English after college and made the move. I currently teach third graders.

The Seoul metro area is about 10 million people. There are usually people everywhereits a super-lively city. Things never shut down. Since the first case of novel coronavirus was reported in South Korea on January 20, 2020, things have been completely different, though.



I had a month off of work for winter vacation from December 25 to January 27. During that period, school officials reached out to ask me where I'd traveled to and how long I'd been there. Classes resumed January 27, but then my school was closed on February 10 because of the virus, the day before the schools sixth-grade students were set to graduate.

That was when I first realized that coronavirus concerns wouldn't be going away as quickly as I'd initially thought they might.



The graduation still happened in my schools gym on February 11, but to even enter, I had to take measures like having my temperature checked and wearing gloves.

(In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control do not recommend wearing masks and gloves to prevent novel coronavirus unless you are caring for someone who has contracted the disease, but they do recommend avoiding touching your face, regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and washing your hands properly and often.)

I was supposed to return to work for a new school year on February 26, but The Ministry of Education decided to postpone all kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school start dates until March 23. I've been told that this could and probably will change again.

Ive mostly been staying home since I am not working. I used to ride the subway every day to work and usually couldnt get a seat. Now, in the rare times when I do ride it, I can always find a seat.



Story continues

I sometimes go out in popular areas in Seoul called Hongdae, Itaewon, Jamsil, or Gangnam. These neighborhoods are full of bars, restaurants, and stores. But lots of bars are empty on the weekends now. Tourist areas, such as the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace, have suspended guided tours, and the city has banned all public protests and strongly urged people to refrain from public gathering of any kind. Another area called Myeong-dong, which is typically popular for Chinese tourists to visit, is a ghost town now.

I've gone into work a few days just because I'm bored and need to start preparing for the new school year.

I had to have my temperature taken in the main office before I could go to my classroom.

My boyfriend and I went shopping at a mall in Jamsil recently, and they had installed thermal scanners you had to go through in order to check your temperature before you could enter the mall. I also had to make a trip to the immigration office, and they, too, have installed thermal scanners.

People from South Korea are currently banned from traveling to 36 countries or territories, and travel restrictions or quarantine procedures are in place for 103 countries or regions. My plan was to eventually move to Hong Kong or Japan. But as of right now, I couldnt even go there tomorrow if I wanted to.



I can still get into the United States and Canada. I check every day to see if this has changed. Im taking it day by day if I am going to leave or not. Currently, I am still getting paid because the parents of our students are still paying tuition (I work at a semi-private school). But Im not sure how long that will last. If the school starts to cut my pay, it will definitely affect if I stay or not.

While the past several weeks have been filled with uncertainty, I think the South Korean government is doing a fabulous job.

You can get tested for novel coronavirus for free and receive free treatment. The government is also enforcing quarantine for confirmed cases. And if you are officially quarantined by the government, they send you supplies, including food and water. Ive observed streets and subway cars being cleaned more frequently than ever before. The government has also created an app to keep you updated on all of the latest information on coronavirus.

My friends and I have been spending a lot of time at each other's houses, which is something we usually don't do. It's been nice just hanging out with each other in our sweats and not feeling any obligation to do anything or be anywhere, and it gives us an opportunity to talk out all of our concerns about the virus. I also talk to my mom in the States everyday to stay connected to my family.

I've been doing whatever I can to prioritize my physical health during this time.

I do workouts on YouTube since our local gym is closed. There is a big park by my house called Seoul Forest that's not crowded, and now that the weather is getting warmer, Ive been going there to get some time outside. I've also been running.

As for my mental health, I've been trying to avoid reading too much news. As the virus has been spreading, South Korea is in the media a lot. It gets scary knowing you're in one of the countries being hit the hardest.

Overall, things have been...weird. I don't know how else to explain it. The city just feels different. Ive been trying to stay busy and keep a kind of "normal" life. I've been restricting time out and being smart about what I do, how I get there, or who I am going to be around. But otherwise, I'm kind of just sitting tight for now.



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Tuesday is St. Patricks Day, but millions of Americans will have to tip their glasses in their apartments and houses.

A succession of states joined other parts of the country Monday in announcing closures of restaurants, bars and other venues, further disrupting the lives of everyday Americans and businesses as governors take increasingly more drastic measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The swift action follows the implementation of similar measures in Ohio, Illinois, California and Massachusetts and weekend guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending the cancellation or postponement of events with crowds larger than 50 people for the next two months.

While New York, New Jersey and Connecticut took joint action as a unified region, other states like Michigan, Maryland, Indiana, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Washington state moved independently to shutter dine-in service at bars and restaurants and patronage at other popular venues.

The Supreme Court announced that it would postpone oral arguments and expand capabilities for remote work, while the White House announced the cancellation of its annual Easter Egg Roll.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, was hemmed up in the White House with no public appearances listed on his schedule. The White Houses daily Coronavirus Task Force briefing was also pushed back to Monday afternoon, overlapping with the presidents private intelligence briefing.

Still, Trump weighed in on the global pandemic through Twitter.

Everybody is so well unified and working so hard. It is a beautiful thing to see, he wrote. They love our great Country. We will end up being stronger than ever before!

Everybody is so well unified and working so hard. It is a beautiful thing to see. They love our great Country. We will end up being stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

As of Monday afternoon, nearly 4,000 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., though experts expect that number to rise as more testing becomes available. Sixty-nine people have died.

Story continues

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the pandemic a national problem that requires federal leadership.

You see a whole hodgepodge of efforts being taken across the country. This state is doing this, this state is doing this, this city is doing this, Cuomo told reporters. Its chaos. I think it actually feeds the feeling that the countrys out of control. And there is no clear direction, and there is no clear path.

New Yorks closures includes gyms, where New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was spotted Monday morning.

The mayor wanted to visit a place that keeps him grounded one last time, spokeswoman Freddi Goldstein said in a statement, explaining why de Blasio was at a YMCA. That doesnt change the fact that he is working around the clock to ensure the safety of New Yorkers. After today, gyms will close and he will no longer be visiting the YMCA for the foreseeable future.

In Washington, D.C., restrictions on restaurants were met with resistance by at least one company, sparking a clash between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Hill Restaurant Group, which owns seven establishments around Capitol Hill. HRG wrote in a private Facebook group that it will not bow down to pressure to shut down, arguing that the coronavirus outbreak is not our burden to bear nor is it our staffs burden to bear.

Bowser tweeted Monday morning that the groups compliance is required, warning that she would exercise the full force of her police department and government agencies. The group later acquiesced, agreeing to close all its restaurants.

Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, called the governors actions cause for optimism.

States are taking this very seriously. Measures to limit mixing of people by closing bars, restaurants, venues; and those taken by businesses to keep employees at home where possible, will undoubtedly impact the scope of this epidemic, he tweeted.

We have hard days ahead. We cant become complacent, he added. But the collective action of states and businesses to mitigate spread will have a tangible impact on spread. We need to continue these actions, and protect vulnerable Americans from the impact of these necessary actions.

The surge in closures, however, has also put a spotlight on elections. Florida, Arizona, Illinois and Ohio will hold their presidential primary elections on Tuesday, even though the governors of Illinois and Ohio have shuttered dining at bars and restaurants to prevent community spread of the coronavirus.

I dont understand why these elections are still taking place tomorrow, tweeted Joshua Douglas, who teaches election law and voting rights at the University of Kentucky Law School. OH, IL have shut down all restaurants, bars, etc. FL and OH have moved several polling places. Im convinced we should delay these elections and then pass emergency laws allowing anyone to vote by mail.
A San Antonio woman was arrested after she was accused of stabbing a man in the leg with a pocket knife on the far Northwest Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's department.

Deputies arrived at the 11900 block of Dove Ranch at around midnight to find a man with a stab wound to the back of his leg.
M inisters are ready to order a harder London-specific clampdown soon on socialising to limit deaths from a looming surge in coronavirus cases.

Plans are being drawn up for regional responses to a spiralling Covid-19 epidemic which is already starting in the capital amid fears that hospitals will struggle to cope.

An urgent review of whether to close schools is being carried out. So far the advice has been to avoid such a move, but if it were to happen it is most likely to be imposed in London first.

Italian and French-style lockdowns have also not been ruled out but the Government has so far shied away from taking such draconian, economy-crippling steps.

London panic buying during the Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures 1 /61 London panic buying during the Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures PA Wire Shoppers descended on supermarkets again AFP via Getty Images Shoppers seen rushing to get toilet rolls as new ones are put on sale in a London Morrisons store Rex Features Shoppers should be sensible when buying food and groceries Lucy Young Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon PA Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Reuters Reuters Reuters People queue outside a Sainsbury's store as the coronavirus outbreak continues Reuters Reuters Reuters Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Queues for hand sanitizer at Boots in Islington Jeremy Selwyn Tesco Brent Cross 9.00 am Jeremy Selwyn Empty shelves of pasta are seen at a supermarket Reuters Brent Cross Shopping centre at 5:30am Jeremy Selwyn SplashNews.com A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products Reuters AFP via Getty Images Shelves have been cleared of the likes of pasta and toilet roll AFP via Getty Images A woman carries a basket filled with toilet rolls AFP via Getty Images Shoppers wait in line for a supermarket to open its doors in London AFP via Getty Images Shoppers are faced with partially empty shelves AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Brent Cross Shopping centre at 5:30am Evening Standard / eyevine AFP via Getty Images A long line of shoppers queue to buy groceries at a supermarket in Chingford, London Cham Karimeddin Shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford Getty Images Empty shelves in the bakery aisles of an Asda store in London PA Shoppers queue at the checkout of a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images A customer leaves with shopping as other customers queue to enter a Costco Wholesalers in Chingford Reuters A long line of shoppers queue to buy groceries at a supermarket in Chingford Ashraf Karim Eddin Shoppers are faced with partially empty shelves at a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images FILE PHOTO: A man stands next to shelves empty of fresh meat in a supermarket, as the number of worldwide coronavirus cases continues to grow, in London REUTERS

The outbreak in the UK is now heavily concentrated in London. As of yesterday, 480 out of 1,543 confirmed cases were in the capital, with a further 173 in the South East.

Englands deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam stressed every citizen in the UK should follow advice on social distancing and self-isolation, not only to protect themselves but to avoid other people being killed by Covid-19. After news footage last night of pub-goers saying they would ignore the guidance, Professor Van-Tam stressed: We are giving very strong advice to all citizens ... it applies to everybody.

A woman uses a protective mask in London / REUTERS

He said the advisory restrictions  the most stringent in peacetime, modern day Britain  could go on for months, with warnings that it could be a year to 18 months before a vaccine is developed.

Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures 1 /61 Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures A man wearing a protective mask travels on the underground tube Reuters A woman wearing a protective face mask Jeremy Selwyn A man and woman wearing protective face masks on a bus PA A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A woman shopper wears a protective mask as she walks down an aisle in a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images A man wearing a face mask waits to board an underground train on the Central Line at Bank station in London AP A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA A woman wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street in London PA A woman wearing a mask walks by the Emirates Stadium Action Images via Reuters A man is seen wearing a protective face mask at Waterloo station Reuters A woman wears a surgical mask as she walks through Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport Reuters A fan in the stands wears a mask during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridg PA A man wearing a protective face mask walking down Oxford Street PA Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn A person wears a mask in a display of street style outside the BFC Show Space show in London PA Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn Commuters with masks on during the Coronavirus outbreak Jeremy Selwyn A commuter on the tube wearing a face mask Jeremy Selwyn A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridge Getty Images People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn A man wearing a face mask walks past an entrance sign for Bank underground train station AP The coronavirus outbreak will unlikely lead to a Tube ban PA People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn A woman wearing a face mask on the London Underground. PA People wear masks at Holborn underground Station Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA A pedestrian wears a face mask whilst walking along High Holborn PA A man wears a mask as he takes a photograph in China Town AP A man in a hazmat suit and face mask cleans the Ritchie Street Health Centre, Islington PA A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn A commuter at Euston wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn A man arrives at Euston Underground wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Staff in suits at St Thomas's Hospital today Jeremy Selwyn A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn A commuter arrives at St Pancras wearing a mask Jeremy Selwyn A man wears a face mask as he stands near an electronic arrivals board at Terminal 4 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images A man wears a face mask as he walks along the Thames embankment AFP via Getty Images A woman wearing a protective face mask is seen on London Bridg Reuters

Amid criticism that the Government has been too slow to act, he insisted it had taken the right step at the right time, but that now the number of cases was set to escalate rapidly.

He added: We will take about one to two weeks to understand what these measures are doing, to begin to slow the rates of infections in the UK.

We will keep that under really close scrutiny and we have always said that we are prepared to do things harder, we are prepared to do more things if necessary to slow this epidemic down.

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

Boris Johnson ordered the dramatic ramping up of restrictions last night after scientists warned that a failure to do so could risk 250,000 deaths, with the NHS intensive care capacity being overwhelmed eight-fold.

However, concerns still remain over how the NHS will cope even with these new measures.

Asked if Londons hospitals currently have enough ventilators to cope with expected surge in cases, Mayor Sadiq Khan said: The short answer is no, thats one of the reasons why the Government strategy was contain and delay to get us as near as possible to spring and summer to free up capacity in the NHS.

He added that advice on school closures could change.

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In a sign of the huge pressure on health services, the London Ambulance Service had its busiest day ever yesterday. LAS chief executive Garrett Emmerson said: We are seeing unprecedented demand for both our 999 and 111 services at the moment. Yesterday was the busiest day ever for our 999 service with nearly 8,000 calls. Unfortunately, the huge volumes of 111 calls we are receiving from people who could potentially use the website nhs.uk/coronavirus means that more vulnerable Londoners who may not have the ability to access the internet, for instance older people, are struggling to get through.

Professor Van-Tam stressed that the advice for whole households to self-isolate even if only one person has Covid-19 symptoms, of a new, continuous cough or high temperature, was incredibly important to drive down the epidemics curve.

The four key elements of social distancing are: reduce non-essential contact with other people outside of the family; reduce non-essential travel to an absolute minimum; keep away from bars, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and all the places where human beings gather and where contacts can take place; and to the extent possible, work from home. People over 70 are being even more strongly advised to take social distancing measures and Professor Van-Tam said new stricter advice for the extremely vulnerable, such as those with severe underlying health conditions, will be coming soon.

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The UK had no choice but to change tactics in the face of a growing coronavirus crisis, work by the Imperial College Covid-19 Response Team showed.Slowing down the spread of the virus, the aim until now, could have led to about 250,000 deaths in the UK and a health system so overwhelmed it could not cope.

A research paper by the team said the surge limits for both general ward and intensive care beds would be exceeded by at least eight-fold.

In addition, even if all patients were able to be treated, we predict there would still be in the order of 250,000 deaths in GB, and 1.1-1.2 million in the US, it said.

The scientists also predicted that transmission would quickly rebound if interventions were relaxed.

Professor Neil Ferguson, one of the lead authors on the study, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that information gathered in recent weeks showed it had become increasingly clear that predicted deaths were not the worst-case scenario, they were the most likely. The measures announced in previous weeks by the Government are still important, but we need to go much further in suppressing the virus, he said.
Lady Gaga's new album, Chromatica, is scheduled to arrive April 10, and she just spilled some tea about the project during an interview on French radio.

Appearing via Skype on France's NRJ [energy] Radio to answer fans' questions, Gaga teased that the new album will feature multiple collaborations.



"I have some very exciting duets that I've done on the album [that] I don't want to reveal quite yet, but I'm excited for you to hear them," she dished. "I love working with other artists. It was a wonderful experience."

Gaga also described Chromatica as "an album...about dancing through my pain."

While Gaga didn't go into detail about what kind of pain she was experiencing -- physical, emotional or both -- she said she was surprised that she was able to create such an upbeat album, considering how she felt while recording it.

"Even though I was very sad, it was amazing when I would listen back to the music and it was so happy and it was a celebration and we were dancing," she told the fans. "And I really want people to know that there's a way to change your perspective about your life. And part of that is in believing in yourself."

"And that's what Chromatica stands for," Gaga declared. "Chromatica is about kindness to all people, and it's also about kindness to yourself."

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
The World Health Organization and other sensitive souls have instructed us to stop referring to the new strain of coronavirus as the Wuhan or Chinese flu because of the racist connotations. Im disinclined to curb my speech to placate Chinese propagandists  and it seems to me the aversion to those terms is less about racism than about averting blame. But in the spirit of comity, and avoiding disparaging an entire nation, Im happy to call it the ChiCom Flu moving forward.

There are many traditional naming conventions that dont really make that much sense. Somewhat weirdly, for example, we often name diseases after the people who discover them  Hodgkins disease after Thomas Hodgkin, Parkinsons disease after James Parkinson, and so on.

But naming viral diseases after places  Guinea Worm, West Nile Virus, Ebola, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc.  is probably just intuitive. Viruses come from someplace, after all, and thus people gravitate to those names. I doubt we came up with Lyme disease because of some deep enmity towards Connecticut.

Anyway, COVID-19 or H1N1 dont exactly roll off the tongue.

The latter was, until very recently, widely referred to as the Spanish flu, a virus that killed around 675,000 Americans and tens of millions of others around the world in the early 1900s. Spanish flu has now retroactively fallen into disfavor as well. And to be fair, there is some historical evidence that the virus may actually have originated in China or France, so if we must call it the French flu moving forward, so be it.

But while the Spanish have a good case to be annoyed, the Chinese government does not. As Jim Geraghty notes, the Communist Chinese have been far more effective in stopping the spread of information about the coronavirus than in stopping the spread of the coronavirus itself. Today, for example, China expelled most American journalist from the country.

Early on, the Communists destroyed samples and suppressed vital information that could have helped mitigate the damage of this new strain of coronavirus. The government also silenced doctors who warned about the disease. Some were censured for spreading rumors or sharing test results with colleagues, and some were forced to write a self-critical public letters  a Marxist mainstay  admitting that the warning had a negative impact. The Chinese Communists probably let five million people leave Wuhan without screening, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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The Chinese Communists, like all Communists, hide their societal problems. There is no crime, disease, or addiction in the collectivist state. This kind of secrecy and dishonesty can be disastrous, especially in a highly interconnected world.

Though millions of Chinese have been lifted out of extreme poverty through free trade, with modernity comes some basic responsibilities  like, for instance, not killing everyone in the world with preventable zoonotic diseases.

The Chinese regime is perfectly capable of administering an array of authoritarian policies to suppress the rights of its own people. But its apparently unable to exert even mild cultural pressure warning them that their eating habits can be extraordinarily dangerous, and hold the potential of creating massive socioeconomic problems.

If reports are correct, it was in Wuhans popular wet markets that vendors were selling the bats  and possibly snakes  that may have caused the COVID-19 outbreak. Wet because the meat sold in its unsanitary stalls was only recently slaughtered.

This kind of thing happens quite often. And not always in China, of course. But the avian influenza was likely transmitted to humans from chickens in a wet market. Scientists have been warning for years that the eating of exotic animals in southern China is a time bomb. Acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) also originated in China, and probably jumped to humans through bats. Other coronavirus strains are also likely connected to bats.

I hate to thrust my Western cultural values on anyone, but maybe its time to stop eating bats.

Its important to stress that its not the Chinese people who are the problem. Just look at their success in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, or the United States. The ChiComs are the problem. If the Chinese government spent as much time working on educating its people and regulating dangerous markets as it does on secrecy and propaganda efforts, maybe it wouldnt have to worry as much about diseases being named after it  or about the catastrophic death and economic pain their negligence helps cause.

More from National Review
Is COVID-19 covered under Health Insurance ?

In the last two weeks, the public at large from all over India has been seeking advice on Health Insurance and Term Insurance. Even Indians already in foreign countries who have an Overseas Travel Policy have asked whether it covers treatment for COVID-19 abroad, if required.

By SK Sethi

In the last two weeks, the public at large from all over India has been seeking advice on Health Insurance and Term Insurance. Even Indians already in foreign countries who have an Overseas Travel Policy have asked whether it covers treatment for COVID-19 abroad, if required.

Let us take up these questions one by one .

Health Insurance

In India, till recently, there was no Insurance Policy, specific to Covid. The reason is that health insurance covers treatments for most diseases with some exclusions for a specific period. This may also exclude some pre-existing diseases. Therefore, it means that COVID-19 is covered, provided hospitalisation takes place for over 24 hours.

However, now you can cushion yourself against Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) with a COVID-specific cover from godigit.com. This policy provides policyholders 100% of the Sum Assured if the patient is tested positive for COVID-19 from any of the authorised centres of ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune. There is no need to wait for the completion of the treatment and the claim process is indeed very simple. In case the insured is quarantined in a government or military hospital for at least 14 consecutive days, the company will pay 50% lump sum of the Sum Assured. This is applicable even if COVID-19 test is later found negative as it covers the screening and treatment costs. For exclusions, policyholders are advised to read the precise policy wordings. Religare Health has come out with a good Group policy, which can be taken by the employer for all its employees.

At present, government-run hospitals are treating COVID-19 patients without charging anything for this. In fact, a lot of effort is being made in locating potential patients and bringing them to hospitals. For treatment in a private hospital while one has a health policy, then the terms and conditions of the existing policy are valid. Those who have a policy with no room rent capping will be better off as the insured can stay in isolation in a single room. Those with room rent capping may have to use wards or shared-room facilities. The insurance company will pay all expenses towards doctors and medicines.

Our advice to those who want to buy a normal health insurance now is that a 30-day cooling-off period applies and new policyholders are not covered for illness due to COVID-19 during the first 30 days. Therefore, policyholders who now catch COVID-19 after 15 days of the policy being issued will not be covered under the policy. That means the patient will have to either be treated in a government hospital or pay out for treatment in a private hospital.

In a proactive manner, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has instructed all the Health Insurance companies to include medical cover for COVID-19. Where hospitalisation is covered in a product, insurers are required to ensure that the cases related to COVID-19) is handled expeditiously. The costs of admissible medical expenses during the course of treatment including the treatment during quarantine period will be settled in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions of the policy contract and the extant regulatory framework. Further, all the claims reported under COVID-19 will be reviewed thoroughly by the claims review committee before repudiating the claims. We welcome this initiative of the Regulator.

Overseas Travel Policy

An Overseas Travel Policy covers medical treatment in a foreign country if the insured falls ill while travelling . As an NGO, our advice to those who are already in a foreign country is to travel with confidence in the foreign country while taking precautions, which even we are taking in India. Those who will be travelling in the coming weeks must travel with this policy for suitable sum. Senior Citizens (especially those above 70 years) will be in a disadvantageous position as most of the insurance companies issue policies with a sum assured of $50,000. It is advisable to take a policy with a higher sum after understanding the implications like sub-limits. The highest sum available is $5 Lakhs. Those who have symptoms of COVID-19 should not go out of India at all as India has better facilities to handle this disease.

Term Insurance

A large number of policyholders or those intending to take a Term Insurance have been asking whether death due to COVID-19 is covered in this policy. Term insurance covers death due to any illness so COVID-19is fully covered. It Life insurance companies issue a term insurance policy and, in most cases, they get the forms filled up, call for medical examination and do judicious underwriting. The Policy is issued when the insurance company is fully satisfied that proposer is healthy and, of course, is not suffering from COVID-19.

People are advised to buy a Term Insurance plan to protect their families in the event of death due to Covid-19 or any other disease / accident. This is especially true in the light of the fact that those above the age of 60 years face a higher risk from COVID-19. Many insurance companies issue term insurance policies up to 69 years (below 70 years). Indications are that from 1 April 2020, the premium rates may increase by 15 per cent. Therefore, the right time to buy this policy is before 1 April.

Loss of Profit Policy

Another policy that business owners buy is the Loss of Profit Policy. Many Business owners are showing interest in buying this insurance policy to cover losses due to loss of business due to restrictions being imposed in running multiplexes, gyms, swimming pools, theatres, banquet halls, organising conferences for certain period.

Even when not closed there is big downfall of customers in hotels, restaurants, airlines, toll plazas, shops, malls, parking lots due to precautions being taken by people by staying indoors. This existing policy will not cover business reduction or losses in profit. This policy claim is valid when a loss has occurred due to a fire or some accident and claims have been lodged for it.

Therefore Loss of Profit Policy will not permit you to lodge a claim due to COVID-19. If a business owner is interested in buying this policy then he should buy but not with understanding that claim will be lodged for COVID-19. The Confederation of All India Traders has come out with demand for suitable Insurance policy for reduced level of business. We feel coming out with such policy in a short time may not be possible as global pandemic is on and no insurance or reinsurance company will like to enter with a product at this time.

COVID-19, with its epicentre in Wuhan in China, has spread to over 147 countries in under two months. Across the globe, there are 1,48,306 confirmed cases, 5,550 reported deaths, with India reporting over 130 confirmed cases, underlining the urgent need for Health Insurance. Insurers across the world are scrambling to develop a COVID-19 specific product, but it could take some time. In the absence of a COVID-19 specific insurance product, industry experts have underlined the need to get oneself covered by the above four insurance policies.
Though their official last day as senior working members of the British royal family doesnt happen for another two weeks, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have finished their final royal engagements. After a dizzying schedule that involved reuniting with the royal family and some tearful goodbyes, the Sussexes are back on Vancouver Island in Canada where they are hunkering down out of the spotlight with their son Archie Harrison amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Though the duke and the duchess have given us hints about their forthcoming plans, nothing appears to be set in stone at this time. So far, we know that the pair are working on a rebrand. As of April 1, they will no longer be able to use the word royal in their work. However, everything else seems to be under lock and key.

Though the royal family has outlined a business plan if Megxit fails, its unlikely that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will ever be welcomed back into the royal fold.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be living under a microscope

Though they will no longer be adhering to the pace of royal life, and they have been able to isolate themselves somewhat on Vancouver Island, all eyes are still on the Sussexes. They are taking their time to release their next steps since their post-royal plan will be put under a microscope as soon as it is made public.

Additionally, the royal family will be cataloging every single move the Sussexes make. This could potentially cause the relationship between the couple and the dukes family to sour even further.

Putting that 12-month review in place goes to show you that the Queen will be watching them like a hawk, Julie Montagu Viscountess Hinchingbrooke said in the Channel 5 documentary, Royals: A family in crisis. She will want to see everything that they are doing, what they are making money from and how it is affecting the Royal Family. So there must be some concern from the Queen about what their intentions are.

Prince Harry would be welcomed back to the royal family instantly

Most of the fury surrounding Megxit has been aimed at the Duchess of Sussex. She has been blamed for seducing the prince away from his family, and for turning the royal family on its head.

This is unfortunate, considering the fact that it was the sexism and racism that Meghan endured, that forced Prince Harry to decide to prioritize the well-being of his wife and son over royal life. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly, he said during a speech for his charity, Sentebale.It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I havent always got it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. Youve looked out for me for so long, but the media is a powerful force, and my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful because this is so much bigger than just us.

Still, should the prince decide to step back into the royal fold, he would be welcomed back with open arms. The love this country has for him has never stopped, royal photographer Arthur Edwards explained to The Sun. As far as the nation is concerned he is still their number one member of the Royal Family.

Meghan Markle will never be welcomed back to royal life

Though the Brits insist they are not racist, its clear that the duchess would never be welcomed back to royal life should she ever want to return.

It was clear in her body language, very real, very emotional, very vulnerable, ABCs royal expert Omid Scobie said of the duchess appearance at Commonwealth Day. And so she went from that straight to the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey. To not see that warm arm of a family member or some kind of welcome or effort being made really gave us our biggest insight into the dynamics of the Sussexes and the royal family and how thats been for the final couple years. Ive got to be honest, I was quite surprised that there wasnt at least a show of warmth in front of the world.
Trucks parked on the German motorway near the German-Swiss border after Germany announced border controls, as the country faces an aggressive progression of the coronavirus disease. Weil am Rhein, Germany, March 16, 2020. Photo:Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

The ZEW research institutes survey of economic sentiment among German investors showed its biggest-ever month on month drop in March, as Europes largest economy braces for months of disruption over the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic.

The ZEW Index dropped by 58.2 points to minus 49.5 points, its largest ever monthly drop, which now puts it at its lowest level since December 2011.

Achim Wambach, ZEW president, said that the slump was to be expected as the economy is on red alert.

The financial market experts currently expect to see a decline in real gross domestic product in the first quarter, while also considering a further drop in the second quarter to be very likely, Wambach said in a statement. For the whole of 2020, the majority of experts currently expect a decline in real GDP growth of approximately one percentage point as a result of the corona pandemic.

READ MORE: Travel stocks worst hit as coronavirus pushes Italy to take over Alitalia

The economic impact from Covid-19 and financial market turmoil make a technical recession in Germany inevitable, said ING German chief economist Carsten Brzeksi in a note. We now expect the German economy to shrink by more than 1.5% YoY in 2020.

Germany now has 6,012 cases of infection, and 13 deaths. The country is in a state of near-total lockdown after the government closed most of its borders on Monday and ordered all non-essential stores to close, as well as public spaces such as theaters, pubs, and playgrounds. Restaurants can open on restricted hours only.

With the lockdown, there will be a sharp fall in private consumption to at least 4% compared with the levels at the end of last year, Brzeski wrote. The exact timing of the lockdown in the different regional states and obviously the eventual length of the lockdown will determine how the contraction in consumption and activity will be spread across Q1 and Q2.

Germanys Volkswagen Group announced during its annual press conference today that it would stop production at most of its plants across for the next three weeks, as it warned that the financial and operational impact of the coronavirus pandemic was impossible

READ MORE: Volkswagen reports 'very successful year' as coronavirus clouds 2020 outlook

German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Friday said it will likely request government aid to help it withstand the fallout from the coronavirus, and plans to scrap its annual dividend. Like most airlines, Lufthansa is drastically slashing its flight schedules: It will cut 90% of its long-haul flights from today, and operate only 20% of the flights within Europe.
Supreme Court Asked to Decide if State Workers Unconstitutional Compulsory Union Dues Must Be Repaid

Former Illinois state government worker Mark Janus wants the U.S. Supreme Court to order the American Federation of Municipal, State, and County Employees Union (AFSCME) to refund his $3,000 in unconstitutional compulsory dues.

Janus, a former child support specialist, won the landmark Janus v. AFSCME decision in 2018 that held as unconstitutional compulsory union dues for state and local government workers, because such payments violate the First Amendment.

Attorneys representing Janus from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (NRTWLDF) and the Liberty Justice Center (LJC) filed a writ of certiorari with the high court earlier this month. The NRTWLDFs William Messenger argued the Janus decision in 2018.

The writ was filed after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals denied Janus petition for the refund, saying the high courts decision didnt require repayment and calling the payment of dues as an exchange of money for services.

In its ruling, the high court declared compulsory union dues as unconstitutional, but the justices didnt address in their decision the issue of requiring refunds.

The Court did not get that far as to the repayment of the dues, NRTWLDF President Mark Mix told The Epoch Times on March 17. They basically said it was unconstitutional to extract this money, any money, from a government employee and then went on to say that the union or the government would have to get a signed waiver before they could take any money.

Mix said the high court didnt go back to the retroactive nature of the case, instead they went proactively to the future, and so this left open the question of whether there was the ability to go back and get money that was taken.

Nearly 6 million unionized state and local public employees in 22 non-right-to-work states are covered by the Janus decision, but unions representing them havent been eager to refund the money involved.

An AFSCME spokesman didnt respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Janus seeks the refund of $3,000 he paid in compulsory dues from 2013 to 2018.

The Supreme Court agreed that the union taking money from non-members was wrong, but the union still has the money it illegally garnished from my paycheck, said Janus in a statement issued by the NRTWLDF. Its time for AFSCME to give me back the money they wrongfully took.

Patrick Hughes, LJC president and co-founder, described Janus in the statement as just one of many public employees whose money was illegally taken by government unions. Workers across the country are rightfully asking for their money back.

It is time for the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on this issue and finally hold unions accountable for their years of unconstitutional behavior.

As an indicator of how much money is potentially involved if the Janus decision is comprehensively applied and refunds are granted to all the formerly forced union members requesting them, the NRTWLDF and the LJC are currently litigating more than 30 cases, including seven jointly, filed in response to the Janus decision.

The 30 cases collectively seek more than $120 million in refunds.

Mix told The Epoch Times that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has said the unions should have been on notice about the unconstitutionality of Abood because of the decisions that we won in 2012 and 2014.

The Supreme Court upheld the ability of a public employee union to compel membership in the 1977 decision of Abood v. Detroit Board of Education.

Now, as challenges to compulsory dues and refund demands proliferate in state and federal courts, Mix said unions have been using the so-called good-faith defense that while we collected this money, we were entitled to it, the statutes said we could and so forth.

But Mix said, the basis of the argument for the refund is that when a statute is ruled unconstitutional, federal courts must consider that it always was prior to the ruling.

The Supreme Court was clear in the case of Mark Janus in saying his rights were violated, so what kind of redress would there be. Obviously, the freedom going forward is pretty evident in the decision. The question is the damages of the past.

Mix acknowledged that federal district and circuit courts havent been receptive to litigation seeking refunds, but we hope that based on the Janus ruling and where we thought [the high court justices] were headed that they might take an interest in this again.

If Janus succeeds in getting a refund, Mix said NRTWLDF has two cases, one in Ohio and one in California, that have been certified for class-action status that involve real money, if theres relief, its real money, hundreds of millions of dollars.

A Feb. 19, 2019, study by the Manhattan Institute about the response to the Janus ruling found that state and local government worker unions have lost revenues, but new state laws, executive orders, and court decisions have restricted the access and ability of outside groups to communicate with public employees about their legal rights.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc.
Madhya Pradesh: Governor well within his right to order floor test

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has refused to take a floor test claiming that he has a majority. The Governor has directed that a floor test be taken on two occasions, but the same has not been adhered to.

Experts that OneIndia spoke with say that the Governor is well within his right to order a floor test. If the Governor has the required material and believes that a government is in minatory, then a floor test can be ordered.

Further the decision by the Speaker to abruptly adjourn the House until March 26 was incorrect, experts believe. If the Governor feels that the the government does not have the required numbers, then it is his constitutional obligation to order a floor test. The Speaker of the House will have to adhere to that decision.

The Supreme Court too has on various occasions said that if the Governor feels that a government is in minority he or she must order the convening of the assembly and order a floor test. In the S R Bommai case the Supreme Court had said that the fate of any government shall be decided on the floor of the House. The Governor will have to call for a floor test to test the numbers, the court had also said.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

MP Crisis: Kamal Nath meets Governor, says govt in majority; rules out floor test

Kamal Nath in this case has defied the order of the Governor. The Governor can decide the date and time when the floor test has to be held and the decision must be abided by the Speaker as well as the Chief Minister.

With Kamal Nath remaining defiant, the Supreme Court will now take a call. The court will hear petitions filed by BJP leaders seeking a floor test. Similar scenarios had emerged both in Karnataka and Maharashtra. The Supreme Court ordered that the floor test be held to test the numbers of the respective parties.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 7:27 [IST]
Ride-hailing startup Gojek raised $1.2 billion, bringing total funding for its Series F round to nearly $3 billion, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

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The company, which is based in Indonesia, provides a wide range of services, from rides to payments to food delivery.

Gojeks investors include Google, Tencent Holdings and Visa. The company first raised money with its $2 million Series A in December 2014, and has more than $4.5 billion in funding, according to Crunchbase.

The financing deal was finalized over the past week, Bloomberg reported. Its an impressive sum that comes as the world economy feels the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. stock market, for example, has sunk and investors have suggested that there will be a slowdown in venture capital funding.

Were not stopping there as we are still seeing strong demand among the investment community to partner with us, co-CEOs Andre Soelistyo and Kevin Aluwi wrote in an internal memo to employees, which was obtained by Bloomberg. There are a number of exciting ongoing conversations that we will be able to update you on very soon.

Gojek competes perhaps most notably with Singapores Grab, another ride-hailing giant thats trying to be the everything in one app with rides, payments, food delivery and other services. Grabwhich has nearly $10 billion in funding, according to Crunchbaseand Gojek were reportedly in talks about a merger, though Gojek denied it, according to Bloomberg.

Illustration Credit: Li-Anne Dias
WASHINGTON  When Deborah Frank Feinen, the mayor of Champaign, Ill., drafted an emergency powers declaration last Thursday to confront the coronavirus pandemic, she was proud of her citys early preparation. But by the time she got to work the next morning, the National Rifle Association had blared a national alert saying anti-gun extremists were moving to undermine our firearms freedom.

The city government was soon under siege.

We were talking about how to get food to kids when schools were closed, and suddenly Im getting Facebook messages about how Im violating the Constitution and taking away peoples rights, Ms. Feinen said in an interview. Now, in addition to working on plans for fire and police departments, emergency supplies, and helping small businesses weather state-mandated closures, Im obsessively looking at my email, checking for threats.

Keen to defend President Trump from criticism and portray virus-related warnings as politically motivated fear-mongering, conservative organizations, media and Trump loyalists are undermining state and local government efforts to convey accurate information and protect their constituents.

An NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll conducted last week found that 81 percent of Republican voters said Mr. Trump has done well in handling the coronavirus crisis, and 84 percent of Democrats said the opposite. More than half of Republicans  54 percent  worried that government will go too far in responding to the crisis, while just 31 percent of Democrats did, according to the poll.
The Superior Court of Alameda County on Monday said it is requesting an emergency order from the state Supreme Court that would close all its courthouse locations to the public through April 7 in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus shelter in place order in the Bay Area.

Under the request, current temporary restraining orders would be extended by 30 days. Requests for new restraining orders would be accepted at a drop box at the Hayward Hall of Justice, court officials said.
Hand sanitizer is a hot commodity right now.

We all know the advice: Wash your hands often with soap and water to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. When you can't, use hand sanitizer.

But actually finding hand sanitizer anywhere is another story. Bottles of Purell and other sanitizers are few and far between on store shelves, and if you do manage to come across a solution with at least 60% alcohol, chances are it has a hefty price tag.

Enter liquor distilleries.

Distilleries are stepping in to help combat the hand sanitizer shortage by using the alcohol in their facilities to create their own alcohol-based solutions. Some are packaging it in small bottles while others are encouraging people to bring in their own containers for refills.

Old Fourth Distillery in Atlanta started making hand sanitizer and distributing it for free on Thursday.

"Due to the recent reports of outages and low supply in our community, We have decided to provide hand sanitizer free of charge to anyone in need. Made with aloe vera gel and 95% ethanol," the business wrote in an Instagram post last week.

"This is no substitute for washing your hands but in a pinch it will get the job done. Available at the Distillery starting March 12th at 5pm. If you have a container please bring it and we will be happy to fill it!"

But even that has run out.

Old Fourth Distillery's solution has been so popular that by Saturday, its supply of homemade sanitizer had been cleared out. The business said in another Instagram post that it was expecting another shipment of ingredients on Monday and would resume production after.

Moonrise Distillery in Clayon, Georgia, is making hand sanitizer using botanical gin infused with natural aloe vera.

"We are a community of huggers and hand shakers and we want to do our part to keep that warmth around but in as safe a manner as possible," the business wrote in a Facebook post over the weekend. "While washing hands with soap and water remains the best solution we hope the sanitizer will help when that is not possible."

Both Old Fourth Distillery and Moonrise Distillery said they were accepting donations to offset the costs of making the hand sanitizers.

Durham Distillery in Durham, North Carolina, is helping out its colleagues in the hospitality industry who are in need of sanitizing solution. The distillery developed a sanitizing solution of about 70% ethanol and distilled water and is donating it to hospitality workers so that they can wipe down high-touch surfaces like door handles and sink faucets, it said in a statement.

Shine Distillery in Oregon said last week that it was handing out free hand sanitizer while supplies last.
LAWRENCE -- When a partial fossil specimen of a primordial marine worm was unearthed in Utah in 1969, scientists had a tough go identifying it. Usually, such worms are recognized and categorized by the arrangement of little knobs on their plates. But in this case, the worm's plates were oddly smooth, and important bits of the worm were missing altogether.

Discouraged, researchers placed the mystery worm in a "wastebasket" genus called Palaeoscolex, and interest in the lowly critter waned for the next 50 years.

That all changed recently when Paul Jamison, a teacher from Logan, Utah, and private collector, and his student Riley Smith were hunting fossils in the Spence Shale in Utah, a 506-million-year-old geologic unit housing a plethora of exceptionally preserved soft-bodied and biomineralized fossils. (Paleontologists call such a mother lode of fossils a "Lagerstatte.") There, Smith discovered a second, more thoroughly preserved example of the worm.

Eventually, thanks to Jamison's donation, the new fossil specimen arrived at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, where Anna Whitaker, a graduate student in museum studies, researched and analyzed the worm with scanning electron microscopes, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry and optical microscopy.

At last, Whitaker determined the worm represented a new genus of Cambrian sea worm heretofore unknown to science. She's the lead author of a description of the worm just published in the peer-reviewed paleontological journal PalZ.

"Before the new species that we acquired there was only one specimen known from the Spence Shale," she said. "But with our new specimen we discovered it had characteristics that the original specimen didn't have. So, we were able to update that description, and based on these new characteristics -- we decided it didn't fit in its old genus. So, we moved it to a new one."

Whitaker and her colleagues -- Jamison, James Schiffbauer of the University of Missouri and Julien Kimmig of KU's Biodiversity Institute -- named the new genus Utahscolex.

"We think they're closely related to priapulid worms that exist today -- you can find them in the oceans, and they are very similar to priapulids based on their mouth parts," Whitaker said. "What's characteristic about these guys is that they have a proboscis that can evert, so it can turn itself inside out and it's covered with spines -- that's how it grabs food and sucks it in. So, it behaved very similarly to modern priapulid worms."

While today, Utah is not a place you'd look for marine life, the case was different 506 million years ago, when creatures preserved in the Spence Shale were fossilized.

"The Spence Shale was a shelf system, and it's really interesting because it preserves a lot of environments -- nearshore to even deeper offshore, which is kind of unusual for a Lagerstatte, and especially during the Cambrian. These animals were living in kind of a muddy substrate. This worm was a carnivore, so it was preying on other critters. But there would have been whole diversity of animals -- sponges, and trilobites scuttling along. We have very large, for the time, bivalve arthropods that would be predators. The Spence has a very large diversity of arthropods. It would have looked completely alien to us today."

Whitaker hopes to complete her master's degree this spring, then to attend the University of Toronto to earn her doctorate. The description of Utahscolex is Whitaker's first academic publication, but she hopes it won't be her last. She said the opportunity to perform such research is a chief reason for attending KU.

"I came for the museum studies program," she said. "It's one of the best in the country, and the program's flexibility has allowed me to focus on natural history collections, which is what I hopefully will have a career in, and also gain work experience in the collections and do research -- so it's kind of everything I was looking for in the program."

While ancient sea worms could strike many as a meaninglessly obscure subject for such intense interest and research, Whitaker said filling in gaps in the fossil record leads to a broader understanding of evolutionary processes and offers more granular details about the tree of life.

"I know some people might say, 'Why should we care about these?'" she said. "But the taxonomy of naming all these species is really an old practice that started in the 1700s. It underpins all the science that we do today. Looking at biodiversity through time, we have to know the species diversity; we have to know as correctly as we can how many species there were and how they were related to each other. This supports our understanding of -- as we move into bigger and bigger, broader picture -- how we can interpret this fossil record correctly, or as best we can."

###
By Jackson Hogan

Everything is new and improved at the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program east of Bend after a recent $11 million upgrade and expansion.

The cafeteria is larger and equipped with the latest fridges and equipment. Students now have individual showers, compared to prior years where they'd huddle 10 at a time in group showers. And the building added a new wing, so the student capacity in the tuition-free statewide alternative school nearly grew by nearly 90 students.

But because of Gov. Brown's orders last week to close all K-12 schools due to the growing threat of COVID-19, the disease caused by the spreading new coronavirus, no students remained in the improved facility by Saturday.

The school is a military-style residential high school for at-risk students from all over the state.

The program's staff have stuck around. Social distancing isn't hard when you work in a massive, remote building, said Dan Radabaugh, the program's director.

"Its a 70,000-square-foot facility, so weve got lots of room to spread out," he said Monday. "We're just trying to keep staff employed at this time."

Last week, Radabaugh said the renovation added 7,000 square feet to the existing building. This will allow the program, which is associated with the National Guard, to host 84 more students per term, for a total capacity of 240 students per class.

The expansion also allowed the program to hire 35 more staff members, from teachers to counselors to cooks, Radabaugh said.

"Every department got plussed up to manage the amount of kids coming through the program," he said last week.

The program accepts students throughout Oregon. The students live at its High Desert campus east of Bend for 22 weeks, where they are put through a rigorous academic schedule during which students earn nearly two years worth of high school credits.

The building's renovation began in the fall of 2018, paid for with bonds from both the Oregon Legislature and the National Guard. The renovation was already complete for the new class of students who arrived in January, according to David Sutterfield, who oversees recruitment and mentorship for the program.

The improved building is clean and modern, but still no-frills and minimalist.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference is in the bathrooms. They've doubled in size and now have individual, rather than group, showers. This was a huge plus for Carlos Harpole, an 18-year-old student from Bend who saw the old facilities while visiting for orientation last fall.

"There were like 10 people in a group (last year), you had to shower together," he said. "Now, we just have curtains and dividers, so its more personal.

The improved campus is also more energy efficient. Solar panels were added, along with water-saving faucets and LED motion-sensor lights.

"Makes it cost less for the tax payers and it makes our facility more green," Sutterfield said of the improvements.

Other improvements include a new teacher's area with a lounge and conference room, more office space for the program's staff, and three new classrooms, to bring the total to six learning spaces. The old classrooms didn't even have doors, something the remodel fixed, Sutterfield said.

The renovated building was named after recently deceased State Sen. Jackie Winters, who was instrumental in securing state funding for the renovation, Radabaugh said.

"She was such an advocate for the program," he said. "Every time wed go to the capitol, shed invite the kids into her office and sit down, spend some time with them.

But for the moment, these new classrooms and facilities won't be used by students again until April 1 at the earliest, due to Gov. Brown's orders.

Radabaugh said remote learning would be very difficult for the program's students. But teachers did send them home with assignments and their phone numbers, he said.

All of Central Oregon's school districts will be providing free meals to students this week, to help students who normally rely on free or reduced meals at school. For the Youth Challenge students, their opportunity to receive free food will likely depend on their hometown school district, Radabaugh said.

At the moment, the Youth Challenge staff are still figuring out what happens next if schools stay closed past April 1, according to Radabaugh.

Theres just so many unknowns, Radabaugh said Monday. "But we are determined to give these cadets their education and what they signed up for.

--Jackson Hogan, The Bend Bulletin

Are you an Oregon parent who would like to speak to a local education reporter about school closures or other ways the novel coronavirus has affected your family? We want to hear from you.

This article was originally published by Jackson Hogan of The Bend Bulletin, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving heath issue.
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
Shoppers queue with trolleys full of supplies during a panic coronavirus buying surge in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday (March 15). The country has seen a surge in Covid-19 case in recent days raising fears of a lock down and food shortages. There have been 114 cases and one death since the outbreak began. Foods such as instant noodles, sauces and canned food have disappeared from the shelves in many supermarkets as many shoppers seek to plan for shortages. Thai leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha responded to the panic buying by appealing for calm "We are not at a stage where we need to stockpile food," he said.
During an NAACP emergency virtual town hall this week, former presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., implored people of color to support a Senate bill that would provide paid sick leave for all workers during the coronavirus outbreak.

"Two-thirds of low-income workers don't have paid sick leave," Harris said. "Forty percent of these workers are black or Latino. People shouldn't have to choose between staying home and taking care of their babies.

"Please join me in putting pressure on the U.S. Senate and Mitch McConnell, the leader, to say we cannot delay to have this vote," Harris said.

The Coronavirus Emergency Bill, which passed the House on Saturday, offers free testing, food assistance, unemployment benefits and some paid leave to the most vulnerable workers. President Donald Trump has said he supports the bill and the Senate is expected to pass it this week. Trump declared a national emergency on Friday as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States passed 5,000 and the death toll climbed to at least 100.

Some 20,000 callers listened by teleconference to the town hall that featured Harris, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and other health, policy and religious leaders speak about the impact of the coronavirus on communities of color.

Harris was the first speaker to mention the government's response to Hurricane Katrina as a cautionary tale, reminding callers that after the storm hit New Orleans in 2005, desperately needed assistance to the black and poor community arrived late. Such inequitable treatment has now resulted in many people not trusting government officials and the medical system, Harris and others said.

Image: Jerome Adams (Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images)

"I hope I can earn your trust," Adams told the town hall audience of callers, offering a brief bio as proof that he understands vulnerability.

"I grew up in a rural white community. My brother is incarcerated. I take eight medications and my mother had a major stroke last year," Adams said. "Personally, I have faith I was put where I was needed. I promise you I am in there fighting for people disadvantaged like me and my family were growing up." Adams suffers from asthma and other chronic health conditions, according a spokesperson for the Surgeon General.

Story continues

New York, Los Angeles and Washington state have all announced that public buildings will be shut temporarily. And on Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that no gatherings of 50 people or more be held, including sporting events, weddings, concerts and festivals, to slow the spread of the virus.

During a question-and-answer session, "Ryan of Denver" asked, "When will we start testing everyone?"

Adams admitted that testing "has not gone as we would like for it to have gone." But he explained, "It is important to understand our health care system and the CDC was never designed to have a government-led testing of hundreds of thousands of people."

The surgeon general said testing will increase over the next week or two. "We will have more hospitals and commercial and private labs providing testing on a local level. I believe we are at a turning point."

The speakers repeatedly said the bill in Congress offering free testing and paid sick leave should be considered just "a beginning" in addressing the needs of fragile communities, where there are long-term challenges with food insecurity, transportation and health care.

"For the NAACP, we are most concerned with the most vulnerable in our community," said the organizations president, Derrick Johnson. "In addition to that, we are concerned with the equity as we see the recovery roll out."
France has deployed 100,000 police and set up checkpoints across the country as the country begins a 15-day lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The army has also been ordered to assist with efforts, transporting infected patients to alleviate saturated hospitals.

Under the new measures, which went into effect at midday on Tuesday, people are only permitted to leave their homes to buy food or medicine.

Certain workers are also allowed to travel but will need to carry a sworn statement detailing their journey and the nature of their work, while exercise is also permitted if done alone.

All non-essential public places have also been closed, including shops, restaurants and cafes.

In a televised address on Monday evening, French president Emmanuel Macron said that anyone flouting the regulations would be punished.

Never before in history has France had to take such exceptional measures in a time of peace, he said.

We are not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress... We are at war.

Fines of between 38 and 135 will be imposed, according to interior minister Christophe Castaner, who urged people to stay at home.

A queue for a supermarket stretches for hundreds of metres in Paris, France, ahead of the midday lockdown, 17 March, 2020 (The Independent)

Supermarkets and pharmacies experienced shortages in the hours before the lockdown, leading to long lines at shops that remained stocked.

Toilet paper, pasta and bread were among the items that were unavailable in stores throughout the capital on Tuesday morning.

Paris bistros emptied their refrigerators and gave away any supplies that would spoil before the lockdown lifts, as businesses prepared for a prolonged period without customers.

Mr Macron announced a 300bn relief package for businesses affected by the lockdown, which is expected to pass through parliament in the coming weeks.

No French company, whatever its size, will be exposed to the risk of collapse, he said.
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(Bloomberg) -- European leaders attempted to prepare their citizens for the unprecedented trials ahead as comprehensive curbs on national life come into force to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Government chiefs will hold another emergency telephone call later on Tuesday to discuss closing borders and other efforts to combat the spread of the virus as many governments across the region meet to sign off on measures to protect their economies and businesses from collapse.

Late Monday, France said it will guarantee up to 300 billion euros ($335 billion) of bank loans to companies in an effort to bolster virus-hit firms. The country followed Germanys lead, which on Friday announced plans to lend as much as 550 billion euros to shore up Europes economic engine.

Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe, approved a 25 billion-euro ($28 billion) package to support its strained health system while helping businesses and families. The countrys latest measures range from suspending tax payments to helping cover layoffs to mortgage relief, as a nationwide lockdown weighs on the already sluggish economy.

Were trying to build a dam to protect workers and families, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said. This is a European challenge which has to involve collaboration, the premier said in an appeal for more coordination.

In a series of public addresses Monday night, the leaders of countries from Finland to Germany sought to convince populations of the need for restrictions on their daily lives ranging from school and workplace closures to the shuttering of non-essential shops and services. Alongside efforts to prepare national populations for sacrifice, the European Union was battling to maintain cohesion as the crisis threatens to tear at the blocs bonds.

We are at war, President Emmanuel Macron said in an address to the French people on Monday evening, making the case for national unity in the face of shared sacrifice. Hotels and taxis will be requisitioned for health workers, all proposed reforms, including his controversial pension overhaul, are to be halted, while the government will ensure that no business is allowed to fail. Bank loans will be guaranteed for companies and a solidarity fund created for workers affected by the fallout of the virus containment.

Story continues

Uneven efforts to stem the pace of infections have revived border checks between European Union member states and suspended the normal free flow of goods and people -- one of the key pillars of European integration. In a bid to coordinate efforts, the European Commission proposed a halt on travel to and from the bloc, while admitting the measure may have little real impact on the spread of the virus.

In the social sphere, Macron announced a ban on all meetings in public spaces, calling for solidarity and responsibility after people had been seen congregating in parks, restaurants and bars, posing a risk to themselves and to others. Only necessary trips outside such as for grocery shopping or for physical exercise will be allowed, with sanctions on those who dont adhere to the rules, he said.

The crisis will have major human, social, economic consequences, and France will need to adapt, Macron said. One thing is certain: the more we work together, and fast, the better we will overcome this challenge.

Some key parts of Italys latest decree, which hasnt officially been published yet, include a new state-controlled company to take over bankrupt airline Alitalia, a 5 billion-euro package of loan guarantees and funds to avoid a credit crunch, funding for the stricken healthcare sector and reimbursement for childcare. The state will have the right to seize hotels or other buildings to use as temporary healthcare facilities.

Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri said a further economic stimulus package will be approved next month. La Stampa reported Tuesday that it could be worth as much as 30 billion euros.

New Epicenter

The lockdown that began in Italy has now extended to most of the rest of the continent, and markets continued their downward spiral on Tuesday after European stocks ended at their lowest level in seven years. Governments imposed a series of measures constricting Europes way of life that have been unseen in 75 years of peace time, reflecting the continents status as the new epicenter of the virus that first ravaged Asia.

Germanys federal government agreed on guidance with the countrys 16 states that will see public life grind to a halt in Europes biggest economy. Closures include bars, clubs, theaters, cinemas, museums, trade fairs, gyms and swimming pools  even brothels. Shops and services such as supermarkets, delivery services, banks and post offices are excluded. Gatherings in churches, mosques and synagogues will be stopped. Restaurants may stay open from 6am to 6pm; overnight stays for tourism will be halted.

These are measures that weve never before seen in this country, and of course theyre drastic, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin on Monday evening. But they are necessary right now to reduce the number of contacts. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the virus impacts could last through May.

Germany on Tuesday issued a travel warning for the rest of the world and will spending 50 million euros to bring its citizens back home.

Eastern Spat

The closing of borders has already triggered a diplomatic spat. The EUs Baltic members -- Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- sent diplomatic letters to Poland after hundreds of their citizens trying to travel home were stranded at the Polish-German border despite an earlier pledge by Warsaw to let them through.

Negotiations continue for a fourth day, we are reaching out to the Poles on every possible front, said Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis. But theres no explanation. The Poles have likely decided to keep their country isolated.

Read more: Halt Travel to Fight Coronavirus? The Pros and Cons: QuickTake

To the south, Austrian TV reported queues of cars backed up for at least 10 kilometers (six miles) at the frontier with Hungary, recalling the long waits at border crossings that dominated before the EUs 11 ex-communist members started joining in 2004. Since midnight, Bulgarians and Romanians were denied entry to transit Hungary on their way home from other EU states.

Most countries in the EUs eastern wing, a region thats home to more than 100 million people, imposed strict measures -- including demands that people avoid unnecessary forays in public, closing schools, social venues and businesses, and imposing limits on who can cross their borders -- last week.

Historic Task

Here are some of the other measures in Europe:

Portugal and Spain announced that they would close their shared border and suspend all air and rail links to tourists. The border would remain open for the transport of goods.Finland began preparations to invoke emergency powers, allowing the government to close borders, schools and universities, and limit public gatherings to 10 people. It also unveiled 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) worth of measures to help the economy.The Greek government announced that all shops will be closed from Wednesday except for essential services. Covid-19 cases in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus meanwhile rose to 46.In Switzerland, the government declared a national emergency and closed restaurants, fitness clubs and other public establishments. Travel from immediate neighbors Germany, France and Austria will also be limited to people commuting for work or who live in Switzerland, a rule already enacted for Italy.The Netherlands is adopting a stance similar to the U.K. by avoiding a total lockdown, drawing criticism for late closing of schools to prevent the spread.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in a rare emergency address, said that it will take more than a year for the virus to run its course through the population and the economic consequences of complete isolation would be too great.

The task we face is very large, Rutte said. The reality is that the coronavirus will be among us for some time.

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Toorak Primary School will be closed for the next fortnight after a teacher tested positive to coronavirus.

The Education and Health departments spent Tuesday tracking down people who may have been in contact with the teacher.

Education Minister James Merlino. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Earlier in the day, Education Minister James Merlino said the school would shut down for 24 hours and that a decision about extending the closure or requiring more people from the school community to self-isolate will be made late on Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The Health Department and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton have since recommended the school be closed for a fortnight as a precaution.
Gogoi too formidable to be ruffled by sickening behaviour of politicians trapped in political disarr

TMC moves privilege motion against Justice Gogoi, says he is in contempt of Rajya Sabha

Will reveal why I accepted after swearing-in: Former CJI Gogoi on RS nomination

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Mar 17: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday said he would soon reveal why he accepted the nomination to the Upper House.

"I'll go to Delhi probably tomorrow. Let me first take the oath then I will speak in detail to the media that why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha," Gogoi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

"I have accepted it since I have a strong conviction that the legislative and the judiciary must at some point of time work together for nation-building. My presence in parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa," he said.

Do nominated members of Rajya Sabha have voting rights

The appointment of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind has raised many eyebrows, with several opposition parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and AIMIM, claiming that Gogoi's nomination to Upper House of Parliament was quid pro quo.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the move, saying that it will have repurcussions of the move on independence of the judiciary.

AAP MLA Raghav Chadha also raised question over Gogoi's appointment and said that it will set a bad precedent and cause huge loss to the independence of judiciary.

Gogoi was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Kovind on Monday (March 16). The notification said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of Article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to nominate Shri Ranjan Gogoi to the Council of States to fill the vacancy caused due to the retirement of one of the nominated member."

Ranjan Gogoi, who retired on November 17, 2019, served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from October 3, 2018, to November 17, 2019.

Is Justice Gogoi the first former CJI to make it to the Rajya Sabha?

Gogoi will be remembered for several historic decisions during his tenure, including key verdicts in highly-sensitive disputes like the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid title dispute case, the 'Entry of women to Sabarimala Temple', the Rafale deal and the Assam NRC dispute.

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 16:56 [IST]
OAKLAND (BCN)

A Hayward resident was sentenced in federal court in Oakland Monday to four years in prison for acting as an agent of the People's Republic of China.

Xuehua Peng, also known as Edward Peng, 56, acted as a courier by picking up digital memory cards hidden in hotel rooms in Newark, Oakland and Georgia and flying with them to Beijing on five occasions between 2015 and 2018, according to court documents.

In four of the transactions, known as "dead drops," he left payments of $10,000 or $20,000 provided by China for the unnamed person who left the cards.

The unnamed collaborator was actually a double agent working for both China and the United States. All of the transactions as well as a preliminary test run at a Newark hotel were surveilled and in some cases videotaped by the FBI, and the information on the cards was carefully chosen by the government, according to a criminal complaint filed in September.

FBI agent Spiro Fokas wrote in the complaint, "At all times, the government carefully selected the classified information for the Source and were aware of the materials that the Source passed."

Peng pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam in November to one count of acting as an agent for a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. He was sentenced by Gilliam, who also imposed a fine of $30,000, the amount that Peng admitted being paid by the Chinese government.

The four-year sentence was agreed to by the prosecution and defense when Peng pleaded guilty.

Defense attorney Edward Swanson wrote in a sentencing brief that Peng "deeply regrets his actions." Peng was raised in China and has degrees in mechanical engineering and traditional Chinese medicine. He migrated to the U.S. in 2000 and became a citizen in 2012, according to the brief.

Peng admitted in his plea agreement that he was recruited by a Chinese official during a business trip to China in 2015, according to U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons.

In several of the dead drops, Peng taped an envelope containing the $10,000 or $20,000 to the underside of a drawer in the hotel room. He then departed and left a key for the double agent at the front desk. Within a few hours, the agent would pick up the money and leave a memory card, which would then be retrieved by Peng, according to the complaint filed in September.

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First responders are trying minimize the spread of the coronavirus, and theyre now taking additional precautions. Ambulance services like Kunkel are completely sanitizing every piece of equipment after every call. Kunkel Ambulances Director Vinny Faraone says its just the first of many steps taken.

"We sanitize in between patients you know, so people shouldnt be concerned. Again what the public needs to understand is we take this very serious because we want to protect ourselves also. By protecting ourselves, were protecting the public."

Fire Departments in Utica and Rome are asking asking 911 callers who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to meet outside of their home or place of business when possible. First responders are sending the same amount of personnel to a scene, but if they can, only one person is making direct contact with a patient. Faraone says the screening process is becoming more intense as well.

"Were sending the ambulance provider in communication with every receiving hospital, so the hospital can ask specific questions. Then hospitals will determine which door were going to use, and what procedures are going to be followed there."

First responders will be wearing full body suits if there is a confirmed coronavirus case, but are now using face shields to protect from pathogens entering the eyes and nose. It may sound bad, but these are the people that are more likely to come into direct contact with an infected patient.

"They just really need to not panic, be smart, wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands, and avoid as much contact as you possibly can. If we suspect its any type of flu, were going to mask up at least. At minimal were going to mask up anyway, so as not to spread any germs. Were going to put a mask on patients, and patients should not be concerned."

There are more and more people wearing masks in public, but there is a right way and a wrong way to wear a mask. The mask should fit fairly tight all the way around the face, with the blue side facing out if youre trying to protect YOURSELF from germs, and the white side facing out if youre trying to protect people FROM GETTING the germs.
Esprit De Corps!

To us humans, some things are so scary they cause mass departure of bowel content into nice clean britches. This scary corona thing is, indeed, scary. Dont ask me, just go to the store and try and buy some toilet paper. People are scared. Nobody knows anything.

The concert industry, big time sports, schools, pretty soon big employers, restaurants, everything, all shutting down and milk and bread aint the first things to fly off the shelves this time around.

Its toilet paper!

This is nutty and crazy and as uncertain a time as I have ever seen. However, I pray I am correct in thinking its a mite overblown. Even before this virus thing, I knew people cant be counted on anymore these days for reasonable responses to scary stimuli. Look at the following Bernie Sanders has and tell me were okay.

There was a time, though, that you could have blind faith in people who may not have even liked you. Your buds? They had your back to the bitter end. I have lived through many an uncertain time but I had a quality generation around me and this story is of those days.

This would have been from the fall of 1972 through the spring of 1974. We were the final 7th grade class at Saints Peter and Paul and the first graduating class of All Saints Academy. Our school facility still stands and I had the opportunity to walk its halls about five years ago. The memories were palpable and fantastic and maddening and sad. The whole thing.

Last weekend, I went camping with one of my old partners in crime and he reminded me of an incident that is an excellent reflection of how far the ability of human beings to cope has spiraled downhill since then.

For me, the fall of 1972 was a very uncertain time. I went to Lookout Mountain Elementary School from kindygarten to the sixth grade. I made life long friends there, one who I still claim as my best friend today, and I was snug as a bug. But it all ended when it dawned on me that I would not be going to Baylor or McCallie and that all the girls I knew would be going to GPS. I would be different. Oh cry me a big river! you say but it was a big deal to this 12 year old. The building where I was going was old and dingy and none of the people there gave a gnat about how important I thought I ought to be. There were nuns. They could be pretty dang fierce. I was scared.

I, raised in too close for flatulence proximity to 11 brothers and sisters and schooled in a tight, everybody knew everybody environ, would know not nary a single soul at Saint Peter and Paul. It was Saint, not Saints to us. Lets be clear there. My brothers and sisters went there too but I flunked kindergarten and there was a gap between me and Ann so there was a gap at Saint Pete and Paul too. I did not want to be there. Ann had gone on to Notre Dame and I had never been alone before.

On my first day, Mickey Kwasnick and Fred Bowen laughed hysterically at my size 12 feet and too short bell-bottoms (floods) and my straight from the kitchen helmet haircut with bangs ala Mommy. I hated St. Peter and Paul before I got there and I hated it even more that first day.

When I got home Mom said, in a diplomatic and sweet way as always, something to the effect of Get over it. You sound like a spoiled brat. I wasnt getting anywhere with her and I dang sure wasnt gonna take it up with the ole man. This was it. I better get used to it. Besides, Mom said you already know people who go there. She meant those rednecks from Fairyland.

There actually were some kids from the Georgia side of Lookout (rednecks) who went to Saint Peter and Paul. I sort of watched from a distance for the first several weeks and I also got to know some other folks who werent from Lookout. I sort of started to relax a little and I got used to things and finally realized that if I didnt figure out how to fit in, I was missing out on a hell of a lot of laughing and cuttin up. So I greased myself in.

Before too long, I was hangin with Skip Mills, John Adamson, Tommy Boone and Keven Davis from Lookout and Matthew Quinion Davis (Kevins cousin- he being from a place he described as Quinions Dominion) and Mike Wagner of Signal. And then there was my boy Merle Smith from St. Elmo. Other folks were known as Red Man (he was a proud communist), Hemlock Flash (never ever saw this dude in a bad mood and he had an exceptionally good-looking little sister), Danny (played a wicked Wild Blue Flower), Kawasaki James and many others.

As it turned out, before Christmas I realized I was in a place called Heaven. I could not fathom going to school anywhere else in the world. I loved it. The old halls and dingy corners were my new home away from home.

And then it all changed. It seems that money was running short in the Catholic coffers and it was decided by God Himself that Saint Peter and Paul, a some black but mostly pearly white school, would merge with Saint Francis which was a 100 percent black school. My eighth-grade career, I feared, would be as a minor member of a racial minority. Black people were coming! It would be dangerous! Everybody knows blacks kill whites! Im gonna die!!!!

Then Fall of 73 rolled up and it wound up that pretty much everybody I knew from Saint Peter and Paul stayed on and went to what would be known as All Saints Academy in the old Notre Dame High School building. We white people were in no minority at all. Further, while there was a wall that took some time to dissolve (would you not be mad at whites if you were 13 and black in 1973?), it became most stupidly clear that these people were ordinary hormonal humans who happened to have brown skin. There were many more than I was used to but that sort of became a badge of honor. When white people asked me how I was able to stand it, it hurt my feelings. That was a brand new, hurtful, concept to me. I didnt say anything and I regret that.

Thomas, Dexter, Lori, Cheryl, Susan, Lisa June, Felicia and more and more. We white boys convinced a super cool dude to be our heavy weight wrestler. Lamont Johnson. He was biiiig and he was attracted to our use of Duncan YoYo's. Very quickly on, he could could demonstrate a perfect round the house or walk the dog with a Duncan Butterfly. We decided he should be a yoyo instructor. He agreed. In his best British accent, he said We shall call it YoYoing with Lamunte and it shall be televised! While the tension remained past Christmas, it was pretty much gone after that. One time when we came back from some PE thing, I had a Coke and Dexter was sucking wind. I handed him my drink and he took a mighty pull and handed it back. Thanks man! he said while I finished it off. Totally out of fear, I would not have offered a year before. Wow.

Dexter and company had become family and I recognized it: This was a very cool and special time in my life.

It was around then that we were told to assemble in our home rooms before lunch and I had braces on my top and bottom teeth. Every tooth had a metal thing on it that caught every piece of corn, green bean, tuna fish or apple I ate. Mom was a considerate angel and she always spared the folks at Doctor Nichols office that filthy scene by scheduling my ortho appointments before lunch.

Marsha Salter was from well north of the Mason Dixon and she was one tough cookie. She wasnt up there with the brutal nuns but she could definitely put the fear of God in you. She was our homeroom teacher and today she was late. As you can imagine, throw 30 or so hormonal kids into an unchaperoned classroom and it takes about 30 seconds for fireworks. She was five whole minutes late. Books, pencils, erasers, shoes, anything not bolted down became airborne. I and the boys from Fairyland started the whole thing. One of my chums was up by the door and I decided to get a chalk eraser and pack it up to the heavens with chalk dust for maximum effect and chuck it at him. I wound myself up hurled it with everything I had and as soon as I did so, he moved and the door opened and in walks Ms. Salter (pronounced Saltuh). My mind, body and soul screamed NOOOOOOOOOOO as the eraser in a perfect spiral slammed into her gut, spreading yellow chalk dust all over her Boston Yankee body.

SIT DOWN! she bellowed. We did and you could hear a pin drop. WHO THREW THIS???!!!! Dead silence. Everybody in the room besides Ms. Salter knew who threw it. I was in full blown Quilted Northern mode. NOBODY LEAVES THIS ROOM UNTIL I KNOW WHO THREW THIS ERASER!!! She had picked it up and was holding it in her chalky yellow hand, glaring at us from chalky yellow glasses. Nobody moved. Dead silence.

I finally raised my hand. She said Yes Glascock? I meekly said Miss Salter, I have a dentist appointment at 11:30 I need to get to. Can I go? Yes, Glascock, of course. You may go. I stood up and walked out, leaving my fate in the hands of the entire 8th grade class. Thirty or so people, any one of which could, and should, turn my lame self out to the dogs.

I went to the ortho. They cleaned my teeth and tightened my braces and told me to floss more and wear my rubber bands more and use my night retainer more and all I could think of was what I was walking back to. I wouldnt be smacked in the side of the head by Father Pack because he was rightly retired off with Saint Peter and Paul but I knew for certain that my old man would hear about it and Id rather get smacked with a brick by Father Pack. Oh man. The Northern Quilted situation transformed from potential for rapid expulsion to full blown retention. Everything got sucked back deep into my interior. Everything. I began to choke on my netherlies.

I approached the school quietly. I snuck past Sister Naomis office (she was the go go boots wearing principal) and eased down to the cafeteria where everybody was eating by now. I slid up to the Fairyland boys and they went berserk.

Glascock! You lucky piece of @#$%! Nobody said a word! Nobody? I asked? Not a word! I was utterly dumbfounded. Like any normal person whod been full body plastered with chalk dust Ms. Salter yelled and accused and did her dead level best to get a confession. ADAMSON! No maam. MILLS! Uh, no. Not me. WAGNER! BOONE! KING! WARE! DAVIS!! "DAVIS!!!" She went down the list of probables and then went for the unlikelies. Even the girls. One by one. The entire class. Nobody said a word and everybody knew I did it. This went on for a whole hour.

I could not believe my ears. It was the most divine display of brother/sisterhood you could ever imagine after only seven or so months when both sides were afraid they were gonna get killed by each other. How outstanding is that? I really do wish Id had the character to personally thank each and every one of my class mates; the first graduating class of All Saints Academy.

Many, many years later, John went to see Ms. Salter whod fallen ill. I am positive she was elated to see him. Really. He has charm, even when you want to smack him. If you are sick, this is the dude to cheer you up. Anyway, he goes to visit and they small talk about the old days and where everybody wound up and all. Then, in the waning moments of the conversation, John says Ms. Salter? It was Glascock. Without batting an eye, she immediately knew what he was talking about. She said AH GEEEZE! Glascock? Really? All these years I just knew it was Matt Davis!

BlahHaaah!!!!

One thing is for dang sure. None of my folks from the first graduating class of All Saints Academy have been hoarding toilet paper for this corona thing or any other crisis. By golly! Theyve got back bone! Character! Ill go to the front with em! Every dang one of em! Hail SAINTS!

ALL SAINTS FOREVER!

Savage Glascock
A homeless encampment under the 110 Freeway. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to temporarily stop enforcing a law requiring tents to come down during daytime hours, saying the change is needed to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Councilmen Mike Bonin, Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Gil Cedillo said the city must "urgently reevaluate" its policies for dealing with homeless encampments, given the virus threat.

By ensuring homeless Angelenos can remain in their tents, the city will reduce their chances of being around others and contracting the virus, said Bonin, who represents coastal neighborhoods.

"The only thing that is worse than having lots of people living in encampments is throwing them out of encampments and making them more vulnerable," he said.

Council members also voted to instruct city agencies to begin providing hand-washing stations, portable toilets, dumpsters, vermin-proof trash cans and weekly shower service at "major" homeless encampments. But they rejected a plan to stop confiscating the belongings of homeless Angelenos that exceed 60 gallons.

Bonin, Cedillo, Harris-Dawson and Councilman Herb Wesson favored such a move. The council's other 11 members, led by Councilman Joe Buscaino, voted to continue confiscating such items.

"There are tons of trash in and around different parts of the city of Los Angeles that I am very concerned about," said Buscaino, who represents a Watts-to-San Pedro district. "That is adding to filth and disease."

One business leader expressed relief that the council rejected the plan to stop confiscating belongings, saying such a move would have increased the spread of rats and disease in homeless encampments.

"We cannot make this health emergency any worse by allowing this accumulation to grow even larger," said Estela Lopez, executive director of the Central City East Assn., a downtown business group.

Los Angeles has about 36,000 homeless people, more than 27,000 of them unsheltered, according to the the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

Story continues

Under the city's current laws, tents on sidewalks and in other public areas must come down between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. In many parts of the city, the rule is not vigorously enforced.

Homeless advocates described the council's decision to keep tents and encampments in place throughout the day as a much-needed health and safety measure.

"The worst thing we can do is push people outside" of their tents, said Mel Tillekeratne, main organizer for the #SheDoes movement, which advocates for shelter for homeless women. "This is giving them a space to stay, rather than moving around in the community."

Tuesday's action still preserves the city's authority to require homeless residents to move their tents so that sanitation crews can clean sidewalks and remove hazardous materials, said Bonin spokesman David Graham-Caso.

The tent proposal was one of several emergency measures discussed at Tuesday's council meeting, the first since City Hall was closed to the public in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Council members also voted to impose new measures to shield tenants from evictions and seek new protections for workers at Los Angeles International Airport and elsewhere.

County officials have not identified any cases of COVID-19 among the homeless population so far, said Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the homeless services authority. When that happens, emergency management officials plan to have motels, hotels and other sites where they can be placed in isolation, she said.

Public health officials have also advised that homeless residents who are living in tents should be allowed to "shelter in place" in the coming weeks, Marston said.

"Obviously, if they want to go to a shelter we will facilitate that too," she said. "But they should not, in those circumstances, be told to take their tent down, especially if they're wanting to stay there, or exhibiting symptoms [where] they would need to have that tent remain up."

Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who represents the west San Fernando Valley, told Marston he is "extremely nervous" about that approach.

Someone sheltering in place in an encampment is a recipe for the entire encampment to come down with the virus," he said.

The proposal backed by the council would still require removal of tents that are within 10 feet of an operable driveway or if they block access for wheelchair users. It would also instruct city agencies to begin providing 24-hour access to restrooms at city libraries, parks, recreation centers and other public facilities.

The city will receive a report on the costs of providing those bathrooms  and adding more services at encampments  later this month, Graham-Caso said.

Theo Henderson, who lives in a park in Chinatown, said the move to allow tents to stay up during the day should continue even after the threat from COVID-19 has subsided.

Allowing unhoused residents to maintain their tents, he said, would protect them against other health threats.

Homeless people "are not just 18-to-24-year-olds with perfect health," said Henderson, who hosts the podcast "We The Unhoused."
YEREVAN.  The increase in the price of alcohol in Armenia is due to a change in tax legislation because there is a concept of "minimum price for alcohol" that has changed. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this on Facebook live Tuesday.

"The price increase is solely related to that, and there has been no price change before and after the coronavirus," he added. Secondly, I was reported that there was no change in the prices of alcogels before and after the coronavirus. There is a price change related to groceries (); this is related to the fact that people are making panicky purchases. It has already been said that stores, chains do not have any shortage of goods in warehouses.

I am told that the sales at large supermarket chains have grown by an average of 30-40%, whereas decreased in small kiosks. I want to urge you not to forget about small and medium-sized businesses.
SIOUX CITY -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday declared a statewide public health disaster emergency effective at noon that included limiting gatherings to 10 people and closing bars, restaurants, casinos and other businesses in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Reynolds said she took the extraordinary action in activating the public health response and recovery aspects of the state disaster emergency plan to slow the community spread of the virus that already has triggered 23 confirmed cases and likely will grow in the future.

The governor said her order takes significant steps to require social distancing and limit community spread of the virus by implementing temporary measures including moving restaurants to drive-through, carryout and delivery only and closures of certain entities such as bars and recreational facilities.

In Sioux City, scores of businesses were forced to quickly comply with the governor's order, which took effect at noon on St. Patrick's Day, ordinarily a busy time for many bars and restaurants.

For Mac Dolan, the timing couldn't have been worse. Dolan is a founder of Sioux City's St. Patrick's Day parade, which was canceled last week due to coroavirus worries.

Now, Dolan said he will be forced to close all four of his bars -- Work & Church, Crash Boom Bang Whiskey Hole, Martys Tap and Teasers Gentlemens Club -- and lay off all 70 of his employees.

We are closed for business, Dolan said Tuesday. "Thats not because we want to be. Its because we were ordered to close by the government...

"Im still in shock. I dont know what else to say.

The order, which took effect at noon Tuesday, imposes restrictions on gatherings larger than 10 people, restaurants, bars, fitness centers, adult day cares and casinos end March 31 unless changed, The overall health emergency remains in effect until 11:59 p.m. April 16, unless the governor terminates or extends the provisions.

Under the order, all restaurants and bars are closed to the public, but food and beverages may be sold on a carryout or drive-through basis if they are promptly taken from the premises or are delivered to customers off the premises. But that was little solace to bar owners like Dolan, who sell little or any food.

Other businesses closed by the governors order included all casinos, fitness centers, health clubs, health spas, gyms and aquatic centers; all theaters or other performance venues at which live performances or movies are shown.

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City shut down its 45,000-square-foot casino at noon Tuesday.

"The temporary closure of our casino is the best thing to do for our team members and guests," Hard Rock general manager Doug Fisher said in a statement. "Fortunately, we have not yet had any COVID-19 cases at the facility, though we feel it is important to take preventive steps to limit the risks of community spread."

The Hard Rock had announced Monday the casino would remain open, with more social distancing measures, but the hotel would temporarily close Tuesday.

WinnaVegas Casino, owned and operated by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska on reservation land near Sloan, Iowa, shut down Tuesday for a minimum of two weeks.

"Weve been planning ahead in the event this happened, WinnaVegas general manager Mayan Beltran said in a statement. "Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our staff, casino patrons, and hotel guests. Since the outbreak occurred, weve been diligent about cleaning and sterilizing the property above and beyond our normal cleaning protocol."

Grand Falls Casino Golf Resort announced the closure of the rural Lyon County venue on Monday, with the shutdown expected to last until at least March 31.

Reynolds' proclamation also allows state agencies additional flexibility in responding to the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, and supports the critical work of public health, the governor said in a news release.

These are unprecedented times and the state of Iowa will do whatever is necessary to address this public health disaster, she said. I have authorized all available state resources, supplies, equipment and materials to combat the spread of COVID-19, said Reynolds. The actions taken today are necessary to protect the health and safety of all Iowans and are critical to mitigating the spread of the virus.

Other impacted businesses include fitness centers, health clubs, health spas, gyms and aquatic center.

Prior to the governor's announcement, AMC at Southern Hills Mall and Promenade Cinema 14 in downtown Sioux City announced plans to close their movie theaters.

Some restaurants, including fast-food chains like McDonald's, had already started to limit sales to carryout and drive-thru. Other restaurants and bars will do the same as a result of Reynolds' order.

Marto Brewing Co., which has been open for less than a year on Fourth Street, rapidly changed the eat-in restaurant and sit-down taproom into a takeout place offering both food and craft beer growlers to customers on the go.

"Weve been telling customers that they can still order food online for pickup, owner Erik Martin said, a couple of hours after Reynolds' issued the order. We are also looking into delivering our food as well.

In Nebraska, Gov. Pete Ricketts on Monday announced public events and gatherings statewide will be limited to 10 people or fewer to prevent or control the spread of the coronavirus.

Ricketts said businesses can stay open and the crowd limit does not include grocery stores. In coming days, he said, restaurants may be limited to takeout service.

In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem said Monday she would not be calling for the closure of restaurants or bars in the state.

The Journal's Dave Dreeszen and Earl Horlyk and the Lincoln Journal Star's Don Walton contributed to this story.

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When Matt Hancock announced over the weekend that everyone over 70 in the UK would soon be asked to stay at home in order to protect themselves from the risk of contracting coronavirus, many of the 12 million people in this age group were taken aback.

The Health Secretary said they would need to self-isolate at home for up to four months, acknowledging that it was a very big ask  but saying it was part of the governments action plan because it would be necessary to protect them.

His terminology caused some confusion, leading Scottish officials to stress that elderly people would not be asked to avoid all contact with other people, but rather reduce social contact.

But whether it is termed self-isolation or reduced contact with others, the coronavirus outbreak looks set to affect this group in particular, and many over-70s are concerned about the governments approach and the mixed messages they say are being transmitted from ministers.

Professor Karol Sikora, a physician specialising in oncology who is in is 70s, said communication from the government on the issue had been appalling and accused ministers of playing it by ear.

Its not the age thats the cut-off, its the medical vulnerability of someone. People with lung problems, cardiac failure, diabetes, obesity, smokers, these are the people who are most vulnerable. Vulnerable people should avoid crowds, but there should be no age cut-off, he said.

The government strategy and their advice had been great until now, but its beginning to fall apart. This has not been thought through. They want to be seen to be doing something, but its not evidence based.

Asked about the impact such a measure would have on people over 70, including himself, Professor Sikora said: Ill go bonkers if I have to sit in my house for four months. My wife is 69 so until December she can go out with the dog but I cant. This is not logical.

Social isolation is a problem among our population in Britain. Many are already quite isolated. This would destroy their existing social network, which may be the pub, the shops, a lunch club. It would destroy all that completely and they would become more isolated. Its not worth it and its unenforceable.

Gay Harper, 78, who lives in Hammersmith and suffers from bronchiectasis, a lung condition, said she agreed that it was right for vulnerable older people like her to self-isolate, but accused the government of sending out too many mixed messages.

Gay Harper, 78, says the government should have been clearer on its plans before announcing that over-70s may be required to self-isolate (Gay Harper)

They shouldnt have made that announcement until they were absolutely clear what they meant by it. It read as though you would basically be locked in your flat. They should have been able to say exactly what it meant, given some guidelines, she said.

Ms Harper, who has a large family whom she is in regular contact with, added: Im lucky, because Ive got a nice flat which I like being in. Ive got social media and lots of family to FaceTime with. Im well stocked on food and things. I worry for those who dont have this.

She went on to express optimism at the efforts that have been shown within communities to reach out to older and more vulnerable people, saying: I think that the initiatives to look after people who might be in lock-down or are scared to go out are fantastic.

It makes me think yes, there will be people who are vulnerable and scared and lonely and feel isolated, but hopefully the community will look after these people.

Dee Tidman, 76, who lives with her husband Roger, 75, in Stourbridge in the West Midlands, said she was struggling to come to terms with the fact that she would have to stop taking part in many social activities she enjoys on a regular basis.

Im a very sociable person. I do something every day. My husband and I go ballroom dancing; I go line dancing with friends. Im certainly going to miss that. But I am socially distancing already, she said.

I didnt take it seriously until the middle of last week when someone died in our local hospital. Thats when I started to feel a bit scared. Things are changing so rapidly. Were all blind to whats going to happen."

Dee Tidman, 76, said she was already reducing her regular social activities (Dee Tidman)

Ms Tidman said over-70s who are still working, such as Mr Tidman, may be the ones that find it most difficult if the self-isolation measures are introduced: "My husband is still working full-time as an accountant, so itll hit him probably even more than me because his work keeps him going."

Jan Shortt, general secretary at the National Pensioners Convention, said the organisation had received feedback from many older people concerned about the possibility of the government recommending wide-scale self-isolation for those over 70.

She argued that any long period of isolation would inevitably lead to a downward trend in an older persons physical, mental and emotional health, and said resources must be in place to deal with such outcomes.

There are already those older people living in isolation without family or anyone else to check that they are well and help them if they are not. Others with long-term health conditions are being excluded from their GPs because they have been told to book an appointment online, said Ms Shortt.

There is a dilemma regarding the older generation and a balance to be had in the advice given about over 70-year-olds being in isolation for a long period of time. We believe older people are better placed to know their own health needs and will take decisions based on their personal situation.

The government need a strategy that puts money into the heart of communities (like local councils, local GPs, hospitals, clinics) to monitor those over 75 and ensure that their daily needs are met.

Professor Robert Dingwall, professor of sociology at Nottingham Trent University, who is a member of two of the expert groups that are advising the UK government on its coronavirus response, said the message needed an "injection of common sense".

He continued: "If you have a dog, take it out for walks  but dont stop to hang out with other dog walkers. If you usually walk down to the local convenience store, keep doing that  just pick a quiet time to do it.

"Maybe the supermarkets could be asked to set aside a morning each week  or a couple of hours every day  when their shelves will be fully stocked and entrance restricted to over 70s and necessary companions.

We do not need draconian and potentially inhumane interventions to achieve most of the collective goals here, just to consider some fairly basic social and behavioural science questions. Trusting individuals to make their own risk assessments and devise their own solutions is likely to achieve much more than arbitrary and confrontational exercises of state power. Self-isolation must not turn into self-imprisonment.
Update (9:10 p.m. EDT): The Deal of the Day discount for each product has concluded.

A trip to the gym wont be possible for the foreseeable future for anyone living in New Jersey, New York or Connecticut thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Phil Murphy, along with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamon, announced Monday morning that all gyms  as well as casinos, bars, restaurants and movie theaters  will be closed until further notice" beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday night.

LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES FROM NJ.COM

Luckily for residents of the tri-state area, Amazon has a couple Deals of the Day. that can help fill your workout quota.

First, theres the Bowflex Home Gym Series, a machine that allows users to exercise just about every muscle in the body. Originally priced at $700, it has been discounted 30% to $490.

Then, theres the Schwinn Upright Bike Series, which is also 30% off and now costs $350. The exercise bike has some customizable features and tracking options that should do the trick if you need to get those workouts in while at home  without breaking the bank.

If you dont need an all-in-one machine and just need specifics, heres a guide to purchasing equipment for a home gym while stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @briannnnf. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Airports in Cyprus will block the majority of direct passenger flights arriving on the Mediterranean holiday island starting from Saturday, the health ministry said as it battles the novel coronavirus.

For two weeks starting 3 am Cyprus time (0100 GMT) on Saturday, "flights to Larnaca and Paphos Airports are prohibited" from 28 countries, apart from cargo flights, said Minister of Health Constantinos Ioannou on Tuesday.

The countries listed include the United Kingdom and Greece.

The government said it would charter flights to repatriate Cypriots stranded in the UK and Greece.

The Mediterranean holiday island's toll of registered COVID-19 cases rose by four to 56 on Tuesday -- 49 in the Republic of Cyprus and seven in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus is divided between EU member the Republic of Cyprus and the northern third controlled by the TRNC, recognised only by Ankara.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PHOENIX - On Wednesday evening, a day after Sen. Bernie Sanders lost four states including Michigan in what he acknowledged was a setback for his presidential campaign, about 75 people squeezed into a sparsely furnished former co-working space to do what they could to keep his candidacy alive.

"Who here thinks we can actually win?" a Sanders staffer called out, as the room erupted in loud whoops and applause. "Just wanting that to happen isn't enough. We actually have to make this happen with our hands."

Already, Sanders supporters had knocked on thousands of doors around Arizona, and in the coming days, they would have to knock on thousands more, the staffer said, a show of force to prove that the race wasn't over. The campaign had just opened five new offices that day, including this one, where supporters could gather to phone bank and work to get voters out to the polls.

"Every single minute that you spend doing those things is going to be critical to us winning this primary," he said.

The mood was jubilant, the crowd revved up by a series of speakers who called on them to rise to the moment. "I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!" the group chanted, as Sanders aides signed up volunteers for canvassing shifts and trained them on the campaign's organizing app. On the wall hung a few handmade signs that seemed more cheerful than ominous: "WASH YOUR HANDS PLEASE," the phrase cast against cartoonish soap bubbles.

No one in the room anticipated what happened next. A little over 24 hours later, the office was empty and dark, the shades drawn on a presidential campaign that was still technically going, but over in the most traditional sense. Amid growing cases of coronavirus, Sanders, I-Vt., and former vice president Joe Biden had ordered their staffs and volunteers across the country to shutter field offices and end all in-person campaigning to curb the rapid spread of the illness.

In downtown Phoenix, the only reminder of that Sanders gathering on Wednesday was a single "Bernie" sign left waving in a flowerbed in front of the building.

And thus began the most surreal week of the presidential campaign - but especially in Arizona, a likely battleground state where Democrats have invested heavily to turn out Latino and Native American voters and appeal to suburban women unhappy with President Donald Trump in hopes of turning the state blue.

The past few days were supposed to busy with campaign events - the biggest of all being Sunday's debate, with Biden and Sanders set to face off at a theater in downtown Phoenix. But that was moved to CNN's studio in Washington amid health concerns, scuttling planned debate parties and Democratic rallies in what would have been the center of the political universe for at least a day.

The developments left the final days before the primary eerily absent of the campaign. On local television, the race continued - with dueling ads from the Biden and Sanders camps playing almost nonstop. But there were no candidates, no campaign surrogates, staffers or volunteers visible on the ground, even as life in the state largely continued as normal.

Though stores were wiped out of basic essentials such as hand sanitizer, toilet paper and canned goods, just as they were in other states, residents and visitors hardly changed their routines. Bars and restaurants were packed; malls and stores busy. Only Monday did crowds begin to thin out, apparently adhering to state and federal officials who advised Americans to socially distance from one another.

What all of this means for the campaign is still unknown. The Sanders team, which had planned dozens of local events around the state in recent days, moved everything online, including a debate watch party it planned for local supporters. Instead of gathering around a television in the Phoenix office, supporters joined a chat.

It also moved all of its organizing online - not only in Arizona but across the country, sending supporters to the official BERN app, where they could text and email voters, and to a campaign dialer, connecting volunteers to voters in upcoming primary states.

"These are unprecedented times. We're all trying to do organizing in a way, in a time when we're not allowed to have face-to-face conversations," Misty Rebik, the national director of organizing for the Sanders campaign, told supporters in a conference call Saturday. "I don't know that that's truly been done . . . but we are ready for it. We have been gearing up for this moment . . . even though we could not have foreseen that this was going to be coming in our direction."

Perhaps the biggest mystery of all: What will voting look like in the age of coronavirus? Amid growing concerns about the effect of the virus on the elderly, which make up a huge part of the population in greater Phoenix, local election officials shuttered planned voting sites at senior centers. And over the weekend, they scrambled again after state officials closed public school districts across the state, closing off access to school buildings that had been set to host polling locations.

Arizona officials pushed back against growing calls to delay the primary, including from Sanders supporters. They urged Democrats to cast their ballots early, pointing them toward emergency voting sites that opened Monday. Among them was Faith Lutheran Church on Camelback Road in central Phoenix, a church that had canceled its services indefinitely amid growing concern about a viral outbreak here, but opened its doors to voters anyway.

And on Monday, voters streamed in one-by-one, casting their ballots at what many described as a strange moment in democracy and for the country. Some were unsure whether to be worried about coronavirus; others said they worried that a severe outbreak was destined to happen, even as Arizona had largely escaped the brunt of cases so far. Almost all wondered what this would mean for voter turnout and expanding the electorate in an election where Democrats want to activate more voters.

"The odd thing that strikes me is the fact that most of the people who are downplaying the virus tend to be on the right, and most of the people who are playing it up on the opposite side," said Tiffany Kucifer, a 49-year-old nurse from Phoenix. "It makes me wonder if there will be fewer left voters because of health concerns or how much this will sway things and how this will impact turnout in the long term."

Kucifer, who voted for Biden, acknowledged what she described as an "unusual moment" facing the country. As a nurse, she said she was "concerned" about the virus but was trying not to be driven by fear. She had always planned to vote early and wasn't doing it to avoid the effect of coronavirus.

But arriving to drop off her early ballot on Monday, she acknowledged being more conscious about what she was touching, starting from when she had to turn the handle to open the door to enter the poll site to placing her ballot inside the box. "They had hand sanitizer right there, but then you turned around and had to try to open the door to get out," she said. When someone else opened the door to enter, she caught it with her foot, nudging it open and using her elbow to keep it open for the man behind her.

"I'm acutely aware of touching stuff all the time. . . . But it also occurs to me that you can't not touch stuff," Kucifer said. As she spoke to a reporter, she stood several feet away, practicing social distancing as much as she could. She was hoping that Arizona would miss the brunt of the virus, but as a medical professional, she knew the cases would soon likely increase as they had in other parts of the country.

The night before, she had ordered her husband to stay away from a poker game with his friends. She wondered whether she was being too dramatic or whether she wasn't being dramatic enough. The last few days had been so unusual.

"It's going to be interesting to see what happens," Kucifer said. "We're in for a ride."
DUBLIN, March 17, 2020 The "Advanced Materials Market Outlook & Projections, 2019-2027 (Updated)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global advanced materials market is anticipated to record a CAGR of 3.65% over the forecast period, i.e. 2018-2027.



Factors such as increasing research and development activities for advanced materials, followed by growing automobile industry and wide scale application of advanced materials in end user industries are anticipated to promote significantly towards the growth of the global advanced materials market.



According to the statistics by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), Greater China, Europe and North America registered the highest production of motor vehicles in the year 2016 with value of 28,413 thousand units, 22,090 thousand units and 18,299 thousand units respectively.



The advanced materials market consists of various segments that are segmented by product, end user and by region. The product segment is sub-divided into structural material, functional material and emerging material. Out of these, the structural material segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.72% over the forecast period. On the basis of end user, the buildings and construction segment is anticipated to hold the biggest market share and reach a CAGR of 2.47% during the forecast period, on account of construction of large number of buildings taking place in various regions across the globe.



Based on region, the global advanced materials market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. The market in North America is estimated to witness the highest CAGR of 4.74% over the forecast period, on account of factors such as automobile and aerospace industry witnessing significant growth in the region, apart from undergoing faster expansion over the past few years. Additionally, advanced technologies are being adopted on a larger scale, including abundant mineral resources present in the region that are helping drive the demand for advanced materials in the region.



The market in Asia-Pacific region had accounted for 59.1% of the market share in the year 2017 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.22% over the forecast period, with several industries being set up, in addition to growth in manufacturing activities being witnessed in the region. Moreover, the rapid rate at which urbanization had been affecting the region as well as industrialization taking place in Asian nations such as China and India are all anticipated to boost the growth of the market in the next decade.



Some of the key industry leaders in the global advanced materials market are Morgan Advanced Materials, Huntsman Corporation, Hexcel Corporation, Hanwha Advanced Materials, Perpetuus Advanced Materials, Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd., Tata Advanced Materials Ltd., 3M Company, Wolverine Advanced Materials and DowDuPont Inc.



Key Topics Covered



Global Advanced Materials Market



1. Introduction

1.1. Market Definition

1.2. Market Segmentation

1.3. Product Overview



2. Assumptions And Acronyms



3. Research Methodology

3.1. Research Process

3.2. Secondary Research

3.3. Primary Research

3.4. Market Size Estimation



4. Executive Summary - Global Advanced Materials Market



5. Recent Developments In Global Advanced Materials Market



6. Market Dynamics

6.1. Drivers

6.2. Restraints

6.3. Trends

6.4. Opportunities



7. Industry Risk Analysis

7.1. Demand Risk Analysis

7.2. Supply Risk Analysis



8. Market Size & Segment Analysis

8.1. Global Market Size And Forecast, 2017-2027

8.2. Global Advanced Materials Market Segmentation, 2017-2027

8.2.1. By Regions

8.2.1.1. North America Advanced Materials Market, 2017-2027F (Usd Million, Million Tonnes)

8.2.1.2. Europe Advanced Materials Market, 2017-2027F (Usd Million, Million Tonnes)

8.2.1.3. Asia-Pacific Advanced Materials Market, 2017-2027F (Usd Million, Million Tonnes)

8.2.1.4. Latin America Advanced Materials Market, 2017-2027F (Usd Million, Million Tonnes)

8.2.1.5. Middle East & Africa Advanced Materials Market, 2017-2027F (Usd Million, Million Tonnes)



Companies Mentioned

Morgan Advanced Material

Huntsman

Hexcel Corp.

Hanwha Advanced Materials

Perpetuus Advanced Materials

Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd.

& Co. Ltd. Tata Advanced Materials Ltd.

3M Company

Company Wolverine

DowDuPont

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/g4a2s3

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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A 23-year-old man who allegedly snatched the gold chain of a 40-year-old woman near Sion last week, was arrested from Mumbais Mankhurd locality after a four-day probe, police said Tuesday.

The accused who was released on bail three months ago in a similar case, had earlier been booked in around 20 cases of snatchings across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, police said.

Police said they had launched a probe after a woman named Sunita Hindurao Patil. lodged a complaint on March 11 that she was robbed while she was she was waiting in front of her sons school in Wadala.

The accused came near her on a motorcycle and snatched the gold chain she was wearing. He fled from the spot with the chain which is worth 30,000. Patil then approached the police station at Wadala Truck Terminal and registered a complaint, said Vidyasagar Kalkundre,senior police inspector, Wadala TT police station.

During the investigation, assistant police inspector Bhaskar Jadhav and his team members scanned CCTV footage in the vicinity of the crime scene.

With the help of technical evidence and local informants we traced the accused to Cheeta Camp near Mankhurd. We arrested him on Sunday and recovered the gold chain. He is in police custody for four days, said Jadhav.

Police said the accused identified as Shoeb Abdul Mateen Shaikh, has been a habitual chain snatcher from his childhood.

He has around 20 cases against him across Mumbai including Govandi, Jogeshwari, Navi Mumbai and Thame area. He was release three months ago in a case registered with Vashi police station. He spent the money from the robberies on drugs and lavish life, the police officer said.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will brief President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday evening regarding the government's preparedness to contain coronavirus (COVID-19).

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 pm.

Dr Vardhan on Sunday reviewed the status, actions taken by States, UTs, and their preparedness regarding prevention, containment, and management of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, with a total of 11 fresh cases, the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 125 on Tuesday, the Union health ministry said.

Today's tally includes 22 foreign nationals in the country. The country's highest tally of 36 cases is reported from Maharashtra which includes three foreign nationals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Airlines worldwide face an unprecedented existential threat as the coronavirus shuts down global travel, leaving governments with controversial and costly decisions about which carriers to bail out.

A toxic mix of fear, crippling travel bans and investor panic have pummelled the sector, with demand collapsing and carriers cutting flight capacity by up to 90 percent. One troubled airline, Britain's Flybe, has already gone to the wall and market analysts believe many more could follow.

"By the end of May 2020, most airlines in the world will be bankrupt," market intelligence firm CAPA has warned.

Even before US President Donald Trump effectively barred trans-Atlantic travel, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated the crisis would cost the industry $113 billion, or nearly 20 percent of its revenue this year.

The true figure now looks like being much higher. Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation analyst based in Singapore, said the global situation was "unprecedented".

"You can compare it to things like SARS or the global financial crisis, but I think it goes beyond that. No one really knows how long it will last and what the full impact will be."



Airlines are now sprinting to slash costs and bolster company war chests where possible -- laying off staff, cutting routes, renegotiating deals with suppliers and flying smaller, cheaper-to-run planes.

Australian carrier Qantas has cut international flight capacity by 90 percent and domestic routes by 60 percent. Similarly, British Airways is slashing capacity by 75 percent.

Meanwhile, Dutch national airline KLM plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, the CEO of Delta Air Lines has seen his salary cut to zero, and Lufthansa suspended dividends.

In an internal memo, Malaysia Airlines admitted the company was already in a "critical situation" and urged staff to take voluntary unpaid leave.

"Many airlines are now at risk of going bankrupt and Malaysia Airlines is no different," chief financial officer Boo Hui Yee wrote.

Against this bleak backdrop, previously hushed whispers about government bailouts have become panicked screams for help.

British airlines are said to have asked the government for more than $9 billion in support.

Trade group Airlines for America has called for a $50 billion bailout, more than triple the aid provided after the 9/11 attacks.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sector would come "top of the list" for relief.

But such substantial government help could prove deeply unpopular.

Many taxpayers are still bitter about Wall Street bailouts during the 2008 global financial crisis and a perceived "heads I win, tails you lose" corporate culture.

"The biggest US airlines spent 96 percent of free cash flow over the last decade to buy back shares of their own stock in order to boost executive bonuses and please wealthy investors," complained former US labour secretary Robert Reich.

"Now, they expect taxpayers to bail them out to the tune of $50 billion. It's the same old story." Airlines are already under the spotlight over their carbon emissions and sustainability.

And after years of shrinking legroom and charging for blankets, they frequently rank among consumers' most hated companies.

With major western economies heading for recession, governments may also struggle to triage requests for assistance.

"Airlines might be at the top of the list for directed fiscal help, but virtually every global industry is facing pressure without a government bailout," said Stephen Innes, a strategist at AxiCorp.

These companies are normally considered a vital strategic asset, underpinning tourism, trade, business contacts and large manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus or Rolls-Royce.

In countries like Australia or South Africa -- which has repeatedly bailed out South African Airways -- flagship carriers are also seen as national champions, promoting the country in the world.

Repeated calls for rules to be loosened to encourage transborder mergers have been rebuffed on the grounds that foreign firms should not own such sensitive assets.

Airlines and airports are also large employers, accounting for around four million jobs worldwide and many tens of millions more in associated industries.

Staff have already taken a hit with reduced hours and the threat of job cuts. One Cathay Dragon flight attendant based in Hong Kong, who asked not to be named, told AFP he had not been on duty since February 6 and faced another couple of weeks off at the very least.

He has lost 60 to 70 percent of his normal monthly income and is relying on savings, in one of the world's most expensive cities.

For consumers, there could be big changes in store when the coronavirus restrictions lift.

For the brave, there are some deals to be had for now, but in the longer term "airfares may rise as airlines try to recoup losses", according to Endau Analytics analyst Shukor Yusof.

A rash of market consolidation and mergers could reduce competition and put upward pressure on prices.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Representatives of the corporate



sector have agreed to let their employees work from home in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said here on Tuesday.

The representatives also agreed to hold virtual meetings instead of in-person interaction and will spread awareness towards combating the disease, Tope said.

The minister made the remarks after holding a meeting with 20-25 representatives of the sector here.

"The corporate sector representatives with big heart accepted to go for work from home. They agreed for holding virtual meetings," he told reporters after the meeting.

Tope said the companies have agreed to shut down their non-essential units where it is possible.

"The non-essential units, however, cannot be shut down," he said.

The corporate players have also agreed to help the government in information campaign to educate people on combating the coronavirus, Tope said.

"They are also ready to help in providing masks, sanitisers and 80 vital medicines," he added.

At 39, Maharashtra reported the maximum number of COVID-19 cases in the country, as on Monday.

A 64-year-old man from Mumbai is suspected to have died of novel coronavirus on Tuesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Kingdoms Foreign Office (FCO) has updated its Travel Advice to advise against all but essential travel to Spain, following the restrictions put in place by the Spanish government in response to the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

On March 14, the Spanish government introduced a State of Emergency, which imposes significant restrictions on movement throughout Spain in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the British Embassy in Spain said via a press release. We keep our travel advice under constant review and recommend that British nationals sign up for alerts, so they know when it has been updated. Anyone with upcoming journeys planned, should check with their airlines and tour operators for the latest information. Wherever you are in Spain you should follow the instructions of the local authorities.

The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, recorded a video message for UK nationals explaining the implications of the state of alarm for both residents and tourists.

He also had a message of gratitude. A big thank you to the Spanish authorities, in particular the healthcare professionals, for all the great work they are doing to help keep everyone in Spain  of all nationalities  safe, in circumstances that are very challenging indeed.

On Saturday British airline Jet2 announced that it was cancelling all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect. The health and safety of our customers is the number one priority, and we would like to thank our customers for their understanding, a statement from the company read. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, several Jet2 flights bound for Spain were turned around midair on Saturday, and returned to the UK.

Spain is the latest authority to impose flight restrictions. Were flying a full Spanish schedule on 15th & 16th March to help get people home but unfortunately will need to cancel flights from 17th onwards.



For more info, please visit https://t.co/GjYDxq860d pic.twitter.com/AvM54sKSzr  easyJet (@easyJet) March 14, 2020

Meanwhile, Irish budget airline Rynair contacted its customers on Saturday offering to waive flight-change fees for passengers who have upcoming flights in areas that are being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Airline easyJet announced via Twitter late on Saturday night that it would be flying a full schedule to Spain on March 15 and 16 to help get people home, but that it would have to cancel flights from March 17 onward. The airline recommended that customers head to its website for the latest information.
A San Antonio man received the Carnegie Medal, the highest honor for civilian heroism in the United States, for rescuing a woman from a burning vehicle.

Sgt. Kenneth Hamilton, an off-duty St. Marys University police officer, pulled Tammy Cook from her car seconds before the vehicle exploded. Cook's sedan had rolled over after hitting a guardrail on the Northwest Side on May 1, 2019.

Hamilton was one of 17 Americans and one Canadian named Carnegie heroes Tuesday for entering into mortal danger to rescue others. Each of the awardees or their survivors will receive a financial grant.

The other nominees include Victor Mozqueda, who  despite not knowing how to swim  entered a swift river after his friends 5-year-old son fell in. The boy was saved, but Mozqueda drowned.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on May 1, Cook's car overturned on its passenger side and fire broke out in the engine. She was held in her seat by the seat belt and could not leave the car.

READ MORE: Off-duty officer saves woman from burning vehicle on NW side

Andrew Jazbani and Eric Galy passed the car lying on its side, then turned around and frantically tried to free Cook.

That's when Hamilton, on his way home from work, "miraculously showed up, Jazbani told mySanAntonio.com at the time.

He attempted to smash through the windshield with his baton but the glass would not break. Jazbani threw a piece of concrete at the windshield several times, before Hamilton kicked it in and pulled it out.

Hamilton told the others to get out of the way, then pulled Cook out.

"Literally right after the police officer pulled her out, like 10 to 20 seconds, the car blew up," Jazbani said.

Other first responders arrived as the car was engulfed in flames. Paramedics took the woman to University Hospital for treatment for minor injuries.

Hamilton was treated for a strained shoulder as well as cuts and scrapes, according to the Carnegie Medal news release.
Shoppers have gone to great lengths to protect themselves from coronavirus, donning bizarre makeshift hazmat suits and even putting plastic bags over their heads.

A man was photographed in Chemist Warehouse in Randwick, inner Sydney, on Tuesday wearing a white plastic suit, safety glasses, a face mask and dish gloves.

He even tied Coles shopping bags around his feet in a desperate bid not to contract the virus, which has infected more than 400 Australians and 182,700 people globally.

The hilarious outfit comes a week after a man in Sydney was captured wearing a $300 hi-tech respirator on his face.

A man was photographed in Randwick, inner Sydney, on Tuesday wearing a white plastic suit, safety glasses, a face mask and dish gloves

The mask-wearer - who gave his name only as John - said it was the only thing that would certainly prevent infection.

'It's the only effective mask that you have,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'You get them from China and eBay'.

The mask is marketed online as a 3M 6800 Full Face Reusable Respirator and is described as 'simple to use and comfortable to wear'.

Earlier this month a shopper was mocked on social media for the extreme measures he took to protect himself during a trip to the shops.

Sporting a full-body white plastic suit and mask to cover his face, the shopper stunned locals while shopping for groceries at two supermarkets in Wanganui, New Zealand.

A man in Sydney's CBD was captured wearing a $300 hi-tech respirator on his face while going to work last week

A Gold Coast man photographed a fellow passenger wearing in a large plastic bag on a flight home from Italy earlier this month

Sporting a full-body white plastic suit and mask to cover his face, a shopper stunned locals while shopping for groceries at two supermarkets in Wanganui, New Zealand

A photo posted of the man to Facebook sparked discussion about his over-the-top outfit.

'Could anyone be more prepared?' the photo was captioned.

People soon pointed out the person wasn't fully protected against the deadly virus with one vital piece of attire missing, as he wasn't wearing gloves.

'At first I thought maybe he was some sort of cleaning worker but then I saw him with his trolley bag and realised that probably wasn't the case,' local Carrie Sutton told the New Zealand Herald. 'I had to laugh though, as they had no gloves on.'

Last week a Gold Coast man photographed a fellow passenger wearing in a large plastic bag on a flight home from Italy - Europe's coronavirus epicentre.

Umberto Cardamone boarded a connecting flight out of Milan on Sunday March 8, just 24 hours before the local government placed the entire country into lockdown.

Mr Cardamone said all passengers on the flight to Dubai wore masks and some even covered themselves in plastic bags to reduce their chances of catching coronavirus.

He said three Chinese women headed for Beijing left nothing to chance and donned plastic bags during eating times.

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

'They were wearing masks but when the flight attendants served food they had to take off the masks to eat so they put the plastic bag over their head, it was crazy,' told Daily Mail Australia.

'There were people looking like they were going to Mars in Milan, obviously everyone was very scared.

'The plane was very full it was an Airbus 380 so there was two floors with many Chinese people going back to China.'

Many health experts say face masks aren't necessary effective in the protection against coronavirus.

There have now been more than 368 cases of coronavirus in Australia, and five people have died.

Globally at least 7,100 have died and 182,700 have been infected.
ALBANY  Local officials warned about more mass closures and urged residents to stay home as much as possible as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region continues to rise.

There are patients with the virus in nearly every Capital Region county, as Rensselaer and Warren counties confirmed their first cases on Tuesday. Several officials said there were no consistent patterns or clusters emerging among those infected patients, meaning that people who were not showing symptoms of the virus were likely responsible for spreading it throughout the area.

As the number of cases rose, more local governments took steps to limit employees face-to-face interactions with the public and comply with Gov. Andrew Cuomos request that they cut staffing. Meanwhile the first instances of significant business closures and layoffs were announced.

CASES RISE

As many officials promised, the number of cases in the area rose as more residents were tested for the virus.

Albany County saw the greatest increase yet as the number of patients increased from 15 to 25, including a 7-year-old Albany boy who attends Pine Hills Elementary School. Saratoga County officials said their cases rose from four to 10.

The Pine Hills student is in isolation at home. Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams said it was the first confirmed case from the city's school district.

The number of Albany County residents under either mandatory or precautionary quarantine will rise sharply as the county health department tracks the number of people who had contact with the child. The county had placed 125 people under mandatory quarantine and 450 under precautionary quarantine as of Monday morning.

Theres going to be a lot more people infected as we go along, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said, adding that the number of county residents under quarantine will soon top 1,000 people.

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So far, only one patient is hospitalized for treatment, the rest are recovering at home.

Schenectady County reported 11 positive cases on Tuesday, with a total 654 people under mandatory or precautionary quarantine.

Rensselaer County has two cases, one in Troy and another in East Greenbush. The Troy case is that of a 35-year-old man who was tested after first feeling symptoms on Saturday. The man remains under mandatory quarantine. More details about the East Greenbush case were not available Tuesday evening. County officials say they've also learned that a student at the LaSalle Institute in Troy has tested positive. The student is from a neighboring county but Rensselaer County health officials are in contact with the school and the child's family, local officials said.

Skidmore College also said that one of its employees, who was away from the campus, has tested positive for the disease. The college did not provide further details on that person, citing privacy laws.

CLOSURES AND LAYOFFS

The local economic impact of the virus began to emerge on Tuesday as several retail chains and businesses said they would be closing their doors temporarily and laying off staff.

Proctors will cut staffing by 80 percent and the remaining employees will take pay and benefit reductions, CEO Philip Morris told staff.

"For the near and foreseeable future, what we do must simply stop for the good of our community, for our country, and for one another," Morris said. "To that end, and seeing no apparent horizon for reopening our doors, we must make dramatic decisions that are designed to ensure the safety of our staff as well as preserve our ability to survive."

Morris himself has been under a self-quarantine with his wife after having lunch with someone who ended up testing positive for the virus.

Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned most venues, gathering spots and workplaces holding 500 people be shuttered until further notice.

The financial impact of the virus began to ripple through retail chains as well. Macy's announced Tuesday afternoon that it will temporarily close its stores nationwide. Boscov's also said it would temporarily close its stores, beginning Wednesday, for two weeks.

OFFICIALS PUSH NEW MEASURES

McCoy said he was having conversations with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office about possibly instituting mass closures throughout the county, including measures similar to those in several California counties that have ordered residents to not leave their homes.

McCoy and Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen stressed that they need county residents to take further precautions to help prevent the virus from spreading. McCoy said he saw bars and restaurants violating the states 8 p.m. curfew on Monday evening.

You have to abide by what were trying to tell you, he said. Im not trying to be reactive, Im trying to be proactive.

Whalen said it appears asymptomatic people who have the virus are spreading it.

When we started to examine the cases we have, the vast majority did not come in to contact with other cases, she said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Both Whalen and McCoy emphasized that parents need to take extra precautions and keep their children home, rather than sending them to playgrounds or over to visit friends.

Rensselaer County Executive Steven McLaughlin said Tuesday the county had tested hundreds of residents so far and urged residents to practice social distancing. The county was also trying to comply with the states mandate to reduce staffing by 50 percent.

Everyone is doing a good job considering we dont know whats coming next, he said.

McLaughlin said a major issue for the county is a lack of test kits and he hoped to have a test site in the county similar to the one at Albany Medical Center up and running this week.

McLaughlin said 28 Rensselaer County residents were under quarantine.

In Saratoga County, Administrator Spencer Hellwig said the county is prepared to pour $1 million into combating the spread of the virus, including money for additional staffing and to provide quarantined residents with supplies.

Saratoga County Director of Public Health Cathi Duncan said of the countys 10 confirmed cases, six are in Clifton Park, one is in Saratoga Springs, one in Ballston Spa and the first two cases confirmed are in Northumberland. Duncan said several of the Clifton Park cases are family members. She added that there is no evidence that the Northumberland couple, who visited a Clifton Park gym before being diagnosed, had infected anyone else.

Its community spread, Duncan said. We have no idea where it originated from.

Duncan also reported that 73 people are under mandatory quarantine and another 40 are under precautionary quarantine. No one is hospitalized.

We are working very hard to contain and mitigate as much as possible to slow the process of spread throughout our county, Duncan said. I would encourage everyone to take heed to many of the suggestions sent out by the governor and the president with regards to social distance and not being in large groups.

Duncan said she is most concerned with the elderly who are hit the hardest.

Sheriff Michael Zurlo said that his office has a special needs registry where the most vulnerable can sign up. His officers will check on those registered, a total of 86, every other day.

The county has also sent out a recorded message to all county residents who have landlines, advising people to avoid crowds, practice social distancing, wash their hands and avoid touching their face.

Clifton Park Supervisor Phil Barrett said that the towns need more flexibility when it comes to staffing minimums, which Gov. Andrew Cuomos ordered to be reduced to 50 percent minimum.

We are all are trying to do more and hamstrung by an executive order that half your employees  service more and do more with less assets.

Staff writers Wendy Liberatore, Rob Gavin and Steve Barnes contributed to this story.
The Sikkim government on Monday announced a ban on the entry of domestic tourists and migrant workers starting Tuesday, 10 days after it banned the entry of foreigners, in view of the novel coronavirus disease outbreak. The state will also seal three of its five borders.

Making the announcement, chief minister Prem Singh Tamang told mediapersons said that domestic tourists will not be allowed entry and those who are already in the state will be asked to leave immediately.

The chief minister said that out of five entry points, two that connect Sikkim with West Bengal and one that connects it with Nepal, have been sealed.

Only goods vehicles, carrying essential items and food from West Bengal, will be allowed through the Melli and Rangpo entry points but screening will be intensified, said Tamang.

A statement issued by the government said, Sikkim has not reported a single case of Covid-19 and the government is taking all possible measures to prevent an outbreak.

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Attacking Telangana government for adopting a resolution in the state assembly against the CAA, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens, BJP state unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said if Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM do not want to register for the NPR due to political reasons, they can "seek refuge in Pakistan".

Sanjay Kumar, who was leading a BJP delegation that protested here against the Telangana government, also claimed that the Telangana government had earlier carried out an exercise similar to the NPR.

"If he and his ally Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen) do not want to register for the NPR due to political reasons, they can "seek refuge in Pakistan"," he asserted.

The Telangana assemble on Monday adopted a resolution, moved by Rao, against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the NPR and the NRC and urged the Centre to amend CAA "in order to remove all references to any religion, or to any foreign country" given apprehensions among a large section of people in India.

The resolution also alleged that there have been "concerted attempts" to tinker with the inclusive and non-religious nature of Indian citizenship through the CAA, NPR and NRC.

BJP leader Bala Subrahmanyam Kamarsu, who is also its parliamentary party secretary, said Rao had exhibited his "ignorance" of the Constitution by pushing the resolution since the citizenship issue is the sole prerogative of the Centre.

The resolution, he said, is part of Rao's "blatant attempt to settle Rohingya Muslims" in Hyderabad in collusion with the AIMIM for the two parties' vote bank

"He (Rao) claims to have read over 70000 books. But he has exhibited his ignorance of India's Constitution and his foolishness. It is the bounden duty of a state government to implement the law passed by Parliament. Such a resolution is meaningless," Kamarsu told reporters.

Taking a swipe at Rao over his claim that he did not have his birth certificate and nor did his father, the BJP leader wondered as to how he completed his education and became a lawmaker without furnishing details of his date of birth.

All he (the chief minister) wants is to install his son by any means, Kamarsu alleged.

The Modi government has already said that it has not considered any proposal for a nation-wide NRC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A commuter crosses a near-empty Millennium Bridge in London, the day after prime minister Boris Johnson called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres over the coronavirus outbreak. (PA)

The UK government has been warned millions of self-employed workers risk an income crisis as their work dries up during the coronavirus outbreak.

The government has been under mounting pressure to extend sick pay to the low-paid, hike payments and cover firms costs during the outbreak. Two million workers earn too little to qualify, and the legal minimum is less than a third of average incomes.

But around five million self-employed people not only have no employer to cover several weeks pay if they fall ill, they also face the growing threat of lost work for months to come.

Calls are growing for a state-backed financial lifeline for the self-employed. There are concerns some who run their own firms will feel no choice but to keep working to pay their bills, even if they are ill or should be self-isolating.

Read more: Pubs and venues warn of crippling blow as public urged to stay away

This is not just a health crisis, this is going to become an income crisis for millions of people, said Alasdair Hutchison, policy development manager at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-employed.

Giving evidence to a select committee of MPs on Tuesday, he warned freelancers could see their income wiped out for several months if projects or events were cancelled.

He called for a temporary income protection fund for such workers, and urged firms using freelancers to pay on time or upfront and not cancel work at short notice.

The government has encouraged the self-employed to use the benefit system if needed, but Hutchison said it was not prepared for such large numbers of potential claims. He warned they would also struggle to navigate accessing universal credit, and still face a significant shortfall compared to their normal earnings even if they did so.

Meanwhile other expanded business support schemes announced in the Budget last week are not tailored to how the self-employed operate, he claimed.

Martin McTague, policy and advocacy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said he was also seriously worried about the self-employed.

Story continues

Giving evidence alongside Hutchison to the committee in parliament, he said he had heard from electricians and carpenters more frightened for their incomes than their health.

The temptation for workers such as Uber drivers to take rides when they should be self-isolating would be very real. One MP replied that one taxi driver had said he was continuing to work to pay back the loan for his vehicle.

McTague urged the government to take on the role of a benign employer, providing a greater safety net to stop the self-employed working while ill.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce further measures to support the economy on Tuesday afternoon.

The government has already announced a 5bn package of support for firms, fast-track benefit access for those unable to work over the outbreak and sick pay rights from the first day of absence.
The total amount of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia has soared to 450.

New South Wales confirmed 39 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday with a total of 210, while Victoria's total jumped from 71 to 94 confirmed cases.

Queensland is now reporting 78 confirmed cases of coronavirus, while South Australia has 30 confirmed cases and Western Australia has 28.

A chilling graph shows just how quickly the virus is spreading in Australia as cases doubled over the weekend.

A chilling graph shows just how quickly the virus is spreading in Australia as cases have doubled in just a few days

The total amount of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia has soared to 407 after 39 new cases were confirmed in New South Wales (Pictured: The Covid-19 clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital)

Australians have been told to prepare for 150,000 coronavirus deaths in a worst-case scenario - amid warnings the country is making the same mistake that forced Italy into complete lockdown.

Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said on Monday anywhere between 20 and 60 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus.

'It's something in that range,' he said.

'This is an infectious disease ... The death rate is about one per cent, so you can do the maths.'

If 20 per cent of Australia's population of 24million were to become infected then 4.8million people would have the illness.

Assuming a death rate of one per cent, that would result in 50,000 people being killed.

If 40 per cent of people caught the coronavirus, that would leave 9.6million people ill and could kill 100,000.

A worst-case scenario - a 60 per cent infection rate - would result in 15million people with the virus and could cause 150,000 people to die.

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

'People over the age of 60 are more susceptible to this disease. We are finding, particularly in the much older age groups, 80 and above, the death rate is actually quite high,' Mr Kelly said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the sudden spike in cases, which almost doubled over the weekend in the state, offered an insight into what's to come.

'This is a war against a virus that knows no boundaries. It is starting to look as if there will be a substantial, what some would understand to be an exponential, increase in numbers over the next few weeks,' he said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Tuesday announced a package of $700 million for healthcare and $1.6 billion to aid job creation and provide tax relief.

Features include capital works investments, payroll tax relief and waiving charges and licence fees for small businesses.

There has been $700 million earmarked to ramp up COVID-19 testing, establish dedicated fever clinics and double intensive care capacity.

'Our first priority is always the health of the people of this state and looking after their families and jobs,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Treasurer Dominic Perrotet says the government will do 'whatever it takes' to weather the crisis.

New South Wales confirmed 39 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday with a total of 210, while Victoria's total jumped from 71 to 94 confirmed cases

'In simple terms, this money will help save the lives of loved ones and protect jobs,' he said.

NSW authorities are meanwhile hoping a series of unprecedented measures will help contain the rapid spread of the potentially-lethal infection.

Residents flouting isolation rules can now be slapped with an $11,000 fine or jailed for as long as six months.

Police have also been given the discretion to avoid stationary drug and alcohol testing if they believe it is unhygienic.

The crisis has changed the way Australians live - and Mr Morrison has no doubt it will continue to do so for months to come.

'This will be a difficult six months. It could be longer. It could be sooner than that,' he told ABC radio on Monday.

Events across the nation have been altered or cancelled all together in an attempt to slow the spread of the deadly respiratory infection.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show, Vivid Lights festival and Anzac Day parades are all iconic fixtures which will no longer be celebrated in 2020 as a result of the virus.

A woman was seen wiping her eyes as she headed through Sydney International Airport on -March 16 - one day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison introduced new self-quarantine rules
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 07:31:06|Editor: ZD

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French President Emmanuel Macron is pictured at a televised address to the nation in Paris, France, March 16, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday widened steps already taken to fight "a sanitary war" against the COVID-19 pandemic, ordering border closures, air traffic suspension, tougher restriction on movements and also penalties for offenders. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
UPDATE: Carmine Fusco, Rita Fusco-Jacksons brother, died Wednesday morning, and Grace Fusco, their mother, died Wednesday night.

Five members of the same New Jersey family lay in hospital beds at a Freehold medical facility, each infected with the coronavirus.

And a sixth remains in a Pennsylvania hospital battling the same virus.

Nearly all are in critical condition.

The six are family members of Rita Fusco-Jackson, the woman in her 50s who died last Friday and later tested positive for COVID-19, according to her sister, Elizabeth Fusco.

This has been devastating for all of us, said Fusco, 42, of Freehold. Our hearts are broken over losing our sister, Rita. We just need help in saving our family members with life-saving medication.

Five remain at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, where Fusco-Jackson died. Four are in critical condition, and one is stable.

Fusco said the family members at CentraState are her mother and four siblings. Fusco-Jacksons brother was in critical condition at a Pennsylvania hospital, she added. He died Wednesday morning.

Roseann Paradiso Fodera, a cousin and the familys attorney, called the situation surreal.

To imagine a week ago to get a phone call like this  if someone told me this story, I wouldnt believe it," she said. Its inconceivable to me.

Additional members of the Fusco family are awaiting test results for COVID-19.

We are waiting on 19 tests of spouses and children of the hospitalized victims, who were all in contact on March 10 or later, Fusco said.

The township health department said it is coordinating with the state, as health officials continue to investigate the cases, said Margaret Jahn, a Freehold health officer.

There is definitely a cluster of cases at the hospital, Jahn said.

There is no community spread at this time, she added.

Weve conducted several interviews with regard to people who were exposed to close contacts, and weve followed up with those  so we are not seeing a community spread per se, Jahn said.

The New Jersey Department of Health declined to provide specific case information, citing the volume of cases statewide.

Fusco-Jackson was one of 11 children, according to her sister. She was both a parishioner and a teacher in the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine confirmation program, the church said.

Fusco asked for prayers from the community and help from government health officials.

She called for cooperation among the state and local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expedite life-saving drugs so as to not lose another family member.

Meanwhile, Jahn cautioned that despite the cluster, anyone at risk of exposure has been contacted by health officials.

But she understands the fear felt among residents.

A lot of the information was slow in coming out, Jahn said. Its frustrating for all the health department (officials), and this case in particular.

Testing, she said, has been the biggest issue, something that has been a problem statewide and nationwide.

The CDC has been contacted about it, and the CDC is interested in what is going on, and they may be willing to investigate and look into it more, Jahn said.

She added: This is devastating for a family, and with a lack of information, it has been frustrating.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Popular blogger Noble Igwe has condemned the decision to give out best dressed awards at the just-concluded Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, AMVCA.

The awards were won by BBNaija reality TV stars, Mercy Eke (female category) and Mike Edwards (Male category).

Also Read: Noble Igwe Clears The Air On Having Same Baby Twice

The blogger criticized the category with claims that award shows with such might have to see their events taken over by social media personalities instead of real industry players.

He urged the organizers of the show to resist the urge of turning the show to a fashion event.

See his tweet below:
(Photo : Screenshot From U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Facebook Page) HHS

Just recently, the United States Department of Health and Human Services which was considered as a key part when it comes to the federal response towards the rapid-spreading coronavirus outbreak, was just hit by a "cyber incident" according to officials.

The HHS Secretary by the name of Alex Azar addressed the public by saying that there was no breach in data. Backing up his statement, National Security Council spokesman by the name of John Ullyot also gave his assurance that everything in the HHS network is functioning normally at this time.

Officials are still under investigation

The current officials are still investigating if there was any damage done and if there was, how severe could it be. The United States Department of Health and Human Services considered the attack a "cyber incident" which does not give much information about the damage done due to this attack.

Read Also: [UPDATE] Coronavirus Vaccine Testing Begins! Can We Be Expecting Its Release Any Time Soon?

According to the department's spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley, there was a "significant increase in activity on HHS cyber infrastructure" but she followed her statement by assuring the public that the HHS was still "fully operational"

Information was given by unnamed sources

Ullyot and Oakley did not give additional details as to the nature of this problem and there are currently no reliable sources to further explain what damage this attack has done. According to Bloomberg News, there were unnamed sources saying that there were already multiple hacking incidents in an attempt to slow the department's systems.

This is quite alarming especially when the coronavirus or Covid-19 is on the loose and the department is focusing its time and effort in countering the problem. The attack, according to unnamed sources, was a way of slowing down the progress of the department's system to also slow down the progress in the fight against the Covid-19.

The situation was described on Twitter

According to a Bloomberg reporter who shared his perspective on Twitter, the whole incident involved "overloading the HHS servers with millions of hits" which was an reference towards the denial-of-service wherein a fire hose of digital traffic is somehow directed towards the website in an attempt to knock it offline.

Read Also: How the Social Media Made Coronavirus Deadlier Than Swine Flu: Mario Galea Shared His Thoughts

These incidents are actually common and rarely succeed in bringing down the actual government sites. The department's website did not sustain any damage and was still functional despite this cyber-attack.

Bloomberg relates this to a statement by the National Security Council

Bloomberg has decided to tie this incident to a statement released by the National Security Council which was released just before midnight which denied rumors of a possible national quarantine which then announced that the text messages circulating were fake. "There is no national lockdown" was the official statement from Twitter suggesting that the circulating texts were a hoax.

According to Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Americans "should expect an increase in cyberattacks and stay vigilant" because of how the nation has become absorbed in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

The University for Development Studies (UDS) has suspended all academic activities.

This includes teaching, lectures, quizzes and examinations until further notice.

The University announced this in a statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday signed by Dr Abdulai Baba Tanko Zakaria, Registrar of UDS, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale.

The statement said the Executive Committee of the Academic Board of UDS held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, March 17, and amongst others decided to suspend with immediate effect all academic activities.

It said the decision was in line with the President's directive on Sunday, on measures considered to contain the COVID-19 in the country following the confirmation of six positive cases of the disease in the country.

The President, in a broadcast to the nation on Sunday night, directed amongst others the closure of all universities, senior high schools and basic schools effective Monday, March 16, 2020 in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease in the country.

The statement outlined other decisions taken during the emergency meeting, which included all students of UDS have up to Friday, March 20, 2020 to leave the University's campuses and Students residing in private hostels are encouraged to go home.

The rest were lecture rooms, laboratories and the University libraries will be closed to students from Friday, March 20, 2020 until further notice and All international students are to remain in their halls of residence until further notice. They are advised not to entertain any visitors during the period.

It said Staff of the University are to continue work, but observe all protocols of COVID-19 as established by the Ministry of Health and the general guidelines presented by the Directorate of the University Health Services.

It called on staff and students to cooperate in this trying period as the university makes efforts to contain the disease.

---GNA
Recruiting robots: DoD summit promotes robotics in maintenance and repair

ARLINGTON, Va.--Inspecting fuel and ballast tanks. Sand-blasting old paint coatings and applying new ones. Removing corrosion on ships, submarines, aircraft and other vehicles.

These are some of the unpleasant jobs in naval shipyards and maintenance facilities that could be made safer by pairing human workers with robots. Experts say this could improve the speed and efficiency with which the U.S. Navy sustains its assets--and expand the career paths of current workers (and create new jobs) by teaching them to operate, repair and supervise robotic systems.

Robots and naval readiness took center stage at the second Joint Summit: Robotics in Sustainment--also called JROBOT--held recently at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, headquarters of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute. ARM is a Department of the Defense (DoD)-funded consortium comprising government, industry and university partners that advances robotic technologies within the U.S. manufacturing base.

Sustainment deals with the maintenance and repair of military assets over their lifetimes.

"Sustainment is a crucial part of the National Defense Strategy," said Paul Huang, a program officer in the Navy Manufacturing Technology Program located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), one of JROBOT's partner organizations. "If we can't maintain our assets, they're not helping our warfighters.

"One great aspect of robotic technologies is they're dual-use and have military and civilian applications," he continued. "The government, industry and academia have a vested interest in finding the most innovative solutions to maintenance challenges."

The event was hosted by ARM and endorsed by both the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Material Readiness and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) for Manufacturing Technologies. During the summit, JROBOT attendees:

--Recommended OSD policy for including more robotics in sustainment. Attendees formulated policy to enable more coordinated acquisition, training and fielding of robotic systems.

--Designed new job descriptions for the 21st-century's robotic workforce. Established an accepted set of job requirements and competencies for robotics-related work, thereby expanding the capabilities of current workers and improving recruitment and retention. Summit attendees crafted three new robotics job descriptions for delivery to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management: mechanic, operator and engineering technician.

--Selected robot projects to work in partnership with industry. During the summit, seven industry and academic partners pitched ARM-funded robotic systems they created for possible DoD acquisition. Attendees judged and selected five of them, with capabilities including underwater equipment inspection and mixed-reality software to detect defects in materials resulting from wear and tear.

"JROBOT fosters collaboration, recognizes best practices and creates shared investments in robotics," said JROBOT co-organizer Steve McKee, who is a team lead at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Division in Washington, and oversees several sustainment projects sponsored by ONR.

Robotics can help address challenges such as aging legacy systems and maintenance facilities--and a workforce that's shrinking due to retirements and high turnover.

"Robots are perfect for dull, dirty and dangerous jobs because they don't get injured or suffer from job burnout or boredom," said McKee. "By bringing more of them into our maintenance activities, and partnering them with humans, we can address sustainment needs and create a tech-savvy workforce for the 21st century. We want people who can program and operate robotic systems--not just push a button."

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This story has been published on: 2020-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Trudeau also said his government will restrict flights to Canada to airports in four major cities. The Canadian government is also mandating air carriers to screen passengers with symptoms of the novel coronavirus out of lines so they don't board planes home.
With the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus is rapidly rising in India, most companies in the country are asking their employees to work from home. However, reports suggest that Indian firms are struggling to deal with this scenario, which has now caused scores of Indians to search for jobs that exclusively allow work from home options. That's what Google trends suggest.

The novel coronavirus has infected 1,69,316 people globally and led to more than 6,500 deaths. Italy yesterday recorded 368 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, its highest one-day increase to date. In India, the number of confirmed cases has risen to 110, with two deaths.

Consequently, a majority of companies, including IT companies and media organisations, have started rolling out a work from home option for their employees. This has been done to pave the way for social distancing, which right now, officials say, is the only way to keep COVID-19 at bay.

But are the organisations in India equipped to deal with the scenario?

Obviously not, especially those organisations whose nature of business demands a lot of travel and face to face interactions-- this includes cab drivers and food delivery person. The availability of advanced digital tools, however, allow a large number of organisations to implement work from home - if they plan well.

While it makes perfect sense for IT employees to work from remote locations via video conferencing and collaboration tools seamlessly - especially in the case of tech giants like Google or Microsoft -- workers from the non-IT companies and small and medium enterprises (SMBs) are the worst-hit in India as most of them have little or no clue about how these messaging and collaboration tools work amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Consequently, many companies who do not have resources required for remote working haven't yet switched to work from home. As a result, many people are currently searching for work from jobs in India as we speak. Google trends show that in the past few days, more and more Indians have been looking up jobs which offer a permanent work from home option or jobs which have adequate resources for remote working, especially in times of crisis like this.

This surge in search for work from home jobs proves two things.

One, the panic is very real.

With social distancing being the only way to avoid contracting the disease, more and more people want to work for companies that are ready to allow their employees to work remotely if the need arises.

Secondly, could this be proof that India is lagging behind in the work from home culture as compared to other countries?

A study conducted by IPSOS showed that at least one-third of the total working population in India work from home, while more than fifty percent employees preferred to work from home because it saved time spent on commute and also paved the way for a healthier work-life balance.

Another survey had also revealed that work from home boosts productivity. One of the main reasons why working from home hasn't gained momentum in India is because of the stigma associated with it - that people might not be taking it seriously. But the survey revealed otherwise. The study showed that people who worked at home found it easier to concentrate as compared to people who worked a full shift in the office.

In short, the remote working culture is here and it's probably time companies came up with robust strategies to implement such policies. Not only does that prepare the company better for crises like the coronavirus outbreak, but also help strengthen employee-employer relationships and boost productivity. With an increased number of people searching for work for home jobs, this should serve as a wake-up call for organisations who are still struggling to incorporate the same.
A backpacker has been arrested and a couple will be deported from New Zealand after failing to self isolate.

Police arrested a female traveller at the Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel in Christchurch at 11.30am on Tuesday.

Witnesses saw a woman in a face mask being transported in a prisoner van and several officers talking to other backpackers, Stuff reported.

The woman is the first person to be deported after New Zealand's 14-day self isolation rule kicked in at 1am on Monday.

The manager of the hostel said that the woman checked in late on Monday night while wearing a face mask.

Witnesses saw a woman in a face mask being transported in a prisoner van and several officers talking to other backpackers (pictured)

She was originally booked into a dorm but asked for a private room.

The manager said: 'I put her into a private room and then in the morning when I got up to open reception there was a lady from the Ministry of Health here coming to check on her and ask what her plans were for her isolation.'

'They were just questioning her for a little bit in my office. And then a couple of hours later we had about five police officers and another person from the ministry and they eventually took her away.'

The manager explained that the backpacker was taken away as she did not have any plans to self isolate.

'She didn't have a hotel booked or Airbnb booked or anything like that ... because of that they had to take her away and put her back on a flight to where she came from,' the manager said.

The Director General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, told reporters that there was a traveller in Christchurch who was unwilling to commit herself to self isolation and would be deported as a result.

Dr Bloomfield sympathised with the traveller and said: 'I can understand why someone who might've planned a trip for a long time, two weeks in New Zealand, might be disappointed to find at the eleventh hour that they can't travel around the country.'

Dr Bloomfield said this was the first deportation he knew about but that security would be ramping up.

'We are also starting from today, the spot checks on people,' he said.

Dr Bloomfield said that health staff were now stationed at the borders to quiz people about their plans for self-isolation.

Police arrested a female traveller at the Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel in Christchurch at 11.30am on Tuesday

He said that anyone who knew of a traveller that was not self-isolating should notify customs or Healthline.

A spokesperson from Immigration New Zealand told Daily Mail Australia that two people from South East Asia were in custody and going to be deported after failing to self isolate.

INZ compliance and verification general manager Stephen Vaughan told New Zealand Herald their behaviour was 'unacceptable'.

'This kind of behaviour is completely irresponsible and will not be tolerated which is why these individuals have been made liable for deportation,' he said.

The couple are currently in quarantine.

If they fail to leave the country after the quarantine period, they will be arrested under the Immigration Act.

'Being deported has serious consequences,' Mr Vaughan said.

'It means individuals will be banned from returning to New Zealand for a period of time and they may also find it difficult to travel to other countries.'
Fifteen Polish government ministers are in quarantine following the announcement that the 29-year-old environment minister Michal Wos tested positive for coronavirus, the prime ministers chief of staff, Michal Dworczyk, has said.

Mr Wos announced he tested positive on Monday evening. He said he was feeling well. The last meeting of the government took place on March 10.

According to Dworczyk, nine of 24 ministers were absent from that meeting, including prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and health minister Lukasz Szumowski. The remaining ministers were tested on Monday evening and are in quarantine awaiting the results which should be known later today.

On Monday evening, Mr Szumowski said a peak in Covid-19 cases in Poland may occur in 2-3 weeks time. There have been 177 confirmed cases with four deaths.

SOURCE: BBC / AGENCIES
MIDDLEFIELD  State authorities have identified the woman found dead March 6 at Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middlefield.

Rachel Bisson, 36, of uncertain address, was discovered in an area just below the lot on the Cherry Hill Road side of the park at about 8:30 a.m., according to State Police public information officer, Trooper Josue Dorelus. Bissons death was an untimely one, however there is no criminal aspect to the case, police said last week.

The chief medical examiners office said Tuesday afternoon the manner of death has not been concluded, and the case is pending further study.

Bisson was accompanied to the scene by a man known to her, who was taken for medical treatment, authorities said. A short time after police arrived, the man was found in the vicinity, Dorelus said.

He is, at this point, believed to be a witness to the facts and circumstances leading up to this womans death, and is cooperating with investigators. We have reason to believe they were here in the overnight hours. As far as what they were doing, were working to piece together that information, Dorelus said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the state police Westbrook barracks at 860-399-2100.
Photo: Daniel X. O'Neil/Flickr

Here's what you need to know about what's happening in Chicago. Inmates vote as Chicago sets up polling places in jail Read the full story on The Washington Times. 2 people shot while traveling on Dan Ryan Expressway Read the full story on ABC Chicago, WLS. Video: Shedd Aquarium penguins take a tour amid closure for coronavirus outbreak Read the full story on ABC Chicago, WLS. Doctors, nurses concerned by COVID-19 crisis response Read the full story on ABC Chicago, WLS. Pregnant women share concerns about coronavirus Read the full story on Chicago Tribune. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

Sirjerathan Wilson never thought it was worth the trouble to vote and never had. But inside Cook County Jail, Wilson sees it differently: Voting is a chance to remind himself that his opinion matters and to show his family that he's doing more than just letting one day bleed into the next.

Two people were reportedly shot while traveling on the Dan Ryan Expressway on Chicago's South Side Monday evening. Both victims have non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The Shedd Aquarium is closed for two weeks, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, so staff decided to take some of the penguins on a field trip.

There is confusion and concern by some doctors and nurses in Chicago because of stretched-thin resources and still not enough coronavirus testing kits.
Many people living in Hanoi had a sleepless night last Friday as authorities announced the first COVID-19 case in the city.

Some could not sleep because of the fear that the fatal virus had finally hit their city, bringing the possible spread of the deadly virus, quarantines, continued school closures, limited meetings and gatherings and an end to business as usual.

Some other people, particularly netizens did not sleep that night because they spent time searching and sharing the patients social media profiles, publishing thousands of updates and comments criticising her, blaming her for bringing the virus to the city.

The patient, who was the 17th COVID-19 patient in Viet Nam, is a young woman who returned from a trip across three European countries  UK, France and Italy but when arriving in Ha Noi on March 2, she reportedly failed to provide an accurate travel history.

She had a fever on March 2, which worsened on March 5 and she went for a medical check-up at a nearby hospital before she was transferred to the city's National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on Thursday afternoon.

She tested positive for COVID-19 and the result was released on Friday evening. She is now under quarantine at the hospital and those who had contact with her on the flight, at home, at the hospital and elsewhere are also under quarantine. Some have tested positive for the virus too.

Its understandable and reasonable for people to criticise, blame or be angry with this patient for her irresponsibility towards the community.

Viet Nam has been fighting hard against COVID-19 and all 16 prior patients had successfully recovered and it felt like this patient set us back.

Worse still, we have felt an increased threat to our health and our safety, a feeling many people share with me.

As soon as I heard the news, I really got angry with this Patient 17, I even thought about scolding or beating her if I saw her, said Nguyen Khanh Anh from Tay Ho District.

Some people went further on social networks and criticised the patient with foul and vulgar language.

A friend told me she was stunned to see the language used by netizens to describe the patient and criticise her irresponsibility.

She deserves to be scolded but I dont think such bad words should be used, she said.

We may hear vulgar language every day in many situations in our daily life. Its annoying enough. Its unacceptable and should not be accepted, she said, adding that people could unintentionally use bad language in speech, but not when they typed.

I agree with my friends. Public criticism can help deter those who, like Patient 17, acted irresponsibly towards the community. We cannot be tolerant and gentle with such people. However, being stern doesn't mean accepting vulgar language.

Words can hurt.

Lawyer ang Van Cuong from the Ha Noi Bar Association said according to the Law on Infected Disease Prevention and Control, those who contact people with infectious diseases must report their health situation and follow medical quarantines upon arrival in Viet Nam.

If not, they can face fines regulated in Government Decree 176/2013/N-CP with fines from VN1 million to VN10 million (US$ 43- 430)

Under Article 240 of the revised Criminal Code 2025, those who commit acts that spread infectious diseases face fines of VN50 million to VN200 million or 1-5 years in jail.

Those whose actions lead to the announcement of a disease outbreak face 5-12 years in jail.

So, if there is enough evidence that the patient has committed a crime, Viet Nam has laws and regulations to punish her.

Meanwhile, according to Viet Nams Law on Cyber Security effective from January 2019, information that causes serious infringement of the honour, reputation/prestige or dignity of others is banned online.

Pause before replying to things you disagree with, and dont post or send anything that could hurt someone else, damage a reputation or threaten someones safety. This is part of the Digital Civility Challenge that Microsoft highlighted this year, calling on people for safer, healthier and more respectful online interactions. Lets think about joining. VNS
Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Metro is giving some bus riders more space, as a buffer to concerns over the new coronavirus, officials said.

During morning and evening rush hours, more buses will now be put in service on heavily-traveled local routes in order to lessen crowding, transit agency officials said in a news release.
In the middle of a room full of toys, a boy struggles with his building blocks while his sister draws. At the table, their father has just started to give a class on his laptop. On the other side of the screen, which is connected to Microsofts Teams app, 20 12-year-olds who study at Hastings School, a private center in Madrid, listen attentively, each of them in his or her own home.

Meanwhile in Torrelodones, 29 kilometers northwest of the capital, children with tablets are scattered around the apartment of Giovanni Alario, the vice-principal of San Ignacio de Loyola School. The youngest is listening to a video of her teacher telling a story; the middle child is taking history notes, and the oldest is busy solving math problems. Any trouble with the integrals? Jon Gonzalez, the math teacher, asks from time to time from the screen.

Its cool to be autonomous, interactive, although of course I miss my classmates Carmen, student at San Ignacio de Loyola School in Madrid

These were some of the scenarios last Wednesday on the first day of school quarantine in the homes of nearly 90,000 teachers in the Madrid region, after authorities ordered students to stay home and, if possible, receive their classes online. Madrid, La Rioja and parts of the Basque Country were the first to adopt the measure, and by March 16, with all of Spain in lockdown, schools across the country were scrambling to provide online classes.

But not all schools have the same resources, and the 1.2 million students in Madrid have so far been offered very different solutions. At the Manuel Nunez de Arenas public school, in Pozo del Tio Raimundo, where a significant portion of the population is at risk of social exclusion, the principal on Wednesday helped one mother who was finding it hard to clarify her sons doubts at home and decided to go personally to the school for answers. But what is the difference between viviparous and oviparous? she demanded to know.

With its multicolored corridors, this school has become a benchmark of educational innovation and social transformation in the region, and the memes of the WhatsApp class groups have been replaced by environmental studies homework. With the diverse backgrounds in our school, many students dont have a tablet, a laptop or any way of hooking up to online platforms, so we resorted to the class WhatsApp groups. Everyone has a cellphone, says the school principal, Marta Gonzalez de Iris.

There hasnt been a planned response, a specific plan. Everyone is expected to manage as best they can Carmen Morillas, Ceapa association

In the fourth-grade class, the kids have been researching the coronavirus and during their search for reliable information, they have learned to identify fake news. It has also helped us to regain contact with families who were a bit out of the loop, says their teacher Isabel Vizcaino. And the best thing now is that we can respond to doubts in a flexible and personal way, correcting their exercises and mistakes. In fact, this situation is an opportunity for everyone to improve.

At Pio XII school in the Tetuan district of Madrid, the blog has been dusted off in order to communicate with families, but the reality is that not everyone has internet access. Homework is tacked on the bulletin board at the school entrance for those families who do not have internet access, explains the principal, Belen Munoz. In public schools the most common online tool is an app called Roble, though many centers are still getting a handle on it. The alternative is a free access Google platform.

Carmen Morillas, from Ceapa, the umbrella organization for parents associations, explains that they are concerned about the lack of concrete measures. There hasnt been a planned response, a specific plan. Everyone is expected to manage as best they can. Ceapa sent the authorities a list of the 30 most frequent questions about these two weeks, she says.

No clear instructions

In the Basque city of Vitoria, one of the first high-transmission hubs of the coronavirus, March 11 was the second day without traditional classes. And the 70 schools and universities in Vitoria were joined on March 12 by centers across the province of Alava. By March 16, schools across Spain had started remote teaching as the Covid-19 disease continued to spread.

Isabel Buesa, a civil servant and mother of two children aged nine and 12, is taking turns with her husband to work from home. We have been working quietly in the living room for a couple of hours, but when they run out of homework... The first day was exciting, the second was boring. I dont even want to think about the third. Im afraid its going to feel very long, she says.

This situation is an opportunity for everyone to improve Isabel Vizcaino, teacher

Ainhoa Urreta, a teacher in a state-subsidized private school, says that they were asked to make their working hours more flexible, even though they still have to go to the school. The center was shut down from one day to the next, and advice from the Madrid Education Department is only reaching the staff now. They are asking us to do virtual classes, but we dont know how. We are sitting in an office, sending homework by mail while our own children are home alone, she says.

But for Jon Gonzalez, the teacher at the Loyola school in Torrelodones, the experience is nothing new. He already has a YouTube channel titled Ja, que mates (Wow, check out that math), and both he and his students are making the most of the experience. This is an historic opportunity, he says. A challenge. Technology is serving the needs of education.

Carmen, one of his students, is surprised by how easy the change has been. The crazy thing is that we are working much more than in class, she says. Its cool to be autonomous, interactive, although of course I miss my classmates.

English version by Heather Galloway.
Over the weekend, as coronavirus concerns in South Carolina reached new heights and Gov. Henry McMaster recommended the cancellation or postponement of gatherings exceeding 100 people, St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Charleston raged on with large crowds.

Dig in the Park in North Charleston decided to invite the folks who were disappointed with the cancellation of Park Circle's annual St. Patrick's Day block party to drink green beer on their patio instead. Triangle Char & Bar in West Ashley proceeded with a parking lot party, Irish car bomb tent, DJ and all. Red's Ice House and Tavern & Table decks were full of waterfront partiers at Shem Creek's annual "Shamrock the Dock" party. Fatty's Beer Works downtown left the taps open for a joint St. Paddy's and anniversary celebration.

For those operations and many more, it was business as usual.

Melissa Magwood, assistant manager of Triangle Char & Bar, said that overall, coronavirus concerns didn't really affect the St. Patrick's Day festivities. She said numbers were about typical, and the only differences were extra sanitizing stations and gloves.

"Our clientele maybe is the type who isn't concerned about it  a younger crowd," Magwood offered.

Red's Ice House on Shem Creek was packed all day, with sales only slightly down from last year, according to manager Glenda Cofer.

"We knew Savannah was shut down and Park Circle was shut down, so we werent sure if wed be slower with people concerned about the coronavirus or busier with people coming to us instead," Cofer said.

It evened out in the long run. Monday was already a different story, she said, with a slow start.

Red's, like many other restaurants and bars, has added additional sanitizer stations and amped up employee hand-washing, menu wipe downs and table, chair and bar stool cleanings. Condiments have also been removed from tables.

"It's better safe than sorry," she said, though Red's remained open until further notice.

A live band was still expected to play for St. Patrick's Day as of Monday afternoon, but Cofer said that could still change. Later in the day, the City of Mount Pleasant banned gatherings of more than 50 people, which would apply to restaurants, as well as events.

Unlike some of its bustling peers, popular downtown Irish pub Tommy Condon's was hurting for business on what is typically its busiest weekend of the year.

General manager Jeff Quarles said the 30-and-over crowd was almost nonexistent this year, with the Hibernian Society celebrations and family-friendly parade called off. The pub had planned to keep the party going from Saturday through Tuesday with music all day every day, but at just 40 percent of typical sales on Saturday, Quarles decided to pare back staff.

"We weren't even close to what we did last year," he said.

To prepare for the party, a cleaning crew came in for a deep-clean, sanitizer stations were added and signs were posted saying if you feel sick to go home.

Leading into the Tuesday holiday, a few day-of St. Patrick's Day parties were still set, including the one at Tommy Condon's. Quarles was still hopeful they might make up some of their sales.

Other events were canceled, like the Kiss Me I'm Irish Bar Crawl, scheduled to bring hundreds of revelers to seven downtown bars.
has won the Democratic primary in Washington state, US media have projected, in another boost for the frontrunner who is hoping to build an insurmountable lead over rival

After most of the votes were counted on Monday night, NBC and the New York Times called the result -- a narrow victory for Biden, who is up against Sanders for the chance to challenge President in November.

They said that former vice president Biden had won 37.9 percent of the vote, with the leftist Sanders close behind with 36.4 percent.

The result came as millions of Americans were due to troop to polling stations in three more states on Tuesday, with anxiety running high over the fast-spreading coronavirus that has killed more than 80 people in the US so far.

As Arizona, Florida, and Illinois prepare for the primaries, there was confusion over whether polling stations will be safe during the pandemic.

Voting has been postponed in Ohio, where officials ordered polling stations closed, making it the latest and largest state to upend the voting schedule due to the outbreak.

Tuesday may be a make-or-break moment for Sanders, who will face mounting pressure to quit if he does not score a major upset.
KALAMAZOO, MI  A 35-year-old Kalamazoo woman was sentenced Monday to a minimum of 20 years in prison for performing multiple sexual acts on a 9-year-old girl, recording video of those acts and sharing those videos over the internet.

Shannon Renee Moore, 35, pleaded guilty Jan. 21 to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. She was sentenced March 16 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court by Chief Judge Pro Tem Gary C. Giguere Jr.

This case involves some of the most horrific and shocking facts that Ive ever heard in 28 years of practicing criminal law as a prosecutor, defense attorney and judge, Giguere said, when issuing the sentence. (It) upends all notions of what is right and what can be tolerated by a just society.

Moore, who was given 305 days credit for time served, was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years and maximum of 35 years in prison on the first count of criminal sexual conduct and between 4 and 20 years on each of the other two counts. She will serve the three sentences concurrently, meaning at the same time.

Moore, who is now a registered sex offender, was also ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device for the rest of her life, following any release.

As part of her January plea agreement with the Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, Moore agreed to testify against Peter Casey II, 28, in a related yet separate trial. Caseys trial is tentatively scheduled for May 20 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.

RELATED: Kalamazoo County courts cease operations, cancel jury trials due to coronavirus

Casey, who was Moores boyfriend at the time the crimes were committed in March 2019, is accused of ordering the woman to perform the acts on the child, record them and send them to him via Facebook Messenger and text message.

Michigan State Police Detective Kyle Bowers testified at Caseys Nov. 14 preliminary hearing that Casey had, along with other graphic material, a minimum of nine pornographic videos that involved varying types of penetration of the young girl, saved to his phone.

Those videos were submitted as evidence in the case against Casey.

"She was always a very happy, very outgoing little girl, a silly little girl. Now shes withdrawn, the girls grandmother said, speaking on behalf of the young girl at Mondays sentencing.

The woman said the child is sad, mad, confused about everything.

She used to be a girly-girl who loved to wear skirts and all that," she said. "Now she panics at the thought of wearing a dress or a skirt. Its really changed who she is.

Moore, when given the chance to address the court, said the charges dont define who she is as a person and that she prays the court system and proper counseling can help the child get through this.

I pray that no (woman) should ever have to be put through the situation I was encountered with, Moore said. I was wrong in what I did in the situation. It was wrong. I thank God my actions stopped, possibly even further things from happening.

Giguere scolded Moore for her comments.

Ms. Moore you are neither a victim nor a hero in any sense of the word and to stand here at sentencing and to utter those words makes me ill, Giguere said. You must be punished severely and separated from society for a long time. You have no place in our civilized community.

Also on MLive:

Kalamazoo County courts cease operations, cancel jury trials due to coronavirus

Kalamazoo woman pleads guilty to three counts of child sex abuse

Man accused of ordering girlfriend to record sex acts with girl, 9, heads to trial

Woman accused of sharing childs sex assault on internet
SHENZHEN, China, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To help more the clients to know about now and the future, focusing on big data's digging and exploring, Reed Huabo-China (Shenzhen) International Gift Fairs Organizer now gives a thorough analysis about the Gifts Industry Market.

As consumption upgrading, population growth and other factors boosted the consumption in China's FMCG market, the consumption began to recover in 2017 despite the continuous declined. Its major consumer is concentrated in the middle class and the younger generation, the pursuit of a healthy and convenient quality of life is main trending. In China , gifts mainly include business and welfare gifts. To the products wholesaler, the most valuable information is to have a clear understanding of the industry data, the post of purchasers, the consumption data of users, feedback, etc. Gifts services suppliers started to enter the New Retail field. For the middle class, consumption has shifted from Taobao to Tik Tok , from price to quality. For the company, different types of companies have different requirements for products, so one should know the type of company to recommend appropriate gifts. Rigid demand, high frequency and pain spots are the six-word rules to select good products. For example, FMCG products to meet basic physiological needs, trunks to meet quality life, etc. In 2017, the top five of the most popular in China's business gift market are trunks, household items, digital electronics, personal health and small home appliances.

Looking forward to predicting the future as well as the consumption trend, mobile electronics related products and products that improve the quality of private life will be set off a new consumption trend. Only by focusing on consumers, continuous consumption upgrading and seizing New Retail opportunities can suppliers stand on a firm footing.

At the end, China (Shenzhen) International Gifts, Handicrafts, Watches & Houseware Fair will be postponed to May 25th to 28th, 2020 in Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 06:16:54|Editor: huaxia

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RAMALLAH/GAZA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Big financial burdens have cast shadow on Palestine's fight against COVID-19 outbreak that has caused widespread disruption of normal life and commercial activities.

To ease the financial burdens faced by the Palestinian Authority (PA), Palestinian Minister of Finance Shukri Bishara met earlier Monday with his Israeli counterpart Moshe Kahlon in Jerusalem to discuss the repayment of tax revenues held by Israel as well as the measures to combat the novel coronavirus.

"The money that Israel holds is a right for the Palestinians, and it will certainly contribute to supporting our budget in finding the best measures to confront the challenge," Bishara said in an emailed press statement.

Several meetings have been held over the past few months to discuss the joint economic issues.

The peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have stopped since 2014 due to deep-rooted disputes on the issues related to Jerusalem, settlements, security, and borders.

In January, the Israeli cabinet agreed to cut 43 million U.S. dollars from the tax revenue dues that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinians from goods that go through Israeli-controlled crossings.

In February last year, Israel also cut 502 million Israeli shekels (133 million U.S. dollars) from the Palestinian tax revenue dues, saying that the money had been paid to families whose children attacked Israel.

The PA cabinet convened on Saturday in Ramallah to discuss its 2020 budget amid possible fiscal and economic deterioration due to the spread of the coronavirus and the slowdown of the global economy.

The city of Bethlehem has recently been largely locked down as the tourists sites and public places there were closed following the detection of first COVID-19 cases involving foreign tourists from Europe.

The Palestinian Businessmen Association called on Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to exempt taxes of imports of basic food products and cleaning materials.

Ali el-Hayyek, chairman of the association, said in a press statement that the government's decisions must follow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' declaration of a status of emergency in Palestine for one month.

El-HayyekHe called on the ministries of economy and finance in Gaza "to take urgent measures to back the private sector in the Gaza Strip and stock enough food and medical products in case of emergency once the virus spreads in the coastal enclave.

In the West Bank, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced earlier on Monday that a new case of the new coronavirus was found in the West Bank, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 39.

In Gaza, the Health Ministry announced on Monday that the besieged coastal enclave remained free of coronavirus cases.
The CPI(M) on Tuesday hit out at the government over the nomination of Ranjan Gogoi, former chief justice of India (CJI), to Rajya Sabha and said that it was a "brazen" effort to undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Gogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgements including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was on Monday nominated to Rajya Sabha by the government.

He also led the benches that ruled on matters like Rafale fighter jet deal and entry of women in Sabarimala temple.

"By nominating the former CJI to the Rajya Sabha, the Modi government is brazenly undermining the independence of the judiciary and subverting the separation of powers between the organs of the State, which is an inviolable principle enshrined in our constitutional scheme," the Left party said in a statement.

The party also quoted Gogoi's statement last year where he had observed, "There is a strong viewpoint that post-retirement appointment is a scar on independence of judiciary."



"The CPI(M) has earlier stated in no uncertain terms that under the constitutional scheme of things, the judiciary in India is not only independent, but has a very important role to safeguard the rule of law.

"The recent delays in delivery of justice, midnight transfers of high court judges and the delay in taking up the challenges to abrogation of Article 370 and the CAA have not evoked confidence among the people and are not in consonance with their legitimate expectations," it said, urging President Ram Nath Kovind to rescind Gogoi's nomination.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yet, in many other ways, life goes on, almost like normal. Traffic flowed on south suburban thoroughfares in typical fashion this week as many retail stores remained open. Macys on Tuesday announced it was shuttering all its stores. But until and unless other retailers follow suit, shoppers seem to be going about their regular business.
On Monday the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced 13 additional positive cases of COVID-19 in the state. There are no new cases in Delaware County. The total number of cases in Delaware County is seven. The total number of cases in the state is 76.

The Delaware County Government Center will be closed to the public on Tuesday, March 17.

Government Center offices will operate with a reduced and staggered staff to ensure the continuity of government, however, the offices will not be open to the public. Residents can call government offices on March 17 but are not able to access the building.

Delaware County Council will hold its public agenda meeting on Tuesday, March 17 at 10 a.m. and its public council meeting on Wednesday, March 18 at 6 p.m. as planned.

However, in order to adhere to federal recommendations of avoiding large gatherings and observing social distancing, the public will not be permitted into the meetings.

Both meetings will be live streamed on the countys YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/DelcoPAgov/featured

Residents can email in their public comment. Public comments must be submitted with the same information that is requested at a public meeting including the persons name and address.

Emails can be sent immediately to:

PublicComment@co.delaware.pa.us

Public comment will be accepted until each meeting is adjourned. The public comments will be read into record during the meeting and council will respond if warranted. If you do not have access to email you can call in your public comment: 610-891-4931. Please give your name, address and public comment. Your comment will be transcribed and read into record. Emailed or phoned-in comments deemed inappropriate will not be read into public record.

The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas suspended all judicial operations on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17. A Common Pleas Court judge will be available at the county courthouse during regular business hours to hear temporary protection from abuse applications on March 16 and March 17. The Delaware County Magisterial Courts will be available, but only to conduct preliminary criminal arraignments and review after-hours temporary protection from abuse requests.

On March 16, President Judge Kevin F. Kelly relatedly intends to file with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court an application under the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration seeking authorization to declare a judicial emergency, which if allowed will access various additional authorities to further address this public health crisis and the courts ability to continue to provide critically essential judicial services.

More details about the operations of the Delaware County Government Center, the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts will be released in the following days.

All Delaware County Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed until further notice.

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all restaurants and bars in Delaware County to close their dine-in facilities at midnight (12:01 a.m. March 16) for 14 days to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so, but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited. Businesses that do not adhere to this order could face enforcement actions.

The Department of Community and Economic Development and Department of Health are reaching out to businesses through a letter to provide guidance on the types of businesses that are urged to close. The letter also indicates to businesses that financial assistance opportunities are available to mitigate the financial impact of closures.

More details here: https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/wolf-administration-orders-restaurants-and-bars-to-close-dine-in-service-in-mitigation-counties-to-stop-spread-of-covid-19/

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is alerting motorists that cash will not be accepted at any interchange statewide beginning March 16 at 8 p.m. This is a temporary safety measure to keep travelers moving with no need to stop at tollbooths or interact with tolling personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, cash and credit cards will not be accepted anywhere on the PA Turnpikes ticket system. All tolls will be assessed electronically via E-ZPass or the PA Turnpike TOLL BY PLATE program as vehicles travel at posted speed limits through tolling points.

Residents should refrain from going to Emergency Rooms if they have symptoms and want to get tested for COVID-19. Local Emergency Rooms are not testing for COVID-19. If you have symptoms- you should call 911 or 1-877-PA-HEALTH. Emergency Rooms are not testing and we dont want residents to be in hospitals if its not necessary, where they are more likely to contract the virus or other illnesses. If you have another health emergency-then you should go the ER as you normally would.

Right now, the best way to protect yourself is to take the same precautions you would to prevent the flu or common cold:

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze with your elbow to avoid touching your face

Wash your hands often with soap and warm/hot water for at least 20 seconds

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available

Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, remotes, and other frequently touched items

If you are feeling sick, stay home. Rest, take care of yourself and dont spread the germs.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you are asked to call the State Health Department at 1-877-PA-HEALTH or 911.

The county has created a website dedicated to information on the Coronavirus, including prevention, resources and a FAQ section with link to the state Health Department and CDC.

The website is:

www.delcopa.gov/ich/resources/coronavirus.html

Residents are encouraged to register for the DelcoAlert notificationsystem which alerts residents of updates and emergencies. You can register here: www.delcopa.gov/delcoalert/delcoalert.html.
A new data centre set to connect Central Africa will be constructed in The Republic of Congo.

The Congolese government signed the $30m agreement with IT firm Sterling and Wilson. The deal is part of the Central Africa Backbone (CAB4) initiative, and will see a data centre constructed in the coastal city of Pointe-Noire.

CAB4 is aimed at boosting internet coverage and connectivity in the Economic Community of Central African States. The project will provide a terrestrial fibre network running between Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The project counts the Export-Import Bank of India among its investors, and is being financed by a loan of at least $280 million from the World Bank.
A total of 79 terrorist incidents have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir ever since the central government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

However, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said, no major terror attack took place in the hinterland of the country between August 5, 2019 and March 10, 2020.

Altogether 79 terrorist incidents have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir during the period from August 5, 2019 to March 10, 2020, in which 49 terrorists have been neutralised, he said during Question Hour.

Replying to another question, Reddy said the investigation into the February 2019 terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir was still on.

After the Pulwama attack, 82 security force personnel (including 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama) have laid their lives in fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

The government announced abrogation of Article 370 provisions on August 5 last year.

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The six branches of our United States military each serve to protect our nation on land, air and sea, both at home and abroad. Now in its 13th year honoring the unwavering dedication of our nation's more than 1.1 million military spouses, it is with great pleasure that after hundreds of nominations and thousands of national votes, that the 2020 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Branch winners have been selected:

Yvonne Coombes - Army

Arlene Allen - Marine Corps

David Carrera - Navy

Bree Carroll - Air Force

Paulette Suzanne Fryar - Coast Guard

Cristy Reid - National Guard

This year's branch winners were recognized for their work to improve the lives of military families by volunteering and developing impactful programs to address topics surrounding mental health, military marriages, male spouses, children's educational resources and overall military benefits and resources.

"While our 2019 branch winners are incredible, this year's class continues to embody and vividly illustrate what this award stands for and has been built upon," says Lori Simmons, vice president and chief marketing officer at Armed Forces Insurance. "As military spouses, these men and women serve in their own capacity. They serve as parents, advocates, overseers, caretakers and changemakers. They are enacting change in the military community and beyond through their desired platform. I am elated to see what endeavors this class will choose to take on in the future.

A national vote will open on March 12 at 12 pm CST and close on March 14 at 12 pm CST. Additionally, the six finalists will be judged by a guest panel on five core criteria: overall involvement in the military community, exhibition of leadership skills, community building capability, communication skills and overall personal story.

The overall winner will be named at an awards dinner on Thursday, May 7 at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA in conjunction with National Military Spouse Appreciation Day which occurs on May 10.

The Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Award was founded in 2008 by Chris Hale, CEO of veteran-owned Neptune Holdings, Military Spouse Magazine's parent company. In the Fall of 2018, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) assumed all ownership over the Military Spouse of the Year program after acting as the title sponsor for the last nine years.

To learn more about the award program, the 2020 branch winners or cast a vote, visit msoy.afi.org.

###

About Armed Forces Insurance:

Armed Forces Insurance was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Armed Forces Insurance understands that its members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that's unequalled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at http://www.afi.org or call 800-495-8234, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year

The Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) Military Spouse of the Year Award was founded in 2008 by Chris Hale, CEO of veteran-owned Neptune Holdings, and after nine years as title sponsor, AFI assumed ownership in 2018. The award is presented at a base, branch and overall level each year to military spouses who are making a difference in their communities and providing a collective voice for spouses around the world. Through a national nomination and voting process, these nominees are judged on five core criteria: overall involvement in military community, exhibition of leadership skills, community building capability, communication skills and overall personal story. With more than one million military spouses worldwide, this award program aims to shine a spotlight on the force behind our armed forces. For more information, please visit https://msoy.afi.org/.
KALAMAZOO, MI  The city of Kalamazoo will spend $250,000 to support a disaster relief fund that aims to help city residents during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Kalamazoo City Commission met on Monday, March 16, and approved the resolution, which was a last-minute addition to the meeting agenda.

Vice Mayor Partese Griffin read the resolution aloud before the unanimous vote, which puts a quarter-million dollars into the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region Disaster Relief Fund.

Griffin said in a video message posted following the meeting that the funding is meant to help fill the gaps for citizens in a time when restaurants are closing and other uncertainties, and as officials are still unsure about the state or federal funding that could become available.

This is definitely going to have an impact on people, she said about the impact of coronavirus on communities, including to those struggling before the pandemic.

Anderson said some of the rules about how the money are spent and details are still being determined.

Were going to do that with community partners, with the direction, to make sure, for example, people dont lose their housing, Anderson said. The funds could be used to help address other issues local non-profits are facing, Anderson said.

Deputy City Manager Laura Lam said the source of the funding, the Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo High Impact Fund, was funded with Foundation for Excellence money in 2019. The Foundation for Excellence was established in 2017, kicked off by a $70.3-million donation from wealthy Kalamazoo businessmen. The fund has taken in more funding since, and recently received millions in donations from the Johnston Stryker Foundation.

Given the current situation that were in and given the focus of our funders on helping the most vulnerable in this crisis, we saw a strong connection with the goals of Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo and the needs were seeing out there, Lam said Monday evening.

A process is being created so people can call to report issues theyre seeing in the community, Lam said, and a team of organizers will work to deploy resources in the community based on the needs identified.

According to the resolution, three priorities have been identified for the disaster relief fund:

1) to assist with immediate and anticipated direct service needs/gaps

2) to maintain or expand critical internal operations, capacity and infrastructure; and

3) to support costs associated with additional volunteer capacity needed in this time of crisis; and

The city attorney will negotiate terms of the funding agreement between the city and United Way, the resolution states.

Discussion of coronavirus dominated Mondays meeting, where the commission also approved a contingency plan in case the virus leads to the cancellation of commission meetings.

People sat while some of the rows of seats were taped off, to provide extra space between people there.

Commissioners Chris Praedel and Jack Urban, instead of taking their usual seats in a U-shaped formation, each sat at separate tables that were brought in to allow for social distancing. Bottles of hand sanitizers sat on surfaces in the commission chambers.

18 Kalamazoo holds city commission meeting amid coronavirus concerns

Many residents worked from home, or stayed at home to care for their children, after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the closure of schools across the state beginning this week and banned gatherings of 250 or more.

Praedel talked about some of the good things he saw in his neighborhood as many people were staying at home, helping each other with child care, or challenging neighbors to pick up trash during downtime.

Mayor David Anderson shared some brief thoughts about the community response to the virus.

Were intentionally, as a community, asking each other to share in the goal of slowing down the spread of this virus. So that communities, and healthcare systems, and public safety, are not overwhelmed by a response that needs to occur because of the quick spread of the virus, Anderson said.

After the meeting, the city posted a video with Mayor Anderson and Vice Mayor Patrese Griffin speaking about the issues discussed at the meeting, including some talk about the $250,000 expenditure and other efforts to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Read more:

Kalamazoo increases managers spending limit to $5 million during coronavirus outbreak

Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune production halted amid coronavirus pandemic concerns

Michigan fitness centers, spas cope with shutdowns: Its really, really challenging

Dollar General sets specific hours for senior shoppers during coronavirus outbreak
WASHINGTON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CFP Board announced the closure of all CFP Certification Examination testing sites. All CFP exam registrants impacted by the testing site closures will be rescheduled at no additional cost for the July 2020 CFP exam administration, which is currently scheduled to take place from July 7-14, 2020. CFP Board will follow up with all affected individuals after registration opens for the July exam.

The decision to close the testing sites was made by CFP Board's testing administrator, Prometric, which is closing all of its testing centers in North America for at least the next 30 days in an effort to protect the health and well-being of staff and clients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

"While we regret the inconvenience this will cause, CFP Board supports this decision to help protect public health," said Kevin Keller, CAE, CEO of CFP Board. "We will do all we can to minimize any disruptions as candidates pursue certification."

ABOUT CFP BOARD

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is a professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board sets standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CFP certification  one of the most respected certifications in financial services  so that the public has access to and benefits from competent and ethical financial planning. CFP Board, along with its Center for Financial Planning, is committed to increasing the public's awareness of CFP certification and access to a diverse, ethical and competent financial planning workforce. Widely recognized by firms as the standard for financial planning, CFP certification is held by over 86,000 people in the United States.

SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cfp.net


BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17



By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to Turkmenistan amounted to $9.755 million having increased by 3.49 percent in January-February 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, Trend reports on March 17 referring to the Ministry of Trade of Turkey.

The export of electrical goods from Turkey to Turkmenistan decreased in February 2020 by 0.02 percent compared to February 2019 and amounted to $5.630 million.

The exports of electrical goods from Turkey account for 5.7 percent of the country's total exports in January-February. Turkey exported $865,552 million worth of electrical goods to world markets In February 2020, which is 2.6 percent less than in the same month of 2019. Exports of electrical goods from Turkey in February 2020 amounted to 5.9 percent of the country 's total exports. Over the past 12 months, from February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey exported electrical goods worth $11.242 billion. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
With dine-in service banned in Illinois eateries through at least March 30, area restaurateurs were scrambling Monday to come up with a plan for curb-side, drive-through or delivery service that would help keep the move from eating too far into their operating budgets.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the ban Sunday as part of ongoing efforts to prevent  or at least slow  the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard is aware of the financial impact the order could have on his city but remained hopeful about how Jacksonville will get through it.

This is going to have a huge impact on local business and businesses in general, Ezard said. There are a lot of unknowns at this point  were just listening and learning from what comes down from the governors office, he said.

Ezard has been receiving calls from concerned business owners and he has been relaying what information he has as it becomes available, he said.

Restaurants will have to re-invent the way they do business, he said, adding that Jacksonville has been through hard times in the past but the city and its people have a track record of coming together and getting through.

Fresh Press owner Jeff Newman, who recently purchased the business, said he will adjust to the order but has to test the waters.

Its been a whirlwind but were going to offer curbside pick-up, Newman said.

He wasnt sure Monday what operating hours were going to be during the partial closure, but customers will be able to call in or order online, he said.

Its a day-to-day thing, he said, adding that, if the curbside effort proves unfeasible, he will shut the Fresh Press doors until the restrictions are lifted.

I honestly feel worse for my friends that cant be open at all, Newman said.

Sherry Schierl, owner and operator of Muggsys, Mulligans, Schiraz and Brickhouse BBQ, released a statement Monday saying that those restaurants will be closed because of the restrictions; they will instead take those days to do repairs and maintenance.

Some business owners are doing what they can to help employees.

Were going to get a new face lift, said Dan Kindred, owner of Dons Place in Jacksonville.

Kindred will offer Dons Place employees, most of whom rely on tips earned when the business is open, the option to help clean and paint the restaurant, earning them some sort of income during the closure.

I have employees to think about, he said. Despite the loss in revenue, Kindred has other concerns.

Its all just not good, he said. My biggest fear is that its going to be longer than two weeks.

Ali Morton, a bartender at Dons Place, is nervous but trying to handle the temporary closure as best as she can, she said. She will be among the Dons crew helping with the cleaning and painting to help make ends meet.

Its scary, and I get it, but I need to pay my bills, Morton said. I dont know how to describe it. Its not fear  maybe motivation to get through all of this  but its scary, she said.

Many of the chain restaurants along Morton Avenue still will be offering drive-through where available.

A representative of Wendys said the restaurant is doing what it needs to do to keep the public and its employees safe while making food available at its drive-through.

Ralph Mullis, general manager for Applebees Grill & Bar, said they also are taking all necessary precautions.

Staff are wiping things down on the hour, he said.

Applebees will continue to offer online ordering and catering.

We can still box it, Mullis said, noting the restaurant long has offered car side service for those customers picking up food to take home. We just dont have the ability to deliver yet.

Pizza places including Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and Dominos will continue to deliver.

We have closed our lobby but our pick-up window and delivery is still available, said Dale Terrell, manager at Dominos on Morton Avenue.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police seized six domestic-made pistols along with 15 live cartilages from two men, one of whom has a history of 23 cases against him.

The second accused works as a security staffer at a local car showroom.

The arrested duo have been identified as Ganesh Maruti Mali, 26, a resident of Baburao Dhore Bhavan in Old Sangvi, and Gyanoba alias Gotu Maruti Gitte, 30, a resident of Bank Colony in Parali, Beed.

On March 6, Mali was caught near a bakery in Kalewadi, Pimpri-Chinchwad, in possession of a domestic-made pistol with two rounds and a pistol-shaped lighter. He was then booked under Sections 3 and 5(25)(27) of Arms Act along with Section 37(1) with 135 of Maharashtra Police Act, which has been registered at Wakad police station.

Mali, who works at a car showroom, was on the police radar due to social media posts about weapons in his possession, according to assistant police inspector (API) Ambrish Deshmukh of Unit 4, Pimpri-Chinchwad crime branch.

An ongoing trend among suspects is that they tend to post pictures and videos with weapons and when they are caught, they declare fake weapons. Mali also was in a possession of a pistol-shaped lighter. Our people kept track of him for two months, said API Deshmukh.

Police naik Lakshman Adhari of Unit 4 kepts track of Mali on social media. We wanted to ensure that he was caught when he was in possession of the actual weapon, said Adhari.

Upon interrogation, Mali led the police to Gite, the man who supplied him the weapon. A team of crime branch officials found Gite in Parli Vaijnath in Beed.

Gite confessed to possessing a stash of weapons that he intended to sell. The weapons were found in a bag hidden in a kiosk in Wakad.

Collectively, the police recovered six weapons, 15 live cartridges, and a pistol-shaped lighter, totally worth Rs 1,64,100, from the duo.

Gite further led the police to a weapons dealer named Kulsingh Jaswant Singh alias Sardar, a resident of Gram inghana in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.

Sandeep Bishnoi, Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner has announced an award to the team that made the arrest.

All security staffers in the area will undergo a verification check to see if they have a criminal record or are in possession of weapons, said commissioner Bishnoi.
Hong Kong will put all visitors under a two-week quarantine and medical surveillance starting midnight on March 19 to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus, chief executive Carrie Lam said at a press briefing.

The government also told Hong Kong residents to avoid all non-essential travel and issued its second-highest red outbound travel alert to all countries and territories except for mainland China, Macao and Taiwan.

As of Monday, Hong Kong, which is one of Asia's major financial hubs, has confirmed 157 cases and four deaths in the city. The first cases in the city were detected as early as January but swift measures, as well as social distancing efforts, kept the number of infections relatively low.

The coronavirus, which was first detected in China's Hubei province, causes the COVID-19 disease that infected at least 168,000 people worldwide and killed more than 6,600 people, according to data from the World Health Organization. Many countries have recently stepped up travel restrictions and business closures to prevent the virus from spreading.

Lam said Hong Kong recorded 57 new cases in recent weeks, and 50 of those cases are imported from overseas and that local transmission remained low. Without taking stringent measures at the moment, Hong Kong's past efforts to prevent the spread of the disease would go to waste, she said in a translation of her remarks.

Lack of proper measures could lead to community outbreaks and burden Hong Kong's health care system.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 17) will hear the petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr. DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by former chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.

A day earlier, on March 16, the BJP approached the Supreme Court seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the state, which was sparked off by the exit of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The petitioners said that they are approaching the apex court as the respondents, Speaker and Madhya Pradesh CM have violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and willfully defied the directions issued by the Governor on March 14, requiring the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly. "It is submitted by the petitioners that the leaders of the main opposition party namely the BJP also on March 14 had addressed a letter to the Madhya Pradesh Governor that the government was reduced into minority and attempts of horse-trading were being made," the petition said.

The petition said that in such a situation, the Governor should exercise his constitutional powers and direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the house. "Since the government appears to have lost the majority in the House and the Chief Minister had himself expressed willingness to conduct the floor test, the Governor, in the exercise of his constitutional powers directed the Chief Minister to conduct a floor test in the house and prove his majority on March 16, 2020, when the budget session of the assembly begins," the petition said.

However, despite the clear directions issued by the Governor, the item for seeking the confidence vote has not been included in the business to be transacted on the floor of the House on Monday.

The direction of the Governor is, thus, intentionally and wilfully been defied, the petition stated. The development comes as the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, which met on Monday morning for the Budget session was adjourned immediately after the Governor's address till March 26, in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the very first time, five MRM agencies have been named in WARC's top 40 effective digital agencies listing, as part of the Effective 100 ranking. MRM China ranked the #2 digital specialist agency globally, with MRM Bucharest at #19, MRMChile at #24, and MRM Spain and MRM Mexico both at #40.

Kate MacNevin, Global CEO of MRM, said, "This recognition by WARC shows that MRM is succeeding in delivering powerful, measurable results for our clients. These rankings are a testament to excellence in effectiveness, and our attention to growing meaningful relationships drives creative solutions, and produces results."

MRM's impressive recognition, which spans across APAC, LATAM and Europe, follows McCann Worldgroup's ranking as the #1 network for effectiveness for the second year in a row. The WARC Rankings are a global index of creative, effective and media excellence in advertising.

McCann Worldgroup's roster of agencies, and the creative campaigns they produced, dominated the WARC effectiveness rankings. McCann Worldgroup agencies occupied an incredible total of 13 slots of the top 50 agencies in WARC's ranking.

Harris Diamond, Chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup, said, "The creative and strategic award recognition that we have received for so many of our agencies across our entire global network, shows the power of our ability to create strategically-driven creative work for some of our largest global clients, as well as major regional and local ones. And we could never produce so much great work without our clients' willingness to push marketing boundaries to drive their businesses forward."

The WARC honors follow a year of global recognition for MRM. In 2019, the agency won three Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Awards, 17 Effie Awards, two The One Show Awards, nine Clio Awards, two Webby Awards and a D&AD Award. In 2019, for a third year in a row, MRM achieved Leader status in Gartner Inc.'s prestigious "Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies."

The 2020 WARC recognition continues McCann' Worldgroup's dominating performance in creative and effectiveness awards. In addition to the WARC effectiveness recognition, McCann New York also recently topped the WARC Creative 100 Ranking as the #1 most creative individual agency. McCann Worldgroup also was just named to Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2020 and additionally was named as Network of the Year at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, as 2019 Global Agency of the Year by Adweek, as Network of the Year by Campaign Magazine US, and as EMEA Agency Network of the Year the last two years in Campaign's European rankings.

ABOUT MRM

MRM is a leading marketing agency. Through a strong foundation in strategy, data science, technology and creativity, MRM helps transform businesses by helping brands grow meaningful relationships with people. MRM is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) and a top agency in the McCann Worldgroup network, with 40-plus offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.mrm.com.

SOURCE MRM
The Hatfield Bar on the Ormeau Road in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker

The Northern Ireland and UK governments have taken a series of unprecedented measures in order to support the economy, businesses, workers and families.

The tourism, travel, hospitality, retail and entertainment sectors, along with the self-employed, are gravely impacted by the economic crisis, and thousands of people in Northern Ireland have already lost their jobs.

Business owners

If you are a Northern Ireland business owner, here's what support is available to you.

Q Will I still have to pay rates, even if I have had to close?

A Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy has announced an emergency 100m rates package for all Northern Ireland businesses. This will mean businesses will not have to pay any rates for the next three months.

In order to help businesses with short-term cash flow problems, rates bills from April to June will also be deferred.

There have been calls, however, for the rates holiday to be extended to a year, as is the case for the hospitality sector in England.

Q What about my VAT bill?

A Chancellor Rishi Sunak has deferred the next quarter of VAT payments, meaning no business across the UK will pay VAT from now to mid-June. The Chancellor said businesses will have until the end of the financial year to repay their VAT bills.

Q My business has shut as a result of the outbreak, how can I keep my staff on the payroll?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that "for the first time in our history" the UK Government will step in and help pay people's wages through a coronavirus job retention scheme.

"Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll rather than being laid off," he said.

The Government grants will cover 80% of the salary of retained workers up to a total of 2,500 a month  which is just above the median income".

Businesses retaining staff through the coronavirus employment retention scheme will not have to reimburse the grants they receive.

The scheme, open to any employer in the UK, will cover the cost of wages backdated to March 1st and will be open before the end of April for at least three months.

There's no limit on the funding available for the scheme, we will pay to support as many jobs as needed, the Chancellor said.

Q What other support is available for businesses?

A Businesses are also able to avail of 330bn in government-back loans. These loans are designed to help firms pay rent, stock and suppliers. The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will remain interest-free for 12 months.

Q The Chancellor also announced funding grants of up to 25,000 for small businesses, does this apply to Northern Ireland?

A The Stormont Executive has unveiled its own grants schemes to assist businesses with cash flow pressures brought about by the Covid-19 outbreak. The official rescue package includes a grant scheme worth 10,000 each for around 27,000 small businesses and a payment of 25,000 to around 4,000 firms involved in retail, tourism and hospitality.

The new small business grant scheme of 10,000 will be provided to all small businesses eligible for the small business rate relief scheme with a Net Asset Value of up to 15,000.

The new immediate grant of 25,000 will go to for companies in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors with Net Asset Value between 15,000 and 51,000.

Q How can I get access to the grant?

A Economy Minister Diane Dodds announced the first set of payments for small businesses impacted by the Coronavirus crisis will be made under the Small Business Grant Scheme on 31 March, if not before then.

An online portal: https://www.covid-19smallbusinessgrants.economy-ni.gov.uk/ has gone live for businesses to register their bank and rates details to secure payment.

Q Are any other financial measures expected to be announced in the near future?

A Business leaders have called on employer's national insurance contributions to be waived. The Government has also been urged to provide further support to sole traders and the self-employed, who can now access, in full, Universal Credit at a rate equivalent to Statutory Sick Pay for employees.

Self employed

Q What support is available for those that are self employed?

A The Chancellor announced the next self-assessment payments will be deferred until January 2021 in order to support the self-employed through the tax system.

He further announced self-employed people with trading profits of under 50,000 will also be able to benefit from a HM Treasury Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits over the last three years, up to 2,500 per month.

Q How will this be worked out?

The scheme will be available to around 136,000 in Northern Ireland. At least half their income needs to have come from self-employment as registered on the 2018-19 tax return filed in January. People who have not filed that return are advised to do so immediately and have four weeks to do so - from March 26. This will not cover those recently self-employed with the chancellor saying they will have to rely on the benefits system.

Q Can I continue to work?

Yes unlike the PAYE workers' scheme you can continue to work.

Q When will the payments be made?

A A single lump sum payment backdated to March will be made in June. Until then self-employed workers have been advised to apply for universal credit. The grants will be taxed and should be declared on tax returns by January 2022.

Workers

If you have lost your job and now rely on benefits or are struggling financially due to the coronavirus, here's what has already been announced to help you.

Q. I have lost my job; whats being done to help me?

A The Chancellor has announced that the Universal Credit standard allowance and the Working Tax Credit basic element will each be increased by 1,000 a year for 12 months. Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs.

Q How can I sign on for benefits during the pandemic?

A All benefits offices are closed and contact will be made over the phone to protect the public and frontline staff.

"All front line services will be suspended initially for a period of three months to assess where we are with this virus and any contact will be done via the telephone or other forms of communications," Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey said, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster.

Appointments have been postponed for a period of three months, which may be extended.

Q Do I still have to sign on in person?

A No. Ms Hargey said that those who normally have to sign on in person for benefits will no longer have to turn up to the benefit offices.

"No one will be penalised for any attending the office," she said, adding that those who usually have to submit medical advice or certificates in person are not currently required to do so.

Q Will I be contacted about my face-to-face interview?

A "We're contacting those people over the next few days to let them know their appointments have been suspended initially for a period of three months. We will be constantly reviewing that," said Ms Hargey.

Q What about my rent?

The Chancellor has announced nearly 1bn of support for renters across the UK, through housing benefit and Universal Credit. He said the Local Housing Allowance will cover at least 30% of market rents in your area.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has also outlined locally implemented measures.

In relation to social housing tenants, the Department for Communities has an agreement in place with all social housing landlords (Housing Executive and Housing Associations) that any social housing tenant facing difficulties paying rent during Covid-19 will not be evicted.

For private renters, the increase in Local Housing Allowance rates from 1 April will provide additional financial support for private tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing costs element of Universal Credit.

In addition, anyone who has lost their job and who signs on to Universal Credit can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment to have their full rent paid for 13 weeks, Mrs Hargey said.

Meanwhile the Housing Executive, which leads on the response to homelessness, has a central Covid-19 team in place and will continue to fulfil its statutory homeless obligations during this period.

Q I am on the Steps 2 Success employment programme - do I have to attend?

A Ms Hargey said: "All programmes going forward will be suspended for a period and people will not be penalised for not attending the office."

Q I work in a small business - what will my job prospects look like in the near future?

A Speaking in Stormont on Monday, Economy Minister Diane Dodds revealed plans to re-divert laid-off staff in the coming months.

"I think it is something that my department will quickly look at, if we are in the position where firms have to close," she said.

"Many people will have skills in food preparation that we may need in our hospitals and so on as this thing reaches a peak, so we will be looking at this and how, if one business closes, there are opportunities in other areas."

Healthcare workers

Q I am working in a hospital, what support is there for me?

A Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon approved free travel for NHS workers on public transport. Social care workers are required to present their work pass to Translink staff on all services.

Healthcare staff working in private sector settings like care homes can avail of free travel by showing photographic ID and obtaining a letter available from the Department of Health, signed by their employer.

The Minister announced there would be a further reduction in the level of public transport provision from Monday 30 March when Translink Bus and Rail Services will operate a further reduced frequency timetable.

Supermarkets have dedicated shopping times for healthcare workers to be able to collect groceries.

A number of accommodation providers - such as hotels, Airbnb owners have offered places to stay for workers who fear returning home to their families after a shift working with those who may have the virus.

Parents

Q What support is available for families?

A Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey and Education Minister Peter Weir moved to ensure that the families of children on free school meals do not experience any hardship as a result of the recent closure of schools.

Minister Hargey confirmed direct payments of 2.70 per child per day will be made every two weeks to the families of 97,000 children for each day their school is closed.

Minister Weir said the Education Authority would process grants for the vast majority of the 50,000 families receiving free school meals but where their bank details are not known, families would be contacted by text message early next week, urging them to immediately complete an online form on the Education Authority website.

Also some schools are open for key workers to use for childcare provision. Education Minister Peter Weir has said some 580 schools have opened for 1,172 pupils with 5,686 available.

Public transport

Q Are the buses and trains still running?

A No public transport service will be allowed to admit more than 50% of passengers on board. Passengers will also not be permitted to sit beside other people and must observe the two metre social distancing rule. Translink will have additional capacity on standby for its heavily used routes to facilitate social distancing.

Service changes will also be implemented from Monday March 23.

Bus Services (Ulsterbus, Metro and Glider) will operate a reduced service timetable and NI Railways will operate a Saturday timetable. Translink is also reducing the service timetable for cross-border coach and Enterprise rail services. This is in response to a significant reduction in passenger numbers.

Full details of the new timetables are available on Translinks website and journey planner.

Farmers

Q What support is available for farmers?

A A newly extended telephone service was set up by the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots to avoid delays in the movement of cattle and help keep the food supply chain moving smoothly.

With the availability of food a key priority for the Executive, farmers who would normally register the movement of an animal in paper format with DAERA Direct offices, will be able to register this activity today by telephone by phoning the Cattle Registration Telephone line on 0300 200 7855 which is operational Monday to Friday from 9.00am-5.00pm.

Farmers who are already registered to use DAERAs APHIS online system should continue to use this to notify all cattle births, deaths and movements.

Charities

Q Im involved with a charity ready to help during the crisis; is there new funding available?

A new 400,000 Coronavirus Community Fund has been announced in Northern Ireland.

The new fund is being used to support older people, who are at higher risk, and other issues emerging from coronavirus.

Grants of 1,000 are available however, applications for up to 2,500 of emergency funding to community organisations working with older people (aged 50 and over) to help them to deliver support during the outbreak, will be considered.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:48:18|Editor: ZD

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SEOUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's education ministry said Tuesday that it will delay this year's new school year by two more weeks to April 6 on worry about the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new school year was originally scheduled for March 2, but it had been postponed twice to March 23.

The education ministry decided to put off the school opening once again as concerns remained over the COVID-19 spread. It marked the first time here that the new school year would start in April.

Subject to the delayed school year would be all preschools, primary and secondary schools nationwide.

As of Tuesday, the number of infected patients here topped 8,300, but the daily confirmed cases stayed below 100 for the third consecutive day.

Despite the signs of slowing, the school opening could lead to a new set of infections through students, the health authorities said.

Vice Health Minister Kim Kang-lip told a press briefing Monday that the school opening was worried to result in a cluster infection among students, who may in turn transmit the virus to older people in their towns, more vulnerable to the virus than the young.

The number of infected minors aged 18 or lower was 352. Neither death nor the one in critical conditions had been reported yet among the minors.
China, which is battling the novel coronavirus for the past three months, has completed the clinical research of Favipiravir - an antiviral drug that has shown good clinical efficacy against COVID-19, a top Chinese official said on Tuesday.

Favipiravir, the influenza drug which was approved for clinical use in Japan in 2014, has shown no obvious adverse reactions in the clinical trial, Zhang Xinmin, director of the China National Centre for Biotechnology Development, told the media here.

The announcement by Zhang, whose centre is attached to the Ministry of Science and Technology, is regarded as significant as there is no standardised effective cure yet to treat the COVID-19 patients, though China and a number of other countries used drugs to treat HIV as well as Ebola virus patients.

The coronavirus has shown signs of gradually abating in China including in the epicentre Wuhan where only one confirmed case was reported on Monday. The virus was first reported in Wuhan in December last year.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday that 21 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 13 deaths were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday. Of the deaths, 12 were in worst-hit Hubei province and its capital Wuhan one in Shaanxi province, it said.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,881 by the end of Monday. This includes 3,226 people who died of the disease, 8,976 patients who were still being treated, 68,679 others discharged after recovery, the NHC said.

Zhang said more than 80 patients have participated in the clinical trial in The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, including 35 patients taking Favipiravir and 45 patients on a control group.

Results showed that patients receiving Favipiravir treatment turned negative for the virus in a shorter time compared with patients in the control group, he said.

A multi-centred randomised clinical study led by the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University also suggested that the therapeutic effect of Favipiravir is much better than that of the control group, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Favipiravir has been recommended to medical treatment teams and should be included in the diagnosis and treatment plan for COVID-19 as soon as possible, Zhang said.

A Chinese pharmaceutical company has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration to mass-produce the drug and ensure stable supply, Zhang added.

China is also speeding up the process to finalise vaccines to counter COVID-19 amid reports that Kaiser Permanente research facility in Seattle and Washington began clinical trial of investigational vaccine for coronavirus.

Some vaccines for the coronavirus are expected to enter clinical trials as soon as possible in China, Wang Junzhi, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told the media.

Chinese scientists have been racing to develop COVID-19 vaccines by five approaches, namely inactivated vaccines, genetic engineering subunit vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, and vaccines using attenuated influenza virus as vectors, Wang said.

So far, most teams are expected to complete preclinical research in April and some are moving forward faster, Xinhua quoted Wang as saying.

Some research team has been enrolling volunteers and applied for clinical trials with the National Medical Products Administration, he added.

About the human trials which began in US, Wang said that the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines in China, not slower than foreign counterparts, has been carried out in a scientific, standardized and orderly way.

Lei Chaozi, an official with the Ministry of Education, said that the flu viral vector-based vaccine is currently under animal tests for safety and efficacy tests and scheduled to apply for the clinical trial by the end of April.

The ministry has called on universities and colleges with advantages, including Peking University, Tsinghua University and Xiamen University, as well as scientific research institutions and related enterprises to speed up research on the COVID-19 vaccine since the traditional Chinese New Year, Lei said.

He added that vaccine research conducted by Chinese universities and colleges has been pushed forward following regulations and laws as expected.

On Monday, an official from the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission said that a vaccine developed in Shanghai is expected to enter clinical trials by mid-April.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-year-old girl from Kalyan has become the youngest person to be infected by the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, which reported six news cases of Covid-19 on Monday, officials have said.

The state, which has the highest number of Covid-19 cases at 39, ordered partial shutdown as it fortified defences for the next 20 decisive days to fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Highlights Maharashtra reported six new coronavirus cases on Monday Authorities have said they will streamline the process to screen people coming from abroad Mumbai civic body has also organised two city hotels as quarantine facilities for those who want to pay

The 33-year-old female and three-year-old female, wife and daughter of a patient diagnosed on 14th March from Kalyan are reported positive on 16th March 2020. DDU, Thane has been informed to do contract tracing and further management, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations health department said in a release.

Also Watch l Coronavirus | EU-India travel curbs to Siddhivinayak shutdown: Top 10 updates

The man, who had tested positive for coronavirus on March 14, had travelled to the US.

The novel coronavirus, first reported in Maharashtra on March 9, is in stage two in India or when there is a local transmission from imported cases (stage one) to one or more close contacts.

Authorities are on a war footing to contain the outbreak in stage three  community transmission  as is happening in Iran, Korea, United States of America (US) and many parts of Europe, with the last stage being an epidemic, which devastated China.

The next 15-20 days are most important for the state. We will have to take all precautions. It has been observed that cases rise sharply in the second and third weeks and hence the state government doesnt want to take any chance, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said after holding a review meeting with all district collectors, divisional commissioners and municipal commissioners, through video-conferencing.

He, however, reiterated that there is no need to be afraid, but that precautions are a must.

So far, the state government has isolated 794 people and 717 have tested negative. One hundred and eight people are still in isolation wards and 621 are home quarantined.

The state also released 442 people after they completed 14 days of quarantine, said health officials.

Exams postponed, hotels as quarantine facilities

The state deferred examinations in colleges and ordered all educational institutions across the state to remain shut till March 31. The government will also ask religious bodies to reduce gatherings and postpone programmes and processions.

Several religious places such as the Siddhivinayak Temple said it will remain closed for devotees till further notice.

The government has decided to stamp the back of the palms of people asked to undergo self-quarantine with indelible ink to prevent them from coming in contact with other people.

Mumbais civic body has ordered private establishments to work with half its workforce every day so that crowds in public transport are reduced. Around 4.4 million commuters use the suburban railway network every day to travel between home and office.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivli and Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary will also be shut till the end of the month.

The government has also restricted entry of visitors to the Mantralaya, the state secretariat. It will request the state election commission to postpone all elections for next three months, including 1570 gram panchayats scheduled to go to polls on March 29.

State health authorities have said they will streamline the process to screen people coming from abroad. It has also decided to add three more placesthe US, Dubai and Saudi Arabiato a list of countries that include China, Italy, Iran, Spain, France, Germany and South Korea.

The state government is quarantining passengers from these countries if anyone is found showing symptoms of the coronavirus.

People coming from these places will be divided into three categories. A category will be of those who show clear symptoms and they would be directly taken to isolation wards. B category will have senior citizens with health problems who would be put in a quarantine facility. C category will include others who do not have any symptoms but will have to undergo self-quarantine at home.

With several people complaining of poor maintenance of quarantine facilities, the Mumbai civic body has also organised the same at two city hotels  Mirage and ITC Maratha  for those who want to pay. The hotels will charge patients for staying there and the rates will be half of the regular charges.

The state government will take beds at hotels around the airport where a quarantine facility will be developed for those who dont want to stay at the government facility. They have to bear the expenses, which will be half of the hotel rates.

I appeal to the people to observe self-discipline and avoid going to crowded places and travel unless its absolutely required. We have not decided to shut public transport, restaurants and hotels yet, Thackeray said.

We are expecting people to do their bit as well to prevent the spread of the disease. The state government doesnt want to enforce the law for each and everything, he said.
A 62-year-old man has died of the coronavirus in Sao Paulo, Brazil, becoming the South American country's first death from the pandemic, local officials said on Tuesday.

The man died on Monday but authorities had not confirmed that the virus was the cause of death until Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, it was confirmed this morning," Sao Paulo mayor Bruno Covas told DBN radio.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 17, 2020] Phase Four selected by U.S. Air Force to adapt Maxwell in-space engine for defense needs

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Phase Four, makers of radio frequency (RF) plasma engines for in-space propulsion, has been awarded an SBIR Phase I contract by Air Force tech accelerator AFWERX , in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and the National Security Innovation Network. As part of this partnership, beginning in March 2020, Phase Four will work with the Air Force to adapt its revolutionary Maxwell in-space propulsion system to meet the needs of defense users. Affordable and reliable in-space propulsion is an essential requirement for both commercial and defense next-generation satellite constellations. The Phase Four radio-frequency thruster (RFT) is the first solution to address the cost, manufacturing, and performance needs of high volume satellite constellations. Its simple architecture allows manufacturing to scale up easily, and accommodates a wide range of solid, liquid, and gas propellants . In turn, these features potentially open an even wider range of mission possibilities, including missions in deep space and very low Earth orbit.



Maxwell is a complete in-space propulsion system built on Phase Four's RFT. It includes power electronics, software, and a pressurized storage vessel for 1 kg of xenon, providing over 10,000 Ns of impulse. Maxwell is delivered in an enclosure smaller than 19 cm x 19 cm x 14 cm. Customer deliveries began earlier this month. "We're proud to be selected by the Air Force as one of its potential technology partners. This is a great example of how Phase Four's commercial success with Maxwell in the private sector can translate to defense needs," said Beau Jarvis, CEO.

"With space now a contested domain, we look forward to collaborating with the Air Force to provide United States space assets with the superior maneuverability and resiliency required to ensure mission success," added Jason Wallace, Vice President of Advanced Development. About Phase Four

Phase Four is a disruptive provider of simple electric propulsion (EP) solutions for small satellites. The company was founded in 2015 to address the demands of next generation satellite constellations, and to accelerate the advancement of its radio-frequency thruster (RFT). The Phase Four RFT represents a revolutionary new architecture that realizes lower cost, mass-manufacturability, miniaturized power electronics, and propellant agnosticism over incumbent technologies, without compromising performance. Learn more at www.phasefour.io . About AFWERX

AFWERX serves as an entry point for industry to do business with the Air Force, with the mission of making the Air Force more innovative by uncovering ideas and opportunities to improve the service, connecting ideas with legitimate solutions, and transitioning tools to the warfighter. AFWERX, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and National Security Innovation Network, developed the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) "Open Topics," to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transition rate of the existing SBIR program. SBIR enables the Air Force to develop and adopt commercially viable innovations as integrated program components or operationally effective commercial off-the-shelf solutions. Learn more at www.afwerx.af.mil/ . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phase-four-selected-by-us-air-force-to-adapt-maxwell-in-space-engine-for-defense-needs-301025119.html SOURCE Phase Four

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Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Electricite de France (EPA:EDF). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

View our latest analysis for Electricite de France

Electricite de France's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.

The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. We can see that in the last three years Electricite de France grew its EPS by 13% per year. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Electricite de France shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 6.4% to 8.9%, and revenue is growing. That's great to see, on both counts.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

ENXTPA:EDF Income Statement, March 17th 2020

The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for future Electricite de France EPS 100% free.

Story continues

Are Electricite de France Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

I always like to check up on CEO compensation, because I think that reasonable pay levels, around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalizations over 7.2b, like Electricite de France, the median CEO pay is around 3.6m.

The Electricite de France CEO received total compensation of just 453k in the year to . That's clearly well below average, so at a glance, that arrangement seems generous to shareholders, and points to a modest remuneration culture. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Should You Add Electricite de France To Your Watchlist?

One positive for Electricite de France is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Not only that, but the CEO is paid quite reasonably, which makes me feel more trusting of the board of directors. So all in all I think it's worth at least considering for your watchlist. Before you take the next step you should know about the 5 warning signs for Electricite de France (1 is a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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.
Bishop Paul S Morton insists churches should stay open amid coronavirus, but many disagree

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Paul S. Morton, founding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has been fielding withering criticism online for insisting churches should remain open, like hospitals and police stations across the country, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 5,000 cases of the new coronavirus have been diagnosed in the U.S., according to the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering tracker. At least 85 people have died and 17 have recovered from the virus.

The average age of those who've died in the U.S. is 80, according to CNN. In Italy the average age is 81, the BBC reported.

According to the CDC, the complete clinical picture with regard to the new coronavirus is not fully known.

While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people of all ages with severe chronic medical conditions  like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example  seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness, the health agency said, while reporting illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe.

While many churches shuttered and opted for online gatherings as local governments and the CDC warned against public gatherings and encouraged social distancing to help stem the spread of the virus, Morton praised his own congregants who showed up to his church, calling them true kingdom soldiers.

Thank you CAG for not forsaking the assembling together. True Kingdom Soldiers, he wrote in a tweet that included photos of him laying hands on congregants.

He then followed up that tweet with several others, including several on Monday that quickly sparked a fiery debate with other Christian leaders and health professionals.

No matter how bad things get in shutting down a City in a Crisis. At least 2 entities hv 2 remain open. Hospitals & Police Departments. But Gods Church must be on that list. The Spiritual Hospital The Spiritual Police Department. Dont cancel God out. We cant do it without Him, Morton tweeted Monday morning.

Would U tell All Doctors Nurses Police Officers First Responders to close Hospitals and Police Stations that deal with Crisis. If not dont tell Gods first spiritual responders what to do about this Spiritual and Natural Crisis. The Church cant hide like unbelievers in a Crisis, Morton added.

Morton said that while he was prepared to abide by legal requirements to close if necessary, healthy Christians shouldnt be advised against attending church when they can still find time to go to the grocery store or gas station.

Would U tell All Doctors Nurses Police Officers First Responders to close Hospitals and Police Stations that deal with Crisis. If not dont tell Gods first spiritual responders what to do about this Spiritual and Natural Crisis. The Church cant hide like unbelievers in a Crisis https://t.co/wYAa2dMkxx  Bishop Paul S Morton (@BishopPMorton) March 16, 2020

No matter how bad things get in shutting down a City in a Crisis. At least 2 entities hv 2 remain open. Hospitals & Police Departments. But Gods Church must be on that list. The Spiritual Hospital The Spiritual Police Department. Dont cancel God out. We cant do it without Him  Bishop Paul S Morton (@BishopPMorton) March 16, 2020

Make sure U dont go 2 work or to grocery store or gas station Just stay home. If UR telling me U hv 2 go 2 those important places but not Gods House. Government Authorities say how many can go to Church by law I will listen to them not Panic, he said.

The Rev. Chris Thurman, an associate minister at Joshua Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, pointed out in a response to Morton that the limiting of church gatherings is a precautionary step aimed at slowing down infections.

Id like to respectfully disagree, Bishop. Cancelling service is a precautionary step that shows that you as the shepherd of your flock care about the safety and health of your congregants. God didnt give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a SOUND MIND. #PrayAndAct, Thurman wrote on Twitter.

Thank you CAG for not forsaking the assembling together. True Kingdom Soldiers https://t.co/vQMHxJDSAd  Bishop Paul S Morton (@BishopPMorton) March 15, 2020

Right a (Sound Mind) thats why the Church cant panic when the government says its ok for this many people to go to Church. Every Pastor must lead their own congregation. But for me and My House I just believe the Church should not be the first ones to get scared an close down, Morton replied.

Morton noted that government officials in Atlanta have been quickly changing the number of people allowed in public gatherings but noted that even if that number goes down to just one, he will be in church.

Who do you think Im listening to? They said 250 people now they say 50 people. So we will have people and if they go down to one. I will be the one at The Church building where God says forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, he added.

Anesthesiologist Karen Priester asserted in a response to the bishop that his reasoning lacked wisdom.

I pray your congregation has more common sense than you do. It's not about you & your ego. If you were doing your job, they know how to go directly to the source, Priester said.

When questioned on whether infection with the virus was still possible using universal precautions  an approach to infection control to treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they were known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other blood borne pathogens  Priester said yes, noting that some healthcare workers in Italy were still getting infected while wearing personal protective equipment.

Italy, which has nearly 28,000 coronavirus infections as of Tuesday morning, and more than 2,100 deaths, has seen the second highest number of cases outside China since the pandemic began.

Yes. Stay home if you don't have to go out. In some hospitals in Italy, up to 40% of new cases were hospital workers. They not only use universal precautions, they had PPE as well. Why risk your life or that of someone you love? Priester said.

When it was noted by Christian commenter Ron Brown that some people believe they can still attend church if they are able to go shopping at Walmart or go out in general, Priester replied: Is your God only in that building? Stay out of Walmart. Stay out of restaurants. Please stay home. Spend some time in communion with God without the middleman.

Brown replied by saying: The God I believe in is not limited. I also believe in a sound mind as well a proper preparation. Now if your faith flows through a middleman then I see your problem. If the area is sanitary & Im not Ill my faith wont be handcuffed. If U dont believe fine. As 4 me & my house.

Priester argued in a final note that its that kind of attitude that could lead to dire outcomes for the U.S.

That's the point. There is no such thing as a sanitary place. This is about to get real bad real fast. Thankfully, I can pray to, meditate on, and worship my God anywhere. I don't need a special building. Peace and blessings, Priester replied.

Bishop Morton I understand your position, but as shepherds of the flock of God we are to protect the sheep, we must be examples by obeying laws that are just. Be blessed.  Mason Chapel COGIC (@MC_COGIC) March 17, 2020

Morton noted that he has been abiding by the advice of government officials on how many people he can safely worship with as well as leaning into livestreaming his services. He insists, however, that online services should only be for people who are sick or out of town.

Lets Pray Temporary NOT new norm. We hv a huge livestream audience. I thx God 4 different ways 4Church But it should b4 people who R sick shut in out of town etc. Not 4us 2sit selfishly in our homes out of convenience No longer concerned abt fellowship n Bringing Lost 2 Christ, Morton wrote Monday in a tweet endorsed by fellow megachurch leader E. Dewey Smith of House of Hope Atlanta.

AMEN BISHOP!!! This will only be temporary!!! We must remain strong!! Smith said.

Morton further responded to some critics who argued that money is a motivation behind his position on attending church amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Just 4 the Record those who thought we were keeping the Church open simply 4 money Not true @CHANGINGAGENATL has been an online streaming Church 4 several yrs 4 those who could not come. Much of our income already comes from online. For some of us it is really about God Not Money, he added.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden became the second Cabinet minister to self-isolate today after announcing a family member has coronavirus-type symptoms.

The Hertsmere MP announced he was going into a fortnight's quarantine this morning as the country began going in to lock-down to delay the spread of the disease.

He was working in the heart of Government just yesterday, attending a Cabinet meeting with Boris Johnson in Downing Street.

The 41-year-old, a married father of two, said he would now be remaining at his home in his Hertfordshire constituency in line with the latest Government advice.

In a tweet he said: 'A member of my family currently has #covid19uk symptoms so in line with government advice I will be remaining at home.

'Im feeling fine and will of course be working on DCMS priorities in these very challenging times, and continuing to support my constituents in Hertsmere.'

The Hertsmere MP was working in the heart of Government just yesterday, attending a Cabinet meeting with Boris Johnson in Downing Street (pictured)

Mr Dowden is the second Cabinet minister overall to self-isolate so far.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan last week tested negative for the coronavirus but underwent seven days of separation as a precaution.

Yesterday a Labour backbencher announced today she had become the second British MP to contract coronavirus.

Jarrow's Kate Osborne made the announcement on Twitter as Parliament began to take steps to operate with fewer politicians present.

She followed Health Minister Nadine Dorries, 62, who is recovering at home after testing positive last week.
A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington.

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading.

Regeneron  Shares of the biotechnology company jumped 11.5% after the company said it aims to have doses of a potential drug for COVID-19 ready to start human clinical trials by early summer. The antibody is believed to be a treatment for the virus, as well as a preventative drug.

Boeing  The aircraft manufacturer fell another 4.2% Tuesday, a day after it said it is in talks with the Trump administration about potential aid. Boeing said on Monday that it was seeking help from the White House for itself and others in its supply chain as the novel coronavirus whacks the travel industry. The price of Boeing equity is down 72% over the last six months between the recent selling and the fallout from two fatal crashes of its 737 Max aircraft.

Pfizer, BioNTech  The Germany-based BioNTech surged 66.5% after it said it's teaming up with Pfizer to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Shares of Pfizer jumped more than 6.6%.

Clorox  The household cleaner company rallied 13.3% on Tuesday amid a growing number of cases of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. Clorox, which makes a variety of consumer sanitizing wipes and sprays, has seen its stock rally more than 30% over the last three months as investors reward what they expect are ballooning sales as governments and municipalities attempt to contain the disease's spread.

Amazon  Shares of Amazon jumped 7% after the e-commerce giant said it plans to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers amid a surge in online orders due to the coronavirus outbreak. Amazon said earlier some brands in the "household staples" category were out of stock. Wedbush also added Amazon to its best idea list, saying it is a safe-haven during coronavirus.

McDonald's  Shares of McDonald's dropped 6% but closed the day down 0.9% after the fast food giant asked its U.S. franchisees to close their dining rooms as the company responds to the coronavirus outbreak. The company also plans to close the dining rooms in its company-owned locations in the U.S. Customer will only access the food and drinks from online orders and drive-through.

Nordstrom  Shares of the retailer gained 8.9% even as the company suspended its guidance and said it would close its U.S. stores in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The stock has lost more than 50% this year.

L Brands  Shares slid 13% after the company said it would temporarily close all stores. The retailer also suspended guidance on coronavirus-induced uncertainty, and said that it was drawing down $950 million from a credit line.

Tesla  Shares of Elon Musk's automaker fell 3.3% as the company's stock fell below $420, a level it surpassed just three months ago. The price level has become well-known for Tesla ever since Musk tweeted in August 2018 that he had "funding secured" to take the company private at that level.

PepsiCo  PepsiCo shares jumped 12.9% after an analyst at Evercore ISI upgraded the soda maker to outperform from in line. "We believe investors under-appreciate the firm's relatively defensive business model vs the rest of the staples group," the analyst said in a note.

Walmart  The retail giant's shares soared by 11.7% on Tuesday after stock was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer. The firm said in a note that Walmart is still poised to meet its financial targets despite the economic damage from the coronavirus to the United States as consumers stock up on necessities.

Procter & Gamble  Shares of the consumer goods company rose 9% after the stock was upgraded to buy from hold by Deutsche Bank. The firm said in a note that the company's supply chain has bounced back as China has gotten a greater handle on its coronavirus outbreak, and that it also stands to benefit from consumers in the U.S. buying more home products. The bank held its price target on the stock at $130 per share, about 20% above where it closed on Monday.

Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean  Shares of cruise lines continued to suffer as the coronavirus shuts down the travel industry. Carnival cratered 12.8%, Norwegian Cruise Line fell 8.3% and Royal Caribbean Cruises dropped 7.6%. Bank of America also downgraded Royal Caribbean to underperform from neutral.

with reporting from CNBC's Thomas Franck, Michael Sheetz, Yun Li, Pippa Stevens, Fred Imbert and Jesse Pound.
Researchers in Kazakhstan are claiming horse milk can help fight cancer.

Mare's milk, as it is also known, is commonly drunk in Central Asia instead of cow's milk.

Researchers from Nazarbayev University believe the drink can help reduce the risk of developing cancer, The Times reports.

Researchers from Nazarbayev University say mare's milk is filled with proteins that are toxic to breast cancer cells and can help regulate blood pressure. Stock picture via Getty Images

The study suggests horse milk is higher in albumin - a protein easily absorbed by humans - compared to cow's milk.

These proteins can help control blood pressure and have anti-inflammatory effects, researchers say.

They suggested that mares milk could therefore be used in treating inflammatory diseases, while it could also reduce the risk of cancer as it has the protein casein, which is toxic to breast cancer cells.

Professor Almagul Kushugulova, leading researcher at Nazarbayev Universitys laboratory of human microbiome and longevity, told The Times: 'Mares milk has been consumed throughout Kazakhstan and Central Asia since horses were first domesticated and it is one of the most beneficial animal fats.

'Also, due to its rich composition of enzymes, it stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria and limits to growth of unwanted bacteria in our guts.'

It's also been suggested children who are allergic to cow's milk can drink mare's milk without having a similar reaction.
Oil erased gains as the shutdown of swaths of the global economy triggered a meltdown in fuel demand.

Futures in London traded little changed after earlier rising as much as 4%, as measures by governments to restrict travel hammered fuel consumption and led to the biggest daily decline in U.S. gasoline prices since 2005. A gauge of crudes volatility jumped to the highest in data going back to 2007.

As airlines cut more flights and a growing number of countries go into lockdown, oil markets are facing a glut. The slump in demand is coinciding with a flood of supply as Saudi Arabia and Russia engage in a price war for market share. New York futures lost 23% last week, the most since December 2008.

Demand losses across the complex are now unprecedented, Jeff Currie, head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., wrote in a report, saying oil consumption is down by 8 million barrels a day. The bank said it expects West Texas Intermediate to trade higher than Brent this quarter, and cut its Brent forecast for the second quarter to $20 a barrel.

PREVIOUSLY: Demand meltdown crushes fuel prices, drags crude to 4-year low

Brent for May settlement traded up 1 cent at $30.06 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange as of 10:40 a.m. in London. WTI for April delivery rose 44 cents, or 1.5%, to $29.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The turmoil in oil is being played out across financial markets, with Wall Street stocks suffering their biggest plunge since 1987 on Monday after President Donald Trump warned of a possible recession. U.S. equity futures fluctuated on Tuesday and European stocks dropped as investors struggled to find their feet.

Oils spectacular crash hasnt deterred Saudi Arabia from pumping historic levels of crude. State-run Saudi Aramco plans to produce at its maximum capacity of 12 million barrels a day in April, Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser told investors, saying, I doubt if May will be any different.

--With assistance from David Stringer and James Thornhill.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
'Healthcare workers treating coronavirus have been among the hardest hit.'

'It is scary, but this is what we signed up for and became doctors.'

IMAGE: Security personnel at the Kasturba hospital in Mumbai, which tests individuals for coronavirus, March 15, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo

"A lot of doctors in India are old and have pre-existing illnesses themselves... Keeping that in mind, should we expose our elderly doctors with pre-existing illnesses? Or should we tell them to keep away and bring young doctors who have very little experience? All these are very hard decisions," physician Dr Swapneil Parikh, co-author of The Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About The Global Pandemic, which releases on April 1, tells Archana Masih/Rediff.com in the concluding part of the interview.

What can healthcare workers in India learn from their Wuhan healthcare compatriots?

Some top doctors have said that Indians are strong and imply that we will tide over this, but the right message needs to go out that this is a serious crisis and we have to get our act together.

Doctors need to be ready for very hard times ahead. Colleagues in US and Italy say they are dealing with a war-like scenario. Italy has reached a point where doctors have to make a choice about which patients have a chance of surviving and which will we let die.

My worry is that we are going to get to that point soon because we don't have enough resources.

We also have to understand that a lot of doctors in India are old and have diseases themselves. Our buffer stock of protective equipment is very limited, we will be out of stock soon.

Keeping that in mind, should we expose our elderly doctors with prevailing illnesses? Or should we tell them to keep away and bring young doctors who have very little experience? All these are very hard decisions.

The conservative estimate is that between 20% to 60% of all adults are going to be infected -- so if we use up our stock right now, then we will reach a stage when we will not have any masks left for later.

If healthcare workers start getting sick when the pandemic is peaking, it will be a huge crisis.

We need to take very thoughtful and strategic decisions.

How does a 14 day quarantine of those coming from affected countries according to the government's list of those countries help in reducing infection?

If you have come from a country with a high number of cases, then people must self-isolate for 14 days. There is a guideline by the government about how to do that and not infect others staying with you.

But that is not enough, we have passed the point when we can contain it from the outside. Containment from the outside is not going to save people from getting infected. It is about flattening the curve.

Let me explain the concept of R0, which means how many people at an average will an infected person infect. On an average, for Covid, each infected person infects 2 to 3 people -- it means that it is going to propagate exponentially.

You can't stop that growth, you can slow it until a sizeable chunk of the population becomes immune.

Some researchers in Britain are talking about herd immunity. What is that?

Herd immunity is a concept based in vaccination. When a certain number of people have developed immunity to the infection it then disrupts transmission.

What the UK is betting on is that let young people get infected now because then they will have immunity and will disrupt transmission later.

They feel they can manage the old people who get sick, but if they let everyone get sick later it will disrupt their healthcare system.

But this is a gamble. There is no evidence to show that this is going to happen. Experts have strongly condemned this strategy and in fact UK has thankfully backtracked.

We know what has worked in China, South Korea, Japan -- the reason the UK is mulling this option is because no free people will accept the conditions imposed in China. Countries have gone to war for far less freedom.

The UK, the USA, Europe and India won't accept that kind of strict conditions. Tomorrow, if the government says everyone stay at home, many will starve.

There has to be a universal basic income programme to compensate for the loss of wages, but more importantly there is so much distrust in the government in some communities.

IMAGE: Dr Swapneil Parikh, right, with co-authors Dr Rajesh Parikh, left, and Maherra Desai. Kind courtesy: The authors, The Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About The Global Pandemic.

As the temperature rises, will this virus become less menacing?

No one can predict the weather and the response to the weather. It is a new virus, so we don't know whether it may happen or not.

The influenza virus cases in temperate climes like the US and Kashmir spike in winter and reduce in summer. The human body temperature is just below 37 degree centigrade, in a fever it can go up to 40 and sometimes above 40.

In winter, the contact process changes because people cluster indoors while in the summer people are outdoors.

While in tropical areas like Mumbai, influenza spikes in the monsoon.

In case it behaves like an influenza virus, then the cases should decrease. This study applies to seasonal viruses where there is a herd immunity, but when there is a pandemic strain, no one has immunity so the risk of infection is high.

Dengue, influenza, malaria cases spike during the monsoon in Mumbai. There are not enough ICU beds and people die without ICU care of those diseases right now, so what are we going to do even if Covid-19 drops by then?

There may be a drop in the rate of new infections. The graph may slow down, but it is still going upwards.

Instead of 100 new infections per day you may have 50 infections a day, but the total number is still increasing while the ICU beds remain the same -- so every new case in that scenario is a new patient you will find hard to treat.

What are some of the do's and don'ts?

Individually, wash you hands with soap and water frequently for 20 to 40 seconds.

Think of the virus as a little bit of fat surrounding a core. Like if you have butter or ghee on your hands and it dissolves when you wash your hand with soap and water.

Soap destroys the fat layer of the virus and it gets destroyed. If you are going to touch your face, at least wash your hands first.

Second, avoid touching your face.

You must cough into a tissue and throw it away in a closed bin. The other practical way is to cough into the fold of your elbow because the inside of your elbow is not going to touch anything.

Try and be one metre away from everyone if possible. If someone is sick, then at least two metres away.

Collectively, I would like to formulate a plan which has a network of medical workers connect with patients through telemedicine and guide them.

Each one will be assigned to a community area and guide them like say, in a chawl or a slum.

A building society will make action committees, the action committee will segregate the society into green and red zones with a buffer zone in between.

Infected people will go in red zones where people will have to share houses, you can't provide separate rooms in India because many homes don't have more than a room and a bathroom.

The buffer zone will be a team of action members who need to be young, technology savvy, disease free and non smokers. They have to be segregated into red and green zone workers, red zone workers will work with only sick people.

In the green zone we will need to put all the most vulnerable people -- elderly, diabetic, heart and lung disease patients. India is a world leader in diabetes and heart disease.

You have to think of radical social reorganisation strategies.

The underplayed projection is 1.5 million ICU admissions over the next 12 to 18 months, while we have only about 100,000 ICU beds.

There is no way we can scale that up so quickly and even if we do, we don't have enough doctors and nurses and equipment.

In India even for the diseases besides Covid-19, we have a shortage. Even if Covid-19 decreases by 90%, the remaining 10% will fill up all the beds and people will start dying of dengue, malaria, typhoid and monsoon related diseases.

A collapse of societal infrastructure becomes the breeding ground for other diseases.

What are conversations young doctors like you and healthcare workers as they deal with this pandemic?

Healthcare workers treating coronavirus have been among the hardest hit. It is scary, but this is what we signed up for and became doctors.

Even doctors get scared and nurses cry.
The Tata name has inspired trust and quality for more than a century. But the same cannot be said of Tata mutual fund, which is placed as Indias 13th largest fund house instead of being in the top five. Perhaps, the reasons for such a state lie in the frequency at which the fund house has had changes in leadership at the top. When Prathit D. Bhobe joined the fund house as its chief executive officer (CEO) in May 2018, he was the fourth CEO in eight years. Apart from lack of continued leadership, the fund house has been plagued by poor and inconsistent performance, a legacy of new funds launched many of which lost their mojo over time and an insipid sales team that many advisors have often complained isnt as aggressive as those from larger fund houses. Moneycontrols Kayezad E. Adajania talks to Prathit about the plans to make Tata MF more relevant than before.

There have been so many changes at the top. Are you the right person for this job?

A mutual fund must have consistency. The head of a mutual fund must have a clear strategy of what he wants to do and then keep doing it over a fairly long period of time. A fund house needs a person whos going to be here for a long period of time, to be able to execute the strategy. Today, we have a well-defined strategy, which is well-known to every individual of the organisation and something that we communicate to the external world as well. Our strategy is about 4Ps  Performance, Partnerships (distributors and advisors, and to some extent directly with investors), Products and People. We need to have the right set of people to execute the first three.

Lets start with performance. The long-term performances of Tata MFs schemes have been quite average and inconsistent. Have you identified the problems?

Rather than seeing whats wrong, I felt that a better approach was to chart out what we can do. We recruited Rahul Singh as the chief investment officer-equity, in October 2018. His first mandate here was to lay down an investment framework. The entire fund management team had to have one framework within which we need to operate. Internally, we need to define what we stand for. Today we have an investment philosophy and framework in place.

Was it not there before you came?

I didnt see any defined investment policy or framework. I dont think such a thing was defined and communicated. Today I am telling you that the strategy has been laid out and communicated.

Tata is a trusted brand. Yet, your fund house isnt in the top five

I agree. Why we arent in the top five when Tata MF inspires trust and we are here managing peoples money, is something that has baffled me. In my first year here, whenever I went out for my meetings to meet distributors, advisors and investors, the usual objections we had were about frequent CEO changes and so on, but there was never any concern about brand Tata. The opportunity is there for us; we just need to execute the strategy well. What really did not surprise me though is why people have not stuck around for so long.

The market should know that we will be consistent, going ahead. I think it has happened a bit too many times probably earlier that perhaps something was said, but wasnt really delivered because people have changed. Thats why if we have a stated, well-communicated investment objective thats applied consistently in our fund management, there is no reason why we shouldnt do well.

Many times, when CEOs move, fund management also changes. Youve lost good fund managers too. Performance can also suffer, as a result. What have you done to ensure fund manager stability?

Actually, we havent lost too many fund managers.

But lets ponder: in the service industry, why do people leave? Most of the time, it happens when they feel there is no future in an organisation. Of course, there will be other reasons such as compensation and role. But, in my experience, if people can relate with the objectives of the organisation, they wont be eager to leave.

When the organisation has clarity about what it wants to do and where it wants to go, and then communicates to its employees well, they start to relate with the firm better. This works across teams. Today, fund managers are very clear about the investment strategy, framework and process.

Also, we now have a second fund manager in every MF scheme as a back-up. The fund philosophy shouldnt change every time a fund manager leaves and a new person comes on board. Having a back-up fund manager in the house ensures that the fund continues to deliver smoothly.

In the last one year, Tata MF has launched many new funds; balanced advantage, multi-asset, quant, a focused scheme among others. Tata MF was known as a NFO factory once upon a time and, now again, youve gone on a launching spree. Shouldnt you be strengthening your existing funds performance first?

We want to be a full-service fund house. We have to be there for all kinds of investors, at all points in time. If a customer walks in and says she wants an arbitrage fund, and we dont have one at the time, then I am never going to get this investor in.

Weve launched funds in the mainstream categories, which were not present before. The question is: do I have it on the shelf or not? If I have it then I have to perform, no matter what. Its size could be Rs 100 crore or Rs 5,000 crore. I cannot say let me get performance and then let us launch other funds. These are two different objectives.

The reason we launched so many funds of late is that many (distributor) platforms have their own criteria for evaluating performance. Some look at one-year performance, some look at the three-year track record and so on. If we dont fill our product gaps for a long period of time, our on-boarding on such platforms get delayed. Hence, we have to be on the platforms fast. Our new funds have done well too.

Also, theres a difference in the way we have been launching new funds of late. Between the years of 2000 and 2010, we launched a lot of infrastructure-themed funds. We had a lot of launches, but they also had the same theme: infrastructure. Hence, in 2008, after stock markets crashed post the Lehman crisis, all these funds went through the same pain, irrespective of what names they were called by, because of the common infrastructure theme. Whereas, in the last year and half, we have launched mainstream funds and all are different from one another.

Tata MF has had a few accidents on the debt side. Was that an industry wide phenomenon or did your fixed income team fail to analyse credit properly?

Just as in equity, we have built a credit framework on the fixed income side after Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services default happened. Weve created our own scoring and evaluation matrix and we do it across multiple parameters. We will invest only if it crosses the hurdle we have laid out. Its a fact that we had an exposure which hit some of our funds. Today, we run clean portfolios, thanks to the approach that we have adopted. We were the first fund house to adopt side-pocketing.

When it comes to launching new products, how much of a say your investment team has? Who gets to be heard more; your fund managers or the sales team?

We have committees internally. They are cross functional. For example, our product committee is represented by every function; fud managers, business development, compliance, investor services and so on. All our new ideas and concepts are discussed, debated and approved by the product committee. The advantage of a cross-functional committee approach is that, tomorrow, none from the investments or compliance or business side can claim that they didnt know or didnt get to express their opinion.

There have been some ideas put in front of this committee that werent approved. We dropped such ideas. To answer your question: if the investment team feels it doesnt have the capacity or the product is a bad idea, we dont launch that fund.

Do you think youll get a free hand to implement your vision? Youll have a lot of cleaning up to do. The Tata Group is an age-old house.

The good thing at Tatas is that each company here is managed by an independent board (of directors). And then the CEOs of each of these firms run them. The Board understands where we are at the moment, why we are insignificant and what we need to do. The Board backs me up completely.

So, the message from the top is that Tata MF is here to stay

Yes. And we will grow it.
Lucknow, March 17 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has warned of strict action including jail for those who do not cooperate in the state's efforts to control the novel Coronavirus outbreak and spread misinformation or rumours to create panic in the society.

UP health minister Jai Pratap Singh said that the concerned authorities have been given power under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act to take all necessary actions in the wake of the Corona virus outbreak.

"We will take action against any suspect if he/she refuses to get tested or runs away from authorities. Action will also be taken against any person who tries to hide such patients, misleads or obstructs the health team from conducting its duty. If required, offenders will also be sent to jail as per the law," he said.

He said that the situation in the state was completely under control and there was no need for anyone to panic.

"People should take precautionary measures advised by the government. We will review the situation on March 20 when further decisions will be taken. We have given special training to 800 doctors and more than 1,200 beds have been reserved across the state in district hospitals and medical colleges," the minister added.

The health minister also said that the state government has launched an awareness program, including in rural areas to inform people about the precautions that must be taken.

Schools, colleges, cinemas, multiplexes, gyms, swimming pools, clubs and institutes where examinations are not underway have already been shut down.

The government has also cancelled large gatherings.
Pune The rise in coronavirus cases in the city is drying up blood donations at Sassoon General Hospital forcing administration to postpone regular and planned surgeries. With less people venturing out, the blood bank at the hospital may face shortage in the coming days if the situation aggravates. The hospital is appealing to people to come in small batches if possible and donate blood at the nearest blood bank facility as many patients need blood on a daily basis.

The hospital has issued a statement saying that although the government has banned social gatherings and appealed to people to stay indoors, blood donation is an equally important act. Many patients, including those suffering from thalassaemia and haemophilia, emergency surgeries and accident victims need blood on a daily basis, said Dr Nalini Kadgi, incharge of blood bank at Sassoon hospital.

Dr Ajay Chandanwale, dean of BJ Medical College, said, Right now we do have the stock to sustain us for about 20 days, but we want people to come forward and donate blood before our stock depletes. We have postponed surgeries which could be done later. As less people are visiting the hospital now, even the demand for blood has also gone down.

Dr Kadgi said, Usually we get around 2,000 blood units every month, but the count is 1,100 for this month. The main problem arising currently is separating platelets because their expiry period is five days and so we separate them as and when needed. We can arrange for blood donation camps for people if they want to come in batches of five.

Collector Naval Ram Kishore said that the district administration will take necessary steps to ensure adequate blood supply at Sassoon hospital.
More of President Donald Trump's inner circle have been affected by the coronavirus as acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney joined Stephanie Grisham and Ivanka Trump in working from home.

It's unclear how many senior White House staff are working from home and how many are in the complex after several of them attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago last weekend that was also attended by Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to the president of Brazil who tested positive for the disease.

Grisham did not answer how many senior staff were working from home but said staff were following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

'White House staff continue to follow CDC guidelines and the advice of medical staff to ensure the health and safety of everyone on complex,' she told DailyMail.com in a statement.

Ivanka Trump posted tips for parents working from home, indicating the first daughter continues to stay at home after coming into contact with an Australian official who tested for positive for coronavirus

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and White House communications director Stephanie Grisham are working from home 'out of an abundance of caution'

Ivanka Trump on Tuesday posted tips for parents working from home during the coronavirus, indicating the first daughter is continuing to self-isolate after coming into contact with an Australian official who tested positive for the disease.

'Staying home today w/ kids? Plan living room camp out! Throw a bedsheet over some taped together brooms. Plan a menu & pack sandwiches, salads (Smores optional. A fun activity that also brings family together for a meal!,' she wrote on her various social media sites, including a photo of her with her two children Arabella and Theodore under a homemade tent.

But her husband, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, is working at the White House on Tuesday, a senior administration official confirmed to DailyMail.com.

'As many as people as needed are in the office,' the official said.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway is also working at the White House.

'Im working at the White House and have been every day without interruption. Im in the daily Task Force meetings, and was at the table yesterday in the Situation Room when POTUS and VP spoke with the nations governors through videoconference,' she told DailyMail.com.

Conway was in the March 5 meeting with the Australian official who later tested positive for the virus. She could be glimpsed behind President Trump on Tuesday when he came into the White House briefing room but she did not join him in the briefing.

The first daughter has not been spotted leaving her home since it was announced Friday she was working from home.

Mulvaney is reported to be under voluntary self-quarantine in his home state of South Carolina after his niece - who lives in his Washington D.C. home - interacted with Wajngarten in Florida.

A senior administration official confirmed to DailyMail.com that Mulvaney was working from home 'out of an abundance of caution.'

And Grisham said on Monday that she was staying at home for a number of days 'out of an abundance of caution' after she came into contact with Wajngarten.

President Trump on Monday issued a set of guidelines to help combat the spread of virus, including advising people to stay home if they feel sick and to stay home if they have the virus.

'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room.

Ivanka Trump met with Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Attorney General Bill Barr on March 5 as part of a meeting between officials from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.

Dutton later tested positive.

The next day, Ivanka Trump attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with her father and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose aide Wajngarte tested positive.

Kushner was also at that dinner. And Grisham was at Mar-a-Lago that weekend too.

The White House would not say how many senior staff are working from home; President Trump gave a coronavirus briefing on Tuesday with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar; CMS Administrator Seema Verma; FDAs Stephen Hahn; Vice President Mike Pence; Dr. Deborah Birx (hidden behind Trump); Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin; Adm. Brett Giroir and Dr. Anthony Fauci

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner leaving his home around 7:10 am on Tuesday morning

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway is also working at the White House, she told Dailymail.com

Kellyanne Conway was part of the March 5 meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr, Ivanka Trump and Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who later tested positive for coronavirus

The White House said last week Dutton was 'asymptomatic' during his interaction with the first daughter and Ivanka Trump was showing no symptoms, didn't need to self-quarantine and stayed home out of an abundance of caution.

'The White House is aware that Mr. Dutton tested positive for COVID-19. He was asymptomatic during the interaction. 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,' White House Deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement last week.

Meanwhile, President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club was closed Monday for a deep cleaning after three people who attended events at the Winter White House tested positive for coronavirus.

The resort became ground zero in Trump's world for the disease after the positive tests followed a weekend of fundraisers, dinners and parties at the posh beach-side, members-only club.

President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach was closed Monday for a deep cleaning after three reported cases of the coronavirus

MARCH 5: Ivanka Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr posed with Australian minister Peter Dutton (right) at the White House. He since tested positive for the virus

President Donald Trump at dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, alongside United States National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner

Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to the Brazilian president, tested positive for coronavirus

The three known cases are Wajngarten; acting Brazil Charge dAffaires Ambassador Nestor Forster, who sat at Trump's table during last Saturday night's dinner; and an unnamed attendee who was at a fundraiser there last Sunday.

The weekend started a chain of events and resulted in several Trump allies self-quarantining after being at the club.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was self-isolating and is being tested for the coronavirus after falling ill. She was at the Saturday dinner and fundraisers at the posh beach club last weekend.

Senator Lindsey Graham also self-quarantined after being at Mar-a-Lago but announced this weekend he tested negative for the virus.

President Trump was also tested for the disease but it came back negative.
Tales of despair emerge as Kerala women who joined ISIS in Afghanistan speak out

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The situation is not as per our expectations, Ayesha alias Sonia Sebastin, the lady who joined the Islamic State from Kerala said. In a video that has been released by the StratNews Global, Ayesha said that she and her husband Abdullah Rashid Abdullah were disappointed with the Islamic State. She is currently lodged in a jail at Kabul.

I assume many people who want to come to the ISIS have the same expectations. I would suggest to them to think twice before taking a decision, she said while adding that she does not want to be associated with the outfit anymore.

We moved to Afghanistan to lead an Islamic life under the Caliphate. However when we reached here, we realised that the people were not even going to the Mosque for prayers. Owing to this disappointment, my husbands stopped preparing and sending videos and audios. Rashid had in fact sent most of the audios and videos to Kerala.

Letting the Kerala operatives return from Afghanistan will just help ISIS realise its real plan

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

My husband was completely disenchanted and his last words were, 'I am done with this world.' She said that she wanted to return to Kerala and live with Rashid's parents.

In another clip Fathima alias Nimisha an operative who left for Afghanistan said that she too wanted to return to India provided she is not jailed. Afghanistan is not my place. I cannot say that the Caliphate is wrong. I was comfortable at that time, but now times have changed, she also said.
By Trend

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden has appealed to compatriots in connection with the wide spread of COVlD-19 infection, Trend reports on March 17.

Given the situation, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden has opened a round-the-clock hotline for Azerbaijani citizens living and temporarily staying in this country - hotline (+ 46 76 201 69 57), which will work around the clock 7 days a week in order to quickly respond to requests from Azerbaijani citizens living, studying or temporarily staying in Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Due to the epidemiological situation, the the embassys consular section operates with limitations, so that compatriots could contact urgent consular issues at [email protected]

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 7,000. Over 182,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 79,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Deputy Premier John Barilaro has walked back his party's support for a One Nation bill to allow nuclear power in NSW, as the issue threatened to split the Coalition.

Mr Barilaro, a long-time advocate of nuclear energy, alarmed some Coalition MPs when he declared two weeks ago that the National Party would support Mark Latham's bill to overturn a ban on uranium mining.

But the Nationals' leader changed his tune on Tuesday, telling a budget estimates hearing the matter would first need to be considered by the party room as well as the cabinet.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro with Transport Minister Andrew Constance (left) and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet (right) earlier this month. Credit:AAP

Mr Barilaro made the unilateral call to back Mr Latham's bill during an interview on Sky News on March 3 before consulting his party room, triggering concern among some National MPs and angering some of his Liberal cabinet colleagues.
On This Day The Day British Bombers Destroyed Mandalay Palace

British soldiers look out from Pagoda Hill as Fort Dufferin, on the grounds of Mandalay Palace, comes under attack in March 1945. The fort was held by the Japanese 60th Regiment and eventually captured by the 19th Indian division.

YANGONOn this day 75 years ago, Mandalay Palace, the last abode of Myanmars monarchs, was reduced to ashes in bombing raids by the British and their allies as they attempted to retake the city from the Japanese Army, which had occupied the country for around three years during World War II.

The Allies decided to conduct bombing raids after suffering heavy casualties as Japanese troops stationed inside the compound, also known as the Golden Palace, mounted stiff resistance for nine days. On March 17, 1945, the more than 80-year-old structure, an important part of Myanmars historical, cultural and architectural heritage built by King Mindon and also home to his successor King Thibaw, was flattened in bombing raids.

The palace was constructed between 1856 and 1863 by King Mindon of the Konbaung Dynasty, a line of kings that ruled from 1752 to 1885. Their reign was ended by British colonial forces, which abolished Burmas monarchy and sent Mindons heir, King Thibaw, into exile in the late 19th century.

Only the moat and the city walls survived the bombing in 1945.

When Nazi Germany was about to invade Paris, [France] opened the gates of Paris in order to save the city from being damaged. But in the case of Mandalay Palace, the defender was fascist and the attacker was the colonialist British, so they didnt care. From the perspective of human morality, it could be said that both the fascist Japanese and the colonialist British were amoral people, Buddhist monk Shwe Gaing Thar, a well-known writer on Myanmars history and culture, wrote in his book The Centenary of Mandalay.

The Allies did not take responsibility for the damage to the palace, though Major General Rees of the British Army later said he felt sorry for the damage caused.

The palace complex was reconstructed in the late 1990s by the military regime. Today, the palace is open to the public, but Myanmar military units are also stationed inside the compound.

You may also like these stories:

British Troops Bloodiest Crackdown on Anti-Colonial Protestors in Myanmar
Rwanda has confirmed two new cases of coronavirus bringing the total number to seven.



The country's ministry of health says of the two, one is a Rwandan woman whose husband had earlier tested positive.



The other patient is a German who arrived in Rwanda from Germany on 13 March, then developed a cough and went to the hospital on 15 March.



Rwanda confirmed its first coronavirus case on Saturday, before confirming the rest Monday.



The ministry in its statement said the two-week closure of schools and places of worship in the country "may be renewed based on circumstances".

Source: BBC









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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After Haitis January 2010 earthquake, which killed more than 250,000 people and left over one million homeless, I moved to Port-au-Prince to help with relief efforts. As a recent graduate of a public health masters degree programme, and a person of Haitian descent, I thought my expertise and linguistic skills could be of use to the survivors.

The situation was already grave when I arrived there. Amid endemic poverty, political instability and almost no remaining infrastructure, the people of Haiti were struggling to rebuild their lives. But it got significantly worse a few months later, when a silent killer emerged on the scene: cholera.

The cholera epidemic, which broke out near a base housing United Nations peacekeepers, killed over 10,000 people and affected more than 800,000 others. It also contributed to the contamination of the islands main water source, the Artibonite River, further crippling relief efforts.

The 2010 outbreak, which was the first large-scale cholera outbreak in the 21st century, brought death and disruption on an unprecedented scale. But it did not shock many in the Global North. After all, what happened in Haiti was in line with their understanding of epidemics  deadly outbreaks of ancient diseases that affect foreign people in exotic, faraway and (made-to-be) poor lands. They were saddened by the news coming from the Caribbean island, and some even donated money and supplies to try and help, but most did not see the outbreak as a wake-up call to review the readiness of their own countries, and the global community, for a similar epidemic or pandemic.

Fast forward 10 years, and we are in the midst of a pandemic that is devastating not only the Global South, but also countries in Europe, North America and Australia  countries that had come to believe that, for them, epidemics are a thing of history. Of course, these countries faced a deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic as recently as the 1990s, but most of their citizens viewed that disease also as something that overwhelmingly affects others, namely homosexual men, minority communities and people from developing countries.

Since being identified in China as a new and dangerous member of the coronavirus family in early January, COVID-19 has spread to more than 100 countries worldwide, including Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. As a highly infectious respiratory disease, it poses a threat to everyone in every society. On March 11, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and the list of affected countries continues to grow rapidly. The Global North is now facing an epidemic that is affecting not only its internal and external others, but all of its own citizens indiscriminately.

The pandemics death toll has already reached 6,500, and it has inflicted a massive blow to the global economy. The countries that are used to watching epidemics from afar are now scrambling to contain the virus before it causes more devastation to their citizens.

Italy, where more than 1,800 people died from the virus, instituted a nationwide quarantine, leaving the country at a standstill. The US imposed a month-long travel ban on the citizens of European nations. Germany closed its borders with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The German government also banned all public events with more than 100 participants. Spain ordered all residents to confine themselves to their homes and also closed all schools, restaurants and bars. Air traffic almost came to a standstill. Europes busiest airport, London Heathrow, said that total passenger numbers fell 4.8 percent last month compared with the same period in 2019. People meanwhile rushed to supermarkets to buy essentials in bulk, stripping shelves bare of canned goods, pasta and toilet paper. Many also stocked up on face masks, hand sanitisers and disinfectants, causing shortages in many areas.

The Global Norths response to the pandemic was in many ways similar to Europes xenophobic responses to the plagues of distant history. It not only rushed to close itself up to foreigners in an effort to keep the disease out, but many in these countries responded to the crisis with irrational panic, xenophobia and racism. From the US to the UK, people of Asian descent faced racist and xenophobic attacks, as people irrationally held them responsible for the outbreak.

Overall, the countries in the Global North failed to see the global nature of the crisis we are currently facing. As they rushed to protect their own, they once again succumbed to old tropes about epidemics being caused by dirty and strange others.

Furthermore, they failed to recognise the need for a global public health strategy to contain the current COVID-19 pandemic and similar disease outbreaks that can come in the future. Instead, they focused on themselves and themselves only. Washington, for example, has reportedly offered German scientists working on a coronavirus vaccine a lot of money to give the US exclusive access to their work.

Pandemics do not materialise in isolation. They are part and parcel of capitalism and colonisation. The countries that struggled to contain and control major epidemics in the recent past, from Haiti to Sierra Leone, had deficient public health systems prior to these crises, partially as a result of their colonial histories. Moreover, products of capitalism  from war to migration to mass production and increased travel  contribute massively to the proliferation of diseases.

In the world that we live in, where capitalism and the remnants of colonialism fuel wars, unprecedented migration waves, public health crises and an increasing dependency on international and intercontinental travel, epidemics are inevitable. And, as the COVID-19 outbreak makes crystal clear, no countries, including the members of the Global North, are immune to these outbreaks.

The global community, however, can successfully counter these epidemics if it employs a holistic health policy. To defeat COVID-19, and other pandemics to come, the world powers need to learn to act as one. To ensure global health, the global pharmaceutical industry should work to make essential drugs and vaccines affordable to everyone, everywhere. This could start with making any future COVID-19 vaccine free to everyone. Such a move towards solidarity can even reinvigorate the demands for a truly universal healthcare system, where access to healthcare is an indisputable human right for everyone, everywhere.

But to achieve this, the Global North first needs to take responsibility for the public health crises created by the world order from which it benefits and stop viewing epidemics in the Global South, like the cholera outbreak in Haiti, as tragedies of others. Once the elites of the world recognise the Global South is not the source but the frequent victim of outbreaks aggravated by capitalism, then we can start building a global health system that could defeat pandemics like COVID-19.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday after the White House laid out additional plans to help cushion the economy from the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said they are exploring the idea of legislation that would include sending checks to Americans to help them manage through the economic impact of the virus disruptions.

The gains follow the market's worst sell-off in more than three decades on Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 1,048.86 points to close at 21,237.38. The Standard & Poors 500 rose 6% to finish at 2,529.19. Both averages had their worst day since the Black Monday stock market crash of 1987 the prior day.

Fed: What zero rates, sub-1% bond yields mean for your mortgages, student loans and credit cards

Coronavirus: How bad is the stock market sell-off?

Mondays 12% drop for the S&P 500 came as voices from Wall Street and the White House warned the coronavirus may drag the economy into a recession.

Stocks also got a boost after the Federal Reserve said its reviving a crisis-era source of funding for businesses that need short-term loans, a move aimed to counter the economic impact of the virus.

Stock futures stabilized Monday evening following news that the Trump administration plans financial support for airlines stricken by the outbreak and is pushing the Senate to enact a massive stimulus package to alleviate losses for businesses and individuals affected by the outbreak, which has infected more than 180,000 people worldwide.

The U.S. death toll hit 97, and there are more than 5,700 confirmed cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard.

There are monetary and fiscal policies that are being put in place to try to ease financial market concerns, but this is ultimately a health issue, says Tom Myers, CEO and managing partner at Bordeaux Wealth Advisors. Were going to need to see data that shows the severity of this virus situation is abating and getting better. Markets are assuming the worst right now.

Story continues

The S&P 500 has shed 25% since setting a record less than a month ago, and its at its lowest point since the end of 2018. Mondays precipitous losses accelerated in the last half hour of trading after Trump said the economy may be headed for a recession and asked Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.

The plunge came even though the Federal Reserve on Sunday rushed to announce a new round of emergency actions before financial markets opened for the week.

Layoffs from coronavirus almost certain

Theres a lack of demand across so many industries, its almost certain that there will be layoffs throughout the economy, says Stephen Guilfoyle, founder and president of Sarge986 LLC, a family-run trading operation.

In European trading, the CAC 40 in Paris rose 2.8% after the government announced $50 billion in aid for individuals and businesses. Germanys DAX rose 2.3%. Britains FTSE 100 added 2.8%.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo was virtually unchanged, while Hong Kongs benchmark jumped 0.9%. The Shanghai Composite index dipped 0.3%.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Dow jumps 1,000 points on hopes for stimulus package
Baghdad, March 18 : Iraq has confirmed one more death from COVID-19 and 21 new cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 154.

The new cases included 17 in Baghdad, three in Karbala and one in Basra, Iraq's Health Ministry said in a brief statement on Tuesday.

Of the 154 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, 11 have died while 41 others have recovered, according to the statement.

To help Iraq cope with the coronavirus spread, a Chinese team of seven experts arrived in Baghdad on March 7. They are working with Iraqi counterparts in the fight against the viral respiratory disease, which has largely been under control in China after a nationwide campaign since late January.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Motorola has announced its latest smartphone, the Moto e6s, and it comes with a small price tag. Thats because this is the newest device in Motorolas e lineup, which has always had a low cost.

The phone will also come with a very big display. Something that wasnt very common for smartphones that had a low cost just a few years ago.

Big screens and more capable components however, are becoming more and more mainstream for less expensive devices. Making it even easier for those consumers who want better phones but cant afford the higher cost or simply cant justify spending it, a way to get something that doesnt break the bank.

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The Moto e6s will have the small price tag of 99

Considering picking one of these up for yourself when they launch a little bit later this year? Well youll be able to do so for just 99. A stark difference to Motorolas insanely expensive RAZR re-imagining.

That is of course the cost in the UK. The price will be similar though in other countries where the phone will be sold, which includes select countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

In other countries in Europe for example, the Moto e6s will probably cost 99. At the moment there is seemingly no plan to launch the phone in the US. As it was not mentioned by Motorola and a US price tag was not mentioned either.

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This could suggest that the US will not get this device. Or it could just be that Motorola has no information to share on a US release of the Moto e6s right now.

The phone will come with a big MaxVision HD+ display

For the small price tag of 99, Moto e6s owners will get a big MaxVision display with HD+ resolution. Which will make this phone a pretty darn good value for anyone who wants to spend less money on a new phone.

The exact size of the display will be 6.1-inches, complete with a nearly edge-to-edge screen and only a small cutout for the teardrop-style camera on the front.

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Speaking of the front camera Motorola is using a 5-megapixel sensor here. Which isnt anything to write home about but it will no doubt suffice. The back cameras however will be a little nicer as the phone will come with a dual-camera setup that has a 13-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor for depth.

The phone will also come running Android Pie and include 2GB of RAM as well as 32GB of built-in storage. 32GB is a very small amount these days for many people. Luckily the phone also supports expandable storage via microSD cards up to 256GB. So if 32GB isnt enough for you you can add more.

The Moto e6s will come in two colors  Peacock Blue and Sunrise Red, and is expected to launch in the above-mentioned regions in the weeks ahead.
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Linkedin Kelsey Johnson and David Ljunggren (Reuters) Ottawa, Canada  Tue, March 17, 2020 10:56 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b23e07 2 World Canada,justin-trudeau,border-areas,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals except US citizens and permanent residents on Monday, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging people to limit social contact to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

Several other countries have taken the same step. The 27-nation European Union proposed shutting its external borders for 30 days on Monday.

"We will be denying entry into Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents ... it is a significant step that we take in exceptional circumstances," Trudeau told reporters outside his home, where he is under quarantine after his wife, Sophie, tested positive for the respiratory virus.

As the virus' spread accelerates in Canada, Trudeau urged people to stay home and restrict contact with others.

"Staying home is an important step to protect the community and each other. We all have to do it," he said.

Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said that the next two weeks were crucial in trying to stem the outbreak.

The death toll in Canada rose to four on Monday from one on Sunday. The number of infected jumped to 407 from the 341 reported at 9 a.m. (1300 GMT) earlier in the day, medical officials said.

The new deaths occurred in the same nursing home in the Pacific province of British Columbia, which is directly north of Washington, one of the worst-hit US states.

Trade will not be affected by the border closing. Canada shares a long unguarded frontier with the United States, which takes 75% of Canadian goods exports.

Asked why US citizens were exempt, Trudeau said the close bilateral integration meant the United States was in a different category from other nations. But he added that more measures could be announced soon.

"Both countries rely on each other to provide essential goods ... so it's very important we do this with a degree of precision and in the spirit of a strong relationship," Health Minister Patty Hajdu later told reporters.

British Columbia said, however, it was concerned that US citizens would be allowed in.

"Our strong message [is] that visitors from the United States not come to British Columbia," said provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix.

The border closure helped drive down Air Canada's stock by as much as 38%.

Canada will reroute all international flight arrivals to four airports - Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver - and has imposed tougher screening.

Weddings, baptisms on hold?

The country's main stock market index tumbled nearly 10% and the Canadian dollar hit a four-year low.

Ontario, the most-populous province, and one that accounts for nearly half of confirmed cases, said it would delay a March 25 budget and instead deliver an economic and fiscal update.

Toronto, Canada's largest city, recommended that bars and restaurants stop in-person service and that theaters close.

Quebec on Monday recommended the suspension of all religious functions, including baptisms, weddings and funerals. For any funerals that proceed, the number of mourners should be reduced, the province said, without specifying how many.

"If its possible for you to express your caring to the family, do it by internet, or by phone," Public Health Director Horatio Arruda said.

Trudeau, who has promised to unveil a major stimulus package soon, said that "in the medium term and then into the long term, we will need to invest significant amounts to restore people's confidence in the economy."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 10:02:34|Editor: Lu Hui

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Medics from northwest China's Shaanxi Province wave goodbye before their departure in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. At about 7 a.m. Tuesday, 43 medics from northwest China's Shaanxi Province left Wuhan on nine buses. The first batch of medics have been scheduled to depart Hubei, once the hard-hit province of the novel coronavirus, on Tuesday, as the epidemic situation has been greatly eased. The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

WUHAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of medics have been scheduled to depart Hubei, once the hard-hit province of the novel coronavirus, on Tuesday, as the epidemic situation has been greatly eased.

The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak.

At about 7 a.m. Tuesday, 43 medics from northwest China's Shaanxi Province left Wuhan on nine buses. Police officers at the expressway toll-gate saluted while watching the motorcade leave.

Hubei Province reported only one new confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease on Monday.
Erdogan to head urgent meeting on coronavirus crisis

Turkish Parliament will gather to coordinate the fight against coronavirus this Wednesday.

Turkey this Wednesday will hold an urgent meeting to coordinate the fight against coronavirus as chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Turkey's communications director.

EXTENSIVE COORDINATION MEETING

"President Erdogan will head an extensive urgent coordination meeting on the fight with coronavirus. Following the meeting, he will tell the public about future steps to be taken," Fahrettin Altun said late Monday on Twitter.

Turkey yesterday announced there are 47 cases of coronavirus in the country.
A local waste collection service announced it is taking steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the communities it serves.

Kenny Chiarelli, owner of Freedom From Waste in Farmington, said his company wants to do everything they can to prevent community spread of COVID-19 through isolation of waste from customers who contract the virus.

We are concerned that a customer will get the virus and that when our team members come into contact with their trash, the virus will quickly spread to thousands of local people, Chiarelli said. The virus has been tested and can live on surfaces, like metal, plastic, and cardboard, for up to four days.

Chiarelli explained his concern is that if a person with the virus touches their trash can and trash collectors then touch that same trash can, they could have the virus on their work gloves. The next houses trash can will then be touched with the same gloves and repeatedly spread hundreds of times per day.

He spoke of the precautions the company is taking to reduce the risk of spread and ensure the safety of the company employees.

We have provided respirators, safety glasses, disinfecting spray, and a surplus of gloves to our staff, said Chiarelli. Our model will be for team members to disinfect before starting routes, as well as frequently during and after routes. The trucks will be disinfected daily, and high contact areas will be disinfected multiple times throughout the day.

Chiarelli asked that customers who test positive for COVID-19 or believe they might have the virus allow their household waste time to decontaminate before putting it out for collection.

Please, if you have the virus or symptoms, do not put your trash out for one week, he asked. Please allow your trash to sit inside or outside your trash can for five days without touching it.

He also asked that customers make sure all bags are tied securely and to disinfect their trash can to the best of your ability before placing it at the curb as well as after trash collection is complete.

Because of the recent run on supplies, Chiarelli said the company anticipates running out of protective gear and will be looking to qualify for first access to these items as supplies enter communities. If you have extra or know of any store with available stock, let us know and we will buy them, he said.

This week, the companys customer service team and office staff began working remotely and the companys Farmington office is temporarily closed to customers.

Customers can still use the payment drop box if needed. If customers need to reach a member of the staff, they can call or text 573-747-0550. Staff can also be reached through email at support@freedomfromwaste.com. Live chat with support staff is available at www.freedomfromwaste.com

Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com

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WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Govt allows Air Asia flight to bring stranded Indians back from Kuala Lumpur

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 17: India on Tuesday allowed an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur to land in Visakhapatnam despite a ban from flights from Malaysia.

"Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. We have now approved @AirAsia flights for you to Delhi and Vizag. These are tough times and you should understand the precautions. Please contact the airline," S Jaishankar said on Twitter.

At least 300 Keralites, including students, are stranded at the Kuala Lumpur airport following cancellation of flights to India due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Those stranded have come from various countries including Philippines, Cambodia and Malaysia.

"We are students from Philippines. We are stranded since the past few hours as many flights have been cancelled. We cannot go back to Philippines and neither the Indian government is prepared to take us. We are trying to contact Indian officials. None of us want to go back to Philippines," a woman student said in a video telecast by various channels.

According to her, there are many from various parts of the country, who have been waiting for hours at the transit airport at Kuala Lumpur airport.

After they got the boarding pass, they were informed that flights have been cancelled, some of them said in a video.

Flights to Kerala, Bengaluru and Chennai have also been cancelled, the passengers said.

Jose K Mani, Rajya Sabha MP, said he had got in touch with Indian officials.

Most stranded passengers are Indian citizens

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 23:12 [IST]
A row erupted on Tuesday over the nomination of former Chief Justice of India to the Rajya Sabha with the Congress and other Opposition parties alleging that the "brazen action" by the government subsumes the independence of the judiciary.

As the opposition parties raised questions, a former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph expressed surprise and said Gogoi's acceptance of the nomination has shaken the confidence of the common man on the independence of judiciary.

Joseph when asked by newsmen to give his reaction alleged that Gogoi has 'compromised noble principles' on the independence and impartiality of judiciary. Joseph along with Gogoi, J Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur had publicly questioned the leadership of the then CJI Dipak Misra in an unprecedented press conference,



Gogoi, who retired in November last year, said he would speak in detail about accepting the nomination after he takes oath.

"Let me first take oath, then I will speak in detail to the media why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha," he told reporters in Guwahati.

On the criticism of his nomination, Gogoi told a local television channel in Guwahati, "I have accepted the offer of the nomination to the Rajya Sabha because of a strong conviction that the legislature and judiciary must at some point of time work together for nation-building."



"My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa," he said.

"Let God give me the strength to have an independent voice in the parliament", the former CJI said, adding, "I have much to say, but let me take the oath in the parliament and then I shall open up".

The Congress accused the Centre of making a serious assault on the basic structure of the Constitution, saying the action subsumes the independence of the judiciary.

Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said the nomination will erode people's trust in judicial system and cast a doubt upon fairness of judgements delivered.

"Nomination of former CJI as a Rajya Sabha member by NDA, soon after his retirement is very surprising," Gehlot tweeted.

NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the government should refrain from appointing to the Upper House of Parliament judges who have handled sensitive cases.

Gogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgements including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was on Monday nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Centre. He also led the benches that ruled on matters like Rafale fighter jet deal and entry of women in Sabarimala temple.

"By nominating the former CJI to the Rajya Sabha, the Modi government is brazenly undermining the independence of the judiciary and subverting the separation of powers between the organs of the State, which is an inviolable principle enshrined in our constitutional scheme," the CPI-M said in a statement.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi asked if there is any "quid pro quo" in the nomination of Gogoi.

"How will people have faith in the Independence of Judges ? Many Questions," he tweeted.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the action has hit at the faith and belief that people had on judiciary.

The Congress leader also used the remarks made by late BJP leader Arun Jaitley to attack the government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have at least heeded to the words of their own leader before making the nomination of the former CJI.

"The Congress Party finds the nomination of a retired Chief Justice to the Rajya Sabha is one of the most serious, unprecedented and unpardonable assaults on the basic structure of the Constitution, which subsumes independence of judiciary as held by Supreme Court judgments," Singhvi told reporters in Delhi.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also asked whether the prime minister considered the advice of his late law minister before nominating Gogoi.

"Justice Lokur rightly summarises it -: 'Has the last bastion fallen?'," Surjewala said in a tweet.

Singhvi said Modi could have adhered to the advice of Jaitley in this regard. He also highlighted and shared the 2012 remarks of Jaitley on having a cooling off period for judges to head Tribunals.

"Modiji amitshahji hamari nahi to arun Jaitley ki to sun lijiye! Did he not speak and write against post retirement largesse to judges? Do u remember," he said, citing Jaitley's comments.

"...Courts function on faith, trust, perception and faith. Each has taken a bad beating today," Singhvi added.
The functioning of the Lokayukta as an organisation came under scrutiny of some Karnataka legislators, with a Congress MLA claiming it has become a "toothless body" and seeking a comprehensive law to strengthen it, as the Assembly on Tuesday passed an amendment to the Lokayukta Act.

As the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy moved the Karnataka Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for the consideration of the House, senior Congress legislator and former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar questioned the effectiveness of Lokayukta.

Pointing out that earlier there was state vigilance commission which was replaced by Lokayukta during Ramakrishna Hegde's tenure as Chief Minister, he asked, "is there any use because of Lokayukta? is there any qualitative change? the purpose for which this institution was created, has it served the purpose?"



He asked as to what was the "net result", after Lokayukta took up several cases of corruption, and also wanted to know was there any value based change.

"A few people have refused to file their assets and liabilities before Lokayukta, which is mandatory for public servants.

Is it to rehabilitate someone?" he asked, as he appealed to the government to go in for a drastic law to achieve the intended objectives, which the whole country should appreciate.

Further claiming that Lokayukta as such has become a "toothless body", Ramesh Kumar said the Lokayukta as an individual is an efficient man, but law should enable him.

JD(S) legislator H D Revanna asked as to how many cases were before the Lokayukta and on how many cases action have been taken.

Congress legislator Eshwar Khandre pointing out that thousands of cases were pending before Lokayukta, asked in what timeframe they will be disposed, and it has to be discussed.

JD(S) legislator Shivalinge Gowda said, quality has to be maintained while appointing staff and officers to Lokayukta so sanctity of the institution is upheld.

The assembly on Tuesday passed the Karnataka Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2020, to further amend the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984 to enable the organisation to function more effectively.

It provides for referring or transferring of cases or complaints or matters to Upalokayuktas, if in the opinion of Lokayukta he being disabled to hear or consider or in any manner to deal with or dispose such cases for the reasons to be recorded in writing.

The assembly also passed the Karnataka Regulation of Pay and Pension of Teachers in Higher Education Institutions Bill, 2020.

The bill that replaced the ordinance promulgated earlier aims to regulate pay, pension and pensionary benefits admissible to teachers working in government colleges, universities established by the law and in government aided higher educational institutions under the control of the State government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus roundup today: India becomes fastest country to administer 7 million doses of vaccine

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Feb 13: India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 1,08,92,746 with 12,143 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries crossed 1.06 crore, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll increased to 1,55,550 with 103 daily new fatalities, data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,06,00,625, which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.32 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.43 per cent.

The total number of active COVID-19 cases remained below 1.5 lakh.

There are 1,36,571 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, which comprises 1.25 per cent of the total number of cases, data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

SOPs for passengers from UK amid fear of new strain



All passengers coming from the UK between January 8 and January 30 would be subjected to self-paid COVID-19 tests on arrival, the health ministry said in a standard operating procedure (SOP) issued on Saturday.

Moreover, each passenger arriving from the UK would have to bring his or her COVID-19 negative report from a test done 72 hours prior to the journey, the SOP stated. India had suspended all flights to and from the United Kingdom from December 23 to 31 to check the spread of the mutated, more contagious variant of coronavirus found there.

Later, the suspension was extended till January 7. Only 30 flights per week will operate between India and the UK when services resume from January 8 and this arrangement will continue till January 23, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said on Friday.

"Airlines to ensure the availability of negative test report before allowing the passenger to board the flight," the health ministry's SOP stated. It said adequate arrangements should be made for the passengers who will be waiting for their RT-PCR test or its results at the airport.

"Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit coordinated by the respective state health authorities," the SOP said. If the genomic sequencing indicates the presence of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit, it said.

The patient will be tested on the 14th day after having tested positive and he or she will be kept in the isolation facility till his or her sample has tested negative, it added.

If a passenger tests COVID-positive on arrival, passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind would also be subjected to institutional quarantine in separate quarantine centers, the SOP said.

The passengers who are found COVID-negative after the tests conducted at the airport would be advised home quarantine for 14 days and the concerned state or district administration should regularly follow up with them, it said.

"The states/UTs (union territories) government concerned are requested to set up help desks at airports concerned to facilitate implementation of the SOP," it added.

The presence of the new UK variant of the virus has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23 due to the pandemic.

However, airlines have been permitted to operate special international flights under the Vande Bharat Mission since May this year and under the bilateral air bubble pacts since July. India has formed air bubble pacts with 24 countries, including the UK.

Top 5 most affected countries worldwide:

Sr No Countries Total Cases Total Deaths Total Recovered 1 USA 28,106,704 492,521 18,040,312 2 India 10,892,550 155,588 10,598,709 3 Brazil 9,765,694 237,601 8,678,327 4 Russia 4,057,698 79,696 5 UK 4,013,799 116,287 2,094,007
As commercial- and hospital-based testing for the new coronavirus becomes more available, state guidance for doctors treating suspected patients has widely expanded the pool of people who can be tested. On Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued new guidelines that allow testing for people who live in nursing homes or other congregate living facilities, patients deemed to be public health concerns after being evaluated by medical professionals, hospitalized patients with unexplained respiratory problems, and people at higher risk of complications for whom a rapid diagnosis would benefit their treatment.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:22:50|Editor: xuxin

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SUVA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Fiji and Tonga announced later Tuesday stricter measures to prevent COVID-19 from entering their countries.

According to a statement by Fiji's Department of Immigration on Tuesday night, the Fijian government has decided to widen existing travel restrictions to cover all foreign nationals who have been present in Spain within 14 days of their intended travel to Fiji.

The department said that from Wednesday, Fiji's borders will be closed to all foreign nationals who have been present in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Spain within 14 days of their intended travel to the island nation which has so far reported no confirmed cases of COVID-19.

All international air passengers will continue to be checked with handheld temperature scanners prior to entering Fiji, and their travel history and health status will be screened by the island border agents.

Fijians are also strongly urged to refrain from any non-essential overseas travel, and Fijians returning from the five above-mentioned countries are required to undergo mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival to the island nation.

"All Fijians travelling overseas should be aware, if a country they visit is added to our restricted travel list while they are abroad, they will also be required to undergo mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival back to Fiji," the department said.

Fiji, which has been closely monitoring the global COVID-19 pandemic, has warned that new countries may be added to its restricted travel list at any time.

On Sunday night, Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced that from Monday, cruise ships are not permitted to berth anywhere in Fiji. Government ministers, permanent secretaries, civil servants and statutory body staff members are not permitted to travel overseas barring exceptionally critical circumstances. International events have been banned and overseas guests are not permitted to participate in local events.

Meanwhile, Tonga also announced on Tuesday tougher measures for international travellers to the island nation.

The travel advisory applied by the Tongan government to countries that have more than 60 people with COVID-19 and where there is community transmission, as confirmed by WHO.

Tonga's Prime Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa said that international travellers originating from or transiting through the listed countries such as the United States, Australia, Britain, Italy, China, Iran and South Korea (Daegu Province and Cheongdo County) are required to have spent at least 14-days self-quarantine outside of the listed countries.

They are also required to obtain a medical clearance three days prior to arrival to confirm travellers are free of symptoms of acute respiratory illness prior to departure from the last port of entry into the island nation.

All international cruise ships and yachts are also barred indefinitely from entering Tongan ports.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said that it was an "insult" to the people of Tamil Nadu that MPs were not allowed to ask questions on the regional language issue, and alleged that with no discussion happening, the Lok Sabha had become a "loudspeaker" of the government.

Gandhi's remarks came after Opposition members, including from the DMK, the Congress and the NCP, walked out of the Lok Sabha claiming they were not allowed to ask a supplementary question related to official language during the Question Hour.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi said he was not allowed to ask a supplementary on yesterday on a question on the 50 biggest wilful defaulters and the same happened to Opposition MPs on a question on the Tamil language.

"Now it is ok for the speaker to hurt me, I understand he doesn't want me to speak. But today the entire Tamil people wanted to ask a supplementary about the Tamil language," he said.

"This is not about one person, this is not about Rahul Gandhi, this is about the people of Tamil Nadu and their language and even they were not allowed to ask that question, this is absolutely an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu," he said.

The people of Tamil Nadu have every right to defend their language, to believe in their language and to speak in their language, the former Congress president said.

Gandhi alleged that Speaker Om Birla took away the rights of the people of Tamil Nadu by not allowing the supplementary question on their language.

The people of Tamil Nadu and their language have been attacked, he claimed.

Asked if he believes the Lok Sabha speaker is acting in a partisan manner, Gandhi said, "This is a House that belongs to all states, all languages. There should be a discussion here, but no discussion is happening these days. Nobody can ask a question."

"There is one-way traffic and it (Lok Sabha) has become a loudspeaker," he said.

Later, in a tweet, Gandhi said the people of Tamil Nadu were "disrespected" when the speaker refused to allow a supplementary question on the Tamil language.

"I strongly protest this injustice done to the Tamil people and the disregard for established practises and traditions of Parliament," he said.

Some Opposition members stood up in protest when Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai was replying to a question related to official language.

As Speaker Birla took up the next question during the Question Hour, DMK leader T R Baalu vociferously protested that they should be allowed to ask supplementary questions.

Amid the din, Gandhi intervened and said it was an issue at the heart of the people of Tamil Nadu and that supplementaries should be allowed.

He was apparently referring to issues regarding official language.

With the speaker continuing with the next question, members from various Opposition parties, including DMK, Congress and NCP walked out from the House.
The coronavirus pandemic that has spread across six continents, caused more than 7,000 deaths, and forced multiple countries to implement nationwide lockdowns has already spawned remarkable images, from the hazmat-suited municipal workers manning drive-through test centers in Seoul to the balcony acapellas of quarantined residents of Siena, Italy.

But the defining images from Qom, the early epicenter of Irans viral outbreak, might turn out to be footage of body bags lined up at one of the citys morgues, or doctors without personal protective equipment tending to the sick. In interviews with TIME, staff on the front lines of the hardest-hit nation in the Middle East painted a bleak picture of a healthcare system in the throes of a crisis that threatens to overwhelm its capacity. While experts point to critical errors in Irans early handling of the highly infectious virus, its experience now  in terms of the high impact on healthcare systems and frontline workers  is already finding echoes around the world.

My uncle, who is a doctor, called me in tears from his hospital saying that he cant cope anymore, a laboratory scientist working at one of five public hospitals in Qom, told TIME by phone on March 14. Protective gear was lacking during the first phase of the crisis, she said, so much so that for the first week the doctors and nurses only used regular masksno gloves, no gowns, nothing else.

As of March 17, Iran had recorded almost 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 (the disease caused by the new coronavirus). Already the highest toll outside of China and Italy, the World Health Organization (WHO) says the actual toll could be five times higher, due to testing being restricted to severe cases. Two days earlier, with deaths at 724, the countrys health ministry said that around 15% of those who died were under the age of 40an unprecedented figure for a disease whose death rate for those under 50 appears to be well below 1%.

Story continues

The COVID-19 outbreak in Qom, Irans religious capital and home to the countrys top Shiite clerics and seminaries, has since metastasized to nearby cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Kashan. It has hit the upper ranks of government, infecting cabinet members, senior members of the military and clerical establishments, and two vice presidents. On March 16, Ayatollah Hashem Bathaie Golpayenagi, a member of the Assembly of Experts responsible for selecting Irans next Supreme Leader, became the latest senior figure to die.

People are dying left and right here. Thats the case in all of our hospitals in Qom, said the laboratory assistant. Like other medics TIME interviewed, she asked to remain anonymous so she could speak freely, alleging that Iranian authorities are tapping some hospital staffers phones.

Keep up to date with our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking here.

That Iran initially mismanaged Qoms COVID-19 outbreak seems clear. Suspicions piqued internationally on Feb. 24 when a lawmaker in Qom claimed there had been 50 deaths in the city on the same day Irans health minister announced a nationwide death toll of 12 people. Irans unprecedented fatality rate also prompted allegations the government was covering up the scale of the outbreak. That perception was bolstered by the high number of high-profile figures who tested positive for the disease, prompting speculation that millions not tested might also be infected. And days after Iranian authorities banned flights from China in a bid to prevent the spread of the outbreak in early February, Mahan Aira private airline owned by Irans Revolutionary Guardscontinued to fly routes to and from Chinese cities.

There are a million ways in which Iran could have handled this situation, but they appear to have chosen some of the worst, says Ariane Tabatabai, an Iran expert at the RAND Corporation in California, from the disinformation at the beginning, to the inability to deal with travelers coming back from China, to everything that followed.

Officially, COVID-19 has now sickened almost 15,000 Iranians, but medical staff in Tehran say those numbers are a significant underestimate. There is absolutely no doubt that the number of sick people is much higher, a pulmonologist at one of the capitals leading private hospitals told TIME on his return to work from two weeks in self-quarantine after contracting the disease from a patient. Realistically, at this point, you need to change the reported sick cases to 1 million.

Another pulmonologist at Tehrans Masih Daneshvari hospital, the countrys premier institution for respiratory ailments, tells TIME it is impossible to give an exact figure for coronavirus-related deaths because the official toll reflects only the minority who are screened and test positive for the virus. There are many people we dont know are sick that could die at any point, says the specialist and many people die from respiratory problems that cant immediately be attributed to COVID19.

Iran has temporarily released around 85,000 prisonersincluding some political prisonersin a bid to mitigate the risk of the virus spreading through the countrys jails, Irans justice ministry said on March 17.

People continue to pray outside of Fatima Masumeh Shrine as it is closed for visitors due to the spread of COVID-19 in Qom, Iran on March 17. | Photo by Fatemah BahramiAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

Experts at the World Health Organization agree that Irans infection rate is an underestimate, a fact they say Irans leadership acknowledges. Iran isnt alone in this; infection rates are underestimated almost everywhere the disease is present, particularly in countries where testing is hard to access unless a patient is hospitalized. On March 13, when the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention was reporting a figure of about 1,600 cases nationwide, a medical professor at Johns Hopkins University told Yahoo News he thought there were between 50,000 and half a million cases right now walking around in the United States.

Irans rising infection rate is now likely due to rapid improvements in its testing capacity. A five-day World Health Organization (WHO) technical support mission that included experts from Germanys Robert Koch Institute and the Chinese Center for Disease Control visited hospitals, healthcare centers, and community outreach offices in Tehran and Qom. When the team arrived, Iran had only 22 testing laboratories, says Rick Brennan, the WHOs Regional Emergency Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region and mission team lead. By the time they left on March 10, there were around 40 laboratories.

While the WHOs report makes it clear there is room for improvements, our sense is that [Irans leadership] are prioritizing the right things, Brennan tells TIME. Theyre in a tough spot but we think their willingness to be adaptive is good, is appropriate.

According to the WHO, Iran has scaled up all elements of its response to the crisis and improved coordination between government agencies and municipal bodies. It had also begun converting production capacity, including some military capacity, to producing locally-made personal protection equipment to meet shortfalls. Like every health system on the planet, the Iranian health system is being overstretched, says Brennan, and like every other health system, I think theyre playing catch up.

Irans ability to catch up is hampered by a shortage of medical equipment that its government blames on the crippling sanctions regime imposed as part of the White Houses maximum pressure campaign. In a letter to world leaders on March 13, Irans President Rouhani urged the international community to adopt strategies within the framework of the United Nations to thwart the sanctions regime. It is time that the international community stood up to the U.S. unlawful and inhumane bullying, he wrote.

The U.S. Treasury says its sanctions do not prohibit humanitarian contributions that ease coronavirus pressure on Iran, a claim the Islamic Republics Foreign Ministry has called deception.

For the first time in six decades, Iran has also requested emergency funds from the International Monetary Fund to help it fight the crisisan appeal that the U.S., which sits on the IMFs decision-making board, could potentially veto under maximum pressure. Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on March 12 tweeted an itemized list of equipment the health ministry required. It included 10-million personal protective equipment kits and 160-million three-layer protective masks among dozens of other items.

These are the needs we have at this moment; but also what we will require when the virus reaches its peak. said the pulmonologist at the Masih Daneshvari hospital, who along with his colleague at the private hospital believes Covid19 cases will peak in early April.

Irans leaders have had to step away from that initial hubris to now recognize what the scale of the challenge is, says RANDs Tabatabai.

Neither the scale of that challenge nor the fumbling of leaders charged with addressing it is unique to Iran. President Donald Trump has been widely criticized for the lack of testing in the U.S., his incoherent messaging on the disease, and his attempts to exploit the crisis for political gain. In Britain, hundreds of scientists have challenged the approach of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose proposed measures on social distancing they deem insufficient to stymie the disease.

Indeed, the strain that Irans beleaguered healthcare system faces is likely to be mirrored elsewhere. The image I have started to use for the world epicenters is erupting volcanoes linked by the coronavirus ring of fire, says Daniel Lucy, an infectious diseases physician and adjunct professor of infectious diseases at Georgetown University Medical Centre. That viral volcano is now erupting in Seattle  reminiscent of Wuhan, Bergamo, Madrid, and Qom.

Please send any tips, leads, and stories to virus@time.com.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With thousands upon thousands of New York residents losing their job as businesses shutter during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the New York State Department of Labor is struggling to keep up with demand for those seeking unemployment benefits.

On Monday, following Gov. Andrew Cuomos waiving of the seven-day waiting period for those seeking Unemployment Insurance benefits, the Labor Department was inundated with tens of thousands of phone calls and online applications from laid-off New Yorkers.

Today weve experienced a massive increase in the volume of Unemployment Insurance claims, which slowed down the server. It is currently being addressed, according to the department.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

One Staten Island business owner told the Advance that he encouraged his employees to file as quickly as possible due to the influx of applications the department would soon see.

GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

The first thing I told my employees was to jump and file already. To get it done as quickly as possible because I knew there was going to be a big backlog, said Vincent Malerba, owner of Angelinas Kitchen in New Springville and Angelinas Ristorante in Tottenville.

He said he had to lay a number of people off, explaining that hes watched sales plummet 90%. To make matters worse, Malerbas catering business just stopped -- weddings, baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries.

Many restaurant owners are struggling for ways to keep business going after Mayor Bill de Blasio declared that New York City bars, restaurants and entertainment venues would be limited to takeout and delivery orders only.

The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together, the mayors statement read on Sunday. We have to break that cycle.

This news came on top of a previous decree ending functions over 500 people and seating capacities mandated at half occupancy.

On Monday, Malerba tried to assist his laid-off employees in enrolling in the program, but was met with the same technical difficulties reported by others throughout the state.

Yesterday about four or five of them came in to get their paychecks and we sat and went through it, and they were having difficulty logging in because the system was overwhelmed, Malerba said.

Douglas DiPasqua, banquet manager at Angelinas Kitchen, said that he still hasnt been able to enroll in the program despite repeated attempts online and over the phone.

I had difficulty with the website, so I decided to give them a call. I gave them a call and it was a completely automated system. I went through and finished everything that was on the automated system itself, and then after being told Id be connected with a representative, two seconds later it says all representatives are busy right now, please call back," DiPasqua recalled.

Like many Staten Islanders, he said he has been saving up in case of an emergency, but added he will certainly feel the financial burden of losing work during one of the busiest times of the year.

ITS GOING TO HURT PRETTY BAD

Ive been saving a rainy day fund pretty much my whole life, but this is going to be a rough one. Its going to be tough, DiPasqua said. Especially because were getting into the busy season right now. The spring and summer time is pretty much where you make all your money in this business. Its going to hurt pretty bad.

DiPasqua, responsible for handling the various parties and celebrations hosted by the restaurant, said the massive cancellations and subsequent lack of tips will leave him strapped for cash.

The busiest time of the year for us is between April and June... May is one of the craziest months with all the communions and weddings DiPasqua said. I work a lot on tips... Ive already been super conservative with my money, but Im definitely going to have to cut down even more.

Despite the high number of claims, the Labor Department said that all eligible residents will soon receive their benefits.

Please be aware that everyone who is entitled to NYS UI benefits will receive them in a timely manner, according to the department.

As of Tuesday morning, Twitter users from across the state were still voicing their frustrations with the departments website repeatedly crashing as they attempted to fill out an application.

Its still not working. It makes me fill out the questionnaire then tells me my session has expired half way through. Then get logged out have to start the entire application over again, one user said.

The website is still not working. Aside from all of the yellow flags stating system error on the Home page, Im always road blocked once I manage to start the process and proceed to the next stage, said another.

And its not just the website thats still having issues. Many New Yorkers are calling into the office and entering their information on the phone, simply to be redirected and told to call back at a later date.

I called to complete my claim, and i put in my SS#, then my pin. It then says I must speak with a specialist to complete my claim, but there is an unusually high volume of calls - call back this week. And then it hangs me up. Why cant I just be out on hold until someones avail? one user asked.

Are we really supposed to go through a minute plus of phone menus including entering our SSN and a pin (of which I was never told to set up during my claim filing online) just to be given a shrug and told to call back later? Cant there be a hold or queue system? asked another.

***

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The state Supreme Court has given the Philadelphia Eagles a post-season win by refusing to reinstate a $700,000 damage award to a Dallas Cowboys fan who was assaulted during a 2014 game between the bitter rivals.

The victory for the Eagles came in a one-sentence order in which the states highest court refused to hear an appeal by Cowboys fan Patrick Pearson.

Pearson went to the Supreme Court after a state Superior Court panel in October overturned a Philly jurys verdict awarding him that $700,000 for injuries he sustained during the attack in a restroom at the Eagles stadium.

Pearson wore a Troy Aikman jersey and a Cowboys hat to the Eagles-Cowboys game. He said he was jumped in the restroom at half-time when he got into an argument with a drunken Eagles fan who tossed his Cowboys cap into a urinal.

The fight escalated when Pearson told some taunting Eagles fans to get a (Super Bowl) ring and well talk, court filings state. The Eagles did get that ring three seasons later, but that didnt help Pearson.

He said he was attacked by several men who only stopped the assault when someone yelled, Security! Pearson had to undergo two surgeries and have two rods and 10 pins inserted in his right leg. He still walks with a limp and has lingering pain, court filings state.

In his lawsuit, Pearson claimed security at the stadium was insufficient, especially for a game where tempers were likely to be frayed, because no guards were stationed in the restrooms. The Cowboys won that game by a score of 38-27.

In overturning the jurys award, the Superior Court judges faulted the Philadelphia judge who presided over the civil trial for even allowing the case to go to a jury.

The Eagles did take adequate precautions, including dressing some of their security officers in Cowboys colors and sending them on patrol to quell disputes between rival fans, the Superior Court judges found. Also, they noted, records show assaults in the stadium restroom were rare.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Tuesday a package of measures worth a total 200 billion euros ($219 billion), between loans, credit guarantees, benefits and direct aid, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy.

The package represents about 20% of the country's gross domestic product, Sanchez said in a televised address, adding that the government would mobilize 117 billion euros for the package, with the rest to come from private companies. The measures include 100 billion euros in state-backed credit guarantees and unlimited liquidity lines for companies.

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The United Automobile Workers union said Tuesday night that the three Detroit automakers had agreed to address concerns about coronavirus hazards to factory workers by taking steps short of shutting down U.S. production.

General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler had been resisting calls by the union to shut down their plants for two weeks to minimize the spread of the virus among factory workers. In separate meetings with the U.A.W. on Tuesday evening, the union said, the companies promised a variety of measures to keep workers apart inside factories and to extend time for cleaning work stations and common areas.

All three companies have agreed to new measures that will increase adherence to the C.D.C. recommendations on social distancing in the workplace, the U.A.W. president, Rory Gamble, said in a statement, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He added that the three companies had agreed to partial shutdowns at certain times to allow for thorough cleaning of plants and extended periods between shifts. Shift schedules at some plants may be altered to reduce the number of workers entering each day.
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DEERFIELD (dpa-AFX) - Baxter International Inc. (BAX) said, for first-quarter 2020, the company expects sales growth of 4% to 5% on a reported basis and 5% to 6% on both a constant currency and operational basis. The company expects adjusted net income, before special items, of $0.72 to $0.74 per share. Fourth-quarter adjusted income per share from continuing operations was $0.97, an increase of 37% from prior year. Worldwide sales were $3.0 billion, an increase of 7% on a reported basis, 8% on a constant currency basis and 9% on an operational basis compared to the prior-year period. The company also announced the filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which includes audited restated financial statements as of December 31, 2018 and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. With these filings, Baxter said the company is now current in its SEC reporting obligations. Regarding COVID-19, Baxter said, to date, it has experienced limited financial impact. Given the high-degree of uncertainty around any potential negative financial impacts from COVID-19, the company is not providing guidance for full-year 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Case finding and contact tracing: If you dont know what those are yet, you will by the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic thats gripping the world.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Case finding and contact tracing: If you dont know what those are yet, you will by the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic thats gripping the world.

Of all the things we can do to mitigate risk, washing our hands and practising social distancing are the most effective measures to combat the spread of the disease.

At least thats the message repeated almost daily by the World Health Organization. Cancelling large gatherings and closing public facilities where appropriate is important, but relentlessly attacking the disease where you know it exists is even more critical, the WHO says.

Wide-scale social-distancing measures such as shutting schools, recreational facilities, libraries and other public facilities will help "flatten the curve", but zeroing in on known cases is one of the most critical steps public health officials can take to slow the speed of the spread.

Case finding is all about strategically testing those with symptoms that meet certain criteria, such as having travelled internationally. Once a positive case is identified, "contact tracing" occurs when public health officials track down every person an infected individual had close contact with. That person is told to self-quarantine for 14 days, whether theyre showing symptoms or not. Public health officials monitor those in self-isolation by checking in with them every day. Theyre instructed to stay home and to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.

Manitobas public health officials have launched contact tracing investigations into all seven reported cases so far.

"It starts within hours of receiving that result," Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitobas chief public health officer, said Monday. "They are required to take their temperature twice a day, we call for followup on that, (we) follow up on symptoms and ensure theyre following self-isolation."

Its a labour intensive exercise that gobbles up a ton of people hours, but the return on investment is great. According to the WHO, countries that have taken an aggressive case finding and contact tracing approach have had success in reducing the spread of the disease. Many, such as South Korea, have seen the numbers of new cases decline rapidly.

Once a positive case is identified, contact tracing occurs when public health officials track down every person an infected individual had close contact with, such as fellow travellers. (John Scalzi / The Associated Press)

Its the most effective type of containment because it focuses on known cases and their immediate surroundings. Social-distancing measures such as closing facilities and banning large gatherings  one of the most visible signs of governments fight against the virus  helps slow its spread, but those are far less efficient tools because they mostly separate non-infected people from other non-infected people.

The larger the gathering, the more chance there is that one or more people are infected (who can then infect others), which is why gatherings of 250 or more have been cancelled.

Without an aggressive case finding and contact tracing strategy, slowing the spread of the disease is almost impossible, regardless of how many travel bans or social-distancing measures government implements.

It's also a measure that has to be implemented early to have the greatest effect. The longer public health officials wait to trace contacts and get potentially infected people into self-isolation, the faster the virus will spread.

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Case finding and contact tracing is not new. Manitobas public health officials have dealt with a number of epidemics over the years and implementing these measures is not unique to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like most aspects of containment, self-isolation does require the co-operation of individual Manitobans. Those who have recently travelled abroad are also asked to self-isolate (including those with no symptoms), but thats done on the honour system. Government doesnt have the resources to track every person who has travelled outside Canada to ensure they are complying with a 14-day self-isolation recommendation.

That's where the success of the provinces containment efforts depends on the buy-in of all Manitobans. Its important that everyone follow the social-distancing recommendations.

But its even more important that those who are asked to self-isolate do so diligently and without reservation. Lives now depend on it.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Editors note: To let our community members know what help is available during the novel coronavirus outbreak and response to it, the following list of resources is comprised of information weve obtained thus far. It should not be considered exhaustive and is subject to change.

Organizations operating in the Rio Rancho area are offering various types of assistance to people in need due to the novel coronavirus and social-distancing efforts to stop its spread.

Here are brief descriptions of whats available and where, according to information from the respective organizations:

State insurance office establishes COVID-19 call center

SANTA FE  New Mexicans with questions about health insurance coverage related to COVID-19 now have a call center for quick answers.

The Office of the Superintendent of Insurance launched the toll-free call center earlier this month. It will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Consumers are urged to call the center at 1-833-415-0566 to learn about their right to have COVID-19 testing and treatment without cost and with questions about:

 How to obtain health insurance coverage;

 How to resolve grievances associated with premium payments, termination of coverage, claims, benefits denials and surprise billing related to COVID-19; and

 How to appeal an insurance decision.

The call center will also guide consumers to proper regulatory oversight agencies for further assistance and provide information about the states emergency public health orders and the bulletins, orders and press releases from the Office of Superintendent of Insurance.

Help for equine owners

Animal Protection of New Mexico, the states leading advocate for the humane treatment of animals, announces equine emergency feed assistance for those financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Apply online at APNM.org/HorseHelp or call 803-3770.

Any resident of New Mexico with personal horses, mules or donkeys and who is struggling because of COVID-19 or other emergency may apply. Review the application for further guidelines.

Successful applicants can receive one month of feed for up to four personal equines. The organization reserves to right to review each situation and may adjust the amount of feed on a case-by-case basis as needed.

Health-worker and first-responder meals

In appreciation of the health-care workers, police officers, firefighters and emergency-medical workers committed to community health and safety, McDonalds will offer free Thank You Meals April 22 through May 5 at all New Mexico restaurants.

Each Thank You Meal is available at no charge via drive-thru or carry-out at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It will come with a note of appreciation and be served in McDonalds iconic Happy Meal box, in the hopes of bringing a smile along with food.

These front-line heroes can show their work badge to receive one of the below Thank You Meal options:

Breakfast: A choice of an Egg McMuffin, Chicken McGriddles or a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee, and a hash brown.

Lunch and Dinner: A choice of a Double Cheeseburger, 6-piece Chicken McNuggets or a Filet-O-Fish sandwich. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee, and small fries.

Help for churches

The interdenominational Churches Helping Churches Challenge is offering grants to churches struggling financially due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. To apply or donate, visit churchrelief.org.

Driver documentation and privileges

New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an order waiving most late fees and other penalties assessed by the Motor Vehicle Division since March 11, when she first issued a state of emergency for New Mexico due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order requires the Motor Vehicle Division of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department to temporarily waive fees and penalties incurred due to the social distancing recommendations that closed many MVD offices until further notice.

The waiver applies to motor vehicle registrations, drivers licenses and other driver and motor vehicle privileges. It also covers drivers required to have a vision or medical report with the MVD.

The waiver will continue through the period MVD offices are closed and for a reasonable period of time after, to be determined by the secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department.

Late fees and other penalties will still apply if they are incurred before or after the waiver period.

State Police are directed, and local law enforcement is encouraged, not to issue citations for registrations or licenses that expire during the waiver period.

Motorists are still encouraged to use mvdonline.com to take care of the many MVD transactions, including vehicle registration and license renewals (as long as they are not for first-time Real ID licenses), updating address and insurance information, and other services.

The MVD also has set up two email addresses for customers with questions and concerns. One, MVD.closure@state.nm.us, should be used by customers with general questions. The other, MVD.forseniors@state.nm.us, is dedicated to drivers age 79 and older.

The MVD call center can be reached at 888-683-4636.

Business loans

SBA: The U.S. Small Businesses Administration has updated and simplified the Economic Injury Disaster Loan application and is available for small businesses and nonprofits directly affected by COVID-19.

The New Mexico Small Business Development Centers are assisting businesses with the process and guiding and informing businesses on everything available to help them during the crisis. There is no cost to apply.

Businesses can apply online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

About the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan:

Loans up to $2 million; no payments for 12 months.

Small businesses and private nonprofits are eligible.

May be used for fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills affected by the disaster.

75 percent interest rate for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible.

75 percent interest rate for private nonprofits.

Long-term repayments for COVID crisis will be 30 years.

The Small Business Development Centers network of experts is available to help at nmsbdc.org.

Lessening isolation

AARP: New Mexicans now have a place where they can go if they need assistance with daily tasks, want to lend a neighbor a hand or just want to connect with others to combat isolation.

AARP Community Connections, an online platform launched by AARP Innovation Labs, allows users to organize and find local volunteer groups to help pick up groceries, provide financial assistance or lend emotional support to neighbors, friends and loved ones.

We may need be physically isolated, but we dont have to feel alone, said Andy Miller, senior vice president of AARP Innovation Labs. Through this innovative platform, people in need of help from  or who want to offer help to  their communities are empowered to engage.

AARP Community Connections includes multiple resources to help those who are feeling isolated, depressed, overwhelmed or anxious. Users are able to:

* Request a call from an AARP volunteer or a trained counselor;

* Create an account with Savo to make connecting with their families easier; and

* Join The Mighty, a safe, supportive online community for people facing health challenges and their caregivers.

AARP Community Connections is live and free to use, and AARP membership is not required. For more information, visit aarpcommunityconnections.org.

Clothing assistance

Clares Closet: Due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Clares Closet childrens clothing ministry will not be open during its normal hours.

People who need clothes or diapers for their children can call 633-5726 Sunday through Tuesday, or 633-6709 Wednesday through Saturday. A Clares Closet volunteer will arrange to meet clients at the closet at St. Francis Episcopal Church, at the corner of Golf Course Road and Cabezon Boulevard.

Support for nonprofits

PNM Resources Foundation: The PNM Resources Foundation is offering $200,000 in grant money for nonprofits with programs working to increase community safety.

Funding will range from $10,000 to $50,000 for each nonprofit recipient, with preference given to organizations that implemented COVID-19 programs for the communitys most at-risk senior population. Nonprofits have until Thursday, April 2, to apply.

The community safety grant is for nonprofits to cover program and operational costs, and to continue delivering much-needed services that keep the community safe now and in the future.

No customer funds are part of the PNM Resources Foundation endowment. Eligible nonprofits must hold a 501(c)3 status from the IRS and be within the areas that PNM and Texas-New Mexico Power serve. For complete grant information, visit PNM.com/community.

Health-care workers assistance

CoronaCare NM: The CoronaCare NM website connects front-line health-care workers and hospital staff to volunteers who support them in the local area.

Corona Care staff members are requesting people less at risk to volunteer by running errands, cooking, babysitting, pet sitting and providing other help, according to a news release on the subject.

Through CoronaCare NM, front-line health-care workers and hospital staff can request help in any of the above areas.

By joining with OneABQ, CoronaCare will be able to offer 48-hour background checks in addition to having a greater scheduling capacity. By using OneABQs website to record volunteer hours, the city will receive $25 of federal aid for every hour of volunteering for coronavirus relief.

The CoronaCare NM website, coronacare.nm, is still where front-line health-care workers and hospital staff will go to sign up to receive childcare or general support.

Volunteers who go to the CoronaCare NM website will be redirected to the OneABQ website to sign up. This will ensure that private information necessary for background checks is secure and all background checks can be completed.

The volunteers will still be connected in a one-on-one setting to ensure social-distancing rules are followed.

Voting

Absentee ballots for any voter: New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has opened her offices online absentee ballot portal in light of New Mexicos ongoing public-health emergency regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.

The online absentee ballot application portal can be accessed directly at https://portal.sos.state.nm.us/OVR/WebPages/AbsenteeApplication.aspx or through the Secretary of States Voter Information Portal, NMvote.org. New Mexicos primary election will take place on June 2.

Opening the online absentee portal a month early is just one of the ways my office, and election administrators around the state, are taking steps to ensure safe and efficient elections this year, said Toulouse Oliver. Though there will still be in-person voting during the early vote period and on June 2, I encourage voters to utilize an absentee ballot as a way to fulfill your civic duty to vote while also fulfilling your civic duty to practice social distance.

New Mexico has whats known as no-fault absentee balloting, meaning that any eligible New Mexico voter can request an absentee ballot for any reason. The first day county clerks can mail requested primary election absentee ballots to voters this year is May 5; the last day a voter can request an absentee ballot for the primary election is May 28.

All absentee ballots may be returned by mail, with postage already paid by the state, to the voters county clerks office, or in-person at an alternative voting location, mobile alternative voting location or any Election Day polling location no later than 7 p.m. June 2.

The Secretary of State has also set up an FAQ page for absentee ballots at https://www.sos.state.nm.us/2020/03/16/faq-absentee-voting-for-the-2020-primary-election/.

Shopping for vulnerable people:

Albertsons Markets: Albertsons is reserving shopping for seniors age 60 or older and people with weakened immune systems from opening until 9 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays.

In Rio Rancho, both Albertsons Markets open at 7 a.m.

Big Lots: The store is reserving first hour of every day for seniors and those most vulnerable to COVID-19 virus. The Rio Rancho Big Lots, 1660 NM 528, is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Sunday, when its open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dollar General stores: Dollar General is strongly encouraging customers to allow the first hour of operations each day be dedicated solely for senior citizens, one of the groups most vulnerable to COVID-19.

The company wants to provide these at-risk customers with the ability to purchase the items and avoid busier and more crowded shopping periods. Other customers are encouraged to plan their shopping trips around this window of time.

This means senior hours are 9-10 a.m. at the store at 3301 Southern Blvd., Rio Rancho; 8-9 a.m. for the store at 1801 Pine Road, Rio Rancho; and 8-9 a.m. at the store at 160 E. US 550, Bernalillo.

Smiths Food and Drug Stores: Smiths Food & Drug Stores is dedicating the first hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7-8 a.m. solely to the shopping needs of senior citizens until further notice.

Each store will have staff members on hand to help people who need special accommodations.

For all other customers, temporary store hours will continue to be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., an early closing to allow time for disinfecting and restocking, until further notice.

The company is also waiving the pick-up fee at the point of transaction for online orders received curbside for customers whose verified age is 60 years and older through April 18. Smiths will continue to evaluate the situation to see if the fee waiver should be extended.

Target: On Wednesdays, stores will open one hour early for individuals who are elderly or have underlying health conditions. Rio Ranchos Target, 4225 Crestview Drive, is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Walmart: Starting this week, Walmart stores will host an hour-long senior shopping event every Tuesday for customers aged 60 and older. This will start one hour before the store opens.

Pharmacies and Vision Centers will also be open during this time.

Walmart stores are adjusting hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. to allow for more cleaning.

Utilities and internet service

City of Rio Rancho Water and Wastewater utilities: The Utilities Department will not shut off water until further notice. Recent shut-offs will have services restored with owed amounts assessed in the future, date to be determined.

Late fees will also be temporarily waived on delinquent accounts from March 17 until further notice.

Payments can be made by mail, by calling 891-5211 or at rrnm.gov. For other utilities-related services like setting up a new account, call 891-5020 or email utilitycustomerservice@rrnm.gov.

New Mexico Gas Company: A company statement said no customers gas service will be disconnected for non-payment, at least through April 6.

Essential work will continue, as well as 24/7 response to gas leaks and emergency calls. Employees are available to provide customer support by phone and online.

Customers are asked to pay bills by postal mail, online at nmgco.com or by calling the customer contact center at 1-888-664-2726.

PNM electricity provider: PNM has suspended electric-service disconnections and late fees for nonpayment until further notice.

Collection and credit reporting for nonpayment have also been suspended. PNM will provide customers with notice before billing and disconnection policies resume. It will also work with customers to establish a payment plan so they dont have the pay the entire balance at once.

PNM announced it would help pay electric bills for New Mexico customers whose household incomes suddenly fall into a low-income status after their employer cut their hours or closed the doors due to COVID-19.

Through April 30, the PNM Good Neighbor Fund is paying up to $150 toward PNM electric bills for low-income families who call the PNM Good Neighbor Fund provider at 505-967-8045.

For more information on the PNM Good Neighbor Fund, visit PNM.com/community.

Sparklight internet- and cable-service provider: To help ease the financial burden and provide continued connectivity for customers impacted by the novel coronavirus, Sparklight has announced that it has made unlimited data available on all internet services and is waiving late fees until June 30.

Its offering payment deferrals to customers who call to make arrangements.

Also, Sparklight is opening WiFi hotspots for public use during the coronavirus outbreak to keep individuals and communities connected to the online resources they want and need through June 30. Sparklights local WiFi hotspot can be accessed in the Sparklight office parking lot, 7501 Nita Place, Rio Rancho.

The company is additionally offering a 15 Mbps internet plan for $10 per month until June 30 to help low-income families and those most impacted from coronavirus challenges, such as seniors and college students. No documentation will be required to sign up for this plan.

Customers can call 877-692-2253 for more information.

State taxes

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Taxation and Revenue Department Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke announced Friday that New Mexicans will have an extra 90 days to file and pay their 2019 personal income taxes in recognition of the economic hardships many are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taxpayers will have until July 15 to file and pay any taxes due. The deadline for 2019 corporate income taxes also will be extended until July 15.

In addition, the state is extending deadlines for employers to remit withholding taxes. Withholding taxes normally due on the 25th of March, April, May and June will now be due on July 25.

Taxpayers who take advantage of the income tax extensions will not be assessed penalties as long as payment is received by July 15.

The Taxation and Revenue Department has determined that due to recent IRS action, it will not have to impose interest charges on taxpayers who take advantage of the 90-day extensions announced last week for filing and paying New Mexico personal and corporate income taxes. However, interest will need to accrue on withholding tax extensions.

The Taxation and Revenue Department also is assigning extra staff to help process income tax returns to expedite the payment of any refunds due to taxpayers who have already filed.

Support for employees with reduced incomes

New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions: Certain workers affected by COVID-19 may be eligible for unemployment benefits.

Workers may be eligible if theyve been laid off due to the impact of COVID-19, if theyre quarantined or have immediate family whos quarantined, or if their job hours have been reduced due to the pandemic. More information is at dws.state.nm.us/COVID-19-Info.

The department is waiving work-search requirements for those workers for up to four weeks, although they must file an unemployment certification each week. Initial claims can be made at 1-877-664-6984 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or at jobs.state.nm.us.

Food for children

Presbyterian Health Services: Rust Presbyterian Medical Center offers free meals to children up to age 18 at the hospital.

Monday through Friday, breakfast is available from 6:30-10 a.m. and lunch is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rio Rancho Public Schools: Grab-n-go breakfasts and lunches will be made available to children up to the age of 18 during the three-week school closure. All children must be in the vehicle with the adult picking up the meals in order for school employees to release the meals.

Breakfast and lunch in a grab-n-go format are available at the same time. Locations and times are:

 Rio Rancho Middle School: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 Ernest Stapleton Elementary: 11 a.m. to noon.

 Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary: 11 a.m. to noon.

 Puesta del Sol Elementary: 11 a.m. to noon.

 Colinas del Norte Elementary: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 Sandia Vista Elementary: 11 a.m. to noon.

 Lincoln Middle School: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 Cleveland High School: 12:30-1:30 p.m.

If sites are out of food, people who still need it can call 938-0386.

Food for adults and families

St. Felix Pantry: St. Felix Pantry will be open from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday through Saturday for people to pick up foot. Pantry staff members will institute new sanitation rules and inform guests of the changes.

Sandoval County Senior and Community Centers: Centers have canceled all activities, but will continue to operate drive-thru and home-delivered meal services, and modified transportation and home-based services for seniors.

State of New Mexico Senior & Disabled Adults Food Access Hotline: 1-800-432-2080.

Storehouse West food pantry: Storehouse West will offer drive-up service to its client families needing to pick up foodstuffs, according to a note on the Rio Rancho Public Schools website. The pantry is open during its regular operating hours of 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, and noon to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

Online educational resources

Rio Rancho Public Schools: For parents looking for activities to keep children occupied and provide an educational outlet with schools closed, RRPS has created a child resource webpage at rrps.net, under the COVID-19 information tab.

Also, check the RRPS Facebook page at facebook.com/RioRanchoPublicSchools for posts with other resources.

Fitness at home

To support the thousands of New Mexico families staying home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, Albuquerque-based Group HIIT offered free 60-day subscriptions to its fitness website to help people stay active during the pandemic.

Group HIIT co-owner Marlena Shirley said new users will have unlimited access to an online library of more than 300 workouts, including yoga and day-by-day programs designed for individuals, families and children. The workouts require little to no equipment so families can get started immediately, right from home.

Families and individuals looking to start a free 60-day membership are encouraged to go to grouphiit.com/stayhome to get started. In addition to the programs available on its website, Group HIIT regularly posts workouts, inspiration and tips on Instagram and Facebook.

Business support

Bank of America: Small-business clients with Bank of America can get assistance through its Customer Assistance Program, which provides the opportunity to defer payments on loans. Contact the bank for more details.

Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce: The chamber will be available to support the community and businesses throughout the COVID-19 response, so members are invited to call 892-1533 or email Jerry@rrrcc.org with any questions or concerns.

New Mexico Economic Development Department: NMEDD created a web page of resources to assist affected businesses at gonm.biz/about-us/covid-19-response. The page contains a suite of information regarding the various loan programs available, including:

 NMEDD loan programs for businesses impacted by COVID-19;

 State and federal resources for businesses impacted by COVID-19; and

 Webinar: Information and Resources for Businesses.

Home loans

Bank of America: Bank of America clients can take advantage of its Customer Assistance Program. The program allows many homeowners the opportunity to defer payments on loans, and consumers can request refunds like overdraft and late fees.

Contact the bank for details.

Child care

New Mexico Caregivers Coalition: To assist with the unexpected hardship of childcare expenses due to school closures, New Mexico Caregivers Coalition is offering immediate $100 Caregiver Emergency Child Care Grants to New Mexicos caregivers and home-care workers who have a child or children age 12 or younger in child-care settings.

Eligibility for grants requires:

Applicant works in home care;

Applicant has at least one child age 12 or younger in child-care settings;

Applications must be accompanied by proof of payment for child care services, such as a copy of receipt dated March 9 or later from the provider;

Child-care providers recognized under emergency New Mexico public health orders may apply;

Applicant may apply up to three times, once each month, since March. New applications must be submitted each month. Applications may be submitted via fax to (505) 393-5101, email to info@nmdcc.org or mailed to P.O. Box 297, Bernalillo, NM 87004. Visit the coalitions website for a grant application.

New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department: During the public health emergency, CYFD will issue full-time child care assistance contracts to first responders and health-care providers who need child care. Call 1-833-551-0518 to connect with the states child care Resource and Referral line or go to cyfd.org to download a child care assistance application.

Also, the state will temporarily register family, friend and neighbor (FFN) providers who may be eligible to receive child care assistance funding; interested parties can call 1-833-551-0518. Temporary FFN providers will be required to complete a background check, as will all family members over the age of 18 living in their home. They will also be required to complete a three-hour online health and safety training and an online CPR training.

The state has a Child Care Resource and Referral line to help families find child care at 1-800-691-9067 or NewMexicoKids.org. Families can also contact their CYFD eligibility specialist via phone or email to let them know they now need full-time care; the team across the state will amend the contracts.

In addition, all parents receiving child care assistance will have their co-pays waived during the public health emergency.

Families who choose to keep their children home during the emergency will not lose their CYFD benefits.

If a child care center closes and families need services, they may transfer their child care benefits to an alternative CYFD-approved provider  and the state will continue paying subsidies to both providers.

YMCA of Central New Mexico: The YMCA of Central New Mexico is hosting a three-week day camp for families in need of child care during the public school closure.

The YMCA recognizes working families and first responders have a pressing need for child care.

The YMCA will have four day-camp locations throughout the Albuquerque area and one in Santa Fe with a capacity to host 45 children per location. The YMCA will take extra precautions, such as a wellness check when a child is dropped off at the site, hand-washing every hour and sanitizing high-touch surfaces and equipment before and after every use.

The YMCA Day Camp Albuquerque locations will be Horn Family YMCA, McLeod Family YMCA, Montezuma Elementary and Sunset View Elementary. In Santa Fe, the Day Camp will be at Chaparral Elementary School.

The YMCA also has availability at the Horn YMCA, Central YMCA and Santa Fe YMCA for infant, toddler and preschool programs.

The cost of the day camp is $120 per week per child. The State of New Mexico is offering to pay this cost for first responders, and the YMCA also offers financial assistance to families in need.

Visit cyfd.org or ymcacnm.org for more information.

Veterans services

New Mexico Department of Veterans Services: Effective March 24, all field offices of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services will temporarily postpone in-person office visits by veterans and will instead provide veterans benefits assistance via telephone, video conference or e-mail.

All previously scheduled in-office visits will be rescheduled.

The move is to comply with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams statewide directive this afternoon that state agencies to further help minimize the spread of the COVID-19.

Veterans or widows/widowers of veterans can work with DVS Veterans Service Officers by:

Leaving a message on a VSOs work phone number. VSOs regularly check their office phones for messages.

Contacting a VSO on his/her mobile phone.

Via e-mail.

Via video conferencing.

Assistance will be provided on a first-call, first-served basis. Livestream video conferencing can be arranged by contacting the VSO.

Contact information for VSOs in the Rio Rancho area is:

Albuquerque #1 (Karen Abeyta)

Office: 346-3986

Mobile: 429-0856

Karen.abeyta@state.nm.us

Albuquerque #2 (Gordon Schei)

Office/mobile: 346-4810

gordon.schei@state.nm.us

Other needs

Rio Rancho CV-19 Help Group: Community volunteers will provide no-contact deliveries of essential items to senior citizens, medically fragile and immunocompromised individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Items available include paper towels, facial tissue, toilet paper, sanitizing products, hygiene products and non-perishable food.

To receive deliveries, call 633-6819 or 892-1533, or email RioChamber@rrrcc.org or RioRanchoCV19Help@gmail.com.

To donate supplies or money by cash or check, drop of items at Gospel Light Baptist Church, 1500 Southern Blvd., between 8 a.m. and noon seven days a week, or call 633-6812 to arrange for donation pickup.

The Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce, City of Rio Rancho Mayors Office, St. Felix Pantry and Gospel Light Baptist Church are partnering for the service.

Rio Rancho Public Schools: People who need resources, including food, baby formula, medical care, behavioral-health services, etc., may call the Rio Rancho Public Schools District Office hotline at 896-0667 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday through March 26.

Administrative team members will do what they can to connect people to resources and/or put out a call for assistance on their social media and with their partners.

State of New Mexico general information hotline: 1-833-551-0518, for those who have non-health questions about resources and the community.

State of New Mexico Navajo senior citizens hotline: 1-928-871-6868, for seniors living on the Navajo Nation.
For now, 35 of the companys 40 locations in five states are shifting to carryout and delivery only, with restaurants in Florida, Georgia, Minnesota and Nevada still welcoming dine-in customers. Aurelio said that could change in just a matter of days as the possibility of a broader, nationwide closure of public eating and drinking places looms.
At his trial, prosecutors said Sam tried to block his wife from leaving their home. After she bit him and fought her way past him, he grabbed a weight bar and followed her outside where he repeatedly hit her with the bar, prosecutors said. Her body was discovered by a Tinley Park employee driving past the couples home.
Dr. Rick Brennan, Director of Emergency Operations in the World Health Organizations (WHO) new Emergencies Program has said that Iran's coronavirus (COVID-19) death toll is underreported due to testing being restricted to sever cases and the toll can be potentially five times higher.

"The number of cases reported could represent only about a fifth of the real numbers. The reason was that testing, as is the case even in some wealthy European countries, was restricted to severe cases," Dr. Brennan who returned from a mission to Iran last week told Reuters.

By gathering data from dispersed official comments by provincial authorities and local news agencies Radio Farda has been able to confirm that at least 1,500 have died of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran. However, according to the latest official government report on March 16 the death toll stood at 853.

Iranian government officials blame shortages of medical equipment and test kits on U.S. sanctions. The United States, however, says the sanctions will not impede humanitarian trade with Iran.

According to Brennan the weakest link in Iran's chain of coronavirus management is the data, and he predicted that with Iranian health system rapidly increasing its ability to test, the numbers will go up. "There's a great commitment and they are taking it seriously from the highest level of government," he said.

The complicated political system and multiplicity of decision-making bodies in Iran has resulted in many contradictory remarks and decisions by officials. Measures are being announced but not implemented due to resistance of influential political, religious and military centers of power. As a result of being under sanctions the government coffers have quickly depleted, painting a very grim picture if a long period of epidemic, which in turn will intensify the economic pressure on the country.

The Iranian public and the media are very critical of the country's response to the coronavirus epidemic. Many allege the government was aware of coronavirus cases much sooner than when it informed the public on February 19 and then failed to enforce a ban on flights to China on an airline controlled by the Revolutionary Guard.

They also criticize the government for failing to impose a quarantine on Qom, the epicenter of the outbreak, due to religious and political considerations which allowed the virus to spread throughout the country.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus on Tuesday called for increased support of the LGBTQ community, which Wiener said may be more susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

Wiener and Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-San Diego, released a statement on behalf of the caucus, urging that the community must be able to require health care.

LGBTQ people are more likely to be homeless and more likely to have chronic illnesses like HIV and cancer, which can put them at particular risk to contract the coronavirus.

"LGBTQ people may also be less likely to seek medical care due to a history of judgment and discrimination against them," Wiener and Gloria said in the statement.

The two also said older members of the LGBTQ community are less likely to have close friends to care for them if they're sick because they may have lost friends during the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

"This is a time to come together in support of our most vulnerable communities, including vulnerable LGBTQ people," the two said. "Resources should go to engaging and supporting everyone in need, and we're committed to fighting for LGBTQ people -- and anyone needing an advocate -- in this difficult moment in our nation and world's history."

Public health officials statewide have confirmed 472 cases of the virus in California as of Tuesday morning, including 11 deaths. Demographic information for the state's coronavirus cases has not been released.

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.
USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) returns to Naval Station Norfolk after a five month deployment, November 15, 2019.

US Navy

The US Navy is preparing its hospital ships to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the hardest-hit communities in the country.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed he ordered the Navy to "lean forward" in deploying two of its hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy.

The two ships will specifically focus on trauma cases if deployed, given the limited amount of space aboard the ships, Esper said.

On Wednesday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he spoke with President Donald Trump, who approved of the Comfort's deployment to the state.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US Navy is preparing its hospital ships to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the hardest-hit communities in the country, with one of them deploying to New York.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed he ordered the Navy to "lean forward" in deploying two of its hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy, during a press conference on Tuesday.

The Comfort, based in the East Coast at Norfolk, Virginia, is currently undergoing maintenance; while the Mercy is at port in San Diego, California.

The two ships will specifically focus on trauma cases if deployed, given the limited amount of space aboard the ships, Esper said. The plan is to alleviate the burden on traditional hospitals dealing with a high number of patients with the coronavirus.

"Our capabilities are focused on trauma," Esper said at the Pentagon. "Whether it's our field hospitals, whether it's our hospital ships ... they don't have necessarily the segregated space as you need to deal with infectious diseases."

"One of the ways by which you can use either field hospitals, hospital ships, or things in between, is to take the pressure off of civilian hospitals when it comes to trauma cases, and open up civilian hospital rooms for infectious diseases," he added.

Story continues

On Wednesday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he spoke with President Donald Trump, who approved of the Comfort's deployment to the state. Cuomo activated the state's National Guard, after the number of cases in New York jumped to over 2,300. The US Navy reportedly said the Comfort may not arrive in New York to assist until mid-April.

"This will be an extraordinary step," Cuomo said. "It's literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity."

Most of the medical staff for the Comfort is based at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia. The ship has made several deployments since 1987, including to Puerto Rico for relief efforts after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The ships are staffed by 71 civilians and up to 1,200 sailors, according to the Navy. Both ships include 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital, medical laboratory, and a pharmacy. The ships also have helicopter decks for transport.

The Defense Department said there were 18 US service members who tested positive as of Monday. Over 5,800 coronavirus cases were reported in the US as of Tuesday afternoon. Over 95 people have died in the country.

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON - Voters in Arizona cast their ballots in the Democratic primary during a pandemic that has stunted travel, closed schools, forced millions of workers to stay home and cancelled campaign rallies.

Many voters on Tuesday expressed concerns that they or their family members will be infected with the new coronavirus. At the same time, voters ranked health care as the most important issue facing the country, well above climate change, the economy, race relations, foreign policy and many other social issues.

About a third said they are very concerned that they or a relative will get the virus, according to a wide-ranging AP VoteCast survey of the Democratic primary electorate in Arizona. About 4 in 10 were somewhat concerned, while just a quarter expressed little to no concern.

The Associated Press declared former Vice-President Joe Biden the winner in Arizona, basing the call on data from VoteCast.

Heres a snapshot of Democratic voters in Arizona  who they are and how they voted  based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast, a survey of 2,015 voters, conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.

DEBATING HEALTH CARE

The campaign has featured a contentious debate among candidates over the best way to tackle health care, an issue seen as the most important facing the country by more than 4 in 10 voters.

There is majority support for a government-run health care system for all Americans, with nearly 8 in 10 voters saying they are in favour. Roughly 2 in 10 are opposed.

But support for a public option, where every American could buy into a government-run insurance plan if they wanted to, is even higher. About 9 in 10 are in favour.

About three-quarters of voters are in favour of either proposal, while about 2 in 10 say they favour a public option but oppose a single-payer system.

DO THEY WANT A BIG CHANGE?

Slightly more voters in Arizonas Democratic primary say they want a candidate who would bring fundamental change to Washington over one who would restore the political system to how it was before Donald Trump was elected in 2016.

But a clear majority of voters, about 59%, said they preferred a candidate who will pursue practical, centrist policies to one pursuing bold liberal policies.

DIVIDED BY RACE

Among white voters, Biden had an edge over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, about 45% to 28%.

Latino voters were divided in their support between Sanders and Biden.

DIVIDED BY AGE

Sanders continued to show strength among young voters, especially those under 30. Seven in 10 voters under 30 supported the 78-year-old senator.

Older voters were more likely to support Biden than Sanders.

LARGELY UNIFIED AGAINST TRUMP

A wide majority say they would vote for Biden or Sanders against Trump in the general election. Still, 9% say they would vote for Biden but not for Sanders, while about as many say they would vote for Sanders but not Biden.

SKEPTICISM TOWARD THE PARTY

Voters are somewhat skeptical that the Democratic Partys nomination process is fair. Just about a quarter say they are very confident that the process for selecting a presidential nominee is fair. Roughly 3 in 10 have little to no confidence, while more than 4 in 10 say they are somewhat confident.

Meanwhile, only about a third of voters are very confident that the Democratic Partys leadership represents their values; nearly half are somewhat confident. About 2 in 10 are not confident.

CLIMATE CHANGE, THE ECONOMY AND OTHER ISSUES

Roughly 2 in 10 voters said climate change is the most important issue facing the nation. A wide majority  about 8 in 10  expressed support for a tax on the use of carbon-based fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas.

Just about 1 in 10 called the economy the top issue. But a significant majority described the economic system in this country as unfair. That includes about 4 in 10 who said its very unfair.

Small shares of voters considered race relations, immigration, gun policy or abortion most important.

___

AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The survey of 2,015 voters in Arizona was conducted for seven days, concluding as polls closed. Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish. The survey is based on interviews with a random sample of registered voters drawn from the state voter file. The margin of sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

___

Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.
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Linkedin News Desk (Bloomberg) Beijing  Tue, March 17, 2020 21:15 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b5f383 2 World COVID-19,China,wuhan,Europe,COVID-19-test Free

As Europes daily new cases of the coronavirus now eclipse Chinas at the peak of its epidemic, doctors in Wuhan -- the city in central China where the pathogen first emerged -- are seeing worrying signs of similar mistakes unfolding.

Key among them is inadequate protection for medical workers, leading to a high infection rate among doctors and nurses. In Wuhan, a lack of understanding of the disease and a shortage of protective equipment in the early weeks of the outbreak in January led to thousands of health-care workers being infected while treating patients. At least 46 have died.

Our European colleagues are contracting the disease in their daily practice, and the proportion is quite similar to the earlier situation in Wuhan, said Wu Dong, a gastro-enterology professor at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Wu spoke from Wuhan with journalists in Beijing on Monday, alongside three other top Chinese doctors. We need to protect our medical staff.

What doctors treating COVID-19 in Wuhan say about the virus

The toll on medical workers is an emerging crisis faced by major western countries where the virus has now taken hold. From Italy to the US, countries are reporting a shortage of protective medical supplies like masks in hospitals, while the rapidly growing patient load is overwhelming doctors and nurses. The highly-contagious nature of the virus means that it has shown signs of being transmitted in unusual ways, like through the eyes.

In Wuhan, ear, nose and throat (ENT) and eye doctors were infected at higher rates than colleagues in the same hospitals, Du Bin, director of the intensive care unit at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said at the same briefing.

My personal interpretation is these doctors have very close contact with the patients, thats the major reason that they got easily infected, he said. Its important to get doctors educated and trained on how to protect themselves.

The epidemic has now sickened over 170,000 globally and killed over 7,000. While its slowed in China -- only 21 new domestic case of infection were reported on Tuesday -- its accelerating in Europe and the US, cutting a particularly deadly swathe in countries like Italy, where the reported mortality rate is currently almost twice that of Chinas.

In China, where the population is cautiously resuming their daily activities, the death of prominent doctors during the course of the crisis has been a lightning rod for public anger over the governments handling of the outbreak. The death of Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old doctor who was one of the first whistle-blowers about the disease in December and was sanctioned by local authorities, ignited a wave of rare public fury against the Communist Party.

The Chinese doctors at Mondays briefing had other insights into treating the disease: Prioritize testing.

Unlike previous pandemics like the 2003 one caused by SARS, the coronavirus causes only mild or even no symptoms in some infected people at first, which means theyre unknowingly spreading the virus to others. Administering nucleic acid tests, which identify the virus genetic sequence in patient samples, is essential, said the doctors.

Test, test, test, said Du. Apart from testing, I just have no idea how you can identify the suspected cases, and how to quarantine the close contacts.

Virus-test divide exposes government Successes -- and failures

Testing has become a barometer of competence for the worlds governments and health-care systems. The US government is facing widespread public anger for the slow roll-out of tests, while nations from Indonesia to India are being criticized for not testing much at all. South Korea, which had the second-biggest number of cases in Asia, has gotten its epidemic under control largely through testing tens of thousands of people daily.

While the population most at risk is over 60, children can be infected by COVID-19 and some cases have been fatal, the head of the World Health Organization said at a briefing Monday.

Adults are 2.7 times more likely to get the disease than children, according to a study published in the Nature Medicine journal on Monday of 745 children and 3,174 adults. Most of the infected kids had close contact with confirmed patients or were part of family clusters.

Du said the majority of children infected have only mild symptoms, and all have survived so far. In the Journal of the American Medical Association, another study showed that among nine infants, none required intensive care or had severe complications.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

While no drugs have yet been approved to treat the virus, theres been a lot of attention within China on the use of Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, by patients. The herb-based treatments are being used in some 87% of cases in the country, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Feb. 17.

TCM works quite well in patients with mild diseases, and in those who have recovered from their critical illness, said Du. But its hard to judge the efficacy of the treatment from a western medical point of view. The evaluation system for the TCM could be futile or invalid, because it has a different philosophy or evaluation system for efficacy from western medicine, he added.

The doctors said that it seemed to them that Chinas domestic outbreak has come to an end, but that the country still needs to be vigilant.

Even in Wuhan, we should remain alert, we should prepare for future sporadic cases and future imported cases, said Du.

China is now providing assistance to other affected countries. Last week, a Chinese plane carrying medical professionals and about 30 tons of medical supplies landed in Italy.

Every nation has its own COVID-19 situation. We are not saying this is Chinas example and you should follow, we totally respect that you take your own actions, said Wu, But everyone of us should take it seriously, take necessary actions, change your behavior, and be responsible.
Armenia has evacuated dozens of its citizens from coronavirus-hit Italy on board a plane operating a charter flight that arrived in Yerevan from Rome early on March 16.

The Armenian government published a video on Monday showing passengers, all of them wearing protective masks, getting off the plain in Yerevans Zvartnots Airport.

Medics in protective gear and other emergency services met the 67 passengers, of all whom are said to have been placed under 14-day quarantine.

Another video published by Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosian late on Sunday showed that all passengers had been given protective masks before boarding the plane in Rome.

In announcing the arrangement of the charter flight last week, the Armenian government said all of its passengers would be immediately isolated and quarantined to prevent the possible penetration of more of the potentially deadly virus into Armenia from Italy.

The plane arrived at Zvartnots several hours late, but all was good. There had been no emergencies during the flight. No one had fever upon arrival. The rest will be according to the initially announced plan, Minister Torosian said.

According to the Armenian governments decision, from now on all passengers arriving in Armenia from European countries, including Italy, where the coronavirus risks are assessed as high will also have to be placed under quarantine or quarantine themselves at their homes.

Last month the Armenian government also evacuated dozens of citizens from Iran, which has also been hit hard by the new coronavirus declared by the World Health Organization a global pandemic last week.

So far Armenia has confirmed 30 cases of the new coronavirus also known as COVID-19, with one patient declared cured.

Most of the cases transmitted locally are linked to a woman who had come from Italy earlier this month and presumably spread the virus at a family occasion in Echmiadzin, a town of 45,000 residents situated some 20 kilometers to the west of capital Yerevan.

The Armenian government blocked most of the exits from Echmiadzin late on Sunday, saying that medical screening will be conducted at the remaining three exit points and those having fever will be asked to return home and temporarily isolate themselves from the public.

In a live broadcast on Facebook early on Monday Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said his government will hold consultations later today on the possibility of introducing a state of emergency in Armenia or in parts of the country most affected by the novel coronavirus.

If as a result of these consultations we decide that it is necessary to declare a statement of emergency in the republic or in parts of it, this decision will be made, the prime minister said.
Dejuliis said Social Security employees dont know how they are going to handle a variety of tasks. What if they are not sure people on the phone are who they claim to be? In the past, they made them come to the office to be sure.
The restaurant and bar shutdown has had the effect of furloughing thousands of hospitality workers, many of whom work paycheck-to-paycheck. Several relief efforts have been launched by Chicago restaurants and restaurant groups. We are gathering news about those efforts in one place to aid those looking for the information. Plus, we are tracking restaurants contributing to help healthcare workers.
Former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester believes she may have coronavirus after a traveller from China stayed in her home for a month.

But the 50-year-old casting agent, who is based in Los Angeles, is unable to get tested because her only symptom is a 'relentless cough'.

She explained that doctors in her area are only testing people with multiple COVID-19 symptoms due to high demand.

'I think I have it': Former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester (pictured) believes she may have coronavirus after a traveller from China stayed in her home for a month

'I think I have it but can't get tested anywhere. I have had a relentless cough that gets worse every day but no fever,' she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.

'I had a traveller from China stay in my spare room [from] January 13 to February 13 but have no way to contact her and see if she got sick.'

Ajay contacted the Center for Disease Control but received an automatic reply.

'Dont want to die': The 50-year-old casting agent, who is based in Los Angeles, is unable to get tested because her only symptom is a 'relentless cough'

'Unless I have a fever I can't get a test,' she added. 'If Idris Elba can test positive with no symptoms how does it make sense that someone with some symptoms can't get a test?

'[I'm] trying to clear lungs with menthol. Hoping testing becomes readily available soon. Don't want to die.'

It comes after actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, announced they had tested positive for coronavirus on the Gold Coast last week.

Virus: It comes after actor Tom Hanks (right) and his wife, Rita Wilson (left), announced they had tested positive for coronavirus on the Gold Coast last week

'Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches,' the Forrest Gump star wrote on Instagram on March 12.

'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.'

The Hollywood couple, both 63, had contracted COVID-19 overseas and brought it into the country, according to health authorities.

They have potentially exposed hundreds of fans and media professionals to the virus, including Channel Nine host Richard Wilkins.

Richard tested positive on Sunday night, after briefly meeting Rita backstage at the Sydney Opera House on March 7.

There are 556 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia as of Wednesday afternoon.
Everybody, whether in the fastest corporate jet or a commercial jet, has been limited to the maximum subsonic cruise speed of around 660 mph, or a good deal less than that for most of us. But it's not part of human nature to accept a barrier once broken. And the daily Concorde flights between New York and London, cruising at 1,300 mph, created an elite passenger group who loved what they called the rocketcrossing the pond in just three and a half hours.
Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Boston. Car plunges to ground from elevated parking garage in East Boston Read the full story on WCVB Channel 5 Boston. Video shows SUV driving through fence, flipping over against house in East Boston Read the full story on 7News - WHDH Boston. Social distancing transforms downtown Boston into ghost town Read the full story on Boston Herald. Local hospitals urging patients with mild symptoms to stay home Read the full story on WCVB. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

It happened at 3:30 p.m. Sunday on Falcon Street. Firefighters said the people inside the car were able to get out before it hit the ground.

A surveillance camera captured an SUV driving through a fence and flipping over into a house in East Boston on Sunday. Police said there were injuries reported, but did not disclose the extent of those injuries.

Boston's financial district sat nearly empty Monday, with many downtown workers opting to stay home to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Sixty is the new 45, 80 is the new 60, and 100 is  well, really dang old. But even centenarians know that once you stop learning, you star...
The United States has expressed regret over China's decision to expel American journalists at the The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal from the country.

Expelling the journalists, Beijing issued a statement saying the move was a retaliation to Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for the Chinese state-run media on American soil.

"I regret China's decision to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct free press operations, which, frankly would be really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

"This is unfortunate. I hope they'll reconsider," he added.

The White House National Security Council said that the Chinese Communist Party's decision to expel journalists from China and Hong Kong was yet another step towards depriving the Chinese people and the world of access to true information about China.

"The United States calls on China's leaders to refocus their efforts from expelling journalists and spreading disinformation to joining all nations in stopping the Wuhan coronavirus," it said.

Congressman Michael McCaul, lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the action was the most serious blow yet to press freedom in China.

"It's clear the CCP's biggest fear is accountability and this will only embolden our journalists to continue reporting the truth. We stand by the brave reporters, some of whom have suffered violence and threats from the CCP regime, as Beijing's coronavirus coverup continues," he said.

McCaul hoped that Beijing will answer his call to take accountability for its role in the spread of the coronavirus and become a part of the solution to protect people around the world.

Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Chinese President Xi Jinping was terrified of a free and independent press because he did not want to be challenged when his government spewed insane propaganda like the recent conspiracy theory that the US created COVID-19.

"The Chinese Communist Party only cares about establishing Xi Jinping's voice as the one source of 'objective news' in and out of China," he claimed.

"Chairman Xi can expel all the real journalists he wants, but he can't change the fact that his coronavirus cover-up killed thousands of his own people and put the world at risk," Sasse said.

"This is an outrageous move on behalf of the Chinese government," said Ami Bera, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation.

Journalists have the right and duty to work and report in every country, he said. "I have supported greater transparency and global health cooperation between the United States and China, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. But these latest actions undermine the trust between our two countries," he added.

"They are especially alarming in light of reports on the disappearance of Ren Zhiqiang, a Chinese Communist Party member who criticised the Chinese response to COVID-19. I hope the Chinese government will reverse course immediately," Bera added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday met with the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige in Abuja over the strike embarked upon by the union.

Recall that the ministry of labour and the union had a meeting last Thursday.

Also Read: Declare State Of Emergency On Education, ASUU Tells FG

The meeting was adjourned after FG proposed the merger of the contentious Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and ASUU salary payment system.

It was agreed that ASUU should present the proposal to Congress before todays meeting.

Before Tuesdays meeting went into a closed session, ASUU president, Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi, said it was unfortunate that the government made IPPIS look like the major issue in the unions demands.

Another issue to correct is that we never said university bursars are to generate the budget for the instructions. ASUU is here with a report from members, the ASUU president said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 19:02 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b59f9a 1 National Friday-prayer,COVID-19,MUI,MUI-edict,fatwa,mass-prayer,coronavirus,jusuf-kalla Free

The Indonesian Ulema Council has urged the government to map coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) prone areas following its issuance of a fatwa that advises Muslims to avoid praying in congregations, including for Friday prayers.

On Monday, the MUI issued the fatwa on compulsory Muslim prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The council advised Muslims in areas where COVID-19 had spread uncontrollably to not perform Friday prayers in those areas until the situation returns to normal.

The fatwa should be a guide for the government to take actions and map areas where the disease has spread uncontrollably. The government is the one with the competency and authority in this matter, MUI fatwa commission chairman Hasanuddin Abdul Fatah said during a meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He also said that other religious activities, such as Quran study groups, should be suspended for the meantime in areas with a high risk of COVID-19 contagion.

The meeting at the MUI central headquarters was held to formally give the fatwa to Indonesian Mosque Council chairman Jusuf Kalla. The MUI previously announced the fatwa to the public and issued a circular to mosques.

What is important is that the council realizes the situation is dangerous [...] pilgrims and Muslims must be vigilant and must prevent [the spread of the virus] in the regions, said Kalla, who is also a former vice president, adding that government should specify the COVID-19 risk levels in different areas of the country to support the implementation of the fatwa.

Read also: In Jakarta, religious communities adjust traditions to prevent COVID-19

As of Tuesday, there were 172 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia, with nine patients having recovered and five having died. Cases have been confirmed in eight provinces, namely Jakarta, Central Java, West Java, Banten, Yogyakarta, Bali, West Kalimantan and North Sulawesi.

Members of the council also asked Kalla, as the chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross, to help increase medical capacities across the country, especially isolation chambers.

Despite its status as an independent body for Indonesian clerics, the MUI, whose chairman is Vice President Maruf Amin, has close ties with the administration. The MUIs deputy chairman, Zainut Tauhid Saadi, is also the deputy religious affairs minister.

The MUI fatwa states that Muslims in areas "less affected" by COVID-19 could still perform Friday prayers at mosques. However, people are encouraged to minimize their physical contact by bringing their own prayer mat to the congregation, in addition to washing their hands routinely.

Friday prayers are often seen as obligatory, especially for Muslim men, and need to be performed with a congregation inside a mosque. Eid prayers and tarawih (evening prayers during Ramadan), however, are sunnah, meaning those who perform them are rewarded and not punished if they ignore them.

Read also: Hong Kong church streams mass online to prevent coronavirus spread

The MUI also prohibits Muslims who have tested COVID-19 positive from attending congregation prayer at mosques, including Friday and Eid prayers as well as tarawih. The council has also instructed them to replace the obligatory Friday prayers with zuhr (midday) at home.

"It is haram [forbidden under Islamic law] for a [person with] COVID-19 to carry out sunnah activities that create opportunities for contagion, such as performing the daily prayers in a congregation, the tarawih and the Eid prayer at mosques and other public places, as well as attending public [Quranic] recitations or majelis taklim [Quran study groups], the fatwa read.

The statement released along with the fatwa also said that bathing rituals for the bodies of the dead should be carried out by medical authorities in compliance with their protocols and with regard to Islamic law, but that funeral prayers and burials should be conducted with extra precautions in order to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

The fatwa council also stated that actions that cause panic and/or public losses, such as hoarding basic necessities and face masks, were also haram.(mfp)
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unleashed the biggest package of emergency state support for business since the 2008 financial crash, unveiling 330bn worth of government-backed loans and more than 20bn in tax cuts and grants for companies threatened with collapse because of the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Sunak also said that he was ready to extend the lending capacity to an unlimited level in order to help companies including pubs, clubs and shops facing financial meltdown caused by the extraordinary lockdown measures announced by prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday. And he announced a three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners in difficulties because of the outbreak.

But economic thinktank the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that the chancellor  in the job for only one month  will need to come back with more, as firms could otherwise become financially unviable when the loans come up for repayment.

The massive cash injection  on top of a 30bn economic stimulus in last weeks budget  came as the government released emergency legislation allowing police to detain individuals thought to be infected with the virus and enabling the government to shut down ports and airports and seize vehicles.

Earlier, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance warned that as many as 55,000 people in the UK may now be infected and said it would be a good outcome if the eventual death toll could be kept below 20,000.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

Standing alongside Mr Johnson in the second daily coronavirus press conference at No 10, Mr Sunak said: This is not a time for ideology and orthodoxy. This is the time to be bold, a time for courage. I want to reassure every British citizen  this government will give you all the tools you need to get through this.

We will support jobs. We will support incomes, we will support businesses, and we will help you protect your loved ones. We will do whatever it takes.

Mr Sunak also said mortgage lenders had agreed a scheme so that people will not have to pay a penny towards their mortgage costs before they get back on their feet.

He promised to work with trade unions and business groups over the coming days to urgently develop new forms of employment support to help protect peoples jobs and their incomes.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that the governments call for Britons to stay home and avoid contact with other people was unprecedented since World War Two.

And he tried to present himself as the leader of a nation at war, saying: We must act like any wartime government, and do whatever It takes to support our economy.

Yes, this enemy can be deadly, but it is also beatable.

And we know how to beat it and we know that if as a country we follow the scientific advice that is now being given, we know that we will beat it.

However tough the months ahead, we have the resolve and the resources to win the fight.

And to repeat, this government will do whatever it takes.

The repeated use of the phrase whatever it takes seemed a deliberate echo of former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, intended to reassure panicking markets in the same way his 2012 promise to protect the euro did during the eurozone crisis.

The PM appeared to hint that he may give in to pressure to order schools to close, saying the position was under continuous review.

Asked what he would do about pupils on free meals if schools were closed, the PM said: As we come to the decision on schools, we will have plans ready to go on that. Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has a plan to make sure that parents with kids who are eligible for free schools meals get the compensation or the treatment they need one way or the other. We have certainly anticipated that.

Mr Sunak said that the guaranteed loans equated to 15 per cent of UK GDP.

That means any business who needs access to cash to pay their rent, their salaries, suppliers, or purchase stock will be able to access a government-backed loan or credit on attractive terms, the chancellor said. And if demand is greater than the initial 330bn Im making available today, I will go further and provide as much capacity as required.

I said whatever it takes, and I meant it.

The support will be delivered through a new Bank of England lending facility and an extension to the business interruption scheme announced in the budget, which will now provide loans of up to 5m rather than 1.2m, interest-free for six months.

He announced cash grants of up to 25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value below 51,000, to help them through a period when customers have been advised not to attend pubs and clubs.

A year-long business rates holiday will be extended to all companies in these sectors, said the chancellor.

And he assured businesses that the governments action will allow them to make claims against insurance policies covering pandemic losses.

Cash grants of 3,000 for the smallest businesses, announced in the budget, are to be increased to 10,000.

Mr Sunak said he was discussing with transport secretary Grant Shapps a potential support package specifically for airlines and airports, which are suffering from a collapse in passenger numbers.

IFS director Paul Johnson said that, while substantial, the cash support for businesses announced by the chancellor is probably not well targeted at saving jobs, as it will remain expensive for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses to keep staff on.

A package to support employment might include cuts to employer national insurance contributions, a delay in increases to the national living wage and increased support for individuals through universal credit, as well as help for workers to move temporarily to jobs now in high demand, like delivery drivers and warehouse workers, he suggested.

British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said: Businesses will welcome the scale of the governments latest response, as well as the specific support it is offering to some of the worst-affected parts of our economy. These measures could be a lifeline for many businesses across the UK who are now experiencing wholesale disruption as a result of the pandemic.

But he warned: Further measures will be needed to help all firms and their employees meet this unprecedented challenge.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: The government has announced a mortgage holiday for homeowners but it must suspend rents too. Millions of people rent in the UK. Suspend rents. Ban evictions. Now.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: The chancellor is right to provide emergency support for business. But this cant be just a bailout for boardrooms. It has to put money in workers pockets too.
Russia plans to land a spacecraft on the moon's surface next year for the first time in more than four decades.

The country will launch Luna-25 on October 1, 2021, Igor Mitrofanov, the head of the nuclear planetology department at the Space Research Institute, said at a meeting of scientists on March 17.

Moscow last launched a spacecraft to the surface of the moon in 1976 as the Soviet Union's space race with the United States came to an end.

Luna-25 will carry out scientific research in the polar region of the moon, including studying the properties of the soil.

According to Russia's space program agenda, the country plans four more launches to the moon by 2028.

With reporting by Vedomosti and Ria Novosti
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, left, listens to President Donald Trump, right, speak outside the White House in Washington on Nov. 8, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

White House Press Secretary Working Remotely After Contact With Coronavirus Cases

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham is working remotely after people she came into contact with earlier this month later tested positive for the coronavirus that started in China.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsnaro and a delegation visited Florida from March 7 through March 9, coming into contact with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other top U.S. and local officials.

Two members of Bolsonaros delegation later tested positive for the new coronavirus, which causes a disease called COVID-19.

Grisham told outlets on Monday that she was working from home despite feeling fine.

With my close proximity to the President, its better to be safe than sorry, she told CNBC in a text message.

Grisham is also the White House communications director. In her roles, she usually travels with the president on trips he takes.

Stephanie Grisham in a file photograph in Anchorage, Alaska. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump was tested for COVID-19 on Friday. He tested negative.

Pence has not been tested as of yet.

Im in regular consultation with the White House physician, and he said Ive not been exposed to anyone for any period of time that had the coronavirus, and that my wife and I have no symptoms, he told reporters on Monday night.

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) went into self-quarantine over their contact with the Brazilian delegation, as did Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) Gaetz and Graham have since tested negative.

It wasnt clear if Scott has been tested.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, right, sits next to Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), at the Brazil-USA Business Relations Seminar in Florida at the Hilton Miami Downtown, in Miami, Florida on March 9, 2020. (Zak Bennett/AFP via Getty Images)

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who also met with Bolsonaro, tested positive for the virus.

Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump, a senior adviser to the president, and her husband Jared Kushner met with the Brazilian delegation. Trump also met with Australias Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who later tested positive for the illness. Attorney General William Barr and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway were also present at the meeting.

A White House spokesman said that Trump was showing no symptoms and worked from home on Friday out of an abundance of caution until guidance was given.

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.

Conway 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.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Dollar General says it is dedicating the first hour of store operations to senior citizens, encouraging locations to honor the practice to protect older customers during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Dollar General wants to provide these at-risk customers with the ability to purchase the items they need and want at the beginning of each day to avoid busier and more crowded shopping periods, the company said in a statement released on Twitter. Other customers are encouraged to plan their shopping trips around this window of time to allow the most susceptible customers in our communities the ability to shop during the first hour that stores are open.

Other customers are not excluded during the first hour, but CEO Todd Vasos says in a statement that the company hopes customers will honor the request and visit locations after at later times. The dedicated hour begins today.

Dollar General has more than 16,000 stores nationwide, including dozens of locations in Northeast Ohio. The statement says the company also is planning to close stores one hour earlier to allow employees to clean and re-stock store shelves, as well as for their health and well-being.

USA Today reports other stores in the U.S. are also blocking out shopping hours for older or at-risk customers. Stop & Shop will open from 6 to 7:30 a.m. for customers over the age of 60 beginning Thursday, while grocery stores in Jersey City, N.J., are dedicating two hours each morning for elderly, disabled and pregnant shoppers.

In Southern California, Northgate Gonzalez Market stores is dedicating 7 to 8 a.m. to disabled and seniors 65 and older, USA Today reports.

Related content on cleveland.com:

Citing health emergency, Ohio officials to order polls closed on Election Day, despite judges ruling

Ohio to close gyms, theaters, rec centers, and other venues to curb spreading coronavirus

Cuyahoga County suspends work requirements for food stamps, cash assistance in response to coronavirus

Federal courts in northern Ohio postpone jury trials, limit grand jury meetings in response to coronavirus

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Under any other circumstances, air carriers would be happily popping champagne corks after the latest massive oil price slump. After all, fuel typically accounts for up to 20% of an airlines operating expenses. Crude oil prices plunged below $30 a barrel early on Monday as the coronavirus pandemic continued to spread fear and panic in global financial markets.

Yet, this time around, carriers have little to celebrate as many had locked in at far higher fuel prices, not to mention the ongoing drastic drop in air travel demand which has started claiming its first victims.

On Monday, Norwegian Air Shuttle announced an 85% reduction in flight schedules, including plans to lay off some 7,300 staff--a good 90% of its workforce--as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on global air travel.

Fuel Hedging

Many airlines use hedging to mitigate the risk of fuel price volatility. Fuel hedging means an airline agrees to purchase a certain amount of oil in the future at a predetermined price. Airlines hedge fuel costs in a number of ways, including purchasing current oil contracts, buying call options or purchasing swap contracts.

On the other hand, hedging helps aviation fuel market vendors like Shell, Air BP or Exxon Mobil to lock in future sales at a set price, thus providing them with stable, predictable revenues. In effect, by entering into futures contracts, both parties agree to give up potential profits in return for certainty. With fuel hedging, there is always a winner and a loser.

Unfortunately, many airlines are finding themselves on the wrong side of the equation this time around. Related: Is $10 Oil On The Horizon?

Last week, the International Air Transport Association warned that airlines could lose a staggering $113 billion in sales in 2020 due to Covid-19. Thats nearly 4x more than its estimates only two weeks earlier.

For some consolation, the organization said the oil price slump could cut airline costs by $28 billion.

Not everybody will be able to enjoy the relief brought by low oil prices, though.

Take the case of Irish carrier Ryanair which has hedged 90% of its fuel requirement for the year beginning April 1st an average of $606 per metric ton. That works out to about $77 a barrel, more than 2.5x the current oil price. Ryanair has historically used forward contracts that cover periods of up to 18 months of anticipated jet fuel requirements.

Or, the case of Air France-KLM, a big buyer of fuel oil having spent 5.5 billion euros ($6.3 billion) on fuel last year. The Dutch/French carrier is locked in at the even higher level at $619 per ton for 2020, or about $78.5 per barrel, for two-thirds of its needs. Meanwhile, Deutsche Lufthansa AG is hedged at a more modest $63/barrel for nearly three-quarters of its annual usage.

U.S. Carriers Favored

But as George Ferguson, a senior analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, has revealed, most U.S. airlines do not hedge at all and are therefore likely to enjoy the low oil prices with cost savings in the 20%-25% range. Carriers like Southwest Airlines and JetBlue who focus on the domestic market hedge only lightly and could be better off for it.

Chinese and Indian airlines dont typically hedge on fuel, meaning they are also likely to participate in the bounty.

But maybe everyone can do with a little biomimicry and learn a thing or two from Airbus.

Last week, the British carrier tested its fellofly program where it flew a flock of A350s in a bird-like formation in a bid to lower fuel consumption. In the fellofly tests, two aircraft are flown in formation commonly observed in migratory birds with a separation of just 1.5 nautical miles, significantly lower than the current five nautical mile limit prescribed by the FAA. Airbus believes this could lead to 10-15% reduction in fuel burned in the follower aircraft.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
HOUSTON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) today provided an update on its 2020 development program, prioritizing free cash flow and financial flexibility in 2020 and beyond. The revised plan accounts for recent changes in the macroeconomic outlook, including the following highlights:

Reducing operational capital plan for full-year 2020 to $700 to $725 million from $975 million , significantly reducing average quarterly expenditures for the remainder of 2020 by approximately 50% from a previously budgeted first quarter level of over $275 million and resulting in relatively flat year-over-year production growth versus the predecessor companies' combined 2019 production volumes

to from , significantly reducing average quarterly expenditures for the remainder of 2020 by approximately 50% from a previously budgeted first quarter level of over and resulting in relatively flat year-over-year production growth versus the predecessor companies' combined 2019 production volumes Reducing current operated rig count of nine to five before the end of the second quarter of 2020

Reducing frac crew count from five to two upon the completion of currently in-process projects

2H20 and preliminary 2021 plans employ three to four drilling rigs (two to three in the Permian Basin and one in the Eagle Ford) and one to two completion crews focused on a high-graded set of shorter cycle projects

Shifting capital allocation to high return, shorter cash cycle projects in the Midland Basin and Eagle Ford Shale while preserving the long-term, co-development strategy in the Delaware Basin

Basin Forecasted free cash flow 1 generation of $75 to $100 million for the balance of the year (second quarter through year-end) assuming no service cost deflation and flat NYMEX prices of $35 /Bbl and $2.00 /MMBtu for the balance of the year

generation of to for the balance of the year (second quarter through year-end) assuming no service cost deflation and flat NYMEX prices of /Bbl and /MMBtu for the balance of the year Assuming $40 /Bbl and $2.25 /MMBtu average NYMEX prices in 2021, no service cost deflation and a capital allocation strategy similar to the revised 2020 program, expectations for over $100 million of free cash flow1 in 2021 under an operational capital program of $400 to $500 million with the upper end of the range supporting a maintenance capital program and the lower end of the range resulting in modestly lower year-over-year production volumes

Joe Gatto, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, "Our ability to pivot quickly to shorter cycle, less capital-intensive projects reflects Callon's inherent optionality across our expanded pro forma portfolio. This will allow us to continue with capital efficient, scaled development, while also focusing on a program that shortens cash conversion cycles in a lower commodity price environment. Our differentiated development model is underpinned by 'flexibility with continuity', optimizing near-term returns without sacrificing long-term value or the balance sheet. The diversification of our asset base means that we can and will stay true to our strategy of large scale, co-development of our Delaware position. Although we will be reducing the amount of activity in the near-term, our opportunity set will be preserved for future development and not be compromised by near-term high grading at the expense of optimal multi-zone development over time. Moreover, Callon's enhanced, pro forma scale affords us the ability to preserve the cost and cycle time efficiencies that are driven by the key tenets of scaled developmentnamely, the deployment of simultaneous operations and the continuous utilization of drilling rigs and completion crewsdespite the substantial reduction in our planned capital spend. Lastly and most importantly, our rapid shift in capital allocation gives us the free cash flow profile to reduce absolute leverage and protect our financial position. We will continue to adapt to any changes in the commodity price environment with the same vigor, discipline and priorities in the coming months. On a final note, we have instituted a company-wide work policy grounded in a remote workplace and social distancing to protect our employees, reduce potential COVID-19 transmission risks and maintain business continuity for our operations."

Callon plans to provide additional detail on updated guidance for 2020 as part of its first quarter conference call and, as such, the 2020 guidance issued on February 26th should no longer be relied upon.

Operational Update

Callon successfully implemented several previously announced operational enhancements as part of its recent large-scale projects in the Delaware Basin and the Eagle Ford Shale. Operational changes for 2020 include: upspacing based on 2019 learnings, a more conservative flowback and reservoir management strategy, and fluid efficiency improvements to further reduce costs and improve well recoveries.

In the Delaware Basin, initial production from the five-well Wally project is currently performing above expectations on a restricted choke. The outperformance of this multi-zone project, which was drilled on 800-foot horizontal spacing, emphasizes the importance of ongoing design modification and inventory preservation through co-development. In the Eagle Ford Shale, initial production from the 16-well Brown Trust project began as scheduled in February and the wells are currently averaging approximately 700 Bbls/d of oil per well (gross) on restricted chokes. Importantly, this project witnessed more than a 50% improvement in average recovery time for shut-in production and a 33% reduction in the aerial range of interference with offset parent wells relative to similarly sized, precedent projects in the area. These improvements are the result of continued optimization of frac design, sequencing and flowback management that will carry into similar multi-well projects scheduled this year.

Liquidity and Hedging Update

At the end of February 2020, Callon's liquidity position was approximately $700 million, supported by a credit facility with a borrowing base of $2.5 billion and an elected commitment of $2.0 billion, and no debt maturities prior to 2023. The Company's net debt to pro forma last quarter annualized adjusted EBITDA2 was 2.6x at year-end 2019.

In light of recent market volatility, Callon restructured existing hedge contracts and continues to actively manage its hedge position to provide cash flow certainty at favorable commodity prices. Over 11 million barrels of three-way collars for the balance of 2020 were recently restructured into swaps, significantly improving downside protection. For the whole of 2020, the Company now holds swap contracts at an average of $50.31/Bbl for nearly 11 million barrels of oil. Price certainty for natural gas was also increased through the addition of 3.6 million MMBtu in swaps. Callon now has 10 million MMBtu of gas hedged through swap instruments alone in 2020. For additional details on Callon's hedge position as of March 17, 2020, please see the tables below.



1Q20 2Q20 3Q20 4Q20 FY 2020 WTI NYMEX (Bbls, $/Bbl)









Swaps









Total Volumes 1,522,700 2,984,800 3,022,200 3,383,760 10,913,460 Total Daily Volumes 16,733 32,800 32,850 36,780 29,818 Avg. Swap $52.25 $50.56 $50.52 $49.03 $50.31 Three-way Collars









Total Volumes 2,222,000 182,000 184,000 - 2,588,000 Total Daily Volumes 24,418 2,000 2,000 - 7,071 Avg. Short Call Price $65.26 $64.63 $64.63 - $65.17 Avg. Long Put Price $55.44 $55.00 $55.00 - $55.38 Avg. Short Put Price $44.99 $39.50 $39.50 - $44.22











Total WTI Hedged (Bbl) 3,744,700 3,166,800 3,206,200 3,383,760 13,501,460 Average WTI Ceiling Price ($/Bbl) $59.97 $51.36 $51.33 $49.03 $53.16 Average WTI Floor Price ($/Bbl) $54.14 $50.81 $50.77 $49.03 $51.28











ICE BRENT (Bbls, $/Bbl)









Three-way Collars









Total Volumes 150,000 227,500 230,000 230,000 837,500 Total Daily Volumes 1,648 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,288 Avg. Short Call Price $70.00 $70.00 $70.00 $70.00 $70.00 Avg. Long Put Price $58.24 $58.24 $58.24 $58.24 $58.24 Avg. Short Put Price $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00











MAGELLAN EAST HOUSTON FIXED PRICE (Bbls/$/Bbl)







Swaps









Total Volumes - 136,500 184,000 184,000 504,500 Total Daily Volumes - 1,500 2,000 2,000 1,378 Avg. Swap Price - $59.61 $58.23 $57.19 $58.22











MAGELLAN EAST HOUSTON DIFFERENTIAL VS WTI-CUSHING (Bbls/$/Bbl)



Swaps









Total Volumes 347,000 1,201,201 1,360,802 975,202 3,884,205 Total Daily Volumes 3,813 13,200 14,791 10,600 10,613 Avg. Swap Price $2.55 $2.62 $2.59 $2.56 $2.59











MIDLAND-CUSHING DIFFERENTIAL (Bbls/$/Bbl)







Swaps









Total Volumes 1,901,900 1,965,600 2,217,200 2,392,000 8,476,700 Total Daily Volumes 20,900 21,600 24,100 26,000 23,160 Avg. Swap Price ($2.27) ($1.84) ($1.13) ($0.84) ($1.47)











NYMEX HENRY HUB (MMBtu, $/MMBtu)









Swaps









Total Volumes 910,000 3,640,000 3,680,000 1,850,000 10,080,000 Total Daily Volumes 10,000 40,000 40,000 20,109 27,541 Avg. Swap Price $2.48 $2.18 $2.18 $2.28 $2.22 Three-way Collars









Total Volumes 910,000 910,000 920,000 1,835,000 4,575,000 Total Daily Volumes 10,000 10,000 10,000 19,946 12,500 Avg. Short Call Price $2.75 $2.75 $2.75 $2.73 $2.74 Avg. Long Put Price $2.50 $2.50 $2.50 $2.46 $2.48 Avg. Short Put Price $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 $2.00











Total NYMEX Volume Hedged (MMBtu) 1,820,000 4,550,000 4,600,000 3,685,000 14,655,000 Average NYMEX Ceiling Price ($/MMBtu) $2.61 $2.29 $2.29 $2.50 $2.39 Average NYMEX Floor Price ($/MMBtu) $2.49 $2.24 $2.24 $2.37 $2.31











WAHA DIFFERENTIAL (MMBtu, $/MMBtu)







Swaps









Total Volumes 5,824,000 6,097,000 6,624,000 6,261,000 24,806,000 Total Daily Volumes 64,000 67,000 72,000 68,054 67,776 Avg. Swap Price ($0.99) ($1.42) ($1.03) ($0.81) ($1.06)

About Callon Petroleum

Callon Petroleum Company is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of high-quality assets in the leading oil plays of South and West Texas.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include all statements regarding future levels of drilling activity and associated production; the Company's 2020 production guidance, capital expenditure forecast and associated cash flow expectations; and the implementation of the Company's business plans and strategy, as well as statements including the words "believe," "expect," "plans", "may", "will", "should", "could" and words of similar meaning. These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. No assurances can be given, however, that these events will occur or that these projections will be achieved, and actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of certain factors. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and the Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Some of the factors which could affect our future results and could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include the volatility of oil and natural gas prices; our ability to drill and complete wells, operational, regulatory and environment risks; the cost and availability of equipment and labor; our ability to finance our activities; the ultimate timing, outcome and results of integrating the operations of Carrizo and Callon; the effects of the business combination of Carrizo and Callon, including the Company's future financial condition, results of operations, strategy and plans; the ability of the combined company to realize anticipated synergies and other benefits in the timeframe expected or at all; and other risks more fully discussed in our filings with the SEC, including our most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, available on our website or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations

Callon calculates adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") as net income (loss) before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, asset retirement obligation accretion expense, (gains) losses on derivative instruments excluding net settled derivative instruments, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, non-cash equity based compensation, and other operating expenses. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP. Accordingly, it should not be considered as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss), cash flow provided by operating activities or other income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with GAAP. However, the Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional information with respect to our performance or ability to meet our future debt service, capital expenditures and working capital requirements. Because Adjusted EBITDA excludes some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss) and may vary among companies, the Adjusted EBITDA presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. For a reconciliation of fourth quarter 2019 adjusted EBITDA, please see our press release dated February 26, 2020.

Contact information

Mark Brewer

Director of Investor Relations

Callon Petroleum Company

[email protected]

1-281-589-5200

1 Free cash flow calculated as cash flow from operations less capex, capitalized G&A, capitalized interest, contingency payments and transaction costs.

2 Net debt to pro forma last quarter annualized adjusted EBITDA is calculated as the sum of total long-term debt less unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, divided by pro forma last quarter annualized adjusted EBITDA. Pro forma adjusted EBITDA includes Carrizo's adjusted EBITDA for the pre-close portion of fourth quarter 2019. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included within this release for related disclosures.

SOURCE Callon Petroleum Company

Related Links

www.callon.com


Facebook on Tuesday announced a 'Small Business Grants Programme', which sets aside a special grant of $100 million for small businesses that are seeing their operations and entire business model disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The full details, which are now published on the company's official blog, states that up to 30,000 companies from across 30 countries will be made available this fund, in the form of cash, advertisement credits and more.

The company wrote on its blog, "We know that your business may be experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. Weve heard that a little financial support can go a long way, so we are offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time." With gross revenue of $70.7 billion in 2019, the $100 million grant will only be a fraction of Facebook's total cash in hand, but may help towards helping small businesses such as tourism, small-scale retail or hyperlocal services keep up with the losses that are certain to be incurred due to coronavirus lockdown protocol being enforced in various countries.

Facebook has mentioned that areas where its grants may help businesses would include continuing payments to workforce, pay rent, cover operations and in future, even connect with more targeted audiences to grow their businesses back in scale. The company has said that it will "share more details as they become available," before adding that applications for receiving Facebook's grants will be opened in the coming weeks.

With the coronavirus pandemic reaching alarming status, many organisations of varying scale have been pushed towards working from home. While some are being put in quarantine, others are being asked to stay away from public spaces in order to prevent chances of contracting the coronavirus. Such times will be trying for local small scale businesses, among others. If you run such a business and are facing similar circumstances, sign up for Facebook's updates on the matter by clicking here.
EDWARDSVILLE  It is all hands on deck at the Madison County Clerks Office for Tuesdays primary as officials struggle not only with the normal challenges but issues created by COVID-19 concerns as well.

Last week it was announced two polling places would be moved because state mandates prevented them from being in senior residential areas. On Monday the county clerks office was scrambling to ensure there were enough election judges for each precinct.

With every press conference, with new information coming from our governors office and the federal government, people are getting more and more concerned, Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza said Monday morning. That includes election judges.

She said about 30 judges have said they will participate. The county has about 1,100 election judges; each precinct is supposed to have five  at least one Republican and one Democrat. In Highland, Collinsville, Edwardsville and Granite City, that is proving difficult.

Ming-Mendoza said she has reached out to teachers groups, organized labor and others seeking more judges.

Right now its all hands on deck and our finger is in the dike holding back the flood, she said.

While she expects the issues to be resolved, if a particular precinct does not have a judge from each party and theyre located in a polling place with multiple precincts, she said they could cluster several precincts together.

Were hoping we dont have to do that; it just adds stress on another set of judges, Ming-Mendoza said. Were experiencing things weve never experienced before. Its a learning experience.

She also said if a precinct cannot open, they will cover it by having voters come to the County Administration Center in Edwardsville to vote.

Well make sure if they want to vote, theyll get to vote, she said.

In Godfrey, voting for Alton 14, Godfrey 2, Godfrey 11 and Godfrey 12 precincts has been moved to 5219 and 5222 Aldergate, directly across the street from the original polling place in Asbury Village.

In Glen Carbon, Edwardsville 20, Edwardsville 26 and Edwardsville 27 precincts will vote at Calvary Baptist Church, 2249 Illinois State Route 157, Edwardsville, from Meridian Village.

Other than those issues, Ming-Mendoza said the primary preparation has run smoothly.

Turnout is light. I anticipate tomorrow will be the same, shesaid. Ill be ecstatic If we break 20 (percent), but well see.

She said the unofficial ballot count should be completed by 10 p.m. Most candidates are unopposed, but there are several highly watched races. At the top of both the ballots are the respective presidential races with 13 Democrats and two Republicans seeking their parties nominations.

On the Democratic side there are three contested Congressional races, a contested Madison County States Attorney primary and two county board races.

Republican primary voters have two contested federal races, one in the U.S. Senate and one in the House of Representatives.The only contested county race is between incumbent Phil Chapman and William S. Meyer, a former board member who lost to Chapman in 2016.

There also ar two contested judicial races, for the Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court, as well as referendums in Glen Carbon and Highland.

For more primary information and sample ballots, visit www.madisonvotes.com.
Details added (first version posted on 10:29)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Trend:

Nearly 250 Azerbaijani citizens are brought back from Turkey to Baku, Spokesperson for the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Nurida Allahyarova told Trendon March 17.

According to her, the last two buses arrived this morning.

"All passengers on the Istanbul-Baku regular bus route have been already brought back to Azerbaijan. The first two buses reached Baku yesterday, and the last passengers crossed the Red Bridge checkpoint today at 02:30. They are already in Baku. No virus has been diagnosed in any of them, and they are not taken to quarantine," she added.
Legendary actor Dilip Kumar on Monday said he is under "complete isolation and quarantine" as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The 97-year-old actor shared a health update on Twitter, adding that his wife, actor Saira Banu, was ensuring he did not contract any infection.

"I am under complete isolation and quarantine due to the #CoronavirusOutbreak," Kumar tweeted. "Saira has left nothing to chance, ensuring I do not catch any infection."

The actor appealed to his fans and followers to protect themselves and others by staying indoors as much as possible.

"The #CoronavirusOutbreak transcends all boundaries and borders," he said. "Follow guidelines issued by health departments, protect yourself and others by limiting your exposure to others."

Last week, Banu revealed that Kumar was recuperating from a "severe backache".

Banu said they had to consult the doctors at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai and the actor was doing better.

Known as the "Tragedy King of Bollywood", Kumar has given memorable performances in films like ''Andaz'', ''Aan'', ''Madhumati'', ''Devdas'' and ''Mughal-E-Azam''.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 114 on Monday, with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and a new case each in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, according to the Union Health Ministry.

A Maharashtra government official said four patients were detected for the new coronavirus infection, taking the state tally to 37.
SACRAMENTO  California lawmakers set aside up to $1.1 billion Monday for health care needs, homelessness services and school cleaning to help the state deal with crushing costs being brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

The two-bill package passed both houses of the Legislature unanimously only a few hours after it was introduced, a reflection of how pressing both Democrats and Republicans have come to see the situation. Gov. Gavin Newsom made an emergency request for the money, allowing lawmakers to waive a requirement that the measures be in print for at least 72 hours before they could be taken up for a vote.

By taking this action, we are placing an extraordinary degree in trust in Gov. Gavin Newsom, said Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake (San Bernardino County). However, these are extraordinary times, and it makes sense to concentrate decision-making authority to a place where it does expedite getting these funds to the vital uses that will prevent the spread of this coronavirus.

One of the bills allows Newsom to immediately tap into $500 million from the general fund, and potentially up to $500 million more, for any purpose related to his declaration of a state of emergency earlier this month. That could include bringing two additional hospitals online and buying extra equipment, providing hotel rooms to homeless people, cleaning child care facilities so they can remain open, and funding strike teams that can help senior citizens isolated at home.

A second bill sets aside $100 million for schools to pay for cleaning, including protective equipment, supplies and labor. The money will be divided based on district size, though none will receive less than $250 per school. Both measures still must be signed by the governor.

Other proposals that have been floated to deal with the pandemic will be delayed as the Legislature takes an extended recess while the state urges greater social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus. The Senate and the Assembly voted Monday to suspend their sessions until April 13. About two dozen of the 120 legislators are over age 65, and some did not come to the Capitol on Monday, a day after Newsom urged California seniors to isolate at home because they are at heightened risk of suffering the worst effects of the coronavirus.

Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, said he would pursue a statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium for people losing jobs and income as communities shut down, while Sens. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, announced plans for a bill halting evictions of small businesses. Assemblyman Patrick ODonnell, D-Long Beach, said he would carry a bill giving schools more flexibility on how they make up the instructional time lost while they are closed.

Even if legislators act quickly, the laws would not take effect until next year unless they pass with an urgency clause, which requires a two-thirds vote of both houses. Democrats control both the Assembly and Senate by greater margins than that.

Meanwhile, when the Legislature returns next month, its focus will likely be dominated by passing the state budget, which it must do by June 15 to meet a constitutional deadline. Its not yet certain how much that process will be reshaped by the chaos of the financial markets, but Ting, the Assembly budget committee chair, said he has been in constant communication with Newsom administration officials about the need for more funding to address the outbreak.

Now Playing: As local government announces mandatory 'shelter in place' San Franciscans head to the store to stock up on supplies. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

Obviously, this budget has now been taken over by the coronavirus. Period, Ting said.

Dozens of budget trailer bills, which make changes to state law to implement the spending proposals, could also become vehicles to advance unrelated policies dealing with coronavirus, because they take effect immediately.

We are in a state of disaster, so were going to have to be using all of the levers of government to respond as quickly as possible, Ting said. Everybodys just beginning to come to grips with how big and broad this virus will spread.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
STRATFORD, CT / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / James Hardy, an attorney in Connecticut, often witnesses the impacts of the adversarial system. As a litigator in both family and civil law cases, he sees that there is often a cost to justice being served and it is often to the detriment of his clients' finances and mental health.

"People often imagine these epic courthouse battles where justice prevails and everyone is happy," says James Hardy. "In reality, going to court is expensive as clients not only have to pay for my fees but the costs of presentations, travel, and exhibits. They come out of the process exhausted, even if they prevail."

Cost is often the biggest barrier to people retaining legal services. Alternative dispute resolution reduces costs by avoiding trial appearances and settling matters quicker.

"Alternative dispute resolution allows matters to settle faster," says James Hardy, Connecticut Attorney. "Attorneys do not go into long discovery periods like they do for trials and there is more settlement discussion. Basically, everything is less complex which means attorneys do not have to spend as much time on cases and request higher fees."

Arbitration, a process where parties plead their case to a neutral third party who decides the matter, is less complex than trial although it can produce the same results--mainly an end to a legal conflict. It is often preferred by clients and attorneys alike for its informality, flexibility, and finality.

"There is not the same intense preparation for arbitration as there is for trial," says James Hardy. "The rules of evidence are simpler and the parties can decide how they want the arbitration to proceed. I can also confer with the other attorney and choose an arbitrator we both agree on. This does not make arbitration easier or less important, but it is a good way to achieve final results without significant costs to a client."

Another advantage of alternative dispute resolution is speed. While cases may be delayed several times if they are on a trial calendar, that is infrequent when parties agree to alternative dispute resolution. Unless there is a significant emergency, arbitrations are normally not continued.

"According to the American Arbitration Association, U.S. District Court cases took 12 to 16 months longer to be heard and settled than cases that went to arbitration," says James Hardy, attorney from Connecticut. "When you are looking at an auto accident with serious injuries or a contested custody case, you have two parties who are likely looking at one of the worst developments in their lives. A quick resolution in these cases allows for less stress along with lower expenses."

The finality of arbitration is another reason it is appealing. Court trials can be appealed and that makes a matter last longer and more painfully. When a decision is arrived at through alternative dispute resolution, James Hardy notices that the finality of the decision helps clients move on--even if it is not in their favor.

"A lack of opportunity to appeal may be perceived by some clients as a lack of options," says James Hardy. "But in many cases, a final decision is reassuring. Clients frequently want their cases over with and that happens sooner when we use alternative dispute resolution."

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581003/James-Hardy-Attorney-Connecticut-Discusses-Benefits-of-Alternative-Dispute-Resolution
Can a story about refugees be told well with a cast that is predominantly white? And did we really need Cate Blanchett to show us the truth about Australian detention centres?

That's the first topic covered in the debut episode of The Televisionaries, a podcast from the top critics at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age dedicated to all things TV. This week, host Louise Rugendyke is joined by reviewers for The Guide and Green Guide, Michael Idato and Kylie Northover, as they tackle some of the big topics in television right now; from the ABC's refugee drama series Stateless, to the concept of 'showverload', and how you can get from Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston to Aussie star Ben Mendelsohn in less than six degrees of separation.

When it comes to Stateless, co-created by Blanchett, our podcast panel unanimously agrees on the success of the show and the way it sheds light on detention centre stories you might not have previously considered. Focusing on four main characters and their intersecting lives in an immigration centre, it stars Yvonne Strahovski, Asher Keddie, Fayssal Bazzi and Jai Courtney and was inspired by the real-life experience of Cornelia Rau, an Australian resident who was unlawfully detained in the early 2000s.
From whats going on among the librarys Board of Trustees, according to Emily Colemans reports in The News-Sun, Cunningham should clean house and start over with nine new trustee nominees. Thats one way to resolve the dispute which has been simmering since the contract of Selena Gomez-Beloz, executive director, was not renewed earlier this year by a 5-4 vote.
Conflict has flared on and off for decades in Muslim-majority region as rebel groups demand independence for the area.

Bombers have attacked a major government office in Thailands insurgency-hit southern Yala province, wounding at least 20 people as hundreds of local officials and Muslim scholars met to discuss fighting COVID-19, a security official said.

The explosions took place in front of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC), a Thai government body that oversees the administration of three mostly Malay-Muslim majority provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala where an armed uprising since 2004 has killed some 7,000 people.

The first bomb was a grenade thrown to the area outside the SBPAC office fence to draw people out, Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a military regional security spokesman, told Reuters news agency.

Then, a car bomb about 10 metres from the first explosion went off. This was hidden in a pick-up truck where the perpetrators parked near the fence, he said.

The car bomb exploded 10 minutes after the first explosion and among the wounded were five reporters, five police officers, two soldiers and other bystanders, Pramote said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Such claims for attacks are rare in the region.

Peace dialogue

The population of the provinces, which belonged to an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909, is 80 percent Muslim, while the rest of the country is overwhelmingly Buddhist.

Violence has flared on and off for decades as rebel groups have been waging the uprising to demand independence for the area.

A peace dialogue between the Thai government and the main rebel group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), resumed this year after the group pulled out of the process in 2014.

The Thai government has been holding talks with the rebels brokered by neighbouring Malaysia.

Despite two meetings so far, however, the government and the BRN seem not to have progressed much beyond agreement on a framework and terms of reference to guide their talks.

In November, coordinated attacks in Yala killed 15 security personnel, mostly lightly armed village defence volunteers, in the highest single-day death toll on the government side since the attacks began.
This high level of commitment is not new for New View Strategies, as Kim Congleton, Owner and COO explains. Being involved at these leading events is part of our DNA and thus so very important to us. In fact, community involvement is one of our core values, so all our team members are dedicated to contributing to the community. We are very passionate about serving and sharing our knowledge with others.

The conferences range from a community-wide user conference (Community Summit Europe), which will be concurrent with a partner conference (extreme 365 Europe), to a deep-dive, expert-level event (Focus North America), to a long-standing principal conference for Microsoft SMB Partners (Directions North America). The sessions also cover a wide range of topics and levels, including in-depth reviews of financial setups, processes, and reporting in Dynamics 365 Business Central, inventory reconciliation in Business Central, warehouse automation, improving user adoption, and how to realize effective and productive training. The sessions to be presented are:

Focus North America 2020 (https://www.d365focusnorthamerica.com/)

Business Central: A Whole New Functional Finance World

Training the Experienced NAV User on Business Central - Turn Frustration to Fabulous!

Do You Have the Right Dimensions and Posting Groups? Let's Find Out

How to Close Your Books in 3 Days

Money Makes the World Go Round - Is Your Head Spinning Too?

Leveling Up: Strategic IT Planning for Your Organization

Why Oh Why, Does My Inventory Not Tie? Uncovering the Secrets of Inventory to G/L Reconciliation

Directions North America 2020 (https://www.directionsna.com/)

Unleashing Hidden ROI for Your Customer with Account Schedules

Going From 0 to 60 in the Warehouse Without Blowing the Engine

User Adoption: Embrace It or Fail

extreme365 Europe 2020 (https://www.extreme365europe.com/)

Training Your Customers: Obstacles and Solutions

Community Summit Europe 2020 (https://www.summiteurope.com/)

Business Central Round Table Q&A

50 Tips in 50 Minutes for NAV: Finance Edition

Designing Dimensions to get Better Information Out of Your System

The Training Gap: How to Bridge It

Personally, Im thrilled to be helping the community like this, shared Mark Rhodes, Chief Strategy Officer. Since I spent so many years as the one who organized and lead some of these conferences, its wonderful to be on the other side and helping with the fantastic session lineups. Were not only grateful for the opportunity to help our fellow community members  presenting drives us to stay abreast of the latest developments and continue improving our knowledge.

Focus North America 2020 and Directions North America 2020 will both be held in May, while extreme365 Europe 2020 and Community Summit Europe 2020 were re-scheduled from earlier this month to late June due to concerns with the COVID-19 virus.

About New View Strategies

New View Strategies is the go-to source for actionable training and process efficiency in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC). They provide extensive training and consulting services for NAV and BC  directly to customers and partners, and indirectly to customers on behalf of their partners. NVS believes that every company can benefit from increased efficiency and higher utilization of their ERP software and that its possible to have fun while learning exactly how to do that. Visit http://www.NewViewStrategies.com for more information.

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Italian coronavirus infections have slowed in recent days after the country took drastic quarantine measures to stop the spread of the pathogen.

The figures are a sobering warning to Britain, which unlike Italy has not closed schools, shut down shops or blocked travel.

The number of daily cases in Italy has been fairly stagnant in the last four days, settling down at around 3,500 new patients per day.

Yesterday's increase in the overall tally was 12.6 per cent, the second-lowest rate since the virus began spreading in Italy on February 21 - offering hope that the lockdown is bearing fruit even as the death toll rose by 345 to 2,503.

Italians have been ordered to stay indoors, with schools and universities shut, shops closed except for grocery stores and pharmacies, and heavy restrictions on travel.

But in Britain, which has taken none of those measures, the 407 new cases yesterday represented the largest daily jump since the virus came to the UK.

This table shows the number of new coronavirus infections in Italy for every day since the virus began spreading there on Febraury 21. The numbers have flatlined in recent days, settling down at around 3,500 new cases every 24 hours

This graph shows the rate of increase in Italian coronavirus cases since March 7. Yesterday's increase of 12.6 per cent was the second-lowest in that period and the graph shows that the rate has largely been falling

Hospital workers prepare coffins at the Ponte San Pietro hospital in Bergamo today, in the province of Lombardy which has been the worst-affected region of Italy

People singing from their balcony in Palermo during the lockdown in Italy, which is starting to show signs of bearing fruit

A deserted area outside the Colosseum in Rome, which is usually heaving with tourists, after Italians were ordered to stay inside unless necessary

Italy rushes 10,000 new doctors into service, scrapping their final exams Italy will rush 10,000 student doctors into service, scrapping their final exams, in an effort to help the struggling health service cope with the coronavirus. University Minister Gaetano Manfredi said the government would let this year's medicine graduates start work some eight or nine months ahead of schedule and waive the mandatory exams they normally sit before qualifying. 'This means immediately releasing into the National Health System the energy of about 10,000 doctors, which is fundamental to dealing with the shortage that our country is suffering,' he said in a statement. The graduates will be sent to work in general practitioners' clinics and at old peoples' homes, freeing up more experienced colleagues who will be sent to the rapidly filling hospitals. Over three weeks, 1,135 people have needed intensive care in Lombardy, the northern region hardest hit. The region has only 800 intensive care beds, according to Giacomo Grasselli, head of the intensive care unit at Milans Policlinico hospital. Authorities have been working to set up hundreds of intensive care beds in a specially created facility in the Fiera Milano exhibition center, but are still waiting for sufficient respirators and qualified personnel. Advertisement

Experts warn that there is a lag time between health measures being taken and their effects becoming conspicuous.

That suggests the Italian lockdown imposed last week could now be starting to have a noticeable impact.

The number of new infections in the last four days has been fairly stagnant with 3,497 on Saturday, 3,590 on Sunday, 3,233 on Monday and 3,526 on Tuesday.

The Italian death toll rose by 345 to 2,503, with total infections now at 31,506.

The percentage increase in cases has been below 20 per cent for the last few days, falling to 12.6 per cent yesterday.

Britain's increase yesterday was 26.4 per cent, although it was only 10.9 per cent the day before.

The signs of a slowing infection rate will be a relief to doctors on the front line of Italy's coronavirus outbreak, who have described 'catastrophic' scenes in hospitals which are creaking with the sheer volume of cases.

A new Oxford University study suggests that Italy may be particularly vulnerable because it has such an old population and the elderly come into frequent contact with the young.

Italy's population is the second-oldest in the world, behind only Japan.

Oxford researchers said common for young adults in rural areas to live with their parents and grandparents but to commute into cities, such as Milan, to work and socialise.

Young people may have been picking up the virus while travelling and brought it home without realising they were ill, the Oxford researchers said.

The study is another warning to Britain, which has an ageing population. Older people are known to be more likely to die of Covid-19 if they are infected with the virus.

Hospital workers in face masks stand over trolleys at the Ponte San Pietro hospital in Bergamo today as they prepare coffins

A family who were relaxing on a lawn were ordered to move by Italian police in San Donato Milanese near the city of Milan today, after they flouted the country's coronavirus quarantine rules

Medical staff collect a patient from an ambulance at the second Covid-19 hospital in Rome, Italy, which is fighting the biggest virus outbreak outside of China

Couple caught having sex in a car in Milan are arrested for breaching coronavirus lockdown A couple caught having sex in a car were arrested for breaching coronavirus quarantine rules in Italy. The 23-year-old Egyptian man and 40-year-old Tunisian woman were caught in the act by a police officer on the outskirts of Milan on Monday. Quite apart from decency laws, the pair chose a particularly bad time for their roadside fling, with authorities on alert for breaches of the virus lockdown. The pair were accused of ignoring a quarantine rule which bans two people from being in the front or back of a vehicle together, according to news agency ANSA. It is not clear whether the couple will face further action, but authorities have been keeping a wary eye on all road vehicles in order to enforce a ban on travel. Italians are only allowed outside to buy food, give or receive medical care, or travel to work if absolutely necessary. Despite the ample opportunities for indoor entertainment, the couple were caught in the act on a road in Mecenate near Milan which has been heavily hit by the outbreak. Advertisement

Doctors in Italy have told of critically ill patients who should be in intensive care but are instead slumped in busy wards because of a woeful lack of equipment and staff.

Worryingly, the doctors who have spoken out are from state-of-the-art hospitals which typically provide excellent care but were caught flat-footed by the virus which is stretching their capacity to breaking point.

Medics are struggling to keep pace with the escalating number of cases, including those treating patients at the advanced Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in the wealthy city of Bergamo in the virus-plagued Lombardy region.

The 950-bed hospital has been brought to its knees because of the crisis, with more than 400 of the beds used by coronavirus patients and three of the hospital's four most senior staff off sick.

Intensive care specialist Mirco Nacoti told the Wall Street Journal: 'Until three weeks ago, we did everything for every patient.

'Now we have to choose which patients to put in intensive care. This is catastrophic.'

The hospital's once rapid emergency response is also at breaking point, with even people reporting heart attacks waiting an hour on the phone because the lines are being bombarded.

Dr Angelo Giupponi, who coordinates Papa Giovanni's emergency response, said his team takes 2,500 calls daily and brings 1,500 to hospital.

Signalling the team were caught off-guard by the epidemic, he said that ambulance staff have not been trained for such a contagion, and revealed many have become infected after their vehicles became contaminated.

Dispatcher Diego Bianco, a 40-something with no underlying health conditions, even died.

In a sign that Rome is scrambling to react to the outbreak, Dr Sergio Cattaneo said he has seen unused wards outfitted into an intensive care unit in six days.

He also claims a hospital laundry room was converted into a giant stretcher-filled waiting room and a tented field hospital erected outside to test possible new virus patients.

In a sign that Italy is scrambling to react to the outbreak, Dr Sergio Cattaneo (pictured) said he has seen unused wards outfitted into an intensive care unit in six days

Doctors on the front line of Italy's coronavirus outbreak have described 'catastrophic' scenes in hospitals which are creaking with the sheer volume of cases. Pictured: staff preparing to open a new hospital in Rome

Italy's outbreak - the worst outside of China - spiralled further today as infections hit 31,506 and the death toll jumped 345 to 2,503. Pictured: Hazmat suited medics in Rome today

Dr Cattaneo, head of anesthesiology and intensive care at the public hospital in Brescia in northern Italy, said: 'What is really shocking - something we had not been able to forecast and brought us to our knees - is the quickness the epidemic spreads.

'If the spreading of this epidemic is not put under control, it will bring all hospitals to their knees.'

Dr Cattaneo's new ICU added six more beds to the hospital's capacity, bringing to 42 the number of ICU beds dedicated to the virus.

Across the Lombardy region, local authorities are pushing ahead with plans to build a 400-bed ICU field hospital at the Milan fairgrounds, even though the civil protection agency has warned that it doesn't have the ventilators or personnel to staff it, and that time is running out.

'The secret has been - and this should be a strong message for foreign countries - to act early on this, in order to avoid - like in our case - having to chase after it day after day,' Cattaneo said.

Brescia, an industrial city of nearly 200,000 east of Milan and the capital of a province of 1.2million, is second only to nearby Bergamo in positive cases in Lombardy, the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe.

Medical director Antonino Marchese holds a press conference before the opening of the third coronavirus Hospital in Casal Palocco, Rome

For the past two days, Brescia actually outpaced Bergamo in the number of new infections, on Tuesday adding another 382 positive tests for a total of 3,300 and suggesting that it is becoming Lombardy's hottest hot spot.

Indeed, seven of Brescia's deaths this week were among residents of the same nursing home in Barbariga, where another eight elderly people tested positive, local media reported.

While many people suffer relatively mild symptoms from the virus, the mortality rate in Italy in people over 80 is 22 percent, according to statistics from the National Institutes of Health.

It has been a race against time for Lombardy to add more ICU beds than the patients who need them, not an easy task given that 10 percent of all Italy's infected require ICU admission, primarily for respiratory help.

Nearly all admitted patients have interstitial pneumonia, a disease in which the lace-like tissue of the lungs' alveoli become inflamed, leading to progressive respiratory failure, according to Giovanna Perone, director of Brescia's emergency services.

Italian Medics are struggling to keep pace with the escalating number of cases

'In the last few days, the number of people arriving here on their own and reporting such symptoms has increased,' Perone said outside the civil protection tents where walk-in patients are tested and then sent to the hospital's converted laundry room to await the results.

The onslaught of infections has completely overwhelmed the public health system in Italy's prosperous north, prompting regional officials to beg retired doctors to come back to work and to accelerate graduation dates for nurses and specialists.

'I ask you from my heart, we need your competency, your experience, your efficiency,' said Giulio Gallera, Lombardy's chief healthcare official. 'Give us a hand.'

The 25 billion euro aid package the Italian government approved Monday, aimed at bolstering both the health care system and helping businesses, workers and families weather the economic hit, also contains provisions to hire 10,000 more medical personnel.

Already Lombardy this week has received 2,200 responses to a 'help wanted' sign on its Facebook page, and hired over 1,000 people, Gallera said.

Italy's medical personnel also complain about critical shortages of gear, including protective masks and glasses.

Italy's national federations of doctors and nurses issued a joint alarm Tuesday over the more than 2,300 medical personnel who have been infected, 1,900 of them doctors and nurses.
The suspect in organizing the murder of Kateryna Handzyuk, Oleksiy Levin, was brought to Ukraine from Bulgaria as part of a request for extradition, the SBU press center reported on Monday, March 16.

The plane with the suspect on board just arrived in Kiev. The employees of the National Bureau of Interpol in the prescribed manner have been delivered and handed over to the Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Attorney General. Upon arrival in Ukraine, Moskalenko (Levin) will be delivered to the place of temporary detention. In the near future the court must choose a preventive measure for him, "- said on Monday afternoon.

Earlier, the competent authorities of Bulgaria granted the request of the Office of the Attorney General for extradition of the said person.

"As promised, we are confidently moving to put an end to the case of Kateryna Handzyuk. For us, this is a matter of principle. And the extradition of the suspect will expedite the final investigation of her murder. We must show an example of this case - everyone who committed a crime is waiting for a fair punishment, "said the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Bakanov.

According to the procedure, after the transfer of the suspect to Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, the necessary procedural actions will be taken to speed up the investigation of the crime and transfer indictments to the court against its participants.

As we reported before, law enforcers conducted ten searches among the defendants in the case of Kateryna Hanzdiuk, the Ukrainian activist who was killed in Kherson region in 2018. The media assume that Ihor Pavlovsky, the ex-assistant to a member of the Ukrainian parliament could belong to the group of attackers. He currently is in custody. Four defendants are now also charged with the illegal seizing of vehicles
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava is likely to brief President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday on the country's preparedness to contain the coronavirus.

There are now a total of 125 confirmed cases of coronavirus in India.

In a bid to contain the virus, the country on Monday prohibited the travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom with effect from March 18, 2020.

ICMR has developed a coronavirus testing strategy for patients infected with the virus according to which the selection of suspected patients is being made on the basis of their symptoms, travel history and direct contact with the infected person.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Tuesday sought another term to restore the state's glory, insisting that his government needed more time to fix the problems faced by Punjab.

The chief minister said earlier he had thought that five years would have been enough to revive the state's fortunes but the situation was "so bad" that the government needed more time.

He also assured that in the remaining two years of the current term, his government will fulfil all promises made to people as he wanted to "see a smile on the face of every Punjabi".

"If the Congress returns to power, the next seven years will witness Punjab being restored to its previous glory as India's number one state," Singh said at a conclave held to mark three years of the Congress rule in the state.

He promised to take Punjab forward "by leaps and bounds" if voted for another term while stressing that Punjabis are hardworking people, who can do wonders if shown the right direction.

The CM, however, said though state finances have improved, the government was still going through a financial crunch and needed to spend judiciously.

The CM expressed confidence that in the absence of a strong opposition, the Congress stood a good chance to return to power and take the state's progress to the next level.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has "lost ground" while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in "total disarray" in the state, he stressed.

An official statement quoting the chief minister said, the Akalis lacked leadership at the moment as the Badals "never allowed a strong leadership to emerge".

On AAP, he said there was a lot of hype about them even during the 2017 polls but the party failed to translate the opportunity into a victory.

On his party MLA Navjot Sidhu, who had quit the state cabinet last year after he was divested of his key portfolios in a reshuffle, the CM said they have not met for a long time but the former minister had committed to sticking to the Congress and it was up to the high command to decide how best his services could be utilised.

The CM said coronavirus was a major disaster, which will lead to a serious slowdown in the economy.

The situation is already bad and if it spreads further, then things will worsen, he said, warning of a severe slowdown in the post-coronavirus scenario.

He, however, assured that the state government was taking all steps to combat the problem but people have to realise the dangers and take precautionary measures.

On farming issue, Singh said his government will not allow the "kurki" (auction) of the land of the farmers in debt trap.

He also dismissed the Centre's promise of doubling farmers' income as a "mere hogwash" in the absence of any concrete steps.

"Does the Union finance minister even know what agriculture is all about," he asked, demanding that she should explain what the Centre planned to do to boost the farm income.

Taking a dig at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Singh said in response to a question that while he could not give figures like her, he was confident that given the right atmosphere and assistance, Punjab's hardworking farmers and the industry could increase their income on their own.

Referring to reports that the Centre was mulling doing away with the MSP for crops, he suggested if they felt there was enough stock of paddy and wheat, they should extend the MSP to alternative crops, instead of "simply dumping the farmers of Punjab", who were responsible for giving India its food security.

The Centre has to help out the farmers, it has to support diversification, said the Punjab chief minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Were going to get back to living life, even if it kills us
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexicos Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday suspending criminal jury trials through the end of April and encouraging judges to, when possible, conduct court hearings via phone and video.

The order comes amid requests from prosecutors and defense attorneys asking justices to do more to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the states jails and courtrooms. And attorneys on both sides say the new measures do not go far enough.

Tuesdays order adds to a set of precautions the court implemented Thursday, which restricted the number of people who can gather in any room in a court to no more than 25, and suspended work-related out-of-state travel for all employees and all civil jury trials. The new order makes clear that courts will remain open and there will not be blanket cancellations of case types or proceedings that have not already been authorized.

The precautionary measures imposed by the Judiciary today will provide additional safeguards for all New Mexicans, while allowing necessary court functions to continue, Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura said in a news release Tuesday. Especially during a public health emergency, courts must not close because they deliver vital services required in our justice system to ensure community safety.

Additionally, the order requires that all visitors be asked screening questions before they are allowed into a courthouse. It also lets local courts accept more filings by email and fax and allows chief judges to let some employees work from home.

Criminal trials will be permitted if there is an exceptional circumstance, according to a news release issued by the Administrative Office of the Courts. The suspension does not apply to trials already underway.

Judges also now have the discretion to hold phone and video hearings and to continue hearings when appropriate. In situations where rules require a defendants presence at a hearing, the defendant is allowed to attend via video if the judge allows it and as long as the defendant has a chance to speak to his or her attorney confidentially.

Courts play a critical role in our society, ensuring compliance with the rule of law, Nakamura said. This includes hearing the initial pleas of those arrested and charged with crimes, making constitutionally required decisions on the pretrial detention of defendants and issuing restraining orders to protect victims of domestic violence.

Second Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez said in a statement that he appreciates the suspension of criminal trials but does not believe the new order goes far enough. He disagrees with the courts decision to continue allowing nonessential hearings and to let individual judges determine whether phone or video appearances are acceptable.

Under this order, far too many people  including victims, court staff, police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants and members of the public  will continue to move in and out of New Mexicos courtrooms at a time when courts from California to Florida are taking more dramatic steps to protect the public from unnecessary risk, Torrez said.

His own list of requests, sent Monday, proposed the postponement of all hearings for defendants who are not in custody and suggested that courts conduct only constitutionally required hearings for people who are in jail. He also proposed suspending certain deadlines in Bernalillo County, saying complying with them in light of the crisis will be difficult.

Defense lawyers have called for discussions on the release of inmates in custody for nonviolent offenses and a suspension of arrests for nonviolent offenses, failure to pay fines, and technical release and probation violations.

At least one other jurisdiction has instituted similar measures.

Officials in Los Angeles County have taken steps to reduce daily arrest numbers, as well as jail populations, during the crisis, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Richard Pugh, president of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said he believes the realities of the virus will soon render the latest order unworkable unless the number of criminal cases moving through the system is reduced.

It is imperative for the safety of all involved that we minimize the number of people in custody, and take steps to protect inmates, detention staff and court personnel from infecting each other in crowded courtrooms across the state, Pugh said in a statement Tuesday.
Our libraries need to stand up for fundamental freedoms, March 15

I agree with Torontos chief librarian, Vickery Bowles, that freedom of expression is of paramount importance for libraries.

Furthermore, although I have never attended one of Meghan Murphys lectures, I suspect that her opinions are based on a genuine intellectual difference with trans-inclusive feminists, as opposed to hatred or any type of phobia.

Just as there are genuine feminists on both sides of the arguments related to pornography or the possible decriminalization of sex work, there are genuine feminists on both sides related to the treatment of trans women.

Renting a room to feminists on either side of those arguments would not mean that libraries were opposed to those on the other side.

Nor should it mean that feminists on the other side of the argument would feel uncomfortable working at or using the library.
Jonny Greenwood (left), 48, is lead guitarist with English rock band Radiohead. Richard Tognetti, 54, is the Australian Chamber Orchestras artistic director. Despite their distinct musical styles, the two are finely in tune with each other.

Richard Tognetti on Jonny Greenwood (left): "I do want Jonny to write more for the ACO, but he has a lot of planes on the runway and we are just one of them." Credit:John Davis

RICHARD: I dont mean to sound hubristic but my friendship with Jonny is a musical one; I honour him because he keeps classical music alive in the rock and pop world. When people turn up to a Radiohead concert, they end up listening to some damn serious music.

It was when they came out with [the 2000 album] Kid A that I started paying grave attention. Then I saw the 2007 film There Will Be Blood and the music was incredible. I had to stay for the credits and saw Jonny Greenwoods name. I thought that was impossible, then I remembered hed written [the score for] Popcorn Superhet Receiver, which put him on the radar as a classical composer. I ran home to listen and realised hed adapted it for the film.

Fast forward five years: Radiohead were touring Australia and we got a call out of the blue asking if we were interested in commissioning a piece from Jonny, and could he come and work with us. Hed been playing to 50,000 people a night, which cant be very good for you. He collapsed, as you would, then wound himself up again to get into writing.
Two of San Antonios largest private employers are donating millions to local nonprofits to support their response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

USAA said Monday it has donated $1 million to organizations that include the San Antonio Food Bank, South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, Meals on Wheels, Haven for Hope and United Way of San Antonio.

The San Antonio financial services and insurance firm said the nonprofits will use the proceeds to provide food, housing, blood and other essentials.

H-E-B is giving $3 million to local nonprofits, including $1.2 million to 18 food banks throughout Texas, $500,000 to groups focused on mobile feeding services for seniors and low-income families, and $300,000 to Texas Biomedical Research Institute, a San Antonio organization with a team working on coronavirus research.

The remaining $1 million will go for grants that Texas nonprofits providing emergency services can apply for. H-E-B will also deliver 15 truckloads of food and household supplies to various food banks.

H-E-Bs donation comes at a critical time as food banks across the state are stepping in to provide emergency food to the people and communities impacted by COVID-19, said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, a statewide network of food banks.

USAA also said it will match employee donations of up to $500.

Considering the enormous challenges from the health emergency, we know our local community needs help, especially those organizations serving our most vulnerable residents, USAA chief executive Wayne Peacock said in a statement.

We have been in close communications with local nonprofits to understand their specific needs in responding to this pandemic, Peacock added.

The company declined to provide an update on the San Antonio employee who tested positive for COVID-19. Spokesman Matt Hartwig said in an email USAA had no comment beyond a statement Sunday to protect the persons privacy.

The employee is out of state and under the care of medical professionals. The employee had not been at USAAs San Antonio campus since March 6, at which point the employee had not experienced any symptoms, USAA said.

Several employees who had previous significant exposure to the affected individual are in self-quarantine until March 21, it added. None of them, however, has shown any symptoms of having the virus, however.

USAA also issued a statement on its website Monday morning, saying its prepared for a wide range of possible scenarios  focusing on the health and safety of our employees.

With school and daycare closures, USAA said it is providing employees up to two weeks emergency pay if they are unable to work from home. This also covers workers who have to stay home to care for immediate family members.

USAA employees will not be expected to use paid time off for absences related to COVID-19 from Monday through April 30.

USAA has closed its campus fitness centers and cafe self-service lines. It also closed a financial center in West Point, N.Y., for the foreseeable future.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
Preventative measure for Handziuk's murder suspect Levin to be decided on March 17, prosecutors ask for detention  PGO

Oleksiy Levin, a suspect in organizing the assassination of Kateryna Handziuk, was delivered on Monday from Bulgaria to Ukraine as part of a request for extradition, Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Trepak said a preventive measure for the suspect would be decided on Tuesday.

"Yes, Levin was taken to Ukraine and now he is on his way to a pretrial detention center. Tomorrow we will choose a preventive measure, we are applying for detention," he said in a comment on Monday.

On Monday, Levin was transported by plane from Bulgaria to Kyiv.

As reported, on July 31, 2018, an unidentified person doused activist Handziuk with concentrated sulfuric acid near her house in Kherson. She was taken to Kyiv for hospital treatment and died on November 4, 2018.

Five suspects, including a man identified by a video surveillance camera as the buyer of the acid, were detained.

In February 2019, Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court extended until July 3 the terms of the pretrial investigation of Manher, Anti-terrorist Operation (ATO) veteran Serhiy Torbin, a deputy to member of parliament Ihor Pavlovsky, and Oleksiy Levin (Moskalenko) for committing a criminal offense stipulated under Part 3 of Article 27 (types of complicity), Paragraphs 4, 6, 11, 12 of Part 2 of Article 115 (premeditated murder) of Ukraine's Criminal Code.

On May 7, 2019, the PGO approved and sent to the court a bill of indictment in criminal proceedings against five persons accused of causing grievous bodily harm that resulted in Handziuk's death.

On June 6, 2019, the Pokrovsky District Court of Dnipropetrovsk Region approved a plea arrangement between investigators and five suspects in the case and sentenced them to imprisonment.

On January 24, 2020, Levin was detained in Bulgaria; a local court arrested him for 40 days.
Gov. Noem lauds state economy, but big legislative fights are coming

Noems speech flowed between business and economic development, lifestyle issues and social issues that were united by their conservative themes.
Projectmates construction management software logo Our software delivers 20 years of leading practices in construction management. We specifically designed our software to help owners of capital programs just like this one. Our team is thrilled to help DCCCD support the success of their students and their communities..."

Projectmates award-winning construction management software has been selected by Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) to help them manage their 2019 bond program over the course of six years. As a part of this bond the district will be undergoing new construction of multiple new facilities to support student success and economic development in their community. Projectmates will serve as the central platform to manage the entire construction cycle for these projects.

DCCCD will be leveraging Projectmates full-suite of capital planning features to track fund allocations across all projects through the duration of their bond program. In this program DCCCD has detailed the construction of a number of new builds including the construction of a Dallas Education and Innovation HUB located in downtown. Theyll also be undergoing construction of a collaborative student learning space as well as multiple expansions and renovations of existing facilities.

With Projectmates, DCCCD will have a single-source of truth for all data and documentation associated with these projects. Projectmates software gives them an easy-to-use interface where their team can collaborate on construction documents, manage all costs, automate workflows, and streamline project reporting.

Our software delivers 20 years of leading practices in construction management. We specifically designed our software to help owners of capital programs just like this one. Our team is thrilled to help DCCCD support the success of their students and their communities with our construction management software. said Varsha Bhave, President and CTO of Projectmates.

They now have immediate visibility into project schedules, fund status, and will be automatically notified if any of their project schedules are at risk. Projectmates gives DCCCD live-to-date insight to their program at the click of a mouse. The software also gives the district access to program reports down to line-item detail for each project.

About DCCCD:

DCCCD serves more than 80,000 credit and 20,000 continuing education students each semester; in 2017-2018, that total was 171,556. The district expects to see steady enrollment growth through 2030 to approximately 92,000 credit students.

In May 2019, Dallas County voters approved the issuance of bonds and notes to construct, improve, renovate, and equip buildings for DCCCD. As a part of this bond initiative, DCCCD is set to launch a number of new builds as well as renovate, expand, and equip existing facilities.

Through this bond, the district is set to construct an all-new Dallas Education and Innovation Hub in the heart of downtown. This facility will have the capacity to serve all of Dallas county and will include a Business Training Center as well as a redesigned El Centro College Campus.

About Projectmates:

For 20 years, Projectmates has been pushing the envelope for construction management software. Projectmates is an intuitive and easy to use construction project management platform. From conception to closeout, Projectmates has focused on project owners and their partners.

Projectmates Construction Project and Program Management software is thoughtfully crafted to solve the construction industrys most pressing challenges from the owner's perspective. Projectmates has kept a pulse on the construction industry and is constantly improving its management software to make sure your projects come in on time and under budget.
Ryan Pelham / Ryan Pelham/Ryan Pelham/The Enterprise

Nearly all schools in Texas Education Region Five announced Monday that they would suspend classes effective tomorrow amid growing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has become a global pandemic.

West Orange Cove Consolidated Independent School District, Little- Cypress Mauriceville ISD , Orangefield ISD and Vidor ISD all announced Monday evening that they would close their campuses in response to COVID-19.
PAF15 in a complex with PCNA undergoes UHRF1-mediated dual mono-ubiquitylation, which is essential for DNMT1 recruitment, and subsequent maintenance of DNA methylation. Credit:  Atsuya Nishiyama

Why do normal cells turn into cancer cells? One of the factors is deeply related to the failure of the cell differentiation mechanism called DNA methylation. The joint research groups of The Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, Yokohama City University, and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) have clarified new mechanism for controlling DNA methylation in cells.

Ubiquitination of a protein called PAF15 is an important factor for the inheritance of DNA methylation, according to the new research. The group also successfully demonstrated a molecular mechanism by which PAF15 is ubiquitinated. In this way, the group revealed the mechanism underlying how cellular memory is inherited when cells proliferate.

The research was published in Nature Communications. The results are expected to greatly contribute to applications in this field, such as the development of new inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase that specifically target cancer cells.

The primary mechanism of this DNA methylation has not been fully elucidated

There are two factors that transform normal cells into cancer cells. One is a genetic mutation that alters the DNA sequence, and the other is an epigenetic mutation that changes how genes are used. An epigenetic mutation is defined as an aberrant pattern of "DNA methylation" and "histone modification". When cells proliferate, both genetic and epigenetic mutations are transmitted to new cells.

The research team decided to investigate the mechanism of faithful "DNA methylation inheritance" which is critical for cancer suppression and has not been sufficiently investigated. As one of the lead researchers, associate professor Atsuya Nishiyama of the University of Tokyo, explains as follows:

"Every cell has the same genetic information. Each cell has very different characteristics. It is DNA methylation that determines the characteristics of each cell. Until now, the correlation between the failure of the mechanism of DNA methylation and cancer of cells was known, but how DNA methylation controls disease was not. That's why we conducted research to understand the basic mechanisms of DNA methylation. "

PAF15 is a factor guaranteeing the maintenance of DNA methylation

The research group conducted experiments using a cell-free system derived from Xenopus laevis eggs to analyze the DNMT1 protein complex. Their work resulted in the new discovery of PAF15 as a factor that specifically binds to DNMT1.

Further analysis revealed that PAF15 binds to chromosomes via PCNA during DNA replication, The research group also showed that two lysine residues of PAF15 undergo monoubiquitination by UHRF1 to facilitate DNMT1 chromatin localization. These results indicate that PAF15 is an important regulator of DNMT1.

During unperturbed S-phase, most of the DNMT1 on the chromosome was bound to ubiquitinated PAF15. Elevated histone H3 ubiquitination levels and the interaction between DNMT1 and ubiquitinated H3 were observed in conjunction with the inhibition of PAF15 function.

This finding suggests that PAF15 ubiquitination is the primary pathway controlling DNMT1 localization to DNA methylation sites, and that histone H3 ubiquitination may serve as a backup system. The team also introduced mutations to amino acids at the ubiquitination site of PAF15 in mouse ES cells, and found that the level of DNA methylation in the whole genome was greatly reduced, thus making it clear that PAF15 was a factor guaranteeing the maintenance of DNA methylation.

Potential to greatly contribute to the development of DNA methylase inhibitors

DNA methylase is also attracting attention as a material for anticancer drugs. The results of this study have shown not only the scientific significance of clarifying the new mechanism of DNA methylation inheritance, but also the potential to greatly contribute to the development of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors.

In addition, it has been reported that PAF15 is over-expressed in various cancer cells. It will be important to clarify the effect of PAF15 on DNA methylation control in the future.

Explore further Mechanism safeguarding unique epigenome of oocytes and maternal fertility

More information: Atsuya Nishiyama et al, Two distinct modes of DNMT1 recruitment ensure stable maintenance DNA methylation, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Atsuya Nishiyama et al, Two distinct modes of DNMT1 recruitment ensure stable maintenance DNA methylation,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15006-4
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation staff who was ordered to selfisolate after coming into contact with the Norwegian Ambassador has expressed frustration over what he says is neglect from health authorities.



The reporter who appears to have come face to face with the psychological stress of a week of isolation has on Tuesday taken to social media threatening to get out tomorrow complaining of his inability to reach health staff via phone.



I think after tomorrow if I dont get any feedback from the health officials, I will have to go out because I am strong by grace, his post read.



This self-imprisonment is really affecting me and my other colleague who has family. I had to call Dr Sakodie, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service before I was called to answer some questions yesterday. Like I said I am not showing any symptoms after one week, he added.



In another post, he has been demanding to be tested to free him of the emotional stress. The only help I need now is to get tested and be free in mind, spirit, and body as well go about my usual activities 



His comments have begun drawing some empathy from his friends who are unhappy with the low level of care expressed by the reporter.



Abdul Hakim Anwar Sadat posted, Its rather unfortunate he has to go through this.



Kabu Nartey posted, undergoing self-quarantine Dieu Donne Dafeamekpor simply unhappy. He might not want to speak up but clearly hes not happy with the conditions given him.



Dieu Donne Dafeamekpor, the way to go my brother, very responsible. GBC must continue to reach out to you. Self-discipline at these times. We shall rise again!



Ghana is currently on a follow up for some 350 persons known to have had contact with the six persons confirmed to have been infected by the Novel Coronavirus.

Source: kasapafmonline.com









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Royal Marines have surprised enemy forces by launching a series of daring raids on the Norwegian coastline during demanding winter exercises.

Royal Marines have surprised enemy forces by launching a series of daring raids on the Norwegian coastline during demanding winter exercises.

3 Commando Brigade land in Norway as part of demanding winter exercises. After initial raids, vehicles moved ashore (Picture source: British Royal Navy)

Deep within the Arctic Circle, the first objective of the mission on saw commando forces launch an amphibious attack from UK flagship HMS Albion using boats operated by Norwegian allies.

Embarking on the Royal Norwegian Navys CB90-class fast assault craft and Skjold-class corvette, a commando team covertly infiltrated the enemy positions set along the Norwegian fjords of Senja Island, more than 685 miles north of capital Oslo.

The commandos mission? To cause havoc amongst their adversaries.

In addition to adopting progressive tactics, the unit embraced Future Commando Force development by operating as 12-man teams, with each commando bringing a unique skillset and individually chosen for the mission at hand.

Having been manoeuvred into position off the coast by the Norwegians, the teams (drawn from 45 Commandos Recce Troop, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and gunners from 29 Commando Royal Artillery, and Royal Engineers from 54 Commando Royal Engineers) silently landed ashore via small raiding boats operated by Plymouth-based 47 Commando.

The commandos then coordinated a salvo of artillery fire and air support onto the enemy target, quickly destroying their position and allowing the amphibious task group to gain a foothold on mainland Norway.

Shortly after, artillery strikes hit more enemy positions along the coast, enabling commando troops transported by Commando Helicopter Force Merlins to land and support the fight.

3 Commando Brigade land in Norway as part of demanding winter exercises. After initial raids, vehicles moved ashore (Picture source: British Royal Navy)
Susanna Reid appeared on 'Good Morning Britain' via videolink while in self-isolation. (AP)

Susanna Reid has put herself into self-isolation for 14 days due to coronavirus (Covid-19) symptoms in her household.

The 49-year-old TV presenter appeared on Good Morning Britain via videolink and explained to co-host Piers Morgan that one of her sons has a cough and so she is following government advice and will not be coming to work.

Reid said: My boys are teenagers so nothing much scares them. They are more concerned about not seeing their friends.

Susanna isnt with us today, shes self-isolating for the next 14 days due to symptoms in her family - not because of Piers.@susannareid100 | @piersmorgan | #GMB pic.twitter.com/MMlwRbaWkw  Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 17, 2020

She went on: I have a perfectly normal temperature, everyone else in my house has a normal temperature. My son has a cough and we have no way of testing whether it is coronavirus. I dont think it is, I think its just a seasonal cough. Under normal circumstances I would have come in but yesterday the government advice changed - if anyone in your household has a high temperature or persistent cough - and so I am following that advice.

Read more: Idris Elba reveals he's tested positive for COVID-19

Reid has three sons - Finn, Jack and Sam - with ex-partner Dominic Cotton, from whom she separated in 2014.

I am currently well but due to the new advice today I will be self-isolating for two weeks due to symptoms in my household. Stay well everyone   Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) March 16, 2020

Morgan, 54, joked that GMBs Charlotte Hawkins was more than happy for Reid to take the rest of the year off while she filled in for her as co-host of the show.

Story continues

Reid admitted she is going to miss work and speculated she might write a novel, or try and homeschool her sons.

Charlotte Hawkins is hosting 'GMB' with Piers Morgan while Susanna Reid is in self-isolation. (ITV)

She said: I love my work. I love coming in to work. I love the daily battles! It gives me so much pleasure broadcasting to the viewers and I am going to miss that.

Read more: Susanna Reid shares photo of herself reading news 20 years ago

Reid went on: Yesterday I just sat and scrolled through Twitter all day. I am going to have to fill my time a lot more productively or I will go out of my mind.

Susanna Reid said she might take the opportunity to write a novel. (Getty Images)

We all think weve got a novel in us - so whether I set about writing a novel... or do a lot of cooking and baking. Or set up a home school. We will see.

And the TV presenter and parent said even following the advice to self-isolate for 14 days, she still has a lot of unanswered questions.

She said: There is no test that we have access to. There is no test for immunity. How do we know if we do get through it and are better at the end of that 14 days? There will be many people with the same questions.
Aircrafts are parked on a runway at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Due to the Coronavirus Lufthansa had to cancel half of its flights. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

BERLIN (AP)  German-based tour company TUI says it is suspending most of its operations until further notice in light of the deepening coronavirus crisis and applying for government help.

Travel has decreased sharply as more and more countries apply tough new restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Germany has joined other nations in advising against nonessential travel abroad, warning of a high risk of being unable to get back home.

TUI said late Sunday night it has decided to suspend the vast majority of all travel operations until further notice, including package travel, cruises and hotel operations.

It withdrew its earnings guidance for this year and said it was refraining from issuing new guidance in the current circumstances.

We are taking substantial cost measures to mitigate the earnings effect, TUI said. Moreover, we have decided to apply for state aid guarantees to support the business until normal operations are resumed.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500. The COVID-19 illness is mild or moderate for most people, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or people with existing health problems. More than 77,000 people have recovered from it so far, mostly in China.

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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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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.
A 67-year-old woman who is a



city resident and returned from Dubai via Goa last week has tested positive for coronavirus, making it the eleventh case in Karnataka, the health department said on Tuesday.

The patient has been in strict home quarantine since coming to city and has been admitted to a designated isolation hospital.

A health department media bulletin said "67-year-old female who is a resident of Bangalore returned from Dubai via Goa on March 9. She is a known case of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

She has been in strict home quarantine since coming to Bangalore."



The woman was admitted to the hospital on March 16.

According to the bulletin, 21 high risk contacts including five family members have been identified and they are under strict home quarantine.

Officials said till date 11 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.

The ten patients were in isolation wards and are stable, they added.

The 67-year-old woman is the fourth new positive confirmed case that has been reported in the state in the last 24 hours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  It was a lavish birthday party for Donald Trump Jr.s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle. The setting was Mar-a-Lago, President Trumps private club in Palm Beach, Fla. The guest list included dozens of Trump family members and friends.

But when it came to picking up the tab, hands went out to other attendees. Among them were at least four whose families are financial supporters of the presidents re-election campaign, for which Ms. Guilfoyle helps lead the fund-raising. They ended up pitching in tens of thousands of dollars, passed along to Mar-a-Lago, to help pay for what two people familiar with the planning said was a $50,000 celebration of Ms. Guilfoyles 51st birthday.

The hourslong bash on the evening of March 7 has since emerged as a snapshot of the cavalier way Mr. Trump and his team initially handled the coronavirus outbreak. At least one attendee  a Brazilian government official who stopped by the party briefly  has tested positive for the virus, while another  Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida  self-quarantined, though he later announced he had tested negative for the virus.

But the funding provided for the party by Mr. Trumps supporters, which has not been previously reported, also underscored other characteristics that have defined his political career: His reliance on other peoples money rather than his own fortune, and the overlap between the presidents private and public roles.
Sometimes when you're in the grips of a global pandemic all you need is some reassuring words from The Terminator and his miniature equines.

The former governor of California took to Twitter last night to provide some words of advice on social distancing with some help from Whiskey his miniature horse, and Lulu, his diminutive donkey.

Alongside the video, Schwarzenegger wrote "Stay at home as much as possible. Listen to the experts, ignore the morons (foreheads). We will get through this together." Schwarzenegger's video at his L.A. home feeding his pets was shared on the same day that the current governor, Gavin Newsom, ordered that all bars and nightclubs in the state be closed, as the outbreak spreads.

The CDC also urged Americans yesterday to avoid any gatherings of 50 people or more, as millions of people suddenly find themselves at home, with their kids off school and no sign of a return to normalcy.

During the video, which has amassed over a quarter million likes, the 72-year-old actor introduces his two little indoor farm animals, while feeding them carrots and stressing the importance of not leaving the house, especially if you're over the age of 65, "so we stay home and we eat here... oh yes, that's yummy"

"We don't go out, we don't got to restaurants, we don't do anything like that anymore, we just eat with Whiskey and Lulu, we have a good time," he continued.

On Friday, Schwarzenegger shared a similar video on how to wash your hands alongside his Yorkshire Terrier, Cherry.

As of Monday the novel coronavirus had infected over 3,500 Americans, claiming 66 lives.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.
Abu Dhabi, March 17 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sent two aid planes carrying medical supplies to Iran which has been severely hit by the coronavirus crisis, despite a fallout between the two countries.

The development on Monday came a day after a call between the UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Iranian counterpart Mohammed Jawad Zarif, reports Efe news.

In addition to expressing his condolences for the victims of the pandemic, Al Nahyan discussed with his counterpart the latest regional and global developments resulting from the spread of the virus across the globe.

The two aid aircrafts "contained over 32 metric tonnes of supplies, including boxes filled with thousands of pairs of gloves, surgical masks, and protective equipment", the UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

This is the second humanitarian delivery provided by the UAE to Iran in recent days.

The first 7.5-tonne shipment was facilitated on March 3 in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

It is unclear if Monday's announcement came also under the mediation of WHO.

Iran is one of the Middle East's most populous countries and has seen a spike in the cases of coronavirus with 853 confirmed deaths and 14,991 infected people.

Earlier on Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the coronavirus outbreak in the country had peaked.

"According to the statistics provided, we have passed the peak stage of the coronavirus," Rouhani said during a national working group meeting to combat the pandemic.

The President went on to describe the data as "promising".

UAE alongside nearly all the Gulf's Sunni monarchs supports the US' policy toward Iran given the feud with Tehran's Shia government.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Nirbhaya case: Delhi Court reserves order on the plea of Mukesh Singh seeking to quash death penalty

India

oi-Mousumi Dash

New Delhi, Mar 17: A Delhi Court on Tuesday reserved the order on the plea of one of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, Mukesh Singh. Mukesh moved a court in Delhi to seek quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the gangrape incident took place.



Reportedly, Mukesh's plea before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana claimed he was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, one day after the crime.

The plea, three days before the four men convicted for the gangrape and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern are scheduled to be hanged, also alleged that he was tortured inside the Tihar jail.

The matter is scheduled to be heard later on Tuesday. On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants for the execution of Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) on March 20, 5.30 am.

Nirbhaya case: Convict Pawan Gupta moves Delhi HC against two constables, alleging assault

This is the fourth death warrant. The earlier three were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

On Monday, Mukesh moved the Supreme Court seeking restoration of legal remedies and alleging that his earlier counsel misled and forced him to sign the papers.

The apex court had refused to entertain his plea.

On Tuesday, Advocate AP Singh approached National Human Rights Commission over the death of one of the convicts Ram Singh. Ram Singh had allegedly committed suicide inside the Tihar Jail. He has also sought compensation for his mother.

On July 9, 2018, the court dismissed his review plea against its judgement. Later, his curative and mercy pleas were rejected by the top court and President Ram Nath Kovind respectively.

The young woman, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless one), was gangraped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused.

Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case. The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
Researchers in Australia said Tuesday they had mapped the body's immune response to the novel coronavirus, in a potential breakthrough in the fight against the global killer.



A team of scientists were able to test blood samples from a patient who had contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalised with moderate symptoms.



Authors of the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, said it was the first time experts had mapped the body's general immune response to the new disease.



"We saw a really robust immune response that preceded clinical recovery," Katherine Kedzierska, from the University of Melbourne?s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, told AFP.



"We noted an immune response but she was visually still unwell, and three days later the patient recovered."



Researchers are in a race against time to try to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which as of 0900 GMT Tuesday has registered more than 180,000 confirmed infections and over 7,000 deaths.



Keszierska said her team's research was "an important step in understanding recovery from COVID-19.



"We have verifiable results in more patients with moderate disease. Now we can ask the question: what is different or missing in people who are fatally ill?"



She said the findings had two practical applications.



First, it will help virologists develop a vaccine because the goal in vaccination is to replicate the body's natural immune response to viruses.



The team identified four distinct immune-cell populations in the COVID-19 patient's blood as she underwent recovery.



Kedzierska said these were "very similar to what we see in patients with influenza".



Although it kills hundreds of thousands of people annually, a broadly effective vaccine exists against influenza.



- Immunity 'markers' -



The second practical application is screening, said Kedzierska.



Their observations could also help health authorities make better predictions in future disease outbreaks about who is most at risk.



These immune system "markers" could in theory predict with greater accuracy which patients are likely to have mild symptoms and which are at risk of dying.



The majority of COVID-19 deaths occur in patients who are elderly or have existing medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.



Children, on the other hand, appear to show few or no symptoms. Kedzierska said more research was needed to work out why, but the immune system does naturally slow down as people age.



Sharon Lewin, director of the Doherty Institute and one of the world's leading infectious diseases experts, told AFP that the study results were promising.



"It shows that the body makes a very good and powerful immune response to virus and it is associated with symptom clearing," she said.



"Hopefully now we can fish out those antibodies and grow them up to scale," she said.



Authors of the study, say it is the first time experts have mapped the body's general immune response to the new disease.
To provide for a quality medical



education system in homoeopathy and to promote Indian systems of medicines, Union Minister Sripad Yesso Naik on Tuesday tabled two bills for consideration and passing in Rajya Sabha.

The Minister of State for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) tabled the bills in the Upper House that saw a thin attendance of members.

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on January 7, 2019.

Later, it was sent to a standing committee, which submitted its report in November.

The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and provides for a medical education system to ensure availability of quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine, and adoption of the latest medical research, among other objectives.

Another key features of the bill is setting up a National Commission for Indian System of Medicine.

The second legislation, the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 too was introduced in January in the Upper House. It seeks to repeal the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973.

It too proposes to constitute a National Commission for Homoeopathy.

It is proposed that the Commission, among things, will frame policies for regulating medical institutions and homoeopathic medical professionals, and assess the requirements of healthcare related human resources and infrastructure.

L Hanumanthaiah of the Congress, participating in the debate on the Homoeopathy Bill stressed that once the legislation is enacted state governments should immediately form Homoeopathy Education Boards for a strict regulation and quality education.

He said in order to ease the financial burden on students, provision should be made for admission of students in state institutes.

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe of the BJP emphasised the need to revive the ancient practices for medicine and said Ayurveda is an important part of "soft power" demonstrated by India.

He also stressed the need for chronicling important documents for Ayurveda students in order to facilitate their research and education.

Ayurveda facilities should also be introduced in Parliament for members, he said and added at present it has become a tendency to mock and look down upon some practices, including "gaumutra", but instead more research is required in this field to find out medicinal properties.

Supporting the two bills, Manas Ranjan Bhunia of the All India Trinamool Congress called for adoption of an integrated medical therapy.

Vijila Sathyananth of the AIADMK insisted that yoga and naturopathy should not be excluded from the purview of the bill.

She suggested formation of six autonomous bodies for each of the Indian Systems of Medicine.

The Upper House decided to take up further discussion on the bills for their consideration and passage on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: As more instances of



foreign tourists in Kerala being targeted over the coronavirus outbreak surfaced on Tuesday, state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned of strict action on those taunting the visitors.

"Inhumane acts cannot be allowed and strong action will be taken," Vijayan told reporters after a review meeting of COVID-19 here.

Referring to the incidents of two tourists from Kannur being denied food and place to stay, a Spanish national being asked by other passengers to disembark from a bus and a French woman and her three-year-old son facing difficulty in finding food and accommodation, Vijayan said these were "shameful acts".

"The attitude of certain people towards foreigners is not right. It is not their mistake that the coronavirus is spreading. In the state too, many have been infected," he said.

There is a need to strengthen the tourism sector and if the visitors have such bad experiences, it would affect the state's reputation, he said adding such inhumane acts cannot be allowed and government would take stringent action against those indulging in such behaviour.

"They (foreigners) are also humans. We cannot allow such inhuman acts in our state", Vijayan said.

Two tourists had to go without a morsel of food for four days after hotels in Kannur allegedly refused to serve them any and they did not get place to stay.

The foreigners - a man and and a woman - were seen crying out of hunger on the wayside by locals in Payyannur in north Kerala town of Kannur following which the police and local authorities extended them a helping hand.

The French and Italian nationals later said they had reached Kannur on March 11 but had not got any food for the last four days and had been starving.

They said they wandered here and there and knocked at the door of many hotels and restaurants for food but no one helped them.

Seeing the plight of the visitors, police and Payyannur civic body authorities bought them food and shifted them to Thalassery taluk hospital.

The tourists, who reached Kerala after visiting Mumbai, Goa and Madurai, had no symptom of the coronavirus, authorities said.

While hotels and resorts are denying foreigners rooms, restaurants are reluctant to give them food in many places even in well-known tourist destinations.

Local people even chased them away out of fear of the spread of the virus and tried to evict them forcefully from public buses, the visitors complained.

In another incident, a French couple, who reached Kannur from the highrange Wayand on a state-run KSRTC bus, had to face the wrath of co-passengers.

Some local passengers, who got frightened seeing the foreigners, didn't allow the bus to proceed further.

A number of passengers even got out of the bus due to the presence of the French couple.

The bus was later taken to Kannur Town police station, from where the couple were shifted to the district hospital for observation.

The couple, who reached the southern state on March 2 via Dubai, had no symptom of the virus in the preliminary examination, police said.

In Kochi, police extended a helping hand to a 27- year-old French woman Desmazure and her three-year-old Tao on Monday.

Police traced the woman, who had lost her purse and had no money, based on the information of local people that a foreigner and child were roaming around the city amid the coronavirus threat.

Their trouble began after an enquiry by local health officials found that she had also been to Varkala, from where an Italian tourist had tested positive.

She was taken to a hospital and found she had no symptoms.

As she had no money, she was forced to spend the night at the hospital corridor all night.

Though a room was provided later, it was not clean and was full of cobwebs and mosquitoes.

The police later helped her to contact the French Consulate in Puducherry to arrange money and to go Delhi via train.

She was also given a 'no coronavirus' certificate by the doctors before departing from the state, they added.

Meanwhile, DGP Loknath Behera said police would ensure accommodation to the foreigners finding it difficult to get it.

Local police officials were asked to inform the tourism department about such tourists in distress.

Twentyfour people, including two foreigners, have tested positive far for the virus so far in the state.

This is besides, the three medical students from Wuhan, India's first three cases, who were treated and cured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan on Tuesday reported the first coronavirus death, while the number of confirmed cases increased to 193 with the emergence of 10 new infections, the Ministry of National Health Services announced.

According to the Ministry, the victim had recently returned from Iran was brought in a critical condition to the Mayo hospital in Lahore on Monday night, reports The News International.

The patient was kept in an intensive care unit (ICU), however, there was no ventilator there.

Meanwhile, the 10 new cases were reported in Sindh and Punjab provinces, the Ministry added.

Sindh province was the worst hit in the country with 155 confirmed cases.

In South Asia, India has reported three coronavirus cases.
Under Gov. Wolfs statewide shutdown of nonessential businesses across Pennsylvania theres probably not a single museum open if you did want to venture out into a world altered by coronavirus for a break from confinement in your home. Even if the kids, home from school for the next two weeks at least, need it.

But here are a dozen virtual museum experiences from a variety of museums across Pennsylvania.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, offers multiple online exhibits, including Penns Treaty, which looks at the firm league of peace Pennsylvanias founder William Penn established with the Native Americans through the collection of art, artifacts and documents in the collection donated to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. Meyer P. Potamkin.

The virtual tour Valley Forge National Historical Park, Valley Forge, the site of a turning point in the American Revolution illustrates life during the Valley Forge winter through the parks collections and the headquarters occupied by General George Washington and his officers during the encampment.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, provides several 360-degree virtual tours of equipment in the collection, from Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives to Pullman club-restaurant-sleep cars.

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.



Among the virtual tours offered by the Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, is Toys of the 50s, 60s and 70s, including all the old favorites like Barbie, Matchbox vehicles, Gumby, that mechanical monkey clapping cymbals and many, many others.

The Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, provides Beyond the Battlefield: A Virtual Field Trip hosted by Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived series of childrens historical fiction novels that includes artifacts and documents from the Revolutionary War.

The National Toy Train Museum, Strasburg, has an entire library of videos shot from the engine cabs of many of the toy trains in the collection as they race along the track layouts of the museum.

Birthplace of the American Revolution, the Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia, takes a virtual into the sights and sounds of the 18th century and inspiration that went into the Stars and Stripes.

The Penn State All-Sports Museum, University Park, offers a virtual tour through Google Maps, including a glimpse at each of the museums exhibits.

The amazing collection of more than 50,000 pre-industrial tools from 60 different crafts and trades displayed throughout a six-story reinforced concrete castle is the focus of the Mercer Museum, Doylestown, virtual tour.

The Frick, Pittsburgh, offers seven virtual tours ranging from pastel works by Jean-Francois Millet to fashion from the Gilded Age.

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 virtual tour of the American Treasure Tour Museum, Oaks, offers a glimpse into the collection of collections housed in a former tire factory, ranging from beautifully restored self-playing orchestra to hordes of life-size clown statues and stuffed animals from carnivals and promotional campaigns to decades worth of movie posters.

Get a taste of Pennsylvanias lumbering heritage Pennsylvanias in a virtual tour of the exhibits and 10-acre campus, including a re-creation of an early 20th century lumber camp in a virtual tour of the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, Ulysses.

Full coronavirus coverage: https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/

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.
Kolkata, March 17 : The first confirmed case of coronavirus (Covid-19) was detected in West Bengal on Tuesday with a youth, who had returned from the UK, testing positive for the disease.

The youth has been admitted to the state's referral hospital for infectious diseases, the ID Hospital, Beliaghata.

His family members and driver have been quarantined.

The youth reportedly returned from the UK on March 15 after attending a birthday party there. A number of guests at the party are under the risk of contracting the disease.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Shoppers around the world stood in long lines, waiting to buy essentials like toilet paper, pasta, bottled water, medicine and masks as a worsening coronavirus crisis stoked fears of shortages.

A view of supermarket shelves starting to empty out as the country is hit by an outbreak of coronavirus disease in Brussels, Belgium. As of Monday night, total number of the patients infected with the new coronavirus surged to 1,058. The virus has claimed five lives in Belgium so far. Photograph: Johanna Geron/Reuters

A shopper looks through a near-empty shelf at a supermarket in Amsterdam as people hoard food because of the coronavirus outbreak, Netherlands. The Dutch government decided on Sunday to lockdown the country after holding crisis meetings. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health said the number of infections had risen by 176 to 1,135 on Sunday. Photograph: Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters

Customers shop inside a wholesale store as El Salvador puts in measures due to coronavirus disease concerns, in San Salvador. Photograph: Jose Cabezas/Reuters

A sign informing customers about a restriction on the number of allowed packets of toilet roll is seen on a shelf inside a Morrisons supermarket in Liverpool, Britain. UK retailers have reminded customers to be considerate in their shopping, so that others are not left without much-needed items. It comes after some shops began rationing the sales of certain products to avoid them selling out completely. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

A supermarket shelf with canned lentil and pea stew is seen partly empty and not yet refilled, following panic buying over the weekend due to coronavirus, in Bad Honnef near Bonn, Germany. Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

Empty shelves are seen after customers stocked up on toilet paper during swirling fears around the coronavirus in a grocery store in Sydney, Australia. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters

People wearing protective masks, following an outbreak of coronavirus, queue to purchase toilet paper and tissues at a drug store in Tokyo, Japan. Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

People wearing masks to prevent contracting the coronavirus wait in a line to buy masks in front of a department store in Seoul, South Korea. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

A staff sits behind the counter with a notice reading "face masks sold out for today, up to 10 masks limit per purchase from tomorrow 8.30 a.m.", at a pharmacy store, as China is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Shanghai, China. Photograph: Cheng Leng/Reuters
China sends first batch of medical aid to Serbia to help fight COVID-19

BELGRADE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of medical aid from China to Serbia has arrived in Belgrade over the weekend to help fight the COVID-19.

The Serbian government said in a press release on Monday that the shipment included 1,000 rapid test kits manufactured by the Shenzhen-based BGI Genomics, which were donated by the Chinese humanitarian organization Mammoth Foundation.

The assistance action was coordinated by the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, in cooperation with the Serbian government.

The test kits arrived here on Sunday night and have been distributed to the national laboratory overnight. According to Xiong Tao, vice president of the BGI global development, the test kits can provide results within three hours.

"We are convinced that with the help of our Chinese friends, with their expertise and experience, we will be able to successfully cope with the COVID-19 and that Serbia will emerge from this battle as a winner," the government said in the press release.

So far there are 57 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Serbia, and 316 people have been tested.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday announced a state of emergency in the country to suppress the outbreak of coronavirus.

Speaking at the presidency building after meeting government members and medical experts, Vucic revealed that measures within the state of emergency will include closure of schools and kindergartens, while hospitals will be secured by the army.

Vucic said that foreigners won't be allowed to enter Serbia, while all returnees will be quarantined no matter where they are from. All arriving Serbian citizens will be quarantined for at least 14 days, while those from infection hotbeds for 28 days.

According to the president, "the only ones allowed will be Chinese doctors" who were asked to come to help treat patients in upcoming days.
Croatian police said Tuesday that a total of 711 trucks in 15 convoys have passed through the country as part of organised transit cargo traffic designed to avoid long lines forming at the borders because of checkups over the new coronavirus.

The convoys pass straight through the countries, escorted by police and without stopping.

Croatian police said they enter the country at the border with Slovenia after arriving there from Italy.

First such convoys were established last week among several countries in the region, after border measures virtually halted traffic, forming huge lines and forcing people to wait for more than 24 hours in some instances.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2020) - GoviEx Uranium Inc. (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF) ("GoviEx" or "Company") today announces that it has cancelled the second tranche of the non-brokered private placement offering of units ("Units") announced February 13, 2020 (the "Private Placement").

"The last two weeks have seen staggering volatility and devaluation in all sectors of the international equity markets and increasing economic uncertainty as governments and investors address the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

GoviEx announced on February 13, 2020, the successful close of the first tranche of the Private Placement, subject to final TSX Venture Exchange approval, for gross proceeds of approximately C$2.3 million based on the Private Placement offer price of C$0.15 per Unit. However, the recent drastic and rapid devaluation of the equity market has resulted in a significant gap between the original Private Placement offering price and the Company's currrent and prevailing market share price, and consequently, the Company has decided to cancel the second tranche of the Private Placement currently underway and to wait for markets to settle before returning to the market for future financing.

We remain firm in our resolve to weather these challenging times as we continue to believe in the strong underlying fundamentals of the uranium and nuclear industry, and deep value in GoviEx's asset base", noted the Company's Executive Chairman, Govind Friedland.

GoviEx intends to proceed with the planned updated pre-feasibility ("PFS") study for the Madaouela project in Niger, by end of May 2020. The PFS is targeting areas that are believed to reduce both operating and capital costs relative to the current technical report on the Madaouela Project(1), while at the same time reduce technical risk, with a focus on improving overall project economics.

Notes:

1. See: An independent NI 43-101 technical report was prepared for the Madaouela Project in 2015 to a prefeasibility level of confidence. The report titled "An Updated Integrated Development Plan for the Madaouela Project, Niger" has an effective date of August 11, 2015, and a revision date of August 20, 2015, and is available at GoviEx's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About GoviEx Uranium

GoviEx is a mineral resource company focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Africa. GoviEx's principal objective is to become a significant uranium producer through the continued exploration and development of its flagship mine-permitted Madaouela Project in Niger, its mine-permitted Mutanga Project in Zambia, and its other uranium properties in Africa.

Information Contacts

Govind Friedland, Executive Chairman

Daniel Major, Chief Executive Officer

+1-604-681-5529

info@goviex.com

www.goviex.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All information and statements other than statements of current or historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in GoviEx's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information.

Forward-looking statements include those with respect to the timing and of the completion of the PFS and the beneficial effects of the areas to be targeted by the PFS, and receipt of final TSX Venture Exchange approval.

Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) the price of uranium will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Company's mining projects sufficiently low so as to permit GoviEx to implement its business plans in a commercially-viable manner and (ii) receipt of TSX Venture Exchange final approval of the Private Placement.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) the failure of the Company's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations, or other reasons; (ii) not receiving TSX Ventyure Exchange final approval of the Private Placement; (iii) an increase in the costs or time necessary to complete the PFS; (iv) the failure of the PFS to produce the reduction in operating or capital costs, or of technical risk; (v) a decrease in the price of uranium below what is necessary to sustain the Company's operations; (vi) an increase in the Company's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations; (vii) accidents, labour disputes, or the materialization of similar risks; (viii) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Company from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis; and (ix) generally, the Company's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason.

In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Financial Risks and Management Objectives" in the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2018, of GoviEx, which is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release.

Although GoviEx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance, or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances, or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this news release will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do so, what benefits that GoviEx will derive therefrom. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and GoviEx disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.



Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53498
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Tue, March 17, 2020 13:55 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b3bb6c 1 National COVID-19,West-Java,Cianjur Free

The West Java Health Agency said it only discovered later that a patient who died while being treated in a hospital in Cianjur had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Agency head Berli Hamdani Gelung Sakti said the patient, who was identified as a 50-year-old male employee of a state-owned enterprise, was treated at Dr. Hafiz General Hospital in Cianjur on March 1 after showing COVID-19 symptoms. He died two days later in the hospital.

Berli explained that the patient was admitted to the Cianjur hospital after being treated at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in West Bekasi from Feb. 22 to 26. His health had kept deteriorating and he died before he could be transferred to Hasan Sadikin Hospital, a referral hospital for the disease, in Bandung.

At that time, the governments spokesperson for the COVID-19 outbreak, Achmad Yurianto, denied the patient died from the disease.

However, a widely circulated picture on social media revealed that the late patient had actually tested positive for the virus.

We later confirmed it [again] to the central government and the result is indeed positive, Berli said on Monday. He added that the patient had visited his relatives in Cianjur after he was discharged from Mitra Keluarga Hospital.

Berli said he could not explain the conflicting information on the patient since the testing was conducted by officials from the Health Ministry. The previous tests showed that the patient was negative for COVID-19.

The hospital workers in Cianjur only observed the process, Berli said.

The Cianjur case was the latest evidence of the governments sluggish testing mechanism that had resulted in uninformed health workers and local officials handling a COVID-19-positive case. In Denpasar, Bali, a 53-year-old woman, known as Case 25, who became the first fatality from the disease in the country, was treated at hospital without officials being told her health condition. Only after her death was announced were local officials informed about the patients status.

Read also: Bali authorities in the dark as COVID-19 patient dies on resort island

Berli said he only received information from Yurianto.

The [Cianjur] hospital workers said they [ministry officers] twice took samples from the patient when he was still using breathing support, Berli added.

Separately, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said he referred to the test results from the Health Ministrys Health Research and Development Agency upon announcing the patients COVID-19 status.

The government said he had tested negative at that time, but the result became positive because Mr. Yurianto said the test needs to be conducted twice. Patients could be exposed to the virus even when they were already declared healthy. That was the explanation they gave me, Ridwan said.

The patients wife and children also tested positive for the disease.

The patients wife and children tested positive, while he underwent examination twice. It was negative at first and turned positive after the second test, Ridwan said. (dpk)
CANNON FALLS -- Richard Samuelson served on the Goodhue County Board for 20 years and, before that, 10 years on the countys Planning Advisory Commission. He made a lot of friends

On Friday, March 13, Samuelson died from cancer.

Dan Rechtzigel is a teacher at Kenyon-Wanamingo High School. He served on the County Board with Samuelson.

"Richard was a true gentleman and public servant," Rechtzigel said. "He always put the needs and interests of the people of Goodhue County first. He was always very fair and willing to listen to other points of view. What I really admired about Richard was his passion for planning for the future. He was significantly older than me, but he cared just as much about what Goodhue County would look like in 50 years. He was both a colleague and a friend."

Scott Arneson, Goodhue Countys administrator. wrote about Samuelson:

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"Richard was a very special friend and public servant that will be remembered for his dedication to good government and public service with specific accomplishments in transportation, parks, trails, and health and human services. His specific accomplishments on Highway 52, Lake Byllesby Park, Cannon Valley Trail and innovation in health and human services will have long term impacts for Goodhue County."

Jim Bryant also served on the Goodhue County Board with Samuelson. He said the two became friends.

"Richard had a strong passion for transportation. He was easy to approach and had a calm demeanor about himself. He was always willing to listen and stand up for what he felt was right and needed," Bryant said. "He kept the whole county in mind when making a decision. He was a strong supporter of not standing still and keeping the county going forward.

While on the board and during his multiple terms as Goodhue County Boards president, Samuelson represented District 2, which includes Cannon Falls. Brad Anderson won the District 2 seat after Samuelson retired.

"Richards legacy in Goodhue County is far reaching with transportation, health and human services, the county fair, parks and trails and the Adult Detention Center construction," Anderson said. "Many at the Association of Minnesota County events to this day ask about Richard, his leadership on transportation issues at the state level was well respected. I knew following Richard in representing District 2 there would be big shoes to fill, after five plus years they are still extremely loose fitting. We should all aspire to be a true leader like him, he will be missed by many."
COLUMBIA  The S.C. Senate will meet this week but only to take up legislation that gives the state's public health agency access to $45 million to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

If the measure gains the necessary approvals Tuesday, the Senate will not meet again for at least the rest of the week, Senate President Harvey Peeler said Monday.

The House plans to approve the bill Thursday, said House Speaker Jay Lucas.

Gov. Henry McMaster has asked legislators to pass a bill letting the state Department of Health and Environmental Control dip into state reserves.

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to advance the legislation Tuesday morning after questioning DHEC officials about their response to the outbreak and how the agency came up with the $45 million figure. The agency has said that's the amount needed in a worst-case scenario.

The full Senate would then debate the bill Tuesday afternoon.

The agency's breakdown for the request includes $15 million for personal protective equipment for DHEC staff, $15 million for additional staffing and overtime, $5 million for lab and cleaning supplies and other staff needs, $2.5 million to educate the public, $1.7 million to quarantine poor people and $1.4 million for transporting lab samples.

Both the committee meeting and floor debate will be broadcast live on the Legislature's website, scstatehouse.gov.

Senators are asking the public, including lobbyists and reporters, to watch online and not attend in person.

While most people who contract the new coronavirus strain, officially called COVID-19, suffer mild symptoms, it can be fatal. The elderly and people with underlying health problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease are most susceptible to developing complications, state and federal health officials say.

Ten of the Senate's 46 members are at least 70 years old, automatically putting them in the high-risk category. Senate Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, is the chamber's oldest member at 88.

Peeler, 71, said he's not particularly worried about himself.

"Im reasonably healthy," said the Gaffney Republican. "Im more concerned about the elderly and folks at risk."

South Carolina's first death from the new coronavirus strain, reported Monday, was an elderly resident of a nursing home in Lexington County, according to DHEC.

The state House was scheduled to take the entire week off after passing its $10 billion state spending plan on Wednesday. But Lucas called representatives back for a limited session Thursday afternoon to take up the emergency measure.

No decisions have been made about next week's session.

All public schools are closed until at least March 31, as per McMaster's orders on Sunday. He also urged against any gatherings, indoors or outside, of 100 or more people but fell short of banning them.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 33 on Monday. So far, 344 people have been tested for the virus, according to DHEC.
Ringwood police station was closed on Tuesday night after an on-duty officer was told they had been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

A statement from Victoria Police posted to Facebook early Wednesday morning said the station, in Melbourne's east, was professionally cleaned overnight and had now reopened.

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"The officer involved has self-isolated," police said.
- Draws Down Capacity on Revolving Line of Credit -

- Terminates Trading Plan -

SPARTANBURG, S.C., March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dennys Corporation (DENN), franchisor and operator of one of America's largest franchised full-service restaurant chains, today announced that the Company has secured additional funding through its revolving credit facility to provide enhanced financial flexibility in light of uncertain market conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Company has terminated its limited pre-arranged stock trading plan, effective today. No shares had yet been purchased under this plan at the time of termination. The plan had been established for the purpose of repurchasing a limited number of shares of the Companys common stock between March 16, 2020 and April 30, 2020, through an independent broker in accordance with the guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Companys policies regarding stock transactions.

Given the dynamic and evolving economic conditions throughout the United States and the world, the Company expects consolidated results to be materially affected for the second quarter and full year of fiscal 2020. The Company will update its guidance when it can reasonably estimate the impact of the coronavirus and the changing conditions.

About Dennys Corporation

Denny's Corporation is the franchisor and operator of one of America's largest franchised full-service restaurant chains, based on the number of restaurants. As of December 25, 2019, Dennys had 1,703 franchised, licensed, and company restaurants around the world including 144 restaurants in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Philippines, New Zealand, Honduras, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Guam, Guatemala, the United Kingdom, El Salvador, Aruba, and Indonesia. For further information on Denny's, including news releases, links to SEC filings, and other financial information, please visit the Denny's investor relations website at investor.dennys.com .

Investor Contact:

Curt Nichols

877-784-7167



Media Contact:

Hadas Streit, Allison+Partners

646-428-0629
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 13:43 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b37b5d 1 Business fuel-price,gasoline,crude-oil-price,price-war,pertamina,shell,total,coronavirus,COVID-19,purchasing-power Free

Indonesia has revoked the price floor for unsubsidized gasoline and diesel as the government expects falling global oil prices to push down retail costs, but distributors look less likely to drastically cut prices with some already providing discounts.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry issued on Feb. 28 Ministerial Decree No. 62/2020 that erases a price floor for gasoline and diesel set by a previous decree, providing flexibility for distributors to reduce prices as low as possible. The new decree still maintains a price ceiling for such fuels pegged to prices in Singapore.

The governments position is to protect the peoples purchasing power and ensure business continuity, said the energy ministrys acting oil and gas director general, Ego Syahrial, on Monday, as we are facing a sudden fluctuation in crude prices.

Global crude oil prices plunged this year as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has hurt global demand and triggered a price war between major oil exporting countries. The international Brent oil price benchmark almost halved its value to below US$30.50 on Tuesday, from around $50.10 at the start of the year.

Ego said on March 10 that the government would make the most of low global crude prices by increasing imports without swelling the countrys trade deficit. The government said it expected Indonesias top oil company, state-owned Pertamina, to buy as much oil as it can, preferably under long-term purchasing contracts, while global prices sit at a four-year low.

Read also: We have many tanks to fill: Indonesia to make the most out of globally low oil prices

Oil and gas imports, which reached $1.75 billion in February, up 10.7 percent from the same month last year, remained a key vulnerability for Southeast Asias largest economy.

The month in which the Energy Ministry issued the new decree saw Indonesian crude prices (ICP) fall by 13.42 percent month-to-month (mtm) to $56.61 per barrel in February because of slowed economic activity from the worlds second largest economy.

Global crude oil prices fell about 30 percent on Monday last week after Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil exporter, slashed selling prices and planned to increase crude production next month, effectively starting a price war between oil exporting countries.

While Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati echoed government sentiment over increasing crude oil imports, a separate company representative did not immediately comment, explicitly, on plans to lower fuel prices.

Pertamina has executed and complied with the ministerial decree in question, said Pertamina spokeswoman Fajriyah Usman on Monday.

A representative from the Netherlands-based Shell Indonesia oil company also did not elaborate on plans to lower fuel prices.

Shell is committed to complying with regulations and collaborating with the government and all stakeholders over this issue, said Shell's vice president of external relations, Rhea Sianipar.

Both companies had lowered fuel prices earlier this year after the energy ministry issued on Dec. 26 Ministerial Decree No. 187/2019  a regulation revoked by the new decree  that tightened the minimum and maximum prices for fuel.

Read also: Pertamina again lowers Pertamax prices to promote nonsubsidized fuel

Afterwards, in early January in Greater Jakarta, retail fuel prices were reportedly lower at Shell and Total gas stations by up to 15.71 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively, for certain fuels.

In comparison, Pertamina reduced its Pertamax and Pertamax Turbo brand gasolines by 8.7 percent to Rp 9,000 per liter and 12.1 percent to Rp 9,850 per liter, respectively.
YEREVN.  We have had many telephone conversations, participated in discussions with EEU countries, participated in discussions organized by the World Health Organization by telephone. We have spoken to the ambassadors of countries that were of direct interest to us in the regional and epidemic contexts. Lena Nanushyan, Deputy Minister of Health of Armenia, stated this at a press conference today, referring to international cooperation toward the prevention of coronavirus.

"We carry out [respective] work on a daily basis," she said. "To get new information and if necessary, if it is effective and can be applied in Armenia, then to apply [it] in our country as well."

According to her, they also work with the Health and Labor Inspectorate Body of Armenia. "Work is carried out to detect, hospitalize patients who are running a fever at the state border crossing points [of the country]," she noted. "The Nork infectious disease hospital [in Yerevan] has been separated and re-profiled as a clinic only for the treatment of patients with coronavirus."

Nanushyan added that to date more than 700 coronavirus tests have been conducted in Armenia.
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17 2020

The government needs to further simplify import procedures for basic needs such as sugar, meat and garlic to ensure sufficient supplies during Ramadan and the Idul Fitri holidays, when demand increases sharply, analysts and businesspeople have warned.

The tightening of import procedures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from abroad has partly caused shortages in commodities such as sugar and garlic.

The government has repeatedly claimed it could meet demand during the festivities. But Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) researcher Rusli Abdullah has expressed doubt over such claims, citing soaring sugar prices.

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A federal senator has been diagnosed with coronavirus after attending a wedding where seven guests caught the disease.

Andrew Bragg, a Liberal Senator for New South Wales, announced he tested positive in a Twitter post on Tuesday afternoon.

He likely caught the deadly infection at the wedding of Scott Maggs, 37, and Emma Metcalf, 36, at the Tumbling Waters Retreat, south of Sydney on 6 March.

He likely caught the deadly infection at the wedding of Scott Maggs, 37, and Emma Metcalf, 36, at the Tumbling Waters Retreat, south of Sydney on 6 March. Pictured: The wedding

Andrew Bragg (pictured), a Liberal Senator for New South Wales, attended a wedding on 6 March at which several guests caught the virus

When the couple were on their honeymoon they were told two guests had the illness and this number quickly rose to six - and now seven - cases.

New South Wales Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant believes that number will rise to 12.

Mr Bragg is the third federal politician to be diagnosed with the virus.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was released from hospital today after recovering and LNP Senator Susan McDonald is in self-isolation.

Parliament is being scaled back next week to reduce the risk of infection spreading - with only 90 MPs sitting in the House of Representatives.

Mr Maggs has said he was devastated that guests at his wedding caught coronavirus.

'We were completely gutted when we first found out and we really wanted our friends to be safe and for them to be well. I couldnt really think past that,' he told Yahoo.

'It was the best day of our lives and we wanted it to be remembered for the right reasons. It was the perfect weekend except for this.'

Among the guests who believe they contracted the illness at the wedding are Sally Hawach, the daughter of advertising guru John Singleton, and her lawyer husband Pierre Hawach.

When the couple (pictured) were on their honeymoon they were told two guests had the illness and this number quickly rose to six - and now seven - cases

The couple is now in quarantine in their Hills District home, in Sydney's north west, where Mrs Hawach is 30 weeks pregnant with their third child.

Mrs Hawach said she had not seen her father since she attended the wedding on March 6, so 'fortunately' he was OK.

The bride and groom have contacted all their guests, most of whom were from Sydney, informing them they may need to be tested if they are displaying symptoms.

Health authorities have also been trying to track all guests down to inform them of the isolation protocol.

Mr Maggs, who founded of the charity Beard Season, shared with his followers that all their overseas guests were 'in good health and doing superbly'.

'Em and I hope you're all doing well, staying safe and looking after each other.'

Anyone who has been in close contact with a confirmed and showing symptoms must get tested for the deadly virus and self-isolate until their results come back.

Meanwhile, Queensland state MP Nick Dametto has been tested after suffering symptoms and is awaiting results.

He met Senator Susan McDonald, who has tested positive, at the North Queensland Agribusiness Futures Forum in Townsville last Thursday.
T he brother of the Manchester Arena bomber who killed and maimed hundreds of people as they left an Ariana Grande concert is facing the rest of his life behind bars today (tues).

Hashem Abedi, 22, plotted with older brother Salman to detonate a homemade explosive packed with shrapnel in a crowded place, hoping to murder as many people as possible.

The extremist brothers bought huge amounts of chemicals online for their bomb, and met with a convicted ISIS terrorist as they plotted the atrocity.

Salman, 22, was the one who carried out the attack, blowing himself up in the foyer of the arena as concertgoers  including many young children  streamed for the exits and to meet their parents.

Hashem Abedi in the dock at the Old Bailey / PA

Twenty two people, including an 8-year-old girl, were killed in the attack on May 22, 2017, and around 1,000 concertgoers were left physically and mentally scarred.

Hashem Abedi was in Libya with his family when the bomb went off, but was today found guilty at the Old Bailey of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder, and a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions.

Mr Justice Jeremy Baker will consider imposing a whole life prison term on Abedi, who is now guilty of the deadliest terrorist attack on UK soil since the 7/7 London bombings.

The scene close to the Manchester Arena after the terror attack / PA

Schoolgirl Saffie Rose Roussos, 8, was the youngest victim to die in the attack, after an evening with her sister and mother Lisa watching her favourite popstar.

Her mother was also badly hurt in the blast and spent six weeks in a coma, waking up to the devastating news that her young daughter had not survived.

The other victims killed in the carnage were: off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, schoolchildren Sorrell Leczkowski, Eilidh MacLeod, Nell Jones, all 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy and Megan Hurley, both 15, student Georgina Callander, 18, Chloe Rutherford,17, and her boyfriend Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and her step-father Philip Tron, 32, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39, Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, Lisa Lees, 43, Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51.

Manchester Arena Terror Attack: Victims 1 /21 Manchester Arena Terror Attack: Victims Nell Jones, 14, who died in the Manchester attack PA Jane Tweddle, 50 of Blackpool, was also killed 'Inseperable couple' Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19 Scottish teenager Eilidh MacLeod, 14, was confirmed to have been killed in the blast PA Michelle Kiss died in the blast. Her family have said they are "absolutely devastated" PA Saffie-Rose Roussos eight, from Lancashire, had been at the concert with her mother and sister when she was killed in the blast Wendy Fawell died in the attack Collect Olivia Campbell, 15, is also confirmed among the dead after a desperate search to find her Ariana Grande superfan Georgina Callander, 18, was one of the first victims to be named Lisa Lees and Alison Howe were killed while waiting in the foyer to collect their children Facebook Kelly Brewster died shielding her niece from the blast John Atkinson, 26, was also killed in the suicide blast Polish couple Angelika and Marcin Klis are confirmed among the dead in the Manchester attack Credit: Family photograph Victim: Martyn Hett has been confirmed as one of those killed in the attack Confirmed dead: 14-year-old Sorrell Leczowski Facebook Victim: Elaine McIver, an off-duty police officer Greater Manchester Police

The Abedi brothers spent months concocting the mass murder plan, using the bank accounts and email addresses of their friends to purchase chemicals online while pretending they was for household use and car batteries.

They used their mothers 550-a-week benefit payments, which she continued to receive after she left the UK for Libya, to buy tools and equipment, and Salman Abedi set up a safe house in a remote part of Manchester as he finalised the plot.

The trial also heard how Salman Abedi had visited convicted terror plotter Abdalraouf Abdallah in prison four months before the bombing, and both brothers had been seen with the extremist before he had been locked up.

Abdallah, who was left paralysed after being shot during the 2011 Libyan uprising, had been caught sending money to his ISIS fighter brother, and he used his Manchester home as a hub to pass on useful information for terrorists.

The scene close to the Manchester Arena after the terror attack / PA

A month before the concert bombing, the Abedi brother both flew back to Libya to be with their family, as friends noticed signs that both had become radicalised.

Salman alone flew back to the UK to make the final preparations for the attack, selecting the famous concert hall as the target on a night that it was packed with almost 15,000 people.

Hashem, who was extradited from Libya to face justice in the wake of the devastating attack, denied any knowledge of his brothers plot, suggesting he too had been conned by Salman into believing the bomb parts were simply for household use.

But when the time came to explain himself, Hashem refused to give evidence at his trial, he stopped attending court, and sacked his legal team. He was absent from the dock today as the verdicts were delivered.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Hashem Abedi / PA Wire/PA Images

Abedi had been instrumental in buying a car to store the bomb, his fingerprints were found on improvised detonators and prototype explosive devices, and he and his brother had switched phones they were using at least ten times in the run-up to the bombing.

He had also used the phrase we have come to slaughter when setting up an email account to buy chemicals.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough, who led the police investigation, said he was sure Salman had received last minute inspiration from his brother by phone hours before the attack.

If you look at these two brothers, they are not kids caught in the headlights of something they dont understand, he said.

Salman Abedi after he got out of a taxi with his blue suitcase / PA

These two men are the real deal, these are proper jihadis  you do not walk into a space like the Manchester Arena and kill yourself with an enormous bomb like that, taking 22 innocent lives with you, if you are not a proper jihadist.

He was with his brother throughout the entire process of making this explosive and building this bomb, I believe he provided encouragement right up to the end.

This was all about the sick ideology of Islamic State and this desire for martyrdom.

Jurors deliberated for less than five hours before convicting Abedi unanimously on all charges.

Families of some of the victims were in court to hear the verdicts, breaking down in tears as the foreman answered guilty repeatedly.

Victoria Higgins, from law firm Slater and Gordon, which represented 11 of the bereaved families, said after the verdicts: Families have waited a long time to see Hashem Abedi face justice for his crimes and I think the overwhelming emotion for most will be one of relief that he cannot hurt anyone else.

It has been incredibly painful for them to hear, in detail, what happened to their loved ones and the calculated way in which the Abedi brothers plotted to end their lives.
People are highly advised to stay at home for at least the next two weeks, said Mykola Povoroznyk, Deputy Head of Kyiv city state administration

There are currently no medical masks in Ukraine; the local entrepreneurships are changing the setting in order to produce these masks. Mykola Povoroznyk, Deputy Head of Kyiv city state administration said so on air of 112 Ukraine TV channel.

"There are no masks - nowhere. And there are none in Germany, in Austria, and there were none in China at some moment. One has to find a solution. The first and the best piece of advice is to stay home. Stay indoors over two weeks, against all odds, so as to stay away from danger and not to become a carrier of the disease", he said.

According to the official, it especially concerns young people who are not considered vulnerable to the Chinese coronavirus but still could carry the illness.

"Visiting their parents or other relatives, they could provoke a disease - which unfortunately, cannot be treated now in some cases", Povoroznyk said.

He earlier said that starting from March 18, 2020, the passengers will be able to use public transport only wearing the facial masks.
BEIRUT - A Lebanese military judge Tuesday appealed a verdict by the military tribunal that ordered the release of a Lebanese-American held since September on charges of working for an Israeli-backed militia two decades ago, state-run National News Agency said.

Judge Ghassan Khoury asked the Military Court of Appeals to strike down an earlier ruling in favour of Amer Fakhoury and issue an arrest warrant against him. He asked that Fakhoury be put on trial again on charges of kidnapping, torturing and detaining Lebanese citizens as well as killing and attempting to kill others, according to NNA.

On Monday, Fakhoury was ordered released because more than 10 years had passed since he allegedly tortured prisoners at a jail run by the so-called South Lebanon Army militia.

Some local media reported that Fakhoury was released but there was no official confirmation.

Later on Tuesday, a judge of urgent matters in the southern town of Nabatiyeh issued a ruling preventing Fakhoury from leaving Lebanon for two months. Judge Ahmad Mezhers decision came after a request filed by former inmates.

Fakhoury, 57, is a former SLA member who became a U.S. citizen last year, and is now a restaurant owner in Dover, New Hampshire. His case has been closely followed in his home state of New Hampshire, where U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and other officials have called for imposing sanctions on Lebanon to pressure Beirut to release him.

Tuesdays appeal came after an outcry in Lebanon over the verdict that ordered him released, including harsh criticism from by the powerful Hezbollah group that said the verdict to release Fakhoury came after American pressures and threats.

This is a sad day for Lebanon and justice, Hezbollah said in a statement adding that the reputation of Lebanons judiciary was at stake.

Riots also broke out in one of the countrys main prisons by detainees who demanded to be freed following the verdict against Fakhoury.

Fakhoury has not been attending questioning sessions in Lebanon over the past few months after being hospitalized with stage 4 lymphoma cancer.

Over the weekend, the Fakhoury family placed a sign on their restaurants door saying they anticipate reopening by early or mid-April, Seacoastonline.com reported.

Fakhoury has been jailed since Sept. 12 after returning to Lebanon on vacation to visit family. Lebanons intelligence service said he confessed during questioning to being a warden at Khiam Prison, which was run by the SLA during Israels 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon.

Human rights groups have described the prison as a centre for torture.

Fakhourys family and lawyer, however, say he had no direct contact with inmates and was never involved in any interrogation or torture.

Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israels creation in 1948. Lebanon bans its citizens from travelling to Israel or having contact with Israelis.

Fakhourys lawyer and family say he fled Lebanon in 2001 through Israel and eventually to the United States because of death threats he and many other SLA members received after Israel ended its occupation of Lebanon in 2000.

In February, Fakhoury was charged by a military judge with the murder and torture of inmates at Khiam Prison.

Hundreds of former Lebanese members of the SLA militia had fled to Israel, fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences.
Texas is not making any moves to delay the May 26 primary runoff as of now, even as other states have opted to postpone elections.

But election officials have had preliminary conversations about the potential of doing vote-by-mail ballots only for the runoffs, which would be a first in Texas history.

Its a possible solution, state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said Monday.

He said the idea has been kicked around and could work because of how low the turnout typically is for runoffs in Texas. As a former elections official, he said he has no doubt Texas counties could get ballots to voters who wanted to vote by mail rather than risk going to large polling sites.

The Texas Secretary of States Office, which oversees elections, would not confirm that it is exploring that possibility, only saying a lot of options are on the table.

The virus has already pushed other states to do all mail ballots. In Wyoming, which was scheduled to vote in the presidential primary on April 4, in-person voting has been canceled in favor of a system of picking up and sending in ballots. In Wisconsin, the state elections commission is halting in-person voting assistance at nursing homes and instead is sending mail-in ballots to those facilities for their April 7 primary.

In Illinois, which votes in the presidential primaries Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is urging voters to cast ballots by mail rather than show up at the polls.

More Information Who can vote by mail in Texas To be eligible to vote early by mail you must: be 65 years or older; be disabled; be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible. Source: Texas Secretary of State See More Collapse

Other states have postponed primaries entirely. In Louisiana, election day has been moved from April 4 to June 20. In Georgia, the March 24 primary is now on May 19.

Absentee voting by mail is allowed in Texas for some people but isnt very popular. In the March 4 primary, just 52,000 of 516,000 voters in Harris County cast ballots by mail.

In order to vote by mail in the May 26 runoff, voters must submit an application by May 15 to their county elections office.

Runoffs in Texas require that people who voted in one partys primary also vote in that partys runoff. So if someone voted in the Democratic Primary on March 3, they can only vote in the Democratic runoff on May 26

The big runoffs include the Texas Senate race in which Democrats MJ Hegar and Royce West finished first and second on March 3, but neither won 50 percent of the vote. In the 22nd Congressional District in Fort Bend and Harris counties, Sheriff Troy Nehls and GOP fundraiser Kathaleen Wall are battling in a Republican primary runoff.

Texas is one of the few states that still requires an excuse to submit an absentee ballot, at least for voters younger than 65. At least 34 states already allow voters to cast ballots by mail. Four states  Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington  conduct elections completely by mail.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, has introduced legislation that would require every state to conduct Novembers election entirely by mail if a quarter of states declare a state of emergency from an infectious disease or natural disaster.

The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute based in New York City, has recommended all states expand vote-by-mail. In a memo released Monday, the organization said all voters should be offered the option to cast ballots by mail to assure voters can avoid lines at the polls and exposure to COVID-19.

Voting rights advocacy groups have been leery of Texas pushing vote-by-mail too far because its system makes it too easy for voters ballots to be thrown out if elections officials decide a signature on a returned ballot doesnt look right.

The Texas Civil Rights Project has warned that the ballots are not reviewed by experts but instead by everyday eligible voters who just eyeball signatures for irregularities. Those decisions are final and give voters no chance to prove a ballot was properly signed. The group has pushed for Texas to allow voters a chance to contest ballots rejected for a signature match issue.
MADISON, Wis. - A Minnesota man of Somali descent who was convicted of opening fire on other Somalis will get a new trial after a detective improperly testified that Somalis often lie to police, a Wisconsin appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Ahmed Farah Hirsi was charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide and recklessly endangering safety in the January 2014 car-to-car shooting at the Spirit Seller liquor store in Hudson, Wisconsin, just across the state line from the Twin Cities. A jury convicted Hirsi in 2015 and he was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

According to court documents, the driver of Hirsis car testified in a plea deal that Hirsi pulled the trigger. But the victims who testified at trial said they either didnt see the shooter or that it wasnt Hirsi. The driver of the victims car testified that he told police that the man who shot him was still out there.

Prosecutors called Tracy Henry, a detective from St. Paul, Minnesota, to the stand. Minnesota has the largest concentration of Somalis in America.

Henry testified that in her experience Somalis dont trust police and prefer to handle disputes themselves. She added that Somali crime victims and witnesses tend to fabricate events to avoid retribution within their clans.

Hirsi argued on appeal that the judge never should have allowed the detectives testimony because it impugns the credibility of another witness and it was improper because it was based on race or ethnicity.

The 3rd District Court of Appeals agreed and ordered a new trial. The court ruled unanimously that the testimony violated legal rules that prohibit one witness from commenting about the truthfulness of another witness testimony. The racial and ethnic aspect of Henrys testimony raises heightened prejudice concerns, the court said. The relevance of group tendencies in predicting witness credibility is extraordinarily weak, the court said.

This just underscores the danger of going into a courtroom and telling a jury that an entire ethnicity of people lies and its based on their culture, and using it to extrapolate that this individual is lying, Hirsis attorney, Cole Ruby, said. I dont know if insensitive is the word but its very dangerous.

The state Department of Justice is handling the appeal on behalf of local prosecutors, as it does in almost all felony appeals. The agency could ask the state Supreme Court to overturn the appellate decision. DOJ spokeswoman Gillian Drummond said the department was reviewing the ruling.

___

Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two months before Tierra Eddy was killed in an alleged vehicular assault following a chaotic dispute with her boyfriend in West Brighton, the couple held a funeral service for their baby girl, who died in the womb.

She hadnt even gotten over the death of her baby, said Eddys mother, Leslie Connor, who spoke recently with the Advance/SILive.com. We were working through that.

Prosecutors filed an indictment against Eddys boyfriend, Jahfare Ford, 25, of Brooklyn, on Tuesday on charges of second-degree assault, vehicular assault, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

An arraignment charge of second-degree manslaughter was not included in the indictment.

Ford, who has no prior arrests on file with the NYPD, was held on $100,000 bond, or $50,000 bail.

One of the first things Ford told authorities at the scene, according to the criminal complaint: Me and my daughters mother got into an argument.

The tragedy came less than a year after Eddy, known affectionately as Tee-tee, graduated with a business degree from Berkeley College, and just weeks after she celebrated her 29th birthday with friends and family in Manhattan.

My daughter was the girl that never wanted to miss a day of school, and if she got a B on her report card that was the end of the world," Connor said.

Eddy, of West Brighton, served five years in the U.S. Navy before signing on as a healthcare worker at a hospital on Staten Island.

She would have patients requesting her to draw their blood, because she had such a delicate hand, Connor said. Parents of special needs patients would ask just for her.

GAME NIGHT GONE WRONG

Connor said she learned about the incident shortly after returning home from the same game night gathering attended by her daughter and Ford.

It was grown folks, sitting there playing cards," she said. And then when we left, everyone was going to their car saying good night, love you. 

She said it was just her daughter, Ford and a cousin left at the gathering on Dubois Avenue, when the couple left the home and an argument apparently ensued.

A neighbor said he was outside at the time of the incident, and heard a loud bang, followed by a police presence within literally seconds.

None of us can speak on what happened, because none of us know, Connor said.

When emergency crews arrived, they found a 2020 Mitsubishi SUV buried under the front porch of the home on Egbert Avenue, and Eddy lying nearby in a semi-conscious state, according to the criminal complaint.

Ford allegedly told officers that in the heat of the argument, Eddy climbed onto the front of the vehicle.

She was on the windshield, trying to get into the car, Im trying to tell her to stop, Ford stated, according to the complaint. I couldnt see where I was going cause she was on the windshield and I crashed into this.

His attorney declined to comment Tuesday.

Family of Eddy said that while it remains uncertain what the couple was arguing about, Eddy was known as a passionate person in good times and bad, who could sometimes go from zero to 100."

SHE NEVER MENTIONED IT AGAIN

Connor said she didnt know Ford very well, but that he always was respectful toward her.

He has to live with this the rest of his life," she said.

For now, Connor said shes focused on finding a violin that a fellow Navy veteran had recently given Eddy, who, according to family had shown a natural talent for the instrument as a teenager.

She was just about to fix it because she wanted to play, and teach her baby, Connor said. But once the baby died, she never mentioned it again."
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus throughout the United States has surpassed 5,000, according to the latest data, as testing continued across the country and experts said the true number of cases was likely far higher.

The latest figures came shortly after Donald Trump held a press conference in which he urged Americans to stay at home for the foreseeable future and enjoy their living room rather than taking flights or congregating in large groups.

The death toll in the United States has meanwhile reached at least 94, though the exact numbers surrounding the mysterious illness remained unclear due to complications in distributing testing kits to states battling major outbreaks. On Tuesday, the president said his administration was also considering sending supplemental assistance to states like New York as they work to slow the spread of the virus and prevent a potential overcrowding of local hospitals.

He said he had been asked about the possibility of sending the US Army Corps of Engineers to New York from the states governor, saying: We're starting to. We're starting the process, we hope it's not going to be necessary but it could be necessary, the state is working on it very hard themselves but we'll probably supplement."

Mr Trump added: The Army Corps of Engineers is ready, willing and able, we have to give them the go ahead if we find that it's going to be necessary, we think that we can have quite a few units up very rapidly.

The White House has meanwhile sought one of the largest financial aid packages in history, amounting to nearly $850bn, in an effort to combat the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. Society in states across the country has all but come to a grinding halt, as the stock market continued to plunge throughout the week as governors declared emergencies and millions of restaurants, bars and other venues were forced to close their doors for the foreseeable future.

Vice President Mike Pence, who has been tasked by the president with overseeing his administrations response to the pandemic, confirmed the White House was looking into the possibility of sending in military assistance to states across the country earlier this week.

"The President directed us to work with the Department of a defence, there's two ways that DoD could be helpful in terms of expanding medical capacity, Mr Pence said.

He added: I know the governor of New York has asked us to look at the Army Corps of Engineers which could perhaps renovate existing buildings but the president also has us inventorying what you all would understand as field hospitals or MASH hospitals that could be deployed very quickly.

"The President has tasked us to evaluate and to make available and to consider every request from governors for either field hospitals, he added, expanding facilities, or the Army Corps of Engineers which could retrofit existing buildings."

This is a breaking news story. More follows
The Prime Minister has advised against all overseas travel and banned gatherings of more than 100 people as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak.

The drastic travel advice, in place from now, marks the first time in Australia's history that the government has told citizens not to go to any country.

There are still flights available but Australians abroad have been told to come home as soon as possible in case they are cancelled and they are stranded overseas.

The Prime Minister also banned large non-essential gatherings, shortened aged care visits and put 20,000 student nurses to work.

But, on the advice of doctors, he stopped short of closing schools and initiating a full-scale lockdown as seen in France, Spain and Italy.

The Prime Minister (pictured today alongside Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy) has vowed to keep Australia running as we combat the coronavirus

New measures Advice not to travel overseas - domestic flights are still fine Ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 100 20,000 international student nurses will be put to work Aged care visits shortened and limited to two people per day Schools will be kept open Advertisement

In a speech on Wednesday morning, Mr Morrison warned Australia 'won't look like it normally does' for the next six months.

'We are looking at a situation of at least six months for how we deal with this. It could be much longer than that,' he said.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said a total lockdown would not help.

'A short-term, two-to-four week shut down of society is not recommended by any of our experts. It does not achieve anything. We have to be in this for the long haul,' he said.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also slammed people hoarding food.

'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' he said.

'It is not sensible, it is not helpful and it has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis.'

The Prime Minister vowed to keep Australia running despite the drastic measures.

'We are going to keep Australia running. We are going to keep Australia functioning,' he said.

'Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world. Life is going to continue to change as we deal with the global coronavirus,' he said.

A woman lands at Brisbane International Airport on Wednesday

Mr Morrison referenced the Spanish flu crisis of 1918 when he said: 'This is a once in 100 year type event. We haven't seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the first World War. But together, we are up to this challenge.'

The measures announced on Wednesday stopped short of those taken by countries like Italy, Spain and France which have forced citizens to stay indoors and only leave for buying of essentials and medical visits.

Mr Morrison said his national cabinet of state leaders and medical experts will meet online from now on.

Travel

This is the first time in history that Australians have been told not to go abroad.

Mr Morrison said: 'We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level 4 for the entire world. That is the first time that has ever happened in Australia's history.

'The travel advice to every Australian is do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas.'

On Tuesday, Australians overseas were urged to return home as soon as possible and would-be holidaymakers told to 'reconsider their need for travelling'.

'If you're already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means,' the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

For students who were expecting to graduate in 2020, most have already been notified that the event has been cancelled

Gatherings

The Prime Minister also said non-essential gatherings of more 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors have been banned.

The ban does not apply to public transport, medical facilities, prisons, parliaments, supermarkets, constructions sites, mining sites and other essential gatherings.

'That is effective now, as of today, and those arrangements, in terms of the legal enforcement of those measures are being put in place by the States and Territories,' Mr Morrison said.

When asked about sports like AFL and NRL, Mr Morrison said it was up to them to consider if they could operate within the bounds of those restrictions.

Both leagues had announced they intended to proceed with their seasons as scheduled but without fans attending.

What gatherings are allowed? Public transport (including stations, platforms, stops, trains, trams, buses) Medical and health service facilities Emergency service facilities Disability or aged care facilities Correctional facilities, youth justice centres or other places of custody, courts or tribunals Food markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, retail stores, shopping centres (if gatherings of that size are necessary for operations) Office buildings, factories, construction sites, mining sites (if necessary for their normal operation) Schools, universities, education facilities and child care facilities Hotels and motels and other accommodation facilities which includes things like mining camps Public places like Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall and Federation Square, and Sydney's Martin Place Parliaments Airports Advertisement

Nurses

Mr Morrison also announced that 20,000 international student nurses who are already in Australia will be allowed to work so they could help bolster efforts to combat the disease.

The Prime Minister said: 'We have also made a decision yesterday to lift the restriction on work constraints on student nurses who are in Australia.

'That is some 20,000 international student nurses who are in Australia, they have been in Australia for some time, we're not importing nurses into Australia, that would be against the travel advice and bans that have been in place for some time.

'But those 20,000 student nurses we have in Australia, they are going to be available to help and support the health effort right across the country, as directed by our health officials.'

Australian travellers were urged to make their way back home as soon as possible and 'reconsider their need for travelling'

Care homes

Those who have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the previous 14 days, and people who have returned from overseas in the same time period, are forbidden from visiting elderly relatives.

Aged care facilities must also implement limit visits to a short duration, and limit visits to a maximum of two visitors at one time per day to reduce the risk of transmission.

'These may be immediate social supports, family members, close friends, or professional service or advocacy workers,' Mr Morrison said.

'Visits should be conducted in a resident's room, outdoors or specific area designated by the facility rather than communal areas where the risk of transmission to other residents is greater.

There should be no large group visits or gatherings, including social activities or entertainment to be permitted at this time.

'No school groups of any size should be allowed to visit aged care facilities.'

Mr Morrison also said visitors should be encouraged to practice social distancing where possible, and maintain a 1.5 metre distance when possible.

Sporting matches as we know it have been scrapped for the foreseeable future. Events which haven't been cancelled will not host live crowds. Pictured: Couple at the Manly Sea Eagles NRL game on Sunday wearing face masks

Food Hoarding

Mr Morrison is urging Australians to stop hoarding food and other supplies as supermarkets struggle to cope with shortages amid a coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

The prime minister said the panic-buying chaos sweeping grocery stores across the country has been one of the 'most disappointing things' he has seen in 'Australian behaviour' in response to this crisis.

'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing,' he said as he addressed the nation on Wednesday.

Scott Morrison is urging Australians to stop hoarding food and other supplies as supermarkets struggle to cope with shortages amid a coronavirus pandemic lockdown

'It is distracting attention and efforts that need to be going into other measures, to be focusing on how we maintain supply chains into these shopping centres.

'It's ridiculous. It's un-Australian, and it must stop, and I would ask people to do the right thing by each other in getting a handle on these sorts of practices.'

He also asked people to refrain from 'abusing staff', as footage emerged online of customers verbally attacking supermarket employees because they couldn't locate goods.

Social distancing

Australians have been urged to stop hugging and shaking hands in a desperate bid to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The nation's Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy said such close contact should be restricted to close family.

Australia has banned hugging, except with family members. Pictured are a man and woman embracing at Sydney International Airport on Monday when new self-isolation measures were enforced for passengers arriving from overseas

'No more handshaking. No more hugging. Except in your family, you can do that in your family. Because you are already close to your family,' Professor Murphy said.

He also urged Australians to take care with hand hygiene.

'Use hand sanitiser and practice sensible practices,' he said.

'And also, as the Prime Minister has said, we are in a situation now where there are mainly imported cases, small numbers.

'There is no need for us to be in a state of heightened anxiety, but we do need to be prepared and we all need to practice this social distancing.'

Schools

Several countries around the world have closed schools to combat the virus and many Australian schools have unilaterally decided to shut - either due to cases of coronavirus on campus or as a precaution.

But Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said schools should not be closed as children are the least vulnerable to the virus.

He said even in China's Hubei province, which was the original epicentre of the illness, only 2.4 per cent of cases reported were in young people.

'We believe very strongly that it's in the best interest of our children and the nation at this time to keep schools open,' he said.

Epping Boys' High School had to be briefly closed after a student was infected but was re-opened

Dr Murphy said a range of new measures will be initiated in schools such as extra hand washing and no assemblies.

'It will be hard for schools, but it would be much, much, much harder for society if the schools were closed. We want our children to be looked after in schools,' he said.

The Prime Minister said 30 per cent of health workers would not be able to go to work if schools closed.

'We all love our kids and there is nothing we wouldn't do for them. I am telling you that, as a father, I'm happy for my kids to go to school.

I am telling you that, as a father, I'm happy for my kids to go to school Scott Morrison

'There is only one reason your kids shouldn't be going to school and that is if they are unwell,' Mr Morrison said.

Some public and private schools have already opted to shut their gates.

'That is up to them,' Education Minister Dan Tehan told the Today Show.

The government has decided not to close schools for two reasons.

'One is we have to look after our workforce and especially our medical workforce,' the minister said.

'Up to 30 per cent of our medical workforce could be impacted if schools close.

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 second reason is a health reason. If you have kids at home often elderly grandparents have to come in to look after them and that puts them at danger.'

'The health advice is that schools should remain open,' the Prime Minister said.

Recent cases in schools, including Epping Boys' High School and Willoughby Girls High School in Sydney, have resulted in them closing down for cleaning, but reopening within days.

Airlines

Australia's ailing airlines will be handed a $715 million federal government lifeline to help the sector through the coronavirus pandemic.

A range of government charges will be refunded and waived to help airlines under immense pressure as travel plummets.

The government will forgo fuel excise, air service charges and regional security fees.

The move is expected to create an upfront benefit of $159 million, with the government refunding charges paid since February 1.

Restaurants are likely to offer people take away options to stay afloat. Pictured: Outdoor seating at a cafe on Lygon Street, Melbourne

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the package was designed to put Australia in the best position to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

'Our airlines run on tight budgets at the best of times and these past few weeks have been particularly tough,' he said on Wednesday.

'I've been speaking with Australian airline executives every day and will continue to work with them to make sure they receive the support they need.'
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some Northeast Ohio couples waiting to tie the knot may have to wait a while longer, after the Cuyahoga County Probate Court suspended issuing most new marriage licenses on March 15.

Though some couples are able to be married due to unique circumstances, most marriage licenses will be withheld, the court said in a statement.

The news creates heartbreak for many couples who were set to be wed this spring. Cleveland-based couple Andrew Kuhar and Hilary Bovay have been engaged for a few years, and have been planning their wedding since last year.

Originally set for May 10, the couple decided to delay the ceremony and reception until August -- but planned to head to the courthouse together on May 10 to still get legally married, hoping to share health insurance from Kuhars job.

The two were notified on Monday, March 16, from a mutual friend about the suspension of marriage licenses.

To uproot a date that takes this much planning for anyone is catastrophic emotionally, Kuhar said. It totally flipped our day around  no one has a playbook for this right now. Were pretty much starting over from scratch.

Its an emotional rollercoaster, for sure, Bovay said. Pretty much everything feels like its on hold because of the virus.

Kuhar and Bovay were able to keep their deposits, not losing money on the delay -- but, they are worried that family members and guests may lose money on airplane tickets and accommodations booked for the original wedding date in May.

Lakewood-based couple James Delmege and Emily Welch had scheduled their ceremony and celebration for April 25, but have delayed their marriage until the fall because of coronavirus concerns.

It sucks having to wait another five months to get married, Delmege said. Obviously we're sad about it, but we feel guilty about feeling sad because there are people dying.

The weddings delay isnt only emotionally difficult. Welch had scheduled a surgery that then had to be postponed, since the two cant consolidate their health insurances until they are legally married.

However, the couple was lucky when it came to the majority of their finances. They were able to find a new wedding date at the venue -- the Cleveland Museum of Natural History -- and not lose money on catering, DJ, or photographer deposits.

Many workers -- wedding planners, venue owners, caterers, DJs, photographers and more -- expect to be hit hard by coronavirus delays in Northeast Ohio weddings. Photographer Suzanne Price, who runs Suzuran Photography with her husband Dan Price, said that two of their spring wedding photography sessions have been postponed so far -- including Kuhar and Bovays wedding.

The lost events equal about $4,000 in immediate losses, Suzanne said.

As a photographer, its amounting to a significant loss of income for us, Suzanne said. Its pretty terrifying, not knowing how long this is going to last.

Many clients, Suzanne said, are worried because they have family members from other countries who face uncertainty when it comes to traveling to Northeast Ohio. Some couples face challenges in coordinating new dates with their venues or other wedding-related services.

For Rachel Hunt, who works as a DJ at local weddings and other events in Cleveland, postponements will almost certainly create challenges in scheduling. So far, one of Hunts spring wedding gigs has been delayed to a summer date, and another approaching wedding may be postponed as well. Hunt thinks shell lose somewhere between $1,000 to $2,000 due to coronavirus-related delays.

Personally, I really wanted to use this year to be a little bit more financially sound with weddings, so I could do less other things, she said. I had recently purchased a lot of lighting and different things to really take the business to the next level.

Hunt worries that rescheduled spring wedding dates could make her lose out on potential new weddings for the same dates. Overall, she will be limited in how many events she can DJ.

The dates I have for this year are pretty finite. There are only so many Saturdays, Hunt said.

The same is true for wedding venue owners. Mike Miller, the owner of Music Box, said that while concerts make up 50% of the venues programming, private events make up the other 50% -- a large chunk of which is weddings.

We will absolutely adhere to whatever instructions are put out there. Whatever the government asks. Well just find new dates.

Ultimately, Miller isnt worried about money for Music Box, stating that the venue has reserved cash. Miller recently laid off the Music Boxs hourly staff, but is keeping the manager and salary staff working, renovating certain areas of the venue.

No weddings have been canceled or postponed at Music Box yet, but Miller said he would work with any couples who needed to move their dates.

Though wedding delays due to coronavirus can cause a headache for the venue, he emphasized the emotional impact they could have for married couples-to-be.

It is, I know, going to be sadder for them than it is for us, Miller said. Were going to do everything in our power to find another date and still have a very memorable day for them.

That day just might be a little unpredictable for couples at the moment, Kuhar and Bovay said.

Were one of many thousands at this point that must be going through this right now. Theres some solace in knowing a lot of people are navigating this, Kuhar said. "No ones safe, but everyones got some comfort knowing they have someone they can talk to about it.

Read more coronavirus coverage at cleveland.com/coronavirus.
Slain Missouri Officer Hailed as a Hero for Rushing to Stop Gunman in Springfield

A Springfield, Missouri, policeman was killed trying to stop a shooting spree that left three others dead, police said Monday.

Two others, including another officer, were wounded, Springfield police Chief Paul Williams said. It appears the gunman killed himself, he said.

The incident began about 11:24 p.m. Sunday with several shooting calls, the chief said, the first coming in the southern portion of the city. Officers were dispatched to a busy intersection populated by a chain pharmacy and strip malls.

As the officers were en route, more 911 calls arrived: the first regarding a shooting a couple miles north up US Highway 65, then another a little farther north, Williams told reporters.

About 20 minutes after the first call, a 911 caller reported that someone had crashed a vehicle near a Kum & Go gas station on the east side of the city, about 4 miles north of the incident spurring the original call, he said.

A gunman had entered the convenience store attached to the gas station and begun shooting customers and employees, callers told the 911 dispatcher, according to the chief.

Officers Josiah Overton and Christopher Walsh were the first on the scene, he said, and the gunman opened fire, striking them both.

More officers arrived and removed the injured policemen from the store.

Inside, they found three people dead, another person injured and the gunman dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, Williams said.

Officer Christopher Walsh suffered a gunshot wound and unfortunately passed away at the hospital, he said.

Overton suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, the chief said. Hes being treated at a local hospital. The injured civilian is in critical condition at Mercy Hospital Springfield, police said.

Both these officers showed significant bravery, were heroic in their actions, Williams said.

In a statement, the chief said, Chris died a hero, rushing in without regard to his own safety to protect members of his community. His courageous actions serve as an example to us all.

Three victims were identified as Troy Rapp, 57, Shannon Perkins, 46, and Matthew Hicks-Morris, 22. The fourth victim is in critical condition and is being treated at Mercy Hospital. In a statement, Kum & Go said one of its associates was among those killed.

There are no words to express the shock and sorrow many of us are feeling, the statement said.

Overton, 25, is a two-year veteran of the force, while Walsh, 32, has been with the department for more than three years. A US Army veteran, Walsh had been active with the Army Reserve for a decade at the time of his death, the chief said.

He leaves behind a wife and daughter, police said.

Investigators believe the gunman, who has not yet been identified, was responsible for all four shooting calls, Williams said.

Springfield is about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City.

The-CNN-Wire

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Hollywood star Stuart Whitman, who is best known for his numerous Western movies, has died at the age of 92.

The actor passed away on Monday with family around him at his Montecito, California home after complications from skin cancer, a friend of the family told TMZ.

The star worked steadily throughout his career racking up over 90 credits in such hits as 1961's The Comancheros and 1962's The Longest Day.

Lasting appeal: Hollywood star Stuart Whitman, who is best known for his numerous Western movies, has died at the age of 92. Seen in 1967 in Cimarron Strip

A staple in Hollywood: The star worked steadily throughout his career racking up over 90 credits in such hits as 1961's The Comancheros with John Wayne

'Old Hollywood lost another one of its true stars,' his son Justin told the site.

'Stuart Whitman was known for his rugged roles and handsome charm. We were proud of him for his tv, film roles and his Oscar nomination, but what we will really remember is his exuberant love of his family and friends.'

He earned an Academy Award nomination for his leading role of a child molester in The Mark (1961).

Stuart was born in San Francisco in 1928 but attended high school in Los Angeles then went into the Army Corps of Engineers for three years.

And a war movie: The film The Longest Day in 1992 starred Wayne and Whitman as well as Steve Forrest

When attending Los Angeles City College he became interested in acting and moved on to the Los Angeles Academy of Dramatic Art.

His first role was in 1951's When Worlds Collide and next came a part on the TV series Boston Blackie.

In 1953 he landed his first big role in a movie, The All American.

One of his better roles: Whitman (center) and Simone Signoret are questioned by the police after being arrested in a scene from the film The Day And The Hour, 1963

Next came spots on TV series like Gunsmoke and Highway Patrol until he became more famous with 1957's Johnny Trouble.,

The 1960s were better for him - in 1961 he starred in The Comancheros then was seen in 1962's The Longest Day and 1964's Rio Conchos.

From 1967 until 1968 he starred on the TV series Cimarron Strip.

He worked consistently for years as he made appearances in the 1970s shows The Streets of San Francisco, The FBI, Police Story, SWAT, and The Last Convertible.

In the 1980s he popped up on hit shows like Fantasy Island, The A-Team and Knight Rider.

Busy bee: He worked consistently for years as he made appearances in The Streets of San Francisco, The FBI, Police Story, SWAT (pictured with Linda Marsh), and The Last Convertible

Another hit show: In 1982 he was seen in a dark suit as he holds hands with Heather Locklear in Stop The Presses; also seen is Murray Hamilton, Herb Edelman and Bradford Dillman

His last project was the TV movie The President's Man in 2000 with Chuck Norris.

Stuart reportedly was clever with his paychecks as he had amassed a fortune of $100M.

Not only was his movie career but was so was his personal life. He had four wives: Julia Vadimovna Paradiz (m. 1993), Caroline Boubis (m. 19661974) and Patricia LaLonde (m. 19521966).

Has four children: Tony Whitman (born 1953), Michael Whitman (born 1954), Linda Whitman (born 1956) and Scott Whitman (born 1958).
[March 17, 2020] Innovation Pharmaceuticals Brilacidin to be Researched as Possible Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine; Brilacidin Now Being Tested as Drug and Vaccine at Different Institutions

WAKEFIELD, Mass., March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (the Company), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today further details on the Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) signed with a leading public health-focused U.S. university and top coronavirus expert. Under the terms of the confidential agreement, virologists plan to evaluate the potential antiviral properties of Brilacidin, the Companys lead defensin-mimetic drug candidate, toward developing Brilacidin as a potential novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Vaccines containing defensins as adjuvants have been shown, both in vivo and in vitro, to activate the primary innate antiviral immune response and mediate other immunomodulatory activities against a number of viruses, including coronaviruses. Defensins and their mimetics, like Brilacidin, thus represent promising therapeutics developed as vaccines to target COVID-19, the deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which has emerged as a worldwide pandemic. This new research is independent of that being conducted on Brilacidin at one of the U.S. 12 Regional Biocontainment Labs (RBL). The RBL is testing Brilacidins potential inhibitory activity as a small molecule drug against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Defensins as VaccinesAcademic Literature Kim, J, et al.  Human -defensin 2 Plays a Regulatory Role in Innate Antiviral Immunity and Is Capable of Potentiating the Induction of Antigen-Specific Immunity.  ( pdf ) Virol J. 2018; 15: 124. Published online 2018 Aug 8. doi: 10.1186/s12985-018-1035-2.



 ( ) Virol J. 2018; 15: 124. Published online 2018 Aug 8. doi: 10.1186/s12985-018-1035-2. Park MS, et al.  Towards the Application of Human Defensins at Antivirals . ( pdf ) Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2018 May 1;26(3):242-254. doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2017.172.



. ( ) Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2018 May 1;26(3):242-254. doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2017.172. Biragyn, A. < href="http://www.eurekaselect.com/79061/article" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> DefensinsNon-Antibiotic Use for Vaccine Development . ( pdf ) Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2005 Feb;6(1):53-60.



COVID-19 ) outbreak poses a significant life-threatening and economic risk throughout the world. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak poses a significant life-threatening and economic risk throughout the world. Over 182,000 cases have been diagnosed in at least 136 countries, resulting in 7,100 reported deaths, including 4,700 cases and 85 fatalities in the U.S. There are no effective approved therapies to treat COVID-19. Brilacidin is one of the few drugs targeting COVID-19 that has been tested in human trials for other clinical indications, providing an established safety and efficacy profile, thereby potentially enabling it to rapidly help address the emerging worldwide coronavirus crisis, developed both as an intravenous medicine and as a vaccine. There is no assurance made or implied that testing Brilacidin for antiviral activity against any coronavirus will be successful. Alerts

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About Innovation Pharmaceuticals

Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPIX) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a world-class portfolio of innovative therapies addressing multiple areas of unmet medical need, including inflammatory diseases, cancer, infectious disease, and dermatologic diseases. Brilacidin, a versatile compound with broad therapeutic potential, is in a new chemical class called defensin-mimetics. A Phase 2 trial of Brilacidin as an oral rinse for the prevention of Severe Oral Mucositis (SOM) in patients with Head and Neck Cancer, met its primary and secondary endpoints, including reducing the incidence of SOM. The Company plans to advance Brilacidin oral rinse into Phase 3 development, subject to available financial resources. Positive results were also observed in a Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept trial treating patients locally with Brilacidin for Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS). Brilacidin for UP/UPS was licensed to Alfasigma S.p.A. in July 2019. A Phase 2b trial of Brilacidin showed a single intravenous dose of the drug delivered comparable outcomes to a seven-day dosing regimen of the FDA-approved blockbuster daptomycin in treating Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection. Kevetrin is a novel anti-cancer drug shown to modulate p53, often referred to as the Guardian Angel Gene due to its crucial role in controlling cell mutations and has successfully completed a Phase 2 trial in Ovarian Cancer. More information is available on the Company website at www.IPharmInc.com. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning the future execution of a definitive agreement with a global pharmaceutical company and the anticipated terms thereof, our future drug development plans, other statements regarding future product developments, and markets, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. The Company has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as anticipates, believes, hopes, estimates, looks, expects, plans, intends, goal, potential, may, suggest, and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are the Companys need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock under securities purchase agreements; the fact that the Companys licensee(s) may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing and the Company will not receive milestone payments, or the fact that the Companys compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation. INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACT

Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Leo Ehrlich

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Guidance from the Prime Minister to stay away from pubs and restaurants due to coronavirus will be "devastating" for local businesses and workers, the head of Hospitality Ulster has said.

This follows a request from the Irish government for pubs to close their doors until March 29.

Reacting to the latest measures from Boris Johnson, Colin Neill said: "We should now prepare for severe consequences for the staff and businesses in the sector as this will be an extremely difficult period."

He added: "The Northern Ireland Executive must now give instructions if we are to close and put a rescue package in place to support the 65,000 staff affected. The hospitality sector across Northern Ireland will suffer overwhelming and immediate pain in a short period of time."

Mr Neill met with the First and Deputy First Ministers on Monday to call for support as a huge loss of trade is already anticipated after the cancellation of today's St Patrick's parade in Belfast.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "The calls I'm getting from staff are, 'Will I get paid, how will I feed my children, how will I pay my mortgage?'"

After being told the ministers were working on a solution, he said that "speed is of the essence" as the situation was changing by the minute.

"There's a crisis already now building and we need to put measures in place to protect our people, protect our businesses and protect jobs for when this crisis is over," he said.

Alliance MLA Andrew Muir tabled an urgent question to the Finance Minister Conor Murphy, asking for an update on his plans to support businesses and safeguard workers.

Mr Murphy said his department is putting together a financial package, which could include changing the timings of rates bills for small businesses.

Any announcement, he said, would first need approval from other Executive Ministers.

Hospitality Ulster's calls for a package to assist staff was backed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

A joint statement read: "We are now in unprecedented times and the impact of Covid-19 on staff in the hospitality sector will be devastating. This is now time for exceptional measures to be implemented.

"We are about to see the jobs and livelihoods of many in the sector go to the wall. We need our elected representatives to move fast to support our people.

"The hospitality sector is being hit first; will be hit the hardest and may not recover at all if Government does not act now.

"Government needs to ensure that funding is put in place immediately so our people can put food on the table. This is a real and present issue and we only have hours if not days to sort it.

"Both organisations are at one in wanting to ensure that the staff in the sector are protected and can survive through this very difficult period.

"We need business organisations, unions and government to come together and get around the table and find solutions very quickly.

"Other countries around the world have taken measures to support staff in various sectors and we must do the same here."

The Prime Minister said "drastic action" was needed to avoid Covid-19 cases doubling every five days.

"Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel," he said.

"We need people to start working from home where they possibly can. And you should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues."

In Belfast, several pubs have already taken the decision to close their doors as a precaution including Lavery's and The Errigle.
One thing is now certain: We have a completely new disease that is spreading. It is virulent and will possibly affect everyone in one way or another. Indias health care system even without the coronavirus (Covid-19) is overburdened. Now imagine what will happen when this new disease makes its way through this health care system. We must not only defend ourselves against Covid-19 but take the fight to it, for our survival.

The government realises the threat that Covid-19 presents to Indias medical and economic health, and has taken some strong policy decisions to contain its spread. For example, completely restricting the entry of foreign nationals has widespread implications and this must have been a tough decision to take. Since India has one of the lowest number of cases globally, we can learn from other countries experiences and use their data to our advantage.

On February 1, during her budget speech, finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman said:

setting up hospitals in the PPP mode. In the first phase, those Aspirational Districts will be covered, where presently there are no Ayushman empanelled hospitals...Using machine learning and AI, in the Ayushman Bharat scheme, health authorities and the medical fraternity can target disease

That the government will partner with private industry in areas where it is lacking or is unable to provide services, combined with the view that machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be imperative for providing health care services, is precisely what is needed today. While the government partnering with private players to expand testing and treatment for Covid-19 is being discussed, it seems that everyone has forgotten Indias private sector computer science expertise, especially in AI and machine learning.

There are many engineers in Indian research and development (R&D) centres of global giants such as GE, Philips, Siemens, Google and Microsoft who are working on AI. Add to that deep technology start-ups and research groups working in AI for health care and you have a ready ecosystem of specialists who can create AI tools to fight Covid-19. The government needs to explore partnerships with such players, provide them appropriate data, and essentially do a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) for data analytics and AI.

More than 6,500 Real Time (RT)-PCR tests have been conducted for Covid-19 in India and around 115 patients have been confirmed. All clinical data, imaging data (including raw dicom files for X-Rays and CT scans), laboratory data, RT-PCR and viral genomics data and treatment outcomes data should be immediately open-sourced and made available to researchers. Once done, the process of developing AI can be started.

AI systems rely on learning from pre-existing data. India has a unique opportunity to use AI in the fight against Covid-19 since a full-blown outbreak seems a few weeks away. Since Indian data alone would not be enough to create robust clinically applicable AI systems, we must take the lead in sparking a global collaboration for consolidation of patient-level Covid-19 data. Countries can contribute anonymised patient data to central databases which can be accessed by researchers across India and the world.

After making the data available, the government can expect a huge response from AI developers. There will have to be strong performance benchmarks and automated evaluation systems to first determine the best AI tools, and subsequently onboard them.

Here are some types of AI tools that can be used through different stages of the disease:

One, predicting Covid-19 progression at the population level; two, medical imaging-based AI techniques; three, predicting clinical outcomes in diagnosed patients.

Given that our health care services industry will be strained to a great extent when Covid-19 spreads across the country, we must use all options available to fight it. Partnering with industry for developing advanced data analytics and AI tools in a PPP provides an effective way to initiate the development of tools to predict, diagnose and prognosticate, like never before.

It will not be easy. The development of these tools relies on access to patient-level data, which there isnt enough of in India. The government will need to devise collaborations focused on data-sharing with countries which have more cases of Covid-19, enabling Indian AI experts to create accurate, quick solutions to fight this war.

Vidur Mahajan, is head of R&D,Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neurosciences & Genomics

The views expressed are personal
An end to the oil price plunge is nowhere in sight, energy experts say, as futures of international benchmark Brent crude fell below $30 a barrel Monday for the first time since 2016. That's a stunning 54% drop year-to-date. "Oil could easily be in the teens at the bottom. Could even be low teens at the lowest," Abhi Rajendran, director of research at Energy Intelligence, told CNBC on Monday. "The main driver is for, a week or two, we could have global market oversupply of over 10 million barrels per day (bpd). Which is insane and unprecedented." Energy stocks have been hammered as demand plummets amid the escalating coronavirus crisis, but moves by state actors to unleash a flood of supply are driving them decisively into the ground. Saudi Arabia has slashed its oil prices to buyers and will be maxing out its production, as will Russia, as the two major producers throw themselves into an all-out price war to fight for greater market share. "The last time there was a global surplus of this magnitude was never," Jim Burkhard, vice president and head of oil markets at IHS Markit, wrote in a note Monday, predicting an oil demand contraction of up to 10 million bpd for March and April. "Prior to this, the largest six-month global surplus this century was 360 million barrels. What is coming will be twice that or more."

Oil storage tanks and refining facilities sit at a refinery operated by Exxon Mobil Corp. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The biggest shocks will likely come after April 1, when a previously-agreed production cut deal between OPEC and non-OPEC states including Russia, meant to boost prices, expires. Saudi Arabia has announced plans to increase its daily production to 12.3 million bpd in April, compared to roughly 9.7 million bpd in February. Russia's energy minister said last week that Russia can increase its production by 200,000 to 300,000 bpd in the short term, and 500,000 bpd in the longer term. "In the coming weeks, with no Saudi-Russia discourse, oil is likely (to be) in the teens," Rajendran reiterated. "With that sort of dislocation and barrage of overseas supply, WTI-Brent could be equal or flip negative for a brief period," he added, highlighting U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate, which typically trades at between $5 to $10 per barrel below Brent. Brent on Tuesday morning was trading at $30.07 in London, while WTI was at $29.11. "Demand dislocation is unprecedented," he said. "Everyone is shutting down, especially in the U.S."

We haven't seen the bottom

Major international and U.S. airlines have cut their flights by at least 70%, and businesses across several countries and states have been ordered to close their doors. Millions of people around the world are going into self-isolation or full-on lockdown in an attempt to stem the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 6,600 people and sickened over 168,000 in more than 140 countries. Other analysts agree that despite the already spectacular plunge for crude, we likely haven't yet seen the bottom. Speaking to CNBC's Dan Murphy about whether oil has bottomed out, Kang Wu, head of analytics for S&P Global Platts, replied that "the overall supply demand doesn't suggest that it will stop there, because we still haven't seen the worst yet. April will be the official time that without the production cut agreement, OPEC members  everyone, Russia included, OPEC plus  are free to produce more. Volumes will hit the market." The price crash hurts oil-exporting countries and is a particular blow for U.S. shale producers who are already deeply in debt  a blow that could prove fatal for some. Market analysts are predicting defaults on billions of dollars worth of debt, and a major risk for up to a million people employed directly and indirectly by the shale industry.
The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston (BGCGH) works closely with children in disadvantaged communities and with the COVID-19 global health pandemic, the need for proper messaging with children is greater than ever.

The BGCGH is collaborating with local partners to help streamline information to children by presenting Youtube videos on basic information about what COVID-19 is and how to practice proper sanitation techniques.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus live updates: Abbott promises expanded testing, says This is not a time to panic

In addition, the BGCGH has canceled all on-site club operations, even though their facilities remain open. Starting Wednesday, the BGCGH will provide food distribution for anybody in the community in need.

On Monday morning, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston sent a message to parents and volunteers with COVID-19 updates and tips to calm childrens anxiousness surrounding the event.

Information about Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is rapidly evolving as new details are confirmed and new questions emerge causing concern that can make children and families anxious, the BGCGH news release said. It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking to them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety.

The BGCGH continues with tips from the National Association of School Psychologists, encouraging parents to remain calm and reassuring; be available to children for extra attention to talk about their concerns; avoid excessive blaming and avoiding stereotyping of any one group of people as responsible for the virus; monitor television viewing and social media to avoid watching or listening to information that might be upsetting when children are present; be honest and accurate as children often imagine situations far worse than reality; and encourage children to practice every day good hygiene.

Each one of us has a role to play in the safety and well-bring of children, said Kevin Hattery, the President and CEO of BGCGH. If we each do our part, we can help children cope with this situation and lessen the risk for everyone.

To find out more information about the BGCGH, donation information, and updates about their food distribution services, go to bgcgh.org.

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
[March 16, 2020] Benchmark Announces Updated First Quarter 2020 Outlook Due To COVID-19

TEMPE, Ariz., March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: BHE) today announced that the company will not achieve the first quarter 2020 financial guidance it previously provided on February 6, 2020 due to the impact from the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"). This updated outlook results primarily from the impact of the temporary shutdown of its plant in China due to COVID-19, supply chain and logistics interruptions from Asian suppliers impacted by the virus, and the emerging restrictions related to government regulations on its operations. Benchmark's factory in Suzhou China was proactive in working with the government to come back online five weeks ago and is now fully operational. The situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly, and the company is closely monitoring impacts to its business. Benchmark expects to provide more information during its next earnings call in April. Jeff Benck, Benchmark President and CEO, commented, "Our deepest sympathies go out to those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The health and welleing of Benchmark employees, customers, partners and our communities in which we operate are of the utmost importance. Benchmark is following all government guidelines and taking precautionary steps to protect our global organization. Since this crisis has emerged, the Benchmark team has risen to the challenge to support our customers. The extraordinary efforts of our team members are deeply appreciated."



About Benchmark Electronics, Inc. Benchmark provides comprehensive solutions across the entire product life cycle; leading through its innovative technology and engineering design services; leveraging its optimized global supply chain; and delivering world-class manufacturing services in the following industries: commercial aerospace, defense, advanced computing, next generation telecommunications, complex industrials, medical, and semiconductor capital equipment. Benchmark's global operations include facilities in seven countries and its common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BHE.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "could" "predict" and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, often identify forward-looking statements, which are not limited to historical facts. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, the estimated financial impact of COVID-19 and the company's updated first quarter 2020 outlook. Although the company believes these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they involve risks and uncertainties. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materializes, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated. Readers are advised to consult further disclosures on these risks and uncertainties, particularly in Part 1, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" of the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and in its subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based upon information available to the company as of the date of this document, and it assumes no obligation to update them. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/benchmark-announces-updated-first-quarter-2020-outlook-due-to-covid-19-301025162.html SOURCE Benchmark Electronics, Inc.

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Attorney General William Barr has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate scammers who are taking advantage of people during the coronavirus epidemic.

Barrs directive:

NEW from @TheJusticeDept AG Barr has issued a new directive to all U.S. Attorneys telling them to prioritize investigating scam artists who are seeking to profit from the #coronavirus pandemic. "The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit," he wrote.  Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) March 16, 2020

One wonders if the attorney general is going to begin his investigation in the Oval Office.

In all seriousness, it will be interesting to see if his directive is applied to people who bought up all of the hand sanitizer and other emergency supplies and attempted to resell them at huge markups.

There have already been reports of fake coronavirus cures being sold, phishing and malware scams, and millions of bogus coronavirus products. The DOJ does have an important role to play in protecting the American people from coronavirus scams, but one cant help but think that the biggest coronavirus scam has been the bungled response of the Trump administration.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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CAIRO  Egypt's National Progressive Unionist Party is leading a campaign to fully restore Cairo's diplomatic ties with Damascus and pressure the Arab League to reinstate Syria.

Egypt's State Information Service website identifies the party as one of Egypt's most prominent leftist parties. In 2018, the party supported President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for a second term, and Sisi named party leader Sayed Abdel-Al one of the 28 public figures the president may appoint as parliament members.

This month, the party held a conference titled Syria Achieves Victory" at its headquarters. During his speech there, Abdel-Al affirmed his party stands with Syria in its struggle against terrorist gangs, by which he meant the forces fighting against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Bassam Darwish, Syrian charge daffaires in Cairo, also gave a speech at the conference, praising the steadfastness of the Syrian regime's army and its commanders for fighting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's forces in the north.

The Trump Administration, for its part, remains opposed to any reconciliation with the Syrian government, despite some tentative steps made by several Arab countries. In a statement commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Syrian uprising, the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany noted that they continue to demand accountability for the atrocities committed by the Assad regime and we will continue our efforts to make sure that those who are responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other violations and abuses are identified and held accountable.

Given the close ties between Washington and Cairo, its hard to see this effort getting very far, given the Trump Administrations opposition.

The National Progressive Unionist Party rejected the 2013 decision of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi to cut ties with Syria. In recent years, the party has organized a number of public activities and seminars in support of Syria.

In a message addressed to the leaders of the Arab world participating in the March 2019 Arab Summit in Tunisia, the party said, We accept nothing less than Syria's return to the Arab League. The league must assume its role in relieving the pain and healing the wounds suffered by Syrias land and people.

Immediately after Turkey announced its military intervention in northern Syria, a delegation from the National Progressive Unionist Party paid a solidarity visit to the Syrian Embassy in Cairo on Oct. 16. During a meeting with Darwish, the party's delegation stressed that Syria had conquered internationally supported terrorism and could likewise protect itself against Turkish aggression.

In January, the party organized a series of seminars denouncing Turkeys ambitions in Syria and Libya. In early February, the party again stressed the urgent need for the Arab League to return the Syrian state to its seat at the table. In a statement, the National Progressive Unionist Party said it "rejects Arab and international silence in the face of the continued aggression and bullying practiced by the Turkish regime forces in northern Syria.

Farida Al-Naqash, a journalist, writer and party leader, recently affirmed that the party believes in the need to support Syria against the invaders, Turks and colonial ambitions. Speaking to Al-Monitor, she said, The party is seeking to mobilize the Egyptian public to support the Syrian army through seminars and through its official newspaper. We have always called for the full return of Egyptian-Syrian diplomatic relations.

She explained, The Egyptian state agrees to the partys activities to support the Syrian army. The state also approves of our visit to the Syrian Embassy. We operate in accordance with Egyptian foreign policy in support of regular armies against Turkish militants, militias and ambitions.

Naqash added, It is time for Syria to return to the Arab League, and it will do so soon. Egypt has no objection to that. This is despite external pressures persuading some Arab countries not to restore diplomatic relations with Syria, according to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In March 3 statements to Russia 24 news channel, Assad noted that most Arab countries have maintained their relations with Syria without declaring it publicly, for fear of Western pressure.

Abdel-Hamid Kamal, a parliament member for the party, told Al-Monitor, Egyptian parties must adopt the approach of the National Progressive Unionist Party in dealing with the Syrian issue. They must support the Syrian Arab Army against the Western/Turkish conspiracy.

He added, The partys parliamentarians are positively supporting Syria in all events and activities. These aim to rebuke the Western lies aimed at distorting the movements of the Syrian Arab Army.

Like others who spoke with Al-Monitor, Kamal emphasized the importance of restoring Syria's membership in the Arab League and said his party does not depart from the Egyptian states foreign policy, especially regarding Syria.

Editor's note: March 18, 2020. This article was updated to include a joint statement by the US, UK, France and Germany.
Almost 86,500 people crossed the Ukrainian state border over the past day. Most of them were Ukrainians who returned home from abroad.

"Over the past day (from midnight March 16 to midnight March 17), almost 86,500 people crossed the Ukrainian state border, both entering and leaving. Most of them  more than 50,000  were Ukrainians who returned home from abroad," the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine informs.

As noted, out of more than 13,000 foreigners who crossed the border, over 10,000 people left Ukraine.

Almost 400 foreigners were denied entry to Ukraine over the past day.

Ukrainian border guards implement sanitary controls at border crossing points.

In general, border traffic of passengers has dropped significantly, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine notes. Thus, about 144,000 people crossed the border on March 15.

Since March 16, the entry of foreigners into Ukraine has been restricted. The operation of about a hundred border crossing points was suspended, the restrictions were introduced at the entry-exit checkpoint in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine and on the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.

In addition, the Government of Ukraine temporarily restricted passenger transport services in the territory of Ukraine to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

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Over 1.5 million students in their final year of senior and junior high schools in China's Guizhou Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region returned to school Monday, as the coronavirus spread has been basically curbed.

Over 2,400 high schools in southwest China's Guizhou reopened, involving more than 990,000 students, the provincial education department said.

Meanwhile, some 510,000 students in Xinjiang also embraced the first day of offline schooling of the new semester, after a prolonged Lunar New Year holiday and weeks of stay-at-home online classes due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Both Guizhou and Xinjiang have seen no new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease for nearly a month. As of Monday, over a dozen of provinces and municipalities across China have been clear of the novel coronavirus infections after their last COVID-19 patients had been discharged.

On March 9, northwest China's Qinghai Province saw the country's first batch of 144 senior high schools and secondary vocational schools reopen.

The first day of school, as special as it already was, was also a social practice class for the students.

Customized school buses, wearing masks, temperature checks, designated routes to classrooms -- the ritualistic preparations for class were educational enough for the students to learn how important it is to avoid the gathering of crowds and observe respiratory etiquette in public.

"It takes more time for me to get to my desk. But I feel safer and less anxious," said Mao Yongli, a student at No.6 Senior High School of Guiyang, the provincial capital.

He took a "chartered bus" to school in the morning. The buses were specially designed to pick up and drop off students based on their needs, in order to minimize their contact with areas outside of school and home.

Schools in Xinjiang and Guizhou handed out free masks for students to wear. Meals were also served individually.

Each class is limited to 30 students, seating is staggered and temperatures are taken three times a day. All the classrooms, canteens and dormitories are disinfected regularly, while closed-off campus management has been adopted to reduce imported infection risks, according to Tian Yun, head of the educational administration office of Urumqi No.1 Senior High School.

Lessons about epidemic prevention and emergency drills were among the school activities on the first day.

Zhou Jin, head of the education bureau of Guiyang, said more detailed and tailored plans will be made to ensure safe offline schooling for more students.

Authorities said last week that the peak of the current COVID-19 outbreak in China was over as new cases keep declining and the overall epidemic situation remained at a low level across the country. Life and production are picking up pace in returning to normal.

As the epidemic's risks dim in other parts of China, more schools will resume classes. All students from primary schools all the way up to vocational colleges in Xinjiang are expected to return to school by the end of March. Provinces such as Yunnan have set dates for school reopening.

"The reopening of schools in low-risk regions demonstrates China's progress in epidemic control, which improves the public's confidence in defeating the outbreak, and imposes challenges for local governance," said Mei Zhigang, a sociology professor at Central China Normal University.

Local governments should continue to take strong measures to prevent infections on campus while assisting more schools to reopen in an orderly manner, Mei said.
A sign posted at a Chinatown tailor on Bellaire Boulevard tells customers its no longer doing alterations because of the coronavirus. A few doors down, a popular Sichuan restaurant has laid off some of its kitchen staff and is planning to launch a delivery service to help make up for lost dining room business, which is down more than 50 percent.

Throughout Chinatown  which has been living with dwindling demand since the new coronavirus first broke out in China at the end of January  bakeries, restaurants and other small businesses have closed or limited their hours because they can no longer afford to operate.

Now, as consumer businesses around the Houston region prepare for weeks or potentially months of diminishing sales and profits as people are told to stay away from crowds, the situation in this west Houston economic hub could portend whats in store for businesses in parts of the city that have yet to feel the full impact from the spread of the coronavirus.

Restaurants have been particularly hard hit. Some have seen sales plummet by more than 50 percent and have begun cutting staff and thinking of ways to begin delivering food directly to consumers.

Such moves reflect the economic impact of the prolonged reduction in crowds and have become a necessity in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, where mayors have ordered restaurants and bars closed, forcing them to go takeout only. As of Monday morning, Houston officials had yet to issue a similar order.

For those employees that are not getting enough shifts to serve tables and earn the tips, we can push more delivery services so they can earn the money, said Cori Xiong, who along with her husband Heng Chen, owns Mala Sichuan Bistro at 9348 Bellaire Blvd. Last Friday at lunchtime, four servers waited on a handful of tables at the popular Sichuan-style restaurant. On a normal Friday afternoon, six servers would be working the lunchtime rush, and the line would be out the door.

It hurts us to see they cant bring home enough money, Xiong said. They have loans, they have family, they have children to support.

In addition to rolling out a delivery service, Xiong is also considering moving out some of the tables to create more space between diners and debating whether to make employees wear masks.

Business in Chinatown first dropped off in late January after a false rumor spread on social media that an employee of one of the grocery stores had the virus. The rumor snowballed and others began incorrectly posting that the store had closed.

The rumor was costly to a lot of area businesses, said Kenneth Li, chairman of the Southwest Management District, which includes a large part of Chinatown area.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Six Houston-area malls cut hours amid coronavirus pandemic

We have over 100 restaurants. If everybody goes down 50 to 70 percent, thats millions of dollars, Li said. Especially the supermarket. They lost thousands of dollars every day.

Some of Houstons non-Asian businesses have rallied around Chinatown. Last week, the owner of a Spring Branch bar and restaurant said he would close his business every Monday in March to have dinner with his regulars at a different Chinatown restaurant.

If you have a depressed market for weeks, thats really hard to survive, Kyle Pierson, owner of The Branch on Long Point, said.

Downtown bars Axelrad and Bovine & Barley have been offering customers who bring in receipts from Chinatown establishments a free beer.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

Chinatown appreciates the help. For some though, it was too late.

The damage was already done, Chen said. Chinese people tend to say better safe than sorry. Thats the mentality. Even though they know that its probably safe, they wouldnt take any chance.

Alice Lee, executive director of the Southwest Management District, worries about what will happen when more service workers get laid off or cant work because theyre caring for children who are out of school.

People live paycheck-to-paycheck, she said. I think the greater impact is still yet to come.

nancy.sarnoff@chron.com / twitter.com/nsarnoff

rebecca.schuetz@chron.com / twitter.com/raschuetz
Syracuse, NY -- A Mattydale daycare provider, jailed for killing a 23-month-old boy, admitted to police that she grabbed the toddler by his legs and struck his head on a coffee table, according to court papers.

Jessica Sims, 24, of 103 Roxboro Circle, was charged Thursday with first-degree manslaughter in the death of Lennox Santaigo, who died two days after the July 17, 2019 attack from severe brain injuries.

Sims is accused of intending to injure the boy, but not cause his death. Because of his young age, she was charged with a crime punishable by up 25 years in prison.

Onondaga County Sheriffs deputies say Sims called 911 to initially report the boy had fallen out of a chair and struck his head. But her story changed multiple times after that.

Court papers say she eventually confessed to causing the injuries, though its unclear why.

Deputies investigating the death for eight months, interviewing Sims multiple times, and reviewing the autopsy in Santiagos death.

Santiagos obituary said the boy passed away peacefully... after twenty three happy months. It also said he had an infectious smile and radiated love to everyone he met.

Sims remains jailed on $25,000 cash or $100,000 bond bail. She is not eligible for mandatory release under bail reform, because first-degree manslaughter is considered a violent felony.

She is due back to court Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether there was probable cause for her arrest. That appearance will not take place if her case has been sent to a grand jury.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070.

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.
Identity and access management in 2022 - what will the future look like?

As we enter into 2022, there is still a level of uncertainty in place. Its unclear what the future holds, as companies around the world still contend with the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote working has been encouraged by most organisations and the move to a hybrid working system has become business as usual, for the majority of businesses. Some have reduced their office space or done away with their locations altogether. Following best security practices With all this change in place, there are problems to deal with. According to research, 32.7% of IT admins say they are concerned about employees using unsecured networks to carry out that work. Alongside this, 74% of IT admins thought that remote work makes it harder for employees to follow best security practices. This need to manage security around remote work is no longer temporary. Instead, companies have to build permanent strategies around remote work and security. The coming year will also create a different landscape for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Here are some key predictions for next year and what to start preparing for in 2022: The reality of SMB spending around security will hit home SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working, especially in comparison to their size. They had to undertake significant digital transformation projects that made it possible to deliver services remotely, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weve seen a shift in mindset for these companies, which are now more tech-focused in their approach to problem solving. According to our research, 45% of SMBs plan to increase their spending towards IT services in 2022. Around half of all organisations think their IT budgets are adequate for their needs, while 14.5% of those surveyed believe they will need more, to cover all that needs to be done. Identity management spending to support remote work For others, the COVID-19 pandemic led to over-spending, just to get ahead of things and they will spend in 2022, looking at what they should keep and what they can reduce their spending on. Areas like identity management will stay in place, as companies struggle to support remote work and security, without this in place. However, on-premise IT spending will be reduced or cut, as those solutions are not relevant for the new work model. Services that rely on on-premise IT will be cut or replaced. The device will lead the way for security We rely on our phones to work and to communicate. In 2022, they will become central to how we manage access, to all our assets and locations, IT and physical. When employees can use company devices and their own phones for work, security is more difficult. IT teams have to ensure that theyre prepared for this, by making sure that these devices can be trusted. Wide use of digital certificates and strong MFA factors Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication There are multiple ways that companies can achieve this, for example - By using digital certificates to identify company devices as trusted, an agent, or strong MFA factors, like a FIDO security key or mobile push authentication. Whichever approach you choose, this can prevent unauthorised access to IT assets and applications, and these same devices can be used for authentication into physical locations too. Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication. Understanding human behaviour Alongside this, it is important to understand human behaviour. Anything that introduces an extra step for authentication can lead to employees taking workarounds. To stop this, it is important to put an employee education process in place, in order to emphasize on the importance of security. The next step is to think about adopting passwordless security, to further reduce friction and increase adoption. Lastly, as devices become the starting point for security and trust, remote device management will be needed too. More companies will need to manage devices remotely, from wiping an asset remotely if it gets lost or stolen, through to de-provisioning users easily and removing their access rights, when they leave the company. Identity will be a layer cake Zero Trust approaches to security Identity management relies on being able to trust that someone is who they say they are. Zero Trust approaches to security can support this effectively, particularly when aligned with least privilege access models. In order to turn theory into practical easy-to-deploy steps, companies need to use contextual access, as part of their identity management strategy. This involves looking at the context that employees will work in and putting together the right management approach for those circumstances. For typical employee behaviour, using two factor authentication might be enough to help them work, without security getting in the way. How enterprises manage, access and store identity data There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time For areas where security is more important, additional security policies can be put over the top, to ensure that only the right people have access. A step-up in authentication can be added, based on the sensitivity of resources or risk-based adaptive authentication policies might be needed. There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time, so that it aligns more closely with those use cases. Identity management critical to secure assets in 2022 There are bigger conversations taking place around digital identity for citizenship, as more services move online as well. Any moves that take place in this arena will affect how businesses think about their identity management processes too, encouraging them to look at their requirements in more detail. Overall, 2022 will be the year when identity will be critical to how companies keep their assets secure and their employees productive. With employees working remotely and businesses becoming decentralised, identity strategies will have to take the same approach. This will put the emphasis on strong identity management as the starting point for all security planning.
Im Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, and Ill be hosting the Express-News guide to all things coronavirus today.

First, the most important news (for Texans): As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Whataburger will only serve customers at its drive-through lanes, not in the dining area. Drive-through service will remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also order your Buffalo Chicken sandwich (available for a limited time only, even in a pandemic) online or through the Whataburger app. Starting Thursday, online orders will be delivered curbside from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and at other hours, can be picked up at the drive-through.

Back to the noncheeseburger-related stuff.

All local school districts have extended spring break this week. Some districts, including North East and San Antonio ISDs, have gone even further, announcing on Tuesday that the break is extended for another two weeks. Schools will reopen April 6.

Also, on Monday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued an emergency order prohibiting all private and public gatherings of more than 50 people for seven days, a ban the City Council could extend for 30 more days on Thursday.

What happens to you if you decide to flout this new order? Civil penalties and perhaps fines, sayeth the mayor.

Late Monday afternoon, he went further, recommending (but not ordering) a cessation of all gatherings of 10 or more, in accordance with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. For introverts, this is known as nirvana.

And forget being able to eavesdrop on the folks sitting next to you at the bistro: Nirenberg issued guidelines that customers should be placed at tables at least six feet away from each other at all bars, restaurants and other public food service locales. (Better yet, stay home and eat. Were looking at you, U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes. Or order a Whataburger online.)

Many local restaurants are now focusing on to-go menus, even though  so far  the mayor has declined to order all dining establishments closed, unlike officials in Dallas, Los Angeles and a handful of other cities.

Some exemptions to the 50-people mass gathering rule: Movie theaters (as long as there is less than 50 moviegoers), airports, schools, churches, museums (many are already closed), grocery stores, shops, transit centers, hotels, offices, hospitals and shelters.

Even in these places, people should stay more than an arms length away from each other, according to a city news release. This includes jails, where its probably a good idea to do that anyway.

In all such settings, the public should follow social distancing recommendations and harm reduction measures, such as hand sanitizer, the mayors office said.

Life as we know it has changed for the foreseeable future. Regal Cinemas has closed until further notice. (Recommended Netflix viewing: Contagion, the 2011 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon that is unnervingly accurate.)

A host of upcoming events have been postponed or canceled.

Local businesses have drastically cut hours, including North Star Mall and the Shops at La Cantera. (New hours: Monday-Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.)

You cant visit Nana in the nursing home. You cant go inside little Tiffanys day care. The Alamo is closed for the time being (but please remember it.)

On Monday, a fourth case of COVID-19 was confirmed in San Antonio, a physician at University Health System that officials said contracted the virus while traveling. The doctor is being quarantined at home.

Brazos County, home to Texas A&M, has reported its first coronavirus case, but the afflicted is not a student, officials said. How many Aggies does it take to catch the coronavirus? Nevermind.

Texas has its first coronavirus death, a 90-year-old man in Matagorda County, about 85 miles south of Houston.

All four of the local residents with COVID-19 likely contracted the virus while traveling outside San Antonio, Nirenberg said on an Express-News podcast, But we can no longer assume that the virus is not present in our community.

Which brings us to: Testing.

Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news conference on Monday that everyone who needs a COVID-19 test will get one, by the end of this week. San Antonio recently opened a mobile testing site, but it is limited to emergency personnel. A second mobile testing site reportedly will open on Wednesday, but the location hasnt been divulged yet.

When testing at large begins, certain groups will get top priority. Health care workers, first responders, Texans older than 65 and those showing symptoms beyond a cold or flu who require hospitalization.

You cant just drive up like you would drive up to Whataburger and order a cheeseburger, Abbott said. (Which, to repeat, can still be done in San Antonio.)

Some needed good news: The Battle of Flowers parade will officially take place in November, along with many other postponed Fiesta events. Organizers worried they couldnt move the massive parade to a new day and time. Turns out, they can.

Have you been laid-off because of the coronavirus? Do you need a job? In reaction to the mass panic-buying of groceries, H-E-B is now hiring part-time workers  stockers, checkers, baggers for temporary work for up to 60 days, employment that could become permanent. Be part of the solution!

(H-E-B, by the way, is not joining the trend of giving seniors specific times to shop, stating that asking customers to congregate at certain times isnt safe. The grocery behemoth is offering curbside and home delivery.)

In other food-related news: Pearl Farmers Market is going online for the foreseeable future. Go to http://pearlfarmersmarketcurbside.com/ to select specific items for pickup. All orders must be submitted by midnight on Wednesday for pickup on Friday. Curbside pickup is available from 3 to 7 p.m. Fridays at the Pearl Stable, 307 Pearl Pkwy.

And no need to panic about having access to your money if you do business at a state-chartered bank in San Antonio. While the Texas banking commissioner said state banks could close all or some of their operations, neither Frost Bank nor Jefferson Bank currently has plans to do so, officials said.

All local school districts have extended their Spring Break this week. The head of the Texas Education Agency said Sunday that many districts could remain closed throughout the rest of the academic year, but Abbott has not issued a statewide order to close schools, leaving that decision to local leaders.

On Monday Abbott waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, testing requirements for the current school year. The governor has also asked the U.S. Department of Education to waive federal testing requirements for this school year.

Families of San Antonio students can pick up or receive free breakfast and lunch at these locations and times.

Local colleges and universities have extended Spring Break and will operate online once classes resume. On Tuesday, Texas A&M University-San Antonio suspended in-person classes for the rest of the semester.

Even in times of pandemic panic, the government must go on: Some state agencies have restricted access to services because of the coronavirus, even the Texas Racing Commission, which will hold thoroughbred races at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston through March 28, but the gambling public wont be allowed to watch in person.

More good news: A House-passed bill that would provide paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and other benefits has moved to the Senate. Lets hope our elected officials do the right thing.

Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news, cultural trends and interesting people and goings-on around San Antonio and Bexar County, as well as all across South Texas. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | mstoeltje@express-news.net | Twitter: @mstoeltje
Former WAG Phoebe Burgess works her fingers to the bone as a Johnson's Baby ambassador.

But it appears the 30-year-old is having trouble with her quieter life, amid the chaos of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Phoebe let her followers know she avoided her 'self isolation' for a quick trip to the park with her children.

Fresh air: Former WAG Phoebe Burgess, 30, avoided 'self-isolation' with a quick trip to the park with her young kids on Tuesday, which she later shared on her Instagram account

'The whole two toddlers, four walls scenario is going to get interesting,' the Bowral beauty said sharing snaps of her kids Poppy, three, and Billy, one.

'Still counting on quick trips to the park (while in the city) in between arts and crafts,' she added.

Phoebe looked lovingly at her gorgeous little ones, as they played on equipment at the small park.

Slower pace: 'The whole two toddlers, four walls scenario is going to get interesting,' Phoebe wrote on Instagram

Despite going on to ask for 'self-isolation' tips - which usually refers to quarantine - from other mothers, it appears Phoebe is only using the social distancing method.

Phoebe used the hashtag 'self-isolation' on Monday, in another post.

Of course, she looked her model best in the series of photographs, wearing a chic white skirt.

Active: Phoebe kept a close eye on her young son, Billy, one, as he played on the equipment

The beauty paired the statement skirt with a long-sleeve blouse, white sunglasses and white sandals.

The Australian government and immunologists have recommended Australians 'self-isolate' for the next two weeks amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

They say it will be critical in slowing the virus' spread and help prevent overloading hospital intensive care units.

Little ones: Later, Phoebe kept a close eye on her young daughter, Poppy, three

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 173,000 cases worldwide and more than 6,600 fatalities.

As of March 17, the total number of people diagnosed with the virus in Australia is over 450, including five deaths.
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EDWARDSVILLE  While most of the rest of the Madison County Administration Building was operating on a reduced staff, the County Clerks Office was very busy Tuesday.

Its election day; everybody here is essential, said Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza.

Well work probably for the next couple of weeks to get through the election, she said. Then after that well reassess and reevaluate where we are.

In addition to the March 17 ballots, officials must wait for mail-in ballots, count numerous write-ins and certify all of it before the job is done.

Fortunately things were going smoothly Tuesday. Unfortunately it was because turnout  which was expected to be low  was very light, according to Ming-Mendoza.

There is no turnout, she said.

Just before noon, she said some precincts were showing 40 to 50 voters, while others were 10 to 15.

Im not going to get to my 20 (percent voter turnout goal) if this keeps up, she said. She noted a combination of early voting and vote-by-mail had brought in about 10,000 ballots  about 5 percent of the eligible voters.

There was a big uptick the last couple of days with early voting, she said.

All voting precincts opened Tuesday after some concerns about judges canceling. A precinct can operate with a minimum of two judges, but there must be one Republican and one Democrat.

Optimal is five; two is the minimum  one from each party, she said. Ill settle for three and am ecstatic with four.

As she spoke, she dealt with an election judge who wanted to leave but could not until a replacement was found. Ming-Mendoza said she thought the judge was working in a polling place with multiple precincts, so she would probably be able to switch someone.

She estimated todays ballot count should be completed by 9 or 10 p.m.. But she noted the combination of write-ins and the need to wait 14 days for potential mail-in ballots and provisional ballots means, in a close race, candidates might want to hold off celebrating.

She said write-ins must hit a certain threshold, based on the number of signatures needed on a nominating petition, to be included on the Nov. 3 ballot.

In Godfrey 11  one of four precincts moved by COVID-19 concerns because they could not be in senior citizen living areas  election judge Irene Denother and three others helped voters come through or passed the time waiting for more.

An election judge for about 13 years, Denother said she had never seen anything like this years situation before.

Personally, in terms of the corona, Im not really concerned about it, she said. As a Christian I know God is in control and Im not going to worry about it. Take reasonable precautions and just use common sense.

The precinct was equipped with Clorox wipes and sanitizer provided by the County Clerks Office.

When I picked the poll book up, they handed me this bag with the sanitizer in it, she said.

Another judge brought a can of Lysol disinfectant spray.

To pass the time, Denother had a puzzle book. The other judges had snacks. She said the big difference with the relocated polling place was the tight room.

Theres more room over there, she said, referring to the original polling location in Asbury Villages common area. This is a display house, and behind us is a bedroom (where all the display furniture was piled up).

The other thing was we didnt have any place to make coffee, she said. For those of us who are coffee fiends, thats kind of a problem.

Godfrey 2, located in the other room, was a similar situation. Most of the voters there live in the village.

On Tuesday, Gayle Eardley had just voted and was getting ready to go outside and wait for a ride back.

I think its important for us to vote, she said. We cant complain if we dont vote or do anything about the things that are important to us.

She said the change in polling locations did not create any difficulties for them.

Theres so much else going on in the world I really hadnt thought of it, she said of voting. I dont obsess about it. I know what Im going to do and who I want to lead.
GAMCO's Declassification Proposal Approved at National Fuel Gas Company's Annual Meeting

National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG) ("National Fuel" or the "Company") held its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on March 11, 2020 in Naples, Florida. The Company announced that the stockholder proposal presented by GAMCO Asset Management Inc. ("GAMCO"), an affiliate of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (NYSE:GBL), received support from approximately 73% of the votes cast.

The stockholder proposal requested that the Board of Directors (the "Board") of National Fuel undertake the necessary steps to declassify the Board and require that all Directors of the Company stand for election annually. Theproposal further stated that the declassification of the Board should be completed in a manner that does not affect the unexpired terms of Directors that have been previously elected by the Company's stockholders.







GAMCO's Proxy Voting Committee thanks stockholders for their overwhelming support and looks forward to the Board following through on the stockholders request.

GAMCO and its affiliates own approximately 6.11% of the common shares of National Fuel on behalf of their clients.

GAMCO Investors, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manages private advisory accounts (GAMCO Asset Management Inc.), mutual funds and closed-end funds (Gabelli Funds, LLC). As of December 31, 2019, GAMCO Investors had $36.5 billion in assets under management.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005754/en/
After the 1979 Iranian revolution, the regime banned many ancient festivals, using the Iran-Iraq war as an excuse. This situation continued for more than a decade. The Islamic Republics founder Ruhollah Khomeini created an atmosphere of disillusion and suffocation by extending its devastating war with Iraq for eight years.

However, society could revive its spirit after the end of the war and the death of Khomeini. Since that time, while the regime lost its main means, foreign invasion, for the crackdown on the people and dissident, the traditional festivals and even religious ones turned into an opportunity for the society to express their wrath against the mullahs.

One of these festivals was the Chaharshanbeh Suri fire festival among Iranians and many Persian-language speakers. This festival includes several other traditions such as spoon banging and horoscope eavesdropping. However, the main ritual in jumping over bonfires. In this respect, at sunset, the people gather brushwood in free exterior space and make several bonfires. Then, they jump over the flames as a sign of burning the obsolescence and purification practice.

In recent years, the regime discouraged the people from holding these rituals, which faced an inverse response by the people and incited citizens, particularly youths, to adore them more. In this context, the mullahs are wholeheartedly concerned over this ceremony.

Additionally, after the recent developments in Iran and the regimes violent reaction to the peaceful grievances, including the November protests over hikes in gas prices and the January protests against the mullahs secrecy about the downing the Ukrainian airliner by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), the situation in Iran is completely different from previous years.

In this context, despite the coronavirus outbreak requiring people to stay at home and not attending the fire festival, the Iranian people seem to have decided to show their anger against the mullahs rule. Notably, a couple of days ago, the regimes supreme leader Ali Khamenei ordered the chief of Staff for the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri to form a Health Base, pursuing to cease the public wrath against the regimes secrecy about the coronavirus outbreak in the country. However, the regimes move is practically synonymous with martial law, instead of health or pre-emptive measures.

On the other hand, officials abuse the precautionary measures in order to suppress the people. Any gathering on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year will be confronted and anyone who participates in these gathering will be quarantined for 14 days, the state-run website ROKNA quoted the Attorney General of Babol city Esmail Molakarimi as saying on March 15.

A day later, the chief of the special unit for Tehrans security forces Hossein Amjadian also threatened youths to curb holding the Chaharshanbeh Suri ceremony. The people should stay at home on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, and the special units are ready to deal with anyone who disrupts citizens calm, the state-run news agency ANA quoted Amjadian as saying on March 16.

The Iranian people see the regime and the IRGC as the main culprit for transferring the COVID-19 disease to Iran and spreading it across the country. However, if the regime was really concerned for the peoples health, it would have quarantined Qom previously and confronted the Khamenei-linked institutes which have hoarded the necessary items for containing the illness.

Read More:

The Coronavirus, a Gift for the Iranian Regime and a Calamity for the People

Exclusive Citizen Report About Coronavirus Outbreak in Mashhad, Northeastern Iran
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 15:27:58|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China has disposed of 159,000 tonnes of medical waste since late January amid the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE).

China's medical waste disposal capacity has reached 6,058.8 tonnes per day, up from 4,902.8 tonnes each day before the epidemic outbreak, MEE said in a statement.

The disposal capacity of Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, rose from 180 tonnes per day before the outbreak to 667.4 tonnes, showed the MEE data.

Environmental authorities monitored the country's 17,949 drinking water sources and did not find any impact from the epidemic on the quality of the sources, it said.

The MEE also logged improvement in air quality for 337 cities it has monitored, with the share of good air quality days at 85.7 percent from January 20 to March 14, up 10.1 percentage points year on year.
The coronavirus outbreak has transformed the US virtually overnight from a place of boundless consumerism to one suddenly constrained by nesting and social distancing.

The crisis tests all retailers, leading to temporary store closures at companies like Apple and Nike, manic buying of food staples at supermarkets and big-box stores like Walmart even as many stores remain open for business -- albeit in a weirdly anemic consumer environment.

In general, the coronavirus crisis is expected to dent retail earnings while likely accelerating a trend towards online sales as more stores shut down, hastening an industry shakeout that was already underway prior to the public health crisis.

"Weaker balance sheets and relentless margin pressures will continue to push smaller, cash-starved retailers down the ratings scale and closer to default," Mickey Chadha, a Moody's senior credit officer, said in a note to investors on Tuesday.

"This will be exacerbated with the extreme dislocations caused by the coronavirus pandemic. There is a sharpening divide between those who have the capacity to weather the challenging operating environment and those who do not."



Many of the companies that shut stores, a group that includes Apple, Nike and Lululemon, are stronger brands, analysts note.

Apple's actions in response to the virus map the evolution of the outbreak. The tech giant on February 1 closed all its Chinese stores because of the coronavirus.

But by last weekend, Apple had reopened all of its China stores, even as it announced it was shutting down everywhere else through March 27 to limit the spread of the virus in Europe and North America.

"The most effective way to minimize risk of the virus's transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance," said Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook as he announced all non-Chinese stores would be shuttered until March 27, while adding that online stores were still open.

Youth-oriented apparel chain Gap also pointed to its experience in Asia as it cut hours throughout the US and Canada, while temporarily closing more than 100 stores in areas hit hardest by coronavirus.

"While these situations are unsettling and ever-changing, we will continue to make decisions in the best interests of our employees," said incoming Gap Chief Executive Sonia Syngal.

Other stores including Macy's and crafts retailer Michael's have remained open, but stepped up cleaning of high-trafficked areas and restrooms in response to the outbreak.

"Our stores are open to serve our customers and we hope to see you soon. However, we understand that in the current environment, some customers prefer not to visit a store," said Macy's Chief Executive Jeff Gennette in a letter to customers.

The outbreak will most certainly boost online sales growth even faster, as shown by Amazon's announcement late Monday that it plans to hire 100,000 warehouse workers to meet surging demand.

However, analysts caution that e-commerce distribution and shipping networks are not immune to challenges from the virus.

"All parts of the economy and supply chain are vulnerable," said Neil Saunders, director GlobalData Retail. "That includes delivery companies and online orders."



If supply chains are affected by coronavirus outbreaks, that will mean delays to deliveries, said Saunders, who expects consumer spending to be weak overall.

"Demand across the economy is going to be down," he said, citing the sudden shock to the markets. "People aren't in the mood to spend money."



Longtime retail analyst Jan Rogers Kniffen said most sellers have no plan for a major hit to e-commerce supply chains and that under such a scenario, the US National Guard might be enlisted to make sure essential goods get to consumers.

Kniffen said department stores were among the most likely to suffer from the coronavirus response, in part because of the hit to mall traffic.

"When Apple says they're going to close, that's half the mall traffic in the US," he quipped.

FedEx didn't directly respond to questions about whether the company has employees with coronavirus, but a spokeswoman said the company was taking precautions suggested by the World Health Organization.

"The safety and well-being of our team members is our top priority," the spokeswoman said, adding the company is "encouraging our team members to take any signs of illness seriously and seek medical attention as needed".

UPS said normal business continues in most places, but deliveries in some parts of Europe have been halted because of shop closures or restrictions in areas of several European countries, including Spain and Italy.

"We are serving our customers as usual, except where limited by government restrictions," a UPS spokesman said, adding the company "does not comment on the medical condition of its employees."



"If any employee experiences symptoms such as fever or respiratory infection, they are directed to seek medical treatment immediately.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Italians coming from abroad to be quarantined-Di Maio Stringent but necessary measures says FM

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 17 - Italians coming home from abroad amid the coronavirus emergency are to be quarantined, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Tuesday.



"It is a measure which, in my opinion, is necessary for their health and, naturally, for the public health of all," he said after conferring with Health minister Roberto Speranza and Transport Minister Paola De Micheli.



"We must weigh all precautionary measures aimed at containing, ever more, the spread of the virus.



"They are stringent but necessary measures".



Transport Minister Paolo De Micheli said that "a further package" to make sure Italians coming from countries without containment measures are not dangerous was being "put together".



(ANSAmed).




Getty

I get that the news out of the debate is that Joe Biden committed to picking a woman vice president. Thats a big deal. But there were a couple non-news things that were important too.

The first one is that Biden is not senile, does not have dementia, had no trouble in this debate uttering six or even seven sentences in a row that make sense, and handled himself fine. I suspect that any chance Bernie Sanders had to turn the tables in the way he was hoping ended in the first five minutes, by which time it was pretty clear that Biden was fully compos mentis and wasnt going to start quoting Jack Benny routines to drive home his point.

This was really different from those early debates when he was ambushed from all sides. Then, he was verbally drowning half the time. Tonight, he was totally calm. He did maybe miss an opportunity to try to reach out to Sanders voters, but overall, he was in control of himself. It ought to make people feel more comfortable picturing him on a stage opposite Donald Trump.

Biden: Virus Means Its Time for War, Not Revolution

But he was also just personable. You know how people like me are always parsing the details, like hey, didnt he use a slightly different figure on that issue in a previous debate? Well, that kind of thing is way too wonky-weedsy. It wouldnt surprise me if Bidens most memorable tonight was that bit about 35 minutes in when Dana Bash asked about what theyre doing personally to protect against the coronavirus, and Bernie Sanders talked about official, campaign-y things, but Biden made it personal and said Im taking all the precautions everyone else should be taking. I wash my hands God knows how many times a day. I carry with me, in my bag outside here, hand sanitizer. I dont know how many times a day I use that. I make sure I dont touch my face and so on. Im taking all the precautions were telling everybody else to take. He was just being a guy there, a person, a regular, um, Joe, in a way Sanders chooses never to do.

Story continues

So that was the first thing. The second was more substantive, and it was that Biden more or less managed to defend his much spottier record against Sanders attacks.

The three big issues here were Social Security, an old bankruptcy bill, and same-sex marriage. And I guess the Iraq war, thats always in there.

On all these issues, Biden has real vulnerabilities. He did used to talk about certain small cuts to Social Security benefits (although a Politifact analysis rated Sanders attacks on Biden as mostly false). On bankruptcy, well, he was a senator from Delaware. And Sanders was right that Biden did vote for the Defense of Marriage Act (a Clinton-era measure that said marriage was between a man and a woman) while he, Sanders, opposed it.

But heres the thing about all that. Well, a) its the past, and in our new state, it seems a little less relevant than before. Nobody thinks todays Joe Biden is going to cut Social Security. But the main thing is this:

Biden and Sanders show us two models of senator-hood that are as opposite as they could be. Biden, from early on in his career, was a super-duper inside player. He got his fingers into all kinds of pies. He did stuff. Plus, he was elected from a state where he obviously had to accommodate himself to certain interests. If he didnt, those interests would have seen to getting rid of him after one term.

Sanders has spent 30 years in Washington not really trying to do much of anything, reveling in his stance as the outsider. And he was elected from a state where he never faced any pressure to compromise on anything (he used to face one form of pressure, on guns, and he actually buckled on that until he was secure in his incumbency). Indeed, the vast majority of the pressure he faced, if it can even be called pressure, was to vote the orthodox lefty line on every issue (I dont doubt his votes were sincere). Whereas the vast majority of Democratic senators faced pressure to support the Iraq war, Vermonters might have thrown Sanders out if hed voted for it.

This enables him to sound pure today, and sounding pure is of great advantage in primary contests. It has helped him a great deal thus far. But it didnt work so well in this debate. He kept trying to press the point that his record was more consistent, but he was doing so in such a way that you could tell he was straining to convince viewers that it was important.

Biden had OK answers on most of these things, and more than OK on same-sex marriage, when he said I was the only major player who backed same-sex marriage, which is basically trueremember how he endorsed it before the 2016 reelection, before Barack Obama did or wanted to. Biden could have put it more effectively: Bernie, yes, you cast a good vote from your seat in the bleachers. But I did more than anybody to make same-sex marriage reality.

They were very different kinds of senators. One kept his hands clean and assembled a faultless (from a left point of view) voting record. The other got his hands dirty. Democratic voters are making it very clear which model they prefer, and tonight seems not to have done anything to change that.

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New Delhi, March 17 : The Centre, in a preliminary affidavit, responded point-by-point to the criticism against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying that India is constitutionally secular, and also told the Supreme Court that the act does not violate any fundamental right provisions of the Constitution and therefore, the question of violation of constitutional morality does not arise.

The amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014 due to religious persecution.

The affidavit filed by B.C. Joshi, Director in Ministry of Home Affairs, said that CAA is a narrowly-tailored legislation seeking to address the specific problem which awaited a solution since several decades, and it does not affect the legal, democratic or secular rights of any Indian citizen.

The Centre said that equal protection of the laws guaranteed by Article 14 of the Constitution does not mean that all laws must be general in character and universal in application and that the legislature no longer has the power of distinguishing and classifying persons or things for the purposes of legislation.

"It is humbly submitted that the only requirement prior to making a particular classification or a special legislation (as is in the CAA) is that the legislative classification must not be based on any arbitrary classification and should be based on an intelligible differentia having a reasonable relation to the object which the legislature seeks to attain," it said.

The Centre insisted unlike the particular neighbouring countries, "India is a constitutionally secular country and further has a large population of persons belonging to the classified communities already residing as Indian citizens".

It contended that the CAA is a "benign piece" of legislation which seeks to provide a relaxation, in the nature of an amnesty, to specific communities from the specified countries with a clear cut-off date.

After considering the totality of factors, including factors of international geopolitics, the demographic profile of nations surrounding the particular neighbouring countries, the situation of or the presence of other persons of classified communities in other nations surrounding the neighbouring classified countries and the presence of state religions/theocratic regimes in other countries surrounding the neighbouring classified countries, the Centre said it "makes it amply clear that India represents the sole rational and logically feasible place to seek shelter for the said communities".

The Centre's affidavit said: "It is submitted that constitutional morality is not an unruly horse and cannot become an independent basis for challenging the constitutionality of validly enacted legislations." It maintained that the CAA, 2019 does not confer any arbitrary or unguided powers upon the executive. "Under Section 6B(1) the Central Government or a specified authority would grant citizenship only in a manner where certain conditions & restrictions would be satisfied by the applicant. Appropriate rules under Section 6B are being framed to clearly lay down these conditions, restrictions and manner of grant of citizenship." "It is submitted that the CAA is a specific amendment which seeks to tackle a specific problem prevalent in the specified countries i.e. persecution on the ground of religion in light of the undisputable theocratic constitutional position in the specified countries, the systematic functioning of such States and the perception of fear that may be prevalent amongst minorities as per the de facto situation in the said countries." Addressing the issue of citizenship for Rohingyas, the Centre said that thousands of Rohingyas have come into India, mainly through Bangladesh, in search of better economic opportunities. "It is submitted that the Rohingyas are not on the same footing as the religiously persecuted minorities who have fled into India from the particular neighbouring countries," said the Centre.

Seeking to keep out CAA out of judicial review, it said: "It is submitted that by the very nature of the question regarding citizenship of the country and issues pertaining thereto, the said subject matter may not be within the scope of judicial review and may not be justiciable."
An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison by a UK court for sexually assaulting a young girl.

The Isleworth Crown Court in London on Monday sentenced Nikunjkumar Vaidh, 36, from Hounslow in west London after he was found guilty of two counts of sexually touching of a child under 13 years of age following a trial at the same court in December last year.

The court was told that Vaidh attacked the girl, who was known to him, on two separate occasions, both within her own home in west London.

Nikunjkumar Vaidh is an opportunistic abuser who took advantage of situations where he had won the confidence of others, and used them to carry out two sexual assaults on a young girl, said Emma Rogers, from the Metropolitan Police West Area Safeguarding Team, who led the investigation.

I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of the girl and her family who had the confidence to speak to the police and support this investigation to its conclusion, she said.

On both times of the assault, Vaidh waited for an opportunity when other adults were not present to carry out the attacks.

After the second assault, he told the girl that what had happened was top secret and she couldn't tell anyone.

However, the girl confided in her mother who then confronted Vaidh. Police were called and an investigation was launched. When arrested and questioned, Vaidh denied the allegations and claimed the girl was making up the claims.

The Met Police said the victim, who cannot be named, received specialist counselling and support by specially trained officers throughout the investigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An ethnic-minority village in Lam Dong has become well-known for its title village with 3-nos (no drinking, no smoking and no social evils) thanks to a concerted communal effort that commenced over a dozen years ago.

Villagers in am Rong Districts Ro Men Commune can now access clean water. Life in the Mong ethnic minority village in the Central Highlands province of Lam ong has changed a lot thanks to a concerted communal effort that commenced over a dozen years ago.  Photo tintaynguyen.com

The village, home to 789 people of the Mong ethnic group, is in am Rong Districts Ro Men Commune.

While drunkenness, smoking and social evils are rife in the countryside, the village has set a bright example of civilised society by stopping the sale of alcohol and tobacco sales. This has helped eliminate scenes of drunken men and gambling.

Sung A Sang, 40, head of the village, said every Mong person who wanted to settle there had to strictly follow the States laws and commit to not drinking or smoking, while avoiding social evils.

This has achieved security and order, and no one leaves their houses after 9pm anymore.

When a stranger comes to visit, they must inform the head of the village even if they are only staying for one night so the police can carry out the necessary procedures for them. If they don't, the family they are visiting must take responsibility in case any regulations are broken.

During the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, local residents participate in games such as nem con (throwing a ball through a ring for good luck) and badminton. Theres a lot of fun. However, people never drink wine or smoke cigarettes. They only consume soft drinks, Sang told Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.

Giang Seo Pao, 55, a local resident, agreed.

Everyone in the village gave up drinking and smoking because we are aware of its harmful effects, he said.

Everybody knew that tobacco was harmful because it affected both smokers and their families in the long run, Pao said.

It is easy for men to get drunk, but that can lead to domestic violence. That's why people decided to give up all these bad habits."

Pao said he was from the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang where there are only terraced fields and it was difficult for local residents to develop a well-rounded economy. Like many other people, they volunteered to go to areas like Lam ong, ak Lak and ak Nong provinces to settle down with the hopes of a better future.

To start with back in 2004, they faced a lot of difficulties.

We had to borrow rice seeds from residents in a Tong, another commune in am Rong District, and dig dong (arrowroot) bulbs in the forest. We couldn't make ends meet, he recalled.

With hard work, a passion for learning and support from the Party and Government, the living standards have gradually improved.

The district authorities have poured resources into building infrastructure and implemented social security polices for poor people to help them escape poverty.

They have also promoted restructuring crops and livestock, taking advantage of the regions potential to boost sustainable socio-economic development.

Local authorities have strived to achieve the target of between 1,000-1,500 new jobs created each year, and the percentage of people who have access to clean water at 93 per cent.

As Pao said: My family now has 1 hectare for coffee cultivation. I will plant durian and avocado trees on that land to boost my income.

Whats more important is that villagers have access to clean water thanks to a facility which was put into operation in 2015.

In the past, they had to travel dozens of kilometres to take water from local streams.

The improvements have led to a change in awareness among the community.

Knowing that the Government had invested in building infrastructure for the commune, some people donated land for the construction of a 1,500 sq.m community house, Sang said.

Local residents have also contributed land for concrete roads built with Government funding. As a result, they dont have to walk on dirt paths when it rains.

Their efforts have been paid off as Ro Men Commune has been recognised as meeting the nation's new rural standards thanks to the contributions of the Mong community.  VNS

Ethnic minority man blazes trail for his community At the age of 34, Alang Tho became the first Co Tu ethnic minority person in Vietnam to gain a PhD degree when he graduated in December 2019.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 21 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Armenian armed forces were using sniper rifles.
US officials have claimed that a foreign disinformation campaign is being undertaken to spread fear, according to a report.

The three officials believe a deliberate effort is underway by a foreign entity to create fear in US citizens around coronavirus.

On Sunday, news started to spread that there would be a national quarantine, something that government agencies took coordinated action to dispel.

The officials spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity and did not name what foreign entity they thought was behind the misinformation.

Last week, the Pentagon accused the Chinese government of spreading false & absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members.

The national security council tweeted on Sunday in an attempt to dispel the rumours of a national lockdown.

Text message rumours of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19, it tweeted.

During a press call on Monday, Donald Trump said that there might be a foreign entity playing games.

This is not the first time that the US government has claimed foreign interference.

Officials have previously warned of Russian social media activity and there were widespread reports of interference in the 2016 election.

Recommended Trump appears to claim UK made up Russia interference in 2016 election

In the US 3,485 cases of the disease and 65 deaths have been recorded so far.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
A shop owner on Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia wipes off the door handles of his business after locking the doors on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 5 p.m. in compliance with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney's directive on non-essential businesses having to close due to the coronavirus. Read more

Theres a meme going around Instagram right now summing up the state of affairs for small businesses navigating our new COVID-19-infected reality: If you would like to know how it feels to be in hospitality during the coronavirus pandemic? Remember when the Titanic was sinking, and the band continued to play? Well, were the band.

It will be months before we know the true economic cost of COVID-19, but theres no doubt small businesses and the people they employ will be affected most: your local bar and bakery, the dry-cleaners, the barbershop, all nonessentials that have been shut down, some of their own volition at first, the rest at the direction of government leaders. Grocery stores are open, and you dont need to see the corona-porn posts of pillaged shelves at Target and Walmart to realize these big businesses will be OK. Its the little guys and girls who will need support, especially minority- and immigrant-owned businesses, that will be disproportionately affected.

 READ MORE: SHARE YOUR STORY: How are you staying connected to your community amid the coronavirus outbreak?

I asked some local small business owners how the pandemic has affected their bottom lines and industries so far, and answers came back in the realm of devastating (Judy Ni, chef-owner, Baology) and terrifying (Stevie Chris, freelance photographer).

I closed a small retail business in January, by choice. Had that not been the case, I feel confident saying the coronavirus would have taken it out by spring. I wanted to do something for the small businesses in my community, so over the weekend I launched #Five4Fifty, a pledge to spend at least $5 at a small business every day for the next 50 days (about seven weeks, the critical window of time in the United States). Its a beer, a loaf of bread, a bouquet of flowers. Dont have $5 a day? Do $3 or $1  every little bit will help. Dont have the spare money at all? Telling a friend or family member is free.

You can participate in #Five4Fifty from home, as social distancing to flatten the curve has become the recommended course of action. Shop online from independent stores, subscribe to a local newspaper or magazine, buy gifts cards you can use at a later date. Restaurants, which so far are permitted to remain open for takeout and delivery, are getting creative. On Tuesday morning, East Passyunks Essen Bakery was delivering sesame bagels, zaatar croissants, and Jewish apple cake to customers who signed up online via its Babkamobile. Lalo, the Filipino restaurant at the Bourse, has instituted curbside pickup and expanded its delivery zone to 10 miles outside Center Cit y that means adobo for Ardmore and pork belly for Packer Park.

While takeout and delivery can temporarily staunch the bleeding  before it decided to close this week, a 25% increase in online sales at Mikes BBQ, for example, had offset a 25% decrease in in-person sales  its an imperfect solution. Third-party delivery services havent stopped charging restaurants commissions, and takeout/delivery does not address losses for tipped and hourly workers. A crisis like this underscores how threadbare the safety net is in Americas tipped-wage system  to say nothing of our exploitative health-care system  though that lesson is of little comfort to the server or bartender who depends on butts in seats to make money.

Businesses Im seeing address this directly include Rowhouse Grocery in Newbold, which is offering a 15% discount to service-industry workers. At Kalaya in Bella Vista, chef-owner Nok Suntaranon posted a video on Instagram announcing a free family meal for anyone in the industry. Money from all gift-card purchases at Steve Cook and Mike Solomonovs restaurants will go toward staff support. Weve raised $10,000 so far, Cook told me Tuesday.

I saw a post from comedian Kate Willett on Twitter. She wrote, If they [the federal government] dont give relief to small businesses when we go back outside everything will be a Starbucks and NY as we know it will be entirely gone. Though New Yorks astronomical rents make businesses there uniquely vulnerable, the same sentiment could apply to Philly.

Imagine the city without Pho 75 or Metropolitan Bakery or Rival Bros. Coffee, then go support them and businesses like them through the #Five4Fifty pledge. Things are changing moment by moment, and in another week, the situation in the United States. could look more like those in Italy and France. Until then, Ill be doing my very small part.

Adam Erace is an award-winning food and travel writer based in South Philly. He is the coauthor of Laurel: Modern American Flavors in Philadelphia and Dinner at the Club: 100 Years of Stories and Recipes From South Phillys Palizzi Social Club.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday afternoon that Canada would close its borders to anyone who is not a citizen, permanent resident, or US citizen as the coronavirus pandemic worsens.

Trudeau also asked all Canadian citizens and legal residents to return to Canada "while it is still possible."

"I know this news will spark concern," Trudeau said during a Monday press briefing. "I know that these measures are far-reaching. They are exceptional circumstances, calling for exceptional measures."

Trudeau's wife, Sophie Trudeau, tested positive for the coronavirus last week, but the prime minister, who is self-isolating for 14 days, said he had "absolutely no symptoms."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday afternoon that Canada would close its borders to anyone who is not a Canadian citizen, except for permanent Canadian residents, close family members of Canadians, diplomats, and US citizens, as the coronavirus pandemic worsens.

"I know this news will spark concern," Trudeau said during a Monday press briefing. "I know that these measures are far-reaching. They are exceptional circumstances, calling for exceptional measures."

Trudeau also asked all Canadian citizens and legal residents to return to Canada "while it is still possible."

As of Monday, there were 377 people infected with the coronavirus in Canada.

Canada previously required those traveling to the country from Italy, Iran, and China's Hubei province to "self-isolate and stay at home" for two weeks and notify public-health authorities within their first day in the country. The Canadian government also recommended all travelers coming from abroad self-isolate for two weeks.

Trudeau's wife, Sophie Trudeau, tested positive for the coronavirus last week, but the prime minister said he had "absolutely no symptoms" and that their children weren't showing any symptoms of the virus.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Oregon will no longer allow visitors at nursing homes and other group care facilities in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus among people most at risk from the disease, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday.

People will still be allowed to visit their loved ones who are near the end of life, the governor said.

The virus attacks older people and people with underlying health conditions with the most virulence. The epicenter of Oregons COVID-19 outbreak is a veterans home in Lebanon where there are now 14 presumptive positive coronavirus cases among 13 residents and one staff member.

The new visitation ban also applies to adult foster homes and group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the governor said in her daily telephone call with reporters Tuesday morning.

A week ago, the state opted to continue allowing people to visit long-term care homes so long as only two people at a time visited a resident and visitors were screened for symptoms of respiratory illness.

Brown defended her decision to allow day cares to remain open even as she has imposed increasingly strict social distancing measures including closing schools statewide through the end of March, banning gatherings of more than 25 people and ordering bars and restaurants to cease all operations with the exception of takeout and delivery meals.

The information we know is that children are, of all of our population, the most minimally impacted by the coronavirus," Brown said. "Like all of these decisions its a balancing act, she said. Key reasons to keep childcare centers open include the need for many workers in public safety, health care and other essential fields such as the grocery supply chain to continue reporting for work, the governor said.

I would argue that its better for children to be in a childcare facility than to be home with their elderly aunt or their elderly grandpa because need to protect our elderly and our most vulnerable, Brown said.

She did not address what older childcare workers and others at higher risk of coronavirus complications should do. But the states Early Learning Division said those people should not work and that its fine for certain day cares to close as a result. Many day cares in Oregon have already closed voluntarily, following the closure of public schools.

The governor said she does not plan to issue a statewide ban on evictions when people cannot pay their rent due to coronavirus related issues, as Multnomah County and Portland officials did locally Tuesday morning.

"We are not considering that option at this point in time but obviously, again, we are in a global pandemic and all options are on the table, Brown said. "As you know, we have a housing crisis already in the state and I want to make sure that doesnt get worse.

In response to a reporters question about rural Oregons capacity to respond to a growing number of coronavirus cases, Brown said it has been challenging to convince people outside metropolitan areas to adopt social distancing necessary to slow the virus spread.

"I do know that it doesnt feel real in eastern Oregon and that we are struggling to communicate the importance of social distancing measures there, Brown said.

Rural mayors and county commissioners provided some of the strongest pushback to the idea of closing bars and restaurants, saying elderly and vulnerable people in their communities depended on those businesses. So thats why I was extremely hesitant to make the call I did yesterday, the governor said.

But rural hospitals simply do not have the capacity to care for a large number of people who might become sick due to COVID-19, so Brown said the state is relying on people to take responsibility for slowing its spread.

We just dont have the personnel  that we will need for a huge surge, she said. "I know this is causing a grave hardship and extreme challenges for Oregonians across the state. I know in rural Oregon it is particularly challenging. But honestly we have to minimize the impacts as much as possible and thats why Im talking to folks all over the state and asking people to take these measures very, very seriously.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday criticised the government for nominating former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha and used the remarks of former law minister Arun Jaitley on cooling off period for judges to attack it.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered the advice of his late law minister before nominating Gogoi.

"Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex-CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha," he asked on Twitter.

"Justice Lokur rightly summarises it -: 'Has the last bastion fallen?'," Surjewala said in another tweet.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi also said that Modi could have adhered to the advice of Jaitley in this regard.

He also highlighted and shared the 2012 remarks of Jaitley on having a cooling off period for judges to head Tribunals.

"Modiji amitshahji hamari nahi to arun Jaitley ki to sun lijiye! Did he not speak and write against post retirement largesse to judges? Do u remember," he said citing Jaitley's comments.

"...Courts function on faith trust perception and faith. Each has taken a bad beating today," he said.
Since our early beginnings, Spry Digital has valued and championed for gender equality in the workplace, especially in technology. As a woman-owned business, we believe in the importance of clearly defining and implementing policies to support women in the workplace," said Sheila Burkett, CEO.

Spry Digital was one of 16 organizations honored by the Womens Foundation of St. Louis as part of its Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard Initiative. The honor recognizes employers who demonstrate a strong commitment to women in the workplace.

Since our early beginnings, Spry Digital has valued and championed for gender equality in the workplace, especially in technology. As a woman-owned business, we believe in the importance of clearly defining and implementing policies to support women in the workplace. Only through action and leadership can we hope to have an inclusive, supportive environment for all employees, said Sheila Burkett, chief executive officer.

Honorees were selected based on data submitted about structural efforts and outcomes to advance women through compensation, leadership, flexible work policies and recruitment and retention initiatives.

Spry Digital actively works on building team strengths based on different experiences to create inclusive and progressive company values. Notably, Spry has developed a number of policies over the past year to better establish an equitable workplace for everyone. Most significantly, it has implemented a new family leave policy which allows paid time off for both mothers and fathers.

Half of Spry Digitals employees are women, including both the chief executive officer and the chief technology officer.

We like to say that 50 percent of our workforce are women, but 100 percent of our workforce are the best person for the job, adds Burkett. Our atmosphere makes Spry Digital both a great place to work and a great place to bring your work.

About Spry Digital

Spry Digital, located in St. Louis, Missouri, works to create meaningful digital experiences that inspire, empower and connect people. Spry Digital blends innovative web, application and marketing solutions to transform businesses from the inside out and position them for success in a digital world. Its award-winning people-first approach underscores its commitment to both its employees and its clients.
From energy to real estate, the infrastructure industry is constantly reinventing itself. Be it the product offerings or the consumer preferences, the underlying traits that had defined this industry for so long have changed.

Take the example of the energy sector. Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Services Limited, said, Some people like to call it energy transmission, I would like to call it energy transformation. The customer was never the focus of the power centre, but things are changing dramatically.

Kumar was speaking at the 15th edition of HT Brand Studio Live. It is a series that gets the brains behind Indias top brands to decode marketing innovations and more. It is anchored by Rameet Arora, Chief Operating Officer, HT Digital Streams, and co-hosted by HT Brand Studio and DMAasia.

While older templates get re-imagined, the need for change is imperative. Core to these changes is data-driven infrastructure. NSN Murty, Partner & Leader, Smart Cities, PwC India, said, In the last five-six years, consumers have gone from being price sensitive to quality conscious. Consumers want that service and if it is given, they will pay an extra amount of money. Smart cities are completely focused on how the quality of service delivery improves at the last mile.

With rampant urbanisation and digitisation, consumer needs are also constantly shifting. The demands are diverse, but the creation of such demands and their fulfilment depend on social infrastructure more than anything else, as explained by Karan Kumar, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, DLF.

He said: Infrastructure needs to be looked at from various levels, other than physical infrastructure. Building a new India is all about getting your habitation story in place. Infrastructure leads to habitation, which again leads to community building, which automatically provides the requirement for multiple services to be provided to these communities. Its a very large and connected puzzle.

Ashish Bhutani, CEO, Bhutani Group, also spoke about blending infrastructure and experiences. He said, Brands should focus on building landmarks instead of just brick-and-mortar buildings. Infrastructure should have some marquee attractions, so that an individual can work and spend time with his family at the same place.

Brands should also strive to cater to the needs of millennial consumers. Rajan Suri, Business Head - Retail Assets, PNB Housing Finance Limited, said, Companies should actively invest in the digital space, as consumers are most active there. They need everything at the touch of a button. Consumers, especially Gen Z, believe in personalised offerings.

Highlighting how even B2B marketing in real estate has evolved, Ramesh Iyengar, Chairman & Managing Director, Select Direct Marketing Communications, said, The end consumer is so aware, so well-travelled and so exposed that they are demanding good-quality products. We can even see manufacturers are jumping across verticals.

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The COVID-19 patient who returned to Beijing from the United States last week is being investigated for the suspected crime of impairing the prevention and control of infectious diseases, a Beijing police spokesperson said Monday.

The 37-year-old female patient, surnamed Li, is a citizen of the southwestern city of Chongqing but has been living in Massachusetts, according to Pan Xuhong, deputy head and spokesperson of the municipal public security bureau.

Li, who developed symptoms including fever and cough on March 1, flew back to Beijing with her husband and son from Los Angeles and arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on March 13. They were sent to a hospital directly from the airport and Li tested positive of the COVID-19.

Li is being treated at a designated hospital. Her husband and son are under quarantine, according to Pan.

Pan said the Beijing police will resolutely crack down on the illegal acts of refusing to cooperate in epidemic prevention and control, such as falsifying information and concealment of illness, and bring those accountable to justice.
The price of personal protective equipment, known as PPE, has skyrocketed, forcing healthcare professionals to scramble for supplies and consider closing their practices.

While the federal government is working to increase the supply of PPE, including 230,000 new P2 masks which arrived in Australia on Tuesday, health practitioners say the supplies they are receiving are not enough to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Health care professionals are scrambling for masks, goggles and gowns as the COVID-19 crisis continues. Credit:Mags King

Kirrawee Family Medical Practice manager Karen Pearn, in Sydney's south, said the practice ordered gowns, masks and goggles a few weeks ago ahead of the shortage and received only an additional 150 surgical masks from the federal government through its National Medical Stockpile initiative.

The practice is now scrambling for supplies.
India has ordered the closure of the Taj Mahal, its most popular tourist attraction, amid mounting concerns that a lack of testing could mask the scale of the countrys coronavirus outbreak.

Visitor numbers to the 17th century monument outside the city of Agra were already down after the Indian government ordered a ban last week on all visas for foreign tourists.

Some visitors who entered the country before the travel ban came into force were pictured in tears outside the closed gates on Tuesday. The Taj Mahal  built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a grand tomb for his favourite wife  normally attracts as many as 70,000 people every day.

Its closure, and that of all the other 3,690 monuments and historical sites run by the Archaeological Survey of India nationwide, come amid increasingly strict measures taken by the government to try and stave off a Covid-19 epidemic.

From midday on Wednesday, the travel ban will be extended to cover all passengers coming from the UK, EU and Turkey, and will even include Indian nationals wanting to travel home from those countries, a senior source in the Indian foreign ministry confirmed.

The official said the advisory, issued amid some confusion on Monday, does not make any distinction between Indian and foreign nationals.

Asked whether this would potentially mean Indians being stranded in European countries, even if their visas had expired, the official said: These are extraordinary times due to the pandemic and a temporary measure. Our missions will facilitate the visa extension and we hope the same will be agreed to by the EU countries.

India, a country of almost 1.4 billion people, has had just 137 confirmed coronavirus cases, and on Tuesday reported only its third death  a 64-year-old man in Maharashtra, the worst-affected state.

But experts have expressed concerns that many infections could be going undetected, with the governments limited policy on testing meaning only 11,500 people have had proper lab checks.

One British woman who was both experiencing symptoms and had suspected contact with a Covid-19 case left India for France after the authorities refused to test her. It is Indias policy that people will only be tested if they have suspected contact with a case or have travelled abroad, and then are still showing symptoms after 14 days of home quarantine.

One reason for the protocol  which goes against World Health Organisation advice and experiences of several countries that are testing as many people as they can  is the cost of conducting a test.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

Officials are of the view that the Rs 5,000 (56) it costs the public health system to test for Covid-19 would be better spent on longer standing health problems like tuberculosis, malnutrition and HIV/Aids, where that amount of money goes a long way in South Asia.

Instead, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)  the countrys top medical research body  is using random sample testing to monitor for what it calls community spread, the threshold whereby a country is experiencing new infections where there is no history of travel or contact with people who have travelled abroad.

At a news conference, ICMR experts said that no Covid-19 cases were detected among a sample of 1,000 patients with acute respiratory problems in February. Preliminary data for the first week of March, from a sample of 500 tests, didnt show a single coronavirus case.

Balram Bhargava, the ICMRs director, said testing indiscriminately would be premature for India, where we are still in stage 2 [local transmission]. Therefore it creates more fear, more paranoia and more hype, he said.

But not everyone is agreed on the approach, or the conclusions drawn by the ICMR. Given the pattern of disease in other places, and given our low level of testing, then I do think that community transmission is happening, said Dr Gagandeep Kang, the director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute.

Community spread is very likely in a country like India, where more than 400 million people live in crowded cities and many do not have the regular access to clean water needed to follow hand-washing guidance, said Dr Anant Bhan, a global health researcher in Bhopal, central India.

But the only way to know for sure is through more expansive testing, he told the Associated Press.

City authorities are not waiting for cases to rise before taking action over social mixing. From Delhi to Mumbai to Bengaluru, Indias largest metropolises are closing schools, banning large gatherings and asking people to work from home where possible.

Yet there are also major shortcomings in public compliance with anti-virus orders. Health officials have struggled to maintain quarantines, with people fleeing from isolation wards complaining of filthy conditions.

In the central state of Maharashtra, five people, one of whom had tested negative and the rest who were awaiting test results, walked out of an isolation ward last Saturday.

And while India has implemented a 19th century epidemic law that empowers officials to punish those who flout containment measures, there is only so much the authorities can do without public compliance.

Aditya Bhatnagar, an Indian university student who was studying in Spain, described unsanitary conditions at an isolation ward where he and 50 others passengers on a Barcelona flight have been kept since landing in Delhi on Monday.

Rooms shared by around eight people lacked basic hygiene features such as clean bed sheets and bathrooms, and the group was not provided with masks or hand sanitiser despite still awaiting their Covid-19 test results.

I dont think these measures would be enough to contain the pandemic, Bhatnagar said.

Additional reporting by agencies
Former Najaf governor has 30 days to form a cabinet which must then be approved by Iraqs Parliament.

Iraqi President Barham Salih has appointed Adnan al-Zurfi as the countrys new prime minister-designate in the latest bid to resolve a months-long political crisis.

Al-Zurfi has 30 days to form his cabinet which he must then put to a vote of confidence in Iraqs fractious Parliament. The 54-year-old former governor of the holy Shia city of Najaf heads the Nasr parliamentary grouping of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Al-Zurfi would replace caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who quit in December following widespread mass demonstrations against a government that protesters see as corrupt, failing to provide them with basic services, and beholden to powerful neighbouring Iran.

Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn, reporting from the capital, Baghdad, said: President Salih has made an unprecedented step chosing Adnan al-Zurfi without the consultation of the political parties in Parliament.

He is somebody who is seen as having pretty close ties with the West and with the US specifically and, as a result of that, many of the political parties in Parliament are likely to reject him, Foltyn added.

A senior government source told AFP news agency that political factions had intensely debated names for days, seeking a non-confrontational figure to preserve the status quo.

Al-Zurfis appointment came two weeks after former Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew his candidacy for the post, accusing political parties of obstructing him.

Al-Zurfi was a former official of the US-run authorities that took over Iraq after the 2003 US invasion that deposed former ruler Saddam Hussein.
Now that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is officially a global pandemic, everyone has one common goal, keep everybody safe from the deadly disease. To strengthen the response against the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations have partnered to curb the pandemic, as they launched the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

The fund, which is the first-of-its-kind, will enable private individuals, institutions, and corporations across the globe to work together and contribute to global response efforts.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round gold objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, is the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus shown was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Credit: NIAID-RML

The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

During times of need, a response fund will help raise money from a broad range of donors from different countries to support the work of the WHO and its partners. This way, they can respond to the needs of countries shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund will unite many private individuals, corporations and organizations to contribute to global efforts to stem the outbreak. The response has been pioneered by the WHO, the United Nations, and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation.

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, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said. We are immensely grateful to the UN Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation for coming forward to help us set up this fund. A lot of people and institutions have been saying they want to contribute to the fight against the novel coronavirus. Now they can, he added.

The funds raised will be allocated toward actions outlined in the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to enable vulnerable countries with weak healthcare systems to prepare for the outbreak. The response includes fast detection of cases, stemming transmission of the pathogen, and caring for those who are infected.

Further, the funds will help in the manufacture and distribution of personal protective equipment for frontline health workers who are serving those who are negatively impacted. The partnership will also enable diagnostic laboratories to be equipped with the tests needed for the disease. The funds will help strengthen supply chains, improve surveillance and data collection, maintain intensive care units, and hasten research and development of treatments and vaccines.

Economic impact

Apart from the partnership with the UN, the WHO will work closely with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to ensure the latest and most reliable information about the pandemic reaches the global business community.

The pandemic has caused immense problems in the business sector as many businesses have shut down amid lockdown regulations in many countries and cities. All companies play pivotal roles in minimizing the risk of transmission and negative impact on the community. Early action will help curb the spread of the deadly virus, which includes precautionary measures to reduce risks to employees and long-term effects on the economy.

What is happening?

The global pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged in late December 2019 in a seafood market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, in China. On Jan. 23, the city was locked down, and residents were barred from leaving the city. Now, the outbreak has since spread to 155 countries, regions, and sovereignties, infecting 181,800 people across the globe. The death toll has reached 7,146, with Italy reporting the highest number of infections and deaths outside China. Italy has so far nearly 28,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,100 deaths. To compare, China has reported more than 81,000 infections and more than 3,100 deaths.

The death rate in Italy is far more than that of China, with more than 7 percent fatality rate. Iran has reported 14,991 infections, while Spain surpassed South Korea with 9,942 confirmed cases, while South Korea has 8,320 cases. The death toll of Spain and France are also high, with 342 and 148 deaths, respectively.
Bhopal, March 17 : After his government survived for another day, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath continued his correspondence with governor Lalji Tandon on Tuesday with a conciliatory note without yielding any ground.

The letter gives a glimpse of the ruling party's strategy to deal with the new situation where the MLAs, holed up in Bengaluru, were shown addressing the media and complaining about the partisan and arrogant attitude of the chief minister.

MLA after MLA including former ministers have been shown lambasting Kamal Nath for fostering nepotism and spending all development funds on Chhindwara.

His letter in Hindi roughly translated in English said, "I have pursued a 40-year political career with restraint and due respect for others. I am sad that you have, in your letter dated March 16, accused me of not keeping up parliamentary propriety. I regret if you have been offended for any reason. You did mention the adjournment of the House till March 26 without finding it proper to mention the reasons for it. As you know our country and indeed the entire world is facing the threat through coronavirus and the World Health Organisation has declared it a pandemic. The government of India has issued an advisory against large congregations or crowding in public places. This was the reason the Speaker adjourned the House till March 26,2020, 11 a.m." He further said, "You have expressed regret that I avoided undergoing the floor test in the timeframe you prescribed. I wish to bring to your notice the fact that I have proved my government's majority many times during the past 15 months. If the BJP is accusing me of having lost majority, it can seek a floor test through a no-confidence motion in the House. As per my information they have already moved a no-confidence motion that is pending with the Speaker. If the Hon'ble Speaker acts on the motion as per the Vidhan Sabha rules it will establish our majority. I have, through frequent personal meetings and letters, been acquainting you with the extra-ordinary situation arising out of BJP flying 16 of our MLAs to Bengaluru and keeping them in a resort with the help of Karnataka police like hostages. They are not being allowed to meet or talk with others. They are being prevented from returning to Bhopal while BJP leaders are meeting them, offering allurements and subjecting them to pressure, fear and forcing them to make false statements before the media. As an evidence a complaint from the brother of one of them, Manoj Choudhary, is enclosed." "I wish to assure you again, let the 16 Congress members be free in an open atmosphere for five to seven days. They would take independent decisions. Your assumption that unless I prove my majority on the floor of the House on March 17, I will be deemed to have lost majority will be unconstitutional, being baseless," the CM's letter further said.

"I also learn that the BJP leaders have filed a petition in the court. In the light of these facts I have forwarded your directives to the Hon'ble Speaker for appropriate action. I am also marking a copy of this letter to him," Nath wrote in the letter.
Church bells are to ring out across the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin this morning as a call to prayer and solidarity at this time of the coronavirus pandemic, Bishop Denis Nulty said.

Bishop Nulty asked churches in the Diocese to ring their bells for three minutes at 11am on Saint Patricks Day.

He said: The ringing of the bells on our National Feast Day will serve as a call to pray in solidarity and hope in these uncertain times.

Across our diocese there are no public Masses on Saint Patricks Day or next Sunday. Twenty-six of our parishes, offer a webcam facility. More will use a parish radio frequency. Every crisis also offers us a moment to explore new ways of expressing our faith.

"The Church is not a building; its a community, and on this day its very much a digital on-line community. Over the days we will endeavour to use digital media to its full capacity.

"The time will come, hopefully soon, when we can return to our churches and celebrate Mass but in the meantime lets stay connected in prayerful solidarity with one another. The ringing of our church bells on Saint Patricks Day is one way of doing this.

Let us very much remember in prayer those affected by the coronavirus and those at the frontline protecting us from its effects, the healthcare and medical teams. I also ask you to pray also for all our priests. Many of them make huge sacrifices, often at a personal cost looking after their parish.

"Look out for them, lower your expectation these critical days, so that they too may be protected fully from the virus and its impact. And most of all look after yourself and one another, particularly those most vulnerable, fragile and on the edges.

"While the coronavirus recognises no boundaries; as people of faith neither does our love and compassion for one another.
After Joe Bidens spectacular comeback on Super Tuesday (winning ten of 14 states) and his big wins on March 14th, especially his romp in Michigan, he now has a fairly comfortable lead in the delegate count. Biden has the momentum and there is a growing sense that he can win the nomination.

A few weeks ago it appeared that the Biden campaign was dead in the water. Even then, Democratic Party insiders were not coalescing around the Bernie Sanders candidacy. In spite of the succession of early Sanders victories and his strength among young and Latino voters, there was a feeling that Bernies positions and his rhetoric were too far outside of the mainstream to win.

Here are five reasons that were given as to why they felt Bernie couldnt beat Donald Trump:

#1: Seniors will be bombarded during the campaign with Trump commercials spreading panic about their losing their ability to choose their doctor and having to wait for months for an operation under Bernies brand of socialized medicine, know as Medicare for all.

The party insiders feel that the vast majority of voters, especially those who are currently satisfied with the their current plan, will be much more comfortable with expanding Obamacare by offering all Americans access to a public option without eliminating the private insurance plans so many citizens now have.

#2: Bernie will receive fewer Jewish votes than a typical Democratic presidential candidate because of statements that he has made that have been critical of Israelis treatment of the Palestinians and pronouncements in which he declared Jewish settlements illegal. Further, the Trump campaign will link Bernie to the positions taken by squad members Rep. Rashida Tlaiband Ilhan Omar on the boycott, divestment and sanction movement against Israel.

Jewish voters have a very long history of extraordinary support for Democratic presidential candidates. In 2016, Hillary Clinton walloped Trump by about 47 percentage points among Jewish voters (71% to 23%), according to the Pew Research Center.

The Jewish vote is especially significant in Florida, a state where the last two presidential elections were decided by a margin of less than 1.2% and where Jews comprise around 4% of the population. In 2018, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis won the race when he received 35% of the Jewish vote in Florida after attacking Democrat Andrew Gillum for his connections to groups that were critical of Israel.

#3: Bernie has not shown a historic ability to excite and motivate arguably the most important constituents in the Democratic Party: African Americans. If the Democrat nominee cant spur black turnout he/she is going to have a very difficult time winning. Fall-off in African-American turnout was one of the keys to Hillarys loss in 2016 (59% down from 67% in 2012 and 64% in 2008) and it was especially poor in Michigan and Wisconsin (down by 12%), two states that went for Trump.

#4: During a recent 60 Minutes interview, Anderson Cooper asked Bernie about comments he made back in the 1980s about why the Cuban people didnt rise up and help the U.S. overthrow Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Bernie said: Were very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, its unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?

Bernies comments didnt sit well with lots of Cubans. There is absolutely no upside for a self- professed Democratic Socialist, saying anything nice about a totalitarian communist dictator like Fidel Castro.

#5  While there was acknowledgment that Bernies focus on meat-and-potato issues such as providing health care to all, free college, universal child care and upping the minimum wage to $15 bucks per hour should resonate with working-class voters living paycheck to paycheck, there was a sense that President Trumps hardcore supporters will be with him no matter what because of a strong dose of economic anxiety and a deep sense that they have been neglected. Insiders were not buying that Bernie had a unique ability to win over rust belt voters.

t is too early to determine all of the factors that triggered Joe Bidens phenomenal reversal of fortune. It appears that the following were keys: the sudden spread of the coronavirus, Bidens overwhelming support among African-American voters and his significant support among blue-collar voters, Bidens endorsements by many of his presidential rivals and less than stellar voter turnout among young voters (18-30 years of age) one of the factors that Bernie Sanders was banking on.

I always thought that the major reason that Bernie faced an uphill fight against Trump was because of his position on Medicare for all which I think could put him at odds with the tens of millions of American who are satisfied with their current private insurance. The Biden campaign must now thread the needle on this issue and make the case that it is possible to provide universal coverage through the expansion of Obamacare and through a public option that allow all the opportunity to buy into a public option plan for Medicare. Approaching the issue in this manner will not negatively impacting union members who have high-quality private insurance they secured through collective bargaining.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Were hearing from many readers  and seeing on social media  rumors that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine soon will announce widespread closures of additional state businesses.

The rumor has different forms. All businesses will close down or just some. It will be for two weeks or 30 days. Some versions say residents wont be allowed to leave their homes.

Thats not the case.

After ordering an indefinite closure of Ohios bars and restaurants on Sunday, DeWine has telegraphed that additional closures could be coming  he mentioned day-care centers as a possibility on Sunday. In other places, like New York, officials have announced closures of gyms and movie theaters.

UPDATE: 3:06 p.m.  DeWine announced Monday the following will be closed at close of business today:

- Fitness centers and gyms

- Bowling alleys

- Public recreation centers

- Movie theaters

- Indoor water parks

- Indoor trampoline parks

UPDATE: DeWine also announced hes going to seek to postpone in-person voting for the election until June 2.

Addressing reporters at the Statehouse on Monday, DeWine said his office is aware there are many rumors circulating. He said a rumor that grocery stores will close is false.

A lot of information out there, he said. "Were going to try to knock those rumors down any time we have the opportunity to do it. I would say to the folks at home watching this. If its a crazy rumor it probably is a crazy rumor.
In an unprecedented move, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to ''stamp'' all those people who have been sent to ''home quarantine'' in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, Maharashtra's Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Rajesh Tope had said that people who have undergone 100 per cent home quarantine, should be marked with instruction on their left hand with indelible ink.

"Those who have undergone 100 per cent home quarantine, should be marked with instruction on their left hand with indelible ink, so that that this person can be identified in the community," Tope said

Accordingly, the left hand of all persons shunted to 100 per cent home quarantine will be stamped to identify them easily if they mingle with the general public. Rajesh Tope said that on the lines of the indelible ink applied to voters during elections, a stamp will be imprinted on the left hand indicating "that person/patient is under compulsory home quarantine" till March 31.

Taking to Twitter, BMC also mandated the same and stated that the 'Badge of Honour' will be a constant reminder for 14 days.

#LimitContacts#SecondLineOfDefence



People who are advised to be #HomeQuarantined will now #GetInked at the back of the palm.



This #BadgeOfHonour will serve as a constant reminder, for 14 days. For others, gets easy to spot & remind to return home. One worry less!#NaToCorona https://t.co/PE1KPOTYgf pic.twitter.com/3VU1hAh9Mm   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) March 16, 2020

As per sources, the decision, taken at a meeting of top officials chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been described as a precautionary measure. So far, 39 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Maharashtra, making it the state with the most number of infected cases.

READ: Karnataka records two more confirmed cases of Coronavirus, both quarantined

BMC Chief Advocates 'Work-From-Home' to Mumbai companies

BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi on Sunday took to social media and issued a warning to all companies to initiate ''work-from-home'' wherever possible. "We highly advise companies to initiate work-from-home policies. If necessary, we will make this mandatory in the days to come," Pardeshi said in an interview with social media platform 'Humans of Bombay'.

"Im the Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai & I want to use this opportunity to talk about the COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, read a post from Humans of Bombay on its Facebook and Instagram page. All measures under the Epidemic Act are in effect. A lockdown has been initiated by the closure of schools, colleges, theatres, malls, pools & gyms, Pardeshi said.

READ: Section 144 imposed in Nagpur due to Coronavirus as Maharashtra cases rise

Coronavirus Crisis

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to around 114, including 17 foreign nationals. The maximum cases of the virus have been reported in Maharashtra and Kerala. 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.

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel Coronavirus has affected nearly 148 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 168,019 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 6,610 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: Coronavirus: People consume cow urine in Kolkata

READ: UK asks Ford, Rolls Royce to make ventilators amid Coronavirus pandemic
Americans stuck in countries around the world are calling on U.S. officials to help them return home as governments have restricted travel to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Phil McMannis, a tech entrepreneur, and his wife, Jerri, have been trying to get home to Boston from Fez, Morocco, since Friday. It was the last leg of a yearlong trip around the world. Their flight on March 22 was canceled, and the couple has had no luck trying to rebook.

Image: Phil and Jerri McMannis in Fez, Morocco. (Courtesy Phil McMannis)

Its a scary situation, but we are doing the best we can to stay positive, McMannis, 36, told NBC News on Tuesday.

The local people are offering to help and are talking to us, but our own government has said nothing, said McMannis, adding that he had reached out to the U.S. Embassy and his senators.

On Sunday, Morocco, which hosts some 12 million visitors a year, including 304,000 Americans, suspended all international flights. It has 37 confirmed cases of the virus and one death.

A State Department spokesman told NBC News on Tuesday that the U.S. government has successfully evacuated hundreds of U.S. citizens in the past few weeks. However, "such flights do not reflect our standard practice and should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens abroad who may be impacted by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. U.S. citizens should make plans using commercial travel options."

Later, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement that it had organized 30 flights leaving Agadir and Marrakech to London in the following days.

With gratitude to our partners at the British Embassy in Morocco, we again confirm there will be 30 commercial flights (EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways and Tui) leaving from Agadir and Marrakech to London until 19 March.  U.S. Embassy Morocco (@USEmbMorocco) March 17, 2020

Mary Marland of Boulder, Colorado, traveled to Morocco on Friday with her husband and two children for a friends wedding. While they were on the flight, President Donald Trump announced the first in a series of travel restrictions on people entering the U.S.

Story continues

The family rebooked so they could leave on Sunday, but that flight was canceled, as were two following flights.

Information is unreliable. Every cancellation happened without a rebooking option, and Ive spent hours on the phone will the airlines, said Marland, 42, who is now staying at a mostly empty hotel in Tangiers.

Along with worrying that the hotel will soon close, Marland is also concerned about the expense of both staying there and paying for meals.

I am terrified of the idea that this is going to go on beyond this week, she said, adding that breakfast alone for their family of four cost $90.

Image: Mary Marland, her husband Milton Jaimes, and kids Kate and Jack in Morocco.

Both Marland and McMannis complained about what they said was a lack of help and information from U.S. authorities.

Elsewhere, Americans traveling abroad as the coronavirus has spread around the world have struggled to return home, caught up in worldwide travel restrictions and flight cancellations. Many Americans returning from abroad have encountered chaotic health screenings at airports that clearly broke virus-fighting rules against crowds, according to The Associated Press.

Embassies around the world have released information for U.S. citizens, advising them to leave as soon as possible.

In Algeria, the U.S. Embassy tweeted that American citizens should consider going directly to #AlgiersInternational Airport to book a flight, as flight availability may become increasingly limited or cease altogether over the coming days.

The message from Argentina was similar, with the embassy advising U.S. citizens with plans to leave to explore all options for departing via air, land or maritime routes while options remain.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has now risen to more than 185,000, and 7,330 people have died.

Etta Moen, a student, left Spain, the worlds fourth-most infected country, on Tuesday to return home to Kenmore, Washington. After learning on Thursday that her semester abroad program had been canceled, Moen turned to her parents for help booking a flight home from Alicante through Barcelona and London.

It felt like taking a gamble booking a flight and not knowing if it would be canceled, said Moen, 20, from Londons Heathrow Airport, as she waited for her flight to Seattle. I was checking the websites for all the airports and the airlines that I would be flying through every day.

With more than 11,000 confirmed cases, Spain has been under partial lockdown since Saturday night and residents are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital. Nearly 500 people in the country have died from the virus.

Reid Richesin, 21, spent all day Tuesday at the airport in Paris waiting for his flight back to the U.S. in the evening, wanting to ensure that he made it there before France's lockdown began at noon.

Along with controls on France's land borders, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered people to stay at home and to leave only to buy groceries, travel to work if essential, exercise or for medical care.

Richesin, who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, has lived in Paris for three years, studying at the American University. After landing in New York, he plans to go to a friends house in Connecticut for the foreseeable future.

It feels like everything is up in the air and could be canceled  we will just have to see, he said from the airport.
This will be a spring break to forget for Wisconsin Dells and the rest of Wisconsins multibillion-dollar tourism industry.

Waterparks are closing, museums have shuttered and historic sites including Old World Wisconsin near Eagle and Circus World in Baraboo are no longer an option due to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The Chazen Museum of Art and Milwaukee Art Museum have closed along with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc and Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau. Door Peninsula Winery in Door County remains open but olive oil, food and fudge sampling have ceased and tastings are delivered in disposable cups.

The closures and cutbacks will mean lost revenue, unemployment for workers and a significant dent in tourism spending, one of Wisconsins three economic pillars along with manufacturing and agriculture.

Even the Wisconsin Governors Conference on Tourism that was scheduled to start Sunday at Monona Terrace has been postponed. It will now be held May 26-28.

There will be books written about this episode in tourism and how you go from (nothing) to a full-blown crisis in two weeks, said Jack Moneypenny, president and CEO of the Door County Visitor Bureau.

Direct tourism spending in 2018 increased 4.86% to $13.3 billion, according to a study commissioned by the state Department of Tourism, the ninth straight year of growth for the industry. Numbers for 2019 will be released in May but the 2020 numbers are almost certain to take a hit.

Waterpark resorts

In Wisconsin Dells, where tourism is a $1.21 billion industry, two of its largest waterpark resorts  Wilderness and Kalahari  will close Wednesday afternoon.

Chula Vista announced late Monday that it would close its waterpark and conference, banquet and event facilities on Wednesday but hotel rooms, condominiums and villas will remain open.

Great Wolf Lodge closed on Sunday but no announcement has been made for Mount Olympus resort. Based on the orders Monday by Gov. Tony Evers to limit crowds to no more than 50 people, it could mean, at the very least, limited crowds in its waterpark, game rooms and restaurants.

Other closings in Wisconsin Dells include the Rick Wilcox Theatre, which has not scheduled a show until May 23, while the Palace Theatre has rescheduled an Air Supply concert to October. Its unclear if the Palaces Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which opened March 13, will continue with a limited audience or be rescheduled.

Wisconsin Dells has more than 8,000 guest rooms, but with the country largely hunkering down its likely that many of those rooms will be empty over at least the next few weeks. Officials at Kalahari, Wilderness, Great Wolf and Chula Vista have all said theyd like to reopen by April 2.

The Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau has pulled its spring break advertising from the Chicago, Minnesota and Wisconsin markets, said Leah Hauck, communications manager for the bureau. Its not known how many jobs will be affected but it could be into the thousands, officials have said.

As far as the tourism industry is concerned, its affecting everybody, Hauck said of the pandemic. Were all in this together. This isnt just Wisconsin Dells. This is all tourism and travel destinations.

Historic sites

On Monday, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced that it would temporarily close its historic sites and other facilities until at least April 10. This includes Pendarvis in Mineral Point and the H.H. Bennett Studio in downtown Wisconsin Dells. The closures include the library and archives at the societys headquarters building adjacent to the UW-Madison campus and its museum on Capitol Square. School tours are also canceled at the states 10 historic sites until May 11.

Our facility closures are precautionary measures, said Christian W. Overland, the societys director and CEO. No known cases of the virus have been reported by any of our volunteers, staff or visitors. Our facilities team has increased cleaning and sanitizing frequencies in all of our buildings as an additional precautionary measure.

Around the state

At Wollersheim Winery near Prairie du Sac, the states largest winery has ended tours and tastings but its store remains open. In Door County, Moneypenny said his tourism organization has sent a survey out to lodging operators to get a handle on bookings and cancellations.

This is still our quiet time up here so for us the very best time for us for this to happen, if it had to happen, is right now, Moneypenney said. In the summertime, it would have probably just crippled us.

In Manitowoc, the closure has forced the Wisconsin Maritime Museum to lay off 20 tour guides and front desk staff, executive director Cathy Green said. The hope is to reopen the museum along Lake Michigan on April 6, but even if that were to happen the museums $1.3 million budget will take a hit as much of its funding comes from ticket sales, including for school groups and overnight stays on the U.S.S. Cobia, a World War II submarine docked in the Manitowoc River adjacent to the museum.

This is really a significant loss for us, said Green, who along with the rest of her remaining staff is working reduced hours. Heading into the summer, I think, is where a lot of concern lies. Even after this is over, were going to wonder what the lingering effects may be.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 21:11 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b5ee42 1 National coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-death-toll Free

The government has warned that the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Indonesia may spike in the upcoming days as they are set to receive more results from 12 laboratories across the country that were recently authorized to conduct COVID-19 tests.

We acknowledge that there might be a sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases since we have been very active in conducting [contact] tracing and people have become more aware about the disease, Health Ministry disease control and prevention director general Achmad Yurianto said on Tuesday.

He said authorities would continue to trace other people who may have been exposed to the disease more thoroughly.

The government had so far tested more than 2,300 samples from patients suspected of being infected by the coronavirus, Yurianto claimed.

Previously, the COVID-19 tests were only supposed to be performed by the Jakarta-based Health Research and Development Agency, since it was the only laboratory that had been authorized by the government.

However, as of Tuesday the tests can be carried out in 12 laboratories as stipulated in Health Ministerial decree No. 01/2020.

Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia suspends visa-free policy, expands ban for people from worst-hit countries

As of Tuesday afternoon, he said, the government had already received specimens of six confirmed cases from Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, adding that the laboratory had performed its task very well.

Yurianto also hoped that other authorized laboratories, such as the Eijkman Institute for Microbiology in Jakarta and the Health Ministrys Environmental Health and Disease Control Centers in 10 cities across Indonesia, would also send their results to the government immediately.

We will also shorten the procedure for delivering specimens from hospitals to laboratories, he said, without elaborating further about the current procedure.

Yurianto also urged the public to promptly visit hospitals if they had been in contact with COVID-19 patients, and went on to advise people not to panic when the government announced a staggering increase of confirmed cases of the disease in the upcoming days.

On Tuesday afternoon, Indonesia announced 38 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 172. The death toll remains at five while nine have recovered from the disease, according to the government's data. (glh)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 01:58:10|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Monday announced the suspension of all social gatherings like sporting, religious and socio-cultural activities such as weddings and political events due to the looming threat of COVID-19.

Kiir said although his young country remains virus-free there is a need for the public to put the right preventive precautions to avoid the disease.

He revealed that all international conferences slated to take place in Juba have temporarily been suspended due to the looming threats of the novel COVID-19, adding that more cautions must be exercised at the place of work.

The South Sudan leader said travelers arriving into the young nation from the affected countries and areas with established local transmissions will be self-quarantined for 14 days.

"I have ordered self-quarantine of all senior government officials who have just arrived from countries with established local infection and transmission of COVID-19," said Kiir.

South Sudan said Monday that four of its senior government officials have been quarantined as the country heightens vigilance to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Makur Matur Kariom, undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, said the confinement of four officials is to help the young nation to take necessary precautions to protect the virus coming to South Sudan.

He said the four officials include South Sudan's ambassador to China, presidential press secretary and newly appointed minister of foreign affairs and a deputy minister who arrived in Juba last weekend from the countries with the established local transmission, adding that the officials will be under a self-quarantined for 14 days.

"The self-quarantined officials will stay in confinement while the officials from the ministry of health will pay regular observation. They will stay in a confined place mostly in their rooms, and they will not interact with the members of the family for 14 days," Kariom told reporters in Juba.

He revealed that the officials will be set free towards the end of the month after having shown no symptoms, adding that in case any of them develops symptoms then they will be moved to a government facility for further isolation where testing treatment will be provided.

Guracha Guyo, emergency coordinator for World Health Organization (WHO) in Juba, said South Sudan continues to be free of the virus on Monday. Enditem
Real stars shine the brightest when they take a stand for humanity during a crisis. One of the best examples is star-couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. With the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic affecting families across the globe, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donated $1 million to two hunger relief funds.

The actors announced their contributions that will be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada through their social media.

"COVID-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low-income families. Ryan & I are donating $1 million to be split between @feedingamerica and @foodbankscanada. If you can give, these orgs need our help," read a statement by Lively.

"Though we must be distancing ourselves to protect those who don't have the opportunity to self-quarantine, we can stay connected. Remember the lonely and isolated. Facetime, Skype, make a video. Remember the love that can travel through all this," she added.

Lively further asked people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus. "Communities are stepping up-- shopping for the elderly, making lunches for children. We can all do something for one another, even if that's simply staying home," read the statement.

The 32-year old actor ended the statement with a sweet banter with husband Ryan and said,

"Sending so much love. Now can someone please tell Ryan that emotional distancing from his mother in law is not a thing. Nothing can save him."

Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 180,500 people, including 125 in India.




If you read The Plague long ago, perhaps for a college class,  perhaps you paid more attention to the buboes and the lime pits than to the narrators depiction of the hectic exaltation of the ordinary people trapped in the epidemics bubble,  caught up in the frantic desire for life that thrives in the heart of every great calamity: the comfort of community. The townspeople of Oran did not have the recourse that todays global citizens have, in whatever town: to seek community in virtual reality.  Literary Hub
Many agents are canceling open houses and setting up virtual home tours amid coronavirus concerns. (Los Angeles Times)

Many of Los Angeles' top real estate brokerages  including Compass, Douglas Elliman, Hilton & Hyland and Deasy Penner Podley  are telling their agents to work from home as the area deals with the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The office closures arrive after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday advised against gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks. As of Tuesday, there were more than 140 cases of the virus reported in Los Angeles County, an increase of 50 overnight.

It will probably be a big adjustment for many agents, who usually rely on person-to-person interaction to show listings and close deals. Many open houses planned for this week have been canceled.

On Monday, Compass sent out a nationwide memo to its staffers offering advice on setting up virtual house tours, adding that its currently working on additional online tools to aid the process. It noted that agents can still decide to give in-person tours of their properties.

Deasy Penner Podley is encouraging its agents to take a similar route, whether that means using a 3-D tour to market homes online or FaceTiming with prospective buyers instead of meeting up.

Lynwen Hughes, Deasy Penner Podley's vice president, said the company has an online bidding platform in place to sell homes, and it's working on expanding its use. She added that many agents have canceled showings and broker open houses, except for a few she's seen advertised as a "social distancing broker open."

"Sellers still need to sell, and buyers need to buy. When there's financial uncertainty, buyers turn to real estate as a safe haven," Hughes said.

Seattle-based brokerage Redfin went as far as to cancel all open houses on properties listed by its agents and is restricting private in-person tours to two people at a time. During those tours, agents will maintain a distance of six feet from customers and won't shake hands or enter small bathrooms or crawl spaces.

Story continues

Westside Estate Agency announced a similar strategy Tuesday, canceling all open houses and offering private one-at-a-time tours only with the approval of the seller.

Hilton & Hyland, a brokerage based in Beverly Hills, is having employees work from home in accordance with the city's directive.

Because of historically low mortgage rates, however, one staffer said a decline in sales is unlikely. As the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 3.29% in early March, a buyer scooped up an $850,000 home in Woodland Hills listed by the firm without even visiting the property.

Last week, The Times reported that home-buying demand has held up despite coronavirus concerns, but Realtors are remaining cautious.

According to a recent survey from the California Assn. of Realtors, a third of California agents reported changes in seller behavior  such as canceling open houses or requiring buyers to take off their shoes and use hand sanitizer before entering a home. However, only 4% had clients remove homes from the market because of coronavirus fears.

The same survey found that 21% of California Realtors reported a decrease in buyer interest because of the coronavirus, but 9% reported an increase.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

The General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has banned all official travels relative to the church until further notice in view of the coronavirus disease which is fast spreading.

This includes; Presbyterians travelling outside the country and also any of our partners who intend to visit any PCG congregations, Districts or Presbyteries a statement signed by the Moderator Reverend Professor JOY Mante has instructed.

The statement, which was read at all congregations of the Church urged members to take serious precautionary measures given by experts including; handwashing with soap under running water and using of alcohol-based sanitizers.

The Moderator urged all to remain calm and directed that all Presbyterian Churches around the world should pray against the spread of the coronavirus.

Reverend Dr Kofi Amfo-Akonnor, Koforidua District Minister of the PCG, who presented the statement of the Moderator at the Ascension congregation said in view of the disease, handshaking and hugging and waving of handkerchiefs in the church had ceased until further notice.

He explained that the usual handshaking that followed the praises and worship on the liturgical order of the Church was ceased and urged all to abide by it adding while we are praying to our God for divine intervention, it is also important to do the needful.

Already the Ministry of Health has confirmed that so far Ghana had recorded six cases of the coronavirus.

---GNA
On its website for sellers, Amazon said items it was still accepting include groceries, baby products, pet supplies, health and household products and personal care items like shampoo. Amazon will still ship nonessential items to customers if it already has the products on the shelves in its warehouses.

This is the responsible thing for Amazon to do, to make sure that those essentials are checked in first, and it is impossible to do that if you have millions of other shipments, said Fahim Naim, a former Amazon employee who now runs eShopportunity, an e-commerce consultancy focused on Amazon.

As Americans hunker down, they have been turning to Amazon in droves to bring products to their doorsteps, not just for toilet paper and hand sanitizer but for all kinds of items, from condoms to puzzles for children.

With sales up, brands have been scrambling to restock Amazons warehouses, which has had trouble processing so many products at once. Its loading docks to bring shipments into its warehouses have turned into a major choke point in American e-commerce.

Amazon not only must manage its own demand, but it depends on a work force that lives amid the outbreak. Amazon is having a double whammy, said Guru Hariharan, a former Amazon employee whose company, CommerceIQ, advises large brands on their Amazon business. The warehouse staff is reducing but at the same time orders are increasing.
The man charged with abuse of corpse following the disappearance and death Paighton Houston has been released from the Jefferson County Jail, nearly one week after he was granted bond.

Fredrick Hampton, 50, has been held without bond since his Jan. 29 capture by U.S. Marshals in Ohio. He was extradited to Jefferson County on Feb. 13.

Hampton is charged with abuse of corpse following the death of Paighton Houston. The Trussville woman vanished Dec. 20 after she was last seen at Tin Roof in the 2700 block of Seventh Avenue South in Birminghams Lakeview District. According to Birmingham police, she left the bar about 10:45 p.m. with two heavy-set black males. Sgt. Johnny Williams said it was reported that Houston left the location willingly with the two men. She had reportedly gone to the Birmingham bar with co-workers.

Friends on Facebook said Houston didnt know the men and that the last text message from her to a coworker  about two hours after she left Tin Roof - stated she didnt know where she was, and she felt she might be in trouble. She had sent multiple messages to her co-worker, the last one reading, Idk who im with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble. That text was sent at 12:15 a.m. Dec. 21 but not seen by her coworker until nearly two hours later.

Houstons body was found Friday, Jan. 3, wrapped in sheets and buried in a shallow grave behind the house at 215 Chapel Drive. That house belongs to relatives of Hampton.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office listed the cause of death as morphine and methamphetamine toxicity. The manner of death is accidental. "This represents an overdose and is classified as a drug-opioid death,'' said Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates.

Hampton is not charged in Houstons death, only with actions authorities say he took following her death, which in this case would be burying her. According to Alabama law, a person commits the crime of abuse of a corpse if he or she knowingly treats a human corpse in a way that would outrage ordinary family sensibilities. It is a Class C felony.

Hampton, who is also charged with violation of the states sex offender registry notification act for leaving the state without permission from his probation officer, one week ago went before Jefferson County District Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. His attorney, Emory Anthony, argued his client should be released on bond, over the objections of Houstons family and prosecutors.

More than a half dozen family members Hampton and Houston each were in the courtroom Tuesday. Two members from each family were allowed to stand at the bench while bond was discussed. Houstons parents were one side while two of Hamptons sisters were on the other.

The state argued that Hampton had proven to be a flight risk since he was captured in Ohio. His attorney said Hampton had gone to Ohio well before there was a warrant issued for his arrest so, therefore, he wasnt fleeing from anyone or anything.

The standard bond schedule for a Class C felony ranges between $2,500 and $15,000. Thrash set Hamptons bond at $30,000 with required electronic monitoring. This is an electronic monitoring lock down whereby this defendant is to remain at the place of residence, the judge wrote. He is only allowed to leave home in case of a medical emergency, court appearances, doctor appointments and attorney visitations.

The cost of the electronic monitoring is being assessed to Hampton and his family. It took the week to get that in place before he was released at noon Tuesday. A trial date has not been set.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:15:37|Editor: huaxia

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Reaching out in a time of need! NE China's Liaoning Province donates medical supplies to Japan and the ROK to aid in their ongoing battles against #COVID19
UPDATE: On March 23, Gov. Charlie Baker issued a stay-at-home advisory to residents and ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses. You can find a full list of what businesses can now stay open here.

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In an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, Massachusetts school, businesses and government buildings have been shut down. In addition, all non-essential businesses have been closed by order of the governor.

Some are closed for weeks. Others will feature modified hours and operations.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Below is a list of coronavirus-related closures in Massachusetts. Hours and operations can change quickly, so check back for updates and call ahead to verify hours of operation and status.

Education

Daycare

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced an order Sunday to restricting gathering of 25 people or more. That order does not apply to childcare facilities for children, officials confirmed to MassLive. However, some daycare facilities are closed by management. Check with your provider for details.

K-12 Schools

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all K-12 school closed for three weeks effective on Tuesday, until at least April 6. The closure does not apply to residential and day programs for students with special needs.

Schools must suspend in-person educational operations and staff should be planning on how to provide learning opportunities during this period and beyond.

Colleges and Universities

The governor recommended all Massachusetts colleges and universities keep students off campus and offer online learning. The majority of colleges in Massachusetts announced remote learning plans and either extended spring breaks to keep students off campus or announced plans to move students off campus.

Government Offices - Federal

United States Postal Service

The postal service will continue with normal operations as long as their workers can safely serve their communities - with some limitations.

The Postal Service is taking this health threat seriously, but we also intend to act calmly and consistently based upon the advice of medical and public health professionals, Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan said last week.

Customers sending or receiving mail from China can expect delays and priority mail express international for mail destined for China or Hong Kong has been suspended.

Private mail services - including FedEx, UPS and Amazon Prime - are continuing to deliver packages though warning that customers living in regions seriously impacted by coronavirus may experience delays. Amazon reported a significant increase in orders which has resulted in longer delivery times for standard and Amazon Pantry orders.

Federal courts

Federal courts are individually coordinating with state and local health officials to obtain local information about the coronavirus (COVID-19), and some have issued orders relating to court business, and public and employee safety. Use the Federal Court Finder to link to a courts website for court specific information.

Internal Revenue Service

The Trump administration announced plans to delay the April 15 tax deadline due to the growing spread of coronavirus. The delay would be extended to most individual taxpayers and small businesses.

Government Offices - State

Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

All RMV offices that serve the public are closed on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17. The RMV is offering more time for residents who need to renew their drivers license, ID or permits between March 1 and April 1. Full details here.

Massachusetts courts

Trial courts across Massachusetts are closed on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17. Anyone with pending matters is asked to contact the clerks office Wednesday.

Hospitals

Massachusetts hospitals are implementing new measures in response to coronavirus . Hospitals are limiting visitors, deferring certain elective procedures and encouraging virtual visits.

Baystate Health

We have set up an incident command center under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Artenstein, our Chief Physician Executive, who also is an infectious disease doctor and a recognized expert on the spread of novel infectious agents. That team is considering new information on a daily basis, adjusting policies as needed, dealing with issues brought forward by front line employees and anticipating the course of the epidemic here in Western Mass.

Baystate Medical Center identified its first COVID-19 patient at the hospital over the weekend. That person is no longer in the hospital and is recovering at home," Mark A. Keroack, president & CEO, Baystate Health said.

Berkshire Medical Center

Berkshire Medical Center announced changes to visitation policies in line with national trends and to further lower the risk of transmission of infectious disease in our community, including the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Hospitals and other healthcare facilities across Massachusetts and the United States have enacted similar visitation restrictions.

Berkshire Health Systems is committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff, and this change helps us to enhance our ongoing efforts to minimize the potential further community transmission of COVID-19, said James Lederer, MD, the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer for Berkshire Health Systems. We recognize the importance of the support of family and loved ones to our patients during their stay at BMC or Fairview, but the novel coronavirus requires us to temporarily adjust our visiting policy in order to keep our patients and visitors safe from infection.

70 workers - including 54 nurses - at Berkshire Medical Center, the largest hospital in Berkshire County, were placed in quarantine after exposure to people diagnosed with coronavirus. Nurses wore face masks but not eye shields and gowns, as recommended for medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients. Hospital staff who came into contact with the patients have been furloughed for 14 days, a spokesperson for the medical center said.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

In an effort to confront emerging challenges related to COVID-19 transmission in the community, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is rescheduling all non-urgent elective surgeries, procedures and clinic visits scheduled within the next two weeks.

We are contacting patients who have an appointment, procedure or surgery scheduled to confirm or reschedule your appointment. We have developed thoughtful criteria to determine which appointments can safely be rescheduled, and will maintain access for patients in need of immediate or emergency care.

By taking these steps, we can help to protect our patients and staff and preserve medical resources for those who need them most.

If you have a scheduled appointment, procedure or surgery, you will hear from your care team soon. If you have any questions, please contact your providers office directly.

To protect the health of patients and staff, we are restricting all visitors  unless pre-approved by each patients care team under extenuating circumstances.

One essential escort per patient is allowed in outpatient areas. Escorts will be actively screened and permitted IF:

They do not have any cold or flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) OR

In the last 14 days have not:

Traveled to a COVID-19 high-risk area

Been exposed to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19

Boston Medical Center

Effective as of March 15, Boston Medical Center announced new restrictions.

People under 18 will not be allowed to visit any patient.

We are limiting visitors to one per patient at a time, in all areas of the hospital.

We will not be allowing visitors into the PACU (post-anesthesia care unit).

Visitors may be screened for upper respiratory symptoms including fever, sore throat, or cough. Any visitor with obvious signs of illness will be asked to leave.

Brigham and Womens Hospital

Due to concerns about COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus), we are taking every precaution to protect the health of our patients, visitors and staff, including the following changes to our visitor policy, effective March 14:

Patients can receive one healthy visitor per day.

Visitors will be screened upon arrival at the hospital for their travel history, exposure to COVID-19, and respiratory tract symptoms, including fever and/or cough.

Those who exhibit symptoms of infection, have traveled to countries that are CDC warning level 3, or who have potential exposure will be asked to return home and visit at a later time.

Massachusetts General Hospital

"We are continuing to implement a wide range of measures to mitigate the spread of disease, including restricting visitors, deferring certain elective procedures and visits, and promoting social distancing by encouraging those staff who can work remotely to do so.

There is a limit of one visitor per patient on the hospital campus. This includes visitors in the patient room, general waiting areas and cafeterias.

Visitors may be screened for flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough or sore throat. Any visitor with obvious signs of illness will be asked to kindly leave

No visitors under the age of 18 will be allowed during this time, since young people are potential infectors without necessarily being ill themselves

Care teams will make exceptions in specific circumstances such as: End-of-life care Two parents or guardians for each pediatric patient Two visitors for each labor and delivery patient Each patient in the NICU is allowed up to two visitors at the bedside, limited to parents or support persons Disruptive behavior patients



A health care worker at Massachusetts General Hospital tested positive for coronavirus this week, the latest in a growing number of workers in the medical field impacted by the illness.

Southcoast Hospitals

For the protection of Southcoast Healths patients, employees and providers, please adhere to the following:

A maximum of ONE visitor per patient per day from 12pm  8pm (and parents only on our Level II Nurseries at Charlton Memorial and St. Lukes)

Emergency Department  ONE Visitor 24 x 7

NO visitors under 18 years of age

Same Day Surgery Center, Physician Offices, Imaging, Radiology, Laboratory Patient Service Center ONE visitor per patient if needed

NO visitors experiencing cough, shortness of breath, fever or other flu-like symptoms

NO visitors who have returned from overseas travel during the past 14 days

NO seminars, classes, or gatherings

UMass Memorial Medical Center

"UMass Memorial continues to monitor the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and is ready to respond to any cases in our area. At present, the information on this virus is changing on a daily basis. There are nearly 170,000 cases worldwide. Currently, there are more than 3,500 cases that have been confirmed in the United States. "

Businesses - Grocery stores

Grocery stores across Massachusetts have committed to remaining open and taking measures to limit exposure for customers and workers.

ALDI

ALDI stores across the country will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily starting Tuesday. Some stores may have limited hours to accommodate restocking and cleaning.

Big Y

Big Y World Class Market adjusted store hours on Monday. Stores now open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. until further notice. The new schedule will give store teams time to conduct additional preventive sanitation and restock products on shelves.

Big Y offers home delivery through the third-party provider Instacart.

Market Basket

The store said this week all locations remain at regular hours: 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Price Rite

We remain vigilant about regular cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and we follow a routine of frequent, thorough cleaning of restrooms and public areas with a special focus on checkout stations and conveyor belts, credit card keypads and other surfaces regularly handled by customers," the company said in a statement. "Our Associates are trained to follow proper handwashing practices and we advise associates who feel ill to remain home. With your safety in mind, we have suspended in-store events and product sampling programs. We continue to monitor and follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, state and local health departments and our food industry trade associations.

Shaws

We have stepped up how often we clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms, and other high-touch points of the store, like checkstands and service counters. Cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations have been installed in key locations within the stores for your convenience, too. As always, we encourage customers to wash their fresh and packaged produce before consuming at home. said Vivek Sankaran, CEO and president of the Albertsons Companies, the parent company of Shaws.

Stop & Shop

The grocery chain plans to open earlier to accommodate people who are 60 and older, a group that the CDC says is at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the respiratory disease. Starting Thursday, Stop & Shop will be open for people 60 and older from 6 to 7:30 a.m. daily, according to a statement from Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid.

Were making the decision to offer this every day of the week to allow for community members in this age category to shop in a less crowded environment, which better enables social distancing. Theyll also be shopping prior to any other customers entering, Reid wrote. Now, more than ever, its important we come together as a community to support each other during challenging times.

There will be a designated entrance at Stop & Shop locations, Reid wrote.

Most Stop & Shop locations have adjusted hours to 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to allow employees to spend more time unloading deliveries, stocking shelves and rest, the statement said.

Trader Joes

Beginning Monday and until further notice, all Trader Joes stores will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Walmart

Beginning Sunday, Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 11 p.m. until further notice. Stores currently operating under more reduced hours (for example, those that regularly close at 10 p.m. or open at 7 a.m.) will keep their current hours of operation, the company said.

Walmart also offers pickup services for online orders.

Wegmans

We are changing our hours of operation to better serve our customers and communities. This additional time will be used to clean our stores and restock products. Our temporary store hours are: 6 a.m.  11 p.m.

Additionally the stores have enacted a two-item limit for items including baby wipes and diapers, cleaning supplies and numerous grocery items.

Whole Foods

Starting Monday, all part and full-time hourly team members at Whole Foods Market stores and facilities in the U.S. will receive an additional $2 per hour on top of their current hourly rate through the month of April.

Stores also implemented a number of temporary modifications to our prepared foods, restaurant and self-serve venues, including:

Temporary closure of hot bars, salad bars, soup bars and self-serve pizza

Seated restaurant venues & taprooms will close for in-store dining and will offer takeout only

Indoor and outdoor cafe seating will be temporarily unavailable

Self-serve offerings will be closed in additional departments, including antipasti & olive bars, acai machines and poke bowls

Businesses - Restaurants

Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all Massachusetts restaurants and bars offer only takeout and delivery starting Tuesday. Restaurants across the state announced closures for the foreseeable future, citing the safety of their employees and customers, as well as the significant drop in business in days before the ban and expected low sales in offering only takeout and delivery.

Businesses - Gyms

The restrictions, announced by Baker on Sunday, include gyms and limit the number of people to no more than 25 people in a space.

Golds Gym

Our gyms are currently open and our teams are hard at work maintaining a rigorous schedule of cleaning all equipment and surfaces with medical-grade solutions, in order to do everything in our power to ensure the health and safety of our Members and Team Members, the gym chain said in an email to members.

We want to do our part to help our Members continue to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle during the coming weeks. This means having the flexibility to workout wherever they are most comfortable, be it in or out of the gym. In order to support our Members in this endeavor, effective today, we are offering our GOLDS AMP digital personal training and fitness App to Golds Gym Members around the country to use for FREE until May 31, 2020*.

LA Fitness

"We want to assure you that we are monitoring further advice from the CDC, that we have in-house staff scheduled daily to regularly clean and disinfect, we have sanitizing stations that include sanitizer for hands and for equipment, and we have ordered and currently await a shipment of additional sanitizers for use at the front desk of all our clubs.

We ask that you wipe down equipment before and after use. If we confirm that a person recently diagnosed with COVID-19 used our facilities while carrying the virus, we will perform additional cleaning of the facility and contact local health authorities. We are monitoring the situation very closely and will continue to follow the guidelines, instructions and recommendations of public health officials and the CDC."

Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness has closed all its facilities in Massachusetts.

In a statement to MassLive, Planet Fitness said, In response to the Massachusetts Governors mandated containment effort and out of an abundance of caution for the health of our members, team members and neighbors, Planet Fitness locations in Massachusetts are temporarily closed, effective Sunday, March 15. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will reopen as soon as permitted.

YMCA

Closures and modified hours are being decided on a local level.

Businesses - Banks

Numerous banks across the state have announced the closure of branches or restricting services to drive-through only, encouraging members to utilize services online and seek support from bank employees by phone.

Businesses - Gas stations

Pump prices are declining significantly as the global economy faces downward pressure from COVID-19 fears and the ongoing crude price war between Russia and OPEC nations, AAA spokeswoman Mary Maguire said in a statement. Consumers can expect to see continued savings as the industry factors in a fully 50% decrease in the price of a barrel of oil since mid-January.

AAA found regular gas advertised for as low as $1.99 per gallon in Massachusetts.

Transportation - Public

Commuter Rail

Reduced service on all lines. Full, modified schedule here.

FRTA

Our fixed bus routes, ADA, Demand Response and FRTA Access will operate on its normal schedule at this time but that is subject to change."

Hartford Line

"The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing precautions taken for Connecticuts public transportation system as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Safety of customers and employees are of the highest importance. CTDOT is taking actions based on the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other state and federal health agencies and experts. These actions, which began last week, are being conducted for all CTrail Hartford Line, CTrail Shore Line East, and New Haven Line (Metro-North) commuter rail services, as well as all CTtransit and local transit district bus services throughout the state.

These measures include:

Nightly sanitizing of all trains and buses including an interior wipe down of high contact surfaces using enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols recommended by the CDC

Station operators have increased cleaning of stations using CDC-recommended cleaning products and methods

At our busiest train stations, Stamford, Bridgeport and New Haven, touch points such as door handles, escalator handrails and elevator buttons are being wiped down multiple times each day"

MBTA

At the start of service on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, trains and buses will run with reduced service to support efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. In addition, we have increased cleaning and sanitation at stations and on vehicles.

PVTA

Effective Monday, March 23, these PVTA bus schedules will be in effect until further notice.

PVTA Routes operated by UMass Transit Services:

Route 30  Reduced service schedule weekdays and weekends

Route 31  Reduced service schedule weekdays and weekends

Route 33  Full service schedule weekdays and weekends

Route 34  No Service

Route 35  UMass Holiday/Weekend schedule on all days, March 23 through April 5

Route 36  No Service

Route 38  Winter Session service schedule on weekdays and Saturdays

Route 39  No Service

Route 45  Reduced service on weekdays only

Route 46  Reduced Service on weekdays only

PVTA Routes operated by Valley Area Transit Company (VATCo):

Route 39E  No Service

Route B43  Full service schedule (modified to end on Thursday, Friday using Monday  Wednesday end times, and ending early on Saturdays at 12:30 a.m. Running regular Sunday service)

PVTA Route operated by Springfield Area Transit Company (SATCo):

Route R29  Full Service schedule on weekdays and weekends

WRTA

The WRTA is monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely. We are also following a regular cleaning schedule at the Hub and on the buses. Each bus is cleaned nightly and as of last week all surfaces on the buses are disinfected each night. Our customer service staff is prepared to handle any questions that may come in from the public regarding the situation.

Transportation - Private bus lines

Peter Pan

Starting today, March 9, 2020 and running through April 5, 2020, customers who need to postpone scheduled travel can contact Peter Pan Bus Lines Customer Care by clicking here to cancel existing travel arrangements and request that a travel credit be placed in their PERKS account to be used for future travel. We will continue to evaluate the need for further flexibility during the coming weeks.

Greyhound

Currently we have no cancellations or travel restrictions due to coronavirus. However we understand you may have concerns about travel and we would like to ease your worries by offering no change fees if you wish to postpone your travel plans because of concerns related to coronavirus.

Transportation - Air travel

President Donald Trump did not announced any domestic travel restrictions during a coronavirus briefing at the White House on Monday. Instead, the federal officials asked that Americans avoid discretionary travel for the next two weeks.

"We continue to look at all options, and all options remain on the table,'' Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Sunday.

Boston Logan

The Department of Homeland Security has named Boston Logan International Airport one of 13 airports to provide enhanced health screening for passengers who have been to a number of European countries in the past 14 days. This declaration means CBP and CDC will perform enhanced screening of these passengers entering the United States through Boston. The Massachusetts Port Authority has been fully cooperating with our local, state and federal public health partners and is providing all necessary support. We have been following proper cleaning and disinfecting protocols in our public facilities, and reminding passengers and employees to use good health practices such as washing hands regularly, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Cleaning teams at Logan will continue to use disinfectant solution, and they increased use of bactericidal-virucidal wipes starting last month. Both solutions disinfect within one minute of application, Massport said. Additional cleaning staff has been contracted to focus on disinfecting high traffic touch points throughout the terminals, walkways and garage facilities including the Ride-App areas.

Bradley International Airport

"The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) is actively monitoring the evolving coronavirus situation and is proactively taking precautions at Bradley International Airport.

While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has not identified Bradley International Airport passengers for any additional screening measures at this time; the CAA is in continuous communication with the experts at CDC and the State Department of Public Health to ensure that all possible precautions are taken.

The safety of our passengers and the entire Bradley International Airport community is of utmost importance to us, said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E., Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. At this time, Bradley International Airport is operating normally. However, we are prepared and ready to adjust our operations with the appropriate measures should the need arise. In the interim, we are actively engaged with all of our airport stakeholders about taking the necessary precautions and we have taken steps to enhance our cleaning and sanitization protocols.

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The Microsoft Bing team recently launched a web portal to track the global progress of coronavirus. The new website comes as COVID-19 has gripped 162 nations, infecting 1,85,461 and killing nearly 7,332, international media reported. According to reports, the website aggregates data from a variety of sources including the World Health Organisation, US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Also features interactive map

The website provides up-to-date information on all the affected countries. It also features an interactive map that allows users to see a specific number of cases in the area they select. In addition, the newly launched portal also provides a range of articles published related to the topic.

Read: John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Enjoy A Beach Day Amid Coronavirus Outbreak In California

Read: Conor McGregor Attends Aunts Funeral, Clarifies Cause Of Death Was NOT Coronavirus

This comes just two days after US President Donald Trump announced that Google had begun working on the COVID-19-related portal for US citizens. According to reports, Google's website is being built by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on healthcare services. Talking about Google's portal, Trump said that more than 1,700 engineers were currently working on the website.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on March 17, released a statement that the court will be postponing the public hearings of the case Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v Venezuela). The public hearings of the case were scheduled to be held between 23 March - 27 March 2020. The court based in Hague, Netherlands stated that new dates will be issued in due course.

In addition, Trump on March 17 said that the pandemic which has infected thousands and brought lives across countries to a standstill could end by July in the United States. The deadly virus has till now infected over 4727and killed nearly 93 across the American mainland. " So it seems to me that if we do a really good job... people are talking about July, August, something like that. So it could be right in that period of time where it, I say, it washes through, he told White House reporters.

Read: ICJ Cancels All Public Hearings Amid Coronavirus Crisis As Global Death Toll Crosses 7000

Read: Singer Anup Jalota In Isolation Amid Coronavirus Scare; Shares Picture
Special OPS

Creator - Neeraj Pandey

Cast - Kay Kay Menon, Karan Tacker, Saiyami Kher, Meher Vij, Vinay Pathak, Sana Khan

The benefits Special OPS might accrue from being released at a time when theatres across the country have been advised to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic are equalled by the fact that Hotstars streaming series is third out of the gate after Netflix and Amazons very similar Bard of Blood and The Family Man. Comparisons might be unfair, but theyre inevitable.

Fortunately for creator Neeraj Pandey, few man-made things could be as bad as Bard of Blood, a series that has single-handedly lifted huge pressure off the shoulders of every show in existence, and also those still waiting to be produced. Unlike that Netflix series, Special OPS, despite being very uneven, actually respects spycraft.

Watch the Special OPS trailer here

Much of its action  and it is very old-fashioned in its depiction of espionage  takes place from behind its protagonists computer screen. Like Srikant from The Family Man, Kay Kay Menons Himmat Singh in Special OPS is the sort of regular Joe you wouldnt notice on the streets, although unlike Manoj Bajpayee, Menon has a slightly sociopathic glint in his eye.

When we are first introduced to Himmat, he is making life-or-death decisions on his mobile phone, deciding the fate of human beings in tacit, two-word commands. Thok do, he hisses into his phone, waiting to be summoned for an inquiry that has been launched into his activities by a newly elected government.

Over the years, Himmat has spent crores in taxpayer money on vaguely defined miscellaneous expenses. The show is framed, like the first season of True Detective, in flashbacks, with Himmat narrating his adventures to a couple of comical sarkari babus. It isnt, however, as sombre as that brilliant HBO show. Nor is it is bitingly funny as The Family Man. Think of Special OPS as a sort of spiritual sequel to Pandeys Baby and Naam Shabana -- just as affectionate of spy movie tropes and as averse to Bollywoods pandering nationalism.

Pandey has enlisted his Naam Shabana director Shivam Nair to help helm Special OPS, and although each of them is credited separately, I hear they divided duties based on storylines, much like the approach Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap employed on Sacred Games.

Saiyami Kher, Vipul Gupta, Muzzamil Ibrahim, Meher Vij in a still from Special OPS.

While Himmat Singh braves government interference and toils hard to protect his country in the primary plotline, his apostles on the field are sent on globe-trotting missions. Refreshingly, Special OPS is both more refined and better executed than virtually every series that Hotstar has released under its newly christened Hotstar Specials banner, although that isnt saying much. Its no coincidence that its the first wholly original show that the streamer has produced, after a string of underwhelming remakes.

Pandey and Nair effectively recreate the Parliament attacks of 2001 in the opening scene of episode one, thrillingly narrating an incident that has curiously not been depicted on screen as often as youd imagine, although it does provide a taste of the excesses that the show routinely indulges in, such as speed-ramping and gratuitous establishing shots.

I was, however, particularly impressed by the use of era-appropriate vehicles in the scene, which doesnt sound like a major achievement, but youd be surprised at how many (big and small) shows overlook the importance of period accuracy. I remember spotting a fancy modern SUV in Netflixs 60s-set The Spy, and multiple Wagon in Ashim Ahluwalias 80s-era Miss Lovely.

In the aftermath of the Parliament attacks, Himmat is convinced that there was a sixth member in the terrorist team, and that he has gotten away scott-free. Some viewers might find Pandeys blend of fact and fiction to be understandably off-putting  we are, after all, talking about a rather touchy subject, and a real-life incident whose perpetrator is still at large. Like Amazons recent Hunters, which imagined made-up atrocities committed by the Nazis, as if the real ones werent terrible enough, Special OPS makes no mention of Masood Azhar and Afzal Guru.

Instead, it sets its sights on a fictional villain named Ikhlaq Khan. Much of the shows plot deals with Himmat and his team working together to track him down. There are minor forays into Himmats personal life, but these scenes could easily have been done away with. Himmats wife has nothing to do, and his Srikant-esque surveillance of his teenage daughter feels needlessly tacked on.

Perhaps the show could have benefitted from having its objectively oblique protagonist be a blank slate. The best spies always are, and Menons central performance certainly has an air of mystery about it.

Sana Khan and Karan Tacker in a still from Special OPS.

It also highlights the comparatively less nuanced performances of the supporting cast, made up almost entirely of television actors such as Karan Tacker and Sana Khan, committed but not nearly in the same league as Menon.

Its curious to observe how our film industry meanders around tricky themes such as nationalism in times like this. Politically, Special OPS paints a rather problematic possibility, one that imagines the outcome of mass oppression of a single community resulting in retaliation that to some degree the show shrugs its shoulders at, as if it is to be expected.

Special OPS is a minor win for Hotstar. It might not justify a weekend spent in self-isolation, but if youre already prepared to re-subscribe before the streamer (this time for real) rolls out Disney+, it might just help you bide your time.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

The author tweets @RohanNaahar
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared an executive order Monday to allow the state to increase hospital capacity to prepare the health care system to handle the potential influx of patients with COVID-19. During a late-morning briefing in the state Capitol, Cuomo also announced partnership with New Jersey and Connecticut to have no gatherings of 50 people or more and to close casinos, gyms, theaters, restaurants and bars with exception of take-out, effective indefinitely starting 8 p.m. Monday. Contributed photo
Donald Trump's former White House physician has heaped praise on his response to the coronavirus outbreak - saying his 'quick action' has prevented the US from becoming an infection hotspot like Italy or Iran.

Ronny Jackson, who was accused of lying over Trump's height and weight during a physical in 2018, said the President 'has done everything he needed to do.'

Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News, Jackson said: 'He put together a top-notch team and he was criticized.... despite that, he carried on and did what he needed to do for our country.'

Dr Ronny Jackson, Trump's former White House medical adviser, has heaped praise on his response to the coronavirus outbreak - praising him for his 'quick actions'

Trump has been widely-criticized for responding too slowly to the pandemic, which has so far killed 86 people across America

Among measures that Jackson praised was the ban on some travelers coming from China to the US that Trump put in place on January 31.

Trump also banned travelers from Europe coming to the US last week, though experts warned it woud have little effect since the disease is already spreading person-to-person within America's borders.

'What's going on in Italy and Iran is not going to happen here I think, because of the president's quick and decisive actions. I think we are going to be more in line with what's going on in South Korea,' he added.

'We are going to see that we got on it early ... the president stopped it quickly and it's going to save countless American lives.'

South Korea, with 8,200 confirmed infections and 81 deaths, had the worst outbreak of coronavirus anywhere in the world until it was overtaken by Italy last week.

The US already has 86 deaths from the virus amid widespread warnings that health authorities are under-estimating the number of infections at 4,600 because of problems with testing.

South Korea has been widely praised for one of the world's most-efficient testing regimes with up to 10,000 tests performed per day.

The US, meanwhile, has managed to test some 50,000 people since the outbreak began last month.

Jackson claimed the US is now following the likes of South Korea - where only 81 people have died - and will avoid becoming like hotspot Italy

The spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the US since the outbreak began in January

The Trump administration has been widely-criticized for its slow response to the pandemic, with Trump dismissing coronavirus as being similar to the flu and a 'Democrat hoax' only weeks ago.

However, that has rapidly changed in the last few days as the White House urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people on Monday and called for bars, restaurants, and other public venues to close.

Trump refrained from ordering sweeping public quarantines, lockdowns or curfews for the time being, even as some state and local authorities independently imposed mandatory restrictions.

'We're recommending things,' Trump told a White House news conference in issuing new coronavirus guidelines.

'We haven't gone to that step yet' of ordering a lockdown. 'That could happen, but we haven't gone there yet.'

Trump also said he felt that postponements of primary elections, like those announced in Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana and Kentucky, were generally unnecessary.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said on Twitter his administration was ordering polls closed on Tuesday in defiance of a state court ruling to the contrary.

The number of known coronavirus infections and deaths in the United States has paled in comparison with hot spots of the global pandemic, such as China, Italy or Iran.

Panic buying has led to store shelves being emptied across the US, as Trump urged people to calm down

States began enacting their own lockdowns before Trump announced Monday that people should avoid all gatherings of more than 10 people (pictured, a closed church in Colorado)

There has been widespread criticism of coronavirus testing across the US. While South Korea has been testing 10,000 per day, the US has tested less than 50,000 people total

But the tally of confirmed U.S. cases has multiplied quickly over the past few weeks, surpassing 4,600 and prompting fears American hospitals might soon be overwhelmed, as Italian medical centers have been strained to the breaking point.

At least 83 people in the United States had died of the virus, as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University and public health agencies, with the hardest-hit state, Washington, accounting for the bulk of the fatalities, including six more announced on Monday.

Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said health officials were relying on members of the millennial generation - those in their 20s to 40s, and representing the largest living adult cohort - to alter their social behavior for the good of the public.

Millennials, she said, are 'the ones that are out and about, and they're the most likely to be in social gatherings, and they're the most likely to be the least symptomatic' even if they are unwittingly infected and contagious, Birx told the briefing.

Release of the latest 15-day plan for slowing the spread of the virus came as state and local government officials pleaded with the Trump administration to mount a coordinated response to the pandemic, as millions of workers and students were already hunkering down at home.

Besides recommendations to limit the size of gatherings and shut down public places in states where community spread of the virus is evident, Birx said one of the most important measures was for people who are sick to stay home.

'If everybody in America does what we ask for over the next 15 days, we will see a dramatic difference,' Birx said. The guidelines also call for entire households to self-quarantine even if just one family member is diagnosed.

A padlock is seen on the door to Willie's Chicken Shack on Bourbon Street in compliance with an order from Louisiana's Governor John Bel Edwards to shut bars and restaurants state-wide

Empty roads are seen in New Jersey after residents were told to stay home due to fears over coronavirus

Times Square in New York was almost deserted on Monday as people stayed off the streets after Governor Cuomo ordered many businesses to shut down

Inverted chairs are seen at the closed Tartinery cafe in Grand Central Terminal during rush hour as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States

The unprecedented wave of closures and restrictions, which began to accelerate last week, took on fresh urgency as New Jersey 'strongly discouraged' all non-essential and non-emergency travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., starting on Monday.

The states of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut struck a regional agreement to close all movie theaters, casinos and gyms as of 8 p.m. Monday (0000 GMT). Restaurants and bars in the three states - where more than 22 million people live - will serve takeout and delivery only.

Officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties on Monday ordered residents to stay at home for all but the most crucial outings until April 7. That directive came a day after California Governor Gavin Newsom urged adults older than 65, and their caretakers, to remain indoors whether or not they have underlying health conditions.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said efforts by state and local governments were insufficient to confront the coast-to-coast crisis.

'This is a national problem. It cannot be done in a piecemeal method,' Cuomo said, calling for bold action involving the military and Army Corps of Engineers to quickly create excess hospital capacity.

In the nation's capital, Washington, a deeply divided Senate was considering a multibillion-dollar emergency spending bill requiring sick leave for some workers and expanded unemployment compensation, while the Supreme Court postponed oral arguments for the first time in over a century.

Washington's mayor also announced restrictions on businesses, including curbs on bars and restaurants, in response to the outbreak.

Some 64,000 schools were closed in at least 33 states, including in the nation's two biggest school systems - New York City and Los Angeles. School closures nationwide were disrupting instruction for at least 32.5 million students, according to Education Week.

State restrictions on restaurants and places of leisure, while in line with expert advice to slow the spread of the virus through 'social distancing,' will hit many lower-paid workers in the service industry.

Jessica Wilmot, owner of the Ancient Mariner pub in Ridgefield, Connecticut, said that while she felt closing shops was the right move, she worried about her mostly part-time staff who work paycheck to paycheck.

'Personally, I'm all for containment,' said Wilmot, noting that her revenues had already fallen about 40% last week from the prior week. 'But my business view is, I'm nauseous.'

As traders on Wall Street reacted to drastic weekend measures from the Federal Reserve to stave off a global recession, U.S. stock markets plunged anew on Monday with the S&P 500 closing down 12%.

Major airlines sought a U.S. government bailout of more than $50 billion as the White House drafted a financial assistance package following the steep falloff in U.S. travel demand. 'We have to back the airlines,' Trump said on Monday. 'It's not their fault.' Separately, U.S. airports are seeking $10 billion in government assistance.

Trump, a Republican, declared a national emergency on Friday and has championed the U.S. government's response, saying his administration has done a 'a very fantastic job.' Democratic leaders have criticized him for playing down the crisis and issuing misleading or false statements.
Lenovo Legion is back with more teasers for its first gaming phone and has taken a swipe at Red Magic in the process. Hailed as "No Red. It's Magic", the Legion gaming phone will feature a Snapdragon 865, 55 W charging, an in-screen fingerprint scanner and detachable accessories. The company has offered a first look at the device, too.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here

Teased last month on Weibo, Lenovo has now posted more information on the Chinese microblogging website about its first gaming smartphone. While the company already confirmed that a Snapdragon 865 SoC will be onboard, it has even offered a glimpse of what the device will look like.

The Legion Gaming Phone, as we are currently calling it, will support 55 W charging. Additionally, expect LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 flash storage and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. A high refresh-rate display should go without saying, too.

Lenovo has also shown off some accessories that it plans to launch alongside the device. As reported by GSMArena, the photo below appears to show detachable controllers, a case of some sort and what may be Legion-branded TWS earbuds.

The same picture seems to show the front and back of the Legion Gaming Phone, too. According to the photo, the device will also include an in-screen fingerprint scanner, red accent lighting and two oddly-placed rear-facing cameras.
Lebanon County courts have issued a judicial emergency and the City of Lebanon has declared a disaster emergency in response to the coronavirus crisis this week.

In the city of Lebanon, a Declaration of Disaster Emergency was issued effective Tuesday, according to a release from the city. The declaration helps the city by authorizing city officials to bring on needed resources, either in staffing or equipment and supplies through contracts and agreements without the process required by law.

City offices will be staffed and city services will be available to the public, but the municipal building will be closed.

County-wide, court offices are closing from Tuesday until March 30, according to a declaration filed with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Only specific emergency hearings will be held, including protection from abuse hearings, emergency custody and guardianship hearings and emergency delinquency and dependency hearings.

In-person filings will not be accepted at county row offices, the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas or the county magisterial district judge offices. Filings can still be submitted by fax and email.

When possible, court hearings will be conducted through video conferencing and teleconferencing, the order states.

People with scheduled court hearings will be receiving information about their cases.

The county probation office will be limited to people with scheduled drug testing and visits. Other inquiries should be limited to email or phone calls.

Cumberland and Dauphin counties announced similar restrictions to their court offices this week, all as an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.

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As the nation races to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, more and more employers are asking their employees to work remotely. But for disabled and chronically ill workers such as Lavoie, remote work isnt a foreign concept; its a hard-won necessity. Now these workers are sharing their tips, as well as their hopes that, once the pandemic is contained, businesses will have learned the benefits of telework and will be more willing to make it available.
The Senate is weighing a coronavirus virus relief package but the issue of paid sick leave has emerged as a sticking point for some lawmakers.

The House of Representatives passed a relief package that includes paid sick leave for workers and President Donald Trump has said he supports it.

Pennsylvanias two U.S. senators say they want to ensure workers who arent getting paid get the help they need. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., said he supports the package and the idea of offering paid sick leave but Congress should take other steps to help unpaid workers.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he has some concerns with the House package because of the potential costs to small businesses. Other Republican lawmakers have expressed similar concerns.

Toomey said he has spoken to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who helped craft the plan with the House. In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Toomey said he wants to help those who arent getting paid because of the outbreak. However, Toomey would rather see the government shoulder the burden, as opposed to small businesses.

"I support the principle, the concept, the idea, the goal, Toomey said. The mechanism really matters. What I dont want to do is destroy thousands of small businesses in the process.

I do have some real concerns about the mechanisms by which the aid is to be provided, Toomey said.

Toomey has suggested that one option would be to expand unemployment insurance to offer workers more assistance, rather than doing it through paid sick leave. With this approach, small businesses wouldnt be hammered with the costs.

Casey said he supports the House plan and said it should be passed right away. But he said its not enough.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all American workers have paid sick leave," Casey said in a statement. The second coronavirus relief package passed by the House is a significant step forward, and the Senate must pass it immediately, but there is more that needs to be done to protect all working people who have to stay home to care for themselves or a loved one.

Casey said he has co-sponsored legislation that goes beyond the House plan. The measure would expand paid sick leave to all workers during a public health emergency, regardless of their industry or the size of their business, he said.

The federal government would cover 100 percent of the costs of this leave, Casey said of the bill. "I believe we must pass such comprehensive legislation immediately.

Pennsylvania is one of 38 states that have no state laws requiring employers to provide paid sick days. Only 12 states and the District of Columbia, have such laws. Theres no federal law requiring paid sick leave.

State legislation has been offered to provide paid sick days in Pennsylvania but it didnt gain traction last year.

President Trump said Tuesday he wants to send checks directly to Americans to provide relief. The White House didnt disclose the amount but the treasury secretary did say the checks wouldnt go to millionaires. Previously, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, had proposed sending $1,000 to every American.

The coronavirus outbreak has dramatically altered the lives of Americans. Gov. Tom Wolf has closed public schools, asked restaurants to halt dine-in service and urged non-essential businesses to close their doors. Other states across the country have taken similar steps to limit the spread of the virus.

Toomey said he expects Congress to eventually pass other measures to help businesses weather the coronavirus. He said he expected critical infrastructure industries would get some financial support.

Its important to point out that this crisis that were facing is not the fault of a business that didnt plan well or didnt run its business well, Toomey said. I dont think this is bailouts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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More from PennLive

What are essential and non-essential businesses during coronavirus shutdown? Heres what Pa. Gov. Wolf says

Lawmakers press Trump on coronavirus protection of nursing homes, senior citizens

Read PennLives complete coronavirus coverage
Outlier

Like many of us, the people at the New York based clothing store Outlier have had to make adjustments in response to coronavirus precautions: In addition to having most of their employees work from home and temporarily halting all returns (dont worry -- returns will come back once they can process them again), theyre offering a blanket 15% off everything with the code S-O-E at checkout. And yes, the code can be combined with other discounts and upfront codes.

While most the clothes you purchase there will come with a 45 day grace period for returns, anything labeled Experiment, like these Experiment 218 StrongTwill Articulated pants, have a slightly tighter return window of 15 days, and are subject to a $20 per product restocking/sightseeing fee.
The Manchester bombers brother has been found guilty of murdering the 22 victims of the blast.

Hashem Abedi helped his brother, Salman, build the bomb that was detonated at Manchester Arena in May 2017.

Prosecutors said he was just as responsible for this atrocity ... as surely as if he had selected the target and detonated the bomb himself.

The 22-year-old denied all charges but did not give evidence in his own defence during his Old Bailey trial, after sacking his legal team.

He was not in court as the jury unanimously found him guilty of murder, attempted murder of those injured and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.

The judge said that Abedi would be jailed for life, but warned that the sentencing hearing could be delayed.

Relatives of the victims broke down in tears of relief when the verdicts were delivered on Tuesday, after a seven-week trial.

It heard details of how Abedi helped buy precursor chemicals to make explosives and obtained and experimented with bomb components.

His fingerprints were found in a car and properties that were used to store explosive chemicals and shrapnel before the terror attack.

Abedi collected large cans from the takeaway where he worked that were fashioned into tubes for potential detonators.

A fragment of one of the cans, which he claimed he was going to sell for scrap, was found at the scene of the blast.

Abedi was detained in Libya less than 48 hours after his brother detonated the suicide bomb, and extradited to the UK two years later.

He answered no comment in police interviews, but handed detectives a prepared statement through his solicitor in which he denied involvement and said he could not comprehend his brothers actions.

The statement, read to jurors, added: Had I had any idea of it I would have reported it to my mother initially and then to other family members to prevent it from happening. I was shocked my brother had done this and felt bad for everybody.

Abedi was repeatedly absent from court during his trial as the forensic evidence mounted against him, at one point claiming he felt ill because he was allergic to chlorinated water.

As the case drew to a close, Justice Jeremy Baker told the jury he had sacked his legal team and would not be giving evidence.

At the start of the trial, prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said the Manchester attack was the culmination of months of planning, experimentation and preparation by the two brothers.

 Bomber Salman Abedi pictured moments before Manchester Arena massacre

The law is that Hashem Abedi is just as responsible for this atrocity and for the offences identified in the indictment, just as surely as if he had selected the target and detonated the bomb himself, he added.

Witnesses said both brothers had developed a jihadist mindset, with one telling the court that Abedi believed in terrorism.

They went to school with Isis recruiter Abdalraouf Abdallah, who was jailed for helping Isis fighters travel to Syria in 2016, and were seen in his company around Moss Side.

The court heard that Salman visited Abdallah in prison in January 2017 and spoke to him on the phone days later.

The Abedi brothers duped friends and associates into helping them buy chemicals to make the explosive TATP.

Some of the purchases were made using benefits claimed by their mother, who had moved back to Libya with the rest of the family during its civil war.

The brothers used 11 mobile phones in five months  some in play for as little as two hours  and used a variety of vehicles to transport components around Manchester.

Their plans were put on hold when their parents insisted they join them in Libya in April 2017 amid possible concerns about their descent into radicalisation, forcing the brothers to stockpile their stash in a second-hand Nissan Micra.

Mr Penny said Hashem was at times chauffeur, at times quartermaster, at times electrical technician in the plot, but then attempted to evade any responsibility for his role.

Salman returned to Britain alone on 18 May 2017, buying more shrapnel and finishing the bomb at a rented flat in central Manchester.

Police believe Abedi took the final call his brother made before blowing himself up, which was made for four minutes to the familys Libyan home.

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Salman travelling to Manchester Arena and waiting more than an hour for Ariana Grande fans to flood out of the concert, before detonating his bomb at 10.31pm on 22 May 2017.

A fragment of can of the type obtained by Hashem Abedi from the scene (Greater Manchester Police ) (Greater Manchester Police)

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough, the senior investigating officer, said Abedi may have got last-minute inspiration and instruction from his brother.

If you look at these two brothers, they are not kids caught in the headlights of something they dont understand, he added.

These two men are the real deal, these are proper jihadis  you do not walk into a space like the Manchester Arena and kill yourself with an enormous bomb like that, taking 22 innocent lives with you, if you are not a proper jihadist.

Recommended Police seized phone with evidence of Manchester plot before bombing

He was with his brother throughout the entire process of making this explosive and building this bomb, I believe he provided encouragement right up to the end. This was all about the sick ideology of Isis and this desire for martyrdom.

Isis claimed the responsibility for the bombing, which was the second and deadliest terror attack to strike Britain in 2017.

The trial delayed a public inquiry into the attack, which is due to begin in June and will examine allegations that security services misinterpreted intelligence that could have prevented the bombing.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, of Greater Manchester Police, said almost 1,000 people were injured in the bombing and many survivors were left with deep psychological injuries.

In the last few weeks Abedi absented himself from court, such was the contempt he showed for the proceedings and all those so deeply affected by this cowardly act, he added.

A lawyer representing 11 of the bereaved families said they had waited a long time to see Abedi face justice.

Victoria Higgins, of Slater and Gordon, added: I think the overwhelming emotion for most will be one of relief that he cannot hurt anyone else.

It has been incredibly painful for them to hear, in detail, what happened to their loved ones and the calculated way in which the Abedi brothers plotted to end their lives.

Additional reporting by PA
Burak then tried to make a three-point turn but hit another car, according to the prosecutor. The other priest then drove Burak home in Buraks Buick while another couple who had attended the party followed. Burak said he did not know his address, so the priest had to look it up on his insurance card, according to the prosecutor.
New York entered a new phase in the coronavirus pandemic Monday as the city that never sleeps forced its bars and restaurants to become take-out only.

That meant that by Tuesday some of the country's priciest and most exclusive fine dining spots were forced to become delivery only - or close altogether.

At Peter Luger in Brooklyn patrons were being offered a limited menu and butcher shop items available for pickup from the restaurant.

Several others, including three Michelin starred Eleven Madison Park, said they would be shutting up shop completely.

They wrote: 'In this unprecedented crisis, the health and well-being of our staff and our guests is of primary importance; in keeping with NYC and NY State requirements, Eleven Madison Park will be closed beginning Monday, March 16.

'We hope to open our doors soon when all of this has passed, and look forward to seeing you then.'

Jean Georges, where President Donald Trump has previously been spotted dining with Mitt Romney, also closed its doors.

eter Luger in Brooklyn, pictured, patrons were being offered a limited menu and butcher shop items available for pickup from the restaurant

Carbone, which counts Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian among its fans, posted online to say they were on fine dining app Caviar

HOW NYC'S PRICIEST RESTAURANTS ARE COPING WITH CLOSURES Le Crocodile: Closed Peter Luger: Limited menu Jean Georges: Closed Eleven Madison Park: Closed Kurumazushi: Orders by phone only Keens: Closed Carbone: Orders by Caviar app Rainbow Room bar: Closed Advertisement

Keens steakhouse, established in the 1800s and where steaks can cost upward of $100 also announced their closure.

But Kurumazushi, a high-end sushi bar with a Michelin star, the menu was still available for carryout.

The restaurant posted online: 'During this time we will be open for carryout. Orders by phone only, credit card will be taken at the time of order. Please stay safe and we hope to see you back soon.'

Carbone, which counts Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian among its fans, posted online to say they were on fine dining app Caviar.

The Rainbow Room bar and restaurant, at the top of the Rock, has closed.

A somber Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that the citys 27,000 restaurants and bars would be limited to takeout and delivery only.

The order, which would take effect Tuesday at 9 a.m., would also shut down all nightclubs, movie theaters and concert venues.

The Democrat took the pair of actions on a day that New York Citys death toll from the virus rose to five and the number of infected residents multiplied.

Keens steakhouse, established in 1885 and where steaks can cost upward of $100, is closed

Kurumazushi, a high-end sushi bar with a Michelin star, was still available for carryout

New York state joined with Connecticut and New Jersey to close bars, restaurants and movie theaters along with setting limits on social gatherings. The number of confirmed cases in New York reached more than 1,500.

The closures has led to the restaurant Workers' Community Foundation establishing 'a relief fund for individual workers facing economic hardships or health crises as a direct result of COVID-19'.

New York is changing its rules to allow bars, restaurants and distilleries to sell their products off premises, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Gov. Cuomo said he is 'strongly encouraging' nonessential businesses to close in New York after 8 p.m.

Manager George Bololis, left, gives a pickup order to tourists Janna Mueller, center and Jonas Stapper, of Berlin, Germany, at Chelsea Square Restaurant on Tuesday

Chelsea Square Restaurant on Tuesday. Under New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio executive order, the normally lively bars and restaurants are now restricted to take-out and delivery only.

'Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesn't crash our health care system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that,' Cuomo said.

The three states also will limit social gatherings to 50 people, effective 8 p.m. Monday.

Cuomo directed nonessential state employees to work from home starting Tuesday and said local governments should follow suit.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Canadian grocery stores sought to reassure customers concerned about food shortages this week, with some introducing special shopping times dedicated to seniors amid the coronavirus outbreak.

What was usually sold in four days was sold in four hours, said Marc Fontin, president of the Retail Council of Canadas (RCC) Quebec division. The RCC represents several grocery store chains in Canada, including Loblaw, Metro and Sobeys.

Now its a question of replenishing shelves. There are no food shortages and no food issues. Our warehouses are being filled.

Several chains, including Sobeys and Loblaw, which operates Shoppers Drug Mart, announced this week that they will dedicate the first hour of operations for seniors and people living with disabilities.

Sobeys chief executive Michael Medine said that beginning Friday, many of its stores will devote the first hour of operations to those most vulnerable and those who require extra attention, particularly seniors. Loblaw has also began rolling out a similar initiative, including at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Taking inspiration from #Bloved at Sobeys Belmont, we are scaling our "Senior Shopping Hour". Starting this Friday, many of our stores will be devoting the first hour of operations to those most vulnerable and require extra attention, particularly seniors. pic.twitter.com/ckQyIexTS8  Sobeys (@sobeys) March 17, 2020

1/2 Starting this week, Shoppers Drug Mart is dedicating the first opening hour of shopping at our stores to our customers who need assistance or consideration, including seniors and people living with disabilities.  Shoppers Drug Mart (@ShopprsDrugMart) March 17, 2020

In a letter sent on Monday, Loblaw chief executive Galen Weston repeatedly stressed that customers do not worry and that the company is prepared to handle the ongoing crisis that has seen Canadians flock to grocery stores, wiping shelves clean of items such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

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First and foremost. Do not worry. We are not running out of food or essential supplies, Weston said.

Our supply chain and store teams are responding to the spikes in volume and quickly getting the most important items back on the shelf. Volumes are already normalizing somewhat, and we are catching up.

Sobeys also released a statement this week, saying the company is working around the clock to serve the unprecedented amount of customers flooding into grocery stores.

I have great confidence in the incredibly robust grocery and food supply chain in Canada, Medine said. We are working hard to keep our shelves stocked in the face of unprecedented demand for products.

Canadians have been rushing to grocery stores and panic buying items as authorities across the country introduce new recommendations and heightened warnings about the spread of the virus known as COVID-19.

A new survey conducted by Angus Reid and Dalhousie University found that 71 per cent of Canadians are concerned about the coronavirus outbreak, with 41 per cent reporting that they had made food provisions in response. The survey, which was conducted between March 13 and 15, also found that 65 per cent of Canadians were concerned about risks at the grocery store.

Sylvan Charlebois, a professor of food policy at Dalhousie University, said the empty shelves at Canadian grocery stores are not a reflection of the supply chain failing.

The challenge that we saw was in-store merchandising. Its hard to keep up with such intense demand for certain products, he said.

Over the next few days, I do believe that stores will get back to normal.

Weston also sought to alleviate other concerns Canadians have raised regarding potential price hikes and store closures as the province and federal government reduce services in an effort to contain the coronavirus.

We will not raise a single price on any item to take advantage of COVID-19, Weston wrote.

We have been in contact with both provincial and federal governments. We all agree that food and drug stores are essential services and we must do what we need to in order to keep them operating and serving every community in the days and weeks ahead.

But Weston admitted that operations at Loblaw stores will not be business as usual. Some items  such as hand sanitizer  may take longer to restock. The company may limit the number of people allowed to enter stores at a single time, in order to maintain social distancing.

Last week, Loblaw lowered home delivery fees and eliminated pick-up fees for its click-and-collect service. But as the company grapples with a spike in demand, Weston encouraged those who are healthy, mobile and symptom free to do your best to make it into store.

All of us will face uncertainty and new challenges over the coming days, Weston said.

Our stores and our services will be far from perfect. But, we will do everything in our power to make sure you have what you need for yourselves and your families.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohios polling places are closed on what was to have been the states presidential primary, following an overnight ruling from the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Ohio Supreme Court effectively allowed the election to be postponed from March 17 in a remarkable early-morning decision on a complaint from a Wood County judicial candidate.

After requiring the state to respond before 1:30 a.m., citing the exigent circumstances," four judges issued an unsigned decision unanimously rejecting the complaint, which had been filed before Gov. Mike DeWines administration issued a public health order closing the polls over the new coronavirus. Two judges running for re-election  Justices Judith French and Sharon Kennedy  and Pat DeWine, who is DeWines son, did not participate.

Referring to a separate state-backed lawsuit that a Franklin County judge declined to act on earlier Monday evening, Corey Spewiek argued that courts had no right to try to block the election date, which is set in law.

Chief Justice Maureen OConnor, and Justice Pat Fisher, both Republicans, and Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart, both Democrats, disagreed. They did not explain their reasoning.

The Supreme Court proceedings began before Gov. Mike DeWines health department director ordered the polls closed in an emergency public health order that cited the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. DeWine said voters should not be made to choose between their health and their right to vote.

The winding legal proceedings and confusion over what the Franklin County judge had ruled led to chaos within state government and county elections boards last night. One state lawmaker called the decision a constitutional crisis.

But Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the states top elections official, has said the states polls are closed.

Ohios polls are NOT open today. Gov. DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton have ordered polling locations closed to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. Visit https://t.co/FwEp965Ddj for the latest  Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) March 17, 2020

In a late-night text message, LaRose said he has directed county boards of election to hold the primary on June 2, with absentee ballots accepted until June 1. Its unclear whether the move will prompt additional lawsuits.

Read recent coverage:

Citing health emergency, Ohio officials to order polls closed on Election Day, despite judges ruling

Gov. Mike DeWine wants to postpone Ohios Tuesday primary election till June 2 due to coronavirus

Ohio offering curbside voting, loosening absentee voting rules for quarantined and hospitalized due to coronavirus
A married Paterson couple and their 5-year-old child have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking New Jerseys first pediatric case in the outbreak that has now infected at least 178 residents, officials said Tuesday.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh described the husband as in his 40s, the wife in her 30s. They have a second child, a 4-year-old, who was tested for the virus Monday afternoon, Sayegh said.

Sayegh said the family has been in self-quarantine since last week when the husband tested positive for the virus. The 5-year-old is not hospitalized and remains at home, state health officials said.

The husband works in Teaneck in Bergen County, which has been at the center of New Jerseys coronavirus outbreak. As of Monday, Bergen had 61 cases of coronavirus, with 32 of those cases in Teaneck, officials said.

In New Jersey as of Monday afternoon, there were at least 178 cases of coronavirus with eight in Passaic County. There have been three deaths, officials said.

In a video statement posted to Facebook on Monday, Sayegh said Paterson was in a state of emergency as city residents over the weekend did not appear to be taking social distancing seriously.

Were exposing ourselves to something that is unknown, Sayegh said before ordering Patersons restaurants and bars to close at 6 p.m. Monday night.

Statewide, Gov. Phil Murphy strongly suggested a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and has ordered the closure of all public and private schools and the shutdown of casinos, dine-in restaurant service, theaters, and gyms.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: I am taking drastic action to address this global crisis. Please view this video for additonal information. Posted by Andre Sayegh on Monday, March 16, 2020

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that Mangal Pandey has been careless in his approach as the Health Minister. Despite the directive issued by the State government pertaining to Coronavirus, to close all schools, colleges, parks, zoo and asking people not to assemble in large numbers, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey took part in the BJP workers meet in Rohtas district of Bihar and tweeted the pictures.

Tejaswi Yadav while commenting on Mangal Pandey said, "On one hand the government has issued guidelines regarding Coronavirus; on the other hand Health Minister and other ministers are not abiding the directive. I demand the resignation or sacking of Mangal Pandey. How long will Nitish Kumar tolerate such careless minister, who was even insensitive during the encephalitis outbreak which killed more than 100 children? The government is not prepared as there is a lack of facilities in hospitals".

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Mangal Pandey responds

Meanwhile, Mangal Pandey, while reacting to Tejaswi's statement said, "I have not attended any public meeting or gathering. It's a baseless allegation. Tejaswi is propagating wrongly."

So far 150 samples have been collected in different parts of Bihar, but no positive case has been reported yet. Bihar government has arranged for 100 isolation wards, across the State. The State government has also directed to screen people crossing over to India from Nepal at various checkpoints on Indo-Nepal Border as Bihar shares 1400 km of the porous border with Nepal. Bodh Gaya airport has been closed as Bihar faces threat from passengers visiting from Buddhist countries for the pilgrimage to Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya.

READ | Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates: No Floor-test; House Adjourned Till March 26 Over Coronavirus

READ | BIG: Yes Bank To Resume Full Banking Services After 6 Pm On March 18, At Branches & Online
Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday urged construction firms to donate specialized N95 masks to their local hospitals as the government tries to head off a rush of demand for equipment to protect doctors and nurses from the coronavirus outbreak.

Pence made the plea at a televised press conference along with President Trump and top government health officials, amid a nationwide shortage of equipment.

Trump said he has started the process of having the U.S. Army Corps of engineers construct field hospitals to boost the volume of hospitals beds. 'We are starting the process,' he said. He said they would be M.A.S.H. hospitals, or United States Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals.

President Trump spoke about deploying the Army Corps of Engineers to build hospitals and Mike Pence called for construction firms to donate specialized masks

'They do call them M.A.S.H. hospitals,' Trump said. 'Were looking at different sites in a few different locations.' New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made a request for assistance, which Trump said would be provided.

State and local governments are preparing for an onslaught of hospital patients as the coronavirus outbreak spreads  with the national stockpile also not up to the anticipated demand.

'We would urge construction companies to donate their N95 masks to your local hospital and for go additional order of those industrial masks,' Pence said.

'Those industrial masks are perfectly acceptable for healthcare workers to be protected from a respiratory disease,' Pence said. He pointed to the industry, which he said Trump knows well' from his real estate background.

He also asked construction firms to forego additional orders of the specialized masks, which can both protect medical professionals and keep infected patients from spreading the virus.

Pence's appeal came as federal officials have told doctors and health workers the nation's stockpile doesn't have enough basic medical equipment like masks and gowns to meet the expected crush of coronavirus cases.

The stark assessment, conveyed in a conference call Monday, comes as the Health Department has begun distributing supplies a national stockpile created for such health emergencies. But the administration is acknowledging the supply is 'finite' and sending the equipment out to priority areas and based on a population formula.

With a looming shortage of beds that public officials fear could fall well short of demand in an outbreak, the White House is even considering the use of hospital ships, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx said. The problem: the Navy only has two of them, and they can't get inland.

Vice President Mike Pence (l) announced the call for masks

A man displays a protective N-95 face mask and goggles, at an office in Washington, DC. The masks are vital to protecting medical professionals

Pence wants construction firms with excess supply to donate their masks

A nurse emerges from a tent with a kit to test for novel coronavirus COVID-19 at a drive through testing station for University of Washington Medical Center employees in Seattle, Washington, USA, 16 March 2020. The federal government is shipping equipment from a national stockpile to meet needs

'The president is considering all of the options. We're looking at hospital beds, ICU beds, informed by the data from Seattle and Santa Clara, and I just really want to thank the governors and the health commissioners from those states who are providing us the on-the-ground daily reports of hospital utilizations,' Birx told Fox News.

'There are multiple options in our reserve, including the V.A. Hospitals, Department of Defense medical treatment facilities and even hospital ships. There are a lot of things to consider and all of those things are on the table right now,' she said.

In New York state, 19 per cent of positive coronavirus cases are being hospitalized, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a televised briefing from Albany, in a state where cases continue to spike.

Adding to the need are infections that have been identified among medical professionals serving on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House is considering using hospital ships to meet demand, says coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx

Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, enters a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital to test patients who have symptoms of the coronavirus, Friday, March 13, 2020, in Lewiston, Maine. U.S. hospitals are setting up circus-like triage tents, calling doctors out of retirement, guarding their supplies of face masks and making plans to cancel elective surgery as they brace for an expected onslaught of coronavirus patients

In a Friday, March 13, 2020 file photo, Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, mops the floor of a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital where patients are tested for of the coronavirus, in Lewiston, Maine

An auxiliary tent stands outside the entrance to the emergency department at EvergreenHealth Medical Center, where an emergency department doctor is reportedly in critical condition with coronavirus (COVID-19) according to local media, in Kirkland, Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020

'It is essential that the federal govt works with this state and that this state works with the federal government. We cannot do this on our own,' he said.

On Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar refused to say how many ventilators the government had and now many were projected to be needed, calling it a 'national security issue.' The following day, the administration announced recommendations that Americans not gather in groups of more than ten people and stick to their homes.

HHS officials communicated the information to medical professionals in a conference call Monday, CNN reported, and said the nation's stockpile was insufficient to meet needs. The representatives from the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Reponses said the government had not yet identified a solution.

Congress is trying to deal with the problem with new purchases, but it is not yet clear how quickly it will be possible to get equipment online.

According to a statement released by HHS Tuesday, 'Because of the finite supply of PPE in the commercial supply chain, delivery of products from the SNS is prioritized based on need.'

Equipment goes out to all 50 states, 8 territories, plus urban areas including Chicago, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

'The distribution is based on a pro-rata formula that is proportionate to the population size of each jurisdiction based on 2010 U.S. Census data. For areas facing high transmission rates, additional allocations are available,' according to the agency.
State Police released new details on Tuesday of a fatal shooting involving one of its officers in southern New Mexico last month.

Mark Soriano, a State Police spokesman, said veteran State Police officer Daniel Soliz shot and killed Rodrigo Aguirre, 36, on Feb. 22 in Deming. Soliz has been with the agency more than a decade.

He said the deadly confrontation occurred after Aguirre led local deputies on a pursuit and fired at them with a shotgun.

Soriano said it began when Deming police officers responded to a burglary around 2:30 p.m. and Aguirre fled from the scene in a red minivan and lost officers during a pursuit through Deming.

He said Luna County Sheriffs deputies found Aguirre a short time later but had to retreat after he fired at one of them with a shotgun multiple times. State Police were called in to assist and officer Soliz found Aguirre hiding in a bush with a shotgun.

Soriano said after Aguirre refused to drop his weapon, officer Soliz fired two shots from his rifle, fatally wounding Aguirre.
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Linkedin Markus Makur (The Jakarta Post) Flores  Tue, March 17, 2020 10:07 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b1e2b9 1 World coronavirus,COVID-19,East-Nusa-Tenggara,Timor-Leste,cross-borders,coronavirus-prevention Free

The government of Timor Leste has expressed support for East Nusa Tenggara's (NTT) decision to temporarily close its border checkpoints to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Antara news agency reported.

"We strongly support the move as it would protect both the Timor Leste and NTT people from COVID-19 exposure," the Timor Leste consul in Kupang, Jesuino Dos Reis Matas C, said Monday during a meeting to discuss the matter with NTT Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laisdokat, as quoted by Antara.

Timor Leste has yet to report any COVID-19 case, Jesuino said, but he assured that the government was implementing strict health checks on inbound visitors.

It was agreed during Monday's meeting that the border would be closed for two months. Timor Leste, however, expressed hope the policy would not affect the distribution of staple food and fuel oil to the country through border areas.

NTT administration spokesperson Marius Ardu Jelamu said on Saturday that the administration would soon issue a decree to regulate the posts' closure.

"All of the posts will be guarded by security officers. This move is to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus," Marius said. (vny)
Customers have lost 1.1billion to bank transfer fraud in three years  prompting calls for laws to be introduced to ramp up protection.

Consumer group Which? said banks are failing thousands of victims who have been tricked into transferring cash, often by criminal gangs posing as banks, police or even the taxman.

A security measure called confirmation of payee (CoP), which checks the name of the payee matches the identity listed for the account, is due to be introduced by March 31.

Customers have lost 1.1billion to bank transfer fraud in three years  prompting calls for laws to be introduced to ramp up protection. The Mail is campaigning for checks to protect ordinary peoples bank accounts being emptied in the fraud epidemic [File photo]

But only the six biggest banking groups have been told to sign up to the voluntary scheme by this date.

Which? said all groups should be made to sign up and warned the RBS Group, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest and Ulster Bank, and HSBC, which includes First Direct, had not confirmed a date for implementing CoP.

It said voluntary schemes are no longer sufficient and called for legislation to make CoP mandatory.

The Mail is campaigning for checks to protect ordinary peoples bank accounts being emptied in the fraud epidemic.

Gareth Shaw, of Which?, said: It is vital for all banks to commit to basic name-check security. If the banks fall short of making these commitments... these initiatives must be made mandatory by Government.

Trade body UK Finance said the industry is committed to protecting customers but agreed a voluntary agreement alone is not enough.
(Newser)  A French ex-priest who acknowledged sexually abusing at least 75 boys over decades was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, in Frances worst case of clergy abuse to reach trial. The court in Lyon issued the verdict against 74-year-old Bernard Preynat behind closed doors because the coronavirus outbreak has shuttered most activity in France. Preynats case forced the first serious reckoning with sex abuse within the Catholic Church in France. Preynat testified that multiple cardinals and other senior church officials were aware of his misconduct dating back to the 1960s, but he wasnt removed from the priesthood until last year, the AP reports. Victims of Preynats abuse, primarily boy scouts, welcomed his conviction for sexually abusing minors. Preynat was a scout leader.

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"Its really a relief, said Pierre Emmanuel Germain-Thill, who testified that Preynat's abuse upturned his life. "Since he's someone of a certain age, it seems like a correct verdict to me. The victims want to turn the page." Preynat could have faced up to 10 years in prison, and the prosecution had asked for at least eight years. During the trial, Preynat said he became interested in young boys when he was 14 or 15, and he discussed it with his bishop of the time, but was still later ordained as a priest. Preynat testified that while working as their scout chaplain, he abused up to two boys "almost every weekend" from 1970 to 1990 and as many as four or five a week when he led one-week scout camps. He said that successive Lyon cardinals told him to stop, but didn't report him to police.

(Read more France stories.)
Gov. Phil Murphy has always been quick to take swipes at President Donald Trump, but in the wake of the response to the coronavirus outbreak, he took a pass at an opportunity on Monday.

Listen, thats above my pay grade, Murphy, a Democrat, told CNNs Wolf Blitzer during a live interview, when asked to respond to Trump saying earlier in the day that his response to the outbreak has been a 10 out of 10 performance.

The Republican president was asked to rate his performance on a scale of one to 10 during a White House briefing earlier in the day.

Do I wish that the federal government had gotten onto this earlier? Absolutely, Murphy said. We are where we are. Weve got to play the hand that we are dealt at this very moment.

Earlier in the day, Murphy joined New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont to announce an unprecedented move to close all movie theaters, gyms, and casinos in the three states at 8 p.m. Monday until further notice.

All three governors also said people should not leave their homes between 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Cuomo was critical of the federal governments response at the start of the joint conference call between the governors. The New York governor said Trump should have taken more draconian steps sooner to stop the spread of the virus.

On Monday, Trump said people shouldnt get together in groups larger than 10 individuals over the next 15 days. He also said older people should stay home.

Also, in a noticeable shift in his tone about the crisis, the president acknowledged for the first time Monday the pandemic may send the U.S. economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until July or August.

Murphy said he would continue to be in contact with federal officials and advocate for New Jerseys needs as the number of cases continues to rise.

And for us, at least, were gonna keep asking persistently from the federal government for their support, whether its personal protective equipment, dollars, boots on the ground, all of the above, and then doing in New Jersey the things that are within our control, he said on CNN.

The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey increased to at least 178 cases on Monday with 80 new positive tests for COVID-19 announced by state officials with two deaths.

Murphy also announced Monday New Jersey is one of 12 states identified by FEMA as a priority state that will have coronavirus testing sites set up and supported by the federal agency.

The two sites will be located at Bergen County Community College in Paramus and at the PNC Banks Arts Center in Holmdel, acting State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan said.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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It is extremely important for people to cut through the confusion and get their information from solid news sources, said Adi Pour, director of the Douglas County Health Department. Your local health department and local media outlets are some of the best choices.

State and local leaders who have been working for weeks to limit the spread of coronavirus say they try to reach everyone, even those who arent inclined to follow their guidance, in order to effectively address a crisis like this.

Thats why medical experts and public officials say that during their public briefings, they stick to what they know, admit what they dont yet understand and try to avoid blame and credit-seeking.

Words matter more now, they say, because communicating during a crisis is about grabbing the publics attention and marshaling appropriate responses, and doing so without rattling people into a panic.

Ricketts on Friday said he and other leaders work to overcome bias against their health messages by getting their facts straight and relying on experts with proven knowledge.
Health fanatics have been slammed for stealing toilet paper and hand sanitiser from their gym.

Fitness Playground, in Newtown, in Sydney's inner west, sent out an angry email to its users urging them to stop stealing.

'We have had thefts of toilet paper daily, hand soap daily, even the destruction of soap dispensers to steal the soap from inside,' it read.

'This behaviour cannot continue, or we will be forced to close until our members can behave like a community and support each other through this difficult time for all.

Fitness Playground, in Newtown, in Sydney's inner west, sent out an angry email to its users urging them to stop stealing.

The gym warned that if the theft continued the business would be forced to close.

'If we are forced to close, not only will this affect everyone's ability to train which is vital for a strong immune system, but it will affect the livelihoods of all of our staff,' the email read.

'We are not a multi-national company with unlimited funds. We are a small business, we rely on the support of our members, and we ask you to support us as well as each other during this difficult time.'

The gym warned that if the theft continued the business would be forced to close

A manager at the gym said hand sanitiser bottles started disappearing a few weeks ago when panic buying first started

Daniel Bowden, a manager at the gym, told Daily Mail Australia the theft began a few weeks ago when panic buying first started.

'We are doing our utmost best to keep things like hand sanitiser and toilet paper stocked to make sure our gym is completely hygienic and in line with the health guidelines set by the Australia government,' he said.

He said several hand sanitiser bottles had been taken from the gym and stocks of other supplies were rapidly clearing out.

'I don't care if people are hand saniting 20 times in an hour you're not going to go through litres of the stuff in a week,' Mr Bowden said
Pune Substandard hand sanitisers worth Rs 27 lakh, which were being sold under the product name Savior Hand Sanitiser has been seized by the police on Tuesday.

The police have arrested six people including the manufacturer and the distributor.

The six men have been identified as Kunal alias Sonu Shantilal Jain, 33, a pharmacist living in Kondhwa; Chetan Madhav Bhoi, 26; Irfan Iqbal Shaikh, 32; Aseem Arif Maniyar, 27; all residents of Kondhwa; Swapnil Shivaji Shinde, 31, a resident of Sadashiv peth, and Mahesh Ramchandra Tembekar, 31, a resident of Satara road.

Jain, Bhoi, Shaikh and Maniyar are accused of selling the sanitisers while Shinde and Tembekar were the brains behind the operation.

The accused were making these sanitisers without license and labelling them made in Nepal, made in Taiwan. Further investigation is being done by Unit 5 of crime branch. Citizens are requested to share information regarding sale of spurious products to police, said Bachchan Singh, deputy commissioner of police, crime, Pune.

SC Tasgaonkar. assistant police inspector, Unit 5 of Pune police crime branch who is heading the investigation said, They do not have any permits required for production and distribution. Swapnil Shinde assembled the products at his property in Alankar police jurisdiction. Tembekar distributed the product to medical suppliers. We first arrested a pharmacist and backtracked the investigation.

A case under Sections 276 (sale of drug as a different drug or preparation), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 420 (cheating), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Sections 18-A, 18(c), 22(1)(cca) with 28, 27(b)(ii), 27(d) of Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 1940 has been registered at Market Yard police station against the six.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:51:05|Editor: xuxin

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BUDAPEST, March 17 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker Audi will halt production at its plant in Gyor, northwestern Hungary, next Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic and uncertainties in component supply, the Hungarian news agency MTI reported on Tuesday.

"The Volkswagen Group is suspending production at most of its sites," and the measure affects Audi AG's plant in Gyor, MTI said citing a statement from Audi.

The company plans to halt production in an organized and controlled manner by the end of the current week, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Hungary is closing its borders to all personal travel with the exception of nationals returning to the country, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Monday.

According to the Hungarian government's updated statistics, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 50 on Tuesday, with two reported recoveries, one fatality. And 137 people are in quarantine.
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has joined other Nigerians in calling out the federal government over its refusal to order the closure of Nigerias borders to prevent the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

After recording its third case of the deadly virus on Tuesday, Nigerians have taken to social media to call on the government to prevent an outbreak of the virus in the country.

Also Read: Buhari Is Callous, Insensitive, Heartless: Fani Kayode

Joining the discussion, the former minister expressed his sadness over the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to formally address the nation.

FFK also queried the motive behind the governments continued stance that Nigerias borders will remain open.

See his tweet below:
The mother of



Nimisha Fatima, who embraced Islam and is suspected to have joined the Islamic State (ISIS) four years ago, has sought the intervention of the Central government to bring her daughter back.

Bindhu met the media after a video was released by a Delhi-based website on March 15 which showed Nimisha and two other Keralite women - Rafeela and Soniya Sebastian - expressing their interest and hope to return to India.

"I am seeing my daughter after four years, in that video. I want my child to return. Only the Central government can help me. I know she will have to undergo lengthy legal procedures. But I hope she will come," Bindhu told the media.

Nimisha Fatima and her husband were among the 22 Keralites who were reported missing from Kasaragod and Palakkad in June 2016 and had reached the bastion of ISIS terror operations in Afghanistan. Nimisha gave birth there.

The NIA has been probing into the case of the missing Keralites.

Four years after they fled India to join the terrorist outfit Islamic state (ISIS), the website has come out with a video in which the three Malayalee women speak about their life under a caliphate.

The three Malayalee women had fled between 2016 and 2018 with their husbands to join the ISIS.

In the video, the women were seen saying they were living among the several fighters and other families who had surrendered to the Afghanistan government in 2019, after their husbands were killed.

"The reason we moved was to live an Islamic life under a Caliphate, Muslim rule. But once we reached there, many of our expectations were not met," Soniya was seen telling the website.

Sonia also said she was looking forward to return to India and join her husbands family.

Now, I want to return to India to my husbands family and I want to cut myself off from everything that has happened. My husband is also no more and what I have left is only my husband's family and now I wish to return to India, she said.

Nimisha also was seen in the video saying things were not as it was when they reached ISIS.

"...Now the situation is different. And I have no idea what is happening. So I dont know, is there any place at all, or nothing. At this point, theres no point in doing hijrah. But at the same time, I cant say that when there is a khilafa, we shouldnt do hijrah, that I cant say, Nimisha said.

Bindhu had, in November last year, identified her son- in-law and granddaughter from among those who had surrendered recently in Afghanistan.

Bindu then told television channels that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had sent her a few photographs of people who had surrendered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump is asking Congress to unleash a torrent of emergency economic aid  including direct checks to Americans  an effort unseen since the Great Recession to shore up households and the economy amid the coronavirus crisis.

Trump wants checks out to the public within two weeks as part of what officials said could approach a $1 trillion package. Congressional leaders vowed swift action. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared on Capitol Hill to brief Senate Republicans as state and local officials acted more forcefully to restrict gatherings and mobility in the face of growing sickness.

We want to go big," Trump said at a White House briefing. We want to get it done and have a big infusion.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised the Senate would not adjourn until the package was passed.

Obviously, we need to act, McConnell said after meeting White House officials at the Capitol.

But first, McConnell said, the Senate will vote on the House's $100 billion package of sick pay, emergency food and free testing that's on track for Trump's signature.

After a savage drop at the start of the week, the stock market rose during Trump's briefing as he and aides sketched out elements of the economic rescue package.

Bigger than the 2008 bank bailout or the 2009 recovery act, the White House proposal aims to provide a massive tax cut for wage-earners, $50 billion for the airline industry and $250 billion for small businesses.

Two people familiar with the request described it to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

It is a big number, said Mnuchin, exiting a briefing of Senate Republicans. "This is a very unique situation. We've put a proposal on that table that would attract a trillion dollars into the economy." One GOP leader, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, told reporters afterward it "could be" up to $1 trillion.

A lot of our members believe that we need to be bold and big, Thune said.

Senate Democrats produced their own $750 billion proposal, which includes $400 billion to shore up hospitals and other emergency operations in response to the global pandemic and $350 billion to bolster the safety net with unemployment checks and other aid to Americans, according to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's office.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, spoke by phone with Mnuchin in the morning. The Democrats emphasized that protecting workers' paychecks and benefits was their top priority, and that immediate action was needed, said Drew Hammill, Pelosi's spokesman.

Congress was being asked to approve the most far-reaching economic rescue package since the Great Recession of 2008.

It's an enormous political and economic undertaking as a slow-moving Congress tries to rise to the occasion of these fast times.

There's great spirit among lawmakers, Trump said. I can say that for Republicans and Democrats.

The debate is sure to revive the sharp divisions over the costly bank bailout and economic recovery of the Obama and Bush era. Particularly striking is McConnell's urgency after having adjourned the Senate over the weekend while Pelosi muscled through an aid package.

Some GOP senators were skeptical about the massive aid on the table. Im going to be very leery of doing something like in 2008, said Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun.

But the other senator from Indiana, Todd Young, chairman of the Republican Senate campaign committee, said he was open to approving $1,000 checks and wants aid out the door as as soon as possible. He noted the sudden change of American life, and said he was the only passenger on his flight back to Washington.

Angry senators from both parties boarded planes returning to a changed Washington, as Trump declared a state of emergency, the virus spread and the economic free-fall worsened. Despite federal guidelines against so many people gathering, senators had no choice but to convene. Legislating cannot be done from home. The House is on a recess.

The White House hopes the measure will pass quickly, possibly this week, as the administration scrambled to contain the economic fallout of the outbreak.

The new proposal is beyond the House's estimated $100 billion aid package of sick pay, emergency food aid and free virus testing that was approved over the weekend and is pending before the Senate.

Now Congress will be rushing to pass two measures or combine them into one, altogether a sweeping response.

Muscling the aid will test Congress and the White House at a pivotal moment in the crisis and in an election year when the two parties have vastly different outlooks on the best way to prop up the economy and help Americans.

All sides  the House, Senate and White House  agree more federal resources are needed to handle what's coming.

At the start of the month, Congress approved $8.3 billion in initial aid. Trump quickly signed into law the measure, which provided federal agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments, and funding to help state and local governments respond to the threat.

During the recession, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, passed in February of that year, had an initial price tag of $787 billion which was revised later to $831 billion. That was under Barack Obama.

The Tarp passed in the fall of 2008 to help troubled banks had a price tag of $700 billion. It was put together by the George W. Bush administration, and provided money for the auto bailouts for General Motors and Chrysler. All of that money for the banks and the auto companies was paid back.

Now, Republicans often reluctant to spend federal dollars did not flinch at the head-spinning number, as a roster of America's big and small industries  airlines, hotels, retailers  lined up for aid.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, called for sending $1,000 to every adult American  an idea the White House now is proposing, though not necessarily that sum.

Industries representing a broad swath of the economy are seeking help in withstanding the fallout as schools close and Americans are being told they should stay inside, skip nonessential travel and avoid gatherings with 10 people or more.

That means no dining out, no boarding planes, no shopping the malls as a great national shutdown sparks business closures, layoffs and lost paychecks for rents, mortgages and everyday needs.

The nation's largest business organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, asked the Trump administration and Congress on Monday to act rapidly to help companies have access to cash and avert a potentially devastating hit to the economy.

Pulling together the new package will challenge the basic logistics of governing as Congress itself struggled to adapt to the new normal.

-- The Associated Press

House Democrats were told on a conference call they won't be recalled to Washington until the next package is ready for action, according to people familiar with the call but unauthorized to discuss it and granted anonymity.

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.
Whole new ball game: Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Stadium is being used as a testing centre for Covid-19. Photo: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

The nation has just seven days to slow down the spread of the coronavirus as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted up to 15,000 may be infected in just two weeks.

The stark warning to abide by the rules of social distancing and hand-washing, along with the other drastic restrictions on behaviour, was issued last night by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan.

"The behaviours we adopt in the next seven days will form the template for how we interrupt the spread of this virus over the coming months."

He added: "We need to sustain social distancing, respiratory hygiene and these new ways of behaving if we are to succeed in minimising the threat posed by Covid-19."

He was speaking as another 54 people were diagnosed with the virus, bringing the toll to 223.

Research commissioned by the Department of Health shows more than three-quarters of people are staying at home more often.

And nearly one in two have started working from home.

The impact was seen yesterday in normally busy buses and commuter trains with rows of empty seats as the business closures and job losses were revealed.

Mr Varadkar admitted that there may be 100,000 people who will lose their jobs and he pledged social welfare supports for employees and employers.

The hidden effects of the coronavirus crisis were also suffered by some cancer patients who are having their surgery postponed in a major treating hospital.

St Vincent's Hospital, in Dublin, confirmed specialists are having to review their patients based on clinical need and "some surgeries are being rearranged for the coming weeks".

The ongoing devastating fallout for the nation followed an admission by Mr Varadkar that the number of new people infected by the virus will jump by 30pc a day and it could reach 15,000 by the end of the month.

"Most people will be well and be treated at home and it's important they stay at home. But a percentage will need to be hospitalised and a smaller proportion again may need critical care."

He was speaking after a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee overseeing the crisis and the launch of a plan outlining how the Government intends to tackle the health, economic and social effects.

The virus cannot be stopped and it is likely to be weeks before the restrictive measures endured by the population will see cases plateau.

"We have hundreds of ventilators, hundreds more have been secured. But we cannot say at this stage whether the number of people who need to be ventilated will match the number of ventilators we have."

Projections that half of the population may get the virus may materialise but it is important for people to know this would be spread out over months.

It was decided not to call for the closure of cafes and restaurants but he emphasised they need to impose social distancing between customers.

Health Minister Simon Harris said a massive recruitment campaign for people with health-related skills will be launched today, and the message will be: "Your country needs you."

A big ramping up in the tracking of coronavirus patients' movements will see thousands of public service workers reassigned to contact tracing.

It will involve an unprecedented level of movement of civil servants into new roles.

Departments will also shift staff to help with the processing of social welfare payments for those workers who have lost their jobs during the crisis.

Meanwhile, many GPs are to man the phones in their surgeries today, despite the St Patrick's Day holiday, to meet a deluge in demand for coronavirus tests from patients.

Although their surgeries will not be open, the doctors will be available on the phone to assess patients who fear they have symptoms of the killer infection and need a test.

Trinity College Dublin has told students living on campus they must go home, other than in very exceptional cases. It comes as college authorities confirm they are aware of at least eight confirmed cases.
CAIRO  While the Nile River comes nowhere close to Morocco, the country still may be playing a role in the crisis over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam because of Rabat's legal and financial tangle with an Ethiopian-born man who has been one of the most prominent investors in the project.

In 2015, Morocco began seizing the assets of Saudi-Ethiopian billionaire Mohammed al-Amoudi, who had monopolized oil refining in Morocco through SAMIR, the only refinery there. Most of the shares of SAMIR, which was founded by the Moroccan government in 1959, were sold to Amoudi's Corral group in the 1990s.

In November 2018, the Moroccan judiciary ruled that Amoudi properties should be confiscated; the courts accused him of intentionally disrupting oil production in Morocco as a bargaining tool against the state in order to reduce accumulated taxes and custom dues and to reduce the interest due on loans he obtained from banks in Morocco.

Morocco also was one of 21 Arab League states that signed a March 4 resolution rejecting infringement of Egypts historical rights to the waters of the Nile.

On March 5, Ethiopia summoned its ambassadors to Morocco and Egypt, as well as ambassadors to Sudan, Algeria, Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Cuba. On March 7, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said the recall of the ambassadors was not related to the faltering negotiations involving the dam between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan but rather was due to the end of the terms of the envoys' assignment in those countries.

The Ethiopian move came a few days after Egypt unilaterally signed an agreement on the operation and filling of the dam in Washington. Both Ethiopia and Sudan did not sign the agreement, as they had withdrawn from the negotiations held under the patronage of the US Treasury Department. On Feb. 29, Ethiopia announced  without an agreement with Egypt or Sudan  that it would start filling the dam in July with 4.9 billion cubic meters of Nile River water (nearly 4 million acre-feet).

Mahmoud Hegazy, a diplomatic relations lecturer at the Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies, told Al-Monitor that the solution to the crisis over the Ethiopian dam lies in two paths.

The first is the diplomatic one, based on embarrassing Ethiopia internationally by proceeding with negotiations from which Ethiopia withdraws one after the other because of its insistence on expediting the filling of the dam or because of the intransigence of investors  countries, companies or individuals  that are pressuring the Ethiopian government not to commit to the results of any negotiations or to basically withdraw from them, Hegazy said.

He further said the second path consists of mobilizing states and international public opinion against the corruption of any international investor funding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which could in turn contribute to drying up or disrupting the sources of investment of the dam. [This is what] happened with Amoudi due to his involvement in corruption cases in Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

Hegazy said he believes that exploiting the weaknesses of investors could play a prominent role in resolving the crisis over the dam or at the least in delaying the filling of the reservoirs until a peaceful solution based on negotiations can be reached.

Ethiopia had previously announced its intention to make a unilateral decision over when to fill the dams reservoirs and start operating the facility. But observers said the placement of Amoudi's money, investments and assets under custody in Saudi Arabia in November 2017 and the confiscation of his money in Morocco may have disrupted the completion of the dams construction and the filling of its reservoirs.

Although Morocco's actions may have had the effect of blocking greater Amoudi investment in the Renaissance Dam, relations between Egypt and Morocco have had tense moments.

On March 1, the prominent Moroccan newspaper Zenka20 revealed the intention of Moroccos King Mohammed VI to visit Egypt this month. The report said the visit had been postponed five times for unknown reasons, which stirred tensions in relations between Egypt and Morocco, according to unnamed sources described by Zenka20 as being well-informed. For example, there also was a report in early February saying the king was to visit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi later that month. There may be no visit this month, either, because of the coronavirus; Egypt has suspended all international flights from March 19-31 in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Also, the Moroccan government had allowed dozens of Moroccan demonstrators to organize a major protest to mourn the death of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi on June 20, 2019, and to condemn what they called his abuse in prison by the Egyptian authorities. Meanwhile, Moroccoan Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani, also secretary-general of Morocco's ruling Justice and Development Party, mourned Morsi in an official statement on June 18, 2019.

The Egyptian authorities had arrested Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, on July 3, 2013, and brought him to trial on several charges, including spying for foreign countries, incitement to violence and terrorism and incitement to kill peaceful protesters.

The Egyptian armed forces toppled Morsi from his position as president the day of his arrest following mass protests against his rule and the Muslim Brotherhood regime.

Hisham Bachir, an expert in Arab Maghreb affairs who is a researcher at the Germany-based Democratic Arab Center for Strategic, Political & Economic Studies, told Al-Monitor that Morocco is ruled by a constitutional monarchy system, in which the king shares powers with the government formed by the elected parliament.

He said Morocco's Justice and Development Party, which has had strong links with Muslim Brotherhood, has headed the parliament for nearly a decade; thus it seems natural that the Moroccan security forces and the state media should support Morsi or the Muslim Brotherhood.

In a report released in 2015, Moroccan state television described the Egyptian armed forces' ouster of Morsi as a military coup, a conclusion that Egyptian officials said did not take into account the public protests against Morsi that sought the armed forces' intervention against him.

Bachir said this is not necessarily a reflection of the policies of Morocco's king, who on Feb. 26 offered his condolences for the death of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Bachir said many in Morocco's Justice and Development Party considered Mubarak an enemy against whom the Egyptian people revolted; his regime was toppled in January 2011.

Bachir said he expects that the coming days will witness a rapprochement between Morocco's king and Sisi over Turkish military intervention in Libya. Morocco's foreign minister has objected to Turkey's actions there; Morocco's position in general has been for a diplomatic solution, while Egypt has been backing eastern Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter.

The Turkish interventions are being carried out under a military cooperation agreement signed by the Libyan Government of National Accord and Ankara in November. This agreement, however, contradicts the provisions of the Skhirat Agreement, signed after negotiations between Libyas warring factions under the patronage of the Moroccan king in 2015. The agreement, which specifies the powers and competencies of the Government of National Accord, does not allow said government to sign international agreements without the approval of parliament.
Kevin Lang, bartender at Kostas on Girard Avenue, cleans on Wednesday. The bar and restaurant plans to sell beer to go and take-out food. Read more

Analisa Taylor had wanted to keep working.

Taylor, 52, is a hairdresser and co-manager of a hair salon and barbershop with just two chairs. She understood the threat of the new coronavirus, but she didnt think her business would pose a threat. She emphasized how, at the most, there are four people in a room at a time. They wipe down everything in between customers. She washes her hands all day long.

On Monday, the city ordered all non-essential commercial activity to close by 5 p.m. For Taylor, like many others, that meant her sole source of income had come to an end.

If were not cutting hair, were not making money," said Taylor, who works at Daves Salon and Barber Shop at 47 S. Fourth St. If were not making money how are we paying the bills?

Small-business owners and workers in the city watched in the last week as other counties forced non-essential stores, such as hair salons, bookstores and clothing stores, to close. They saw the cases of the new coronavirus continue to increase and heard about the importance of social distancing, the act of limiting how often you interact with others, curtailing the rapid spread of the virus.

So even if this announcement were expected, they still took the news hard. Owners worried how they would support themselves and their workers during this time; how long the forced closures would last; if their businesses would be able to open once they are allowed; if, at that time, customers would even have disposable income to spend and keep their business alive; if they needed to take out more loans.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus is a grave threat to restaurants, salons, and wage earners. We must help them fast | Maria Panaritis

This shutdown is scheduled to last through at least March 27, officials said, bringing Taylor closer to the time her bills are due.

At the beginning of the next month the mortgage will be due, the car will be due, the insurance will be due, everything is going to be due and in this line of work you cant make up two weeks," said Taylor. "You cant get it back.

Shani Newton was behind even before the coronavirus hit. Newton, the owner of Dollys Boutique & Consignment, a specialty womens wear store on Germantown Avenue, used a lot of her savings to open a new store in the Fashion District six months ago and shes still paying her bills from that construction.

She knew the risk of her industry and saw big-box stores sizing down and closing. But she thought her products were unique and opening in the former Gallery Mall would attract new business from a busy part of the city.

Now, she isnt sure what to do. Shes going to try to pay her employees during this time, while also paying her bills, such as the utilities, at both stores and her home. She might take out another loan.

Its just doom and gloom right now, but were resilient  small-business people are resilient from the gate, Newton said. Im just going to push, push, push my online presence, social media, and hope people will still shop.

Gerrae Simons Miller, the owner of Mellow Massage and Yoga in East Falls, doesnt have that option. Her business cant be operated remotely because it works directly with people.

Yoga classrooms were being cleaned and disinfected, patients were being screened on their travel history and whether they felt sick. People were being asked to wash their hands. But still, Miller said, she was getting ready to close anyway. She knew it was in the benefit of public health.

 READ MORE: East Falls wellness studio embraces diversity through massage and yoga

Its definitely the right thing, but its really hurting small businesses, Miller said. We are all hoping that this is something we are attacking with enough force that it will slow down and we won't have this situation for too long.

Its difficult enough to be a brick-and-mortar bookstore and cafe, said Justin Moore, the general manager of Uncle Bobbies Coffee & Books in Germantown. The store has small margins and significant overhead, and relies on daily sales to pay employees.

The forced closures mean everyone is losing income. Moore said he understands why they must close and that social distancing is a way to fight the coronavirus. Still, he is hoping for more information from city officials about resources he can offer his employees so they can get by. He said he feels as if were in the dark.

Just trying to be in the retail space in 2020 is already a difficult endeavor, Moore said. "And something like this just makes it catastrophically worse.

While many businesses are just closing now because of the citys order, Tony Trov, the co-owner of South Fellini, a store with Philly-themed clothes and accessories, said it already closed last week.

After seeing what happened in Europe and China, he thought closing was inevitable. But now he doesnt know how to support himself or his employees.

For the most part were just hunkering down, Trov said. Its completely our livelihood and its as bad as it could possibly be.

How is the shutdown affecting your business? We want to learn how youre getting by. Email esilverman@inquirer.com to share your story.
WATERLOO  The beer wasnt green, but it was ready to flow at the St. Patricks Day celebration at Jamesons Public House on Tuesday.

But bagpipes wont be skirling, the band wont be playing and patrons were disappointed because one of the downtown Irish pubs biggest events of the year was canceled.

Coronavirus  and Gov. Kim Reynolds  shut the party down.

In an effort to limit community spread of COVID-10, the governor activated the State Disaster Emergency Plan that includes moving restaurants to drive-through, carry-out and delivery only and closes bars and recreational facilities such as gyms, casinos and adult day care centers. The proclamation also allows state agencies additional flexibility in responding to the unprecedented COVID-19 situation.

Restrictions are expected to expire March 31, although the overall public health emergency will remain in effect until 11.59 p.m. April 16.

Jamesons, like other area restaurants, posted signs on its doors and issued public posts on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Its going to hurt us very badly. Well only be able to do to-go orders. Were staying open to prepare orders. We prefer phone calls, but if someone stops down, well come to the door. We just cant allow anyone in the restaurant dining room or bar, said Michelle Smith, Jamesons bar manager.

The pub has plenty of food, she said. We are pretty well prepped and in good condition. Well accept cash, credit and debit cards.

Rich Eighme is trying to find a glimmer of positive.

A month and a half ago Eighme and his family, which own Waterloo Bowling Centers, Maple and Cadillac Lanes, saw their lives turned upside down when Maple Lanes destroyed by robbers who set it on fire.

Just as Eighme and his staff began to get back on their feet  moving 46 bowling leagues and two-thirds of their staff from Maple to Cadillac  everything came to a crashing halt again.

Things changed dramatically from last night to today, Eighme said. We were in our new normal. It was what do we have to do to scramble to take care of the rest of our season, and then the apple cart is upset again.

There is a tremendous amount of unknown. I truly believe we will come back to some form of normalcy. The question is how long. Government officials and health officials are doing the best job they can to minimize this situation.

Yes, there are going to be some financial casualties about it and we are going to do the best we can just like everybody else that is in our same situation. Lets face it, we are not the only ones to have their apple cart upset.

All three restaurants at the Western Home Communities Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls are closed. Table 1912, Gilmores Pub and Caraway Cafe are all shuttered for the forseeable future.

Its not an option. We are closed to the public and in the process of shutting those down. Were figuring out how were going to deliver meals to residents. We already have been taking meals to our nursing home residents, but now well be delivering meals to assisted living and residential living residents, said Linda Bowman, chief communications officer at Western Home Communities.

It also means rescheduling shifts for employees.

We were already social distancing in the dining rooms, now were moving to direct meal delivery. Residents will not be congregating in the dining rooms. We actually had that in our pandemic plan, but now were just stepping up the action.

Verve Kombucha Kitchen & Bar posted a notice on its Facebook page that Wednesday will be the last normal day for the restaurant. After that we will focus on carside takeout service. We will have an adjusted menu for online ordering that will hopefully bring a meal into your home that will offer some semblance of normalcy, the post reads.

SingleSpeed Brewing Co.s taproom will be closed, but to-go orders with curbside pick-up begin today. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The full menu, including six-packs, four-packs and fresh growler fills will be available.

Ive closed the kitchen and suspended all orders today, said Jeremy Jones, owner of Screaming Eagle in downtown Waterloo. He plans to start at lunch Wednesday with curbside carry-outs and food delivery service.

The St. Paddys Day party with live music was scuttled.

That definitely hurts because we had lots of RSVPs from people who were planning to attend. Now were going to just do the best that we can and hope theres some help from the government to make sure my employees are taken care of. Thats my main concern right now, Jones said.

Doughy Joeys Peetza Joynt in Cedar Falls is still adjusting, but the shut-down didnt come as a surprise, said manager Andrew Howe.

Weve been thinking about it for a few days, and now were going to have to get our team together and decide how to move forward. Our plan will be doing carry-out business and look toward delivery. We dont deliver now, so its something were looking into, he said.

Business was already impacted at Pablos Mexican Grill in Cedar Falls, said opening manager Shawn Brinkman. Sales have been down for sure because a lot of people dont want to come out because of whats going on. Its been disappointing.

Carry-out is the restaurants only option. It has no online or delivery service. Customers can step inside and place their order and carry it out from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.

Weve taken all the seats up, so theres no option for people to sit down, Brinkman said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 16:54:32|Editor: ZD

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A ship loaded with containers of raw materials from China arrives at a port in Cambodia, March 9, 2020. (Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said that 12 ships containing more than 1,000 containers of raw materials from China had arrived at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port to supply struggling garment factories in the kingdom, the Khmer Times reported on Monday.

Speaking with officials in northwest Battambang province on Saturday, Hun Sen said China had helped facilitate the transport of raw materials to Cambodia amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in a raw materials crunch in the kingdom.

The shortage saw thousands of garment factory workers being suspended as factories struggled to continue operations.

The prime minister said more than 60 percent of the raw materials for productions in the garment and footwear industry in Cambodia are imported from China.

He added that Chinese vessels would continue to deliver raw materials to Cambodia until May when the situation (of COVID-19) is expected to ease.

He said due to a shortage of raw materials caused by COVID-19, some factories in Cambodia had partially suspended operations, affecting almost 20,000 workers.

The garment and footwear industry is Cambodia's biggest export sector, employing about 750,000 people in approximately 1,100 factories and branches, according the Labor Ministry.

The sector earned gross revenue of 9.32 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 11 percent compared to the year before.
A leaked document by Public Health England (PHE) for senior National Health Service (NHS) doctors and officials has given the lie to all previous official discussions of the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact.

The PHE expects that the UKs coronavirus epidemic will last a year and that up to 7.9 million people will require hospitalisation in this time.

A commuter covers her face in London, Monday, March 16, 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The number of cases is forecast to increase rapidly over the next 10 to 14 weeks, reaching a roughly one-month peak from the end of May to mid-June. A 10-week decline in cases and deaths is expected to follow, falling to a relatively low level during the summer months. The authors of the report are concerned that the virus could then resurge in autumn and winter.

According to the document, obtained by Britains Guardian newspaper, As many as 80 percent of the population are expected to be infected with Covid-19 in the next 12 months, and up to 15 percent (7.9 million people) may require hospitalisation.

Assuming a fatality rate of just 1 percent, the infection of over 50 million people would mean 531,100 deaths. Even by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whittys estimate of 0.6 percent, the death toll would be over 318,000. But the global fatality rate is currently around 3.4 percent.

This staggering assessment is yet another indictment of the governments laissez-faire approach to the pandemic and their worthless assurances that services will be able to cope. The UK, along with much of the rest of the world, faces a prolonged social emergency which will affect the lives of millions. Over the weekend, a new-born baby in London tested positive for coronavirus. Italian doctors are reporting that a new wave of younger patients is now being hospitalised.

Dr. Luca Lorini, head of anaesthesia and intensive care at a northern Italian hospital, said, The type of patient is changing. They are a bit younger, between 40 to 45 years old. 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.

The PHE document is explicit in its fear that the overstretched NHS and other social services will be unable to cope. Work considered vitalin essential services and critical infrastructure such as the NHS, social care, policing, transport and the fire brigadewill not be able to function normally. The document warns, it is estimated that at least 10 percent of people in the UK will have a cough at any one time during the months of peak Covid-19 activity, meaning they would have to self-isolate for at least seven days under the governments guidelines. This equates to a shortfall of half a million vital workers.

PHE admit that the health service cannot come close to testing everyone with suspected symptoms for the virus, including NHS staff. Only the very seriously ill in hospital or those in prisons or care homes where the virus has already been detected will be tested.

The scale of the crisis is so apparent that Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to announce a series of new measures yesterday that were previously scheduled to come into force in several weeks time. These include advising whole households in which one member has a cough or fever to self-isolate for 14 days; telling people to avoid pubs, theatres and other social venues; to avoid non-essential contact with others and unnecessary travel; and to work from home where they possibly can. People in at risk groups will soon be asked to be largely shielded from social contact for 12 weeks.

In a sign of what is to come, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the NHS will cancel or delay all non-emergency operations.

Social services are so stretched that the effective and humane implementation of Johnsons measures is impossible.

Isolating the elderly for three months would, in many cases, be as effective a death sentence as catching Covid-19. Britains 500,000 care home residents and 548,000 over 65s receiving long-term social care are already criminally under-resourced. According to executive chairman of the National Care Association, Nadra Ahmed OBE, the sector is already suffering 120,000 staff vacancies. She told the Sun, The potential of self-isolation and the impact of that is fundamentally going to render services unable to continue.

If we dont have the workforce to deliver the services then we are going to be substantially challenged. People with the highest need will receive the care but people with medium needs who need the support may be waiting.

The normal sickness rate among care workers is 3 percent. If 10 percent are forced to self-isolate during the peak of the epidemic (and the number is likely to be higher), then the sector will be short a further 100,000 workers.

This reduced workforce will then be forced to spend extra time dealing with the coronavirus crisis, the policy director of the United Kingdom Homecare Association Colin Angel has warned. Social workers home care visits would take well longer than the usual expected time while dealing with people who are unwell.

His concerns echoed those of Professor Martin Green, chief executive of the charity Care England, who said last week, Domiciliary care services are really important. If we get a lot of domiciliary care workers off ill that will be a big problem. People who need that care will not be getting support, they wont get fed, and they wont get washed or toileted. He criticised the government for showing no evidence of a plan to address these needs.

Responding to these criticisms, ministers passed responsibility onto local councils, who were told on Friday to design plans for supporting the most vulnerable and high-risk people in their areas. Councils in England lost 77 percent of their funding from central government between 2015-16 and 2017-18 and cut 75,891 jobs in the five years up to 2019.

Lack of resources for social care and the NHS could also create a vicious circle. Helen Buckingham from the Nuffield Trust said, With hospital beds so squeezed, patients will really need care services to keep functioning well enough to stop people being admitted if it can possibly be avoided.

Ian Hudspeth, chair of the Local Government Associations community wellbeing board (LGA), warned that the stretched demand for adult social care could be further impacted by hospitals needing to discharge people even sooner than at present owing to the pressures on them.

The governments response to this danger has been pitiful. Besides aimless and empty calls for an army of volunteers, officials have suggested redeploying care workers to look after the elderly in virus hotspots. They are also reviewing whether criminal record background checks, required to work in close contact with vulnerable people, can be loosened to fill vacancies.

As one care worker explained to the Guardian, plans to parachute care workers into affected areas ignores the fact that the people they look after often have highly complex individual needs and threaten to exacerbate the problem of staff sickness. You are going to be putting people into a hot zone where people are infected. It creates a vicious circle.

She warned that universally low-paid care staff would feel pressured to lie about whether they felt ill: They fear they wont be paid. Nobody can survive on statutory sick pay.

The spread of private, profit-seeking concerns throughout the health and social care services in recent years has turned this problem into a mass concern. Last Friday, cleaning, portering and catering staff walked out of Lewisham Hospital after the outsourcing firm ISS refused to pay them properly.
Grande posted to Twitter to urge followers to take the novel coronavirus seriously.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Ariana Grande tweeted a message to her followers urging them to take the novel coronavirus more seriously.

Grande wrote that people saying "we will be fine because we're young" were putting others in danger. "You sound stupid and privileged and you need to care more about others," she said. "Like now."

In a series of tweets, Grande pleaded with fans to support H.R. 6201, the House legislation meant as a response to the coronavirus. "This bill will provide people w necessary financial support in terms of paid sick leave/unemployment due to corona virus/isolation/prevention!" she said.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ariana Grande posted to Twitter to warn fans against making light of the novel coronavirus, urging her followers that it was "stupid and privileged" not to take the virus seriously.

"I keep hearing from a surprising amount of people statements like 'this isn't a big deal/we'll be fine... we still have to go about our lives.' And it's blowing my mind," Grande tweeted.

"I understand if that is how you felt weeks ago. But please read what's going on. Please don't turn a blind eye. It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to take this situation that lightly. The 'we will be fine because we're young' mindset is putting people who aren't young and/or healthy in a lot of danger. You sound stupid and privileged and you need to care more about others. Like now."

Grande then wrote a thread of tweets saying she understood and supported people's frustrations but highlighted that "this is a national emergency and a pandemic of global proportion."

She also wrote that "these are the times when the world should rely on their governments to support the plan for all citizens to stay at home and lessen the threat of infection and the spread of the virus."

Story continues

Grande then urged fans to support the bill H.R. 6201  the House legislation meant to respond to the coronavirus.

"This bill will provide people w necessary financial support in terms of paid sick leave/unemployment due to corona virus/isolation/prevention!" Grande said. "Please contact your senate to support the passing of this bill!"

In her final tweet in the thread, Grande pleaded with fans to call their senators instead of reacting with frustration and wrote that Americans needed their senators and the government to support the bill, which has already passed through the House.

"Everyone deserves to be financially supported and feel safe at home during this time," she said.

Read the original article on Insider
With new cases being discovered in the country each day and panic among people also increasing, the government has proposed various measures to contain the spread of the disease.



The latest steps in the fight against the pandemic come at a time when the number of positive cases in India has reached 125, with fresh cases being reported from Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Kerala and Telangana.



In this edition of Business Standard podcast, we will discuss different measures taken by the government to control the outbreak.



On Monday, a (GoM) proposed various measures, including the closure of all educational and recreational institutions across the country. The government has also barred travellers from countries in the European Union, Turkey, the UK, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia from coming to India till March 31.



State governments are also taking proactive measures. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have all moved closer to imposing a lockdown. Heres is a look at the measures taken by them:



In Delhi, religious, social, cultural and political gatherings, as well as protests comprising more than 50 people are prohibited until March 31, with a similar case in Uttar Pradesh, where schools and colleges will remain closed until March 22.

Gyms, nightclubs, zoos and spas in the city will also remain closed this month.



Tamil Nadu also joined scores of states in closing down educational institutions, public events, and large gatherings.



In Maharashtra, the government extended the restriction to tiger safaris and asked people to avoid crowding religious sites. Even as Mumbai remained under a partial lockdown, the chief minister said he had no plans of imposing such measures in other cities of the state. The famous Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai was also closed for devotees.



In Bihar, Chief Minister extended an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of those who died from the virus.



Chhattisgarh termed the Centres current criteria to test as too restrictive and demanded that it allow more centres to carry out tests.



Intensifying its measures against the virus, the GoM held its seventh meeting in the evening and proposed a set of social-distancing measures to be in force till March 31.



In view of this, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Aggarwal said Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes...



To know more, listen to this podcast
Entrepreneur Alexandra Knauer is committed to more wage justice and is convinced that both, companies and the economy in Germany will benefit from that.

Entrepreneur Alexandra Knauer pays attention to equal pay in her company. Image Credit: KNAUER/Florian Bolk.

For some years now, the Equal Pay Day has been established as a day of action to draw attention to the fact that women are paid less than men. This date marks the day of the year until which, in a figurative sense, women work without payment. Or the other way around, it would be the day from which men would have to start working in order to achieve the same average annual salary as women. This year, according to calculations, the Equal Pay Day in Germany falls on March 17, 2020 - this corresponds to a salary gap of 21% on a national average.

Although the principle of "equal salary for equal work" is taken for granted by a majority of the population, the reality is still a different one.

In Germany, the so-called unadjusted wage gap has only decreased by around one percent to its current level since 2013. In an EU comparison for 2018, Germany is at the bottom of the table with these figures - only Estonia is even worse.

Berlin entrepreneur Alexandra Knauer, whose company develops and produces high-tech laboratory measuring instruments, has paid attention to fair conditions in her company for many years.

The success of these efforts is reflected, for example, in the fact that almost as many men use their parental leave entitlement as their female colleagues. The overall women's quota at KNAUER is very high for a technology company, at almost 40%. The proportion of women in management positions is, at 35%, significantly higher than the average for German companies, which is 21%.

Motivated by the Equal Pay Day, Alexandra Knauer has had the gender salary gap and the Equal Pay Day calculated once a year for her own company for two years now.

I am very satisfied that we have been able to reduce our small salary gap from 3.2% last year to 2.6% this year. This means that KNAUER has already reached Equal Pay Day on January 10th. I consider a fluctuation margin of 3% in both directions to be acceptable and try to stay within this range." Alexandra Knauer

How is the unadjusted gender pay gap determined?

The value is calculated from the average gross hourly wage for men minus the gross hourly wage for women and is put in proportion to the hourly wage for men. This ratio is expressed as a percentage and is also known as the "gender pay gap".

Gender Pay Gap by states (Graphic: Lohnspiegel.de)

However, this calculation method has been criticized, because it simply lumps everything together. For example, in the case of the wage gap between the federal states of Baden-Wurttemberg (22.7%) and Brandenburg (14.9%), critics say that it is mainly structural reasons that are to blame and not actual unequal payment. After all, it is precisely the federal states with a high proportion of well-paid technical occupations, in which traditionally significantly more men work, that have a large wage gap.

The simple calculation of the unadjusted wage gap obviously has its weaknesses. It does not take into account the comparability of individual jobs, but as an average value it is still a good indicator. If we avoid that one sex is better paid than the other and jobs are mostly allocated equally between women and men, the unadjusted figure will no longer differ from the adjusted one. It is an important task for me to ensure that these structural conditions are met in our company". Alexandra Knauer

The CEO of 145 employees could be resting on her laurels, because the figures put her far ahead of the German average. However, it is important for her to motivate other entrepreneurs to review and minimize the gender pay gap in their companies as well. In order to lend more weight to these activities, KNAUER has also applied to "Mein gutes Beispiel" (German for: my good example), a nationwide competition for corporate social responsibility.

The motivated entrepreneur is convinced that diverse teams can achieve better results, even if this means more discussion at times. Germany can only maintain a leading position in international competition with the very best ideas.

KNAUER signed the Charter of Diversity years ago and thus clearly positioned itself.

Both, employees and applicants, welcome transparency regarding the wage gap. The work force feels they are in good hands, while the others prefer such a company when looking for a job.

Therefore, it is reasonable for companies to calculate their own wage gap on an annual basis - as is the case with KNAUER. Depending on the result, a company knows where it stands and can take specific measures to perform better in the future. On the other hand, a good result can and should be announced. Similar to corporate social responsibility activities, this can contribute to a positive image of the company.

Those who wish to reduce the wage gap in their work force will achieve this if women's performance is rewarded in the same way as men's when hiring and when raising wages. It is important that managers at all levels are mindful of this issue and take the first steps.
The UKs scientific and veterinary capability will be enhanced after a 1.4bn boost to protect against the threats of animal and plant diseases.

The new funding will be used to redevelop the Animal and Plant Health Agency's current Weybridge facility, a site with specialist research facilities for disease control.

The money will ensure that APHA, which is responsible for safeguarding animal and plant health, has enough capabilities to fight current and emerging diseases.

The UK currently exports 4.2bn of livestock, meat and meat products, dairy and animal by-products per year. They are safeguarded by the services that APHA provides.

The agency has in the past given advice to government in controlling outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001 and testing samples for bird flu during outbreaks.

Chris Hadkiss, Chief Executive of APHA, welcomed the new funding, adding that it will enhance the UK's 'crucial and valuable' role in animal health science.

The commitment also highlights how the government recognises our international reputation as experts in animal and plant health science and the critical role we have in protecting the UK and the economy from animal disease risk, he said.

APHA Weybridge also provides expert advice to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organisation, as the international reference laboratory for a large range of animal diseases.
Islamabad, March 17 : The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan has increased to 183, after Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) confirmed 115 and 15 new infections, respectively.

This is the single largest increase in coronavirus cases in the country so far, The Express Tribune reported on Tuesday.

"This exponential increase is largely due to the recent inflow of pilgrims brought in from Taftan border after a purported quarantine," Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information Murtaza Wahab tweeted.

On Monday, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho said there are 76 confirmed cases in Sukkur (all patients arrive from the Pakistan-Iran Taftan border), 26 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad.

Wahab, earlier in the day, had said another 11 people who have reached the province from Taftan have tested positive.

Meanwhile, KP reported 15 cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday.

"Just received news that 15 out of 19 individuals received in KP from Taftan have tested positive for coronavirus. These are the first positive cases in KP," provincial health minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said in a tweet.

"They are being well looked after in quarantine in an isolated facility in DI (Dera Ismail) Khan..." The other confirmed cases were reported in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad and Punjab.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tuesday, March 17, 2020

There is no reason philanthropic efforts must come to a grinding halt during tumultuous times.

In the past week, Ive heard a dozen examples of philanthropists who dramatically slowed or halted their work because of cancelled trips or the need to work remotely. Assuming loved ones and colleagues are not ill, there is no reason philanthropic efforts must come to a grinding halt because of COVID-19. While face-to-face interaction is great, there are many ways to work remotely.

Here are three examples of philanthropists slowing down during the pandemic:

A start-up had plans to launch its first corporate giving program and was looking forward to receiving feedback from nonprofit organizations during an upcoming meeting. The meeting was cancelled because of concerns about COVID-19. So, the company decided to postpone launching its giving program until the fall when they can re-convene the group.

A foundation leader planned to fly across the country to seek advice from a colleague about a new project of strategic importance to their organization. His organization has asked all employees to refrain from nonessential travel, so he rescheduled the trip for five months later.

The leader of a corporate giving program told a grantee that he would be unable to respond for a few weeks because the company has asked employees to work remotely.

If something is strategically important, develop and implement it using the tools at your disposal as quickly as possible. And if its not that important, dont do it. Working remotely means just that. Working. From a different location.

Its wise to seek community input before launching a new grants program. Seeking feedback from trusted colleagues before dramatically changing strategy is also smart. But there are myriad ways to seek input and advice that dont require in-person communication. You can talk to people on the phone, hold video conference calls, conduct phone interviews, conduct online focus groups, and do email surveys. You can do all of this for free (or minimal cost) using easily available technology such as your smart phone, Zoom, Skype, SurveyMonkey and more.

You can do this starting today. You dont need to wait five to seven months!

Similarly, these tools are available to the remote worker. Twenty years ago, working remotely required a computer, printer, internet access, a table, chair, and a fax machine. Not much has changed (except perhaps the fax machine!). Today you can remotely access just about anything you need from computers and smart phones  including grants management systems, constituent engagement systems, email, voicemail, and of course your grantees and colleagues.

Sure working remotely can be challenging at first, especially if this is something that you arent used to. You might have children home from school, a spouse who is also working from home, or a pile of laundry calling your name. Once you pull through any initial feelings of shock and disorientation, and adjust to your temporary new normal, you can put simple practices in place to ensure you and your colleagues are productive while not in the office.

For example, establish working routines. Give people control over how and when they work. Focus on the results, not a schedule. Check in on your employees daily to see how they are doing and what you can do to support them. Make sure they have access to the technology they need and show them how to use it. Be flexible. Offer to extend deadlines if that will help them juggle work and family.

And if its not possible to get your work done remotely, perhaps because of cybersecurity restrictions on technology access, then do the things you always wished you had time to do: Read that article. Learn and develop yourself professionally by listening to a podcast or watching a webinar. Call your grantees and ask them how they are doing and how you can help. Conduct online research for your next funding initiative. Get to inbox zero. Or simply think.

To learn more ways to increase the speed of your philanthropy and increase the impact of your giving, check out my new book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving! Pre-order it before March 22to get a free webinar, keynote, or private consultation with me!

Are you you interested in working with a trusted advisor to philanthropists? Working from home? No problem. I can help you remotely! I have more than 20 years of experiencehelping ultra-high net worth donors, foundations, wealth advisors, and Fortune 500 companies to get the most impact out of their charitable giving. A little guidance goes a long way, so lets talk!

This article was originally written for and published by Forbes.

 2020 Kris Putnam-Walkerly. All rights reserved. Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution.

About Kris Putnam-Walkerly

Im a global philanthropy expert, advisor and award-winning author. I help ultra-high net worth donors, celebrities, foundations and Fortune 500 companies dramatically increase the clarity, speed, impact and joy of their giving. Im the author of Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail to Achieve Change And What They Can Do To Transform GivingandConfident Giving: Sage Advice for Funders, was named one of Americas Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers, I write about philanthropy for Forbes.com, Alliance Magazine, De Dikke Blauwe and am frequently quoted in leading publications such as Bloomberg, NPRand WSJ.

Whether you are just getting started in philanthropy, want to refresh your giving strategy, or need to catapult yourself to your desired future, I can help. Lets talk! Call me at +1-800-598-2102 x1, email me at kris@putnam-consulting.com or schedule a call.

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As shoppers empty shelves and place a mountain of online orders, retailers are hiring thousands of workers to keep up with demand.

H-E-B aims to fill hundreds of temporary jobs at its stores and warehouses across Texas, said spokeswoman Dya Campos. The San Antonio retailer is looking for people to stock shelves, load and unload products, refill displays and bag groceries.

Pay ranges from $9.50 to $15 depending on the position, which may last up to 60 days, according to online postings.

The need right now is really in our warehouses, Campos said.

Amazon is hiring 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers across the U.S. - including 5,900 in Texas - to meet the surge in demand, the company announced this week.

It is bumping pay for hourly workers by $2 an hour through April. Wages start at $15 an hour.

Amazon, an increasingly fierce rival of grocers, also recently expanded its paid sick leave policy, allowing all employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or quarantined to receive up to two weeks of pay, and contributed $25 million to a fund to support its delivery partners and drivers.

H-E-B, Amazon, Kroger, Albertsons and other companies looking to hire are drawing on employees in the hospitality, restaurant and travel industries who may be out of a job.

We know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas like hospitality, restaurants, and travel are lost or furloughed as part of this crisis, Amazon said in a statement. We want those people to know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back.

On hiatus from his teaching program, Jay Tope recently found himself looking for temporary work. He also does announcing at events, but more than 30 of his jobs have been canceled, he said.

"Pretty much through April, I've got no money coming in," said Tope, who lives in San Antonio.

He applied for an overnight stocker position at H-E-B and a delivery position at Domino's, jobs that allow him to practice social distancing. Tope's daughter and mother have medical conditions that put them at greater risk of COVID-19.

He's also perusing Amazon's openings.

"It's not as much of a risk," he said.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
A Newark man was found killed in Irvington on Friday and authorities are now investigating the cause of his death, acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II announced Monday.

James A. Braxton, 55, of Newark, was found fatally injured in the area of Nye Avenue and Nesbit Terrace in Irvington, authorities said. He was rushed to Beth Israel Hospital and pronounced dead at 8:27 a.m., according to the prosecutors office.

The cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. No arrests have been made, authorities said.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.
South by Southwest  one of the worlds largest gatherings of culture creators  should be going on right now as a spiritual and financial windfall for tens of thousands of residents, musicians, artists and low-wage workers. This funky state capital in the heart of Texas has depended on the 10-day tech, music and film festival since 1987. But with a pandemic spreading across the country, a panel of health experts shut it all down, not wanting the Southby revelers acting as coronavirus couriers  both into and out of Austin.
Round Hill Capital, an international real estate investment firm, and NBK Capital have bought a 368-bed student accommodation development in the Liberties, Dublin 8.

NBK Capital, a Middle Eastern investment company, will help co-fund the development, which has a value of 85m.

The site was purchased from Summix, an urban mixed-use regeneration project specialist.

Round Hill said it planned to partner Summix on additional student accommodation developments in Ireland.

Building of the new development will start this July, with the accommodation expected to be ready for students in September 2022 for the 2022-23 academic year.

The complex will include a gym, Wi-Fi, a cinema room, bike storage and study areas.

Michael Bickford, CEO of Round Hill Capital, said: "We recognise that areas of the student and residential housing markets in Ireland suffer from persisting structural supply constraints, and we look forward to helping alleviate these pressures and significantly further expanding Round Hill Capital's business in Ireland and across Europe."

This is Round Hill Capital's third student accommodation investment in Ireland, following the acquisition of a 145-bed development on Farranlea Road in Cork in December 2018. It has also invested in a 216-unit apartment development called Bridgefield in Dublin 9, where prices start at 1,850 a month for a two-bed home.

Round Hill Capital currently has under development over 7,000 apartments and student accommodation beds in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands and Ireland.

As well as student accommodation, it has plans to invest in Ireland's build-to-rent accommodation market.

Nido Student will manage the development.

The Dublin 8 area of the capital city is becoming increasingly popular as a location to develop student accommodation.

The Chicago-headquartered investment firm Harrison Street, along with Global Student Accommodation Group (GSA), last month said they were developing a 235-bed student accommodation property in the area. The project includes 37 build-to-rent units.

The property, known as Sweeney's Corner, is scheduled for completion prior to the start of the 2021 academic year.
DELAWARE, Ohio, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B), a world leader in industrial packaging products and services, currently plans to participate in upcoming virtual investor meetings. Given anticipated questions related to the impact of COVID-19 on the company's operations, Greif announced a narrow update today on recent company performance. The company's consolidated financial performance for second quarter to date (Feb. 1 through March 17, 2020) is in line with to slightly better than internally forecasted results.

While the ultimate financial impact of COVID-19 is uncertain, difficult to project and could negatively impact the company's consolidated financial performance during the rest of the fiscal year, to date COVID-19 has not had a material adverse effect on Greif that would cause a modification of its Fiscal 2020 financial guidance ($3.55 to $3.91 Class A earnings per share before adjustments) that was published on February 26, 2020. As noted by management on the investor call on February 27, 2020, the guidance range was deliberately wide given continued macroeconomic uncertainty and the still unquantifiable impact of the coronavirus on our global operations.

Greif continues to monitor COVID-19 events closely and is taking appropriate actions at the global, regional and local levels to support our colleagues and customers during this time of uncertainty.

Investor materials and presentations can be found at https://investor.greif.com/home/default.aspx.

About Greif, Inc.

Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services and is pursuing its vision: In industrial packaging, be the best performing customer service company in the world. The Company produces steel, plastic and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, flexible products, containerboard, uncoated recycled paperboard, coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores and a diverse mix of specialty products. The Company also manufactures packaging accessories and provides filling, packaging and other services for a wide range of industries. In addition, Greif manages timber properties in the southeastern United States. The Company is strategically positioned in over 40 countries to serve global as well as regional customers. Additional information is on the Company's website at www.greif.com .

Note on guidance

Fiscal year 2020 Class A earnings per share on a GAAP basis is not provided in this release due to the potential for one or more of the following, the timing and magnitude of which we are unable to reliably forecast: gains or losses on the disposal of businesses, timberland or properties, plants and equipment, net; non-cash asset impairment charges due to unanticipated changes in the business; restructuring-related activities; non-cash pension settlement (income) charges; or acquisition and integration costs, and the income tax effects of these items and other income tax-related events. No reconciliation of the fiscal year 2020 Class A earnings per share before adjustments guidance, a non-GAAP financial measure which excludes gains and losses on the disposal of businesses, timberland and properties, plants and equipment, non-cash pension settlement (income) charges, acquisition and integration costs, restructuring and impairment charges, is included in this release because, due to the high variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections of some of the excluded information, together with some of the excluded information not being ascertainable or accessible, we are unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure without unreasonable efforts.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all other information in this release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, expectations and other information currently available to management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those forecasted, projected or anticipated, whether expressed or implied. The most significant of these risks and uncertainties are described in Part I, Item 1A under "Risk Factors" of the Company's most recently filed Form 10-K, as amended by the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risks include the impact of public health epidemics affecting countries or regions in which we have operations or do business, such as COVID-19, which has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 could negatively impact our employees, customers, supply chain and production, as well as global economies and financial markets. These impacts could adversely affect demand for our products and our profitability, cash flows and financial results. At this point, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact our financial results is uncertain. All forward-looking statements made in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to such risk factors. Except to the limited extent required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Matt Eichmann

740-549-6067

[email protected]

SOURCE Greif, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.greif.com


El Alma has a deep personal calling to share unique thoughts and emotions about the reality of the soul with others. In Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven (published by Balboa Press AU), she delves deep into the journey of the soul as it expands heaven and earth.

In this story, Asina begins as a soul in heaven, arrives on earth and grows and survives the seven steps of silence, hope, suffering, loss, survival, believe and heaven throughout her life. Her daughter Nettie accompanies Asina as they both pass through each of the steps on earth. Nettie becomes her soul through illness and death and returns to heaven. Asina becomes her soul through loss and grieving and lives on earth as her soul to share with others.

Today, we are all called away from our souls as we interact daily with technology, materialism and commercialism. We need a reminder that we are more than what the world tells us we are, what we need and what we want. Today, more than ever, we need to take time to touch and care for our souls. Alma says.

Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven aims for readers to understand that their souls are not lost, that their souls are love and that they have the courage to become their souls. For more details about the book, please visit https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Soul-Seven-Steps-Heaven/dp/1504320867.

Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven

By El Alma

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 128 pages | ISBN 9781504320887

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 128 pages | ISBN 9781504320863

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El Alma is a counselor who has worked professionally in the areas of relationships, grief, disabilities and spirituality for more than 30 years. She has been an advocate and carer for traumatized adults and children all her adult life and has traveled to remote country areas to counsel families through their grief associated with disabilities. Semi-retired, she writes within the calm surrounds of her farm where she lives with her husband and family.

Balboa Press Australia is a division of Hay House, Inc., a leading provider in publishing products that specialise in self-help and the mind, body and spirit genre. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the Author Solutions self-publishing model. For more information or to start publishing today, visit balboapress.com.au/ or call 1800 050 315.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - San Marco Resources Inc. (TSXV: SMN) ("San Marco" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced drilling at its 100% optioned gold/silver/zinc Buck property in north central B.C.

Highlights of the fully-funded Phase I drill program include:

Up to 2,000 metres of HQ diamond drilling

Investigate potential depth extensions of known mineralized zones

Step-out drilling in areas of potential new discoveries

Confirm bulk tonnage potential as well as zones of high grade mineralization

Since very little drill core from historical drilling is available for review, this initial drill program will provide fresh drill core for detailed logging and support of what appears to be a large, highly altered gold/silver/zinc breccia system.

San Marco's Vice President of Technical Services, Sharyn Alexander, commented "We are very excited to begin drilling at our Buck property. We have a strong technical team with years of combined experience, and we are eager to test some very interesting targets outlined during our data compilation and review. Data to date indicates the Buck property hosts large areas of surface and near surface mineralization and it is anticipated that the current drilling will confirm this and give indications of depth potential."

The Buck property is thought to be structurally complex, such that the Company has retained Chris Gallagher of Rogue Geoscience, who specializes in 3D geologic and structural modeling, oriented core procedures and integration of field portable analyzers. The drill program is being conducted under the supervision of Coast Mountain Geological Ltd, mineral exploration consultants, of Vancouver B.C. Local operator J.T. Thomas of Smithers, B.C., is carrying out the drilling.

About San Marco

San Marco is a Canadian mineral exploration company actively pursuing world class gold, silver, zinc and copper projects with a focus in mining friendly jurisdictions in both British Columbia, Canada and Mexico.

The Company's principal focus and asset is the recently optioned Buck Property in north-central British Columbia that has large tonnage gold-silver-zinc potential in a mining-friendly region that includes many former and current operating mines. In addition, the Company's portfolio includes the several prospective, early stage exploration properties in Mexico.

San Marco is committed to environmental and social responsibility with a focus on responsible development to generate positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

For further information, contact:

Robert Willis, P. Eng.

Executive Director

Sharyn Alexander, M.Sc.

VP Technical Services

info@sanmarcocorp.com

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure



This news release has been approved by San Marco's Executive Director, Robert D. Willis, P. Eng. a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying such technical information by reviewing the data and reports from previous exploration of the property which he believes to be accurate and were provided to San Marco by the optionors.



Forward Looking Information

Information set forth in this document may include forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of San Marco Resources Inc. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. San Marco's actual results, programs, activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53490
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:01:32|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Pakistani President Arif Alvi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Pakistani President Arif Alvi held a meeting on Tuesday in Beijing, pledging to enhance cooperation in COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control.

After the outbreak of the epidemic, Pakistan, as an ironclad friend of China, quickly offered its aid to the Chinese people, Li said.

He said both countries are facing challenges of the epidemic at present, and China stands ready to share epidemic-control experience with and provide medical supplies to Pakistan.

Li said China's efforts to contain COVID-19 achieved a sustained and sound momentum as the spread of the novel coronavirus had been basically brought under control.

China is adjusting its prevention and control measures according to the latest situations, accelerating the process of a full resumption of work and production, and working to promote economic and social development, he said.

As the novel coronavirus is spreading in other parts of the world, China stands ready to enhance cooperation with the international community to jointly safeguard global public health security, Li said.

He added that China will work with Pakistan to advance the construction of key projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and industrial parks, assist Pakistan to tackle the plague of locusts, and enhance cooperation in international and regional affairs to promote peace and prosperity in the two countries and the region.

Alvi said his visit to China at this special time demonstrates the solidarity and friendship between the two peoples. Pakistan has always been China's closest friend, and has always stood along with China, he added.

He said the comprehensive and powerful measures China adopted to curb the epidemic had shown positive results, which was also an important contribution to the global fight against COVID-19.

Pakistan is ready to learn from China's experience and work with China to tackle the challenge, he said, expressing his belief that bilateral relations and cooperation will achieve further development after winning the battle against the epidemic.
The federal government will soon roll out a major economic package to deal with the unprecedented emergency of COVID-19.

Unlike most recessions, the point of the stimulus should not be to get people spending. Rather, it needs to support peoples incomes, so that we can come together to keep people safe and fight the pandemic.

Governments will also have to look ahead, to a second package, to get consumers out and spending again, once it is safe to do so. And they have to start thinking now about a third stage of economic policymaking, to help businesses and individuals adapt to and thrive in a fundamentally reshaped global economy.

A good first step was taken with the announcements on Friday that focused on the financial sector and business lending. But much, much more needs to be done for the millions of workers who get paid by the hour, and for sectors with many businesses and low margins  tourism, arts and culture, food, and retailing, to name a few.

The immediate need is to put money in the pockets of people and businesses. They need cash, but they also need to be discouraged from spending it. And they need to stay home.

The quicker we get them money, and enough of it, the easier it is for all of us to accept the drastic measures needed to keep the economy on lockdown  allowing public health and other authorities to do their jobs.

Practically speaking, there are a few options. Individuals could receive cheques from the Canada Revenue Agency, with lower income earners getting proportionately more, to a maximum amount. Workers who face reduced or eliminated shifts could receive a top up on Employment Insurance.

And payroll taxes could be cut for individuals and/or employers, to a maximum number of employees per organization. This could be retroactively based, putting more money in peoples pockets now.

The key is speed and attention to vulnerable people and businesses that live paycheque to paycheque, or week to week.

Governments should also work with business, union and community groups to quickly establish places and trusted organizations where Canadians can donate funds, which could be matched 2:1 (one dollar each from government and business for every dollar from the public), for emergency community purposes. This will make even more resources and attention available for the most vulnerable.

The second phase will only begin when we and the world have succeeded in flattening the curve of contagion. Once we have done so, and once we can gather in numbers again, we will need to ramp up consumer spending. And we will need extra support for workers who put themselves at risk, or were pressed into higher levels of service (to their customers or patients) during the pandemic.

The pent-up demand will help stimulate the economy on its own. Policies such as a temporary GST/HST cut and accelerated infrastructure spending will help further. Its in this period that we can begin to execute those public policies that shouldnt be forgotten in any crisis  namely policies that contribute to a greener, climate-change-fighting economy and policies that reduce inequality.

Finally, in the third period, we will need to decide what to do with a significantly changed economy. That will likely mean significantly diminished international movement, lasting health and health system impacts and other big shifts.

Will remote work become a more permanent feature of the working lives of many professionals? Will gig economy and shift workers in low-margin sectors need even more protection? How can we become more economically resilient and sovereign?

Policymakers will need provisional answers well in advance of this third phase.

All of these measures will serve to increase trust, prepare us for economic transition and put money in the pockets of Canadians and their employers. But just as in health care, the economic security of Canadians will demand an overreaction, not an underreaction. And we have no time to wait.
A US senator has been mocked online after incorrectly referring to Martial law as "Marshall law" while slamming those he claimed are spreading misinformation about coronavirus.

Marco Rubio, the representative for Florida, took to Twitter on Monday in an attempt to clear up rumours the state would be enforcing Martial law following the restrictions it imposed as part of anti-coronavirus measures.

Mr Rubio wrote: "Please stop spreading stupid rumors about marshall law. COMPLETELY FALSE.

"We will continue to see closings & restrictions on hours of non-essential businesses in certain cities & states. But that is NOT marshall law.

Martial law involves a Government ordering civil rule be replaced with the military, a measure some nations have brought in during times of war or emergency.

However, "Marshall Law" is the name of a player character from the original video game series Tekken.

Marshall can also be a variant of the word 'Marshal' often used in the US to describe and officer.

For others it reminded them of Marshall Mathers, American rapper Eminem.

When some saw #MarshallLaw was trending on Twitter they jumped to the conclusion that it was the name of Eminem's new album.

The artist was forced to deny the claims, having become caught up in Mr Rubio's own generated coronavirus rumour.

The misspelling did not go unnoticed by the politician's followers, many of whom ridiculed him for the mistake.

Following the furore about his error, the Republican apologised claiming the inaccuracy was a "typo".

However, in his apology he spelt the word wrong again, writing: "I meant to type stupid rumors about marital law not marshall law." This time writing "marital" instead of "Martial".

Coronavirus cases across the US have now reached over 4,490, jumping more than 1,000 from Sunday, with 87 deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 12:18:21|Editor: Liu

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VIENTIANE, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Immigration Department under the Lao Ministry of Public Security has launched an advanced passenger processing system (APPS) and passenger name record (PNR) for pre-screening of air passengers at international airports.

A press conference on the twin systems was recently held in Lao capital Vientiane and chaired by Director General of Immigration Department Saysaming Sivilay, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Tuesday.

APPS and PNR are a computer system that the public sector will use to manage and pre-screen air passengers checking in and out of Laos.

At the same time, it will be a system to record passenger travel details as a database for immigration officials to use in future.

This is accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the recommendation of the UN Security Council, which has notified member countries to install systems for the management and inspection of passengers in advance.

At the end of 2016, the Immigration Department had coordinated with the Civil Aviation Department under the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport and other relevant government agencies and the private sector to conduct a feasibility study for the use of this system in Laos.

"In 2019, the government approved our department to install and use such systems in order to enhance security measures for passengers in Laos," Saysaming said.

The system had a test launch in February 2020 with immigration officials deploying it to check passengers entering and leaving Laos on international flights, he added.

APPS and PNR are the most advanced systems that will enable officials to carry out the technical task of managing passengers who travel in and out of Laos effectively and quickly.

Saysaming said passengers will feel more confident about the safety measures taken by the airlines, while the public sector will be able to reduce expenditure on security management tasks.

At the time of the outbreak of the COVID-19, the system will especially help manage and identify passengers travelling from countries that are at the risk of viral epidemic, said Saysaming.
With an output of 136.5 million, total tyre production fell for the first time by 6.7 per cent in the first nine months of 2019/20, based on monthly data available since 2015 . The production has been incessantly falling since January last year with the sharpest year-on-year (y-o-y) fall of 17.1 per cent in October 2019. The cumulative tyre production during April-December has posted a y-o-y single-digit growth since 2015/16 barring 2016/17 when the growth was close to 12 per cent. As for the full fiscal year, tyre production has been repeatedly growing since 2013/14 at an average rate of 7.8 per cent.

The decline in tyre production was on the back of a sharp fall in demand from the automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across all segments. Automobile production is at an eleven quarter low following a slowdown in the economy, lower infrastructure spending, sluggish consumer demand, tight financing environment, high dealer inventories and subdued rural demand, among others. Replacement demand for tyres also remained sluggish due to weaker than expected demand of replacing old tyres with new ones from fleet operators.

CMIE expects the total tyre production to fall in 2019/20. In 2020/21, total tyre production is projected to increase. However, output is likely to grow at a moderate pace. Demand for tyres from the passenger vehicle and two and three-wheeler manufacturers is likely to revive in 2020/21. Although, demand for tyres from the commercial vehicle manufacturers will continue to be sluggish.

Country's tyre exports grew 5.4 per cent during April 2019 to February 2020. Anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese tyres by the US helped India's tyre exports to grow during the year. Overseas demand for tyres will remain steady in 2020-21. Additionally, tyre manufacturers are focussing on newer markets of Europe, South East Asia, Australia and Latin America to augment their exports.

ALSO READ:End of the road for Etios, Xcent, Safari, Storme, Bolero Plus

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Novel coronavirus continues to spread in Pakistan as the number of affected persons has shot up to 186. Majority of the total confirmed cases came from Sindh. At least 146 people have been tested coronavirus positive in the high and dry province of Pakistan. Recent cases have been reported from provinces like Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan.

Majority of coronavirus positive cases reported from Pakistan are the pilgrims who have returned from Iran to Pakistan via Taftan border. According to an India Today report, the number of coronavirus positive cases is likely to rise in Pakistan.

Rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases in Pakistan was confirmed by Murtaza Wahab, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sindh. Wahab called the increase in coronavirus positive cases an "exponential increase" in a tweet. "Total number of ppl affected by corona virus in Sindh has reached 146. Out of this, 119 are Zaireen who are being kept in Sukkur, 26 are in Khi & 1 is in Hyd. This exponential increase is largely due to the recent inflow of ppl brought in from Taaftaan after a purported quarantine. "

Apart from Wahab, the health Minister of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province Taimur Khan Jhagra has also confirmed the rise in COVID-19 positive cases in Pakistan. Jhagra took to his Twitter handle to state," Just received news that 15 out of 19 individuals received in K-P from Taftan have tested positive for coronavirus. These are the first positive cases in K-P. They are being well looked after in quarantine in an isolated facility in DI Khan. More details soon." All the confirmed cases have, however, been through the 14-day quarantine at the Taftan-Iran border. This raises serious questions on the Imran Khan-led government's seriousness to handle the coronavirus pandemic.

Also read: Coronavirus: New Zealand declares $7.31 billion stimulus amid recession fears

Also read: Coronavirus in India: Supreme Court takes suo moto cognisance of overcrowding in jails
The restaurants of New York City have gone dark. But what of the not-quite-restaurants: the in-betweens with just a few wobbly chairs, the lunch counters that hedge bets by selling groceries alongside hot food, the tiny spots whose very grasp at existence is a daily improvisation?

On Monday, Mirna Elisabeth Marroquin and Lorenzo Garcia were watching the news, waiting to learn if the pupuseria they own and run in Flatbush, Brooklyn, would have to close. As of 8 p.m., all restaurants in the tristate area would be limited to takeout and delivery, to help halt the spread of the coronavirus  but did Mirnas Pupuseria count as a restaurant?

The triangular corner storefront, half a mile from the last stop on the No. 5 train, was once an insurance agents office, then a coffee shop. When Ms. Marroquin and Mr. Garcia took over the space last August, they imagined it as partly a store. Shelves on the back wall stock Salvadoran groceries: brined pacaya palm flowers, their bumpy strands like skinny tentacles; semita de pina, pastry with a secret cache of pineapple jam; pale bricks of queso duro blando, a hard cheese thats eerily light and ready to crumble.

There are a few tables, but no servers. Orders are placed at the cash register, next to a stash of Mentos mints and bottles of cough syrup.
China on Tuesday advised its citizens to avoid any travel to countries, including the US, currently on high alert due to the novel coronavirus outbreak to prevent cross-infections.

As the pandemic continues to spread, the Chinese foreign ministry, in a press release, recommended citizens to fully evaluate the risk in possible cross-infections when travelling overseas, state-run CGTN reported.

It is advised that the citizens do not travel to high-risk countries, including Italy, Spain, France, Germany, the US, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Iran and the Republic of Korea, the ministry said.

It said that Chinese nationals who currently reside in countries listed above should take preventive measures, reduce outdoor activities and avoid international travels so as to prevent cross-infections.

Besides, if citizens have had close contacts with coronavirus patients or show coronavirus-like symptoms, they should immediately conduct self-quarantine and seek medical help.

In emergency cases, they can contact the Chinese embassy for any help, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, concerned with the global spread of COVID-19, Chinese nationals overseas are rushing back home but are facing problems due to flight reductions and exorbitant prices.

The coronavirus has shown signs of gradually abating in China including in the epicentre Wuhan where only one confirmed case was reported on Monday. The death toll in the country has reached 3,226.

The virus has claimed 7,154 lives and infected 182,406 people in 155 countries, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker.

After China, Italy and Iran are the two worst-affected countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 23:54:32|Editor: xuxin

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A staff sprays disinfectant in a public vehicle before it starts its route in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 17, 2020. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)

KATHMANDU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has suspended the issuance of trekking permits to foreign tourists on the designed trekking routes until April 30, as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19, Nepal's Department of Immigration said.

In a notice on Sunday, the department said that foreign tourists arriving in Nepal on Sunday and after, cannot get trekking permits to 16 different locations in Nepal where the department provides restricted access.

Nawaraj Dahal, former president of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, a grouping of trekking agencies, told Xinhua on Monday that the government should not stop the foreign tourists who have proven themselves clear of the virus. "But, I support the government's move to prevent entry of the virus in the country," he said.

Since the novel coronavirus became a pandemic, the Nepali government has taken a number of measures including temporarily stopping all on-arrival tourist visas and putting an end to all the spring mountaineering expeditions including that of Mount Qomolangma. Nepal has so far only reported one COVID-19 case. Enditem
A Delta Airlines flight from New York JFK to Seattle was delayed for hours before eventually being completely canceled after a passenger revealed they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

It happened on Monday night while the plane was still sitting on the tarmac.

Delta Airlines flight 2503 returned to the terminal 'after a customer shared they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus and our aviation medical consultants recommended the customer be evaluated,' a spokeswoman from Delta said.

A flight was grounded Monday at New York's JFK Airport over coronavirus fears

A passenger who was said to be on board the flight tweeted while the plane was grounded

The passenger told a flight attendant, who consulted Stat MD, a dedicated on-call organization for airlines consulted by crew when medical concerns arise in the airport or on the aircraft.

A passenger tweeted while sitting on the plane at around 7pm.

'Someone on our flight got notified they were exposed to someone with corona before we could take off and now our plane is heading back to the gate.'

'We're just sitting on this plane waiting for them to decide wtf to do. All breathing this recycled plane air :(, Ifrah F. Ahmed wrote.

The plane was original scheduled to depart at 6:30pm. It wasn't for another two hours at 8:45pm the passenger tweeted: 'They're cleaning our plane and we're back inside the airport at a different gate.'

Passengers were eventually found a new plane to Seattle which departed at 10pm, according to the New York Post.

'We continue to follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials and the aircraft is in the process of being cleaned,' Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo said.

A woman wears a protective mask and gloves while using her mobile phone at JFK (file photo)

Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger from flying with them after he boarded a plane knowing he was waiting for coronavirus test results which came back positive during his trip

Agents with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County assessed the situation and spokes with all the passengers aboard the aircraft (pictured on the tarmac)

Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger who knowingly boarded a flight from JFK to Palm Beach after testing positive for coronavirus.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and officials of the Florida Department of Health met the JetBlue plane when it arrived.

The flight's 109 passengers and crew of five stayed on board for at least two hours before deplaning.

The JetBlue passengers, including the one with the illness, were told to quarantine themselves for 14 days.

The JetBlue plane and a Palm Beach concourse at its airport were subsequently scrubbed down.
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File Photo: Philippine Airlines planes are pictured on the tarmac of Manila's international airport.

MANILA, March 17 (Reuters) - Philippine Airlines said on Tuesday it will halt its international flights starting March 20 as the country's main island is placed under enhanced quarantine measures.

The flag carrier started canceling all domestic flights on Tuesday after the government imposed a month-long quarantine in the capital and nearby provinces. Philippine Airlines said flights will resume flights on April 13. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales, editing by Louise Heavens)
One official said there was some intelligence that could be interpreted as indications that the hack was linked to Iran, but no evidence was cited. Others said there were many other possible explanations. One official said the intelligence so far was very thin and could point to many suspects, not all of them foreign.

Even so, in a White House packed with officials who are hawkish on Iran, the intelligence was seized upon by some as likely indicating an attack from Tehran.

At the same time, there are growing concerns about a torrent of misinformation affecting everyone from officials at the White House to doctors on the front lines combating the virus.

At emergency rooms in Los Angeles, doctors say they are trying to weed out truth from fiction on social media about how to diagnose coronavirus cases in the absence of tests, and under what circumstances they need to wear protective gear. They say they are spending a disproportionate amount of time scanning social media, trying to gather whatever information they can from anonymous posts by doctors in Seattle, New York and even Italy.

Right now, we are flying blind, sharing snippets from anonymous doctors over Facebook and Twitter, said Jennifer Ellice, an emergency room doctor in Los Angeles. We cant wait for the usual evidence-based, peer-reviewed data in journals and professional association guidelines.

Dr. Ellice and her colleagues were pleading Monday for a technological platform, such as a mobile app, that could validate and authorize licensed physicians to share real-time information that would, for example, tell them whether emergency room patients showing extreme gastrointestinal distress may be stricken with the coronavirus.

We are making policy decisions by word of mouth, Dr. Ellice said.

Doctors say they were wading through misinformation  what World Health Organization officials call an infodemic of lies and rumors  in search of real-time information from doctors around the country.
President Donald Trump, flanked by members of the Coronavirus Task Force, speaks to the media in the press briefing room at the White House on March 16, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

White House: Americans Should Avoid Eating Out, Gatherings of More Than 10, Elective Travel

The White House coronavirus response team has recommended Americans stick to discretionary travel and avoid eating out and gatherings of more than 10 people, as well as homeschool their children, in order to mitigate spreading of the novel coronavirus.

President Donald Trump estimated the virus may wash through by July or August, based on the expert opinions hes received.

The guidelines arent mandatory and are to be reevaluated in 15 days, the team announced during a March 16 press briefing at the White House.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the most effective measures to stop the spread of the virus is social distancing as well as self-quarantining the whole household when one member is diagnosed with the virus.

Older people and those with underlying medical conditions (such as ailments that impair immunity, lung, or heart function) should stay home and avoid contact with other people, the guidelines say.

Trump said hes not looking now to impose a nationwide lockdown and hopefully domestic travel restrictions wont be necessary.

The virus first emerged in China in late 2019 and has since spread around the world, with about 4,400 cases confirmed in the United States. As of March 16, 77 have died of the disease, the majority in the state of Washington.

Testing capacity, which has so far been a bottleneck for monitoring the disease, is expected to increase from thousands to tens of thousands per day this week, said Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for Health and head of the Public Health Service.

There is so far no vaccine or therapeutic for the infection, Birx said.

The only thing we have right now is the amazing ingenuity and compassion of the American people, she said.

Trump noted that testing of a potential vaccine has started and the early results look promising.

Birx particularly appealed to millennials to follow the guidelines because they are the largest age segment of the society, tend to be the most socially active, and are most likely to show mild or no symptoms when they contract the virus, which makes them more likely to spread it.

The new guidelines are somewhat stricter that those recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 15, when it recommended either postponing or canceling events of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.

The CDC also created a guideline on how individuals should prepare their households. Among the recommendations, the CDC suggests individuals identify who will be included in their plan, to create an emergency contact list, to plan ways to care for those who are at risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19, and to discuss emergency planning with neighbors.

The CDC also recommends individuals choose a room and bathroom in their household where infected members can be separated from those who are healthy, to prevent transmission of the disease. Sharing of personal items such as food and drink should be avoided, and infected household members should wear disposable protective masks at home.

Red Tape

Overregulation of diagnostic testing has played a major role in delaying the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to experts.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) testing protocol through which it clears tests from labs around the country for use in emergency cases such as outbreaks.

Health experts claimed that in past outbreaks, EUAs were granted very rapidly. However, this time, the red tape made it so complicated that it took weeks to receive the authorization from the FDA, they said.

The speed of this virus versus the speed of the FDA and the EUA process is mismatched, Alex Greninger, assistant director of the virology division at the University of Washington Medical Center, told The Atlantic.

Roger Klein, a physician, attorney, and health policy expert, echoed the same concern about red tape.

The FDA got more assertive during the Obama administration and tried to get control over clinical laboratory testing, he told The Epoch Times.

The Trump administration has taken the right steps in providing regulatory relief, he said, but there is an ongoing legal debate over whether the FDA should regulate lab-developed tests.

In my view, the hospital laboratories shouldnt need to apply for EUAs, Klein said.

The FDA needs to step aside and let the hospital laboratories go ahead. These are very skilled professionals who know how to set up lab tests and they need to leave them alone.

Epoch Times staff members Emel Akan and Isabel van Brugen and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Zimbabwean health authorities say a British tourist, who recently visited the southern African nation, has tested positive for coronavirus amid concerns of a possible outbreak of the disease in Victoria Falls, about 200 kilometers north of the countrys second largest city, Bulawayo.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the visitor is currently under self-quarantine together with people she lives with in Britain.

Today the 16th of March 2020, we received a report that a tourist who came to Victoria Falls on the 7th of March 2020 and departed on the 10th of March 2020 back to United Kingdom has been found positive for Covid-19 and is currently being treated in the UK. The Ministry of Health team is investigating the people who have been in close contact with this traveller.

The Zimbabwean government also said two Asian travelers have been admitted to Wilkins Hospital in Harare for monitoring after they showed some symptoms of coronavirus.

 Today the 16th of March 2020, 2 travellers who entered the country though RG Mugabe International Airport have been detected by port health officials after the thermos-scanners picked them with high temperature. One came from Shanghai, China aboard Ethiopian Airlines and the other from London aboard Kenyan Airlines. These 2 have been isolated at Wilkins and are awaiting results.

It further cited another incident of a woman in Bulawayo, who arrived in the country last Tuesday whose doctor in South Africa was in self-quarantine.

Yesterday 15 March 2020, the Ministry received a report of a suspected case in Bulawayo. This suspected case involves a female traveller who travelled from South Africa to Zimbabwe on Tuesday the 9th of March 2020. This traveller had sort medical attention for other reasons from a General Practitioner in South Africa the previous day before she had travelled to Zimbabwe. She later received a call from South Africa informing her that her doctor had been put on self-quarantine after one of the patients the doctor attended to had tested positive for Covid-19.

The government said several suspected cases in Zimbabwe have tested negative for coronavirus.

It urged people to avoid huge gatherings during the Easter holidays, not to travel to some nations ravaged by the disease and avoid close contact with anyone with a cold or flu-like symptoms

Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue paper or flexed elbow. Wash hands with soap under running water after sneezing or coughing, when caring for the sick, after toilet use, before eating food, before, during and after preparing food, when hands are dirty and after handling animals or animal waste.

Coronavirus has killed thousands of people worldwide, including the epicenter of the disease in China where over 3,000 people has so far lost their lives.
Military members and families may be feeling the financial pinch from the novel coronavirus pandemic as businesses close, cancellations clear schedules and second incomes dwindle.

But officials with the military aid societies and nonprofits, which offer grants and financial support for military members and veterans in times of crises, said they are standing by to help.

As with any crisis, active-duty military members who need help can first contact the American Red Cross to be directed to the aid that best fits their need or service. The Red Cross can be reached at 877-272-7337

Army Emergency Relief

Officials with Army Emergency Relief (AER) said they've extended eligibility to any Title 10 Army Reserve or Title 10 or Title 32 Army National Guard soldier activated in support of COVID-19 relief.

That expansion gives access to the program's grants and loans to about 28,000 aditional troops, officials said. Those soldiers are eligible for relief during their activation and for 30 days after their activation ends, they said.

Help is available for any basic living or personal transportation expense, two of the most common needs for soldiers who have been activated, they said. Basic living expenses and transportation costs include rent; mortgage; utilities; food; car payments; insurance; and gas, among other needs.

This effort is in line with AERs mission to provide financial help to active duty and retired soldiers, as well as their families. AER provides about $70 million in grants and zero-interest loans to more than 40,000 military families who are experiencing temporary financial hardship each year.

Officials have also rolled out an online application process that allows users to avoid visiting AER offices.

Outside of the COVID-crises, AER offers both interest-free loans and grants to active-duty soldiers and their families, as well as Army retirees; widows and orphans of soldiers who died on active duty or after retirement; medical retirees and their families; and members of the Guard and reserve who have been activated for more than 30 days. The organization annually gives about $70 million in assistance.

Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society

Among the assistance the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) provides to active-duty users is an up-to-$500 quick assistance loan, plus traditional loans and grants to all qualifying users on an as-needed basis, officials there said.

NMCRS offices are following local base office closures rules, officials said. In those areas, sailors and Marines can call the program's 800 number for assistance or, after hours, contact the Red Cross. NMCRS' number is 800-654-8364.

Qualifying users include active-duty and retired members of the regular Navy and Marine Corps; reservists on extended active duty and certain retired reservists; dependents; some ex-spouses; and uniformed members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Air Force Aid Society

Officials with the Air Force Aid Society said they have staff at Airman and Family Readiness Centers nationwide ready to administer help as needed.

Like the other aid societies, the Air Force Aid Society gives out both grants and interest-free loans. Qualifying users include active-duty and retired Air Force members and their dependents, and the dependents of deceased Air Force personnel who died on active duty or in retired status.

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance

Officials at Coast Guard Mutual Assistance said they are providing loans up to $6,000 for loss of pay by a spouse, needs for child care due to school closure, and lodging and food costs while quarantined. They also have limited grants for those facing travel change fees. Applications can be filled out remotely on their website and then emailed. More information can be found on their website.

Eligible users including active-duty Coast Guard members; Coast Guard retirees; Coast Guard civilian employees; Coast Guard civilian and auxiliary employees; and U.S. Public Health Service officers and chaplains, among others.

Veteran Assistance

While military retirees may qualify for assistance from the aid societies, many veterans do not. The Independence Fund announced that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is providing help to catastrophically disabled veterans, caregivers and families with covering costs like mortgage and rent; utilities; child care; transportation services; home WiFi services; household cleaning and upkeep; grocery and medical product delivery; and streaming services for work and learning.

Many of these families live day-to-day on very thin margins, and the pulling back of the support systems they've had in place hit them especially hard. Veterans can apply on the Independence Fund website.
A day after the Modi government recommended nomination of former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha, Opposition slammed the government, raising questions about the independence of the judiciary.

Gogoi was nominated in place of senior lawyer KTS Tulsi, who retired on February 20.

Here's how the Opposition leaders reacted to the government's move to nominate Gogoi:

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered the advice of his late law minister before nominating Gogoi.

"Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex-CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha," he asked on Twitter.

"Justice Lokur rightly summarises it -: 'Has the last bastion fallen?'," Surjewala said in another tweet.

Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague & Law Minister-Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha? https://t.co/WNyfeLJFg1  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 17, 2020

Former Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha said he hoped Gogoi would reject the nomination. He added that if Gogoi accepts the offer he would "cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary."

I hope ex-cji Ranjan Gogoi would have the good sense to say 'NO' to the offer of Rajya Sabha seat to him. Otherwise he will cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary.  Yashwant Sinha (@YashwantSinha) March 16, 2020

Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury recalled how earlier Gogoi had criticised post-retirement gigs for judges. "What must one make of a govt that does this, after appointing another ex-Chief Justice as the governor of a state?" he asked.

Shri Ranjan Gogoi had himself said last year that "Theres a strong viewpoint that post-retirement appointments is a scar on independence of Judiciary". What must one make of a govt that does this, after appointing another ex-Chief Justice as the governor of a state? #Chronology  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16, 2020

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi also said that Modi could have adhered to the advice of Jaitley in this regard. He also highlighted and shared the 2012 remarks of Jaitley on having a cooling-off period for judges to head Tribunals.

"Modiji amitshahji hamari nahi to arun Jaitley ki to sun lijiye! Did he not speak and write against post retirement largesse to judges? Do u remember," he said citing Jaitley's comments.

"...Courts function on faith trust perception and faith. Each has taken a bad beating today," he said.

"Pre-retirement judgements are influenced by a desire for a post-retirement job," - Late Shri Arun Jaitley proved to prophetic about the rampant lack of faith that would ensue with a motivated judiciary. #Gogoihttps://t.co/qIVsJde33R  Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) March 17, 2020

Meanwhile, lawyer Kapil Sibal questioned the legacy Gogoi is leaving behind.

Justice H R Khanna remembered for : 1) his integrity

2)standing up to govt.

3) upholding rule of law Ranjan Gogoi for lapping up a Rajya Sabha nomination for 1) being saved by govt.

2) standing in line with it

3) compromising his own and the integrity of the institution  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) March 17, 2020

(With inputs from PTI)
Are we all going to die? The question, posed by a young child to her mother in a long supermarket queue, was an understandable response to the grim-faced adults around her.

But her mother  like any parent or carer asked this question  was probably left reeling, says Louise Newman, a psychiatry professor at the University of Melbourne, who was standing behind them in the queue.

Chinese children wear protective masks as they play on a slide at a shopping mall in Beijing. Credit:Getty Images

The mother handled the situation admirably, Professor Newman says. She told her daughter some people were worried because there was an illness, or a germ, that could make people sick. But it wasnt serious for children, and her family would make sure the little girl was safe.

She went through it in very simple terms, with clear, digestible information that was suitable for someone that age, the professor says.
Letting the Kerala operatives return from Afghanistan will just help ISIS realise its real plan

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The mother of an Islamic State operative has sought the help of the government to bring her daughter from Afghanistan back. Nimisha alias Fathima had left India along with a group of 21 from Kerala and joined the Islamic State in Afghanistan last year.

The mother of the 31 year old woman has now sought the government's help to bring her daughter back. A news item in the StratNewsGlobal stated that the lady wanted to return home from Afghanistan. The report stated that nearly 14,000 Islamic State operatives and their family members had surrendered to the Afghan authorities between October and December 2019. However the Indian police have not been able to confirm if any of them were part of the group that left from Kerala.

Part of the plan:

The Indian agencies have been watching these developments since the surrenders took place. The agencies have been intentionally slow in reacting as there is always a big worry with the ISIS returnees. The chief of the ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had said before his death that all fighters should return to their homeland.

ISIS suspends all terror activity in wake of coronavirus

He had further said that with the ISIS losing territory in Syria and Iraq, it was now time for the fighters to return to their homeland and carry out attacks. These operatives are trained in do it yourself terrorism. This kind of terrorism is taught so that these operatives are self sufficient and can carry out lone wolf attacks.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Further it must be noted that in the several attacks that have been carried out in different parts of the world, most of the perpetrators who have returned to their homeland from the ISIS mainland. This was in fact very evident in the Paris attack.

Kerala cannot afford it:

Kerala is already a highly radicalised state. The state has reported the highest number of cases. It has over the years become a hub for Wahhabi activity and radical Islam has spread its tentacles far and wide in the state.

Democracy wont save you, Jihad will: ISIS linked couple arrested in Delhi said

The key concern in Kerala remains Wahhabism and radicalisation. What Kerala did not realise was allowing radicalisation itself was going to become a danger to their integrity.

In such an event letting these highly radicalised persons who had the audacity to leave their homeland and join the world's most dangerous terror group in a different country come back would pose an immense danger to the state and the country as well.

The real intent:

The primary intent of leaving the country was not to continue fighting in Afghanistan or Syria. The move to the mainland was to train and then return with an intention of enhancing the modules and carrying out attacks. On their return, if they manage to get away, then they will radicalise the locals. If they are kept in jails then they would radicalise within the prison.

ISIS planned murder of Hindu leaders to create communal tension in India

Officials also add that the ISIS modus operandi is in the procedure of completing a full cycle. It was at first thought that they were recruiting from Kerala so that they could be used in the fight at Afghanistan. However, the coordination with other agencies has suggested that many who had joined the ISIS in Afghanistan had gradually moved out of there for Syria or Turkey. Now these persons are gradually making their return to Kerala and this is worrisome, the official also explained.

The IB terms such persons as silent returnees of the ISIS. This is a new challenge for us and the vigil is high, the IB officer says. There are various routes that these recruits have been using. Those coming into India from Afghanistan had often entered into Nepal before making their entry. In these cases, the recruits are most likely to use the land route to avoid scrutiny. Once in India, it becomes easier for them to travel by road and reach their destination in Kerala.

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 9:36 [IST]
Hollywood actor Idris Elba is the latest celebrity to get the dreaded coronavirus. Idris Elba met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The pair met on March 4 at WE Day 2020 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London and both of them posed for pictures together.

The British actor in a video posted to his Twitter page announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

This morning I got some test results back for coronavirus and it came back positive,and it sucks. This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing ???? No panic.

Flanked by his wife Sabrina, the actor disclosed that he had to take the test because he came in contact with someone who tested positive for Coronavirus.

In the video, Idris Elba advises fans to practice social distancing and hand washing.

He said:

I feel OK. I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Transparency is probably the best thing for this right now. If youre feeling ill, or you feel like you should be tested, or if youve been exposed, do something about it. Look weve lived in a divided world right now. We can all feel it. Its been bullst, but now is the time for solidarity. Now is the time for thinking about each other. There are so many people whose lives have been affected, from those who have lost people they loved to people that dont even have it and have lost their livelihoods. This is real.

Watch the video below;

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing ???? No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ  Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020

Elbas wife Sabrina has not been tested for the virus yet. But it is believed since he already tested positive, shes got the virus also.

Idris Elba is the latest high profile celebrity to test positive for coronavirus. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, Canadian first lady have all tested positve for the disease with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau under quarantine.

READ: Idris Elba shares sweaty shirtless snap in just his pants as he prepares for his first boxing match

ALSO READ: Watch Davido Dancing With Christian Louboutin At Idris Elbas Wedding [Photos/Video]
LAKEWOOD, CO / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / General Moly, Inc. (General Moly or the "Company") (NYSE American and TSX: GMO), the only western-exchange listed, pure-play molybdenum ("moly") mineral development company, previously announced that on September 12, 2019, it received a deficiency letter ("Letter") from the NYSE American stock exchange indicating that pursuant to Section 1003(f)(v) of the NYSE American Company Guide, the Company's common stock has been selling for a low price per share for a substantial period of time. The Letter stated that the Company must demonstrate an improved share price improvement or effect a reverse stock split of its common stock by no later than March 12, 2020, in order to maintain the listing of the Company's common stock on the NYSE American.

On March 12, 2020, the Company was advised by the NYSE American that the Company did not cure its price deficiency for both the absolute and average stock prices for the Company to exceed $0.20 by the end of the six-month period on March 12, 2020. The GMO stock price was trading then at $0.16 on an absolute and $0.20 on an average basis.

Given the recent downdraft of the financial markets with COVID-19 concerns as well as a weaker GMO stock price, the Company will seek shareholder approval at its next Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2020 to affect a reverse stock split to raise its trading price and remedy the NYSE American listing deficiency. The Company has notified the NYSE American of the Company's Board of Directors' action to set a record date of April 27, 2020 and schedule the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders in Lakewood, Colorado on June 19, 2020. The Company anticipates mailing its Proxy Statement, inclusive of a proposal to authorize the Board to consider a reverse stock split and Annual Report to stockholders in early May of 2020.

The NYSE American has granted the Company additional time until its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to implement a reverse stock split.

Chief Executive Officer Bruce D. Hansen commented, "These are challenging times for us all as global citizens in a pandemic. The moly price has weakened in recent days to below $10 per pound but is still above $9 per pound, while our stock price, which was over 20 cents largely through February, has also declined."

In the interim, the Company's common stock remains listed on the NYSE American, under the trading symbol "GMO", subject to the Company's compliance with other continued listing requirements and subject to the trading price remaining above a required $0.06 minimum per share. The NYSE American has added the designation of ".BC" to indicate that the Company is below compliance with the listing standards set forth in the Company Guide. The NYSE American notification of continued listing deficiency does not affect the Company's business operations or its reporting obligations under the Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. If the Company is unable to regain compliance, or if the stockholders fail to approve the proposed reverse stock split, the NYSE American has indicated it will initiate procedures to suspend and delist the Company's common stock. Should that occur, the Company will consider alternative listing options.

About General Moly

General Moly is a U.S.-based, molybdenum mineral exploration and development company listed on the NYSE American, recently known as the NYSE MKT and former American Stock Exchange, and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GMO. The Company's primary asset, an 80% interest in the Mt. Hope Project located in central Nevada, is considered one of the world's largest and highest grade molybdenum deposits. Combined with the Company's wholly-owned Liberty Project, a molybdenum and copper property also located in central Nevada, General Moly's goal is to become the largest primary molybdenum producer in the world.

Molybdenum is a metallic element used primarily as an alloy agent in steel manufacturing. When added to steel, molybdenum enhances steel strength, resistance to corrosion and extreme temperature performance. In the chemical and petrochemical industries, molybdenum is used in catalysts, especially for cleaner burning fuels by removing sulfur from liquid fuels, and in corrosion inhibitors, high performance lubricants and polymers.

Contact:

Scott Roswell

(303) 928-8591

info@generalmoly.com

Website: www.generalmoly.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, expected, or implied by the Company. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to availability of cash to continue ongoing operations, availability of insurance, metals price and production volatility, global economic conditions, currency fluctuations, increased production costs and variances in ore grade or recovery rates from those assumed in mining plans, exploration risks and results, reclamation risks, political, operational and project development risks, ability to maintain required federal and state permits to continue construction, and commence production of molybdenum, copper, silver, lead or zinc, ability to identify any economic mineral reserves of copper, silver, lead or zinc; ability of the Company to obtain approval of its joint venture partner at the Mt. Hope Project in order to mine for molybdenum, copper, silver, lead or zinc, ability to raise required project financing or funding to pursue an exploration program related to potential copper, silver lead or zinc deposits at Mt. Hope, ability to respond to adverse governmental regulation and judicial outcomes, and ability to maintain and /or adjust estimates related to cost of production, capital, operating and exploration expenditures. For a detailed discussion of risks and other factors that may impact these forward looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors and other discussion contained in the Company's quarterly and annual periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, on file with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: General Moly, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/580992/General-Moly-Will-Seek-Shareholder-Approval-for-a-Reverse-Stock-Split-to-Cure-Low-Share-Price-Continued-Listing-Deficiency
But that was not the case. I was sick. I have decided to talk about it because that is what you see  but you should know that everything that happens comes with a price.
Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd (SPPL), the brand licensee of Kodak in India, has launched a new Android TV-series. Starting at Rs 23,999 for the 43-inch variant, the new Kodak CA series will be available in four sizes - 43 inches, 50 inches, 55 inches and 65 inches.

These Android-powered TVs have a bezel-less design and are equipped with features such as Dolby Vision, 4K HDR10, Android 9.0 interface, multiple connectivity options including USB 3.0, HDMI ARC/CEC and the latest Bluetooth v.5.0. The accompanied remote houses dedicated hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play Store.

Avneet Singh Marwah, Director and CEO, Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd, says, "We became the first Indian TV brand to get the Android license for manufacturing and developing Android TV under Make in India. We are proud to announce that all our Android TVs will be completely developed in our R&D centre. This will benefit Indian customers as they are built completely for the Indian ecosystem. From the content of the TV to sound, we have done extensive customisation."

While the strategic online partners are Flipkart and Amazon, Kodak TVs are also available via offline retail. The company plans to expand to model retail chain soon. SPPL has three factories with complete backward integration - from moulding to clean room, SMT and assembly line, everything is in house. Super Plastronics is focusing on expansion in the areas of R&D as well as production.

Commenting on the impact of COVID-19, Marwah explains, "The input prices for many critical components for appliances across the sectors have already gone up. While prices of smaller TVs are likely to go up by 10 per cent, it could be even higher for large-size TVs as there is already 30-40 per cent increase in panel prices due to the impending reduced supplies."

Super Plantronics imports TV panels and TV card components from Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China. "The contribution is about 80 per cent, as there is no manufacture in India," adds Marwah.

Since 2016, Super Plastronics has sold over 1.5 million TVs in India with a repair rate of less than 0.4 per cent. There are more than 350 company-owned service centres and 220 service centre tie-ups, serving across more than 18,000 pin codes. The company plans to launch new models throughout the year. In 2020, Super Plastronics is targeting a turnover of Rs 700 crore for FY 2020-21.

ALSO READ: Smart TVs strong show boosts overall industry to record high in 2019

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Lawyers for policemen accused of bashing a Melbourne pensioner have failed in their last-minute bid for a magistrate to recuse herself before she delivers her ruling in the case.

Senior constables Brad McLeod, 33, and Florian Hilgart, 41, and Constable John Edney, 28, are all facing unlawful assault charges and a decision about their case was expected to be handed down on Tuesday.

The trio allegedly pepper-sprayed, punched and hosed down pensioner John in his Preston front yard on September 19, 2017. Victoria's Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission investigated the matter after The Age published CCTV footage of the incident.

In a shock move on Tuesday, lawyers for senior constables McLeod and Hilgart called for Magistrate Cathy Lamble to recuse herself from the case because there was a "factual error" in her ruling.
A study examines tradeoffs tied to road expansion projects in the Amazon. Thousands of kilometers of roads are expected to be constructed or improved in the Amazon over the next 5 years, but the projects' broad impacts on the region are unclear. Over an evaluation period of 20 years, Thais Vilela, Alfonso Harb, and colleagues examined economic, environmental, and social impacts of 75 proposed road projects that include more than 12,000 kilometers of planned roads in the Amazon regions of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The authors estimated that implementing all projects will lead to deforestation of at least 2.4 million hectares--approximately the size of Belize. Further, at least 17% of the projects would result in legal violations related to environmental statuses or indigenous rights. Almost 50% of the projects are expected to result in economic losses, although canceling these projects would avoid a loss of $7.6 billion as well as 1.1 million hectares of deforestation. The authors also identified 18 projects with the lowest social and environmental impacts and found that focusing on them while cutting the other projects would generate $4 billion in net gain and result in less than 10% of projected deforestation. The findings suggest that launching a few carefully chosen projects would be economically sound and mitigate negative impacts on the Amazon, according to the authors.

###

Article #19-10853: "A better Amazon road network for people and the environment," by Thais Vilela et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Thais Vilela, Conservation Strategy Fund, Washington, DC; tel: 510-809-6441; email: thais@conservation-strategy.org; Alfonso Malky Harb, Conservation Strategy Fund, La Paz, BOLIVIA; tel: +591-2-272-1925; email: alfonso@conservation-strategy.org
Ilhan Omars new husband officiated at his own marriage to the leftist congresswoman, their marriage certificate reveals.

DailyMail.com has exclusively obtained the certificate which lists Tim Mynett as both the officiant and the bridegroom at the ceremony.

It has been legal to conduct your own ceremony in Washington, D.C. since 2014, and that is what Mynett appears to have done. Such marriages are also allowed in Colorado and Pennsylvania and are recognized in other states.

The total expense would have been $45  $35 for the license and $10 for the certificate.

The certificate shows that Mynett married Omar on Wednesday of last week  three days after his 39th birthday. The ceremony took place in John Marshall Park right next to the Moultrie Courthouse where the couple obtained their marriage license.

DailyMail.com has obtained the marriage certificate of Ilhan Omar which shows Tim Mynett was the groom - and the officiant

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar announced she married her fundraising chief, Tim Mynett on Instagram

The couple wore wedding rings on the day they were spotted by DailyMail.com, sparking speculation they may be married

According to the document Mynett, a political consultant and fundraiser, is licensed to conduct marriages in D.C.

Omars spokesman has confirmed that Mynett converted to Islam before the ceremony, but he gave no further details.

A marriage conducted by either the bride or groom is known as a self-uniting marriage. The Washington Post wrote an article last year about one couple that carried out their own ceremony.

The marriage certificate lists the home that Mynett shared with his ex-wife Beth Jordan as his legal residence  even though he moved out when the two split in April last year.

And Omar, 37, gives her legal residence as a house in Washington  rather than in her congressional district in Minneapolis.

Does this mean she has abandoned Minnesota to live in D.C?, asked Paul Kamenar, an attorney for the National Legal and Policy Center, a group that has long questioned Omars campaign finances.

We know that Tim Mynett doesnt live at the address he has put down and it appears that Ilhan Omar has given a wrong legal address too.

That seems very strange.

You can only have one legal residence and that is the place where your driving license is registered, and where you are registered to vote among other things.

Her constituents in Minnesota might be interested to note that she does not consider that as her legal residence anymore.

The pair are pictured heading out to dinner at Cafe 8 Mediterranean Eatery in Washington DC

Omar had arrived to Mynett's office and stayed about two hours before they both drove out of his parking garage and headed to dinner

The new certificate is the latest twist in Omars complicated marital history.

She first married Ahmed Hirsi in 2002 in an Islamic ceremony that was not registered with Minnesota state authorities.

They had two children before she married Ahmed Elmi, a British citizen in a ceremony conducted by a Christian minister in Eden Prairie, Minnesota in 2009.

There have long been rumors that Elmi  who now lives in East Africa  is actually her brother and she only married him to enable him to get student loans to attend the University of North Dakota.

When first running for election Omar denied those allegations although more recently her spokesman merely says she does not discuss her personal life. Last month former friend Abdihakim Osman told DailyMail.com that both Hirsi and Omar had referred to Elmi as her brother.

He said no-one in Minneapoliss large Somali community knew she and Elmi had got married until the press dug up their marriage certificate many years later.

When Southside and Ilhan got married, a lot of people were invited, Hakim said, referring to Hirsi by his commonly used nickname. It was a big Islamic wedding uniting two large clans in the Minneapolis community.

But when she married Elmi no-one even knew about it. He suggested the couple used Christian minister Wilecia Harris because an imam would have known the two were siblings.

While still married to Elmi she and Hirsi had a third child and she divorced Elmi in 2027.

The couple stayed inside the Mediterranean Eatery restaurant for about 2 hours and left together, making sure not to touch or display affection

The couple were spotted driving out of Mynett's parking garage as they headed out to dinner

The following year she married Hirsi in a civil ceremony and then divorced him last November after DailyMail.com revealed that she was having an affair with Mynett.

Mynett divorced in December. His wife said he had told her the previous April that he was in love with Omar. During the court hearing, she tried to read out a statement in court calling Omar an adulteress but was stopped by the judge, who cut the proceedings short.

The FBI is investigating Omars marriage to Elmi. One Somali source in Minneapolis said he knows of five people who agents have so far interviewed.

If Omar, a freshman congresswoman who is facing primary challenges from three fellow Democrats, is found guilty of marriage fraud she faces five years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 as well as possible deportation.

The FBI could also investigate how much Omars campaign has paid Mynetts company, the E Street Group, in light of her marriage, said attorney Kamenar.

The Federal Election Commission  which should investigate  has been without a quorum for several months and so cannot take action, he said.

But the FBI investigated California Republican Duncan Hunters payments and he is now off to prison. There is nothing to stop them doing the same with Ilhan Omar, he said.

Last year, Omars campaign paid Mynetts company a whopping $523,000, according to her own filings with the FEC.

Abdi Hirsy, an imam who once lived in Minneapolis and knows Omars family told DailyMail.com that he had confirmed that Mynett converted to Islam before his March 11 marriage.

He said it was necessary because under Islamic law a Muslim woman can only marry a Muslim  although a man can marry a Christian or a Jewish woman.

He said conversion is simple. All anyone has to do is say out loud the words: There is no true god but Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of God.

I have confirmed that Tim converted and I defend their choices, Hirsy, who now lives in Calgary, Alberta, told DailyMail.com.

Hersy said he knew they had married secretly because they did not want the ceremony to be known in advance.

They are politicians and politicians have their reasons, whatever they may be, he said.

Shortly after the marriage Omar posted a picture on social media captioned: Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed. Alhamdulillah. The last word is an Arabic phrase meaning Praise to God.

Early the following morning she posted a cryptic message, seemingly criticizing her own community on Twitter.

Somalis, gotta love them. They know gossip is haram, but they love doing it, she said using the Islamic term for things that are forbidden.

They know calling a Muslim person kafir is haram, but they do it when the person isnt Somali.

They know its haram to discriminate against cadaans (white people) in Islam, but they do it.

Its all toxic, breathe away!
When asked why he had suddenly adopted a somber and realistic tone about the virus on Tuesday, the president denied that he had changed his mind at all.

No, Ive always viewed it as very serious, Mr. Trump said. There was no difference yesterday from days before. I feel the tone is similar, but some people said it wasnt.

Besides denying the seriousness of the coronavirus over the past two months, he had also displayed an acerbic tone toward people who took it more seriously.

During a campaign rally in South Carolina on Feb. 28, Mr. Trump accused Democrats and the news media of hysteria and unfairly criticizing his administration by engaging in what he said was a political hoax. Some of his critics have stretched his comment to suggest that he was calling the virus itself a hoax, but his supporters have argued that he was referring to the Democratic criticism, not the virus itself.

And until recently, he and several of his advisers had privately mocked his health and human services secretary, Alex M. Azar II, as alarmist.

Another theme has been the presidents offering inaccurate information.

At a campaign rally on Feb. 10, Mr. Trump suggested that the virus would be gone by April, a claim he has frequently repeated, even though his advisers had warned him that much about the virus was still not known.

As his administration came under intense criticism for a lack of urgency in issuing guidance to Americans or expediting tests for the virus, Mr. Trump continued misrepresenting what was available.
The Central government on Tuesday filed a preliminary affidavit in the Supreme Court on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) contending that the law doesn't raise any question of violating the constitutional morality.

The affidavit says the Act does not impinge upon any existing rights that may have existed prior to the enactment of the amendment and further in no manner whatsoever seeks to affect the legal, democratic or secular rights of any of Indian citizens.

The Centre, in the affidavit, said the existing regime for obtaining citizenship of India by foreigners of any country is untouched by the CAA.

"Legal migration, on the basis of valid documents and visa, continues to be permissible from all countries of the world including from the three specified countries," the affidavit said.

It said the CAA is merely a limited legislative measure, circumscribed in its application which does not affect the existing legal rights or regime concerning citizenship, falling outside the purview of specialised measure, in any manner.

"CAA does not violate any fundamental right provisions of the constitution and therefore, the question of violation of constitutional morality does not arise. Constitutional morality is not an unruly horse and cannot become an independent basis for challenging the constitutionality of validly enacted legislation," added the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, CAA is a specific amendment, which seeks to tackle a specific problem prevalent in the specified countries like persecution on the ground of religion in light of the undisputable theocratic constitutional position in the specified countries, the systematic functioning of such States and the perception of fear that may be prevalent.

The affidavit said the Parliament is competent to make laws for the whole country. It said that the treatment given to the classified communities in the particular neighbouring countries has been attracting the attention of successive governments but no government took any legislative measure and merely acknowledged the problem.

The top court had on January 22 this year refused to stay the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and granted four weeks' time to the Centre to file a reply on a batch of over 140 petitions challenging or supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Protests had erupted in various parts of the country against the amended law which grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan and came to India before 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer and packs of antibacterial wipes and medical masks have been donated after a failed attempt by two Tennessee brothers to resell them for profit during the U.S. coronavirus outbreak.

Boxes were taken Sunday from a storage unit and the home of Matt Colvin of Hixson, Tennessee, news outlets reported. The items, including 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer, were donated to a local church and some supplies will head to Kentucky where Colvin had cleared store shelves.

Colvin and his brother, Noah Colvin, had cleared store shelves of the items before online retailer Amazon stopped their sales and the state attorney general sent a cease-and-desist letter.

The purchases were first featured in a story in The New York Times in which the brothers drove to stores scooping up supplies around Chattanooga, Tenn., on March 1, the day after the first U.S. coronavirus death was announced.

Noah Colvin then drove 1,300 miles over three days across Tennessee and Kentucky, filling a rented truck while his brother stayed home preparing for more supplies he had ordered.

Matt Colvin said he posted 300 bottles of hand sanitizer for sale on Amazon between $8 and $70 each and immediately sold them all.

It was crazy money, he told the newspaper.

The next day, Amazon pulled Matt Colvin's items along with thousands of other similar listings, citing price gouging. Some of the sellers behind the listings were suspended, while EBay soon banned U.S. sales of sanitizers and masks.

Matt Colvin had turned Amazon sales into a six-figure career starting in 2015, advertising Nike shoes and pet toys and by following popular trends.

In early February, when the coronavirus was spreading in China, the former Air Force technical sergeant bought 2,000 pandemic packs from a local liquidation firm that were left over from a defunct company. He bought them at $3.50 per pack and resold them at a substantial profit.

When public demand for sanitizers and wipes started to skyrocket, Matt and Noah Colvin went to work buying them up.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declared a state of emergency on Thursday. Part of that included the triggering of an anti-price gouging law.

We will not tolerate price gouging in this time of exceptional need, and we will take aggressive action to stop it, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III said in a statement Saturday night.

The case involving the Colvins remained under investigation.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron added that this is a time where we have to focus on helping our neighbors, not profiting from them.

Photo courtesy of CNN.
At the heart of Groupe Media TFO's initiative, and in order to support parents in the best possible way, the IDELLO.ORG platform, which already includes nearly 12,000 educational resources, will offer intelligent, fun, reliable and safe content collections for all ages. And with its digital presence of over 2 million subscribers and 25 social media accounts, TFO will also help those resources be more accessible to a greater number of parents and teachers, no matter where they are, which is a priority concern in this period of social distancing.

"In difficult situations such as the one we are all facing, it is important to offer a gesture of solidarity to help families navigate the new daily life they will need to adopt over the next few weeks. We wanted TFO to remain supportive of Francophone and Francophile parents, children and teachers across Canada in a useful, effective way," said Eric Minoli, Chief Operations Officer.

"In the spirit of mutual aid, we will immediately make access to IDELLO.ORG free during this critical time. The concept of Le Camp TFO en Famille is simple: support parents as naturally as possible by offering brand new programming every day. By integrating learning activities at home with as much simplicity as possible, we wish to foster joyous, bonding moments for all families," said Julie Caron, Chief Digital Learning Officer.

Le Camp TFO en Famille, on TV, on IDELLO.ORG and on BOUKILI.CA

Discover videos, e-books, games , apps and other fun, educational activities from TFO in the form of tweets, Facebook publications and other immediate and quick-sharing methods. TFO will offer its audiences a suite of ideas, tips, specific learning documents, as well as wellness and relaxation resources every day the optimal way to continue learning from home, as a family, with complete peace of mind.

On TV

To get more information about our educational broadcasting, view our programming schedule . For instance, begin your morning with Robin le Robot and continue with songs from Mini TFO, as a family by watching Le Monde Magique de Lorenzo, or with your teens by watching FLIP, l'Algorithme. And in the evening, why not give TFO's art cinema selection a try, starting at 9:00 p.m.?

If you wish to learn more about how to get TFO's TV channel, visit our How to Get TFO section on the tfo.org website.

On IDELLO.ORG

By creating a profile, parents will discover a new selection of educational content every day. They will also get to browse nearly 12,000 varied educational resources, thanks to a search feature that can filter by desired age and school grade. Parents and teachers can access thematic folders to support them during learning activities with their children or to prepare their future classes. Handy ideas and customized news will also be shared on our social media and in daily newsletters.

BOUKILI.CA

For those who wish to discover a fun resource that teachers particularly adore, Boukili is only a few clicks away. Boasting a virtual library of some hundred original ebooks, Boukili, now available for free on the computer , on tablets and for your smart speakers, teaches children ages 4 and up how to read in French.

The content made by Groupe Media TFO conveys essential skills, values and abilities to help young audiences grow up and become enlightened world citizens. TFO's French-language programming is aligned with the priorities of Ontario's Ministry of Education and supports children and teens in building their identity, especially as Francophones in a minority setting.

Through its quality productions that convey exemplary values for all families, Groupe Media TFO wishes to become a driver of the French Fact across Ontario, Canada and the world.

About Groupe Media TFO

Groupe Media TFO is an essential destination for audiences seeking innovative educational and cultural content in French, at the vanguard of digital learning. TFO serves 2 million students and 135,000 teachers and educators all over Ontario and Canada. With 1.2 billion views on its 22 YouTube channels, TFO operates Canada's number one French-language channel, Mini ABC, for which it received a Golden Play Button award. From Austin to Amsterdam, GMTFO's content has won multiple prizes: Kidscreen Awards, Gemeaux Awards, Cassies, IBC Awards, SXSW Film Design Awards, and many more.

SOURCE Groupe Media TFO
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U.S. Mint begins shipping quarters featuring Maya Angelou The United States Mint has begun shipping the first coins in the American Women Quarters Program,...
Elon Musk

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk sent employees an email on Monday telling them to stay at home if they felt ill or uncomfortable, two people who saw the memo told Reuters.

"I'd like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work," Musk said in an internal memo that the sources read out for Reuters over the phone.

Reuters did not review the memo.

"I will personally be at work, but that's just me. Totally ok if you want to stay home for any reason," Musk said in the memo, adding he was not aware of any Tesla employee who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA)  The government of Tanzania has ordered closure of schools and banned all forms of public gatherings, a day after the first case of Coronavirus was reported in the country
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York City Department of Education (DOE) is planning to open approximately 100 Regional Enrichment Centers on Monday, March 23, to serve as child care centers for first responders, health care workers and transit workers, while New York City public schools are closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The DOE said it identified Regional Enrichment Centers (RECs) across all five boroughs based on a combination of physical and operational factors, such as location, accessibility, capacity, health clinics, air conditioning, and where available, community schools or wraparound services.

While the agency would not release borough specifics, it said it will be prepared to expand sites if needed.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

The RECs will accommodate school-aged children of first responders, health care workers, and transit workers, as well as students in need of the most intensive support. As space permits, the centers will accommodate children of additional essential personnel.

They are expected to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and each room will have a maximum of 12 children supported by at least one adult.

Children will have the opportunity to participate in remote learning with their regular school, as is the case for all DOE students. They will also have opportunities to engage in art, music and physical education. Each site will be staffed by a combination of DOE and community-based organization staff, along with site supervisors. Centers will also each have two nurses, a social worker and a guidance counselor.

Children will be offered a site based on their home address and their parent/caregivers role providing essential services.

The DOE said many RECs will have the capacity to support 3- and 4-year-olds, with some centers dedicated fully to early childhood care. All other contracted child care centers and family child care homes will be allowed to operate for as long as they can safely do so, according to the DOE.

New York City is currently offering grab-and-go meals to all students. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

GRAB-AND-GO MEALS

The DOE is also continuing to identify locations to provide grab-and-go meals to needy students.

New York City is currently offering grab-and-go meals to all New York City students at all public schools. From Monday to Friday this week, students are able to visit the nearest school to take free breakfast and lunch meals.

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said the city is working on feeding distribution centers to continue to offer meals to students in the days and weeks moving forward.

The DOE announced that beginning March 23 grab-and-go breakfast and lunch will be provided from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 100 to 150 hub sites located across the five boroughs, according to the DOE. These locations will be identified by March 20.

The meal service will be available to all children under 18 years old.

REMOTE LEARNING

The DOE will shift to a remote learning strategy on March 23 for grades kindergarten through 12. Despite differences in readiness, every school will focus on transitioning their core learning and instruction to a remote-based model.

The agency partnered with Google to give schools that dont currently use an online learning platform access to Google Classroom.

Staff is participating in three days of professional learning on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and will engage in remote planning on Friday. The DOE is asking schools to download necessary remote learning platforms, ensure educators have access to appropriate devices and know how to use technology-assisted learning platforms, and ensure materials are uploaded for use.

Where appropriate, schools will also be asked to prepare take-home materials for student learning.

Understanding that not all students have access to the internet and devices, the DOE is working closely with private partners to deliver devices and data plans for students in need.

Ursulina Ramirez, chief operating officer for the DOE, said during Sundays press conference that the DOE will purchase 300,000 iPads from Apple at a reasonable price to distribute to students. The DOE said the first batch of 25,000 iPads will be delivered next week.

The agency will also work with T-Mobile, Verizon, and Spectrum to provide internet access.

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza asked parents to sign up for the NYC Schools account, which will be critically important as the DOE pushes information out and resources for remote learning needs.

You can go to www.myschools.nyc for more information.

***

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11 Coronavirus shopping frenzy on Staten Island

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

All aboard! Or not: Photos of the empty morning Staten Island ferry commute

Coronavirus shuts down Saturday Night Live; show canceled for at least 3 weeks, report saysCoronavirus: Stop & Shop reserves early hours for seniors only

Elective dental procedures canceled for three weeks, ADA says

2-year-old passenger on Norwegian Bliss tested positive for coronavirus

Cleaning to prevent coronavirus? Dont forget your cars interior.

St. Johns University students return home: Its difficult

Latest on NYC school closures: Child care to be available for first responders

With restaurant dine-in option halted, Uber Eats waives delivery fees

MTA continuing to monitor service levels as coronavirus spreads

Amazon warns of slower deliveries, depleted stock amid coronavirus

Rumor of a mandated national quarantine is untrue and unfounded, White House says

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New fossil specimen helped University of Kansas graduate student Anna Whitaker solve a 50-year-old marine-worm mystery. Credit: Anna Whitaker, et al.

When a partial fossil specimen of a primordial marine worm was unearthed in Utah in 1969, scientists had a tough go identifying it. Usually, such worms are recognized and categorized by the arrangement of little knobs on their plates. But in this case, the worm's plates were oddly smooth, and important bits of the worm were missing altogether.

Discouraged, researchers placed the mystery worm in a "wastebasket" genus called Palaeoscolex, and interest in the lowly critter waned for the next 50 years.

That all changed recently when Paul Jamison, a teacher from Logan, Utah, and private collector, and his student Riley Smith were hunting fossils in the Spence Shale in Utah, a 506-million-year-old geologic unit housing a plethora of exceptionally preserved soft-bodied and biomineralized fossils. (Paleontologists call such a mother lode of fossils a "Lagerstatte.") There, Smith discovered a second, more thoroughly preserved example of the worm.

Eventually, thanks to Jamison's donation, the new fossil specimen arrived at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, where Anna Whitaker, a graduate student in museum studies, researched and analyzed the worm with scanning electron microscopes, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry and optical microscopy.

At last, Whitaker determined the worm represented a new genus of Cambrian sea worm heretofore unknown to science. She's the lead author of a description of the worm just published in the peer-reviewed paleontological journal PalZ.

"Before the new species that we acquired there was only one specimen known from the Spence Shale," she said. "But with our new specimen we discovered it had characteristics that the original specimen didn't have. So, we were able to update that description, and based on these new characteristicswe decided it didn't fit in its old genus. So, we moved it to a new one."

Whitaker and her colleaguesJamison, James Schiffbauer of the University of Missouri and Julien Kimmig of KU's Biodiversity Institutenamed the new genus Utahscolex.

"We think they're closely related to priapulid worms that exist todayyou can find them in the oceans, and they are very similar to priapulids based on their mouth parts," Whitaker said. "What's characteristic about these guys is that they have a proboscis that can evert, so it can turn itself inside out and it's covered with spinesthat's how it grabs food and sucks it in. So, it behaved very similarly to modern priapulid worms."

While today, Utah is not a place you'd look for marine life, the case was different 506 million years ago, when creatures preserved in the Spence Shale were fossilized.

"The Spence Shale was a shelf system, and it's really interesting because it preserves a lot of environmentsnearshore to even deeper offshore, which is kind of unusual for a Lagerstatte, and especially during the Cambrian. These animals were living in kind of a muddy substrate. This worm was a carnivore, so it was preying on other critters. But there would have been whole diversity of animalssponges, and trilobites scuttling along. We have very large, for the time, bivalve arthropods that would be predators. The Spence has a very large diversity of arthropods. It would have looked completely alien to us today."

Whitaker hopes to complete her master's degree this spring, then to attend the University of Toronto to earn her doctorate. The description of Utahscolex is Whitaker's first academic publication, but she hopes it won't be her last. She said the opportunity to perform such research is a chief reason for attending KU.

"I came for the museum studies program," she said. "It's one of the best in the country, and the program's flexibility has allowed me to focus on natural history collections, which is what I hopefully will have a career in, and also gain work experience in the collections and do researchso it's kind of everything I was looking for in the program."

While ancient sea worms could strike many as a meaninglessly obscure subject for such intense interest and research, Whitaker said filling in gaps in the fossil record leads to a broader understanding of evolutionary processes and offers more granular details about the tree of life.

"I know some people might say, 'Why should we care about these?'" she said. "But the taxonomy of naming all these species is really an old practice that started in the 1700s. It underpins all the science that we do today. Looking at biodiversity through time, we have to know the species diversity; we have to know as correctly as we can how many species there were and how they were related to each other. This supports our understanding ofas we move into bigger and bigger, broader picturehow we can interpret this fossil record correctly, or as best we can."

Explore further Scientists describe 'enigmatic' species that lived in Utah some 500 million years ago

More information: Anna F. Whitaker et al, Re-description of the Spence Shale palaeoscolecids in light of new morphological features with comments on palaeoscolecid taxonomy and taphonomy, PalZ (2020). Anna F. Whitaker et al, Re-description of the Spence Shale palaeoscolecids in light of new morphological features with comments on palaeoscolecid taxonomy and taphonomy,(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s12542-020-00516-9
The perception of the employees in healthcare is that the healthcare system is not ready yet to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest weakness being the serious deficiencies in terms of personal protective equipment, says the "Health Solidarity" Federation, which published a survey on Tuesday in which employees from the system participated.

"The general conclusion based on the data indicates that the Romanian healthcare system is not prepared yet for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest weakness being the serious deficiencies in terms of personal protective equipment. The authorities' refusal to observe the rules of social dialogue worsens the situation, emphasizing the degree of distrust of the employees," reads the release sent by the trade union organization.

Thus, 78 pct of the respondents stated that the medical unit in which they operate does not have sufficient personal protective equipment, 70.92 pct of the respondents affirmed they received disposable gloves, 69.36 pct stated that they received surgical masks, and 19.08 pct mention that they received disposable waterproof scrubs.

63 pct of the respondents said that they had not received the job protection training related to the medical care of the patients infected with the coronavirus; 55.68 pct indicated the same for patients suspected of being infected with the virus; 65 pct of the respondents indicated that they had not been trained on the use, putting in and disposal of the personal protective equipment (PPE); 51.58 pct of the employees said that they had not been provided with protocols for the evaluation, triage and treatment of patients with COVID 19, and 42.6 pct of the respondents stated that they had to buy protective materials.

Only 13.3 pct of the questioned employees consider that the current level of the medical staff in the unit is adequate to the volume of patients that could be admitted.
Some members of the Old Vandals Association of the famous Commonwealth Hall from the University of Ghana has issued a strong warning to the National Parliamentary Appeal committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).



The group in a statement called on the National Parliamentary Appeals Committee of the NPP to reconsider the poor, barbaric and cruel decision by the Vetting Committee of the Bono Region to allow Bernard Oduro Takyi an Old Vandal who has been disqualified for no reason from the NPP primaries race to contest.



Bernard Oduro Takyi was disqualified by the Bono Region Vetting Committee of the NPP without given any reason for his disqualification. All attempts by him and his team to get the reason for his disqualification have been unsuccessful.



He has filed an appeal to the National Parliamentary Appeal committee.



However, his disqualification has triggered the anger of the famous Old Vandals Association across the country.



The association has indicated that Old Vandals association is not partisan and has no intention to be so. Old Vandals are known to support all Vandals doing marvelously well in their chosen fields. It was also stated that the association will continue to support all Vandals irrespective of colour, race, religion or political affiliation. The group believes in and supports competence which every vandal possesses.



As Vandals, we have produced active, efficient, strong, intelligent, dedicated, handsome, quality and Productive men that have contributed effectively to the success of the NPP and to Ghana as a nation. To name a few (Sammy Awuku, John Boadu, Joseph Osei Owusu, Kwamena Duncan, etc.) and it is our promise that we will continue to produce them with the best men they need to drive their party agenda for ages to come.



Read below their statement



Bernard Oduro Takyi is a former JCR President of Commonwealth Hall.



During the struggle for the closure of the Commonwealth hall, he was the leading frontliner to oppose all the bad plots of the University of Ghana leadership. He was a member of the University of Ghana Residence board in 2009. He was also part of the Commonwealth Hall council. He was also the Business Committee chairman and the majority leader for University of Ghana Parliament House from 2008 to 2010. He also became the Chairman for the BASU Constitutional Review Committee from 2009 to 2010. Throughout his education, at the University of Ghana, he was an active member of TESCON from 2007 to 2010.



His knowledge and dedication to TESCON is what made him join the Training Team of the NPP Youth Wing who trained TESCON members across the country from 2019 till date. And for the love of the party he did all that on Pro-Bono.



After University, Bernard Oduro Takyi who was committed and passionate about building his community and constituency took all the knowledge he has acquired from the VANDAL city to his constituency to serve the NPP.



Hon. Bernard Oduro Takyi popularly known as BERNARDO, has over the year serve the NPP in his fullest capacity. These are some of the major things he has been doing.



 He was a Polling Agent for the NPP for 2008, 2012 and 2016 Elections



 He became Polling Station Chairman from 2012-2017



 He is a Zonal Executive from 2012 till date (Kwatire-Adantia Zone)



 He was the Lead Petitioner and Plaintiff for the NPP Assembly member caucus court case in 2015



 He was also the leader of NPP Assembly members caucus from 2015 to 2017



 He is also a Polling Station Organizer from 2018 till today



 He is known to be an Active executive member of Brong Ahafo Patriotic Caucus



 He also became the Assemblyman for Kwatire Electoral Area, Sunyani West District Assembly in 2015



 He became the Presiding member for Sunyani West District Assembly in 2018



As a former JCR President and active member of the Old Vandal Association, his good legacies, service, dedication and sacrifice for the NPP have compelled these Old Vandals to stand for him in this moment to address the unjust and unfair treatment to Hon. Bernard Oduro Takyi by the vetting committee.



In the press release, the old vandals have threatened not to support the work of NPP at Sunyani West Municipal Assembly. Also, not collaborate with the NPP on any occasion as far as Bono Region is concerned. They will also turn their support to any Party that will respect and honor Vandals. Also proceed to demonstrate at Sunyani West Constituency against the NPP candidate that will be presented and will also close all our doors for all NPP activities within and Outside Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana if Hon. Bernard Oduro Takyi is not given fair grounds to contest in the primaries.



They concluded by noting that, they want the NPP of the Bono Region, the party officials, the APPEALS committee and all-party stakeholders understand that THEY SHOULD NOT OPENLY SHOW THEIR EVIL PLOT, WICKDNESS AND MAFIA WORK ON OUR VERY OWN because that will cost them a lot. And they mean it as VANDALS.



They finally noted that Vandals are brave, intelligent and strong men, and with this they never fear anyone whom we have to contest. So the Party Officials should allow a true son of father BACCHUS and also a true son of NPP who is Hon. Bernard Oduro Takyi to contest the primaries without any interference and undue protectionism.



Isaac Yeboah Filson



+233246112478









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.

Featured Video
Reuters

By Paresh Dave

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google sister company Verily launched a website late on Sunday that invites adults in northern California to answer questions about their recent health and travel that could result in their getting a free coronavirus test.

U.S. President Donald Trump had thanked Google on Friday for developing a website that he said would help people determine whether they needed a coronavirus test.

Verily, a health care technology company owned by Alphabet Inc, said it worked with some employees at fellow Alphabet unit Google, to develop the new website. https://www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19

The website states Verily is working "with the California governor's office to direct high-risk individuals to newly-launched testing centers in San Mateo and Santa Clara" counties, sometimes by calling those users directly to set testing appointments.

People showing symptoms of the flu-like virus are meant to seek medical care, rather than a test through Verily's system, the company said.

Verily did not respond to request for comment on user activity on the website in its first few hours.

More than 174,000 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and over 6,700 people have died from the disease it causes, COVID-19.

Verily said people's survey responses would be kept in an encrypted Google database, access to which is restricted and monitored. The data would be shared with healthcare authorities but would never be "joined with your data stored in Google products without your explicit permission," Verily said.

In addition, Verily said user-submitted data would be used for research purposes only with permission, though it may ask for that permission in the future.

Making a Google account mandatory to use the website drew some criticism on social media. Verily engineer Ryan Seys responded to one of the critical posts by writing on Twitter that "we're trying to make real impact out here in this time of crisis."

(Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Kiran Narayanan By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Amid coronavirus scare, Indians, mostly Keralite students and their families, who are stranded in the Philippines, Malaysia and Italy airports, have pleaded immediate intervention from the Indian government to evacuate them at the earliest.

"We have been stranded at Manila airport since Tuesday afternoon. As our university canteen was closed, we have no other option but to come to India. Most airlines have cancelled their flights. The officials have given us an ultimatum to leave the country within 72 hours. The airport will be completely closed by March 20," said Anmy, one of the stranded students at Manila, in a video shared with TNIE.

The plight of Indian students comes in less than a week since the Indian government airlifted around 300 Indians, which also included a big contingent from Kerala.

ALSO READ| Malaysia closes borders, most businesses in lockdown amid COVID-19

Anmy said that she feared that the Philippines may heading for a complete shutdown. "Even the public transport system is headed for a total closedown in the coming days. Though we tried temporary arrangements here, neither buses nor taxis are available. Many Kerala students have been stranded in Malaysia as well. The government has to intervene immediately," she said.

In Italy, a group of over 100 Indians, mostly Keralites, are stuck in Rome, owing to the government stipulation of furnishing the COVID-19 negative certificate. Instead of the coronavirus negative certificate, the Indians will have to undergo mandatory 14-days-long quarantine once they reach India. The medical team who flew down to Italy had taken the specimen for the COVID-19 tests but the results are yet to be released, the students said.

"Situation is getting very grim here. The embassy officials are unreachable and we were expelled from the hotel room we have been staying as the embassy failed to pay the rent. They told us that we will be brought back after completing the coronavirus tests and will arrange the accommodation during the period. With the help of a few Malayali organisations, we were able to extend our stay here," said Saidas Sivadasan, a masters student at the University of Siena, Rome.

The Palakkad native has also added that they are not being able to return to their institutions as public transport has completely shut down there. "As public transport is completely closed, we don't have many options to go back to our universities. The NGOs who are trying to help us with food are being arrested by Italian police here," he added.

ALSO READ| Tamil Nadu fishers stuck in Iran running out of food; embassy unhelpful

Meanwhile, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, in a tweet, said: "Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. We have now approved Air Asia flights for you to Delhi and Vizag. These are tough times and you should understand the precautions. Please contact the airline."

Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. We have now approved @AirAsia flights for you to Delhi and Vizag.



These are tough times and you should understand the precautions. Please contact the airline.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 17, 2020

Earlier, Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem submitted a letter regarding the issue of students in Italy to Jaishankar on Monday. "Around 90 students and others belonging to Kerala are in Rome and they are unable to fly back to India as Air India is not allowing them to board the aircraft since March 11. Unfortunately, the embassy's decision will come only after getting a COVID-19 negative certificate. Ministry should take necessary arrangements for their safe travel at the earliest," he wrote in the letter.
Last month, Shannon Gober had a chat with his employees.

My advice 30 days ago was: I dont think this will ever get to this point. However, in preparation and just being a responsible adult, you need to work as much as possible. Work as many shifts as you can, Gober, the owner of Johns City Diner in downtown Birmingham, recalled to AL.com on Monday.

Gobers counsel to his workers was given shortly after the first few COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States -- a time when terms like social distancing were a foreign concept to most and before the Jefferson County Health Department on Monday ordered restaurants and bars to halt dine-in services for a week starting Tuesday.

We weren't trying to scare people, but at the same time we were trying to make people aware of the consequences of the virus spread, Gober said.

Luckily for its employees, Johns had one of its best Februaries ever, but the near-future remains uncertain for its workers and others like them throughout Jefferson County: the servers, hostesses, cooks and bartenders who will be without a paycheck for at least a week in a metro area known for its dining and nightlife.

On Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey announced that the order is extending to Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby counties. This order will be reevaluated at the end of one week. ADPH is also strongly encouraging other counties across the state to adhere to these same guidelines, a statement from the governors office read.

Of the 21,912 jobs added to the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area between 2015 and 2019, more than 3,200, or 14.6 percent, were classified as food services and drinking places," according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In all, 8.2 percent of jobs in the Birmingham area are in food and drink.

Most of those are part time jobs with very little benefits attached to them," Ahmad Ijaz, an economist with the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama, told AL.com in 2019 for an article examining job growth in Alabama.

The health department order, which included restricting public gatherings to 25 people or less and will be reevaluated by the agency after the one-week ban, was issued in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus that was first detected in China in December 2019. COVID-19 cases have been reported in all but one state and Alabama has 29 cases, including 17 in Jefferson County.

Takeout, delivery and drive-thru orders can still be placed under the health departments policy, but those options are not feasible for Johns, Gober said.

Theres no reason to be open. It would cost us more money to open than to close accounting for overhead, he said, adding that he believed the departments decision was wise from a public health standpoint.

Jacob Davidson, manager of Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill in Hoover, agreed.

I think it's just one of those things where it's a historical moment. This is kind of the first time in all of our lifetimes that were dealing with this. It wouldnt behoove anyone to say whether this is right or wrong. I think it's best to proceed with caution, he said.

The establishment will be open throughout the week conducting takeout orders, but Davidson estimated that business may drop by at least 50 percent.

We don't know how long everythings going to be, so were just going to maximize what we can maximize, he said.

But Cajun Steamer is also trying to minimize financial hardship of its servers.

We want to come up with plans in place so servers are compensated, Davison said.

The most important thing is that the employees are doubly affected by this, said Andrew Collins, owner of The Collins bar downtown, which is temporarily closing this week, and Cayo Coco Rum Bar & Restaurante, which will be accepting pickup and curbside delivery orders and hopes to have online ordering and payments implemented by Wednesday. They have to worry about their next bills that are due, their rent that's due, all of that. Thats our chief concern with this whole thing.

Austin Yates, a bartender at Pilcrow Cocktail Center downtown, said the business is fortunate in that all but two of its bartenders have secondary employment. Still, the owner does plan to compensate for lost time due to the incident while the bar is shut down for the week, he said.

And at Johns, workers will be receiving checks this week for the previous pay period. But beyond that, Gober said he would offer interest-free loans to employees who need them if the health department order is extended.

On Monday, a typically slow day of the week in Birminghams bar and restaurant scene, diners at Coco Cayo were relishing in what would be their last supper at a dining establishment until next Tuesday at the earliest.

Collins said his customers were coming out in support of us on Monday night because a dining experience will soon no longer be an option.

A lot of people dont like going to a drive-thru or eating in a fast food place, they like to have a meal, he said.
EnWave Announces March 20, 2020 Annual General Meeting to be Held Virtually

Posted by Publisher Internet

EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave? or, the \Company\  https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/enwave-targeting-profitability-in-2020-signed-joint-development-deal-with-gea-lyophil/ ), a global leader in vacuum microwave dehydration technology, announced today in response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, it will host its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the ?AGM?) on a virtual electronic basis only, at the same time and on the same date as planned, being 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time on March 20, 2020.

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly across the globe, and in response to the recent public health measures enacted by the Federal and Provincial Governments, the decision has been made to move the AGM to a virtual setting. This decision was made after considering recent Provincial and Federal guidance regarding public gatherings, and to proactively protect the health and wellbeing of EnWave?s stakeholders, employees and service partners that participate in the AGM.

The Company will not hold an in-person meeting as previously communicated in the Notice of Meeting dated February 11, 2020 that was sent to shareholders and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Instead, the AGM will be hosted in a virtual setting, and those interested in attending can find the details to attend below:

Virtual AGM Details:

Date: March 20, 2020

Time: 2:00pm PST

Participant Access: 1-877-407-2988 (toll free number)

Webcast:?https://78449.themediaframe.com/dataconf/productusers/enw/mediaframe/36459/indexl.html

In order to streamline the virtual meeting process, the Company encourages shareholders to vote in advance of the meeting using the Voting Instruction Form or the Form of Proxy mailed to them with the meeting materials. Shareholders wishing to attend the AGM may continue to do so by logging into the webcast or calling the number above, and instructions will be provided as to how shareholders entitled to vote at the AGM may participate and vote at the AGM.

About EnWave

EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.?

REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors, including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with innovative, disruptive companies in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over thirty royalty-bearing licenses to date. In addition to these licenses, EnWave established a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to manufacture, market and sell all-natural dairy snack products in the United States, including the Moon Cheese? brand.?

EnWave has introduced REV? as a disruptive dehydration platform in the food and cannabis sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently offers two distinct commercial REV? platforms:

nutraREV? which is a drum-based system that dehydrates organic materials quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; and,

quantaREV? which is a tray-based system used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying.

More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net.
Were working on that. My team is working with the Department of Revenue, Pritzker said. We want to be good to our small business people, theres not doubt about it, and I care deeply about making sure that entrepreneurs are successful. We live in a moment that is going to be challenging for everybody. And the balance that were trying to make is that, you know, delays, for example, could be an enormous hit for the state of Illinois.
A more proactive military in tune with the prevailing global realities is key to Nigerias quest for improved security, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said in a statement on Monday.

The statement, released by his special adviser on media and publicity, Lanre Lasisi, also said the House is making efforts to augment the budget on security through legislative means.

Mr Gbajabiamila said these in Abuja at a two-day capacity building workshop of the House Committee on Defence in collaboration with the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies of the National Defence College and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC).

Many have criticised the military for its popular warfare strategy of repelling insurgents rather than laying ambush or siege on them.

Mr Gbajabiamila noted that militaries, globally, have moved beyond routine territorial protection against external attacks, they thrive with the use of technology.

The traditional role of the military as we understand it is, once theres foreign and external aggression, that is when we deploy the military.

But then, foreign aggression and external aggression can be simultaneous. So, when we begin to talk about the military and expand the frontiers, rather than being (passive), we must consider and remember that in this day and age, this century, foreign attack can come from anywhere. We talk about cyberspace here.

Mr Gbajabiamila mentioned insufficient funding as one of the main challenges facing security in the country, and to that he said the House is bracing up to generate an alternative funding, apart from the statutory annual allocation.

Since a deadly insurgency broke out in the north-eastern flank of Nigeria over a decade ago, allocation to security has been on the rise.

This year, the budget of the ministry of defence stands at 975.7 billion  the highest of any ministry  of which 784.6 billion budget for recurrent expenditure, 116.2 billion and 75 billion statutory funds for the North-east operation Lafiya Dole.

Also, a bill to generate a support fund for the military has been introduced to the green chamber. The funds would, among others, be sourced from one per cent of the total money accruing to the federation account as well as 0.5 per cent of profit made from investment of the National Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF) by the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

While explaining the need for this, the Speaker said anywhere in the world, you dont fund either your infrastructure gap, or security matters are not funded simply through the budget.

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We are besieged on all sides: in the north, by insurgents and bandits, in the south by militants and highwaymen, he said. And all of us together, our economy and industry, even our democracy are threatened by the ambitions of those who will wage war on our interests through the skilful abuse of information technology and cyberspace.

It is perhaps this last threat that promises to alter forever the nature of our existence. As legislators, we are called upon to make national security policy through the passage of legislation, through oversight of national security infrastructure and through the approval of appropriation to fund national security activities.

We cannot effectively serve in this role unless we make the effort to understand the continually evolving nature of the threats we face and the challenges we must meet, he noted.
A woman wears a face mark in central London amid the coronavirus outbreak (PA)

The governments original worst case prediction of a very large number of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed in the coronavirus outbreak later became viewed as the most likely scenario as new information came to light, a scientist has revealed.

Professor Neil Ferguson, of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, worked on research that warned of a possible 250,000 deaths from the virus if more draconian measures were not taken. That research has advised government thinking.

He said there was no option but to introduce restrictions on the population and the government has now moved to tell people to stay away from pubs and restaurants, work from home and avoid non-essential travel as it tries to stop the virus spreading.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme about the predictions of deaths: We have no reason to believe thats not what would happen if we frankly did nothing, and even if we did all we could just to slow but not reverse the spread we would still be looking at a very large number of deaths and the health system being overwhelmed.

Boris Johnson has announced new measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak (PA)

Initially when we came up with these sort of estimates they were viewed as whats called a reasonable worst case, but as information has been gathered in recent weeks from, particularly Italy, but other countries, its become increasingly clear its not the reasonable worst case, its the most likely scenario.

He said calculations from NHS planners on how much they could surge capacity in critical care played a key role in the research.

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Whilst they are planning a major expansion of that  cancelling elective surgery, building new beds, getting new ventilators  it just isnt enough to fill the gaps that would be left, he said.

Story continues

We are left with no option but to adopt this more draconian strategy.

Asked if the measures should have been introduced earlier, he said: I think we are still behind the epidemic seen in other European countries, so theres always a balancing act involved in these sort of measures in order to balance the impact of those measures, the costs on the economy against the impact on the epidemic.

I overall think we have got the timing about right.

I think were about three weeks or so behind Italy, two weeks behind France and Spain, so we are making these decisions in a more timely manner than other European countries but certainly there wasnt any time to lose.

There have been calls to close schools and universities but he said that presents uncertainties and could have a negative impact on the NHS. A review into what could happen is under way.

Meanwhile, Englands deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, told the BBC said any further restrictions would depend on the how the next two weeks pan out.

Read more: Trump says US may not turn outbreak corner until August

He told Today that more people will encounter the coronavirus and become resistant with herd immunity, but said that will take time.

He added that we cant say how long this will need to go on for.

I dont know if it could be a year yet. I think we are too far out to make those kind of predictions but I certainly think it could be several months.
Projectiles fell 2km from the US embassy and there were no immediate reports of casualties, military official says.

At least three rockets struck Baghdads fortified Green Zone near the United States Embassy late Tuesday, the fourth such attack in the span of a week.

It came a day after an attack on a training base south of the capital, where US-led coalition troops and NATO trainers were present, Iraqi security officials said.

At least three rockets struck the Green Zone, the seat of Iraqs government and home to several foreign embassies, two Iraqi security officials said.

Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the US-led coalition, said the rockets fell at least 2km (1.2 miles) from the embassy. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The previous evening, rockets hit the Basmaya base near the Iraqi capital, an Iraqi army statement said. The projectiles landed in an area that includes agricultural land and a factory, according to the statement. No more details were provided.





A Spanish contingent of the coalition and NATO trainers are present at the Basmaya site. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from the coalition, and no armed group claimed responsibility.

Camp Taji

Last Wednesday, a barrage of two dozen rockets struck Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, killing three coalition servicemen, including two Americans. A British serviceman was also killed.

It was the deadliest raid to target US troops in Iraq since a late December rocket attack on an Iraqi base, which killed a US contractor and set in motion a series of attacks that brought Iraq to the brink of war.

Wednesdays barrage was followed by another raid, on Saturday at the same site, which wounded five soldiers  three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers.

The first attack prompted American 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 for the attack.

However, Iraqs military said those air strikes killed five security force members and a civilian, while wounding five fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella organisation including an array of militias, including some Iran-backed groups.

Iran-backed Shia militia groups vowed to exact revenge, signalling another cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out in Iraq.
MIDLAND, Texas, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Peak Land Services has broadened its services to include providing the research necessary in order to file liens against mineral properties and assisting in bankruptcy due diligence. Within the last few months, Peak Land Services has assisted companies with the process of filing liens against assets owned by an oil and gas company which was not paying their vendors in the Permian Basin.

Peak Land Services Co-Founder, Cole Frederick, stated, "It's no longer surprising to find myself working in a new aspect of the land business. Working on exotic projects differing from typical land work (leasing, title, due diligence, etc.) can be a result of the particular state of the industry. As all landmen quickly learn, you go where the work is. Right now, companies are inquiring about our services in assisting them in filing liens on mineral property. I guess it's just a sign of the times ."

In a recent article published by Peak Land Services, LLC, and Wayne Taylor of Dorsett Johnson & Swift, LLP, titled "A Sign of the Times  Filing Liens Against Mineral Property," these companies outlined the basic steps of what is involved in filing liens in the mineral property space.

Peak Land Services Co-Founder, Mitchell Eberenz, stated "I wouldn't be surprised if we continue to get calls about this new service offering. With oil prices hovering in the low $30's, money is going to get tight. Companies may start to lean on their service providers to preserve cashflow, and service providers will be left wondering when they will get paid. If you are in the oil and gas space, understanding what your rights are to ensure you get paid is critical to keep the doors open long enough to weather this downturn, and stay ready for the next boom."

To learn more about filing liens in the oil and gas industry click here, or give the team at Peak Land Services, LLC, a call at (432) 203-0709, and let us talk you through the process! Peak Land Services, LLC provides landman related services throughout Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Peak Land Services, LLC, is headquartered in Midland, Texas, and has additional offices in Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California. Email us about our other services at [email protected].

www.PeakLandServices.com

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday stressed coronavirus has not spread due to consumption of chicken, while maintaining that it is good to be 'vegetarian'.

"It is good to be vegetarian, however, coronavirus has not spread due to the consumption of chicken. People have stopped eating chicken, but it is only a rumour that COVID-19 is spreading due to it," said Baghel while speaking to ANI.

He appealed people not to get panicked as the state government is monitoring the situation.

"There is no need to be afraid. The state government and health department are with the people of Chhattisgarh and monitoring the situation very well. There is no need to be panicked but avoid carelessness," he said.

A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far and three persons have lost their life while undergoing treatment for the deadly virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe has emerged as the new epicentre of the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that it is confident of numbers stacking on their side when floor test is conducted in Madhya Pradesh. The party moved Supreme Court on Monday after Madhya Pradesh Speaker NP Prajapati abruptly ended the session of the Assembly for 10 days, thereby deferring the trust vote.

The Supreme Court will hear the BJPs plea today which seeks direction from the top court to Kamal Nath government to hold trust vote.

The BJP leaders cited the judicial intervention in Karnataka in 2019 where the apex court allowed disqualified MLAs to contest by-polls to work out in the BJPs favour should there be a by-election.

In Karnataka the Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs but struck down the provision to bar them from contesting elections for six years (till 2023). If that scenario plays out here, it benefits the BJP, said a senior party leader.

Also Watch l Kamal Nath running away from floor test, says BJP; CM puts onus on speaker

In Karnataka, when Speaker KR Ramesh had not accepted the resignations of 10 Congress and three JD(S) lawmakers, the legislators had moved Supreme Court seeking direction to the Speaker to decide on their resignations.

While the apex court asked the Speaker to take a call on the resignation within the time period set by him, it also ruled that the rebel MLAs ought not to participate in the proceedings of the House. After being disqualified they were permitted by the Supreme Court to contest the by-election

A senior BJP leader said the party also stands to gain if the resignation of MLAs is accepted because then it will be the single largest party in the assembly.

The BJP so far has 109 MLAs in the 228-member Assembly and needs only 104 MLAs to form government if the resignations of 22 MLAs are accepted.

There is a third possibility that if the MLAs are disqualified and they seek the courts protection and their disqualification is stayed they will be able to vote in the March 26 Rajya Sabha polls against the Congress whip, which again benefits the BJP, the leader quoted above said.

The BJP has nominated two candidates - Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sumer Singh Solanki - as candidates for the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh where elections to fill three Rajya Sabha seats will be held on March 26.

The Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh has been cobbling numbers to stay in power after 22 Congress MLAs resigned from the party.

Even as the Congress described the demand for floor test as unconstitutional and undemocratic in view of the fact that some of its MLAs were being held in captivity, a second BJP leader said the party is following all legal provisions to ensure there are no slip-ups.

We are confident of overcoming all technical hurdles to form a government soon. The speaker cannot persuade the MLAs to work for a party that they dont want to, the second leader said.

The leadership at the Centre has also thrown its weight behind former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Amid reports that a section of BJP leaders in the state want a new face as chief minister, should the party come back to power, leaders in Delhi said a change is unlikely because they need a bankable leader to ensure that the party does not lose the chance to form government should a by-poll be necessitated.

There are many similarities between what happened in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In Karnataka, BS Yeddyurappa led the by-election in which a bunch of rebel MLAs won. The Karnataka by-election also bucked the trend of rebel candidates failing to win elections, a phenomenon that we saw in Gujarat, said a third functionary.

During the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election, five of the seven MLAs who joined the BJP from the Congress had lost the election.

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Dr. Ben Carson talks power of prayer at coronavirus press briefing Trump to expand travel ban to UK, Ireland

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Backing President Donald Trumps decision to make Sunday a National Day of Prayer to address the coronavirus outbreak, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson on Saturday underlined the importance of prayer and faith in maintaining Americas greatness.

Talking about the coronavirus, or COVID-19, during President Trumps press briefing at the White House Saturday, Carson said he hoped that Americans can use this as an opportunity to pull together for good.

President Trump is going to be recommending a national day of prayer. And you know, weve gotten away from prayer and faith a lot in this country, he said.

Theres nothing wrong with godly principles, no matter what your faith is  loving your neighbor  caring about the people around you, he continued. Developing your God-given talents to the utmost, so you become valuable to the people around you. Having values and principles that guide your life. Those are things that made America zoom to the top of the world in record time  and those are the things that will keep us there too.

On Friday evening, the president declared Sunday as a National Day of Prayer.

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, the president wrote on Twitter. No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!

Since 1988, the first Sunday of March has been designated as a National Day of Prayer each year. Trump urged that the event be used this year to pray for protection from the coronavirus pandemic.

Responding to Trumps call to pray for Americas safety, pastor Allen Jackson of World Outreach Church in Tennessee, the Christian nonprofit group My Faith Votes and pastor Rob Morgan of Donelson Fellowship, also in Tennessee, have announced that they will hold a joint service called America, Its Time to Pray, which will be live-streamed.

Congregations across the nation are invited, they said in a statement, to join them in praying for faith over fear and Gods intervention in the spread of COVID-19.

Speaking at the same press briefing on Saturday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams encouraged the media to focus on dealing with the disease and not on criticizing the Trump administrations efforts to combat the coronavirus.

I want you all to understand  straight talk from the nations doctor  we really need you all to lean into and prioritize the health and safety of the American people, he said. No more bickering, no more partisanship, no more criticism or finger-pointing; theyll be plenty of time for that. But we all need to hit the reset button and lean forward, the health and safety of the American people are top priority.

Adams said the spread of the novel coronavirus will get worse before it gets better but we are making progress to flatten the curve. We are making progress. He also assured that almost all who get infected will recover, 98, 99 percent of the people will recover.

Also on Saturday, the Trump administration extended the existing ban on travel from Europe to include the U.K. and Ireland. The travel restrictions will come into force midnight on Monday, the administration said.

Excluded from the ban are American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their immediate families, among others.

During Saturdays press briefing, Trump said hes also considering domestic travel restrictions. If you dont have to travel, I wouldnt do it. We want this thing to end. We dont want a lot of people getting infected, he said.
Have faith, not fear, says Pastor Miles McPherson on coronavirus

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Californias Rock Church went solely online for its Sunday worship services due to the coronavirus scare, and the megachurchs pastor, Miles McPherson, said in his sermon that carefulness was needed, but with faith and not fear. He also interviewed a health official and two mayors about the pandemic.

We have to be careful in the wake of the novel coronavirus crisis, which is serious and real, McPherson stressed in his sermon.

In California alone, there are so far 335 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths.

But God doesnt want you to be filled with fear, he said. He wants you to be filled with faith.

He cited 2 Timothy 1:7, which reads, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" and explained each key term.

Fear means having a heart filled with dread and panic. Power means the ability to exert the spiritual force necessary for change. Love means affection towards God and others. And having a sound mind means making sensible, intelligent and reasonable decisions.

We need to walk around with the faith that God can not only keep us safe but also help us to help others, the pastor said.

We dont need to pray for the coronavirus to go away, but for Gods presence, he added.

He asked one of the special guests, Dr. Wilma Wooten from San Diego County Health and Human Services, about the symptoms of COVID-19.

Wooten said the symptoms include fever, cough and an acute respiratory syndrome that could include pneumonia. Additionally, doctors would also ask if the person showing these symptoms has been to one of the affected regions like Wuhan in China or Italy or Iran, or has been in contact with someone who has the disease.

If you dont have the symptoms, she noted, that means you cannot transmit it to other individuals.

Pastor McPherson said he had heard that you could transmit the virus even before you develop symptoms. The health official called it a rumor.

That makes me feel good, he said.

But, she added, thats whats known as of now, as the research is still going on.

According to the CDC, "some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest)."

The pastor asked that if 18,000 Americans have died from the flu this season and the number of deaths from the novel coronavirus is much lower, why are drastic measures being taken?

Dr. Wooten responded, This is a new virus and we do not know what it really can do and will do. So the attempt is to prevent it from spreading until vaccines are developed, she answered.

Another guest at the service, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, said people in his county were asking what they should do with their kids now that the schools are closed  should they take them out to malls or theaters? But they are missing the point, he said, as we need to avoid interacting with others temporarily. This is so that not all the people get sick at the same time.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, also a guest, said the city was targeting the most vulnerable section, especially the homeless population, for extra precautions on a daily basis. Theyre all fellow San Diegans, he said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that the states 108,000 unsheltered homeless people would be prioritized for mitigation policies, with a significant push to move them indoors, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The pastor asked the mayors what services can the church provide in the city?

The government cant solve all problems, said Wells. If you have an elderly neighbor, go shopping for them, he added, giving an example of what local residents can do to help. And its not a good time to take your kids to see grandma and grandpa, as elderly people are vulnerable.

Newsom has asked Californians over the age of 65 to isolate themselves from others.

Globally, the coronavirus has infected at least 170,000 people and killed more than 6,500.

Many other churches have also closed their doors this month and are streaming services online.
Better Call Saul season five has finally revealed the Saul Goodman we know and love from Breaking Bad.

While certain scenes depict Jimmy McGill as Gene, the manager of a Cinnabon in Omaha, Nebraska, for the most part, season five has brought us the hilarious lawyerings of Saul Goodman.

In Namaste, the episode began and ended with Saul enacting revenge on his enemy, Howard Hamlin. Saul made the decision to lob bowling balls over Howards security fence to ultimately destroy his beloved Jaguar, and it wasnt just because of their strained history.

Patrick Fabian | Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Saul Goodmans junk store quest

Namaste opens with a scene of Jimmy/Saul perusing the wares in a local junk shop. What he was looking for was unclear at first  he simply seemed to be browsing.

It quickly became apparent he was looking for something he could toss. As he picked up each object, from a typewriter to a decorative lamp, he tested his exaggerated throwing motion. It wasnt until he discovered three bowling balls that he decided to make his purchase.

The bowling balls dont appear again until the end of the episode when Jimmy McGill  or Saul Goodman, rather  arrives at Howard Hamlins lavish home.

Saul introduces Howards beloved 1998 Jaguar XJ8 to two of the three bowling balls. As Saul is vandalizing Howards property, the camera poetically panned to Howards license plate, which read NAMAST3.

Howard Hamlin offers Saul Goodman a job

In the past, Howard and Jimmys brother, Chuck, made it abundantly clear that they didnt want Jimmy working for the Hamlin, Hamlin, and McGill (HHM) law firm. For years, Jimmy strived to prove his worth to his brother, but his efforts came to a sudden halt when Chuck committed suicide.

Having seen the transformation Jimmy has gone through to become Saul Goodman, Howard invited him back into the HHM family. Desperate to harness Jimmys take-no-prisoners attitude, Howard explained how he should have fought for him to be part of the company, even when Chuck wouldnt.

As Howard explained his position, Jimmy noticed his Jaguar and its ironic license plate. Realizing that Howard was only offering him a job for his own selfish benefit is just one of the reasons Jimmy decided to destroy Howards car.

Why Jimmy McGill trashed Howard Hamlins Jaguar

Howards insulting job offer was just the tip of the iceberg. In the past, Howard had done nothing but belittle Jimmy, preventing him from ever achieving his goal of working with his brother at the prestigious HHM firm.

Ultimately, Howard is to blame for the distance between the McGill brothers. In some ways, Jimmy blamed Howard for Chucks suicide and his own inability to grieve him properly, too.

Whats more, Howard has made it abundantly clear that he has had enough time to grieve Charles death. Offering Jimmy a job at HHM was proof of that. Jimmys jealously and inability to grieve himself were also motivators in his decision to trash Howards car.

With an understanding that he is using the Saul Goodman persona as a coping mechanism, Jimmys hate for Howard was fueled knowing Howard had gone through grieving and Jimmy had only continued to ignore it.

The symbolism of Saul Goodman

Jimmy McGill is no stranger to loss. His former partner in crime, Marco, died of a heart attack after a final night of get-rich-quick scheming with Jimmy.

At Marcos funeral, Jimmy took Marcos ring, making it clear that he would do whatever it took to make money. Marcos ring was symbolic of Jimmys future as Saul Goodman. In Breaking Bad, the ring rests on Sauls pinky finger to serve as a reminder of the take-no-prisoners attitude Howard Hamlin so desperately wishes he had.

In a way, Saul Goodman is Jimmys solace from the crippling guilt and grief he feels for Charles death. But Saul is also permission for Jimmy to focus on the now-profitable schemes hes able to partake in instead of grieving the loss of his brother.

Eventually, Saul will be the reason Jimmy must once again find a new persona in Gene at the end of his greatest scheme of all.
Uruguay has decided to completely close its border with Argentina as a measure to combat the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou said

MONTEVIDEO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) Uruguay has decided to completely close its border with Argentina as a measure to combat the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou said.

"We talked today [Monday] with the authorities of almost the entire region, and with Argentina in particular, we decided to completely close the border, including the river border," Lacalle Pou said at a press conference.

According to the president, air, land and sea borders will be closed at midnight on Tuesday (03:00 GMT) except for the traffic of goods and necessities.

Uruguay's nationals and permanent residents will be allowed to return home.

To date, Uruguay and Argentina have registered 29 and 65 coronavirus cases, respectively.

On March 11, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic. More than 180,000 cases in 155 countries and territories have been confirmed. The majority of the patients have recovered, but more than 7,000 others have died.
The websites that you browse online hold a lot of information on you. Just like mobile applications that require a lot of your permissions to work properly, websites have also become very complex and access things like your webcam, your location to serve you local ads, and more.

And we're barely scratching the surface while talking about the webcam and location access. You'd actually be surprised to know the things that a lot of websites track on a daily basis. But, fret not. We're here to help you take back your control over your web browsers and the data which all these sites are tracking.

How To Control Browser Cookies

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Cookies, for those of you who don't know, are small bits of code that websites deposit on your computer to keep track of what your browsing habits are like. With cookies, websites essentially get to know things like the last time you visited them and remember your preferences. Airline portals, for instance, make use of these cookies to figure out the number of times you're looking at a particular airfare to play around with its pricing.

Depending on your browsing habits, cookies may or may not be a good thing for you. If you turn them completely off, you'll be forced to set your preferences on your favorite websites every time you visit them. And this is exactly why you might want to get deep into the granular controls.

Google Chrome

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If you're using Google Chrome as your primary web browser, then simply click on the icon next to the address bar to its left. There, you'll see an option called "Site Settings". Tap that and you'll see things like cookies and different permissions which the website needs. We suggest you tweak as per your preference for all the sites you visit more often.

Even if you're visiting a particular site for the first time, it's a good practice to check out the permissions and see what all they're accessing. This way, you'll prevent the sites from accessing unnecessary resources on your computer.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox also lets you check out the permissions the same way Chrome does. Simply tap on the icon next to the address bar, to its left, to reveal everything you need. Alternatively, you can also go to the browser settings to make any other changes to the way the browser uses cookies.

Safari On macOS

If you're using Safari as your primary web browser, then you can check out the site settings by clicking on Safari Menu button and going to "Settings for This Website". There, you'll see option for the camera, location, and microphone access. Safari will let you turn on an option to serve you a pop up every time a website needs permission.

 MensXP

Additionally, you can also choose to get a detailed view by heading to "Preferences" from the Safari menu and by clicking "Websites" tab. Here, you'll be able to set global rules for websites and let you block all sites from requesting access to your resources like a webcam. Alternatively, you can also "Block all cookies" by marking the checkbox to prevent all websites from saving cookies.

Microsoft Edge

Just like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft's Edge browser also lets you check out the site settings by clicking on the icon next to the address bar. You can also head over to the "Manage Permissions" tab to get a deep dive into the permissions granted. Edge browser will also give you an option to turn off media that plays automatically on some websites. That's a really handy feature to have.

The Final Say

Websites are gettings more complex by the day as developers are trying to revolutionize the way we consume content. It's important that we take cookies and permissions very seriously because not all websites are transparent about the things they have on you. It's always best to make sure that a website doesn't have things like access to your webcam or location unless it's absolutely necessary.
ANZ Bank chief executive Shayne Elliott says the lender is well-placed to support distressed customers through an expected coronavirus-induced downturn of about six months, saying shareholders will back the bank in "doing the right thing for the nation."

Although he acknowledged the crisis would have a "devastating" impact for some in the community, the big four CEO said the balance sheets of Australian banks were in a very strong position, and the pandemic was more predictable than the global financial crisis.

ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott said Australian banks had never held more capital. Credit:AFR

Amid predictions banks will face a rising tide of bad debts caused by the crisis, Mr Elliott said that unlike past financial crises, banks had a "reasonably good idea" of how long the downturn would last.

"You can see that with effective policy and swift action, this can be a three, four, five-month impact. The good news from that is, as a bank, if that's the case, we're much better equipped to help customers see through a three- to six-month period of difficulty than an unknown period of difficulty," Mr Elliott told the bank's online publication bluenotes.
The Australian government has banned all indoor gatherings of 100 or more people to combat coronavirus - meaning that large pubs, cinemas, night clubs, museums and restaurants may have to close.

Speaking to the nation on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Scott Morrison effectively banned all places where 100 people or more meet - including staff.

It may force large bars and restaurants to close their doors across the country, as well as popular attractions such as Sydney's Taronga Zoo, Melbourne Zoo and theme parks on the Gold Coast.

He warned the drastic measures could be in place for up to six months, as Australia enters war-time measures not seen since the First World War.

Indoor gatherings can have no more than 100 people, and no more than 500 people can attend outdoor gatherings.

The Sydney Opera House (pictured virtually empty on Tuesday) will also be forced to close under drastic new coronavirus measures

A woman is seen crossing the road wearing a face mask in Sydney's CBD on Tuesday (pictured) as the country enters lockdown

WILL ALL PUBS CLOSE? The Australian government has effectively banned all indoor places where 100 people or more gather. This is likely to include most pubs and bars, but they could choose to stay open - as long as they guarantee no more than 100 people, including all staff, would be on the premises. Outdoor bars could also potentially stay open, as the 100 people rule applies only to 'a single enclosed area that is substantially closed by a roof or walls'. But if pubs do choose to stay open, they are unlikely to make enough money to pay the staff required to keep it open. Not only it is likely punters will stay home, those that do come out may not spend enough to cover staff wages. Advertisement

This does not apply to 'essential' gatherings, which includes public transport, medical facilities, prisons, parliaments, supermarkets, and shopping centres.

Mr Morrison said there would be no quick fix to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, and warned that 'tens of thousands of jobs' could be lost.

'We are looking at a situation of at least six months for how we deal with this, he said.

'It could be much longer than that.'

The move could force the closure of some of the country's most renowned restaurants.

Gyms and swimming pools are not required to close, as long as they meet the requirements for social distancing and hand hygiene.

The government confirmed an 'indoor gathering' means a gathering within a single enclosed space, be it an area, room or premises.

Dreamworld on the Gold Coast was open on Wednesday afternoon (pictured) but had few patrons and may soon have to close

A long couple enjoy the sun in Melbourne's Federation Square (pictured) on Wednesday afternoon, usually a bustling area full of tourists and workers alike

For place with less than 100 people, Australians are still being asked to practice 'social distancing' - meaning they should stay 1.5m away from other people.

Small venues also need to ensure hand hygiene products and suitable waste disposal is in place, as well as frequent cleaning.

The Australian Hotels Association said the new restrictions will have a 'devastating' impact on pubs, and said it is working close with the federal and state governments.

It represents around 5,000 Australian pubs.

Usually full of tourists coming to admire street art, Melbourne's Hosier Lane sat empty on Wednesday afternoon (pictured)

CEO Stephen Ferguson said: 'Obviously we will be following the instructions of the Government and medical experts to the letter  the number one priority is saving lives and stopping people becoming ill.

'But theres no doubt this ban on more than 100 people gathering in venues will have a devastating impact on our workforce of more than 250,000 and will also impact our millions of patrons across Australia.

'Pubs are a vital part of society and will be key component in Australias employment and social recovery once we get through this difficult time.'

The Princess Theatre in Melbourne (pictured) has suspended performances of the award-winning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play

What gatherings are 'essential'? What the government deems as an 'essential' gathering will still be allowed This includes: - Airports - Public transport (including stations, platforms, stops, trains, trams, buses) - Medical and health service facilities - Emergency service facilities - Disability or aged care facilities - Correctional facilities, youth justice centres or other places of custody, courts or tribunals - Parliaments - Food markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, retail stores, shopping centres - Office buildings, factories, construction sites, mining sites - Schools, universities, education facilities and child care facilities - Hotels and motels and other accommodation facilities - Public places such as Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall and Federation Square, and Sydney's Martin Place Advertisement

What will close?

Large pubs and restaurants across Australia will be forced to close if they hold more than 100 guests.

Sydney's Mr Wong restaurant in the city's CBD seats 240 people, which means it would break the rules.

Such places could technically stay open, as long as no more than 100 people are on site - including staff.

The Sydney Opera House announced it has cancelled all performances until at least March 29, but this is likely to be extended.

Ticket holders will be refunded.

Melbourne's Princess Theatre has also been forced to close, affecting all performances of the award-winning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play.

Sydney's Taronga Zoo is also likely to have to close, alongside other major tourist attractions including museums and the Sea Life aquarium.

Theme parks on the Gold Coast may also have to shut, as they regularly hold more than 500 people - as does Melbourne's world-famous zoo.

Casinos and pokies could also be shut.

Particular events which could be considered essential will be evaluated by individual states and territories by their chief medical officers.

They will then be assessed on their individual merits, primarily to determine if social distancing is possible at the event.

Event Cinemas confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that they would stay open and limit tickets t 100 per cinema screen (stock image)

Large restaurants, such as Sydney's world-renowned Mr Wong (pictured) will also be forced to close

What will stay open?

Some of Australia's small venues will be allowed to remain open, as long as they can guarantee no more than 100 people - including staff - will be inside at any one time.

Small-sized restaurants and cafes will be exempt, as will takeaways - meaning customers can still order and pick up food during the crisis.

Event Cinemas told Daily Mail Australia they were staying open and screening films as usual, but would limit ticket sales and work with health officials.

But large pubs and restaurants may find it difficult to make money serving such limited numbers of customers, especially while still paying staff wages.

Essential gatherings will also be allowed.

This includes public transport, medical facilities, health services, schools, courts and prisons.

Supermarkets and shops will also stay open, as will office buildings and universities.

Gyms, indoor fitness centres and swimming pools will also remain open, as long as they meet the requirements for social distancing and hand hygiene.

Such venues have been ordered to ensure regular high standards of environmental cleaning take place.
The Executive Governor of Borno State, His Excellency, Babagana Zulum has commended the Nigerian military for its commitment to tackling the numerous security challenges in Nigeria, especially insurgency and terrorism in the Northeast Geo-political zone.

Governor Zulum made the assertion today at the Army Headquarters, Abuja when he visited the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

A statement issued Tuesday by Colonel Sagir Musa , the Acting Director, Army Public Relations Headquarters Abuja said the Governor thanked the Federal Government and the military for their supports to the people and the government of Borno State and solicited for more support and cooperation to ensure the successful completion of the war against insurgency in the State.

According to the governor, - his visit to the COAS was aimed at cross-fertilization of ideas that would help to improve on the counter insurgency/ counter terrorism operations, stressing that the battle needed to be taken to the enclaves of the insurgents.

Governor Zulum called on governments at all levels to support the military maximally to enable them carryout their tasks of protecting the nation, adding that there is the need to strengthen Civil-military relations and foster synergy between and among security agencies. He noted that the people of Borno State and the Nigerian Army have a common objective.

He expressed optimism that terrorism would soon be a thing of the past.

Responding, the COAS thanked the Governor for his dynamic approach to governance and his determination to finding an enduring solution to insecurity in the state. He used the opportunity to thank the governor for all his supports especially to the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed in Borno State.

He noted that Borno State has high prospects for human capacity development that could be developed for the benefit of Nigeria and other parts of the world, while expressing hope that the State will in a near future return to its glorious position of peace and prosperity.

General Buratai enjoined the Borno State government to take into consideration the reintegration, deradicalization and employment of repentant members of the Boko Haram sect as the nation heads towards the final phase of the war against insurgency/terrorism.

The COAS was hopeful that with the recent lift on the ban on fishing activities on the Lake Chad basin, business activities in the area and Maiduguri metropolis will bounce back.

The COAS acknowledged the injection of members of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the fight and commended their efforts and that of other security agencies, reiterating the readiness of the Nigerian Army to work in conjunction with its counterparts in other countries to ensure that the war is fought to a logical conclusion.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) London  Tue, March 17, 2020 16:08 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b4813c 2 Food McDonalds,Happy-Meal,toys,plastic,sustainability,environment Free

McDonald's pledged on Tuesday to end the use of plastic found in toys served with children's "Happy Meals" in the UK and Ireland by the beginning of 2021.

The plastic will be replaced with a "soft toy, sustainable paper-based gifts or books" said the US fast-food giant.

"This represents the biggest reduction in plastic by McDonalds UK and Ireland to date and is the next step in its mission to reduce its environmental impact across all areas of the business," said a McDonald's statement.

"The move will eliminate over 3,000 metric tons of non-sustainable plastic."

The restaurant added that the move, which is so far limited to the UK and Ireland only, will represent the company's "biggest reduction in plastic".

Read also: Bandung McDonalds ranks among top-10 in global delivery records, sparking nostalgia for local stomping ground

According to the company's own figures, McDonald's serves about four million customers in the UK and Ireland every day in more than 1,350 restaurants.

"Families have high expectations of us and we're working as hard as we can to give them the confidence that their Happy Meal is as sustainable as possible," said Gareth Helm, the senior vice president in the UK and Ireland.

Previously, McDonald's has already committed to reduce its CO2 emissions by 36 percent by the end of the decade and to use recycled or renewable materials for all its packaging by 2025.
All US states are now authorized to use their own coronavirus tests, the Trump administration announced Tuesday.

Medicare patients will also now be able to use tele-medicine services through FaceTime and Skype at no additional charge in an effort to keep elderly Americans at home and safe from exposure to COVID-19, which has killed 94 people in the US.

It comes after widespread outcry over a shortage of tests for the new disease that's spread like wildfire to 5,244 Americans, including deadly outbreaks among elderly people and nursing home patients.

US state health officials are now also working to get remote testing facilities up and running, which would help to limit the influx of people potentially infected with coronavirus into broader health care facilities, where the virus can spread quickly.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that all US states are now allowed to make, approve and use their own coronavirus tests instead of waiting for FDA authorization

The Trump administration waived certain medical privacy laws in order to facilitate better access to remote health care for at-risk Americans, and gave states the authority to do the same.

Already, New York was granted similar permissions by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in an effort to expand testing and contain the spread of the virus.

On the heels of that expansion, some 10,000 people in New York have now been tested, Governor Cuomo said in a Tuesday press conference.

States, too, are now allowed to expand telehealth coverage for their patients if they so choose.

Both the expansion to telehealth access and test authorization are unprecedented actions in the US.

'It's something that's never been done before,' said President Trump.

So far, nearly 50,000 Americans have been tested for coronavirus, according to a community-built COVID Tracking Project.

According to state reporting, more than 5,200 people are positive for the virus. The COVID Tracking Project documents more than 43,000 have tested negative, and the results of nearly 2,000 tests are pending.

New York was already granted special authorization for its own tests (pictured) and has since tested some 10,000 people, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday

Officials said drive through testing - like this site in Maryland - is being set up in 47 locations across 12 US states

US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS) head Dr Brett Giroir said during the Tuesday press conference that public health labs and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labs had tested 31,878 people for coronavirus.

Associated clinical labs have tested 27,000 people,8,200 of which were performed yesterday. Dr Giroir said this underscored how quickly the process is being ramped up.

Other hospitals have not yet reported their testing numbers, but Dr Giroir said he expects these in the next day or so.

The USPHS is also working to set up 47 drive-thru labs in 12 states. It opened its first trial site yesterday and Dr Giroir admitted there were 'a lot of kinks.'

In South Korea, where coronavirus has also been spreading rapidly, 3,692 people per one million residents have been tested for the virus.

Italy lags behind, with 826 people per million being tested.

Vice President Mike Pence said that CVS, Target and Walmart could also offer expanded remote testing across the US.

'You don't need the results of testing [to follow] the 15 day coronavirus guidelines, which [are] advice for every American in every community,' said Pence.

The federal government is urging Americans to work from home, if possible, practice social distancing, avoid gatherings of 10 or more people and refrain from eating or drinking at restaurants and bars.

Officials are pleading, however, for drive-thru restaurants to remain open and the Trump administration said it is working with these establishments and others to provide financial and safety support.

More than 5,000 Americans have coronavirus and 94 have died of the virus

Dr Deborah Birx also urged that Americans cancel all non-essential medical and dental procedures, both to limit potential exposures to the virus for patients and health care workers and in an effort to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed and overcome by the coronavirus.

Instead, the expansion of telehealth is intended to allow Americans to continue to access health care without face-to-face contact, which risks transmission of coronavirus.

Some 76 percent of US hospitals are set up to provide telehealth services, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).

Medicaid in nearly all US states previously covered some form of telehealth, as do many private insurers, but Medicare - which covers 44 million Americans, mostly over the age of 65 - lags behind, the AHA says.

Now, all patients will be covered at no additional cost, and loosened restrictions on privacy regulations in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) will allow doctors to communicate with patients using common services like FaceTime and Skype.
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the situation with the spreading coronavirus is "under control" in Russia after infections were "contained".

"We were able to contain mass penetration and spread" of the pandemic, the Russian president told a government meeting. "The situation is generally under control despite the high risk level," he added.

Russia on Tuesday reported a total of 114 cases of coronavirus, up from 93 on Monday, with no fatalities.

Putin appealed to the country and the government to "act with self-awareness, organisation and care for one another," and urged officials to provide accurate information to Russians.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, who is responsible for health, dismissed concerns that authorities may struggle if thousands of Russians require respiratory support.

Russia is "ready to use over 40,000 respiratory support systems," she said at the meeting, adding that 106 of the cases in Russia are not severe.

Following public concerns over testing, the government has said it will step up testing and send more kits to regional facilities. Official figures indicate over 110,000 people have been tested for the coronavirus.

"We are producing up to 100,000 tests per day," Golikova added during the meeting.

A research institute in Siberia has started testing vaccine prototypes on animals, the laboratory chief said on Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian policeman looks out from a tent at an isolation ward set up for COVID-19 suspects in Jammu, March 11, 2020. (AP)

The 21st century began with Chinas economic growth, trade and commerce; accompanied by its impressive financial performance. Beijing got adulation like a rock star cruising through the stratosphere. It was good times all the way, till a mysterious home-grown coronavirus jolted Beijings invincibility.

The deadly virus, born in Chinas womb, has inflicted an unprecedented global carnage. Beijing thus is the legitimate claimant as producer, distributor and consumer of an undetected killer disease to the globalised one village world, posing a dire scenario. At least for now, it threatens the very physical health and peace of mind of the human race.

In fact, things are moving so fast that its quite impossible to either state or analyse with clarity the unfolding scenario due to its unpredictable velocity, venom and contamination. It appears like mockery of a surrealist oft-repeated cliche reflected through the title of a book One World, written by Wendell Willkie, the 1940 US presidential candidate. One or not, the reality or unreality of One World could turn into a mirage.

It raises serious doubts. Is the virus connected with chemical or biological warfare? Is the China virus only a virus? There is trepidation in the very thought of certain other possibilities.

Warning signals

The signs of distress, regrettably, were there for all to see. But most people, including Indians, failed to see the writing on the wall, or at least in the global English-language media. Day in and day out, the headlines were ignored or not given due importance; with some Indians even giving commerce, cash and profit precedence over the health of the nation, ignoring the (strategic) danger Chinas new virus could pose to 1.3 billion Indians. This writer had spelt out these grave concerns in this newspaper last month (on February 3, February 15).

There were a series of sensational reports in the world media. On February 22-23 the front pages in Washington, London and Seoul spelt out: Virus drives investor flight to safety; 30-year Treasuries yield hits all-time low; New cases reported in South Korea, Iran, Italy. On February 24: Italy locks down 10 towns as fears rise for global coronavirus spread. On February 25: Surge in virus cases batters global markets as investors run for cover; Europe stocks lead fall; Evidence of infection spread; Italy, Iran, South Korea hit hard.

This writer has always maintained, and still does, that Indias inherent and intentional inability to non-globalise the way some countries do is actually a blessing in disguise. All the more because, as people often forget, India isnt just a country, but a virtual continent due to its shape, size, variety, variation, diversity and bewildering mixture of extremes, as can possibly be thought of. Hence, the slow, steady, and often-slumbering India constitutes a wonder as to how it continues with nonchalance amid the all-round turbulence.

Then came the reports on February 26: West steps up moves to contain virus as investors retreat further: Chinese seek economy restart; US warns infection will spread; global death toll 2700. On February 27: Infection spread speeds up beyond China as virus breaks new ground; First Latin American case; WHO resists pandemic tag.

Thereafter, February 28 showed the worst: Virus triggers worst run on markets since financial crisis: European and US stocks plunge into correction territory; Japan issues de facto order to close all schools for a month; Saudi Arabia halts entry of Muslim pilgrims to holy cities.

On February 29/March 1: Economy fears over virus drag stocks to worst week since 2008: WHO raises risk assessment; New cases from Iceland to New Zealand. March 2 rang the bell: Italy unveils Euro 3.6 billion stimulus as world tallies cost of coronavirus: Fears of Chinese contraction; Korean factories shut; Berlin stand ready with funds.

March 3 was more ominous: 36-member OECD warns virus threatens to cut global growth in half: IMF and World Bank set funds aside; G-7 finance ministers to confer today. On March 4: Mounting coronavirus worries push US Fed into emergency action: Half-point rate cut; G-7 vow to use all appropriate tools; Stocks volatile after move.

On March 5, another alarm bell: IMF earmarks $50 billion for countries hit by coronavirus as growth forecast cut. A March 6 report held out a virtual ultimatum: US hits out over export barriers for coronavirus medical supplies; Germany and Turkey in line of fire; Nation alone to face outbreak; WHO urges action.

Credit to India

Thanks to the inflexible proponents and philosophers of globalisation, the fall of one strong player leads to the fall of all. The global village today is really a house of cards. After one strike, health issues have shaken the foundation of the worlds economics, commerce, trade and industry, like a tsunami-cum-earthquake. But theres another surprise too! Amidst the all-round global fear and tremor (from Iceland to New Zealand; Beijing to Boston; London to Latin America; Moscow to Melbourne), how come India has remained tranquil so long, largely unaffected amidst the poisonous air? Undoubtedly, originating, if not deliberately spread, from the Communist-ruled Mainland China?

Some credit should go to Indians. Their uncanny knack to stay afloat, and away from the world of vicious and venomous rival camps still appears to be working. There is also the inherent ability of Indians to sustain their deep-rooted culture, tradition, philosophical foundation. The world may be one metaphysically, but not necessarily physically. One loves ones friends; but in the international arena, friends and foes are neither permanent nor stable.

External affairs minister S Jaishankars March 7 statement said it all. Asked, if India was losing its friends, he responded: Maybe we are getting to know who our friends really are.

In this writers view, Indias 1.3 billion people should never get involved wholeheartedly in the business of globalisation, which has turned out to be a bit of a myth. Permanent national self-interest should be Indias motto, not to leap blind into the global cauldron. A tinge of solitude, bordering on self-imposed isolation, will not be a bad idea for attaining self-reliance, and without getting contaminated by the chemical/biological warfare coronavirus.

As India put itself into a virtual quarantine on March 11, the nations economy clearly appears to be on the precipice.
The transition from face-to-face to remote learning prompted by the forced closure of Louisiana schools due to coronavirus concerns is looking much different depending on the school and, in many cases, remains a work in progress.

And an uncertain number of schools may just decide to close up shop completely until April 13, when the closure order is set to lift.

Lack of internet means some Louisiana students will be released during coronavirus closures Some educators on Monday began the herculean task of trying to deliver instruction to 719,000 students sent home because of the coronavirus am

In the Baton Rouge area, many educators came to work Monday even as their students stayed home.

At the states handful of strictly online schools, it was a regular day, mostly. Students continued their classes from their homes while their teachers also worked from their respective homes. Those homes, though, were a bit more crowded thanks to closing of all the other schools in the state.

Some of our teachers do have some of their children at home, and some of our families have children who are in other brick-and-mortar schools and they are now at home too, said Michelle Clayton, superintendent of University View Academy.

With more than 3,200 students, making it the states largest online school, UVA initially thought it would have to close for the month along with the brick-and-mortar schools. But the school, which is based in Baton Rouge, decided it could carry on with its normal schedule after rereading more closely Gov. John Bel Edwards school closure proclamation.

The occasional face-to-face class, though, is off. Its educators, who normally come to the UVA office about three days a week, are staying home. And the online schools upcoming field trips have been canceled.

UVA, though, is managing to continue band classes virtually, via an application called Live Music Tutor, led by an experienced band director.

They are to actually come physically together and play at our graduation this year, Clayton said. If we have graduation.

Schools like St. Josephs Academy in Baton Rouge, where students all have take-home computers, are also well positioned to make the transition. Starting Wednesday, the students at this Catholic girls high school will attempt to carry on their classes remotely, with teachers taking virtual roll.

The faculty, nevertheless, have had to learn new things quickly to try to pull this off.

Mindy Averitt, a spokeswoman for the school, said teachers spent Monday training on a variety of video-conferencing software.

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The overarching goal is that our students remain connected to our teachers and remain engaged, Averitt said. And we have the technological tools at our disposal to make sure that happens.

The vast majority of schools in the Capital region are setting their sights much lower. While many have lots of computers at school, they dont all have enough for every student. And if they do, they only have enough for students in upper grades. And then theres the problem of many families who dont have a fast internet connection at home.

Were not going to be online where we are doing a full curriculum, said Scott Devillier, school superintendent in Zachary.

If coronavirus closes Baton Rouge-area schools, will students attend from home? It's 'feasible' The prospect of shifting from face-to-face instruction to online classes in response to the coronavirus is proving tricky for many school dist

Zachary and several other big districts are turning instead to a mix of print materials and online resources, what school leaders are calling a blended approach. The educators called to work Monday locally were busy at work figuring out the blends different ingredients. Parents at these schools are being asked to come by and pick up the print part of the equation. They will also be directed to online websites and other resources.

Were just giving them resource material for them to keep their minds on education, Devillier said. Its not important for me that they get everything done by a certain time.

High school students taking dual enrollment courses with local colleges online, however, cant let up. For Zachary families with kids in those courses who lack internet access at home, the school district is providing hot spots.

Those kids will definitely have to stay up with those courses, Devillier said.

BASIS Baton Rouge charter school is trying to keep up the rhythms of the school day from afar.

On Monday, via Facebook Live, Head of School Roberto Ramirez and the schools administrative team held morning announcements, complete with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Then they led the viewers on a tour of the school, where teachers were working on the schools transition plan.

Your teachers are working hard so that you guys have work to do (during the break), Ramirez said. No excuses. Please listen to whoever is taking care of you these days so you can continue to learn.

Clayton, with University View, said some of her best educators spend years in traditional classes earlier in their careers and they found ways to bring that know-how to their online classes. She said shes talking with the state Department of Education about ways their online expertise can be shared with teachers who have yet to make that leap.

We could train other teachers to be better teachers, she said.
Not surprisingly, they could not even begin to explain the legal basis for their request, he said. Nor could they explain how they believe that they and election authorities across the state could effectively convert the election to all vote-by-mail. Nor could they promise the people of Illinois that the state would be able to hold an election on the suggested day of May 12th.
On Sunday morning, Goldman Sachs, the financial partner on the new Apple credit card, said it would allow all cardholders who asked for help to skip their March credit card bill. The interest would disappear, never to be charged. And Goldman would foot the bill itself, as the financial backer of the partnership.

On Sunday afternoon, I went to the largest credit card issuers, auto lenders and mortgage servicers and essentially asked them to match it: Would they do the same, for everyone, and declare a one-month  or longer  pause on bills and interest?

Several replied right away and said they would allow people to skip payments, interest free. They include American Express (cards), and Capital One (auto loans and cards). Im glad to hear it, given that federal regulators more or less demanded last week that banks show some leniency.

Heres one surprising company that would not make an ironclad commitment: the auto lending giant Ally Bank, which was the beneficiary of a federal bailout during the last financial crisis. Ally did say it would work with customers to identify their specific challenges and tailor solutions for them, but would not pause bills unilaterally.
An open letter demanding that Stormont politicians implement major social distancing measures has been signed online by hundreds of health clinicians here

An open letter demanding that Stormont politicians implement major social distancing measures has been signed online by hundreds of health clinicians here.

The letter - which has over 680 signatures from consultants, GPs and nurses - is addressed directly to the Health Minister Robin Swann and the First Minister Arlene Foster.

It is calling the Executive to adopt "social distancing measures to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2" in line with the Republic.

As of yesterday there were 52 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

However, the letter by healthcare professionals in Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) claims it is "plausible" there may be as many as 900 or more unconfirmed cases due to the lack of testing. Those behind the letter also say that the NHS here is "in the worst shape of any part" of the UK in coping with the virus.

They add it is possible that without such social distancing measures, Northern Ireland could require around 180 critical care beds every fortnight to deal with demand, with the service only currently operating around 100 such beds.

Widespread social distancing involving the shutting of schools, hospitality facilities and workplaces has been adopted across much of Europe. As of yet, the Health Minister here has been reluctant to deviate from the position of the UK medical authorities and Government.

The letter calls on such measures to be introduced in Northern Ireland "without delay to avoid large scale, avoidable loss of life".
Amazon is opening 100,000 new job roles across the U.S. as the company attempts to meet a surge in demand relating to measures meant to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Between social distancing and an increased need for basic goods stemming from coronavirus fears, Amazon said its labor needs are "unprecedented" for this time of year. The company announced the new jobs Monday in a blog post.
UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Mar, 2020 ) ::United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned an attack by elements of two rebel groups in the Central African Republic (car) against a UN Mission patrol on the Ndele-Birao axis of the strife-torn country that resulted in injuries to one Pakistani peacekeeper.

In a statement, the UN chief wished speedy recovery to the Pakistani soldier, whose name was not released.

The Secretary-General warned that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime under international law.

Pakistani troops are part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

A UN Spokesman said at UN Headquarters in New York that peacekeepers in the Central African Republic are continuing patrols in and around the city of Ndele, the area where one Pakistani blue helmet was injured on Sunday.

The patrols are conducted in coordination with the country's gendarmerie, to protect the population and prevent new clashes.

The mineral-rich Central African Republic has faced deadly inter-religious and inter-communal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka group seized power in the capital, Bangui. Mostly Christian anti-Balaka militias hit back, resulting in the killing of thousands and the displacement of thousands more.

The country saw a period of relative peace in late 2015 and 2016, but violence intensified and spread afterward. In February 2019, the government signed a peace agreement with 14 armed groups, but some armed groups did not sign and since then there have been intermittent serious incidents.
London: The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State says it will move hundreds of troops out of bases in Iraq, with most redeployed to other locations in the country, as threats from the militants wane and risks to foreign troops elsewhere in Iraq increase.

The coalition said troops would be leaving the al-Qaim base in western Iraq within days and that they would soon move out of the northern K1 and Key West bases too, with most heading to larger bases in Iraq and others to Syria or Kuwait.

The move, officials said, has been planned for months and is not the result of a wave of attacks by Iran-backed militia groups, which have killed and wounded almost two dozen coalition troops in recent weeks.

Coalition troops are due to withdraw from some of the smaller bases in Iraq. Credit:USMC/AP

"As a result of the success of Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against ISIS, the Coalition is repositioning troops from a few smaller bases," said Colonel Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the anti-Islamic State mission. "These bases remain under Iraqi control and we will continue our advising partnership for the permanent defeat of Daesh from other Iraqi military bases," he said, using an Arabic nickname for the terror group.
Not-for-profit theaters, charities, and so many other organizations are going to take major financial hits this year as the global coronavirus pandemic rages. So we got to thinking about the best ways to raise money for valuable organizations like the Actors Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and Covenant House. And we decided to start...

The Broadway Hand Wash Challenge. (Like the Ice Bucket Challenge, but with warm water.)

We've given our favorite Broadway stars the following prompt:

 Pick a charity to donate to.

 Sing 20 seconds of your favorite showtune while thoroughly washing your hands.

 Nominate three more people to take part.

 Share using the hashtag #BwayHandWashChallenge.

It's that simple. (And while "Bway" is in the tag, this is open to artists, fans, and friends around the country. We're all one.)

We'll be updating this story as entries come in. You'll find a preview of the first few below  and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more!

Stephanie J. Block

Lauren Patten

Elizabeth Stanley

Jelani Alladin

Shereen Pimentel

Alyssa May Gold

Bonnie Milligan

Stephanie Styles

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Deckhand Parker McCown from Below Deck Sailing Yacht is seen having fun and playing tunes with a group of charter guests.

Captain Glenn Shephard, Parker McCown |Karolina Wojtasik/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The Long Island bros love to party and McCown was the perfect DJ to host their fun. But did he cross a line? While he appears to miss a call from first mate Paget Berry, McCown is fully engaged in guest service as he attends to the charter guests needs. I think I have the line drawn between being out of hand and being professional, he says in a confessional. I dont wanna sit there with a stone-cold face like a body guard!

He spins a few tunes and hangs with the guests. While they drink booze, McCown sticks to water. He also has safety on his mind and advises one guest to avoid diving into the boat. The guest doesnt listen and hits the boat hard.

Some crew members have the right idea

McCown seems to be walking that fine line between shirking his duties as a deckhand and remaining professional. While he keeps the mood light with the guests, hes still remaining professional, looking out for the guests safety and most importantly, not drinking with them.

Other Below Deck crew members have also had fun with the guests and it paid off. When Steve Foam Man Bradley wanted a foam party on the yacht, none of his friends wanted to join him. Instead, bosun Eddie Lucas donned a robe with Bradley and got in the middle of the blowing foam for fun.

Chief stew Adrienne Gang pivoted from stew to party friend with one group of guests. The mainly female group wanted to go out on the town, so Gang changed into a dress and joined the group. She remained professional and the guests appeared to appreciate that she went with them.

When is a line crossed?

Partying at the bar with former guests, even after charter, is probably frowned upon. Ashton Pienaar and Tanner Sterback from Below Deck met up with the Charleston, South Carolina guests after their charter wrapped. They are seen partying and getting cozy with the guests at a local bar in Thailand. Although the charter was over, some of the crew didnt think it was smart to hook up with the guests even post-charter.

Malia White, Bugsy Drake | Virginia Sherwood/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Then there was deckhand Danny Zureikat from Below Deck Mediterranean. He fell hard for a charter guest who was a model from Tilted Kilt. He was told to avoid fraternizing with the guests but instead, he kissed the guest when he thought no one was looking. Meanwhile, cameras captured the liplock. He later slipped the guest a love note, which later ended up contributing to him getting fired.

Also, deckhand Bobby Giancola had a moment with a guest too. He matched with one of the guests on a dating app and ended up kissing her on a jetski.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs on Monday at 9 p.m. / 8 p.m. Central on Bravo.
Washington (AFP) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraq Monday the US would retaliate "as necessary" against any new assaults on Americans after a slew of rocket attacks.

The United States last week launched airstrikes against an Iranian-allied paramilitary group following a deadly attack on an Iraqi base housing US troops -- but rocket fire has continued unabated.

In a phone call with Iraq's caretaker prime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi, Pompeo said that Baghdad "must defend coalition personnel" who are officially deployed as part of the campaign against the Islamic State group.

"Secretary Pompeo noted that America will not tolerate attacks and threats to American lives and will take additional action as necessary in self-defense," the State Department said in a statement.

A fresh spate of rockets -- brazenly fired in the daytime -- targeted the crowded Taji air base north of Baghdad on Saturday, wounding three members of the US-led coalition.

None of the attacks have ever been claimed but the US has blamed hardline Shiite paramilitary groups, which are allied with neighboring Iran and incorporated into the Iraqi state.

On Wednesday, a similar rocket attack at Taji killed two American personnel and a British soldier in the deadliest such incident at an Iraqi base in years.

The US responded Friday with airstrikes on arms depots it said were used by the faction Kataeb Hezbollah and destroyed part of the under-construction airport in the Shiite shrine city of Karbala.

Iraq's military said that five members of its security forces and one civilian were killed, none members of the targeted paramilitary group.

Iraq -- which has long feared getting caught in spiraling US-Iran tensions -- denounced the "American aggression" and said it would lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council.

The conflict dramatically escalated in early January when the United States killed Iran's best-known general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone strike at the Baghdad airport.

Baghdad responded by urging US forces to leave but Washington has refused, with Pompeo saying that Iraqi leaders privately wanted troops to stay and President Donald Trump threatening sanctions if US forces are booted out.
Passengers on board a Scoot flight arriving in Sydney from Singapore were given instructions to self-isolate for 14 days, after the Australian governments new travel restrictions came into force.

Micaela Badra captured video of travellers being spoken to by a member of airport staff dressed in a protective cloak and face mask. According to Badra, the man distributed a document with COVID-19 information and a declaration that everybody had to complete 14 days of quarantine.

Ive been travelling in Singapore, Philippines, Qatar & Indonesia since February and in every airport and port they would check our temperature with the little devices or the big screening cameras at the airports and Sydney is the only one where this didnt happen! Micaela told Storyful.

All international arrivals to Australia as of March 16 were required to self-isolate for 14 days.

There were 375 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia on March 17 according to national health authorities. Credit: Micaela Badra via Storyful
It seems as though our world has been turned upside down. Every day brings new closures, restrictions, turmoil in the financial markets, and growing numbers of confirmed coronavirus infections and deaths.

So its understandable people are frightened.

But when it comes to getting tested for the virus, its important that cooler heads prevail. The system has limited testing capacity, and it will help curtail the virus spreading and save lives if we are smart about this.

The science at this point is that its not necessary to test people who are not symptomatic, said Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department. Right now, we dont have unlimited resources and we want to reserve testing resources for the people who really need it.

Scrase reminds us that COVID-19 is a respiratory virus and that common symptoms include a fever over 100 degrees, cough, shortness of breath and muscle soreness. Based on available data, a stopped-up nose occurs in only about 4% of the cases.

Fever is the most common symptom, he said, showing up in 87.9% of those who had the virus in China.

Sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose dont mean you need to be tested for COVID-19. In fact, Scrase said, runny nose is extremely rare in this infection.

This information is especially helpful since allergy season in New Mexico is in full swing.

Make no mistake. Aggressive testing is needed for people with COVID-19 symptoms  especially those who also are part of special populations that include those over 65, people with immune system problems and chronic underlying health conditions, pregnant women and people who have traveled to Europe, China and domestic coronavirus hotspots such as California and New York. It is important to identify people who have the virus and get them either into quarantine or more aggressive treatment.

As of Sunday evening, more than 1,000 people had been tested at Lovelace and more than 180 by the state. Presbyterian, which opened up drive-through testing on Sunday, tested 300 people on the first day  of the 513 who showed up. So, more than 200 people who drove to the site and waited in line were found not to be candidates for testing. Lovelace had to temporarily shut down its drive-up site Monday because of dwindling resources and supplies, while hundreds also lined up at the Presbyterian site hoping to be tested.

Wisely, both Lovelace and Presbyterian are screening in advance to determine who should be tested. Presbyterian is recommending people get screened online through video visits, online questionnaires or through the state hotline.

As of Monday, the state had 21 confirmed cases and no deaths. Most of the confirmed cases had some travel connection. These numbers certainly will jump with more testing.

Tests are being processed by both the state DOH lab and Tricore.

If you have questions about whether you should be tested, dont just show up asking for a test. Call your health care provider, do online screening or call the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline at 855-600-3453. The state Department of Health is updating its COVID-19 web page at cv.nmhealth.org. Information is a powerful tool in fighting this pandemic.

Meanwhile, practice social distancing, wash your hands, keep surfaces you touch clean and avoid touching your face. The vast majority of those who get the virus recover, but it is especially deadly for vulnerable populations.

That makes it all the more important for people to be smart about testing. Just like resisting the urge to hoard sanitizer, reserving tests for those most at risk is something we can all do to help ourselves and one another.

editorials

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 01:35:32|Editor: huaxia

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LISBON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Volkswagen Autoeuropa, the largest Portuguese exporter and auto producer, was forced to stop production on Monday by a lack of personnel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported.

The factory management realized that none of the three daily shifts could be guaranteed, as many workers decided to stay at home with their children after the government suspended classes in an attempt to contain the pandemic, according to the website of the Portuguese newspaper Publico.

"In view of the absences forecast from March 16, it was also decided to reduce daily production from 890 to 744 units, helping to adjust the factory to the conditions required by national authorities. Both decisions were communicated to all employees on March 13," the day after the announcement of the suspension of classes till the Easter holidays, the company's top management said in a statement.

Anxiety among the workers was triggered further over the weekend when seven who had "returned from countries at risk" were put in preventive quarantine.

"As the situation unfolded over the weekend, and as new data became known, new national and international decisions emerged, and with the forecast of absences as of the night shift of March 16, Volkswagen Autoeuropa communicated to its employees and suppliers the decision to suspend Monday's production shifts," the statement said.

In 2019, Autoeuropa was the largest national exporter of goods, returning to the top of a list that it had ceased to lead 14 years ago.

The company had about 6,000 employees at its peak due to the commercial success of the Volkswagen T-Roc model, whose exclusive worldwide producer is Autoeuropa.

Economic experts predict that the pandemic will cost Portugal four billion euros (4.46 billion U.S. dollars) per month, local media reported on Monday.

With economic activities almost stagnant in key sectors of the Portuguese economy, a recession is the most likely scenario, economists warned on Monday, adding that monthly losses for the Portuguese economy may reach four billion euros. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Scottish fisherman: 'Coastal communities have disappeared'

March 17,2020 | Source: BBC News

The UKs entry into the European Economic Community in the 1970s led to a large reduction in the number of fishing boats operating out of north-east Scotland, fisherman James Stephen has said.



We were sold down the river, he told BBC Hardtalks Stephen Sackur, adding that he wanted the injustice to be reversed.



Only a fraction of the industry remains, Mr Stephen said, explaining that the fishing fleet in north-east Scotland had gone from about 450 boats to about 100.



The UK and EU have begun trade talks to put in place a new framework for UK fishing waters after the transition period ends at the end of 2020.

 BBC

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Millions of Americans troop to polling stations Tuesday in four states despite the coronavirus pandemic bringing anxiety and uncertainty to the nation's Democratic primaries, with Joe Biden aiming to widen his lead against Bernie Sanders.

Campaigning has shifted from mass rallies to online events, candidate debates are audience-free, and multiple states have postponed their primaries as the coronavirus, which has killed more than 70 people nationwide, prompts unprecedented alterations to the political landscape in an election year.

Democrats are in the midst of choosing a nominee who will challenge Republican President Donald Trump in November's election.

But doubts have undercut the process. As Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio gear up to vote Tuesday, there is confusion about whether polling stations will be safe.

Voters are also conflicted about venturing out to cast ballots despite Trump urging Americans to restrict gatherings to groups of fewer than 10 people.

Ohio's governor Mike DeWine dramatically complicated the process in his industrial Midwestern state Monday when he recommended a 10-week postponement of the primary.

But a lawsuit to delay the vote was rejected by an Ohio judge, local media reported.

DeWine's appeared to be a lone official voice calling for delay, and he failed to win support from Trump, who said it was "up to the states" to make the call.

Ultimately, the president said, "I think postponing is unnecessary." But the vote could be undermined in part by a potential scare factor for the elderly, the constituency at highest risk of contracting coronavirus.

Officials in Florida, with the most delegates in play Tuesday, said the state is pulling out all the stops to keep the process safe.

"Supervisors of elections are taking precautions at their polling locations to ensure their voters remain safe throughout the day tomorrow," Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee said Monday.

Biden, 77, tops polling by significant margins in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, where the former vice president could strike a hammer blow against his rival by building an insurmountable lead in the delegate count.

Tuesday may be a last gasp of sorts for the leftist Sanders, who will face mounting pressure to quit if he does not score a major upset.

Meanwhile, Americans are staying home from work or school by the millions as the country implements emergency measures against a swelling crisis.

Kentucky, originally due to vote in May, on Monday announced a delay in its primary until June, while Georgia, which was next in line to vote on March 24, is delaying its primary until May.

Louisiana had earlier postponed its April 4 election to June 20.

Both candidates say they will campaign exclusively online for now, a scenario unheard of at the height of a US presidential primary battle.

"We're not going into crowds," Biden said during a one-on-one debate against Sanders, held Sunday night in an empty studio with no live audience.

Both men said they are taking full precautions during the outbreak: they are washing hands frequently, staff is working from home, and live campaign events have been scrapped.

Sanders hosted a "digital rally" Monday night featuring multiple high-profile supporters including the veteran rocker Neil Young.

"Don't forget to vote!" said Young's wife, actress Daryl Hannah.

The inability to campaign in person imposes a particular handicap on Sanders, who has consistently mobilized large and enthusiastic crowds at his events.

Sanders has acknowledged he is now the underdog in the delegate race but stressed his progressive movement has "transformed" the 2020 campaign.

"We have in many ways won the ideological struggle," he said, by drawing voters and rival Democratic candidates towards his more liberal policies, including tuition-free public college.

He also said the pandemic served as an example of why Americans would be better served by a universal health care system.

But he also struck a note of unity.

"At this unbelievably difficult moment, where so many people are very, very nervous and appropriately so, this is a time when we must come together," Sanders said.

Biden has hammered Sanders' so-called Medicare for All plan as unrealistic given today's political divisions, adding Sanders has yet to explain how he would pay for such a costly reshaping of the economy.

"People are looking for results, not a revolution," Biden said during Sunday's debate, referring to Sanders' call for radical socio-economic change.

But on Monday, in a video posted on his Twitter feed, Biden echoed Sanders' message of unity.

"We are going to overcome this coronavirus," he said. "Please, please take care of yourselves.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hello,

Another person died in India today due to Covid-19, taking the death toll to three. So far, 128 cases have been reported in the country, including those who have been cured and those who have died due to the virus. But many say the numbers are low because testing is low.

Those who havent travelled abroad are not being tested unless they have been in close contact with those who have travelled. (Photo: Reuters)

In India, authorities are testing only those individuals who have travelled to a list of countries in the recent past and travellers who have symptoms for a Covid-19 infection. Those who havent travelled abroad are not being tested unless they have been in close contact with those who have travelled.

Now, the problem with the approach is that coronavirus symptoms take time to show in individuals, meanwhile, the infected person could be passing off the virus to the next person/s. Lets just hope health officials know better.

While many in India are concerned that testing in India is low, many across the world are worried with the approach Britain has taken to fight Covid-19. UKs approach seems to be that it is impossible to stop people from getting infected so the epidemic should be allowed to spread to 60 per cent of the population so that herd immunity against the disease could be built. So, what is herd immunity?

Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from infectious diseases. This form of immunity is attained when a large part of the population becomes immune to an infection either through infection or vaccination. This, in turn, provides protection to individuals who are not immune.

Have you heard about chickenpox parties? Its also called a pox party, or flu party, among other things. So, before vaccines were available, children were deliberately exposed to infectious diseases to get done with it. Once you get a viral infection, your body builds immunity towards it so you do not get it again. This is why pox parties happened. It was believed childhood diseases would be less severe than diseases encountered as an adult.

At the highest risk of Covid-19 are the elderly and hence Britains strategy is likely to lead to scores of deaths. But talking of children and diseases reminds us we forgot to tell you that a three-year-old baby from Mumbais Kalyan has been tested positive for the virus. Her father has a travel history to the US and he, along with the childs mother, have tested positive for Covid-19. We wish them, and everyone else, a speedy recovery.

You can read more about the case here.

To keep yourself safe, avoid public contact as much as possible. And keep washing your hands. We know you are doing that already. The advice is only for those not following earlier advice on washing hands. Use the sanitiser but only when you do not have soap. Why? Because sanitisers are fast running out of stock.

These days we consider washing hands very normal. Even before the Covid-19 outbreak many of us were washing our hands  even if not as frequently as we are doing now. But do you know that there was a time when the importance of washing hands was unknown to the world. The man who taught the world the importance of washing hands was a doctor from Hungary, Ignaz Semmelweis. He did that in 1864.

Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis taught the world the importance of washing hands. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Semmelweis was posted at the maternity ward of a hospital in Vienna. Many women in the hospital were dying of what was then called childbed fever. Childbed fever was actually puerperal fever which is caused by uterine infection following childbirth. Semmelweis tried various things but the number of deaths would just not come down.

At that time a priest used to visit the ward whenever a woman died of childbed fever and he would slowly move across the womens beds. An attendant would walk along with the priest ringing a bell. It was thought that the sound of the bell could be scaring the women who then developed fever because of the sound and eventually died.

The priest was asked to change his route and the bell silenced. This too did not have any impact. Semmelweis was frustrated to see all his efforts fail and so he went on a break. We say, he did just the right thing.

When Semmelweis joined back, he found his colleague had fallen ill and died. Semmelweiss colleague was a pathologist. It was common for pathologists then to die in this manner.

The pathologist at Semmelweis hospital had pricked his finger while doing an autopsy on someone who had died due to childbed fever. Semmelweis studied the symptoms and realised that the pathologist had died of the same thing that killed the woman on whose body he was performing the autopsy. It was thus confirmed that childbed fever could kill not just women but men too.

Now, the hospital had two wards  one had all-male doctors and medical students, the other had female midwives. More women were dying of childbed fever in the ward being attended by male doctors.

Semmelweis realised that the one difference between the two was that male doctors were also carrying out autopsies but midwives were not. He then came to the conclusion that while the male doctors and medical students were performing the post-mortems, some particles from the bodies must be getting stuck to their hands that passed on to the women they helped with childbirth.

Semmelweis thought that if there was a way to get rid of the particles getting stuck to hands deaths could be avoided. He ordered his staff to start cleaning their hands and instruments with a chlorine solution.

Semmelweis, remember, did not know anything about germs he was only trying to get rid of the particles stuck on hands and instruments. The other thing he wanted to get rid of was the foul smell. Chlorine helped him achieve that.

Once the move was implemented, the rate of deaths due to childbed fever came down. Problem solved? No.

Doctors blamed Semmelweis for blaming them. Now, Semmelweis never blamed them but they thought they were being blamed for causing deaths. Semmelweis lost his job and eventually died in a mental asylum.

It was after his death that the world realised his genius. But even today people do not take hand hygiene seriously and that includes medical practitioners.

Coronavirus, or no coronavirus, personal hygiene is important and it all begins with hand washing. And it DOESNT stop at that.

Coronavirus, or no coronavirus, personal hygiene is important and it all begins with hand washing. (Photo: Reuters)

Ensure you clean your whole body. Mind too. But, for now, focus more on the body to defeat Covid-19.

Do you know that mental and physical health have a common cord? That cord was (believed to be) Hygeia. Does Hygeia sound similar to hygiene? Thats because hygiene derives its roots from Hygeia. We will tell you how because hygiene is our Word Of The Day.

So Hygeia was the Greek goddess of health. She was the daughter (some say wife) of Aesculapius, the god of medicine. She was originally the guardian of physical health but later became the guardian of mental health also. We wonder if taking a bath makes us feel lighter mentally for this reason. There is no scientific evidence to that effect. Maybe this isnt even a shared experience.

We will take your leave now.

Take good care of yourself.

We will be back tomorrow.

Also read: DailyOh! How Italy once offered a quarantine model for the world to follow
I believe this is my best piece so far, considering the fact that it represents an issue or controversial subject that I feel strongly for, Kisija wrote in the description. A detail I believe strengthens my piece is the detail and crowded environment of the composition, as well as how the red string, being the focal point, helps in conveying my message of the cruelty behind separation of families.
The Hunterdon County Board of Freeholders declared a state of emergency in the county on Monday in response to the spread of the coronavirus, according to information released.

This declaration will enable the countys Office of Emergency Management -- with the concurrence of the Hunterdon County Health Office -- to request assistance from New Jersey and the Federal government. This assistance encompasses the providing of material resources from the Strategic National Stockpile that can support the Hunterdon Medical Center as well as other county health care facilities, according to a press release.

Officials within the county have been hard at work addressing the public health emergency posed by coronavirus," Freeholder Director Shaun Van Doren said in the release. The Hunterdon County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management have been working around the clock to plan and respond to the constantly evolving challenges posed by coronavirus.

The decision comes the same day Gov. Phil Murphy announced further measures to try and slow the spread of the virus.

In signing this declaration of a state of emergency on Monday, Van Doren also announced that the county offices will remain open despite the closing and suspension of other operations or events.

In addition to the county libraries, set to close Tuesday at 5 p.m., access to the county Senior Center is suspended through to April 6. On that day, the suspension will be re-evaluated.

All senior activities, including congregate meals, are suspended, though Meals on Wheels of Hunterdon County will continue to drop off meals to its patrons using a method that eliminates personal interaction between participants and volunteers.

The Division of Parks & Recreation is temporarily suspending programs and closing visitor centers to the public, though parks trails will remain open. The divisions staff will refund those affected by the suspension, and continue to be available via email and telephone for public inquiries and reservations.

This suspension will be reevaluated on March 31. The parks staff are currently exploring options to offer educational resources online through its website and Facebook page.

The Board of Elections office will be closed to the public, but staff will continue to administer election procedures at a table in the lobby, where the public can come in and fill out any forms that they need and leave them in the lock box for processing.

The Searching the Search Room event scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled, as has the HackHunterdon Monthly Tech Meetup scheduled for March 26.

The countys electronics waste cleanup scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. has not been cancelled or postponed, though the county is encouraging participants to remain in their vehicles when dropping off material. All electronic waste should be placed in the trunk, cargo area or truck beds of the vehicles so they are easily accessible to the staff removing it.

The county Health Department will continue to provide essential services to residents and businesses but encourages the electronic transfer of documents and the conducting of business over the phone when possible. A drop-off process has been instituted outside of the Health Departments office if residents cannot be serviced over the phone.

County residents interested in applying for SNAP food assistance or cash assistance under the Work First New Jersey program are encouraged by the Department of Human Services to to visit NJHelps.org. Social Services can conduct interviews by phone, and residents are encouraged to call Social Services at 908-788-1300 if they have an emergency housing need.

The Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Training Service Centers in Flemington and Somerville are closed to in-person visits, and staff will continue to assist customers over the phone and via email. Customers are encouraged to call 908-541-5780 or email onestop@co.somerset.nj.us for assistance.

According to Van Doren, these closures and readjustments will all be reevaluated on an ongoing basis in consultation with both the county Department of Health and in accordance with CDC guidelines.

As conditions on the ground change and the risk of coronavirus subsides, the county will aim to scale back these policies, Van Doren said. "We must remember that as Americans we are in this fight together, and by taking these measures now we will help to mitigate against additional exposures and serious health outcomes.

Caroline Fassett can be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.

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As the readers are aware, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, safety measures are being taken seriously everywhere. In a video that is doing the rounds on social media, Rashami Desai, who reported on Naagin 4 sets, was screened for Coronavirus by a security guard. She was seen asking the guard if her temperature is normal and he says it is! Later, Rashami is seen winking in mischief.

The television stars are also seen sharing Instagram stories/posts urging people to take necessary precautions and follow the rules. Karan Patel, grabbed people's attention by sharing an Insta story, in which he urged people to stay indoors for their own saftey and also for the well-being of others around them.



He wrote, "SeX. Now that i have your attention, unless it is really needed to step out, please stay indoors for your own safety and for the well-being of others around you. Prayers for a complete recovery of all the people infected with the Coronavirus. Let's make #Outdoors #Safe by #Staying #Indoors."

Many television celebrities like Indian Idol 11 judge Vishal Dadlani, Splitsvilla host Sunny Leone, Kapil Sharma, Vivek Dahiya and Divyanka Tripathi, Srishty Rode, Gurmeet Choudhary and others have been sharing posts and asking people to stay cautious. Many television shows' shoots have also been cancelled.

About the same, Surbhi Jyoti told Pinkvilla, "I support this move and I think what the associations and people are doing, it is because of the health and safety has been kept in mind while taking the decision and I am really glad. I believe everyone would understand that and support it."

Even Erica echoed the same! She said, "This is not a forced holiday but its rather a safety measure. I am glad this action has been taken because actors usually do not have the luxury of taking offs or leaving early when sick and there are no weekend, offs or public holidays taken into consideration, so this move is more of a necessity for us."

Also Read: Coronavirus Effect: Vindu Dara Singh Postpones Bigg Boss Party; Actors Shoot With Masks On & More!
Viraj Shah, who runs a well-stocked kirana store in suburban Mumbai says footfalls in his store have doubled over the past one week. "Consumers are buying products likes soaps, sanitisers and handwash in bulk. In fact, I have run out of stock. People are also buying atta, oil and biscuits in bulk as they are scared that shops will shut down due to the corona virus scare." The panic around COVID-19 spread has led to basic necessities flying off shop shelves. Not only are people opting to stay indoors, they are also stocking for the rainy day. In fact, there is a distinct shortage of products such as disinfectants and hand wash not just in kirana stores but also in modern retail. "Consumers are hoarding basic staples, disinfectants, soaps, handwash and floor cleaners," confirms a senior official of Future Group (Big Bazaar).

A senior Tesco (cash and carry retailer which sells to kirana stores) official also confirms that kirana store owners are hoarding staples, processed foods and hygiene products. "We ran out of Dettol hand wash and soaps in one of our stores. We also exhausted our stock of sanitizers last week." Does this mean that the manufacturers are unable to meet demand, especially for products like sanitizers and hand wash? Albinder Dhindsa, Co-Founder of online grocery retail company Grofers, says that there is some delay in ramping up supply of these products, but he rules out shortage of supply. "The supply as of now is manageable, but if this scenario continues for over three months, there could be issues," says Dhindsa.

The Tesco official says that earlier kirana stores used to keep limited assortment of sanitizers and handwash, but now there is a beeline for these products. "They only bought limited numbers of 185-200 ml packs of handwash and sanitisers. We never sold much of large handwash and sanitizer packs, that's changed now. I can see kirana retailers desperately wanting to buy larger pack sizes of these products, especially in the last fortnight." The Tesco official says that earlier at any given point of time they used to have four weeks of stock for these categories which has now reduced to about a week. "However, the suppliers are not falling back. They have confirmed the pipeline of supply for the next few weeks," he adds.

Also Read: Mumbai local trains to suspend operations? Uddhav Thackeray has big decision to make

Also Read: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 52 test centres for COVID-19
Airline with Charleston expansion plan is in 'dire need' of financial aid
Vietnam and China, especially Guangxi Province, need to promote cooperation in resuming trade activities during and after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.

Viet Nam and Guangxi Province, China will promote cooperation to resume trade activities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.  Photo mongcai.gov.vn

Specifically, the two sides should resume supply chains and facilitate customs clearance for goods of the two countries, he said during a call at the weekend with Lu Xinshe, Communist Party Secretary of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. They spoke about strengthening coordination to overcome difficulties and minimise the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the two countries economic and trade activities, including between Viet Nam's localities with Guangxi.

The Minister proposed Guangxi improve efficiency and speed of customs clearance for import and export goods between the two countries.

Tuan Anh also highly appreciated the important role of Guangxi in the export activities of Viet Nam's agricultural products to China and suggested Guangxi authorities propose the Chinese Government to create more favourable conditions for exporting Viet Nam's agricultural and aquatic products to China.

Of which, China should permit more border gates on land and railway to import Viet Nams fresh fruit products, he said. China needs to launch customs clearance for trade activities via the Bac Luan II Bridge, belonging to the Mong Cai-Dong Hung (Dongxing) international border gate.

In addition, China needs to allow more kinds of agricultural products and fruits to be imported at the border gate on the Bang Tuong railway, said Tuan Anh. Chinas General Administration of Customs should also give export licences for more Vietnamese enterprises as well as Viet Nam's fruits such as durian, passion fruit, avocado, grapefruit, coconut, custard apple, water apple and other agricultural products such as bird's nest and sweet potato to China.

The minister proposed that Viet Nam and Guangxi authorities need to build an action plan now to promote trade activities after the pandemic ends. The plan would focus on activities to support businesses of the two sides in enhancing trade activities, including trade promotion programmes and exchange of market information.

In the context of the pandemic, the two sides should consider new ways of trade cooperation, such as the organisation of online trade promotion activities and development of e-commerce, he said.

Lu Xinshe said the Guangxi authorities have implemented comprehensive measures to control the disease, resume production and facilitate import and export activities, especially border trade with Viet Nam.

He agreed with all proposals of Viet Nam and said that the two sides should soon expand trade activities at the Long Bang-Tra Linh, Ta Lung-Thuy Khau and Hoanh Mo-Dong Trung border gates.

Viet Nam needs to give priority to resuming air and marine traffic between Viet Nam and Guangxi, he said. Meanwhile, Guangxi will coordinate with relevant Governmental agencies to increase goods and businesses of Viet Nam allowed to export to China.

The action plan proposed by the minister Tuan Anh was an important step for the period after the pandemic and during the implementation of the memorandum of understanding on strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Viet Nam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Border trade

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on March 13, the customs office at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Lang Son Province, completed customs clearance for 171 trucks of export goods, including agricultural products, fruits, electronic components and machinery; and 321 trucks of import goods, including electronic components, machinery, garments, agricultural products, paper and auto parts.

There were still 171 trucks of agricultural goods and electronic components for export waiting for customs clearance.

The same day, at the Tan Thanh Border Gate, the customs office finished customs clearance for 151 export trucks, mainly agricultural products including watermelon, dragon fruit, jackfruit, banana, rambutan, bamboo leaves and tapioca, and 31 import vehicles of green beans, onion peanuts, mushrooms and garlic. Meanwhile, 514 trucks of agricultural products and fruit for export were waiting for customs clearance.

In Lao Cai Province, 318 trucks transporting export goods, mainly farming products such as dragon fruits, watermelons and bananas, and 235 trucks of import goods, including vegetables, fruits, fertiliser and others, completed customs clearance at the Kim Thanh II Border Gate. Remarkably, there were no trucks waiting for customs clearance at this border gate.  VNS

VN cross-border trade suffers heavily in Covid-19 crisis Imports and exports of farm produce, especially fruit, to China in the next six to eight months will not be as high as in January 2019.
SEATTLE  The first people to roll up their sleeves to receive an experimental vaccine for the coronavirus say they were inspired to help because they wanted to do more to fight the disease than wash their hands and work from home.

Three of the study participants spoke this week following the trials first injections in Seattle. They said the shots were no more painful than an ordinary season flu vaccine.

Some will get higher dosages than others to test how strong the dose should be. They will be checked for side effects and have their blood tested to determine whether the vaccine is revving up their immune systems.

The volunteers said they werent acting in hopes of protecting themselves. They understand their role is a small part of what could be an 18-month hunt for a successful shot that could be distributed widely.

They work in the tech industry and in health research. Two have children, and all three are working from home to slow the spread of COVID-19.

They are a 43-year-old operations manager at a small tech company, a 46-year-old network engineer at Microsoft and a 25-year-old editorial coordinator at an independent global health research center at the University of Washington.

Jennifer Haller, 43, works as an operations manager at a small tech company that normally runs out of a shared working space in Seattle. She learned of the vaccine study through Facebook on March 3, the day Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute started recruiting.

Neal Browning, 46, lives in Bothell, Wash., north of Seattle, with his fiancee and their daughters. He works as a network engineer at Microsoft, one of the first companies to require its employees to work remotely.

Rebecca Sirull, 25, moved to Seattle from the Boston area in December to work as editorial coordinator for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

She joined the vaccine study as a way to contribute to the situation in a positive way, considering, you know, the main guidelines that we all have right now are to stay home and do nothing, which is sort of a hard message to hear when you want to help out.

Carla K. Johnson is an Associated Press writer.
PITTSBURGH, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While safety continues to be a priority for schools, perpetrators all too often find a way to breach even the best security systems. Since hospitals and restaurants have become targets as well, an inventor from Hudson, N.H., has created a means of helping both children and adults in a variety of dangerous situations.

He developed the patent pending POLICE CALL BOX to provide immediate access to police to reduce the chances of injuries and death from an active shooter or related crimes. As such, it facilities a safer environment for peace of mind. Designed to give police the location of the incident, it shortens response time. This user friendly, practical and reliable security innovation, is also easily distinguishable from fire alarm pull stations. In addition, it is convenient, effective and affordably priced.

The inventor's personal concerns inspired the idea. "I wanted to provide a means of getting help in emergencies so people would feel safe when they were away from home, whether at work, at school or on a shopping trip," he said

The original design was submitted to the Boston sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-BMA-5453, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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Garda anti-gang units have delivered a blow to one of the countrys biggest drug traffickers after seizing around 5kg of cocaine and several encrypted devices.

The 38-year-old is considered the Kinahan cartels main man in the Clondalkin area of west Dublin.

In a planned operation, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau searched a premises in Ballyfermot, south west Dublin, on Monday.

In a statement, Garda HQ said a substance suspected to be cocaine, but awaiting confirmatory tests, was seized. They said it had an estimated street value of 350,000  equivalent to around 5kg of cocaine.

In the course of an ongoing intelligence-led investigation, targeting an organised crime group, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, personnel attached to the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau and a Special Crime Task Force, undertook a search of a premises located in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot, it said.

A substantial quantity of a substance suspected to be cocaine (to be confirmed through forensic analysis) was seized along with encrypted communications devices, in the course of this search.

The estimated street value of the controlled substance that has been seized, is in the region of 350,000.

It said a male, aged 29, was in the premises when they entered and was arrested. He was brought to Clondalkin Garda Station and detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

Following the seizure, Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll, who heads Garda Special Crime Operations said: The Garda Siochana is alert to the fact that particular criminals and organised crime groups may continue to operate while we are tackling issues associated with the existence of the coronavirus (Covid-19) or may attempt to take advantage of its existence.

For this purpose, each of the bureaus within special crime operations is targeting particular criminals and OCGs who are known or suspected to engage in a wide range of criminal activity and will continue to do so until the virus no longer represents a problem within the communities we serve.

The person behind the gang is considered by gardai to the Kinahan cartels main man in Clondalkin.

Described by sources as no fool, he operates a substantial drug trafficking operation across the west Dublin area.

He himself has been linked to a number of gangland murders and attempted murders, including a murder plot against a senior figure in the Hutch grouping.
New Delhi, March 17 : Coming weeks will be decisive in India's fight against the novel coronavirus: whether the cases would spike or the disease would be contained successfully. But there have been cases when infected people have bypassed the system set for identifying the confirmed cases. How big a threat can they pose? Doctor Naresh Trehan, Chairman, CII-National Council on Healthcare and Founder of Medanta hospital, told IANS that such people are doing a great disservice to the nation. He even went to the extent of calling such people "traitors".

"It is extremely irresponsible of people who are bypassing the system, laid down to identify suspected and confirmed cases. Such individuals are traitors in reality and doing a disservice to the community." He said people in habit of bypassing rules think it is a good attitude, but there is nothing heroic in it. "They are not only posing a threat to the community but also their own families and their own health in the first place," he said.

Breaking the myth that cow urine could be a cure to the novel coronavirus as widely shared on social media, Trehan said: "People have been consuming 'Gomutra' for a long time to boost their immunity. But honestly, I have not across any such study. I don't know if cow urine is used for developing any drug against such diseases. I do not recommend such things." Trehan said though the country is moving in the direction of containing the disease, coming weeks are extremely crucial for India as far as the COVID-19 spread is concerned. "The government is doing all that it can to contain the disease. However, it will be great if the government sets up hospitals and quarantine as designated COVID-19 centres. These could be set up in nonfunctional hospitals or buildings instead of usual hospitals. It will save other people from the infection," he said, adding "such an experiment has been done in Mumbai".

Trehan said the country was going to have more cases in the time to come as India was heading towards stage three of COVID-19 spread.

"Stage one is when people only with travel history from the affected countries contract the disease, stage two is when they infect health workers and caretakers, but in stage three, it is spread in the community. Government should try to contain the disease at a war footing before the situation reaches this stage. It is the biggest fear right now," he said.

He told IANS that Medanta Hospital is ready with facilities as per the government request.

(Sfoorti Mishra can be contacted on sfoorti.m@ians.in)
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, voters in the city of Columbus are strongly urged to vote absentee for the April 7 spring election and presidential preference primary.

Polls will be open in for those who need them on Election Day, but most voters should vote absentee for this election. For that to happen, voters should request an absentee ballot as soon as possible.

Acting by Wednesday, March 18, is especially important for anyone who needs to register to vote by mail. If a voters name or address has changed since the last election, the voter needs to register with their current information. Voters can check their registration status at myvote.wi.gov, click on My Voter Info. After March 18, electors can only register to vote in person in the clerks office.

If a voter knows they are registered but cannot find their name on the website, they should contact the clerk or Wisconsin Elections Commission. There is possibly a typo in the spelling of the name or the date of birth. Voters who cannot find themselves on MyVote should call their municipal clerks office at 920-623-5900 or call the Wisconsin Elections Commission at 866-868-3947 or 608-261-8005.

How to register to vote by the deadline
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 03:54:02|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian authorities on Monday closed the doors of Shiite shrines in the religious cities of Mashhad, Qom and Shahr-e-Rey, amid the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The shrines will be closed to the pilgrims at least until March 25, according to the report.

The shrines in Iran attract tens of millions of domestic and international Shiite pilgrims annually.

Iran's government had consulted powerful clerics and requested their consent for the closure of major shrines in the Iranian cities.

Last week, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged all the institutions in the country to cooperate with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and follow its directives.

A total of 14,991 people in Iran have been infected with novel coronavirus, of whom 853 have died, said the Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Monday. Enditem
WATERLOO  City Council members have thrown their support behind legislation banning controversial conversion therapy for minors.

But one of their colleagues and several members of the public criticized the council action as wading into political ideology best left up to state lawmakers.

Council members voted 6-1 Monday to approve a resolution encouraging the Legislature and Gov. Kim Reynolds to approve a law banning therapists from subjecting minors to the practice seeking to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Councilman Jonathan Grieder introduced the measure, noting the state was already considering a bipartisan measure to ban conversion therapy, adding that he has been touched personally by the issue as a teacher seeing struggles of LGBTQ students.

Several residents showed up to voice objections to the council vote.

I understand where (Grieder) is coming from, and I appreciate that, said resident John Sherbon. But its not city business.

Cheryl Christiansen also said the council should stick to local business.

It should be a parent decision, a teacher decision, anybody elses decision, she said of conversion therapy. Not the City Councils.

Councilwoman Margaret Klein cast the lone vote against the resolution.

This provision  is really not something the City Council should be involved in because it brings a political issue into what is supposed to be a nonpolitical body, Klein said, adding that council members should not get between parents and children.

Councilman Jerome Amos Jr. disagreed.

I feel like Im doing what Im supposed to do as a council person, he said. Im representing individuals in our community.

Grieder read several emails he received supporting the resolution and a few that he condemned. One email called him Dr. Frankenstein and referred to LGBTQ students as monster children.

I have had to listen to this sort of verbal abuse rained on me, and thats fine because I was elected to this position and I understand that it takes a tough skin to do this, Grieder said. But what I find unconscionable is that were talking about children  and were calling them monsters.

Grieder said the resolution simply asks the state to ban a form of abusive therapy that leads to higher depression and suicide rates among minors.

A bipartisan bill introduced in the Iowa House this year would have made Iowa the 20th state to ban the use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth. But it failed to advance.

Staffer Tim Jamisons most memorable 2019 stories:

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" " HowStuffWorks Now: The Chemistry of Space HowStuffWorks

You've probably snapped hundreds of photographs in your life. It's a great way to preserve memories and capture beautiful moments. But what if you had to figure out the chemical makeup of items simply by looking at a photograph of them? It sounds daunting, but it's similar to how astrochemists work. Instead of looking at photos, though, these scientists look at spectroscopic data  information taken from instrument observations of the way electromagnetic radiation is emitted, absorbed or dispersed by materials in space.

We visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and spoke with Dr. Stefanie Milam, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) deputy project scientist for planetary science, about this process.

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Just like you have a distinguishable fingerprint from me, so does every molecule, she explains. We're studying the fingerprints of these given molecules in different environments. So once we have the full fingerprint, we know exactly how much of that molecule is there, how hot or cold it is, whether it's in a solid phase or a gas phase. And then we can actually put all together all the different fingerprints and sort of build up a chemical network and see what's actually going on. Working with that spectroscopic fingerprint data to create a chemical profile of an observed object sounds a lot like assembling an intricate scientific jigsaw puzzle.

The discoveries that arise from analyzing celestial objects this way can be as amusing as they are awe-inspiring. Take, for example, the comet C/2014 Q2, now known as Comet Lovejoy. In October 2015, findings on the comet's chemical makeup were published, revealing that two of the 21 molecules identified were ethyl alcohol and glycolaldehyde. In layman's terms this means the comet is releasing alcohol, and lots of it, as it makes its way through space. Researchers estimate that Lovejoy can produce the equivalent of at least 500 bottles of wine per second.

Once the JWST is deployed and the scientific instruments begin collecting data, there's no telling what wonders will be revealed. The JWST can't look back toward the sun or all the instruments will be cooked, but there are plans to look at everything in our solar system from Mars out. The hope is that we'll piece together even more of the universe's chemical history in the process. Check out the video above to learn more about how astrochemists are getting to the heart of the matter.
Jiwang Dai planned his Princeton-area restaurant for a year, hoping to create something special. He invested nearly $500,000 to make his dream a reality, he said.

Then the coronavirus pandemic hit New Jersey.

Sumi Ramens grand opening was Thursday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony complete with a banner, flowers and local dignitaries. But you can guess how business is going, amid a global health crisis thats unlike any seen in the United States in decades, if ever.

Yesterday, we had no customers until 2 or 3 [p.m.], Dai said Monday afternoon at Sumi Ramen in Plainsboro Township, where tables sat empty. It is rough for us.

Rough is an understatement for the blow the novel coronavirus is dealing to eateries across New Jersey  even before Gov. Phil Murphy announced sweeping restrictions on public activities Monday that include a ban on dining in at restaurants and a suggested 8 p.m. curfew for non-essential travel.

We cant make a profit in these days, Dai said. Its all about how much money you are going to lose, how much you can sustain.

The restaurant industry is a notoriously difficult one, especially for new establishments that have yet to establish a foothold in the communitys daily life. Thats the reality that Dai and other new entrepreneurs face as the coronavirus spreads. The customer bases they hoped to build disappeared seemingly overnight, and their business models went out the window  at least temporarily.

On Tuesday, the restaurant industry sounded an alarm, warning of widespread business failures unless federal and state governments provide direct financial aid to owners and employees.

Marilou Halvorsen, the president of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association, said as many as half of restaurants likely wont survive even a three-week closure without aid.

The longer it goes out, the less youre going to see them reopen, Halvorsen said. The longer you go without income coming in, youre just going to walk away.

Lawmakers at the state and federal level are scrambling to provide financial help, but it remains unclear what that assistance will look like.

Last week, President Donald Trump called for an additional $50 billion in low-interest loans through the Small Business Administration. He also deferred federal tax payments for some individuals and businesses affected by the virus. And on Tuesday, the White House signaled it supports direct cash payments to Americans as part of a massive stimulus package being considered in Washington.

In Trenton, the state Assembly passed a raft of measures Monday in response to the crisis, including aid proposals that target workers losing wages as businesses temporarily shutter.

I would think that would be a No. 1 priority, the small business owners, Halvorsen said. This is where we need to make a lot of noise, because typically we get overshadowed by the big businesses.

Owners of new restaurants should have enough money to cover three to six months of losses as they build their customers, according to Lyneir Richardson, who heads Rutgers Universitys Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Newark.

But Richardson said many have a thinner cushion.

Every week matters, both for new businesses and those already established in their communities.

My sense is that 50% of small business owners do not have two months of working capital, Richardson said. Most small businesses and restaurant owners are living the proverbial paycheck to paycheck or payable to receivable.

Dai said he has enough capital socked away to keep the business running for at least six months, and he hopes to keep the eight employees he has on the job. By then, he said he expects the pandemic will have lessened and that life will have returned to normal.

Patrick Nolan, who opened Humble Cafe and Bakery in the touristy Delaware River city of Lambertville with a business partner on March 6, also doesnt envision his restaurant folding despite the unfortunate timing.

We were joking the other day that if we didnt have bad luck, wed have no luck, he said.

Nolan said he was blown away by the community turnout when he opened. But with coronavirus developments, hes now planning to stay closed this week, as he looks to transition to curbside takeout or delivery.

Nolans wife is pregnant, and he is acutely aware of the dangers the virus presents.

We do hope to get back to delivering service, but we do want to make sure that we are taking our time and not going too fast, Nolan said.

Jiwang Dai's restaurant in Plainsboro Township, Sumi Ramen, held its grand opening last week. With the coronavirus pandemic, Dai said he did not have a single customer Sunday until 2 or 3 p.m. The crisis is hitting the bottom lines of businesses across the state.

Dais restaurant serves Japanese cuisine with a focus on the ramen noodle, which he makes from scratch, including the bone broth that is best hot, steamy and just out of the pot. His plan was for customers to eat in, to capture that experience. He expected to draw foot traffic from residents of the township and workers from the office parks that crowd his location on Schalks Crossing Road, two miles from busy Route 1.

Sumi Ramen had a soft opening in January with a limited menu, and Dai said he would serve 150 meals on a good day. But as fears of the contagion grew, those numbers dropped 50% week after week. Hes now serving only 20 or 30 meals a day, he said. And that was before restaurants were barred from offering dine-in service.

To adjust, Dai is expanding his takeout menu and looking into delivery services such as Uber Eats and GrubHub, he said.

Everyone has a favorite little restaurant or coffee shop," Richardson said. I worry about my favorite little coffee shop. I worry about my local Chinese restaurant.

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YREKA, Calif.  A man is now in a Redding hospital following an officer-involved shooting in Siskiyou County.

Around 2:30 p.m. today, the Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office responded to the 12000 block of Halibut Way in the Klamath River Country Estates to a reported burglary and trespass.

When deputies arrived at the scene and confronted the suspect, the suspect refused to comply and ran from the scene. A deputy chased the suspect on foot. The suspect was armed with a rifle. The deputy opened fire and discharged his weapon. The suspect dropped the rifle but refused to surrender when confronted by two deputies and a game warden from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

According to police, the suspect started deliberately cutting himself with a knife, refusing to surrender.

Additional assistance arrived and the suspect was eventually immobilized by non-lethal force.

The suspect was later transported via ambulance and was later airlifted to a hospital in Redding.

It is unknown at this point if any of the suspects injuries were caused by the deputy firing his weapon.

The self-inflicted knife wounds appeared to be serious and no confirmation of a gunshot wound could be verified at the scene, stated Sheriff Jon. Lopey in a news release.

The suspect has not been identified.

Later, a pick-up truck was reported in the area. The vehicle drove through a fence. Police believe it may be linked to the suspect.

Multiple agencies are investigating.

The deputies involved in the use of force have been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in use of force incidents of this nature.
The European Commission on Monday warned member states against the temptation of closing their borders to stave off the coronavirus pandemic, after Germany became the latest country to impose restrictions in the Schenghen zone, despite calls from EU chiefs for a common approach.

Closing Europe's borders is not the way to slow down the coronavirus, the European Commission insisted Monday at a time when EU countries are tempted to do just that.

"All border closures must be coordinated in order to prevent the health situation in the EU from getting worse," said Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

The temptation however, was too much for Poland, Denmark and the Czech Republic, who on Friday, broke with EU pleas for a united response, closing off their borders to foreigners.

A day later, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, followed suit.

And on Monday, Germany became the latest country to join the list, closing five of its seven borders, with the exception of goods and commuters.

The gesture, symbolic, is likely to renew doubts about EU solidarity.

'Alarming situation'

For many Germans, the border restrictions call into question Europe's principle of free movement. Even at the height of the country's refugee crisis in 2015, the government still kept its doors open, letting in thousands of asylum seekers, without restrictions.

"But this time, the situation is alarming," says German interior minister Horst Seehofer, who justified the move.

The mounting cases of the coronavirus worldwide, with Europe now at the epicenter, has left EU countries split.

In a bid to coordinate the EU's response, French leader Emmanuel Macron held phone meetings on Monday morning with German chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the coronavirus outbreak.

Macron, who is due to address the nation on Monday night, urged the EU to better coordinate measures at the internal and external borders to protect peoples' health.

Story continues

Border controls "will be finalised in the coming hours," he said all the while denouncing the "unilateral" decisions taken by certain countries to impose restrictions, without naming which ones.

Urgent decisions

Hungary on Monday also announced that it too, was closing its borders.

This notwithstanding, Macron tweeted "we are working between Europeans," predicting there would be urgent "demanding decisions" to come.

Meanwhile, global markets continued to tumble despite central banks around the world announcing a coordinated effort to ease the effects of the coronavirus.

The disease is also disrupting travel, with several airlines suspending their flights and urging workers to take unpaid leave.

In Germany, authorities have discouraged citizens from traveling in general, urging them to abstain from leaving the country at this moment; while France will progressively reduce long-distance train, bus and plane travel on its territory over the coming days.

G7 leaders were due to hold talks via video conference later on Monday, followed by a crisis meeting for EU leaders on Tuesday, with the economic fallout of the virus topping the agenda.

In the meantime, the public across Europe are holding their breath, waiting for guidance from their respective governments, even as these leaders struggle to find consensus.
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's operating chief, said on Tuesday that the company will do what it can to help its employees and small businesses as the coronavirus spreads and wreaks havoc on the economy.

"We're going to keep responding to the need that we see," Sandberg told CNBC's Jim Cramer on "Mad Money."

Sandberg's comments came after Facebook announced that it's launching a $100 million program to help 30,000 small businesses around the world, while giving its nearly 45,000 full-time employees $1,000 bonus to pay for their remote work supplies or unexpected childcare costs. The company also plans to give every employee "exceeds expectations" performance review ratings, giving them more than their full bonus for the first half of 2020, she said.

"We want to communicate it's safer to be at home," Sandberg said.
The UAE has sent two aircraft laden with medical supply to Iran, hard hit by the Coronavirus disease, which has affected 16,169 persons and killed 988, according to Tuesday tally.

The shipped 32 metric tons of supplies, include thousands of pairs of gloves, surgical masks, and protective equipment. It is the second shipment to Iran, after Abu Dhabi reportedly sent 7.5 tons of supplies on March 3. Five WHO experts were on the flight to help Iranian healthcare workers to attend to patients.

Iran is the third worst affected country in the world after China and Italy. The first coronavirus case in the country was reported on February 19.

Abu Dhabi says the assistance is part of the UAEs decision to cooperate with countries suffering from the Covid-19 outbreak and to help stem the spread of the disease, Gulf Business reports.

Contacts between the two countries are however maintained as UAE and Iranian delegations meet openly or secretly to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Update: An online system to refer patients to get tested for Covid-19 is back up and running after crashing earlier.

GPs had reported their phone lines were jammed and due to demand the system could not cope, when they tried to record a referral.

People are being reminded they should only contact their doctor by phone if they have symptoms.

Earlier: System to refer patients for Covid-19 test struggling to cope with demand

The new system for referring patients to get tested for coronavirus has crashed.

GPs say thousands of people have been ringing their practices this morning, meaning many cannot get through.

From today, GPs can order a test for someone with symptoms online.

But so many doctors are using it that the system has not been able to cope.

Maitiu O'Tuathail, a GP in Dublin, is encouraging people to be patient.

"We've received an enormous volume of calls today from patients who have symptoms that are requesting testing for Covid-19," said Dr O'Tuathail.

"Unfortunately, our system is down at the moment due to the volume of requests that we are getting.

"So what we've asked patients to do firstly is please only contact GPs if you have symptoms.

"If you have questions or concerns initially contact the HSE website, there is a huge amount of information there."

Minister Simon Harris is appealing to the public to bear with GPs.

"It is a massive body of work, we are asking our GPs, our healthcare professionals and the HSE to deliver.

"We need all of us to be responsible in relation to that. Keep GP slots for those that really need them.

"Be patient with your GP who is under a lot of pressure when you phone them.

"And obviously, a test is only for when you have symptoms, not because you would like one."

He added that thousands of people have been calling 999, saying: "Yesterday, I am told over the weekend we had about 4,500 people ringing 999 looking for a test for Covid-19.

"That is not an appropriate thing to do, that is not a necessary thing to do. You cannot get a test by ringing 999, but what you are actually doing is preventing people who may need to make an emergency call actually accessing it as quickly as they possibly can."

The Irish College of General Practitioners has stressed that out-of-hours GP services cannot order a Covid-19 test for patients.

Also, while waiting for tests and/or test results, patients with respiratory symptoms and/or fever will be asked to self-isolate in their homes.

There were reports over the weekend of people telephoning out-of-hours GP services and overwhelming the 999/112 emergency services.

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The Arunachal Pradesh government has ordered closure of all education institutions, cinema halls, multiplexes, malls in the state till April 5 in order to safeguard against spread of coronavirus.

The state government has also suspended issue of inner line permits (ILPs) to domestic tourists with immediate effect till further ordersbecoming the second state after Nagaland to issue a blanket ban on entry of outsiders.

An order issued by chief secretary Naresh Kumar on Monday stated that all halls, multiplexes, mini cinema halls, night clubs, shopping malls and education institutions in the state will remain closed till April 5.

The order further suspended all weekly markets and urged the public to avoid all social, cultural, religious, political, academic, sports, seminar, conference and family mass gatherings (except weddings) till April 5.

In a separate order the chief secretary ordered deputy resident commissioners posted at Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Tezpur and Shillong to stop issuing ILPs till further orders.

The state had earlier banned entry of foreigners by stopping issue of restricted area permits (RAPs).

While foreigners need RAP to enter Arunachal Pradesh, those from outside the state need to get ILP for entry.

On Monday, Nagaland banned entry of all domestic and foreign tourists to the state by suspending issue of ILPs.

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Israel's president on Sunday tapped ex-military chief Benny Gantz to form a government, calling for an end to a year of political stalemate to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Reuven Rivlin's announcement marked a setback for right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but did not necessarily spell the end of his tenure, the longest in Israeli history. Gantz on Sunday secured recommendations to lead a government from 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset, or parliament, in the wake of a March 2 election -- the third national poll in less than a year. "Tomorrow, around midday, the president will assign the task of forming the government to (the) head of Kachol Lavan... Benny Gantz," Rivlin's office said in a statement Sunday, using the Hebrew name for Gantz's centrist Blue and White party. But there is no guarantee that the disparate forces who supported Gantz on Sunday will agree terms on a stable coalition, something that proved impossible following the two inconclusive elections last year. Driven by the need to ensure a coherent policy response to the coronavirus pandemic, Rivlin therefore appears to be simultaneously pursuing a stop-gap option -- an interim unity administration involving both Gantz and Netanyahu. He summoned the two rivals to a meeting on Sunday evening for an "urgent conversation", which ended without agreement, but Likud and Blue and White said in a joint-statement the talks will continue on Monday. The president emphasised the need to "intensify direct contacts.. between the Likud and Kachol Lavan negotiating teams, and welcomed both sides' willingness to do so", according to a statement by his own office after Sunday night's initial meeting. - Divided allies - On top of support from Blue and White and a smaller centre-left alliance, Gantz was also recommended by the mainly Arab Joint List and the secular, nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party. Aside from being anti-Netanyahu, the Joint List and Yisrael Beiteinu have almost no common political ground. Netanyahu's alliance, seen as more cohesive, includes his right-wing Likud as well as its religious, nationalist ally Yemina and two ultra-Orthodox parties. Both Netanyahu and Gantz have voiced support for an interim unity government to tackle the spread of coronavirus. The premier had earlier on Sunday specifically proposed a six-month arrangement that he would lead. "We must unite forces and form a strong and stable government that will be able to pass a budget and make tough decisions," Netanyahu said. But Gantz blasted the prime minister for floating that offer to the media, before discussing ideas in private negotiations. "Unlike you, I'll continue to back any correct government action without any political considerations," Gantz said. "When you're serious, we'll talk," he added. Israel has 213 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with tens of thousands in home-quarantine. Authorities have banned gatherings of more than 10 people and ordered schools, universities, restaurants and cafes to close, among other measures. - Trial postponed - Netanyahu was in January formally charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, becoming the first Israeli premier ever indicted in office. Gantz has previously refused to serve in any government led by someone facing criminal charges, but that was before the coronavirus crisis. Netanyahu's trial had been due to open on Tuesday, but Jerusalem's District Court said that given the severity of the global pandemic it had been instructed to hear "only urgent matters". "We have decided to postpone the first hearing until May 24," the court said, referring to Netanyahu's trial. The premier is accused of a range of offences including receiving improper gifts and offering a media mogul lucrative regulatory changes in exchange for favourable coverage. He denies wrongdoing.
JACKSON COUNTY, MI  A 60-year-old Jackson County woman has tested positive for COVID-19, marking the countys first case of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The woman has a travel history, according to a Jackson County Health Department news release. The department hasnt reported yet where the woman traveled to, or where shes been publicly since returning.

As of Tuesday, March 17, the state of Michigan had 65 novel coronavirus cases, most of which were in the metro Detroit area.

The 60-year-old woman who tested positive is being closely monitored by the health department and has been asked to identify all close contacts, so they can be notified, tested and isolated if necessary.

The woman did not require hospitalization and is not being treated at Henry Ford Allegiance Health, according to a news release from the hospital.

We will be closely monitoring all individuals with direct, personal contact with the identified cases, such as household contacts," Jackson County Health Officer Rashmi Travis said in the release. In addition, we want our community to be fully aware of any possible, but lower-risk community exposures.

An employee at the Jackson County Courthouse has tested positive for the virus. Health department officials wont confirm if this is the same 60-year-old woman, but did say theyre only aware of one case in the county.

The state also confirms only one Jackson County resident has tested positive for the virus.

In response, the courthouse is closing to the public and employees through April 3, besides essential and emergency hearings, according to a news release.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health has been testing people in Jackson County with symptoms of novel coronavirus at One Jackson Square, 100 E. Michigan Ave. The hospital had to halt testing Monday afternoon to restock, and testing for people with appointments restarts Tuesday at noon.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Anybody with symptoms should self-isolate and seek an appointment by calling 313-874-7500.

More Michigan coronavirus coverage:

Drive-through coronavirus testing shuts down temporarily in Jackson for restocking

Jackson County courthouse closing until April amid coronavirus pandemic

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Jackson cancels city meetings, closes City Hall to public amid coronavirus concerns
CLEVELAND, Ohio  State officials recommend that home health nurses and at-home hospice workers learn to how wear masks, gloves and other protective gear correctly. But the Ohio Department of Health does not requiring them to wear the gear while making visits during the coronavirus crisis.

Some Ohioans worry that nurses could serve as transmitters of the disease as they travel from home to home, visiting ill or elderly patients. Even if these healthcare workers are not showing symptoms of COVID-19, they could have the virus and spread it.

People over the age of 65 are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, which is spread through respiratory droplets, such as by coughing and sneezing.

Wearing a surgical mask helps keep these droplets in when youre already sick, but they cant filter out germs. Another kind of mask, called an N-95, can do that when fitted and used correctly.

These masks are in short supply, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say all masks should be used only by people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 who are showing symptoms, or the healthcare workers caring for coronavirus patients.

The Ohio Department of Health did not respond to questions about why home healthcare nurses, who travel among vulnerable populations, and could potentially transmit the disease, arent lumped into this category, too.

The state recommends healthcare and in-home hospice workers take other precautions. They should call patients ahead of appointments to make sure they havent displayed symptoms of the coronavirus. They should also check to see if patients have come in contact with COVID-19 patients, or traveled to an area affected by an outbreak. If anything raises a red flag, theyre are required to cancel the patients appointment, make a plan to follow up and notify their supervisor. Theyre required to ask patients get in touch with their doctor or the state coronavirus call center.

Once they arrive for the appointment, theyre asked to make the same assessment again before entering the home, staying at least six feet away. Theyre also asked to avoid physical greetings, and touching doorknobs.

They should stay home if theyre sick, and follow proper handwashing techniques. Theyre also being asked to tell patients to limit contact with people who are sick and post signs on the door that ill people shouldnt come in.

Other state recommendations for home healthcare workers and COVID-19 include several common-sense tips, already recommended the general public:

 Avoid contact with sick individuals

 Get adequate sleep and eat well balanced meals

 Wash hands often for 20 seconds with soap and water, dry with a clean towel or air-dry your hands

 Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze

 Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands after touching surfaces

 Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces

 Call before visiting your doctor

 Practice good hygiene
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Hours after the media claimed Donald Trump was starting to change his coronavirus tone for the better, the president took to Twitter to remind the country who he really is.

In a tweet, Trump fell back into his comfort zone of racist, dog-whistle politics and referred to COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) as the Chinese Virus.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus, Trump said. We will be stronger than ever before!

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

Medical experts call the label racist and inaccurate

Using China Virus and Wuhan Virus as shorthand for COVID-19 is something right-wing media figures and lawmakers have been doing over the past several weeks, but medical experts and even Trumps lapdog CDC chief have said its inaccurate and racist to do so.

According to Yales Marietta Vazquez, This behavior, and the stigma associated with referring to an illness in a way that deliberately creates unconscious (or conscious) bias, can keep people from getting care they may desperately need to get better and prevent others from getting sick.

When faced with this type of constant, heightened discrimination our friends, neighbors and colleagues of Asian-decent can feel uncomfortable in places they should feel welcome, included, and safe, she added. This type of discrimination may also put their mental health at risk.

Last week, CDC director Robert Redfield said it was absolutely wrong and inappropriate to call this the Chinese coronavirus.

Despite the guidance from the medical community and the fact that dog-whistle politics should have no place in a global health emergency, the president couldnt help himself.

Sure, he may have struck a more serious tone during his coronavirus news briefing on Monday, but its clear that Donald Trump is still the same repugnant racist he was yesterday.

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The U.S. Supreme Court postponed oral arguments for the remainder of March and left it unclear when the cases that had been scheduled would be heard. The high court was set to hear arguments March 31 over whether President Trumps financial records and tax returns should be turned over to Congress and the Manhattan district attorney. The case was being closely watched, given its potential political implications in a presidential election year.
Naftogaz Supervisory Board extends contract with Kobolyev

11:40, 17.03.20 2492

Ukraine's Cabinet appointed Kobolyev the Naftogaz Chairman of Board in March 2014.
Rost said he has recently put together a great team, and now a lot of his young employees are going home and moving in with family. Theyre going to disperse and its going to be hard to reassemble if this takes a couple of months, you know?

He said hes planning to pay some of his staff to work on remodeling or painting apartments and commercial properties he owns.

Many restaurants have pivoted to focus on take-out and delivery, but Sullivan said the idea that restaurants can survive that way is ludicrous. Only a restaurant already centered on take-out and delivery could make that work, he said.

Sullivan said that in the short term he intends to pay his staff as much as he can from his savings without jeopardizing his familys economic situation. I mean, Im not wealthy, he said.

Closing up

On Saturday, Deepak Shrestha closed HungryBadger Cafe, the State Street restaurant he opened 15 months ago with his wife, Archana.

They struggled for months, Shrestha said, largely because of the restaurants hidden second-floor location. But dealing with the extra weight of the virus forced his hand, and he negotiated a way out of his lease.
The Delhi government has launched awareness campaigns in the city's three major wholesale vegetable markets including Azadpur, Gazipur and Okhla in wake of coronavirus outbreak, Development Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters, the minister said directions have been issued to all wholesale markets to adopt precautionary measures against the virus.

"As there is major footfall at these markets, awareness campaign has been launched. Announcements are being made through loud speakers to aware people about preventive steps to contain the spread of coronavirus," Rai said.

Adil Ahmad Khan, chairman of Azadpur Mandi, said that hand sanitisers are being distributed among people at the market.

"E-rickshaws have been hired for making announcements through loud speakers to aware people," Khan said.

Pamphlets are being distributed and hoardings have been installed at several places in the market, he said.

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said coronavirus cases in India have risen to 137 and the number of deaths stand at three.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday reviewed the status of relief work for the victims of the northeast Delhi violence and directed the district magistrate there to expedite the compensation process.

According to an official statement, Sisodia asked for deployment of more police officers in the area as families are in the process of moving back to their homes from the relief camps set up by the government.

The meeting was attended by Health Minister Satyendar Jain, district magistrate (northeast) and other senior officers of the Delhi government and police.

The government said around more than 13 crore has so far been released as compensation to the victims of the violence.

Sisodia also called for a heightened security system in the form of civil defence personnel deployed at relief camps to keep infiltrators away.

A government official that in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the district administration is taking preventive measures at relief camps where thousands of people are staying, to contain the spread of COVID-19.

According to the statement, the Delhi government relief response team highlighted three cases of children who were victims of acid attack in the recent northeast Delhi riots.

"Acid attack cases have to be treated under the category of grievous injury and the compensation should be given accordingly. It not only impacts someone physically but also pushes the victim into a phase of immense mental trauma," Jain was quoted as saying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maryland and Virginia reported dramatic spikes in their numbers of novel coronavirus cases Tuesday, as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam banned gatherings of 10 or more people in restaurants, gyms and theaters, and Gov. Larry Hogan postponed Maryland's April 28 primary election.

With nearly every local county and jurisdiction now affected by the coronavirus, the region's total had climbed to 162 by Tuesday evening.

Maryland added 22 more covid-19 cases - its largest per-day increase so far - bringing the state's total to 63. Officials said nearly two-thirds of the state's cases were locally spread and not linked to foreign travel, a major concern and a significant shift from the virus's early days.

Virginia reported another 15 cases, for a total of 67, including the Washington region's only two deaths so far. The District reported nine new coronavirus patients Tuesday evening, also the largest increase for the city reported in a single day, bringing its total to 32 cases.

The virus' continuing impact left the region's economy at a near standstill on a St. Patrick's Day holiday that normally means crowded bars and restaurants.

Many of those establishments sat empty in the wake of orders by Hogan (R) and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, this week to temporarily shut down businesses where large groups of people gather.

On Tuesday, Northam, a Democrat, also prohibited larger gatherings, though he refrained from ordering businesses to close completely - seeking to balance concerns over public health and the economic damage caused by the pandemic.

In the morning, Northam urged Virginians to follow federal guidelines restricting public gatherings of 10 or more people in any businesses, but he stopped short of declaring a ban.

But by the evening, he said compliance was mandatory. His administration stressed that officials hope enforcement will not be necessary and that Virginians will have the good sense to comply. But aides said they wanted to make it clear that local law enforcement officials have the authority to act if someone defies the order.

"Our strategy must focus on mitigating and slowing down the spread of this virus so that our medical system has more time to prepare," Northam said at a news conference in Richmond, where he also announced that the state Department of Motor Vehicle offices will close.

"Every one of us has a role in being part of the solution. That means do not go to St. Patrick's Day parties tonight. If you do, you are literally putting others at risk."

The popular Virginia Gold Cup horse-racing event in Great Meadow was postponed from May 2 to June 20, organizers said.

Hogan, a Republican, postponed Maryland's April 28 primary until June 2.

A special election also scheduled for April 28 to fill the remaining term of the late representative Elijah Cummings will be mail-in only, Hogan said.

"It would endanger public health to allow thousands of people to assemble in places like schools and senior centers, which are already closed under the state of emergency," Hogan said at a news conference in Annapolis. "It would put Marylanders at risk, especially the poll workers and election judges, most of whom are retirees and in the most vulnerable population."

Both Hogan and Northam complained that a shortage of available test kits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made it more challenging to gauge the true impact of the disease.

In Maryland, Montgomery County added the most reported cases in the state Tuesday, with nine more for a total of 24. In Virginia, Arlington County had the largest increase, with four more cases for a total of 13.

A D.C. firefighter-paramedic tested positive for the coronavirus and is in self-isolation at home, according to the District's fire chief and president of the union representing firefighters. Fire chief Gregory M. Dean said the city health department is working to trace the firefighter's past movements and contacts.

Hogan unveiled plans to convert state vehicle emissions inspection sites into drive-through testing centers. But, he said, his administration will hold back on opening those centers until labs have the capability to run the samples. Otherwise, it would create "false hope."

Meanwhile, health-care workers were preparing for an influx of patients by freeing up beds and expanding testing capability.

Local officials worked to allay public concerns as neighborhoods and commercial areas grew more deserted and additional public events were canceled.

Both the D.C. federal appeals court and Virginia's Supreme Court scaled back operations Tuesday, while Metro further cut back transit services to protect its workers. The reduction, with trains running every 15 minutes starting Wednesday and buses operating on a Sunday schedule with some extra routes, corresponds with a 70% drop in weekday ridership in recent days, Metro officials said.

In Fairfax County, where the county's two additional cases brought its total to 12, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a state of emergency declaration that allows for easier access to state and federal funds - a step several other jurisdictions in the region have already taken.

During a special board meeting, board Chairman Jeff C. McKay (D) said the county is doing all it can to keep people safe.

"We will make it through this," McKay said as he and his nine board colleagues sat at least six feet apart to avoid the spread of germs. "We will have battle scars without a doubt. But we will make it through this as a resilient community."

In the District - where the Catholic Church's Basilica of the National Shrine joined other religious institutions in temporarily closing its doors to the public - the council adopted emergency legislation Tuesday that temporarily halted evictions and utility shut-offs. Several of the region's utility companies have said they will not pursue shut-offs.

Among other things, the District measure allows residents who lose their jobs or suffer losses in pay while quarantined to more easily receive unemployment benefits. It gives Bowser the ability to extend the deadline for renewing benefits including welfare and food stamps and for licenses, including driver's licenses.

Bower will be able to put families experiencing homelessness in interim housing for up to 60 days and can extend that during the emergency. The bill also pushes back Thursday's deadline for Bowser to submit the budget for fiscal 2021 to the council to May 6.

The legislation prohibits price-gouging and stockpiling during the public health emergency. It allows the council and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to meet virtually.

"I am well aware that the potential economic damage to individuals and businesses is far greater than the relief this bill provides," Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who introduced the measure, said before it was unanimously approved.

Concerns about the economic impacts of the disease grew as businesses affected by the bans in the District and Maryland shut their doors.

Eight D.C. alcohol inspectors visited 865 establishments Monday night and found only two operating in violation of the city's ban on on-site dining and drinking, said a spokesman for the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration. Buho's in Columbia Heights and El Rincon in Adams Morgan both closed shortly after inspectors discovered them still open.

Some businesses began to lay off workers. Compass Coffee, with 12 locations in the District and Virginia, dismissed 150 of its 189 employees Monday night, though the company said six locations will remain open to sell takeout drinks and tins of coffee.

"Our business is down 90 percent," the company wrote on Instagram. "We simply ran out of work, and could not afford to pay people without things for them to do."

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, whose city has reported two cases, said the economic forecast for his community doesn't look good.

"We will have residents unemployed and underemployed, families experiencing food and housing insecurity, children suddenly in need of care, small businesses suffering severe degradation of revenue," Wilson (D) wrote to the rest of the city council on Tuesday.

At least 12.7% of Alexandria's revenue comes directly from consumption taxes - dining, hotel, business license and sales taxes - putting more than $100 million in annual city revenue at risk, Wilson said.

Others tried innovative ways to stay afloat.

In Maryland, several distilleries began making hand sanitizer to help fill an expected shortage of that product while making good use of their alcohol.

Distilleries, which typically produce whiskey or bourbon, have the machinery and expertise to make alcohol-based disinfectants, said Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Distillers Guild.

Edgardo Zuniga, who owns Twin Valley Distillers in Rockville, said his business is making several hundred bottles of lemon-scented hand sanitizer, some of which will likely be donated to Montgomery County government agencies.

Zuniga said he intends to eventually sell the hand sanitizer at an affordable price.

"I'm not making ethanol to get rich," he said. "It's our chance to do something."

Rafael De La Paz, whose La Finca Mexican restaurant was one of the few places opened in Arlington's normally trendy Clarendon neighborhood, said he wants things to return to normal.

"I don't want to close," De La Paz said, through an interpreter, as just a handful of customers ate or sipped margaritas during the evening happy hour. "I want to be able to take care of the customers."

- - -

The Washington Post's Erin Cox, Luz Lazo, Rebecca Tan, Patricia Sullivan, Darran Simon, Fenit Nirappil, Justin George, Ovetta Wiggins, Rachel Weiner and Peter Hermann contributed to this report.
by Nirmala Carvalho

The "Vimala Dermatological Center" continues to treat patients but sends students home. Card. Oswald Gracias cancels the 32nd edition of the night pilgrimage. The home for clergy stops visits. The third Indian victim was from Mumbai.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The pilgrimage for peace, which has been taking place for over 30 years, has been canceled; the leprosy treatment center and the home for elderly priests has been lock down. The Archdiocese of Mumbai and the Catholic institutes operating in the area are enacting measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Meanwhile, the news of the third victim in the country, who died after contracting the infection, was a 64-year-old woman who lived in Mumbai.

The catholic centers closed to the public include the "Vimala Dermatological Center" in the Versova district, one of the most important hospitals in Mumbai for the treatment of leprosy. Sr. Bertilla Capra, missionary of the Immaculate Conception [female congregation associated with PIME], reports to AsiaNews that "the center remains open only for the care of patients, while the children have returned home. We are following all procedures and guidelines".

Founded in 1976, and directed by sr. Bertilla since 1981, the Center has been a point of reference for patients suffering from Hansen's disease in the megalopolis of Maharashtra.

In over 40 years it has treated thousands of people and offers treatments, plastic surgery and rehabilitation and physiotherapy services. The hospital assists 60 leprosy patients, mostly of Muslim and Hindu faith. In the adjacent student residence, the one that has been closed, the women religious have an education centre for about 80 poor girls.

Sr. Bertilla is originally from Bergamo, which has become teh worst hit Italian province by Covid-19. She says: We are in contact via the telephone with the people of Bergamo are trying to protect themselves by staying at home, avoiding travel. My sisters are fine. From here we pray for the salvation of my fellow citizens and the whole world, we are united in solidarity prayer with them. Let us pray for them and for Pope Francis .

Card. Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Indian Bishops' Conference (CBCI), has decided to cancel the most important religious event that has been held in the streets of Mumbai for 32 years: the "Annual All Mumbai Walking Pilgrimage for Peace", which was to take place on March 28th. Felix Sequeira, one of the organizers, said: We didn't stop the pilgrimage even during the Mumbai riots. This is the first time".

The ceremony was scheduled to have begun at 22.30 with the blessing of the Cardinal in Cross Maidan, Dhobi Talao, to end at 5.30 the following morning at the basilica of Mount Mary in the Bandra neighborhood. The event gathers thousands of people every year who crowd the 20 km route.

In Bandra, the Clergy House, residence for the elderly priests, has also closed to visitors. Fr Friztgerald Fernandes, the director, reports: We have blocked all visits because among us there are 16 priests over the age of 85 who already suffer from various pathologies. Our primary task is to protect the elderly priests who have served the Church and the faithful. We are taking all necessary hygiene precautions. Access is not permitted to street vendors or to delivery boys, who use the rear entrance precisely to avoid having direct contacts. The priests, as Card. Gracias has said, are 'burning fire of prayer'. They pray for India and the world."
Representative image

A 64-year-old man infected with the novel coronavirus passed away in Mumbai on March 17, becoming Maharashtras first COVID-19 fatality.

The deceased, admitted at civic-run Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai, was suffering from multiple health issues apart from being infected by the novel coronavirus, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Praveen Pardeshi.

"The patient had hypertension and severe pneumonia. Suddenly, his heart rate went very high before he died," he said.

Pardeshi clarified that it would be incorrect to say that the deceased died solely because of COVID-19 infection.

The deceased was a resident of suburban Ghatkopar and he had a travel history to Dubai.

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

It is the third reported death in India due to the virus.

The first death was reported in Karnataka. According to a senior Union health ministry official, a 76-year-old man, who died on March 10, had a travel history of Saudi Arabia. He had reached Hyderabad on February 29 and went to Kalaburgi in Karnataka, the official had added.

The man was being treated for suspected coronavirus with his samples taken earlier confirming the infection, the state government had said.

The patient was admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad. He died on March 10 when he was being brought back to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Kalaburgi.

"The 76-year-old man from Kalaburgi who passed away & was a suspected #COVID19 patient has been confirmed for #COVID19. The necessary contact tracing, isolation & other measures as per protocol are being carried out (sic)," Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu had tweeted after the death was reported.

The second death was reported in Delhi. A 68-year-old woman in national capital became the countrys second victim of coronavirus.

According to Health Ministry and Delhi government officials, the woman came in contact with her son, the fifth case of coronavirus in Delhi, with a travel history to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22. Her death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), they said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19.

The woman was admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, officials said.

There are at least 125 active reported cases of coronavirus in the country right now, including 22 foreign nationals. Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 15 states and union territories. According to ministry data, 13 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients who were discharged last month following their recovery.

(With inputs from PTI)
The White House released an announcement saying that the rumors spreading through text messages are not true, says an article. The rumors say that the entire country will be under national quarantine to control and prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.

The Fake News

National Security Council had released an official statement saying that the circulating text message about President Donald Trump enforcing a two-week national quarantine after 72 hours is fake news.

According to a Tweet by the NSC, there will be no national lockdown for the US. The CDC will be posting updated guidance to the people regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read this:

COVID-19: What Are the Symptoms and Should I See a Doctor?

17-Year Old Develops Website That Allows You to Track COVID-19 Cases in Real-Time

Important Facts You Should Know About the Global Pandemic Coronavirus

The Origin of the Text Message

The text message claims that it had originated from a friend working in the military. It advised people to get as supplies to last them for two weeks of national lockdown. The text message even requested its receiver to forward the message to their friends.

It is still unknown if there are still criminal investigations on the circulating fake text message.

Invoking The Stafford Act and Declaring a National State of Emergency

President Donald Trump had invoked the Stafford Act on March 13. Also, he declared a national state of emergency due to the spread of the coronavirus in the US. However, there is no official announcement from the president declaring the enforcement of a national quarantine.

The act lets the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lead the collaboration with the administration of disaster relief aid to local and state governments.

According to Doctor Anthony Fauci, the United States' top expert on infectious disease, had said that the US citizens need to exert extra efforts compared to their current acts to protect themselves against the deadly virus. This means that the option for the implementation of a 2-week national quarantine is not closed.

Cooperating with the Prevention of the Spread of the Virus

According to Fauci, every citizen of the country should observe social distancing seriously. He shared how his decision not to visit a restaurant and other crowded areas. He doesn't want to be in a situation where he will be asked to isolate himself from the world in the following 14 days. 14 days is the maximum number of incubation days for people who had showcased symptoms of the deadly disease.

The CDC advised everyone to cancel mass gathering activities and events with at least 50 attendees. They suggested to cancel or avoid going to this type of event in the following eight weeks. This helps control the spread of the deadly coronavirus. However, events conducted under the guidelines provided by the governing authorities are allowed, says the CDC.

This recommendation from the CDC does not apply to any educational institution. This recommendation aims to help reduce the entry of dangerous coronavirus in new communities. Also, it targets to slow down the spread of the coronavirus in already infected areas.

There are already at least 3,370 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in the United States with 69 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University. There were already 12 patients of the deadly virus who recovered.
BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of medical experts sent by the Chinese government to help Italy fight the novel coronavirus is warmly welcomed and is highly appreciated by the Italian side, according to a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a press conference when answering a question on reports that Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, held a press conference in Rome on Friday welcoming Chinese medical experts to assist Italy in the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.

Geng said the Chinese team, consisting of nine medical experts, left Shanghai for Rome on March 12, carrying medical supplies and equipment and started their work right after their arrival.

He said the group has shared experiences with the Italian Ministry of Health, Italian Red Cross, National Institute of Infectious Disease in Rome and other institutions on patient treatment, drug use and the control of infection inside hospitals in accordance with the epidemic situation in Italy.

Chinese experts also exchanged ideas on improving the protective awareness of the public and medical staff and clarifying the protection level of the medical institutions, said Geng. "They are warmly welcomed and highly commended by the Italian side."

Next, they will go to the worst affected areas in northern Italy, according to Geng.

The experts also conveyed the care of the Chinese government for Chinese citizens in Italy, and they conducted video guidance for overseas Chinese and Chinese students studying in Italy, briefing them on the symptoms of the COVID-19, and prevention and treatment of the disease, Geng said.

They also visited Chinese patients of the disease who were treated in Italy and have recovered, said Geng.
ROSE VALLEY  The works of wood sculptor and artist Wharton Esherick have always been of interest to the Rose Valley Museum at Thunderbird Lodge.

In the last month, that interest has spread throughout the community.

Individual donors, the Rose Valley Folk and the borough have pledged approximately $100,000 in less than six weeks to bid on pieces scheduled to be auctioned March 31 at Freemans in Philadelphia.

The tables, hammer-handle chairs and spiral staircase are owned by Hedgerow Theatre, which is planning to use the proceeds to create an endowment and support building improvements. The Freemans catalogue estimate for all of the pieces is $260,000-$416,000.

Wharton Esherick is recognized internationally as the dean of the studio furniture movement and thus is the direct link between the Arts and Crafts and the postwar studio furniture movements, said museum Curator Ryan Berley. We want to save these important pieces from being sold into private hands.

Created specifically for Hedgerow, the works demonstrate the ties between the Esherick family and Americas longest-serving repertory theater. His wife, Letty, and their three children acted in plays and he designed sets, costumes and lighting and carved woodblocks to print promotional posters. Some of the latter are on display in the lobby.

The Thunder Table, named for the 1929 production of Thunder on the Left in which his children appeared, has been in the theatres green room for years. The chairs, now stored in the office, once lined the walls of the same room and the staircase is a familiar sight in the upper lobby. The 9-foot sawbuck/picnic table was used by the actors in residence living at Hedgerow House, while the third was originally the Esherick family kitchen table.

The pieces are also tied to the borough and its history and seeing them scattered is concerning to the museum board. Its collection is housed at Thunderbird Lodge, where displays include furniture stamped with the Rose Valley seal, founder Will Prices portrait and hammer, a woodshop block plane and books printed by the Rose Valley Press. The museum would like to add a display devoted to Esherick.

The hope of purchasing some of the pieces and keeping them in the borough for public pleasure and study has become a community-wide effort. Borough council voted to authorize buying the picnic table at auction and loaning it to the museum to exhibit. Funding will be provided by the Rose Valley Folk, which owns the Old Mill. The building contains the borough offices and the Folk has agreed to forgo rent from the borough for up to 10 years, or $42,000.

Borough council is grateful to the Rose Valley Folk for the funding and allowing this to happen, said council president Bill Hale.

The folk will also donate an additional $25,000 to the museum. The balance is being raised by private donations through a GoFundMe page.

One of our purposes is to help the community and its citizens, much like a civic group, said Folk chairperson Dave Firn. Keeping these irreplaceable historical artifacts in Rose Valley for current and future generations to enjoy certainly seems to fit and I am inspired that people feel as strongly as they do.

For more information about the furniture and the fundraising effort, visit https://rosevalleymuseum.org/
(Natural News) Pope Francis has reopened several churches in Rome, even as virtually all of Italy has ground into a halt. The Popes decision stands in defiance to political pressure urging the leader of the worlds over one billion Catholics to keep churches closed to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The 83-year-old pontiff is standing off against Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister, who just announced that COVID-19 has claimed 1,266 lives in Italy, jumping by 250 in a single day.

Pope Francis voiced his discontent with the way the Italian government is putting an enormous amount of political pressure on the Catholic Church to halt mass services.

Italy has placed the entire country under strict lockdown. To enforce this, soldiers and police officers alike are patrolling city streets, forcing people who dare to venture out to turn back  but the Pope, nestled safely inside the walls of Vatican City, remains defiant, ordering several churches around the eternal city to remain open.

However, not even the pontiffs subordinates are immune to pressure from the Italian government. The Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, said he could no longer ignore government pressure and ordered the closure of all Catholic places of worship across Rome, around 900 churches in total  Pope Francis, to put it mildly, was not pleased.

Drastic measures are not always good, he said during his live-streamed Friday morning prayers.

The pontiff prayed for his pastors to have the good judgement not to leave the holy, faithful people of God alone.

The Vicar then issued a statement explaining that he met with the Pope and agreed that some churches should remain open. He stated that he ultimately decided closing every church in Rome would sow confusion among Catholics and cause them to feel even more isolated.

The Vicars final decree stated that tourists would still be banned from visiting Romes churches, but several smaller churches in Rome would be open specifically to cater to faithful Italian Catholics.

Dear priests, we rely on your wise discernment, the Vicar wrote in his statement. Help everyone feel like the Church is not closing its doors on them.

Pope remains defiant and asks priests to make sick calls amid lockdown

Pope Francis urges priests to visit coronavirus victims to "bring the strength of God's word" https://t.co/O11RtScu8y  Newsweek (@Newsweek) March 10, 2020

This spat with the Vicar of Rome comes just after the Pope urged Catholic priests to go out and visit coronavirus patients and to bring the strength of Gods word. This, the Pope claims, would help the Catholic Church show its solidarity with health workers struggling to care for the sick and to combat COVID-19s spread across Italy. (Related: Israeli PM orders 2-week isolation for all arrivals, Italy places ENTIRE country on lockdown as coronavirus sweeps through Middle East and Europe.)

In a sermon that he live-streamed from the safety of the Vaticans walls, the Pope urged his priests to support medical personnel dealing with the outbreak.

Let us pray to the Lord also for our priests, that they may have the courage to go out and go to the sick people to bring the strength of Gods word and the Eucharist and accompany the health workers and volunteers in this work that they are doing.

However, the Pope seems to have walked back on this statement, as the Holy Sees press office stated that the Vatican would be respecting Italys lockdown and would itself close down several buildings within the city-state. Matteo Bruni, director of the press office, said that one person within the Vatican tested positive for the coronavirus and another five people were under quarantine and observation.

He further stated that, as a precautionary measure in conjunction with Italys efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, all of the Vaticans museums would be closed until April 3.

The Italian Bishops Conference also said that their respective dioceses would comply with a request put forward by the Italian government to temporarily suspend most civil and religious ceremonies and gatherings throughout the country. They said in a statement that even though the lockdown would mean suffering and hardship for pastors, priests and the faithful, they understood that the measures were necessary for the countrys public health.

Italy the hardest-hit country in Europe

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

As of press time, Italy reports having 17,660 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 1,266 deaths and 1,439 recoveries. The Italian government has imposed the most severe controls on freedom of movement on any European nation since World War II.

In a televised address given on Monday, Prime Minister Conte explained that travel will only be allowed for work and family emergencies that pertain to health. Along with this, all sporting events are canceled until the end of the lockdown.

And then, just two days after his initial address, Conte announced in a Facebook Live address that the lockdown would be tightened. Almost all business has shut down, save for groceries, pharmacies and other essential stores. Armed police officers wearing face masks have been seen roaming the streets of Italys largest cities, such as Rome, Venice and Naples, to enforce the lockdown.

Conte also said that public services would remain operational. This includes public transport, utilities, agriculture, mail and banking.

Luigi Di Maio, Italys Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the BBC that people who dont respect the lockdown would be either fined or face criminal charges.

Furthermore, the government is mobilizing quickly to try and curtail COVID-19s impact on the initial red zone, or the group of towns and cities in the northern Italian region of Lombardy that became the epicenter of the Italian outbreak. The initial red zone is still seeing a surge in coronavirus cases.

In fact, China is even sending Italy a team of doctors and a plane full of 31 tons of medical supplies to help with the Italian outbreak. This donation includes 700 pieces of medical equipment, including ventilators, monitors, defibrillators, and 30 sets of ICU equipment.

The shipment also reportedly includes plasma from recovered coronavirus patients. Chinese medical experts believe that transfusions with the plasma will assist in critical COVID-19 cases.

Italy was the first nation in Europe to be affected so badly, said Di Maio. But I hope it also means that Italy is the first one to leave the emergency behind.

Sources include:

RTE.ie

Newsweek.com

News.Sky.com

BBC.com 1

BBC.com 2

Repubblica.it

BBC.com 3

SimpleFlying.com
Rob Penner, the CEO of Bison Transport, one of the largest trucking companies in the country, breathed a sigh of relief on Monday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rob Penner, the CEO of Bison Transport, one of the largest trucking companies in the country, breathed a sigh of relief on Monday.

Both the provincial and federal governments provided statements on Monday on the coronavirus screening, travel restrictions and community safety, effectively saying that trucking is essential travel and that drivers crossing the border either way do not have to self-isolate after entering or re-entering the country.

Penner said there had been plenty of communication with provincial and federal authorities seeking just that kind of clarification.

"We were given advance warning through the Canadian Trucking Alliance that the message was understood," Penner said in an interview just after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several cabinet ministers finished a press briefing early Monday afternoon.

"I can only imagine if we closed the border to commercial traffic and forced a 14-day quarantine... the panic you would see in the grocery stores and regarding the medical supply business," he said. "We are glad that sound minds prevailed."

Earlier in the day, the provinces COVID-19 Bulletin No. 15, said "Transportation industry partners need to ensure all companies are made aware of important considerations with respect to essential cross-border crossings. At this time, public health officials are not mandating drivers to self-isolate after crossing the border to ensure essential services continue."

Later, at the Ottawa press briefing, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said it was important that the country "carve out" exceptions on the border entry restrictions to "people like truckers."

Terry Shaw, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, said it was good to read the provinces statement and to hear federal ministers say the border is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents in Canada travelling back and forth.

"But it still leaves us with some questions about workers who may be here on a work permit. We will still have to clarify that," Shaw said. "Our instructions to members until we get clarification is that they may want to keep them operating in Canada only. We are looking to get that sorted out."

Penner said Bison had a team turned back at the border on Sunday because one driver had been to England and had not self-isolated for a full 14 days.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has created many questions and many issues are still in flux. Although the trucking industry did get a number of questions answered on Monday there are still some remaining related to the definition of the term "essential travel."

"For instance," Shaw said, "We have heard from some members that health insurance providers are not necessarily going to cover their drivers while in the U.S. because of their determination that it is non-essential travel."

It was likely not hard for officials to figure out the ramifications of restricting cross-border truck traffic given the extent to which the Canadian and American supply chains are integrated. Close to $2 billion worth of goods crosses the Canada-U.S. border every day. Bison Transport alone has about 500 trucks crossing the Canada-U.S. border each day. (The Emerson/Pembina crossing is the third-busiest for Bison.)

"We have argued that truck drivers are essential travel as opposed to non-essential travel," Shaw said. "We need goods from the U.S. and the U.S. needs goods from us."

Penner said since the coronavirus outbreak there has been a 30 per cent spike in demand for things like groceries, hygiene products and medical supplies.

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Prior to Mondays provincial and federal government statements on trucking, there was a lot of ambiguity and concern. According to Shaw, one Manitoba company had said that until they heard the public notice it was not going to be sending drivers across the border.

Meanwhile, Penner said drivers need to follow the protocols, like handwashing and to stay home if not feeling well.

"We will make sure our drivers understand we care about their health and safety," he said. "We will make disinfectant supplies available. They do need to self report and we will try to keep them safe."

As for social distancing... "Our drivers have got that figured out... They just have to stay out of the truck stops."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Other EU countries are offered to join the ban

Open source

The authorities of the European Union may ban the entrance to the Schengen Area for all citizens from third countries as Financial Times reported.

According to the message, the decision should be announced later on Monday, March 16, at the video conference of G7 heads in Brussels.

It is reported that such a decision was made by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the heads of the European Commission and Council.

Besides, they offered to close the borders for the thirds country to the European countries, which do not enter the Schengen Area: Ireland, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria.

The status of the UK, which withdraws from the EU, is not specified.

On March 16, Ukraine temporarily closed about a hundred checkpoints and banned entry into Ukraine for foreigners. Entry into Ukraine for foreigners and stateless persons is also temporarily prohibited.

Besides, the Russian government decided to shut down the border traffic with Belaurs in the view of the spreading Chinese coronavirus.
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Linkedin Mohamad Mova AlAfghani and Rodri Tanoto (The Jakarta Post) Bogor/Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 08:52 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b14ef1 3 Opinion opinions,COVID-19,coronavirus,#coronavirus,coronavirus-prevention,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia Free

As we have witnessed in China, Italy, South Korea and Iran, the risk associated with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is systemic, requiring a comprehensive contingency plan. Countries contingency plans, such as that of the United Kingdom, usually contain three major phases: contain, delay and mitigate.

After President Joko Jokowi Widodo encouraged social distancing on Sunday, public transportation and the streets were still considerably full of people on Monday. Presumably, this is because at best people are only being encouraged, not ordered, to distance themselves. Nevertheless, even if forced through law enforcement, religious, cultural and community gatherings would still be challenging to manage.

One funeral in Italy reportedly became a vector of transmission, causing four infections. Another funeral in Spain is said to have caused 60 infections, prompting a lockdown of an entire neighborhood. Last week, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte issued a decree suspending civil and religious ceremonies including funerals as confirmed infections reached over 9,170 cases.

In Indonesia, the Health Ministrys guidance on COVID-19 preparedness requires the deceased to be enveloped in plastic and put into a casket, but there is no mention of funerals. As the risk is high, funerals involving many people should be banned and left to authorized parties.

Due to such sensitivities, debates on the implications of religious and communal gatherings  especially in anticipating the Ramadan fasting month in April and the subsequent Idul Fitri celebrations accompanied by the wave of homecomings and vacations  must start, preferably, not by the government but by major Islamic organizations.

The economic consequences of social distancing measures can also be enormous. Certain types of jobs that rely on crowds would be immediately affected. Yet, certain types of businesses, such as the delivery business, would likely flourish. The government must ensure protocols for such services, for example, by requiring companies to equip drivers with personal protective equipment, prohibiting the use of paper money (as paper money transactions are usually done face to face) and dropping off packages with as little human contact as possible.

When pressure on public services mounts, the policies should move into the mitigation phase. Health services will be impacted first but then the crisis may spill over to other public services.

We may have much to learn from the crisis in China, Iran and northern Italy. A recent journal article from medical professional Wang Dawei revealed that in Wuhan, China, 26 percent of patients received intensive care. In Italy, a number of emergency rooms have reportedly been collapsing and ventilators become like gold.

According to 2018 data of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Indonesia has the second-lowest number of hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants. As such, the contingency plan should include establishment of temporary hospitals. As in a number of countries with widespread infection, the government can, for example, request hotels to serve as temporary hospitals.

Read also: Jokowi finally takes COVID-19 seriously. But his leadership leaves much to be desired

In the United Kingdom, critical resources may be allocated to those who are likely to survive rather than the most vulnerable individuals under its 2007 ethical framework. Such utilitarian framework should also be implemented here but the policy, which is likely to be controversial, needs considerable clarification beforehand.

Public utilities such as water, electricity, gas, telecommunications and daily needs must be guaranteed during a pandemic. Quarantines will never work if these needs are not fulfilled.

Two factors will influence security of supply of essential services: the supply chain and operators. We have not heard about the coronavirus disrupting the performance of essential services anywhere in the world. However, utility operators must be required to submit their business continuity plan from now on. In cases where a significant number of utilities staff becomes infected with COVID-19, other personnel or the military must be ready to operate these services.

The poor will be hit hardest due to social distancing measures. They may not be able to afford their utilities bills. Existing legislation still allows for utilities services to be disconnected in the event of non-payment. As such, the government should issue a policy prohibiting the disconnection of utilities services for anyone during the pandemic. One simply cannot imagine the impact on public health if, for example, water services are cut off during a pandemic, which requires frequent handwashing.

Law enforcement services will also be affected. Iran reportedly temporarily released 54,000 prisoners. Riots have spread across Italys prisons due to worries about the coronavirus and also due to the prohibition on family visits. By late February, 555 people were infected in Chinese prisons. With our overcrowded prisons, authorities might consider releasing Indonesias low-risk prisoners.

Police forces can be affected too. During the mitigate phase, the UK plan for the police is to concentrate only on serious crimes and public order. Crimes such as those related to hoaxes shall not be pursued unless proven to have a major impact.

Legal avenues to mobilize such resources are already available but in some cases may not be directly implementable. Article 8 of the 2018 Health Quarantine Law guarantees the fulfillment of basic needs during quarantine. However, laws regulating disconnection of essential services are regulated in different sectoral legislation.

Presidential Instruction No. 4/2019 on pandemics is quite advanced but of course not a specific response to COVID-19. The Health Ministrys 2009 guideline as a response to the bird flu mostly focuses on epidemiological intervention and thus does not deal with essential services and law enforcement.

As such, all of the aforementioned items discussed would require at least a presidential regulation in order to ensure multi-sectoral compliance. Hopefully, none of these scenarios will happen. Nevertheless, we need to plan for the worst for, if we fail to plan, we plan to fail.

***

Mohamad Mova AlAfghani is director of the Center for Regulation, Policy and Governance, an interdisciplinary research center in Bogor, West Java. Rodri Tanoto is a physician with a masters on global health and development at University College London.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Egypt has taken several diplomatic initiatives in the last two weeks to explain to the world the present situation concerning negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia failed to reach a final agreement on GERDs initial filling and operating process after Addis Ababa walked out of the last round of talks in Washington that was supposed to see the signing of an accord.

Resolving the dam issue is a top priority for Egyptian diplomacy at present, a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity told Al-Ahram Weekly.

Egyptian officials are visiting several places in the world to explain how Egypt is sticking with the negotiations until the last minute and the repercussions of the failure of the negotiations on the country, the diplomat said.

This week Egypts President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi discussed the developments of the dam with Deputy Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in Cairo.

Their meeting tackled the outcome of the negotiations that took place in several rounds in Washington, and the agreement initialed by Egypt last month.

Dagalo was quoted by the media during his two-day visit as saying that Khartoum will be a mediator between Egypt and Ethiopia in the hope of bridging the differences and reaching an agreement.

No other details were disclosed.

On Tuesday, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri embarked on an African tour that took him to Burundi, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Niger to deliver a message from President Al-Sisi regarding the developments on the dam.

Shoukris tour came a few days after his two-legged European tour that included Belgium and France.

In France, Shoukri met the French foreign minister and affirmed the need for efforts by France and other EU countries towards urging Ethiopia to sign the final agreement on the dam in order to preserve security and stability in the Horn of Africa.

In his visit to Brussels, Shoukri met the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the EU Commission Josep Borrell.

Shoukri handed Borrell two messages from President Al-Sisi to both the President of the European Council Charles Michel, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, regarding the latest developments in the dam negotiations.

Shoukri also called on the European Union to urge Ethiopia to sign the agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD in order to preserve security and stability in the Horn of Africa.

Shortly before his European tour, Shoukri visited a number of Arab countries to update them the current situation. The visit included stops in Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the UAE.

Early this month, a meeting of the Arab League concluded by issuing a resolution expressing support for Cairo in negotiations with Addis Ababa on the dam.

The Arab League rejected any form of infringement on Egypts historical rights to the waters of the River Nile, adding that Egyptian water security is an integral part of Arab national security.

The tripartite negotiations that started in November last year in Washington came to a halt when Addis Ababa refused to attend the last round of talks that would have seen the signing of the final agreement after intensive negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the last four months.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia has tried to clarify to the world its stand in the tripartite negotiations on the dam.

In a televised interview with Al-Jazeera TV, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew claimed the Renaissance Dam would not deny water from Egypt, but would be a reservoir guaranteeing everyones interest, which is why, in his view, Egypt should have contributed to the building costs.

Asked about the fate of the Declaration of Principles (DoP) and the Washington talks, Andargachew explained that the DoP was a general framework for cooperation that gave Ethiopia the right to build the dam without causing harm to other countries.

Saying Egypt was the party that called for international mediation from the US, the World Bank and other parties, it now has no option but dialogue in the framework of the DoP and tripartite negotiations, Andargachew said. We also stick to it as our main option for cooperation.

We could have filled the dam in three years. Nevertheless, at Egypts request, we agreed to fill it in seven years although that will delay generating electricity, he added.

In another interview with AP this week, Andargachew said that Ethiopia is now drafting its own proposal on how to resolve the standoff which will be presented to Egypt and Sudan soon.

We wont subscribe to an agreement just because the US and the World Bank came forward with it. We need to take time and sort out sticking points, he said.

I fail to understand how Addis Ababa is in need of more time, commented the diplomat. We have been in the negotiating process for some 10 years. We reached an agreement in Washington that the Ethiopian technical team did not initially object to. Nevertheless, it failed to show up to sign it, he said.

This week, Addis Ababa sent high-level delegations across Europe and Africa to explain its position on the dam negotiations.

A high-level delegation led by former Ethiopian president Mulatu Teshome delivered a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the leadership of the EU Council and Commission as well as to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Mulatu explained, during his meeting with the EU and French officials, that Ethiopia is committed to finding a win-win solution to the ongoing negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan with regards to the first filling and annual operation of the dam.

He also noted that Ethiopia has never backed down on the ongoing negotiations but rather requested from all parties to the negotiations more time to conclude its national consultation on the status of the negotiations.

With the same target as a priority, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde started a tour in Africa that took her to Kenya and Uganda.

During her visit, Zewde met the presidents of both states and briefed them on the latest developments in the negotiations with Sudan and Egypt.

Both presidents stressed the importance of a fair and reasonable use of natural resources.

Another Ethiopian delegation led by Deputy Chief of Staff General Berhanu Gula headed to Khartoum to meet Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

A military option has not been ruled out. On Monday, Ethiopias Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Adam Mohamed, said that the army was ready to resist any attack on the Renaissance Dam, and carry out counterattacks against aggressors.

The generals statement came during a visit with a number of other senior officers to the site of the dam.

The US and the World Bank were brought in to the dam talks after President Al-Sisi last year called on the international community to help find a solution to the long-running dispute.

The US set mid-January as the deadline for reaching an agreement.

Several rounds of talks were held in the presence of the US Treasury Department and the World Bank as observers.

The deadline was later extended to the end of February, but in the last round of talks Addis Ababa failed to attend.

More than 70 per cent of the dam is complete and filling the reservoir is expected to start in July.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Stocks in the news today: Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in Tuesday's trading session based on latest developments. Investors were also anticipating rate cute by the apex lender RBI post market hours. However, the apex bank did not pass any ratecut. Further, RBI Governor ShaktikantaDas added, "Our responses will neither be pre-mature nor delayed". RBI next MPC meet is scheduled to be between 31 March - 3 April, 2020.

YES Bank: Moody's has upgraded its rating. It's should anyway in stock in News given the ongoing developments

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL): The company has won a prestigious order for supply of state-of-the-art Electric Buses along with charging infrastructure of these buses for Gorakhpur City.

Sadbhav Infrastructure: The company has received Rs 4,577 million towards second tranche in connection with the sale of entire equity share capital held by the company in seven operational road projects to the IndInfravit Trust. Balance funds are expected to be received soon. We have received funds of Rs 12,910 million and units of Indinfravit Trust worth Rs 7,243 million, the filing added.

GIC Housing Finance: The company announced that it had received show cause notice from National Housing Bank (NHB) in connection with delay in submission of half yearly return. Based on inspection and reply submitted by company, NHB has directed the company to pay a penalty of Rs 1,000 which has been paid by the company.

Lasa Supergenerics: The company in collaboration with Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) recently announced commencement for Development of antiviral Compound Favipiravir as Covid19 Treatment.

Rubfila International: The company has announced the commencement of commercial production of its unit at Madathukulam, Palani Taluk, Dindigul District, TamilNadu on March 16,2020.

Hindustan Aeronautics: Company baord at its meet has declared first interim dividend of Rs 33.25 per equity share of Rs 10 each fully paid up (332.50%) for the FY 2019-20.

Nava Bharat Ventures: The company said it had earlier announced regarding MOA with TSL for conversion of Chrome Ore into Ferro Chrome. As per company's filing, the MOA has been extended through an Addendum agreement, for a further period of 12 months from April 01, 2020 till March 31, 2021 without changes in other terms and conditions.

Indian Oil Corporation: The company has issued 29,950 unsecured, rated, taxable, redeemable, non-convertible debentures (series - XVI) of Rs 10,00,000 each aggregating to Rs 2,995 crore on private placement basis on March 6, 2020 to meet its capex requirements.

Lumax Industries: The company board at its meet declared an interim dividend of Rs 17.50 per equity share (i.e.175%) of the face value of Rs 10 each for the FY 2019-2020.

Emami: The company board meet is scheduled to be held on Thursday, March, 19, 2020 to consider and if deemed fit, to approve the declaration of second interim dividend, if declared by the Board of Directors of the company, has been fixed as Friday, 27th March 2020.

Ultramarine & Pigments: The company board at its meet have declared an interim dividend of 250% i.e. Rs 5 per equity shares of face value of Rs. 2/- each) for FY 2019 -2020. The dividend will be credited to the account of shareholders or the payable at par cheques in respect thereof will be dispatched on or before 30th March 2020, the filing added.
Mumbai, March 17 : Silicon Valley based short video network Firework on Tuesday said it has entered into a global strategic partnership with Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi.

As a result of the partnership, Firework's catalogue of short thirty second stories across 38 categories will now be available to the users of Mi Video which is available on Xiaomi smartphones.

"The alliance with Xiaomi is yet another game changing development in the short video space and is in line with our strategy to be present at destinations that already have a massive captive audience," Firework India Head of Partnerships and Growth, Sudarshan Kadam said in a statement.

"We are thrilled with this collaboration and the prospect of addressing a premium audience that are Xiaomi phone users." Xiaomi's operating system built on the Android system, MIUI, is among the most popular custom android ROM with 291 million active monthly users worldwide and Mi Video has a large daily user base across major markets like India, Indonesia and Russia.

"Our philosophy of providing brand safe content ensures that the users get enlightened and entertained with our curated content. As we build our network, we are sure this alliance will benefit the entire short video ecosystem on our platform," Kadam said.

Firework's 30 second video format was launched in India in 2019.
A fugitive wanted for brutally raping a women in Rahway last fall was captured in New York City last week, the Union County Prosecutors Office and Rahway Police announced Monday.

Wilfredo Will Jose Gonzalez, 34, of Hamilton Street in Rahway, was arrested on March 11 and charged with armed aggravated sexual assault, second and third-degree sexual assault and possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose, police said.

Gonzalez met the unidentified woman at New Yorks Penn Station early Oct. 13 and they traveled together by train to his home in Rahway, Union County Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who is handling the case, alleged.

A short time after they arrived, Gonzalez pulled a knife, threatened her and repeatedly assaulted the woman before she was able to escape and make her way to local hospital, the office said.

Charges were filed against Gonzalez days after the attack, but he remained at large until March 11 when officers from the Rahway Police Department and NYPD, acting on a tip, found him hiding under a bed in a seventh-floor Bronx apartment, authorities said.

He remained in custody in New York City on Monday pending extradition back to New Jersey, police said.

Anyone with additional information was urged to contact Union County Prosecutors Office Sgt. Sofia Santos at 908-577-4256 or Rahway Police Department Detective Kevin Wronski at 732-904-3724.

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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Highlights Microsoft to host Office-related event on March 30 digitally.

The upcoming online-only event of Microsoft is slated to begin at 8AM PT/ 11 AM ET.

The digital event is expected to revolve around updates to Office and new apps and services.

In the coming days, the software giant Microsoft is planning to host a digital event. This event will take place on March 30. While Microsoft usually holds press events physically, the reason to move to an online platform is the coronovirus or COVID-19 pandemic. The company will host the event digitally starting at 8AM PT/ 11 AM ET.

What is the purpose of this event? Well, it isn't going to be about any new Surface hardware. The company does announce some Surface hardware during one of the spring events but not this one. The digital event slated on March 30 is going to be on how to be more productive across work, life, and family as read in the official Microsoft invite to journalists. As noted by The Verge, the news is expected to revolve around updates to Office and new apps and services focused on productivity.

We are surely expecting a talk about a consumer version of company's Microsoft 365 subscription in this forthcoming digital event. These consumer subscriptions for Microsoft 365 may come with a new Life branding, though the comany has also been working on a for life version of Microsoft Teams. The "for life" version may include features like sending locations, shared family calendars, and document sharing. According to the hearsay, the subscription could include a password manager and Office.

Microsoft also revealed last week that it will host its upcoming Build developers conference online, instead of a physical event due to coronavirus outbreak. The company is planning on disclosing more about its dual-screen plans at Build this year for both Android and Windows 10X. There's a possibility that we'll hear about the overall Surface plans suring Build online event.
N issan and Ford have suspended car production operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nissan said on Tuesday it has stopped production at its Sunderland plant after the Covid-19 outbreak disrupted supply chains and caused a sudden drop in demand.

Ford said it is temporarily halting production in Europe from Thursday because of the virus.

Nissan employs 7,000 workers in Sunderland and supports thousands of more jobs at its suppliers.

The company said in a statement: "Vehicle production has been suspended today in Nissan Sunderland Plant.

"Further measures are currently under study as we assess supply chain disruption and the sudden drop in market demand caused by the Covid-19 emergency.

Sharon Hodgson, Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West, called the news "extremely concerning" and urged the Government to take immediate steps to support businesses and individuals.

Vauxhall's factory in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire is also due to close on Tuesday until March 27 because of the outbreak.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen, the world's largest car manufacturer said it was preparing to close its factories to slow the spread of the virus.

Volkswagen said it expected 2020 to be difficult, as the company announced it would temporarily cease production at plants in Spain, Portugal, Slovakia and Italy before the end of this week.
Pennsylvania is closing restaurants and bars and limiting them to takeout, curbside pickup and delivery amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced the changes Monday as part of an order to close non-essential businesses including gyms, salons, shopping malls and theaters. Essential businesses including grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations remain open.

Below is a list - in alphabetical order - of restaurants that have closed or offering carryout and delivery models. We will continue to update this list as information comes in from email, social media, and directly from restaurants.

Restaurant owners with information to share about closings and transition to takeout/delivery-only models, please send us an email at sgleiter@pennlive.com.

Closed

Greystone Brew House: The Dillsburg restaurant is closed until the state lifts restrictions.

Greystone Public House: The restaurant in Lower Paxton Township is closed until the state lifts restrictions.

Elementary Coffee Co.: The coffee shop located at 254 North St., Harrisburg, announced on Facebook Sunday it will closed to the public due to the spread of coronavirus.

The Millworks: The Harrisburg city restaurant has temporarily suspended business. This was a difficult decision, but the one we feel is the most responsible for the safety of our team members, guests, and the community that support us, read a Facebook post.

Sandwiches by Shakedown: A new stand at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg has closed until further notice.

Troegs Independent Brewing: The Hershey brewer announced Sunday it is closing its tasting room and general store and not conducting tours effective March 16. Tentative plans are to reopen March 28. Troegs noted it will continue to brew and distribute beer.

READ MORE PENNLIVE NEWS:

Takeout/Delivery only

230 Cafe: The restaurant in Highspire has made several changes and is offering a full menu of takeout, curbside and delivery. They have also created freezer-ready family sized meals. Open 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Alecos Cafe: Takeout and delivery only at the Harrisburg restaurant. Offering a 30 percent discount for police, emergency, EMT and fire and medical personnel.

BCB Enterprises: The coffee spot, with locations in Mechanicsburg and New Cumberland, announced drive-through only service.

Black and Bleu: Take-out and delivery at the Hampden Township restaurant will be available from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. every day until the restriction is lifted.

Cafe Fresco Center City: Open for takeout/delivery for lunch and dinner on Monday through Friday with limited hours. Lunch will be available 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and dinner from 5-9 p.m.

Chalits Thai Bistro: Open normal business hours for takeout.

Chik-fil-A: The restaurants are closing their dining rooms because of coronavirus. Chik-fil-A said some restaurants will offer drive-thru service while others may be able to offer takeout, delivery or mobile order options.

Copper Pub & Grille: The Lower Paxton Township restaurant is doing takeout from noon-7 p.m. daily including 6-packs of beer.

Cornerstone Cafe: The Camp Hill coffee house will do carry-out only, beginning Tuesday. Customers are allowed to come in to order, but cannot dine in. Call ahead ordering is also permitted.

Dafnos Italian Grille: The Derry Township restaurant is offering takeout, delivery and curbside pickup. Along with the regular menu its offering family to-go meals. Its open Monday-Saturday.

Dickeys BBQ Pit: Curbside pick-up across the U.S. as an additional to-go option for guests who order online at Dickeys.com or through the Dickeys app.

El Sol Mexican Restaraunt/Taco Solo: The restaurant in Harrisburg will be closed until further notice. Taco Solo will remain open for take-out and delivery using GrubHub and Uber Eats.

Federal Taphouse: The restaurant in Hampden Township is open noon-8 p.m. with takeout food and beer. The Harrisburg restaurant is closed.

Flinchys: Takeout only starting 11 a.m. daily at the Lower Allen Township restaurant. They are offering 25 percent off those orders.

Grilled Cheese Plus: The Harrisburg restaurant has closed its dining room for eating in until further notice. However, the counter will remain open for take out.

Harpers Tavern: Food and takeout beer/wine available. Pre-order family dinner at 717-865-2584.

Harvest Seasonal Grill: Several locations will be open exclusively as take-out/delivery via DoorDash and UberEats. These locations include Glen Mills, North Wales, Moorestown and Newtown. Gift cards are being sold online for 10 percent off.

The Radnor location will be closed.

Hershey Pantry: The Derry Township restaurant is open with takeout, curbside pickup and delivery with a full menu.

Home 231: Harrisburg restaurant implemented carryout/delivery only. Delivery is available in our five-mile radius and is subject to a 15% delivery fee. GrubHub delivery available outside of the radius.

Home Slice at Walden: Takeout and delivery only at the Silver Spring Township restaurant.

Hook & Flask Still Works: Open for takeout food and bottle sales (whiskey, vodka and apple pie Mooneshine) as well as food delivery from 3 - 9 p.m.

Isaacs: All Isaacs locations will close their dining rooms beginning Tuesday. Carryout and delivery will be available from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily through the shutdown. Food can be ordered online through the website lowtouchtakeout.com.

Lancaster Brewing Company: The Lancaster brewery is temporarily starting carry-out service. Customers can call and place an order from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. every day, and they will bring the order to your car. This includes orders to fill growlers and purchasing cases of beer.

Los Tres Cubanos: Effective March 16, the Cuban restaurant in Shipoke has closed its dining rooms and is operating under takeout only.

Lucky Ducks Bar & Grille: The Hershey and Elizabethtown restaurants are offering carryout and delivery from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. including St. Patricks Day specials like corned beef and cabbage and Rueben sandwiches.

Mangia Qui/Rubicon and Suba: The owners of the three Harrisburg city establishments have closed the restaurants. Curbside pickup is available as well as delivery options for families. Call 717-233-7358.

Momma Spriggs: Call ahead ordering is encouraged at the Carlisle restaurant. Curbside pick up is being offered with designated parking spots for pick up. Drive up and they run food to your car. Daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m. until restrictions are lifted.

Naples Pizza: All locations - Susquehanna Township, Steelton and Palmyra - open for takeout. Delivery is available in Harrisburg and Palmyra.

Neato Burrito: The local burrito chain is offering only take-out orders. They prefer orders be placed online at neatoburrito.com. They said initially they will allow in-house orders (walk down the line), but moving forward expect to limit orders to online, fax and phone.

Paxtang Grill: Neighborhood bar/restaurant in Paxtang open from noon-8 p.m. with takeout, including St. Patricks Day specials. (Check out the Facebook page for virtual cocktail recipes!)

The Pour House: The restaurant in Swatara Township will be open noon to 8 p.m. daily for take out. Offering full menu as well as 6-packs to go.

Quentin Haus Family Restaurant: Open for takeout from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

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.

St. Thomas Roasters Coffee House: The Linglestown coffee house has moved to takeout only through a front window on the porch. New weekday hours are 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thea: The Lower Allen Township restaurant is offering takeout, curbside pickup and delivery off its menu as well as family-style meals for four to six people for pickup.

What If... Of Hershey: Delivery is being offered to all customers within a 10 mile radius of the restaurant.

Yaki N Yeti: Both locations in New Cumberland and Carlisle have takeout.

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The administration of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has put 2,478 travellers and people in contact with suspected cases under active surveillance, officials have said.

There are 2,095 people under home quarantine, 178 under home surveillance, 29 in hospital quarantine, 176 have completed the mandatory surveillance period of 28 days, they said.

They also said 106 samples of suspected cases have been sent for testing so far98 have reported negative, 02 has tested positive, 06 reports awaited.

There is no need to panic. The public is advised to maintain social distancing; avoid unnecessary travel and use public transport, and also take basic precautions including personal hygiene, the government said in an advisory.

Anyone with fever, cough and difficulty in breathing has been urged to seek medical care at the earliest.

The Union health ministry said on Monday 114 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed across India with four more testing positive for the virus on Monday.

According to reports, the fresh cases emerged from Maharashtra, Kerala, Ladakh and Odisha. Ladakh had previously reported three cases.

India has reported two coronavirus deathsone in Delhi and another one in Karnataka. So far, 13 patients have successfully recovered.
OAKLAND (BCN)

All public masses are being suspended in response to new restrictions enacted to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Diocese of Oakland announced Monday.

Bishop Michael Barber is advising priests in the diocese on the celebration of sacraments, including baptisms, weddings and funerals.

All other events at parishes and schools will be postponed, rescheduled or canceled until further notice, the diocese said, but churches will remain open "to provide a place of prayer and solace for people," the diocese said in an announcement.

Proper hygiene and social distancing will be emphasized in accordance with federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Diocese workers are being told to remain at home and will be compensated as normal, officials 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.
As Disney lovers waved goodbye to Walt Disney World, which closed Sunday night in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced that several park-adjacent hotels, dining and shopping experiences would also shut down.

Walt Disney World, welcomed guests in Orlando for the final time before closing its doors yesterday. The final Disney park to do so over covid-19 concerns. The closure, which was announced Thursday, is scheduled to continue through the end of the month. The closure is scheduled to continue through the end of the month.

Coronavirus has spread far and wide into the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus has spread to 135 countries; 1.7 lakh people are infected with it and the death toll has crossed 7,000.



1. Cinderella Castle and Tomorrowland at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, U.S.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced late Monday that polls will be closed on Tuesday for the presidential primary election, citing a health emergency" tied to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

And, the Ohio Supreme Court effectively allowed the election to be postponed in a remarkable early-morning decision. After requiring the state to respond before 1:30 a.m., four judges issued an unsigned decision unanimously rejecting a complaint from a Wood County judicial candidate that had been filed before the health order was released. Two judges running for re-election  Justices Judith French and Sharon Kennedy  and Pat DeWine, who is DeWines son, did not participate.

DeWines statement, issued Monday at 10:12 p.m., reads in full: During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at a unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus.

As such, Health Director Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency. While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.

Scroll to the bottom of this post to read the full health order. Polls, which were to have re-opened this morning at 6:30 a.m., are now closed around the state.

Just now, I drove by my polling location and found a sign reading the following: "The March 17, 2020 Presidential Primary election has been postponed. NO in-person voting is taking place at voting places today." The polls will NOT be open today, Tuesday, March 17th. pic.twitter.com/isIffddwhU  Phil Robinson (@RobinsonForOH) March 17, 2020

The unprecedented developments capped a chaotic day, which played out on a national stage, that began when DeWine and other state officials said in the afternoon they would seek to postpone the election for health reasons.

Just hours before, DeWine and LaRose announced they would seek to postpone the election until June 2, citing the expanding threat posed by COVID-19. Through what amounted to a legal maneuver, state officials backed a lawsuit filed by two older Franklin County voters with health problems who said going to the polls would make them worry for their lives, and that continuing the election as planned would violate their constitutional rights.

But shortly before 7 p.m. Monday evening, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Frye, a Democrat, denied the request. He said he was uncomfortable making an 11th-hour decision to delay the election, especially since state officials couldnt say June would be any safer, and since many voters had expected the election would be on Tuesday.

He sided with an argument made by a longtime GOP elections attorney representing Jason Stephens, a Republican appointed to the Ohio House of Representatives last year.

There are too many factors to balance in this unchartered territory to say that we ought to take this away from the legislature and elected statewide officials, and throw it to a Common Pleas court judge in Columbus 12 hours before the election," Frye said before issuing the ruling.

Confusion immediately ensued. State officials erroneously told county election boards that Frye had ruled in favor of the states request. Poll workers across the state were told not to report to work the next day. And some national media outlets contributed to the confusion, also misreporting the judges ruling.

After it became clear what had happened, later in the evening, county elections boards told poll workers the election was actually back on. And then DeWine issued his order, citing the health emergency.

Almost immediately after DeWines health order was announced, rumblings began that state lawmakers may try to push back.

State Rep. Jon Cross, a Kenton Republican, responded to the DeWine administrations decision by calling it a constitutional crisis.

We have a constitutional crisis now in Ohio. I will be fighting in the AM to keep our polling locations OPEN in the 83rd district with law enforcement, as the Ohio Department of Health can not shut down an election. #ConstitutionalCrisis  Jon Cross (@joncrossoh) March 17, 2020

So why did the state attempt the legal maneuver before issuing the health order?

As recently as Monday morning, LaRose had planned to hold a press conference announcing additional measures made in an attempt to keep the polls safe. On Sunday, he issued orders that would require county boards to offer curbside voting at polling places, and also loosened restrictions on absentee voting for Ohioans quarantined or hospitalized due to COVID-19.

But the announcement was canceled.

DeWine told reporters in Columbus Monday afternoon he didnt have the authority to move the election, even in an emergency. But he said he would recommend it be delayed until June 2, allowing people time to cast votes by mail. Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, the states legal counsel, said he wouldnt oppose the lawsuit.

DeWine, LaRose and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, all Republicans, said voting or working the polls might be dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations.

Is it a perfect decision? No, absolutely it is not. Buts the best we believe of the alternatives," DeWine told reporters Monday afternoon, before the judges decision. ... And it doesnt force people to choose between their health and their constitutional rights.

Bridget Coontz, an assistant Ohio attorney general, made a similar argument in the courtroom before Frye.

These times are anything but normal, Coontz said. The General Assembly has no authority to remedy a constitutional violation. If this election goes forward tomorrow, it cant then turn around and grant any relief or give anything to the voters who will miss out on the opportunity to vote.

Among those arguing against the states request was longtime GOP elections attorney Don Brey, who was representing Stephens.

Brey said delaying the election would harm candidates who have spent money telling voters the election was March 17, and confuse voters. He made an analogy that moving the election at the request of the governor the night before the election would be like President Donald Trump asking a federal judge to delay the general election in November.

My understanding is that members of the General Assembly are available on four hours notice. Instead, we have this litigation in front of the court right now. The precedent is a terrible precedent. Think about it, Brey said.

Coontz said convening the General Assembly might actually not be feasible, since the state and federal government have issued guidance on mass gatherings.

Its not even clear that the General Assembly could meet to move the deadline, she said.

Before making his decision, Judge Frye said he hesitated to overrule state law that was enacted by the General Assembly.

As of tonight, the governor has not called an emergency session of the legislature," Frye said.

Nor have the leaders of the Ohio House and Senate, he added.

Frye said that an unknown number of ballots from early voting and absentee voting had been turned in. It was unclear what election security measures would be taken if he were to delay the election. That also made it difficult for him to allow the election to be postponed.

The notion that we postponed the primary... pre-supposes that the medical situation in America will get any better. We have no evidence that is the case, he said. And it could be quite the contrary, to my limited understanding. The doctors giving briefings in the national media suggest it could be months before we get to the point where there is stability.

Zach West, an attorney representing the Ohio Democratic Party, also argued in the courtroom Monday evening. He said the party didnt oppose moving the election, but said June was too late. He asked instead for the judge to set an April 28 election.
The outbreak of coronavirus has already resulted in some workers compensation claims and more are expected. But whether those claims are going to succeed depends on the individual circumstances and the state where the infection occurred.

While compensability issues will play out case-by-case, workers compensation insurers in at least two states have decided that they will guarantee workers compensation benefits for health care workers and first responders.

Kentucky Employers Mutual Insurance Co. announced Friday that effective immediately it will pay wage-replacement benefits for any first responder or employee in the medical field who is quarantined because of direct exposure to a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

Ryan Worthern, communications director for KEMI, said the insurers staff decided to adopt the policy, but informed its board of directors and Gov. Andy Beshear of the decision.

Based on our interpretation of Kentucky workers compensation laws and given the unprecedented circumstances surrounding this pandemic, KEMI policyholders needed the assurance of knowing that KEMI will provide the appropriate care and benefits for those first responders affected by COVID-19, Worthern said in an email. Taking care of our own is exactly what KEMI was created to do, and we are grateful to know that our board fully supports this swift action.

Washington State Fund

KEMIs announcement follows a decision March 5 by the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries to pay wage-loss and medical treatment expenses for any health care worker or first responder who is quarantined because of coronavirus exposure.

Washington operates a monopoly workers comp system, so that policy impacts every employee in the state who is covered by the state system.

L&I spokesman Tim Church said the department has already received several workers compensation claims due to coronavirus exposure, but he did not know if they were filed by medical or health care workers. Church said a quarantine normally would not be covered by workers comp unless the worker was made ill by workplace exposure.

Church said coronavirus claims by Washington workers outside of health care or emergency services will be decided on a case-by-case basis according to the state workers compensation statutes.

NCCI Watching

The National Council on Compensation Insurance, a rate advisory organization for most U.S. states, said last week that it remains to be seen whether other states will follow Washington states lead. NCCI said that many state workers comp statutes exclude ordinary diseases of life such as the common cold or flu.

However, NCCI said at least 10 states have issued mandates for coverage of coronavirus by health insurers. The directives vary, but include coverage for testing and visits to emergency rooms or urgent care facilities without deductibles or copays, NCCI said.

These measures, if expanded to more states, could have the impact of limiting claim activity in the WC market in those cases where only testing or quarantine are necessary, NCCI said.

John F. Burton, a retired Rutgers University professor and national workers compensation expert, told the Society of Human Resources Management that some states have specific lists of occupational diseases in statute, and coronavirus is certainly not on those lists.

Megan B. Caramore, a partner with Vandeventer Black in Norfolk, told SHRM that obtaining coverage in Virginia will be an uphill battle under that states system, but workers covered under the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act will have an easier go of it.

The Virginia Workers Compensation Act requires the claimant to prove that ordinary disease of life arose out of the employment by clear and convincing evidence (a heightened burden of proof), Caramore explained in an email. Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, the claimant is frequently entitled to a presumption that the injury/illness is related to the work, and the employer bears the burden of rebutting the presumption.

Specific Facts

Fisher Phillips, a national law firm that specializes in employment law, said whether COVID-19 is compensable under workers comp depends on the specific facts. In general, the worker must show that the illness or disease arose out of or was caused by conditions peculiar to the work and that he or she had a greater risk of contracting the disease and in a different manner than the general public, the firm said.

Woodruff Sawyer, another national employment law firm, gave two examples illustrating how differently state workers compensation laws treat occupational illnesses. In South Carolina, a contagious disease is not covered for workers who contracted the disease from co-workers or who faced equal exposure while away from work. In California, employees sickened by communicable diseases were able to get benefits by showing they were particularly vulnerable.

Woodruff Sawyer said a Disneyland employee who contracted measles was awarded benefits for the illness in 2015 because he showed he had been exposed to unvaccinated foreign visitors at the park. California workers who were exposed to dust while on the job also won claims seeking coverage for valley fever, which is caused by fungus spores that live in soil.

Case-by-Case

Two insurance carriers gave notice of their stand toward the coming workers comp claims in notices last week: Texas Mutual Insurance Co. and SAIF, Oregons state-chartered workers comp insurer, both issued bulletins that said they will decide whether coronavirus exposure is compensable on a case-by-case basis.

Texas Mutual added this caveat: However, the more widespread COVID-19 becomes, the more difficult it may be for the employee to show that it is work related rather than an ordinary disease of life to which the general public is exposed.

A white paper issued by Aon explains why greater exposure to the general public tends to limit liability for workers comp insurers. While every jurisdiction has specific laws pertaining to workers compensation and communicable disease claims, the general rule for most industries is that the matter would likely not be deemed compensable if the employee was considered at no greater risk than the general public, the Aon report said.

About the photo: A Kirkland firefighter on Thursday wears a mask as he responds to an automatic fire alarm that was accidentally triggered at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle. The nursing home is at the center of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Washington state, and many first responders who helped patients there earlier in the year had to be quarantined due to their exposure to the virus. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Topics COVID-19 Claims Workers' Compensation Washington Talent
It is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat actions by the two governments as the Trump administration takes a more confrontational stance in dealing with China than his predecessors. The two countries remained enmeshed in a trade war despite a recent truce and have traded angry words over the coronavirus pandemic that emerged in China and has spread worldwide.
As the coronavirus spreads, many companies are requiring employees to work from home, putting unanticipated stress on remote networking technologies and causing bandwidth and security concerns.

Businesses have facilitated brisk growth of teleworkers over the past decades to an estimated 4 million-plus. The meteoric rise in new remote users expected to come online as a result of the novel coronavirus calls for stepped-up capacity.

Research by VPN vendor Atlas shows that VPN usage in the U.S. grew by 53% between March 9 and 15, and it could grow faster. VPN usage in Italy, where the virus outbreak is about two weeks ahead of the U.S., increased by 112% during the last week. "We estimate that VPN usage in the U.S. could increase over 150% by the end of the month," said Rachel Welch, chief operating officer of Atlas VPN, in a statement.

Businesses are trying to get a handle on how much capacity they'll need by running one-day tests. For example, JPMorgan Chase, Morningstar and analytics startup Arity have tested or plan to test their systems by having employees work from home for a day, according to the Chicago Tribune.

On the government side, agencies such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA have or will run remote networking stress tests to understand their remote networking capacity and what the impact will be if they add thousands of new teleworkers. About 2 million people work for the government in the U.S.

To help stave off congestion in cellular data networks, the Federal Communications Commission has granted T-Mobile temporary access to spectrum in the 600MHz band that's owned by other licensees. T-Mobile said it requested the spectrum "to make it easier for Americans to participate in telehealth, distance learning, and telework, and simply remain connected while practicing recommended 'social distancing'."

Last-mile internet access may become congested in areas that rely on wireless connectivity, some industry players warn.

"Bottlenecks are likely going to exist in hard-to-reach areas, such as rural locations, where internet access relies on microwave or wireless infrastructure," said Alex Cruz Farmer, product manager for network intelligence company ThousandEyes, which makes software that analyzes the performance of local and wide area networks. "The challenge here is that the available bandwidth is usually much less via these solutions, as well as more latent."

"We have seen a very small number of platform-related issues or outages due to increased loads, although those have since been resolved," added ThousandEyes' Farmer.

For its part, AT&T said it has noticed shifts in usage on its wireless network, but capacity has not been taxed.

"In cities where the coronavirus has had the biggest impact, we are seeing fewer spikes in wireless usage around particular cell towers or particular times of day, because more people are working from home rather than commuting to work, and fewer people are gathering in large crowds at specific locations," AT&T said in a statement. "We continuously monitor bandwidth usage with tools that analyze and correlate network statistics, which reveal network trends and provide us with performance and capacity reports that help us manage our network."

Verizon says it hasn't seen a measurable increase in data usage since the coronavirus outbreak, despite a jump in the number of customers working from home. "Verizons networks are designed and built to meet future demand and are ready should demand increase or usage patterns change significantly. While this is an unprecedented situation, we know things are changing, and we are ready to adjust network resources as we better understand any shifts in demand," the company said in a statement.

Verizon has been monitoring network usage in the most affected areas and pledged to work with and prioritize network resources to meet the needs of hospitals, first responders and government agencies. It also announced plans to increase capital spending from between $17 billion and $18 billion to between $17.5 billion to $18.5 billion in 2020 in an effort to "accelerate Verizon's transition to 5G and help support the economy during this period of disruption."

Enterprise VPN security concerns

For enterprises, supporting the myriad network and security technologies that sit between data centers and remote users is no small task, particularly since remote-access VPNs, for example, typically rely on residential internet-access services over which businesses have little control. But IT pros should try to verify that these connections meet enterprise standards, according Tom Nolle, president of CIMI Corp. (Read more of Nolle's thoughts on working at home here.)

"The home broadband elements, like the ISP and DNS and Wi-Fi, should really be part of a business certification of suitable networking for home work," Nolle said. "I find that DNS services like Google's are less prone to being overloaded than ISPs' services, which suggests users should be required to adopt one of them. OpenDNS is also good."

The security of home Wi-Fi networks is also an issue, Nolle said. IT pros should require workers to submit screenshots of their Wi-Fi configurations in order to validate the encryption being used. "Home workers often bypass a lot of the security built into enterprise locations," he said.

Education of new home workers is also important, said Andrew Wertkin, chief strategy officer with DNS software company BlueCat. "There will be remote workers who have not substantially worked from home before, and may or may not understand the implications to security," Wertkin said. "This is especially problematic if the users are accessing the network via personal home devices versus corporate devices."

An unexpected increase in remote corporate users using a VPN can also introduce cost challenges.

"VPN appliances are expensive, and moving to virtualized environments in the cloud often can turn out to be expensive when you take into account compute cost and per-seat cost," Farmer said. A significant increase in per-seat VPN licenses have likely not been budgeted for.

On the capacity side, systems such as DHCP, which doles out IP addresses, could come under stress with increased remote-access use. "It doesn't matter if there are enough licenses for VPN if the devices connecting cannot obtain network addresses," Wertkin said. "Companies must test for and understand choke points and start implementing strategies to mitigate these risks."

Along those lines, enterprises "may have to validate the number of SSL sockets their data centers can expose for use, or they could end up running out," Nolle said.

Paul Collinge, a senior program manager in the Microsoft Office 365 product team, raised similar concerns. Network elements such as VPN concentrators, central network egress equipment such as proxies, DLP, central internet bandwidth, backhaul MPLS circuits, and NAT capability are put under enormous strain when all employees are using them, Collinge wrote in a blog about optimizing Office 365 traffic for remote staff. The result is poor performance and productivity coupled with a poor user experience for those working from home.

ThousandEyes' Farmer said enterprises might have to increase the number of VPN concentrators on their networks. "This way, remote-user connectivity is distributed across multiple VPN endpoints and not concentrated," he said. If that's not an option, businesses may have to open firewall ports to allow access to essential applications, which would enable them to scale up, but could also weaken security temporarily.

Can VPN split tunneling help?

Industry players are divided on the use of split tunnerling to minimize coronavirus capacity concerns.

VPNs can be set up to allow split tunneling, where only traffic intended for the corporate network tunnels through the VPN, BlueCat's Wertkin said. The rest of the traffic goes directly to the internet at large, meaning it isn't subject to the security controls imposed by the tunnel and by tools within the corporate network, which is a security concern. This could lead to remote users' computers being compromised by internet-borne attacks, which could in turn put corporate data and networks at risk.

Despite this, Microsoftlast week recommended split tunneling as a way for IT admins to address its Office 365 service becoming congested due to an influx of remote users. In the advisory, Microsoft offers a list of URLs and IP addresses for its points of access and describes how IT can use that information to route traffic directly to Office 365.

The VPN client should be configured so that traffic to identified URLs/IPs/ports is routed in this way, according to Collinge. "This allows us to deliver extremely high performance levels to users wherever they are in the world.

ThousandEyes' Farmer said increased use of remote access VPNs might call for a review of network security in general. "[For] enterprises that are still using a legacy network security architecture, it may be time to consider cloud-based security options, which could improve performance for remote workers and diminish the overall use of the enterprises WAN circuits."

Other related developments:

The FCC called on broadband providers to relax their data cap policies in appropriate circumstances, on telephone carriers to waive long-distance and overage fees in appropriate circumstances, on those that serve schools and libraries to work with them on remote learning opportunities, and on all network operators to prioritize the connectivity needs of hospitals and healthcare providers. AT&T and others have responded.

U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and 17 other senators sent a letter to the CEOs of eight major ISPs calling on the companies to take steps to accommodate the unprecedented reliance on telepresence services, including telework, online education, telehealth, and remote support services. In the letter, sent to the CEOs of AT&T, CenturyLink, Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, the senators call on companies to suspend restrictions and fees that could limit telepresence options. Related to the nation's broadband gaps, they also call on the companies to provide free or at-cost broadband options for students affected by the virus who otherwise lack broadband access for online learning during the outbreak.

Vendors including Cisco, Microsoft, Google, LogMeIn, Spectrum and others are offering free tools to help customers manage security and communications during the outbreak.
Washington: The Donald Trump who appeared at the White House's daily coronavirus briefing on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) was utterly unrecognisable from the President we have seen since the start of the outbreak.

For once, Trump didn't seek to minimise the health or economic impact of the virus. He didn't lash out at his Democratic opponents or the media.

US President Donald Trump released new guidelines advising against any gatherings over 10 people. Credit:AP

He didn't make catastrophic flubs, such as when he created mass panic last week by saying all travel from Europe to the US, including cargo, was being banned.

Instead, Trump stuck to the facts. He informed Americans about new federal guidelines warning against gatherings of more than 10 people. His tone was serious and sober. Sure, he couldn't resist a bit of bragging (Trump rated his response to the virus a 10 out of 10). But he looked presidential.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  San Miguel Corporation said it is looking to produce and give away rubbing alcohol for free to aid efforts to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The listed conglomerate said it is eyeing to use the facilities of Ginebra San Miguel Inc., its liquor production unit, to produce 70 percent ethyl alcohol which it wants to distribute to public hospitals and local government units.

Production already started at the GSM plant over the weekend, which is now being used within the facility and for SMC employees.

We are working on getting the necessary clearances from the relevant government agencies, to produce this for public use. We ask that they help expedite clearances, SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said in a statement.

The listed firm said the alcohol being produced out of their spirits factory is made from fermented molasses. Ang said SMC is targeting donations in 20-liter containers up to 1,000-liter tote tanks of the alcohol, which may be used to disinfect government, healthcare, and public facilities. Experts recommend using rubbing alcohol if soap and running water are not available for handwashing.

READ: Health workers, frontliners appeal for masks and alcohol donations in fight vs. COVID-19

COVID-19 is spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of patients only experience mild illness and eventually recover. It added that some 14 percent experience severe illness while five percent can get critically ill.

Ang added that the firm would also donate over 13,000 units of Protect Plus Gold disinfectant powder, which is used to sanitize areas such as hog farms after a disease outbreak. He clarified that the product is safe to use around people.

Meanwhile, SMC assured that food supply will be steady in supermarkets as their manufacturing plants operate 24/7. Ang added that food donations will be sent to public hospitals and to families in poor communities.
China on Tuesday began withdrawal of thousands of doctors and medical staff from Wuhan after the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak reported just one confirmed case.

With mixed feelings of containing the dreaded COVID-19 but sad over deaths of thousands of people, the first batch of medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei province early on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued, official media reported.

Over 3,600 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and the epicentre of the outbreak, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Wuhan reported just one confirmed case of the COVID-19 and 12 deaths on Monday, the provincial health commission said on Tuesday.

Wuhan, along with the entire Hubei province with over 50 million people, was kept under total lockdown since January 23 banning all movement of transportation after the deadly virus first emerged in the city in December.

The latest report brought the total number of confirmed cases in the Hubei province to 67,799.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,881 by the end of Monday. This includes 3,226 people who died of the disease, 8,976 patients who were still being treated, 68,679 others discharged after recovery.

China deployed over 42,000 medical workers from across the country, including from the military, in Hubei province and its capital Wuhan when the virus spread like wildfire infecting thousands of people.

At about 7:30 a.m on Tuesday the national emergency medical rescue team from Shaanxi province departed by bus. Police officers at the expressway toll-gate saluted while watching their vehicles leave. Some of the team members shed tears behind their masks, Xinhua reported.

The Shaanxi team consists of 43 experienced doctors and nurses from departments including emergency treatment, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics and neurology as well as psychology under the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital.

"We arrived in Wuhan on February 4 and worked in two temporary hospitals over the past 40 days. Together with colleagues from Wuhan and Henan province, we managed 988 beds and treated 1,235 patients," said Ma Fuchun, head of the team. "Thankfully, we achieved zero patient deaths and zero infection of medics during our stay here."



"Our presence here not only reduced the burdens of local medical workers but, more importantly, brought confidence to disease-ridden Wuhan residents. It was also a good opportunity to hone our team," he said.

While the Shaanxi team was heading north, 42 medics from Hunan province set out on the journey home down south.

"There were so many unforgettable moments during my 43 days here," said Wen Chuan, a medical staffer. "I will always remember the days the doctors and patients stuck together to keep each other warm and fight the epidemic."



So far planes carrying more than 3,000 members of 21 medical teams left for the cities of Tianjin, Haikou, Yinchuan, Urumqi, among others.

Wuhan's Tianhe International Airport which was closed since January 23 and opened only for foreigners evacuations came alive with Chinese medical teams leaving in batches.

A ground crew member presented a special "VVIP boarding pass" to each passenger. The souvenir pass said the "heroes" would board at the gate "Arch of Triumph," departing Wuhan on the "victory day against the epidemic."



After measuring each passenger's forehead temperature, the staffer said, "Thank you all. Have a safe journey."



Sun Yunfei, an emergency department nurse from north China's Tianjin Municipality, said he is excited to meet his son who is now eight months old.

"He learned to grab, sit and even stand with support when I was away from home. I want to spend more time and rebuild my bond with him," Sun said. "I hope the patients being treated in Wuhan will recover soon and reunite with their family."



Xie Mingfang, 35, from Hebei province, served at a temporary hospital for patients with mild symptoms. "I'd like to return with my son soon after the epidemic is over to let him see the place I worked."



She will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival before she can meet her eight-year-old son.

"Right now, what I want most is to watch a movie on my phone, because I barely had enough time to finish one," she said with a smile.

On Tuesday, the Deputy Director and Associate Chief Physician of the Department of infectious diseases of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Cao Wei, said the deadly virus which brought China to a grinding halt for about three months has "almost seen its end".

"We will still wait for another month to see and make the final judgement," said Cao, who was in Wuhan directing mammoth medical operations to fight the disease.

Zhang Xinmin, director of the China National Centre for Biotechnology Development, said China has completed the clinical research of Favipiravir - an antiviral drug that has shown good clinical efficacy against COVID-19.

Favipiravir, the influenza drug which was approved for clinical use in Japan in 2014, has shown no obvious adverse reactions in the clinical trial, Zhang said.

The announcement by Zhang, whose centre is attached to the Ministry of Science and Technology, is regarded as significant as there is no standardised effective cure yet to treat the COVID-19 patients, though China and some other countries used drugs to treat HIV as well as Ebola virus patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Government has advised against any non-essential travel overseas as part of its plan to tackle the increasing threat of the coronavirus.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney announced he was recommending against any travel outside of Ireland following advice from public health officials and airlines.

Mr Coveney warned there would be "enormous disruption" to air travel across Europe in the coming days and said he could not guarantee when people would be able to return home.

"Non-essential travel effectively means people who are choosing to go overseas and don't need to - they shouldn't be doing it. That is now our clear health advice and also travel advice," he said. "We can't be sure they can get back."

Mr Coveney also said he had been told by airlines across Europe that they would be grounding their fleets in the coming days.

"We are also seeing other EU countries closing borders, closing airports and not facilitating air transport in and out," he said.

"Non-essential travel shouldn't be happening to and from this island and that is so we can keep people safe."

The Tanaiste said the Government would ensure "key supply chains" that bring goods into Ireland would be maintained throughout the crisis. "Those supply chains are important and we need to maintain them and we regard that as essential travel," he said.

Mr Coveney said travel restrictions would be imposed on everyone who entered the Republic from now on.

All people, including Irish residents, who arrive here will be asked to restrict their movements.

He said: "It is not quite self-isolation but involves significant restrictions."

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is assessing whether to ban all non-essential travel into Ireland following a proposal by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

However, Mr Varadkar will not ban travel between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Commission president called on all EU states to ban non-essential travel into the EU for 30 days.

After Mr Varadkar spoke to Ms Von der Leyen, his spokesperson said the Taoiseach would "assess the proposals" in the context of the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK and the implications they might have on the movement of people on the island.

However, he said "under no circumstances" will he consider the closure of the Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"It is important to stress that the proposals would not, of themselves, restrict movement of EU citizens, including Irish citizens.

"The commission president has also confirmed that they would not restrict movement of UK citizens within the rest of the EU," he added.

The proposals will be discussed by EU leaders in a video conference tomorrow.

The European Commission's proposals are for a temporary ban of non-essential travel into the EU apart from exemptions for EU citizens, healthcare workers and goods vehicles.

The restrictions are expected to be applied by all Schengen countries, with non-Schengen countries - of which Ireland is one - having the option to apply them as well.

Ms Von der Leyen said the less people travelled the better chance the EU had of containing the virus.

"I propose to the heads of state in governments to introduce a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union," she said.

"We think non-essential travel should be reduced right now too, in order to not spread the virus further, be it in the EU or by leaving the EU, but also to avoid non-essential travel to not to have more potential strain on our health system."

The restrictions will be in place for an initial 30 days but this "can be prolonged as necessary".

Exemptions are included for long-term residents of the EU and family members of EU nationals and diplomats as well as those commuting between borders for work.

"Essential staff such as doctors, nurses, care workers, researchers and experts that help address the coronavirus should continue to be allowed in the European Union.

"People transporting goods are exempted too," she said, "including essential items such as medicines and food."
How different is it from the common cold or flu?

Coronavirus infections, in general, are virtually indistinguishable from other respiratory infections. In mild cases, they cause a runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue and fever. With the new coronavirus, patients tend to have a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. But from a physicians perspective, if a patient comes in with respiratory symptoms, a doctor cant tell just from examining them what they have, said Dr. Schaffner.

As a precaution, many medical centers across the country are now asking patients with respiratory symptoms or a fever to call first before showing up. If you do need to be seen, you may be asked to wear a mask and to be put in isolation as a precaution to avoid spreading disease.

Do I need to stockpile face masks?

No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been recommending that only infected patients and their health care providers wear N95 respirator masks, which are a special type of mask intended to filter out 95 percent of airborne particles. But theres limited evidence of their utility even among these groups, said Dr. Mark J. Mulligan, M.D., division director of the infectious diseases and vaccine center at NYU Langone Medical Center. When physicians treat a person infected with the disease caused by the virus, they wear a face shield, gown and gloves, he said. Theres no good research to suggest that wearing a N95 mask when youre out in public, even if theres an outbreak in your area, will shield you against the disease.

Standard surgical masks also cant fully protect you from contracting the virus.

Should parents be worried?

Its understandable that parents might feel panicked during these uncertain times, but the most important thing you can do is be cautious. Children seem to be largely spared from developing severe symptoms resulting from Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. When they do get it, they tend to have much milder symptoms, said Dr. Meissner.

According to a report published in JAMA in February, the majority of patients with Covid-19 in China were between 49 and 56 years old. The bigger concern for parents is that your child could pass it on to someone else. Even if children are mildly ill, they serve as reservoirs of infection and can spread disease to adults, especially the elderly, said Dr. Bessey E. Geevarghese, D.O., a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Lurie Childrens at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

What steps should parents take at this point?

You should take the same precautions you would take to protect your child from the common cold or flu. We know for sure that it spreads readily from person to person, akin to influenza, Dr. Schaffner said of the new coronavirus. We also now think it can spread from people who are infected with the virus, but not yet showing symptoms. We dont know if this is a frequent occurrence, but it can happen.

For these reasons, its important to practice whats known as social distancing. This means staying at home and binging on TV, rather than socializing in groups. Schools are closing, at least temporarily, and people who can work from home are encouraged to do so. On March 16, the Trump Administration announced new guidelines aimed at stopping the spread of the new coronavirus, including closing schools and avoiding bars, food courts, restaurants and groups of more than 10 people.
Kyle and Colleen Williams, Vermonters on vacation, found themselves stranded in Galveston on Friday night after their Caribbean cruise was abruptly canceled.

We said, Lets go to San Antonio. See the Alamo. So we rented a car and drove over, said Kyle, 63, a retired engineer.

Back then, almost a lifetime ago on the fast-moving timeline of the coronavirus, things still were bustling in Alamo Plaza and on the River Walk.

The Williamses got here in time to enjoy the sights and tastes from La Villita to the Pearl Brewery to the Tower of the Americas.

We enjoyed the River Walk Saturday and Sunday nights. They had a dense crowd, Kyle said.

By Tuesday afternoon, San Antonio was a different place.

The Alamo was closed, along with two dozen other attractions, including some shops at Market Square, the Witte Museum and the Tejano Fan Festival.

For a city that claims to attract 39 million visitors a year, the dramatic drop in tourism has been a gut punch.

On ExpressNews.com: Too much room at the inn: Coronavirus fear hits San Antonio tourism

This time of year would normally be very busy. Its Spring Break season. Its a bigger hurt than it would be at a different time of year, said David Gonzalez, director of communications for Visit SA, the citys tourism marketing arm.

The slowdown affects hotels and cultural attractions, but is especially onerous for small businesses, Gonzalez said.

Were hopeful this will pass soon, and were making plans to bring in strong visitation whenever it does, he said.

The handful of tourists still in town found themselves in a calm, uncrowded place  one they barely recognized.

I think its a really pretty town. I dont enjoy crowds, so this has been nice for me, said Colleen Williams, 63, a retired medical technician.

I wouldnt mind staying a bit longer, with all the canceling of flights and other weird stuff going on, her husband added.

On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus adds to flight reductions at San Antonio International

Some tourists were of the view that the absence of crowds more than made up for the missing attractions.

Jesus and Lydia Lopez of Fort Worth came to town for the Tejano music festival and didnt learn it was canceled until they already were here.

But they came to drink beer, not cry into it, and Tuesday afternoon found them relaxing with a couple of cold ones on the River Walk.

It wasnt going to rain on my parade. Im still going to have a good time. We always have a good time in San Antonio, said Lydia, 55, drinking from a green container at On the Bend, a watering hole decorated with shamrocks and green balloons.

The Lopezes were the only guests in the dining area, and there was only one other couple at the bar. But this had its benefits.

Its awesome. It actually allows us to walk without bumping into someone. And we can walk at a distance from other people, she said.

Often a whirl of bustling humanity, the River Walk on Tuesday afternoon was more like a Sunday walk in the park.

On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus ushers in an eerie new normal in San Antonio

It was quiet enough to hear the fake lion roars emanating from the Rain Forest Cafe or ice cubes tumbling into a glass at a nearby table. Even the Mallard ducks in the river seemed more relaxed.

Michael Chavis, 26, and Deja Thomas, 23, had come from Houston to celebrate his birthday with a river ride in Bandera. Low water had ruined that adventure, so they stopped in San Antonio on the way home to look for some fun.

They hadnt expected to find the tourist district nearly comatose.

I dont know. Its not like too dead, but its close, Thomas said, standing among empty restaurants along the River Walk.

Im still having fun, but its not like the one other time I came here, Chavis added.

At ground level, in front of the Alamo, there were few people, and anyone could get a good posed photo with the old mission as a backdrop.

On ExpressNews.com: A timeline of COVID-19 in San Antonio

Should be in London

One family group that came from Nashville to meet friends in San Antonio was a little bummed that the mission was closed, but everyone was taking it well.

It beats being in middle Tennessee right now. In Nashville, everything is shut down and we have had tornadoes destroy a lot of East Nashville, Becky Walton said.

Of the group, her daughter, Mia Lawson, 19, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, had the most to gripe about.

I should be in London right now, she said, explaining that her Spring Break trip to Spain and England had been canceled.

In Spain, I planned to do a lot of touring, but Spain is in lock-down, she said, so Im glad to be here with my family and not stuck over there.

John MacCormack is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | JMacCormack@express-news.net | Twitter: @JohnMacCormack
It was the stuff nightmares are made of. After a 35-year legal career, Avraham faced federal fraud charges. Despite an impressive 25,000 transactions flawlessly executed, prosecutors were falsely accusing him of egregious crimes and threatening thirty years behind bars.

Rabbi Vogel reached out to me two years into my case, shares Avraham. He checked me out and said, Youve done a lot of good professionally and throughout the community. Now its time for us to do something for you. Vogel stepped in and fought for alternative sentencing and today, Avraham works in his Pittsburgh community through a probationary program.

Rabbi Moshe Mayir Vogel is the Executive Director of the Aleph Institute-North East Region. Together, with a team of social workers, Vogel ensures that No Jew is alone, behind bars. Aleph coordinates kosher food, visits, and Torah classes for inmates. The organization also supports the families left behind. And when a sentence is complete, Aleph helps prisoners reintegrate into society, which, Vogel explains, is a huge and very painful transition. According to studies, without support an ex-offender will reoffend. The national rate of recidivism is 76 percent. For Aleph clients, it is less than ten.

Clearly, the organization is doing something right. But, insists Vogel, its not enough.

For decades Vogel has been a vocal proponent of alternative sentencing that allows non-violent offenders to avoid prison. Instead, these individuals remain home to maintain a job, community service commitment, therapy, and religious services. They need to pay a price for their crime, but being a burden on their family and society is not the answer, insists Vogel. A real burden it is: housing one prisoner costs the government (and taxpayers) fifty thousand dollars annually. Vogel believes that the money should be directed to private organizations, like Aleph, to help them effectively rehabilitate offenders.

Since the 1990s, Vogel has been championing alternative sentencing for hundreds of Jewish prisoners like Avraham, who are convicted of white-collar or drug crimes. Now, he is teaming up with African American faith leaders to create a similar program in their community. Thanks to a grant from the Pittsburgh Foundation and County funding, six individuals are already enrolled in Alephs pilot. Its a win-win, declares Vogel. To what benefit is prison, when a person can be rehabilitated and a productive member of society?

One of the individuals he is advocating for is a 75-year-old man who has been in prison for most of his life. As a teen, the inmate was arrested for riding in a stolen car. After escaping from a juvenile detention center twice, he was thrown into a maximum-security prison. When a fellow prisoner, a member of the Aryan Nation, tried to kill him, he slayed him first. The act of self-defense landed him a life sentence. Aside from his advanced years, the inmate suffers from stage four cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

He probably doesnt have much longer in this world, says Reverend Tim Smith, director of Pittsburghs Center of Love Foundation, where his mission is to improve the lives of Pittsburghs African American community through a host of educational and financial programs. We want to get him out to be with his family. Smith has teamed up with Vogel to arrange a compassionate release or a commuted sentence for this prisoner.

Now that alternative sentencing is accessible to the Pittsburgh African American community, there is a lot more preventative work to be done. Until I met Rabbi Vogel, I was focused on local things I could do for those convicted, like going to court and standing with their families and helping them understand the law, Smith says. Getting them out of prison through alternative sentencing is a great first step. Smith and Vogel are discussing further ways to promote judicial reform.

Everyone deserves to be helped, Vogel says. It is a lot healthier, for everyone, when they are not in prison.

Vogels work is reaching the higher echelons of government, both because of the positive buzz hes generated and direct lobbying. A groundbreaking judicial reform act he supported, The First Step Act, passed Congress and was signed into law by President Trump in December of 2018. Its an important piece of legislation, but, agree proponents of reform, it is merely a first step. The current law allows wardens in the Federal prison system to release inmates into society. It does not provide the framework for alternative sentencing before imprisonment. Currently, Pittsburgh is the only city with an active alternative sentencing program.

Two years ago, Judge Joy Flowers Conti, a Senior District Judge in Western Pennsylvania, spoke about Alephs influence at the judiciary level. What a fantastic organization the Aleph Institute is, she told a crowd of supporters and probationary officers. What good work they are doing. The Aleph Institute became the catalyst for our court to reach out and say, Are there other organizations in our community that can serve the population of the ex-offender? If there is not a support mechanism, they cannot make it. Then, this creates a crisis in our communities. Crime begets crime and violence and the erosion of the community.

Youre showing the world and youre showing us in Pittsburgh, what can be done, how lives can be saved, Conti declared.

Im just one person, says Avraham, as he nears the end of his probationary period. There are tens of thousands of people who should be eligible for this. Even though we are way behind as a democracy, (the United States imprisons more people than anywhere else in western society), there is hope. Thats what Rabbi Vogel and Rabbi Chayim Friedman gave me: hope, when no one else would.
HashiCorp, a San Francisco, CA-based multi-cloud infrastructure automation software provider, raised $175m in Series E funding, at a company valuation of $5.1 billion.

The round was led by Franklin Templeton and included participation from funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Geodesic Capital, as well as existing investors GGV Capital, IVP, Mayfield, Redpoint Ventures, and True Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to invest in the people and programs that support its customers around the world  expand its field, support, and customer success organizations worldwide; increase its investment in education, implementation and architectural guidance, and channel and technology partnerships; as well as continue and expand research and development efforts.

Led by David McJannet, CEO, HashiCorp provides a multi-cloud infrastructure automation software suite that enables organizations to adopt consistent workflows to provision, secure, connect, and run any infrastructure for any application. HashiCorps open source tools Vagrant, Packer, Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad are downloaded tens of millions of times each year and are broadly adopted by the Global 2000. Enterprise versions of these products enhance the open source tools with features that promote collaboration, operations, governance, and multi-data center functionality.

The company is headquartered in San Francisco, though 85 percent of HashiCorp employees work remotely, strategically distributed around the globe.

FinSMEs

17/03/2020
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Linkedin A. Kurniawan Ulung (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17 2020

Energy-saving: Built above an elevated stage where locals often gather, the Taman Bima Microlibrary in Bandung, West Java, was shortlisted for the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. (A.Kurniawan Ulung)

The Taman Bima Microlibrary does not need air-conditioning to comfort its visitors. It also does not need light bulbs to brighten up the place for those reading books, as direct sunlight comes through 2,000 upcycled ice cream buckets arranged on the buildings facade, producing a pleasant indoor light ambiance.

Placed between vertical steel ribs spanning from floor to roof, the buckets also enable ventilation that brings fresh air to the room. When moved, they present a binary coding of a message that reads Buku adalah Jendela Dunia (Books are the Window to the World).

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Washington, March 17 : In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many Indian-Americans with visiting family members, were rushing to extend their B1/B2 visas, which only allows a maximum stay for six months.

While for those whose parents have just arrived, it may be a matter of only cancelling the existing tickets, there were many whose parents' visa limits of a six-month stay was expiring, the American Bazaar said in a report on Monday.

A US B1/B2 is a tourist, temporary, non-immigrant visa that allows the visa holder to visit the US for work or tourism purposes.

The USCIS can extend the stay based on genuine and urgent conditions. Given the coronavirus crisis in the US and across the globe, most attorneys believe that extension of a visa should not be a problem, the report added.

Ideally B1/B2 extensions should be filed 45 days in advance but in the given dire scenario immigration authorities are willing to help visitors "My parents will be completing their six months permitted stay next month," the American Bazaar quoted Nita Valar, a Texas resident, as saying.

"Their return tickets were booked for later this month, but looking at the scenario it's (impossible) to send my aging parents on a flight, where they are more likely to catch infection than being at home." Many Indian-Americans who have been in a similar situation were filing extension for B1/B2 visas on the USCIS website.

Many Indian-Americans were also cancelling their parents' return trips specifically because they have layovers in other countries.

Most Indian-Americans whose parents are scheduled to travel to the US, are also reconsidering their plans.

"My mom was supposed to travel from Bengaluru to the .S via Paris," the American Bazaar quoted another Indian-American as saying.

"With the US placing travel restrictions from Europe, flights are already cancelled. We have cancelled our trip and claimed for a refund." The number of infections in the US climbed to nearly 4,000 with more than 65 people dying of the disease.
NEWTOWN BOROUGH >> The Newtown Borough Council welcomes the new year with three new members of council and a new borough mayor. District Court Judge Mick Petrucci was on hand on January 3 to administer the oath of office to the towns new mayor, Republican John Burke, who replaces longtime mayor Charles Corky Swartz who decided not to run for...
- Cambridge Pixel's technology integrated with radar, daylight/thermal cameras, AIS receiver and long-range acoustic device (LRAD) as part of Klein's HarborGuard maritime security and surveillance solution

- Cambridge Pixel has enhanced its RadarWatch coastal surveillance software to support a long-range acoustic hailing and strobe searchlight device (LRAD) for the project

CAMBRIDGE, England, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge Pixel, a developer of radar display, tracking and recording sub-systems (www.cambridgepixel.com), has supplied its RadarWatch coastal surveillance software, target tracking and radar recording technology to Klein Marine Systems, a subsidiary of Mitcham Industries, Inc. as part of a project to protect an offshore wind farm and its associated submarine transmission line off the coast of South Korea.

Cambridge Pixel's radar display, tracking and recording technology has been integrated with the radar, daylight/thermal cameras, an AIS receiver and long-range acoustic device (LRAD) as part of Klein's HarborGuard maritime security and surveillance solution. The local integrator is Seoul-based company iSENTECK. The surveillance system monitors vessel traffic around the wind farm and along a 10km submarine transmission line carrying power from an offshore platform transmission station to the onshore distribution facility.

Frank Cobis, Vice President and General Manager of Klein Marine Systems, said: "We needed a modern, multi-window display solution that fuses information from radar sensors, transponders and cameras to present a consolidated view of vessel movement in the monitored area to our shore-based operators. Cambridge Pixel's RadarWatch radar display application, target tracking software and real-time data recorder, provided all the functionality and the flexibility we required for this programme.

"We have worked with Cambridge Pixel for many years and have been impressed by their engineers' sensor expertise and their technical support to us and our integration partners. Also, the company was willing to customise their RadarWatch software to support a long-range acoustic and searchlight device (LRAD-RX). This allows the operator to audibly alert approaching vessels using either a microphone or a set of pre-recorded audio sounds."

For the Korean wind farm project, an offshore platform hosting a Simrad Argus X-band radar, dual thermal/daylight camera from MOOG Mercury and an AIS receiver was supported by Cambridge Pixel's SPx tracking server, which generates radar tracks corresponding to vessel movement in the monitored area. These track reports, along with camera video and AIS reports, are transmitted to the shore-based facility where the RadarWatch surveillance application presents the combined radar, camera and AIS transponder data in a unified operator-friendly display.

Andrew Haylett, principal engineer, Cambridge Pixel, said: "We are delighted to be providing our RadarWatch display software, tracking and recording technology for this strategic coastal surveillance site. Our software's comprehensive support for generating alarms for vessels moving into a defined area around the protected zone was another key feature for Klein as it facilitates automatic steering of the camera towards the detected target and the ability to sound an audible alarm or signal using the strobe searchlight."

RadarWatch is designed for coastal surveillance, small port & harbour security applications. It can display tiled maps, S57/S63 electronic charts, video from up to 4 radars and 16 cameras, within multiple windows and across multiple screens. It is compatible with a wide range of radar scanners, including those from Kelvin Hughes, Simrad, Terma and Furuno, and provides a common software architecture that can be scaled to single or multi-sensor installations.

The RadarWatch software accepts open data formats such as ASTERIX and NMEA-0183 and works with other Cambridge Pixel software applications, including SPx Fusion, SPx Camera Manager and SPx Radar Data Recorder. Augmented vision is also implemented within RadarWatch to fuse primary radar tracks with data from ship (AIS) and, where appropriate, aircraft (ADS-B and IFF) transponders and then display this as an overlay to camera video.

Cambridge Pixel's radar technology is used in naval, air traffic control, vessel traffic, commercial shipping, security, surveillance and airborne radar applications. Its systems have been implemented in mission-critical applications with companies such as BAE Systems, Frontier Electronic Systems, Blighter Surveillance Systems, Exelis, Hanwha Systems, Kelvin Hughes, Lockheed Martin, Navtech Radar, Raytheon, Saab Sensis, Royal Thai Air Force, Sofresud and Tellumat.

For more information about RadarWatch, the SPx tracking server or other products from Cambridge Pixel, please visit: www.cambridgepixel.com or call: +44 (0) 1763-852749 or email: enquiries@cambridgepixel.com.

Media photo: https://www.cambridgepixel.com/site/assets/files/2666/pr-klein.jpg

About Klein Marine Systems (www.kleinmarinesystems.com)

Klein Marine Systems, Inc. has over fifty years of experience with the development and manufacture of high-performance sonar products including side scan and bathymetry systems and maritime surveillance and security solutions. Klein side scan sonar systems are respected as the standard of excellence in the industry and are deployed by governments, navies, port authorities, surveyors, oil companies and universities worldwide.

About Mitcham Industries (www.mitchamindustries.com)

Mitcham Industries, Inc. provides technology to the oceanographic, hydrographic, defense, seismic and security industries. Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, Mitcham has a global presence with operating locations in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Hungary, Colombia and the United Kingdom. Mitcham's worldwide Marine Technology Products segment, which includes its Seamap and Klein Marine Systems units, designs, manufactures and sells specialized, high performance, marine sonar and seismic equipment. Through its Equipment Leasing segment, Mitcham believes it is the largest independent provider of exploration equipment to the seismic industry.

About Cambridge Pixel (www.cambridgepixel.com)

Cambridge Pixel is an award-winning developer of sensor processing and display solutions including primary and secondary radar interfacing, processing and display components for military and commercial radar applications. It is a world-leading supplier of software-based radar tracking and scan conversion solutions through its modular SPx software, and HPx hardware product range. Based near Cambridge in the UK, the company operates worldwide through a network of agents and distributors.
The novel coronavirus epidemic is growing at an alarming rate. For some time Iran had the second-largest coronavirus outbreak after China, and Iran's death rate for the novel coronavirus is threatening. This is due to Iran-China ties at different levels, which have intensified against the backdrop of U.S. sanctions pressure. Having tense relations with the United States, Iran provides China with a unique opportunity to expand its presence in the Middle East in exchange for vital economic cooperation.

The suspension of air and land links is just one step to combat disease. The main work is carried out domestically - it is aimed at identifying infected people and putting them into isolation. But Iran's coronavirus statistics was kind of weird from the very start. The very first cases of the disease were fatal. The Iranian government did not disclose data on the infected for a long time. Only after some time it was revealed that the virus was brought to Qom by an Iranian businessman who returned from China, and who was the first to die.

Last week, adviser to the Iranian Health Minister Ali Reza Wahabzadeh reported 611 deaths, and, most likely, this figure will continue increasing. Epidemiologists note that the proportion of deaths in Iran is over twice as high as in other countries, where it does not exceed 3%.

In the case of Iran, the prevention of coronavirus turned out to be closely linked to the issue of maintaining the integrity of the Islamic Republic's spiritual life. Qom, the epicenter of the outbreak in Iran, is a religious city home to several shrines, it lives according to its own schedule and rules. Despite the risk of spreading disease, the authorities changed nothing in its traditional way of life. Despite Iranian Health Minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi's instructions, the pilgrims visiting the Qom shrines contributed to the spread of the virus in dozens of Iranian provinces. It is difficult to talk about any kind of disinfection, since it is powerless against the masses.

The Iranian parliament's 23 MPs have tested positive for the coronavirus. Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ali Asqar Munesan, as well as Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani infected with COVID-19. On March 7, member of Iran's parliament Fatemeh Rahbar passed away, and before that, 68-year-old Iranian diplomat, former member of parliament Hossein Sheikholeslam died.

Only after Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia closed the borders with Iran, the republic's leadership recognized that preventive measures were, to put it mildly, ineffective. Irans cooperation with the countries of the South Caucasus is significant. For Armenia, trade and business contacts with Iran are a matter of overcoming the economic blockade. Baku and Tbilisi regard their cooperation with Iran as a promising direction.



Now Iran needs outside help, since during the spread of respiratory diseases, the key factors are time and speed of action, namely identifying infected people, those who had contact with them, and putting them into isolation.
Over 700 school teachers who



demonstrated against their impending termination of services defying Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were arrested on Tuesday.

Additional SP of West Tripura district, Manik Lal Saha said they were arrested for violating the prohibitory orders imposed to check the spread of coronavirus in the state.

However, police released all of them later.

"We were forced to remove them as our attempt to persuade them failed. Despite repeated requests they did not agree to withdraw their agitation," Saha said.

A total of 10,323 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate teachers were appointed in different phases since 2010. The recruitment process was challenged in the Tripura High Court, which terminated their services saying the recruitment was faulty.

The then Left Front government moved the Supreme Court against the order but it upheld the high court verdict in March 2017.

The teachers were pronounced to retire after December 31, 2017 as per the apex court verdict, after which they were inducted on ad hoc basis.

After the BJP-IPFT government came to power in March 2018, it again appealed to the apex court in November and the Supreme Court granted them one-time final extension till March 31, 2020.

Two organizations of the teachers facing termination have been holding agitations since Friday.

Speaking to reporters later, the teachers claimed that the BJP-IPFT coalition had made a poll pledge to re-instate them after coming to power.

Opposition leader Manik Sarkar and senior Congress leader Gopal Chandra Roy and others visited them and expressed their sympathy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York: As is often the case with an impulsive all-powerful ruler, the consequences of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's precipitous oil war may take years to play out.

Earlier this month, he caused the price of crude oil to plunge after starting a price war with Russia by slashing Saudi Arabia's selling prices and threatening to unleash its reserves onto the market.

True, the repercussions for his own country's economy seem clear: stunted growth, increased debt, dwindled reserves, wider deficits. On the foreign-policy side of the ledger, Riyadh's relations with Moscow are now in the red.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Credit:AP

But did anyone in Mohammed's close circle think through the implications for ties with other Arab states? The countries closest to Saudi Arabia - Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt - will stay onside, either because their rulers share Riyadh's worldview, or because they depend on its largesse. Some, like Kuwait and Oman, will endure the reduced export revenues because they are too small to criticise the Saudis. (Qatar, still subject to an embargo by a Saudi-led coalition, won't get much of a hearing.)
Wentworth stars Nicole da Silva, Danielle Cormack, Libby Tanner, and Socratis Otto will not be flying to Chicago next month for a planned Wentworth Con fan event.

The sold-out April event has been rescheduled for late August, with organisers offering ticket refunds.

Other events for Melbourne (mid-June) and New Jersey (early August) are looking at future dates in case these will also be postponed.

The Melbourne event, in partnership with Fremantle, announced only last week, is due to go on sale in mid April.

We ask that you bear with us as we navigate these extenuating circumstances and promise to do our best to get this resolved as quickly as possible. Most importantly, please stay safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones during this time, organisers said.
Heidi Klum's husband Tom Kaulitz has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to his brother Bill Kaultiz.

The 30-year-old Tokio Hotel guitarist was tested along with the 46-year-old supermodel after both fell ill in the wake of her missing an America's Got Talent taping last week.

His brother Bill made the announcement Monday in his Instagram Stories, but Heidi's coronavirus status hasn't been revealed yet.

In the clear: Heidi Klums husband Tom Kaulitz, 30, has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to his brother Bill Kaulitz. The 46-year-old supermodels status hasnt been revealed yet

Tom was spotted Sunday by TMZ getting groceries with Bill at the popular store Erewhon in Los Angeles, raising questions about why he was out in public while still waiting to find out if he had been infected with the coronavirus.

The two musicians, who lead the rock band Tokio Hotel, stepped out wearing respirator masks and gloves as they stocked up on food and supplies.

Bill initially revealed that his brother was in the clear with a screenshot of the original article, before clarifying in a short Insta Stories video.

'We were just wearing masks to not spread germs and be super protective for ourselves and for other people. That's why we were doing it. But my brother got his test results back and he is negative,' he explained.

On the move: Bill Kaultiz, 30, revealed that his identical twin brother tested negative for the coronavirus after the two were spotted at a grocery store in LA wearing respirators and gloves

Safety first: The Tokio Hotel vocalist revealed in a subsequent video that the two knew Tom was negative for the coronavirus when they went out, and the gear was just to play it safe

The brothers' coronavirus saga began after Heidi arrived for an America's Got Talent taping last week but had to leave before even setting foot on stage because she felt ill.

Her fellow judges, including Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell and Modern Family's Sofia Vergara, claimed she had food poisoning, though sources close to Heidi said her illness didn't sound like food poisoning.

Tom had returned from a tour with his band days earlier and also felt sick around the same time, so the two went into a self-quarantine, though Tom seems to be breaking free that now that he's gotten a clean bill of health.

On Sunday, Heidi shared a sweet black and white video of her kissing her husband from the other side of a window as she self-quarantined.

Lovebirds: Heidi shared a sweet photo of her and Tom kissing on either side of a window as she continued her self-quarantine over the weekend

No luck: The Project Runway star revealed in her caption that she and Tom hadnt been able to obtain a coronavirus test until Sunday, despite falling ill on March 7, more than a week earlier

The Project Runway star revealed in her caption that she and Tom hadn't been able to obtain a coronavirus test until Sunday, despite falling ill on March 7, more than a week earlier.

'Like many of you, I also have been sick all week and, unfortunately, my husband who returned from his tour a couple of days ago is also feeling ill. To be safe, we are staying apart until we get the results of our Coronavirus tests (that we were finally able to get today) back,' she wrote.

'We don't want to spread germs and risk others getting sicker... even each other! As much as I want to embrace him and kiss him, it is more important to do the right thing and not spread further. '

Turnaround: The Project Runway star showed up for an Americas Got Talent taping last week, but had to leave before ever going on stage after getting sick

Heidi ended her post with a call for her 7.2 million fans to practice social distancing by staying away from other people and large crows whenever possible, as well to follow the recommendations of local and federal officials on preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

The model revealed in her Instagram Stories Friday that her symptoms including a fever, chills, coughing and a runny nose, but she hadn't yet been able to get the test after going to two different doctors.

America's Got Talent later suspended filming on March 14, after Howie and Sofia were seen heading to the theater in Pasadena.

Page Six reported that the remaining judges had tried filming without an audience, but the series was being shut down in the interest of caution.
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier with prime minister Boris Johnson's Europe adviser, David Frost. (Olivier Hoslet/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The second round of post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and the European Union has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In light of the latest guidance on coronavirus, we will not formally be convening negotiating work strands tomorrow in the way we did in the previous round, a UK government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Negotiating teams from both sides were on Wednesday due to discuss the future trading relationship between the two parties ahead of the UKs departure from the bloc on 31 December.

According to Bloomberg, the discussions were due to take place by video link, and may resume later in the week.

The spokesperson said that the UK government still expected to share a draft free trade agreement, alongside the proposed texts of a number of legal agreements, with the EU in the near future.

Both sides remain fully committed to the negotiations and we remain in regular contact with the European Commission to consider alternative ways to continue discussions, including looking at the possibility of video conferencing or conference calls, and exploring flexibility in the structure for the coming weeks, the spokesperson said.

The UK is still insistent that, even in light of the spiralling coronavirus fallout, the country will leave the transition period at the end of 2020.

The transition period ends on 31 December 2020. This is enshrined in UK law, the spokesperson said on Tuesday.

If both sides are unable to strike a trade deal and the UK does not seek an extension to the transition period, both sides will default to trading on World Trade Organization terms on 1 January 2021.

This would result in the imposition of tariffs and quotas.

The UK has said that it wants an arrangement resembling that which currently exists between Canada and the EU.

This would prevent the imposition of most tariffs, but would likely result in checks and significant paperwork on trade between the EU and UK.
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang unveiled the information on March 17 while answering a reporters query about the organisation of the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

We will issue a specific announcement after senior leaders make a decision, Hang added.

The 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings were scheduled to take place in the central city of Da Nang from April 6-9.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) now consists of 10 member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 12:03:56|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Countries around the world were stepping up efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic amid a rising caseload in the past 24 hours, with the tally of cases and deaths outside China exceeding that inside China.

The number of COVID-19 cases outside China had increased by 13,874 to 86,434 in the past 24 hours as of 10 a.m. CET (0900 GMT) Monday, with 3,388 deaths, according to the daily situation report released by the World Health Organization.

The report showed a total of 167,511 cases and 6,606 deaths were reported globally as of Monday.

In Europe, the epicenter of the pandemic, around 56,000 cases were reported by over 50 countries and regions as of Monday. In Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe, the total count rose to 27,980 with 2,158 deaths on Monday.

The tally of confirmed cases in Spain has risen to 8,744 on Monday, while death toll climbed to 297. The country is considering extending the State of Alarm imposed on Saturday beyond two weeks.

France has reported 6,633 infections and 148 deaths by Monday evening. Starting from Tuesday noon and for at least two weeks, people across French cities can only move out for reasons of work, health needs or shopping of necessities.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday she had proposed a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU). The proposal is expected to be discussed by leaders of EU member states during a video conference on Tuesday.

Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education said Monday that the novel coronavirus has affected 14,991 people in the country, of whom 853 people have died. Shiite shrines in the religious cities of Mashhad, Qom and Shahr-e-Rey have been closed.

South Korea reported a double-digit growth of 74 cases in the 24 hours as of midnight Monday local time, raising the total to 8,236. The country on Monday expanded tighter immigration procedures to people from all European countries.

The United States had reported 4,068 cases as of Monday afternoon local time with 69 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the country could be coping with COVID-19 until July or August and the its economy "may be" heading toward a recession.
The Congress has countered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Supreme Court with a petition, saying that the floor test cannot take place in Madhya Pradesh because 16 of its lawmakers have been held captive in Bengaluru.

The floor test can happen only when all the elected lawmakers are present in the Assembly, the Congress said in its petition. It further said that 22 of its lawmakers have resigned, and a trust vote can be held only after by-elections to those constituencies are held.

The petition has been filed by Congress chief whip Govind Singh against BJP-ruled central and Karnataka governments. The Congress has urged the Supreme Court to intervene to uphold the rule of law against the blatant abuse of power and subversion of democracy by the BJP.

The BJP has claimed that the Congress-ruled government in Madhya Pradesh has come in minority after the resignation of 22 MLAs, and want a trust vote in the state Assembly. The Congress has said that it is not afraid of the floor test as the government has the numbers, but want the Speaker to take a call on it.

The Assemblys budget session began on Monday, but was curtailed by Speaker NP Prajapati over coronavirus fears. The House was adjourned till March 26, and trust vote delayed, after which the BJP moved Supreme Court seeking direction to the state government to hold the trust vote.

Governor Lalji Tandon had written to Chief Minister Kamal Nath on March 14, asking for the floor test to be held on March 16 (Monday). But, after the Assembly was abruptly adjourned, the trust vote could not take place. The BJP has accused the Congress of defying the Governors order, but the state government has maintained that the call to hold the trust vote should be taken by the Speaker only.
London: The Netherlands will embrace a "herd immunity" strategy to combat the coronavirus pandemic, just as Britain backs away from its own plans to manage rather than suppress the disease following warnings of 250,000 deaths.

In remarks that make him the first world leader to publicly back the herd immunity theory, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said a mass lockdown was not feasible and the country had instead opted for a plan that included "controlled distribution" of COVID-19 "among groups that are least at risk".

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says the country can't go into total lockdown and has instead turned to the herd immunity theory. Credit:AP

Herd immunity is a scenario in which so many people become resistant to a certain disease it becomes much harder for it to spread to the rest of the population.

However mass immunity is typically achieved through vaccinations rather than via exposure and recovery. Experts have warned that allowing coronavirus to sweep through younger and healthier members of the public is a dangerous way of building resistance in the community.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy announce emergency measures to protect the economy during the Covid-19 crisis

Beannchor Managing Director Bill Wolsey on the steps of the group's flagship Merchant Hotel in Belfast.

The Beannchor group has announced it's temporarily laying off up to 800 staff as they temporarily close the majority of their Belfast hotels and bars.

The Dirty Onion and Yard Bird, The National, sixty6, Bullitt Belfast, The Ulster Sports Club and the Park Avenue Hotel will close with immediate effect.

The Groups flagship hotel, the Merchant Hotel will remain open, with a significantly scaled back offering to ensure adherence to the latest coronavirus guidelines.

Little Wing Pizzeria restaurants will also remain open, with increased social distancing protocols in place as will The Hillside in Hillsborough.

This has been an emotional and extremely tough decision but if we do not act now, we will not have a business to return to Bill Wolsey

Beannchor Managing Director Bill Wolsey said he made the decision with a heavy heart.

"Never in forty three years of business have I seen a crisis like this one, nor faced a decision like this," he said

"This has been an emotional and extremely tough decision but if we do not act now, we will not have a business to return to. We have made this decision because we feel we have to act responsibly in the best longer term interests of the group and its staff."

It's understood hundreds of jobs are also at risk at Newry-based cruise ship outfitting company MJM Marine.

It comes after Finance Minister Conor Murphy announced an emergency 100m rates package to assist Northern Irish businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier on Monday Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the Government will provide 330bn in Government backed and guaranteed loans to UK businesses affected by the coronavirus.

At a glance: UK Covid-19 financial measures:

330bn government-backed loans and guarantees (15% GDP)

Claims available for venues with pandemic insurance

25k-10k cash grants for small businesses without insurance

No business rates for 12 months in hospitality sector (GB)/ No business rates for three months for all businesses (NI). Executive says rates holiday will save NI businesses 100m

Three-month mortgage holiday for those in difficulty

On Tuesday the Department of Health announced that ten new cases of the virus in Northern Ireland have been confirmed. Nearly 2,000 cases have been diagnosed across the UK.

But, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Dr Connor Bamford, a research fellow at Queen's University Belfast, said there could already be as many as 3,000 coronavirus cases in Northern Ireland alone.

Read More

Here's how Tuesday unfolded:
The Texas Southern Universitys board of regents laid out a timeline Monday in its search for a new president and announced initiatives to improve the university.

In a letter to the college community the regents said the boards investigation and review into the universitys admissions, enrollment and scholarship practices is still ongoing and is being conducted by external investigators.

Until their work is done, we will continue to support the review, the regents said in a letter signed by board vice chairman Albert Myres and chairman Hasan Mack. Mack, an Austin-based attorney, was appointed to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. by Gov. Gregg Abbott in an announcement issued Monday.

The outside investigators include Chicago-based auditing firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, national research firm Berkeley Research Group which has a Houston office, and Austin-based law firm OHanlon, Demerath & Castillo.

On HoustonChronicle.com: New bombshells revealed in Texas Southern University admissions scandal

The announcement comes after months of controversy and fallout at the historically black university that resulted in former president Austin Lanes departure, and just a week after former board member Derrick Mitchell stepped down.

The board stated in its Monday letter that its priority moving forward is completing the universitys accreditation review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on colleges. University officials held a three-day meeting at the college with the accrediting body, they wrote.

A final determination on the universitys accreditation will be forthcoming toward the end of the year, the regents said. Six to eight months after completion, Texas Southern will then begin its search for its 13th president. Input will be sought from the university community and alumni before announcing an official presidential search committee, they wrote.

In the meantime, TSUs former chief financial officer Kenneth Huewitt will continue serving as acting president.

On HoustonChronicle.com: TSU regent who defended ousted president Austin Lane resigns from board

The board also announced Monday that the university will create an Office of Compliance and a Chairmans and Presidents Council.

The office of compliance will be developed to ensure compliance with outside regulatory, legal requirements and internal policies and bylaws,  a move that comes after many people questioned and criticized the boards decision to give itself power to hire and fire anyone at the university.

The board has since repealed the power to approve the termination of any position, but its bylaws still permit regents to remove any professor, instructor, tutor, or other officer or employee when the best interests and proper operation of the institution requires it.

And the council will serve as external advisers to the university president and the chairman of the board on matters related to the universitys role in the community, which will include synergies with the business and philanthropic community on advancing the student needs of the University.

The regents Monday letter said they are already working to identify potential members of the new council.

TSUs board of regents first announced an investigation into improprieties in November. In January, they voted to place Lane on leave without public explanation, and voted for his termination in a 6-1 vote in February saying Lane had failed to notify them about fraudulent and dishonest activities in the law schools admissions process.

Ultimately, the board found no wrongdoing on Lanes part, according to a settlement reached weeks later. Under that agreement, Lane stepped down and the board paid him a lump sum of $560,000, plus unpaid benefits, bringing the total buyout to $879,000, Lane said.

A 17-page report by TSUs chief internal auditor obtained by the Houston Chronicle revealed that TSU awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships to poorly performing students in a scheme to boost enrollment, awarded ineligible students financial aid in order to receive substantial refunds to spend at their own discretion, and enriched a school official that went unnoticed for years.

The March 10 report still faulted Lane for failing to notify the auditor and TSUs board of regents about the problems in the admissions office, but Lane has maintained his stance, disputing the findings and emphasizing that his settlement agreement with TSU found no wrongdoing on his part.

On HoustonChronicle.com: TSU law school still out of compliance with admissions, bar association says

brittany.britto@chron.com
WASHINGTON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the coronavirus continues to spread and impact Americans throughout the country, lawmakers are cutting red tape and clearing the way for frontline providers, such as pharmacists, to be a greater resource to patients during these troubling times.

While the profession stands ready to help, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is prioritizing the health of the service provider and has issued the following statement:

Patients of America's pharmacists should have the full benefit of pharmacists' expertise in medication therapy and management of patient care services during a health crisis. Pharmacists with appropriate safeguards and protections are ready and able to serve the needs of their communities. Protecting pharmacists protects patients and their continued access to their pharmacists. As screening and testing, treatment and prevention procedures, and systems are developed, pharmacists and pharmacy staff must be afforded appropriate protections in order to ensure the safety of the pharmacist, the public and the family members of health care workers.

APhA is working on behalf of pharmacists and their patients with leaders and decision makers across the health care system to address the safety needs and concerns of pharmacists and pharmacy personnel as they serve the needs of patients and communities. We encourage pharmacy owners and managers to incorporate innovative procedures into their daily operations, such as delivery service, and drive-through and curb side pickup, access to protective gear and cleaning supplies, that will help protect staff and their patients. We ask that you share your successes with your peers and with us. Let's stop the spread of COVID-19 by spreading best practices among our colleagues! With appropriate safeguards and protections, having pharmacists on the front line of care will be invaluable.

For the latest information, check out APhA's coronavirus resource center.

About the American Pharmacists Association

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, is a 501 (c)(6) organization, representing 60,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA is dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care and is the first and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. For more information, please visit www.pharmacist.com.

SOURCE American Pharmacists Association

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured that all detained political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, would be released soon, PDP's Rajya Sabha member Nazir Ahmad Laway said.

Laway, who called on the prime minister at Parliament House, said he had a 20-minute meeting during which he apprised Modi about the latest situation in Jammu and Kashmir and requested him to release all detainees, including Omar, Mehbooba and former IAS officer Shah Faesal.

"I also requested (him) to release all those youths who are lodged in and out of the union territory," he said.

Laway said that he got the "assurance that all political detainees will be set free very soon".

He said that the development process, including political engagements, in the state will resume soon. "I also requested the prime minister for rolling out job opportunities for the youth," he said.

Many political leaders, including the former chief ministers, were detained by the government after the abrogation of special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5. After being kept in custody for six months, the JK administration had slapped the two chief ministers with the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on February 5 this year.

The government last week revoked the Public Safety Act against former chief minister and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah after keeping him in detention for 221 days.

The meeting comes days after a delegation of newly created Jammu and Kashmir 'Apni Party' led by its chief Altaf Bukhari had called on the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah.

During their meeting on Saturday, the Prime Minister had 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

According to Bukhari, the Home Minister during a meeting on Sunday, had assured that the remaining political prisoners in would be released "very soon".

The government had informed in Parliament last week that a total of 451 people are under detention in Jammu and Kashmir, including 396 slapped with the Public Safety Act.

Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy had said the Jammu and Kashmir authorities had taken 7,357 persons in preventive custody since August, 2019 when the special status of the erstwhile state was abrogated and it was divided into two Union Territories.

"Out of these, 451 such persons are presently under preventive detention, which includes 396 persons under Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA)," the minister had said.
Amazon will be prioritising essential products at its UK and US warehouses. (Getty)

Amazon (AMZN) is banning sellers from sending non-essential items to its UK and US warehouses until 5 April, according to Reuters.

The online marketplace told sellers that due to a surge in online shopping demand combined with household staples and medical supplies running out of stock, the company will prioritise specific goods in order to quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers.

The move comes as an attempt to create more inventory space for essential supplies that are in shortage as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Amazon will continue receiving five categories of essential products to its warehouses  Baby Product, Health & Household, Beauty & Personal Care, Grocery, Industrial & Scientific and Pet Supplies.

Amazon has also announced it will hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the US to handle the coronavirus related jump in sales.

The online retailer has said it will increase pay for its staff in the UK, US and Europe until the end of April.

Employees at Amazon's UK warehouses are being told to work overtime to tackle the huge demand, despite government advice to reduce social contact.

Read more: Amazon to increase staff pay in the UK, US, and Europe

The GMB union said that workers from at least four different UK warehouses were informed that they had to work compulsory overtime from Monday, according to the BBC.

Amazon employs 27,000 people across 17 warehouses in the UK.

More than half of the sales on Amazon are through third-party sellers.

Amazon was previously trying to persuade sellers to use its own fulfilment system, whereby sellers store their products in Amazon's warehouses to be picked, packed, and shipped by the company. Amazon charges a fee for managing the storage and delivery process.

This is is popular with many sellers who import products from manufacturers in other countries, including China, and directly send them to Amazon warehouses, helping them with faster delivery without having to store all their own stock.

Story continues

Sellers of non-essential products who use this system could see their items run out of stock at Amazon warehouses and they will not be to restock until the new rules are lifted.

However, sellers will still be able to trade through Amazon and send their products directly to consumers.

Read more: Coronavirus risks 'income crisis' for millions of self-employed workers

An Amazon spokesperson told the BBC: As demand continues to increase, we are working to ensure we can continue to deliver to the most-impacted customers while keeping our people safe.

Many of these customers have no other way to get essential items and we want to be sure that we have the right resources in place to deliver on their needs.

Starting this week, we'll be prioritising the intake and dispatch of items most needed by our customers right now. These are items such as food, health and personal care products, items needed to work from home, books and toys for children.

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ABC News

Former President Donald Trump, his sister Maryanne Trump Barry and the estate of his late brother Robert Trump tried on Tuesday to convince a New York judge to dismiss a lawsuit by Mary Trump that accused her family of swindling her out of at least $10 million. Attorneys for the Trump siblings argued Mary Trump's claims are time-barred by a six-year statute of limitations and prohibited by legal releases she signed in 2001 when the family settled the estate of Fred Trump Sr., the former president's father. The Trumps also argued Mary Trump possessed "boxes and boxes of information" about the estate settlement that should have given rise to any claims at the time.
The provincial governor says the move is designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus before workers return to their hometowns following the suspension of international flights

Egypt has ordered all tourism staff at resorts in the Red Sea governorate to be placed under quarantine until tests show they do not have the coronavirus, as part of broader government measures to combat the spread of the virus.

"All staff at tourist facilities are banned from leaving for 14 days starting today or from the date of the departure of the last tourist from the governorate, and should be placed under quarantine," read a decision issued on Monday by provincial Governor Amr Helmy.

The decision also bans the entry of domestic tourists for 14 days from the day of the departure of the last tourist.

The move is intended to ensure the safety of Egyptians and tourists and prevent the speared of the virus, as a flight suspension from Thursday till the end of the month will mean that staff members might choose to leave and return to their hometowns.

During the quarantine period, all tourism sites, hotels, restaurants and government offices in the governorate will be sanitised.

The decision also mandates hotels and other tourist facilities to perform periodic checkups for staff and report any symptomatic staff members.

Egypt now has 166 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including four deaths. The country reported earlier this month the first death of a 60-year-old German tourist who had travelled to Luxor before dying in a hospital in the Red Sea city of Hurghada.

Egypt's Red Sea governorate is home to a number of popular winter sun destinations like the capital Hurghada, Marsa Allam and Safaga.

Egypt has stepped up preventive measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, suspending air traffic at all its airports and announcing it would reduce the presence of public sector employees.

The country has also closed schools and universities for two weeks and allocated an EGP 100 billion fund to finance a "comprehensive" plan to stop the spread of the virus.

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A Queensland union has accused a federal government agency of offending nurses and placing them under even more stress while treating patients during the coronavirus outbreak.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) chair Lynette Cusack emailed nurses last week recognising they could be feeling anxious "in these challenging and uncertain circumstances."

The Nurses Professional Association of Queensland said nurses felt their registration was being threatened. Credit:Joe Armao

Ms Cusack said if their decision-making was questioned during the COVID-19 outbreak, the board would consider their working environment and "take account of any relevant information about resources, guidelines or protocols in place at the time".

The NMBA says it backs the nurses and midwives and the response to the email has been "overwhelmingly supportive".
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:

It can be unequivocally said that the possible cooperation of Serbia and Armenia in military sphere will negatively affect the international authority of official Belgrade, Ilyas Huseynov, political analyst at the Center for Social Researchs internal policy analysis department, political analyst told Trend.

The political analyst said that a few days ago, a delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, on invitation of the Belgrade, visited Serbia.

Referring to the information disseminated in the Armenian media, it can be concluded that issues of military cooperation with Serbia were also discussed during this visit. In particular, recently there has been a deepening of ties between the two countries. In the near future, the opening of the Serbian Embassy in Armenia and the abolition of the visa regime for Armenian citizens are expected. The signing of a trade agreement between Serbia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in October 2019 is also assessed as a factor leading to the development of relations between the two countries, Huseynov noted.

The expert said that another moment is connected with the speech of Ararat Mirzoyan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh during the meeting with the president of Serbia, adding that according to Mirzoyan, the right to self-determination is the only guarantor of ensuring the security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan's region, currently under occupation by Armenia).

Huseynov also added that before that, relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan in the political, economic, humanitarian field was being developed on an ascending line, noting that cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy has great prospects.

It is no coincidence that, along with interest in the Southern Gas Corridor, Serbia also intends to participate in the Trans Adriatic pipeline (TAP) project. In view of this, the increase in the intensity of interaction between Serbia and Armenia, as well as the organization of regular visits, do not quite correspond to the spirit of friendly relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan in the economic, in particular in the energy sphere. It can be said in advance that relations with Armenia will not give economic benefits to Belgrade. The intensity of cooperation between Serbia and Armenia is under close attention of the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, the political analyst said.
By Lee Seong-hyon





Many expected that the coronavirus epidemic, which started in China, would offer room for cooperation between the neighboring country and South Korea. On the contrary, the relationship has been disintegrating. The question is why.



During the early stages of the epidemic, the Korean Medical Association called on the government seven times to impose a comprehensive ban on travelers from China entering the country to prevent the possible onset of community spread of the virus in Korea, warning how the country was very vulnerable.



The government chose not to follow the medical expert community's advice. President Moon Jae-in said, "China's difficulties are our own difficulties." Some were shocked to hear such an expression from the leader of a democracy.



Furthermore, the "very Asian" expression, pregnant with sympathy, could be easily misunderstood when translated into English. A modern leader, mindful of sovereign dignity and independence, cannot easily afford to use such a deferential expression.



The Moon government apparently didn't mind. It immediately engaged in "mask diplomacy" with China.



Medical experts roundly believe the government should have taken early precautionary measures by implementing the advice from the Korean Medical Association. But it did not restrict masks from being sent to China, when South Koreans were having difficulty in acquiring them. Masks are still very difficult to purchase today.



As the number of infections skyrocketed in South Korea, other nations began to restrict South Korean nationals. Israel turned away the entry of South Korean travelers without prior notice. Seoul lodged a complaint against the Israeli measure. Mauritius rounded up 34 South Korean newly-weds who arrived there for their honeymoons and held them in isolation. Seoul protested the harsh measure.



Then, the Chinese city of Weihai began to restrict South Korean travelers and put them in quarantine. The Chinese city was the one that reached out for help to Korea's city of Incheon, asking for masks. The Korean side immediately sent 20,000 masks. The South Korean government didn't lodge a complaint about the ungrateful behavior by the Chinese.



Soon, more and more Chinese cities began to restrict South Koreans. In one of the worst cases of the Chinese quarantine, the door of a South Korean resident's apartment was nailed shut with wooden boards by Chinese people.



South Koreans felt betrayed by the Chinese measures when South Korea was among the first countries in the world who sent masks and medical supplies there. A South Korean journalist who previously served as a correspondent in Beijing, said: "Through the THAAD retaliation, I came to see the naked face of China. Through the Coronavirus epidemic, I confirmed my conviction. There are many people around me who feel the same way."



South Korean citizens were also enraged with the Moon administration's attitude with China. Many South Koreans felt that his government has been far too accommodating of, if not self-depreciating to, Beijing.



As the virus pandemic becomes more severe, Moon's pro-China tendency has been assailed by his conservative critics. Already, there are over 1.4 million South Korean citizens who have petitioned for President Moon's impeachment on the Cheong Wa Dae website. They criticized him Moon for working harder to please China rather than working hard to protect his own citizens first.



From a larger perspective, the Moon Jae-in administration has been unsuccessfully pursuing a "balancing strategy" between the U.S. and China, amid the two superpowers' deepening rivalry and competition for global leadership.



As China's economic importance and political influence increases with South Korea, Seoul wants to moderate its dependence on Washington by inching closer toward the Chinese side. Moon also seems to believe that China will play an indispensable role in resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis, particularly at a time when U.S.-North Korea negotiations are in a stalemate. Meanwhile, Washington has been increasingly raising eyebrows at Moon's "pro-China" tendency.



Unfortunately, China is not reciprocating very much. Beijing has been taking its time to have President Xi Jinping visit South Korea. Since Moon's inauguration, Xi has yet to visit Seoul.



Moon's balancing strategy between the U.S. and China, the sitting power and the rising power, has been precarious and bumpy. So far, South Korea has not been successful in taking advantage of the U.S.-China rivalry. In theory, Seoul should have been wooed by both Washington and Beijing. That is not happening, at least visibly.





Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute.


She's adjusting to life as a new mother after welcoming her first child two weeks ago.

And Lydia Bright has now revealed why she decided to name her baby girl Loretta Rose, sharing a moving tribute to her grandparents.

The 29-year-old former TOWIE star explained that her late grandfather Romano hailed from Loreto, Italy, while her grandmother is called Maureen Rose.

Speaking out: Lydia Bright has now revealed why she decided to name her baby girl Loretta Rose, sharing a moving tribute to her grandparents

Lydia uploaded a black and white picture of her grandparents on their wedding day, emerging from the church hand-in-hand.

The TV personality captioned the image: 'Romano Croia from Loreto, Italy and Maureen Rose from Ireland. My favourite people in the world, my grandparents on their wedding day.

'Growing up I loved nothing more than being with these two. So I wanted to name my first born with them in mind, Loretta Rose.

'I wish my granddad was still alive to meet his great granddaughter he would be the same as my Nan, absolutely obsessed.'

Honouring her grandparents: The 29-year-old former TOWIE star explained that her late grandfather Romano hailed from Loreto, Italy, while her grandmother is called Maureen Rose

Her fans were quick to express their thoughts on her post, enthusing what a wonderful way it was to remember her late grandfather.

One posted, 'Love it when theres some history tied to a name. Wishing Loretta Rose a long, happy & healthy life filled with live & happiness'.

Another shared, 'What a lovely way to honour your grandparents', while a third commented, 'Beautiful tribute, Lydia you have got your grandma smile (sic)'.

Lydia recently admitted the birth wasn't all plain sailing after she 'freaked out' when she went into early labour.

Reaction: Her fans were quick to comment on the post, enthusing how lovely her tribute was

She uploaded the picture alongside a caption that read: 'Everyone including myself thought I was going over my due date.

'So when I went into labour early I freaked out as I hadn't completed the long list of 'things to do' on my phone.

'Contractual work still outstanding, my home renovation still not finished, shoot days in the diary.

'Since Loretta has arrived life has been pretty crazy trying to juggle the list, as well as all the guests and trying to be the best mum I can be.

Newborn: Lydia admitted that 'since Loretta has arrived life has been pretty crazy trying to juggle the list, as well as all the guests and trying to be the best mum I can be'

'But today I have switched off, shut the door and it's been just me and my baby in our brand new bed.'

Lydia recently told HELLO! magazine that Loretta is a 'dream child' and that she is 'still on a massive high' after giving birth.

'I'm not even struggling with the sleep!' she said. 'I'm loving the night feeds.

'That's my favourite time. I sit there breastfeeding and I just stare at her. I definitely feel like I've been blessed with a dream child.'

Lydia also revealed she is working on rekindling her relationship with car garage owner Lee Cronin, who she had dated for two years prior to splitting shortly after she fell pregnant.
There are now 183,000 cases of the coronavirus in 162 countries and territories worldwide, meaning that the number of active COVID-19 cases now exceeds the number of recovered patients. This includes more than 600 new deaths, bringing the total toll to over 7,200. The cases outside of China, which is now relatively stable, have now exceeded those within, as Europe has emerged as the new epicenter of the global pandemic with the United States not far behind. Emergency measures across entire nations are now commonplace as the virus shows little signs of being contained.

Travelers wearing protective masks arrive to the main bus station in Bogota, Colombia, March 13, 2020 [Credit: AP Photo/Fernando Vergara]

France, Italy, Spain and Germany are under lockdown, a condition now affecting more than 250 million across Europe. Those four countries alone are collectively dealing with upwards of 52,000 cases, of which 2,663 have resulted in deaths. Fifty-seven countries on every inhabited continent have some form of travel restriction, many of them directed against Europe or the United States, in an attempt to stem the pandemic that is accelerating across the globe.

In the United States, California, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania have all issued orders to close schools, restaurants and/or bars. The 6.7 million people living in the six counties including and surrounding San Francisco are now under a shelter in place order for the next three weeks, which will be enforced by local police to ensure compliance. New Jersey residents are now being strongly discouraged from leaving their homes after 8:00 p.m., which will be enforced by the states contingent of the National Guard.

These bans are in addition to a nationwide directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Monday recommending against any gathering of more than 10 people.

As the World Health Organization (WHO) noted, however, such actions in and of themselves are insufficient to stop the spread of the disease. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday that governments were not doing enough to combat the pandemic and urged them to step up their testing programs.

[W]e have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracingwhich is the backbone of the response.  You cant fight a fire blindfolded and we cant stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected, he said at a news conference in Geneva. We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.

The organization has also repeatedly stressed that the magnitude of the pandemic does not mean countries should give up. The idea that countries should shift from containment to mitigation is wrong and dangerous.  This is a controllable pandemic. Countries that decide to give up on fundamental public health measures may end up with a larger problem, and a heavier burden on the health system that requires more severe measures to control.

Nowhere can this breakdown of a public health system be seen more clearly than in the United States, where the Trump administration is only this week beginning to roll out mass, nationwide coronavirus testing. On Monday, during the administrations now daily coronavirus press briefing, US President Donald Trump tried to excuse the lack of testing in the country by claiming, We have an invisible enemy. We have a problem where a month ago no one even thought about.

This is a bald-faced lie. Based on the highly contagious and deadly nature of the virus, the WHO designated the virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 31, the day that officials confirmed human-to-human transmission in the US. By mid-February, South Korea was able to test 10,000 individuals per day while keeping hospitals and clinics supplied and staffed to receive and isolate any individual who tested positive. Italy, where the health system has become largely overwhelmed by more than 28,000 cases, has still been able to perform at least 60,000 coronavirus tests. The US, by contrast, has so far done less than half of that number.

Instead, the Trump administration has opened the spigot of the Federal Reserve and provided $2.2 trillion to the financial sector in an attempt to bolster the stock market. This sum, compared to the resources asked for by the World Health Organization, could provide enough masks, gowns, ventilators and other critical medical supplies to contain the pandemic 3,000 times over.

At the same time, Trump has tweeted, I ask all Americans to band together and support your neighbors by not hoarding unnecessary amounts of food and essentials.

In response to these words, a worker from West Virginia, who is pregnant and has to visit a potentially infected hospital twice a week, wrote to the WSWS: These dipshits caused this panic through their criminal misinformation, response delay, and ransacking of our public health infrastructure. And now they have the gall to point at the scared person who bought extra toilet paper as if theyre the problem.

Moreover, such resources could have stopped the coronavirus from becoming a pandemic in the first place. Comprehensive testing and isolation could have been done to people infected inside and outside of China, in addition to providing the necessary medical care to allow them to recover. It would have also been more than enough to compensate those people who lost wages while they were out sick. And COVID-19 would have been remembered as a dangerous but ultimately contained disease.

Instead, it has become the policy of governments in North America and Europe that millions will become infected and die. The CDC estimates that up to 216 million people in the United States alone will contract the virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, bluntly stated that its possible that hundreds of thousands or millions of people will die as a result.

This has been echoed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who announced last week that she expects 70 percent of the German population to get the virus. The government of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that the best solution to combat the virus is to gain herd immunity by potentially getting up to 80 percent of the population infected.

These statements are a prescription for mass manslaughter. As the example of Italy makes clear, the health care systems of even the supposedly first-world countries essentially disintegrate with only a few tens of thousands of cases, at which the mortality rates for the virus become about 5 percent because of the lack of critical medical supplies. The governments of the United States, Germany and Britain are suggesting that the only way to defeat the pandemic is for 10 million to 15 million people to die.
Panic gripped the Maharashtra



secretariat in south Mumbai on Tuesday amid rumours that a senior official has tested positive to novel coronavirus infection, prompting authorities to launch a sanitisation drive in the seven-storey building.

Speaking to PTI, an official said that relatives of the senior official had tested positive for novel coronavirus infection.

As the concerned official has gone on leave, a sanitisation exercise has been launched in the building as a precautionary measure, he said.

He, however, clarified that the concerned official has tested negative to novel coronavirus.

"The Public Works Department which looks after the seven-story Mantralaya has undertaken the sanitisation drive. Directives have been given to clean the places such as railings of staircases, escalators and handles of the chairs placed outside every department on every floor," he said.

The official said sanitisers have been made available for employees and directions being issues for maintenance of personal hygiene.

Amid steady rise of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the state government has already restricted the entry of visitors at the the Mantralaya.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As COVID-19 cases are reported in Afghanistan concerns are raised if countrys healthcare system can handle an outbreak.

Kabul, Afghanistan  With 22 verified cases so far, Afghanistan is still among the countries with a relatively low rate of coronavirus cases. However, the outbreak of the illness comes at a particularly trying time for the country.

The recent rise in positive cases  six new cases across three provinces in a 48-hour span  has taken some attention from a continuing election dispute that saw the top two finishers each hold an inauguration ceremony last week.

The coronavirus scare has also eclipsed the potential negotiations between the Taliban armed group and a divided Afghan leadership in media headlines.

Last month, the United States signed an agreement with the Taliban aimed at ending the 18-year-old war that has ravaged the impoverished country. As per the agreement, the Taliban and the Afghan leadership are expected to hold talks for lasting peace.

However, all this attention is also raising questions about the ability of the Kabul government to properly enforce measures for risk reduction and ensure that the nations 32 million people are able to obtain medical supplies and basic goods.

In an effort to raise awareness, President Ashraf Ghani was recently photographed heading a meeting where everyone, including the president, was wearing masks and gloves.

Last week, a coalition of private doctors held a meeting in Kabul to discuss how best to address the corona scare in the country, and the talk immediately turned to the shortfalls in Afghanistans healthcare system.

Kabul pharmacies sell several varieties of protective masks at price points that vary from a less than a dollar to several dollars each [Roya Heydari/Al Jazeera]

A doctor or a nurse may be able to buy some hand sanitiser and gloves for their homes, but we have hospitals in Kabul that dont have clean water for doctors to wash their hands, said Najmusama Shefajo, an obstetrician-gynaecologist who attended the gathering.

Shefajo says that if doctors lack the supplies to guarantee their own hygiene, it will be impossible for patients to place their trust in them.

Overcrowding health facilities

But it is not just clean water, Afghanistans health system has also had to deal with overcrowding at facilities that have struggled to treat the increasing number of civilians affected by the ongoing war.

Currently, there is only one hospital in the capital that can properly diagnose patients with the coronavirus. The hospital, located in West Kabul, can only treat 150 patients at a time.

The Western province of Herat, which shares a border with Iran, has 13 coronavirus cases in the country  the countrys biggest cluster of cases. And many of those who have tested positive for the virus have returned from Iran, which has been badly hit by the pandemic.

With reports of more than 800 deaths from the illness in Iran and another 184 positive cases in Pakistan, the Afghan people fear that with the daily flow of people and goods across the Durand Line, which divides Kabul and Islamabad and the Iranian border they are now surrounded by the illness.

Since the outbreak of the virus, there have been several reports of patients fleeing quarantine wards at hospitals in at least three different provinces.

The most recent case was earlier this week, when 38 patients, including those who tested positive for the virus, fled a hospital in Herat.

These escapes are seen as another challenge to the governments ability to properly address the fears around the illness.

Signs about the coronavirus, about prevention and efforts being taken by businesses, are becoming an increasingly common sight in Kabul [Roya Heydari/Al Jazeera]

A customs official told Al Jazeera that in the last week the government has prohibited the transportation of goods from the Islam Qala crossing between Afghanistan and Iran.

The Torkham crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan was also closed this week, stopping the transport of goods. Only Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan now allow for goods to be transported to and from Afghanistan.

According to the United Nations, so far in 2020, at least 64,000 Afghans have either been deported or returned voluntarily from Iran.

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At a news conference, the minister of Public Health said that all of the cases of coronavirus in the country are from people who came from another country.

We cant ban these people from entering their own country, but its very clear where the illness is coming from, said the customs official, who was not authorised to speak to the media.

Government measures

The government has started taking some measures to limit the possibility of exposure in the country.

Public and private schools have been ordered closed for at least one month, all large sporting events have been cancelled and weddings, which can attract more than 1,000 guests at a time, have also been banned.

Most importantly, the annual celebration of Newroz, the Persian New Year, which draws thousands of people to the Northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif each year, was called off.

At the Slice Cafe in central Kabul, workers say they have started wearing masks and gloves to protect ourselves and our customers [Roya Heydari/Al Jazeera]

These actions came after days of concern from Afghans online, who felt the government was not doing enough to warn people of the seriousness of the illness.

But Safi Shahrwand, an adviser to the Administrative Office of the President said though the government was working to address the issue, any action would require a collective effort.

Its not just up to the government, the people, private businesses and the media all need to play their own part in addressing this, Shahrwand told Al Jazeera.

In recent days, as the number of cases continued to grow in the country, the prices of basic goods, including pharmaceutical goods have spiked.

At Kabul pharmacies, bottles of hand sanitiser now cost between 400-500 Afghanis ($5.27-$6.59) compared to 100 Afghanis before the crisis.

Hamidullah Habibi, the President of the Afghanistan Builders Association, a collective of local construction companies, says he and his associates can afford to pay 400 Afghanis for a bottle of hand sanitiser that prior to the outbreak of corona cost 100 Afghanis ($1.31), but the average person has been priced out.

The people working on our construction sites could barely afford the hand sanitiser when it was 100 Afghanis, now that its 400, theres no way they can afford to buy enough for their entire families.

The shutting of borders with Iran and Pakistan  Kabuls main trading partners  has led to a rise in food prices.

In a bid to address price-gouging schemes, which has seen the price of wheat increase by 72 percent in a single 24-hour period, the Ministry of Interior has instructed police to take serious action against any price gougers.

Meanwhile, Shefajo, the obstetrician-gynaecologist, urged people to be responsible and adopt preventive measures.

Each person must do their part, the more people see others being responsible the more it will impact everyone else, she said.
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) ("PSH") today announced that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's Public Shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"):

Trading Venue: London Stock Exchange Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 17 March 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 39,244 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 1,394 pence 16.81 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 1,316 pence 15.87 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 1,352 pence 16.31 USD Ticker: PSHD Date of Purchase: 17 March 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 40,988 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 16.44 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 16.00 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 16.09 USD Trading Venue: Euronext Amsterdam Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 17 March 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 50,459 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 17.04 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 15.90 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 16.32 USD

PSH will hold these Public Shares in Treasury. The net asset value per Public Share related to this buyback is 27.70 USD 21.13 GBP which was calculated as of 9 March 2020 (the "Relevant NAV"). After giving effect to the above buyback, PSH has 202,113,112 Public Shares outstanding, or 207,812,613 Public Shares calculated on a fully diluted basis (assuming that all Management Shares had been converted into Public Shares at the Relevant NAV). Excluded from the shares outstanding are 8,843,638 Public Shares held in Treasury. The prices per Public Share were calculated by Jefferies.

The number of PSH Management Shares and the one special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) have not been affected.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

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This is one of those moments when its worth asking: What is an economy for?

It doesnt exist for the benefit of stock market participants, nor does it exist to fatten the coffers of corporations. Since at least the 1980s, the U.S. has equated economic health with a rising market and ever-increasing corporate profits. They are necessary ingredients for a healthy economy, but they are ultimately just a means to an end. The end is the welfare of the citizens. Economies exist to allow workers and their families to become more prosperous. Thats what too many Americans had forgotten. Until now.

The coronavirus is making a hash of the U.S. economy, just as it is in the rest of the world. Virtually every event that requires an audience has been cancelled: theatre, sports, conferences, even political rallies. The cruise-ship industry is in shambles. The International Air Transport Association estimates that the airline industry will lose US$63 billion to US$113 billion in worldwide revenue. Hundreds of universities have sent students home, a crushing blow to the surrounding stores and restaurants that depend on student traffic for their existence. Bars and restaurants have been ordered closed in many big cities. There are an almost unlimited number of other examples of economic activity either slowing drastically or coming to a halt.

But the coronavirus also seems to have awakened society to what truly matters. Yes, many headlines trumpet the markets scary crash, but I dont hear people obsessing about it the way they did after the dot-com bubble burst or Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008. For once, shareholder value is a secondary concern. And much to my surprise, corporations have not responded to the downturn the way they normally do during hard times: with rounds of layoffs. They seem to understand that the most important thing they can do to help the country get through the crisis is to keep putting money into the pockets of their employees  even if they dont have much to do.

Thus, hard-hit airline companies, while instituting hiring freezes  and asking for a bailout  have continued to pay employees. Microsoft and other big tech companies have vowed to keep paying vendors that employ the workers who clean their offices and supply their cafeterias. The Walt Disney Co. is keeping its theme park employees on the payroll. On Friday, USA Today reported that U.S. companies have cut 893 jobs because of the coronavirus. That is a remarkably small number.

Chief executive officers are thinking about making sure they come out of this with a good reputation, Lloyd Blankfein, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., told the Wall Street Journal. You want to be perceived as someone who does the right thing.

Blankfein went on to say that companies whose survival is threatened by the virus might ultimately have no choice but to resort to layoffs. But for most big companies in the U.S., thats not an issue. Theyve booked tremendous profits over the past decade; who cares if they use some of it  or their credit lines, as the Boeing Co. recently did  to keep people employed?

(Heres a thought: how about if the Securities and Exchange Commission cancels the April quarterly earnings season? The numbers will be so aberrational as to be completely meaningless.)

Thats the good news. The bad news is that there are an enormous number of low-wage, part-time workers in the country. Daniel Alpert, the founding partner of Westwood Capital LLC and a columnist with Business Insider, calculates that they number more than 31.5 million, making up 30 per cent of the workforce.

It stands to reason that many workers in these positions will be laid off for as long as potential customers quarantine, or will be unable to work if they themselves get sick, Alpert wrote recently. Even if they are not laid off, their hours will undoubtedly be reduced, making their hand-to-mouth existence even more precarious.

Alpert concludes that the low quality of most of the jobs created in the U.S. since the post-recession years screams out for far greater government involvement and proactivity.

Which raises the second piece of bad news: Even as many big corporations have stepped up, the institution with the greatest resources, the federal government has not. President Donald Trump has talked about seeking bailouts for the cruise-ship industry, the airlines and the hotel industry, among others. But when congressional Democrats wrote a bill aimed at helping citizens, Trump denounced it, saying that it was full of goodies that they havent been able to get for 25 years.

Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was able to get the White House to sign on to a compromise bill, it includes an incredible demand made by the Republicans. Only companies with 500 or fewer employees  that is, companies without much political influence  would be required to give their workers paid sick leave. All the big U.S. companies, which collectively employ 54 per cent of workers but do have political clout, would be exempt. This is terrible public policy. But it is typical of the administrations callous attitude toward its citizens.

There was one recent moment that crystalized this attitude: the Katie Porter moment last Wednesday. You may have seen it on Twitter.

Porter, a freshman Democrat from Orange County, Calif., is a former law professor who has quickly gained a reputation as a fierce questioner of administration witnesses. During a congressional hearing, she first grilled Robert Kadlec, an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, about how much a coronavirus test was likely to cost. She knew the answer better than he did: a minimum of US$1,331.

Then she turned her attention to Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asking him whether he knew what was in 42 CFR 71.30 the code of federal regulations that applies to the CDC, she explained. After Redfield stumbled around a bit, she told him that it gave the agency the authority to make coronavirus testing free for all Americans. She asked him if he would commit to doing so.

Unbelievably, he hedged. She asked again. He hedged again. She showed him a letter she and other representatives had sent asking this question, which he had never responded to. And still he hedged!

Our intent is to make sure that every American gets the care and treatment they need at this time for this major epidemic, he said  still avoiding the question of how it would be paid for. Finally, he said yes, though it was clear he felt hed been badgered into it. In truth, we wont really know the answer until widespread testing becomes available. Im not hopeful.

As Ive mentioned before, the great failing of the governments response to the financial crisis is that it put the needs of companies over the needs of people. So far, at least, the tragedy of this economic crisis is that while companies seem to have learned that lesson, the Trump administration hasnt. Thats unlikely to change anytime soon.
A doctor says he's "terrified of getting other patients sick because of the lack of protective gear. (Getty Images)

A doctor at a major UK hospital who is treating coronavirus patients says he is "terrified" and can't bear the thought of giving his patients a disease that could cause them to die.

In a message read out on Monday by Jeremy Hunt at the health and social care select committee, a doctor said that they were told not to bother with protective equipment, contradicting World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

The committee, which hears evidence from the main government players on Home Office preparedness for the coronavirus (Covid-19), was speaking to the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

Former Conservative health minister Jeremy Hunt, who's chairing the committee, read out the message from the unidentified doctor.

"I just wanted to read you a comment from one doctor who is currently treating patients with coronavirus in a major UK hospital and he says one week ago I was wearing full protective equipment, now we've been told not to bother with any of that, contradicting WHO guidance.

"I'm terrified. I can't bear the thought of infecting other patients with a disease that could kill them."

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Boris Johnson holds a press conference on the ongoing Covid-19 situation with chief medical officer Chris Whitty, left, and chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance, right. (Getty Images)

Jeremy Hunt chairs the health and social care select committee. (Getty Images)

Sir Patrick Vallance is the government's chief scientific officer (PA)

Read more: Who are Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance?

"Obviously staff can't look after patients if they themselves are ill and a lot of them are worried about the lack of protective clothing, protective equipment," Hunt said.

He then asked in Sir Valance's capacity as a former NHS consultant, and not just chief scientific advisor, what his reaction to this message given the the government want to bring down mortality rates.

Sir Vallance replied saying that supplies are down to the NHS.

A sign directs patients towards an NHS 111 coronavirus pod at London University Hospital. (Getty Images)

Read more: The country with no confirmed coronavirus cases that's just shut its schools

"I think that is a question that really needs to go to the NHS and think about how they organise a response to this.

Story continues

"I think we need to get the proportionality right of where we need protective clothing and where we don't because one of the things is that if we go to the wrong place in protective equipment we could hamper all sorts of other healthcare."

In early March, the WHO called on industry and governments to increase manufacturing by 40% to meet rising global demand.

The WHO warned against the mounting disruption to supply of personal protective equipment caused by rising demand because of panic buying and misuse.

Shortages are leaving doctors, nurses and other frontline workers dangerously ill-equipped to care for Covid-19 patients, due to limited access to supplies such as gloves, medical masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons.

A man in protective clothing cleans the County Oak Medical Centre GP practice in Brighton (PA Images)

Without secure supply chains, the risk to healthcare workers around the world is real. Industry and governments must act quickly to boost supply, ease export restrictions and put measures in place to stop speculation and hoarding, said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

We cant stop Covid-19 without protecting health workers first.
The precipitous drop in port volumes at the North American coastal ports is packing a one-two punch for the North American international intermodal sector.

The escalation of canceled sailings is resulting in a significant pile-up of containers at the ports because there haven't been enough vessels available to pick up the containers. Meanwhile, the drop in port volumes is creating a shortage in container availability for export shippers.

"There is an empty container crunch that is limiting the ability of shippers to export their products," said Noel Hacegaba, deputy executive director and chief operating officer for the Port of Long Beach in California.

"On the other hand, the escalation of blank sailings is also resulting in thousands of empty containers piling up in our port," Hacegaba said. He added that the port has partnered with shipping lines to bring empty loaders  as large as 23,000 TEU vessels  to evacuate empty containers from Long Beach and reposition them to Asia.

Long Beach calculates that the number of blank sailings for the first quarter as of last week was 61, nearly double the number the port sees in a typical year, while imports were down 18% in February.

"International intermodal volume from the West Coast ports is the segment to watch for impact from the coronavirus. We have seen a tremendous impact on international intermodal volumes outbound from the ports in Southern California, which are largely tied to imported goods from China," said Mike Baudendistel, FreightWaves market expert for rail, intermodal and equipment.

The latest data point in SONAR shows 40-foot loaded containers at the Port of Los Angeles (ORAIL40L.LAX) starting to recover after a dip in early March. Source: SONAR

Even U.S. East Coast ports, which have been more resilient to the drop in volumes from China as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and the extended factory closures, have seen port volumes fall significantly.

Story continues

West Coast "ports have been more dramatically impacted by the cancelled sailings from China, but carriers have cancelled sailing to the U.S. [East Coast] and Gulf ports as well, creating some shortage of ship space to carry our agricultural and forest products exports out of those ports," said Peter Friedmann, executive director for the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. He added that the impacts on the East and Gulf Coast ports haven't been as dramatic as those seen on the West Coast.

While empties are piling up at the ports, with some terminals refusing to even take additional empties, according to sources, some export shippers are having a hard time finding empty intermodal containers.

For instance, export shippers in the Midwest are seeing a shortage of refrigerated containers for protein such as meat, pork and dairy, Friedmann said. Some of those shippers have resorted to securing empty reefer containers from New York and New Jersey and repositioning them to the Midwest, according to Friedmann.

"On the coast, the problem is not that they can't get empty containers, it[s that they have nowhere to return them. Until China's production of consumer goods for the U.S. market is fully back to pre-COVID [coronavirus] levels, we won't have the inbound ships delivering those consumer goods, and able to carry back to China the stockpiles of containers  both those that are empty, and those containing agriculture and forest products exports," Friedmann said.

A volume comparison of inbound loaded (IRAIL40L.USA) and empty (IRAIL40E.USA) 40-foot containers and outbound loaded (ORAIL40L.USA) and empty 40-foot containers (ORAIL40E.USA) in the U.S. Empty inbound and outbound container volumes are down 27% and 35%, respectively, from the start of the year. Source: SONAR

In Canada, the blank sailings to the western ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, coupled with recent rail disruptions related to protests over a fracked gas pipeline in British Columbia, have sharply reduced container availability for some shippers, according to Greg Northey, vice president of corporate affairs for Pulse Canada.

The high number of blank sailings in 2020 has resulted in "an unprecedented amount of lost capacity," Northey said. It "means there are fewer empty containers for our sector to use to export and [it] also means that when there are containers to fill, they are sitting loaded for days and weeks as there are fewer ships to take them overseas," Northey said.

The pulse sector uses transloaders in Vancouver to transfer pulses moved in hopper cars into containers, Northey explained. But transloaders are overwhelmed, with approximately 3,000 loaded containers on their properties in Vancouver, and as a result, there is no shipping capacity available and there is no space left to store them, he said.

"For the pulse sector, the continuing collapse of global container supply chains as a result of COVID-19 is crippling our industry and likely other containerized supply chains, and there is little hope that it will get better any time soon," Northey said.

A volume comparison of inbound loaded (IRAIL40L.CAN) and empty (IRAIL40E.CAN) 40-foot containers and outbound loaded (ORAIL40L.CAN) and empty (ORAIL40E.CAN) 40-foot containers in Canada. Outbound empty and loaded container volumes are down 32% and 40%, respectively, from the start of the year. Source: SONAR

Meanwhile, overall intermodal volumes in the U.S. and Canada fell on a weekly basis last week, and those declines could appear in future weeks as lower port volumes and decreased Chinese manufacturing output related to the coronavirus outbreak in China make their way through the North American supply chain.

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

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Pressure is mounting on ministers to close all schools after many parents removed their children from classrooms in Northern Ireland over coronavirus fears.

Pressure is mounting on ministers to close all schools after many parents removed their children from classrooms in Northern Ireland over coronavirus fears.

It comes as a student at a Belfast school tested positive for Covid-19. St Dominic's Grammar School has shut its doors while a deep clean is undertaken after a pupil was confirmed to have the virus.

However, across Northern Ireland confusion and frustration reigns among school principals and parents.

St Dominic's principal Carol McCann said on the school's social media she was awaiting guidance from the Department of Education, the Education Authority and examining boards - but advised pupils not to attend the college for the rest of this week at least.

On Saturday, First Minister Arlene Foster said schools in Northern Ireland will close at some time in the near future and when they do it will be for 16 weeks.

Education Minister Peter Weir said yesterday that while he recognised "the concerns of schools and parents", he has yet to set a closing date for schools in Northern Ireland.

This has led to many schools using the planned closure this week for St Patrick's Day to prepare their students for remote learning, with one Londonderry head teacher saying the politicians left him with no choice but to take "appropriate action".

Michael Allen, principal of Lisneal College in the Waterside area of Derry, said the situation he and other school head teachers are in "is like no other" ever experienced.

He said: "There is great uncertainty and speculation in regard to appropriate actions needed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Indeed, it is evident that our political leadership cannot even agree on the best way forward.

"Our First Minister stated that schools will close and that the period of closure would last longer than 16 weeks.

"I was taken aback by the statement and it became apparent to me that schools must be afforded time to prepare access to online resources so that pupils can access learning and teaching provision from home."

Like many school heads, Mr Allen is using these days of planned closure for St Patrick's Day to prepare remote learning for his pupils.

"The current situation we face is like no other I have seen in my lifetime. At this point I do not know if pupils or staff will be able to access our campus. I do not know if lessons to prepare students for GCSEs and A-Level examination/assessments will be allowed to go ahead and I do not know if public transport will be available for pupils to travel to school," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Weir said his department has set up a Covid-19 planning group "to co-ordinate efforts across the education sector" and issued new guidelines to schools.

In addition to the well-cited guidelines of sending children and staff home if they display symptoms, Mr Weir said young children should be supervised to make sure they wash their hands for 20 seconds.

He added: "I want to make clear that any decision to close schools and other educational settings will be backed up by expert, clear and unambiguous advice and guidance provided to me by the Chief Medical Officer, the Public Health Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:13:38|Editor: xuxin

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DAR ES SALAAM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 3,500 houses and 6,600 hectares of farms have been swept away by flash floods in one week caused by ongoing rains in Tanzania's Rufiji district in the Coast Region, an official said on Tuesday.

Evarist Ndikilo, the Coast regional commissioner, said hundreds of affected residents were being accommodated in shelters and public places such as schools.

Ndikilo said the coast region defense and security committee headed by himself visited the affected areas and held talks with the victims.

"Most of the residents in the district are worried by an impending food shortage to be caused by the devastation of their farms," said Ndikilo.

He mentioned mostly affected villages as Muhoro, Shela, Ikwiriri, Umwe and Chumbi, adding that none of the residents in affected villages were killed or injured by the floods.

Ndikilo said regional authorities were making arrangements to allocate the victims with new plots at an area owned by the state-run Tanzania Forest Services Agency.

Ongoing heavy rains in Tanzania have killed more than 40 people, destroyed over 1,750 houses and displaced over 15,000 people.
(TNS)  The Trump administration wants lawmakers to pass an $850 billion-plus stimulus package to help cope with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior administration official confirmed Tuesday.The measure would include more than $500 billion in general stimulus, a congressional aide said, or direct tax cuts for households, which could take the form of payroll tax cuts or some other mechanism. An additional $200 billion would be for expanded loans to small businesses, plus some $50 billion in aid to the cash-strapped airline industry.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plans to discuss the proposal Tuesday at Senate Republicans weekly policy lunch. Both the administration official and congressional aide spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that havent been made public yet.President Donald Trump has been seeking a payroll tax holiday through the end of the year. Various iterations have been discussed, ranging from total elimination of the 6.2% tax paid by workers and employers, at a roughly $800 billion cost, to smaller cuts in just the workers share of the tax.That holiday would be through the end of the year, and Im reluctant to price it out. It wont be less than $400 billion, White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Monday. Theres always bickering about cost.Democrats have said a payroll tax holiday would be poorly targeted, deliver bigger tax cuts to higher-income workers and leave out retirees, tipped workers and those who are unemployed.Another option promoted by some Democratic economists as well as by Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, is a $1,000 tax rebate to all Americans. Mnuchin has said the administration would consider alternate forms of tax relief.The president wants to get economic relief to the right people. The payroll tax is one way of doing it, and he likes that, Mnuchin told Fox News Chris Wallace on Sunday. The president is also willing to consider refundable tax credits, which in essence are another way of getting money to people. That has certain advantages of we can inject money really quickly.Meanwhile, the airline industry has been bleeding cash at a rapid clip due to canceled bookings. United Airlines, for example, announced it would take a $1.5 billion revenue hit this month compared to the same time last year.The main trade group for U.S. airlines on Monday released a wish list consisting of over $60 billion in cash grants, loans and tax relief for passenger and cargo carriers, dwarfing the $15 billion airline bailout enacted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.As part of the administration request, the Department of Veterans Affairs wants $16.6 billion in supplemental appropriations, which would be used for medical care and infrastructure changes in anticipation of a potential 20% increase in patient care related to COVID-19, congressional aides said.Combined, such a package would be larger than the 2009 stimulus package, which at the time the Congressional Budget Office estimated would cost $787 billion, not counting interest payments on the debt.Mnuchin also said he plans to discuss the smaller economic aid package passed by the House early Saturday morning and then revised Monday night with, among other changes, expanded tax credits for small businesses that would be required to offer paid leave. The Joint Committee on Taxation said those tax credits would offset about $105 billion in wages that otherwise wouldnt be paid.But a broad coalition of business groups wrote to Senate leaders Monday arguing instead for direct government aid to workers forced to stay home due to illness or to care for family members. They said some companies wont be able to stay afloat if they have to pay workers for up to 12 weeks of leave, even at reduced pay and with tax credits to defray the cost.Critics also say the bills exemption for companies with 500 or more employees will give huge corporations a pass from the requirement and leave millions of workers without paid leave. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Monday the House bill couldnt pass the Senate as currently drafted, though that was before changes were unveiled late Monday.It was possible the two packages  the smaller bill and the much larger measure currently under discussion  could be combined into one and sent back to the House. Democratic leaders in that chamber told the rank-and-file Monday that they wont come back from recess until a bigger coronavirus aid bill is ready for consideration.A Senate GOP aide said Republicans would discuss whether to try to pass one giant bill or keep them separate at lunch Tuesday with Mnuchin.On the floor Tuesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said his chamber wont recess until it passes a broader stimulus package.Its my intention that the Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm, McConnell said.McConnell said Senate Republicans will continue working with the White House to provide direct assistance to American workers and families, take steps to ensure the nations economic foundation, especially small businesses, and continue providing aid to medical professionals.Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., has outlined what he says is much as $750 billion in economic assistance, but more targeted at government programs and cash assistance to households rather than tax cuts. Speaking on the floor Tuesday morning, he sought to discourage Republicans from amending the House-passed coronavirus package.If we change the bill, it will go back to the House, be delayed and delay the aid it contains for American families coping with the impact of the virus, Schumer said. We will have other opportunities to legislate. And there will be a great need for them, but lets move this now.
A JOINT statement by Limerick City's four TDs has said that the Covid-19 pandemic could be "one of the most difficult crises that Limerick has ever seen".

The unprecedented joint statement was sent by TDs Brian Leddin, Maurice Quinlivan, Willie O'Dea, and Kieran O'Donnell this Tuesday evening, in response to the exponential increase of the disease spreading across the country.

There are now 292 cases of the disease in Ireland, following a major increase of 69 patients in the past 24 hours, the highest daily increase to date.

And in a rare moment in Limerick's political history, the four newly-elected TDs have issued a joint statement in an urgent bid to appeal to the public to adhere to the Government's advice and to help stop the spread of the disease.

"Our collective response to Covid-19 as a community will contribute to reducing the impact.

"We will save lives if we follow the advice of the health professionals and practice social distancing. This means staying apart from people: avoiding social contact where possible, and where unavoidable, keeping two metres or just over 6 feet apart. We also need to wash our hands regularly for 20 seconds. Our health professionals are prepared to work around the clock. We need to assist them by slowing the spread of the virus," they stated.

The TDs (comprising Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Green Party) added: "Despite the measures taken by us all in Limerick to date  the Covid-19 crisis will get worse before it gets better. Our response as a community will determine the impact. As politicians we have been in touch with many of you over the last few weeks. We understand that many of you are concerned and worried for yourselves and for your loved ones."

They said that the public has "a duty of care towards the most vulnerable in our community. This could be one of the most difficult crises that Limerick has ever seen. If we work together we can and will get through it.

"We commend the nurses, doctors, ambulance service members and all the staff working in our health service who are dealing with an unprecedented challenge. Thank you for your selfless service at this extraordinary time."

There have been two fatalities directly linked to Covid-19 since the first case arrived in Ireland in late February.

At 8pm, the Limerick Leader will launch an interactive map that will connect volunteers and those self-isolating.
ONGC rose 1.08% to Rs 60.80 after the company's board approved an interim dividend of Rs 5 per shares at the meeting held on Monday, 16 March 2020.

The record date for the said dividend is 24 March 2020, the company said in an exchange filing made after market hours yesterday.

At the current market price of Rs 60.80 per share, the ONGC stock offers a dividend yield of 8.22%.

ONGC stated that during the last few days due to sudden and sharp decline in crude oil prices, the share prices of oil sector entities have witnessed a lot of volatility, and particularly the share prices of the upstream companies have been hit hard. In addition, due to failure of talks of OPEC+ to arrive at an agreement on production cut, oil prices declined drastically. Key oil producers have since adopted a strategy of Fight to Finish and have besides announcing increase in production, have also /offered huge discounts to Asian Markets making capturing of markets as key priority at this juncture.

All these major developments bring in some uncertainty for oil and gas sector and specifically for oil and gas producing companies. While the decline in oil prices has affected the offtake of the exporting upstream companies, the companies operating in net importing countries like India have no such issues relating to offtake. Global oil markets are regulated by fundamentals and the prices cannot sustain at such levels for long, as being witnessed today.

Outbreak of Corona virus and its declaration as a pandemic by the UN has exacerbated the demand side and it is apprehended that for the first time over the last two decades oil demand may in fact go down in absolute terms. It is very difficult to separately identify the extent to which the oil price decline is attributable to either of these factors.

ONGC said it is of firm belief that notwithstanding the recent developments and decline in the crude prices, the right level of prices at which the industry can operate and some sort of equilibrium can be achieved will restore sooner than later. Historically, in previous instances of sudden oil prices decline, the recoveries have also been sharp and in some cases 'V' shaped.

Given the present situation, it may be stated that ONGC has performed satisfactorily on production as well as on profitability front. The company has sufficient funds to continue its operations. The decline in crude prices has additionally created a need for ONGC to carry out detailed review of activities to look for opportunities to optimize operating costs to preserve liquidity. The company has already started taking steps to create a detailed strategy to get over this situation if the crisis prolongs.

The firm also believes that the time is also right for certain policy measures which are understood to be at different levels of consideration in the government to move further. If some of the measures are taken at this critical juncture, will address long pending issues being faced by upstream companies and will help domestic companies to contribute towards reducing import dependency in the long term.

As regards ONGC, as a group it is fully balanced across the value chain i.e. upstream, refining and marketing and is better positioned to face any headwinds. It is felt that while at upstream level, lower oil prices are temporary headwinds, as a Group, in medium term the company will get strong boost through contribution from downstream units. ONGC Group fundamentals continue to be strong and as an integrated group it is far more strongly positioned to face present situation.

ONGC board deliberated on these matters in its meeting held on 16 March 2020. The board emphasized on need for close look at emerging scenario and advised to adopt a balanced approach towards capital spending, the company added.

ONGC is engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. As of 31 December 2019, the Government of India held 62.78% stake in the company.

On a consolidated basis, the oil miner's net profit slumped 43.7% to Rs 5,383.80 crore on 6.7% decline in net sales to Rs 1,09,443.39 crore in Q3 FY20 over Q3 FY19.

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telent awarded maintenance contract for new Elizabeth line through central London

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

London, U.K., 17 March 2020 ? telent, a leading UK technology and network services company, has been awarded a contract to support and maintain CCTV for the Elizabeth line, the new railway line that will service London and the South East to increase rail capacity in the city.

telent has been maintaining the system since May 2017 when the eastern section of the line from Liverpool Street to Shenfield opened. This new contract has been awarded by Transport for London (TfL).

?This contract is important to us and demonstrates our successful and longstanding commercial partnership with TfL,? said Reg Cook, Director of Asset Management at telent. ?We look forward to continuing to play a key role in the development of TfL?s transport network and in the running of this new line.?

telent will support the Driver Only Operation (DOO) CCTV system, which allows the train driver to view images from platform cameras on in-cab monitors to ensure the safe departure of the train from the station.

The contract will be delivered by telent?s Asset Management team, which has over 20 years? experience managing critical communications assets across TfL and the UK national rail and road networks.

The new agreement follows telent?s recent announcement of a seven-year contract with TfL to manage a wide and complex range of communication assets across TfL?s Underground and Surface estates.

The contract for the Elizabeth line will start on April 1 and run for at least five years. The Central section of the Elizabeth line is currently under development and is due to open from summer 2021.

The Elizabeth line will be a high frequency, high capacity service linking 41 stations over 100 kilometres from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through central London, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The project required 42 kilometres of new tunnels, ten new stations, over 50 kilometres of new track, integration of three signalling systems and upgrades across existing infrastructure.

For more information about telent?s latest work, please see: https://telent.com/.
Pakistan reported its first casualty due to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, health ministry officials said as the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 infections rose to 193 in the country.

The first fatality was reported from Lahore. Meanwhile, Sindh has 155 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan 10, Gilgit-Baltistan 5, Islamabad 2 and Punjab 6, officials said.

"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 kms from Lahore, died here on Tuesday," Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid told a press conference here on Tuesday.

She said five new cases of the coronavirus have emerged in Punjab and as many in Sindh raising the total number of the COVID-19 infections to 193, including 155 in Sindh province.

In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre has also confirmed the first death in the country.

The patient was admitted at the Mayo Hospital in Lahore. He came here from Muscat on March 15. He was tested positive and shifted to Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

Rashid said since all educational institutions, shrines, cinemas and etc have been closed to stop the spread of the virus, the government has been in contact with clerics to decide to close worship places. The government, she said has launched crackdown on hoarders in the wake of panic buying.

The health minister also said the patients of coronavirus may increase substantially in Punjab as some 780 suspected patients have been kept in quarantine at a university in Dera Ghazi Khan and most of them show typical symptoms of the disease.

She said these suspected patients (all of them pilgrims returning from Iran), including women, entered Pakistan from Iran through Taftan border with history of flu, fever and cough.

On young doctors' threat that they would not attend the patients because of non-availability of medical kits, Rashid said: "Today we have provided 25,000 kits at Punjab hospitals to fight this disease."



A high-alert caution has been issued in DG Khan, some 350 kms from Lahore, while several health department teams were dispatched to the southern city to isolate the patients.

According to the officials, the Iranian authorities have kept all these suspected virus carriers on the same premises in sheer violation of the criteria of the World Health Organisation (WHO), exposing them to greater risk of contacting the virus.

"They have been shaking hands, hugging each other and even sharing towels and kitchen items during their stay in Iran despite the fact that some of them were having strong symptoms of the coronavirus, the officials said, adding these 780 suspected patients belonged to various cities of Punjab.

Among other things, Pakistan has decided to close down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.

The virus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city in the Hubei province in December last year has spread to 155 countries, infected 182,406 people and has claimed 7,154 lives, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker.

China remains the hardest-hit with 80,881 infections and 3,226 deaths by the end of Monday. After China, Italy and Iran are the two worst-affected countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday said residents should prepare for a possible shelter in place order within the next 48 hours, following a similar order in San Francisco, due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

A shelter in place order, typically used in cases of natural disasters such as hurricanes, forbids residents from leaving home except to meet essential needs such as buying food.

We are all deeply concernedthis is quite clear this is a fast growing crisis, de Blasio said at a press conference. All New Yorkers, even though a decision has not been made by the city or the state, I think that all New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order.

The mayor said city residents would be informed of the order during the next two days, and has not yet been confirmed. A statement from Governor Andrew Cuomos office also emphasized that the policy would require state approval.

Any blanket quarantine or shelter in place policy would require State action and as the Governor has said, there is no consideration of that for any locality at this time, the statement read.

De Blasio indicated that the crisis could last through the summer.

In terms of the economic dislocation, I think its fair to say we are going to quickly surpass anything we saw in the Great Recession and the only measure or the only comparison will be the Great Depression, de Blasio added.

On Monday, de Blasio ordered the closure of New York Citys public school system, the largest in the nation serving over 1 million students. School kitchens will remain open due to the high amount of students who rely on schools for daily meals. The city also closed all theaters and restaurants, with restaurants remaining open only for take-out services.

Six counties in the San Francisco Bay area initiated their own shelter in place orders on Monday evening in order to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

More from National Review
The departures area of Lan airlines is seen empty inside the international airport, during an indefinite strike of the Cabin Crew Union of LAN Express, a subsidiary of the Chile-based LATAM Airlines group, Santiago.

By Marcelo Rochabrun

(Reuters) - Latin American airlines need prompt government aid or many of them could go out of business as the global coronavirus outbreak forces widespread flight cancellations, the chief of regional airline association ALTA said on Tuesday.

However, Chile's economy minister dismissed the idea of providing aid to the country's flagship carrier, the largest in the continent.

ALTA Chief Executive Luis Felipe de Oliveira has been sending letters to governments throughout the region about the "unprecedented" coronavirus crisis, he said in a phone interview, adding to the global pressure from airlines seeking bailouts.

"If the governments do not take drastic and immediate action there could be a bankruptcy pandemic in the region," he said.

In the United States, where airlines are much more profitable than in Latin America, carriers are pushing for a $50 billion aid package.

Brazil's government has signaled empathy toward the industry, but did not issue a lifeline that airlines had expected on Monday.

A spokesman for Brazil's Infrastructure Ministry said details of the aid for airlines were still being worked out on Tuesday.

Chile, home to LATAM Airlines Group <LTM.SN>, on Tuesday brushed off incoming LATAM CEO Roberto Alvo's comments that airlines worldwide will need government help.

"I have heard through social media ... that the airline LATAM was asking for government aid," Economy Minister Lucas Palacio said, according to local outlet Emol.

"I want to be super clear about this," he said. "We are prioritizing people, and I think it's rushed. I think it's wishful thinking, for one company to be asking something of that nature."

LATAM is appealing to governments, the carrier said on Monday, without elaborating. "We're in conversations with the governments where we operate to evaluate how we can confront this crisis."

Story continues

De Oliveira said the stakes were high and more than 50% of flights in Latin America could be canceled.

LATAM has already said it would cancel 90% of its international flights.

Brazil's largest airline, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes <GOLL4.SA>, said on Tuesday it would cancel all international flights starting next week through the end of June, a day after announcing cancellations of up to 95%.

(Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Additional reporting by Aislinn Lang; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Richard Chang)
It takes advantage of workers, many of whom are unaware of their right to receive fair wages and benefits for themselves and their families," Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Gary Perinar said in the release. It puts signatory union contractors at a disadvantage for competitively bid projects. And it cheats communities out of tax dollars to increase future growth, new projects and public services.
WASHINGTON - Joe Biden cut deep into Bernie Sanders coalition of young, liberal and Latino voters, securing solid victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona in unsettled times.

The former vice-president on Tuesday expanded his support among groups that have been propping up the Vermont senators struggling campaign. Biden, who has run as a moderate, won liberals in Florida, and ate into Sanders advantage with young people. In Arizona and Illinois, the two men were competitive among Latino voters, a group that Sanders heavily courted.

The results from AP VoteCast surveys of thousands of Democratic voters across the three states show Biden consolidating Democrats at a time of rising anxieties about the spread of the new coronavirus and a national mobilization to contain it.

Not surprisingly, voters in all three states ranked health care as a top issue  and in Florida more said they trusted Biden over Sanders to handle the issue.

In just a few weeks, the coronavirus has upended the presidential campaign  not to mention the global economy and Americans daily routines.

Ohio chose to halt in-person voting on Tuesday and delay its primary to avoid the risk of spreading the virus. Illinois, Florida and Arizona went ahead, instituting some new safety measures for voters and poll workers.

AP VoteCast surveys are designed to capture voters views regardless of when or how they voted, accounting for the many voters in Florida and Arizona who voted early. Heres a snapshot of voters priorities and concerns as they cast their ballots:

BIDENS BIG TENT

Biden, 77, preserved his strength among older voters, women and moderates and conservatives  all groups that make up majorities of Democratic primary voters. He continued to be African Americans overwhelming favourite.

But he went much further. In Florida and Illinois, Biden appeared to beat Sanders in suburbs, small towns and cities, while he ran about even with Sanders in Arizonas urban areas. He bested Sanders with Protestants, Catholics and Jews in Florida and Illinois, and among voters there with a college degree and those without. In Florida, he even won liberals, getting 51% to Sanders 37%.

Young voters stand out as still somewhat wary of Biden, even as he gained some ground. Sanders, 78, maintained a modest edge among young voters in Florida, where about half of those under 30 supported him. Sanders got at least two-thirds of those voters in Illinois and Arizona.

SANDERS LATINO SUPPORT ERODES

Sanders has enjoyed a foundation of support from voters under 30 and Latinos, but that foundation showed some cracks.

Latinos were 16% of Floridas Democratic voters. And of that group, 21% of identified as Cuban, 33% as Puerto Rican and the rest had family ties to other countries. Not only did Biden win Latinos in Florida overall, he got 62% of Puerto Ricans and 57% of Cubans. Sanders may have alienated many voters of Cuban descent for praising the literacy program of Fidel Castros regime despite human rights abuses in that country.

In Illinois, the two men were competitive among Latinos, with Sanders just slightly ahead of Biden.

Biden also pulled about even with Sanders in Arizona, where Latinos made up 27% of the states Democratic primary voters. Voters were closely divided between the two in Arizonas cities, while Biden had a modest edge in other communities.

HANDLING HEALTH CARE

About 4 in 10 voters in Florida and roughly a third in Arizona and Illinois said they are very concerned that they or a family member may get infected with COVID-19. About 40% of voters in each state felt somewhat concerned.

Distress about the coronavirus was spread evenly across gender, education and income levels. But voters under 45 were somewhat less likely than their older counterparts to worry about getting infected.

The outbreak feeds into pre-existing concerns about the health care system. Democratic voters have for weeks named health care as a top issue of concern and that remained true in Arizona, Florida and Illinois.

Democratic primary voters in Florida, a state with both a large population of retirees and many younger tourism and service sector workers, believe that Biden would be better than Sanders at handling health care issues, 55% to 34%. Arizona and Illinois voters are closely divided between the two candidates on the issue.

ECONOMIC CONCERNS

The full brunt of the economic damage from the coronavirus hasnt hit, but the surveys reveal most Democratic voters already felt on shaky ground. Less than 20% in Arizona, Florida and Illinois said they were getting ahead financially in what has been the longest expansion in U.S. history.

Roughly two-thirds in each state think they are holding steady, while about a quarter describe themselves as falling behind.

Overwhelming majorities in all three states  about 80% in Arizona and about 70% in Florida and Illinois  describe the countrys economic system as unfair.

POISED FOR NOVEMBER

Biden is widely seen as the strongest contender against Trump.

About 80% of voters in Arizona, Florida and Illinois think the former vice-president could definitely or probably win the general election. Smaller majorities in each state  roughly 60%  have the same confidence in a Sanders victory.

Opposition to Trump is a defining trait of Democratic primary voters. In Florida and Illinois, around three-quarters said they would vote for whomever the party nominates to take on Trump. That figure is somewhat more, 80%, in Arizona.

___

AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The surveys were conducted for seven days, concluding as polls closed.
Two Air India pilots unions have written to Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri asking for urgent financial aid to the carrier to ensure timely payment of salaries and other dues to the crew.

The letter by the two unions - Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG) mention that the Air India employees have not been paid the wages for even the month of January in full.

"As you are fully aware, the outbreak of coronavirus is wreaking havoc across the globe. During this perilous time, Air India employees have gone above and beyond to get our countrymen back from affected countries worldwide...Air India has been in a debt trap for quite some time and this will hit the carrier especially hard. Even now as we write to you, delays in our salary have been commonplace for more than a year. As of date, even January wages have not been paid in full," the letter read.

It further added that apart from the operational risks the crew members and their families are facing difficulties owing to the continued delay in wages.

The unions said that it although work done by Air India and the crew has been praised even by the Union Cabinet, but "the Government has not infused any funds into Air India when it is needed the most."

"This makes it almost impossible for Air India to meet its monthly financial obligations. Against this backdrop, our fundamental right to wages for work already done is being flouted time and again," it said.

The carrier has been instrumental in bringing back Indians from the coronavirus hit China, Japan, Italy, and Iran.

Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet had approved an amendment to the FDI policy on civil aviation, allowing non-resident Indians (NRIs) to acquire a 100 per cent equity stake in Air India, from which it is seeking to disinvest.

In light of the proposed strategic disinvestment of 100 per cent of Air India by the government, Air India will have no residual government ownership and will be completely privately owned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK citizens were told to avoid all non-essential travel anywhere in the world today as the Government tried to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britons should avoid travel 'globally' under new travel advice from the Foreign Office.

The new rules will initially be in place for 30 days but will be 'subject to ongoing revision', he told the House of Commons.

'Based on the fast-changing international circumstances today I am announcing changes to FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) travel advice,' he told MPs.

'UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries.

'The FCO will always consider the safety and the security of British nationals so with immediate effect I've taken the decision to advise British nationals against non-essential travel globally for an initial period of 30 days and of course subject to ongoing review.'

He said that the government was speaking to tour operators, insurance operators and airlines over a move that is likely to grind holiday and business travel to a virtual standstill, threatening jobs and business viability.

The Foreign Office is not currently advising British people to immediately return to the UK if they are overseas, except from a few specific countries detailed in travel advice.

But British travellers are urged to bear in mind the prospect of flights being cancelled at short notice or additional restrictions being imposed by the local authorities.

The shift comes after EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced outlined plans for a 30-day ban on all non-essential inflows to the bloc.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britons should avoid travel 'globally' under new travel advice from the Foreign Office

The restrictions, set to be signed off in a conference call by national leaders later, do not apply to Britons or freight.

The Foreign Office had already advised against 'all but essential' travel to many parts of the world due to the risk posed by the virus, or the risk of being cut off as transport links are shut.

Explaining the advised travel restrictions, Dominic Raab told MPs: 'This decision has been taken based on the domestic measures introduced in the UK alongside the changes to border and a range of other restrictions which are now being taken right around the world.

'The speed and the range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented, some of those decisions are being made without notice.

'In some countries, even in countries or particular areas where there haven't yet been any reported cases of Covid-19 local authorities are nonetheless imposing restrictions on movement and again doing so with little or sometimes no notice.'

He added that the Government will issue detailed advice on maintaining the flow of goods to the UK, while protecting staff working on shipping routes.

Mr Raab said: 'The Government of course is keenly aware that international freight services such as shipping and haulage are vital for ensuring the continuity of the supply of essential foods, goods and material to the UK.

'So we do regard this kind of travel as essential and we will work with industry to issue detailed advice which maintains the flow of goods whilst protecting the wellbeing of staff who are working on those routes.

'The Department for Transport will be leading this work with the freight sector with the objective of minimising disruption to those routes as far as is possible.'

He added: 'At the same time, FCO consular teams are working round the clock to provide the best, most up-to-date information that we can possibly provide to UK nationals.'

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said the FO's decision was 'no surprise given recent developments' but warned it will cause 'yet more uncertainty with demand set to plummet still further'.

Many European countries have announced their own containment measures to try and get a grip on the pandemic, including shutting their doors to foreign nationals.

Canada, Norway and Denmark are among a host of countries who have announced emergency border closures in a bid to impede the spread of the pandemic.

The US has also barred all foreign nationals.

Boris Johnson dramatically ramped up the government's response to the crisis last night, urging Britons to avoid all 'non-essential' social contact, shunning pubs, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and clubs.

At an historic press conference in Downing Street, the PM warned that the coronavirus was now in a phase of rapid spread across the UK, with London seeing a particular surge.

Arrivals at Heathrow Terminal 5 was busy today, while the departures area was much quieter

He said everyone should avoid contact that is not absolutely necessary - with restaurants, bars and cinemas and travel off limits, and an end to large gatherings. Admitting that the squeeze could last 12 weeks or even longer, Mr Johnson acknowledged he was 'asking a lot'.

Entire households should self-isolate for two weeks if one person has been showing symptoms, and older people should prepare to stay away from risks for months to come. He said that meant 'you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials'.

But unlike New York - where all bars and restaurants were compelled to close by 8pm local time last night - Mr Johnson said he would rely on businesses and Britons to follow guidance.

Mr Johnson also said he was not yet ordering schools to be closed, saying he still believed it could make matters worse.

As the UK coronavirus death toll spiked to 55, the PM said: 'If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. If that is not possible, you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.'

'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all non-essential travel. We need people to start working from home where they possible can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.'

In a special plea to the capital, Mr Johnson said people there were at the highest risk. 'It looks as though London is now a few weeks ahead... it's important that Londoners now pay special attention to what we are saying about avoiding all non-essential contact.'

Mr Johnson was flanked by Chief medical officer Chris Whitty (left) and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance (right) at the press conference in Downing Street tonight
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - While schools remain closed to mitigate the spread of novel coronavirus, school meals are still available through district-coordinated pick-up and delivery systems.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday night that all K-12 schools must close beginning on Monday, March 16, through Sunday, April 5. In Muskegon County, where 17,000 students receive free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch, schools and community organization were left scrambling figuring out how to provide meals during the shutdown.

County school districts have now implemented plans to ensure that families can still access breakfast and lunch during the shutdown.

Meals are available to all children ages 18 and under, and special-needs students ages 26 and under, regardless of whether or how they typically access school meals, private and charter school students can also access meals at the school district where they live, according to the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. They will consist of cold food items, such as yogurts, cereal, sandwiches, and fruit.

Social distancing should be practiced during meal pickups: limit touching; keep washing your hands; and people who feel unwell should stay home. Children do not need to be present to receive the meals.

Fruitport Community Schools

Families are asked to sign up here to participate in meal pick-ups that will be between 10-11 a.m. on a rotating schedule. The primary sites will be Fruitport High School, 357 N. 6th Ave., and Shettler Elementary, 2187 Shettler Road. The pick-up schedule will take place on different days; find the full schedule here.

Holton Public Schools

A full weeks worth of "grab-and-go meals (seven breakfasts and seven lunches per student) will be available every Tuesday between noon and 2 p.m. for the duration of the school closure. Families can pick up the meals or have them delivered by signing up here. The pick-up location will be off the schools Third Street parking lot. Families who receive meals through Hand2Hand will still be able to pick up those bags or have them delivered, also on Tuesdays.

Mona Shores Public Schools

"Grab-and-go meals will be available for all students at the high school stadium parking lot, 1121 Seminole Road between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays (two breakfasts and two lunches per student), and Fridays (three breakfasts and three lunches per student). There will be an additional pick-up time from 5-6 p.m. on Wednesdays. For families unable to travel, the Norton Shores Police Department, school staff members, and community volunteers will assist with deliveries; sign up for delivery here.

Montague Area Public Schools

There will be curbside pickup outside Montague High School, 4882 Stanton Blvd., and the Rothbury Village Hall, 7804 S. Michigan Ave., on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. Families may take multiple days meals at one time. There will be a mobile route, in a clearly marked van, for families in Oceana Shores, Forest Glen, and Robinhood. Details about that route can be found on the districts website.

Muskegon Public Schools

MPS will deliver meals along its usual bus route, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., with additional stops for students who typically walk to school. The route will run once per day, but will drop off the equivalent of two meals per student, as well as needed school supplies and worksheets. The bus route and drop-off times can be found here.

Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System

Free meals will be provided along the usual bus stop route starting at 11:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Two days of meals will be delivered each day except on Fridays, when students will receive three days worth of meals for the weekend. Pickups will take place at one of 42 bus stops; the schedule is available on the Muskegon Heights Tigers Facebook page. There will also be door-to-door service for special needs students.

North Muskegon Public Schools

Students from North Muskegon schools may access grab-n-go meals through nearby districts; please refer to information in this post or on the NMPS website for the option that is best for you.

Oakridge Public Schools

There will be both pick-up and delivery options for students, beginning on Tuesday, March 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Locations and the schedule for pickup are available on the districts website. Families who cannot pick up meals may sign up to have them delivered here, or by contacting the schools food service department.

Orchard View Public Schools

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2020, a weeks worth of food will be delivered throughout the district for family pick-up. Delivery will take place between 1-2 p.m.; exact times and locations are available on the districts Facebook page. Sack food suppers provided through Kids Food Basket is available to K-5 students on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to noon at Orchard View Adult Education, 2900 Apple Ave. and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Arlington Woods Office, 3785 Evanston Ave.

Ravenna Public Schools

Grab-n-go meals will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays in front of Ravenna High School, 2766 S. Ravenna Road from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday pickups will consist of three breakfasts and three lunches per student; Fridays will consist of four breakfasts and four lunches per student. The schedule is also written out here.

Reeths-Puffer Schools

A weeks worth of cold meals will be available for pickup in the cafeteria of its high school at 1545 N Roberts Road every Wednesday, beginning on March 18. Pick-ups will take place according to student last names. Those starting with A-N will pick up between 9-10 a.m., and O-Z names will pick up between 11 a.m. and noon. Additional pick-ups may take place between noon and 1 p.m. for those who miss their window.

Whitehall District Schools

Several days worth of meals per student will be provided on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon at Whitehall Middle School, 401 S. Elizabeth St., and at the Lakewood Club Village Hall, 6681 Automobile Road, Twin Lake. A delivery service may soon be implemented; more information is available on the districts website.

Statewide list of sites: How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down

Keep up with MLives ongoing coronavirus coverage here.

Read more on MLive:

Michigans governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak

Cities, townships in Muskegon County adjust hours due to coronavirus

Muskegon County has 2 pending coronavirus tests

Muskegon County offices, courthouse, city hall are closing for several weeks due to coronavirus

Muskegon schools scramble to figure out food access for students during coronavirus closure
France 24

Russia said on Sunday it would not make concessions under U.S. pressure and warned that this week's talks on the Ukraine crisis might end early, while Washington said no breakthroughs were expected and progress depended on de-escalation from Moscow. The hard line from Moscow underscored the fragile prospects for negotiations that Washington hopes will avert the danger of a new Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the tensest point in U.S.-Russia relations since the Cold War ended three decades ago.Ta
SCM, the largest financial and industrial holding of the country, has addressed the president and prime minister of Ukraine, with an initiative to create the economic health headquarters.

"The goal of the creation of the HQ is to find instruments for retaining economic health of the country with joint efforts of authorities and business in the current difficult conditions," SCM said on Tuesday.

The holding proposes urgently to consider measures to support the population, medicine, regions, small and medium-sized businesses and basic industries at a meeting of the headquarters.

SCM said that quarantine measures aimed at preserving people's lives inevitably lead to a decrease in economic activity, therefore, the authorities of most countries are taking active measures to prevent the economic crisis.

"Ukraine is no exception. Big business intends to actively help the authorities... SCM is ready to delegate its best professionals to the economic health headquarters. We urge other representatives of large national business to do this," the SCM said.

According to the holding, the crisis is not only a problem, but also an opportunity: the headquarters should become the brain center for the revival of the country in order to jointly make the Ukrainian economy stronger and more sustainable.
Highlights Several employers across the globe have asked employees to work from home

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases are over 100

Phones can be used as a router if the wifi stops working

The coronavirus pandemic has forced several companies to run their operations remotely all across the globe. There has been a rampant increase in the number of confirmed cases and that has sent several countries into complete lockdown for an indefinite period. In dire situations like this, the governments all across are taking extra measures to reduce human interaction as much as possible by urging people to avoid stepping out from their homes for non-essential work.

In India too the number of confirmed coronavirus cases have gone past 100 and there have been three deaths already in the country due to the pandemic. In the view of this rampantly spreading disease, several companies in India have asked their employees to work from home for at least the next 14 days as that would stop unnecessary social interaction.

So while you work from home, there can be a lot of factors that can hamper your work and productivity. Sometimes there can be a power cut while on some days, your home's wifi connection might act up. However, despite all odds, you have to stay productive and complete your work on time just the way you did when you functioned from your office.

So what exactly can you do when your wifi connection at home conks off? You cannot rush to a store and buy a new router because you are already in the middle of your work. So the best way to deal with a scenario like this is to turn your phone into a router. Yes, you heard that right. Your phone can actually be used as a router.

For prepaid users, you must be a subscriber of one of the three telecom companies like Vodafone, Reliance Jio or Airtel and must be active on a prepaid plan that usually offers 1.5GB data, 2GB data or more. So when your home's connection goes off, you can turn on the personal hotspot. And now if you ask what will happen if you exhaust the 2GB or 1.5GB data? You can always recharge your phone with a top-up.

For instance, if you are a Vodafone data you can recharge your number with Rs 98, the plan will provide you a total of 6GB data and will be valid for 28 days. So the choice is yours, you can either spend the entire 6GB data on a single day or use it slowly till the validity gets over. The top will be an add-on to your existing data pack. Similarly, Airtel too has a top-up plan costing Rs 98 along with 6GB data benefits while the Reliance Jio plan costs Rs 101 for the same 6GB data. Jio has another plan costing Rs 251 that offers 2GB data per day.
Ebenezer Laleye from Dunshaughlin pictured with his siblings, Naomi and Samuel on Dublins O Connell Street on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

Two women in clover patterned face masks near the Temple bar in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A man in a face mask walks past a man dressed as St Patrick near the Temple bar in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A woman in a face mask takes a picture with a man dressed as St Patrick near the Temple bar in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Tourists near O'Connell Street in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story Niall Carson/PA Wire

A tourists near O'Connell Street in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus. Niall Carson/PA Wire

St Patrick's Day typically attracts thousands of people into the city centre: celebrations for 2019 Tony Gavin

Compare an contrast: Streets are typically heaving on St Patrick's Day. O'Connell St Bridge in 2019

Aleksei Wishtibeew from Russia pictured on a virtually empty O Connell bridge in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

Two women in face masks take a picture with a man dressed as St Patrick near the Temple bar in Dublin, on St Patrick's day.: Niall Carson/PA Wire

No beer, no cheer, no wine, no song.

The streets of the capital were empty today where the traditional St Patricks Day parade would usually be full of happy people, colour, and a festival atmosphere.

The pubs were closed, along with many of the shops, and the tricolour flags hung limply from poles.

The few people that were out and about were looking around them in bewilderment, wondering what was not going on.

Expand Close A tourists near O'Connell Street in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story Niall Carson/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp A tourists near O'Connell Street in Dublin, on St Patrick's day. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2020. See PA story Niall Carson/PA Wire

Covid-19 had put paid to the Paddys Day celebrations, and if the man believed to have chased the snakes out of Ireland was around today hed probably be tasked with trying to flatten the coronavirus curve by chasing people from the parade being held in his honour.

Expand Close A Virtually empty Parnell Square East in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp A Virtually empty Parnell Square East in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

In Parnell Square, the traditional starting point of the festivities, there were no costumes, no floats, and no massive Macnas serpents or dragons being readied for action.

One or two people were out for a stroll, observing social distancing of course.

On OConnell Street, which would usually be lined with thousands of people with children on shoulders for a better view, there was emptiness.

Few cars drove the thoroughfare, and the odd Luas swept slowly along its track with just an occasional ding ding to lighten the mood.

Expand Close A virtually empty Dame Street in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp A virtually empty Dame Street in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

Shuttered bars and shops formed the flat backdrop on the stage where this no-act play was not being performed.

And at the GPO, where Michael D and Leo might ordinarily have waved at passing marching bands, there were a few gardai chatting to tourists and directing them to the Molly Malone statue, and a few others wearing facemasks gawking up at the Spire.

On OConnell bridge the first reveller could be seen.

Expand Close Aleksei Wishtibeew from Russia pictured on a virtually empty O Connell bridge in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Aleksei Wishtibeew from Russia pictured on a virtually empty O Connell bridge in Dublin on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

Russian visitor Aleksei Wishtibeew (45) was taking selfies of himself with the Liffey in the background.

Did they dye it green? No, its always that colour.

He was wearing his Leprechaun hat and beard with pride.

Its a strange time but part of my heart is green, so I am doing my own parade on my own from OConnell Street to OConnell Bridge, to Temple Bar and the Hapenny Bridge, he said.

Ive been here seven times since 2014 and year by year I have fallen in love with this country and its people, Aleksei added.

Expand Close Dublins O Connell Street on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dublins O Connell Street on St Patricks Day 2020.Picture Credit:Frank McGrath 17/3/20

I arrived on March 12 and the pubs were still open. I feel sad that they are closed but I understand why. I will still be celebrating the holiday in my mind and in my heart if not in the street, he explained.

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Also on OConnell Bridge were Tracey Courage and her daughters Rachael and Lauren, and granddaughter Isabella.

Weve come over from Cornwall. We got a good deal, and the fact that the pubs are closed doesnt bother us because we wouldnt be drinking anyway, Tracey said, pointing down to Isabella in her buggy.

Expand Close Compare an contrast: Streets are typically heaving on St Patrick's Day. O'Connell St Bridge in 2019 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Compare an contrast: Streets are typically heaving on St Patrick's Day. O'Connell St Bridge in 2019

Asked about the UK response to Covid-19 compared to the Irish one, Tracey said she thought the Irish one was more responsible.

So what will they do with their day? A bit of sightseeing, and maybe a trip to IKEA.

The parade would usually snake through College Green and on to Dame Street, and traffic restrictions would be diverting cars well away from the area. But there were no traffic restrictions today, in fact there was no traffic.

Conscious that they had to close, but also aware of its responsibility to provide some Irish atmosphere, the Trinity Pub on Dame Street had come up with a good plan.

Their doors were closed, but they were piping Irish music onto the street through speakers.

Sorry we are closed. Happy St Patricks Day. Enjoy the tunes, said a sign in the window.

Alejandro and Sonia Jiminez from Lisbon were passing by. Alejandro had his Leprechaun hat and a green dickie-bow on.

We were booked in advance to come here. Once we arrived here the curfew in Spain started and the restrictions in other countries. At least we can walk around here, he said.

We had come for the parade and atmosphere, and for the kids to experience it too. We are not disappointed. The cafes and parks are open at least so we will try to make the best out of it, said Sonia.

On Dame Street gardai in two patrol cars and an SUV searched in vain for traffic to police, and at Dublin Castle, usually a place where throngs of revellers gather, there was only the odd pedestrian.

Expand Close St Patrick's Day typically attracts thousands of people into the city centre: celebrations for 2019 Tony Gavin / Facebook

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Whatsapp St Patrick's Day typically attracts thousands of people into the city centre: celebrations for 2019 Tony Gavin

Not only was the Paddys Day parade cancelled, it was cancelled in perfect parade weather. How many years have we suffered hypothermia standing on a freezing corner for hours and trudging home with our feet frozen like ice blocks?

Today we had the weather, but no parade.
Heartbreaking photos show how a woman who became engaged was forced to share the happy news with her grandfather through the window of his nursing home.

Carly Boyd, 22, was proposed to over the weekend but restrictions over the coronavirus at the Premier Living and Rehab Center in Lake Waccamaw meant that she was unable to show him the ring close up.

Instead, Carly was taken around to her grandfather's window where he could be seen resting on his bed.

Carly Boyd was proposed to over the weekend and visited her grandfather in his nursing home

Restrictions due to coronavirus outbreak meant she couldn't go into his room so instead, she went back around to his window to tell him about her good news

Carly, 22, wanted her grandfather to see her ring first hand so went to the window of his nursing home

'I really wanted to be able to tell my grandfather because he has dementia and there's no phone in there that he has access to,' said Carly said to KOLD. 'I just really wanted to make an effort to tell him.'

'The staff said 'Well we can walk around the building and we can pull the blinds up and you can tell him through the window' and I was like 'Yes, I would love to!'' she said.

The facility's administrator, Gennie Parnell, took pictures of the touching moment as Carly showed off her ring.

At one point, she and her grandfather placed their hands opposite one another on either side of the window.

The sadness on Carly's face was all too plain to see.

'I just  it was very --oh my gosh, I'm going to cry -- it was very special,' said Carly. 'I got really emotional and really sad and I just put my hand on the window, and he put his there too. I just told him I love him, and he said 'I love you too and I hope to see you soon', like really see you.'

Such restrictions are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and keep those who in vulnerable age groups , such as her grandpa, safe.

Carly understands more than most what it will take. She is training at Southeastern Community College to become a registered nurse.

Carly Boyd, who is training to be a nurse, is proposed to by her fiance Trevor Sellers

Carly Boyd and Trevor Sellers got engaged on Saturday at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Trevor Sellers. who works for the Department of Transportation is the lucky man who asked for her hand in marriage as the pair walked along the sands at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

'We start walking out to the beach and he started telling me how much he loved me and halfway through I figured out what was going on,' said Carly. 'He got down on one knee and proposed to me and I was very, very ecstatic about it! I cried, he cried.'

The pictures were posted to Facebook on Monday.

'Coronavirus didn't stop this granddaughter and grandfather from sharing this happy moment,' wrote April Bass, the community activity coordinator at the facility.

Bass says the entire facility is trying its best to make sure residents are still able to contact their loved ones through phone and video calls - and visits to the window just like here.

'So glad I was allowed to see my grandfather, even under the circumstances of this virus I was still able to tell him I am engaged!!' Carly wrote on her Facebook page.

The couple plan to wed next year.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Libreville, Gabon  Tue, March 17, 2020 17:08 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b4e0f0 2 News gorilla,Gabon,travel,tourism,destination,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Gabon, a forest-covered haven for gorillas and chimpanzees, will stop allowing tourists to see its great apes fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals, the country's forest agency said Monday.

The Central African nation has one only confirmed COVID-19 case so far, but fears linger after an Ebola epidemic in 1995 wiped out more than 90 percent of the gorillas in the verdant north.

"We have decided to close tourist activities for viewing the great apes in our parks to avoid any risk of transmissions between humans and the animals," said Christian Tchemambela of the country's National Agency for National Parks (ANPN).

Read also: Tourists stranded as Morocco links to Europe cut over virus

"The respiratory viruses that affect humans are easily transmitted to great apes because the two species are so closely related," he told AFP.

Gabon has taken drastic measures to counter the spread of the virus, closing schools, bars and nightclubs since Friday, a day after the country confirmed its first case -- a 27-year-old man who had recently returned from France.

Almost 80 percent of Gabon is covered by forests, and primate habitation programs have been set up in its parks in recent years to attract tourism and use the income to further finance wildlife protection.

"Because of the new coronavirus, humans being in contact with gorillas pose a threat," said Tchemambela.

He added that staff working in the parks will be placed in quarantine for 14 days before being able to enter areas near the gorillas.
After seeing firsthand how Stacey Hampton lives during the home visits, Michael Goonan had questions about whether his 'wife' had actually held down a job during Tuesday's episode of Married At First Sight.

As they drove through Adelaide together, the 28-year-old quizzed the law graduate about her career.

He began by telling Stacey, 26, a typical day in their lives seemed to be 'so different', but she insisted she does 'a lot of constructive things', too.

Raising some concerns: After seeing firsthand how Stacey Hampton (right) lives during the home visits, Michael Goonan (left) had questions about whether his 'wife' had actually held down a job during Tuesday's episode of Married At First Sight

'Have you ever had a job?' he asked her outright, prompting an annoyed Stacey to respond, 'Yes, I've had a job! I've had a few jobs.'

But a sceptical Michael persisted, asking Stacey to tell him about her previous job.

Stacey said she used to 'work in retail', and Michael told her that she 'would've just been trying on all the clothes'.

'Have you ever had a job?' he asked her outright, prompting an annoyed Stacey to respond, 'Yes, I've had a job! I've had a few jobs'

'I spent more than I made,' Stacey confessed.

Michael then asked her how many hours she worked a day, and Stacey claimed she couldn't actually remember.

'At least I've been employed before. I have a great CV,' she told a visibly confused Michael.

Shop girl: Stacey said she used to 'work in retail', and Michael told her that she 'would've just been trying on all the clothes'

'I bet you do! It fits on one page. You could literally write your CV on a Post-It note!' he laughed.

Taking offence, Stacey told Michael she's 'well-educated', and Michael shot back: 'You've had a lot of education with zero practice.'

'I'll be a degree collector, that's all I want to do,' she responded, before Michael told her, 'That is not normal. You live in a bubble.'

Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday decided to hear only important cases from Wednesday onwards for the next two weeks. It was also decided to screen advocates, petitioners and court staff with thermal guns as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.

High Court Chief Justice JK Maheshwari held a full court along with other judges and took suggestions from them. Later, the Chief Justice took part in a video-conference with the Chief Justice of India and took his suggestions on steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Stating that only important cases will be taken up for hearing, the Chief Justice told advocates that bail petitions, anticipatory bail petitions and petitions seeking relief from imprisonment and personal appearance would be treated as important cases. Advocates who want the court to take up urgent hearing of any petition should file a petition mentioning why it needs an urgent hearing.

For cases in which interim orders come to an end in the next two weeks, advocates were told to present the case numbers in the court registry and interim orders would be extended for two or three weeks.

If the petitioners advocate is not available to attend court, the court registry will decide whether the petitioners presence is necessary and only then will the petitioner be allowed inside. The Chief Justice told advocates not to move around in groups, and made it mandatory to wear a mask in the court premises.

SEC meets Governor

State Election Commissioner Ramesh Kumar on Monday met Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan a day after the CM complained to the Guv over the poll panels decision to defer the elections
Rezko was convicted in 2008 of using his clout with Blagojevich and scheming with another political insider to extort money from firms. He had already served almost 3 1/2 years in prison when he was formally sentenced at the end of 2011.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Woody Myers released actions he would take to control the spread of COVID-19.

The 11-point plan includes closing all Indiana schools immediately, calling a special session of the Indiana General Assembly and developing contingency plans for people in confined settings such as nursing homes and jails.

Myers has been critical of Republican Gov. Eric Holcombs response to the new coronavirus.

Indiana has not been acting as quickly as it should to control the spread of the coronavirus, Myers said. This plan ensures that patients are put ahead of politics to save lives.

Woody Myers coronavirus response plan

Myers 11-step plan (summarized)

1) Immediately appoint and convene a COVID-19 task force, with representation from health care, state and local government, leaders from both chambers of the General Assembly, labor, business, education, law enforcement and the public.

2) Close all Indiana schools immediately and provide schools and parents with resources for online learning.

3) Provide direct outreach and assistance to local government and essential Indiana businesses.

4) Call a special session of the Indiana General Assembly to make necessary changes to state law, including emergency paid leave.

5) Direct state agencies to make changes or additions to rules and policies related to COVID-19.

6) Give businesses that are still open more resources, including weekly webinars.

7) Convene leaders of hospitals, clinical laboratories, out-patient clinics and urgent care centers to find out what they need from the state and federal government.

8) Create a real-time database of all negative pressure hospital rooms in Indiana and make it available to physicians.

9) Develop contingency plans for those in confined settings such as nursing homes, jails and prisons.

10) Institute drive-thru clinical evaluation protocols and establish locations to test patients.

11) Issue an executive order to facilitate public control or private resources. For example, the state, through the National Guard and cooperation with local officials, would be able to temporarily seize hotels, motels and other private assets to permit or enforce isolation protocols and to treat patients with COVID- 19 when required.

Myers will host a virtual town hall on Facebook at 7:30 p.m. March 17.

Woody Myers (Recorder file photo)
Malawi's president, Peter Mutharika, on Tuesday refused to ratify bills to pave the way to new polls after his re-election last May was annulled over irregularities.

The Constitutional Court last month ordered officials to hold fresh presidential elections within 150 days, but the bills for doing so require Mutharika's assent.

Spokesman Mgeme Kalilani announced the president's decision at a press conference on Tuesday.

"It is the president's opinion that most of the provisions being proposed are in sharp contradiction with Malawi's constitutional order," Kalilani told AFP after the briefing.

"Any law or amendment to the law that is inconsistent with the constitution shall be invalid," he added.

The proposed amendments requested a more than 50 percent majority to secure a second term -- a major sticking point for Mutharika, who was declared winner with just 35.8 percent of the vote.

Without his approval, the draft laws will be returned to the National Assembly.

It is the first time a presidential election has been challenged on legal grounds in Malawi since independence from Britain in 1964.

Mutharika is attempting to quash the process.

He has filed an appeal against the court's annulment of the results and refused to fire members of Malawi's electoral commission, as recommended by parliament.

"(Their) report has failed to establish that members of the committee... lack competence and capacity," said Mutharika in a statement read out by his spokesman.

"I find this position specious and laughable."

Malawi's Supreme Court is expected to rule on Mutharika's appeal in April.
India's death tally has risen to 3 after a 64-year-old man succumbed to coronavirus in Mumbai. He died at the Kasturba hospital. He was among the 36 confirmed cases in Maharashtra which has now risen to 39 with the youngest patient being a 3-year-old girl.

AFP/ Representative Image

This is however the first death in the state. Read more

Nirbhaya Rapists Trying Best To Delay Hanging

With the hanging date nearing for those convicted in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder, three out of the four convicts have moved the International Court of Justice at Hague. They are seeking a stay on their "unlawful execution".

They allege the investigation which led to them being convicted was "flawed" and they have been treated as "guinea pigs". Read more

Leopard Ran Over By Speeding Vehicle In Assam, Dies

In 2019 the country lost 491 leopards to poaching and accidents. Now yet another leopard was found dead in Assam, ran over by a vehicle.

AFP

The carcass of the 12-year-old male leopard was found on Guwahatis Assam Trunk road near Kamakhya temple on Sunday night. Read more



A Lawyer Has Just Filed A Case Against Xi Jinping In Bihar Court For Spreading Coronavirus

Sudhir Kumar Ojha, a resident of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, and a lawyer by profession.

Ojha has filed a complaint in a Muzaffarpur court against Chinese President Xi Jinping and China's ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, for allegedly "hatching a conspiracy to spread coronavirus". Read more

As The Number Of Coronavirus Cases Continue To Rise, India Is Looking At A Real Shut Down

Though it still sounds like an exaggeration or being alarmist, the signs of an impending shutdown are all over the place.

AFP

We have already locked ourselves out to the rest of the world since last week after the government suspended visas to curb incoming traffic and advised against all non-essential travel abroad which also curbs outgoing travel. Read more



Shaheen Bagh Protesters Defy Delhi Govt Ban; 'Terrorists On Suic*de Mission', Says Kapil Mishra

The anti-CAA protests that have been going on in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh have shown no signs of ending the demonstrations after the Delhi government announced that any gathering of over 50 people would not be allowed till March-end amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

BCCL

Even after the government order, hundreds of people have stayed put at Shaheen Bagh, with young men and college students taking turns to address the gathering, including women and children. Read more
The meeting, held in Hanoi on March 15, also saw the presence of Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy.

The two sides exchanged and shared experience in the prevention and fight against the COVID-19 epidemic and other issues of mutual concern.

The RoK Ambassador appreciated the efforts of Vietnam in preventing and combating the epidemic as well as Vietnams support and protection of RoK citizens working in Vietnam.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Long thanked the RoK Government for providing Vietnam with US$500,000 to help in dealing with the epidemic.

He also suggested for the RoK side to share their experience regarding the simultaneous testing of a large number of patient samples and to provide Vietnam with biological products, quick diagnostic kits, and testing equipment to help Vietnam carry out quick tests on many samples at the same time, in a bid to shorten the testing time and promptly respond to the spreading of the epidemic.
On a day Mumbai and Maharashtra



recorded first coronavirus-linked death, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Tuesday that only one person tested positive for the infection out of 131 samples examined at the civic-run Kasturba Hospital here.

A 49-year-old man from N-ward of the city was admitted to Kasturba Hospital on March 16 and he tested positive on Tuesday, the BMC said in a release.

Daksha Shah, deputy director of the corporation's health department, said the man had traveled to the United States and returned to Mumbai on March 7, 2020.

"Four (of his) high-risk contacts were tracked and advised admission (to hospital quarantine). Seven low-risk contacts were tracked and advised home isolation for 14 days," said Shah.

So far 15 persons have tested positive for the coronavirus in Mumbai, including eight who hail not from the city but from peripheral areas. It also includes the 64-year- old man who died at Kasturba Hospital on Tuesday.

"This patient had a chronic history of high blood pressure, pneumonia and inflammation of heart muscles, and increased heart rate led to death," said the BMC release.

This patient had returned to Mumbai from Dubai on March 5 and admitted to a private hospital on March 8 before being shifted to Kasturba Hospital on March 13 on being tested positive.

A senior official said over 80 staff from the private hospital had come in contact with him, and hence samples were taken from all these persons.

"All of them tested negative for coronavirus, but as a precautionary measure all 80-82 staffers have been kept under 14-day isolation at the hospital," said the official.

A new isolation facility with 20-bed capacity at Jogeshwari HBT Trauma Care Hospital is being put to use, the BMC release added.

So far the civic body was admitting suspected coronavirus patients to Chinchpokali-based Kasturba Hospital, which has an isolation ward of 100 beds.

A total of 82 patients were admitted to isolation facilities at Kasturba Hospital and HBT Trauma Care Hospital on March 17, Shah said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Technavio has been monitoring the military cybersecurity market and it is poised to grow by USD 4.11 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005537/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. The use of cloud-based solutions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Use of cloud-based solutions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Military Cybersecurity Market is segmented as below:

Type

Network Security

Data Security

Identity Access

Cloud Security

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30272

Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our military cybersecurity market report covers the following areas:

Military Cybersecurity Market Size

Military Cybersecurity Market Trends

Military Cybersecurity Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies adoption of AI and machine learning as one of the prime reasons driving the military cybersecurity market growth during the next few years.

Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the military cybersecurity market, including some of the vendors such as BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, NORTHROP GRUMMAN and Thales. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the military cybersecurity market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist military cybersecurity market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the military cybersecurity market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the military cybersecurity market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of military cybersecurity market vendors

Table of Content

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Preface

2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE

Market segmentation by type

Comparison by type

Network security Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Data security Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Identity access Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Cloud security Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by type

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

High adoption of Al and machine learning

Emergence of IoT analytics

Emergence of cloud computing

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

BAE Systems

General Dynamics

Lockheed Martin

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

Thales

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005537/en/

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CoE-HUMAN Students at Famelab

Seven of our CoE-HUMAN students participated in the Wits Famelab training and heats between 11 and 12 March 2020.

Our students joined scientists, botanists, geologists, climatologists, paleontologists and others to learn the art of telling a compelling story about complex research topics in a nerve-wracking three minutes.

Leballo Tjemolabe broke down the way masculinity is constructed by religion; Hilton Shibambu spoke about the impact of land use activities on water quality and thus human and ecological health; Senamile Dludla painted a verbal picture of the effects of the rising petrol price on local economies; Gudani Mukoma spoke about how nutrition and lifestyle during the preconception period (before one even considers pregnancy) is critical for future generational health; Ingrid Puseletso discussed the ways violence can be curbed in schools and Marleine Mweji enthralled the audience with her idea of a mobile app to assist migrants in South Africa with accessing basic services.

Professor Habib, Wits VC, opened the final day of heats, explaining that it is a moral and civic duty, and not a mere luxury, to effectively communicate science to the general public. In the age of misinformation and fake news, robust research together with simple and engaging communication about said research, would help debunk information aimed to malign and intimidate people. In the era of Trump and Facebook feed manipulation, scientists who communicate well, will become national treasures.

Too often it is said that research remains within the confines of the ivory tower, and therefore becomes meaningless and inaccessible.

About Famelab

Famelab is like the science version of TED X, but with real representation of South African students and their fascinating research. The competition promotes science and technology by creating a platform for young scientists to find their voices and reach public audiences. Famelab speaks to key strategic aims in developing science communication and promoting and popularizing science for public audiences.

More information is available here.
African countries have been among the last to be hit by the global coronavirus epidemic, but as cases rise, many nations are now taking strict measures to block the deadly illness. Here is a snapshot of the situation on a continent plagued by weak health systems and shortages of doctors and hospital beds, but where many countries have top-level expertise in fighting contagious disease. - Slow to arrive, but now spreading - The first case in Africa was recorded in Egypt on February 14, and by early March there were only two more cases in Algeria and Nigeria. Experts initially wondered why the continent appeared to have so few cases -- and some speculated whether the virus was spreading undetected. Since then, confirmed cases have spread steadily and in a little over a week, more than 20 new countries have been infected, bringing the total to 30 of 54 African nations with 450 known cases of the virus. The worst-affected countries are in North Africa, where local transmission is now taking place and 10 deaths have been confirmed. Egypt has recorded 166 cases and four deaths, and Algeria 60 cases and also four deaths. Sudan and Morocco each have one death. Economic powerhouse South Africa has 62 cases, many of which were imported, although the virus is now spreading in the community. In East Africa, home to hubs Ethiopia and Kenya, there are a total of 20 cases across six countries. Senegal is the worst-affected in West Africa with 27 cases -- most of whom were infected by a single citizen who had returned from Italy. - Travel restrictions - Watching from afar as disaster unfolds in Asia and Europe -- where many are suffering the consequences of being slow to act -- some African countries have wasted no time in taking drastic measures. Air traffic in particular has been hard hit as nations across the continent realised their first cases had come from citizens returning from travel abroad in infected countries. In comparison to many countries in the West, measures have been decisive and very strict. Morocco has stopped all international flights "until further notice", aside from special planes authorised to repatriate European tourists. Somalia, a country riven by decades of conflict, also banned all international flights -- including for cargo -- after confirming its first case. Humanitarian flights, however, will be allowed to proceed. Chad, where no cases have been reported, has also shut its airports and borders with affected Sudan and Central African Republic. Similarly, neighbouring Mali, also with no confirmed cases, has announced all commercial flights from virus-affected countries will be stopped. Guinea-Bissau is also set to halt all flights in and out of the country. Cape Verde is due to stop flights too, from virus-hit European countries, as well as Senegal, Nigeria, Brasil and the United States. Others are banning flights and travellers depending on their origins. Senegal has blocked air links with seven European countries and the Middle East. Togo and Madagascar have taken similar measures. Others like Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Ivory Coast have blocked foreigners from high-risk countries -- in some cases allowing those in who hold resident permits. Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea are among those insisting on self-quarantine for travellers from high-risk countries. Tourism has been hard-hit, including the cruise industry, with ships blocked by many countries including Madagascar, Senegal, Seychelles and Mauritius. - Bans and cancellations - At least 13 countries on the continent have closed or are preparing to shut down their school systems all the way up to university level. This includes Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast. To add to this measure, Kenya has encouraged working from home, which has seen thousands streaming from the capital to their rural houses. Some countries have also taken strong measures regarding religious gatherings. In Senegal, the powerful Muslim brotherhoods have suspended religious festivities planned for this month. Tunisian authorities have suspended group prayers, including on Fridays. Major sporting and cultural events have also been hit by the wave of bans. The annual Bushfire music festival in Eswatini has been cancelled, while in South Africa, the popular AfrikaBurn festival will also not go ahead, while a plethora of sporting events have been blocked. Tunisia meanwhile is continuing with sporting events without spectators. Virus threat: A lab technician gears up for visiting a quarantine ward at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi Senegal's Muslim brotherhoods have suspended religious festivities planned for this month The annual Bushfire Festival in Eswatini, also known as Swaziland, is another coronavirus casualty
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday prepared to weigh a multibillion-dollar emergency spending bill passed by the House of Representatives offering economic relief from the coronavirus pandemic as the Trump administration pressed for $850 billion more.

The House of Representatives over the weekend passed a measure that would require sick leave for some workers and expand unemployment compensation among other steps, including nearly $1 billion in additional money to help feed children, homebound senior citizens and others.

Even before Congress passed its second measure in days, President Donald Trump's administration wants massive additional spending to help blunt the impact of the fast-spreading disease, which has sunk global financial markets and caused sweeping disruptions to the U.S. economy.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin planned to discuss the $850 billion stimulus package the administration wants when meeting on Tuesday with Senate Republicans at the Capitol, said a U.S. government official said who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal internal deliberations.

The funding would include some aid for airlines along with a payroll tax cut among other provisions. U.S. airlines have sought at least $50 billion in grants and loans.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, in a syndicated radio interview, said lawmakers could pass the House measure as-is and then take on another bill to include more economic stimulus actions desired by the administration.

The pandemic has already killed at least 83 people in the United States and prompted widespread closings of schools, restaurants and social gatherings of all kinds.

Early Saturday, Congress passed and Trump signed an $8.3 billion package to battle the coronavirus.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Senate is "anxious" to pass the latest House-passed bill, an action that could happen later on Tuesday.

Republicans said the Senate would work to pass the third measure this week containing the much-larger stimulus because of uncertainty about the Senate schedule caused by the coronavirus outbreak. That would require the House to take up the legislation when it returns from recess next week.

But neither administration officials nor Senate leaders are sure that such a large bill could move that quickly through the Senate.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described former Bangladesh president 'Bangabandhu' Sheik Mujibur Rahman as one of the greatest figures of the last century, adding that "his entire life is a tremendous inspiration to all of us". The PM participated in the centenary celebrations of the birth of 'Jatir Pita' Bangabandhu through a video message.

Describing 'Bangabandhu' as a man of courage, conviction and sage of peace, PM Modi said that Bangladeshs Jatir Pitas inspired the youth of those times to face the challenges of liberate the country.

The PM mentioned how a repressive and cruel regime, disregarding all democratic values, unleashed a reign of injustice on `Bangla Bhumi and devastated its people and recalled how Bangabandhu devoted every moment of his life towards bringing Bangladesh out of the phase of devastation and genocide and making it into a positive and progressive society.

The Prime Minister said, "Bangabandhu was absolutely clear that hatred and negativity could never be the foundation of any country's development. But Bangabandhu's ideas and efforts were not liked by some people who snatched him away from us."

PM Modi said, We are all witnessing that how making terror and violence weapons of politics and diplomacy destroys society and a nation. The world is also watching where the supporters of terror and violence are currently placed and in what state they are, while Bangladesh is scaling new heights.

The Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at seeing the people of Bangladesh dedicating themselves day and night to making their own nation, 'Shonar Bangla,' as Sheik Mujibur Rahman had dreamt.

He also commended Bangladesh's progress, inspired by Bangabandhu, under the leadership of Sheik Hasina with inclusive and development-oriented policies. He added that Bangladesh is setting new benchmarks for either the economy, other social indices or sports. The Prime Minister praised Bangladesh's unprecedented progress in many fields such as skills, education, health, empowerment of women and microfinance.

"In the last few years, India and Bangladesh have written a golden chapter in bilateral ties and given a new dimension and direction to our partnership," said the Prime Minister, because of increasing trust between the two countries to address complex border issues in a friendly way.

He also said that Bangladesh is not only India's largest trading partner in South Asia, but also a development partner. He listed the cooperation between the two countries in a number of connectivity-enhancing sectors, such as electricity distribution, friendship pipeline, road, rail, internet, airways and waterways, which connect even more people from both countries.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the heritage of the two countries comes from intellectuals such as Tagore, Qazi Nazrul Islam, Ustad Alauddin Khan, Lalon Shah, Jibananda Das and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He said that the legacy and inspiration of Bangabandhu has made the heritage of both countries more comprehensive, deep-rooted and the path is shown by Bangabandhu a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade.

Mentioning the coming milestones of the two countries, the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's liberation in 2021 and the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022, the PM was confident that both of these milestones will not only bring the development of India and Bangladesh to new heights but will also strengthen the bond of friendship between the two countries.
Janet Street-Porter couldn't contain her fury at being ordered by the government to stay at home under strict new plans to quarantine citizens over the age of 70 in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The television personality, 73, has suggested that pensioners be able to decide for themselves whether or not they should be considered vulnerable, as many will have no 'underlying health issues' and be 'super fit'.

The broadcaster appeared on Monday's edition of Loose Women, where she aired her grievances to her fellow panelists after penning her column in the Daily Mail.

Furious: Janet Street-Porter couldn't contain her fury at being ordered by the government to stay at home under strict new plans to quarantine citizens over the age of 70 in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus

Janet raged: 'I can't tell you how upset I was in the weekend, I've told you all morning how cross I am when I heard on the radio a government minister talking about locking up 70-year-olds for three months.

'Now they're talking about people with underlying health issues, it hasn't become house arrest yet.

'It is sensible if you have anything wrong with you to self-isolate and take care and now stress the National Health.'

Boris' plans: Britain's over-70s will be told to stay at home for four months while the government goes on a war footing to firefight the coronavirus crisis

Speaking out: The television personality, 73, has suggested that pensioners be able to decide for themselves whether or not they should be considered vulnerable

The star went on to say that she finds the measures completely 'unnecessary'.

'There are super fit 70 year-olds and I think the government should have said let's judge this by vulnerability', she said.

'If they're over 70 and have a clean bill of health, why should they be placed under house arrest?

'Tending to these people at home, I have no family, I have no children, I don't want to burden society. I just think it's unnecessary.

Janet said: 'There are super fit 70 year-olds and I think the government should have said let's judge this by vulnerability'

Janet went on to say that she's dreading being quarantined with her partner and believes they're going to end up killing each other.

'We're creating an unnecessary problem, I'm not being selfish I am being sensible, but if I was confined to my house with my partner it would be another episode of Midsummer Murders', the star joked.

Janet wrote an impassioned column for the Daily Mail on the same subject.

She penned: 'So when the Prime Minister announced that from this weekend I (along with Rod, Elton and co) am expected to submit to house arrest for 12 weeks, I cried (with rage).

'Baby boomers like me eat healthily, exercise every day, and enjoy an active life. I understand the risks attached to big crowds, public transport and mixing with people who cough and splutter and don't observe simple hygiene rules.

'But - if my temperature is normal and I have no symptoms - then surely I am entitled to have the choice about how to tailor my lifestyle to minimise any risk of infection?

'I am quite willing to pay for weekly testing, a small price to pay for freedom.'

Pillaged: An elderly gentleman looks on at near empty shelves in a Tesco in Leith, Edinburgh, on Monday

Britain's over-70s will be told to stay at home for four months while the government goes on a war footing to firefight the coronavirus crisis, it was revealed over the weekend.

Mass isolating of the elderly - even if they are not ill - will begin within the next 20 days as Boris Johnson ratchets up efforts to tackle the UK's ballooning outbreak.

This morning health secretary Matt Hancock said the virus is 'one of the biggest challenges we have seen in a generation'.

Although the drastic measures that have been implemented by the government have been drawn up to protect those most vulnerable to the killer COVID-19 infection, it brings serious concerns about the wellbeing of pensioners cooped-up for such a long time.

Regular social outings will have to be scrapped and pangs of loneliness could compound an already stressful isolation experience, psychologists have warned.

Instructing the over-70s to remain indoors forms part of a wider package of emergency powers due to be officially rolled out by Downing Street this week.
HAMRIN MOUNTAINS, Iraq  The fighter from a local armed group in the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) climbed in early March to a vantage point that had cartridges strewn about amid rusty barrels, sandbags and old, long-disused blue tarpaulins.

This was where the PMU used to fight from. About 50 died here in 2015 in the battle against the Islamic State (IS), the fighter, who only wanted to be identified as Maad, told Al-Monitor as the spring wind whipped through. He pointed at dirt tracks leading into the mountains and said, But the road there is still full of mines. Everywhere.

On March 10, the US military announced that two US Marines had been killed in the nearby Makhmour mountains. The deaths occurred during a "close range" firefight called one of the most intense clashes with IS in several months, chief coalition spokesman Col. Myles Caggins told CNN shortly afterward.

The operation reportedly involved several dozen Iraqi Counterterrorism Services forces and about a dozen Marine special forces.

With their tunnels and rough terrain, the Hamrin, Makhoul and Makhmour mountains  roughly between areas of Iraq under central government control and that under the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)  have long been seen as an area for insurgents to take refuge as well as an ideal spot to stash weapons and supplies.

Debate continues as to whether a pause in coalition support following a surge in tension between Iran and the United States since late December has negatively affected anti-IS operations in the country, with this area particularly at risk.

One Counterterrorism Services officer, who cannot be named for security reasons, told Al-Monitor in an interview in Baghdad in early March that US support for the Counterterrorism Services never stopped.

He said, The US continued and is continuing to give us valuable help with airstrikes as well as evidence collection and analysis.

A vote by the countrys Shiite-dominated parliament Jan. 5  in which Sunni and Kurdish legislators largely did not take part  had supported the removal of foreign forces from the country and been followed by an official pause in coalition support and training of Iraqi forces.

The officer, who had been on operations in the mountains in recent weeks, told Al-Monitor that two Counterterrorism Services troops from the Salahuddin brigade were killed and six were injured by IS shooting from tunnels during one operation prior to the death of the Marines.

In recent times, he said, IS members in local villages had come to understand that the forces often raided homes known to be housing the militants and then hit the militants using airstrikes when they tried to flee.

Some 90% of our operations are conducted at night, since we have an advantage then due to night goggles and better equipment, the Counterterrorism Services officer said.

Some of the bodies of the IS fighters are never found, he said, but for the others, We often just take DNA samples and leave them where they are. We dont have space to put the bodies in the helicopters. We need to get out fast.

He stressed that US help had been fundamental, since Iraq does not have the DNA testing capabilities and also does not have the technology to track phone activities in the same way as the United States does.

He said the Iraqi forces get a full report on any DNA samples 14 days after submitting them for analysis and that the United States has compiled a massive amount of data on Iraqi insurgents and others since 2003.

The ubiquitous tunnels in the mountains are a danger to any forces moving around in the rough terrain, however.

Al-Monitor accompanied local SWAT, police and PMU forces on two anti-IS operations in 2017 and returned in early March after reports of continuing IS activities in the area and operations conducted by Iraqi forces with US support.

During one of the 2017 operations, two men from the local forces this reporter was accompanying were injured by IS fire from tunnels on Dec. 25.

After the recent deaths of the Marines, the attention of US forces shifted farther south due to attacks on the Iraqi base of Camp Taji, where international coalition forces are hosted.

Two US soldiers and one female British medical technician reservist were killed and a dozen people were injured by rockets targeting the base on the evening of March 11, while three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers were injured in a second attack March 14.

It is widely believed that the attacks were conducted by or linked to Kataib Hezbollah.

Such attacks  unclaimed but praised by several Shiite-led armed groups on social media and in official statements  effectively hinder anti-IS operations in the country.

On March 13, IS reportedly released a propaganda video about its operations in Kirkuk, which like the mountain ranges is between central government territory and that under the KRG.

Though victory was officially declared in Iraq against IS in December 2017, occasional attacks and operations to root out remnants continue more than two years later. Experts and forces on the ground disagree on the true capabilities of the group, however.

Sheikh Wennas al-Jbara al-Jabouri of the 88th PMU brigade, which has responsibility for the area on the other side of the Hamrin mountains from Kirkuk province, met with Al-Monitor in a small outpost close to the mountains March 6.

He said there had been recent Counterterrorism Services operations near the Ajil and Alas oil fields resulting in the killing of 10 terrorists in one operation and four in the other.

The brigade, manned by local Sunnis but long supported by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Kataib Hezbollah leader killed by the United States in January, provide security and do not interfere in matters that do not concern us regarding the political situation, Jabouri said.

One of the local PMU fighters accompanying Al-Monitor into the Hamrin area in March claimed that most IS fighters had been wiped out but that there are simply a few gangs still around.
We are very proud of our members who have brought their firms to this level of excellence and also continue to push for continuous improvement, said Alan Deichler, president of CPAmerica. We want to congratulate our firms on all of their achievements.

Accounting Today, the premier publication of the certified public accounting industry, has named several CPAmerica, Inc. firms as national and regional leaders in their March 2020 Top 100 listing. Three firms were featured in the Top 100, two firms were recognized as firms to watch, and 16 firms were recognized as regional leaders.

We are very proud of our members who have brought their firms to this level of excellence and also continue to push for continuous improvement, said Alan Deichler, president of CPAmerica. We want to congratulate our firms on all of their achievements.

Frazier & Deeter, LLC, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., ranked 51 in the Top 100. Frazier & Deeter, also a leader in the Southeast region, saw revenue growth by almost 13 percent and their staff by 16 percent. Since joining CPAmerica in 1989, Frazier & Deeter has grown more than 98 million in revenue.

Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C., headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, ranked 62 in the Top 100, and was also recognized as a regional leader in the Midwest region.

Aldrich, headquartered in Salem, Ore., ranked 80 in the Top 100. Aldrich, also a leader in the West region, saw revenue growth of more than eight percent in the past year. In 2019, the firm acquired a technology firm called Lighthouse Information Systems, elected a new CEO to take office in 2020, and rolled out several new employee benefits, including a sabbatical program.

Cg Tax, Audit & Advisory, headquartered in Tinton Falls, N.J., was recognized as a regional leader in the Mid-Atlantic region and saw revenue growth of more than nine percent.

Cooper Norman CPAs, headquartered in Idaho Falls, Idaho, was recognized as a regional leader in the Mountain region and saw revenue growth of more than nine percent.

EFPR Group, LLP, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., was recognized as a regional leader in the Mid-Atlantic region.

GRF CPAs & Advisors, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., was recognized as a firm to watch, and as a regional leader in the Capital region and saw revenue growth of more than 10 percent.

Gollob Morgan Peddy PC, headquartered in Tyler, Texas, was recognized as a regional leader in the Southwest region and saw revenue growth of more than seven percent.

Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP, headquartered in Canton, Mass., was recognized as a regional leader in the New England region.

Kushner LaGraize, L.L.C., headquartered in Metairie, La., was recognized as a regional leader in the Gulf Coast region.

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., headquartered in Holyoke, Mass., was recognized as a regional leader in the New England region.

Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP, headquartered in Austin, Texas, was recognized as a firm to watch, and as a regional leader in the Southwest region and saw revenue growth of more than 11 percent.

McGowen Hurst Clark Smith, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, was recognized as a regional leader in the Midwest region.

Robinson, Grimes & Co., headquartered in Columbus, Ga., was recognized as a regional leader in the Southeast region.

VonLehman & Company, Inc., headquartered in Fort Wright, Ky., was recognized as a regional leader in the Southeast region.

Wegner CPAs, headquartered in Madison, Wis., was recognized as a regional leader in the Great Lakes region and saw revenue growth of more than 13 percent.

For more information on Accounting Todays 2020 Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders, please visit: https://www.accountingtoday.com/the-top-100-firms-and-regional-leaders.

About CPAmerica, Inc.:

An accounting association made up of independent certified public accounting firms that built on four key goals: to continuously improve; to make more money; to strengthen relationships among member firms; and to bring prestige to firms both domestically and internationally. As a member of the eighth largest global accounting network Crowe Global, CPAmerica expands to over 283 independent accounting and advisory services firms in 130 countries, and has a combined firm revenue of $4.4 billion. Learn more about CPAmerica at http://www.cpamerica.org.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:22:50|Editor: huaxia

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Medical experts prepare to get on a vehicle in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Zheng Mengyu)

HANGZHOU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A team of 12 medical experts from east China's Zhejiang Province was sent to Italy Tuesday by the Chinese government to aid the anti-coronavirus fight on the Apennine Peninsula.

The team consists of experts from several provincial hospitals and the Zhejiang center for disease prevention and control.

The experts are from various departments including respiratory, intensive care, infectious disease and traditional Chinese medicine. They will share their experience in COVID-19 prevention and control with local hospitals and experts, and provide treatment guidance.

ICU equipment donated by the province also arrived in Italy on the same day, including dozens of sets of ventilators, monitors and dual channel infusion pumps, two portable color ultrasound machines as well as 60,000 testing reagents.

Zhejiang so far has sent a total of 35.4 tonnes of medical supplies and commonly used drugs to Italy.
The film industry has been severely hit by the global coronavirus pandemic. With the government shutting down gyms and cinema halls till March 31 in many states across the country, our Bollywood celebrities are sharing ideas with their fans about how to make the most of their indoor time. Katrina Kaif, who is known to be quite a fitness freak, shared a work-out video in which she is seen performing a few exercises with her fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala on terrace.

The actress shared her entire exercise regime, which she will be practicing during her self-quarantine period and captioned the video as, #WorkoutatHome Can't go to the gym so sharing the workout that Yas and I did at home. Stay safe and be active if u can  1 S quat & Side Leg Lifts - 3 sets x 20 reps 2 Reverse Lunge - 3 sets x 15 reps 3 Situp - 3 sets x 20 reps 4 Pushup - 3 sets x 15 reps (you can substitute with incline pushups or knee pushups) 5 Plank to 'T' - 3 sets x 15 reps 6 Mountain Climbers - 4 slow and 15 tempo x 3 sets."

Check out the video here.

Earlier, in an interview with Hindustan Times, Yasmin had shared, "Katrina is very hardworking and fitness is really important for her. No matter how packed her day is, she finds that one hour for workout. Even if she has to do it between meetings or shoots, she takes out that one hour and focuses on fitness to a great extent."

Meanwhile, Arjun Kapoor has some other plans in store for his self-quarantine period. The Ishaqzaade actor shared that he will be binge-watching films. Sharing a selfie where he is seen posing in a hoodie and showing his fans a shelf filled with Blu-ray DVDs, the Panipat actor wrote, "That Blu ray cabinet is gonna be a lifesaver these next 2 weeks."

Arjun also shared a photo of his house, with a script and hand sanitizer kept in front of him. The actor also urged the media to maintain a safe distance from him while clicking him during his outings.

With respect to work, Arjun's upcoming film Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which was supposed to release in theatres on March 20, has been postponed owing to the coronavirus outbreak.

Katrina Kaif Urges Fans To Follow All Precautionary Safety Measures To Fight Coronavirus!

Coronavirus Lockdown: Akshay Kumar And Twinkle Khanna Chill Together In Their House Garden
That member of the group said Kan later texted him and  after a Washington Post reporter began making inquiries  called to explain the intent of his email was checking in with his friends and former classmates about whats going on in their lives, how are they dealing with COVID personally, how are they dealing with it professionally  not asking for policy input, and certainly not asking for health policy input.
Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez on Tuesday advised states to expand mail-in and early-voting options amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, The Hill reports.

Where it stands: The Trump administration implored people not to gather in groups greater than 10, and lawmakers nationwide are encouraging citizens to remain in their homes to prevent contracting or spreading COVID-19. Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Louisiana and Puerto Rico have pushed back their originally scheduled primary dates, as Florida, Illinois and Arizona move forward as planned with Tuesday's primaries.

"The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything we can to protect and expand that right instead of bringing our democratic process to a halt."

 Tom Perez in a statement

The DNC has rules in place that cut delegate totals in half for any state that does not complete its primary by June 9, per The Hill.

The state of play: Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders are the only two major Democratic contenders left in the race. Biden maintains a strong delegate lead.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
A 35-year-old woman suffering from flu fled from three private health facilities in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana districts after she refused to get her tests done for the coronavirus, sending the health authorities and police into a tizzy.

The woman in question, who was possibly suffering from coronavirus and hails from Jalandhar city, flew back to the Philippines where she lives, hours after she remained untraceable, the police said.

She arrived in Jalandhar on March 6 and stayed at her residence for a couple of days, it was learnt. She kept on visiting her relatives during this time. The last location of her mobile was traced to Ludhianas Sherpur Chowk on Sunday evening, following which the phone was switched off.

A health department official said she first visited a private clinic in Jalandhars Model Town locality on Sunday morning as she had dry cough and fever. The doctors there asked her to go to the local civil hospital to get herself tested for the coronavirus, he added.

She instead went to a clinic in Hoshiarpur districts Garhshankar in the afternoon. The doctors there too advised to get herself examined for the disease but she gave them a slip.

In the evening, she reached a private hospital at Gurdev Nagar in Ludhiana.

Since the woman showed symptoms of the virus, we asked her to stay in contact with the health authorities or visit the civil hospital for coronavirus test. But she left our hospital in a hush despite our having counselled her till midnight. Since we are not authorised to confine a person, we immediately sounded an alert and informed the health department authorities about this, said Dr GS Grewal who runs the medical facility.

Ludhiana police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal said, We received information about the woman with symptoms of flu. We put her mobile phone under surveillance.

Principal secretary (health and family welfare) Anurag Aggarwal said, An exercise was conducted under the supervision of the Jalandhar and Patiala deputy commissioners. We kept tracking the woman through the people she contacted until she switched off her phone. We received information Ttoday morning that she had taken a return flight.

As per our knowledge, she has reached Singapore. She went to Delhi in a private vehicle. Since no test was conducted on her, we cannot term her a confirmed or suspected coronavirus case. She only had symptoms. Since she came from a coronavirus-affected country we asked her to get her tests done.
A day after he addressed the nation in a more somber tone that many Americans welcomed, Trump was back to being Trump.

This is a pandemic, Ive felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday. Ive always viewed it as very serious, there was no difference yesterday from days before.

It was the same man who tweeted on February 24 that The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA and said on February 26 that the risk to the American people remains very low and said its going to disappear on February 26 and were prepared, and were doing a great job with it. And it will go away on March 10.

A day after he addressed the nation in a new, more sombre tone that many Americans grappling with a new reality welcomed, Trump was back to being Trump.

He took to Twitter to lash out at Michigans Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer for saying governors should work through their own supply chains to get ventilators and other needed medical equipment instead of relying on the federal government to get it for them.

Failing Michigan Governor must work harder and be much more proactive. We are pushing her to get the job done. I stand with Michigan!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020

A day earlier, a different Trump had stood at the podium during a White House briefing. Gone, at least for the moment, was the partisan bickering and personal attacks against the people  Democrats  and forces (the media) he sees as his opponents. Gone were the rosy asides meant largely to prop up the stock markets. Gone was the pretence that the coronavirus and the disease it spreads, COVID-19, was anything other than a public health emergency.

The shift was informed in part by a growing realization within the West Wing of the White House that the coronavirus crisis is an existential threat to Trumps presidency, endangering his reelection and his legacy. Trump has told advisers that he now believes  finally  the virus will be a significant general election issue.

And thats what got his attention.

Polls released on Tuesday showed that Americans faith in the way the federal government is handling its response to the growing crisis dropped precipitously as the extent of the problem became clear. An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that just 46 percent of Americans thought the government was doing enough, compared with 61 percent in February when the problem was primarily an overseas one.

Just 37 percent of Americans said they had a good amount or a great deal of trust in what they are hearing from Trump, while 60 percent say they had not very much or no trust at all in what he says. More Americans, 49 percent, disapprove of the presidents handling of the pandemic than approve  44 percent.

Notably, however, the numbers do not differ much from his overall job approval rating, which stands at 43 percent, hinting that the stark divisions within the US electorate are immune to the coronavirus. Another poll released on Tuesday, by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that Trumps Republican base remains sceptical about the threat of the virus and are less likely than Democrats to take precautionary measures.

Why? Primarily because Trumps constant haranguing of his critics has paid off. Only weeks ago, he attempted to portray media alarmism about the virus as a hoax and as recently as Saturday said the government had tremendous control of the virus. On Monday, he said he had been referring to his governments handling of the crisis and not the virus itself.





Trumps echo chamber in the right-wing media was right there with him. Fox News hosts who had previously derided the media as panic pushers engaged in yet another attempt to impeach the president were praising Trumps handling of a sobering and scary crisis.

On his favourite morning show on Tuesday, Fox & Friends, the hosts were even socially distancing themselves six feet apart on set instead of snuggling on the so-called curvy couch.

We have a responsibility to slow down this virus and to think of other people during this time, said host Ainsley Earhardt. And so, if you can keep your distance and prevent someone from getting close to you that might be sick, you can save your family, you can save the elderly and help our country as a nation.

Trumps change in tone came following a series of alarming briefings with dire projections about how many Americans could be infected if drastic action is not taken. But he also heard from Republican allies  including some on Capitol Hill  who urged him to alter course, fearing that earlier missteps may be eroding his reelection chances in November.

Those supporters are apparently so concerned that they took the dramatic step this week of reaching out to sitting Republican-appointed federal judges and told them that if they were planning on retiring, doing so sooner rather than later  before a change in administration or election that leads to Republicans losing control of the US Senate that confirms those judges  would be advisable.

Few expected Trumps more measured approach to last, but some were surprised it was so short-lived and said it failed to erase the ill will generated over the previous weeks.

Im not sure a change in tone makes up for a kind of complete lack of leadership that the country has seen in the first few weeks of this crisis, Princeton University presidential historian Julian Zelizer told The Associated Press news agency.
By Trend





Azerbaijan's Parliament has opened session to discuss issues of fighting the coronavirus threat in the country, Trend reports on March 17.

According to the Parliament's Chairman Sahiba Gafarova, the work carried out in this field in Azerbaijan is highly appreciated by the World Health Organization.

Prime Minister Ali Asadov sent a letter with instructions to local executive authorities and heads of state structures. The letter contains a number of requirements for organizing the fight against the threat of coronavirus infection. One of them is to restrict holding sessions, consultations and meetings, and to implement their management by phone, mobile communications and internet. In this regard, it is necessary to suspend sessions of the committees and commissions, she said.

Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues spreading rapidly around the world.

According to the information of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, the long incubation period, the speed of distribution and the absence of vaccines encourage the world countries to take even more strict measures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus infection a global pandemic. Based on WHO recommendations and requirements on the virus prevention, it became necessary to undertake a number of urgent measures in the country.

In this regard, it was decided to postpone the mass events for a month. Also, organizations related to the public and private sectors, the citizens are required to strictly observe special rules on preventing the coronavirus spread.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, on Tuesday told Parliament that the cost of printing the GH100 and GH200 noted is $8.97 million.



He said the amount was made up of $4.45 million and $4.53 million for the GH100 and the GH200 cedi notes respectively. He added that information obtained from the Bank of Ghana (BoG) showed that an amount of $5.39 million of the total contract had been paid.



Mr Speaker, the Bank of Ghana is in the process of finalizing their financial statements for 2019. Further details of the cost of the currency management will be provided in the bank's financial statements," he stated.



Mr Ofori-Atta disclosed this when he appeared before Parliament to answer a question from the Member of Parliament for Lambussie, Mr Edward Kaale-Ewola Dery on how much it cost the state to print the new GH100 and GH200 notes.



The legislators also asked the minister if he did not consider that printing the entire notes could encourage people to keep their money at home, thereby reducing savings and deposits at banks.



Responding, the minister told the House he did not anticipate a drop in savings culture in the country just the same way when the GH50 denominations were issued.



I am quite comfortable it will not affect our savings as we see it because we did not see any precipitous drop when it was GH50 and $50, he said.



On the question of whether the printing of the new currencies contradicted the efforts by the government to introduce a cashless economy, Mr Ofori-Atta said the emergence of technology had made cashless society almost inevitable.



Larger denominations are needed within the context of all that we do. I am not really sure what ill is being done by having higher denominations but the inevitability of us being cashless is an issue of technology and I do not see how it is going to affect the velocity in which cash flows in our country, he said.



He stopped short of telling the House the sum total of each of the two currencies - GH200 and GH100 - that were printed.



He, however, assured that house he would reach out to the central bank, which was in charge of currency management, to obtain the figures.



Stabilization fund



On the question from the MP for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Isaac Adongo, on how much of the excess funds after capping the Stabilisation Fund had been transferred to the Sinking Fund for 2017 and 2017 fiscal years, he said in 2017 the Ghana Stabilisation Fund (GSF) was not capped.



He said there was therefore no excess amount transferred to the Contingency Fund or Sinking Fund for debt repayment.



Mr Speaker, paragraph 199 of the 2018 budget statement and economic policy of government capped the GSF at $300 million in line with section 22(3) of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act.



Pursuant to the above provision of the PRMA, a total amount of $283,972,853 which was the excess over the capped amount was for the year 2018 was transferred to the Sinking Fund for debt repayment, he answered.









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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16)  The Government Service Insurance System confirmed Monday that one of their employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

The female employee had a travel history to Japan and started manifesting symptoms on March 7, said GSIS President and General Manager Rolano Macasaet in a statement. The employee was admitted at the San Juan de Dios Hospital on March 11.

GSIS said they are in the process of contract tracing to prevent further spread of the infection.

"The subject employee already gave us the list of persons with whom she had close physical contact from March 7 to March 11, Macasaet said. We have also started notifying the persons on the list and we advised them to self-quarantine and report to us if they are experiencing symptoms."

In light of this development, the management decided to continue the lockdown of its head office in Pasay City until April 15. GSIS on Thursday announced the temporary closure of the office, following confirmation that a resource person who attended a Senate hearingwhich took place in the said buildingtested positive for the viral disease.

The GSIS Branch Office in Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City will likewise be closed to the public for the same 30-day period.

Work was also suspended in its Cagayan de Oro, Tagum, and Iligan City branch offices after several employees experienced symptoms. The said employees are currently waiting for the test results, GSIS said.

Macaset said he also decided to self-quarantine, as he had close physical contact with several of the individuals listed down by the employee who tested positive for COVID-19.

According to GSIS, all other branch offices and extension offices will remain open to the public.

Old-age pensioners who are experiencing problems accessing their pensions are advised to report their concerns via the GSIS Contact Center. Meanwhile, government agencies based in Quezon City can submit their claims to the branch office in Bulacan, GSIS said.

Individual members can also apply for a loan in any of our branches or GWAPS kiosks nearest them. Almost all of our systems and processes in GSIS are automated and computerized, and this allows us to provide our pensioners and members anytime-anywhere access to our services, Macaset added.

As of March 16, the Department of Health confirmed at least 140 cases of COVID-19 in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday afternoon placed the entire island of Luzon under an "enhanced community quarantine," palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo told CNN Philippines. This move translates to strict home quarantine, suspension of public transportation, regulated provision of food and essential health services, and more police and military on the ground.
The older Redmi Note models of yesteryears had lacklustre cameras but in the past two years, we have seen Xiaomi working hard on the camera quality of the Note series phones. The Redmi Note 8 Pro had impressed us with its headlining grabbing 64-megapixel camera and it was only expected of Xiaomi to better it with the successor, especially after the Poco X2 set the bar high with its camera performance. And, with the Redmi Note 9 Pro, I can say Xiaomi has gone the way I expected it to.

At first, I too was taken aback at Xiaomi's decision to step down from the 64-megapixel unit to a 48-megapixel unit on the Pro variant, that too using the Samsung sensor instead of the one from Sony. However, Xiaomi has used the newer GW2 sensor and it promises superior performance over the older one. The rest of the camera setup looks similar to the one we saw on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.

Is this the camera that we expected to see on the 2020's Redmi Note Pro variant? Is it good enough to make users upgrade from last year's Redmi Note 8 Pro? Is it as good as the camera performance we saw on the Poco X2?

Redmi Note 9 Pro general camera performance

With the new 48-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GW2 sensor, Redmi says the gains are higher. While I don't have the Redmi Note 8 Pro for a direct comparison, the new camera seems to be on par with what the 64-megapixel camera could manage on the older model. In daylight, the photos have adequate detail to keep the pixel peepers happy. The photos are still not as sharp as what you see on the Poco X2 but they are more than good enough for a phone that starts at Rs 12,999.

But what about the colour reproduction? I kept the HDR switched to ON and let Xiaomi's AI do its magic on all the photos to get the best possible results. In daylight, the main camera tries to keep the colours close to real but there's a lack of dynamic range that the Poco X2 enjoys. Hence, photos have mostly bright and vivid colours but at times, you can see the camera is struggling to capture the real colours. For example, in most photos against the sunlight, the camera goes for washed-out tones.

In situations when the colour profile looks bland, you can switch on the Pro Colour mode and that will liven up the entire photo. The Pro Colour mode will bump up the brightness and enhance the saturation slightly to make the photo more colourful. This mode is similar to Realme's Chroma Boost but the saturation is kept in check to keep the photo tasteful.

MIUI 11's camera tuning also goes by default for a higher contrast to make things look interesting. If you are not into the super contrasty colours, you can go for the Pro mode that lets you have more control over all the parameters.

With light levels dropping, the Note 9 Pro tries to maintain the colour tones that you see. The details are maintained surprisingly but the darker areas in the frame lose out on colours and the details. The sharpness is maintained. For example, in the photo below, you can clearly make out the hills far away but at the same time, the trees closer by don't lose the details. The sky and the clouds are visible too.

During the night or under artificial lighting, the camera loses out on the details but it tries to keep the colours lively. For example, the night shot of a park shows bright colours but it loses out on all the details massively. The Night Mode helps is getting back the details and it also maintains the colours. However, you will have to wait for a few seconds to get the details and sharpness. Under indoor lighting, the photos retain colours and sharpness nicely but you need to rely on the Night Mode to capture the darker areas of the photo.

Redmi Note 9 Pro ultra-wide-angle performance

Similar to the Redmi Note 8 Pro, there's an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera on the Note 9 Pro as well. And once again, the performance here has improved. Most of the photos in daylight have bright colours and vivid tones but the details levels are not on par with what the main camera can achieve. In low light or during night time, the performance falls noticeably but the camera algorithms try to make up for it with brighter tones and vivid colours.

Redmi Note 9 Pro macro performance

The new 5-megapixel macro camera offers improved performance over the older 2-megapixel unit on the Note 8 Pro. Macro photos now carry more details and capture better colours than previous macro cameras. However, there's an issue of focus hunting at times and you may end up with blurry shots of the subject. The dynamic range still needs to improve though.

Redmi Note 9 Pro portrait mode performance

Xiaomi has always nailed the portrait mode performance on its phones and with the Note 9 Pro, it has taken it to another level. The depth camera is now used meticulously to offer more depth data to the camera algorithms. The edge detection is superb and among the best I have seen in smartphone cameras. The camera is also able to get the spaces between hands, in the below example, just right.

The subject stays prominent with lots of details and lively colour tones. I liked the natural tones the camera is trying to achieve. For those who want the beauty effects, Xiaomi has offered several beauty enhancements to make your face a better version than it is.

Redmi Note 9 Pro selfie performance

The new 16-megapixel selfie camera is on par with what we saw on the Note 8 Pro. The sharpness and colours are decent but it's nowhere near what the main camera can do. For most selfie addicts, the Note 9 Pro will take sharp images with adequate details.

However, the limited dynamic range means the colours are not vibrant enough. In low light situations, the colours appear to be dull than usual.

Is the Redmi Note 9 Pro a better camera phone?

In many ways, the Note 9 Pro shows massive improvements over the Note 8 Pro in terms of colours and sharpness. However, the Samsung GW2 sensor still loses out to the Sony IMX686 sensor that we saw on the Poco X2 and hence, the detail levels, as well as low light performance, is not on the same level.

However, considering the starting price of Rs 12,999, the Note 9 Pro's camera performs impressively. We are yet to see what improvements the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max brings but if you don't want to spend more than Rs 13,000 on a phone with good cameras, the Redmi Note 9 Pro fits the bill.
Building a better botox

Botulinum toxins -- a.k.a. botox -- have a variety of uses in medicine: to treat muscle overactivity in overactive bladder, to correct misalignment of the eyes in strabismus, for neck spasms in cervical dystonia, and more. Two botulinum toxins, types A and B, are FDA-approved and widely used. Although they are safe and effective, the toxins can drift away from the site of injection, reducing efficacy and causing side effects.

New research at Boston Children's Hospital finds that some small engineering tweaks to botox B could make it more effective and longer-lasting with fewer side effects. The findings were reported today in PLOS Biology.

A third way for botox B to bind to nerves

Botox works by attaching to nerves near their junction with muscles, using two cell receptors. Once docked, it blocks release of neurotransmitter, paralyzing the muscle.

Min Dong, PhD, at Boston Children's, with lab members Linxiang Yin, PhD, Sicai Zhang, PhD, and Jie Zhang, PhD, had been looking for ways to get botox B to bind to nerve cells more strongly, to keep it in place and avoid side effects. In another member of the botox family, type DC, they identified a potential third means of attachment: a lipid-binding loop capable of penetrating lipid membranes. Through structural modeling studies, they discovered that when particular amino acids are at the tip of the loop, the toxin can indeed use the loop to attach to the nerve-cell surface, in addition to binding to toxin receptors.

They further found that although botox B contains this same lipid-binding loop, it lacks these key amino acids at its tip. So Dong and colleagues added them in through genetic engineering.

As hoped, the introduced changes enhanced the toxin's ability to bind to nerve cells. In a mouse model, the engineered toxin was absorbed by local neurons around the injection site more efficiently than the FDA-approved form of botox B, with less diffusion away from the injection site. This led to more effective local muscle paralysis, longer-lasting local paralysis, and reduced systemic toxicity.

"Based on our mechanistic insight, we created an improved toxin that showed higher therapeutic efficacy, better safety range, and much longer duration," says Dong. "The type A toxin does not have the lipid-binding loop, so we are still working on engineering this lipid-binding capability into type A."

###

Boston Children's Hospital has filed for a patent and hopes to bring the enhanced toxin into clinical development.

Pal Stenmark of Stockholm University is co-senior author on the paper. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01NS080833, R01AI132387, R01AI139087, and R21NS10615), Ipsen Inc, the NIH-funded Harvard Digestive Disease Center (P30DK034854), Boston Children's Hospital Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (P30HD18655), Harvard Center for Glycoscience, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Swedish Research Council (2014-5667), the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the Swedish Cancer Society.

About Boston Children's Hospital

Boston Children's Hospital is ranked the #1 children's hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. Today, 3,000 researchers and scientific staff, including 8 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 21 members of the National Academy of Medicine and 12 Howard Hughes Medical Investigators comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's is now a 415-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care. For more, visit our Discoveries blog and follow us on social media @BostonChildrens, @BCH_Innovation, Facebook and YouTube.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Pakistan reported its first casualty due to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, health ministry officials said as the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 infections rose to 193 in the country. The first fatality was reported from Lahore.

Lahore: Pakistan reported its first casualty due to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, health ministry officials said as the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 infections rose to 193 in the country. The first fatality was reported from Lahore.

Meanwhile, Sindh has 155 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan has 10, Gilgit-Baltistan has 5, Islamabad has 2 and Punjab has 6, officials said.

"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 kilometres from Lahore, died on Tuesday," Punjab health minister Yasmin Rashid told a press conference on Tuesday. She said five new cases of the coronavirus have emerged in Punjab and as many in Sindh raising the total number of the COVID-19 infections to 193, including 155 in Sindh province.

In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre has also confirmed the first death in the country. The patient was admitted at the Mayo Hospital in Lahore and had came from Muscat on 15 March. He was tested positive and shifted to Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

Follow LIVE blog on coronavirus outbreak

Rashid said since all educational institutions, shrines, cinemas and etc have been closed to stop the spread of the virus, the government has been in contact with clerics to decide to close worship places. The government, she said has launched crackdown on hoarders in the wake of panic buying.

The health minister also said the patients of coronavirus may increase substantially in Punjab as some 780 suspected patients have been kept in quarantine at a university in Dera Ghazi Khan and most of them show typical symptoms of the disease.

She said these suspected patients (all of them pilgrims returning from Iran), including women, entered Pakistan from Iran through Taftan border with history of flu, fever and cough.

On young doctors' threat that they would not attend the patients because of non-availability of medical kits, Rashid said: "Today we have provided 25,000 kits at Punjab hospitals to fight this disease." A high-alert caution has been issued in DG Khan, some 350 kilometres from Lahore, while several health department teams were dispatched to the southern city to isolate the patients.

According to the officials, the Iranian authorities have kept all these suspected virus carriers on the same premises in sheer violation of the criteria of the World Health Organisation (WHO), exposing them to greater risk of contacting the virus.

"They have been shaking hands, hugging each other and even sharing towels and kitchen items during their stay in Iran despite the fact that some of them were having strong symptoms of the coronavirus, the officials said, adding these 780 suspected patients belonged to various cities of Punjab.

Among other things, Pakistan has decided to close down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till 5 April in view of the virus outbreak.

The virus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city in the Hubei province in December last year has spread to 155 countries, infected 182,406 people and has claimed 7,154 lives, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. China remains the hardest-hit with 80,881 infections and 3,226 deaths by the end of Monday. After China, Italy and Iran are the two worst-affected countries.
PHILADELPHIA, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- N2Growth, Inc., a global leader in human and organizational performance and top executive search firm, announced today that it will be deferring 50% of all search fees for new engagements until after the COVID-19 pandemic has been contained.

Mike Myatt, Chairman of N2Growth, said, "This is a rather unprecedented time, and it's during times like this that we need to come together and find opportunities to serve each other. The spread of COVID-19 is causing suffering for thousands of families around the world, it is disrupting daily life, closing schools, and impacting markets. We feel an obligation to lead by example and do our part to help the marketplace get to the other side of this."

Myatt continued, "Knowing that many businesses may struggle to a degree in the near-term, communities need to come together, put commercial interests beneath the greater good, and find ways to serve. We fundamentally believe that great servant leadership is what's most needed to be resilient in crisis, and why we've elected to remove any near-term financial obstacle for companies looking to acquire leadership talent. Effective today, we're deferring 50% of all fees for new engagements until after the coronavirus outbreak has been contained and the market is back on its feet again. It's a small thing, sure, but it's our attempt to do our part."

Tim Dunn, CCO at N2Growth, added, "In addition to doing everything we can to help clients fill vacancies with great leaders and removing any financial obstacles to doing so, it's also important to note that N2Growth has been on the leading edge of digital, remote work for more than a decade." Dunn continued, "We would like to personally extend an invitation to help guide you through the process of setting up and leading a high-performing decentralized remote workforce. We have an amazing team and culture, most of which is remote, and we can help you with the same  as a professional courtesy without cost or obligation, just a helping hand  you can reach me at [email protected]."

About N2Growth

N2Growth is a global leader in human and organizational performance with practice areas in executive search, leadership development and business transformation. Ranked as a Top 10 Executive Search Firm by Forbes, N2Growth has more than 50 locations across the Americas, the European Community, MENA, and APAC. More information on N2Growth can be found at www.n2growth.com.

Media Inquiries:

Dan Evans

N2Growth

(830) 715-4007

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The first major snowstorm to hit the Sierra Nevada in about three months cranked up over the weekend. Some areas like Squaw Ski Resort and Tahoe City got slammed with two feet or more of accumulation, while others spots like Alpine Summit and Squaw Valley recorded wind gusts of more than 100 mph.

SONAR Critical Events and radar: Monday, Mar. 16, 2020, 10 a.m. EDT; Sierra snowstorm

Roads were closed as snow plow drivers worked overtime to keep up with the intense winds and snowfall rates. But the storm isn't over. Several inches to a foot or more of additional snowfall will hit the Sierra Nevada today through tomorrow, with areas of gusty winds and whiteout conditions. Amounts depend mostly on elevation.

Traffic is being held westbound I-80 in Truckee. #cawx #TrafficAlert pic.twitter.com/dyLceWbbqZ  Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) March 14, 2020

Due to spin-outs in the Donner Summit area over the weekend, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed Interstate 80 from Colfax to the Nevada border. This is a stretch of about 75 miles which includes Truckee. CHP tweeted earlier this morning that the highway is back open for now. However, CHP may close it again at some point during the storm. The high elevations above 7,000 feet around Truckee and South Lake Tahoe could see another 12 to 18 inches of snowfall through Tuesday, with up to 10 inches in spots below 7,000 feet.

As the storm continues spinning over the region, heavy snowfall will develop later today and tonight in the Cascades of northern California and southern Oregon  areas that didn't see snow over the weekend. This will last through Tuesday as 4 to 8 inches could pile up above 3,000 feet in the Mt. Shasta area, impacting portions of I-5.

Impact On Freight

The Reno and Stockton markets straddle the Sierra Nevada range from far western Nevada into eastern California. There's not much freight leaving these markets, baked on the latest SONAR data from FreightWaves.

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The map below shows the Headhaul index (HAUL) which measures the difference between outbound volumes and inbound volumes for the 135 freight markets across the continental United States. Reno and Stockton are in medium to dark red, meaning they are "backhaul" markets that have more loads coming into them rather than leaving, often leading to loose capacity of trucks.

SONAR Ticker: HUAL map (left); SONAR Tickers: ITRI.SCK, ITRI.RNO (right)

However, the chart next to the map shows that carriers have been rejecting more and more loads into Reno and Stockton. Their inbound tender rejection rates (ITRI. RNO, ITRI.SCK) are above 10.0%, which is high. This may be at least partly to do with the storm. Carriers could be reluctant to have drivers make drop-offs into markets getting hit with a significant snowstorm where interstate closures are possible. They could be waiting out the storm, or possibly have worked with shippers to extend lead times, arranging for drop-offs shortly after the storm ends.

Other Areas Of Snowfall Today

Heavy snowfall will also develop today in the mountains around Los Angeles and San Diego. This includes high elevations of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Riverside counties, where accumulations could range from 5 to 15 inches. This could affect the I-5 corridor between Gorman and the Grapevine, a stretch of cabout 13 miles.

Have a great day, and be careful out there!

Image Sourced from Pixabay

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 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan sharply rose to 237 on Tuesday, amidst conflicting statements by authorities on the nation's first casualty due to the viral infection and Prime Minister Imran Khan's warning that the disease will spread further.

The Sindh province is the worst-hit with 172 cases, followed by 26 in Punjab, 16 each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, 5 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad, officials said.

According to Meeran Yousuf, media coordinator to the Sindh health minister, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 172 in Sindh province on Tuesday. Of the 172 patients, 134 are in Sukkar, 37 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad city.

Addressing the nation on the government's efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Imran Khan warned that the viral infection will spread further in the country.

"I want to tell you that this virus will spread. As you have seen, it will spread, as it is spreading in the world and especially in countries that are far advance than us," he said in the televised speech.

He said as part of government's measures to combat COVID-19, 9,00,000 people have been screened so far at airports across Pakistan.

Khan said the government rejected a proposal to close down cities as it will hit hard poor people "will die of hunger".

He said the government has set up a National Coordination Committee, supported by a core panel of medical experts, to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Khan said the government has also set up a committee to offset the economic impact of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting statements on the first coronavirus death in Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid in a press conference in Lahore confirmed Pakistan's first casualty due to the novel coronavirus.

"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 km from Lahore, died here on Tuesday," he said.

In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre also confirmed the death.

According to the statement, the patient, who came from Muscat on March 15 and was tested positive, was admitted to Lahore's Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

However, later in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar rejected the statements.

The chief minister in a tweet said according to the test report, the person did not die of coronavirus.

In a statement, the Pakistan Army said all medical facilities of the armed forces were "operationalised and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic".

A central testing laboratory has already been set up at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Rawalpindi, it said, adding that COVID-19 help desks have been established at all military hospitals.

The army chief has "directed all commanders to take maximum necessary measures to assist civil administration".

As the country's already fragile economy came under more pressure due to the viral outbreak, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday announced to cut its policy rate by 75 basis points to 12.50 from 13.25 to tackle the economic challenges.

Among other things, Pakistan shut down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday hold a Cabinet meeting via video link, Special Assistant on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said.

Meanwhile, the opposition accused the government of failing to contain the spread of virus. It also alleged that the quarantine facilities for pilgrims who returned from Iran and kept at Taftan border point are poor.

"The government has failed to check the spread of coronavirus," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told reporters here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
16 March 2020  As previous announced the Annual General Meeting of Kvrner ASA will be held Tuesday 24 March 2020 at 12:00 CET at Engineerium, Snaryveien 20, 1360 Fornebu, Norway.



Kvaerner is closely monitoring the development and impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. In order to comply with regulatory requirements to decrease the risk of spread the coronavirus and in order to ensure the safety and well-being of Kvaerners shareholders, staff and other stakeholders, Kvaerner has decided to implement precautionary measures in front of the Annual General Meeting. Due to the extraordinary situation shareholders and other stakeholders are urged to vote electronically prior to the meeting and not attend the meeting physically.

The notice of meeting and the following supporting documents are also available at www.kvaerner.com: .

the Annual Report 2019

the Board of Directors' Corporate governance statement

the Environmental, social and governance report 2019

the recommendation of the Nomination Committee

the Board of Directors' proposed resolutions for the Annual General Meeting 2020

the Board of Directors' statement of executive remuneration

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations:

Idar Eikrem, EVP & CFO, Kvaerner, +Mob: +47 950 28 363, email: ir@kvaerner.com

Media:

Torbjrn Andersen, Head of Communications & IR, Kvaerner, Mob: +47 928 85 542, email: torbjorn.andersen@kvaerner.com

About Kvaerner:

Kvaerner is a project execution specialist and a trusted advisor for our customers. We provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and deliver advanced offshore platforms, onshore plants, floating production units (i.e. FPSOs) and renewable energy solutions.

We have offices in seven countries and approximately 2 800 employees. Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) has the highest priority in our work, and we aim to deliver technology and solutions in a safe and sustainable way. Our passion, experience and expertise realise values for costumers and societies. Kvrner ASA, through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Kvaerner"), is an international contractor and preferred partner for operators and contractors within oil and gas, renewable energy and in the field of engineering and fabrication.

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In 2019, Kvaerner's Field Development segment had consolidated annual revenues of NOK 9.4 billion and the company reported an order backlog at 31 December 2019 of NOK 8.2 billion. Kvaerner is publicly listed with the ticker "KVAER" at the Oslo Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit www.kvaerner.com ( http://www.kvaerner.com ).
Police have charged a 31-year-old man with arson after a house fire in Brisbane's north on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the two-storey Mango Hill home about 4pm to find it in flames.

Two people inside at the time had managed to escape without injury, though the fire caused extensive damage to the home on Freshwater Creek Drive.

Police arrested the Kallangur man nearby a short time later, charging him with arson, with investigations ongoing.

The man is due to appear in Pine River Magistrates Court on Thursday.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clashed with his Chinese counterpart on Monday over what he called Beijing's efforts "to shift blame for Covid-19 to the United States" as escalating accusations " and even allegations of conspiracy " flew between Beijing and Washington.

Amid the spreading of a conspiracy theory by Chinese officials that US troops could have introduced the novel coronavirus to China, Pompeo told Yang Jiechi in a phone call that "this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumours, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat", according to the State Department.

During the call, Yang, Beijing's top diplomat, denounced US lawmakers' criticism of China's disease control efforts, according to Chinese state media reports. The politicians' remarks had "continuously denigrated" China's measures and "aroused the strong indignation of the Chinese people", he said.

Yang said that US attempts to discredit China "would not succeed" and that China would counter any actions that affected its interests. He also urged Pompeo to strengthen cooperation with China and the international community for the sake of global public health and security.

Top US politicians have drawn the ire of the Beijing foreign ministry for emphasising the global epidemic's Chinese roots.

Last week the minority leader of the US House, Representative Kevin McCarthy, referred to the disease as the "Chinese coronavirus", while Pompeo himself this month called it the "Wuhan coronavirus". The foreign ministry denounced both instances as stigmatising China.

Since then, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has leaned into a conspiracy theory that the Covid-19 pandemic may have been linked to the US Army's participation in the international Military World Games held in Wuhan in October.

Zhao's suggestion, made on Friday on Twitter on Friday, caused the US State Department to summon the Chinese ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai, in angry protest.

Story continues

US Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, has referred to the "Chinese coronavirus". Photo: Getty Images/AFP alt=US Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, has referred to the "Chinese coronavirus". Photo: Getty Images/AFP

After the spat, China's ambassadors to Kazakhstan and Nigeria fell in line behind Zhao, echoing his criticism of the US.

Zhang Xiao, the ambassador to Kazakhstan, took aim at the US in a Facebook post on Saturday.

"Your shortages of masks, gloves, tests, and equipment, and even your stock market plunging, was it all caused by China? It's time to admit what you've been hiding from your voters and the international community, because there are many doubts," to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao said in a post written in Russian.

China's ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, blamed "certain US politicians" and the US media with "ulterior motives" for spreading prejudice. "Why are certain people and media still promoting such absurd logic? What are they up to?" he asked.

Earlier this month, US-based Fox News commentator Jesse Watters joked during the broadcast of the political panel discussion The Five that he wanted an apology from President Xi Jinping or the Chinese embassy.

At a foreign ministry press conference days later, Zhao Lijian issued a lengthy rebuke of the comments, saying that the origins of the virus were still undetermined.

"The H1N1 flu that broke out in the US in 2009 spread to 214 countries and regions, killing at least 18,449 people that year alone. I don't remember anyone asking the US to apologise," Zhao said.

Ambassador Zhou's article over the weekend echoed Zhao's points on H1N1, and the absence of an apology.

"To defeat this virus is everyone's battle and every patient that came down with it [sic] wherever he or she is, is a victim. What is the point in arguing that someone should apologise for [the disease]?" he said.

Additional reporting by Owen Churchill

Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.

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.
China reported on Tuesday just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad, threatening to spoil its progress against the disease.

The single case in Wuhan will boost China's view that it has "basically curbed" the spread of a disease that is believed to have emerged in a live animal market in the central city in December.

Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei province going under lockdown in the following days.

Authorities tightened restrictions in the city even further on February 11, confining people to their homes as health workers faced a daily deluge of well over 1,000 cases -- a move officials say was critical in containing the virus.

Other cities across the country enacted further measures to compel most people to stay indoors, and no new domestic infections have been detected outside Hubei for many days in a row.

But the country is now concerned about an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day.

Beijing started on Monday to require almost all international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels.

People who live alone, minors, the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying conditions are allowed to confine themselves at home.

Nine of the 20 new imported cases were in Beijing and three in Shanghai, raising the total number of confirmed infections from abroad to 143, according to the National Health Commission.

China also reported 13 deaths, raising its toll to 3,226.

The country has recorded 80,881 total cases, but fewer than 9,000 people remain infected.

The country's progress stands in stark contrast with the growing crisis in other countries, with the World Health Organization saying there were now more deaths and cases outside China.

The number of deaths worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 181,500 cases in 145 countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MINNEAPOLIS - A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by environmental groups against the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, saying the Interior Department had the authority to reverse itself and renew the projects federal mineral rights leases.

The Obama administration tried to kill Twin Metals by rejecting the companys application to renew its leases, citing the risk of acid mine drainage to the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. But the Trump administration gave the project a new lease on life when it reinstated those leases last year.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Interior Department has the authority to correct what the agency argued was an error. He wrote that the departments explanation was thorough, thoughtful and reasonable  a far cry from arbitrary and capricious as the projects opponents claimed.

Those opponents, including the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, said they would appeal. They said the plain language in the leases meant that Twin Metals was not entitled to an automatic lease renewal.

Twin Metals, owned by Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, filed its formal mine plan with state and federal regulators in December, launching whats expected to be a lengthy environmental review and permitting process.

The company welcomed the judges ruling. This is encouraging news for the communities of northeast Minnesota who look forward to the hundreds of jobs and economic development our mine will bring to the region, the company said in a statement.
A British teacher living under lockdown in Madrid today spoke of the extreme measures being taken to protect against the spread of coronavirus  including 300 fines for people caught jogging in the street.

James Blower, 26, who moved to the Spanish capital from Putney in 2017, said the streets are swarming with police after the Government declared a state of alarm.

Residents have been ordered to stay inside their homes except to buy essential supplies and medicines, or to go to work or hospital.

Spain has experienced Europes worst coronavirus outbreak after Italy.

Mr Blower said supermarkets had been emptied of staples including rice and pasta. The freelancer said he was hoping to do tutorials via Skype to keep working, and praised the Government for giving small businesses and the self-employed tax relief.
CHENGDU, China, March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 12, the West China Hospital affiliated to Sichuan University donated a batch of isothermal nucleic acid amplification microfluidic chip analyzers and nucleic acid test kits, which can detect and distinguish six respiratory viruses, including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), to Georgian government.

The virus detection kit, jointly developed by the hospital, Tsinghua University in Beijing and a Chengdu-based biotech company under the guidance of renowned Chinese respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan and epidemiologist Li Lanjuan, was approved and accepted February 22 by China's National Medical Products Administration. With secretion samples collected from patients' noses and throats, the kit can detect six common respiratory viruses including the COVID-19 all at once within 1.5 hours, which could improve detection precision and help patients get treated quickly.

As of 12 pm on March 11, 23 people in Georgia had tested positive for the COVID-19. Having learned of the effectiveness of the virus test kit, the embassy of Georgia in China, on behalf of the Georgian government, sought help from the government of Sichuan Province. The Sichuan provincial government assigned the hospital to donate the medical supplies. To get to know more, please visit https://www.gochengdu.cn.

SOURCE The West China Hospital Affiliated to Sichuan University
By Sunday afternoon, a meeting that had begun with a single text message had become a standing-room affair at Chefs Special. Every chair and stool was occupied. People stood behind the bar. In the back of the room, late arrivers raised themselves on tiptoe to see what was happening. The gathering took on a tone of therapy as much as strategy.
BANGALORE, India, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Flexible Packaging Market is expected to grow from USD 148,563.46 Million in 2018 to USD 194,256.13 Million by the end of 2025 at a CAGR of 3.90%.

It is expected that over the forecast period, technical advances such as plastic-based flexible pouches and sachets will open up new avenues for growth in many application industries. This is in turn expected to fuel the market for flexible packaging.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-7J18/flexible-packaging-market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET SIZE

Demand for packaging solutions across the food & beverage, healthcare, and personal care industries is anticipated to drive industry demand, ensuring enhanced safety, comfort handling, and packaging design choices.

Raw materials such as plastic films, aluminum foil, and paper, are used for flexible packaging. Plastic has outstanding label visibility and offers safe and attractive packaging. Plastic films are expected to grow fastest during the forecast period because of these features. They are used mainly in food & beverage products packaging, as they shield them from oxidation and also increase their shelf life.

Factors such as the ability to form packages into a compact pouch, bag, liner, or overwrap can provide lucrative opportunities for participants in the industry and in turn is expected to fuel the market growth.

Get Free Sample Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/360I-Auto-7J18/flexible_packaging_market

REGION WISE FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Asia-Pacific is a prominent area for the flexible packaging market due to increased exports to other regions. The region includes countries such as China , India , and Japan , which are the world's leading exporters of goods to different parts of the world. The region's booming e-commerce market is also helping the flexible packaging industry expand.

is a prominent area for the flexible packaging market due to increased exports to other regions. The region includes countries such as , , and , which are the world's leading exporters of goods to different parts of the world. The region's booming e-commerce market is also helping the flexible packaging industry expand. North America retained the second-largest market share on the flexible packaging market. The area has seen substantial growth as a result of the growing demand from various end-use industries driving the region's flexible packaging sector.

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ON THE BASIS OF PRODUCT, THE GLOBAL FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET IS STUDIED ACROSS

Bags

Pouches

Wraps

ON THE BASIS OF MATERIAL, THE GLOBAL FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET IS STUDIED ACROSS

Aluminum Foils

Flexible Foam

Paper

Plastic

ON THE BASIS OF END-USER, THE GLOBAL FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET IS STUDIED ACROSS

Beverages

Food

Personal Care and Household Care

Pharmaceutical and Medical

Tobacco

THE REPORT PROVIDES INSIGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING POINTERS:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information by the key players in the Global Flexible Packaging Market.

2. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments in the Global Flexible Packaging Market.

3. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets for the Global Flexible Packaging Market.

4. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new products launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Global Flexible Packaging Market.

5. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the Global Flexible Packaging Market

THE REPORT ANSWERS QUESTIONS SUCH AS:

1. What is the market size of the Flexible Packaging Market in the Global?

2. What are the factors that affect the growth in the Global Flexible Packaging Market over the forecast period?

3. What is the competitive position in the Global Flexible Packaging Market?

4. Which are the best product areas to be invested in over the forecast period in the Global Flexible Packaging Market?

5. What are the opportunities in the Global Flexible Packaging Market?

6. What are the modes of entering the Global Flexible Packaging Market?

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SIMILAR REPORTS:

?PLASTIC FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET

Cost-effectiveness and increased shelf life of the product drives the demand for the flexible plastic packaging market. Flexible plastic packaging requires fewer raw materials and energy; thus, flexible packaging is available at low cost and consumes 35 percent fewer retail shelf space, making it cost-effective compared to other packaging types.

The study offers an in-depth overview of the global market for flexible plastic packaging and its industrial results.

View Full Report : https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-2D247/plastic-flexible-packaging-market

?FLEXIBLE PACKAGING AND MATERIALS MARKET

The innovation of flexible films has contributed to strong growth in the demand for flexible packaging and materials markets. Flexible packaging and materials are commonly used in industries such as confectionery, frozen food, and FMCG.

Increasing demand from healthcare, cosmetics and toiletries, food and beverages, household products, sporting goods, and other agricultural products industries is expected to drive flexible packaging & material market growth globally.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3U210/flexible-packaging-and-materials-market

?LAMINATION ADHESIVES FOR FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET

The global Lamination Adhesives for Flexible Packaging market is valued at 2857.2 million US$ in 2020 is expected to reach 2877.5 million US$ by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 0.1% during 2021-2026.

Lamination adhesives are a variety of coatable adhesives used in the manufacturing of laminated plastic cards. Numerous versions of lamination adhesives are available for screen printing, roller coat, and flexible packaging applications.

Significant factors driving the global Lamination Adhesives for Flexible Packaging market are the rapid growth of the flexible packaging industry and the growing demand for packaged food.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3P209/lamination-adhesives-for-flexible-packaging-market

?MEDICAL FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MARKET

The global Medical Flexible Packaging market is valued at 19340 million US$ in 2020 is expected to reach 24420 million US$ by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.3% during 2021-2026.

Due to the growing demand from the pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing industries, Medical Flexible Packaging is expected to see strong growth. Flexible packaging provides various advantages, such as low waste, convenient delivery, and product safety. It is expected that the capacity of flexible packaging to reduce the total weight by about 70% would play a major role in increasing consumer demand.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3V208/medical-flexible-packaging-market

?FLEXIBLE PACKAGING FILMS MARKET

Technologies for plastic films help conserve and protect the material, as well as improve the shelf life of perishable products, reducing the need for preservatives. Packaging films also provide the products with clarity and gloss, acting as the basis for product labeling and printing.

These factors are expected to complement the growth of the global market for packaging films. Packaging films also impede the process of microbial growth and slowdown the deterioration of perishable goods, further contributing to demand of packaging films.

The study offers an in-depth overview of the global market for flexible packaging films and its industrial results.

View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-4Z203/flexible-packaging-films-market

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Adaptiv Announces TCG Partnership

By Maurice Nagle , Web Editor

With coronavirus chatter reaching fever pitch, those SMEs embracing the digital age are moving forward without interruption. SD-WAN is a key enabler of the work from home movement, supporting mission critical applications and services, ensuring business as usual.







2020 SD-WAN Expo platinum sponsor Adaptiv Networks announced a new partnership with ITEXPO (News - Alert) veteran Telecom Consulting Group (TCG), adding the cloud native SD-WAN-as-a-Service to the master agents arsenal.

Adaptiv Networks is a solid fit for the SME market because the solution is delivered as a simple and frictionless managed service with 24/7 support," said Dan Pirigyi, Partner at TCG Telecom Group. "This partnership will help TCG agents meet business connectivity requirements for digital transformation.

At a time like this UCaaS performance reliability is crucial to operations and the appropriate SD-WAN solution will deliver an exceptional end user experience. Not all businesses possess the resources to deploy, implement and manage an SD-WAN solution, but the right partner will deliver a roadmap and level of support to enable you to worry about the big picture  not application performance.

"SD-WAN is not one-size-fits-all. Most solutions are too costly and too complex for smaller businesses who have limited IT resources," explains Bernard Breton (News - Alert), CEO of Adaptiv Networks. "We focus on delivering simplicity, agility, and cost-effectiveness for businesses of any size."

In this time of great uncertainty, there should at least be peace of mind in the performance of your WAN, and your homebound workforce is remaining productive.

Whats in your WAN?



Edited by Maurice Nagle
Japan's education ministry plans to draw up guidelines to provide educational opportunities for all foreign children living in Japan.

Last September, the ministry surveyed over 124,000 foreign children aged between 6 and 14 who are currently registered in local residence records.

The results showed that nearly 20,000 may not be attending schools of any sort, though they should be attending elementary or junior high schools, which are compulsory in Japan.

A ministry panel of experts, which has been seeking ways to support such children, compiled a draft report on Monday.

The report asks the government to set guidelines that incorporate measures to help foreign children to receive an education.

It calls on local municipalities to make lists that have names, addresses and other information about school-age children, just as is done for Japanese children. It also calls on municipal officials to visit the homes of foreign children to understand their situations.

The panel will complete an official report by the end of this month.

The education ministry plans to draw up guidelines based on the panel's report by the end of next March.
Elrich (D) released his proposed operating budget of $5.9 billion  about half of which is for education  by a deadline to submit the plan. It includes a property tax rate of $1.0264 per $100 of assessed value, nearly 5 cents more than the current rate of $0.9786. A large chunk of this increase is a 3.1-cent supplemental property tax, which Elrich said would go exclusively to the countys public schools, which are struggling with overcrowding.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking quashing of his death penalty.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana dismissed Singh's plea claiming he was not in Delhi on the day of the incident.

The plea claimed that Singh was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, and was not present in the city on December 16, when the crime took place.

The public prosecutor told the court that Singh's plea is frivolous and a tactic to delay the scheduled hanging.

The plea also alleged that Singh was tortured inside the Tihar jail.

Meanwhile, the court asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to Singh's counsel.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012.

She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused.

Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
Work in the auto industry, or have a family member who does? We want to hear how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting you, and what you think workers should demand to address it. Email us at autoworkers@wsws.org, or message us at the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter Facebook page. Comments will be published anonymously.

Support is growing rapidly for an immediate shutdown of the auto industry to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Autoworkers continued to send the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter comments denouncing the decision by the companies to maintain full production in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

Faced with overwhelming hostility from workers, local level UAW officials at Fords Dearborn and Louisville truck plants have made some noises about calling for temporary shutdowns and have filed token grievances. But this is nothing but a cover for the UAW to force workers to remain on the job. The UAW moved quickly to suppress the job action by Warren Truck workers, who stopped production at the plants paint shop, fearing that it would provoke a full-scale walkout. Unifor, the Canadian autoworkers union, was instrumental in shutting down a work stoppage last week at Windsor Assembly.

Autoworkers must take matters into their own hands to protect their own safety and the safety of their families and neighbors. The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party call on workers to form rank-and-file committees to force a shutdown of all nonessential industries and demand full compensation for lost hours. At the same time, they must demand a massive and coordinated global response in opposition to the squandering of trillions of dollars to prop up the stock markets and corporate profit.

Below is a selection of workers comments.

FCA Sterling Heights Assembly, Sterling Heights, Michigan

Worker 1:

There is nothing being done. We ran out of soap Saturday. I had to come home and wash my hands thoroughly. Workers arent showing up and supervisors are freaking out. They know the companies dont give a damn. The plant manager is nowhere to be seen.

Because of manpower shortage and production stoppages, I think we made 500 trucks on Saturday. They made us figure out how to get the line started. Theyre just putting band-aids on the problem. They dont want us to stop work because they would have to pay us [for time off].

If they are walking out [at Warren Truck] we need to know this, and they are not telling us. I am not paying union dues anymore, give me [my dues] back. Its a garbage union. I feel disgraced for my father. He thought he would help his son get a better job. It is a disgrace that we have to wage this fight all over again [to establish basic rights established in an earlier era]. If Warren Truck walks out, we should follow them. I am ready for it; individual actions wont do it.

They shut down all of Las Vegas, and they are still running us. Why are we building trucks? We are making luxury trucks most of us cant afford.

We have to come together as brothers and fight [the companies]. They will keep doing it unless we stop production on our own. Everyone needs to walk out and show they need to pay us because it is an international crisis. We should not be in a plant exposing ourselves to the virus. We will get everyone sick, and it will keep spreading. I would not be surprised if Detroit becomes ground zero.

Worker 2:

They are making us go to work with hundreds and thousands of other workers, meaning this will spread. They are doing this to make more money. They want to milk the cow for as long as they can before shutting down these plants.

They are keeping us working while everything else is shut down. Even the casinos have closed, and they have just as many people as the automotive plants. Management is working remotely from home, but we are being exposed. The higher seniority workers are taking sick days, but the younger workers have to take a hit on our attendance.

Nothing like this has ever happened. I remember seeing a documentary in high school about the Ebola epidemic, and I was very nervous when it came here because I knew how many people were killed by that viral infection. Entire villages in Africa were wiped out in a few days. There are lot more people in towns and cities in America, and this could be terrible.

Worker 3:

The union had team members come in on Sunday to sanitize our work [stations] using alcohol wipes. Today we came to work, and they held the line for five minutes to give us an opportunity to wipe our stations down with alcohol wipes. No hand sanitizer was given out, no face masks were given out, just our standard PPE [Personal Protective Equipment].  The sanitation or janitorial crew members were instructed to clean the bathrooms for [a few minutes] after breaks. They sprayed down the refrigerators and lunch tables. Thats it.

There were reports that three people were sent home who were suspected of having the virus on Thursday,  but there wasnt any follow up. A crewmember from my department was sent home today; no followup as well with her regarding her symptoms. They simply cleaned off her station with alcohol wipes and replaced her with another worker.

FCA Sterling Stamping, Sterling Heights, Michigan

I work at Sterling Stamping. I went to my safety department to request a safety mask and was refused. On the shop floor we have community computers that we have to use daily throughout the eight-hour shift. Team leaders in a business unit have to input data every hour on these community computers. We are not being provided any hand sanitizer throughout the plant. There are no extra precautions being taken like they are reporting.

FCA Toledo Jeep, Toledo, Ohio

I am writing with concerns in Ohio at the Toledo Jeep plant specifically. The governor here in Ohio has shut down virtually everything from schools, to churches, bowling alleys, restaurants and bars, yet thousands of citizens are being forced to enter the complex daily where there are virtually no extra precautions being made.

A worker to worker went out stating that employees were to stay five minutes before and after shift to clean their areas, but there are no disinfecting cleaning supplies. The water fountains have been quarantined, and the plant has stated they will provide water, but I have yet to receive any and continue to bring my own. So now, we are working in close proximity in huge masses with no disinfectant products and no drinking water, and the company still sees no issue with forcing the workforce [to stay on the job] and continues to mandate a 60+ hour work week on top of that.

I am taking an unpaid FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] leave now because I am concerned for my health and the health of my family. I refuse to go into that cesspool and bring something home and infect my family members because the company refuses to look out for the best interests of their employees and continues to stuff their pockets.

Parts plant, Northwest Ohio

I am a union member of the UAW at a plant in Northwest Ohio which manufactures automobile, service, and boat parts for Jeep, Mercury Marine, Ford, and Hino. At most of our work stations, we are working in a space with less than six feet between us and the person next to us. A typical shift has anywhere from 100-200 people, depending on call-offs, vacations, and such.

Our break room is always shoulder to shoulder during lunch time, and our smoking area is two tables for about 30 people to share. We already have compromised respiratory systems working here due to the fiberglass, paint fumes, and raw materials we work with. We work heavily with international entities, mainly in Asian countries, and they frequently send over representatives to tour the plant.

Paired with the abundance of employees in the 50+ age range, I believe our plant is ripe for contamination. What makes it worse is our sick day policy essentially forces us to work through it, because we either have to take three days off with a doctors note, or take a point, neither of which many of us can afford to do.

To my knowledge, there are no talks of shutting us down anytime soon. I fear for my safety and my ability to provide for my family in these terrible times.
UPDATE: The commission voted 7-0 in favor of adopting the resolution Tuesday, March 17.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Last fall, Grand Rapids officials put their support behind the idea of drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants via a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state legislators.

But local activists asked for the city commission to take it a step further by adopting a resolution that urges Michigan legislators to amend state law to allow non-citizens to obtain drivers licenses.

On Tuesday, March 17, the commission will consider adopting a resolution that does just that during its 9:30 a.m. committee of the whole meeting. The resolution furthers one of the citys 2020 legislative priorities.

Allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses will improve public safety and is in the best interest of all Michiganders because immigrants wanting to drive legally will have to pass a written knowledge, road signs, vision and driving skills test; register their vehicles; and provide proof of insurance, reads an agenda item set to go before the city commission.

In addition to improved public safety, the resolution says allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses will:

Assist emergency personnel in providing emergency care;

Provide access to basic public services such as enrolling children in school and participating in school activities with their children;

Promote public safety by reducing fear of interacting with law enforcement;

Provide access to financial services such as opening a bank account.

Tuesdays proposed resolution was recommended by the citys legislative committee.

Fifteen states across the country allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses, including New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Utah, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Washington, Maryland, Vermont, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and California. Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia are also on that list.

These states issue a license if the applicant provides certain documentation, such as a foreign birth certificate, a foreign passport, or a consular card and evidence of current residency in the state.

In November 2019, House and Senate bills were introduced in the Michigan Legislature that would allow any resident who meets age requirements and can prove Michigan residency to obtain a state identification card or apply for a drivers license, including immigrants living in Michigan without legal permission.

A spokesperson for Movimiento Cosecha GR, the group that has asked city officials for a similar local resolution, did not immediately return calls for comment Monday afternoon.

In January, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools in Wyoming announced its school board passed a resolution in support of the legislation. The Grand Rapids Board of Education approved a legislative policy position in November supporting undocumented immigrants obtaining licenses.

Read more on MLive:

Monday, March 16: Latest development on coronavirus in Michigan

Grand Rapids could delay recreational marijuana to October 2020

Drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants wont be backed by West Michigan city
Vijay Sethupathi has always been considered as one of the most talented actors in the Tamil film industries. The actor, who caught everyone's attention with his performance in Super Deluxe, 96 and others, is playing a negative role in Thalapathy Vijay-starrer Master.

Recently, at the audio launch of Master, Vijay Sethupathi recalled a hilarious incident from the past. The Vikram Vedha actor said that one day he got drunk and started looking for his father as he wanted to ask him about the success of his films. Isn't it hilarious?

Apart from that, Vijay Sethupathi also spoke about the outbreak of coronavirus. He reportedly said that viruses will keep coming and going but it's crucial to stay calm and not panic in situation like this. He also pointed out that people who are causing trouble among others in the name of God are more fatal than viruses. The actor urged people not to fall prey to such people who act like they are religious and spiritual.

Also Read : Vijay's Speech At Master Audio Launch: Here's Everything You Need To Know!

Meanwhile, Vijay Sethupathi's next, Master which also stars Malavika Mohanan and Andrea Jeremiah, is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The two songs from Master, Oru Kutti Kathai and Vaathi Coming have already released and loved by all. Notably, Oru Kutti Kathai has been sung by Thalapathy Vijay and composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

Vijay Sethupathi will also be seen playing the lead role in Nayanthara and Samantha Akkineni-starrer Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal. He is also playing a key role in Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha. The film is a Hindi remak of Oscar-winning Hollywood film, Forrest Gump and is being helmed by Advait Chandan.

Also Read : Master Movie Release Date: Makers Of The Vijay Starrer To Lock A New Date Due To Coronavirus?
When Torontos medical officer of health asked bars, nightclubs and theatres to close, and restaurants to switch to delivery and takeout, her decision was lauded by many for helping to slow the spread of COVID-19. But it has also left many workers  hourly wage earners, restaurant and bar staff, freelancers  wondering how theyre going to pay their rent.

Im trying not to panic, said Sameer Cash, 28, a musician and bartender at The Cameron House on Queen St. W., which decided to close indefinitely on Sunday.

Cash worries that even if the government announced some kind of financial assistance program, he might not qualify because of the nature of his work.

Eighty per cent of my income is tips, he said. Theyre going to look at my pay cheques, which is nothing.

Premier Doug Ford announced legislation on Monday that, if passed, will ensure that no workers lose their job if they have to miss work due to COVID-19. But it wont help anyone recover lost wages.

The government added in its announcement that it is reviewing access to emergency assistance through Ontario Works to support individuals who are impacted by the coronavirus and who are not able to meet their basic living expenses, but offered no concrete plans.

Cosmo Ferraro, owner of The Cameron House and a musician himself, said it was imperative that the government provide some kind of financial relief for workers who wont be paid during this indefinite period of social distancing.

The reality for many of the people I know is that they wont be able to cover the bare necessities without a month of income, he said. They wont be able to pay rent. They wont be able to buy groceries.

Even without a government request, Ferraro felt he had little choice but to close his bar and music venue.

Its the nature of the music industry and the bar industry that you need a crowd of people and thats one of the most dangerous things right now.

Major restaurant chains and retailers are already starting to fall in line, announcing changes to reduce public gatherings. Starbucks and Tim Hortons both closed their dining rooms, switching to drive-thru and takeout only, with Starbucks also closing some of its locations entirely.

Starbucks announced that employees who miss work due to the coronavirus or whose hours are reduced by a store closure can access the companys Catastrophe Pay program. Tim Hortons did not immediately respond to questions from the Star about whether they will be providing any assistance to employees whose shifts are reduced.

Vancouver-based clothing retailer Aritzia announced it would be closing all of its stores until further notice while offering free shipping on online orders. The companys website states that all profits collected through this challenging time will go to the Aritzia Community Relief Fund to support our people and their families.

In professional sports, team owners, and, in some cases the players themselves, have promised to continue to pay the wages of the shift workers in concessions and other roles within the arenas.

Last week the federal government waived the one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits for anyone who is in quarantine due to COVID-19, and also put in place a Work-Sharing program for employers experiencing a downturn in business due to COVID-19.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, meanwhile, says its pushing both the provincial and federal government to provide relief measures for small businesses in the event of a broader COVID-19 outbreak.

Roland Csach, a freelance audio-visual technician who primarily works corporate conferences, said he has lost all his work for the foreseeable future.

Its not like theres a slow down, he said. Everything has stopped.

Csach, 33, said he hopes the government can provide some sort of safety net, but, like Cash, he wonders how any financial assistance could make its way to him. A lot of our industry relies on freelance labour, so theres a big worry among all of us if were even going to be able to see any assistance from the government.

Maxime Brunet, a sound engineer for touring bands, has watched every tour she was booked to work until June get cancelled in recent days. Like Csach, shes a self-employed contractor, so shes not eligible for employment insurance and she cant appeal to an employer for help. For a lot of us these are pretty anxious times.

Brunet is hopeful the government will come up with some kind of financial assistance for workers in her situation.

I think there are so many people in this gig economy that are contractors, theres going to be some big problems if they dont take care of self-employed people.

For Cash, who in addition to losing his bartending shifts is also currently unable to make money as a performer, agrees that we should be limiting public gatherings at the moment.

But at the same time I have no job right now. I dont really know what Im going to do.

With files from The Canadian Press
LIEGE, Belgium, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Three hundred thousand face masks donated by Chinese charities arrived in Liege, Belgium, on Monday, in an effort to help the European country fight the spread of the COVID-19.

A cargo plane carrying the medical supply landed midday at the Liege Airport, the biggest cargo airport in Belgium and a key logistics hub in the fight against the ongoing epidemic in Europe.

"L'Union fait la force", or "Unity Makes Strength" in English, wrote a poster attached to the package, apparently reminding the Belgians of the motto of their country.

The shipment was the first batch to be handed over to Sciensano, the public health institute of Belgium, said a press release by Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation. The remaining will be delivered within next few days, it added.

The surgical masks will be distributed first among health care providers in Belgium, who are on the front line of the fight against the new coronavirus, said Belgian Minister of Public Health Maggie De Block in a statement.

The shipment was part of an ambitious donation of over two million masks and medical equipment announced by the two foundations to support Europe. The twin organizations have sent half a million masks to Italy, the hardest hit country in Europe.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is rallying Senate Republicans to quickly pass the House package of virus-related economic measures, seeking to overcome any reservations by looking ahead to the next round of fiscal stimulus.

The Senate could take up the House-passed bill as soon as Tuesday, when Mnuchin is plans to be back on Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Republicans during their weekly lunch.

The House on Monday passed technical corrections to its coronavirus bill, which was first crafted over a week ago as the virus was intensifying in the U.S. Now the White House and most lawmakers are eager to send the bill to President Donald Trump for his signature and to follow up with more ambitious bills.

"We have a lot more work to do," Mnuchin said Monday on Capitol Hill. He said he spoke with Republican senators about about additional economic stimulus bills they will work on "ASAP."

Plunging stock prices and the abrupt drop-off of consumer spending during a time of social distancing has crystallized the need for Congress to act quickly and boldly. The Federal Reserve has already used much of its toolbox to shore up the economy, leaving policymakers to dull the extent of the damage with fiscal stimulus.

The House bill, negotiated by Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week and blessed by the president, pays for virus testing, bolsters unemployment and food assistance and will send tens of billions in fresh aid to states.

Its centerpiece gives workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and sick leave to deal with issues involving the coronavirus, including staying home to care for children home from school. The tax credits for paid family, sick and medical leave in the virus bill would cost nearly $104.9 billion, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.

Although Trump said earlier Monday he wanted all workers to be covered by the paid leave provision and said the Senate could alter the bill, White House legislative liaison Eric Ueland said it would be misquoting the president to say he wanted the Senate to change the bill, H.R. 6201.

Several Republicans, including Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, had criticized the paid sick leave provision in a statement Saturday and pushed for an alternative approach that would have states alter unemployment insurance programs to pay workers staying home because of the virus.

But Johnson and other Republicans said after the Mnuchin meeting they would give way and focus on the next set of the measures to respond to the outbreak.

"We don't have time to fiddle around with the problem, as much as I would like to," Johnson said.

Proposed technical changes to the measure held it up in the House for much of Monday. One Republican, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, threatened to object to the changes, which would have prevented the House from tweaking the bill without calling members back to Washington to vote.

While the Senate is in session this week, House members left town Saturday, and the chamber can only pass measures in their absence if no one objects.

Gohmert said he didn't have enough time to read the changes to the House bill. He relented late Monday, allowing the House to pass the technical fixes.

With the House bill now in the Senate's hands, members of both parties are beginning to offer proposals for the next round of fiscal stimulus. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York proposed at least $750 billion to shore up hospital capacity, provide loan payment forbearance for federal loans, help families pay for child care, provide food and medicine assistance for seniors, and put the Defense Department to work aiding the crisis response.

A surprising ideological coalition -- including conservative senators like Mitt Romney and Tom Cotton, along with House progressives like Ro Khanna and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- endorsed the idea of giving cash payments to all American households. Romney's proposal would immediately send $1,000 checks to every adult American.

Even with these ideas for the next round of legislation, there was some concern about the exposure of some senators, many of them at higher risk for the virus because of their age. Several congressional aides have tested positive for COVID-19, and continuing to work on Capitol Hill goes against the government's most recent limits on group sizes.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a member of Democratic leadership, urged his Senate colleagues to act quickly so they, like the House, could recess for the rest of the week.

"We have members of the Senate going in and out of quarantine!" Durbin said Monday on the Senate floor. "We should do our work and do it quickly."

- - -

With assistance from Bloomberg's Steven T. Dennis.
Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers is ready to introduce a state of emergency in Ukraine if it is necessary. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal during an extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada, the broadcast was provided by 112 Ukraine TV Channel.

"You see the work and actions of the Cabinet of Ministers. We also make decisions every day, not easy ones, which were not taken throughout the period of Ukraine's independence. Yesterday, the state of emergency was introduced in two Ukrainian regions, Zhytomyr and Chernivtsi, by the decisions of the commissions and then - by the government's decision. In the future, if it is necessary, we are ready to introduce the national emergency in Ukraine just as most European countries do. If necessary, we are ready for such decisions. The suggestions are being prepared and will be submitted, we have the appropriate legislation, it regulates all these things, Shmygal stated.

As we reported earlier, Ukraine will set up a coordination council on countering the spread of Covid-2019. It will be headed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
The travel world has been hit hard by the global coronavirus pandemic, with governments issuing travel restrictions and advisories. Add to that the disease itself, known as COVID-19, which has led to the deaths of more than 7,800 people globally. So its not surprising that people are wondering if its safe to travel.

Many travel organizations have undertaken serious action, canceling flights or, in the case of Princess Cruises, suspending operations for 60 days. Heres a look at the travel advisories in place and what hotels, airlines, cruise lines, train and bus companies are offering refund policies. This information is up-to-date as of 3:35 p.m. EST March 17.

Should you travel?

Older adults and any person with serious chronic medical conditions should consider postponing any trips, according to the CDC. At the very least, they should contact a healthcare provider to discuss the upcoming trip. This is true regardless of the destination.

For others: the question fo whether or not to travel it depends on where youre going. Anyone who is traveling anywhere, however, should do so with care: closing monitoring their health for 14 days after they return, washing hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds and avoiding contact with sick people. The CDC says you should avoid non-essential travel if youre going to any of these countries:

Austria

Belgium

China

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Iran

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Monaco

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

San Marino

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Vatican City

If you do travel to or have layovers in any of these countries, upon your return you will have to enter the United States through one of eleven approved entry points where you will undergo screening:

Chicago OHare International Airport

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu

Detroit Metropolitan Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City

Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey

San-Francisco International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Washington-Dulles International Airport

Once you are back home, you must stay there for 14 days after your trip and monitor your health. Those who find that they are sick with a fever, cough or have trouble breathing should stay home and contact their doctors office over the phone before going to a medical facility, according to the CDC.

Foreign nationals from China, Iran and the impacted European countries are no longer allowed entry to the United States through at least April 12.

How dangerous is air travel with COVID-19?

The CDC says that the risk of infection on an airplane is low because of how the air circulates and is filtered. However, it does recommend you still avoid contact with sick passengers, wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizer.

If a passenger is sick on your plane, the pilot has to report it to the CDC. If the CDC considers that person to be a public health risk it will find a way to contact all passengers and crew exposed to that person. You can make this easier on the CDC by providing your airline correct and current contact information when you book your ticket.

I just got back from a trip. Now what?

If you traveled to or from or had layovers in any of the countries in the above list, the CDC says you need to stay home for 14 days from the time you left that country -- that means not going to school or work. During that time you need to monitor your temperature by taking your temperature with a thermometer twice a day. You also should pay attention if you start coughing, have trouble breathing or get a fever. You also should not take public transportation, taxis or ride-shares and avoid crowded places. Stay about six feet away from others as well. If you get sick call your doctors office and tell them about your symptoms and recent travel before you go into the office.

Already booked your journey?

Or planning to book one? Heres what you need to know, based on who is getting you there and where youre staying. Well start with hotels and Airbnb.

HOTELS

Airbnb

Guests who booked on or before March 14, 2020 for stays that were supposed to have a check-in date for between March 14 and April 14, 2020 can cancel the reservation before check-in for a full refund. Hosts can also cancel without a charge or having their status impacted. All service fees will also be refunded.

The normal cancellation policies apply for any booking made after March 14 or for any booking that had check-in dates after April 14, 2020. Learn more at airbnb.com.

Accor

Anyone who booked a non-flexible rate room with Accor prior to today with a arrival date before April 30 may change their reservation for a future date, provided its before Dec. 31, 2020. There will be no penalty. Modifying and cancellation fee waivers will be given to those who were booked to travel to or from China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan or South Korea through March 31, 2020. Guests who are traveling to Italy through April 3 will also be able to modify or cancel their existing reservation without penalty. Those who booked a stay between March 10 and April 22, 2020 to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia can cancel or modify their reservation until Sept. 30, 2020 without a fee. Accor brands include Sofitel and Ibis. Learn more at all.accor.com.

Extended Stay America

Those with reservations for stays that were scheduled to happen from now through April 30, 2020 can cancel without penalty. Learn more at extendedstayamerica.com.

Four Seasons

Cancellation fees have been waived until April 30, 2020 for existing reservations worldwide. Cancellations or changes must be made up to 24 hours before arrival. Those who make new reservations between now and April 30, 2020 will have cancellation and change fees waived as well, provided that the changes are made 24 hours before the scheduled arrival date. Learn more at fourseasons.com.

Hilton

All change fees are waived and full refunds are being offered to those whose travel plans are impacted by government-issued travel restrictions. Anyone who made a reservation that was for before April 30, 2020 can change or cancel their booking without any charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival. This includes reservations that were described as non-cancellable. New reservations booked between March 16 and April 30, 2020 for a future arrival date can be changed or cancelled without a fee up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival. Hilton brands include Doubletree, Home 2 Suites and Hampton Inn. Learn more at hilton.com.

Hyatt

Cancellation and change fees have been waived for all reservations made before March 13 for trips between March 14 and April 30, 2020. You can make changes up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival. This also applies to anyone who makes a new reservation between March 13 and April 30, 2020 for a future trip. Learn more at hyatt.com.

InterContinental Hotels Group

Cancellation fees have been waived for existing and new bookings at all IHG properties for stays between March 9 and April 30, 2020. IHG brands include Holiday Inn, Kimpton Hotels, Crowne Plaza Hotels, Hotel Indigo. Learn more at ihg.com.

Marriott

Change and cancellation fees will be waived for those with existing reservations for any future arrival date, provided the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020. Changes and cancellations must also be made more than 24 hours before the scheduled time of arrival as well. Any guest who books a new reservation between now and April 30, 2020 for a future trip will be able to change or cancel their reservation up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival date without penalty. Marriott brands include Westin, Aloft Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton. Learn more at marriott-re-2019ncovc.com.

Motel 6 and Studio 6

Both hotel brands are waiving cancellation penalties for all reservations throughout March. You will need to let the motel in question know you are cancelling your stay, however, otherwise you may be charged a no-show fee. Learn more at motel6.com.

Omni Hotels

Cancellation fees for new and existing reservations will be waived for any reservation with a stay through April 30, 2020. Learn more at omnihotels.com.

Radisson Hotels

Fees for changing or cancelling stays have been waived until April 30, 2020. This includes all existing and new reservations. Learn more at radissonhotels.com.

Red Roof

Stays through April 30, 2020 have had their cancellation fees waived at all Red roof hotels. Those who already paid for their reservation will receive a full refund. Learn more at redroof.com.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts

Cancellation or change penalties are waived for any guest traveling to or from China, South Korea or Italy for stays from now through March 31. Guests who are prohibited from traveling to their hotel can also have their cancellation ro change penalties waived. All properties will accommodate changes made to non-cancellable rate reservations as long as the request is received at least 48 hours before arrival and another booking is made for a future stay with the same amount of nights or more. Wyndham brands include Days Inn, La Quinta, Ramada, Travelodge and Super 8. Learn more at corporate.wyndhamhotels.com.

AIRLINES

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is waiving change and cancellation fees for those who bought tickets on or before Feb. 26 as well as those who purchase new tickets between Feb. 27 and March 31, 2020. You may still have to pay a fare difference if the flight you change to is more expensive than the one you were on. The waiving of fees applies to Saver Fares as well. Learn more at alaskaair.com.

American Airlines

American Airlines is waiving change fees for anyone who booked any American Airlines flight on before March 1, 2020 for travel between March 1 and April 30, 2020. Youll be able to travel within one year of the date the ticket was issued, or before Dec. 31, 2020 -- whichever is earlier. You may also cancel your trip and rebook it at a later date, provided you do so within a year of when the original ticket was issued. To rebook your flight youll need to have your ticket number and a six-character confirmation.

The airline is also waiving change fees for passengers who were traveling to, through or from countries with government restrictions on travel. In some cases you cancancel your trip and get a full refund. You can see the exact terms of the policy, including what travel dates are applicable for the offer, at aa.com. You can also contact the airlines reservations department by calling 800-433-7300.

American Airlines is waiving change fees for those who purchase travel through March 31, including for those who booked non-refundable fares. The tickets must have been purchased between March 1 and March 31 and be for travel through Jan. 30, 2021.

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines is waiving change fees for all tickets purchased in March 2020. Its also waiving change fees for all trips departing in March or April 2020. If youre given a travel waiver, you can change your destination and travel dates as long as the new journey begins before Dec. 31, 2020 or the waivers expiration date, whichever is sooner.

If you wish to cancel your flight, you can apply any unused value of the ticket towards buying a new ticket. To change or cancel your flight, just go to My Trips on delta.com. Learn more at delta.com.

Frontier Airlines

Change and cancellation fees will be waived for all those traveling through April 30, 2020. Tickets purchased between March 10 through March 31, 2020 can also be changed without a fee. Learn more at flyfrontier.com.

JetBlue

JetBlue is waiving change and cancellation fees for those who were supposed to travel between March 10 and April 30, 2020. You can rebook your flight through Oct. 24, 2020 by going to the Manage Trips section of jetblue.com. Your original trip must have been booked on or before March 10. Those who choose to cancel will receive a JetBlue Travel Bank Credit which is valid for one year.

JetBlue will be waiving future change and cancel fees to all customers who purchase a flight between March 6 and March 31, 2020 for flights through Sept. 8, 2020. It is also waiving change and cancellation fees for bookings made between Feb. 27 and March 5, 2020 for travel through June 1, 2020. These policies apply to all JetBlue tickets, including Blue Basic. Learn more at jetblue.com/travel-alerts.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest has enhanced its overnight cleaning procedures. Its planes are also equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air filter, which filters out recirculated air on planes. Southwest does not charge fees for changing or cancelling flights. If you wish to cancel your flight, the money spent on the initial flight can be used up to one year from the original purchase date for a new flight. Learn more at southwest.com.

United Airlines

Anyone who was supposed to travel on United Airlines between March 9 and April 30, 2020 can now change their flight without paying a change fee. New tickets must be reissued within 12 months of the original ticket date or Dec. 31 (whichever is earlier). Rebooked travel has to happen within 12 months of the original ticket issue date as well. This only applies for those who purchased their ticket on or before March 2, 2020.

United Airlines is waiving change fees for a year for those who purchase new flights between March 3 and March 31, 2020. You may have to pay a fare difference if the new flight is more expensive. This applies to all tickets and all destinations. Learn more at united.com.

United Airlines is waiving change fees and, in some cases, offering full refunds for those travelling to or from China, Hong Kong, South Korea and most of Europe. This generally applies to those scheduled to travel between March 10 and April 30.

To see details and to see if your trip is included in this offer visit united.com.

BUSES

Greyhound

As of March 17, there are no cancellations or travel restrictions for Greyhound buses because of the coronavirus. However, that doesnt mean Greyhound isnt doing anything to combat the spread of COVID-19. Greyhound has, in its words, enhanced the sanitation procedures on our buses and in our privately owned terminals.

Its also waiving change fees for those looking to postpone their trips because of concerns related to COVID-19. This offer is valid for those who booked an Economy or Economy Extra fare between March 5 and March 9, 2020 for travel on or before May 31, 2020. Its also valid for those who purchase tickets before March 31 for trips on or before May 31, 2020. In both cases, youll be able to postpone your trip without the change fee if you rebook to travel through Dec. 31, 2020. If you wish to take advantage of this offer call 800-231-2222 to speak to a Greyhound customer care agent.

Stay up to date on service alert changes at greyhound.com/en/service-alert.

CRUISE LINES

Carnival

Carnival Cruise Line is pausing service from March 14 through April 9. Service is expected to resume on April 10, 2020. If you were scheduled to travel during that time, you can either choose from a full refund or a 100 percent future cruise credit and additional onboard credit per stateroom. You can learn more about the policy at carnival.com.

Carnival will be extending the deadline for cancelations to 30 days prior to sailing for cruises from May through Sept, 2020. Youll receive a future cruise credit as long as you book within a year of the original sailing date. If you were supposed to set sail in March you can now cancel up to three days prior to sailing. Those customers can receive a future cruise credit if they rebook by March 30. Those who were supposed to sail by April can cancel before March 31, 2020 and will receive a future cruise credit as long as they book within one year of their sailing date. Learn more at carnival.com.

Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian Cruise Lines is suspending service through April 11, 2020. Operations are expected to resume April 12, 2020. Those guests who were supposed to travel between March 13 and March 17 will be eligible to receive a 150 percent refund of their fare in the form of a future cruise credit which can be used for any cruise through Dec. 31, 2022. Guests who were supposed to travel between March 18 and April 11 will receive a 125 percent refund in the same manner. A complete refund of the fare paid will also be available for guests, but youll have to fill out a refund form starting on March 23, 2020. Learn more at ncl.com.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is temporarily suspending cruise for two months, which will impact all trips leaving between March 12 and May 10. Anyone currently onboard a Princess cruise that is going to end by March 17 will continue traveling, while those that were set to go on past that date will end at a location thats convenient for guests.

Those whose trips are cancelled will be able to apply all of the money paid for their cruise to a future cruise of their choice. The company will also add an additional future cruise credit benefit. The same offer will go to guests who made a final payment or canceled their booking on or after Feb. 4, 2020. The future cruise credit can be used for any trip that leaves through May 1, 2022.

If you do not want a future cruise credit, you can apply for a cash refund by going to princess.com.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean has suspended all sailings leaving from the United States through April 10, 2020. Operations are expected to resume on April 11, 2020. Those with trips during that time period will be eligible for a 125 percent future cruise credit if they sail with Royal Caribbean by Dec. 31, 2021. Those who do not want a future cruise credit can also apply for a full refund. Refunds may be requested until Dec. 31. Learn more royalcaribbean.com.

TRAINS

Amtrak

Amtrak will temporarily suspend the Keystone Service on March 18 and all Pennsylvania trains by March 19. Services have been reduced on many other routes. You can see all schedule changes at amtrak.com/alert/nec-modified-schedule.html.

Amtrak also wants customers to know that if they do go to Canada and cross a border on their train journey they may be subject to medical screening by the US Customs and Border Control.

Amtrak is waiving change fees for all existing and new reservations that were made before April 30, 2020 -- noting that this policy could be adjusted in the future as COVID-19 continues to spread. To change your reservation go to amtrak.com and click modify trip. You may still have to pay an additional amount if the new fare is more than the old one. If youd prefer to just cancel your trip, call 1-800-872-7245. Learn more at amtrak.com.

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Real-time coronavirus map

Action News Now is tracking the latest developments of the coronavirus here in northern California. Action News Now checked with Butte County Public Health and at this time, there are no confirmed cases in Butte County and one confirmed case in Shasta County.

Its still possible more people could have the virus, who have not been tested and confirmed positive.

California Legislature OKs $1 billion for coronavirus

California lawmakers have approved up to $1 billion in new spending to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The bi-partisan move gives the governor $500 million to spend for "any item, for any purpose," related to the recent emergency declaration. After approving the spending, lawmakers then suspended work until April 13.

6 Bay Area counties in California order shelter-in-place

Lawmakers have ordered people in the Bay Area to shelter in place to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Residents have been told only to leave their homes for essential activities that include buying food or medicine, seeing a doctor or caring for a family member. Violating the order is considered a misdemeanor and could result in jail time.

Governor signs executive order protecting renters & homeowners during coronavirus pandemic

Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order aimed at protecting renters and homeowners during the pandemic.

The order allows local governments to halt evictions, slow foreclosures and protects against utility shutoffs. The ability for landlords to recover back rent remains in place. These protections will remain in effect until May 31.

Stocks move higher on Wall Street after worst drop since '87

Stocks are moving higher after a morning of whipping around Tuesday. The S&P 500 is up 4.1% after erasing earlier losses. The Federal Reserve announced more help to smooth out operations in financial markets. Investors are also waiting to hear details about an $850 billion proposal from the White House to help the economy.

U.S. Supreme Court to postpone arguments through early April

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will postpone all arguments through early April. That means a decision on whether to subpoena president trump's financial records will have to wait. Justices still plan to hold their private conferences Friday, with a few holding teleconferences.

EU adds stricter coronavirus travel restrictions

European countries are tightening travel restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The European Union is set to put a 30-day ban on people entering member countries, except for essential travel. The European Commission president says it is important for EU members to slow down social contacts and public life, to help stop the spread of the virus.
Borivli police recently applied the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) against two robbers charged with over a dozen crimes, mostly violent ones. They are presently in the custody of Borivli police.

Mohankumar Dahikar, deputy commissioner of police, zone 11, confirmed the development. The robbers are Suresh Singh, 31, a resident of Rabodi, Navi Mumbai and Pravin Helkar, 32, a resident of Naupada in Kalyan. Both have about 30 cases registered against them between 2008 and 2020, out of which ten they committed together.

They have crime cases registered against them at several police stations like Charkop, Malad, Wadala T.T, Pant Nagar, Matunga, Tikak Nagar, Vikhroli, Mulund and a firing case at RCF police station in 2008. Most crimes committed by them were violent robberies, said Sunil Wadke, assistant police commissioner and investigating officer.

The duo committed violent robberies on November 30 last year and January 28 this year in Govind Nagar area in Borivli (West). In both cases they punched their victims, a 40-year-old man and a 70-year-old man, robbed them of valuables and fled from the spot. Based on technical evidence detection team officers, Yogesh Patil and Nilesh More arrested them last month. After the end of their police custody, they were sent to Thane jail.

Arvind Ghag, inspector, crime, at Borivli police station then examined their criminal records and proposed implementing MCOCA against them. Dilip Sawant, additional commissioner of police, north region, examined the dossier and permitted to apply the stringent act against them which will make it difficult for them to get bail and continue with their crime streak.

We booked them under MCOCA on March 12 and took their custody from Thane jail. They were produced before a special MCOCA court and we received their police custody. Helkar had come out of jail after completing his punishment in November last year and had again started his crime streak, added Wadke.
A strong 25 per cent growth in demand for smart televisions in India fuelled overall industry growth by 15 per cent in 2019 to a record 15 million units per annum, market research firm Counterpoint said on Tuesday.

In contrast, the non-smart TV segment grew by a much sombre 7 per cent during the year. While Samsung retained its overall lead in the industry, its hold at the top is weakening largely due to its relatively weak position in the smart TV segment where it lags behind Xiaomi and LG.

"The growing number of smartphone users in India is also driving a need for Smart TV as users look to continue their streaming content consumption on the bigger screens when at home. The broader broadband penetration in the home will further drive the overall smart TV usage," said Karan Chauhan, senior analyst, Counterpoint Research. "Though affordability and value for money are the key growth drivers. The new crop of brands such as Xiaomi, TCL and others are tapping their existing relationships with e-commerce channels such as Flipkart, Amazon, etc to successfully distribute the TVs affordably with a direct-to-consumer model. India is one of the largest markets in the world with more than 200 million potential TV households and is still underpenetrated which makes India a more attractive growth market for the entire TV and content value chain."

Most of the big players including Samsung and LG recorded a decline in sales in the non-smart TV segment and made up for it with growth in smart TVs. Market leader Samsung recorded an overall 6 per cent growth and a 5 per cent growth in its smart TV business. Yet, it lagged behind Xiaomi in the smart TV space with the Chinese firm growing its share to 27 per cent in 2019 from 24 per cent in 2018, while Samsung remained stagnant at 12 per cent. LG was the second largest player in the category, but its saw its share fall by 8 percentage points to 13 percent last year.

"Samsung continues to lead the overall TV market but the emerging smart TV segment is being cornered by the newer players. The smart TV market in India was mostly driven by brands like Xiaomi, Samsung and emerging tail brands such as TCL, Vu and others, which are leveraging their growing channel presence both online and offline to target the new users and upgrade users," said Counterpoint's Research Analyst, Debasish Jana. "While Samsung, LG, Sony are experiencing a year-on-year decrease in their non-smart TV business, brands like BPL, Sansui and others are still banking on the non-smart TV segment that mainly caters to the rural market, B2B segment or a second bedroom TV in many cases."

Newer entrants have gained traction in the smart TV segment by offering high-end features at lower prices. Incumbents have largely appeared flat-footed to tackle competition. Counterpoint cited examples like Xiaomi offering a 55-inch smart TV with a 4K panel at below INR 50,000 ($ 675), TCL selling its AI-powered 55-inch 4K TV at only INR 35,000 ($ 475) and OnePlus offering its 55-inch 4K QLED TV with 50-watt Soundbar for INR 100,000 ($1500) that have enabled these companies to steer mature smartphone users to purchase large-sized smart TVs. This strategy helped brands such as Xiaomi and TCL to grow their shipment volumes by 40 and 110 per cent YoY respectively in 2019.

"Brands like Xiaomi, TCL, Vu have been expanding over the last few years taking on incumbents such as Samsung. LG, Sony, and Panasonic. Furthermore, 2019 was marked by the entry of smartphone brands such as Motorola, Nokia, OnePlus with their Smart TVs looking to build a connected device story complementing their smartphone devices," Jana said. "These new-age brands from Xiaomi to OnePlus are offering high specifications, some unique features at highly affordable price-points targeting urban users via e-commerce channels. This has led to some serious price-cuts by competition during the year to match the value proposition from these Chinese brands leveraging the cost-effective e-commerce channels."
Two infected persons get necessary treatment

Four persons hospitalized with the suspicion for coronavirus in Chernivtsi region as Chernivtsi Regional State Administration reported.

Today, (on Sunday, March 15) about 7:00 p.m., four persons with the suspicion for coronavirus were hospitalized:

a person who contacted a person with the suspicion for Covid-19;

a mother with a child who are also contact persons;

a person with the travel to the countries, where coronavirus is spotted, the administration reported.

Concerning two confirmed cases of the infection with coronavirus in the region, the administration stated that one patient receives necessary treatment and he has a fever.

It was also stated that the second patient also receives the necessary treatment.

His state also improved; he has no fever, the message said.

It is noted that the round-the-clock observation is held over the patients.

As of March 15, five cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed in Ukraine. Two new cases were found in the Chernivtsi region.

As we reported, Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov ordered to suspend the work of all public places, except for groceries and pharmacy shops.
An employee of a Delhi-based



firm was booked for allegedly raping a colleague during a business trip to Bengaluru last month, Palghar police said on Tuesday.

The accused was identified as Kamlesh Kumar (32) and a rape case was filed in Tulinj police station in Vasai in Palghar, an official said.

"The accused gave the victim a drink laced with a sedative and raped her during a business trip to Bengaluru last month. He also threatened her and has been booked for rape and criminal intimidation. He has not been arrested as yet," the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 10:04:16|Editor: ZD

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WELLINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government on Tuesday launched "the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history" to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 to support Kiwis' jobs and the domestic economy from the virus.

The 12.1 billion NZ dollar (7.36 billion U.S. dollars) package is worth 4 percent of GDP, a larger plan than that was implemented in response to the Global Financial Crisis and comparatively larger than the relief packages announced to date in Australia, Britain and the United States.

"The government is pulling out all the stops to protect the health of New Zealanders and the health of our economy," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement.

She said the best protection for our economy is getting the virus under control, which is why we are investing half a billion dollars in frontline health services to fight the COVID-19.

The stimulus plan will be investing in more health staff, more virus testing, more medicines, face masks, extra intensive care capacity and equipment at hospitals, and more money for GPs (General Practitioners), Ardern said.

"If we can manage the virus, we can mitigate the damage to the economy," she added.

On Sunday New Zealand confirmed two more cases of COVID-19, adding the total confirmed cases to eight.
'From tomorrow at noon and for at least 15 days, our trips will be greatly reduced,' Macron said in a televised address.

Paris: France said Monday that it would follow other European countries in confining residents mostly to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the European Union considered closing its external borders to foreign travelers to impede infections.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that starting on Tuesday, people would be allowed to leave the place they live only for necessary activities such as shopping for food, going to work or taking a walk.

"From tomorrow at noon and for at least 15 days, our trips will be greatly reduced" Macron said in a televised address.

Macron said the government would provide further details, but he told the French people that everyone should stay at home, go out just for the "bare essentials" and commute to work only if working from home isn't feasible.

Anyone caught violating the new measures will be punished, he said.

The restrictions appeared to put France under a lockdown similar to the ones imposed last week in Italy and Spain in response to the virus. While the restrictions are in effect, residential gatherings with family and friends will be prohibited, the president said.

"We are at war," Macron said repeatedly in his address.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner subsequently specified that all people circulating on France's streets will have to justify, upon request, why they were out and about. Forms stating the purpose of "essential" outside travel  such as going to the bakery to buy a baguette  will be available for downloading, Castaner said.

People without valid reasons will be subject fines ranging from 38-135 euros ($43-$151), the minister said. Castaner said 100,000 police would be deployed in the coming days to enforce the lockdown.

The French plan was announced almost a week after a nationwide lockdown took effect in Italy, the country with the most reported virus cases in the world except for China.

Spain followed suit over the weekend, while other EU nations have adopted ad hoc national measures, including partial border closures.

As of earlier Monday, six of the 10 countries with the highest numbers of reported virus cases worldwide are in Europe: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and the U.K. France has reported a total of 6,633 cases, including 148 deaths.

British authorities also ramped up public health measures Monday, telling people who are in the groups considered most vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness to stay at home for three months.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people with "the most serious health conditions" should be "shielded" from social contacts for 12 weeks, starting this weekend. He mentioned people over 70, those with chronic illnesses and pregnant women as particularly at risk.

It was unclear whether everyone in the those groups was being told to stay home for 12 weeks. Johnson said the government was advising the entire population "to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel."

"You should avoid pubs, clubs, theaters and other such social venues," he said at a news conference alongside his chief medical and scientific advisers.

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.

While national governments across Europe have taken a range of measures to contain the virus from moving into and within their countries, the 27 members of the European Union are looking at closing the EU's external borders to most foreign travelers.

In recent days, the EU has been urging its members to put common health screening procedures in place at internal borders but not to block shipments of medical equipment. EU officials fear that countries acting alone and without coordination might make things more difficult for neighbors whose health-care systems are already creaking.

The proposed travel restrictions will be put to to the bloc's 27 leaders at a summit to be held via video-conference Tuesday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the plan calls for them to be in place for an initial period of 30 days.

Exemptions could be given to long-term residents in the EU, border area workers, family members of European nationals and diplomats. British citizens would not be included in the ban, even though the country officially withdrew from the EU on 31 January

"Essential staff such as doctors, nurses, care workers, researchers and experts that help address the coronavirus should continue to be allowed in the EU," von der Leyen said.

Transport workers also could receive exemptions to ensure supplies of "essential items such as medicine, but also food and components that our factories need," she said.

Asked whether she thinks Europe will return to having its passport-free travel area once the pandemic subsides, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she hoped so and noted that so far "coordination didn't work well everywhere the way one would have hoped."

Merkel added that public health strategies in the EU should guarantee goods flow freely and ensure that Europeans can continue making cross-border commutes for work.

"We will certainly need to continue talking (about this) in a European format," she said. "But from our perspective, these are time-limited measures that serve to reduce the risk of infection."

Germany was preparing to shut non-essential shops, bars, museums and many other facilities and to limit restaurant opening times. Merkel's office said Monday that overnight hotel stays will be allowed only for "necessary and expressly not for tourist purposes."

Greek authorities announced that anyone entering the country from abroad would be subject to compulsory self-quarantine for 14 days. The health ministry's top infectious diseases official, Sotiris Tsiodras, noted that many young people were returning "from countries where there is a large spread of the virus, such as the United Kingdom, whose public health strategy is to allow the virus to spread."

Separately Monday, the Russian government announced that it has decided to bar entry to all foreigners starting Wednesday and until 1 May. The move will not apply to diplomats, foreigners permanently staying in Russia, plane and ship crews and truck drivers.

Ukraine's president also instructed his Cabinet to close the subway, shopping malls and restaurants, cut passenger train and air links, and to ban gatherings of more than 10 people.
Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

The city of Houstons free drive-through coronavirus testing has yet to start, but one local clinic is providing the service on Hillcroft Avenue near the Southwest Freeway.

In a Facebook post and on its website, My Family Doctor clinic says it considers the outbreak a call to action and as a result is offering testing in its parking lot to people who are at risk for the disease for $150. The clinic asks people to bring that amount in cash in case their insurance cannot be verified or doesnt cover the test.
Why do I see myself differently in photographs compared with when I look in the mirror?
Ideally, your overall portfolio should beat the market average. But in any portfolio, there will be mixed results between individual stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (NYSE:MTW) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 88% over a half decade. And we doubt long term believers are the only worried holders, since the stock price has declined 44% over the last twelve months. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 44% in the last three months. But this could be related to the weak market, which is down 25% in the same period.

We really hope anyone holding through that price crash has a diversified portfolio. Even when you lose money, you don't have to lose the lesson.

See our latest analysis for Manitowoc Company

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

During five years of share price growth, Manitowoc Company moved from a loss to profitability. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time.

Arguably, the revenue drop of 8.5% a year for half a decade suggests that the company can't grow in the long term. That could explain the weak share price.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

NYSE:MTW Income Statement, March 17th 2020

It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on Manitowoc Company

Story continues

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Manitowoc Company's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that Manitowoc Company's TSR, which was a 42% drop over the last 5 years, was not as bad as the share price return.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Manitowoc Company shareholders are down 44% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 15%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 10% over the last half decade. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. 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. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Manitowoc Company (including 1 which is makes us a bit uncomfortable) .

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US 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.
After months of speculation, Jarrod Woodgate and Sam Royce have finally made their relationship Instagram official.

On Monday, the former Bachelor in Paradise star shared a loved-up selfie with his new girlfriend and revealed he was counting down the days until he sees her again.

'Ten more sleeps until I have my beautiful girlfriend Sam back in my arms!' Jarrod captioned the photo.

Scroll down for video

They're not hiding anymore! After months of speculation, Bachelor franchise stars Jarrod Woodgate and Sam Royce have finally made their relationship Instagram official

The 34-year-old vineyard manager added: 'Babe, I'm so excited to have more adventures with you! See you very soon'.

The couple, who have been the subject of romance rumours since November, smiled from ear to ear in Jarrod's photo.

Jarrod and Sam had previously insisted they were just friends, despite being pictured together several times in recent months.

Why so shy? Jarrod and Sam had previously insisted they were just friends, despite being pictured together several times in recent months

It comes after Sam, who failed to find love on Matt Agnew season of The Bachelor last year, described her experience on the program as a 'complete waste of time'.

In a lengthy Instagram post, she wrote: 'My experience was a complete waste of time, [but] everything happens for a reason...'

Sam then explained that if she hadn't gone on a post-show holiday to Bali with her fellow Bachelor rejects in July, she would never have met Jarrod.

No regrets: It comes after Sam, who failed to find love on Matt Agnew season of The Bachelor last year, described her experience on the program as a 'complete waste of time'

'I wouldn't have been at Mrs Sippy [a pool club in Seminyak], I wouldn't have met my amazing boyfriend and I wouldn't be the happiest Ive ever been,' she wrote.

In November, the couple shared their first selfie together after they had spent the night sleeping on the streets of Melbourne to raise money for Mission Australia.

At the time, she laughed off rumours they were dating, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'I am lucky that Jarrod is always up for supporting charity events so jumped on board.

Remember this? In November, the couple shared their first selfie together after they had spent the night sleeping on the streets of Melbourne to raise money for Mission Australia

'We had a chat about how grateful we are to have a roof over our head, jobs that pay well, supportive families and a safe place to sleep every night.'

Jarrod rose to fame on Sophie Monk's season of The Bachelorette in 2017, and then appeared on Bachelor in Paradise in 2018, where he met ex-girlfriend Keira Maguire.

The pair enjoyed a whirlwind romance, before officially splitting last year. Keira is set to appear on season three of Bachelor in Paradise in the coming months.




A dancer at the Korean National Ballet (KNB) has been fired for traveling to Japan during a self-quarantine period amid the rapid spread of the infectious coronavirus, the KNB said Tuesday.







The decision about the dancer, Na Dae-han, was made during a disciplinary committee the previous day.







Na, a member of the corps de ballet, or the group of non-soloist dancers, went to Japan in late February and uploaded some photos of his trip with his girlfriend on a social media account.







All members of the KNB had been on self-quarantine from Feb. 24-March 1 after having performances in virus-hit Daegu, where a majority of COVID-19 infections were reported at that time.







"We reflect upon our conduct in the time of emergency as the whole country is struggling with COVID-19," the KNB said. "We will overhaul the organization and beef up the discipline of our members."







The KNB also punished two other members for engaging in private lessons during the self-quarantine period.







The company has canceled its scheduled performances in March due to the nationwide efforts to combat the virus.







South Korea has reported more than 8,000 confirmed cases since its first outbreak on Jan. 20. (Yonhap)


Center Parcs will be shutting down all of its five UK villages as the country tries to grapple with the coronavirus outbreak.

The leisure company announced that it would be closing its sites temporarily from March 20 to April 16 amid the 'exceptional circumstances' that the nation was now in.

The move comes after the UK's health chiefs revealed that 71 Britons had now died from the virus and the number of confirmed cases had risen to 1,950.

Taking to Twitter the leisure company said: 'In light of the latest government advice regarding coronavirus, the decision has been taken to close all of our UK villages from 20 Mar - 16 April 2020.

Center Parcs (Longleat Forest site pictured) will temporarily close its UK villages as the country tries to control the coronavirus outbreak

The company took to Twitter to announce that it would be closing its sites from March 20 to April 16

'If you are due to visit during the above closure period we will shortly send you a text and email outlining the options available. We will continue to update our website with our latest stance.

'Our Contact Centre team are inundated with calls and we kindly ask that you wait for us to contact you. Please do not call the Contact Centre.

'We recognise that this will be disappointing news for many of our guests and we would like to thank you for your patience and understanding in these exceptional circumstances.'

Center Parcs told customers who has booked a date in the future at one of their resorts that they would be able to rebook for a new date and be offered a 100 discount.

The organisation also explained that customers should refrain from calling them directly and instead wait for the company to get in touch via text or email.

The company currently operates sites in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire; Elveden Forest in Suffolk; Longleat Forest in Wiltshire; Whinfell Forest in Cumbria and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire.

The leisure company asked those who had booked a break at one of their sites to wait for a text or email outlining the options

The leisure company's announcement comes as NHS England confirmed 14 more deaths in the country from COVID-19.

Earlier today, officials said an additional 407 patients had been diagnosed with the illness in the past 24 hours - bringing the latest number of confirmed cases in the UK to 1,950.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stepped up the government's response to the outbreak and urged the country to avoid 'non-essential' travel and contact with others and asked that people work from home if they could.

The virus, which initially saw millions of residents and tourists in China put on lock down to contain the spread, has now been transmitted between humans in 30 countries across Europe, including Spain, Germany and France, according to the World Health Organization.
The decision came just a day after it was announced racing would continue behind closed doors

THE British Horseracing Authority have today (Tuesday) confirmed that all racing will be suspended until the end of April, as a result of the outbreak of coronavirus.

With effect from tomorrow, all horseracing in Britain will be suspended and the decision will continue to be kept under constant review.

The announcement comes just a day after the BHA announced that racing would continue, but behind closed doors and further to this the Randox Health Grand National has been cancelled due to coronavirus.

This means that this weekend's two-day meeting at Newbury Racecourse has been cancelled and the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials meeting is also set to be called off.

Further to this, the annual Lambourn Open Day - held on Good Friday - has also been postponed.

Nick Rust, the Chief Executive of the BHA, said: "This is a national emergency the like of which most of us have never seen before. Were a sport that is proud of its connection to rural communities and to the local businesses that support our industry.

"But our first duty is to the health of the public, our customers and to racing industry participants and staff so we have decided to suspend racing following the governments latest advice.

"Racing is a family and I know we will pull together over the coming days, weeks and months and support each other. By stopping racing, we can free up medical resources, doctors and ambulances, be they private sector or NHS, to assist in the national effort to fight this virus. And we can support racing industry participants and staff as they face up to the personal challenges ahead and care for their own families.

"There will be difficult months ahead for many of us. We need to focus now on ensuring that we can continue to look after our horses as the virus affects the thousands of participants and staff who dedicate their lives to caring for animals. We need to do what we can to support businesses inside and outside racing and the many people whose livelihoods depend upon this 4 billion industry.

"We are in constant contact with government which understands the very significant consequences of this decision for jobs and businesses. We will work with them to do our best to manage the impact.

"Racing leaders will keep todays decision under constant review and endeavour to keep all customers, participants, staff and dependent businesses informed as the situation progresses."

A further statement from Newbury Racecourse, read: "On guidance from the British Horseracing Authority, racing will now be suspended until the end of April 2020 with the situation under constant review.

"All existing ticket purchasers for this weekends fixture (Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March) will be issued with an automatic refund within 14 working days and our box office team will be in touch with any ticket/hospitality bookers for any future affected meeting directly. We will also contact our Annual Members independently.

"We appreciate everyones support during this challenging time."
A Democratic super PAC said Tuesday it would spend $5 million on digital advertising flaying President Donald Trump for his response to the novel coronavirus, one of several groups that planned to devote resources to this type of messaging.

The campaign from Pacronym - a political action committee affiliated with the nonprofit group Acronym - represents the first major pivot to coronavirus-related advertising fewer than 250 days from the election.

It is a bet that the pandemic, which is also causing a deep economic downturn, will be the defining issue of the campaign.

"This is a public health issue and a national security issue, but it's also a public policy issue and thus a political one," said Tara McGowan, the founder and chief executive of Acronym, whose board includes veteran Democratic operatives like David Plouffe, who managed Barack Obama's 2008 bid.

McGowan said it was critical for outside groups like hers to exact a political price on Trump as his possible Democratic opponents, former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., aim to project leadership by staying above the fray.

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, responded by criticizing Biden's role in the response to the 2009 swine flu outbreak, saying, "it is laughable that his allies would launch this attack when Americans can see for themselves through daily public briefings that President Trump and his team are on the case and have been so since before Joe Biden even woke up to the situation."

Other Democratic-aligned political action committees were preparing to step up their efforts as well.

American Bridge - which has been running a coronavirus-related advertisement in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania - said it would soon cut an additional ad on "Trump's incompetence," including "clips of Trump himself downplaying the crisis."

"Our job is to hold Donald Trump accountable, and we have no plans to let up, particularly with a focus on economic issues as we've done to date," said Bradley Beychok, the president of American Bridge, which announced this month it would begin backing Biden in key swing states as he aims to lock up the Democratic nomination. "But as this crisis unfolds and the country experiences the consequences of his incompetence, we're not going to give him a pass for bungling the government's response to this pandemic."

Additional groups were seeking to tie the issue to critical Senate races. The liberal group Protect Our Care has been running an ad this month against Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, that connects his opposition to the Affordable Care Act to the coronavirus outbreak.

"Too many Montana families go to sleep at night worried about health care, coverage, costs, now the fear of coronavirus," the ad's narrator says. "That doesn't worry Steve Daines. He voted to eliminate protections for 425,000 Montanans with pre-existing conditions."

Brad Woodhouse, the executive director of Protect Our Care, said, "We are going to connect our health-care work to the administration's failure to prepare for and manage the coronavirus outbreak."

In response, Daines' campaign manager, Shane Scanlon, criticized efforts to "use the coronavirus as a political weapon."

The new advertising from Pacronym will run across digital platforms, including Facebook and Google, and will target audiences in five states - Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Arizona.

The focus on these states is part of the organization's "Four is Enough" campaign, which concentrates on reaching voters in key battleground states. McGowan said in November her organization was prepared to spend $75 million to blunt Trump's advantage in online spending.

Ads will promote news articles and fact-checks about the response to the pandemic. And they will push videos and other material highlighting actions taken by Trump affecting the country's preparedness, as well as the president's public comments as he responded to the pandemic. Already the group has run a handful of ads about the lack of tests for the novel virus.

The super PAC planned to spend $2.5 million through the end of April, in the first wave of coronavirus-related advertising ultimately expected to total $5 million through July.

There are ethical dilemmas involved in conducting political advertising during a health crisis, said Daniel Kreiss, a professor of political communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"It's a very fine line between ensuring that the president has the legitimacy to speak authoritatively on what Americans must do in order to be safe, and the very real and legitimate questions to raise regarding how the president has handled this crisis given that he's on the ballot in November," Kreiss said.

McGowan said her organization was weighing ethical considerations in deciding on the substance of the advertising and would heed whatever recommendations the technology companies issued about coronavirus-related content. She also said the posts would not amplify inaccurate statements made by the president.

Technology giants, including Facebook and Google, on Monday said they were coordinating efforts to combat fraud and misinformation about the virus. Andy Stone, a Facebook spokesman, said the platform was offering unlimited advertising to the World Health Organization and pledging $10-million matches for several online fundraisers but had yet to restrict advertising by other groups unless it violated the platform's advertising policies.

- - -

The Washington Post's Michael Scherer contributed to this report.
Depending on the rate of how fast the coronavirus spreads, experts say the US could have as many as 1 million cases of deadly COVID-19, and there would only be 100,000 ventilators on hand to treat the infected.

That's because there are still no nationwide crisis regulations or standards in place across the country for who gets access to scarce resources, like a test for novel coronavirus, and who doesn't, the experts say.

The nation also lacks a consistent appeals process for when people get rejected for access to resources.

Depending on the rate of how fast the coronavirus spreads, experts say the US could have as many as 1 million cases of deadly COVID-19.

Experts say, with the threat of the coronvirus outbreak, that there are only 100,000 ventilators available in the US to treat the sick. Pictured are travelers in Virginia wearing masks to protect against infection

Experts warn there are still no nationwide crisis regulations or standards in place across the country for who gets access to scarce resources, like a test (pictured) for novel coronavirus, and who doesn't

The coronavirus pandemic has been blamed for 6,500 deaths around the globe. There have been more than 4,500 confirmed cases and 79 deaths from the infection in the US.

Experts warn that as long as state and local crisis plans vary in scope and quality, the existing health care system, where nearly every resource - from basics like beds to vital life-saving tools, including ventilators - could very quickly become scarce, Science & Health reports.

The concern has been around since at least the 2009 swine flu outbreak that claimed as many as 575,000 lives by the time the World Health Organization declared the global pandemic over.

The coronavirus pandemic has been blamed for 6,500 deaths around the globe. There have been 4,522 confirmed cases 79 deaths from the infection in the US

Experts note there has been progress, but the lack of a nationwide standard for dealing with crises creates a collective risk for communities, rather than just individuals.

For example, a study of 44,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in mainland China reveals that 81 per cent of those infected had mild cases of the disease.

The other 19 per cent suffered severe pneumonia or worse, and most likely required hospitalization and breathing assistance.

That could eventually translate into hundreds of thousands of people becoming critically ill, and possibly millions, depending on the rate of infection, say experts.

A lack of a nationwide standards for dealing with crises creates a collective risk for communities, rather than just individuals, experts say. A woman is pictured visiting her mother who is infected with the virus in Washington state

Hundreds of thousands of people could become critically ill, and possibly millions, depending on the rate of infection as the coronavirus spreads. A patient infected with COVID-19 is moved inside a biocontainment unit

Given the scant resources that may arise in a crisis, those kinds of statistics can prove to have deadly results, and hospitals don't have the capacity for treating those kinds of numbers, says Brendan Carr, chairwoman of emergency medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York.

Nationally, hospitals do not have a lot of funding available, with the median operating margin reported to be roughly about 2.1 per cent for nonprofit medical facilities in 2018, a figure that's been declining for years.

Margins fell 34 per cent between 2015 and 2017 alone, reports Science & Health.

That has hospitals focusing heavily on efficiency, where they fill every bed, keep every nurse occupied, and use up every medication so that nothing stockpiles for months, Carr said. It's a system that works until there's an unexpected event that strains a system to the point that it can't meet demand.

'You can't have extra capacity and efficiency at the same time,' he said. 'In fact, for years, we've called that waste.'

The lack of a uniform standard makes it difficult to quantify how many hospitals do not have enough extra capacity for emergencies and there's no way of telling what 'good capacity' looks like, says John Hick, medical director for emergency preparedness at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.

For example, in some parts of the country, including in New York, it's normal for patients to stay on gurneys kept in hallways due to a lack of rooms, Carr said.

'In other places that would be out of the question,' Hick said.
The Meridian Public School district, located in Sanford, is among 25 other school district selected to receive new diesel school buses, as part of a fuel transformation program.

The program is spearheaded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), which will award more than $8.7 million to cover the cost of 300 older, diesel buses across Michigan. The amount allocated to Meridian Schools alone is $209,527.50, and it will replace up to nine buses.

Superintendent for Meridian Public Schools Craig Carmoney said the district fortunately met all the criteria for the program and had put together a lengthy grant application, which was successful. He said the plan is to purchase the new buses this summer, and the district is now able to purchase brand-new buses, as opposed to used buses, which they would have chosen otherwise. According to EGLE, the newer bus models are powered by clean diesel and propane engines.

Replacing older, diesel engines with clean diesel or propane, delivers savings for school districts and will also improve public health at bus stops, on school grounds, and in communities, said Jack Schinderle, director of EGLEs Materials Management Division in an announcement. Students who have cleaner air to breathe will do better in school and have fewer health concerns.

The new buses will operate in 36 counties, including all 10 counties that are in non-attainment for the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone. The new buses will reduce oxides of nitrogen, greenhouse gases, particulate matter, and other harmful emissions.

EGLE's Fuel Transformation Program grants are supported with dollars allocated to Michigan from the Volkswagen settlement. The settlement was a result of Volkswagens Clean Air Act violations related to the installation of emissions control defeat devices on thousands of diesel engine vehicles. As part of the settlement, Michigan was allocated a total of $64.8 million and will use 21.5% of that total to replace old diesel school buses.

Out of that 21.5%, Michigan granted $4.2 million to pay for up to 70% of the costs associated with buying 17 electric buses in seven districts around the state as well as Level 2 and DC Fast Charging Stations for the vehicles.

For more information, visit the Fuel Transformation Program website at Michigan.gov/EGLEFTP.
British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward has expressed his gratitude toward the Vietnamese government for supporting UK citizens affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic over the past weeks.

Ambassador Ward conveyed his thank-you message in Vietnamese in a video posted to the UK Embassy in Hanois verified Facebook page on Monday.

During the last couple of weeks, we have been helping many British visitors who have been affected by the new quarantine measures in Vietnam. Stopping the spread of the virus is the most important task at the moment, the diplomat remarked.

"Id like to thank all of the doctors and nurses and all of the government officials in Vietnam who have helped us to support British visitors during this time."

We have heard from many visitors that they are also very grateful.

The British Embassy in Hanoi will continue to work closely with the Vietnamese government in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as aiding those in need, he added.

In an announcement on Tuesday, the British Embassy advised British nationals to follow the instructions of Vietnamese authorities in order to help curb the epidemic.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 182,700 people and killed more than 7,100 globally as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has announced 61 COVID-19 cases to date, 16 of whom had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

Among the 45 active cases being treated, 18 are foreigners, including 13 Britons and one each from Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and France.

Vietnam has temporarily stopped allowing visitors from 26 countries in Europe's Schengen Area and the UK to enter the country for 30 days starting from Sunday amid concerns over the spread of the disease.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Five planes are expected to arrive in Kyiv, one  in Lviv

The evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Egypt has officially begun. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on his Facebook page.

Ukrainians have already gathered at the airport. Five SkyUp aircrafts are expected to arrive in Boryspil Airport and one - in Lviv.

"Consul helps. Together with Vladyslav Krykliy (Ukraines Minister of Infrastructure  112 Intenational.) we work with tour operators and airlines in order to help our citizens," Kuleba wrote.

He added that the heads of the Lviv and Volyn Regional State Administrations had allocated additional buses for border-crossing points in order to pick up Ukrainians who were at the border with Poland.

In addition, Ukraines MFA claims that the Foreign Ministry is resolving the issue of returning 105 Ukrainians who were unable to depart from Sri Lankas airport.

As we reported earlier, 750 citizens of Ukraine are currently quarantined in Egypt due to the suspicion of coronavirus.

"The Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt has announced that there are 750 Ukrainian citizens at the Reef Oasis Beach Resort (Sharm El Sheikh), who, along with other tourists, are being quarantined for 14 days," the statement said.
An international team of researchers from Switzerland, Germany, the USA and Great Britain has uncovered an anomalous metallic behavior in an otherwise insulating ceramic material. The team used ultrashort light pulses with a wide range of colors to watch what happens when the insulating quasi two-dimensional material La2CuO4 (LCO) becomes a three-dimensional metal through laser irradiation. Surprisingly, the researchers found that specific vibrations of the crystal lattice are involved in this metallization process. A careful computational investigation revealed that the same vibrations that show up in this ultrafast movie can destabilize the insulating behavior all by themselves.

The condensed-matter physics world was shaken up when high-temperature superconductivity was reported in a copper oxide material in 1986 by Alex Muller and Georg Bednorz. Their discovery not only led to an immediate Nobel Prize in 1987, it also created the Woodstock of Physics at the following American Physical Societys March Meeting, which in turn made it onto the New York Times front page. This was the start of the fever of high Tcs, a world-wide scientific undertaking towards achieving room temperature superconductivity. Some thirty years later and counting, the copper oxides keep posing puzzles to physicists. A universally agreed-upon explanation of their electronic properties has not yet been reached.

Conventional superconductors, like mercury or aluminum, are well understood. In those, electrons that repel each other because they carry the same negative electric charges, are bound together by deformations of the crystal lattice, formed by positively charged ions. An intuitive way to understand why this happens is the soft-mattress analogy: two people sharing the same bed inadvertently end up close by one another because their weight deforms the mattress. In conventional materials, such binding of electrons can convert a normal metal with ohmic resistance into a superconductor in which all electrons form one quantum soup that zips through a wire without any losses. However, this superconducting state can only occur if the materials are cooled with liquid helium to near absolute zero temperature, a cost-expensive process that limits the scope of consumer applications.

In high-temperature superconductors, almost everything is different. Those with the highest superconducting transition temperatures require only liquid nitrogen to be sufficiently cold to superconduct. But when they are not that cold, they are poor conductors rather than good metals. And in the parent state, they are even good insulators with magnetic behavior - things that traditional wisdom told scientists would be bad for superconductivity. On top of that, the crystal lattice was long thought to not be involved in the superconducting mechanism. Rather, strong Coulomb repulsion leading to electronic localization - think morning traffic jams at rush hour - in Mott insulators was thought to play the key role.

The new results by the team involving research groups at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD Hamburg), and Kings College London (KCL), paint a slightly different picture. In LCO, one of the insulating parent compounds to high-temperature superconductors, certain lattice vibrations not only accompany the metallic behavior induced by laser pulses  the vibrations may even help in the metallization process. These results have now been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and could help devise design criteria for optimizing energy-saving superconductors at record temperatures.

The studys first author, experimentalist Edoardo Baldini, who conducted the experiment as a PhD student in Fabrizio Carbones group at the EPFL and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explains: We were exploring how to induce the insulator-to-metal transition in LCO with ultrashort pulses of laser radiation. At some point we found an extremely fast metallization along all the crystallographic axes of LCO, and the material suddenly reflected light at colors which were initially not reflected. A more careful analysis of the ultrafast snapshots then brought a surprise: We saw interesting oscillations in the signal, adds Baldini. The crystal lattice was shaking at characteristic vibrational frequencies as LCO transformed into a metal and recovered back to its insulating state.

Intrigued by their discovery, the experimentalists shared these findings with theorists in Hamburg. Thomas Brumme, then a postdoc in Hamburg and now at the University of Leipzig, together with MPSD Theory Director Angel Rubio, and Emmy Noether research group leader Michael Sentef, decided to first compute the relevant crystal lattice vibrations. With the experimental data and the computed vibrational modes, Sentef contacted the group at KCL, who are experts in computing electronic and optical spectra of complex materials. We wanted to know what happens when the LCO crystal is deformed along the same vibrational coordinates for which the experimentalists saw the shaking in their movies, says Sentef. There had to be something special about those lattice vibrations.

The results of the computational Gedankenexperiment were stunning. We had expected that the lattice positions would have some influence on the electronic spectra, says Cedric Weber, Senior Lecturer at KCL. But we were surprised by how much the spectra changed when we looked at the displaced structures. In fact, for exactly the same vibrational modes observed in the experiments, LCO becomes metallic. The seemingly robust correlated insulating state is not as robust as researchers have thought for decades.

These new insights highlight the role of the crystal lattice even in strongly correlated electron systems. They suggest that we may need to revisit our current understanding of these materials, where small deformations of the crystal have long been thought irrelevant. Rubio sees this not as a challenge in a story that is already riddled with complications, but as an opportunity: Being able to change fundamental properties of exciting materials is a major driver for our research, he says. We are always looking for efficient ways to control superconductivity and other important features in materials. If we identify the right tuning knobs, they may be used in future quantum technologies.
[March 17, 2020] Recording Academy and MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund in Response to Unprecedented Music Industry Event Cancellations

The Recording Academy and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help people in the music industry affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and subsequent cancellation of multiple music events. From hotel and bar gigs to major music festivals, COVID-19 is deeply impacting live music events, and the creative community behind it all. Administered through MusiCares, the COVID-19 Fund will be used to directly support those in the music community with the greatest need. To establish the fund, both the Recording Academy and MusiCares have contributed an initial donation of $1 million each, totaling $2 million. Additionally, all Recording Academy Chapters have committed to fundraising in their local communities. Further updates and announcements will be made in the coming days. Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim CEO of the Recording Academy, says: "Event cancellations are at unprecedented levels and the situation therefore requires an unprecedented response. Many people in the industry are now in crisis, not knowing what the future holds or having to deal with dire commercial realities. We are asking the entire industry to stand with us to support the musicians, artists and professionals who are the bedrock and the future of our music community." "It's in times like these that many of us turn to music. Music can help us cope, and has the power to bring us together during a time when many of us might feel isolated. We encourage people everywhere to embrace the music industry which needs our help in these uncertain times." Steve Boom (News - Alert), MusiCares Chair, adds: "The music industry is built on the work of musicians, artists, and music professionals. It is in times like these, that the industry needs to come together to support those who are struggling, particularly those who rely on touring incomes to survive. We know this fund will need to be significant. We will not be able to do it alone, and that's why we are asking the entire music communityincluding labels, streaming services, and anyone who is able to join us in this important effort. We're all in when the good times roll, and it's important that we're all in when times are tough, too."



If you wish to support our efforts to assist music people in need, visit: https://www.grammy.com/MusiCares/CoronavirusReliefFund If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit: musicares.org.

About the Recording Academy The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards - music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators. For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. About MusiCares A friend and ally of the music community, MusiCares was established by the Recording Academy to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people. A four-star charity and safety net in times of need, MusiCares offers confidential preventive, recovery, and emergency programs to address financial, medical, and personal health issues. Through the generosity of our donors and volunteer professionals, our dedicated team works across the country to ensure the music community has the resources and support it needs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005725/en/

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With the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe has come the regular use of terms that many people have never heard before - from 'herd immunity' to 'isolation' and 'flattening the curve'.

So, to help with defining these 'new' words, Scottish-Australian physician, Doctor Norman Swan, broke them down and explained what each meant on ABC Radio National's Health Report.

With the new found knowledge, others can begin to grasp the seriousness of this international state of emergency.

Scottish Australian physician Doctor Norman Swan (pictured) outlined the new meanings from flattening the increasing 'curve' of COVID-19 to the difference between quarantine and isolation

Flattening the increasing 'curve'

Government officials are starting to use the term 'flattening the curve', relating to decreasing or slowing down the spread of the virus.

Dr Swan explained: 'The curve they want to flatten is the rapid rise of cases and deaths that we've seen. The evidence is that if you slow down the number of cases, you can actually half the death rate.'

He also said by controlling the increase in cases will significantly ease the health system of the constant stress it's currently facing.

Though this has proven difficult as there are 'obvious risk factors' and silent risk factors, meaning there are those who do and don't possess symptoms but both carry the virus.

Dr Swan explained: 'The curve they want to flatten is the rapid rise of cases and deaths that we've seen. The evidence is that if you slow down the number of cases, you can actually half the death rate'

Herd immunity

Another term that's starting to be used more regularly by health authorities is 'herd immunity'.

'Herd immunity is having enough people in the population immune to a disease so that its prevalence falls to low levels,' Dr Swan said.

He also outlined how there are 'two paths' to herd immunity, the first being immunisation - which currently isn't possible for COVID-19.

The second involves having high numbers of people being infected and recovering, though this 'high-risk strategy' almost certainly involves further deaths along the way.

Matt Hancock, an expert part of the British Health Sector, said in an interview the goal is not herd immunity, but to protect life itself.

'Herd immunity is having enough people in the population immune to a disease so that its prevalence falls to low levels,' Dr Swan said

Social distancing

As the Australian government has banned social gatherings and events of more than 500 people, others are both concerned and confused about the new policy.

Dr Swan said mathematically modelling has shown this is the only way to control the epidemic at this stage.

'Social distancing involves avoiding physical contact and the places where groups of people meet  like bars, cafes, work and public transport,' he said.

He also explained how we are most likely at the point in the pandemic where we should be taking 'extreme measures in the hope of buttoning down the numbers before we lose control'.

'Currently the government policy is to wait until the numbers go up before extending bans further - and that applies to schools as well'.

Dr Michael J Ryan from the World Health Organisation also revealed in a press conference about what he's learnt after experiencing multiple cases of Ebola.

'You must be the first mover. The virus will always get you if you don't move quickly. If you need to be right before you move, you will never win. Perfection is the enemy of the good when it comes to emergency management. Speed trumps perfection,' he said.

'Social distancing involves avoiding physical contact and the places where groups of people meet  like bars, cafes, work and public transport,' Dr Swan said

Isolation and quarantine

Some people confuse quarantine with self-isolation - and while the two terms have similar definitions there are distinct differences.

Isolation is if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have been placed in a location away from others

Dr Swan explained quarantine is when you are healthy but may have come in contact with the virus at some stage.

For instance if you have travelled internationally you will need to be placed in a 14-day bedroom or house quarantine in case you are a carrier.

Isolation, on the other hand, is if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are removed from others by being placed in a hospital or other location to ensure you don't infect those around you.
Paytm announced the appointment of Premanshu Singh as Senior Vice President. He will have a business role in financial services vertical within Paytm. Premanshu would report to Amit Nayyar, President- Paytm.

Amit Nayyar, President- Paytm said, We are excited to welcome Premanshu who brings a wide range of experience in traditional industries as well in the digital ecosystem. As we deepen our presence in various segments of financial services, we continue to expand our leadership team to focus on multiple opportunities and possibilities that our Paytm ecosystem offers.

Premanshu Singh, Senior Vice President said, I am excited to be a part of a great entrepreneurial ecosystem. As India aspires to be a $5 trillion economy, building the next set of products and services for the end-user is going to be our focus.

Premanshu comes with over 17 years of experience with some of the top FMCG companies including ITC, Johnson & Johnson as well as leading internet and digital commerce companies. Prior to joining One97 Communications, Premanshu was the CEO of Coverfox for about three years. He has also served as Head of Marketing at Practo and head of Emerging Business, Sales Strategy and International at Shaadi.com. The nuances he brought into these businesses have helped these companies grow and expand. He founded an e-commerce venture a2zbaby as well. He has an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and has done Executive Program from INSEAD.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is in a closed-door meeting on Monday with Senate Republicans to discuss existing legislation responding to the coronavirus outbreak and more, a source familiar with the meeting said. Reporting by Richard Cowan; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Eric Beech

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
The Jordanian army said on Tuesday it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in a move officials said was ahead of an imminent announcement of a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus.

The kingdom, which has already announced a lockdown after the number of confirmed cases rose to least 34, was about to take further steps including the emergency announcement, officials told Reuters.

"These measures aim at preventing the spread of coronavirus," said an army statement.

The cabinet was expected to discuss on Tuesday whether to activate a national defence law that would be enacted as a royal decree and amounts to a state of emergency letting government enforce curfews and other restrictions on movements.

Jordan has closed border crossings with Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Israel, and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights.

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Increased medical screenings caused congestion in the few US airports still receiving travelers from Europe, including Newark Liberty International in New Jersey, where passengers reported long wait times to clear customs on Sunday, March 15.

Only 13 American funnel airports continued receiving European passengers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in an official effort to screen passengers upon re-entry, US President Donald Trump announced Friday. Passengers returning from Europe would have their temperatures taken and would be asked questions about their travel and symptoms, if any.

The hasty measures overwhelmed airports like John F Kennedy, Chicago OHare, and Dallas Fort Worth over the weekend.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf tweeted, Right now we are working to add additional screening capacity and working with the airlines to expedite the process. I understand this is very stressful. In these unprecedented times, we ask for your patience.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka reported the citys first confirmed case of coronavirus at a press conference on Sunday and announced the closure of all Newark schools.

This video, filmed by a passenger arriving from Montego Bay, Jamaica, shows the crowded scene at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Sunday night. Credit: @thatmom15 via Storyful
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Budapest Airport will allow Hungarian citizens only to enter the country as of Tuesday after sweeping restrictions imposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government on Monday to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

As the restrictions took effect, Hungary reported a jump in confirmed coronavirus infections to 50 on Tuesday from 39 a day earlier as the central European country transitions from isolated cases to cluster infections.

"Budapest Airport is not closing; it will continue to welcome and launch flights," the airport operator said in a statement.

"However, only Hungarian citizens can enter Hungary from Tuesday. Anyone, Hungarians and foreigners alike, are free to depart from the airport in the coming days," it said.

Foreigners denied entry must wait in a designated transit area until departure. A previously imposed mandatory medical screening for Hungarians returning from South Korea, Iran, Israel, China and Italy remains in effect, the airport said.

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Catherine Evans)
A Delta Air Lines flight was held before takeoff Monday in New York after a passenger said they were exposed to someone who had tested positive for coronavirus, a person involved with airport operations told CNN.

Flight 2503 was scheduled to fly from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Seattle Monday night. Just before takeoff, the individual was informed that they were exposed to someone with coronavirus, the source said.

The passenger did not show any symptoms but deplaned out of an abundance of caution, the source said.

"The passenger is being questioned, the information is being supplied to the CDC. They will make a decision what becomes of this flight and the rest of us," the pilot announced to passengers on the flight. "So at this point, all I can say is just please be patient as we work through this and figure it out. We'll give you as much information as we know, as soon as we know it."

Delta confirmed the incident and said that the plane was being cleaned.
Wall Street Journal reporters Josh Chin (R) and Philip Wen walk through Beijing Capital Airport before their departure on February 24, 2020.

China said Tuesday that it will expel American journalists working in the country for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire in 2020.

The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that U.S. reporters for those publications must return their press cards within 10 days.

"They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the People's Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions," the statement said.

China also demanded that Voice of America, the Times, the Journal, the Post and Time magazine provide information about their operations in the country, including staffing and finance information.

It was not immediately clear how many American journalists would be affected, and spokespeople for each of the news outlets and Voice of America, an international broadcaster funded by Congress, did not provide figures in response to inquiries.

But newsroom leaders criticized China's move, which comes in the midst of a global public health crisis over COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.

Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron said in a statement that it was "particularly regrettable" during the COVID-19 pandemic, when reliable information about the international response is essential. "Severely limiting the flow of that information, which China now seeks to do, only aggravates the situation," Baron said.

Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray said in a statement that "China's unprecedented attack on freedom of the press comes at a time of unparalleled global crisis. Trusted news reporting from and about China has never been more important."

"We oppose government interference with a free press anywhere in the world. Our commitment to reporting fully and deeply on China is unchanged," Murray said.

New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet said the paper had more reporters in China than anywhere besides the U.S. He said it was "critical that the governments of the United States and China move quickly to resolve this dispute and allow journalists to do the important work of informing the public."

"The health and safety of people around the world depend on impartial reporting about its two largest economies, both of them now battling a common epidemic," he said.

VOA, in a statement posted to its website, said the Chinese "restrictions on the free press are wrong and we stand firm in our commitment to free press operations in China and around the world."

China's move continues a tit-for-tat battle between Washington and Beijing that began in February after the Journal ran an opinion article with the headline, "China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia."

The headline infuriated the Chinese government, which responded by revoking the press passes of three reporters for the Journal's news division, which is operates independently of its opinion pages.

In response, on March 2, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed a cap on the number of individuals permitted to work for Chinese government-controlled media organizations in the United States. The move cut the number of employees to 100, down from 160.

In its statement on Tuesday, China's foreign affairs ministry slammed what it called the "unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel."

China said its retaliatory moves were "entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the US."

"What the US has done is exclusively targeting Chinese media organizations, and hence driven by a Cold War mentality and ideological bias," the ministry said. "It has seriously tarnished the reputation and image of Chinese media organizations, seriously affected their normal operation in the US, and seriously disrupted people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries."

The ministry said the U.S. "exposed the hypocrisy of the self-styled advocate of press freedom" and urged Washington to "immediately change course, undo the damage, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organizations."

The ministry warned of further countermeasures if the U.S. "choose to go further down the wrong path."

Pompeo, speaking during a news conference on Tuesday, addressed China's move, saying "I regret China's decision to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct free press operations."

"Frankly, it would be really good for the Chinese people, really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times where more information, more transparency are what will save lives."

-- CNBC's Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Good Morning, welcome to Information Nigerias Newspaper headlines for today, 17th March 2020.

Here are the major headlines.

Coronavirus: Patient Quarantined In Enugu Test Negative

The suspected coronavirus case who was quarantined in Enugu has tested negative for the disease, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reports. The agency made this known in a tweet on its Twitter handle on Sunday, although it had earlier said that the patients result would be available on Monday.

Kano Assembly Bans Five Members For Attempting To Steal Mace

Five members of the Kano state house of assembly have been suspended for allegedly attempting to steal the mace. Last Monday, sitting of the assembly was disrupted by some members when an ad hoc committee to investigate Muhammad Sanusi II, the deposed Emir of Kano, was set up.

Coronavirus: Avoid Importation, Patronage Of Okirika Items  NEMA Warns

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged Nigerians to stop the importation and patronage of fairly used imported clothes to avoid bringing in Coronavirus into the country.

Nigerian Embassy In US Suspends Activities Over Coronavirus

The Coronavirus outbreak in the United States has led the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, the U.S. to temporarily halt passport interviews and biometric capture.

Coronavirus: Ban Public Gatherings For 40 Days  Buharis Campaign Director

Former Director, Planning and Monitoring, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Theodore Ekechi, has urged the federal government to ban church and mosque worships for 40 days to prevent Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

FRSC Warns Drivers Against Using Earpiece While Driving

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has issued a strong warning to Nigerians who drive with their earpiece on. According to the assistant route commander for Ikeja, Mr Olukayode Ayoola he said such action often lead to loss of concentration which inadvertently leads to accident.

Nigerian Doctor Dies Of Coronavirus In Italy

Adeleke Mamora, the minister of state for health, says a Nigerian doctor, Olumide Okunuga who lived in Italy has died after contracting coronavirus in Canada. The minister said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

Igbo Presidency Not Possible  Nnamdi Kanu

The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has stated that Igbo presidency is a non-feasible venture. Speaking in a Radio Biafra broadcast, Kanu stated that Igbo presidency is not feasible because Biafra would be achieved during his lifetime.

Buhari Approves Postponement Of APC NEC Meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the indefinite suspension of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Council (NEC) meeting slated for Tuesday.

Former Ekiti Governor, Segun Oni, Moves To Dump APC

Former governor of Ekiti state, Segun Oni has announced that he is set to dump the ruling All Progressive Congress to return back to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).
The leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria has come under fire from some of its members over the appointment of Elisha Abbo, a senator from Adamawa State, as its patron.

Mr Abbo made the headlines in July 2019 after PREMIUM TIMES exclusively published a video of him physically assaulting a woman at a sex toy shop. Mr Abbo was later charged to court for the attack. The trial has continued since then.

The senator has since tried to improve his image in the public by courting public recognition. He was recently given a beacon of hope award by a group.

The appointed has drawn criticisms from some Nollywood actresses. Hilda Dokubo has vehemently opposed Mr Abbos appointment and is demanding his immediate removal from the list of patrons.

In a lengthy Instagram video, Dokubo, described the lawmaker as a sore thumb sticking out of the list of other patrons.

Im therefore calling on all well-meaning, mentally balanced, honourable, male and female members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria to stand up and reject Elisha Abbo as patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. My name is Hilda Dokubo and Im not going to have an abuser serve as patron in an organisation that I belong to.

How did you not know that putting something that ugly in the midst of that beauty will mess up the whole place? Looking at that picture, it was so annoying and disgusting that I felt like throwing up. Did we not know that having Abbo or whatever he calls himself, makes a mess of all other honourable people on that list?

Lets cut the crap. However he got on that line, get him out of that list. He does not qualify to be a patron of an organisation whose responsibility is to educate, entertain and motivate into positive action. Hell no. Get him out.

Another Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw, reacted to the development on her Instagram page on Monday.

She wrote, Still waiting on your response, Emeka Rollas, I will reach out to you again like I did yesterday and I would like you to kindly explain what thought processes led to this! The Actors Guild Of Nigeria deserves better and this is definitely not it!!!

AGN reacts

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the North-east chapter of the guild, Marcus Maina, on Tuesday, defended the choice in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES.

He said the lawmaker is deserving of the position as well as the award presented to him.

Listing some of the achievements of the senator in his constituency, Mr Maina said their recommendation was based on performance and support to actors and youth in North-east.

He added that Mr Abbo was there for the guild when they lived in fear of the insurgency that ravaged the North-east.

Where were our senior colleagues who are paid to smear the image of our Patron when Boko Haram destroyed the creative industry in the North-east. How many of them even called us to find out if we are alive.

Every professional organisation supported their members in the North-east over the crises, how many of our stars organised any welfare program in our support, the statement read in part.

He said attempts to tarnish the image of the patron will no longer be tolerated as he is their choice and their choice should be respected.

We the members of the Actors Guild Nigeria North-east have resolved that no amount of attempt to drag the name of the Senator into the mud would be tolerated; we are solidly in support of his award.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she has a strict "no regrets" policy and will spend whatever is necessary to save lives as the coronavirus crisis deepens.

Ms Berejiklian said the state government delivered exactly what NSW Health asked for as part of its $700 million boost in health funding in its $2.3 billion stimulus package.

Her comments come as the latest figures show an extra 39 cases in NSW, taking the total to 210.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet say NSW will spend whatever it takes to save lives. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

"I don't want to look back and think, why were we stingy or why did we not provide what was asked of us, which was the same approach we took through the bushfires," Ms Berejiklian said on Tuesday.
As coronavirus pandemic puts world down on its knees, countries are taking extreme measures to tackle the spread of the COVID-19 virus. India too, is taking all the necessary steps to tackle the problem.

PTI

While the coronavirus cases in India have have shown a spike in recent days, some of the coronavirus affected have been treated. There has been a high scrutiny on suspected patients and hospitals are trying hard to make them feel at ease.



The coronavirus patients are being treat to healthy food in the screening wards and the menu includes dosa, sambar, bananas, oranges, eggs and tea. A lot of pictures have been doing the round with people lauding the authorities for making efforts to provide healthy food to patients.

In Kerala's Kalamassery Goverment hospital, the coronavirus patients were provided oranges, Dosa, sambar and packaged water for breakfast.

Breakfast provided at #Coronavirus isolation wards in #Kerala

A pic came from Kalamassery Govt hospital! Proud of you guys I was reading about the situation in Delhi and Maharashtra. Now this pic made my day! pic.twitter.com/pI936iWtMR  Nithin Mathew (@nithinmathew123) March 17, 2020

From today onwards, my mother's angry dialogue at me will be:

"   ,      !.."

This is commendable work by the Kerala govt and the health dept to offer such quality service to patients in isolation wards.#covidindia pic.twitter.com/vHODNNkI6w  Korah Abraham (@thekorahabraham) March 17, 2020

In Bangalore's Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), the Covid-19 patients were served Ragi balls, rice, curry, eggs, curd and a banana for their afternoon meals.

This is a picture of the food Rajiv Gandhi Institue of Chest Diseases (RGICD) is giving Covid-19 positive patients. Ragi balls, rice, curry, eggs, curd and a banana for their afternoon meals. #Bengaluru @BangaloreMirror #RGICD #COVID19Bangalore #Coronafighters @mla_sudhakar pic.twitter.com/KagLCpyHIk  Kumaran P (@kumaranp_Mirror) March 17, 2020

The complete food menu at #RGICD hospital in #Bengaluru



Lunch- 2Eggs, Ragi ball,rice,mixed veg curry,curds and fruits.



Dinner-Rice- 2Chappatis, Veg.pallya and mixed vegetable sambar



Breakfast- Varieties like- idli,pongal,Bisibele bath, Avalakki bath, Rava idli, Bread  Kumaran P (@kumaranp_Mirror) March 17, 2020

The hospitals and authorities across India are making huge efforts to not only stop the spread of coronavirus, but also ensuring the patients who have tested positive for the virus are treated well and taken good care of.

While European countries like Italy, United Kingdom and Spain have recorded more coronavirus cases and deaths, India has been far more effective in tackling the situation.






Courtesy / Courtesy

Ingram Park Mall is joining several San Antonio shopping hubs in limiting hours in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting Tuesday, the mall at 6301 N.W. Loop 410 will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
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[March 17, 2020] Panopto Adds Automatic Recording and Sharing of Recurring Zoom Meetings, Offers Businesses, Universities, Colleges, and Schools Unlimited, Complimentary Panopto Enterprise for Three Months

SEATTLE, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Panopto, a leading video knowledge platform provider, today announced two new initiatives to assist businesses and educators affected by COVID-19. First, for three months, organizations new to Panopto may use Panopto Cloud at no cost to capture and stream unlimited amounts of video. Second, Panopto has launched a new workflow that helps administrators and instructors automatically record and intelligently share recurring Zoom Video Communications meetings with attendees or students. Businesses and educational institutions can go to www.panopto.com to sign up and get started immediately. Preparations for the spread of the coronavirus are accelerating, and increasing numbers of organizations are transitioning from in-person to online operations. Many universities and businesses affected by COVID-19 are replacing live lectures and meetings with recurring Zoom sessions. Panopto's enhanced Zoom integration allows meeting schedulers and course instructors to automatically and securely distribute searchable recordings of these online events to students and colleagues. When used with learning management systems like those provided by Blackboard, D2L, Instructure, and Moodle, Panopto's enhanced Zoom recording workflow can automatically deliver these videos to students who can't attend live due to illness or the need to support family members. Similarly, many global companies have already beenincreasing the use of video streaming platforms to support their employees with recordings of online meetings and training sessions, and the onset of the coronavirus has accelerated this trend. Organizations that depend on the rapid exchange of information and expertise use Panopto to make it easier for attendees to reference key moments in meetings or for people who missed the sessions to watch at their convenience.



This transition to online-first models has increased leaders' focus on supporting their employees with easy access to recordings, but businesses need to ensure recordings will be automatically and securely shared with exactly the right audience. Some of the world's largest and most respected companies, such as Ingersoll-Rand, Synaptics, Radisson Hotels, and Valvoline have chosen Panopto's video knowledge platform as their solution for consolidating recorded meetings, live events, how-to videos, and video training into a secure, searchable library of corporate knowledge. "Around the world, institutions of all kinds are closing their doors and rapidly moving their operations online," said Eric Burns, CEO, Panopto. "To succeed in this process, they will need a dependable, easy-to-use video knowledge solution that can scale to match exponential increases in demand. Panopto stands ready to provide our services to these organizations at no cost for three months."

Panopto provides a secure, searchable video platform for more than 1,000 companies and universities worldwide, including Brown University, Cornell University, Georgetown University, Imperial College London, Monash University, National University of Singapore, Northwestern University, Oxford University, and the University of Washington. Fortune 500 companies that depend on Panopto to keep their employees productive include Dana, Freeport Minerals, General Dynamics, John Hancock, Kimberly-Clark, New York Life, Tableau, and VMWare. About Panopto

Panopto helps businesses and universities create searchable video libraries of their institutional knowledge. Since 2007, the company has been a pioneer in video capture software, video content management systems, and inside-video search technology. Today, Panopto's video platform is the largest repository of expert learning videos in the world. Headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Pittsburgh, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney, Panopto has received industry recognition for its innovation, rapid growth, and company culture. For more information, visit www.panopto.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/panopto-adds-automatic-recording-and-sharing-of-recurring-zoom-meetings-offers-businesses-universities-colleges-and-schools-unlimited-complimentary-panopto-enterprise-for-three-months-301025311.html SOURCE Panopto

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Coronavirus testing data has been spotty and not easily available, especially in the United States. Based on official government sources, heres how testing efforts in the United States compare with those in Italy and South Korea.

Delays in testing in the United States have set back the nations response to the pandemic, even though its first case was discovered around the same time that South Koreas was. But part of the problem in the United States has also been gaps created by the way the state and federal agencies report the data.

An internet community effort, called the COVID Tracking Project, is attempting to provide a fuller picture of testing in the United States. According to the tracker  which collects information directly from state health departments, local news reports and live news conferences  at least 41,000 people have been tested in the United States, much higher than official C.D.C. figures.

Comparing Daily Testing Data in U.S. Sources: C.D.C.; the COVID Tracking Project

It has been difficult to track reliable testing data in the United States for a number of reasons. Data from the Centers for Disease Control, which lags several days, reports the number of specimens tested, not the number of people  multiple specimens can be tested from each person. And some states report only positive results, not negative ones, making it hard to know the total number tested.

The COVID Tracking Projects data, however, lays bare just how behind the United States has been in responding to the pandemic, which by Monday night had sickened more than 178,000 people worldwide, according to official accounts.

Recent data shows that about 125 people per million have been tested in the United States  far fewer than most other countries where data is available.

Coronavirus Tests Per One Million People Note: Data is from country health departments where available. Press reports and statements were used otherwise. The U.S. estimate is based on the most recent data from the COVID Tracking Project

Through intensive testing and monitoring, South Korea has managed to slow the growth of new cases. Health officials there tracked down people with symptoms and even set up drive-through testing, allowing at least 10,000 people to be tested per day. Government websites and mobile apps disclosed how many people had been tested and where.

Italy has also tested aggressively for the virus, which could help explain why its total confirmed cases are higher than every other country in Europe. Health officials in Lombardy  Italys hardest-hit region  initially carried out swab tests on those who were sick as well as those who came into contact with infected people, even if they had no symptoms.

Until now, testing in the United States has been done manually, with individual labs performing only 40 to 60 tests a day. Testing has ramped up in recent days  on Monday, the COVID Tracking Projects count of reported tests rose by 13,000, suggesting a surge in the nations testing.

Also on Monday, federal officials said they were moving ahead with plans to set up more drive-through testing centers around the country and to speed the processing of tests by commercial labs. By the end of the week, officials said that 1.9 million tests should be available.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 00:09:47|Editor: ZD

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Customers watch the TV speech of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 16, 2020. Malaysia is introducing comprehensive restrictive measures including closing shops and schools, stopping overseas travel to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced Monday. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is introducing comprehensive restrictive measures including closing shops and schools and imposing travel bans, in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced Monday.

In an evening televised address, Muhyiddin explained the government had no choice but to implement the measures as the number of cases had spiked in recent days.

"The government takes the situation seriously during this dangerous virus threat," he said, stressing that the priorities of his government is to prevent the spread of this new outbreak from infecting more people."

Among the measures outlined were a comprehensive ban on movement and mass assembly throughout the country including religious, sports, social and cultural activities and any place of mass gatherings, except for shops and supermarkets so people may purchase essential goods.

All Malaysians are prohibited from traveling overseas. Those returning when the measures are effective are to undertake health screening and quarantine themselves at home for 14 days. Foreign nationals and tourists are completely barred from entering the country.

Additionally all schools and educational institutions will be closed as well as all non-essential government and private premises except for those considered critical including water, energy, security and banking.

The measures will be effective from March 18 to March 31, Muhyiddin said.

The latest announcement came after a sudden spike of cases in Malaysia in the past few days. The country reported 125 new confirmed cases on Monday, which brought the total number in the country to 553.

Muhyiddin urged the public to comply with the restrictions, pointing to the success of countries like China, while assuring the public that there would be sufficient supplies of food and essentials as well as health protective gear like face masks.
Pub doors are locked in the Temple Bar area of Dublin, as bars across Ireland close voluntarily to curb the spread of coronavirus. Photo: REUTERS/Lorraine O'Sullivan

The emergence and spread of the coronavirus is the single most pressing and significant challenge to the continuity of normal life since World War II.

However, the fundamentally disruptive and negative impact will reach far beyond the containment and delay phase. Upon unprecedented multi-government investment and collective global partnership, a widely deliverable vaccine can be expected in the short term. In the intervening period, I have confidence both in our health service to provide the highest standard of hospital care for those who require it and in the general population to take protective measures.

However, the true long-term impact of this Covid-19 crisis will be economic. Regardless of the introduction of wide-ranging supports for small businesses against the backdrop of procedures put in place to protect against a no-deal Brexit, it will not be possible for Ireland to suspend its economy. It is utterly inevitable that there will be substantial job losses and the permanent closure of thousands of businesses on a scale not comparable with that of the 2008 global financial crisis.

Cillian Boggan

St Peters College, Co Wexford

Roosevelts words ring true in a time of global uncertainty

The words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at his inauguration, to a nation in despair, are as important today as then. The only thing to fear is fear itself. The world now needs calmness more than ever.

Declan Foley

Berwick, Australia

Avoiding small gatherings isnt childs play for all of us

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has announced a ban on meetings of five or more people in Austria.

My wife and I have six children. The chancellor is 33 years old with no children.

Dr John Doherty

Vienna, Austria

Modi deserves credit for a united fight against Covid-19

India today initiated a joint strategy with all other South Asian countries to fight the coronavirus outbreak collectively, and created a Covid-19 emergency fund for the region with an initial contribution of $10m (9m). This initiative has received a positive response from all South Asian states. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been criticised recently for wrong reasons, has shown exemplary leadership in calling for regional co-operation to tackle the menace of coronavirus.

Chander Sangra

Lucan, Co Dublin

HSE could learn from whats happened with trolley crisis

For many years the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has recorded the number of patients stuck on trolleys in Emergency Departments. It reported almost 600 at the beginning of March with a 90pc fall to 64 on March 13, with only 16 for the whole of Leinster  all of this in the middle of winter and a pandemic. Extraordinary outcomes will usually stimulate serious research and the HSE could learn a lot from this.

Dr Michael Foley

Rathmines, Dublin 6

It may be a sober occasion, but theres much to celebrate

With the parades cancelled and the pubs closed on St Patricks Day, today could be a sober time this year. Likewise the writings of St Patrick were sober but on reading them they are also something to rejoice over. An English translation of the confession of St Patrick commences:

My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person and least of all believers. I am looked down upon by many. My father was Calporius. He was a deacon; his father was Potitus, a priest (or presbyter), who lived at Bannavem Taburniae. His home was near there, and that is where I was taken prisoner.

I was about 16 at the time. At that time, I did not know the true God. I was taken into captivity in Ireland, along with thousands of others. We deserved this, because we had gone away from God and did not keep his commandments. We would not listen to our priests, who advised us about how we could be saved.

The Lord brought his strong anger upon us and scattered us among many nations. It was there the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. He guarded me before I knew him and before I came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil.

That is why I cannot be silent  nor would it be good to do so  about such blessings and such a gift that the Lord so kindly bestowed in the land of my captivity.

May God bless us and lead us to repentance this St Patricks Day.

Tristan Kinnear

Hillsborough, Co Down
The World Bank has announced increasing to USD14 billion the amount of fast-track financing to assist companies and countries in their efforts to respond to the rapid spread of COVID-19, adding USD2 billion to the initial package.

The announcement came amid fear of a major global recession in the wake of the coronavirus that has impacted more than 120 countries.

The package will strengthen national systems for public health preparedness, including for disease containment, diagnosis and treatment, and support the private sector, the bank said in a statement on Tuesday.

"It is essential that we shorten the time to recovery. This package provides urgent support to businesses and their workers to reduce the financial and economic impact of the spread of COVID-19," David Malpass, President of the World Bank, said.

The World Bank Group is committed to a fast and flexible response based on the needs of developing countries. Support operations are already underway and the expanded funding tools approved today will help sustain economies, companies and jobs, he said.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will increase its COVID-19-related financing availability to USD8 billion as part of the USD14 billion package, up from an earlier USD6 billion.

The bulk of the IFC financing will go to client financial institutions to enable them to continue to offer trade financing, working-capital support and medium-term financing to private companies struggling with disruptions in supply chains, the statement said.

IFC's response will also help existing clients in economic sectors directly affected by the pandemic such as tourism and manufacturing to continue to pay their bills. The package will also benefit sectors involved in responding to the pandemic, including healthcare and related industries, which face increased demand for services, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, it added.

"Not only is this pandemic costing lives, but its impact on economies and living standards will likely outlive the health emergency phase. By ensuring our clients sustain their operations during this time, we hope the private sector in the developing world will be better equipped to help economies recover more quickly," IFC CEO Philippe Le Hourou said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Planetary scientists and astrobiologists are gearing up for a major survey process that will dictate NASA's priorities throughout the 2020s.

That process, overseen by the National Academies of Sciences, occurs every 10 years. National Academies and NASA officials discussed the process Monday (March 16) during a digital replacement for a town hall that was planned to occur at the 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this week in The Woodlands, Texas. (The conference was canceled in response to the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus.)

The decadal survey process gathers consensus from a broad swath of scientists in the relevant fields in order to guide NASA's long-term priority setting. The new Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal will cover the years 2023 to 2032. This cycle of the decadal survey is just beginning; the most recent step was to agree on the so-called "statement of task," which guides the committee that surveys scientists and writes the final document.

Related: NASA Planetary Science Program Remains on Track, Report Finds

Decadal surveys are crucial guidance documents because they pull together a host of experts' views on the current state of a field and the science questions that the community sees as most pressing. The committees involved in the process turn those evaluations into guidance for NASA as to what types of projects to support.

For the first time, that statement of task directs the committee to consider planetary defense within its purview, as well as planetary science and astrobiology. NASA is already planning to launch its first planetary-defense spacecraft mission, called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), in July 2021. This spacecraft will collide with the smaller half of a double asteroid called Didymos in September 2022 in order to help scientists calibrate the effect of such a measure on an asteroid's path. A second planetary-defense project, for a space infrared telescope called the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission , is in planning for a launch as early as 2025.

A second key addition to the decadal survey statement of task is to consider ways that the three disciplines can benefit from NASA's human-exploration program, most notably the Artemis program that aims to land astronauts on the moon in 2024. "There are a lot of capabilities that human exploration can bring and enable to planetary exploration," NASA Planetary Science Division Director Lori Glaze said during the panel.

There are other small changes to the decadal survey process this cycle, Glaze said. Those updates are meant to help NASA act on the survey's results throughout the decade; they include requests to tie activity recommendations to specific science goals, to provide guidance for how NASA should respond to budget changes and technology developments during the decade, to highlight opportunities to collaborate with other sections of NASA and other organizations, and to evaluate the overall professional health of the planetary-science community.

The committee will also evaluate how NASA and the National Science Foundation should shape their project portfolio. That includes prioritizing among projects targeting different solar system objects and balancing projects of different sizes. That directive also instructs the committee to speak to a helpful balance between space-based projects, typically overseen by NASA, and ground-based projects, which are more typically led by the National Science Foundation.

Beginning perhaps next month and concluding over the summer, scientists focused on planetary science, planetary defense and astrobiology will be able to submit white papers to inform the decadal survey, said David Smith, of the National Academies Space Studies Board, which oversees the decadal. The final timeline depends on when NASA sends over funding for the survey, which is when the National Academies will be able to select one or more chairs for the steering committee and schedule meetings of individual panels that are part of the decadal process.

But the full results of the consultation will take much longer: The draft report is scheduled for completion in October 2021 and the final report for publication in March 2022 at that year's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook .
She recently celebrated her baby's impending arrival at a fun-filled baby shower, held at Brooklyn, New York's famous cheesecake specialist Junior's.

And Iskra Lawrence, 29, was seen putting on a radiant display over the weekend, when she posed for snapshots in a flattering blue-and-white shirt dress.

Uploading the images of herself to Instagram on Saturday, the British model added the caption: 'Saturday was my last day out with bump.'

Radiant: Pregnant model Iskra Lawrence looked radiant as she posed for pictures recently

Cradling her growing baby bump, she teamed her button-down striped Persona by Marina Rinaldi ensemble with a matching sash belt, and beige polka dot flip-flops.

The blonde beauty, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Philip Payne, toted a Louis Vuitton handbag and sported a collection of delicate gold jewellery.

Wearing her golden locks in a lustrous blowout, the star highlighted her good looks with a palette of makeup that included deep pink lipstick and a light blush.

Last day out with the bump: Uploading the images of herself to Instagram on Saturday, the British model added the caption, 'Saturday was my last day out with bump'

Her snapshots come after she celebrated her baby's imminent arrival with a baby shower in the Big Apple.

She was every inch the glowing mother-to-be as she enjoyed a slice of cheesecake and non-alcoholic champagne with her beau, alongside family and friends.

The body confidence advocate looked stunning in a lavender, floral printed top with a frilled detail along with navy skinny jeans as she displayed her growing bump.

Guests had custom made menus with 'Iskra's Baby Shower' written on the front while attendees were also invited to cast their predictions on when the baby would be born, it's hair and eye colour, weight and length.

Stylish: Cradling her growing baby bump, the British model teamed her button-down striped Persona by Marina Rinaldi ensemble with a matching sash belt

Raising her bottle of non-alcoholic champagne in the air in celebration, Iskra also sported a white sash that read: 'Mummy To Be'.

It comes after Iskra shared a sizzling snap in December, while revealing she was 'really struggling' over whether to do a public gender reveal.

She accompanied the image with a lengthy caption as she revealed she was torn over whether to reveal the baby's gender in case their gender 'may not be who my child decides to be' when they grow older.

The British star added that it 'doesn't feel right' to make a big statement that is 'personal' to her child.

Accessories: The blonde beauty, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Philip Payne, toted a Louis Vuitton handbag and sported a collection of delicate gold jewellery

Iskra began: 'I am really struggling, thought I'd feel so ready to do a gender reveal. I was already indecisive about whether I wanted to know and I'm so happy we did and we shared the moment with my dad and mom on FaceTime our close friends on thanksgiving and then yesterday with my English family.

'But that's it, I haven't been able to just text anyone the 'news' and certainly don't feel like I can tell the world.'

She continued: 'I've always been so so vulnerable online sharing about my past BD, ED talked about mental health and shared so so much but this isn't about me.

'I might be carrying baby P and until now it's been about my pregnancy experience but this is their life and even though right now I know what gender the professionals have announced that may not be who my child decides to be and it doesn't feel right to make a big deal about something so personal to them.'

Celebration: She recently celebrated her baby's impending arrival at a fun-filled baby shower, held at Brooklyn, New York's famous cheesecake specialist Junior's

Making up her mind, she continued: 'So Yup I'm gonna be a party pooper because I never want my child turning around and saying why did you decide to share my life online or make it seem like a public service announcement.

'And of course I support all my loved ones and peers who have gone and shared with the world I just can't.'

She concluded: 'But that doesn't mean I won't be sharing about my experience on this journey and into motherhood and just like these unretouched pics I want to be real raw with you all and make lots more videos.

'I appreciate all your support and love so so much. Thank you to @ashleyjophoto and the whole team for this magical shoot I'll treasure.'

Beau: The model is expecting her first child with boyfriend Philip Payne. Pictured in January
Getty Images

In the United States, a White House staffed by xenophobes is using the coronavirus to strengthen border controls it has long wanted to embrace. In Israel and Singapore, governments are invoking the crisis over Covid-19 to track movements of people on cell phones.

In Iran, a government obsessed with control has used the epidemic to deploy security forces around the country to clear the streets. Meanwhile in Hungary, a right-wing leader who has built his political career on demonising immigrants told his counterparts there was a clear link between migrants and the coronavirus.

Across the world, public health officials, frontline medical professionals and local politicians are attempting to contain one of the worst pandemics in modern history.

But they are often brushing up against ideologically-minded national leaders who appear to be attempting to exploit coronavirus to impose measures theyve long sought, even if it imperils lives.

This is unacceptable, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wrote in response to reports of waits as long as eight hours for travellers crowded at the citys international airport. The reactionary, poorly planned travel ban has left thousands of travelers at [OHare Airport] forced into even greater health risk.

No one has time for your incompetence, she wrote, addressing Donald Trump and the Customs and Border Protection service.

The coronavirus crisis has severely strained health services across the world and is posing a grave challenge to the world economy, with stock markets collapsing and businesses idling workers. But experts are warning that it could also reshape politics by hardening authoritarian systems and eroding democracy in some countries, especially in fragile nations where would-be tyrants have been seeking to consolidate their power.

On Monday, a group of United Nations-affiliated experts issued a stark warning that emergency measures over coronavirus should not be used by governments for political ends.

Story continues

While we recognise the severity of the current health crisis and acknowledge that the use of emergency powers is allowed by international law in response to significant threats, we urgently remind States that any emergency responses to the coronavirus must be proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory, said the experts, who include nearly a dozen UN special rapporteurs on protections of human rights and democratic freedoms.

Emergency declarations based on the Covid-19 outbreak should not be used as a basis to target particular groups, minorities, or individuals, said the statement. It should not function as a cover for repressive action under the guise of protecting health nor should it be used to silence the work of human rights defenders.

There are already numerous signs that governments are potentially exploiting the epidemic for their own advantage. Months-long anti-government protests in Iraq, Algeria, and Lebanon that have been a severe thorn in the side of the elites have been ordered shut down over virus fears.

In Turkey, the conservative Islamist-rooted government has ordered bars, nightclubs and libraries to close over coronavirus fears, but is allowing luxury shopping malls filled with stores and restaurants built by its development industry allies to remain open, without serving alcohol.

In India, the coronavirus outbreak is being used by members of Narendra Modis ruling Hindu nationalist party to demonise peaceful mostly Muslim protesters who have staged a sit-in against controversial new citizenship laws since mid-December. On Tuesday, prominent local party figure Kapil Mishra said the protesters failure to disband immediately made them like terrorists on a suicide mission and a direct threat to the lives of millions of Delhi citizens.

Leaders facing critical leadership challenges such as Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and Romanias Prime Minister Ludovic Orban found their political problems vanishing, at least temporarily.

It was a vote carried under extraordinary circumstances, where there was no room for opposition or debate, Vlad Alexandrescu, a Romanian parliamentarian, said of an emergency vote Saturday to give the embattled premier full powers.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, was spared the indignity of appearing in court on Tuesday across three corruption cases after his hearings have been postponed for two months due to coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings.

The expansion os its powers ... is a dangerous precedent and a slippery slope

Maya Fried, Association for Civil Rights

Although his chief elections rival ex-army chief Benny Gantz has been awarded the task of attempting to build the next government, Netanyahu has not squandered the platform a national emergency brings.

He has dominated TV screens, giving almost daily primetime addresses updating the country on new restrictions as well as reassuring his citizens. In a decision pushed through overnight Tuesday, the cabinet side-stepped the parliament to allow Shin Bet to use technology developed to target Palestinian militants to tap the metadata of mobile phones used by suspected Coronavirus patients, and anyone within the vicinity of them.

Not only is it an invasion of privacy but also the executive branch bypassed the legislative branch, we will file our petition tomorrow, said Maya Fried, a spokesman for the Association for Civil Rights, which is challenging the move in court. The expansion of its powers to a strictly civilian issue is a dangerous precedent and a slippery slope.

Iran, Turkey and other countries have meanwhile tightened controls on the media, issuing stark warnings against and threatening to revoke accreditation of anyone questioning official numbers as spreading misinformation. Egypt on Tuesday revoked the press credentials of The Guardians Cairo correspondent over a piece that reported research questioning the states numbers on coronavirus cases.

The monarchy in Jordan on Tuesday ordered the closure of all print news outlets, and a curfew deploying the army to the entrance of the cities, citing coronavirus.

Citing coronavirus fears, Turkey has barred family visits for journalists held in prison on political or security charges, while limiting their phone calls to 10 minutes per week.

What youre seeing is autocratic regimes that are using traditional autocratic methods because that's what theyve always used and autocracy is what brought them to their failures, says Rami Khouri, a scholar at the American University of Beirut. They falsify numbers of corona cases just as they falsify election returns, saying everything is fine and the few cases we have are all foreigners.

To be sure, some of the panic and reaction over coronavirus is well founded. The coronavirus pandemic is a unique crisis, and there is understandable confusion over how governments ought to respond. Public health experts have praised the efforts of some authoritarian systems such as Singapore in responding to the crisis.

The monarchy in Morocco, a developing country especially vulnerable to coronavirus because of its strong ties to pandemic-stricken France and Spain, has reacted forcefully to the crisis, with a population submitting to drastic measures quickly enacted to contain the virus. People are generally obedient and respectful of the monarchy, says Nassim Assef, a public health specialist in Rabat.

Autocratic governments have the advantage to respond appropriately because they dont have to deal with checks and balances, says Erica Frantz, a professor of political science at Michigan State University and the author of the 2018 book, Authoritarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know.

But autocratic leaders often dont have the peoples best interests in mind, she says, citing Trumps initial decision to exclude the United Kingdom from a Europe-wide travel ban to reward fellow traveller Boris Johnson.

You see miracles and disasters happening more often in autocracies, she says. All the events in the US over coronavirus are indicative of the dangers of concentration of powers. He has hollowed out institutions, and filled them in with people who are his friends. They have very little experience and competence, and that leads to policies that are erratic and not well informed.

Just as dictators have used crises such as the 1933 burning of the German Reichstag to concentrate power throughout history, there are grave concerns that the coronavirus pandemic could be used to impose permanent measures.

In the Philippines, for example, opposition lawmakers and critics have voiced fear the authoritarian right-wing government of Rodrigo Duterte will be loath to remove restrictions on the freedom of movement and assembly that appear in synch with his goals. On Tuesday he declared a state of calamity for six months, far longer than any other country has suspended public life.

Political scientists say that while crises sometimes bring people together and unify them for a common cause, they also present an opportunity for authoritarian leaders to impose policies theyve long sought on otherwise reluctant people.

These crises are risky for democracies more than anything, says Frantz. I see these crises as opportunities for governments to crack down. We really need to pay attention to crisis events that can be used for transitions from democracy to take place.

Bel Trew in Beirut and Adam Withnall in Delhi contributed to this report.
David Sundberg Named Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Field Office

Director Christopher Wray has named David Sundberg as the special agent in charge of the New Haven Field Office in Connecticut. Mr. Sundberg most recently served as a section chief at the Critical Incident Response Group and commander of the FBIs Hostage Rescue Team.

Mr. Sundberg joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002 and was assigned to the Portland Field Office in Oregon, where he worked on Eurasian organized crime and drug matters and other criminal violations. He transferred to the Critical Incident Response Group in 2005 as a member of the Hostage Rescue Team, a counterterrorism tactical team that conducts high-risk missions in the United States and around the world. Mr. Sundberg was promoted to supervisory special agent and made an HRT team leader in 2011.

In 2013, Mr. Sundberg transferred to the Washington Field Office as a supervisory special agent. He managed the National Capital Response Squad, which serves to facilitate FBI engagement in potential crisis matters within the National Capitol Region and oversees specialty teams such as SWAT and the Evidence Response Team. In 2016, he was promoted to assistant special agent in charge within the Washington Field Offices Counterterrorism Division, overseeing crisis response and managing operations. Later that year, he took over management of international terrorism cases within the National Capital Region.

In 2017, Mr. Sundberg was named the chief of the Tactical Section of the Critical Incident Response Group. The tactical section oversees the FBIs Hostage Rescue Team, as well as the SWAT and Crisis Negotiation programs FBI-wide.

Mr. Sundberg has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to joining the FBI, he served as a detective with the Dover Police Department in New Hampshire.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The cry of Amaka Okonkwo, an elderly woman, caught the attention of the crowd from several parts of Lagos who were at the scene of the...





The cry of Amaka Okonkwo, an elderly woman, caught the attention of the crowd from several parts of Lagos who were at the scene of the explosion which occurred at Soba, a community at Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos state on Sunday.





Oh, Lord!!! This is unbearable. Its too much for me! She cried aloud as the crowd gathered. She rolled on the floor, mindless of the specks of dirt and other particles scattered around. Findings revealed that she lost three grown-up children in the unfortunate incident. To the elderly woman, all she had worked for was gone in less than a day. One of the three children was said to have just returned from London to attend the wedding ceremony of the second child scheduled for Saturday.





Like Okonkwo, some families in Soba community also lost loved ones. No one had predicted that the Sunday would not be a regular sunny day. Bodies were counted and so were damaged houses and cars.





A crowd which gathered around the elderly woman who lost her children

Victor Okoli, one of the residents, told the tale about the sad fate of one family. While assisting in bringing out movable belongings from the collapsed building, he said it was only the elderly mother who had gone to church at the time of the incident that survived the explosion. Okoli said the woman lost her only son, his pregnant wife and her nephew.





Three lives were lost, a husband, wife and another relative. And that husband is the only son and the wife was pregnant. They are four in this building but their mother was in the church, so the son, his wife and nephew were inside the building. I was also in the church when I heard the sound. Everybody else was in the church, he said.





Emeka Eze, a resident who stood dumbfounded in one of the collapsed buildings, said three people died in the building.





Your lives or belongings? The occupants of this place could not salvage some of their properties probably because these pillars could cave in anytime

Three people died in this building, even the other one (he points to a story-building next to where he was standing), children died there, he said, in a sad tone.





OVER 80 BUILDINGS, 25 CARS DESTROYED

The explosion which occurred around 9am on Sunday affected several buildings. Although, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had said over 50 buildings were destroyed, counts done by TheCable showed that at least 80 houses were damaged. Some of the buildings were shattered to the ground, while others had their roofs in terrible condition.





The morning after ruins everywhere

While Bethlehem Girls College, a secondary school in the area, got some of its buildings shattered and its administrator killed, Michlom Schools, also in the area, had its roofs in a terrible condition. Like buildings, motor vehicles in the area were badly burnt while some had their parts damaged.





Dolapo Fashare, director-general, Lagos State Emergency Protection Agency (LASEPA) said checks would be done to identify persons who might be trapped in the collapsed buildings.





NEMA had said 15 corpses, including a family of four, were recovered from the scene as of Sunday evening. Three other persons were rescued on Monday.





DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS ON CAUSE OF EXPLOSION

Since the explosion occurred, there have been speculations as to the cause especially based on the impact seen and the sound felt in several parts of the state. Many had speculated that the explosion was caused by either pipeline vandalism or bombing. But Ibrahim Farinloye, acting coordinator, Lagos territorial office of the agency, had said it might have occurred in a factory located in the area.





One of the destroyed buildings





In its own account, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the explosion happened when a truck hit gas cylinders around the corporations pipeline right of way. The cylinders were said to be stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporations system 2B pipeline right of way.





A former chairman of Soba residents association who addressed journalists said the fire was caused by the pipeline in the area, which according to him, was not well placed.





The real cause of this explosion is the pipeline. There is either a gas emission through that gas pipeline or it was no well-laid because the contractor worked on it last year. He repeated the work two times. So we had an understanding that every pipeline should be at least five to six feet deep, it should be wrapped in concrete and buried into the ground. So there is no way it will be ignited by fire, he said.





Shattered creates of beer

Samuel, who had resided in Soba community for 10 years, gave an account of the incident. He said that a granite truck which found it difficult to pull its way through hit a diesel pipeline, leading to the explosion.





A truck carrying about 30 tons of granite was about to enter the street when some guys demanded money from the driver. The driver stepped down and paid them, he said.





After paying them, the driver tried to move the truck, but it had sunk into the muddy grounds since it rained a few days ago. As the driver was primming, the truck got on the diesel pipeline and then it burst it. The content of the pipeline filled the air and covered the school (Bethlehem Girls College). There was a guy who sold noodles around the school, so the diesel in the air caught fire from the guys cooking, and a blast occurred.





Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, has set up a multi-sectoral committee to investigate the cause of the explosion and give a report in two weeks. The committee is headed by Obafemi Hamzt, deputy governor, and co-chaired by Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, the state commissioner for special duties.





SANWO-OLU: EXPLOSION TURNED SOBA INTO A WAR ZONE





Sanwo-Olu and his cabinet members at the scene

At the scene of the incident on Monday, Sanwo-Olu said the explosion turned the community to a war zone, adding that he has never seen anything of such magnitude before.





He admitted that the state government could not single-handedly address the effect of the incident and bring immediate succour to the residents of the area. Sanwo-Olu said a N2 billion emergency fund has been established to grant relief to victims of the explosion. He said the state government will immediately put N250 million in the fund, adding that other members of the public are encouraged to donate.





WHAT HOPE DO RESIDENTS HAVE?









Sad tales everywhere





Kalu Okafor, another resident, lost only his house burglary and louvres in the incident. But he is still shocked as to the degree of loss recorded in several other places. Okafor, who has for several years, lived in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers, an oil-rich state, said hope seems to be far from Soba residents at the moment.





Look at that building, the man with his two sons and his wife, four of them died. I havent seen such thing like this before. I have lived in Port Harcourt and I have seen pipeline go off. But this one is different, I dont know what to say about it, he said.





When asked what the hope is for his family friend, Okoli said the only hope is for them to seek succour elsewhere as the building which sheltered them was gone.





The hope is for them to go and look for new apartment. This house is gone, the next thing is demolition, he said.





Residents pray that the emergency fund as announced by the governor would be well utilised to bring relief to them. For Okonkwo and other people of Soba community who lost their loved ones or shelters, hope seems to be far away at the moment, but it is expected that with time, they will move on again.

















culled: TheCable




It's no coincidence that some of the worst viral disease outbreaks in recent years -- SARS, MERS, Ebola, Marburg and likely the newly arrived 2019-nCoV virus -- originated in bats.

A new University of California, Berkeley, study finds that bats' fierce immune response to viruses could drive viruses to replicate faster, so that when they jump to mammals with average immune systems, such as humans, the viruses wreak deadly havoc.

Some bats -- including those known to be the original source of human infections -- have been shown to host immune systems that are perpetually primed to mount defenses against viruses. Viral infection in these bats leads to a swift response that walls the virus out of cells. While this may protect the bats from getting infected with high viral loads, it encourages these viruses to reproduce more quickly within a host before a defense can be mounted.

This makes bats a unique reservoir of rapidly reproducing and highly transmissible viruses. While the bats can tolerate viruses like these, when these bat viruses then move into animals that lack a fast-response immune system, the viruses quickly overwhelm their new hosts, leading to high fatality rates.

"Some bats are able to mount this robust antiviral response, but also balance it with an anti-inflammation response," said Cara Brook, a postdoctoral Miller Fellow at UC Berkeley and the first author of the study. "Our immune system would generate widespread inflammation if attempting this same antiviral strategy. But bats appear uniquely suited to avoiding the threat of immunopathology."

The researchers note that disrupting bat habitat appears to stress the animals and makes them shed even more virus in their saliva, urine and feces that can infect other animals.

"Heightened environmental threats to bats may add to the threat of zoonosis," said Brook, who works with a bat monitoring program funded by DARPA (the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) that is currently underway in Madagascar, Bangladesh, Ghana and Australia. The project, Bat One Health, explores the link between loss of bat habitat and the spillover of bat viruses into other animals and humans.

"The bottom line is that bats are potentially special when it comes to hosting viruses," said Mike Boots, a disease ecologist and UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology. "It is not random that a lot of these viruses are coming from bats. Bats are not even that closely related to us, so we would not expect them to host many human viruses. But this work demonstrates how bat immune systems could drive the virulence that overcomes this."

As the only flying mammal, bats elevate their metabolic rates in flight to a level that doubles that achieved by similarly sized rodents when running. Generally, vigorous physical activity and high metabolic rates lead to higher tissue damage due to an accumulation of reactive molecules, primarily free radicals. But to enable flight, bats seem to have developed physiological mechanisms to efficiently mop up these destructive molecules.

This has the side benefit of efficiently mopping up damaging molecules produced by inflammation of any cause, which may explain bats' uniquely long lifespans. Smaller animals with faster heart rates and metabolism typically have shorter lifespans than larger animals with slower heartbeats and slower metabolism, presumably because high metabolism leads to more destructive free radicals. But bats are unique in having far longer lifespans than other mammals of the same size: Some bats can live 40 years, whereas a rodent of the same size may live two years.

This rapid tamping down of inflammation may also have another perk: tamping down inflammation related to antiviral immune response. One key trick of many bats' immune systems is the hair-trigger release of a signaling molecule called interferon-alpha, which tells other cells to "man the battle stations" before a virus invades.

Brook was curious how bats' rapid immune response affects the evolution of the viruses they host, so she conducted experiments on cultured cells from two bats and, as a control, one monkey. One bat, the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), a natural host of Marburg virus, requires a direct viral attack before transcribing its interferon-alpha gene to flood the body with interferon. This technique is slightly slower than that of the Australian black flying fox (Pteropus alecto), a reservoir of Hendra virus, which is primed to fight virus infections with interferon-alpha RNA that is transcribed and ready to turn into protein. The African green monkey (Vero) cell line does not produce interferon at all.

When challenged by viruses mimicking Ebola and Marburg, the different responses of these cell lines were striking. While the green monkey cell line was rapidly overwhelmed and killed by the viruses, a subset of the rousette bat cells successfully walled themselves off from viral infection, thanks to interferon early warning.

In the Australian black flying fox cells, the immune response was even more successful, with the viral infection slowed substantially over that in the rousette cell line. In addition, these bat interferon responses seemed to allow the infections to last longer.

"Think of viruses on a cell monolayer like a fire burning through a forest. Some of the communities -- cells -- have emergency blankets, and the fire washes through without harming them, but at the end of the day you still have smoldering coals in the system -- there are still some viral cells," Brook said. The surviving communities of cells can reproduce, providing new targets for the the virus and setting up a smoldering infection that persists across the bat's lifespan. Brook and Boots created a simple model of the bats' immune systems to recreate their experiments in a computer.

"This suggests that having a really robust interferon system would help these viruses persist within the host," Brook said. "When you have a higher immune response, you get these cells that are protected from infection, so the virus can actually ramp up its replication rate without causing damage to its host. But when it spills over into something like a human, we don't have those same sorts of antiviral mechanism, and we could experience a lot of pathology."

The researchers noted that many of the bat viruses jump to humans through an animal intermediary. SARS got to humans through the Asian palm civet; MERS via camels; Ebola via gorillas and chimpanzees; Nipah via pigs; Hendra via horses and Marburg through African green monkeys. Nonetheless, these viruses still remain extremely virulent and deadly upon making the final jump into humans.

Brook and Boots are designing a more formal model of disease evolution within bats in order to better understand virus spillover into other animals and humans."It is really important to understand the trajectory of an infection in order to be able to predict emergence and spread and transmission," Brook said.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of California - Berkeley. Original written by Robert Sanders. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Beijing to reconsider its effective expulsions of US journalists, saying that China benefits from free media.

"I regret China's decision today to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct the free press operations that, frankly, would be really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives," Pompeo told reporters.

"This is unfortunate," Pompeo said. "I hope they will reconsider."



Pompeo's remarks came after China effectively ordered American journalists at the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal to leave the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The newly appointed Liaison Prosecutor for Serbia at Eurojust, Ms Gordana Janicijevic, has taken up her duties. Ms Janicijevic was officially introduced today to the Eurojust College during a visit of Serbian Republic Public Prosecutor Ms Zagorka Dolovac. Serbia is the 7th country to have a Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust. Liaison Prosecutors can open cases for support from EU Member States and participate in coordination meetings and coordination centres to step up the fight against cross-border crime. Since 2015, Serbia has already cooperated with Eurojust in nearly 150 cases involving serious organised crime.

Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran said: 'I warmly welcome Ms Janicijevic to The Hague and look forward to an excellent cooperation. It is of great importance that an increasing number of countries want to work together with Eurojust in the fight against cross-border organised crime and terrorism. I am convinced that the valuable experience of Ms Janicijevic and the full backing of the Serbian authorities will play a crucial role in our efforts to further increase our operational and strategic cooperation with the Western Balkans region.'



Photos  Eurojust

Republic Public Prosecutor of Serbia Ms Zagorka Dolovac pointed out: 'This is an important moment and day in the joint history of the Republic Public Prosecution Office of Serbia and Eurojust, and also a significant development in the relationship between the Republic of Serbia and the European Union. Our joint professional efforts and commitment were recognized and now are allowed to prosper even more. I am certain that our representation here in The Hague will be able to continue with proven quality and reliability in cooperation with European and other colleagues to fulfil the most important task of protecting our societies from dangers and consequences which contemporary crime represents.'

Liaison Prosecutor for Serbia Ms Gordana Janicijevic stated: 'I am very honoured to be the first Liaison Prosecutor for Serbia at Eurojust. Given the previous caseload, I believe that having a cooperation agreement and presence at Eurojust will enhance the already excellent cooperation between Serbia and Eurojust in fighting serious transnational crime. I look forward to a close cooperation with all the countries represented at Eurojust, and I expect an increased exchange of information and the most efficient coordination.'

Ms Janicijevic was Deputy Republic Public Prosecutor of Serbia before starting in her new role at Eurojust. The opening of a Serbian liaison office at Eurojust is supported by the Instrument of Pre-Accession Assistance IPA/2017 project 'Countering Serious Crime in the Western Balkans', of the European Commission (DG NEAR) and the German Federal Government.

Eurojust and Serbia have signed a cooperation agreement in November of last year. Between 2008 and 2018, Eurojust has already concluded similar agreements with three other countries in the Western Balkans: North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania. Both North Macedonia and Montenegro already have Liaison Prosecutors in The Hague.

Serbia has worked with Eurojust on 150 cases involving serious crime since 2015 and attended 22 coordination meetings. It has participated in seven Joint Investigation Teams (JITs), most of which involved drug trafficking cases, and took part in two joint action days supported through Eurojust's coordination centre. The most frequently involved crime types are drug trafficking, swindling and large-scale fraud.
President Donald Trump spoke with executives of the largest U.S. restaurant companies on Tuesday about keeping drive-thru options open to feed people and financial support for the industry.

Participants on the call with Trump included the CEOs of Domino's Pizza, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Restaurant Brands International, Bloomin' Brands, Yum Brands, Darden Restaurants, Papa John's, Wendy's and Raising Cane's. McDonald's U.S. president also participated.

The White House said that the executives all committed encouraging customers to use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

One industry executive on the call with the president urged the White House to take action to support small business owners with a fund that would provide cash flow for business owners to remain solvent during the coronavirus pandemic, keep employees on payroll and continue to grow once things stabilize, according to a person with direct knowledge of the call.

In response the president indicated his support, saying that "I think you're really going to like what we're doing," the source said.

Another source with direct knowledge of the call said it was productive and Trump made "completely clear" the White House was not considering shutting down restaurants or delivery services at this time.

Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, said in a statement that it was a very productive meeting. A representative for Domino's Pizza said that the call was "very brief," and Trump expressed support for the industry and its role in feeding and employing people during this time.

"We shared our commitment to supporting public health and safety while continuing to ensure essential access to food," Wendy's spokeswoman Heidi Schauer said in a statement. "We are grateful that the White House sought our collective industry perspective."

Trump praised the executives at a late morning briefing Tuesday.

"They have been fantastic," the president said. "They're keeping it open, smaller staffs. Very capable people, very capable companies."

At least 19 states across the country have mandated that restaurants and bars close their dining rooms amid the outbreak. Restaurant companies like Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and Starbucks have already closed their dining rooms in company-owned locations in the U.S.

Separately, McDonald's said Tuesday it may offer some franchisees rent deferrals as restaurants close or see traffic plunge. The global fast-food giant also warned that the "negative financial impact" to its results cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.

The chief executives of the International Franchise Association and the National Retail Federation were also on the call, as well as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnunchin and Larry Kudlow, the president's top economic advisor.

Here are the participants:

Trump administration

President Donald J. Trump

Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Department of the Treasury

Larry Kudlow, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council

Tim Pataki, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison



External participants

Richard Allison, CEO, Domino's Pizza

Dan Cathy, CEO, Chick-fil-A

John Chidsey, CEO, Subway

Jose Cil, CEO, Restaurant Brands International

Robert Cresanti, President and CEO International Franchise Association

David Deno, CEO, Bloomin' Brands

Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald's USA

David Gibbs, CEO, YUM! Brands

AJ Kumaran, Co-CEO and COO, Raising Cane's

Gene Lee, President and CEO, Darden Restaurants

Rob Lynch, CEO, Papa Johns

Todd Penegor, CEO, Wendy's

Matt Shay, National Retail Federation
Stefanini, 72, described an anxious daily routine of calling through a list of family members and friends in Italy to check on them. A brother is a doctor in his native city of La Spezia, on the Italian Riviera  outside the hardest-hit region of the country but at a hospital that is on the edge of its capacity, he said. Even in his mothers memories of wartime Italy, Stefanini said, rare was the absolute lockdown the country was now facing, apart from moments when fighting was directly overhead.
Hong Kong authorities are asking people under quarantine to wear electronic wristbands in order to track their movements, as the region deploys new measures to prevent an explosion in coronavirus cases.

Although Hong Kong reported its first infections as early as January, intensive social distancing, movement restrictions and a strong community community response have helped to limit the spread of the outbreak.

But amid the growing scale of the global pandemic  which has elevated the risk of coronavirus being brought into the region by visitors and returning residents  officials are concerned by the prospect of a surge in cases.

In many countries the number of confirmed cases can be described as explosive, Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, said during her weekly press conference on Tuesday.

If we dont adopt some strict measures ... Im afraid all precaution efforts done in the past two months would be wasted. It will affect the public health of Hong Kong.

As such, Ms Lam announced that people entering the Chinese-ruled region from Thursday onward will be forced into quarantine for 14 days.

Hong Kong had previously designated three public housing blocs for quarantine, but those will be reserved for the high-risk cases.

The lower-risk cases will be provided with electronic wristbands, and an accompanying smartphone app, which alert officials if such persons violate the quarantine.

So far, 5,000 reusable wristbands produced by the (technology) centre are readily available and another 60,000 disposable wristbands have been procured from the market, 5,000 of which were delivered and tested and the remaining 55,000 will be delivered in batches, said the government in a statement.

Schools, which have been shut since January, were unlikely to resume on 20 April as initially planned, Ms Lam added.

Only last month, all residents returning from Chinas Hubei province  the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak  were quarantined at home and told to wear the tracking wristbands.

At the time, authorities warned that violators could be subject to fines worth 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (530) and up to six months jail time.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

The outbreak in Hong Kong has brought back memories of the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and triggered a strong response from the community.

Hand sanitisers are freely available in shopping malls and office buildings, where peoples temperatures are also checked electronically.

Door handles, elevator buttons and other surfaces regularly exposed to crowds are disinfected several times a day. Most residents wear masks and avoid large social interactions.

For more than a month streets and other public areas have been largely deserted as many residents worked from home. Many companies are yet to recall all staff to their offices.

Those measures have taken a heavy toll on an economy already facing its worst recession in a decade, with retailers and the tourism sector warning they are struggling to survive.

Four of the 157 confirmed coronavirus patients in Hong Kong have so far died, while 50 of the latest 57 cases were people with recent travel history.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Businessman Clive Palmer has lost two appeals against decisions made in Brisbane's Magistrates Court.

The Supreme Court dismissed Mr Palmer's three-pronged appeal against the Magistrates Court, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and ASIC.

Clive Palmer says he is looking to invest heavily in WA where he reaps a fortune in mining royalties. Credit:AAP/Jono Searle

An appeal lodged by Palmer Leisure Coolum Pty Ltd against the same respondents was also dismissed  both with costs.

The appeals claimed charges brought against Mr Palmer and the company included abuse of process and the continuation of those proceedings would tend to bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
A vendor distributes newspapers wearing a face mask as a preventive measure against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Nairobi, Kenya. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images

Aversion behaviour

Governments impose bans on certain types of activities, as when the government of China orders factories to shut down or Italy closes most shops throughout the country. Firms and institutions (including private schools and private companies) take proactive measures to avoid infection. Business closures  whether through government bans or business decisions  result in lost wages for workers, especially in the informal economy, where there is no paid leave. Individuals reduce travel  to the market, for tourism, on business, and going out for social and other activities.

What we know so far and what to expect

About a fourth of Ugandan imports come from China. Supply chains have been interrupted for weeks because many Chinese factories shut down production. Small traders selling textiles, electronics or household goods are in trouble  In Niger, stocks of certain goods, including groceries, from China have already been significantly decimated, leading to higher prices.



What should be done

To assuage market reactions to the outbreak, you have to present a viable plan to defeat the outbreak.

The economic impacts have dramatic effects on the well-being of families and communities. For vulnerable families, lost income due to an outbreak can translate to spikes in poverty, missed meals for children, and reduced access to healthcare far beyond Covid-19. With cases confirmed in many low- and middle-income countries, these impacts may affect the worlds most vulnerable populations.What are the channels of economic impact we can expect from Covid-19? Beyond the human tragedy, there is a direct economic impact from lives lost in an outbreak. Families and loved ones lose that income and their in-kind contributions to household income such as childcare.Though less likely to pass away from Covid-19, many working age adults still fall ill and their families will feel the financial burden as they miss work for days or weeks.Most of the economic impact of the virus will be from aversion behaviour. That is, actions people take to avoid catching the virus. Aversion behaviour comes from three sources:These actions affect all sectors of the economy. These in turn translate into reduced income both through the supply side (reduced production drives up prices for consumers) and the demand side (reduced demand from consumers hurts business owners and their employees).These short-term economic impacts can translate into reductions in long-term growth. As the health sector soaks up more resources and as people reduce social activities, countries invest less in physical infrastructure. As schools close, students lose opportunities to learn (hopefully only briefly) but more vulnerable students may not return to the education system, translating to lower long-term earning trajectories for them and their families, and reduced overall human capital for their economies.For example, unplanned pregnancies rose sharply in Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic, likely in part a result of school closures. Adolescent mothers are less likely to return to school, and their children will likely have fewer health and educational investments.Further, the infection and death of health workers in the front lines of epidemics can lead to worsening health conditions in the long-term, such as maternal and infant mortality . These all have poverty implications well beyond their humanitarian implications.Economic estimates of the likely global impact vary dramatically. Tom Orlik and others at Bloomberg hypothesise $2.7 trillion in lost output. The Asian Development Bank projects losses ranging from $77 billion to $347 billion, and an OECD report talks about a halving of global economic growth.Some recent analysis of the actual and potential economic impacts of the crisis provides a snapshot. Across sectors in African countries, the economic impact stems from the slowing down of the Chinese economy, with reduced Chinese demand for raw materials. This analysis projects reduced investments in energy, mining, and other sectors, and a fall in travel and tourism.Another analysis reports that Chinese factory closings have adversely affected consumers in Africa. In Zimbabwe and Angola, exports to China have crashed.Most of the data and observed impacts in the developing world so far stem from production and export stoppages from China, and those estimates pre-date the worsening economic conditions in Europe and the US. But as the economies of other countries slow down with the spread of the disease, these impacts will show up more clearly in economic data and likely grow over time.Beyond three stimulus and liquidity recommendations from the International Monetary Fund, we add three recommendations.First, contain the pandemic. As our colleague Jeremy Konyndyk puts it As long as the outbreak is actively spreading, many aversion behaviours are rational and wise. Containing the disease is the first step to mitigating not only the health impacts but also the economic impacts.Second, strengthen the safety net. The most vulnerable households are those most likely to be affected economically. Low-wage workers are often those most likely to lose their jobs if they miss work due to an extended illness. They are often the least able to work remotely to avoid contracting the virus. And they are the least likely to have savings to survive an economic downturn.Making sure there is an economic safety net in place  cash transfers, sick leave, subsidised health coverage  helps the most vulnerable survive and provides support to enterprises that serve those populations.Third, measure the impact. Systematic data on which populations are experiencing the greatest hardships and which industries are failing is essential to providing assistance. During the Ebola epidemic of 2014-2015, researchers used phone surveys in Sierra Leone and Liberia  building on the sample frames from existing surveys  to gather information on the impacts of both ill health and aversion behaviour on households and enterprises across the countries. Amina Mendez Acosta provided research assistance for this article. A version of this article was first published by the Center for Global Development.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Tue, March 17, 2020 21:30 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b60207 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Batam,Riau-Islands,Singapore,border,ferry-trip,outbreak Free

In response to Singapores new border restrictions on Indonesian passport holders, the administration of Batam in Riau Islands is asking its residents not to visit the neighboring country temporarily to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19.

We will issue a circular suggesting that residents do not travel abroad, especially to Singapore, for the next two weeks, deputy Batam mayor Amsakar said in a press briefing on Monday.

He added that he had been coordinating with the Singaporean consul general in Batam regarding the new travel restrictions.

The deputy mayor went on to say that the new policy did not completely rule out Indonesian passport holders visiting the country. However, Indonesians would need to be prepared to spend a lot of time in Singapore as they would be quarantined for two weeks upon entering the country.

Singaporean authorities implemented new border restrictions on Monday, requiring people entering the country with a recent travel history to countries heavily affected by the coronavirus  including Indonesia  within the last 14 days to receive a 14-day Stay-Home Notice. The regulation will not apply to Singaporeans and Malaysians using sea and land crossings with Malaysian services.

Read also: Singapore donates medical equipment to Batam in mutual effort to combat COVID-19

Singapore understands that some Indonesians go to the country to seek medical treatment. However, we dont want Indonesians to have to stay there too long because of the quarantine policy, Amsakar said.

He added that the local administration was technically unable to restrict Singaporeans from entering Batam, because the health-detection procedure for foreigners had been carried out by the Port Health Office (KKP), which is directly under the authority of the Health Ministry.

Singaporeans will be strictly checked, although we hear that Singapore has prevented its citizens from leaving [the country] as well, Amsakar said.

Hundreds of Batam residents were seen crowding the Batam Center International Ferry Port on Monday ahead of the policy implementation. Indonesian passport holders with temporary stay permits, student passes or permanent resident cards were still allowed to buy Batam-Singapore tickets.

Acting Riau Islands governor Isdianto said he would carry out further discussions with relevant parties on the impacts of the restriction policy on economic activities in the city.

Asmadi, the chairman of the Batam branch of the Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA), said he was surprised by the latest restriction policy and predicted it would hit ferry operators hard. He said the number of passengers on ferries serving the Batam-Singapore route had declined significantly as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read also: In Singapores neighbor Batam, malls empty, ferry trips reduced as virus fears lurk

The policy certainly makes it more complicated for Indonesian people to go to Singapore than before, said Asmadi. We dont know what it will look like in the next few days.

According to the Batam Investment Board (BPM), around 2,700 foreigners, mostly from Singapore and India, are employed by at least 400 companies in the city.

Batam Immigration Office recorded in 2018 around 3.3 million passengers entering the city through five international ferry ports, namely Batam Center, Citra Tritunas or Harbor Bay, Sekupang, Marina and Nongsa Point Marina. Of these 1 million were Singaporeans, while 1.6 million were Indonesians. (syk)
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US President Donald Trump on Monday labeledthe coronavirus (COVID-19) the Chinese Virus,triggering an avalanche of criticism.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before! Trump wrote to his 74 million followers.

It should go without saying that his tweet was wrong, as it equates the Chinese people with a disease and makes China a punching bag.

The United States leading national public health institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has stressed the importance of reducing stigma and discrimination during such stressful times, warning that fear and anxiety about a disease, such as COVID-19, can lead to social stigma toward people, places, or things.

As the CDC has pointed out, stigma and discrimination occurs when people associate a disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, and this hurts everyone by creating fear or anger towards other people.

His claim triggered many ugly comments full of racism and conspiracy, but also an avalanche of criticism from Americans and people from around the world who agreed that it is wrong for the US president to associate a group of people with a virus, something that poses a threat to all people, regardless of nationality.

Ive been deathly afraid of this exact moment where Trump turns to racism and xenophobia and calls COVID-19 the Chinese Virus, Dr. Eugene Gu, who is also a personality on social media, wrote in response. We are in deep trouble as a nation now that President of the United States makes the conscious decision to go down this dark path of hate.

Many others also saw the claim as racist and criticized Trump for labeling the coronavirus the Chinese Virus.Economist David Rothschild said that Trump was being racist and American actor Mia Farrowcalled on Trump to stop with the racist comments and reminded him that the coronavirus is now as American as apple pie.

Others suggested that Trump is tryingto distract from domestic problems. On Weibo, a Twitter-like social media platform popular in China, many people also felt that Trump was using racism as distraction. One Weibo user wrote, Obviously, Trump is trying to make people look away from the domestic problems in the United States.Another Weibo user wrote, As an individual, he doesnt set a good example by wearing a mask in public and his poor protection and control measures have caused problems in the United States.

As China has stated on many occasions, it is irresponsible to associate the coronavirus with the Chinese people. This is a time for all peoples to work together to fight a common enemy, which means there is no room for racism.
Dr. Matthew Cartter tells stories in a soothing voice, one seemingly calibrated to lull a restless child to slumber. But as the state epidemiologist, Cartter is the narrator of the fast-developing coronavirus story in Connecticut. His goal is to make sure people are awake  and paying attention.

His private counsel contributed to Gov. Ned Lamont declaring a public health emergency on March 10, when only two residents had been diagnosed with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by a novel type of coronavirus.

The next day, Cartter bluntly informed the public during a televised briefing at the Emergency Operations Center in Hartford that COVD-19 was here, that an unknown number of people will die and the public-health focus was on slowing the disease, not containing it.

It is only a matter of time before we have widespread community transmission, Cartter said.

The emails came quickly.

The first one I got was from someone who wanted to know why I scared everyone, Cartter said. I knew that what I was saying, as I started, this is going to be really hard for people to hear. That was the story I needed to tell Wednesday: This is real.

Four days later, there are more than two dozen confirmed cases in Connecticut, a number officials expect is artificially depressed by the lack of testing capacity.

All public schools are closed, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines Sunday recommending a prohibition of all gatherings of more than 50 people across the U.S. for the next eight weeks.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, did not rule out a national order shutting restaurants and bars, as some mayors are requiring in their cities.

And Cartter (yes, its spelled with two Ts) is looking more prescient than alarmist.

Connecticut should expect at least 10 percent percent of its residents to fall sick in coming months, he said, though Cartter and other public health officials say 80 percent will need no treatment, other than resting at home. But older people and those with chronic disease are vulnerable to pneumonia and other life-threatening complications.

We dont want everybody getting sick all at once, because if everybody gets sick all at once, the hospitals are overwhelmed and you cant take care of people who need to be hospitalized, Cartter said. The goal here is to slow down the transmission, so our hospitals can stay open.

Josh Geballe, who is coordinating the states inter-agency response as the governors chief operating officer, said he was grateful for tone set publicly by Cartter and the blunt advice offered by him and others at the Department of Public Health. They raised an early and necessary alarm, he said.

I think in Connecticut, this is an educated population and we would always wish to hear the views of the professionals, the experts, Geballe said. Most people Ive spoken to appreciate that very much.

Most people, perhaps. Not all.

Cartter said his estimate that between 10 percent and 20 percent of the states residents  350,000 to 700,000 people - would be infected in coming months drew its own emailed criticism: You must not be very good at math, because there is no way that many people can get sick in that short a period of time.

The course of the disease in China, Italy and elsewhere say otherwise. Fauci, the 79-year-old federal public health official who is ever-present on cable, said all indications are that 70 percent of Americans will get the disease before the pandemic runs its course. The current wave is expected to last six to eight weeks.

Geballe said Cartter is Connecticuts Fauci, and Cartter said Fauci is the standard in his profession.

He is considered to be a master risk communicator. Risk communication is something that is taught at CDC, how you talk to the media, that kind of stuff, Cartter said. I think, What is the story I need to tell? 

On the cover of a CDC crisis communication hand book are three direct suggestions: Be first. Be right. Be credible. It encourages public health experts to be transparent and not to shy away from reasonable speculation, as Cartter offered last week when asked to put the likely impact on Connecticut in concrete terms.

These are the questions that everyone is thinking about, and to which they want expert answers, the book says. Although its often impractical to fuel what ifs when the crisis is contained and not likely to affect large numbers of people, it is reasonable to answer what ifs if the what ifs could happen and people need to be emotionally prepared for them. 

He teaches at Yale and UConn, and one of his interests is the history of epidemics, as was evidenced during a coronavirus briefing for lawmakers on March 6. Cartter told them everyone in the room had survived one influeza pandemic in 2009 and many a second one in 1968.

How about three, three pandemics? OK, 1957 influenza pandemic? he raised his hand. Me, too.

Cartter is 66, born in 1953. He is married to a public health nurse. They have two daughters, ages 26 and 28.

He also is director of the Connecticut Emerging Infections Program, a joint effort of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Yale Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga. The program is one of 11 sponsored nationally by the CDC that uses population-based surveillance to evaluate methods for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

Cartter grew up in Cheshire and spent the 1971-72 year in Thailand as a high school exchange student, where he learned to speak Thai and considered becoming a doctor. He graduated from Wesleyan with a degree in biology, earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester and trained in internal medicine at Rhode Island Hospital.

Cartter started his career as a disease detective after completing his residency, joining the U.S. Public Health Service and serving in the epidemic intelligence service. He spent a year in Alaska at the Arctic Investigations Laboratory, then a year with the Department of Public Health in Connecticut.

They asked me to stay on as a state employee for a year, then another, he said. Cartter smiled and said, Its been 35.

He started as a state employee in August 1985, a month before Rock Hudson died of AIDS, a disease that would challenge epidemiologists. He learned by watching Dr. James Hadler, the state epidemiologist who became his mentor.

Jim was the only supervisor I had for 23 years, Cartter said.

When Hadler retired in 2008 and turned to teaching, Cartter succeeded him, tracking contagious diseases and educating the public. West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and SARS each presented their own professional challenges and provoked public fears.

In 2001, public health and national security became intertwined as letters containing anthrax were mailed to political and media figures. Connecticut disease detectives had to track how a 94-year-old widow who rarely left her house in Oxford had become the countrys fifth anthrax fatality. She appeared to be an unintended victim, her mail contaminated at a mail handling facility.

Ebola kept the infectious disease staff at the state DPH on the run in 2014, monitoring returning travelers. It was like being on every day, all day for a year and a half, Cartter said. It was a trying time. We learned a lot. That was also the first declaration of a public health emergency in Connecticut.

Cartter got a masters degree from the University of Connecticut in 1996, taking night courses for six years. With others from the DPH, he teaches a course at Yale on outbreak investigations. The course began in January, about the same time as COVID-19 appeared in the U.S.

With Yale closed due to the pandemic, the course will continue online.
The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the federal government to carry out a forensic inv...

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the federal government to carry out a forensic investigation on the explosion that rocked Lagos on Sunday.





Scores were killed and more than 50 houses destroyed in the explosion.





The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had said the explosion happened when gas cylinders were hit by a truck in the area where NNPC has its pipelines.





But Akinbode Oluwafemi, ERA/FoEN deputy executive director, said the explosion could be likened to some military aerial bombardment and does not sound like pipeline explosion.

the pipeline explosions we have monitored and documented for several decades, the statement read. There is something suspiciously different about this explosion. The scale of destruction is nothing like any ofthe pipeline explosions we have monitored and documented for several decades, the statement read.





The Sunday incidents scale of destruction could only be likened to military grade explosions or aerial bombardment. We cant treat this casually as an accident caused by a truck.





With the current security without conducting forensic investigation on this particular blast. Not even the accidental detonation of bombs at the Ikeja cantonment caused this scale of destruction and ruins. Government must conduct comprehensive investigation to establish if this was a crime or an accident.





And there are questions begging for answers: Who drove the truck? What is the truck doing on a pipeline on Sunday morning? Was the gas plant opened on a Sunday? Was the content of the truck weaponized? And for the NNPC that has admitted some level of culpability by confirming that the primary explosion came from its gas truck, it should immediately initiate the process of providing remediation for the affected families and businesses while its officials found to have through negligence orchestrated this massive destruction should be made to face the law.





the real cause of the blast is unconvincing and raises some questions. The group asked the federal government not to conclude that the incident was an accident, adding that the accounts of the NNPC onthe real cause of the blast is unconvincing and raises some questions.




Long a punchline among Americans, the bidet (bih-DAY) is finally getting some respect due to coronavirus-related concerns about toilet paper shortages. On Amazon, a few popular models are sold out, and the Brooklyn bidet-maker Tushy said in an email that sales are 10 times higher than before the coronavirus. Tushy is taking preorders for April 20 shipping on two models, and increasing production.
Chief Justice of India S A Bobde and three judges of the Supreme Court on Tuesday took stock of the preparedness and safety measures adopted in the apex court in wake of the Coronavirus (CIVID-19) pandemic.

The CJI, who was accompanied by Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and L Nageswara Rao interacted with advocates in the apex court corridors about the problem of over crowding and other preparedness.

The judges interacted with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, former additional solicitor general Maninder Singh and discussed about the problem of overcrowding in corridors.

They also discussed the preparedness in apex court premises and the problems faced by advocates due to the restricted entry made by the administration to avoid close contact of people.

Rohatgi showed the gathering of lawyers outside court-3, who all were waiting for hearing in a petition filed by former Shivraj Singh Chauhan in the ongoing Madhya Pradesh political crisis.

He suggested to the judges that to avoid overcrowding of the apex court corridors, it would be appropriate if only urgent matters are taken up for hearing, like it is done by vacation benches.

During the hearing in the Madhya Pradesh matter, Justice D Y Chandrachud had observed on Tuesday that hopefully media persons were not being barred as the case was of public importance.

Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justice Hemant Gupta, that only limited number of media persons are allowed inside the courtroom due to the current restrictions imposed by the administration.

Justice Chandrachud said that these are extraordinary situations and people should cooperate.

Rohatgi, who was also appearing in the matter said in the current scenario not too many benches should sit and it would be appropriate if only two courts function for taking up urgent matters.

The former attorney general said that he had even suggested to the CJI that courts should be closed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The diversity of South Americas landscapes is perhaps the greatest of any continent.

Its hard to fathom that both the driest hot desert in the world, the Atacama in Chile, and our planets most biodiverse region, the Amazon rainforest, can be found within the same landmass.

There's also the bright-white salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni in southwest Bolivia and the colourful Rainbow Mountain in Peru, two very different landscapes with almost otherworldly beauty.

The latter forms part of the Andes, the world's longest continuous mountain range, which winds its way through seven countries and has a mythical appeal for many.

And while the continent may be home to 422.5 million people, there are vast areas where you could find yourself completely alone and shrouded in stillness.

Scroll down for stunning images of our pick of South America's most striking scenery, from mighty waterfalls to dramatic volcanoes and dreamy islands. Ready your jaw for plummeting...

Behold Mount Roraima - one of the most extraordinary, most mystical places on earth. At 9,219ft (2,810m), it's the highest table-top mountain in the world, and it forms a 'triple border' point between Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. Most of the plants found there are carnivorous, according to mountroraima.net, and constant rain results in waterfalls 'popping up all over the place'. You won't be surprised to hear that it inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 book The Lost World. Want to visit? Get ready for a three-day hike...

Its certainly not boulder dash. There really is a staircase in the crack of a 650ft rock in Colombia  and the views from the top are incredible, if youre fit enough to endure the 650 steps up there. They have been wedged into a huge crevice in the 10-million-ton El Penon de Guatape rock, and mean it has become a bizarre look-out post across a mesmerising landscape

The dazzlingly turquoise Quilotoa Lake sits at a dizzying elevation of 13,123ft in the Ecuadorian Andes in the three-kilometre-wide (1.86 miles) caldera of the Quilotoa volcano. It was formed following an eruption about 600 years ago. Fancy visiting? There are regular buses to it from nearby Latacunga

Lencois Maranhenses National Park on Brazils north Atlantic coast is known for its vast desert landscape of undulating, white sand dunes and clear rainwater lagoons. The optimal time to visit is between June and September when the lakes are full and the sun isn't too strong

This is the first of several pictures of epic South American waterfalls in this collection. The above image shows the majestic Kaieteur Falls, where the Potaro River plunges off a 741ft cliff in Guyana's Kaieteur National Park in rather dramatic fashion. It is the world's largest single-drop waterfall by water volume - 23,000 cubic feet of water plummets every second. The falls were discovered in 1870 by British explorer Charles Brown

Sangay volcano in Ecuador is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and was erupting at the time this caption was penned. And at 17,159ft, it's also one of the highest active volcanoes

An amazing shot of the world's largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia, as seen from the cacti-covered Isla Incahuasi, a rocky outcrop of land and former island in what used to be a large lake before it dried out many millennia ago. The salt flat lies at an elevation of 12,000ft and covers almost 12,000 square kilometres (4,633 square miles)

An amazing photograph taken in Peru's Huascaran National Park, which comprises most of the mountain range known as Cordillera Blanca - the worlds highest tropical mountain range. It has peaks at elevations up to 22,000ft

Photographer Chad Peltola captioned this image 'looking off the back of a PeruRail train as we crossed the Altiplano [an Andean plateau]'

A sci-fi movie set? Nope. It's the incredible 127-square-mile Tatacoa Desert in Colombia

Rio de Janeiro, captured at sunrise in a glorious image, with Sugarloaf Mountain guarding the mouth of Guanabara Bay and the 124ft Art Deco Christ the Redeemer statue watching proceedings from the top of 2,329ft-tall Corcovado mountain

Nevado de Acay is a 5,950m-high (19,521ft) mountain in the Salta province of Argentina and the site of an Inca mountain sanctuary. The 'Ruta 40' that runs parallel with the Andes and makes for a classic road trip passes close to it

The 150-mile-long Beagle Channel, in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago between Chile and Argentina, was named after the ship HMS Beagle during its first hydrographic survey of the coasts of the southern part of South America, which lasted from 1826 to 1830. A young Charles Darwin joined the second expedition in 1933 and wrote of the region's beauty

A car makes its way through the Atacama Desert beneath the highly active 18,300ft Lascar Volcano. The Altiplano is a broad Andean plateau on Chile's northern frontier with an undulating altitude of between 3,500 (11,480ft) and 4,500 metres (14,760ft)

This is the otherworldly Sol de Manana near the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, a huge field of bubbling mud pools and hot steam geysers, which can erupt to heights of 50ft. It sits at an elevation of 15,900ft

The beautiful Valle de la Luna - or Valley of the Moon - in Chile is so named because, as you can see, it has a rather lunar-like appearance. It lies near the town of San Pedro de Atacama

The 62-mile-long Salar de Atacama salt flat in Chile has thousands of small salt formations, creating a dreamlike landscape

The mighty Santa Cruz River runs east for 239 miles across the Patagonian plateau from the glacial Argentino lake in Los Glaciares National Park and eventually drains into the Atlantic Ocean

This is the North Yungas Road from La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia. Looks like a lovely drive doesn't it? And it is, as long as you're very careful indeed. The 37-mile stretch is also known as 'Death Road' - and has a reputation of being one of the most dangerous in the world, thanks to being very narrow and a distinct lack of barrier protection from cliff-edge drops

Gocta is an amazing 2,529ft-tall waterfall in the Peruvian province of Chachapoyas in the Amazon that has two drops

The Tequendama Falls, 20 miles southwest of Bogota, is one of Colombia's main tourist attractions. Visitors are drawn by the sight of water gushing down a 433ft-tall cliff face amid verdant foliage

Machu Picchu needs no introduction - it's one of the world's most famous ruins. Half a million visitors a year are drawn to the 15th-century Inca citadel, despite its remote location 2,430 metres (7,972ft) up in the Peruvian Andes

When you think of a tropical paradise, do you think of Colombia? No, we don't either. But that may change thanks to this amazing image of Cayo Cangrejo, a stunning little island in Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park. It has a couple of bars and the snorkelling opportunities are enticing, to say the least

Water joy: The stunning Morrocoy National Park on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela

Medellin has been described in the past as one of the most dangerous places on earth and it's from here that Pablo Escobar's narcotics empire grew. Now it's one of the most hipster holiday destinations on earth and described by Lonely Planet as 'a bustling place of industry and commerce', where discos 'attract beautiful people'

Yes, another waterfall, but can you blame us? This one is called Caracol Falls and cascades 426ft off cliffs in Brazil's Caracol State Park

In the high alpine areas of the Andes wander vicunas, a relative of the llama and a wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas

Rainbow Mountain sits at an elevation of 17,000ft in Peru and is, according to one website, fast becoming the country's second-most visited site after Machu Picchu. The peak's hues only became visible in 2015 when its once-permanent snow cover melted

The Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is home to some of the planet's most incredible, otherworldly peaks. These are the Cuernos del Paine, which stand at over 6,561ft

Perhaps the most irresistible of all South America's waterfalls - the Angel Falls in Venezuela's Canaima National Park. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 metres (3,212ft) and a plunge of 807 metres (2,648ft). The falls cascade from the top of Auyan-Tepui ('Devils Mountain'), 'barely making contact with the sheer face', Encyclopaedia Britannica points out. The falls were first seen, it says, in the 1930s and named after James Angel, an American adventurer who crash-landed his plane nearby in 1937

The Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil, is a chain of hundreds of waterfalls that collectively form the largest waterfall in the world - twice the width of the Niagara Falls and taller, too

The five-kilometre-wide (three miles) Perito Moreno Glacier is located in the Los Glaciares National Park in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina. Needless to say, it's popular with tourists. One of the spectacles on offer is the sight of colossal blocks of ice being shed from the 200ft-tall front and crashing into the water

This is the world's largest tropical wetland area, the Pantanal. It covers more than 70,000 square miles in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul and parts of neighbouring Bolivia and Paraguay and is home to an incredible array of wildlife, including jaguars, monkeys and piranhas

The Cano Cristales river in Colombia is regarded by many as the most beautiful in the world. Known as the 'liquid rainbow', the spectacular waters are turned into a kaleidoscope of colour thanks to freshwater plants known as macarenia clavigera

Here the Andes forms a mightily impressive backdrop to a vineyard near Mendoza in Argentina

The magnificent Atlantic Forest, even more ancient than the Amazon, once covered 1.2million square kilometres (463,000 square miles) of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Now, following centuries of deforestation it covers less than 100,000 square kilometres (38,600 square miles)

The old town of Cartagena in Colombia, bordered by the Caribbean Sea, is easily recognisable by its colourful buildings, including the eye-catching San Pedro Claver Church, its most famous landmark

Chiles capital and largest city, Santiago de Chile, sits in a valley surrounded by the jaw-dropping, snow-capped Andes

The Uros people moved to Lake Titicaca, 12,000ft up in Peru, around 3,700 years ago. Today, around 1,200 of them live on an archipelago of 62 islands

You'll find the thunderous, 430ft-tall San Rafael Falls in the Amazonian foothills of the Andes, Ecuador

La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, sits at a dizzying 11,482ft above sea level. If that's not high enough for you, then take a ride on the city's chairlift system, which goes up to 13,000ft

Ushuaia in Argentina sits at South America's tip. Some call it the city at the end of the world

The imposing Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador is 19,393ft high. And this lofty, fiery beast is one of the most active volcanoes in South America, though the last significant eruption was in 1907

Pictures like this evoke a sense of Indiana Jones-esque adventure. Here you're gazing upon the Shiripuno River in Ecuador, which snakes through the Amazon Rainforest

Brazil's Porto de Galinhas, which is home to several miles of rather lovely beaches

Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful churches in the world, Las Lajas Sanctuary is found on a 130ft-tall bridge in Colombia close to the border with Ecuador

A decade ago, paleontological finds dating back to the age of the dinosaurs were discovered in the idyllic landscape of the Tacuarembo region in north-central Uruguay

Chapada Diamantina is one of Brazil's most majestic national parks - spanning 15,000 square miles, it's larger than many European countries

The 2,652-metre (8,700ft) tall Osorno volcano towers on the horizon behind Puerto Varas on the shores of Lake Llanquihue in southern Chile's 'Lake District'
As Coronavirus continues to be spread across the country, quarantine facilities have been set up in various places including Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Gorakhpur. Earlier on Saturday, the Indian Army had created an additional quarantine facility in Jaisalmer for the Indian citizens who returned from abroad amid the Coronavirus outbreak. As per reports, the facility can fit around 1,000 people at one time.

Director-General Medical Services (Army) Lieutenant General RS Grewal spoke to news agency and apprised about the development saying,

"Quarantine facilities have been set up in Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Chennai, Surat, Jhansi and other places with the help of Airforce and Navy."

Meanwhile, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to around 114, including 17 foreign nationals.

READ: PM Trudeau announces that Canada is closing its borders due to Coronavirus

Indian Army's medical team in Maldives to set up Coronavirus testing labs

Furthermore, after the government of India decided to assist the Maldives to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic as a humanitarian gesture, a team of Indian Army medical personnel including six doctors and eight paramedics was deployed in the Maldives from March 13. Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said on Monday stated that the team will set up a viral testing lab.

Earlier, the Maldives had requested the Indian government to supply protective gear and masks. The Maldives also participated in the SAARC video conference on ways to combat COVID-19 spread.

READ: Indian Army's medical team in Maldives to set up Coronavirus testing lab

The Coronavirus crisis

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to around 114, including 17 foreign nationals. The maximum cases of the virus have been reported in Maharashtra and Kerala. Apart from 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.

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel Coronavirus has affected nearly 148 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 168,019 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 6,610 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: Indian Army evacuates 160 stranded civilians from snow clad Gurez

READ: Donald Trump issues new guidelines to combat Coronavirus outbreak, says recession likely
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner subsequently specified that all people circulating on France's streets will have to justify, upon request, why they were out and about. Forms stating the purpose of essential outside travel  such as going to the bakery to buy a baguette  will be available for downloading, Castaner said.
Drilling of final hole at Escacena Project underway

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Pan Global Resources Inc. (TSXV: PGZ) (OTC: PGNRF) (the "Company") reports that the Company has introduced additional precautionary steps to manage and respond to the risks associated with COVID-19 virus. The Company is regularly monitoring the situation and following local and national health authority requirements and recommendations. Work activities are now limited to completion of the drill program at the Escacena Project in southern Spain.

Tim Moody, President and CEO of Pan Global Resources, commented, "The health and safety of our employees, contractors and local communities is of highest importance so we have reinforced procedures to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19 virus and allow safe completion of the drilling. To-date, the drill program at Escacena has not been impacted and is making good progress. The final planned drill hole is in progress and expected to be completed by the end of the week. The Company is evaluating the risks to employees and all stakeholders on a daily basis and will not hesitate to suspend drilling of the final hole if needed."

Spain has declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 virus. The Escacena drill site is now closed to non-essential visitors and strict social distancing, monitoring and sanitation procedures are in place. The Company has cancelled non-essential site visits, implemented travel restrictions, strict controls on site access, monitoring and provided prevention guidance to employees and contractors involved in its activities. The Company is also in close coordination with the drilling company and other essential contractors to ensure alignment of prevention actions and response planning. To date, follow-up work plans are unaffected. Shareholders will be kept closely informed of progress.

About Pan Global Resources

Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively engaged in base and precious metal exploration in Spain, and is pursuing opportunities from exploration through to mine development. The company has committed to operating safely and with respect to the communities and environment where we operate.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

www.panglobalresources.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

info@panglobalresources.com

Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission.

NEITHER 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53531
As more Houstonians self-quarantine to quell the spread of the new coronavirus, domestic and sexual violence victims are becoming more vulnerable to brutality by their abusers, advocates say.

We anticipate an escalation of violence as people become more isolated, said Emilee Dawn Whitehurst, president and CEO of the Houston Area Womens shelter. Isolation compounds violence.

All of the women centers 120 emergency shelter beds are full, officials said. The other shelters in the region that the center works with are also full, Whitehurst said. But victims are still being provided access to immediate emergency shelter through the centers Safe Harbor program, which places them in hotels.

Because local schools are closed, shelters must also provide more support and childcare. The womens center is currently sheltering around 45 children, administrators said.

Shelter staff and residents are more vulnerable to the virus because they are in environments in which large groups of people gather in close proximity, circumstances that are ripe for incubating infection.

In addition, the advocacy groups are experiencing challenges they never have before. With already limited resources, administrators fear shortages of supplies such as food, soap and toilet paper in the future. Scarcity of needed items at grocery stores caused by panic-buying is a threat to shelters daily operations, advocates say.

Supplies are a significant issue for us, said Leigh Ann Fry, president and CEO of the nonprofit and shelter Bay Area Turning Point. With 72 people in a shelter, you go through a lot of toilet paper and food in a day.

Reports of family violence in China, where the novel coronavirus originated, have reportedly tripled since the pandemic began. And advocates say Houston will experience the same phenomenon in the coming months.

During periods of natural disasters or global panics such as viral pandemics, studies show that abusers become more violent in an attempt to feel a sense of control.

When men are overly stressed and feel powerless, its a high risk time, said Julia Babcock, a psychology professor at the University of Houston, who has studied the escalation of family violence.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

As the need for emergency aid is expected to increase, organizations serving victims are grappling with new challenges posed by the virus. While many face-to-face services have been canceled for the time being, Houston-area emergency shelters remain open and staffed, according to the womens center, which works with a network of other shelters in the region.

Advocates say they are adapting to ensure they can continue to provide for those in danger of abuse. Counseling, lethality risk assessments and safety planning sessions are still available to victims virtually by the womens center and other organizations.

Because victims of abuse have survived trauma, they are likely to be retraumatized by the increased anxiety brought on by news of COVID-19 spreading.

Anything can be a trigger, but we have to be extra attentive to clients needs at this time, Whitehurst said. We have to be able to continue to provide a trauma-informed environment for survivors. They need that in order to feel safe.

Fry said the virus is causing feelings of insecurity and uncertainty for victims.

For those we serve, this crisis not only is a health scare, but also fear that they will not have a safe place to sleep, she said.

The new need for victims to use technology to communicate with advocates creates its own challenges.

In many cases, the method used by abusers to stalk and harass victims is technology, said Whitehurst. We are making sure virtual support doesnt put people at further risk.

Electronic communication leaves a trail and can compromise a victims safety, advocates say, and providers must assess each situation and the threat of losing online privacy before proceeding.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence last week issued guidelines for shelters to prevent the spread of the virus, which include the Centers for Disease Controls guidelines.

CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: All of the latest news, numbers and analysis to keep you up-to-date, only on HoustonChronicle.com

The womens center is reserving quarantine rooms in case they are needed, but Whitehurst said none of the residents or staff have shown symptoms of being sick.

Ensuring services like emergency shelters are not interrupted will be a matter of life and death for many victims, said Whitehurst.

The people who call us for help are in real danger, she said.

Women are 3.6 times more likely to be killed immediately after separating from their abusers, according to a 2006 National Institute of Health study.

Weve heard time and again from clients that they were stuck in situations with violent abusers and they could not figure out how to get out, she said.

The increased risk of violence could mean more deaths in Harris County, which already has a higher rate of women killed by their male intimate partners than that of the national average, according to the Texas Council on Family Violence. In 2018, 1.8 out of every 100,000 women in Harris county were killed by partners, while the national average estimated by the FBI the same year was 1.29.

Whitehurst said she is concerned people wont reach out for help.

We dont want people to feel alone or isolated, she said. We don't want them to feel like they dont have a place to go and no one to turn to. We want them to know they have a place to go and somebody whos there for them.

hannah.dellinger@chron.com

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The coronavirus pandemic has spread to 146 countries. More than 164,000 cases have been recorded across the world and amidst those there are some celebrities too who have been hit by the virus as the fight to contain the spread of coronavirus continues. Celebrities are resorting to social media platforms to inform their fans about their illness and to create an awareness about the COVID-19.

Here is the list of celebrities across the globe who have been diagnosed with COVID-19...
Paradip Port Trust (PPT) urges fishermen to use designated channel in Odisha

March 17,2020 | Source: Daily Pioneer

Paradip Port Trust (PPT) Chairman Rinkesh Roy, addressing the Press on Monday, reiterated the successful completion of dredging operations at the Mahanadi river mouth. The work in the navigational channel having 1-km length and 100-meter width carried out by the Dredging Corporation of India was completed on February 26 this year. He appealed to local fishermen to use the designated channel and not to use any shortcut while venturing into the sea. The PPT marine department has already installed four temporary buoys in the channel with proper marking, which is clearly visible, Roy informed. To impart training to the fishermen, the PPT Seior Hydrographic Surveyor would conduct a programme regarding GPS coordination with proper latitude and longitude. Roy cautioned that fishing trawlers not following the designated channel would be at risk of stranding.



Notably, an Integrated Fishery Harbour is operational at Paradip located in the Mahanadi right bank, for which maintenance dredging is required in regular intervals. The harbour is presently managed by the State Fisheries Department. The local fishing community has been facing difficulties as the river mouth has been silted up over the years and the fishing vessels face hindrance to navigate during approach/exit from the harbour. The river mouth was last dredged almost 20 years back.



On the steps undertaken by the PPT to prevent any possible outbreak of COVID-19 in the locality, Roy said the ships coming to the port from the countries, where there is reporting of maximum outbreak of corona virus are subjected to quarantine of mandatory 14 days in the anchorage area and the Master of Vessel sends the health status of its crew members twice a day to the designated medical team of PPT. After quarantine period, the Port Health Officer or the Chief Medical Officer, PPT boards and screens the crew and if everything is alright then the ship is allowed to undertake cargo operations. As the Limited Pratique is in place, no shore leaving permission is given to the crew.



In case of Indian crew, if there is any essential requirement then he is subjected to medical screening and thermal scanning. Disposal of waste or faecal matter from the ships berthing locally is not permitted. Cautioning about hard summer days ahead, Roy appealed to the inhabitants of township to cope up with one-time water supply very soon. Repair work of the Taladanda Canal would begin in Cuttack and continue till May 31. Hence, the port administration is trying to revive the water intake point at Choudhurygada and draw maximum possible water in next few days. The reservoirs of PPT can meet the water demand for 30-35 days with one-time supply; otherwise the capacity is for 17-20 days.
Contributed photo

EAST HADDAM  State Rep. Irene Haines, R-East Haddam, testified before the Environment Committee March 6 to advocate for An Act Prohibiting the Release of Helium Balloons into the Atmosphere.

We know that the intentional release of Helium and lighter-than-air balloons hurts our environment and presents a serious hazard to marine wildlife and birds, Haines said in a prepared statement. Currently, state law bans the intentional release of 10 or more balloons in 24 hours. If 10 or more are harmful, isnt the intentional release of one to 10 also harmful? Lets be responsible with our litter and properly dispose of these balloons and nylon strings.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, listens while Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corp., right, speaks during a meeting with tourism industry executives at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

The U.S. travel and tourism industry is seeking $150 billion in relief to help grapple with the coronavirus pandemic that has ground travel to a halt.

Lobbying groups representing the country's travel and tourism industry met at the White House on Tuesday with President Donald Trump and other officials to discuss the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.

In the meeting, Trump "assured the industry leaders that he understands the sacrifices they are all making and pledged that this administration would be there for them in the days, weeks and months ahead," a White House spokesperson said in a statement.

The meeting included the heads of the U.S. Travel Association and American Hotel and Lodging Association, which represents companies including Carnival, Walt Disney, Expedia, Hilton and MGM International.

The groups urged the administration to take a number of measures to help the ailing industry. They include establishing a travel workforce stabilization fund, providing an emergency liquidity facility for travel businesses and support to small businesses and their employees through the Small Business Administration.

In the meeting, U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow presented an analysis that projects decreased travel due to coronavirus could wipe out $355 billion in total travel spending, including transportation, lodging, retail, attractions and restaurants. The economic pain, he argued, could be six times that of 9/11.

"The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we've seen before, including September 11 and the great recession of 2008 combined," American Hotel & Lodging Association CEO Chip Rogers said in a statement.

The travel industry joins others, including airlines, asking the government for help in making it through the disruption. The U.S. airline industry confirmed Monday that it is seeking government assistance of more than $50 billion, including a mix of direct aid and loan guarantees. Boeing has also confirmed it is in talks with the government about aid.

The request comes as the White House is putting together a stimulus package worth anywhere from $850 billion to over $1 trillion to battle the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump has made clear his intent to protect certain industries. In a press conference earlier Tuesday he noted that the challenges facing the travel industry are not its fault.

In hopes of containing the pandemic, the Trump administration has instituted a broad ban on foreign visitors from 26 European countries, which it later expanded to the U.K. and Ireland.

Still, any bailout of the travel industry may be controversial. Trump himself is a hotelier.

Democrats including Sen. Elizabeth Warren have made clear they will demand concessions from any big business accepting federal aid. She said Tuesday such concessions would include an agreement to permanently ban stock buyback and maintain employee payroll.
The Katy Independent School District has opted to put off reopening its schools until at least Monday, April 13, as it watches how COVID-19 continues to develop in the greater Houston area.

A district press release said information and recommendations for preventing and avoiding spreading the novel coronavirus have been changing day to day, even as cases of the virus have increased across the greater Houston area.

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The CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has already recommended social distancing protocols, and is now asking the public to comply with directives to limit gatherings to ten people or less and implement multi-week school closures for a minimum of four weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus, according to the release.

The decision will give Katy ISD and health officials the means and time to further examine the effects of COVID-19 in the Katy community. Data collected over the next several weeks will also allow us to make an informed decision to resume in-person instruction or extend the closure, the release said.

Starting on Wednesday, March 18, the district will provide its families with information and resources to get ready for instruction beginning Monday, March 23. All students, pre-K through 12th grade, and their parents will get an elementary and secondary school by day on Friday to start looking at and studying before the instruction begins Monday morning.

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Also, free breakfasts and lunches are available for children aged 0 to 18 years at 10 schools across the district weekdays, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday.

We know our parents have a number of questions about instruction, access to technology, waivers, exemptions, the needs of specific student groups, and other school topics, according to the release. These matters are being addressed and planned for daily.

Keep an eye on the Katy ISD Health Update/ School Closure Information web page for the most recent updates.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Some small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) consider cybersecurity an issue to be dealt with once their budget is a bit larger. Unfortunately, it is these businesses that are most likely to be targeted for cybercrime. In fact, 43 percent of cyberattacks target small businesses. Criminals know larger corporations have strong security systems, but smaller businesses frequently leave themselves vulnerable. If you run an SMB and cybersecurity is not yet a priority, it's time to change that. Luckily, there are things you can do to protect yourself, even when resources are limited.

Employees who are untrained in proper security practices are a huge vulnerability. It's absolutely critical to train employees to recognize warning signs of cybercrime, as well as how to keep risks low in the first place, and there should be a system in place for reporting signs of an attack.

One of the most common security threats is phishing. The Henry M. Jackson Foundation, a medical research nonprofit, worked to educate employees by sending out fake phishing emails frequently throughout the year. When the Jackson Foundation first started implementing these phishing-education campaigns, the click rate among employees was around 27 percent. Each time an employee clicked on the fake phishing email, they received a pop-up explaining the warning signs. This made the employees more aware in the future, and the company was eventually able to get click rates down to about three percent.

Educating employees on security threats should never be a one-time thing. Cybersecurity training should occur on a regular basis in order to keep up with the latest technology and ensure new employees don't create security vulnerabilities.

Related: Don't Become the Next Corporate Victim of Cybercrime

2. Create a system security plan

A system security plan (SSP) is a summary of all security practices that keep your data secure. The SSP identifies features in a system such as hardware, software, security measures, training methods and incident-response plans. This document includes details on how to limit access to authorized users and ensure employees practice secure habits and respond in the case of a security breach. It also prevents things from falling through the cracks when schedules get busy. If your IT staff is knowledgeable on this subject, you can save money by keeping things in-house, but otherwise, it's better to hire a consultant. A badly written SSP could end up costing you more in the end.

3. Keep software updated

Many SMBs get too busy to ensure their software is updated in a timely manner, but outdated software can expose your company to vulnerable security flaws. Hackers often study the latest software updates in order to target those businesses who are behind in adopting them. According to Fortinets 2017 Global Threat Landscape report, 60 percent of organized security breaches targeted vulnerabilities that were at least 10 years old.

4. Enforce secure password policies

Passwords should never be recycled, and they should be updated constantly. Simple passwords are also easy for hackers to crack. In 2012, a password-cracking expert revealed a program that could work around any eight-character password. This is why all passwords should be more than eight characters, and the more complicated, the better.

Related: What Payment Companies Are Doing About Cybercrime

5. Outsource cybersecurity

There are many resources you can turn to if you feel overwhelmed at the thought of managing cybersecurity issues yourself. Many small companies decide to put cybersecurity at the back of their mind because they don't understand it. Doing this could be your downfall, though.

Many IT companies specialize in helping small businesses improve their security. Sometimes an even simpler option is to use anti-malware or anti-ransomware technology. According to research done by Verizon, 28 percent of security breaches involve malware. By using a software program that prevents malware attacks, you can significantly lower your security risks.

Running an SMB is a stressful, time-consuming endeavor, so avoid the temptation to place cybersecurity on your company's backburner. Starting today, make your business's online security a conscious priority and you'll be primed for sucess (and fewer headaches) in the long run.

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There was one new COVID-19 case to report in Manitoba Monday and so far, there's no evidence of community transmission in the province to force the chief provincial public health officer to ramp up its virus-fighting measures.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There was one new COVID-19 case to report in Manitoba Monday and so far, there's no evidence of community transmission in the province to force the chief provincial public health officer to ramp up its virus-fighting measures.

The new presumptive positive case of COVID-19 is a man in his 80s who lives in Winnipeg and, like the seven previous cases, was apparently exposed to the virus through recent travel.

"We know the virus is here," Dr. Brent Roussin said Monday morning.

But, until there's evidence of community transmission of the disease or that people are not following social-distancing guidelines, or disregarding requests to self-isolate, Manitoba health officials aren't issuing orders or taking more "coercive" measures, Roussin said at a morning news briefing at the legislature.

For instance, licensed child care facilities will remain open, as will provincial casinos  even though other provinces like B.C., Ontario and Nova Scotia have announced casino closures.

Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, and Lanette Siracusa, provincial lead, health system integration, quality and chief nursing officer for Shared Health, speak during the provinces latest COVID-19 update Monday morning in the Manitoba legislative building. As of March 16, 2020 the first eight cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba are individuals who have recently travelled. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

"These are things we are continually reviewing," said Roussin. A number of measures have been taken at the city's two casinos to limit close contact, he said, such as suspending table games, he said. No one from Premier Brian Pallister's or Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton's offices responded to a request for comment on why the Crown corporation casinos remain open. That may change and more steps may be taken, Roussin said before Manitoba Health announced late in the day that some surgeries will be postponed.

"The goal is to protect patients who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19," including those over 70 years, with major underlying health conditions and patients who are immunocompromised, a Manitoba Health news release said. Only patients whose surgeon has determined a procedure can be safely delayed for three months or longer without any significant effects on a patient's health will be affected, it said. Patients will be contacted directly to confirm that their surgery is being affected, the release said.

The news came after Shared Health's chief nursing officer said there are no plans right now to close personal care homes to visitors  partly because they are the residents' homes.

"It's about life and being close to the people you love," Lanette Siragusa said, noting families received letters asking them not to enter if they're sick or have travelled abroad in the last 14 days, and signs have been posted at entrances.

Some private care homes have ramped up restrictions to a higher level but public health isn't keen to do that sooner than it has to, she said. "We're pacing ourselves. This is going to be a bit of a journey," said Siragusa.

A team is developing plans for workers at adult day cares, home care, long-term care, and assisted living facilities, she said. "Those recommendations will be communicated soon to workers and the public," she said.

Health officials are working with Doctors Manitoba on "virtual" visits and psychotherapy sessions, said Siragusa, promising more details in the coming days.

Roussin said airport screening is the responsibility of the federal government, not the province. "(Manitoba) Public health is not being notified directly about all returning travellers as there'd be no way to follow up with each returning international traveller."

Any changes to airport screening would be up to the federal government, which has been providing information at airports and advising international travellers to self-isolate for 14 days, and to notify Health Links if they were in the high-risk areas in China, Italy and Iran, said Roussin.

Manitoba health officials aren't issuing orders or taking more "coercive" measures while there is no evidence of community transmission of the disease or that people are not following social-distancing guidelines, or disregarding requests to self-isolate. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

Manitoba Health opened a COVID-19 screening site in Thompson on Monday. It's allowing just one visitor per patient at a time in acute-care facilities, such as hospitals, across the province, except for parents visiting children or those visiting patients nearing the end of life.

Manitoba's adult and youth correctional facilities are still allowing visitors, with restrictions in place to protect the health and safety of those in custody as well as staff.

The pandemic is bringing out the best and the worst in people, the health officials said.

Siragusa said she called the University of Manitoba's dean of health sciences Saturday asking for volunteers from a number of faculties to help with Health Links, community screening and lab results. Within two hours, 140 medical students signed on to help out at access centres and a number of student nurses to pitch in at Health Links on Monday. "It's quite inspiring and amazing from my perspective," Siragusa.

As of Sunday, more than 1,200 Manitobans had been tested for COVID-19 at the four Winnipeg screening sites opened last week at access centres, including 321 on Sunday, Siragusa said. Those are in addition to COVID-19 tests begun two weeks ago for all intensive-care unit and personal care home patients as well as all respiratory samples being tested, said Roussin.

"(Manitoba) Public health is not being notified directly about all returning travellers as there'd be no way to follow up with each returning international traveller."  Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer

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.

Health Links received 1,700 calls from Manitobans Sunday, with wait times averaging one hour and 43 minutes. On Monday, the wait was reduced to an hour and 10 minutes, Siragusa said. She also said an online self-assessment tool is another measure they hope to have up and running soon. Roussin reiterated the need for people to be tested only if they are symptomatic and recently travelled internationally, or if they are symptomatic and have come in contact with confirmed cases.

Two more screening sites could open in Flin Flon and The Pas as early as Tuesday, Siragusa said. They're not intended to be COVID-19 "walk-in clinics," she said. "They're intended for referrals only," from the Health Links phone line.

The pandemic has also brought out the scammers. Roussin said Monday there have been reports of multiple phishing scams related to the coronavirus. The intended victim receives an unsolicited email advising them they may have COVID-19 and asks them to provide a credit card number to receive medication in case they test positive for it.

Roussin said this is not an email or call that Manitobans would receive from public health officials.

Police are advising anyone who receives such an email or text to delete it or hang up on the caller.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
UPDATE: In recognition of this threat to travel, the FCO has issued extraordinary and unprecedented advice, the COVID-19 Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice.

As countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice. The advice will last for 30 days initially and may be extended.

If this advice is ignored, there is a high risk that any travel insurance would be invalidated. Booking new travel trips is, therefore, also extremely risky given the risks that travel will be impossible.

It is also clearly an important risk that essential travel will be impossible due to a lack of flights.

As global coronavirus fears intensify, the global tourism industry is facing major damage. The situation is fast-moving with countries increasing restrictions on a daily basis.

Governments are either banning or recommending that non-essential travel should be curtailed. Within the next few days, non-essential travel to Europe is unlikely to be feasible.

The latest advice is available at the FCO: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

As far as specific measures are concerned, the Administration ban on travel to the US from Europe initially applied to the 26 countries within the Schengen group, but this has now been extended to include the UK and Republic of Ireland as well.

According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO); it will not be possible for many British nationals to enter the USA. We therefore advise against all but essential travel to the US, due to the travel restrictions.

It is also likely that onward travel would be banned and so it will also not be possible to transit through the US to other destinations.

Canada also announced on March 16th that it is closing its border to anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. North America is, therefore, closed for overseas tourism.

All foreign nationals entering Australia will have to self-isolate for 14 days with a similar policy in force for New Zealand.

A number of other countries have also closed their borders to all non-domestic residents.

Within Europe, the EU will close its external border for at least 30 days. Although the UK is not included in this ban, other countries have announced more severe restrictions. France will close all its land borders on Tuesday March 17th while Germany has shut all borders except with the Netherlands and Belgium.

Spain and Italy have declared national emergencies and the FCO advises against all but essential travel to both countries.

As a matter of practicality, even if travel to certain countries is theoretically possible, there is a high risk that flights will be suspended.

Tourist facilities will also be closed within the destination countries.

Airlines are cutting flights substantially in response to very weak demand. British Airways, for example, has cut capacity by 75% and Virgin Atlantic will cut flights by 80%. There will also be disruption to train and road travel.

Another key fact to consider is that even if entry into a country is possible there will be an important risk that there will be no way to leave the country again, effectively trapping someone in the country for an unknown duration.

Booking new travel trips is, therefore, also extremely risky given the risks of cancellations, especially as may be impossible to secure travel insurance.

Meanwhile, domestically, the government has introduced new advice. According to Prime Minister Johnson, now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all unnecessary travel. Effectively, therefore, domestic tourism is also recommended to stop.

According to the new advice, everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places such as pubs, clubs and theatres. Everyone should work from home if they can.

Uncertainty remains high as closing of outlets has not been ordered to close with major uncertainty over financial implications.

There has also not been an outright ban on large gatherings, although the government will withdraw the use of emergency workers which will make it impossible to hold events. In this context, the Aintree Grand National has been cancelled.

The UK government will be under very strong pressure to clarify the situation.
The ninth Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) closed on 11 March over a day ahead of schedule as LAFF president screenwriter Sayed Fouad and LAFF director filmmaker Azza Al-Houseiny announced the names of the competition winners in a press conference with no closing ceremony.



In response to the global Covid 19 pandemic, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly had decreed that activities involving large gatherings should be cancelled across the country when changes took place at the event. Starting on Monday evening, screenings were discontinued except for private jury screenings  with the result that Ahmad Rashawans competition entry Fragile was not screened at all, and the administration declared it out of the festival in order to make it possible for it to have its world premiere elsewhere.



Most of the films screened at LAFF were, if not outstanding, then interesting, but the most impressive among them were on political conflicts. In the Burkinabe documentary Time Is On Our Side by Katy Lena NDiaye, for example, the filmmaker follows Serge Bambora (aka Smokey), a rapper and political activist who was part of the uprising against the 27-year rule of President Blaise Compaore in October 2014.



The structure of the film, relying on interviews with the artist in many locations and at different times during the uprising, is very simple. But the filmmaker manages to turn these interviews into casual encounters at the artists home, backstage before a concert, and at a demonstrations. The camera illustrates the rappers enthusiasm as he explains his ideas about political change in his country. NDiaye also provides information on the recent history of Burkina Faso when the rapper refers to the early days of Marxist and pan-Africanist president Thomas Sankara, who was in power from 1983 to 1987 when he was assassinated during a coup detat led by Compaore.

The Tunisian long narrative Fataria by Walid Tayae too is based on a historic event: the Arab Summit in Tunis in 2004. In Tunisian dialect the title of the film means chaos, and the script consists of four unrelated storylines unfolding simultaneously against the backdrop of that event. With its sometimes fantastical exaggerations targeting both society and government and its humour, this is satire at its best. The first story concerns an old man having trouble booking an appointment with a cardiologist at a public hospital because of bureaucratic corruption.The second  more exaggerated and revealing in a symbolic way  concerns a middle-aged woman in an early 20th-century building who asks an electrician to fix the electricity in her apartment only to be told that the whole buildings wiring has been jammed for a very long time. The woman, evidently lonely, tries to keep the electrician there for as long as possible. In the third story, two young dancers and their choreographer are interrupted by a parvenu announcing he has bought not only the ground-floor theatre but the whole building.The fourth story is about a lower-class woman who works as both a funerary mourner and wedding performer, and also uses her house to sell illegal drugs and liquor. Here as elsewhere the strength of the film derives from the peculiarity of the characters themselves, not simply on the satirical situation in which theyve ended up. All of the four situations end with the involvement of the police, and in the final scene all four characters can be seen together in the same police truck, having been arrested, while the radio anchor can be heard discussing the Arab Summit.

The Egyptian short film Habib directed by Shady Fouad seems to focus on a psychological rather than a political situation. It is the story of an old barber, Habib (Sayed Ragab), who works in a very poor district. His shop is part of his small flat. The filmmaker stresses the humorous nature of the character to show his joi de vivre. He has a wonderful relationship with his customers, and will occasionally leave them mid-haircut to check on his wife (Salwa Mohamed Ali) in the living room. The drama peaks when he decides to take a wedding photo with his wife wearing her wedding dress and him the a new expensive wedding suit. Only then does the film reveal that his wife died a long time ago. Though the narrative is simple and predictable, the acting is outstanding.***The LAFF results were as follows:In the Diaspora Competition, the well-known Afghani filmmaker Atiq Rahimi was awarded the best artistic achievement award for his narrative feature Our Lady of the Nile, about violence in 1990s Rwanda. The Senegalese film Nafis Father directed by Mamadou Dia was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize. The Algerian film Papicha by Mounia Meddour was awarded the Jury Prize. The Nile Grand Prize for Best Film went to Train of Salt and Sugar by Licinio Azivedo.In the Short Films Competition, the Egyptian film Habib directed by Shady Fouad won a special mention for the acting performance. The Morrocan film Ghost of Spacetime by Karim Tajouat won the Best Artistic Achievement Award. The jury prize was given to Rasta by Samir Ben Sheikh, while the Grand Nile Prize for Best Short Film went to Bablinga by Fabian Dao.

In the long documentary category, Mother, Im Suffocating, This is My Last Film About You directed by Jeremiah Moses won both the best artistic contribution award and the jury award. The Nile Grand Prize for Best Documentary went to the Senegalese film Time is on Our Side by Katy Lena NDiaye.In the long narrative competition, a special mention was given to The White Line directed by Desiree Kahikopo from Namibia. Desrances by Apolline Traoure from Burkina Faso and Cote divoire won the best artistic contribution award. The Tunsian film Fataria by Walid Tayae won the Jury Award, while the Nile Grand Award for Best Long Narrative Film went to the Senegalese film Atlantics directed by Mati Diop.The Radwan El Kashef Award, presented by the Independent Shabab Foundation, which organises the Luxor African Film Festival, was given to Wonder Box by Emad Elbahat.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Let us start with a confession: As card-carrying members of the school-choice and testing-and-accountability wings of the education reform movement, we have at times been dismissive, even hostile, to local school board members. Thats because these elected officials, constrained as they may be by laws, regulations, and the leanings of those they employ, have often seemed willing to protect the status quo and resist changes intended to overhaul the jalopy we call American public schooling.

But were ready to look afresh, mindful that its unfair to view anything in the sprawling K-12 sector as a monolith. Plenty of school boards may still be allergic to change, but that doesnt mean all of them are. Weve also come to see that, viewed in a certain light, school boards are mainstays of civil societya subset of what political theorist Edmund Burke long ago called societys little platoons"which the United States needs to strengthen in order to rebuild communities that have been stressed by globalization, the hollowing out of the middle class, and drug- and alcohol-linked deaths rooted in despair.

Most importantly, weve come to see that the individuals best positioned to push back against so much of the nonsense that courses through our schools and our societyhistory emphasizing the nations shortcomings, antipathy toward strict discipline, and on and on, much of it stemming from the political leftare school board members, especially those with a conservative orientation.

Let's rekindle young Americans' understanding of history and civics, including the kinds that inculcate an informed love of country even while acknowledging past failings and present challenges."

No, they cant make change singlehandedly; even a unanimous school board vote doesnt guarantee that any given policy or program will be implemented faithfully. We also understand that conservative board members are outnumbered in many places, especially blue and purple parts of the country. Yet if we dont want to cede public schooling to the progressive left, as we have seen in many universities, its urgent that conservatives make their views and voices heard.

So we come to you now, school board members, not with hat in hand but with a three-part agenda to recommend.

First, let our schools refocus on preparing children for informed citizenship. Lets rekindle young Americans understanding of history and civics, including the kinds that inculcate an informed love of country even while acknowledging past failings and present challenges. (Saying no to the New York Timess dubious 1619" curriculum , which casts America as a fundamentally racist nation, would be an excellent start.) Not just civic activism, not just protest, not just the odd community-service project, but the totality of informed citizenship for a democratic republic that values its pluribus but also needs a lot of unum.

Second, restore character , virtue, and morality to the head of the education table where they belong. No human attribute matters more than good character, and nothing is more important for schools to do than to foster such character. A core attribute of sound character is self-disciplineand a core problem facing educators is indiscipline in their classrooms. How to address this has emerged as a key distinction between contemporary liberals and conservatives. The former tend to focus on whether disciplinary actions taken by schools are discriminatorythat is, they concentrate on the interests of those so-called perpetratorswhile the latter tend to focus on the interests of well-behaved learners whose education is being disrupted. Schools need to rebalance these concerns.

Finally, let us build an education system that confers dignity, respect, and opportunity upon every youngster, including those who dont go to college as well as those capable of zipping through it. Committed as we are to a solid, shared core in everyones curriculum, we mustnt suppose that everyone is headed to the same destination or moving at the same speed. By the midpoint of high school its important to open multiple pathways into adulthoodand to make clear that they have equal merit. America has overemphasized college-for-all at the expense of high-quality career education and other honorable alternatives, thereby robbing many people of the dignity, respect, and neededness that make for a healthy society. Character, responsibility, and self-discipline reappear here, too. A key goal of school should be to inform teenagers about the success sequence and encourage them to follow it: Finish school, get a full-time job, get married, and start a familyin that order.

Together, these three elements constitute a solidif potentially provocativeagenda for school board members with a conservative tilt. Make sure your districts approach to American history is both critical and patriotic. Dont be afraid to embrace forms of character education that instill good old-fashioned notions of right and wrong. Ensure that your elementary and middle schools offer opportunities for acceleration and deeper challenge for your strongest students, but also make sure that your high schools dont send the message that a four-year college degree is the only path to dignity and a family-sustaining wage.

We dont expect all who view themselves as conservative to agree with all those recommendations. And those who do must expect to lose many debates. Leftist, Howard Zinnstyle curricula will often continue to prevail over proper respect for Americas history in all its wondrous complexity. Social-emotional learning and action civics will often swamp purposeful efforts at character education and civic education. College-for-all and hostility to gifted and talented education will often win out over plural pathways and timely acceleration.

But defeat is not inevitable. Many times, school boards will find a way forward that takes the best ideas from left and right, not just from the left. Thats essentially what happened during the previous era of school reform, back when compromise was a way of getting important things done and bipartisanship wasnt a curse word.

Thats how to act as Americans. And thats how to educate Americans.
New Delhi, March 17 : A court here on Tuesday dismissed an application moved by Mukesh Singh, one of the convicts facing the gallows in Nirbhaya rape and murder case, seeking quashing of the death penalty awarded to him.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana, after dismissing the plea, transferred the matter to Bar Council of India.

Mukesh and three other convicts -- Vinay, Akshay, and Pawan -- are scheduled to be executed on March 20 at 5.30 am for raping and murdering a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, dubbed later as Nirbhaya, on December 16, 2012.

The convict, through his counsel M.L. Sharma, filed an application claiming that the prosecution deliberately concealed certain documentary evidence to falsely implicate him and secure the death sentence.

Mukesh claimed that he was not in the national capital when the crime was committed and was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, a day after the incident.

The application stated that the documents pertaining to him being picked up from Karoli in Rajasthan was hidden to implicate him as "driver and rapist." It also contended that disability certificate of deceased Ram Singh, torture of Mukesh and a Rs 4 crore bribe paid to procure a death sentence, was also hidden from the court.

"State concealed following vital documents in the trial court and secured final order to execute death sentence. Trial is outcome of concealment of vital documents by fixing the petitioner in place of actual accused persons, which is liable to be quashed in the interest of justice," the application stated.

Sharma told the court that concealment of document is a grave fraud.

During the course of proceedings, Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmad told the court that the application is frivolous, devoid of merits and is a mere tactic to delay hanging.
by Fady Noun

Grappling with the Covid-19 emergency, the Lebanese government has imposed restrictive measures. The Church has made communion in hand compulsory, until the end of the epidemic. This rite, which existed among early Christians, is opposed by a traditionalist group. The Ajaltoun incident causes ripples.

Beirut (AsiaNews)  Introduced in mid-Lent, a time of intense liturgical prayers, preventive and containment measures against the spread of the coronavirus have come up against well-established habits within Lebanons Churches.

The decision by the Maronite Church to make communion in hand compulsory, taken on 4 March, surprised the faithful. Taking things in stride, they adapted to it, some resignedly, accepting it as a temporary measure, until the end of the epidemic. However, the decision was strongly rejected by a traditionalist group as "contrary to the true faith", and demanded that it not be compulsory, knowing that in response to the containment orders of the government, some parishes chose to suspend all Masses and group activities, like choirs, excursions, festivities, fairs, exhibitions and competitions.

Among Greeks Catholics, communion in the hand was authorised as an option. At the Greek Catholic Archdiocese of Beirut, two lines of faithful were formed last Sunday for communion, after Archbishop Georges Bacouni left communicants free to choose between traditional communion and communion in hand. "Most of the faithful chose to receive communion like they are used to," said the archbishop, who was reached by phone. However, liturgical gestures, such as the kissing of the Gospel or icons and the sign of peace, were skipped, and the faithful tried as much as possible to keep a certain distance from each other.

Among Greek Orthodox, a patriarchal statement from Damascus last night called on churches to fully cooperate with civil authorities in the fight against the coronavirus. In practice, all group activities have been suspended, except for Masses, which the faithful can freely attend. However, fixed times will be established for communion. Thus, communion will be given independently of the religious office, or separately from it; on this, the statement remains vague.

The Ajaltoun incident

An incident marked Sunday Mass on 8 March at the Mar Zakhia (Saint Nicholas) Maronite Church in Ajaltoun (Kesrouan). Insensitive to the arguments of the priest, and in the name of a scrupulous reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, the faithful loudly rejected the compulsory nature of communion in hand. "We are the Church," shouted some protesters in response to the priest who demanded obedience to the Church. The row with the celebrant led to the cancellation of the religious service that day.

In a message to the faithful in his diocese after the incident, Bishop Michel Aoun of Jbeil, asked that communion in hand "be accepted in a spirit of obedience. Above all, he explained that communion in hand "is not a new thing, but rather the oldest practise of the Church.

The bishop quoted two texts from Saint Cyril of Jerusalem and Theodore of Mopsuestia. With respect to taking the Holy Eucharist during Mass," said the bishop, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (died in 387) wrote: In approaching the altar [. . .] make thy left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hollowed thine eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it. Theodore of Mopsuestia (died 428) wrote something similar about how to receive the consecrated host.

Rediscovering Vatican II

The discovery of these patristic texts during the Second Vatican Council led Council Fathers to revive this ancient way of communion in the Western Church," said the Bishop of Jbeil. We ask our faithful to adhere to this measure [. . .] all the more since it rests on a confirmed theological basis as well as on our Maronite traditions, of which we find a clear trace in the hymn of thanksgiving sung after communion:

Now that I have received your Holy Body,

May the fire not devour me;

May my eyes that touched it,

Your love contemplate.

Although the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara al-Rahi, held a meeting with his vicars to examine the pastoral consequences of this incident, Bishop Paul Rouhana of Sarba refused to stop there. In a rather long message, he was surprised that this simple preventive measure [. . .] could cause such great disorder and be used by a group opposed to its application, including religious and lay people campaigning to defend the dogma and the purity of the faith.

Let me reiterate the compulsory nature of this measure which does not brook any exception under any pretext, as long as there is no vaccine against this virus," said the bishop in his message. Making it optional goes against the preventive measures that made it necessary.

The Bishop of Sarba went on to say that he was "worried, at the ecclesial level, to see some priests and laity, especially those who gravitate around the Marian Priestly Movement (founded by an Italian priest , Father Gobbi, in 1972), publicly circulate writings claiming that the communion in hand is in its essence contrary to the true faith in the Sacraments and that "this measure [. . .] shows a lack of faith and belittles the power of God present in the Sacrament of communion, to heal soul and body.

Reason and faith

At a time when the country is plunged into an economic and financial crisis, when it has to face the consequences of the scourge of the coronavirus, the people who oppose communion in hand [. . .] did not hesitate to say that obedience to the Church in this matter is an obedience to sin and a fall in the nets of the devil, said the bishop, outraged. With such views, the faithful are in fact departing from the teaching of the Church on the relationship between reason and faith. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, he explained, "in order to rule over Creation under the gaze of God, it is essential for humans to constantly seek, by means of reason enlightened by faith, the laws that govern human life and the world in which they live.

Expanding on his position, Bishop Paul Rouhana says to reject a small group with a biased and incomplete vision trying to impose itself on the greater Church". For the Bishop of Sarba, "the Church faces a fundamentalist group that is very active on social media, knowing that fundamentalism takes an element of the faith and amplifies it to the point that it stifles the whole. Unequivocally, Bishop Paul Rouhana concludes that this minority must be brought into line and make an act of allegiance to the greater Church which must ensure the unity of its teachings.
Turkey has confirmed its first novel coronavirus-related death as the number of cases in the country rose to 98.

"Today, I lost my first patient in our fight against coronavirus," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told a televised press conference on Tuesday, adding that the victim was an 89-year-old man who contracted the virus from an employee with connections to China.

The minister also said the number of cases had risen from 47 to 98.

"The big majority of those who tested positive are recovering," Koca said.

Turkey has announced a series of preventive measures in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including travel restrictions on 20 countries and the closure of schools and universities.

Authorities on Monday suspended collective mosque prayers until further notice and ordered the closure of public spaces, including cinemas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As a result of the new coronavirus crisis, sales at downloadable audiobookstore Libro.fm and online Bookshop.org have soared. Both digital stores collaborate with independent booksellers and return a share of the sales back to them.

"It has been a record month for sales and new memberships, as well," said Mark Pearson, CEO and cofounder of LIbro. "Twenty new stores had signed up for the service over the weekend. We have never seen that happen before." Sales for the 30-day period ended March 15 were up about 150% over the comparable time ended February 15, Pearson said.

Libro.fm, which is based in Seattle, saw the impact of the crisis early, with independent bookstores in their community closing temporarily. "We immediately moved [the business model] so that affiliate bookstores get all the revenue from the sale of any new memberships until the end of the month," Pearson said. A code is necessary for the customer to activate the promotion.

Pearson called it a radical move. "If independent bookstores go under, we don't exist," he said candidly. "Independent bookstores don't do social distancing, Amazon does, so we want to make sure people are reminded of the value of their curation and the community."

Bookshop.org has also seen a sudden increase in bookstores signing up as affiliates. "A lot of stores opened accounts recently as an emergency measure in case they need to close up shop," said founder Andy Hunter. "Until then, they will continue fulfill their own web orders from their stores."

Ingram handles fulfillment for Bookshop.org, which launched in beta only six weeks ago and currently offers print titles and audiobooks on CD.

Bookshop.org had a 400% jump in sales over the past four days, as the coronavirus crisis took hold in the public consciousness. "There has been a groundswell of support on social media with people linking to our site and asking people to support their local bookstores," Hunter said. Bookshop.org returns 25% of any sale back to the affiliate bookstore, though, Hunter said his team is looking at promotions aimed at helping bookstores even more to get through this challenging period.

"We have had up to this point about twenty active booksellers on the site, and ten times more than that kicking the tires" said Hunter, who pointed to booksellers such as Dudley's Bookshop and Cafe in Bend, Ore., Iconoclast Books in Haley, Idaho, and White Whale Bookstore in Pittsburgh, as being particularly active. Bookshop also allows media sites and individuals to sign up as affiliates. So far, store traffic and sales are divided up evenly among all three groups.

The increase in popularity of the site has put pressure on Hunter and his developers, Happy Fun Corp of Brooklyn, to make more site improvements faster. "We've fixed a lot of bugs since our launch," said, adding, "The next step is to offer a geolocation map for customers to discover what bookstores near them are affiliates.

Until then, "so long as our servers stay up  we've checked them, and they are good  we'll be here for bookstores," he said.
The outbreak of the deadly coronavirus has been on an increasing spree. According to media reports, the death toll from the novel coronavirus has reportedly exceeded worldwide than the number of deaths in mainland China. Reportedly, the figures from the World Health Organization and public health agencies, the COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than 6,400 worldwide and infected over 169,000 which amounts to be 127 percent higher than China where the outbreak originated as per the media reports.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Number Of Deaths Across Globe Surpasses Death Toll In China

However, there are still some countries wherein reportedly the coronavirus is yet to be detected. The virus has reportedly spread around 127 countries but if media reports are to be believed, there are still some countries where the COVID-19 cases are yet to be confirmed. Here are the countries without coronavirus.

Also Read: NBA World Unites To Donate 1 Million Dollars To Help With Coronavirus Outbreak

Here are some countries where coronavirus has not spread

Angola

Angola is a South African nation that has reportedly not been detected with coronavirus cases till now. The population of the country is around 32, 866, 272. However, to take precautions, Angola has shut down borders for all its officials amidst the frightening coronavirus outbreak.

Bahamas

The Bahamas is a country in the West Indies which is yet to be diagnosed with coronavirus. The population of the country is around 393, 244. According to media reports, a cruise ship that has reported having two passengers diagnosed with coronavirus is stationed 40 kilometres southwest of the Bahamas which can spell bad news for the country.

Barbados

Barbados is an Eastern Caribbean island which is yet to have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The population of the country is around 287, 375. Reportedly, there is also no ban on travelling to Barbados amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

Belize

The country which is located on the Central Eastern coast of Central America has reportedly no confirmed cases of coronavirus. The population of the country is around 397,628. However, according to media sources, Prime Minister Dean Barrow along with Health Minister Pablo Marin held a meeting recently to prepare the country with some precautionary measures.

Also Read: 'Is It Time To Cut Short Budget Sessions?' Asks Derek O'Brien Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
A mother in Lower Sackville, N.S., is feeling squeezed out of her rental home because she says her landlord plans raise her rent in part because she and her husband have five children.

Melissa Douthwright said she and her family, who have been living in the home on Romaz Court since July 2018, learned recently their monthly rent would rise by $150 to $1,450 on July 1.

"I was sick to my stomach, thinking, 'Why such an increase?' ... $150 can go a long way when it comes to food or clothing. We have one income," she said.

Douthwright shares the home with her husband, Mike, and five children: Alivia, 10, Kyliee, 8, Kaden, 5, Brooklyn, 3, and Liam, 7 months. The three-bedroom home is part of a cul-de-sac development of 12 identical homes owned by Klavdia Gonopolskiy of Halifax.

Douthwright said she moved into the home because the street offered a safe place for her children to play with neighbours. The current $1,300 monthly rent, which includes cold water but no other utilities, fits her family's budget, she said.

CBC

Then on Feb. 29, Douthwright said she received a notice from her landlord about the rental increase, which she said she can't afford.

Doughwright said two neighbours she's friends with received rental increases of $25 a month, and another received no increase at all. After the increases, those neighbours will be paying between $1,325 and $1,375.

Douthwright sent an email to her landlord asking why her increase was so much more than her neighbours.

In an email reply, Gonopolskiy said Douthwright was not honest about how many of her children would be living in the home when she signed her lease. Gongolposkiy said she'd charge $1,450 per month to a large family who wants to move in.

"If I will need to rent a unit to a family of 6: 2 adults and 4 kids with a big dog, I will ask for the same price," Gonopolskiy wrote.

CBC

She wrote that she would not discuss how much she charges her other tenants as the amounts are "confidential."

Story continues

Douthwright said she doesn't understand why she and her family are being treated differently and doesn't believe it's fair.

Megan Deveaux, a community legal worker with Dalhousie Legal Aid in Halifax who specializes in residential tenancy disputes, said landlords in Nova Scotia can increase rents by any amount once per year, as long as they give tenants adequate notice.

But there are several grounds for a tenant to appeal, including that they are being singled out in some way and receiving a rent increase much larger than others who live in similar-sized units in the same building.

CBC

Deveaux, who wouldn't comment on Douthwright's situation, said tenants can appeal a rent increase that's too high compared to market rates for a similar unit. But she said leeway is given to landlords who have made improvements to their properties or who are incurring extra costs.

"The landlord's burden at that point is to demonstrate that this is a reasonable increase, even though it's different than everybody else's," Deveaux said.

She said landlords have no legal authority to bar family members living together in a home, unless there's a safety issue such as a restraining order against another tenant in the building.

Landlords can charge more rent for more residents in a unit, but only if they can demonstrate an increased cost burden as a result.

CBC

Gonopolskiy denied in an interview that she is discriminating against the Douthwrights and said she too has children. She said she purchased the buildings on Romaz Court in 2016, about a year after she immigrated to Canada from Israel.

Her experience as a landlord has been good, she said, but dealing with Douthwright has been hard work.

She said Douthwright's rental cheques are routinely returned with insufficient funds, and that she pays her rent late nearly every month. Gonopolskiy said it often takes dozens of messages to collect a month's rent.

In May 2019, the residential tenancies board issued an eviction notice to the Douthwright family for chronic late payment of rent. Gonopolskiy said she allowed the family to stay in an attempt to be compassionate.

"Because they have kids, I said, 'OK, now you know you can stay. If you will pay your rent, I will still give you time,' because they were already overdue," she said.

Gonopolskiy said the new rental amount is fair market value for the unit, and the discrepancy in rents between units has to do with when her various tenants moved into Romaz Court.

"If I rent her unit to another family, I would ask for this amount. It's a price on the market. They are almost there two years, and it's the first time I give them an increase," Gonopolskiy said.

Appeals to residential tenancies

Both Douthwright and Gonopolskiy have appealed to Nova Scotia's residential tenancies board for relief. That hearing will take place on April 6.

Meanwhile, Douthwright said she's filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

"My family is just as good as everybody else's, no matter how many kids are in it. It should not have anything to do with an increase of rent," she said.

"We take care of this place. My kids don't bother anybody. My kids are great people, they're respectful. I just feel like it's very unfair."

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Health authorities across the country have been toiling away, working day and night to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Health officials and medical staff involved in treating coronavirus patients have to wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for long hours.

A medical official working at Delhis Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital shared that at first he got worried on learning that he has a duty with coronavirus patients in the ICU but after seeing names of senior medical professionals in the roster he was relieved and confident of working.

We have to wear PPE for long hours. It covers a person from head to toe. Wearing it for over 8 to 10 hours was very difficult at first but later I got used to it. One cannot eat or talk over the phone while wearing PPE, he told HTs Hindi language publication Hindustan.

Another one working at Delhis Safdarjung Hospital shared that the hospital houses the highest number of coronavirus patients. He looks after the patients admitted to the hospitals coronavirus ward.

Most patients in the ward had a high fever and they were being treated with Paracetamol. A patient who complained of respiratory issues was given Tamiflu, there was an improvement. The medication is used in treating Swine Flu, he told Hindustan.

I feel happy when I see patients get better, he added.

Delhi first coronavirus patient, who recently recovered and was discharged for home, was treated at Delhis Safdarjung Hospital and lauded the facilities provided by the authorities.

It was unbelievable. The isolation ward at Safdarjung hospital was not what I imagined a government hospital ward to be. It was no less than a luxury hotel. The staff also maintained a high level of hygiene  cleaning all surfaces and changing linens twice a day, 45-year-old Rohit Dutta said on Sunday.

Delhi has reported seven positive cases of coronavirus along with one death. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country stands at 125 with three deaths. Maharashtra accounts for the largest number of coronavirus cases in the country. So far, 13 people have recovered successfully from the infection.
Q: How do you protect yourself as you age from being persuaded to change your power of attorney and or will? I am a single woman with no children, and I feel rather vulnerable in this regard. What strategies will protect me? Can I appoint two people I trust as a committee with me and require that all three of us would need to agree unanimously for me to make a change to my power of attorney or will?

A: Forming a committee like you have described is probably not the best approach.

Instead, you should consider setting up a revocable trust either with you and your two trusted friends serving as co-trustees, or alternatively with you as sole trustee and with the two of them designated to serve as co-trustees in the event you are unable to serve.

Of course, some other person could still get you to sign a new power of attorney, a new will or an amendment to your revocable trust without your friends knowledge. It is even possible that one or both of your two trusted friends could turn against you and do exactly what you are trying to avoid.

Q: My wife and her sister were given a piece of land in Brazoria County by a quit claim deed several years ago. The sister has since passed away. My wife wants to give the land to her sisters three children. Can she do so by a quit claim deed? She is executor of the estate. Can she sign for herself and the estate? Where can we download a blank quit claim form, and do we need an attorney to file it?

A: I cant tell from your question whether your wife wants to give away the half she owns to the three children, or whether she wants to transfer the estates half interest to them. She may want to do both.

If it is her half, then she can sign a gift deed transferring her interest to them. If it is the estates half, as long as her sister left her estate to her three children, then she would simply sign a deed as executor whereby the estate would transfer its interest to them. (Even without a deed from the estate, the children would already own the estates half interest by virtue of the will which left the property to them.)

As to signing a quit claim deed, this is not advised. Quit claim deeds are typically used in Texas only when one party needs to release its interest in the property to another party. A warranty deed or special warranty deed is the type of deed used to make a gift or transfer an estates interest to a beneficiary of the estate.

Assuming you have hired a lawyer to handle the probate, that lawyer should be able to prepare the appropriate documents for your wife and then record the documents in the proper county.

The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Ronald Lipman of the Houston law firm Lipman & Associates is board-certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Commissioners Court on Tuesday extended Harris Countys public health disaster declaration in response to the coronavirus, but only for eight days.

The agenda for Tuesdays emergency session called for a 30-day extension. However, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle asked for a shorter extension so other elected officials and the public can give input.

The other four members agreed and unanimously extended the declaration, which allows the county to more quickly purchase necessary supplies and services, though March 25. County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she hoped Cagle was acting in good faith and not trying to build discord around the declaration.

There is lives on the line in this thing, Hidalgo said. Weve got to stick together, and this is not the time to be whipping up political opposition.

After the meeting, Hidalgo announced the unincorporated County has three new confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Two of the patients are in critical condition, she said, adding that an initial investigation has found no evidence they had traveled recently.

The unincorporated county, which has a population of more than 2 million, has 11 coronavirus cases.

Meanwhile, about the same time, several blocks away, City Council extended Houstons disaster declaration indefinitely.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia asked Hidalgo to do all her office can to halt evictions. Garcia said many residents are losing income because schools and businesses have closed, and should be given a break.

Cagle said Commissioners Court should not take any action seen as swaying eviction proceedings in favor of defendants or ordering judges how to perform their duties. Garcia said he simply is seeking a delay in evictions so vulnerable residents have a chance to catch up on rent.

Im not asking for judges for any ruling, Garcia said. Im just asking for the judge to halt the process until we can see some light at the end of this tunnel.

The county judge does not oversee independently elected constables and justices of the peace who administer evictions. Assistant County Attorney Barbara Armstrong said emergency powers allow the county judge to close public buildings and allocate resources, which Hidalgo could exercise to prevent hearings from taking place. Armstrong said cases would resume when the crisis subsides.

Hidalgo said she has spoken with several of the countys 16 justices of the peace, who have indicated they intend to temporarily stay eviction proceedings.

Harris County also is providing indirect relief to homeowners facing foreclosure. Commissioners Court approved County Engineer John Blounts recommendation to cancel the scheduled tax sale in April, since the more than 1,000 regular attendees at the event could spread the virus. As a result, no foreclosed homes will be sold at auction next month.

Commissioners Court also approved more cleaning and maintenance resources for the Harris County Jail, where the sheriffs office hopes to prevent cases from spreading among inmates.

zach.despart@chron.com
Boris Johnson wants a national effort to build vital ventilators for the NHS to be up and running within two weeks after the government issued a 'call to arms' to manufacturers to help respond to coronavirus.

The NHS only has 5,000 of the machines and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday it will need 'many times more than that' in the weeks and months ahead.

Mr Johnson wants non-health care companies to step up and help build the artificial respirators and last night he hosted a call with more than 60 company chiefs to urge them to convert production lines.

Participants with knowledge of the call said the government wants to have the ventilator push 'on stream' within the next fortnight.

It was claimed by one person who reportedly participated in the call that Mr Johnson had 'joked' the coordinated effort to build the machines could be known as 'Operation Last Gasp'.

Boris Johnson, pictured in 10 Downing Street yesterday, last night hosted a call with more than 60 businesses as he urged them to join the fight to build more ventilators

The person who made the claim to Politico said the PM 'couldn't help but act the clown' as he hosted the call with CEOs.

Mr Johnson's attempt to mobilise the UK's manufacturing sector has drawn comparisons with a scrap metal scheme to build Spitfires during the Second World War.

Leading companies such as JCB and Dyson have been asked to divert resources to building more ventilators as the spread of the disease worsens.

A Downing Street spokesman said after yesterday's call that manufacturers had been asked to 'rise to this immediate challenge by offering skills and expertise as well as manufacturing the components themselves'.

'Businesses can get involved in any part of the process: design, procurement, assembly, testing, and shipping,' the spokesman said.

Mr Hancock said before the call that there had already been an 'enthusiastic response' from businesses.

However, there have been warnings that components might be hard to source amid further concerns about how much time it will take for companies to change their production process.

Experts have also cautioned that an increase in artificial respirators will be no use unless there are enough health service staff capable of operating them.

One executive told the Financial Times that industry will be 'very supportive' of the push but warned it 'has to be be driven by Downing Street'.

Matt Hancock, pictured arriving in Downing Street today, said on Sunday that ventilators would be crucial in the fight against coronavirus

Another executive said if there were companies already making the machines and they want to switch to 24/7 production other businesses would be willing to 'lend them people to run the factories'.

Stephen Phipson, head of the Make UK industry body, said there are only a couple of small firms that manufacture ventilators in the UK, but there was a 'whole sector' that does 'contract' manufacturing.

'You take one person's product then you build it to their design, then you sell it,' he told Sky News.

Mr Hancock said on Sunday that ventilators will be key in the fight against coronavirus.

He said: 'It's about ventilation, because it's a respiratory disease. So we will be stopping some other activity and asking doctors who normally do other things to retrain, to be able to, for instance, use the ventilator.'
Three of the states Catholic dioceses announced Monday that public masses were being suspended as the number of positive coronavirus patients rose in New Jersey and sweeping new social distancing restrictions were mandated.

All public Masses throughout the Diocese of Metuchen will be temporarily suspended beginning no later than March 18 and resume no earlier than April 3, the diocese, which encompasses Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties, said on its web site.

All Diocese of Paterson Masses were suspended until further notice," the Bishop of Paterson, Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli announced.

The dioceses coverage includes the the counties of Passaic, Morris and Sussex.

The Diocese of Trenton also made the decision to temporarily suspended its masses through April 3 but that date could change as the coronavirus pandemic evolves, according to a statement from Bishop David M. OConnell.

The territory of the Diocese of Trenton includes Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean, and Mercer counties.

All three institutions cited prevent the spread of coronavirus as their reason for the suspensions.

The states two other dioceses, Camden and Newark, had not announced any Mass ongoing suspension plans as of 9 p.m. Monday.

In response to the recommendations of civic authorities, and regional and national health experts, I have decided to temporarily dispense all Catholics within the Diocese of Camden from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan said.

This past weekends Masses were canceled in New Jerseys largest Catholic diocese, Newark, and the faithful were not obliged to go to church on Sundays until further notice, Cardinal Joseph Tobin said last week. However, no further cancellation plans were announced.

In addition, all of New Jerseys schools  public and private, and including colleges  will close their doors to students Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

One more citizen of Uzbekistan has been found infected with Coronavirus COVID-19 on March17, so the total number of people infected with coronavirus in Uzbekistan has reached 11, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan.

Coronavirus was detected at Uzbek citizen who flew from Dubai to Uzbekistan, the report said.

The infected citizen was identified upon arrival directly at the airport with usage of a thermal imaging camera.

Recently, coronavirus was detected during the medical check-up of the wife of the Uzbek citizen who flew from Istanbul to Tashkent Uzbekistan Airways on March 15 and was found to be infected with coronavirus, the report said.

Another Uzbek was also diagnosed with the infection on March 17, said the ministry.

The first case of coronavirus was recorded in the country on March 15. The infection was discovered during the medical check-up of a woman who is an Uzbek citizen and who returned from France. Later, the son and daughter of the woman were also detected to be infected with COVID-19.

According to the Health Ministry, on March 16, 2020, husband and grandson of the first patient have been confirmed infected with COVID-19.

It has recently become known that the coronavirus also was detected at relative of the first patient.

In addition, the coronavirus was discovered during the medical check-up of Uzbek who flew from London to Tashkent on March 14 on the flight operated by Uzbekistan Airways.

The outbreak of coronavirus 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 6,513. Over 169,387 people have been confirmed as infected.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Ireland Michael Higgins.

It is on the occasion of your countrys National Holiday  Saint Patricks Day that on my behalf and behalf of the people of Azerbaijan I offer my cordial congratulations to you and the people of Ireland, President Aliyev said.

I seize this pleasant opportunity to wish good health and success to you, and prosperity to your people, the president added.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine at a coronavirus news conference Saturday, March 14, 2020 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. (Doral Chenoweth/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

CINCINNATI  There was an election. Then there wasn't. Then there was. Then there wasn't.

In the end, the novel coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of the primary election Tuesday in Ohio.

Here's how one of the most confusing moments, if not the most confusing moment, in election history unfolded.

Monday, March 16

8 a.m.

Esther Patton(left), 70, of Roselawn waits in line at the Hamilton County Board of Elections on Monday to cast her vote.

It was business as usual when the doors of the Hamilton County Board of Elections opened its doors on the eve of the primary. In fact, business boomed, with a 38% increase in early ballots cast compared to the previous presidential primary in 2016.

The pandemic spurred more people to vote early. Some feared crowds on Tuesday. Some feared the polls would close. Subsequent events proved the latter right.

9 a.m.-10 a.m.

Candidates took their usual spot behind a rope in the parking lot of the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

They still believed they had entered the home stretch of their primary campaigns, waving signs, urging people to vote for them, but being sure to maintain their distance from voters, as prescribed by health professionals.

3 p.m.

A somber Gov. Mike DeWine, flanked by Lt. Gov. Mike Husted and Secretary of State Frank Larose  all Republicans  took to the podium in a hearing room in the Ohio Statehouse. He first announced the closure of more businesses: gyms, bowling alleys, public recreation centers.

Then DeWine dropped a bombshell. He would recommend postponing the primary until June 2. Absentee voting would be extended until then. But no in-person voting until June 2.

"We should not force them to make this choice, the choice between their health and their constitutional rights and duties as American citizens," DeWine said at the press conference. "Further, we should not be in a situation where the votes of these individuals who are conflicted are suppressed."

3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Some Democratic leaders and candidates began to express opposition to postponing the election until June 2.

Story continues

Hamilton County Democratic commissioner candidates Connie Pillich and Alicia Reece and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said publicly they thought canceling the election with 24-hour notice was disruptive.

Instead, many Democrats, including Pillich, Cranley and Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper suggested going to an absentee mail-in only vote but not delay the election until June 2.

4:30 p.m.

Wood County Common Pleas Court candidate Corey Speweik, a Republican, files a complaint with the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing that only Ohio lawmakers could move the election date. To do so via a court decision would be judicial fiat.

6:00 p.m.

A lawsuit is filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. In it, 81-year-old Judith Brachman, the former director of the Ohio Department of Aging, and Jill Reardon, an Ohio voter who suffers from severe immune deficiency, said they wanted to vote on March 17 but feared for their safety. They argued in the lawsuit their constitutional rights were violated by holding the election that day.

6:59 p.m.

Ohio's director of elections, Amanda Grandjean, sends out an email to local boards of elections incorrectly saying the Franklin County Courts Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Frye granted Brachman and Reardon's request to delay the primary. In fact, the judge had not ruled yet.

Grandjean tells the boards there will not be an election tomorrow.

This prompts boards of elections around the state, including Hamilton County, to call poll workers and instruct them not to set up the polling locations.

7:05 p.m.

The Secretary of State rescinds Grandjean's email.

7:06 p.m.

The judge rejects Brachman and Reardons argument, saying that it is the Ohio General Assembly that sets the election date and not the court system.

At this point, in-person voting is set to continue in Ohio the next day.

7:09 p.m.

The conflicting information sends the Hamilton County Boards of Elections, as well as boards of election throughout the state, into confusion. In an open meeting to decide how to proceed, board member and Hamilton County GOP chairman Alex Triantafilou expressed his frustration.

"We're in the fog of war at the moment, and we're getting information that's late-breaking," Triantafilou said. "Everyone in this county wants to know if we're having an election."

The Hamilton County Board of Elections holds a meeting on Monday, March 16, 2020 to discuss if the the upcoming election will be held Tuesday.

7:15 p.m.

Not knowing what else to do, the Hamilton County Board of Elections adjourns, saying polls will open at 6:30 a.m. the following morning.

7:30 p.m.

The Hamilton County Board of Elections begins calling poll workers to tell them the election is back on. Poll workers express confusion.

"It's very concerning," said Kayla Forshey, a Hamilton County poll worker, late Monday night. "It was already worrisome enough with the virus going around. Now, here at the 11th hour, we're getting conflicting reports whether or not to vote."

8 p.m.

Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder sends a memo to Republican lawmakers, saying in-person voting is still on for Tuesday.

You should instruct your constituents that the Election is scheduled to occur March 17 as set by Ohio Law.

9:03 p.m.

Despite the judge's ruling, DeWine and LaRose issue a joint statement saying it "isn't possible" to hold an election on Tuesday, adding further confusion.

10:04 p.m.

Fryes decision is appealed to the 10th District Court of Appeals. But the court is closed for the evening.

10:08 p.m.

Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton issues an order closing all polling locations in Ohio. In a press conference the following morning, Larose referred to this as "plan B" after the courts refused to postpone the election.

Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton holds up a mask as she gives an update at MetroHealth Medical Center Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, left, watches.

Tuesday, March 17

1:30 a.m.

State attorneys submit arguments to the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing that the Wood County candidates request to keep polls open Tuesday be denied.

The state argues that election chief LaRose did not violate his clear legal duty by complying with an order from Ohios Health Director in the midst of a pandemic.

4 a.m.

Four out of the seven Ohio Supreme Court justices meet via a phone call to decide the Wood County case. They reject the request from Wood Countys Speweik to keep polls open.

The justices on the phone call were two Republicans, Chief Justice Maureen OConnor and Justice Patrick Fischer, and two Democrats, Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart.

Three of the seven did not participate: Justice Judith French and Justice Sharon Kennedy are on the ballot this primary. Justice Pat DeWine is the son of Gov. DeWine and his sister, Alice, is running for county prosecutor.

6 a.m. - 7 a.m.

The Blue Ash Recreation Center, which would have served as a polling place, stands quiet on Tuesday morning. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine postponed the state's primary late Monday after declaring the coronavirus was a "health emergency" that endangered the lives of thousands of poll workers and voters.

Some voters and poll workers show up to their polling locations not knowing the election has been postponed. They found notices taped to the doors. Molly North, of Clifton, showed up at her polling place at 6:35 a.m.

"It was otherworldly," North said in a Facebook post. "I arrived at my polling location at 6:35, concluding my morning run there, with the intention to beat the crowds. It was dark. Several people were circling the building as confused as I was."

10:00 a.m.

LaRose tells the Columbus Dispatch that he expects a legal challenge based on the Ohio Department of Health order to close the polls.

Columbus Dispatch reporters Rick Rouan and Randy Ludlow contributed.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Coronavirus canceled Ohio's primary. Here's how Mike DeWine, state leaders decided
Australian actor Joel Edgerton, 45, will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days after flying into Sydney's International Airport on Tuesday.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian government's new rules around self-isolation on Sunday, which came into effect at 12am Monday.

Joel was seen leaving the terminal with his Vogue fashion director girlfriend, Christine Centenera, as they prepared for their quarantine period.

Lock down: Joel Edgerton and girlfriend Christine Centenera will have to self-isolate for 14 days in Sydney after returning home from Turks And Caicos Island on Tuesday, March 17, amid the Australian government's new quarantine rules for all international arrivals

While many travelers were wearing masks over their faces as a precautionary method, the couple did not appear to have their own.

While Joel had a scarf tied around his neck, it appeared only as a fashion accessory and not as a practical alternative to a face-covering.

However, the filmmaker did appear to attempt to fly under the radar with sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.

Bare-faced: While many travelers were wearing masks over their faces as a precautionary method, the couple did not appear to have their own

Avoiding hugs with fans? The filmmaker did appear to attempt to fly under the radar with sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat

Caught by surprise? Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian government's new rules around self-isolation on Sunday, which came into effect at 12am Monday

Joel and his girlfriend Christine have returned from the Turks And Caicos with the brunette sharing an Instagram post from the destination on Sunday, March 15.

She tagged the luxury beach resort Amanyara, which sits by the Caribbean Island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.

To date, the Turks and Caicos Islands has no suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

Going strong: The loved-up pair 'debuted their romance' at GQ Australia's Man of the Year awards in Sydney on November 14, 2018 - but it's unclear if they live together in Sydney

The loved-up pair 'debuted their romance' at GQ Australia's Man of the Year awards in Sydney on November 14, 2018.

They first sparked romance rumours a month earlier, when they were pictured in an intimate embrace in Sydney.

The brunette is no stranger to the spotlight, with Kim Kardashian previously hailing her as one of the most stylish people in the world in 2015.

That sounds good! Joel and his girlfriend Christine returned form Turks And Caicos Island- where no coronavirus cases have yet to be reported

Kim told Daily Mail three years ago: 'I really like Christine Centenera from Australia.'

Hailing her as a style icon because of her eclectic look, Kim explained: 'I like when someone's really put together but looks effortless.'

'She just knows every accessory to tie an outfit together. She puts different things together that you wouldn't think of.'

Keeping up with the Kardashians! The brunette is no stranger to the spotlight, with Kim Kardashian previously hailing her as one of the most stylish people in the world in 2015

Casual-chic! Christine, who is Vogue's fashion director, rugged up in black trousers, a white T-shirt and long grey coat with boots

Joel and partner Christine will now be forced to spend two weeks in self-isolation after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government's new rules on international arrivals at a press conference on Sunday.

The drastic measures come as the number of confirmed cases in Australia have surpassed 400. Five people have died from the illness across the nation, so far.

Penalties for not self-isolating will be determined separately by each state and territory.

Stay home or be fined! Penalties for not self-isolating will be determined separately by each state and territory - with Queensland claiming fines could be $13,000 for people for defy the restrictions issues by the government

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, confirmed the states Public Health Act had provisions that would enable the government to enforce the self-isolation requirements.

On Sunday, she revealed police had already been involved in one case where someone had not adhered to self-isolation when advised to.

Meanwhile, the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has said people caught not complying to the self-isolation rules could be fined $13,000.

In other countries, penalties have been announced as high as $50,000 for those who break self-isolation rules.
The first testing in humans of an experimental vaccine for the new coronavirus began on Monday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced.

The main goal of this first set of tests is to find out if the vaccine is safe. If it is, later studies will determine how well it works.

The trial was launched in record speed, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the institutes director, said in a statement.

Such rapid development of a potential vaccine is unprecedented, and it was possible because researchers were able to use what they already knew about related coronaviruses that had caused other diseases outbreaks, SARS and MERS.
Coronavirus FAQ

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and has spread worldwide. The new virus causes a disease known as COVID-19. The virus is part of a larger family of coronaviruses, which can lead to illnesses ranging from a mild common cold to more severe respiratory diseases such as SARS and MERS.

Who is at risk and what are the symptoms?

Public health experts say the new coronavirus is more contagious than the seasonal flu. The majority of people who become sick experience mild symptoms, but some become more seriously ill. People who contract the virus can develop pneumonia, and some have died. People who are elderly or have underlying medical issues are at greater risk of becoming more severely sick. Symptoms of the virus include a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

What should I do if I develop symptoms?

The North Dakota Department of Health advises that people call their health care provider to tell them about recent travel or exposure, and to follow their guidance. Try to avoid contact with other people in the meantime.

What can I do to prevent the virus from spreading?

The health department advises that people wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds. People who are sick should stay home from work or school, both to protect themselves and others with whom they would come in contact. Avoid touching your face, cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or an elbow, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, and avoid contact with people who are sick.

Where can I find more information?

People with coronavirus-related questions can call the state health department hotline at 866-207-2880. Those who need medical advice should contact their health care provider.

The health department's online coronavirus page: www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's online coronavirus page: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
Children are staying at home amid coronavirus fears after their parents ignored Boris Johnson's advice - as nearly 630,000 sign petition calling for government to '#closetheschools'.

As four in ten children were kept home by parents fearful of sending them to class.

It came as Boris Johnson warned against big gatherings to curb the coronavirus spread but still refused to shut schools.

On Monday Boris Johnson announced schools would remain open, sparking fierce backlash from parents and teachers across the country. Stock image

Teachers last night slammed the Governments education measures, claiming they were inconsistent with other advice.

Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School in Wembley, north-west London, said: Non-essential contact for everyone except for teachers who should congregate with several hundred or even thousands daily?

Im no virologist but how do I make sense of this to staff? Also, dozens/hundreds of parents are too scared to send kids in to school!

Andrew ONeill, head teacher of All Saints Catholic College in west London, said the situation was unbelievable, revealing 30 per cent of his pupils had not turned up and a quarter of his teachers were in self isolation.

He told the London Evening Standard: The supply agencies dont have people, and do you even want to bring in teachers who have been school-hopping and come into contact with many thousands of people for the last few weeks? Its crazy. Chris Dyson, head teacher of Parklands Primary School in Leeds, said attendance was down to 74 per cent, while Dan Morrow, chief executive of the Woodland Academy Trust in Kent, said it was between 55 per cent and 80 per cent, the TES reported.

Public Health England guidance said school closures may be necessary if there are so many staff being isolated the school has operational issues.

But officials admitted a lack of fit teachers may trigger shutdowns anyway.

Classrooms are lying empty elsewhere in Europe, this primary school classroom in south-eastern Poland lies dormant after the Polish government ordered the closure of all schools and universities for two weeks

Mr Johnson said: We think at the moment on balance its much better if we can keep schools open for all sorts of reasons, but I appreciate this is something we need to keep under review. The refusal to close schools is at variance with many other countries.

What is the current advice from the Government to stop the spread of coronavirus in schools? Staff, young people and children should stay at home if they are unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others. Otherwise they should attend education or work as normal. If staff, young people or children become unwell on site with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature they should be sent home. Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces more often than usual using your standard cleaning products. Supervise young children to ensure they wash their hands for 20 seconds more often than usual with soap and water or hand sanitiser and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues. Posters and lesson plans on general hand hygiene can be found on the eBug website. Unless you have been directly advised to close by the local Public Health England Health Protection Team, we recommend all education settings remain open. For any staff dealing with suspected cases of Covid-19, the guidance says they do not need to go home unless they develop symptoms themselves, but adds they should wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds afterwards. Guidance states that, in most cases, school closures will not be needed - but this will be a local decision based on factors such as establishment size and risk of further spread. If there is urgent public health action to take, the local Public Health England Health Protection Team will contact the school and undertake a risk assessment. It says PHE will 'rarely advise' a school to close, but adds: 'This may be necessary if there are so many staff being isolated that the school has operational issues.' Source: gov.uk Advertisement

Chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance appeared alongside Mr Johnson at the PM's first daily press briefing for COVID-19.

Sir Patrick said: 'It may be necessary to think about things like school closures but they have to be done at the right time.

Parents said the move contradicted advice to avoid social contact and began using Twitter hashtag #covid19walkout.

Downing Street insisted mums and dads would not face fines if they keep children off school due to coronavirus symptoms.

And Kevin Courtney, of the National Union of Teachers, said: Are teachers being put at unnecessary risk? We need information and were not getting it from the Government.

Last night school inspectorate Ofsted gave in to teachers demands to cease checks due to the crisis. And Education Secretary Gavin Williamson met school leaders amid uncertainty about GCSE and A-Level exams.

Many head teachers reported attendance figures of up to 100 per cent yesterday.

An online petition demanding the Government close schools in the UK has so far received 590,000 signatures - with the number constantly rising.

Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Star Academies - which runs a string of outstanding state schools, told The Guardian that exams should be postponed until next year.

He said: 'Cancellation is the only sensible and humane option.

'It will go a long way to ensure the success of the ''delay'' phase of the government's strategy. It could save tens of thousands of lives.'

In Anglesey in north Wales, Helen Wright was at home with her 10-year-old son and had asked his school to send her a home education pack.

'I do not trust government guidelines or the government over their handling of the matter,' she said.

One Twitter user wrote: 'I am so disgusted with the incumbent UK government's response.

'I fortunately work within walking distance and currently occupy my own office, but students should absolutely be allowed to abstain from schools with no issues.'

Another said: 'I have to strongly disagree with the government on this one. This is about public safety and the health of loved ones.

'This is not something to be trifled with!'

While another wrote: 'Boris isn't going to close schools so take matters into your own hands to avoid spreading and receiving germs.'

In Doncaster, Suzana Ilieva has kept her six-year-old son at home since Friday, out of fear that he could transmit the virus to an elderly relative who lives with her family.

'I think the government is irresponsible and for the sake of protecting the economy is damaging people's lives,' she said.

'I made my own decision with my husband.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gave his tribute to Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman popularly known as 'Bangabandhu' on his 100th Birth Anniversary. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi paid his respects to the late leader stating that he would always be remembered for his 'courage and indelible contribution' to Bangladesh's progress. PM Modi also stated that he would be participating in his 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations in Bangladesh via a video conference.

Read: PM Modi To Participate In Mujibur Rahman Centenary Celebrations Through Video Conferencing

Tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary. He is remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladeshs progress.



This evening, via video link, will address Bangabandhus 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations being held in Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/uqAxL0h4F6  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2020

Read: I Thank India For Bringing 23 Bangladeshi Students From Wuhan: Sheikh Hasina At SAARC

PM to attend 100th birth anniversary via video conference

Amidst the Coronavirus outbreak, PM Modi will participate in the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through video conferencing. This comes after PM Modi, who was scheduled to visit Bangladesh, had cancelled the trip due to the Coronavirus scare. Due to the spread of the virus, the events planned for March 17 in Bangladesh will be held without any public gatherings.

According to the Indian foreign ministry, "The Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall participate in the 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Jatir Pita Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Bangladesh via video message, on Tuesday."

Read: Bangladesh Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus Apologises For Violating Labour Laws

Bangladesh's founding father

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a respected Bangladeshi politician and leader. He is also known as the father of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman served as the first President of Bangladesh and then went on to become the Prime Minister of the country from 17 April 1971 until his assassination on 15 August 1975. Popularly called "Bangabandhu" ("Friend of Bengal") by the people of Bangladesh, he is considered to be the driving force of the country's independence.

Read: WB: Rabindra Bhavan Museum, Bangladesh Bhavan Closed Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Oppo Find X2 With Snapdragon 865 SoC Confirmed To Launch In India News oi-Sandeep Sarkar

Oppo unveiled its first flagship offering for 2020, i.e, the Find X2 series. The company has equipped both the Find X2 and the Find X2 Pro with the top-of-the-line hardware and support for the 5G network. While the company has announced the device, it didn't reveal any official launch date for the Indian as well as the other market. Now, Oppo has confirmed the arrival of the Find X2 series in the country and has also listed out the markets where it will be made available for sale first.

Oppo Find X2 Series To Initially Debit In The Following Markets

The Oppo Find X2 series is heading to India as well as the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Ukraine, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Russia, Qatar, New Zealand, Kuwait, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan. The company is yet to reveal the sale dates and the pricing for the aforementioned markets.

As for the hardware, both smartphones pack a similar set of internals. There is a 6.7-inch AMOLED display panel with a QHD+ resolution. Both units have a punch-hole positioned on the top-left corner. The processor is powering both units is also the same, i.e, the Snapdragon 865 SoC. Software-wise, it's the Android 10-based Color OS 7 which the Find X2 duo offers.

In terms of photography, the standard Find X2 has a triple-rear camera setup housing a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, a 13MP telephoto sensor, and a 12MP wide-angle-sensor. The Find X2 Pro, on the other hand, also has a triple-rear camera setup, but accommodates a 48MP Sony IMX589 primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 32MP telephoto sensor with 10X zoom; giving it an edge in the optics department.

While the Oppo Find X2 uses a 4,200 mAh battery, the Find X2 Pro is fuelled by a bigger 4,260 mAh battery unit. However, there is a 65W Super Vooc fast charging support on both the devices.

Best Mobiles in India

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The third person to die from the coronavirus in New Jersey was identified Tuesday as a 90-year-old Saddle Brook resident.

I had hoped and prayed that Saddle Brook would be spared from this day, but sadly the day has come," Saddle Brook Mayor Bob White said in the statement. "First and foremost, on behalf of the township, I express our deepest sympathy to his family and want to let them know that the community is praying for them. "

The Saddle Brook man, whose name was not released, is the second coronavirus death in Bergen County, which continues to have the most cases in New Jersey. It has not been revealed if he had underlying health conditions. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the death late Monday, saying he had been treated at Hackensack University Medical Center.

The two previous fatal coronavirus cases include a woman in her 50s who lived in Freehold and a 69-year-old Little Ferry man have also died.

As of Monday, there were at least 178 cases of the coronavirus reported in the state. Bergen County has 61 people confirmed as infected.

The pandemic has led officials to close schools and businesses around New Jersey, and Murphy urged people to limit travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. On Monday night, Bergen County Executive Tedesco announced an executive order shutting down malls and other businesses before postponing the order Tuesday morning. It now takes effect Saturday.

White, in his statement, asked residents to abide by orders from the state and local officials.

I also want to assure all the residents of Saddle Brook that your local, county, and state governments are doing all we can to protect you and limit your exposure to the spread of the COVID-19, he said. I urge all resident to comply with all the guidance from public health organizations and mandates set forth by Governor Murphy and County Executive Tedesco. The current crisis is unprecedented, but we will get through it together by helping and supporting one another."

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Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.

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Technavio has been monitoring the well testing services market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.49 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request the latest free sample report pf 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005368/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Well Testing Services Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Although the rising global demand for energy will offer immense growth opportunities, volatile crude oil prices will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Rising global demand for energy has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, volatile crude oil prices might hamper market growth.

Well Testing Services Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Well Testing Services Market is segmented as below:

Application

Onshore

Offshore

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30085

Well Testing Services Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our well testing services market report covers the following areas:

Well Testing Services Market Size

Well Testing Services Market Trends

Well Testing Services Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies growing adoption of IoT by oil and gas industry as one of the prime reasons driving the well testing services market growth during the next few years.

Well Testing Services Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the well testing services market, including some of the vendors such as Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger, TechnipFMC, Weatherford. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the well testing services market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Well Testing Services Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist well testing services market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the well testing services market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the well testing services market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of well testing services market vendors

Table of Content

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Onshore Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Offshore Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Growing adoption of IoT by oil and gas industry

Increase in oil and gas E&P investments

Consolidation of oilfield services

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Baker Hughes

Halliburton

Schlumberger

TechnipFMC

Weatherford

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005368/en/

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Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

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Website: www.technavio.com/
By Online Desk

To battle the shortage of hand sanitisers in coronavirus-hit France, popular fashion brand Louis Vuitton's parent company LVMH has declared that they will convert their perfume factories to manufacture the anti-viral solutions.

The demand for hand sanitisers and surgical masks have gone up drastically following the outbreak of the pandemic. Panic-stricken civilians hoarding these products have made the situation worse across countries.

It is in this scenario that the French-based multinational corporation LVMH announced that they will produce hydroalcoholic gel in bulk and hand it over to the French Health Department for free.

ALSO READ | Global death toll exceeds 7000 as total cases stand above 175500-mark

Given the risk of a shortage of hydroalcoholic gel in France, Bernard Arnault (company's majority shareholder) has instructed the LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics business to prepare its production sites to manufacture substantial quantities of hydroalcoholic gel to be provided to public authorities, a company statement that was released on Sunday read.

Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves against the spread of the virus, the MNC with a 53.7 billion net income said.

LVMH added that they are all-go to continue the sanitiser production as long as necessary.

In India too, customers are complaining that these hygiene products are not available in the market despite their claims about production boost. It is selling like a hot cake. The demand has gone up by 400 per cent. Nine out of 10 customers ask for hand sanitizers and liquid soaps. People are asking for these products in bulk but we are careful not to give them more than two bottles so that others may also get them, said Arvind Arora, a pharmacist, Janakpuri.

ALSO READ | US health officials begins first human trial of coronavirus vaccine in Seattle

Most cities, including the national capital region, are running out of protective masks and hand sanitizers after the government has declared them as an essential commodity, mainly due to hoarding by people as well as shopkeepers. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has already formed teams to take action against suppliers who are overcharging for masks and hand sanitizers and also those who are hoarding them at the time of crisis. Meanwhile, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in India has risen to over 120.
Out here in Seattle, were just washing our hands down to nubs, Googling can drinking alcohol kill coronavirus (answer: sadly, no, but can help with nerves), definitely never touching our faces again and encasing all older relatives inside protective bubbles for the foreseeable future. Business at restaurants is suffering in a way thats getting dire quickly, yet among all the talk of social distancing, a collective end-of-days bacchanal spirit may still be readily found. HAVE A NICE COLD PINT AND WAIT FOR ALL THIS TO BLOW OVER suggested the sandwich board outside my neighborhood favorite Bait Shop last Friday night, and the place was standing-room-only packed with a loud, festive, low-risk-category crowd doing exactly that.

The citizenrys panic-grocery-shopping seems to have subsided, the ransacked shelves all restocked. Still, with parts of the city ghost-town quiet and the news just getting worse, the anxiety gnaws. At its root, its a real terror: Will this be the end of the world as we know it? In times of deep uncertainty, our thoughts turn to our stomachs: Food is comfort we can engulf, and instinct tells even urban types to lay in some supplies.

A project that occupies the hands and the mind, taking plenty of time and bearing the result of lots of very delicious food  enough to eat now and also freeze for whatever the hell the future might bring  seems like a bright idea for one of these awfully strange days or nights. Two excellent Seattle chefs were kind enough to provide us with recipes for constructive distraction. Keep calm  soups on.

CHEF MONICA DIMAS POSOLE

Yield: about 8 quarts

A pig trotter is, yes, the foot of a pig  Dimas advises that a Mexican grocery (like her favorite, Mendozas Mexican Mercado on Aurora) and Uwajimaya carry them, or you can usually find them at Safeway (call ahead, and note that you dont want them smoked). This recipe makes a ton of soup; you could halve it and likely still end up with plenty to eat now and freeze for later. Its a lot, Dimas says, but posole should be made for a crowd/the fam. It was our Sunday morning tradition growing up. Its also excellent hangover food, and if it makes a hangover bearable, itll soothe all of the other anxieties. And if you dont want to cook, Dimas posole is available at her lovely First Hill restaurant, Little Neon Taco.

Ingredients for the posole:

8 quarts water

1/2 pig trotter

3 pounds pork butt/shoulder

2 whole sweet yellow onions

4 bay leaves (fresh preferred, dry is fine)

1 tablespoon oregano (fresh preferred, dry is fine)

108-ounce can hominy, drained

12 whole dried guajillo chilies

4 whole dried japones or arbol chilies (add more for extra spiciness)

1 teaspoon whole cumin or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup salt plus more to taste (Diamond kosher preferred)

For garnish possibilities:

Cabbage, finely shredded

Onion, finely diced

Cilantro

Oregano (dried)

Lime

Radish

For optional chili oil addition: Take 1 part dried japones chilies to 1/2 part vegetable or canola oil. Toast the chilies and oil (use an oil with mild to no flavor, like vegetable or canola) together in a little pot over medium-low heat until fragrant, then puree. Make as much as you want  it will keep in the fridge.

Wrap the pig trotter in a flour sack or cheesecloth if you dont want the bones in the final soup. Put the water and the trotter in a large 12-quart pot. Simmer for 1 hour, skimming off any scum that accumulates on the surface.

Cut the pork butt/shoulder into 2-inch pieces. Peel and quarter your onions. Add the onions, bay leaves and oregano along with the pork to the broth. Simmer for 45 minutes.

While the pork is cooking, de-seed and de-stem your guajillos chilies, and de-stem your japones chilies. Place them in the jar of a blender along with 1 cup of the hominy, the cumin and the garlic, then add enough of your hot broth to cover. Once the chilies are somewhat soft from soaking, puree the mix as coarse or as fine as you prefer.

At 45 minutes, check the pork for tenderness. You want it three-fourths of the way cooked  if unsure, cook to almost tender. Leave the onion/oregano/bay leaves alone. When the pork is three-fourths tender, add the pureed chili mix and the remaining hominy, then let everything cook together until the pork is fork-tender and the fat is nearly all rendered, up to another 2 1/2 hours. Add the salt a tablespoon at a time, stirring and tasting until its right (dont be shy  this is a lot of soup!). If it seems too spicy, you can add up to a quart of water (though it should pack some heat).

To serve, generously top with finely shredded cabbage, diced onion, cilantro and a tiny pinch of dried oregano. Garnish with limes and radish, plus optional chili oil on the side to add to taste. The chili oil will lend more smokiness and also heat!

CHEF LOGAN COXS REFRIGERATOR GREEN CURRY WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SHIITAKE

Yield: feeds about six

Chicken soup for the soul, sure, whatever  comfort food finds many forms, and chef Logan Coxs take on green curry lets you know youre still alive. It can also be made vegetarian or vegan, and would certainly be nice served with some rice. Cox, of Beacon Hills hit restaurant Homer, says its called Refrigerator because Basically, you can use this curry paste and broth with whatever vegetables you have lying around the pantry or refrigerator  pretty much every vegetable can work.

Ingredients for the Curry Paste

10 peeled garlic cloves

3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground mustard seeds

2 jalapenos, de-seeded

1/2 cup oil (neutral flavored, like canola)

Zest of 3 limes (preferably microplaned)

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1/4 cup peanuts (or substitute almonds)

1 large handful mustard greens (or substitute arugula or kale)

1 bunch rough-chopped cilantro (stems and all!)

2 tablespoons honey

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend on high until relatively smooth, agitating with a small ladle to ensure you get all the bits chopped up fine! If needed, add a little water to blend thoroughly.

For the soup:

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

1/4 cup of oil

1 1/2 quarts vegetable or chicken broth

2 cans coconut milk

6 squirts of fish sauce (optional)

10 squirts of soy sauce (or coconut aminos)

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced

5 lacinato kale leaves, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

For garnish possibilities:

Bean sprouts

Cilantro and mint leaves

Toasted peanuts

Chopped scallions

Sambal

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place diced squash on a sheet tray, season with salt and a couple tablespoons of oil, mixing to coat. Bake for 30 minutes until soft and a little crispy on the outside. Let cool to room temperature.

Place a large soup pot on the stove and turn the heat to high. Add 1/4 cup of oil and wait for two minutes. Add the curry paste and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to ensure that the curry paste doesnt stick or burn. Cook for 4 minutes until all the oil has turned bright green. Add chicken stock and continue stirring with spatula for one minute to deglaze. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and soy sauce, and stir. Add carrot, shiitake, kale and poblano pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cooked squash, stir and season with a little salt if it needs it!

To serve, ladle that bastardized curry into a bowl and top with as little or as much garnish as youd like!
.                ,  The Hill,  ,          ...
President Donald Trump said Monday that he might order the Army Corps of Engineers to build tent facilities to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, although Pentagon officials said earlier that the military's ability to assist is limited.

"We're looking into it," Trump said at a White House news conference, referring to the Corps constructing tent facilities to increase the number of hospital beds available for coronavirus isolation. "And we're looking into it very strongly."

At an earlier briefing, Jonathan Hoffman, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said the department is considering "a number of options on what we can do," but the main focus within the military is on protecting the force and maintaining readiness.

Hoffman and Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, the Joint Staff surgeon, said there have been no requests for Defense Department assistance in coping with the coronavirus outbreak beyond providing temporary housing at several military bases for U.S. citizens returning from China or vacation cruises.

Related: More on COVID-19

They said there are also other factors to be taken into account before ordering the Corps of Engineers to start constructing tent facilities for coronavirus patients.

The military lacks the doctors, nurses, orderlies and equipment needed to staff a facility for isolation patients "even if we were able to build the tents," Hoffman said.

"Have we looked at it? Absolutely," Friedrichs said when asked whether the military is exploring possibilities for assisting the civilian sector in coping with the epidemic. However, there would be trade-offs involved, he said.

Mobilization of medical personnel in the National Guard and Reserves would have consequences, Friedrichs said. By calling them up, they would "no longer be in their civilian jobs" where they might be needed on the local level in combating coronavirus.

The department has a number of mobile tent facilities on standby for deployment to combat zones in emergencies, but those were designed for treating trauma and would be of little use in dealing with coronavirus, he added.

"The challenge is, if we build a 200-bed or a 25-bed trauma hospital to take care of people with coronavirus, that's not really a great solution to the coronavirus challenge," Friedrichs said. "We don't have any 500-bed hospitals designed for infectious disease outbreaks. That does not exist in the inventory."

He said the military is trying to be very careful about not overpromising on the assistance it can provide.

"We want to be factual about what we have," he said, explaining that the military health system's fixed facilities "are designed to the force that we have."

In addition, the staff for the most part is not trained for infectious diseases, Friedrichs said.

The military has 36 hospitals nationwide, which have extremely limited capacity to take in civilian patients, he said.

"They are not thousand-bed medical centers all over the United States, with the exception of the Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. They are, for the most part, small community hospitals."

Military hospitals account for only 2-3% of the nation's total hospital beds, Hoffman said.

"What we do have are these tailorable packages" in the form of mobile tent facilities, "and some of them can move very quickly by airplane. Others are much larger like hospital ships," such as the USNS Comfort, Friedrichs said.

However, the contribution the Comfort could make to containing the coronavirus outbreak is questionable, he said. The ship has little space for isolating patients, who are mostly kept in beds stacked four the ceiling, Friedrichs said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Read more: The Military's Coronavirus Cases: The Latest Rundown
Niamey, Niger (PANA)  Nigerien president, Issoufou Mahamadou, on Tuesday evening in a televised address, announced a series of measures within the framework of the prevention against the coronavirus epidemic in Niger where no case has been reported yet
President Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House on Monday. (Associated Press)

To the editor: Doyle McManus' weaponization of the coronavirus crisis to attack President Trump is inappropriate at this time of national emergency.

McManus' piece was unfair to the president because it was Trump's travel ban with China, Italy and Iran that set the tone for the action by state governors cited. It was incomplete because McManus failed to recognize the positive efforts to bring all segments of society into the effort.

This is a time for a united national effort, not one to seek political gain. There is no doubt that mistakes have been made, but as Kenny Rogers might sing, "There'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done."

Fritz Mehrtens, Irvine

..

To the editor: Can Trump recover from the bungled outbreak response? This question assumes a lot.

It assumes that Trump sees recovery as something he needs, that Trump cares about recovering from anything, and most of all it assumes that it matters to him and anyone around him whether or not he continues to bungle the outbreak response.

McManus is a seasoned journalist, so I won't presume he doesn't know he is communicating in this paper with an audience completely external to the Fox News radar, and it is highly unlikely he will reach anyone within it.

The problem here is not McManus' piece itself, but rather the fact that it has become impossible to say anything about Trump that can be constructive. He has become dangerous to our health, education and welfare, and no amount of critiquing in the press will bring anything to bear on this.

Really, we can only pray that the coronavirus will, by some stroke of luck, become this president's downfall.

Lane Barden, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: One thing McManus didn't mention in his article when quoting Trump's press conference reference to a Google website for test scheduling was that Trump could not resist attacking President Obama with a snippy, "It's gonna be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past."

The leader of the free world demonstrates, even during a dire national emergency, that he is petty and insecure.

Jon Rowe, Costa Mesa
If your child is under 6 and has not heard about the virus yet, you may not want to bring it up, as it may introduce unnecessary anxiety, said Abi Gewirtz, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Minnesota, and the author of the forthcoming book When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids.

Process your own anxiety first

Make sure youre not panicking in their presence around the topic, said Dunya Poltorak, Ph.D., a pediatric medical psychologist in private practice in Birmingham, Mich. Your demeanor is going to stir this massive pot of anxiety. So try to process any fears you may have before you talk to your children, whether its by talking to a friend, a partner or a therapist. We dont want our children to feel like the world is so scary, said Dr. Gewirtz, because that might keep them from being curious and engaged.

Dont dismiss your childs fears

If your child is afraid because some kid on the bus told him he might die, thats a real fear and you should take it seriously, Dr. Gewirtz said. If you simply tell the child, Youll be fine, they might not feel heard. Listen to them and track what the child is feeling, she said. You can say something in a calm voice like, That sounds pretty scary, I can see it in your face. You can also relay an anecdote from your own childhood about a time when you were scared. Then, after the child has calmed down, perhaps over dinner, you can bring up coronavirus again.

Talk at an age-appropriate level

If you are talking to your young child about the virus, you can say something like, Theres lots of different viruses, like when your tummy hurts, or sometimes when you have a bad cold. Coronavirus is another type of virus, Dr. Poltorak said.

Depending on how old your child is and how much they know, you might also say something like, This illness is different than a cold because its new, but people are trying really hard to make sure it doesnt spread, and they treat people who are sick. If you ever have questions, talk to me, Dr. Heard-Garris said. You can also say, Scientists and really smart people all around the world are trying to figure out how to keep people safe and healthy.
She is back at work following her romantic getaway with partner Jeremy Parisi.

And Kelly Brook looked chic as she stepped out in central London on Tuesday, on her way to host her weekday radio show after returning from the Maldives.

The TV personality, 40, cut a stylish figure in a crisp white blouse which she wore underneath a camel overcoat and teamed with wide-legged trousers.

Chic: Kelly Brook looked chic as she stepped out in central London on Tuesday, on her way to host her weekday radio show after returning from the Maldives

Kelly added a more casual edge to her look with a pair of trainers, while accessorising with oversized shades and a black leather handbag.

She wore her brunette tresses swept back into a low ponytail and added soft touches of make-up to complement her pretty features.

Kelly looked refreshed following her break with partner Jeremy Parisi, 34, where they stayed in an over water villa on one of the resort's tropical islands.

Wow! The TV personality, 40, cut a stylish figure in a crisp white blouse which she wore underneath a camel overcoat and teamed with wide-legged trousers

On her Instagram Stories, Kelly documented every detail of their lavish trip, which began with a private seaplane to the beautiful island.

The TV personality and her boyfriend spent the week in a sunset water villa, with steps giving the couple direct access into the surrounding crystal clear waters.

As well as their own private terrace with sun loungers looking our onto the ocean, Kelly and Jeremy had access to the pools on the island.

Details: Kelly added a more casual edge to her look with a pair of trainers, while accessorising with oversized shades

Stepping out: Kelly added soft touches of make-up to complement her pretty features

Looking good: Kelly looked in good spirits as she left the Heart FM studio later in the evening

Brunette: The presenter styled her brunette locks unto a ponytail for the day

Ensemble: The former glamour model completed her look for the evening with a black leather handbag

On her social media account, the model posed up a storm in an array of bikinis while wandering around on the white sands.

She relaxed in a beach hammock swing, went snorkelling and strolled through the palm trees which lined the island.

The luxury resort lavished the couple with surprises, including a bubble bath filled with rose petals, and a trip to go dolphin watching.

Looking back: On her Instagram Stories, Kelly documented every detail of their lavish trip, which began with a private seaplane to the beautiful island (pictured with Jeremy)

Kelly and Jeremy indulged in spa treatments, opting for soothing massages to release all tension but kept active with fun bike rides.

Kelly has been dating Jeremy for five years after kicking off their relationship by flirting via direct message on Instagram.

The couple went public with their relationship in April 2015, and Jeremy now lives with Kelly in her Kent home.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the media and appreciated the commendable work being done by doctors, paramedical staff and others who are working hard amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country said Union Minister Anurag Thakur after BJP's parliamentary party meet on Tuesday.

"The Prime Minister has thanked the media for its role on spreading awareness and giving the correct reports about the coronavirus situation in the country. He also said that we should be thankful to the people who are fulfilling their duties responsibly, such as cleaning workers, hospital staff and at airports," Thakur told reporters here.

The Union Minister also said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister had confirmed that the Budget session will continue till April 3, and there are no changes.

Reacting to Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi's statement that along with coronavirus India should also prepare for "economic devastation", Thakur said, "A person who is in confusion mode can give such statements. When asked about the situation of coronavirus, he (Rahul Gandhi) had said that he was not an expert on the issue, but today he gave such a statement. He should have thanked the nurses, doctors, cleaning workers instead."

The Union Minister further said that the government has taken adequate steps to take care of the coronavirus situation in the country.

According to official estimates, there are 126 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 till Tuesday across India with three deaths one each in Karnataka, Delhi and Maharashtra.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Should schools shut down and what will happen if they do? The level of anxiety these questions are provoking among parents is more than matched by the wave of apprehension they are setting off in public school staffrooms. Teachers are bombarded with contradictory advice from the government, experts, pundits, and the least qualified of all: armchair oracles on social media.

Teachers are concerned about the health of the community, but we are also concerned about how we will do our jobs in the event of a shutdown. Will we be suddenly expected to conjure lessons that can be taught remotely online? The current technical infrastructure available to public school classrooms is crude at best. Teachers with children wonder if they will be required to conduct online lessons using an untested online system while simultaneously caring for their own children at home.

Teachers are worried about how they will do their jobs in the event of a shutdown.

To add insult to uncertainty, the NSW Department of Education has emailed staff promoting ad-hoc professional development courses that cost $49 a head to learn how to use the departments clunky online learning options. None of which contain lessons. The department has also provided the suggestion that teachers should talk to parents over the phone and mail work sheets to bricks and mortar home addresses during a shutdown. A substandard offering in comparison to the abundance of resources available to private schools which receive almost as much public funding from the taxpayer as public schools.

I am most concerned about what will happen to students in the child protection system whose only access to mental healthcare is at the public school they attend. Public schools dont have the luxury of shutting down at a moments notice because, unlike independent schools, public schools cater for the largest numbers of students with the highest level of needs, including the most vulnerable children in the community.
The Earl of Derby has won a controversial planning war that spanned 11 years to build 400 homes and a primary school on a site next to the Sheikh of Dubai's stud farm.

Edward Stanley, the 19th Earl of Derby, who is worth 45million, has wanted to build homes at his Hatchfield Stud Farm in Newmarket since 2009.

But the controversial plans have been fiercely contested by the town's jockey community who fear that it could damage the town's horse racing industry.

Edward Stanley (pictured with his sister-in-law), the 19th Earl of Derby, who is worth 45million, has wanted to build homes at his Hatchfield Stud Farm in Newmarket since 2009

Under the plans - approved this week by the government - the development will include 400 three to five-bedroom homes, a site for a new primary school and five hectares of employment land.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's stud farm, Godolphin Stud, and the British Horseracing School, neighbours the site and Newmarket Racecourse is two miles away.

Edward Stanley, the 19th Earl of Derby, who is worth 45million, has wanted to build homes at his Hatchfield Stud Farm in Newmarket since 2009

Newmarket is referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing and is home to many key horse racing organisations, including horse auctioneer Tattersalls and the National Horseracing Museum.

Many horse trainers also have their training yards in the Suffolk town.

In planning documents, The Newmarket Horsemen's Group, which represents all those in the region involved in the racing and breeding industry, said: 'The proposal will put more traffic into a network already suffering from severe traffic conditions.

'The horseracing industry is of considerable importance to the area, and the threat of relocation is there. There is a threat to riders from adverse traffic, the value of the animals is high.

Under the plans - approved this week by the government - the development will include 400 three to five-bedroom homes, a site for a new primary school and five hectares of employment land. Pictured: Artist impression of the site

Newmarket is referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing and is home to many key horse racing organisations, including horse auctioneer Tattersalls and the National Horseracing Museum. Pictured: Artist impression of the site

'This is not something the racing industry takes any great pleasure in doing, but we dispute the benefits the applicant puts forward. We think they have been overstated.'

After initial plans were turned down, Lord Derby's most recent plans were lodged in October 2013.

They were subsequently approved by the local Forest Heath District Council.

But in 2016, then Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid refused to accept the council's decision.

This then forced two public enquiries and a case in the High Court in 2017.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, has now approved the plans.

A report outlining the decision, released this week, said: 'The Secretary of State considers that the delivery of homes including affordable units carries substantial weight and that the economic benefits of the proposal carry modest weight in favour of the proposal.'

Stanley inherited the earldom of Derby and other family titles in 1994, on the death of his uncle and includes the Knowsley Estate, the Knowsley Safari Park. Pictured is the proposed site

It added there was 'no evidence' any horse trainers would move out of Newmarket if the plans went ahead.

The Derby family can trace its horse racing heritage back to the 5th Earl of Derby in the sixteenth century.

The Epsom Derby was named after the 12th Earl of Derby while The Oaks was named after the 12th Earl's house near Epsom.

Edward Stanley usually has one or sometimes two horses in training each year from Hatchfield Stud Farm, managed by his brother, Peter Stanley.

Stanley inherited the earldom of Derby and other family titles in 1994, on the death of his uncle and includes the Knowsley Estate, the Knowsley Safari Park.

Lord Derby's wife Lady Derby, previously dated Prince Andrew, The Duke of York for a short time in 1993.

Later that year, she announced her engagement to the 19th Earl of Derby.
The federal government has banned foreign travels for all public officials.

This was part of the resolution reached by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Mr Mustapha briefed journalists on the resolutions of the meeting in Abuja.

The taskforce also strongly discourage(s) travel by Nigerians to affected countries except for essential trips.

The committee also rejected calls by many Nigerians to restrict travels from countries with high cases of coronavirus.

Many countries, including African countries like Ghana and South Africa, have already put such restrictions in place to limit the importation of the disease from highly-affected countries.

Rather than do that, the presidential committee encourage(d) everyone returning to Nigeria from any country to self-isolate for 14-days.

All those returning from countries where there is high (over 1000 cases cumulatively) community transmission, will be actively followed up for 14 days by NCDC & Port Health Services, the committee resolved.

The committee was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari last week to spearhead the coordination of anti-Covid-19 activities in the country.

The 11-member committee is chaired by Mr Mustapha.

The meeting was summoned after the government got a notification of the third confirmed Covid-19 case in the country.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, had earlier told reporters that the meeting would determine what step the government would take to curtail the spread of the disease in the country.

He said the committee would discuss if there is a need to ban flights and social gatherings in the country.

With regard to banning flights into Nigeria or social activities and festivals, I will provide an update after the deliberations of the Inter-Ministerial meeting of the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus, scheduled for later today, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The Federal Government of Nigeria will make further announcements later today, the minister had said.

Recommendation

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), on its twitter handle @NCDCgov provided more details of the meeting.

It said the task force will work to strengthen national response strategy through deployment of resources, research, public awareness and collaboration.

The committee urged all Nigerians to maintain personal and respiratory hygiene.

It said decisions will be reviewed appropriately as the situation evolves.
New Delhi, March 17 : Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday urged the Chairman of the House M. Venkaiah Naidu to initiate a discussion on the Law Commission's 2018 report on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Jairam asked the government to share information on what action has been taken on the Commission's recommendations.

He pointed out that the Commission said in a consultation paper that UCC was neither necessary nor desirable at this stage.

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Ramesh Jairam said the Law Commission, acting on a reference made by the government in 2016, had on August 31, 2018, floated a consultation paper on Reform of Family Law.

"On August 31, 2018 the Law Commission released a 185-page consultation paper, which is called Reform of Family Law. It has four chapters - marriage and divorce, custody and guardianship, adoption and maintenance, succession and inheritance. Inevitably, the chapter on marriage and divorce occupies most of the space in this report," Jairam said.

He said in the consultation paper the Commission has dealt with laws that are discriminatory "rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage".

He said the Commission in the consultation paper stated that "While the diversity of Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups or weaker sections of society must not be dis-privileged in the process." "The Law Commission then went on to say that the way forward may not be a Uniform Civil Code but codification of all personal laws so that prejudices and stereotypes in every one of them will come to law and could be tested on the anvil of fundamental rights," Jairam said.

He also requested Naidu to allot time to discuss the issue. Responding to him, Naidu said: "We have been discussing this for years together, we need to discuss this further." The discussion will hold importance as the uniform civil code has been a key political issue, with the BJP being committed to implement it.
After lengthy discussions weighing all information available at this time, the officials agreed that the events would go on as planned.

But its more important than ever for people who plan to attend this, or any other upcoming public gathering, to follow the health department safety practices and to make an informed decision about whether to attend, Cooper said.

City leaders have not canceled any upcoming events, but they will continue to monitor the number and pace of new COVID-19 cases in the state and local community. Decisions about future events and activities will be made as new information develops.

We are asking for calm in the community as we face this crisis, Cooper said. We knew that sooner or later, the state would have to deal with COVID-19. We pray the impact will be minimal and that no lives will be lost here, and we continue to pray for all victims across the country.

In the meantime, Cooper asked that residents and visitors to the community stay informed. Health experts say the risk of getting COVID-19 is still currently low. The Center for Disease Control reports today show the United States has had a total of 1,629 cases thus far, with 41 deaths.
A Woolworths shopper has shown kindness to an elderly man with a walking stick after he grabbed the last packet of toilet paper off the shelves.

Footage showed the man named Colin handing over the toilet paper at a Woolworths in Balmain, in Sydney's inner west, on Tuesday.

He had just picked up the toilet paper when the elderly man approached him.

Footage showed Colin (left) handing over the the toilet paper at a Woolworths in Balmain, in Sydney's inner west, on Tuesday

'Will I have to fight you for it,' the man joked in the video obtained by 10 Daily.

Colin then handed over the toilet paper - after he checked shelves for two weeks for the product - because 'someone wanted some, so I gave it to him'.

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of toilet paper, pasta, rice, frozen food as well as tinned and other dried goods.

Supermarkets have been forced to plead with customers to behave and treat staff kindly following scenes of violent and rude behaviour due to lack of product availability.

Scenes have showed customers brawling over the last products on the shelves.

On Monday Woolworths announced it will close supermarkets early this Wednesday so it can restock.

He had just picked up the toilet paper when the elderly man approached him

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped

'We want to slow the panic down,' Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said.

'We understand that our customers' priority is to be prepared, but the vast majority of our food is grown or manufactured in Australia so there is not a concern with supply. What we have is a spike in demand.'

The supermarket also announced plans are underway to increase the supply of toilet paper, which is selling seven weeks' worth per day.

Woolworths also announced it is suspending online deliveries in Victoria - where it had 'extraordinary' demand - to focus on keeping supermarkets stocked.

Supermarkets have been forced to plead with customers to behave and treat staff kindly following scenes of violent and rude behaviour due to lack of product availability

Woolworths introduced its own elderly hour which kicked off at 7am on Tuesday.

Huge queues of people were seen waiting to get in and some were disappointed with the lack of choice despite being allowed in early.

At Woolworths in Ryde Looi Wong, 70, said the experience was 'horrible' and branded the exercise a 'PR stunt'.

'I thought they would stock the shelves especially for this morning but they were empty,' she said.

'I wanted to get frozen vegetables, frozen fish and Spray'n'Wipe, but they were all out.

'It seems like a PR stunt, so I'm now going to Coles to see what their stocks are like.'

Woolworths fresh food director Paul Harker said the initiative had proved very popular on Tuesday morning.

He insists there weren't food shortages despite reports of widespread of empty shelves.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address the global challenge arising out of the coronavirus outbreak.

During the conversation, the prime minister mentioned about India's recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries on the pandemic, a statement from the Prime Minster's Office said.

The two leaders agreed that a similar exercise at the level of G20 leaders, under the aegis of Saudi Arabia as the Chair of G20, would be useful at a global scale.

The exercise can be used to discuss specific measures to address the challenges posed by the global outbreak of COVID-19 and also to instil confidence in the global populace, the statement said.

Modi emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to adequately address this global challenge, which has impacted not only the health and well-being of several hundred thousand people but also threatens to adversely affect the economy in many parts of the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / MOTA VENTURES CORP. (CSE:MOTA)(FSE:1WZ1)(OTC:PEMTF) (the "Company" or "Mota Ventures") an emerging direct to consumer global CBD brand, is pleased to announce it will be hosting an investor conference call on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 with Mota Ventures management, Ryan Hoggan, CEO and Joel Shacker, President to discuss current developments

The call will be held on Wednesday, March 18th, at 1:15 pm Pacific Time. Media are invited to attend on a listen-only basis.

Conference details:

Canada/USA TF: 1-800-319-4610

International Toll: +1-604-638-5340

Germany TF: 0800-180-1954

Callers should dial in 5 - 10 min prior to the scheduled start time and simply ask to join the call.

Conference replay

Canada/USA TF: 1-800-319-6413

International Toll: +1-604-638-9010

Replay Access Code: 4251

About Mota Ventures Corp.

Mota Ventures is seeking to become a vertically integrated global CBD brand. Its plan is to cultivate and extract CBD into high-quality value added products from its Latin American operations and distribute it both domestically and internationally. Its existing operations in Colombia consist of a 2.5-hectare site that has optimal year round growing conditions and access to all necessary infrastructure. Mota Ventures is also seeking to acquire revenue producing CBD brands and operations in both Europe and North America, with the goal of establishing an international distribution network for CBD products. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer, sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota Ventures.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MOTA VENTURES CORP.

Joel Shacker

President

For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President at +604.423.4733 or by email at IR@motaventuresco.com or www.motaventuresco.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including with respect to the international distribution of CBD products and the creation or acquisition of CBD brands. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

SOURCE: Mota Ventures Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/580947/Mota-Schedules-Conference-Call
Bengaluru: A group of rebel Congress MLAs, who had tendered resignation after Jyotiraditya Scindia left the party and later joined BJP, on Tuesday (March 17, 2020) said that Scindia is their leader and they will always stay with him. Addressing a press conference at a resort in Bengaluru, one of the rebel Congress MLAs Imarti Devi said, Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader. He taught us a lot. I'll always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well.

Another rebel Congress MLA, Govind Singh Rajput, alleged that Chief Minister Kamal Nath never heard them even for 15 minutes. Then whom should we talk to for development work in our constituency? he added.

The rebel Congress MLAs also demanded protection, saying that they were not safe in their home state MP.

"After becoming a minister, we haven't been able to work in peace. We are not safe. If Jyotiraditya Scindia can be targeted, then we can also be targeted. We need protection. The MLAs who are in Jaipur, they too are unhappy," Rajput while addressing a presser at a Bengaluru resort.

The Madhya Pradesh government was formed with the leadership of both Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. When Kamal Nath was told that people are going to streets, he said 'let them get down to the streets'. All who have come here have come willingly," said rebel Congress MLA Tulsi Silawat.

"We will discuss about joining BJP only when we return to Madhya Pradesh. We have told court too that when resignations of six people got accepted then why not of all 16 rebel MLAs," Tulsi Silawat, a rebel Congress MLA, said while addressing the press briefing on his turn.

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party, the floor test to decide the fate of the Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led Congress government is likely to be held on Tuesday as per the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon.

Earlier on Monday, Tandon had written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17 after the state Assembly was adjourned till March 26 by Speaker NP Prajapati, in view of coronavirus.

The Governor`s directions came after a BJP MLA delegation led by former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor following the adjournment of Assembly. "Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don`t have the majority in the state assembly," Tandon had stated.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will also hear the petition filed by BJP seeking an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by the former chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.
As Turkey grapples with a growing coronavirus outbreak, the government will bring home some 3,000 Turkish citizens stranded in the nine European countries on Turkeys new banned-travel list.

"Those 3,614 citizens will be brought home by 34 Turkish Airlines charter flights by midnight on Tuesday," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

The returning travelers will be quarantined for 14 days in dormitories in Istanbul and Kocaeli province in northwestern Turkey.

After implementing what the World Health Organization described as vigilant measures to curb the disease, Turkey became the last major world economy to announce coronavirus on its soil last week.

As of March 17, Turkey has 98 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death.

The government has responded to the spread of the virus by shutting schools, as well as public venues such as cafes, bars and Turkish baths. Turkey has also suspended collective prayers in mosques and other places of worship, although they will remain open to individuals.

University dormitories have been cleared of students and will be used as potential quarantine zones. On Sunday, Turkey announced it had quarantined thousands of pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia.

The government has also introduced restrictions on travel, and suspended flights Friday to nine European countries. A ban on travel to China, Iran, Iraq, Italy and South Korea was already in place.
Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday said he accepted his nomination to Rajya Sabha four months after he retired in November because of a strong conviction that the legislature and judiciary should work together at some point to help nation-building.

In an interview with an Assamese news channel, he said the opportunity to become a member of the Upper House will help him project views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa. He added he had given the nomination a considerable thought before agreeing to take accept it. Let God give me the strength to have an independent voice in Parliament. I have much to say, but let me take oath in Parliament and after that, I will speak, Gogoi said.

Gogois comments came on a day when Opposition parties questioned his nomination, with the Congress saying the move has hit the belief people had in the judiciary.

Congresss chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered late former Union minister Arun Jaitleys advice before nominating Gogoi.

Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex-CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha, he tweeted, referring to Jaitleys comments in 2012 that pre-retirement judgments are influenced by a desire for a post-retirement job.

Justice [Madan B] Lokur rightly summarises it : Has the last bastion fallen? Surjewala said in another tweet.

Surjewala was referring to Lokurs reaction to the nomination. There has been speculation for some time now about what honorific would Justice Gogoi get. So, in that sense, the nomination is not surprising, but what is surprising is that it came so soon. This redefines the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary. Has the last bastion fallen? Lokur, a former colleague of Gogoi, told the Indian Express.

Surjewalas party colleague, Abhishek Singhvi, echoed him. The Congress finds it as one of the most serious, unprecedented and unpardonable assaults on the basic structure of the Constitution, which subsumes independence of the judiciary as held by Supreme Court judgments, Singhvi told reporters.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), also hit out at the government, saying the nomination is a brazen effort to undermine the judiciarys independence. By nominating the former CJI to the Rajya Sabha, the Modi government is brazenly undermining the independence of the judiciary and subverting the separation of powers between the organs of the State, which is an inviolable principle enshrined in our constitutional scheme, the CPI (M) said in a statement.

The party also quoted Gogois statement last year in which he observed: There is a strong viewpoint that post-retirement appointment is a scar on the independence of the judiciary.

The CPI (M) has earlier stated in no uncertain terms that under the constitutional scheme of things, the judiciary in India is not only independent but has a very important role to safeguard the rule of law, the statement said.

The recent delays in delivery of justice, midnight transfers of high court judges and the delay in taking up the challenges to abrogation of Article 370 and the CAA [Citizenship Amendment Act] have not evoked confidence among the people and are not in consonance with their legitimate expectations, it said.

The party urged President Ram Nath Kovind to rescind Gogois nomination.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) criticised the Modi government over the nomination. NCP spokesman, Mahesh Tapase, said the government should refrain from appointing to Rajya Sabha judges, who have handled sensitive cases.

He said the people look up to the judiciary for dispensation of justice without fear and favour.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi asked if there is any quid pro quo in the nomination of Gogoi. How will people have faith in the Independence of Judges ? Many Questions, he tweeted.

Gogoi will be the first former CJI to become a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. He will also be the second CJI to become a Rajya Sabha MP after justice Ranganath Misra, who was elected as a Congress lawmaker from Odisha. Justice Misra, however, became a Rajya Sabha member in 1998, nearly seven years after his retirement from the Supreme Court.

Gogois tenure as CJI was controversial, with a sexual harassment allegation raised against him by a Supreme Court staffer, who also claimed she had been terminated from service after she spoke up. The allegations were dismissed by an internal committee constituted by the Supreme Court. The complainant was later reinstated.

During Gogois term, several key cases came up for the hearing  including the allegations against the government about procedural flaws in the procurement of Rafale jets, and the controversy over the governments decision to transfer Central Bureau of Investigation director Alok Verma before the end of his term.

Gogois most significant judgment was in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, where he led a bench which granted the disputed land in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties, paving the way for the construction of the Ram Temple, a key political agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

BJP spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh brushed aside the criticism saying Gogoi is a competent person, who should be in the upper House. The Opposition is politicising his appointment, even though there is a precendent of judges being elected to Rajya Sabha. The opposition has made it a habit to create fuss over nothing.
Investigation into pilot Yaroshenko kidnapping case resumed in Russia

 RAPSI

15:18 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Investigation into 11 employees of the U.S. Department of Justice and 6 citizens of Liberia suspected of kidnapping of Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko has been resumed, the press service of Russias Investigative Committee reports.

The probe is reopened basing on the necessity to take additional investigative and procedural measures in the case. An investigator will send requests, including repeated ones, to the U.S and Liberian authorized bodies in order to receive information on the intelligence employees allegedly involved in the crime against Yaroshenko, the pilots health condition and the possibility of his interrogation, the statement reads.

The wife of Yaroshenko is to be recognized as victim in the case and to be questioned.

According to case papers, on May 28, 2010, the Russian pilot was kidnapped by the suspects from a hotel parking in Liberia under the guise of arrest for alleged drug trade by Yaroshenko and his accomplices. Soon afterwards, he was flown to the U.S. without any legal grounds and obligatory informing Russias diplomatic offices.

On September 7, 2011, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding to smuggle cocaine into the United States. He was caught after replying to an advertisement posted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents who claimed they were selling a cargo plane for $1.

He is serving his term in the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey.

In May 2016, a U.S. court dismissed his appeal for retrial. Russias Foreign Ministry said this is evidence that Yaroshenkos conviction was politically influenced.




The rapper convicted of killing the daughter of a Holby City actor by failing to seek medical help after supplying her with a hallucinogenic drug has been given leave to appeal his conviction today.

Ceon Broughton, 31, was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence of his girlfriend Louella Fletcher-Michie, 24, who was found dead in woodland near the Bestival site in Dorset, after taking the drug 2C-P in September 2017.

Broughton, who also filmed his girlfriend as she died just an hour before her 25th birthday, was jailed in March 2019 for eight-and-a-half years but today was granted leave to challenge the conviction, the Court of Appeal confirmed.

Ceon Broughton (pictured leaving Winchester Crown Court in February), who was jailed for manslaughter by gross negligence of his girlfriend near the Bestival site in Dorset in 2017, will appeal his conviction

Broughton was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence of his girlfriend Louella Fletcher-Michie (pictured)

During the original trial, the jury heard how the rapper, from Enfield, north London, who is also known also by his stage name CeonRPG, took Ms Fletcher-Michie into the woodlands to take the drugs on the eve of her birthday.

Ms Fletcher-Michie, who is the daughter of actor John Michie, was later found dead in the wooded area around 400m away from the festival's medical tent by a security steward.

The prosecution claimed that Broughton had failed to take 'reasonable' steps to seek medical help for Ms Fletcher-Michie after giving her the deadly drug.

The jury also watched videos taken by the defendant as his yoga teacher girlfriend's condition worsened.

They heard at Winchester Crown Court how the rapper did little to help the model for six hours as he feared breaching a suspended jail term.

The woman described as 'wise beyond her years' by her family was the first person to die of the party drug, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement, her father Mr Michie said: 'I wake up every morning to face life starting again without Louella, our daughter, our sister, our friend, our family now broken.

'And for what? It makes no sense - our beautiful Louella should still be with us on any measure of humanity.

'No more yoga with my daughter, no more running around the outside of the Arsenal stadium with my daughter.

Ms Fletcher-Michie was found dead in the wooded area of the Bestival site after Broughton took her there

She was found around 400m away from the festival's medical tent by a security steward

Pictured: Ms Fletcher-Michie's parents John Michie and Carol Fletcher-Michie arrive back at Winchester Crown Court on February 27, 2019

'Her life cruelly cut short. Our lives forever diminished. She was wise beyond her years and trusting, too trusting it seems.'

During the sentencing, defence counsel Stephen Kamlish QC read a statement from Broughton which said: 'Sorry I didn't do more to save Louella, sorry for the suffering I caused to everyone who loved Louella, I want to make things right.'

Broughton was originally convicted and sentenced for manslaughter, three charges of supplying the class A drug and breaching a suspended prison sentence for two offences of possessing a knife.

Bestival, which was started in 2004 by the DJ Rob Gorham - aka Rob da Bank - and his wife Josie, had been held in Isle of Wight since 2004 before it was moved to Lulworth Castle in Dorset in 2017.
One of the sectors to have been most severely hit by the coronavirus outbreak in China has been the tourism industry. In a bid to save themselves, they have started withdraw funds from future trips.

The snow scenery of Huangshan Mountain in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Shi Guangde)

This has become an important part of the tourism industry's drive to overcome the current difficulties as it struggles to find new hope amid the crisis.

With 2,400 yuan (about 343 U.S. dollars), customers can buy a two-night hotel package at the original price of 5,888 yuan, which allows splitting and re-use, and is valid until the end of the year.

This is a part of the promotional activities offered by Banyan Tree, a high-end resort hotel in Huangshan Mountain in east Chinas Anhui province, which used to have no shortage of customers.

"Cash flow during an outbreak is a dead end for many service industries, especially restaurants and hotels," revealed a hotel staff member, adding that in previous years, although February and March are the low season for tourism, hotel revenues can still exceed 1 million yuan. However, in these two months this year, the revenue came to just tens of thousands of yuan.

In recent days, there have been two pieces of good news: Huangshan scenic area has been open since Feb. 21, and large numbers of tourists are asking about hotel accommodation every day. After the advance-sale products were launched, more than 300 were sold in a week, easing the hotel's tight cash flow problem.

With the epidemic in China gradually being brought under control and scenic spots resuming operations in an orderly and limited manner, tourism platforms have recently launched large-scale promotional activities, with many tourists booking "future trips".

On a number of travel platforms, pre-sale products are placed in the most eye-catching positions. On Ctrip, Chinas online ticket booking platform, hotels, airlines and scenic spots have offered advance sale prices with discounts ranging from 20 to 60 percent.

Most of the products can be booked depending on actual conditions throughout the year. In the first batch of advance bookings in March, there were tickets available for more than 300 scenic spots.

Why are tourism companies rushing to pre-sell their products? "For the tourism industry, the resumption of work is not the same as returning to production," said a travel agency staff member.

He added that tourism income is actually a resumption of production for travel enterprises. As tourism products are advance sales by nature, it is not unusual to launch pre-sale products launched during the epidemic period, as this will not only relieve the pressure of corporate cash flow, but also restore popularity.

"We hope that by pre-selling, we can help our partners in the industry to repatriate their cash and get through the most difficult period of the epidemic," said Sun Bo, Ctrip's CMO.

He added that tourists can buy products at a preferential price, book a reservation after the epidemic, and get a free refund if the validity period expires, but that users are not encouraged to travel immediately during this critical stage of epidemic prevention and control.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that he hoped the government's stimulus plan would help laid-off hotel workers as it was announced that the Marriott group is furloughing tens of thousands of workers.

Mnuchin and Trump revealed a plan on Tuesday that included sending checks to Americans who are losing work or financially struggling as part of the coronavirus crisis.

As part of it, they are discussing giving people $1,000 checks based on their income status.

It came after the hotel giant Marriott- which has 130,00 employees in the US - would be furloughing a large chunk of them as it was forced to close properties.

'As travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world become more widespread, we are experiencing significant drops in demand at properties globally with an uncertain duration.

Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday that he 'hoped' the government's plan to bailout businesses and Americans would help hotel employees losing their jobs

The Marriott Long Wharf hotel in Boston closed after a known case of the virus was traced to it

'We are adjusting global operations accordingly which has meant either reduction in hours or a temporary leave for many of our associates at our properties.

'Our associates will keep their health benefits during this difficult period and continue to be eligible for company-paid free short-term disability that provides income protection should they get sick.

'We are working quickly to mitigate the impact to our business while also focusing on assisting our associates, our guests and our owners. While the ultimate impact is difficult to predict at this time given the fluidity of the situation, we remain confident in our long-term prospects,' a spokeswoman told DailyMail.com.

The positions they hold vary from housekeepers to general managers. Furloughs at the corporate level 'are under discussion', the woman said.

In Ohio, it is being reported that unemployment claims shot up from 6,000 last week to 45,000 this week.

There are grave fears the country is heading towards a recession, as businesses shutter and independent contractors continue to lose work.

On Monday, the stock market suffered its worst day since 1987. The Dow dropped by 3,000 points and the S&P 500 fell so much it halted trading temporarily.

Trump and Mnuchin are determined to keep the economy afloat.

Their plan will also revive the airline industry, they said, and they will be asking congress for more money to be able to alleviate the strain.

There are now more than 5,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 100 people have died

'This is no fault to American workers - for medical reasons we are shutting down parts of this economy and we are going to use all the tools as I've said, what tools we don't have - we're going back to congress,' Mnuchin said.

Mnuchin said he was previewing the plan with Capitol Hill and would reveal more details later, but he suggested the amount could be more than $1,000.

There would also be some income cut-offs. 'You don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks,' he said.

Trump said of his administration's stimulus plans: 'We're going big.'

Beyond giving cash to Americans, Mnuchin said tax payments can also be deferred.

The White House sped up its embrace of a universal basic income-like stimulus after economic adviser Larry Kudlow told DailyMail.com Monday said the administration 'might' get behind new proposals to give cash to American households.

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Monday announced that he was for a plan to give American workers $1,000 each month during the outbreak.

'We also urgently need to build on this legislation with additional action to help families and small businesses meet their short-term financial obligations, ease the financial burden on students entering the workforce, and protect health workers on the front lines and their patients by improving telehealth services,' the Utah senator said in a statement, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

'I will be pushing these measures as Senate discussions continue about an additional relief package,' he added.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A single dose of the main psychoactive component in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can induce a range of psychiatric symptoms, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies including 331 people with no history of psychotic or other major psychiatric disorders, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

At the same time, the results from an analysis of four studies found no consistent evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) induces psychiatric symptoms itself or that it moderates THC's effects in healthy volunteers. On the other hand, the review and analysis suggest that smokers are less sensitive to the effects of THC, but this finding is preliminary, and the authors do not recommend using tobacco for this purpose.

"As the THC-to-CBD ratio of street cannabis continues to increase, it is important to clarify whether these compounds can cause psychotic symptoms. Our finding that THC can temporarily induce psychiatric symptoms in healthy volunteers highlights the risks associated with the use of THC-containing cannabis products. This potential risk should be considered in discussions between patients and medical practitioners thinking about using cannabis products with THC. This work will also inform regulators, public health initiatives, and policy makers considering the medical use of THC-containing cannabis products or their legalisation for recreational use," says Professor Oliver Howes from King's College London, UK.

Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, with 6-7% of the population in Europe using it every year, over 15% in the USA, and around 188 million people globally. The drug has been legalised in 11 US states, Canada, and Uruguay, and policymakers elsewhere are deliberating whether to allow the medicinal use of cannabis products.

Over 150 years ago, a first study found an association between cannabis use and psychotic symptoms, such as paranoia and hallucinations, and the effects were subsequently linked to THC. Many studies support the original findings, but there have been discrepancies, and the contribution made by factors such as dose, prior cannabis use, and the method of administration (inhaling, oral capsules, or intravenous injections) has not been systematically evaluated.

For the current review, researchers identified 15 studies that studied participants' psychiatric symptoms following the acute administration of intravenous, oral, or nasal THC, CBD, and placebo in healthy participants. The studies included scores for an increase in severity of positive psychotic symptoms (including delusions and hallucinations), negative psychotic symptoms (such as blunted affect and amotivation), and general symptoms (including depression and anxiety), which were compared after THC administration versus placebo. A change in symptoms with an effect size of 0.4 or more was considered clinically important, and an effect size of more than 0.70 was considered a large effect.

The doses of THC in the meta-analysis ranged from 1.25mg to 10mg, leading to peak THC blood levels of 4.56 to 5.1 ng/ml when orally administered and 110-397 ng/ml when injected or inhaled. These blood levels are comparable to those seen shortly after smoking a single typical cannabis joint containing 16-34mg of THC.

Compared to placebo, THC was found to induce significantly more severe positive psychotic symptoms (average effect size of 0.91), negative symptoms (average effect size 0.78), general symptoms (average effect size 1.01) and total symptoms (average effect size 1.10). The effect sizes remained significant for all types of symptom regardless of sex, age, dose, route of administration, prior cannabis use and tobacco use. However, intravenous administration had more pronounced effects than inhaled THC on psychotic and negative symptoms, while there were insufficient studies to assess the effect of oral THC. Greater induction of psychotic symptoms by THC was associated with lower rates of tobacco use, and greater induction of negative symptoms was associated with a higher age.

Dr. Faith Borgan from King's College London says: "Our finding that schizophrenia-like symptoms can be induced using a compound that activates the receptor to which THC binds in the brain adds to recent work showing that cannabinoid 1 receptor proteins are altered in people with schizophrenia. As our results were in healthy people, the implications for clinical patients will need further work."

The authors speculate that the finding that the induction of psychotic symptoms was lower in people with higher tobacco use suggests tobacco smokers are less sensitive to the effects of THC. However, further work is needed to test causality and the authors do not recommend the use of tobacco to counter THC. They say that smokers could be less sensitive to the effects of THC due to an association between tobacco smoking and lower brain cannabinoid 1 receptor levels.

The authors also reviewed four studies that examined the effects of CBD on the development of the same psychiatric symptoms, compared to placebo, and no significant differences were found. In studies that focused on whether CBD counters THC-induced symptoms, one study identified reduced symptoms, using a modest sample, but three larger studies failed to replicate this finding.

The authors highlight several limitations to their study. Their finding that psychotic symptoms were not moderated by dose or by prior cannabis use contrasts with results from several studies and may reflect limited power in the analysis. They suggest that further work is needed to clarify the effects, particularly at the level of individual symptoms. The authors identified potential publication bias, where significant findings are more likely to be published than lower effect sizes. However, they found that the better the quality of the study, the greater the effect size, suggesting that their resultswhich also included lower quality studiesmay in fact underestimate the size of the effect of THC on inducing symptoms.

Writing in a linked Comment, lead author Dr. Carsten Hjorthj (who was not involved in the study) from Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, says: "Finally, although THC, alone or in combination with, for example, CBD might have a role in treating certain symptoms, caution should not be thrown to the wind. As Hindley and colleagues have clearly demonstrated, there are at least transient psychiatric symptoms associated with even relatively low doses of THC. Of course, this result should not be extrapolated as meaning that single doses of THC will eventually lead to schizophrenia or other severe disorders. However, it might be prudent to extrapolate and paraphrase the words of Moore and colleagues from their 2007 meta-analysis to apply to both recreational and medicinal use of THC-containing cannabis: 'there is sufficient evidence to warn people that using THC could increase their risk of developing psychiatric symptoms or even a psychotic illness'."

Explore further An ingredient in cannabis may be useful for treating psychosis  new study
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Further tightening the lockdown to contain the coronavirus spread, the government on Tuesday imposed fresh travel restrictions prohibiting the entry of travellers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia and suspended all flights from the three countries.

The notification will come into effect from Tuesday at 3 pm (IST). The government, in a statement, said the instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till 31st March 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently. There are 125 cases of the pandemic in the country as on Tuesday at 9 am.

Afghanistan has reported 22 cases, there are 142 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines and 553 cases in Malaysia.

"In continuation of the travel advisory issued on March 11, the following additional advisory is issued: (i) Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect. No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IST)," the notification read.

"This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till 31st March 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently," it added.

The updated travel advisory comes a day after the government announced that travellers from the European Union, Turkey and the United Kingdom are prohibited from March 18.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe has emerged as the new epicentre of the disease.

The government has decided to go into a partial lockdown as it ordered the shut down of all educational institutions, places of social gatherings like swimming pools, spas, gyms, museums and cultural centres.

Earlier, the government had suspended all visas to prevent the spread of the virus which has claimed over 6000 lives.

Coronavirus, which originated in the Wuhan city of China, has so far spread to more than 100 countries infecting over 1,20,000 people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cara Delevingne and girlfriend Ashley Benson were snapped as they rolled their large suitcases to their car in Los Angeles.

The model, 27, cut a laidback figure in her sweats while the former Pretty Little Liars actress, 30, stood out in a bright tie-dye T-shirt and red bottoms.

This comes a day after they were joined by pal Kaia Gerber at a local Los Angeles grocery store on Sunday amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

Bye! Cara Delevingne and girlfriend Ashley Benson were snapped as they rolled their large suitcases to their car in Los Angeles

Cara beamed ear to ear as she pushed a large white Away suitcase while sporting black sweat bottoms with a tan jacket and a graphic T-shirt.

The British-born model wore her tresses pulled back, opting to go makeup free.

Cara also appeared to carry a guitar on her back in a travel bag.

Meanwhile, Cara's girlfriend Ashley led the way with her huge black suitcase in hand.

On the move: The model, 27, cut a laidback figure in her sweats while the former Pretty Little Liars actress, 30, stood out in a bright tie-dye T-shirt and red bottoms

Lots of stuff: Cara beamed ear to ear as she pushed a large white Away suitcase while sporting black sweat bottoms with a tan jacket and a graphic T-shirt

Hanging out: Ashley posted this funny TikTok video featuring Cara

Make room: Kaia was also shown in the quick clip

The brunette beauty had a very large tote slung over her arm as well while hitting the pavement in sneakers.

Ashley donned a long-sleeved tie-dye T-shirt with bold red sweat bottoms; she rounded out her look with sunglasses, pulled back hair and a makeup free face.

Later in the day, Kaia was building furniture with Cara and a pal; Cara and the friend were focused on putting the chair together while Kaia filmed.

The teen model. 18, captioned it with: 'Furniture building is a great way to pass the time.'

Ashley also shared an Instagram story snap of the box, adding 'Day 4 activities.'

One day prior, Cara and Ashley were joined by Kaia for a quick grocery run to Erewhon in West Hollywood.

Focused: Later in the day, Kaia was building furniture with Cara and a pal

Almost done: Cara and the friend were focused on putting the chair together while Kaia filmed

Views: Ashley also shared an Instagram story snap of the box, adding 'Day 4 activities'

The trio were joined by a small group of friends for the shopping trip.

Their grocery run comes amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, which has reached 152 countries and infected over 180,000 people and killed more than 7,400.

As of Tuesday, the US has 4,661 cases and counting, with 86 deaths.

Just days before their food and supplies run, Ashley was spotted stepping out in New York City solo in a chic look; the TV star cut an edgy figure in black jeans with a leather coat and a graphic tee, adding boots and a snakeskin handbag.

Ashley and Cara were first linked together in May 2018 after they starred in the drama Her Smell.

Chic: Just days before their food and supplies run, Ashley was spotted stepping out in New York City solo in a chic look; the TV star cut an edgy figure in black jeans with a leather coat and a graphic tee, adding boots and a snakeskin handbag
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Net Gaming Europe (STO:NETG) shares are down a considerable 38% in the last month. And that drop will have no doubt have some shareholders concerned that the 71% share price decline, over the last year, has turned them into bagholders. For those wondering, a bagholder is someone who keeps holding a losing stock indefinitely, without taking the time to consider its prospects carefully, going forward.

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). 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.

See our latest analysis for Net Gaming Europe

Does Net Gaming Europe Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

Net Gaming Europe's P/E of 3.07 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (8.8) for companies in the hospitality industry is higher than Net Gaming Europe's P/E.

OM:NETG Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 17th 2020

Net Gaming Europe'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

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.

Story continues

Net Gaming Europe shrunk earnings per share by 39% over the last year. But over the longer term (3 years), earnings per share have increased by 1337%.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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.

Net Gaming Europe's Balance Sheet

Net Gaming Europe has net debt worth a very significant 149% of its market capitalization. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you must keep in mind that these debt levels would usually warrant a relatively low P/E.

The Bottom Line On Net Gaming Europe's P/E Ratio

Net Gaming Europe's P/E is 3.1 which is below average (13.8) in the SE market. When you consider that the company has significant debt, and didn't grow EPS last year, it isn't surprising that the market has muted expectations. Given Net Gaming Europe's P/E ratio has declined from 5.0 to 3.1 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. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

You might be able to find a better buy than Net Gaming Europe. 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 government has approved flights for Delhi and Vizag to help Indians stranded at Kuala Lumpur airport due to the outbreak, External Affairs Minister said on Tuesday.

Media reports said over 200 Indians, mostly students, were stuck at Kuala Lumpur Airport due to the outbreak in the country.



ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: Vaishno Devi pilgrims urged to defer visit as precaution

The government, which on Monday banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31, also closed its doors to those from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.

"Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. We have now approved Air Asia flights for you to Delhi and Vizag," Jaishankar tweeted.

"These are tough times and you should understand the precautions. Please contact the airline," he said.
File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hold talks in Rome, Italy, March 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

China identifies with Italy's urgent concerns, and will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Xi Jinping said.

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday evening.

In the talk, Xi stressed that both China and Italy have experienced the severe test of the COVID-19 epidemic recently.

After months of hard work, China's epidemic prevention and control work has shown positive changes and made major progress for the current stage, Xi said, adding that the recovery of economic and social development has been accelerated at the same time.

Chinese Consul General in Milan Song Xuefeng (4th L) and Luigi Genesio Icardi (4th R), councilor for health of the region of Piedmont, pose for a photo in Turin, Italy, March 14, 2020. (Xinhua)

China will act prudently from beginning to end and strive for an early and complete victory over the epidemic, so as to provide other countries with confidence in their prevention and control efforts.

Noting that the Italian government has taken a series of resolute prevention and control measures in response to the epidemic, Xi said that China firmly supports Italy and has full confidence in Italy's victory over the epidemic.

China identifies with Italy's urgent concerns, and will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Xi said.

Chairman of Italian Red Cross Francesco Rocca (6th R, back) poses for photos with members of Chinese aid team at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

China is willing to work with Italy to contribute to international cooperation in combating the epidemic and to the construction of a Health Silk Road, Xi said.

He expressed belief that through this joint fight against the epidemic, the traditional friendship and mutual trust between the two countries will be deepened, and the bilateral all-round cooperation will enjoy even broader prospects.

Conte noted that the Chinese government has taken resolute measures to effectively control the epidemic, which has greatly encouraged and provided reference for Italy and other countries, adding that Italy congratulates China on the achievement.

Conte thanked the Chinese side for its valuable support and assistance at Italy's difficult times, adding that this once again proves the profound friendship between the two peoples.

On behalf of the Italian government and people, Conte expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Chinese side, and said he believes that after the epidemic, the relationship between Italy and China will be stronger.
Deputy secretary of NSW Health Susan Pearce said since the outbreak of COVID-19 hospitals had seen a further increase in demand. Ms Pearce said emergency departments would always prioritise the sickest patients and urged the public to seek out their GPs or pharmacists if they didn't need emergency treatment. "We've been planning for COVID-19 for many months," Ms Pearce said. "Our main concern is the safety of our patients." She asked people to consider whether their health concerns could be managed by their GP or pharmacist rather than an emergency department. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said it was important for the public to know they had an excellent health system with extraordinary staff and resilient services that would cope.

Loading People who meet the testing criteria for coronavirus - have symptoms and are close contacts of confirmed cases or have symptoms and recently returned from overseas - should go to one of the state's 29 new dedicated COVID and flu clinics to relieve pressure on EDs. The latest data shows about three in 10 patients waited longer than clinically recommended for their treatment to start on time in emergency departments, and the same proportion were still in the EDs more than four hours after they arrived. Health authorities are anticipating as many as 1.5 million people in NSW (20 per cent of the population) would be infected with coronavirus in the first wave. The infection would be spread over many months and the majority of cases would be mild and not need hospitalisation. International estimates suggest 14 per cent of cases require hospitalisation and 5 per cent will need intensive care.

Grattan Institute healthcare economist Dr Stephen Duckett said he expected the state's healthcare system would withstand the pressure. "It's a bit too early to tell what the total impact will be," he said. "I think the system will cope even though we might have to make some tough priority choices in the midst of the virus escalation," he said, alluding to longer delays for elective surgeries. At Westmead Hospital, a stream of people - many of whom did not meet testing criteria but were worried they had been exposed to the virus - have been verbally aggressive to staff. Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Graeme Loy said the behaviour would not be tolerated.

"While I understand the stress and confusion that our patients and consumers are feeling, aggression and abuse of our healthcare workers is never OK and will not be tolerated," Mr Loy said. "All of our staff are doing their very best to look after our community." Dr Euan McCaughey, a researcher at Neuroscience Research Australia, said St Vincent's Hospital's fever clinic resembled "mass panic" when he presented with a slight fever, sore throat, a headache and body aches. Dr McCaughey sought testing after reading NSW Healths guidelines that were updated over the weekend to advise healthcare workers "must self-isolate immediately and seek medical assessment for SARS-CoV-2." By 11.30am on Monday, 160 people had presented and the 70 waiting for testing were told it would take three to four hours, Dr McCaughey said.
A U.S. soldier stands guard at Kandahar Air base in Afghanistan on Jan. 23, 2018. (Shah Marai/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon: Troops in Afghanistan Have Enough Coronavirus Tests

Pentagon officials said that troops in Afghanistan have enough tests for the Wuhan coronavirus, explaining the difference between testing and the machines needed to process the tests.

Im not aware of any lack of tests. I believe theres been some concern about the fact that the equipment to run the tests, that specific machine, is not in Afghanistan and thats true, Joint Staff Surgeon of the Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs told reporters at the Pentagon on March 16.

The Pentagon has 13 labs across the world using the machine required to process tests. The closest military lab to Afghanistan is in Germany.

What we do with any lab that we cant perform in a deployed environment is we fly it or ship it to the nearest lab that can perform it, Friedrichs said. That doesnt mean that theyre not getting tested.

Were doing the swabs, were just not running the test itself in Afghanistan, he added.

A sample taken from a person tested for the new coronavirus is seen at a drive-thru station at Caroll Hospitals parking garage in Westminster, Maryland on March 16, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Jonathan Hoffman, a Department of Defense spokesman, told reporters of 37 reported cases of COVID-19 in the department: 18 military personnel, 13 military family members, three civilian employees, and three contractors.

None of those positive tests have come from people in Iraq or Afghanistan, Friedrichs said. As of Sunday morning, 495 tests were completed by the military.

The new information came after a U.S. Central Command representative told the House Armed Services Committee last week that soldiers were being tested on-base and samples were being sent to Germany.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) sent a letter to military officials last week asking for answers on coronavirus testing for the military. She said her office has received concerns that a Wisconsin Army National Guard unit in Afghanistan may be conducting operations in and around villages where there are active cases of COVID-19, the disease the new virus causes, and that members of this unit may not have access to testing kits.

I believe service members should have easy access to testing regardless of where they are currently serving, she wrote.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) also said last week that his office was contacted over concerns.

We were contacted about a military base, 75 miles from the Iranian border, where a number of military personnel have flu-like symptoms but have tested negative for the flu. The base is only a few miles from a town in Afghanistan with 5 known positive cases for coronavirus, he said in a statement.

We asked the Department of Defense whether the Army has coronavirus testing kits physically at all bases abroad. After following up, they are still unable to tell us yes or no answerdoes every military base overseas have current access to coronavirus kits?

A U.S. military policeman and South Korean security persons U.S. Army base Camp Walker, in Daegu, South Korea on Feb. 20, 2020. (Kim Hyun-tae/Yonhap via AP)

Pocan said he wanted an answer soon.

An outbreak of the virus in South Korea infected some service members and family members in the country. At one point, nearly 400 service members, family members, and civilians were in self-quarantine on the U.S. military base there, according to General Robert Abrams, commander of United States Forces-Korea, though that number has dropped sharply in recent weeks.

People suspected of having the virus were tested and told to self-isolate until test results returned, he told reporters in a phone call. If the test came back positive, the person went into isolation in a negative pressure room at a hospital and contact tracing was done to find people who had come into contact with the person and test them.

Social distancing measures, including asking people to maintain a certain distance from each other, were put into place, but those measures arent feasible in his commands Operations Center, Abrams said.

Other mitigation measures are used there, including screening of people before they enter, limiting the number of people inside, and doing constant disinfecting with spray and other disinfectants.

A similar situation exists for other groups, such as aircrews.

Were still flying. Were still training. Were still shooting gunnery. Were still qualifying our weapons. Were still conducting maneuver training. All of that is possible as long as you apply the additional mitigation measures that I mentioned to you, Abrams said.
"Frozen 2" actor Rachel Matthews has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The 26-year-old actor, who voices Honey Maren in the 2019 Disney animated film, told her Instagram followers that she has been in quarantine for the past week.

"Hey guys, I tested positive for COVID-19 and have been in quarantine the last week. Unsure of what the next step is (been getting mixed info so will keep you posted) but obviously will remain in quarantine until told to do otherwise. I'm feeling better but I will be posting some info that I hope will be helpful to some.

"Please feel free to reach out and ask me any questions. I really would love to help in any way I can. Again, let's please be mindful of our decisions - now is the time to be smart and responsible. Let's take care of one another," she wrote in her Instagram story on Monday.

The actor also shared the list of her symptoms to create awareness about the coronavirus outbreak.

Matthews joins Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks and his wife, actor Rita Wilson, British actor Idris Elba, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko and "Game of Thrones" star Kristofer Hivju who tested positive for coronavirus.

The virus, which originated in China's Wuhan city, was declared pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO) last week.

The COVID-19 has claimed over 7,000 lives and infected more than 175,530 people in 145 countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Premier Scott Moe announced Monday during a press conference schools from pre-K to 12 will be shut down starting March 20.

In consultation with the chief medical health officer, the government of Saskatchewan has announced that all classes in Saskatchewan pre-K to 12 will be suspended, and will be suspended indefinitely effective March 20, said Moe during the press conference.

This week, from March 16-19 will be a wind down period for those having to make plans in regards to child care.

Over the next couple of days, classes in this province will wind down. This means that parents who are able to keep their children at home, they should do so immediately, he added.

Moe said the decision for the March 16-19 wind down period before the official closures was to give parents with limited child care options a window to plan for class suspensions.

The decision to go ahead with class suspensions was one that dealt with three factors which are evidence of sustained transmission of COVID-19 within the community, the rapid increase in local cases and transmission without a known link to travel or confirmed cases.

While none of these criteria have been met today in Saskatchewan, we believe a preventative approach of proactive school closures beginning on March 20 means that we will reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in our province, said Moe.

Students will receive a final grade based on their current grade and progress to the next level in the fall. Students who are eligible to graduate will still do so.

Chief medical officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said during the press conference he would like people to spend this time with family.

I would like us to view this as a calming thing we can do in terms of spending more time with family as kids are at home, said Shahab.

We need to support our friends and neighbours who work in essential services, who work in health care and have to go to work, he added.

Shahab also announced that a seventh case of COVID-19 has been identified in Saskatchewan. The resident is in their 60s and recently returned from Arizona. They were tested in Regina and are currently in the hospital for unrelated reasons.

To date, Saskatchewan has performed 796 tests with 16 pending results, five presumptive positive cases and two confirmed positive cases.

Moe added there may be more restrictions coming in the days ahead.

You are seeing some of these further restrictions today, you may see some more tomorrow, the next day or the day after that as this is an evolving situation, said Moe.
Two couples have been arrested for reportedly abducting a toddler in south Delhi's Tigri area, police said on Tuesday.

The accused have been identified as Sanjay (36), Rekha (32), both residents of Meerut, and Qumar (40) and Mukesh (28), both residents of Bulandshahar, they said.

On March 6, a woman lodged a complaint where she alleged that around 4 pm that day, she went to bring food from a nearby shop and both her kids were alone at home. When she returned, one of her children was missing from the house, a senior police officer said.

The complainant also said that her neighbour, Pinki, and the latter's son-in-law had offered the woman Rs 1.5 lakh about 15 days ago for giving them one of her children, but she refused, they said.

During investigation, police analysed nearby CCTV footage and saw that two persons came on a motorcycle and picked up the child. They later entered a car with the child. The owner of the car was identified as Ranvir Singh, police said.

Singh is the son-in-law of Pinki who was named in the FIR, they said.

"The child was rescued from the custody of Sanjay and his wife Rekha in Meerut and the couple was arrested," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said.

They disclosed that the child was handed over to them by Alam and his wife Mukesh and asked them to keep the toddler with them for four to five days for which they would be paid Rs 20,000, the DCP said.

Alam and Mukesh were arrested, police said, adding raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining accused.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Ghana has confirmed a new case of the deadly coronavirus disease bringing the total number of victims in the country to seven (7).



The new case, a male, which was reported during Peace FM [email protected] Tuesday, was confirmed on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) website.





(GHS WEBSITE) Updates Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) In Ghana - 17 March 2020

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, later affirmed the news in aAccording to the GHS, the latest victim of the scourge who is "being managed in isolation" and "in stable condition", resides in the Greater Accra Region. He, however, is another imported case; a Ghanaian citizen who recently returned from France."This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received report from NMIMR that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region. The case patient is a 35-year-old male, a Ghanaian citizen, who returned to Acca from France within the past 14 days. This is another imported case, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to seven (7). The case is being managed in isolation and he is in stable condition".Meanwhile, with regard to contact tracing on the the six previous cases, "a total of 350 contacts have been identified and are being followed up," says the GHS.The rise in number of confirmed cases comes despite government's drastic measures to curb its spread by banning social gatherings and imposing a travel ban on countries with high cases of the disease.As of 17 March 2020, a total of 143 suspected cases have been tested for COVID-19 by Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR).This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received report from NMIMR that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region. The case patient is a 35-year-old male, a Ghanaian citizen, who returned to Acca from France within the past 14 days.This is another imported case, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to seven (7). The case is being managed in isolation and he is in stable condition.With regard to contact tracing, a total of 350 contacts have been identified and are being followed up. Two of the contacts who developed symptoms, had their samples tested but they came out to be negative.Currently, there is no death and all the seven (7) confirmed COVID-19 cases are being managed in isolation and are in stable condition.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/GHANA









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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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstans Baikonur city is being closed off for entrance of those who have no permission to stay in this city amid coronavirus spread, Trend reports with reference to the decree of citys administration.

The corresponding decree is being introduced over the period of coronavirus spreading to battle the infection in Kazakhstan.

Entrance to the city is allowed only with permanent passes of residents of Baikonur city, Toretam village, the Akay district or documents confirming registration at the place of residence (stay) in Baikonur city. There are also restrictions on entry in the Baikonur city and on issuance of one-time passes for citizens arriving at the invitation of residents of the city of Baikonur, and business travelers, the decree said.

Currently, the overall number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan amounts to 32.

On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection were 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 7,000. Over 182,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 79,000 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.

Several countries are developing a vaccine against the new virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Nine days ago, in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked New Yorkers to avoid crowds and any kind of density. The day before, transit riders had logged more than 5 million trips on New York City subways, with more than a half a million of those subway trips beginning or ending at Grand Central or Penn Station. Cuomo suggested that, if a train car was crowded, riders simply wait for the next one. But, given the heavy usage of the subways, it was immediately clear that effective social distancing would require many fewer people to ride the subways.

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To reduce commute-related crowding, Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also asked New Yorkers to start working from home and change their shifts to avoid rush hour. Columbia University had canceled in-person classes by Monday, with many other colleges shutting down or going fully online later in the week. Private employers, such as Google, Baker McKenzie, and, yes, Slate, have all shut down offices and told employees to work from home.

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How well did this work? As it turns out, this past week offered a great experiment in how well voluntary social distancing, led by universities and private employers responding to government asking politely, works in practice. And trip data that the MTA shares publicly offers some early answers. Looking at turnstile entries for the past week, trips were down 33 percent on Friday, as compared with the previous Friday. Heres the overall picture:

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Every station, with the possible exception of West Farms Square (which is next to a bus depot in the Bronx), saw ridership declines by Friday.

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Columbia was the first university in New York City to cancel classes. Not surprisingly, therefore, the station with the single largest drop in entries was 116th St. - Columbia University, which fell by 62 percent by the end of the week.

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The major transit hubs, where the subway connects to suburban commuter rails, were also down about 41 percent overall, with Grand Central down 48 percent.

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And finally, a number of stations on the 1 line, from the World Trade Center up through 23rd Street, were down more than 50 percent, perhaps due to employers along the West Side, such as Google, shuttering their Chelsea offices.

As impressive as voluntary measures reducing ridership by one-third in a single week is, that level of reduction in ridership is not enough to stop the spread of the coronavirus. This week, the city will begin mandatory shutdowns of schools, restaurants, and bars to slow transmission. Last week, we saw the kinds of reductions asking nicely can bring; this week, we will see what full-throated government restrictions can do.
Press Release

March 17, 2020 PRRD calls for solidarity among Filipinos amid COVID-19 situation; echoes Bong Go's call to private sector for 'bayanihan' President Rodrigo Duterte enjoined all Filipinos to cooperate in the government's fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as he addressed the nation on Monday, March 16. "Lahat po tayo ay sundalo sa digmaang ito," Duterte said in a televised speech after a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) at the Malacanan Palace. Also in attendance during the meeting was Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health. "Our countrymen are our most potent weapons in this war against COVID-19," the President added. The President has announced that he had placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine and stringent social distancing measures shall be implemented. Parts of the guidelines state that "strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households; movement shall be limited to accessing basic necessities; provision for food and essential health services shall be regulated; and there will be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures." Also in his statement, Duterte echoed the appeal of Senator Go for the private sector and businesses to help ease the burden borne by their workers and employees as a result of this health crisis. The night before the President addressed the nation, Go already urged business leaders to help workers and small-time traders by recommending the following measures that the private sector may consider: - Release of 13th Month Pay - Moratorium on rental fees for lessors and tenants

- One month reprieve on bills payment for basic utility providers

- Aid to small and medium scale enterprises, from big businesses

- Impose work from home arrangement/flexible work schedule

- Limit travel for workers After the President ordered the enhanced community quarantine for the whole of Luzon in his speech, he then emphasized Go's appeal to the private sector. "'Yun sanang malalaking enterprises dito, maybe you can consider paying the 13th month pay or just paying them maski kalahati sa sweldo nila as a way of showing your solidarity with the Filipino at this critical time," Duterte said. The President also asked that renters and tenants be given some leeway in the payment of rent and for service providers to provide a one-month extension for the payment of bills. "Gawan natin ng paraan na mabawasan ng gastusin ang ating mga kababayan," Duterte said. "I urge our business leaders to find ways to help small businesses and ease the burden which is felt by the ordinary citizens," he added. Assuring the public that there will be no hunger during the quarantine period, Duterte also guaranteed that there is enough supply of food in the country. Aside from assurances from the Department of Agriculture that the country has enough food supply, the President also mentioned during the IATF-EID meeting that San Miguel Corporation President Ramon Ang relayed a message to him that the company will help ensure sufficient supply of food and basic necessities while the government addresses the COVID-19 situation. President Duterte asked Senator Bong Go to read the message from Ang during the IATF-EID meeting and after the message was read, the President expressed his gratitude for the support given by Ang as well as other private companies and business leaders who have signified intent to help. Senator Go, for his part, earlier appealed to the private sector, the industry players, business leaders, foundations and the like, to join hands and combine efforts in helping the Filipino people overcome the threats of the COVID-19 crisis. He emphasized that a whole-of-society approach is needed to contain the disease. The Senator also thanked those who have already expressed willingness to bolster government efforts through various forms of donations. "Meron ng mga nagpahayag ng kanilang intensyong tumulong sa ngayon, katulad ng mga alcoholic drinks manufacturers na may malakihang donasyon ng denatured alcohol para magamit ng ating mga ospital, mga kumpanya ng langis na magtatabi ng P1-2 kada litrong nabebenta at mga casino na magtatatag ng kani-kanilang mga foundations upang makalikom ng pondong itutulong sa ating mga kababayan," Go said. "Taus puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyo. Hinihikayat ko din ang ibang merong malasakit sa kapwa na mag-ambag ng tulong para sa ating mga mamamayan," he added. Encouraging optimism amid the ongoing public health situation, Go called for unity and bayanihan in fighting the spread of the virus. "Marami na tayong napagdaanan na mga delubyo at trahedya subalit dahil sa ating pagkakaisa, pagdadamayan at pagmamalasakit sa isa't isa, nalampasan natin ang mga ito," Go said. "Ngayon, muli na namang sinusubok ng sakit na ito ang katatagan ng ating pagiging Pilipino. Magkaisa at magbayanihan po tayo," he ended.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks and takes questions during a press conference in Downing Street regarding the coronavirus outbreak, on March 9, 2020. in London, England.

The U.K. government has announced a raft of new financial measures to help businesses under strain from the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking at the government's new daily press conference regarding the outbreak of coronavirus in the U.K., Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced announcing 330 billion ($398 billion) of government-backed loans and guarantees.

"We will support jobs, we will support incomes and we will support businesses ... we will do whatever it takes," he said.

"That means any businesses that needs access to cash ...will be able to access a government-backed loan," he said. Sunak noted that the government interventions in the economy being announced were "unimaginable" just weeks ago.

Calling the pandemic an "economic emergency" as well as a public health one, Sunak announced more help for the most affected sectors of the economy, including tax cuts and grants.

Among the measures announced in the package, Sunak said smaller businesses would be able to access cash grants of up to 25,000 to see them through the crisis. He also said mortgage providers would also be able to provide a 3-month mortgage holiday to those in difficulty.

Sunak said the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS), already under pressure before the coronavirus outbreak, would get "whatever" resources it needs.

British businesses and various sectors most at risk from the virus  in terms of its impact on consumer behavior and restrictions put in place on movement  have warned the government that they will need financial aid to survive the crisis. At most risk is the aviation and tourism sector, as well as the hospitality industry.

Like their global counterparts, these industries are facing an almost international shutdown as governments restrict their citizens' activities to try to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The U.K. government has been accused of taking too cautious an approach to the outbreak; schools and universities are still open, unlike many of their European neighbors, and most businesses remain open.

On Monday, Prime Minister Johnson stepped up the U.K.'s advice to citizens, telling them to avoid all unnecessary social contact and to stop going to restaurants, clubs, pubs and theaters, although the government stopped short on an outright ban.

That left some businesses complaining that they would not be able to claim on their insurance policies for the loss of trade caused by the virus; the insurance industry responded that many businesses would not be covered anyway, even if the government forced closures.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that without "drastic measures" the virus would over-run the country's health system, and didn't rule out further restrictions. "We may well have to go further and faster in the coming days," he said.2

The U.K's aid package comes after similar measures in Italy, France and Germany. Sunak is due to address the House of Commons, the U.K.'s lower house of parliament, at 7 p.m. London time on the new financial measures the government will take to tackle the economic impact of the outbreak.
An image showing an exhausted Italian nurse slumping over her keyboard is being seen as the symbol of battle and has been dubbed a "true hero", as the world tackles the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus. The picture is of Elena Pagliarini, a nurse in the northern region of Lombardy which has been worst hit by the COVID-19. Nationwide tally of Italy as of March 15, has recorded 1,441 deaths with 21,157 confirmed cases of the fatal virus.

Lombardy, which is the economic hub of Italy in normal is reportedly equipped with some of the world's best health systems has now put the medical workers under enormous strain. Pagliarini reportedly told a local newspaper that one hand, she was annoyed to see her picture being shared widely across social media platforms because she was ashamed of showing weakness. However, she reportedly added that on the contrary she also felt happy because she this led to her receiving beautiful messages from people who empathised with her story.

Read - Chinese Nurse Asks Govt To 'assign' Her Boyfriend When Coronavirus Epidemic Is Over

Image of exhausted nurse has become the symbol of the Italian fight against corona

Literally tired fighting. With her head resting on a pillow on her keyboard. Elena Pagliarini (40) did not reach the end of her shift and collapsed. It is the image that touches the Italians. pic.twitter.com/9XCsnlbAB2  vince (@vinny2033) March 10, 2020

'Enemy I don't know'

The picture has been shared by thousands of internet users who have not only applauded the nurse for exhausting work shifts but also wished her more strength and power. But Pagliarini while talking to a local media said that she does not feel physically tired. She added that she can work for 24 hours straight, however, Pagliarini confessed, I'm anxious because I'm fighting an enemy I don't know.

Read - Father And Son Treated By Same Nurse 33 Years Apart Reunited At New Jersey Hospital

Pagliarini is one of the many healthcare workers who have expressed their concern about the facilities and healthcare institutions. A hospital doctor, Daniele Macchini also shared his feelings in a widely shared Facebook post and revealed how he is worried about infecting his family. As an outcome, he has to look through the pictures of his son which he looks at teary-eyed and through video calls. Many netizens hoped for doctors and front-liners who are handling the pandemic which has rocked the world since December 2019 after being first detected in the Chinese province of Wuhan.

Elena Pagliarini, a nurse exhausted by endless consecutive work shifts to stem the Coronavirus emergency in Lombardy, who rests for a few minutes. Shot captured by Francesca Mangiatordi, doctor of the Emergency Department of the Maggiore hospital of Cremona.



Thank you #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/FCl4RzfO1t  Andrea (@dindi_84) March 10, 2020

Image of exhausted nurse has become the symbol of the Italian fight against corona

Literally tired fighting. With her head resting on a pillow on her keyboard. Elena Pagliarini (40) did not reach the end of her shift and collapsed. It is the image that touches the Italians. pic.twitter.com/9XCsnlbAB2  vince (@vinny2033) March 10, 2020

First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted many lives since December 2019. As per reports, the total number of confirmed cases within China has reportedly hit 80,849 and at least 156,930 cases worldwide. According to reports, the death toll in China has also surpassed 3,190 and the National Health Commission also confirmed more than 25 new cases on March 15. The death toll due to the virus across the world also mounted to over 5,839.

Read - Barack Obama Meets 'awesome' Raptors Coach Nick Nurse On Sidelines Of NBA All-Stars 2020

Read - Chinese Nurse Treating Coronavirus Patients In Wuhan Gives Daughter Air Hug: Watch

(With agency inputs)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 03:20:40|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Fighting in Tripoli and surrounding areas of Libya continues to heavily impact civilians, a United Nations spokesman said Monday.

"Around 749,000 people remain in areas impacted by fighting in and around Tripoli, according to estimates, including almost 345,000 people in frontline areas," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at the daily news briefing.

"On March 13 and 14, heavy artillery shelling on the al-Nawasi (armed group) base in Soug al Juma'aa (area) impacted a nearby residential area, reportedly injuring two civilians and causing heavy damage to civilian infrastructure," he said.

Humanitarian organizations continue to call on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, given their likely indiscriminate effects, said the spokesman.

"Humanitarian partners are helping people affected by the fighting in Tripoli and surrounding areas, as well as other parts of the country, where access and capacities allow," he said.

"Humanitarian operations reached more than 400,000 people with assistance in 2019, including 95,000 people affected by fighting in and around Tripoli," Dujarric added. Enditem
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district encompasses parts of north San Antonio, voted against a coronavirus relief package that passed the House on Saturday.

Roy mocked the bill on Twitter. He eventually deleted the tweet, but not before his opponent in the November election nabbed a screenshot.

The legislation, now under consideration in the Senate, would provide paid sick leave, unemployment insurance to those who lose jobs during the pandemic, and give Texas a Medicaid boost estimated in the billions.

Roy was one of six Texas Republicans who voted against the bill, protesting that they were given little time to review the 110-page bill.

A former federal prosecutor, Roy appeared to take issue with the content of the legislation as well.

"The only thing missing from the #PelosiDeal is free toilet paper for all," he wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of a claw machine stocked with toilet paper.

On ExpressNews.com: Bill to provide paid sick leave, other benefits during coronavirus pandemic moves to Senate

Wendy Davis, the Democrat challenging Roy in the 21st District of Texas, shared a picture of his deleted tweet.

"The Internet doesn't forget," Davis wrote. "Nor will voters when they find out you voted against bipartisan legislation addressing this growing health and economic crisis."

The bill passed the House on a 363-40 vote.

Roy expanded on his opposition to the legislation in an Op-Ed for The Federalist. He noted that the bill exempts businesses over 500 from providing paid sick leave, putting a large burden on small businesses, and was to be paid later through tax credits.

"In short, it does no good to mandate 'paid leave' from a job that doesn't exist because the business went under," Roy wrote.

The Senate is expected to take up the legislation Tuesday.
Late on Monday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine closed polling sites for his states Tuesday primary, citing the risk that voters and poll workers, who skew elderly, could contract the coronavirus if the election went forward as scheduled. Voting will be extended until June.

Three other states with primaries on TuesdayArizona, Illinois, and Floridaare still carrying out their elections, despite warnings from health officials and organizational breakdowns brought on by the pandemic. At least one Democratic presidential candidate has encouraged citizens to show up to the polls anyway, regardless of President Donald Trump having declared a national emergency, counties in at least one state instituting shelter-in-place orders, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphatically pleading with people to stay home.

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Officials in these three states have said that Tuesdays primaries will go on due to the fact that polling places have been chosen, poll workers have been employed, and other logistical considerations.

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Ohios postponement came after a last-minute back-and-forth between the governor and the state judiciary. Franklin County Judge Richard Frye denied a last-minute action by the state to postpone the election, saying the late change might confuse and suppress voters. Frye added that there was no medical evidence the pandemic would be over in June.

The state responded with an order from the health department closing polling sites. The order shall take effect immediately and remain in full force and effect until the State of Emergency declared by the governor no longer exists or the health department director modifies the order.

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Here is the three-page order signed tonight by @OHdeptofhealth Director @DrAmyActon that closes all polling locations in #Ohio due to the risk of #COVID19 faced by both voters and poll workers. #COVID19OhioReady pic.twitter.com/XRd4zJH4so  Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 17, 2020

During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus, said DeWine in a statement. As such, Health Director Dr. Amy Acton will order the polls closed as a health emergency. While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.

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BREAKING: Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio announces that voting be extended until June 2nd, that no in-person voting occur tomorrow.



"It is clear that tomorrows in person voting does not conform and cannot conform with these CDC guidelines. We cannot conduct this election tomorrow."  Nick Corasaniti (@NYTnickc) March 16, 2020

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The legal battle went up to the Ohio Supreme Court, where four judges issued an unanimous, unsigned ruling refusing to stop the state from closing polls. (Three judgestwo of whom are up for reelection and another who is DeWines sonrecused themselves from the vote.)

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The governors of Arizona, Florida, and Illinois, meanwhile, opted to try to hold their elections. The result has been widespread disruption: At least 80 polling sites have been shuttered in Arizona, and Florida has resorted to calling on sheriffs deputies to staff polling sites. Illinois Election Day, in particular, has been chaotic, with polling sites closing at the last minute and a workers facing a lack of cleaning supplies.

On Monday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker limited crowd sizes in the state to less than 50 but did not cancel the primary, despite there being room in the states statutes that would have allowed him to institute voting by mail in the event of a national emergency.

Election Day so far: 5/8 election staff are elderly, we were provided with no cleaning supplies, we are missing an ENTIRE blue box (meaning anyone who comes to this precinct cannot vote), we are missing 2 election judges & nobody is answering our calls. pic.twitter.com/aPfmZ5McCt  rebecca  (@rebeccapearl21) March 17, 2020

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@JBPritzker This is the extent of the safety/cleaning supplies at my polling place where Im an election judge for the next 13+ hours. Should be an all mail-in primary with extended voting for two weeks. #primaryfail #vote2020 #covid19 #IllinoisPrimary #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/Yw9t2JUBY0  Ross Evan Freedman (@vanityproject) March 17, 2020

Cook County has seen reports of polling sites not having required equipment or poll workers. At least 850 of the countys election judges, roughly 10 percent, opted out of their duties before polls opened, and at least 50 polling sites were relocated. There have also been reports of a depressed turnout, a reaction that worried election experts.

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Poll workers were encouraged by Cook County clerk Karen Yarborough to mark the floor in six foot increments, the amount of distance the CDC says is needed to tamp down the spread of the virus. The state Board of Elections tweeted that physically healthy and capable voters should help out overwhelmed polling places.

At least four other states with nominating contests scheduled in upcoming weeksMaryland, Louisiana, Georgia, and Kentuckyhave postponed their primaries preemptively. Puerto Rico has asked its legislature to push back its primary as well, while Wyoming has canceled in-person caucusing and encouraged voters to mail or drop off ballots.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 12:16:49|Editor: Liu

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WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A clinical trial to evaluate a vaccine designed against the novel coronavirus started on Monday, a U.S. health official confirmed.

"The vaccine candidate that was given the first injections for the first person took place today," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told reporters at a White House briefing on Monday.

The trial has begun at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle, and is funded by the NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The open-label trial enrolling 45 healthy adult volunteers aged 18-55 got its first participant receiving the investigational vaccine Monday, according to an NIH statement.

The study is evaluating different doses of the experimental vaccine for its safety and ability to induce an immune response in participants. This is the first of multiple steps in the clinical trial process to evaluate the potential benefit of the vaccine.

"This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step" toward achieving the goal of finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection, Fauci said.

Study participants will receive two doses of the vaccine, which does not contain the virus itself, via intramuscular injection in the upper arm approximately 28 days apart, according to NIH.

Participants will be asked to return to the clinic for follow-up visits between vaccinations and be followed across the span of a year after the second shot, said Fauci.

Lisa Jackson, senior investigator at KPWHRI, who led the Phase 1 trial, said this work is critical to national efforts to respond to the threat of this emerging virus.

The vaccine is called mRNA-1273 and was developed by NIAID scientists and their collaborators at the biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to grow.

Peter Hotez, professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas, told Xinhua his group at the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at BCM is working to develop a vaccine in collaboration with other U.S. institutions such as the University of Texas Medical Branch, and the New York Blood Center, and with the Virology Center at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

"This is a great collaboration," Hotez said in an interview with Xinhua. "But vaccine development is not a fast process, and it's not clear whether we would have a vaccine ready to use before this current epidemic ends."

According to Fauci, even if initial safety tests go well, it may take about a year to 18 months before any vaccine could be ready for public use.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 4,645 as of Monday afternoon, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Voting machines are collected from a polling place at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Wintersville, Ohio, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Ohio's presidential primary was postponed Tuesday amid coronavirus concerns. Read more

WASHINGTON  The new coronavirus kept some voters and poll workers at home and hampered efforts to open some polling sites on Tuesday as three states held Democratic presidential primary contests amid a global pandemic.

Leaders in Ohio called off their primary just hours before polls were set to open as the federal government urged Americans not to gather in groups of 10 or more and asked older people to stay home. The state's Democratic Party said it was weighing options for challenging that move, which the Republican governor has pushed.

Problems popped up across the country. In Illinois, an elections official and the governor traded blame over who was responsible for chaos at the polls there. In Okaloosa County in the Florida Panhandle, two dozen poll workers dropped out, leaving Elections Supervisor Paul Lux's staff scrambling to train replacements.

"We are at the honest end of the rope," Lux said.

The developments were a reminder of how the most elemental act of American democracy  voting  was being severely tested as Arizona, Florida and Illinois moved forward with primaries while confronting the impact of a global pandemic. The Democratic presidential primary between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is playing out as the virus' impact is becoming more tangible with schools closing across the country, workers staying home and restaurants and bars shuttering.

Its definitely eerie, said Jesse Lehrich, a Democratic operative and former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman who is based in Chicago.

The coronavirus, Lehrich said, seems to have cast a shadow over the Democratic primary race as debates over policy minutiae have taken a back seat to issues of life and death.

"Biden and Sanders are debating the merits of marginally different policies in this little pseudo-reality, while America is consumed by an unprecedented crisis," he said. That's not a criticism of the candidates  everything else in politics feels small in the shadow of coronavirus.

The big question Tuesday was the extent to which the coronavirus would affect turnout. Biden is moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination but could face a setback if the older voters who tend to support him don't show up. Sanders, meanwhile, can't afford to lose support from young voters who have been his most loyal supporters.

Debra Cleaver, the founder of Vote.org who recently launched a multimillion-dollar voter turnout organization, said she expected the coronavirus to make the difficult job of getting voters to the polls even tougher.

People are prioritizing their day-to-day survival right now  so theyre not thinking of voting as a priority," she said.

Millions of voters have already participated in some form of early voting. But there were signs on Tuesday that voters  and poll workers  were staying home.

In Burbank, a small community southwest of Chicago, most of the voting stations stood empty at 8 a.m. Only 17 people had voted, a pace that officials said was unusually slow.

In Palm Beach County, Florida, 800 volunteer poll workers backed out Monday, and just 100 new volunteers offered to take their place.

Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Wendy Sartori Link said three polling sites had to be moved and four opened significantly late because workers didn't show up and hadn't given notice, leaving her and her staff in a lurch.

"We probably should have been expecting it more than we were," she said.

In Illinois, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations canceled at the last minute. Timna Axel, director of communications for the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, said voters had been calling the group's hotline all morning to get help finding their polling places.

The steady flow of calls  including from some polling place workers  is unusual for a primary, Axel said.

The chaos at the polls in Chicago led to fingerpointing between a city elections official and Illinois' Democratic governor after days of public debate over whether the state's primary should be postponed because of the coronavirus threat.

Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said Tuesday that the board asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting, but the governor refused. Pritzker said at a daily briefing on the coronavirus outbreak that state law doesn't give him the authority to make the sweeping changes that elections officials wanted.

Let me tell you this: It is exactly in times like these when the constitutional boundaries of our democracy should be respected above all else. And if people want to criticize me for that, well, go ahead. Ill wear it like a badge of honor, he said.

Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn said Tuesday afternoon that the former vice president's campaign watched early reports of low Chicago turnout with some concern, but those worries abated as voters cast ballots throughout the day.

"You hear there's no rush hour" at the polls, "and then you realize, well, there's no rush hour at all," because so many voters are working at home. That doesn't mean turnout won't be lower than it would have been, Dunn said, but that voting will be "more evenly distributed throughout the day."

Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, released a memo on turnout Tuesday afternoon predicting that "overall turnout will be roughly on pace for 2016 in Arizona and Florida and roughly on pace for 2018 in Illinois, and that voter turnout in all three states will reflect the population at large." Bedingfield cited strong early voting numbers in all three states.

Neither the Biden campaign nor Sanders campaign anticipates any inherent advantage from lower turnout.

The tumult surrounding the virus has left the primary campaign in a state of suspended animation.

Sanders, the last Democrat standing between Biden and the nomination, isn't planning to drop out, with his team seeing no downside to staying in the race as they assess how the coming days and weeks unfold.

Still, he faces an increasingly tough path to the nomination. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded and, if Biden has another big night Tuesday, he will pad an already large and perhaps insurmountable lead. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally, meaning he'd need to win more than 57% of those yet to be allocated to clinch the Democratic nomination.

But the coronavirus could amplify calls for Sanders to drop out of the race, especially if Biden comes out of Tuesday night's primaries in an even stronger position, Lehrich noted.

It all feels like a bizarre formality given the moment  a pointless subplot with a foregone conclusion, in the midst of an existential threat, he said.

The uncertainty surrounding the vote in many states comes as lawmakers on Capitol Hill negotiated with the Trump administration over a financial bailout package intended to contain the economic fallout from the virus. Speaking at a White House press briefing Tuesday, Trump insisted his administration was working fast to respond to the crisis, and he said eradicating the coronavirus would help ensure future primaries go on.

We're getting rid of this virus. That's what we're doing, he said. That's the best thing we can do.

Associated Press writers Christina Cassidy and Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Katie Foody in Chicago, Kelli Kennedy and Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Don Babwin in Burbank, Ill., and Seth Borenstein in Washington 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.
Leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee formally introduced a bipartisan bill on March 5 that escalates US government censorship of online content and directly attacks encryption of electronic communications under the cover of fighting online child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (Republican of South Carolina), US Senators Richard Blumenthal (Democrat of Connecticut), Josh Hawley (Republican of Missouri) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (Democrat of California) jointly introduced the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT Act) that purports to encourage the tech industry to take online child sexual exploitation seriously.

The concept behind the law is that tech companies have to earn their protected immunity from prosecution for any illegal content published by users on their platforms by scanning and decrypting every message, image or post. Until now, online service providers were not responsibleunder what are known as the Section 230 provisions of the Communications Decency Act of 1996for anything users publish on websites, social media accounts or cloud servers.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina introduced with Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act on March 5 (Credit: Gage Skidmore)

In introducing the bill, Senator Graham said, This bill is a major first step. For the first time, you will have to earn blanket liability protection when it comes to protecting minors. Senator Blumenthal added, Companies that fail to comport with basic standards that protect children from exploitation have betrayed the public trust granted them by this special exemption.

While claiming to fight online CSAM and enlisting the support of 70 organizations involved in stopping child sexual exploitation, the bills actual content shows that its ultimate purpose is an attack on fundamental democratic rights.

The law calls for the creation of a 19-member commission controlled by the attorney general and US law enforcement agencies. The EARN IT commission will establish best practices that must be followed by the technology companies or they will face criminal prosecution if content on their services is found to be illegal.

According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), among the best practices of the EARN IT Act is a proposal by John Shehan, vice president at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), that says, online services should be made to screen their messages for material that NCMEC considers abusive; use screening technology approved by NCMEC and law enforcement; report what they find in the messages to NCMEC; and be held legally responsible for the content of messages sent by others.

Therefore, the EARN IT law will place the tech companies and their users in a Catch-22. The law mandates that tech providers either agree to monitor the content and violate the privacy and free speech rights of their users by screening everything they publish, post or store on the service or they agree to be prosecuted by the state for any illegal content that appears on their site.

EFF further explains that the 19-member commission will be completely dominated by law enforcement and allied groups like NCMEC, and the bill gives Attorney General Barr the power to veto or approve the list of best practices. Even if other commission members do disagree with law enforcement, Barrs veto power will put him in a position to strongarm them.

It is well known that William Barr and the US Justice Department have been advocates of online censorship and for abolishing end-to-end encryption in consumer electronic devices. There is nothing stopping the EARN IT Act from introducing as one of its best practices a provision for law enforcements back-door access to encrypted communications and data files. Those firms which refuse to comply would then have their Section 230 protections eliminated.

It is a measure of the dishonesty of the American political system that leading Democrats and Republicans can so transparently use the fears and emotions of the public against child exploitation as a means of attacking fundamental rights protected by the Constitution.

On May 11, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the EARN IT Act and took testimony from witnesses on the proposed legislation. Among the speakers were representatives from the NCMEC, Jared Sine of the online dating company Match Group, a child exploitation legal expert, and Elizabeth Banker of the Internet Association. Of these speakers, only the last spoke against the EARN IT Act.

In her presentation, Banker explained that many of the major tech firms todayincluding Amazon, Ebay, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Uberare members of the Internet Association. She went on to review the multi-faceted measures that tech companies have been engaged in to combat CSAM, going back to the passage of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, from their platforms.

Banker then explained how the EARN IT Act would create numerous problems and hinder the efforts to combat CSAM by violating online users First and Fourth Amendment rights because the providers will be acting as agents of the government. She stated, Under Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, a search performed by an agent of the government is subject to the same requirements as if the government performed the search directly.

Banker also spoke about the implications for freedom of speech in the Senate Judiciary Committee bill, The EARN IT Act would delegate important decisions concerning security, privacy, and free speech on the internetweighty and complex matters that directly impact hundreds of millions of consumersto an administrative body that would be composed of members who are not elected representatives and that would operate with little transparency.

Finally, Banker said that although the bill does not specifically mention encryption, Requiring companies to engineer vulnerabilities into their services would make us all less secure. Encryption technology stands between billions of internet users around the globe and innumerable threatsfrom attacks on sensitive infrastructure, including our highly automated financial systems, to attempts by repressive governments to censor dissent and violate human rights.

It could not have been lost on the Democratic and Republican senators or Elizabeth Banker of the Internet Association that the greatest threat of censorship and violation of human rights all over the world, including within the US itself, comes from American imperialism.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency, shut down public schools, bars and restaurants, and banned gatherings of 50 people to limit the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, but President Donald Trump said she must work harder" to address the pandemic.

Trump referred to Whitmer as the failing Michigan governor in a Tuesday morning statement on Twitter, saying she must be more proactive but providing no details about how her response is lacking. His remarks came after Whitmer called on Trump to step up his coronavirus response during Monday and Tuesday appearances on cable news networks.

READ MORE: Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

We are pushing her to get the job done, Trump wrote. I stand with Michigan!

Whitmer responded with a list of her actions during the last several days.

Now that Ive got your attention, Mr. President - attack tweets wont solve this crisis, Whitmer wrote on Twitter. But swift and clear guidance, tests, personal protective equipment, and resources would.

3/3: Created COVID-19 task forces

3/6: Ensured Medicaid waiver for copays & cost sharing for testing

3/10: Declared a State of Emergency

3/11: Recommended mitigation strategies

3/12: Expanded access to telemedicine

3/12: Closed all K-12 schools  Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 17, 2020

3/16: Lifted road weight restrictions



The latest information is available at https://t.co/m2sOFDoo30.



For those who have questions about the states actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call our COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8AM - 5PM daily.  Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 17, 2020

Whitmer said states have been more aggressive in dealing with the threat of coronavirus while the federal government hasnt been prepared. Trump told governors on a Monday conference call that they should obtain respirators and other vital medical equipment on their own, according to a New York Times report.

I mean, its amazing to hear the head of the federal government say dont go through the federal government because it works too slowly," Whitmer said on CNN Monday. We have to cut red tape, we have to harness all of our assets and make this happen. This is a dire situation because I think this administration didnt take it seriously enough on the front end.

Whitmer and Trumps relationship has gained significant political weight in the last few months. She was tapped to deliver the Democratic response to Trumps State of the Union address and later joined former Vice President Joe Bidens 2020 presidential campaign as a national co-chair.

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Laura Cox said Whitmer is doing her constituents "a great disservice going on national television, and playing partisan politics during a time of crisis.

Whitmers response to the coronavirus started on Feb. 3, when the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services activated its emergency coordination center. The State Emergency Operations Center was activated on Feb. 28, and Whitmer created four task forces days later.

A state of emergency was declared in Michigan on March 10 after the first cases of coronavirus were discovered. She announced all K-12 schools will close two days later. Within a week, the total number of cases in Michigan rose to 54.

Trump declared a national emergency on March 13. Days earlier, he had accused the fake news media and Democrats for trying to inflame the coronavirus situation far beyond what the facts would warrant.

Trump has faced criticism from Whitmer and other Democrats for downplaying the threat of coronavirus, but the president has become more serious about the infectious respiratory illness in recent days. Trump told reporters Monday that the coronavirus could continue to impact American life well into the summer months.

They think August, it could be July, could be longer than that, Trump said.

Whitmer started this week by temporarily closing dine-in services at all bars and restaurants. She also shut down theaters, fitness centers and various other public spaces in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

Other actions Whitmer took this month include expanding unemployment benefits to sick workers, halting semi cargo weight restrictions to increase delivery of vital supplies, and restricting entry to Michigan health care facilities to personnel who are essential for medical and daily care.

Whitmer said she would be open to a federal policy banning unnecessary travel. Whitmer also called on the federal government to assist states in obtaining tests for coronavirus.

Trump urged Americans to work from home, avoid traveling and eating at restaurants and limit gatherings of more than 10 people for the next 15 days. Trump announced the new guidelines Monday.

Trump said his administration is working to make 1.4 million coronavirus tests available in the next week and 5 million in the next month, but doubted the country will need anywhere near 5 million test kits.

Trump was asked if he would accept responsibility for the slow roll-out of testing during a Friday press conference.

I dont take responsibility at all, because we were given a set of circumstances and we were given rules, regulations and specifications from a different time, Trump said.

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 on MLive:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans events and gatherings of more than 50 people amid coronavirus outbreak

Any and all options on the table as Michigan hospitals prepare for uptick in coronavirus cases

Michigan police not physically responding to some calls in order to avoid coronavirus spread
A British banker slaughtered two prostitutes in Hong Kong opted to help fellow killers to win their freedom.

Cocaine addict Rurik Jutting, 34, is providing legal advice in a bid to support inmates in an infamous jail.

The banker initially admitted torturing and killing two women in Hong Kong and appealed against his double murder conviction in 2017.

Jutting was jailed in 2016 after a jury rejected his claim of diminished responsibility.

In the fall of 2014, Jutting reportedly tortured and murdered two Indonesian women in his luxury high-rise apartment in Hong Kong. Found guilty for murder, the Cambridge graduate was ordered to be jailed for life for slaying his victims in warped sex-driven fantasies.

According to an insider at maximum security Stanley Prison in Hong Kong, "Life as a Westerner in prison here can be very difficult - especially when you've murdered two women."

"The only way for him to stay safe is to try to stay as low-profile as possible and do everything he can to keep violent suspects on side."

His second victim's family -- Indonesian Seneng Mujiasih, 26 -- blasted him for piling on fresh agony. They reportedly preferred him to be executed.

Jutting was stoic when the jury delivered its unanimous verdict in Hong Kong's High Court back in 2016. He had pleaded not guilty to murdering the two Indonesians, 23-year-old Sumarti Ningsih and 28-year-old Seneng Mujiasih, but guilty to manslaughter based on diminished responsibility.

He worked in the corporate world at Bank of America investment giant Merrill Lynch.

Also Read: 7 Arrested for Murder of Cop, Intelligence Bureau Man in Delhi Riots

Jutting, of Cobham, Surrey, tortured his first victim for 72 hours. Her throat was slit and her body was hidden in a suitcase.

His defense attempted to bolster the claim that he acted on the grounds of diminished responsibility by pointing to various disorders that supposedly impacted Jutting's capacity to act rationally: sexual-sadism disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and cocaine-and-alcohol-abuse disorders.

In 2016, the jury's foreman, Justice Michael Stuart-Moore, read his verdict, "You get prison for life. That is all. You can go now, thank you."

Jutting used to earn 270,000 a year developing complex tax products.

Lifer Tsang Man-wai recruited Jutting in prison after being told that he was unlikely to get legal aid.

The suspect has been battling to serve his sentence back in the U.K.

Seneng's family said according to a source, "It looks as if it is a ploy to get out of Hong Kong and back to Britain where he was born but he should be made to suffer like he made Seneng and Sumarti suffer."

Jutting, who has an IQ of 137 putting him in the top 2 percent of people, said he combatted four disorders which affected his mentality but psychiatric tests showed he was fit to stand trial.

His statement read with regard to the verdict, "As has been commented on throughout the hearings, my actions in the deaths of Sumarti Ningsih and Seneng Mujiasih in the days preceding the deaths was horrific, even by the standards of homicide trials," Jutting wrote. "The nine jurors were attentive and thoughtful. They have delivered a verdict to which I cannot have any objection."

Related Article: Sheikh Mohammed: The Truth on Arranged Marriage, Abduction Issues of Wife and Daughters

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ireland Announces Help For SMEs With Cash-Flow Issues

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

17 March 2020

The Irish Revenue has issued advice on the steps it is taking to help SMEs experiencing cashflow and trading difficulties arising from the impact of the coronavirus.

Revenue said that the application of interest on late payments has been suspended for January/February VAT and for both February and March PAYE (Employers) liabilities. All debt enforcement activity is suspended until further notice.

Revenue advised that business experiencing temporary cash flow difficulties should continue to send in tax returns on time. Current tax clearance status will remain in place for all businesses over the coming months.

Revenue has suspended the Relevant Contract Tax (RCT) rate review that was scheduled to take place in March 2020. This process assesses the current compliance position of subcontractors in the eRCT system and determines their correct RCT deduction rate. As this process may result in a subcontractor's RCT rate increasing, the review has been suspended. Subcontractors can however check if their rate should be lowered through the Revenue Online System (ROS), and then 'self-review' to get the lower deduction rate.

Critical pharmaceutical products and medicines will be given a Customs "green routing" to facilitate uninterrupted importation and supply.

Revenue advised that businesses other than SMEs who are experiencing temporary cashflow or trading difficulties should contact the Collector-General's office, or Revenue's Large corporates Division or Medium Enterprises Division, as appropriate.

Revenue will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation regarding the coronavirus. It will issue further updated guidance for businesses when required, and in good time before the March/April VAT returns are due.
Inside the Republican Party and the conservative movement that Trump commands, there is now a deep divide as the nation confronts the coronavirus. For weeks, many on the right, including Trump, minimized the virus, if they considered it at all. Even in recent days, as much of the world shuts down to try to stop its spread, some Republicans mocked what they saw as a media-generated frenzy.
Confinements, schools, shops and borders closed, gatherings banned. Here are the main measures being taken in Europe to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Confinement

France has followed Italy and Spain in imposing a strict lockdown, prohibiting all but "necessary movements" like shopping and medical visits and banning gatherings for the next two weeks, on pain of fines.

Austria and the Czech Republic have also taken strict confinement measures.

German citizens also have to "stay at home", and not go on holiday.

Britons have been told to avoid "non-essential contact" and travel. Elderly people and pregnant women there are advised to go into isolation for three months.

Greece and Italy have imposed a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals.

People returning from the main coronavirus hotspots must stay at home for two weeks in Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Russia and Slovakia.

State of emergency

Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Switzerland have declared states of emergency.

In France, 100,000 police have been deployed to control peoples' movements.

Borders controlled or closed

European Union leaders were holding a videoconference to decide to close the outer borders of the 27-nation bloc for 30 days.

Hungary and Spain have closed their land borders.

Germany has stepped up border controls with several countries, only allowing through goods transit and border workers.

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lithuania and Slovakia have announced the closure of their borders to foreigners, with Slovakia making an exception for Poles.

Russia has closed its land borders with Norway and Poland.

Austria has closed its border with Italy and Switzerland.

Moldova has closed most of its land borders from midnight.

Schools closed

Schools, universities and creches are closed in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. In Sweden only high schools and universities are closed.

Gatherings banned

In Belgium, Cyprus, France and Italy all gatherings are banned.

Different countries have set widely different caps on the number of people who can get together.

In Turkey, collective prayers are suspended and places of worship closed.

Businesses closed

Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ukraine have ordered the closure of all places and shops admitting the public.

Non-essential shops are closed in Andorra, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain.

Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cinemas are closed all over Europe including pubs in Ireland and brothels in the Netherlands.

Hungary has closed public places but not shops, while Greece has closed its museums and archaeological sites.

Transport disrupted

Britain has grounded most of its air fleet.

France has announced a gradual reduction of long-distance transport, including buses, planes and trains.

In Germany regional rail transport will also be heavily reduced. Lufthansa will slash up to 90 percent of its long-haul capacity

Poland has cancelled all domestic flights.

Austria has suspended rail links with Italy and air links with Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Turkey has suspended air links with six countries, Bulgaria with Italy and Spain, and Romania with Italy.

Slovenia has halted public transport.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
On Friday, President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency. He then announced a surprising public-private partnership to make testing widely available. Federal agencies will collaborate with Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens to offer drive-thru coronavirus testing in store parking lots.

Trumps next announcement was even more unexpected: Google would offer nationwide COVID-19 screening through an online portal that records peoples symptoms, triages them to determine who requires drive-thru testing, and displays test results once they are available.

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Immediately after the press conference, Google clarified the presidents characterization of the website. Its sister company Verily, the health and life sciences division of parent company Alphabet, developed the portal, which went live Sunday evening. It would initially be available only for the San Francisco Bay Area. But Verily said that after piloting the program regionally, it plans to offer the portal throughout California and potentially nationwide. Some people who visited the site on Sunday and were given sufficiently high COVID-19 risk scores received appointments and were tested on Monday at one of two San Francisco Bay Area test centers, currently located in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Others were turned away when the available slots were filled, and a waiting list was formed. According to Verily, it will call people in the queue when new appointments become available.

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But early confusion over the websites scope is not the only concern. Visitors must sign in with an existing Google account or create a new one, which requires providing a phone number. Once admitted, users are asked about their age, gender, travel history, health status, and contact with people who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. Based on those answers, the portal calculates a COVID-19 risk score.

Unless we act now, such systems will become normalized.

Though accessible testing for the novel coronavirus is essential to slowing its spread, Americans should be suspicious of tech company involvement. When combined with drive-thru testing, Verilys portal may constitute the largest acquisition of U.S. health data by private companies to date. It is part of a broader trend in which public health functions, typically performed by government agencies, are increasingly shifted to corporations. Facebooks use of artificial intelligence to calculate suicide risk is another example. Developed with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the technology is now used primarily by Facebook and other private companies. (I discuss this and other examples in a new article, Emergent Medical Data: Health Information Inferred by Artificial Intelligence, that is forthcoming in the UCIrvine Law Review.)

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The privatization and automation of public health is concerning because it disrupts well-established flows of health data and circumvents legal safeguards around privacy. Through their public health projects, Facebook and Verily now serve as intermediaries between people and government agencies. Facebook mediates the flow of mental health information between its users and emergency responders, and now Verily controls the flow of COVID-19 screening data between some Americans and public health officials.

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As COVID-19 spreads through our communities, stories abound of people exploiting the situation for financial gain. Unscrupulous pandemic profiteers horde protective gear and cleaning supplies to sell at exorbitant prices. Like these commodities, data siphoned by tech companies from COVID-19 screening may be the next asset to be hoarded and exploited.

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Neither Google nor Verily is a health care provider. They owe users none of the duties that doctors owe to patients, and federal privacy laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, do not apply. Thats a serious problem because companies can exploit peoples data in surreptitious ways that violate their expectations and jeopardize their rights. Data might be shared with advertisers, sold to insurance companies, or used to calculate consumer credit scores that control access to resources.

In China, such scores determine whether people can have specific jobs, live in certain apartments, or access transportation. One of the best-known scores, called Sesame Credit, is provided by Alibaba through its smartphone payment app Alipay. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese officials now reportedly require people to download an app called Alipay Health Code, which assigns them a color code (green, yellow, or red) that reflects their health status. A green code means they are healthy and free to travel, but yellow or red codes require them to report to authorities, and people with the latter codes may be barred from travel or even quarantined. Because Alipay and the Chinese government have not explained how the app classifies people, users can be quarantined without understanding why. While it may be extreme, this example illustrates how loss of autonomy, predictability, and accountability is part of the risk of automating public health.

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Verily and Google declined to respond to Slates questions about the portal and how it uses peoples data. Though less coercive than Alipays appits use is optional, for one thingthe portal is equally mysterious. Today it controls access to testing in and around Silicon Valley, but the pandemic is rapidly evolving. After expanding to other regions, the portal could be adapted to track and control individuals who undergo testing and receive positive results.

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There are other risks. During the AIDs epidemic of the 1980s, HIV-positive individuals were heavily stigmatized. It took decades of dedicated advocacy to reduce that stigma, and it still persists today. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, individuals may be stigmatized by peers and co-workers. Some groups, such as Asian Americans, seniors, and health care workers, have already been subjected to pandemic-related harassment. Minimizing the unnecessary dissemination of COVID-19 data puts people in control of their health information and reduces the risk of discrimination.

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Should we be willing to give up some privacy for the sake of public health? Of course. It is expected that some liberties may be curtailed during national emergencies (for instance, when the government implements a curfew or quarantine). But we cannot allow companies to use our urgent need for testing, and the distraction provided by the pandemic, to extract more data than is necessary to promote public health. Unless we act now, such systems will become normalized. It is urgent that we set clear limitations on how Google, Verily, and participating retailers can use COVID-19 screening data.

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Verilys portal collects peoples demographics, medical histories, and current symptoms to determine whether they require testing. At this stage, Google may harvest the data to supplement its growing cache of health information obtained through partnerships with dozens of hospitals and health care systems. It may also collect data on peoples devices, locations, IP addresses, and other variables. Google could analyze that information to learn more about portal users and share insights with corporate partners such as Salesforce, a provider of business management software, and companies including DeepMind, a world leader in A.I. and data analytics.

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If the screening portal directs people to undergo COVID-19 testing, they will visit a drive-thru location where their mouths and noses will be swabbed. Like Google and Facebook, the retail testing partners listed by Trump routinely collect data from consumers to profile them and influence their behavior.

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According to Walmarts privacy policy, the company collects biometric information such as imagery of the iris, retina, and fingerprints, geolocation information, audiovisual, and other sensory information. Some Walmart locations use devices called Lot Cops to monitor parking areas. Manufactured by LiveView Technologies, they provide a 360-degree birds-eye view of the area. LiveView recently partnered with Rekor Systems to integrate license plate reading technology into its Lot Cop units. People visiting drive-thru testing sites may unwittingly be tracked by these technologies.

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Walgreens also deploys invasive surveillance technologies. According to its privacy policy, the company uses Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi, and other technologies to track peoples movements. In 2019, it tested in-store smart coolers that scan peoples faces to infer their age and gender while tracking their eyes to see which products attract their gaze.

Target uses Bluetooth and other technology to track peoples movements, and it previously tested in-store biometrics including facial recognition. In 2012, the retailer made national news by predicting which customers were pregnant based on their shopping habits. It sent coupons for pregnancy and newborn-related products to customers homes.

Because these companies scan peoples bodies, observe their behavior, and use A.I. to infer information about their age, gender, sexuality, and health, collecting pandemic-related data is in their wheelhouse.

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Representatives of Walmart, Walgreens, and Target declined to comment on how they will protect peoples privacy during COVID-19 testing. However, CVS representative Joseph Goode said his company will not collect data from individuals who visit its drive-thrus. When asked what CVS will do to actively protect peoples privacy, Goode said, The [Trump] administration is working on those details.

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I offer the following recommendations. The companies facilitating COVID-19 testing must make their data use practices completely transparent. They should be developing safe and reliable public health infrastructure, not proprietary trade secrets.

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Verily should not require people to log in to a Google account or provide a phone number in order to be screened. This information is not essential for testing.

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The screening portal should not collect device, location, or IP address data, and information collected must solely be used for screening and only be shared with public health officials. Under no circumstances should it be joined with data collected by Googles many other services or shared with business partners and sister companies.

Retailers offering drive-thru testing should suspend electronic surveillance including video, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other technologies.

In response to these suggestions, some might say its rude to look a gift horse in the mouth. Google and Verily are volunteering time and resources to combat a pandemic. But it is not too much to ask for a government-run system. Canadas Alberta Health Services offers a screening portal that requires no login or personal information.

In general, private companies should not perform functions that are best reserved for scientists and public health agencies. Since we are in dire need of COVID-19 screening, perhaps Google and Verily can play a role in providing it, but the loss of our privacy should not be the cost.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Amid a political tussle between



the Congress and opposition BJP in Madhya Pradesh, a state minister on Tuesday said the rebel MLAs of the ruling party being held in "captivity" by the BJP in Bengaluru have been "hypnotised" to make them read out ready-made scripts.

The statement of Public Relations Minister P C Sharma came hours after the 22 rebel MLAs of the Congress held a press conference in Bengaluru, where they have been holed up for at least 9 days, for the first time. These MLAs resigned on March 10, pushing the Kamal Nath government to the brink.

"These MLAs are under pressure. What is their objection to coming to Bhopal and holding a press conference here? They are under captivity in BJP-ruled Karnataka. They are hypnotised in captivity. After their return, they will come out of their hypnotised state," alleged Sharma.

These rebel Congress MLAs are only reading out scripts given to them, he claimed and reiterated that the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh will survive the crisis.

Madhya Pradesh has been in a political turmoil since March 10 after senior Congress party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP and the MLAs resigned.

Legislative Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati last week accepted resignations of six of these MLAs, while keeping 16 on hold.

Talking to reporters in Bengaluru earlier in the day, a woman MLA said, "Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader; we have been doing with him for years, most of us are in because of him...We are still thinking regarding joining BJP. If we get protection from central police, we will go to Madhya Pradesh and think about it."



Rejecting Congress leaders' claims that they were held hostage here, these MLAs clarified that they had come to the city voluntarily.

Rebel Congress MLAs also claimed that they had the support of 20 more legislators.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is eligible to sit in Parliament, a trio of judges has ruled, averting a crisis for the Morrison government as it prepares a second stimulus package to counter the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

In a judgment on Tuesday afternoon, the Federal Court  Chief Justice James Allsop and Justices Susan Kenny and Alan Robertson, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns  dismissed a challenge to Mr Frydenberg's eligibility brought by a constituent in his Victorian electorate of Kooyong.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg earlier this month. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Michael Staindl alleged the Treasurer was disqualified from sitting in federal Parliament under section 44(i) of the Commonwealth Constitution on the basis he was a Hungarian citizen by descent, a claim Mr Frydenberg denied.

Under the Constitution, a person who is "a citizen ... of a foreign power" is ineligible to sit in the Australian Parliament.
San Francisco, March 17 : Intel has developed a chip that can recognise hazardous chemicals in the presence of significant noise and object occlusion.

Called Loihi, the Intel's neuromorphic research chip learnt each odour with just a single sample, without disrupting its memory of previously learned scents, the company announced on Tuesday.

The chip demonstrated superior recognition accuracy compared with conventional state-of-the-art methods, including a deep-learning solution that required 3,000 times more training samples per class to reach the same level of classification accuracy.

"We are developing neural algorithms on Loihi that mimic what happens in your brain when you smell something," said -Nabil Imam, senior research scientist in Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Lab.

"This work is a prime example of contemporary research at the crossroads of neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence and demonstrates Loihi's potential to provide important sensing capabilities that could benefit various industries," he added.

Using a neural algorithm derived from the architecture and dynamics of the brain's olfactory circuits, researchers from Intel and Cornell University trained Loihi chip to learn and recognise the scents of 10 hazardous chemicals.

To do so, the team used a dataset consisting of the activity of 72 chemical sensors in response to these smells and configured the circuit diagram of biological olfaction on Loihi.

The chip quickly learned the neural representation of each of the smells and recognized each odour, even when significantly occluded, demonstrating a promising future for the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, according to a joint paper published in Nature Machine Intelligence.

Imam sees the potential of robots equipped with neuromorphic chips for environmental monitoring and hazardous materials detection, or for quality control chores in factories.

They could be used for medical diagnoses where some diseases emit particular odours.

Another example has neuromorphic-equipped robots better identifying hazardous substances in airport security lines.

"My next step is to generalise this approach to a wider range of problems - from sensory scene analysis (understanding the relationships between objects you observe) to abstract problems like planning and decision-making," said Imam.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WLFI) - Governor Eric Holcomb announced more restrictions to public life amid coronavirus concerns at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday.

"To those who think we are overreacting I can assure you that we are not," he said. "We are, make no mistake about it, at war with COVID-19 and we will win this war."

This declaration of war came just after the news that Indiana has lost its first Hoosier to coronavirus, and that is one death too many.

"On behalf of the entire state of Indiana, we want to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family," he said.

The Indiana State Department of Health confirmed patient was a Marion county adult. They were over the age of 60 and had underlying medical issues that made them high risk. Dr. Ram Yeleti, MD said they didn't have to die now.

"The problem is this individual would not have died if it was not for the COVID-19 infection," he said.

Only nursing staff was able to be with them when they died.

"What makes this really hard is that this individual's significant other was also infected and so the two of them could not be together when this patient passed," he said. They were able to be with each other through a video chat. Governor Holcomb shook his head in sadness as Dr. Yeleti explained the situation.

Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box confirmed that more testing supplies is making its way to Indiana this week. However, she cautioned that these tests should be reserved for those who have a high risk. She advises that any relatively healthy person who many be suffering from coronavirus symptoms should simply put themselves into a two-week quarantine in their home until they recover. She said only the elderly and those with underlying health issues should be physically tested.

Governor Holcomb is taking the restrictions up a notch. All restaurants, bars and nightclubs across the state are directed to stop dining-in services. Restaurants can still do take-out and delivery.

News 18 asked the governor exactly when these restrictions would go into effect.

"Not asking but directing restaurants throughout the state of Indiana to be winding down today (Monday March 16th), tomorrow will change," he replied. He did not give a specific time it would go into effect.

State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick also addressed the media today. She said there are 273 school districts across the state that are operating on e-learning. She said they are working with superintendents across the state to address issues of meals, support resources and daycare.

State Senator Ron Alting and State Representative Sheila Klinker both were in attendence at the statehouse as state leaders gave the latest updates on the situation. They said this will have a huge impact on Tippecanoe and surrounding county's economies.

"It's going to be a challenge for Hoosiers, but Hoosiers will prevail but it's going to mean sacrifices for all of us," said Alting.

"This is a bi-partisan effort and the governor is working with many of us to make sure we're doing the best job we can," said Klinker.

Governor Holcomb is warning Hoosiers that these restrictions could go well past the end of March, potentially 60 to 90 days. He said restrictions will be in place as long as they are necessary.
Rosgeologias seismic surveys and other related work since the 70s to now indicate that there is at least 513 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent in Antarctica, and Moscow has now set its sights on the worlds most underexplored continent

Given the march that it has stolen on everyone else in the exploration and development of oil and gas resources in the Arctic region, it should come as little surprise to anyone who knows anything of the ruthless single-mindedness of Moscow that moves are afoot to do exactly the same thing at the other end of the world, Antarctica. According to an announcement in the last week, Russias state-run geological survey firm, Rosgeologia, undertook a major new seismic survey in the Riiser-Larsen Sea, off the coast of Antarcticas Queen Maud Land earlier this year. Moreover, Rosgeologia stated unequivocally that it did this 4.400 kilometre survey - the first seismic survey done in the area by Russia since the late 1990s  with the express purpose of assessing the offshore oil and gas potential of the area using the latest technology.

Amusingly, in a wry chuckle sort of a way for those who have had any serious dealings with Russia under President Vladimir Putin, there are those who cite all sorts of reasons why such plans cannot go ahead at least for the next few years. Presumably these people were asleep when Russia rolled into Crimea, or Georgia, or unilaterally managed to engineer a change in the status of the Caspian from a lake to a sea in order to swindle Iran out of trillions of dollars of revenue, and probably believe that wolverines make good house pets as well. Nonetheless, these innocents cite the 1959 Antarctic Treaty (signed by 53 separate countries) which, unlike the treaties governing the Arctic (which allow for hydrocarbons exploration and development), supposedly protect the Antarctics mineral resources in general, including potential oil and gas sites in particular.

Story continues

Related: Saudi Arabias Oil War Could Bankrupt The Kingdom

According to the Treaty, the seven countries with a specific claim in Antarctica  Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, the U.K., (not Russia, it should be noted)  are limited to just non-military scientific research in the region. Russia (and the U.S.), have nonetheless constructed research facilities within the areas claimed by these other countries (Russias is in Norways claim). It is true that a number of these countries have more than likely been conducting clandestine analysis of their claims for the purposes of ascertaining the more valuable resources  such as oil and gas  that lie within their regions but not one of them has ever stated in such an in-your-face fashion that they are looking for oil and gas deposits for future development, aside from Russia. Theoretically, the ban on mineral activity in the Antarctic next comes up for possible renewal only in 2048, however, given what Rosgeologia has found so far, Russia may decide to unilaterally bring this date forward by around 28 years or whatever is most convenient for it.

According to Rosgeologias seismic surveys and other related work since the 1970s to now, there is at least 513 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent in Antarctica, although it is unclear as yet from the company whether this relates to the entire region or just the area that it has specifically surveyed so far. Although it is believed by the innocents that no extensive testing specific to revealing oil and gas volumes has been done  that is the official line from all countries on this  the limited tests that have been done that would reveal this have shown huge potential. Moreover, according to a number of senior oil and gas industry sources spoken to by OilPrice.com last week  including in Moscow  the Russians: Have good cause to believe that there are huge oil and gas reserves not just in the area they tested earlier this year [in the Riiser-Larsen Sea and across much of Queen Maud Land] but across the entire region [Antarctica], according to one of them.

Related: OPEC+ Scraps Meeting As Oil War Heats Up

There is a vast difference, of course, between the total resources in place and the recovery rate from such a challenging environment but that has never stood in Russias way before, especially when it factors in all of the other mineable and extremely valuable minerals that may also be there, if results from the Arctic is anything to go by. These might well include gold, silver, diamonds, copper, titanium, uranium, and rare earth elements. Moreover, Russia has been at the forefront of these Arctic explorations  with huge success  ever since, including famously pitching its flag on the seabed under the Arctic in 2009. Since then, state-run behemoths, Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, and slick Western-style Novatek, have been at the forefront of all Arctic operations, with hundreds of billions of current and potential projects in view. The objective remains for offshore Arctic oil to account for 20-30 per cent of all Russian production by 2050.

Given the increasing instances of Russia working with China to achieve broader financial-geopolitical outcomes, Chinas growing presence in the Antarctic play is not surprising either. This is a natural extension to Chinas unveiling in 2018 its first official Arctic policy white paper in which it said that it would encourage enterprises to build infrastructure and conduct commercial trial voyages, paving the way for Arctic shipping routes that would form a Polar Silk Road. This followed China becoming an observer member of the Arctic Council in 2013. Even before that, though, China had been building new scientific research stations in the Antarctic since 1983  the point at which it, ominously for everyone, signed the aforementioned 1959 Antarctic Treaty. In this context, China commissioned the first of its new range of ice-breaker vessels at the beginning of 2016  the Haibing 722  which is eminently capable of withstanding the Force 12 winds found in the Southern Ocean and beyond, has a range of 7,000 miles, and has a landing pad suitable for big transport helicopters.



By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

Read this article on OilPrice.com
The Australian Red Cross says it needs 14,000 donors before Easter to help ward off a blood shortage, as thousands of people confine themselves to their homes to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Lifeblood chief medical officer Joanne Pink said people are "changing their schedules during the current period of uncertainty", but the need for blood is ongoing, and she urged those who can donate to do so.

"We are unable to stockpile blood donations, unlike toilet paper," she said on Tuesday. "The need for blood doesn't stop."

Donations to the Australian Red Cross have slowed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Credit:Domino Postiglione

Dr Pink said Lifeblood clinics had seen a reduction of donors with "around 800 cancellations per day" nationally  about 5-10 per cent more than usual for this time of year.
In Bucks County, Pa., Deena Fischer was busy figuring out how to entertain her three children, while also considering how to keep the two preschools she runs afloat. The preschools are closed due to the coronavirus, but shes committed to paying teachers as much of their typical pay as possible. In the meantime, shes charging parents half the normal rates and isnt sure they will stick with that if the closure lasts more than a couple of weeks.
A judge on Monday evening ruled Ohio cannot move its Tuesday primary to June 2, but Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) released a statement in response saying it "simply isn't possible to hold an election tomorrow that will be considered legitimate by Ohioans."

Earlier Monday, DeWine said amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state "can't tell people it's in their best interest to stay home and at the same time tell people to go vote." He recommended postponing in-person voting until June 2, and supported a lawsuit filed to delay voting.

Judge Richard Frye ruled that it would be a "terrible precedent" for him to rewrite election code just hours before the polls open, The Columbus Dispatch reports. He also shot down the state's assertion that it will be safer to vote in a few months, as there is "no medical evidence" to suggest the pandemic will be over by the proposed new primary date of June 2. "To the contrary," Frye said, "it's my understanding from the briefings we've seen in the national media that it may be months before we get to a point of stability or a peak of the virus and its transmission rates."

DeWine and LaRose released a joint statement after Frye made his ruling, saying the "only thing more important than a free and fair election is the health and safety of Ohioans." Health officials have advised against holding large gatherings of 50 or more people, and voters "mustn't be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights," DeWine and LaRose said. It is not known if DeWine and LaRose could be held in contempt of court, the Columbus Dispatch reports

Florida, Illinois, and Arizona are scheduled to hold primaries on Tuesday, with officials in those states saying there are no plans to cancel.

This is a developing story, and has been updated throughout.

More stories from theweek.com

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say they've had their hours reduced or been let go because of coronavirus

The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy

Trump says he knew coronavirus was a 'pandemic long before it was called' one. Two weeks ago he called it a 'hoax.'


THE coronavirus that has hit the world and the region, is affecting Zimbabwean artistes as most of their international tours have been cancelled leading to loss of business.

Covid-19 has significantly impacted arts and culture programming internationally, having implications on mobility, access to public spaces and the flow of cultural goods and services.

The US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency as there have been at least 61 deaths, so did his Canadian counterpart Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who on Sunday said he would not rule out closing borders to combat a coronavirus outbreak. Italy, the worst affected European country, has recorded more than 1 800 Coronavirus-related deaths so far and expects some 90 000 infections by the end of April. Zimbabwe has not recorded a case of Covid-19.

Imbube outfit Black Umfolosi, Iyasa, Insingizi, Winky D, Freeman, Mambo Dhuterere and ExQ are among artistes whose tours to the United Kingdom, Canada and United States of America have been cancelled due to the spread of Coronavirus.

One of the Black Umfolosi leaders, Sotja Moyo said they are devastated after their international tour was cancelled because of the virus.

Our booking has been cancelled until further notice. We were supposed to travel to the United Kingdom, USA and Canada. But all that has been stopped because of the Coronavirus.

Our agents are saying perhaps they can push our performances to November thereabout. We shall see, said Moyo.

He said this was a huge blow to their careers as they rely a lot on tours.
Against the backdrop of the encampment at Standing Rock in 2016, author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade created We Are Water Protectors, a picture book in which a girl rallies her people to fight a pipeline project. Their tradition considers water not just precious, but sacred: Water is the first medicine, are her storys opening words. The girl stands against the black snake of the pipeline to defend the land, the water, and the living beings who depend on them. Lindstrom is Anishinaabe/Metis and tribally Ojibwe, while Goade is of Tlingit descent, tribally enrolled with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. PW spoke with them about the significance of the events at Standing Rock, the role played by young water protectors, and how they arrived at the words and picture they felt would best tell their story.

How did you come to write this story?

Lindstrom: I heard about the camp at Standing Rock in the summer of 2016. The camp had formed in the spring. I immediately felt connected to it. My tribe is also in North Dakota, north of Standing Rock. I really wanted to be there, but I had family issues. I had written a picture book before, in 2013, and I thought, okay, well maybe I could contribute that way. I needed to do something.

It started as a novel, but it needed to be told quickly, faster. Small children get it. Its like they already know.

Did it emerge in the form it is now?

It wasnt poetic at first. It was a little more like a narrative. When I showed it to my agent [Kathleen Rushall], she said, Could you think about maybe making it more lyrical? And I said, I dont know if I can do that. Im not sure I can. And she said, Well, give it a couple of days. She knows what works best for me.

So I waited, and then a couple of days later, I sat down and wrote it just the way it is now. It was all there. It just needed some coaxing.

Ive always been a sparse writer. I dont like a lot of words. I like the readers imagination to conjure the details. Its very important to let the illustrator have room to let their imaginations go, so having words that are slightly lyrical was the perfect way to write the story. And Michaelas work is amazing. Its a work of art.

Goade: Thank you!

The girl who stars in the story, the leader, the warriormaybe thats not the right wordshe is very young. Can you talk about what was behind the decision to make her a child?

Lindstrom: The camp at Standing Rock was a youth-led movement. You saw so many children there. It wasnt just grownups fighting for clean water. The youth organized a run from Standing Rock to Washington, D.C., to bring awareness to the situation. Babies were born in the camp. Children will be the face of the future. And a warrior is never a bad thing! I see a warrior as a protector.

Goade: Shes a water warrior!

With all her people gathered behind her, she holds the feather up in a gesture also seen in pictures of other Native activists. What is the significance of that gesture?

Lindstrom: It is sacred. Literally sacred. She is facing down evil.

Goade: It is sacred, like Carole said. It is a symbol of peaceful protest. One of the essential principles was the need to stay peaceful even though they were going up against awful forces. It is one lone person trying to hold back the pipeline, the black snake. In front of her were the the authorities and the power. There are other photographs that show the person with the feather face-to-face with the power, but you dont see who is behind them and who is supporting them. I wanted to show everybody who was with her, everybody who was behind her.

The voices of women are powerful in this story. Can you talk about that?

Lindstrom: In the Anishinaabe culture, women are the Keepers of Water, so it was a natural for me to envision it that way.

Goade: It never occurred to me not to have her as a young girl. In the Tlingit culture theres not such an obvious female-water teaching, but theres a link and a connection between women and life, and water and life. Feminine energy just felt right. And the more I read about Caroles inspiration and cultureit was pretty beautiful to have it be female energy.

Michaela, how did you work out how to approach the story visually?

Goade: For me, approaching the book, there were so many options. It didnt need to be specific to any one nation, and with over 500 Indigenous Nations represented at Standing Rock, where would I start? Native peoples have a long history of being misrepresented or left out. I didnt want to go blindly into this project without first connecting with Carole. Her story represents her personal journey and her own unique and vibrant Ojibwe culture. While I am Native, her experience is outside my own. I read and watched as much as I could, while looking at a ton of imagery.

Lindstrom: It helps that we were able to talk. Michaela didnt know that picture book authors and illustrators dont customarily talk to each other, but I shared with her cultural resources from my tribe so she would know more about who we are.

Goade: I decided to root it in Caroles culture because its her story. So the girl wears her traditional ribbon skirt, there are little turtles to represent Turtle Island, and the woodland floral motifs are from the Anishinaabe tradition.

Who was your editor? Did the storys shape change in big ways, or small ways?

Lindstrom: It was Mekisha Telfer, and she was wonderful. And there wasnt much to change. The only thing she asked me to do was flip the first two lines.

Goade: I worked with Mekisha and [designer] Aram Kim. Looking back on it and having more experience now, it was such a smooth experience. When I was offered the book, I was like, Oh yeah, I want to do this. No debate at all. And the sketches, with the exception of a couple of spreads, came very easily.

Can you talk about the spreads that were more challenging?

The sequence of spreads where it goes, We fight for those / who cannot fight for themselves: / the winged ones, / the crawling ones, the way it starts close up and then pulls back that sequence of [those three] spreads seems natural now, when you look at itOh, of course we should start with this little stream and then zoom outbut that took a little bit of work.

Another tricky spread was the spread with the pipeline, looking down on the pipeline with the bird and the fish. I struggled with the perspective. Weve all seen the consequences of drilling on the natural world. I wanted to show what it meant to the animals.

Theres a technique that looks like stenciling, where white patterned areas appear like lace over the regular painting, and it looks as if there are two planes, or two worldsa spirit world and a real world. Was that the intent?

That was a new technique I tried out for that booknegative painting. Theres definitely a more spiritual world and then a realistic world [represented in the artwork], but its not really a formal division. Everything has spirit. Water has spirit, and water is alive. I live in Alaska, so thats obvious to me.

How long did the illustrations take? Was it a period of months?

Goade: The sketches, yeah, they took months. But the art itself, once everything was approved and it was go-time, the paintings took about a month. I didnt leave our property or go into town for 21 days. I only talked to a few people during that part of the process so I could churn it out. I work in isolation.

What reactions are you starting to hear?

Lindstrom: Its been nothing but positive reactions: We need this book! People are ready. They know. Were anxious to get this book into their hands. We were definitely hoping to go to Standing Rock. Weve had to cancel, but well work out something. They deserve this book, and its definitely going to get there.

Goade: The reception so far has been incredible to see. When I was making the art, I worried that I would make a mistake, or misrepresent, or exclude, or offend, and that was really a challenge. So to have it be received well by different communities, Native and non-Nativethat really means a lot. Standing Rock is not an isolated event. Theres land defense in so many places; its still ongoing in Canada. Were only going to be seeing more of it. Thats the reality. Were fighting the money and power. I hope it makes people proud. It will be part of Standing Rock, and theyll feel pride and theyll feel seen.

Lindstrom: And young people will see themselves as Water Protectors. The story is a call to do something, whatever it is. You can do something.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illus. by Michaela Goade. Roaring Brook, $17.99, March 17 ISBN 978-1-250-20355-7
(Photo : Screenshot From 3D Printer Facebook Page) 3D printer coronavirus

In a recent turn of events, a 3D printer was used to save the lives of ten different Italian coronavirus (covid-19) patients by producing a very unique replacement valve for broken ventilators right after the supply within the hospital ran out! The infection rate in Italy has started to grow even bigger and with the use of these innovations, scientists and medical personal will be able to become more responsive to the virus as demonstrated by the current turn of events.

Chiara hospital runs out of spare ventilator parts!

Due to the recent and rapidly growing outbreak of the covid-19 which happened so sudden and so aggressively, most hospitals like Chiara hospital were unable to stock on the necessary medical equipment like valves for their ventilators which was a critical part of their progress to fight the deadly virus.

Read Also: [UPDATE] Coronavirus Vaccine Testing Begins! Can We Be Expecting Its Release Any Time Soon?

Chiara hospital reached out to a particular Nunzia Vallini who was a known editor of the Giornale di Brescia which is a local newspaper to seek the help of a physicist and 3D printing expert known as Massimo Temporelli. This was where everything started and a new innovation was rapidly created.

The duo then started to take a 3D printer to the hospital

There was no time wasted as the duo rapidly looked for a local owner of a 3D printer which could be brought to the hospital in order to produce the much needed spare valves for all the ventilators. This was done within a matter of hours and luckily, the duo were able to find someone with a 3D printer around!

Read Also: Why is Israel' Prime Minister So Confident About Using Anti-Terrorism Technology To Fight Against Coronavirus?

A certain Christian Fracassi who is a local business owner as well as engineer, rose to the occasion and brought his very own printer all the way to Chiara hospital within only a matter of hours! The redesigning and printing of the replacement parts for the critical intensive care machines was done very quickly and with much success.

Ten lives were saved by this act but it does not stop there

As soon as the 3D printed replacement valves were replaced, the patients were finally in better care. The ventilators were used to provide patients with the necessary oxygen when they are unable to function and breathe on their very own. This is usually the situation with several coronavirus cases.

This is one ways that prove that Italy has a strong fighting chance against the coronavirus despite the number of infected being at 24,747 and the number of deaths at 1,809. According to Marco Silvestri, an industrial engineer of the University of Parma "As you know in northern Italy the COVID-19 emergency is very serious,"

The fight against the deadly covid-19

Ever since the virus hit Italy, the amount of infected has been rising by the day and despite the lockdown, the reported number of infected are still rising at an aggressive rate. With the help of innovative technology like the 3D printing of valves for ventilation machines, there is still hope for the masses.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper speaks during the joint press conference with Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford (not in the picture) on August 28, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia.

WASHINGTON  The Pentagon says it will give 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 ventilators to the Department of Health and Human Services from the military's strategic reserve in order to support the coronavirus response.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Tuesday from the Pentagon press briefing room that 1 million respirator masks would be made available immediately.

Esper said the Pentagon is able to offer up to 2,000 deployable ventilators but that the machines are different from those used by civilians and will require training before operation. He added that the U.S. government would need to seek support from industry on procuring more ventilators.

"When you look at the number of people that are projected that may need ventilators, 2,000 doesn't really put much of a dent into it," Esper said.

"The key thing is the private sector, the manufacturing side, whoever makes medical machines of this type. How do you prime that pump to get production up because we are simply not going to be able to meet the demand if the demand fits some of the profiles as we've seen the CDC brief," he said.

The virus has already killed more than 7,167 people and infected more than 183,000 people around the world.

On Monday, the Pentagon announced it will keep the two highest-ranking Pentagon officials, Esper and Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist, physically separated from each other as a precaution to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"Starting today, the secretary and the deputy secretary of Defense remain physically separated," Jonathan Hoffman, assistant defense secretary for public affairs, told a handful of reporters at the Pentagon and many more on a teleconference line.

"That means that they and their staff will only interact via teleconference. We are screening people that are entering the secretary's suite and limiting the number of people who have access as well," he added.

The Pentagon reservation employs more than 22,000 people, making it one of the largest office buildings in the world.

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<! Prof. Akin Abayomi briefing newsmen >

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said another case of the deadly Coronavirus has been recorded in Lagos, bringing to three the cases recorded in Nigeria.

According to Lagos Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, the new case of Coronavirus is a 30-year-old Nigerian woman, a member of Non- Government Organization community, who travelled from UK to Lagos on 13th of March, 2020.

She is now in isolation and receiving care at Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.

Red circle Contact tracing of all passengers and all those who may have come in contact with this latest case has commenced, he said.

Abayomi said the woman travelled to the UK and came back on March 13 on British Airways 75.

He explained that the woman went into self-isolation and was only in contact with her family.

Abayomi added that the woman lived with her parents, saying that the entire family had been moved to the IDH, Yaba for isolation to see if they would develop symptoms of the virus.

The commissioner said while the woman had been moved to isolation I ward for treatment, those who boarded the plane with her would be traced.

He said people in the flight with the woman should contact the government for appropriate advice on what to do.

According to him, government would be doing aggressive contact tracing .

He said the woman was doing well as she did not need serious care at the moment, saying she was calm and comfortable.

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More hospitals are taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of its patients and caregivers in the midst of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Jersey Community Hospital is taking additional precautions steps that apply to the hospital and its clinic locations.
New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday (March 17) sought a debt waiver for countries witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases.

Imran Khan took to Twitter to express his concern over poverty and hunger in wake of the outbreak of the deadly virus and said, "Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI expresses his concern over poverty and hunger as a consequence of the Corona Pandemic. Moreover, he urges the world community to think of some sort of debt-off for vulnerable countries."

Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI expresses his concern over poverty and hunger as a consequence of the Corona Pandemic. Moreover, he urges the world community to think of some sort of debt-off for vulnerable countries.pic.twitter.com/FG6ZDT5h99  Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) March 17, 2020

On Tuesday, Pakistan confirmed that COVID-19 cases had more than doubled for a second straight day, largely due to errors made in the testing and quarantine of travellers who recently returned from Iran via a land border crossing.

So far, the total coronavirus cases in Pakistan stand at 195 sparking concerns the mistakes could prove costly, as it attempts to control the rapid spread of the disease, said a Reuters report.

Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly pilgrims, have reportedly been put into quarantine in recent weeks at the Taftan border crossing in the western province of Balochistan after returning from Iran, one of the countries worst affected worldwide by the virus.

"It was not a quarantine, it was a joke, its trickle-down effect is coming down on the entire country. People were not kept there in the right manner," Murtaza Wahaba, a spokesman for the Sindh provincial government, told a local television channel, adding this had spread the virus to the provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Alabama officials announced the states first case of COVID-19 Friday morning. That number jumped to six by the end of the day, and then doubled on Saturday.

You saw all the people partying this weekend for St. Patricks Day, said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Im happy for them but Im very sorry for us. We all have to give a little to keep us safe.

Some testing labs closed on Sunday, but the cases continued to mount. By Tuesday morning, the number of confirmed cases stood at 36  a small number overall, but a huge jump from just four days earlier.

We will see a doubling at least every other day, Marrazzo said. We are assuming that trajectory will continue. And if you compare that to where Italy was a few weeks ago, its not pretty. Im not an alarmist. Ive been very calm about this.

The jump triggered drastic action in Jefferson County, which has the majority of the states detected cases. Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson issued an order closing bars and restaurants for a week, daycares and preschools until April 6, closing senior centers, banning large gatherings and ending most nursing home visits. On Tuesday morning, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris expanded that order to the counties surrounding Birmingham: Blount, St. Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Walker.

Without the changes, experts warn the spread of COVID-19 could get much worse and even overwhelm the medical system. Marrazzo said the growth could continue for the foreseeable future.

The only way to stop the deadly snowball is to encourage, and even enforce, social distancing. The coronavirus is now spreading in the community, Wilson said. But it can be slowed if people dramatically limit contact with one another  maintaining six feet of distance in group settings and staying home as much as possible.

That, along with vigilant hand washing, could limit the outbreak, Marrazzo said.

If we do not take this seriously and really pay attention to the social distancing measures, we will not have a chance to change the trajectory of what Italy is experiencing, Marrazzo said.

That is the reasoning behind closing Jefferson Countys bars and restaurants, Wilson said.

I want to stress the importance of us taking this very seriously, Wilson said. The number of cases is expected to double every two days if we do not take swift and very deliberate action and stop the spread and give our public health partners time to get this under control.

Italy now has nearly 30,000 cases of coronavirus, many of them severe. The influx of patients has swamped hospitals in the northern part of the country, forcing doctors to ration access to lifesaving equipment.

If the number of cases in Alabama continues to double every day or two, doctors here could face similar choices, Marrazzo said.

The disease is particularly hard on elderly patients and those with preexisting conditions. The fatality rates increase significantly among people older than 60. Limiting social contact offers protection for these patients by slowing the spread of germs.

Experts have been urging social distancing for weeks, but its unclear whether the message is getting through. Measures like closing schools and restaurants negatively affect families and workers  making them unpopular even as medical experts claim they are necessary. Video from the weekend showed large crowds thronging the streets of New Orleans and Miami.

Officials have also struggled to gauge the proper response due to testing delays. Labs didnt test any samples in Alabama until March 5 and many are still woefully behind schedule. Marrazzo fears that many people with COVID-19 have already unknowingly passed it to others, which makes the illness harder to contain.

Honestly, the numbers that we have, to say they are the tip of the iceberg is the understatement of the century, Marrazzo said.

But even with the bad news out of Italy, Marrazzo points to one bright spot in the fight against coronavirus. Officials in the region of Lodi put strong restrictions in place soon after the first cases appeared, preventing the type of outbreak that paralyzed Bergamo.

There is some good news for Alabama. An outbreak could spare rural parts of the state where the physical distance between residents often keeps them apart naturally, Marrazzo said. But Alabamians also suffer from high rates of underlying illness that could make them vulnerable to complications from the virus.

Brian Hastings is the director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. He said people should stay calm and avoid large crowds.

This is no time for fear, it is time for respect and believing you have a purpose in protecting the people around you, Hastings said.

In addition to public actions, private businesses have also taken steps to keep employees at home. And UAB medicine is urging patients with non-emergency needs to use telehealth and online services as much as possible.

Wilson said people can support the local economy, and workers, even during the shutdown.

Keep calm and order carryout, Wilson said.

Here are our live updates on the public health crisis in Alabama. You can find all of our coronavirus stories here.
The coronavirus epidemic raging through Italy has already left streets empty and shops shuttered as 60 million Italians are essentially under house arrest

Rome: At around midnight Wednesday, Renzo Carlo Testa, 85, died from the coronavirus in a hospital in the northern Italian town of Bergamo. Five days later, his body was still sitting in a coffin, one of scores lined head-to-toe in the church of the local cemetery, which is itself closed to the public.

His wife of 50 years, Franca Stefanelli, would like to give him a proper funeral. But traditional funeral services are illegal throughout Italy now, part of the national restrictions against gatherings and going out that have been put in place to try to stem the spread of Europes worst outbreak of the coronavirus. In any case, she and her sons could not attend anyway, because they are themselves sick and in quarantine.

Its a strange thing, Stefanelli, 70, said, struggling to explain what she was going through. Its not anger. Its impotence in the face of this virus.

The coronavirus epidemic raging through Italy has already left streets empty and shops shuttered as 60 million Italians are essentially under house arrest. There are the exhausted doctors and nurses toiling day and night to keep people alive. There are children hanging drawings of rainbows from their windows and families singing from their balconies.

But the ultimate metric of pandemics and plagues is the bodies they leave behind. In Italy, with the oldest population in Europe, the toll has been heavy, with more than 2,100 deaths, the most outside of China. On Monday alone, more than 300 people died.

And the bodies are piling up in the northern region of Lombardy, especially in the province of Bergamo. With 3,760 total cases reported Monday, an increase of 344 cases from the day before, according to officials, it is at the centre of the outbreak.

Hospital morgues there are inundated. Bergamos mayor, Giorgio Gori, issued an ordinance that closed the local cemetery this week for the first time since the Second World War, although he guaranteed that its mortuary would still accept coffins. Many of them had been sent to the Church of All Saints in Bergamo, located in the closed cemetery, where scores of waxed wooden coffins form a macabre line for cremations.

Unfortunately, we dont know where to put them, said Brother Marco Bergamelli, one of the priests at the church. He said that with hundreds dying each day, and with each body taking more than an hour to cremate, there was an awful backlog. It takes time, and the dead are many.

An emergency national law issued last week banned civil and religious ceremonies, including funerals, to prevent the spread of the virus. Officials have allowed priests to say a prayer at burials attended by just a few of the bereaved. In his brief prayers to family members, who often wore masks, Bergamelli said that he tried to give consolation and hope and urged people to be close, if permitted, to those who were alone. This tragedy reminds us to love life, he said.

In the nearby village of Zogno, the local priest has decided to ring the death knell just once a day, to keep from ringing it all day long. In another town, Casalpusterlengo, the Reverend Pierluigi Leva said believers were taking the absence of funerals especially hard.

Family members are spirited away and, because of the danger of contagion, often die in hospital isolation without any family or friends around. Local associations in the northern city of Brescia have started collecting donations of tablet devices to give to hospitals so that coronavirus patients can stay in touch  or say goodbye  to their families back home.

Testas death notice appeared on Friday in a local paper, LEco di Bergamo. The paper usually has a single page of death notices. On Friday there were 10 pages, and the rest was dedicated to the virus devastating Bergamo.

For us, its a trauma, an emotional trauma, said Alberto Ceresoli, who edits the paper. These are people who die alone and who are buried alone. They didnt have someone hold their hand, and the funerals have to be tiny, with a quick prayer from the priest. Many of the close relatives are in quarantine.

Giorgio Valoti, mayor of nearby Cene, died last Friday. He was 70. His son, Alessandro, said that 90 people died the same day in Bergamos main hospital. The virus is massacring this valley; every family is losing someone dear to them, he said. In Bergamo, so many bodies are piling up they dont know what to do with them.

In Fiobbio, a small village outside Bergamo, an ambulance came to collect Luca Carraras father, 86, on Saturday. On Sunday, another one came for his mother, 82. Carrara, 52, couldnt visit them in hospital and stayed home in quarantine, where he has begun showing symptoms of the virus. On Tuesday, his parents died. Their bodies are held in the hospital morgue awaiting cremation.

I am sorry that they are still there, he said. Still alone.

Luca di Palma, 49, said his father, Vittorio, 79, died Wednesday night and that the funeral home he called told him that it had no space for the body. Instead, workers delivered to his house a coffin, some candles, a cross and a mortuary refrigerator so that he could lay his father out in the living room. He said nobody came to pay respects, out of fear of contagion, though his father had died before he could be confirmed as a coronavirus case, and doctors had refused to perform a postmortem swab test.

On Saturday, di Palma followed a hearse carrying his fathers body to a cemetery in Bergamo, where a caretaker let them in and locked the gates behind. A priest arrived to offer a brief prayer over the hearse, its trunk lifted. Di Palma said his father wanted to be cremated, but the wait was long. Painful, he said.

In a country where many learn in school about the dreaded Monatti who, preceded by the ringing of a little bell, retrieved corpses on carts during the 17th-century Milan plague, the amassing of dead bodies seems out of another time.

Alessandro Bosi, secretary of the National Federation of Funeral Homes, said that the virus had also caught the mortuary industry by surprise, with those who handle the dead not having sufficient masks or gloves. While health authorities say they do not believe that the virus can be transmitted posthumously, Bosi said that a corpses lungs often released air when being moved.

We have to consider them in the way we would treat infectious individuals, and take the same care, he said.

If were not the ones taking away the dead, he added, then theyd have to call in the army.

In some parts of southern Italy, where Roman Catholic traditions are particularly strong, the funeral rite has been too important for some to let go.

In the Sicilian town of Porto Empedocle, local authorities said that they had cited 48 mourners last week for taking part in a funeral procession in defiance of national restrictions. The mourners risk three months of jail.

The Reverend Leopoldo Argento, 59, a priest there, said: Funerals are part of our anthropology. He said he understood the impulse of the mourners to congregate but thought it was necessary to suspend the funerals. Normally, 600 to 1,000 people might attend. In Sicily, the death of our loved ones is a very strong moment and a very important one in our social life, he noted.

All of Italian social life has been transformed by the virus, most acutely in Lombardy.

Giacomo Grasselli, who is coordinating the intensive care unit response in Lombardy hospitals, attributed the high number of deaths in part to the advanced age of Italys population. The average age of death, he pointed out, was about 80.

He said medical workers were more frequently forced to decide whether or not to take invasive measures to assist the breathing of the very old and sick but that, for now, every patient had received care.

But, This will not last forever, he warned, adding that the capacity to extend care to everyone depended on whether the containment measures worked. He said he took encouragement from the steep drop in new infections in the original quarantined towns of the region. It is the only way to survive this.

Costantino Pesatori, mayor of Castiglione DAdda, one of those formerly quarantined towns, said that 47 people had died there since 21 February, compared with about 50 in all of 2019. He said that despite some of his residents having received a diagnosis of pneumonia, hospital officials sent them home without testing them for coronavirus.

In Bergamo last week, when an ambulance arrived at Stefanellis apartment for her husband, both were in bed with fevers. Three nurses entered and took Testa to the hospital and left her. That was the last time she saw him. Four days later, he was dead.

She said that she hoped his body could be kept in the Bergamo church until she and her children were released from quarantine and able to attend a funeral. She said the thought of her husband being buried without her there or having to choose who could go was unbearable.

How can you choose among family members? The children shouldnt be there? The wife shouldnt be there? she said. This is the bitterest part.

Jason Horowitz and Emma Bubola c.2020 The New York Times Company
Former Representative Duncan D. Hunter of California was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison on Tuesday for funneling more than $150,000 from his campaign coffers to pay for a lavish lifestyle that prosecutors said included vacations, private school tuition and even airline travel fees for pet rabbits.

The punishment, handed down by Judge Thomas J. Whelan in U.S. District Court in San Diego, capped a precipitous downfall for Mr. Hunter, 43, a Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2008 and had served in the Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In an agreement with prosecutors, Mr. Hunter, who was ordered to report to prison by late May, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to steal campaign funds. One month later, he resigned from his seat in Congress representing a conservative district in San Diego County.

Unfortunately in our country, too many people have come to embrace the notion that the individuals who write the laws feel theyre above the laws, Phillip Halpern, an assistant U.S. attorney, said Tuesday in a news conference after Mr. Hunters sentencing.
Uber Pool has been suspended in the US and Canada to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The pooled option allows riders to book trips at lower prices by sharing the car with up to three other passengers traveling in the same direction.

However, the ride-sharing giant has disabled the option in order to help the public maintain social distancing during the pandemic.

Regular rides and the firm's food delivery platform Uber Eats remain available, but Uber said it was in contact with local authorities to adjust operations as needed.

Uber Pool has been suspended in the US and Canada to help limit the spread of the coronavirus . The pooled option allows riders to book trips at lower prices by sharing the car with up to three other passengers traveling in the same direction

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging social distancing as the coronavirus spreads from person-to-person.

The agency is recommended people maintain at least three feet (one meter) distance between yourself and someone else.

Coronavirus began in China last December and has quickly made its way across the globe.

As of Tuesday, there have been over 188,000 confirmed cases and more than 7,000 deaths around the world - with 4,736 of those cases and 93 deaths in the US.

Uber also noted that it will take similar steps outside of the US and Canada on a case-by-case basis

Uber also announced Monday that it is waiving delivery fees for independent restaurants across the US and Canada. Uber Eats is the latest aggregator to suspend commission from restaurants hit by the coronavirus outbreak, following in the footsteps of GrubHub and Postmates

And it appears Uber is doing its part to help limit the spread of the virus.

Senior vice president Uber Rides and Platform Andrew Macdonald said in a statement: Our goal is to help flatten the curve on community spread in the cities we serve.'

Uber also noted that it will take similar steps outside of the US and Canada on a case-by-case basis.

The Uber app on Tuesday morning listed the Pool option as 'unavailable' when the user entered a destination.

In addition to suspending its carpooling service, Uber is showing users in the US and Canada a message urging them to 'travel only when necessary.'

The firm is also encouraging riders to wash their hands before and after a ride and asking them to sit in the backseat to help protect its drivers.

There are now more than 4,700 people in the US who have contracted coronavirus and 93 deaths. And it appears Uber is doing its part to limit the spread of the virus

Uber also announced Monday that it is waiving delivery fees for independent restaurants across the US and Canada.

Uber Eats is the latest aggregator to suspend commission from restaurants hit by the coronavirus outbreak, following in the footsteps of GrubHub and Postmates.

This comes at a time where many US states have begun closing establishments and only offering delivery as an option.

Hoboken, New Jersey was the first city to implement a bar and restaurant shut down and shortly after the entire state, as well as New York and Connecticut, have followed in suit.
Kolkata recorded its first case of Covid-19 case on Tuesday after an 18-year-old man who returned from the UK on March 15 tested positive, said a top official of the state health department.

This is the first confirmed Covid-19 case of Kolkata. We had sent his swab samples for tests. The result is positive, said a top official of the state health department.

The man was brought to the ID Hospital in Beliaghata on Tuesday and was kept in quarantine. A senior doctor of the hospital said that he had been in contact with at least four Covid-19 patients in UK. His family members are also being brought to the hospital to be quarantined.

Earlier in the day Indias first marine woman pilot was rushed to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Kolkata and kept under observation in the isolation ward on suspicion of being coronavirus positive.

On Monday, the West Bengal government invoked provisions of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, created a fund of 200 crore and extended the closure of schools, colleges and universities till April 15 among a slew of new measures to prevent the outbreak of the Covid-19 in the state.

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Two cases of COVID-19 have been registered at the World Health Organisation headquarters, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The WHO, based in the Swiss city of Geneva, is coordinating the international response to the new coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 180,000 people and killed more than 7,000 across 145 countries.

"We do have two staff confirmed with symptoms of COVID-19," spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters at a virtual press conference.

"This was last week, Friday and Thursday. They both have gone home. They have self-isolated. They showed symptoms.

"Colleagues in the office have been checked and we're waiting for further information on those. Everything so far seems OK with them."



He said all but essential staff were working remotely.

The WHO has started doing only virtual press conferences to brief on developments with the pandemics, with journalists barred from attending in person.

Infections in Switzerland jumped on Sunday by nearly 1,000 cases in 24 hours to 2,200 and 14 deaths were recorded from the virus across the wealthy Alpine country.

And the Swiss government imposed emergency measures on Monday in a bid to stem the spread of the virus in the country, banning all gatherings, tightening borders and deploying the military.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Gabriela Baczynska and Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe proposed shutting its external borders to foreigners for 30 days on Monday in a bid to turn the page on its scramble to contain the coronavirus, but it drew criticism for doing too little, too late. With the official death toll in Italy now above 1,800 and the number of cases growing rapidly around the continent, the crisis has exposed divisions in the 27-member European Union.

By Gabriela Baczynska and Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe proposed shutting its external borders to foreigners for 30 days on Monday in a bid to turn the page on its scramble to contain the coronavirus, but it drew criticism for doing too little, too late.

With the official death toll in Italy now above 1,800 and the number of cases growing rapidly around the continent, the crisis has exposed divisions in the 27-member European Union.

Some countries have introduced border controls inside what is normally Europe's Schengen zone of open borders, while others have refused to share medical data or equipment.

Calls for unity from Brussels have so far seemed to fall on deaf ears. Images from crossings in Europe show vehicles in long lines waiting to cross what would normally be invisible borders.

"The less travel, the more we can contain the virus. Therefore ... I propose to the heads of state and government to introduce temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU," said the head of the EU's executive, Ursula von der Leyen.

"These travel restrictions should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, but can be prolonged as necessary."

Leaders of EU member states will discuss the proposals during a videoconference on Tuesday. Diplomatic sources said the they were championed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has pushed for co-ordinated European action.

"WINDOW-DRESSING"

The plan would cover 30 countries: all EU member states excluding Ireland, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, which are part of the Schengen zone even though they are not part of the European Union.

Britain, which left the EU in January, and Ireland would have to decide independently whether to fall in line by sealing their borders. But their nationals would retain the right to travel to Europe in the meantime, according to EU officials.

From Portugal in the west to Hungary in the east, European countries have unilaterally tightened frontier controls, triggering a warning earlier on Monday from Brussels that chaotic measures risk hurting food and medicine supplies, and aggravating the crisis.

The proposals on shutting Europe's external borders to foreigners, which include a raft of exemptions, were viewed by some as an effort by Brussels to appear in control.

"We do know the threat is already inside, the threat is not coming from the outside anymore. So it's more about political messaging," an EU official said, requesting anonymity.

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, agreed. He described the proposals as "window-dressing ... to cover up the embarrassment of member-states closing their borders to each other."

"I don't see the potential benefits," he said.

(Additional reporting by John Chalmers, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Nick Tattersall)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Even after the tariff hikes, competitive pressure for telecom operators remains elevated, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has said in its latest credit news digest.

The industry revenue increased by 9 per cent quarter-on-quarter Q3 FY20 supported by tariff hikes, which has more than offset the decline in the subscriber base in the given quarter.

After almost two years, revenue grew across all the major telcos. However, Ind-Ra said this momentum needs to be monitored. This is because apart from tariffs, revenue depends on subscriber base which declined in November and December 2019.

Moreover, even after the tariff hikes, the competitive pressure for telcos remains elevated since Reliance Jio Infocomm's data tariffs are still 25 per cent lower than those of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

Ind-Ra said the recent tariff hikes have resulted in an increase in average revenue per user (ARPU) of all three major telcos in the range of 2 to 7 per cent quarter-on-quarter.

The share of broadband subscribers in the overall subscriber base is also on a continuous rise. The rising share of data subscribers along with growing data traffic and stabilising data tariffs augurs well for revenue growth.

Additionally, Ind-Ra opined that the release of a consultation paper by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to evaluate setting up floor prices for telecom tariffs and extension of the implementation of zero interconnect usage charge regime by a year are positive moves for the telecom industry.

However, Ind-Ra said Vodafone Idea does not have the ability to pay adjusted gross revenue (AGR) related dues by March 17, given the lack of clarity on promoter equity infusion, severe erosion in refinancing flexibility and insufficient cash balance (Rs 12,500 crore as of December 2019).

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Paytm appoints Premanshu Singh as senior vice-president

Mumbai, Mar 17 (UNI) Leading digital payments and financial services platform Paytm on Tuesday announced the appointment of Premanshu Singh as senior vice-president.

He will have a business role in financial services vertical within Paytm. Premanshu would report to Amit Nayyar, President of Paytm.

Amit Nayyar, President- Paytm said, ''We are excited to welcome Premanshu who brings a wide range of experience in traditional industries as well in the digital ecosystem. As we deepen our presence in various segments of financial services, we continue to expand our leadership team to focus on multiple opportunities and possibilities that our Paytm ecosystem offers.''

Premanshu Singh said, "I am excited to be a part of a great entrepreneurial ecosystem. As India aspires to be a 5 trillion dollar economy, building the next set of products and services for the end-user is going to be our focus."

Premanshu Singh comes with over 17 years of experience with some of the top FMCG companies including ITC, Johnson & Johnson as well as leading internet and digital commerce companies.

Prior to joining One97 Communications, Premanshu was the CEO of Coverfox for about three years.

He had also served as Head of Marketing at Practo and head of Emerging Business, Sales Strategy and International at Shaadi.com. The nuances he brought into these businesses have helped these companies grow and expand. He founded an e-commerce venture a2zbaby as well. He has an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and has done Executive Program from INSEAD.

UNI JS SV 1559
A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on March 16.

The new edition includes articles: President Aliyev hails social reforms in country, Baku, Ankara close border

amid coronavirus outbreak, Baku: Armenia has no moral right to speak of democracy, PM says economy developing despite negative global trends, etc.

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, right, watches as his wife Jill Biden, center, blocks a protester from arriving on stage during an primary night rally in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has been assigned Secret Service to tail him as his 2020 bid for president ramps up, according to the Secret Service.

"The U.S. Secret Service can confirm that we have initiated full protective coverage for Democratic Presidential Candidate and former Vice President Joseph Biden," a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement to CNBC.

Biden's campaign submitted a formal request for protection from the Secret Service last week.

Senior congressional officials consult with Homeland Security to determine whether a request for Secret Service from candidates is warranted. Presidential candidates, especially as November nears, begin to gain attention, sometimes putting them at greater risk of danger.

The request for Secret Service comes even as Biden said he will largely stay off the campaign trail, adhering to warnings from officials about "social distancing" to combat the deadly coronavirus outbreak, which has killed thousands of people globally.

Biden was assigned Secret Service during his tenure in former President Barack Obama's administration.

On the campaign trail, Biden's Secret Service code name will be "Celtic," CNN reported, the same as when he was vice president.

Discussion of Biden's protection arose after earlier this month, when an anti-dairy protester stormed on stage where the candidate was delivering a victory speech. Biden's wife, Jill, blocked the protester from getting near her husband, using her arms to hold her back.

The incident was a "wake-up call" for Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, his chief rival in the Democratic nomination, former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow told NPR.

Sanders' campaign rallies have also experienced situations that could have escalated to dangerous levels.

On March 5, as the Vermont senator was delivering a speech in Arizona, a man in the crowd stood up and held up over his head a red flag bearing a swastika. Sanders, if he were to secure the Democratic nomination and win the election in November, would be the first Jewish president.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a request for comment asking if the Sanders campaign submitted a request for Secret Service.

Biden and Sanders have emerged from a crowded field of Democrats as the front-runners vying for the chance to take on President Donald Trump in November.

Several rounds of state primaries gave Biden a boost just as his campaign looked like it was collapsing. Biden maintains a solid lead over Sanders, having earned 871 delegates so far, compared with Sanders' 719. To claim victory as the Democratic nominee, a candidate must secure 1,991 delegates.

Biden is favored in primaries Tuesday in Arizona, Florida and Illinois. Tuesday's Ohio primary was recommended to be postponed on Monday night by the governor because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six years ago, Russia seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Since then, the Crimean Tatars -- who almost unanimously opposed and resisted the Russian takeover -- have been targeted for repressions. According to a 2015 report by Human Rights Watch, most of the 63 Crimeans held in Russian jails and prisons were Crimean Tatars.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian human rights ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova announced that 86 Crimean Tatars are on the governments list of some 200 names for negotiations with Russia over the next exchange of prisoners.

RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Aleksandra Vagner spoke with Crimean Tatar activist Mumine Saliyeva, whose husband, Seiran Saliyev, was arrested along with five other Crimean Tatars in October 2017. He currently faces charges of terrorism and attempting to violently overthrow the government. His trial is being held in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and he could be sentenced to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Saliyeva has founded a group called Crimean Childhood that provides assistance to the nearly 200 children of Crimean Tatars currently being held by Russia.

She spoke to RFE/RL about the situation in Crimea and about the Crimean Tatars tactics of peaceful resistance aimed at countering the repression against them.

RFE/RL: It has been six years since Russias annexation of Crimea. Do you remember how you felt at the time? How did you react to the events of those days?

Mumine Saliyeva: The majority of people in Crimea refer to that time as the Crimean spring, but for all the Crimean Tatars, it was a completely different spring. No one knew how to respond at first. People spoke of war, of revolution, of removing the government. This led Crimean Tatars to come together and to organize mini-brigades to defend the small areas where we were living, to defend our homes. Men stood guard in shifts because no one knew what to expect from the armed people [who appeared]. The situation boiled over on February 26 [2014], when there were disturbances in Simferopol and the injured had to be removed in ambulances.

But the first blow aimed specifically at the Crimean Tatars came on March 3, when Reshat Ametov held a one-person protest. Later he was found mutilated. A person who did nothing but express his opinion was found dead, brutally murdered. Of course, that frightened everyone and they understood that this would not be over in a day, a week, or a month. We began to see that cases of abduction and torture were not exceptions. We saw people disappear without a trace. For instance, [Chairman of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars] Ervin Ibrahimov. Or the son and nephew of human rights activist Abdureshit Dzhepparov. Crimea was transformed into a gray zone because almost no independent journalists remained.

Then the first arrests came, and the Crimean Tatar community -- which up until 2014 had lived peacefully and which was largely convinced that it was best to remain outside of politics -- changed. When the arrests came, people understood that any right, any point of view, any opinion that contradicted the line of the totalitarian government would be punished. And the lives of many people changed. People who had never thought about resisting or defending their community or one another began doing just that.

RFE/RL: What happened to your family as a result of the annexation?

Saliyeva: Our family, of course, was also profoundly affected. My husband and I had lived together a long time, raising our children. I studied and wrote a dissertation in economics. My husband is an educator and he led excursions for tourists. He also worked with children and raised money to help children with cancer. We were forced to give up all this and take up exclusively human rights and journalistic work.

We began attending the court hearings which were launched in Crimea as if on a conveyor belt. There were cases involving Hizb ut-Tahrir [a Muslim organization that is banned in Russia as extremist, but which is legal in Ukraine and says it is nonviolent], cases related to the February 26 [2014 clashes]. We began speaking out on social media because, as I mentioned before, there were no independent journalists left and we needed to get information from Crimea to those journalists working away from the peninsula. My husband and I knew that anyone doing this work would attract attention, but he said that it was our duty to our people and a matter of justice, honesty, and even honor.

RFE/RL: Your husband is accused of terrorism and attempting to violently overthrow the government in connection with the so-called second Bakhchysaray Hizb ut-Tahrir group. It was known right from the annexation that Hizb ut-Tahrir is banned in Russia and many members of that organization fled to mainland Ukraine. Why did your family decide to stay?

Saliyeva: We dont think it matters whether the arrested were members of Hizb ut-Tahrir or not. That is not the main reason why they are persecuted. We understand that Crimean Tatars are, in terms of their faith, Muslims who have lived in Crimea and practiced their faith here. Now a new government has come and we are supposed to rewrite history and renounce our beliefs and views? That doesnt make any sense and isnt right because the Crimean Tatar identity is formed around the religion that we practice. And now they are charging people who have lived and practiced their religion in Crimea for more than 20 years -- it is completely illegal. It means they are attacking our culture. And there are many other cases that have nothing to do with Hizb ut-Tahrirthat are indicative and are used in Crimea to persecute [Crimean Tatars].

We see the big picture -- what people are arrested for and what is going on. It is enough for a person to show up at a trial and show some solidarity for them to start opening administrative cases against him. After that, if he doesnt give up his activity, his administrative case is smoothly transformed into a criminal case. This is what happened to my husband.

Before this mechanism was worked out, it happened like this: people showed up at houses during searches by the authorities; they began live streaming the happenings on their phones; the police knocked the phones out of their hands and, sometimes, gave them a whack on the head with their batons. So, we can see thatin Crimea they are not arresting people for belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir but merely for having a particular point of view, for owning certain religious literature, or for speaking about religion. The Sevastopol Hizb ut-Tahrir people were arrested for talking in their kitchens. The first Bakhchysaray group was arrested for conversations in a backroom. The second Bakhchysaray group, which included my husband, was arrested for conversations in a mosque. It should be noted that the mosque is a public space. Anyone can go there, regardless of their faith. It is an open place. And it is natural that when people go to a mosque, they speak about religion. But that became an excuse to arrest people and to give them prison sentences that they dont even hand down to murderers.

So, we understand that their basic motivation is our political and religious opinions, as well as our public activity. In Russia there is no law against journalism. There is no law against human rights work. There is no law against public activity. But there are convenient laws on so-called terrorism that enable you to arrest dozens of people who are practicing their religion. There is a law on extremism that enabled them to simply ban the representative organ of the Crimean Tatars -- the Mejlis -- and to kick its leadership out of Crimea without the right to return. These are laws that, unfortunately, are being used by the authorities in Crimea exclusively as a tool of repression.

RFE/RL: The organization Crimean Solidarity started as a reaction to this repression.

Saliyeva: A lot of people understood that the repressions were intended to decapitate the active part of our society so that it would be easier to turn the remainder into a passive body that would agree to anything. The goal was to eventually show the international community that everything is fine in Crimea; that everyone there is happy with the new authorities; that new roads and schools and kindergartens are being built; in short, that life is beautiful!

WATCH: 1944 Deportation Victim: 'We Said Goodbye To Our Home'

But as long as there are people in Crimea who are providing other information and as long as that information makes its way out of Crimea, it is difficult to paint such a beautiful picture. That is why the authorities have undertaken such efforts to stop broadcasting from Crimea and to block any leak of information from there.

This continued when all the court proceedings were closed [to the media and public]. That is the practice to the present day, so that no information gets beyond the courtroom walls and the public has no way of finding out what twisted counterarguments the judges, prosecutors, and investigators use in order to apply articles [of the Criminal Code] that result in the most inhuman prison terms.

As of now, more than 10 of those arrested are civic journalists; others are human rights activists and lawyers from Crimean Solidarity. Anyone can see that today in Crimea there is a war against activism, against people who express a religious or political point of view. We are seeing repression on the basis of religion and ethnicity.

Crimean Tatars understand this, and this understanding has united people. I have never seen such solidarity before. This consolidation is a unique phenomenon in Crimea over the last six years because during all these years we have been providing mutual support for one another. Our unity helps us overcome all our difficulties. And these difficulties have not affected one or two or three people, but our entire ethnic community. This is a complicated situation because what is happening today to the Crimean Tatars is the repression of an entire nation.

Crimean Tatars live in very close extended-family networks. If you consider that several dozen Crimean Tatars have already been arrested and that every one of them has hundreds or thousands of relations, you can see that misfortune has struck every third Crimean Tatar home. That is why we can say that we are seeing the repression of an entire nation.

A lot of us see this as nothing less than hybrid deportation. In 1944, they called us criminals and deported the Crimean Tatar nation out of Crimea. Today, in a comparable way, they are hanging the label criminal on us by calling us terrorists and extremists and separatists. They load people up in police vans and cart them off to Russian prisons. But even though my husband has sat in prison for more than two years facing serious charges and a possible prison term of 20 years, I really respect our ability to consolidate and offer resistance -- nonviolent resistance.

RFE/RL: They are still driving journalists out of Crimea. Taras Ibrahimov, who covered the arrests of Crimean Tatars, has been banned from entering Crimea for 34 years.

Saliyeva: After 2014, activists from Crimean Solidarity took up journalism because all the professionals had been driven out but someone had to speak about the situation. Im talking about civic journalists -- mothers, builders, teachers. But they took on this function -- and my husband was among them. There were some who risked coming to Crimea and working here, including journalist and photographer Alina Smutko and journalists Alyona Savchuk and Taras Ibrahimov. I think the ban imposed on him was a message to other journalists not to speak about the situation in Crimea. And the term of his ban -- dozens of years -- is a type of deportation. It is a serious indication of how afraid the authorities are of media coverage of what is going on in Crimea.

RFE/RL: In addition to civic journalism, you are still helping the children of imprisoned Crimean Tatars. How many children have been left without fathers because of the arrests of the last six years?

Saliyeva: In Crimea, they are specifically arresting the most noble, courageous, and morally strong men. Almost all the arrested -- and there are more than 60 of them -- are, for instance, European taekwondo champions, political scientists, lawyers, restoration experts, businessmen, teachers. That is, the strongest social layer of the Crimean Tatar people.

We arent afraid for these people, particularly for the men. But I also dont particularly worry about the women. But the children caught up in this story are the most vulnerable and defenseless creatures. They cant understand or accept that they saw their beloved fathers face down on the floor in handcuffs. This has a profound effect on a childs psyche.

When they shut the door behind my husband, I just looked at our children and understood that something had to be done. On the day that my husband was taken, five other Crimean Tatar men were also arrested. The number of involved children increased by 100. That was a round figure that made a big impression on me. In March 2019, there were more arrests and that figure grew. Today, we are talking about 198 children, of whom 168 are minors. Ten children were born after their fathers were arrested -- they dont know their fathers and have never seen them.

Some of the children are disabled; some have serious illnesses. I understood that we needed to work with these children, to help them adapt and to at least get over their pain, to get them through the situation and unite them -- to show them that they are not alone in their pain.

RFE/RL: Do your children see their father? Are you able to visit him? Or do you try to protect the children from the trauma of seeing their father behind bars?

Saliyeva: My husband and I discussed such things even before he was arrested. After all, my husband was already being summoned under administrative charges and given fines. Only later was he arrested. My husband said that we had the chance to isolate our children by leaving. But if we remain together with our people, living here, then it is not realistic to think we can isolate and protect them.

My husband said: Explain it to them in simple terms. Tell them often. Take them to visit other families so that our children can see that there are other children whose fathers are in prison. I do not regret that I took my husbands advice and explained all these things to our children. When [the authorities] came to our house armed to the teeth, the children did not experience the maximum shock because they had seen the examples of other families. I do not isolate my children from possible visits with my husband because they need them. And no matter how hard it is for them, these visits give them positive emotions. Every visit is unique and memorable.

WATCH: When You Think About Crimea, Think Crimean Tatars. Here's Why.

Unfortunately, we were not able to visit him for a year and a half because the authorities did not give permission, as a form of pressure against the defendants and against their families. They didnt even explain why they reject our requests. My children and I were able to see my husband for a year and a half. We had only one chance to speak with him, in the corridor at a court hearing. I saw him two more times in Crimea.

Last September, they took him to Rostov-on-Don and I saw him one more time. Just imagine -- to travel from Crimea to Rostov is 700 kilometers. It took 12 hours. A few months ago, I took a chance and took the children there for a visit. It was a very difficult trip -- 12 hours sitting, but the children did it. I could see how hard it was for them -- they were fidgeting and trying to lie down. But none of them said a word.

In the end, a father saw his children and they are now living on the strength of those memories. That is why I think it would have been wrong to isolate them. If I thought that in a year or two it would all be over, then maybe I would have done things differently. But when you dont know the future and you dont know how long things will drag out, but life is continuing and you have to live. On the one hand, you have the children. On the other, your husband, about whom you must also think. Those visits are very important for him. So we try to go whenever we can -- to attend hearings or arrange a visit.

RFE/RL: You said that you see your activity as a form of nonviolent resistance. Despite your troubles, do you still think that nonviolent resistance can bring an end to the repressions that began after the annexation?

Saliyeva: I try to look at the big picture. I understand that fundamental change requires political will. Or there must be some serious international negotiations. Average people are not going to resolve these issues. In order to fundamentally change the situation in Crimea and the situation of the political prisoners, it will take the political will of nations, of the heads of governments. It is hard for us to influence this. Thats one thing.

But from another perspective, the Crimean Tatars have enormous experience. When you look at how the Crimean Tatars were deported and how even in exile they sought a mechanism to enable them to return to Crimea and the people actually did return to their homeland. And then they fought for and achieved their rights because they were united and used peaceful resistance. So, I do believe in this with all my heart. Our grandmothers and grandfathers returned to Crimea and thought that they would build a happy future for the next generation. But then the situation changed and we all experienced deja vu. Our elders began to remember what had happened to them and they shared this experience with us. This altered the relationship between the older generation and the younger. Such closeness did not exist before, such sympathy. My mother-in-law dug out some old papers and we learned to our horror that my husbands grandfather had been shot under three criminal charges that are analogous to those my husband faced. The wording was different and the numbers were different, but essentially the tribunal of the NKVD [Stalins secret police] delivered absolutely comparable verdicts.

People share their experiences and tell us everything. And that is hugely inspiring. So I do believe that our peaceful resistance will inevitably produce results. In fact, it already is. Even today we can see that when hundreds of people are fined for defending the nation and people all pitch in 10 rubles each and the fines are paid -- that is a result. When women emerge from maternity hospitals with their newborns while their husbands are in prison, the nation meets those women. That is a result and those women do not feel so alone. When people every month write hundreds and hundreds of letters under an initiative called Write, my people! and the men sitting in prison awaiting trial are given packets of letters -- that is also a result. There are many such initiatives. Our Children is a social group that collects money for the children of political prisoners and gives it out to them each month. That is also a result. All these are forms of nonviolent resistance.

When they arrested my husband, people throughout Crimea came out and held one-person protests the very next day. More than 100 protests in one day. People came out with signs saying, Our children arent terrorists. Crimean Tatars are not terrorists. And that is a response to the repression that is happening in Crimea. It is also a result. We can see that we are helping people get over these difficulties. Of course, I believe without a doubt that this will eventually lead to victory and our men will be released from prison. Why do I often say that my husband to me is the personification of peaceful resistance? Because he never forgets to remind me that I am not fighting for him but for the freedom of all the prisoners. And I say, Of course. When I tell him to be strong and that he will be freed, he corrects me. Not me. All of us. I smile and say, Yes, yes. All of you.

I know that my heart will not rest even if he is released, if anyone else remains.

Translated by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson
SPRINGFIELD  The Office of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Principals Association, and Illinois State Board of Education released the following statement:

"These are unprecedented times, but we are all together with the goal of caring for students. Our organizations are truly inspired by the phenomenal cooperation shown across the state and encourage all of our members to be reasonable, creative, and generous while determining whats best for our students in Illinois. ISBE has announced that these will be Act of God Days. To assist our members during this time, the leadership of the IEA, IFT, IASA, and IPA have prepared this joint guidance with the Office of Governor JB Pritzker and ISBE to be effective through March 30, 2020. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, subsequent guidance may be released.

"From March 17 through March 30, all school district employees on the districts payroll will get paid as if the schools were functioning normally, regardless of the district plans developed during this time. These school days will not be made up. All employees will get paid as if they did all the normal work they would have done if schools were functioning normally. Normal pay includes salary, hourly and stipend pay, benefits, and employees will receive full and normal service credit in their pension systems.

"From March 17 through March 30, the employer can expect school district employees to participate in work activities in some form. The concrete details of the work, including stipend work, that will occur during this timeframe must be worked out through mutual agreement, but negotiations should focus on ensuring (1) continuity of education, (2) provision of meals, and (3) other student support measures as appropriate for each district. Public health and safety of students and staff are paramount, and to the extent work can be done remotely, it should be. Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on social distancing and group gatherings should be adhered to. Employers should not require any more employees than absolutely necessary to come to school.

"No school district can unilaterally change the use of benefit days. We encourage local collaboration on the use of benefit days and encourage ways to support anyone who is sick or is caring for a sick family member.

"We acknowledge that the current law on teacher evaluation and Reduction in Force (honorable dismissal and layoff) remains in full force including all timelines and existing statutory language. If necessary, meetings and evaluation conferences associated with these statutes will occur remotely."

TUESDAY UPDATE: What's happening with coronavirus and Central Illinois
Tunisia will impose a curfew from 6 p.m. To 6 a.m. starting Wednesday, Tunisia's president said on Tuesday, tightening the measures to counter the spread of coronavirus. Tunisia, which declared 24 cases of the virus, closed mosques, cafes and markets, closed its land borders and suspended international flights.

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Virginia Lee (Sivley) Turner passed away peacefully in the early hours of March 12, 2020, just two weeks prior to her 98th birthday, surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Mrs. Turner was a native of Chattanooga and was born on March 26, 1922, to Ethel Durham and Russell Milo Sivley in their family home on the farm located on Mountain Creek Road at the foot of Signal Mountain, which was settled by the Sivley family in 1820. Virginia was the oldest of nine children; sisters, Dorothy (Pete) Slayton, Kathryn (Clifford) Coffelt, Betty (Cooper) Holt, Barbara (Joseph) Waters, Carolyn (David) Minnich; brothers, William (Betty) Sivley, Kenneth (Anna) Sivley and Calvin (Joann) Sivley, and was known to be her mothers second in command as it related to the care and supervision of her younger siblings.

As a child Virginia attended Mountain Creek Baptist Church where she and her sisters learned to read music and sing gospel harmonies. This led to Virginia and her sisters preforming at churches throughout the area and often singing on the locally broadcast T. Perry Brannon radio program. Virginia also sang with other quartets and preformed in plays and musicals during her elementary school days at Mountain Creek Elementary School and later while attending Central High School.

As a young woman Virginia left the farm to seek adventure and employment in Chattanoogas booming downtown where she worked with her sister Kay at Woolworths Department Store. Recognizing her natural ability to manage and organize, Virginia was appointed their first female floor manager. This sparked an interest in retail sales and management which would continue throughout much of her life.

In her early twenties Virginia married her life partner, the man she would love and support for the next 44 years, James Estill Bookie Turner and together they had a legendary career in public life and public service. Virginia forever epitomized the role of the strong woman behind the man. Moving with Bookies career the couple started married life in Oak Ridge Tennessee. While Bookie worked for The US Veterans Administration after serving in the Navy, Virginia, still interested in a career of her own, opened her first retail business, the Oakridge Bootery. Also, while in Oakridge Virginia gave birth to a daughter, Brenda Kaye Turner, who would later become a well-loved Tennessee State legislator for over 20 years advocating for children, healthcare and womens issues. In 1950 the couple returned to Chattanooga as Bookie accepted a new role with the VA and settled in the growing suburbs of Brainerd. Once again Virginia started a childrens shoes and clothing business called The Brainerd Bootery and Youth Bazar. She had another child, a boy, James Michael Mike Turner who became a licensed funeral director, owner and president of the 84-year-old family firm, Turners Golden Rule Funeral Home.

Over the ensuing years Virginia opened multiple childrens shoes and clothing store locations of the Bootery but later retired from this career and became well know and loved for her involvement in local politics and community activism. She supported Bookie to many victories as both Sheriff and later Fire and Police Commissioner and actively managed Brendas election campaign to the State house. Mrs. Turner was one of the main driving forces in over 30 public elections for her husband and daughters longtime political careers. In addition to these interests, Virginia became a licensed realtor and later earned licensing as a Funeral director in order to participate in the family business with her son Mike, eventually being named Vice President of the Company and playing a key role in its daily operation and management.

Share your memories at www.TurnerFamilyFuneralHome.com.

Surviving family include her daughter, Brenda K. Turner, her son, wife and children - Mike and Sandy Turner, and their children, Paige Turner Clark, Lindy Turner (Frank) Foster and Jamey Turner (Tony) McQuade.

Mrs. Turner's precious great-grandchildren are Payton, KyLeigh, Shea Michael, Noah Rafael, Hayden Grace, Taylor Rose, Julia Paige, Blake, Casey and Carson, her terrific sisters, Mrs. Barbara (Joe) Waters, Mrs. Carolyn (David) Minnick and Mrs. Kaye (Clifford) Colfelt, and her son and wife, John (Kelly) Colfelt and their two truehearted daughters, Virginia Ellis Colfelt, Kathryn "Kate" Colfelt and her son, John Carter, as well as a multitude of nieces and nephews.

And then there was a Heaven sent "Angel of Mercy" named Amy Wyatt who blessed Mrs. Virginia with her presence. She brought daily an abundance of devoted love and care to help her through her final days.

The family would also like to thank the Alexian Brothers Home Healthcare for their love and kindness that they gave to Mrs. Turner.

Donations may be made to St. Jude ( https://www.stjude.org/donate ) or a charity of your choosing.

Due to public health concerns, the family has respectfully decided to forego public visitation. The family and friends will gather for a funeral service at a later date. Mrs. Turners body will be laid to rest with her husband at Chattanooga National Cemetery in a private family service.

Arrangements made by Turner Funeral Home, Hwy 58 Chapel 423-622-3171
A minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, who was earlier sacked for his anti-Hindu remarks, again triggered a controversy on Tuesday after he remarked that children with special needs are born due to their "parents' sins".

Punjab information minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan statement drew widespread condemnation even from his own party, which chided him for being insensitive towards special children.

Addressing a press conference here, Chohan said: "Handicapped and disabled children are born because of the sins of their parents."



Their birth, the minister said, is a "divine 'azaab' (wrath) on corrupt and immoral human beings".

Last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan sacked Chohan for passing insensitive comments about Hindus. However, he was later reinstated.

Chohan's comments about special children drew widespread condemnation across the country.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said: "Special abilities children are our asset, not a liability. Hope better sense prevails among those who want to be ruler."



Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said: "Special children are not 'azaab' but are special human beings to be cared for and loved and allowed to develop their own potential. In fact, no child can ever be an 'azaab' and for anyone to make such a cruel, inhuman statement is absolutely unforgivable and condemnable."Pakistan Human Rights Commission said it is deeply concerned by the statement made by Chohan.

"This was irresponsible and callous. More shocking is that he made these remarks in the presence of Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid. Ministers must refrain from making such statements that promote ignorance about disabilities and cause hurt to those who live with them," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amal Clooney's jailbird older sister is selling pricey designer coronavirus face masks just a few months after coming out of prison for a drunk-driving offense.

Self-described 'rebel' fashionista Tala Alamuddin Le Tallec has a line of 'statement piece' masks called 'Le Masque', which she's selling alongside 'The Sanity Stasher' - a trendy pouch to keep hand sanitizer.

But there's only one problem - they can take up to three months to arrive, which isn't ideal with the coronavirus now being classified as a 'pandemic'.

The 'La Masque' line went on sale last week and has styles which include 'cool cat pink' leopard print, 'groovy green' army camouflage and blue denim masks emblazoned with red lips, teeth and a tongue sticking out.

Amal Clooney's sister Tala Alamuddin Le Tellec, 47, launched fashion brand Totally Tala and recently added a Le Masque collection of coronavirus masks

The 'luxury face coverups' are selling for $33 and come in a variety of styles including leopard print and denim

Tala is the older sister to Amal Clooney and was maid of honor at George and Amal's wedding in Venice

According to Le Tallec's website Totally Tala, the 'Sanity Stasher Zip Pouch is as handy as it is fabulously made, in a kaleidoscope of colors in leather and fabric to solve your every storage-on-the-go need' and 'can build a custom-hued creation of your very own.'

Tala, who is based in Singapore, was jailed last October for three weeks for her second drunk driving offense

The masks are selling for $33 while the pouches cost $55, with shipping cost of $50 to the US from Singapore, which is where Alamuddin is based.

But you'll have to wait a long time for the bespoke pouches to be delivered, as the website states 'it will be ready to ship in 8 to 12 weeks'.

On the flip-side, Le Tallec has promised to donate some of the proceeds to charity, saying on the company's Instagram: 'A portion of Le Masque proceeds will be donated to The Red Cross Singapore (@sgredcross), in support of those directly affected by the Coronavirus.'

This comes just months after Le Tallec was jailed for drunk driving.

In October, she was sentenced to three weeks behind bars and given a fine for drunk-driving, driving without a license and no insurance.

Le Tallec was stopped by Singaporean police at 2.30am driving her husband's car after she'd been at a restaurant with a friend and had drank two glasses of wine and a glass of champagne.

When trying to find her license in her bag, Le Tallec reportedly hit the accelerator briefly by accident.

This wasn't her first drunk driving incident in Singapore either. Her first offense was in 2013, which got her suspended from driving for two years.

The 47-year-old's Le Masque collection features denim, camouflage and leopard-print designs in a range of colours. Options include these lips with a sticking out tongue on a denim base

Tala is also producing a range of pouches to carry hand sanitizer that cost $55 - called the Sanity Stasher

Tala's fashion line has been over two years in the making and was made available online on Monday, March 9. Proceeds from the masks will be donated to The Red Cross Singapore

Now Le Tallec is hoping to bounce back with her first fashion line called Totally Tala - which Le Masque is a part of.

The fashion line has been over two years in the making and was made available online on Monday, March 9.

The unique range of bags and accessories are, according to the website, a 'vibrant embodiment of this unwavering commitment to her [Le Tallec] vision, her no-holds-barred attitude' - but there's no denying they come with hefty price tags.

Most handbags cost over $1,500, with one of the most expensive - the Battlefield Bespoke Hair on Hide bag - priced at $1875.

A leopard skin clutch bag, called OMG Bespoke Hair on Hide, costs $1,275, while belts are $250 and even a zebra-print leather choker will set you back $165.

She also has The Mum-munition Collection, which is 'created for mothers by one mega-mother who knows how to arm the moms of the world to make taking their little ones out of the house a breeze'.

For an eye-watering $2,099, young moms can get an 'All In One Baby Bundle' in pink and yellow leopard skin, which contains: The MUMmaste (Mum and Baby Bag), The Roadie (breastfeeding bib), The Backstage Pass (changing station), The Undercover (baby blanket), The Stacker (diaper holder), The Come Back (burping cloth), The Cover Up (baby bib), The Stash and Dash (drawstring storage pouches), The Get Carried Away (Zipper Pouches).

On the website, Le Tallec is not shy to promote her design skills and her bio says: 'Entrepreneur. Mother. Provocateur. Rebel with a cause for style. British designer Tala Alamuddin is the fierce fashion force behind the eponymous line of signature handbags and accessories.'

Tala has made friends in the fashion and beauty world, pictured here with makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury

She also has The Mum-munition Collection, which is 'created for mothers by one mega-mother who knows how to arm the moms of the world to make taking their little ones out of the house a breeze'

Most handbags cost over $1,000, with one of the most expensive - the Battlefield Bespoke Hair on Hide bag - priced at $1,875. This Jettaway Bespoke Hair on Hide bag is more affordable

Le Tallec justifies the high price tags by saying the products are sustainable and made by skilled workers in Indonesia and materials are recycled where possible

The self-confessed 'rebel with a no-holds-barred attitude' also has handbags that cost over $1500 and leather jewelry accessories above $160

A leopard skin clutch bag, called OMG Bespoke Hair on Hide, costs $1,275, while belts are $250 and even a zebra-print leather choker will set you back $165

The bio goes on describe her: 'An intrepid and unrelenting spirit, she is a woman of the world, weaving her life experiences and inspirations into each of her thoughtfully created statement pieces.

'From her earliest years, as a fashion-obsessed child and a student in London; to her advertising days in New York and Singapore, Tala has relied on style as an essential medium for expression and rebellion. For the mother of four, the idea for her line had been percolating for more than a decade.

''Whenever it came time to officially launch my line, I launched a human being, or two, instead,''' she said.

But Le Tallec justifies the high price tags by saying the products are sustainable and made by skilled workers in Indonesia and materials are recycled where possible, further adding: 'Our bags and accessories are made from the nest Italian leather, exclusively sourced from certified sustainable farms.

'Each bag requires three full days to create, and all are hand-sewn and hand-assembled by a team of highly skilled local artisans, in our workshops in Indonesia.'

Tala is Amal's only full sister, they have two half-brothers Samer and Ziad. She graduated from Richmond American International University in London in 1995 and was maid of honor at George and Amal's wedding in Venice. She's lived in London, Lebanon, New York and Singapore.
This story was originally published by ProPublica.

After the first confirmed coronavirus case on U.S. soil, 800 miles to his north, the chief of a Northern California fire department gathered his executive team in mid-February to prepare for the inevitable landing of the virus in his community.

They planned to screen patients carefully and have their first responders gear up in gowns, masks and goggles if they believed one could be infected. Yet even though the outbreak was already spreading nationwide, Rocklin Fire Department Chief William Hack decided to hold off on putting the high-level response into action until the first case showed up in the county.

Fate worked against them, Hack said. On Feb. 27, firefighters in Rocklin, a suburb of Sacramento, responded to a call to help a person who had taken a tumble. The patient coughed on the firefighters; days later, that patient tested positive for coronavirus. Three of the responders had to be quarantined for 14 days.

In hindsight, Hack said, he realizes his departments response came too late, but he believes that they had the operational measures and protective equipment in place. You dont want to jump the gun too soon because theres a cost to it, he said, both in equipment and creating panic. They had expected the virus to pop up first somewhere else in the state, he said. Little did we know wed be the first agency to have this happen to.

As the coronavirus spreads in the United States, emergency medical providers are scrambling to keep up, with key direction on how to protect themselves lagging behind the unprecedented threat. (A recent report in The New York Times placed first responders high among workers who face the greatest coronavirus risk.) Its yet another example of a fragmented and halting response at the highest levels of government, including getting testing off the ground and ensuring an adequate supply of resources.

It took nearly four weeks from the time the World Health Organization announced Chinas novel coronavirus outbreak for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue guidance for first responders.

The CDCs direction came more than two weeks after it confirmed the first known U.S. case on Jan. 20 in Washington state. It came nine days after a first responder from Kirkland, a suburb of Seattle, was exposed to the virus on Jan. 29 while responding to a call at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, a nursing home that became an early epicenter of the viruss American spread.

Emergency providers are prepared, by nature of their profession, to jump into action when a crisis strikes. A car crashes, a tornado touches down, and they mobilize. At the local and national level, they approached the rapidly spreading coronavirus in a similar way.

Leslee Stein-Spencer is a program adviser at the National Association of State EMS Officials, a liaison between state and federal emergency authorities and other partners. One of the groups roles is to prepare for the coronavirus by holding conference calls between state agencies and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Office of Emergency Medical Services, whose mission is to reduce death and disability by providing leadership and coordination to the EMS community.

Those conference calls didnt begin until March 5, after the outbreak had been spreading in the U.S. for more than six weeks. A NHTSA official declined to comment.

We werent aware of the impact that this was having, Stein-Spencer said of the earlier days. You dont want to cry wolf if there isnt really anything.

Stein-Spencer said she believes front-line providers are prepared in the immediate term.

Those on the front lines are not so sure. There doesnt seem to have been a strong coherent response or assessment of risk from the top down, said Haydon Pitchford, an emergency medical technician in central Virginia who is desperately searching for the N-95 masks, which protects the face from airborne particles and liquid.

On Saturday, hes scheduled to pull a shift at an agency that has about 20 of the masks and about 100 more that are old and expired. Theyll run out quickly if they get many calls for suspected coronavirus. Pitchford tried ordering them. He scrounged around at the local hospital, where people donate expired medical equipment. He even called his congressional representatives. No masks could be found.

ProPublica reporters have spoken to more than two dozen EMTs, firefighters and paramedics across the country. The conversations raised a variety of concerns, including a looming shortage of protective gear and staff, confusion around infection control practices and poor communication from dispatchers.

Some emergency responders feel ready but others do not. None are certain they have the staffing and supplies to perform as well as they may need to in the coming months.

Pitchford, who works part time at multiple agencies, said hes grateful for the leadership of his supervisors, but he acknowledged they are frustrated, too. If he and his colleagues dont have the equipment they need, he said, they could become sick. Or, they could become carriers, spreading the virus to the weak and vulnerable people they care for in their community.

It feels like Im watching a train wreck in slow motion, Pitchford said, and Im about to be thrown in front of it.

As resources vary, so does the quality of response

There are about 20,000 emergency medical service agencies in the country, with oversight that looks different in each state and assets that fluctuate wildly. About a third of the states depend on volunteer organizations. The system is staffed thin and designed to share people and resources regionally during major disasters. But now these agencies are facing a sweeping global pandemic that could infect patients in every jurisdiction.

Were under-resourced from a staffing perspective when the sun is shining, much less when the sky is gray, said Tim Frazier, faculty director of Georgetown Universitys disaster management program.

The fragmentation leads to varying levels of sophistication when it comes to services and quality. Residents of well-resourced communities may benefit from a more prepared, better-staffed response.

In San Francisco, for instance, there are specialized field nurses designated to respond strictly to potential coronavirus cases. EMTs drive the nurses to test such patients, but they dont lead the testing effort of the patient, said Sasha Cuttler, one of the six nurses on the San Francisco team. If there is an emergency, the EMTs can shuttle the patient to a nearby hospital.

Elsewhere, resources are so scarce that managers have to gamble on how much precaution they should take from call to call. Nathan Boone, a South Howell County ambulance field supervisor in West Plains, Missouri, says if he sends his staff out wearing protective gear every time, they risk running out of gowns and masks and other equipment. That could get worse if the virus continues to spread. But not wearing masks in some cases could mean exposing and temporarily losing his staff.

Its almost like an impossible situation if you look at it, he said.

Dennis Lawson, president of the Washington State Council of Firefighters, echoed concerns about the possible shortage of supplies if the crisis goes on for a long time.

We dont know how big this is going to get or how long its going to last, he said.

There has been some confusion about the CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infection, as it relates to supplies. Nathan Smith, a national representative for the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics, said he and his colleagues have debated whether masks need to be discarded after each use. In light of the N-95 mask shortage, he told ProPublica on Wednesday that his understanding of CDC guidance was that they can be reused.

Actually, that respirator mask is good until the seal wont seal or it starts falling apart, or it becomes obviously contaminated, he said. So once you wear it, you kind of should wear it for the rest of your tour and then throw it away, instead of putting a new one on every call.

But the CDC guidelines are clear that first responders should not reuse masks and other equipment after transporting a potentially infected patient.

When a reporter read the guidelines back to him on Thursday, he corrected himself, later realizing he confused the guidelines with those he said were issued by a different federal agency.

If they are recommending we get rid of them, we will recommend getting rid of them, he said. Hopefully we dont run out of masks.

Advanced warning is crucial but not always possible

First responders depend on dispatchers to ensure theyre not flying blind when they arrive at the site of an emergency. On Feb. 11, Evan Hurley, a firefighter in Kirkland, was responding to a call about a patient suffering back pain at the Life Care Center. He found out after about 15 minutes that the patient had symptoms of an ongoing infection. Hurley got exposed to coronavirus.

We dont always know when were talking to a patient whether or not they have these issues, Hurley said. He doesnt blame his dispatcher, but in instances like that sometimes you find yourself after the fact wishing youd known more, he said.

Hurley did not test positive and doesnt have any symptoms, unlike dozens of patients and staff members at the home; 22 people have died, according to public health officials. As of Wednesday, the number of Kirkland firefighters that had been quarantined or isolated is up to 40, including one positive test. The same thing happened to an additional 10 first responders from neighboring agencies who had to be quarantined or isolated.

Hurley said he is still frustrated -- six weeks into the crisis -- by the lack of testing for coronavirus for his fire department. Only 17 of the 105 members have been tested, he said.

We are at the front line, the epicenter, and we cant get tested, he said. Its embarrassing and represents a danger to the public.

In the age of the coronavirus, a dispatchers questions could mean the difference between identifying a case in advance or getting a first responder infected. But the dispatch screening guidelines are supposed to be based on the CDCs guidance. In the initial weeks of the outbreak, the CDC had narrow recommendations for identifying a person under investigation for possible coronavirus. If a person, in the past 14 days, hadnt traveled from China or been in contact with a patient with confirmed COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the CDC said early on they should not be considered a risk.

In the past three weeks, dispatchers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, started screening callers for coronavirus symptoms, as well as whether they had traveled to countries considered at risk. The dispatchers relay the information to first responders, who decide whether they should treat the call as a potential coronavirus case. Jason Murphy, a paramedic who has been responding to calls in Grand Rapids, said he and others have chosen not to suit up if a patient didnt have a travel history, even as recently as Tuesday, when the virus was spreading from person to person within the country.

If a dispatcher asks all the right questions, language barriers and misinformation can still create confusion, said James Wheaton, an emergency responder in New York. Its a garbage in, garbage out situation, he said.

Even first responders who are confident they are prepared for the crisis say theyve never seen anything like it.

Its going to be a test of the system, I can tell you that, said Tim Hinchcliff, managing director of Burholme Emergency Medical Services in Pennsylvania. Many of us feel prepared but we dont know how widely this thing will go.
Kanpur, March 17 : A district court lawyer has been arrested on sedition charges for retweeting a video of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and calling him a 'terrorist'.

The man, Abdul Hannan, commented on a tweet by the government media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi on Saturday. The lawyer was arrested on Monday, an official said on Tuesday.

The tweet by Tripathi had a video of Adityanath's Vidhan Sabha speech supporting cane charge on people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Tripathi captioned the video: "Tum kagaz nahi dikhaoge, aur danga bhi failaoge, to hum lathi bhi chalvayenge, gharbaar bhi bikvayenge aur haan poster bhi lagvayenge (You will not show the papers and will also participate in riots, then we will cane charge, auction your houses and put up posters)." Hannan retweeted Tripathi's post by calling Adityanath a terrorist.

In another tweet, Hannan announced that he would provide free legal help to protesters and requested all "constitution lovers" to follow him and share his tweet.

Ajay Seth, SHO of Kalyanpur police station, said, "We have registered a FIR against Abdul Hannan who has been arrested and sent to jail after being produced before the court."
Kabul, March 17 : Taliban prisoners will be released gradually but only if the intra-Afghan negotiations begin and there was a significant reduction in violence in the country, a presidential advisor said here.

Presidential advisor Waheed Omer made the remarks on Monday and added that no Taliban prisoner would be released without a guarantee of the two stated conditions, reports TOLO News.

"We are reviewing the Taliban prisoner list. The release of the 5,000 prisoners will not take place ar once. It will take time so that we can learn about the crimes for which each has been imprisoned," Omer said.

But Taliban has already rejected the government's plan for a gradual release of prisoners and said that they will not attend the intra-Afghan negotiations unless all the 5,000 inmates were freed at once.

The first prisoner release should have begun on March 14, according to a presidential decree, but the process has been delayed.

The prisoner swap was called for in the US-Taliban deal signed in Doha on February 29 as a way to open the door for intra-Afghan talks.

The deal was preceded by a seven-day reduction in violence period observed by all sides in the conflict.
In this recurring feature, First Read Tech talks to leaders in government and technology about the intersection of the two fields and how New York can lead through innovation. This weeks installment features Eric Kinariwala, founder and CEO of Capsule.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What is Capsule?

Capsule is the modern way for consumers to get their prescriptions. Weve completely digitized the entire pharmacy experience and weve rebuilt all of the pipes in the platform, the software, and the infrastructure of the pharmacy. What we offer today in New York City is a totally digital experience with free same-day delivery. Consumers have the ability to chat or text with their pharmacist about any questions they have, whether its about their medications or insurance. The way it works is, you go to the doctor, your doctor asks, Whats your pharmacy? You say, Capsule, we get the prescription, we send you a text message immediately. You click on that text message, and then you immediately have the ability to see your medications name, your co-pay, the instructions your doctor put in and you can text or chat with a pharmacist. Right there, you can schedule free same-day, two-hour delivery, anywhere in New York City. And then we, on an ongoing basis, will coordinate with your doctor to make sure you never run out of medication and you get refills.

Capsule seems well-suited to be a solution during the coronavirus pandemic. Are you thinking of it that way and have you seen any uptick in business in the past few weeks?

We are laser-focused on serving the community right now. We have seen, as youd expect, a pretty substantial increase in our existing customers using Capsule to make sure they have an adequate supply of medication, per the Centers for Disease Controls guidelines and the mayors guidelines. But were also seeing people using Capsule whod never before used it because they want to stay safe. Everybody should be at home right now helping contain the outbreak. The only place in the world that has really contained a coronavirus outbreak at scale is in Wuhan, China, which was the epicenter. And in Wuhan, you saw a significant part of care move online  both to telehealth and also medication delivery. Medication delivery was an essential tool that the government used in partnership with medication delivery companies to keep people safe. And I think its essential and its really, really important for doctors, and for local and state government officials to encourage people to use medication delivery as a category.

Capsule has its own physical pharmacy, where youre actually filling prescription orders. What are you doing to protect your workers there from the coronavirus risk right now?

Pharmacies are part of the health care fabric and the infrastructure of this city, so were doing all the best protocols that physician offices and hospitals and other places where health care professionals are working, are doing. Its all of the CDCs guidelines around how do you stay safe and healthy, who do you make sure is coming to work or is not coming to work, how are people distanced, how are you staggering shifts? Weve taken all of those precautions, frequently disinfecting the space, sanitizers  its all of the things that you can do to contain the outbreak.

For the rest of today's tech news, head over to First Read Tech.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Unigold Inc. (TSXV: UGD) ("Unigold" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the status of its exploration program at its Neita Concession in the Dominican Republic.

The Company has completed a total of 48 diamond drill holes. Two holes are in progress testing feeder zones for the high-grade sulphide mineralization intersected at Targets B and C. These current holes are expected to cumulatively total about 1000 meters. Twenty-eight drill holes totaling approximately 750 meters were drilled to assess the oxide resource, determine depth to the transition boundary and to collect sufficient sample material for metallurgical testing. Significant results for the project to date are included in Tables 1.0 (Candelones Sulphide Resource) and 2.0 (Candelones Oxide Resource).

Sufficient material has been collected from both sulphide and oxide mineralization to support metallurgical testing. The bulk samples are currently undergoing metallurgical testing at Bureau Veritas Minerals - Metallurgical Division in Richmond B.C. under the supervision of Mr. Richard Gowans, B.Sc. P.Eng., President and Principal Metallurgist, Micon International Ltd. The studies commenced with mineral deportment and QEMSCAN analysis in late February and early March. No metallurgical studies incorporating the higher grade sulphide mineralization have been completed in the past. These early results are encouraging and will be used to inform and design the second stage of metallurgical tests, which are expected to get underway shortly. Material results will be released when verified and the significance can be communicated effectively.

Joe Hamilton, Chairman and CEO of Unigold notes: "The results to date have exceeded our expectations, with 85% of the holes completed to date intersecting what we categorize as significant mineralization. Our stated objectives when we commenced this program were to upgrade a portion of the inferred mineral resource to the Indicated category and we believe we have achieved that goal. We also wanted to collect representative bulk samples for metallurgical testing of the near surface oxide and the higher grade sulphide mineralization identified in 2016. Finally, we also wanted to evaluate the exploration potential of the Candelones Extension deposit at depth to determine if there were opportunities to increase the current mineral resource. Our initial step out drill results targeting the higher grade mineralization at depth has been very successful and results suggest that both the grade and thickness of the mineralization are increasing at depth."

To view an enhanced version of Table 1.0, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6915/53521_uni3_orig.jpg

Figure 1.0 - Candelones Extension Longitudinal Section Looking North

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1.0 please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6915/53521_uni2_orig.jpg





To view an enhanced version of Table 2.0, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6915/53521_un1i_orig.jpg

The holes currently underway are the final two holes in our 2020 Phase 1 exploration program. Final results, when received, will be compiled and used to design our Phase 2 drill program. The commencement of the Phase 2 program will depend on a number of factors including an assessment of the impact of Covid-19 to the Dominican Republic, to our supply chain in that country, to our local and expatriate employees and to the immediate communities around our operations. Recent announcements by the Government of Canada urging Canadian residents to return to Canada and recommendations by the World Health Organization to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus have prompted us to recall our expatriate employees to Canada. The final two holes will be logged remotely, and sampled by our Dominican staff using existing protocols.

The Company will host a Webinar update on Wednesday March 25 at 10:30am to discuss results to date. Further details will be included in future press releases and posted on our website.

QA/QC

Diamond drilling utilizes both HQ and NQ diameter tooling. Holes are established using HQ diameter tooling before reducing to NQ tooling to complete the hole. The core is received at the on-site logging facility where it is, photographed, logged for geotechnical and geological data and subjected to other physical tests including magnetic susceptibility and specific gravity analysis. Samples are identified, recorded, split by wet diamond saw, and half the core is sent for assay with the remaining half stored on site. A minimum sample length of 0.3 meters and a maximum sample length of 1.5 metres is employed with most samples averaging 1.0 meters in length except where geological contacts dictate. Certified standards and blanks are randomly inserted into the sample stream and constitute approximately 5-10% of the sample stream. Samples are shipped to a sample preparation facility in the Dominican Republic operated by Bureau Veritas. Assaying is performed at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd.'s laboratory in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. All samples are analyzed for gold using a 50 gram lead collection fire assay fusion with an atomic adsorption finish. In addition, most samples are also assayed using a 36 element multi-acid ICP-ES analysis method.

Wes Hanson P.Geo., Chief Operating Officer of Unigold has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

About Unigold Inc. - Discovering Gold in the Caribbean

Unigold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol UGD, focused primarily on exploring and developing its gold assets in the Dominican Republic.

For further information please visit www.unigoldinc.com or contact:

Mr. Joseph Hamilton

Chairman & CEO

jhamilton@unigoldinc.com

416.866.8157

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this document, including statements regarding events and financial trends that may affect our future operating results, financial position and cash flows, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are based on our assumptions and estimates and are subject to risk and uncertainties. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words like "strategy", "expects", "plans", "believes", "will", "estimates", "intends", "projects", "goals", "targets", and other words of similar meaning. You can also identify them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. We wish to caution you that such statements contained are just predictions or opinions and that actual events or results may differ materially. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Where applicable, we claim the protection of the safe harbour for forward-looking statements provided by the (United States) Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Neither 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53521
ORANGE  James Jamie Vincent has been sworn in as fire marshal, following the untimely death of his close friend and colleague Tim Smith, according to the Orange Volunteer Fire Department.

Smith died in an automobile accident Jan. 19 in Woodbridge.

Prior to his taking the top spot, Vincent served as deputy fire marshal under Smith and delivered a poignant eulogy at Smiths funeral.

Vincent and Orange Volunteer Fire Department officers were sworn in at their annual dinner by First Selectman James Zeoli, according to the fire departments release.

The departments annual dinner was attended by about 180 firefighters, families and representatives of other departments, as they kicked off a year-long celebration of the departments 95th anniversary.

In addition to celebrating, guests remembered three who died in 2019 who were important to the department, including Smith, Associate Firefighter Andrew Pol and OVFD Auxiliary Member Annie Davis, according to the fire departments release.

Among the dignitaries present were state Reps. Kathy Kennedy, R-Milford ; and. Themis Klarides, R-Derby; and state Sen. James Maroney, D-Milford.

You make our lives safe and you keep our families together, said Klarides, who received a loud applause when she promised to continue fighting for a regional fire school.

Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas recognized three firefighters for outstanding service and Auxiliary President Jillian Gagel acknowledged the service of several auxiliary members, the release states.

Zeoli, a former volunteer firefighter, swore in the new Orange fire officers after expressing his appreciation for the work done by the department.

Every person here has someone who is concerned about you when you leave the house, Zeoli said. We appreciate what you do for this town each and every day. Im behind you 110 percent.

Firefighters cheered when Zeoli said preliminary discussions for a new firehouse were under way, the release noted.

Fire officers sworn in were:

 Dumas, fire chief

 Charles Sherwood, deputy fire chief

 Dan Cole, assistant fire chief

 Eric Auscavitch, assistant fire chief

 Joe Duplinsky, captain

 David Tufano, captain

 Dan Abrams, lieutenant

 John Gagel, lieutenant

 Leo Moran, executive board representative

 Charles William Laudenslager, executive board representative

 Peter Daniels, recording secretary

 Lisa Kaplan, corresponding secretary

 Burt Gallant, treasurer

 Art Williams, assistant treasurer

Firefighter Tom Astram received an award for responding to the most calls, firefighter Drew Panapada was recognized for his leadership and Auscavitch was named firefighter of the year, the release states.

Dumas said in the release that the department responded to 634 calls during 2019, its highest call volume ever. Active firefighters put in 325 hours of service each at fire calls. Adding in clean-up from calls, training, fund-raising, work around the firehouses and other duties, brings that figure to more than 500 hours of service by each active firefighter.

Accomplishments during 2019 included taking delivery of a new truck, improving the radio system, exceeding the departments financial goals and completing some station renovations, the release states.

For 2020, goals include celebrating the departments 95th anniversary and beginning work on other long-range plans, including replacing its 85-year-old station on Orange Center Road and replacing a ladder truck. Dumas also talked about continuing to build close relationships with the police department and fire marshals office, the release states.

Information sharing is growing, and we appreciate the positive impact of working cohesively with the police and other town agencies, Dumas said.

The OVFD Auxiliary announced it would donate money it has raised from its fund-raising efforts to the department for station upgrades and new air packs.

Operating only with revenues from fund-raisers and donations, the Orange Volunteer Fire Department is one of the remaining few all-volunteer incorporated fire departments in Connecticut. Active members are on-call to serve the community on a 24-hour/seven-day basis, responding from stations on Orange Center Road and Boston Post Road.
We are not done looking for those responsible.

This was the warning given by the Head of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) Supt Roger Alexander yesterday during the Beyond the Tape TV programme on TV6.

Earlier in the day, Alexander was part of several units which went searching for kidnap victim Mattie Maraj in the eastern division.
SANTA FE  New Mexico state workers will get a 4% pay raise starting in July, but at least some of that increase will be offset by rising health insurance rates and mandatory pension contributions.

The increased employee expenses were announced last week, shortly after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a $7.6 billion budget bill for the coming fiscal year that authorized the salary increases.

Even after paying more in health care premiums and in retirement contributions, state employees will still see a substantial boost in their take home pay, state General Services Secretary Ken Ortiz said in a letter to state employees.

Specifically, the 4% salary increase will mean an annual pay raise of slightly more than $2,000 for the average state worker making $50,400 a year, Ortiz said.

He also said the increased health care costs and pension contributions combined will amount to $423 in additional expenses, leaving such an employee with a net take-home pay increase of $1,593 before other deductions.

The salary increases were authorized during this years 30-day legislative session, before the coronavirus pandemic and plummeting oil prices began sparking concerns about New Mexicos finances. Those concerns prompted Lujan Grisham to veto about $150 million in general fund spending from statewide infrastructure bills, but the salary increases were left intact.

This is the third consecutive year in which rank-and-file state workers will have received a salary increase, after four years without raises.

Dan Secrist, executive vice president of the Communications Workers of America Local 7076 union, said the pay raises will help, even though union officials had pushed for even larger increases.

For a lot of us, over recent years, our take-home pay has actually gone down, Secrist said.

For the coming fiscal year, state employees rates for medical, dental, vision and other types of insurance coverage will increase by 3%. This is the sixth consecutive year of increased rates, although the amount has varied by year.

Meanwhile, the higher retirement contributions will affect most state employees making more than $25,000 annually. The one-half percentage point increase in pay thats being required starting in July is part of a broad plan to shore up the states Public Employees Retirement Association, which covers roughly 40,000 retirees and has about 50,000 active members.

Similar increases are also scheduled for each of the next three years.

Under the final version of the budget bill signed by Lujan Grisham, state employees and teachers alike will get 4% raises. State Police officers, judges and corrections officers are among those scheduled to get even larger pay increases.
Premier Doug Ford has declared a state of emergency in Ontario, immediately ordering select closures of gatherings above 50 people  including bars and restaurants, except for take-out  but leaving malls, food stores, businesses, factories and construction sites open as the province fights COVID-19.

This is not a provincial shutdown, Ford stressed while cautioning, this is changing hour by hour, day by day and offering $304 million to boost the health-care system.

The measure announced Tuesday morning expires at the end of March and gives Ford broad powers, but for now closes only indoor recreation centres, public libraries, private schools, parades, places of worship, licenced day-care centres, cinemas, theatres, concerts and the like until the end of March.

It makes official recommendations from provincial chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams. Most municipalities and affected businesses and venues had already announced they would comply.

Ford urged calm, saying the manufacturing and transportation sectors must remain open because its critical we keep the supply chain going. We need grocery stores open.

Williams said were watching to see if it becomes necessary to close shopping malls depending on spread patterns of the highly contagious virus, which has begun to circulate through person-to-person transmission.

The LCBO announced it is reducing hours to between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to increase cleaning at its stores.

Ontario had eight new cases Tuesday, including five in Hamilton, and one potential COVID-19 death in a 77-year-old Barrie-area man with underlying health conditions who tested positive after his death in hospital. He had been in close contact with a confirmed case.

Most cases came to Ontario through travellers who had been to China, Iran, Italy, Egypt and other countries, with a rising number coming from the neighbouring United States  which associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said is a concern.

Ford said the emergency declaration was made under Ontarios Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act because the COVID-19 pandemic is a danger of major proportions and the government needs every power possible to react to the spread of the virus as necessary.

We must act decisively and we must not delay, the premier added, declining to outline possible future steps at a news conference with Health Minister Christine Elliott, Finance Minister Rod Phillips and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.

The emergency declaration gives the premier vast powers that include closing businesses, collecting information, fixing prices to stop profiteering, and circumvent professional licencing requirements, said Kent Roach, a law professor at the University of Toronto.

Most emergency legislation concentrates power in the executive but this one goes beyond it and centralizes the power in the premier, who can exercise powers otherwise reserved for other ministers and municipalities, Roach added.

He can also in some circumstances suspend existing laws, except for privacy legislation and Crown Liability Acts.

The premier must eventually prepare a report after the emergency which will be reviewed in the legislature, Roach said. And judges can enforce orders through contempt power which provides for some judicial review. There are offences punishable with up to a years imprisonment for infringing orders.

Michael Bryant, executive director and general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, expressed concern about the vagueness of the declaration of a state of emergency.

Bryant, who was attorney general when the Emergency Management and Preparedness Act was updated after the 2003 SARS outbreak, warned there is the potential danger of vulnerable people  like the homeless  being denied services because some facilities may be closed under the guise of an emergency.

He stressed that an emergency declaration cannot override Charter rights.

They can only infringe a right as little as possible.

In countries like Italy with severe outbreaks, pharmacies and food stores have remained open despite severe restrictions on commerce and movement.

The law gives the Ontario government broad but time-limited powers to cope with the crisis and will stop St. Patricks Day merry-makers from going to pubs.

Ford said the legislature will sit Thursday, bringing MPPs back from March Break, to pass legislation related to the fight to slow the spread of the new coronavirus  such as protecting the jobs of workers who must self-isolate  with hopes it can be done in one day.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said there will be a skeleton crew of MPPs to avoid travel and keep numbers down to allow for social distancing in the legislature.

If its not completely everything we want but its headed in the right direction we certainly are going to be considering that, Horwath said of the legislation, which she wants to include broad protections for workers.

Ford announced $304 million in surge funding to bolster the health-care system with an additional 75 critical-care beds, 500 post-acute care beds, and another 25 COVID-19 assessment centres at hospitals to keep potential patients out of emergency departments.

Were backing up our front-line public health workers with more resources for monitoring and testing, the premier added.

Were purchasing more personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, surgical gowns for our nurses, doctors, and personal support workers as well as more ventilators.

Nursing homes will share in the funding to augment infection control measures and cleaning and support in screening staff and visitors for the new coronavirus to help protect the vulnerable residents, who are at high risk for complications like potentially fatal pneumonia.

The surge funding includes money for 1,000 nurses and 1,000 personal support workers to help look after COVID-19 patients.

Were also providing funds for 50 physicians to cover emergency departments, urgent care, and primary care and Indigenous, northern, rural, and remote communities, Ford said, calling it the first step in financial supports.

We will spare no expense to support Ontarians in need, he said.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca said he supported the premiers emergency declaration.

We must do everything we can to protect the people of Ontario, said Del Duca.

These are unprecedented times, but I have confidence that Ontarians will rise to the challenge, he said.

Prince Edward Island declared a public health emergency on Monday.

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Patty Dowd Schmitz, the communications director for the village of Barrington, said she believed the lack of election judges at Village Hall was due to concerns over the new coronavirus. She said as far as she knew all other polling places  in both the Lake and Cook county portions of the village  were open.
The Japan share market finished session slightly higher on Tuesday, 17 March 2020, snapping four-day losing streaks, as investors chased for bottom fishing on the back of reportedly buying by the Bank of Japan and public pension funds. However, market gains were marginal, as lockdowns in Europe and the United States to combat the spread of the coronavirus fanned fears of further economic pain from the epidemic that has battered global financial markets. All but two of the 33 sector sub-indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange traded higher, with paper and pulp, electricity and gas and fish and forestry being notable gainers. At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 9.49 points, or 0.06%, to 17,011.53. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange added 32.12 points, or 2.6%, at 1,268.46.

Investors watched the rapidly evolving situation surrounding the global coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 168,000 across the world and taken at least 6,610 lives, according to the World Health Organization. Fears over the economic impact of the virus have triggered strong moves in global markets in recent days.

Drastic measures by the Fed and other Central Banks have failed to appease markets with investors still running towards the exit door of risk assets as governments step up their radical measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. The U.

S. Federal Reserve announced on Sunday a massive monetary stimulus, in an emergency move. On Monday, several central banks in Asia also announced measures to combat the impact of the coronavirus.

The BOJ pledged on Monday to buy ETFs "aggressively" at an annual pace of up to 12 trillion yen ($113 billion), double the previous amount, until markets stabilise. Market players said the Government Pension Invest Fund (GPIF) and other public pension funds could also have bought stocks to rebalance portfolios following recent sell-offs.

Shares of automakers advanced. Toyota Motor gained 419 yen, or 7.1%, to 6,360 yen and Mazda Motor rose 21 yen, or 3.7%, to 591 yen.

Electric component makers also gained, with Kyocera climbing 225 yen, or 4.1%, to 5,688 yen and Sony up 200 yen, or 3.6%, at 5,833 yen.

Fast Retailing Co slumped 4.8% after the operator of Uniqlo clothing stores said it will temporarily close all 50 Uniqlo outlets in the United States due to the epidemic.

Elsewhere, Japan's top oil and gas company Inpex Corp slid 4.4% after crude oil futures fell below $30 a barrel on Monday.

ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan Industrial Output Rises 1% On Month In January--Japan industrial production rose a seasonally adjusted 1% month-on-month in January, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed on Tuesday. On a monthly basis, shipments rose 0.6% in January and inventories decreased 1.6%. The inventory ratio gained 1.6%. On a yearly basis, industrial production declined 2.3% in January.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen, often seen as a save-haven in times of economic uncertainty, traded at 106.74 per dollar after seeing an earlier high of 105.85

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 3, 2017. (U.S. Air Force Capt. Christopher Merian/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Military Ready to Help Fight Coronavirus but Warns of Limited Medical Capabilities

The Pentagon says it is ready to assist with the fight against coronavirus, but warned that the military doesnt have the capacity to set up vast medical capabilities at a moments notice like in the movies.

As proposals to enlist military assistance were floated by politicians, Pentagon officials told reporters on March 16 that the number of military hospital beds is only 2 to 3 percent of the total private sector hospital beds.

Military medical expertise and equipment are also geared up to tackle combat injuries, not infectious diseases, they said.

There are not 1,000-bed medical centers all over the United States, said Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs, the Joint Staff surgeon, noting that the U.S. military has a total of 36 hospitals. They are, for the most part, small community hospitals. Our deployable hospitals range in size and range in capabilities that are very much focused and designed to take care of those in combat.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Rath Hoffman said that the department was ready, willing, and able to support civilian authorities to the greatest extent possible with the direction of the president.

However, he warned there were certain trade-offs and limitations as he sought to clarify the capacity of the militarys response.

Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Rath Hoffman and Joint Staff Surgeon Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs brief the media about the Defense Departments response to COVID-19, at the Pentagon in Washington on March 16, 2020. (DoD/ Lisa Ferdinando)

Presidential hopeful Joe Biden said during the latest presidential debate that the military had the ability to provide this surge that hospitals need, saying that they had the capacity to build 500 hospital beds and tents.

Whilst the military does have tent hospitals, they are designed for trauma care, not contagious diseases, said Friedrichs.

Weve supported relief efforts during natural disasters. But what were trying to be very careful of is not over-promising, you know.

If we build a 200-bed or a 25-bed trauma hospital to take care of people with coronavirus, thats not really a great solution to the coronavirus challenge.

Friedrichs said that they had not been tasked with providing medical capabilities to any specific location. We dont have any 500-bed hospitals designed for infectious disease outbreaks. That does not exist in the inventory.

Calling on medical personnel in the National Guard and other Reserves comes at a cost, said Freidrichs, because most would already be engaged with the fight with coronavirus in their civilian roles.

If you mobilize the Guard and Reserve medical personnel from their civilian jobs, theyre no longer in their civilian jobs, and that directly impacts the community where they worked, and thats the trade-offwhether its a natural disaster or the coronavirus or anything else, Friedrichs said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a New York Times op-ed that he thought the states hospitals would be overwhelmed and called on the president to enlist the Army Corps of Engineers to build temporary facilities to house patients.

In reference to the possibility, President Donald Trump said on March 16 that the White House was looking into it very strongly.

A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) told the Epoch Times via email they were aware of the request made by Governor Andrew Cuomo, but had received no official instruction.

As a precautionary measure, USACE has begun assessing our capabilities in this area in conjunction with our partners, said the spokesperson.At this time, however, USACE has not been assigned a COVID-19 support mission.

The largest temporary medical facilities available to the military are hospital ships.

Officials warned that with litters stacked floor to the ceiling and open-bay rooms, hospital ships would be ill-suited to an infectious disease environment, but said they could possibly assist by providing extra emergency care.

So if, for example, a community has a large outbreak and there is a need for emergency room support or trauma support, a hospital ships perfectly designed to do that, said Friedrichs.

However, Hoffman warned that even if the ships were used, there was still the staffing issue.

Right now that ship has a bunch of merchant mariners on it who operate the ship. There arent 1,000 or 1,200 medical professionals with the ship waiting, he said. They have to come from somewhere else. So, that gets back to that staffing issue.

Thirty-seven cases of coronavirus have been identified in the military so far, according to the Pentagons March 16 statement: 18 military personnel, 13 military family members, three civilian employees and three contractors.

The Defense Department has received requests for assistance with quarantining and housing of people who were evacuated from China, those who had been on the Grand Princess and Diamond Princess cruise ships, and those who flew back to the United States through 11 feeder airports and needed to be quarantined, said the officials.

We have not received any other [requests] at this time that we have responded to, said Hoffman.
According to some estimates, Americans use less than half a roll per week on average. According to others, the average is a little over one. Even at that upper limit, it would take a household of 15 to rip through just one Costco-sized 30-pack of Kirkland Signature two-ply over the course of a 14-day quarantine. For a couple, one pack should last for nearly four months.
DiNics did not offer counter service during lunch on Monday at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. The market was taking precautions due to the coronavirus. Read more

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney ordered all nonessential businesses to shut down by 5 p.m. Monday and said the city will halt all nonessential government operations by Tuesday, in the citys most aggressive steps yet to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Restaurants will only be allowed to offer take-out and delivery service. Most retail stores will shutter through at least March 27. City government offices will be closed to the public, and only essential government employees will report to work. Only businesses classified as essential by the city, like supermarkets, gas stations, banks, post offices, daycares, and veterinary clinics will be allowed to remain open, officials said.

These changes will disrupt life in Philadelphia, and we do not make these changes lightly, Kenney said at City Hall.

Essential government services that will continue include public safety, health and human services, utilities, sanitation (including trash collection), and finance and payroll, City Managing Director Brian Abernathy said.

Soon after Kenney announced the city shutdown, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said that he was calling on nonessential businesses to close down across the state. While Wolf specified that the state will not be enforcing his shutdown recommendations, city officials said they may use emergency authority to close or penalize businesses that fail to comply with the municipal shutdown order.

Philadelphias court system also announced the suspension of all non-emergency proceedings for the rest of the month. All civil and criminal trials will be postponed until at least April 1, along with jury service, most pre-trial hearings, and diversion programs.

Taken together, the measures amount to a broad and sweeping shutdown of life in the city, where there had been nine confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday. That number is expected to grow rapidly as testing capabilities ramp up. There are at least 44 cases of the virus in the Philadelphia region, and at least 65 in Pennsylvania. New Jersey has about 100 cases, the majority of which are concentrated in the northern part of the state.

"Philadelphia is joining five other Pennsylvania counties so we can get back to normal, Kenney said, referring to policies designed to slow the spread of the virus and keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by waves of sick patients, which strains resources and drives up mortality rates. It might be a while, but we go on from here.

Philadelphia is joining five other Pennsylvania counties  four of which border the city  and the entire states of New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut in ordering the closure of such establishments as the U.S. combats the virus.

Many, many of the restaurateurs Ive talked to personally are in favor of this, Kenney said.

City officials offered no details Monday about enforcement measures or whether inspectors from the Health Department and Licenses & Inspections would patrol to check for compliance. The city established a phone line (215-685-7495) for residents to report businesses that are violating the order. Businesses that do not comply would be subject to Health Department violations, said Mike Dunn, a city spokesperson. City law grants health inspectors the authority to order the immediate closure of food establishments when they find a threat to public health.

Abernathy said Kenney has broad authority over these closures and that the city will have inspectors prepared to enforce should non-essential businesses stay open.

When asked if the city would arrest business owners for not complying, Abernathy said: I cant imagine well get to that point.

We are doing everything we can do to flatten that curve so we can get back to normal, Kenney said, referring to policies designed to slow the spread of the virus and keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by waves of sick patients, which strains resources and drives up mortality rates.

As Kenney announced the shutdown, some city staff members in attendance held sanitizing wipes or wore gloves to protect themselves. Abernathy at one point used a bottle of hand sanitizer on the podium as he addressed reporters.

Public health officials say the mass closures help slow the spread of the new coronavirus so health-care systems dont get overwhelmed. Mass nationwide lockdowns have been instituted in Europe, and U.S. officials have not ruled out such a move.

In Philadelphia, Kenney had previously been more reluctant than state officials to adopt aggressive measures to limit public gatherings. Bars and restaurants remained open throughout the city over the weekend, though many owners in Philadelphia took it upon themselves to close or take steps to protect customers and employees while preserving their take-out and delivery business.

Prior to Monday, Kenneys administration had banned all events with 1,000 people or more and discouraged events with more than 250 people. On Sunday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a guidance that all events with more than 50 people should be canceled or postponed for the next eight weeks.

At a news conference Saturday, Kenney recommended people go out and have dinner  and tip your waitstaff because theyre struggling right now. But Monday morning, Kenney said he made those remarks two days ago.

The issue is evolving every hour, he said.

Wolf addressed the tension Sunday, saying there will be disagreement and that he would continue to... talk with the mayor and his administration to make sure that we are on the same page when it comes to addressing the needs of this crisis."

-Inquirer staff writers Maddie Hanna, Michael Klein, and Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this article.
Chile President Sebastian Pinera announced on Tuesday a reform of the Carabineros military police that was accused of excessive use of force during recent social unrest. "The reform and modernization of the Carabineros is something urgent, indispensable and necessary," said Pinera. The Carabineros have come under heavy fire for their use of force against protesters since demonstrations broke out on October 18, initially over a modest metro fare hike in the capital Santiago, but then over inequality and the government of Pinera. Protest violence and clashes between demonstrators and police left around 30 people dead and thousands injured, more than 350 of who suffered eye injuries after being hit by pellets fired by security forces. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized the security forces for alleged abuses committed against prisoners as well as excessive use of tear gas and water cannon. Pinera said the aim of the reform was to improve control of the security forces and respect for human rights, while also building trust. Since the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in 1990, the police were one of the most respected institutions in Chile. But a massive corruption scandal and the recent accusations of excessive force have cost the police much public support. Demonstrators clash with Chilean riot police during a protest against Chilean President Sebastian Pinera's government in Santiago, on March 13, 2020.
New Zealand's government said on Tuesday that it would spend billions of dollars supporting hard-hit companies as it tries to shore up an economy headed for recession because of the new coronavirus.

The stimulus package is equivalent to 4% of GDP.

A large chunk of the new spending will go to businesses that have lost more than 30% of their income as a result of the downturn.

Other money will go toward health costs, income support and the airline industry.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said a recession in New Zealand was now almost certain and would likely be more severe than the downturn after the 2008 global financial crisis.

The government currently has a net debt level much lower than many other countries that gives it room to borrow.

New Zealand has so far been largely spared from the disease itself, with only eight confirmed cases of COVID-19.

But many parts of the economy have already been hard it, especially the tourism industry, the nation's single largest earner of foreign income.

The government is also requiring nearly every new arrival to self-quarantine for two weeks, effectively halting the flow of tourists.
The Lufthansa Group carrier Austrian Airlines is temporarily suspending all flight operations from March 19 in the wake of entry restrictions imposed by many countries in response to the massive spread of the coronavirus.

For the time being, the last flight with flight number OS 066 will land in Vienna from Chicago at 8:20 a.m. on March 19. Until then, flight operations are to be reduced in a controlled and structured manner in order to bring all passengers and crews home if possible.

The Austrian flag-carrier will cancel all flights up until 28 March, and passengers who have booked a flight with Austrian Airlines during this period will be rebooked on other airlines if possible.

In addition, Lufthansa Group airlines will further reduce their short- and long-haul schedule. The cancellations, which will be published on March 17, will lead to a sharp decline in long-haul service especially in the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America. Overall, the Lufthansa Group's seating capacity on long-haul routes will be reduced by up to 90 per cent. A total of 1,300 weekly connections were originally planned for summer 2020.

Within Europe the flight schedule will also be further reduced. Starting March 17, around 20 per cent of the originally planned seating capacity will still be offered. Originally, some 11,700 weekly short-haul flights were planned for summer 2020 with Lufthansa Group airlines.

The additional cancellations will be published over the next few days and passengers will be informed accordingly.

Despite the large-scale cancellations, Lufthansa, Eurowings and Austrian Airlines have scheduled more than 20 special flights with over 6,000 guests on short notice to fly cruise passengers and holidaymakers back home. Wide-body aircraft namely, the Boeing 747 & 777 and Airbus A350 are being used to offer as much capacity as possible on these return flights. Since thousands of German, Austrian, Swiss and Belgian citizens are still waiting to return to their home countries, Lufthansa Group airlines have made arrangements for further evacuation flights and are in close contact with the governments of their home countries concerning this.

Carsten Spohr, chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said: "Now it is no longer about economic issues, but about the responsibility that airlines bear as part of the critical infrastructure in their home countries." Lufthansa will work with airports and air traffic controllers to develop a coordinated concept for maintaining the critical infrastructure.

The new timetable for all Lufthansa Group airlines will be valid until April 12. Lufthansa Group passengers planning a trip in the coming weeks are advised to check the current status of the respective flight on their airline's website before departure. If rebooking possibilities exist, the passengers concerned will be proactively informed about alternatives, as long as they have provided their contact details online. In addition, currently changed rebooking conditions apply on a goodwill basis. Customers can find more information about this at lufthansa.com. - TradeArabia News Service
54 new cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in the Republic of Ireland.

In total 223 people in the Republic have tested positive for Covid-19 and more are expected.

This comes as Irish citizens are being urged not to travel abroad before March 29, including to England.

The request to stop non-essential travel does not apply to Northern Ireland.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney has revealed that all people coming into the Republic of Ireland will also be asked to limit their social contacts for two weeks.

Mr Coveney also warned there will be enormous disruption to air travel in the coming days across Europe and said he could not guarantee when people would be able to return home.

Non-essential travel effectively means people who are choosing to go overseas and dont need to, they shouldnt be doing it. That is now our clear health advice and also travel advice, he said.

We cant be sure they can get back, he added.

Mr Coveney also said he has been told by airlines across Europe that they will be grounding their fleets in the coming days.

We are also seeing other EU countries closing borders, closing airports and not facilitating air transport in and out, he said.

Non-essential travel shouldnt be happening to and from this island, he added.

The Tanaiste said the Irish Government will ensure key supply chains which bring goods into Ireland will be maintained.

Those supply chains are important and we need to maintain them and we regard that as essential travel, he added.

This comes as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned that the number of new cases of coronavirus will jump by 30% per day.

The Taoiseach said predictions that half the population will get Covid-19 is accurate, adding the final number could be perhaps millions.

By the end of the month there will be maybe 15,000 people diagnosed with Covid-19, he said.

He said the virus cannot be stopped but the Irish Government wants to slow the spread over the next few months.

The number of people who have Covid-19 will continue to rise everyday for the next few weeks.

The total number of cases will be very, very high. The objective is not to do the impossible which is to stop that but to spread it out over a period of time, Mr Varadkar said.

Emergency legislation is to be introduced later this week to prohibit mass gatherings and to detain and isolate people who have Covid-19 and do not submit to self-isolation.

The Dail will also be asked to pass new laws to allow for special illness benefits for people who have to take time off work due to the coronavirus.

Its inevitable, it cannot be stopped. The numbers will rise every days in the next couple of weeks, he said.

Mr Varadkar the forecast that half the population could be affected could materialise.

He said by the end of the month 15,000 people could have have tested positive for the virus but most will not be badly affected.

The hope is that it will then start to plateau as as the effects of the current restrictions kick in.

It will rise before it levels off, he added.
Joe Biden swept the Arizona, Florida and Illinois primaries Tuesday, taking a long stride toward clinching the Democratic nomination on an extraordinary election day shadowed by growing fears of the coronavirus pandemic.

The former vice president prevailed over Bernie Sanders in convincing fashion, forging a now-familiar coalition of party moderates, older and pragmatic voters as well as African Americans, who once more supported Biden in landslide numbers.

It takes 1,991 delegates to win the nomination at the partys summer convention, and Bidens powerful showing Tuesday pushed him past 1,100, lengthening his already sizable lead over Sanders and leaving Vermonts senator with only the faintest hopes of a comeback.

He immediately faced renewed calls to step aside in the interest of party unity, the urgency heightened by the nation's growing sense of crisis.

The threat posed by the novel coronavirus, which has touched every American, provided a frightening backdrop for an election day unlike any other.

Ohio postponed its primary hours before the polls were set to open after the states health director, acting at the behest of Gov. Mike DeWine, declared a public health emergency.

Where voting was underway, election official worked to balance safety with business as usual.

In Illinois, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough urged poll workers to use painters tape to mark the floor in 6-foot increments, so those in line would stand far enough apart to avoid spreading the virus. This picture can save lives, she said in how-to instructions posted on Twitter.

Still, there were reports of missing disinfecting supplies, shuttered voting centers that were supposed to be open and other mishaps across the three states.

The crisis atmosphere seemed to benefit Biden, who has based much of his candidacy on his decades of Washington experience, including eight years in the White House as vice president under Barack Obama. In all three primaries, voters overwhelmingly said they trusted Biden more than Sanders to handle a major crisis, according to exit poll interviews.

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Claiming victory Tuesday night, Biden appeared solo and struck a somber tone, devoting the bulk of his brief remarks to the pandemic. He praised those on the front lines fighting the virus and, forsaking the usual harsh partisan rhetoric, called for Americans to pull together and help one another.

Speaking from his home in Wilmington, Del., with a pair of furled American flags as his backdrop, Biden once more extended his hand to supporters of Sanders, praising their tenacity, and vowing to work on shared interests: expanding the availability of healthcare, addressing income inequality, fighting climate change.

Turning in particular to younger voters, Sanders strongest supporters and those most resistant to his candidacy, Biden said, "I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. Our goal as a campaign and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party, and then to unify the nation."

For the second week in a row, after another dispiriting performance, Sanders did not address the results in public. Before the polls closed, he spoke via livestream from his campaign office in Washington, where he, too, focused on the worsening coronavirus outbreak.

In this moment of crisis, it is imperative that we stand together, Sanders said.

Of the day's political contests, Biden posted the most important victory in Florida, a perennial November battleground, where his commanding win surpassed the showing last month in South Carolina that launched his campaign's resurrection.

The outcome was not unexpected. Among other things, Sanders antagonized the state's large Cuban population with favorable comments about some of the late dictator Fidel Castro's programs.

Still, Biden's victory was striking in its magnitude. He rolled up winning margins among black and white voters, men and women, and those with and without college degrees; he even narrowly bested Sanders among the senator's usual base of self-described very liberal voters.

(Exit polls conducted by Edison Research showed Latinos making up about a quarter of Floridas electorate, but did not break down the vote between candidates.)

Biden staked a similarly broad-based victory in Illinois and one nearly as sweeping in Arizona, where, in a breakthrough, he ran even with Sanders among Latino voters, who have been among the senator's biggest supporters.

Perhaps most encouraging for Democrats, turnout in Arizona as well as Florida surpassed 2016 levels, notwithstanding the pandemic, a sign that partisan enthusiasm  which helped the party take control of the House in 2018  remains high.

Setting aside the primary results, the coronavirus has introduced a sudden element of uncertainty into the Democratic race, which seemed largely settled after Biden roared back with his South Carolina win on Feb. 29 and a string of Super Tuesday victories on March 3.

It is not so much mathematics, which weigh heavily in Biden's favor, but rather the mechanics: With tens of millions of American locked down at home, several states have delayed their upcoming contests, leaving the candidates and their campaigns in an unprecedented limbo.

After Tuesday, no voting is scheduled until Puerto Rico's March 29 primary  and officials there are seeking a delay  so it was unclear how the contest will proceed. (Ohio allowed mail balloting to continue, with plans to open its polls and tally the results June 2.)

The chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tom Perez, urged states that had yet to hold primaries to expand their vote-by-mail programs, absentee balloting and polling station hours to avoid further disruptions.

The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything we can to protect and expand that right instead of bringing our democratic process to a halt, Perez said in a written statement.

The balloting Tuesday was marked by confusion and uncertainties caused by the country's unprecedented health crisis.

Some poll workers failed to show up in Florida, leaving election officials scrambling to accommodate voters with no place to register their preference. Makeshift polling places had to be set up in all three states, as nursing homes and other locations that typically serve as polling places were closed off to avoid large gatherings.

The two candidates took differing stands on whether the elections should proceed under such extraordinary circumstances  a reflection, perhaps, of Sanders' desire to prolong the contest and Biden's eagerness to wrap it up.

"We are not doing traditional [get out the vote] outreach in states holding primary contests today," Mike Casca, a Sanders spokesman, said after the candidate suggested delaying the election. "We are making clear to voters that we believe going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision and we respect whichever choice they make."

The Biden campaign saw no reason for delay.

"The American people are resilient and strong," deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield wrote in an election day memo. "We have maintained our democracy through war and peace, economic downturn and prosperity, and in previous moments of public health crisis.... We are confident that we can meet that same challenge today and continue to uphold the core functions and values of our democracy."

Biden entered the day with a considerable lead in the delegate count and pulled even further ahead Tuesday night, 1,147 to 861 for Sanders, according to the Associated Press. While not mathematically insurmountable, that gap is formidable, given rules that award delegates on a proportional rather than winner-take-all basis.

To overtake Biden, Sanders would have to start winning one landslide victory after another, a reversal of fortune even more dramatic than Biden's never-before-seen turnaround.

Times staff writers Michael Finnegan, Melissa Gomez and Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
Sunday night was a vastly different debate than any other in the 2020 Democratic primaries. The field was whittled down to just the two candidatesVermont senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Bidenwith no audience present at CNN's studio in Washington, DC. (Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is also still running but has secured a single delegate and didn't make the Democratic National Committee's new debate qualifications.)

The first half hour of the two-hour debate was relatively calm, with Biden and Sanders debating the differences their proposed health policies would make with the current coronavirus pandemic. But things became heated when Sanders asked Biden a question of his own: "Let me ask you a question, Joe. You're right here with me. Have you been on the floor of the Senateyou were in the Senate for a few yearstime and time again, talking about the necessitywith pride!about cutting Social Security, cutting Medicare, cutting veterans programs?"

"No," Biden said.

"You never said that?" Sanders asked.

"No."

"Alright," Sanders said, turning away from Biden and to the camera, "America, go to the website right now, go to the YouTube right now."

In 1984, then senator Biden decried the Ronald Reagan administration for increasing the national deficit. Biden introduced a budget proposal co-sponsored with Republican senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas that, among other things, called for a one-year freeze on Social Security spending. At the time, he said, "So, when those of my friends in the Democratic and Republican Party say to me, 'How do you expect me to vote for your proposal? Does it not freeze Social Security COLAs for one year? Are we not saying there will be no cost-of-living increases for one year?' The answer to that is 'Yes, that is what I am saying.'" He added, "Within the next 12 to 18 months this country will face an economic and political crisis of extraordinary proportions if Congress refuses to take decisive action on the deficits that we face."

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In a 1995 C-SPAN clip, Biden argues in favor of proposing a balanced budget amendment, which would constitutionally bar the government from running a deficit. Biden said, "When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans' benefits. I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time."

According to the New York Times, that proposed amendment failed in the Senate by a single vote.

In a 2007 interview on Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Biden, "Senator, we have a deficit. We have Social Security and Medicare looming. The number of people on Social Security and Medicare is now 40 million people. Its going to be 80 million in 15 years. Would you consider looking at those programs, age of eligibility, cost of living, put it all on the table?"

Biden replied, "The answer is absolutely." He continued:

I was one of five peopleI was the junior guy in the meeting with Bob Dole and George Mitchell when we put Social Security on the right path for 60 years. Ill never forget what Bob Dole said. After we reached an agreement about gradually raising the retirement age, etc., he said, 'Look, heres the deal, we all put our foot in the boat one at a time.' And he kickedhe stepped like he was stepping into a boat. 'And we all make the following deal. If any one of the challengers running against the incumbent Democrat or Republicans attack us on this point, well all stay together.' Thats the kind of leadership that is needed. Social Securitys not the hard one to solve. Medicare, that is the gorilla in the room, and youve got to put all of it on the table.

Biden can't afford to lose ground to Sanders with older voters. In Michigan, a state that Sanders's campaign considered a "must win," Biden won with overwhelming support (66 percent) among voters over 45, while Sanders's commanding lead (64 percent) with voters 44 and under wasn't enough to secure victory for him. Biden currently leads Sanders in delegates, with 890 to the senator's 736. On Tuesday, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio all hold their primaries, where a total of 577 more delegates are up for grabs.

Heart of An Assassin: How Daniel Craig Changed James Bond Forever

For our money, he's the best Bond yeta searching soulful actor who managed to turn the campy secret agent into a three-dimensional character. Now as the world gears up for Daniel Craig's final film as 007 nears, he offers some rare reflection on the franchise he redefined and the icon he reimagined.

Originally Appeared on GQ
Gentlemen of the media, permit us to frontload this speech by skipping the usual protocols because of the urgency of the matter.

We are here to condemn the deliberate scheming out of over 60 million Nigerians of Igbo extraction in the proposed foreign loan shopping list of $22.7 billion prepared by President Muhammadu Buhari and approved by the senate dominated by the All Progressives Congress and also headed by a northerner in the person of Ahmed Lawan.

The exclusion of another 5 million citizens of over 20 ethnic nationalities from Edo state stands absolutely condemnable. We believe that this policy is akin to the apartheid white minority rule that was practiced in South Africa prior to the current majority rule of the blacks. This policy of exclusion also violates section 42 of the Nigerian constitution which states as follows: (1) 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. (2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth. (3) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes restrictions with respect to the appointment of any person to any office under the State or as a member of the armed forces of the Federation or member of the Nigeria Police Forces or to an office in the service of a body, corporate established directly by any law in force in Nigeria.

Section 15(5) states The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

Section 16(1)(2) states: (1) The State shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this Constitution. (a) harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy; (b) control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity; (c) without prejudice to its right to operate or participate in areas of the economy, other than the major sectors of the economy, manage and operate the major sectors of the economy; (d) without prejudice to the right of any person to participate in areas of the economy within the major sector of the economy, protect the right of every citizen to engage in any economic activities outside the major sectors of the economy. (2) The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: (a) the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development; (b) that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good; (c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group; and (d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.

The exclusion of the south east and Edo State, which is provocative, unconstitutional, primitive and discriminatory, is said to be a fallout of what has been described as the dirty politics that preceded the approval of the loan request which President Muhammadu Buhari presented twice to the National Assembly and eventually got approved by the Senator Ahmed Lawan-led ninth Senate.

The eighth Senate under the very ebullient and activist Bukola Saraki had rejected the loan on the grounds of lack of details.

However, in a total show of shame, the 9th Senate ignored all requests to allow for debate on the details of the loan and approved the document amidst protest and uproar.

President (Major General) Buhari had said that the loan was to ensure the prompt implementation of projects under the borrowing plan with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation, poverty reduction through social safety net programmes, governance and financial management reforms, among others.

Details of the loan, as approved by the Senate, showed that the South West got $200,000,000.00 while the South South, excluding Edo State, got $4,270,000,000.00. The South East which produced 15 of the 109 senators got nothing from the loan.

And more shocking is the fact that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Clifford Ordia, which processed the loan request and recommended its approval, represents Edo Central.

However, the North West, which produced President Buhari, got $6,372,000,000.00 just as the North East got $300,000,000.00 while the North Central got $6,531,000,000 and $5,853,900,000.00 was reserved for general expenses.

In more specific details, the power transmission project in Lagos and Ogun states were given $200 million just as $800m was voted for the East west road in the Niger Delta.

The coastal railway project (Calabar-Port Harcourt-Onne deep sea port segment got $3.47billion (Cross River and Rivers states.)

Projects in the North East that were covered in the loan are the multi-sectoral crises recovery programme ($200m, north-east), North-east Nigeria integrated social protection, basic health, education, nutrition services and livelihood restoration project ($100m); and the Lake Chad Basin Commission ($13m, multinational).

In the North West, the following projects were captured by the loan:

Kano-Lagos railway modernization project (Kano-Ibadan segment double track, $5.53billion; and vocational training in power sector ($50m; FCT, Lagos, Ogun. Kano, Plateau, Niger, Enugu, Kaduna and Cross River).

Others are: Kaduna State economic transformation programme for results ($35m, Kaduna); National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructural Backbone Project (NICTIB) phase II ($328.1m (Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Akure, Maiduguri, Lokoja, Kaduna, Akwanga, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina); Health System Project ($110m, Katsina); Rural water supply and sanitation ($150m; north-east, and Plateau); and development of the mining industry ($150m, nationwide).

In the North Central, these projects were covered: Staple crops processing zone support project ($100m, Kogi); Greater Abuja water supply project ($381m, FCT); Abuja mass rail transit project (phase 2) ($1.25b, FCT); Mambila hydro-electric power project ($4.8b; and Taraba integrated programme for development and adaption to climate change in the Niger Basin ($6m)

It was gathered that only 60 per cent of the loan would be available for spending as 40 per cent is to be paid to those who offered consultancy services regarding the loan.

The source disclosed that although the Federal Government was aware that the remaining 60 per cent would not be enough for the projects for which the loan was sought, it had insisted on getting it loan because it intended to seek a second loan later in the year.

A request for the second loan would soon be sent to the National Assembly, the source said.

Lawan had during his heated argument with the Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe, before the approval of the loan insisted that the recommendation of the committee should be taken and adopted. Abaribe had also insisted that debate on the loan be on project by project basis.

In the politics that played out shortly after the inauguration of the 9th Senate, the PDP caucus had replaced Clifford Ordia with Sahabi Yau from Zamfara State as Senate deputy minority whip, a development, which was very unpleasant to Ordia.

Since then, it was learnt that the PDP caucus had never found it easy to prevail on Ordia to do its bidding.

Recommended steps:

1. It is already a national emergency which must be remedied tomorrow by the Federal House of Representatives which is scheduled to vote tomorrow on the loan request. It is either that South East / Edo are included or the states in the S/E and Edo state should stage an open walk out and not be part of the show of shame.

2. We condemn the south east senators who stayed away for fear of EFCC or DSS so as to allow the pliant senate headed by the stooge to approve the loan. Why did they stay away and left just Enyinnaya Abaribe and a few others? Senator Ekweremadu said he was on a national assignment that was why he was not at that senate plenary when this decision that will affect all Nigerians for 40 years was made. We ask him thus: Did Enugu North people elect you for national assignment or to defend their interests?

We call on the south east governors to file a suit at the Supreme Court to stop the Federal government from compelling south east to be part of the repayment if we are not part of the beneficiaries. This suit must be filed immediately.

We also call on Nigerians to call on the Federal government to stop enslaving Nigeria to the apron strings of foreign creditors such as China.

Nigerias external debt commitment rose by $11.77bn in the last three years, investigation has shown.

According to debt statistics obtained from the Debt Management Office, the countrys external debt rose from $10.32bn in June 30, 2015 to $22.08bn as of June 30 this year.

This means that the countrys external debt commitment has grown by 114.05 per cent in the last three years.

Although multilateral debt made up $10.88bn or 49.28 per cent of the countrys external debt profile, most of the increases in the last three years occurred in the area of commercial loans.

According to the DMO, commercial foreign loans, which stood at $1.5bn as of June 30, 2015, had risen to $8.8bn as of June 30 2018.

This means that in the last three years, the countrys exposure to commercial foreign loans has risen by $7.3bn or 486.67 per cent.

With a commitment of $8.47bn, the World Bank is responsible for 38.36 per cent of the countrys foreign portfolio.

Apart from the World Bank Group, Nigeria is also exposed to some other multilateral organisations such as the African Development Bank with a portfolio of $1.32bn and the African Development Fund with a portfolio of $843.47m.

Others are the International Fund for Agricultural Development with a portfolio of $159.44m; the Arab Bank for Economic Development with a portfolio of $5.88m; the EDF Energy (France) with a portfolio of $64.96m and the Islamic Development Bank with a portfolio of $16.92m.

On the other hand, bilateral debts make up $2.39bn or 10.87 per cent of the countrys external debt exposure.

The bilateral agencies to which the country is indebted are the Export-Import Bank of China with a portfolio of $1.91bn; the Agence Francaise de Development with a portfolio of $274.98m; the Japan International Cooperation Agency with a portfolio of $74.69m; the EXIM Bank of India with a portfolio of $4.76m; and Germany (KFW) with a portfolio of $132.24m.

Unlike the foreign debt, the domestic component of the countrys total public debt decreased marginally recently as a result of moves to rebalance the local/foreign debt ratio.

According to the DMO, a major highlight in the latest public debt data was the decrease in the Federal Governments domestic debt, which declined from N12.59tn in December 2017 to N12.58tn in March 2017 and N12.15tn in June 2018.

The DMO said the reduction in the FGNs Domestic Debt Stock arose from the redemption of N198bn Nigerian Treasury Bills in December 2017 and another N639bn between January and June 2018.

A total of $3bn was raised through Eurobonds to refinance maturing domestic debt as part of the implementation of the debt management strategy for the purpose of substituting high cost domestic debt with lower cost external debt to reduce debt service costs for the government, the DMO said.

It also explained that the implementation of the Public Debt Management Strategy, whose overall objective was to ensure that Nigerias debt is sustainable, was already yielding positive results.

The implication is that in the next 40 years, every one of us Nigerian citizens will effectively become a slave.

We urge Nigerians to file a class suit before the Federal High Court to clearly show that both they and their generations yet unborn are not part of all the loans collected by the current government.

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko;

National Coordinator;

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

16th March 2020
YEREVAN.  The financial market situation is stable, our financial system is very strong, very stable, especially given that our foreign currency reserves have reached a record level. . Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this on Facebook live Tuesday, adding that the Central Bank has also bought and stocked an unprecedented amount of foreign currency.

Referring to Armenias economic policy, the Prime Minister said: "We do not want to make very hasty steps here because, first, I also said at the National Assembly yesterday that I am against the logic of economic benefits. We should not give the economy a social allowance that will weaken it, but put a development plan at the base of every cent being spent. We need to be convinced that as a result of each and every assistance, these businesses will become more competitive, stronger.

According to the results of 2018-2019, Armenia has accumulated great economic potential to realize an economic restart, to start the economic revolution from scratch. Of course, this potential will be used to get us out of this situation with a stronger economy. The only nuance is that we have to make decisions that are discussed, strategic, in depth."

Nikol Pashinyan added that in the near future they will present their strategy and approach toward how to assist Armenias economy in order to make it come out a winner in the long run. "Our plan is already outlined, ready in terms of perception. We just want to make sure we are more convinced that we are making the right decisions, and then share the information with the public."






Gas prices fell last week in Los Angeles, which typically has some of the most expensive gasoline in the country. / AP

NEW YORK  At two gasoline stations in Scarsdale, a wealthy suburb of New York City not far from one of the nation's worst outbreaks of coronavirus, attendants whiled away the minutes on a rainy Friday morning at what would normally be their busiest time of day.

"We've had one or two customers  that's it," said Julio Barrios as he sat under an umbrella at the full-service Shell station in downtown Scarsdale. "For more than a week, business has been slow."

The coronavirus has infected at least 138,000 people worldwide and killed more than 5,000, rocking the global economy.

As cases steadily grow across the United States, Americans are working from home, canceling road trips, running fewer errands and finding they don't have to drop their children off at school following widespread closings.

The irony is that drivers are parking their cars at a time when gasoline is more affordable, which usually spurs more driving. The average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.28, lowest since 2017, according to the American Automobile Association.

The United States consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products daily, the most worldwide, and motor gasoline accounts for nearly half of that, at about 9 million barrels a day. But the coronavirus outbreak's effect on driving activity is expected to be drastic.

"We would estimate commuting and leisure driving will be down up to 50%, with most impact in the northern states where the virus spreads faster now," said Per Magnus Nysveen, senior partner at Oslo, Norway-based energy research firm Rystad Energy.

That could sap fuel demand by roughly 2 million to 2.5 million barrels per day, he said, and for 2020, that would cut demand by roughly 300,000 to 400,000 bpd.

The reasons for the sharp fall in prices aren't just due to the coronavirus. A week ago, an oil price war erupted between Saudi Arabia and Russia after those nations were unable to come to a deal to cut supplies in response to the anticipated drop in demand due to the virus.

Story continues

Instead of curbing supply, Saudi Arabia and other nations are flooding global markets with barrels of crude oil. U.S. crude oil prices, which account for about half of the price of retail gasoline, dropped to about $31 per barrel this week, lowest since 2016.

Some U.S. states have seen average gasoline prices fall by more than 10 cents in the last week. Savings on low gasoline prices are usually referred to by lawmakers as "like a tax cut," but for the moment, Americans are seeing they can pocket savings just by not driving at all.

"I will have zero driving requirements for two weeks (minimum) now that everything is shutting down," said Cathy Martin, of Potomac, Maryland. "For me, my average weekly work and kid activity driving is 150 miles."

Industry analysts said consumers can expect cheaper gasoline prices for the foreseeable future, even with the approach of the summer driving season, when prices tend to climb along with demand. U.S. gasoline futures fell to $0.8536 a gallon on Friday, lowest seasonally since at least 2005, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

The average American's motor gasoline expenditures were $1,072 in 2017, the latest data available, according to the U.S. Energy Department. That total varies by state, from as little as $708 in New York to a high of $1,441 in Wyoming.

But some Americans spend much more than that due to lengthy commutes, like Jamie Niederkohr of Toledo, Ohio, who normally drives up to 200 miles a day related to work as a data collector. Her husband has a 71-mile per day commute.

"I figure we could save over $200 a week (on gasoline)," she said.
To contain the coronavirus spread, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday extended the closure of all educational institutions, cinemas, mulitplexes and tourists places in the state till April 2.

Briefing reporters here after a meeting of the UP Cabinet, minister Shrikant Sharma said, "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that all schools, colleges and educational institutes will remain closed till April 2."



Competitive and other examinations too have been postponed till April 2.

All tourists places in the state have been shut, the minister said.

All cinemas and multiplexes will also remain closed till April 2, Sharma said.

He said the district magistrates have been instructed to spread awareness through posters and banners on the viral disease.

"An appeal has been made to religious leaders to avoid crowding in temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches and exercise caution," Sharma said.

The chief minister has appealed to the people to avoid venturing into crowded places and not to panic, he said.

"The CM has taken an important decision. In order to ensure that the poor should not get affected (following spread of coronavirus), a three-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the state finance minister," Sharma said.

"The committee will also have agriculture minister and labour minister. The committee will submit its report to the chief minister in three days. The poor most of whom earn their livelihood on a daily basis, will get certain amount in their account through RTGS," Sharma said.

"He (CM) also directed that corona patients in the state will get free of cost treatment. Also if any government employee or private company employee has got infected by Corona, he/she will continue to get his/her salary, and there will be no pay cut," he said.

Adityanath directed that private firm employees can work from home.

"As far as the government employees are concerned, a committee has been formed under the state chief secretary, and work-from-home should be allowed where it is possible. All types of protests, dharna in the state have been completely banned," Sharma said.

"Corona is in stage II in the state and the efforts of the government is to ensure that it does not escalate to stage III in any condition," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Senate, on Tuesday, urged the federal government and members of the National Assembly to donate to the N2 billion Abule -Ado Emergency Relief Fund set up by the Lagos State government.

This was one of the resolutions of the Senate after deliberation on a motion on the urgent need to investigate the Abule-Ado explosion.

The state governor, Babjide Sanwo-Olu, had set up the N2 billion relief fund for victims of Sundays explosion in the state. He said the state was immediately putting N250 million into the fund.

Mr Sanwo-Olu called on Nigerians to donate to the fund as he said the emergency is beyond what the state government can handle on its own.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the explosion occurred at the Abule-Ado Area of Lagos State, in the early hours of Sunday.

At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and 25 have been rescued from the site. Scores of residents, including school children, were trapped in buildings as the explosion shook the area.

NNPC said on Sunday that the incident occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporations System 2B Pipeline Right of Way.

Leading the motion at the Senate on Tuesday, Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos) recalled that there have been similar explosions in recent times in the same area in 2016, 2018 (Abule-Egba), 2019 (Abule Egba) 2020 (Ijegun), and 2020 (Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo).

He said Nigerians around the axis now live in justifiable fear of not only losing their lives but also their properties and investments.

He also commended security agencies and Nigerians on their prompt roles in putting out the fire resulting from the explosion and mitigating its spread as well as rescuing victims.

Lawmakers who took turns to mourn the victims and call for help were Oluremi Tinubu, James Manager and Ibikunle Amosun.

The lawmakers observed a minute silence in honour of victims who died and resolve to write a condolence letter to the people and government of Lagos State.

The Senate also directed the National Emergency Management Agency and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to immediately send relief materials to the victims and offset medical bills of those among them in hospital.

It directed the Senate Committees on Petroleum Downstream, Gas Resources and Petroleum Upstream to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the explosion with a view to preventing a re-occurrence and report back to the Senate in two weeks.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:51:59|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A list of China's top 10 medical science and technology news events of 2019 was released by a national health newspaper on Tuesday.

Clinical trials of an innovative drug, an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis platform and gene-edited diseased monkeys cloning were selected, the Health News reported.

Other important news events included an archaeological discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine, several large-scale epidemiological studies and the development of new methods in treating brain diseases, liver cancer, lung cancer, and Zika infection.

Experts from organizations including the National Health Commission, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as leading scientists in the fields of medicine and public health were invited to vote for the top 10, the newspaper said.
New Delhi, March 17 : Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said that India is using retroviral drugs to treat some of the coronavirus patients and approvals in this regard have been given after scientific scrutiny.

Harsh Vardhan made a statement in Rajya Sabha while replying to a query of Trinamool Congress leader Manas Ranjan Bhunia.

"Many countries are experimenting with the treatment process using specific drugs in trials. In the US, Australia, Germany and China, they are trying retroviral drugs used to treat HIV infections. Recently, there was a report that even chloroquine is very effective in the treatment of N-Coronavirus," said Bhunia and then questioned the minister that he would like to know about the treatment protocol being adopted by India in this regard.

To this, the Union Health Minister said, "Our scientists at Indian Council of Medical Research are in touch with everything that is happening on this particular front all over the world." As far as the retroviral drugs are concerned, Harsh Vardhan said that Indian scientists are also using them on some of these patients and "we have given approvals for using them after, you can say, all sorts of scientific satisfaction that we could derive after having been in touch with the whole world".

He also pointed that they have heard about some research being done on chloroquine in the US right now. "I can only say that these approvals are given after detailed scientific scrutiny, not by the Ministry as such, but by the group of scientists working together at ICMR." The minister said that that they are trying to do the best to deliver the best possible treatment to the patients who have already been affected.

Congress leader Anand Sharma raised the issue of reports of unhygienic situation of quarantine centres. Sharma said, "Yesterday there have been some disturbing reports about the conditions of these quarantine facilities, particularly how unhygienic they are in sanitation and toilets. Will the minister set up a committee to immediately go and check the status of the quarantine facilities so that the people coming from foreign nations are kept at places which are medically correct and they are not further exposed to any further infections?" To this, the minister said, "All over the country, right now, we are subjecting, not in hundreds but in thousands, people coming from various COVID-affected countries to quarantine and with the help of the state governments and with the help of the other Departments of the wings of the government like Army, CISF and others we have located a large number of facilities in the country. So, these reports, I would say, are the exceptions but they are not the rule." He explained that in a huge country like India, a whole lot of facilities have all been created in emergency at places which are safe for the people which are vacant where no other activities are actually happening, and this has all come as a matter of emergency.

"So, it is quite possible that, once in a while, at some place, the bathroom may not be, say, five-star type but, by and large, wherever we are receiving any such complaints, we are conveying in the strongest possible manner through the state governments to the concerned District Magistrates of that area to go and visit, look at those complaints," he clarified.

He reiterated that these complaints are not frequent complaints. "These are very rare complaints that we are receiving," the minister said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to ensure the health and well-being of its employees and customers, and to help limit the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Cole Haan, Inc. ("Cole Haan" and the "Company") today announced the temporary closure of a number of its U.S. retail stores in those areas that have been most impacted by this crisis. Select stores are scheduled to close on Tuesday, March 17 in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, and California. The Company expects to reopen these stores on or before March 31.

Affected store employees will receive pay and benefits during the expected closure period. The Company will monitor new information as it develops and will act in the best interests of our employees and customers. Customers may continue to shop and find information regarding the company's mainline and outlet stores at colehaan.com.

"The Cole Haan brand has been present during life's most poignant moments for the past 92 years," said Jack Boys, Chief Executive Officer of Cole Haan. "It has witnessed many of the most challenging times our country has known this past century. It has also been there for the inevitable process of unity and re-building that follows such events. And Cole Haan will be there when we get through this challenging crisis together."

"We hope everyone remains safe and healthy," said Boys. "Our thoughts are with those whose lives have been upended by this crisis."

Cole Haan is taking additional steps in its facilities to help ensure the health and safety of its employees. This includes options for working from home, enhanced cleaning, and social distancing. The entire fleet of Cole Haan stores will also be thoroughly cleaned during this period.

About Cole Haan

Cole Haan is a global performance lifestyle brand serving always-connected, active professionals with innovative footwear and lifestyle accessories. Cole Haan pioneers new categories of footwear and lifestyle accessories that customers wear from work to workout to weekend, building upon the Cole Haan brand's 90-year heritage by infusing its products with time-honored craftsmanship and modern innovation. Cole Haan's mission is to inspire these customers to live extraordinary lives.



Contact

Kimry Blackwelder

(212)-763-3060

[email protected]

SOURCE Cole Haan

Related Links

http://www.colehaan.com


CALGARY - The sale of Halifax-based Emera Inc.s Maine power utility to City of Calgary-owned Enmax Corp. is expected to be finalized after winning approval from a key state regulator.

Emera Maine says the Maine Public Utilities Commission decision is the sixth and final regulatory agency approval required to proceed with closing the acquisition.

The approval comes after a negotiated settlement agreement was reached between Enmax, Emera Maine, the Maine Office of the Public Advocate and other interveners in the state regulatory review of the sale.

The companies agreed to 43 commitments including holding customer distribution rates at current levels until October 2021, issuing customer rate credits of US$8.1 million, giving an additional US$5 million in electric rate relief to low-income customers, implementing reliability and customer service quality metrics and ensuring employment levels arent affected.

Emera Maine is a regulated electric transmission and distribution company headquartered in Bangor with more than 159,000 customers in the northern part of the state.

Under the deal, Enmax will pay C$1.29 billion plus assume roughly C$500 million in debt.

Enmax has made a significant, long-term commitment to Emera Maines customers, employees and Maine communities, said Enmax CEO Gianna Manes in a news release. With this approval, we are looking forward to a smooth transition of ownership.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:EMA)
For Muslims, Haram means prohibited and Halal stands for permissible. For instance, pork and alcohol consumption are Haram and hence considered forbidden for a Muslim. Now, it has emerged that even preventive measure for Coronavirus menace is not free of religious segregation.

Since face masks and hand sanitizers are highly recommended as preventive measures against coronavirus, people have stepped out in search for non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Locals are selling the so-called Halal hand sanitizers in Malaysia, as Muslims choose these over the alcohol-based ones under the impression that usage of only these would be permissible in Islam. Now, lets inspect what Islam says about the use of alcohol.

Instant Hand Sanitizer

75% High Purity Ethanol

60ML

RM15

Remove bacteria quickly and efficiently

Compact and portable, ready to use in your bag

Can be used for hand washing or disinfecting items

Suitable for adults and kids

HALAL 



0125006349 Wawa pic.twitter.com/cuZmCwAGOC  WZ  (@sdtnajwa) March 15, 2020

Takyahlah dok tunggang agama dan jual Hand Sanitizer halal waktu wabak Covid-19 ni.



Mufti Wilayah yang kini Menteri Hal Ehwal Agama dah kata penggunaan Hand Sanitizer alkohol ialah HARUS, tidak najis dan boleh guna untuk solat pic.twitter.com/Lwj7sDrPP5  Asrul Muzaffar (@asrulmm) March 14, 2020

Facts vs Myth

In Islam, only alcohol consumption is prohibited, not its use as medicine. So any hand sanitizer that provides protection against viruses and germs should be welcomed.

Prophet Mohammaed (PBUH) once said, Cleanliness is half the faith (Emaan). Hadith reference : Sahih Muslim.

Fundamentally, the alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good deterrent against potent coronavirus, so it is not Haram or prohibited. Alcohol destroys the protein envelope that surrounds coronavirus, and destruction of protein envelope effectively kills the virus. But there must be at least 60% of alcohol content in hand sanitizers for them to be effective against the virus. Hence, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a necessity, not luxury.

Also, these are industrial alcohol, not meant to be consumed as beverages, so its usage as medicine is totally permitted.

Seeing a surge of searched for halal, non-alcoholic hand sanitizers & some online vendors selling them. No, it doesn't get absorbed via the skin; it evaporates. They are not effective. Please stop using religion to market pseudoscience. #COVID19  Dr Sumaiya Shaikh (@Neurophysik) March 16, 2020

In our daily life, we, the Muslims, even consume alcohol as medicine in a fixed quantity. It is required for treatment of ailments. For instance, almost all Homeopathy formulations have some amount of alcohol and same is the case with some other biochemic formulations.

Using the so-called Halal hand sanitizer can be detrimental to you and your family.

In a perilous time like this, please do not get swayed by myth, make good use of alcohol-based sanitizers to save yourself and humanity from devastation.

(The views expressed are personal)

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The Duke of Sussex 'stands by' what he said in phone calls with Russian pranksters but felt 'violated' by the 'malicious' experience, royal experts have claimed.

Speaking on the Heirpod podcast with ABC Foreign Correspondent Maggie Rulli, royal expert Omid Scobie revealed Prince Harry, 35, 'wasn't so concerned about what was said on the call' but had been left with 'a feeling of violation.'

Meanwhile Maggie added that she found the prank 'gut-wrenching' and noted how the 'timing' had been bad for Prince Harry, saying: 'They got him to talk about a lot of personal things. They got him to open up and be really vulnerable.'

In the toe-curling phone chats released last week, Prince Harry opened his heart about Megxit, being more 'normal' than other royals and how Donald Trump has 'blood on his hands' with YouTube stars posing as environmentalist Greta Thunberg and her father.

Prince Harry, 35, 'stands by' what he said during phonecalls with Russian pranksters but is more concerned over 'the feeling of violation' left by the experience, according to royal expert Omid Scobie

Speaking on the podcast, Omid revealed: 'I spoke with a source close to Harry earlier in the week. He wasn't so concerned about what was said on the call and that being out there.

'He stands by what he says, he's not there to hide anything from anyone. But it's that feeling of violation, it's not a pleasant feeling to experience.'

He added: 'It also comes at a time when the Sussexes have been through enough.'

Meanwhile Maggie added: 'It's just gut-wrenching. Anything that purposefully makes someone else feel stupid, it's just mean, right?'

Speaking on the Heirpod podcast, Omid said a source close to Prince Harry said the royal 'stands by what he said' during phonecalls with Russian prankstars (pictured, with Meghan Markle, 35, on their final engagement as senior royals last week)

'Listening to it, it's always tough when you hear someone open up and be vulnerable to someone on the other end of the line and to hear that flipped on them, is just so difficult?

'They got him to talk about a lot of personal things. They got him to open up and be really vulnerable.'

She went on: 'They had just had this huge trip back to the UK, all eyes were on them.

'So to have it come out when the trip was still wrapping up and Harry was by himself. The timing was also just an extra stick-in-the-eye.'

The two phonecalls took place while Prince Harry was living in Canada earlier this year alongside Meghan and their son Archie (pictured, Prince Harry with Archie in December)

'If it wasn't bad enough, now everyone is looking at you during this hoax.'

In the phone calls, which emerged last week, the Duke insisted he chose to withdraw from royal life to 'protect my son' and said 'we are completely separate from the majority of my family' .

When asked about Meghan he admitted candidly that 'marrying a prince or princess isn't all it's made up to be' and that their new life in Canada is 'much better' than serving as senior royals.

He also risked a diplomatic row as he waded into politics with his comments President Trump and Boris Johnson, and his belief that the world was 'severely unbalanced in favour of bad leaders.

During the phonecalls, Prince Harry insisted he chose to withdraw from royal life to 'protect my son' and said he and Meghan were 'completely separate from the majority of my family' (pictured, the couple with Archie in September)

His comments were blasted by experts, who said royals 'certainly shouldn't express political or party political views' and Harry should have been sure about who he was talking to before exposing his feelings.

Royal commentator and former Editor of International Who's Who, Richard Fitzwilliams, told MailOnline: 'He was off his guard, in a vulnerable state. He shouldn't have expressed these clearly controversial views on Boris, and particularly Trump, with his 'blood on his hands' statement - unless he knew who he was talking to.

'Royals certainly shouldn't publicly express political or party political views.'
A Massachusetts family sang "Happy Birthday" to their 100-year-old loved one outside a nursing home window Sunday as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe.

Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by a crowd of familiar faces to celebrate her becoming a centenarian. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine.

Sterling Village had to tighten its visitation policy due to the pandemic.

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by family to celebrate her becoming a centenarian on March 15. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe. (WCVB)

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Massachusetts, was greeted by family near a window March 15 to celebrate her 100th birthday. Sterling Village had to tighten its visitation policy due to the coronavirus pandemic. (WCVB)

But since it was Millie Erickson's 100th birthday, the home and her family found a loophole to mark her special milestone.

More: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and more encourage fans to self-quarantine

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by family to celebrate her becoming a centenarian on March 15. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe. (WCVB)

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Massachusetts, was greeted by family near a window March 15 to celebrate her 100th birthday. Sterling Village had to tighten its visitation policy due to the coronavirus pandemic. (WCVB)

"It was really nice that they let us do that," Gary Erickson told ABC affiliate WCVB-TV in Boston. "She doesn't usually cry, but she did. She's just thrilled to see everybody and she's lived a good, long life."

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, 100, a resident of Sterling Village in Massachusetts, was greeted by family to celebrate her becoming a centenarian on March 15. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe. (WCVB)

More: Josh Gad is reading books to kids on Twitter amid coronavirus quarantine

The CDC says older adults are at higher risk and health officials in several states have recommended the elderly stay home as the crisis continues.

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by family to celebrate her becoming a centenarian on March 15. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe. (WCVB)

Millie wasn't able to blow out candles with her family but judging by the smile on her face, seeing them was all she needed.

Family sings 'Happy Birthday' to 100-year-old outside nursing home amid coronavirus crisis originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
The reality is that many cannot [stagger lunch breaks]. A large school of 2500 students in the southern suburbs have stated that this is simply not feasible, a reader told WAtoday. One hand stay 1.5 metres apart and no more than 500 people to gather, on the other hand sit shoulder to shoulder for six hours per day at school where 1000 people from 700 families attend? one woman, who was keeping her children at home, posted on social media. But others acknowledged the potentially equal dangers of school closures. Childcare is a huge issue for nurses and midwives at my work most of us will be stuck with no childcare and still needing to work, one said. Childcare will mean moving kids around ... which defeats the purpose of locking schools and day cares down if children are just going to congregate somewhere else, pointed out another.

It was a point of view shared by WA Premier Mark McGowan, who said closing schools would be a last resort in the fight against coronavirus, one which would have "dire implications for the functioning of our community and our society". While the state's universities are moving to host classes online and many parents are choosing to keep their kids home, the Premier said he had decided to keep schools open. "I want the public to understand the implications of this," he said. "If you close the schools, you're going to have 400,000 kids who need to be managed in their houses. That means we will have nurses, train drivers and supply workers and electricity workers and police officers having this stay home to look after their kids. "And if they don't, a lot of them will have their parents who are in their 70s or 80s looking after those children."

The Australian Medical Association's WA branch advocated on Monday for schools to begin preparing for a staged approach to closure; voluntarily at first, and not for the children of essential healthcare and emergency services workers. Several Perth private schools with online teaching and learning platforms, including Scotch College, have begun such preparations. AMA WA president Andrew Miller advocated for a gradual reduction in school populations. Loading "If you are a single mum or if you have no alternative arrangements or youre an emergency or healthcare worker, your kids should stay at school. But for those who can make other arrangements or school communities that can make remote arrangements, lets get that rolling," Dr Miller said.

Further on Tuesday, Dr Miller said he would not send his own child to school in WA. "I would not send my child if I could do so without any hardship," he said. He also worried for the huge number of adults who went in and out of schools. Health Minister Roger Cook said on Monday he respected the decisions of individual parents to pull their children out of school. It would therefore seem that worried parents who can pull children from school, isolate them and supervise them without relying on grandparents or other ad-hoc, potentially risky arrangements can feel free to do so, but pressuring the government to close schools may worsen the situation.

WA Council of State School Organisations president Pania Turner said the association recognised and understood parents concerns. We can only reaffirm current information that is being given by the Department of Health and the Department of Education, and trust that accurate and current information comes from these sources, she said. I also acknowledge that parents know their children, having intimate knowledge of their childs health and wellbeing needs and their specific circumstances. The decisions made by parents regarding their childs attendance at school should be made in a measured and informed manner and in consideration of their specific circumstances. It is important that schools continue to communicate with parents and carers. It is important that parents talk to their children about what is going on around them. Keeping children and young people informed in age appropriate ways helps them to understand and prepare for events as they arise.
The ED has filed a fresh money laundering case against promoter and his wife for allegedly obtaining Rs 307 crore bribe from a realty firm routed through the purchase of a bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi at half the market price, officials said on Tuesday.

The agency alleged that the bribe was paid to the Kapoors for facilitating around Rs 1,900 crore loans from to the realty firm and delaying recovery.

An Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), which is equivalent of a police FIR, has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of an FIR filed by the CBI on the matter recently, they said.

Kapoor is already facing an ED criminal case for receiving alleged kickbacks, through companies purportedly controlled by his family, for going slow on bad loans extended by his bank to some big corporates.

This will be the second complaint against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The officials said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has gathered a number of financial documents related to the ownership, sale and mortgaging of the costly bungalow located at 40, Amrita Shergill Marg in the Lutyens' zone of the national capital.

The agency took up the money laundering probe against Kapoor and others after the Reserve Bank imposed a moratorium on the crisis-ridden earlier this month, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor.

The CBI had last week filed the FIR against Kapoor and his wife Bindu for allegedly obtaining Rs 307 crore bribe through the purchase of this bungalow from a realty firm at half the market price and facilitating around Rs 1,900 crore bank loans to it in return.

CBI suspects that the discounted transaction for the 1.2 acre-bungalow on Amrita Shergill Marg was a gratification to Kapoor through the company Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd in return for non-realisation of over Rs 1,900 crore in loans from Yes Bank to Gautam Thapar-promoted Avantha Realty and group companies, they said.

Kapoor's wife Bindu is one of the two directors of Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd.

The CBI also carried out searches at the residence and office of Kapoor, his wife in Mumbai, Bliss Abode, offices of Avantha Realty and others in Delhi and NCR.

It was alleged that Kapoor bought the bungalow at Rs 378 crore, paying through Bliss Abode and the property was immediately mortgaged to Indiabulls Housing Limited for a loan of Rs 685 crore -- which was Rs 307 less than the market price.

The banker, Rana Kapoor, was arrested by the ED on March 8 and he is at present in the agency's custody till 20th of this month.

It has also summoned Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar this week in Mumbai for questioning in this instance.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JOHANNESBURG, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BACKGROUND

Shareholders are referred to the SENS announcement issued on 12 March 2020, where Sasol announced it was reviewing a variety of actions to address the challenges created by the impact of COVID-19 and the recent decline in the oil and chemical prices.

In the short term, Sasol needs to enhance cash flow and reposition the balance sheet on the assumption that there is a sustained low oil price until the end of financial year 2021. It is important to reiterate that Sasol currently has available liquidity of approximately US$2.5 billion with no significant debt maturities before May 2021 and it therefore believes it is positioned to withstand recent market volatility in the short term. Sasol believes it can maintain liquidity headroom in excess of US$1 billion over the next 12 - 18 months with a US$25 per barrel oil price before the benefits of hedging.

Sasol can today announce a comprehensive response strategy designed to mitigate the impact of these macroeconomic factors. This includes a commitment to re-set the organisation to be globally competitive in a sustained low oil price environment. The global portfolio of our foundation business remains cash positive under prevailing spot market conditions and an oil hedging programme has been put in place to insulate the balance sheet from further financial pressure.

A package of measures is being undertaken that is intended to fundamentally reposition the Company over the following 24 months:

A cash conservation programme focused on enhancing cash flow and cost competitiveness in a low oil price environment, with US$2 billion cash delivery ahead of current plan targeted by 30 June 2021 ;

cash delivery ahead of current plan targeted by ; An accelerated and expanded asset disposal programme executed in line with balance sheet, shareholder value and strategic objectives with a view to deliver proceeds significantly ahead of the US$2 billion currently targeted;

currently targeted; Potential for partnering options at Sasol's US Base Chemicals assets; and

A potential rights issue, which has been underwritten on a standby basis, as a supplemental initiative to reset the capital structure, subject to the progress made on cash conservation initiatives and asset disposals.

Collectively these actions target generating at least US$6 billion by the end of financial year 2021. This is expected to reshape Sasol's balance sheet and provide the platform to deliver a globally competitive business with high cash yielding assets. Further to this, Sasol is in discussions with its lenders about additional flexibility in respect of its financial maintenance covenants to provide improved balance sheet flexibility in financial year 2021.

OVERVIEW OF COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE STRATEGY

Self-help management actions: US$2 billion targeted by 30 June 2021

Financial year 2020

- Immediate measures targeted to deliver a cash improvement of approximately US$1 billion by 30 June 2020 relative to current plan assumptions, including approximately

US$800 million to be realised from working capital optimisation and re-prioritising capital expenditure; and

to be realised from working capital optimisation and re-prioritising capital expenditure; and US$200 million to be realised from cost-saving measures.

- These improvements build on existing initiatives and take into account the anticipated working capital release as inventory and receivables are adjusted for lower oil and product prices.

- Safe and reliable operating units remain a top priority for Sasol.

Sasol believes achieving these targets would enable it to maintain a net debt to EBITDA ratio in compliance with financial maintenance covenants.

Financial year 2021

- Further measures targeted to deliver approximately US$1 billion additional improvement in net debt position relative to previous plan assumptions, including approximately:

US$700 million to be saved from re-prioritising capital and working capital expenditure; and

to be saved from re-prioritising capital and working capital expenditure; and US$300 million from continuing cost savings and business optimisation.

Asset disposals: Accelerated programme with scope increased significantly above current US$2 billion target

- Expanding the scope of, and accelerating, the asset disposal programme which is now intended to realise proceeds significantly above the previous target of US$2 billion.

- This builds on the comprehensive asset review process and includes the potential for partnering Sasol's US Base Chemicals assets on which there are active discussions.

Potential rights issue: Resetting the capital structure through an equity issue after FY20 results, currently targeted at US$2 billion

- Potential rights issue to raise up to US$2 billion (equivalent in ZAR terms), with execution expected after financial year 2020 results.

- Sasol has entered into a standby underwriting agreement with BofA Securities, Citigroup and J.P. Morgan Securities in respect of a rights issue for an amount of up to US$2 billion-equivalent, which contains certain customary terms and conditions for transactions of this nature and conditions relating to Sasol making progress on certain of the measures described above, in anticipation of entering into an underwriting agreement in respect of a rights issue for an amount of up to US$2 billion-equivalent. BofA Securities and Citigroup will act as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners, and J.P. Morgan Securities plc will act as Joint Bookrunner in connection with the potential rights issue.

- In connection with implementation of the proposed rights issue, the shareholders of the Company will be required to approve certain resolutions. In this respect, in due course the Company intends to post a circular to shareholders in order to convene a general meeting of shareholders around July 2020, and to approve the necessary resolutions required to implement the proposed rights offer.

- The size of the rights issue may be reduced subject to the progress made on the other elements of the response strategy.

Liquidity: Liquidity headroom of US$1-2 billion or greater to be put in place over the following 12 to 18 months

- Sasol expects to comply with the financial maintenance covenant thresholds in its debt agreements at 30 June 2020 assuming, amongst others, a prevailing Rand oil price of approximately R580 per barrel. Sasol can sustain a liquidity headroom in excess of US$1 billion over the next 12 - 18 months in a US$25 per barrel oil price before the benefits of hedging.

- Sasol is actively engaging the lenders under its debt facilities to discuss adequate flexibility on its financial maintenance covenant thresholds in its debt agreements.

- An active oil hedging strategy is in progress.

- Sasol is targeting a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.5 and gearing below 30% at end financial year 2022.

Business repositioning: Repositioning Sasol for sustainable profitability in a low oil price environment

- Sasol is undertaking a purposeful and systematic review of its global cost competitiveness and business structure.

- Sasol is in the process of designing the scope of approximately R2.5 billion in expected sustainable net benefits by financial year 2022, expected to increase to R3.0 billion by financial year 2023 through efficiency and effectiveness measures across the business.

- The objective is to deliver a focused and profitable business in a sustained low oil price environment, creating the scope for sustainable shareholder value creation through shareholder returns and strategic investment.

- Sasol maintains its commitment to meet the 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as per the target set for 2030 for the South African operations, off a 2017 baseline.

CONCLUSION

Sasol has a high quality, well diversified global portfolio with a range of strategically advantaged assets and value chain integration. Sasol believes that the portfolio can be positioned to be sustainably profitable in a future low oil price environment. A reshaped and strategically focused portfolio based on cost, technology and market advantage is planned. If assets do not increase the competitive advantage of this future Sasol, they may be exited, or selective partnering may be pursued. Sasol aims for an asset portfolio that is globally diverse across sectors and able to operate at the low end of the cost curve in each sector and region.

The immediate focus is on the actions to stabilise the Company and protect the balance sheet so that the underlying value of the portfolio is not compromised, and instead the potential realised in the interests of all Sasol's stakeholders.

In light of this, the agenda of the Capital Markets Day planned for November 2020 will be focused on demonstrating progress against our short-term management actions, including asset disposals, and our sustainability roadmap to meet our 2030 targets.

Sasol believes the immediate and decisive implementation of the measures announced today can reset Sasol's capital structure and align it with the cash generation of the asset portfolio in a low oil price environment. We believe that the future Sasol will have a strong value proposition, with the capacity to deliver returns to shareholders from the portfolio and also generate sufficient cash for strategic growth and a sustainable future.

Fleetwood Grobler, Chief Executive Officer, made the following statement:

"In this dynamic and challenging environment, it's critical that we tighten control on what we can, acting both swiftly and decisively. My management team and I are fully committed to delivering on the measures that we have announced today. Sasol has a strong underlying business and all efforts are being made to enhance EBITDA in a sustained low oil price environment. Delivering sustainable, long-term shareholder value is our imperative and we have a clear plan to achieve that."

Cautionary Statement

Shareholders are advised to exercise caution when trading in the Company's securities until such time as the full details of the disposals and the rights offer are published.

Sasol is hosting a call to discuss the above measures at 15:00 SA on Tuesday, 17 March with detail on the comprehensive package of actions. Dial in details are as follows, and a replay facility will be available for a period of 2 days from the date of this announcement:

Conference call details:





Tuesday, 17 March 2020 Time Dial-in numbers Replay numbers South Africa 15:00 +27 11 535 3600 +27 10 500 4108 United Kingdom 13:00 +44 (0) 333 300 1418 +44 (0) 203 608 8021 United States (ET) 09:00 +1 508 924 4326 +1 412 317 0088 Other countries

+27 11 535 3600 +27 10 500 4108 Passcode:



31413 For online participation, please register on the following link: https://www.corpcam.com/Sasol17032020

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This announcement is for information purposes only and shall not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in any jurisdiction. The contents of this announcement have been prepared by and are the sole responsibility of the Company.

Merrill Lynch International, Citigroup and J.P. Morgan Securities are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the rights issue. They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the rights issue and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the rights issue, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

None of Merrill Lynch International, Citigroup or J.P. Morgan Securities or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

The Company may file a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to its registration statement (including a prospectus) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for any offering of securities referred to in this communication. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company will arrange to send you the prospectus after filing if you request it by calling the Investor Relations Department at +27 10 344 9280.

Disclaimer - Forward-looking statements

Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, expectations regarding future cash flow, Sasol's ability to meet its debt covenants, Sasol's ability to achieve the cost savings or complete its asset disposal programme, the actions referred to herein intended to strengthen Sasol's balance sheet and to maintain profitability at lower oil prices and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. You are accordingly advised to exercise caution when trading in the Company's securities until such time the full details of the disposal and the rights offer are published. These factors and others are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 28 October 2019 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

If you have any questions, please email: [email protected] or contact:

Investor Relations:

Feroza Syed, Chief Investor Relations Officer

Telephone: +27(0)10-344-7778

SOURCE Sasol Limited
A densely populated India does not have the luxury of resources nor can it wait for western countries to develop a solution.

There is enough talent and enterprise among Indian tech companies to be able to support the fight against covid 19, says Pranjal Sharma.

IMAGE: Passers-by in Times Square interact with a Promobot robot that informs the public about the symptoms of coronavirus and how to prevent it from spreading, in this still frame obtained from video, in New York City, U.S. Photograph: Reuters TV/Reuters

In normal times, the words artificial intelligence (AI) and virus would be mentioned in reference to cyber security matters.

These are not normal times, it seems.

The coronavirus called covid has spread to a level where the World Health Organization says that this is "uncharted territory."

In these abnormal times, emerging technologies -- even if untested -- are being deployed to manage the situation.

Robots have been pressed into service for isolated patients while hopes are high that artificial intelligence can help find a counter to covid 19.

IMAGE: UVD Robots. With their ultraviolet light, the robots can disinfect and kill viruses and bacteria autonomously, effectively limiting the spread of coronavirus without exposing hospital staff to the risk of infection. Photograph: Kind courtesy uvd-robots.com

Denmark based UVD Robots is leading from the front with its disinfection robots.

"With ultraviolet light, the robots can disinfect and kill viruses and bacteria autonomously, effectively limiting the spread of coronaviruses without exposing hospital staff to the risk of infection," says the company.

"The invention increases the safety of both staff, patients and their relatives by reducing the risk of contact with bacteria, viruses and other harmful microorganisms.

"The concentrated UV-C light emitted by the robots as they drive has a germicidal effect that removes virtually all airborne viruses and bacteria on the surfaces of a room."

IMAGE: A robotic disinfectant sprayer for preventing the novel coronavirus climbs steps in Luoyang, Henan province, China. Photograph: China Daily/Reuters

More than 2,000 hospitals in China are already using these robots while many are being shipped to other hospitals in Europe, the US and Asia.

In China, a local company is believed to be using AI to diagnose potential patients of coronavirus.

With patients rising rapidly, human based diagnosis can't cope with numbers.

AI-based diagnosis could be the way ahead.

IMAGE: A screenshot of InferVision developed software being used by Zhongnan hospital in Wuhan. Photograph: Kind courtesy InferVision.com

Beijing based startup InferVision has developed the software being used by Zhongnan hospital in Wuhan.

Similarly, Alibaba's research institute Damo Academy claims to have created an AI-based system, which has 96 per cent accuracy in detecting coronavirus.

The algorithm was trained with 5,000 CT scans from confirmed corona cases to differentiate between covid 19 virus and ordinary pneumonia virus.

IMAGE: A robot designed to help medical workers treat coronavirus patients remotely is pictured during a demonstration for the media at the aerospace engineering school of Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Photograph: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Another Chinese giant Baidu's AI developers' team has created a tool called LinearFold, which claims to slash Covid 19 detection time from 55 minutes to 27 seconds.

A US-based startup, Insilico, has used artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify molecules that could be used to counter covid 19.

Insilico claims that it took just four days to identify thousands of new molecules, which could be turned into medicines.

If this works, human trials could begin in weeks rather than the years it takes to identify new molecules.

IMAGE: A robot with a dispenser for hand sanitiser goes around a shopping complex as the country is hit by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, in Shanghai, China. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters

Companies that are involved in public health data surveillance are leading the way in predicting trends in the spread of virus.

Some of them like BlueDot and MetaBiota are using social media listening to capture citizen reports that signify relevant symptoms.

Many emerging tech companies will find opportunities to test their hypotheses in this time of a health crisis.

As long as companies are aligned towards public good, all experiments will hopefully yield productive results.

IMAGE: A robot designed to help medical workers treat coronavirus patients remotely is seen during a demonstration for the media at the aerospace engineering school of Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Photograph: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Countries like India must also rope in smart startups in healthcare in the war against corona.

The ministry of health and state governments should bring in smart minds and deploy the best that tech has to offer.

Sometimes untested and unusual ideas can help when legacy systems are under stress.

IMAGE: Workers with protective face masks on ride smart self-balancing scooters as they control a robotic sprayer spraying disinfectant at a residential compound in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Hubei province, China. Photograph: China Daily/Reuters

AI and robotics for public health is a real need and has demonstrated great value.

A densely populated India does not have the luxury of resources nor can it wait for western countries to develop a solution.

There is enough talent and enterprise among Indian tech companies to be able to support the fight against covid 19.

It is time for healthcare organisations and public health policy makers to shed their bureaucratic reservations and create a new framework of tech-based collaboration.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, companies across the country (and world) have their employees telecommuting. "Shark Tank" star and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran's employees are working from home too. "I want people working full speed ahead at home," she tells CNBC Make It. To keep her staff productive, here's the "game plan" Corcoran has laid out for her employees.

Set up a dedicated work space

"You need to have a work space," Corcoran, who hosts the 888-Barbara podcast, tells CNBC Make It. "A lot of people think it's gonna be convenient [working from home]  they'll use the dining room table. They'll put their computer up, and boom, they're on their game. "It's not that way," she says. "I find that when people work from home, they have to have a dedicated work space." But Corcoran recognized that, living in New York City, most of her employees do not have space in their apartment for an at-home office, "knowing people had roommates, sharing rooms." "Especially with younger people, with a space being so short where I operate, in these apartments which every foot costs you a fortune. They don't have extra space," she said. So asked her team to just "partition off a spot that you don't use for anything else. And I mean just a spot," she says. Then she asked them to send her a picture of their setup. "I asked [my team] to be accountable and send me a photo of their work space by [this past] weekend," she said. "They have to show me their work space, not because I don't trust people, but because it gives them a deadline." "People at the office are very accustomed to deadlines and once you get home, there are no deadlines, and that's where people fall in the craters very often and are not productive. So that was the first deadline."

Have right equipment and supplies

Second, Corcoran asked her employees to think through what they'd need at home to be productive. "Everyone said, 'Well I have my cell phone and I have my computer. I'm fine,'" she said. "But when I challenged that, I realized everyone needed a printer. So I ordered printers to everyone's home that day." Along with printers, she was sure to check that each of her employees had high speed internet. If anyone needed specialized equiptment, like her video editor, she had that sent to their home. "That would drive them crazy," Corcoran said about not having the right equipment. "They think, 'It's fine, it's only at home,' but once they get there, they're gonna lug behind. It's not good," she said. They're "not going to get the same quality and I'm not going to get the same quality." Along with equipment, Corcoran says employees need the right supplies. "I told everybody, 'Go get the yellow pads, the paper clips, get a scissor, and get your stapler. Put it in a bag,'" she said. To make it more pleasant, "I actually brought bags for everyone, nice bags, decorated bags, happy bags!" Corcoran says. "Like, 'Oh we're going to school on the first day!' So, everybody was excited packing their little bag." Although "it sounds silly," she has a reason behind her "happy bags," she says. "When you get home, and you can't clip a couple of papers together, you'll feel less put together if you're lacking a paperclip," Corcoran said. "So that's minutia, but I think that sets people up for success, because they feel more official versus, 'Oh it's just at home' which is not what I want."

Set meetings to check in

While working from home, Corcoran finds it especially important to keep communication flowing among the team. "What I was worried about, and I gave a lot of thought to before I met with the team, was how we were going to keep the wonderful comradery we have at the office and the ease of communication where one person sits right next to the other," she said. "What you miss when you're not at the office is the quick communication that happens verbally." To keep employees communicating closely, Corcoran mandated a certain number of meetings per week. "On Monday morning at 10 a.m., the people who typically are working on projects with each other, they must speak with each other by phone to go over what they're doing together," Corcoran says. "And by Friday at noon, they have to tell each other what they want on the agenda for Monday." Corcoran recommended her employees keep a "running list" of topics to discuss during their meetings. "I think that's an efficient method where they don't drop balls on what they really want to discuss," she says.

Encourage a flexible schedule

"Most people come in at around 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m. in my office and they stay until 5:30 to 8 at night," she says. But she told her employees, "'if you're an early riser and want to start your day at 6 a.m., who cares. Here's a chance to see how you work best. Here's an opportunity to see really how well regulated you are and what your true work ethic is without anybody breathing down your back. So you can really see how you are as your own boss,'" she says. "It's an opportunity to grow. If you ever want to start a business, this is going to be a great test run to see if you're able to regulate yourself."

A lesson for the boss too
by Shafique Khokhar

So far, 184 people have been infected in Pakistan. Card Coutts calls on the faithful to continue praying and fasting for the sick to get better. Local parishes are on high alter. Caritas Karachi held a seminar on how to prevent infections and protect human health.

Karachi (AsiaNews)  The Pakistani Catholic Church welcomes the steps taken by the Sindh government to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak. So far, 184 cases have been reported in Pakistan.

Yesterday Card Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi, issued a statement asking the faithful and the dioceses parishes to respect health regulations.

In his message, the cardinal calls on priests who distribute the Holy Communion to wear a mask and clean their hands with sanitising liquid before communion.

Noting the great efforts made by Italy and other countries to fight the outbreak, he urges the faithful not to go to church at present given the emergency situation.

The archbishop is hoping and praying that warmer temperatures will reduce the spread of the virus. In the meantime, he calls on all parishes to heed and respect government directives.

Above all, I urge the faithful to continue praying and fasting during this period of Lent for those who courageously work to help coronavirus victims and others."

Last Saturday, the Karachi branch of Caritas Pakistan held a seminar to inform people about the new emergency and the health practices necessary to contain the infection.

In particular, the session was aimed at women and children to increase their awareness of the seriousness of the virus and the need to protect themselves.

Dr Richard Marshall illustrated the symptoms of the disease, which manifests itself with breathing difficulties, fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

The doctor also talked about complications in patients such as pneumonia, kidney infections, and acute respiratory syndrome.

Sarfraz Anwar, project officer for Caritas Karachi, handed out material to participants, passers-by, and street vendors.
(Newser)  The White House announced tough new measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak Monday, apparently in response to sobering figures in a report from British researchers. The researchers warned that without action from the government, the outbreak could kill 2.2 million Americans, the New York Times reports. Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the leaders of the White House coronavirus task force, said the recommendations drew on new information in the Imperial College London report. "What had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing, small groups, not going in public in large groups," she said. "The most important thing was if one person in the household became infected, the whole household self-quarantined for 14 days. Because that stops 100% of the transmission outside of the household."

story continues below

The report's lead author, epidemiology professor Neil Ferguson, tells the Times that there is "no clear exit strategy" from the measures they recommend. "Were going to have to suppress this virusfrankly, indefinitelyuntil we have a vaccine," he says. "Its a difficult position for the world to be in." The report, which also influenced a switch to tougher measures in Britain, looked at the potential impacts of doing nothing, mitigation efforts to slow the spread of the virus, and suppression "to stop the epidemic in its tracks," the BBC reports. They concluded that to avoid health services becoming completely overwhelmed, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths, "suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time." (Read more coronavirus stories.)
The district health team has started active surveillance of at least 50 houses in Sector 9 after the citys first positive case of Covid-19 was reported from the area. A 26-year-old woman, a resident of the sector, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday and is currently undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital in the city.

As part of the Covid-19 containment strategy, the rapid response team has identified 50 houses within a three-kilometre radius of the patients house. There are guidelines as part of the containment strategy and we are following that. The surveillance process started on March 14, two days after the woman contacted us citing her travel history and mild symptoms, said Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer.

On Monday, the health department confirmed that the five family members of the patient  three women, one man, and a three-month-old baby  had tested negative.

The rapid response team along with the staff at the primary health centre (PHC) of the area, including Ashas (health workers), ANMs (auxiliary nurses) and a medical officer, are investigating 50 families in the periphery. The department has made its 19 primary health centres (PHCs) and 13 community health centres (CHCs) in urban areas active to deal with investigations, as they are more accessible to the local population of the area.

During the training for Covid-19 surveillance, we were told to investigate the areas within the three-kilometre radius of a confirmed case in the city. Virus can be prevented from spreading if it is handled at the first stage, when a single person tests positive. If not addressed timely, it can affect people in small clusters, such as a residential area. Therefore, advice has been issued to conduct a survey, a member of the rapid response team said.

Tracing the case

According to the health officials, the team has been able to properly manage the case as they took serious note of the issue. Punia said, The woman had travelled to Malaysia and Indonesia between February 20 and March 4. She contacted us on March 12, stating her mild symptoms. She was almost asymptomatic. Still, knowing her travel history, we took her sample for testing and it was later confirmed as positive.

According to him, the health department was able to trace the case before the onset of actual symptoms. Transmission, to an extent, has been prevented as all the family members have tested negative and employees in her office are under self-quarantine, he said.

A senior state health official had confirmed on Monday that 70 employees were identified in her office in Sector 53. Of them, 32 are residents of Gurugram, 28 are from Delhi, nine from Uttar Pradesh and one from Faridabad. She said that Gurugram employees are already in self-quarantine at home and have remained asymptomatic till now.

Sample testing

The number of people visiting Civil Hospital in Sector 10 to enquire about the Covid-19 situation and sample testing has increased over the last two days. According to the doctors, at the sample collection lab, earlier only four to five people visited the help desk and only one to two samples were taken. However, in the last 48 hours, more than 22 people with travel histories to different countries have visited and seven samples have been collected.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Four train lines plying Metro Manila and Luzon temporarily stopped operations starting Tuesday in compliance with the enhanced community quarantine to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

The Manila Metro Rail Transit System Line 3 (MRT-3), Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 (LRT-1 and LRT-2)  all transporting commuters around Metro Manila  announced the suspension of their operations until further notice.

The Philippine National Railways, which serves Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and the Bicol Region, also suspended its operation.

The Transportation Department (DOTr) said the use of private vehicles with only one person per household is allowed to leave homes to buy basic necessities and necessary medical supplies.

It issued guidelines that will be implemented from March 17 to April 13, including the closure of the four train lines.

It also said jeepneys, public utility buses, taxis, Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) such as Grab, FX, UV Express, Point-to-Point (P2P) buses, and motorcycle taxis such as Angkas operations shall be suspended. However, several jeepneys and taxis were seen plying the roads of Metro Manila on Tuesday morning.

DOTr also said foreigners departing the Philippines via international flights will be allowed to leave the country within 72 hours upon the effectivity of the enhanced community quarantine. The operation of airports in Luzon is limited to outgoing flights carrying foreigners and tourists.

It stressed Filipinos are not allowed to go outside the country. DOTr added inbound flights will only be for repatriated Filipinos.
With the governor limiting gatherings to 50 people to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, towns are opting to cancel, postpone or hold meetings virtually.

Bethel has pushed its budget process back a month to avoid large crowds at its public hearing, which had been scheduled for early next week. Towns like Brookfield and Bethel plan to cancel non-critical meetings and livestream others, while all meetings are still on virtually in New Fairfield.

People have the right to participate in the process, but we don't want to put people in a room where they're going to be at risk, Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said.

The governors recent executive order suspended the mandate for in-person open meetings, but the public must be allowed to view or listen to the meetings through technology.

Virtual meetings

Meetings in Brookfield will be livestreamed, with residents permitted to write in beforehand. But having residents call into the meeting during public comment could be complicated, First Selectman Steve Dunn said.

That's gets a little problematic if you have 15-20 people all trying to talk at the same time, he said. We're going to have to play that by ear.

In New Fairfield, a moderator will lead virtual meetings, First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said. The public and board members will call into the meeting on their phones or computers using a platform called Zoom.

They (residents) will be allowed to present public comment just like a regular meeting, she said.

Bethel is looking into doing something similar, with letters being read aloud, Knickerbocker said.

The goal is to be able to conduct business and still have the public view the meeting, but still participate to the degree they would be able to under normal circumstances, he said.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the city is working on a plan for how to hold meetings, with details to be announced next week.

There will be some kind of virtual component, he said.

New Milford school board held a virtual meeting Tuesday evening through Zoom, which allows audio and visual participation, said Angela Chastain, chair of the board. A virtual private break-out room was used for executive session, with residents able to wait on the line until public session resumed, she said.

Newtown residents were told to call into a Wednesday evening public hearing on the $122 million budget proposal.

Sherman, however, has not implemented virtual meetings yet, although officials in the town of roughly 3,500 aim to, First Selectman Don Lowe said.

Im looking at trying to set up some kind of a way for the public to remotely come into our meetings, he said. Believe it or not, we don't use that technology here, like a lot of places do.

Commission members are deciding to cancel meetings on a case-by-case basis, with the public invited, as long as they are not sick or at risk for the virus, Lowe said.

For now, a town meeting where residents would vote on a few capital items and rescinding a septic system ordinance is still on for March 28, Lowe said. He expects 20 to 30 people to show up.

Budget voting still unclear

Another executive order from the governor gave towns a 30-day extension on any budget deadlines on or before May 15.

This overrides the requirement in Bethels charter mandating the annual town meeting be held within the first seven days of April, with the referendum held 7 to 15 days later. This allowed the public hearing on the proposed $80.7 million budget to be postponed to April 27, with the annual town meeting on May 4 and a recommended referendum date of May 12.

But Knickerbocker said these dates could change again should the outbreak persist.

The problem could come during the annual town meeting, when residents vote in person to send budget proposals to referendum, first selectmen said.

We don't know how we would accomplish that, Del Monaco said. There are problems in identifying voters if you were to do anything virtually. We're waiting on state guidelines to proceed.

There are no plans from the state yet.

Annual town meetings are completely in the purview of the town, so this would be up to the town attorneys in the specific towns, said Gabe Rosenberg, spokesman for the Secretary of States office.

Lowe expects Sherman would still be able to hold its annual town meeting. Two years ago, no one showed up. Last year, when the tax rate decreased, four people came to congratulate officials, he said. The tax rate is projected to decrease again in the latest budget proposal, so he said he does not expect a huge turnout.

Holding a referendum itself would also be challenging, officials said. Lowe said he wants to look into whether Sherman could approve its budget at a town meeting instead.

There is a lot of Im not sure, he said. These are strange times.

Towns must pass their budgets by June 30.

Bethels charter allows it to operate under the previous years budget numbers for up to 90 days into the next fiscal year.

Were really looking at, from a budgetary point of view, a catastrophic situation if we don't have a budget by then, Knickerbocker said.
Financial results for the full-year 2019 - Highlights

Sales of CHF 636.8 million (2018: CHF 593.8 million) Full-year growth of 8.0% in local currencies and 7.2% in Swiss francs Full-year organic growth of 6.0% in local currencies and 5.3% in Swiss francs Double-digit sales growth in the Life Sciences Business Growth trend continues in the second half of the year

Full-year operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of CHF 122.8 million (2018: CHF 110.3 million) Increase in reported EBITDA margin to 19.3% (2018: 18.6%), including all acquisition-related costs

Reported full-year net profit of CHF 73.2 million (2018: CHF 70.7 million) Net profit margin 11.5%, including all acquisition-related costs (2018: 11.9%) Earnings per share rose to CHF 6.18 (2018: CHF 6.02)



Operating highlights 2019 and other important information

Launch of DreamPrep NGS, a fully automated sample preparation solution for next-generation sequencing (NGS)

New offers and continued focus on recurring sales generated from reagents and consumables in key applications

Launch of Spark Cyto reader platform with imaging capabilities for applications in cell biology

Several launches of new instruments in the Partnering Business, good progress made with important development projects

Acquisition of a supplier of key parts successfully completed

Increase in the dividend proposed from CHF 2.10 to CHF 2.20 per share

Outlook 2020

Full-year sales are again forecast to increase in the mid- to high single-digit percentage range in local currencies

Reported EBITDA margin expected to expand to around 19.6% of sales

Mannedorf, Switzerland, 17 March 2020 - The Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) remains on its growth track and can look back on a very successful business year. Tecan once again posted a substantial increase in sales, driven by strong growth in the Life Sciences Business. The company was also able to improve net profit despite the inclusion of acquisition-related costs.

Tecan CEO Dr. Achim von Leoprechting commented: "I'm very pleased that we are able to report another very successful financial year. We reached our growth targets with an increase in sales of 8% in local currencies, driven by double-digit sales growth in the Life Sciences Business. We also recorded a strong increase in the margin in the traditional core business.

Tecan is celebrating the company's 40th anniversary this year. Since its foundation in 1980, enormous progress in life science research and healthcare have been made. In the meantime, we have arrived in the 'Century of Biology' and the world's laboratories generate more biological data within just a few months than has ever been created in human history. As a pioneer in laboratory automation, Tecan has made much of the progress made to date possible and is in an excellent position to also help to shape further developments. We will continue to gear our activities consistently towards the core applications, which are based on particularly strong growth drivers. We are aiming to achieve continued growth above the market average going forward as well."

Financial results full-year and second half of 2019

In the year under review, Tecan grew its order entry by 1.9% to CHF 638.6 million (2018: CHF 627.0 million), or by 2.5% in local currencies. The growth was not as strong as in 2018, when order entry benefited in the second half of the year from a large order in the Life Sciences Business for customized solutions and grew correspondingly at a double-digit rate. Adjusted for this effect, order entry in the Life Sciences Business grew at a good mid-single-digit growth rate, leading to a solid underlying growth at Group level as well.

Order backlog, an important indicator for the current financial year, grew again to reach a record level as at 31 December 2019.

Sales for fiscal year 2019 grew by 7.2% to CHF 636.8 million (2018: CHF 593.8 million), corresponding to growth of 8.0% in local currencies. On an organic basis, adjusted for acquisition effects, sales grew by 5.3% in Swiss francs and by 6.0% in local currencies. The growth trend continued in the second half of the year as well, with sales increasing by 6.4% in Swiss francs and 7.7% in local currencies. On an organic basis, sales rose by 5.8% in local currencies in the second half of the year.

Recurring sales of services and consumables increased in fiscal year 2019 by 5.9% in local currencies and 6.5% in Swiss francs, and therefore amounted to a relatively unchanged 41.3% of total sales (2018: 41.8%).

Reported operating profit before depreciation and amortization (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; EBITDA) rose by 11.3% to CHF 122.8 million in the fiscal year 2019 (2018: CHF 110.3 million). This EBITDA as reported includes influencing factors that reduced the overall result: the net impact of acquisition-related costs amounting to around CHF 10 million as well as, to a far lesser extent, the non-recurring additional costs of the CEO change during the fiscal year. These two effects were more than offset by a strong margin trend in the traditional core business (without newly acquired companies) as well as by a positive recurring profit contribution resulting from the adoption of the new IFRS 16 accounting standard (Leases).

The reported EBITDA margin grew correspondingly by 70 basis points to 19.3% of sales (2018: 18.6%).

Reported net profit for the year 2019 rose by 3.5% to CHF 73.2 million (2018: CHF 70.7 million). Thanks to a lower tax rate in connection with the tax reform in Switzerland, net profit increased by more than operating profit (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT). The net profit margin amounted to 11.5% of sales (2018: 11.9%), while earnings per share rose to a new high of CHF 6.18 (2018: CHF 6.02).

Cash flow from operating activities increased to CHF 98.8 million (2018: CHF 92.7 million), which corresponds to 15.5% of sales.

Information by business segment

Life Sciences Business (end-customer business)

Sales in the Life Sciences Business segment grew strongly by 10.0% to CHF 361.2 million in 2019 (2018: CHF 328.2 million). This equates to a rise of 11.2% in local currencies. On an organic basis (excluding sales from Tecan Genomics/NuGEN for the first eight months), sales in 2019 rose by 9.1% in local currencies.

Sales growth in local currencies remained on a high level of 7.8% in the second half of the year as well, despite the high comparative basis from the prior-year period. On an organic basis, this corresponds to growth of 6.9% in local currency terms in the second half of the year.

The instrument business in particular was the growth driver in 2019, due above all to sales of the Fluent automation platform and various detection devices. But strong growth in the service business and of consumables also contributed to the good result.

Adjusted for a large order for customized solutions in the prior-year period, underlying order entry in the Life Sciences Business grew at a good mid-single-digit rate.

Despite acquisition-related costs, reported operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) rose to CHF 56.7 million (2018: CHF 51.3 million). The operating profit margin reached 15.1% of sales (2018: 14.8%). This positive performance is primarily a result of sales growth as well as a strong margin in the traditional core business.

Partnering Business (OEM business)

The Partnering Business generated sales of CHF 275.7 million during the year under review (2018: CHF 265.6 million), which corresponds to an increase of 4.1% in local currencies and 3.8% in Swiss francs. On an organic basis, excluding sales of the supplier consolidated in the Partnering Business since June 1, 2019, sales in 2019 rose by 2.2% in local currencies.

After a moderate start to the year, based on a high comparative basis from the prior-year period, sales in the Partnering Business accelerated significantly in the second half and were 7.7% above the prior-year period in local currencies. On an organic basis, this equates to a rise of 4.3% in local currencies. The components business in particular reported strong growth in fiscal year 2019. Underlying order entry in the Partnering Business increased approximately at the same rate as sales

Operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) was CHF 46.2 million (2018: CHF 48.6 million). The operating profit margin declined to 16.7% of sales (2018: 18.2%), due in particular to increased research and development expenses for new innovative customer-specific projects and a temporary change in the product mix.

Additional information

Regional development

In Europe, Tecan's full-year sales increased by 8.4% in local currencies and by 6.4% in Swiss francs, with both business segments performing well. After moderate growth in the first half of the year, the sales growth in local currencies accelerated in the second half of the year to 13.5%. The increase in sales was driven primarily by higher double-digit growth from the Partnering Business. But the Life Sciences Business also recorded solid growth again in the second half of the year.

In North America, sales grew by 8.2% in local currencies and 9.5% in Swiss francs in 2019. The Life Sciences Business performed particularly well, with sales growth of 15.6% in local currencies in this region. Sales in local currencies increased by a further 3.9% in the second half of the year despite the high comparative basis from the prior-year period.

In Asia, Tecan generated an increase in sales of 14.6% in local currencies and 11.9% in Swiss francs. Both segments contributed to the sales growth in the region with good performances, the Life Sciences Business with growth in local currencies of 18.5% and the Partnering Business with 8.0%. With a slightly higher growth rate, sales growth in China was even a bit more dynamic as in the entire Asia region. Growth in Asia in local currencies accelerated in the second half of the year to 17.0%.

Operating performance 2019

Tecan made good progress in implementing its comprehensive genomics strategy, including the launch of DreamPrep NGS only a few months after the acquisition of NuGEN Technologies. DreamPrep NGS, an integrated, fully automated sample preparation solution for next-generation sequencing (NGS) in life science research, combines the high productivity and precision of the Fluent automation platform with the innovative reagents of Tecan Genomics (formerly NuGEN).

The reagent portfolio for NGS sample preparation was also expanded and further kits adapted for use on DreamPrep NGS. The focus on recurring sales generated from reagents and consumables was also strengthened in other core applications, for example in the areas of sample preparation for mass spectrometry as well as specialty immunoassays.

The Spark Cyto reader platform for cell biology applications was launched in June. Thanks to its additional imaging capabilities, the Spark Cyto multimode microplate reader enables life science research laboratories to track the development of cells in real time over an extended period, with complete control of all environmental parameters. Another special feature of this innovative instrument is that measurements can be carried out automatically for predefined events and further processes automated on the basis of the evaluated image data.

Tecan also made good progress with a number of development projects in the Partnering Business, with various new instruments already being launched by the respective partners in 2019. Overall, more than five projects are still in the development phase, for example a program using mass spectrometry as part of an automated complete solution to diagnose blood cancers. The sales potential of the individual projects ranges from single-digit to clear double-digit million amounts in Swiss francs per year.

In June, Tecan successfully completed the acquisition of a long-term supplier of key parts, vertically integrating the manufacturing of critical precision-machined parts. With two manufacturing sites, one in California (USA) and another in Ben Cat Town (Vietnam), Tecan is benefiting from the long-term supply of high-quality precision-machined parts and realizing cost savings by internalizing their supply.

Strong balance sheet - high equity ratio

Tecan's equity ratio reached 70.1% as of December 31, 2019 (December 31, 2018: 71.4%). Net liquidity (cash and cash equivalents plus short-term time deposits minus bank liabilities and loans) reached CHF 312.4 million (June 30, 2019: CHF 264.5 million; December 31, 2018: CHF 289.6 million). The purchase consideration for the acquisition of a supplier was paid fully in cash in the first half of the year (net cash outflow of CHF 20.8 million).

On the basis of the further increase of net profit in 2019 and an ongoing positive business perspective, the Board of Directors will propose at the Company's Annual General Meeting an increase in the dividend from CHF 2.10 to CHF 2.20 per share. Half of the dividend, i.e. CHF 1.10, will be paid out from the available capital contribution reserve and is therefore not subject to withholding tax.

Outlook 2020

Current developments in the various end markets indicate a continued healthy market environment and a further positive growth trend. Tecan therefore once again forecasts sales growth for the full-year 2020 to be in the mid- to high single-digit percentage range in local currencies, as in the previous year. The company is assuming an even higher share from organic growth compared to 2019.

After already reporting a very positive margin trend in the traditional core business in 2019, Tecan is anticipating a further increase in the reported EBITDA margin in fiscal year 2020 to around 19.6% of sales.

Any impact on the full-year business performance of the outbreak of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cannot be predicted at present.

The expectations regarding profitability are based on an average exchange rate forecast for full-year 2020 of one euro equaling CHF 1.08 and one US dollar equaling CHF 0.98.

The outlook 2020 does not take account of potential acquisitions during the course of the year.

Financial Report and Webcast

The full 2019 Annual Report can be accessed on the company's website www.tecan.com under Investor Relations. An iPad app for the Tecan Financial Reports is also available from the App Store.

Tecan will hold an analyst and media conference to discuss the 2019 annual results today at 09:00 (CET). The presentation will also be relayed by live audio webcast, which interested parties can access at www.tecan.com. A link to the webcast will be provided immediately prior to the event.

The dial-in numbers for the conference call are as follows:

For participants from Europe: +41 (0)58 310 50 00 or +44 (0)207 059 107 0613 (UK)

For participants from the US: +1 (1) 631 570 5613

Participants should if possible dial in 15 minutes before the start of the event.

Key upcoming dates

The Annual General Meeting of Tecan's shareholders will take place in Pfaffikon (SZ) on April 7, 2020. The notice of the Annual General Meeting was published on March 17, 2020.

The 2020 Interim Report will be published on August 12, 2020.

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automation solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both Europe and North America and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN CH0012100191).

For further information:

Tecan Group

Martin Brandle

Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations

Tel. +41 (0) 44 922 84 30

Fax +41 (0) 44 922 88 89

investor@tecan.com

www.tecan.com

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(Newser)  Stocks are closing solidly higher after President Trump promised he's going big with plans to blunt the economic pain caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the AP reports. The market got back not quite half of what it lost in a breathtaking drop a day earlier, which was the biggest in more than three decades. The S&P 500 rose 6% and the Dow rose 5.2%, or 1,049 points. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the government intends to send to checks to Americans in the next two weeks. Earlier, the Federal Reserve dusted off a program from the 2008 financial crisis to get the short-term borrowing market working more smoothly. (Read more stock market stories.)
The representative on freedom of the media for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has expressed "serious concerns" about the ongoing prosecution of Russian journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva.

OSCE representative Harlem Desir on March 17 reiterated his call for Russian authorities to drop the terrorism charges brought against Prokopyeva, saying she "had no involvement in any terrorist activity or an intention to condone terrorism."

Desir's plea came a day after Prokopyeva, a freelance contributor for RFE/RL's Russian Service, said she had been handed an indictment document at the prosecutor's office in Pskov.

Prokopyeva has denies the charge. She describes the criminal case against her as an attempt to "murder the freedom of speech" in Russia.

If convicted, she faces up to seven years in prison.

The charges against Prokopyeva stem from a November 2018 commentary for the Pskov affiliate of Ekho Moskvy in which she discussed a bombing that occurred the previous week outside the Federal Security Service (FSB) offices in the far northern city of Arkhangelsk.

Russian media reported that the suspected bomber, a teenager who died in the explosion, had posted statements on social media accusing the FSB of falsifying criminal cases.

In her commentary, Prokopyeva linked the teenager's statements to the political climate in Russia under President Vladimir Putin. She suggested that political activism in the country was severely restricted, leading people to despair.

In his March 17 statement, Desir said that "her comments, however critical, had nothing to do with the promotion or support of terrorism."

RFE/RL President Jamie Fly has said the charges were brought against Prokopyeva "in a cynical effort to silence an independent journalist."

The case has drawn criticism from media rights groups like Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the European Federation of Journalists.
As leaders race to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Richmond City Council on Monday affirmed a local state of emergency over the outbreak.

The council held a special emergency meeting to weigh the move after Mayor Levar Stoneys declaration last week, as federal and state officials warned of the escalating public health crisis that has upended life across the country.

We are in uncharted territory for our city, Stoney told the council Monday. We are faced for a temporary moment in time with what is being called a new normal. In this new normal, we have to learn how to adjust and adapt to a fluid situation that is changing day by day and, in some cases, hour by hour.

The city is coordinating its response on a daily basis with regional and state officials, he said. Its priority is maintaining services without compromising the health or safety of residents or city employees.

City Hall was closed Monday and will remain closed to the public through Friday. Community centers are closed until the end of the month, and libraries are shuttered until further notice. Richmond Public Schools announced plans late Monday to close through at least April 13.
Rebel Congress MLA Govind Singh Rajput on Tuesday said that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath doesn't even give 15 minutes to legislators for discussing issues related to their constituencies. He also claimed that the group of rebel legislators was not being held captive.

Speaking at the press briefing of Congress rebel MLAs in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he said, "Kamal Nath Ji never heard us even for 15 minutes. Then whom should we talk to for development work in our constituency?"

"We have not been kept captive, we have come here willingly. Secondly, when the Madhya Pradesh government was formed we were there in the opposition for 15 years. When the government was formed Rahul Gandhi brought two faces in light--Scindia (Jyotiraditya Scindia) Ji and Kaman Nath Ji. Scindia Ji was not made the CM, rather Kamal Nath Ji became the CM of MP. We thought everything will continue to be normal but CM's behaviour was later changed," he added.

Rajput asserted that MLAs staying in Jaipur are also "sad" but they are helpless. If set free, half of them will come running to Bengaluru, he added.

Meanwhile, Rebel Congress MLA Imarti Devi said, "Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader. He taught us a lot. I'll always stay by his side."

Another MLA, Rajvardhan Singh said that all the MLAs gave their resignations together in the same format and same procedure but only six resignations were accepted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A recent Manhattan Institute report attempts to estimate the effects of charter school enrollment on student test scores in Newark, NJ  a city whose charter sector has been under intense scrutiny  and finds positive effects on English language and math test scores. The report deems these effects large as compared to other types of educational interventions.

Dr. Mark Weber of the New Jersey Policy Perspective and Rutgers University reviewed Charter Schools in Newark: The Effect on Student Test Scores, which uses a random component of Newarks school enrollment system to isolate the effect of charter schools on test score outcomes.

The reports method creates a natural experiment that compares outcomes between students who were offered charter seats and those who were not. This creates strong internal validity for the reports positive test score findings. However, the generalizability of the findings is undermined by the fact that students who apply to charter schools differ significantly from the greater Newark student population. Students who are offered seats in charter schools are, for example, less likely to be English language learners or have special education needs. But the report never addresses this core issue of external validity.

The report also fails to address a key issue of scalability and sustainability. Teachers in the studied charter schools are less likely to remain in their jobs more than a few years, resulting in schools employing relatively few experienced teachers. This allows the schools to have lower overall personnel costs, even as they pay their inexperienced teachers more than comparably inexperienced public district school teachers, and even as they provide longer school days.

More time in school, in all likelihood, will positively impact test scores. However, can the studied charter schools maintain this financial model as they expand and enroll a different student population? While the report confirms previous work showing a positive charter effect on test scores in Newark, it fails to address these and other critical issues that stakeholders must understand to formulate good charter school policy in New Jersey and elsewhere.

Accordingly, even for policymakers who equate test scores with overall learning, Weber concludes that while the report has credible internal validity, it has only limited policy use.

Find the review, by Mark Weber, at:

http://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/newark-charters

Find Charter Schools in Newark: The Effect on Student Test Scores, written by Marcus A. Winters and published by Manhattan Institute, at:

https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/sites/default/files/charter-schools-newark-effect-on-student-test-scores-MW.pdf

NEPC Reviews (http://thinktankreview.org) provide the public, policymakers, and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. NEPC Reviews are made possible in part by support provided by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice: http://www.greatlakescenter.org

The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), a university research center housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: http://nepc.colorado.edu/
MANASQUAN, N.J., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded in 1995, SMART Carpet and Flooring (https://www.smartcarpet.com/) announced it would be honoring a major-milestone event, acknowledging 25 years as New Jersey, Staten Island and Eastern Pennsylvania's leader in mill-direct carpeting and flooring products. The once small, family-owned business has grown into a major powerhouse using an exciting synergy of high-quality products, in-store expertise, outstanding customer service and a unique mobile showroom that allows customers to choose new flooring options at their own convenience from home. To date, SMART Carpet has installed 95 million square feet of flooring, and counts more than 250,000 satisfied customers.

SMART Carpet and Flooring celebrates 25 years of epic white glove service in the carpet and flooring business

"I've been exceptionally proud to watch our business grow from a local shop into a regional company," said Brendan Phillips, SMART Carpet and Flooring founder and President. "And as you can imagine, what we've done is not easy to accomplish. But with steady persistence, an amazing team of flooring experts, a great series of products, and a commitment to high-quality service, we're now one of the most successful and trusted flooring experts in the northeast. And we owe that, in no small part, to a solid base of customers who have come to trust us with their renovation needs over and over again. We love what we're doing, and we're happy to continue doing it well."

SMART Carpet and Flooring: Mill-Direct Savings and Mobile Showroom Convenience

SMART Carpet is a mill-direct buying service and not a traditional store, so customers routinely save up to 50-percent-off average store prices. And without expensive overhead added into the cost of a customer's flooring, prices are extremely transparent. What customers see on the price tag is what they pay.

SMART Carpet offers a full selection of name brand carpet and flooring products, including hardwood, laminate, vinyl and tile; all of which are included in a mobile showroom that allows customers to shop from home if they wish. Customers can schedule a next-day appointment, allowing them to see and touch over 4000 major brands and products on offer with no pressure to buy. And after meeting with an expert sales representative for the initial consultation, that representative will then help clients choose the best product to suit each individual's renovation needs.

SMART Carpet and Flooring: Expert Installation With Lifetime Warranties

With over 250,000 satisfied customers, SMART Carpet and Flooring technicians have become seasoned experts at installation. Almost everything is included with a SMART Carpet install: from the measuring and layout to the quality padding and overall installation labor. SMART Carpet will even move the furniture for the installation process, ensuring a low-hassle, smooth renovation experience from start to finish. SMART Carpet offers next day appointments, quick installs, a Lifetime Installation Warranty and carries quality flooring from manufacturers like Stainmaster, Anso, Smart Strand, Mohawk, Bruce Hardwood Flooring, QuickStep laminates, Congoleum products, Armstrong and Intellawood.

And finally, SMART Carpet technicians are always on-hand to offer advice and answer questions related to our products. Simply call and schedule an appointment, or stop in for a free consultation today.

About SMART Carpet and Flooring

As the Tri-State area's original shop-at-home flooring provider with deep roots in New Jersey, SMART Carpet and Flooring eliminates the hassle of buying new carpet and flooring by doing everything at the client's home, where color and quality selection matter most. Because the company is a mill-direct buying service and not a store, SMART Carpet and Flooring customers can save up to 50 percent off typical store prices. SMART Carpet and Flooring includes everything from measuring and layout to installation and financing. Learn more at: www.SmartCarpet.com.

Media Contact:

Danielle D'Angelo-Boos

SMART Carpet and Flooring

732-292-6100

[email protected]

SOURCE SMART Carpet and Flooring

Related Links

http://www.SmartCarpet.com


Extend filing of income tax returns for at least one month: Pangilinan

"Given the 'enhanced community quarantine' in Luzon, we urge Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to extend the deadline for the filing of income tax returns.

The Tax Code gives the BIR Commissioner, who is under the Department of Finance, the power to extend the period for filing returns in 'meritorious cases' (Section 53 of the Tax Code).

In effect, kung ma-extend ang time period for filing, walang ma-i-impose na penalty, basta ma-file within the extended period.

We request for at least a month-long or longer extension for the filing of income tax returns because the accountants who prepare the returns cannot report for work as 1. they are not considered employees of essential/vital industries; 2. the finance and accounting documents are in their respective offices; 3. they would not have enough time to examine the documents from April 12, when the quarantine is lifted, and April 15, the deadline for the filing of tax returns."
The highly contagious coronavirus infection extended its imprint to 125 cases in India on Tuesday. The rapidly increasing numbers have prompted the Centre to widen critical restrictions by banning travel from the European Union, UK and Turkey.

The health ministry also issued a fresh set of guidelines on wearing the masks, one of the most sought after commodity at this time.

According to the guideline, everyone need not wear a mask.

Also Watch l Coronavirus | EU-India travel curbs to Siddhivinayak shutdown: Top 10 updates

Only wear a mask if:

* You have symptoms (cough, fever or difficulty in breathing)

* You are caring for a Covid-19 suspect/confirmed patient

* You are a health worker attending to patients with respiratory symptoms

The ministry has also given the process on how to handle the masks.

While wearing a mask, make sure you:

* Unfold pleats of the mask; make sure that they are facing down

* Change the mask after six hours or as soon as it becomes wet

* Place the mask over your nose, mouth and chin and ensure there are no gaps on either side of the mask. Adjust to fit.

* Never reuse disposable masks and dispose the used masks into closed bins after disinfecting them

* Avoid touching the mask while using it

* Do not touch the potentially contaminated outer surface of the mask while removing it

* Do not leave the mask hanging from the neck

* After removal of mask, clean your hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub disinfectant

This comes days after the government declared faces masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities till the end of June in its efforts to battle the spread of coronavirus and to contain the hoarding or overpricing of these items.

India reported 11 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, taking the total number of infected people to 125, up from 114 a day earlier. There are seven new cases in Maharashtra, two in Karnataka, one each in Kerala and Telangana. Four fresh cases  one each from Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala  were confirmed on Monday. These include 13 people who have recovered and two who lost their lives.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 05:09:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TRIPOLI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Arab and western countries on Tuesday called on the Libya's rival parties to stop ongoing military action in the country in order to allow authorities to respond to the coronavirus.

"The embassies of Algeria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States along with the Delegation of the European Union and the governments of Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates call on all the rival parties in Libya to declare an immediate, humanitarian cessation of hostilities as well as a halt to the continuing transfer of all military equipment and personnel into Libya in order to allow local authorities to respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19," a joint statement said.

"We strongly support the efforts of Libyan health authorities across the country as they come together in a spirit of national cohesion and urge them to take all necessary measures to support the health and well-being of all Libyans," the statement said.

The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in and around the capital Tripoli, attempting to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government.

The fighting killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 civilians to flee their homes.

Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Saturday declared state of emergency and mobilization against possible coronavirus outbreak in the country.

On Monday, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala told a press conference in the capital Tripoli that Libya has officially requested technical help from China against the virus.
"Tide is the second pharma company of Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited working with Insilico Medicine. We see a great potential of applying AI technology to drug discovery and healthcare sections, and we will invest more in AI applications," said Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited's Chairlady Theresa Tse.

Alex Zhavoronkov, CEO of Insilico Medicine, is likewise excited about the joint effort: "This collaboration was established for a single purpose: to support combined efforts to find a cure for and eliminate cancer. By using our resources and working with others dedicated to a common cause, there is a hope that together we can beat this disease."

Tide is a high-tech pharmaceutical enterprise in China with the capability of developing, manufacturing as well as marketing series of targeted drugs. Through years of experience, Tide has been identified as one of the innovation pilot enterprises, committed to innovation in science and technology. With the help of Insilico Medicine's AI platform, the new era of research and development of the Pharmaceutical industry has arrived. Tide Pharmaceutical and Insilico Medicine look forward to a long term and win-win partnership from the joint alliance of both companies.

Last September Insilico Medicine published a landmark paper in Nature Biotechnology demonstrating the application of its generative tensorial reinforcement learning systems to generate novel molecules for kinases in just 46 days including experimental validation which was widely covered by the press. The emerging AI technologies are expected to improve drug discovery process, and Tide commits to be a part of the AI revolution.

About Beijing Tide Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

Beijing Tide Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Tide) is an innovative pharmaceutical company with integrated R&D, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and distribution capabilities. Beijing Tide is a major subsidiary company in Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited. Tide focus on developing both innovative and special formulation drugs in cardiovascular, pain management, respiratory, and oncology. There are both chemical and biological innovative drugs under development in different phases. The leading first-in-class small molecule for various fibrotic diseases is in Phase I trial in US, and there are also several US ANDAs approved or submitted. Tide adheres to the principle of "Care for Life and Keep Innovating." and focuses on the domestic market while aiming at the world market.

Website: http://www.tidepharm.com/

Contact: [email protected]

About Insilico Medicine

Insilico Medicine is an artificial intelligence company headquartered in Hong Kong, with offices in 6 countries. The company was the first to apply the generative adversarial networks (GANs) and reinforcement learning (RL) to generate new molecular structures with the specified parameters in 2015. In addition to collaborating with large pharmaceutical companies, Insilico Medicine is also pursuing internal drug discovery programs in different types of diseases and anti-aging fields. Recently, Insilico Medicine published a paper in Nature Biotechnology, hits found within 46 days , and secured $37 million in series B funding .

Websitehttp://insilico.com/

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Insilico Medicine

Related Links

http://insilico.com


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:52:37|Editor: huaxia

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As the outbreak has mostly run its course in the epicenter of the novel coronavirus epidemic, Wuhan began to say "good-bye" to dear medics who rushed to the rescue about two months ago.

WUHAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei Province early on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued.

The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak.

At about 7:30 a.m. the national emergency medical rescue team from northwest China's Shaanxi Province departed by bus. Police officers at the expressway toll-gate saluted while watching their vehicles leave. Some of the team members shed tears behind their masks.

Medics from southwest China's Guizhou Province wave goodbye to police saluting to them during their departure in a bus in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. Some medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei Province on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

The Shaanxi team consists of 43 experienced doctors and nurses from departments including emergency treatment, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics and neurology as well as psychology under the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital.

"We arrived in Wuhan on Feb. 4 and worked in two temporary hospitals over the past 40 days. Together with colleagues from Wuhan and Henan Province, we managed 988 beds and treated 1,235 patients," said Ma Fuchun, head of the team. "Thankfully, we achieved zero patient deaths and zero infection of medics during our stay here."

"Our presence here not only reduced the burdens of local medical workers but, more importantly, brought confidence to disease-ridden Wuhan residents. It was also a good opportunity to hone our team," he said.

Over 42,000 medical workers from across the country were dispatched to aid Hubei in fighting the epidemic since the virus outbreak.

Railway police salute to medics from southwest China's Guizhou Province who have boarded a train at Wuhan Railway Station in central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. Some medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei Province on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Hubei province reported only one new confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease on Monday, and has seen 55,987 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery. On the same day, the leading group of China's novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response demanded the orderly withdrawal of medical staff supporting Hubei.

While the Shaanxi team was heading north, 42 medics from the Hunan Province neighboring Hubei set out on the journey home down south.

The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University sent its medical team to Wuhan on Feb. 4. Advanced equipment vans for surgeries, medical devices, outpatient service, testing, power supply and communication were dispatched to ensure instant and independent treatment of patients. Its field hospital began receiving patients on Feb. 5 and treated 394 patients in total.

"There were so many unforgettable moments during my 43 days here," said Wen Chuan, a medical staffer. "I will always remember the days the doctors and patients stuck together to keep each other warm and fight the epidemic."

Medics from southwest China's Guizhou Province enter Wuhan Railway Station as staff and railway police salute to them in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. Some medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei Province on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

As of 5 p.m. planes carrying more than 3,000 members of 21 medical teams had left for the cities of Tianjin, Haikou, Yinchuan, Urumqi, among others, according to the Hubei Airports Group.

At the T3 terminal of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, a ground crew member presented a special "VVIP boarding pass" to each passenger. The souvenir pass said the "heroes" would board at the gate "Arch of Triumph," departing Wuhan on the "victory day against the epidemic."

After measuring each passenger's forehead temperature, the staffer said, "Thank you all. Have a safe journey."

Combo photo shows medical staffer Li Jianing from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University putting letters and certificates into her luggage, and a letter Li received during the International Women's Day in Wuhan, before her departure in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Sun Yunfei, an emergency department nurse from north China's Tianjin Municipality, said he is excited to meet his son who is now eight months old.

"He learned to grab, sit and even stand with support when I was away from home. I want to spend more time and rebuild my bond with him," Sun said. "I hope the patients being treated in Wuhan will recover soon and reunite with their family."

Xie Mingfang, from north China's Hebei Province, planned to visit Wuhan again.

Xie, 35, served at a temporary hospital for patients with mild symptoms. "I'd like to return with my son soon after the epidemic is over to let him see the place I worked."

She will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival before she can meet her eight-year-old son, who had been sent to her in-laws' care before her departure to Wuhan.

"Right now, what I want most is to watch a movie on my phone, because I barely had enough time to finish one," she said with a smile.

(Reporting by Wang Zuokui, Cao Bin, Lyu Qiuping, Yue Wenwan, Yu Pei, Shuai Cai, Cao Guochang, Zhou Huimin, Dong Xiaohong; Video reporters: Yang Zhigang, Xiao Yijiu, Wang Zuokui, Lin Juan, Yao Yu, Zhou Xuan, Wang Junfeng; Video editor: Zheng Xin) 
Houston ISD and other local school districts announced Monday that they will remain closed through at least April 10 amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Cy-Fair, Katy, Fort Bend and Aldine ISDs were among the 20-plus Houston-area districts that announced they also will stay shut down until that date.
What I would like to see as a result of the commission and discussion on officers mental health is a comprehensive and holistic analysis of root causes and subsequent treatments, Leonas said. But in particular, we should be answering the question of how to best prevent long-term psychological harm to all of our first responders. We know how to send people into a crisis, it is just important to know how to get them out.
Facebook / Town of New Fairfield Parks and Recreation

DANBURY  Their Irish Heritage Day was canceled.

Their annual parade was denied.

Even their pub was shut down.

The coronavirus public health crisis saw to that.

But, Danbury areas Irish would not be denied their taste of St. Patricks Day

On Tuesday, volunteers at the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center served corned beef sandwiches curbside at their Lake Avenue club.

After the governor said everything, we are just trying to follow the rules, said Don Bickelhaupt, the clubs bar manager, as people in SUVs pulled around to the back door of the club, where their corned beef orders were brought to their cars. We have lots of corned beef.

Five-hundred pounds, to be exact.

A half-dozen volunteers worked in the clubs all day to fill the orders.

The curbside corned beef, which sold for $8 a sandwich, provided a glimmer of the new reality in the Hat City after the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut ordered all restaurants and bars that serve food for eat-in customers to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The only allowable restaurant activity is take-out orders.

Its tough for them and its tough for us  and we are a small, little private club, Bickelhaupt said. We are just doing the best we can.

Club volunteers werent the only ones keeping the spirit of St. Patricks Day alive.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton offered a virtual toast on Facebook to government leaders, school officials, health care workers at Danbury Hospital, public safety professionals and Danbury residents.

To you I raise my glass of hope, and I thank you, Boughton said. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
Former Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Colvin had by far the worst coronavirus weekend of anyone who's not actually ill with COVID-19. He gave an interview to The New York Times about a business crisis he was facing due to the virus, and the internet's most ferocious commenters got out their pitchforks.

Colvin makes his living in Tennessee through retail arbitrage, the business of buying closeout or thrift store merchandise and reselling it on the internet. It's an incredibly competitive business that requires sellers to act fast and sell their stock quickly.

Monitoring the top searches on Amazon a few weeks back, Colvin realized that customers were looking for Purell hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes and breathing masks. His instincts kicked into gear, and he made an investment in merchandise.

First, he bought 2,000 "pandemic packs" (each included 50 face masks, four small bottles of hand sanitizer and a thermometer) from a defunct company for $3.50 each. Those quickly sold out at between $40 and $50 each on eBay.

Since that worked out so well, Matt decided to go all in on hand sanitizers and wipes, driving around to Dollar Generals in rural towns and cleaning them out. He amassed 20,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and was doing a brisk business at between $8 and $40 a bottle on Amazon and eBay, until both companies decided to shut him down for price gouging.

Colvin, a data-driven technical sergeant to his core, gave an interview in which he portrayed himself as a small-business owner victimized by circumstance. That's not what readers saw.

Because it's 2020, people got really angry at Matt for being the pandemic version of a war profiteer. People finally got scared over the weekend and couldn't buy wipes or hand sanitizer, and they decided that was because Colvin bought them all.

The death threats poured in (again: public discourse in 2020), and the Times reporter, who had unkindly failed to ask Matt whether he understood what people might think before the story went online, showed a bit of mercy and quickly added an update that mentioned Colvin was now considering donating his cache of germ killers.

Slightly more than 48 hours later, The New York Times ran a follow-up story detailing how Colvin had donated all remaining 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer and his stockpile of antibacterial wipes. Two-thirds of the bounty was given to a local church for distribution in Tennessee, and Colvin aimed to turn over the rest to the Tennessee attorney general's office so that the state could pass the goods on to Kentucky officials, since he had acquired a sizable chunk of his supplies in that state.

The crisis is not over for Colvin. He's being investigated under Tennessee's price-gouging law, which prohibits charging "grossly excessive" prices for food, gas and medical supplies once the governor declares a state of emergency. He's hoping the fact that Amazon and eBay shut down his sales before Gov. Bill Lee made that declaration will save him from prosecution.

Colvin genuinely didn't see this coming. "I've been buying and selling things for 10 years now. There's been hot product after hot product. But the thing is, there's always another one on the shelf," he said to the Times. "When we did this trip, I had no idea that these stores wouldn't be able to get replenished."

What are the lessons here? Colvin's business is really just a small-scale version of the "hidden shareholder value" principles that dominated Wall Street for the past four decades. He finds assets that have been allocated to the wrong market, rescues them and charges new customers for locating a scarce item. No one complained when he was making money off rare Nike sneakers and hard-to-find toys at Christmastime but, all of a sudden, the world is denouncing him over something as innocent (to him) as hand sanitizer.

Ten days ago, major media outlets were claiming that COVID-19 was being inflated into a media hoax, and even the White House insisted that we had nothing to worry about. Some might have said back then that Matt was merely taking advantage of liberal hysteria and, really, what's the harm in that?

All of it begs some deeper questions. Why aren't there more secure careers available to veteran Air Force technical sergeants? What's our responsibility to each other in a national crisis? And are bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer really any better at killing a virus than running water and a bar of hand soap?

Here's hoping Matt and his family stay safe and come through their media trauma in one piece. No one wants to be remembered as a villain, especially when they didn't set out to be one in the first place.
I call this the nonsensical hoarding phase, said Ben Hansen, the chief of media for PrepperCon, a semiregular assembly outside Salt Lake City. Its when people say, Weve got a hurricane coming and the power might be out, so they start stocking up the essentials.

The essentials can make sense, depending on the perceived threat  its better to buy water and fill up the gas tank in the last days before a hurricane than not to do it at all.

And the current run on medical supplies has a basis in expert advice: Most health officials and disease specialists say frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds is one of the best preventive measures against the coronavirus (and many other more common diseases and viruses, including the flu). They also recommend hand sanitizer of at least 60 percent alcohol if soap is not available.

But echoing some other preppers, Mr. Hansen, whose home in Southern California has food for about four months, suggested that shoppers should do careful research before racing out to stores.

The supply chain simply cannot support what were seeing right now, he added. When things are going well, people dont really think about preparing. But then they see other people doing it and they say, Well we should be doing it, too.

The countrys biggest retailers say that the supply chain remains intact, and that they have been ramping up to meet demand  including for toilet paper, which is sometimes scarce even though the U.S. health secretary, Alex M. Azar II, has called it not an effective way to prevent getting the coronavirus.

One general supply company popular with preppers, WaterPrepared, is having a hard time keeping up with orders, said its vice president, Mallin Brough. He said the spike in purchases compared only to Ebolas arrival in the United States in 2014. When its unusual, something that people havent seen before, it causes these kinds of upticks, he said.
New Delhi, March 17 : Modern women can resort to many methods of contraceptive measures but most commonly used are oral contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices, vaginal ring, condom, contraceptive injection and contraceptive implant.

Anita Gupta, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis La Femme, New Delhi explains in detail about the safest options.

Oral contraceptive pills are of many types, all containing hormones as a part of formulation. Most effective are the pills with low dose hormones. The low dose ensures less side effects and the combination of hormones ensures regular menses and less chances of inter menstrual irregular bleeding or spotting per vaginum. These pills can be taken for A considerable period of time. But it is better to start these after visiting a gynaecologist. One caution! Smoking and oral contraceptive pills is a very bad combination!! The safer contraceptive with very less failure rate are the various intra uterine devices. There are two types of these devices; copper and hormonal. These have to be inserted in the uterus by a gynaecologist as an OPD procedure. Of these, the hormonal ones are better, available by the name of Mirena which can be used for five years and then replaced with a new one. The copper devices are of two types which have to be replaced after every three or five years depending on the one used.

Then there is hormone-loaded rings which are placed in the vagina every month and the lady can insert it on her own every time. This is also a safe contraceptive method with less failure rate. Only issue is using a new one every month.

Injectable contraceptives are also available with an efficacy of three months. This is also a very effective method but sometimes there is a side effect leading to irregular bleeding in those three months.

Very commonly used method is the barrier method where the male partner uses condoms. But this has the highest failure rate.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
There are now 37 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina as of Monday morning. There are still none in Catawba County.

Thats up five cases from the 32 reported Sunday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services website.

The website reported 33 cases Monday. An additional case of an infected New York City resident who is in North Carolina was confirmed in Macon County by Macon County health officials Monday. Three more cases were announced in Mecklenburg County on Monday by county officials.

The nearest cases to Catawba County are in Watauga County, where one case was confirmed Sunday, and Mecklenburg County, where there are four cases.

As of Monday morning, the N.C. State Laboratory of Public Health had completed 329 tests for the coronavirus and has the capacity for 1,300 tests, according to the NCDHHS website.

Government

In response to the virus, courthouses across the state, including in Catawba County, postponed most hearings and put restrictions on who could enter. Signs posted at the courthouse said anyone with flu-like symptoms should not enter.
Defiant couples have forged ahead with their plans to tie the knot - but many have had to adjust their dream days amid the coronavirus epidemic.

With new government advice being dished out daily, bride's-to-be across the nation have had to make the difficult decision to cancel their upcoming nuptials - but others have come up with creative ways to ensure they can still say, 'I do.'

Melanie Murphy, from Ireland, took to Instagram and shared a snap of herself and her husband Thomas - before explaining she wasn't wearing her actual wedding dress, nor was it their planned wedding day - in their perfect venue with all of their dear friends and family.

She penned: 'It's not the one I've lived out in my head a thousand times as we planned away - *but* this man, folks, is now officially my husband!'

Melanie Murphy, from Ireland, took to Twitter and told how she had to adjust her wedding due to updated Irish government advice on coronavirus prevention. Pictured, with her husband, Thomas

Melaniie explained: 'This isn't my actual wedding dress and this wasn't our big, planned wedding day' (pictured)

It comes as the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby suspended Church of England services amid coronavirus lockdown but weddings and funerals could still go ahead.

Due to updated Irish government advice on coronavirus prevention, Melanie and Thomas had to cancel their wedding ceremony and reception, which was due to happen this week.

'We couldn't, in good conscience, go ahead with it when we'd be putting people at risk against government advice and of course we were sad and angry and we've lost a considerable amount of money on deposits & non-refundables,' she said.

The newly wed continued: 'At 2pm yesterday we said our vows in a registry office. We were going to do this anyway, a few days ahead of a humanist ceremony in Wicklow (was meant to happen Saturday coming).'

Melanie, who also shared this adorable snap on social media, penned: 'A fancy wedding is a privilege, a bonus, a cherry on top kinda thing. Love is all we need during these difficult times'

'We did so in the presence of some family members as witnesses and in spite of the simplicity, it was *so* special...dad walked me down the aisle to 'A Gift Of Thistle' from Braveheart and we finally got to exchange our wedding rings. Tears all round.'

Melanie went on to explain that while they still plan on having a big celebration down the line in a couple of years, a strong marriage is what they really care about.

'A fancy wedding is a privilege, a bonus, a cherry on top kinda thing. Love is all we need during these difficult times. Anyway f**k, lads, I'm a WIFE!' she added.

However, Lauren and Tom, from London, booked a barn-style venue back in April 2019 - near to where the bride-to-be grew up - and are still unsure whether their dream day will go ahead.

Lauren and Tom, from London, are still unsure whether their dream wedding in a barn-style venue will go ahead on May 2

'The process of planning the wedding has been loads of fun - family and friends have been really involved in the process, invites have gone out, dresses and suits bought, a ridiculous amount of decorations made - many personalised with the May 2020 date. To be honest, everything has gone without a hitch... until now,' explained Lauren.

'We first heard about coronavirus at the start of the year, but thought nothing more of it. Then the stories started getting worse and the paranoia set in.'

The couple's final wedding planning meeting took place a few days after the worst stories about coronavirus came out - and Lauren says the venue have been very reassuring.

'They've said they wanted to go full steam ahead until they heard otherwise,' said Lauren. 'We asked about postponing but were told that wasn't possible for the time-being - they'd only cancel if the government said they had to.'

'A few days on and our stag and hen do have been cancelled (and we assume the same for our honeymoon abroad).'

'We're also guessing the wedding won't be going ahead. We intend to speak to the venue again very shortly.'

While the couple fortunately have insurance, they are left unsure as to how much this will cover, or whether suppliers will be available at a later date.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR BINGHMAM RIVERHOUSE WEDDING VENUE COMMENTED: 'Weve been contacted by many of our couples who are getting married over the course of the next two-three months.' 'They're all extremely worried as news of the coronavirus spreads. They want to understand what their options are and almost express guilt in thinking of themselves and their big day as this news of this epidemic changes.' 'Some of the couples are adamant that their big day will go ahead as scheduled, but with an anticipation that there may be fewer guests from overseas and the elderly.' 'Some just want to move the dates to later on in the year with some of the winter month's now becoming more popular. Some don't want to act just yet, they just want to know what we're doing as a business and will see what happens over the next 6-8 weeks before the make/change their plans.' 'Everyone, without fail, has been completely supportive with the emerging situation, the need to put everyone's health and safety first and how we're trying to look after all of our Bingham Riverhouse staff and keep them all employed over the coming weeks/months.' Advertisement

'It's the not knowing that makes it worse,' said Lauren. 'When should we even reschedule it for, if we can? We'll never get this time back and it's ruined what is meant to be one of the happiest times of our lives.'

And Holly Eason and her fiance, who have been planning their April wedding in their hometown of Tokyo, have had to cancel everything due to risk of guests being exposed to infection.

'I couldn't forgive myself if our celebration became the cause of a serious health condition,' Holly said, speaking to the BBC.

'I'm also worried that my dad and my brother wouldn't be allowed to enter Japan. We just don't know what the situation will be at the time and I wouldn't want to go ahead without them being here.'

Her father Mike, who lives in Leciestershire, added the family are now struggling to get refunds and are looking to lose around 5,000.

Meanwhile, Saavan Nathwani and Risha Modi, from Harrow in London, told how in just one week, they were due to celebrate their dream wedding in Tuscany, Italy.

'In a matter of one week, our world was turned upside down, when the outbreak in Italy was announced,' said Risha, speaking to the publication.

'We had been planning for this wedding for nearly six months. We both work full-time and even though it has been a stressful and bumpy road, the only thing that kept us going was knowing we would marry one another.'
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 2-year-old child on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship moored for days in the waters off of Staten Island tested positive for the coronavirus.

People who sailed on the Norwegian Bliss this month contacted the Advance with their concerns following an article about the Norwegian Bliss.

The cruise ship is scheduled to leave our area on Tuesday for a layoff in Bermuda.

The safety and security of our guests and crew are at all times our first priority," said a statement from Norwegian Cruise Line. "Guests who traveled on the March 1, 2020 and March 8, 2020 voyages of Norwegian Bliss received a letter sharing information per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding a two-year-old who traveled aboard the vessel on the March 1, 2020 voyage who recently tested positive for COVID-19.

"At this time, we are not aware of other similar cases from these voyages. However, in an abundance of caution, the CDC asked that we make guests of the two mentioned voyages aware. This is all the information we have to share at this time.

A college student who declined to have his name published was among the former passengers who reached out to the Advance.

I do not feel sick and it has been eight days since I was on the cruise, he said in an email.

A spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard told the Advance on Monday that the boat was awaiting favorable weather before setting sail.

Coast Guard was not notified of any positive tests from this voyage, though CDC and the city provided screening of passengers when they disembarked upon arrival on March 15, said a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

The vessel arrived in the New York City area on Sunday and disembarked passengers.

The ship is currently at anchorage scheduled to leave for Bermuda on Tuesday at 5 p.m. after a weather related delay, the Coast Guard spokesman said. The ships anchorage is not in any way related to COVID-19.

Norwegian is among the major cruise lines that have canceled all of their voyages due to concerns about the coronavirus.

With the virus impacting communities around the globe, we have decided after collaboration with federal officials to voluntarily suspend cruise voyages across our fleet, effective immediately, said a statement released last Friday by Norwegian. This action is in effect for voyages with embarkation dates from March 13 to April 11, 2020. We will plan to recommence and operate with embarkations beginning April 12, 2020.
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 15:26 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b44432 1 Business investment-coordinating-board,BKPM,COVID-19,Bahlil-Lahadalia Free

The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) will temporarily close its One-Stop Integrated Service (PTSP) licensing outlets to minimize the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

BKPM head Bahlil Lahadalia explained that the agency would suspend its face-to-face services from March 17 until March 31.

"We are doing this [...] to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It's only for two weeks," Bahlil said in a press statement on Monday.

Read also: Bank Indonesia, OJK limit direct services as social distancing measure to contain virus

Investors can still use BKPM's online services, contact its call center and send license proposals through postal services, the statement read.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo called on Sunday for all citizens to practice what epidemiologists call social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Under the current circumstances, its time for us to work from home, study from home and worship at home, Jokowi said at a press conference at Bogor Palace in West Java on Sunday. Its time for us to work together, to help each other, to unite and cooperate. We want this to be a community movement, so that the COVID-19 problem can be addressed to the fullest.

Read also: Indonesia pledges to safeguard investments as Covid-19 fears grow

Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) have asked most of their employees to work from home and have suspended direct services while encouraging the public and stakeholders to use their online and call center services.

The Finance Ministrys Taxation Directorate General has also suspended direct face-to-face services and is advising all taxpayers to use its online services to file their annual tax returns (SPTs). It also extended the deadline for tax returns from March 31 to April 30 to provide certainty to individual taxpayers, it said in a statement on Sunday.

The pneumonia-like illness had infected 134 people in Indonesia with five fatalities recorded as of Monday.
COVID-19 extended its footprint in India on Monday with the eastern state of Odisha reporting its first coronavirus patient and one new case each in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, taking the total count to 114, Health Ministry officials said.

New Delhi: COVID-19 extended its footprint in India on Monday with the eastern state of Odisha reporting its first coronavirus patient and one new case each in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, taking the total count to 114, Health Ministry officials said.

The Maharashtra government also reported four more patients of the infection, as concerns over the pandemic steered decisions across all sectors and states, including in politically volatile Madhya Pradesh.

The ministry did not immediately add the Maharashtra cases to its national count, covering 15 states and union territories.

The tally of 114 includes 17 foreigners. While two people died, 13 people were discharged after they recovered from the infection, which according to the WHO has infected 1,53,517 people in 135 countries and territories and claimed more than 5,700 lives.

With the four new patients, Odisha has a count of one, Kerala 23, Ladakh four and Jammu and Kashmir three, according to the ministry.

As many states virtually shut down to stem the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in fighting the virus. He said there was a coordinated response to the outbreak, showing the strong spirit of the nation in such situations.

In a series of tweets with the hashtag 'India Fights Corona', Modi said the encouragement from people highlighting the steps being taken to combat the virus is boosting the morale of all the "remarkable people" at the forefront of the fight.

A Maharashtra government official said four patients were detected for the novel coronavirus infection, taking the state tally to 37.

Giving details of the Odisha case, an official in Bhubaneswar said a researcher who recently returned from Italy tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 33-year-old patient who reached Delhi from Italy on 6 March and travelled to Bhubaneswar by train on 12 March is being treated at the Capital Hospital in the Odisha capital.

"His condition is stable and he is not showing any other complications," the state government's chief spokesperson on coronavirus cases Subroto Bagchi told reporters.

The man consulted a doctor on 13 March, complaining of fever and headache, and was admitted to the hospital's isolation ward the next day.

As he travelled by train from Delhi to Bhubaneswar, the state government has launched a "contact tracing exercise", Bagchi said.

His family members have been quarantined and kept under observation.

In Madhya Pradesh, where the future of the Congress-led Kamal Nath government hangs in balance, there was no floor test as was being speculated and the assembly was adjourned in view of the state government's concerns over the coronavirus.

BJP MLAs demanded a floor test as directed by Governor Lalji Tandon  after 22 Congress MLAs of the Congress resigned from the party.

However, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh raised the issue of the coronavirus threat and also mentioned the Central government's advisory on the matter, prompting Speaker NP Prajapati to accept his plea and adjourn proceedings till 26 March.

While political confabulations continued in the central Indian state, many thousands of students across the country were restricted to their homes and employees worked from home as administrations all over put into effect plans to contain the spread of the contagious disease with flu-like symptoms.

Gyms, cinema halls, swimming pools and other places were closed in many states. Adding to its restrictions, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said no religious, social, cultural and political gathering of over 50 people would be allowed in Delhi till 31 March.

The Supreme Court, where lawyers, litigants and others were thermal screened, took suo motu cognisance of overcrowding and infrastructure of prisons across the country.

A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and LN Rao issued a notice to the Director-General, Prison, and chief secretary of all states and union territories seeking their response by 20 March on steps taken for prevention of COVID-19.

Efforts were also on to bring back Indians stranded abroad.

An Air India flight with 53 Indians evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran landed in New Delhi and the passengers were flown to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan where they have been quarantined at the Army Wellness Centre.

"Fourth batch of 53 Indians  52 students and a teacher  has arrived from Tehran and Shiraz, Iran. With this, a total of 389 Indians have returned to India from Iran. Thank the efforts of the team @India_in_Iran and Iranian authorities," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak with over 14,000 cases detected and over 700 people dead.

Signalling its serious intent to contain the infection, police in Kochi registered a case against 79 people for organising a mass reception for a popular reality show contestant on his arrival at the Cochin International Airport despite restrictions on such gatherings in view of the coronavirus threat.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus: Health Ministry recommends anti-HIV drug combination on case-to-case basis

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Union Health Ministry has recommended use of anti-HIV drug combinations Lopinavir and Ritonavir on a case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of the condition of a patient having coronavirus infection.

In its revised guidelines on the 'Clinical Management of COVID - 19' issued on Tuesday, the ministry recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for high-risk groups patients aged above 60, suffering from diabetes mellitus, renal failure, chronic lung disease and are immuno - compromised.

According to a health ministry official, a committee of experts comprising doctors from AIIMS, experts from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and WHO among others revisited the treatment guidelines and recommended supportive treatment in patients suffering from coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus: Not everyone needs to wear a mask says fresh health ministry guidelines

The ministry also recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for symptomatic patients having hypoxia, hypotension, new onset organ dysfunction (one or more), increase in creatinine by 50 per cent from baseline and any other organ dysfunction among others.

There is no current evidence from randomised controlled trial to recommend any specific treatment for suspected or confirmed patients with COVID-19.

No specific anti-virals are recommended for treatment of those suffering from respiratory ailment due to lack of adequate evidence from medical literature.

"The use of Lopinavir-Ritonavir in PEP regimens for HIV (4 weeks) is also associated with significant adverse events which many a times leads to discontinuation of therapy. "In light of the above, Lopinavir-Ritonavir should only be used with proper informed expressed consent on a case to case basis for severe cases, within the mentioned framework along with supportive treatment as per need," the guidelines stated.

This combination of drugs was given for the first time to an elderly Italian couple currently undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the SMS hospital in Jaipur.

Lopinavir-Ritonavir is used widely for controlling HIV infection. The guidelines issued by the health ministry also state that COVID-19 patients may present with mild, moderate, or severe illness --the latter includes severe pneumonia, ARDS, sepsis and septic shock.

Early recognition of suspected patients allows for timely initiation of infection, prevention and control.

India reports third coronavirus death after 64-year-old dies in Mumbai

"Early identification of those with severe manifestations allows for immediate optimised supportive care treatments and safe, rapid admission (or referral) to intensive care unit according to national protocols. "For those with mild illness, hospitalisation may not be required unless there is concern for rapid deterioration. All patients discharged for home should be instructed to return to hospital if they develop any worsening of illness," the guidelines stated.

The guidelines advise the treating doctors to closely monitor patients with severe acute respiratory infection for signs of clinical deterioration, such as rapidly progressive respiratory failure and sepsis, and apply supportive care interventions immediately.

"Application of timely, effective, and safe supportive therapies is the cornerstone of therapy for patients that develop severe manifestations of COVID-19," it said.

"Understand the patient's co-morbid condition to tailor the management of critical illness and appreciate the prognosis. During intensive care management of severe acute respiratory infection, " determine which chronic therapies should be continued and which therapies should be stopped temporarily.

Coronavirus: Mandatory for foreign travellers to register themselves on return to Odisha

"Communicate pro-actively with patients and families and provide support and prognostic information. Understand the patient's values and preferences regarding life-sustaining interventions," the guidelines stated.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 16:18 [IST]
Senate body seeks details of scholars involved in plagiarism The Express Tribune. A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Education has sought details of scholars involved in plagiarism in research journals from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), writes Zaigham Naqvi for

Greek poem censored to avoid upset for students Types of Women, which is more than 2,500 years old, is taught to first-year Classics students at Reading, writes Nicola Woolcock for The Times. Trigger warnings have been used to ensure that students are not upset by references to violence against women in an ancient Greek poem. The work,, which is more than 2,500 years old, is taught to first-year Classics students at Reading, writes Nicola Woolcock for

Higher education remains closed after winter break NL Times. While primary and secondary schools will reopen for all students after the winter holidays, the cabinet declined to allow higher education to resume in-person classes, although a new decision about that could come on 14 January, the same date the current lockdown is set to expire, reports

Universities, schools to reopen with face-to-face classes El Pais. An agreement was reached on Tuesday, 4 January 2022, between Spains central government and the countrys regions that the upcoming school term would begin as normal on 10 January, despite the unprecedented levels of coronavirus infections currently being registered in Spain. Speaking after the meeting, Health Minister Carolina Darias said that finding consensus has not been easy, but it has been possible, writes Elisa Silio for

Government mounts anti-US campaign in Xinjiang universities Radio Free Asia. The Chinese government has begun a large-scale propaganda campaign in its far-western Xinjiang region directed at Western countries led by the United States over their condemnation of Beijings human rights violations and genocidal policies targeting the Uyghur minority, writes Mihray Abdilim for

University commission demands draw ire of teachers body Express News Service. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has written to central universities citing Union Government instructions that courses should be taught based on demand from students, drawing criticism from a teachers body that it will lead to job losses and weaken language and social science departments, reports

Universities struggle to spend research budget  Report Dhaka Tribune. Although teachers and students at universities have always complained about a research environment and financial inadequacy, almost the entire amount of allocation by the government each year remains unspent, writes Mamun Abdullah for the

Education for skilled trades is making a comeback Hechinger Report. Young men in jackets and ties walk along tidy walkways that connect the red-brick buildings of the 220-acre (89ha) campus of Williamson College of the Trades. The college was established in 1888 by a wealthy but frugal dry-goods merchant to train young men as blacksmiths, bricklayers, harness-makers, wheelwrights and other kinds of tradesmen so they may be able to support themselves by the labour of their own hands, writes Jon Marcus for

Colleges deny using non-disclosure agreements Independent.ie. All colleges have told Higher Education Minister Simon Harris they do not use controversial non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to deal with sexual harassment and bullying complaints, despite concerns that the practice is prevalent in the third-level sector, writes Wayne OConnor for

Government acts over medical, dental student admissions Dawn. In a latest development in the controversy surrounding medical and dental college and university admissions, the provincial government decided on Friday, 31 December 2021, to take action against private institutions that were not implementing the eligibility criteria set by the provincial cabinet, writes Faiza Ilyas for

COVID commentators make employment claim against university Stuff. High-profile academics and COVID-19 commentators Shaun Hendy and Siouxsie Wiles say harassment towards them is escalating, and their employer, the University of Auckland, has not done enough to ensure their safety, writes John Anthony for

Court authorises universities to demand vaccination proof The Gal Times. The Supreme Court of Brazil on Friday, 31 December, authorised public universities to demand proof of anti-COVID vaccination from students who want to return to face-to-face classes in 2022, a day after the government of Jair Bolsonaro prohibited such possibility by decree, reports

Full vaccination mandatory for university students  Ministry The Jordan Times. Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated university students will not be compensated with online lectures, according to the Spokesperson for the Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry Muhannad Al Khatib, writes Maria Weldali for

3.5 million students drop out of private universities Newsbeezer. The past two years have seen record dropout rates from private colleges in Brazil. This year alone, about 3.42 million students dropped out of private universities  a dropout rate of 36.6%, reports

Students suffer food insecurity at university campuses The Age. When Mia Zentari was a student at the University of Melbourne, she filled up on starchy and sugary food to keep hunger at bay, even though she knew it wasnt good for her, because it was all she could afford. Now employed as a researcher at the Universitys School of Population and Global Health, Zentari was pleased when she was selected as one of four students last year to work on a project studying food insecurity among students at Victorian universities, write Adam Carey and Brittany Carlson for

Historically black universities receive bomb threats The Washington Post. At least eight historically black colleges and universities received bomb threats on Tuesday, 4 January 2022, school officials said, triggering abrupt evacuations of students and employees, write Andrew Jeong and Susan Svrluga for

Universities face sweeping governance changes under new Bill The Irish Times. Third-level colleges face penalties for misconduct, including having funding withheld, under the biggest shake-up to regulation of higher education in almost 50 years, writes Carl OBrien for

Resettlement scheme will prioritise Chevening scholars Alumni of Britains Chevening scholarship programme for future world leaders and British Council employees and contractors trapped in Afghanistan are among those to be fast-tracked through the United Kingdoms new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, but the fate of academics desperate to leave the country is up in the air.

US international HE reinforces racism, study finds United States university internationalisation practices and policies reproduce and reinforce cultural and social racism, and exacerbate the conditions around exclusion, discrimination and inequity they ostensibly seek to redress, according to a recent study based on the lived experiences of Sub-Saharan African students in the US.

How to increase the societal impact of your research Do you belong to the two-thirds of global academics who care about the societal impact of their work? But, perhaps your university does not offer many opportunities to connect with society, communities, and diverse organisations? There are a few things you can do to drive social impact.

Why universities need to own entrepreneurial education

The Elizabeth Holmes fraud case has potentially damaged support for female entrepreneurs, who already suffer from a huge bias against them. Universities should be doing more to educate the next wave of entrepreneurs through providing innovative, experimental and transformative training and creating entrepreneurial ecosystems.

First-in-family status flawed as HE admissions tool  HEPI A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute, or HEPI, argues that too much weight has been put on first-in-family status as a measure of disadvantage for admissions to higher education, with more than two-thirds of United Kingdom university students covered by it.

Will new NDA law break the silence on campus harassment? One Canadian province has become the first to set limits on the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), including at the University of Prince Edward Island, which has been accused of using NDAs to shield perpetrators of sexual harassment and protect the universitys reputation.

Study abroad is back, but has it changed post-COVID? There is much to learn from shocks and crises through looking at the familiar in a new way. The study abroad industry has often been taken for granted, but now is the right time to reflect and ask where the future might lead.

Academic cooperation and geopolitics in a new world As geopolitical differences grow, the work of universities is coming under increasing pressure. University leaders need to respond by reviewing their partnerships, with European institutions walking a fine line between geopolitical tensions and academic cooperation. Academic freedom is seen as a precondition for deep collaboration.

Ministers decision ignores value of literature studies The education ministers veto of funding for literature-based research projects shows a wilful ignorance of the value literature and its study provide to society, culture and the economy, and will have a wide-ranging impact on the future of literary studies and on society more broadly.

Online university planned for Afghan students, academics Afghan academics in exile have discussed plans with partners for an online university in Germany for Afghan academics and students in Afghanistan and abroad. World University Service and a number of higher education institutions, organisations and foundations in Germany and abroad are supporting the scheme.

Will English or Mandarin dominate in international HE? Despite fears about the spread of the use of English and Mandarin in higher education, it is unlikely that either will completely dominate. In many locations, national and local languages will prevail and linguistic innovations may even make the whole debate on language dominance obsolete.

Why branch campuses could help Bangladesh to develop Bangladesh will soon need to improve its higher education system and become a major importer of higher education services. The signing of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between Australia and Bangladesh offers new opportunities for cooperation in higher education, including Australian branch campuses in Bangladesh.

Removing campus Tiananmen artworks obliterates history The removal of major artworks and memorials on Hong Kong university campuses commemorating the June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre of pro-democracy student protesters in Beijing is a violation of freedoms and university autonomy and an attempt to censor memories and debate, Hong Kong students say.

Degree programmes needed to boost African film industry African universities lag far behind when it comes to training professionals for the blossoming African film industry that could create more than 20 million jobs and generate US$20 billion in annual revenue, according to a report from UNESCO that surveyed the film industry in the 54 countries on the continent.

Preparing 5IR-ready university graduates for the future economy African universities should equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to deal with the implications of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which entails the introduction of new technology and a reorganisation of industry brought about by that technology, an education and science forum heard.

Students COVID art becomes outreach tool to Kampala slums In Kampala slums, very few wear masks, let alone practise social distancing. But a Makerere University students initiative, through art, is encouraging the slum dwellers in the East African city to safeguard themselves against the fourth wave of the coronavirus even when they are hungry.

Kenya should consider size and differentiation of HE sector Kenya should consider both size and potential for differentiation when formulating policy for establishing new institutions, campuses or academic programmes. In addition, it needs to strengthen its governance and management capabilities while avoiding pitfalls such as the ethnicisation of university leadership.

Business criticises migration rules for foreign graduates Swedish businesses are calling for measures to keep international masters and doctoral graduates in the country, arguing that the new criteria for graduates residence permits will make it more difficult for graduates to stay and are counterproductive when it comes to avoiding a further widening of the gap between demand and supply of highly educated workers in Sweden.

China  A top choice for Ghanaian PhD students Quartz. Dr Courage Simon Kofi Dogbe is one of the thousands of Ghanaians who recently got their PhDs from universities in China. In 2018 alone, 800 Ghanaians were studying for PhDs in China  up from 200 in 2017. This is compared to 2,200 Ghanaians registered for a PhD in Ghana in that year, write Natasha Robinson and David Mills for

Conference highlights academics post-conflict role Al-Fanar Media. Syrian academics in exile need opportunities to work and grow professionally, so they will be able to help rebuild a better higher education system when they go back, speakers at a conference on the future of the academic community in Syria said. They also emphasised that investment in higher education can prevent radicalisation in war-torn countries, writes Gilgamesh Nabeel for

Higher education suffers 100m shortfall  Academic ERR. The field of higher education in Estonia needs an additional 100 million (US$113 million) in funding, says Margit Sutrop, head of the Riigikogu higher education support group and professor of practical philosophy at the University of Tartu, reports

Chancellor threatens to quit over political appointments The Indian Express. In an unprecedented move, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take over as the chancellor of the universities, a post held by the governor in respective states in India, so that nobody would question the political appointments and interference in the universities, writes Shaju Philip for

Study finds increase in depression, anxiety among students Yle News. This is a proportionally higher rate of mental health symptoms and psychological distress than the adult population as a whole, according to the research. A research study into the health and well-being of higher education students in Finland has found that one in three suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression, reports. This is a proportionally higher rate of mental health symptoms and psychological distress than the adult population as a whole, according to the research.

University classrooms are not safe spaces  AF committee The Canadian Press. Quebec university classrooms are not safe spaces and post-secondary institutions should not be imposing the use of so-called trigger warnings, according to a report released Tuesday 14 December by a committee on academic freedom, writes Virginie Ann for

University study finds 9,000% increase in face mask litter BBC. University researchers in the United Kingdom are urging the government to prevent an environmental disaster caused by face mask litter, reports the

More US colleges rethink student loans The Washington Post. Ohio State University and Smith College are the latest institutions in the United States to try to spare another generation of undergraduates from shouldering an all-too-common burden: student debt, writes Danielle Douglas-Gabriel for

Universities should raise international student fees  Professor The Sydney Morning Herald. A new book on reforming the tertiary education sector argues that many universities are under-charging international students and should lift their fees to match the money spent by Australian governments on educating domestic students, writes Jordan Baker for

Court orders closure of illegal private universities Dawn. The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday 15 December ordered the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to shut down illegal campuses of private universities in the country, writes Haseeb Bhatti for

What Sci-Hubs latest court battle means for research Nature. Sci-Hub, the popular website that offers access to millions of pirated research papers and books, is no stranger to legal action. But, for the first time, the site is defending its operations in court, in a copyright case filed in India by a group of major publishers, writes Holly Else for

ATAR score no longer relevant to rising number of students ABC News. The anxious wait for the postman carrying a yellow envelope or suffering through the slow lag as a webpage loads final Year 12 marks was a rite of passage for generations. Whether it was called the TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank), UAI (University Admissions Index) or ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank), university admission hung on that all-important number. But the days of waiting on these much-anticipated scores could well be on their way out, write Alison Branley and Conor Duffy for

University to probe possible research integrity violations CNN. A formal investigation has been launched by the University of Florida (UF) after an internal report detailed a culture of fear among faculty members claiming political influence on campus as well as instances of pressure to destroy and delay publication of COVID-19 research data, write Leyla Santiago and Alta Spells for

Universities took 89m from oil firms in last four years The Guardian. New research by openDemocracy has found that some of Britains most prestigious universities are among those to have shared in funds totalling at least 89 million (US$118 million) from major oil companies in the last four years, write Jenna Corderoy, Martin Williams and Michael Savage for

Universities may offer maternity leave to female students Hindustan Times. Women pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in India may soon be entitled to 240 days of maternity and child-care leave, similar to research scholars, once universities frame rules on directions by the countrys higher education regulator, writes Fareeha Iftikhar for

Commission proposes rules for recognition of short courses Science|Business. The European Commission has unveiled proposals to encourage member states to establish EU-wide principles for giving accreditation to short training courses. The aim is for each citizen to have a record of any short courses they complete and for these qualifications to be recognised across institutions, businesses, sectors and borders, writes Goda Naujokaityte for

Access to lucrative majors is far from equitable  Study A newly released study shows how internal university restrictions on majors with high earning potential create disparities among under-represented minorities in major public universities in the United States, with implications not only for equity but for meeting the needs of increasingly complex labour markets.

Worlds 6,600 top cited researchers  China continues to grow The big story of last months global ranking of Highly Cited Researchers was the rise of China, with 935 out of the list of 6,602 researchers, although America still dominates. Then there are the interesting outliers  such as Dr Arridina Susan Silitonga of Indonesia  who produce outstanding science outside of the support of massive research systems.

We need Paulo Freires education ideas more than ever 2021 marks the centenary of Paulo Freires birth. While his ideas on teaching have been under attack from Jair Bolsonaros government in his home country, Brazil, they remain relevant today, but, in a world of growing inequality, they need the right environment to have maximum impact.

Call for more cross-border solidarity on student affairs The world requires solidarity on student affairs via networks, collaboration and mutual support in times of crisis, now more than ever, according to the conclusions of a meeting of 15 higher education student affairs associations hosted by the International Association of Student Affairs and Services.

As Omicron spreads, major new push for vaccine research Cautious policies in the past have led to Japan lagging behind the world in vaccine development, but university research departments are now welcoming the governments renewed focus on vaccine development aimed at reviving the countrys global competitiveness and supporting a better pandemic response.

A step towards building greater trust in AI in education An alliance of companies and associations has been formed to create a recognised system of common benchmarks and standards for the use of artificial intelligence in education in order to ensure safe and responsible use, build greater trust and allow it to fulfil its potential.

Navigating research in a fragmented, turbulent context Researching conflict-affected areas is an emerging field of knowledge, with common contestation over definitions and terminology. Gaza is one such place that needs more in-depth research in many different areas. Doing that research is complex and challenging. Yet it is absolutely vital.

How to ensure universities are meeting their stated goals Most African universities rate their success or failure based on narrow criteria which do not show how effective the institutions management is and how it feeds into national development criteria. An evaluative audit could demonstrate the difference between academic puff and actual performance.

In the image era, why is art history being squeezed? Art history is the one discipline that studies visual communication and experts say that is extremely important today because of the transitioning from a text-based culture to an image-based culture. Yet art history programmes are being squeezed in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.

Education ministers seek greater regional HE connectivity Education ministers from Asia and Europe have agreed to increase and enhance balanced mobility of students, researchers and staff between the two regions, with the global pandemic providing the impetus for new forms of exchanges based on newer themes such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Government slashes tuition fees for all universities The Democratic Republic of the Congos government has slashed higher education tuition fees for the 2022-23 academic year  a decision welcomed by students but criticised by university managers.

Students want to join the fight against sexual harassment The student leadership at Ugandas Makerere University, one of the oldest universities in Africa, wants to be included in the implementation of the universitys policy on sexual harassment aimed at eliminating abuse at the institution. Students are ignorant about the policy, they say.

Scientists urge leaders to up spending on health education African leaders must up education funding to advance the next generation of scientists, doctors, nurses and health professionals. In addition, investment in laboratories, infrastructure and technologies is essential, scientists who are part of the African Voices of Science initiative said in an open letter to governments and other stakeholders.

Women in HE: We either rise together or sink together Women need no favours to shine as researchers and academics, but they need support. This could be done by enacting laws that protect girls and women against abuse, and against discriminatory institutional practices that inhibit their progress, said Mariam Chabi Talata, the vice president of Benin.

State students bemoan delays with computer delivery State-sponsored Rwandan students have bemoaned delays by the government to deliver the computers they were promised as part of a programme to facilitate learning and improve access to information and communications technology.

The mine of the near future needs more imagineers The mining engineer of the fast-approaching Fifth Industrial Revolution should be able to imagine and implement engineering solutions, but should also have non-technical skills such as people-centredness and creativity. In this, mining engineering education, particularly in Africa, has a critical role to play.

Climate change is the biggest health threat facing humanity Climate change is the biggest health threat facing humanity, threatening the progress in development, global health and poverty reduction made over the past 50 years, according to the World Health Organization. In the process, existing health inequalities between and within populations keep on widening.

Private universities do well in Nigerias national rankings Nigeria has unveiled the outcome of its national ranking system for universities in an effort to boost quality and enhance competitiveness among public and private universities. Overall, the University of Ibadan has been ranked number one out of 113 institutions, followed by Redeemers and Convenant universities.

Creating an environment for intellectual capital remittance African diaspora scholars  individuals born, raised and educated in Africa and who now work in foreign universities  have knowledge and skills to contribute through collaborative engagements with African universities, but all stakeholders have the responsibility to devise systematic methods to attract the human capital in a manner that is sustainable and impactful.

Maths project enables mutually beneficial collaboration A project that has received global acclaim for bringing the indigenous mathematical knowledge systems of Nigerian ethnic nationalities and the stories of successful Nigerian women in science to the forefront, illustrates the power of mutually beneficial collaboration between the academic diaspora and their counterparts in Africa.

Building inclusive and diverse knowledge societies The positive contributions of the African academic diaspora in the form of intellectual remittance towards the development of higher education institutions in Africa have not been fully explored, yet these academics are a potential resource that should be exploited for continental growth and development.

Tin by tin: Promoting African research and scholarship Nationally sponsored programmes to facilitate collaboration between academics at higher education institutions in Africa and diaspora academics can bolster bidirectional engagements between these academics and strengthen the higher education system. In this regard, there are calls for a Kenya Diaspora Fellowship Programme to be implemented.

Creating vibrant and stronger research communities Diaspora academics have called for the continued and expanded support of a programme that has enabled them to contribute to the strengthening of higher education in Africa through conducting joint research, supervising graduate students, mentoring junior faculty and co-authoring grant proposals and research papers.

Sharing intellectual resources in service of higher education Africas academic diaspora can work alongside their peers from higher education institutions in their homelands to build stronger, vibrant research communities and generate new knowledge. Successful and mutually beneficial projects involving researchers and teachers on various continents show that much can be achieved through these collaborative efforts.

Banditry takes its toll on mental health of students, staff Attacks on educational institutions in north-western Nigeria are affecting the mental health of students and staff. Amid a shortage of mental care facilities on campuses, the National Association of University Students has asked the government to show concern for the mental state of students in insurgency-ravaged areas.

Masters publishing requirements akin to academic extremism Research is one of the core activities of most universities across the globe. It is no different at Ethiopian public universities. But expecting especially masters students to publish in reputable journals could be seen as academic extremism that disregards international experiences, the national context and students interests.

Students in dire need of career guidance for employment The high graduate unemployment rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo suggests that universities should not only rethink what they teach but should also focus more on what the labour market demands from graduates as well as on providing career guidance to students.

All is not well with Africas medical education, says study The COVID-19 pandemic has impaired the quality of medical education in most universities in Africa. Learning decreased as it shifted online. This could worsen the existing shortage of doctors and other healthcare workers, increase poor quality care and lead to more deaths on the continent.

Standardised national test for PhD admissions next year Centrally funded universities in India will have to admit PhD scholars through the National Eligibility Test instead of their own individual entrance exams from the academic session 2022-23, Indias higher education regulator the University Grants Commission has told vice-chancellors.

How bad has COVID been for university finances and staff? While Australian universities made cuts in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the balance books show that many did not suffer as badly as predicted and cuts to university staff may have contributed disproportionately to bridging the gap between revenue and expenditure.

New directions for TNE after pandemic mobility disruption After the disruption to student mobility caused by COVID-19, new opportunities for transnational education or TNE are opening up around the world, with countries like China revisiting the meaning of internationalisation and students in general more likely to choose an international experience closer to home.

Dismay as British Council loses Turing mobility scheme The decision to hand over the running of the United Kingdoms student mobility Turing scheme to a private outsourcing company has dismayed education experts  who say the impact may be damaging to the reputation of the UKs alternative to Erasmus+, in addition to further denting the finances of the British Council.

Academics, policy-makers must work together to end hunger With less than 10 years to meet the deadline of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is critical to support countries in their efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and partnerships with academic and research institutions are vital.

Libyan teaching assistants protest over low salaries Teaching assistants at universities, technical colleges and higher institutes in Libya are demanding salary increases and educational opportunities.The postgraduate students have vowed to continue with strike action and are also exploring legal avenues to improve their income levels and educational opportunities.

Working out the value of transnational education While the British government sees transnational education as a key part of its education export strategy, it is important that international partners see the value of transnational education to their students in terms of graduate outcomes and employability.

Government pledges more funding for higher education, research As Germanys new coalition government takes shape, there are signs that higher education could figure further up the political agenda than it did under the previous administration. The coalition has promised to raise university funding by 3% a year, and the education and research budget could be increased by a quarter.

Ontario colleges over-reliant on international student fees Ontarios Auditor General has warned that reliance on international student fees to buoy the books of 24 public colleges spread across the province is a risky formula. International students account for 68% of total tuition fees, and at CA$1.7 billion (US$1.3 billion) contribute CA$100,000 more to the colleges than the government of Ontario.

Concern over student calls for witchdoctor to help stop theft Malawi24.com. Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) students have said they will enlist the services of a witchdoctor to end theft cases at their campus. The students have announced their intention in a memo dated 2 December 2021 and signed by concerned students, reports

University reform meets strong resistance Ekathimerini. Despite the Greek governments much-touted ambitious plans to reform higher education, they have stalled mainly due to political considerations and the opposition of trade unions, writes Apostolos Lakasas for

25 units in universities to combat violence against women Egypt Independent. Member of the National Council for Women (NCW) Rania Yahya said that the number of units to combat violence against women in Egyptian universities has reached 25, noting that a book is currently being prepared on the mechanisms of work for these units, reports

HE ministry produced 50,000 entrepreneurs in 2020 Bernama. The Ministry of Higher Education (IPT) in Malaysia produced almost 50,000 entrepreneurs among the students last year, with more than 7,000 of them still doing business after completing their studies, reports

Protest over closure of Delhi University campus continues Hindustan Times. Multiple student organisations on Wednesday 8 December marched to press for the re-opening of Delhi University campus and to mark one month of their protest against the continued closure of colleges, despite the COVID-19 case count remaining low in the capital for several months. Student groups have been protesting outside the arts faculty to call for the resumption of in-person classes, reports the

Annual higher education funding delayed Inside Higher Ed. The United States Congress reached an agreement on Thursday 2 December to temporarily fund the federal government, once again delaying the annual appropriations process and locking in the Donald Trump administrations higher education funding levels for at least the next two months, writes Alexis Gravely for
Police in Spains Madrid, UAEs Dubai, as well as locked down Kuwait deploy drones to make repeat announcements

Chennai: Its almost like a scene in a futuristic movie with unfortunate Big Brother undertones, as drones buzz around telling people to get off the streets and go home, to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. But no reason to panic, as unlike the sci-fi films, these devices cannot pin one down or detain anyone, they merely urge one to take precaution.

In a country such as Spain, where in a matter of a couple of weeks, as many as 9,191 people of its 47 million population had contracted the pathogen by Monday, the government has put the nation on a near-lockdown. Since this past weekend, police in Madrid began using drones with loud speakers to drill it into the heads of the citizens still roaming about that they may be putting themselves and others at risk.

The Madrid municipal police put out a video on twitter, of the drones in action. A police officer is seen handling the drone, which plays a loud message telling people to stay home, and go outside only in absolutely unavoidable circumstances.

No dudaremos en utilizar todos los medios de los que disponemos para velar por tu #seguridad y la de tod@s, aunque algunos todavia nos lo pongan dificil...#YoMeQuedoEnCasa #COVID19#EstamosPorTi#DronPMM pic.twitter.com/8mKYaAekhB  Policia Municipal de Madrid (@policiademadrid) March 14, 2020

We wont hesitate to use all the measures we have at our disposal to look out for your safety and everyones safety, the police wrote on Twitter, but also added a reality check, although some of you will give us a hard time, gizmodo reported.

People in Spain who are suspected to have been infected and try to break quarantine can be fined up to 600,000 euros and face imprisonment.

In Dubai, people have stopped indulging in their favourite pastimes of congregating at the local tea shops for a cuppa, and at the shisha bar for a drag of tobacco smoke. Despite the drop in the crowds outdoors, the number of people infected by the coronavirus in the countries of West Asia has surpassed 15,000.

This includes: Iran (13,938), Qatar (401), Bahrain (214), Iraq (124), Saudi Arabia (118), Lebanon (99), UAE (98), Oman (22) and Jordan (10), arabianbusiness.com reported on Monday.

Drones were spotted in Dubai, the financial capital of the United Arab Emirates, as well as in cities of Kuwait, urging people to stay home. The announcements were made in multiple languages, keeping in mind the large expat population that lives in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nations.

On state television, Kuwaits Health Minister Basel Al-Sabah said, I urge you by God to stay at home." The country has announced a complete lockdown, where even Friday prayers are not being held at mosques.
MCLEAN, Va., March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools in the U.S. have begun to cancel in-person classes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers and parents are wondering how to continue teaching students without a prolonged interruption.

The educational website edHelper.com has announced that they will be publishing free daily workbooks for students who are out of school. The workbooks include math and writing exercises for elementary students.

Free worksheets and workbooks at edHelper.com for teachers and parents.

Some people worry that closing schools for an extended period of time could have a negative impact on academic outcomes. The CDC has acknowledged this in its updated guidelines, but social distancing is important for preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Distance learning, combined with supplemental educational activities provided by parents, can help keep students on track academically.

One parent said on Facebook, "My 4- and 6-year-olds did the March 16th packets today for preschool and kindergarten. They came back to them all day as opposed to doing it all in one sitting, but they loved it. The checklist made it fun for them. Thank you so much for doing this  they already can't wait for tomorrow's packet!"

The free worksheets and workbooks at edHelper.com will be updated on a daily basis. Many additional free resources are available, such as free math worksheets for elementary students.

About edHelper, Inc.

edHelper is an online service that provides printable worksheets and educational resources to teachers and homeschooling parents. As a leader providing weekly math workbooks and supplemental reading materials, developed by educational experts, for over 20 years, edHelper now serves more than 100,000 educators in 150 countries.

Press Contact: Russell Frey, [email protected], 1-571-329-5536

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My idea of social distancing involves finding a trail with few, if any, fellow bipeds to be encountered along the way.

And, under normal circumstances, the Brins Mesa-Soldier Pass Loop, a gorgeous 5-mile advertisement for the splendors of Sedona, would most assuredly not qualify as a candidate for such solitude. It, after all, features such geologic wonders as the Seven Sacred Pools, Devils Kitchen sinkhole and views of Coffee Pot Rock, Mormon Canyon, Chimney Rock and Wilson Mountain. A jeep trail also runs nearby connecting to Soldier Pass trail, so theres that.

But, on a recent stormy weekday morning just past dawn, clouds bloated with precipitation shrouding the rock formations, I had this popular loop all to my lonesome. Nary a car graced the Jordan Trailhead, perhaps a first for the site. Then again, maybe Sedona folks were just practicing self-isolation.

The sky had not yet opened up for the anticipated downpour, and the trails looked in good shape  firm and not sloppy with mud and certainly not rutted  partly because much of the loop is in a designated wilderness area and, thus, does not allow mountain bikes to carve deep grooves on the wet path.

So this was an experience to be savored. My only wish, wimpy but so be it, was that the rain would hold off for an hour or so.

Well, you cant have everything. Of course, the rain went from a mist to a downpour in my first mile heading uphill on the Brins Mesa Trail. But, really, the rain added an extra dimension to the trip, coated the trails with an extra sheen.

Indeed, because the low clouds obscured the views of the red-rock formations and the Mogollon Rim and severely limited peering-down-the-canyon gazing, it allowed me to concentrate on subtler sights to behold. Such as: early on climbing the 2-mile Brins Mesa Trail, encountering a Cypress tree with the strangest burl, not at the base of the trunk but halfway up, resembling nothing so much as a gnarled old man with a goiter.

Another Cypress tree looked as if some otherworldly power and grasped the trunk and twisted it as one would a dish cloth.

There are many such arboristic delights as the Brins Mesa Trail climbs gently for the first mile, then reaches a steep ascent up a series of slickrock steps in the second mile before the intersection with Soldier Pass. Nearing the top of Brins Mesa, the terrain flattens and the vegetation dwindles. You have reached the burn scar from the devastating 2006 Brins Fire, which pretty much wiped out large swaths of the Sedona hillside.

Fourteen years later, you can still see evidence of the blaze. Blackened husks of downed trees remain, reminders of the scary episode that made national news. Whats heartening, though, is the regeneration taking place. New vegetation has sprouted and, heading closer to Soldier Pass, sturdy juniper and even a few pine rise up to greet you.

On this rain-swept morn, I had to make do with those highlights atop the mesa, because the socked-in conditions precluded any vistalike selfie-taking.

Just as well that I wasnt distracted by the views, because the first part of the Soldier Pass Trail features an extreme downhill over slickrock. And when that slickrock is slick with rainwater, well, its best to focus ones full attention on putting one foot in front of the other.

I wasnt in such a hurry to get out of the rain that I didnt make time to stop and take in some of the highlights along Soldier Pass. (Im not talking about the Seven Sacred Pools. When I passed that tourist spot, the pools were overflowing with so much rain water it became one onrushing river heading downhill.)

Rather, I stopped to enjoy a blooming manzanita field, the white buds glistening amid the grayness of the day. There were also waterfalls where, in dry weather, none exist.

By the time I reached the Devils Kitchen sinkhole, which Ive detailed in an earlier travel adventure, my solitude started weighing on me. This is an area, remember, that usually is teeming with people looking down into the abyss of the geologic wonder. It was weird, too, not hearing the rev of a jeep motor at the junction of Soldier Pass and the Jordan Trail.

Only two miles of the trip remains, but it includes the 0.6-mile Cibola Pass Trail, which I always forget is pretty darn steep and rocky and not to be trifled with. The last time I ran Cibola, in November, moving swiftly through the downhill segment back to the trailhead, I literally ran into a wedding party  fuchsia-clad bridesmaids and all  posing in a line and smiling broadly.

No such photo-bombing possibilities on this morning. Upon returning to the trailhead, I found my car still was the only one. Forget about standing six-feet apart from people; my trip to Brins Mesa proved a 5-mile example of social distancing.

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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 10:18 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b1f6eb 1 Business Gas,Energy-Mineral-Resources-Ministry,PLN Free

The Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry is proposing the inclusion of power companies onto a list of industries eligible for cheap natural gas.

The list, as stipulated by Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 40/2016, currently includes the rubber gloves, ceramics, glass, steel, fertilizer, petrochemical and oleochemical industries, which are eligible to procure gas at US$6 per million British thermal units (mmbtu).

The figure is far lower than the national average of around $8 per mmbtu.

We have suggested the idea. Whether or not the industry is included, depends on when the revised Perpres is issued, the Energy Ministrys electrification director general, Rida Mulyana, said in Jakarta on Monday.

Read also: PLN to use LNG in 52 power plants to help reduce oil imports

Providing cheap gas to Indonesias power companies, specifically to the countrys largest power producer, state-owned PLN, would also lower electricity prices, he said.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued a regulation in 2016 to provide cheap gas for certain industries, yet gas prices have remained unchanged over the past four years.

The President announced in January three possible solutions to reduce prices, such as the imposition of the domestic market obligation (DMO) policy on gas producers, fiscal incentives and import relaxations. Jokowi is expected to make a decision on the matter at the end of March.
Hand sanitizer is hard to find during the coronavirus pandemic.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

A Tennessee man who made his living selling products online came under fire when The New York Times reported he had stockpiled anti-bacterial wipes and 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer.

After the story was published on Saturday, Colvin received angry messages and even death threats.

On Sunday, he said he donated the supplies to a local church and expressed remorse.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Matt Colvin, an Amazon seller outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, became a subject of national outrage after The New York Times reported last week that he had stockpiled 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer to sell on Amazon.

On Sunday, Colvin donated all of his inventory to a local church, according to a follow-up story in The Times.

"I've been buying and selling things for 10 years now. There's been hot product after hot product. But the thing is, there's always another one on the shelf," Colvin told the Times, expressing remorse for his actions. "When we did this trip, I had no idea that these stores wouldn't be able to get replenished."

Colvin and his brother had cleaned out stores of sanitizer and wipes in an attempt to profit off the coronavirus pandemic. He sold 300 bottles of hand sanitizer at a markup on Amazon before the company removed his listings and warned sellers they would be suspended for price gouging, according to the Times.

After that, Colvin had a huge stash of sanitizer and wipes, while much of the country was unable to find them at their local stores.

After New York Times reporter Jack Nicas exposed Colvin's dilemma in an article on Saturday  which included a photo of him standing by his stash  he became the subject of thousands of angry comments online. Some people reached out to Colvin with death threats and hate mail, and one man banged on his door Saturday night, according to the Times.

Story continues

The Tennessee attorney general's office sent Colvin a cease-and-desist letter and opened an investigation into price gouging. In addition to Amazon, eBay suspended him as a seller and the storage unit he rented also kicked him out.

Girl Henry Rollins (@girlhenryrollns) March 14, 2020

On Sunday, after intense pressure from the public, Colvin helped volunteers from a local church load two-thirds of his stockpile into a box truck for the church to distribute to people in need across Tennessee.

Officials from the Tennessee attorney general's office took the other third to be distributed in Kentucky.

"It was never my intention to keep necessary medical supplies out of the hands of people who needed them," he told the Times, crying. "That's not who I am as a person. And all I've been told for the last 48 hours is how much of that person I am."

Read the original article on Insider
New Zealands answer to Batman may not be able to fly or save the world from evil, but he is sharing his superpower  an in-depth knowledge and love of bats  with as many people as possible in a quest to save the species.

Scientist Ben Paris earned the nickname NZ Batman due to spending 15 years studying and spreading the word about our native bats.

He is giving a talk this month on the Hibiscus Coast and says he hopes to inspire locals to begin looking for bats in their local parks.

Night walks to look for bats (they are nocturnal) have become popular around the country, including in parts of Auckland. Hand-held bat detectors, which are about the size of a mobile phone, pick up the bats eco-location signals, normally not detectable by the human ear, and turn them into a sound that people can hear. Auckland Council provides the equipment on loan to the public (see below).

Ben says bats are the underdogs of New Zealands native animals. There are two species  long tailed and short tailed  and both are threatened.

They are very small  about the size of a thumb  and weigh about as much as two $2 coins.

People know about kiwi and kakapo, but the short tailed bat is found only on Little Barrier and the long tailed bat is really threatened, so its important for more people to engage with them, he says.

Bats are getting bad press at the moment, because of the possibility that they formed the initial link with Covid-19.

So far, the closest match to the human coronavirus has been found in a bat in Chinas Yunnan province. A study published last month found that the bat coronavirus shared 96 percent of its genetic material with the virus that causes Covid-19 in people.

However, researchers consider that although bats could have passed the virus to humans, key differences in the two viruses suggest that the bat coronavirus did not directly infect people, but could have been transmitted through an intermediate host.

Ben says its important to note that New Zealands bats do not carry viruses that people need to worry about. In fact, he says studying them could be useful for human health.

They are mammals but have a different metabolism to humans, so we could be studying them more to find out why they are so disease-resistant. They could hold an important key.

Bats are also useful to people in that they feed on mosquitos as well as moths and midges.

Bens talk in Orewa will ponder the question are bats living on the Hibiscus Coast?

He says the habitats they prefer are under loose bark in big old trees on forest edges and near waterways.

As a result of many talks with schools and other groups, Ben is happy to play up the Batman tag and has a Facebook page called NZ Batman. However, he says Hollywood has a lot to answer for when it comes to the way people feel about bats.

I want to change the impression people have when they think about bats, he says.

Hand-held bat detectors are easy to use and available on loan from Auckland Council free of charge.

To find out more, email biodiversity@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz  Bens talk is on March 24 at Estuary Arts Centre, 7.30pm. Info: See Whats On
A component of breast milk may help protect premature babies from developing sepsis, a fast-moving, life-threatening condition triggered by infection. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have found -- in newborn mice -- that a molecule called epidermal growth factor in breast milk activates receptors on intestinal cells to keep dangerous gut bacteria from migrating into the bloodstream, where such microbes can prompt sepsis.

The researchers also found that breast milk with higher levels of this epidermal growth factor, especially from the earliest days of lactation following birth, is most effective in preventing dangerous bacteria from getting into the bloodstream.

The findings are published March 16 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Late-onset sepsis is a major problem in premature babies. These findings give us a better understanding of one of the scenarios that triggers sepsis, and a potential new tool to combat this condition." Rodney D. Newberry, MD, senior author, Washington University gastroenterologist and professor of medicine

The study looked at late-onset sepsis, which strikes at least 72 hours after a baby is born and up to 60 days after birth and accounts for 26% of all deaths in infants born prematurely. About 10% of infants born preterm experience late-onset sepsis, and 30% to 50% of those who develop the infections die. Much of the focus on preventing late-onset sepsis relies on improving aseptic techniques, such as making sure a baby's skin is bacteria free and that intravenous lines and other life-saving tubes don't harbor potentially deadly bacteria.

"The idea, initially, was that these infants became septic from their intravenous lines and that bacteria got into the blood through breaches in the skin," Newberry said. "That is true in some cases, but improving sterilization techniques hasn't eliminated these infections."

Newberry and his former postdoctoral fellow, Kathryn A. Knoop, PhD, now an assistant professor of immunology at Mayo Clinic, were curious about whether gut bacteria play a role in sepsis that develops in newborns, particularly when such microbes migrate into the bloodstream.

The culprits allowing the bacteria to move into the blood are intestinal cells called goblet cells. These cells secrete mucus to help prevent harmful bacteria from getting into the gut, but they also chaperone bacteria out of the gut, across the immature intestinal lining of a preemie. That scenario provides an entryway for sepsis-causing bacteria to gain access to the bloodstream.

"The critical realization here is that bacteria from the gut can invade the bloodstream," said co-investigator Phillip I. Tarr, MD, the Melvin E. Carnahan Professor of Pediatrics and director of the Pediatric Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. "Understanding how bacteria moves from the gut into the blood gives us an opportunity to do something about these infections. And the study suggests that breast milk, preferably a mother's own breast milk from her earliest days of breastfeeding, appears to be a very effective way to fend off these infections."

In this study, the researchers gave newborn mice a solution containing Escherichia coli bacteria isolated from the bloodstream of a late-onset sepsis patient shortly after birth. The mouse pups then were nursed either by their own mother or another mother who had given birth to pups at an earlier time, resulting in her breast milk containing lower amounts of epidermal growth factor.

The mice that developed blood infections were those nursed by females that had been lactating for longer periods of time and, therefore, had lower levels of epidermal growth factor in their milk.

"One of the big implications is not only the necessity of using breast milk to feed preemies whenever possible," said Knoop, the paper's first author, "but milk with higher concentrations of epidermal growth factor."

Newberry said it may be possible to add epidermal growth factor to donor breast milk or formula that has lower amounts of the important substance.

"Frequently, donor milk is donated by women near the end of their lactation," he said. "But that milk may not be maximally beneficial to premature babies. We think it may be possible to increase the concentration of epidermal growth factor in the milk that lacks adequate amounts so that we can give that fortified milk to premature infants."

Unlike antibiotics that tend to kill bacteria indiscriminately, breast milk containing higher amounts of epidermal growth factor would not kill harmful or beneficial bacteria in the gut, but might keep such bacteria out of the bloodstream.

"This probably is not a strategy that we would use to treat an infection," Tarr said. "But it may well be useful in the near future to prevent potentially deadly infections."
Detroit's city buses ground to a halt on Tuesday after drivers refused to show up for work over safety concerns sparked by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Detroit Department of Transportation reported early this morning that fewer than 10 per cent of city buses were operating because of a driver shortage.

A tweet from the City of Detroit urged passengers to seek other modes of transportation 'while we work to address our drivers concerns.'

A short time later, a follow-up tweet was sent announcing that there will be no buses today and apologizing for the inconvenience.

Detroit city bus drivers refused to work on Tuesday over COVID-19 concerns, causing a total service shutdown

DDOT drivers told Fox 2 Detroit they have been taking sick leave because they say city leaders have not been addressing their concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 5,983 confirmed cases of the virus, 58 of them in Michigan, and 100 deaths nationwide.

The shutdown is believed to be the first instance where a city service was scrapped because of employee action sparked by the pandemic, reported The Detroit Free Press reported.

According to its website, DDOT is the largest public transit provider in Michigan that serves the City of Detroit and surrounding suburbs and cities.

Some 85,000 riders rely on the bus system every day to get around. At peak hours, around 170 buses criss-cross Detroit and neighboring cities on their routes.

Amadou Sanders checks his phone for options after Detroit canceled bus service on Tuesday

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 5,983 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 100 deaths

Officials told The Detroit News they have met with local bus drivers to listen to their concerns, including riders clustering around fare boxes, vehicle cleanliness and access to restrooms during bathroom breaks.

A plan is said to be in the works to disinfect the entire fleet of buses and provide more protective equipment for drivers.

Glenn Tolbert, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, told the paper buses could be back on routes as early as Wednesday morning.

'The drivers didn't feel safe going on the bus, spreading their germs and getting germs from anybody,' Tolbert said. 'We are on the front lines and picking up more sick people than doctors see. This was a last resort but drivers didn't feel safe.'
Highlights Vodafone has two prepaid plans under Rs 500 offering 2GB data

Airtel has three plans under Rs 500 that offer 2GB data per day.

Reliance Jio has two plans that offer 2GB data per day such as Rs 249, Rs 444 under Rs 500.

The telecom giants Vodafone, Reliance Jio and Airtel have gotten very aggressive with their prepaid plans. Ever since the price hike in December, the network operators have made lots of changes in their prepaid plans and have even discontinued some. The price hike has not really affected the subscribers as the benefits continue to remain the same and the telecom companies have designed the best possible plans to suit the needs of their customers.

There are different types of customers, while some prefer a lot of internet data on their phones, some only use their phones for calling. Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone have prepaid plans of different prices but all the three companies offer some of the most efficient prepaid plans under Rs 500 that offer as much as 2GB data per day.

Vodafone

Vodafone doesn't have too many options to choose from when it comes to providing 2GB data per day. It has two prepaid plans such as the Rs 299, Rs 449. The Rs 299 comes with 2GB data per day along with 100 SMSes per day, unlimited calling to all networks and a free subscription to streaming apps such as Vodafone play and Zee5. The plan is only valid for 28 days.

The Rs 449 plan, on the other hand, offers 2GB data per day along with with the usual calling benefits that Rs 249 plan offer but it has a validity of 56 days. Any plan that offers 2GB data under 500 can be called as efficient because it provides data benefits in abundance along with the usual calling facilities.

Airtel

Airtel has a lot of interesting prepaid plans these days and unlike Vodafone, it has three plans under Rs 500 that offer 2GB data per day such as Rs 298, Rs 349, Rs 449. The Rs 349 comes with 2GB data per day, unlimited calls and 100 SMSes per day. It has a validity of 28 days. Whereas the Rs 449 plan, on the other hand, offers similar benefits but has a validity of 56 days and if you want to shell some more money go for the Rs 698 plan that offers the same benefits but can be used for 84 days.

Reliance Jio

Jio is a complete people pleaser when it comes to offering prepaid plans. It currently has two plans that offer 2GB data per day such as Rs 249, Rs 444 under Rs 500.

The Rs 249 it's one of the cheapest yet most efficient plans as compared to the other plans. Other than 2GB data per day, it comes along with unlimited Jio-to-Jio calling and a free subscription to Jio apps. The plan is valid for 28 days.

The Rs 444 plan, on the other hand, has same things to offer along with Jio to Jio Unlimited, Jio to Non-Jio FUP of 2,000 minutes but is valid for 56 days.
CNN Philippines stopped broadcasting on Wednesday after a coronavirus case was confirmed in the building where the television channel is based, forcing it off the air while the offices are disinfected

CNN launched a new 24-hour cable news channel in Brazil Sunday, expanding its footprint in Latin America and looking to challenge the market dominance of long-time leader Grupo Globo.

The new channel, CNN Brasil, is a "licensing partner" of CNN, meaning it is locally owned and operated but uses the US-based network's name and branding, as well as some programming from CNN International.

It scored something of a scoop in its first night, landing an exclusive interview with President Jair Bolsonaro.

The far-right leader defended his decision to participate in a mass rally by his supporters earlier in the day, which defied his own health ministry's recommendations on containing the coronavirus pandemic.

Bolsonaro criticized what he called virus "hysteria," saying: "canceling (events) won't contain the virus. You can't just stop the economy, that would put people out of work."

CNN Brasil has faced questions over how independent its editorial line will be.

Unlike in the United States, where CNN is critical of President Donald Trump, the Brazilian network is being scrutinized for its apparently close ties to Bolsonaro, an admirer of the US president.

Chief executive Douglas Tavolaro previously headed the news division at Brazil's second-largest TV network, Record, a channel launched by evangelical pastor Edir Macedo, the founder of a mega-church seen as close to Bolsonaro.

Chief financial backer Rubens Menin, a billionaire construction and real-estate mogul, has meanwhile openly supported the Bolsonaro government, despite previously working closely with the left-wing governments that led Brazil from 2003 to 2016.

That has led to speculation the network could become a "Brazilian Fox News," the channel known for its close ties with Trump.

CNN Brasil, however, has vowed to maintain an independent editorial line.

The channel launched with an estimated investment of 700 million reals (around $144 million) over 10 years and reportedly has an initial staff of 600 employees.

Headquartered in Sao Paulo, the economic capital, it will also have offices in Rio de Janeiro and the capital, Brasilia.

The Portuguese-language channel joins CNN en Espanol, which launched in 1997 and broadcasts across most of Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin shared details Tuesday regarding a plan to provide direct cash support to Americans amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mnuchin called it a stimulus package to the American worker and said funds could be sent to Americans within the next two weeks.

Were looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said at the press conference Tuesday. Americans need cash now.

The initiative is part of a $850 billion stimulus package the White House is proposing to support businesses and taxpayers. The White House hopes to pass the measure quickly, possibly within the week, the Associated Press reported.

The far-reaching economic package is larger than the 2008 bank bailout or the 2009 recovery act.

It proposes relief for not only workers but also small businesses and $50 billion for the airline industry.

Mnuchin will outline the $850 million package in a private meeting with Senate Republicans.

The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday.

Mnuchin declined to share specific details regarding the plan - including who would be eligible for the plan or how much Americans could expect to receive.

Other lawmakers have called for direct financial support to Americans.

Mitt Romney, the Republican Utah senator and former governor of Massachusetts, proposed on Monday giving every American adult $1,000.

The senator said the moves would help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy at a time when shops, restaurants and public buildings are shutting down nationwide.

Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III proposed giving $4,000 to American adults making less than $100,000 a year in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House also announced Tuesday efforts to help those most most at risk of severe to fatal infection receive medical care from home.

The new option will allow millions of older people covered by Medicare to take care of ongoing medical problems as well as new concerns, while heeding public health advice to stay home during the outbreak.
A Beacon of Hope is a captivating story that will thrust the readers into the narrative, allowing them to experience the characters losses, fears, challenges, and even their hope. A Beacon of Hope is the creation of published author Larissa Self, a woman who grew up overseas and returned to the United States to enroll in college where she received an electronics degree. She homeschooled her three youngest children for twelve years and was a math tutor for other homeschooled students.

Self writes, In the final chapter of The Riley Cooper Series of Hope, the plague that ravaged the world of human life still has no cure. Survivors have fled the cities in the hopes of not becoming its next prey. In their dire need to save themselves, many survivors became victims of false saviors that have resurrected some of historys worst practices.

The murder of a dear friend flips Rileys world upside down. Frightened that the rest of the team being held hostage will succumb to the same fate, she, along with her family and friends, sets out to get them back. What they find is far beyond anything any of them could have imagined.

Though Jackson, Wyoming, has become a beacon of hope for many, obstruction and hardship caused by others has planted the seed of doubt in the minds of some survivors. But Divine Providence has reminded Riley of His promise:

The day of tyranny has returned, but God has heard the cry of His people and has given them hope. That hope today, my friends, is us. (Riley Cooper).

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Larissa Selfs new book is an engrossing narrative that tests the readers in having hope in life regardless of the situation they are going through in life.

With this book, Self takes the readers on a fascinating journey of one womans fight for survival in a world ravaged by a disease, but through it all she keeps her faith by staying focused on the only true beacon of hope, Jesus Christ.

View a synopsis of A Beacon of Hope on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase A Beacon of Hope at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about A Beacon of Hope, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
The brother of a suicide bomber who killed 22 people in the British city of Manchester was found guilty on Tuesday of 22 counts of murder over the 2017 attack. Hashem Abedi was also convicted of one count of attempted murder and conspiring with his brother Salman to cause explosions at an Ariana Grande concert almost exactly three years ago. It was one of the deadliest terror attacks ever carried out in the UK, and also saw more than 200 people injured. Families of some of the victims cried when the verdict was read out at the Old Bailey court in London, although Hashem did not attend. Paul Hett, whose 19-year-old son Martyn was killed, said the verdict would not bring back the dead but gave "an overwhelming sense of justice to all those affected by this heinous crime". Martyn's mother said it would not give the family "closure". Hashem was not at the scene of the attack, in fact he was in Libya when it took place, but prosecutors said the Manchester-born brothers were "jointly responsible" for the atrocity. - The real deal - The court heard the suicide bombing was carried out as a result of months of planning by the brothers. Hashem, now 22, obtained chemicals for a home-made bomb and also found an address in Manchester to manufacture the explosive and store it. The court also heard he bought a car to store other bomb-making equipment. The brothers used 11 mobile phones in five months in the run-up to the attack, the court heard, as well as two separate addresses in Manchester, one of which prosecutors said they used as a bomb factory. Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Salman travelling to Manchester Arena before detonating his bombs on crowds leaving the concert on the evening of May 22. Hashem was extradited to the UK last summer after being arrested by the authorities in north Africa. His brother Salman was killed in the attack. Following his arrest, Hashem tried to "point the finger of responsibility" at his dead brother, police said in a statement. Prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said that was an attempt "to evade responsibility for his own culpability for the cruel and cowardly carnage that took place at the arena that night". The senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough, said after the verdict that Hashem was "every bit as responsible" for the deadly attack as his older brother. "These two men are the real deal, these are proper jihadis," he said. "You do not walk into a space like the Manchester Arena and kill yourself with an enormous bomb like that, taking 22 innocent lives with you, if you are not a proper jihadist." A public inquiry into the bombing is due to begin in June.
GREENWICH, Conn., March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The 25th Anniversary edition of the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance has been canceled due to coronavirus health concerns, Hagerty announced today.

"We all love cars and the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, which is a highlight of the year for thousands of car fans across the region and nation," said McKeel Hagerty, chairman of the event. "But what matters most is the safety and well-being of our friends, families and loved ones."

The Concours, he said, will return in 2021 with exciting new classes and features. In the meantime, once public health officials agree that it is safe to congregate again, Hagerty plans to host local car events to engage and energize car and driving fans and whet their appetite for next year's show.

Mary Wennerstrom, executive director of the Concours, said sponsors, local officials, car owners, Concours fans and vendors have been notified of the cancellation and are supportive. "I think everyone understands this is the wisest course of action. They're all disappointed, of course, as are we, because the Greenwich Concours is such a staple on the local event scene. But we'll pour our energies into making the 2021 event the best ever."

Anyone who has purchased a ticket to the 2020 event, originally scheduled for May 30-31 at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, will receive a full refund through Showclix.com within 7-10 business days.

Hagerty is working to identify other ways to raise money for Americares and the Hometown Foundation, the Concours' longtime charity partners. For more information on the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, please visit greenwichconcours.com.

About Hagerty

Hagerty is an automotive lifestyle company dedicated to the love of driving. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Drivers Club, DriveShare, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Hagerty magazine and Motorsportreg, and is the world's largest provider of specialty insurance for enthusiast vehicles. The company also supports keeping car culture alive for future generations through numerous youth programs and by supporting the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) and the RPM Foundation. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com.

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Reporters for the World Socialist Web Site spoke to two medical doctors on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting Britains National Health Service (NHS) and their concerns for the future.

One based in Wales warned, With the available figures, it is going to be a serious disaster globally. I believe this could be minimised if all the modern scientific knowledge and resources are utilised methodically, although governments around the world do not want to spend enough money for this.

National Health Service (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

The cuts to the NHS started with [Conservative prime minister] Thatchers government in the 1980s, and they have continued and escalated.

I work in a District General Hospital, in which we have only 12 ICU [intensive care] beds, which is not enough to cope with this type of a pandemic. Respiratory failure after viral pneumonia cannot be managed in normal wards or in high dependency units (HDU) because the patient needs to be intubated and artificial ventilation must be given.

Rooms for patient isolation are very limited and nursing staff and junior doctors are also short in numbers, which has created big problems in the A&E department [Accident and Emergency].

I reckon that the numbers of other staff such as phlebotomists, radiotherapists, health care workers and medical laboratory technicians cannot possibly cope with this type of a pandemic.

So far there have only been a few positive tests for coronavirus in this area, but with numbers increasing exponentially, we wont be able to cope.

The doctor was asked about the statement by Sir Patrick Vallance, the governments chief scientific adviser, who said: Its not possible to stop everyone getting it [Covid-19] and its also not desirable because you want some immunity in the population to protect ourselves in the future.

He said of Vallance, I totally disagree with this approach because the spread can be minimised. It is true that any viral infection produces a herd immunity, but it is not known whether it will be long lasting or not. For influenza virus, it lasts only for a few months and the next year you can get it even if you are vaccinated.

Total lockdown for a few weeks will prevent the spread because there is no human contact. But this government does not want to do it, saying it will harm the economy. I wonder if some politicians may like killing the elderly and ill population for the future prospects of the economy.

Asked about the UK governments strategy of containment, delay, research and mitigate, he answered, I feel that they are going to fail at all these strategies due to poor commitment and the reluctance to spend funds on the public.

The number of new cases and deaths are rising very rapidly. They may have to go to the mitigate stage soon.

Research is mainly done by the private sector whose main aim is to earn profits.

On the governments refusal to implement widespread testing, the doctor said, I think that wider sections should be tested now to contain the pandemic. I wonder whether 111 [NHS helpline], the testing material and places to quarantine people will be able to cope. The crisis is far more critical than the government seems to think.

Asked whether the commitment made by the government in this months budget of 65 million to develop a vaccine was enough, the doctor replied, If the money is given to the private sector, this wont be enough for them because they want profits, not to help the public.

The government has spoken of bringing in retirees to help in the existing crisis. There are already retirees working in the NHS due to the shortage of staff. The governments have been unable to train an adequate number of nurses, doctors and health care workers. But they are vulnerable to the virus and have a higher probability of dying.

Cultural events should be suspended and many workplaces and schools closed immediately to help stop the disease spreading. The government and employers must ensure that all families should be given benefits.

Those who have only minimal symptoms still spread the disease. Children who get the disease at school will spread it at home to adults.

They should reserve a much larger percentage of GDP for the health budget and cut off all the money reserved for national security, which is preparation for war, killing people. First, the wars should be ended, then only can the danger of global pandemics be tackled.

A doctor, whose field is microbiology and infectious diseases, who works on the front line in a London NHS hospital told the WSWS, We dont know exactly how long this crisis will continue. The virus may circulate again next winter. It matters immensely how quickly we find an antiviral or a vaccine and how effective public health measures are.

Hospitals should be preparing for a surge in cases. The number of people sick must not exceed the capacity of the health system. This depends on the number of doctors, nurses, scientists and the number of hospital/ICU beds, the availability of consumables [medical equipment]. Clearly, measured against each of these criteria the NHS is woefully inadequate.

Modern governments need to have quickly expandable health care capacity. They should have effective public health surveillance systems. Patient contact should be minimized by having separate wards/ICU areas for infected patients. Personal protective equipment should be provided. Public transport should be minimized by working from home when it is appropriate.
BC Joshi, the Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs filed a counter-affidavit on behalf of the Centre in the SC on the pleas challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. He clarified that this was a preliminary affidavit and the Centre was at liberty to file a detailed reply subsequently. First, he listed the chronology of the developments pertaining to the issue of citizenship. Thereafter, he contended that the Parliament had the jurisdiction to pass legislation on citizenship.

Read: Telangana Becomes Eighth State To Adopt Resolution Against CAA; Also Includes NPR, NRC

Arguments by Centre

Describing CAA as a benign piece of legislation, Joshi opined that the specific amendment was enacted by the Parliament to offer amnesty to minorities in specific countries with a clear cut-off date. Moreover, he admitted that the aforesaid legislation did not provide answers to purported persecution taking place across the world. Highlighting the Statements of Objects and Reasons appended to the bill, he clarified that the CAA neither impinged any right that existed prior to the enactment of the amendment nor did it affect the rights of Indian citizens. The Centres counter-affidavit stated that people living in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can become Indian citizens irrespective of their religion.

Read: Shehla Rashid Appeals To Government To Revoke CAA In Wake Of Coronavirus Outbreak

The Director in MHA claimed that the judicial review of the apex court would be very restrictive. He also reckoned that the matters concerning the sovereign power of Parliament could not be questioned via Public Interest Litigations. Responding to the criticism that groups such as Ahmadiyya are also persecuted, he stressed that the Parliament was competent to earmark the religious communities in the three countries without adhering to the minority status given to any community by those countries. Joshi also argued that the intra-religious persecution due to the non-recognition of any sect could not be compared to the persecution of religious minorities. After this, he cited various replies in Parliament and note verbales issued to Pakistan to buttress the point that India has consistently protested against the persecution of minorities. Furthermore, he said that the non-inclusion of a particular country in the legislation cannot be the subject-matter of the judicial review.

Additionally, the affidavit dismissed the contention that the CAA ran afoul of Article 15 of the Constitution, citing that the classification was based on intelligible differentia. It maintained that the legislation was not against any community and secularism, pointing out the fact that it did not grant an exemption to Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka and Tibetan Buddhists from China. It has also been argued by the Centre that the identification of illegal migrants is a sovereign right of the government and was distinct from the CAA. Joshi also remarked that Indian citizens could not claim rights under Article 15 and 19 on behalf of illegal immigrants and foreigners. Finally, Joshi urged the Supreme Court to dismiss these pleas as the CAA did not violate any fundamental rights of the Constitution.

Read: Anti-CAA Stir: Protesters Blocked From Taking Out March At AMU Against Youth's Death

Read: BJP MLAs Rake Up CAA-NPR In Maha Assembly; Speaker Adjourns Within 30 Mins Amid Ruckus
Senate Democrats are proposing a new coronavirus aid package, with at least USD 750 billion to boost hospital capacity, unemployment insurance and other direct aid for American households, businesses and the health care industry.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is floating the proposal as Congress and the White House are quickly developing a third aid package to fight the novel virus that has brought the nation to a standstill.

Republicans are talking privately among themselves about their new priorities in what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called a comprehensive approach to help families and small businesses.

It comes as senators are returning to Washington on Monday to consider swift approval of an earlier aid package from the House, which provides sick pay, free testing and emergency food aid for families. That's on top of the initial $8.5 billion in aid that was approved two weeks ago.

The days ahead will test if Congress can quickly respond to the crisis.

The nation's largest business organization asked the Trump administration and Congress on Monday to act rapidly to help companies have access to cash and avert a potentially devastating hit to the economy as the coronavirus pandemic forced closures and quarantines that threatened to choke off commerce worldwide.

In a letter to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for legislation including a three-month cancellation of the taxes companies pay to support Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance.

They also recommended an easing of restrictions on loans for businesses that employ less than 500 workers and an expanded system of loans and loan guarantees for larger companies.

The chamber said in a statement accompanying the letter that acting quickly could mitigate the potentially devastating economic effects of the virus' spread. The chamber's proposals come with talks already underway on a new bill aimed blunting the damage the virus is doing to the economy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Linda Cao has no idea who fatally shot her best friend, 42-year-old Huong Nguyen, and then put her body in the trunk of Nguyen's car in New Orleans East last week.

And Cao realizes few people may go to Nguyens funeral Friday because of the governments restriction on crowd size to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

All Cao hopes, for now, is that police make an arrest in the case so that Nguyens loved ones can experience some small sense of closure during these tumultuous times.

Woman found fatally shot inside trunk of vehicle in New Orleans East; NOPD investigating A woman was shot to death and put in the trunk of a car before she was found in New Orleans East on Friday evening, police said.

Hopefully, the investigation  can help her rest in peace, Cao said.

According to authorities, Nguyen was shot to death and put in the trunk of her silver Toyota Camry. Her body was found about 8 p.m. Friday near the corner of Robin Hood and Will Stutley drives, about seven blocks from the home she shared with her mother.

Nguyens boss at an insurance office saw her leave her workplace in the 8000 block of Crowder Boulevard about 5 p.m. March 11, and she was reported missing after she failed to show up to the office the following morning and couldnt be reached by her family.

Cao, Nguyen's former college roommate and high school classmate, said she understands that information from Nguyen's cellphone showed she went to a gym after work and sent some text messages during the evening. But then the trail went cold.

Police issued a news release about midday Friday asking the public to call if they had information on Nguyens whereabouts. Friends organized a Facebook group to help find her.

Hours later, Cao said, a neighbor saw Nguyens car and told her family. Police found the vehicle, with Nguyen's body in the trunk, about 8:10 p.m.

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Police havent named any suspects or discussed a potential motive in the case. A law enforcement source said investigators had since obtained various search warrants in the case, including to review surveillance footage from homes in the neighborhood.

Cao said she and countless others are now mourning the death of Nguyen, a graduate of Marion Abramson High School in New Orleans East.

Nguyen previously worked as an advertising sales representative for the weekly newspaper Gambit.

She dreamed of finding someone with whom to settle down and maybe have a family, Cao said. Money was always tight, but Nguyen never let that compromise her good fashion sense, Cao also recalled.

New Orleans City Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen said Tuesday that Huong Nguyen was a cousin of hers.

The family is dealing with this as best they can, Cyndi Nguyen said. We would love to find what happened to her to provide some closure to her for the family.

It saddens Cao to think that fewer people may go to her friend's funeral due to fears about coronavirus and restrictions on the size of gatherings in the face of COVID-19.

Nonetheless, no matter how few people can gather to say farewell, Cao said, I want everyone to remember that she celebrated life, and her life was taken so suddenly.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:17:45|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A list of China's top 10 medical science and technology news events of 2019 was released by a national health newspaper on Tuesday.

Clinical trials of an innovative drug, an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis platform and gene-edited diseased monkeys cloning were selected, the Health News reported.

Two papers published in the New England Journal of Medicine, about the clinical trials of Roxadustat, a drug targeting anemia in chronic kidney disease, topped the list. They were conducted by two Shanghai research teams.

It was the first time that the journal published companion papers of one clinical drug trial by Chinese doctors as the first and corresponding authors, the newspaper said.

An AI-assisted platform to help diagnose patients with congenital cataract was included in the list. It was built by doctors from the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University based in south China's Guangdong Province.

The AI system can diagnose this eye disease faster than doctors, with an accuracy of more than 87 percent.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences cloned five macaque monkeys from the skin cells of a diseased monkey, representing the first time anywhere in the world that gene-edited macaque monkeys of uniform genetic background have been produced.

The advance on the list will help promote research on the mechanisms of human brain disease and early diagnosis and treatment, according to the newspaper.

Other important news events included an archaeological discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine, several large-scale epidemiological studies and the development of new methods in treating brain diseases, liver cancer, lung cancer, and Zika infection.

According to the newspaper, the results were chosen from 136 sets of research, which have been published in the world's leading journals and reported by Chinese media over the past year. The newspaper also solicited candidates from medical departments, research institutes and universities.

Experts from organizations including the National Health Commission, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as scientists in the fields of medicine and public health were invited to vote for the top 10.

It was the newspaper's fifth annual selection of medical sci-tech top news events.
After President Ram Nath Kovind nominated former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday said that this has raised serious questions about the credibility of the Supreme Court.

"The acceptance of the offer by Ranjan Gogoi as a nominee to the Rajya Sabha is highly inappropriate and objectionable and it raises very serious questions about the credibility of the institution," Karat told ANI.

She also said, "When Gogoi was the CJI he had said that it was very wrong for any retired justice of the SC to accept a government post and now, within four-five months of his retirement, he has accepted to hold such post."

Karat further said that Gogoi's acceptance has led to people question the "standards of those who are in the most important position of authority as far as the judiciary is concerned."

She said that the offer to the former CJI was an instrument of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish his dominance over the judiciary. "We all know that the Narendra Modi-led government is hell-bent on establishing its domination over the judiciary and this is one way to do it. It is very harmful and damaging for India's Interest," she added.

On BJP MP Tejaswi Surya calling Congress leader "sicko", the CPI(M) leader said, "These BJP leaders don't know how to hold political discussion or political debates. This comment shows that he was trained to use unparliamentary words to describe a political opponent."

"Can't say anything about the training that these leaders have received as they have been trained by Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Potential to Become Multi-Site Dust Suppressant Solution Provider

MONTREAL, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc. (TSX:EAC) (Earth Alive or the Company), a Canadian soil health company is pleased to announce an agreement (Agreement) for a commercial test of its proprietary EA1 dust suppressant with a major mining operation in Chile to become the projects dust suppressant solution provider.



Under the terms of the purchase order, Earth Alive will conduct a four-week, 15,000-square-meter on-site trial to validate the efficacy of the Companys proprietary EA1 dust suppressant at a large open-pit mine in northern Chile. According to CEO Michael Warren, This trial is in addition to the ongoing projects in Mexico, South Africa and Brazil. Initial results and feedback from the ongoing trials have been very positive including those from the US$2,000,000 ongoing project in Mexico, which started in September 2019. We are very proud of the results and the success of our Infrastructure Maintenance division which was completely restructured in 2018.

With the mining sector taking an increasingly proactive approach towards environmental protection and stewardship, we are confident that the results will lend well to the ongoing deployment of our EA1 microbial technology throughout the industry, added Mr. Warren.

EA1 is a microbial, user-friendly, efficient and environmentally safe alternative for haul road dust suppression. It reduces particulates by 95% and decreases water consumption by over 90%. Moreover EA1 contributes to reducing operating expenses (OPEX) through lower operational costs and improved safety.

About Earth Alive Clean Technologies

Earth Alive is a soil health company and an industry leader in microbial technologies. Earth Alives innovative products contribute to regenerative agriculture, natural dust suppression with minimal water use and industrial cleaning that is ecological and human friendly. For additional company information, please visit: www.earthalivect.com .

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Forward-Looking Information: Certain information in this press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, which reflect the current view of management with respect to the Company's objectives, plans, goals, strategies, outlook, results of operations, financial and operating performance, prospects and opportunities. Wherever used, the words "may", "will, "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "expect", "plan", "believe" and similar expressions identify forward-looking information and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a guarantee of future events, performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether, or the times at which, such events, performance or results will be achieved. All of the information in this press release containing forward-looking information or forward-looking statements is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information and statements. The Company does not undertake to update any such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.
APPLE TV's new adaptation of sci-fi epic Foundation, which was being filmed in Castletroy, has halted production due to the coronavirus.

The filming of the ten-episode series, which is based on Isaac Asimov's books, has been taking place at the expansive Troy Studios.

The writer and executive producer of Foundation is Blade and Batman Begins producer David Goyer, along with Asimov's daughter, Robyn Asimov.

Chernobyl and Mad Men actor Jared Harris and The Hobbit star Lee Pace are starring in the series, which is said to be the largest-scale production ever filmed in Ireland.

The story centres on a group that become exiled and want to save a Galactic Empire from destruction.

Last week Lee Pace posted on Twitter about how he was enjoying the scenery in the region.

By the way.... Ireland is stunning. pic.twitter.com/axfZk925N9  Lee Pace (@leepace) February 25, 2020

The series was expected to be streamed next autumn.

Previously, an open casting call for a movie being produced by Troy Studios has been cancelled over coronavirus fears.

The casting call for extras was due to be held at the Metropole Hotel, Cork on Tuesday, March 10.

In a statement from MovieExtras.ie, a spokesperson said: As a precautionary measure due to COVID-19, we have decided to cancel the Open Casting for Film Extras for the Sci-fi Production shooting in Troy Studios and surrounding areas. It was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 10th March at The Metropole Hotel, Cork.

It was announced previously that production would not be affected, however, this has now changed.

Previously, Troy Studios produced Nightflyers, which was filmed on location. The show, based on the novella by George R. R. Martin, appeared on Netflix in 2018.
She would usually sit on a stool on one side of the bar, because it was perfect for watching the TV and bothering the bartenders. On Monday, she sat at a table inches from the bar where stools would normally be.
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To fight the spread of the coronavirus among those most likely to develop severe illness, Gov. Gavin Newsom has told Californians aged 65 and older to isolate themselves at home.

But what about the 20% of Californians in that age group who still have a job?

Many older workers are now facing a tough choice: Should they follow public health directives, or keep showing up to work in order to pay the bills and put food on the table?

"There's a lot of uncertainty and there are definitely mixed messages," said USC gerontology professor Kate Wilber. "How do we ensure that people that are pretty much on the margin economically are safe during this?"

The percentage of seniors in the workforce has been rising in California since 2008. About one in five residents 65 and older is still working, with many staying in the workplace because they lack retirement savings.

Working in old age can have some benefits, such as increased social interaction and mental engagement. But in this fast-moving public health crisis, it's also potentially exposing some of the most vulnerable people to infection.

"I have to work," said 67-year-old Koreatown resident Barbara Lochridge. "I don't have a choice."

She's been working as a crossing guard for the city of L.A. during the past few months. But when schools shut down last week, she said, "They called me and told me, 'Listen, you're gonna finish up the afternoon, but the schools are closing and we're going to have to lay you off. I'm so sorry.'"

Now, she's leaning into her other job -- doing deliveries through Postmates.

Lochridge knows that due to her age, and the fact that she's had chemotherapy in the past, she'll be at higher risk of developing life-threatening complications if she contracts the coronavirus.

But she said she needs to keep working in order to pay her rent. She plans to wash her hands regularly and keep her distance from others.

"I don't interact with too many people," she said. "I pick up their package with gloves on. I drop it off at their front door. I don't talk to anybody."

'I'D RATHER WORK THAN JUST SIT AROUND'

Others say they would be willing to stay home. But they're taking cues from their employers.

"They haven't called me and said you need to stay at home," said Delilah Tibson, a 71-year-old housekeeper at the Westin Bonaventure. "But if they did, sure, I would stay at home."

Tibson said she'd heard the calls for seniors not to leave the house, but she planned to show up for work Tuesday because she was still on the schedule. She lives alone and doesn't want to disrupt her routine, or lose the income needed to support herself.

"I get joy, working," she said. "I'd rather work than just sit around."

Paul Irving, chairman of the Milken Institute's Center for the Future of Aging, said older workers may fear losing their jobs, and not being able to find a new one once things get back to normal.

"They suffer the risks of ageism in employment, and oftentimes in re-employment," Irving said. "If they leave their jobs, the prospect of being re-employed is that much more challenging for this population. Particularly if the financial impacts of the coronavirus lead to recession, as I think is likely."

This week, economists with the UCLA Anderson Forecast said the U.S. economy has already entered a recession, ending an economic expansion that stretched on for more than a decade. They predict the recession will last through September.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

WASHINGTON  California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of the Senate at age 86, will be on Capitol Hill this week to vote on coronavirus relief legislation, according to her office.

Feinstein plans to return to work even as Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked people 65 and older in California to stay at home. Seniors are most susceptible to the novel coronavirus and are more likely to suffer serious complications if they become infected.
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned a host of borrowers in connection with the Yes Bank case. Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani, Essel Group Chairman, Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, DHFL promoter Kapil Wadhawan, and Cox and Kings promoter Peter Kerkar are some of the borrowers who have been called by the ED in connection with its probe on Rana Kapoor.

Anil Ambani has been summoned by the agency again on Thursday. He was summoned to the ED office on Monday for questioning over the stressed loans sanctioned by Yes Bank to the group during the tenure of Rana Kapoor. The group is one of the biggest borrowers with loans to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore. However, Ambani filed an adjournment application and sought more time from the agency.

Sameer Gehlaut of IndiaBulls has also been summoned on March 20 and Avantha Realty promoter Gautam Thapar has been summoned on March 21. On Monday, Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IHFL) said that Sameer Gehlaut or any company related to him or his relatives had no loans outstanding from YES Bank. On Sunday, IHFL had clarified that the company as well as its promoters do not have any outstanding term loan from YES Bank.

The agency is drawing up a list of all the big borrowers and hence each of these borrowers have been asked to join the probe. As per the daily, ED wants to dive into all the accounts that defaulted and turned the loans into bad loans. The statement of these promoters will be part of the prosecution's complaint.

The ED is also looking into the rationale behind Kapoor keeping some of his realty assets on mortgage with some housing finance firms. The official said that these properties were illegal gratification that Kapoor had received on advancing loans without due diligence or loans that were not in line with the Banking Regulation Act.

Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra would appear at the ED office on March 18.

In a statement, the company said that most of the credit facilities were fully secured and were availed for its infrastructure business and not in the media firms. The company also said the group had never made any transactions with Rana Kapoor, his family, or any private entities controlled by them.

Also read: YES Bank crisis: Former CEO Rana Kapoor's ED custody extended till March 20

Also read: RBI Governor Das assures Yes Bank customers, says money is safe
This is the lighthearted moment a Southwest Airlines flight attendant brightened the mood on almost-empty Dallas to Orlando flight by sliding snacks down the aisle during take-off.

The unnamed worker let the packet fall down the aisle past fliers, who smiled as the treats went passed them.

The heartwarming footage was posted online by traveler Kady Carrougher on Monday.

She wrote: 'Today I flew @SouthwestAir only 29 people on a plane for 175 people.

'Our flight attendant wanted to bring light to this trying time by sliding snacks down the isle during takeoff White heart its the little things.

'Pay it forward and make someone laugh this week!'

The heartwarming footage was posted online by traveler Kady Carrougher

Responding to the video a spokesman for Southwest airlines wrote: 'Looks like you were on a fun flight, Kady! Glad you enjoyed your time onboard with us, we Love sharing the skies with you!'

Kady added: 'The humor was much appreciated given the circumstances.'

On Tuesday Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that the spread of coronavirus 'is worse than 9/11' for the airline industry.

United, Delta and Virgin have already drastically slashed their flight schedule, taking other cost-cutting measures, and storing their large aircraft which will be out of use.

The airlines have also requested a bailout package from the government, ranging between $45 billion to $65 billion.

Industry group, Airlines for America, has estimated that the nation's seven largest airlines will run out of money completely between June and the end of the year.

A gate area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is crowded with travelers awaiting Delta flight 1420 to Atlanta, Saturday

Passengers reunite with family members in the International arrivals zone at Dulles airport outside Washington on March 13

Mnuchin said Tuesday: 'This is worse than 9/11. For the airline industry they are almost ground to a halt.' Airspace in the US and Canada was forced to close for two days in the wake of the terror attack which killed more than 3,000 people.

The White House was asking Congress on Tuesday to approve a sweeping emergency stimulus package to help businesses and taxpayers cope with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. It's the most far-reaching economic rescue package since the Great Recession of 2008.

Mnuchin planned to outline the roughly $850 billion package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week.
In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, blood donations are drying up, potentially endangering the lives of thousands of patients who need transfusions.

As of Sunday, about 2,270 Red Cross blood drives had been canceled across the country due to concerns about the novel coronavirus, resulting in approximately 71,400 fewer blood donations, Red Cross spokeswoman Christine Welch said in an email to SFGATE.

She said she expects that figure to rise.

As communities across the country prepare for this public health emergency, its critical that plans include a readily available blood supply for hospital patients, Welch said.

She noted that volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need of transfusions.

Andy Lynch, spokesman for San Francisco Mayor London Breed, said in an email the Bay Area-wide shelter-in-place order that went into effect at midnight Monday does not apply to blood donations.

Giving blood is an essential social service. People are encouraged to still give blood, he said.

Understandably, people are hesitating to donate when their leaders are hammering the importance of staying at home and maintaining social distancing when going out. But Welch said giving blood is a safe process.

Donating blood does not impact or weaken the immune system, Welch said. In fact, we urge healthy individuals to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment to help maintain a sufficient blood supply and avoid any potential shortages.

Last week, a viral tweet that started with the words CORONAVIRUS LOOPHOLE!!!!! falsely claimed that if you donated blood, you would automatically be tested for COVID-19 for free. The spurious tweet was eventually taken down, but not before it was retweeted 85,000 times.

Welsh said there is no test to screen blood donations for COVID-19 and no data or evidence that the disease, or any respiratory virus for that matter, can be transmitted by blood transfusion.

Red Cross employees adhere to strict safety protocols, including wearing gloves, wiping down donor-touched areas after every collection, using sterile collection sets for every donation and arm scrubbing.

In addition, Welch said, both staff and donors have their temperatures checked before blood drives, surfaces and equipment are regularly disinfected and donor beds are spaced as far as part as possible.

SFGATE reached out to Vitalant, which runs blood drives and donation centers in 40 states including California, for comment about about the status of donations, but the company did not respond.

In January, Vitalant told its regular donors that blood supplies were already low, more than a month before the coronavirus crisis in the U.S.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

---

Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
Former Ukrainian MP arrested in absentia in Russian embassy attack case

 RAPSI, Natalia Vaneyeva

12:11 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Moscows Basmanny District Court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant in absentia for ex-lawmaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Igor Mosiychuk allegedly involved in the attack against Russian embassy in Kiev in March 2016, the courts spokesperson Irina Morozova told RAPSI.

Mosiychuk is charged with assault on persons and institutions enjoying international protection. In December, he was put on the international wanted list.

From March 5 to 10, 2016, a group of rebellious people intentionally and in conspiracy committed several attacks against the Russian Federation embassy to aggravate international relations between Russia and Ukraine.

Investigators have received evidence of the former MPs participation in the attack. His actions violated the order of the diplomatic offices work and caused serious material damage to its property, according to the Russian Investigative Committee.
The Spanish army is being deployed in major cities under the state of alarm as deaths linked to coronavirus have gone up from 136 to 329 in the past 48 hours. Spain has registered more than 9,191 infections, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, becoming the second country after Italy with most newly registered infections.

Riot police used in France

The army has deployed 1,100 soldiers from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in 13 provinces throughout Spain. Army personnel have also been dispatched to clean up swathes of Madrid, which health officials fear may have been infected by large crowds, and to the borders. Madrid has closed its borders with France and Portugal.

According to the state of alarm, soldiers will be considered representatives of authority which implies that they may issue orders to civilians and that those who fail to comply with them or resist them may be accused of disobedience or resistance to authority.

The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government will deploy the army in the streets for control and surveillance, to ensure compliance with the regulations limiting freedom of movement under confinement. The government has also taken control of state, regional and local police, including that of Catalonia and the Basque Country, while private security officers will be under the command of the police.

Anyone violating non-compliance or resistance to the orders of the authority faces fines of 600 to 30,000, according to the Citizen Security Law. They also face up to four years in prison. The same law that the PSOE and Podemos promised to remove once in power, is now being implemented under a state of alarm.

The turn to the army is a warning to workers and youth.

The UME was created 13 years ago by the PSOE government with the claim that it would serve to fight natural disasters and emergencies. In fact, it represented the militarisation of a service which until then was implemented by civilians. While successive governments cut the budgets of civilian units struggling against fires and natural disasters, UMEs budget increased to the point it currently has 3,500 troops, armoured personnel carriers, helicopters, motorbikes, military police vehicles and a mobile command centre. In 2017, UME even inaugurated the Military School of Emergencies, unprecedently meaning the militarisation of job training of emergencies.

In a country which suffered over half a century of military dictatorships during the 20th century, where the army launched a coup in 1936 which plunged the country into a war during which they allied with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, and sealing their victory with mass executions of 200,000 political oppositionists and militant workers, there is wide opposition to militarism and fascism. UME became one of the main vehicles of the ruling class to legitimise the role of the army in domestic and foreign affairs.

The states reliance on the army and UME reflects its slashing of resources for public health and research, whose bitter costs are being revealed by the pandemic. While successive right-wing Popular Party and PSOE governments imposed massive cuts in healthcare and research, they showered the army with billions of euros. Now, the ruling class, desperate and isolated in the face of economic meltdown, strikes and growing anger at their mismanagement of the virus, are deploying the army because it views every social problem as a military-police problem.

From Monday on, millions of people will be confined to their homes for at least two weeks. The government has already said it will extend the state of alarm beyond the 15 days mandated by law. Under the state of alarm, people can only go to specific shops individually, and stay in them for the time strictly necessary, avoiding crowds and stay at least one meter away from other people. Only food, beverage, products and essential goods establishments will remain open such as pharmacies, medical supply stores, opticians, shops for orthopaedic and hygienic products, press, fuel and pet food stores.

Millions of other workers who cannot work from home are being forced to go to their workplaces, travelling in unhygienic conditions and working in an unsafe environment. These are not health workers, nurses, pharmacists or supermarket staff, but factory and construction workers whose companies have decided not to stop production during the following 15 days.

Images have circulated of hundreds of workers crammed in buses, subways and trains in Spains major cities as workers try to desperately get to work under conditions where public transport service have been drastically reducedviolating one of the main recommendations of the World Health Organisation of maintaining at least one metre and a half separation from other people.

One subway worker in Bilbao, the Basque Country, told eldiario.org: It was really crazy. They have shortened the schedules of the subway lines and all those who go, especially to the factories on the left bank in the early hours have had to pile up to wait for the train.

El Pais noted, The subways early morning carriages, the transport services of the working class were full. One deliveryman delivering toys and video games said, Im risking my life for stupid things ... Im delighted to deliver medicines to hospitals or whoever needs them. If someone needs something from the pharmacy, Ill take it to them. But it doesnt seem right to risk ones life for things that people dont need.

Vast solidarity exists among workers for a genuine struggle against the virus. Numerous videos have shown quarantined citizens in Spain and Italy coming together on social media to go out to their balconies and clap for a minute in support of healthcare workers and others who continue to work and risk their lives.

Seeing the capitalist class is incapable of managing the crisis, and is even continuing to prioritize profits over lives, workers are starting to mobilize calling for factories to close.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria, the largest factory in the Basque Country with over 5,000 workers, stopped production yesterday after workers stood before the line of departure of finished vehicles to demand that management prioritize the health of workers over production.

In Barajas, Getafe and Illescas, thousands of workers in the worlds largest airliner manufacturer, Airbus, are being called by the unions to not attend work. The unions actions came after widespread anger erupted after a coronavirus case was detected. The same unions are currently negotiating redundancies for the workforce.

In Valladolid, workers from the industrial vehicle manufacturing plant of Iveco shut down the factory, saying that the company was not taking the appropriate safety measures. The companys management asked for more time to negotiate the conditions of an eventual shutdown, but workers decided to take action after 4 days of work.

Thousands of workers of car manufacturer Renault and tire manufacturer Michelin have also forced the shutdown of their factories in Valladolid, Palencia and Seville.

It is to suppress this growing anger that the ruling class is preparing to use the army. In October 2017, at the height of the secessionist crisis in Catalonia, Madrid sent thousands of paramilitary Guardia Civil to repress peaceful gatherings and protests. The Spanish government even contemplated declaring the state of alarm and deploying the army.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Shanghai Hydrogen Propulsion Technology Co., Ltd. (SHPT), a subsidiary of SAIC Motor, launched on March 16 a new fuel cell project at Jiading District in Shanghai, which is expected to help SAIC Motor speed up the industrialization of fuel cell-related products.

Under the project, the company plans to build at Jiading Hydrogen Park a fuel cell-focused base that is available for R&D, administration business, product test & verification, pilot scale production, and supply of hydrogen energy with RMB500 million to be invested, according to a post on SHPT's WeChat account.

The first phase is set to start operation in August 2021 with an annual capacity of 12,000 sets of fuel cell stack and system. Besides, the project is anticipated to output value of RMB1.2 billion by 2024.



(Photo source: SHPT's WeChat account)



Founded in June 2018, SHPT is set up to accelerate the commercialization and industrialization of fuel cell related products for SAIC Motor. The subsidiary says it provides fuel cell products and engineering services for vehicle manufacturers and has completed the development of several types of fuel cell stacks and systems, with power levels ranging from 30kW to 100kW and above. It mainly serves SAIC-owned brands such as Roewe, Maxus, Sunwin, Hongyan and Naveco.

Local government of Jiading District, Shanghai issued on June 10 two documents, saying it aimed to increase the district's full-year output value of the whole industrial chain for hydrogen energy and fuel cell vehicle (FCV) to over RMB50 billion by 2025.

To achieve that goal, the government proposed a series of policies to support the development of hydrogen FCV industry.

For instance, it would place priority on critical programs launched by hydrogen vehicle-related companies with sufficient supporting funds. Enterprises and public institutions in Jiading would be encouraged to prioritize the products made in the district in terms of procurement.

In a bid to enlarge the industry cluster, the newly-introduced key programs invested by domestic and foreign capital and their headquarters would be rewarded with up to RMB10 million worth of funds.
[March 17, 2020] Celigo Opens Data Center in Germany to Support Fast-Growing Roster of EMEA Customers

Leading iPaaS Provider's Latest Opening Underscores Commitment to Worldwide Expansion Strategy SAN MATEO, California, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Celigo, the leading integration Platform-as-a-Service (iPaaS) provider for both business and technical users, today announced the opening of a data center located in Hanover, Germany, to provide infrastructure and compliance support based in Europe for the company's fast-growing contingent of EMEA customers. The investment is part of the company's worldwide expansion strategy to meet the rising demand for its integration platform. "We're off to a terrific start with our worldwide expansion strategy," said Jan Arendtsz, founder and CEO of Celigo . "This new data center allows us to offer the same global level of performance, security, and reliability from European servers." Last year, Celigo brought veteran tech industry executive Gert-Jan Wijman on board as Senior Director for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, opened an Amsterdam office as its European headquarters and added to its London-baed staff. The opening of the data center is the latest investment in resources for EMEA customers and partners.



"Serving our hundreds of EMEA customers locally is a priority for Celigo," said Arendtsz."I look forward to continuing to work with our EMEA colleagues to deliver solutions to customers worldwide." As business app usage spirals upward across all industries, it's becoming more critical than ever for companies to find integration solutions to break down data silos so they can automate processes and leverage data to generate insights. Celigo's unique approach to iPaaS is increasingly popular because it simplifies integration for business users and IT professionals alike, connecting applications to facilitate the free flow of data and enable agility and innovation at an unprecedented scale.

Celigo's groundbreaking iPaaS solution has been adopted by many companies throughout the EMEA region, including Bolle Brands, Veeam, Elli (Volkswagen Group), Mimecast, ESI Group, GetBusy, Meltwater, Paul Valentine, Pitney Bowes, and many others. Since launching its global expansion strategy last year, Celigo has experienced strong growth in the European market. "Our momentum is accelerating in EMEA, and the opening of our Hanover data center in Q4 last year was a significant milestone and a major investment in the services and resources we provide to our global customers and partners," Wijman said. "With Celigo's best-in-class iPaaS solution, customers can focus on what they do best, using data to differentiate themselves in the marketplace." Celigo has already hosted a European webinar that focuses on an EMEA customer's data integration and automation strategy. About Celigo

Built for both IT professionals and business users, Celigo is the next-generation integration platform (iPaaS) that easily connects and automates processes across thousands of applications. It allows users to quickly build, manage and handoff complex integrations at scale, requiring fewer IT resources and lowering total cost of ownership. For more information visit www.celigo.com , and follow Celigo on YouTube and Twitter . CONTACT: Abigail Kneal, [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1090969/celigo_logo.jpg

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After years of denying any wrongdoing, former Rep. Duncan Hunter has been sentenced to 11 months in prison and three years of supervised probation, according to NBC's San Diego TV station KNSD.

NBC7 Tweet

A California Republican who represented the state's 50th Congressional district, Hunter and his wife were charged with 60 criminal counts of campaign finance violations in August 2018 ahead of the midterm election. They faced allegations of spending campaign funds on personal items such as vacations, gas, groceries -- and airfare for a pet rabbit.

Federal Election Commission finance rules prohibit spending campaign funds for personal use.

Hunter initially denied any wrongdoing, pleading not guilty and dubbing his prosecution a "witch hunt."

But in December, he swiftly changed course.

In an interview with KUSI News when he announced his plan to change his plea, Hunter said, "I think it's important that people know that I did make mistakes. I did not properly monitor or account for my campaign money. I justify my plea with the understanding that I am responsible for my own campaign and my own campaign money."

In December, he pleaded guilty to a single felony count of misuse of campaign funds, but he stayed on in his lawmaker role for a month longer, resigning only on Jan. 7. Even after submitting his guilty plea, Hunter continued to receive his taxpayer-funded salary, which is about $477 per day, according to the Huffington Post.

Hunter, 43, faced a maximum of five years in jail, but prosecutors asked Judge Thomas Whelan to impose a much lighter sentence on account of the December deal, recommending 14 months instead.

Whelan, who presided over Hunter's case, delivered the sentence in San Diego's Southern District of California court. The judge ordered Hunter to surrender to the court on May 29 due to concerns over the increasingly deadly coronavirus outbreak, according to a PBS reporter.

PBS tweet

Despite concerns related to the coronavirus, the trial took place in person, with several parties who are within the age range that health officials cite as the most vulnerable to the outbreak. Whelan is 80 years old, and Hunter's attorney Paul Pfingst is in his late 60s, according to the Times of San Diego.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom decided not to call a special election to replace Hunter, his office told CNBC in January, meaning California's 50th Congressional district will go unrepresented until the November midterm elections.

Margaret, Hunter's wife and former campaign treasurer, took a plea deal earlier this year. She admitted to her role in the scandal and agreed to testify against her husband.

Hunter was first elected to his seat in 2008. He won again in November 2018 with 51.7% of the vote, despite facing indictment.

His family has served in Congress for decades. Hunter's father was in the House for 28 years before him.
Photos of hunters struggling to lift up a giant wolf they had shot so they can pose with it have been doing the rounds on social media this week.

The incredibly large animal was reportedly shot near the village of Aleksandrovka, in Blagoveshchensk district, the autonomous Republic of Bashkortostan, where packs of wolves had recently started terrorizing residents. Interestingly, locals say that wolves had not been seen in the area four over four decades, but they recently turned up this winter, and had not shied away from entering human settlements. Several dogs have been found torn to pieces in recent weeks, and around twenty cows and sheep and horses have been eaten by the wolves. To make matters worse, guard dogs have apparently stopped barking to alert people about approaching wolves.

They dont bark, the dogs are hiding in the kennels. There is no barking at all. Why? Im not a hunter, I dont know. They are probably afraid, they feel, Aleksandrovka resident Mikhail Dementov said.



The people of Blagoveshchensk district became even more distressed last week, when local hunters managed to shoot dead a giant wolf that stood as tall as an average man on its hind legs. Photos of the hunters struggling to pose the gigantic creature have been doing the rounds online in Russia, and were even picked up by several UK tabloids.

Although the giant wolf has been getting a lot of attention on the internet, in Blagoveshchensk people are scared that such creatures may still exist in the forests surrounding their homes.

This year its been very difficult, the wolves have defeated us, local hunter Igor Baranov said. We have no good hunters left.
In this April 13, 2018 file photo, a Delta Air Lines plane takes off above a taxiing Alaska Airlines airplane at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. Read more

With each day that the coronavirus outbreak spreads and claims more lives, the damage to global airlines rises too. U.S. carriers on Monday put a price tag on their pain: They asked the federal government for more than $50 billion in rescue aid.

It is a staggering request for an industry that has chalked up tens of billions in profits over the past decade. It would far exceed the bailout that airlines got after the terror attacks of September 2001.

Airlines CEOs have been making the rounds in Washington and making phone calls to lobby for assistance in the last few days. Airlines for America, the trade group representing all the leading U.S. passenger and cargo airlines, finally provided some details about what the airlines want.

They are asking for $29 billion in federal grants: $25 billion for passenger airlines, $4 billion for cargo carriers. They also want up to $29 billion in zero-interest loans or loan guarantees, split the same way between passenger and cargo carriers. And they want federal excise taxes on fuel, cargo and airline tickets to be suspended through the end of next year and possibly longer.

That package would easily surpass the $5 billion in grants and up to $10 billion in loan guarantees that Congress approved after the terror attacks of September 2001, which temporarily grounded all U.S. flights and led to a long slump in domestic travel.

Without help, the carriers could run out of money in the second half of this year, according to their trade group.

President Donald Trump wasted little time in saying that his administration will support the industry, although he didnt discuss dollars or say what an assistance package might look like.

We are going to back the airlines 100%. Its not their fault, Trump said during a press conference in the White House. He added that airlines were having a record season before the virus outbreak.

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are evaluating possible steps to help the airlines, including federal loans and tax relief, according to a Republican aide on the House Transportation Committee.

Meanwhile, airlines continued to outline drastic plans to slash flights, hunker down and wait for the outbreak to pass. They said travel demand is still falling. Nobody, it seems, wants to be cooped up in a plane, even a half-empty one, during a pandemic.

Things are so bad, Southwest Airlines said Monday, that for some days this spring cancellations are outnumbering new bookings. The airline gave this new phenomenon a name: net negative bookings.

Southwest expects revenue trends to get worse during the rest of March and the second quarter, and so it withdrew its 2020 financial forecast, said it will cut capacity 20% from mid-April through early June, and imposed a hiring freeze. The airline also said it completely drew down a new $1 billion credit facility as soon as the deal closed.

Starting Friday, Delta, American and United on successive days seemed to outdo each other in announcing deeper cuts in flying than they were contemplating just a few days earlier. They have grounded hundreds of planes, imposed hiring freezes and asked employees to consider voluntary unpaid leave.

Despite those measures, airline stocks have continued to nosedive, as investors join travelers in shunning the airlines.

U.S. airlines are coming off a decade marked by record profits. Since the start of 2014, Delta, United, American and Southwest have reported a combined, cumulative profit more than $70 billion. Critics say the airlines have spent too much on buying back their own stock, which keeps the share price higher, and could have done more to protect themselves from the current downturn.

Kevin Mitchell, who leads a group that represents business travelers, said airlines have opted not to buy pandemic insurance that has been available since 2018.

Airlines use record profits to buy back shares but not to secure insurance for predictable virus crises," Mitchell said. In his view, airlines should be required to carry such insurance before they get any help from taxpayers or airline customers, a consumer advocates should have a stronger role in advising the government on federal policy toward airlines.

Senator Edward Markey, D-Mass., said Congress should put conditions on aid to airlines. Financial assistance may be needed for some of our most impacted industries, he said, but any infusion of money to the airlines must have some major strings attached, including a ban on unfair fees for changing or canceling a ticket, and targets for reduce carbon emissions from airline planes.

Around the globe, airline bookings are plummeting and cancellations soaring as governments restrict travel and people fear being enclosed in an airplane for several hours during a pandemic that has already sickened about 170,000 people and killed more than 6,500.

Late Sunday night, United Airlines announced that it would slash 50% of its flying capacity in April and May and warned that the cuts could extend into the peak summer travel season. Even with thousands fewer flights every week, the airline expects its planes to be only 20% to 30% full at best, and March revenue will be down by $1.5 billion.

The bad news is that it's getting worse, CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby said in a letter to Uniteds roughly 96,000 workers. We expect both the number of customers and revenue to decline sharply in the days and weeks ahead.

American Airlines on Monday suspended about 75% of its long-haul international flights through at least May 6 and began grounding about 135 planes. It will cut passenger-carrying capacity in the U.S. by 20% in April and 30% in May.

Just a week ago, airline CEOs were confident they could manage through the outbreak. Their companies are stronger and more profitable than during the dark days after 9/11. Despite their stellar decade of the 2010s, however, the airlines haven't been tested in a recession.

American's CEO, Doug Parker, said last week that the coronavirus crisis will test the industry's ability "to withstand the types of shock that we have never been able to withstand before.

Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
The Sudanese prosecutor's office on Tuesday ordered the arrest of former foreign minister Ali Karti for his role in the 1989 coup which brought Omar al-Bashir to power.

It also said in a statement that his assets would be frozen and that arrest warrants had been issued for five other people.

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The Nigerian Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Monday commended Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi for his exceptional achievements in the area of security and peace in the state.

Lawan gave the commendation when he paid a condolence visit to the Governor at his home country residence in Okene to commiserate with the family over the demise of their mother, Hajia Hauwau Bello.

Hajia Hauwau Bello, the mother of the governor passed on on Sunday evening after a brief illness, and was buried on Monday in Okene according to Islamic rites.

Lawan commended Governor Bello in his effort to ensure peace and guarantee security for the people of the state.

According to Lawan, while he was on his way to Okene, he shared the story of insecurity Okene was known for before the coming of Bello, stressing that achievements of the governor in the area of peace and security remained unparalleled.

He acknowledged that the state had an excellent representation at the Senate chamber as the three senators from Kogi state have shown unity and togetherness and have also worked with the National Assemblys leadership towards securing beneficial ends for their state.

Speaking on the demise of the Governors mother, the senate president said the familys matriarch lived a very fruitful life which was reflected in the children she produced, noting that they would continue her legacies of peace and unity.

Senator Lawan said prayers should continually be offered for the repose of the late matriarch, stressing that there was nothing as good as praying for the soul of the departed beloved.

He pointed out that as leaders it was also important in such moment to pray for the country, stating that there was no current challenges the country was faced with that prayers could not surmount.

The Senate President noted that Nigerians deserved to be thanked for their continued understanding and support promising that the legislative arm would continue to work with the state government in ensuring security of lives and their properties.

In his response, the Governor on behalf of the family, thanked the Senate President for finding time out of his tight schedule to share in such moments of grief which he said was significantly a time of celebration of their mothers life well spent.

Bello also expressed appreciation to the National Assembly for their show of love and friendliness, noting that their mother lived a life of virtues and that she was such who loved not just her children but every children.

Governor Bello noted that as their mothers last child, his mothers prayer while he was growing was that he would someday be a leader in the State and even in the North of the country.

The Governor added that his strife and Agenda for unity and peaceful co existence amongst all tribes in the state, were being sponsored by the charge and instructions of his mother when he became governor in his first term.

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He narrated that before her demise, she charged him to ensure the safety of lives and properties of the people of the state.

This resolution he pointed out was as a result of her experience at the hands of kidnappers in 2014 who was kept in the cave for 93 days.

Governor Bello promised that he would continue to ensure the security and safety of the people and their properties to the best of his abilities while expressing confidence in the competence of those charged with the duties of security in the state.
Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to extend the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 weeks for "special categories of women" which include rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled and minors.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which seeks to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 was passed by a voice vote.

Certain amendments moved by opposition members were defeated.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the proposed law allows termination of pregnancies in cases related to rape, incest, minor girls, and pregnancy with substantial foetal abnormalities.

"The bill is the first step towards the safety of women. We have had extensive consultation with several stakeholders. There was also a Group of Ministers and the bill was discussed in great detail," he pointed out.

Vardhan said several petitions have been filed in the courts for termination of pregnancies beyond permissible limits. The Supreme Court saw 26 petitions related to medical termination beyond the prescribed period while the high courts saw over such 100 cases.

"It is a very progressive legislation. Even the courts had said that the law should be reviewed," he said.

One of the salient features of the proposed law is "enhancing the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women which will be defined in the amendments to the MTP Rules and would include 'vulnerable women including survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable women (like differently-abled women, minors) etc".

If pregnancy has to be terminated in 20 weeks, the opinion of one doctor is required. But beyond that, opinion of two doctors would be needed and one of them has to be a government physician.

Name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy is terminated shall not be revealed except to a person authorised in any law which is in force, according to a provision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin Michelle Jamrisko (Bloomberg) Singapore  Tue, March 17, 2020 14:38 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b3facd 2 Business COVID-19,Malaysia,Singapore,lockdown,coronavirus Free

Malaysias lockdown is the latest threat to a Singapore economy already reeling from the coronavirus outbreak.

The city state relies heavily on its neighbors workers and food, and Malaysias move Monday night to ban all visitors and prevent residents from traveling overseas for about two weeks will choke off a key labor channel.

Maybank Kim Eng Research Pte. estimates that about 400,000 Malaysians working and studying in Singapore cross the border on a daily basis. The potential hit to the city states economy could therefore be large.

Banning daily commuters will essentially cut off almost a 10th of Singapores labor force, hurting both the manufacturing and services industries, said Chua Hak Bin, a senior economist at Maybank in Singapore.

Read also: Malaysia restricts travel, shuts schools and businesses to combat coronavirus

Singapore was already facing a recession because of virus-related disruptions to the citys trade and tourism. Maybank was estimating a 0.3 percent contraction in gross domestic product in 2020, with the potential for a more severe decline if the Malaysia shutdown takes a heavier toll on the economy.

Malaysia and Singapore remain joined at the hip by geography and history, Chua said. Malaysias lockdown, especially on travel and non-essential business, could have severe knock-on effects on Singapores economy.

The cut-off also threatens to pummel food supplies in Singapore, which relies on Malaysia for a substantial volume of fruits and vegetables. Singapore officials moved Monday to reassure citizens the city wont run out of food and supplies as consumers rushed out to stack up on groceries.

Although its unexpected and unprecedented, I guess well just have to wait and assess given its only for two weeks, and there should be sufficient inventories of food to cover that period, Selena Ling, head of research and strategy at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd. in Singapore, said in an email.

Ling said shes forecasting a 0.9 percent year-on-year contraction for Singapores first-quarter GDP growth, but the risk is that it drags into the second quarter as well.

While Singapores officials were credited with a swift, clear, and effective response in the early stages of the outbreak, the global spread of the virus has brought a new wave of challenges to the small and open city state. The number of infections has spiked in recent days, with new cases mainly from overseas arrivals to the country.

Read also: Three Indonesians who attended mass prayer in Malaysia test positive for COVID-19

The latest economic data doesnt yet show the pain of the virus outbreak. Non-oil domestic exports expanded 3 percent in February from a year earlier, including a 2.5 percent gain in electronics shipments, according to data published Tuesday.

Port data for February showed that Singapore container throughput was humming along, if not booming, at an above-average rate compared with long-term norms.

Before the virus outbreak set in, Singapore was poised for a modest rebound following the worst growth performance in a decade in 2019. The government last month reduced its forecasts for 2020 economic growth to a midpoint of 0.5 percent, from 1.5 percent.
'Salmond (65) faces 13 charges of alleged offences against nine women, all of which he denies.' Photo: Russell Cheyne/Reuters

A Scottish government worker has told a court he would not have "trusted" the civil service to handle "sensitive" complaints made against Alex Salmond.

Civil servant Christopher Birt told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday there was a "culture" built up over a number of years and he had been "frightened" of the former first minister of Scotland.

His comments came after the court heard from an alleged victim who said Mr Salmond grabbed her and it felt like "wrestling with an octopus".

Salmond (65) faces 13 charges of alleged offences against nine women, all of which he denies.

He was formally acquitted of a charge of sexual assault after the Crown offered no evidence, reducing the total from 14 charges against 10 women.

It was heard Mr Birt was aware of issues with Mr Salmond but he did not trust procedures that were in place to handle them properly.

Gordon Jackson QC, representing Mr Salmond, said his client could be inappropriate and this came "with the territory" of the position, which Mr Birt agreed with.

Mr Jackson put it to the witness there had never been "any thought" about contacting police.

The 37-year-old responded: "The culture built up over a number of years.

"None of the women felt like they wanted to complain, we felt in a very difficult position where it was difficult for us to do anything further because the civil service had allowed this to build up over time."

He added: "Frankly, I can't speak for the women but I can speak for myself.

"I would not have trusted the civil service procedures at that time to be able to handle such sensitive issues."

The Crown case has now concluded, with the defence expected to lead evidence today.

The trial continues.
[March 17, 2020] Exotic EPZ LTD Goes Solar with REDAVIA

REDAVIA, a global market leader of cost-effective, reliable, and clean solar power for businesses, signed a lease with Exotic EPZ LTD, an international nuts and oils processing and export company. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005051/en/ Jane Maigua, Managing Director of Exotic EPZ Ltd, and Erick Castro Bungu, Sales Director at REDAVIA, after signing the lease agreement (Photo: Business Wire) Exotic EPZ Ltd is led by a dynamic trio of Kenyan ladies, Jane Maigua, Loise Maina, and Charity Ndegwa, wo are passionate and purposeful about creating sustainable and inclusive agribusiness value chains. Their mission is to see their entire value chain prospering, by having a positive impact on smallholder farmers, particularly rural women farmers, and which creates opportunities for growth in incomes for themselves and their families.



With this goal in mind, REDAVIA stood out as the perfect choice for Exotic's energy needs. REDAVIA provides cost-efficient, renewable energy under a flexible lease contract, enabling Exotic EPZ LTD to reduce costs and increase their operational flexibility. Additionally, REDAVIA's carbon neutral solution enables Exotic EPZ LTD to reduce their carbon footprint, solving the sustainability challenge of Exotic EPZ LTD's energy needs. "Before coming together to start a business, Loise, Charity, and I were all working on separate women economic empowerment programs" said Jane Maigua, Managing Director of Exotic EPZ Ltd. "We are thrilled to have found in REDAVIA an energy partner who values our joint commitment to sustainability and economic business choices."

Erwin Spolders, CEO & founder of REDAVIA, confirmed, "We are delighted to partner with a team that has such great vision. A company like Exotic EPZ LTD that understands the balance of carbon footprint reduction and cost control can truly make a difference." About Exotic EPZ LTD

Exotic is a reputable and integral player in the African Agro processing industry which prides itself in delivering high quality products to key global markets. The company works closely with the many smallholder farmers to maximize yields, provide market and input information, collectivize smallholder farmers and provide markets that are sustainable and guaranteed. Their mission is to source, produce and supply the finest quality products in the nuts and oils value chains while empowering small-scale producers, particularly rural women farmers. Find out more at https://exoticepz.co.ke/ About REDAVIA

REDAVIA offers solar power for businesses in West and East Africa. The REDAVIA system is based on a pre-configured model, including high-performance solar modules and electrical components. It is easy to ship, set up, scale, and redeploy. Businesses benefit from a cost-effective, reliable, clean energy solution with minimal upfront investment or technical skills. Find out more at www.redaviasolar.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005051/en/

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The shutdown of school has created uncertainty for support staff in the Tomah Area School District.

The board listened to support staff who expressed concern about not being paid or reporting to work and being exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The spread of COVID-19 triggered an order from Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers that all public and private schools be closed effective March 18.

I would like you to consider how this will affect people on the lower end of the pay scale, said Amy Franks, a secretary at Warrens Elementary School.

Support staff received a memo Monday outlining three options:

Report to work.

Stay at home without pay

Utilize sick accumulated sick leave.

Nora Davis, a special-education aide at Oakdale Elementary School, said support staff doesnt have the option of working from home like teachers do. Teachers will prepare and distribute lesson plans and will continue to be paid during the shutdown.

Davis said support staff salaries are already included in the budget.

It seems like the school district is making money off this pandemic because they dont have to pay those people now, Davis said.

School district business manager Greg Gaarder denied the district was using the prospect of idled support staff to save money.

The biggest thing that weighs on my mind is hourly workers, Gaarder said.

He said paying idle support staff during the shutdown could rip a hole in the budget if classes are allowed to resume later this spring and extend into summer.

How am I going to make that payroll up for the rest of the year, and how are we going to do that without going too far into the fund balance? Gaarder said.

Gaarder said some support staff will be necessary. The district is planning to establish pickup points for school lunches and learning materials.

He said school buildings will be mostly empty during that time and employees would face minimal risk.

We have to feed our students  somebody has to do that, Gaarder said. We have to keep our payroll office open. We have to pay our bills.

Jim Smiezek, whose wife is a support staff worker, suggested a furlough approach. He said it would allow staff to collect some type of income to keep going and not have to source out another job the next two to four weeks  or however long this lasts.

The full school board will need to approve a permanent plan for support staff. The board will consider the issue during a special meeting Thursday, March 19.

Board member Nancy McCoy said events are moving rapidly and that any plan is subject to change.

Were all going through very complex choices, McCoy said.

Tomah Journal editor Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net.

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Air India pilots have asked the government for financial assistance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The divestment-bound airline's plea for help comes as airlines across the world stare at massive losses due and even fear going bankrupt.

Two Air India pilots' unions-- Indian Aviation Guild and the Indian Commercial Pilots Association -- have said that the coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc across the globe. The pilots said that in such times Air India pilots continued to do their duty at considerable personal risk and rescue people from affected countries.

"Despite cases of infections on our aircraft and even quarantine for our crew, the employees continue to do their duty at considerable personal risk," stated the letter. "We urge you to provide urgent financial aid to Air India so that we, the airlines employees, can keep on doing our jobs and (continue) serving the nation," the unions said.

The pilots said that the government has not infused any funds into the airline in the current financial year and stated that it would make it impossible for Air India to meet its monthly financial obligations.

"Our salary is getting delayed for more than a year and even as of date, even January wages have not been paid in full," the pilots said in the letter. They stated that essentially all Air India flights are currently rescue missions that they are undertaking at the cost of their own safety with escalating risk of contracting coronavirus. "This repeated withholding of wages is straining us financially," the unions said in the letter.

Think tank Centre for Asia Aviation, has already warned that most airlines across the globe would go bust if the governments do not undertake coordinated action. As per another report by Acuite ratings, domestic air traffic could be impacted by 50 per cent.

Separately, the Board of Airlines Representatives in India (BALR) has sought a 30 per cent reduction in aeronautical charges for the next six months. The foreign airlines body said that the new coronavirus outbreak is adversely impacting the airline industry, and it is under tremendous pressure.

Also read: Indian airlines shares tumble as govt suspends visas to halt coronavirus spread

Also read: Coronavirus impact: American Airlines to suspend almost every long-haul international flights from March 16
TDT | Manama

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander yesterday hailed the professionalism and capability of Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) calling it as the fortified shield of the nation.

The Supreme Commander said BDF will remain, as it has always been, as a force that supports peace and countering threats to the region, alongside brotherly and friendly countries.

His Majesty was patronising the live ammunition tactical drill (Shield of the Nation 2020) of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) during which joint forces carried out several tasks assigned to them according to preset plans.

The drill, HM the King said, reflects BDF personnels professional level and high morale as well as the participants accuracy, proficiency and harmony. HM King said the participants have proved their high professional level and stressed the importance of continuing such joint exercises to improve the servicemens competence and combat skills.

The Supreme Commander valued highly BDFs health contributions and efforts to combat Coronavirus (COVID-19) with well-equipped medical facilities and preventive measures. HM the King, the Supreme Commander, expressed thanks to the tactical drills commander, participants and officials for the outstanding efforts they had exerted to ensure its success.

Defence Affairs Minister, Lieutenant-General Abdulla bin Hassan Al-Nuaimi, and several senior BDF officers also attended the joint drill. Earlier, upon his arrival, HM the King was welcomed by the BDF Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, National Guard Commander, General HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa, National Security and Royal Guard Commander, Major-General HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Chief of Staff, Dhiyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi.

HM King Hamad was accompanied by Royal Court Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Royal Guard Special Force Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Ethiopia agreed to the format, including having the World Bank join as an external observer, but over the course of successive rounds of talks came to bristle at what they saw as the U.S. and the Bank overstepping their roles and favouring Cairos interest. In particular, Ethiopian officials say the U.S. pushed Addis Ababa to agree to a scheme governing periods of drought that would compel Ethiopia to come close to draining the GERD reservoir, lowering it close to a level where it would no longer be able to generate power. The Ethiopian team skipped a late February meeting where the U.S. wanted the parties to sign the text of an agreement it had drafted. The U.S. Treasury Department responded by warning that if Ethiopia began filling the dam as planned come the rainy season in July, it would breach the international legal principle requiring states to take all appropriate measures to avoid significant harm to other watercourse countries in utilising a transboundary river resource, which is enshrined in a 1997 UN convention . Ethiopia firmly rebuffed the U.S. statement.

Following the late February breakdown in talks, the parties positions are hardening. Cairo, emboldened by U.S. backing, launched a diplomatic offensive to rally support from the Arab League, which adopted a resolution rejecting any move by Ethiopia to begin filling the dam without an agreement. Egyptian officials have also accused Ethiopia of bad faith . The stakes are high for Sisi, who drew criticism from nationalists when he handed over the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, and found his domestic popularity shaken by September 2019 protests calling on him to step down. Against this backdrop, Sisi almost certainly sees his political fortunes as tied to the perception that he is being strong in protecting Egypts claimed share of Nile waters from being impinged upon by unilateral Ethiopian action.

Abiy is likewise in a tight spot in Ethiopia. With elections scheduled for August, the perception that the U.S. is backing Egypt has led prominent politicians to decry what they describe as foreign interference in the GERD talks, and to make individual commitments to defend the GERD. They are reflecting a sentiment that is widely shared. Millions of Ethiopians contributed funds to dam construction and see it as a source of national pride. Ethiopia enjoys quiet support from Sudan, which expects the dam to contribute to its economic development, but Khartoum has remained formally neutral in the dispute in order to minimise friction with its powerful neighbours.

In recent days, tensions have escalated further. Sisi and Abiy each issued photos of meetings they respectively held with senior generals. Nationalistic rhetoric on social media has sharpened in both countries. Ethiopias top military official, General Adem Mohammed, said on a visit to the project site that the countrys armed forces are prepared to repel attacks against the GERD. Then, on 8 March, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry embarked on a tour of Middle Eastern capitals to shore up support for Cairos position.

Although the current circumstances seem too heated to allow the parties to achieve a comprehensive deal in short order, an interim agreement could be in reach.

The escalation needs to stop before the parties find themselves at the brink of a disastrous confrontation. Fortunately, there is a potential way forward. Although the current circumstances seem too heated to allow the parties to achieve a comprehensive deal in short order, an interim agreement could be in reach. In that scenario, the parties would agree that Ethiopia fills the dams reservoir only to the extent required for testing its turbines, which is a scheduled step in bringing the GERD online. This initial filling will require a total of 18.4bcm of water over the course of two years, creating a shortfall that Egypt could compensate for with releases from its High Aswan Dam, which holds up to 169bcm and is currently near its historical high . During these first two years, Ethiopian negotiators say, the GERD will annually release no less than 31bcm of a yearly average Blue Nile flow of 49bcm  or the entire annual flow in the unlikely event that it is less than 31bcm. The amount of water required for the first year of filling is especially manageable, as only 4.9bcm is needed to test the first two of a total of thirteen turbines.

To win Cairos support, such a deal would need to include an explicit Ethiopian pledge to finalise a comprehensive accord prior to embarking on subsequent stages of filling. This would be in the spirit of commitments made by Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan in the 2015 Declaration of Principles on the GERD that the parties would strike an agreement on filling before impounding commences. In that accord, the three countries also said guidelines for the annual operation of the dam would be drawn up, which Ethiopia could adjust over time.

There would be multiple benefits to such an interim deal. Perhaps the most important of them is that it would afford the parties two further years to forge a comprehensive agreement. Striking an agreement to cover the first two years of filling would also create opportunities to build much-needed mutual trust. For example, it could and should provide that the parties institutionalise cooperation on Nile-related issues by establishing a joint ministerial committee to share information on rainfall, river flows and releases from dams up and down the Nile. Finally, an interim agreement of this nature could be feasible for both Abiy and Sisi to support from a political perspective. It would allow both Abiys government to keep its commitment to start filling the GERD reservoir this year and Sisi to say he has avoided a situation where Nile waters are being unilaterally diverted.

Even if the parties agree to an interim deal of this nature, however, they will hardly be out of the woods. The course of negotiations over the past several months shows how challenging it will be to resolve outstanding questions about managing the GERD reservoir, particularly in periods of prolonged drought. Even after the parties issued a joint statement in January 2020 indicating that they had agreed on a filling schedule, as well as drought mitigation mechanisms governing filling and operation during dry spells, fresh disagreements erupted that scuttled the deal. Ethiopian officials claim that U.S. officials pushed them to commit to drawing down the GERDs 74bcm-capacity reservoir to unacceptably low levels in the event of a drought of four or more years. They suggest that Washington is in effect working with Cairo and the World Bank to preserve the annual volumes that Egypt has enjoyed under the 1959 treaty. For its part, Egypt claims that Ethiopia is dragging out negotiations while it races to finish construction and make the dam a fait accompli.

Cairo and Addis Ababa still seem to be poles apart on other issues as well. For one thing, they disagree about the amount of water that Ethiopia will release during the filling period that follows the initial two years of turbine testing. A top Ethiopian negotiator told Crisis Group that in years of average or below-average flows the dam will release up to 37bcm during this period, which Ethiopia expects to last another three to five years. For its part, however, Egypt insists that 37bcm, or preferably a higher figure, should be the floor, not the ceiling, of what Ethiopia releases. Generally, Egypt wants Ethiopia to commit to annual minimum releases that correspond to the rivers flow. The Ethiopian negotiators say a joint ministerial committee should decide releases on a year-by-year basis rather than the countries locking themselves in to long-term plans. The parties also have to agree on a dispute resolution mechanism, which has proven contentious to date.

Despite these differences, an eventual compromise that allows Ethiopia to harvest hydropower, Sudan to benefit from regulated flows to expand farming and Egypt to receive adequate water for municipal, agricultural use and power generation is not beyond reach. As Crisis Group has argued , compromise will require the parties to stop treating the negotiations as a zero-sum game. For its part, to help get talks moving, Addis Ababa could link the GERD reservoirs filling rates to reasonable projections of how much electricity it will consume domestically and sell abroad during the corresponding period. Given the possibility that Ethiopia can produce sufficient power to satisfy projected needs at a slower filling rate than currently planned, this approach might offer some reassurance to Cairo without involving any actual economic disadvantages for Ethiopia. In turn, Egypt needs to edge toward more equitable arrangements on transboundary water sharing, a huge step that might become more politically feasible and less economically painful if it adopts improved water management measures, as long proposed, at home.

In order both to mount an urgent push to reach an interim agreement and set the stage for successful broader talks, the right outside actors will have to be involved.
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The coronavirus is shaking up everyone's schedules, but one schedule remains the same (at least for now): As of mid-March, households across the U.S. have begun to receive mailers inviting them to participate in the 2020 census -- the nation's official headcount. There's already been some confusion about census mailers, thanks to a deceptive RNC fundraising mailer sent out a couple weeks ago, so we thought we'd clear some things up.

Now that on-the-ground canvassing is on hold, households are being strongly encouraged to fill the census out online. Internet and paper questionnaires can be completed in 13 languages. All census mailers will also include a sheet with toll-free numbers in the same 13 languages. Respondents can call these numbers to ask questions, or to give their census answers over the phone.

Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau has created tailored videos and language guides for completing the census online.

If a household does not respond to the first invitation to fill out the census form, the notification process can continue to late April with up to five mailed attempts. Respondents must complete the questionnaire by April 30 if they don't want to have an enumerator come to their door. The last day to respond to the census is July 31.

All communications from the U.S. Census Bureau will be through the U.S. Postal Service only. However, residents can respond to the census online, or by phone or mail.

WHAT TYPE OF MAILER WILL I GET?

While most people are getting mailers asking them to respond online, there are two types of mailers going out, depending on an area's response history. The U.S. Census Bureau divides census mailers into two main categories: Internet first, and internet choice. Depending on the area, some households may also receive a bilingual version in Spanish.

Want to know what type your census tract will receive? Click here. (Interestingly, it can also tell you what side of L.A.'s digital divide you live on.)

WHAT IS 'INTERNET FIRST'?

An "internet first" area is a census tract that is likely to complete the census online based on previous data, such as high broadband access. On the first round of distribution, these tracts only receive an invitation letter to complete the census online.

The majority of households in L.A. County will receive this type of mailer.

WHAT IS 'INTERNET CHOICE'?

An "internet choice" area is a census tract that did not have a majority respond previously to census tests online and are likely to continue not to. This happens in areas with lower internet usage, higher elderly populations, low broadband subscribership or fewer English speakers, according to the 2020 Census Operational Plan.

Multiple areas in L.A. County will receive this type of mailer, according to census data.

WHEN ARE THEY SENT?

The first census mailer is sent out between Mar. 12 and Mar. 20. This includes the letter invitation to respond online to the 2020 Census. Certain households will also receive a paper questionnaire.

If there is no response:

Mar. 16-24: Households will receive a second reminder letter to participate in the census.

Mar. 26-Apr. 3: Households will receive a reminder postcard to respond.

Apr. 8-16: Households will receive a third reminder letter and paper questionnaire.

Apr. 20-27: A final reminder postcard before census enumerators follow up in person. So if you don't want anyone knocking on your door, it's best to fill it out on your own by this time.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

Census mailers will never have a person's name, and will always start with, "Dear Resident." Letters will be signed by Steven D. Dillingham, who is the U.S. Census Bureau Director.

A prominent box in the center will explain the response methods available for the mailer (internet choice or internet first), and will list the household's unique census ID number. The website for submitting the census response is https://my2020census.gov/.

The U.S. Census Bureau or U.S. Department of Commerce will be in the return address. It will also have one of two return destinations listed -- Jeffersonville, IN or Phoenix, AZ.

To verify if more census communication or representatives are legitimate, click here.

L.A. COUNTY OUTREACH TO UNDERCOUNTED COMMUNITIES

The United Ways of California provides discounted broadband access for residents that meet their eligibility requirements, and is focused on providing internet access to hard-to-count communities for the 2020 Census. Residents may qualify for access as low as $10 a month, according to Paola Hernandez, the census program manager of United Ways of Southern California.

Got questions about the 2020 census? Ask us here.
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Sydney, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Czech Republic outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Czech-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

The Czech Republic has a sophisticated telecom market which over the years has attracted investment from a number of major European telcos. The incumbent telco O2 Czech Republic remains the dominant player though alternative operators are gaining market share, partly through organic growth and partly through merger and acquisition activity. One significant deal was the acquisition of UPC Ceska Republika by Vodafone Group, which enabled Vodafones local unit to expand its business in the fixed-line segment. UPC, as well as its portfolio of services, has been rebranded under the Vodafone moniker.

O2 CR has struggled to improve revenue growth in recent years, and in response it has transitioned itself to face market challenges. Among the changes was its reorganisation into separate business divisions and the spinning off of CETIN as a separate unit to manage the fixed and mobile networks while also operating as a national wholesale network provider.

While the mobile sector is showing steady growth, underlying concerns that the market is insufficiently competitive have stimulated the regulator to provide for the entry of a new player at the multi-band spectrum auction scheduled for later in 2020. In addition, the government has amended the Telecommunications Act to improve pricing for end-users, and to ease the number portability process in a bid to stimulate competition and encourage operators to improve the quality of service offerings.

All the MNOs have focused on growing revenue by marketing mobile broadband and other value-added services. While most investment in recent years has been earmarked for LTE, more recently the MNOs have focussed on preparing for 5G. Services are expected to be launched by the end of 2020 after additional spectrum is allocated.

Growth in the Czech Republics fixed-line broadband market has slowed in line with higher penetration. The sector has more recently seen stronger growth in the cable and fibre sectors. The migration away from DSL has largely been due to the expansion of fibre networks, which are being built out by a number of telcos. Many of them are engaged in cooperative ventures, and also access wholesale services on CETINs fibre infrastructure.

Covering developments in the market and regulatory environment, this report provides insights into the evolving fixed-line telecom market of the Czech Republic, offering statistics, profiles of the major operators and an assessment of deployed infrastructure. The report also covers the mobile market, providing an overview of the MNOs as well as developments in technologies and regulatory affairs. A range of market and company statistics provide insights into the state of both the mobile voice and data markets, as well as the performance and strategies of the key network players. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, profiling the key players, assessing access platforms and market trends, and providing broadband subscriber forecasts.

Key developments

O2 CR expecting half of its broadband services to be delivered by fixed wireless by end-2020;

CETIN commits to extending fibre networks to an additional 143 rural zones;

Regulator delays multi-spectrum auction for 5G to mid-2020;

O2 CR withdraws most payphones;

UPC Ceska Republikas services rebranded under the Vodafone banner;

Broadband subscriber base shows steady growth;

T-Mobile CR expands home LTE broadband service;

T-Mobile prepares to close 3G services;

Report update includes the regulator's monitoring report for December 2019, annual report and market reports for 2018; telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report

T-Mobile Czech Republic, GTS Czech, Eeske Radiokomunikace, MobilKom, BT, ED-Telematika, EEZ ICT Services, UPC Ceska Republika, O2 Czech Republic, Vodafone Czech Republic, Nej TV, RIO Media, Nordic Telecom (MobilKom, U:fon).

Table of Contents

Key Statistics

Regional Market Comparison Europe Telecom Maturity Index by tier Market Leaders Market Challengers Market Emergents TMI versus GDP Mobile and mobile broadband penetration Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview

Telecommunications market Government support

Regulatory environment Background Regulatory authority Fixed-line developments Telecom sector liberalisation Privatisation Interconnect Carrier selection and carrier preselection Number Portability (NP) Access Mobile network developments Significant market power (SMP) obligations Roaming tariffs Mobile Termination Rates (MTR) 2G licences 3G licences Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Network sharing Spectrum auctions 3.6-3.8GHz 700MHz Spectrum allocations

Mobile market Mobile statistics Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G (LTE) 3G GSM Analogue networks Other infrastructure developments Mobile voice Mobile data SMS and MMS Mobile broadband Major mobile operators O2 Czech Republic T-Mobile Czech Republic Vodafone Czech Republic Nordic Telecom (MobilKom/U:fon) Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) Mobile content and applications

Fixed-line broadband market Broadband statistics Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks Other fixed broadband services Broadband over Powerline (BPL) Fixed wireless broadband Wi-Fi Wireless local loop (WLL) WiMAX

Fixed network operators Overview of operators O2 Czech Republic Sale to PPF Group CETIN Ceske Radiokomunikace (CRa) GTS Czech CD-Telematika (CD-T) VOLNY

Telecommunications infrastructure O2 CR Alternative operators Wholesale Smart infrastructure Internet of Things (IoT)

Appendix  Historic data

Related reports





List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  Czech Republic  2020 (e)

Table 2  Change in telecom sector investment  2009  2018

Table 3  Development of telecom investment by sector  2009  2018

Table 4  ICT sector revenue  2010  2019

Table 5  Development of telecom revenue  2009  2019

Table 6  Development of telecom revenue by sector  2011  2018

Table 7  Decline in the number of fixed number portings  2009  2019

Table 8  Decline in the number of broadband accesses via LLU  2009  2018

Table 9  Growth in the number of mobile number portings  2009  2019

Table 10  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate  2009  2024

Table 11  Decline in mobile voice revenue by type  2009  2018

Table 12  Development of mobile retail and wholesale revenue  2011  2018

Table 13  Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2009  2018

Table 14  Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers  2009  2018

Table 15  Change in the share of T-Mobile CRs prepaid subscribers  2009  2019

Table 16  Change in the share of O2 CR prepaid subscribers  2009  2019

Table 17  Change in the share of Vodafone CRs prepaid subscribers  2009  2019

Table 18  Growth in the number of M2M connections  2012  2018

Table 19  Growth in mobile voice traffic  2009  2018

Table 20  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2009  2018

Table 21  Growth in average mobile broadband data use per subscriber  2011  2017

Table 22  Change in the number of SMS messages sent  2009  2020

Table 23  Increase in the number of MMS messages sent  2011  2018

Table 24  Decline in SMS and MMS revenue  2009  2018

Table 25  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Table 26  Growth in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by type  2007  2018

Table 27  Change in the number of O2 CR subscribers  2006  2019

Table 28  Development of O2 CRs mobile service revenue (CZK)  2012  2019

Table 29  Development of O2 CRs mobile ARPU (CZK)  2012  2018

Table 30  Growth in the number of T-Mobile CRs mobile subscribers  2006  2019

Table 31  Growth in T-Mobile CR mobile service revenue  2009  2019

Table 32  Development of T-Mobile CRs blended mobile ARPU  2009  2019

Table 33  Change in the number of Vodafone CRs mobile subscribers  2008  2019

Table 34  Change in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers by access type  2008  2018

Table 35  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Table 36  Fixed broadband penetration by type  2011  2019

Table 37  Growth in the number of cable broadband connections  2009  2018

Table 38  Growth in the number of Vodafone CRs broadband subscribers  2009  2019

Table 39  Change in the number of DSL/VDSL subscribers  2009  2018

Table 40  Growth in the number of T-Mobile CRs fixed broadband subscribers  2011  2019

Table 41  Change in the number of O2 CR broadband subscribers  2006  2019

Table 42  Growth in the number of fibre broadband connections  2009  2018

Table 43  Growth in the number of Wi-Fi / FWA connections  2009  2018

Table 44  Decline in fixed-line traffic 2009  2018

Table 45  O2 CR financial data (CZK)  2012  2019

Table 46  O2 CR revenue by sector  2015  2019

Table 47  Decline in the number of O2 CR telephony accesses by type  2011  2019

Table 48  Decline in the number of fixed-lines and penetration  2009  2024

Table 49  Historic  Mobile subscribers and penetration rate  1995  2009

Table 50  Historic - Annual mobile number portings  2006  2016

Table 51  Historic - SMS messages sent  2003  2009

Table 52  Historic  Ration of prepaid to contract subscribers  2001  2009

Table 53  Historic - T-Mobile CR prepaid subscribers  2005  2009

Table 54  Historic - T-Mobile CRs blended mobile ARPU  2004  2009

Table 55  Historic - O2 CR prepaid subscribers  2004  2009

Table 56  Historic - O2 CR prepaid subscribers  2004  2009

Table 57  Vodafone CR prepaid subscribers  2005  2009

Table 58  Historic - O2 CR mobile service revenue ()  2005  2013

Table 59  Historic - O2 CR ARPU ()  2006  2013

Table 60  Historic  UPC CRs broadband subscribers  2003  2009

Table 61  Historic - O2 CR financial data ()  2006  2013

Table 62  Historic - GTS Czech financial data ()  2010  2015

Table 63  Historic - GTS Czech fixed-line subscribers  2013  2015

Table 64  Historic - Fixed lines and teledensity  1995  2009

Table 65  Historic - Fixed voice revenue  20l1  2015

Table 66  Historic - O2 CR naked DSL lines  2009  2014

Table 67  Historic - Broadband access revenue  2011  2015

Table 68  Historic - Internet users, subscribers and penetration rate  1998  2015

Table 69  Historic - Household use of broadband by access type  2005  2013

Table 70  Historic - Market share of broadband subscribers by fixed access type  2010  2015

Table 71  Historic - Market share of broadband subscribers by wireless access type  2010  2014

Table 72  Historic - Proportion of broadband connections by data rate  2011  2014

Table 73  Historic - SMS roaming charges by operator 2010  2015

Table 74  Historic - Data roaming charges by operator 2012  2015

List of Charts

Chart 1  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Leaders (top tier)

Chart 2  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Challengers (middle tier)

Chart 3  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Emergents (bottom tier)

Chart 4  Overall view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 5  Europe - mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 6  Scandinavia and Baltics: mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 7  Northern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 8  Southern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 9  Eastern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 10  Scandinavia and Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 11  Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 12  Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 13  Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 14  Change in telecom sector investment  2009  2018

Chart 15  Development of telecom investment by sector  2009  2018

Chart 16  Change in ICT revenue  2010  2019

Chart 17  Development of telecom sector revenue  2010  2019

Chart 18  Development of telecom revenue by sector  2011  2018

Chart 19  Decline in the number of fixed number portings  2009  2019

Chart 20  Decline in the number of broadband accesses via LLU  2009  2018

Chart 21  Growth in the number of mobile number portings  2009  2019

Chart 22  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate  2009  2024

Chart 23  Decline in mobile voice revenue by type  2009  2018

Chart 24  Development of mobile retail and wholesale revenue  2011  2018

Chart 25  Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2009  2018

Chart 26  Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers  2009  2018

Chart 27  Change in the share of T-Mobile CRs prepaid subscribers  2005  2019

Chart 28  Change in the share of O2 CRs prepaid subscribers  2004  2019

Chart 29  Change in the share of Vodafone CR prepaid subscribers  2005  2019

Chart 30  Growth in the number of M2M connections  2012  2018

Chart 31  Growth in mobile voice traffic  2009  2018

Chart 32  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2009  2018

Chart 33  Growth in average mobile broadband data use per subscriber  2011  2017

Chart 34  Change in the number of SMS messages sent  2009  2020

Chart 35  Increase in the number of MMS messages sent  2011  2018

Chart 36  Decline in SMS and MMS revenue  2009  2018

Chart 37  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Chart 38  Growth in the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscribers by type  2007  2018

Chart 39  Change in the number of O2 CR mobile subscribers  2006  2019

Chart 40  Development of O2 CRs mobile service revenue (CZK)  2012  2019

Chart 41  Development of O2 CRs mobile ARPU (CZK)  2012  2018

Chart 42  Growth in the number of T-Mobile CRs mobile subscribers  2006  2019

Chart 43  Development of T-Mobile CR mobile service revenue  2009  2019

Chart 44  Decline in T-Mobile CR blended ARPU  2004  2019

Chart 45  Change in the number of Vodafone CRs mobile subscribers  2008  2019

Chart 46  Fixed-line broadband subscribers by access type  2008  2018

Chart 47  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Chart 48  Growth in the number of Vodafone CRs broadband subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 49  Change in the number of DSL/VDSL subscribers  2009  2018

Chart 50  Growth in the number of T-Mobile CRs fixed broadband subscribers  2011  2019

Chart 51  Change in the number of O2 CR broadband subscribers  2006  2019

Chart 52  Growth in the number of Wi-Fi / FWA connections  2009  2018

Chart 53  Decline in fixed-line traffic 2009  2016

Chart 54  Change in O2 CR financial data (CZK)  2012  2019

Chart 55  Change in O2 CR revenue by sector  2015  2019

Chart 56  Decline in the number of O2 CR telephony accesses  2011  2019

Chart 57  Decline in the number of fixed lines in service, and teledensity  2009  2024

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  Access, the local loop and unbundling  an overview

Exhibit 3  2G spectrum  1999

Exhibit 4  Multi-spectrum auction  2013

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Czech-Republic-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 07:55:36|Editor: xuxin

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, March 16, 2020. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday that she had informed the G7 that she proposed to the heads of state and government to introduce a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU). (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

BRUSSELS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that she had proposed a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU), as escalations have been seen in both COVID-19 cases and containment measures.

"The restriction should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, which can be prolonged as necessary," said von der Leyen.

The proposal is expected to be discussed by leaders of EU member states during a video conference on Tuesday.

BORDER CLOSURE

Following the news from the EU, the French presidency announced on Monday that measures will be announced in the coming hours on the external borders of the EU.

The decision on the EU's external borders is pending, but more European countries have joined the list of countries closing their borders to all but essential travel.

Germany has partly closed its borders with France, Austria, and Switzerland on Monday morning.

And more and more countries moved to close their borders in the hope of cutting off the cross-border transmission of the virus.

Finland, Hungary, Portugal, Switzerland became the latest countries to reintroduce measures on internal borders.

Movement restrictions, schools closure, suspension of businesses are being taken across Europe.

WAR-LIKE CRISIS

These measures are extraordinary at a time when Europe has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic last Friday.

Since then, escalations have been seen in both the coronavirus cases and social distancing measures across the continent.

"We are at war," said French President Emmanuel Macron. He repeated the phrase several times in his televised address to the nation on Monday evening.

The president urged all citizens to stay home and reduce movement for at least 15 days to help the country battle the virus.

France's neighbor Belgium, a country with a population of some 11 million, has seen its coronavirus infection cases topping 1,000, with five deaths but only one recovery.

"Our country is facing an unprecedented and crucial health crisis," said King Philippe of Belgium in a speech Monday evening.

After a discussion with von der Leyen on coronavirus situation, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa welcomed the EU proposal on the bloc's external border. "Finally good news from Brussels," he wrote on Twitter.

Even more countries still remained their internal border open, states of emergency or extraordinary have been declared by some to tackle the disease. Others are preparing for similar policies.

TEST, TEST, TEST

As European countries are grappling with the epidemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that the escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracing is not urgent enough. These measures are the backbone of the COVID-19 response, said Tedros.

According to the WHO chief, the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of COVID-19 transmission.

"You cannot fight a fire blindfolded and we cannot stop this pandemic if we don't know who is infected," he said, calling for every suspected case testing.

"We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test every suspected #COVID19 case," the WHO said in tweet.

Some European countries, such as France, have admitted the possible underestimate of the epidemic.

France has confirmed 6,633 coronavirus infection cases and 148 deaths by Monday evening. These figures represent 1,210 new cases of infection and 21 additional deaths in one day.

However, these data "underestimate the real number" due to the difficulty of identification and biological confirmation of all COVID-19 cases and the fact that only part of the sick is now tested, said the country's Health Ministry.

To test more suspected cases, Lithuanian Ministry of Health decided to open drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing points in its 10 municipalities starting on Monday.

And turning a park in Dublin into a drive-through testing center is also under discussion, according to Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE on Monday.

Europe, as whole, is facing a tough mission to bring the virus under control, as among some 83,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases outside China as of Monday morning, around 56,000 are in Europe.

(Xinhua reporters Wang Zichen, Ghislain Zobiyo, Pan Geping in Brussels, Sonia Ounissi, Liu Fang in Paris, Liu Qu in Geneva, Chen Zhanjie in Rome, Shen Zhonghao in Frankfurt, Ren Ke in Berlin, Wen Xinnian in Lisbon, Chen Jin, Lin Huifen in Bucharest, Petros Petrides, Zhang Baoping in Nicosia, Bradley Blakenship, Yang Xiaohong in Prague, Peng Lijun in Ljubljana, Guo Mingfang in Vilnius, Marian Draganov, Wang Xinran in Sofia, Elina Xu, Zhu Haochen in Helsinki, David A. Williams, Lin Jing in Copenhagen, Zhang Qi in Dublin contributed to the story.)
Ulster Bank is not expected to drop its fee for making payments using a contactless card despite Bank of Ireland saying it was waiving its contactless fees.

It comes after AIB said it was putting off introducing a 'tap fee'.

Bank of Ireland will waive all contactless fees of 1c per tap with immediate effect for the duration of the public health emergency.

It said this was to comply with the advice from the Government on social distancing and hand hygiene.

Many consumers are relying more on contactless payments while making everyday purchases.

The bank also committed to buying back foreign currency from those affected by travel disruption at the rate it was sold for, ensuring that the customer will not be at a financial loss.

Last week, AIB scrapped plans to introduce a fee for contactless payments until the coronavirus outbreak is over.

Under the plan, AIB wanted to charge consumers a 'tap fee' of 1c. The move had been described as "a real kick in the teeth" by consumer advocates.

Political parties, including the Labour Party and Sinn Fein, had called for AIB to scrap the plans for the contactless payment fees.

Last Friday, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said he planned to raise the issue with the bank. AIB subsequently announced it was suspending the plan.

"In the light of the current Covid-19 outbreak, AIB is suspending the planned introduction of the contactless fee," the bank said.

Meanwhile, the energy regulator said it has put in place measures to assist pre-payment meter customers during the crisis period to ensure they remain connected to their electricity and gas supplies. Domestic disconnections are suspended until March 29.

Emergency credit levels for all gas pre-payment customers are to be increased from 10 to 100.
Elated after the landmark Supreme Court order granting permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Navy, former naval officers who waged the legal battle said on Tuesday that the next feat for them would to be see a woman command a warship and serve in submarines.

Cdr (retd) Sumati Balooni, one of the petitioners in the case, said the apex court's "landmark" judgement will help bring change in the mindset within the Navy.

"Now that the first step has been taken, the next feat would be to see women officers commanding a ship and serving in submarines in near future. If women can command a spaceship then they can also command a ship," said Balooni, who had joined the Navy in 1993.

For Balooni and other petitioners, it has been a legal battle that they waged for more than a decade.

Cdr (retd) Prasanna E has mixed feelings about the judgement.

Prasanna, who had joined the Air Traffic Control branch of the Indian Navy, said their legal struggle was not for equal rights for women alone but also for retaining the talent in the niche aviation sector.

"The fight was not for me alone. I wanted to serve in the Navy again but the judgement has given hope for prospective women officers who will not hesitate to join the armed forces as they can now see a secured future," she said recalling her legal struggle that involved travelling from Bengaluru, where she is currently based, to Delhi for court hearings.

"The judgement will also benefit serving officers within the Indian Navy," she added.

The two officers had retired before 2008 when the Navy came up with permanent commission for women in certain branches.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi quashed the prospective effect of the Centre's controversial September 2008 policy, which restricted the grant of permanent commission to certain categories only.

"The stipulation in the policy letter dated September 6, 2008, making it prospective and restricting its application to specified cadres/branches of the Indian Navy shall not be enforced," the top court said, while setting aside the implementation guidelines issued on December 3, 2008.

"The statutory bar on the engagement or enrolment of women in the Indian Navy has been lifted to the extent envisaged in the notifications issued by the Union Government on October 9, 1991 and November 6, 1998 under Section 9(2) of the Navy Act of 1957," it held.

The order comes less than a month after the Supreme Court ordered the Army to open permanent commission for women.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Washington: The economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic could be as bad as the Great Depression of the 1930s, one of Australia's most influential economists has warned, as vast sectors of the US economy went into shutdown to limit the pandemic.

US sharemarkets again recorded one of their worst days in history on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), with the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 experiencing their biggest single-day point drops on record.

University of Michigan economics professor Justin Wolfers says the US economy has probably already slid into recession.

Major American cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington have essentially gone into lockdown by ordering schools, bars, gyms restaurants and cinemas to close their doors.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 23:15:59|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows empty shelves at a supermarket in Munich, southern Germany. Germany's Bavaria declared an emergency situation which will take effect from Tuesday, closing down leisure facilities such as swimming pools, bars, clubs or cinemas, Minister President of Bavaria Markus Soeder announced on Monday. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)

BERLIN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Bavaria declared an emergency situation which will take effect from Tuesday, closing down leisure facilities such as swimming pools, bars, clubs or cinemas, Minister President of Bavaria Markus Soeder announced on Monday.

As the first German state to declare emergency situation, Bavaria would also provide a 10-billion euro (11.2 billion U.S. dollars) aid package to protect the economy from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, according to Soeder.

To ensure the basic supply of food and other important products, Bavaria has been extending the legal opening hours for shops such as supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and banks.

"The situation is very serious and changes daily, unfortunately not for the better," said Soeder in Munich.

As of Sunday, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bavaria had increased to more than 880. According to Melanie Huml, Bavaria's state minister for health, 150 new infections had been recorded by Monday morning.

On Monday, all schools and child-care facilities in Bavaria and most German states were closed.
Actress Vanessa Hudgens is the latest celebrity to be in the headlines with the coronavirus, but not because she tested positive.

Hudgens, 31, is drawing criticism after making some questionable comments about the pandemic on Instagram.

Ummmm ... yeah, till July sounds like a bunch of bullsh*t, Hudgens said while speaking to her followers on Instagram Live Monday. She was referring President Donald Trumps recent remarks that Americans could be dealing with the coronavirus health crisis through July or August.

Im sorry," Hudgens continued. But, like, its a virus, I get it. Like, I respect it, but at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it ... like, yeah, people are gonna die, which is terrible, but, like, inevitable?

I dont know, maybe I shouldnt be doing this right now, Hudgens said in a wiser moment, before trailing off laughing.

Vanessa Hudgens' career will be dead after posting this. It's like inevitable.  pic.twitter.com/qYX2DMFjJ2  Chris Burke (@chrisburke) March 17, 2020

Clips of the Instagram video made the rounds on Twitter, where Hudgens (High School Musical," the upcoming Tick, Tick... Boom) was panned for her casual dismissal of the severity of the threat posed by the pandemic.

Hunters star Logan Lerman, journalist Soledad OBrien and Desus and Mero host Desus Nice were among those who responded to Hudgens remarks (and the reaction to her comments) on Twitter.

Can't believe the first COVID celebrity death was Vanessa Hudgens' career  Emily Andras (@emtothea) March 17, 2020

Vanessa Hudgens before going on IG live pic.twitter.com/IVu22XV4J2  Noah / Panthers make me sad (@PrimeKorver26) March 17, 2020

good to see the timeline finally fed up with the words of president vanessa hudgens as she fails to lead us thru this crisis  Desus Nice (@desusnice) March 17, 2020

Like, what a schmuck  Logan Lerman (@LoganLerman) March 17, 2020

The actress, who played Maureen Johnson in Foxs Rent: Live! later issued an apology for what she said about the coronavirus.

Hey guys. Im so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from my Instagram live yesterday, she said in a statement shared to her social channels Tuesday afternoon.

I realize my words were insensitive and not at all appropriate for the situation our country and the world are in right now. This has been a huge wake up call about the significance my words have, now more than ever. Im sending safe wishes to everyone to stay safe and healthy during this crazy time.

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Beijing, March 17 : Chinese tech giants Alibaba, Xiaomi and Oppo have donated masks and other medical equipment to the countries severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic Smartphone manufacturer Oppo announced that it has donated 300,000 masks to five countries other than China. The company has donated FFP3 as well as N95 masks to Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and Japan, GizmoChina reported on Monday.

Earlier this month, Xiaomi donated FFP3 surgical masks to the Italian Civil Protection Department as it was the most affected country outside of China, where the virus first emerged last December.

Additionally, Alibaba Founder and billionaire Jack Ma joined Twitter, sending out his tweet that the first shipment of 1 million masks and 500,000 coronavirus testing kits are on way to US.

Through a donation of 500,000 testing kits and 1 million masks, we join hands with Americans in these difficult times. pic.twitter.com/tGviVhC6Gx  Jack Ma Foundation (@foundation_ma) March 13, 2020

The Jack Ma Foundation in January announced it will donate 100 million yuan ($14 million) to support research and development of a coronavirus vaccine.

The number of cases worldwide have surpassed 179,330, with over 7,120 deaths.

Several European nations have enacted country-wide lockdowns, including France, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland.

The number of active coronavirus cases in Italy has reached 24,747, but the increase was at its slowest pace since March 1, signalling the start of a tipping point for the outbreak in the country, deemed as the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe.

The death toll in China has increased to 3,226, authorities said on Tuesday, while the number of confirmed cases in the Asian country has risen to 80,881.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- Syndicated from IANS
By Laman Ismayilova

Baku Book Center has hosted traditional "Reading Hour" in a new format. The center brought book lovers via social networks.

Famous TV hosts Sema Abiyeva, Jeyhun Ali, Turana Huseynli and Emil Shahzadeh delighted young readers with Azerbaijani folk tales, as well as tales of foreign writers.

The Baku Book Center offers a wide range of books of various genres in many languages, including Azerbaijani, Russian, Turkish, English, Chinese, French, German, Arabic. There is a convenient book searching service at the Center.

The Baku Book Center was officially opened to visitors on September 1, 2018.

The main goal of the Center is to encourage people in reading book as a bearer of cultural, spiritual values and useful knowledge.

Here booklovers can also take part in presentations of books, literary and musical evenings, meetings with cultural and art workers, thematic master classes and much more.

The Center also organizes events with the participation of international organizations and diplomatic missions.

By the decision of the CIS Executive Committee, Baku Book Center has been awarded the diploma "For the great work in development of domestic book distribution and international book exchange in 2018."

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
And Cornell had felt removed from the growing crisis. Its students come from all over the globe, and the main campus is linked to New York City by its medical and technology schools, whose students and faculty shuttle back and forth. Yet its remote location, amid gorges and forests in a rural corner of the state, created a sense, perhaps an illusion, of safety. Ithaca felt like the kind of place you would escape to in a crisis, not one from which you would flee.
180 thousand cases worldwide. Infections decrease in China; increase in Europe and the United States. Borders in many Asian states have closed. Similar restrictions also in the USA, the European Union, Canada and Russia.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Hong Kong is introducing restrictions on entry from abroad to combat coronavirus. As of March 19, all travelers arriving in the autonomous city from other countries will be quarantined or undergo medical check-ups for the next two weeks. These measures will not apply to arrivals from Macau and Taiwan; those arriving from China are required to isolate themselves from their homes. In the past week, the former British colony has had 57 new cases of contagion, 50 of which have come from other states.

The epidemic crisis that started in China has turned into a pandemic. To date, there are about 180 thousand cases of infection worldwide, with over 7 thousand deaths and 80 thousand hospitalized. Yesterday, only 21 new infections were recorded in China, most imported from abroad, and 13 deaths. In Hubei, the epicenter of lung infection, there was only one official case. Europe and the United States have become the main expansion front of the virus: Italy and Spain are respectively the second and fourth most affected countries.

Strong restrictions on arrivals from abroad have been introduced by many states. Japan forbids entry to those who come from China, South Korea, Iran and Italy, and stayed in these countries for 14 days before arrival. Seoul prevents travelers from Hubei from entering. Visitors from China, South Korea, Italy, France, Germany and Spain cannot enter Singapore. Malaysia will not allow any foreign nationals to enter the country until March 31st. India will ban entry from March 18 to those arriving from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Turkey.

Outside Asia, the United States has blocked links with China and Europe. Canada has closed its borders to foreigners and those who do not reside on national territory. The EU will close its borders in the next few days and block connections with the rest of the world for a month. THe only entry to Russia will be from Finland and Azerbaijan.
The President of France has ordered a 15-day lockdown as the country continues to cope with the fallout of the coronavirus.

President Emmanuel Macron announced the lockdown on Monday, according to CNBC. Beginning Tuesday, residents must stay inside, and only leave their homes for essential duties.

Macron also banned public gatherings, CNBC reports.

The move comes as the European Union weighs a 30-day shutdown of all nonessential travel through its borders.

'We are at war': France imposes lockdown to combat virus https://t.co/0T5wwKB9UU pic.twitter.com/PduEyGW1i5  Reuters (@Reuters) March 17, 2020

Other important information:
A terminally ill young woman has revealed how she was betrayed by her friend an unofficial carer who even promised to become a new mother to her, after her own mum died.

Lara Sutherland was supposed to be looking after her friend and neighbour, Holly Johnstone, 22, from Preston, Lancashire, who suffers with Huntingtons Disease, which also killed Hollys mother.

But behind her back, Sutherland was helping herself to Hollys bank account to pay for cocaine binges.

When a block was put on her cards, brazen Sutherland called in to the bank pretending to be Holly, ordered a replacement card and helped herself to another 200.

At Preston Crown Court yesterday Sutherland, from Preston in Lancashire, pleaded guilty to theft and two counts of fraud by false representation after stealing Holly's Santander bank card to pay back cocaine debts.

Holly Johnstone, 22, from Preston, suffers from Huntington's Disease - which killed her mother in 2018 (pictured together at a care facility)

The thefts came after Sutherland was given a key to Holly's home when her conditioned worsened and she needed more day-to-day help.

She revealed former Holiday Inn worker Sutherland told her she would be her 'new mum', less than two years after Holly's actual mother, Emma, died in her arms.

Holly, who was diagnosed as a teenager, said: 'My mobility has got worse and my memory is failing. I can't work anymore so I got some PIP payments backdated that came through. But she helped herself to those.

'I opened up to Lara after my mum died. I trusted her. I thought she was my friend.

Holly hoped she could lean on Lara Sutherland (pictured), 36, for help when her own illness progressed further

'She even told me that she would be my new mum and offered to be tested as a donor for stem cell treatment for Huntington's treatment.'

Despite a guilty plea Sutherland was allowed to walk free from the court with a four-month jail sentence suspended for two years and a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Holly said: 'The sentence is a joke. She's basically got off with it. These past few months have been a nightmare.

'I've been to court twice already because of this scumbag. She's ruined my life and got away with it. She has pretended to be my friend for months and tried to bankrupt me.

Holly revealed former Holiday Inn worker Sutherland told her she would be her 'new mum', two years after Holly's actual mother, Emma (pictured with a baby Holly), died in her arms

'She stole my bank card and pin number and tried to take out over 1,000 from me.

'When I blocked my card, she had the nerve to go to the bank pretending to be me and took out an extra 200 and ordered another bank card so she could take even more out. She's the lowest of the low.'

Sutherland stole from Holly's purse at the beginning of June and used her debit card to try to take out 1300.

But a withdrawal limit at the hole-in-the-wall meant she only got away with 470 - which has now been reimbursed by the bank.

Holly now has to sleep on her father's couch and is effectively homeless, because she's too scared to return to her home for fear of reprisals after Sutherland received a suspended sentence

Holly was alerted to the thefts - which took place over the course of Thursday, June 6 and Friday, June 7 - by a text from her bank warning her of 'suspicious activity'.

Prosecutor Mercedes Jabbari told Preston Crown Court hat Holly found the bank card was missing from her purse and an official letter with her four-digit pin number had been moved.

She immediately blocked her card, but that didn't stop Sutherland - who went into the bank and pretended to be Holly to get the card unblocked. She then succeeded in withdrawing another 200 as well as ordering a new bank card.

In a victim impact statement read out at court, Holly said she was diagnosed with Huntington's as a teenager and 'believes the incident has impacted on her disease'.

Huntington's, which Holly has and her mother Emma (pictured together) suffered from, attacks brain cells and causes symptoms including mood swings, personality changes, memory problems and loss of muscle control

She now suffers from more panic attacks and added: 'I feel upset with what Lara has done to me. I thought she was my friend and I thought she cared for me.'

When interviewed by police, Sutherland confessed to stealing the card and withdrawing money to pay off a drug debt.

Holly has now been forced out of her home for fear of reprisals.

'Now, I can't even go back to my own home. She's walking the streets after getting a ridiculous sentence and I am homeless, too afraid to return to my home. I have to sleep on my dad's couch,' she said.

Huntington's attacks brain cells and causes symptoms including mood swings, personality changes, memory problems and loss of muscle control.

Holly had to watch her mother's suffering as she fell victim to the disease, knowing that she had 50/50 chance of having it too. She was diagnosed as a teenager

There is no treatment and no cure, and it is, eventually, fatal.

Holly said: 'Watching my mum suffer was awful, and it was always at the back of my mind that it might be me next. I kind of had a sixth sense that I would have it too.

'There's a 50/50 chance of inheriting the condition. My own mum got it from her mum. It's like history repeating itself.

'I have enough to cope with, without Lara causing me more stress and upset.'

Ms Jabbari said the defendant 'placed some of the blame' on another woman who told her to 'rinse the victim'.

She said: 'Ultimately the defendant said it was a joint decision and she did not feel under any pressure to do so.

'She was the only one who used a card. It was later swallowed up by machine at local post office as she was trying to withdraw 20.'

What is Huntington's disease? Huntington's disease is a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. It's passed on (inherited) from a person's parents. It gets gradually worse over time and is usually fatal after a period of up to 20 years. Symptoms usually start at 30 to 50 years of age, but can begin much earlier or later. Symptoms of Huntington's disease can include: difficulty concentrating and memory lapses; depression; stumbling and clumsiness; involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body; mood swings and personality changes; problems swallowing, speaking and breathing; difficulty moving. Full-time nursing care is needed in the later stages of the condition. It's usually fatal about 15 to 20 years after symptoms start. Huntington's disease is caused by a faulty gene that results in parts of the brain becoming gradually damaged over time. You're usually only at risk of developing it if one of your parents has or had it. Both men and women can get it. If a parent has the Huntington's disease gene, there's a: 1 in 2 (50%) chance of each of their children developing the condition  affected children are also able to pass the gene to any children they have Very occasionally, it's possible to develop Huntington's disease without having a history of it in your family. But this is usually just because one of your parents was never diagnosed with it. There's currently no cure for Huntington's disease or any way to stop it getting worse. But treatment and support can help reduce some of the problems it causes. Source: NHS Advertisement

Preston Crown Court heard that no charges were brought against the other woman because there was 'no realistic prospect of conviction'.

Judge Andrew Jefferies said it was a 'nasty offence' and an 'abuse of trust' adding: 'She gave her a key to her house and trusted her.'

Defence barrister Chris Hudson responded saying: 'I don't accept it's a breach of trust. This is a breach of friendship rather than a breach of trust and in many ways that's almost worse.

'I know this is an unpleasant offence, but this is a 36-year-old lady without a previous conviction, it's not a catalogue of offending and she was under some pressure because of the debt of cocaine.

'It's not an attractive motive to commit the offence but she has significant personal limitations. She was bound to be apprehended and was apprehended within literally hours.'

'It's astonishing that people feel somehow cocaine will help their problems.'

Mr Hudson said Sutherland has suffered with 'significant problems throughout her life' and was employed by Holiday Inn for 12 years before later working at a pub.

He said she was not working at the time of the offence and fell into a drug debt.

The barrister said: 'It's astonishing that people feel somehow cocaine will help their problems.

'She has abused cocaine and was introduced to it when she was working at licensed premises.

'Inevitably once she got out of employment she couldn't afford paying and inevitably she built up a drug debt.

'It was the other lady's suggestion that this offence should be committed.

'It's a disgraceful offence. What she needs is assistance.'

Explaining his decision Judge Jefferies said: 'She had given you a key to her house because she trusted you. I have no hesitation in finding this was huge breach of trust.

'Stealing from a friend who trusted is very high culpability. It's a nasty, nasty offence to steal from somebody who trusts you.

'Thankfully, and nothing to do with you, not a great deal was ultimately taken, and I'm told Santander have reimbursed the victim.

'The reason you did this is not a particularly attractive one. A drugs debt and cocaine does not provide a great deal of mitigation to you.'
ZURICH, March 15 (Reuters) - The Swiss National Bank has joined five other central banks in a coordinated action to increase the provision of global U.S. dollar liquidity, it said on Sunday.

The SNB joined with the Bank of Canada, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank and the U.S. Federal Reserve to lower the pricing on overnight U.S. dollar liquidity swap arrangements by 25 basis points.

The changes, which take effect from Monday, were initiated to ease strains in global funding markets and smooth the supply of credit to households and businesses, it said. (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Michael Shields)
Munchkin has joined with 59S , a leader in UV-LED technology, to shine a light on virus and germ protection for little ones. In just 59 seconds, the Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer harnesses the power of the sun and uses UV-C light to eliminate 99+% of bacteria, viruses and germs - including Staph, E. coli, RSV, Salmonella, Kleb, and Influenza - from small baby items like pacifiers and bottle nipples. The UV-C light utilized has been trusted in hospitals to kill bacteria and viruses by breaking down their DNA at the molecular level and powers the Munchkin 59s Mini Sterilizer to remove germs without the use of heat, harsh chemicals or water. Designed with today's families in mind, the product can be used at home or on-the-go as it easily fits into (or attaches on to) purses and diaper bags.

"We are very excited about what the Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer means for the health and wellbeing of parents and their children," says Munchkin CEO & Founder, Steven Dunn. "We are taking the technology used to sanitize hospital operating rooms and are making it portable and affordable. This is just the beginning of our new wave of Munchkin tech products. We are working with the top designers and engineers around the world and in different industries to find and develop innovative solutions for parenting."

To demonstrate the efficacy of the Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer, Munchkin recently collaborated with "Kate the Chemist," Dr. Kate Biberdorf , a popular science communicator, author and Associate Professor of Instruction in Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. Leveraging her science-savvy skills, and deep knowledge of the power of UV-C light, Dr. Biberdorf joined with the Munchkin team to create a video showing how the Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer quickly and safely eradicates harmful bacteria, viruses and germs from everyday baby essentials.

"I am so excited to help Munchkin introduce the Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer, a product that truly brings to life the power - and coolness - of science," said Dr. Biberdorf. "As someone who utilizes UV-C technology in their teaching lab every day, I know what an effective tool it can be in combating germs and bacteria - a topic that is certainly relevant to all of us, especially parents, these days. The Munchkin 59S Mini Sterilizer might be tiny but it is certainly mighty and I think it's a great product for any family to have in their arsenal."

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For more information on the 59S Mini Sterilizer, visit www.munchkin.com , watch this short video and follow us on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

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Aas Mohammad Kaif, twocircles.net

Saharanpur: Bhim Armys Chandra Shekhar Azad has launched his political party, Azad Samaj Party on Sunday. The new party, formed on the birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, is being hailed as a future alternative to it, with its ideology centering around the upliftment of Dalits in the society. The partys slogan in keeping with its ideology has been declared as Kanshi Ram tera mission adhoora, Azad Samaj Party karegi poora (The incomplete mission of Kanshi Ram will be completed by Azad Samaj Party).

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Another unique feature of this party is that, at Chandra Shekhar Azad as its Chief, it is an example of a Muslim-Dalit coalition with new Muslim faces that are believed to play a crucial role in the partys working committee. Some of these faces and names are:

Mohammad Gazi, 46, Bijnor

Mohammad Gazi has a high chance of being the State President of the party. To balance the sides, one side has been advocating to make him the leader of OBC Gujjars while the other side wants him as the Dalit representative of the state. He has been an MLA from this seat twice and his wife is the Chairperson at present. Mohammad Gazi once used to be a special BSP member but he lost election twice. Local newspapers from Bijnor have often hailed Gazi as the kingmaker of Azad Samaj Party. His supporters claim that he has himself admitted 28 members to the newly formed party.

Mohammad Gazi joined the Bhim Army just two years back and has held strong in the state. However, a section of people is opposing his candidature saying that Gazi is strongly against Pasmanda Muslims (OBC & Arzal class of Dalit Muslims). Bijnor has 85 percent of Pasmanda Muslims. Shameem Ansari from Bijnor claims that Gazi had once given a slogan that Ye chaaron hain Ummat ki Shaan, Shaikh, Sayyad, Mughal, Pathan (These four classes are the pride of Muslims, Shaikh, Sayyad, Mughals, Pathans). Ansari argued that by this statement Gazi meant the other Muslims from the lower classes to be backward. Many similar voices are being raised from within the party who opine that Gazi can be harmful to the partys Dalit Muslims.

Mohammad Shabeel, 58, Hapur

A resident of Shimbhaoli, Hapur, Mohammad Shabeel had once been a supremo of Mayawati. Shabeel had once been very close to Babu Munkhad Ali and Kunwar Danish Ali in Western UP. The three are actually Rajput Muslims who are believed to be relatives too. In Kitor, 30 km away from Hapur are the houses of Babu Munkhad Ali and BSPs Shahid Manzoor. Danish Alis victory has been instrumental due to the role of Shabeel, as party workers say. However, in recent times, supremo Shabeel is believed to have been working to remove Danish form the post and his role in being included in the Azad Samaj Party is being said to be a part of a bigger plan.

Wasim Akram Tyagi, 31, Kitor

Wasim is the spokesperson of the Bhim Army, with hopes that he will continue his position in the Azad Samaj Party. He is a distinguished journalist who writes majorly on Muslim issues. He is originally from Meerut, currently residing in Delhi. Wasim is quite popular among Muslim youth and is known as a confidante of Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Ehsan Qureshi, 56, Saharanpur

Ahsan Qureshi has already fought in the Behat assembly seat. Along with Chandra Shekhar, Ahsan has attended more than 40 rallies across the country. Ahsan is a very close friend of BSPs second favorite, Naseemuddin Siddiqui. Even though Naseemuddin is now with Congress, his close friendship with Ahsan has made Ahsan popular in the state. Ahsans son Abdul Rahman is the present chairman of the assembly. Ahsans role in diverting angry BSP supporters towards Azad Samaj Party is noteworthy. Former BSP candidates like Noor Ilahi from Meerut have joined Azad Party thanks to the efforts of Ahsan Qureshi.

Badar Ali, 32, Meerut

Badar Ali from Meerut has been given the responsibility of leading the partys youth. Badar Ali comes from a Rajput Muslim family. He has recently been released from jail for being accused under the NSA for inciting violence in the aftermath of Tabrez Ansari lynching. Badar Ali is naturally, very famous among Meeruts Muslim youth and is believed to have a crucial role in the party in the long run.

Nizam Chaudhry, 45, Modinagar

Nizam Chaudhry is commonly seen with Chandra Shekhar himself. He is one of the most vocal and active members of the Bhim Army. Nizams brother Wahab Chaudhry has been MLA in the BSP party. Another sibling of Nizam Chaudhry, Parvez, is in the Socialist Party. One of the other brothers of Nizam is Taj Chaudhry who is a well-known face in the Pasmanda Muslim Movement. They come from the community of milk traders who are predominant in Meerut. It is expected that Nizam Chaudhrys role will be in the core committee of Azad Samaj Party.

Several questions amid party launch

Despite the aftermath of Delhi riots and Corona fear, the party was launched on Sunday in Noida. 28 new members and 4 former MPs also joined the party on the same day, as party sources suggest. However, no such official confirmation has come and it is expected that proper news would emerge regarding this on March 21.

The newly launched party has become the talk of the town for Indian Muslims and Dalits. Especially a section of OBC Gujjars have welcomed the move. A section of Dalits have expressed dismay at the launch, however, this section is a staunch supporter of BSP. The youth is excited about the party and opined that the future belongs to leaders like Chandra Shekhar Azad. People have been drawing similarities between Chandra Shekhar and Mayawati for being the leader of the backward classes but that BSP has diverted from its original mission and that this new party has been formed to complete the mission.

Muslims are equally eager to see the division of power in the party, owing to the latest alignment of Chandra Shekhar towards aggrieved Muslims. Muslims are concerned about the representation of the Pasmanda community in the party as it is strongly resented that the BSP party that was originally formed as a savior for Dalits has now become filtered with high-class Brahmins who do not take the issue of Dalits seriously.
Woman's Day magazine published bold allegations on their cover with the headline "Meghan's Secret Daughter Revealed!" with a photo of the Duchess of Sussex embracing a young girl. The cover also implied that Prince Harry was demanding answers due to the issue and that it is the one lie he cannot forgive.

Although the headline implied that Mehan had a daughter that she did not initially reveal, the article inside the magazine told a different story. Based on the story, Meghan did not actually have a daughter but instead was hiding the secret that she and her ex-husband, Trevor Engelson came very close to adopting a daughter who was four years old from an LA foster home.

The magazine also cited a royal insider who claimed that Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother became close to the said child while she was working as a social worker. Furthermore, the magazine also claimed that the supposed source said that Meghan grew attached to the child that she often visited the four-year-old with her mother Doria and wanted to adopt the child before starting her own family. However, it did not work out well when she got the role in Suits which prompted her to move to Canada; also her break-up with Trevor was another factor that affected the adoption.

Moreover, the magazine's tipster claimed that Meghan kept in touch with the orphan girl and has been in continued correspondence with her even when she was adopted by another family. There were even claims that Meghan secretly visited the girl when she and Harry were in LA last month, and the magazine claims that it could be the reason that the Prince found out.

Read also: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and Princess Diana's Handwriting Compared

According to the report, Prince Harry was dismayed with the news and felt betrayed by Meghan. The magazine's supposed source also said that Harry has expressed to his friends how he felt Meghan was lying to him since he was completely blindsided with the news. Furthermore, the source said that for Harry, the secret seemed unforgivable.

Secret daughter rumor NOT true

The said magazine cover and article are obviously misleading. For one, the headline and the story do not coincide since the cover claimed that Meghan has a "secret daughter" that she has been hiding from Harry but the story inside said that she was apparently thinking about adopting a 4-year old girl with her husband years ago. Thus, there is no secret daughter and the tabloid definitely has misled the readers with the cover photo of Meghan hugging a girl.

Moreover, fact-checking site Gossip Cop has found out that the magazine has already published a lot of false news about Meghan and Harry's relationship. Last month, the outlet also reported that the couple broke up and that Meghan was hiding out in Canada. Two weeks ago, the same magazine was also busted for claiming that Prince Charles have banished the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the royal family.

The couple has been a favorite target of false news and gossip since their announcement to leave their royal duties behind last January.

Related article: Meghan Markle Sparks Pregnancy Rumors Anew, Reports Claim She's 'Fuller' and 'Glowing'

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An honor guard carries the coffin of slain Downey Police Officer Ricardo Galvez at his funeral service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles on Nov. 30, 2015. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Two men accused of fatally shooting a Downey police officer in a botched robbery attempt pleaded guilty on Monday to murder and several other felonies related to a series of crimes committed over three months in 2015, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.

Steven Knott, 22, of Montebello pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempted robbery for opening fire on Officer Ricardo "Ricky" Galvez as he sat in his personal car in the police station parking lot on Nov. 18, 2015. Jeremy Anthony Alvarez, 25, pleaded guilty to a count of second-degree murder and attempted robbery in connection with the slaying, prosecutors said.

The duo, who are half-brothers, also pleaded guilty to charges arising from an attempted murder in Montebello on Oct. 18, 2015, and shooting at an inhabited dwelling in South Gate on Sept. 17, 2015, as well as a takeover robbery of two victims at a Bellflower cellphone store and a street robbery in Paramount shortly before Galvez was killed, prosecutors said.

The pair admitted to making multiple firearms enhancements and to allegations that the crimes were committed in association with members of a criminal street gang.

Knott and Alvarez face 50 years to life and 30 years to life in state prison, respectively. They are expected to be sentenced on April 17 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Galvez, a former Marine and five-year veteran of the Downey Police Department, was sitting in his personal car dressed in plainclothes after working with the department's K-9 team when he was fatally shot.

Alvarez, the getaway driver, was arrested after a wild pursuit involving a Downey police officer who heard the gunshot in the area of the parking lot and began chasing the Nissan Altima. Knott and a 16-year-old boy were arrested the next morning.

The teenager subsequently admitted a Juvenile Court petition charging him with Galvez's murder, a robbery and an attempted robbery. He faces confinement in a state juvenile facility until he is 25.

Story continues

Downey police Lt. Brian Baker testified during a hearing in 2017 that he walked out to the parking lot to investigate what happened after speaking on the phone with another officer, who had chased the light-colored Altima to Montebello.

The police lieutenant said he did not initially recognize Galvez or his car, and only realized that the victim was his colleague after looking through the vehicle's windshield.

"That's when I recognized it was Ricky. When I recognized him, I couldn't believe what I was seeing," Baker said.

Baker said he saw the BMW running and noticed a bullet hole in the driver's side window, then directed a sergeant to break the passenger window of the locked car. The sergeant determined that the officer was dead.

When he was shown a photograph from surveillance camera footage in the parking lot, the teenager admitted that he and Knott had approached the BMW  one from each side  while Alvarez remained inside the Nissan Altima, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Richard Biddle testified in 2017.

The teenager subsequently was tape-recorded in jailhouse conversations in which he admitted to being involved in the crime and saying that the three formulated a plan to rob Galvez, but that the gun had gone off accidentally, Biddle said.

City News Service contributed to this report.
By Trend

The intensity of the spread of coronavirus in Azerbaijan is under full control, Chairman of the board of Azerbaijan's Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) Ramin Bayramli told reporters, Trend reports on March 16.

Bayramli commented on the information about the likelihood of announcing an emergency situation in Azerbaijan due to coronavirus.

"The announcement of an emergency situation in Azerbaijan in connection with coronavirus completely depends on the current situation, chairman said. If there is any danger, TABIB will immediately appeal to the relevant structures, the government."

However, with full control of the situation and the speed of the virus spread, there is no such a necessity. A number of European countries have declared a state of emergency, while the situation in Azerbaijan is absolutely different. The intensity of infection is not at a such high level to declare a state of emergency, said Bayramli.

He pointed out that some of those quarantined are in Baku, while the others are in regions.

Bayramli noted that the patients, whose heath condition is relatively serious, are in medical institutions in Baku, and the others are in regions.

---

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YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Spouse of the Armenian prime minister Anna Hakobyan has sent a letter of gratitude, as well as sweets to the medical staff of Nork Infection Clinic Hospital to thank them for the work they do during the current coronavirus crisis, Mrs. Hakobyans spokesperson Hasmik Harutyunyan told Armenpress.

Mrs. Hakobyan follows the great work done by doctors these days. Sending a letter and sweets is a small step through which Anna Hakobyan is expressing her gratitude to all medics, including those working in Nork Infection Hospital and other medical centers. These healthcare workers are in the frontline, demonstrate high qualities and fight against the virus day and night. Mrs. Hakobyan thanked for this, wished good health and stated that doctors will record the victory in this disproportionate war, the spokesperson said.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, at 17:00. As of now, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia is 64, one patient has recovered.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
SALEM, Ore.  In a press conference on Monday, Governor Kate Brown heralded a new executive order aimed at increasing "social distancing" in the state of Oregon  further reducing the size of public gatherings and limiting the operation of restaurants  in order to hamper the spread of the new coronavirus.

"My goal is to protect the health and safety of Oregon families. Every step we are taking is being made with community input and careful consideration of its impacts," said Governor Brown. "Each action has ripple effects across our state, both on a personal and an economic level. But we can overcome these hurdles in an Oregon Way. By working together, we are stronger, even if its in ways we never thought possible."

Read more about the steps were taking here: https://t.co/1Iw5T3UjtW  Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) March 16, 2020

All public gatherings over the size of 25 people are now barred, Brown said  with the exception of essential locations such as grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores, and workplaces  for at least four weeks. She also said that people are encouraged to avoid gatherings of 10 people or more.

Previously the limit on gatherings for events, issued March 12, was 250 people. However, new guidelines from the CDC over the past several days have rapidly reduced the crowd size that public health officials advise.

RELATED: COVID-19 cases in Oregon, a timeline of events

In addition, restaurants throughout Oregon will be reduced to serving food in a take-out or delivery capacity only, Brown said. It will not be possible to dine in at a restaurant until further notice, also for at least four weeks.

Not complying with either of these mandates will be considered a Class C misdemeanor.

Brown advised that all other businesses attempt to follow the "take-out" model in order to increase social distancing with employees and the public as much as possible.

"I am also encouraging all other businesses to evaluate your practices to accommodate social distancing measures," Brown said. "Basically, can your business do the equivalent of restaurant take-out? If you cannot do that, I strongly urge you to close your doors to customers temporarily."

As of Monday, there were 39 identified cases of COVID-19 in Oregon. The state experienced its first casualty from the virus on Saturday  a 70-year-old veteran from Multnomah County.

RELATED: What we know so far about the new coronavirus, COVID-19

In a press conference at the White House on Monday morning, President Donald Trump asked Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 and said that older people in particular should try to stay home as much as possible, avoiding bars and restaurants.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acknowledged that the recommendations might seem extreme, but they might make a crucial difference in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

"Some may look at them and say they're going to be really inconvenient for people. Some will look and say, well, maybe we've gone a little bit too far? They were well thought out," Dr. Fauci said. "I'll say it over and over again  when you're dealing with an emerging infectious diseases outbreak, you are always behind where you think you are."

On top of the social distancing mandates, Governor Brown announced that she would form two "command groups," one charged with managing the state's health care resources and the other with the state government's resources.

"The metro regional COVID-19 hospital response plan will help the health care community to prepare for the expected surge of COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks  a model for a crisis care plan that can be implemented statewide," Brown's office said. "Working together, hospitals will treat COVID-19 testing resources and personal protective equipment, including gowns, masks, and gloves, as community resources, and work together to increase bed capacity."

Oregon's Unified Command emergency response team has also been activated  an incident management team similar to what the state would use during a major earthquake in the Cascadia region.

"This will fully integrate the Oregon Health Authoritys public health response efforts with the Office of Emergency Managements efforts to minimize any disruption to critical services in Oregon," Brown's office said.

Governor Brown also responded to the request of Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum by declaring an "abnormal market disruption" for items like hand sanitizer and toilet paper, a measure intended to prevent price gouging.
Evaluating the political impact on the election campaign of the coronavirus pandemic is obviously hazardous, but not fruitless or impossible. We can see from the Chinese experience, although that government has lied about every other aspect of the problem, that the incidence and impact of the disease are finally abating. The administration must not let China off the hook on its duplicity and negligence in exporting the coronavirus to the world, misleading the world about its impact, and finally claiming a great administrative success and purporting to engage in the extension of a humanitarian Silk Road to other countries of medical supplies. But it can also cite evidence, which is generally corroborated by observers in China and the revival of Chinese industrial exports, that the illness has turned the corner in that country and that the temptations of unlimited panic that afflict the stock exchanges every other day are unjustified.

A preliminary vaccine was tested in Seattle on Monday, and the testing fiasco, which was compounded by Health and Human Services Secretary Azars promise ten days ago of four million tests last week, very few of which occurred, seems to be getting off the launch pad this week. This has been frustrating, but tests arent a cure, and those who test negative today may be infected tomorrow; they are useful in determining whom to quarantine. Given that the United States has, thanks to the president personally, acted more quickly than China or Western Europe to take avoidance measures in international travel, and can learn from the failures as well as the successes of the Chinese, it should be possible to ensure that the coronavirus is in decline in the United States by early summer. If a week is proverbially a long time in politics, its an eternity in communicable diseases.

The challenge for the administration, now that the private sector is rumbling into action as in the war mobilization of 1941, which startled the world by its undreamed of productivity (e.g. 125,000 aircraft and ten million tons of ships a year), will be to protect the vulnerable (elderly and infirm), flatten the rise of the illness, and avoid the complete collapse of the economy, as occurred for at least two months in China. The president, after an uneven start, is now speaking clearly and sensibly and behaving like the proven executive he is; scientists are foremost in the committee chaired by the vice president and in the press briefings conducted by both men.

Story continues

The presidents political instincts, which have been demonstrated to be acute on many occasions, seem to have come to his rescue as he steadily raised his game from dangerously flippant assurances and dismissals of the flu, to self-compliments on his scientific insight, to his somewhat awkward Oval Office address (though the content was unexceptionable), to crisp, professional group appearances where fluent and learned specialists do most of the talking and the president has a precise grasp of the basic points and of who does what. As long as that continues to be case, and as long as the American national performance in dealing with the coronavirus appears to be competitive with that of all other countries, Trump should be safe politically. No one can blame him for the origination of the problem, and it is undisputed that he acted presciently in closing air traffic from China in January and from Europe last week. These were his decisions, and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, declared when Trump imposed the air-travel suspension with China that it was an act of racism and xenophobia. If need be, Biden can be forcefully reminded of that fact. Polls show support for the president holding steady, having, presumably, absorbed his uneven performance in the early stages of the crisis.

At the press briefings, the president has responded personally and with commendable grasp of the subject even to the most formerly hostile reporters from the most antagonistic media outlets. In group and individual conversations with governors, he has been direct and forthcoming, and he has been praised even by such an implacable adversary as Governor Gavin Newsom of California. Trump grasped early enough that this was such a serious matter that there would be no public toleration of rank partisanship, a lesson that Nancy Pelosi picked up fairly quickly, at least in her public comments, but apparently not the incorrigibly tawdry Democratic Senate leader, Chuck Schumer. He grinds on, proffering cheap shots to empty Senate benches as if on autocue and oblivious to the clangorous tone of such comments in these circumstances.

On present form, the president is professional, focused, and courteous, giving straight answers to questions and following the advice of the countrys foremost authorities in relevant medical and public-health areas, and the response to the emergency is ramping up very quickly  at this point, faster than the new incidences of the malady. After being left in the gate on testing, with all samples sent to Atlanta for evaluation, the president has promised free testing for all Americans, with 250,000 tests this week, a million next week, and a vertical upward curve beyond that. Such a trajectory will put the U.S. medical authorities ahead of all other countries in epidemiological self-awareness within a few weeks.

The results at this point, because of inadequate testing everywhere, contain many anomalies, but the United States has shown a mortality rate of slightly under 2 percent of identified cases, which goes down to almost 1 percent if the state of Washington (which had a severely infected home for the elderly) is removed. This gives the U.S. a better record than any advanced country that has handled the same issue seriously and whose figures may be considered reliable, except Germany, with .2 percent fatalities among 40 percent more cases reported than in the U.S. with a quarter of the American population, and South Korea, with less than 1 percent fatalities in twice as many cases as the United States and a sixth of its population. Competent U.S. spokespeople are cautiously hopeful that stockpiles of ventilators and enhanced intensive-care facilities, now being hastily built up in anticipation of a spike in cases, will be adequate, and that there will be no recourse to what amounts to rationing and triage, as has occurred in Italy, China, and Iran.

And there seems to be bipartisan support for remedial economic measures to assist the defenseless commercial victims of this nightmare, including the travel and hospitality industries and many small businesses. This may furnish an opportunity for the administration to slide in more tax reductions, which can be justified in producing a vertiginous rebound on the upside of a steep-V recessionary plunge and return, but would also be a gratifying legacy to this crisis on Election Day, provided the country is well on its way back to normal by then. The Chinese example, even discounting for the habitual mendacity of the Xi government, indicates that this could certainly happen within the more than seven months that remain before the election. As not infrequently happens, the best is emerging in American political leadership and in the political system itself in a crisis that unites the country. Apart from Schumers whining and carping, all the senior officeholders in both parties are speaking for the public interest, and it is becoming. It need hardly be emphasized that it is a medical problem that vastly transcends partisanship. But those who were rubbing their hands in renewed slavering expectation that Trump would finally blow himself up are apt to be disappointed yet again.

More from National Review
The Odisha government has extended the restrictions it had placed in the state to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus until April 15 instead of March 31 after it ordered schools colleges to shut and asked people to avoid going to public places.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted the decision about the regulations and appealed for greater awareness about the virus.

The regulation will be in force till 15th April which may be extended based on the situation. Appeal everyone to comply with the regulation and be part of Odishas efforts in protecting the people of the state from COVID19, Patnaik tweeted on Monday evening.

Your responsible action will save you, your family, neighbours from #CoronaVirus and prevent the spread of the pandemic in #Odisha. Appeal Media, Odisha Associations abroad for wider publicity and PRI institutions for publicity inside the state for greater awareness, Patnaik said in another tweet.

Also read: After first coronavirus case, Odisha asks foreigners to register their arrival in the state

The government hopes to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus by pushing forward the restrictions.

India on Tuesday reported 126 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus and that three people have died of Covid-19 , the disease it causes. Thirteen people have been cured so far, it has said.

Odisha has shut down educational institutions, swimming pools, gyms and followed it up with the closure of malls in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Rourkela.

Officials in at least seven districts, including Puri and Ganjam, have banned the gathering of more than five people under section 144 of the CrPC and authorities of temples like the Jagannath Temple and Taratarini temple, where a large number of devotees gather, have also put in restrictions.

Tourist places like the Puri beach, Sun Temple in Konark, Chilika lake and Chandrabhaga beach have been declared out of bounds for visitors. Hoteliers in Puri are now cancelling the bookings of tourists from other states and abroad.

All pending examinations for classes between 1 and 9, as well as, university semester exams have been postponed.

Till March 16, Odisha has tested swab and blood samples of 32 people and a 31-year-old man, who studies computer engineering in Italy, tested positive for Covid-19.

The man, who arrived in India on March 6 and later in Bhubaneswar on March 13, is reported to have come in contact with 129 people since his arrival in the city.

To encourage people, who visited abroad and arrived in India after March 4, the state government also launched a portal, https://covid19.odisha.gov.in, to help people self-declaration about their travel mandatorily. It announced an incentive as well.

The registration should be done within 24 hours of arrival with basic details and phone numbers. Advanced registration before arrival will be highly preferable. They will be in-home quarantine for 14 days and get an incentive of Rs 15,000 after the quarantine period is over, said Subroto Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Odisha government on Covid-19.

Anyone not complying the same will be punishable under provisions of IPC (Indian Penal Code), he said.

A teacher of a primary school in Kalahandi district was placed under suspension for allegedly spreading misinformation about Covid-19 on social media.

HIGHLIGHTS

Patnaik tweeted the decision about the regulations and appealed for greater awareness about the virus.

Odisha has shut down educational institutions, swimming pools, gyms and followed it up with the closure of malls in several cities

A 31-year-old man, who studies computer engineering in Italy, has tested positive for Covid-19 in the state

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[March 17, 2020] OSARO Recognized as Top Global AI Startup by CB Insights' AI 100 & CNBC's Upstart 100

OSARO, Inc, a rising leader in machine learning software for industrial automation, has received two prominent recognition awards within the last few months: CB Insights AI 100 list, and CNBC Upstart 100. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005221/en/ OSARO builds hardware-agnostic AI software that enables robots to function in a variety of environments and perform a diverse set of tasks. (Photo: Business Wire) The AI 100 is CB Insights' annual ranking of the 100 most promising AI startups in the world. OSARO was selected from a pool of nearly 5000 startups, based on patent activity, business relations, investor profile, news sentiment analysis, proprietary Mosaic scores, market potential, competitive landscape, team strength, and tech novelty. Finalists included startups from 13 countries, which CB Insights says "are pushing the boundaries of AI research and commercial adoption across 15 industries and a broad-range of cross-industry applications." In January 2020, OSARO was named to CNBC's Upstart 100. "Each year, CNBC scans the globe looking for the 100 venture-backed start-ups that have the potential to transform industries, by building and scaling businesses in the rapidly changing technology arena." Osaro was selected from a pool of 600 nominees worldwide.



"Osaro is honored to have received these recognitions, as it validates the hard work our team has completed to perfect our OSARO Vision and OSARO Pick products," said OSARO CEO and Founder Derik Pridmore. "Due to our successful operations in Asia for warehouse operators, our plans are to now expand market share in Europe and Australia." OSARO Vision's deep learning algorithms are a key market advantage as these algorithms generalize picking tasks with minimal training data and no SKU registration for quick, scalable solutions. In addition, OSARO software supports a wide array of commodity hardware and robotic arms.

Investment in warehouse and logistics automation is expected to increase to $46 Billion by 2023, according to a report by Interact Analysis. OSARO's proprietary software enables industrial robots to perform diverse tasks in a wide range of environments, addressing growing labor shortages in fulfillment centers worldwide. The company is transitioning the automation industry from static robotic systems into dynamic solutions. About OSARO OSARO is a San Francisco-based machine learning company, specializing in AI software for industrial automation. Since 2015, OSARO's wider mission has been to build hardware-agnostic AI software that enables robots to function in a variety of environments and perform a diverse set of tasks. OSARO systems are compatible with various robots, sensors and existing integrator workflows for scalable, fault-tolerant robotic deployments. The company's cloud-based data and GPU infrastructure is designed for the most flexible, intelligent picking system on the market. OSARO began deploying its first solution, OSARO Pick, in Japan in early 2018. To date, Osaro has raised $29.3 million from prominent venture capital firms and strategic investors to increase its talent pool, international deployments, and to advance the OSARO Pick and OSARO Vision product lines to meet customer demands. The company's flagship product, OSARO Pick, automates stationary picking stations in "goods to robots" distribution centers. OSARO's robotic piece-picking software has improved performance and efficiency in e-commerce order fulfillment and intralogistics for multiple customers, including top material handling companies. OSARO is working to expand into handling order fulfillment in electronics, apparel, groceries, pharmaceuticals, and many other industries. For more information, additional photos and employment opportunities, please visit www.osaro.com or follow the company @osaroAI. Access to online Press Kit View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005221/en/

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Growing numbers of Napa Valleys wineries are shuttering their tasting rooms in the wake of Governor Gavin Newsoms call for wineries, breweries and nightclubs in the state to close as part of the effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On Monday, Napa Valley Vintners board voted unanimously to support Newsoms recommendation. Similarly, the Wine Institute sent out an email to its statewide membership recommending that tasting rooms follow the Governors directive and discontinue tastings and events.

We believe this is a non-essential function in our state, and we believe it is appropriate under the circumstances, Newsom said Sunday at a press conference. He acknowledged that the call had no legal mandate, but expressed faith in the private sectors voluntary compliance.

While tasting rooms may be a non-essential function in our state, as Newsom put it, they are a vital part of the Napa Valley tourism economy.

The governors request won compliance from both the Napa Valleys largest producers, including Treasury Wine Estates, an international company that sells its wine in more than 100 countries, and some of its smallest family-owned wineries, like Smith-Madrone.

Ed Feuchuk, director of consumer marketing for Farm Collective, which represents three wineries in Napa Valley, said the company had closed each of its tasting rooms. He had previously hoped to ramp up sanitation efforts at James Cole Winery, Tank Garage Winery and T-Vine Winery in an effort to stay open for customers who were still planning to honor their tasting appointments.

Being stewards and community members ourselves, we want to help the public health effort as much as we can, Feuchuk said.

Smaller wineries could be hardest hit by the closures, according to Napa Valley College marketing instructor Paul Wagner. Larger wineries might find some relief in their distributions on a national level despite slow-downs in sales to retailers like restaurants, he said, nodding to sales of wine in grocery stores.

A huge percentage of (small wineries) sales come from direct to consumer sales, Wagner said. Shutting down the tasting room is turning off the money.

Still, as painful as the decision might be, the country is facing a national health crisis, Wagner said.

The likelihood of this self-quarantining is that there are going to be relatively few visitors anyway, Wagner said. He recommended that wineries with tasting room staff in need of work re-position them, perhaps to communicate with customers. Its almost self-defeating to open your tasting room.

Wineries like Farm Collectives members were discussing the implementation of curbside pick-up of wine bottles or delivery options for customers in the area, Feuchuk said.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates wineries  including Conn Creek and Stags Leap Wine Cellar in the Napa Valley  were internally discussing similar ideas, according to Ryan Pennington, senior director of communications and corporate affairs. The groups wineries had moved to shut its doors on Friday evening, two days before Newsoms announcement, he said.

Were exploring options to conduct pickup or delivery, and if we can do that safely for our employees and the public, then our intention is to do so, Pennington added.

The wineries had rerouted some of their tasting room staff to fulfill other functions at the winery, Pennington said, but was communicating with employees on an individual basis about their status in the wake of the closures.

Matthiasson, too, had chosen to close its doors Friday, prior to Newsoms announcement, according to owner Jill Klein Matthiasson. Out of concern for employees working in their very small and intimate tasting room setting, Matthiasson said, the winery cancelled its tasting room appointments.

The closure would be a financial hardship on all of us, Matthaisson said, though she believed it necessary in the wake of the public health crisis at hand.

It is hurting a lot of people in this valley, she added. But its our responsibility as citizens and community members to balance this short term loss versus the much-worse long term consequences. Theyre both bad options, but I think this is the lesser of the two.

Prior to Newsoms directive, Stu Smith, co-owner and vintner for Smith-Madrone, said hed received two cancellations from customers from Kansas and New Orleans who had had their flights to California cancelled.

Its not really our decision, Smith said, asked if he would comply with the Governors recommendation. Its being made by people just dropping.

Six Bay Area counties Monday announced shelter in place orders, which would effectively close all non-essential businesses and ask people to remain home as much as possible in order to curb the spread of the virus. Though Mondays order did not Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, it effectively left much of the Bay Area frozen.

Smiths business is around 50 percent direct to consumer, he said, making in-person tasting room appointments an especially crucial part of the winerys public-facing operations. In 2008, Smith said, direct to consumer relationships became especially important for the survival of wineries as the restaurant and wholesaler business went off a cliff.

It all starts with (customers) walking through the door, Smith said. Thats a huge issue, and now thats all gone.

He spoke of an industry that had faced repetitive challenges over the last few years  fires, floods, power outages, and now a pandemic. Plus, Smith said, the industry was facing other challenges even now: a drought, among other things. For Smith-Madrone, the closures were yet another obstacle to grapple with.

Theres just no way of sugar coating it, he said. Its not just going to be tough, its going to be brutal.

Editors Note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to all online readers. If youd like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/.

You can reach Sarah Klearman at (707) 256-2213 or sklearman@napanews.com.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Vietnam - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Vietnam outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Vietnam-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Vietnam keeps pace with the world leaders on 5G trials

As a communist state and a centrally planned economy Vietnam has undergone significant structural change over the years. The government has progressively introduced some competition into the market place, building what it describes as a socialist oriented market economy.

After peaking in 2009 the fixed line market in Vietnam has seen a significant decline. This trend is predicted to continue over the next five years to 2023.

Fixed broadband penetration in Vietnam remains low mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines and the dominance of the mobile platform. However, the market has grown strongly over the past five years driven by the FTTH market.

The fixed broadband access has been built on the back of an extensive Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network, with the more recent focus being on fibre-based services. Subscriber growth in fibre continues to be strong.

Data sovereignty is a key driver for local data centres. Indonesia, Vietnam and China are among the Asian countries tightening requirements to store citizen and consumer data locally for the purpose of data protection.

Growth has been flat in Vietnams mobile market over the past five years. Market growth has been restrained due to a mature and saturated market. Mobile subscriber growth is also expected to be relatively low over the next five years to 2023.

In 2019 the first MVNO in Vietnam, Indochina Telecom Company (Itelecom) was launched.

Vietnams mobile infrastructure has a proven track record of keeping pace with more developed countries such as South Korea and Hong Kong.

Story continues

Vietnam is well on the path towards rolling out 5G services. Vietnam has begun to award 5G test licences to the nations mobile operators with a view to launching commercial networks in 2020.

Ho Chi Minh City is set to become the first smart city in Vietnam, focusing on cloud computing infrastructure, big data, building data warehouses / data centres and security-monitoring centres, and developing an open data ecosystem to achieve its 2020 goal.

Fixed broadband penetration in Vietnam remains low mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines and the dominance of the mobile platform. However, the market has grown strongly over the past five years driven by the FTTH market. Over the next five years to 2023 strong growth is expected to continue to be driven by rising fixed line penetration, in particular the rollout of fibre access.

Key developments:

Vietnam sees 3G/LTE subscriber base overtake 2G subscribers for the first time.

Vietnamese MNOs gear up for 5G commercial launches by mid-2020.

The fixed line market in Vietnam has seen a significant decline over the past few years.

VNPT-Vinaphone completed the conversion of its fixed network from copper to fibre-optic access.

Fibre-based broadband (FttH) subscribers have been growing rapidly.

Over the next five years to 2023 strong growth is expected to continue in the fixed broadband market.

Vietnam has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years.

Companies mentioned in this report:

VNPT; Vinaphone; Mobifone; Viettel; S-Fone; EVN Telecom; Vietnamobile, GMobile, FPT Telecom; VTC; GTel

Table of Contents

Key statistics

Country overview

Telecommunications market Market Overview and Analysis Telco Infrastructure Regional Market Comparison

Regulatory environment Regulatory authority Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) Vietnam Telecommunications Authority (VNTA)

Fixed Network Operators Introduction Vietnam Post & Telecommunications (VNPT) Viettel FPT Telecom GTel

Telecommunications infrastructure Fixed Line Statistics Cross VietNam Cable System (CVCS). International infrastructure Introduction Submarine cable networks Satellite networks

Data Centres Regional Overview Market Drivers Local data centre providers

Fixed Broadband Market Market Overview and Analysis Fixed Broadband statistics and forecasts FTTH service providers VNPT Other Providers Fixed Broadband Technologies Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) Other fixed broadband services WiFi IPv6 v. IPv4

Digital economy E-Government E-Health E-Education Smart Meters Smart Cities Technology parks/focus areas

Mobile Market Market Overview and Analysis Mobile Statistics and Forecasts Mobile Broadband Statistics and Forecasts Mobile Regulatory Issues Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G 3G Major Mobile Operators Operator Statistics MobiFone VNPT-Vinaphone Viettel Vietnamobile GMobile Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Related reports





List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  2018 (e)

Table 2  Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration  2007 - 2018

Table 3  Vietnam - Data Centres

Table 4  Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2007  2023

Table 5  Internet Users and Penetration  2007  2017

Table 6  Historic - Internet users and penetration  1998  2006

Table 7  FTTH subscribers  2008  2018

Table 8  Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2007  2023

Table 9  Historic - mobile subscribers  1995  2006

Table 10  Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2010  2023

Table 11  Mobile subscribers and market share by operator  2018

Table 12  MobiFone mobile subscribers  2007  2018

Table 13  VNPT - Vinaphone subscribers  2007  2018

Table 14  Viettel subscribers  2007  2018

Table 15  Vietnamobile mobile subscribers  2009  2018

Table 16 Gmobile subscribers  2009  2018

List of Charts

Chart 1  Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category

Chart 2  Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 3  Telecoms Maturity Index  South East Asia

Chart 4  Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration  2007  2018

Chart 5  Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2008  2023

Chart 6  Internet Users and Penetration  2007  2017

Chart 7  Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2008  2023

Chart 8  Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast)  2010  2023

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  South East Asia - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 3 MICs assigned policy and regulatory responsibilities





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Vietnam-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Nicolas Bombourg

nbombourg@budde.com.au



Within Australia

(02) 8076 7665



Outside Australia

+44 207 097 1241


Prada has become the latest luxury fashion label to join the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

On Monday, the Italian fashion house announced in a statement that the companys co-CEOs Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada, and chairman Carlo Mazzi had personally donated six intensive care and resuscitation units to three hospitals in Milan.

The hospitals included San Raffaele, Sacco and Vittore Buzzi  the latter of which is a children's hospital.

The donation follows the news that the coronavirus death toll in Italy increased by nearly 400 in 24 hours, from 1,441 to 1,809.

According to officials, the total number of infections in the country, which is in lockdown, has also gone up, to 24,747, from 21,157.

Lombardy, the heavily populated area around the financial capital Milan, has been Italys worst-affected region, with 966 deaths and 11,685 confirmed cases.

Over the past week, a number of major fashion brands have donated millions to help treat those affected and help prevent the spread of the virus.

On Monday, Louis Vuittons parent company, LVMH, pledged to use its perfume factories to manufacture hand sanitiser in order to reduce the risk of a shortage in France amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company stated that the gel will be delivered free of charge to the French health authorities and as a priority to the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, a university hospital trust.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

Similarly, Giorgio Armani donated 1.25m (1.1m) to hospitals in Italy, including three hospitals in Milan and the Spallanzani hospital in Rome.

The donation also included money for the Civil Protection Agency, a national body in Italy that deals with emergency situations.

Donatella Versace and her daughter, Allegra Versace Beck, also donated 200,000 (182,000) to the intensive care unit of Milans San Raffaele hospital.

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, the Italian mother-daughter duo said in a statement.

This is when we, as a society, need to stand together and care for one another.

For all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak, follow The Independent's live blog here.
The process of contacting



passengers on a Dubai-Goa-Bengaluru flight in which a woman tested positive for the novel coronavirus in neighbouring Karnataka has begun, Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane said.

A Karnataka government health bulletin said the "67- year-old female who is a resident of Bangalore returned from Dubai via Goa on March 9. She is a known case of chronic kidney disease (CKD). She has been in strict home quarantine since coming to Bangalore."



The woman was admitted to the hospital on March 16.

"We are taking all steps possible to get in touch with the passengers who got off from that flight and entered Goa. They will be tested for coronavirus. Goa health secretary Neela Mohanan is in touch with the airlines to get passenger data," Rane said.

Rane also said the Goa government was looking into ways to seal the border with Maharashtra and Karnataka to stop the spread of the virus as people from these two states are coming here.

"We have asked for advice from the Union Health ministry on sealing the border. The file has been moved to the chief minister on this issue," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:54:52|Editor: xuxin

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BANGKOK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Commerce Ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) on Tuesday reaffirmed that Thailand has ample supply of food and consumer products and that there is no need to stockpile goods.

"People, panicking about this COVID-19 crisis, are concerned that cities would be locked down soon, causing the public to reduce outside contact and hoard foods and products that are necessary," said Pimchanok Vonkorpon, TPSO's director-general, "We confirm that people do not need to worry because the production of common goods in the country is still sufficient."

She said that although some products may have disappeared from shelves due to a sudden increase in demand and after employees were unable to arrange for new products in time, stocks were still sufficient while prices remain at the normal level.

Pimchanok guaranteed ample food and consumer supplies. They include fresh foods and seasonings, instant foods and toiletries.

"People need not worry about food and consumer product shortage during this period because it will only be short term, while manufacturers of cleaning items and sanitizing gels are accelerating production to meet demand soon," she said.

Pimchanok added that the Commerce Ministry will monitor the product situation closely and issue additional measures to relieve public burden.
George Takei is leading a campaign to get Donald Trump reported on Twitter for stoking racism over the coronavirus.

The actor asked others on the platform to flag a tweet by the US president in which he referred to the Chinese virus.

Do me a favour and report this tweet. Trump is stoking racism, Takei wrote.

@jack [Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey] may not do anything, but people should let @Twitter know its not acceptable.

Trumps tweet reads: "The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

The presidents message has been widely criticised for his used of the phrase Chinese virus.

Doctor Eugene Gu wrote in response: There it is. Ive been deathly afraid of this exact moment where Trump turns to racism and xenophobia and calls Covid-19 the Chinese Virus.

We are in deep trouble as a nation now that President of the United States makes the conscious decision to go down this dark path of hate.

Chinas foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Trumps tweet smears China, and that Beijing strongly opposes the presidents usage of the words.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a daily briefing that the US should first take care of its own matters.

Additional reporting by agencies
A visitor passes a sign in the lobby of the European Securities and Markets Authority's (ESMA) headquarters in Paris,

European market watchdogs have moved to tighten rules on short selling in an effort to stem the historic losses arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

Short selling involves an investor borrowing a security and selling it on the open market, with a view to buying it back later at a reduced price, hence capitalization on the depreciation of a stock's value. It is common, albeit controversial, practice at times of great market distress.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index has plunged more than 34% in the last month, including notching its worst one-day percentage decline in history last Thursday, as travel and industrial shutdowns grind the continent to a halt in a bid to curtail the rapid spread of the virus.

France's Autorite des Marches Financiers banned short selling in 92 shares, those most impacted during Monday's sell-off, until the end of Tuesday's trading session.
As supermarkets and chemists sell out of hand sanitisers and alcohol wipes amid panic buying caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many people are turning to do-it-yourself recipes to make their own high-grade disinfectants.

Sydney-based chemist Michelle Wong said there are both 'good and very bad' examples of recipes being copied from the internet.

She said the key to making your own product is to ensure that the final concentration of alcohol/ethanol used in the mixture ends up at greater than 60 percent, as lower strengths will not be effective in killing the virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) which has its own sanitiser concentrate recipe available, calls for 96 percent-proof ethanol (8,333ml), hydrogen peroxide three percent (417ml) and 98 percent glycerol (145ml).

Scroll down for video

Sydney-based chemist Michelle Wong said there are both 'good and very bad' examples of recipes being copied from the internet

Recipe for hand sanitiser: 1/3 cup of 96% ethanol 1/4 tsp of 98% glycerin 1 tsp of hydrogen peroxide 1/2 tbsp distilled water This gives a final concentration of around 80% ethanol Advertisement



The ethanol, or alcohol, kills the protein that surrounds the virus, disabling it before it can infect you.

The glycerol moisturises hands because alcohol can dry out your skin, and the hydrogen peroxide kills any remaining bacteria that might have grown while you made the recipe.

'Aside from having a high alcohol concentration nothing else is considered as effective at killing the coronavirus,' Ms Wong said on her YouTube channel Lab Muffin Beauty Science.

However, it's a recipe meant for a 10-litre mixture, and most people won't need that much.

Plenty of chemists have completely run out of hand sanitiser, which is prompting people to make their own

There is currently no known evidence to say that essential oils like lavender and tea tree will help stop the spread of this particular virus, so any DIY recipe containing only these ingredients is ineffective.

You can try mixing one-quarter of a cup of aloe vera gel and two-thirds of a cup of 99 per cent rubbing alcohol to get a result.

Ms Wong said those tempted to use strong drinking alcohol will not work, as it does not have a high enough concentration to kill the germs.

How does soap get rid of the virus? Most viruses consist of three key building blocks: ribonucleic acid (RNA), proteins and lipids. The fat-like substances in soap 'loosens' the connections between these three building blocks, breaking them down and 'killing' the virus - or rendering it inactive. Just washing with water isn't strong enough to loosen the connections, which is why soap is such a useful protector. Advertisement

Once you've applied the sanitiser it should stay 'wet' on your hands for 20 seconds, and there is no need to rinse them after

Once you've applied the sanitiser it should stay 'wet' on your hands for 20 seconds, and there is no need to rinse them after.

When it comes to making your own alcohol wipes, you can use the hand sanitiser mixture of aloe vera gel and alcohol dipped in paper towel for an on-the-go fix.

Otherwise Miss Wong recommends using bleach to wipe down surfaces.

WHO is still strongly suggesting that people wash their hands with soap and water and use wipes and hand sanitiser as a last resort when they're on the go.
A few regional bookseller associations have held spring forums already, including the California Independent Booksellers Associations gathering in San Diego on March 8, and Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Associations meeting in Dallas this past Friday. This week, as the coronavirus pandemic crisis gathers worsens, the regionals are tweaking their spring schedules to both protect their members and adhere to guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control. Both CALIBA and MPIBA are canceling a second planned forum, though both hope to reschedule these meetings for early summer, after BookExpo.

While the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association simply canceled its April 14 Seattle spring forum, and promises to give priority to authors affected by this move in its fall show programming, two others rescheduled their April events: the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association postponed its April 5-6 spring forum in Bayfield, Wis. to June 1-2, immediately following BookExpo; the New England Independent Booksellers Association postponed its April 7 meeting in Portland, Me. to June 10-11.

As for the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, the Southern Booksellers Association, and the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association, GLIBA executive director Larry Law expressed it best when he told PW, Were not canceling our forums, were just shifting what were doing. GLIBA will hold its first virtual spring forum rather than gathering in Kalamazoo, Mich. on April 16. The entire spring forum will be streamed online, as authors participate via Zoom for live presentations on April 16 followed by Q&As with each author. The Q&As will be followed by a virtual bookstore tour led by booksellers Joanna Parzakonis and Derek Molitor of BookBug in Kalamazoo. And, Law promises, not only will galleys be shipped to booksellers before the virtual forum, but more programming will be announced.

We remain positive and upbeat in this unusual time, Law said, Were really leaning into the idea of a virtual forum and making it fun.

NAIBA is also using Zoom to bring together its member booksellers, but not on the same scale as GLIBA. NAIBAs spring forum was originally scheduled to take place on April 2 at the American Booksellers Associations offices in White Plains, N.Y. in the same county as New Rochelle, a coronavirus hot spot. The meeting instead will be a Zoom conference call taking place on the same date. Thus far, says NAIBA executive director Eileen Dengler, close to 15 booksellers have registered. Usually 40-70 booksellers attend NAIBAs spring forums.

As for SIBA, it comes as no surprise that a regional association famed for its lively and even raucous bookseller gatherings would tweak its scheduling, and in the process even increase attendance and build upon the variety of bookstores represented

Rather than holding its spring forum on March 19 in Athens, Ga., SIBAs incoming director, Linda Marie Barrett, explained, the organization is holding small gatherings in 11 different locations across the South. The meetings began on March 9 in Tampa, Fla. and were scheduled to run through March 19 in Athens, Ga., although the meetings on March 16 in Greenville, S.C. and the March 19 meeting, were canceled due to guidelines regarding social distancing; the ABA was part of a Zoom call yesterday and will be part of another one on the 19th.

The mini-forums were dubbed March Madness and drew about 80 booksellers total, a 32% increase from last years spring forum attendance. Each hosting bookseller, Barrett added, focused on something they do really well during their gathering. Each session is going to become a webinar to be accessed through SIBAs website.

It turned out to be really great, Barrett said, Its just what booksellers needed.

Barretts assessment was confirmed by several booksellers who provided feedback to her, including Jessica Nock of Main Street Books in Davidson, N.C., who attended a March Madness mini forum in Winston-Salem. "What an amazing investment of our time to come together with other booksellers in the midst of pandemic angst and learn, share ideas and talk our love of indies," she wrote.

Correction: Linda Marie Barrett is SIBA's incoming director, not the current director. She will replace Wanda Jewell as director on June 1.
Madhya Pradesh appears to be heading towards Presidents Rule unless the Supreme Court intervenes to diffuse the constitutional crisis emanating from direct confrontation between Governor Lalji Tandon and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati over holding floor test on the fate of beleaguered Kamal Nath government.

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FILE PHOTO: A coach of German mobility platform FlixBus that runs bus and train services, arrives at a bus depot in Munich

By Douglas Busvine

BERLIN (Reuters) - Online travel startups based in Germany are hunkering down to survive a coronavirus pandemic that threatens to inflict a "nuclear winter" on the travel industry as bookings plunge and borders close.

Berlin-based GetYourGuide and ticket booking website Omio said they planned to spend the expected quiet period working on tech systems to ensure they were more competitive when travel resumes in earnest.

"In the next couple of weeks I think we'll all just go into hibernation mode. We'll work on our tech, our infrastructure and our supply offering, and make sure we have everything in place for when travel picks up again," said Johannes Reck, co-founder and CEO of GetYourGuide (GYG).

The company, which specializes in experiences such as museum visits and walking tours, said bookings worldwide halved two weeks ago from forecast levels after a record start to the year.

Travelers have become more hesitant and are seeking alternatives closer to home - preferring outdoor excursions to avoid crowds or indoor settings that would increase their risk of infection, Reck said.

Omio, which offers bus, rail and flight bookings, has seen a decline in bookings of 30%-50% and is bracing for falls of more than 50% if borders close.

Unlike airlines, for example, which must keep their planes in the air to keep going, these digital businesses have a far smaller fixed-cost base as most operate as middlemen between travelers and transport providers.

Omio spokesman Boris Radke said it had the flexibility to slash spending on marketing and devote the quiet period to improving its search engine optimization, the technology that steers customers to its app.

"The entire European Union might shut its borders for two weeks. We should be able to live with that," he said.

Tracking the exponential spread of the virus across Europe, governments have imposed restrictions on people's movements - including lockdowns in Italy and Spain - with a spate of border closures announced over the weekend.

Story continues

Munich-based bus and train app Flixmobility suspended its services throughout Italy and halted cross-border connections to and from Italy on March 11.

Border closures in Europe mean Flixbus services to and from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Denmark, Poland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Spain and Portugal and Germany will be affected in the weeks ahead, it said on its website https://global.flixbus.com/coronavirus-information.

"We're continually adapting our offer to the decreased demand," the company said, adding it was working with operators of its green Flixbuses that are a frequent sight on European highways to counteract the economic fallout.

GetYourGuide's Reck said the travel industry was facing a nuclear winter: "Just survival over the next 12-24 months, by any travel company, will be a massive competitive advantage."

(Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by David Clarke)
Fake news is no new phenomenon but is becoming more prevalent through modern communication channels. Photo: Le Toan

Fake news is nothing of a rare bird in any part of the world. For some, the issue has become more infuriating at a time when even presidents of global superpowers decry false information, even though what they are complaining about is wholly accurate, and simply just what they do not want to hear.

In Vietnam, fighting fake news on social media calls for considerable efforts when there are nearly 70 million internet users and 65 million active social media users, who account for approximately 70 per cent of the total population, according to statistics from digital media agency We Are Social.

In addition, each user spends an average of 6.5 hours a day on the internet, which means there are massive amounts of information generated and running through online platforms. And while some information is trustworthy, a lot more is not, and an avalanche of them finds its way to websites, blog posts, and forums to overshadow level-headed news from reliable sources with their uproarious headlines, overinflated claims, and downright falsities.

On the night of March 6, the Ministry of Health announced the first COVID-19 case in Hanoi. The news quickly went viral and left parts of the city in chaos. Seizing on the bunch of articles about Patient 17 which included the patients name, netizens did not miss out on the opportunity to dig deeper into the patients personal life and liven up their newsfeeds by widely sharing straight-up rumours around her travel itinerary and health status.

Without the least bit of verification, these rumours were taken as fact by many.

Hundreds of people attending events in Hanoi fell into panic because of rumours that Patient 17 went to the same events, and inaccurate photos were shared widely. Supermarkets, wet markets, and convenience stores in not only the capital but other localities became battlefields as people rushed to stock up, causing a temporary shortage and driving up the price of foodstuff.

As the authorities were quick to stage inspections and reassure the public, the panic quickly began to dissipate.

Ngoc Diep, living in Hanois Dong Da district, told VIR, Every day when I checked my social networks, I was confused by the overwhelming amount of information of the disease. There were posts about more cases and even deaths, and insinuations that the government is concealing information. My mind was so tangled up with uncertainty that I was even afraid to go outside.

She is just one of the victims of bogus rumours spreading on social networks, which gained tremendous impetus since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic.

False health advice, such as eating chicken eggs or marjoram to prevent infection, as well as fabricated information about infected and quarantined people are posted every day to garner hundreds of likes and shares.

Aside from drawing the communitys attention to win fame and further business interests, fake news are also a tool for reactionary individuals and organisations to sow seeds of dissent and further their social and political agendas in the country.

News of the doomsday coming, criticising authorities draw the eye and can often dupe the public which is not trained in spotting false information, inciting fights in the comment sections and online forums and even bringing about enormous economic losses and threatening national security.

The COVID-19 pandemic is just the latest topical excuse for fake news. Back in 2019, the preferred target was the African swine fever, when a Facebook user, for her own interest, began spreading false rumours and called for a pork boycott.

The African swine fever brought difficulties to not only pig-farmers but related feed suppliers and the entire agricultural sector by reducing prices and increasing supply shortages.

Similarly, Ninh Binh Export Foodstuff And Agricultural Processing JSC and its director Pham Xuan Truong were once terrorised and threatened (even by local celebrities) over a picture of canned dog meat bearing the companys logo.

Truong had to clarify that the company did pilot such a product 15 years ago but the product never went into distribution. Nevertheless, the rumour shook both the companys business performance and reputation.

To check the spread of dangerours fake news, Vietnam has begun handing out bitter pills.

In January 2019, Vietnam enacted the Law on Cybersecurity. Accordingly, those violating its provisions shall, depending on the nature and seriousness of such violations, be disciplined, examined for penal liability, or even be forced to pay compensation.

Previously, several Vietnamese artists and celebrities such as Dam Vinh Hung, Ngo Thanh Van, and Cat Phuong have been fined for VND10 million ($435) each for uploading and sharing untrue information about the novel coronavirus outbreak.

However, many internet users in Vietnam are unaware of the existing law. According to data from the Ministry of Public Security, since the COVID-19 outbreak appeared in Vietnam, over 650 violators spreading fake news related to the pandemic on social networks have been addressed by authorities. More than 160 of them were monetarily sanctioned.

Hanoi Police Department also reported nearly 40 Facebook users who were fined between VND7.5-30 million each for fabricating and sharing unverified information about two patients in the city.

These depict the constant efforts of authorised agencies and the government, with intensified reviews, examinations, and action to prevent malicious information from spreading on social networks, and imposing strict penalties to violators.

Joining hands with the government to fight unverified information for a cleaner internet environment, a righteous faction in the Vietnamese Facebook community has launched campaigns like the Say NO to Fake News and Think Carefully Before Pressing ENTER.

There is a new virus staining all areas of life, seriously affecting the lives of people of every walk of life  the fake news virus, which we have to stop by ourselves by raising community awareness. We have to think more carefully before pressing enter to avoid sharing fake news, said Nguyen Duc Hiep, chairman of Hanoi Students Group 9194.

Do Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Department of Cyber Security and Hi-Tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security, stated at the Vietnam Security Summit 2019 that Fake news is not only a problem for society but also a significant concern for the political system.

From a legal aspect, Bui The Vinh, a lawyer from the Hanoi Bar Association, said that Vietnam has already built up a legal corridor to address the spread of false information, which is specified in the Law on Cyber Security and the Penal Code.
An aircraft arriving in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa from Russia was promptly evacuated after an anonymous source claimed there was a bomb on the plane.

The incident occurred on flight ZF2443, which traveled from Krasnoyarsk City in Russia to Cam Ranh International Airport, located in the namesake city in Khanh Hoa Province, on Monday morning, according to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Shortly before the aircraft landed at 6:50 am, Russian carrier Azur Air, which operated the flight, received an anonymous phone call claiming that there was a bomb on board.

The information was then reported to managers of the Cam Ranh airport.

After 239 passengers and eight crew members were evacuated from the aircraft, airport security began searching the cabin and went through passengers checked luggage.

The plane was handed over to the airline on the afternoon of the same day after no threat was found.

It must have been a joke played by someone in Russia, the source stated.

All passengers completed their immigration procedures normally while the plane departed for Russia at 6:00 pm the same day, the source added.

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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX:ERD; MSE:ERDN) ("Erdene" or the "Company") announces operating and financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019, and provides an update on its Khundii Gold Project, including potential impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This release should be read in conjunction with the Companys 2019 Financial Statements and MD&A, available on the Companys website or SEDAR.



Quotes from the Company:

Erdenes exploration and pre-development successes over the past year have positioned the Company to advance rapidly through the initial stages of the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for the high-grade, near-surface, Khundii Gold Project," said Peter Akerley, Erdenes President and CEO. During the past year we delivered both the Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEA) for two deposits and the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for Bayan Khundii, established an open-pit mineable reserve of over 400,000 ounces grading 3.7 g/t gold, secured two mining licenses, registered water resources, obtained land use permits and added ounces through exploration.

With the financial support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), we remain committed to Mongolia's growth and development, the generation of strong return for our investors, and shared benefits for all our stakeholders in Mongolia and internationally, continued Mr. Akerley. We remain on track for delivery of the BFS in mid-2020, with permitting and development readiness activities ongoing in advance of financing and construction decisions in 2020, targeting first gold production as early as 2021.

2019 Highlights and Subsequent Events:

Potential Impacts of COVID-19 on the Khundii Gold Project

In late January 2020, Erdene adopted protective measures which included travel restrictions, instituted remote working and extended health care support for our Mongolian and international teams to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on staff, stakeholders and our operations. Although we remain largely on track for the delivery of the BFS, there is the potential for delays, which we are closely monitoring. We will provide updates on our actions and the implications to our Company of COVID-19 as further information becomes available.

Khundii Gold Project  100% Erdene

Announced robust results within a NI 43-101 Technical Report led by Tetra Tech, Inc, comprised of the Bayan Khundii (BK) PFS and an updated Altan Nar (AN) PEA (results at US$1,300/oz gold price, unless noted):

-- Post-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate (NPV5%) of US$97 million and a 42% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the BK PFS.

-- Post-tax NPV5% of US$144 million and 58% IRR at current (US$1,500/oz) gold prices for the BK PFS.

-- Incremental post-tax NPV5% and IRR of US$24 million and 92%, respectively, for the updated AN PEA, reflecting the second phase of the development utilizing BK infrastructure.

-- BK Life of Mine (LOM) Earnings Before Interest, Taxes and Depreciation of US$211 million.

-- LOM head grade of 3.73 g/t gold for the BK PFS and 3.46 g/t gold for the updated AN PEA.

-- BK Measured and Indicated Resources of 520,700 ounces gold at an average grade of 3.16 g/t gold, a 20% increase from the September 2018 resource estimate.

-- BK Proven and Probable Reserves of 422,000 ounces gold at an average grade of 3.7 g/t gold.

-- Project life of 11 years, comprising of a one-year pre-production period, six-year operating life for BK, three-year operating life for AN, and one-year mine closure.

-- Average annual gold production of 61,000 ounces in the BK PFS and 45,300 ounces of gold and 205,000 ounces of silver in the updated AN PEA.

-- All-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$746/ounce of gold recovered for the BK PFS, and for the updated AN PEA, US$931/ounce of gold equivalent (see press release dated October 21, 2019 for AuEq definition).

-- BK PFS Initial Capital US$40 million and US$2 million incremental capital at year-7 for AN PEA.

-- Payback period of less than two years for the BK PFS.

-- Significant benefits to Mongolia, including royalties and taxes of US$82 million for LOM and 300 local jobs.





-- Post-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate (NPV5%) of US$97 million and a 42% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the BK PFS. -- Post-tax NPV5% of US$144 million and 58% IRR at current (US$1,500/oz) gold prices for the BK PFS. -- Incremental post-tax NPV5% and IRR of US$24 million and 92%, respectively, for the updated AN PEA, reflecting the second phase of the development utilizing BK infrastructure. -- BK Life of Mine (LOM) Earnings Before Interest, Taxes and Depreciation of US$211 million. -- LOM head grade of 3.73 g/t gold for the BK PFS and 3.46 g/t gold for the updated AN PEA. -- BK Measured and Indicated Resources of 520,700 ounces gold at an average grade of 3.16 g/t gold, a 20% increase from the September 2018 resource estimate. -- BK Proven and Probable Reserves of 422,000 ounces gold at an average grade of 3.7 g/t gold. -- Project life of 11 years, comprising of a one-year pre-production period, six-year operating life for BK, three-year operating life for AN, and one-year mine closure. -- Average annual gold production of 61,000 ounces in the BK PFS and 45,300 ounces of gold and 205,000 ounces of silver in the updated AN PEA. -- All-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$746/ounce of gold recovered for the BK PFS, and for the updated AN PEA, US$931/ounce of gold equivalent (see press release dated October 21, 2019 for AuEq definition). -- BK PFS Initial Capital US$40 million and US$2 million incremental capital at year-7 for AN PEA. -- Payback period of less than two years for the BK PFS. -- Significant benefits to Mongolia, including royalties and taxes of US$82 million for LOM and 300 local jobs. Launched the BFS and Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) in December 2019 required for permitting, project finance, and board approval to commence construction of the Khundii Gold Project:

-- Studies will be delivered by a consortium of international and Mongolian consultants and will incorporate an updated mine design study, FEED for the processing plant and associated infrastructure, a hydrogeological study, detailed waste management plans, and an updated economic model.

-- BFS results scheduled to be announced in mid-2020.





-- Studies will be delivered by a consortium of international and Mongolian consultants and will incorporate an updated mine design study, FEED for the processing plant and associated infrastructure, a hydrogeological study, detailed waste management plans, and an updated economic model. -- BFS results scheduled to be announced in mid-2020. Received the Khundii Mining License on August 5, 2019, and the Altan Nar Mining License on March 5, 2020:

-- Mining licenses are valid for an initial term of 30 years and can be extended to 70 years, providing long-term tenure over the land package underpinning the Khundii Gold District.





-- Mining licenses are valid for an initial term of 30 years and can be extended to 70 years, providing long-term tenure over the land package underpinning the Khundii Gold District. Completed hydrological drilling and established water resources for the Khundii Gold Project:

-- During 2019, five (5) process-water production boreholes were established within 3.2 kilometres of the proposed location of the Bayan Khundii processing facility.

-- A water resource sufficient to meet the anticipated process plant requirement for the life of the BK facility has been registered and approved by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

-- Water well has been established, registered and approved within 200 metres of the proposed camp.





-- During 2019, five (5) process-water production boreholes were established within 3.2 kilometres of the proposed location of the Bayan Khundii processing facility. -- A water resource sufficient to meet the anticipated process plant requirement for the life of the BK facility has been registered and approved by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. -- Water well has been established, registered and approved within 200 metres of the proposed camp. Concluded the BFS geotechnical drill program in Q4 2019 for Bayan Khundii:

-- Six (6) geotechnical drill holes (745 metres) were bored in Q4 2019 to assess the strength and stability of the various lithologies within the proposed Bayan Khundii open-pit.

-- Results will be incorporated into the BFS and are expected to result in a safe steepening of pit walls, as the PFS slopes were conservative in the absence of geotechnical data.





-- Six (6) geotechnical drill holes (745 metres) were bored in Q4 2019 to assess the strength and stability of the various lithologies within the proposed Bayan Khundii open-pit. -- Results will be incorporated into the BFS and are expected to result in a safe steepening of pit walls, as the PFS slopes were conservative in the absence of geotechnical data. Conducted additional metallurgical testing on Bayan Khundii ore:

-- Blue Coast Research in British Columbia, Canada, performed further testing to optimize the comminution (grinding) circuit; to determine the ideal grind size for optimized gold recovery; determine the most efficient dewatering procedures to maximize water recovery; determine carbon adsorption characteristics; optimize percent solids of the process plant slurry, and; detoxification test work designed to minimize cyanide in tailings.

-- Test work to date confirmed the high recovery rates of gold across the BK deposit and largely corroborated key assumptions in the comminution and tailings handling circuits of the proposed process plant.





-- Blue Coast Research in British Columbia, Canada, performed further testing to optimize the comminution (grinding) circuit; to determine the ideal grind size for optimized gold recovery; determine the most efficient dewatering procedures to maximize water recovery; determine carbon adsorption characteristics; optimize percent solids of the process plant slurry, and; detoxification test work designed to minimize cyanide in tailings. -- Test work to date confirmed the high recovery rates of gold across the BK deposit and largely corroborated key assumptions in the comminution and tailings handling circuits of the proposed process plant. Initiated procurement work-stream for the BFS costing:

-- Request for Proposal packages for key plant and equipment have been developed and are scheduled to be released to pre-qualified suppliers and contractors within the next two weeks.

-- Responses are due to be received by mid Q2.





-- Request for Proposal packages for key plant and equipment have been developed and are scheduled to be released to pre-qualified suppliers and contractors within the next two weeks. -- Responses are due to be received by mid Q2. Advanced the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), led by Sustainability East Asia LLC:

-- The study assessed potential impacts on local climate and air quality, water resources, traffic, and the economy in the context of nearby communities and on-site personnel, and is largely complete.

-- Given the Project's modest initial scale and industry-leading avoidance and mitigation measures, benefits are expected to outweigh the low and moderate residual anticipated impacts from operations.

-- The ESIA is expected to be disclosed in the first half of 2020, following Board and lender reviews.

-- The Mongolian statutory Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for BK, built upon the ESIA, is mainly complete in advance of the public consultation, which is scheduled to take place in H1 2020.





-- The study assessed potential impacts on local climate and air quality, water resources, traffic, and the economy in the context of nearby communities and on-site personnel, and is largely complete. -- Given the Project's modest initial scale and industry-leading avoidance and mitigation measures, benefits are expected to outweigh the low and moderate residual anticipated impacts from operations. -- The ESIA is expected to be disclosed in the first half of 2020, following Board and lender reviews. -- The Mongolian statutory Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for BK, built upon the ESIA, is mainly complete in advance of the public consultation, which is scheduled to take place in H1 2020. Obtained several key permits and regulatory approvals required for construction:

-- Mineral Resource and Petroleum Authority approved the BK Statutory Technical and Economic Assessment (Mongolian Feasibility Study).

-- Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism approved a water reserve and flow rate to be utilized for the planned processing plant and infrastructure of the Khundii Gold Project.

-- Land Arrangement Plan is approved by the local community granting access to the 100-hectare area required to construct the BK open-pit and associated surface infrastructure.

Exploration

Completed the 2019 exploration campaign, drilling 22 holes totaling 4,367 metres at Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar which returned some of the highest grade intersections* to date:

-- Bayan Khundii  Midfield Zone: Confirmation drilling for the PFS Resource intersected 112 metres of 5.9 g/t gold, including 8 metres of 45 g/t gold and 1 metre intervals of 81, 95 and 129 g/t gold at BKD-261

-- Bayan Khundii  Striker and Midfield Zones: Definition drilling intersected 32 metres of 2.4 g/t gold in BKD-269 and 37 metres of 1.7 g/t gold in BKD-270 demonstrating continuity of mineralization within the BK deposit.

-- Bayan Khundii South Extension: Step-out drilling, under cover, 350 metres south of the BK deposit. BKD-268 intersected anomalous gold mineralization up to 1 metre of 2.45 g/t gold within the same altered volcanic unit which hosts the high-grade BK gold deposit.

-- Altan Nar  Discovery Zone: Expanded the high-grade portion of the Central Gap Zone with 45.7 g/t gold, 93.4 g/t silver, 1.54% lead and 3.40% zinc over 7 metres beginning at approximately 70 metres vertical depth, within 23 metres grading 17 g/t gold at TND-135.

-- Altan Nar  Discovery Zone: Confirmed high-grade mineralization north of the Gap Zone with 12.2 g/t gold over 10 metres, including 2 metres of 52.9 g/t gold at TND-134 and 10 metres of 4.68 g/t gold at TND-138.

-- Dark Horse (Khar Mori)  New, high-grade gold discovery on the Khundii Mining license, 3.5 kilometres north of the BK deposit, with high-grade surface rock samples grading up to 87.8 g/t gold.

** Result intervals (metres) represent measured widths  please refer to individual news releases for projected true widths.

Corporate

Raised C$11.9 million in 2019 through a convertible loan and equity financings to complete the Bayan Khundii Gold Project Pre-Feasibility and Feasibility Studies, the repurchase of the Sandstorm NSR royalty, exploration and general working capital:

-- Closed a US$5 million (C$6.6 million) convertible loan financing with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in November 2019.

-- Raised $5.3 million in equity through a series of non-brokered private-placement offerings.

-- Current working capital of $3.8 million will fund the Company through completion of the Bankable Feasibility Study.





-- Closed a US$5 million (C$6.6 million) convertible loan financing with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in November 2019. -- Raised $5.3 million in equity through a series of non-brokered private-placement offerings. -- Current working capital of $3.8 million will fund the Company through completion of the Bankable Feasibility Study. Repurchased 50% of the Khundii NSR royalty from Sandstorm Gold on April 12, 2019:

-- The implied value of the NSR royalty is well in excess of the C$1.2 million repurchase price.





-- The implied value of the NSR royalty is well in excess of the C$1.2 million repurchase price. Recorded a net loss of $2,683,292 for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to a net loss of $3,656,990 for the year ended December 31, 2018:

-- Exploration and Evaluation expenditures, including capitalized costs, of $6,694,914 in 2019 exceeded costs of $5,958,692 for the prior year as increased technical consultant costs associated with the Khundii Gold Project PEA, the Bayan Khundii PFS and the updated Altan Nar PEA more than offset lower exploration activity.

-- Corporate and administrative expenses, excluding non-cash, share-based compensation and depreciation were $1,142,956 in 2019 versus $1,407,536 in 2018 primarily due to lower staffing costs as a result of personnel changes and reduced marketing spend.

Potential Impacts of COVID-19 on the Khundii Gold Project

In late January 2020, Erdene initiated measures, including travel restrictions, remote work and supplemental health care for our Ulaanbaatar based and international staff in response to the reported spread of the COVID-19 virus. These measures have been recently expanded to include our Canadian head office staff following Canadian federal and provincial Government advice. Since mid-January, the Mongolian government has restricted the movement of people and goods within the country, as well as internationally in an effort to protect its citizens from the virus.

Although the full impact of the COVID-19 virus will not be known for some time, the Company remains largely on track for the delivery of its BFS by mid-2020. Permitting and exploration also continues, though travel and public gathering restrictions have led to delays. Further details on potential impacts the Company is monitoring are as follows:

Bankable Feasibility Study: The BFS is well progressed with the remaining work-streams largely desktop focused, following the completion of field based and laboratory studies in late 2019 and early 2020. Costing work can be completed remotely, and procurement is focused on Chinese and Mongolian vendors, where restrictions related to COVID-19 have been recently relaxed. Although minor delays are anticipated in finalizing the BFS, Erdene continues on track to announce results of the BFS in mid-2020, and delivery of the full study within 45 days of the announcement.

Permitting: The Ulaanbaatar based team continues to make significant progress on permitting, as evidenced by the recent receipt of the Altan Nar mining license. Restrictions around public gatherings are delaying a public meeting required for the development approval of the DEIA; however, Erdene has received the preliminary sign-off from the Ministry. Assuming no further restrictions are enacted, permitting is expected to remain on track.

Exploration and Field Activities: Following the successful exploration results announced in January 2020, work over the past few months has been desktop focused. Mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveys are planned for Q2 at the Dark Horse project assuming no travel restrictions. Surveying work is also expected to commence this week in support of permitting.

Liquidity and Financing: With the receipt of the proceeds from the US$5 million EBRD convertible loan financing in November 2019, Erdene is fully funded through the delivery of the BFS. The Company intends to secure project finance in 2020 but recognizes the potential for delays given current market condition. Erdene is implementing costs saving measures and developing contingencies to maintain momentum and protect its key assets.

Background on the Khundii Gold Project Development

Erdenes deposits are located in the Edren Terrane, within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, host to some of the worlds largest gold and copper-gold deposits. The Company has been the leader in exploration in southwest Mongolia over the past decade and is responsible for the discovery of the Khundii Gold District comprised of multiple high-grade gold and gold/base metal prospects, two of which are being considered for development: the 100%-owned Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects. Together, these deposits comprise the Khundii Gold Project.

In October of 2019, Erdene announced the results of an independent Technical Report for the Khundii Gold Project (press release here), which included a Pre-feasibility Study (PFS) for the Bayan Khundii deposit and an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Altan Nar deposit. The PFS and the updated PEA results include an after-tax Net Present Value at a 5% discount rate and a US$1,300/oz gold price of US$97 million and US$24 million, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 42% and 90% for Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar deposits, respectively. The PFS envisions an open-pit mine at Bayan Khundii from Years 0-7, producing an average of 61,000 oz gold per year at a head grade of 3.73 g/t gold, and an open-pit operation at Altan Nar during Years 7-10, for an average annual production of 48,000 oz gold at an average head grade of 3.46 g/t gold, utilizing a conventional Carbon In Pulp processing plant at the Bayan Khundii mine. Erdene has secured a mining license for the Bayan Khundii deposit in August of 2019 and plans to start producing gold in late 2021.

The Altan Nar PEA is by nature, a preliminary economic study, based in part on Inferred Resources. Inferred Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, which is required for a pre-feasibility or feasibility study. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.

Qualified Person and Sample Protocol

Peter Dalton, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Senior Geologist for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks. All samples undergo standard fire assay analysis for gold and ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) analysis for 33 additional elements. For samples that initially return a grade greater than 5 g/t gold, additional screen-metallic gold analysis is carried out which provides a weighted average gold grade from fire assay analysis of the entire +75 micron fraction and three 30-gram samples of the -75 micron fraction from a 500 gram sample.

Erdenes drill core sampling protocol consisted of collection of samples over 1 or 2 m intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at Erdenes Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 30 including a commercially prepared standard, blank and either a field duplicate, consisting of two quarter-core intervals, or a laboratory duplicate. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdenes logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd.

About Erdene

Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious and base metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has interests in three mining licenses and three exploration licenses in Southwest Mongolia, where exploration success has led to the discovery and definition of the Khundii Gold District. Erdene Resource Development Corp. is listed on the Toronto and Mongolia stock exchanges. Further information is available at www.erdene.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by several factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include potential impacts of COVID-19 on the Companys operations, ability to obtain required third party approvals, market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE

Erdene Contact Information

Peter C. Akerley, President and CEO, or

Robert Jenkins, CFO

Phone: (902) 423-6419

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErdeneRes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErdeneResource

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/erdene-resource-development-corp-/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCILs5s9j3SLmya9vo2-KXoA




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

Maharashtra to stamp people in home quarantine

India

oi-Deepika S

Mumbai, Mar 17: The Maharashtra government has decided to 'stamp' all those people who have been sent to 'home quarantine' in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Reportedly, the left hand people under home quarantine will be stamped to identify them easily if they mingle with the general public.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also said that government offices will remain open amid reports that the government was considering closure.

Don't stay at home if you have symptoms: Delhis 1st Covid-19 patient on isolation ward

"Trains and buses are essential services so we are not stopping them as of now but if people don't listen to our advice and don't avoid unnecessary travel, then we will think about that too. Next 15-20 days are very crucial for us," Thackeray was quoted as saying by ANI.

Maharashtra has emerged as a hotspot of covid-19 (coronavirus) infections.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 137 on Tuesday, while one more person died taking the death toll to three, according to Health Ministry.

The cases include 24 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Delhi has so far reported eight positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 15 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 39 cases, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 26 cases which includes two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 21:04 [IST]
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has written another letter to Governor Lalji Tandon on Tuesday underlining the reasons why a floor test was not possible on Tuesday. Nath also said he regrets the Governors contention that his previous letter was against the parliamentary decorum.

Tandon had asked Kamal Nath to hold the floor test today, after the state Assembly was adjourned on Monday. In his letter to Kamal Nath, the Governor had declared that he would consider the government to have lost the trust of the assembly if he misses the crucial floor test.

Replying to this letter, Kamal Nath today said that Governors opinion that if he didnt go for a floor test on March 17 he will be considered to have lost his majority in the House was unconstitutional.

Earlier, the Governor had asked the chief minister to seek a trust vote in the House immediately after his (Governors) address on Monday.

Also Watch l Kamal Nath running away from floor test, says BJP; CM puts onus on speaker

I have always taken care of my honour and dignity in my long political career of 40 years. I am pained after going through your letter dated March 16, 2020 in which you have accused me of not complying with the parliamentary decorum. I didnt have any such intention but still if you have felt like this then I wish to express my regret, Kamal Nath said in the letter, a copy of which is available with HT

The chief minister further said, In your letter you have written about the assembly being adjourned but not mentioned the reason. Entire world is plagued by coronavirus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the disease as a pandemic. Government of India has issued an advisory to avoid large gatherings, public places and crowd. This is why the Speaker of the state assembly has adjourned the proceedings till 11 am on March 26.

Referring to the Governors observation in his letter that he avoided a floor test Kamal Nath said, I proved my majority in the House several times in the past 15 months. Since BJP is making the accusation that I dont enjoy a majority in the House it can get a floor test done through a no-confidence motion. I have learnt that the BJP has submitted a notice to the Governor for a no-confidence motion which is pending before the Speaker. Once proceedings take place on this I will prove my majority in the House.

I have repeatedly brought to your notice the unusual situation that 16 Congress MLAs were taken to Bangalore in a chartered plane by BJP leaders and held captive in a hotel/resort with the help of Karnataka police. Nobody can meet them. Nobody can talk to them. They are being prevented from coming to Bhopal whereas BJP leaders around them are trying to influence their mind and making them to issue false statements to media, added the CM.

Kamal Nath said, I want to reassure you that let the 16 MLAs be free and stay home in an open atmosphere for 5 to 7 days without any fear and pressure on them so that they could take their decisions at will. Your opinion that if I dont go for a floor test by March 17 and prove my majority I will be considered to have lost my majority will be unconstitutional, having no foundation. I have also learnt that BJP leaders have filed a petition in the court.

The Governor couldnt be reached for his comments.

Meanwhile, the BJP legislature partys chief whip Narottam Mishra said, The chief minister is looking for some pretext or the other since he lost majority to avoid a floor test. Had he enjoyed a majority he would have gone for a floor test by now. He must admit that his government is a minority government, hence he doesnt have a legal and moral authority both to remain in power for a second.

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Linkedin Mark Gurman (Bloomberg)  Tue, March 17, 2020 12:33 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b2f512 2 Science & Tech Facebook,Microsoft,Google,coronavirus,misinformation,COVID-19 Free

Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc.s Google, Microsoft Corp., Twitter Inc. and Reddit said they are teaming up to provide accurate information about the coronavirus and the Covid-19 illness it causes.

Were helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world, according to a joint statement from the companies issued Monday.

Microsofts LinkedIn and Googles YouTube also are part of the group.

Read also: How to play your part in the battle against COVID-19 hoaxes, misinformation

A joint industry statement on COVID-19 from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube: pic.twitter.com/uKEXvjMuBi  Microsoft (@Microsoft) March 17, 2020

The technology giants and social networks said other companies are welcome to join their efforts. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Monday also said it has convened, and will continue to, a number of meetings with different groups of American tech companies and industry associations as part of our whole-of-America response to COVID-19.

Some of the companies, including Facebook and YouTube, earlier pledged to fight misinformation before Mondays announcement.

--With assistance from Naomi Nix.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Geely and Daimler extended their mobility cooperation reach to Beijing by building there a joint venture which will focus on providing premium ride-hailing services.

Dubbed Beijing Weixing Mobility Technology Co.,Ltd, the newborn subsidiary involves a registered capital of RMB10 million, which is wholly invested by Weixing Technology Co.,Ltd, a 50/50 joint venture between Geely Technology Group, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding), and Daimler Mobility Services GmbH, according to China's National Enterprise Credit Information Public System.

Based on the business scope registered to local authority, we found out that Beijing Weixing is to offer car rental and ride-hailing services.

(Photo source: StarRides)



Geely Technology Group and Daimler Mobility Services claimed as early as October 2018 that they would co-build a 50/50 joint venture headquartered in Hangzhou to provide premium ride-hailing services. Then on March 28 last year, Geely Holding and Daimler AG announced the formation of a 50/50 globally focused joint venture to operate and further develop smart brand as a leader in premium-electrified vehicles. The Weixing Technology is what the joint venture is named.

Both parent companies unveiled in last December the premium ride-hailing brand StarRides in China. The inaugural services was to begin in Hangzhou, a populous city home to Geely Holding, in the same month with a fleet of 100 vehicles including Mercedes-Benz S-Class, E-Class and V-Class vehicles. StarRides will expand to other major cities in China starting in 2020, Daimler said then.

With a brand slogan the best in motion, StarRides is built to offer consumers safe, convenient and premium one-stop mobility experience. The chauffeurs employed are strictly trained in global standards and have compliant driving licenses for online car-hailing services. Some of them are able to speak both Chinese and English when serving foreign users, said the German automaker.
Could A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs (MUN:UOM) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. Yet sometimes, investors buy a stock for its dividend and lose money because the share price falls by more than they earned in dividend payments.

With only a three-year payment history, and a 1.3% yield, investors probably think A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs is not much of a dividend stock. While it may not look like much, if earnings are growing it could become quite interesting. That said, the recent jump in the share price will make A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs's dividend yield look smaller, even though the company prospects could be improving. Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

MUN:UOM Historical Dividend Yield, March 17th 2020

Payout ratios

Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs paid out 48% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. A medium payout ratio strikes a good balance between paying dividends, and keeping enough back to invest in the business. Plus, there is room to increase the payout ratio over time.

In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. Of the free cash flow it generated last year, A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs paid out 36% as dividends, suggesting the dividend is affordable. 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.

Story continues

While the above analysis focuses on dividends relative to a company's earnings, we do note A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs's strong net cash position, which will let it pay larger dividends for a time, should it choose.

Remember, you can always get a snapshot of A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs's latest financial position, by checking our visualisation of its financial health.

Dividend Volatility

From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. This company's dividend has been unstable, and with a relatively short history, we think it's a little soon to draw strong conclusions about its long term dividend potential. During the past three-year period, the first annual payment was 0.40 in 2017, compared to 0.10 last year. This works out to a decline of approximately 75% over that time.

A shrinking dividend over a three-year period is not ideal, and we'd be concerned about investing in a dividend stock that lacks a solid record of growing dividends per share.

Dividend Growth Potential

Given that dividend payments have been shrinking like a glacier in a warming world, we need to check if there are some bright spots on the horizon. A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs's earnings per share have shrunk at 33% a year over the past five years. With this kind of significant decline, we always wonder what has changed in the business. Dividends are about stability, and A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs's earnings per share, which support the dividend, have been anything but stable.

Conclusion

Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. It's great to see that A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. Second, earnings per share have been in decline, and its dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Ultimately, A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs comes up short on our dividend analysis. It's not that we think it is a bad company - just that there are likely more appealing dividend prospects out there on this analysis.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Just as an example, we've come accross 3 warning signs for A/S Latvijas Juras medicinas centrs you should be aware of, and 2 of them are a bit concerning.

Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%.

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.
Taxpayers can take some extra time to pay the taxes they owe to the Internal Revenue Service as the nation copes with the spreading coronavirus.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said during the administrations daily coronavirus briefing that taxpayers can defer paying any taxes they would owe on April 15 by 90 days interest-free and penalty-free.

Mnuchin said taxpayers should try to make the April 15 deadline, but they could take the extra time and avoid penalties and interest charges for any money they owe.

We encourage those Americans who can file their taxes to continue to file their taxes on April 15, Mnuchin said. Because for many Americans, you will get tax refunds.

The deferment covers all individual taxpayers who may owe up to $1 million in taxes. Mnuchin said the $1 million figure was so high because it covers small businesses that operate as passthrough entities, such as Limited Liability Companies (LLCs).

It also covers corporations for up to $10 million in taxes owed.

The IRS is ready to pay people their tax refunds, he said.

New Jersey is expected to mirror the federal governments decision.

But now that you have extra time, should you take it? See why it might be smart to file your taxes by April 15.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter.
Supermarket giants are introducing tougher restrictions on grocery items as they struggle to cope with a surge in demand due to coronavirus panic-buying.

Woolworths customers will only be able to purchase two items from any single category from most packaged products, with the exception of some fresh foods.

'There is now a per customer, per shop limit of 2 items from any single category on most packaged products across Woolworths Supermarkets and Metro stores and online,' CEO Brad Banducci said in a statement on Wednesday.

'This means that you'll only be able to buy 2 products from any single category or section (such as coffee), regardless of the brand or variety.'

Items exempt from the policy include fruit and vegetables, seafood and meat (excluding mince) as well as deli, bakery items, canned fish, yoghurts, among others.

One-pack limits are still in place for toilet paper, baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, paper towels, napkins and rice.

'We've made this change to help our suppliers and teams make as many products available to you as possible. So please respect these limits and only buy what you need to help as many Australians as possible access the products they need.

'Our teams continue to work tirelessly under difficult circumstances, so please treat these dedicated people with the courtesy and respect they deserve.'

Meanwhile Coles added chilled white milk, including plant-based non-dairy & goats milk, sugar, UHT long-life milk, canned tomatoes, and liquid soap to its list of restricted items on Wednesday.

Customers will be limited to two lots of each item.

It comes one day after the supermarket announced the same restrictions on eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen dessert.

Coles had already introduced purchasing limits on mince meat, toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

'As the situation around coronavirus continues to develop, we want to ensure you have the most up to date information on product availability,' Coles said in a statement on Sunday.

'The purchase of mince, pasta, flour, dry rice, paper towels, paper tissues and hand sanitisers is limited to 2 items per customer.'





Supermarket giants Coles, Woolworths IGA and Aldi issued a joint statement on Wednesday asking shoppers to be 'considerate' while they shop as they work to accommodate customers in the midst of the crisis.

'Our suppliers and teams are doing everything possible to get as many products onto all our shelves as they can, often under very difficult circumstances,' the statement read.

'So we ask you to please be considerate in the way you shop.

'We understand your concerns, but if you buy only what you need and stick to the product limits, it helps everyone, especially the elderly and people with disability.'

Coles announced it won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic-buying.

Chief executive officer Steven Cain said staff were working 'as hard as possible' to ensure shelves were sufficiently stocked.

'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,' he said.

A spokeswoman for Coles pleaded for customers to show 'respect and compassion' for its exhausted staff.

'Coles team members and suppliers have been working as hard as possible delivering more products to stores every day and stocking shelves as quickly as possible,' a statement said.

'We ask for customers to continue to respect, show compassion and support our team members in stores and our Customer Care and Coles Online call centres, particularly if a product is unavailable or if the checkout queues are longer than normal.

'We have significantly increased the number of team members working in our stores to support this level of unprecedented demand and are actively recruiting for more than 5,000 more casual team members.

The supermarket has been making adjustments to operating procedures in an effort to keep up with the demand.

'We believe all Australians deserve the right to access their share of grocery items, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable,' Coles CEO Steven Cain said.
Celeste Ng, author of "Little Fires Everywhere," visits the West Hollywood set of Hulu's adaptation of her novel. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Celeste Ng is walking inside her own imagination. At least, it feels that way.

The author of "Little Fires Everywhere," the bestselling 2017 novel that explores the intricate relationship between mothers and children, is wandering a cavernous soundstage in West Hollywood for a glimpse of her book's transformation into a Hulu limited series starring and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.

"I think of myself as being like this little intruder," she whispers during a break from shooting in mid-July while walking back in time through the series' re-created '90s suburbia. "I don't want to mess things up, but I also want to dissect everything."

The relationship between novelists and the Hollywood machine can often be fraught. There are countless stories of authors displeased with how their work has been adapted for the big and small screen, and plenty of authors with clout, such as J.K. Rowling and E.L. James, have fought for greater control to ensure their vision makes it to the screen.

Not Ng.

My husband asked me part way through it all, like, Are you feeling possessive of it? And honestly, Im really not, Ng says after scoping out some of the set's interiors, meticulously crafted by production designer Jessica Kender. I wanted it to have space to be its own thing."

Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in a scene from "Little Fires Everywhere." (Hulu)

For the uninitiated: While the story is set in motion by an arson  and the question of why someone in a seemingly utopian small town would do such a thing  it's the pains and contradictions of motherhood that provide the drama. Witherspoon portrays Elena Richardson, the wealthy, perfectionist matriarch of a family with four teenage children; Washington's Mia Warren is a mysterious, bohemian artist and mother who lives with her teenage daughter in the Richardsons' rental property in idyllic Shaker Heights, Ohio.

The eight-episode series joins Hulu's growing roster of literary adaptations, which includes "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Looking for Alaska," when the first three episodes premiere Wednesday. After that, new episodes will drop weekly.

Story continues

"Little Fires Everywhere" debuts at a complicated time. As the coronavirus has people self-quarantining, and Hollywood has been scrambling to adjust its film and TV release plans in response, there have been discussions at Hulu about whether to release the full season at once. But, as of now, there are no plans to change strategy.

On set last July felt like a very different world from the one in which the series will premiere.

Ng was in town from her home in Cambridge, Mass., to visit the set, and there was a palpable sense that it was all a little overwhelming  with good reason. Before exploring the various sets, Ng, dressed in a prim, mauve-colored sheath dress, sat inside the Richardsons' formal living room, filming a scene with Witherspoon and Washington for the second episode. It's a moment that wasn't in the book, involving a tense discussion of "The Vagina Monologues" among the women in a Shaker Heights book club.

"It felt totally new and also really familiar," Ng says. "It was this weird feeling of, 'I've never seen this with my eyes before,' and yet they're the characters I imagined. There was a moment where I was sitting there and Reese was chit-chatting with some of the women in the scene and it hit me like: I'm here with Reese Witherspoon talking about vaginas." (Soon after the trio wrapped, they posed for a photo while proclaiming "Vagina!" to the camera.)

The cameo capped Ng's helpful, but measured, involvement with the series.

The show's creator, Liz Tigelaar ("Casual," "Bates Motel"), says she spoke at length with Ng about her vision for the series  including the tweaks and additions she wanted to make, like amplifying the arcs of the teen characters and exploring the sexuality of Elena's rebel daughter, Izzy (played by Megan Stott). Ng reviewed all the scripts, mostly giving notes on Shaker Heights, where she grew up, to make it feel more authentic. She also visited the writers room while they were working on a flashback episode, bringing in her high school yearbook for inspiration.

"We would ask her a million questions," Tigelaar says. "And we didn't feel handcuffed in any way. Everything that we did in honoring the book came from a place of just loving the book. Our creative process was never like, 'Oh, well, we can't do this because that would change something.' "

"I really didn't have any stipulations, because I trusted them," Ng says. "I talked to both Reese and Kerry, and later Liz. They told me what parts of the book spoke to them and the parts that really had stuck with them. Those were the parts that were most important to me too."

The story delves into class and race, particularly when Mia helps a Chinese immigrant coworker try to find the infant daughter she regrets giving up. And Washington's casting as Mia pulled race deeper into the storytelling.

"In the initial drafts of the book," Ng explains, "I wanted to make Mia a woman of color. I knew that I wanted to look at race, but I knew that there was going to be this Asian American baby, and I felt like making her an Asian American woman, which was a perspective I knew I could write, would be a little too neat. Like, of course the Asian woman will side with the Asian mother. But I didn't feel like I was the right person to write a black woman's experience. I didn't want to pretend like I knew what that was like. So, I thought of her as a white woman, but I didn't mark her racially. I am happy that Reese and Lauren saw the opening to explore that through Kerry."

"It's interesting, because when people hear about the show, they're super excited and then they're like, 'Who's in it?,' " Ng continues. "And I tell them. You can see them having to mentally readjust. And I actually really like that little mental reset, where you can see them going, 'That is not what I expected.' "

For Ng, who leans on the metaphor that her song is being covered by another band, it's what she wanted out of the process.

"I didn't want to just see exactly what I had in my mind when I wrote the book, because I can see that any time. I wanted to see how other people interpreted it."

Executive producer Lauren Levy Neustadter, right, blows a kiss to Celeste Ng, center, author of "Little Fires Everywhere, " on set of Hulu's limited series adaptation. (Christina House/Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

It helped that "Little Fires Everywhere" found its way into capable hands.

Months before the book's release, in the spring of 2017  not long after "Big Little Lies" made its debut  Ng's film agent sent a manuscript of the novel to Lauren Levy Neustadter, the head of film and TV at Witherspoon's female-centric media company, Hello Sunshine. The actress read it and made it her book club selection, and got Washington, who she'd long wanted to work with, to read it too, along with Pilar Savone, who heads development for the "Scandal" star's Simpson Street production company.

Witherspoon says she was drawn to the way Ng explored the complexities of motherhood  particularly how we are mothered by women other than our biological mother  with particular attention to race and class.

"What I loved about the book, it's really about four different mothers  how they became a mother, what it means to them socioeconomically to be a mother, and morally to be a mother  and how all of those things are in conflict," Witherspoon said by phone.

In a separate phone call, Washington added: "We tend to think in this binary judgment scale of good mother, bad mother  even when we, mothers, think about ourselves. And [Ng] was really painting a portrait of an ocean of nuance in what kind of mothers you can be ... At some point Reese and I were talking about our own outfits in the '90s and how we were teenagers in the '90s and it occurred to us for the first time that we were playing our mothers. It shocked us both a little bit that we hadn't thought of that sooner."

All involved believe the story will resonate with viewers just as mightily as the book did. Of course, with every literary adaptation that finds success on the small screen, the question looms about whether to extend the life of the series beyond the narrative of the book. When HBO opted to move forward with a second season of "Big Little Lies," author Liane Moriarty wrote a lengthy unpublished novella to serve as a foundation. Ng wouldn't be so inclined.

"It's a hard thing for me to get my mind around," Ng says. "It's sort of like imagining what your kid is going to be like before I have the kid. I would feel immensely lucky if this series does well enough that they want to continue it. I don't think I'd be able to do what Liane did and come up with the story. I feel like I've said everything I know about these characters. But someone else might be able to. And I'm OK with that happening."

Tigelaar, though, isn't ready to turn that page.

"I think it has such a beautiful beginning, middle and end  and the finale feels pretty final," she says. "I suppose crazier things have happened, but for me, we told the story and I love, love, love where it ends."
You are way too invested in and angry about other people's opinions about you. In fact, due to the volume and pitch of your protest, I can only assume that on some level you fear you wouldn't be able to keep up with the social and intellectual challenges of being with a woman in your age group.
Elected prosecutors in San Francisco, Contra Costa County and more than two dozen other jurisdictions across the United States are calling for the countrys jail and prisons to release numerous groups of people in an effort to stave off the spread of COVID-19.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, the 31 prosecutors  including San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton  listed 17 recommendations for reducing incarcerated populations, ensuring humane and protective treatment for those who remain confined, and protecting immigrant communities.

The prosecutors statement adds to a chorus of similar calls made by civil rights advocates and as jail and prison officials take steps to reduce the chance of exposure.

Make no mistake, an outbreak of the coronavirus in incarceration and detention settings will spread quickly and impact not simply those behind bars, but our entire community, said Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, the prosecutor network that organized the statement.

The recommendations include adopting cite and release policies, releasing individuals who are not a threat to the community and who are being held because they cant afford bail, releasing the elderly, those with medical conditions and those within six months of completing their sentence. The statement also calls for reducing immigrant detention populations.

Krinsky said organizers reached out to their network Sunday and by Monday morning nearly all agreed to sign the letter. The list includes a new wave of progressive prosecutors, including Boudin, Becton, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner.

Krinsky said some of the recommendations would need to be localized by department, others, like restricting full lockdowns, were across the board, common sense.

Somehow the balance needs to be struck, to keep people healthy and safe without exacerbating the tenseness of the situation and eroding the humanity and due process, she said.

The recommendations mirror many of those requested by Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods, who sent a letter last week to the local courts and the countys district attorneys office, Sheriffs Office and probation department.

We are in unprecedented territory and in order to protect our community, we are asking for the appropriate authorities to take unusual actions, Woods wrote.

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju sent a similar communique to San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, and another to San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott asking for officers to reduce all unnecessary contact with the public.

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.

Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the San Francisco district attorneys office, said officials are working to balance the role of serving the community while also taking unprecedented measures to prevent exposure.

We know that the jails in a neighboring county have already needed to take specific measure as it relates to COVID exposure, he said. We also know that courts across the state have substantially reduced the criminal cases that are currently on the calendar. We are taking all of these factors into consideration and taking the necessary steps to protect our city.

California jails and prisons are already working to beat back what could be a disastrous outbreak in the closely confined spaces. Many of the lockups have either canceled or reduced visitation and enhanced policies. Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith on Monday said four people in the county jail were exposed to coronavirus. The first two were immediately isolated.

The San Francisco Sheriffs Office on Tuesday afternoon issued a series of statements on Twitter responding to the prosecutors letter, arguing that the jails already have stringent guidelines in place and no cases of coronavirus have occurred in the jails.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
Ethiopia and Turkey will start filling massive hydroelectric dams on the Nile and Tigris Rivers this summer despite protests from the downstream countries of Egypt and Iraq, two key Arab countries that have existed for millennia on rivers that form the lifelines for their growing populations.



Ethiopias and Turkeys unilateral reservoir-filling strategies and lack of cooperation and understanding with Egypt and Iraq are raising concerns that the projects will compromise the positions of the two Arab nations, both of which rely heavily on the rivers for drinking water, irrigation and electricity generation.



While Syria is also adversely affected by Turkeys dam-building spree, Israels aggressive water-plundering policy is perpetuating water insecurity for millions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.



Elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa region, millions of Arabs are likely to be deprived of their badly needed water resources because of increasing water scarcity, desertification and climate change.



Conflicts over water and the search for unilateral solutions in managing international rivers seem to be haunting the Arab world, and in the cases of Ethiopia, Israel and Turkey, the construction of major dams has become a national preoccupation and given rise to fears of existential threats.



For many Arabs, these mega-water projects by three regional powers, seen as a de facto alliance of the periphery, are considered not just as strategic threats but as powerful weapons of war on millions of Arabs.



The construction of Ethiopias first large hydropower dam on the Blue Nile is a source of deep concern for Egypt, where it is seen as the most fundamental threat to the Arab worlds most populated country.



The stakes are especially high for Egypt as the country of 100 million people grapples with threats facing the Nile stemming from growing demand, population growth, climate change and environmental impacts.



Egypts population increases by one million people every six months, a soaring rate that the United Nations predicts will lead to serious water shortages by 2025.



The Nile is a question of life, a matter of existence to Egypt, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi said at the United Nations last September, underscoring the threats to the countrys fair share of the Niles waters.



The $4.5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africas largest, has been under construction since 2011, and the entire project is expected to be completed by 2023. Ethiopia seeks to fill the mega-dam in seven years without consultation or cooperation and coordination with Egypt, which is seeking a longer filling period.



For millions of Egyptians who live along the Nile and receive all of their water for agriculture, industry and drinking from it, the oversized dam, which has reservoirs with a capacity of 74 billion cubic metres of water, could drastically impact their lives if it is filled too quickly and without coordination with Egypt.



The Ilisu Hydro-Electric Dam and Power Plant in Turkey is officially scheduled to be operational in June, and Ankara has started filling the dam on the Tigris River despite protests that it will create water shortages downstream in Iraq.



The full operation of the dam would not be less devastating to Iraq, which has been suffering from the construction of other parts of Turkeys Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) that envisages the building of 22 dams and 19 power plants on the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and their tributaries.



The $32 billion programme, launched officially in 1970, will create severe water shortages in Iraq by reducing flows in the two rivers that the country depends on for much of its water supplies.



In recent years, Iraq has witnessed a dramatic decline in water inflows, with average annual flow in the last 10 years having been equivalent to 45 per cent of the long-term average in the Tigris-Euphrates River Basin.



Another threat to Iraqs water supplies comes from Iran, which has been changing the course of the rivers that flow into the Tigris and Shat Al-Arab, taking water into newly built dams and reservoirs without agreements with Iraq.



In Syria, which receives half of its water supplies from Turkey, especially via the Euphrates, the building of the Turkish dams is having a devastating effect on the country, as most fertile land used for agriculture in Syria relies on the river.



Tensions between the two nations have been high since 1975, when Turkey started the dams construction and cut water flow to Syria by nearly 40 per cent. Syria and Iraq have accused Turkey of hoarding water for other than development purposes.



Subsequent devastating droughts in Syria have forced many farmers to abandon their fields and to migrate to urban centres or seek refuge abroad. There is evidence that the migration and displacement fuelled the current Civil War in Syria in which some 100,000 people have died.



In the Palestinian Territories, Israel has laid hands on Palestinian water resources since it occupied the West Bank in 1967 through its de facto discriminatory policy that prevents Palestinians from maintaining or developing their water infrastructure.



In the West Bank, Israels policy of hoarding is expressed through the Joint Water Committee set up according to the 1993 Oslo Israeli-Palestinian Agreements.



Whether by direct control, hoarding or expanding its settlement programmes, Israel continues to deprive millions of Palestinians of access to a regular supply of clean water while stripping their land in the West Bank.



Moreover, Israel is hoarding water in reservoirs on the borders with Jordan and Syria, taking water from the Yarmouk River and depriving farmers in the two Arab countries of badly needed water for agriculture.



The civilisations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia grew up along the banks of mighty rivers, the Nile, the Euphrates and the Tigris. Elsewhere, Arab political and cultural centres emerged on fertile soils in the mostly desert Middle East.



Today, for the first time millions of Arabs who rely upon these rivers to provide drinking water, agricultural irrigation, power generation and transportation fear a potential threat to these lifelines upon which they depend.



The existential threat is coming from the undeclared periphery alliance that exists between Ethiopia, Turkey, Iran and Israel, which has traditionally been a strategic concept to create a security environment countering Pan-Arabism.



What combines the four countries together in the water issue is their determination to aggressively continue with their water plans in full disregard of the interests and the future of the Arab countries in question.



Ethiopia, for example, has been dodging agreements with Egypt on cooperation on the management of its dam programme for mutual benefit and in accordance with the principles of international law.



Its latest signs of defiance were the suspension of the negotiations, its refusal to sign a US-proposed deal on the filling and operation of the dam, and its decision to unilaterally start filling the reservoir in July.



Nothing indicates Addis Ababas tone of challenge more than Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachews recent remarks that the land is our land, the water is our water and the money by which the Renaissance Dam is built is our money, and there is no force that can prevent us from building it.



Turkey is no less defiant. Its leaders have assumed the absolute sovereignty of Turkey over the water within its territory. They have always asserted Ankaras free hand to do as it likes with those waters.



Turkeys strategic goals behind the water policies followed by subsequent governments was summarised by remarks made by Suleyman Demirel, Turkeys former president, on 25 July 1992 at the opening of the Ataturk Dam, the lynchpin of the GAP project.



This is a matter of sovereignty. We have the right to do anything we like. The water resources are Turkeys; the oil resources are theirs. We dont say we share their oil resources, and they cant say they share our water resources, he said.



A close examination of Israeli water policy shows how Tel Avivs water system was built on depriving the Palestinians of access to water in what amounts to water apartheid.



Even the so-called Deal of the Century proposed by US President Donald Trump in January that backs the Israeli annexation of the West Bank gives Israel full control of water in the envisaged Palestinian entity.



In a sense, Israels water policy towards the Palestinians, which deprives them of access to sufficient water supplies and makes them water-dependent on Israel, is tantamount to a tool of colonisation and ethnic cleansing.



While the Arab world faces a wide range of major internal and external challenges, the problem of water scarcity could be its most daunting.



While each Arab country is expected to confront the problem as a matter of its socio-economic, development, political and strategic concerns, the Arabs need to forge a collective water strategy to counter the threats coming from surrounding nations.



Efforts have been made, whether through the Arab League Ministerial Water Council or non-governmental groups, to deal with the water-shortage problem, but they have fallen short of meeting critical challenges within the Arabs geostrategic position in the broader Middle Eastern context.



Unfortunately, most Arab governments have approached the problem in a state of near denial for decades, underlining their usual poor unity and limiting the impact of their joint actions in international and regional diplomacy.



Given the Arab Leagues history of doing too little, the rhetorical support given by the Arab states to Egypt, Iraq, Syria and the Palestinians is insufficient and is unlikely to help in formulating the effective Arab water strategy that will be essential for the Arab peoples common interests, development needs, prosperity, stability and national security.



Such a strategy should adequately address the water crisis in some Arab countries triggered by the one-sided policies followed by non-Arab powers in the region and posing a threat to the entire Arab world.



Turning this ambitious goal into a strategy to confront water conflicts requires a sober assessment of the Arab countries critical challenges from their neighbours and the interests that can be mobilised for a necessary long-term agenda.



It is clear that these challenges require political solutions and effective diplomatic tools in order to resolve issues with neighbouring countries while advancing the Arabs interests.



The Arabs simply want to ensure that water projects for development should not come at the expense of the regions prosperity, peace and stability and their long-standing relationships with their neighbours.



This is a challenge that Ethiopia, Israel, Iran and Turkey should also heed in order to resolve arguments over water peacefully, ensure proactive regional cooperation, and prevent potential conflicts.



The writer is a veteran Iraqi journalist who specialises in Middle East affairs.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The regime has found out that this could be an opportunity for it to get rid of the sanctions under the guise of humanitarian aid.

This scenario has started with the requests of Iran parliament speaker Ali Larijani, in separate letters addressing the Chief of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC, PUOICM) and demanding, principal positions for the immediate lifting of all sanctions against the regime. (Khabar Online, 10 March)

Following Larijani, Irans foreign minister Javad Zarif came to the scene and made a similar request. In his letter on 12 March to the United Nations Secretary-General and the presidents of international organizations and foreign ministers of several countries which was concurrent with the regimes request of $5 billion aid from the IMF, he called them, that The US government must urgently and immediately lift all sanctions it has illegally imposed on my country 

The next regime official was the president Hassan Rouhani. He wrote in a letter on 13 March to some of the world countries heads and said, Confronting Coronavirus requires coordinated regional and international actions / No country can handle this huge and dangerous crisis alone / US sanctions against Iran and complying with them by other countries are not only illegal and contrary to the Security Council resolution, but it is immoral and inhuman. (President.ir, 14 March)

Of course, these requests show that the concerns by the regimes supreme leader Ali Khamenei are not about the people, but he is thinking about the regimes survival, to strengthen his sovereignty and not to lose the support of proxy groups in the Middle East, which is equal to the end of the regime.

But in recent years, the international community has shown that it is no longer willing to play on the regimes ground, and now its the regimes turn.

Now the regime is trying to play its game once again by the pretext of the coronavirus and use it as a weapon against the sanctions. As Khamenei said: If we have these achievements, disaster becomes a blessing to us, and threat turns into an opportunity.

The process of converting the disaster into a blessing with the sanctions lifting scenario, is while the United States has repeatedly stated that the export of humanitarian items, including medical supplies to Iran, is not included in the sanctions.

Michael R. Pompeo, US Secretary of State, stated, In addition, the United States maintains broad exceptions and authorizations to its sanctions for the commercial export of food, medicine, medical devices, and agricultural products to Iran. In support of those exceptions and authorizations, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Government of Switzerland recently announced the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA).

And US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in a tweet:

Notwithstanding travel restrictions, the United States will continue to work with our allies to allow humanitarian assistance to the Iranian people, including for the Coronavirus outbreak, through the use of the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement.  Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) February 29, 2020

Apart from all the regimes claims and scrambles, this shows that the Iranian regime is in an extreme situation, now and even before the coronavirus outbreak. What now is making a difference is that the regime is trying to abuse the situation created by the outbreak for its survival and it doesnt care about the people like the images from the streets of Iran shows:

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Iran: Behind the Curtain of Borrowing
A 64-year-old man who had tested positive for the coronavirus died in Mumbai on Tuesday, while the number of confirmed patients in Maharashtra rose to 40.

While one person tested positive in Mumbai and another in Pune, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the public transport in Mumbai, including local trains, will remain operational and government offices too will remain open.

The government will, however, have to take the harsh decision of shutting down train and bus services if people did not avoid non-essential travel, he said.

The government was working on proposal to let government offices function with 50 per cent strength, he said.

Of the 40 coronavirus positive patients in the state (excluding the one who died), 39 are stable and only one is critical, the chief minister said. The confirmed patients included 26 men and 14 women, he added.

The 64-year-old man from Mumbai who died in the morning became the third Covid-19 fatality in the country. He had travel history to Dubai, officials said.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said the deceased, admitted to Kasturba Hospital, was suffering from hypertension and pneumonia.

Pardeshi stressed that it would be incorrect to say that the deceased died solely because of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

"The patient (also) had high blood pressure, pneumonia and inflammation of heart muscles. Increased heart rate led to his death," said a BMC statement.

He had been first admitted in Hinduja Hospital in the city before being shifted to the civic-run Kasturba Hospital.

At 41, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of Covid-19 cases in the country.

A 49-year-old man in Mumbai who had returned from the United States on March 7 and a 26-year-old man in Pune who had returned from the US on March 14 tested positive on Tuesday.

Though the chief minister said government offices had not been closed, visitors were not allowed to enter some government offices in Mumbai on Tuesday morning.

In view of the virus scare, the government suspended the use of breath-analyser by police for testing drunk driving.

Among the 40 patients being treated for Covid-19, the highest number (10) is from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation near Pune which is home to several IT professionals who frequently visit the US and European countries for work.

BMC and Pune Municipal Corporations have reported seven patients each while four patients are being treated in Nagpur.

Navi Mumbai, Yavatmal and Kalyan Dombivali Municipal corporations have reported three patients each while one patient each is being treated at Thane, Raigad, Ahmednagar and Aurangabad. Besides there are 105 suspected patients hospitalised in various cities.

There are 502 beds ready in isolation wards across the state, an official statement said, adding that mandatory 14- day follow-up of 442 people out of 1,169 who returned from abroad was complete.

Meanwhile, cracking the whip on misinformation, the Maharashtra Medical Council issued a notice to a Mumbai-based doctor who had termed the virus as a "Chinese fad" which will not survive in the Indian summer. It sought explanation from Dr Anil Patil whether he has any study to back his claims.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When the prime minister announced Monday that U.S. citizens would still be allowed to cross the border into Canada during the coronavirus pandemic, the B.C.s health minister offered a starkly different message for Americans: Dont come.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the border restrictions at a news conference from Ottawa Monday.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the B.C. government has voiced its concern to the prime minister that the border is still open to Americans.

As of Monday, there have been 769 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, which shares a border with B.C.

We remain concerned that access from visitors from the United States continues to be allowed, given the situation particularly in King and Snohomish County in the United States, which affects British Columbia more than anything else, said Dix.

He said he had one message to visitors from the United States: Dont come to British Columbia  dont come.

B.C. health officials are dealing with several outbreaks in the Vancouver area and the chief provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced Monday that three more residents of the Lynn Valley Care Centre had died from the virus.

All four Canadian coronavirus deaths are residents of Lynn Valley, a long-term care home in North Vancouver that has been linked to more than a dozen COVID-19 cases.

Officials say there is also an outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital, where three administrative workers tested positive for the virus. Hollyburn House, another seniors home, is also dealing with two people who have tested positive.

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Multi-lingual pamphlets



are now part of awareness drives against coronavirus in Kerala, where the state government has stepped up divergent initiatives to contain its spread.

Thinking out of the box in creating awareness on containing and safeguarding against the disease, the district administration in Wayanad, a major tourist centre, on Tuesday released pamphlets on the do's and don'ts on the virus in different languages including foreign languages.

Pamphlets are ready in three foreign languages-- French, Spanish and German and six Indian languages including Bengali, Assamese, Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam, official sources here said.

Being a place where tourists from the world over throng, a leaflet in English alone would not be sufficient to all who are from other non-English speaking countries, Europe in particular, authorities said.

Pamphlets in other Indian languages are also ready for distribution targeting north Indian labourers, they said.

District collector Adeela Abdulla said the initiative would go a long way in properly educating and guiding people of different regions to understand and get guided accordingly to not only prevent the spread but to take care ofthemselves.

Developed by Totem Resource Centre in association with the district administration, the first leaflets were released by State Transport minister A K Saseendran at a function held in the collectorate here this morning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Se otorgara un bono economico a la poblacion vulnerable, para que acaten el Estado de Emergencia por estos 15 dias. Cuenten con todo nuestro apoyo. pic.twitter.com/WmIU87ckVM
Lothar Wieler, president of Germany's main institute for disease control, the Robert Koch Institute, gives a daily update on coronavirus (Getty Images)

The coronavirus pandemic is likely to take about two years to run its course, the head of Germany's public health agency said.

Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, told a news conference on Tuesday that it depended on the speed with which a vaccine against the highly infectious virus was developed.

But he estimated that eventually some 60% to 70% of the global population would have been infected, recovered and acquired immunity, but it was impossible to say how fast that would happen.

"Our working assumption is that it will take about two years," he said.

He added that the timing not only depended on how long it would take to get a vaccine developed, but also how long it would take to be deployed.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

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Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a news conference about German government measures to curb it (AP)

"We do not yet know what the death rate will look like in the end," he told reporters.

He said that without the strict social distancing measures announced on Monday by chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany could end up facing millions of coronavirus cases.

"We want to avoid that," he said.

The institute, the German governments primary scientific institution in the field of biomedicine, said it was raising the risk level in Germany to "high".

Read more: The mental health toll of the coronavirus epidemic

He also said hospitals would have to at least double their intensive care capacity as one in five cases was serious.

According to the Johns Hopkins interactive coronavirus map, Germanys total confirmed cases is 7,689, with 23 deaths and 67 recoveries.

The first minister of Bavaria, Markus Soder, has declared a "disaster" situation as the number of new coronavirus cases continue to rise. (Getty Images)

On Monday, Germany's state of Bavaria has declared a "disaster" situation as the number of new coronavirus cases continue to rise.

First minister Markus Soder has put new "drastic" restrictions on the public to slow the spread of the virus.

Read more: Brexit transition period will not be extended because of coronavirus, says government

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The situation is very serious and changing daily, unfortunately not for the better, the Bavarian leader said, adding that the regional government could buy stakes in struggling companies to prevent insolvencies.

Most restrictions come into force from Tuesday and throughout the week, The Local.de reported.

The latest numbers from the main European countries

Italy 27,980

Spain 11,279

Germany 7,689

France 6,664

Switzerland 2,330

United Kingdom 1,553
NORCROSS, Ga., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PruittHealth can confirm that a PruittHealth  Grandview resident was transferred to an Athens area hospital with symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19. This resident is considered a presumptive positive case, and the organization is awaiting formal confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

PruittHealth is closely monitoring other residents currently experiencing symptoms at the facility and has notified all staff and residents. Upon displaying symptoms, residents were immediately isolated and proper protective equipment was issued to further safeguard our residents and partners. We have escalated our internal Alert Code to Red for this facility and implemented our enhanced infection control protocols, including increasing cleaning frequency, postponing communal activities, ceasing visitation, and screening staff and residents daily.

Additionally, the facility will further restrict staff to only essential personnel and new admissions will cease. Only those who have been trained in infection control protocols developed by public health officials to identify the first signs of COVID-19 are permitted to work in the facility. We continue to communicate to staff that they should avoid contact with those who are sick and consult with a physician if they do not feel well.

We will continue to monitor the issue and its effects on our organization as we follow the latest public health guidance. Our Emergency Operations Center team of dedicated health care professionals is available 24 hours a day if you have questions about our protocols. Please contact us at 855-742-5983.

About PruittHealth

A family-owned organization for 50 years, PruittHealth provides a seamless network of post-acute care services and resources, offering skilled nursing care, home health care, end-of-life hospice care, therapy services, as well as pharmacy and infusion services across the Southeast. Our 16,000 employed partners serve approximately 24,000 patients daily in more than 180 locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. For more information about our commitment to caring, visit pruitthealth.com.

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The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) has announced the winning proposals in the International Research Marketing ideas competition. Awards will go to eight institutions. The University of Freiburg will receive prize money of 100,000 and seven institutions will each be awarded 25,000 for pilot or smaller scale projects: the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM), Berlin; the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg; the Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DIPF), Frankfurt am Main; the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research (MPIE), Dusseldorf; the University of Siegen; the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and the University of Munster.

A jury of experts in international research cooperation, communication and marketing as well as research management was especially impressed by how well the projects were tailored to the individual institutions, their fit with their institution's international strategy and their exemplary nature. The awards ceremony will be held during the BMBF Forum Research in Germany on 19 May 2020 in Berlin.

The project developed by the University of Freiburg entitled Freiburg Rising Stars Academy is aimed at promoting networking between its researchers and highly qualified international doctoral researchers and postdocs. This is expected to improve the visibility of the university's eight research fields in the international research environment. The project is divided into three modules: the Rising Stars Conference, initially a virtual and later a physical discussion space for interdisciplinary research questions, the Rising Star Residence programme, a research visit for winners of a competition, and the Connection Rising Stars platform for the organisation of alumni activities.

The proposal by the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM), Berlin, plans to create a knowledge-based communication platform and a blog centred around the topic of electronic packaging. In addition to facilitating access to scientific topics oriented towards applied research, the platform will also promote digital collaboration between top researchers all around the world.

The Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg aims to attract students from all over the world in the field of digital health to engage in doctoral research. Six selected applicants will be able to live for free for one year, with their semester fees also covered during that time. Language courses, a buddy programme and regular communication with university heads have also been planned. The doctoral researchers will vlog about their life in Germany and their research on Instagram and they will be given special communication training for this in parallel to the project.

The Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DIPF), Frankfurt am Main, is looking for international early career researchers to take part in a three-month research visit. Applicants are expected to start networking with the DIPF beforehand. The DIPF intends to make its infrastructure, laboratory space and intensive advisory and mentoring services available during the visit. The aim is to compile a joint publication.

The research marketing project developed by the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research (MPIE), Dusseldorf, is also geared towards talented early career researchers. They will be recruited during guest events held at seven top European universities. At an additional lunchtime seminar on a pre-arranged research topic, travel awards with prize money of over 1,000 will be conferred at each location to enable outstanding doctoral researchers to present their research at MPIE.

The University of Siegen plans to set up a temporary pop-up branch office on the campus of its partner university, the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, USA. The temporary branch will hold workshops, sessions and science slams. It will have an interdisciplinary focus and cover the priority areas of the university. This is expected to provide fresh impetus for the partnership with Tulsa and strengthen the university's branding and international visibility.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology intends to invite early career researchers in the field of artificial intelligence to take part in an interdisciplinary discussion forum, an "AI clash". Topics such as the socio-economic impact of introducing machine learning in the fields of autonomous driving/electromobility, automation and health technologies are to be discussed on this forum. Workshops on design thinking have also been planned.

The project designed by the University of Munster focuses on peace research. Negotiations aimed at ending the Thirty Years' War were held in Munster in the 17th century. Against this background, the city hopes to establish itself as a peacetime location at the international level and recruit excellent early career researchers working in the field of peace and conflict research by offering attractive funding programmes. The university also intends to collaborate with municipal marketing and organise a Day of Peace in the city.

The eight winning projects are expected to help enhance the visibility and appeal of German research locations at the international level and attract highly qualified researchers, either to participate in collaborative projects with German researchers or to visit Germany for research purposes. All prizes are being funded by special funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

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The ideas competition is part of the Research in Germany initiative, the central platform for marketing Germany as a location for research and innovation. The initiative is funded by the BMBF and implemented by the German Academic Exchange Service, the DFG, the Fraunhofer Society and the International Office of the BMBF. The fifth and, currently, final round of the International Research Marketing ideas competition will be announced in May 2020.

Further Information

For more information about the DFG International Research Marketing Ideas Competition, please visit: http://www.dfg.de/ideenwettbewerb-forschungsmarketing (only available in German)

Media contact:

DFG Press and Public Relations, Tel. +49 228 885-2109, presse@dfg.de

DFG Head Office contact:

Dagmar Bankamp, International Affairs, Tel. +49 228 885-2245, dagmar.bankamp@dfg.de
Amazon has temporarily suspended the shipment of all items from independent merchants to its warehouses that are not medical supplies or high-demand products.

This temporary suspension will go through 5 April as the e-commerce giant prioritises products relating to combating the growing coronavirus pandemic.

We are temporarily prioritising household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfilment centres so we can more quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers, an Amazon spokesperson told the Independent.

We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding as we temporarily prioritise these products for customers, the spokesperson added.

This decision from Amazon comes after the online site saw an increase in shopping from people around the world. Items prioritised by shoppers and subsequently going out of stock related to cleaning supplies and other necessary items for Covid-19.

Independent merchants already experienced issues with selling their products after factories in China shuttered during its own outbreak. As China has gotten a handle on the coronavirus in its country, some of these factories have opened up. But now merchants will have to determine what to do with their products.

Amazon said products already en route to its warehouses will be accepted and shipped out. But no new products will be accepted for the next three weeks.

Independent merchants still have the option to sell their products through Amazon without using the companys warehouses. But that would put strain on merchants to find an independent warehouse to ship out their products.

Sellers and vendors will be notified by Amazon once it decides to return to its normal operations.

Amazon also announced on Monday it would be hiring 100,000 new employees in the US in response to the growing demand for its delivery services.



We are opening 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the US in our fulfilment centres and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon's service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public, the company explained in a post.

The company is also adding a pay raise to its hourly employees through April given their necessary services during the pandemic.
The city of Hangzhou in eastern Chinas Zhejiang province has officially launched health codes for catering businesses to facilitate their normal operation amid the pneumonia outbreak.

The different colors of the health codes represent the different degrees of security status among restaurants. The green code indicates no safety hazard, the yellow one indicates a slight food safety hazard, and the red one indicates a serious food safety hazard.

By scanning the health codes, consumers will be able to learn about food security in the restaurants. Moreover, the codes will give access to their license information, the health status of restaurant employees, the source of the food materials and more, said Lu Yonghua, head of the food and beverage department of the Administration for Market Regulation in Shangcheng District of Hangzhou.

The system will also record the dining time and place of the consumers so as to track them during the process of implementing prevention and control measures pertaining to the novel coronavirus, Lu added.

It has by now been used in 168 restaurants which are starting to provide group meals and more than 1,300 chain restaurants in Hangzhou.
Biogen Inc., the Massachusetts biotech company linked to a cluster of COVID-19 cases stemming from a meeting last month at a Boston hotel, is donating $10 million to fight the pandemic.

This donation will be used to help expand testing options, ease the strain on medical systems, provide training for front line health workers and support access to necessities like food," the Cambridge-based company said in a statement.

The money, donated through the Biogen Foundation, is designed to help nonprofits in Massachusetts and North Carolina, as well as Italy and other countries affected by the pandemic, the company said.

There have been about 200 cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, about half of which have been linked to the Feb. 26-27 conference.

The company has also provided medical equipment and supplies to Partners HealthCare, the states largest hospital and health care organization, to help diagnose COVID-19 in a greater number of people.

Related Content:
Suzanne S. Masterson, PhD has been named a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).

Dr. Masterson 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.

The former editor-in-chief at the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Dr. Suzanne S. Masterson has a prolific publishing career in the areas of justice and fairness. Her research spans several interconnecting streams of interest in justice perceptions within organizations, relational ties within organizations, and quality practices within organizations. Her publications include 21 refereed articles in journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Academy of Management Review; six book chapters; five proceedings; and numerous presentations at national conferences. This accumulated work has had a significant impact on the field, with more than 4,379 citations with an h-index of 16.

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
New Delhi: The governments decision to open the gates for private facilities to test for the coronavirus infection has the potential to urgently scale up the countrys testing capacity that experts say is necessary to effectively fight the deadly disease that has claimed 7,500 lives worldwide.

But experts warn that if diagnosis criteria is not relaxed and more people allowed for testing, the benefits of allowing private labs might be nullified and India left fighting an uphill battle against the infection that can dramatically expand in reach over a few days.

Currently, the Indian authorities limit testing to only government facilities for only people with a history of travel abroad, who have come in close contact with someone testing positive for the virus, or health workers. Only people showing symptoms are tested.

But the strict eligibility criteria and limited number of testing centres  72 in a country with a population of 1.3 billion people  has ensured that many people are finding it difficult to get tested.

Moreover, the need to rope in more labs and private players is made clear by the problems plaguing government testing and sample collection centres, where experts admit there exists a clear infection risk because of long hours of waiting and overcrowding.

India currently tests the lowest number of people per capita among major countries grappling with the coronavirus outbreak: a mere 8.6 tests per million, compared with 4,831 per million in south Korea, 2,820 in China and 533 in the United Kingdom, which has been criticised for not testing enough and reversed its herd immunity policy after grim projections.

We do need to do more testing. I have made that clear. You dont know what you are dealing with until you test. What is the harm in testing? asked Dr Gagandeep Kang, director of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute.

A number of experts have called for private players to be roped in, testing eligibility relaxed and more aggressive diagnosis protocols adopted.

There are enough PCR [polymerase chain reaction] machines and we have the ability to make reagents for testing. Open it up to the Indian companies. They are good at reducing cost. They can develop tests that are cheaper, said Kang.

Even in the national capital, patients have complained of many problems. Overcrowded hospitals have turned away travellers who travelled from affected countries and wanted to get tested on the basis that they didnt show symptoms, even though research has shown that symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear.

I was impressed by the response of the Indian government, till I reached the sample collection centre. I have been standing here for over two hours and now I just feel like running away, said a 27-year-old Australian national, who was standing outside the sample collection centre at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. She had travelled to Delhi for work.

On Tuesday morning, the Australian woman called the government helpline number and informed them she was fatigued and had a sore throat. They came to my hotel and picked me up in an ambulance. All the health care workers were in complete protective gear. It was scary but it was also good. Then, they just dropped me here with my bags and asked me to wait, she said.

For almost an hour, she couldnt figure out what to do because none of the hospital staff posted outside the sample collection centre spoke English. They took me inside the hospital to find someone who could explain what I needed to do, she said.

If she had the infection, she may have infected people inside the hospital.

And it is not just her. In the corridor outside the two rooms collecting the samples at the collection centre, close to 70 people sat next to each other waiting for up to two hours. Open on all sides, several people passed by this restricted area all day round. There was no check on who entered the corridor.

RML hospital collects nearly 70 samples for Covid-19 each day.

But the corridor outside has hundreds of people waiting. Many reached the hospital without checking with a helpline or a doctor and waited in the queue.

Many of them were likely to be turned away after hours of waiting, and potentially exposing themselves to the coronavirus infection.

The person I brought to the hospital today has been given the token number of 318, I think, said the ambulance driver stationed outside the centre. It will be hours before she gets her turn.

Safdarjung hospital collects samples only for suspected patients admitted to its isolation ward. Sample collection facilities will soon start at 14 Delhi government and corporation hospitals.

Who has the time to wait for three hours? We have a flight tonight and we just wanted to get tested to get a certificate declaring that we are virus-free. And, we were told to come to this centre but if we sit around here we are more likely to get the virus, said Ravi Shingari, an Australian citizen of Indian origin. He and his wife travelled to London before coming to India.

Another 25-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, filled out the form asking for her contact details, address, symptoms, and travel history. But she did not wait for her turn. I have been sitting here for a while now. I have to be somewhere now, so I am leaving. I dont think they will even come to know who left, she said.

She had come to the testing centre on her own after meeting up with a friend who had travelled abroad.

Some wait it out, only to be refused at the door. In the last two hours, I have seen around 10 people being refused the test after they reach to the front of the line. They must have been waiting for a couple of hours. And, what if one of these people actually has the disease? Thats why I am waiting my turn here a little farther away, said one of the persons waiting near the sample collection centre.

Getting information on testing is difficult on the helplines as well, with only one of the 30 calls made by the HT reporter to the toll-free number getting through.The government helpline advise people with cough and fever but no travel history to maintain personal hygiene and get in touch with district surveillance officers or a local physician.

Experts say cramped government facilities pose a clear danger.

This is an infection risk, naturally. We are advocating social distancing and here are people who need to get tested for the disease sitting close to each other. The government has to make arrangements for a large waiting area.. or start more sample collection centres because clearly there is a need, said Dr MC Mishra, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Science, Delhi.

He added that there was a need to ensure that people who didnt need the tests to not show up because they are at a higher risk of getting the infection. Someone needs to be stationed outside the centres to ask people who do not need testing to leave rather than them waiting for hours before leaving, he said.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anonna Dutt Anonna Dutt is a health reporter at Hindustan Times. She reports on Delhi governments health policies, hospitals in Delhi, and health-related feature stories. ...view detail
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  The mayor of Baliuag town in Bulacan announced Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Mayor Ferdie Estrella said on his Facebook page that he received confirmation from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine on his diagnosis.

Estrella said he has a runny nose and has been feeling weak since last week, prompting him to see a doctor. He added: Sa ngayon, maayos po ang aking kalagayan. At umaasang sa mga susunod na araw ay makakalabas na sa pagamutan." [Translation: As of now, I am in good condition. I am hoping that in the coming days, I may be able to leave the hospital.]

The Baliuag town mayor appealed for the cooperation of the public and asked that they remain home to help contain the viral disease.

The entire island group of Luzon has been placed under an enhanced community quarantine on Monday, after an earlier lockdown limited to Metro Manila was deemed insufficient in fighting the spread of COVID-19. The latest move translated to strict home quarantine, suspension of public transportation, regulated provision of food and essential health services, and an increased military and police presence on the ground.

The Department of Health reported 187 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country as of March 17, including 12 deaths. Around 80 percent of those infected experience only "mild illness" and eventually recover, according to the World Health Organization.
Cannabis smokers aiming to keep calm and carry on despite coronavirus queued up outside Dutch "coffee shops" on Sunday after the government ordered their closure to beat the outbreak.

Customers lined up in their dozens as they tried to beat a deadline for the closure of the marijuana cafes and stockpile weed supplies for what could be weeks of lockdown.

The Netherlands' famed coffee shops have become as much a part of the country's popular image abroad as sex clubs in Amsterdam's famed red-light district, which were also ordered to shut by 6:00 pm along with all bars and restaurants.

"For maybe for the next two months we're not able to get some weed so it should be nice to at least have some in the house," Jonathan, a Dutch buyer, said outside The Point coffee shop in The Hague.

"My friend called me like five minutes ago, he saw the press conference -- good friend," he told AFP.

The queues built up minutes after the Dutch health and education ministers gave a televised press conference announcing the closure of many businesses, along with all Dutch schools.

Twitterati were amused by the unusual sight.

In some counties ppl buy toilet paper in view of the lockdown. Netherlands buys weed. Priorities pic.twitter.com/IgYMshwoPQ Aitor Viana (@aitorvs) March 15, 2020

NETHERLANDS: People hurrying to buy the last available weed before lockdown#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/EsOwLoYcRB SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 watcher (@2019nCoVwatcher) March 15, 2020

the netherlands is basically going on a lockdown until april 6 and the first thing dutch people do is buy weed #coffeeshops pic.twitter.com/VPFCEmZX0s jennie (@sarahluvr101) March 15, 2020

My whole country (Netherlands) went into lock down, and the only thing my people think of is WEED (coffeeshop is what we call a weed dispensary) pic.twitter.com/8leEQVThSx Dr.Wily (@drwilytwitta) March 16, 2020

Ai so the netherlands just today announce they gon close everything, ppl be stacking up on food, these dutchies be stacking up on weed pic.twitter.com/3mtMREYy2R Yad (@yadghafuri) March 15, 2020

Similar scenes were reported around the country, with pictures on social media of long queues outside coffee shops in the capital Amsterdam and the historic university city of Utrecht.

Whereas days earlier it was supermarkets besieged with people trying to hoard toilet paper and pasta, the sudden announcement of the coffee shop closure meant there were new priorities.

"I wouldn't mind having a little bit of weed -- keep it easy while we're at home for so long. It might be a long time in quarantine," said an Irish woman who gave her name as Hannah as she queued in The Hague.

"I was literally just watching the press conference with my flatmate and then I just went downstairs and suddenly there's this queue of like 30 people, and all these cars arriving as well now."

Cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, but it decriminalised the possession of less than five grammes (0.18 ounces) of the substance in 1976 under a so-called "tolerance" policy.

The cannabis queues came despite Health Minister Bruno Bruins making an "urgent appeal" to Dutch people during Sunday's press conference, saying: "Do not hoard. It is not necessary."

(With AFP inputs)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 07:41:45|Editor: huaxia

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Villagers attend a spring ploughing ceremony in Jiaru Village, Gurong Town, Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2020. Traditional spring ploughing ceremonies took place in Tibet's major cultivation areas on Monday to pray for a year with good harvests. (Xinhua/Chogo)
By Sarah Young and Laurence Frost

LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - Airlines made unprecedented cuts to flights, costs and staffing on Monday, stepping up calls for emergency aid as coronavirus lockdowns and new travel restrictions hit more major routes.

Already battered shares in British Airways parent IAG <ICAG.L>, easyJet <EZJ.L> and Air France-KLM <AIRF.PA> plunged again as they scrapped most flights for the coming weeks, joining other major carriers that are all but halting operations in the face of the pandemic.

"It is now clear that the coronavirus is by far the biggest crisis in the history of aviation," Finnair Chief Executive Topi Manner said, as the carrier announced a 90% capacity reduction and its second profit warning in three weeks.

The outlook darkened further after Spain declared a state of emergency and the United States extended travel curbs to Britain and Ireland, while Australia and New Zealand began requiring all travelers to self-isolate. Germany advised citizens against non-essential trips abroad.

The travel collapse threatens more bankruptcies in the wake of British carrier Flybe's failure this month.

Troubled Norwegian Air <NWC.OL> on Monday laid off 90% of its workforce and canceled 85% of flights, while the Italian government prepared to take control of Alitalia with another cash injection of 600 million euros ($668 million).

In an unusual joint statement, the world's three main airline alliances - oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance - called for government aid to alleviate the "unprecedented challenges" faced by the industry.

U.S. officials and lawmakers view the situation with increasing alarm. United <UAL.O>, American <AAL.O> and Delta Air Lines <DAL.N> are in talks with the government about potential assistance backed by pilot and flight attendants' unions. Tax relief and federal loans are being considered, officials say.

IAG, which also owns Spain's Iberia and Vueling, said it would cut April-May capacity by at least 75% and postpone CEO Willie Walsh's retirement - keeping successor Luis Gallego at Iberia's helm as the group navigates the crisis.

Story continues

Besides cancelling flights, the group announced moves to freeze discretionary spending, reduce working hours and temporarily suspend employment contracts.

Budget carriers Ryanair <RYA.I> and easyJet announced plans to ground most of their fleets, with the latter echoing calls for government help.

"Coordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives," easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said.

In Europe, IAG's shares had fallen 25% by 1413 GMT, while Ryanair was down 18%, easyJet down 17% and Air France-KLM 17% lower. In New York, Delta was down 18%, and American 15% lower.

"Airlines are siphoning cash and have no way of stopping it" as bookings grind to a halt and traffic collapses for six to eight weeks, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska said.

With carriers' survival now in government hands, he added, "the key focus should be on emergency liquidity support and enabling short-term layoffs or working-hour reductions to safeguard cash."

The German, French, Dutch and British governments have all said they are considering ways to help the industry.

Graphic - Global airline stocks sink: https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/13/3490/3451/airline%20stocks.png

'UNPRECEDENTED'

IAG's Walsh, who has railed against state aid to rivals throughout his career, said airlines should continue to try self-help first.

But he added: "Clearly where governments are providing general support particularly for employees that are being impacted by the current crisis, we would avail (ourselves) of those general facilities."

BA's archrival Virgin Atlantic said on Monday it would axe London-Newark flights permanently and ask staff to take two months of unpaid leave.

Air France-KLM said it would park its entire Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 fleets as it reduces operations by 90% and discusses emergency aid with the French and Dutch governments. CEO Ben Smith also told staff on Monday he had cut his own pay by 25%.

The group will use government-funded partial layoffs to find 200 million euros in cost-cuts as it reins in capital expenditure by a further 350 million.

Airlines are also likely to postpone new jet deliveries, a prospect weighing on Boeing <BA.N> and Airbus <AIR.PA>, whose shares were down 18%. Aircraft and engine makers also face a slump in parts and maintenance sales as air traffic withers.

"Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented," aviation consultant CAPA said in a report, predicting that most global airlines would go bust by June without government help. "Normality is not yet on the horizon."

Cathay Pacific struck a leaseback deal to transfer six of its Boeing 777s to BOC Aviation Ltd <2588.HK> for $704 million in precious cash, the Hong Kong-based carrier announced on Monday - along with its own 90% capacity cut.

Azul scrapped international flights from its main Sao Paulo hub, and Chile's Latam warned of further cuts.

Germany's Tui AG <TUIGn.DE> and Scandinavian carrier SAS <SAS.ST> also said they were suspending the vast majority of operations and seeking government aid.

Finnair <FIA1S.HE> predicted a substantial loss this year as it announced the near-halt of operations and scrapped its dividend. Icelandair <ICEAIR.IC> also slashed capacity and said it was in union talks to cut its wage bill.

Earlier, United Airlines <UAL.O> said March revenue had dropped by $1.5 billion and planes may remain near-empty into the summer even after severe schedule cuts. "This crisis is moving really quickly," CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby told employees in a Sunday memo.

Air New Zealand Ltd <AIR.NZ>, which has halted trading in its shares until Wednesday, also plans job cuts after cutting long-haul capacity by 85%, CEO Greg Foran warned.

"For the coming months at least, Air New Zealand will be a smaller airline requiring fewer resources, including people," he said.

Graphic - European airlines battered by coronavirus: https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/13/3415/3376/airlines.png

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Laurence Frost; Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Tim Hepher in Paris, Terje Solsvik in Oslo, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, Marcelo Rocaburn in Sao Paulo and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Editing by Mark Potter)
AB Industrivarden (publ) will hold its Annual General Meeting at 2 p.m. on April 24, 2020, at Grand Hotel, Vintertradgarden (entrance at the corner of Stallgatan/Blasieholmsgatan), in Stockholm. Registration opens at 1 p.m.



Right to attend and notification

Those who on April 18, 2020, are registered as shareholders in the shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB and who have notified the Company of their intention to attend the Annual General Meeting by no later than April 20, 2020, have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Notification may be made by post to AB Industrivarden, "AGM 2020", c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden; by phone at +46-8-402 92 86; or by the digital form on Industrivarden's website www.industrivarden.net. Upon notification, shareholders must provide their name, personal identity number or corporate identity number, address and phone number, and number of assistants (maximum two), if any.

Proxies, certificates of incorporation and other authorization documents must be on hand at the Annual General Meeting, and to facilitate entry to the meeting, they should be submitted to the Company no later than April 20, 2020. Any proxies must be shown in original and may not be older than one year unless a longer validity period (maximum five years) is stated in the proxy. The Company provides proxy forms on its website www.industrivarden.net.

Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in order to be entitled to attend the meeting, in addition to the above notification to attend the meeting, request that their nominee re-register their shares in their own name, so that the shareholder is registered in the shareholder register as per the record day. Such registration may be temporary.

Please note that since the record date April 18, 2020 is a Saturday, shareholders who wish to attend the Annual General Meeting must be registered directly in the share register on Friday April 17, 2020. Shareholders wishing to register their shares in their own name should therefore notify the trustee well in advance of April 17, 2020.

For information on Industrivarden's processing of personal data in relation to the Annual General Meeting 2020, see the privacy notice on the company's website www.industrivarden.net.

Information about measures due to the new coronavirus

As a precautionary measure to decrease any risk of the new coronavirus, the company has decided that no beverages and food will be offered, that there will be no company presentations from portfolio companies, that customary presentations will be minimized and that some restrictions will be made as to the attendance of non-shareholders. In light of the recent government instructions Industrivarden would like to encourage all shareholders to carefully consider whether to attend the meeting in person, but instead use its right to vote via proxy. Industrivarden is carefully monitoring the development and will if necessary update the information.

The Board's proposed agenda

1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting

2. Election of a chairman to preside over the Annual General Meeting

3. Drawing-up and approval of the register of voters

4. Approval of the agenda

5. Election of persons to check the minutes

6. Decision as to whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened

7. Presentation of:

a. the annual report and audit report, and of the consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group

b. the auditor's statement on whether the guidelines for executive compensation, which have applied since the previous Annual General Meeting, have been followed

c. the Board's proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal

8. Address by the CEO

9. Decisions concerning:

a. adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, and the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Balance Sheet

b. distribution of the Company's earnings as shown in the adopted Balance Sheet

c. the record date, in the event the Annual General Meeting resolves to distribute earnings

d. discharge from liability to the Company of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO

10. Decision on the number of directors

11. Decision regarding directors' fees for each of the Company directors

12. Election of Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board

The Nomination Committee's proposal:

a. Par Boman (re-election)

b. Christian Caspar (re-election)

c. Marika Fredriksson (new election)

d. Bengt Kjell (re-election)

e. Fredrik Lundberg (re-election)

f. Annika Lundius (re-election)

g. Lars Pettersson (re-election)

h. Helena Stjernholm (re-election)

i. Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board (re-election)

13. Decision on the number of auditors

14. Decision on the auditor's fees

15. Election of auditor

16. Decision on guidelines for executive compensation

17. Decision on a long-term share savings program

18. Resolution on proposal from shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson that the Annual General Meeting resolves

a. to insert a second paragraph in the Articles of Association ( 5) with the following content: All shares shall carry equal rights.

b. that  6 shall cease to apply except from (Sw: m.u.a.) Mom.2.

c. to delegate to the Board of Directors to work for abolishment in the Swedish Companies Act of the possibility of having so-called voting power differences, primarily by contacting the Government of Sweden, and

d. to delegate to the Board of Directors to prepare a proposal regarding representation on the Board of Directors and the Nomination Committee for the small and medium-sized shareholders, to be referred to the 2021 Annual General Meeting or any prior Extraordinary General Meeting. The mandate shall also include to work for a change of the national legal framework accordingly, primarily by contacting the Government of Sweden.

19. Closing of the Annual General Meeting

The Board's other proposals

Dividend and record date

The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of SEK 6.00 per share.

April 28, 2020 has been proposed as the record date for payment of the dividend. Provided that the Annual General Meeting votes in favor of this proposal, dividends are expected to be sent out via Euroclear Sweden AB on May 4, 2020.

Guidelines for compensation of senior executives

These guidelines pertain to Industrivarden's CEO and other members of the Executive Management. The guidelines are to be applied for compensation agreed upon, and changes made to already agreed upon compensation, after the guidelines have been adopted by the 2020 AGM. Compensation decided by the AGM is not covered.

Compared with the guidelines decided upon by the 2019 AGM, the proposal below has been updated to meet the requirements arising out of implementation of the EU's Shareholder Rights Directive.

The guidelines' promotion of the Company's business mission, long-term interests and sustainability

The Company's business mission is to be a long-term asset manager and active owner of listed Nordic companies. The mission, objectives and strategy are presented in more detail on Industrivarden's website www.industrivarden.net.

Successful and sustainable execution of the Company's mission, objectives and strategy for capitalizing on the Company's long-term interests requires that the Company can recruit and retain qualified employees. The guidelines contribute to this by ensuring that senior executives can be offered a going-rate, competitive total compensation package that is commensurate with their responsibilities and authority.

Types of compensation, etc.

Compensation shall be in line with the going rate in the market and competitive and be related to individual performance as well as the Company's development. Compensation may consist of the following components: fixed cash salary, short-term variable cash compensation, pension benefits and other benefits.

Short-term variable cash compensation may amount to a maximum of 50% of the executive's fixed annual cash salary. The compensation shall be coupled to fulfillment of individual criteria that are set yearly and that are evaluated according to the executive's work contribution and performance. The criteria may be financial or nonfinancial, or they may consist of individually adapted quantitative or qualitative goals. The criteria shall be formulated so that they have a clear coupling to value creation for the Company and promote the Company's business mission and sustainable execution of the Company's long-term interests.

Fulfillment of criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation shall be measured during a period of one year. The Compensation Committee is responsible for assessing the extent to which the criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation to the CEO is fulfilled. The Board thereafter sets the CEO's compensation. The CEO is responsible for assessing the fulfillment of criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation for other senior executives. Short-term variable cash compensation shall not be pensionable.

The Board shall have the opportunity pursuant to law or agreement, with the restrictions that may arise out of such, to fully or partly rescind variable cash compensation paid out on incorrect grounds.

Pension benefits, including disability insurance, (Sw. sjukforsakring) shall be defined contribution solutions to the extent that the executive is not covered by a defined benefit pension under compulsory collective contract provisions, and shall entitle the executive to receive a pension from 60 or 65 years of age, depending on the position. For the CEO and other senior executives, premiums and other costs related to defined contribution pensions may amount to a combined maximum of 40% of the fixed annual cash salary, depending on the position.

Other benefits may include, among other things, life insurance, health insurance (Sw. sjukvardsforsakring), a car benefit and a wellness benefit. For the CEO, such benefits may amount to a maximum of one (1)% of fixed annual cash salary, and for other senior executives they may amount to four (4)% of fixed annual cash salary, depending on the position.

In addition to the above, the general meeting of shareholders may - independently from these guidelines - decide on e.g., share-based and share price-related compensation. Since 2012 the Company has established share-based incentive programs approved by general meetings, of which the 2017-2019 programs are currently in effect. The programs cover all employees and require a personal shareholding and holding period of three (3) years. The outcome is based on performance targets that are related to the long-term growth in Industrivarden's share price. Approved share-based incentive programs are presented in more detail on Industrivarden's website www.industrivarden.net.

For notice of termination served by the Company, the notice period may be a maximum of two (2) years. Fixed cash salary paid during the notice period and severance pay may together not exceed an amount corresponding to two (2) years' fixed cash salary. For notice given by the executive, the notice period may be a maximum of six (6) months, without any right to severance pay.

Additionally, compensation may be payable for any non-compete obligation. Such payment shall compensate for possible loss of income and shall only be paid to the extent the former executive lacks entitlement to severance pay. Compensation shall amount to a maximum of 60% of fixed cash salary at the time notice was served, unless other terms apply under stipulations of a compulsory collective agreement. It shall be paid during the time the noncompete obligation applies, which shall be a maximum of 12 months after the end of employment.

Decision-making process for setting, revising and implementing the guidelines

The Compensation Committee's duties include conducting preparatory work for board decisions on proposed guidelines for compensation of senior executives. The Board shall draw up a recommendation for new guidelines at least every fourth year and present the recommendation for decision by the Annual General Meeting. The guidelines apply until new guidelines have been adopted by a general meeting. The Compensation Committee shall also monitor and evaluate variable compensation programs for members of the Executive Management, application of guidelines for compensation of senior executives and applicable compensation structures and compensation levels in the Company.

In the preparatory work for the Board's recommendation on these compensation guidelines, salary and terms of employment for the Company's other employees have been taken into account, whereby information on the employees' total compensation, the components of their compensation and the increase in their compensation and rate of growth over time have made up part of the Compensation Committee's and Board's decision-making documentation in evaluating the fairness of the guidelines and the limitations that arise out of these.

The Compensation Committee's members are independent in relation to the Company and Executive Management. In the Board's handling of and decisions on compensation-related matters, the CEO and other members of the Executive Management are not present to the extent they are the subject of the matters at hand.

Departures from the guidelines

The Board may decide to temporarily depart from the guidelines entirely or partly if in an individual case there are special reasons for doing so and a departure is necessary for safeguarding the Company's long-term interests or to ensure the Company's financial soundness. The Compensation Committee's duties include conducting preparatory work for the Board's decisions on compensation matters, which includes decisions to depart from the guidelines.

Long-term share savings program

Background

Since 2012 the Annual General Meetings have resolved on the implementation of long-term share saving programs for employees of the Company. The terms of the share savings program (the "Program") now proposed by the Board of Directors to the 2020 Annual General Meeting follow the same basic structure as the Program adopted by the 2019 Annual General Meeting, but have been adjusted with the purpose to (i) increase the element of performance targets in the Program, and (ii) achieve a greater differentiation and expanded scope for outcome in grants of shares among the different categories of participants in the Program.

The Program entails that the employee after three years receives so-called performance shares, provided that certain conditions are fulfilled and that the employee has invested a portion of his or her base salary in Industrivarden shares and that the employee has not given notice or has not been served notice of termination at the time the shares were granted.

The purpose of the Program is to encourage Industrivarden's employees to increase their shareholdings and thereby further emphasize long-term shareholder value. The share savings program is deemed to increase Industrivarden's prospects for retaining and recruiting competent employees as well as the employees' interest and involvement in Industrivarden's business and development. The performance conditions, which are based on the total return for Industrivarden shares during the term of the Program, are deemed to further enhance the participants' long-term commitment and the mutual interests between Industrivarden's shareholders and employees. The Program is intended to be annually recurring and constitute the form of long-term variable salary.

The Board of Directors thus proposes that the 2020 Annual General Meeting resolve to implement a long-term share savings program for in total no more than 20 employees of Industrivarden.

The Board of Directors' proposal for resolution

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve to implement the Program based on the terms and conditions set out below.

a. The Program is open to the CEO and a maximum of 4 other members of Industrivarden's management ("CEO" and "Management" respectively), to a maximum of 6 key persons employed by Industrivarden ("Key Persons"), and to other permanent employees of Industrivarden ("Employees"), however in total a maximum of 20 permanent employees of Industrivarden.

b. Provided that the CEO, Management, Key Persons and Employees (as applicable) have made an own investment in Class C shares in Industrivarden ("Savings Shares") during the Acquisition Period (defined in item c below), from a designated third party at the end of the Lock-in Period (defined in point d below), such participant is under the terms of the Program offered the opportunity to be granted shares free of charge, as follows:

(i) Provided that the total return for the Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds 10 percent, all program participants may be granted 0.5 Class C shares in Industrivarden ("Performance Share") per Savings Share,

(ii) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX during the same period of time, the CEO and Management may be granted 1 additional Performance Share, Key Persons may be granted 0.5 additional Performance Share, and Employees may be granted 0.5 additional Performance Share, per Savings Share,

(iii) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX by 2 percentage points during the same period of time, the CEO and Management may be granted 1.5 additional Performance Shares and Key Persons may be granted an additional 1 Performance Share per Savings Share, and

(iv) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX by 3 percentage points during the same period of time, the CEO may be granted 1 additional Performance Share per Savings share.

In total, the Program thus entails that the CEO may be granted 4 Performance Shares per Savings Share, that Management may be granted 3 Performance Shares per Savings Share, that Key Persons may be granted 2 Performance Shares per Savings Share, and that Employees may be granted 1 Performance Share per Savings Share.

c. The maximum number of Savings Shares that each program participant may acquire is limited in such way that Savings Shares may be acquired for an amount corresponding to a maximum of 10 percent of the participant's gross annual base salary for 2020. Acquisition of Savings Shares shall take place during the period from July 20, 2020, until October 30, 2020, however with a right for the Board of Directors to extend the period in certain circumstances (the "Acquisition Period").

d. Grants of Performance Shares are expected to take place shortly after publication of Industrivarden's third quarter interim report for 2023. The time from the last day of the Acquisition Period to the date of publication of Industrivarden's third quarter interim report for 2023 is defined as the "Lock-in Period."

e. In order for a program participant to be granted Performance Shares it is required that, with certain specific exemptions, the participant has not been given notice or has not been served notice of termination of employment in Industrivarden during the Lock-in Period and that the participant, throughout the Lock-in Period, has retained the Savings Shares. Saving Shares disposed of prior to the expiration of the Lock-in Period will therefore not entitle to any grants of Performance Shares. Should a program participant retire during the Lock-in Period, the entitlement to receive allotment of Performance Shares shall be reduced in proportion to the time remaining in the Lock-in Period.

f. The Program shall comprise a maximum of 55,000 Class C shares in Industrivarden. Should Savings Shares be acquired at a share price such that the total number of Performance Shares exceeds 55,000, the number of Performance Shares that may be transferred to the program participants will be proportionally reduced.

g. The Board of Directors shall be authorized to establish the detailed terms and conditions for the Program.

h. In the event significant changes occur in Industrivarden or the market, or in the event the costs for the Program significantly exceed the estimated costs, and this, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, results in a situation where the conditions for grants of Performance Shares under the Program become unreasonable, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make adjustments to the Program, including, among other things, a decision to reduce the grant of Performance Shares or to not grant any Performance Shares at all.

i. The number of Performance Shares shall be subject to recalculation as a result of intervening bonus issues, splits, rights issues and/or other similar company events.

Drafting of the proposal

The proposal regarding the Program to the 2020 Annual General Meeting has been decided on by the Board of Directors following preparation by the Compensation Committee.

Hedging, etc.

To hedge the financial exposure that the Program is expected to have, the Board of Directors intends to enter into a share swap agreement with a third party on behalf of Industrivarden, at market terms, whereby the third party in its own name shall be entitled to acquire and transfer Class C shares in Industrivarden to the program participants.

As proposed the Program may comprise a maximum of 55,000 Class C shares in Industrivarden, representing approximately 0.01 percent of all outstanding shares in Industrivarden and approximately 0.03 percent of all outstanding Class C shares in Industrivarden.

In accordance with the scope of the Program as described above, the cost upon full grant is estimated to approximately SEK 12 million, under the assumption all employees participate in the Program and that all program participants acquire the maximum number of Savings Shares.

The Program is expected to have only marginal effect on Industrivarden's and the Industrivarden Group's key ratios.

Majority requirements

The Annual General Meeting's resolution in accordance with the above requires a majority of more than half of the votes cast.

Nominating Committee's proposals

The Nominating Committee has consisted of Fredrik Lundberg, (Chairman of the Board of AB Industrivarden), Bo Damberg (the Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation and others), Mats Guldbrand (L E Lundbergforetagen), Mikael Schmidt (SCA pension foundations and others), and Stefan Nilsson (Handelsbanken Pension Foundation and others). Mats Guldbrand has served as Nominating Committee chair.

Aktiebolaget Industrivarden's Nominating Committee proposes the following.

AGM Chairman

Attorney Sven Unger.

Number of directors

Eight directors and no deputy directors.

Directors' fees

Chairman of the Board: SEK 2,120,000 (SEK 2,060,000).

Vice Chairman (in the event such is appointed): SEK 1,280,000 (SEK 1,240,000).

Each of the other non-executive directors: SEK 640,000 (SEK 620,000).

No separate fee is to be paid for committee work.

Board of Directors

Re-election of Par Boman, Christian Caspar, Bengt Kjell, Fredrik Lundberg, Annika Lundius, Lars Pettersson and Helena Stjernholm, and new election of Marika Fredriksson, as directors. Nina Linander has declined re-election.

Re-election of Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board.

Information about the proposed directors can be found on Industrivarden's website www.industrivarden.net.

Number of auditors

One chartered accounting firm.

Auditor

The Nominating Committee proposes, in accordance with the Audit Committee's recommendation, re-election of the accounting firm Deloitte AB for the period until the end of the 2021 Annual General Meeting. Deloitte AB has notified that if the firm is elected, it will appoint Authorized Public Accountant Hans Waren as chief auditor.

Auditor's fee

Fee in accordance with approved invoice.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is of the opinion that there is no reason to amend the resolution regarding the Nominating Committee that was made at the 2011 Annual General Meeting, and which applies until further notice.

Proposals from shareholders

The complete proposals under item 18 on the agenda are set out in the agenda.

Majority requirements

A resolution by the General Meeting to amend the Articles of Association in accordance with items 18 a and b are valid if all shareholders represented at the meeting vote in favor of the proposal and those shareholders represent at least nine-tenths of all shares in the Company, alternatively if shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the votes cast as well as the shares represented at the meeting vote in favor of the proposal and holders of half of all shares of Class A and nine-tenths of the shares of Class A represented at the meeting agree to the amendments.

Other information relating to the Annual General Meeting

Documents

Accounting records, audit reports and auditors' statements, and the Board's proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal, will be on hand for the shareholders at the Company three weeks before the Annual General Meeting. These documents will also then be posted on the Company's website, www.industrivarden.net, and will be sent to shareholders at their postal address upon request. The documents will also be available at the Annual General Meeting.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

The total number of shares in AB Industrivarden is 435,209,877, of which 268,183,340 are Class A shares and, 167,026,537 are Class C shares. Each Class A share carries one vote and each Class C share carries one-tenth of a vote. The total number of votes is 284,885,993. This data pertains to the conditions at the time this notice was issued.

Disclosures at the Annual General Meeting

The shareholders have the right to certain disclosures at the Annual General Meeting: The Board of Directors and CEO shall, if requested by any shareholder, and if the Board believes that it can be done without causing material harm to the Company, provide disclosures on conditions that could affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, conditions that could have an effect on the assessment of the Company's or a subsidiary's financial situation or the Company's relations with another Group company. A shareholder who wishes to submit questions in advance can do so by post: AB Industrivarden, the Board of Directors, Box 5403, SE-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden, or by e-mail: legal@industrivarden.se.

Stockholm in March 2020

AB Industrivarden (publ)

The Board of Directors

The information herein was submitted for publication at 10 a.m. (CET) on March 17, 2020.

Attachment
New Delhi/Tehran, March 17 : The Centre has asked Tehran to grant a sanatorium for the Indian pilgrims who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Iran, the Middle East country badly hit by the pandemic.

At least 853 people have died and 14,991 others people have been infected by the virus in Iran.

A large number of Indian pilgrims in Iran have also tested positive for coronavirus. India has sent a team of health professionals for their treatment.

There are over 6,000 Indian nationals in various provinces of Iran. Of them, there are about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Maharashtra and nearly 300 students primarily from Jammu and Kashmir.

Around 1,000 fishermen from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and others stay in Iran earning their livelihood and for religious studies.

Sources told IANS that though health officials were visiting the Indian patients in their respective lodges in Iran every day, the Indian government was exploring a sanatorium for them.

"But there are some issues with the approvals from the Iran authorities," an official source said.

The Iranian systems are overstretched due to the grave magnitude of the pandemic.

"This is an unprecedented situation for a sanctions-ridden country," an official said.

Local sources in Tehran said that although Iran has good healthcare infrastructure, the pandemic is putting a lot of strain on hospitals.

The Iranian government is importing over 170 million masks from abroad and sought $5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The Shia-dominated Iran is badly hit by the outbreak of the virus which originated in Wuhan, China, because its initial response was apathetic and negligent.

Even as the some of the early patients were found in Qom, the Shia holy place, over 100km southwest of Tehran, the religious pilgrimage remained opened.

Chinese students, pilgrims and businessmen visit Qom regularly. Though China began a lockdown in January, travel between the two countries continued.

On Monday however, authorities shut down its mosques and shrines in Qom and Mashhad.

But orthodox clergy and Shias broke the doors, bypassed the police and stormed the shrines, in complete violation of the government restrictions.

Sources said hundreds who have died from the COVID-19 in Iran are being buried in mass graves.

Iran has temporarily freed 85,000 prisoners from jail "to help the efforts to contain the coronavirus epidemic", Iranian media reported on Monday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
What is the coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.

The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.

Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.

The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

Dr Helena Maier, from the Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals.

'Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses).

'Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.'

The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started publicly reporting infections on December 31.

By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge.

The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000.

Where does the virus come from?

According to scientists, the virus almost certainly came from bats. Coronaviruses in general tend to originate in animals  the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively.

The first cases of COVID-19 came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in Wuhan, which has since been closed down for investigation.

Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat.

A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in February 2020 in the scientific journal Nature, found that the genetic make-up virus samples found in patients in China is 96 per cent identical to a coronavirus they found in bats.

However, there were not many bats at the market so scientists say it was likely there was an animal which acted as a middle-man, contracting it from a bat before then transmitting it to a human. It has not yet been confirmed what type of animal this was.

Dr Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, was not involved with the research but said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.

'We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.'

So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it?

Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly.

It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs. It is less deadly than SARS, however, which killed around one in 10 people, compared to approximately one in 50 for COVID-19.

Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold.

Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them.

'Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.'

If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die.

'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in.

'Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.'

How does the virus spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.

It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky. It can also live on surfaces, such as plastic and steel, for up to 72 hours, meaning people can catch it by touching contaminated surfaces.

Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person.

What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms?

Once someone has caught the COVID-19 virus it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, for them to show any symptoms  but they may still be contagious during this time.

If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and a fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients will recover from these without any issues, and many will need no medical help at all.

In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.

Figures are showing that young children do not seem to be particularly badly affected by the virus, which they say is peculiar considering their susceptibility to flu, but it is not clear why.

What have genetic tests revealed about the virus?

Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world.

This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause.

Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much  changing is known as mutating  much during the early stages of its spread.

However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people.

This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it.

More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately.

How dangerous is the virus?

The virus has a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people.

Experts have been conflicted since the beginning of the outbreak about whether the true number of people who are infected is significantly higher than the official numbers of recorded cases. Some people are expected to have such mild symptoms that they never even realise they are ill unless they're tested, so only the more serious cases get discovered, making the death toll seem higher than it really is.

However, an investigation into government surveillance in China said it had found no reason to believe this was true.

Dr Bruce Aylward, a World Health Organization official who went on a mission to China, said there was no evidence that figures were only showing the tip of the iceberg, and said recording appeared to be accurate, Stat News reported.

Can the virus be cured?

The COVID-19 virus cannot be cured and it is proving difficult to contain.

Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can work, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money.

No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above.

The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.

Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them infecting other people.

People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public.

And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature).

However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport.

Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?

The outbreak was declared a pandemic on March 11. A pandemic is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'.

Previously, the UN agency said most cases outside of Hubei had been 'spillover' from the epicentre, so the disease wasn't actually spreading actively around the world.
Gujarat chief minister Vijay



Rupani on Tuesday appealed to citizens to maintain vigil and follow the government's guidelines to ensure that coronavirus does not spread in the state.

The state government has banned entry to tourists at Statue of Unity in Kevadia town of Narmada district till March 25 and also directed hotels and restaurants to avoid hosting large functions.

Gujarat has not reported a single positive case of COVID-19 so far.

"Due to the state government's efforts and people's cooperation, no case of coronavirus has been recorded in Gujarat. The disease has spread rapidly across the world and is found is small numbers in India too," he said in a video message released on social media.

The Chief Minister urged citizens to be vigilant so that disease does not spread in Gujarat.

People of the state have migrated to many countries and keep on travelling across the world for business, he said, adding that guidelines issued by the Central government and World Health Organisation should be followed.

The government has taken steps including screening people travelling from foreign countries, closing schools, colleges, cinema halls, public places and tourist spots, he said.

Rupani advised people above 60 years of age and those who suffer from medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or any other ailment, to practice self-quarantine.

"The fatality rate of this disease in around 2 per cent and the state is prepared to treat patients so nobody should panic," he assured.

Meanwhile, addressing the media on Tuesday, principal secretary Jayanti Ravi said the district administration of Narmada has decided not to allow tourists at the Statue of Unity till March 25, after registering a drop of 60 per cent in visitor inflow.

The government has also asked private doctors and government medical colleges to intensify surveillance to track cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), as they could be cases of COVID-19.

"We spoke to several top doctors, experts of Indian Medical Association, as well as deans and superintendents of government medical colleges, and asked them to intensify surveillance of SARI cases because they might be cases of COVID-19," she said.

Hotels and restaurants have been asked not to host large functions, she said, adding that a massive drive has been launched to clean state transport buses.

Health secretaries of neighbouring and other states have been contacted and asked to prevent interstate movement of people.

Private organisations have also been told to allow employees to work from home wherever possible.

"The situation is reasonably under control. There is no need for panic. We are fully prepared in the event of positive cases coming up," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PHOENIX  Planning to go out to a crowded bar to party for St. Patricks Day? Gov. Doug Ducey has a word of advice: Dont.

Both he and state Health Director Cara Christ warn against being in any public place indoors where there are likely to be at least 50 people.

But Ducey stopped short Monday of issuing any closure edict, saying Arizona isnt at that stage. This is where we are today, he said. And it will change, as hes relying on the latest data, the facts and the science to make calls.

In a news conference Monday, state officials:

Defended the decision to go ahead with Tuesdays Democratic presidential preference election. Our intent at polling places ... is to get people in and out, said Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, noting that theres only one question on the ballot.

Discussed the possibility schools might not reopen in two weeks.

Talked about who is  and is not  eligible for testing.

Said they are concerned about people hoarding basic supplies; Ducey said he has been assured by executives of grocery chains that supplies will be replenished.

Much focus was on how people can protect themselves and, if infected, avoid spreading COVID-19.

Social distancing or personal distancing is one of the greatest measures you can take to stay safe. And thats hard to do at a bar, Ducey said.

As for everywhere else, We are encouraging right now that gatherings over 50 be limited, Christ said. That would include, potentially, malls, festivals, parades, concerts, those types of things.
Mr. Natal-San Miguel said he plans to find creative ways of presenting his exhibition virtually, suggesting video tours and discussions via social media. Most galleries and artists are processing all this now. Everyone is looking for that connection.

The show was conceived after the death of Mr. Natal-San Miguels mother, and assembling it was an act of catharsis. I had to recover emotionally, he said. All my energy went into it. And I just finished the show and this happens and Im like, damn. Friday I was really sad. I allowed myself a couple hours. OK, Im allowed to feel sorry, yes I worked very hard on this for four months and this happened, but theres blessings to it too. Talking about this right now is a blessing.

A dancers homecoming is stalled.

Jamaris Mitchell, a member of Ailey II, the junior division of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has danced with the company across the country and around the world since September. But the companys cancellation of its New York season is keeping her from finally performing for her family and friends. So far no one from home has seen me perform with Ailey II, she said. The New York City season is so important because thats our this is who we are moment.

Ms. Mitchells New York debut was deferred on Friday when the company announced that its engagement at the Ailey Citigroup Theater scheduled to begin March 25 will no longer take place. The company said performances may be rescheduled to later this spring, but for the moment, a journey that began for Ms. Mitchell almost a year ago has been disrupted just before its culmination.
RFP360, a Leawood, Kan.-based RFP issuing and responding software platform, secured a second strategic growth investment from Five Elms Capital.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed but it brings their total investment to $12 million.

The funds will continue to support the growth of RFP360s business including ongoing expansion of the product development, marketing and sales teams.

Led by David Lintz, chief executive officer, Beau Wysong, chief marketing officer, and Ryan Townsend, chief technology officer, RFP360 develops software solutions for organizations worldwide to request information, respond to requests and connect  making the RFP and proposal process efficient, effective, collaborative, consistent and repeatable for everyone.

FinSMEs

16/03/2020
A picture is worth a thousand words, but what about a melody?

In the latest chapter of a storied career, Seamus Egans new instrumental solo album tells us where he is now that Solas is on hiatus.

Solas, routinely described as a super-group of Irish traditional musicians from both sides of the Atlantic, saddened fans by putting their collaboration on pause after a 20th anniversary album All These Years in 2016 and a tour.

We had been talking about taking a break for several years, Egan said, but they decided to get it to the mark of 20 years. Pulling together an album and tour using the various musicians that had been in the band over the years was bigger than Egan had imagined, he said. The members then decided to go on hiatus and pursue their own musical explorations and not be, he said, the Solas road dogs we had been.

Theres never a moment when youre not involved in it, he said. It was time to step away from that.I hope we can come together at some point and I feel that we will.

For Egan, the break has meant working on several projects, but his new album, Early Bright (THL Records), went to the top of his list of priorities. He said he developed the album for about a year and a half through a process of trial and error.

The music on Early Bright is lovely and lively  even the faster tunes have an easygoing charm and beauty. The playing is immaculate, but is more expressive and emotional than flashy. The overall sound is acoustic and certainly has an Irish flavor, but it can also be reminiscent of bluegrass or even chamber music. As Egan has always done, he reverently draws on traditional music without being constrained by it. Its hard to imagine that Solas fans will not love it.

I did have a vague notion of what I wanted sonically, he said. I wanted to have space in it. I wanted it to be acoustic as well as marry made sounds in it.

Egans relocation to Vermont and its slower pace of life, as well as stepping away from touring, influenced the album, he said.

What you write is a reaction to your circumstances, he said. The pace of life [in Vermont] is certainly different than living in Center City Philadelphia [and] I was off the road for the longest stretch since I was 18 years old.It definitely seeped into it somehow.

Egans musical journey began after his family moved from Pennsylvania to his parents homeland of Ireland when he was three years old. As a boy there he took music lessons with a teacher who entered him into local competitions playing Irish traditional tunes. By the time he was 14, he had won four All-Ireland competitions playing different instruments.

Looking back, he said the competitions were nerve-wracking and, at the time, it never occurred to him that music could be a career path.

His family then moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia and Egans pursuit of traditional Irish music took a back seat. Things changed when, as a high schooler, he met Irish musician and folklorist Mick Moloney, who took him under his wing.

He traveled with Moloney and fell in love with music in a whole new way. There was so much more to music than practicing a set number of pieces for a competition, he said. It was way more than that.

After playing with several bands, Egan and other rising musicians created Solas, which became an international success for its evolution of traditional Irish music. Along with the eponymous debut album of Solas, Egan released a solo instrumental album that was quieter and more atmospheric, When Juniper Sleeps.

Egan said his approach to music has changed, though he doesnt disavow his earlier work. These things are snapshots, frozen moments of where you are, he said. At various stages you wear a certain set of blinders.

When you are young, he said, Youre bursting with energy and want to get the notes out. I think that as time goes on, you start to pull back a little and you realize you can say the same thing without as many notes.

As he finishes up his current tour, he said he is turning his attention to creating albums unlike anything he has done before, as well as working on a musical based on the story of Irish immigrants who went to Butte, Montana, to work in copper mines in the 1910s, a topic he explored with Solas on the 2013 album Shamrock City.

Im excited for the future, Egan said. Im as energized about making these as Ive ever been.

Seamus Egan

Centenary Stage Company, Sitnick Theater at the Lackland Performing Arts Center, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown.

Saturday, March 21st at 8 p.m.

$20 - $32; for information, call 908-979-0900 or visit www.centenarystageco.org

Marty Lipp may be reached at martylipp@hotmail.com.
The good news: Jenny Jonak doesnt have coronavirus.

The bad news: Jonak, who represents one of the few Oregonians tested by a private lab, had to wait six days to find out.

Jonaks experience provides a rare window into the limited private testing occurring in Oregon as the COVID-19 pandemic closes schools, shutters restaurants and sends the economy stumbling toward recession.

The Oregonian/OregonLive wrote about Jonak last week. The Eugene woman visited her doctors office last Tuesday following February travel to Hawaii and Washington, D.C., where she was exposed to people from Asia and Europe.

Jonak had a fever of about 100 degrees that wouldnt go away for five days.

Physicians at Oak Street Medical decided to test her for coronavirus and gathered samples from Jonak while she waited in her car. The medical group sent the specimens for analysis to Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest commercial labs in America.

The results came back negative Monday, Jonak said.

I still plan to isolate just in case I do get it later but its nice to know for now, she said in an email.

Jonak accessed the test from a private lab amid a nationwide shortage that is dramatically undercounting the number of infections and making transmission more likely by carriers with only mild symptoms.

Oregon health officials have received a limited supply of tests from the federal government and are rationing those state kits for the sickest residents. Oregon reported that 618 people had been tested through Sunday, with 182 additional people awaiting results.

State officials have said people will eventually be able to get lab results through hospital systems -- which arent yet offering wide-scale testing -- or to seek help from doctors offices, which can approve tests by commercial labs.

But even physicians have limited access, and theyre supposed to follow state and federal guidelines about who should be tested.

Oak Street Medical, where Jonak got her test approved by physicians, could only submit samples from 20 patients, a representative said last week.

Quest Diagnostics, which ran Jonaks test, currently has the capacity to analyze results for only about 5,000 people per day nationwide, according to the American Enterprise Institute, which tracks testing capacity.

The full COVID-19 capacity across all labs stands at about 37,000 people per day nationwide, according to the institute. That number is expected to increase in the days and weeks ahead, although its not clear how quickly people can expect to receive their results.

Meanwhile, OHSU Hospital, one of the hospitals looking to develop in-house capacity, was thought to be ready to launch lab testing this week. But officials said Monday that likely wont happen until next week.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
China's Shandong province will require all overseas arrivals to be quarantined in designated locations or residences for 14 days, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday. China is tightening checks on arrivals to curb imported coronavirus cases.

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But testing had been limited to the most at-risk patients, said Dr. Ryan Firth, one of the clinics partners. He said the clinic was able to test about four patients on Monday and about five the previous week. He said they hadnt received any results from those tests yet.

In addition, the clinic had seen people who showed signs of the illness and tested negative for other sicknesses like the flu.

Were telling everybody thats flu-negative  (to) act like you have COVID, he said.

While the clinic has fielded many calls from those concerned they may have the virus, many -- if not more than those concerned they may be sick -- have called the clinic to ask if theres anything they can do to help out, Firth said. Ive been pretty impressed with our communitys response.

The positive community response to the illnesses in Lander has helped keep staff at the clinic motivated, even as it becomes clearer that the outbreak  and precautions meant to limit it  could last a long time, he said.

Everybodys got their game face on, Firth said. Right now, morales pretty good.

Worrisome cluster
Two new cases were recorded in the Chernivtsi region

Since the beginning of the year, five cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Ukraine. Two new cases were found in the Chernivtsi region. This was reported by the Public Health Center on its Facebook page.

"As of March 16, five cases of Covid-19 were confirmed by laboratory. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraines Public Health Center has received 94 suspicions of the new coronavirus infection. According to the results of the Center's virological reference laboratory, five positive results were obtained for Covid-19: Chernivtsi (four) and Zhytomyr (one) regions," the message reads.

In total, the Virological Reference Laboratory of the Center for Public Health of Ukraine examined more than 500 samples.

The Ministry of Health specified that two women were infected. Patients are isolated, their condition is stable.

As we reported earlier, the quarantine was introduced in another Ukrainian city: Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov ordered to suspend the work of all public places, except for groceries and pharmacy shops.

"In order to stop the spread of the morbidity of the ARVI, caused by Covid-19 coronavirus, Odesa city mayor signed the decree (...)", the message reads.
No Australian could now credibly deny that a small number of our special forces soldiers committed executions of Afghans, such was the power of a video obtained by Four Corners and broadcast on Monday night.

It showed, among other things, footage of an Australian SAS soldier committing an act that most of his colleagues in the regiment would regard as appalling  shooting an apparently unarmed Afghan man at point blank range while he was subdued and lying in a wheat field.

A subsequent army investigation cleared the soldier of wrongdoing after being told that the Afghan man was spotted with a radio and "engaged" and shot from 15 to 20 metres away. The video does not appear to support this version of events.

What this reveals is that at least some soldiers and their superiors thought the shooting was OK, even though it seems clear the man posed no risk.
Mainland China reported a drop in new coronavirus cases on Sunday, but major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai continued to wrestle with cases of infections from travellers arriving from abroad.

China had 16 new infections on Sunday, the National Health Commission said on Monday, down from 20 the previous day, taking the mainland's tally to 80,860.

Twelve of the new figures were imported infections, exceeding the number of domestic transmissions for a third day. The World Health Organization says Europe has become the pandemic's current epicentre.

Beijing accounted for four infections, the southern province of Guangdong for four, while the commercial hub of Shanghai had two, with one each in southwestern Yunnan and northwestern Gansu. That took the tally of imported infections to 123.

China has tightened checks on international travellers, with the capital Beijing ordering 14 days in its quarantine facilities for anyone arriving from aboard, starting Monday.

It has suspended departures by ships on international cruises from mainland ports as well as routes to South Korea and Japan, according to remarks at a news conference on Monday by the State Council, or cabinet.

Beijing has redirected all international flights that were scheduled to land at its new Daxing airport in the south to the older international airport in the northeast.

HIDING SYMPTOMS

Beijing's four new cases were all Chinese nationals returning from abroad, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director at Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control said on Monday. Three had shown symptoms such as fever before they came back, yet they still boarded the long-haul international flights, Pang said.

"Those behaviours increased the risk of infection for those people travelling together," she added.

China issued a joint statement from several ministries on Monday saying it would punish people who make false health declarations when entering the country.

Beijing police said they were investigating a case involving a 37-year-old woman coming back from the United States who had hidden her symptoms before boarding.

NO NEW WUHAN INFECTIONS

Mainland China's only locally transmitted new infections on Sunday were in Wuhan, the source of the outbreak and capital of the central province of Hubei, with four cases.

It was the province's 11th consecutive day with no new infections outside Wuhan.

China's death toll in the outbreak stood at 3,213 by Sunday, up 14 from the previous day. In Hubei, there were 14 new deaths, 13 in Wuhan.

As the rise in new cases subsides, China has stepped up donations of supplies to other countries.

Last week, Jack Ma, the billionaire co-founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba pledged to donate two million protective masks for distribution across Europe.

"The first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the United States is taking off from Shanghai," Ma said on Twitter on Monday.

Supplies donated to Laos and South Korea by China's central province of Hunan included 100 infrared sensors, the official Xinhua news agency said.

China also sent a flight to Milan to pick up Chinese citizens and overseas students from areas hit by the epidemic, state-run CCTV reported on Monday. The flight carried 125 passengers and went to Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province.
Australia must test more people for coronavirus, Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen said today.

On Monday night the World Health Organisation urged countries to 'test, test, test' to find coronavirus carriers and isolate them to stop more people being infected.

But Australia is currently only testing people who have returned from overseas or have had contact with a coronavirus patient.

Labor frontbencher Mr Bowen said more testing needs to be done after South Korea, which tested four in every 1,000 people, showed a decline in the infection rate.

Australia needs to test more people for coronavirus, shadow health minister Chris Bowen (pictured) said today

'Testing is vital. We know from those countries that are succeeding in containing, turning around and stopping this virus taking hold,' he said today.

On Friday Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said not everyone could be tested because there was a shortage of testing kits due to demand around the world.

'We are working through a new testing paradigm so that we can make sure doctors only refer people who have a decent prospect of a positive test,' he said.

Mr Bowen said this problem needs to fixed as soon as possible.

'I recognise this is a complicated issue. I recognise there are some international shortages. I recognise that this is not easy to fix. But fixed it must be,' he said.

'Who to test should be based on the very best medical advice. It cannot be driven by any shortages.

'The decision about how many tests to apply should only be driven by one factor - how many people need them?'

He added: 'We can't afford to look back and think if only there was more we could have done to get more testing.'

A nurse prepares for her shift at the newly opened Covid-19 Clinic at the Mount Barker Hospital in Adelaide

Mr Bowen, who has been the MP for McMahon since 2010, also called on Scott Morrison to keep Australians more up to date.

'Inform the Australian people what your plans are. Also, tell people what the trigger points are for further decisions,' he said.

'Please take the Australian people into your confidence as much as possible. Tell them what might be needed.

'Tell them what might bring about those decisions. Tell them when these decisions might be made. The Australian people deserve to know.'

He urged Mr Morrison to tell Australians when schools may be closed and said the government should copy Norway which has kept some teachers on to look after the children of healthcare workers.

'We cannot afford the risk of health workers not being able to go to work because their kids' schools have been closed,' he said.

'Let's look after the health worker and make sure that they can do what they do so well and look after us.'
West Bengal govt to set up a world class food processing centre to optimise business of marine products

by Sutanuka Ghosal

March 17,2020 | Source: Economic Times

Bengal government is all set to enter into a collaboration with the Arizona State University to set up a world class diagnostic laboratory and also a food processing centre with the Oceanic University to optimize the business of marine products between India and the USA. This was revealed by Dr P K Mazumdar, advisor to the chief minister Mamata Banerjee on agriculture & allied sectors at the 5th Food Processing Conclave organized by CII in Kolkata today.



Mazumdar said that the Bengal government has made a decisive paradigm shift in the food and agri geography by shifting the focus from increasing yield to maximizing capacity building of small and marginal farmers by risk mitigation strategies, minimum support prices for essential crops, building 186 Krishak Bazars, warehouses, cold storages, water storage schemes, river lift irrigation, check dams, distribution of solar irrigation pumps to marginal farmers at nominal or no prices, crop insurance etc. Dr Mazumdar said that the West Bengal government actively encourages FPOs and its focus is on improving productivity and production of crops on demand of the industry which would make the farming vocation productive and economically viable. He added that there are opportunities of investors in the horticulture, dairy, fisheries, animal husbandry spaces in the state and that West Bengal . He requested industries to come forward with their views on the incentive policies of the government.



"One of the leading agri suppliers in the world, Thailand has taken affirmative steps in increasing productivity in this space through the Thailand 4.0 model, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and the Food Innopolis, Ms Sweeta Santipitaks, Consul General, Royal Thai Consulate General in Kolkata said while addressing the stakeholders and Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs).The Consul General spoke extensively about how her country has taken the locational and climatic advantages to become a $6.2 billion agri business industry with the help of Thailand 4.0 model and creating the EECs for innovation and digitization. Thailand, according to the Consul General, has been able to create a nurturing ecosystem for innovation, provide incentives to strengthen business by creating the Food Innopolis which focuses on cutting-edge research, innovation for food processing among others. She invited Indian investors to visit the EEC and Food Innopolis to learn best practices in this vertical.



Speaking at length about how the industry can leverage opportunities with the FPOs, Mr Awadhesh Kumar, General Manager, NABARD said that the FPOs need support of the stakeholders in terms of training and capacity building as they are not traditionally business people and need to understand the demands of the market. The General Manager of NABARD called for the support of financial institutions for capital disbursement to the FPOs who usually have difficulty in getting capital due to poor track records. He urged CII to create linkages between FPOs and the industry to take forward the Government of Indias target of promoting 10000 FPOs and also requested the state government to firm up a policy for these organizations who, according to Mr Kumar, need the support of financial institutions, academia and the government to become a strong stakeholder in the agri geography.
OSLO, March 15 (Reuters) - Norway will offer companies at least 100 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.7 billion) in funding in the form of guarantees for loans and bond issues to support the economy during the coronavirus outbreak, the government said on Sunday.

($1 = 10.2897 Norwegian crowns) (Reporting by Victoria Klesty and Terje Solsvik; Editing by Jan Harvey)
[March 17, 2020] Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024 | Demand for Data Integration and Visual Analytics to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the artificial intelligence in energy market and it is poised to grow by USD 6.06 bn during 2020-2024. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005356/en/ Technavio has announced its latest research report titled Global Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will decrease during the forecast period. The demand for data integration and visual analytics will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Demand for data integration and visual analytics has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market is segmented as below: Solutions Software

Hardware

Services End-user Hospitals and Clinics

ASCs

Dialysis Centers

Others Geographic Segmentation Americas

APAC

EMEA To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?repor=IRTNTR30051



Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our artificial intelligence in energy market report covers the following areas:

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Size

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Trends

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Industry Analysis This study identifies increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions as one of the prime reasons driving the artificial intelligence in energy market growth during the next few years. Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the artificial intelligence in energy market, including some of the vendors such as ABB, Alphabet, GENERAL ELECTRIC, IBM (News - Alert) and Siemens. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the artificial intelligence in energy market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist the growth of artificial intelligence in energy market during the next five years

Estimation of the artificial intelligence in energy market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the artificial intelligence in energy market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of vendors in artificial intelligence in energy market PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2020-2024 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY SOLUTION Market segmentation by solution

Comparison by solution

Software - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Hardware - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Services - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Market opportunity by solution PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

EMEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers

Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

ABB

Alphabet

GENERAL ELECTRIC

IBM

Siemens (News - Alert) PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology

List of abbreviations PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005356/en/

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COVID-19: Iran Warns Virus Could Kill 'Millions' As Death Toll Reaches 988

03/17/20

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian state television has warned that the coronavirus outbreak could kill "millions" in the Islamic republic if the public keeps ignoring health measures as the death toll spiked to almost 1,000. The warning was broadcast on March 17 in the afternoon, after the Health Ministry said 135 more people had been killed by the new coronavirus over the past day, a 13 percent spike that pushed the death toll to 988.



Official Iran's statistics on coronavirus as of March 17

Infections: 16,169

Deaths: 988

New Cases: 1,178

Recovered: 5,389

Iran has the third-most registered cases after China and Italy.

"Reports by more than 56 laboratories indicated that we have had 1,178 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours," Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.

"This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 16,169 as of today noon," he added.



Burial for a coronavirus victim in Qom, Iran

(photo by ISNA)

The rise in deaths came amid the temporary release of some 85,000 inmates earlier on March 17 -- a measure that authorities said was meant to help curb the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said those freed include political prisoners.

"Some 50 percent of those released are security-related prisoners...Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," Esmaili said, giving no further details.



A medical staff at coronavirus ward of Kamkar hospital in Qom, Iran

(photo by ISNA)



There are suspicions that the outbreak in the Islamic republic -- whose government is known for its opaqueness and censorship -- is far worse than authorities are admitting.

President Hassan Rohani on March 16 urged Iranians to stay home for the Norouz holiday celebrations on March 20 and to avoid traveling over the festive period, while state TV announced the temporary closure of Shi'ite shrines to limit exposure to the corunavirus.



"We Will Stay Home"

Reads headline of Iranian daily Shoroo

The announcement prompted angry crowds of hard-line Shi'ite faithful to storm into the courtyards of two major shrines -- Mashhad's Imam Reza shrine and Qom's Fatima Masumeh shrine -- late on March 16.

Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. That's worried health officials, who for weeks have ordered Iran's Shi'ite clergy to close them.



See Interactive Coronavirus Map: The Spread Of The Infection

With reporting by AP, dpa, IRNA, and Reuter
An interview of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sparring with his younger brother Chris during a live TV interview has gone viral on social media.

The humorous clash between the high-profile siblings took place Monday when Andrew appeared via video link on Chris' CNN program, Cuomo Prime Time.

The pair were discussing the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis, before talk soon turned to more domestic matters, with the brothers debating which of them was their mother's favorite son.

The light-hearted spat sparked delight on the internet, with many viewers seeing the segment as welcome relief from the ever-worsening news about the deadly COVID-19 outbreak.

Chris and Andrew are the sons of the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, and his wife, Matilda, aged 88.

An interview of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (left) sparring with his younger brother Chris (right) during a live TV interview has gone viral on social media. The pair are pictured together in 2018

The sparring began when Chris asked his governor brother whether New York state would impose a curfew on its residents.

'I don't like the word curfew,' Andrew, 62, replied. 'Dad tried to put a curfew on me, I never got past the resentment'.

He then took at a humorous shot at his baby brother Chris, 49, stating: 'You used to violate curfew all the time, [it] caused much pain, but that's a different story'.

'I don't believe in rules,' Chris quipped back.

The broadcaster then tried to wrap up the interview with his big brother, stating: 'Governor Cuomo, I love you and I'm proud of you... No matter how hard you're working, there's always time to call mom. She wants to hear from you, just so you know'.

Andrew wasn't letting Chris get away with the dig, hitting back: 'I called mom just before I came on this show. By the way, she said I was her favorite!'

'She never said that!' Chris stated.

'She said I was her favorite,' Andrew continued. 'Good news is, she said she you were her second favorite... second favorite son!'

While Chris and Andrew are their parents' only sons, they share three sisters: Maria, Magaret and Madeleine.

The humorous clash between the high-profile siblings took place Monday when Andrew (right) appeared via video link on Chris' CNN program, Cuomo Prime Time.

Chris (far right) and Andrew (second from right) are pictured with their parents Mario and Matilda Cuomo in the 1980s

'We both know neither of us are mom's first or second favorite in the family. I can't believe you're lying to my audience, you've blown the credibility of the entire interview. I should have ended it before,' Chris shot back.

'Second favorite son, listen to the words,' Andrew then stated.

'I didn't hear,' Chris replied. 'Politicians are very tricky, throw a word in there after the first time you said it, creates a lot of doubt. But I appreciate you clarifying'.

The brotherly banter sparked delight on social media.

One Twitter user wrote: 'This video of brothers Andrew and Chris Cuomo fighting ON AIR about their mom's favorite child, calling their parents, and breaking curfew growing up is better than anything Shakespeare ever wrote'.

Another stated: 'I would support CNN moving to full time Cuomo Brothers content'.

Chris and Andrew's father served as New York's governor for three terms from 1983 until 1994.

Andrew followed in his father's footsteps, becoming New York's governor in 2011.

He is now presiding over the state worst-affected by the coronavirus outbreak, with 1,374 cases confirmed in New York as of Tuesday afternoon.
Union leaders say job losses will become permanent without an ambitious government rescue plan.

Madrid, Spain  More than 100,000 Spanish workers face losing their jobs as the economic damage of the coronavirus pandemic worsens, unions said on Tuesday.

As the number of cases rose to 11,178 and the death toll reached 491, large companies have sent tens of thousands of workers home under temporary layoff orders.

Economists have warned that these temporary layoffs could turn into permanent unemployment if Spains left-wing government does not offer an ambitious rescue plan.

Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, was on Tuesday leading a cabinet meeting held by video conference, where the government was expected to agree to financial measures to help companies.

He announced the suspension of mortgage payments for affected workers as well as a package worth 600 million euros ($658m) in financial help for the elderly and vulnerable, and 100 bilion euros ($110bn) in state-backed credit guarantees.

Spain will also block hostile foreign takeovers of companies whose value had fallen, he said.

200314103304717

Carmakers Seat, Volkswagen and Renault, as well as fast-food retailer Burger King, were among the large companies that have told thousands of staff they are currently out of work.

Iberia on Friday announced a temporary layoff of 90 percent of its 16,000 employees.

As Spanish airports are only operating at 50 percent capacity, other airlines have put similar measures into place. Norwegian, a large low-cost carrier, has 7,300 employees in Spain.

Under Spanish law, workers who are temporarily laid off can claim unemployment benefits.

Staff could be out of work for as long as five weeks, after the Spanish government said the state of emergency order will last longer than 15 days.

A spokesman for the General Workers Union said about 100,000 workers had lost their jobs so far.

We fear this will only get worse and these people might lose their jobs for good, the spokesman told Al Jazeera.

In a goodwill gesture to out-of-work staff, Seat has agreed to pay an extra 80 percent on top of their usual salaries.





Burger King, which has 14,000 staff, closed all its restaurants in Spain and announced it would not carry out home deliveries as that would contravene advice from health authorities.

Some 22,000 employees from Alsea, the restaurant and cafe brand owner, have been told they will not be working until normality is re-established.

It is the biggest layoff from a single company so far.

Alsea defended the measure, saying in a statement it was the best way of guaranteeing the stability of the company.

In the tourism sector, which accounts for 12 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 13 percent of employment in Spain, the hotel chain Iberostar announced it had closed all its hotels in the country.

The company, which has 34,000 employees across 19 countries, said the mass layoff was a measure which could be extended to other countries.

Small businesses are also cutting staff, while the self-employed have found they can no longer pay off debts.

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Sara Otero is the director of a hi-tech laser manufacturing company in Barcelona which has 10 staff. We have just had to let one member of staff go, which is a shame as we had plans to grow, she told Al Jazeera.

In Valencia, in southeast Spain, at least 137 applications for layoffs were filed by companies on Monday, affecting 4,683 workers.

In Catalonia, an important industrial region which accounts for nearly 20 percent of GDP, 70 companies laid off 3,819 staff on Monday.

The government must pay and allow big firms, small companies and the self-employed a holiday from taxes, and offer financial help  otherwise these layoffs will become permanent, Robert Tornabell, a professor of finance at Esade, a business school based in Barcelona, told Al Jazeera.

The Spanish government has come under intense political pressure to act quickly to save the economy, which is expected to plunge into recession.

Gabriel Rufian, a minister of parliament for the left-wing Catalan Republic Left party which supports the government, said: I have called on the prime minister to suspend mortgages and rents and to pay unemployment benefit and loans to those who have been laid off from companies.

Before the pandemic, the International Monetary Fund predicted GDP growth of 1.6 percent this year.
Australia's leading arts organisations have met state and federal representatives to express the urgent need for emergency funding to stop the industry from collapsing amid the looming economic shutdown.

Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher met about 20 representatives from the arts and culture industry, including the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) and Live Performance Australia (LPA).

'We require funds within weeks, not months': Richard Evans, LPA president and managing director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Separately, Sydney's leading arts companies met the NSW government to share their concerns. LPA president Richard Evans said the meetings were "very informative".

The industry is calling for an $850 million stimulus package to support the arts sector until crowds are able to return to their performances.
New Delhi, March 17 : Leading online travel aggregator MakeMyTrip on Tuesday announced that the company is waiving off fee for processing cancellation or rescheduling requests for domestic as well as international flights up to April 30.

"MakeMyTrip is not levying any fee for processing cancellation or rescheduling requests for domestic as well as international flights up to April 30. We understand this is a difficult time for travellers and we want to support them during this period of uncertainty," Saujanya Shrivastava, Chief Business Officer, MakeMyTrip said in a statement.

"We continue to work closely with all our airline partners for lenient customer policies for date change, cancellations and waivers in the face of evolving travel situation. We are also seamlessly passing on waiver benefits to our customers, wherever applicable," he added.

Earlier, with India announcing to cancel all non-official visas till April 15, the said the decision will have a distinct impact on inbound and outbound international travel.

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday said that so far 126 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, 12 up from Tuesday tally of 114.
The late Robert (Bobby) Campbell

The death has occurred of Robert (Bobby) Cloneen Crettyard 14/03/2020 in the loving care of the matron and staff of Castlecomer District Hospital. Bobby, deeply regretted by his brother James, sisters Kathleen & Mary, brother-in-law Eamonn, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews, great-grand-nieces, great-grand- newphews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Reposing in Moran's Funeral Home, Castlecomer. Funeral to arrive at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Castlecomer for Private Requiem Mass at 11am on March 18th. Private Cremation at Newlands Cross Crematorium.

Please note that in an effort to follow best practice in line with H.S.E guidelines for Covid-19 and with the support and agreement of Bobby's family, we encourage no handshaking or use of a condolence book. We suggest using the online condolences page below as an option to offer your sympathies. Thank you for your consideration & cooperation.

The late Dick Canavan

Dick Canavan ( England and late of McDonagh St., Kilkenny) March 5th 2020. Beloved husband of Teresa and loving father of Teresa (T.T.), Veronica, Liam and the late Maria. He will be sadly missed by his wife, daughters, son, sister Kathleen, brother-in-law Kevin, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Private Requiem Mass for immediate family and close friends on Thursday (March 19th) at 11am in St. Canice's Church, followed by burial in St. Kieran's Cemetery.

Due to government advice and H.S.E. guidelines regarding public gatherings, those who would have liked to attend the funeral Mass but cannot, please feel free to leave a message of condolence at the bottom of this page. A Memorial Service to celebrate Dick's life will be held at a later date.

The late Leonila (Lee) Deegan

The death has occurred of Leonila (Lee) Deegan (nee Paulin) (Dean St., Kilkenny). March 15th 2020 (peacefully) following a short illness, in the care of the I.C.U. staff at St. Jame's Hospital, Dublin. She will be sadly missed by her beloved son Derek, her partner Danny, Derek's fiancee Anita, her loving family in the Philippines and her many friends, especially those in Kilkenny Design Centre and the Irish-Filipino Community.

Reposing at Hehir's Funeral Home (R95 FH90) from 5.30p.m. on Monday with Funeral Prayers at 6.30p.m. followed by Removal to St. Canice's Church. Requiem Mass on Wednesday at 11a.m. followed by Cremation in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dublin. Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, to the Keith Shaw Cardiac I.C.U. at St. James' Hospital.

The late Mary O'Meara

The death has occurred of Mary O'Mara (nee Tynan), Chatsworth Street, Castlecomer, Kilkenny,peacefully, after a very short illness, in the kind care of the staff of Saint Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Mary, beloved wife of the late John (Jack) O'Mara. Sadly missed by her loving family: daughter Veronica, cousin Mary, sisters Norah and Bernadette, brothers Tom and Malachy, sisters-in-law Anna and Kathleen, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, relatives, and a wide circle of friends.

Reposing in Coady's Funeral Home, Castlecomer, from 5pm on Tuesday concluding with prayers at 6pm for family members and close friends. Funeral arriving at The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Castlecomer, for Requiem Mass at 2pm on Wednesday for FAMILY and CLOSE FRIENDS only with burial in the adjoining cemetery.

In the interest of the containment of the Coronavirus and in line with government directives, please refrain from hand-shaking and body contact. Mary's family fully understand if people refain from attending funeral, condolences can be offered on RIP condolence book or by card. Thanking you for your co-operation at this time.

Due to the government requirement that there be no more than 100 people gathered indoors, and the recommendations of the Irish Bishop's conference, the Church kindly requests that only immediate family and close friends attend the Funeral Mass. We respectfully request that all H.S.E. guidelines be observed at the Funeral Home, Church and Crematorium. A Memorial Service for Lee will be held at a later date for all who wish to pay their respects.

The late Patrick (Paddy) Tobin

The death has occurred of Patrick ( Paddy ) Tobin, Rathlogan Johnstown and formerly Lower Tubrid, Woodsgift, Kilkenny. Paddy died, peacefully, at Fennor Hill Nursing Home, Urlingford, surrounded by his family. Predeceased by his wife Joan, sister Joanie and brother Michael. Deeply regretted by his loving sons P.J. and Declan, daughters in law Marie and Kathleen, grandchildren Jack, Emma and Lisa, brothers Peadar and Joe, sisters Maura, Chrissie, Frances and Maggie, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Reposing at Doyle's funeral home, Urlingford, on Tuesday evening from 6 o'clock until 7.30 o'clock. Removal on Wednesday morning to St. Patrick's Church, Graine, arriving for family funeral Mass at 11 o'clock. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Please note, in an effort to follow best practice in line with HSE guidelines for Covid-19, we encourage no handshaking or use of a condolence book. We suggest using the online condolence page below as an option to offer your sympathies. Thank you for your cooperation at this difficult time.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 17:00:09|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Medical experts in Shanghai have held video calls with representatives of overseas Chinese associations in Italy, France, Malaysia, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, answering questions about fighting the coronavirus.

Zhang Wenhong, who heads a Shanghai medical team to fight the epidemic, said Monday the epidemic is expected to a last long time and suggested people become mentally prepared for a "protracted war."

"All 17 imported COVID-19 cases in Shanghai as of Monday are in stable condition, with only one seriously ill but well treated," Zhang said.

He noted that nations around the world have adopted reasonable measures based on their own specific situations.

"China has made the most suitable plan for itself, so have the other countries," said Zhang, who also suggested that the high-risk group aged over 65 should pay special attention to personal protection and reduce outdoor activities.

Shanghai medical experts also held a video conference on the same day with their Italian peers, sharing their experience on prevention and control measures, medical treatment and scientific research related to the epidemic.

"I hope this dialogue between medical experts will bring useful know-how to Italy," said Xu Yinhe, head of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce in Italy who has worked and lived there for over three decades.

The Shanghai Overseas Friendship Association and the Shanghai Returned Overseas Chinese Federation have donated medical supplies to overseas Chinese communities in Rome, including 10,000 N95 respirator masks, 80,000 surgical masks, 2,000 pairs of medical safety goggles and 1,000 protective suits.
Over the past few days, Rahim Sarabi watched as neighbors and friends and people he didnt even know posted offers of help for those hardest hit by the coronavirus. San Franciscans offered money or trips to the grocery store or calls and video chats to help push back against loneliness.

They were kind offers, but they were offers with nowhere to go. So, Sarabi got on Nextdoor, the neighborhood social network, and suggested something more centralized, a matchmaking service to connect people who wanted to help with people in need. Madeline Su was thinking the same thing and got in touch with Sarabi.

Two days ago, the two launched a questionnaire, where people could offer assistance  a grocery run, a video chat, tech support. Already more than 100 people have volunteered.

Now theyre waiting for the anticipated crush of requests as the Monday order to shelter in place in six Bay Area counties takes its toll on local communities and people figure out where and how to ask for help.

Were currently getting our ducks in a row, Su said.

My worry is there are folks right now that are probably aware enough not to go outside, but also unsure how to get their needs met, said Sarabi.

All across the Bay Area people have been working to figure out how to help one another during these unprecedented times. A lot of the organizing has happened online. There are other forms like Sarabi and Sus and spreadsheets full of people listing needs such as groceries or help with rent or sanitizing products.

People have pitched in through traditional routes, too. Volunteers continued to turn out for San Franciscos Meals on Wheels program, says executive director Ashley McCumber. The organization serves 3,600 active clients weekly, most of whom are over 60 and receive meals, and coordinates 500 weekly grocery deliveries as well.

Weve certainly had a larger request for people to volunteer, McCumber said. People are just stepping up.

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.

However, he wondered if Mondays order to shelter in place would impact that response. The edict allows people to obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, but McCumber wondered if the directive might affect the general notion of volunteering if it meant leaving the house when weve been instructed to stay home.

Sarabi said some sort of regular communication between the city and grassroots organizers would be helpful. Theres no sense in losing out on an obvious wellspring of goodwill.

It would be amazing, Sarabi said, if there were an open-door meeting for people trying to help. Of course, it would probably have to be virtual.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @RyanKost
As a precautionary measure to stem the spread of coronavirus, renowned Baba Balak Nath temple at Deotsidh in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district was closed indefinitely for pilgrims on Tuesday, a district official said.

The temple was ordered closed on the fourth day of the month-long annual Chaitra festival by when tens of thousands of pilgrims had already paid obeisance at the temple since beginning of the fair on Saturday, he said.

Nearly ten lakh pilgrims visit the temple every year during the month-long annual fair which begins on March 14 every year.

The DM ordered closure of the temple till further orders, an official said, adding the step has been taken in compliance with the orders of state's additional chief secretary (Health).

There will be a ban on the entry in the premises of Baba Balak Nath Temple, Deotsidh till further orders, he added.

Necessary instructions have been issued to the local police and temple officials in this regard, he added.

The morning and evening prayers in the temple, however, will continue uninterrupted as usual, but only authorised priests will perform it, he added.

For the convenience of devotees, arrangements are being made to broadcast the 'puja-archana' live through webcasting on social media, he said, adding the darshan and worship of Baba Balak Nath ji too will be broadcast live on the official website of the temple trust.

The district magistrate appealed to all devotees from outside Himachal Pradesh to co-operate with the government for their own welfare and safety.

He said as per the orders of state's additional chief secretary (Health), social functions like satsang, jagran, kirtan, langar, bhoj, bhandara and other parties and community feast would also be banned till further orders.

The DM also urged people of the district not to travel to crowded places outside their homes unless it is very necessary, so as to avoid COVID-19. If it is necessary to leave the house for some urgent work, take precautions to check the spread of the deadly virus, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan's Sindh province, bordering Iran, on Tuesday rose to 155, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country to 189, an official said.

Official said that Sindh has 155 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan 10, Gilgit-Baltistan 5, Islamabad 2 and Punjab 1.

"So far 119 patients in Sukkur have tested positive while 115 tested negative. In addition to this, 36 tested positive in the province 34 under treatment and two cured," Spokesperson for the Sindh government Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday tweeted.

Provincial authorities on Tuesday confirmed five new cases of the novel coronavirus in the Sindh province, pushing the country's tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 189, Wahab was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

The number of quarantined pilgrims in Taftan where over 9,000, who have returned from Iran and have been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a 'tent city', the report added.

After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accused in a press conference that pilgrims were not properly isolated at Taftan and were kept together.

Meanwhile, government is taking steps to contain the pandemic as authorities in Punjab province converted all public sector universities' hostels into quarantine centres as an immediate arrangement.

Officials said that universities were informed in the province to clean all hostels and shift the belongings of students, if there were any, to store rooms after properly tagging them for identity.

The Prime Minister's Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that all educational institutions have been closed and their staff stopped from attending the institutions.

The virus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city in the Hubei province in December last year has spread to 155 countries, infected 182,405 people and has claimed 7,154 lives, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker.

China remains the hardest-hit with 80,881 infections and 3,226 deaths by the end of Monday. After China, Italy and Iran are the two worst-affected countries.

Among other things, it decided to close down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two scientists from Australia say they have found a cure for coronavirus, according to the Daily Mail.

The researchers at the University of Queensland in Brisbane revealed that drugs used for HIV and malaria patients are working on experimental patients with COVID-19 infections and it seems to be wiping out the virus in those patients.

The two drugs are Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir.

The scientists caution that its early in the findings.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

The coronavirus has infected more than 189,000 people around the world with more than 7,500 dying.

One of the researchers is Professor David Paterson, who hopes to enroll more people in larger pharmaceutical trials by the end of the month.

'Its a potentially effective treatment," he said. Patients would end up with no viable coronavirus in their system at all after the end of the therapy.

The treatment has worked in a smattering of cases, but more controlled testing would be needed to see if the drugs are in fact game-changers in finding a cure.

That first wave of Chinese patients we had (in Australia), they all did very, very well when they were treated with the HIV drug, Professor Paterson said. What we want to do at the moment is a large clinical trial across Australia, looking at 50 hospitals, and what were going to compare is one drug, versus another drug, versus the combination of the two drugs.

***

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Plastic pollution is rapidly becoming one of the world's biggest environmental issues as increasing production of single use plastic products far outweighs the world's ability to deal with them. This is particularly visible in African and Asian nations, where trash collection infrastructure is often lacking, although Europe and North America also struggle to collect discarded plastics and recycling rates remain troublingly low. Most plastics are currently made from petrochemical feedstocks, furthering the world's dependency on crude oil. Despite growing awareness around the problems of plastics, global plastics production is growing, with the recent IDTechEx report, " Bioplastics 2020-2025 ," forecasting it to pass 600 million tonnes by 2030.

A potential solution to world's plastic problem is the growing bioplastics industry. Bioplastics are a family of polymers derived from a biomass feedstock. There are a wide range of available bioplastics, from direct substitutions to existing fossil-based plastics ("drop-in" bioplastics) to new plastics produced through innovative methods, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, bioplastics produced by microorganisms. Although only about half of the bioplastics produced globally are biodegradable, they are renewably sourced and there is an industry drive to improve the mechanical properties and reduce production costs for biodegradable bioplastics.

However, despite the environmental benefits, the bioplastics industry is yet to take off and the sector is littered with bankruptcies. Bioplastics are often significantly more expensive than their petrochemical counterparts, something consumers and businesses aren't willing to pay for. The situation was exacerbated by the 2014 oil price crash, which widened the gap between fossil-based plastics and bioplastics. Former rising stars like Bio-On and BioAmber have recently declared bankruptcy, while Metabolix abandoned attempts to commercialise polyhydroxyalkanoates after spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the efforts, rebranding itself as an agritech company.

But the situation is beginning to change. Recent technological are making biobased polymers cheaper than ever to produce at scale. Californian start-up Newlight Technologies claims that its AirCarbon brand bioplastic, produced by ocean bacteria from waste gases from the dairy industry, is cheaper to produce than conventional plastics. And in 2019, Anellotech claimed it had achieved commercially-targeted yields of its wood-derived terephthalic acid, a precursor to some of the world's major plastics. The next five years could be a pivotal period for the bioplastics industry and the new IDTechEx report, "Bioplastics 2020-2025," provides an in-depth review of the range of available bioplastics, evaluating the benefits and challenges in production and providing an outlook for the industry.

To connect with others on this topic, join us at The IDTechEx Show! USA 2020, November 18-19 2020, Santa Clara, USA. Presenting the latest emerging technologies at one event, with six concurrent conferences and a single exhibition covering 3D Printing and 3D Electronics, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Graphene & 2D Materials, Healthcare, Internet of Things, Printed Electronics, Sensors and Wearable Technology. Please visit www.IDTechEx.com/USA to find out more.

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Consultancy and Event products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information on IDTechEx Research and Consultancy contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

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March 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The first quarter of 2020 has seen the Trump administration escalate its rhetoric against Venezuela. At the State of the Union, President Trump promised to smash and destroy the Venezuelan government. This was followed by a renewed threat of a naval blockade on the country, which is an act of war under U.S. and international law. Then the State Department eagerly noted that the Monroe Doctrine 2.0 will be fleshed out in the weeks and months to come, while declaring maximum-pressure March against Venezuela.

These arent just mere threats; the rhetoric has been backed up by policies and actions. Russian oil company Rosneft, one of the worlds primary purchasers of Venezuelan oil, has seen two of its subsidiaries sanctioned in less than one month for doing business with Venezuela. The State Department telegraphed this move in February, singling out oil companies Rosneft, Reliance (India) and Repsol (Spain). Chevron, the biggest U.S. oil company still working in Venezuela, has been warned by the Trump administration that its license to operate in the country (which exempts it from the sanctions) will not be renewed.

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The sanctions have taken a heavy toll, causing at least 130 billion dollars worth of damage to the economy between 2015 and 2018. Even worse, according to former U.N. special rapporteur Alfred de Zayas, the sanctions been responsible for the death of over 100,000 Venezuelans. It is therefore not surprising that Venezuela asked that the International Criminal Court investigate the sanctions as crimes against humanity.

The effects of the sanctions are most noticeable in Venezuelas health sector, which has been decimated over the past five years. These measures have impeded banks from carrying out financial transactions for the purchase of medical supplies. In addition, they have caused a 90% decrease in Venezuelas foreign income earnings, depriving the health sector of much needed investment. Were it not for the solidarity of China and Cuba, which sent testing kits and medicine, Venezuela would be woefully ill-equipped to handle the coronavirus. The sanctions are worsening an already dangerous situation, forcing Venezuela to spend three times as much for testing kits as non-sanctioned countries.

President Maduro appealed directly to Trump to lift the sanction to combat this global pandemic. Yet this appeal will likely go unanswered, given the intensification not just in sanctions, but in the violent oppositions acts of irregular warfare. On March 7, a warehouse containing virtually all of Venezuelas electronic voting machines was deliberately burned to the ground. A group named the Venezuelan Patriotic Front, allegedly composed of soldiers and policemen, claimed responsibility for this terrorist act. Although no direct connection can (yet) be made between this group and the Trump administration, it beggars belief that an operation requiring significant logistical and financial costs would not have received support from at least one the many actors openly engaged in regime change: the Trump administration, the Duque administration in Colombia, the Bolsonaro administration in Brazil or the extremist right-wing opposition factions lead by Juan Guaido.

The silence from the international community on this terrorist act is deafening, but should not be surprising. After all, there were no denunciations from the OAS, EU or U.S. when a warehouse containing telecommunications equipment was similarly burned in February, or when rebel soldiers attacked barracks in southern Venezuela in December 2019.

There is already evidence that Venezuelan paramilitaries opposed to the Maduro government have received support and training in both Colombia and Brazil, not to mention the alleged millions of dollars spent by the U.S.to get Venezuelan military officials to turn on the government. In addition to supporting irregular warfare, the Trump administration is preparing for conventional warfare. The threat of a naval blockade  an act of outright war  was followed up by separate meetings between Trump, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and high-ranking military officials with Colombian President Ivan Duque and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Ironically, while meeting with the Brazilian delegation to discuss the destruction of the Maduro government, Trump was likely exposed to coronavirus. One of the delegations members, Bolsonaros communications secretary, tested positive for the disease.) In addition to the naval blockade, the U.S. plans an enhanced presence of ships, aircraft and security forces to... counter a range of threats to include illicit narco-terrorism, a clear reference to Venezuela despite the fact that according to the U.S. governments own statistics, it is not a primary transit country for drug trafficking.

Maximum pressure March is timed to coincide with important negotiations in Caracas between the Venezuelan government and moderate sectors of the opposition. The two sides have set up a commission that will select new members of the National Electoral Council in time for this years legislative elections. One of Juan Guaidos allies, Henry Ramos Allup, leader of opposition party Accion Democratica (Democratic Action), came under fire from the extreme right for saying he will participate in the elections. The terror attack on the voting machines is unlikely to affect the timing of the elections, but without its system of electronic voting backed up by paper receipts and audits of the vote count, the results will be vulnerable to claims of fraud.

This is not the first time that the Trump administration has amplified its regime change efforts in response to negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition. It did so in February 2018, when then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson threatened an oil embargo and said he would welcome a military coup right as the two sides were about to sign a comprehensive agreement worked on for months in the Dominican Republic. It happened again in August 2019, when the U.S. applied what the Wall Street Journal characterized as a total economic embargo in the middle of discussions between the Guaido-led opposition and government. Both times, negotiations fell apart as a result of U.S. government actions and statements. This time it is unlikely that the pressure will scuttle dialogue, as moderate opposition politicians are coming to terms with the fact that 82% of Venezuelans reject sanctions and support dialogue. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has made it clear it doesnt care about what Venezuelans want. Instead, it continues to ramp up the pressure and might even be setting the scene for a military intervention, perhaps an October surprise to help Trumps reelection bid.

Leonardo Flores is a Latin American policy expert and campaigner with CodePink. " Source "
Sight & Sound Theatres postpones new show 'Queen Esther,' turns to prayer

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Lancaster, Pa.  CEO of Sight & Sound Theatres Matt Neff announced at the premiere of their highly anticipated show Queen Esther that they prayerfully decided to postpone shows due to the coronavirus.

"As you probably know, there's quite a world event happening around us, in the world in the U.S. as well. I'm talking about this virus we're hearing so much about and we take it seriously. We're concerned about those who have been impacted by it. We continue to be praying around God's wisdom, provision and healing in this moment because He's faithful to provide that, Neff said Friday.

With 434 performances scheduled for its nine-month run, the 2,000-seat theater in Sight & Sounds Pennsylvania location is halting performances of their newest production, Queen Esther, which was already 70 percent sold. The show sold over 550,000 tickets but after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an announcement strongly urging gatherings of more than 250 people not to happen, they felt it best to comply with the governor's advice.

"We took that to the Lord in prayer and together as a team, what we discern the Lord's wisdom would be is to say, 'OK, we believe passionately in honoring the authority He's placed in our lives and when we honor those authorities, He provides grace,' Neff stated.

We decided to carry on for the premiere tonight. Then when the public is supposed to start coming Saturday, we're actually going to close our doors for Saturday for a week, monitor it and see what the situation requires after that.

"That was not an easy decision but with that decision, we experienced unbelievable grace and peace because when you trust our Father, you can rest in the midst of storms in the midst of threats in the midst of attacks of the enemy. So we know this show truly is here tonight for such a time as this. This team has worked unbelievably to be ready for you guys tonight.

Neff revealed that they all got on their knees just hours before the premiere to seek Gods wisdom and His peace invaded the room. He said they do not know when God will allow for the show to run but the leader remained hopeful that He's going to have the right people, at the right place at the right time.

An announcement on the Sight & Sound Theatres website says all shows for both the Branson and Lancaster theaters are canceled through March 30 with plans to reopen on the 31st.

Neff asked if everyone would join them in prayer, lifting up the situation as well as consecrating their show.

"We proclaim your sovereign lordship ... in this world," he prayed. "What an opportunity you have blessed us with as your body to be here in this moment, proclaiming truth in love. Let us, Father, as your body, reveal your love that casts out all fear, reveal your nature to our neighbors. ... We command your healing power to thwart the work of the enemy right now. This is not the first time or the last time that we will trust you and see your deliverance.

"We thank you that we get to be still and know that you are God."
Tehran, March 17 : Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Tuesday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has climbed to 16,169 with the death toll reaching 988, Xinhua reported.

A total of 5,389 people have recovered, Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the ministry was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.

Meanwhile, Iran's health minister Saeed Namaki said that by Monday 14 million people had been screened for coronavirus symptoms as part of a national plan to curb the pandemic, Press TV reported on Tuesday.

Namaki said that a significant number of those people were screened via the health ministry's online platform and the rest through phone calls, electronic health dossiers and online health screening systems run by the ministry.

"Out of the 14 million monitored for the coronavirus infection, 73,435 had symptoms. After evaluations, 3,415 of them were referred to hospitals, out of whom 1,605 were hospitalized and the remaining were either discharged with prescriptions or sent to other centres," he said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
But there were 20 cases of coronavirus infection detected in people coming from abroad

This aerial photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows a view of an empty road at night in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. China reported on March 17 just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad. (AFP)

Beijing: China reported on Tuesday just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad on Tuesday.

Nine of the 20 new imported cases were in Beijing and three in Shanghai, raising the total number of confirmed infections from abroad to 143, according to the National Health Commission.

China also reported 13 deaths, raising its toll to 3,226. The country has recorded 80,881 total cases, but fewer than 9,000 people remain infected.

The country's progress stands in stark contrast with the growing crisis in other countries, with the World Health Organization saying there were now more deaths and cases outside China.

The number of deaths worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 181,500 cases in 145 countries.

The single case in Wuhan will boost China's view that it has "basically curbed" the spread of a disease that is believed to have emerged in a live animal market in the central city in December.

Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei province going under lockdown in the following days.

Authorities tightened restrictions in the city even further on February 11, confining people to their homes as health workers faced a daily deluge of well over 1,000 cases -- a move officials say was critical in containing the virus.

Other cities across the country enacted further measures to compel most people to stay indoors, and no new domestic infections have been detected outside Hubei for many days in a row.

But the country is now concerned about an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day.

Beijing started on Monday to require almost all international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels.
The effect of COVID-19 has taken its toll on the major resorts along the Las Vegas Strip: it is closing down to help curb the COVID-19 spread. For the next two weeks starting Tuesday, Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas will temporarily cease operations its two luxury hotel-casinos. MGM, on the other hand, will close its casino operations on Monday, and its properties on Tuesday. (Photo : Pixabay)

The effect of COVID-19 has taken its toll on major resorts along the Las Vegas Strip: they are closing down to help curb the COVID-19 spread.

For the next two weeks starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas will temporarily cease operations its two luxury hotel-casinos. MGM, on the other hand, will close its casino operations on Monday, and its properties on Tuesday.

Mr. Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts, said that the resort has been committed to dedicating additional resources for cleaning and promoting good health, and at the same time, closing certain aspects of the operations despite the challenges that the decision entails. Lately, Mr.Murren admits that it is becoming apparent that COVID-19 is a public health crisis, and it would involve enormous collective actions to contain its spread.

Murren further explains that this is a period of uncertainty in the US and around the world, and everyone must do their part in curbing the spread of the virus. The resort will reopen once it is safe to do so; still, it is committed to continuing to support its employees, guests, and communities during the closure period.

Wynn Resorts, on the other hand, will assess the situation after two weeks. To maintain and secure the resort, some employees will stay at the properties. Other recreational services offered at Wynn, such as the buffet, poker room, sportsbooks, clubs, spas, salons, and fitness centers, are also closed.

Wynn Resorts also announced that on Sunday, Encore Boston Harbor will also be temporarily closed to the public for two weeks.

Employees Tested Positive

MGM admits that several of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19. One was from Luxor Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, and another one was at the Wet Republic Pool at the MGM Grand, MGM spokesman Brian Ahern disclosed. The management is expecting that cases will rise in the coming days. It prompted MGM Resorts to close its three hotel-casinos in New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio last week, before announcing its Las Vegas decision last Sunday.

MGM Resorts President Bill Hornbuckle wrote a letter to employees, announcing lay-offs starting next week.

Wynn CEO Matt Maddox admits that economic hardships would intensify for the company. Business volumes will decline over the next few weeks, citing that the hotel occupancy will be in the low teens. Despite that, Maddox said their concern is that everyone will get through this crisis and that Wynn employees won't have to worry about payments.

He assures that all full-time employees would be getting their pay. Nevertheless, he expresses uncertainty when this crisis will end but remains hopeful that it eventually will.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Sands announced Sunday that it would not close. The company's spokesperson, Ron Reese said the company vows to follow the recommendations to ensure the safety of team members and guests, and it is also not considering lay-offs or any changes to existing health care benefit plans.
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia will shut its borders to travellers, restrict internal movement, close schools and universities and order most businesses to shut after its number of coronavirus cases climbed on Monday to the highest in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia reported a daily jump of 125 cases to 553, nearly two-thirds of them linked to an Islamic gathering attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 from other countries.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin made a televised speech to announce the measures, which will initially be in force from Wednesday until March 31.

Schools and universities will be shut; so will government and private business except for those providing essential services, Muhyiddin said. Foreigners will not be allowed into the country and citizens will not be allowed to leave.

These actions must be taken by the government to stem the spread of the pandemic that may take the lives of our countrys people, Muhyiddin said.

So far, 338 of Malaysias cases have been linked to the religious gathering at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur between Feb. 28 and March 1.

Of the 14,500 Malaysians who attended the event, only 7,000 have come forward for testing despite repeated pleas from government and religious officials, the health minister said.

The gathering has been linked to cases in Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia.

Earlier on Monday, Muhyiddin - who took over as premier on March 1 - expanded a previously announced $4.7 billion stimulus package by $230 million.
In this file photo taken on March 11, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers remarks on the 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices at the State Department in Washington, DC. AFP




Self-isolating Tasmanian families are set to receive $1,000 from an emergency coronavirus stimulus package.

The $420million economic boost will provide relief for small businesses and save jobs for Tasmanians forced to quarantine themselves amid the deadly disease.

Low income earners and casual workers will receive the benefits including $250 for individuals, while $4million will support pharmacies, GPs, mental health organisations and accommodation for front line workers.

Tourism, hospitality, seafood and export industries will be given $20million in interest-free loans and have their payroll tax waived for the last four months of the financial year.

Tasmanians will receive a $420million economic boost, helping individuals, families, small businesses (pictured Salamanca Markets in Hobart) and health industries

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the government is doing all they can to reduce the impact of the disease

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said payroll tax will also be waived for small businesses on application.

'Today, we have announced a $420 million support package which will provide additional support to the public sector and targeted assistance to our businesses and workforce to keep Tasmanians in jobs,' he said, as reported by the ABC.

Other measures from the package include interest free loans of $50million for local governments and a youth employment payroll tax scheme.

'We know this pandemic will also have very real and significant economic consequences, and our Government will do everything it can to manage and mitigate those impacts on businesses, jobs, families and the Tasmanian community,' Mr Gutwein said.

The announcement comes as the state declared a public health emergency due to the outbreak of coronavirus on Tuesday.

This means people can be isolated, evacuated or quarantined under recommendations by the director of public health to stop the spread of the virus.

Mr Gutwein said the package will help to keep Tasmanians in jobs during the virus. Pictured: businesses in Hobart's Salamanca Markets

People who arrive in Tasmania from overseas will have to isolate for 14 days.

Scott McKeown, Public Health deputy director, said the director would also be able to ban people from entering certain areas as well as forcing others to leave.

'These powers will allow the director to slow COVID-19 spread in Tasmania when it occurs and protect people must vulnerable to the spread,' Dr McKeown said, The Examiner reported.

The deputy director also said other measures may be taken out including banning the use of poker machines to prevent spreading the disease.

There has been seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania.
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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 02:36:42|Editor: ZD

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An empty road is seen in downtown Athens, Greece, March 16, 2020. Greek government announced on Monday further measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19, including an immediate 14-day self-isolation requirement on all people from abroad and closure of all retail stores from Wednesday. On Monday, Greece confirmed 21 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 352 up from 331 a day earlier. (Photo by Lefteris Partsalis/Xinhua)

ATHENS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Greek government announced on Monday further measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19, including an immediate 14-day self-isolation requirement on all people from abroad and closure of all retail stores from Wednesday.

Alternate government spokesperson Aristotelia Peloni made the announcement at a press briefing, which was held online for first time.

Gas stations will remain open as well as super markets, pharmacies and banks, which have introduced restrictions in the number of customers allowed in an indoor space at any time as part of prevention measures, Peloni noted.

She dismissed rumors of a universal ban of all circulation as unfounded.

"The next month will be very tough. What is needed first of all is to contain the virus spread to give time to the health system to cope so that vulnerable groups and whoever needs to get hospitalized can receive the needed care," she said.

Peloni replaced government spokesperson Stelios Petsas who is in quarantine at home after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.

Also on Monday, Greece confirmed 21 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 352 up from 331 a day earlier.

The number includes four fatalities and 65 people hospitalized, with nine in serious condition, Greek Health Ministry spokesperson for the novel coronavirus epidemic Sotirios Tsiodras told a regular press briefing.

"Most confirmed cases are in Athens, while a total of 4,320 samples have been tested so far in laboratories for the novel coronavirus," he said.

"We will do whatever is needed to safeguard public health with all possible measures," said Nikos Hardalias, who was sworn in on Monday as Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Crises Management at the Ministry of Citizen Protection.

The residents of two villages near the city of Kozani in northern Greece will be in quarantine for the next 14 days, he announced. One of the victims was from this region.

Since the first case was diagnosed in Greece in Feb. 26, authorities have gradually closed schools, universities, shopping malls, gyms, restaurants, cafeterias, libraries, theaters, cinemas etc.

Greek police have detained at least 127 people over violations of the measures since last week, according to the citizen protection ministry.
Our leaders in the federal government at every level ought to be thinking of this moment as December 8, 1941, Mr. Inslee said, calling for the same federal response we had the morning after Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Hogan also said he was pleased that Mr. Trump seemed to be taking the virus more seriously, but suggested that it was overdue and he should have looked to the governors sooner. His messaging sounds a lot more like the way Ive been talking and some of my colleagues have been talking about it for weeks, he said.

The political process, Mr. Hogan continued, is broken and needed a shock to the system. He said that while its terrible it took this, maybe when we all recover we really can end some of the divisiveness and dysfunction.

Mr. Trump, of course, has benefited from and fostered divisiveness since he began running five years ago. And given his penchant for showmanship and impulsiveness, he could have a difficult time sustaining any attempt at restraint, as his attack on Ms. Whitmer shows.

He also refused to acknowledge his early and well-documented skepticism about the seriousness of the virus. Id rate it a 10, Mr. Trump told reporters Monday when asked to grade his performance. And on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said, I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic, contrary to weeks of his own statements.

But the bigger question coming out of this crisis may be whether the new premium on competence and experience can lessen the polarization that has come to define American politics in this era.

With many in government and business predicting a terrible human cost from the virus as well as a national economic catastrophe, the partisan appeals to ideology and tribalism are bound to lose some of their salience, at least in the short term.
(Newser)  Everyone's familiar with the COVID-19 drill by now: Use social distancing, avoid large groups in close quarters, etc. But one big population of people around the world can't manage that as well as most: inmates. Which explains why Iran, particularly hard hit by COVID-19, has just temporarily released 85,000 prisoners deemed to be low criminal risk to society, reports Reuters. Details on when or how the inmates would be returned to prison were not clear. The idea isn't just a foreign one. NBC News reports that the Los Angeles County sheriff has freed 600 inmates early for the same reason.

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"Our population within the jail is a vulnerable population just by virtue of who they are and where they're located," said Sheriff Alex Villanueva. "So, we're protecting that population from potential exposure." Villanueva also urged officers to make fewer arrests and instead use more citations as penalties. Most of those released had fewer than 30 days on their sentences. A piece at Vox takes a closer look at the danger, pointing out that a prison outbreak is not only dangerous for inmates but for the prison's surrounding community as staffers return home from work. The takeaway: "If you want to 'flatten the curve' to spread out the illness and avoid overwhelming health care systems, experts say, you should worry about coronavirus in prisons and jails," writes German Lopez. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
Alcoholics Anonymous is temporarily closing many of its meetings across Canada in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

AA, which typically meets in churches, legion halls, and other public meeting rooms, is directly affected by government efforts to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic by closing facilities where groups gather.

Lists of AA meeting in Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver show several groups have temporarily closed.

They warn that more meeting cancellations are expected.

The Ottawa branch has shuttered its central office until further notice but its website offers resources for teleconferencing or other online options.

AAs regional Ontario conference, including the groups Alateen and Al Anon arms, was officially cancelled Sunday, less than a week before it was set to begin in downtown Toronto.
JERSEYVILLE  Roger Carroll of Jerseyville could get up to life in prison after a Jersey County jury on Monday found him guilty of first-degree murder in the 2010 death of Bonnie Woodward.

We needed this, said Roscoe Gray of Staunton, who is Woodwards brother.

My sister didnt deserve this; she would give the shirt off her back for anyone, and this man killed her for some lies some girl told, Gray said.

Carroll, 53, was charged April 12, 2018, with the June 25, 2010, first-degree murder of Woodward. He was an early suspect in the 2010 investigation, but the case lay dormant until April 2018 after his alleged assault of his wife, Monica, and subsequent testimony by his son, Nathan.

Earlier this week, prosecutors alleged  and witnesses testified  that Roger Carroll killed Woodward, 48, of East Alton, and burned her remains on a huge pile of brush before pushing them into a creek outside his rural Jersey County home.

The sentence for murder is 20 to 60 years. The sentence may be enhanced up to life in prison because a firearm was used.

Its an honor to be on this team and bring closure to Bonnies family after 10 years, Madison County First Assistant States Attorney Crystal Uhe said.

The jury took four hours to deliberate. Circuit Judge Eric Pistorius on Monday ordered a pre-sentencing report for Roger Carroll and set a sentencing date of April 27.

Im super-happy for Bonnie Woodwards family, and Im super-proud of Crystal and Jennifer Mudge because there are not many prosecutors who would have had the stomach to take this case all the way to trial, said former Alton Chief of Detectives Scott Golike. He is now a special investigator for the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

In closing statements, Appellate Prosecutor Jennifer Mudge told jurors Woodward cared for her children and other family members.

She survived cancer twice, but she did not survive this defendant, she told the jury in her closing argument.

Mudge said that, in the days before June 25, 2010, Roger Carroll stalked Woodward, figuring out her schedule and likely whereabouts. Before the killing, he and his wife had taken in Woodwards stepdaughter, Heather, who was not getting along with her stepmother. The Carrolls and Heather Woodward knew each other through church.

She (Bonnie Woodward) has to go away and not come back, Roger Carroll allegedly told his son who helped carry out the crime. Eight years later Nathan Carroll, after being promised immunity, decided to testify about the victims death.

Heather Woodward was 17 in the days leading up to the killing and planned to leave home when she turned 18. Authorities said Roger Carroll used the teen as bait for Bonnie Woodward.

In 2010, the case involved a search for both Heather and Bonnie Woodward. Heather Woodward later showed up at the East Alton library shortly after her stepmother was killed.

The victims Chevrolet Avalanche was found in the employee parking lot at Eunice Smith Nursing Home in Alton where she worked. Roger Carroll left his fingerprints on the vehicle, but denied he was in Alton the day Bonnie Woodward disappeared while looking for Heather. When told of the fingerprints, he became hesitant and asked for a lawyer.

Nathan Carroll told the jury last week he and his family went to Goreville prior to June 25, 2010. He and his father returned to Alton earlier than expected, he said, and went by the nursing home where they saw the Avalanche.

In 2018, Nathan Carroll pointed out to authorities the site of the fatal shooting. He said his father used a tractor and a front-loader to scoop up Bonnie Woodwards body from behind the house and transport her to a burn pit. Nathan Carroll said he lit a fire that the two kept going for several days before Roger Carroll used the loader to scoop up the remains and dump them into a creek behind the Carrolls 60-acre property.

Investigators found a bullet and a shell casing at the spot where Nathan Carroll said his father fatally shot Bonnie Woodward. Charred debris and bone fragments also were found.

He doesnt get credit for being a good murderer, Mudge said of Roger Carroll.

She said Carroll used false license plates to commit the crime and later tried to kill himself. She said Nathan Carroll was dragged into the case at age 16 but, after his father attacked his mother, Monica, decided to come forward.

He told the cold, hard, disgusting truth, Mudge said.

Mudge is a former Madison County Assistant States Attorney who worked with Alton Police when the case first broke as a missing person case. She later was appointed an appellate prosecutor. Alton Police developed most of the evidence, but the trial was held in Jersey County because authorities said the killing occurred there, not in Alton.
Billionaire Mark Cuban said Tuesday that government assistance to companies hit by the coronavirus pandemic should come with provisions to curb income inequality between executives and workers.

Cuban said on Twitter that any incentives used by those companies to pay executives  including equity or re-pricing existing stock options  should not be allowed unless all employees benefit.

"If we are going to bailout companies we need to make sure all employees benefit from a turnaround, not just execs," he said.

In an attached note, Cuban said, "this would be a step toward income equality."

Tweet

Cuban said later on Tuesday that companies who received government assistance should be forbidden from buying back their shares in the future.

Tweet

The calls for major assistance to large companies from the federal government have risen as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the United States and blunted economic growth, particularly in the travel sector. U.S. airlines requested more than $50 billion in aid on Monday. Some lawmakers and unions have said the airlines should not get a blank check.

The virus has led to travel restrictions around the world and the closures of bars, restaurants and retail stores across the United States and other major countries, leading many economists to predict a recession.

Executives of public companies are often paid in part through stock options, which allow management to buy stocks at a set price even if the stock price has gone up. If the options are re-priced, then executives could still make a big cut from those options even if the company's stock has fallen over a longer time-frame.

Airline stocks have plunged further than the broader market during the sell-off, with American Airlines being down more than 40% for the year.

Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, said he would "put together a program" for the team's hourly employees after the league suspended its season due to the coronavirus.
Ailing carrier Virgin Australia is expected to again slash capacity as it continues to come under pressure from the impact of strict travel restrictions imposed amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Investors dumped the debt-heavy airline's shares and bonds on Tuesday as aviation experts warned that many international airlines would be technically bankrupt by the end of May.

Virgin could take the drastic step of grounding its international fleet. Credit:Bloomberg

Sources said Virgin could take the drastic step of grounding its entire international fleet this week. It has already cut international and domestic capacity in response to a flood of cancellations from travellers.

Virgin's Australian listed bonds plunged 25 per cent to $35 as investors reacted severely to a ratings downgrade by Standard & Poor's on Monday. The bonds, which recovered slightly to close at $41.65, or 12.8 per cent lower were issued in November at $100. This fall was on top of a 22 per cent drop on Monday. Virgin's shares also fell 8.7 per cent to 6.3 cents.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HashiCorp, the leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation software, today announced it has raised $175 million in Series E funding, at a company valuation of $5.1 billion.



The round was led by Franklin Templeton and included participation from funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Geodesic Capital, as well as existing HashiCorp investors GGV Capital, IVP, Mayfield, Redpoint Ventures, and True Ventures. The new round of funding will accelerate HashiCorps focus on enabling multi-cloud infrastructure automation for organizations around the globe that are working to extract the full value of multi-cloud IT environments.

At HashiCorp, we are providing the Global 2000 with the critical software they need to adopt a cloud operating model for their infrastructure, said David McJannet, CEO of HashiCorp. Increasingly, our software is becoming mission critical to the largest organizations in the world, and we take our responsibility to deliver on their expectations very seriously. We are pleased to have Franklin Templeton and T. Rowe Price join as new investors and look forward to the continued partnership with our existing investor partners.

HashiCorp has experienced more than 100 percent year-over-year revenue growth for four consecutive years, and has more than doubled its customer base each year during the same period. The company continues to see increased demand for its multi-cloud infrastructure automation products HashiCorp Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad for infrastructure, security, networking, and application automation, with more than 100 of the Fortune 500 now deploying its commercial products.

With this financing, HashiCorp will focus investments in the people and programs that support its customers around the world  expand its field, support, and customer success organizations worldwide; increase its investment in education, implementation and architectural guidance, and channel and technology partnerships; as well as continue and expand research and development efforts.

As organizations shift to a multi-cloud operating model, HashiCorp is well-positioned to partner with and enable enterprises to realize the full benefits of their multi-cloud strategy, said Jonathan Curtis, vice president of equity research and portfolio manager for technology strategies at Franklin Templeton. This is why we believe HashiCorp has the opportunity to become a foundational infrastructure company, defining and enabling the needs of the largest enterprises as they adopt cloud.

HashiCorp has distinguished itself as a leader in cloud infrastructure automation and is well positioned as enterprises modernize their traditional IT environments to be cloud native, said Alan Tu, portfolio manager, T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund. We are impressed by the team and the traction of HashiCorps products that help customers provision, secure, connect, and run applications across their multi cloud infrastructure in a consistent and automated way. We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the company.

About HashiCorp

HashiCorp is the leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation software. The HashiCorp software suite enables organizations to adopt consistent workflows to provision, secure, connect, and run any infrastructure for any application. HashiCorps open source tools Vagrant, Packer, Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad are downloaded tens of millions of times each year and are broadly adopted by the Global 2000. Enterprise versions of these products enhance the open source tools with features that promote collaboration, operations, governance, and multi-data center functionality. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, though 85 percent of HashiCorp employees work remotely, strategically distributed around the globe. HashiCorp is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Franklin Templeton, Geodesic Capital, GGV Capital, IVP, Mayfield, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price funds and accounts, and True Ventures. For more information, visit https://www.hashicorp.com or follow HashiCorp on Twitter @HashiCorp .

All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Some investments are subject to customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory requirements.
Two people tested positive for COVID-19 in the state today - one person from Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune and other from Mumbai - taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 41, Public Health department of Maharashtra said.

Both persons have a travel history of USA. A 49-year-old from Mumbai who returned from the USA on March 7 has tested positive. A 26-year-old person from Pimpri-Chinchwad who returned from the USA on March 14 has tested positive.

The government informed about the isolation facilities in view of COVID-19 available in the hospitals.

Deepak Mhaisekar, Divisional Commissioner of Pune said: "Presently, we have 290 beds available for ICU facility including government and private hospitals. For isolation facility, we have 263 beds and we are adding 160 more beds so we will have 423 beds available with us for isolation facility."

"For quarantine facility, we already have 520 beds available with us and we are adding 250 more beds, so we will have 770 beds for quarantine facility now," he added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that public transport will remain open in the state and no government offices will be closed.

"Trains and buses are essential services so we are not stopping them as of now but if people don't listen to our advice and don't avoid unnecessary travel, then we will think about that too. We are thinking of reducing the staff by 50 per cent in government offices. The next 15-20 days are very crucial for us," he told reporters in Mumbai.

A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe has emerged as the new epicentre of the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
20% of adults are infected in 18 months 20% of adults are infected in 12 months 20% of adults are infected in 6 months 40% of adults are infected in 18 months 40% of adults are infected in 12 months 40% of adults are infected in 6 months 60% of adults are infected in 18 months 60% of adults are infected in 12 months 60% of adults are infected in 6 months

20% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months 40% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months 60% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months

Percentage of occupied hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25% 50% 100% 200% 300% 500% 800% Percentage of occupied hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25 50 100 200 300 500 800% Percentage of occupied hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25 50 100 200 300 500 800% Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

A new Harvard analysis shows that many parts of the United States will have far too few hospital beds if the new coronavirus continues to spread widely and if nothing is done to expand capacity.

In 40 percent of markets around the country, hospitals would not be able to make enough room for all the patients who became ill with Covid-19, even if they could empty their beds of other patients. That statistic assumes that 40 percent of adults become infected with the virus over 12 months, a scenario described as moderate by the team behind the calculations.

These numbers are not exact predictions. In many ways, they reflect a worst-case scenario, since they do not take into account the efforts hospitals can make to quickly increase capacity during an emergency. Around the country, hospitals have begun canceling elective operations and speeding home patients with less critical ailments. Those efforts could increase the number of free beds available for coronavirus patients. In a half-dozen interviews, hospital executives estimated that they could increase their capacity between 20 percent and 70 percent.

Yet the Harvard estimates suggest that the coronavirus outbreak could require significantly more resources than that. In hard-hit Italy, hospitals have been rationing care for older patients who are severely ill with the virus.

If we dont make substantial changes, both in spreading the disease over time and expanding capacity, were going to run out of hospital beds, said Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, which produced the estimates. And in that instance, we will not be able to take care of critically ill people, and people will die.

Political leaders have talked about unusual emergency options: With policy changes, hospitals for the military and veterans may be able to open their doors to civilians. The military itself may be able to help build new facilities and staff them. Retired doctors and nurses could be relicensed.

But the estimates in this model show that in many realistic scenarios, the scope of the epidemic may overtake the physical and human capacity of the U.S. health system.

See estimates for each hospital region under different scenarios at ProPublica.

The Harvard researchers considered a range of projections, reflecting how much epidemiologists still dont know about what we should expect. They considered three estimates for how long the disease would take to make its way through the U.S. population. And they considered three credible estimates for how many adults would eventually become infected with the disease, however long it takes to spread.

One thing is very clear from these numbers: The longer the disease takes to spread, the less severe the crunch that hospitals around the country will face. This effort to stretch out the infections over more time is why so many states and cities are closing businesses and schools and canceling large events.

If coronavirus spreads quickly, many hospitals could become overwhelmed. Estimated peak hospitalizations 738,000 total U.S. hospital beds 265,000 unoccupied hospital beds 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak hospitalizations 738,000 total U.S. hospital beds 265,000 unoccupied hospital beds 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak hospitalizations 738,000 total U.S. hospital beds 265,000 unoccupied hospital beds Months: 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak hospitalizations 738,000 total U.S. hospital beds 265,000 unoccupied hospital beds 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 Months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

You might have seen charts like this that are hypothetical. These use real information about hospital beds in the United States and real estimates about how many people will need them.

Nationwide, the difference between an epidemic that takes six months and one that takes 18 months could mean the difference between health systems that are stretched and those that are completely overwhelmed, even in the models more mild scenario, in which 20 percent of adults contract the virus.

The challenge may be especially severe for critical care services, where demand is expected to outstrip capacity at an even greater rate. These types of services are also harder to scale up because they require both specialized staff and expensive equipment such as ventilators.

The crisis could be even worse for intensive care beds. Estimated peak I.C.U. hospitalizations 85,000 total U.S. I.C.U. beds 32,000 unoccupied I.C.U. beds 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak I.C.U. hospitalizations 85,000 total U.S. I.C.U. beds 32,000 unoccupied I.C.U. beds 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months 0 months 6 months 12 months 18 months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak I.C.U. hospitalizations 85,000 total U.S. I.C.U. beds 32,000 unoccupied I.C.U. beds Months: 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Estimated peak I.C.U. hospitalizations 85,000 total U.S. I.C.U. beds 32,000 unoccupied 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 0 6 12 18 Months If 20% of adults are infected If 40% of adults are infected If 60% of adults are infected Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

In places already short of beds, a situation thats challenging during a slow-moving epidemic could be catastrophic during a fast-moving one. Take, for example, the New York City suburb Hackensack, N.J. If the disease reached only 20 percent of the population over the course of 18 months, Hackensack would still need to increase its number of available intensive care beds 140 percent. In a much more dire scenario, in which the disease spread to 60 percent of the population over a year, I.C.U. capacity would need to surge 11-fold.

Daniel Varga, chief physician executive at Hackensack Meridian Health, said his system had already seen its surge capacities tested when about 10 people with suspected coronavirus came to a hospital at once.

We had to divert to other hospitals for a period of time and throttle back on elective admissions, he said.

He estimates that, by canceling elective operations and using a new fleet of recently ordered ventilators, his hospitals could increase capacity by about 20 percent. Designating one hospital in the system to work specifically with coronavirus cases may allow them to go even higher.

Several of the areas that may need the most new beds are close to the Washington State coronavirus outbreak, which has already led to 48 deaths and 787 infections.

But even many of the places that could handle a slower epidemic would be overwhelmed in one that infected many people quickly. Look at Manhattan. If the disease eventually reached 40 percent of all adults and took 18 months to spread, the hospitals would need to add or free up about 40 percent of their occupied beds, according to the estimates. If it took only six months, they would need to find nearly double the number that patients with other health problems currently use.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced Tuesday that he expected cases in the state to peak in 45 days, faster than any of the estimates shown in this article. His estimates for available hospital and I.C.U. beds are similar to the numbers in the Harvard model.

The American health system has spent years shedding hundreds of thousands of hospital beds, as procedures now typically require shorter stays. Generally, thats considered a good thing, but it could leave the country vulnerable in this type of crisis.

NewYork-Presbyterian operates 2,600 hospital beds across the city. It began to delay elective operations last Friday, and has set up stretchers and chairs in empty areas near emergency rooms to create additional seating.

The areas that have significant slack in the system, allowing them to handle an influx of patients, tend to be rural and sparsely populated.

Number of hospital regions that may have to free up (or add) ... Between 1% and 100% of occupied beds Between 1% and 100% of occupied I.C.U. beds More than 100% of occupied I.C.U. beds More than 100% of occupied beds No I.C.U. beds No beds If 20% of adults are infected Over 18 months 231 (out of 305) 74 0 38 243 24 Over 12 months 101 203 1 2 166 137 Over 6 months 6 178 121 0 11 294 If 40% of adults are infected Over 18 months 47 246 12 1 86 218 Over 12 months 6 178 121 0 11 294 Over 6 months 0 10 295 0 0 305 If 60% of adults are infected Over 18 months 8 181 116 0 13 292 Over 12 months 0 47 258 0 0 305 Over 6 months 0 0 305 0 0 305 Between 1% and 100% of occupied beds More than 100% of occupied beds Between 1% and 100 of occupied I.C.U. beds More than 100% of occupied I.C.U. beds No I.C.U. beds No beds If 20% of adults are infected Over 18 months 231 (of 305) 74 0 38 243 24 Over 12 months 101 203 1 2 166 137 Over 6 months 6 178 121 0 11 294 If 40% of adults are infected Over 18 months 47 246 12 1 86 218 Over 12 months 6 178 121 0 11 294 Over 6 months 0 10 295 0 0 305 If 60% of adults are infected Over 18 months 8 181 116 0 13 292 Over 12 months 0 47 258 0 0 305 Over 6 months 0 0 305 0 0 305 Between 1% and 100% of occupied beds More than 100% of occupied beds No beds If 20% of adults are infected Over 18 months 231 (of 305) 74 0 Over 12 months 101 203 1 Over 6 months 6 178 121 If 40% of adults are infected Over 18 months 47 246 12 Over 12 months 6 178 121 Over 6 months 0 10 295 If 60% of adults are infected Over 18 months 8 181 116 Over 12 months 0 47 258 Over 6 months 0 0 305 Between 1% and 100 of occupied I.C.U. beds More than 100% of occupied I.C.U. beds No I.C.U. beds If 20% of adults are infected 38 243 24 Over 18 months 2 166 137 Over 12 months 0 11 294 Over 6 months If 40% of adults are infected 1 86 218 Over 18 months 0 11 294 Over 12 months 0 0 305 Over 6 months If 60% of adults are infected 0 13 292 Over 18 months 0 0 305 Over 12 months 0 0 305 Over 6 months Note: There are 306 hospital referral areas in the United States, but there was not enough data to include the Panama City, Fla., area in the analysis.  Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

The Harvard team used data on Covid-19 patients in China to estimate which U.S. areas will face extraordinary stress or be relatively well prepared. One big factor is how many people in each region are older than 65 and thus at the highest risk of needing hospital care. (Other research teams use somewhat different assumptions.)

As Dr. Jha described it, there are regions that look like South Korea, where the population is relatively young and where Covid-19 patients have been able to get care. In these places, the fatality rate from the disease has stayed low.

And there are places that look like Northern Italy, where the population is older, some patients are being triaged from the highest level of care, and the disease appears to be killing a higher proportion of ill patients.

The research suggests the possibility of a particularly worrisome shortage of beds in intensive care units, a type of hospital bed for patients with the most acute illnesses. Evidence from overseas and from Washington State suggests that many patients with severe illness from Covid-19 require assistance from breathing machines called mechanical ventilators. Hospitals have a limited number of the machines and  perhaps more important  a limited number of nurses and respiratory therapists who are trained to care for the patients who require them.

Percentage of occupied I.C.U. hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25% 50% 100% 200% 300% 500% 800% 1000% Percentage of occupied I.C.U. hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25 50 100 200 300 500 800 1000% Percentage of occupied I.C.U. hospital beds that would need to be emptied or added None 25 50 100 200 300 500 800 1000%

20% of adults are infected in 18 months 20% of adults are infected in 12 months 20% of adults are infected in 6 months 40% of adults are infected in 18 months 40% of adults are infected in 12 months 40% of adults are infected in 6 months 60% of adults are infected in 18 months 60% of adults are infected in 12 months 60% of adults are infected in 6 months Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

20% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months 40% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months 60% of adults infected in ... 18 months 6 months Source: Harvard Global Health Institute estimates of hospital bed capacity and Covid-19 infections

The estimates of total I.C.U. beds from the Harvard team include specialized beds that are normally devoted to cardiac, surgical and trauma patients. There is some ability for hospitals to increase their numbers. If surgical procedures are canceled, ventilators used in operating rooms may be made available. The federal government has a strategic stockpile of ventilators likely to be deployed in certain regions. In a phone call with governors on Monday, President Trump encouraged governors to also look into buying more ventilators themselves.

But hospitals may face shortages of workers that are more limiting than any shortage of ventilators or physical beds. The United States has fewer doctors per capita than Italy does, for example. And some rural places that could add more beds may not be able to recruit more health care workers.

To deliver I.C.U.-level care, nurses from different hospital departments may need to work under the supervision of those who typically work with critically ill patients.

Under normal standard of care, we take care of one to three patients, said Elizabeth Bridges, president-elect of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. I think what is unique here is we need to ask, What are the things that other providers can do? Adding them in is an immediate enhancer of capacity.

In Great Falls, Mont., one of the few areas that would have more than enough beds to handle a moderately damaging coronavirus outbreak, staffing may be a real challenge.

We could flex up higher, but the hitch is usually about staffing and not beds, said John Goodnow, the chief executive of Benefis Health System, which operates multiple hospitals in and around Great Falls. The thing that is worrying me now is, What if the school districts close? Then thats a lot of people with kids who need to stay home.

His local school districts still remain open, but Mr. Goodnow has gone as far as searching for empty areas of his hospital campuses that could be turned into temporary care centers for the children of his hospitals workers.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020

The Supreme Court has said it has been inundated by an increasing number of cases as it struggles with a shortage of justices.

Currently, the ratio between the number of judges and the cases we receive is not ideal, Supreme Court spokesman Abdullah told The Jakarta Post on Monday. We typically receive around 20,000 cases each year that must be handled by around 40 Supreme Court justices. So you can imagine how overwhelmed we have been.

The countrys top court produced 20,058 rulings in 2019 compared to 17,638 in 2018, lifting its productivity rate to almost 99 percent from 95 percent the preceding year. Ninety-six percent, or more than 19,000, of the rulings were made in less than three months from the time the cases were received by the court.

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South Carolinas biggest cluster of coronavirus cases would have gone undetected under early federal testing guidelines if doctors had not insisted their patient be tested anyway.

The doctors demands yielded a startling result: The new coronavirus had reached Camden, a town of about 7,000 in the center of the state. It had infected people who hadnt been traveling, at a moment when authorities were limiting the U.S.s scarce tests to sick patients whod been to areas where the virus was prevalent.

It had spread in South Carolina without detection.

The experience in Camden highlights the importance of testing for the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. And it shows how early shortfalls in testing let it travel here unabated.

That (test) allowed us to definitively find that community spread was occurring here, Dr. Tallulah Holmstrom, chief medical officer at KershawHealth hospital in Camden, said in a Facebook post. As testing efforts continue, I feel certain other towns and counties are going to find similar patterns.

Not two weeks after South Carolina identified its first COVID-19 cases  including an elderly woman in Camden  the state is racing to catch up with the virus. Patients say the process is slow and cumbersome, taking days to get approved for a test, have a sample taken and get results.

The lag times have continued in some cases even as South Carolina hospitals have set up systems to speed up tests. Hospitals have begun screening thousands of patients online and referring them to drive-thru testing sites.

But that doesnt mean testing is easy to get. The Medical University of South Carolina, which established the states first drive-thru site, says its prioritizing tests for health care workers, first responders, patients in the hospital and people who have recently traveled to hard-hit countries such as China and Italy.

That meant delays for everyone else.

Everybody is moving as hard and as fast as they can, said MUSC spokeswoman Heather Woolwine. We dont want people to have to wait and we recognize in some instances that people are having to wait.

MUSC has screened more than 3,000 people through its website, but it was not immediately clear how many were waiting to have their noses swabbed. Woolwine said the agency had collected hundreds of samples as of Tuesday.

Were scaling as fast as we can, she said.

Once the sample is taken, results take even longer to come back.

Roper St. Francis, for instance, doesnt yet know the results of its first day of drive-up testing, which began Monday, spokesman Andy Lyons said. Some 34 samples were collected, but it will take a few days to get results from LabCorp, a private lab analyzing them. Roper says it hasnt needed to prioritize any categories of patients for testing.

Testing restrictions

State officials, however, have asked doctors to be judicious in ordering testing for the coronavirus.

Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, said Tuesday that not everyone who falls ill needs to be tested. The state has asked doctors to limit tests to patients who have symptoms associated with COVID-19, including fever, cough and trouble breathing.

And it has asked that they only order tests for patients who have traveled recently, come into contact with known cases or have an illness that cant be explained otherwise. That often means ordering a flu test first.

That runs counter to recommendations made this week by the World Health Organization, which recommends testing the close contacts of people known to have the disease, in case they arent showing symptoms.

In South Carolina, doctors now have the discretion to get a test outside of the recommended process, but the series of suggested steps and the pace of testing has largely made for a slow process.

In Newberry, Anya Bedenbaugh, a 54-year-old schoolteacher, went through those steps when she fell ill after traveling to Germany. Three weeks after returning, she had a fever, a cough and trouble breathing, according to her husband, Michael.

She took an online screening offered by Prisma Health, which runs hospitals in Columbia and Greenville. She had been in the U.S. for more than the two weeks  the time its thought the virus takes to incubate  so she was denied a test. And while the disease was multiplying in Europe, Germany wasnt considered an affected country.

It was such a circular, illogical response to her very real symptoms, Michael Bedenbaugh said. The medical professionals on the ground were not comfortable doing anything outside of the standards that had been dictated to them.

She finally got a test for the coronavirus last week, after tests for the flu and other respiratory illnesses came back negative. But by Tuesday, four days after being swabbed, she hadnt gotten results and learned that it might be a few days longer.

This is how a pandemic starts, with people putting up such a high barrier to testing, Bedenbaugh said. If we have a spike in this state, this will be why.

Prisma did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday on its criteria and what attributes it is prioritizing for testing. On its website, it cautions that patients might not get results for up to a week because of testing backlogs.

Sampling ramps up

Figures published by the state suggest that the pace of testing is picking up in South Carolina.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control reported the results of 112 new tests on Tuesday, up from a pace of about 10 a day last week. That doesnt include tests run by private labs, which only report positive cases, said Bell, the state epidemiologist.

DHEC says it has enough supplies at its lab to test samples, but some areas are beginning to report shortages of the specialized swabs used to collect samples from patients throats and noses. Officials did not specify where medical providers are running low.

Thats a critical part of the process, DHEC director Rick Toomey said of the swabs. Toomey said the state has asked the federal government for extra swabs, among other critical supplies.

As the state has increased testing, the results have begun to unveil how far the virus has traveled. By Tuesday evening, DHEC said it had been detected in 13 counties, from Anderson and Greenville counties in the Upstate to Beaufort and Charleston on the coast.

Even so, Bell said the state had only detected sustained spread in one area: around Camden, where doctors first bucked federal guidelines to order a test. The state has detected 22 cases in Kershaw County alone, almost half of the states total of 47.

KershawHealths interim CEO, Sue Shurtgart, said Monday that her hospital was working to provide appropriate and adequate testing. But even around Camden, residents arent guaranteed a test if they get sick.

Eating chili dogs with her son and daughter in downtown Camden, Taylor Howle said one of her relatives took a child to the hospital Monday with a fever. Doctors declined to test him.

Adam Benson, Lauren Sausser and Glenn Smith of The Post and Courier contributed to this report.
SD225, which includes more than Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools, also reported Monday that a students parent tested positive for coronavirus, but that parent has not been in either of the school buildings for more than two weeks. That time period is beyond the incubation period of the virus, district officials said in a release.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

The commercial aviation industry is a highly complex space, where a large number of entities are involved in the delivery of travel products and services, which is sometimes manifested in a single product from a customer perspective.

These actors are often collaborating and partnering to be able to co-deliver value and meet the expectation of customers. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA) statistics, from the moment passengers search online for an air ticket to the time they arrive at their destination, the airline is just one of around 26 business partners involved in the aviation chain.

Would you board a plane if you know it had very poor maintenance record? Would you put your life in the hands of an airline that uses defective parts for its aircraft? If you answered no to both questions, then you would appreciate the importance of other players involved, especially the aircraft maintenance industry. Basically, the safety of air travel relies on the assurance of quality manufacturing of aviation equipment and its maintenance that ensure that complex and sensitive puzzles have to sit perfectly together for the success of each flight that takes place anywhere in the world.

Truth be told, aircraft maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification services have a long history of been seen as a white man profession but there seems to be a paradigm shift in the profession with inspirational success stories from Africans who have great passion and love for all the aviation industry.

In fact, it is not out of place to state that with the new crop of top African aircraft talented aircraft engineers with excellent technical knowledge blazing a path forward, its been difficult for the industry not to sit up and take note of the shift.

Therefore, to deepen the importance of celebrating Great Success stories in Africa and also correct the wrong impression that whenever the continent is mentioned it is only a prism of war, corruption, disease, poverty, and hunger PLEASURES Magazine presents the theme of the March/April 2020 issue of your deluxe Pan-African Entrepreneurial and Luxury magazine: Paradigm Shift, a special edition to celebrate the success story of Isaac Balami, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of 7 Stars Global Hangar, the first-ever Aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhauling Facility in the West African sub-region who has also excelled greatly as the President of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.

As earlier mentioned, once a White mans turf, aircraft maintenance, which encompasses the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness directives and repair. Balami, who once worked as a painter and soak-away evacuator who is taking the world by storm is proving that this notion has been sent to the oblivion. But of course, it took some grit, guts and a lot of hard work along the way for Balami to get there.

In this exclusive interview with PLEASURES Magazine, the President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of 7 Stars Global Hangar, Engr Isaac David Balami, speaks with the Publisher, PLEASURES Magazine, Adedotun Babatunde, on his amazing journey from been a suya seller, painter and suck-away evacuator to one of the leading providers of aircraft maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification services in the world.

According to him,  I come from an extremely humble Christian background in Borno state, a state in north-eastern Nigeria. My parents and grandparents were privileged to be Christians, my parents are also pastors. I grew up in a large family, my parents were not doing very well and found it hard to pay for the kind of school I wanted to go to.

One thing I tell people is this, in life, you must know who you are! God did not bring anybody into this world for no reason, everybody has a reason why he or she is existing. My family named me Isaac because they believed I would bring laughter to the family, community and my generation.

Egnr Balami with the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika

So, I remain focus though the future was still obscure then. At a very young age, I would do menial jobs like laundry, farming among others to augment the little money my parents had to go to school. But today, who would have thought that a mere labourer just 22 years ago could become the national president of the Association of Nigerian Pilots and Engineers? Who would have thought that an ordinary mai suya in the north some years ago could become the past spokesperson of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria? Who would have thought that a filthy and stenchy soak-away evacuator from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria could become the president of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum? Who would have thought that a man who could hardly afford a daily meal could cater for over 500 widows and sponsor nearly 500 children in school as a commitment from a foundation he owns? Who would have thought that a helpless man who faced a lot of challenges would be the founder of Nigeria Rebirth Project? he asked rhetorically.

On what has helped him to become what he is today, Engr Balami averred that the Industry is for the bold and courageous.

He said: What has helped me is my being bold. It takes a bold person to be able to take up the pressures in the Aviation Industry. It is not for weak people. Growing up you can imagine a young man, sleeping and waking up in the bush, encountering snakes and all sorts.

Going through that wilderness, going through tough times, sponsoring myself, these are what have shaped me! Aviation is a global business but at the time you would hardly see Nigerians in the various fields in the Aviation industry. I was young and inexperienced but I had the drive, passion and commitment to excel and it was my desire for the airline owners to be able to train locals to take up the jobs the white people were doing, not that I was racist but because I believed they can do it.

Against the threat of being sacked, he said he contest for election to be head of the airline and won by a landslide victory against the incumbent president who was his director at the time.

I chose between losing my job and winning the election and I made them know that if I lost the election it would be on record that I chose to salvage my people working in this industry at the peril of losing my job.

On the making of his yet to be launched airline, Engr Balami said The airline will redefine the aviation industry, and change the entire narrative.

The plan is if you fly economy class with us, you will be treated as a business class passenger. Currently, were bringing in some aircraft that have all been converted to business class. We will be having our VIP lounge therein; we are trying to give people that fly private jets an exquisite experience with us.

With us, youre assured of safety and comfort. With God by our side. Its a one-stop-shop and were redefining the entire status quo.

On what the future holds for 7 Star Global Hangar, Engr Balami averred that in the next three years, the company project to be at the New York Stock Exchange while in the next five years, it will not just be doing Aircraft maintenance but by Gods grace have assembled a team of aeronautical engineers, aircraft maintenance engineers to fly the first made in Nigeria aircraft.

The Chinese now have made in China Aircrafts. While we are still a consuming nation? We can manufacture aircraft, if from nowhere, a boy from Borno, God can use me today to create jobs in the aviation sector, if as a nobody, God can take me to this height, what that means is that with the current team I have on the ground, with the expertise, the experience will be global exposure. We can salvage the Nigerian Aviation sector, he said.

On giving back to society through NGO, he said the Isaac Balami foundation a Nigeria Initiative is empowering and uniting people.

According to him, The night I prayed to God to give me a scholarship was the night I established the Isaac Balami foundation. The moment God gave me a job, I started funding the foundation. The Isaac Balami Foundation is aimed at empowering the less privileged and uniting people.

We train people to acquire skills, we help the needy with fees among other humanitarian activities. Coming from Borno state, I was raised in the midst of Muslims, I was trained and empowered by Muslims and the Isaac Balami Foundation is working to ensure there is unity, national healing, peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance.

Today, Nigeria is polarized, so much dichotomy, so much hatred and envy amongst us. When I saw that we are at that level, I had to go beyond the Isaac Balami Foundation for the My Nigeria Initiative to emerge. We wrote to the Presidency and today the First Lady is our National Grand Matron.

Egnr Balami with the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Buhari

We launched this foundation with several dignitaries and ambassadors from across Nigeria in attendance. We called together 200 youth organizations and held a programme to sign a peace accord after our brothers and sisters from the eastern part of the country were asked to leave the north. Since then, there has been a lot of stability and peace.




Haiti - Covid-19 : Launch of the Permanent Information Center on the Coronavirus





Monday, the Prime Minister, Joseph Jouthe accompanied by Marie Greta Roy Clement the Minister of Public Health, proceeded to the launch of the Center of Permanent Information on the Coronavirus (CIPC).



From the outset, Jouthe wanted to reassure the Haitian population of the absence, as of the case of Covid-19 confirmed on the national territory.



The CIPC is responsible for carrying out awareness-raising actions, health recommendations, through the media, or the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Communication and under the direction of the Prime Minister's Office. The population will be informed about the prevention, protection and evolution of the coronavirus in the event of a possible appearance and spread of the virus on national soil. To this end, all the necessary resources and expertise are mobilized for a better understanding of this pandemic which threatens the lives of people and the global economy.



"Two telephone lines 4343-3333 and 116, are available to the public for the moment for all information related to the Coronavirus" informed Minister Clement adding "The CPIC will answer all your questions about the Covid-19 but also you will give recommendations for your health. The objectives of the CPIC are to maintain the serenity of the population by making available to them all the information generally any on the disease at this time of propagation of the pandemic of Covid-19 so as not to panic [...] and fight false information related to Covid-19 [...]"



The Minister did not return to the 19 Haitians who returned Sunday from Europe who were placed in quarantine and who are under observation after preliminary medical tests (more details in the next Daily Bulletin of March 17 to come on HL).



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30286-haiti-notice-temporary-restrictions-on-crowd-activities.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30284-haiti-flash-haitian-diplomatic-missions-close-abroad.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30282-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-16-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30276-haiti-flash-haiti-bans-all-flights-from-66-countries-and-closes-its-borders.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Cautious greeting: Former vice president Joe Biden, left, and Senator Bernie Sanders greet one another by touching elbows due to social distancing before the Democratic debate

A new poll of Democratic primary voters shows a significant consolidation of support behind former vice-president Joe Biden, emphasising Senator Bernie Sanders's failure to broaden his support.

Among those Democrats who have voted or plan to vote, 61pc say Mr Biden is their preferred nominee, as opposed to 32pc who prefer Mr Sanders.

In a poll conducted in mid-February, 15pc of voters identified Mr Biden as their preferred choice.

His swift transformation into front-runner followed a decisive win in South Carolina, at which point multiple candidates who had been splitting the loyalties of the electorate dropped out and endorsed him.

But even after fellow liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the race last week, Mr Sanders's support jumped only five points, to 32pc, in a smaller field.

The poll also underscored Mr Biden's support with one of the most crucial groups within the Democratic Party, black voters, who said they prefer him to Mr Sanders, by 77pc to 18pc.

On Sunday, Mr Biden unveiled a proposal to make public college free for families who earn less than $125,000 (112,000) a year, part of his campaign's broader effort to court younger and more liberal voters.

He has also said he wants to invest $70bn (63bn) in historically black colleges and minority-serving institutions. Free college tuition has been a staple for Mr Sanders.

Last Friday, Mr Biden adopted a bankruptcy plan, which would make it easier for people to go through the bankruptcy process and would allow student loan debt to be discharged like any other debt.

Both candidates have significantly scaled back campaign events in recent days in response to the outbreak, cancelling mass gatherings in favour of online events.

Those decisions come as some states consider whether to hold votes at all. Already, Louisiana and Georgia have announced they will postpone their primaries. ( Washington Post)
Our job is to hold Donald Trump accountable, and we have no plans to let up, particularly with a focus on economic issues as weve done to date, said Bradley Beychok, the president of American Bridge, which announced this month it would begin backing Biden in key swing states as he aims to lock up the Democratic nomination. But as this crisis unfolds and the country experiences the consequences of his incompetence, were not going to give him a pass for bungling the governments response to this pandemic.
PennLive asked its readers what questions they had about the novel coronavirus, and promised to try to find some answers.

We were flooded with questions, and well answer more in the days ahead. Here are some answers.

Businesses

The shutdown of non-essential businesses:

Q: Any clarification about construction, plumbing, and electrical contractor businesses? These employees dont seem to be getting direction from their employers.

A: The latest guidance from the governors office says essential services and sectors include construction as well as home repair and hardware. That would seem to cover those who work in the construction, plumbing and electrical trades, though we did not immediately hear back from the governors office.

Q: How will this affect service places? Like HVAC and other installers and maintenance?

A: Essential services contains some broad categories, but HVAC and other installers seems to fit in the realm of construction and home repair, which is an essential service.

Q: Should garages and body shops stay open? Need clarification.

A: Yes. Auto repair is included in the essential services and sectors category.

Q: Are law practices essential?

A: Yes. According to the governors office, businesses that include legal services, business and management consulting, professional services and insurance services are encouraged to have employees work remotely or telecommute. If that is not possible, they should employ social distancing best practices and be aware of the Trump Administrations guidance to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people.

Q: Is there a comprehensive listing of shutdowns, by business type and business, which could be referred?

A: This story includes the most detailed guidance provided by the state regarding whats considered essential and non-essential business types. PennLive has been keeping tabs on restaurant closures and those transitioning to takeout service.

Q: Will financial institutions such as banks be closed?

A: No. Banks are included in the category of essential services. They are expected to remain open, but you should check with your financial institution. Many are encouraging customers to bank online as much as possible.

Q: How can a business verify if they are essential or non-essential? And are there penalties for a non-essential business that doesnt close?

A: You can check the governors website for the latest guidance on the coronavirus, including what businesses are essential and non-essential. The penalties are not yet clear, but the governors office said they expect people to comply, and, if necessary, would compel closures.

Q: "Will veterinary hospitals stay open?

A: Veterinary clinics are on the list of essential services.

Q: Are post offices going to close soon?

A: For now, post offices and shipping outlets are essential services.

The latest from PennLive on this topic can be found here.

Cases:

Q: "Where exactly are the Cumberland county cases exactly?

A: Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health are providing daily updates as to the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus and which counties are home to those cases. However, the Department of Health is not releasing more precise locations. County leaders can provide specific information at their discretion, but only if the county has its own health department investigating the cases.

The Department of Health respects the right to privacy, while also protecting the health and wellbeing of Pennsylvanians, said the health department spokeswoman.

Daycares:

Q: "Should daycares be open? Are they non-essential?

A: While day-care facilities did not appear on either the essential or non-essential lists issued by the governors office Tuesday, Wolf did include those operating out of commercial buildings in his list of closures. Day cares operating in peoples homes can remain open.

Q: What are day care centers supposed to do? The answers are not clear and those making those decisions are trying to do the best thing but also want to help those in health-care settings who need childcare.

A: The Department of Human Services said late Tuesday that closed daycares can apply for waivers to remain open to care for the children of first responders and health-care workers.

Small businesses and struggling with the shutdown:

Q: What will be done to help small businesses who are going to suffer greatly from this?

A: According to the Wolf Administration, the Department of Community and Economic Development offers capital loans that could help businesses affected by the coronavirus shutdown. Resources and information will be posted to their website as they become available. The U.S. Small Business Administration, in addition to local funding partners, may also be a source of assistance for affected businesses.

Shopping:

Q: Can we ask grocery stores/general public to allow the elderly to use the grocery store during the first two hours of opening? Presumably the store should be thoroughly cleaned overnight & it reduces their exposure to the entire public.

A: Several stories, including Dollar General, Giant, Target, are doing just that. The stores are opening for just senior citizens at designated times, usually early in the morning. Many stores also are operating at reduced hours to allow the staff to clean and restock for the next day.

Sports:

Q: "Is the PIAA canceling all Spring sports?

A: The PIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee is following recommendations provided by the governors office. PennLive reported on March 15 that there have been no decisions yet regarding fall sports with attention focused on the winter championships and initial discussions of Spring events.

The PIAA suspended its basketball and swimming championships for at least two weeks and has not yet said if the suspension is going to last longer than the two-week period or if they could be canceled altogether.

Transportation

Q: Will mass transit continue to operate?

A: Keep in mind that executive decisions are changing daily.

As of March 17: Amtrak is suspending its Keystone services starting March 18 and other Pennsylvania trains a day later.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is operating on a modified schedule. SEPTA is offering daily updates on its website.

Rabbittransit is operating, but asking riders to access the bus lines for specific purposes like going to work, getting to a doctor, or buying groceries.

Airports are still open and operating, but individuals are being screened before being allowed to exit them.

Unemployment Compensation

Q: "Are people going to get paid if theyre not working due to the coronavirus?

A: Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry officials said this week workers can apply for unemployment benefits if they are impacted by the coronavirus. Depending on the duration of the coronavirus, the number of people applying for assistance, and state workers doing their jobs from home, there could be a lag time in hearing back from the department. To apply for financial compensation relief, read more here.

U.S. Census:

Q: What about the U.S. Census workers walking around door to door? Are they suspending it for awhile?

A: The first round of U.S. Census invitations are being sent through the mail now. In-person follow ups to those who have not responded are not scheduled to start until April 20. There has been no indication yet of a delayed timeline, and the U.S. Census Bureau is encouraging people to complete the census online, over the phone, or through the mail instead of waiting to meet with a census taker.

But CNN reports the bureau is already behind on hiring, and the coronavirus is putting a damper on community outreach efforts, both of which could lead to problems and potential delays soon.

Census bureau officials say the goal is still to complete the census by July 31, but that date can still be adjusted, if necessary.

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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PARIS (AP)  French regulators fined Apple $1.2 billion on Monday for striking deals to keep prices high, in the biggest-ever such sanction by France's Competition Authority.

The agency said Apple and top re-sellers agreed to align prices with Apple's own pricing for its iPads and some other products. The deals did not concern iPhones.





. . .
A regime officer who was captured seven years ago has been released as part of a prisoner swap between the regime and the Free Syrian Army reports Nadaa Syria.

A group of rebels on Monday carried out a prisoner exchange with the Assad regime during which a prisoner from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was released in exchange for a regime officer.

The coordinator of the operation, Alaa Eddin Ayoub, known as Farouq Abu Bakr, said that the exchange occurred a month after negotiations with the Assad regime, for the release of an officer who had been captured by Ahrar al-Sham seven years ago during a battle to take control of the Kashish Military Airpot.

Ayoub added that the officer was released in exchange for the regime releasing a fighter from the FSA, Wassim Mohamed, who had been captured a year and a half ago. He said that the operation had been done at the Abu al-Zanidin crossing in the eastern Aleppo countryside.

The Syrian National Army last year carried out a number of prisoner exchanges with the Assad regime which resulted in more than 39 prisoners being released from regime prisons.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Dr. Jennifer Cobanov had been tracking her young thyroid patient for years. The girl's antibody levels were elevated, but her thyroid functioned normally. Then, routine blood work revealed something quite unusual: Her underactive thyroid had suddenly switched into overdrive.

Last November, the California pediatrician referred the 13-year-old to a specialist at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, the nearest major medical center. The girl's mother booked the soonest available appointmentfor this spring.

Why the long wait? In California's Inland Empire, a huge swath of the state that includes San Bernardino and Riverside counties, pediatric subspecialists are hard to come by. The region suffers from a severe shortage of both primary care doctors and specialists.

Janet Coffman, a health workforce researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, said there are several reasons for the doctor gap. For one, the massive area encompasses both low-income urban pockets and vast rural expanses.

"People in the rural areas struggle more with access to specialists, as is typical of what you'd find in rural areas across the U.S.," she noted.

When Coffman and her colleagues studied the state's physician supply for the California Health Care Foundation, specialty doctors serving the Inland Empire, at 64.3 per 100,000 residents, ranked well below most other areas of the state. For example, the affluent Bay Area had more than twice as many specialists. As for primary care, the gap was equally dismal. Riverside/San Bernardino had 34.5 doctors per 100,000 people. That's just slightly more than half the number serving the Bay Area.

Doctors are scarce, need is huge

Twenty percent of the U.S. population resides in rural areas of the country, but only 11% of physicians practice there, according to the National Rural Health Association.

How can that be?

Along with general forces influencing physician supply and demand, experts point to other factors: doctors not wanting to live in rural areas; subspecialists choosing to practice in cities with large potential pools of patients; and a dwindling number of med school applicants with roots in rural America.

It doesn't help that rural hospitals are closing at an alarming rate. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill report that at least 124 hospitals in rural areas have closed since 2010. Such closures are associated with decreases in the supply of both primary care physicians and specialists, according to a December 2019 paper in the journal Health Affairs.

In rural communities, driving 10, 50 or even 100 miles to see a doctor is not uncommon. Carol (not her real name), a former health professional in her mid-50s, suffers from complex heart and neurological issues. She and her husband must leave their rural New York home three hours in advance of each specialist appointment to make it to Manhattan on time.

But the specialists she needs to see are not located in her town. When specialty care is difficult to access, people can suffer real health consequences.

Another study in the same issue of Health Affairs sheds light on rural/urban disparities among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions. Patients in rural areas have a 40% higher rate of preventable hospitalizations and a 23% higher death rate than their urban counterparts.

Then researchers considered things like how sick and frail people were, whether they were living in poverty, and how much education they hadall of which are known to affect people's health outcomes. After adjusting for those variables, seeing a specialist was associated with a nearly 16% lower rate of preventable hospitalizations and a 16.6% lower death rate.

"So whether you're urban or rural, if you have a chronic condition, it's good for you to see a specialist," said Kenton Johnston, an assistant professor of health management and policy at Saint Louis University and the lead author on the Health Affairs research.

How much of a difference does seeing a specialist make? "A pretty big chunk," Johnston observed. Access to specialists accounts for 55% of the difference in the rate of preventable hospitalizations and 40% of the difference in the death rate.

If you're someone who has heart failure, seeing a cardiologist "might keep you out of the hospital and keep [you] alive longer," he reasoned. But it might be hard to drive to the nearest cardiologist for someone living in a rural area.

Remotely connecting rural doctors to specialists

For Cobanov's young thyroid patient and her family, technology meant they didn't have to wait for answers, however.

Through an initiative called the MAVEN Project, Dr. Debbie Cohen, a retired pediatric endocrinologist who volunteers her time and expertise, helped make sense of the girl's fluctuating numbers. Cohen determined that the girl went from having hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) to hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

MAVEN, short for Medical Alumni Volunteer Expert Network, connects expert volunteers across more than 40 clinical specialties with primary care providers serving mostly poor and uninsured patients at more than 90 clinic sites. The volunteers can mentor, participate in patient consultations, and offer provider education.

By bridging gaps in America's health safety net via computers and smartphones, the MAVEN Project aims to "stabilize the frontline primary-care provider workforce in these communities," said Dr. Lisa Bard Levine, CEO of the project.

Explore further Lack of specialists doom rural sick patients

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The office of Rover.com sits empty with employees working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic in Seattle, Wash., on March 12. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Looking at the Bright Side of a Pandemic

Commentary

I knowits hard to look at the bright side of a pandemic. But take it from someone who has self-quarantined for the better part of 50 years, its not always so bad.

Thats what professional writers do, sit alone in a room and work (or try to) for hours on end.

I didnt realize at roughly age 15 when I fell in love with the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Chandler that the writers life was one of loneliness. I thought it was about attracting Bennington undergrads at cocktail parties by bragging about your (unfinished) novel when you werent dreaming up your Oscar speech.

I learned quickly.

Anyway, a life of working alone at home (with the exception of a three-year stint at Universal Studios and seven years as CEO of PJ Media) has taught me a few things that might prove useful in the present environment.

They wont be nearly as important as whether there will be enough ventilators and hospital beds in our system or when and if you can get tested, but  for what they are worth for the days ahead, especially those working at home for the first time, and in the hopes of reducing at least some of the stress 

Have a private space, no matter how small. Make it yours. Decorate it with family photos, your high school lacrosse letter, personal stuff, but not too cluttered. This is a work area.

If you want to go Zen-minimalist, thats OK, too; but be warned, if youre the least bit a slob, like me, it wont last long.

If you dont have a good ergonomic desk chair, get one. It will stand you in good stead even if this virus lasts only a week (which it wont).

A door is your friend, failing that, a screen. You have to be alone without distraction.

Make sure you have a fast and solid internet connectionit may soon be stressed with all the people working at home.

Speaking of stress (different kind), keep a little exercise equipment in your officeI have Russian kettle bells. Stand up every hour or so and use whatever you have or do some jumping jacks. Even a two-minute workout makes a huge difference and improves mood and concentration, not that I always do it.

On the flip side, a bottle of bourbon in your drawer is always useful, but stay away from it before 5 p.m. (I recommend Belle Meade.)

Have a significant other, better yeta spouse. (Yes, this cant be fixed immediately these days when you cant even go to a bar, still I had to put it in because its true.) Hopefully, he or she will be healthy enough to visit with you frequently.

Kids are fine, too, of course, and, best of all, that great enemy of depression, Trumans only friend in Washington, the ever-popular dog. Get him or her a nice little bed in your office. And keep well-stocked with treats. Unlike toilet paper, there are still plenty available on Amazon.

And remember, your time is your own, more than it ever was. Its likely you can get more done and do it better in less time at home. I know I have.

Those three years at the studio I got nothing done (maybe that my office was next door to Cheech and Chongs bungalow had something to do with it). But as soon as I got back to my place, I started writing like a demon and got screenplays made into movies byyou guessed itUniversal.

OK, thatthe remarkable ability to concentrate and perform better at home if your conditions are rightis the good part, the bright side of the pandemic from my headline.

The bad part is the aforementioned loneliness and its handmaiden depression. Pay special attention to the latter because it can sneak up on you. We are, after all, social beings, not social distance beings.

Along with the aforementioned exercise, the best antidote is to stay in contact with the outside world as much as possible whether or not you feel like it. That means, if youre new to telecommuting, stay in touch with your boss, even if you cant stand him or her.

Also, stay in touch with family, friendsincluding those you have mixed emotions aboutand anyone else you can think of. And dont worry if youre becoming a pest. That may be, but its your sanity were concerned about here.

And dont forget to go outside. If theres nature anywhere near you, hang out there as much as possible. The woods are your friend. Spring is practically here.

And, if all else fails, consider putting a television screen in your office. It may be a distraction, but I find Stuart Varney droning on about the great potential for the economy and the stock market after all this is over strangely comforting.

Roger L. Simon is The Epoch Times senior political columnist. His latest book is The GOAT, available in multiple formats on Amazon. (HINT: This is an opportunity to catch up on your reading.)

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden greets supporters as he leaves a campaign rally at Renaissance High School in Detroit, Michigan, on March 9, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Joe Biden Wins Washington State Primary

Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary in Washington state, making the former vice president the victor in five out of the six states that voted on March 10.

Biden led Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the popular vote in the state for nearly a week as the votes were counted. Sanders won more than two-thirds of the delegates from the Washington caucuses over Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Under Washington states primary rules, 31 of the states 89 pledged delegates are allocated based on the statewide result. The remainder is decided based on the results of individual congressional districts. Those results might not be calculated until the election is certified by the secretary of states office, which could be as late as March 27.

Biden also won Missouri, Mississippi, Michigan, and Idaho on March 10, securing a significant delegate lead over Sanders, who won North Dakota.

Washington Democrats used the vote-by-mail presidential primary format for the first time this year. The state used to hold smaller caucuses in the May time frame in prior years.

The results from Washington arrived as Biden and Sanders were about to face off in the populous states of Arizona, Illinois, and Florida on March 17. Ohio, which was also scheduled to hold a primary on March 17, postponed the election until June 2 over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Polls conducted in the four states voting on March 17 show Biden in the lead by a wide margin.

Biden is well ahead of Sanders in the pledged delegate count. The former vice president also leads Sanders by more than 20 points in the average of polls maintained by Real Clear Politics.

Illinois and Florida reported a surge in early voting ahead of the primary.

Illinois had 504,000 early votes cast and 294,000 ballots mailed in as of March 16outpacing the numbers from the 2016 primary when the state recorded 400,000 early votes and 160,000 mail-in ballots.

A state official in Florida told The Associated Press that 1.1 million Democratic ballots had been cast by mail or at early voting centers through March 15. About 890,000 Democrats voted early in the 2016 primary.

Prominent leaders and groups in the Democratic Party have been coalescing around Biden. On March 16, he picked up endorsements from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the International Longshoremens Association, a large maritime workers union based in New Jersey. The nations largest union, the National Education Association, endorsed Biden on March 14.

Sanders and Biden represent competing wings of the Democratic party. Sanders, a self-described socialist, is the leader of the partys hard-left, progressive wing. Biden, who is seen as the moderate choice, has shifted further left during the primary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - Mexico rejected an accusation by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday that it had allowed a dozen people with coronavirus to board a flight to San Salvador, saying medical staff had found no evidence of the virus on the travelers.

Earlier, Bukele abruptly suspended all passenger flights to San Salvador after making his assertion on Twitter, describing Mexican authorities as "irresponsible."

The Salvadoran president did not provide evidence for the claim, which Mexican Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said turned out to be "totally false."

In an evening news conference, Lopez-Gatell explained that 12 Salvadorans en route to San Salvador from Chicago had raised suspicions because they were wearing protective masks. Tests showed that none of them had the virus, he added.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard replied directly to Bukele on Twitter with news that medical authorities had determined the passengers for the Avianca flight were virus-free.

"You will be delighted. Best regards," Ebrard wrote.

Bukele, who also complained to Ebrard on Twitter that Mexico had given political asylum to an unnamed man wanted in El Salvador, made his accusation before the flight took off.

Avianca canceled the flight and said passengers had not boarded. The airline issued tweets thanking Bukele for alerting it to the presence of coronavirus patients on the passenger list.

Bukele later said San Salvador's airport had reopened after airlines accepted new health protocols. But flights from Mexico would remain suspended for the time being, he added.

(Reporting by Nelson Renteria and Frank Jack Daniel in Mexico City; Editing by Richard Pullin and Clarence Fernandez)
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Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi  Tue, March 17, 2020

A recent court ruling on child sexual abuse in Jambi province has exposed the shortcomings of Indonesian court procedures in dealing with the human impact of violence against children.

As the number cases involving the sexual abuse of children has continued to rise in recent years, experts and activists have pointed to the fact that the rights of child victims and witnesses have not been comprehensively addressed in Indonesian laws and regulations.

The lack of standards for handling legal proceedings on sexual assault cases have raised concerns among critics, particularly as it relates to trauma and accusations of victimization.

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After watching Hillary Clinton's defeat in 2016 and the departure of prominent female candidates from this year's Democratic primary race, women in the party expressed hope Monday that Joe Biden's vow to name a woman as his running mate could spell an end to the starkest gender barrier in American politics.

Women have been tapped twice before as vice-presidential nominees in major parties, but with polls showing Biden leading President Donald Trump in a general election, many see this as the most realistic possibility that a woman could wind up a heartbeat from the presidency.

Biden, 77, has described himself as a "bridge" to the next generation of leaders, a comment widely interpreted as a signal that he'd serve just one term, meaning his running mate would be even more of a president-in-waiting than usual.

"There is this invisible glass ceiling that we just saw play itself out in even the Democratic nomination process," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and a major player in the party. "We have to find a way to change this construct of there being this invisible bar to women becoming president or vice president of the United States."

A person close to the Biden team who was not authorized to speak publicly, and so spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the campaign will soon announce a running mate vetting operation, but warned that the campaign is in the midst of growing quickly after its rocky start.

Biden has told MSNBC that it's "very important" to pick someone who's been tested via a presidential campaign, suggesting that the women who ran against him may have an edge. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., have endorsed Biden, and Klobuchar in particular has gone out of her way to show her loyalty.

The senator from Minnesota heavily retooled her own campaign in her home state to support Biden and appeared at two rallies in Michigan on his behalf. She noted on CNN on Monday that Biden then won those two states, which will be crucial in the general election, adding that it's "a great thing" that Biden is planning to select a woman.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has not endorsed Biden, but the two have spoken twice since she dropped out of the race this month. Their most recent conversation included a discussion of her plan to overhaul the country's bankruptcy system, which he adopted this week and touted on the debate stage Sunday.

The move was widely seen by Warren allies as an olive branch to the Bay State senator, who famously clashed with Biden in the 1990s on bankruptcy laws. A person close to Biden, who was not authorized to discuss campaign strategy, said Biden had been interested in Warren's plan since she unveiled it in early January.

Biden has previously hinted that he'd be interested in running with Warren, floating the idea of a joint ticket in 2015 as he was considering a challenge to Clinton. He chose not to run.

The former vice president has "strongly believed" for "some time" that his running mate should be a woman, according to a Biden adviser who was not authorized to speak publicly about his selection. The adviser added that Biden "has been eager to make this public once it was appropriate based on his standing in the race."

The disappointment of many women with the outcome of the Democratic primary contest is palpable, especially after Clinton's devastating loss in 2016. The initial field of more than two dozen hopefuls included several prominent women, including four U.S. senators, but Harris and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., never got traction, and neither Warren nor Klobuchar finished higher than third in any state.

Biden's move could be a way to reach out to a pivotal voting bloc. His announcement - made Sunday in response to a question during the first Democratic debate since 2004 that did not include a woman - comes at a moment of reckoning for a party that has long touted a commitment to diversity.

Women have led the opposition to Trump, first by holding massive marches in cities around the globe the day after his inauguration, and then by running for office in record numbers and winning a historic number of seats in Congress, which elevated Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to be House speaker.

So far, 56% of Democratic voters this year have been women, according to a Washington Post analysis of entrance and exit polls. That's in line with 2016, when 58% of the Democratic primary electorate was women, and 2008, when women made up 57% of the vote.

During Sunday's debate, Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., were asked how they would select Cabinet members able to advise them on "issues that affect women's physical and financial health."

"I'll pick a woman to be vice president," said Biden, who was apparently waiting for an opportunity to make this announcement. "There are a number of women who are qualified to be president tomorrow. I would pick a woman to be my vice president."

He also repeated a pledge to appoint the first black woman to the Supreme Court.

Sanders committed to appointing women to at least half the top administration jobs and, when pressed, said he would "in all likelihood" select a woman to be his running mate.

On the campaign trail, Biden at various points has mentioned a number of women as suitable running mates, beyond his primary opponents. They include Stacey Abrams, the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Georgia; and Sally Yates, the former acting U.S. attorney general who refused to carry out Trump's order to close the U.S. border to people from seven majority-Muslim countries.

Others in the party have mentioned Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat whose state will be critical in the general election, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., a prominent Latina from another important region.

The United States lags far behind other democracies, from Britain to Germany to Israel, in putting a woman in the top job. If Biden wins and a woman becomes vice president, it could acclimate voters to the image of a woman at the pinnacle of power.

At the same time, the number of women in the primary field, and the strong performance of Warren and others on the debate stage, added pressure on Biden to make his announcement.

"Now that we've seen what a diverse debate stage can look like, it's hard to imagine being satisfied with anything else," said Barbara Lee, a Massachusetts-based philanthropist whose foundation focuses on electing women to executive positions. "I believe that a more inclusive ticket is essential, to energize and mobilize 2020 voters."

She said the change could be permanent. "Moving forward, it's hard to imagine a presidential cycle without a woman on the ticket," Lee said.

Last week, leaders from nearly two dozen women's groups and liberal organizations - including Emily's List, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, UltraViolet and the Sunrise Movement - sent a letter to the Biden and Sanders campaigns, as well as the Democratic National Committee, urging that the ticket include a woman.

"Democratic victory in 2020 will depend on record-breaking participation by women," said the letter, which was also signed by dozens of additional female leaders. "Women are the backbone of the Democratic Party. Women are a majority of Democratic voters, volunteers and donors."

The letter also called on both candidates to stock their Cabinets and top administration positions with women, make it a priority to meet with women, and outline a "first 100 days" policy agenda that focuses on issues such as paid family leave and pay equity.

Biden's decision to make his announcement relatively early in the campaign, rather than simply picking a woman when the time came, also suggests that he thought it was important to send a signal at this juncture. The aim may have been in part to set up a contrast with Trump, who has made various derogatory comments about women.

It also reflects a shift in Democratic politics, where notions of identity and representation have gained power in recent years.

"Until recently, the idea of choosing somebody other than a white man was just not part of the calculus," said Joel Goldstein, a law professor at Saint Louis University who wrote a book on the vice presidency. "Nobody has ever previously said, 'I will pick a woman.' "

When Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale selected then-Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., to be his running mate in 1984, a burgeoning women's movement pushed him to make the move, Goldstein said. "They were threatening floor fights if they didn't pick a woman," he said.

But Mondale made the selection with his back against the wall. The economy was recovering, making his challenge to President Ronald Reagan more difficult, and his advisers wanted to "reshuffle the deck" with an unusual pick, Goldstein said.

And 24 years later, when Republican Sen. John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, he did so after it became clear that his first choice, Sen. Joe Lieberman - a Democrat from Connecticut - would cause a brawl at the convention. At the time, McCain trailed Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama, a historic candidate running an electrifying campaign.

Biden, in contrast, is leading in the polls, so his announcement is hardly a desperation move. And his age means his choice of running mate will get extra scrutiny.

"I think people will look at any pick that Joe Biden makes - because of his age and because of the moment - with an increased sense of responsibility," Weingarten said. "One should always do that about a vice president." But that's especially true, she said, since Biden, Sanders and Trump "are all in their 70s."

- - -

The Washington Post's Matt Viser and Scott Clement contributed to this report.
FARMINGTON - The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage, due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement from the organization. Healthy individuals are needed now to donate to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.

Individuals can schedule an appointment to give blood with the Red Cross by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 800-RED-CROSS or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

As the coronavirus pandemic has spread in the U.S., blood drive cancellations have grown at an alarming rate, officials said. To date, nearly 2,700 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to concerns about congregating at workplaces, college campuses and schools amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

These cancellations have resulted in some 86,000 fewer blood donations. More than 80 percent of the blood the Red Cross collects comes from drives held at locations of this type, officials said.

In the Connecticut Region, 46 blood drives have been canceled, resulting in 1,299 fewer blood donations.

The Red Cross is adding appointment slots at donation centers and expanding capacity at many community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to ensure ample opportunities for donors to give. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need, according to a statement.

The Red Cross expects the number of cancellations to continue to continue. A blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients with cancer.

In our experience, the American public comes together to support those in need during times of shortage and that support is needed now more than ever during this unprecedented public health crisis, said Chris Hrouda, president, Red Cross Biomedical Services, in a statement. Unfortunately, when people stop donating blood, it forces doctors to make hard choices about patient care, which is why we need those who are healthy and well to roll up a sleeve and give the gift of life.

The Red Cross is encouraging potential donors, saying that they will be treated safely.

We know that people want to help, but they may be hesitant to visit a blood drive during this time. We want to assure the public that blood donation is a safe process, and we have put additional precautions in place at our blood drives and donation centers to protect all who come out, said Hrouda.

The Red Cross has implemented new measures to ensure blood drives and donation centers are even safer for our donors and staff, including checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy; providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process; spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors; and increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.

At each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees already follow thorough safety protocols to help prevent the spread of any type of infection, including wearing gloves, changing them after each donor, routinely wiping down donor areas, using sterile collection sets for every donation, and preparing the donors skin with an antiseptic scrub.

According to the Red Cross, there is no data or evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted by blood transfusion, and there have been no reported cases of transfusion transmission for any respiratory virus including this coronavirus worldwide.

To donate blood, individuals must bring a blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass. With RapidPass, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised doctors, nurses and health care workers who he said are putting up great efforts in the wake of the novel coronavirus infection.

He also retweeted posts by users who lauded the governments response to the outbreak, saying India is doing its best to ensure everyone is healthy and those showing symptoms get proper care.

Our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers are putting great efforts. They are out there, helping people. We will always cherish their contribution. #IndiaFightsCorona, Modi said in one of his tweets.

The government has stepped up screening of passengers at airports, while the health sector is testing suspected patients, treating those infected and even conducting door-to-door surveys to keep tabs on people with a history of international travel.

A data entry officer from southeast Delhis Sunlight Colony dispensary, who did not want to be named, explained how a typical workday unfolds.

Every morning we leave from the dispensary at 9 am for the door-to-door survey with a list of international travellers. We have to go verify their travel history, their numbers, and see whether they are taking all precautions. We wear masks and gloves and stand at a distance when we speak to them, he said.

All dispensary staff, including those at clerical posts, go for these home visits in accordance with a directive by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

The staff also shares information about the disease with people who visit their dispensary.

Because of the internet and news (on Covid-19), most people are aware that there is a disease on the prowl, but we tell them about the precautions. Apart from hand-washing practices, we also tell people who are right-handed to touch a surface, such as doorknobs, with their left hand. Its not possible to wash the hands all the time, said another staff from the dispensary.

A network of 262 dispensaries in Delhi has been working to prevent community transmission, which takes place when a person tests positive for the disease but the doctors are not able to trace the source of infection.

A nurse working in the isolation ward of Safdarjung hospital, where several suspected and confirmed patients have been treated, said, We just have to follow strict infection-control measures so that we do not pass on the infection to our family and friends.

A nurse from RML hospital, the second nodal hospital in Delhi for virus patients, agreed.

A doctor at Safdarjungs isolation ward, who too did not want to be named, listed the precautions she takes. I wash my clothes and take a hot shower before interacting with my family. I also carry only essentials to the hospital.

On Monday, PM Modi said people sharing their stories are boosting the morale of those on the field. Many people are highlighting different aspects of how India is combating Covid-19. This is boosting the morale of all those doctors, nurses, municipal workers, airport staff and all other remarkable people at the forefront of fighting Covid-19. #IndiaFightsCorona, he tweeted.

Modi asked people to share technology-driven solutions to the virus. Harnessing innovation for a healthier planet. A lot of people have been sharing technology-driven solutions for COVID-19. I would urge them to share them on @mygovindia, he said.

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Mississippi House passes bill banning abortions on the basis of race, sex, genetic abnormality

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The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill that, if enacted, will ban abortions performed due to an unborn babys race, sex, or possible genetic abnormalities.

Known as House Bill 1295, the measure was passed last Thursday by a vote of 79-33, with six abstentions, three voting present, and one vacancy.

Sue Liebel, state policy director for the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, celebrated the results of the vote and expected the legislation to ultimately pass.

Abortions carried out because of a babys sex, race, or potential disability, such as Down syndrome, is no less than modern-day eugenics, said Liebel in a statement.

SBA List is confident these staunch pro-life advocates will continue to champion this bill until it reaches Governor Tate Reeves desk  a strongly pro-life governor who will not fail to sign it into law.

Also known as the Life Equality Act of 2020, the bill gives an exemption for medical emergencies.

Abortions predicated on the presence or presumed presence of genetic abnormalities continue to occur despite the increasingly favorable post-natal outcomes for human beings perceived as handicapped or disabled, explains HB 1295 in part.

Pharmaceutical treatments, gene therapies, and prosthetic advances have given formerly handicapped and disabled human beings much greater opportunities for survival and success than ever before. Importantly, surgical intervention now includes the availability of intrauterine surgery.

If enacted, an abortion provider found in violation of the law could face as much as 10 years in prison and see their state medical license suspended or possibly revoked.

The proposed legislation clarified that any woman upon whom an abortion is performed, induced, or attempted will not be prosecuted for violating the Act.

Representative Sonya Williams-Barnes of Gulfport was critical of HB 1295, voting against the bill when it was in a House committee earlier this month.

Women should have a right to make a choice for themselves whether they want to have a child or not, stated Williams-Barnes, as reported by the Associated Press.

My concern is, you make the woman have the child that has these deficiencies, but yet are you going to give her any medical aid or home care assistance for the child?

Last month, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a preliminary injunction against a Mississippi law banning abortions performed once an unborn baby's heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

The panel opinion referenced an earlier legal decision against a different Mississippi law that banned most abortions performed after 15 weeks gestation.

In 2018, Mississippi enacted a law prohibiting abortions, with limited exceptions, after 15 weeks gestational age. A district court enjoined the law, and we recently upheld that injunction, explained the panel opinion.

If a ban on abortion after 15 weeks is unconstitutional, then it follows that a ban on abortion at an earlier stage of pregnancy is also unconstitutional.
Macron imposes lockdown across France

French President said people should leave their homes only for essential duties, beginning midday Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ordered stringent restrictions on peoples movement to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and said the army would be drafted in to help move the sick to hospitals.

"ANYONE FLOUTING THE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE PUNISHED"

France had already shut down restaurants and bars, closed schools and put ski resorts off limits, but Macron said measures unprecedented in peacetime were needed as the number of infected people doubled every three days and deaths spiraled higher.

In a somber address to the nation, the president said that from Tuesday midday (1100 GMT) people should stay at home unless it was to buy groceries, travel to work, exercise or for medical care.

I know what I am asking of you is unprecedented but circumstances demand it, Macron said. Were not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress.

MILITARY FORCES TOOK TO THE STREETS

Some 100,000 police will be deployed to enforce the lockdown, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said. Checkpoints will be set up nationwide and those on the move will have to be able to justify their journey on a printed ministry document, pedestrians included, he said.

Macron said tougher action was needed after too many people ignored earlier warnings and mingled in parks and on street corners over the weekend, risking their own health and the wellbeing of others.

In France the coronavirus has killed 148 people and infected more than 6,600.

Under the new measures, soldiers would help transport the sick to hospitals with spare capacity and a military hospital with 30 intensive-care beds would be set up in the eastern region of Alsace, where one of the largest infection clusters has broken out.

Macron said he was postponing the second round of local elections on Sunday. Because the governments sole focus needed to be fighting the pandemic, he said he was suspending his reform agenda, starting with his overhaul of the pension system.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has spent up to $1 billion to support the hryvnia since early 2020, forex reserves exceed $25 billion and they are enough to smooth fluctuations, Deputy NBU Governor Oleh Churiy has said.

"We have been pursuing a policy of floating exchange rate since 2015, and we are actively participating in this market, trying, first of all, to smooth out fluctuations. This is what we did in past years, and we will continue doing so in the future," he said at briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Churiy recalled that last year the NBU was able to buy back almost $8 billion into reserves, and this year it uses them to smooth out fluctuations when the hryvnia is weakening, and after active interventions in support of the hryvnia in the last two weeks, since the beginning of the year, their negative balance totaled "a little less than $1 billion."

"Reserves are at a sufficient level  they are more than $25 billion. And we will continue our policy of smoothing fluctuations, because it is very necessary to maintain stability in the foreign exchange market," the NBU deputy governor said.

He said that "the National Bank sells as much currency as needed," in particular, there are no unsatisfied applications on the interbank market following the results of the day.

As for the more severe devaluation of the hryvnia in the cash market, Churiy explained it by problems with the delivery of cash currency to Ukraine in the context of transport restrictions introduced due to coronavirus COVID-19 and predicted an improvement in the coming days due to the establishment of alternative supply channels.

The deputy governor of the National Bank also said that in five working days since the beginning of the acute phase of the crisis, total demand amounted to $2.1 billion, of which the population bought about $300 million, nonresidents (who bought government bonds)  only $8 million. "Most of the currency was bought by Ukrainian companies that bought this currency to pay under import contracts, as well as for payments on debt obligations," he said.
The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.

In continuation of the travel advisory issued on March 11 and March 16, the following advisory has been issued.

"Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect," it said.

No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IST). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure, according to the advisory.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also issued a circular in this regard on the lines of the government advisory.

This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.

The government has also banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31 on Monday.

India on Tuesday reported its third coronavirus fatality with a 64-year-old man dying in Mumbai, Health Ministry officials said as the number of positive cases rose to 125.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Beverley Mitchell of 7th Heaven fame and her husband Michael Cameron are expecting a third child after suffering a miscarriage in 2018.

The 39-year-old blonde shared the news on Instagram with her fans on Tuesday.

'We finally got our gold at the end of the rainbow!!!!' she said during a paid advertisement. 'We are pregnant with our rainbow baby! So happy to partner with @clearblue to announce that we are in fact PREGNANT! The road hasn't always been easy but it is so worth it! It is has been far but scarier this time around but just got a great checkup so we are feeling lucky!'

Happy lady; Beverley Mitchell of 7th Heaven fame and her husband Michael Cameron are expecting a third child after suffering a miscarriage in 2018

Adding another little one: The star with husband Michael Cameron and their kids Hutton and Kenzie at theFrozen II film premiere in November

The star already has daughter Kenzie, age six, and son Hutton, age five.

She also said, 'Not going to lie I may have peed on quite a few sticks because I couldn't honestly believe it! But sure enough they all said PREGNANT.'

The TV vet had suffered a miscarriage in 2018; she was expecting twins.

'Sharing a little bit about the past few months, a little heartache, a miscarriage, and healing!

A night out! The family is seen here at Nights of the Jack Friends & Family Night 2019 in October in Calabasas, California

'Thankful for my wonderful family who fills my [heart]. And thank you  to all of you for your love and support!

'And giving me a platform to share all my highs and lows!' she said.,

And she said she sought help from her 7th Heaven co-star Jessica Biel.

The show: Mitchell, left, with Stephen Collins, Mackenzie Rosman and Jessica Biel in 1996

'She was very supportive through everything and was always checking in on me and through the whole miscarriage thing,' Mitchell told Us Weekly.

'She was one of the first people I called and I'm just very grateful for her friendship and her being just a freaking badass, awesome person.'

The thespian last starred in the TV movie Rock and Roll Christmas and can next be seen in Blood Pageant and Candy Cane Christmas.
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that presently there is no proposal under government's consideration for reservation of jobs in the private sector.

"At present, there is no such proposal with the government. It was felt that the best course of action is through voluntary action by the industry itself. A number of requests/ representations have been received by the Government from various quarters from time to time for extending the reservation in the private sector. The data in this regard is not maintained centrally," Gehlot said in a written reply to a question in this regard in the Lower House today.

The minister further said that the industry associations have been urged by the government to create a more enabling environment for the disadvantaged classes.

"The industry associations were requested to take more proactive measures under affirmative action in terms of adoption of villages and encouragement of SC/ST entrepreneurs, merit scholarships to research scholars, and the career guidance programs for tribal students and support & contribute in the Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and explore the possibility of placement as well. Industry associations were further requested to enroll at least 25% of Apprentices from SC/ST Communities," Gehlot said.

"In view of what is stated above, the Government has not conducted any study to ascertain the feasibility of the reservation in the private sector," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Army officer and one woman have been put under self-quarantine at a military institute in Pune after certain symptoms of coronavirus were observed, Army sources told ANI.

"An Army officer and one woman have been put under self-quarantine at a military institute in Pune after certain symptoms were observed. If required, their tests for COVID-19 would be conducted," the sources said.

A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far and three persons have lost their lives while undergoing treatment for the deadly virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe has emerged as the new epicentre of the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asserting that an "economic tsunami" was coming, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said India should be preparing itself not just to fight the but also for the economic devastation that would affect crores of people.

Gandhi also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the economic situation in the country, saying the PM should get his head "out of the sand" to deal with the problem facing the country.

" will be devastated. It is like a tsunami is coming," the former Congress president told reporters outside Parliament.

Narrating an incident to highlight the gravity of the economic situation, he said that before the tsunami came, water receded off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and when fishermen went to sea, the tsunami struck.

"So the water is going to come. I have been warning the government that a massive (economic) tsunami is coming and they are fooling about, they are not clear about what to do. India should be preparing itself not just for COVID-19 virus but for the economic devastation that is coming," he said.

"I am saying it again and again, nobody is listening to me. I am sorry to say, our people are going to go through unimaginable pain in the next six months," he said.

An "economic tsunami" is coming and there is going to be an economic shock which will affect crores, he said.

Asked about Moody's Investors Service lowering India's GDP growth forecast for 2020 calendar year to 5.3 per cent, on implications on the economy, Gandhi alleged that it was Prime Minister Modi's mindset to be rated by some outsiders.

"I am not bothered about what the outsiders are saying, I understand what our strengths are. These (government) people do not believe in our strengths. These people want to be rated by Moody's, by Standard & Poor's, to be rated by Mr (Donald) Trump. I don't give a damn about that rating," he said.

He urged the government to prepare according to India's strengths and claimed that if steps were not taken, there will be economic devastation.

"I am trying to tell the prime minister 'get your head out of the sand. Your head is right now in the sand, pull it out, look around what is going on'. Don't be scared, remove the fear you have carried all your life because India needs you to do that," Gandhi said.
In continuation of the travel advisory issued on 11th March 2020 and 16th March 2020, which had put a ban on flights from EU, UK, and Turkey, the Government of India has issued an additional travel advisory to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India has been prohibited with immediate effect. No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IS). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till 31st March 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently.

Earlier, India's biggest international flight carrier Air India decided to cancel all its flights to Kuwait till April 30 and curtail services to various other countries, including Spain, France and Sri Lanka. The move came a day after the national carrier announced a temporary suspension of its services to Rome, Milan and Seoul, amid the coronavirus pandemic which has triggered the imposition of travel restrictions by various countries across the globe. An airline official said all flights operating to and from Kuwait have been cancelled till April 30.

"The existing curtailment of services to Seoul (South Korea), Rome and Milan (Italy) too has been extended till April 30," he added. "In view of the prevailing fettle due to pandemic / COVID-19, the market planning has taken feedback from respective stations and based on their recommendations, some of the flights to various international destinations are being temporarily suspended while the frequency of other services are being reduced accordingly," the official said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 05:07:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NEW YORK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Andrew Cuomo, governor of the U.S. state of New York, on Tuesday called for national unity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Empire State has become the country's first state to have reported over 1,000 COVID-19 cases.

A total of 432 new cases have been confirmed overnight in the northeastern state, bringing the total number to 1,374, which is currently the highest state total in the country, said Cuomo at a press conference Tuesday morning.

"This is an extraordinary time in this nation's history. It will go down in the history books as one of those moments of true crisis, and confusion and chaos," said Cuomo.

"Everybody is afraid. Everybody is nervous. How you respond, how you act, this is a character test for all of us individually. It is a character test for us collectively as a society," he noted.

The governor said that federal resources are needed to counter the crisis, such as those of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the hospital capacity issue.

He warned the number of COVID-19 cases in the state might not peak for another 45 days, citing expert projections.

The state then will need some 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds when reaching the peak. But currently it has only 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds, he noted.

"The concept is right: Flatten the curve, slow the spread so the health care system can handle it," he said. "(But) I don't think of a curve. I think of a wave. And the wave is going to break, and the wave is going to break on the hospital system."

On Monday, the governor issued an executive order allowing the state to organize the National Guard to find existing facilities that can be converted to medical facilities, with the goal of creating an additional 9,000 beds.

Over 5,700 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States as of Tuesday afternoon local time, an increase of over 1,000 since Monday night.
The attack is the third targeting military bases hosting foreign forces in a week.

Two rockets have struck a training base south of Baghdad where US-led coalition troops and NATO trainers are present, Iraqs military has said.

The attack, the third targeting military bases hosting foreign forces in a week, targeted the Besmaya base south of Baghdad on Monday night, read the statement, making no mention of casualties.

Spanish forces linked to the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), as well as NATO training forces, are present in Besmaya.

Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iraq that the US would retaliate as necessary against any new assaults on Americans.

Since late October, there have been 24 rocket attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad or bases where foreign troops are deployed, killing three American military personnel, one British soldier and one Iraqi soldier.

No attacks have been claimed but Washington has blamed Kataeb Hezbollah, a hardline faction in the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces) state-sponsored military network.

Iraq has long feared it would get caught in the spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, its two main allies.





Tensions between the two countries 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.

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.
" " Wikimedia Commons ( CC BY-SA 2.5 Pisco, the ancient brandy of Peru and Chile, is in the midst of a modern-day renaissance.

The idea of sipping on an aged brandy typically stirs up images of a gentleman sitting by the fire after dinner, perhaps even smoking a pipe while wearing a tweed suit. But pisco (pronounced PEES-koh), a deeply historical and versatile South American brandy, is shaking things up in American cocktail bars  quickly earning a reputation as a hip ingredient in modern and traditional concoctions alike.

Its super-smooth, aromatic flavor gently balances its high alcohol content, making it suitable for sipping neat or as a base in mixing. But the bragging rights for pisco's origin aren't as clear as this brandy's almost transparent color. Turns out Peru and Chile both have a centuries-long, and highly disputed, history with pisco. First produced in the 16th century, it's made by fermenting wine from the super-sweet grapes grown on the coast of what are now Peru and Chile. But those borders weren't yet drawn when pisco was first created, so both countries claim pisco as their own invention  and their national drink.

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One thing they all agree on is their love for the pisco sour  a unique cocktail that packs in a little protein with its combination of simple syrup, lime juice, bitters, pisco, and frothed egg whites. Of course, they both stake their claim to its recipe, but Peru went the extra mile and named the first Saturday in February as International Pisco Sour Day.

What Does 'Pisco' Mean?

There are three theories as to the origin of the name. The word pisco is thought to derive from the Quechuan word pishku, meaning bird. It's no wonder the word was used so frequently: The Paracas National Reserve in Peru and the Chilean coast are both known as a bird watcher's paradise. Most historians say the (pishku) pisco name directly links to the Peruvian port town of Pisco, one of the first towns to be recorded on explorers' maps. Yet other historians point to the clay pots called "pishkus" that were used to store the brandy.

History aside, Peru and Chile each continue to produce their own versions of the popular spirit. The two varieties share the pisco name, but they're more like cousins than twin brothers. Each one maintains its individuality by following distinct distilling requirements and using different varieties of grapes  ultimately lending to small but notable differences in tastes.

But no matter who invented it or how it's distilled, pisco is clearly in the middle of a modern-day renaissance, giving Americans the pleasure of exploring this South American staple  no fireplace, pipe or tweed coat required.

Now That's Tasty Peru's drink menu would be incomplete without including Inca Cola, a neon yellow soda whose taste brings to mind a bubble gum-infused cream soda. The quirky drink is so popular its sales even outpace soft drink giant Coca-Cola in the Peruvian market.

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Originally Published: Mar 17, 2020
President Donald Trump's press secretary will work from home after a brush with a Brazilian official who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Stephanie Grisham, who is the communications adviser to both Trump and First Lady Melania, said on Monday that she was staying at home for a number of days 'out of an abundance of caution'.

'Better to be safe than sorry,' Grisham said.

She made the decision after having had contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarte, who later tested positive for the virus.

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President Donald Trump's press secretary, Stephanie Grisham (center) will work from home after a brush with a Brazilian official who tested positive for the coronavirus

She made the decision after having had contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarte, who later tested positive for the virus. Trump was photographed standing next to Bolsonaro's press aide, Wajngarten (far right) on March 7

Bolsonaro and his delegation had dinner with Trump and his team at the president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 7.

Trump was photographed standing next to Bolsonaro's press aide, Wajngarten.

The president was tested for the virus and his results returned negative on Friday. Vice President Mike Pence still has not been tested for the virus.

At least five others have tested positive for the virus following the lavish weekend at Trump's resort.

One of those individuals is Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster, who sat at Trump's table during the Saturday the dinner.

Bolsonaro's lawyer, Karina Kufa, and Senator Nelsinho Trad announced their positive test results on Twitter.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who was seen shaking hands with one of the Brazilian delegation members, also tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday.

A businessman who was on the trip and has tested positive asked that his identity not be revealed. He makes the sixth confirmed case.

Bolsonaro was tested but his results came back negative. But Health Minister Luis Enrique Mandetta recommended Bolsonaro undergo two additional tests and isolate himself for two weeks, in line with the ministry's own protocols, a spokesman said.

Numerous members of the Brazilian delegation are still awaiting test results, including Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo.

Trump was seen shaking hands with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago a little more than a week ago

Since then, at least five others have tested positive for the virus following the lavish weekend at Trump's resort. Bolsonaro's (center) test results came back negative and Florida Sen. Rick Scott (left) has self-quarantined

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (left, posing with Bolsonaro), who was seen shaking hands with one of the Brazilian delegation members, also tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday

The minister 'is at his home in Brasilia in isolation,' and his test results are expected Saturday, the foreign ministry said in an email.



Mar-a-Lago club was shutdown on Monday for a deep cleaning after three people who attended events at the Winter White House tested positive for the virus.

The weekend started a chain of events and resulted in several Trump allies self-quarantining after being at the club.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is being tested for the coronavirus after falling ill.

She was at the Saturday dinner and fundraisers at the posh beach club last weekend.

Senator Lindsey Graham also self-quarantined after being at Mar-a-Lago but announced this weekend he tested negative for the virus.

Ivanka also had a brush with the disease during at Mar-a-Lago. She and Attorney General Bill Barr posed for a photo with Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (right) before he tested positive for the virus

Those who attended the fundraisers were notified by email about the outbreak, one attendee told DailyMail.com, and the Trump campaign urged all those feeling ill to see a doctor.

Trump hosted fundraisers all weekend - Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Saturday night saw even more action - a working dinner with Bolsonaro and a birthday party for Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr, that several members of the first family attended.

And that wasn't the first family's only close encounter with the virus.

Ivanka Trump also had a brush with the disease during the same weekend at Mar-a-Lago.

She and Attorney General Bill Barr posed for a photograph with Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on March 5 - days before he tested positive for coronavirus.

They were there as part of a meeting between officials from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.

The next day, Ivanka attended the dinner at Mar-a-Lago with her father and Bolsonaro.

Ivanka stayed home from the White House last Friday but is showing no symptoms, does not need to self-quarantine and stayed home out of an abundance of caution, the White House said last week.

Additionally, Congressman Matt Gaetz was also at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night for the dinner and birthday party.

He flew back to Washington, DC, with the president on Air Force One on Monday.

Gaetz self quarantined after he discovered he had contact with the attendee at CPAC, the political conference that took place at the end of February. Gaetz's test came back negative.
(Updated 3/17/20 and 3/18/20 to include statements from Ubisoft and Bethesda on new work from home policies.)

The response to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has seen many typically on-location video game studios switch to instead support entirely work from home teams in an effort to prevent the virus spread.

More sizable studios -- Rockstar Games, CD Projekt Red, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Bethesda -- have now put policies in place to allow developers to continue their usual day-to-day office activities from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

The exact steps each team has to take to do so vary from studio to studio, but each of the recent four have released statements to announce the work from home transitions and talk a little about how those policies look for their teams.

At EA, staff in North America, Europe and Australia is strongly recommended to work from home until April 1 to help limit potential exposure to coronavirus and minimize the social spread of the illness.

Weve been planning for business continuity, ensuring that our people have the support and resources they need to work from home, reads EAs statement. Our IT and Security teams have scaled up our remote working systems, including deployment of VPN capacity upgrades, so that our studio and development work can be continued from home, in addition to standard business operations.

We will only have very limited staff for business-critical functions at these sites -- everyone else will be working remotely. Our senior leaders, site leaders and IT teams have been working together to help us prepare for this. Weve also taken steps to ensure that the vendors and contractors that provide services on-site at our facilities will continue to be paid, even if theyre not able to work from home in their roles.

CD Projekt Red has likewise spent the last few weeks working to set its developers up to work from home, and has this week fully switched to remote work for the foreseeable future.

Over the past week we have been adapting to the situation and gradually rolling out preventative measures across our entire organization, reads todays statement from CDPR. Weve also been upgrading equipment & infrastructure and working towards enabling our employees to work remotely, from the safety of their homes. Today, as a result of that preparation, CD Projekt Red switches to full remote work for as long as it is needed. We think this will grant every team member the highest level of personal health safety.

Similarly, Rockstar Games has rolled out remote work policies to its studios, and reaffirms in a statement that online features in its games will run as usual despite the multi-studio shift.

In the interest of reducing the possible impact of COVID-19, Rockstar Games has implemented work from home policies across our international offices and studios, reads part of Rockstars statement. After significant research and consultation with our teams around the world, we began rolling our remote work solutions worldwide across the past week, and we are confident we have a robust system in place for our teams to continue their work with a minimum of disruption.

Ubisoft's statement notes that developers in affected regions have switched over to work from home, and promises the shift won't affect its online games in any way.

As the situation around COVID-19 evolves, it is changing the daily lives of many of us in the Ubisoft community and the world at large," reads a portion of that full statement. "We are also adapting to new ways of working to ensure you can keep playing. The health and well-being of Ubisoft team members is our top priority and first responsibility. In recent weeks, we have been following official guidance and implementing work-from-home policies in all affected regions, and will continue to monitor and react to the situation. Wed like to thank our teams, who are doing their best to make sure that our online games, services and support continue functioning with minimal disruption, despite the challenging circumstances."

Bethesda has told its employees to work from home where possible, and will also continue to pay those who don't currently have the necessary facilities to work remotely.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the company reassured fans that its catalog of live titles, which includes Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls Online, will be unaffected by the change in working conditions.

"Bethesda Softworks is committed to the health and well-being of everyone in our family of global development studios and offices. Most of our employees around the globe now have the capability to work remotely from the safety of their homes," wrote the company. "Those who do not have accommodations to work from home can stay home and will be paid for regular work hours while we work to make telecommuting possible for them."

All of the above now join the ranks of studios like Nintendo and Bungie that have switched over to favor remote work to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees announced in a press release on Tuesday that it is organizing the distribution of ration and basic materials of daily needs for the needy members of all its affiliates.

The film industry worker union's statement which was Tweeted by film critic and analyst Taran Adarsh, declared that the distribution will go on for a whole week beginning from Sunday 22nd March 2020.

"We also appeal to all the producers, technicians and others film and television personalities to come forward and lend a hand in our fight against corona," the document said further.

The organization then went on to notify the beneficiaries that "the distribution will happen in Filmistan Studios Goregaon West on Sunday the 22.03.2020 from 11:00 AM onwards till 5:00 PM.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
B ritain was grounded today with the Government advising against all non-essential travel abroad as the global battle against coronavirus was ramped up.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced the drastic measure in the Commons this afternoon.

He told MPs: Based on the fast-changing international circumstances, today Im announcing changes to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice.

UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries.

The FCO will always consider the safety and security of British nationals.

So with immediate effect Ive taken the decision to advise British nationals against non-essential travel globally for an initial period of 30 days.

Passengers wear face masks at Heathrow airport / Getty Images

He also warned Britons abroad that they risked being stranded by restrictions in other countries.

The FCO is not currently advising British people to immediately return to the UK if they are overseas, except for a few countries detailed in travel advice.

However, British people should keep in mind that flights may be cancelled at short notice or other travel restrictions may be put in place by foreign governments, the FCO added.

Mr Raab emphasised that the Government was working to ensure that freight international links are kept open to ensure food and other supplies such as medicines.

The European Commission was planning to ban all non-essential travel throughout Europes Schengen free-travel zone which includes Germany, France, Denmark, the Baltic States, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden.

Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /45 Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures The Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate is almost empty in Berlin AP The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is deserted Getty Images Barcelona's cathedral, Spain AP Duomo Square in Milan, Italy, AP Colosseum in central Rome AFP via Getty Images The Autobahn 12 is completely empty shortly before the German-Polish border crossing near Frankfurt AP Closed shops following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium Reuters The Malagueta beach is cordoned off in Malaga, Spain AFP via Getty Images Vienna, Austria AP Deserted Hotel de Ville in Paris, France Getty Images The highway leading to Barcelona is seen empty of cars AP City of Gdansk in Poland is virtually deserted Reuters Ratusz Arsenal metro station visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters St. Peter's Square, Vatican in Rome, Italy Reuters The Royal palace in downtown Madrid, Spain AP The usually busy Larios street remains empty in Malaga AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty square in Naples, Italy during a lockdown across all of the country, imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus, in Naples, Italy Reuters Galleria Umberto in Naples, Italy Reuters A street is almost empty in downtown Naples AP An empty beach in Barcelona, Spain AP Homes and an empty street are seen under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Ronda, southern Spain Reuters Restaurants remain closed on a seaside promenade in Valencia in Spain AFP via Getty Images A deserted Westland shopping center in Brussels BELGA/AFP via Getty Images A view of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade in Milan, Italy AP An empty street in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Itlay Reuters An almost empty Roemerberg square, the main tourist spot in Frankfurt, Germany AP An empty Via Condotti street in Rome, Italy Reuters Piazza Trilussa in Rome, Italy Reuters The Louvre Museum Getty Images Musee du Louvre in Paris is closed to the public AFP via Getty Images The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: "In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes Reuters An empty Disneyland Paris PA Old Town area visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters Old Town area is visually deserted, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was due to ask EU leaders today to implement the measure as more countries, including France, shut their land borders. The less travel, the more we can contain the virus, she said.

Australia advised all its citizens abroad who want to return home to do so immediately because of disruption caused by the coronavirus.

As more countries close their borders or introduce travel restrictions, overseas travel is becoming more complex and difficult, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in updated guidance posted on its website on Tuesday.

You may not be able to return to Australia when you had planned to.

In Westminster, ministers are ready to order a harder London-specific clampdown soon on socialising to limit deaths from a looming surge in coronavirus cases.

Plans are being drawn up for regional responses to a spiralling Covid-19 epidemic which is already starting in the capital amid fears that hospitals will struggle to cope.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen / AFP via Getty Images

An urgent review of whether to close schools is being carried out. So far the advice has been to avoid such a move, but if it were to happen it is most likely to be imposed in London first.

Italian and French-style lockdowns have also not been ruled out but the Government has so far shied away from taking such draconian, economy-crippling steps.

The outbreak in the UK is now heavily concentrated in London. As of yesterday, 480 out of 1,543 confirmed cases were in the capital, with a further 173 in the South-East.

Englands deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam stressed every citizen in the UK should follow advice on social distancing and self-isolation, not only to protect themselves but to avoid other people being killed by Covid-19. After news footage last night of pub-goers saying they would ignore the guidance, Professor Van-Tam stressed: We are giving very strong advice to all citizens ... it applies to everybody.

He said the advisory restrictions  the most stringent in peacetime, modern day Britain  could go on for months, with warnings that it could be a year to 18 months before a vaccine is developed. Amid criticism that the Government has been too slow to act, he insisted it had taken the right step at the right time, but that now the number of cases was set to escalate rapidly.

Dominic Raab made the announcement in the Commons / Sky News

He added: We will take about one to two weeks to understand what these measures are doing, to begin to slow the rates of infections in the UK.

We will keep that under really close scrutiny and we have always said that we are prepared to do things harder, we are prepared to do more things if necessary to slow this epidemic down.

Boris Johnson ordered restrictions to be ramped up last night after scientists warned that a failure to do so could risk 250,000 deaths, with the NHS intensive care capacity being overwhelmed eight-fold. However, concerns still remain over how the NHS will cope even with these new measures.

Asked if Londons hospitals have enough ventilators to cope with expected surge in cases, Mayor Sadiq Khan said: The short answer is no, thats one of the reasons why the Government strategy was contain and delay to get us as near as possible to spring and summer to free up capacity in the NHS. He added advice on school closures could change.

Professor Van-Tam stressed that the advice for whole households to self-isolate even if only one person has Covid-19 symptoms, of a new, continuous cough or high temperature, was incredibly important to drive down the epidemics curve.
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. - Johnson County, Kansas confirmed Tuesday that they now have ten presumptive positive cases of COVID-19. The increase means two additional people were diagnosed since Monday's mid-morning announcement. On Monday officials asked bars, restaurants and more in the immediate metro are being asked to close, with some minor exceptions, for the next [...]
More than a decade before the coronavirus swept across the globe filling hospitals and roiling economies, the Pentagon quietly conducted an exercise to see how its secret bunker system built in case of nuclear war would stand up to a flu pandemic.

The 2006 exercise revealed just how hard it is to keep infected personnel out of a closed facility. It also underlined the limitations of massive Cold War-era bunker systems, especially for threats like a pandemic.

Built in the 1950s as an underground Pentagon where senior Defense Department officials and hundreds of their staffers could be moved quickly in the event of a nuclear war, Raven Rock has also served as an alternate defense headquarters in the face of what the government calls all hazards, a term that that has come to encompass a wide range of natural disasters, including pandemics.

The Pentagon. (Getty Images)

In 2006, as the H5N1 bird flu virus was spreading around the world, the Defense Department held an exercise that tested its ability to continue operations from Raven Rock in the event of a pandemic, according to retired Army Col. Daniel Roper, who commanded Raven Rock Mountain Complex, sometimes known as Site R, from 2005 to 2007.

Raven Rock is one of several Cold War-era bunkers built to ensure continuity of government operations in case of nuclear war  there are similar facilities for other parts of government, such as Mt. Weather in Virginia, for the executive branch. Over the years, these facilities have been incorporated into the Pentagons plans for how to respond to other threats.

But even by 2006, it was increasingly clear that the hardened, deeply buried bunker-type bases like Raven Rock were of diminishing value, according to Paul McHale, a senior Pentagon official from that time.

Any number of nation states have now developed capabilities that could potentially place in doubt the survivability of a hardened site, he said. That kind of facility was rapidly becoming an anachronism.

Story continues

In the case of a pandemic, a hardened site would not, at least in my judgment, have been the proper choice of a location to relocate key Pentagon personnel, said McHale. He added that his recommendation would be to move senior leaders and staff to a major military installation as far from the pandemic as possible, where they could be socially isolated.

In addition to distancing from the pandemic outbreak, a remote command-and-control site of that sort requires access to sufficient medical care and logistics support to sustain the newly arrived personnel indefinitely, and most especially secure and reliable communications capabilities that could be quickly established at that site, he said.

The 2006 exercise, which has not been previously reported, involved simulating a pandemic that would require moving personnel quickly into Raven Rock. It was a fairly significant exercise, Roper said, adding that the bird flu was probably the most emergent challenge during his time in command. At some point there was an understanding that OK, this is a potential hazard, so we cant wish it away, he said. Everybody was trying to figure out: How do we proactively prepare for it.

The exercise took place the same year that the Pentaton issued a formal plan for dealing with pandemic flu. Formally titled Department of Defense Implementation Plan for Pandemic Influenza, the 87-page document was issued by the office headed by McHale, who was the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense at the time. We looked at a number of potential pandemic events, McHale said. Obviously we would have paid close attention to continuity of operations [and] continuity of government in the context of a pandemic outbreak.

One of the major challenges of the mock pandemic exercise at Raven Rock was screening personnel quickly, while also ensuring no infected individuals enter a complex designed against nuclear attack, rather than mass illness. The place wasnt built for that, Roper said. Not to say it doesnt have the capability, but that probably was not envisioned when they started bending metal and breaking rock.

McHale said he did not recall the specific 2006 exercise at Raven Rock, but added that the ability to establish a prescreening entry point into a given remote command-and-control center would need to have a degree of flexibility  that would be hard to put in place at a fixed and hardened site.

After taking advice from a variety of experts and developing a set of procedures, the Raven Rock team screened a group of newly arrived personnel who were not routinely stationed at Raven Rock, to simulate what would have to be done amidst a crisis. It was a dress rehearsal for what could be something larger, Roper said.

But unlike the threat of nuclear attack, in which the key is to move people as quickly as possible into a bunker complex where they are considered relatively safe, in the case of a pandemic, it is essential to ensure the people entering the complex are not already infected. The challenge is: How do you make it so the firemen arent burning your house down, said Roper.

Unlike other parts of the government, the key Pentagon personnel who are supposed to move to Raven Rock cant do their work from home if they feel sick. They also cant necessarily be trusted to inform their chains of command that they feel ill. They want to do their jobs when the nation needs it the most, Roper said. People are just going to say, To hell with it, Ive never missed a day of work.

But screening personnel entering the facility also presents complications, especially when the test results arent immediately available, according to Roper. For the results of that to be valid, they essentially need to be quarantined from that point forward, he said. Its not like youve just been vaccinated.

Keeping them isolated isnt easy: Raven Rock is 62 miles from the Washington area, and Pentagon personnel who are tested cant return home while awaiting results, nor can they enter Raven Rock, or even be allowed to mingle with others who will enter the facility because they could infect others.

Therein lies the dilemma: In a crisis you want to move people quickly, but the faster the Defense Department tries to move personnel into Raven Rock or any similar facility, the more trade-offs have to be made between speed and the risks of the virus getting into Raven Rock or similar facilities, according to Roper. You may be contaminating your own well, so to speak, he said.

During the 2006 exercise, no sick individuals made it into the bunker complex, but in real life things might not work as efficiently, according to Roper. The facilitys personnel need to be on their guard because no test is a hundred percent foolproof, he cautioned.

Roper declined to speak in detail about Raven Rocks medical facilities and whether they are equipped to handle a coronavirus outbreak. Any place thats got medical facilities probably isnt ideally configured to deal with this, he said. They were built for different purposes.

Making the screening, testing and entry process run anything close to smoothly will require a lot of trained personnel, and people with the right skills are likely to be in short supply. according to Roper. All things being equal, youd love to have an epidemiologist standing there, he said. But guess what, were probably going to run out of those guys pretty soon.

Another challenge the Defense Department faces during a pandemic is deciding whether and when to start moving people to Raven Rock and other continuity-of-government sites. Unlike a military crisis, it may not be clear what should trigger that decision during the gradual spread of a disease, according to Roper.

A pandemic is more complex, he said, because no such explicit event has occurred. There werent two ships colliding in the South China Sea or it wasnt an aircraft accident, he added. It becomes deliberate decision making on when we need to up our game.

There is no break point that is objectively defined by the pandemic outbreak, McHale agreed. Its really an informed judgment call on the part of the secretary of defense.

Even if the Pentagon is fully functional at a given point during the pandemic, prudent planning would require an assessment of whether or not the arc of the threat produced doubt as to the functionality of the department two, three or four weeks into the future, he said. That analysis would have to consider whether critical capabilities would be degraded by either the illness of the workforce or the likelihood that a limited number of personnel within the workforce might continue to spread the disease through and among the senior leaders.

At midnight on Sunday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper raised the health protection condition level at the Pentagon to bravo, which signifies increased community transition. It is not clear whether any particular level would trigger an exodus of senior leaders and staff to Raven Rock or elsewhere. A Defense Department spokesperson did not respond to multiple emails seeking comment.

To date, the Defense Department has not commented publicly on any relocations plans, but in a press briefing Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said that Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Deputy Secretary David Norquist would, effective immediately, be physically separated" from each other. "We are attempting to put ... a bubble around the two of them, Hoffman said. They and their staffs will only interact via teleconference. Were screening people that are entering the secretarys suite and limiting the number of people who have access as well.

The 2006 bird flu virus killed untold thousands of birds but only a few hundred people because it was not very contagious between humans. By contrast, the coronavirus had already killed more than 6,700 people by Monday.

At the time of the Raven Rock exercise, the bird flu virus wasnt fully understood, Roper said. However, he added, with reference to the coronavirus threat, I think it was understood better than what were looking at right now.

The question now  14 years after that exercise  is whether the Pentagon has been properly preparing for the type of pandemic occurring now.

Im confident there are plans in place, Roper said, based on his experience at Raven Rock. Im less confident that the plans can be exercised on a moments notice effectively.

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A team of medical research and bioethics experts at Oxford University are supporting European governments to explore the feasibility of rapidly and widely deploying a coronavirus mobile app for instant contact tracing.

Oxford, UK A team of medical research and bioethics experts at Oxford University are supporting several European governments to explore the feasibility of a coronavirus mobile app for instant contact tracing. If rapidly and widely deployed, the infectious disease experts believe such an app could significantly help to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The Oxford University team has provided European governments, including the UK, with evidence to support the feasibility of developing a contact tracing mobile app that is instant, could be widely deployed, and should be implemented with appropriate ethical considerations. The Oxford University team recommends that the mobile application should form part of an integrated coronavirus control strategy that identifies infected people and their recent contacts using digital technology.

Professor Christophe Fraser from Oxford University's Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, explains why a contact tracing app could be deployed with urgency: "Coronavirus is unlike previous epidemics and requires multiple inter-dependent containment strategies. Our analysis suggests that almost half of coronavirus transmissions occur in the very early phase of infection, before symptoms appear, so we need a fast and effective mobile app for alerting people who have been exposed. Our mathematical modeling suggests that traditional public health contact tracing methods are too slow to keep up with this virus."

Professor Fraser continues, "The instant mobile app concept is very simple. If you are diagnosed with coronavirus, the people you've recently come into contact with will be messaged advising them to isolate. If this mobile app is developed and deployed rapidly, and enough people opt-in to use such an approach, we can slow the spread of coronavirus and mitigate against devastating human, economic and social impacts."

Dr David Bonsall researcher at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine and clinician at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, "Our findings confirm that not everybody has to use the mobile app for it to work. If with the help of the app the majority of individuals self-isolate on showing symptoms, and the majority of their contacts can be traced, we stand a chance of stopping the epidemic. To work, this approach needs to be integrated into a national programme, not taken on by independent app developers. If we can securely deploy this technology, the more people that opt-in, the faster the epidemic will stop, and the more lives can be saved."

Dr Bonsall explains why the current contact tracing strategy is no longer viable, "At the current stage of the epidemic, contact tracing can no longer be performed effectively by public health officials in the UK, and many countries across Europe, as coronavirus is spreading too rapidly. Our research of early data from other countries shows that patient histories are incomplete - we don't know the details of the person we sat next to on the bus. We need an instantaneous and anonymous digital solution to confirm our person-to-person contact history."

Professor Fraser highlights the urgency, "There are currently more daily cases in many small European countries than the whole of China. Our team is now preparing simulations for this mobile contact-tracing approach that could stop the epidemic with far less disruption than national or Europe-wide isolation. Our hope is to support communities with life-saving information as the pandemic worsens, or alternatively it could be used to release communities from large-scale isolation."

Professor Fraser's team at Oxford University's Big Data Institute are continuing to simulate performance of the application so it could be adjusted to include mobile app guided coronavirus testing, and provide targeted responses in areas with particularly high rates of transmission.

Professor Michael Parker, Director of the Wellcome Centre for Ethics & Humanities and Ethox Centre, in Oxford's Nuffield Department of Population Health adds his recommendations on ethics, "The use of any coronavirus mobile application requires high ethical standards throughout the intervention, including: guaranteeing equal access and treatment; addressing privacy and data usage concerns; adopting a transparent and auditable algorithm; considering digital deployment strategies to support specific groups, such as health care workers, the elderly and the young; and, proceeding on the basis of individual consent."

The Oxford University team suggest the mobile app should be combined with social distancing measures to reduce close contacts. Dr Bonsall recommends, "We need a variety of measures to slow the spread of infection before vaccines and antiviral treatments become available. A significant number of infections are being transmitted before symptoms start, so we need a fast and efficient system for alerting people when they have been exposed. Regular handwashing and hygiene remain important; in addition, people should follow any recommendations to reduce close contact with others, especially in densely populated areas. Combining these measures will help to reduce onward transmissions, which in epidemiological terms, reduces the reproductive number R; the average number of transmissions from infected individuals. If a country reduces R to less than one, the epidemic will decline and eventually stop."

Professor Fraser concludes, "Current strategies are not working fast enough to intercept transmission of coronavirus. To effectively tackle this pandemic we need to harness 21st century technology. Our research makes the case for a mobile application that accelerates our ability to trace infected people and provides vital information that keeps communities safe from this pandemic."

Visit: http://www.coronavirus-fraser-group.org for the science behind this work.

###

Policy paper: Quantifying dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 transmission suggests that epidemic control and avoidance is feasible through instantaneous digital contact tracing. Available on GitHub. Please check the page regularly for updated versions. This is unpublished work - under review.

Scientific paper: Sustainable containment of COVID-19 using smartphones in China: Scientific and ethical underpinnings for implementation of similar approaches in other settings. Available on GitHub. Please check the page regularly for updated versions. This is unpublished work - under review.

Quantifying the importance and timing of different routes of SARS-COV-2 transmission - an interactive web interface for our analyses.

For interviews or quotes, contact Andrea Stewart, Communications Lead - UK time zone. WhatsApp +44 7528 132 489 (preferred) email: andrea.stewart@bdi.ox.ac.uk Oxford University, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, Fraser Group.

Available for interview: Professor Christophe Fraser, Senior Group Leader in Pathogen Dynamics in the Nuffield Department of Medicine's Big Data Institute. Prof. Fraser worked on previous epidemics including SARS, Ebola, H1N1 flu and HIV. Prof Fraser is a mathematical modeller leading a multidisciplinary team that develops innovative approaches to epidemic control.

Dr David Bonsall is a researcher at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine, Medawar Building & Big Data Institute, and a clinician at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital.

Prof Michael Parker, Director of the Wellcome Centre for Ethics & Humanities and Ethox Centre, in Oxford's Nuffield Department of Population Health
Lynnette Fuentes had already begun questioning whether public education was the best option for her children, when a major earthquake struck Puerto Rico, causing widespread damage and sending the school system into turmoil.

Though hundreds of quakes have rocked the Caribbean island since December, the January temblor was severe enough to prompt Education Secretary Eligio Hernandez Perez to close all of the US territorys schools until they could be inspected for safety.

Suddenly, like thousands of other parents in Puerto Rico, Lynette was faced with a major decision.

With schools predicted to remain closed for at least several weeks, Lynette said, I didnt want my kids to fall behind.

So she decided to homeschool.

Time of Crisis

Lynettes dilemma presaged what parents around the globe are now grappling with due to the new coronavirus. In either case, unforeseen crises have forced more moms and dads to shoulder the full responsibility of keeping their children engaged and learningat home, without the aid of onsite instructors and administrators.

Home School Legal Defense Association has monitored the situation and taken action to meet the needs of these parents.

Early this year, for example, we noticed a spike in visitors to our Puerto Rico webpage. A surge in inquiries from island families confirmed that interest in homeschooling was increasing, so HSLDA President Mike Smith sent an email clarifying homeschool law and offering help to parents who encounter difficulties while establishing a home education program.

Hundreds of Calls

Nydia Villanueva, who leads a homeschool group of about 26 families, said Smiths message made a major difference. She explained that in the weeks following the big earthquake, she received hundreds of phone calls from concerned parents who wanted to know more about homeschooling.

They asked where to find books and curriculum and how to comply with a panoply of requirements that school officials said parents had to fulfill before homeschooling legally.

School officials in Puerto Rico have been making it difficult for some to meet the withdrawal requirement by making families attend orientations, requiring them to make appointments with social workers and district officials, and show proof of curriculum before giving them their withdrawal letter, Nydia told HSLDA Bilingual Consultant Marialena Zachariah. At times, officials have even implied that failure to do all this could lead to an accusation of child neglect.

She added: The HSLDA notification from President Smith was like a balm on the wounds of these families facing so much opposition. Families have been printing out Mr. Smiths statement to take with them to the public school when they request withdrawal.

Facing Inquiries

HSLDA has also provided legal advocacy for parents such as Lynette.

Her situation was complicated by the fact that, though she is determined to homeschool, she wanted to continue special needs services for her son in 2nd gradewhich is her legal right.

This has been very challenging, she said.

When she submitted her notice withdrawing her children from their public school and establishing a private school in her home, officials responded with a barrage of questions.

They asked what kinds of qualifications I have to be a teacher, what kind of curriculum Im using, Lynette recalled. She was told she needed an evaluation and orientation and that her kids needed to take end-of-year tests.

None of these demands, however, comply with Puerto Rico law.

No Going Back

Despite these bureaucratic obstacles, Lynette said her experience so far has convinced her that homeschooling is the right choice for her children.

Her daughter, who had failed to find public school kindergarten challenging, is now thriving.

Im teaching her at her own pace, said Lynette.

Her son has also shown improvement.

Hes doing great, she added.

And with homeschool support groups available, as well as HSLDAs advocacy, I feel at peace now, Lynette insisted. I feel like Im not facing this alone.

Providing Sanctuary

According to Nydia, Lynettes sentiments are not unique.

Even though three-quarters of Puerto Ricos public schools have been declared as safe to reopen, it seems many parents have decided to continue homeschooling.

About seven families are in the process of joining our group, Nydia said. And shes urging many other families to stay connected and consider joining when the new school year begins at the end of summer.

Meanwhile, Nydia continues to reflect on her own homeschool journey, which also started in part as a means of helping her son cope with his special needs.

The process has included many struggles to procure services. But ultimately, she knows thatas so many parents around the globe have been recently remindedat home she is best equipped to provide for one particular, fundamental need. She can keep her son safe.
The Prime Minister may never again face such sobering reading.

On Monday, it was revealed that a recent scientific report on the coronavirus crisis forced the Government to U-turn dramatically in its advice to the country on how to prevent the spread of this new and deadly disease.

Researchers from Imperial College London crunched the chilling data that is rapidly emerging about the lethality of the virus.

Their findings will now drastically constrain the liberties of everyone in Britain for much of the next 18 months.

A scientific report on the coronavirus crisis forced the Government to U-turn dramatically in its advice to the country on how to prevent the spread. Pictured: Medical staff collect a patient from an ambulance in Italy

The report, titled 'Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce Covid-19 mortality and healthcare demand', made Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his advisers change their strategy

In the paper, titled 'Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce Covid-19 mortality and healthcare demand', the experts used complex mathematical models to show that the Government's initial 'mitigation' strategy, announced last week, would have precipitated the deaths of more than 250,000 people in the UK.

The NHS's critical-care units would have become overwhelmed. That, needless to say, could not be allowed to happen.

Therefore, the team, led by Professor Neil Ferguson, outlined the draconian strategy of social 'suppression' that the Prime Minister this week begged everyone in Britain to heed  with the entire population 'socially distancing' and families with an infected member quarantined.

Ministers now hope this strategy will cut the coronavirus death toll to as little as 20,000 over the next two years. Doing so would be a remarkable achievement. But the researchers admit there are no guarantees. Here, we reveal the stark reality.

HOW BAD IS IT?

Professor Ferguson is a world expert in using cutting-edge computer modelling to predict how disease epidemics spread through populations.

His calculations combine what is known about the new coronavirus with what we have learnt from previous pandemics including Sars, Ebola and the Spanish flu of 1918-1919 which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

The report says that the public health threat represented by Covid-19 is 'the most serious seen in a respiratory virus' since that pandemic a century ago.

The findings will now constrain the liberties of everyone in Britain for much of the next 18 months. (Stock image)

DO NOTHING?

The Imperial College calculations show that if coronavirus were allowed to run its horrifying course in Britain unchecked, the results would be apocalyptic.

Deaths would peak in the third week of June, with more than 20 people out of every 100,000 in Britain succumbing to the virus  almost 13,300 every day.

Ultimately, more than 80 per cent of us might be infected.

Critical-care beds would be filled completely by mid-April, with an eventual peak in demand 30 times bigger than the health service's maximum capacity.

America, the report adds, would see 2.2 million deaths.

The authors point out that this would only be part of the toll: many more would die of other illnesses because hospitals would be overwhelmed.

Thankfully, however, nobody is recommending this approach.

NOT ENOUGH?

The paper suggests that stopping mass events is predicted to have relatively little impact. (Stock image)

The Prime Minister's original strategy against coronavirus was relatively limited, including asking people who had contracted the virus to self-isolate at home.

Just four days later, he was asking us to put our lives on hold, possibly for months or longer.

That first 'mitigation' strategy was based on the hope that the virus might progress at a predictable speed.

Since the vast majority of people recover from coronavirus with no lasting harm, thereby acquiring immunity (at least for a time), the theory was that so-called herd immunity would kick in and the epidemic would die out.

However, the computer simulation from the Imperial College team showed that mitigation would let the epidemic run like wildfire, causing an emergency surge in demand that would be at least eight times larger than the health service's ability to cope.

Even if all those emergency patients could be treated, the report grimly predicts that about a quarter of a million Britons would die under this approach.

SUPPRESSION KEY

With doing nothing and mitigating both predicted to lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths, the report stresses that 'epidemic suppression is the only viable strategy'.

This aims to reduce cases to low levels, making sure that the average person infects less than one person.

To achieve this, the entire population of Britain must be instructed to distance themselves from others as far as possible, at work and at leisure.

That is why everyone is now being told to avoid socialising, travelling or going out.

Anyone who shows symptoms of coronavirus infection must be isolated at home, and their whole household quarantined.

Without a vaccine, it seems there is currently no alternative.

The findings show that each person passes the virus on to an average of 2.5 others, and the number of infected people doubles every five days. (Stock image)

VIRUS REBOUND

These rules may be relaxed after five months or so, predict the authors, if the measures cause infection levels to drop.

However, the restrictions will need to be re-imposed, perhaps repeatedly, when the virus inevitably returns.

This yo-yo process could continue for around 18 months until  it is hoped  an effective vaccine might be produced.

WHERE YOU GET IT

The report estimates about a third of transmissions happen in the household, a third in schools and workplaces, and the rest in the wider community.

The experts believe that people who catch coronavirus typically incubate the illness for five days before displaying symptoms.

They become contagious on average about 12 hours before their symptoms first appear.

Each person passes the virus on to an average of 2.5 others, and the number of infected people doubles every five days.

About half of those infected show no symptoms, or ones so mild they're not identified as coronavirus cases. Those who do exhibit symptoms are twice as contagious as those who don't.

Happily, those who recover are currently thought to be immune to re-infection by coronavirus, at least in the short term.

DEATH RISK

Just under 1 per cent of people who contract coronavirus are expected to die. Around 4.5 per cent of those infected will need to be hospitalised. A third of those people hospitalised will need critical care. Half of those critical-care patients won't survive.

AGE PERIL

It is more helpful (though more sobering) to look at how different ages respond to the disease.

The older you are, the more likely you are to have serious complications from the virus.

The death rate for people:

In their 20s is 0.03 per cent

In their 30s is 0.08 per cent

In their 40s is 0.15 per cent

In their 50s is 0.60 per cent

In their 60s is 2.2 per cent

In their 70s is 5.1 per cent

80-plus is 9.3 per cent

CLOSE SCHOOLS?

Experts acknowledge that the most effective way to cut transmission would be to close schools and universities in addition to the other proposed strategies.

However, they acknowledge this would present a serious difficulty. Vast numbers of health service staff have children at school, so they would have to take time off work to care for them.

That could push the NHS beyond breaking point.

GIGS AND SPORT

Mass events have been put on hold or cancelled. But the report suggests this might not be necessary. 'Stopping mass gatherings is predicted to have relatively little impact,' it says.

This is because people spend less time in contact with others at such events compared with at work or in bars or restaurants.

WE DON'T KNOW...

For all the expertise and computer modelling involved, the authors admit that their report remains only a best guess.

'Given that this coronavirus is a newly emergent virus, much remains to be understood about its transmission,' they say.

Predicting epidemics will always involve many unknowns: for example, the virus could eventually mutate and become more or less infectious.

Moreover, people can behave in unpredictable ways.

Chillingly, the report says: 'It is not at all certain that suppression will succeed long term. No public health intervention with such disruptive effects on society has been previously attempted for such a long duration of time.'

For now, however, it seems we must seek to do everything we can to suppress this virus, thanks to the report's essential findings.
New York, March 18 : A top Indian American official, Seema Verma, is leading a push for a path-breaking telemedicine initiative using laptops and phones and apps like Skype to ease the burden of growing novel coronavirus cases and the threat of infections.

The telemedicine initiative covering 62 million seniors is a "swift and bold action" for them to get help without having to go to their doctor and expose themselves to the coronavirus, said Verma, who is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on Tuesday at a briefing with US President Donald Trump.

Also, "clinicians on the frontlines will now have greater flexibility to safely treat our beneficiaries," she said.

Officials around the country are discouraging people, especially the elderly, from travelling even within cities because of threats of exposure to the virus. The Silcon Valley is under a semi-lockdown, which New York is considering for the city.

Under the telehealth programme she unveiled, patients can consult their doctors or other medical professionals in real-time using devices like computers, laptops, pads, smartphones and phones and apps like Skype for routine consultations on, for example, diabetes or to determine if their health condition requires them to be tested for COVID-19, she said.

"It helps us prevent the spread of the virus," Verma said.

She asked relatives or neighbours of patients to help them with telehealth communications if they cannot themselves use it or don't have the equipment.

"If it's your mom, you may need to go over to her house to help her," she said.

The programme she unveiled expands a very limited telemedicine programme that was being tried.

Verma heads the federal government's two separate insurance programmes, the paid Medicare programme for seniors covering 62 million people, and the free Medicare for the poor with 71 million.

As a member of the Coronavirus Task Force headed by US Vice President Mike Pence, she appears alongside Trump in the nationally televised daily briefings on the coronavirus pandemic.

She is one of the most influential officials in Trump's administration overseeing healthcare for 133 million people, about 40 per cent of the US population.

Verma had worked closely with Pence when he was Governor of Indiana state on reshaping healthcare.

Before joining the administration she has headed a healthcare company, SVC Inc., that provided consultancy to state government.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
I recently bathed in dark beautiful beers made in Co Kerry visiting my in-laws on Irelands wild west coast. If youre heading Dingle way, dive into the Coffee Stout at Dick Macks pub, sip the West Kerry Brewerys Carraig Dubh porter, or stop by Foxy Johns hardware store and pub for a pint of Guinness. But over here, dark brews are running just as deep.

Not all dark beers are boozy. Boxcar makes a brilliant Dark Mild (3.6%), or for a drop thats as booze-free as a pixies giggle, try Harviestouns Wheesht Alcohol Free Dark Ale (0.0%). But the more the booze, the bigger the flavour and a little of the big stuff goes a long way. I love Imperial Stout, and Moor Beer is becoming unbeatable by brewing ever finer work under the banner of unfiltered, unfined, unpasteurised. Or just book a trip for the best dark beers of all.
A Ford assembly line.

AP

The UAW asked the Detroit automakers to shut down manufacturing plants for two weeks, as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in the US worsens.

UAW president Rory Gamble informed the union's membership in a letter.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ford announced that it was shutting down production in Europe.

A coronavirus task force was formed on Sunday, led by Gamble, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Jim Hackett, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Mike Manley.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories

The United Auto Workers union is asking General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to shut down their manufacturing facilities for two weeks as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak worsens in the US.

"The UAW leadership, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations on how to protect ourselves and our communities, requested a two-week shutdown of operations to safeguard our members, our families and our communities," UAW president Rory Gamble wrote in a letter to members, shared with Business Insider.

"Your UAW leadership feels very strongly, and argued very strongly, that this is the most responsible course of action," Gamble added. "The companies, however, were not willing to implement this request. They asked for 48 hours to put together plans to safeguard workers in their facilities."

Gamble wrote that the discussion among members of a task force assembled to deal with the coronavirus threat  including the UAW and the Big Three CEOs  took place on Sunday, so the 48 deadline expires at 6pm Tuesday. The task force, he said, would meet then to decide on a course of action.

"These companies will be put on notice that the UAW will use any and all measures to protect our brothers and sisters who are working in their facilities," he wrote.

"And make no mistake, we have powerful allies who have stepped up to help us," he added, naming Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and US Representative Debbie Dingell.

Story continues

Work stoppages and some positive coronavirus cases

Ford CEO Jim Hackett.

Carlos Osorio / Associated Press

FCA has already dealt with a work stoppage at a factory in Canada and a single coronavirus case at a transmission plant in Indiana that wasn't shut down.

In a statement to Business Insider, the carmaker said, "FCA has already implemented extensive protocols to ensure the health and welfare of our workforce."

The company added: "We are continuing to carefully monitor the situation and are making improvements as needed. As a member of the joint UAW-GM-Ford-FCA COVID-19 Coronavirus Task Force, we appreciate the opportunity to share best practices across the industry."

General Motors, which announced that an employee at its Warren Technical Center had tested positive for coronavirus, indicated that it would be able to provide information after the task force meeting. Ford didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ford announced that it was shutting down factories in in Germany and Romania, following a shutdown in Spain after three cases were detected there.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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.




The decision has been taken in light of the recent developments relating to Yes Bank Limited, in particular the Gazette notification dated 13 March, 2020,

New Delhi: Crisis-hit Yes Bank will get excluded from all indices of the leading stock exchange BSE with effect from 20 March, the entity handling these indices said on Monday.

In a circular sent to all its members, the BSE said the BSE S&P Index Committee has decided to remove Yes Bank from all the S&P BSE indices with effect from this Friday, 20 March.

The decision has been taken in light of the recent developments relating to Yes Bank Limited, in particular the Gazette notification dated 13 March, 2020, on 'Yes Bank Limited Reconstruction Scheme, 2020' and the potential impact on the ability of market participants to fully replicate S&P BSE Indices, it added.

"Effective at the open of Friday, 20 March, 2020, Yes Bank Limited will be removed from all S&P BSE indices," it said.

These indices include S&P BSE AllCap, S&P BSE LargeCap, S&P BSE LargeMidCap, S&P BSE Finance, S&P BSE BANKEX, S&P BSE CARBONEX and S&P BSE Private Banks Index (INR).

These indices also include S&P BSE Enhanced Value Index, S&P BSE Dividend Stability Index, S&P BSE Diversified Financials Revenue Growth Index (INR), S&P BSE 100 ESG Index (INR), S&P BSE 500, S&P BSE 200, S&P BSE 100, S&P BSE SENSEX Next 50, S&P BSE 100 LargeCap TMC (INR), S&P BSE 250 LargeMidCap Index (INR) and E&P BSE SENSEX Next 50 TMC (INR).

The NSE has also announced that Yes Bank will be excluded from all its indices.
Bosnia declared a nationwide state of disaster over the coronavirus on Tuesday, allowing the army to set up quarantine camps as health authorities fear a possible "explosion" of new cases.

Bosnia has detected around 30 infections in its population of around 3.5 million so far.

But the poor and politically fractured country is ill-equipped to handle a major health crisis if the virus spreads.

"We find ourselves at the beginning of the battle against the threat that a coronavirus epidemic poses to our health and economy," Bosnian Prime Minister Zoran Tegeltija told reporters.

Soldiers will be deployed to set up camps near border crossings and airports to isolate everyone who enters the country for two weeks, he said.

Authorities have already closed Bosnia's borders to foreigners coming from hard-hit zones like Italy, Spain, France and Belgium.

All Bosnians entering the country are required to self-isolate.

Meanwhile, the head of one of Sarajevo's two hospitals, Zlatko Kravic, told AFP that Bosnia could expect an "explosion" of infections.

"We have...taken all anti-epidemic measures to try to prevent this explosion," he said.

But "this disease is explosive, it is very difficult to control".

The two hospitals in Bosnia's capital have some 70 respirators, he said.

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News surrounding the impact of coronavirus on communities across Massachusetts is changing on a daily - and often hourly - basis.

MassLive is committed to providing the latest news as it happens, with our team of dedicated journalists working virtually around the clock, seven days a week, to keep everyone informed on the latest COVID-19 stories.

Sign up for our text alert service through Subtext, which already has over 14,000 subscribers.

In addition to receiving text alerts from the service, readers can send questions directly to our newsroom. Well do our best to answer questions as they come up.

Readers can also sign up for our free daily Latest Headlines newsletter and follow the latest news on COVID-19 at our dedicated news page.

These is a stressful time for everyone, but we hope that timely, accurate and reliable information from our journalists - who are talking to health experts, government officials and community leaders on a daily basis - will help provide a source of calm and direction.

Our mission is to fully inform you about the spread of the virus across the state and nationally, including the latest cancellations and up-to-date advice - everything you need to know to make informed decisions as you go about your daily life.
Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES) today announced a revised $2.2 billion capital and exploratory budget for 2020, an $800 million reduction from the previous budget of $3.0 billion. The company also announced a new $1.0 billion three year term loan agreement. These actions further strengthen the company's cash position and financial liquidity in response to the sharp decline in oil prices.

"With 80% of our oil production hedged in 2020, our significantly reduced capital and exploratory budget and our new three year loan agreement, our company is well positioned for this low price environment," CEO John Hess said. "Our focus is on preserving cash and protecting our world class investment opportunity in Guyana."

The reductions to the company's 2020 capital budget will be primarily achieved by shifting from a six rig program to one rig in the Bakken, which is expected to be completed by the end of May. Most discretionary exploration and offshore drilling activities, excluding Guyana, will also be deferred.

On March 16, 2020, the company entered into a $1.0 billion three year term loan agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. The term loan contains provisions that require the company to reduce JPMorgan's initial funded amount, which the company intends to do by syndicating the loan to other banks.

In 2020, approximately 80% of the company's oil production is hedged by put options, with 130,000 barrels a day at $55 per barrel West Texas Intermediate put options and 20,000 barrels a day at $60 per barrel Brent put options. In addition, the company entered 2020 with more than $1.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet and has a $3.5 billion undrawn revolving credit facility and no material debt maturities until 2027.

Net production for 2020 is now forecast to average between 325,000 and 330,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, excluding Libya, versus previous guidance of between 330,000 and 335,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The company's Bakken net production is forecast to average approximately 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, versus previous guidance of approximately 180,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Hess Corporation is a leading global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. More information on Hess Corporation is available at http://www.hess.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "could," "may," "should," "would," "believe," "intend," "project," "plan," "predict," "will," "target" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which are not historical in nature. Our forward-looking statements may include, without limitation: our projected budget and capital and exploratory expenditures; our plan to syndicate the loan; our business strategy; our future financial and operational results; and future economic and market conditions in the oil and gas industry. Forward-looking statements are based on our current understanding, assessments, estimates and projections of relevant factors and reasonable assumptions about the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our current projections or expectations of future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including: fluctuations in market prices of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas and competition in the oil and gas exploration and production industry; our ability to fully syndicate the loan; potential disruption or interruption of our operations due to catastrophic and other events; reduced demand for our products, including as a result of outbreaks of infectious diseases; the ability of our contractual counterparties to satisfy their obligations to us; any limitations on our access to capital or increase in our cost of capital, including as a result of weakness in the oil and gas industry or negative outcomes within commodity and financial markets; and other factors described in Item 1A-Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and any additional risks described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Hess Corporation undertakes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this news release. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005401/en/

Contacts:

For Hess Corporation

Investors:

Jay Wilson

(212) 536-8940

jrwilson@hess.com

Media:

Lorrie Hecker

(212) 536-8250

lhecker@hess.com
Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin arrive for the funeral of his aunt, Ann Moore

MMA star Conor McGregor was one of the mourners at the funeral of his aunt who died suddenly last week.

Ann Moore, a sister of his mother Margaret, and a mother of three, died suddenly at her home in Fettercairn in Tallaght last Tuesday.

Her funeral took place in the Church of the Incarnation, Fettercairn, yesterday morning.

Due to restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, there were few mourners, mainly close relatives and family.

Absence

A message on the death notice said if anyone could not attend their absence would be fully understood.

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Information was also given about the HSE recommendations that no more than 100 people attend indoor events.

Ms Moore's coffin was brought from her home to the church by hearse with family members walking behind.

Conor McGregor arrived in a dark suit with his partner, Dee Devlin, and joined the mourners inside the church.

In recent days he wrote of his shock at his aunt's death, and paid tribute to her.

In a lengthy Instagram post, McGregor (31) revealed that he was due to give a live broadcast to an American television network when he got the news of his aunt's death.

It is not clear how Ms Moore, whom he described as "lovely" and "friendly", died but her funeral notice described her passing as "sudden".

McGregor wrote alongside a number of pictures with his daughter Croia and other family snaps: "These photos are from the other day at a studio in Dublin's City centre.

"I was to announce to the world my @properwhiskey donation to @Tunnel2Towers. I get a phone call telling me that my lovely little auntie Ann had passed away. I couldn't go live anymore," he added.

"My poor little friendly loving auntie. My mother's sister," he said.

The MMA fighter then expressed his anger at the Covid-19 virus. It is not known if the virus played a role in Ms Moore's death. "This stupid f***ing virus. What the f*** is happening," he said.

McGregor subsequently clarified that his aunt had not died due to a Covid-19 infection, saying: "I am grateful for the kind wishes and sympathy for my Auntie's passing.

"I want to clear up that it has been confirmed she was not a victim of coronavirus.

"As we prepare for her funeral I know that many of us will confront the virus in the weeks ahead.

"As I gather with my family I ask you all to make an extra effort to be there for friends and family during the stressful days ahead."

After the funeral Mass, the remains were brought to Newlands Cross crematorium.

When the cremation ceremony was over, a flock of doves were released into the sky and the children released pink balloons.
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.
BAD AXE  The City of Bad Axe has announced that until April 6, the following protocols will be observed at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The Bad Axe City Hall and Police Department will be closed to walk-in traffic during that time and all public meetings, including the Bad Axe City Council, will be postponed.
The United States could pump $800 billion or more into the economy to minimize damage from the coronavirus outbreak if Congress passes a payroll tax holiday through year end, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Monday.

"We have an enormous fiscal plan. It's at least $800 billion and maybe more," Kudlow told reporters, totaling up actions already taken and tacking on Trump's hoped-for tax relief.

"We have roughly $400 billion in ... fiscal assistance" already in the pipeline, Kudlow, a top Trump adviser, said.

Asked in an interview with Fox Business Network if the United States economy was headed for a recession, Kudlow declined to answer but he acknowledged the pain the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 was having across the country.

"We're going to be challenged. It's going to be tough," he said.

Wall Street took a nose dive earlier on Monday as S&P 500 companies lost more than $2 trillion in value in the first few minutes of trading and trading on the three main U.S. stock indexes was halted for 15 minutes as investors panicked about the virus' impact.
Nigerias former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has told the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the policy on stamp duty on all types of accounts temporarily due to the Coronavirus pandemic crippling economy of nations.

Atiku, in a statement on Tuesday said Nigeria must take decisive economic action to protect her people from the ravages of the Coronavirus.

The coronavirus is raging in the world and not just ravaging human beings, it is also affecting economies. Nigeria is not an island onto itself, and we must take measures to protect the economic well-being of our nation and people.

He said every action that can be taken to ease the cost of doing business in Nigeria and reduce the cost of living, while promoting consumer confidence must be implemented.

All hands must be on deck in a multi-partisan manner to ensure that Nigeria does not return to an economic recession. This is possible with decisive leadership and disciplined management.

As such, I recommend that policies like the Stamp Duty on all types of accounts be temporarily suspended, until such a time as the nations economy has turned the tide in the fight against this virulent scourge, he said.

Atiku also said the landing cost of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, had reduced significantly, saying it is strongly recommended that the government should not absorb the savings, but should pass it on to the Nigerian people by way of reducing the pump price of PMS to reflect the current prevailing market costs.

In addition to these measures, he urged the government to request large scale industrialists and employers of labour not to disengage workers.

Definitely, this scourge will affect their production and profitability. However, if they know that the government is behind them and will do all to support them, they are less likely to disengage workers.

These are extraordinary times, and we, as a nation, must take extraordinary measures to protect the entire nation. Nigeria is our collective home, as such, we must suppress every partisan disagreement and think and work patriotically to ensure our national survival amid global uncertainty, he said.
Bill Hobbs' experience as an executive in Fortune 500 companies led to founding his own companies and eventually becoming a speaker and business consultant. He had the experience, but couldn't find a book that quite fit the message he was trying to send. So he wrote his own.

"The WORK Book: How to Build Your Personal Brand and Get Hired" is now one of the top books read by students, professors and anyone else who might be looking to get ready for a new career.

One of those readers entering the civilian workforce for the first time was Kevin Lacz, a Navy SEAL and later author of his own story, "The Last Punisher: A SEAL Team THREE Sniper's True Account of the Battle of Ramadi." As he read "The WORK Book" as a transitioning vet, he immediately recognized the need for something similar for veterans.

Lacz said that people are amazed that he not only found a new career as a physician's assistant after attending school, but that a former SEAL with his combat experience is well-adjusted to life in the civilian world.

Lacz in Iraq. (Courtesy of Kevin Lacz)

Like Hobbs, he didn't just want to recommend a book that mostly fit the message he sought to send, he wanted to be able to give the knowledge he had directly to people who needed it. He wanted to fit the message of "The WORK Book" with his personal experiences and lessons learned as a veteran.

The best way to do that was team up with Hobbs, author of the original, and create a special edition. That's how "The Veteran's WORK Book: How to Transition Out of the Military and GET HIRED" came to be.

"Although everyone undergoes the DoD's mandatory TAP course before separation, we felt there was more we could provide to veterans venturing out on their post-military journey," Lacz writes. "Veterans must learn how to brand their experiences and assimilate into civilian life."

The new WORK Book is dedicated to helping veterans bridge the gap between their experiences and the civilian world. It seeks to help vets use the adaptability skills they acquired in the military to better conform to the outside world and better relate to those who can't share their experiences.

Most importantly, the book is peppered with tough love for the newly separated.

While Lacz and Hobbs respect every veteran's time in the military, they stress the importance of being willing to become a civilian and enter the new world with "a clean slate and an open mind."

Lacz had always wanted to pursue a career in medicine but, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, he put those plans on hold and became a SEAL. He spent eight years on the battlefields of Iraq, where he was able to learn some of the skills he would need in his future career. His discovery of "The WORK Book" was an essential element in his transition from SEAL medic to physician's assistant, he said.

The first chapters in the new book are fundamental. Many veterans have never had to write out a resume. They probably don't know how to translate their military skills to an entry-level civilian job, and they may not even recognize that volunteer or other activities unrelated to their work could help fill gaps in their resume.

All of these things are OK, according to "The Veteran's WORK Book." It will help vets utilize the resources at their disposal in order to help create these things. More importantly, it will help them establish a personal brand, develop their career interests and help push them to take the first steps -- the hardest ones -- as they say goodbye to their military life.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com.

Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs?

Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.
A popular Italian restaurant in the heart of Melbourne has started screening customers for high temperatures in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus and save the business.

Lino Scidone, who owns La Camera in Southgate Shopping Centre, fears he may be forced to close the restaurant's doors after running it for more than 20 years.

In attempts to get more customers back inside, Mr Scidone has cut his seating capacity of 250 by half, separating each diner by a table to avoid spreading the disease.

Mr Scidone said his staff were feeling 'terrified' they were going to lose their jobs and revealed customer numbers had fallen by 70 per cent.

La Camera in Southbank, Melbourne has started screening customers for high temperatures to slow the spread of coronavirus

The restaurant has seen its business fall by 70 per cent since the pandemic began

Devices are used to test customers' temperatures in case they have a fever - a symptom of COVID-19.

'All my family are in Italy and they're going through a very traumatic time there, my staff are scared and are petrified,' Mr Scidone told Daily Mail Australia.

'I don't want to close. It's probably best we do close but I've got 20 staff that have been working here for 20 years.

'I want to stay open for as long as we can.'

The restaurant owner has since taken a range of measures to ensure customers feel safe when dining as the deadly disease leaves many too scared to even leave their homes.

'We shut down the restaurant between 3.30pm and 5.30pm every day and do a complete clean. A table separates every table and a heat gun is used to take every person's temperature, including staff,' he said.

Restaurant owner Lino Scidone (pictured left with manager and brother Paul Scidone) said he will refuse to shut La Camera until he is forced to

Mr Scidone said that every customer had been more than happy to have their temperature checked and some were even coming in because they knew the restaurant was going to such lengths.

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

'We've probably done it over 100 times and we have not had one negative comment,' he said.

Mr Scidone said despite the drastic drop in diners, he was determined to stay open for his 60-strong team of staff.

'I've told them unless I get told to shut, I'm not shutting. We've just told everybody we will give them as many hours as we can,' he said.

'We've been working very hard in the last week to ensure all staff and people coming in are feeling safer.

'It's not about profits, its about keeping people that work for you full time and to keep the door open, otherwise we are all gonna close.'
What does the law say about abortion? What does the theologian say about that law?

What does the law say about abortion? How does David Opderbeck, a law professor and author of a book on theology and the law, say about the law about abortion? His book is called Law and Theology.

I cant think of many pastors who dont need a book like this so let me put it this way: every pastor needs this book on the shelf, but before it gets on the shelf, that pastor needs to read it to comprehend how law works. Its too easy to pontificate behind pulpits about law when the first principles about law are not in the grasp.

What about abortion and the law?

In 1965, in the case called Griswold v. Connecticut, a law was struck down that banned contraceptives. Heres how Opderbeck summsarizes the issues:

The reason is chat the Connecticut statute applied equally to everyone: neither men nor women could lawfully use contraceptives. But in addition to the equal protection clause, the Fourteenth Amendment also contains a due process clause, which prohibits a state from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Writing for the court, Justice Douglas stated that specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights have penumbras, formed by emanations from those guarantees that help give them life and substance and that various guarantees create zones of privacy. Justice Douglas thought these zones of privacy were particularly salient concerning intimate family relationships.

The slogans Hands off my body and Its my body come from this ruling about personal privacy.

Image: Cover Photo

Of course, eight years later came Roe v. Wade (1973). Here is Opderbeck again: Justice Blackmuns majority opinion in Roe held that the right of privacy recognized in Griswold was broad enough to encompass a womans decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. However, the court held that the state may have an interest in safeguarding health, in maintaining medical standards, and in protecting potential life. The balance of these interests, the majority held, varied depending on fetal viability, which the court presumed began at about the third trimester of pregnancy.

This set off both Roman Catholics and conservative evangelicals into a kind of moral activism. Both legal issues  when does life begin?  as well as appointment of Supreme Court Justices became part of the agenda of opposition to Roe v. Wade.

David Opderbeck then points to Sandra Day OConnors decision not to vote with the conservatives in 1992s Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey. Scalias words were these:

Scalia suggested that the best the Court can do to explain how it is that the word liberty must be thought to include the right to destroy human fetuses is to rattle off a collection of adjectives that simply decorate a value judgment and conceal a political choice.

In 2007 Gonzales v. Carharts case dealt with partial birth abortions and ruled that late-term abortions can find other means (other than intact dilation and evacuation) to protect a womans health. Justice Ginsburg wrote against the conservatives.

In 2016, in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, a ruling came down that prevented Texas from placing obstacles to a womans right to abortion, and the obstacles here were about providing a surgical center and employ only MDs who were hospital-authorized.

What is at issue here is the Supreme Courts flexibility  from one court to another  in deciding due process and in making judgments about legal matters previously clear in American history and jurisprudence. Opderbeck knows that some of this is doctrinally shaky (198). There are originalists and there are those who think the law is living and in need of adjustments to modern conditions.

But he offers this wise summary statement about Christians and abortion:

Reasonable people, including reasonable and faithful Christians, can disagree on whether or ar what point a very early stage pregnancy involves a person or ar least a potential person. Reasonable people, including reasonable and faithful Christians, also ought to hear the concerns of feminist scholars and activists and other women about the historically enormously disproportionate burdens women have borne in pregnancy and child rearing. But it remains the case that human flourishing is a central concern for any serious Christian (or Jewish or Muslim) social ethic and that pro-life Christians reasonably believe most abortions involve the grave moral consequence of terminating innocent human life.

The law is not the Christian mission; the kingdom of God is. But this does not mean Christian activism cant be energized to bring positive law into closer alignment with Christian virtues and ethics.

500,000 new abortions each year in the USA. When, Opderbeck, asks probingly, does life begin? He contends there are good legal, rational, and Christian grounds to ban even early term elective abortions. What the law permits is not, he reminds us, what the law imposes. This places the decision, not so much on law as it does on the one deciding on abortion.
The House of Representatives and the Nigerian Airforce on Monday disagreed on the legality of the House investigating the activities of the force and its subsidiaries for wrong doing.

Nigerian Air force stunned members of the House of Representatives adhoc committee investigating the alleged use of force against Blue Boulevard when they told the Committee that it lacked the constitutional power to investigate the activities of NAF Holding and NAF property limited as they were not funded by public money.

But the adhoc committee dismissed the position of the Force, insisting that it was not bound by the rules of court, but by the resolution of the House at plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila directing that the investigation be carried out.

The House had at its plenary in in January mandated its committees on Airforce and Justice to investigate the petition written by Blue Boulevard accusing the Airforce of using force against them and reneging in a contractual agreement they had to build a shopping mall at the Mami market in Port Harcourt.

When the petition first came up for investigation, the Airforce representatives told the committee that they have not been served with the petition and appealed for a new date to enable them receive service from the petitioner and respond to the issues raised.

However, at the resumed hearing of the petition on Monday, legal counsel to NAF Property, Uche Duruibe raised an objection to the continuation of the investigation and the chairmanship of the Committee by the Chairman of the House Committee on Air Force

He insisted that if they allow the petitioner to state their case, it would mean that they have accepted that the Chairman of the House Committee on Air force, Rep Shehu Koko should preside over the investigation.

The Counsel said they were not comfortable with Rep Koko presiding over the investigation, alleging among others likely biased because the lawyer to Blue Boulevard who signed the petition hails from the same Kebbi state with the lawmaker.

He said Rep Koko must excuse himself from the investigation if it must go on because he was being investigated by the ICPC for wrong doing, saying having refused to honour the invitation from the ICPC, he should not be sitting on any investigation.

He claimed that the letter from the House Committee on Airforce requesting the Chief of Air Staff to respond to the petition by the Blue Boulevard was written several days before the House resolution which was a clear indication that he will not be fair to the Air Force.

He also claimed that the since the petition was not about fraud, but about a contractual agreement between two parties, it is out of the purview of the House to investigate and should have been done before the law court.

He said further that what the House was doing was taking over the functions of the court and asked the House to excuse itself from carrying on with the investigation.

He also said that the NAF Holdings and NAF Property were not funded by money appropriated by the National Assembly, but by contributions by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force m

When asked to explain what section one and two of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, he said he was not able to explain the sections.

Counsel to Blue Boulevard, Junaidu Bello Marshal frown at what he described as personality attack by the Air Force, adding that he has no personal relationship with the Chairman of the House Committee on Airforce, even though they are from the same state.

He said they were not in the National Assembly to seek judgement, but to bare their mind and ensure that they checkmate the activities of the Airforce.

While saying the House has the power to carry out investigation, he said they were not particular about who heads the investigation, stressing that the company has already secured a court judgment against the Airforce.

Ruling on the objection, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice Rep. Ozurigbo Ugonna said the House was proceeding with the investigation and dismissed all the ground of objections filed by the Air Force.

He said the committee was investigating the petition written to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, dated January 20, 2020 which was deliberated upon at the House plenary of January 30, 2020 and not the petition addressed to the Chairman of the House Committee on Airforce.

He said further that even though the ICPC invited Rep. Shehu Koko, the Commission has since discovered that the person being investigated by it was a Hon. Salisu Koko, former lawmaker and has since written a letter of apology to Rep Koko and therefore dismissed the objection.

He told them that the Committee draws its power to carry on with the investigation from the constitution and the House Standing order mandating the Committee to carry out the investigation and report back to the House.
Contra Costa and Sonoma counties are closing most of their courts for two weeks. San Francisco is postponing jury trials in most civil cases for 90 days, while Alameda County has ordered an eight-week delay in civil trials and some criminal trials. The California Supreme Court will conduct its hearings remotely, by phone or video, and the U.S. Supreme Court has postponed its hearings for two weeks, its first such action in 102 years.

Courts in California and elsewhere are announcing a variety of measures this week to protect judges, jurors, and courthouse employees and spectators from the coronavirus, while also weighing their need to make timely decisions in criminal cases and ongoing legal proceedings.

Californias judicial branch is facing an unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 virus, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said in a statement Monday. I recognize that this situation may require the temporary adjustment or suspension of court operations and procedures. I stand prepared to prioritize all such requests that may be submitted in the days ahead.

As chair of the state Judicial Council, Cantil-Sakauye can approve emergency requests by a countys Superior Court judges to postpone deadlines and move court sessions, but those measures must be initiated in each county and cannot be ordered statewide.

The states high court said Monday it was suspending its own in-person hearings, until it was prudent to resume normal operations, and would hear arguments from lawyers by phone or video. All hearings will be moved to the courts San Francisco headquarters, with spectators admitted in limited numbers to keep appropriate distancing.

Late Monday, the federal courts in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose announced that they would be closed to the public until May 1, and that no trials would be held before then. Judges can still issue rulings, and hold hearings by teleconference, and federal magistrates can conduct pretrial criminal proceedings from the San Francisco courthouse, using phone or video equipment if possible, court officials said.

Nationally, the Supreme Court, which closed its courthouse to the public last week, said Monday it was postponing arguments scheduled for the weeks of March 23 and 30  including the March 31 hearing over congressional access to President Trumps financial records. That hearing presumably will be held sometime during the current term, now scheduled through the end of June, but the justices have not announced new dates for any of the cases.

The last time the high court postponed its hearings was an eight-week delay during a lethal outbreak of the Spanish flu in 1918. In 2001, the court moved a few of its hearings to a federal appeals court during an anthrax scare, when envelopes containing spores of the disease were mailed to East Coast media offices and two U.S. senators offices, killing five people. The chief suspect, a government scientist, committed suicide in 2008.

State courts in California have differed in their responses, with courts in most rural counties maintaining normal operations.

Both Contra Costa and Sonoma counties said they were closing their courthouses for most functions for at least two weeks.

Contra Costa judges said they would still require jurors in criminal cases to report to court as scheduled, pending decisions on rescheduling of their trials, but announced later Monday that they were holding no criminal proceedings except emergency arraignments.

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.

Sonoma County judges said they would continue conducting proceedings in criminal cases, unless defendants agree to a delay, and order 60-day postponements in most civil cases.

In San Francisco, the court announced 90-day postponements of upcoming jury trials in most types of civil cases, except for a limited number of priority cases, such as those involving elders or the terminally ill.

Upcoming criminal trials will be delayed for 30 days, the court said. It said it was closing about three-quarters of its courtrooms during that period and leaving 14 open, some at the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St. and others at Civic Center at 400 McAllister St. The court clerks office will also be closed for 30 days, leaving a drop-box for new filings.

Alameda County judges announced an eight-week postponement of jury trials in civil cases, and in criminal cases in which the defendant is out of custody or has consented to a delay. Jurors will be summoned only in essential trials, the court said, the size of jury panels will be reduced, and some jurors in ongoing trials will be asked to sit outside the jury box to maintain safe distances.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Image: Twitter/@MEAIndia

Air India on March 17 suspended flights to the UK and rest of the Europe, a day after the government barred passengers from the region from entering India.

Announcing the suspension on Twitter, Air India said:

"All pax travelling to UK & Europe, may kindly note that in view of DGCA instructions regarding travel and visa restrictions related to #COVID2019, all flights to/from UK & Europe will operate only till 18th March 2020 & will remain suspended from 19th to 31st March, 2020."

The Ministry of Health in an advisory issued on March 16 had prohibited passengers of European Union, Turkey and the UK from travelling to India from March 18.

Track this blog for live updates on coronavirus outbreak

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

"No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," Ministry of Health tweeted.

The ministry also expanded compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

"This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020 at the port of the first departure," it said.
[March 17, 2020] CACI Receives M&A Atlas Awards for Corporate Deal of the Year and Corporate Growth Dealmaker by Global M&A Network

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today the Global M&A Network honored the company and its leaders with two awards for the successful acquisition of LGS Innovations: the M&A Atlas award for Corporate Deal of the Year in the Large Market category and the Corporate Growth Dealmaker award for CACI Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Michael Lewis for his role in executing the acquisition. CACI acquired LGS, a leading provider of real-time spectrum management, C4ISR, and cyber products and solutions to the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense on March 1, 2019, to complement and enhance its already established innovative expertise and technologies. The company received the Atlas Awards for this strategic acquisition for its success in further solidifying CACI's position in key markets, increasing its penetration into high growth market sectors, meeting top-line revenue, and exceeding profit expectations. The Globl M&A Network Atlas Awards gala, which took place in Washington, D.C. on March 5, honors the best value-creating deals, outstanding firms, top dealmakers and legendary leaders exclusively from the mid-market segments of United States.



During an accompanying industry forum hosted by Global M&A Network also held in Washington, DC on March 5, Michael Lewis spoke as an expert on a panel focused on trends shaping middle market M&A activity. John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are proud to receive these M&A Atlas Awards for our acquisition of LGS. The acquisition complemented and further enhanced our capabilities in signals intelligence, electronic warfare, and cyber security to help our customers meet their critical mission requirements, and we have seen tremendous results over the past year from this successful acquisition. Mr. Lewis' leadership and strategic expertise on mergers and acquisitions has proven invaluable to CACI's continued growth."

CACI's 23,000 talented employees are vigilant in providing the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address our customers' greatest enterprise and mission challenges. Our culture of good character, innovation, and excellence drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. As a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index, we consistently deliver strong shareholder value. Visit us at www.caci.com. There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts, and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof. CACI-Company News View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005070/en/

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Followers of Scott Pape's The Barefoot Investor are sharing ideas on surviving the stock market crash, empty supermarket shelves and the banning of large gatherings.

The Australian best-selling author's book about living through the global financial crisis of 2008 resonated with thousands of regular people who had made bad investments.

Now his followers have banded together to justify why they are either buying or selling stocks, hoarding supermarket supplies and not demanding refunds for some cancelled events as coronavirus worsens.

The Barefoot Investor series, written by Scott Pape, is a nine-step guide to financial freedom, with one of its most popular take-home messages being the 'bucket theory' of learning

How does The Barefoot Investor program work? The Barefoot Investor series, written by Scott Pape, is a nine-step guide to financial freedom, with one of its most popular take-home messages being the 'bucket theory' of learning. It involves taking your income and separating it into three distinct 'buckets' of money: The 'blow', 'mojo' and 'grow'. You'll deposit money into your 'blow' bucket to use on daily expenses, the occasional splurge and some extra cash to fight any financial fires that might be afoot. The 'mojo' bucket is a net of 'safety money' in case your car suddenly breaks down or you need to replace a lost or stolen product. And finally the 'grow' bucket is almost an untouchable fund which builds long-term wealth and provides total security. Advertisement

STOCK MARKET

Pape cautions his readers not to 'jump' too quickly when it comes to stocks in a moment of crisis.

Since peaking on February 20, the Australian share market had lost more than $700billion, or a third of its value, amid fears the COVID-19 global pandemic will destroy the economy.

In a roller coaster week, the All Ordinaries index dived on Monday by 9.5 per cent, marking the worst daily plunge since October 1987 as $169billion was wiped off shares.

The big Australian share market plunges The S&P/ASX200 peaked at 6828.7 points on November 1, 2007. By March 6, 2009 it dived by 53.8 per cent to 3145.5 during the global financial crisis, taking more than 10 years to hit previous record Before the 1987 crash, the All Ordinaries peaked at 2376.88 on September 21, 1987. Following the Black Monday crash of October 19, 1987, it then plummeted 49.2 per cent by February 10, 1988 and took nine years to regain new highs, on December 27, 1996 Source: CommSec Advertisement

On Tuesday, however, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 surged by 5.8 per cent, marking the steepest one-day gain since 1997, as $97billion was added to stocks.

If history is any guide, the Australian share market took a decade to recover from both the 1987 crash and the GFC.

For some it's worth just waiting for the market to recover - which it will inevitably do - while others are willing to take small chances for the sake of their portfolio.

'I'm buying shares while the prices are down,' one man said, while another said: 'I am not concerned about the market - yet! In fact getting ready to buy more shares. I am going to do some doomsday shopping'.

Another said they had lost $400 worth of shares and felt safer holding onto them while the market experiences peaks and troughs.

A third added: 'You should be investing right now. If you regularly buy apples at the supermarket and they are $4 a kilo then the next day you go in and find that they are $2 a kilo you would probably buy extra. Currently you can buy more bang for your buck so why wouldn't you?'

A finance expert in the Barefoot group said while people should see a professional before making any decisions, he has some simple tips for people who have investments.

Pape cautions his readers not to 'jump' too quickly when it comes to stocks in a moment of crisis

'The market is dropping right now. In real terms, if you aren't planning on retiring in the next 5 years it basically means nothing. The market historically has always recovered and gone to new all time highs,' he said.

'If you do sell shares/superannuation and cash out today you realise the loss. Eg: If you bought on Friday and sold today. You lose 7% gone forever.'

He said people should avoid 'gambling for quick cash' and make sure they do their research - especially if they are new to investing.

'This is an unknown circumstance and we have no idea where it will go at the moment or where the bottom of the market is,' he said.

'The most sound thing to do is remain consistent and follow the principles of the book.'

For some it's worth just waiting for the market to recover - which it will inevitably do - while others are willing to take small chances for the sake of their portfolio (stock image)

What is the safest way to deal with the stock market crash? 1. The market is dropping right now. In real terms, if you aren't planning on retiring in the next five years it basically means nothing. The market historically has always recovered and gone to new all time highs. 2. If you DO sell shares/superannuation and cash out today you REALISE the loss. Eg: If you bought on Friday and sold today. You lose seven per cent gone forever. However if you bought Friday, and the market is down seven per cent, you haven't lost if you don't sell and it bounces back in four months. So if you don't need to sell and use the money you haven't ACTUALLY lost anything, your portfolio is simply down for the moment. 3. If you are all of a sudden fascinated by buying shares because you think you have a bargain, maybe ask yourself, are you looking to become an investor to make a positive impact on the financial legacy of you and your family, or are you gambling looking for quick cash? This is an unknown circumstance and we have no idea where it will go at the moment or where the bottom of the market is. No expert knows and its all moving quickly bringing with it totally unprecedented troubles for many businesses. The most sound thing to do is remain consistent and follow the principles of the book. Advertisement

SUPERMARKET SHOPPING

While some Barefoot Investor experts said they weren't 'doing anything' out of the ordinary, others were using their safety net - called 'mojo' money - to purchase supplies.

'We have stocked up on non-perishable foods and water,' one person said.

Another said they had purchased a larger car, bought tents and collected water, grain, pasta and canned meat.

A third added: 'I do regret not putting in the veggie patch I was going to this year. It never got further than a thought... but most people are more self sufficient than they realise. It's just habit to rely on convenience.'

Others aren't stockpiling at all and are simply spending an extra $50 preparing for a lockdown, if Australia enters on.

Those who follow Pape's guide will have a network of 'mojo' funds to draw in for this type of crisis and therefore aren't worried about money drying up if they can't work for a month or two.

SUPERANNUATION

Pape himself noticed that senior citizens were starting to panic about their superannuation after the markets crashed, and had some sage advice for those willing to listen.

Firstly he recommended retirees have their super savings in a low-cost fund with the right asset allocation for their age. To calculate this it's worth sitting for with a fee for service financial advisor and check.

Once that is done it's time to stop looking at your super.

'It's a bit like watching Married at First Sight - instead of getting all riled up at the antics of badly behaving bogans, just switch off the telly,' he said.

'You can put your investment decisions on autopilot by taking advantage of these market falls while you're still working by automatically saving MORE money into your super while shares are cheaper.'

In the years before you're about to retire Pape encourages individuals to build up a cash buffer of around three years of living expenses so you can ride out any market bumps without having to sell.

One fan of Pape's said it was worth not refunding any event ticket that cost less than $50 because this could then be donated to administration costs (stock image)

CANCELLED EVENTS

One fan of Pape's said it was worth not refunding any event ticket that cost less than $50 because this could then be donated to administration costs.

'I know this will go against the grain but I encourage you NOT to ask for a refund for an event that has been cancelled due to COVID19 if it's $50 or less,' she said.

'People's jobs are on the line and there are a lot of contractors, casuals, tour guides and performers that are at high risk of not being paid, having their work cut or even losing their jobs. Please reconsider before you demand a refund.'

Others said they had travelled overseas only to find chaos in Europe when they landed, and cautioned others about making the same mistake.

'Right now we all need to stay at home,' one person said.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 17, 2020 | 08:26 AM | PADUCAH

Pursuant to an order from Gov. Beshear and beginning Wednesday, the McCracken County PVA office will be closed to the public and in-person services.

McCracken County PVA Bill Dunn said staff will still be available for taxpayer needed services via mail, fax, email or telephone. He said the PVA's website will be available for anyone needing forms or real property assessment information.

The McCracken County PVA office's phone number is 270-444-4712 and the fax number is 270-444-4714.

Dunn said many walk-ins are taxpayers needing assistance with vehicles or boats no longer owned by the taxpayer often requiring an affidavit be completed. He said he plans to work with the County Clerk to ensure those affidavits can still be processed.
Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: La @PoliciaPeru y las FF.AA. intervendran a personas que no acaten las normas establecidas. Con la voluntad de todos los ciudadanos y el reconocimiento de las acciones por parte de las autoridades, seguiremos evitando la propagacion del #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/oKMBLwSXRu
Maharashtra Health Secretary Pradeep Vyas on Tuesday said the cause of the death of a patient is being ascertained whether he died of coronavirus or some other "underlined complications."

Addressing media persons here, Vyas said: "A person, who tested positive of coronavirus, died at Kasturba Hospital at 7 am. The cause of his death is still being ascertained -- whether he died due to coronavirus or some other underlined complications."

He said that the patient came from Dubai on March 5 and he had no symptoms of coronavirus but on March 7 he went to a private hospital where he did not disclose his travel history.

"He was treated for respiratory problems. Later he developed complications and was put in the ICU. After five days he tested positive in a test for COVID-19 and was shifted to Kasturba Hospital," he said.

"The patient was given all possible help and support what we call as non-intensive ventilation oxygen. Initially, he did respond but today at 7 am unfortunately he passed away," added Vyas.

The two other deaths due to the infection in India were from Karnataka and Delhi, respectively. Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 1,67,500 people and claimed 6,600 lives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Queenslands total number of coronavirus cases ticks up, were being warned that the situation will get worse before it gets better.

But health authorities insist it will eventually get better, despite the current round of event cancellations and buying restrictions.

Queenslands number of confirmed COVID-19 cases was 78 on Tuesday evening, after 10 more cases were added to the tally.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned the state's coronavirus situation will get worse, but says health authorities are also well prepared to deal with it. Credit:AAP

Nine of the cases were spread across Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts, with the 10th case, a 50-year-old woman, recorded in the Townsville region.
Greg Cirulnick, 39, said he had wiped down every piece of machinery before and after he used it. He posited that since the new coronavirus appears to spread through saliva and not sweat, the gym may not be substantially more hazardous to his health than going to a grocery store. The subway may even be worse.

Certainly, Mr. Cirulnick said, Id rather not get pneumonia and be on my back. Still, he didnt think, given his age and great health, that he was going to be one of the diseases fatalities, or that he should give up going to the gym.

Romy Erickson, 30, who was at the leg press with Beats headphones and a bottle of alcohol-based sanitizer, admitted that hitting the gym may not be the right thing to do. It was just that she couldnt imagine giving up the gym, except by force.

Many felt similarly, which is why Leo Pacheco, one of the gyms most booked trainers, was considering decamping to Miami, where a gym ban isnt in place yet.

Mr. Pacheco wasnt convinced the lockdown on gyms was truly about protecting peoples health; not after so much government inaction. He also found it strange that the one client who was the most panicked over the last two weeks was a financial type who was freaking out over his investment portfolio.
Explained: What is the Anti Defection Law and how is it implemented

BJP has kidnapped our MLAs, fresh plea by Madhya Pradesh Congress in SC

Take 'monogamy test': K'taka Health Minister K Sudhakar calls for probe into personal lives of all 225 MLAs

Gujarat Congress shifts 67 MLAs even as one goes missing

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Gujarat Congress completed shifting 67 of its 68 MLAs from the state to Jaipur in view of the Rajya Sabha polls on March 26, while five of its legislators have submitted their resignations from the assembly.

One MLA is unreachable, said a Congress leader.

The party had a strength of 73 in the 182-member House which has now come down to 68 after the assembly speaker accepted resignations of five legislators.

While 42 MLAs were shifted in different batches in the last two days, a group of 25 MLAs left for Jaipur on a flight from Ahmedabad airport, soon after staging a walkout in the assembly during the budget session.

The budget session will continue till the end of this month.

Gujarat Cong suspends 5 MLAs who resigned ahead of RS polls

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

One of its MLAs, Jitu Chaudhary, from Kaprada (ST) seat in Valsad district, could not be contacted, said Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.

"All Congress MLAs, except one, have left for Jaipur, with the last batch of 25 MLAs, including state chief Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Paresh Dhanani, leaving on a flight from Ahmedabad airport," Doshi said.

"MLA Jitu Chaudhary could not be contacted as he missed his flight today. His mobile phone is switched off," he said.

The Congress is shifting its MLAs outside Gujarat in order to avoid cross-voting during the RS election.

It has fielded senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki for the RS polls, while BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin.

As per assembly strength, the BJP can win two seats, while it will have ensure cross-voting from the opposition camp to win the third seat.

Explained: Why Gujarat Congress MLAs are resigning ahead of Rajya Sabha election 2020

In the 182-seat assembly, BJP has 103 seats, the Congress 68 (after the resignation of its five MLAs), while two seats belong to the Bharatiya Tribal Party and one to Nationalist Congress Party.

The lone Independent MLA, Jignesh Mevani, has extended support to the Congress.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 7:55 [IST]
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Over and over again, the Advance/SILive has received concerned phone calls and emails from Staten Islanders about testing for the coronavirus.

They have similar stories. Theyre exhibiting symptoms that theyve been told to look out for, and are hoping to get tested. However, theyre finding they are not eligible.

A Sea View resident, who asked to only be identified as Greg, said hes been dealing with symptoms like fever and cough, and quarantining himself from his pregnant wife and other family members.

Its kind of sad, Greg said about having to keep his distance from his family.

He had dealt with a case of the flu earlier in the year, but said this feels like more. After testing negative for another case of the flu, hes been trying to get tested for coronavirus, but has been unsuccessful.

Its worse than any flu Ive had in my my life, Greg said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, current testing protocols are different for people in different situations.

Those experiencing severe symptoms like persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips of face, should contact their healthcare provider or emergency room and seek care immediately.

Hospital professionals have urged possible coronavirus patients to call ahead, if they are experiencing severe symptoms.

If you are an older patient with a severe underlying illness or have a compromised immune system, you should be on the lookout for mild symptoms, and contact your healthcare provider if you experience them, according to CDC.

If youre experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19, you should stay home and call your healthcare provider.

Limited testing has been an issue since the outbreak of the virus, but improvements have been made.

So far, about 10,000 tests have been conducted in the state with 4,000 in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a Tuesday morning press briefing.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Of those 10,000 tests, 1,374 New Yorkers have tested positive for the virus with 644 in New York City, according to the governor. Cuomo has referred to testing as the first step needed, but has shifted focus to containment of the virus.

Testing has ramped up. It continues to ramp up. It will be in the 1000s per day. That is going very very well, Cuomo said.

Elected officials at all levels of government have been working to improve testing capacity across the nation. All have recognized that the situation is constantly changing.

Cuomo acknowledged Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) and State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) for their work in helping to bring the citys first drive-thru testing facility to Staten Island. The location and expected opening date have not yet been established.

""Theres no doubt that more people are seeking tests than are eligible and able to receive them," Rose said. While I understand the need to triage and focus on those who need it most--we must dramatically expand access and testing capacity. Thats why Ive been constantly pushing the FDA to expedite approvals for testing equipment, increase the number of test kit materials, and working with our hospitals to ensure they have the capacity to handle this surge and prevent backlog.

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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Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran recently outlined plans to deal with the novel coronavirus crisis with Tata Group CEOs. Chandrasekaran held the conference call with the heads of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages Ltd (TGBL), Tata Chemicals, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) among others.

The CEOs assessed the business strategies of 2021 vis-a-vis the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic across the world which has significantly impacted Tata Group's key markets in Europe, the US, UK, Singapore, China, and United Arab Emirates, sources told the Economic Times.

Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Central Railway cancels 22 trains, hikes platform ticket fare

The heads of these Tata Group companies have also been asked to create support groups within their respective companies to help deal with the challenge. The key priority areas for the (Tata) group companies are employee welfare and mitigating business risks.

Meanwhile, some employees of JLR and Tata Steel are reportedly quarantined. The CEOs have been given free hand to take independent financial decisions to ensure employee safety, the report said. Tata International, Tata Steel, TGBL, TCS, and JLR have employees in Europe, the US, UK, and China, among other geographies which are hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Third death reported in India, 64-year-old man dies in Mumbai

While Tata Communication, Tata Realty, Tata Motors and India Hotels Co. Ltd (IHCL) have allowed employees to work-from-home, other group companies are also likely to follow the lead as the situation develops further, the daily reported.

The report also quotes Chandrasekaran as saying the employees need to reduce their business travel, avoid in-person meetings for some time. He also asked the CEOs to make sure that the employees maintain a social distance from each other for some time and that all of them should be given the same level of care, irrespective of their designation.
Update  Mar. 16, 2021: The charge against Breeanna Bascombe was stayed on Feb. 3, 2021

A Brampton woman has been arrested in the fatal shooting of Blaine Gerrado Grindley in 2019.

Just after 1 p.m. on May 1, police responded to calls about a shooting in the area of John Garland and Humber College boulevards. They found Grindley with serious injuries in a townhouse. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Breeanna Bascombe, 27, of Brampton, was charged Tuesday with being an accessory after the fact (murder). She is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

In the aftermath of Grindleys death, three Canada-wide arrest warrants were issued, police said at a press conference on May 15. Andrae Douse, 21, of Mississauga turned himself in to police shortly after. Michael Smith, 29, of Toronto surrendered to police on My 20. Both have been charged with first-degree murder.

Dayne Sitladeen, 27, also of Mississauga, remains wanted by police for first-degree murder.

Ilya Banares is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @ilyaoverseas

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A car bomb in front of the government's Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center in Yala, Thailand, on March 17, 2020. (Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters)

2 Bombs Explode Outside Thai Government Office, Wounding 18

BANGKOKTwo bombs exploded in front of a government office in Thailands insurgency-hit southern Yala province on Tuesday, wounding 18 people, a security official said.

The explosions took place in front of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC), a Thai government body that oversees the administration of three mostly Malay-Muslim majority provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala where an insurgency since 2004 has killed some 7,000 people.

SBPAC was hosting a government meeting on the regions response to the outbreak of the coronavirus prior to the explosions.

The first bomb was a grenade thrown to the area outside the SBPAC office fence to draw people out, Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a military regional security spokesman told Reuters.

Then a car bomb about 10 meters [11 yards] from the first explosion went off. This was hidden in a pick-up truck where the perpetrators parked near the fence. Eighteen are wounded and no one died, he said.

Security personnel inspect the site of a car bomb after it exploded in front of the governments Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center in Yala, Thailand, on March 17, 2020. (Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters)

The car bomb exploded 10 minutes after the first explosion and among the wounded were five reporters, five police officers, two soldiers, and other bystanders, Pramote said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Such claims are rare following attacks in the region.

The population of the provinces, which belonged to an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909, is 80 percent Muslim, while the rest of the country is overwhelmingly Buddhist. Conflict has flared on and off for decades as insurgent groups fought a guerrilla war to demand independence for the area.

A peace dialogue between the Thai government and the main insurgent group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) has resumed this year, after the group pulled out of the process in 2014.

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um
Vice Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of Occupied Territories Oleksandr Reznikov has held a meeting with representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross and the United Nations in Ukraine, the ministrys press service has written on Facebook.

"Vice Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories held a meeting with representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross and the United Nations in Ukraine to discuss the cooperation during quarantine. The interlocutors were informed about measures being held by the authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine, reads the statement.

At the meeting, ICRC representative Florence Gillette stressed the need to simplify the procedure for importing medical supplies during quarantine.

In her turn, UN representative Osnat Lubrani raised the issue of assessing the effects of new quarantine restrictions over COVID-19 for humanitarian operations in eastern Ukraine.

Reznikov assured that Ukraine would facilitate the work of international humanitarian organizations. In particular, according to him, the president ordered the introduction of customs clearance of goods (medicines, medical equipment, medical supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19) arriving in Ukraine within one day.

The ICRC and UN representatives said they would fully support Ukraine. It was agreed to determine the existing needs of Ukraine and assess the possibility of providing needed assistance by ICRC and UN representatives.

iy
Arctic and Antarctic ice loss will account for about one-fifth of the warming that is projected to happen in the tropics, according to a new study led by Mark England, a polar climate scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, and Lorenzo Polvani, the Maurice Ewing and J. Lamar Worzel Professor of Geophysics at Columbia Engineering, England's doctoral supervisor.

While there is a growing body of research showing how the loss of Arctic sea ice affects other parts of the planet, this study is the first to also consider the long-range effect of Antarctic sea ice melt, the research team said.

"We think this is a game-changer as it shows that ice loss at both poles is crucial to understanding future tropical climate change," England said of the study funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation. "Our study will open a hitherto unexplored direction and motivate the science community to study the large effects that Antarctic sea ice loss will have on the climate system."

The years 2017 and 2018 set records for minimum sea ice extent in Antarctica. England and colleagues from Columbia University's School of Engineering, Colorado State University, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado used computer simulations to see what scenarios play out near the equator if that decline continues through the end of the century. They found that Antarctic sea ice loss combines with Arctic sea ice loss to create unusual wind patterns in the Pacific Ocean that will suppress the upward movement of deep cold ocean water. This will trigger surface ocean warming, especially in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Warming there is a well-known hallmark of the El Nino climate pattern that often brings intense rains to North and South America and droughts to Australia and other western Pacific countries.

As that surface ocean water warms, it will also create more precipitation. Overall, the researchers believe the ice loss at both poles will translate to a warming of the surface ocean of 0.5? (0.9?) at the equator and add more than 0.3 millimeters (0.01 inches) of rain per day in the same region.

This study joins several new analyses of the global impact of polar ice loss, including a January analysis by Scripps Oceanography physicist Charles Kennel suggesting that shrinking Arctic ice might change key characteristics of El Nino in the future.

###
Few Contested Races in Adams This Coming Election

ADAMS, Mass.  There will be no contested selectman's race during the annual May election, barring a write-in campaign.

Only current Chairwoman Christine Hoyt had returned nomination papers by the Monday deadline, meaning she will run for her second term unopposed on the ballot.

But there will be a race for a seat on the Hoosac Valley Regional School District Committee as Erin Milne will challenge longtime Adams representative Regina Hill.

The only other race on the ballot is for two library trustee seats as newcomers Robert Harris and Linda Rhoads will look to unseat incumbent Brian Bishop. Trustee Anita Jamros did not return papers.

McCann School Committee incumbents Bruce Dale Shepley and Daniel Maloney returned papers along with Board of Health incumbents David Rhoads and Laura Grandchamp.

Incumbents also running unopposed will be Assessor George Haddad, Planning Board incumbent David Krzeminski, Cemetery Commissioner Fred Hobart and Town Moderator Myra Wilk.

Incumbent Parks Commissioner Jacob Schutz returned papers but Scott Cernik did not.

Along with the Parks Commission seat there will be two vacant Redevelopment Authority seats and one vacant Housing Authority seat.

There are also 10 open town meeting seats for Precinct 1; 11 in Precincts 2 and 5; and 12 in Precincts 3 and 4.

The deadline to withdraw from the race is April 1 and the deadline to register to vote is April 12.

The election is May 4.
The kit uses the RT-PCR (Real time-Polymerase chain reaction) technique developed by the Military Medical Academy and Viet A Corporation.

Director of Viet A Corporation Phan Quoc Viet said that the company has produced the test kit on a mass scale of 5,000 test kits in the past week. These products are used in tandem with the biological kits produced by the US CDC and WHO at testing facilities which have brought about positive results.

Viet noted that the company can produce up to 30,000 test kits per day.

He said that more than 10 countries including Belgium, Australia, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Nigeria, South Africa, Cambodia, Turkey, Ireland, Germany, Italy and others have asked to buy the kit.

This week, the company will ship the first batch of 50 kits (2,500 tests) to Ukraine and 100 kits (5,000 tests) to Finland.

Hanoi has also ordered 4,000 test kits (200,000 tests) to use in the city and to give to hospitals in Italy which are seriously hit by the COVID-19 epidemic.

According to the producer, each test kit consists of 50 tests and each test is used for a single person. The timescale for results including the preparation time for the specimen is two hours.
As multiple important film and television associations have come together to decide a halt on the shootings happening in India, the big names in the Indian television industry are all in sync with the decision not gather around for shoots till March 31, 2020.



What do you think about the decision? Agree or disagree?

Rajan Shahi: I totally agree and endorse the decision. At this point, nothing else matters more than human lives and the security and the health of every member of the unit is of paramount importance. This is above any consideration; safety is above everything else be it the telecast.

Binaifer Kohli: This is the best decision to stop shooting. It's like we are sitting on a time bomb. It was making me feel very guilty that we were unable to stop shooting. It has given me great relief I agree completely with the rest of film and television associations to stop the shoots till March 31, in order to stop Coronavirus from affecting further lives.

Mahesh Pandey: Nothing is more valuable than human life, which can't be compromised for anything be it money or fame. Our life will not be affected much and I will try my best to safeguard the interests of my unit. The industry will have a strong impact, but the need of the hour is that we have to stop this virus from spreading. I extend my wholehearted support to this decision taken by the industry and the first step towards combating the virus is by social distancing. The whole onus does not only lie with the government alone but also each one of us can in our own capacity take remedial measures to prevent the spread.

Amir Jaffar: Yes, it was necessary. More of a precaution than anything. The producers had been debating about it since last week but it's not just about the shoots, but also telecasts and the channels had also to come on board. Thankfully the channels are cooperating as well. Everyone is coming together for everyone else.

Should this happen now when the government hasn't asked so? Because not just shootings, there are many industries that have a number of employees?

Rajan Shahi: At this time, it is better to be safe than sorry and I totally endorse the decision taken by the respective bodies. In today's time prevention is the best thing we can do like avoid mass gatherings. I'm telling my family to avoid gatherings, so why should I not tell my other family, which is my unit.

Binaifer Kohli: Even if the government hasn't asked this, we should self-quarantine ourselves but are not taking it seriously. There are many employees in different industries who have been affected but if they have not taken the decision, it doesn't mean that we won't either," says the producer.

Amir Jaffar: The government is doing its bit in controlling issuing advisories but we can't or shouldn't wait for their orders. I am hoping in a couple of weeks' time, the government efforts are going to show positive results and our steps too will contribute towards the same. As they say, prevention is better than cure.

Who do you think this will affect the most and what do you suggest should be done about that?

Rajan Shahi: First of all, we should take it day by day and step by step and take care. The precaution is stopping mass gatherings. Each day will be monitored and we will decide the further course of action.

Binaifer Kohli: The industry will suffer economically but not in any other way. What is economics compared to human life? If something would happen to anyone, the whole industry would feel guilty about it. I think this is a superb decision that has been taken in compliance with channel heads, producers, the workers. I think everybody together has taken this decision. It will affect the daily wagers a lot. Be it the spot boy, the lightman and everyone else, but if the producer, every broadcaster thinks that they are part of a family, then we should take care of them. We should at least give them half-day of wages. Suppose they are affected and we have promised them to stay at home and we will take care of them and now that they have made this choice, I think we should support them. They are part of our families. In my unit, there are people, who have been working for 25 years. They are my family and I will look after them.

Mahesh Pandey: On any given day there are more than 100 people on the set and they are on daily wages. We will ensure that they don't suffer and pay them their dues without any pay cut as this is beyond anyone's control. We are in this together and that's how we will be able to overcome this pandemic.

Amir Jaffar: The decision to call offshoots is going to affect the broadcasters and the producers, financially. The workers on our shoots will be taken care of financially, so they needn't worry much. Right now all efforts are to contain.

Three days shoot will be on, so what are the precautions taken by you?

Rajan Shahi: We have tried to cut down on the unit strength, minimize the number of people on existing shoots. We have stocked sanitizers and have urged everyone not to create a panic and give out false rumors, thermals have been installed on the set, a team of doctors is monitoring the unit and checking if they have and symptoms. I pray and hope for the well-being of not just the people in the industry but the world over.

Binaifer Kohli: "We have taken all precautions on our set. I have got a fumigation machine, I have got a doctor coming on the set, there are sanitizers and compulsory washing of hands, enough supply of water, tea, coffee, and every other precaution. But nothing compares to precaution especially for a disease that has no cure. We have to unanimously take it. There is no cost to a happy and healthy life," she says. Adding to that, she says, "This is the best decision to stop shooting. It's like we are sitting on a time bomb. It was making me feel very guilty that we were unable to stop shooting. It has given me great relief."

Amir Jaffar: We have taken the necessary steps towards the prevention of COVID-19. We have circulated circulars on the set and also verbally making people aware of following basic hygiene such as using hand sanitizers, washing hands, consuming warm drinks and covering mouth while coughing. We also have medical practitioners visiting the set to check up on the unit.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Rashami Screened On Naagin Sets; Karan Patel Urges People To Stay Indoors

Also Read: Coronavirus Effect: Vindu Dara Singh Postpones Bigg Boss Party; Actors Shoot With Masks On & More!
Since the beginning of the day, Russian-occupation troops have opened fire twice on positions of the Joint Forces in eastern Ukraine, according to the Defense Ministrys press service.

"In Donetsk direction, the Russian-led forces used a mounted anti-tank grenade launcher, heavy machine guns and other small arms to fire at the positions of the Joint Forces near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk). Also, the invaders fired five shells from 82mm mortar on our strongholds near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk)," the report says.

According to available information, no casualties among the Ukrainian military have been reported.

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A Bill for an Act to establish Civil Societies Regulatory Commission for coordinated regulation of CSOs was on Tuesday rejected by members of the House of Representatives.

The bill, which was sponsored by Abbas Tajudeen (APC-Kano) seeks to monitor the financial activities of CSOs and other related matters.

Leading the debate, Mr Tajudeen said the bill was aimed at strengthening the capacities of CSOs to promote democracy and development in the country.

Bamidele Salam (PDP-Lagos) said the Corporate Affairs Commission Act already had everything in place to ensure credibility among CSOs.

He argued that establishing another commission will amount to duplication of agencies at a time efforts were ongoing to cut down on government spending.

The lawmaker said the bill should be withdrawn as it would not affect the operations of the CSOs negatively.

Also, Nkem Abonta (PDP-Abia) said the bill will muzzle the activities of churches and mosques in the country.

Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) pointed out that the bill on the order paper wants to boost democracy but on the lead debate it wants to regulate CSOs.

He said the bill could be used to intimidate CSOs and that the allegations that many CSOs has so much money was not true.

While the CSOs were fighting for democracy, spending their funds and putting their lives on the line, a lot of us politicians were in exile, he said.

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, while guiding members, said there are many duplicates laws aimed at addressing spectacular issues.

After quoting some sections of the constitution, Mr Gbajabiamila made reference to the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying that there was nothing wrong to pass a bill similar to another.

Mr Gbajabiamila also said there was no need to bring religious angle into the bill saying that there is a problem that needed to be addressed.

The speaker told his colleagues that if there were issues, they could be resolved at committee level or at the public hearing.

While responding to the issues raised by members, the sponsor of the bill, Mr Tajudeen moved that the bill be withdrawn.

While ruling that the matter had been withdrawn, the Speaker said that the bill could still be worked on.

(NAN)
SAGINAW, MISmall business owners in mid-Michigan say the states restrictions on restaurants and bars spell trouble for their employees living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Alayna Wesner, the owner of Sushi Remix in Bay City and Saginaw, said she could see the writing on the wall, before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered all restaurants and bars to limit their operations to delivery and takeout options until further notice.

Im really afraid of what this is going to do to us as a small business, Wesner said. Im trying to keep my doors open so that my employees can keep food on their plates and provide for their families.

Wesner, along with the owners at Falafel Hut in Saginaw and Starlite Diner in Flint, said the state has provided little information about any resources to mitigate the impact their employees will feel.

My employees are my number one concern. If I pay my rent late, yes, its going to hurt my ego or my credit score, but I have credit card availability and a support system that will provide a place for me and family to stay. I know thats not the case for everybody, Wesner said.

Wesner will be providing service through pick-up or delivery. Yesterday, she posted on Facebook and tagged her friends to join her for one last lunch.

It was sort of my plea that if someone needed somewhere to eat to come to Sushi Remix, Wesner said.

Pick up orders should be placed on Sushi Remixs website and delivery is provided through GrubHub.

Jason Hester, who has co-owned Starlite for 15 years, said the restaurant is also adapting to these sudden changes. Their location on Center Road will still have a 24-hour drive-thru and their second location on Court Street will have a drive-thru operating between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Starlite is also offering customers the option driving in and getting their food delivered to them in the parking lot. Hesters goal is to keep as many employees working as possible.

A lot of time retail employees live paycheck-to-paycheck. Now there are going to be a lot of people without an income for the foreseeable future," Hester said. The fear of the unknown is always bad. Were trying to get everyone to understand that we will figure it out and adapt to these changes as they happen.

Businesses werent given guidelines on how to operate under the shutdown, Hester said.

The government needs to instill a little confidence in all us that things are in place for the foreseeable future, Hester said. "You wish people didnt live paycheck-to-paycheck, but its a very expensive world out there. Its very difficult to see people that you really care about and employed for a long time being thrust into a situation that nobody on the surface can do anything about.

Noell Hamd, who owns the Falafel Hut in Saginaw, comes from a family of business owners. While shes going to feel the impact of the shutdown financially, Hamd says she understands why its in place.

You want to be cautious and you dont know whether to stay open and serve the community or not, Hamd said. I dont think a business can prepare for something like this.

Hamds father is from Lebanon and came to the U.S. with very little, but became a successful businessman. Shes following in his footsteps and has operated her restaurant for two years. Its her only source of income.

I'm a single parent and I have a son that's five-years-old. It's going to impact me dramatically," Hamd said.

Shes adjusting to the shutdown by offering a delivery service to her customers. Each business owner is responding to the shutdown in their own way, Hamd said.

"I think it's really up to the individual owner. I might stick to deliveries because it works best for my business," Hamd said. "You can trust yourself to do things your own way."

Chambers of commerce respond

Veronica Horn with the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce said shutdowns greatly impact small businesses. As a previous business owner, Horn said she has an acute awareness for what this means for small businesses and their employees.

Horn and her husband owned a restaurant for 14 years. A fire a few years ago forced them to shut down operations for 40 days.

"It was devastating for us. Forty days in the restaurant and bar business is a lifetime. They work on very small margins. So, we understand what this means," Horn said.

The chamber is waiting for resources to come out of the state or federal government to "put the minds of restaurant and bar owners at ease."

"This could be low-interest or no-interest loans, unemployment eligibility or other benefits," Horn said. "We're doing our part in trying to get that information to our members when it becomes available to us."

The Flint and Genesee Chamber supports the governors shutdown, said CEO and President Tim Herman.

This is a necessary step that will help protect the publics health by lowering the risk of the virus spreading in our community. Protecting the publics health must be our number one priority, Herman said. At this time, we cannot quantify the financial impact of this aggressive action on local establishments; however, we believe it is likely to be significant, depending on its duration.

The chamber is working with local businesses by sharing timely information about the mitigation efforts underway as well as resources that become available, Herman said.

Community stepping up

All three business owners have seen an outpouring of support from their communities.

Wesner several people have called asking to buy gift cards and many people have donated to her staff. Some people have even offered to help with the restaurants rent, but Wesner has asked that all the money go toward her employees.

"I know I have to pay rent, but it's not as important as feeding children," Wesner said. "I just want to help my staff."

While local organizations are responding quickly, Hester said a program helping employees should have been in place before things were shut down.

There have been a lot of organizations that have risen to the challenge. But when youre dealing with an economic struggle of this proportion and there are no safety nets in place for small businesses, this is a troublesome time," Hester added.

As each business responds to this rapidly changing situation, Hamd says the community is stepping up.

The community has definitely stepped up. Im seeing a lot of people come together," Hamd said. Theyre doing all they can.

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WASHINGTON  The Pentagon likes to call itself the nations largest employer, with 1.4 million active men and women in uniform, roughly 1.1 million reservists and more than 700,000 civilian employees.

But of all those employees, the Department of Defense has tested only 495 for the coronavirus, Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, staff surgeon of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a Monday morning press briefing, and little detail was available about where those tests had taken place.

We dont have a breakdown of how many servicemembers vs family members vs DoD civilians, etc, nor do we have locational info for this, Lt. Col. Christian Mitchell, a Pentagon spokesperson, told Yahoo News Monday in an email.

A Pentagon official had previously testified that there were 13 laboratories testing members of the military and civilian Pentagon employees.

In a Monday briefing for members of the press, Friedrichs and Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman revealed that 37 employees of the Department of Defense have been infected. Just under half of them, or 18, are service members. The other 19 are civilian employees.

Speaking last Thursday, Mitchell said that about 300 people at the Pentagon had been tested, though he cautioned the number was not exact. Friedrichs said on Monday that the 495 tests had been conducted as of Friday. It was not clear if any tests had been conducted over the weekend.

A nurse tests people for COVID-19 at a drive-through station at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., on Monday. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Another spokesperson for the Pentagon, Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, explained that the number of service members and civilian Pentagon employees who had actually been tested was almost certainly higher, since nothing stipulated that they had to be tested at a Department of Defense facility. But until this week, civilian facilities for coronavirus tests were overwhelmed and underequipped, making it unlikely that a significant cohort from the Pentagon was tested at either state-run or commercial laboratories.

Despite the low testing numbers, the Pentagon is taking the coronavirus threat seriously. On Friday, it banned domestic travel for service members. On Monday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and his top deputy, David Norquist, were enjoined to keep a physical distance at all times, lest one of them fall sick with the coronavirus and imperil the nations military command.

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This story has been corrected to reflect the fact that the infected individuals were not employees within the Pentagon complex itself.

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This St. Patricks Day is like no other many of us have ever experienced, what with no parades, no green beer, and no festivities of any kind due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting the world at this time.

From left to right, actors John Wayne (1907  1979) as Sean Thornton, Victor McLaglen (1886  1959) as Squire Red Will Danaher and Maureen OHara (1920  2015) as Mary Kate Danaher in a publicity still for the film The Quiet Man, 1952 | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

While it feels as though theres very little we can control right now, one thing we can decide on is what we want to watch.

On this St. Patricks Day, its time to watch The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen OHara.

Here is a peek behind the scenes of this ultimate movie of Ireland.

Director John Ford apparently had feelings for the films star

The films director, John Ford (real name, John Martin Feeney), was not known for being a gentle-hearted sort. Blustery and even abusive, Ford could bring the crew and talent he worked with to tears at times because of his roughness and humiliating treatment.

A scene from The Quiet Man | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Its come to light recently that, as much as he berated The Quiet Mans leading lady, Maureen OHara, who played Mary Kate Danaher, Ford in actuality loved the Ireland-born actress. The director, almost thirty years older than OHara, was proud of his Irish heritage and considered her the perfect woman because she was utterly Irish, from her deep brogue to her fiery red hair.

The two worked on five films together and OHara knew that The Quiet Man was Fords love letter to her.

OHara, who died in 2015 at the age of 95, told The New York Times in 2004 of John Duke Wayne and Ford, We look like a real couple, Duke and I, dont we? John Ford gave both of us the confidence to do our best. But he was living out his fantasy of life through Duke and me. He was Sean [Waynes character] and I was his ideal woman.

American actress Maureen OHara and film director John Ford | Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The actress published her autobiography, Tis Herself, in 2004 and openly mused about Fords feelings for her.

For years I wondered why John Ford grew to hate me so much. I couldnt understand what made him say and do so many terrible things to me. I realise now that he didnt hate me at all. He loved me very much and even thought that he was in love with me.

The Quiet Man won two Oscars

While the film did not win in the Best Film category, it did score one Oscar for Best Director for Ford (his fourth Oscar as director, a record unbeaten to this day), and another for its cinematographers, Winton Hoch and Artie Stout, for Best Cinematography.

A scene from The Quiet Man | Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The latter was understandable, because as much as Wayne and OHara filled the movie with star power, the ultimate and true star was the gorgeous Irish landscape.

Its clear what many plan on doing this St. Patricks Day

Many on Twitter are making the most of having to stay indoors. If they cant make it to the parade, the next best thing is watching a good Irish movie.

One tweet said, The Quiet Man  Wikipedia Top of the morning everyone! Don your green & watch this classic St. Patricks Day movie! Get your mind off of Covid-19

Ive got my 6 pack of Guinness ready for my own private St. Patricks Day party, said another. Just me, the Guinness and movies. Im planning on The Quiet Man with John Wayne & Maureen OHara.

Todays Upper! A slice of good news to start your day: It is St. Patricks Day, though certainly a different kind of one than weve seen before. Since were all cooped up at home, treat yourself to the best Irish movie ever made, John Wayne in The Quiet Man, tweeted another fan of the film.
Observing the complex connections among large groups of humans is core to the work of Oakland-based painter and print-maker Amy Oates. "Crowds, and how they shape 21st century urban spaces, have fascinated me for years," Oates recently posted on Instagram. "It never occurred to me that the 21st century urban experience could include and even necessitate the intentional absence of crowds."

In alignment with CDC, state, and government recommendations, artists across the Bay Area began closing their studios and cancelling their exhibits last week; Monday's mandate to shelter in place effectively closed all "non-essential" businesses that had remained open.

We believe that art is essential to living an inspired life, and that our local artists are essential to keeping this place special. Here's how many have been impacted, and what we can all do to help during this time of crisis.

**UPDATE, March 25th: San Francisco Mayor London Breed has announced the SF Arts Relief Fund, which is offering $1.5 million in grants to individual artists and small to medium arts and cultural organizations, and $1 million in low-interest loans to arts and cultural orgs. For more details and to apply, go to sfartscommission.org.

A past participant in San Francisco's stARTup Art Fair and member of the Bay Area arts community, Oates shares the sentiment of many artists when she encourages residents to purchase art online during this time of self-isolation.

Joen Madonna, executive director of ArtSpan, agrees, sharing that the organization preemptively cancelled its annual benefit art auctionwhich typically garners around $250,000, half of ArtSpan's operational needs for the year. Madonna and her staff, who are committed to cultivating and promoting San Francisco's art community, have put out an ask to local art lovers for donations (which are tax deductible and can be made on the org's website); they are also dreaming up creative alternatives for ways we can all interact with artists from afar.

"We're working on what we can do to help people feel more engaged and less afraid," she said. Possibilities include virtual tours of artists' studios, and an online scavenger hunt that would potentially stretch across the city and engage with other SF institutions. "We're locked in, but we're ok. The question is how can we play and entertain each other?"

The artists of Hunter's Point Shipyard have likewise postponed plans for their spring open studios, which would have represented more than 100 local artists in Bayview, leaving many without the community connections they'd normally form at such events.

Root Division, a nonprofit which nurtures artists and provides community arts education, cancelled plans for a celebration this past Saturday and put unprecedented restrictions on their annual MFA Never exhibit. Their Second Saturday events will be cancelled until social distancing restrictions are lifted, as will all adult classes until at least the end of April, which could generate a loss of as much as $20,000. Look for updates on potential online classes (offered at a sliding scale) on the class page of Root Division's website.



Root Division's next show, "Spell of the Senses," was slated to open April 1st in coordination with Taste, a spring fundraiser, for which they already had 19 food vendors and upwards of 70 partner businesses confirmed. "Of all the shows that we could have tried to do virtually, this would be particularly challenging," said Michelle Mansour, the organization's executive director. "We'll probably have to cancel both events."

Creativity Explored, the nonprofit group that empowers artists with developmental disabilities, has also canceled its scheduled events and exhibitions. You can continue to support the artists by purchasing their work online; 50 percent of all purchases go directly to the creators.





Of course, it isn't just the larger arts organizations that are strugglingindependently run shops and studios will also suffer, like the Outer Sunset's popular 3 Fish Studios, which closed its doors last weekend.

"As a small business that thrives on in-studio purchases, this has been a tough time. But in times like these, doing our part to protect public health is what we are called to do," said cofounders Annie Galvin and Eric Rewitzer on Instagram. 3 Fish Studios is offering 10 percent off online purchases of their iconic prints, tote bags, magnets, and more, as well as free shipping within the U.S. Gift cards are also available.



If you're bored at home and looking for a hobby, Oakland-based woodworker Aleksandra Zee plans to roll out virtual workshops soon (watch for updates on her Instagram) and remains working in her private studio to fulfill made-to-order pieces at sale prices and custom commissions at 10 percent off. Zee's friend and mentor, the sculptor Katie Gong, is offering 15 percent off her signature wood knot and squiggle sculptures.



You may also shop prints by local contemporary artists on the website of Mission gallery Art Attack SF; make a tax-deductible donation to San Francisco Women Artists; and purchase works by various SF artists on Artsy.net.



If you are an artist looking for resources in response to Covid-19especially grants for emergency funding, legal information, and best practices for working online, go to covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com. Oakland-based Rogue Habits is also keeping up a survival guide with resources for creative freelancers.






Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are self-isolating in Canada, as Meghan confides in friends that Harry feels 'helpless' and is 'concerned' about the Queen and his father Prince Charles catching coronavirus, a close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com.

'Meghan said they are grateful, especially Harry, that they could spend time with his family before all this insanity began,' the insider explained.

'Meghan said [Harry] has been in contact with the both his father and grandmother. He urged them to stay safe and to take extra precautions.'

The Duchess of Sussex is also taking steps to protect her family, requiring 'everyone on their team, the people who buy groceries and run errands, to wear latex gloves at all times and are to follow a strict hygiene protocol', the source said.

'Only a select few will be able to interact with her, Harry and Archie. She said she's keeping it to a bare minimum,' the friend added.

But while holed up at their Vancouver Island waterfront mansion, Meghan and Harry are working with experts on how to best serve the public during this time, believing the pandemic is also a mental health crisis and feel 'compelled to help'.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are self-isolating in Canada, as Meghan confides in friends that Harry feels 'helpless' and is 'concerned' about the Queen and his father Prince Charles catching coronavirus, a close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com

'Meghan said they are grateful, especially Harry, that they could spend time with his family before all this insanity began,' the insider explained. 'Meghan said [Harry] has been in contact with the both of them. He urged them to stay safe and to take extra precautions'

The friend added: 'Meghan said just because they are isolating themselves, it doesn't mean they can't help. They aren't just sitting around at home doing nothing.'

They continued: 'Meghan told her inner circle that what's happening in the world right now is a mental health crisis.

'She said they are working with a mental health non-profit to create some sort of online support system for those most vulnerable, like new mothers suffering from postpartum depression.

'People who lack support systems need reassurance that they are not alone.'

Meghan and Harry have just returned to Canada following their last official engagements as working members of the royal family.

They attended the Mountbatten Festival of Music and reunited with Prince William and Kate Middleton during the Commonwealth Day celebrations.

Upon being back in Canada, the close friend said Meghan admitted that Harry 'feels a bit helpless and isolated out in the middle of nowhere, but is grateful that they are all together as a family.'

While holed up at their Vancouver Island waterfront mansion (pictured), Meghan and Harry are working with experts on how to best serve the public during this time, believing the pandemic is also a mental health crisis and feel 'compelled to help'

The Duchess of Sussex is also taking steps to protect herself, Harry and Archie, requiring 'everyone on their team, the people who buy groceries and run errands, to wear latex gloves at all times and are to follow a strict hygiene protocol', the source said

The friend also revealed Meghan has concerns about coronavirus but 'she's been diligent about not touching her face and washing her hands.'

They explained: 'She said panicking won't do any good. It's just not an option in her household. She doesn't want Archie picking up on any unnecessary stress and tension. Her home is her sanctuary and it's a place of peace and calm.'

DailyMail.com previously revealed her and Harry's farewell tour in the UK was 'confirmation' that she and Prince Harry 'made the right choice in parting ways' with the royal family.

Meghan had told her inner circle of friends that her last trip as a senior royal was 'bittersweet' but she was 'eager to get back home to Archie'.

'She said [the trip] has been a confirmation that they made the right choice in parting ways. There's no warmth between the family members and she wants to raise Archie in a household that is filled with laughter and joy and lots of hugs,' the close friend said.

'It's still weird to her that no one hugs and that everyone is so uptight, especially Kate. She said it's obvious that Kate and William do not approve of their choices and that you could cut the tension with a knife. Kate barely even looked at her and their interaction was kept to a bare minimum.'

But over the weekend it was reported Meghan and Harry accepted an invitation from the Queen to join her at Balmoral this summer.

But over the weekend it was reported Meghan and Harry accepted an invitation from the Queen to join her at Balmoral this summer. It would mark the first time Archie, who turns one in May, made the trip to the Queen's Scottish retreat after Harry and Meghan turned down the invitation last year. Pictured: Archie meeting the Queen on May 8, 2019

Last September the Queen was said to have been 'disappointed' when the Sussexes turned down her invitation to Balmoral (pictured)

It raised speculation the couple could bring Archie along with them to the UK for the first time since they departed for North America.

It would mark the first time Archie, who turns one in May, made the trip to the Queen's Scottish retreat after Harry and Meghan turned down the invitation last year.

They 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, Archie may accompany his parents to Britain in June when they attend trooping the color.

His absence from his wider family is understood to have left the Queen feeling 'very sad'.

Archie remained in Canada with the Sussexes' nanny and Meghan's friend Jessica Mulroney while Harry and Meghan completed their final official engagements in the UK.
Trials could be delayed for more than a year and judges could decide bail applications and hold hearings from behind closed doors under measures being considered by Victoria's justice system to respond to coronavirus.

The courts stopped empanelling juries on Monday, meaning no new trials will start, in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19 and also prevent it reaching the prison system.

It puts further strain on a system already under pressure - the County Court, which hears the bulk of Victoria's trials, has a backlog of cases stretching to May next year, and at least a dozen trials scheduled to start on Monday were postponed.

The courts are frantically trying to work out how they can hold hearings without having lawyers, accused criminals and victims in the courtroom.

Lawyers say it is inevitable more accused criminals will apply for bail when their trial is delayed, and cite the risk of contracting coronavirus as a supporting argument.
SACRAMENTO - Governor Newsom issued an executive order on Monday, March 16 to help protect renters and homeowners.

In a press release sent by his office, the governor authorized "local governments to halt evictions for renters and homeowners, slows foreclosures and protects against utility shutoffs" for those in the state.

People shouldnt lose or be forced out of their home because of the spread of COVID-19, said Governor Newsom. Over the next few weeks, everyone will have to make sacrifices  but a place to live shouldnt be one of them. I strongly encourage cities and counties take up this authority to protect Californians.

Monday's order does not relieve a tenant from paying rent or restrict the landlord's ability to recover rent that is due.

The order also requests banks and other financial institutions to halt foreclosures and evictions.

These protections are in effect through Sunday, May 31.

California's Public Utilities Commission was also asked by the Governor to monitor measures by both public and private utility providers to implement customer service protections for electric, gas, water, internet, landline telephone and cell phone service on a weekly basis.

For the full executive order, CLICK HERE.
March 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- France's antitrust regulator on Monday fined Apple 1.1 billion euros ($1.23 billion), putting more pressure on the company as it grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. https://nyti.ms/38UCLyP

- Eight major financial-services firms are borrowing money from the U.S. Federal Reserve, a day after the central bank urged them to tap its short-term funding facility to make it easier for credit to continue flowing through the economy. https://nyti.ms/2WqpStA

- The first testing in humans of an experimental vaccine for the new coronavirus began on Monday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced. https://nyti.ms/3b5Xq4B

- The Trump administration released new guidelines on Monday to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including closing schools and avoiding groups of more than 10 people, discretionary travel, bars, restaurants and food courts. https://nyti.ms/38XNOY5 ($1 = 0.8945 euros) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
U.S. oil is currently unprofitable for many energy E&P (exploration and production) companies, and President Trump needs to act.

An article calling for Executive action to support the oil industry will be ridiculed by the ill-informed, and if we had time to explain commodities markets and macroeconomics, we would do so. But time is not on our side, so we will be brief.

Oil exploration costs a tremendous amount of capital. Land must be leased, equipment purchased and moved to locations as remote as the tundra of Alaska and the deserts of New Mexico. Highly skilled energy workers command commensurate salaries. Multiple legal, environmental, and safety issues all cost money, and this list barely scratches the surface of the almost innumerable expenses oil companies risk before one drop of oil is produced.

In order to recover the billions of dollars in sunk costs, oil must be worth a certain amount per barrel. And $30 is not not enough to cover the costs. Currently, without price hedging, most oil and gas producer in America are losing money and headed for bankruptcy. This is bad for the entire economy. Liquidity will be exhausted, loans will default, and then worst of all: layoffs. Potentially millions of layoffs.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has estimated that the oil and gas industry supports over 10 million jobs, which is over 5% of Americas total employment. If a significant percentage of those are laid off, and they will be unless President Trump acts, communities will dissolve and tax revenues will collapse. Safety nets like unemployment insurance will be exhausted. Home mortgages will default. Families stop shopping, consuming, streaming, purchasing. The ripple effects will be devastating from small rural towns to major cities and everyone in between.

The current crash in the oil market is not caused exclusively by the Wuhan Coronavirus, though a decrease in demand from stagnating economic activity because of the outbreak does exacerbate the issue. No, the oil market crash is a decades old fight between oil-dominant nations: Russia and Saudi Arabia.

America is the worlds largest oil producer, but this industry is only 8% of our economy. This is good. Its a sign that America has a healthy and diverse economy. This is not the case for the Russians and the Saudis. The petroleum sector accounts for 87% of the Saudi economy. Russia is more diversified, but at 25%, the oil and gas industry is still disproportionately bolstering their economy. These nations need to dominate the global oil industry, and to do that, they must eliminate the competition.

America is their biggest competition. President Trumps agenda of Energy Dominance has unleashed our domestic energy capability and increased our national security. When he took office in January of 2017, America produced roughly 7 million barrels of oil per day. Today, we produce close to 13 million. This is great news for America, American jobs, and the American economy.

It is terrible news for Russia and Saudi Arabia. So, during the international panic caused by the Wuhan Coronavirus they are taking action: increase production. By flooding the markets with too much supply, they are intentionally driving the price of oil down with the hopes of bankrupting American producers.

When American energy companies go bust and shut down, Russia and Saudi Arabia will once again dominate the market, setting production, and by extension, prices, as they so desire. This is how the oil markets ran for decades: America and her allies beholden to OPECs good will. This is the return to normal they seek.

America cannot let this happen, and President Trump can do a few things to protect Americas energy dominance and the nations economy.

First: Place significant tariffs on all oil imports from outside North America. America consumes more oil than it produces. Last year we needed 500,000 barrels per day. More than 50% of our foreign oil comes from our neighbors Canada (43%) and Mexico (9%). The OPEC nations make-up 18% of our oil imports. Russia accounts for another 6%. This must end. America has ample domestic resources and technology to fully supply our countrys energy needs.

The U.S. should only trade with countries that engage in fair trade and show mutual respect. Russia and the Saudis are not demonstrating respect; they are engaged in a deliberate price war to attack American jobs, families and national security

Second: Provide low cost debt facilities for the oil and gas industry to backstop the private credit markets. Oil and gas companies have bonds and credit revolvers that need to be refined over the next 12-24 months and the private markets are frozen and out of balance due to the stock market recent whipsaw. Providing an accessible debt resource will help stabilize the industry and markets.

Third: In exchange for these supporting policies; the U.S. oil and gas industry should somehow be required to help themselves by significantly paying down debt and strengthening their balance sheet; eliminate natural gas flaring; and dramatically increase extraction efficiency so they can more effectively compete for world market share and create greater value for all stakeholders.

Were just spit-balling some ideas. However, national oil monopolies like Russia and Saudi Arabia cannot be allowed to maliciously disrupt world markets - especially during a time of worldwide pandemic - and intentionally try to destroy the oil and gas producers in America.

American jobs and families are one the line. Americas oil and gas industry and national security are on the line. Russia and Saudi Arabia have launched an economic, nuclear attack on America.

Immediately imposing tariffs on oil imports from outside North America would support American security, jobs and producers. This would also provide a strong measure of foreign policy discipline to Russia and Saudi with  arguable the first - material counter offensive against OPEC/ OPEC+ since its creation in 1960 as a weapon against the west and an instrument to manipulate markets.

Dan Genovese is a Director at the energy consulting firm EnerCom, Inc. with experience in corporate strategy, investor relations, ESG, government relations and policy. Mr. Genovese has worked in capital markets and has experience in upstream production and downstream energy demand. Contact: dgenovese@enercominc.com

Daniel Turner is the founder and executive director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. Contact him at daniel@powerthefuture.com and follow him on Twitter @DanielTurnerPTF
A crime branch team along with Azara Police staff apprehended three fraudsters at the airport here on Tuesday.

The three men were travelling in Airasia flight from New Delhi, police said.

The accused have been identified as Junaid Khan (26), Salim Khan (31) and Samsad Khan (27). They are residents of Haryana.

The officials have seized 130 ATM cards, 10 bottles of Codex cough syrup and cash worth Rs 91,270 from the possession of the accused.

An investigation into the matter is underway and more details in this regard are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The woman who blackmailed a Melbourne couple as their daughter lay dying in a hospital bed has been jailed for three years and will be deported upon her release.

Jay and Dee Windross created a social media campaign to track down their missing mobile phone, which contained irreplaceable photographs of 11-month-old Amiyah as she spent her final days in critical care in April last year.

Amiyah's parents Jay (right) and Dee Windross speak to media outside the County Court on Tuesday. Credit:AAP

As the Windross family were saying their final goodbyes to Amiyah, Mr Windross received a text message from someone claiming to have the missing phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 with a purple cover had been snatched from toilets at the Chadstone Shopping Centre over the Easter long weekend.
Catholic Faith Technologies Offers Free Online Faith Formation During Pandemic

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic Faith Technologies

March 17, 2020



OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 17, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- Catholic Faith Technologies wants to help keep dioceses, parishes, schools, and families safe and productive during the COVID-19 pandemic. To serve those preventing the spread of the coronavirus by voluntarily isolating or entering quarantine, CFT is offering as many resources as possible to meet faith formation needs.



During this time, CFT is serving the faith by providing:

Grade School - FREE Faith and Life* courses through the generosity of Ignatius Press for those students soon celebrating Confirmation, First Communion, or enrolled in on-site religious education.



High School - FREE Didache* series courses and online materials in partnership with the Midwest Theological Forum that will allow students to continue their studies at home.



Adult Formation - FREE Faith Foundations* courses from My Catholic Faith Delivered.



Professional Development - We offer online courses brought to you by Catholic Distance University and network of partner dioceses, these are also available on My Catholic Faith Delivered or through your diocesan formation office.



For those schools already scheduled for NCEA IFG - ACRE or Adult Survey - testing, we are supporting rescheduling the assessment window or converting to the online version.

CFT President, Jay Breeden says, "During times like this, people turn to their faith. It is comforting and it helps to normalize their lives. To reduce disruption for students in faith formation and other others partaking in faith-based learning, we are glad to be able to provide sense of continuity through our online platform. Especially now, its the best way for us to continue our mission to serve the Church and we are so thankful to our partners for allowing us to bring these courses to you."



Built for a higher purpose  And this is it!



CFT was built to help dioceses streamline and scale all mission-critical initiatives while creating touch points for each parish and school to maximize engagement, faith formation, certifications, centralized communications, and more. This mission is not one to be put on hold due to a global emergency. The very nature of our offering makes it possible to continue consistent communications, integrated learning, and community engagement without disruption.



Because CFT's operations are not dependent on any single physical location, we can ensure continuity of service and access to online content no matter where you are.



If you have questions on any of these updates, we are happy to discuss it  info@catholicfaithtech.com.



* Courses offered free of charge through June 30, 2020 at which time access will expire.



SOURCE Catholic Faith Technologies



CONTACT: Jay Breeden, 913-800-6886



Related Links



https://www.catholicfaithtech.com/


Trump Discusses Payroll Tax Cut With Congress

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com Washington

17 March 2020

On March 9, 2020, United States President Donald Trump revealed that the Administration would begin discussions with Congress on potential tax measures to ease the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, including a payroll tax cut.

During a press briefing at the White House, Trump said that talks with leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate would take place on March 10 on proposals to provide "very substantial relief."

"We are going to be asking tomorrow  we're seeing the Senate. We're going to be meeting with House Republicans  [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell, everybody  and discussing a possible payroll tax cut or relief, substantial relief," Trump remarked.

At the same briefing, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also suggested that tax relief would be provided to companies to provide them with a cash flow boost.

"We're looking at alternatives at the IRS. We have large tax payments coming up of providing certain relief to companies and individuals for liquidity," Mnuchin said.

President Trump's comments follow those made at a White House press conference on March 3, 2020, when he said "it would be a good time" for tax cuts, in the form of a reduction in payroll tax. In a twitter post issued on the same day, Trump said that such a tax cut would be temporary, and he urged the House to propose "a very simple one-year payroll tax cut."
Egypt, the world's largest wheat buyer, has halted travelling by its wheat inspectors, the head of the agriculture quarantine body told Reuters on Tuesday, after the country decided to shut its air traffic to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Delegations currently in Russia and Ukraine will return and be put under a 15-day quarantine. Only one delegation will remain in France pending further announcements on a curfew or travel restrictions by Paris, quarantine chief Ahmed al-Attar said.

"The delegation has been in France for two days and is expected to continue its work there, inspecting a large wheat cargo for 17 days. But if France announces a curfew or a travel ban, they need to return quickly," quarantine chief Attar said.

The state grains buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) stipulated in December that suppliers send a delegation of inspectors from the state's agricultural quarantine to check cargoes of wheat at their port of origin after a halt in the process for around two years.

GASC had bought a 60,000 tonne wheat cargo from France for a mid-March shipping period.

Some suppliers say getting cargoes inspected at ports of origin by Egyptian government inspectors makes acceptance of the wheat on arrival at Egyptian ports a smoother process.

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A child poverty expert has called for Government action to make sure children entitled to free school meals do not miss out if their schools shut.

Nearly 100,000 children here are eligible for free school meals - a key indicator of deprivation.

They are set to be affected when schools in Northern Ireland close.

Goretti Horgan backed an umbrella organisation that looks after the needs of children in Northern Ireland, which called for direct payments to be made to families on low income to cover the costs of providing the hot meals children get at school.

Pauline Leeson, chief executive of Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI), said low income families cannot afford to stockpile food.

"We recognise that schools may need to shut to prevent the spread of virus - however, families were already struggling before," she said.

"This will make it so much worse for them to be able to afford to feed their children at home. They are not in a position to stockpile food as many others have been doing.

"For many children and young people, the meal they get at school will be the only one."

The Department for Communities has said every effort will be made to ensure families receive benefits on time.

But Ms Leeson added: "Direct cash transfers to families would be a far more effective tool in order to aid parents to weather the storm.

"It would also be quicker than providing vouchers for food or funding for lunch clubs, which would be inconvenient for families who are self-isolating or in quarantine."

Ms Horgan said taking hot meals directly to the homes of children who usually get free school meals was another solution.

She said: "In other parts of the world where the spread of coronavirus has shut schools, they are opening them at lunchtime solely for the provision of free schools meals but it is being done in a controlled way to make sure there is only a certain number of children there at any one time.

"A better solution I think would be to take the food directly to the children's homes. That way if they are in isolation, no one has to leave the home.

"It is so important that children who are entitled to free school meals get them when the schools here close.

"We have to ensure they are fed because children who are hungry will have a reduced immune system."

Ms Horgan said the practicalities of making sure children who are entitled to free meals receive them is the responsibility of Stormont ministers and should not be foisted upon schools.

She added: "Whatever is the best way to make sure children who are entitled to free school meals get them is something that must be worked out at ministerial level, but it is important that a solution is found.

"It must not become another burden foisted on the shoulders of school principals and their staff - they are already being left to deal with enough uncertainty."

Data on entitlement to free school meals was published by the Department of Education last April.

It showed that across all school types, including special schools, 99,142 pupils were entitled to free school meals, down 1,112 pupils on the previous year.

Pupils entitled to free schools meals represent 29.3% of the total school enrolment.
Solomon Lew's Premier Retail is leading the charge of worried retailers threatening store closures unless landlords offer immediate rent relief for shops hit by plummeting demand from the escalating coronavirus pandemic.

Premier Retail's chief executive Mark McInnes said landlords have a major role to play to ensure retailers can operate in the short term for the long-term benefit of all stakeholders.

Sales in stores are down between 40 and 50 per cent since the weekend, retailer says. Credit:John Woudstra

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have closed two stores in Hong Kong and we are prepared to close many more stores globally if landlords do not respond to the current crisis," Mr McInnes said.

The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald understand sales for some retailers in the fashion industry have dropped "off a cliff" since Friday, with one major retail chief executive reporting a sharp and severe decline.
Lonza Publishes its Online Annual & Sustainability Reports 2019

2019 online Annual Report and Sustainability Report published

New corporate website is launched to deliver an improved user experience

Basel, Switzerland, 17 March 2020 - Lonza today announced the publication of its online Annual Report and Sustainability Report 2019, as well as its new corporate website.

2019 online Annual Report and Sustainability Report

Lonza published today its 2019 online Annual Report and Sustainability Report (in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative - GRI - guidelines). The pdf versions of the Annual Report and Sustainability Report can be accessed here.

For the 2019 edition of the Annual Report, personal perspectives are included from the leadership team, alongside the five following main sections:

Company Overview including Strategy, Talent Attraction and Retention, Sustainability

Segments

Financials

Remuneration

Governance

Sustainability remains critical to Lonza's continuing success, and Lonza takes its governance-related, social and environmental responsibilities seriously. With the 2019 Sustainability Report, Lonza aims to provide increased transparency on its approach and achievements.

Environmental, social and governance is a focus area of Lonza, with firm commitments to strengthen its strategic approach and to continue to enhance its disclosure on clear objectives, action plans and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Launch of new corporate website

Lonza today launches a new corporate website, designed to provide an enhanced user experience. It contains a simplified and streamlined structure, with updated resources for investors, customers and prospective employees. The site is now responsive to mobile devices and provides current information relating to Lonza's employment value proposition (EVP) as well as its sustainability activities. The new site is now live at: www.lonza.com

Lonza Contact Details

Dr. Kristin Koehler

Investor Relations Director Lonza Group Ltd Tel +41 61 316 8782 kristin.koehler@lonza.com Dr. Sanna Fowler

Global Head External Communications Lonza Group Ltd Tel +41 61 316 8929 sanna.fowler@lonza.com

About Lonza

Lonza is a leading global supplier to the pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty ingredients markets. We work to promote a healthier lifestyle and prevent illness by supporting our customers to deliver innovative medicines that help treat or even cure a wide range of diseases. This is complemented by our broad range of microbial control solutions, which help to create and maintain a healthy environment.

Patients and consumers benefit from how we apply our scientific knowledge and advanced manufacturing technologies to the healthcare, hygiene and fast-moving consumer goods markets and to developing preservation and protection materials.

Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today is a well-respected global company with more than 100 sites and offices and approximately 15,500 full-time employees worldwide (at the end of 2019). The company generated sales of CHF 5.9 billion in 2019 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.6 billion. Find out more at www.lonza.com.

Additional Information and Disclaimer

Lonza Group Ltd has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST"). Lonza Group Ltd is not subject to the SGX-ST's continuing listing requirements but remains subject to Rules 217 and 751 of the SGX-ST Listing Manual.

Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this news release.
Chennai, March 17 : Limiting visitors and outside visits, stopping group activities, discouraging assembly of residents even in cafeterias, promoting telemedicine, convincing the residents who had been to countries with rising COVID-19 cases to delay their return are some of the precautions taken at retirement communities to ring fence around the senior residents, said officials.

With the senior citizens more susceptible to the pandemic infection owing to their age and lower immunity levels, the retirement community majors are implementing several precautionary measures, which also includes increasing the hygiene levels of the staff, care givers and vendors.

According to officials at the retirement communities their residents are in the age group of 60-85. These residents are not complaining against the preventive measures as they guess they are for a short period time.

"The way the management has looked at the issue is lot stricter than the way the country as a whole looks at the threat of Coronavirus. The risk profile is high for infection in retirement communities," W.V.K. Krishna Shankar, former Director in Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd, residing in CovaiCare retirement community in Coimbatore told IANS over phone.

The officials have also said that the outbreak will not impact their business as the potential is huge in the country.

According to Shankar, the residents are advised to be at home, avoid visiting relatives, friends and group meetings inside the gated community for a month or two.

He also said the residents have been advised to avoid visiting or meeting relatives who have recently come from overseas for some time to come.

For elders with assisted care, entry to their dwelling is banned for all except for the care givers. They will not be in contact with others even when they are taken out to the park, Shankar said.

"There is huge spike in the usage of our telemedicine facility by the community members. That is one of the ways to prevent spread of coronavirus," retired Colonel A. Sridharan, Founder and Managing Director, CovaiCare Group told IANS.

Sridharan said he has to first ensure his staff members do not bring in any disease and started the safety measures with them like providing sanitisers, soaps and handgun thermometer.

According to him, the staff also ask the visitors their travel history and pass the information to the residents via intercom.

At all the retirement communities the common touch points like rails, switches, lift buttons are sanitised at regular intervals.

The retirement community companies are not planning to pass on the increased cost of maintenance to their members.

"In order to increase the immunity levels of the residents we give Nilavembu Kashayam/a herbal drink. We also give juices/soups with lemon extract as one of the ingredients mixed to build up the immunity levels," retired Commodore M. T. Ramesh, Head of Operations, Colombia Pacific Communities told IANS.

Ramesh said the company is adopting a three-pronged approach - creating awareness, prevention and promotion- against the spread of Coronavirus inside the nine gated communities located in different cities.

"We have requested our residents to request their relatives not to visit them over for some time to come," he added.

Apart from increased cleaning and sanitizing operations one of the industry major Ashiana Housing Ltd has requested its residents not to invite their relatives and friends to their dwellings and also discourage them from gathering together at the cafeteria within the compound, said C.P. Muralidhara, Deputy General Manager told IANS.

Queried about the psychological impact that the seniors have owing to the in/out bound travel restrictions preventing the residents to meet their loved ones Muralidhara said: "We are speaking with our residents frequently. Our staff will also go to their place with tablets so that they can talk to their loved ones via Internet."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
CHICAGO  The COVID-19 pandemic is hardly the first national crisis that Americans have faced in this century. But its different from the previous ones, and we are not ready for it.

What sets it apart from the 9/11 attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and the Great Recession is that it will require us to make unwanted sacrifices. Absorbing that stark necessity has taken time and sapped our willingness to act.

After the 9/11 attacks, the message Americans got was not to hunker down in fear. The American people have got to go about their business, then-President George W. Bush said. We cannot let the terrorists achieve the objective of frightening our nation to the point where we dont conduct business, where people dont shop.

He urged the traveling public not to be deterred: Fly and enjoy Americas great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life, the way we want it to be enjoyed.

His recommendations made perfect sense. The danger of any particular American dying at the hands of terrorists was close to zero, and it would only have cheered Osama bin Laden if people were terrified of boarding planes or gathering in crowds. Going on with our usual routines was the right thing to do.

It was also easy. The same was true of what was demanded of ordinary citizens after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

These werent World War II. We didnt have to endure rationing of gasoline, meat and other goods. We didnt have to worry about ourselves or our kids being drafted. We werent exhorted to buy war bonds. Our patriotic duty was to fly the flag, support the troops, sing God Bless America at ballgames and not much else.

The only real sacrifices came from the small share of families with members serving in the armed forces. The line heard then was: Marines are at war. Americans are at the mall. And why not? Depriving ourselves of shopping, movies and dinners out would have been no help in defeating our enemies.

We also had the money to spend, because these were the rare wars that didnt require us to pay higher taxes. In fact, Bush got a tax cut enacted while they were going on.

Spending money was also good citizenship during the Great Recession. When businesses are going under and workers are losing their jobs, the last thing economists would prescribe is a frenzy of frugality  which would make the downturn longer and more severe.

Those Americans who were unemployed or underemployed had to scrimp and do without, but everyone else was morally justified in doing just the opposite. The less people changed their habits, the better for the economy.

The new coronavirus doesnt fit the old templates, which explains the reluctance of government officials and citizens to do what has to be done. Its arrival in the United States was only a matter of time, but weeks went by without serious action. The impulse was to wait and hope the disease wouldnt amount to much  an impulse that served to magnify the epidemic.

Only in recent days have political and business leaders faced up to the need to stop people from going about their normal lives. St. Patricks Day parades, Broadway shows and sports events have had to be canceled or postponed. Otherwise, people would jam together in obstinate disregard of the risks to their own health and the publics. Employers have just begun allowing, or ordering, employees to work from home.

The epidemic has sent the stock market tumbling, and it may cause a recession. But this time, shopping, traveling and eating out are not the solution.

Millions of Americans have grown up without ever being asked to deprive themselves of much of anything for the greater good. One reason is that back in the 1970s, a couple of presidents requested sacrifices, only to find that they had made a burnt offering of their political futures.

In his 1974 Whip Inflation Now campaign, Gerald Ford asked Americans to join carpools, cut down on food waste and lower the heat in their homes. In 1979, faced with an energy crisis, Jimmy Carter urged those steps and more. Neither appeal went over well. Voters evicted them at their first opportunity.

But this time, we cant afford to go on as before. Weve often been told that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. This time, the lack of fear is scarier.

Chapman writes for The Chicago Tribune: @SteveChapman13.

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Japan's health ministry has released a map showing clusters of coronavirus infections in the country.

The map on the ministry's website shows 15 clusters in 10 prefectures, as of Sunday.

A cluster is a group of five or more people who have tested positive for the virus.

The one in Osaka Prefecture has more than 50 infected people. Ten clusters involve between 10 and 49 people, while the remaining four have between five and nine.

The ministry has sent expert teams to the affected areas to help contain the spread of the virus.
MIDDLETOWN  Area lawmakers are applauding the approval of the state bond package bill that allocates over $3 million in town aid for roads and bridges, in addition to over $1 million for municipal projects.

State Reps. Quentin Phipps, D-Middletown and Joe Serra, D-Middletown, and Sens. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown and Mary Daugherty Abrams made the announcement in a press release.
We have closely followed Team Muellers prosecution of Concord Management and Consulting. The prosecution seemed to have been brought for the purpose of the news that would be generated by the indictment. When Concord appeared in court through sophisticated defense counsel with a wry sense of humor and a delight in tormenting Team Mueller  Eric Dubelier  Team Mueller sought to escape with the least possible embarrassment. They (embarrassingly) claimed they hadnt properly served Concord.

That gambit failed, but the time has come today. The government moved yesterday to dismiss its case against Concord. The Wall Street Journal reports that Judge Friedrich dismissed the case last night.

The Journal gives Dubelier the last word: A lawyer for Concord said the case had fundamental problems and said prosecutors wouldnt have been able to prove at trial that the defendants knew they were violating U.S. laws. The purpose of this indictment was to make a political statement regarding the outcome of the 2016 election that was grossly overstated[.]

In its motion the government argued that Concord conducted itself in bad faith. I dont doubt it, yet the prosecutors have no appetite to litigate that point either. Techno Fog highlights a quotable quote from the governments motion (tweet below). I add one of my own and have embedded a copy of the governments 9-page motion below it.

Quotable quote: In light of the defendants conduct,its ephemeral presence and immunity to just punishment, the risk of exposure of law enforcements tools and techniques, and the post-indictment change in the proof available at trial, the balance of equities has shifted. It is no longer in the best interests of justice or the countrys national security to continue this prosecution.

Wow. The DOJ moves to dismiss the charges against the Russian Company (Concord) who conducted the alleged "information warfare against the US" The troll case will be dismissed w/ prejudice. How embarrassing for Team Mueller. pic.twitter.com/wfZ78EWgKc  Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) March 16, 2020

200316 Concord Motion to Dismiss by Scott Johnson on Scribd
[March 17, 2020] Crypto Briefing Announces Partnership Integrating Company's SIMETRI Digital Asset Ratings on CoinMarketCap

Crypto Briefing, an independent cryptocurrency research and news platform, announces a partnership integrating Crypto Briefing's SIMETRI digital asset ratings on CoinMarketCap. SIMETRI ?- Crypto Briefing's institutional-grade research product positioned and priced for the retail investor ?- provides in-depth fundamental analysis and unbiased, detailed insights into cryptocurrency projects. Each report is concluded with a concise investment grade ?- now available to tens of millions of users on CoinMarketCap. These ratings were integrated on major digital asset resources CoinGecko and Binance Info last year. Beyond Price and Volume Data Starting today, CoinMarketCap users can visit individual crypto asset pages, and find the new information under the "Ratings" tab. Crypto Briefing's ratings metric analyzes dozens of fundamental factors to assess the investability and potential long-term profitability of crypto assets. These factors are provided as an easy-to-understand digital asset grade, allowing investors to look beyond price and volume data to get a more holistic view of the market. By incorporating fundamental analysis in an easy-to-understand digital asset grade it allows investors to look past price and volume data to get a more holistic view of the market. Combined with CoinMarketCap's recently launched Liquidity Metrics, retail investors can now get a level of detail into markets not previously accessible to the public.



"Crypto Briefing has systematically reported on and evaluated hundreds of digital assets. Our connections and expertise allow us to provide valuable recommendations to investors," said Han Kao, CEO of Crypto Briefing. Blockchain data providers TokenInsight and IntoTheBlock will also be featured alongside Crypto Briefing on CoinMarketCap.

Data Transparency for the Crypto Investor Inclusion of Crypto Briefing's SIMETRI digital asset ratings is part of CoinMarketCap's Data Accountability & Transparency Alliance (DATA) initiative, which was first unveiled in May 2019. DATA is CoinMarketCap's ongoing bid to provide transparency and verifiable order book data from exchanges. Crypto Briefing is currently the only crypto-media publication involved in the initiative. The initiative follows widespread concerns around cryptocurrency market manipulation. Last year, Bitwise released an in-depth analysis of exchange markets and found that roughly 95% of Bitcoin trading volumes may be fabricated through wash trading. "Crypto Briefing, TokenInsight, and IntoTheBlock are highly respected in the industry for their informative and in-depth offerings, and I'm sure our users will benefit greatly from their valuable data and ratings," said Carylyne Chan, Chief Strategy Officer of CoinMarketCap. Raising the Standard for Blockchain Media In 2018, Crypto Briefing announced it successfully closed a $2 million seed round, giving the company a $13.3 million valuation. Investors include Youbi Capital Fenbushi, DHVC, and NGC, among others. The publication received awards for "Best Media Outlet" at the Malta AI and Blockchain Summit last year and was runner-up for the "Best Blockchain Publication" at the Dapp Awards, held at Devcon IV, in 2018. "Crypto Briefing was founded on the principle of information equality for the retail investor. Today, we are one step closer to that goal," said Kao. About Crypto Briefing Crypto Briefing is an independent cryptocurrency research and news provider advocating for blockchain technology's application in finance. Founded in 2017, Crypto Briefing has published over 3,000 stories, conducted over 30 code reviews, and released hundreds of research reports. Crypto Briefing is currently expanding its transparency and trust initiatives with high-profile partners, such as CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko. Crypto Briefing's mission is to eliminate information asymmetry from digital asset markets. About CoinMarketCap Since 2013, CoinMarketCap has been the premier price-tracking website for cryptocurrencies. It is the most referenced and trusted source for comparing thousands of crypto entities in the rapidly growing cryptocurrency space by users, institutions, and media. CoinMarketCap firmly stands for accurate, timely and unbiased information, enabling each end user to draw their own informed conclusions from CoinMarketCap data. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005241/en/

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Calling in to the NY1 cable channel later in the day, Mr. Cuomo reiterated that position.

Theres not going to be any quarantine, where we contain people within an area, or we block people from an area, he said. Individual mobility is what were all about. Theres not going to be any you-have-to-stay-in-your-house rule.

Mr. de Blasio also said on Tuesday that the city would be able to test 5,000 people a day for coronavirus, a major increase from the current capacity of several hundred people a day. And he said that alternate-side parking rules would be suspended for at least a week.

As of Tuesday, more than 1,500 people in New York State had tested positive for the virus, up from 950 the day before; 814 of the cases were in the city, including that of a New York Police Department officer assigned to the First Precinct in Lower Manhattan. (Seventeen officers who may have had contact with that officer were in self-quarantine.)

Fifteen people have died from the virus in New York State, including at least 10 in New York City.

We are certainly going to have thousands of cases next week, Mr. de Blasio said. It is not that long before we hit 10,000 cases, that is a true statement.
More than 100 Australian doctors and dentists are trapped on a cruise ship off the coast of Chile after being turned away in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The medical experts were on the Roald Amundsen, owned by cruise company Hurtigruten, for a ten-night cruise to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and the Chilean Fjords as part of a medical and dental conference.

The ship left port in Chile on February 29 and was scheduled to return on Tuesday.

But the passengers are now stranded on the ship as a result of the country's strict new rules banning cruise ships from docking.

The medical experts were on the Roald Amundsen (stock image pictured), owned by Hurtigruten, for a 10-night cruise to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and the Chilean Fjords

On Sunday Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich announced cruise ships are banned from docking until September after an elderly passenger tested positive for coronavirus.

Speakers at the event include some of Australia's top medical professionals, including the Director of Emergency of St Vincents Hospital Sydney, a doctor at The Mater Private Hospital in Brisbane, and a World Health consultant in Melbourne.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told The Guardian it was aware of the situation and would provide consular assistance.

Hurtigruten told the publication it is working with local authorities to get the passengers off the ship.

'Our passengers and crew are our top priority and all are well,' Damian Perry, managing director of Hurtigruten Asia Pacific, said.

'Our task force's focus is to get all passengers home as quickly and safely as possible and we are regularly updating our passengers on board with our plans to get them home.'

They also said the medical professionals were in good spirits.

The ship is equipped with three restaurants, a gym and wellness centre, and infinity pool and hot tubs.

A livecam shows the ship's location just off the Punta Arenas coast in Chile. It is unknown how long the passengers will be on board

Bill Portanova, an attorney from Sacramento in California, is trapped on the ship with his wife Shauna.

According to the Sacramento Bee, he sent a text message on Monday that read: 'I'm trapped.'

'We're offshore and, apparently, the story we got is that they worked something out where we would be taken to the port, health screened, removed from the ship with masks and gloves directly into buses and straight to the airport.

'But some locals got wind of the plan and there was some kind of a protest, so the deal fell through.'

While he was supposed to be back at work on Tuesday, the defense attorney said there's plenty of food and drink on board and the view of the Chilean coastline is 'beautiful, but just out of reach'.

He also said no one on board is sick, but the mass of doctors on board is giving everyone else peace of mind.

Chile had 155 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
File photo of then chief justice of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi paying homage at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi. President Ram Nath Kovind nominated former chief justice to the Rajya Sabha on March 16, 2020. (PTI)

Just months after Ranjan Gogoi retired as chief justice of India, hes been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Though the nomination is in the presidents quota of 12 'non-political' appointees, nobody will treat it as anything but a political nomination.

Such an appointment can easily be misconstrued as a quid pro quo for the judgments Justice Gogoi oversaw that favoured this government. Far from maintaining a separate identity as the third pillar of democracy, separate from the legislature and the executive, Gogoi as CJI went into full embrace of his strongman leader.

Evidence of this is in the RSS recent declaration that the Ayodhya ruling, during Gogois last days in office, was correct. How correct it was will be debated in the years to come; on the one hand, it found the Babri Masjid demolition criminal but on the other it gave the go-ahead for the Ram Mandir. One suspects that the RSS is not unhappy with Gogois nomination.

What about the Congress nominating former CJI Ranganath Misra (uncle to another CJI, Dipak Misra) to the Rajya Sabha in 1998? The elder Misra retired in 1992; one could hardly accuse him of favouring the Congress when his single-member commission indicted 19 Congress members for the 1984 riots. Also, when the Congress sent him to the Upper House, it was not in power.

Justice Gogoi has also had a destructive influence as a strongman judge. In the name of overseeing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, he essentially took over its executive functioning and without democratic checks and balances it has become the most divisive administrative measure in India  it is what makes the Citizenship (Amendment) Act so sinister to Muslims.

He relied heavily on sealed evidence, something that goes against transparent jurisprudence; and the nation watched it in action when the Supreme Court, on the basis of sealed evidence, found nothing amiss in the Rafale jet fighter deal  a lucrative deal in which the prime minister had personally intervened.

Worse, however, was Gogois refusal to hear habeas corpus cases from Kashmir after August 5, when the Centre hollowed out Article 370, demoted J&K to a Union territory, and then turned what was already an open prison into a collective solitary confinement by cutting off mobiles and the Internet.

Whereas the CJI was in a hurry to complete the Ayodhya hearings before he retired, he said the court had no time for Kashmiris civil rights. With such disdain for individual rights, no wonder his was called an executive court.

What choice did Justice Gogoi have? There was the example of Justice H R Khanna, the sole dissenter against a 1976 ruling supporting Indira Gandhis Emergency; he paid the price of dissent by being superseded as CJI (he chose to resign).

Incidentally, Justice Gogoi had, before he became CJI, unprecedentedly held a press conference with three other judges, lambasting then CJI Dipak Misras opaque allocation of cases. Ironically, two years later Justice Misra will continue to sit at home  but not in any House.
By West Kentucky Star Staff/Kentucky News Network Mar. 16, 2020 | 07:10 PM | FRANKFORT





He announced Monday afternoon that all child care facilities in the state must close by Friday.







Beshear said, "We're gonna ask child care centers across Kentucky to close by close of business on Friday. That's gonna give parents this week to make sure that they can take the steps that they need."







There will be exceptions to that rule, including for on-site employers.







Beshear also announced a three-month extension on driver's licenses in an effort to help those who might have a license expiring in the coming weeks, and the closing of in-person government services by 5 pm on Tuesday.







"We are going to make sure people can get the services they need, but we have to model the type of behavior that we want to see from other people," he said.







According to Beshear's administration, they have also applied for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Declaration. The U.S. Small Business Association is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses (private and non-profit organizations) that are suffering from substantial economic injury as a result of the pandemic.







Since last Wednesday, the Democratic governor has asked for churches to cancel services, closed all schools, senior citizen centers, bars and restaurants, and moved the primary election to June 23.







All of these measures are to increase social distancing and hopefully slow the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.







As of Monday evening, 317 people had tested for the virus, with 22 testing positive. All of the positive tests are in seven counties in the north-central part of the commonwealth. One Kentuckian has died from the illness.

Governor Andy Beshear is making more demands in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Princess Diana would be 'heartbroken' over the state of Prince William and Prince Harry's relationship, a royal photographer has claimed.

The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38 returned to the UK earlier this month for their final engagements before quitting as senior members of the Royal Family on March 31.

Prince Harry and brother Prince William, 37, reunited last Monday for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, with royal watchers branding their interaction 'frosty'.

And now royal photographer Jayne Fincher has told Page Six how their mother Princess Diana would be 'doing everything to be the peacemaker' and mend their relationship, while saying how 'devastated' Prince Charles, 71, will be over the situation.

A royal photographer has revealed how Princess Diana would be 'heartbroken' over Prince William, 37, and Prince Harry's, 35, current relationship

Jayne said: 'Shed be shaking the boys heads together saying, "For goodness sake. Whats going on here?" and I think shed be trying to make peace between the girls, too.'

She added that Prince Charles was also likely upset by his sons' relationship, saying: 'Charles must be broken-hearted because hes extremely close to those boys....That must be very devastating for him.'

Jayne, who worked as a royal photographer for the family for 20 years, said Prince William and Prince Harry had 'done everything' together as children and were extremely close.

But she also noted how the brothers personalities were always different from one another.

Jayne Fincher said Princess Diana would be acting as 'peacemaker' between the two brothers, who once enjoyed a close friendship (pictured in 1987)

She described Prince Harry as 'quite a confident little boy' while Prince William was less so.

She explained how as a child, the Duke of Sussex was 'the one who really wasn't perturbed' by media and photographers.

She added that it was the Duke of Cambridge who 'had his head down' like Princess Diana, 'hating every minute of it'.

Jayne's comments come after a royal source told People magazine that Prince William and Prince Harry's relationship has been 'forever changed'.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reunited with Prince William and Kate Middleton for the first time since the Megxit announcement at the Commonwealth Service last week, with some perceiving the reception as frosty

Speaking about their once-close friendship, the source said: 'They wont get back to the way they were. Harry is looking straight ahead at his future with his family.'

It follows on-going claims over the past 18 months of a rift between the Sussexes and the Cambridges, first between Kate and Meghan, and then between future king Prince William and his younger brother, Harry.

The 'Fab Four' appeared in February 2018 to promote 'the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex'.

But the two households went on to split, with Harry and Meghan leaving Kensington Palace for Frogmore Cottage in Windsor and appointing their own staff.

From March 31, the monarch's grandson and American former actress Meghan will no longer use their HRH styles as they pursue a new life of personal and financial freedom.
We actually need to be brave, Naama Blonder, an architect at the firm Smart Density, told CBC News. This whole notion of protecting neighbourhoods is something that belongs to the past. This is a conversation that they should have stopped having in the 70s.

Torontos planning office is currently working on a study that looks into expanding housing options in the citys designated neighbourhoods that is scheduled to be presented to city councillors in spring. The study examines whether missing middle homes  between a detached home and a high-rise condominium  can be built in neighbourhoods without compromising on their identities.

It will actually open up more possibilities, real estate broker Kevin Yu told CBC News. Instead of going for a condo in a big building, this might be the next step up, that middle ground.

But for Toronto chief planner Gregg Lintern, any strategy must aim for a proper balance between increasing density and preserving the characteristics of Torontos neighbourhoods.

That's a lot of land and we're looking at ways to see how we can gently increase the housing choice and options in those parts of the city, without changing fundamentally the way those neighbourhoods look and feel, Lintern told CBC News.
KYIV -- Lawmakers have approved Iryna Venedyktova, a top investigative official who has clashed with reporters and civil society activists, as Ukraines new prosecutor-general.

The March 17 vote by the Verkhovna Rada was the latest in a series of top-level government personnel changes by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Some of Zelenskiy's moves have worried civil-society activists, who fear he is backsliding on reforms and reverting to policies that have hobbled Ukraine for years.

Venedyktova, 41, is the first woman to head Ukraines top prosecutorial office.

She's currently the acting director of the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR), a corruption-fighting agency that lawmakers voted to revamp in December after the bureau's then-director was forced out amid questions of conflict of interest.

Earlier this month, Venedyktova sued the newspaper Ukrayinska pravda for republishing an article by the Anti-Corruption Action Center, that alleged her husband was influencing personnel policy at the DBR.

Venedyktova also sued the action center, a nongovernmental organization that has been at the heart of efforts to root out the country's notorious graft problem.

As prosecutor-general, Venedyktova replaces Ruslan Ryaboshapka, who was nominated to the position by Zelenskiy.

Ryaboshapka was well-regarded by anti-corruption activists for his efforts to streamline and professionalize the scandal-ridden prosecutor-generals office. He was forced out in a no-confidence vote on March 5.

Venedyktova reportedly clashed with Ryaboshapka over an investigation the DBR was conducting into Zelenskiys predecessor, Petro Poroshenko.

Olena Halushka, director of international relations with the Anti-Corruption Action Center, said Venedyktova's new position raised doubts about the reform efforts that Ryaboshapka had undertaken.

Halushka said Venedyktova did not have a background in criminal law, and had made several controversial appointments during her brief tenure as head of the DBR.

"Given her background and previous activities, as well as the context in which Ryaboshapka was dismissed and she [was] appointed, there are doubts she will be an independent and efficient prosecutor-general, she told RFE/RL.

Zelenskiy's shake-up of the government, which included firing his prime minister, worried not only civil society activists, but also Western financial backers.

Kyiv has been negotiating a long-delayed $5.5 billion loan program with the International Monetary Fund, which is seen as crucial to economic stability and investor confidence.

Public trust in Zelenskiy has slid sharply since his landslide election in April 2019. His trust ratings dropped to around 50 percent last month from 80 percent in September, according to the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center.
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India has had 119 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the outbreak began (Getty)

The draconian measures put in place by the UK government may have to last 18 months in order to stem the coronavirus outbreak, scientists from Imperial College London have predicted.

Boris Johnson has urged the public to avoid social contact, ditch non-essential travel and work from home, if possible.

Households where just one member has the tell-tale fever or cough have been told to self-isolate entirely for 14 days, not even venturing out to buy food or essentials.

While social distancing is key to keeping the most vulnerable safe, some worry the approach fails to build up immunity to the virus, leading to the possibility it may re-emerge once lockdowns are lifted.

A mathematical model by the Imperial College London scientists found the suppression approach  reducing case numbers to low levels and maintaining that situation indefinitely  is preferred over mitigation.

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

Mitigation focuses on slowing but not necessarily stopping epidemic spread by protecting the elderly and already ill, who are most at-risk.

The major challenge of the suppression strategy, is it will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available (potentially 18 months or more), the scientists wrote.

The UK has had 1,553 confirmed cases (Getty)

The new coronavirus strain is thought to have emerged at a seafood and live animal market in the Chinese city Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, at the end of last year.

It has since spread globally, with more than 182,000 people testing positive for the Covid-19 virus in over 150 countries across every inhabited continent.

Of these patients, more than 79,000 have recovered and are now testing negative for the strain.

While the outbreak began in China, cases have been plateauing since the end of February.

Story continues

Europe is now the epicentre of the pandemic, with Italy alone having more than 27,900 confirmed cases and over 2,000 deaths.

More than 37,000 tests have been carried out in the UK, of which 1,553 have come back positive and 55 patients have died.

Globally, the death toll has exceeded 7,000.

With the coronavirus outbreak arriving amid cold and flu-season, learning the different symptoms may help you gauge whether you could be infected (Yahoo UK)

Social contact limitations could be in place for up to 18 months

Scientists at Imperial used a simulation model developed to support pandemic influenza planning.

Many assumptions were made, including how long it takes for a patient to become infectious after catching the virus, how many people a patient statistically goes onto infect, and how many will ultimately die.

Based on this model, the experts concluded suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time.

The social and economic effects of the measures which are needed to achieve this policy goal will be profound, they added.

The team stressed it is not at all certain that suppression will succeed long term.

No public health intervention with such disruptive effects on society has been previously attempted for such a long duration of time, they wrote.

How populations and societies will respond remains unclear.

The Imperial scientists compared the Covid-19 virus to that which caused the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

With no vaccine available at the time, US cities responded by closing schools, churches, bars and other social venues.

Discouraging social contact could limit spread of Covid-19

Although initially successful at reducing case numbers, transmission rebounded once controls were lifted.

By discouraging social contact, the government hopes the Covid-19 virus will not spread as readily, with the outbreak eventually dying out.

The challenge is such interventions need to be maintained, at least intermittently - for as long as the virus is circulating in the human population, or until a vaccine becomes available.

In the case of Covid-19, it will be at least a 12-18 months before a vaccine is available, the scientists wrote.

Furthermore, there is no guarantee initial vaccines will have high efficacy.

The scientists stress there is no easy policy decision to be made.

While suppression has been successful to date in China, it carries enormous social and economic costs which may themselves have significant impact on health and well-being in the short and longer-term.

One expert praised the modelling but warned very tough times [are] ahead.

Overall I think this is an excellent piece of work from some of the worlds best infectious disease modellers, and presents the models and policy options clearly, said Dr Tim Colbourn, from University College London.

The results are sobering though.

Very tough times ahead as the policy option that reduces the most deaths involves school and university closures, and social distancing measures over 18 months for two-thirds of the time or more.

This has never been tried anywhere ever  can it work?

One clear message is the need to massively increase the number of [intensive care unit] beds in the NHS from the current 5,000.

Dr Colbourn added it is of the utmost importance to know how the Imperial scientists will update their model as new information comes to light.

Dr Michael Head, from the University of Southampton, called Imperials model important and useful.

He added, however, there are still huge uncertainties around any future estimates, reinforcing just how difficult decision-making is during a pandemic.

For the most part, scientists welcomed the seismic measures put in place by Boris Johnson on Monday.

Social distancing needs to happen now

I think the government have taken a step in the direction that is needed, said Professor Alan McNally, from the University of Birmingham.

There is no point in debating potential time lost and so on.

It is clear social distancing needs to be happening now and [Mondays] statements begin that process.

Others added the UK is in this for the long haul.

A key point is there is now a real possibility this will be a prolonged event, so the response needs to be sustainable; the measures we introduce must be ones that we can maintain for some time, said Professor Mark Woolhouse, from the University of Edinburgh.

Officials are pictured disinfecting Kugulu Park in Ankara, Turkey, which has had 47 confirmed cases (Getty)

What is the coronavirus Covid-19?

The Covid-19 strain is one of seven of the coronavirus class that are known to infect humans.

Others include the common cold and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which killed 774 people during its 2002/3 outbreak.

Most of those who initially caught the Covid-19 virus worked at, or visited, the market in Wuhan.

The pathogen mainly spreads via infected droplets that have been coughed or sneezed out by a patient.

There is also evidence it may be transmitted in faeces and urine.

In most cases, a patients immune system naturally fights off the virus.

Pneumonia can come about when the infection causes the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs to become inflamed and filled with fluid or pus.

The lungs then struggle to draw in air, resulting in reduced oxygen in the bloodstream.

Most patients do no require hospitalisation, with their immune system naturally fighting off the virus.

In severe cases, care is supportive  like ventilation  while the immune system gets to work.

To ward off infection, officials urge people to wash their hands regularly and maintain social distancing.
EDWARDSVILLE  Following Gov. J.B. Pritzkers rationale that democracy must continue, Edwardsville will hold its city council meeting Tuesday despite canceling several other meetings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tonights meeting will be the first city council meeting to be held in the Wildey Theatre instead of in city hall. According to City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler, the plan for tonights meeting is to limit attendance to a maximum of 50 people, as President Trumps idea of 10 people per gathering is not a mandate yet.
AUSTIN, Minn., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods, a global branded food company (NYSE: HRL), has taken prudent action to protect its global workforce of 20,000 team members and stakeholders during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, the company announced its pledge of $1 million in cash and product donations for hunger relief and food insecurity as a result of this crisis.

Since COVID-19 was first identified in China, the company has been following all current CDC and WHO guidance and taking appropriate steps in business planning and continuity. We continue to ensure the highest sanitation and food safety standards are maintained in all production facilities. In addition, Hormel Foods has enhanced its operating protocols at all of its office locations. These enhancements include education for team members on the COVID-19 virus, increased sanitization frequency, updated policies for visitors, business travel restrictions and remote work options for team members.

Comment from Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods:

"First and foremost, I want to recognize our incredible team of production professionals who have risen to the challenge. With a sense of responsibility and pride, they continue to produce food for millions of people who are in the midst of this crisis.

We understand the critical role we play in providing safe and high-quality food to people around the world. We have a responsibility to ensure our products are available when needed, and we are working closely with our retail and foodservice customers to provide a steady supply of all our products, just as we have done over the last 129 years.

We have seen strong demand for our branded products across all retail categories; notably, our SPAM family of products, SKIPPY peanut butter products, Hormel chili, Hormel Compleats microwave meals, Jennie-O turkey products, Hormel pepperoni, Hormel Black Label bacon, Hormel Gatherings party trays, Hormel Natural Choice lunchmeats, Dinty Moore beef stew and Applegate products.

We know the foodservice industry is facing tremendous challenges, and we are positioned to help distributors and operators through this difficult time. Our dedicated salesforce is working to deliver innovative products and solutions to meet the changing dynamics in this industry.

Our manufacturing facilities continue to operate normally. I am particularly proud of the dedicated professionals across our entire supply chain who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of our customers, consumers and operators.

We are a great neighbor in the communities where we live and work and can be counted on to do even more during a time like this. That is why we are so proud to make this $1 million pledge to help those who are food insecure during this difficult time.

Hormel Foods has a strong balance sheet and stable cash flows that position us to manage through this unprecedented situation. Our long-term perspective, balanced business model and financial discipline allow us to make the best strategic decisions for our business, team members and customers.

On behalf of our team members, I would like to thank the healthcare professionals, first responders, local, state and federal government agencies, and everyone working to keep us safe during this unprecedented crisis."

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus, Happy Little Plants and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for the 11th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This release contains forward-looking information based on management's current views and assumptions. Actual events may differ materially. Please refer to the cautionary statements regarding "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" that appear on pages 30-35 in the company's Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 26, 2020, which can be accessed at hormelfoods.com in the "Investors" section.

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormel.com


Daniel Craig has boasted of 'raising the bar' with his final performance as James Bond in No Time to Die.

The British heartthrob, 52, reflected on his famous role in an interview with GQ Australia this month.

He also showed off his famous '006 pack' in an accompanying photo shoot.

'The legacy continues': Daniel Craig appears on the cover of this month's GQ Australia

GQ's Sam Knight praised Daniel's complex portrayal of Bond, which prompted the actor to reply: 'It's raised the bar. It's f**king raised the bar.'

Daniel said his version of Bond was informed by the Ian Fleming novels, which are darker in tone than some of the earlier films.

In the novels, the secret agent takes benzedrine, a pharmaceutical drug that contains amphetamine and has a euphoric stimulant effect.

Brooding: Daniel, 52, told GQ that he had succeeded in taking James Bond in a darker direction

'He is really f**king dark. I think it's more interesting. I know we can't have him having amphetamine and speed and doing all these things. But inside, I know I'm doing that,' Daniel said.

'And I wanted to inform the part and say that's what he is. He's kind of a f**k-up. Because this job would f**k you up.'

When it's released later this year, No Time to Die will be Daniel's fifth and final James Bond movie since taking on the role in 2006's Casino Royale.

'He is really f**king dark. I think it's more interesting': Daniel said his version of Bond was informed by the Ian Fleming novels, which are darker in tone than some of the earlier films

Pushed back: No Time to Die was initially slated for an April 2 release but has now been pushed back to November 12 in the UK and November 25 in America due to the coronavirus pandemic

The 25th Bond film was initially slated for an April 2 release but has now been pushed back to November 12 in the UK and November 25 in America due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An Australian release date is yet to be confirmed.

Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said that 'after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace' it must be delayed.

It comes amid growing concerns over the threat of coronavirus, which has infected more than 182,500 people worldwide and killed over 7,100.

In Australia, there have been 450 confirmed cases and five deaths as of Tuesday afternoon.
Apple Stores throughout the world (except in Greater China) will remain shut until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The company has taken this drastic step after weeks of the deadly virus outbreak. The pandemic has also affected the companys production and launch schedules.

After shutting down offices and stores in Greater China, and then reopening them, the iPhone maker has decided to shut down all its retail stores across the globe. The company announced this decision on its websites home page. However, the message only appears through a banner on its US website.

Apples retail stores will remain closed for two weeks to cut down the spread of Coronavirus. Following the closure of its physical stores, the company updated its website with FAQs and answering critical questions related to what its customers can do when their devices break or when they need to get them repaired.

The US government had advised yesterday that more than ten people shouldnt gather in one place so that the virus doesnt spread further. Apples decision to close its stores is being seen as a response to the governments announcements. Apple said that it would continue to pay its hourly workers during these times.

The Cupertino-based tech giant will also allow extended leaves to accommodate for personal and family-related COVID-19 health circumstances. The company will allow its employees to take a leave when theyre diagnosed with COVID-19, caring for a family member who is diagnosed, mandatory quarantining, or childcare.

Apple has started directing some of its employees to work from home. Still, it is being reported that work from home experiences havent been efficient due to the secrecy it maintains around its products. The company was meant to unveil the next-generation low-cost iPhone later this month, but the launch was canceled.

[Via 9To5Mac
TIVERTON, ON, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bruce Power site continues to generate one-third of Ontarios electricity and we are committed to maintaining this important reliability moving forward to ensure the province can count on a stable supply of electricity.

We will deliver this, in cooperation with our Unions, while protecting our people and following guidance from the province to do our part in proactive efforts for the containment of COVID-19. We have extensive plans in place based on years of drills, exercises and scenario planning, and we have sharpened these in recent weeks based on current events. We remain proactive and diligent and are in close coordination with appropriate government organizations and agencies at all levels.

The site will also continue with the production of Cobalt-60 that we supply to Ottawa-based Nordion to be used in the treatment of cancer but largely for the sterilization of medical equipment around the world which is essential to the current fight against COVID-19. We will be completing our final shipments of Cobalt-60 - planned for the first half of 2020 - to Nordion this week.

With construction activities still progressing across Ontario, we continue to advance key activities related to our Life-Extension Program with appropriate precautions for workers consistent with guidance from the authorities. Bruce Powers Unit 6 Major Component Replacement (MCR) Project, which commenced on January 17, has completed a key milestone as crews completed the removal of 5,760 fuel bundles from the reactors 480 fuel channels. Work on this project is now focused on the installation of 16 pre-fabricated isolation panels, known as bulkheads, and is progressing to plan with the precautions put in place.

We are extremely proud of the people who work at the Bruce Power site and support our operation. We are grateful for their unwavering support and professionalism.

We continue to ask everyone to please be diligent in protecting yourselves against contracting the virus, and we recommend that you follow http://www.ontario.ca/coronavirus for the latest information on how to stay safe and healthy.

About Bruce Power

Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
A year ago, this woman says she was paying $500 a month to the MS-13 gang in El Salvador, extortion money to keep her restaurant up and running. Then gang members murdered her son-in-law, and she and her daughter testified against them. In the past, her story might have been grounds for asylum in the United States  or at least an asylum hearing  but not anymore. Thats because the Trump administration is upending the U.S. asylum system. So thats a very big thing. Its a very important signature. And one way theyre doing it is through a deal with Guatemala, called the Asylum Cooperation Agreement, or ACA. This landmark agreement will put the coyotes and the smugglers out of business, and stop asylum fraud and abuses. What this means in practice is that hundreds of asylum seekers from Honduras and El Salvador have been deported, and told to seek refuge in Guatemala instead. But Guatemala is plagued by many of the same problems that people are fleeing in the first place: violence, poverty and corruption. So I came to see what asylum in Guatemala looks like. Once deported under the ACA, asylum seekers arrive at this shelter. Everyone I speak with is confused. Theyd made the long journey north only to end up back nearly where they started. The woman I met earlier, the one threatened by MS-13, is also staying at the shelter. She and her daughter are applying for asylum here, but a friend warns her that the gang is tracking them. Shes one of the very few people to pursue an asylum claim here. In fact, only about 16 of more than 900 people have done so. So why does this deal exist? Even Guatemalas newly elected president, Alejandro Giammattei, acknowledges the deal is political. And hes right. They dont want to stay here. Its too close to home, and asylum here offers little protection or support. The U.S. had pledged to pump $47 million into Guatemalas asylum system, but its unclear how much of that money has been received or how its been spent. Nevertheless, more of these deals are in the pipeline. We entered into historic cooperation agreements with  Soon, the Trump administration plans to implement asylum deals with Honduras and El Salvador. Those countries are even less prepared. Two days later, I meet up again with the woman whos running from MS-13. Her situation has already gotten worse. She and her daughter cant stay at the shelter anymore. Theyve been there a month, and yet their asylum claims could take a few months to a year to process. And that, in the end, may be the point of these deals. For the Trump administration, the goal is to stem the flow of migrants to the U.S., perhaps by convincing them not to come at all.
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BERLIN  Weighing in at a hefty 11 pounds, with a tiny 128 MB of working memory and a decades-old Pentium III processor, a used laptop recently bought by a German cybersecurity firm had its heyday long before the first iPhone was built.

But the laptops new owner says it has one standout feature: Its hard drive carried  without encryption or even password protection  a confidential user manual and schematics for a surface-to-air missile system that Germanys air force still uses.

How the computer ended up on eBay is currently unclear, Nadine Kruger, a spokeswoman for Germanys defense ministry, said on Tuesday. The ministry is investigating how the laptop was sold with its hard drive intact and easily accessible.

The systems it contained could not be used to control missiles, let alone launch them, according to defense ministry information. But its embarrassing sale on eBay underscores the major personnel and equipment problems that have plagued the German federal armed forces, which are considered a key component of NATO, since even before President Trumps repeated calls for Germany to increase its military spending.
MANZINI  We are left for dead! These were words uttered in between sobs by Siphiwe Nkambule yesterday morning at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital. Nkambule was one of over 50 patients who had gone for their routine medical check-up and change of bandages but nurses refused to assist them as they were locked up in a meeting to deliberate about the unavailability of protective clothing.



The senior citizen slumped into her wheelchair, wept as she narrated her ordeal at the hospital. Nkambule said she had been given a ticket marking her patient number five upon her arrival at the hospital at about 6am. However, since that time until 11:50am, she had not been attended to.

I came here early because I am diabetic and they tell us not to eat before we see the doctor, but now I have been here for long hours and they are not attending to us, Nkambule said in-between sobs.

Furthermore, she said all that she needed from the hospital was to change her bandage as she had a sore that was not healing.



However, her quest was stalled as she, together with other patients, were informed that nurses were in a meeting to demand adequate protective clothing for the novel coronavirus.

Another senior citizen seated on a bench next to Nkambule said she had also taken the first bus to the hospital in order to complete everything on time, however, given the circumstances, her efforts were in vain. Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula confirmed that there were challenges experienced at the hospital. He said the concerns that were raised by the personnel at the hospital were genuine and needed all parties to engage in dialogue to formulate a resolution that would benefit all.

The nurses dont feel protected from what Ive gathered. Now the challenge is that we cant say people should not go to RFM as it is the same case in Mbabane (Government Hospital), Dr Magagula said.



Marching



The director said he had established that nurses would be marching tomorrow (today).

This was not the first instance whereby patients were not attended to at the RFM Hospital. On Saturday and Sunday, nurses were on a go-slow at the health institution.

This was after a patient suspected to be suffering from the coronavirus was to be admitted to one of the male wards. The need to admit the patient after he was examined by doctors sent nurses on a go-slow as some of them refused to attend to him.



According to an impeccable source, the go-slow started when the nurses received a file of the patient from one of the doctors that was inscribed query coronavirus. This, according to the source, got the nurses to minimise speed when engaging in their duties.



Instead, the source said the nurses sought audience with some of the management personnel who were on duty and expressed their fears. The fears were said to include the lack of proper gear for the nurses to deal with COVID -19 and also the lack of an isolation ward for patients suspected to be suffering from the virus.
Xavier Denamur is used to bustling between the five popular bistros he owns in the Marais district of central Paris, managing a team of nearly 70 waiters and chefs and keeping tabs on the phalanx of patrons who crowd his tables, elbow-to-elbow, year round.

But on Monday, Mr Denamur was scrambling to deal with a situation that he said resembled wartime conditions: overseeing the abrupt closure of his businesses as Emmanuel Macron prepared to move France to a quarantine. It was soon official: The quarantine will start at noon on Tuesday.

By midnight, Mr Denamur would have to empty his refrigerators of almost 20,000 (16,300) worth of chevre cheese, beef bourguignon, pate and other delicacies that would spoil by the time any quarantine ended, and would now have to be given away.

We knew there would probably be a shutdown, but I didnt think things would happen so fast, he said, pressing two mobile phones to his ears as he and a handful of employees hurried to empty refrigerators and wipe the bistros down before shuttering indefinitely.

As governments across the world shut cities and close borders in a race to stay ahead of the coronavirus epidemic, Mr Denamur was among thousands of business owners trying to manage the chaos and help his employees, while calculating how to stay afloat.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

Outside his flagship bistro, Les Philosophes, the normally traffic-clogged Rue Vieille-du-Temple was empty under a leaden sky, save for a few people with suitcases rushing to catch trains and hail taxis to flee Paris. Mr Macron announced a 15-day lockdown on all but essential outings, starting on Tuesday.

Its a catastrophic situation, Mr Denamur said, surveying the ghostly interior of Les Philosophes, where cane-backed chairs and marble-topped round tables, normally outside on the pavement, were piled into teetering stacks. I need to make sure that everything is taken care of.

Similar scenes of frenzy have unfolded across France at restaurants, shops and commerce of all stripes after the government ordered all non-essential businesses to close until further notice.

Frances corporate giants were swept up in the tide ahead of Mr Macrons announcement on Monday. Big employers including car manufacturers Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen, as well as tyremaker Michelin, announced they would halt French factory operations. Air France said it would put all its employees on part-time work for six months.

If the prospect of an extended clampdown left companies reeling, it is especially daunting for smaller employers like Mr Denamur, who have little time to prepare for potentially large losses and ensure workers arent left in dire straits as they are forced to stay home.

It would have been more intelligent to warn us earlier, said Mr Denamur, who had just stocked up on cheeses, meat and vegetables that he suddenly had to get rid of and count as a loss.

To minimise waste, he asked his employees to come in on Monday to grab whatever food they could. Residents lined up as he donated the rest.

While the quarantine is set for two weeks, Mr Denamur said the situation was so uncertain that he didnt count on reopening before June. The Roquefort cheese might last that long, but the rest of our food wont make it, he said, adding that he had called his suppliers to cancel all orders until further notice.

Mr Macron said he would do whatever it takes to support workers and especially the small and midsize businesses that form the backbone of the economy. No French company will be exposed to the risk of collapsing, he said Monday.

Bistros and cafes across France expect to stay shut for months (EPA)

He announced 300bn (244bn) in state guarantees for companies loans, tax exemptions and a suspension of rents and electricity bills for struggling small businesses. The state will pay firms to keep people partly employed so as not to swell the jobless rolls as Europe stares down the barrel of a recession.

The pledges are part of a concerted scramble by EU countries to prevent uncontainable damage to the economy as businesses shutter at alarming rates. The European Commission and governments have unveiled fiscal support measures worth nearly 1 trillion (816bn) combined.

But guarantees sounded like so much noise early on Monday as Mr Denamur assessed the future of his business. As of midnight on Saturday, his employees were put on temporary unemployment, with just four hours notice following the government decree.

Mr Denamur, who acquired his first restaurant on the street, Le Petit Fer au Cheval, 30 years ago, was in the Lot-et-Garonne region of southern France, where he sources produce, cheeses and meats, when he heard the news. He rushed to book a train to Paris on Sunday.

Many of his employees have worked at the bistros for years. Mr Denamur said he would continue to pay their salaries, which he reckoned he could afford for about two months. He encouraged them to use up paid vacation first, after which they would be eligible for technical unemployment, which pays the equivalent of Frances monthly minimum wage.

Despite the governments pledge to backstop employers, Mr Denamur said it wasnt clear how or when he could obtain promised financial aid.

The government says it will reimburse businesses for putting people on reduced work schedules, he said. But my restaurants are closed - the employees cant work at all, he added. The government needs to be more clear. Workers need to be reassured.

Mr Denamur had arranged for his accountant and an inspector to hurry in on Monday morning to assess his financial situation.

He lifted a metal floor grate and descended to the basement to inspect a refrigerator. Thousands of euros worth of chevre cheese had just been delivered, while milk, pork pate and Spanish ham would expire in two days. Comte cheese the size of car wheels wouldnt outlast a quarantine, either.

Those were suddenly sunk costs, and would have to be written off. Mr Denamur phoned Tout Autour du Pain, a bakery, to see if they were willing to buy anything. Around 9am on Monday, Benjamin Turquier, the owner, arrived in a small van.

Mr Turquier bakes 2,000 baguettes a day, 1,600 of which go to restaurants, he said. When the order to close restaurants came on Saturday night, he lost that business instantly, and doesnt know when it will return.

While his bakery can stay open because it is considered an essential business, economically the hit is going to be huge, he said.

Offers of credit hardly seemed useful at a time like this, Mr Turquier added. We are told the government has a plan for easy loans. But I wouldnt take on a loan right now  how would that help?

As he spoke, Mr Denamurs employees filtered in to take food emptied from the refrigerators.

Keep your distance from one another, to maintain health safety, please! he shouted as the employees converged on packs of salmon, meats and crates of milk and cheese. In the kitchen, two workers packaged up beef bourguignon and vats of pre-sliced potatoes. This way youll be stocked up at home for the long haul, Mr Denamur said.

The New York Times
Burma NLD, Ethnic Parties Vote Down Myanmar Militarys Charter Amendment Proposals

Lawmakers cast their ballots on constitutional amendments on March 11. / Thiha Lwin / The Irrawaddy

YANGONThe National League for Democracy (NLD), which has seen almost all of its proposed constitutional amendments blocked by the military and its ally, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), on Tuesday joined with ethnic lawmakers to vote down the militarys attempts to expand its powers under the charter.

On Tuesday, the Union Parliament voted down the military and USDP lawmakers joint proposal to have state and regional chief ministers elected by their local legislatures rather than appointed by the Union president. Only 239 of 654 lawmakers, or less than 37 percent, voted in favor of the proposalfar below the required level of more than 75 percent.

The USDP and the military claimed that the proposal would promote ethnic rights, but many ethnic politicians and the NLD raised concerns that it would give even more power to the military, which is already guaranteed one third of seats in state and regional legislatures under the Constitution.

The NLD lawmakers pointed out that if the article was amended, the military, which currently does not have any say in appointing chief ministers, would have that right. In some military stronghold regions, it would even give the military and the USDP a chance to install their own chief ministers, as with about 33.3 percent of seats reserved for the military, the USDP and the militarys other allied parties would only need to win just over 17 percent of seats between them to secure a parliamentary majority for the bloc of military lawmakers and their allies.

Looking at the results of Tuesdays balloting, the USDP and the military only received support from a few ethnic lawmakers.

Another proposal submitted by the military-appointed lawmakers to bar anyone who has a foreign citizen in their immediate family from becoming a Union minister or chief ministeran expansion of Article 59(f)s restriction imposed on the presidency was also rejected.

The proposal was widely viewed as an attempt to bar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming a Union minister if her government wins another term. She holds three posts in the current government: State Counselor, Presidents Office minister and foreign affairs minister.

It would also affect some other current ministers and chief ministers whose children are married to foreign citizens.

That proposal received only 224 votes in favorless than 35 percent of lawmakers.

Under the Constitution, any constitutional amendment requires the support of more than 75 percent of lawmakersor at least 491while 25 percent of lawmakers are appointed by the military.

Currently, the NLD holds 59 percent of seats in Parliament, ethnic parties hold 11 percent, the USDP holds 5 percent, and the military holds a constitutionally mandated 25 percent.

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An arriving passenger's temperature is checked at Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. (AFP/Getty Images)

Guatemala on Tuesday became the first Central American nation to block deportation flights from the United States in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a dramatic turnabout on Trump administration policies barring entry to asylum seekers from the region.

Guatemala's ministry of foreign affairs announced that all deportation flights would be paused "as a precautionary measure" to establish additional health checks. Ahead of the announcement, President Alejandro Giammattei said in a Monday news conference that Guatemala also would close its borders completely for 15 days.

This virus can affect all of us, and my duty is to preserve the lives of Guatemalans at any cost, he said.

Guatemala, a major source of migration to the United States as well as a primary transit country for people from other nations headed to the U.S.-Mexico border, in recent days has blocked travelers from the U.S., as well as arrivals from Canada and a few European and Asian countries.

The Guatemalan government under Giammatteis new administration had confirmed six coronavirus cases as of Monday morning. But it has taken a hard tack in its response to the pandemic to try to prevent the rapid spread seen in North America and elsewhere, becoming among the first in the region to bar entry of Americans.

Other nations in the Western Hemisphere, including El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Peru, also have taken steps to bar foreigners and, in some cases, to shut their borders, including to their own returning citizens.

Guatemalas move to refuse deportations will have a significant impact on the Trump administrations efforts to ramp up a controversial agreement under which the United States sends migrants who are seeking asylum in the United States to Guatemala instead, even those who arent Guatemalan citizens.

The deal between the U.S. and Guatemala, called the Asylum Cooperative Agreement, denies the asylum seekers the opportunity to apply in the United States for refuge and instead allows them only to seek asylum in Guatemala.

Story continues

Guatemalas highest court initially blocked the agreement. Since November, the U.S. has sent Guatemala more than 900 men, women and children who have arrived at the border from El Salvador and Honduras.

Before the decision to block deportation flights, the Guatemalan government had posted a schedule for 10 flights this week from the United States. One arrived Monday afternoon from Brownsville, Texas, carrying 56 Guatemalans and 17 Salvadorans, but another set for Tuesday was canceled, according to Alejandra Mena, a spokeswoman with Guatemala's immigration institute.

Guatemalan authorities had said previously that they had been assured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that they would not send people to Guatemala who were sick or displayed symptoms of the virus.

Returning immigrants receive health screenings before boarding deportation flights and after arriving in Guatemala City, said Joaquin Samayoa, spokesman for the Minister of Foreign Relations in Guatemala. Those found to be sick would be quarantined, he added.

Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border Protection agency, which implement the asylum agreement, directed a request for comment on Guatemala's decision to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which administers the flights. The agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

U.S. Homeland Security officials have held meetings in recent weeks to prepare to add Mexican migrants to the groups being sent back to Guatemala  despite opposition from Mexico  and to roll out similar agreements with El Salvador and Honduras , sources told the Los Angeles Times on condition of anonymity to protect against retaliation.

Those plans appear to have been derailed by the pandemic.

The Honduran government announced last week that three of its citizens who were deported from the United States had exhibited symptoms of coronavirus and were put into isolation. The country suspended repatriation flights from Mexico.

As of Monday, the U.S.-Mexico border remained open, to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and flights, but the governments of Mexico and El Salvador wrangled with each other over stranded travelers.

Officials in the region and even within the Trump administration, as well as health professionals and immigration advocates, have expressed fears that Trumps focus on immigration enforcement could worsen the pandemic.

Casa del Migrante, a shelter in Guatemala City that since November has housed hundreds of Salvadorans and Hondurans returned under the U.S.-Guatemala agreement, announced over the weekend that it would stop receiving immigrants who had been deported from the U.S. or Mexico.

Mauro Verzeletti, director of the shelter, declared Guatemala's action "extraordinary" and "a victory." For days, he had called for the U.S. to stop deportation flights to Guatemala, to slow the spread of the virus. He said the immigrants were already vulnerable to illnesses because they arrived from the U.S. physically exhausted and simply in a really bad condition.

Monday, Verzeletti met with Guatemalan officials and diplomats to discuss what he described as a high-level humanitarian crisis.

The Trump administration previously favored a policy known as Remain in Mexico, which, combined with other initiatives, has forced about 80,000 asylum seekers back to Mexico and often stranded them in dangerous border cities as they await processing of their cases in the U.S.

But that policy is bogged down in litigation  though the Supreme Court last week allowed it to continue until an ultimate ruling on its legality. Amid a significant drop in apprehensions at the U.S. Southern border, Trump administration officials have increasingly turned to the asylum agreement with Guatemala.

On Monday, the ACLU and other groups filed suit against ICE, seeking the release of immigrants in detention who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Immigration judges, prosecutors and lawyers also called on the Justice Department to close immigration courts.

Judge A. Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Assn. of Immigration Judges, said judges had been told to continue holding hearings with immigrants during the health crisis.

Call DOJ and ask why they are not shutting down the courts, she said, referring to the Justice Department.

OToole reported from Guatemala City and Carcamo from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Maura Dolan in Orinda, Calif., contributed to this report.
Maurizio Pollini Beethoven: The Last Three Sonatas

Deutsche Grammophon, out now

Rating:

Hats off to Deutsche Grammophon. Not only is it the producer of the finest complete Beethoven set in this, his 250th anniversary year, drawing on the full range of outstanding recordings from its back catalogue, but it is also bringing out a series of new stuff.

First it was the Andris Nelsons/Vienna Philharmonic complete symphonies set; first-class performances in demonstration-quality sound. Now its this magisterial recital by Maurizio Pollini, captured, seemingly live, in Munich last June.

Daniel Barenboim rattled through his first Beethoven sonata survey in 36 months. Pollini took 39 years to complete his, beginning with these last three sonatas in 1975-77.

Theres a greater urgency about Maurizio Pollinis playing, especially in the finale of the last sonata, which is two minutes quicker than his previous effort

Now he returns to them, the ultimate challenge for great pianists, with Sonata No 30 recorded in the same Munich venue as its predecessor.

These new recordings display perhaps a deeper appreciation of the musics significance, and an enhanced determination to communicate it to his audience. Theres a greater urgency about Pollinis playing, especially in the finale of the last sonata, which is two minutes quicker than his previous effort  a lot over a span of only 17 minutes.

I found myself tapping my feet at the exceptional drive and propulsion Pollini conjures up, particularly when his playing is enhanced by the outstanding sound DG has given him.

I think Beethoven shows him at his best, because Beethovens own rigour so clearly matches and stimulates this deeply thoughtful pianists own

Pollinis objectivity and intellectual rigour have sometimes led to criticism that his playing is too cold and clinical. Not here. The more introverted passages, for instance, exhibit an emotional commitment, allied to a technical address that belies his age, and a vigour seemingly unaffected by his parallel career as a lifelong smoker.

Hes in his late 70s now, but age has not withered him, nor the years decayed.

Pollini was known early on as a Chopin pianist, following his victory as an 18-year-old in the prestigious Warsaw Chopin Competition and his celebrated recording of the First Concerto in 1960.

But I think Beethoven shows him at his best, because Beethovens own rigour so clearly matches and stimulates this deeply thoughtful pianists own.

Do hear, acquire or download this. There is no surer way of appreciating the full extent of Beethovens genius than here.
San Antonio, Dallas and Austin have all begun providing drive-thru testing for the new coronavirus, but Houston officials would only say Monday they hope to have their own such program operating late this week at two sites.

Dr. David Persse, the citys health authority, said the hold-up involves getting an adequate amount of protective gear for personnel who will take specimens from car-bound individuals suspected of having the virus. He said the gear is en route.

We have a plan and are ready to go, Persse said Monday at a news conference led by Houston and Harris County public officials. Weve done some dry runs and hope to be up and running by the end of the week.

Persse gave no other details about the plan and could not be reached for comment after the meeting.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, whose district includes the Texas Medical Center, said that the delay was due to a shipment error. He told the Chronicle a delivery received late Sunday contained heavy protective equipment actually used to protect medical staff working with the Ebola virus, not the coronavirus. The equipment is unsuitable for a worker to wear all day at an outdoor drive-thru operation.

Green, who intervened on behalf of the medical center to have state and federal authorities provide the equipment, said the suits sent are so contained, the workers couldnt stay in them.

Drive-thru testing, now in eight states, represents the newest front in the effort to get more people tested for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The idea is that individuals can get tested without leaving their car, allowing for both quicker and safer testing since the patient is more isolated there than, say, the waiting room of a doctors office.

Drive-thru testing does not mean anyone can drive up and get testing. The program typically requires a doctors note and referral to the program.

Testing is considered a key step in slowing the spread of COVID-19, which has been confirmed in more than 8,500 people in the U.S. and killed 85. By identifying people with the virus, it enables them to be quarantined and kept from spreading the disease.

The lack of such testing has hampered U.S. efforts. Frustration over the issue boiled over on Capitol Hill last week as both Republican and Democratic members of Congress demanded to know why the U.S. wasnt testing as fast as some other countries. South Korea has tested about 250,000 people since its outbreak began on Jan. 21, compared to about 20,000 in the same time period in the U.S.

Anything to get more people identified and provide data sounds good to me, said Peter Hotez, a Houston infectious disease specialist who said he knew nothing of the logistics of the Houston plan. Its awful how little information we have.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

U.S. testing was hampered at first by flawed test kits sent out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to public health laboratories across the country. Once they got the kits, critics complained about the narrow criteria from the agency about who qualified for a test.

The Harris Health System Friday switched to a private diagnostic company to test its suspected cases instead of the Houston health department, freeing its doctors to order up tests at their discretion rather than having to adhere to the CDCs recommended guidelines. Those guidelines confine local health department testing to patients experiencing certain respiratory symptoms whove also had direct person-to-person contact with someone infected or who have recently traveled to an area where theres been community spread.

The plan to follow the lead of those states and make testing available to people in their cars was announced by Gov. Greg Abbott Friday. At a news conference, he said that San Antonios program was already up and running and that Dallas, Houston and Austin would open ones in coming weeks.

In fact, Austin already opened drive-thru testing Friday at a Baylor Scott & White Health clinic. On Monday, the Parkland Health & Hospital System began such testing for its patients, first responders and health care workers.

The Houston effort will be a collaboration involving the city and a number of Texas Medical Center hospitals and institutions.

Lisa Gray contributed to this story.

todd.ackerman@chron.com
A doctor and an engineer were arrested on charges of robbery in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Tuesday.

They were arrested on Monday for allegedly robbing a trader last week. The accused have confessed of having robbed petrol pump owners in the past, according to police.

Police said they have recovered the Rs 1,30,000 robbed from the trader at gun point from his shop.

To hide their faces, the accused used to wear helmets and after committing a robbery, escaped on a motorcycle, they said, adding that the motorcycle and two pistols have been seized from them.

Senior Superintendent of Police Abhishekh said the additional director general of police has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the police team that solved the crime.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TALLAHASSEE  Door knocking? Nope. Surrogate stops? Canceled. The bubbly? Corked. Even the candidates will be AWOL.

Florida, a state famed for its weirdness, is preparing for one of its weirdest election days on Tuesday, when Democrats and Republicans will brave a pandemic to cast primary ballots for their presidential nominees.

With two popular candidates on the ballot, Democrats were hoping to deliver a show of force against President Donald Trump with pumped-up turnout and lots of noise. Instead, theyve had their mojo stolen by the coronavirus.

Florida is a presidential election year crown jewel, a delegate-rich state that does double duty as the nations largest battleground. Its expensive and difficult to flex institutional and infrastructure muscle in the state, which serves as a barometer of any campaigns viability.

Still, neither Joe Biden nor Bernie Sanders have campaigned here this year, and neither will be glad-handing Tuesday. Democratic get-out-the-vote operations are all but halted, and for the first time in memory there will be no Election Day parties.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As the country hunkers down to avoid the coronavirus, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, on Monday made a push to postpone his states Tuesday primary, a plea a judge rejected late Monday. Illinois and Arizona, which also vote Tuesday, are at full speed.

And in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said hes not going to panic.

Were definitely voting, he said Saturday at a coronavirus briefing. They voted during the Civil War. Were going to vote.

Besides, he said, most ballots probably have been cast in early voting already. And neither partys primary, he noted, are going to be cliffhangers.

Florida has a reputation for botched elections  from hanging chads in 2000 to a confusing recount in 2018 that led to the ouster of two South Florida election supervisors.

This time around, polling places could present the biggest challenge. In an effort to protect elderly populations most at risk from the coronavirus, DeSantis has shut down voting sites at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

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Democrats are riled up.

We agree with the governors decision. We think its good policy to protect at-risk populations, said Juan Penalosa, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party. But there is no list of impacted voting locations. Its information we want to help communicate to voters, but we were told by the governors office there is no list, and wont be before Election Day.

So Penalosas staff and volunteers are making their own list. Theyve reached out to all of the states 67 county election offices to find out where polling sites will be closed.

We are compiling a list and have already started communicating to impacted voters, Penalosa said.

Then theres the problem of staffing. Poll workers afraid of being exposed to the virus are dropping out. Thats on top of the election coinciding with spring break  many workers have begged off duty this year due to family obligations.

Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley said he started hemorrhaging poll workers after a county resident tested positive for the coronavirus.

I cant blame them, Corley said. A lot of them are senior citizens.

Corley said hes lost 175 workers so far, and has turned to the local sheriff, schools and county government to find people to fill their spots. School resource officers from the Pasco County Sheriffs Office will be among those reporting for duty on Tuesday, along with teachers and other county employees.

We cant get to them fast enough, Corley said.

Still, election supervisors remain optimistic the day will go smoothly, in part because turnout wont be that high.

We knew going in this was going to be challenging, said Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles.

And Corley said hes doing the unthinkable  encouraging voters to not show up, especially if theyre sick or at risk.

If anyone is unsure, dont go to the polls, as much as it pains me to say that, Corley said. Elections are wonderful, but this is a political party nominating contest.

Campaign operations also are improvising as the coronavirus creep sets in.

Rather than emphasizing last-minute campaign and policy talking points, or feverishly ramping up their face-to-face ground game, campaigns are employing public-service-type announcements.

Entire operations have gone virtual. Digital events have replaced rallies, in-person fundraising has been canceled, and election night parties just wont happen.

Because neither race is close  Biden has lapped Sanders in state polls and Trump has no serious challengers  any impact on the actual results will be minimal as Florida copes with its slice of a global pandemic.

Post South Carolina, when Biden surged in southern states, Florida experienced the same shift, said Dan Newman, a Florida Democratic consultant who is unaligned in the presidential primary. Basically, the race coalesced into Sanders and non-Sanders, and as a trusted national name, Biden was the beneficiary.

More than a million Florida Democrats already have voted by mail or at early voting locations, surpassing pre-primary day turnout in 2016, when 889,207 Democratic voters cast ballots. That year, Hillary Clinton was still fighting off Sanders, her primary rival.

And even if Democratic turnout is low, it wont give Republicans a valid reason to gloat, Newman said.

I dont think turnout in a presidential primary with neither campaign particularly active, and in a state thats functionally already decided, and in the middle of a global pandemic is predictive, he said, of much.
The Delhi government has ordered three premium hotels in Aerocity area, near Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to block 182 rooms for paid quarantine facilities for people flying in from abroad who are to be quarantined.

These 'Home Quarantine' rooms would be for people who have been quarantined but are not satisfied with the quarantine facilities of hospitals and wish to be shifted to hotel rooms, according to The Indian Express. These people would have to pay the rent of these rooms.

Tanvi Garg, the New Delhi District Magistrate, told the daily that the orders to block the rooms were issued under the Delhi Epidemic Disease, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020. They were issued after detailed discussions with the authorities of the three hotels.

According to the orders of the Delhi government, the IBIS Hotel will have to set aside 92 rooms, The Lemon Tree Premier Hotel 54 rooms, and the Red Fox Hotel 36 rooms.

The government and the hotels have set the rent for these rooms at Rs 3,100 per day. This will include breakfast, lunch dinner, tea, coffee, and two bottles of mineral water every day. Facilities such as WiFi and TV would also be available in these rooms. The hotels will also make sure that the laundry of the quarantined people is not mixed with the other guests.

Government officials had told the daily that the occupancy of these hotels had reduced greatly after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases started increasing. After a discussion with the hotel authorities, they had arrived at the number of rooms to be blocked in each hotel.

"Meals to such guests shall be served in their rooms only in disposable platers/containers. The plates/containers used for this purpose should be disposed off as bio-medical waste ensuring due protocol. The security personnel of the hotels shall ensure that the movement of these guests is restricted to the confined areas. The management shall also observe the movement of these guests through CCTVs in their control rooms," state the orders given to the hotels.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Domino's switches to contactless delivery; here's how it works

Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Kerala reports new COVID-19 case; total tally reaches 125-mark
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Federal authorities arrested the operators of a Colorado funeral home accused of selling body parts or entire bodies without the consent of families.

Megan Hess, 43, and her mother, 66-year-old Shirley Koch, were arrested Tuesday and charged with six counts of mail fraud and three counts of illegal transportation of hazardous materials, The Daily Sentinel reports.

Hess and Koch appeared in court in Grand Junction and entered not guilty pleas, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

They were represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender, which does not comment on cases.

The women operated the Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in Montrose.

A grand jury indictment said that from 2010 through 2018, Hess and Koch purported to provide burial and cremation services, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.

The women offered to cremate bodies and provide the remains to families at a cost of $1,000 or more, authorities said, but many of the cremations never occurred.

Hess created a non-profit organization in 2009 called Sunset Mesa Funeral Foundation as a body-broker service doing business as Donor Services, authorities said.

In at least dozens of instances, Hess and Koch did not follow family wishes, and neither discussed nor obtained authorization for Donor Services to transfer decedents bodies or body parts to third parties, the justice department said.

Hess and Koch shipped bodies and body parts that tested positive for, or belonged to people who died from, infectious diseases including Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, after certifying to buyers the remains were disease-free, authorities said.
The Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed the third case of the novel Coronavirus, COVID19, in Nigeria.

This was announced on the official Twitter page of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The tweet reads;

The Honourable Minister @Fmohnigeria has announced the 3rd case of #COVID19 in Nigeria

The case is a Nigerian who returned to Lagos from UK & developed symptoms during her 14-day self-isolation

She is clinically stable & is being treated at Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos

Read Also: Coronavirsu: Kris Jenner Tests Negative After Attending Birthday Party Of Lucian Grainge Who Tested Positive

See the tweet below:
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Opear MD, a New York-based house call company, has announced a series of measures to make in-home medical diagnoses and treatment services more accessible. Through increased house calls, private organizations hope to contain the novel coronavirus, slowing and even reducing new COVID-19 cases.

Opear MD's apps ("Opear" and "Opear for Providers") enable parents and guardians to schedule house calls through a subscription pricing model. However, in light of viral escalation in the New York area, the company has announced:

Michael Demetriou, Opear Founder and CEO

Parent subscription fees will be waived to increase accessibility

Provider subscription fees will be waived to maximize the staff available to citizens

Providers will be available - at their discretion - to treat adults as well as children

The company is finalizing a ride-share partnership to help providers reach more patients

And in upcoming weeks, it will launch new telemedicine features to further aid social distancing efforts.

The 'Opear' and 'Opear for Providers' apps are available for free download for iOS and Android.

By waiving subscription fees, the company has suspended for-profit activities; it will collect only a $150 exam fee, which goes directly to its doctors, nurse practitioners and supervised physician assistants.

"This is not a time to worry about profit, but to look out for the greater good," said Opear's founder and CEO, Michael Demetriou. "Because private organizations like Opear have the capacity to provide people access to healthcare, I believe we have a social responsibility to assist our state and health system for the sake of our fellow citizens."

Opear urges the region's doctors, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to join its outreach effort by signing up through the app. Applications, background checks, and license/insurance verification will be expedited whenever possible to increase provider availability.

"Opear strongly encourages people to comply with the social distancing and quarantine recommendations of the CDC and World Health Organization," continued Demetriou. "Technology gives us the means to do so more effectively than ever, and we believe it's critical to 'flattening the curve' of transmission and ensuring our hospitals have the space to treat those afflicted."

Additionally, Opear's forthcoming telemedicine features, including video calls, will further aid in social distancing and quarantining efforts. More information on the release date will be announced in the next few weeks.

Patients, parents and guardians can access more information at www.opear.com.

Providers can find more details about the application process at www.opear.com/caregivers.

Opear MD, a service line of Opear Holdings Inc., is the first app for on-demand, pediatric house calls. Serving as an extension of traditional practices, Opear MD provides in-home exams, treatment, and prescription-writing services for non-emergent illnesses. Since its launch in August 2019, Opear has served families across New York state.

Media Contact: Elysse Ciccone, Head of Marketing, [email protected]

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Michael Demetriou, Opear Founder and CEO

Michael Demetriou, Opear Founder and CEO

SOURCE Opear MD

Related Links

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The Singapore government has invited Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the World Cities Summit - 2020 (WCS) to be held from July 5 to 9 this year, official sources said here on Tuesday.

The WCS is an exclusive platform held biennially in Singapore and brings together government leaders and industry experts from around the world to address pressing challenges, share practical solutions and forge valuable partnerships, they said.

The Singapore government stated that the theme of WCS - 2020 is 'Livable and Sustainable Cities: Adapting to a Disrupted World' in which there will be discussions about how cities can cope with climate change, social shifts and technological disruptions with confidence, the sources said.

Adityanath has been invited to attend the event, they said.

The WCS is being organised alongside the Singapore International Water Week and the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, as part of the Singapore Sustainability Week.

The 2018 event was attended by 44 ministers, 133 mayors and city leaders from all over the world.

In addition, 1100 companies and over 24,000 participants from all over the world participated in the event and business deals worth USD 26 billion were announced.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 'drunk' woman has been arrested by anti-terror police after he allegedly tried to storm the cockpit as the aeroplane came into land at Heathrow.

Police were called to the scene at roughly 4.30am just after the Malaysia Airways flight touched down.

One witness said: 'Fun times just landed at Heathrow, Malaysian Airlines have suspended all flights so made it out just in time and anti-terror police boarded the plane and arrested someone for trying to get into the cockpit.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Officers at Heathrow have arrested a woman on suspicion of being drunk on board.

A 'drunk' man has been arrested by anti-terror police after he allegedly tried to storm the cockpit as the aeroplane came into land at Heathrow. Stock picture

'The woman was taken into custody after a Malaysian Airways flight landed shortly before 04.29hrs on Tuesday, 17 March.

'She has been taken into custody.'

A Malaysia Airlines spokesman said: 'Following the incident with an intoxicated passenger on Malaysia Airlines flight MH2 to London Heathrow on March 16, 2020, Malaysia Airlines reassures passengers that their safety and that of the crew is their priority.

'A female passenger became abusive mid-flight. The airline crew responded admirably to manage and resolve the situation with as little disruption to other passengers as possible before handing the passenger over to the MET police on arrival.

'Malaysia Airlines would further like to inform passengers that flights have not been suspended to or from the United Kingdom.

'While the country of Malaysia has imposed restrictions on foreign travellers entering the country, the airline is continuing to operate all scheduled flights from Heathrow Airport as transit passengers continue to proceed to their onward destinations.

'To provide passengers with peace of mind around their upcoming travel plans in light of concerns around coronavirus, Malaysia Airlines is offering unlimited, free changes to all new bookings.'

It comes as a string of airlines were forced to axe flights from the UK following the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid warnings of an industry collapse within weeks, BA-owner IAG, EasyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian all revealed drastic plans to slash costs and ground flights.

Virgin Atlantic said staff had agreed to take eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next three months, with the salary docked from workers pay over six months so their income does not dry up.

All 10,000 employees of the company, founded and controlled by Richard Branson, will also be offered voluntary redundancy.

Police were called to the scene at roughly 4.30am just after the Malaysia Airways flight touched down. Stock picture

In a sign of the scale of the coronavirus crisis, the airlines have been backed by the union Unite and pilots association Balpa.

Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, told Boris Johnson: If you do not take urgent action to support the aviation industry in the UK, there is absolute certainty that tens of thousands of jobs will be put at risk, and the industry will be unable to resume effectively once this health crisis has passed.

Virgin Atlantic called for 7.5billion in emergency loans while transport secretary Grant Shapps promised to meet airline bosses.

He told Sky News: We want to make sure that companies and individuals and organisations who are in a good state  not those that are going to fail anyway  are able to continue.

Virgin Atlantic said staff had agreed to take eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next three months, with the salary docked from workers pay over six months so their income does not dry up [File photo]

The most extreme measures were taken by Norwegian, which is the third largest airline at Gatwick.

It is temporarily laying off around 7,300 staff  90 per cent of its workforce.

The airline which is saddled with debt, has lost more than 80 per cent of its market value since the start of the year.

IAG, which has announced three-quarters of flights will be cut over the next two months, also said it was taking actions to reduce operating expenses and improve cash flow.

These include temporarily suspending employment contracts, reducing working hours and offering staff unpaid leave.

The group, which also owns Iberia and Vueling, employs 66,000 staff.

Its chief executive Willie Walsh stressed that he had not requested a government bail-out and insisted IAG was resilient with a strong balance sheet.
Union minister V Muraleedharan has gone into self-quarantine after he held a meeting with a doctor in Kerala, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus after coming back from Spain said on Tuesday.

The Union minister of state for external affairs had held a meeting at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology in Keralas Thiruvananthapuram last week in which the infected doctor also participated.

The doctor, a radiologist, had tested positive on Sunday and returned from Spain on March 1. He had joined his duty two days after he returned.

Although he disclosed his travel history, he was asked to join his work as he did not show any symptoms. He fell ill on March 13 and tested positive on March 15.

One of the premier medical institutions in Kerala, the hospital is under the Union science and technology ministry.

India has reported 125 cases of coronavirus and that the disease has spread to 15 states and Union territories. There have been three coronavirus deathsone each in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, so far.

There are seven new cases in Maharashtra, two in Karnataka, one each in Kerala and Telangana.

Government data shows Maharashtra has 36 cases of Covid-19, including three foreign nationals, and Kerala has reported 22. Uttar Pradesh follows with 12 patients, Karnataka 8, Delhi 7 and Telangana with four cases of coronavirus, according to the data.

Union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir have reported four and two cases respectively. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, have just one positive case each, as per the data.
(Natural News) Similar to what happens during times of war, some manufacturing companies in Europe are reportedly in talks with government officials about switching over their production lines to making supplies specifically needed to combat the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But where are the similar calls from the Trump administration to produce things like vitamin C and antiviral herbs that can help to boost peoples immune systems naturally for their own protection?

Multiple British engineering companies such as Rolls Royce Aero Engines as well as tractor-excavator manufacturer JCB are said to be changing their operations to produce much-needed ventilators instead. One company in France is reportedly already doing this.

LVMH, which owns perfume brands such as Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Givency, are likewise shifting their operations to make hand sanitizer, which the company will deliver significant quantities of to Paris-area hospitals for free.

The British government is asking any and all companies that normally produce what it deems as non-essential items to join the aforementioned in manufacturing whatever is needed to help in the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And many, says Health Secretary Matt Hancock, are enthusiastic about this opportunity.

At the same time, the machinery needed to produce ventilators is in short supply in the United Kingdom, and importing more of it during these times could be difficult. Nevertheless, companies are doing what they can to join up with the U.K.s National Effort for Ventilator Production.

While companies like JCB are better equipped than LVMH to switch over to producing ventilators instead of earth-moving machinery, manufacturing medical machinery is quite different from manufacturing excavators, which poses some challenges.

We have been approached by the Prime Minister to see if we can help with the production of ventilators, stated Lord Bamford, the companys head.

We have research and engineering teams actively looking at the request at the moment. Its unclear as yet if we can assist, but as a British company, we will do whatever we can to help during the unprecedented times our country is facing.

Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how health authorities routinely fail to tell the public about how to boost their immunity naturally, and instead just tell them to wash their hands:

Vitamin C is an easy and safe way to boost your immunity naturally

Here in the United States, President Trump has issued new guidelines urging Americans to avoid all groups of more than 10 people. Hes also advising people to avoid going out to bars, restaurants and food courts, and is recommending that all schools close and remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Whatever it takes, were doing, Trump stated, adding that with multiple weeks of such restrictions, we can turn the corner on this pandemic.

But what Trump isnt doing, along with every other state and local leader out there whos imposed similar restrictions and/or regulations, is advising the public about how they can actually put their immune systems to good use through functional nutrition. For some reason, thats never part of the agenda, even as these same folks push for new vaccines as the cure.

Most Americans probably dont even know that clinical trials of intravenous vitamin C are taking place in China right now, and with positive results. As it turns out, vitamin C is an exceptional antiviral nutrient that really all Americans should be taking orally in therapeutic doses all the time, even when theres not a global pandemic.

Another important immune-boosting nutrient is vitamin D, which is in especially short supply during the wintertime when natural sunlight is limited. Supplementing with vitamin D3, along with its cofactor vitamin K2, is another great way to help keep yourself healthy no matter what virus is circulating.

To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NPR.org

NaturalNews.com
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Party in the 2019 governorship election in Lagos, Babatunde Gbadamosi, has formally defected to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Gbadamosi defected on Monday at the state secretariat of the party in Ikeja, the state capital.

The state Chairman of the PDP, Deji Doherty, received Mr Gbadamosi and his supporters at a ceremony in the partys secretariat.

Mr Doherty said that the defection signalled an early preparation for the party ahead of the 2023 governorship election in the state.

According to him, the ruling All Progressives Congress was incurring huge debts for the state, adding that there was a need to save the state from going bankrupt hence the need for a change of government in 2023.

I am shocked at the rate the APC-led government in Lagos State is incurring debt, something should be done to prevent the state from going bankrupt, he said.

The chairman also commended Mr Gbadamosi and his supporters for returning to the PDP early, adding that it would afford them time to work for the success of the party in 2023.

Mr Gbadamosi joined the ADP in October 2017 after leaving the PDP where he contested for the ticket of the party as governorship aspirant in 2011 and 2015. In 2011, he lost the ticket to Ade Dosunmu and in 2015, he lost to Jimi Agbaje.

Ahead of the 2019 election, Mr Gbadamosi shone as bright star when he was tipped to have performed best at the state governorship debate. He, however, did not pull much weight in the general election, a development analyst attributed partly to the strength of his party, ADP.

On Monday, Mr Gbadamosi said he was rejoining the PDP to contribute to efforts to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and provide governance to improve the lots of residents. He said there was a problem in the state that required collective efforts to solve.

Presently, there are problems in Lagos. In fact, we have serious problems but we shall solve them together, he said.

READ ALSO:

We are going to solve the problem as one house and not as a divided house.

As the party chairman and other excos have kindly given me free pass to re-enter the party, I am telling you right now that my job in PDP is to help the efforts to build a winning team that would knock out those people in 2023.

The new PDP member also said he was devastated by Sundays explosion at Abule Ado area of the state which killed many people and destroyed dozens of property. He called for full investigation to forestall a reoccurrence in the future.
Ukrainian banks seeing lack of cash foreign currency amid peaking demand  NBU

13:00, 17.03.20 4045

The regulator says the increased demand for foreign currency is due to a psychological factor, namely a deterioration in the moods of market players over the global spread of coronavirus.
The Target Market Program Administrators Association has become the latest insurance organization to cancel a meeting. TMPAA Executive Director Ray Scotto announced that the 2020 TMPAA Mid-Year Meeting planned for Tampa on May 4-6 will not be held.

With travel bans in place for many key TMPAA partners and the recent CDC recommendations to suspend gatherings of over 50 people for the next eight weeks, it is now apparent that we will not be able to offer an event that is safe or valuable for our members, Scotto wrote.

He said his organization intends to connect with every scheduled attendee and sponsor of the event to offer refunds or credits and provide guidance in canceling hotel reservations within a few days.

The TMPAA announcement came on the heels of the big news that the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) had called off its annual conference for the first time in its 70-year history. The RIMS 2020 Annual Conference & Exhibition had been scheduled for May 6 in Denver.

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
Ihor Petrashko has become the new Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture. 243 MPs supported proper decision #3226 as 112 Ukraine reported.

To appoint Ihor R. Petrashko at the position of the Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, the message said.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal provided a proper submission to the parliament.

According to latifundist, in 2004-2007 Ihor Petrashko worked in Moscow, later in Kyiv representative office of Ernst&Young company; he also worked in the investment company TriykaDialogUkraine. Until 2013, he headed the corporate business department at Sberbank of Russia.

Since April 2013, he was working at Ukrlandfarming agricultural holding.

On March 4, the Verkhovna Rada appointed the new composition of the new Cabinet of Ministers.

Before that, the Verkhovna Rada has accepted the resignation of Oleksiy Honcharuk from the post of Prime Minister and his government. 353 MPs voted "for" the corresponding draft resolution No. 3158.

Later, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed Denys Shmyhal as the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:28:57|Editor: xuxin

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BISHKEK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan is to temporarily ban foreign nationals from entering its territory, Vice Prime Minister Altynai Omurbekova said here on Tuesday.

Omurbekova told a news briefing that the decision was made on Tuesday at a high-level meeting and will take effect after adopting a relevant regulatory act.

The vice prime minister also said that the meeting on COVID-19 also proposed to limit the holding of all public events and family celebrations for three weeks.

Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz Railways National Company said that as of March 17, all international non-freight train services have been temporarily suspended to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

At present, a number of international flights have been canceled at Manas airport. According to official data, there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kyrgyzstan.
You wont want to drink what Claremont Distillery is brewing this week. Instead of its usual menu of vodka, bourbon and moonshine, the Fairfield distillery is hard at work making gallons of hand sanitizer to offset supply shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.

Tim Koether, the owner, said the motivation behind the switch from spirits to sanitizer was simple.

My wife couldnt find any, and she was getting all panicked, Koether told NJ Advance Media. Helping out his wife gave him the chance to help the larger community, and the decision became a no-brainer. Its like to me, it just seems like youre supposed to (help out). It was just kind of like, well, heck. I got to do this," he said.

He plans on distilling liquid thats 95% alcohol, which will be combined with aloe vera gel to make the hand sanitizers. Dont expect any fancy scents; Koether says this will be utilitarian sanitizer.

The sanitizers will not be for sale, and Koether does not plan to profit off this, he said. Sanitizers will be donated. Public donations will be accepted at some point to purchase more supplies and keep the operation up and running.

Production on the finished product should be underway by the end of this week. Claremont is currently distilling between 150 and 200 gallons of alcohol, which Koether says will be used to make 300 gallons of hand sanitizer.

While the distillery has plenty of alcohol and expects a large shipment of aloe vera gel to arrive this week, they are limited on bottles to dispense the sanitizer in. Donations of bottles would be accepted, and Koether also encourages those in need to bring their own refillable bottles.

Like a growler but for hand sanitizer?

Just like that, Koether said with a laugh.

For now, distribution will likely be in-person at the distillery, but he is open to other distribution ideas as the project gets underway, including some type of a delivery system. It would be nice for those who are unable to get it, and frankly probably need it the most, he said.

Claremont Distillery isnt the only place switching from spirits to sanitizers. Distilleries around America have begun using their alcohol byproducts to make high-strength cleaning solutions and hand sanitizers, Eater reported.

Koether said he spoke to several other distilleries in New Jersey who were also looking into switching to the hand sanitizer business during the outbreak. As the oldest and largest distillery in the state, he said Claremont was in a unique position to help.

This is something we plan on continuing to do as long as it remains economically feasible, Koether said.

Hand sanitizer has been in short support nationwide as residents scramble to stock up amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Supplies have been further dwindled by re-sellers who bought mass quantities at local shops to re-sell online for huge mark-ups, the New York Times reported.

Liquor stores and brands have responded to sanitizer shortages with a mix of humor and caution.

Titos Handmade Vodka warned drinkers on Twitter that their vodka is only 40% alcohol, far below the 60% CDC recommendation for sanitizers.

Joe Canals Discount Liquor Outlet on U.S. Route One in Woodbridge did not suggest customers make their own hand sanitizer, but did have a display set up reminding them that Everclear clocks in at 95% alcohol.

Making your own hand sanitizer is typically best left to the experts, officials say. Four teens were injured after using a homemade sanitizing spray sold to them at a North Jersey convenience store, officials said.

And when in doubt, a good hand washing will get the job done, the CDC says.

A liquor store in Woodbridge Township reminds customers Everclear is 95% alcohol. Some people have started turning to homemade hand sanitizers made with alcohol after shortages in stores.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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One of the top cancer hospitals in the US is running low on masks as eight patients and staff members are diagnosed with coronavirus.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City hast just one week's supply of masks left, according to BuzzFeed News.

Politicians and health experts have been asking the general public and other companies to donate their supply of masks to hospitals because doctors and nurses battling coronavirus on the front lines need them the most.

It comes three of Sloan Kettering's patients and five of their staff members were tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (pictured) in New York City, of the nation's top cancer hospitals, has only one week's supply of masks

The hospital reported that three patients and five staff members have been infected with coronavirus. Pictured: A nurse stands outside the entrance to the mobile surge unit tent for coronavirus testing at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Georgia, March 17

A study from China found the coronavirus patients with cancer have a mortality rate of 5.6 percent compared to healthy patients. Pictured: Laurie Kuypers, a registered nurse, reaches into a car to take a swab from a patient at a drive-thru coronavirus testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients, March 17

BuzzFeed News reports that Sloan Kettering's senior vice president of supply chain and sustaining care, Kreg Korford, told employees that reason supply is low is production.

The majority of the hospital's personal protective equipment (PPE) is made in China - the epicenter of the outbreak - and there are currently production and distribution delays in the Asian country.

'It's been a couple of months since new shipments have come,' Koford said, according to a transcript of a staff meeting last Friday, obtained by BuzzFeed News.

'Their manufacturing is coming back online, but we will not likely see that for four to eight weeks.'

A hospital spokesperson confirmed the shortage to BuzzFeed News and said administrators are working to find more supplies.

But in a statement to DailyMail.com, the shortage was denied.

'Memorial Sloan Kettering has sufficient supply of PPE, including masks and other equipment, to ensure the safety and protection of our patients and staff,' a spokesperson said.

'Balancing supply and demand for essential supplies is what our supply chain experts do every day.'

It comes on the heels of news that three of Sloan Kettering's patients and five staff members have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

Details were not immediately clear about what departments the staff members worked in and if the patient were inpatient our outpatient.

'Like hospitals across the country and around the world, the number of patients and staff diagnosed with COVID-19 will fluctuate day-by-day as people are exposed in the community or clinical settings,' the spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'When we identify a potential case, our focus is on containment, notification, and isolation. MSK Infection Control and Employee Health & Wellness work together with the Department of Health (city or state as appropriate), following the guidelines established by the CDC, which are updated regularly.

'The health and safety of our patients and staff is always our top priority.'

According to the transcript of the Friday meeting, not all of the cases were 'related to exposure' at the hospital, meaning some cases occurred via community transmission.

Sloan Kettering is just one of several hospital in the US struggling to deal wit the shortages of masks, other PPE, beds and ventilators.

But patients here at even greater risk because their treatments, particularly chemotherapy and radiation, leave them immunocompromised.

One study out of China looked at patients with underlying conditions and found that cancer patients had a mortality rate of 5.6 percent, much higher compared to the general population.

According to the transcript, hospital officials are trying to limited spread of the virus by 'canceling surgeries and procedures, non-essentials' reported BuzzFeed News.

Doctors at Sloan Kettering have been asked to provide prioritization lists of patients to treat and replace meetings with teleconferencing. Pictured: A patient is loaded into an ambulance at Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, March 10

Hospital officials are also asking to doctors to submit prioritization lists of patients to treat, reported BuzzFeed News.

Certain staff members have been asked to work from and teleconferencing has replaced several in-person meetings.

Worldwide, more than 196,000 people have been infected and more than 7,800 people have died.

In the US, there are more than 5,900 people confirmed cases and 99 deaths.
Parkinsons UK is launching a new funding program to support innovative studies into non-drug treatments for Parkinsons.

This approach builds on Parkinsons UKs existing investment in many different non-pharmaceutical based therapies, including exercise, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, massage and reflexology.

Alongside medication, other approaches - such as living aids, exercise and therapies - can play a vital part in helping people to manage daily life and take control of the condition.

Every day, we hear from people with Parkinsons who say that exercise alleviates their symptoms. On top of this, a growing body of evidence indicates physical activity may slow the conditions progression. It is our mission to build on evidence like this and explore every possible avenue to improve the lives of people with Parkinsons.

To date, Parkinsons UK has invested more than 93 million in groundbreaking research and we want to continue leading the way.

Professor David Dexter, Associate Director of Research at Parkinsons UK
Due to the situation of the coronavirus and the decision of the state authorities to announce quarantine in the Republic of Lithuania, Utenos trikotazas has suspended the operation of 6 of its stores, production operations remain active.

The daily activities of the Company are being organized remotely. The management of the company monitors the situation and responds to new circumstances accordingly.

From today on, the company is introducing new rules that will apply during the quarantine. Most of the administration staff works remotely, our employees are advised to cancel all the visits and meetings. Guests are not allowed in our premises too. Maintaining a clean and safe work environment to our production workers is our ongoing priority, says Petras Jasinskas, CEO of Utenos trikotazas.

According Petras Jasinskas, thus far production operations keep up with the schedule. Under these circumstances we made some adjustments in organizing the work flow at the factory. Since educational institutions are closed, some employees find it difficult to work as usual. Therefore, we look for possibilities to adjust the work schedule, provide additional breaks if needed, adds P. Jasinskas.

Under current circumstances all the evaluations to the potential impact on the annual results would not be accurate. In case operating conditions changes significantly, Utenos trikotazas undertakes to notify about relevant decisions in a separate notice.





More information:

Zivile Jonaityte, CFO, Utenos Trikotazas AB

Mob.: +370 686 51938

Email: zivile.jonaityte@ut.lt
















China has revoked the credentials of three US journalists who work at The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post in an act of retaliation after Trump called coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'.

The journalists have not been named publicly. According to The Associated Press, they are not allowed to work in China, Hong Kong or Macao.

President Trump tweeted Monday: 'The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!'

Early Tuesday Beijing demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations'.

But Trump then doubled down tweeting Tuesday morning about New York's governor Andrew Cuomo - who has demanded the military are activated to build hospitals - that: 'Cuomo wants "all states to be treated the same."

'But all states arent the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all.'

He also banned five Chinese journalists from working in the US earlier this year.

First hit: Beijing has accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatisation by connecting the novel coronavirus with China after President Trump published the post on Twitter

China has expressed its 'strong indignation and resolute opposition' after US President Donald Trump referred to the coronavirus as 'the Chinese virus' in a tweet yesterday. President Trump is pictured speaking during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force on March 16

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' said Geng Shuang (pictured) from China's Foreign Ministry

Diplomatic feud over crisis: The U.S. and China are clashing over how to describe covid-19, the novel coronavirus first seen in Wuhan, China

The tweet-for-tat came the day after Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called China to accuse it of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the U.S. military.

Contrasting conspiracy theories, that it was created by China as a tool for biological warfare, have been aired in pro-Trump circles in the U.S.

And Pompeo himself has called it the Wuhan virus in a series of media appearances, as have fervently pro-Trump Republicans including Tom Cotton, the Arkansas senator, and Paul Gosar, an Arizona congressman who then had to go into self-quarantine over fears he was infected with it.

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatisation by connecting the novel coronavirus with China.

He did not name President Trump specifically, but was referring to President Trump's tweet, reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' Mr Geng said at a daily news briefing.

The spokesperson stressed that the coronavirus outbreak had occurred in multiple places around the world and the urgent task was for the international community to join forces to curb the pandemic.

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' Mr Geng continued.

Coronavirus fears have gripped the United States with multiple cities going into lock down. Young people wear protective masks while walking through Times Square in NYC on March 5

More than 4,660 people have been infected and at least 86 have died of the virus in the US

Anti-US sentiment is also growing in China as people on the country's Twitter-like Weibo has shown an outpouring of anger towards President Trump.

One person said: 'Trump is the virus of the world'.

Another typical comment accused: 'American virus!'

A petition urging President Trump to apologize over his comment has appeared on the White House's website.

The post read: 'President Trump owes all Chinese apologies for naming COVID19 "the Chinese Virus" in his latest twitter, especially under the circumstances where the origin of COVID-19 is not scientifically definite yet. Not only is his twitter defiance against science, but also cause hostages among Chinese and the other races.'

The request would need 100,000 signatures to secure a response from the White House. As of writing, 25,716 people have signed.

On Monday Pompeo, in a phone call he initiated with top Chinese official Yang Jiechi, voiced anger that Beijing has used official channels 'to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States,' the State Department said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) and Chinese politburo member Yang Jiechi (left) shake hands following a press conference in Washington in November 2018

A man wearing a facemask as a preventative measure following a coronavirus outbreak which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan sits at a Hong Kong cruise terminal in February 2020

Pompeo 'stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat,' the department added.

The State Department on Friday summoned the Chinese ambassador, Cui Tiankai, to denounce Beijing's promotion of a conspiracy theory that had gained wide attention on social media.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, in tweets last week in both Mandarin and English, suggested that 'patient zero' in the global pandemic may have come from the United States -- not the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.

'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.

Scientists suspect that the virus first came to humans at a meat market in Wuhan that butchered exotic animals.

Pompeo himself has sought to link China to the global pandemic, repeatedly referring to SARS-CoV-2 as the 'Wuhan virus' despite advice from health professionals that such geographic labels can be stigmatizing.

Yang issued a 'stern warning to the United States that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail,' the official Xinhua news agency said in its summary of the call with Pompeo.

People wearing face masks walk through a rapeseed farm used to produce canola oil in China's central Jiangxi province that borders Hubei province, the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak

A sign posted on a Sanrio store in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles announces its temporary closure as the coronavirus pandemic brings much of the world to a standstill

The key Chinese foreign policy leader 'noted that some US politicians have frequently slandered China and its anti-epidemic efforts and stigmatized the country, which has enraged the Chinese people,' Xinhua said.

'He urged the US side to immediately correct its wrongful behavior and stop making groundless accusations against China.'

President Donald Trump, under fire over his handling of the pandemic, and his allies have sought to cast the coronavirus as a disease brought by foreigners.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a Trump ally, has spoken of the 'Chinese coronavirus' and in a recent statement vowed, 'we will hold accountable those who inflicted it on the world.'

While COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the virus - has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries.

The news comes as China tries to deflect blame for the contagion and reframe itself as a country that took decisive steps to buy the world time by placing huge swathes of its population under quarantine.

The world should follow China's principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment to curb the escalating coronavirus pandemic, state-run newspaper China Daily said

China built a 1,000-bed coronavirus hospital in 10 days in Wuhan to curb the epidemic. The picture shows Huoshenshan Hospital nearly complete on the outskirts of Wuhan on February 3

State-run newspaper China Daily today urged the rest of the world to learn from China and follow the principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment to halt the global spread of the coronavirus.

China reported only one new domestic infection today compared to a daily toll of 15,152 five weeks ago.

It also comes after China and the United States blamed each other as the alleged origin of the killer infection.

A Beijing spokesperson last week claimed that the coronavirus might have been brought to Wuhan by the US military while US politicians called it the 'Wuhan virus' or 'Chinese coronavirus'.

With cases falling in China and soaring abroad, Beijing is now rejecting the widely held assessment that the city of Wuhan is the birthplace of the outbreak.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian went a step further on Thursday, saying on Twitter that 'it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan' - without providing any evidence.

He doubled down on his claim on Friday by posting a link to an article from a website known for publishing conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks.

China and the US have blamed each other as the alleged origin of the virus. China's Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian (left) accused the US military of bringing the coronavirus to Wuhan while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus'

Dali Yang, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, said he believed Zhao was 'tweeting in his official capacity'.

China's intention in promoting the conspiracy theory is 'to divert from domestic discontent' over the handling of the outbreak, which has killed more than 3,200 people in the country.

Asked if Mr Zhao was representing the government's view, fellow foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Friday that 'the international community, including (people) in the United States, have different views on the source of the virus'.

'China from the beginning thinks this is a scientific issue, and that we need to listen to scientific and professional advice,' Geng said.

The United States, meanwhile, has angered China by using language directly linking the virus to the country.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus', prompting Beijing to reject the term as 'despicable' and 'disrespecting science'.

While Kevin McCarthy, a US congressman, called the virus the 'Chinese coronavirus' on Twitter.

In a tweet on Monday, he wrote: 'Everything you need to know about the Chinese coronavirus can be found on one, regularly-updated website.' He was sharing the link to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The YMCA of Greater Richmond is temporarily closing all its 16 locations starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, the nonprofit organization said in a statement early Tuesday afternoon.

These are unprecedented times unlike any we have been through," Tim Joyce, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Richmond, said in a prepared statement.

"Though we are saddened by the situation and not being able to serve our members and program participants, we wholeheartedly support the directive of our health officials and government leaders in working to limit the spread of infection from COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus.

The YMCA locations will be closed until further notice.

The YMCA of Greater Richmond operates 16 branches throughout the Richmond and Petersburg region, serving more than 170,000 people, according to the group's announcement.

The YMCA still plans to offer online classes. Information about those online offerings can be found at www.ymcarichmond.org.
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People from Philadelphia, New York and Delaware have decided to hunker down at their shore homes. "It's brighter, more space," said one homeowner. "You can trick yourself." Officials would rather they stayed home. Read more

MARGATE, N.J.  The Pennsylvania plates parked around Casels Market all weekend and on through the week told the tale: Shoobies think the New Jersey Shore is a nice place to ride out the coronavirus pandemic.

But Shore elected officials (and lots of locals) do not agree. Wildwood is even considering closing its boardwalk to discourage visitors, Mayor Pete Byron said Tuesday.

The summer condos on my street in Wildwood look like an early May weekend, noted one local resident, Christina Sweeney.

In a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon, Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton urged visitors to stay home during the next two weeks.

It was a jarring stance for Shore officials to take, rolling up the welcome mat. But these are difficult times. And while people may be drawn to their happy places down the Shore, where at least as of Tuesday afternoon there were no reported cases of the novel coronavirus, Thornton and others say those people are not doing anyone any favors.

[On Wednesday, officials announced three confirmed cases in Atlantic County, and a New York City man who tested positive in Cape May County while visiting. On Saturday, meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy joined the chorus, saying I urge those who have homes at the Jersey Shore to not go to them at this time.

I dont want to offend our second-home owners and our taxpayers, but this is really not the time, said Mayor Beth Holtzman of Ventnor, where many out-of-towners could be found (sort of) hunkering down in their second homes, but also outside coffee shops and on the Boardwalk. The only way the curve is going to flatten is for people to stop moving.

Some second-home owners say Shore store clerks have been asking for their zip codes and when they hear Pennsylvania become very cold and dismissive.

Thornton stressed that it was more than just wanting to make sure locals could find enough chicken in their off-season supermarkets.

These additional visitors have put an additional strain on the local supermarkets, but could eventually be a burden on the medical system in Cape May County should a significant outbreak of COVID-19 take place here, Thornton said.

We love all of our visitors from Pennsylvania, North Jersey, New York, and further away, but this is not the time to be visiting the Shore as we try to focus resources needed during this pandemic to our residents."

But the Boardwalk in Ventnor, the condos in Wildwood, the back bay neighborhoods of Avalon were dotted with people on Tuesday, a crisp and warm day with a pleasant breeze. What could be bad? people wondered.

The Shore seems brighter, said one Ventnor second-home owner planning to hunker down for the long haul. You can trick yourself its not so bad.

Ellen Rubin, who lives on the 19th floor of a high rise in Philadelphia filled with millennials, is refusing to ride the elevator. She escaped with her dogs to her Shore house in Ventnor for the duration.

Just walking the Boardwalk, took the bike out, said Rubin. Its not here yet, theres no confirmed cases yet."

Shes not under any illusion that the Shore is somehow safer, she said.

They say theres people from New York here, she said. "Its very crowded.

Rachel Fishman of Queen Village came down to the familys beach house in Ventnor with her sister and the three little cousins, two second graders and a pre-schooler, so my kids could have fresh air, more space.

The ocean, the sand, all lifts your spirits, she added.

Locals have found themselves taking in members of their extended families, either marooned college students or adult children working remotely. In Carol Miller of Ventnors case, it was her 90-year-old mother, deposited down the Shore by her twin sister.

They said shes safer here than in Philly, Miller said. She and a friend had come to celebrate their birthdays. As soon as we opened the door, they said, were not staying, Miller said. They dropped her off. (They did end up staying for a couple of hours.)

Others said they believed their mental states were better with a cool ocean breeze and the expanse of the beach.

People are escaping, said Ray Damico, who owns an Airbnb in Ventnor that is suddenly busy with people coming from Pennsylvania. We call them the escapee vacay-ees. We definitely left them cleaning supplies.

Fights have broken out in social media channels, where second-home owners defended their right to go to homes they own in towns where they pay taxes. Im entitled to use my house, said one poster in a Margate group. 'You have neither the facts nor authority to tell me what to do."

As a homeowner and taxpayer, we can live in which home we choose, said another.

Many locals are not amused.

Its a kind of keep your germs at home kind of feeling, said Matt McClatchy, sitting on a bench on the Boardwalk in Ventnor. "Theres plenty of tags from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware. Its like Memorial Day. I have friends from Philly coming to their homes. Why sit in the city if you can sit on the beach?

Ask them if they realize there are far more hospital beds and ventilators in the major city hospitals than there is in this area, suggested a Ventnor local.

Byron, the Wildwood mayor, says officials are looking at ways to convince second-home owners that relocating or just popping by during the coronavirus restrictions is a bad idea. Theyve canceled all events, including iconic ones like Ocean Citys DooDah parade.

We cant post guards at the bridges, as some of the residents have suggested, Byron said.

But closing the boardwalk, he said, is part of the discussion.

Its just a way to be proactive, he said. We cant stop people from coming. They have a right to check on their houses. We are trying to discourage folks.
business Yes Bank share price rises 72% on Moody's upgrade; press conference at 3:45 pm The board of directors of the bank approved the reconstitution by appointing Prashant Kumar as chief executive officer and managing director of the Yes Bank.
The pandemic Covid-19 scare, which continues to slow down the global economy, has cast its shadow on the domestic sugar supply chain with sugar off take from mills falling in last fortnight. Even international sugar prices have also corrected from $15 per pound to below $12.

According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the outbreak has pulled down sugar off-take from mills over the last 15 days and the sugar stock in the wholesale and retail market is understood to have been sold in the last couple of weeks. According to market watchers, fresh sugar procurement from ...
Bethesda, MD - ORCID announced this week the official launch of the Irish Consortium at the Irish Research eLibrary (IReL). The new consortium will be led by Dr Catherine Ferris, IReL Open Scholarship Officer, who will manage community and technical support for consortium members.

ORCID consortia foster communities of practice that apply ORCID open identifier services and resources in regional and national contexts, using global implementation standards. Executive Director of ORCID Dr Laure Haak stated, "We are honored to partner with IReL to launch the new Irish ORCID Consortium. Since our first meeting to discuss a national approach to ORCID in the amazing Trinity College Library in 2014, opportunities to work with and learn from each other have been many, and we welcome continued collaboration on building open research infrastructure."

The Irish Consortium is part of a coordinated approach to the adoption and integration of ORCID in Ireland, directed by the Higher Education Authority. Its establishment was directly informed by research carried out by the National Open Research Forum (NORF) Infrastructure Working Group. In accordance with the NORF principles for adoption and use of ORCID and related persistent identifier infrastructure in Ireland, the Irish ORCID Consortium recognizes that:

the use of unique and persistent identifiers for entities (researchers, organizations, grants, activities, and outputs) in the research ecosystem is essential for the development of an internationally competitive research infrastructure for Ireland,

the adoption of unique identifiers for researcher identification supports interoperability between multiple systems and institutions. By virtue of its open, non-proprietary nature, its robust and independent governance structure and its widespread global adoption, ORCID is the best choice for identifying researchers and other contributors to research, and

ORCID improves the visibility of researchers by uniquely distinguishing them from similarly named researchers and by merging information from individual researchers who have used name variants over the course of their careers.

Dr Ferris noted: "IReL is delighted to be part of this national coordinated approach to the adoption of ORCID in Ireland and I am keen to begin supporting the consortium members' goals and activities. Implementing ORCID will have far reaching consequences for Irish research and I look forward to collaborating with ORCID and the consortium members towards this objective."

###

About IReL - IReL, based in Maynooth University, is a consortium responsible for e-resource licensing for participating Irish HEIs and the provision of administrative, technical and community support for the Irish ORCID consortium. With e-resources, IReL enables access for member institutions to online journals, ebooks, databases and index & abstracting services to support innovative, impactful research. With ORCID, IReL supports consortium members to catalyse ORCID adoption according to best practices, thereby strengthening Irish research infrastructure and increasing the discoverability of Irish research. Learn more at https://irel.ie/

About ORCID - ORCID's vision is a world where all who participate in research and innovation, from imagining to building and managing, are uniquely identified and connected to their contributions across disciplines, and borders, and time. ORCID provides an identifier for individuals to use with their name as they engage in research and innovation activities. ORCID provides open tools that enable transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers, their contributions, and affiliations. ORCID provides this service to help people find information and to simplify reporting and analysis. Learn more at https://orcid.org

To learn more, please contact:

Dr Catherine Ferris

Open Scholarship Officer, IReL

Maynooth University

catherine.ferris@mu.ie

Julie Petro

Director of Communications

ORCID, Inc.

j.petro@orcid.org
Three-year train-the-trainer program extends behavioral science applications to China, Mexico, and Turkey

DURHAM, N.C., March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Common Cents Lab (CCL), a financial behavior research lab at Duke University, today announced the launch of its Global Project. Supported by MetLife Foundation, the initiative will create deeper capacity for meaningfully and measurably improving low- and moderate-income consumer financial health outcomes around the world using behavioral science.



The Global Project combines CCLs expertise in applied behavioral science and rapid field testing with regional partner organizations deep local insights and solutions to better support consumer financial decision-making. CCLs Global Project initially launches with partner organizations in China, Mexico and Turkey.

Behavioral science has proven its ability to deliver positive financial outcomes for individuals, said Mariel Beasley, co-founder of CCL. We are excited to launch this new initiative in partnership with MetLife Foundation and share these best practices as a way to take CCLs behavioral science expertise global. Together, we hope to dramatically improve financial health standards around the world.

CCLs proven ability to deliver results through field testing in the U.S. is driving this expansion of its work on a global scale. Since 2016, CCL has conducted more than 83 unique projects and experiments with 62 organizations reaching more than two million low- to moderate-income (LMI) people with outcomes such as increased savings, decreased debt, reduced expenses, or increased earnings.

The CCL Global Project is a three-year train the trainer effort. The CCL team will collaborate with CCLs Global Fellows, selected organizations that are able to provide technical assistance to financial services providers in their countries. Global Fellows in each country will adopt behavioral science and rigorous evaluation as a core competency in their technical assistance offerings.

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Using behavioral science to make it easier for people to improve their financial health has proven successful in the U.S., so partnering with Common Cents Lab to develop this Global Program is a natural extension of our work together, said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. The train-the-trainer model and the challenges people face in each market vary, and these factors set up an exciting challenge that MetLife Foundation is pleased to support.

Partner organizations from Mexico and Turkey have already participated in an intensive three-week training session hosted by CCL. These Global Fellows will next partner with local financial services providers, such as credit unions and fintech companies, to implement experiments in collaboration with CCL aimed at improving financial outcomes for LMI households.

Global Fellows from Mexico include:

CIRKLO, an innovation strategy consulting firm based in Mexico City that is focused on business transformation, growing social entrepreneurship, and social impact.

UNAM Psychology Departments ICCE Project, an academic initiative designed to integrate cognitive and behavioral sciences, focusing on both theoretical research and applied projects for behavior change in Mexico.

New Ventures Group, a platform dedicated to catalyzing impact-driven companies through financing, acceleration and ecosystem building efforts in Latin America.

Global Fellows from Turkey include:

Financial Literacy and Inclusion Association (FODER), a not-for-profit organization based in Istanbul that aims to create a better financial ecosystem in Turkey by reducing the unbanked population, increasing savings, and encouraging the inclusion of women and youth.

BUBA Ventures provides financial and executive management support to start-ups through acceleration programs (BUBA Campus), angel investing, and by developing their own ventures.

Center for Applied Research in Finance (CARF), a research center associated with Bogazici University, was established to conduct academic research on the most suitable financial structures and best practices for Turkey.

In China, Common Cents is working in partnership with Duke Kunshan University to create a co-learning network of academics and field-based organizations that will work on developing experiments to improve aspects of financial wellbeing. This co-learning network will meet periodically to share findings, and transfer skills across the members of the network.

Over the course of the program, all Global Fellows will grow to create projects independently that are aimed at increasing financial health through applications of behavioral science.

Each of these organizations shares a strong interest in improving financial health and the skills to promote changes in this field, said Marialejandra Guzman, Director of the Global Project at Common Cents Lab. We will build on this capacity to help them apply behavioral science to financial decision-making in innovative and beneficial ways.

To learn more about the Common Cents Lab, please visit https://advanced-hindsight.com/commoncents-lab/ .

About Common Cents Lab

Common Cents Lab, supported by MetLife Foundation and the BlackRock Emergency Savings Initiative, is a financial behavior research lab at the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University that creates and tests interventions to help low-to-moderate income households increase their financial wellbeing. Common Cents leverages research gleaned from behavioral science to create interventions that lead to positive financial behaviors. The lab is led by Behavioral Economics Professor Dan Ariely and is comprised of researchers and experts in product design, economics, psychology, public policy, advertising, business administration, and more.

To fulfill its mission, Common Cents partners with organizations, including fintech companies, credit unions, banks and nonprofits that believe their work could be improved through insights gained from behavioral economics. To learn more about Common Cents Lab visit www.commoncentslab.org.

About MetLife Foundation

At MetLife Foundation, we believe financial health belongs to everyone. We bring together bold solutions, deep financial expertise and meaningful grants to build financial health for people and communities that are underserved and aspire for more. We partner with organizations around the world to create financial health solutions and build stronger communities, engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. To date, our financial health work has reached more than 6 million low-income individuals in 42 countries. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit metlife.org .
Amaravati, March 17 : Amid the ongoing row over postponement of local body elections in Andhra Pradesh, State Election Commissioner (SEC) N. Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday defended his action, clearing the misconception that the Commission is ill-informed about coronavirus threat and the financial implications for the state.

SEC wrote back to Chief Secretary Nilam Swahney, a day after the latter urged him to revoke postponement of elections and adhere to the election schedule announced earlier.

Stating that coronavirus is truly a circumstance beyond anticipation, Kumar pointed out that states like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Orissa have put on hold the local body elections. He clarified that SEC is neither alone nor ignorant. He claimed that SECs are a very informed and proactive group.

"I am genuinely saddened by several instances of ill-informed and vitriolic attacks personally and directed against the Commission," wrote Kumar, who came under bitter attack from Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who accused him of acting at the behest of leader of opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The SEC postponed the elections by six weeks citing the precautionary measures required to check the spread of coronavirus.

The elections to rural and urban local bodies were scheduled on March 21 and 23 respectively.

Hours after SEC announced the decision, the Chief Minister lodged a complaint against the official with Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan.

Kumar had also called on the governor on Monday to explain the reason for postponing the elections.

The Chief Secretary had written to him that since the public health is the responsibility of the state government, the SEC could have held prior consultation with the state. She also claimed that coronavirus situation in the is fully under control.

Kumar said he was in regular touch with the Principal Secretary, health and family welfare but the department did not share any information.

The SEC said that the health experts are of the view that India might have entered stage-2. He, however, said if the National Task Force after risk assessment permits the holding elections in Andhra Pradesh, the Commission was prepared to readily revisit the issue before the 6 week postponement proposed.

"I wish for early containment of coronavirus and after assured or advised by the National Task Force or the Health Ministry, wish to restart the election process which is assessed as a high human contact scenario, from where it had been paused." On the contention of the Chief Secretary that the postponement of polls could deprive the state of funds from 14th Finance Commission, Kumar pointed out that there are other states in a similar situation and assured all assistance in accessing the funds.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi: After conducting its second round of testing for the novel coronavirus, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday concluded there was no sign of community transmission of the virus in India so far. Around 500 samples of patients admitted for respiratory illnesses between March 1-March 15 have returned negative.

Last week, the ICMR said 150 random samples, picked from Virus Research and Diagnostic Labs (VRDLs) and tested for community transmission as well, had tested negative for Covid-19.

ICMR will repeat the process of conducting tests every week across its network.

Every week, 20 samples will be collected. This exercise was done in February and we did it for those admitted in March first week. Preliminary data shows 500 samples returned negative. The results for the rest will come tomorrow or day after, said Dr Manoj Murhekar, Director of Chennai-based National Institute of Epidemiology. So far we have no evidence of community outbreak.

Community transmission is marked by infection found in a person who has not had contact with anyone who has travelled abroad and when the source of the original transmission is difficult to locate. ICMR is testing random samples of influenza and pneumonia-like illnesses to see if community spread has taken place.

ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava on Tuesday said even though India is still in stage 2 of the Covid-19 outbreak, one cannot predict when it will enter stage 3, which is when community transmission takes place.

A majority of our patients have a history of travel or have come in direct contact with those with a travel history. We are hoping we don't have stage 3, but we cannot predict it. It depends on how strongly we close our international borders. We have stopped travel to and from Europe, much of middle-east and also other countries, he said.
Michigan hospitals are preparing for an influx of coronavirus cases as the disease continues to spread in the state, and are exploring any and all options for converting facilities and ensuring appropriate staffing levels as capacity needs increase.

During a Monday afternoon press call, Michigan Health and Hospital Association representatives said no hospitals in Michigan have currently experienced staffing shortages or have run out of supplies, but said they anticipate needing more equipment soon as more cases of coronavirus emerge.

Hospitals and health centers have been anticipating emergency measures required for the coronavirus pandemic and are planning for increased staffing and appropriate patient triage processes to reduce exposure, as well as on-site childcare services for staff, purchase of additional supplies to prepare for testing and care and increased telehealth services, said Ruthanne Sudderth, MHAs senior vice president of public affairs and communications.

While they have what they need at the moment, they do anticipate needing more equipment, Sudderth said. We have been communication with the state that we need to keep a very close eye on this.

Under a recent executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, health care facilities are temporarily prohibiting visitors that are not necessary for medical care or visiting under exigent circumstances. MHA officials said they were supportive of the administrations actions and are hopeful the extreme measures will prevent overburdening the states healthcare system.

We want to err on the side of caution, we want to err on the side of ensuring the health and safety of our citizens, despite the temporary hardships that may create, Brian Peters, MHAs chief executive officer, said on the call.

The association isnt currently recommending local healthcare facilities suspend elective surgeries, leaving it to individual hospitals and health centers to evaluate their capacity for those procedures.

Sudderth said many hospitals are currently collecting samples for testing and are working towards getting approval to test for coronavirus at their facilities.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read all of MLives coronavirus coverage 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:

 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.

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Burma Nine Civilians Injured in Rakhine as Myanmar Military Shells Villages

U Maung Phyu Hla, who was among the three seriously injured in Mondays shellings, arrives at Sittwe Hospital in an ambulance. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

SITTWE, Rakhine StateNine civilians were injured when artillery shells landed on their villages near the Kalanda River in Rakhine States Kyauktaw Township around 3 a.m. on Monday.

Three men from Oak Kyut Village, two from Yaung Sone Village, one from Ahla Madi Village, and two men and one teenager from Invari Village were wounded in the incident, according to Rakhine State lawmaker U Maung Maung of Kyauktaw.

Villagers said artillery shells fell on their villages while they were sleeping. They said the navy fired shots from along the river. I dont know the reason behind the shootings, U Maung Maung told The Irrawaddy.

U Maung Phyu Hla, 68, from Oak Kyut was seriously injured and rushed to Sittwe Hospital from a local rural hospital.

He was hit as he ran to hide under the house after hearing the sounds of shelling, said his sister, Daw Ma Yin Sein. He was injured in his belly, knees and shins. The shells came from the river. We dont know what happened. We only heard gunshots.

According to local residents, Myanmar navy ships traveled up the Kaladan River to Chin States Paletwa Township, firing shots along the river banks as they went.

Three people were wounded in our village, two of them seriously injured, U Aye Maung Thein, administrator of Yaung Sone, told The Irrawaddy. We dont know if there was fighting or what happened. We were woken up by gunshots.

The two men in Yaung Sone, 60 and 39, are receiving treatment at a local rural hospital.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach Tatmadaw True News Information Team spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, Western Command spokesperson Colonel Win Zaw Oo, or Rakhine State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Min Than for their comments on the alleged attacks.

However, Arakan Army (AA) spokesperson Khaing Thukha claimed that there was no clash between the AA and the Myanmar military on Monday morning in the area.

The AA has been attacking the Myanmar militarys Meewa hilltop outpost, on the border of Paletwa and Kyauktaw townships, since February as the hill is strategically important for control of the Kaladan River, which flows through the two townships.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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The Shiv Sena has likened Monday's political developments in Madhya Pradesh with "spread of virus" and accused the BJP, without taking its name, of trying to destabilise the governments headed by Opposition parties.

Taking a swipe, the Sena said the "political virus" trying to destabilise governments headed by Opposition parties by engineering defections is currently wreaking havoc in the country, but has proved ineffective in Maharashtra.

"Coronavirus is causing havoc in the country. The political drama that unfolded in Madhya Pradesh on Monday was also no less than a virus," the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece "Saamana" on Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh has been in a political turmoil since last eight days after senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP and 22 MLAs of the ruling Congress submitting their resignations.

Amid a political tussle between the Congress and the BJP, Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly defied directives of state Governor Lalji Tandon to hold a floor test on Monday, prompting the BJP to approach the supreme court.

"The political virus trying to destabilise governments of Opposition parties by engineering defections is also causing havoc in the country. This virus was seen working in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Karnataka and other states. However, it proved ineffective in Maharashtra and rather the experiment boomeranged," it said.

The Shiv Sena heads the coalition government in Maharashtra in which the Congress and the NCP are also constituents. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is chief minister of the state.

The editorial referred to then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP trying to form a government for a second time with the support of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in November last year. That government had lasted for only 80 hours.

After the state Assembly elections held in October last year, the Sena severed its ties with the BJP accusing it of reneging on its promise to share the post of the chief minister with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

"After realising that it cannot form a government with the Shiv Sena, an attempt was made to split the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under the leadership of Ajit Pawar. The ruling party in the Centre is replicating the same political experiment in Madhya Pradesh," the Sena said.

Referring to the resignations by five Congress MLAs in BJP-ruled Gujarat and that of 22 legislators in MP, the Sena said this political gameplan was being executed to upset the political arithmetic in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in which legislative assemblies form the electoral college.

"Was it the time to unleash political terror when the entire country is in the grip of the terror caused by coronavirus?" questionned the Sena while referring to the political developments in Madhya Pradesh.

"At a time when the life has come to a standstill for the common man, the political show of strength could have been avoided," it said.

Noting that the developments in Madhya Pradesh are a fight between the Centre and the state and between a governor and a legislative assembly, the Sena said whether Kamal Nath government survives or those behind engineering defections get exposed remains to be seen.

"The verdict on (survival of) Kamal Nath government was put off for now after the Madhya Pradesh Speaker adjourned the Assembly on Monday till March 26. However, the second part of this drama might play out in the (supreme) court on Tuesday, which will decide the ultimate climax," it said.

The Shiv Sena has likened Monday's political developments in Madhya Pradesh with "spread of virus" and accused the BJP, without taking its name, of trying to destabilise the governments headed by Opposition parties.

Taking a swipe, the Sena said the "political virus" trying to destabilise governments headed by Opposition parties by engineering defections is currently wreaking havoc in the country, but has proved ineffective in Maharashtra.

"Coronavirus is causing havoc in the country. The political drama that unfolded in Madhya Pradesh on Monday was also no less than a virus," the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece "Saamana" on Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh has been in a political turmoil since last eight days after senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP and 22 MLAs of the ruling Congress submitting their resignations.

Amid a political tussle between the Congress and the BJP, Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly defied directives of state Governor Lalji Tandon to hold a floor test on Monday, prompting the BJP to approach the supreme court.

"The political virus trying to destabilise governments of Opposition parties by engineering defections is also causing havoc in the country. This virus was seen working in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Karnataka and other states. However, it proved ineffective in Maharashtra and rather the experiment boomeranged," it said.

The Shiv Sena heads the coalition government in Maharashtra in which the Congress and the NCP are also constituents. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is chief minister of the state.

The editorial referred to then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP trying to form a government for a second time with the support of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in November last year. That government had lasted for only 80 hours.

After the state Assembly elections held in October last year, the Sena severed its ties with the BJP accusing it of reneging on its promise to share the post of the chief minister with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

"After realising that it cannot form a government with the Shiv Sena, an attempt was made to split the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under the leadership of Ajit Pawar. The ruling party in the Centre is replicating the same political experiment in Madhya Pradesh," the Sena said.

Referring to the resignations by five Congress MLAs in BJP-ruled Gujarat and that of 22 legislators in MP, the Sena said this political gameplan was being executed to upset the political arithmetic in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in which legislative assemblies form the electoral college.

"Was it the time to unleash political terror when the entire country is in the grip of the terror caused by coronavirus?" questionned the Sena while referring to the political developments in Madhya Pradesh.

"At a time when the life has come to a standstill for the common man, the political show of strength could have been avoided," it said.

Noting that the developments in Madhya Pradesh are a fight between the Centre and the state and between a governor and a legislative assembly, the Sena said whether Kamal Nath government survives or those behind engineering defections get exposed remains to be seen.

"The verdict on (survival of) Kamal Nath government was put off for now after the Madhya Pradesh Speaker adjourned the Assembly on Monday till March 26. However, the second part of this drama might play out in the (supreme) court on Tuesday, which will decide the ultimate climax," it said.
Iceland, Lidl and Nationwide opened up early for pensioners today amid confusion over Boris Johnson's official advice to the over-70s to 'stay inside' - as even his own father vowed to continue going to the pub.

The PM has told everyone to avoid visiting pubs and shops, but says this is particularly important for over-70s due to their increased vulnerability to the disease, as he prepares to tell everyone in the age group to self-isolate for 12 weeks starting this weekend.

But today many appeared to be defiantly continuing with their daily routines, including his 79-year-old father, Stanley, who told This Morning: 'Yes of course I'll go to the pub if I need to go to a pub.'

Meanwhile, others took to social media to insist older people should 'decide for themselves' whether to self-isolate, as MailOnline columnist Janet Street-Porter, 73, accused the government of treating all old people like 'crumbling wrecks'.

Meanwhile, Esther Rantzen, 79, led calls for Britons to support their elderly relatives and neighbours, as she warned of the need to protect them from the 'modern plague of loneliness'.

It came as nationwide death toll hit 55 as the government braced itself for more emergency measures, including a 'wartime' coronavirus bailout worth billions of pounds to stop thousands of businesses from going bust.

Scroll down for video.

This branch of Iceland in Belfast had an OAPs-only opening hour this morning so they could shop in peace away from panic buyers

Over-70s have been urged to stay at home amid the pandemic, but this punter at the Square Peg in Birmingham was seen enjoying a pint

Some older people took to social media to insist older people should 'decide for themselves' whether to self-isolate

Elderly people are being urged to stay at home to avoid coming into contact with others, with the government set to escalate this policy into a 12-week lockdown starting this weekend.

Some older people took to social media to express their defiance today, with Twitter user Jan Smith writing: 'I'm 74 and fitter than a lot of 40- to 50-year-olds. They won't keep me in, just let them try.'

Janis Olson added: 'Im over 65, the idea of being forced against my will is wrong. Those of us in this age group are smart enough to decide for ourselves.'

Meanwhile, MailOnline columnist Janet Street-Porter said she accepted older people were more at risk of coronavirus but asked : 'Does that entitle a government - as Boris Johnson has decided - to treat all senior citizens like children who cannot make up their own mind about how to live their lives in the face of a pandemic?'

'Of course Ill go to the pub!: How Boris Johnson's own FATHER Stanley vowed to ignore his advice Boris Johnson's own father has today ignored the government's advice on how to avoid coronavirus by saying he may go to the pub tonight. Stanley Johnson, who is 79 and therefore among some of the country's most vulnerable to Covid-19, defied official advice on This Morning. Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were discussing the Prime Minister's advice for the public to avoid pubs, restaurants and theatres to avoid spreading the virus. But when he was asked whether he'd go to the pub, Stanley said: 'Yes of course I'll go to the pub if I need to go to a pub.' When Phillip asked what his son would think of that because he'd told people not to go, Stanley said: 'No, he told people should avoid going to pubs but if I had to go to a pub I'd go to a pub.' Advertisement

Stanley Johnson was similarly bullish when questioned about his plans on This Morning. Asked if he would go to the pub tonight, he said: 'Yes of course I'll go to the pub if I need to go to a pub.'

When Phillip Schofield asked what his son would think of that because he'd told people not to go, Mr Johnson replied said: 'No, he told people should avoid going to pubs but if I had to go to a pub I'd go to a pub.'

Several stores in Britain and Ireland opened early today to allow older customers to shop safely and avoid coronavirus-related panic buying after the number of confirmed cases topped 1,500.

Iceland and Lidl are offering a 'silver hour' for elderly and vulnerable shoppers only, in an attempt to stem the crisis, while Tesco did the same in Ireland.

The Nationwide Building Society is also set to trial new branch opening times during the coronavirus outbreak, to help the elderly and vulnerable manage their money with a dedicated hour each morning.

The Northern Irish branch of Iceland opened one hour early today at 8am, reserving the first hour for its elderly customers, after worried shoppers began rushing to grocery stores last week jostling to buy essentials that have flown off shelves.

Older shoppers, some with family members to help and one carrying a walking stick, queued up next to each other at the Kennedy shopping centre, in West Belfast, before the shutters came up.

'I thought it was a great thing that they did this morning, it saved the rush and was nice and relaxed,' said local resident Mary Heaney after buying some groceries.

James McDonnell, who only had to pick up a few items, said he hoped other shops would do the same.

'There were too many pictures of older folk stalking aisles empty, because everybody was in panic buying. This is a great idea,' he said.

British and Irish supermarkets have opened up early today to allow older customers to shop safely and avoid coronavirus-related panic buying. Pictured: Elderly shoppers queue to get into a Belfast Iceland as it opens for pensioners only

Iceland (pictured, a West Belfast store), Lidl and Nationwide Building Society are offering a 'silver hour' for elderly and vulnerable shoppers only, in an attempt to stem the crisis

People with their shopping as they leave an Iceland store in the Kennedy Centre. The store opened one hour early to allow elderly shoppers to buy food

Elderly shoppers pay for their shopping with the help of their younger relatives at the branch of Iceland in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast

People wait outside an Iceland store in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast, after it announced it would be opening an hour earlier for older customers

Iceland told MailOnline that they are allowing their stores to make their own decisions on how best to meet the needs of their local communities, but can't confirm plans for specific branches at the moment.

The High Street doors opening up early for pensioners Iceland A Northern Irish branch of Iceland in West Belfast, opened one hour early today at 8am, reserving the first hour for its elderly customers. Iceland told MailOnline that they are allowing their stores to make their own decisions on how best to meet the needs of their local communities, but can't confirm plans for specific branches at the moment. Nationwide Building Society From March 18, more than 100 Nationwide Building Society branches across the UK will open from 8am, instead of the usual 9am. This is to determine whether it is an effective way of providing support to people aged 70 and above and those with underlying health conditions at an uncertain time. Lidl In Ireland, German-owned discount chain Lidl has begun implementing priority shopping for the elderly from 9am to 11am every day until further notice across all of its 163 stores. Tesco Tesco will also introduce dedicated time in store three days a week for over 65s and family carer workers from Wednesday. Advertisement

A spokeswoman for Iceland said: 'With many of our Iceland stores located at the heart of communities across the UK, we are encouraging our store managers to dedicate the first two hours of opening on Wednesday morning to the elderly (those of state pension age) and vulnerable people in their community, such as those with disabilities.

'We are giving them the flexibility to offer this wherever possible, and arrangements will be publicised in the stores that decide to take this action.

'We commend the action taken by our colleagues in the West Belfast store who have already dedicated an hour of early morning opening for the elderly. We are focused on being able to feed the nation and to support the most in need.'

Nationwide Building Society is also trialling new branch opening times during the coronavirus outbreak so that elderly and vulnerable people can manage their money in a safe environment within a dedicated hour each morning.

From Wednesday March 18, more than 100 branches across the UK will open from 8am, instead of the usual 9am, for people aged 70 and above and those with underlying health conditions.

It means older people can be the first people during the day to use Nationwide's facilities, benefiting from enhanced cleaning that branches will undergo each evening, and before they open to the wider membership from their usual opening times.

If successful and if there is shown to be a need, Nationwide will consider whether the trial could be extended to more branches across the Society's 650 branch network.

An elderly shopper with an oxygen tank and who is wearing gloves, waits for the opening of the Belfast Iceland in the Kennedy Centre

Satisfied elderly shoppers leave the Iceland in the Kennedy Centre, west Belfast, this morning

James McDonnell, who only had to pick up a few items, said he hoped other shops would do the same. Pictured: Customers talk to helpful staff members at the Iceland store

'I thought it was a great thing that they did this morning, it saved the rush and was nice and relaxed,' said local resident Mary Heaney after buying some groceries at the store (pictured)

Older shoppers, some with family members to help and one carrying a walking stick, queued up next to each other at the Kennedy shopping centre, in West Belfast, before the shutters came up

In Ireland, where schools, universities and pubs have been shut, Lidl began implementing priority shopping for the elderly from 9am to 11am every day until further notice across all of its 163 stores.

Promising priority queuing and additional assistance, Lidl asked other customers to respect the measure and plan their shopping trips accordingly as it may not be able to actively monitor compliance.

Tesco will also introduce dedicated time in store three days a week for over 65s and family carer workers from Wednesday.

Because now more than ever, every little helps,' the retailer said on its Irish Twitter page, tweaking its famous slogan to fit the times.

Boris Johnson gave Britain's latest response to the coronavirus pandemic at a press conference on Monday. It came a week after he warned many more families are going to lose loved ones,' a statement Esther Rantzen described as 'chilling'

Iceland told MailOnline that they are allowing their stores to make their own decisions on how best to meet the needs of their local communities. Pictured, the Kennedy Centre store

Older customers and their friends and relatives, with their shopping inside an Iceland store in the Kennedy Centre

Don't leave us elderly alone and forgotten: Esther Rantzen, 79, who is now stuck at home in self-isolation, makes a heartfelt plea to tackle that other plague... loneliness

When Boris Johnson last week warned that many more families are going to lose loved ones, it was a clear, chilling statement of the reality of the coronavirus pandemic.

But most of us were reassured by the measured words of the two eminent scientists who stood either side of him, about the actions being taken and why.

Over the past few days, though, anxiety about the virus and its impact on individuals and the world economy have taken hold. Are we being told to do the right things? Are we doing enough compared with the rest of Europe?

Esther Rantzen, 79, announced she was self-isolating on Monday with her daughter Emily, 42, who has ME

For some, yesterdays sombre press conference with the PM and those same scientists, in which they anounced further measures to control the spread, reinforced those fears and truly brought home the challenge we face.

This pandemic is a test for humanity. Not just for the doctors and nurses, the paramedics, the epidemiologists and the Government, but for all of us.

It is a moment when each of us should look beyond the confines of our own front doors, our needs and those of our nearest and dearest.

Because unless we do, unless we find imaginative ways to reach out to those who are older, more vulnerable and locked away in their own homes, when the disease eventually retreats we will find, to our shame, that we have lost some of our best and bravest.

For it is the over-70s, now asked to limit contact with the outside world, who showed their strength during World War II and in the postwar years when deprivation was a way of life for many.

Esther Rantzen, pictured with her daughter Emily in 1996. The mother-of-three revealed she is self-isolating at her home in New Forest, with her eldest daughter Emily, 42, who has ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip Britain

This is the time for the rest of us to return some of the altruism they showed us.

They are not asking us for huge acts of courage, of the kind many of them displayed when they were living through tougher times than most of us have ever known. This is a different level of sacrifice: one based on small acts of thoughtfulness.

We need to pause a moment to remember the auntie we always meant to phone but never did; the neighbour we used to see on her mobility scooter, passing with a wave, but never invited in for tea.

All the grey-haired wrinklies we joked about. Their deafness, their cautious driving, their clutter and grumpiness were easy to deride when the world was arrogant and busy.

We need to ask: can they cope now the world we took for granted has been shaken to its core by an infection we cannot control, which is leaping over frontiers and has the potential to ravage our workplaces, our hospitals, our cities and our way of life?

Its not complex or strenuous. All it may take is a postcard through the letter box offering help if it is needed, with a phone number.

In normal times they might be too proud to ask for help. They need it now.

Once our elderly are self-isolating, we will need to protect them not only from the virus but from the emotional damage caused by loneliness.

Isolating ourselves from possible infection also means physically distancing ourselves from others. Of course, that can be painful.

I have learned from the millions of calls made to The Silver Line  a free confidential helpline I founded that provides the elderly with information, friendship and advice  that there is a crucial difference between isolation and loneliness.

Esther Rantzen used her column in today's Daily Mail to shed a light on the national plague of loneliness that threatens Britain's silver generation. She also spoke of the innovative ways we can all help people feel a little more included

I should be on a cruise right now, raising money for The Silver Line. Instead, I am already self-isolating at home. I hate not seeing my grandchildren, my friends, having to cancel meetings and work projects. But isolation must not mean spiritually distancing ourselves, losing touch with everyone we care about.

To be cut off from giving and receiving emotional warmth creates deep pangs of loneliness. I know this from the letters Ive received from people who have experienced it. Their words show how destructive loneliness is, eroding all self-esteem, everything that gives our lives meaning, our identity, our confidence.

Loneliness can make us feel that merely prolonging life is futile, as our lives are not worth living. As 80-year-old Ellen, disabled and living alone, told me: I am an optimist by nature and often I have to be, when I face another pointless day when Im a waste of space.

None of our elderly should feel that way.

Yet the worst of times can bring out the best in human behaviour.

Its not nice to see the ruthless stockpiling of pasta and loo rolls, and able-bodied young people forcing their way through queues of supermarket trolleys to grab another bundle of kitchen towels. But not everyone is that greedy.

Beverley Smith, a Silver Line volunteer who also volunteers for Age UK, has suggested we all do a little silver shopping, adding an extra tin of beans or packet of tea to our shopping list and giving it to charities working with older people who cannot afford to stockpile and are terrified of going hungry.

In London, for example, AgeUK Camden is putting together food parcels and creating an online book club and a telephone counselling service. Instead of hosting events that nobody can attend, they will stream them online so people with internet access can still enjoy the music.

Meanwhile, Baroness Joan Bakewell, who is self-isolating, is cooking meals for another self-isolating neighbour and leaving them outside her door. The next day, the neighbour does the same for her.

Just yesterday, an Iceland store in Belfast announced it would dedicate its first shopping hour, from 8am to 9am, to older people and those with underlying health conditions.

My sister, who is self-isolating in Australia, tells me her local stores are doing the same.

Its a contrast to the horror stories coming out of Italy, where older people are reportedly left in hospital corridors to die because doctors only give respirators to the young people they think are more likely to survive. I pray Britain never gets to that stage.

In the meantime, we must not forget that there may be something to gain from our time spent in isolation.

In 1606, Shakespeare was quarantined in London to avoid the plague, and in enforced idleness wrote King Lear, Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra.

We dont all have his genius but we may have time to scribble down the life story we always promised our grandchildren, or to declutter our photographs and papers.

I also hope the BBC, between all the grim news coverage, will once again assume its role as the nations morale-booster, as it was in the war years. Its decision yesterday to delay TV licence fee changes for the over-75s until August was an encouraging step.

Perhaps it could repeat Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister to prove there is nothing new about this crisis, and allow Book At Bedtime to devote itself to P. G. Wodehouse and Just William. Bring back Martin Jarvis to send us oldies to sleep with a smile.

And let us also hope that the new links we forge with others, especially our new friendships with the oldest people in our communities, will outlast this vile plague.

If they do, the unexpected consequence might be the eradication of that other modern plague: loneliness.
Last fall, Calm, an app that delivers meditation and nature sounds, announced a partnership with Novotel, one of the brands of the French hotel conglomerate Accor, to give guests guided meditations for relaxation and sleep. Starting this year, in a phased rollout, guests at Novotel hotels around the world may sign up for a free two-month subscription to Calms premium tier of content.

Big brands in many industries, but specifically in travel, are listening to their customers and realizing that wellness is more important to them, said Alex Will, chief strategy officer at Calm.

I think people are just searching for help with sleep and relaxation in general, Mr. Will said. Its just tiring. We have this always-on lifestyle now. It just creates a huge amount of stress and strain on the body.

Travel is becoming increasingly more stressful, Mr. Will said.

The growing awareness that sleep is an important part of staying healthy has increased the interest in technology that can help people fall and stay asleep.

Broadly speaking, travel and sleep are major-use cases above and beyond our partnership with Novotel, Mr. Will added. The thing we hear a lot from our users is if you cant sleep, it makes everything else feel very hard in day-to-day life.

Although these initiatives predate the coronavirus pandemic, they are well-positioned to address travelers current fears, said Ms. Finkelstein of CBRE.

Especially with coronavirus and everything thats happening, you are starting to see people either pull back on travel or be a little more cautious when they travel, she said.
Many tourist destinations have temporarily stopped receiving guests, and visitors from many countries in Europe no longer enjoy visa waivers.

The drastic measures taken by the government of Vietnam to stop the spread of coronavirus, plus the information about the increased number of infection cases, all have inflicted blows on the tourism industry which is struggling to survive the epidemic.





Travel firms said the closure of tourist attractions, including Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long, Cat Ba Island, Cham Isle, Ly Son Island, Con Dao relics and Con Phung in Ben Tre province, has pushed the tourism industry into a new recession period.



When the coronavirus began and travel firms lost Chinese travelers, they were optimistic as they still could receive travelers from Europe. However, with the number of infection cases skyrocketing in South Korea, Italy nd Germany, the doors to potential markets have been closed.

The drastic measures taken by the government of Vietnam to stop the spread of coronavirus, plus the information about the increased number of infection cases, all have inflicted blows on the tourism industry which is struggling to survive the epidemic.

We are nearly losing 100 percent of travelers. All activities are nearly frozen said Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink, on March 11.

Foreign travelers have canceled inbound tours with departure days from now to September 2020, while Vietnamese travelers have canceled outbound tours to June.



As for domestic tours, travel firms still can receive bookings before March 7 from young families thanks to the good prices. However, after the No 17 infection case was announced on March 7, clients have canceled all the tours.



Some travel firms which specialize in serving European travelers reported that partners have canceled tours for March and April, because beginning on March 12, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, British, German, French and Spanish travelers no longer can enjoy visa waivers.



The tourism industry is closing the door, said Pham Ha, CEO of Luxury Travel Group.



Bui Viet Thuy Tien, CEO of Asian Trails Co, also said that travel firms are facing big difficulties.



Travelers cancel tours these days. The clients planning to come to Hanoi to watch F1 race slated for early April have also canceled tours, Tien said.



The manager of a HCM City-based travel firm said he tried to design tours with low costs to stimulate demand.



Even when you slash the tour fees, people still wont travel these days. If they travel, there is another risk that they get infected with coronavirus. If so, it will be very risky to settle the problems, he said. So, what we can do is wait until the epidemic is contained. "



Thanh of Lien Bang Travelink shares the same view, saying that travel firms need support from the government.



I have received a notice from the General Department of Taxation about the 5-month extension of tax payment. However, what I want is tax reduction, not tax payment delay. I need to use the money to maintain our operation, he said.

Linh Ha

Mekong Delta, southern islands are new domestic tourism hotspots The Mekong Delta and southern islands like Phu Quoc and Con Dao are dominating domestic tour bookings as COVID-19 cases rise elsewhere in Vietnam.
(Bloomberg) --

The European Union proposed a temporary halt to non-essential travel, while Canada and the U.K. placed restrictions on who can enter the country, further steps to firm up the worlds borders to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The measures are meant to suppress transmission of the deadly virus, which has killed more than 7,000 lives worldwide. But they will deepen the economic toll on the travel industry and provide fresh challenges for trade and for families separated by borders. The decisions follow U.S. President Donald Trumps move to ban travelers from Europe for 30 days.

The EUs proposal Monday followed a series of tighter rules on international travel in the U.S. and Europe, and closures of public spaces, restaurants and movie theaters in cities including New York and Los Angeles.

In a memo sent to EU governments, and seen by Bloomberg, the European Commission said the ban on incoming visits to Europe and the restrictions to outgoing travel are aimed at lifting an ever growing number of internal border closings, which have disrupted free movement within the bloc -- one of the key pillars of European integration.

In Canada, foreigners wont be able to cross the border except for Americans. International flights will be restricted to four airports, except for those from Mexico, the Caribbean and the U.S. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the move at a press conference Monday outside his residence in Ottawa, where the leader remains in self isolation after his wife contracted the illness.

In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, among other steps to limit the spread of the virus.

The airline industry is reeling from such decisions and pushing for government aid and bailouts. The collapse in travel stands to wipe out more than $60 billion revenue in Europe alone, according to one estimate. In the U.S., the industry is seeking $58 billion in government aid.

Story continues

In an unusually blunt admission, the EUs executive arm also warned the travel restrictions may not be effective in slowing the spread of the virus.

The desperate move comes as member states erect unprecedented barriers within the EUs boundaries, halting the normal free flow that underpins the livelihoods of 500 million people and prompting output cuts at manufacturers including PSA Group and Volkswagen AG, Europes two largest carmakers.

A 32-kilometer (20-mile) tailback of trucks on the border between Poland and Lithuania is the latest indicator of how the coronavirus is bogging down Europes economy. Like most in the 27-nation bloc, Poland is desperate to keep a lid on the outbreak of the disease, but national measures have gummed up supply routes.

Alongside the internal snarls of traffic, theres a similar story on the periphery: Ukraine, which enjoys free trade with the EU, has closed 150 customs checkpoints. Bulgaria says trucks trying to leave for Turkey along a critical transport corridor face significant delays. Sea cargo from China is being held for at least 14 days at Romanias Constanta port.

Health-care professionals, frontier workers, diplomats and people in need of humanitarian protection are exempt from the proposed travel ban. Also travel between the U.K. and EU will be allowed, under the plan, which is due to last for a month but could be extended. EU leaders are scheduled to adopt the proposal over a conference call on Tuesday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council chief Charles Michel and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about ways to coordinate and unify measures to ensure the functionality of the domestic market.

--With assistance from William Horobin, Daryna Krasnolutska, Andra Timu, Boris Groendahl, Patrick Donahue, Birgit Jennen, Joao Lima, Kati Pohjanpalo, Christoph Rauwald and Rodrigo Orihuela.

To contact the reporters on this story: Nikos Chrysoloras in Brussels at nchrysoloras@bloomberg.net;Viktoria Dendrinou in Brussels at vdendrinou@bloomberg.net;Milda Seputyte in Vilnius at mseputyte@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Andrew Langley, Chris Reiter

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.
Italy and Iran have been two of the countries hardest hit by the Wuhan coronavirus, outside of China. Why? Helen Raleigh explains at The Federalist:

The reason these two countries are suffering the most outside China is mainly due to their close ties with Beijing, primarily through the One Belt and One Road (OBOR) initiative. OBOR is Beijings foreign policy play disguised as infrastructure investment. Heres how it works: China and country X agree to do an infrastructure project in country X. Country X has to borrow from a Chinese bank to finance the project. A contract is always awarded to Chinese companies, which then bring supplies and Chinese employees to country X to build the project.

As a result of One Belt and One Road, there are more than 300,000 Chinese living in Italy.

Almost exactly a year ago in March 2019, against warnings from the EU and the United States, Italy became the first and only G7 country to sign onto OBOR. As part of the deal, Italy opened an array of sectors to Chinese investment, from infrastructure to transportation, including letting Chinese state-owned companies hold a stake in four major Italian ports.  Lombardy and Tuscany are the two regions that saw the most Chinese investment. Nearly a year later, the first Wuhan coronavirus infection case in Italy was reported in the Lombardy region on Feb. 21. Today, Italy is experiencing the worst coronavirus outbreak outside China, and Lombardy is the hardest-hit region in the country.

The Iran case is interesting as well:

2019 was the year Iran officially signed up to OBOR. China sees Iran as a crucial player to this initiative because Iran is not only rich in oil but also lies in a direct path of an ambitious 2,000-mile railroad China wants to build, which will run from western China through Tehran and Turkey into Europe. Today, Iranian health officials trace the countrys coronavirus outbreak to Qom, a city of a million people. According to the Wall Street Journal, China Railway Engineering Corp. is building a $2.7 billion high-speed rail line through Qom. Chinese technicians have been helping refurbish a nuclear-power plant nearby. Iranian medical professionals suspect either Chinese workers in Qom or an Iranian businessman who travelled to China from Qom caused the spread of the coronavirus in Qom.

News reports indicate that a number of high Iranian officials have contracted coronavirus, and I believe at least one or two have died. Raleigh explains:

Although on Feb. 1 the Iranian government banned its airlines from flying to China, it made an exception for Mahan Air, an unofficial airline for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The WSJ reported that Mahan Air had carried out eight flights between Tehran and China between Feb. 1 and Feb. 9 to transfer Chinese and Iranian passengers to their respective home countries. This explains why so many high-level Iranian officials are infected by the coronavirus, including First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and more than 20 lawmakers.

Relying on China for economic development was never a good idea, but it turned out to be more dangerous than we knew.
The European Union continues to assist Ukraine in settling the conflict in Donbas and supporting the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.

The EU will provide a further 3.2 million for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, bringing the EUs total financial engagement in this Mission to 52 million. The EU will also increase its support for civilian protection in eastern Ukraine with 1 million to enable the implementation of Ukraines Strategy on Protection of Civilians, once adopted, reads the press release on the website of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

In addition, the EU will finance the reconstruction of a modern administrative services centre in Stanytsia Luhanska, which will ensure effective access to services for Ukrainian citizens in line with the decentralisation reform and ranging from pension fund services to the real estate register.

As noted, the EU will also allocate 1 million to support the resilience of the Sea of Azov region by contributing to improving the reliability and availability of information on the region and its immediate, medium and long-term needs.

The EU Delegation to Ukraine underscores that the EU, together with its Member States is the biggest provider of conflict response assistance to Ukraine amounting to 762.5 million since the beginning of the conflict in 2014, of which approximately half accounts for humanitarian aid. The EU and its Member States are the biggest contributor to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission and are the biggest donor of humanitarian and early recovery assistance. Overall, EU support to Ukraine since 2014 totals over 15 billion in grants and concessional loans in support of the country's unprecedented reform agenda, political association to and economic integration with the EU.

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The subunit vaccine against COVID-19 created by experts from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences was approved for clinical trials on Monday night, China Central Television reported on Tuesday.

The team was led by senior bioengineer Major General Chen Wei. Since arriving in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, in late January, Chen and her team immediately began working on a subunit vaccine.

The vaccine has been approved for safety, efficacy and quality by a third party. Chen said the vaccine also has completed preliminary preparation work for mass production.

A subunit vaccine is a type of vaccine that contains only a fragment of the pathogen to stimulate a protective immune response, according to the World Health Organization.

It is considered safer and more stable than live-attenuated vaccines, which contain a weakened version of the live pathogen, but it may not elicit as strong a protection as live-attenuated versions.
 I imagine many readers caught the headline that Mexico is thinking of closing the border with the United States to prevent spread of the coronavirus. This is clearly Trumps greatest 3-D chess move yet. Looks like Mexico is paying for the wall after all.

 Im surprised Im not seeing more headlines and declarations from the climatistas that COVID 19 is yet another sign and wonder of the climate apocalypse. There have been a few, but no one seems to be paying much attention that I can tell.

But Extinction Rebellion, the charming people whose idea of street theatre is literally to block streets, decided to cancel a die-in last weekend:

It would be irresponsible? But its not irresponsible, apparently, to block ambulances and other important traffic the rest of the time? Got it.

 There have been a few stories observing that the temporary collapse of economic activity in China and, starting last week, here in the U.S. is having the benefit of lowering emissions! Sooner or later some environmentalist is going to indulge the view that the mortality from COVID 19 isnt all bad since it reduces population.

Actually, someone already previewed it for us. Back in 1989, a research biologist for the National Park Service named David Graber wrote in the Los Angeles Times:

Human happiness, and certainly human fecundity, are not as important as a wild and healthy planet. I know social scientists who remind me that people are part of nature, but it isnt true. Somewhere along the lineat about a billion years ago, maybe half thatwe quit the contract and became a cancer. We have become a plague upon ourselves and upon the Earth. It is cosmically unlikely that the developed world will choose to end its orgy of fossil-energy consumption, and the Third World its suicidal consumption of landscape. Until such time as Homo sapiens should decide to rejoin nature, some of us can only hope for the right virus to come along.

Remember: this was a Federal government scientist. Think of it as the Deep-Six State.

 I should have known the postmodernist court jester Slavoj Zizek would show up at some point, proclaiming that the coronavirus is a great excuse to bring back Communism! No, seriously, thats his argument. (Though on close inspection it turns out to be another iteration of True Communism has never been tried! Im sure well get it right this time! Which is why I still wonder whether Zizek is putting us on all the time.)

If you add to this a possible new wave of refugees you get the perfect storm, and I think that Europe is so weakened that it will not be able to react in a unified way, and thats what I mean when I say coronavirus gives a new chance to communism, he said. Of course, I dont mean the old-style communism. By communism, I mean simply what the World Health Organization is saying. We should mobilize, coordinate, and so onlike, my God, this is a dangerous situation. Theyre saying this country lacks masks, respirators, and so on. We should treat this as a war. Some kind of European coordinationmaybe even wartime mobilization. It can be done, and it can even boost productivity. What I mean is that it is possible to keep the good sides of capitalism, but nonetheless, through a coordinated state, social effort to mobilize. Not just with coronavirus, this is needed with other ecological crises, refugees and so on.

 Ive offically retired from doing Hitler Learns About. . . parodies, but that doesnt mean I cant link to a new one about the coronavirus here.

 Charles Lipson passes along this tidbit, which he swears is true:

The mayor of Bugliano, Italy has responded to the viral outbreak by prohibiting orgies inside the city limits. He has gone even further, banning threesomes and sex involving more than two people for the foreseeable future. The fine, as you can see, approaches $1000, although Im guessing you can split it up among the group.

Now if the Romans had done this in 476 AD, the Roman Empire might still be with us today.

 Vaccine trials are starting today. Faster please.
3 1 of 3 David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 General Talent International Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Erica Supreme Barrier, the daughter of hip-hop legend Eric B., has passed away after being seriously injured in a car crash on I-91, on Sunday.

According to Page Six, Barrier was stopped in the center lane on I-91 when an oncoming truck slammed into the back of her Mini Cooper.
A woman in central London wears a face mask as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus. (Steve Taylor/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The number of coronavirus cases in the UK has jumped to 1,950.

The latest figures, announced by the government on Tuesday afternoon, mark an increase of 407 from Mondays figure of 1,543 positive cases.

This is the biggest day-to-day increase since the outbreak began. The previous highest increase was 330 on Sunday.

It was later announced the death toll has risen 14 to 71.

The spread of coronavirus continued to impact day-to-life and businesses in Britain on Tuesday, as:

The Archbishop of Canterbury announced public worship is suspended until further notice  though a Church of England spokesman said weddings and funerals could still go ahead

Fashion chain Laura Ashley filed for administration after rescue talks were thwarted by the Covid-19 outbreak

The Tate announced its museums (two in London, one in Liverpool and one in Set Ives) will be closed until 1 May

Vue, Odeon, Cineworld and Picturehouse announced the indefinite closure of all its cinemas

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, foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced British citizens are being advised against non-essential foreign travel for 30 days.

It comes after Boris Johnson introduced drastic new measures as part of the governments plan intended to slow the spread of Covid-19. The prime minister:

Urged people to stop non-essential contact with others, even if they are not showing symptoms

Said anyone in a household where someone is showing symptoms should self-isolate for two weeks

Withdrew state support for mass gatherings

Coronavirus: What you need to know
Photo: Associated Press

As the world searches for a cure to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists in Seattle have started human testing on a vaccine.

The Associated Press reports that United States researchers gave the first shots in the first test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine test on Monday at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute.

Four healthy volunteers took part in the experiment on Monday, including Seattle resident Jennifer Haller.

The 43-year-old was the first participant to receive the injection on Monday.

We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something," says Haller.

She left the exam room smiling, saying "I'm feeling great."

Microsoft network engineer Neal Browning also took part in the study, and says his daughters are inspired by his decision to volunteer.

Every parent wants their children to look up to them."

A total of 45 volunteers aged 18 to 55 will take two doses of the vaccine one month apart to test for its success and other factors.

It's the beginning of discovering whether the shots are safe and could work, but Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health says even if the research is successful, a vaccine for widespread public use would be another 12 to 18 months away.

The vaccine was developed by the NIH and biotechnology company Moderna Inc.

As it does not contain the virus, the vaccine will not put participants at risk of contracting the virus or getting infected.

It's not the only one being tested, either. Another vaccine candidate is expected to begin testing on volunteer participants in the U.S., China, and South Korea next month.

Study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson says her team have been working around the clock to prepare the research, and are doing all they can.

We dont know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. Thats why were doing a trial, Jackson says. Its not at the stage where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population.

Were team coronavirus now. Everyone wants to do what they can in this emergency.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the U.S. State Department January 07, 2020 in Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the nation's top diplomat, called out the Iranian regime on Tuesday for a lack of transparency amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

"Instead of focusing on the needs of the Iranian people and accepting genuine offers of support, senior Iranians lied about the Wuhan virus outbreak for weeks," Pompeo said during a press briefing at the Department of State.

"The Iranian leadership is trying to avoid responsibility for their grossly incompetent and deadly governments. The Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice," he added.

The virus  which has already killed more than 7,167 people and infected more than 183,000 people around the world  is spreading as the Iranian regime deals with intensifying U.S. sanctions.

Tehran has urged other countries to back its call for the lifting of U.S. sanctions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Unlawful US sanctions drained Iran's economic resources, impairing ability to fight #COVID19," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.

TWEET

"We are trying to help, we continue to offer assistance to Iran in numerous ways. We have an open humanitarian channel to facilitate legitimate transactions even while ensuring that our maximum pressure campaign denies terrorists money," Pompeo said, adding that he hopes Tehran will accept U.S. support.

The sanctions are the lastest move in aggressive tit-for-tat exchanges between Tehran and Washington that began in 2018, when Trump unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 international agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program.

Earlier this year, Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced new sanctions days after Iran fired missiles at U.S. targets in Iraq in retaliation for an American airstrike in Baghdad that killed Iran's top military leader, Qasem Soleimani.

After the January missile strikes, President Donald Trump said the U.S. will "immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime."

In December, State Department officials said that the maximum pressure campaign on Iran will intensify in 2020, as the U.S. seeks to rein in Tehran's pursuit of nuclear infrastructure and regional aggression.

"There will be more sanctions to come, and Iran's economic problems and challenges are going to compound in 2020," a senior State Department official said on a Dec. 30 call with reporters. "They are already deep into a recession, and we are also seeing Iran come under greater diplomatic isolation."

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Libreville, Gabon (PANA) - The Gabonese government adopted two draft decrees in the Council of Ministers on Monday on how to contain the coronavirus pandemic and on the strict limitation of air flights
Union Minister V Muraleedharan tested negative for coronavirus on Tuesday.

The Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs had put himself under self-quarantine in New Delhi after he attended a meeting with doctors who came in contact with coronavirus patients in Kerala.

The minister attended a meeting at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

The meeting was also attended by doctors who are now in home quarantine after a doctor, with travel history to Spain, had tested positive for COVID-19.

The doctor who had gone to Spain for a conference returned back on March 2 and he joined duty on March 8. After he developed symptoms he was put under home quarantine on March 12.

With a total of 12 fresh cases, the number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 126 on Tuesday, the Union health ministry said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UK Queen Elizabeth II has returned to Buckingham Palace in London despite the coronavirus outbreak, Evening Standard reported.

The Queen traveled back to the Palace after her weekend break at Windsor Castle in Berkshire to continue to deal with her official papers.

The Sun has earlier reported that the 93-year-old Queen and her 99-year-old spouse, Prince Philip, could be quarantined at the Royal Sandringham Estate.

The UK government recommends people aged over 70 to isolate themselves for up to four months. The UK has already confirmed 1.5 thousand cases of coronavirus. The death toll has reached 55.
Ranveer Singh is a huge Govinda fan and the Gully Boy actor has expressed his admiration for the senior actor in various interviews. At the recently-held Zee Cine Awards 2020, Ranveer dedicated his performance to Chi Chi.

He even thanked Govinda for being his inspiration and said that the latter was one of the primary reasons behind his decision to become an entertainer.

Humbled by Ranveer's sweet gesture, the Hero No 1 actor took to his Instagram story to shower praise on him and wrote, "I met you (at an award show on Saturday) and I saw your dance and was moved by the amount of respect you showered on me. It has made me at a loss for words. I don't have the words to praise you as a human being and actor. Thank you so much for the respect and I pray to God that you become the next superstar of this industry. I have said this earlier and I can see you shaping up to be the superstar of India through your films."

He further added, "I feel very good to see you shine and rise higher and higher. May God bless you and all the best!"

Well, we are quite sure that Ranveer will be on cloud nine after receiving some kind words from his idol.

In one of his earlier interviews, Ranveer had called Govinda a 'complete performer' and said, "Whether it is emotion, comedy or dance, he is head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of sheer talent."

"I am probably one of his biggest fans. I have seen his films - some of them more than 50 times. I have seen all his songs. I don't love all of his movies but I love him. He is an icon," the Padmaavat star had said in another interview.

Ranveer and Govinda had shared screen space in Shaad Ali's 2014 film Kill Dil. The film also starred Ali Zafar and Parineeti Chopra.

Zee Cine Awards 2020 Winners: Ranveer Singh, Kartik Aaryan, Taapsee Pannu Walk Away With Trophies

Chunky Panday On Govinda's Claims About Not Getting His Due In Bollywood: He Ruled Industry With SRK
A group of Taiwan Air Force technicians run behind a US-made F-16V fighter jet during an exercise at a military base in Chiayi, southern Taiwan on Jan. 15, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwan Again Scrambles Jets to Warn Off Chinese Military Aircraft

TAIPEI, TaiwanTaiwans air force has again scrambled to warn off approaching Chinese jets, in the latest rise in military tensions during the coronavirus crisis between Beijing and the island it claims as a breakaway territory.

Taiwan has repeatedly complained that the Chinese regime has stepped up its drills near the island, when it should be focusing its efforts on combating the spread of the virus.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has said such exercises are to protect its sovereignty and send a warning that it wont tolerate moves toward formal independence by Taiwan.

In the latest instance, Taiwans Defense Ministry said late on March 16 that Chinese J-11 fighters and KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft flew into the waters southwest of Taiwan for nighttime exercises.

During this period, they came close to Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone, the ministry added.

After our air reconnaissance and patrol aircraft responded appropriately, and broadcast (an order) to drive them away, the Communist aircraft flew away from our Air Defense Identification Zone.

Taiwans military keeps close watch on the Taiwan Strait and its environs to ensure the islands security; people have no cause for alarm, the ministry said.

There was no immediate comment from Chinas military about the latest drills.

China has been flying what it calls island encirclement drills on and off since 2016, when Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen first took office. Beijing believes Tsai, who won reelection in January, is an independence supporter.

Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

The Chinese regime has never renounced the use of military force to unite Taiwan with the mainland.

The virus outbreak has worsened already poor ties between Taiwan and China, with the two sides accusing each other of spreading fake news, and Taiwan particularly angered by China blocking its access to the World Health Organization.

By Ben Blanchard
Warren Lance Wise covers retail, real estate and Charleston International Airport for The Post and Courier. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, he holds nearly 50 local, state and national awards for journalistic excellence.
F ashion chain Laura Ashley has said it has filed for administration after rescue talks were thwarted by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The troubled retailer had been in talks with stakeholders over refinancing, but it said its revised cash flow forecasts and increased uncertainty mean it will not be able to secure these funds in sufficient time.

The retailer operates 150 stores in the UK and employs around 2,700 staff.

It said it hired advisers from PwC to oversee the administration on Tuesday.

The retailer operates 150 stores in the UK and employs around 2,700 staff / PA

In a statement, it said: The company regrets to announce that the directors of the company, and of the named subsidiaries, have today filed notices of intention to appoint Robert Lewis and Zelf Hussain as administrators. If administrators are appointed in respect of the company, given the groups creditor position, the company is not certain whether there would be any surplus assets available to shareholders of the company.

The business had been doing well during the seven weeks to March 13, with trading up 24% on the same period a year earlier.

However, the Covid-19 outbreak has had an immediate and significant impact on trading, and ongoing developments indicate that this will be a sustained national situation, the company said in the statement to investors.

Main shareholder MUI Asia Limited will not be able to step in with the money which is needed in time, Laura Ashley said.

It comes after a nightmare year for the struggling retailer.

In August 2019 the business announced it had swung to a 14 million loss in the year to 30 June, compared with a 100,000 profit the year before.

Months earlier Flacks Group, a private investor based in Manchester, dropped a potential 20 million bid for the company after Laura Ashleys board rejected its advances.

The investor did not reveal why it had backed away around a month after revealing its interest.
No new eviction orders will be issued until further notice in Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ministry of the Attorney General spokesperson Jesse Robichaud confirmed the news in an email to the Star Monday evening.

In addition, Sheriffs offices have been asked to postpone any scheduled enforcement of eviction orders currently set for this week, she added.

The news comes as tenant advocates pushed for the province to freeze evictions, a move that several U.S. cities, including New York and San Francisco, have already made.

Freelance illustrator and artist Paterson Hodgson called it a no-brainer and said shed also like to see a rent freeze.

She said theres a lot of worry amongst the neighbours in her highrise building. Many are facing reduced hours if not layoffs, as well as the financial burden of stocking up for possible self-isolation.

The idea that someone could have no home during these very unsure times is very scary, she said, in an interview before the decision.

Parkdale legal clinic worker Cole Webber joined legal clinic workers, lawyers and other advocates in the city in sending a letter to the Ministry of the Attorney General and the executive chair of Tribunals Ontario on Sunday calling for an immediate eviction freeze in the midst of a pandemic.

It was not immediately clear how long scheduled enforcement of eviction orders would be postponed for.

Benjamin Ries, a lawyer and member of the Greater Toronto Clinic Housing Advocates, who signed off on the letter, said in an interview before the decision was made that there is firstly a fairness issue, with people losing income for reasons that are entirely beyond their control.

But theres also a public health reason to stop evictions.

Theres overwhelming evidence that homelessness, even temporarily, leads to an increase in emergency room visits and hospitalization, and theres also some evidence it can lead to incarceration, Ries said.
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

From Town & Country

Queen Elizabeth has returned to Buckingham Palace for her working week as she carries on with some duties amid growing uncertainty over the coronavirus. In line with her routine schedule, the 93-year-old monarch arrived at the palace this afternoon having spent the weekend at Windsor Castle. The Royal Standardthe flag that flies above the palace when the Queen is in residencewas raised, replacing the Union Jack that is flown when she is away.

Still, even as some things are continuing as usual, the royals are changing their schedules as the coronavirus outbreak worsens. Last week, it was announced that the Queen would postpone upcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden. A spokesperson said that the decision was made in consultation with the Medical Household and Government and was taken as "a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in light of the current circumstances." Prince Charles and Camilla also postponed their spring tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, and Jordan, which a spokesman said was "owing to the unfolding situation with the Coronavirus pandemic."

Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images

Other royal duties such as audiences and investitures are carrying on as normal. Charles and Camilla may carry out engagements in the UK during the time they would have been away on tour. The Queens spokesperson said that "events will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice."

So far the UK has not banned mass gatherings or closed schools. However Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that plans include asking people over 70 to stay at home for up to four months. Although this has not been implemented yet, if it does come into effect then it would apply to the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, and Camilla, as well as other minor working royals the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Alexandra. At 69, Princess Anne would just avoid the quarantine until she turns 70 in August.

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(Kitco News) - Newmont Corp. (NYSE: NEM, TSX: NGT) will be ramping down mining operations at the Yanacocha mine in Peru as a result of restrictions instituted by the government in response to the global coronavirus outbreak, the company announced Tuesday.

However, gold production from leach pads, as well as managing safety and environmental activities, will continue, the company said. Previously, Yanacocha had been operating as normal, officials said.

Newmonts website describes Yanacocha as South Americas largest gold mine. The operation is a joint venture that includes Newmont (majority owner at 51.35%), Minas Buenaventura (43.65%) and the International Finance Corp. (5%). The website says annual production is typically around 270,000 ounces.

Yanacocha represents around 3% of Newmonts 2020 gold-production outlook, the company said. With the uncertainty about the virus situation, officials said they are currently unable to determine the impact on Yanacochas production and costs for 2020.

The health and safety of our workforce and host communities takes precedence above all else, said Tom Palmer, president and chief executive officer. While we have no confirmed COVID-19 cases among Newmonts workforce or any major disruptions to production at our other sites at this time, we are proactively taking steps to protect our people and the continuity of our business during this global pandemic.

The company has closed its corporate and regional offices for at least two weeks, with the exception of workers required to run critical office-based systems. Newmont has also prohibited company travel to areas highly impacted by the virus, such as China, South Korea and Italy, as well as eliminating all non-essential travel.
Wasilla, AK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2020 -- Accidents can happen anytime - day or night. That is the reason Crowson Law Group has agents available by phone 24/7. The firm is also the first Alaska-based law firm, which encourages clients to contact them through text messages for their convenience. At this time, Crowson Law Group is the only personal injury firm in Anchorage or anywhere in Alaska that offers clients online access to their files. Their attorneys do this through a proprietary client access portal called My Crowson Case. My Crowson Case allows Alaska clients to access all of their file materials and case management notes in real-time. This gives interested clients full access to their complete files.



"The worse the injuries, and the more substantial the evidence of fault by the other party, the stronger legal claim will be, and the higher the damages will be. This is the basic formula for obtaining compensation; however, the amount of payment is determined by the extent of these variables," explained the company spokesperson. "The injuries of victims cases take into account the harm did that is measured in money. They include medical bills, the degree of pain and suffering, any long-term physical limitations, and scarring. Also, the psychological impact of economic losses such as out-of-pocket expenses and time lost away from work. Additionally, this harm does not only consider what was done in the past but also what is to be expected in the future."



At Crowson Law Group, their robust reputation is based on their skilled and experienced personal injury lawyers who help victims across the whole state of Alaska and surrounding areas. The firm's warm and friendly team of passionate personal injury lawyers will help victims feel comfortable and secure - not frustrated and unsure of how to support the victims' family. They will make use of their expertise to help take the weight of the accident off their shoulders so that they can concentrate on getting better.



"Crowson Law Group stands tall as experienced attorneys and law firms in Wasilla AK," explained the company spokesperson. "We are always eager to deliver skillful and aggressive representation for claims related to auto and vehicle accidents, truck accidents, railroad accidents, motorcycle accidents, plane crashes, wrongful death cases, life insurance denials, firearm accidents, and unsafe or defective products. We offer the kind of focus and commitment that each case deserves to ensure the best outcome possible."



The underlying personal injury action that can be brought against the aircraft and airlines of wrongful death can be undertaken where any aircraft crashes killing occupants. Relatives of the deceased take such legal action. Under such circumstances, the relatives must seek the legal assistance of a trusted lawyer for the plane accident in Wasilla from Crowson Law Group, which has extensive experience handling such lawsuits.



About Crowson Law Group

Based in Anchorage, Alaska, Crowson Law Group is a revered law firm specializing in personal injury law. Individuals seeking to hire a Wasilla car lawyer to represent them for an auto and vehicle accident should Contact Crowson Law Group.


Villagers attend a spring ploughing ceremony in Jiaru Village, Gurong Town, Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2020. Traditional spring ploughing ceremonies took place in Tibet's major cultivation areas on Monday to pray for a year with good harvests. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Aerial photo shows villagers attending a spring ploughing ceremony in Xierong Village, Quxu County, Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2020. Traditional spring ploughing ceremonies took place in Tibet's major cultivation areas on Monday to pray for a year with good harvests. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)
Maple Gold drills additional higher-grade mineralisation and defines open IP anomaly at the 531 Zone

Posted by Publisher Internet

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. ?Maple Gold? or the ?Company?) (TSX-V: MGM, OTCQB: MGMLF; Frankfurt: M3G  https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/maple-gold-mines-drilling-new-high-grade-extension-531-zone/ ) is pleased to provide an update and new exploration results for the 531 Zone. Maple Gold paused drilling after completing two holes at the 531 Zone (?531?) and commenced drilling at other zones, given the potential impact new 3D Induced Polarization (IP) results could have on supporting the Company?s current target concepts and prioritizing next drill sites at 531. Highlights from the recent work at 531 include:

Test 3D IP survey not only confirmed detectability of the 531 Zone, but also supports the concept of the zone being wide open to the ESE, to the WNW and to depth (see Figure 1)

3D IP survey also defined a new, undrilled IP target centred about 800m west of the Main Zone, within a gap area that has no drilling over approximately 600m; follow-up IP in this area has the potential to define a very compelling drill target

Third mineralised zone intersected in drill-hole DO-20-262X as a result of the deepening of last year?s DO-19-262, with 96 g/t Au over 3.5 metres, including 11.35 g/t Au over 1.7m

The IP results appear to support the Company?s ESE (largely undrilled) trend for sulfide mineralisation associated with higher grade gold in the currently drilled area, and also a similar WNW trend; in both cases the IP anomaly (and therefore the causative sulfide-bearing system) is completely open in both directions, and also at depth.

Maple Gold?s VP, Exploration, Fred Speidel, commented: ?The deepening of DO-19-262 intersected an additional narrow mineralised zone with higher grades (>3x) than the current average for underground resources at Douay (RPA 2019) and the IP results we?ve received are very compelling in terms of there being a more extensive sulfide body at the 531 Zone than has currently been drill-tested. In addition, the IP survey results indicate that there may be an additional undrilled sulfide body to the WNW of the Main Zone. The scale of these targets and general lack of drilling within these areas provide us with significant untested exploration upside.?

During last year?s winter campaign the Company cut significant gold mineralisation in DO-19-262 with the deeper intercept ending at about 375m vertical depth, just below the base of the conceptual resource pit in this area. The Company?s two completed holes thus far in 2020 included the deepening of that drill hole with the aim of intersecting additional higher grade mineralisation at depth. DO-20-262X (extension of DO-19-262), cut 5.96 g/t Au over 3.5 metres, including 11.35 g/t Au over 1.7m metres from approximately 460m vertical depth. This third mineralised zone is characterised by a close spatial association with pyritic carbonate-rich injections and related alteration.

The other completed drill hole (DO-20-269) was designed to test potential down dip extensions to the south of DO-19-262, however this drill hole did not flatten as anticipated and therefore ended up approximately 150 metres away from the known zone once target depth was reached. DO-20-269 still cut gold mineralisation near end of hole (1.50 g/t Au over 5.2m metres, including 2.41 g/t Au over 2.0 metres). A future infill drill-hole or wedge can be completed to better test the down-dip / down-plunge continuity of broader mineralisation cut in last year?s DO-19-262.

Maple Gold recently completed a single drill-hole at the NW Zone (see press release Feb 24, 2020) and drilling has continued at the Nika and Porphyry Zones where the Company?s targets include the near-surface expression of higher grade mineralisation that was discovered in these target areas previously. The Company will continue testing high-priority targets, but at a reduced rate with steps already underway at the corporate and project levels to conserve capital and extend financial flexibility given the current uncertainty and turbulence in the market. Maple Gold will not ramp up to three drill rigs in order to drill 7,000 ? 9,000 metres as previously planned. Updated guidance for meterage during the current phase of drilling along with other corporate updates and adjustments will be released shortly. The Company will report additional IP and drill results as they are received and interpreted.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc., P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration, of Maple Gold.?Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.?Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this news release through his direct participation in the work.

Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC)

Maple Gold implements strict Quality Assurance (?QA?) and Quality Control (?QC?) protocols at Douay covering the planning and placing of drill holes in the field; drilling and retrieving the NQ-sized drill core; drill-hole surveying; core transport to the Douay Camp; core logging by qualified personnel; sampling and bagging of core for analysis; transport of core from site to ALS laboratory; sample preparation for assaying; and analysis, recording and final statistical vetting of results. For a complete description of protocols, please visit the Company?s QA/QC page on the website at:

http://maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/projects/qa-qc-qp-statement

About Maple Gold

Maple Gold is an advanced gold exploration and development company focused on defining a district-scale gold project in one of the world?s premier mining jurisdictions. The Company?s ~355 km? Douay Gold Project is located along the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (55 km of strike) within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec, Canada. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and has an established gold resource that remains open in multiple directions. For more information please visit www.maplegoldmines.com.

ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD.

?Matthew Hornor?

?B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO

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 PRESS RELEASE.

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains ?forward-looking information\ and ?forward-looking statements? (collectively referred to as ?forward-looking statements?) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about the prospective? mineral potential of the Porphyry Zone, the potential for significant mineralisation from other drilling in the referenced drill program and the completion of the drill program. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management?s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company?s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding timing and completion of the private placement. When used herein, words such as ?anticipate?, ?will?, ?intend? and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions that management believed reasonable at the time they were made or in certain cases, on third party expert opinions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.?s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company?s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. 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.
MUSCATINE  On Tuesday, March 17, the Muscatine Board of Education held a special noon meeting, with half of their board attending the meeting through video chat, to discuss how COVID-19 will effect the rest of the school year and their school community.

This meeting comes after the decision to close Muscatine Community School District Schools for an additional three weeks after Spring Break, complying with Gov. Kim Reynolds recommendation for Iowa schools to close for four weeks to try to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Superintendent Jerry Riibe said Muscatine County schools may be closed the rest of the academic year, depending on what the governor and the CDC recommends, and parents and students should prepare for that. For now, students will return to the classroom April 13.

Theres still some folks out there not recognizing the seriousness of this, Riibe said. I think moving forward we just need to make sure that everybody understands that this is a serious health concern in the U.S.

The Iowa legislature has voted that schools will not have to make up missed days. But there are concerns missing lessons will impact students' preparation for their next grade.
If online restaurant reservations are any guide, Philadelphias hungry customers dined out above national rates as the coronavirus pandemic began spreading across the country, only to see business plummet dramatically over an unprecedented week.

To stem the spread of coronavirus, Mayor Jim Kenney ordered all city restaurants to stop seating people from 5 p.m. Monday through March 27 at least. Restaurants in the city can remain open for takeout and delivery service.

Data from Open Table, the online reservation service, show restaurant visits had started to sink in many U.S. cities by March 9  in some cities even earlier  but reservations didnt crash in Philadelphia for three more days. Philadelphia announced its first case of the coronavirus on March 10.

When Kenney recommended that people go out and have dinner (and wash their hands) during a news conference Saturday, city restaurants had already lost nearly half of their business, the data show.

It was at that point you knew it was coming, said Rob Wasserman, an owner of Rouge, Twenty Manning Grill, and Audrey Claire. Wasserman, who talked with other restaurant owners that day, said business was nearly cut in half around the city. The frustration is all the employees that work check to check. This is a very terrifying moment when everybodys trying to go on unemployment at the same time, he said.

The impact hit Philadelphias surrounding counties even earlier; Gov. Tom Wolf requested the closure of nonessential businesses in Montgomery County on Friday, and in Delaware, Bucks, and Chester Counties over the weekend.

Brian Sirhal, an owner of Cantina Feliz in Fort Washington, said his business declined early last week, before Wolfs directive. His restaurant is across the street from Germantown Academy, which announced March 8 that a students family member had tested positive for the virus.

As soon as the Montco situation hit, we saw a precipitous drop, Sirhal said. Then, by Tuesday and Wednesday, it was a desert. Cancellations outnumbered reservations.

By Monday, the most recent day for data, Philadelphias reservations had fallen 85% year over year, a more dramatic downturn than in nearly 40 other cities in the United States and Canada.

Kenney said Monday that he had spoken to restaurant owners who hoped to work together to help their workers. They are interested in trying to get together to see what they can do to pool some money or find some resources to keep their people paid as long as possible, he said.

Asked Tuesday about the economic impact of the coronavirus on city businesses, Kenney said it depends in part on how long the shutdown lasts, noting that it may have to continue for eight or more weeks.

No matter the length of the shutdown, Kenney said, its not good.

Pennsylvania restaurants employ more than 580,000 people, according to John Longstreet, CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Hospitality is a huge economic engine for the commonwealth, Longstreet said in a news release Tuesday. The association is pushing for economic relief for businesses, a reduction in unemployment wait time for workers who lose their jobs, and other relief measures.

In March 2019, the city collected $3.8 million in wage tax revenue from the restaurant industry. Restaurants also pay business taxes, their customers pay sales taxes and alcohol taxes, and the citys tax on soda and sweetened beverages applies to drinks distributed to restaurants.

Wasserman said he remains optimistic that Philadelphias restaurants will rebound quickly  perhaps even better than other areas  after the pandemic is under control.

This will obviously pass, Wasserman said. We can take comfort in whats happening in Asia.

Staff writer Michael Klein contributed to this article.
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Almost unimaginable just a week ago, New York City restaurants and bars came to an enforced standstill Monday night, with only takeout and delivery services permitted as of 8 p.m.

As coronavirus cases steadily rise, no one knows when the restrictions will lift  an uncertainty that employees and business owners say leaves them concerned for their livelihoods.

Jason Hairston, owner of The Nugget Spot near Union Square, said the COVID-19 outbreak has pushed his business to the hilt. His goal is to make it to the end of the pandemic intact.

Im here right now trying to assess how much longer to keep the doors open because Im losing money. Because traffic is down, he said. Nobody wants to rely on the system to get help.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a Monday news conference that the decision to clamp down on one of the citys most iconic industries was not taken lightly, but was necessary given the current battlefield conditions. Maintaining delivery service was meant to mitigate the blow, he added.

We are one of the epicenters, de Blasio said. So, I think you have to think of this in a wartime worldview.

De Blasio also announced that the city would suspend enforcement of restrictions against e-bikes, which remain illegal in New York City and are used by many delivery workers.

Taking It Day by Day

People in the service industry, from restaurant employees to street food vendors, told THE CITY on Monday theyre not sure how theyll make ends meet.

Eric, a chef who lives in Woodside who didnt want his last name used, said that even though the restaurant he works for hadnt shut down, he believes his position is up in the air.

Nothing is secure right now. Im taking it day by day, he said. When it comes down to lives and risk, we all say that money comes and goes, but you only have one life. I think you gotta choose life over anything else.

Certain restaurants, like some fine dining establishments, are not poised to readily deliver meals.

Charlotta Janssen, owner of Bed-Stuys Chez Oskar, said she was scrambling to get a delivery service going. She noted that restaurants had no advance warning prior to the city and states announcements.

Were just hoping the government will have our backs, because we understand that this is necessary, Janssen said. We have to think of how we can all best protect each other, the most vulnerable, the emergency workers.

Others, like Hairston, arent confident that its financially viable to only deliver food, noting the fees services like Seamless and Uber Eats charge.

Seamless announced Sunday that it would defer commission fees for impacted independent restaurants.

Small Business Help

The city has committed to supporting small businesses with two forthcoming programs.

One would offer zero interest loans of up to $75,000 for businesses with less than 100 employees that have seen sales reductions of at least 25%. The other would front 40% of payroll costs for two months for businesses with fewer than five staffers.

Eligible business owners can fill out an interest form online. No formal application is yet available.

Samantha Keitt, a spokesperson for the city Department of Small Businesses Services, said the agency had received interest forms from hundreds of business owners from all industries.

Other New Yorkers are building community-based efforts to aid service workers facing hard times.

Wen-Jay Ying, founder of Local Roots NYC, a subscription-based farmers market that delivers organic food, committed to donating two weeks of veggies to 50 restaurant workers who have been laid off.

If demand for deliveries increased, she said, she planned to hire unemployed restaurant workers.

This is a time when we need to be supporting each other, Ying said. To help ease everyones worries, just a little bit, we could do that by showing that we care about each other, and this is just the time to do it.

Street Food Slowdown

New York City is also home to thousands of vendors who sell food on the street. On Sunday in Jackson Heights, Queens, vendors peddled tamales and skewered meat to a small trickle of customers on Roosevelt Avenue, a normally bustling main throughway.

One woman said in Spanish that business had slowed considerably.

Mohammed Attia, the director of the Street Vendor Project, told THE CITY that each day of the pandemic brings more heartbreaking updates from vendors: daily profits of less than $30; continued harassment of those selling food without permits; and deep concerns over how to support their families.

A lot of people live day to day, hand to mouth, Attia said. What about those people? How are they going to survive in this pandemic?

It is still unclear whether the citys financial rescue efforts will apply to street vendors.

The biggest fear right now is how long this will last. And thats the worst question. I dont think anyone has an answer to the situation, Attia said. It might last for weeks, might last for months. We have no idea.

They are among a class of workers  many of whom are immigrants  who are unable to telecommute.

While much of the city shuts down, and New Yorkers bunker down indoors or escape to the Hamptons, immigrant workers are exposing themselves to the virus as cleaning workers, day laborers, restaurant and delivery workers, said Manuel Castro, executive director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment.

Many are doing so without the protective equipment they need or any real assurance theyll be treated if infected.

This is So Dire

Although her manager had warned her all host staff would soon be temporarily laid off, Adriana Sorrentini was summoned to her usual Friday night shift at a popular Midtown pub.

I was two hours into my shift when they told me, You know, you can go home if you want to, recalled the 20-year-old musical theater major.

Sorrentini was paid for her hours, and her unemployment insurance application is pending.

Shes at a standstill  with no classes and no work in her field or the service industry. But she doesnt have hard feelings against her former bosses. I mean I love them, and theyre great, but this is so dire.

Steve Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, called immigrants the backbone of the restaurant and bar industry across the city and state  from delivering our meals to cooking our food to washing dishes in kitchens around the state.

He added that many of these workers are undocumented, meaning that they are unable to access unemployment insurance or tap into any emergency planning funds.

In these uncertain times, we must safeguard the future of every New Yorker by making emergency cash grants available for those working in this industry regardless of immigration status, Choi added.

The State Department of Labor is waiving the seven-day wait period for unemployment insurance benefits, according to its website.

But the agency did not respond to questions from THE CITY about whether it would issue a moratorium on pending or future appeals to unemployment claims, how many unemployment insurance applications it has received in the last week, or whether it will be able to accomodate all unemployment insurance requests.

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Blair House, Washington DC, during a press conference where he announced that all schools, colleges and childcare facilities in Ireland will close until March 29 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced older people will soon be asked to self-isolate for several weeks.

In a state of the nation address, Mr Varadkar said older people will be asked to cocoon as part of the governments efforts to contain the deadly Coronavirus.

At a certain point, we will advise the elderly and people who have a long term illness to stay at home for several weeks, he said.

We call it cocooning, and it will save many lives, particularly the lives of the most vulnerable, the most precious in our society, he added.

Read More

He said the government said will ensure people who are asked to cocoon will be checked in on and have food supplies delivered.

"We're in the middle of a global and a national emergency, a pandemic, the likes of which no-one has ever seen before," Mr Varadkar said.

Discussing the cancellations and closures as emergency measures are put in place, he said: "I know these choices won't be easy, but they are necessary.

The Taoiseach said it is likely these measures will extend beyond March 29, "even into the summer" but that public transport and shops will continue to open.

"Many of you want to know when this will be over; the truth is, we just don't know yet."

"This is the calm before the storm, before the surge, and when it comes, and it will come, we will do all we can to support them."

"We are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other," he added.

He reassured the public that "when we are through the worst, we will get people back to work and businesses open again."

While he said that the damage to the economy will be "enormous" he is confident that Ireland can bounce back.

He thanked frontline staff, public transport operators, the media and broadcasters for updating members of the public.

He urged people to limit their social media use and to not fall for misinformation.

Fear is a virus in itself, he said.

Constantly scrolling on your phone or obsessing with the latest developments isnt good for anyone, he added.

I send a message of friendship and hope from Ireland to everyone around the world."

It comes as European Union leaders agreed on Tuesday to close Europe's borders for 30 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus but establish fast-track lanes at their countries' frontiers to keep goods moving, bloc leaders said after a video-conference summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference that it would be up to European countries to implement the closure of their borders to citizens from third countries.

"The enemy is the virus and now we have to do our utmost to protect our people and to protect our economies," she said. "We are ready to do everything that is required. We will not hesitate to take additional measures as the situation evolves."

During the video conference, EU leaders including the Taoiseach discussed the various dimensions of the coronavirus crisis, including managing external borders and ensuring the supply of medicines, equipment and goods.

They also discussed mitigating the economic shock and damage, including for jobs and SMEs, supporting research to find a vaccine and cooperating to bring citizens home from other countries.

Read More

A government spokesperson said that the Taoiseach emphasised the need for the Union to use all tools available to it to maximum effect to protect life and to minimise damage. He highlighted the need also to work together to bring citizens stranded abroad - in Spain and further afield - safely home.

A further 69 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19, the Department of Health has confirmed.

They include 29 male and 40 female, with 48 associated with the east of the country, 13 with the south.

Five are in the north/west, and three are associated with the west

There are now 292 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The government today approved the Health Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2020 to support the national response to the coronavirus crisis.

The bill has removed the waiting period for payment of Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit for people who are diagnosed with the virus or are self isolating.

As previously acknowledged by the Government, these changes involve a significant Exchequer cost but are necessary to support the public health objective of ensuring people who need to self-isolate do so, said a government spokesperson.

It allows for extra powers in extreme situations in relation to mass gatherings and events which would be an immediate, exceptional and manifest risk to human life and public health.

It also allows for further powers for medical officers if they believe an individual is a source of infection and that detention or isolation of that person is necessary to prevent further spread of the virus.

These are provisions which the Government hopes it wont have to use.

But legislation is being introduced to give Government powers in exceptional circumstances in the unlikely event that the need arises, added the spokesperson.

Further details of the bill are to be published this evening and it will be enacted through the Dail tomorrow and Seanad on Friday.

Countries across Europe have been implementing new emergency measures to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron told his fellow European Union leaders that emergency border controls slapped within Europe to contain the spread of coronavirus cannot damage their internal market, a French presidency source said.

The French presidency source also said EU leaders agreed to join forces in bringing back to Europe their citizens stranded abroad and reaffirmed their aim to take "all measures necessary" to help their economies weather the economic fallout.

Cyprus on Tuesday announced a two-week ban on flights from 28 countries, including Britain and Greece, to curb the outbreak.

The island has already enacted stringent entry requirements, effective from March 16, barring anyone into the island, including Cypriots, without a medical certificate that they are clear of coronavirus. Those who do arrive are placed in compulsory quarantine in a government-supervised facility for two weeks.

While Finland will start restricting traffic over its borders on Thursday in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said.

Finland's centre-left government approved legislation on Tuesday to adopt a state of emergency which the parliament is expected to approve on Wednesday.

"Goods and cargo transports will continue across all borders. Indispensable work-related travelling will still be possible and continues within EU borders," Ohisalo told a news conference.

Permanent residents would be allowed to return and foreign travellers permitted to leave Finland, Ohisalo said.

Travelling abroad should be avoided and the restrictions were valid until April 13, the government said, with passenger railway traffic between Finland and neighbouring Russia ending on Wednesday .

With additional reporting from Reuters
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI  The first patient in the county to test positive for coronavirus COVID-19 has been discharged from Holland Hospital.

We were prepared to care for Ottawa Countys first positive patient and all appropriate protocols were followed including protocols for staff caring for the patient, the hospital said Tuesday, March 17, in a statement.

We are happy to report that the patient was discharged (Monday, March 16) and will now be followed by the Ottawa County Department of Public Health.

The patient was admitted to the hospital on March 9.

Ottawa County officials on Monday said they were trying to identify those who had contact with the woman. They learned a day earlier about the positive test.

Hospital officials acknowledged that the case can cause elevated levels of concern for our community, but we ask that the community remain calm.

The hospital is working closely with the county and state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The hospital has strict restrictions for visitors and screenings at all hospital entrances.

Everyone, including workers, will be screened for respiratory illness before going into the hospital or any of its off-site locations. Precautions are in place for those needing treatment while others who do not will be denied entry.

Hospital staff is working to provide essential health services while preserving supplies. On Tuesday, March 17, several outpatient services were consolidated or suspended through April 4.

The latest information is available at hollandhospital.org/covid19

Holland Hospital also has a COVID-19 hotline at 616-394-2080 to talk to a nurse about symptoms and determine if testing is needed.

Also on MLive: UAW advises local unions to cancel meetings due to coronavirus

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan offering free online services to ease strain on hospitals during coronavirus outbreak

House Speaker promises to work with Whitmer and Trump on coronavirus, urges members to show leadership during crisis

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Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

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With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home

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.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

 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.
Production on Around the World In 80 Days has halted due to the coronavirus crisis.

Deadline reports Slim Film + Television has suspended shooting on the eight-part show for a month, and cast and crew are being flown home over the next 24 hours.

David Tennant, who plays Phileas Fogg, is among those returning to the UK.

Well crawl over hot coals to make our shows, but there comes a point when you go: this isnt fair on the teams and their families back at home. Weve got to call a temporary hiatus and look after everyone and get them home, producer Crawford Collins said. Were trying to pause things in the most effective way so we can launch back into production as soon as the mists clear.

The project is a Slim Film + Television and Federation co-production with additional co-production partners, Palladium Pictures in South Africa, and Daro Film, associate producer. Seven West Media are also backing the production and due to broadcast in Australia.

But Slim Film + Television has decided to forge ahead with another of its productions: Mystic, being filmed in New Zealand for Seven, TVNZ and CBBC.
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
A man who tested positive for Covid-19 but refused to quarantine is now being forced to do so by authorities parked outside his house.

The man, from Kentucky refused to self-isolate and left against medical advice despite the positive test, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced during a news conference over the weekend.

We have taken the steps to force an isolation that will be in their home, Beshear said.

He added: This is a step I hoped Id never have to take but we cant allow one person who we know has this virus to refuse to protect their neighbours.

Beshear said county judges and others were assisting in the matter.

Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa told WDRB, a local TV station, that deputies from the sheriffs office will remain outside the mans house at all times in the near future, and that the man is now cooperating.

Were going to be out here 24/7 for two weeks, Pineiroa told The Kentucky Standard, a local newspaper.

The man is now cooperating, according to Pineiroa.

The Independent has contacted Pineiroas and Beshears offices for more information.
In Retrospect: News from the Jan. 13, 1922 and Jan. 12, 1972 Souderton Independent
In coming weeks, all African countries will have the capacity to test for coronavirus as part of preparedness for the rampaging virus, Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization Head for Africa region said on Monday.

According to Moeti, the UN health body is hopeful that all nations in sub-Saharan Africa will be able to test for the coronavirus soon.

We expect in the next couple of weeks that all 47 of our member states will have the facilities to diagnose this virus, she told the British broadcaster, BBC.

Some 33 countries in the region already have facilities in place, a boost from previous months.

The African Unions Center for Disease Control, CDC, has also been in the forefront of boosting the capacity of member states.

The WHO Africa head admitted that it would be problematic if the virus spreads rapidly to African cities with no facilities to contain and treat people.

Senegals infectious diseases outfit, Institute Pasteur de Dakar, is set to roll out a coronavirus testing kit, its head Dr Amaduo Sall has confirmed.

Dr Sall said the infrastructure to make the kits will be ready in two weeks time and the kits will probably be launched by June, the BBC Africa reports.

The kit, when released, will be a game changer in diagnosing persons with the deadly disease. The Quartz Africa site reports that the current testing process done strictly by laboratories takes up to a day to give results.

Conversely, the kits being developed in Dakar should turn out results within 10 minutes.

Several African states have imposed far-reaching restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, which has so far affected 27 countries in the continent, with Benin, Liberia, Somalia and Tanzania being the latest African countries to report cases.

In total, nearly 350 people have been diagnosed with the virus across Africa. Seven people have died while 42 have recovered, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Most of the cases involve people arriving from Europe and North America.
Fearing an invasion for more than a year, the French had safeguarded many of their finest treasures. In Paris, monuments were sandbagged, and the stained-glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle had been removed. Curators at the Louvre denuded its walls of masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and its floors of priceless sculptures. Convoys of nondescript trucks hauled these artworks to chateaus across the country. Likewise, French physicists evacuated their supplies of heavy water and uranium, instrumental to the pursuit of a nuclear bomb. Priceless art and rare substances were not the only items squirreled away as the German blitzkrieg threatened Paris. Across the city, people stashed family heirlooms in cellars and buried them wrapped in oilcloth. One Parisian hid a batch of diamonds in a jar of congealed lard that he left on his pantry shelf.

In the Delahaye factory on the rue du Banquier in the working- class heart of the city stood four 145s. The manufacturers production chief intended to see his creations secured away, whether by dismantling them into parts, hiding them in caves outside the city, or, like those diamonds in the lard, masking them in the open, their engines and chassis covered up with new bodies  or none at all  and their true provenance concealed. These masterpieces could not be lost in the rage of war, nor found by the Nazis. There was little doubt that Hitler wanted them seized and destroyed.

In late May, the Germans drove back the Allied forces into northern France, where they were forced to evacuate the continent at Dunkirk. Then the invading army wheeled toward Paris. Reynaud exhorted his countrymen to fight to the death to hold the Somme, while his feckless war committee debated where to move the government when Paris fell. His staff collected secret papers to be sunk in barges in the Seine or burned in ministry yards.

While the police were armed with rifles to thwart any fifth-column attack and an antiaircraft gun was placed atop the Arc de Triomphe, many Parisians maintained an oblivious calm. Then, on June 3, the Luftwaffe hit Paris. Likened by one child to a swarm of bees, Stuka planes dropped over a thousand bombs, targeting most intensely the Renault and Citroen factories in western Paris, which had transitioned to war production, much as their German counterparts, most notably Daimler-Benz and Auto Union, had done years before. The attack killed 254 and wounded triple that number.

The exodus from Paris accelerated.

Two days later, the Germans launched the second half of their campaign to take France. At the Somme, they ruptured the French line, their panzer divisions overpowering the courageous but doomed army. The door to Paris was ajar, and Reynaud and his government abandoned the capital.
I think it is a reasonable compromise, said Oklahoma Press Association Executive Vice President Mark Thomas.

Earlier in the day, another version of the measure, House Bill 3888, passed the Senate and was sent to the House for consideration.

Due to some criticism of HB 3888, the House used SB 661 to move the idea, but with changes, including changing the expiration date.

The earlier measure would have expired on March 1, 2021.

Thomas said SB 661 is not a perfect bill.

There are still concerns about people being able to get on their telephones and drive around in their car and participate in meetings, Thomas said. They are not at a fixed location. So it will change the way we think about meetings temporarily and also require the public and the press to be more engaged in listening to public meetings that are held by teleconference or video conference.

SB 661 passed the Senate by a vote of 40-0 and heads to the governor for consideration.

Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465 barbara.hoberock @tulsaworld.com Twitter: @bhoberock

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The irony of all this is that what makes bookstores so potent, our ability to be community gathering places, has become our biggest liability, he said.

The public health crisis and the resulting economic fallout have hit at a moment of relative calm and strength for the industry, after a period in which independent stores across the country had rebounded, print sales had stabilized and digital audiobook sales had soared. In 2019, total sales across all categories rose 1.8 percent from 2018, reaching $14.8 billion, according to the Association of American Publishers.

Now, those gains are likely to be erased as booksellers confront a bleak and uncertain economic future.

A growing number of independent booksellers have responded to the public health crisis by closing their stores and sending employees home. On Monday, the Strand bookstore announced that it was closing its flagship store in Manhattan and its kiosks elsewhere around the city. Emily Powell, the owner and chief executive of Powells Books in Portland, Ore., announced that Powells was closing all five of its locations through at least March 31.

Some independent booksellers, including Powells, have already begun cutting staff. On Monday, Powells announced to employees that it will begin involuntary layoffs after determining the minimum number of employees it needs to keep the online store functioning. A representative of the local union that represents 400 Powells workers said that about 85 percent of them had already been affected by temporary layoffs, and that the company has signaled that permanent layoffs are likely to follow.

McNally Jackson, an independent chain in New York, let a substantial number of its employees go after deciding to shutter its stores for the time being. On Twitter, the company said it had temporarily laid off many of its staffers while facing down a massive, unprecedented loss in revenue, and added that we intend to hire back our employees as soon as we can. A note on the companys website said that it is still accepting phone and online orders while the stores are closed, and offering delivery.

Other bookstores, which often serve as community hubs as well as businesses, are trying to offset falling foot traffic by offering customers free delivery or curbside pickup. The novelist Ann Patchett, a co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn., said her store is offering curbside book delivery and free shipping for orders over $50, and is putting together video book recommendations for its website. It does seem like a great time to get some reading done, Ms. Patchett said.
WASHINGTON - The Latest on the Democratic presidential primaries (all times local):

8:30 a.m.

The manager of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign says his candidate is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign.

But he also suggests Sanders is in no hurry to make any decisions about leaving the race noting, The next primary contest is at least three weeks away.

Faiz Shakir said in a statement Wednesday that in the immediate term Sanders is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.

Sanders lost all three states holding primaries on Tuesday and hasnt won any contests since Super Tuesday in early March with the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands. Joe Biden beat him Tuesday in Arizona, Florida and Illinois.

Still, Sanders has not publicly discussed leaving the race, instead using the outbreak of the coronavirus to promote his signature issue, universal, government-funded health coverage under Medicare for All.

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11: p.m.

Joe Biden has won Arizonas Democratic presidential primary.

The states top election official had declined to seek a delay because of the coronavirus, saying there was no certainty that putting off voting would help.

Most of the 1.2 million registered Arizona Democrats cast ballots early by mail, but about 300,000 could vote in person Tuesday. According to figures obtained by The Associated Press, turnout among Democrats had already surpassed the 2016 election. Over 480,000 votes had been cast by Tuesday morning.

Biden also won Illinois and Florida primaries Tuesday. Ohio cancelled its election because of coronavirus fears.

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9:50 p.m.

Joe Biden is taking a measured approach as he celebrates two more primary wins that will give him a wider delegate lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential nominating contest.

The former vice-president said Tuesday that wins in Florida and Illinois made it a good night. Votes are still being cast and counted in Arizona.

But Biden spent most of a brief address confronting the coronavirus and the national quasi-quarantine that had him speaking online rather than at a raucous rally with supporters.

Its moments like these we realize we need to put politics aside and work together as Americans, Biden said. The coronavirus doesnt care if youre a Democrat or Republican. ... Were all in this together.

Biden nodded to Sanders and his supporters, saying they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country. To the youngest voters, he added: I hear you. I know whats at stake.

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8:23 p.m.

Joe Biden has won Illinois Democratic presidential primary.

Officials declined to postpone the election despite concerns about low turnout because of the coronavirus outbreak.

There were some signs of early confusion, with voters calling a hotline to get help finding polling places.

In Chicago, about 50 polling sites opened late. Election authorities scrambled to find alternate locations as nursing homes and other typical polling sites backed out amid concern about the coronavirus. A Chicago elections official and Gov. J.B. Pritzker traded accusations about who was to blame for the problems.

Biden also won Florida Tuesday. Arizona is also voting. Ohio cancelled its election because of coronavirus fears.

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8 p.m.

Joe Biden has won Floridas Democratic presidential primary.

The once-crowded Democratic field has narrowed to two major candidates: Biden and Bernie Sanders. Biden is seen as the establishment pick, a return to the era of President Barack Obama. Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist who is pushing for a political revolution.

Voters in Florida cast ballots Tuesday even as officials sought to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

State health officials had been working with local election supervisors to ensure polling locations are safe and clean, and some precincts at nursing homes and senior centres had been moved.

In Palm Beach County, elections officials say many workers failed to show up in at least five locations.

Nearly 2 million Floridians voted early or by mail.

Illinois and Arizona were also voting Tuesday. Ohio cancelled its election because of coronavirus fears.

7:40 p.m.

A handful of polling places in Arizona were late to open Tuesday because workers didnt show up or the doors were locked. Crowds varied. About 30,000 voters had visited a polling place by 4 p.m. in Maricopa County, a number approaching the 35,000 Democrats who voted in 2016. In Pima County, which includes Tucson, elections director Brad Nelson said polls are pretty quiet.

Nisha Hindosha, a 50-year-old nurse from Tempe, Arizona, said she was more nervous about the wrong candidate winning than I was about the virus at this point.

A rattlesnake caused alarm for voters at a polling place on the outskirts of Scottsdale, where neighbourhoods meet desert. Megan Gilbertson, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Elections Department, said an election worker moved it before animal control arrived.

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5:15 p.m.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is calling on states with upcoming presidential primaries to use vote-by-mail and other measures to make it safe for people to vote because of the coronavirus outbreak.

In a lengthy statement issued as three state held primaries Tuesday, Perez was critical of Ohio officials for postponing their primary on the eve of voting. Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine made the call Monday night, while officials in Arizona, Florida and Illinois decided to go ahead with in-person voting on Tuesday. Perez did not name DeWine, a Republican, but said the delay has only bred more chaos and confusion.

Perez said states that already have mail voting should proactively mail ballots to registered voters, where feasible, and should count all ballots ... postmarked by the date of the primary.

He also suggested expanding days and hours of early, in person voting and expanding absentee voting to all registered voters. Some state laws allow absentee voting for a limited number of reasons.

Georgia, Maryland, Louisiana, Ohio and Kentucky have postponed upcoming primaries.

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4:20 p.m.

A Chicago elections official and Illinois governor are trading accusations of culpability as city voters reported problems casting ballots after days of public debate over whether the states primary should be postponed because of the coronavirus threat.

Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said Tuesday morning that the board asked Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting and expand other options, including mail-in ballots, but the governor refused. Allen says Chicago election officials had proposed a move to entirely mail-in ballots.

Pritzker responded heatedly at a daily briefing on the coronavirus cases in the state. He said state law does not give a governor the authority to make the sweeping changes that Chicago election officials wanted.

Pritzker says he will not use this situation to supersede my constitutional authority. He says it is times like these when the constitutional boundaries of our democracy should be respected above all else. And he says, If people want to criticize me for that, well, go ahead. Ill wear it like a badge of honour.

Pritzker also said the Chicago board turned down offers for help to staff polls using the National Guard and a statewide program that connects teenagers with civic opportunities.

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12:30 p.m.

Election officials in Illinois scrambled to find alternate locations as nursing homes and other typical polling sites backed out amid concern over the coronavirus. There were signs of confusion about the changes on Tuesday morning.

Timna Axel, director of communications for the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, said voters have been calling the groups hotline all morning to get help finding their polling places.

The steady flow of calls  including from some polling place workers  is unusual for a primary, Axel said.

We all understand that these are really unusual circumstances and we all want eligible voters not to be disenfranchised, Axel said. Were going to need to work together to make sure they can actually cast a ballot today.

In suburban Will County, all polling places opened on time and were staffed thanks to people who volunteered to fill the spots of election judges who decided against working. Charles Pelkie, chief of staff for the county clerk, said at least 200 judges had cancelled by Monday.

Weve been very fortunate that the public is stepping up, he said.

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12:40 p.m.

People are showing up for the Democratic presidential primary at Ohio polling places that are closed because of the coronavirus threat.

Certified public accountant Brian Anaya walked up to his polling place early Tuesday morning only to learn the election had been called off after all.

Anaya tells The Columbus Dispatch he heard about a judges ruling that the election would go forward but not that the state health director had responded by closing the polls on the grounds of a health emergency. Anaya says his wife was uncomfortable going to the polls anyway.

Voting is going ahead in Arizona, Illinois and Florida despite virus fears. But election officials in an Illinois county are encouraging poll workers to use blue painters tape to mark the floor every 6 feet so voters can keep their distance while waiting in line because of the virus.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden is hoping to widen his lead over Sanders in Tuesdays Democratic presidential primary.

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11:40 a.m.

A Chicago election spokesman says there was a scramble to relocate about 50 polling places after locations cancelled at the last minute and said they would not be available for use on primary day.

The delivery of election equipment had to be shifted to new sites Tuesday, delaying their opening as polling places. Its unclear how many of the new sites are up and running.

No reason was given for the cancellations.

Board of Election Commissioners spokesman Jim Allen says turnout was slow early in the morning, likely due to people working from home because of the coronavirus.

Allen says he would call conducting an election during a global pandemic when people are afraid to go to a polling place a curse.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election, citing public health concerns. In Florida, some poll workers didnt show up because of virus fears. Officials in Arizona are moving forward with their vote.

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11 a.m.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign says it will have an online rally featuring Neil Young and Daryl Hannah. Tuesday nights rally will be like one on Monday night.

The Sanders campaign says it is not organizing any get out the vote activities because it believes going to the polls amid the coronavirus pandemic is a personal choice and it wants to respect what people decide either way. The campaign has sent supporters updated federal guidelines on the outbreak but isnt instructing them way on how to follow the guidelines.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden is hoping to widen his lead over Sanders in Tuesdays Democratic presidential primary.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election, citing public health concerns. In Florida, some poll workers didnt show up because of virus fears. Officials in Arizona and Illinois are moving forward with their votes.

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9:15 a.m.

Election officials in an Illinois county are encouraging poll workers to use blue painters tape to mark the floor every 6 feet so voters can keep their distance while waiting in line because of the coronavirus.

Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to share a photo of a roll of blue tape, a piece of string and a tape measure along with a note that read, People will get too close.

The note instructs leaders to encourage poll workers to #MarkTheFloor, adding THIS PICTURE CAN SAVE LIVES.

President Donald Trump on Monday announced new guidelines urging people to avoid crowds of 10 or more but said elections dont need to be postponed.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election, citing public health concerns. In Florida, some poll workers didnt show up because of virus fears. Officials in Arizona say theyre moving forward with their votes.

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8:40 a.m.

Some Florida polling places have been unable to open as workers didnt show up because of coronavirus fears.

The Palm Beach County elections department says many workers failed to show up in at least five locations Tuesday. The county had 800 volunteers back out as of Monday, with 100 new volunteers offering to take their places.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he believes the election can be run safely.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election, citing public health concerns. Officials in Arizona and Illinois say theyre moving forward with their votes.

Joe Biden is hoping to widen his lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary.

___

8:30 a.m.

Floridians are voting across the state as election officials manage losses of poll workers and changes to polling places because of the coronavirus.

There had been concern some polling places might not open on time Tuesday because of worker absences, but no problems have been reported.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election. Officials in Arizona and Illinois say theyre moving forward with their votes.

In Illinois, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said shortly after the polls opened that she had heard of no problems at the countys polling sites and expected things to go well Tuesday. Yarbrough says shes hopeful the county will have a good day voting for the people.

Joe Biden is hoping to widen his lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary.

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8:15 a.m.

Polls are closed in Ohio on a day that was scheduled for a presidential primary.

The polls didnt open on Tuesday morning after state officials just hours earlier took the extraordinary step to postpone the states primary amid coronavirus fears.

Late Monday, state officials declared a health emergency out of fear of exposing voters and volunteer poll workers to the virus. Many of the voters and workers are elderly, considered among the most vulnerable to the virus.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a video posted overnight on Twitter that it became clear Monday that it was not going to be possible to conduct an election in a way that was going to be safe for Ohioans. LaRose pointed to revised federal guidelines that call on Americans to not gather in groups of more than 10 people and urge older people to stay home.

LaRose says in-person voting has been rescheduled for June 2 and voters can cast their ballots by mail.

Arizona, Florida and Illinois are going ahead with their plans for primary voting.

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7:45 a.m.

The polls are open in most of Florida for the presidential primary. Precincts are open in all parts of Florida except the Panhandle, which is on Central Time, not Eastern.

Election officials in areas across the state Tuesday were managing losses of poll workers and changes to polling places because of the coronavirus. If not enough poll workers show up, its possible some polling places might not be able to open.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis says he believes the election can be run safely.

A coalition of progressive groups is suing Florida in an attempt to extend mail-in balloting into next week because of the coronavirus. Dream Defenders, New Florida Majority and Organize Florida want a federal judge to order Florida to allow voters to request mail-in ballots through March 24 and postpone the count until March 27.

In Ohio, health officials postponed the states scheduled election. Officials in Arizona and Illinois say theyre moving forward with the vote.

___

Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.
It breaks my heart to say that."

Yet, in a rare occurrence, trustees disagreed with their superintendent.

Im not sure that we can defend not running this levy when we have been so adamant that we need this, trustee Janna Hafer said. We need this. If it doesnt pass, it doesnt pass.

Several other trustees shared similar comments. The item, which had been placed on the agenda within 24 hours of the meeting, was not voted on. Without a vote, the levy plans that the board set in motion last month don't change.

At this point, we have a directive from the board to continue to push forward with the levy," said board chairwoman Greta Besch Moen.

The item had generated several public comment submissions and emails to trustees.

"Please do not make a $1.6 million decision in the midst of the storm," Billings Education Association president Rachel Schillreff wrote. "Table the decision. Wait until the public has been given an opportunity to have input on whether they feel a Mill Levy should be ran. Or, perhaps, just let them vote on it."
Hyundai and affiliate Kia are strating to suffer the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Hyundai said Monday it sold only 1,007 cars in China in February, the worst performance ever and down a staggering 97.4 percent from the same month last year. Kia also sold only 972 cars there, down 95.6 percent.

The sales figures were the worst since they started manufacturing cars in China in 2003 and came as many factories sat idle due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Overall auto sales in the Chinese market fell 82 percent last month.

The two Korean automakers are still reeling from China's unofficial boycott of Korean products and services over the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery spat in 2017, and their factories there ran at only 40 percent last year.


Welsh Government announces business rate relief and reduction as part of package of support

This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 17th, 2020

The Welsh Government is today announcing a package of support worth more than 200m for small businesses to help them during the coronavirus outbreak.

Shops, leisure and hospitality businesses with a rateable value of 51,000 or less will receive 100% business rate relief and pubs with a rateable value of between 51,000 and 100,000 will receive a 5,000 reduction on their bill.

A further 100m will be available for a new grant scheme for small businesses which are not eligible for this new business rate relief. Further details on this new grant scheme will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Announcing the decision, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: Im pleased we can offer this package of support to businesses as part of our response to the coronavirus outbreak.

We are allocating every penny of the funding we will be receiving as a consequence of the schemes the UK Government announced in England last week to support businesses in Wales.

But I know that helping businesses with their rates bills will not be enough to protect them from the severe drop in custom many are experiencing as coronavirus cases increase.

We will be calling on the UK Government to act quickly and decisively to provide a very significant support package for vulnerable businesses and their employees.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds says she is "deeply disturbed" by new allegations of war crimes committed by Australian special forces in Afghanistan, with the findings of a four-year investigation to be handed down within months.

The Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force will soon provide Defence chief Angus Campbell with its report into alleged unlawful killings and other war crimes in Afghanistan.

An Australian Special Operations Task Group soldier on patrol in Afghanistan. Credit:ADF

It comes as the ABC's Four Corners program aired explosive footage from a helmet camera of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan shooting an unarmed Afghan man three times in the head and chest while he crouches on the ground.

The footage shows part of a village raid in Oruzgan province in May 2012, when a man was spotted by the SAS patrol scout in a wheat field.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - CLEVELAND, Ohio  Solon teachers are spending the first two days of Ohios coronavirus shutdown preparing videos and lessons to provide to students online.

But in districts like Cleveland and Lorain, the task is less high-tech: Teachers are creating lessons on paper or making copies from books and websites.

Ohios three-week school closures to control the coronavirus are highlighting Ohios Digital Divide, the large difference in Internet access between different communities and neighborhoods. While affluent districts like Solon have enough students with Internet access at home for online learning, poor districts dont and have no choice but to send lessons home the same way schools would have decades ago.

I am glad that right now its over spring break so its only two weeks of school theyre technically missing, said parent Rita Kiousias, as she picked up school lunch and printed lessons at Clevelands Waverly elementary school Monday. Blizzard packets are not a substitute for inside the classroom learning.

We have a bigger digital divide than maybe more affluent neighborhoods, she said, worrying that the closure might be extended. Hopefully, the governor also sees that and can come up with more support.

Census estimates from 2018 show 29% of Cleveland households have no Internet access. East Cleveland leads Cuyahoga County, with 43% of households lacking Internet access. In Lorain, 26% have no Internet.

But in Solon, only 8% of homes lack Internet access, with just 5% in Orange and 3% in Pepper Pike.

According to a study by the Columbus-based National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Lorain is the 16th worst-wired big or medium-sized city in the country. In that study, which looks at households with cable, DSL or fiber broadband, Cleveland is 33rd out of 623 communities nationally with 50,000 or more households.

Its a serious problem, said Bill Callahan, the alliances research and policy director. All that has happened is that the crisis has made that very, very visible.

Here are Internet access rates for Cuyahoga County communities, ranked from least connected to most connected

Click here to search any city or school district in Ohio.

Access is forcing paper lessons

Less-connected districts say they wish they could do more online but will do their best with what they have.

If we could assure a substantial connectivity rate, we would certainly take advantage, said Greg Ring, CEO of the Lorain schools. Lessons could be issued, completed and assessed with feedback by the childs teacher in real time.

Cleveland schools CEO Eric Gordon has staff preparing lessons for a fourth week of shutdown, after Gov. Mike DeWine Tweeted Sunday that schools may have to be closed longer. Though students can use some materials online, when they have access, lessons will continue to be provided on paper.

Students all have smartphones, Gordon said. A lot can be done on the smaller devices, but if you dont have reliable access, the devices dont do much for you.

Antonio Smith, 13, a sixth-grade student at Waverly elementary school in Cleveland, picks up homework packet with his free meal at the school Monday. (Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer)Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer

But in Solon, where teachers are recording lessons to put on Google Classroom, a system they use already, the hope is to do more than tread water as the closures continue.

We know this is a learning process for all of us, said temporary Superintendent Fred Bolden. I expect that the lessons you see on Wednesday are not as good as [what] youll see on April 2nd.

Exactly what schools are supposed to accomplish with students during the coronavirus shutdown is unclear. Gov. Mike DeWine called it a three-week spring break when first ordering the closure, but there has been confusion since then about whether schools were supposed to make classes as close to in-person ones as possible, or just keep students engaged over the break.

Whether these school days will have to be made up in the summer or will count is also unclear, but the Ohio Department of Educations coronavirus page says schools should try to make a good faith effort within available capabilities to support continued learning.

And the departments direction has leaned toward using online lessons as much as possible, even scheduling training for teachers in some online methods.

Charles Smialek, superintendent of the Parma school district, said theres clearly a hierarchy of lessons, with in-person teaching in the classroom at the top. Online classes would easily be better than handouts.

You can provide feedback, he said, even if lessons are not in video in real time. You can have flexibility as to how the assignment progresses. Hard copy doesnt allow for that flexibility. Once its printed, it is what it is.

His district is posting its materials online, also on Google Classroom. Since the Parma schools give Chromebook laptops to all 5th through 12th graders, those students can easily access their work. Others have a choice of paper or Internet to see lessons. But instead of sending packets home with every student, parents can call a Hard Copy Hotline if they need a copy that they can then pick up.

Smialek said only about 225 of 10,000 students in the district have requested hard copies so far.

Richmond Heights is also using Google Classroom for most students and just posted three weeks of lessons, said Superintendent Renee Willis. The district is discussing whether those lessons need to be extended further.

Can the gap be closed?

Districts are also trying to help students connect through free or low-cost Internet offers from providers, including Cox and Spectrum. And the Federal Communications Commission is pressing providers to make Internet more available during the coronavirus emergency,

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who has wanted to close the Internet access Homework Gap for a few years, wants the commission to use its connectivity funding  most of which is used on the E-Rate program to wire schools  to get devices that create Internet hotspots to students.

With the coronavirus, this problem [Homework Gap] is magnified as schools close and classwork migrates online, she told The Plain Dealer. So the FCC needs to step up to connect schoolchildren.

Gordon said some hotspots are in place already in the district, but more would help.

Those are the things were going to need if this goes more than three weeks, he said.

The Breakthrough charter schools also handed out lesson packets with school meals this week, since Cleveland families are not all connected to the Internet. (Patrick O'Donnell/The Plain Dealer)

Meanwhile, since it is unclear when, and if, schools will re-start, parents in less-wired areas will have to keep working with their children on take-home work without knowing when it will ever be reviewed by teacher.

They sent those packets home and I dont know how theyre going to be graded, said Sonya Terry, mother of an 8th-grade son, as she picked up school lunches Monday outside the E Prep Willard charter school.

When told that schools plan to have students return them when they come back to school, she replied, If theyre out for the rest of the year? I dont know.
The state government on Tuesday announced a slew of measures, including postponement of high school, intermediate, competitive and other examinations, to check the spread of coronavirus.

Also announcing the closure all tourist spots up to March 31 and educational institutions up to April 2, UP government spokesman and minister Shrikant Sharma said chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked people to keep away from crowded places, take precaution and not panic.

Meanwhile, UP health minister Jai Pratap Singh warned of strict action, including jail, for those who do not cooperate in the states efforts to control the coronavirus outbreak and spread misinformation or rumours to create panic in the society.

Singh said the concerned authorities had been given power under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act to take all necessary actions in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

We will take action against any suspect if he/she refuses to get tested or runs away from authorities. Action will also be taken against any person who tries to hide such patients, misleads or obstructs the health team from conducting its duty. If required, offenders will also be sent to jail as per the law, the health minister said.

Shrikant Sharma said directives had been issued to ensure that the government of Indias advisory on coronavirus is implemented in Uttar Pradesh in letter and spirit.

Sharma said the chief minister had asked officials to ensure cleanliness at tourist spots while they remain closed for public up to March 31. He said directives had been issued to keep all cinema halls and multiplexes closed.

The government events like tehsil divas, janata darshan and samadhan divas will also not be organised till April 2, he said.

Sharma said the district magistrates (DMs) had been asked to make people aware about the measures needed to be taken to check the spread of coronavirus by putting up posters and banners. A complete ban has been imposed on all the types of protests and demonstrations, he said.

Sharma said Yogi has urged all religious leaders at temples, mosques, churches to avoid crowding and take adequate precaution. He said the DMs had been asked to get in touch with religious leaders and seek their cooperation in checking the spread of coronavirus.

The CM has asked DMs to ensure that the virus is contained in stage II itself.

Asked about various religious fairs, Sharma said the district magistrates would get in touch with religious leaders to seek their cooperation on the issue.

He said a committee, headed by minister for finance Suresh Khanna, had been constituted to make recommendations within three days on how to provide food and maintenance to the poor by transferring some money to their bank accounts through RTGS etc.

Minister for agriculture Surya Pratap Shahi and minister for labour Swami Prasad Maurya had been made members of the three-member committee.

He said the state government would ensure free of cost treatment of those who get infected by coronavirus. He further said wages of employees working with government or with private companies will be paid and the period of treatment would not be deducted from their salary.

Sharma said a committee headed by chief secretary RK Tiwari had been constituted to consider work from home for government employees as well. He said the private companies had been asked to offer work from home for their employees.

(With inputs from IANS)

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The continuing rout in global stocks obliterated about $4 trillion (U.S.) of market value Monday, but one billionaire is managing to avoid the onslaught as social distancing becomes the norm.

Eric Yuan, the founder of Zoom Video Communications Inc., added $20 million to his net worth Monday while the S&P 500 plunged 12 per cent. Shares of the video-conferencing company climbed 0.4 per cent, boosting its year-to-date gain to 58 per cent. They advanced an additional 3.5 per cent in early trading Tuesday after Needham & Co. analyst Richard Valera recommended that investors buy the stock.

Yuan, 50, has added $2 billion to his net worth in 2020, the fourth-biggest increase in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the worlds 500 richest people. After starting the year unranked, hes now at No. 274 on the list with a $5.6 billion fortune.

Demand for Zooms software, which facilitates virtual conferences and web meetings, is exploding as the spreading virus is prompting office closures and meeting cancellations. Business conferences, college courses and even childrens playgroups have all moved online as people worldwide heed calls to stay away from one another.

Born in China, Yuan overcame eight denials on his U.S. visa application before finally making it to Silicon Valley. He came up with the idea for Zoom after repeatedly travelling 10 hours to see his girlfriend while they were college students.

The worlds 500 wealthiest lost a total of $258 billion Monday, pushing their collective losses this year to more than $1 trillion. Facebook Inc. co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, the worlds fifth-richest person, incurred the biggest one-day decline, with his fortune plunging $9 billion to $56.3 billion.

But no one has lost more wealth so far this year than Frenchman Bernard Arnault. The chairman of luxury-goods maker LVMH ended 2019 as one of just three people with a net worth of at least $100 billion. On Monday, his fortune sank $4.6 billion, bringing his 2020 decline to $40.6 billion. He remains the worlds fourth-richest person.

Today, just one centibillionaire remains: Jeff Bezos. The Amazon.com Inc. founder ended Monday with a net worth of $105.5 billion, after shares of the retailer slid 5.4 per cent on the day and sliced an additional $5.4 billion from his fortune.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 22:21:23|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community in the region of Aragon, northern Spain, have made a donation of medical and sanitary equipment to local authorities to help the fight against COVID-19.

According to the regional newspaper El Heraldo de Aragon, the Chinese Overseas Association in the city of Zaragoza handed over the shipment of 15,123 facemasks, 5,544 pairs of gloves and 1,254 bottles of alcohol and disinfectant gels at the Police Headquarters in the city.

The association ordered the shipment from the Chinese city of Yiwu 10 days earlier. The president of the association Xinte Wang said the arrival was just in time.

"The aircraft arrived in Barcelona on Sunday morning and we are able to go to the airport. We had to go quickly because the Spanish government had declared a 'State of Alarm'," he said.

According to Wang, the shipment from Yiwu was not the only donation the Chinese community had made.

"We told everyone we know that they had to take the items they had in their homes and in their shops to donate to the people of Aragon, who have welcomed us and made us part of their community," he said.

Part of this donation was given to the Hospital Clinico in Zaragoza, while some others were donated at the Ministry of Health offices in the city.

"We are Chinese, but we have to be united against this illness. If there is a serious problem, then we have to help and it is our duty to help all of Aragonese society," concluded Wang.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Spain rose to 11,178 on Tuesday, an increase of almost 2,000 from Monday's, the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare confirmed.
Best-selling author, Chimamanda Adichie, has refuted a claim that she plagiarised her Orange prize-winning book, Half of a Yellow Sun from the author of Sade, Anne Giwa-Amu.

Ms Giwa-Amu had, in a YouTube video on Sunday, called out on Ms Adichie for copying her novel Sade to produce Half of a Yellow Sun, saying that its a basic principle of natural justice that no one should profit from stealing from another persons.

Ms Adichie, in a statement by her literary agencythe Wylie Agency on Monday, said the claim made by Ms Giwa-Amu was false.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers had never heard of Giwa-Amus novel until she brought her delusional claim, the statement highlighted.

Published in 2007, Half of a Yellow Sun dives into the uncertainty of human life and relationships in the time of war through the story of two sistersOlanna and Kainene and their love lives during the Nigerian civil war.

Sade was published in 1996. It was set in post-independent Nigeria and during the civil war. Like Half of a Yellow Sun, it tells of a story a young lady, Sade, and her love triangle with twin brothers.

The claim

Ms Giwa-Amu alleged that Ms Adichie reworded and expanded her novel Sade while copying the setting, structure, plot, language, themes, characterisation, content, form, subject matter, supporting arguments and scenes in the novel.

She said she began writing her novel in 1992 and wasnt published until 1996 because UK publishers claimed that there was no market for African books at the time.

In 1998, she said she sent a copy of her manuscript to Nigerias Heinemann Educational Books Ltd where late Chinua Achebe was part of the board of directors.

Chinua Achebe, a writer linked to the Biafra propaganda effort, was the main decision-maker on the Board of Directors at Heinemann.

I received a letter that Chinua Achebe read and accepted my novel, Sade, for publication for senior secondary schools in Nigeria under the sub-title Sade United We Stand.

Ms Giwa-Amu said Ms Adichie must have learnt of her book from Mr Achebe since they had a father-daughter relationship.

She added that upon acquiring the copyright of her book in 1996, a copy was sent to the British library where, according to Ms Giwa-Amu, Ms Adichie said she did the research for her book.

When asked how she got to retell the Nigerian-Biafra war story in her book in an interview, Ms Adichie admitted she had no experience about the civil war since she was born a few years after the war had ended.

I wrote this novel because I wanted to write about love and war, because I grew up in the shadow of Biafra, she said.

She said she read some books, looked at photos and talked to other people.

Meanwhile, Ms Giwa-Amu said her copyright licence with the Heinemann books elapsed in 2019 and she wouldnt stand back to see another rip the fruit of her efforts.

Chimamanda Adichie should not be allowed to reap where she did not sow simply because she was chosen by Achebe to take over from him.

It is time for Chimamanda to tell the truth and put to rest the ghost of the father of the African novel that haunts her work, she said.

Court case

In 2016, Ms Giwa-Amu brought a legal claim against Ms Adichie and her publishers for alleged copyright infringement.

Ms Giwa-Amu claimed that every incident from her literary work, Sade, was copied and expanded upon to create a literary forgery.

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According to the Wylie agency, a professional independent reader was appointed to read both novels.

The reader concluded that there was absolutely no basis for Giwa-Amus claim and advised that the claim should not be pursued. Giwa-Amu nevertheless continued with the claim, the statement said.

A Central London County Court order, in February, 2019, struck out Ms Giwa-Amus claim and mandated her to pay 14,250 damages to Ms Adichie and her publishers.

Till date, Giwa-Amu has not paid the money, the statement said.

Her present allegations are false, libellous and constitute a harassment to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Further legal actions are being taken, the statement said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is touring in the supermarkets and groceries of Yerevan, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan is Live broadcasting on Facebook. He familiarizes himself with the situation over food in the markets.

Citizens tell Pashinyan that there are no food problems at the markets and they do their daily shopping.

Yesterday Nikol Pashinyan had announced that there are no problems with food reserves in Armenia, calling on the citizens not to do panic shopping.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, at 17:00. By now there are 72 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Armenia, one of whom has recovered and been discharged from hospital.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Blood supplies are dipping because sponsors have canceled blood drives due to the closing of college campuses and schools, and businesses either closing or telling employees to work from home, the American Red Cross says.

In Massachusetts, 115 blood drives have been canceled  which translates to 3,130 fewer blood donations.

Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood, according to a news release, and the Red Cross is encouraging people to sign up to donate at redcrossblood.org.

The Red Cross stopped running bloodmobiles in Western and Central Massachusetts after budget cutbacks last fall. It still runs blood donation centers on Brookdale Drive in Springfield and on Plantation Street in Worcester.

But spokeswoman Kelly Isenor said Tuesday the Red Cross doesnt want people showing up unannounced at the donation centers. The Red Cross is trying to spread out donations to avoid folks congregating at donation sites.

We know that people want to help, but they may be hesitant to visit a blood drive during this time," Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in a statement. We want to assure the public that blood donation is a safe process, and we have put additional precautions in place at our blood drives and donation centers to protect all who come out.

There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted by blood transfusion, the Red Cross said.

Related Content:
Three months after he was arrested, anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) activist Akhil Gogoi was granted bail on Tuesday by the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court.

The court granted bail to Gogoi, founder of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a farmers rights organization, on a surety of Rs 30,000 after the NIA failed to file a charge sheet against him within 90 days and sought more time.

But he is unlikely to get out of prison soon as there are several other cases pending against him in many places across Assam for which he faces arrest.

We were able to get bail for the NIA case and completed all formalities. But he had also been arrested in another case by the crime branch, we have moved bail for that, said Gogois lawyer Santanu Borthakur.

There are several other cases against him in Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Teok, Gaurisagar etc. for which he might be arrested once he comes out of jail on bail in the NIA case, he added.

Gogoi, who is also a popular RTI activist, was arrested at Jorhat on December 12 last year for his role in spearheading the protests against CAA, which seeks to fast forward citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He was later handed over to NIA and a court here sent him to 10 days custody of the agency on December 17. He was taken to New Delhi the same day for questioning.

Gogoi was brought back to Guwahati towards the end of December and was in judicial custody ever since. Several demonstrations seeking his release following reports of his deteriorating health had taken place both in Assam and outside.

The NIA has lodged a case under sections 120B, 124A, 153A, 153B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 and Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPAA).

He was accused of criminal conspiracy, sedition, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc., assertions against national integrity and support to terrorist organisations
Via: The Local:

Denmarks parliament on Thursday night unanimously passed an emergency coronavirus law which gives health authorities powers to force testing, treatment and quarantine with the backing of the police.

The far-reaching new law will remain in force until March 2021, when it will expire under a sunset clause.



As well as enforcing quarantine measures, the law also allows the authorities to force people to be vaccinated, even though there is currently no vaccination for the virus.
Authorities on Tuesday identified a 26-year-old man who was fatally shot in San Franciscos Mission District.

Officers responded around 4:40 p.m. Monday to the area of 16th and Mission streets, where they found Demondre Perkins suffering from gunshot wounds to the torso, according to San Francisco police and the medical examiners office. Police said three men in their 20s are suspects.
Adnan Zurfi, Iraq's second premier-designate this year, is respected for focussing on public services and security but faces resistance from factions wary of his close ties with the United States. The 54-year-old lawmaker is the ex-governor of the Shiite Muslim shrine city of Najaf, has advanced degrees in religious studies and was a long-time member of the Dawa Party which opposed ex-dictator Saddam Hussein. After a failed 1991 uprising against Saddam, Zurfi fled to Saudi Arabia and then on to the United States, returning to Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003. He is an Iraqi-US dual national and his wife, five sons and two daughters still live in the United States. Under Iraqi law, he would have to renounce his American citizenship to take up the premiership, which is yet to be confirmed by parliament. Zurfi was appointed Najaf governor in 2004 by the US occupation force, to take on the Mehdi Army of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, which was attacking American troops. He later managed to repair his relationship with Sadr, now a kingmaker in Iraqi politics. Zurfi has been able to build a public profile in Iraq as a TV talk show regular, clean-shaven and with his silver-tinged hair slicked back. Fellow MP Sarkawt Shamsaddin said Zurfi had earned respect for taking the initiative on social and economic projects and described him as "a moderate Shiite voice who is supportive of ties with the West". In order to win the premiership, he will have to overcome the resistance of political factions allied with Iran, Washington's arch-rival, which is an influential force in Iraqi politics. - Young newcomer - Zurfi's nomination by President Barham Saleh came on a day crisis-battered Iraq faced new turmoil: a pre-dawn rocket attack on an Iraqi base hosting foreign troops, and looming curfews to slow the coronavirus pandemic. The rocky security situation and collapsing oil prices come after months of anti-government protests and will form the main challenges for the new premier-designate. As a relatively young newcomer in Baghdad, there are hopes he could shake up politics after months of paralysis. "Zurfi is a new name and that's probably more an advantage than a disadvantage," said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi analyst. Zurfi's very first challenge will be forming a cabinet that is acceptable to the country's rival Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish blocs -- and to the demonstrators -- within 30 days. There was already one failed attempt: an earlier nominee, Mohammad Allawi, did not manage to form a cabinet by a March 2 deadline due to the competing demands of various parties and opposition from the street movement, which rejected him as too close to the ruling class. Zurfi served as governor until 2015 and won his second parliamentary term in the 2018 election as part of the Nasr coalition, led by ex-PM Haider al-Abadi. However, because he has not served in the post-2003 federal government, he would likely not be seen by protesters as "an old face that's been recycled," said Jiyad. He will also have "learned the lessons of Allawi: you have to strike deals with the blocs and engage with them on cabinet formation," the analyst added. His senior role in the Nasr coalition also grants him an early advantage over both Allawi and caretaker PM Adel Abdel Mahdi, neither of whom hailed from a political bloc. In addition to Nasr, Sunni and Kurdish factions in parliament would likely back Zurfi. - 'Will, charisma, strength' - However, the powerful Fatah bloc, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network, has already rejected his nomination. The Hashed, which includes armed groups with close ties to Iran, has been incorporated into the Iraqi military, but its more hardline factions often operate independently. Those groups have been blamed for a spate of rocket attacks on foreign soldiers and diplomats across Iraq in recent months that have left three US military personnel, one British and one Iraqi soldier dead. Such attacks were dragging Iraqi security down "a black hole" and had tainted ties with Baghdad's one-time ally Washington, said Jiyad. Zurfi, he said, would be tasked with improving the security situation and repairing those ties. "We need someone with the experience, will, charisma and strength to rein in unruly elements -- and someone who understands the importance of having America on our good side," he told AFP. Such a rebalance would however not be easy, he said, given the influence of Washington's regional rival Tehran. President Barham Saleh (L) meets with Prime Minister-designate Adnan al-Zurfi in Baghdad A photo from 2005 of Adnan Zurfi, former governor of Najaf A picture from 2004 of Adnan Zurfi, former governor of Najaf, addressing reporters in the southern shrine city Zurfi's nomination came as Iraqi cities were readying curfews to fight the coronavirus crisis
A Successful Year With Solid Fundamentals

Regulatory News:

AKKA (Paris:AKA) (BSE:AKA) (ISIN:FR0004180537):

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Revenue: 1.8 billion growth of 19.7% Operating margin from ordinary activities: 8% Free Cash Flow: 5.5% of revenue OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS North America Successful completion of PDS Tech integration Digital Acquisition of Data Respons Digital platform of 0.5B revenue

Mauro Ricci, Chairman and CEO of AKKA, commented:

"AKKA continues to build up the future and delivered solid performance in 2019. The Group achieved its margin guidance despite a Q4 slowdown. The integration of PDS Tech in the US and the constitution of half a billion euros digital platform with the acquisition of Data Respons ideally positions AKKA to capture our market's expected future growth."

2019 RESULTS

FY 2019 FY 2018 Variation % Revenue in million 1,801.5 1,505.3 +19.7% Operating profit from ordinary operations in million 143.7 118.1 +21.7% As a of revenue 8.0% 7.8% EPS in  3.64 2.55 +42.7%

2019 KEY FIGURES

Revenue Growth

Group revenue was 1,801.5 million in 2019, a pro forma increase of 6.3%. This includes a 5.8% growth in France and International business units. AKKA Germany continued to outperform its domestic market with a growth rate of 1.6% while North America grew by 17.6%. AKKA's consolidated growth stood at 19.7%.

The Q4 slowdown was stronger than expected due to key automotive customers' transition, B737 Max program's impact on aerospace suppliers and causes due to internal reasons. AKKA has taken the appropriate action internally to return to levels of growth above the market.

Operating margin from ordinary operations reached 8% of revenue, in line with the group guidance. The 4 Business Units France, Germany, International and North America have improved their margins. Excluding PDS Tech, the operating margin is up by 70bp to 8.7%

Simplified P&L in million FY 2019 FY 2018 Variation % Revenue 1,801.5 1,505.3 +19.7% Operating profit from ordinary operations 143.7 118.1 Non-recurring costs and expenses (18.7) (18.2) Stock options and free shares (3.8) (9.8) Operating profit 121.2 90.1 +34.6% As a of revenue 6.7% 6.0% +70bp Consolidated net income 73.3 53.1 +38.1% As a of revenue 4.1% 3.5% +60bp EPS in  3.64 2.55 +42.7%

Operating profit surged by 34.6% at 121.2 million, representing 6.7% of revenue, as result of an increase in ordinary activity and stability of non-recurring activities and a decrease of stock options costs.

Non-recurring costs of 18.7 million stem from the integration of PDS Tech, the launch of the Strategic Customers Departmentand the finalization of the German BU's organization.Additionally, cost of stock options and free shares reached 3.8 million mainly in H1.

Group net profit surged by 38% to 73.3 million in 2019thanks to stability in financial costs and despite the growth of Income Taxes.

Strong cash generation

Operating cash flows benefited from the substantial growth in the operating margin and a decrease of the days sales outstanding (DSO). Free cash flows amounted to 99 million and represented 5.5% of Group revenue, exceeding the guidance of 5%.

AKKA's balance sheet structure is solid. Net debt stood at 73 million at 31st December 2019 and benefited strong free cash flow generation and 175 millionODIRNANE issued in December. The equity at 478 million permits a Group's gearing of 15% and its leverage at 0.43x far below the 4x covenant. Gross cash reached 469.2 million at 31st December 2019. Including the non used RCF Neu CP, the Group financing capacity is above 1.3 billion.

2019 RESULTS BY REGION

In FY 2019, AKKA's French BU delivered revenue growth of 5.8% equal to 661.4 millionand the operating margin from ordinary operations increased 70bp to reach 11.2%, including CIR (Research Tax Credit).

The German BU grew organically by 1.6% in FY19 to 519.3 million andoperating margin rose by 20bp to 9.2% in the full year. The creation of a strong digital platform with Data Respons will allow the BU to benefit from the launch of OEM's new digital programs from H2 onward.

PDS Tech is up to expected performance and strategic synergies. AKKA North America proforma revenue (including PDS Tech) increased by 17.6% to 305 million in 2019 andprofitability grew from 2.5% in 2018 to 4.3% in 2019.

International BU FY19 revenue increased by 5.8% to 315.9 million. Belgium, Spain and Italy performed well. Short term difficulties in Switzerland and in the Energy sector impacted this year's growth. The BU delivered a 11.6% margin compared to 10.5% in 2018.

ACQUISITION OF DATA RESPONS

On 9th March 2020 AKKA launched a mandatory offer on the remaining shares of Data Respons. As off today, AKKA has more than 90% of Data Respons' share capital. AKKA plans to delist Data Respons from the Oslo stock exchange.

In a data driven world, the acquisition of Data Respons is a game changer and will create Europe's largest digital solutions powerhouse permitting AKKA to have Europe's most comprehensive digital solutions portfolio in the growing mobility market.

OUTLOOK

The outlook of the 1st part of the year remains complex. H1 is expected to be impacted by key automotive customers' stand still and the B737Max suppliers. The coronavirus crisis is expected to impact the business. AKKA is carefully monitoring the evolution in order to handle the situation as closely as possible.

The uncertainty around the macroeconomic environment following the COVID-19 outbreak does not enable the Group to release a 2020 guidance at this stage. The full year guidance will be released once the economic environment presents a clearer visibility.

AUDITORS REPORT

The statutory auditor, EY Reviseurs d'Entreprises SRL, has confirmed that their audit procedures, which are substantially complete, have not revealed any material mistatement which would have to be made to the accounting information included in this press release.

Upcoming events:

Q1 2020 revenue: Wednesday, 6th May 2020

Half-year 2020 revenue: Monday, 27th July 2020

In case of discrepancies between the French and English versions of the press release, only the English version shall be deemed valid.

About AKKA

AKKA is the European leader in digital solutions, engineering consulting and R&D services in the mobility segment. As an innovation accelerator for its clients, AKKA supports leading industry players throughout the life cycle of their products with cutting edge digital technologies (AI, ADAS, IoT/IIOT, Big Data, robotics, embedded computing, machine learning, etc.). With approximately 21,000 technology-passionate employees and half a billion Euros digital platform, AKKA is dedicated to advancing the future of industry and supporting the digital transition of its clients. The Group recorded revenues of 1.8 billion in 2019.

AKKA Technologies is listed on Euronext Paris and Brussels Segment A ISIN code: FR0004180537.

For more information, please visit www.akka-technologies.com

Follow us on: twitter.com/AKKA_Tech

GLOSSARY

Economic growth:

Growth at constant scope, exchange rates and number of working days

Free cash flow:

Net cash flow from operating activities decreased by acquisitions of fixed assets, increased by disposal of fixed assets and reduced by rent expense within the scope of IFRS 16

Gearing:

Net debt divided by Shareholders' equity

Net debt:

Financial liabilities (without IFRS 16 lease liabilities) reduced by Cash and cash equivalents

Non-recurring costs:

Expenses and income related to significant acquisitions, reorganizations, litigations, transformation and other costs of similar nature

EBITDA:

Operating profit from ordinary operations, including IFRS 16

Operating profit and EBITA:

Operating profit/EBIT: profit after stock options and free shares and non-recurring costs.

Operating profit from ordinary operations:

Operating profit calculated before expenses relating to stock options and free shares and non-recurring costs.

Operating margin from ordinary operations:

Rate of operating profit from ordinary operations in proportion of Revenue

Organic growth:

Growth at a constant scope and exchange rate

Pro-forma growth:

Growth based on proforma figures

Unless defined in this section, financial aggregates used in the current press-release are directly derived from the Group consolidated financial statements

APPENDIX

REVENUE BY QUARTER

Revenue ( million) Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 FY 2019 France 169.1 161.7 163.3 167.2 661.4 % change 5.4% 11.0% 7.0% 0.3% 5.8% Organic Growth 5.4% 11.0% 7.0% 0.3% 5.8% Pro-Forma growth 5.4% 11.0% 7.0% 0.3% 5.8% Economic growth 7.1% 11.0% 5.4% 1.9% 6.2% Germany 126.2 129.2 123.5 140.4 519.3 % change 6.4% -3.1% 2.4% 1.5% 1.6% Organic Growth 6.4% -3.1% 2.4% 1.5% 1.6% Pro-Forma growth 6.4% -3.1% 2.4% 1.5% 1.6% Economic growth 6.4% -1.6% 1.0% 0.0% 1.3% North America 75.6 76.8 78.4 74.2 305.0 % change 1,433.1% 1,392.7% 1,186.6% 36.4% 332.3% Organic Growth 35.9% 60.1% 35.1% -1.2% 9.2% Pro-Forma growth 32.2% 20.5% 16.8% 4.2% 17.6% Economic growth 35.7% 60.3% 34.8% -1.5% 9.1% International 75.4 77.4 75.9 87.2 315.9 % change 7.7% 4.9% 7.8% 3.6% 5.8% Organic Growth 7.3% 4.4% 6.9% 2.1% 5.0% Pro-Forma growth 7.7% 4.9% 7.8% 3.6% 5.8% Economic growth 7.3% 4.4% 4.4% 1.7% 4.3% Total Group 446.3 445.2 441.1 469.0 1,801.5 % change 26.1% 24.4% 26.1% 5.7% 19.7% Organic Growth 6.6% 5.1% 5.9% 0.8% 4.4% Pro-Forma growh 9.9% 6.9% 7.4% 1.8% 6.3% Economic growth 7.3% 4.8% 5.0% 1.3% 4.4%

OPERATING MARGIN FROM ORDINARY OPERATIONS BY BU

In million of euros 2019 2018 Variation % France 56.3 50.8 +10.8% % Revenue 8.5% 8.1% +40bp Germany 47.8 45.9 +4.1% % Revenue 9.2% 9.0% +20bp North America 13.2 1.8 +633.3% % Revenue 4.3% 2.5% +180bp International 36.6 32.3 +13.3% % Revenue 11.6% 10.8% +80bp Other -10.2 -12.7 -19.7% Total Group 143.7 118.1 +21.7% % Revenue 8.0% 7.8% +20bp

2019 KEY FIGURES

In million of euros FY 2019 FY 2018 Variation % FY 2017 Revenue 1,801.5 1,505.3 19.7% 1,334.4 OPERATING PROFIT FROM ORDINARY OPERATIONS 143.7 118.1 21.7% 95.5 As a of revenue 8.0% 7.8% +20BP 7.2% Non-recurring income and expenses -18.7 -18.2 -14.0 Consolidated operating profit 125.0 99.8 +25.3% 95.5 Stock options free shares -3.8 -9.8 -6.2 Operating profit 121.2 90.1 +34.6% 75.3 As a of revenue 6.7% 6.0% +70BP 5.6% Financial income/(expense) -17.5 -17.1 -16.0 PROFIT BEFORE TAX 103.7 73.0 +42.2% 59.3 Taxes -30.4 -19.9 +53.1% -15.2 CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME 73.3 53.1 +38.1 44.1 As a of revenue 4.1% 3.5% +60BP 3.3% EPS in  3.64 2.55 +42.7% 2.0 Non-controlling interests -0.2 -2.9 -4.8 Group Net Income 73.0 53.1 +37.5% 39.3 Net debt 73 279 -73.8% 195 Gearing ratio 15% 108% 73%

IFRS CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

In million of euros 2019 2018 Revenue 1,801.5 1,505.3 External expenses -388.9 -386.1 Taxes and duties -12.7 -12.3 Personnel expenses -1,222.6 -995.5 Net depreciation and provisions -57.2 -20.4 Other current expenses -10.0 -3.5 Other current income 12.5 10.4 Income from equity affiliates 2.5 1.8 Free shares and stock options -3.8 -9.8 OPERATING INCOME 121.2 90.1 Income from cash and cash equivalents 0.5 0.2 Cost of gross financial debt -16.7 -14.9 COST OF NET FINANCIAL DEBT -16.2 -14.7 Other financial income and expenses -1.3 -2.4 PROFIT BEFORE TAX 103.7 73.0 Tax expenses -30.4 -19.9 CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME 73.3 53.1 Non-controlling interests -0.2 -2.9 GROUP NET INCOME 73.0 50.1 Earnings per share Diluted earnings per share Weighted average number of shares outstanding Weighted average number of ordinary shares plus potential dilutive shares 3.64 3.61 19,937,521 20,254,054 2.55 2.50 19,641,030 20,071,917

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005670/en/

Contacts:

AKKA

Investor Relations

Dov Levy

VP Investor Relations

Tel: +32(0) 2 712 61 24

dov.levy@akka.eu

Media Relations

Markus Leutert

Group Head of Communications

Tel.: +32(0) 4 96 26 27 55

markus.leutert@akka.eu

FTI Consulting

akka@fticonsulting.com

Media Relations, France

Lea Truchetto

Tel.: +33(0) 1 47 03 68 15
Press Release

March 16, 2020 SAFETY NETS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE

Statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on the Luzon-wide 'Enhanced Community Quarantine' Dapat lahat ligtas. The President's directive for an 'enhanced community quarantine' in Luzon to contain the transmission of COVID-19 should be implemented as a public health measure that takes into account the welfare of the most vulnerable. In its implementation, I urge the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to disseminate clear and coherent information that could effectively guide the public throughout the duration of this lockdown. Towards the end of this period, the guidelines should be clear on the de-escalation of quarantine and the eventual lifting of the public health emergency. The respect and protection of the rights of Filipinos should never be compromised. All directives of the government should still operate within the framework of public health emergencies, as described under Republic Act 11332. At this extraordinary time, I urge the national and local governments to ensure that safety nets to immediately provide proper social protection and assistance to the public be cast: cash assistance and loans in all forms to those who will lose livelihood and income; delivery of goods and services especially to the most vulnerable; reliable and uninterrupted service delivery of basic utilities such as water, electricity, and the internet; and heightened visibility and capacity for health workers. While we prepare for the imminent total lockdown, the government should give time for reasonable movement in order for households to access and avail of essential goods for their families. Hindi pwedeng biglaan at walang direksyon itong ipatutupad. The government should ensure transportation service and "safe passage" for the public. Ayusin natin ang mobility ng mga tao para hindi magulo ang paghanda nating lahat sa lockdown. Dapat sinisigurado narin natin ang kapasidad at kahandaan ng mga lokal na komuninad na tumugon sa mga health emergencies, COVID-19 man ito o hindi. Habang tumatagal ang lockdown, mas hahaba din ang paghihirap ng bawat Pilipino. Let's make use of this time wisely. The people need clarity and assurance. We need to assure them that we care for them, starting with those who have the least.
Northern Irelands newly proposed abortion rules are not fit for purpose and will put vulnerable women and girls at grave risk, campaigners have warned.

The termination of pregnancies became legal in October after MPs in Westminster voted by a landslide in July to give women the right to abortion  marking an end to the procedure being banned in almost all circumstances, even rape and incest.

But doctors say government officials have told them measures now under consideration would mean women can only have an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women would only be allowed a termination past the 12-week mark if they can prove their mental or physical health is at risk, according to campaigners.

Alliance for Choice, a leading campaign group for abortion rights in Northern Ireland, said women seeking abortions after 12 weeks will have to get sign off from two health professionals who are in turn punishable by a 5,000 fine or even a criminal record if they break this rule or any other element of the guidelines.

Danielle Roberts, a spokesperson for the organisation, said: Requiring the certification of two healthcare professionals means people in rural areas may have to travel long distances to find a second person to certify. The suggested introduction of criminal sanctions of a level five fine would result in a criminal record and doctors would be likely to be struck off. The risk of criminalisation is a deterrent and is punitive.

After 12 weeks someone has to justify their reasons to two healthcare professionals, this is potentially very traumatic. People who are pregnant as a result of domestic violence or sexual crime often present later in their pregnancy, this can be for various reasons such as a controlling partner who restricts their movements, or dealing with the traumatic event.

While teenage girls are less likely to know they are pregnant, due to irregular periods or not being familiar with their bodies. Continuing with pregnancy can have a physical impact if your body is not ready. Abortion rights are human rights and these regulations dont deliver.

Ms Roberts said UK Department of Health figures show women aged under 20 would be disproportionately affected by the proposals. Women in that age group are more likely to seek abortions after 20 weeks for reasons which range from being less likely to notice they are pregnant to being anxious about their parents reactions.

Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Show all 11 1 /11 Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Pro-choice campaigners stood outside the Stormont Estate on Monday 21 October with the word "decriminalised" spelt out in front of them as some of Stormonts assembly members returned to the chamber for the first time in nearly three years. A group of Northern Irish lawmakers returned to parliament in a failed last-minute protest at the decriminalisation of abortion in the region. AFP via Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Attendees at a pro-choice press conference embraced one another ahead of the meeting of the Stormont Assembly on abortion rights and same-sex marriage in Belfast. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland A member of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice smiled as she and others marched in support of abortion rights in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following a pro-choice press conference. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of pro-choice groups Alliance for Choice and Pro Life held demonstrations outside Stormont on Monday 21 October as a last-minute attempt to stop the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland was made by the Democratic Unionist party. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland A rally was held in Dublin City centre on Monday 21 October in celebration of the eminent decriminalisation of abortion and same-sex marriage. PA Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Equal marriage campaigners Martha Brown and Louise McCullough celebrated at Maverick Bar in Belfast as same-sex marriage and abortion were legalised in Northern Ireland. PA Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice made their way to Stormont carrying abortion rights signs. Getty Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Kellie Turtle and Emma Campbell embraced as members of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice held a press conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Activist Ashleigh Topley wiped away her tears during the Alliance for Choice press conference on Monday 21 October. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of Alliance for Group embraced one another after their pro-choice press conference. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Abortion rights campaigners marched through the streets of Belfast ahead of the meeting of the Stormont Assembly on abortion rights and same-sex marriage. Getty

Ms Roberts, who noted there is a large rural population in Northern Ireland, argued the rules under consideration put vulnerable women and girls at risk and could also flout international human rights standards and recommendations from Westminsters Women and Equalities commission.

While abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland for decades, it remained banned in Northern Ireland in almost all circumstances until October last year and women seeking a termination could face life imprisonment.

Leanne Morgan, the co-chair of Doctors for Choice Northern Ireland and an obstetrician for 10 years, said: The framework presented to us is not aligned with best practice. There are no medical or ethical grounds for having an arbitrary limit of 12 weeks. Having that limit and also the threat of a criminal record puts too many barriers in the way of abortion.

Particularly in the context of Northern Ireland where medical professionals have already been very fearful of giving abortions. We had one of the strictest abortion bans in the world. The regulations recriminalise something that has already been decriminalised.

Before last years law change, abortion was only permitted in Northern Ireland when a womans life was at risk or if she faced a permanent threat to her mental or physical health.

Recommended Abortion reform for Northern Ireland backed by House of Commons

Only eight legal abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland last year following year-on-year falls since 2013  which campaigners said were triggered by new guidelines emphasising the criminality of health professionals delivering abortions.

After abortion was decriminalised in the autumn, a consultation period was launched to determine how abortion services will be implemented from 31 March  the date at which the UK government is legally required to have put in place guidelines for free, safe, legal and local abortion services.

Emma Campbell, co-chair of Alliance for Choice, dismissed the proposed regulations on abortion as not fit for purpose and argued they would force women to buy pills online.

Ms Campbell, who has worked in abortion rights in Northern Ireland for a decade, said: Frontline service providers and campaigners are frustrated they are set to use such an out of date law. There is evidence of 12 or 13-year-old rape victims in Northern Ireland who do not realise they are pregnant until 20 weeks.

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Quite a few of them have not had a period. Also there is shame about reporting and sometimes incidents involve family members so they do not want to get police involved.

Her campaign group launched a T-shirt campaign in collaboration with Shado, an intersectional feminist multimedia platform, and artist Natalie Byrne to raise awareness of abortion rights in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for the UK government said: The government will shortly lay regulations in parliament and publish its response to the consultation on the new abortion framework for Northern Ireland.

This framework will ensure that the health and safety of women and girls, as well as clarity and certainty for the medical profession, are paramount when accessing lawful abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
Coronavirus, which has spread to over 100 countries, has created an environment of fear. Not only are people taking precautions in the face of growing cases of COVID-19, but also doctors, nurses and other medical staff have been extra cautious.

Recently, a video of a lady doctor washing her hands several times as she takes off her hazmat suit and protective gear has been doing rounds on the Internet.

China Global Television Network (CGTN) shared the video on its Twitter page with a caption that read: Do you know how many times a doctor has to wash her hands to get off work.

Do you know how many times a doctor has to wash her hands to get off work? #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/gL2N1xMC7Y CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) March 16, 2020

The video has garnered over 28K views, 755 likes and 368 retweets. Besides, the post got flooded with reactions.

Commenting on the clip, many users praised doctors for their hard work and dedication, while some spoke highly of China for the way it has combated the deadly virus.

UK doctors aren't doing this The IT Girl (@TheITGirlbytes) March 16, 2020

BCZ in the ward contamination area clothing protective props are viruses, your hands are easy to encounter the virus, quickly, if u take off the goggles did not wash your hands then 2 take off the mask, this time has been a lot of viruses, not washed out will have the virus again DanNgutTuiVin (@hiromotoBB) March 16, 2020

if this the level required then how will the common person protect themselves through simple washing off hands once upon reaching home ? their clothes, shoes can easily be contaminated more than their hands, so there's really no point in using sanitizers ,handwash etc Jon (@JonBl0ck) March 16, 2020

China showing the way. Organized. henry (@heniek_d3) March 16, 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, has advised medical practitioners and health workers to cover their nose and mouth while dealing with an infected person.

The deadly virus has claimed over 6,000 lives across the globe and impacted the world economy.

COVID-19 has also infected over 110 people and killed two in India. In the wake of the spread of coronavirus, the central government has declared the deadly virus as notified disaster.
More than 30,000 children in the Lehigh Valley dont have access to plentiful, healthy food each day.

Many local educators minds first went to those kids -- the ones whose only meal all day might be a school lunch -- when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced the 10-day shutdown of the states K-12 public schools Friday. Wolf is now ordering a statewide shutdown to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The Lehigh Valleys school districts -- from Pen Argyl to western Lehigh County -- scrambled into action to set up grab-and-go meal locations for the duration of the school closures to keep children from going hungry. And in Bethlehem a volunteer group that provides students with bags of food to sustain them over the weekend sprung into action.

All Allentown School District students receive a free lunch due to the districts high poverty rate, so Andrea Stock, the districts child nutrition services director, knew she needed a plan in place immediately. Her staff rose to the challenge and distributed 1,100 meals on Monday.

Food service employees are superheroes, Stock said Monday evening.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, families can pick up a grab-and-go meal containing breakfast and lunch from any district building. The district may revaluate sites if some are not used, Stock said.

Our population is 17,000 students and if we were pushed to that limit we could have fed that many children, she said. ...All of the employees felt so good they were able to help everybody.

The Bethlehem Area School District is opening its meal pick up locations starting Tuesday, said Jack Silva, district assistant superintendent. Sixty percent of the districts 14,000 students qualify for free and reduced lunch.

Those families will be able to go to any of the districts four middle schools; Fountain Hill, Marvine or Calyspo elementary schools and the Lynfield Community Center and pick up a bagged breakfast and lunch from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. weekdays.

Students will also be able to pick up printouts of learning activities for families who dont have internet access, Silva said.

District resident and mom Nikki Testa runs Backpack Pals Bethlehem, which provides students in the district with bags of nutritious food over long weekends. Shes got about 200 bags packed and ready to distribute to families on Friday.

Each bag contains enough food for four days, Testa said. Pick up will be at the four middle schools and the Lynfield Community Center, Silva said.

The kids are worried about enough now with school being closed and not having school as their safe place, Testa said. Being hungry shouldnt be a part of it.

Testa provides about 190 kids with bags during the regular school year. When schools closed due to the coronavirus, Testa was already prepping bags for the Easter holiday weekend.

She quickly shifted gears, put out a call on Facebook and got an overwhelming response. (If you want to help, check out the list here or email backpackpalspa@gmail.com)

We cant ever have too much," Testa said. "As much food as we can get, the better.

This first week will be a learning week for Backpack Pals as they gauge demand, which she fears may grow in the coming weeks.

Then I can adapt and make it better next week, Testa said.

How to get meals:

Allentown School District: providing meals at all of its school buildings between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Bethlehem Area School District: will start providing free bagged breakfast and lunch to all children in the district between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays at Broughal (community school entrance), East Hills (main entrance), Nitschmann (bus drop off line; if rain: auditorium) and Northeast (seventh grade entrance) middle schools; Calypso (main entrance), Fountain Hill (parking lot, if rain: community school entrance), Marvine (main entrance) elementary schools and Lynfield Community Center (main entrance).

Catasauqua Area School District: to reserve a meal package, email C3P@cattysd.org or call 610-264-5571 and leave a message in the general mailbox with contact information. On Wednesday, meal packages will be available for pickup outside Sheckler Elementary School. District staff will contact you to confirm a pickup time. This procedure may change.

Easton Area School District: providing brown bag lunch and breakfast daily from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at four locations: Cheston (main entrance) and Paxinosa (main entrance) elementary schools and Easton Area middle (gym/cafeteria entrance) and high (main door) schools.

East Penn School District: free breakfast and lunch for the next day will be provided to any district students 18 years and younger on weekdays from noon until 1 p.m. The grab-and-go meals can be picked up on weekdays starting Tuesday from Lincoln (playground entrance) and Alburtis elementary schools and Lower Macungie Middle School. Parents will need to provide a student name and identification number.

Northampton Area School District: will make free bagged lunches available from 10 a.m. until noon to all district children from Wednesday, March 18 through Friday, March 20, and Monday, March 23, through March 27. Meals can be picked up from George Wolf (gym entrance) and Siegfried (main entrance) elementary schools. The school asks you bring your children when you pick up the bagged lunch.

Northern Lehigh School District: All children who live in the district under 18 can start picking up a free grab-n-go lunch beginning Tuesday. Meals can be picked up from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. by driving through the middle school driveway or students can walk to the school. Each package includes lunch and breakfast for the next morning. Head Start students who attend Peters Elementary School also qualify for the meal.

Northwestern Lehigh School District: Students who qualify for free-and-reduced lunch can pre-order a breakfast and lunch for the following day here from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day. Each day, the meal will include breakfast and lunch. Pickup will be on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. daily starting Tuesday. Parents will select which school to pick-up from and meals will be delivered to the car.

Pen Argyl Area School District: Starting Tuesday, the district is providing free grab-and-go breakfast and lunch through the school closure. Meals will be handed out curbside from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. by pulling up into the Wind Gap Middle School bus loop.

Saucon Valley School District: Starting Tuesday, families can drive through and pick up free meals from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the middle school bus loop. Meals will be offered to any child 18 and under Monday through Thursday. Children must be present, although no identification is required. The Thursday meal will include two breakfast and lunch meals for both Thursday and Friday.

Southern Lehigh School District: The district is providing free bagged lunches starting Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Southern Lehigh High School. Pick up is in the visitor lot near the flag pole and students must be in the car to receive a meal. Contact Mr. Gregory Martin, coordinator of food services at 610-282-3121, ext.- 7330 or by email at marting@slsd.org if you have any questions regarding the meal program.

Whitehall-Coplay School District: Starting Tuesday, free meals can be picked up by any students from 10 a.m. until noon on weekdays from the high school parent drop-off area. Students who need meals must accompany their parents. Both breakfast and lunch will be provided and delivered to your car. The district is directing questions to Wayne Walp at 610-782-0961 or walpw@whitehallcoplay.org.

Wilson Area School District: free grab-and-go lunches will be available from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Avona (23rd and Front Street entrance) and Wilson Borough (Washington Boulevard multi-purpose room entrance) elementary schools. Warrior bags will be available for pickup 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Friday at the same schools.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
In their war against coronavirus and foreigners exodus, smaller markets might follow the Philippines in shutting down their bourses, market participants say.

The nations move to close its equity market until Thursday has already been followed by Sri Lanka. In both cases, the reason given for the closure is to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has already infected more than 174,000 globally and killed 7,000. Smaller emerging markets, including Jakarta, would be the most likely to suffer the same fate, said Jeffrey Halley, a senior market ...
New Delhi: As the world battles the coronavirus outbreak, the Spanish government has nationalised all private hospitals for the effective mitigation of the pandemic.

The move comes after the World Health Organisation warned that the pandemic is a "defining global health crisis of our time" and urged the countries to "test, test, test".

The Business Insider reported on Monday, The Spanish government has nationalised all its private hospitals and healthcare providers in the country in its latest move to fight the spread of Coronavirus.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health in Pedro Sanchezs government. It was declared that the government would put all of Spains private health providers and their facilities into public control as the spread of COVID continues. Minister of health Salvador Illa made the announcement.

To enhance the capacity of dealing with patients and suspected cases Ila also said fourth-year medical students in Spain would be asked to help the countrys health service, reported the BI. The companies capable of producing medical equipment are expected to get in touch with the government.

Spain was been badly affected by the virus and declared COVID-19 national emergency last week. The area is under lockdown and movement has been restricted only to essential activities.
Activists like Greta Thunberg have put climate change at the top of the agenda

As Greta Thunberg puts the environment at the top of the agenda and even bakery chain Greggs sees the financial benefits of a vegan sausage roll, the investment industry is responding to changing customer demand.

Imagine if we all used our Isa and pension savings to collectively send a financial message to businesses and governments. Because money talks.

Here's how your Isa could be a more effective way to create change than joining a protest or waving a placard.

And even if you are a climate change sceptic, or the mention of diversity makes you scowl, it is hard to ignore changing consumer trends and the wall of money - and investment opportunity - that this brings.

ESG are three letters increasingly heard in investment circles.

This year, Environmental, Social and Governance concerns have moved into the mainstream for investors who are working out which companies to back.

The basic premise is that companies and institutions which do not destroy the environment, which treat their staff well, and which have strong governance in place, will do financially better in the long-term than those which are driven by short-term greed and amoral fat cat executives.

Making the connection between strong governance, having a sustainable business model and a company's share price is not a great leap.

The Volkswagen emissions scandal, the Enron collapse and the BP oil spill are some better-known examples of how ESG mismanagement can drive down a company's share price or even result in the collapse of household names.

As well as avoiding the disasters, backing businesses which actively set out to capitalise on money set aside by governments to respond to environmental concerns makes financial sense, whatever your personal views.

If we consider climate change, for example, in order to meet the goals set out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, investors need to allocate an additional $1.5trillion (1.1trillion) per year to renewable energy and other low carbon projects - and to do so very soon, within a decade or so.

This of course presents opportunities for businesses which can ride this well-funded wave.

Appetite for ESG investments is growing rapidly.

'Even if you are a climate change sceptic, or the mention of diversity makes you scowl, it is hard to ignore changing consumer trends and the wall of money that this brings

Although only one in five investors knows what ESG stands for, once it was explained 76 per cent in a recent Boring Money survey said they would like their fund managers to actively consider these factors.

When we drill into the various 'flavours' of ESG investing, opinion differs notably by gender.

Some 22 per cent of men said that the best possible returns were their priority, followed by good governance and then funds which actively invested to help the environment and arrest climate change.

Women put good governance top (22 per cent), followed by environmental concerns (13 per cent) and then pure returns (13 per cent).

Environmental worries are also more likely to be cited among a younger age group. The over-55s are not so interested in this focus.

Some of the hesitation over ESG investing can be put down to assumptions that this involves some financial trade-off. But this is not true.

Many academic studies have debunked this myth and a quick search of best-selling ethical, sustainable and impact investment funds reinforces the fact that this style of investing need not go hand in hand with lower returns.

Rathbone Ethical Bond, Axa Global Factors Sustainable Equity, Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth and Royal London Sustainable Leaders are all examples of popular ESG friendly investment funds that have performed well and often better than mainstream alternatives.

What investment options are out there?

So what are the options? If you are interested in using your money to back ESG initiatives which matter to you, we have more choices than ever.

First, work out your priorities. If you want to avoid certain 'sin' sectors such as tobacco, arms and pornography, then look at what are labelled 'ethical' funds.

These are all about blacklisting and simply removing these 'sin stocks' from your investments.

If you prefer a more positive stance and want to back sustainable future-facing companies, you need a 'sustainable' fund.

The most extreme version of this is called an 'impact' fund - similar to sustainable funds but with a much higher burden of proof to demonstrate what positive impact the investments are having.

Second, once you have worked out your priorities, have a look at Isa providers that offer routes to ESG investing.

A good starting point for filtering the market is fund platform Interactive Investor.

It has put together a shortlist of 30 funds, all signposted and described to help investors match their preferences to investments.

And if it's all a bit too much, it has blended an ethical growth portfolio that comprises a mixed bag of ten funds, chosen and assembled for you.

The charge for this portfolio is an annual 1.14 per cent as well as an Isa administration charge of 9.99 a month, and a 8 fee for buying or selling.

Another option is The Share Centre - just acquired by Interactive Investor - which has grouped investment funds into themes.

You can search for climate change, water and waste or sin stock exclusions and find investment funds which map to these themes.

The annual charges on the funds typically range from about 0.85 per cent to 1.1 per cent depending on what you pick. The Share Centre charges 156 a year for an Isa and a 7.50 fee for buying and selling.

Ready made portfolios

For many, the burden of choice is too much. If you are looking for a simple way to back ESG funds, online investment manager Nutmeg offers 'socially responsible' portfolios.

These are blends of investments which have been screened to ensure they both filter out 'baddies' and actively back more socially responsible firms.

The reporting is detailed for those who want it and it is easy compared to others and it is easy to compare the socially responsible ones to the traditional options. All-in charges for this Isa are 1.13 per cent a year.

Finally, Wealthify is another internet investment option for those seeking a ready-made 'ethical' portfolio.

DIY investment platform The Share Centre has grouped investment funds into themes. You can search for climate change, water and waste or sin stock exclusions

With total costs ranging from 1.08 per cent to 1.52 per cent, depending on your decisions about risk, this is a nicely crafted option which looks good and always tests well with less confident investors.

As ESG is gaining strength, investment managers realise that adding the word 'sustainable' or 'green' to a fund's name can increase its marketing appeal.

Trying to prove what impact a 'socially responsible' or 'sustainable' fund has had is hard. Thirdparty research firms such as Morningstar can help offer an independent view with its sustainability ratings.

There's a long way to go in judging the success of ESG investing.

But for those willing to make a start, there are more options than ever before to make your Isa work for you - and work for the greater good.
parents have turned to apps to help in looking after their children and doing household chores
Credit: Andrew Thomson, Author provided

Archaeologists have unearthed two miniature stone engravings in Indonesia. These depict an anoa (dwarf buffalo) and a sun, star or eye dating back some 26,000 years  the first of their kind in our region.

While such tiny engravings have been known from similar periods (around 20,000 years ago) in Europe and Western Asia, never before have clearly identifiable art piecessmall enough to be carried from place to placebeen found in the most ancient contexts of Southeast Asia or Australasia.

Our Australian-Indonesian team found these decorated artefacts in 2018 during excavations at the Sulawesi cave site of Leang Bulu Bettue. Later analysis in Brisbane revealed the artistic complexity of these miniature engravings.

A tiny anoa

At first, the anoa is hard to make out.

What appeared to be simple geometric design in the field came to life with directed lighting in the lab. Using a small torch to produce shadows and make the cuts jump out, a muzzle, nostril, eye, cheek and two straight horns appeared. The front part of the back and abdomen are shown using simple and deeply etched lines.

Dated between 26,000 and 14,000 years ago, this engraving is comparable to the majority of similarly aged stone engravings found in Eurasia. Indeed, the pose the anoa has been depicted in, with head turned back towards its rump, is a common artistic choice. The most famous example is the "licking bison" of La Madeleine in France: a carving in reindeer antler from between 21,000 and 14,000 years ago.

The anoa is endemic to Sulawesi and likely provided a source of meat, leather, horn and bone to its first peoples. It is prominent in the painted cave art of Sulawesi, appearing in images dated back over 44,000 years, so it isn't surprising the anoa is the first engraved animal depiction found in this area.

Leang Bulu Bettue is located in the southwest corner of Sulawesi. Here, archaeologists continue to excavate and recover new evidence for ancient art. Credit: Adam Brumm

Is it a sun?

Also discovered was a carving of a sun-burst.

We do not know when people first started depicting the sun itself. The oldest image that almost certainly portrays the sun is the Nebra sky disk found in Germany and dated to 1600 BCE.

Other examples include engraved stele found in what was the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna. Here, the Pharaoh Akenaten (who ruled from 1353-1336 BCE) built a whole city for the glory of Aten (sun).

However, these examples are unlikely to be the first time people started illustrating the sun. We expect sun-burst images seen in ancient rock art to be older, though the difficulties of dating rock art prevent us from knowing for sure.

Rayed-motifs as found in Indonesia are widespread around the globe and can represent numerous objects including the sun, stars, flowers, starfish and eyes. Because the sun-burst from Leang Bulu Bettue is so far unique to its context and nothing else was included in this particular picture, we cannot be sure it is the sun.

Sometime between 26,000 and 14,000 years ago, someone engraved the outline of an anoa on this palm-sized fragment of flowstone. Credit: M.C. Langley

However, the lines of the engraving are strong and clear, and such patterns found elsewhere represent something real, so we believe the artist has created an image of something from the natural world.

Most interestingly, the sun-burst was painted over with red pigment similar to that used to paint the walls of Leang Bulu Bettue. Only traces of this paint remain on the sun-burst, but it is enough to tell us it was applied to the lines only and not anywhere else on the carved stone. The contrast of a bright red sun-burst against the light grey of the stone must have made a striking visual impact.

Future finds may shed more light on this object and its importance and meanings within the Ice Age culture that created it.

Art makes us human

The ability to create recognisable depictions of objects from the natural world, known as figurative art, is unique to our species.

Only the head and front part of the body of the anoa were depicted. The animal is shown with its head turned to the side, as in the photographed anoa shown here (Photo: Leipzig Zoo). Credit: M.C. Langley

The Nebra sky disk is thought to be the oldest depiction of the cosmos in the world. Credit: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA

Limestone stele depicting Pharaoh Akenaten with his wife, Nefertiti, and their three daughters. The rays of the sun are giving life to the royal family. Credit: Egyptian Museum

Archaeologists Adam Brumm, Adhi Agus Oktaviana and Michelle C. Langley with the sun-like engraving. Credit: Andrew Thomson

Sulawesi already claims the oldest figurative rock art in the world, with a minimum age of 44,000 years. But examples of portable images of life have been lacking not only from the deep archaeological record of Indonesia but the whole of Southeast Asia and Australasia. While these two examples are not the most ancient art found in the area, they fill a gap researchers have wondered about.

Mobile artworks are an effective way to emotionally connect people with their everyday tools, as well as people with people. This behaviour is thought to have allowed Homo sapiens to outperform or outlast archaic hominin populations (such as Neanderthals) and colonise the entire planet.

These two small stone finds are the first pocket-sized art to be discovered in our backyard, but unlikely to be the last.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Financial Centre: SIHs European headquarters is in the International Centre in Dublins IFSC

An international financial securities trading group employing more than 500 in Dublin's IFSC has asked the Commercial Court to resolve a row over its claim for tax relief on 46.6m losses against profits within the Irish members of the group.

Susquehanna International Holdings (SIH), which has more than 1,850 employees worldwide, has three Irish sub-group members trading in marketable securities in the European markets. The three, Susquehanna International Group (SIG), Susquehanna Atlantic (SA) and Susquehanna International Securities (SIS), were established in 1999 in Dublin's IFSC.

For the three tax years 2010 to 2012, SIG surrendered losses to the SIS company in which SIS sought to set those losses against profits for tax purposes. The total amount of losses involved was 46.6m.

In April last year, a Tax Appeal commissioner determined that SIH, the Delaware, US-based holding company, was tax resident in the US for the purposive interpretation of the relevant double taxation treaty with America.

The Irish companies were therefore entitled to avail of group relief under our taxation law, the commissioner said.

Revenue appealed that determination to the High Court which on Monday admitted the matter to the fast-track Commercial Court at the request of the Irish firms.

Paul Sreenan SC, for the Irish companies, said there was consent to admission to the commercial list from Revenue.

Mr Justice David Barniville set two days for the hearing of the case in November.

Francis Woods, chief financial officer for each of the three Irish companies, said in an affidavit the underlying value of the tax claims to the SA and SIS companies, on the basis of a 12.5pc corporate tax rate for trading companies, is 5.8m.

While this claim only relates to the 2010-12 years, the ability of the Irish group to avail of group reliefs affects subsequent years and is an ongoing issue for them, Mr Woods said.
An Indian-origin Jew was badly beaten by two persons who called him a Chinese and yelled Corona! Corona in Israels Tiberias city, in an apparent racist assault linked to the virus outbreak. Am-Shalem Singson, 28, from the Bnei Menashe community, hailing from the north-eastern states of Manipur and Mizoram, was admitted to the Poriya hospital with severe chest injuries, Channel 13 reported.

The police continues to search for the two suspects based on his description of the incident, the leading Israeli TV channel reported.

Singson told the police that he tried very hard to explain to the attackers that he was not Chinese and was not infected by the coronavirus, but it did not help.

The incident happened on Saturday.

Singson is a resident of the Maalot area and immigrated to Israel from India with his family three years ago, the report said.

There were no witnesses to the incident and the police search is primarily based on the security footage in the area. We were shocked to receive the report of the vicious and racist attack in Tiberias, Michael Freund, Chairman and Founder of Shavei Israel, the organisation that has been working on the immigration of Bnei Menashe to Israel, was quoted by the Channel as saying.

I demand that the Israeli police investigate the incident immediately and prosecute those who committed this heinous act, Freund said.
Brasilia: Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo, who was part of the Brazilian delegation that travelled with President Jair Bolsonaro to the US and visited Florida, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said.

Troyjo, who is also deputy economy minister, was in Miami for meetings but did not attend a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago for Brazilian government leaders. He is showing no symptoms and is working from his home in strict isolation, the statement said.

Marcos Troyjo, Brazil's deputy minister of trade and international affairs, has contracted the new coronavirus. Credit:Bloomberg

He is the fifth person in the delegation to test positive. Bolsonaro's press secretary, the Brazilian ambassador to the US Nestor Forster, Bolsonaro's lawyer and a federal MP have all individually announced positive tests. The mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, also tested positive after meeting the delegation in Florida.
Defensive investment funds managed by the likes of Ruffer and Brevan Howard have been making money for savers despite the market turbulence.

Since coronavirus started sending the stock market into a downward spiral on February 24, the BH Global and BH Macro funds  both of which funnel investors' money into Brevan Howard hedge funds  have been two of the top-performing London-listed investment trusts.

They have returned investors 11 per cent and 9 per cent of their money over that time.

Since coronavirus started sending the stock market into a downward spiral, the BH Global and BH Macro funds have been two of the top-performing London-listed investment trusts

Emerging markets specialist Ashmore Global Opportunities has also handed investors a decent return of 10 per cent, while debt fund Marble Point Loan Financing has kept its head above water with a 5 per cent return.

Of the more traditional investment trusts, Ruffer Investment Company has managed to generate a 4 per cent return for investors at a time when the FTSE All Share has tumbled by 30 per cent.

The trust aims to preserve investors' money come what may, and even after the new Black Monday market crash last week, managers Hamish Baillie and Duncan MacInnes said they were not yet ready to gamble savers' money on buying cheaper shares.

Annabel Brodie-Smith of the Association of Investment Companies said: 'Out of the investment companies which have performed best during the recent market selloff, almost all of them invest in alternative assets.

'These investments in areas such as wind farms, solar parks, property and private companies tend to be less closely linked to the wider stock market, and some can be positioned to take advantage of market volatility.'

There is still some value to be found in equities. Though the FTSE 100 has tumbled, anyone invested in Ocado has bagged a 13 per cent return on their money since February 24 as traders have placed their bets that the groceries firm will benefit from more people shopping online.

Among open-ended funds, which do not have shares listed on a stock exchange, the Baillie Gifford Active Long Gilt Investment fund has been the top performer with an 8 per cent return, as the value of 'safe haven' government bonds has soared amid coronavirus uncertainty.
Opposition members, including



from the DMK, Congress and NCP, on Tuesday walked out of the Lok Sabha claiming they were not allowed to ask supplementary questions during the Question Hour.

Some Opposition members stood up in protest when Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai was replying to a question related to official language.

As Speaker Om Birla took up the next question during the Question Hour, DMK leader T R Baalu vociferously protested that they should be allowed to ask supplementary questions.

Amid the din, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intervened and said it was an issue at the heart of the people of Tamil Nadu and that supplementaries should be allowed.

He was apparently referring to issues regarding official language.

With the Speaker continuing with the next question, members from various Opposition parties, including DMK, Congress and NCP walked out from the House.

Some Congress leaders were also seen talking to TMC leader Sudip Bandhoypadhya but the party's members remained in their seats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Latin America

Uruguayan teachers strike for 24 hours over new presidents economic blueprint

Teachers across Uruguay held a 24-hour work stoppage on March 11 over the blueprint of a Law of Urgent Consideration (LUC) proposed by newly elected president Luis Lacalle Pou. Presented as a set of measures to stimulate economic growth as well as improve education, the LUC would modify 50 of the 68 articles of the General Education Law, changes that educators unions say would lead to accelerated privatization, curtailment of labor rights and disempowerment of teachers, while increasing the powers of the state and police.

Members of the Secondary Teachers Association (ADES) of Montevideo congregated at the Alfredo Vazquez Acevedo Institute and held an assemblythe largest since 2015, according to ADESin which the LUC was denounced and plans for another one-day strike and other mobilizations were discussed.

Lacalle Pou is the latest right-wing politician to win a presidential election in the wake of the Pink Tide in Latin America. A member of the National Party, which had been out of power for 30 years, he defeated Broad Front candidate Daniel Martinez in November 2019 with a 48.8 to 47.3 percent vote. He took office on March 1.

Mexican university workers end 41-day strike after union signs deal

Workers at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca (UABJO) ended their strike March 13 and returned to work the next day. Their union, STEUABJO, called the walkout February 1 over pay, job security, retirement, bonuses and other issues.

The UABJO rectory, represented by their general counsel, Hector Lopez Sanchez, had claimed that the demands for a 20 percent increase in salary and benefits were impossible. Lopez Sanchez filed a request with the local arbitration board to have the strike proclaimed nonexistenti.e., illegalwhile striking workers picketed and blockaded some main streets. Negotiations, at first stalled, continued during the work stoppage.

In the end, the union accepted the rectorys original wage raise offer of 3.4 percent and a 1.8 percent increase in benefits not tied to salaries. The provision for the canasta basica, or cost of basic food items, was raised 80 pesos (US$3.65) per month. UABJO changed 15 eventual or temporary contract workers to permanent status and recognized 36 retirements.

STEUABJO head Ariel Lujan Perez explained to reporters that the union convinced the general assembly to agree to reduce its demands in order to untangle the conflict and let students, professors and researchers return to their pursuits. We are a responsible union, he told reporters. Lopez Sanchez, who had previously tried to have the strike illegalized, thanked the union for its goodwill.

Mexican distance-learning instructors strike for overdue pay

Instructors in the Aguascalientes Community Distance Learning system began a sit-down strike March 12 to demand payment of wages delayed for the last two and a half months. The educators showed up at their campuses but refused to work.

There are 275 instructors serving around 4,000 students at 82 distance-learning (known as telebachillerato) centers located in rural communities with higher marginalization and social vulnerability in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes, according to a newsweekespanol.com report. Salaries are set by agreement between the federal and state governments. Currently each teacher is owed from 30,000 to 40,000 pesos (US$1,366-US$1,822).

For distance-learning instructors in Aguascalientes there are no benefits, no social security and no vacation pay. Conditions at rented installations are not conducive to learning, and doubling of tasks and overwork are constant complaints. Though they are members of the National Front of Distance Learning Workers, they are not unionized. Attempts to get help from the SNTE teachers union and from the federal government have not brought results.

The teachers were told March 14 that they would receive half of their salaries on March 16, and they returned to their jobs.

Belizean stevedores hold another protest against plans to reroute sugar exports

For the second time in as many weeks, stevedores at the Port of Belize terminal held a protest and rally over plans by sugar milling firms to reroute raw sugar for export through the Big Creek Port to the south. The planned rerouting would have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of the residents of the area.

On March 6, the Christian Workers Union (CWU), which represents the stevedores, filed a 21-day notice of intent to strike under the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act. On March 13, the union called for a protest rally not only to denounce the reroute, but to demand negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, which has not been renewed since 2004.

Argentine municipal workers to strike over failed parity talks

Representatives of the Federation of Municipal Workers (Festram) and the municipalities of Argentinas Santa Fe province failed to come to an agreement, primarily regarding salaries, in parity talks on March 11. Following the meeting, Festram declared that its members would strike on March 17 and 18 and carry out mobilizations in the cities of Rosario, Santa Fe, Rafaela and San Javier.

As the critical nature of the coronavirus outbreak increased, Festram decided to cancel the mobilizations while granting that those syndicates that determine to effect mobilizations will do so under their own social, political and legal responsibility.

Festram head Claudio Leoni announced, The sanitary emergency generated by the coronavirus pandemic and the accelerated transmission of dengue in our province obliges us to have a responsible attitude in the face of the health crisis with an act of solidarity with the totality of the population and with our own labor sector, without downplaying the legitimacy of the grievance. The strike will still be in force with workers refusing to report to their posts, but with minimum groups of workers ready to respond to emergencies.

United States

Boston College grad students rally for union recognition, threaten strike

Boston College graduate students picketed and held a rally March 10 to demand union recognition. The students are threatening strike action if the administration does not recognize them. Students voted to unionize in 2017, but the administration claims the vote was nullified when the United Auto Workers withdrew in 2018 a petition it had made to the National Labor Relations Board to unionize grad students.

One day after the rally, Boston College announced it will suspend classes and move its curriculum to online instruction through the end of the semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

West Virginia factory workers return to work after two days on strike

Some 480 workers at AHF Products plant in Beverly, West Virginia, were to return to work March 15 after striking over a safety issue two days earlier. The two-day strike appeared to be a move by the Teamsters to release tensions over a deadlock in contract negotiations dealing with health care and pensions.

Back on February 23, members of Teamsters Local 175 voted 369 to 26 to reject a company offer that would have eliminated pensions and increased health care costs by 92 percent. AHF, which fabricates hardwood floors, wanted to substitute the inferior 401(k) retirement plan in place of a defined benefits pension.

Adding to the conflict, workers have been demanding a relaxation of the attendance policy as the coronavirus pandemic intensifies. New negotiations will not resume until March 30.

Canada

13,000 Saskatchewan teachers begin job actions

The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation began a series of limited job actions last week as negotiations with the right-wing provincial government remain deadlocked. On February 24, teachers voted by over 90 percent for a work-to-rule campaign and rotating strikes. The campaign has begun with the withdrawal of voluntary after-school activities, prep time and other non-core teaching activities. Teachers are resisting the governing Saskatchewan Partys intent to increase class sizes and its continued policy that has cut special education resources for behavioral, mental health and English language programs.

The government has refused to address these key issues in the current contract dispute. It has insisted that these matters cannot be addressed in contract negotiations but must be reviewed separately by a government committee. Last Wednesday, the government moved to further circumvent the bargaining process by using school boards to directly mail its derisory contract offer to teachers.

The Saskatchewan dispute occurs as 200,000 Ontario teachers have waged a months-long campaign of one-day general and/or rotating strikes against the Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford. Last week, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), which organizes 45,000 provincial teachers, sent a tentative agreement to its membership. Voting will take place over the next two weeks.
A corrections officer accused of several crimes in connection with a sexual assault scandal at New Jerseys only womens prison was acquitted of the last round of charges against him.

A jury found Brian Y. Ambroise, 36, of Union, not guilty of charges including official misconduct and conspiracy to commit sexual assault after a Superior Court trial in Hunterdon County Friday.

Hes ecstatic. Hes relieved. He almost couldnt stand up when the jury returned the not guilty verdict, his attorney, James Wronko, said.

The charges stemmed from accusations that Ambroise had allowed two inmates at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility into a certain area of the prison where another officer, Ronald Coleman, is accused of sexually assaulting them. Under state law, any sexual contact between inmates and staff is a crime because prisoners cannot legally consent.

Wronko said both the inmates and Ambroise testified in the trial.

This acquittal Friday is the second for Ambroise, who was also accused of sexually assaulting inmates himself. In one case, Wronko said, the charges were dropped. The second case in which he was accused of assault ended in a not guilty verdict in November of 2018.

Ambroise is the only one of the six corrections officers and one employee charged with crimes in the prison abuse scandal who has been acquitted. The rash of charges followed a 2017 NJ Advance Media investigation that uncovered a pattern of sexual exploitation and assault in the prison. Investigations from county, state, and federal law enforcement officials followed.

Only Coleman, 40, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has yet to be tried. His trial on charges he sexually assaulted two women on separate occasions in 2015 and 2016 is scheduled for May, according to the prosecutors office.

Of the remaining employees, Thomas Seguine, Ahnwar Dixon, Joel Herscap and Joel Mercado took pleas deals, and Jason Mays was convicted at trial.

Wronko said his client is looking forward to getting back to work as a corrections officer after being on unpaid leave for nearly three and a half years. Wronko said its possible his client will have to sue to recoup the earnings he missed out on.

Thats a lot of lost wages, he said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections said Ambroise will have to go through an internal review process before he can have his job back.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. 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. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com?

Given this risk, we thought we'd take a look at whether Elixinol Global (ASX:EXL) shareholders should be worried about its cash burn. In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. The first step is to compare its cash burn with its cash reserves, to give us its 'cash runway'.

See our latest analysis for Elixinol Global

How Long Is Elixinol Global's Cash Runway?

You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. In December 2019, Elixinol Global had AU$20m in cash, and was debt-free. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$62m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from December 2019 it had roughly 4 months of cash runway. With a cash runway that short, we strongly believe that the company must raise cash or else douse its cash burn promptly. Importantly, if we extrapolate recent cash burn trends, the cash runway would be a lot longer. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below.

ASX:EXL Historical Debt, March 17th 2020

How Well Is Elixinol Global Growing?

One thing for shareholders to keep front in mind is that Elixinol Global increased its cash burn by 512% in the last twelve months. As if that's not bad enough, the operating revenue also dropped by 27%, making us very wary indeed. In light of the above-mentioned, we're pretty wary of the trajectory the company seems to be on. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.

Story continues

How Hard Would It Be For Elixinol Global To Raise More Cash For Growth?

Given its revenue and free cash flow are both moving in the wrong direction, shareholders may well be wondering how easily Elixinol Global could raise cash. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn.

Elixinol Global's cash burn of AU$62m is about 158% of its AU$39m market capitalisation. Given just how high that expenditure is, relative to the company's market value, we think there's an elevated risk of funding distress, and we would be very nervous about holding the stock.

So, Should We Worry About Elixinol Global's Cash Burn?

As you can probably tell by now, we're rather concerned about Elixinol Global's cash burn. In particular, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap suggests it isn't in a good position to keep funding growth. While not as bad as its cash burn relative to its market cap, its falling revenue is also a concern, and considering everything mentioned above, we're struggling to find much to be optimistic about. Its cash burn burn situation feels about as relaxing as riding your bicycle home in the rain without so much as a jumper. It's likely to need more cash in the near term; and that could well hurt returns. Its important for readers to be cognizant of the risks that can affect the company's operations, and we've picked out 5 warning signs for Elixinol Global that investors should know when investing in the stock.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)

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.
It also issued a warning to a New York Times correspondent for what it described as 'professional misconduct'

Egypts State Information Service (SIS) on Tuesday revoked the accreditation of a correspondent of The Guardians in Cairo and issued a warning to the New York Times bureau chief for publishing inaccurate estimates about the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt.

The Guardian published a report on Sunday claiming that coronavirus infections in Egypt were higher than the official figures, citing Canadian specialists who gave an estimation of around 19,300 cases. The official number of cases announced by Egypts health ministry at the time was 126.

New York Times correspondent Declan Walsh tweeted about the Canadian study, saying that the actual number is likely higher that officially reported cases.

SIS, which is responsible for foreign media accreditation, said in a statement Tuesday that it had revoked the license of the British newspaper's correspondent Ruth Michaelson and called on the paper to issue an apology for the report, which it described as "deliberately misleading" and involving "violations of journalism rules".

The authority also issued a warning to the New York Times journalist to "respect journalism rules while performing his work in Egypt."

On Monday, Egypt's health ministry said that the numbers mentioned in The Guardians report are completely false, and that it immediately announces confirmed cases "in full transparency.

The two correspondents were summoned for questioning by SIS head Diaa Rashwan on Monday, SIS said in a statement sent to Ahram Online.

SIS said the correspondent's rush to "promote incorrect data does not justify relying on an unpublished study...that is not recognised by international prestigious academic and scientific institutions."

"This reveals their bad intentions to harm Egyptian interests and tarnish the image of the situation in Egypt," SIS added in the statement.

Tuesday's decisions were promoted by the repeated intentional defamation of Egypt by The Guardian journalist, and the professional misconduct of the New York Times correspondent.

The authority warned that if The Guardian did not publish an official apology in the same manner in which the controversial report was published, it would shut its office in Cairo and revoke the newspaper's permit.

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Coronavirus: Grocery retailers work on initiatives to deal with new challenges

Britains supermarket retailers are working on contingency measures to ease demand pressures, as panic buying across the country escalates due to coronavirus fears.

Collectively, UK supermarkets have called on consumers to stop panic buying in order to prevent others from having to do without. Meanwhile, the government is believed to be considering axing Sunday trading restrictions to ease the pressure on supermarkets.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents supermarket groups, said retailers had come together to write to their customers, calling on them to be considerate in the way they shop.

The letter, signed by Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi, Coop, Waitrose, M&S, Iceland, Costcutter and Ocado, was published in adverts in national newspapers yesterday (Sunday 15 March).

The statement said: We understand your concerns but buying more than is needed can sometimes mean that others will be left without. There is enough for everyone if we all work together.

Supermarkets are also meeting with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today to consider how they can work with the latest updates from the government about coronavirus plans. They will also consider measures they might take if the government decides to close schools and colleges, which would have an impact on the availability of their staff.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to get rid of Sunday trading restrictions as part of its emergency response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to reports.

At present the Sunday trading rules restricts stores over 3,000 square foot in England and Wales to a maximum of six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm.

Reports indicate these laws may be relaxed for a period of time, in order to minimise crowds to aid social distancing, and to help people who are self-isolating to have access to essential groceries. It could also help with deliveries.

The government is also said to be planning to scrap carrier bag charges, following fears used bags are spreading the virus. Supermarkets are also being asked to increase their click & collect services, to allow neighbours and friends to collect for those who might be self-isolating. There are also reports the army could help to deliver food and drinks to supermarkets if there is a shortage of drivers.

The news comes as supermarkets are reporting unprecedented demand for certain items, with alcohol now listed as one of the harder-to-find items in some stores.

Over the weekend Tesco stores around the country were reported to have low levels of beer, as consumers continue to stockpile groceries.

Meanwhile, Iceland is one of the first grocery retailers to announce it is setting aside an hour to open just for elderly customers. It is trialling this initative in its West Belfast store, with the hour between 8am and 9am each day reserved solely for elderly shoppers.

And an independent store in Padstow, Cornwall, is also reaching out to elderly shoppers.

The store  Constantine Bay Stores  said it wants older people to be able to shop exclusively and with confidence, and so it is offering early-morning shopping slots for people born in 1950 or before from 8am to 8.30am. The store also said it will sanitise surfaces and door handles each day before it opened to the public.

Related articles:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States believes Russia has killed dozens of Turkish military personnel in the course of its military operations in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday, saying that Washington continued to offer support to its NATO ally Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference at the State Department, Pompeo did not specify where or during which incident the Turkish soldiers were killed. It was the first time Washington has directly pointed its finger at Moscow over the death of Turkish soldiers.

"We believe Russia has killed dozens of Turkish military personnel in the course of their military operations, and we stand with our NATO ally Turkey and we continue to consider additional measures to support Turkey and to end the violence in Idlib and in Syria more broadly," Pompeo said.

Last month, an air strike that Ankara said was carried out by the Syrian government forces killed at least 34 Turkish soldiers, the deadliest attack on the Turkish army in nearly 30 years.

The attack came after Russia-backed Syrian government forces had intensified their campaign to retake Idlib, the last rebel-held stronghold in the country. That prompted Turkey, which backs some rebels looking to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to mount a counter-offensive to repel their advances.

Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria's war, agreed on March 5 to halt hostilities in the country's northwest after a recent escalation of violence displaced nearly a million people and brought the two sides close to confrontation. The ceasefire has largely held since then.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Have a schedule. Givens said a routine is the biggest key. On social media, many are circulating suggested schedules with blocks of time for play, activities and learning. Givens gives her children about 30 minutes each morning to wake up and eat breakfast. Then, throughout the day, they allot one-hour increments for learning. Theyll work on one subject, then take a break  go outside, for example. She sets up 15-minute breaks in between their activities, where they can play in their rooms. And her children are such different ages that they have different schedules. Every kid is so individual, she said. She writes the schedules on a dry erase board. Walk children through the plan for the day, and consider allowing them to pick, for example, whether they want to do language arts work or math during a certain time.
The suggestion to the board called for a fine-free policy to apply to all materials, not just books, and said a block would be placed on a patrons card once the materials are two weeks overdue. If an item is not returned after 45 days, the patron would be billed for the replacement of the item, Smiths memo to the board said.
While parents across the city debated whether to send their children to school Monday morning amid growing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, the union representing the province's teachers urged the Pallister government to close the facilities as soon possible.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While parents across the city debated whether to send their children to school Monday morning amid growing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, the union representing the province's teachers urged the Pallister government to close the facilities as soon possible.

"If the province is going to work out of an abundance of caution, there is no reason why we shouldnt do this sooner than later," said James Bedford, president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society.

What's happening elsewhere: Alberta announced Sunday an immediate closure of all K-12 schools and licensed child-care programs; Saskatchewan announced Monday schools will be closed indefinitely starting March 20; Quebec schools are closed two weeks beginning March 16; Ontario announced last week schools will remain closed for two weeks following its March spring break, which begins March 16; click to read more Alberta announced Sunday an immediate closure of all K-12 schools and licensed child-care programs; Saskatchewan announced Monday schools will be closed indefinitely starting March 20; Quebec schools are closed two weeks beginning March 16; Ontario announced last week schools will remain closed for two weeks following its March spring break, which begins March 16; New Brunswick announced Monday it is closing schools for two weeks; Nova Scotia is closing schools for two weeks following its spring break, which is this week, and all regulated child-care centres will be closed from March 17 to April 3; Newfoundland announced all schools and regulated child-care facilities were to close as of March 16; Prince Edward Island announced Sunday that schools will remain closed for two weeks following spring break, which is this week. Regulated child-care facilities are closed indefinitely; According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's website, the province's health officer has not recommended school closure strategies for the prevention of COVID-19; Even though there have been no cases in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, both jurisdictions have closed schools. Schools and day cares in Nunavut are closed for three weeks, while NWT schools are closed until April 13; and In the U.S., President Donald Trump recommended Monday that all schools be closed. Close

The union is pushing the provincial government to suspend classes no later than Wednesday. The province announced last Friday that schools would remain open this week, but then close for three weeks, a stretch that includes March spring break, as a preventative measure to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

Bedford said many teachers have prepared materials for students to continue their studies while school is out.

"Were simply saying lets not wait until we see any community-based transmission here, lets keep consistent with that messaging of closing or suspending for an abundance of caution, and lets do it just a little bit sooner because our members are good to go.

"We dont need to wait to Friday; were getting that information to students today."

Bedford said hes also requesting the education minister allow teachers and staff to work from home while classes are suspended.

Leo Fernandes six-year-old son still took his usual seat in class Monday, but he had been briefed on proper handwashing and told to keep his distance from peers at Ecole Laura Secord School.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Leo Fernandes drops his six-year-old off at Laura Secord School in Winnipeg on Monday: You just dont know. Kids are like little petri dishes on their own."

Fernandes said he debated whether or not to drop his son off at the Wolseley elementary school Monday morning following the provincial government's announcement on Friday cancelling classes from March 23 to April 10.

"You just dont know. Kids are like little petri dishes on their own," Fernandes said. "But its not quite as crazy here as it is everywhere else yet, so well keep their normal as normal as possible."

The father of two said hes arranged to stay home with his son and will pull his youngest out of daycare while classes are cancelled, and questioned why child care facilities are not currently being told to close.

"If were gonna shuter down, lets shuter down," he said.

You just dont know. Kids are like little petri dishes on their own. But its not quite as crazy here as it is everywhere else yet, so well keep their normal as normal as possible."  Leo Fernandes, parent

The move to close schools for a period of three weeks beginning Monday is in keeping with provincial public health officer Brent Roussins direction for social distancing. Roussin said classes are being cancelled out of an abundance of caution.

"This really is a matter of timing," Roussin said. "Almost all of the evidence shows that closing of schools should really occur when we see either cases in schools, or when we have sustained community-based transmission."

So far there are no COVID-19 cases in schools or transmitted locally, he said, and licensed child care facilities will remain open at this time.

Provincial officials have said the one-week delay between announcement and closing schools is to allow parents and caregivers to make arrangements for their kids to stay at home during the shutdown, and for teachers to prepare take-home materials.

"We knew that its likely to come and we wanted to take advantage of spring break, ideally it would be nice to give that cushion time," Roussin said.

We are keeping our 6 year-oldhome. Doing our best to leave services to those who need them.  Dr. Melissa Funke (@MelissaKAFunke) March 16, 2020

The majority of Canadian provinces have announced immediate school closures, though not all. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on Monday that classes in that province would close indefinitely on March 20. Ontario announced last week all publicly funded schools will be closed for two weeks following spring break, from March 14 to April 5, while kindergarten to Grade 12 classes have been cancelled, and child care centres closed indefinitely, beginning this week in Alberta.

The Manitoba government may extend its school suspension if required, Roussin said.

School divisions have also instituted new policies ahead of next weeks closure. On Monday, Louis Riel School Division began requesting adults accompany students to bus stops and instructed bus drivers to visually assess each person to see if anyone is displaying cold- or flu-like symptoms. Meanwhile multiple school divisions have restricted visitors to their properties, and River East Transcona School Division has restricted building access to no more than 30 minutes before school starts and 30 minutes after school ends. Administrators at St. Pauls High School have announced classes will be cancelled from March 17 until April 14.

While risk levels still remain low, some parents and guardians elected to keep their children home Monday, well ahead of the government-mandated closure.

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Were simply saying lets not wait until we see any community-based transmission here, lets keep consistent with that messaging of closing or suspending for an abundance of caution, and lets do it just a little bit sooner because our members are good to go."  James Bedford, president of the Manitoba Teachers Society

Melissa Funke said she decided over the weekend to pull her daughter from Grosvenor School this week. While she has concerns over the spread of the virus  including the risk to family members who would be vulnerable to the disease  keeping her six-year-old home was also part of her familys effort to create breathing room in the school system.

"We thought if we could leave the resources of the school to people who might need them more, people who might be working on an hourly wage and who would need the child care, that was a better option," Funke said. "It would also give the teachers fewer children to deal with as theyre trying to encourage social distancing, which isnt easy for six-year-olds obviously."

Funke said she and her husband are both able to work from home and have planned a schedule to keep their daughter up with her school work.

"We want to make this a positive experience for our daughter where she can see us modelling and addressing a challenge, coming together as a family to address that challenge, and the community coming together."

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
In a bid to improve India's aviation safety ratings, the government on Tuesday moved amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934 to provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has suggested for proper recognition to the aviation regulators.

Moving the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for discussion and passage in Lok Sabha, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep S Puri said there was a need to provide statutory backing to the DGCA, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) as these bodies were set up under executive order.

He assured Lok Sabha that the aviation sector would emerge out of the current challenges posed by the coronavirus outbreak, which forced countries around the globe to impose travel restrictions.

The Bill also provides for keeping aircraft belonging to the country's armed forces outside the purview of the Aircraft Act, 1934.

The Bill also proposes to increase the fine amount for violations of new rules from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

Participating in the debate on the Bill, M K Vishnu Prasad of the Congress said cases of "near miss" in the skies have increased many folds in the recent years.

Therefore, there is a need to augment human resources at air traffic controls to avoid mid-air collisions, he said.

Prasad also opposed the proposed sale of the national carrier Air India, saying this government is selling "family jewel" to manage its expenses.

Praising the effort of Air India during the evacuation of Indians from the coronavirus-hit China, he said that no private airline, other than the national carrier, came forward to carry out the job.

Speaking on the Bill, Jayant Sinha of the BJP said the statutory status to DGCA, AAIB and BCAS will improve India's safety ranking by ICAO and other international organisations.

It will also help promote the aviation sector of the country, Sinha said.

Other key proposals include increasing the fine amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore for violations of new rules, empowering BCAS or any authorised officer to issue directions, having designated officers for adjudging penalties, and introducing a provision for compounding of offences.

Generally, compoundable offences are those which can be settled by paying certain amount of money.

It would also bring regulations of all areas of air navigation services under the Act.

The Act has provisions for securing the safety of aircraft operations in India and carrying out civil aviation operations as per standards, procedures and practices laid down by ICAO.

ICAO audits, conducted in 2012 and 2015, have indicated a need to amend the Act to give proper recognition to the aviation regulators.

Among others, the audits had suggested enhancing the "maximum quantum of fines and to empower the departmental officers to impose financial penalties on individuals or organisations involved in violations of the legal provisions".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced he activated the state's National Guard to help with the state's response to coronavirus but said deployment is not yet necessary.

This means members, with the exception of first responders and health professionals, are now being called to active duty, but they have not yet been given an assignment. Texas joins more than 20 other states in making the move, including California, Florida and Arizona, according to the National Governors Association.

By activating the Texas National Guard, we are ensuring Texas is prepared as we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Abbott said in a statement. "I am grateful to the men and women of the National Guard for their dedication to serving their fellow Texans, and want to assure the public that this is a precautionary measure to make sure the Texas National Guard has the capability to serve at a moment's notice where they are needed most."

Live updates: The latest coronavirus coverage

In opening remarks during a teleconference with Texas hospitals Tuesday, Abbott also said the number of Texans tested so far has risen to 1,264, up from 439 as of late Monday. He added that Texas has confirmed 64 cases of COVID19 across 19 counties.

Abbott announced plans to hold a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m., which will be aired on 14 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. stations across Texas and livestreamed online. Abbott will be joined by top officials from the Department of State Health Services, the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas Education Agency.

Viewers will be able to submit questions via social media using the hashtag #AskAbbott. Preference will be given to those questions submitted as videos rather than texts.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

For a list of stations where the town hall meeting will be broadcast, check here.

Along with our local and federal partners, we are aggressively working to expand our COVID-19 testing capabilities, protect the most vulnerable populations, and ensure that health care professionals and all Texans have access to the supplies and resources they need, Abbott said in a statement. We are all in this together and this televised town hall is an opportunity to provide an update on the status of Texas response.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

This is a developing story; check back for updates.
She has already filmed her last scenes as Corporal Georgie Lane.

And Michelle Keegan looked stunning as she transformed into a bridesmaid for scenes in the upcoming fourth series of military drama Our Girl.

The actress, 32, looked radiant out of her heavy-duty military uniform as she slipped into a satin blue dress for her friend's wedding.

Blue Beauty: Michelle Keegan looked stunning as she transformed into a bridesmaid for scenes in the upcoming fourth series of military drama Our Girl

Newly released photos from the BBC drama show the ex-Coronation Street star clutching on to a bouquet as Marie (Linzey Cocker) appears to walk down the aisle with Fingers (Sean Ward).

Later on at the wedding, she is seen talking to Platoon Sergeant Kingy (Rolan Bell), who is known for kicking Georgie's 2-Section into line.

Other snaps show the Georgie back in full uniform working in her military training role in the UK.

Shimmering: The actress, 32, looked radiant out of her heavy-duty military uniform as she slipped into a satin blue dress for her friend's wedding

Big day: Newly released photos from the BBC drama show the ex-Coronation Street star clutching on to a bouquet as Marie (Linzey Cocker) appears to walk down the aisle with Fingers (Sean Ward)

And the new series will see Amy-Leigh Hickman play a novice army medic who will compel Georgie to return to the forces in Afghanistan, even though she has PTSD.

Michelle has also appeared in the emotional preview as Georgie continues to struggle following the death of her fiance Captain Elvis Harte, and it seems that she'll be facing her demons she prepares to bring down the warlord Omar once and for all.

In the trailer, it seems that Georgie will be forced to face Omar once again, as she is told they're heading back to Afghan.

For Queen and country: Other snaps show the Georgie back in full uniform working in her military training role in the UK

Plot: The new series will see Amy-Leigh Hickman play a novice army medic who will compel Georgie to return to the forces in Afghanistan, even though she has PTSD

The army medic is also tasked with training up some new recruits, as she says they're 'going to need bedding in.'

As the trailer reveals the team heading into the dangerous territory, Georgia learns that a hospital has been targeted by the local warlord.

Even though it's now been several series since Elvis (played by Luke Pasqualino) was tragically killed, Georgie still seems to be struggling with her fiance's passing, as she tries to reason with a local woman who has been targeted by Omar.

Action: As the trailer reveals the team heading into the dangerous territory, Georgia learns that a hospital has been targeted by the local warlord

Ending: It remains to be seen whether Georgie will survive her latest mission, after actress Michelle confirmed that this would be her final series of Our Girl

She tells her: 'My fiance was killed on a mission to get Omar, the same warlord who killed your husband and is now targeting you.'

As the trailer features snapshots of an explosion followed by some form of pursuit, it seems that Georgie continues to be haunted by flashbacks of Elvis.

She emotionally says: 'I just keep being reminded of Elvis, I don't think I can do this anymore.'

Well travelled: She had previously spent several months each year filming in far-flung locations including South Africa, Nepal and Malaysia

Return: It is believed she wants to pursue new acting jobs and plans to spend more time at home in the UK

It remains to be seen whether Georgie will survive her latest mission, after actress Michelle confirmed that this would be her final series of Our Girl.

It is believed she wants to pursue new acting jobs and plans to spend more time at home in the UK after her husband Mark Wright, also 32, moved back from Los Angeles last year, where he was working on US TV.

She had previously spent several months each year filming in far-flung locations including South Africa, Nepal and Malaysia.

Dramatic: Our Girl fans have been given a glimpse of Michelle Keegan's final scenes in a first look trailer for the fourth series

Teaming up: The team are deployed to track down Omar once and for all, with Georgie also tasked with training up some new recruits

The star has also teased that she'll never say never about returning to Our Girl.

'You can never say it's forever, I just can't,' said Michelle during a Q&A heard by the Evening Standard.

'It's really tough. I've done four series, and I just want to explore other opportunities, that's it. I love the show so much. This show has helped me grow to how I am now.

'These four years have made me grow more than any other show in my life. This isn't typical for me."
Delhi Police has arrested a 23-year-old man here for allegedly killing his distant relative with whom he had a relationship, police said on Tuesday.

The accused Heera Singh hails from Uttarakhand's Nainital district, they said.

Both Singh and the woman (23) worked as pharmacists in Delhi and had plans to get married. However, their families were against it, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur.

On February 5 at 8.15 pm, Singh went to the woman's residence at Madangir and had a fight with her. But later, the two left for Rampur in Uttar Pradesh at 10 pm, the officer said citing the accused's statement during interrogation.

On reaching Rampur around 4 am, the two again had a heated argument and Singh hit the woman with a brick six to seven times. The woman's body was later recovered during the day, the DCP said.

On Monday, police traced Singh's location and arrested him, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump has ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to find a way to get money into the hands of Americans, especially those who are in need of an income boost thanks to the spread of the coronavirus. Mnuchin said he thinks a final plan will be in place by the end of the day Tuesday and could be announced soon.

The president has instructed me we have to do this now, Mnuchin said.

RELATED: White House to propose $850B stimulus with tax cut for workers to combat coronavirus economic effects

The announcement came during a press briefing Tuesday at The White House. While details are very limited Trump and Mnuchin hinted that the actual amount of money distributed to Americans could be much higher than whats reported. News reports have suggested a package of approximately $850 billion.

When ask about the potential of every American receiving a check for $1,000, neither Trump nor Mnuchin denied the possibility and said it has been discussed. The check could also be larger than that. Mnuchin went on to say discussions are ongoing regarding how to help small businesses, the airline industry and the restaurant industry.

We want to make sure Americans get money in their pockets quickly, Mnuchin said.

Trump is pressuring Congress to pass a spending package to help stabilize the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the Senate is open and will work to get a package passed.

The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm," McConnell said.

Along with a spending package, Trump and Mnuchin discussed a possible income tax pause and other options to help Americans keep more of their earnings. The spending package would be larger than the 2008 bank bailout or the 2009 recovery act, according to the Associated Press.

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.

READ MORE:

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Trump slams Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers response to coronavirus amid statewide shutdown

Person who tested positive for coronavirus may have exposed others at infectious disease conference in Grand Rapids

President Trump says coronavirus reality could last until July or August; releases new guidelines
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:03:33|Editor: ZD

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by Xinhua writer Ding Lei, Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenneth Kiarie, who runs an electrical goods shop in downtown Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya in East Africa, might have to close his store by the end of April unless he can secure more supplies from China amid COVID-19 disruption.

The 42-year-old entrepreneur is heavily dependent on Chinese factories for his business for the past decade as Chinese goods are of high quality at an affordable price and cater for all income groups, but the COVID-19 outbreak has cut off supplies as the world's second largest economy has adopted massive quarantining measures and mobilized most of its resources to contain the virus domestically.

Since Kiarie received the latest shipment of goods in December, he has been unable to get more supplies to replenish his dwindling stocks. More and more African and Chinese businessmen here have felt the impact of the pandemic.

Michelle Li, who operates a homestay hotel in Nairobi for Chinese tourists, is upset about the globally spreading virus. "The virus has been a huge shock to my business as my hotel hasn't received a single guest since the outbreak and some previous orders were canceled," he said.

The COVID-19 outbreak has testified to the extent of deep and enduring trade and investment ties between China and African countries.

China is Africa's biggest trading partner and a major player in Africa's supply chain, notably in such areas as electronics, furniture, industrial goods, machinery and household supplies.

Measures like social distancing and shutdown of factories to curb the COVID-19 spread have inevitably led to disruptions to economic activity and supply chain.

Data from China's General Administration of Customs showed that between January and February, the trade value between China and Africa in terms of U.S. dollars declined by 17.8 percent year-on-year with China's exports to Africa down by 13.8 percent and its imports from Africa plunging 21.7 percent.

African firms have faced a shortage of raw materials due to reduced imports from China as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, which has increased output prices as alternative import markets are not as cheap as China, said Jibran Qureishi, regional economist for East Africa with Uganda's Stanbic Bank.

"Port congestion at Durban (the third populous city in South Africa) and other locations meant that many businesses were forced to limit activity, with exports to China also decreasing," said David Owen, economist with London-based global information provider IHS Markit.

There is a possibility that the impact of the coronavirus on economy may be significant, with sectors such as tourism, finance and manufacturing mostly affected, said Dawie Roodt, chief economist of South Africa-based financial services company Efficient Group.

The virus will have a negative impact on growth in the short term, but it's too soon to talk about the long term impact, said Jannie Rossouw, head of the School of Economic and Business Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

"Close ties between China and Africa are important for Africa's long-term development as China has invested in the continent, and I'm sure the investment will continue," Rossouw said.

John Lui, an entrepreneur who runs a shop in Johannesburg, told Xinhua that "we think as soon the outbreak is brought under control, and we hope, everything will go to normality."

"Some businesses are planning to order when factories re-open ... We need to keep relations and grow them between the continent and China," he added.

Given that businesses have speed up the pace to resume normal operations in China, economists project activities will see a visible recovery in March and conditions will improve soon.

(Xinhua reporter Jing Jing in Johannesburg also contributed to the story.)
Down Cathedral where the reputed grave of St Patrick is situated

Landmarks across the world will be lit up in green today to mark the St Patrick's Day celebrations.

While coronavirus measures have cancelled some of the largest parades in Belfast, Dublin and New York, the colourful spectacle aims to make sure Ireland's patron saint is not forgotten.

Many across Ireland are also planning their own unique tributes, by sharing pictures of their planned Paddy's day costumes and carnival floats on social media.

At Downpatrick Cathedral, church bells will ring out at 1pm this afternoon in coordination with others around the world.

Dr Tim Campbell, Director of the St Patrick's Centre in Downpatrick, said he hopes the international effort will inspire hope.

"This year bells will ring out in Downpatrick and across the globe as we ask for a moment of silence and prayer worldwide.

"We ask everyone to unite with us in spirit at this time," he said.

"We are asking any Christian church to take part, not those just dedicated to St Patrick. So if you have a bell, please ring it," said Dr Campbell.

The Dean of Down Cathedral, The Very Reverend Dean Hull, called it "an inspired idea".

"St Patrick was a source of enlightenment for our ancestors. He was a man of faith who had to overcome many trials in his life and he knew the power of prayer," he said.

At present there are over 850 St Patrick's churches across the world.

Organisers are hopeful they will be joined today by Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St Patrick's New York.

The United Methodist Church in Florida has agreed to take part and bells will also ring out in Lough Derg, the Sanctuary of St Patrick.
Former Fremantle Dockers captain Matthew Pavlich has praised the AFL's commitment to a 17-round season after the league's 11th-hour decision to go ahead with tomorrow night's season opener between Richmond and Carlton at the MCG.

The game must go on. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

As uncertainty surrounded the future of other major sporting competitions across Australia and the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic, AFL chief Gillon McLachlan announced just before 5pm on Wednesday the shortened 153-game season would proceed.

It means West Coast would open its season in front of an empty Optus Stadium on Sunday against Melbourne at 3.20pm, while the Dockers would fly to Melbourne to face Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday at 10.45am.

That club's former captain, Pavlich, said the decision must have been a tough one for league bosses, given it was delayed at first for a day and then for several hours on Wednesday.

"It's amazing that it's taken all day ... I can understand why, because of some of the legal concerns and intricacies that the AFL have had to consider all day long," Pavlich said on Nine News Perth, where he is also a sports presenter.

"But the advice from the government they took is that it sits within the guidelines from the Prime Minister that he announced today.

The AFL also said each quarter would be shortened from 20 minutes to 16.

"I think the assumption there is that if there's fatigue, or players become sick or ill, there's an ability to handle that by shortening the game a little bit so players aren't playing the game as long," Pavlich said.

"Clearly they've tried to balance this decision, and get the game started ... we all want the game to go ahead, in terms of the mental wellbeing of players, and our society.

"I think everyone wants footy back; we do want the lift, but they had to be so careful of the government advice that sits within what the Prime Minister was saying.

"All I know is, round one tomorrow night ... there'll be thousands of people tuning in to watch the game."
In a mega-precinct, multiple precincts are located within one polling location, Angerman previously said. Voters in mega-precincts sign in and then can vote at any machine instead of waiting in line to vote at a specific machine thats assigned to a specific precinct, she said.
Presidents of Universities and Institutes across Ireland address their students amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The have affirmed the reasons for utilising remote and distance learning methods of teaching and assessment for the coming weeks as being a result of Covid-19.

Third level institutions across Ireland are complying with the containment efforts made by the Irish Government and businesses across Ireland.

Collectively, the presidents reiterate the advice issued by the HSE around hand washing, and most notably social distancing, maintaining a distance of at least 2 metres between yourself and other people.

They urge students not to shut off communication and the company of others completely, rather limit this interaction and be safe while doing so. The collective state that mental wellbeing is of utmost importance and therefore suggest that students maintain the aforementioned contact, but limit socialising in crowded places.

In a bid to look out of the welfare of other, students are urged to check in with those who might be lonely or isolated by phoning them, or Facetime, Skype, Zoom, or whatever system you use.

They ask their students to do so for three primary reasons.

To protect the students from contracting the disease. To slow down the spread of the coronavirus in order to protect those at risk, some in which may have to be hospitalised. To reduce the pressure on the HSE.

It is important to remember that if you do contract the virus, your health could be severely affected, and you pose a great danger to the older members of society and those with weak immune systems. You could even be unwittingly responsible for putting others at increased risk.

They urge students to "be kind to each other and take care of yourselves and each other. Lets give each other the space to find our way through these challenging times and the time to find humanity and meaning here too."
Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) was a proud Bridge of Support Sponsor at the Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Inc. (AVDA) Heart of a Woman Luncheon. The annual event was held at the Royal Palm Yacht Club on Feb. 26. The fundraiser featured keynote speaker and domestic violence survivor, Audrey-May Prosper. The luncheon included presentations, networking, luxury raffles and a silent auction.

We are committed to continually raising awareness for domestic violence. The life-changing work conducted by AVDA is absolutely outstanding. Their critical support has helped thousands of victims of domestic violence move from just surviving to thriving. AVDA unceasingly promotes violence-free relationships and we proudly stand behind their movement to educate and empower, said Sandra Lawson, director of operations, Venture Construction Group of Florida, founder of Gemmas Angels Foundation.

Prosper is the founder of Your Thrive Tribe, a community for women to connect, heal and grow. Prosper shared her story of surviving domestic and sexual violence at the hands of her ex-husband, only to come out stronger and ready to empower women and help them thrive.

AVDA works throughout the community to educate and engage people of all ages in their commitment to prevent violence. AVDA provides a Community of Hope through their state-certified domestic violence center that offers a comprehensive array of services for all victims of domestic violence including a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency and transitional housing, advocacy, counseling and support to help them live violence-free and self-sufficient lives. AVDA's mission is to promote violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse. For more than 30 years, their mission and services have provided critical support to thousands.

VCGFL is a philanthropic partner to many altruistic organizations and is committed to giving back to the community. Domestic violence is at the pinnacle of VCGFLs annual corporate giving programs.

We are grateful for the support of our community and local businesses. Ventures ongoing sponsorships and participation is so appreciated, says Jennifer Rey, program services director, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse.

About Venture Construction Group of Florida

Founded in 1998, Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is an award-winning leader in construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Specializing in industrial/ commercial projects, VCGFL assists property managers, condominium boards, homeowner associations, association boards, hotels, and business complexes with general contractor services, specialty construction, historical restoration, water and flood mitigation, and property repairs due to fire, flood, water, wind and hurricanes. With offices in Boca Raton, Ft. Myers, Naples, Panama City Beach, Orlando, Stuart, Tampa, San Juan, and Nassau, VCGFL is committed to operational excellence and exceptional customer service. VCGFL takes care of the details every step of the way including roofing, siding, windows, drywall, flooring, paint, gutters to rebuilding properties after major storm events from hurricanes, tornadoes, and hailstorms. VCGFL holds leading industry awards including the Construction Business Owner Award, Coatings Pro Contractor Award, Pro Remodeler Forty Under 40 Award, Qualified Remodeler Top 500 Remodelers Award, Qualified Remodeler Master Design Award, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association S.T.A.R. Spotlight Trophy for the Advancement of Roofing Awards in Sustainability and Community Service. CEO Stephen Shanton is a proud member of the prestigious Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). Entrepreneur Magazine hails YEC Consists of Some of the Most Well-Respected Minds in Entrepreneurship. Shanton is a proud member of the WindStorm Insurance Network and is a WIND Certified Umpire, WIND Certified Appraiser, and WIND Certified Fellow. VCGFL carries the industrys leading accreditations and is an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor, Certified Member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors. VCGFL is a proud member of Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association (IAUA), Restoration Industry Association (RIA), Property Liability and Resource Bureau (PLRB), Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA), Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Industry Members Association (EIMA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). VCGFL is a registered U.S. Federal Government Contractor and holds leading certifications including Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Mule-Hide Legacy Contractor, Certified CertainTeed Contractor, and Duro-Last Certified Contractor status. VCGFL credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third-party Global Risk Management Solutions. For more information, call 866-459-8351 or visit us online at http://www.VCGFL.com.

About Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA)

AVDA has been a safe haven for thousands of victims of domestic abuse. Survivors and children have access to a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, crisis counseling, food, clothing, individual and group counseling services. AVDA promotes violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse. Learn more at http://www.avdaonline.org.

Media Inquiries:

Alicia Orta Stanford

Elev8 Consulting Group

Ph: 386-243-5388

Web: http://www.elev8cg.com
Congratulations, musavision.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Musavision.com scored 97 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 24 Mar 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

musavision.com is very popular in Facebook and Twitter. It is liked by 1108 people on Facebook, it has 340 twitter shares, it has 110 twitter followers and it has 2 google+ shares. Furthermore its facebook page has 902 likes.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the musavision homepage on Twitter + the total number of musavision followers (if musavision has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the musavision homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the musavision homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the musavision homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if musavision has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the musavision homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Musavision.com Pasion por la Television DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS march, de la, 2014 leave, leave, comment, february, video



The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE Spanish Spanish SERVER LiteSpeed (PHP/5.4.24) OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of musavision.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for musavision.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/musavision10 DESCRIPTION Musa Vision LIKES 902 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 40 PAGE TYPE Tv channel TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/Lowiding DESCRIPTION ACCOUNT CREATED ON 20 Dec 2011 LOCATION Puerto Plata R.D. TWEETS 619 FOLLOWERS 110 LISTED 1
JACKSON, MI  Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies has declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID-19. Its the first time in the citys history such an emergency declaration has been made, Jackson spokesman Aaron Dimick said.

The announcement was made the morning of Tuesday, March 17, shortly before Jackson County announced its first positive test for the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

"It is a precautionary measure," Dimick said. "If this is something that spreads through Jackson County over the next couple weeks, this could be a huge drain on our city services."

As mayor, Dobies can unilaterally call a state of emergency, Dimick said. City officials worked with Jackson County Emergency Management officials before making the announcement.

The state of emergency doesnt trigger many tangible changes, but does show the community that the city is dedicating resources to the issue, Dimick said. It also makes it easier for the city to receive state or federal aid to address the situation.

City workers are setting up hand-washing and hand-sanitizing stations around Jackson on Tuesday afternoon as a measure to fight the spread of the virus. The city is renting portable stations from Lester Brothers and setting them up at the following 10 locations:

Blackman Park at CP Federal City Square, 212 W. Michigan Ave. (hand-washing)

Boos Center at the parking lot near Edgewood Street, 210 Gilbert St. (hand-washing)

City Hall front lobby, 161 W. Michigan Ave. (sanitizing stand)

Jackson Interfaith Shelter, 414 S. Blackstone St. (hand-washing)

Kiwanis Park under the pavilion, 1521 Blakely Ave. (sanitizing stand)

New Leaf Park near the walking trail, 2012 Fourth St. (sanitizing stand)

Elnora Moorman Park near the walking trail, East High Street and Milwaukee Street (sanitizing stand)

Reed Manor, 301 Steward Ave. (hand-washing)

Second Missionary Baptist Church fellowship hall, 304 E. Prospect St. (sanitizing stand)

Downtown Jackson bus station, 127 W. Cortland St. (hand-washing)

A hand-sanitizing station has been set up at Jackson City Hall, 161 W. Michigan Ave.

The city also canceled its City Council meeting scheduled for March 17, as well as all other upcoming meetings. Officials are looking into ways to host the meetings remotely so people can watch and still participate in public comment  perhaps by calling in, Dimick said.

Any special meetings will be announced with a few days notice, he said.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has banned gatherings of more than 250 people, ordered all K-12 schools shut down and barred restaurants from offering dine-in service as measures to fight the spread of the disease. Health officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing.

More Michigan coronavirus coverage:

Jackson County confirms first novel coronavirus case

Drive-through coronavirus testing shuts down temporarily in Jackson for restocking

Jackson County courthouse closing until April amid coronavirus pandemic

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Jackson cancels city meetings, closes City Hall to public amid coronavirus concerns

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.
The restaurant industry reeled Monday after Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered them closed to dine-in customers and bar patrons starting Monday evening for an undetermined period.

As part of a coordinated effort with state governments in neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut, Cuomo announced that restaurants would be limited to takeout or delivery only, and that movie theaters, gyms and casinos must close until future notice. It is part of a nationwide effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes. Dine-in service as of Monday was banned in nine states, according to Restaurant Business magazine, and California has shuttered all restaurants, bars and wineries completely.

A number of Capital Restaurants opted to fully close. Some owners privately feared the closures could become permanent, especially for newer, smaller operations. Others aggressively started courting takeout/delivery customers, even those eateries for which to-go orders were not previously a significant part of their business.

"We don't fully know what we're looking at yet," said Ric Orlando, executive chef of New World Bistro Bar in Albany, who spoke on the phone as he was shopping for what he called "thousands of takeout containers" at Restaurant Depot, a Colonie warehouse-style store that requires members be part of the dining industry.

Orlando said New World will be introducing a takeout menu of favorites from its regular menu and rotating daily specials that will be available for pickup at the Delaware Avenue restaurant. Management will keep a small core kitchen staff to handle takeout orders and additional workers for various duties, but most of New World's nearly 50 employees will seek unemployment, Orlando said.

Coronavirus live updates

Here are the latest cancellations and postponements.

For a detailed map, check out The Times Unions Coronavirus Tracker.

To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

With strong promotion of takeout offerings, he projected bringing in about $10,000 a week in gross sales -- a loss of 80 to 85 percent compared to an average March week in years past.

"This is a dark alley we're going down," said Orlando. "We could turn out to do five takeout dinners a night, but it could be 50 or even 150. We just don't know."

After a 65 percent slowdown in business in the past week or more since coronavirus concerns ramped up, Savoy Taproom in Albany, which normally serves up to 300 in-house meals on a busy Friday, already had planned to switch to a takeout-only model this week, co-owner Jason Pierce said. It is working to develop delivery too, he said, to try to keep the restaurant's 22 employees on the payroll, but many likely would have to apply for unemployment, he said.

Hattie's Restaurant in Saratoga Springs will be closed until the ban is lifted, said Beth Alexander, who owns it with her chef-husband, Jasper. Their quick-serve concept, Hattie's Chicken Shack in Wilton, will remain open for takeout and delivery, she said. A group of Saratoga-area restaurateurs were to meet on Monday afternoon, she said, and hoped to come up with joint efforts, including a relief fund for servers and other front-of-house staffers, who will be hit hardest by closures or the reduction to takeout service only.

Other complete closures include The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, McGeary's Pub and The City Beer Hall, all in Albany; Iron Roost cafe and its sibling Two Birds Marketplace, both in Ballston Spa; The Bears' Steakhouse in Duanesburg; and Plumb Oyster Bar in Troy. The Wishing Well in Wilton and The Brook Tavern in Saratoga will have St. Patrick's Day-themed takeout available on Tuesday, said owner Bob Lee, but thereafter will close until the governor's order is lifted. DZ Restaurant's three restaurants, all in downtown Saratoga, are closed: Boca Bistro, Chianti Ristorante and Forno Bistro.

"While the decision to close our restaurants is necessary and socially responsible, ... our group is devastated that in one single swoop we have destroyed the economic viability of so many families that depend and rely on our industry to support themselves and their families," said Nancy Bambara, DZ Restaurants' vice president and chief operating officer.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Matt Baumgartner, who owns three Wolff's Biergarten locations locally and one in Syracuse, said he planned to close all four for the foreseeable future, because takeout previously has been a minimal part of their business. He said he would keep some employees on the payroll, for cleaning, painting and other improvements at each location, but Baumgartner is facing combined losses of more than $125,000 a week in sales. Further, he said, he also owns four other buildings, in Albany and Schenectady, with restaurant tenants that will themselves be closed or facing sharply curtailed business.

"Even if they're having trouble making rent, those mortgages and taxes still have to be paid," Baumgartner said. "The longer this goes, the worse it'll be."

Clark House Hospitality in Troy, which owns three restaurants, a bar and a retail wine shop, all in downtown Troy, is consolidating during the forced closure, said owner Vic Christopher. Its restaurants Pecks Arcade and Lucas Confectionery and The Bradley bar will be closed after Monday night. Its Little Pecks cafe will be open for takeout and delivery daily, with a menu strengthened by additional options from the Pecks Arcade kitchen staff, and Christopher said it will heavily promote wine sales and deliveries from the company's 22 2nd St. Wine Co. as well as wine and beer from the lists at Pecks Arcade and Lucas Confectionery.

Previously, restaurants could sell only beer for takeout or delivery, but Cuomo said a waiver was being issued for the closure period that would allow wine and spirits to be sold. The exact terms of what could be sold for takeout or delivery were still being worked out Monday afternoon, said a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority.

Though Christopher said he was confident Clark House Hospitality would have busy takeout and delivery business and would survive the crisis, going so far as to say "We'll come out of it a better, smarter company," he acknowledged he still was projecting an average of $40,000 a week in lost sales.

Prior to Monday's unprecedented, government-ordered shutdown, the longest Albany had been without a Yono's restaurant because of an unplanned circumstance since its 1986 founding was five days in February in 2015. That year, a flood on the upper floors of the adjoining Hampton Inn & Suites forced the closure of dp: An American Brasserie for less than a week; the formal Yono's dining room came back online two weeks later.

Tuesday is the 14th anniversary of the opening of dp and Yono's at the downtown hotel. Dominick Purnomo, whose parents founded Yono's and who has worked with them for the past 27 years, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday morning, "To say that the last 5 days have been the most emotional, challenging, volatile and uncertain would be an understatement." Between them, the two restaurants serve more than 1,000 meals a week, he said.

Purnomo said later that he is trying to devise workable takeout/delivery options, but for the moment both restaurants are closed.

He wrote, "We cant wait to welcome you back into our restaurants. Until then, be kind. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other."
This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, the coronavirus virus that causes COVID-19 (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Rocky Mountain Laboratories)

A staff member who had flu-like symptoms at a Redondo Beach assisted-living community has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and two residents were hospitalized with fever and respiratory symptoms, the company that runs the facility confirmed Tuesday.

A statement from the Kensington Redondo Beach assisted-living community said the staff member reported symptoms on March 6 and was sent home. The employee has since been hospitalized, placed on paid medical leave and will not return to the community until after they have been cleared by a doctor, the facility said.

The two residents who were hospitalized have not been confirmed with a diagnosis, and the statement said no other residents were showing any symptoms. The supervisor of the employee diagnosed with coronavirus was also displaying flu-like symptoms and has been instructed to self-quarantine and refrain from returning to work for at least 14 days, the statement said.

Administrators are developing a list of all residents and employees who were in contact with the diagnosed employee. Meanwhile, all staff are being tested for fevers upon arrival each day, and the sites where the employee worked are undergoing a deep cleaning, the statement said.

We have asked families not to visit or take residents out into the community, said Robert May, executive director of the Kensington Redondo Beach. We have canceled off-campus doctors appointments for residents unless they are urgent. Our teams are getting creative and setting up virtual ways for residents and family members to connect in lieu of in-person visits. They can arrange for these virtual visits through Facetime or video chats.

Last week, an elderly patient in a northern California assisted-living facility died of the coronavirus, sparking fears of an outbreak among other residents of the facility and renewing concerns about statewide availability of testing kits to detect the virus.




An amorous Florida couple did not let a deadly pandemic stand in the way of a romantic encounter al fresco-style.

According to police, Ann Marie Tucker, 45, and Albert Singletary, 37, were caught having sex outside St Anthony's Hospital in St Petersburg earlier this month.

Arrest affidavits allege that both the man and the woman had their sexual organs on full display as they were enjoying an outdoor tryst near a 'No Trespassing' sign across the street from the hospital in full view of passersby.

Love amid outbreak: Ann Marie Tucker, 45 (left), and Albert Singletary, 37 (right), were arrested earlier this month in St Peresburg, Florida, on charges of trespassing and exposure of sexual organs for allegedly having sex outside

The charging documents obtained by The Smoking Gun state that Singletary's penis, testicles and buttocks were exposed, as was Tucker's vagina.

The lovelorn duo were taken to the Pinellas County jail on the night of March 2, where Tucker was photographed for her mugshot with a surgical mask pulled down under her chin amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 173 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Florida and six deaths. Nationwide, the number of cases hit 5,983, with 100 deaths.

Tucker has a lengthy criminal record dating back to the early 1990s, which includes multiple counts of prostitution and cocaine possession. Singletary's rap sheet includes trespassing and alcohol-related charges

Both Tucker and Singletary were charged with misdemeanor trespassing and exposure of sexual organs.

The woman has since pleaded guilty to both counts and was released on March 10 with time served.

Singletary was still being held in jail on $300 bond as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arrest records indicate that Tucker has a lengthy criminal record dating back to the early 1990s, which includes multiple counts of prostitution, possession of crack cocaine, cocaine, and other drugs, petty theft and shoplifting.

Singletary, who is listed as a transient, also has a vast rap sheet going back a decade, which includes trespassing charges and violations related to alcohol consumption in public.
Active Wound Care Market:

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Executive Summary

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Complete segmentation of the Active Wound Care market has been provided in the report taking all the associated factors into account. It segments the market in terms of demand, geographical domain, competition level, etc. The prime reason behind the segmentation is to provide the detailed dig of the market for greater business decision making. It analyses the market geographically for key destinations like North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Middle East.

Research Methodology

The report has been prepared after thorough market research being conducted. It has been prepared as per the Porters Five Force Model. In terms of timeline, the market takes the period between 2020-2026 into account for assessment. Apart from this, a comprehensive SWOT analysis has been provided for swift business decision making.

Market Key Players

Smith and Nephew

Integra Life Sciences

Mlnlycke Healthcare

Baxter

Medtronic

Convatec

Coloplast

Organogenesis

Kinetic Concepts (Acelity)

Medline

Table of Contents

1 Report Overview

2 Global Growth Trends by Regions

3 Competition Landscape by Key Players

4 Breakdown Data by Type (2015-2026)

5 Active Wound Care Breakdown Data by Application (2015-2026)

6 North America

7 Europe

8 China

9 Japan

10 Southeast Asia

11 India

12 Central & South America

13 Key Players Profiles

14 Analysts Viewpoints/Conclusions

15 Appendix

Continuous

For further information on this report, visit  https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/5047593-global-active-wound-care-market-size-status-and-forecast-2020-2026

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Both Biden and Sanders Said They Would Appoint Women Running Mates. Choose Your Fighter, Boys.

And then there were two. After Elizabeth Warren dropped out just two short weeks ago, Americans are officially left to decide between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden for the Democratic nominee who will take on Trump in November. Although, it's unclear if Tulsi Gabbard is still technically in the race, lurking in the shadows somewhere. Either wayits really between Bernie and Joe now, and last night they took to the debate stage to discuss their policies. While the two dems fall on opposite sides of the spectrum, and there's not a lot they agree upon other than the fact that the current President in the White House has got to go, they agreed on one other thing Sunday night. They both seemed to promise that they would pick a woman running mate if they become the nominee.

If I am elected president, Biden stated. My cabinet, my administration will look like the country. And I commit that I will in fact appoint a woman to be Vice President. There are a number of women who would be qualified to be President tomorrow, I will pick a woman to be my Vice President. Sen. Sanders hinted that he would take similar action, citing that he would like to appoint a progressive women lawmaker as his VP. While some may argue that the two men candidates are simply pandering, it would be incredible to see a woman VP and, better yet, a balanced cabinet. Now, it is not a matter of if either candidate will pick a woman VP, but who. So boys, its time to choose your fighter.

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1. Elizabeth Warren

In the wise words of Avril Lavigne, can I make it any more obvious? Any avid Warren supporter would love to see her as the Vice President of the United States. But this isnt exactly an obvious choice for Sanders, Biden, or even her. After Warren dropped out, she neglected to endorse a candidate. While most believed she would endorse Sanders at some point, considering that they are both porgressive Senators with similar viewpoints, she has yet to do so and most likely will not. Many of her supporters made their own decisions on who they would support next. While most quickly jumped over to team Bernie, a good few slid over to Bidens end. Therefore, couldnt she be a VP candidate for either nominee?

The fact of the matter is, a lot more goes into picking a VP than just that persons popularity amongst the masses. Oftentimes, candidates will pick legislators from a different area of the country as a means to increase representation and therefore support. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders both represent New England. Biden is also from the East Coast, hailing from Delaware. This is not a hard and fast rule, but this, mixed with the fact that Warren has not endorsed either candidate, reduces the chances that she might get picked to be VP.

But wait! This isnt necessarily a bad thing! Some are prophisizing that Warren may be appointed Senate Majority Leader or a cabinet advisor. Elizabeth Warren is probably the sharpest mind in the party, Patrick Stevens of Minnesota stated in a New York Times article on the subject. I certainly hope whichever of these two candidates wins picks her to be in their cabinet as a close adviser. We need her working for us. If Warren is picked for one of these roles, she could be a voice for progressives, women, working families and the dozens of other groups she stood up for as a presidential candidate.





2. Kamala Harris

It was a sad day when Kamala Harris dropped out of the race so early on. It meant the loss of a woman of color and therefore representation for millions of Americans. Luckily for her supporters, however, she certainly would be a contender for the VP position. Many Biden supporters have cited a Biden/Harris ticket as the ultimate dream. For a while there, #BidenHarris2020 was even trending on Twitter. Harris made this dream for some seem like even more of a possible reality when she endorsed the former Vice President just a few weeks ago.

Harris represents California, and her policies and viewpoints also fall more-so on the moderate end of the scale, like Biden. Because of this, she would be an ideal candidate to appoint as his running mate. This is not to say that if Bernie were to run, he could pick her too. Maybe having a moderate on his ticket might sway less liberal voters. But if youre asking me, who is by no means an expert, I think it's very likely that Sen. Harris will be Bidens choice.

Many of her policies, specifically her tough on crime era, have made the average liberal weary, and rightfully so. But Harris has a lot of more progressive viewpoints as well, and would be a great VP to have. And who could forget that times she dragged Brett Kavanaugh, Attorney General William Barr, and a number of other assholes across Capitol Hill with her iconic questioning skills? Thats enough to get me just a little excited.





3. Amy Klobuchar

I will admit, I dont know much about Amy Klobuchar other than the fact that Rachel Dratchs impression of her on Saturday Night Live sent me. However, she does appear to be a top contender for the VP position, specifically if Biden were to win the nomination. Klobuchar represents Minnesota and therefore, the midwest, where two of the four curcial swiing states needed in order to beat Trump in November reside. On top of this, she also falls of the moderate scale and believes in similar ideas that Biden does.

The possibility of Klobuchar becoming an option for VP was only made stronger when she endorsed him around the same time that Harris,Yang, and a number of other former candidates did. When she did this, many believed that it swayed a lot of Minnesota voters, giving insight into why Biden got such a sweeping victory in that states primaries. While Klobuchar might not get a ton of feminists excited, and her stance on gun control is questionable to say the least, she and Elizabeth Warren werent wrong when they boasted that she has won every election that she has ever been a part of.





4. Tammy Baldwin

This Wisconsin lawmaker made history back in 2012 when she became the first woman to ever be elected to the Senate from Wisconsin and the first openly gay person to be elected to the Senate in United States history. A progressive who vehemently opposed the Iraq war and supports Medicare for all, she seems like an ideal option if Bernie Sanders is to win the nomination. Because she is more pogressive, however, many think she could be the perfect running mate to balance out Biden as well.

The fact that Baldwin represents Wisconsin is also key,as this is yet another one of the swing states needed to beat Donald Trump. While Baldwin might not be the first person many think of, she would be a wonderful Vice President. Not to mention, she would be the first LGBTQ+ VP in American history.





5. Kristin Gillibrand

Former Presidential candidate, Kristin Gillibrand, is another woman to keep an eye on as a possible Vice President option. A Senator for New York State, Gillibran took over Hillary Clintons seat when she became secretary of state back in 2009.

One of the most pogressive Senators out there, Gillibrand would be a great VP option to serve alongside Sanders, or another possible candidate to balance out Bidens moderate ticket. She led the effort to repeal Dont Ask Dont Tell, and helped to ensure that all first responders from the 9/11 attacks receive permanent healthcare. Clearly--she cares a lot for the American people. The only thing that might make Gillibrand a weaker contender than some of the other women on the list is that she does represent NY, an already blue state in an already blue region. Whoever becomes the nominee will want to ensure that they attain most of if not all of the swing states, meaning it would be in their better interest to stay away from running mates from the North.





6. Gretchen Whitmer

Heres another option from the midwest, which as Im making this list, seems more and more important when thinking about who could be a good option for VP. Michigan is, you guessed it, another swing state. Whitmer currently serves as the Governor, winning back Michigan as a blue state back in 2018 with a whopping 53 percent of the vote. Back when she was running, both Biden and Sanders endorsed her, which means she would be a great option for either candidate. Just before the Michigan primary, Whitmer endorsed Biden, which was crucial in his victory in that state.

A setback for her could be that she has only served as Governor for about 15 months. For Sanders and Biden, they might choose to pick a more seasoned politician as their running mate, but who knows! But with everything going on COVID-19 wise, Gov. Whitmer may need to put all of her focus into her own state, and not the whole country for the time being.





7. Tammy Duckworth

Representing Illinois, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth is also a former Army Lieutenant who served in the Iraq war between 1992 and 2014, when she unfortunately lost portions of both of her legs. While the lawmaker has served on a number of committees, she is primarily an expert on defense issues and veteran affairs. For this reason, she could be the single best potential candidates for swaying people who might otherwise think about voting for Trump. If she were on the ticket, whoever the candidate is would likely get the support of veterans, Dems who strongly support the U.S. Army, and a good deal of Republicans.

Sen. Duckworth would also offer much needed representation for the Asian American population. Not to mention, she became the first Senator ever to give birth while in office. Lets hear it for bad-ass mamas!





8. Catherine Cortez Masto

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez of Nevada is another one to look out for. Wait a second, is Nevada a swing state too? Well, not exactly. In fact, Nevada is becoming increasingly Democratic. Hillary Clinton even won that state in 2016. But if Biden or Sanders want to get support from the mountain states, which have a potential to turn blue, a lawmaker like Masto could be a smart choice. Sen. Masto also made history as the first Latina elected to the senate. "It's not just about making history. Don't you think it is about time that we had diversity in the U.S. Senate? She said. Don't you think it's about time that our government mirrors the people we serve every day?

This would make Masto a great option. The only thing that could get in the way is the fact that she is fairly new, something Sanders and Biden might try to stay away from.





9. Stacey Abrams

And last but not least, Stacey Abrams. If youre not already a fan of the voting rights activist, you might still recognize her name from the 2018 elections. Abhrams very nearly became the first black woman Governor in history when she ran in her home state of Georgia. Although she is not in the House or the Senate, Abrams is the type of politician that gives people hope. She garnered countless supporters not only in Georgia when she ran for Governor, but around the country. Many have pegged her for the ideal VP candidate if either Biden or Sanders were to be the nominee.

If chosen, Abrams would offer representation for the women, black Americans, and numerous other groups. Not to mention, her hailing from Georgia means she would not only offer a voice for the South, but could sway voters in that portion of the country. As far as her views go, she is every liberals dream. She perfectly ecapsulates Sander's "Not Me, Us" stange on creating a better America for those who's voices do not often get to be heard.

All in all, the most important thing in this upcoming election is getting women, people of color, and young people to turn out in record numbers and vote. Additionally, winning at least three of the swing states, Michigan, Wisconson, Pennsylvania and Florida, is crucial in beating Trump. With these nine women, there is no obvious choice. While it's important to get someone who may aid in winning the swing states, its also crucial not to alienate young people, women and POC and stopping them from voting. Whatever happens, at least we'll know that with one of these ladies, Sanders's and Biden's campaigns will get stronger.

Image via USA Today on YouTube

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Aliza is a Creative Writing BFA student and former BUST Magazine intern! When she's not writing, reading or scrolling through TikTok for hours on end, you can find her consuming copious amounts of iced coffee or doing something witchy. Follow her on Twitter @alizapelto.
Reliance Jio has opposed the suggestion of BSNL and MTNL to exempt telecom operators having less than 15 per cent market share from minimum rates for phone calls and data services.

The telecom major has also said till the time mobile call termination charges are applicable in the sector, there should be restriction in offering free outgoing calls on competitor's network.

"We also oppose the BSNL/MTNL suggestion on exemption from floor when the market share based on VLR subscriber is less than 15 per cent, as the same is totally untenable, (and) would in fact promote inefficiencies and the intended objectives would not be met if the revised tariff regime is not implemented uniformly across all operators," Jio said in its comments to Trai on fixing floor prices.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is holding consultations with interested parties over fixing a minimum price for call and data services following demand from the industry.

Both the public sector telecom companies have suggested that telecom companies with less than 15 per cent market share should be exempted from charging minimum fixed price for call and data services.

According to Trai data for December 2019, BSNL has 10.26 per cent and MTNL 0.29 per cent market share in mobile services, while Jio leads the market with 32.14 per cent market share.

At present, telecom companies are free to decide on call and data rates but due to stiff competition, they have sought regulatory intervention.

Mobile subscribers get access to 4G data at a price as low as Rs 3.5 per GB but if the floor price is fixed as demanded by telecom operators, mobile internet prices will rise 5-10 times from the current level.

Debt-ridden Vodafone Idea has proposed that the minimum price of data should be fixed at Rs 35 per GB, Bharti Airtel has proposed minimum price of Rs 30 per GB for low data users and Reliance Jio wants it to be hiked gradually to Rs 20 per GB.

Vodafone Idea (VIL) in its counter comments reiterated the need for fixing floor price for telecom services.

It said that Trai should choose between "short term tariff correction that are presently below costs and a long term monopoly".

According to VIL's submission, it will take three years for the company to restore its revenue levels after minimum tariff regime is introduced.

"Trai may also consider what it would be like to have a virtual monopoly and what will be the fall-out on the consumers including connectivity, prices, security, innovation, impact on Government exchequer and unduly high dependency on one or two players for this critical sector which is in nature of an essential service and of critical importance to India's security," VIL said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 17, 2020

2020/03/17

According to the latest figures from the NHC this morning, March 16 saw 930 patients cured and discharged from hospital in China's mainland, bringing the tally to 68,679.

On the afternoon of March 18, Chinese experts and officials from health and customs departments will share information and experience on COVID-19 in a video conference with officials and healthcare specialists from the Africa CDC and over 20 African countries. More updates will be released soon.

Africa is experiencing an increasingly severe situation as there are COVID-19 cases confirmed in many African countries. A number of them have requested assistance from China and expressed readiness to learn from China's experience. China and Africa are good friends, partners and brothers. We have long been supporting and helping each other. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in China, African countries and regional organizations have been voicing and providing support for us through various means. Many African governments, companies and civil organizations donated cash and material supplies to China, which fully demonstrates our brotherly friendship in times of adversity.

Now the situation is getting better in China. While continuing our fight against the disease at home, China will support and help African countries and regional organizations to the best of our ability. We have delivered a batch of testing reagents for African countries via the Africa CDC and emergency supplies to countries affected. Our medical teams are also assisting them in fighting the epidemics on the continent. Chinese companies and civil organizations also provided urgently needed supplies to African countries.

In the next phase, we will continue offering as much help as possible based on African countries' needs. Working with the African side, we will continue implementing our goals in the health sector under the FOCAC framework, improving the capacity of Africa CDC, and enhancing African countries' capabilities to mitigate and contain the disease.

Q: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on March 16 that the White House is preparing an executive order to help shift medical supply chains from China and elsewhere overseas to the United States, which aims at reducing US reliance on foreign drugs. What's your comment?

A: In an era of globalization, the interests of all countries are closely intertwined. The formation and development of global industrial and supply chains are determined by market forces and companies' choices. As such, it is unrealistic and insensible to try to sever them or even trumpet "shifting" or "decoupling" theories.

Such an attempt is by no means the right prescription amid the pandemic, still less a viable way out for domestic problems the US faces. It will only cause greater damage to the innocent American people.

As the world's largest producer of protective suits and medical masks, China is an essential part in the global industrial and supply chains of medical materials. The situation in China is improving, with socio-economic performance coming back at a faster pace and production capacity of medical materials rapidly improving. This provides guarantee for the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, as well as support for the fight against the pandemic across the world.

We will never forget the sincere assistance and support we received from the international community during the most difficult period. At present, with the pandemic spreading all over the world, countries are facing a shortage of medical supplies for epidemic prevention and control, and hoping to receive aid or purchase materials from China. While making all-out efforts to combat the disease at home, China has provided and is providing much-needed medical supplies to dozens of countries and regional organizations including Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Iran, the ROK, Japan, Italy and the African Union. We also encourage and support Chinese manufacturers of medical facilities, medicine and protective gear in increasing production to meet the needs of foreign commercial procurement while ensuring domestic supply, which is another contribution to the global fight against the pandemic.

I want to stress once again that at this moment when concerted efforts are needed more than ever, no country can face the pandemic alone. Only by joining hands to overcome difficulties can we rise above the disease at an early date.

Q: Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said in a televised speech on March 15 that his country could only seek China's help as the EU has placed a ban on exports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment to non-EU states. Serbia has asked China for help. Will China provide aid to Serbia?

A: As comprehensive strategic partners, China and Serbia share unbreakable iron-clad friendship. Supporting each other in times of adversity has always been the defining feature of China-Serbia relations. We will never forget the staunch support the Serbian government and people lent to us in our all-out fight against COVID-19. Now as the Serbian people are also facing the challenge of the pandemic, we will stand firm and fight side by side with them. We will provide protective suits, masks, ventilators and other supplies and send a team of medical experts there to share our experience and practice in diagnosis and treatment.

China and Serbia are good brothers, partners, friends and comrades. Virus respects no borders but brings out the best in human nature. Facing difficulties brought by the pandemic, the mutual support and assistance between China and Serbia is precisely an embodiment of a China-Serbia community with a shared future. China stands ready to work with Serbia and the larger international community to defeat COVID-19 and protect regional and global public health security.

Q: Yesterday in his tweet US President Trump called the coronavirus "Chinese Virus". I wonder if you have any comment?

A: Some US political figures have recently been connecting the coronavirus with China. We express strong indignation and objection to such stigmatization.

The World Health Organization and the international community oppose intentional linkage of the virus and specific countries or regions, which is a form of stigmatization. We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads and worsens all over the world, the urgent task for the international community is to respond with aggressive and concerted efforts. The US should get its domestic issues handled first, and make constructive efforts in international cooperation to safeguard global public health security.

Q: In a dipnote on the US State Department website, Assistant Secretary Christopher Ford wrote that China's "military-civil fusion" has diverted cutting-edge technologies it acquired through civil, commercial and academic channels to military purposes, which brings a national security challenge and a threat to global security. He asked US private companies and academic institutions to raise awareness against such risks, and called on all countries to build "the coalitions of caution". What is your comment on his words?

A: China notes these comments made by the US official. We strongly deplore and firmly oppose the repeated hyping and slandering against China's military-civilian integration policy.

It is a customary international practice to promote integrated development of military and civilian sectors. The US is no exception. As I know, the US Defense Department and military conduct various cooperation projects with American universities, R&D institutions and private companies. Some American multinational companies are the "military-civil fusion" per se, as their business operations and products cover both ends.

China's military-civilian integration policy is aimed at effectively mobilizing military resources, coordinating economic and social development with national defense development, and benefiting the public with scientific and technological progress. This policy is aboveboard. There is no such a thing as "theft" or "diversion" of foreign technology. Some US officials distorted China's military-civilian integration policy in malicious disregard for facts and seek to place a technological embargo on China under this pretext, thus disrupting and impeding normal economic, trade and technological cooperation between China and other countries. This practice, born out of Cold-War mentality, contravenes the spirit of international cooperation and the trend of the times. It undermines the interests of China, the US and the common interests of all.

As for the US claim that China poses a threat to global security, I'd like to point out that according to a Pew Research Center survey in February last year, 45 percent of the surveyed believe the US poses a grave threat to the world. Recently some US media, experts and scholars stated the idea that the country posing the biggest geopolitical threat to the US is precisely the US itself.

China urges the US to adopt a responsible attitude, stop its malicious accusations and slanders against China, take an objective view on China's military-civilian integration policy, and make more efforts to promote instead of undermining China-US relations and international cooperation.

Q: In their teleconference yesterday, the G7 leaders proposed collective efforts on combating COVID-19. As China is not part of the group, does China hope to participate in their efforts?

A: Not long ago, WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic, a challenge faced by all human beings. In an open, transparent and responsible spirit, China will continue sharing know-how and working with the international community in fighting COVID-19.

Days ago I stated China's five major approaches in international response, which I won't repeat here. Faced with the pandemic, we believe the international community should stay united and work in concert for an early victory against the disease and the recovery of the world economy as soon as possible.
Amid rising cases of novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the government would be forced to take the 'harsh decision' to stop bus and train services in Mumbai if people don't avoid unnecessary travel

Mumbai: Amid rising cases of novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the government would be forced to take the "harsh decision" to stop bus and train services in Mumbai if people don't avoid unnecessary travel.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Thackeray also appealed people to avoid unnecessary travel and gathering. He said there would be no holiday for seven days to government offices as was reported in a section of media.

Thackeray said the administration was working on allowing functioning of government offices with 50 percent strength.

As of Tuesday, there are 40 persons in Maharashtra who have tested coronavirus positive, he said. A Covid-19 patient has died, he added.

The condition of 39 coronavirus positive patients is stable, while one is critical, he said. These patients include 26 men and 14 women, Thackeray said.
The Ghana Health Service has revealed that two people who were self-isolating because they came into contact with one of the confirmed Coronavirus patients have tested negative.

The two, who are among 350 people identified during the contact-tracing process, were tested after showing signs of the disease.

Updating the country after the confirmation of the seventh case of COVID-19, GHS said the blood samples of the two contacts were tested and proved that they did not have the virus.

According to the Service, the other contacts are being followed up and monitored daily, adding that all infected persons have been isolated and are in good condition.

With regard to contact tracing, a total of 350 contacts have been identified and are being followed up. Two of the contacts who developed symptoms, had their samples tested but they came out to be negative.Currently, there is no death and all the seven (7) confirmed COVID-19 cases are being managed in isolation and are in stable condition, the Ghana Health Service said.

Ghana confirmed one new case of Coronavirus on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

The case was reported in the Greater Accra Region and now brings to 7, the total number of confirmed cases in the country.

Governments website dedicated to giving updates on the coronavirus outbreak in the country explained that the most recent case involved a 35-year old male Ghanaian who returned from France within the past 14 days.

This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received a report from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region. The case-patient is a 35-year-old male, a Ghanaian citizen, who returned to Acca from France within the past 14 days. This is another imported case, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to seven (7). The case is being managed in isolation and he is in stable condition.

350 contacts traced so far

Government has so far traced 350 people who came into contact with the first six patients who tested positive for Coronavirus.

The contact-tracing process is still ongoing to identify more contacts who will be required to self-isolate and be monitored daily for symptoms of the virus.

According to the Ministry of Health, it is following up on the contacts as part of efforts to stop the spread of the virus in the country.

Persons contacted are encouraged to self-isolate and continuously monitor symptoms before tests are conducted.

---citinewsroom
Like many sectors, the coronavirus outbreak is also set to cause major disruption in the real estate sector as there could be a delay in the launch of the proposed Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits) planned over the next one year, sources told Moneycontrol.

Companies such as K Raheja Corp, Blackstone Group, Prestige Estates and Brookfield Asset Management were planning to launch REITs over the next one year. Mindspace Business Park REIT had filed its draft prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on December 31, 2019. This was set to be India's second REIT issue.

Embassy Office Parks REIT, where Blackstone is a shareholder, listed its units in April 2019, after an IPO where it raised Rs 4,750 crore. Blackstone owns around 15 percent in various special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that are part of the Mindspace REIT.

Launch of REITs had hit a roadblock after the Budget 2020 announcement in which the FM proposed to remove dividend distribution tax (DDT) at the company level while individual investors told to pay taxes on dividends received as per their respective tax rates.

Track this blog for live updates on coronavirus outbreak

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

"REITs depend on the performance of underlying assets, which in this case is primarily commercial real estate. If Covid 19 situation were to get prolonged, that is, extend to months instead of a few weeks, its impact may be felt on this asset class. If commercial leases are hit, weakening the rental outlook in the process, or if companies start postponing fresh commitments, there may also be an impact on proposed REIT launches," said Arvind Nandan, Managing Director- Research and Consulting, Savills India.

Anckur Srivasttava of GenReal Advisers said that investors will adopt a cautious approach considering the current circumstances.

"All new floatations, including REITs, will get affected by the recent market turmoil and currency volatility. Most foreign institutional investors are taking a wait and watch approach. But they are all keeping an eye on the India story, as it evolves. Unfortunately, hard to predict markets. More so, when it is a force-majeure situation. Everybody's waiting on the sidelines for now. Except for the deals that have been committed and are under due diligence, new transactions will get stalled," he said.

As is the case with any IPO, where a simple rule of not launching in an uncertain time holds, in this case too, the same dynamics will play out, he said.

"We do not know how long COVID-19 will last, will it be there for a few weeks or a few months, will it be a two-quarter blip or longer, only time will tell. But in this case the regulatory issue should also be resolved, he added.

REITs are listed entities that invest in income-generating properties and distribute at least 90 percent of their income proceeds to unit-holders through dividends. After registration with SEBI, units of REITs will have to be mandatorily listed on exchanges and traded like securities.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had notified REIT's regulations in 2014, allowing setting up and listing of such trusts, which are popular in some advanced markets.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The World Health Organization's regional chief for Europe on Tuesday called for the "boldest actions" to fight the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the continent.

COVID-19 has infected more than 71,000 people and killed over 3,330 across Europe, the majority in hard-hit Italy, Spain and France.

Several countries have imposed stringent travel and movement restrictions and closed bars, restaurants and non-essential shops to slow the spread of the virus.

On Tuesday, WHO's regional office said European nations need to take drastic measures to fight the pandemic.

"Every country, with no exceptions, needs to take their boldest actions to stop or slow down the virus threat," Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said.

"Thinking that 'this does not concern me,' is not an option," Kluge said.

But speaking to AFP later he said even "draconian measures may not stop, but slow down" the virustempering any expectations the illness can be wiped out altogether.

He said the "good news" was that the region was "alert and on guard," noting that "preparedness, readiness and response measures" had been launched in member states.

He urged countries to assess their own circumstances in order to determine which measures should be emphasised since the outbreak is progressing at a different pace in different countries.

But he said some measures should be universally considered.

"Every country should isolate the sick and quarantine their contacts and consider social distancing," Kluge said.

WHO Europe is comprised of 53 countries covering a broad geographic, cultural and economic footprint, from Russia and Andorra to Germany and Tajikistan.

EU leaders on Tuesday held a videoconference summit to discuss a ban on non-essential travel to the bloc.

Some countries have already sealed borders within the bloc, though the EU has discouraged a blanket move to restrict travel in the Schengen passport-free zone.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
IndusInd Bank Ltd shares climbed as much as 6.5% in intra-day trade on Tuesday after a media report said that the promoter Hinduja Group has asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for permission to raise its stake in the private lender.

IndusInd Bank shares touched a high of Rs 707.45 in the morning session, but later pared gains to trade at Rs 668.80, up 0.7% from their previous close, at 11:42 am on BSE. The stock has fallen over 43% in the last one month compared with a 23% fall in the benchmark Sensex.

IndusInd Bank, founded by Hinduja brothers, is seeking relaxation in rules to raise promoter stake in the lender from the mandated 15% to 26%, similar to the relief granted to Uday Kotak recently in the case of Kotak Mahindra Bank, according to a report in Economic Times.

According to RBIs bank licensing rules, a private banks promoter needs to pare its holding to 40% within three years, 20% within 10 years and to 15% within 15 years of getting the banking licence. IndusInd got its banking licence in 1994.

RBI recently allowed Uday Kotak, promoter of Kotak Mahindra Bank, to hold a 26% stake as long as the bank didnt raise capital from a share sale to outsiders or on a rights basis. However, Kotaks voting rights were restricted to 15% of the capital starting April 2020.

We have just recently written to the RBI to increase shareholding from 15% to 26%, the report quoted Ashok Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group of Companies (India), as saying. When I saw that Kotak Mahindra Bank has got a dispensation, we also thought of writing to them. Why not give us that dispensation as well? Lets see how they respond.

IndusInd Bank shares have been under pressure of late following concerns about the banks health after the Yes Bank debacle. CEO Romesh Sobti had recently written to investors that rumours about the health of the bank were unfounded and that IndusInd remains focussed on building scale with profitability, on a platform of strong capitalisation/liquidity and high credit ratings.
Check back for updates as polls close in three states amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Vice President Joe Biden swept all three states voting Tuesday in a series of primaries that were heavily influenced by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

His last win of the night came in Arizona, where the Associated Press projected a victory through voter surveys.

Biden secured early projected wins in Florida and Illinois, where he was long heavily favored to win, and he captured the state of Arizona shortly after polls there closed at 10 p.m. EDT. In all, more than 440 delegates were up for grabs in the latest round of voting, and Bidens projected victories handed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders a formidable challenge to catch up.

It was the first series of primaries to take place amid the national state of emergency President Donald Trump declared over the coronavirus pandemic, a circumstance that had the potential to upend the candidates messages as well as the technical process of running a primary election.

The Democratic primary schedule has a bit of a lull for the next month.

Puerto Rico holds a primary March 29. April 4 primaries include Hawaii with 24 delegates, Alaska with 15 and Wyomings caucuses with 14. Wisconsin has a primary April 7.

And then on April 28, five states will make their choices, including New York with 274 delegates and Pennsylvania with 186 delegates.

Ohioans were set to cast their ballots on Tuesday but state officials there announced they would postpone the election until sometime after the outbreak had passed.

This pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives, and every aspect of this campaign, Biden said in a video streamed from his home in Delaware, where he eschewed the traditional rally to deliver his election night remarks. Its at moments like these that we realize we need to put politics aside and work together as Americans.

Both candidates avoided attacks on each other, or even discussing the latest contours of the race.

Story continues

In this moment of crisis it is imperative that we stand together, Sanders said in his own video message. This is a moment that weve got to be working together.

Heading into the election, Biden had a better than 153-delegate lead over Sanders.

Trump, who never faced a significant challenge, also swept the primaries Tuesday and exceeded the 1,276 delegates needed to become the GOPs presumptive nominee.

- John Fritze

Biden hopes to complete Tuesday sweep with uncertain Arizona

As Arizonas polls closed Tuesday with uncertain results, former Vice President Joe Biden looked to add to his Democratic primary wins in Florida and Illinois against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to Associated Press projections from voter surveys.

Bidens victories came on the same night President Donald Trump locked up the Republican nomination for his re-election.

Biden said from his home in Wilmington, Del., that the victories demonstrated a broad coalition to beat Trump, including blacks, Hispanics, suburban women and veterans. He commended Sanders supporters and said they share a vision for affordable health care, a need to reduce income inequality and to fight climate change.

Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision, Biden said. Sen. Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues.

Florida offered the biggest prize for Biden, with 219 pledged delegates. At stake in Illinois were 155 delegates and in Arizona were 67 delegates.

Ohio, with 136 delegates, postponed its vote because of concerns about coronavirus.

The virus declared a worldwide pandemic wreaked havoc with the primaries in all three states, according to voting advocates. Poll workers failed to show up to work. Election officials closed polling places for lack of staff and to move them away from residential facilities for the elderly. And workers lacked wipes and hand sanitizer to reduce the spread of disease.

This pandemic has impacted every aspect of our life, and every aspect of this campaign, Biden said. Tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war.

But the victories built on Bidens lead toward meeting the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. Biden had at least 1,121 delegates, compared to 839 for Sanders, according to an AP tabulation.

Political experts say the remaining states offer little chance for Sanders to make large enough strides to overtake Biden. For example, the Florida win continued Bidens successful march across the south, after South Carolina revived his campaign Feb. 29. He swept southern states on March 3 Super Tuesday. Still ahead are Georgia May 19 and Louisiana on June 20.

The Democratic primary schedule has a bit of a lull for the next month.

Puerto Rico holds a primary March 29. April 4 primaries include Hawaii with 24 delegates, Alaska with 15 and Wyomings caucuses with 14. Wisconsin has a primary April 7.

And then on April 28, five states will make their choices, including New York with 274 delegates and Pennsylvania with 186 delegates.

- Bart Jansen

Trump reaches delegates to become the presumptive Republican nominee

By winning the Florida and Illinois Republican primaries Tuesday night, President Donald Trump became the presumptive Republican party presidential nominee.

He exceeded the 1,276 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

The Republican Party is more unified and energized than ever before and its because of President Trumps leadership and clear record of accomplishment on behalf of all Americans, Brad Parscale, Trumps 2020 campaign manager said in a statement.

Trump easily won every state that held a contest in the Republican primary.

--Savannah Behrmann

Biden projected to win Illinois primary

Former Vice President Joe Biden has beaten Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Illinois Democratic primary, according to Associated Press projections from voter surveys.

The projected outcome, though not unexpected, will further cement Bidens place as the clear frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination. The former vice president started his day Tuesday with a more than 153-delegate lead over Sanders.

Voting in Illinois was set to wrap up at 8 p.m. EDT but was extended by an hour in dozens of Cook County precincts.

Polling this month had put Biden ahead in Illinois with a large double-digit margin, and so the outcome in the Prairie State had long been forecast. On the other hand, coronavirus fears and early reports of low turnout in the state had raised questions about the predictive value of recent polling.

There are 155 delegates at stake in Illinois, the second-largest delegate haul of the three states in play on Tuesday.

Voters in Florida and Arizona were also picking a Democratic candidate Tuesday in the first series of primary elections since the coronavirus has been thrust to the forefront of American consciousness. Biden posted a tweet Tuesday encouraging voters to cast a ballot curbside or by mail, if possible.

- John Fritze

Biden is projected to win Florida

Former Vice President Joe Biden has beaten Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in Floridas Democratic primary, the biggest prize among Tuesdays primaries with 219 pledged delegates, according to Associated Press projections from voter surveys.

The victory continues Bidens sweep of southern states in the quest to challenge President Donald Trump in November.

Illinois was also voting with 155 delegates and Arizona had 67 delegates at stake. Ohio, with 136 delegates, postponed its vote because of concerns about coronavirus.

Bidens win came as no surprise, after leading an average of statewide polling through Tuesday with 64% to 25% for Sanders, according to the tracking site FiveThirtyEight.com.

One key distinction between the candidates in Florida, which is home to about 1.5 million Cuban Americans, was over U.S. policy toward the island nation.

Sanders, a Democratic socialist, has praised the literacy programs of Fidel Castro, the late dictator whose control over Cuba led to an estrangement from the U.S. for 50 years. But Biden criticized Sanders for supposing communists in Cuba and other authoritarian regimes.

- Bart Jansen

Chicago Board of Elections to go to court to extend voting by one hour in five precincts

The Chicago Board of Elections is fighting to extend voting in five precincts by an hour Tuesday night amid low turnout due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Reports of numerous polling places without necessary equipment or poll workers popped up during the day, as election officials blamed the states governor not postponing the primary in light of the outbreak.

Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election, told reporters the board asked the state last week to either delay the primary or move to a mail-in only race, multiple media outlets reported. The governor's office has disputed this "as a lie."

The board is going to court to extend voting time by one hour for 5 pct's: Pct 19 Ward 15; Pct 43 Ward 21; Pct 45 Ward 34; Pct 13 Ward 43; Pct 37 Ward 46. These precincts will be open until 8 pm pending court order. All remaining precincts close at 7pm.  ChicagoElection (@ChicagoElection) March 17, 2020

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, those five precincts will be open until 8 pm pending court order. All remaining precincts close at 7 pm.

Across the state of Illinois, and the country, efforts to contain the virus has escalated with thousands of schools temporarily closing, and restaurants shuttering to only provide take out or delivery services. Trump on Monday issued guidelines that called for Americans to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people.

The 2020 Democratic primary broke the citys record for early voting in a primary, with more than 145,000 people going to the polls early, according to the Chicago Tribune. But, election Day voter turnout in Chicago remained dismal through the night, with the voter turnout at just over 267,000 people of 6 pm.

Voter turnout as of 6pm pic.twitter.com/R0OBaQBr8r  ChicagoElection (@ChicagoElection) March 17, 2020

The Chicago Board of Elections tweeted earlier: This primary is happening in extraordinary times that we have never seen before. We admire the strength of all Chicagoans that are helping ensure our democracy continues today.

- Savannah Behrmann

Ohio Dems file suit to extend election

The Ohio Democratic Party sued election officials on Tuesday over their unusual decision to cancel in-person voting in the Buckeye States presidential primary because of the coronavirus, the latest legal fight to crop up over the move.

Democrats sued Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, arguing he does not have the legal authority to reschedule a make-up election absent action from state lawmakers. Instead of setting a new election unilaterally, the suit seeks an extension of absentee balloting until late April.

Democrats, who filed the suit in the Ohio Supreme Court, said the litigation was intended in part to preserve the option of a future election. Without it, they said, they are concerned that they might not get another shot at in-person voting.

"This primary election must move forward," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. Yesterdays actions did not create unchecked authority with the governor or secretary of state to run a new election."

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state would push back its election, originally scheduled for Tuesday, to June 2 because of coronavirus fears.

But Democratic officials have urged states that have yet to hold their primaries to avoid changing dates. Ohio is one of several states, along with Louisiana, Kentucky and Maryland, that have postponed voting because of the virus.

National party officials have requested that states use a variety of other critical mechanisms rather than moving primaries. Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez said Tuesday that it is critical that states provide clarity and not confusion, which could lead to disenfranchising voters.

- The Columbus Dispatch. John Fritze/USA TODAY

Illinois, Chicago election officials spar over coronavirus decision

CHICAGO -- Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago election officials feuded Tuesday over the states decision to push ahead with voting despite health concerns from the coronavirus pandemic.

Election Day voter turnout in Chicago was dismal  around 126,000 by 1 p.m.  below even local mayoral elections in the city and one-third the turnout pace of the 2020 primary election. In the separate suburban Cook County, 119,000 had voted by 3 p.m., also vastly below past primary turnouts.

Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election, told reporters the board asked the state last week to either delay the primary or move to a mail-in only race, multiple media outlets reported.

That drew a sharply worded tweet from Anne Caprara, Pritzkers chief of staff:

This is a lie. And frankly, given what we are dealing with in this moment, Im disgusted that Jim Allen would lie like this, Caprara said. We offered them the national guard, young volunteers and assistance with keeping polling places clean.

This is a lie. And frankly, given what we are dealing with in this moment, Im disgusted that Jim Allen would lie like this. We offered them the national guard, young volunteers and assistance with keeping polling places clean. Statement coming in a few minutes from our office. https://t.co/2oqLvJ8mlw  Anne Caprara (@anacaprana) March 17, 2020

In another tweet, she added: The Governor has been trying to balance continuity of government, not disenfranchising people who already voted, avoiding a legal crisis & keeping everyone safe. The Chicago Board of Elections have been worried about scoring cheap political points.

Although Election Day turnout will likely remain low in Chicago, the overall numbers could be lifted by strong early-voting figures.

The 2020 Democratic primary broke the citys record for early voting in a primary, with more than 145,000 people going to the polls early, according to the Chicago Tribune. It eclipsed the 140,000 who voted early in Chicago in the 2016 Democratic Primary. The city also broke a World War II-era record with 118,000 vote-by-mail ballot requests.

Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden is the heavy favorite to win the most delegates in Illinois. The last two polls taken of likely Democratic voters in Illinois each found Biden ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by more than 20 percentage points.

-- Joey Garrison and Grace Hauck

DNC calls on states to avoid changing primary dates

The Democratic National Committee is urging states who have yet to hold their primaries to avoid changing primary dates due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DNC chairman Tom Perez said in a statement that states should instead use a variety of other critical mechanisms that will make voting easier and safer for voters and election officials alike, instead of moving primaries to later in the cycle when timing around the virus remains unpredictable.

He noted that states should use a vote-by-mail system or if they can still vote in-person under public health guidelines, then they should expand days and hours of early voting to reduce lines on Election Day.

"As our country deals with the uncertainty of COVID-19, it is critical that states provide clarity and not confusion, which could lead to disenfranchising voters, Perez said in the statement.

The statement comes less than 24 hours after Ohio postponed their primary election last minute. The states primary was supposed to be held Tuesday and a new date has yet to be set. Several other states, including Louisiana, Kentucky and Maryland, have also postponed their primary dates.

What happened in Ohio last night has only bred more chaos and confusion, and the Democratic Party leadership in Ohio is working tirelessly to protect the right to vote, Perez said in a statement. Eligible voters deserve certainty, safety, and accessibility.

The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything we can to protect and expand that right instead of bringing our democratic process to a halt, Perez concluded.

-- Rebecca Morin

Primary day poll shows Joe Biden with edge on handling crisis

In a primary election suddenly consumed by fears about the coronavirus pandemic, seven in ten Florida voters said they trust former Vice President Joe Biden more than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to handle a crisis, according to an NBC report on the poll.

The results were widely consistent across the states voting Tuesday, the first to cast a ballot amid an outbreak of COVID-19 that has disrupted the routines of millions of Americans. More than six in 10 Illinois voters and 63% of Arizona voters said they would trust Biden more than Sanders to handle a crisis.

Because of the virus and increasingly stringent requests for social distancing, the National Election Pool did not conduct in-person exit polls for Tuesday's primaries, NBC reported. Instead, the outlets conducted a telephone survey of voters before Tuesday's vote.

-- John Fritze

Florida election officials defend decision to maintain in-person primary voting

After some Florida polling sites opened late Tuesday, Florida election officials defended their decision to press forward with its presidential primaries amid a global coronavirus pandemic.

Secretary of State Laurel Lee said one precinct in Broward County opened late but was "up and running," The Tallahassee Democrat reported, and there were "isolated precincts in Palm Beach County that have had some challenges."

"All other counties reported on-time opening of all voting locations around the state," she said.

Lee said voters who did not want to go to polling sites over health concerns could pick up vote-by-mail ballots and turn them in by 7 p.m. EDT.

A group of civils rights organizations, including the New Florida Majority, LatinoJustice and Dream Defenders, sued Lee and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in federal court Monday, seeking to extend vote-by-mail deadlines through March 27, to allow people concerned about going to precincts a chance to vote.

-- Joey Garrison and The Tallahassee Democrat

Voting advocates say coronavirus led to chaos, maybe not lower turnout

WASHINGTON  Democratic primary voters in Florida, Illinois and Arizona found some confusion at polling places that moved or closed because of coronavirus, but voting advocates said Tuesday that turnout might still eclipse the 2016 primary.

Alex Gulotta, Arizona state director of the advocacy group All Voting Is Local, said concerns about coronavirus prompted officials to close polling places, which confused voters about where to go. In Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, the number of polling places dropped from 240 to 151, but anyone who is registered could vote at any of them.

But while in-person voting was running low at about 20% of expectations, more people voted already by mail than in 2016, Gulotta said.

Weve had enormous turnout by mail, he said. Turnout has been very low today, but overall, voting is more than 2016.

Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, said problems emerged early with election judges who didnt show up and polling places closed. Poll workers complained about a lack of wipes or hand sanitizer, he said.

Here in Illinois, its been a hectic and trying day, he said, with in-person turnout running about one-third the rate of previous primaries.

Liza McClenaghan, board chair for Common Cause Florida, said a number of poll workers in Palm Beach County didnt report to work Tuesday. Some had keys to polling places, which prevented them opening, and others had keys to equipment, which prevented using them, she said.

The county invited voters to visit one of four election offices, or to mail in ballots. But McClenaghan said elderly voters have been asking where to vote as they discovered closed polling places and were suspicious of having mail-in ballots delivered by strangers.

Weve had a dogs breakfast about information for poll closings, McClenaghan said. We hope things improve shortly.

Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause, said the challenges in the primaries will give election officials an opportunity to find remedies such as allowing more mail-in voting by the November election.

Today were faced with a challenge unlike anything weve seen in our 50 years of advocacy, a global pandemic where all 50 states have now declared a state of emergency, she said.

 Bart Jansen

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 17: A voter fills out a ballot in their precinct during the Florida presidential primary as the coronavirus pandemic continues on March 17, 2020 in Miami, Florida. People are heading to the polls to vote for their Republican and Democratic choice in their parties respective primaries during the COVID-19 outbreak. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775496679 ORIG FILE ID: 1212963281

Florida deals with poll-worker shortage, closed voting sites due to coronavirus

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.  Palm Beach County, Florida faced a shortage in poll workers Tuesday morning as Florida held its presidential primary amid the nations coronavirus pandemic.

Some voters found closed doors when they arrived at their voting sites, The Palm Beach Post reported. Some locations opened late but others remained closed, prompting officials to allow voters pick up vote-by-mail ballots at any of the countys election offices.

Ahead of Election Day, around 800 poll workers notified Palm Beach elected officials they would not work because of concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak, leaving nearly 3,000 workers to cover Palm Beach Countys 454 voting sites.

Penny Powell of West Palm Beach told The Post she went to her polling place, Pine Jog Environmental Center, to find it closed. She said a park worker sent her to the Supervisor of Elections' main office, where she was able to vote.

Theyre both close to each other so it wasnt out of the way, she said. So Im good with it. She did not know why her location was not open.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is heavily favored to defeat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in Floridas Democratic presidential primary. But turnout is a major wild card, particularly with the possibility it could disproportionately dissuade senior voters from the polls. Biden performs better among old voters while young voters overwhelmingly back Sanders.

At one Palm Beach County location, the Kings Point clubhouse west of Delray Beach, only 32 people had voted as of noon. Poll workers there said they expected a low turnout because of the coronavirus.

But at other locations, voters said they waited in line for nearly an hour. As coronavirus precautions, voters are told to space out six feet apart as they wait to vote.

-- Joey Garrison and The Palm Beach Post

Maryland postpones primary to June as 3 states vote

WASHINGTON  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday his state would postpone its primary, moving it from April 28 to June 2.

The move comes as Arizona, Florida, and Illinois hold their Democratic presidential primary elections Tuesday. Ohio closed its polling places after Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, declared a "health emergency."

"During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at a unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a release late Monday.

The virus, which has been named COVID-19, already appears to have depressed turnout in morning voting in Chicago. The Chicago Board of Elections said there was "extremely low turnout" in morning voting. From 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. EDT, only 10,000 votes were cast, the Board said, as opposed to 30,000 votes that would be cast in a low turnout election.

Former Vice President Joe Biden currently leads the national delegate count with 898, whereas Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has 745 delegates. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, has two delegates.

-- Nicholas Wu

Arizona's largest county forced to close some polling locations

Former Vice President Joe Biden is heavily favored to defeat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as Arizona Democrats head to the polls for the states primary election amid the global pandemic.

Maricopa County election officials, in reaction to the coronavirus, closed 80 polling places and made the remaining 151 voting locations "vote centers, allowing voters to vote at any location, not just the one in their neighborhood.

Sanders visited Phoenix earlier this month to bolster his campaign. He is counting on the state's significant Latino population to provide a boost for him, but recent polling suggests he remains well behind here.

--Ronald J. Hansen and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona Republic.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democratic primary results: Joe Biden wins Florida, Arizona, Illinois
Travel association says 70 percent of Mexicans who canceled European travels will beach vacation locally instead

Mexico City, Mexico  Nearly 80 percent of Mexicans who had a paid or planned trip to Europe for March or Easter, have decided to cancel or postpone it, reported the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies.

The Asociacion Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes says the cancellations are due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a statement, the agency noted that 70 percent of Mexicans who have chosen not to travel to Europe have redirected their trip to Mexican beach destinations including Cancun, Riviera Maya, Mazatlan and Huatulco.

The Asociacion Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes noted that at the moment, Los Cabos is not a sought-after destination due its proximity to the United States where there are more cases of Covid-19 than in Mexico, including deaths.

The agency says that in the face of the decline in tourism, which is expected due to the pandemic, the 60 travel agencies that make up the association are working on new strategies to avoid being heavily affected by this crisis.
A Japanese man, Satoshi Uematsu, has been sentenced to death for killing 19 persons with disabilities near Tokyo.

In 2016, Mr Uematsu went on a stabbing spree which resulted to the deaths of 19 while 25 people were wounded.

According to him, people with disabilities who were unable to communicate well had no human rights.

BBC reports that the 30-year-old once worked in a care centre near Tokyo.

During an interview with Japans newspaper, Mainichi Shinbun, Mr Uematsu said there was no point living for people with mental disabilities and that he had to do it for the sake of society.

On Monday, the Yokohoma District court ordered him to death by hanging  a sentence he did not plan to appeal against.

Background

A few months to the attack, Mr Uematsu had written Japans parliament a letter stating he would kill 470 severely disabled people if authorised.

He said, I want Japan to be a country where the disabled can be euthanised.

This prompted his hospitalisation which lasted two weeks.

Nevertheless, on July 26, 2016, he drove to the Tsukui Yamayuri-en care facility in the outskirts of Tokyo, armed with knives.

Mr Uematsu gained access into one of the buildings by breaking a window and commenced his attack on sleeping residents one by one in their rooms, the prosecution said.

His 19 victims according to Japanese news agency Kyodo were aged between 19 and 70. He wounded another 25 people, 20 of them seriously.

Prosecution

Although Mr Uematsu did not dispute the fact that he stabbed his victims, his defence team pleaded not guilty, questioning his mental state. They said at the time he attacked, he was under the influence of drugs.

His lawyer said, he abused marijuana and suffered from mental illness.

He was in a condition in which either he had no capacity to take responsibility for such a capacity was significantly weakened.

After the attack, traces of marijuana were found in his blood.

On the other hand, prosecutors insisted that he was mentally competent and that the rampage was inhumane and left no room for leniency.

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Most of the victims of the attack are unidentified and have prompted the question of how disabled people are treated in Japan?

Family members have refused to reveal the identities of those killed allegedly because they do not want to reveal they had disabled relative.

BBC reported that before the start of the court hearing, a mother whose 19-year-old daughter was killed in the attack revealed that her first name is Miho.

The mother said even the most extreme penalty is light for you, I will never forgive you.

Please bring back my most precious daughter youre still alive. Its not fair. Its wrong. I demand capital punishment, she added.
Health authorities have confirmed that 54 new cases of coronavirus Covid-19 have been confirmed here

The Department of Health update brings the total number of cases to 223.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said up to 1,000 people would have contracted the disease in Ireland by the end of this week. He said this would have involved an estimated 40,000 people who would have had close contacts.

By Tuesday, an extra 78 cases are expected with a further 109 expected by Wednesday rising to a daily total of 335 by Sunday. He said the further growth is expected after that.

He said the pattern of severity would match the pattern in other countries so deaths will increase as has happened in other countries. He said cases would increase but for most it will be a mild illness.

He said he did not expect growth to have slowed by March 29.

He said projection models do not allow predictions about the number of cases that are not confirmed.

He said a detailed surveillance report that would include a county by county basis would be published on a weekly basis. This will also break down cases by age, sex and hospitalisation status.

Dr Holohan said it is too early to say if school closures and other measures were having an impact.

He said a lock down is not being recommended but a package of different measures involving social distancing is a reasonable response. He said a lock down would be "disproportionate response at this point".

He said the current restrictions are expected to last for significant period of time. He said restrictions have yet to be lifted in China. He said the swine flu occurred first in 2009 and is not part of the annual flu season.

A large shipment of tests are due on Thursday as testing ramps up and lab capacity expands to seven hospital labs around Ireland.

So far 19 centres have been set up with 34 due to be set up by the end of the week. Dr Colm Henry say there has been a huge increase in demands for tests and he was not in a position to state how long it will take to carry out a text.

Dr Henry said hubs of surveillance are being set up in the south and east of the country which would involve army and civilians.

Dr Holohan said they did not want to see financial impediments to people getting access to services. While family doctors have performed 'heroically', he said the charging of fees by GPs would be one such impediment.

Research carried out by Amarach for the Department of Health shows that 90% of people say they are washing their hands and 84 percent of people know the there most important symtoms of the illness. Some 78% of people say they are staying at home while 45% of people say they have started to work from home but just 54% of people say they are sitting further apart when it comes to social distancing. 90% of people say they have somebody to look after them if they get sick.
(HedgeCo.Net) Jurors in New Haven, Connecticut, federal court returned a verdict in the Securities and Exchange Commissions favor against an investment adviser and its owner. The jury found that Westport Capital Markets, LLC, a Connecticut-based investment advisory firm, and its owner, Christopher E. McClure, defrauded their advisory clients by repeatedly purchasing securities that generated significant undisclosed compensation, enriching themselves at their clients expense.

The court previously granted partial summary judgment, holding that, in violation of 206(2) and 206(3) of the Investment Advisers Act, Westport Capital and McClure failed to disclose their conflicts of interest and that Westport Capital made, and McClure aided and abetted, unauthorized principal transactions. The court reserved for trial whether defendants acted intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly under the antifraud provisions of Section 206(1) of the Advisers Act, and whether defendants acted willfully under the antifraud provisions of Advisers Act Section 207. Today, jurors returned a verdict in the SECs favor on these counts.

Investment advisers cannot mislead their clients about conflicts of interest, said Adam Aderton, Co-Chief of the SECs Asset Management Unit. Todays jury verdict underscores the well-settled principle that investment advisers must provide accurate information so that their clients can make informed decisions.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 19)  More companies have stepped up with donations and fundraising initiatives to help government combat the coronavirus disease, with the entire Luzon placed under strict quarantine.

The Jollibee Group Foundation run by billionaire Tony Tan Caktiong added to the pledges on Wednesday night, donating 100 million worth of its food products  packed meals from Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon, Greenwich, Burger King, Panda Express, and PHO24  for health workers and checkpoint personnel.

Udenna Group owned by businessman and presidential ally Dennis Uy also turned over 1,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Department of Health, which it secured through Koreas MyongJi Hospital. Uys food brands Wendys and Contis Bake Shop also served more than 200 food packs to health workers, community workers, and the police. Affected employees will also receive a portion of their 13th month pay and yearend bonus early, the company said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the family of Vista Land owner Manny Villar said they have disinfecting tools, 200,000 face masks, and daily supply of bottled water to nine public hospitals in Metro Manila.

Even Chinese billionaire Jack Ma committed to help the Philippines, pledging 500,000 face masks to be sent until next week, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Thursday. The Alibaba founder earlier shipped a previous donation of 50,000 masks through boxing champ Senator Manny Pacquiaos foundation.

Ma also shared an online handbook which would guide Filipino doctors, nurses, and other health workers on how to avoid getting infected while treating patients, based on Chinas experience.

The Aboitiz Group also said it has given over 5,700 N95 masks to DOH to add to much-needed medical supplies for health and security workers. The family-owned conglomerate said it has also donated surgical gloves, thermometers, folding bets, laboratory goggles, and tents to boost protection in the provinces. Bread for police and military checkpoints have also been pledged by its subsidiary Pilmico. An online fundraising initiative through Aboitizs KINDer has also been rolled out.

Earlier, Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings Group of the Ty family said they are pledging 200 million to respond to the health crisis, mainly for the production of more coronavirus test kits by the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health as well as the personal protective equipment for healthcare staff. Customers and employees of the group will also be given some relief as their jobs and salaries are disrupted.

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation led by the heirs of the late taipan John Gokongwei, Jr. also said they are putting up a 100-million fund to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, which will be spent on additional protective gear of health workers and rapid test kits produced by scientists from UP.

The UP Medical Foundation, Inc. and PGH Medical Foundation, Inc. are among the select institutions in GBFs priority list, the group said in a statement.

The Gokongwei Groups food production unit URC said it will be donating coffee, crackers, cup noodles, bottled water, and soy drink products to frontline health workers.

SM Group first announced Monday a 100-million allocation to help government hospitals in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, with other big businesses following suit.

The assistance will be extended to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and the Research Institute for Tropical Management (RITM) for their urgent needs and for improving their laboratory testing capacity.

To ensure the safety of medical frontliners, SM is bringing in PPE  face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers  as well as urgent medical supplies to help government hospitals who badly need them, said SM Primes Hans Sy.

SM has also allocated personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to the UP Medical Foundation Inc, the statement said Monday night.

The corporation has also reached out to Manila Healthtek Inc. to distribute 20,000 tests for free to government hospitals once these are already approved.

The governments economic team has recently prepared a 27.1-billion spending plan for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic as an enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is in effect.

READ: Health workers, frontliners appeal for masks and alcohol donations in fight vs. COVID-19

The Finance Department says 3.1 billion has been set aside to buy more coronavirus test kits. The funds came from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and a grant from the Asian Development Bank.

Businessman Manny Pangilinan, who is behind brands like PLDT, Smart and Meralco, announced that its unit Metro Pacific Hospitals has started sending frontline workers to needed areas and have been importing additional protective gear for their use. Some 4,000 liters of alcohol have also been donated for government hospitals, while a fundraising drive is ongoing for more help. Over 1,000 grocery packs also have been given to the families of V. Luna Hospital workers via the PLDT-Smart Foundation.

Meanwhile, the groups employees have been asked to work from home and have been assured of continued salaries, no leave deductions, and an early release of 13th month pay for some, Pangilinan added.

The Araneta Group likewise announced that the company is donating the UP-made COVID-19 test kits to the Quezon City Government through the J. Amado Araneta Foundation.

San Miguel Corporation previously announced that it is producing ethyl alcohol in its liquor plant, which is under regulatory approval for public use. The diversified conglomerate said it has started to distribute rubbing alcohol for free to hospitals and local government units. It also assured that food production continues round-the-clock to ensure ample supply for Luzon and the rest of the country.

On Wednesday, SMC said it started distributing food packs containing canned food, biscuits, spreads, dairy milk drinks, coffee and water to residents in the City of Manila. Donations would also be extended to other areas in Metro Manila as well as in select public hospitals in the coming days, the company said.

The company also said it has revived baking the Nutribun, or vitamin-packed bread popular for feeding programs in the 1970s, so that families who have no access to food can get sustenance. The buns, which account for a full meal with 250 calories, will be donated to Caritas Manila for distribution to communities.

Tycoon Andrew Tan and the Alliance Global Group also pledged 1 million liters of 70 percent ethyl alcohol to the Department of Health, the police, military, and local government units. The conglomerate behind Emperador said it will convert its stock of 86 percent alcohol into the kind that can be used for sanitizing clinics and hospitals.

Meanwhile, Ayala-owned GCash said separately that it has launched an online donation drive for hospitals and frontline health workers. Through the e-wallet app, users can choose to donate money which will be evenly divided to its partners: the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, the Philippine Red Cross, World Vision, UP Medical Foundation, PGH Foundation, Inc., ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, and Ayala Foundation.

The online fundraiser can be accessed under the Pay Bills section of the GCash app. A user must click Others and the FightCOVID19 option to make the donation.

AC Health, a unit of Ayala Corporation, also said it has handed out 10,000 N95 masks in hospitals in Manila and Quezon City. PGH and RITM were among the recipients, as well as the following institutions: East Avenue Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Childrens Medical Center, Quezon City General Hospital, Quirino Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, and Ospital ng Maynila.

Cosmetic surgery firm Belo Medical Group also announced that it is donating its remaining stocks of PPE in its clinics for the use of hospitals and health centers in need, and will continue to donate once additional supplies arrive. The company led by founder and CEO Vicki Belo added that it will give full salary and benefits to its employees despite the work suspension, and will release the workers' 13th month pay early.

Business establishments, except supermarkets, groceries, food preparation areas, and banks have been told to close across Luzon as the government seeks to contain the spread of COVID-19. Trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange has also been halted from Tuesday, March 17.

READ: Stock market to reopen Thursday after 2-day shutdown due to COVID-19

In a statement, the Makati Business Club called on its members to pursue aggressive work from home arrangements, expand paid sick leave for workers, and to release loans or early bonuses to help their employees cope with the month-long shutdown. This is especially critical for daily paid workers, the group said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III thanked big businesses on Thursday, saying their compassion for workers and the public set examples for other companies to follow suit. He commended the Aboitiz, Ayala, ICTSI/Solaire Group, JG Summit, Jollibee, Lucio Tan, Metro Pacific, San Miguel Corporation, SM, and Udenna Group for providing full pay to their workers amid the Luzon-wide quarantine.

I call on other big enterprises to take the extra mile in assisting their workers during this crisis situation, Bello said in a statement.
March 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Maybe it was a plan that went horribly wrong, something they could no longer control. Was the Corona virus or COVID-19 spread intentionally? What if this virus was used against China as a weapon of choice to destabilize Chinas economy and push back against Chinas growing influence? We dont know for sure, but it is possible. Investigations are ongoing. Nothing has not been confirmed. But what has been confirmed is what history has taught us given the facts on how the use of biological warfare for various purposes, against many peoples and nations has been happening for some time. One of the most well-known incidents of biological warfare occurred in 1763, the British Empire had planned and successfully managed to spread smallpox virus to the Native Americans during the Pontiac Rebellion in Pennsylvania. Chief Pontiac of the Ottowa launched an attack on Fort Detroit, a British military base. Other nations joined the rebellion including the Senecas, the Hurons, Delawares, and Miamis. As the war raged, an Indian delegation asked the British to surrender, but they refused, however, the British offered gifts including food, alcohol and material items that included two blankets and a handkerchief from people who had smallpox. Although the American Indians had experienced the disease in the past, the idea was to spread the disease among the Native American populations in an attempt to push back the rebellion or to defeat it once and for all. Another example of biological warfare was when Imperial Japan before and during World War II had a bio-weapons program that managed to drop numerous bombs on a number of Chinese cities from airplanes killing an estimated 580,000 Chinese people with bombs that were made of infected fleas, some even contained cholera and shigella during the Sino-Japanese war between the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1981, the CIA with help from U.S. military had launched an operation against Cuba by unleashing a strain of Dengue Fever also known as hemorrhagic fever effecting more than 273,000 people killing 158 including 101 children. On September 6, 1981, The New York Times reported on Fidel Castros comments regarding the U.S. government in particularly, blaming the CIA for the outbreak when he said that we urge the United States Government to define its policy in this field, to say whether the C.I.A. will or will not be authorized again- or has already been authorized  to organize attacks against leaders of the revolution and to use plagues against our plants, our animals and our people. The report said that the epidemic of dengue fever that has made 340,000 people ill and has killed about 150 but the State Department under-then President Ronald Reagan stated that Mr. Castros charges of possible United States involvement in the epidemic were totally without foundation. The State department quickly blamed the Castros revolution as a failure:

The Cuban Government has always tried to blame the United States for its failures and its internal problems, the department said. The Cuban revolution is a failure, and it is obviously easier to blame external forces like the United States than to admit those failures

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Dr, Ronald St. John, chief of communicable diseases for the Pan American Health Organization was interviewed by the New York Times said that for the first time, so-called dengue-2 spread to Cuba. Dr. St. John claimed that it is common in Southeast Asia and that it produces the same symptoms as the other three and that if you get a wave of dengue-1, dengue-3 or dengue-4 and then another wave of type 2, this is a bad combination. Dengue-2 causes you too loose body fluids causing shocks that can lead to eventually death. Convenient for the CIA who saw it as an opportunity to cause panic on Cuba which is located in one of the most hot and humid regions in the world. However, The New York Times managed to downplay Cubas accusations by ending the story by blaming the spread of the disease on returning Cuban troops from Africa and other people from other parts of the Caribbean who might have brought Dengue fever into Cuba:

Some State Department officials believe the introduction of dengue-2 into Cuba is a result of the return to Cuba of troops who had been stationed in Angola or elsewhere in Africa, where the strain is found. But Dr. St. John said dengue-2 had been found in other parts of the Caribbean and might have been carried to Cuba from there or elsewhere overseas

Reports suggested that Cuba had a very small number of cases in 1944, and again in 1977. The 1981 outbreak was blamed on covert flyover operations conducted by the CIA with military owned airplanes, you know, the same airplanes that were most probably used against Nicaraguas Sandinistas to transport weapons and other materials to the Contras around the same time. Since the 20th century, the U.S. has been the leader in developing various biological and chemical weapons through the U.S. Armys Biological Warfare Laboratories based at Fort Detrick, Maryland since the late 1940s, around the start of the Cold War. The U.S. biological warfare program that supposedly ended in 1969 developed a handful of biological weapons ready for use including anthrax, Q-fever and botulism and conducted research in hopes of weaponizing diseases including smallpox, Hantavirus, Lassa fever, yellow fever, typhus, dengue fever and the bird flu among them. An article from August 6, 2019 on Fort Detrick from the UKs The Independent titled Research into deadly viruses and biological weapons at US army lab shut down over fears they could escape last August. Ironically, Secretary of State and Neocon Mike Pompeo called it the Wuhan virus since they blame China for the outbreak, but it seems that the U.S. had its own problems when it comes to their own labs who conduct research with the most deadly viruses:

Americas main biological warfare lab has been ordered to stop all research into the deadliest viruses and pathogens over fears contaminated waste could leak out of the facility. Fort Detrick, in Maryland, has been the epicentre of the US Armys bioweapons research since the beginning of the Cold War. But last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  the governments public health body  stripped the base of its license to handle highly restricted select agents, which includes Ebola, smallpox and anthrax

The story was basically about the CDC who inspected Fort Detrick and found problems with new procedures used to decontaminate waste water. The article says that Fort Detrick continued its research for defensive purposes to protect the warfighter from biological threats although the U.S. declared that it abandoned their biological weapons program since 1969:

Although the United States officially abandoned its biological weapons programme in 1969, Fort Detrick has continued defensive research into deadly pathogens on the list of select agents, including the Ebola virus, the organisms that cause the plague, and the highly toxic poison ricin. The armys Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, based at Fort Detrick, says its primary mission today is to protect the warfighter from biological threats but its scientists also investigate outbreaks of disease among civilians and other threats to public health. In recent years it has been involved in testing possible vaccines for Ebola, after several epidemics of the deadly virus in Africa

Sooner or later, the truth will come out. I believe that the U.S. government knows how COVID-19 began and where it was going. The U.S. government and major corporate arms manufacturers and the rest of the Military-Industrial Complex is no stranger to biological weapons adding to their arsenal of nuclear and chemical weapons at their disposal which makes them, much more dangerous. The truth about COVID-19 will eventually come out. In the meantime, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a war against Russia, China, Iran or Venezuela is in the works and a coming economic crisis with an election coming this November seems like 2020 will be the year of a perfect storm.

Timothy Alexander Guzman is an independent researcher and writer with a focus on political, economic, media and historical spheres. " Source "
ALBANY  In the latest efforts to flatten the curve on the novel coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday ordered local governments to limit their workforce to 50 percent capacity and directed state agencies across New York to also have "non-essential" employees work from home.

The directives came a day after Cuomo said all non-essential state employees working in Rockland County and south into New York City and Long Island would be asked to telecommute. That decision briefly stirred unrest among many of the thousands of state employees in the Capital Region and other areas of the state, including many who work in crowded facilities.

The non-essential state employees were directed to work from home beginning Tuesday, and continue doing so for at least the next two weeks.

I am directing all local governments to allow their non-essential personnel to stay home, work from home, with a 50 percent minimum, Cuomo said. Work from home, which is the same thing I am asking private businesses. If we can ask private businesses to do that, government, I think, leads by example.

Coronavirus live updates: Cuomo says 950 infected; states closing gyms, bars, restaurants

Here are the latest cancellations and postponements.

More for you Telecommuting deal for state workers faces privacy hurdle

For a detailed map, check out The Times Unions Coronavirus Tracker.

To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

It was not immediately unclear how the directive would with align with an emergency, temporary agreement that Cuomo's administration reached Sunday with the state Public Employees Federation, the state's second-largest public labor union.

The 60-day agreement can be extended upon additional negotiation between PEF and the state. The policy requires state employees to receive approval to work from home, and each agency has "the full discretion to deploy their workforce and each application must be approved by supervisors and human resources," according to a PEF announcement of the agreement posted on its website.

"We made sure to include protections for our members by negotiating built-in appeal processes for both mandatory and voluntary portions of the temporary agreement," the announcement stated. "We asked for and received a training, which occurs prior to the actual telecommuting. This is another step that protects our members."

The emergency agreement enables an employee to telecommute up to five days per week  under PEFs current contract that had been limited to four days per pay cycle.

PEF President Wayne Spence on Sunday said the union and the Governor's Office of Employee Relations "agreed to put our differences aside and work for the benefit of our state residents. It shows how much we can do together so quickly and I want to thank the governor and his administration for that leadership."

Unionized workers had expressed concern about the state's access to employees' personal equipment, including computers and mobile devices.

The pilot program can be canceled by the state with one-week advance written notice to PEF.
When it comes to personal sanitation during a pandemic, the staff at Kasson-Mantorville Public Schools arent taking any chances. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the local school district issued a nine-page document on its website, filled with information related to the ongoing situation.

"The District also is mandating that all hand sanitizer is at least 60 percent alcohol, and we are encouraging students and staff to utilize it," the districts document said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order on Sunday, closing schools across the board starting Wednesday. Districts were directed to prepare for the possibility that students will have to learn remotely if the pandemic should get worse by the end of spring break.

Even before the governors decision, however, districts were beginning to inform students and families about what the situation includes and how it will impact the daily school routine.

The Dover-Eyota School District issued a statement, letting area families know that Spectrum and Comcast are offering free WiFi to low-income families for two months during the closure of Minnesota schools. The district also provided information about where people can donate used laptops and iPads for students in the event they do have to learn remotely.

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Stewartville Public Schools has a website dedicated toward its COVID-19 response plan, with sections dedicated to school closing information, district services, and contact information for school counselors and social workers, in case parents need help talking to their children about whats happening.

The Stewartville website also makes a point of saying that the Internet is available from the parking lot of all the district's schools and that it can be accessed from outside the buildings.

Similar to Stewartville, Byron Public Schools has a website devoted to its COVID-19 response plan. It has general information about COVID-19 and information for teachers and staff about working during a school closure, among many other topics.

Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools decided to close a day ahead of the statewide closure. Superintendent Bill Ihrke sent a notice to the districts families that included information on a number of items, including that school meals will still be available to students who need them.

Ihrke also asked students to clean out both their desks and lockers before leaving because the district staff intends to do a "deep cleaning."

"Our educators will be giving thoughtful planning to our distance learning plan, offering careful consideration for students in a variety of areas, including students receiving special education services, multilingual learners, students experiencing homelessness, and students who rely on meals served at school," Ihrke said in the statement to the districts families.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Police are asking those tempted to host or attend a St. Patricks Day party near the University of Michigan and Michigan State University campuses to reconsider.

Ann Arbor and East Lansing police urge people to abide by Gov. Gretchen Whitmers order issued Monday, March 16, prohibiting events and gatherings of 50 people or more to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

It is the hope and expectation of the Ann Arbor Police Department that every member of the community will comply with the order and partner to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Ann Arbor Police Deputy Chief Amiee Metzer said.

The order comes on the heel of 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19 being diagnosed in Michigan since Whitmer declared a state of emergency on March 10. Since then, Whitmer has ordered the temporary closure of all K-12 schools, as well as restaurants, bars, theaters and any other large public gathering until the end of March.

Police said they will enforce the ban in the same manner they enforce other laws and ordinances.

Each individual has a responsibility to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus to the greater community by complying with (the event ban) order, Metzer said. For this reason we are asking for voluntary community compliance with the governors order which will slow the spread of the virus.

The University of Michigan and Michigan State University have ceased in-person classes, moved courses online when possible, canceled commencements and ordered students to leave their residence halls.

With so many students still around campus and nothing to do, police are asking those who remain in the area to follow the governors orders for their own sake.

The police department is urging the community to abide by the governors orders and we will be enforcing all laws and local ordinances in order to ensure public safety, East Lansing Police Department Deputy Chief Steve Gonzalez said.

Police noted that anyone who violates the public gathering order is subject to a misdemeanor that includes up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $200.

Additionally, any bar or other establishment caught violating the governors orders risks losing its state liquor license.

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
The coronavirus has been called "worse than 9/11" for the airline industry by US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin.



During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Mnuchin spoke about the economic impact Covid-19 has on the airline industry, which has significantly reduced both domestic and international flights as people are implored to stay home.

:: Follow live updates here ::



He called the outbreak "worse than 9/11" for the industry.

When the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attack happened in New York City, the airspace in the US and Canada was closed except for military, police, and medical flights. This closure lasted only a few days, though, until the airspace was opened again on 13 September.



But airlines are now going on multiple weeks of having the cancel flights and reduce its staff to combat the number of people who are no longer flying.

"They are almost ground to a halt," Mr Mnuchin said.

"The president wants to make sure that although we dont want people to travel unless its critical, we want to maintain for critical travel the right to have domestic travel," he added.



Federal officials have circulated the idea of halting domestic travel in the US briefly in response to the coronavirus spread, which would be an unprecedented move only last seen during 9/11. If domestic flights were stopped, it would be expected to last longer than just a few days. The government already called a Level 4 travel advisory on China, Iran, and most of Europe to prevent people from travelling.



But Mnuchin reiterated other options are being circulated to prevent grounding planes.

Congress and the White House are currently weighing an economic response to help keep the airline industry afloat during the pandemic.

Airlines for America (A4A), a lobbying group, pressed Congress on Monday to provide an economic response to airlines having to significantly reduce staff and flights as quickly as possible. The group is asking for $50m emergency assistance from the federal government.

This is a today problem, not a tomorrow problem. It requires urgent action, A4A President and CEO Nicholas Calio said in a press release.

The money would go towards providing airlines short and long term relief during the pandemic in the form of grants, loans, and tax breaks.



President Trump previously said the government would back the airline industry "100 per cent". But his administration has not revealed exactly what that assistance would look like. Were going to be in a position to help the airlines very much," Mr Trump said.



On Sunday, United Airlines announced it was cutting flights by 50 per cent for April and May. American Airlines also announced it was reducing its international flights by 75 per cent. Delta Air Lines temporarily sidelined 300 of its planes in "largest capacity reduction in Deltas history", CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo.

Internationally, British Airways said it would reduce its flight numbers by 75 per cent.

Even when regular flying resumes domestically and globally after the coronavirus pandemic, it is going to take months for the airline industry to rebound from its economic losses and staff reductions.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 82 per cent of air traffic, predicts the airline industry will lose between $63bn to $113bn depending on how the virus continues to spread, according to a release.
Olga Kurylenko said it is impossible to know how she caught coronavirus as she shared an update on her condition.

The former Bond girl, 40, announced on Monday that she had tested positive for the virus after falling ill a week ago.

On Tuesday, she told her 602,000 Instagram followers that she had been overwhelmed by peoples kindness.

She explained that she was at home because the hospitals are full and were only receiving patients who were struggling with life.

Story continues

The Ukraine-born French actress, who played Camille Montes in the James Bond film Quantum Of Solace, shared the message in both English and Russian.

She said: I wanted to take this opportunity to answer the most common questions that Ive been asked regarding Coronavirus.

Why Im not in hospital? Because hospitals are full and they are only taking patients that are struggling with life, if I understand correctly. I was told that if I get worse to call an ambulance.

Where I got tested? In the hospital when an ambulance took me there after I called because my fever was over 39.

How did I get tested? They took a swab from my throat.

Where did I get coronavirus? Impossible to know. It could be anywhere. I could have touched a taxi handle and gotten it from there. Its on surfaces!

For a week my temperature was stable 38. Sometimes up to 38.5. Today its come down.

Celebrities including Idris Elba, Game Of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive for coronavirus, while stars such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande have gone into self-isolation.
China's wealthiest man is donating anti-coronavirus medical supplies to every country in Africa to prevent an outbreak from occurring on the continent.

Jack Ma, worth 32.3billion, has promised to send 100,000 face masks, 20,000 test kits and 1,000 medical use protective suits to each of Africa's 54 nations.

The 55-year-old tycoon has also urged all countries to avoid being 'irresponsible' and 'take actions now' after the centre of the outbreak shifted from the Chinese province of Hubei to Europe.

African countries have been among the last to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic. But as cases arise, many nations are now taking strict measures to block the deadly disease, known as COVID-19.

Jack Ma (pictured in 2019) has promised to donate a total of 1.1 million testing kits, six million masks and 60,000 protective suits to Africa to help the continent fight the coronavirus

African countries have been among the last to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but cases are rising. Pictured, traders wear face masks at the Kimironko market, Rwanda, on Tuesday

The pandemic has killed more than 7,400 people and infected over 187,540 around the world

Mr Ma, the founder of e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba, is providing the goods through Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation.

Besides, the two organisations 'will immediately start working with medical institutions in Africa to provide online training material for COVID-19 clinical treatment', Mr Ma said in a statement.

All supplies, including 1.1 million testing kits, six million masks and 60,000 protective suits, would be flown to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, has agreed to help Mr Ma distribute the relief to other nations, the billionaire added.

Mr Ma's donations will be flown to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, before being shared across Africa. Pictured, volunteers stand ready to provide soap and water for participants to wash their hands to prevent the new coronavirus at a sport event in Addis Ababa on March 15

His statement went on: 'The crisis is proving to be more difficult and longer lasting than any of us had expected.

'We must make every effort to get prepared. The past two months show us that if we take it very seriously and are proactive, we are more than capable of containing the virus.

'Now it is as if we were all living in the same forest on fire. As members of the global community, it would be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts or fail to act.

'We need to take actions now!'

Mr Ma announced last week he wound send medical relief to America. The 55-year-old (pictured in 2019) said: 'Hopefully, these supplies can help some people in the United States'

The magnate has already donated millions of masks and test kits to Japan, South Korea, Iran and Europe to support their containment of the fast-spreading contagion. The pictures show employees of South Korea's Red Cross loading boxes of masks donated by Mr Ma on March 12

The self-made billionaire, who used to be an English teacher, has already donated millions of masks and test kits to various countries, including Japan and South Korea, to support their containment of the fast-spreading contagion.

He announced last Friday that he was donating one million face masks and 500,000 coronavirus test kits to the United States.

A week earlier, he offered 1.8million face masks and 100,000 coronavirus test kits to Europe to help heavily hit countries, such as Italy and Spain, to fight the virus.
Adnan Zurfi, Iraq's second premier-designate this year, is respected for focussing on public services and security but faces resistance from factions wary of his close ties with the United States.

The 54-year-old lawmaker is the ex-governor of the Shiite Muslim shrine city of Najaf, has advanced degrees in religious studies and was a long-time member of the Dawa Party which opposed ex-dictator Saddam Hussein.

After a failed 1991 uprising against Saddam, Zurfi fled to Saudi Arabia and then on to the United States, returning to Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003.

He is an Iraqi-US dual national and his wife, five sons and two daughters still live in the United States.

Under Iraqi law, he would have to renounce his American citizenship to take up the premiership, which is yet to be confirmed by Parliament.

Zurfi was appointed Najaf governor in 2004 by the US occupation force, to take on the Mehdi Army of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, which was attacking American troops.

He later managed to repair his relationship with Sadr, now a kingmaker in Iraqi politics.

Zurfi has been able to build a public profile in Iraq as a TV talk show regular, clean-shaven and with his silver-tinged hair slicked back.

Fellow MP Sarkawt Shamsaddin said Zurfi had earned respect for taking the initiative on social and economic projects and described him as "a moderate Shiite voice who is supportive of ties with the West".

In order to win the premiership, he will have to overcome the resistance of political factions allied with Iran, Washington's arch-rival, which is an influential force in Iraqi politics.

Zurfi's nomination by President Barham Saleh came on a day crisis-battered Iraq faced new turmoil: a pre-dawn rocket attack on an Iraqi base hosting foreign troops, and looming curfews to slow the coronavirus pandemic.

The rocky security situation and collapsing oil prices come after months of anti-government protests and will form the main challenges for the new premier-designate.

As a relatively young newcomer in Baghdad, there are hopes he could shake up politics after months of paralysis.

"Zurfi is a new name and that's probably more an advantage than a disadvantage," said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi analyst.

Zurfi's very first challenge will be forming a cabinet that is acceptable to the country's rival Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish blocs -- and to the demonstrators -- within 30 days.

There was already one failed attempt: an earlier nominee, Mohammad Allawi, did not manage to form a cabinet by a March 2 deadline due to the competing demands of various parties and opposition from the street movement, which rejected him as too close to the ruling class.

Zurfi served as governor until 2015 and won his second parliamentary term in the 2018 election as part of the Nasr coalition, led by ex-PM Haider al-Abadi.

However, because he has not served in the post-2003 federal government, he would likely not be seen by protesters as "an old face that's been recycled," said Jiyad.

He will also have "learned the lessons of Allawi: you have to strike deals with the blocs and engage with them on cabinet formation," the analyst added.

His senior role in the Nasr coalition also grants him an early advantage over both Allawi and caretaker PM Adel Abdel Mahdi, neither of whom hailed from a political bloc.

In addition to Nasr, Sunni and Kurdish factions in parliament would likely back Zurfi.

However, the powerful Fatah bloc, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network, has already rejected his nomination.

The Hashed, which includes armed groups with close ties to Iran, has been incorporated into the Iraqi military, but its more hardline factions often operate independently.

Those groups have been blamed for a spate of rocket attacks on foreign soldiers and diplomats across Iraq in recent months that have left three US military personnel, one British and one Iraqi soldier dead.

Such attacks were dragging Iraqi security down "a black hole" and had tainted ties with Baghdad's one-time ally Washington, said Jiyad.

Zurfi, he said, would be tasked with improving the security situation and repairing those ties.

"We need someone with the experience, will, charisma and strength to rein in unruly elements -- and someone who understands the importance of having America on our good side," he told AFP.

Such a rebalance would however not be easy, he said, given the influence of Washington's regional rival Tehran.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the release of a Kerala girl's video footage who joined the IS coming out, her mother is pleading authorities to bring back her daughter and make her undergo the legal process in India. The girl in the video expressed her desire to return to India.

Video footage of Nimisha alias Fathima, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, had surfaced on social media along with another Kerala woman Sonia alias Ayesha. Both joined IS along with their husbands in 2016 and were reported to have landed in the custody of security agencies in Afghanistan recently.

Nimisha's mother Bindhu told DH that she never wanted her daughter to escape the legal process, but requests the authorities to bring her to India and subject her to punishments she deserves. There were many instances of IS sympathisers being deported back to India.

Bindhu however laments that she was not getting the support from any political parties. "My daughter did not join IS by herself. She was lured into it by some persons who are roaming around freely now. Instead of exposing them, the political parties seems to be showing an averse to me also. Some MPs and Union Minsters were even avoiding my request for a meeting," (sic) laments Bindhu.

Both Nimisha and Sonia, whose husbands were reportedly killed in the clashes, had expressed their desire to return to India in the video footage. They were repenting over their decision to join the IS. Sonia said she joined the movement to lead an Islamic life, but later found that the reality was different and disappointing.
Photo: CTV News Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, left, speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 virus on March 16, 2020.

"They don't want to see anybody, I couldn't believe it to be honest."

Kelowna resident Lindsay Wall is very concerned about the local testing process for COVID-19.

Wall believes he should be tested because he is showing signs of sickness and travels for work, including flying through Vancouver International Airport just 12 hours after the case of an ill passenger was confirmed coming in from YVR to Kelowna.

"I was on the plane hours later, I came in early on the 11th, I was actually on the plane and in the airport within the time-period of incubation," he said.

Wall says he landed on Mar. 11 and went to visit his dad because he wasn't showing any symptoms. He's now worried he may have transmitted it to him.

"The next day I started to feel kind of sick, I got a fever... you know you read the symptoms and you think you got it," says Wall.

He says he tried to get a hold of somebody for help and he found online to call 8-1-1.

"811, there's no response, it's just a busy signal the whole time."

That's when he decided to call any walk-in that was available in town.

"This includes the hospital too, they either hang up on you or they just go right to a busy signal," explains Wall.

He didn't want to just walk into a medical facility if he was infected for the safety of the public. He got through to the Urgent Care Centre on Harvey Avenue after his doctor directed him there this morning.

"I called Urgent Care and they told me that they don't want to see me, don't bother coming in here unless you're 65, or you have a cancer or COPD," said Wall.

Wall told them on the phone that he had to head back to work on Wednesday where he is around over three thousand people and that he travels through international airports.

"I said, 'you don't want to test me, seriously?' There's a chance I have it."

"You think with this kind of pandemic they would want to know who's got it and who doesn't - I can go outside and give it to ten other people right now."

He says he isn't returning to work.

"How do they know how many cases there are if you're not testing people? That's what I'm worried about, it could be a lot worse than they think it is - it could be everywhere, they don't know."

In a joint statement Monday from Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer they say they understand the 811 line has been experiencing larger than normal requests.

"In an effort to allow 811 health-care professionals to support more people who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who require assistance with other health issues, the p rovince has created a dedicated phone service to provide British Columbians non-medical information about COVID-19."

Concerned citizens that believe they may have COVID-19 or have medical questions about the virus are asked to continue to try calling 811, and a nurse will assess them over the phone.

"Due to the heightened awareness over COVID-19, many people are asking to be tested for the illness. It is not necessary for all people to be tested," said Dr. Bonnie Henry. "This is cold and flu season, which is what the vast majority of ill people within our health care region are likely to have."

Last week, 811 operators answered more than 10,000 calls over three days, according to the province.

The latest information on travel recommendations and social distancing, as well as access to support and resources from the provincial and federal governments will be provided on the new line.

"British Columbians can reach service representatives seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., by calling 1-888-COVID19. Information is available in more than 110 languages."

Dix said people can alternatively text 604-630-0300 for COVID-19 information.

They've also announced prohibiting all public gatherings of more than 50 people. This includes indoor and outdoor sporting events, conferences, meetings, religious gatherings and other similar events.
Passive antibody therapy is where the blood of patients who have just survived and are recovering from coronavirus is taken and given to the most at-risk people (old but healthy enough to take the treatment).

Can they also use the blood of people with mild cases? If we can do the proper tracing can we find mild cases, medium cases and use their blood too?

This means the 80% mild cases and the 7% more serious but not needing ICU cases could help provide immunity to seniors.

If we have 10,000 cases then maybe 8000-9000 could be mild but useful for immunizing the elderly (80+) in the hot zone. It also is used to improve the condition of those who are sick and need an immune system boost. We would be scrambling but we would be better at staying ahead of it and preventing deaths and ICU cases.

John Hopkins University is funding efforts to begin setting up antibody therapy operations for COVID19 in the Baltimore area in the coming weeks. Doctors in New York are also investigating the treatment, Casadevall says, while internationally, Japans largest pharmaceutical company is looking at developing an antibody-based drug to combat coronavirus.

There are still a lot of unknowns, including how much convalescent serum is needed to be effective to protect people. China is already using this therapy on a few hundred people. They are providing the antibody boost to people and it has helped those sick with coronavirus to be less sick.

The blood of the strong survivors can be used to help those who are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

Historical and current anecdotal data on use of convalescent serum suggest it is safe in coronavirus infection, the high mortality of COVID-19, particularly in elderly and vulnerable persons, suggests that the benefits of its use in those at high risk for or with early disease outweigh the risks. However, for all cases where convalescent serum administration is considered, a risk-benefit assessment must be conducted to assess individual variables.

Deployment and proposed use

To deploy convalescent serum administration for COVID-19 the following six conditions must be met:

(i) availability of a population of donors who have recovered from the disease and can donate convalescent serum;

(ii) blood banking facilities to process the serum donations;

(iii) availability of assays, including serological assays, to detect SARS-CoV-2 in serum and virological assays to measure viral neutralization;

(iv) virology laboratory support to perform these assays;

(v) prophylaxis and therapeutic protocols, which should ideally include randomized clinical trials to assess the efficacy of any intervention and measure immune responses; and

vi) regulatory compliance, including institutional review board approval, which may vary depending on location.

Ideally, the use of convalescent serum would involve multiple centers, follow randomized control protocols, and have a single center as a governing body. Each of these conditions should be available in developed areas affected by COVID-19. At least one pharmaceutical company, Takeda, is gearing up to generate antibody preparations against SARS2-CoV-2 from COVID-19 convalescent sera. Producing highly purified preparations containing a high titer of neutralizing antibodies against SARS2-CoV-2 is preferable to convalescent sera given that these are safer and have higher activity. Unfortunately, such preparations will not be available for many months, whereas locally produced convalescent sera could be available much sooner.

SOURCES  The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Xinhua

Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
Three other men were arrested in December and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and armed robbery in December in connection with that incident and an earlier one in New Lenox. They are Justin A. Brown, 20, of the 300 block of West 34th Street in Steger; Dontavious A. Harvey, 20, of the 14300 block of Drexel Avenue in Dolton; and Terwon Matthews, 20, of the 11300 block of South Forest Avenue in Chicago. They also remain in the Will County jail.
At just $36 for a barrel of Brent crude $32 for the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate, oil prices at the end of last week were back in real terms to the level of the early 1990s. However, Financial Times reports in its article Expect the oil price to rebound  but with a low ceiling that the cheering message for investors and companies in the sector is that there are a range of countervailing forces that will ensure some measure of recovery over the next few weeks. The less good news is that a number of other factors will set a ceiling on any significant price rebound.

On the upside, some production, particularly in the US shale business, is uneconomic if prices are below $40 a barrel and can be capped relatively quickly. The International Energy Agency has already predicted a fall of more than 600,000 barrels a day through the rest of this year and that could well increase given the financial difficulties facing a number of operators

When the fall in shale output starts to occur, the prospects for a new quota arrangement between the oil-exporting countries  Opec plus external states such as Russia, Brazil and Mexico  to take more oil off the market will improve. Regardless of the noise and theatre since Opecs meeting earlier this month, every single one of the countries involved  not least Saudi Arabia, despite its dramatic move in increasing production  has an interest in getting prices up again.

According to one estimate published last week, all the major producers face serious budget deficits at current prices. Many are already indebted. A new Opec quota will have to involve a substantial cut  at least comparable to the fall in Chinese demand.

That brings us to China. Current demand from the country is certainly down, perhaps by as much as by 1.8m b/d, according to the IEAs estimate, contributing to a global fall in demand of 2.5m b/d from that previously predicted for the first quarter.

Opecs current estimate of global demand for the whole year is down just over 900,000 b/d on previous forecasts. That sounds a lot but is still less than 1 per cent of total global consumption and, crucially, suggests that despite the economic damage done by the virus, oil demand will end up higher this year than in 2019.

The downturn we are seeing is a temporary rather than a permanent contraction. In the areas of China worst affected by coronavirus, the epidemic appears to have passed its peak and soon the Chinese will go back to work. Oil consumption should return to pre-crisis levels, with imports of 10m b/d or more.

Finally, governments are already producing stimulus packages. The US Congress is debating the content of one and the EU agreed a 25bn stimulus last week. The scale of the Chinese response remains uncertain but the $500bn of spending used to offset the impact of the 2008 financial crash could provide a yardstick.

The question is, how far will the bounceback in the oil market go? With a further cut of perhaps 1.5m b/d by Opec, and some support from outside the cartel  perhaps including Russia and a cap on US shale production  we could get to $45 or $50 by the end of the year, or sooner.

The market is very volatile and the price fall has been due to speculation rather than fundamentals. The drop may have been almost 50 per cent since the start of the year, but on the IEAs expected numbers for the first quarter, actual demand for oil is down by less than 3 per cent.

The ceiling on price is set by the overhang of potential supply. Given the need for revenue, there is a great temptation for Opec members to breach their quotas and sell more. In addition, any one of the exporting countries now effectively out of the market because of sanctions or conflict (Iran, Venezuela or Libya) could come back if the immediate crisis triggers political change.

Most important of all, the US shale producers living on debt will have every incentive to restore production as soon as prices begin to edge up. There will be a bounce, but the ceiling could be quite low.

The two conclusions from all this are, first, that prices revert to the fundamentals regardless of speculation; and second, that Opec countries and other producers face a long period when they can only influence prices by sacrificing their own production volumes.

There is more potential supply than effective demand, for oil and for energy in general. We live in an age of plenty and companies and investors have to become accustomed to surplus capacity and price deflation.
Ever since Sidhinya left the Congress party, the threat to the Kamal Nath government has been steadily increasing. Governor Lalji Tandon has written a second letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath asking him to prove majority by conducting floor test in the Vidhan Sabha today (March 17). The matter of floor test is also heard in the Supreme Court today. In spite of the Governor's directive, the BJP has approached the Supreme Court, angry at not having done the 'floor test' on the first day of the budget session. Earlier, on Monday, the BJP held a parade of its 106 MLAs at Raj Bhavan.

Corona vaccine trial started in America

According to the media report, ten BJP MLAs led by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan have filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding the Kamal Nath government to prove its majority in 12 hours. On Tuesday, the bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta will hear the case. Apart from Shivraj, in the petition filed on behalf of MLAs Gopal Bhargava, Narottam Mishra, Bhupendra Singh, Rameshwar Sharma, Vishnu Khatri, Vishwas Sarang, Sanjay Satyendra Pathak, Krishna Gaur, and Suresh Rai, Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Principal Secretary of the Assembly and Governor, The Principal Secretary has been made the respondent.

Beware! Corona can cause rift in your relationship

On Monday evening, the Governor sent an ultimatum filled letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath. He wrote, 'The language and sentiment you answered in my March 14 letter is not compatible with parliamentary decorum. On March 16, I had requested for a confidence vote in the Assembly. The session started but no action was taken to get the confidence vote, nor did you make any meaningful effort and the proceedings of the House were adjourned till 26 March.'

Why not a single case of coronavirus found in North Korea?
Moroccos Public Prosecution Office has called for tightening punitive measures against people spreading fake news on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The prosecutors office said in a press release this Tuesday, March 17, that it gave firm instructions to courts across the country to take legal action against anyone who spreads fake news about the coronavirus, warning that spreading fake news creates panic among citizens and undermines public order.

The press release added that it filed public complaints against several individuals allegedly responsible for spreading false information about COVID-19.

The Public Prosecutors move comes as several fake news have gone viral on social media at a time the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and the Moroccan government have been warning people against fake news and rumors.

Several people have already been arrested for spreading rumors about the virus, reports news outlet Morocco World News.

The latest to be arrested was a peddler in the town of Souk El Arbaa, 130 kilometers north of Rabat, who had used a loudspeaker to create panic, claiming there are cases of the virus in the town and urging parents to stop sending their children to school. He was arrested on March 12, the outlet said.

Earlier this month, a Moroccan court sentenced a man to two months in prison and a $207 fine (2,000 DJ) for claiming that two people died of the virus in the Northern city of Tetouan.

In a related development, the Ministry of the Interior has flatly denied Tuesday the rumors that Morocco is about to declare a state of emergency.

All proactive and preventive measures and procedures taken to stem the spread of the new Covid-19 are announced through official channels, said the Interior Ministry in a statement.

The ministry denied, as allegations and lies, the contents of a document relayed on social networks and instant messaging applications. The document claimed that entry and exit points of some cities will be closed, that activities of national security and civil protection will be frozen and that an urgent meeting was being at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior to declare a state of emergency in the kingdom.

The Ministry insists that the information contained in this document is unfounded and untrue and that the authors of fake news are liable to penalties provided for by law.
(CNN) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, much attention in the US has been given to improving the availability of the diagnostic test.

Though testing is known to effectively reduce the risk of transmission, many experts are beginning to also associate more widespread testing with the statistic of greatest concern -- survival from the disease.

The connection seems straightforward. Consider two countries with large outbreaks.

In South Korea, the rate of testing has been quite high (3,692 tests per million people as of March 8), and its mortality among those infected quite low (about 0.6%, or 66 deaths, at last count).

By contrast, Italy tests about 826 people per million and its mortality among those with diagnosed infection is about 10 times higher, with more than 1,000 people dead from the disease.

Furthermore, stories abound of sick people in the US showing up at doctors' offices and hospital ERs, asking to be tested yet being sent away because no test is available or because they don't fit the testing criteria -- leading many to comment that the lack of testing is going to kill us all.

But we should be clear that more testing saves lives by preventing the next infection, not by allowing doctors to catch an individual patient earlier. The "treat early" paradigm works when there is an effective drug against the disease. Give antibiotics early for sepsis, you live; wait too long, you die.

The coronavirus, though, has no specific treatment. Indeed, the syndrome of a rapidly progressing lung failure that appears to kill COVID-infected persons is a familiar clinical condition. Many infections and exposures can cause the same problem; ICU specialists have been treating it for years.

So why does Korea, the poster child of testing, have so few deaths while Italy and its late-to-the-table testing program have so many? Is it only because more testing brings mild cases into the "infected" group, diluting the statistical impact of the handful of the very ill?

Doubtful. For now, it is because of vast differences in the affected patients. Soon and increasingly, it also will be due to overwhelmed hospitals and doctors and nurses.

Which is probably bad news for those hoping that the United States, which is currently way, way behind in testing for coronavirus, can somehow test itself out of the mess.

Plenty has already been written about how the population of Italy differs from much of the world. According to a UN report in 2015, 28.6% of the Italian population was 60 years old or older (second in the world after Japan at 33%). This compares to South Korea, where 18.5% of the population is at least 60 years of age, ranking 53rd globally.

The impact of this disparity is quickly shown in the analysis of coronavirus deaths in each county. In Italy, 90% of the more than 1,000 deaths occur in those 70 or older.

By contrast, the outbreak in South Korea has occurred among much younger people. There, only 20% of cases have been diagnosed in those 60 years old and up. The largest affected group is those in their 20s, who account for almost 30% of all cases.

Then there is gender. The gender split in COVID-19 cases worldwide is about 50-50, but there are gender differences in survival. According to data from the original outbreak in China, the overall death rate is 4.7% in men versus 2.8% in women -- a whopping difference. Which is good news for South Korea, where 62% of cases occur among women.

Smoking is another factor clearly associated with poor survival. Smoking rates are about the same between the two countries: 24% for Italians and 27% for South Koreans. But gender differences among smokers are widely different: In Italy, 28% of men versus 20% of women smoke, while in Korea, it is about 50% of men and less than 5% (!) of women.

In other words, South Korea has an outbreak among youngish, non-smoking women, whereas Italy's disease is occurring among the old and the very old, many of whom are smokers. (We do not know the male-female breakdown of Italy's cases).

These basic demographic distinctions explain the difference in death rates between these two hard-hit countries -- as well as helping to explain why Seattle, with its nursing home outbreak, accounts for such a large proportion of US coronavirus deaths.

To understand exactly what is happening, we need daily case updates to include information about age and sex.

The blundering lack of an effective testing program in the US is an unconscionable failure and has led (and will lead) to more transmission of COVID-19.

But it is important to recognize that survival with the infection is a completely other matter, one that will require very different investments, training, and expertise.

The optimal program will have special beds to prevent bed sores, pharmacists with understanding of how medications are cleared differently in the elderly, and nurses familiar with frailty. Simply testing more and testing harder will not save the lives of the thousands of already infected Americans.

Better preparation might. And given the glaring differences in the outbreaks in South Korea and Italy, it is time to assemble an expert panel of geriatricians, social scientists, ICU specialists and others to sort out how best to protect and, when necessary, treat coronavirus in the elderly.

Editor's note: Kent Sepkowitz, MD, is an infection control expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion at CNN.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Why South Korea has so few coronavirus deaths while Italy has so many."
Why arent we in the habit of washing our hands? Germs are invisible, and each of us has a hard time thinking of ourselves as a person with contaminated hands, says Berkeley Haas professor David Levine, an expert on overcoming barriers to improving health. Credit: iStock

You don't have to remind David Levine, UC Berkeley professor of business administration, to carry hand sanitizer and wash his hands thoroughly with soap. But why do many of usfrom children to adultslack these habits, even in a pandemic? Much of Levine's research focuses on ways to overcome barriers to improving health, especially in underprivileged nations. And as head of Hygiene Heroes, a program he's led with UC Berkeley students on four continents since 2014, schoolchildren learn through the team's special curriculumit includes interactive stories, games and songs, and characters like Gerry the Germhow to change health-related behaviors.

Berkeley News recently talked with Levine, a Berkeley alumnus who's been on the faculty since 1987, about the importance of hand-washing, why people don't always do it and what it will take for people and organizations to adopt healthier habits.

How did hand-washing become a focus in your work?

When I got tenure at Berkeley, I decided I should work on the most important problem I could help with. So, I chose the health of poor children in poor nations. Doctors taught me that hand-washing is the most important single behavior in preventing childhood illness, but the challenge of behavior change remained. And behavior change is something I study.

I'm currently working mostly in India. I have other behavior change projects on dental hygiene, safe water, safe cooking (to avoid smoky stoves that kill millions each year) and sexual and reproductive health. Any school can access my curriculum on hand hygiene and preventing respiratory infections; I'm glad to help run pilots or experiments.

Coronavirus has brought about death and also is a risk to businesses. I may start a small research project focused on when consumers prefer businesses with mandatory hand-washing and other signals of good hygiene. We will run some online surveys exploring what indicators of good hygiene are worth the hassle of longer lines or having to wash hands oneself. If good hygiene is profitable, it should spread more quickly.

What are the data on how hand-washing can prevent disease, and which diseases does it stop?

Gerry the Germ is the subject of a childrens story by David Levine and his son, Benji, that is used by Hygiene Heroes as part of its kid curriculum. Credit: Jennifer Kotler

Hand-washing with soap prevents perhaps roughly a third of diarrheal diseases and a similar share of respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu. The proportion may be a bit lower for COVID-19, but we are not sure.

Both soap and hand sanitizer are highly effective. They key, in both cases, is to rub awhile. The standard advice is to rub for 20 secondsabout as long as it takes to hum "Happy Birthday" twice.

Elders often remind youngsters to wash their hands. Why doesn't the habit stick? Is it a matter of not learning the right way, or not realizing why it's important?

Leading doctors figured out it was important to wash hands with soap in the middle of the 1800s. But at the start of this century, most doctors did not wash their hands between patients. The result was that hospital-caused infections killed more people than auto accidents. Doctors' hygiene has improved recently, but for 150 years, progress was quite slow. Germs are invisible, and each of us has a hard time thinking of ourselves as a person with contaminated hands spreading disgusting poop or snot around.

Has anything worked, to get people to change behavior and wash their handswhether they're surgeons or fast food workers or schoolkids in the bathroom? You've talked about the need to "harness shame."

Interestingly, doctors did usually wash their handsif they knew somebody was watching. We see the same pattern in public restrooms. Most people do not wash their hands with soap. But they do if they know someone is watching.

It's important to establish a norm that it is disgusting not to wash hands with soap after leaving the toilet or before eatingand, more recently, not to wash hands with soap after a sneeze. (For guidance specifically on preventing the spread of COVID-19, see the CDC webpage)

A 2014 promotional video from Hygiene Heroes. Credit: Hygiene Heroes

To harness shame, managers must go beyond repeating messages to their employees about hand-washing to changing social norms. If they can convey the right messages, employees will feel disgust when they sneeze into the air or fail to wash hands with soap before eating. Effective change must build on messages about pathogens to include messages about poop and snot.

Washing your hands protects youand the community. That is why social norms are important; we need society to use social pressure to protect itself.

What has your work promoting healthy routines in other countries shown?

Like many others, I find that providing easy access to soap or hand sanitizer is crucial. Also, like many others, I find that health messagesplus the availability of soapis usually not enough.

Fortunately, even in resource-poor areas such as India, my team has found that adopting routines for hand-washing with soap work. When the lunch bell rings, students line up at the classroom door, and a lead student squirts a little soapy water on each student's hands. The students scrub as they walk to sinks, rinse and then eat. Parents in our country may recognize this routine from their own children's preschool days. Every school in America should establish similar routines.

What needs to happen to change health hygiene in the United States?

Managers in the United States must build new organizational routines related to hygiene. These will vary by the risks each business faces and must outlast the acute phase of this pandemic.

Hygiene Heroes curriculum includes discussion and games to teach youngsters what germs are, why they cant be seen, that hand-washing is the only way to get them off and how proper hand-washing is done. Credit: Jennifer Kotler

For example, hygiene is the most important near people who are sick. So, every doctor's office should require people to wash their hands with soap or hand sanitizer as they enter.

It is important to establish routines for hygiene wherever people spend a lot of time together. So, every senior living facility should ask you to clean your hands as you enter. And places where people live together, like dorms and prisons, should establish appropriate routines for hand-washing before meals. For example, as you enter a dining area, someone can remind you to use hand sanitizer.

Good management has always involved a cycle of identifying problems and creating procedures to address them. Fighting COVID-19 requires using familiar management tools to address this novel threat.

First, businesses have to analyze where they can spread germs: an ATM keypad, a grocery cart, etc. Then, they have to create and implement procedures to keep workers and customers safe. Those new procedures require training, monitoring, incentives and often supplies. As a familiar example, the check sheets in some restaurants"This bathroom was last cleaned by _________ at ___________ o'clock"are part of an effective routine. Workplaces must extend that level of attention to hygiene to many other surfaces.

What opportunities does the current coronavirus pandemic present, to get people to adopt healthy or healthier hygiene habits? Are you optimistic about the chance for change?

Millions of people are paying more attention to hygiene today than they were a month ago. Some of the safer habits, like hand-washing a bit more often, will stick, but many people will become less careful when the pandemic dies down. I hope that organizations, from doctors' offices to dormitories, can retain routines that keep people healthier.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
With the country being told to avoid as many social gathering as possible, many of us will spend the next couple of weeks at home and there's only so much cleaning and worrying you can do.

We can still go out when we need to for groceries and the like, so there is no need to panic. Why not take the opportunity to binge on a few Netflix series (Unless you're working from home - don't be a slacker!).

Our suggestions below aren't necessarily suitable for younger viewers but will keep adults enthralled for sure.

The Stranger

Probably the top trending Netflix series so far this year and for good reason. Harlen Coben's latest creation shows a strange woman turn up in a British community to reveal the secrets of the inhabitants. The resultant human wrangling and mystery makes this one of those series where 'one more episode' is never enough. The tying of those secrets together as the series unfolds reveals a lot more about the locals than they care to admit and uncovers a murky underbelly. This is a must-watch.

Marcella

Anna Friel is exceptional in this Nordic-inspired British crime drama. She plays a run-ragged detective who finds herself central to the murder mysteries she's investigating. The edge-of-the-seat drama entailed in the unravelling of the story in each of the two stories is truly gripping. This is a well-acted and produced ITV drama that might have slipped under the radar for many. With two series and 16 episodes available on Netflix, there is plenty to binge on.

Unforgotten

Another ITV production starring the brilliant Nicola Walker. This series sees a team of detectives re-opening cold cases following the discovery of new information. They endeavour to reach back in time and across generations to dig up old evidence and connections. The result is another brilliantly gripping drama with a new story taking centre stage in each of the two series available on Netflix. It is fast-paced and written in a way that puts you in the investigation room, often shouting at the TV with nuggets of information you've spotted in previous episodes. A third series has aired but has not yet reached the streaming service.

Safe

Another Harlen Coben creation which has seen an increase in traffic since the success of The Stranger, although Safe appeared on Netflix first last year. Coben specialises in writing a big story within the context of a small community and this is the ultimate example. A teenage girl goes missing from her home in a gated community, and her father's desperate search brings him into a dark world. Suspicion falls on almost everyone and this series will have you second-guessing every word out of every character's mouth.

The Trials Of Gabriel Fernandez

This true-crime documentary is perhaps the most disturbing of these suggestions but is compelling viewing. It charts the story of nine-year-old Gabriel Fernandez and his gruesome death at the hands of his mother and her partner. The abuse he suffered sparks a wide-ranging investigation. That investigation and this series shines a light on something far more sinister and systematic than the abuse in Gabriel's own home. It will make you feel very uneasy but you will not be able to stop watching, wide-eyed with shock.
The Centre on Tuesday disputed all the challenges against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA and presented a point-by-point rebuttal to the criticism in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court.

In the 129-page preliminary affidavit, the Centre told the Supreme Court that the CAA does not violate any fundamental right and therefore, the question of violation of constitutional morality does not arise. The Centre also submitted that CAA does not result in expulsion or deportation of any person who may be classified as illegal migrant, as claimed by the petitioners who have moved Supreme Court against CAA.

It also said that CAA does not confer any arbitrary and unguided powers on the executive as the citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh would be granted in a manner as specified under the law governing grant of citizenship.

The amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from the three neighbouring countries who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Centre insisted that unlike the particular neighbouring countries, India is a constitutionally secular country and further has a large population of persons belonging to the classified communities already residing as Indian citizens.

It said that totality of factors, makes it amply clear that India represents the sole rational and logically feasible place to seek shelter for the said communities.

The Centre also said that National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a necessary exercise for any sovereign country for identification of citizens from non-citizens and added that provisions regarding the NRC have been part of said 1955 Act since December, 2004.

The affidavit was filed in response to the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of CAA.

The Supreme Court on December 18 last year had decided to examine the constitutional validity of the CAA but had refused to stay its operation.
In a report published in NANO, scientists from the Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangdong University of Petrochemical technology, Gannan Medical University and Nanchang Hangkong University in China underline the importance of defect engineering to promote catalytic performance by providing a simple and efficient way for modifying and optimizing metal-free semiconductor photocatalyst graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) to solve the dual problems of environmental pollution and lack of fossil resources.

With the rapid growth of industrialization and population, environmental pollution and shortage of fossil resources have become two major challenges for sustainable social development in the 21st century. Hence, the development of green treatment technology is an imperative.

Semiconductor photocatalysis technology has become one of the most promising strategies due to its green, nontoxic and high efficiency by using solar energy. Recently, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ), as a new semiconductor photocatalyst of nonmetallic polymer, has attracted wide attention in photo-catalytic field due to its better stability and optical properties. The photocatalytic activity of bare g-C 3 N 4 is unsatisfactory due to its smaller surface area and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers under visible light irradiation.

In this work, urea was used as the activated support for the nitrogen vacancies on the basis of bare g-C 3 N 4 by the calcination of melamine. This led to great improvement of photocatalytic performance for the degradation of organic dyes in water, such as rhodamine (RhB), acid orange II, methyl orange (MO) and methyl blue (MB) under visible light irradiation ( > 420nm). Thus, electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution was achieved due to broader light response, efficient generation and migration of electron/hole charge carriers.

It is hoped that this research will provide an idea about the innovative design, synthesis and fabrication of modifying g-C 3 N 4 and other N-based photocatalysts. There is potential for applying this catalyst to the treatment of environmental pollutants and the preparation of new energy.

###

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21962006, 21707055, 21607064 and 21567008), Youth Key Project of Jiangxi Province Nature Science Foundation (20192ACBL21011), Program of Qingjiang Excellent Young Talents of Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (No. 3401223429), Program of 5511 Talents in Scientific and Technological Innovation of Jiangxi Province (No. 20165BCB18014), Academic and Technical Leaders of the Main Disciplines in Jiangxi Province (No. 20172BCB22018), Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation (Nos. 20181BAB213010 and 20181BAB203018), Project Supported by Guangdong Province Universities and Colleges Pearl River Scholar Funded Scheme (2019), Young Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province Education Office (No. GJJ160671), Open Project Program of the State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment in Fuzhou University (No. SKLPEE-KF201712) and Open Fund of Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Process and Control, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology (No. 2018B030322017).

Additional co-authors of the NANO paper are Kailian Zhang from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Man Zhou from Gannan Medical University, Shi Yang from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Xiaoshuai Ma from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Changlin Yu from Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Yu Xie from Nanchang Hangkong University, Weiya Huang from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology and Qizhe Fan from Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology.

Corresponding author for this study is Kai Yang, 19979706763@126.com.

For more insight into the research described, readers are invited to access the paper on NANO.

IMAGE

Caption: A schematic illustration of modified g-C 3 N 4 by nitrogen vacancies and reaction mechanism. The nitrogen vacancies not only increased the specific surface area, exposed more active sites, but also inhibited the recombination of photogenerated carriers on the surface of photocatalysts, resulting in the enhancement of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic performances.

Please contact Kai Yang (19979706763@126.com) for usage restrictions on the picture.

NANO is an international peer-reviewed monthly journal for nanoscience and nanotechnology that presents forefront fundamental research and new emerging topics. It features timely scientific reports of new results and technical breakthroughs and publishes interesting review articles about recent hot issues.
"Pew Pew" BunGun In fact, the "Pew Pew" BunGun is an economical, ethical and hygienical solution to the toilet paper shortage.

With the toilet paper shortage wreaking havoc in bathrooms across the country, a new alternative product has surfaced, the "Pew Pew" BunGun.

The company founders have described the BunGun as a hybrid product somewhere between "half Neti Pot and..half Porta Potty"

In fact, the "Pew Pew" BunGun is an economical, ethical and hygienical solution to the toilet paper shortage, states the company website.

"While many people spend hundreds of dollars on toilet paper a year, and thousands over their lifetime, the BunGun is less than $30 and has an infinite lifespan," according to C.J. Doll, Company Co-Founder and self-proclaimed C.E.Go.

The company website states that using toilet paper to wipe urine and feces around the body only further spreads germs rather than the well-intentioned purpose of setting out to clean. The website further states that the BunGun cleans the area with sanitized water and contributes to good hygiene.

Further, the "Pew Pew" BunGun is environmentally friendly, citing toilet paper production statistics that require nearly 15 million trees be cut down every year, as well as a significant amount of energy and water usage.

One of the most impressive features of the BunGun is its portability.

Company C.E.Go. and Co-Founder C.J. Doll added a company philosophy, "We interpret the U.S. 'Constitutional' to give people the 'Right to bare buns' when 'Going #2' without the fear of their BunGuns being taken by the government.

Doll also stated the company plans to continue innovating in the Direct-To-Consumer personal hygiene sector and plans further releases of products such as the Fanny Hose. to be delivered in a custom Fanny Pack.

According to company website literature, there exists a toilet-stationary "Bum Gun" which is the preferred delivery method of bathroom sanitation popular in India, Vietnam, Europe and Australia. The company adds that "It is long overdue that we bring this innovative hose-like technology to the West in a brand and message that will resonate with the public. The people are ready for this."

According to Doll, "By purchasing a "Pew Pew" BunGun now, you can avoid the upcoming "Bundemic," save a lot of money over a lifetime and practice better hygiene and "Wokeness."

The company advises consumer to take a "relaxative" approach and stop flushing time and money down the toilet and to visit http://www.bunguns.com for more information on the "Pew Pew" BunGun.
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Linkedin Roland Jackson and John Biers (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States  Tue, March 17, 2020 06:38 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0c339 2 Business Airlines,plane,carrier,coronavirus,impact,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Major world airlines on Monday announced further deep cuts to service as the worsening coronavirus crisis ravages demand, accentuating talk of government support with US carriers formally releasing a plea for a bailout of some $50 billion.

Citing an "unprecedented" drop in demand that is "getting worse by the day" and "much worse than 9/11," the trade group Airlines for America unveiled a wish list including grants, loans and tax relief.

"This is a today problem, not a tomorrow problem. It requires urgent action," said A4A President and Chief Executive Nicholas Calio.

Trump administration officials have highlighted airlines as a major worry point and signaled broad support for a federal plan to fortify the industry.

The group said the industry was on track to suffer a drop of $23 billion in liquidity at the end of 2020 under an "optimistic" scenario and a drop of $53 billion under a "pessimistic" scenario.

"As of the morning of March 16, the pessimistic scenario is looking most likely," the group said.

Earlier, European carriers announced additional cutbacks in service due to the crisis.

IAG, owner of British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, announced it would slash flight capacity by 75 percent during April and May owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, while Germany's Lufthansa said it would trim seating capacity on long-haul flights by up to 90 percent, affecting mainly routes to Africa, the Middle East and South America.

Britain's Virgin Atlantic added that it has decided to park 75 percent of its total fleet, and in April this will rise as high as 85 percent.

Virgin has reportedly called upon the UK government to inject emergency support totaling 7.5 billion pounds ($9.2 billion, 8.3 billion euros) to help keep Britain's aviation industry flying.

'Deteriorating at pace'

Shares of European carriers and most US airlines experienced another bruising session as the economic toll of the coronavirus becomes clearer.

"Last week saw a rapid acceleration of the impact of COVID-19 on global aviation and tourism," Virgin Atlantic warned in a statement.

"The situation is deteriorating at pace and the airline has seen several days of negative bookings, driven by a huge volume of cancelations as customers choose to stay at home."

British no-frills carrier EasyJet warned it may have to ground "the majority" of its fleet, urging governments across Europe to help their airlines maintain access to liquidity.

The airline's CEO Johan Lundgren said "European aviation faces a precarious future," and called for government backing if the industry is to survive.

Irish budget carrier Ryanair meanwhile did not rule out a full grounding as it unveiled stinging flight cutbacks.

IAG said it was taking measures including cuts to non-essential spending, a freeze on recruitment and reducing work hours.

A management shake-up had also been put on hold, noting that Willie Walsh would remain as IAG's chief executive.

Walsh had been due to step down on March 26, to be replaced by Iberia CEO Luis Gallego.

Air France will meanwhile slash flight capacity by 70-90 percent over the next two months, while Austrian Airlines will suspend all flights from Thursday, and Finnair is cutting 90 percent of capacity until the situation improves.

The German government on Monday said it is planning to shield companies from going under because of the pandemic, by suspending legal obligations for firms facing acute liquidity problems to file for bankruptcy.

German tourism and hotel group TUI said it was applying for state aid to keep it afloat, as it suspended the "majority" of its operations.

'This is not 2008'

Back in London, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson signaled that the government would examine help for affected businesses, not just airlines, via tax authority Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

"HMRC is ready to help all businesses including airlines experiencing temporary financial difficulties due to coronavirus," Johnson's spokesman told AFP.

Stephen Innes, markets strategist at AxiCorp, drew a contrast with the global financial crisis which sparked bank bailouts.

As G7 finance ministers prepare to discuss the crisis later Monday, Innes argued that airlines were not the only strategic companies calling for assistance this time.

"This is not 2008. Back then it was the banks, this time the banks' balance sheets are fine," Innes said. "But this is a global economic crisis which needs swap lines to airline companies, oil companies and retailers."

"Airlines might be at the top of the list for directed fiscal help, but virtually every global industry is facing pressure without a government bailout," he added.
Democratic Party leader grilled on claiming pro-choice view non-negotiable for Democrats

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The head of the Democratic National Committee was pressed on his past remarks claiming that Democrats had to support abortion, eventually citing the Bible to argue that President Donald Trump does not support those in need.

DNC Chair Tom Perez was interviewed on Sunday on the program Axios on HBO regarding comments he made in 2017 saying that supporting abortion was non-negotiable for Democrats. Jonathan Swan asked Perez if that meant Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards should quit the Democratic Party due to his signing a strict anti-abortion bill into law.

I respect Governor Edwards, responded Perez, who ultimately disagreed that Edwards had to leave the Party. I profoundly disagree with his position on this issue.

Its not only about a womans right to choose whether to have an abortion, its about womens economic empowerment.

Swan pressed Perez on the issue, noting that the chair had used the term non-negotiable when discussing the matter of abortion, to which Perez reiterated his disagreement with Edwards on the issue and added, I think I speak for most Democrats in saying that.

Swan then quoted prominent Roman Catholic Church leader Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who in response to Perezs 2017 comments had stated that it weakens the democracy millions of Americans cherish when the party that once embraced Catholics now slams the door on us.

The DNC chair claimed that most Catholics actually voted Democrat in 2016, then referenced Matthew 25 in arguing that President Donald Trump has abandoned biblical values.

Matthew 25 says, you know, when you are hungry, I fed you. When you were naked, I provided you with clothing. When you were an immigrant, I welcomed you, said Perez.

I think one of the reasons why so many people are moving away from Donald Trump is that hes abandoned all of those values.

He added that he could not understand how people could go to Donald Trump rallies and then they will go to church on Sunday, claiming that Trump has done more to hurt the least of us, among us, than just about any president I can think of.

John Hirschauer of the National Review was among those who was critical of Perezs comments during the interview and his usage of the Bible passage in his arguments.

The imperative to charity [in Matthew 25] is clearly construed as one that obtains to the individual, an imperative that is not fulfilled merely by voting for a politician who promises to use the threat of force to expropriate the wealth of ones neighbor, wrote Hirschauer.

As for Perezs concern for the least of these  I can hardly think of a more vulnerable human being in our society than the unborn child that his party supports killing up until the moment of birth. Something Perez might contemplate if he reads the Last Judgment parable through to its end.

In April 2017, Perez garnered controversy when he announced that the Party would no longer support any Democratic candidates who identified as pro-life on the abortion issue.

"Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her health," he stated at the time.

"At a time when women's rights are under assault from the White House, the Republican Congress, and in states across the country ... we must speak up for this principle as loudly as ever and with one voice."

That July, U.S. Representative Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman, contradicted Perez, saying there would be no litmus test on abortion.

As we look at candidates across the country, you need to make sure you have candidates that fit the district, that can win in these districts across America, he explained in 2017.

More recently, during the Democratic primary season, there has been much debate over how welcoming the Party will be toward pro-life members and their policy views.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, for example, said at a town hall event in Concord, New Hampshire last month that being pro-choice was essential to being a Democrat.

By this time in history, I think when we talk about what a Democrat is, I think being pro-choice is an essential part of that, stated Sanders.

Around the same time, then candidate U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said that the party should be accepting of pro-life Democrats.

I believe we are a big tent party and there are pro-life Democrats and they are part of our party, said Klobuchar, who has a staunch pro-choice voting record in the Senate.

I think we need to build a big tent. I think we need to bring people in instead of shutting them out. That also includes independents right here in New Hampshire and moderate Republicans.
The Manhattan ballrooms that became pillars of the Gilded Age are few and far between these days. (Temple Emanu-El now occupies the site of Mrs. Astors legendary one.) But on the second floor of a Beaux Arts building uptown, one grand salon serves as home to Remy Renzullo, a decorator with a soft spot for aristocratic interiors. While the spaces scale has not quite survivedit was carved into apartments long agoits ambience remains, with lofty ceilings and original stained glass.

There are few better suited to occupy the one-bedroom than Renzullo. Though still in his 20s, he is an old soul, with a hush-hush clientele that might well have been pulled from The Four Hundred, were the society record still around. Fittingly, he happened upon the dwelling not online but at a dinner party hosted by two friends who occupied both this unit and the one next door, then combined. I told them, This is my dream apartment. If you ever move, let me know,  he recalls. One day they said, Its yours if you want it. 

Three years since moving in, hes made it every inch his own. The great room doubles as entertaining space and office, with walls painted in Etruscan red. My painter jokes that I only like muddy colors, says Renzullo. If a room is dark, own it. Furnishings are a charming hodgepodge of heirlooms and auction finds. The sofa, covered in a Bennison fabric, was crafted by his furniture-maker father and originally sat in Renzullos Connecticut childhood home. An 18th-century Spanish farm table, meanwhile, regularly reveals both beautiful breakfastscapes and piles of fabric swatches. Artwise, he is drawn to the Spanish and Italian Baroque. For a young person with a budget, theres more value to collecting Old Masters than contemporary or modern right now, he explains. In his country-style kitchen, refrigerator magnets offer a window onto his wish list.

Story continues

Its about making a space feel livable, remarks Renzullo, who credits his aesthetic to his New England roots. I grew up in this Anglo-American-y, threadbarish but still beautiful environment. I dont like anything that looks studied. His mother, a onetime decorator, remains a source of inspiration, though its hard to miss the John Fowler notes. Were all Anglophiles in my family. The English do unfussy better than anybody.

Its no wonder Renzullo encourages his clients to make house calls. This place conveys a real sense of my style, he says. I dont believe any room is ever done. You live with it, see what works, and make changes accordingly. There are of course some drawbacks to operating a fledgling business out of ones home. He notes with a laugh that meetings are best in the morning: The apartment faces an interior courtyard and has appalling natural light. So office hours end early. By 6:30 you cant see anything. To have a conversation about wall colors doesnt really work when you cant see an inch in front of you. Though the moody vibes do make the transition to cocktails an easy one. Ill have 30 for dinner, 40 for drinks, he exclaims. When you live in a ballroom, who can blame you for filling it?

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
With the case set to go to trial next month, prosecutors recommended that the Justice Department drop the charges to preserve national security interests and prevent Russia from weaponizing delicate American law enforcement information, according to the official. The prosecutors also weighed the benefits of securing a guilty verdict against the companies, which cannot be meaningfully punished in the United States, against the risk of exposing national security secrets in order to win in court.

Concord has been eager and aggressive in using the judicial system to gather information about how the United States detects and prevents foreign election interference, prosecutors said in a motion filed in court on Monday. At the same time, the firm has tried to stymie the judicial process, including by concealing facts and documents and submitting a false affidavit.

Department officials denied that the decision to drop the charges was intended to dismantle Mr. Muellers work, noting that prosecutors are still pursuing charges against the 13 Russians and the Internet Research Agency.

On Monday, the court granted the motion to dismiss the charges against the Concord defendants.

Federal prosecutors in Virginia are still pursuing a separate case against a Russian national, Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, who managed a multimillion-dollar budget for the troll farm efforts to sow division against Russian adversaries, including the United States. Ms. Khusyaynova, 44, worked for several entities owned by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, a Russian oligarch sometimes known as Putins chef. Mr. Prigozhin, a part owner of the Concord companies, was among the Russians whom Mr. Mueller secured indictments against.
Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it plans to boost oil exports to more than 10 million barrels per day as the OPEC kingpin escalates a price war with Russia.

The world's biggest crude exporter said it would free up an additional 250,000 bpd of oil for exports by using gas for domestic consumption.

"Saudi Arabia will utilise the gas produced by the Fadhili gas plant to compensate for around 250,000 bpd of domestic oil consumption," a spokesman for the Saudi energy ministry said in a statement without detailing how one would replace the other.

This "will enable the kingdom to increase its crude exports during the coming few months to exceed 10 (million bpd)."



The kingdom has long sought to diversify its energy mix by tapping gas and renewables to free up more oil for export, the kingdom's chief revenue earner.

The announcement comes after Saudi Arabia said last week it would increase production by at least 2.5 million bpd to 12.3 million bpd from April.

With global demand already low amid fears over the economic effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, that decision sent crude prices diving.

It came after the kingdom and other major producers, including Russia, failed to reach a deal earlier this month to slash output and shore up prices.

Saudi Aramco's chief executive Amin Nasser said on Monday that the company would use 300,000 bpd from its vast stocks to boost supply to 12.3 million bpd from next month.

Saudi exports have hovered around seven million bpd over the past few years.

Fadhili gas plant, a subsidiary of Aramco, currently produces 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day, which Aramco says will rise to 2.5 billion cubic feet over the coming months.

This will raise Saudi gas production to 12.2 billion cubic feet per day, freeing up more oil for export.

Global oil prices have gone into meltdown as the novel coronavirus hits the global economy, slashing demand even as producers boost their output after the talks collapsed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 00:23 | All, Coronavirus, Japan

Japan has yet to reach a peak in coronavirus infections, with the number of new cases on a declining trend in Hokkaido but the number of infected people rising in Aichi and Hyogo prefectures, a Kyodo News study showed Tuesday.

The study is based on data from about 680 people whose dates of onset were made available out of the infected people local governments reported to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare by Monday.

In Hokkaido, where 152 cases -- the highest number of domestic infections -- have been reported, the number of new cases has been decreasing since Gov. Naomichi Suzuki declared a state of emergency on Feb. 28.

The cases of coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, surged in mid-February on the northernmost main island, logging 10 patients per day on Feb. 18 and 21, before showing a declining trend.

A government panel of health experts warned on Feb. 24 that the next week or two will be "critical" in determining whether infections would rapidly spread in the country or end.

However, the number of COVID-19 patients has increased in prefectures such as Aichi and Hyogo where clusters of people infected with the pneumonia-causing virus were reported.

In Aichi, the central Japan prefecture with the second-highest number of domestic infection, a cluster of infection emerged via a daycare center for the elderly, recording 11 cases a day on March 7 and 9.

Nationwide, cases of the coronavirus disease remained at a rate of 20 to 30 per day between late February and early March, suggesting the peak of the epidemic has yet to come in the country.

While the number of nationwide cases has been on a declining trend since March 10, it can still turn upward in March because many cases have presumably not yet been reported to local governments.

Similarly, the Tokyo metropolitan government said Tuesday it has confirmed an additional 12 infection cases, bringing to 102 the number of cases in the capital.

It marked the highest number of infections per day in Tokyo as well.

The study also revealed that 20 or more people tested positive for the virus in March after returning from overseas.

The infection of an Aichi man in his 50s was confirmed this month after he returned from France, and others who took part in a Nile River cruise in Egypt were also infected.

Related coverage:

IOC confirms policy to hold Tokyo Olympics as scheduled

Osaka eyes offering free school meals from April amid virus spread

Graduation ceremonies held but scaled down in Japan amid virus spread
PHILADELPHIA The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis  its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become []
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:01:01|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkey-backed rebel groups violated the cease-fire in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, state news agency SANA reported.

The rebels shelled several military positions in the Kafr-Nubul and Hazarin areas in Idlib countryside, causing damage, said SANA.

The Syrian army responded to the attacks by firing at the rebels' positions.

Meanwhile, SANA cited a report by Russia's Defense Ministry as saying that the rebels in Idlib have violated the cease-fire five times over the past 24 hours and 38 times since the cease-fire went into force on March 5.

Russia and Turkey agreed on a cease-fire in the de-escalation zone in Syria's Idlib on March 5.

The agreement comes after several times of direct confrontation between Turkey and Syrian in Idlib over the past two months when the Syrian forces have been campaigning against the Turkey-backed rebel groups in the province.

The Syrian army started the operation in Idlib after Turkey failed to live up to pledges made during the Sochi agreement in 2018 between Russia and Turkey.

Under the previous deal, the rebels should have withdrawn from certain areas around the M5 and M4 highways in northern Syria.

Turkey was also supposed to disarm ultra-radical rebel groups in certain areas in Idlib, which did not happen.

The current cease-fire was seen as a chance to quell the recent confrontation in Idlib, mainly to allow humanitarian help for Syrian refugees who fleed their areas during the recent military showdown.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 22:12:12|Editor: huaxia

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Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Pakistani President Arif Alvi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Top legislator Li Zhanshu said Tuesday that Pakistani President Arif Alvi's visit to China at this special period demonstrated the firm support of Pakistan's government and people for China.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, briefed Alvi on the overall situation of China's prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic during their meeting in Beijing.

Li said China's progress in containing the epidemic demonstrated significant advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

He also expressed the confidence in winning the battle against the COVID-19, and maintaining the steady and healthy development of the economy.

Noting that humanity is a community with a shared future, Li said China will actively support and assist the international community including Pakistan to fight the epidemic.

Alvi commended China's major progress in curbing the COVID-19, and its great contribution to the global battle against the epidemic.

He also expressed appreciation for China's assistance and said Pakistan will always stand alongside China to jointly address challenges.
A Japanese court has sentenced a man to death for fatally stabbing 19 intellectually disabled people at a care home almost four years ago.

Satoshi Uematsu was found guilty of homicide and other charges. He also injured 26 people with knives in the attack that lasted several hours. The 30-year-old targeted residents of the Tsukui Yamayuri-en home in Sagamihara, near Tokyo, in 2016. Uematsu was a former worker at the facility.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Kiyoshi Aonuma referred to the maliciousness of what he described as extremely grave crimes.

Uematsu's lawyers maintained he was innocent and could not be held responsible for the murders because of a mental disorder caused by long-term marijuana use.

During the trial, Uematsu admitted he targeted the victims because he thought he could kill them easily. He said people with severe disabilities have no means of communication.

Prosecutors asked for the death penalty. The judge ruled that Uematsu could be held criminally responsible.
The prominent civil Rights advocacy platform  HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has described as a mass suicidal tendency the governments deliberate failure to take concrete actions to stave off and contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country. HURIWA lamented the lack of political will power and the right leadership at both national and subnational levels in Nigeria to mobilize Nigerians and enlighten them along the lines of what they are supposed to do in the current severe medical emergency created by the emergence of COVID-19.

Besides, the Rights group has asked civil Rights bodies and Nigerians of means to institute fundamental Rights enforcement processes against the Federal government at the FEDERAL HIGH COURTS to obtain declaratory orders mandating President Muhammadu Buhari to personally address the nation, close the land borders and impose strict travel bans for people coming in from jurisdictions with unprecedented cases of the new pandemic. "The Right to life is sacrosanct and inalienable but it is one of the first generation rights that can not be recovered the moment the citizen is dead. This is the time to use all lawful means to force President Muhammadu Buhari to embrace responsible, responsive and receptive political approach to confront the biggest health emergency the World has seen in the last 100 years.

We totally condemn the poor attitudes of the federal government; President Muhammadu Buhari particularly and the painful non-challant tendencies of virtually all the key federal and state governmental officials who are behaving as if they are paid to allow the coronavirus to become widespread in the country before any concrete measures can be adopted. This attitude is at best the type you see in persons who are bent on embarking on "mass suicides.

Why will the federal government insists on allowing all kinds of travels into Nigeria even from nations whereby the unfortunate pandemic is more widespread? Why take such insensitive, reckless and irrational step when even developed societies with the best of technologies and medical facilities in Europe, America, and Australia have imposed one type of restrictions on travels or the other? This is outrageous and outrightly despicable.

As a matter of fact, it is a manifestation of a lack of leadership that till now, the current president has not thought it wise to personally address Nigeria. This is scandalous. Nations like Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Ghana, and Senegal amongst others have had their presidents actively take the driving seats in the fight against coronavirus but in Nigeria it is as if we are political orphans. NIGERIAN PRESIDENT MAY HABE TO BE COMPELLED BY COURT ORDERS TO SPEAK TO NIGERIANS.

The Federal Government says it has no plans to impose travel restrictions on visitors from countries where coronavirus continues to spread rapidly. Tbis piece of ibformation as far as HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) is concerned is insanely irrational to have been made by our government at this perilous time of coronavirus. HURIWA believes that the decision by Nigeria to casually screen visitors entering the country from China (where the disease originated last year), Japan, Iran, Italy, Germany, France, South Korea and Spain is a national scandal and a monumental disgrace. This current suicidal government must be called to order immediatelly. Nigerians must speak out so we are not led astray by a rudderless government .

"HURIWA heard that whilst addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnibe Mamora, said the FG decided to screen visitors from the eight countries after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. This is a grave ertor of JUDGMENT which must be reversed and the most stringent travel ban imposed"

Is Mr President listening and is he unaeare that South Africa has barred some foreigners from entering and will close schools; Eurooean Union states including Germany, Austria and France are among the latest to announce radical action to curb the spread of the virus; against all but essential travel to Spain after the government there announced emergency restrictions; the Foreign Office has issued the same advice for the United States of America , effective from Tuesday morning, after President Trump decided to extend a European travel ban to include the UK; Airlines warned the UK's aviation industry may not survive the pandemic without emergency financial support; And about 600 Britons are among passengers stranded on a Fred Olsen cruise ship in the Bahamas after five people on board tested positive for the virus. The company said all onboard bars and restaurants are still open and passengers had been given a "complementary all-inclusive drinks package." Is President Muhammadu Buhari not aware of all these strong steos taken by civilised societies?"
Fears of overrunning U.S. hospitals due to the coronavirus came to a critical point Tuesday, as officials raced to address the needs of an already overtaxed system struggling to treat patients with too few staffers, beds and critical supplies.

The need to "flatten the curve"- as in, decrease the exponential rise in cases, as shown in this chart - was laid out by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Tuesday in plain mathematical terms as the state, with the most cases in the nation, rushes to contain the spread.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, SAYING:

"I've said that curve is going to turn into a wave, and the wave is going to crash on the hospital system. We have 53,000 hospital beds in the state of New York. We have 3000 ICU beds. Right now, the hospitalization rate is running between 15 to 19 percent from our sample of the tests we take. We have 19.5 million people in the state of New York. We have spent much time with many experts projecting what the virus could actually do. The expected peak is around 45 days. They are expecting as many as 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds will be needed at that point. That, my friends, is the problem. You take the 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds, compare it to a capacity to 53,000 beds, and you understand the challenge."

Cuomo said the state is also asking retired doctors and nurses to register themselves on a website that lists them as on-call.

Medical and nursing school students are also encouraged to pitch in.

The U.S. crunch comes as hospitals globally have already felt the heat.

In Italy - the second most heavily affected country in the world after China - the government is working urgently to set up more ICU beds in many regions.

And a government official in Switzerland, with its roughly 2700 cases, warned Tuesday that its health care system could collapse by the end of the month if coronavirus cases keep spreading at the current rate.
Being asked to stay indoors and wash their hands more frequently doesnt mean much to Southeast Texans who have neither a traditional home nor consistent access to a sink with running water.

In the era of coronavirus, agencies that serve those experiencing homelessness are weighing the costs and benefits of offering services to people who arent usually in a position to heed the conventional advice for avoiding infection.

That includes Some Other Place, a prominent local nonprofit that provides such basic needs as a place to wash up or a warm meal  actions that often often draw crowds that can exceed the new limits for public gatherings.

We have to believe that feeding people is the right thing, Some Other Place executive director Paula ONeal said Tuesday. But is it worth the risk of putting people in contact with people who might get them sick? Were trying to do the best we can.

Related: SETX counties implement curfew, price controls

ONeal said these conversations are particularly important when considering how little contact people experiencing homelessness likely will have with those infected by the virus.

Many of them arent elderly, theyve built up an immune system to a lot of things and they arent often coming in contact with people whove traveled abroad, she said.

So Some Other Place and other similar service providers are having tough conversations about the best way to keep services going while limiting risk.

Beginning Tuesday, the agency suspended sit-down meals and started serving its daily breakfast and lunch to-go, with additional garbage cans set up to collect trash from the disposable containers.

Were going to be serving as we always do, on our regular schedule, ONeal said. They just wont come into the dining room.

Related: Daily disruptions: Retailers change hours, some close stores

While Some Other Place works to limit crowds, The Salvation Army, which runs an emergency homeless shelter, and the Beaumont Women and Childrens Shelter run by Family Services of Southeast Texas have focused on better sanitation.

The Salvation Army also has developed policies to follow should a resident or staff member get sick, including establishing isolation or quarantine areas and calling in and more staff and health-care providers, a news release from the agency said.

Additional protocols are being formed quickly and have been rolled out in high-impact areas such as Washington state, New York City, Chicago and North Texas.

Related: BISD board to vote on employee payments during pandemic

Some Other Place also has hand sanitizer and wipes set up in several locations, although that supply is running low.

ONeal said staff was still discussing what to do about Henrys Place, a day center that provides services including showers, laundry and access to an address and telephone, among others.

The center opened as usual Tuesday morning, but staff was expected to talk with facility regulars to brainstorm the best way to keep the building open but limit the size of the group using its services.

Related: Nearly all SETX schools close in response to coronavirus

The precautions being taken arent just for the people experiencing homelessness, though.

ONeal said many Some Other Place volunteers are elderly, and thus at greater risk for severe illness as a result of the virus.

She said shed hate for people to start volunteering during a time like this and then come down with the virus, but shes already taken down the name and number of a younger woman who was interested in helping out for the first time.

I dont want to encourage people because its a really Catch-22, she said. You want to do the right thing, but what is the right thing?

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even as the U.S. Senate grappled over what to do with a wide-ranging coronavirus economic stimulus bill passed by the House of Representatives, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Monday urged an additional $750 billion to address the crisis.

We will need big, bold, urgent federal action to deal with this crisis, Schumer said in a statement outlining a plan to fund a range of emergency operations, including boosting hospital capacity, expanding jobless benefits, delivering help to small businesses and funding childcare for healthcare workers.

The proposal - which approaches the magnitude of the response to the 2008 financial crisis - came as lawmakers argued over the fine points of the more modest multibillion-dollar coronavirus relief bill already passed by the Democratic-controlled House.

At the opposite end of the political spectrum from Schumer, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas also called for a more aggressive response to the outbreak, saying tax breaks in the House-passed bill were not structured in a way to help employees of businesses that have to shut down.

The House bill doesnt go far enough and it doesnt go fast enough, Cotton, a conservative, said in remarks on the Senate floor.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also huddled with Republican senators in a closed-door meeting to discuss existing coronavirus legislation and more, a source familiar with the situation said.

The Senate is committed to meeting these uncertain times with bold and bipartisan solutions, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a speech on the chamber floor, noting that the House had not yet forwarded its bill for the Senate to vote on.

It was unclear whether the 53 Republicans in the 100-seat Senate would coalesce around that wide-ranging measure. The 45 Democratic and two independent senators are seen as likely to vote for the bill.

The House-passed measure would require paid sick leave for some workers, expanded unemployment compensation and nearly $1 billion in additional money to help feed children, homebound senior citizens and others, and has White House backing.

Without the permission of all 100 senators to move quickly, McConnell likely would have to gather a super majority of at least 60 votes for the House bill to clear procedural hurdles.

His other option would be to amend the House bill to shore up Republican backing. But doing so would require final approval by the House when it returns from a recess next week.

THIRD CORONAVIRUS MEASURE?

Congress has already passed and Republican President Donald Trump has signed an $8.3 billion bill aimed at helping develop a coronavirus vaccine, ensure better supplies of medical equipment and help state and local governments deal with the burgeoning crisis.

Some Republicans discussed the possibility of staying in session this week to craft a third coronavirus measure aimed at stimulating the economy and aiding industries.

Then there are some who think ... wed better do phase three at the same time, because we might not be coming back if somebody gets coronavirus or whatever, said Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who also proposed sending $1,000 to each adult American to help meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy.

Even as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States rapidly rose to more than 3,800 and the number of deaths to more than 70, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally, some Republican senators were challenging the House bill.

The president and states already have adequate authority and funding to address the current situation, Senate Homeland Security and Government Operations Chairman Ron Johnson said in a statement on Saturday, saying the House-passed bill would force small businesses to pay wages they cannot afford.

An aide to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the House was now scheduled to return from a recess on March 24, a day later than originally planned.

Members also were advised that leaders were working on plans to limit the number of lawmakers allowed on the floor at any one time to help control the spread of the coronavirus.
Susanna Reid skyped in from home during Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, after self-isolating due to coronavirus symptoms in her household.

The ITV presenter announced Monday evening that she will be self -isolating at her London home after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by coronavirus COVID-19 carriers and would not return to GMB as she adopts the precautionary measure laid out by the World Health Organisation.

She took part in Tuesday's show via video call to join her co-star Piers Morgan as he joked she was self-isolating to avoid him.

Working from home: Susanna Reid called in from home during Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, after self-isolating due to coronavirus symptoms in her household

Speaking to Susanna via video link at the opening of the show Piers quipped: 'I've heard some ways of avoiding working with me but this is ridiculous.'

'Finally after all these years I've put myself in self-isolation from you,' she replied.

Susanna reassured viewers she had no symptoms, explaining that one of her children had mild symptoms that appeared on Monday.

She told Piers: 'One of my children has a cough, a persistent cough. And that came on yesterday. Before the briefing yesterday afternoon, the advice had been the person themselves would be confined to the house for seven days.

'Well, suddenly with these new drastic action measures, that changed yesterday afternoon. It meant if one member of your household had the cough or fever you would all have to go in self isolation for 14 days. Immediately, I thought I can't go into work and work with you guys for 14 days.

Revelation: Addressing Twitter followers on Monday evening, Susanna, 49, admitted she was distancing herself from the ITV production team, her co-hosts and members of the public  despite showing no symptoms herself

Susanna shares three teenage sons with her ex husband Dominic Cotton, and pointed out that one child's symptoms have meant both households are self-isolating.

'All the children are off. We're two households. It's a very unusual situation. I am very, very lucky. I'm paid even when I'm sick. I'm in a privileged position.'

Asked by Piers how she would cope with enforced time off, she revealed: 'I love my work, I love coming into work, I love the daily battles, I love the challenge, I love interviewing and broadcasting all this to our viewers. It gives you so much pleasure. Im going to really miss that for two weeks.'

Self-isolating: She took part in Tuesday's show, appearing via video call to join her co-star Piers Morgan as he joked she was self-isolating to avoid him

On how her family was coping, she added: 'My boys are teenagers, nothing much scares them and certainly not this. They are more concerned with not seeing their friends'.

'Its going to be a challenge to fill the day productively. What I found yesterday was, I spent the entire day scrolling through twitter, getting updates but Im going to have to spend my time a lot better than just going through twitter for two weeks.'

'We all think we have a novel in us, whether I spend the next two weeks writing a book or whether I actually do a lot of cooking or baking or whether we set up a home school.'

She explained: 'Thats really important, I have a perfectly normal temperature, as do all of my children. I do not have a cough, I have no symptoms. Im not feeling fatigued, I feel 100% healthy'.

No symptoms: Susanna reassured viewers she had no symptoms, explaining that one of her children had mild symptoms that appeared on Monday

'In other circumstances, before the advice changed yesterday, I would have come into work. Then the advice changed, if there is a persistent cough, and or a fever, then the whole household has to self isolate. There is no test for me to establish whether this is actually the virus and I have huge doubts it is. I really just dont think it is. I think its a seasonal cough.'

Piers was keen to point out that a lack of testing available for coronavirus meant Susanna and her family probably won't find out if they have they have contracted the virus.

He said: 'You don't know your son has coronavirus. You might all be doing this 14 day self isolation. Quite a lot of people for your two households, for no reason. Nobody knows if they've got someone who's got it.'

Susanna agreed, saying: 'Yesterday we heard from the World Health Organisation, test, test, test. Here we are not getting tested unless you are hospitalised. The advice for me and my family is dont even call 111 unless you are really worried it may be a seasonal cough, there is no fever, no one else has symptoms.'

At home: Susanna shares three teenage sons with her ex husband Dominic Cotton, and pointed out that one child's symptoms have meant both households are self-isolating

'Thats one thing for me but what if I was a healthcare worker or a teacher, or a nurse, or a police officer or an ambulance driver?'

She added: 'Its very frustrating not to be able to test for it this could be a rolling 14 day quarantine. These symptoms could disappear after 24 hours. Then somebody else might pick up some of the symptoms.'

Later in the show Susanna joined a debate with resident doctor Dr Hilary Jones, where she pleaded for a government minister to come on the programme to advise viewers on the ramped-up measures.

'Firstly I am following now religiously now the government advice as it was changed yesterday and as a result of that I would like to ask a government minister to be on Good Morning Britain in order to answer these questions.'

No testing: Piers was keen to point out that a lack of testing available for coronavirus meant Susanna and her family probably won't find out if they have they have contracted the virus

'It is absolutely outrageous that they haven't been and I want to hear answers from them. I'm doing exactly what they are asking me to do. I think it is reasonable that they appear on our programme to answer our questions.'

'I am in isolation with my family in order to suppress potential infection, if there are people who feel they cannot afford to do the same thing, how is that suppression strategy going to work? And what is the Government going to do so they can fund those people, so they can also comply with this suppression strategy?'

Addressing Twitter followers on Monday evening, Susanna, 49, admitted she was distancing herself from the ITV production team, her co-hosts and members of the public  despite showing no symptoms herself.

She wrote: 'I am currently well but due to the new advice today I will be self-isolating for two weeks due to symptoms in my household. Stay well everyone.'

Susanna's admission came shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Brits to work from home, stay away from bars, clubs and restaurants and avoid 'all non-essential contact' for 12-weeks.

The PM warned that the coronavirus was now in a phase of rapid spread across the UK, with London seeing a particular surge, and it was time to take radical action to stop the NHS being swamped.

Guideline: Susanna's tweet on Monday night came shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Brits to work from home, stay away from bars, clubs and restaurants and avoid 'all non-essential contact'

Everyone should avoid contact that is not absolutely necessary - with restaurants, bars and cinemas and travel off limits, and an end to large gatherings. Admitting that the squeeze could last 12 weeks or even longer, the PM acknowledged he was 'asking a lot'.

Entire households should self-isolate for two weeks if one person has been showing symptoms, and older people should prepare to stay away from risks for months to come. He said that meant 'you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials'.

The breakneck developments came amid growing criticism of the UK government's response, which has looked increasingly out of step with that around the globe.

In the studio: Susanna featured on Monday's edition of the show alongside Piers Morgan and resident Doctor Hilary Jones

Moments after Johnson's dramatic press conference, actor Idris Elba revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The actor, 47, told followers he 'feels ok' and has no symptoms but has decided to self-isolate following his exposure to COVID-19.

Posting a video on social media, the star sat next to his wife Sabrina to give fans an update on his condition.

Isolating: Idris Elba, 47, revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday evening

Idris had attended the WE Day UK Charity event and concert in London last Tuesday March 3 with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

He confirmed that wife Sabrina had not yet been tested but said that she also 'feels ok' at the moment.

The Luther star added that he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus, before quarantining himself and getting tested 'immediately'.

He received the news of his results on Monday morning.
A CERTAIN CLARITY

Selected Poems

By Lawrence Joseph

A Certain Clarity presents selections from the six books of poetry Lawrence Joseph has published between his terrifying 1983 debut and 2017: an intensely realized, intimate epic of modern American life. Born in 1948 in Detroit to Lebanese Catholic parents, educated at Michigan, Cambridge and Michigan again, where he trained as a lawyer (he currently teaches law at St. Johns University), Joseph self-consciously joins that outsize American tradition of poets-with-professions, poets like Wallace Stevens and William Carlos Williams, from both of whom he has learned much  but, crucially, not too much.

From his first collections prologue in heaven, in which the not-yet embodied poet is punished for merely amusing his celestial auditors (you will be pulled from a womb / into a city), his founding myth has been of myth disgorging on actuality. Later indelible violences  the Detroit riots of 1967; his grocer father shot by a would-be robber three years later  mark, in lived time, the moment the voice howling in you / was born. In the thick of lower-middle-class American life, Catholic, Arab-American, the racial on me all the time, the voice of Josephs early poems claims what has been imposed on it: Detroit, family, that mixture of inclusion and exclusion where the nations racial hierarchies collide. (As when an important early poem appropriates, for the self, a racial slur for black Americans, modified for Arabs.)

Within these pages, decades compress. The terrorist atrocities of Sept. 11, 2001, a block from Josephs current home in Lower Manhattan, arouse horror and indignation. So too  in keeping with Josephs Catholic antiwar instincts  do the years of war, American and otherwise, in their wake. Facile equivalences / are to be avoided, he writes; so too, he implies, are facile disequivalences. The local and intimate find their place on a global scale that the writing strives to bring close. Perhaps most surprisingly intimate are the effects of transformations in the structure of American capitalism, transformations coinciding with the poets 1981 migration from the center of one dominant industry  one empire  to another: from Detroit (the capital of a new planet, the one / on wheels) to Manhattan, metropolis of contemporary technocapital. Each city, in its time, contains both the center and peripheries of the imperium. Each glows with weird grandeur, fed by the human cost.

Not the first poet to meditate on political economy and empire, Joseph is distinguished by his knowledge, which is not merely technical. Like his 1997 prose study Lawyerland, a novelistic portrait of the trade in eight freewheeling, anonymized conversations, his poetry favors blunt words and has an ear for meaty talk. (Lawyerland makes unnerving reading today. Asked to explain his burgeoning work in mortgage securitization, one subject offers, Im not sure I know what it is, then adds that, when the mortgages stop being paid, well do what we did when all the junk from the 80s went bad  well just shift over to bankruptcy.) No less than John Ashberys, Josephs poems soak up and savor common phrases: By the way, Tell me about it!, So where were we?, Put it this way, Who talks like that?, Is what it is. And they have talks way of skating on thinnest ice: More than one poem ends up in a drastically different place from where it began, abrupt shifts testing the pressure talk can sustain: I know  youd prefer I change the subject, he tells us: (I know how to change the subject).
TWO more Limerick hotels have this Tuesday morning confirmed their closure due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

The George Hotel, The Savoy Hotel and Alex Findlater and Co restaurant, which between them employ 290 people, will close to the public until Sunday, March 29, in line with many other hospitality businesses nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Limerick City Hotel remains open to guests. But McGettigans Bar and Restaurant on the same site is closed.

The Mallow Street hotels reservations and revenue manager Lauren Higgins confirmed food and drink will still be served to guests of the hotel in the Arches Restaurant, on the lower ground floor of the complex.

We are open for business as of now, but were talking it day-by-day, she confirmed.

The moves come due to fears that cases of the flu-like disease are set to soar, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last night warning of a 30% rise before the end of the week.

Ronan Branigan, general manager of the Savoy Group, said: In the interests of the health and safety of our staff and customers, we are going to meet out staff today. We are going to temporarily close all our outlets until March 29 which is the government advice in relation to this outbreak.

We operate in a business which would find it hard to institute social distancing, he added.

Mr Branigan said its hoped to keep Da Vincenzos open at the George Hotel for an hour each day, for hotel workers both in the Savoy Group and across the city.

We dont want people to congregate in big numbers, but if they feel they want to come in and catch up, we are going to offer staff food in 12pm to 1pm each day. Well also extend that to any hotel staff around the city who would like to have a hot meal, he added.
Their condition is satisfactory.

Two Ukrainian soldiers have received shrapnel wounds near the village of Novotoshkivske in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, amid enemy shelling on Tuesday, March 17.

"Armed formations of the Russian Federation have once again violated the ceasefire today, March 17, and attacked positions of [Ukraine's] Joint Forces, using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters said in an evening update on Facebook on March 17.

Read alsoOne Ukrainian soldier wounded amid seven enemy attacks on March 16

In particular, the Russian invaders fired fifteen 82mm mortars to attack Ukrainian positions near Novotoshkivske.

"Two members of the Joint Forces received shrapnel wounds amid the enemy's attack," it said.

The servicemen were evacuated to a military hospital, where they received medical care. Their condition is satisfactory.

As the JFO HQ said, Russia-led forces mounted 10 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on March 17, using proscribed 82mm and 120mm mortars, an anti-tank missile system, grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and rifles.
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks during a briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington, as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin listens.

Alex Brandon/AP

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Monday incorrectly suggested South Korea is an "authoritarian nation" while discussing its response to coronavirus.

"We are not an authoritarian nation, so we have to be careful when we say, 'Let's do what China did. Let's do what South Korea did,'" Adams said.

South Korea has been widely applauded over its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the robust system of testing it set up to quell the spread of the virus.

The US is far behind other countries in testing.

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US Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Monday wrongly suggested South Korea is an "authoritarian nation" as he equated it to China during a discussion on the coronavirus pandemic with "Fox & Friends."

"We are not an authoritarian nation, so we have to be careful when we say, 'Let's do what China did. Let's do what South Korea did,'" Adams said.

"A lot of our public health authority lies in the state and local level, and I have worked for a local health department and a state health department," Adams added. "And what we're seeing now is that these state and local health departments are saying, 'Give us guidance. Give us more cover. We want you to come in and tell us what we should be doing to protect ourselves.'"

South Korea is a democratic country and a key ally of the US, and has been for decades. The South Korean government has been widely applauded for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in terms of the speed and scale of its testing for the virus.

Along these lines, Adams  who leads the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and is one of the federal government's top public health officials  was widely criticized on social media.

Stuck Inside of Mobile w/ the Memphis Blues again (@TimothyS) March 16, 2020

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Adams' remarks came as the US moved toward more stringent measures to quell the spread of the novel coronavirus, including major cities like New York City closing down bars and restaurants other than takeout, and shuttering public schools.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday recommended that all gatherings of 50 people and more be postponed until May.

Adams defended the moves being taken during this "unprecedented" situation, stating the US is at a "critical inflection point." And he applauded South Korea for its success in quelling the spread of the virus, warning that the US does not want to become Italy, which has been hit especially hard by the pandemic. Unlike South Korea, which has set up a robust system of testing for the virus, the US is far behind other countries in testing and getting a clear picture of the scale of the outbreak within its borders.

"People, we are where Italy was two weeks ago in terms of our numbers, and we have a choice to make as a nation: Do we want to go the direction of South Korea, and really be aggressive and lower our mortality rates, or do we want to go the direction of Italy?"

Adams went on to say, "And when you look at the projections, there's every chance that we could be Italy, but there's every hope that we will be South Korea."

The novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, originated in Wuhan, China. The Chinese government has faced criticism over efforts to suppress information on the scale of the outbreak, but through extreme measures and restrictions on daily life has seemingly been successfully in slowing a rise in new infections.

Alluding to this, Adams said, "China really leaned into this, and we saw that it was about a couple months that they were able to see cases go down significantly. Same thing in South Korea. We're hopeful that if we lean into this, then maybe in about six to eight weeks, we'll get over the majority of the pain, we will have flattened the curve, and we can start to slowly get back to life as normal."

Over 3,800 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the US as of Monday afternoon, and at least 67 people have died from it. Globally, the death toll surpassed 6,500 on Monday, per CNN.

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The Union Health Ministry has recommended use of anti-HIV drug combinations Lopinavir and Ritonavir on a case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of the condition of a patient having coronavirus infection.

In its revised guidelines on the 'Clinical Management of COVID - 19' issued on Tuesday, the ministry recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for high-risk groups patients aged above 60, suffering from diabetes mellitus, renal failure, chronic lung disease and are immuno - compromised.

According to a health ministry official, a committee of experts comprising doctors from AIIMS, experts from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and WHO among others revisited the treatment guidelines and recommended supportive treatment in patients suffering from coronavirus infection.

The ministry also recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for symptomatic patients having hypoxia, hypotension, new onset organ dysfunction (one or more), increase in creatinine by 50 per cent from baseline and any other organ dysfunction among others.

There is no current evidence from randomised controlled trial to recommend any specific treatment for suspected or confirmed patients with COVID-19.

No specific anti-virals are recommended for treatment of those suffering from respiratory ailment due to lack of adequate evidence from medical literature.

"The use of Lopinavir-Ritonavir in PEP regimens for HIV (4 weeks) is also associated with significant adverse events which many a times leads to discontinuation of therapy.

"In light of the above, Lopinavir-Ritonavir should only be used with proper informed expressed consent on a case to case basis for severe cases, within the mentioned framework along with supportive treatment as per need," the guidelines stated.

This combination of drugs was given for the first time to an elderly Italian couple currently undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the SMS hospital in Jaipur.

Lopinavir-Ritonavir is used widely for controlling HIV infection.

The guidelines issued by the health ministry also state that COVID-19 patients may present with mild, moderate, or severe illness --the latter includes severe pneumonia, ARDS, sepsis and septic shock.

Early recognition of suspected patients allows for timely initiation of infection, prevention and control.

"Early identification of those with severe manifestations allows for immediate optimised supportive care treatments and safe, rapid admission (or referral) to intensive care unit according to national protocols.

"For those with mild illness, hospitalisation may not be required unless there is concern for rapid deterioration. All patients discharged for home should be instructed to return to hospital if they develop any worsening of illness," the guidelines stated.

The guidelines advise the treating doctors to closely monitor patients with severe acute respiratory infection for signs of clinical deterioration, such as rapidly progressive respiratory failure and sepsis, and apply supportive care interventions immediately.

"Application of timely, effective, and safe supportive therapies is the cornerstone of therapy for patients that develop severe manifestations of COVID-19," it said.

"Understand the patient's co-morbid condition to tailor the management of critical illness and appreciate the prognosis. During intensive care management of severe acute respiratory infection, determine which chronic therapies should be continued and which therapies should be stopped temporarily.

"Communicate pro-actively with patients and families and provide support and prognostic information. Understand the patient's values and preferences regarding life-sustaining interventions," the guidelines stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a great step towards equality of genders in the government system, the Supreme court cleared permanent commission for women saying that female officers are as efficient to sail as their male counterparts.

"They can sail with same efficiency as male officers," the Supreme court said. The government has been directed to implement the permanent commission for women in the Navy, within three months. Woman officers can work on warships, the government told the court.

The bench was headed by Justice DY Chandrachud who said that denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in serious miscarriage of justice.



The Supreme court stated "Once statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting permanent commission.

What permanent commission means

A permanent commission entitles an officer to be in the Navy till he/she retires. This is unlike the short service commission (SSC) that is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four years, to a total of 14 years.

This case pertained to an appeal filed by the Union government against a September 2015 judgment of Delhi high court (HC) holding that there was no convincing reason to exclude serving women officers from consideration for permanent commission.

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In September 2008, the centre had decided to grant permanent commission to woman officers. However the same was applicable only prospectively to female SSC officers; officers who were serving were excluded from this entitlement. The High Court held that excluding serving women officers from permanent commission was irrational and arbitrary.

Sub-Lieutenant Shivangi from Bihar's Muzaffarpur became the countrys first naval woman pilot who joined the operational duties at the Kochi naval base on December 2, 2019. She has been flying the Dornier surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy.

Sub Lieutenant Shivangi/SSB Crack

In February this year, the supreme court ruled that all woman officers in the Army be granted permanent commission irrespective of their years of service.

The court ordered the government to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Armys non-combat support units on par with their male counterparts, should they wish to continue with it after completing their short-service commission.

These are steps in the right direction to promote and uphold gender equality at all levels.
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Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 13:54 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b3acf1 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Nadiem-Makarim,Education-and-Culture-Ministry,outbreak,pandemic,work-from-home Free

Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim has called on people to stay at home to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading.

Through a short video uploaded to social media, Nadiem told people to work from home and avoid public places in fear of transmitting the virus to others.

Ive seen that there are a lot of people who are still going out despite being able to work from home, Nadiem said, adding that he recorded the video from his house.

He also implored the public to not take the virus lightly since it could spread quickly between people. Although some infected people may not exhibit the symptoms, they still could infect people with weak immune systems.

So please remember, every time we go out our presence could threaten someone elses life, he said in the video.

Read also: IYSF scientist praises social distancing policy, urges govt to cancel mudik'

Let us save Indonesian lives by working from home, studying from home and praying from home, he adds.

The government has called all Indonesians to practice what epidemiologists call social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Several major companies in Jakarta had been instructing their staff to work from home over the concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As of Tuesday afternoon, health authorities have confirmed 134 COVID-19 positive cases across the country. Eight cases have recovered , while five others died from COVID-19.
With its hundreds of miles of Atlantic beaches, the Outer Banks draw millions of tourists every year, breaking records summer after summer.

In Maine, the four members of the North Haven Select Board voted this week to bar outsiders from the island. It lies 12 miles off the coast, with a year-round population of about 375 that swells to some 1,200 in the summer.

For both islands, it was a highly unusual step to take given their economic dependence on their visitors, but both feared that their resources, medical and otherwise, would be overwhelmed if they lost control over the number of potentially sick visitors.

Relying on the ocean has often been considered insurance to stave off disease, although there is also widespread skepticism about the ability of any island to avoid a rampantly spreading virus. Any seal is bound to be imperfect, observers argue, and such measures will only delay the inevitable.

The select board of North Haven, an island in Maines Penobscot Bay that is reachable only by boat or aircraft, said that it struggled with the decision made on Sunday night that limits access to year-round residents, but that it did not have the resources to handle even a few cases.
AUBAGNE, France, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A. will postpone its Annual General Shareholders' Meeting formerly scheduled for March 24, 2020, to a later date due to the coronavirus pandemic and the associated restrictions imposed on travel and meetings. This was resolved today by the Board of Directors of the company.

As a result of the cancelation of the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting on March 24, 2020, the vote on the resolution on the assignment of the financial result for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the payment of dividends, among other things, will also be deferred.

The 2020 Annual General Shareholders' Meeting is to be scheduled for a new date within six months after the close of the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2019 as provided for under the French Commercial Law. Sartorius Stedim Biotech will inform its shareholders and the public in a timely manner about its further planning.

A profile of Sartorius Stedim Biotech

Sartorius Stedim Biotech is a leading international partner of the biopharmaceutical industry. As a total solutions provider, the company helps its customers to manufacture biotech medications safely, rapidly and economically. Headquartered in Aubagne, France, Sartorius Stedim Biotech is quoted on the Eurolist of Euronext Paris. With its own manufacturing and R&D sites in Europe, North America and Asia and an international network of sales companies, Sartorius Stedim Biotech has a global reach. The Group has been annually growing by double digits on average and has been regularly expanding its portfolio by acquisitions of complementary technologies. In 2019, the company employed approx. 6,200 people, and earned sales revenue of 1,440.6 million according to preliminary figures.

Follow Sartorius on Twitter @Sartorius_Group and on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Petra Kirchhoff

Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

+49 (0)551.308.1686

[email protected]

www.sartorius.com

SOURCE Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A

Related Links

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As the coronavirus upends virtually every part of the countrys culture, politicians and election officials are beginning to contemplate the unthinkable: How do you hold a presidential election if people arent allowed to leave their homes?

With President Trump warning that the virus crisis could last through the summer and perhaps even longer, there already are signs for concern.

In Ohio, the governor postponed Tuesdays primary because of coronavirus concerns, despite a courts refusal to allow him to cancel the statewide vote.

In Floridas Palm Beach County, some polling places were unable to open Tuesday when 800 volunteer election workers backed out because of virus worries.

Louisiana, Georgia, Maryland, Kentucky and Puerto Rico already have postponed their scheduled primaries, with more states likely to follow.

But those arent solutions for the November election. While states can reschedule primaries, the Constitution specifies the date for a presidential election, requires Congress to be sworn in on Jan. 3 and sets the presidents inauguration for Jan. 20.

Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have an answer that will be familiar to Californians: Vote by mail.

The senators plan to introduce a bill next week that would require every state to expand early voting and allow no-excuse absentee voting, with states providing prepaid envelopes and counting every ballot thats postmarked by election day.

Without federal action, vulnerable Americans are going to have to choose between casting a ballot and protecting their health, Wyden said in a news release. Vote by mail is a time-tested reliable way for Americans to to exercise their constitutional rights and the right answer to respond to the crisis.

But a mail-only vote would be a huge change for the country, and there are plenty of questions whether that shift would even be possible.

I dont think all mail balloting across the country is realistic for November, said Rick Hasan, an election law expert at UC Irvine who has written on the question. It requires too much change and work and testing.

About one-third of the states still dont provide an absentee ballot to voters who dont provide a reason or excuse, such as travel, medical conditions or advanced age.

According to the National Vote at Home Institute, a nonpartisan group pushing for more mail balloting, only four states  Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado  now run full, vote-by-mail elections, although California is moving in that direction.

But even in California, only 15 of the states 58 counties, including San Mateo and Santa Clara in the Bay Area, send mail ballots to all registered voters and have replaced the traditional polling places with a much smaller number of full-service voting centers.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla put the best face on the states readiness to deal with virus-fueled election problems.

Fortunately, California has the elections infrastructure to provide all eligible citizens the option to vote from home should the COVID-19 pandemic continue, Padilla said in a statement last week, adding that there was time to prepare before the Nov. 3 vote.

Its not that easy, local election directors say.

Orange County is one of the counties that used the new vote center model. But Registrar Neal Kelley has his doubts that a mail-only election could be in place in California by November, much less in states that would be starting from scratch.

I could (run an all-mail election) tomorrow, but weve been prepping for that for four or five years, Kelley said. But for counties and state without that experience, the change would be huge. Were talking about putting a whole new infrastructure in place.

California voters already have shown how much they like voting by mail. In the 2018 general election, more than 65% of the voters cast ballots by mail and 63% of the states then 19 million registered voters had signed up as permanent absentees.

But voting by mail doesnt always mean the ballot goes into the mailbox. In the March 3 election, there were more than 2.3 million vote-by-mail ballots uncounted after election day, with the vast majority handed in at polling places on election day.

John Arntz, San Franciscos elections director, asked: What happens to those ballots if there arent any polling places?

What about people who need to cast provisional ballots or those who want to register on election day? Arntz said. The law requires that we provide those services to the public, so how can that be done without some public contact?

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
[March 17, 2020] DoctorLogic Named No. 122 on the First-Ever List of Texas's Fastest Growing Companies

PLANO, Texas, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Inc. magazine today revealed that DoctorLogic , creator of the Website Marketing Platform exclusively for healthcare providers, is No. 122 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Texas list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Texas-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Texas economy's most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. "Texas is undeniably a special place to live and work and we're beyond honored to be a part of its flourishing economy and to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in this great state," said DoctorLogic Partner and Chief Revenue Officer, Andre Riley.



DoctorLogic works with more than 3,000 healthcare providers in the field of aesthetics, dentistry, surgery and general medical and has helped customers acquire 100+ million new website visitors with their proven experience executing medical SEO strategies that resulted in improved organic results and exceeding average conversion rates. The company's suite of additional managed services ( Social Media , Google Ads (Pay-Per-Click) , Content Marketing/Blog Services , Managed Chat and Video Production ) help provide a turn-key online marketing solution for medical practices large and small.



The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Texas. Between 2016 and 2018, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 294 percent and, in 2018 alone, they employed 36,000 people and added $11 billion to the Texas economy. Companies based in the largest metro areasDallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antoniobrought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Series: Texas, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/inc5000-series-texas-2020 .

"The companies on this list demonstrate just how much the small-business sector impacts Texas's economy," says Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk. "Across every single industry, these businesses have posted revenue and growth rates that are beyond impressive, further proving the tenacity of their founders and CEOs." For Press Inquiries:

Keisha Dunstan

469-275-6473 About DoctorLogic

DoctorLogic is an all-in-one Website Marketing Platform created exclusively for healthcare providers. The DoctorLogic software was invented to power custom-designed websites for patient acquisition, retention marketing, and practice insights that help providers connect with more people. Privately funded and based in Plano, Texas, DoctorLogic has been named to Inc. 5000's list of Fastest Growing Companies in the United States for two consecutive years and was recently awarded Gold for Best Website Visual Appeal and Silver for Website Branding by Davey's Awards on behalf of the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts. To learn more about DoctorLogic, visit www.doctorlogic.com . More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regional Series Methodology

The 2020 Inc. 5000 Regional Series is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/doctorlogic-named-no-122-on-the-first-ever-list-of-texass-fastest-growing-companies-301024979.html SOURCE DoctorLogic

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This morning, we listed Senators Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren as some of the possible running mates for Joe Biden after he declared he would select a woman for the job. Eric Wiesenthal of Sacramento writes:

Your bullet on possible V.P. candidates was easy, but not very imaginative. I agree with you listing the women whove run this time, but I would suggest you and your team begin investigating possible African-American and Latinx candidates. Stacey Abrams of Georgia comes to mind, as does Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. My guess is there is a robust shortlist of women of color who would bring youth, energy and genuine excitement for what the Democrats will offer.

Our colleague Katie Glueck gave us an update on the thinking in the Biden camp:

While Mr. Biden is certainly not yet the nominee, he has mentioned by name, or alluded to, a long list of potential running mates, including many of his former rivals. And his allies are already quietly  and largely unofficially  debating the merits of various vice-presidential candidates, mainly focusing on the names Mr. Biden himself has floated in public.

One school of thought holds that Mr. Biden must choose a running mate who reflects the racial diversity of the Democratic Party, and he is already facing pressure from some of his most loyal backers to select an African-American woman in recognition of his unique debt to black voters.

Another view is that the stakes of the election are so high, and Democrats are so focused on beating Mr. Trump, that Mr. Biden is likely to have wide latitude to choose whichever person he concludes is likeliest to help him win the general election. And choosing a popular woman for the vice presidency might be greeted with strong enough enthusiasm within the Democratic Party to offset any reservations about an all-white ticket.

Some close to Mr. Bidens campaign have noted that he appears fond of Ms. Klobuchar, who endorsed him before Super Tuesday. He went on to win her home state, Minnesota, despite never having campaigned there this cycle, and he seemed visibly incredulous at his results watch party that evening when he noted the victory, a reflection of how unexpected it was.

A day after Ms. Harris dropped out of the race, Mr. Biden said: She can be the president one day herself. She can be the vice president. She rallied with him on the eve of the Michigan primary, and he dealt a major blow to Mr. Sanders in that contest. There are still bruised feelings among some in the Biden camp over her lacerating remarks about his views on busing during a debate-stage clash, but Mr. Biden has said that he doesnt hold grudges.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The College of Staten Island (CSI) remains closed Tuesday and Wednesday -- extending a closure from Sunday and Monday due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns.

On Friday, the Advance/SILive.com learned from multiple sources that a student at CSI had tested positive for the coronavirus. In an email to the campus community, CSI President William J. Fritz shared his belief that the case does not pose a risk to the schools larger community. The school said on Friday that the campus wouldnt close after consultation with state health officials and Staten Island University Hospital.

However, both the St. George and Willowbrook campuses were later closed through Monday after five more campus members were either awaiting results of the coronavirus (COVID-19) test or had been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

According to an update from Fritz, only one of the five members is symptomatic. The others were exposed to people feeling ill, but they dont have symptoms themselves. The campuses were closed in an abundance of caution.

We appreciate that these people have updated us so that we can take appropriate precautions, said Fritz. The risk to our community is low, but I believe it prudent to exercise caution while we consult further with health experts and perform a deep cleaning of the campus in accordance with city and state guidelines."

Only essential personnel are reporting to campus until Thursday. The Dolphin Cove dormitories will remain open.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced during a press conference that State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) classes will be moving online starting Thursday for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. CUNY schools are currently in a five-day instructional recess until Wednesday.

The governor said the state and city universities, which include students at the College of Staten Island (CSI) in Willowbrook, will move to a distance learning model on Thursday, March 19, and -- except for special situations -- campuses will remain closed for in-person classes for the rest of the semester.

According to CUNY, there will be no physical classroom instruction on campus beginning Thursday, March 12, but CUNYs 25 campuses, including dorms, libraries, research facilities, and essential on-campus services will remain open before, during, and after the recess.

OTHER COLLEGES CLOSED

St. Johns University and Wagner College have canceled in-person classes and will conduct virtual classes for the rest of the spring semester.

At the conclusion of spring break this week, Wagner College classes will be held online only, which means there will be no in-person classes held on campus for the remainder of the semester. Faculty members will contact students with instructions on how to proceed, according to the school.

After a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on St. Johns Universitys Queens campus, the school -- which has a site on Grymes Hill -- will move all classes online for the rest of the semester.

***

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CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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Amazon warns of slower deliveries, depleted stock amid coronavirus

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Fact vs. rumor: America is not quarantined for coronavirus, National Security Council says

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U.S. Army aviation officials have selected the two firms that will move forward into the next phase of the service's effort to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

Program Executive Office Aviation recently awarded competitive agreements to Bell Textron Inc. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to continue into the Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR) phase of the program under the Army's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort, according to a recent news release from PEO Aviation.

Bell Textron's V-280 Valor tilt-rotor helicopter prototype and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 coaxial-rotor Defiant helicopter prototype were developed under the Army's Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) effort.

"These agreements are an important milestone for FLRAA," Patrick Mason, PEO Aviation, said in the release. "We will be conducting analysis to refine the requirements, conceptual designs, and acquisition approach."

Related: Bell's Futuristic V-280 Valor Maneuvers in 'Impressive' Flight Demo

The CD&RR effort is scheduled to last until 2022, the year the Army plans to select one vendor to eventually produce FLRAA. The service has set a goal of fiscal 2030 to have the first unit equipped with an aircraft that is capable of flying at speeds of more than 200 knots, or 230 miles per hour, and offer increased range over the current Black Hawk for future air assault and medical transport missions.

By comparison, Black Hawks, equipped for combat, fly at an average speed of 140 knots.

The V-280, which completed its first test flight in March 2019, has since demonstrated "its speed by flying above 300 knots," or 345 mph, according to a statement released Monday evening by Bell Textron.

Sikorsky-Boeing officials conducted a Feb. 20 flight demo for Army leaders, demonstrating the maneuverability of its X2 rotor technology.

"We are confident we will deliver a producible FLRAA aircraft that is survivable, affordable, sustainable and provides Army aviators strategic day one battlefield advantages," Sikorsky Boeing officials said in a statement Monday evening.

The Army's FVL also includes an effort to develop the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). Officials are expected to down-select to two vendors to build the final prototypes for FARA this month.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Read More: Sikorsky-Boeing's SB-1 Defiant Helicopter Prototype Impresses Leaders in Flight Demo
The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a petition by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers demanding an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh, after assembly speaker NP Prajapati abruptly adjourned proceedings for 10 days citing the coronavirus epidemic, scuttling the Oppositions plans for a trust vote.

Late in the evening, governor Lalji Tandon issued a fresh deadline for the floor test and said he will consider chief minister Kamal Naths government to be in a minority if he failed to seek a trust vote by Tuesday.

But Nath appeared in no mood to relent and told reporters after meeting the governor that there was no need for trust vote as he enjoyed a majority on the floor of the house. The opposition BJP had submitted a no-confidence motion, which can be discussed when the house reconvenes, Nath said.

In the top court, a bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta will hear the petition by 10 BJP legislators saying the Congress government lost the majority after the resignation of 22 of its MLAs and did not have the moral, legal or constitutional right to remain in power even for a single day.

The MLAs submitted that horse trading was at its peak in the state as the chief minister was making all possible attempts to convert his minority government into majority and it was, therefore, essential to hold the floor test immediately.

on account of lack of confidence and resignation of 22 MLAs of Congress party, out of which the resignation of six MLAs having been already accepted by Honble speaker, the government led by Honble chief minister has been reduced to minority and a floor test is a constitutional imperative, the 10 BJP MLAs submitted.

The strength of the 230-member assembly was reduced to 228 after the death of two MLAs, one each from the Congress and BJP.

The Congress governments problems began last week after 22 MLAs resigned from the assembly in the wake of former Union minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP. The speaker later accepted the resignation of six members, bringing the strength of the House to 222, with the majority mark at 112.

Before the crisis, the Congress had 114 MLAs, and enjoyed the support of four independent legislators, two MLAs of the Bahujan Samaj Party and one legislator of the Samajwadi Party. The BJP has 107 MLAs.

The petitioners, led by former MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, rushed to the apex court after the speakers surprise adjournment of the assembly until March 26.

The adjournment without holding the floor test, the petitioners alleged, was in defiance of Tandons direction to hold the test on Monday itself. They (22MLAs) are voluntarily staying outside the state of Madhya Pradesh as they apprehend danger to their lives in the state, the MLAs alleged in their petition.

Assembly proceedings began at 11am with Tandon advising lawmakers to honour the constitutional traditions and protect the states glory. The 16 MLAs whose resignations have not been accepted by the speaker werent present. Tandon read out part of the mandatory governors address before the start of a new assembly session in a calendar year.

Given the present situation in the state, its imperative on all to discharge their duties and comply with rules in a peaceful manner and with commitment as per Constitutional traditions so that Madhya Pradeshs glory and constitutional traditions could be protected, the governor said.

No sooner had the governor left the house, leader of the Opposition, Gopal Bhargava, started reading out the governors letter to the chief minister regarding the floor test, leading to pandemonium in the house. In the letter, Tandon had asked Nath to hold a floor test on Monday.

In the din, Congress MLA Praveen Pathak proposed a vote of thanks on the governors address and another Congress MLA, Kunal Chaudhary, seconded it. The speaker fixed March 19 for a discussion on the governors address.

As the Opposition continued to demand a floor test, parliamentary affairs minister, Govind Singh, said the Opposition should bring the rebel Congress MLAs to attend the assembly proceedings.

Gopal Bhargava said, The governors order (on floor test) is not being complied with at all. On this, speaker NP Prajapati said, Whatever correspondence has taken place it is between you and the governor, not with the speaker.

State finance minister Tarun Bhanot interjected and said, The Opposition is not concerned over publics health. Coronavirus is spreading but they (the BJP) are talking of politics.

When the house resumed after a five-minute adjournment, Chouhan said, The government is a minority government. The governor has asked the chief minister under the powers bestowed on him by the Constitution, to seek a trust vote in the House. The government should first seek a trust vote.

But Prajapati didnt respond to the demand and adjourned the House.

Given the state assemblys session, it is difficult to prevent the lawmakers from assembling in groups and meeting one another. Hence, in view of the members health, precautionary measures undertaken by other state assemblies, advisory issued by government of India (on coronavirus) and larger public interest, the state assemblys proceedings are being adjourned till March 26, Prajapati said.

Later in the day, Tandon wrote to Nath and asked him to prove his majority by Tuesday.

I regret that despite the timeframe given by me to you to conduct floor test, you have instead written a letter and expressed inability to conduct the floor testThe reasons given by you for not conducting the floor test are invalid, the letter read. On Monday morning, Nath had written to Tandon saying the floor test couldnt be conducted till the Congress MLAs are held captive by the BJP.

State Congress media in-charge Shobha Oza said, Irony is on one hand the BJP leaders have held Congress MLAs captive in a brazen manner and on the other hand they are claiming that the government is a minority oneThe BJPs modus operandi is very clear. It wants to grab power by hook or by crook.

State BJP chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya said, When the Congress government has refused to honour the governors directive and the state assembly was adjourned to avoid a floor test, the BJP had no option left but to knock the door of the Supreme Court.
The coronavirus death toll in Spain has hit 491 as cases skyrocketed by 1,987 to 11,178 in just 24 hours.

There could be 'no tourists left' within a matter of days as 500 hotels in the Costa Del Sol are expected shut.

Coronavirus cases have increased despite an unprecedented national lockdown, in which residents and tourists alike were banned from going outside except to buy food, go to work, or get medical help for 15 days.

Around 12,000 people could lose their jobs in the Andalusia region - which includes the Costa Del Sol - alone as a result of hotel closures.

A border police officer checks a vehicle at the last toll gate entering Spain from France, following an order from the Spanish government to set up controls at its land borders

A traveller covers his mouth and nose as he waits in a train station in Barcelona, Spain, as coronavirus panic escalates

The move is being described as 'unavoidable' following Spain's declaration of a State of Emergency.

Under guidelines to slow the spread of the bug, Spanish authorities set up police checks at its land borders with France and Portugal and turned back foreigners attempting to enter.

Only Spaniards, permanent residents and trans-border workers are able to enter.

Trade in goods is not affected.

Spanish police officers speak to pedestrians at the border crossing to France on the first day of the Spanish government's tightened border controls

Cars queued to get into Spain at Vilar Formoso in Portugal as Spanish police wearing protective face masks and latex gloves checked identities and turned back vehicles carrying passengers without permission to enter.

Joaquim Silva, from Portugal, wanted to drive through Spain to get back to France, where he has lived for more than 50 years.

He said: 'It's terrible because we live there (in France), we have family there, we have health problems that are being treated there.

'Here in Portugal we do not even have a family doctor.'

Spain plans to pay benefits to workers temporarily laid off, part of measures to mitigate the economic effects of the coronavirus epidemic, according to a government draft document.

Police wearing protective face masks and latex gloves blocked the road in Dantxarinea, northern Spain

It is also considering ordering mortgage suspensions for those whose employment has been affected by the outbreak, a source said.

Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards have been sent home temporarily from companies such as Volkswagen and Burger King since the outbreak.

More than half of jobs in Spain are dependent on small or medium-sized companies in a country with one of the developed world's highest unemployment rates.

Military personnel were seen disinfecting the train station in Granada, Spain, as panic about the coronavirus worsened

Raquel Las Heras, who runs a booth selling lottery tickets in Albacete, in south-east Spain said: 'I have a little saved up, but I have absolutely zero income at the moment.

'If I stay home like this, I reckon I can last about two months.'

The Balearic Islands - which include Mallorca and Ibiza - closed its air space to visitors.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said repatriation flights are not being arranged to bring Britons home at this time.

Airlines have dramatically reduced the number of flights to Spain because of the crisis.

Workers dressed in hazmat suits and wearing facemasks and protective gloves were seen cleaning the train station

President of the Federation of Hotel Businesses of Andalusia, Luis Callejon Sune said the 44 hotels already closed are 'only the tip of the iceberg', Spanish newspaper Sur.es reports.

Most of the rest of the hotels along the Costa del Sol are expected to close between now and the weekend.

These offer 78,000 beds and provide employment for 12,000 workers.

Thousands of hostels and apartment buildings are also expected to follow.

A passenger waits for his flight wearing a protective mask at the airport in Malaga, Spain

No dates have been announced for reopening but the closures will last until at least the summer.

Some of the hotels have offered their facilities as make-shift hospitals if needed.

The news follows yesterday's announcement that hotels across Benidorm, the Costa Blanca and Valencia are also closing by Thursday on a voluntary basis in a bid to safeguard staff and tourists from the coronavirus outbreak.

And the Canary Islands are also expect to have 'zero tourists' within the next week after new measures limited the influx of people to the archipelago.

The Balearic Islands - which include Mallorca and Ibiza - are experiencing the same scenario with hotels closed and many chains also offering their rooms for patients if necessary.

The hotel association for the Costa Blanca has announced that hotels have taken the decision to 'self regulate' in the absence of an official order from the Spanish Government.

A commuter wears a protective mask at Atocha station in Madrid, Spain, as coronavirus fears escalate

A statement issued by the association confirmed: 'We would have liked the closure to have been decreed by order of the Government, as has happened in other countries but in the absence of a political decision hotel businessmen have decided to self-regulate ourselves in the application of the reasonableness and responsibility in these grave moments.

'Thus, hundreds of companies have already decided to close and many others are joining this measure as an urgent need to control the health crisis that is causing a serious economic crisis.

'Hotel and vacation activity is clearly incompatible with the measures decreed by the Central Government to confine the population to their homes and to keep hotels open we cannot guarantee the necessary isolation conditions to control the coronavirus pandemic.'

Commuters wear protective masks at Principe Pio station in Madrid, Spain, after the state of emergency was announced

A Spanish police officer blocks the way close to the border near the Spanish village of Irun, northern Spain

'This decision has been communicated to the tourist authorities of the Valencian Community, to the Presidency of the Generalitat and to the mayors of the main City Councils for their knowledge.'

He added: 'We have also proceeded to communicate this closure to the tour operators, travel agents and now it is time to start the procedure as soon as possible so that all the clients staying end their stay as soon as possible.'

'This period is more than reasonable, especially if we take into account that the state of alarm was declared last Friday, which means that there will have been a period of almost a week to proceed with the repatriation and return to their places of origin of all tourists.'

'This orderly closure must be done always taking into account inexcusable compliance criteria such as the safety of our staff, the fundamental rights of hygiene, health and nutrition of the clients and the obligatory need to avoid contagion within the establishments.'

Guests in hotels are being advised to make contact with their tour operators.
New Delhi: Despite all the strictness of the police administration, the crimes against women are not being decreased. In our country, the incident of cruelty is heard daily, but by listening to the incident which we are going to tell you today, your soul will tremble. Something happened to a girl in 20 hours, which she had never dreamed of. In a recent interview, Megan has told about the fate with her.

Megan Stephens, a resident of Britain, went to visit Greece with her mother at the age of 14, she found a boy named Jack there, whom she fell in love with. Megan told her mother that I had to live with Jack, but she didn't know that Jack, whom she loves, would sell her to a businessman.

Let us tell you that Megan Stephens was 14 years old and was forced to have sex with 110 men in 20 hours. Megan cursed herself that I wish she hadn't trusted Jack. Megan has told that she somehow managed to escape from there in 2009. She is currently living in the UK with her husband and is about to give birth to a newborn in a few days. She used to think daily, how to escape from there, but there was no such opportunity.

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Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 12:07 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b2baee 1 Business banks,bank-indonesia,Bank-Indonesia-Museum,COVID-19,ATM,bank-mandiri Free

Bank Indonesia (BI) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) have limited their direct services while pushing their online services in a bid to implement social distancing to contain the COVID-19 spread.

The central bank announced on Monday that certain services, such as the BI Real Time Gross Settlement service, BI National Clearing System and rupiah and foreign exchange monetary transactions supported by the BI Scripless Securities Settlement System to transfer funds, securities and settle payments among banks, would continue to operate normally.

The BI Electronic Trading Platform and money withdrawal and deposit services from banks through ATMs and cash deposit machines would also operate as usual.

Meanwhile, services that are carried out through social interactions would be temporarily closed or halted as of March 16, said BI spokesman Onny Widjanarko in a statement.

Read also: Stay home, President says

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo highlighted on Sunday the importance of practicing what is called social distancing to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus that has already claimed thousands of lives worldwide. He called on the citizens to work, study and worship at home as the coronavirus has infected 134 people in Indonesia and killed five among them.

The central bank, meanwhile, would close its mobile cash services in cities and outermost, frontier and least developed places throughout the nation. BI would also close its damaged money exchange service and its counterfeit money reporting services.

BI would cancel public visits and close the Bank Indonesia Visitor Center. Furthermore, the Bank Indonesia Museum and Bank Indonesia Library would also be closed to the public.

The central bank established measures to ensure that banknotes distributed to the public have been thoroughly disinfected to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus as well. The central bank is also quarantining banknotes received from banks for 14 days prior to disinfecting and redistributing them to the public.

BI is enacting, among other things, a work-from-home mechanism for all of its employees, Onny said.

Similarly, the OJK on Tuesday told more than 70 percent of its employees to work from home to contain the coronavirus spread and limited working hours for those who are still required to go to the office. It also limited visitation services and advised customers to use online and phone channels if they need the OJK's assistance.

Read also: COVID-19: Patchy response to President's call to work from home

State-owned Bank Mandiri has also been allowing some of its employees to work from home since Monday.

However, the banks corporate secretary, Rully Setiawan, said that all Bank Mandiri branches would operate regularly from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Its ATMs would also be open for 24 hours as usual.

Bank Mandiri is implementing split-team and work-from-home mechanisms for most of our work units, he said in a statement. In the current situation, our priority is the health and safety of our clients and employees.

He also suggested Bank Mandiri clients to use its Mandiri Online mobile application to access its services for things like transferring funds and opening new saving accounts.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenias foreign ministry advises citizens to strictly refrain from travelling abroad given the current wide spread of the novel coronavirus around the world.

The ministry issued a statement which says:

Taking into account the wide geographical spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), we advise citizens of Armenia to strictly refrain from travelling abroad.

We inform the citizens of Armenia currently planning to travel abroad that your trip might be suspended, given the measures and travel restrictions being undertaken by different countries to prevent the further spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

We urge the citizens of Armenia, who are planning to return to Armenia from a foreign country, to thoroughly check the flight and transit possibilities in order to realistically assess the situation and make a reasonable decision whether to return to Armenia or stay in that country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic service of the Republic of Armenia abroad will regularly provide up-to-date information on travel opportunities and restrictions imposed by different countries.

Diplomatic missions of Armenia abroad stand ready to support and assist our citizens abroad.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  After months of preparation, Grand Rapids restaurateur Paul Lee officially opened the doors on Monday morning to his newest creation, Royals.

It was a short-lived first day.

Lee closed the doors to his new diner-style restaurant, 701 Wealthy St. SE, just a few hours later, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, issued an executive order that closed bars and restaurants for everything but carry out and delivery until March 30.

This is definitely uncharted waters for everyone, said Lee, whose company, All-In Hospitality Group also owns The Winchester, Donkey Taqueria and Hancock.

Were not sure what to expect. But I think this is the right decision to make.

That uncertainty was felt across West Michigan, as restaurant and bar owners were left scrambling to determine next steps. Several told the Grand Rapids Press/MLive.com they support the governors decision and that everyone has a role to play in protecting public health.

But it was also clear that the executive order would have a big impact on their bottom line and the workers they employ.

This is obviously the biggest challenge weve ever faced as a business, said Kyle Van Strien, co-owner of Long Road Distillers, which has locations in Grand Rapids, Grand Haven and Boyne City. Its an extremely uncertain time for our team and for us. Its scary.

Van Striens company operates tasting rooms, complete with food, and distributes its line of spirits to bars and restaurants and retailers across the state. Business was down by about 40 percent last week, and Van Strien was expecting bigger declines now that Long Roads tasting rooms will be shuttered.

The company, which employs about 50 people, will not be offering take-out food orders.

Since so much of our revenue is generated from our tasting rooms, were essentially forced to lay off all of our back of house and front of house employees, he said.

The closure of dine-in service at bars and restaurants was the latest in a string of executive orders issued by Whitmer in response to coronavirus. The governor has banned events and gathering of more than 50 people, closed K-12 schools, and ordered theaters, gyms, coffee shops and casinos to close.

The moves are aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus, an infectious respiratory disease whose emergence has disrupted daily life in American and throughout the world. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 65 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan.

Five of the cases are in Kent County, while one is in Ottawa County.

Were gonna struggle, said Larry Zeiser, the owner of Logans Alley, a neighborhood pub at 916 Michigan St. NE. You close for two weeks. You lose your cash flow. So even starting up is going to be challenging.

He said Logans wont be offering takeout while dine-in services are closed.

On Monday afternoon, as Zeiser processed the governors order, he said his thoughts were with his 25 employees. We have to figure out how they get paid, what theyre going to do, he said. Its affecting a lot of peoples lives.

To help laid off workers and businesses, Whitmer temporarily expanded unemployment benefits Monday. She signed an executive order that extended unemployment benefits from 20 to 26 weeks and suspended in-person registration and work search requirements.

In a Tuesday Facebook post, Lees All-In Hospitality Group said the majority of its staff has been laid off while we navigate these uncertain times. Some workers will remain on the job, as the company works to keep its restaurants open through carryout and delivery, the post said.

Royals, the hospitality groups new restaurant that hosted its grand opening Monday, will remain closed, and a new grand opening date will be set, the post said.

While take-out and delivery services will likely amount to just a fraction of the companys normal business, Lee said hes confident that his restaurants can survive the disruption. He said hes always made a point to be saving for a rainy day and not over leveraging what we do.

But the effects of the coronavirus pandemic will linger on, Lee said. Once the pandemic ends, he said he and others in the restaurant industry will likely make business decisions with a more critical eye.

Are we leaner in our practices, he asked.

Do we become even more shrewd in terms of like, Wow, it would be great to put another restaurant somewhere else, but what does that even look like? Are we essentially going to overleverage what we are doing for the sake of growth when growth can be taken away?

PREVENTION TIPS

Read more:

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As the deadly coronavirus continues to bedevil Iran, there is growing concern about the danger it poses to tens of thousands of victims of chemical weapons who suffer from respiratory problems and lung diseases.

An estimated 100,000 Iranians survived chemical-weapons attacks by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and many are disabled by chronic illnesses caused by exposure to mustard and nerve gas.

Several such victims of chemical attacks have died recently after contracting the coronavirus, which is deadly for the elderly and people who have serious medical conditions, including heart and lung diseases.

According to Iranian Health Ministry figures released on March 16, 988 people have died after contracting COVID-19, while the number of those infected is 16,169. The real numbers of cases and dead are believed to be significantly higher.

Haj Morteza Malek, a retired colonel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Hojatoleslam Abolghassem Erami, a former Friday Prayers leader in Ghamsar, are among chemical-weapons victims who have died in recent days after contracting the coronavirus.

Both were exposed to chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq War after Hussein launched multiple attacks against Iranian soldiers and civilians in western Iran.

Malek died in Damghan last week, Khabaronline.ir reported, while Erami was reported to have died in a Kashan hospital on March 15.

There are also unconfirmed reports that other IRGC war veterans who were exposed to chemical agents have died recently after being infected with the coronavirus.

Reformist political activist Feyzollah Arabsorkhi tweeted on March 6 that the coronavirus had killed 18 people suffering from exposure to chemical weapons. He did not provide a source for the figure, which was cited by other media.

The authorities have not issued any figures on the number of chemical-weapons survivors who have died after contracting COVID-19. But they warned that such people faced a higher risk amid the coronavirus outbreak, which has spread to all 31 provinces.

The pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on hospitals and health-care workers at a time when the country faces tough U.S. economic sanctions that have crippled the economy.

The state Foundation for Martyrs and Veteran Affairs said in a February 26 statement that veterans of chemical-weapon attacks are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, while calling on them and their families to take protective measures, including washing their hands and staying away from people with flu-like symptoms.

Lawmaker Rasool Khezri, who represents Piranshahr and Sardasht, two cities targeted with chemical weapons during the war, expressed concern on March 15 over the health of several thousand such survivors living in the area.

He told the semiofficial ILNA news agency that there had thus far been five confirmed cases and three suspected cases of veterans dying due to coronavirus in his region.

He said the cities were being sanitized, traffic was being controlled, and a location for a 30-bed field hospital had been identified.

"The situation is [currently alright] but since we're in a border region and we have around 8,000 survivors of chemical weapons as well as students in Shin Abad [who sustained burns in a 2012 fire], the issue is very concerning," Khezri said.

Mohammad Nasiri, the head of the volunteer organization of Irans Red Crescent Society, said over the March 14-15 weekend that 4,000 health packages, including antibacterial gel and masks, had been sent recently to Sardasht residents who were affected by a June 1987 chemical attack.

"There are many survivors of chemical weapons in [Sardasht] who have respiratory problems and their families have also developed illnesses," Nasiri told the semiofficial ISNA news agency on March 14. "If coronavirus attacks these people and spreads widely in the area, there will be serious problems. Health packages will continue to be sent to Sardasht until the coronavirus is defeated."

Domestic media outlets have recently quoted several chemical-weapon victims saying that theyre staying home to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

Survivor Hamidreza Haghshenas said the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans should supply oxygen masks for people like him who are not able to leave their homes due to the coronavirus outbreak. Victims of chemical warfare often need inhalers and oxygen masks to alleviate their breathing problems.

"People are so afraid of the coronavirus these days that when we go out and cough, they run away from us even though we have always had severe coughs," he said.

Veteran Khodamorad Hemati said staying home was the only way to defeat the coronavirus. "At one time we came to the battlefield to fight the real enemy [Iraq] and defend our homeland and our honor and we didnt stay home for a single moment," he said.

"But today we're facing a battle against coronavirus and, based on what doctors say, staying at home is the only way to win this war."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 16 said that the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces.

The government has also decided to postpone all ongoing exams in the state, Thackeray told reporters at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.

The next 15 to 20 days are important for the state as far as containment of the coronavirus spread is concerned and people should be extra vigilant on this aspect, he said.

There should be no crowding at religious sites in view of the novel coronavirus threat, though worship there may continue, he said.

Maharashtra has 37 Covid-19 patients as on March 16.
Dobosz was living with an Italian student, Melania, in Milan. If all were well, the two of them would be able to hang out together and go to the bars in Milan, but instead they chatted over FaceTime the other day as Melania packed up all of Doboszs belongings in suitcases for her.
More evacuation flights will be operated to Iran and Italy, the two countries worst affected by COVID-19, people familiar with developments said on Tuesday against the backdrop of reports that some 250 Indians had tested positive for Coronavirus in Qom and Tehran.

The evacuation flights, to be operated from Wednesday, will focus on bringing back students and pilgrims in Iran who have tested negative, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. Those who tested positive will be treated in hospitals in Qom or Tehran, the people added.

India will also operate at least one or two flights in the coming days to bring back students who have tested negative in Italy, the people said. There are no plans currently to operate evacuation flights to other COVID-19-affected regions, they said.

According to a list shared by pilgrims stranded in Qom with others in Kashmir, 254 pilgrims and students have purportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The list includes details such as names, passport numbers and PNR numbers for flights.

Faced with questions about the list at a news briefing, additional secretary Dammu Ravi, the external affairs ministrys pointperson for all COVID-19-related issues, said: I cannot confirm whether it [the list] is authentic or not or the veracity of facts that are there. But we have to expect, given the situation in Iran where the virus is widespread, that there can be some cases.

Ravi insisted Indians in Iran are being very well looked after by the embassy in coordination with the Iranian government. All Indian pilgrims in Iran are safe and they are in the good care of the mission, the ambassador is showing personal interest and the mission is taking care of all their needs, he said.

The Indians who reportedly tested positive are from a group of around 840 pilgrims from Kargil and Leh districts. According to the list, some 170 of them are in 15 hotels in Qom and the rest in Tehran. Their samples were collected by a team of Indian doctors currently in Iran and the results were delivered on March 15, their relatives said.

Sajjad Kargili, a social worker from Ladakh, told HT he had been informed 254 people from Ladakh had tested positive. The pilgrims are staying in hotels of Qom and in the absence of any facilities, they are going for self-isolation as they wait to be evacuated. Unfortunately, the Indian embassy in Tehran is not doing anything for them and they have been left at the mercy of the almighty, he said.

Most of the stranded pilgrims were booked on flights between February 28 and March 10. After the Indian government cancelled flights from Iran, they had nowhere to go. Their visas have expired and they have no money left, he added.

A delegation from Ladakh comprising religious scholars, leaders and civil society activists is camping in Delhi to press for their evacuation. The delegation met external affairs minister S Jaishankar and it was decided pilgrims who tested negative will be evacuated in batches, members of the delegation said.

Its unfortunate that after some people tested positive, the Indian embassy did nothing to segregate them. From today [Tuesday], they have started segregating them, said Feroz Khan, chief executive councilor of LAHDC.

People familiar with the thinking in New Delhi and Tehran acknowledged that authorities in both countries were operating in challenging circumstances as the Iranian healthcare facilities had been stretched by the outbreak. According to WHO, Iran has reported nearly 15,000 infections and 853 deaths, making it the third worst-affected country after China and Italy.

An evacuation flight by Mahan Air will bring back some of the Indians on Wednesday. We are trying to arrange requisite clearances for more flights, said a person who declined to be named.

A second person said flights could also be operated by Air India if needed, and all tickets booked with Mahan Air would be honoured, including for flights cancelled when India suspended air travel from Iran on February 27.

Till Monday, India had evacuated 389 of its nationals from Iran. According to figures provided by the government last week, there were more than 6,000 Indians in Iran, including 1,100 pilgrims, 300 students, about 1,000 fishermen and others on long-term visas.
President Jair Bolsonaro condemned what he called "hysteria" over the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday, as Brazil confirmed its first death and Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro declared a state of emergency. Flying in the face of mounting global alarm over the pandemic, the far-right president lashed out at containment measures he said would hurt the economy. "People are acting like it's the end of the world," he said in an interview with Radio Tupi. "The economy was doing well, but now some governors are taking measures that are really going to hurt it... It's not like having groups of people here and there is the problem. What we need to do is reduce the hysteria." Bolsonaro has sparked controversy with his response to the pandemic. He had already drawn criticism for shaking hands and taking selfies with supporters at a rally Sunday, ignoring the recommendation of his own health ministry, which said he should remain in isolation for two weeks after being exposed to several officials who tested positive for COVID-19. His latest comments came after the South American country confirmed its first COVID-19 fatality: a 62-year-old man with diabetes and high blood pressure who died Monday in Sao Paulo, authorities said. "Unfortunately, this shows how severe this pandemic is, despite what some would like to believe," Sao Paulo Mayor Bruno Covas told CBN radio. - Landmarks closed - The emergency measures in Rio included closing the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and the cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain, two of the city's most famous attractions. Sao Paulo granted city authorities the right to requisition goods needed to contain the virus from businesses if necessary. Rio ordered restaurants to reduce the number of tables by 70 percent to increase distance between patrons, closed stores in shopping malls and halved the number of public transport vehicles in circulation, calling on people to remain home when possible. On Friday, the state had already closed schools, theaters and cinemas for at least 15 days. Rio Governor Wilson Witzel has also ordered people off the city's beaches. The federal government meanwhile announced 147 billion reals (nearly $30 billion) in emergency spending to fend off the economic impact of the pandemic. - 'Crime against public health' - Brazil -- the biggest country in Latin America, with 210 million people -- has confirmed 291 coronavirus cases, concentrated in Sao Paulo and Rio. Health officials are working to convince the population to take the threat seriously, but some Brazilians remain skeptical -- not least Bolsonaro. The man dubbed a "Tropical Trump" has at times caused outrage with his response to the pandemic, both politically and personally. He tested negative for the virus last week, news he announced on Facebook accompanied by a photo of himself making an obscene gesture. But under health ministry protocol, he needs further testing to confirm the result, and is supposed to remain in isolation in the meantime. He took a second test Tuesday and is awaiting the result. Influential Sao Paulo state lawmaker Janaina Paschoal called on him to resign. The president's decision to defy health authorities and participate in Sunday's rallies by his supporters was "a crime against public health," she said. "The president does not seem to be taking the outbreak seriously," newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo said in an editorial. Bolsonaro was unfazed, saying in his radio interview that he would hold a "small party" to celebrate his 65th birthday Saturday, even though health experts have recommended against such gatherings. "Life goes on," he said. Shop sellers wear masks in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, where a state of emergency has been declared over the coronavirus pandemic Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has come under fire for taking selfies with supporters at a rally, even after his own aides recommended he remain in isolation
By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has temporarily freed about 85,000 people from jail, including political prisoners, in response to the coronavirus epidemic, a judiciary spokesman said on Tuesday.

Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths from the virus in one of the worst national outbreaks outside China, where the pandemic originated.

"So far, some 85,000 prisoners have been released ... Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said.

Asked whether political prisoners were among those freed, he told a briefing aired by state television: "Yes, about 50% of the security-related prisoners have been released." He did not say when those freed must return to jail.

Iran announced the release of 70,000 prisoners on March 9 in response to the virus, but none were political detainees.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, said then that he had asked Tehran to free all political prisoners temporarily from the country's overcrowded and disease-ridden jails to help contain the spread of the virus.

Rehman said only those serving sentences of less than five years had been freed, while prisoners charged with heavier sentences and those linked to participation in anti-government protests remained in jail.

Rights activists say the Islamic Republic has freed at least a dozen political prisoners in the past few days but that the most prominent political prisoners remain incarcerated.

Before the March 9 release, Iran said it had 189,500 people in prison, according to a report Rehman submitted to the Human Rights Council in January. They are believed to include hundreds arrested during or after anti-government protests in November.

The United States has urged Iran to free dozens of dual nationals and foreigners held mainly on spying charges, saying Washington would hold the Tehran government directly responsible for any American deaths.

Story continues

On Tuesday, the husband of jailed British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe said she had been temporarily released in Iran for two weeks.

"COMMITTING SUICIDE"

Iran's clerical rulers have rejected locking down cities but have advised people not to travel before Iranian new year on March 20.

Many Iranians have ignored calls by the health authorities to stay at home, and shops and restaurants are open. Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a religious ruling prohibiting 'unnecessary' trips.

"Stay at home ... Shopping for the new year is like committing suicide these days," a health ministry official told the state television, which said millions of Iranians could die of the virus if people traveled for the new year holidays.

Mass Friday prayers have been canceled across the country, it said, and the holy Shi'ite Muslim sites and shrines in Mashhad and Qom have been closed.

Police dispersed a group of hardline religious demonstrators who gathered late on Monday at Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad and Masumeh Shrine in Qom to protest against their closure, state media reported. Two protesters had been arrested.

Officials have blamed U.S. sanctions, reimposed on Tehran since Washington quit Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with six powers, for hampering Tehran's fight against the coronavirus.

Tehran has urged other countries to back its call for a lifting of U.S. sanctions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Unlawful US sanctions drained Iran's economic resources, impairing ability to fight #COVID19,"Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.

But sources familiar with the matter have said Washington is unlikely to ease the sanctions.

Last week, Iran said it had asked the International Monetary Fund for $5 billion in emergency funding to combat the outbreak. To mitigate economic pressure on Iranians, the government has ordered delays in business tax and loan repayments until May.

About 3 million lower-income families with no permanent jobs will also receive cash handouts up to six million rials (around $400) in four stages.

(Additional reporting by Dubai newsroom, Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Timothy Heirtage, William Maclean)
Congress MLAs from Gujarat, camping in Jaipur fearing poaching by the BJP in Rajya Sabha elections, have authorised party president Sonia Gandhi to decide on the number of candidates for the March 26 polls.

AICC observers on Tuesday held meetings with Gujarat MLAs, who are camping in Jaipur, to seek their opinion on number of candidates for the RS polls. They met the MLAs both individually and in groups.

A proposal has been passed unanimously authorising party president Sonia Gandhi to decide the number of candidates for elections. The observers will be going to Delhi to meet Gandhi, the party sources said here.

Gujarat Congress has fielded two candidates while the BJP fielded three in the biennial elections for four Rajya Sabha seats to be held on March 26 with the last date for withdrawal of nomination for it falling on March 18.

Five MLAs of the Gujarat Congress have resigned ahead of the RS polls and remaining 68 are camping in a Jaipur's luxury hotel on Delhi Road. The party shifted them to Jaipur from Ahmedabad during the last three days.

The Congress with a strength of 73 party MLAs and the support of independent MLA Jignesh Mevani in the 182-member assembly had been earlier planning to field two candidates but the calculation was disturbed due to the resignation by the five MLAs.

With 74 MLAs, the Congress could have won two seats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Abby Elliott joined the cast of SNL in 2008 and became well-known for her spot-on impersonations of people like Zooey Deschanel and Rachel Maddow. She left the show in 2012 and went on to work on several other projects such as Bravos Odd Mom Out. She has now been promoting her recently premiered show, Indebted, and has opened up about something very personal in her life: in vitro fertilization.

Abby Elliot met her husband Bill Kennedy while working on his film

Abby Elliott | Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Bill Kennedy is a screenwriter who used to write for House of Cards. He wrote the script for the 2014 film Sex Ed in which Elliott starred. Elliott and Kennedy met during the filming and dated for a year and a half before he carried out a romantic proposal in 2015.

With the help of a friend, Kennedy had their apartment decorated while he and Elliott were out for a drink. He insisted they go back home to eat, which was a hard sell since they were at a bar with food. Eventually, Elliott relented and arrived home to a wonderful surprise.

He did it in our apartment and it was beautiful. There were flowers everywhere, she told The Knot about the proposal. She went on to say: It was really beautiful and he was traditional and got down on one knee. It was just very simple but lovely and wonderful.

In another traditional move, had also asked permission from Elliots father.

Abby Elliotts father Chris Elliott was very involved in the wedding

Chris Elliott is also an SNL alum and will soon be finishing up his time playing the mayor, Roland Schitt, in the comedy series Schitts Creek. In an interview with Seth Meyers, Abby Elliot shared that her dad was very concerned about the amount of alcohol at the wedding; he thought they needed more.

On the morning of the wedding, Chris Elliott drove to New Hampshire where alcohol sales are tax-free and returnable and bought more alcohol for his daughters backyard wedding and reception. He also made a point to slip the neighbors $100 bills and bottles of alcohol for the upcoming noise theyd be experiencing.

This prompted Meyers to comment: Wow, your dad ran the wedding like youd run an underground drinking establishment.

Abby Elliott has always wanted to be a mom

In a recent interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Abby Elliott was asked what she would be doing for Valentines Day. She explained that she was going through the process of in vitro fertilization, IVF, and that for the holiday shed be getting shots in her butt by her husband. She added sarcastically, Its very romantic.

Elliott shared that she had always wanted to be a mom, and had a little baby doll she used to push around in a stroller. IVF is part of her continued efforts to make that dream a reality and she thinks the process is a miracle in and of itself, and one that should be talked about more openly.

Elliott went on to say that she believes the topic isnt talked about by women enough and that there needs to be more understanding and awareness raised. Clarkson chimed in to agree, saying that she has several friends that went through it and felt shame and depression over their struggles with infertility.

Talking openly about IVF made Abby Elliott feel better

After Elliots interview with Clarkson, she shared a still from the segment on Instagram with the caption saying in part: This is an emotionally difficult process but in my case talking about [IVF] and hearing other peoples stories has made me feel less alone. To anyone going through infertility, you are so strong.

This wasnt her first time mentioning the procedure on her Instagram. Last September she posted a wedding photo on her anniversary with Kennedy and wrote: 3 years, 1 yorkie poo, 1 move to Los Angeles, 5 frozen embryos laterLove you more than ever.

In the age of celebrities being more and more open about their personal struggles, fans can rest assured that they are just as human as the rest of us.
Nuvi Extends 'Listening' Platform

Lehi, Utah-based social media 'listening' platform Nuvi has added a suite of collaboration and engagement solutions to its analytics platform.



Nuvi, which provides real-time social media research, monitoring and analytics, was acquired eighteen months ago by Brickfish, a social media management specialist headquartered in Chicago.



The new solutions promise clients help providing high-quality customer experience at each touchpoint by assessing current experience across all social and other online platforms. The suite of products comprises Listen, Plan, Publish, Engage and Analyze:

Listen taps a new Language Engine, with a claimed 80% sentiment prediction accuracy, 'attained through analysis of eleven language factors across millions of online sources'.

taps a new Language Engine, with a claimed 80% sentiment prediction accuracy, 'attained through analysis of eleven language factors across millions of online sources'. Plan assists with turning insights into customer-centric strategies with easy to use collaborative tools.

assists with turning insights into customer-centric strategies with easy to use collaborative tools. Publish adds permission-based publishing tools

adds permission-based publishing tools Engage allows users to 'Actively reach and impact' relevant conversations in real time, while

allows users to 'Actively reach and impact' relevant conversations in real time, while Analyze measures campaign or product performance with 'rich' analytical gathering software.

Web site: www.nuvi.com
MSPs are the critical bridge for customers looking to assess, implement and migrate their IT and cloud solutions to drive efficiencies, lower costs and secure your environment." - Bob Skelley, CEO, The Channel Company

CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named MainSpring, Inc. to its 2020 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category. This marks the sixth time MainSpring has been recognized by CRN.

This popular, annual list identifies North American solution providers that deliver operational efficiencies, IT system improvements, and a higher rate of return on investments for their customers. These accomplished MSPs work tirelessly to guide their customers and create solutions for complex IT issues.

MSPs are the critical bridge for customers looking to assess, implement and migrate their IT and cloud solutions to drive efficiencies, lower costs and secure your environment, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. On behalf of our team at The Channel Company, I want to congratulate the accomplished companies on CRNs 2020 MSP 500 list and thank them for their commitment to finding innovative solutions that move the IT channel forward.

MainSpring is consistently recognized as a top MSP in the industry for their continued commitment to using technology, best practices and industry standards to impact their clients productivity, security and scalability. As a result, small businesses, nonprofits and associations in and around the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area have used MainSprings innovative IT roadmap methodology to successfully align their technology investments with their business initiatives, as well as realize the return on their investments .

Were in a market where organizations are looking to do more with less and measurably improve their productivity, said MainSpring Chief Strategy Officer Ray Steen. We value time, so we look at IT costs and results differently. We focus on providing simplicity, productivity and security to help our clients stay ahead of their competition and put time back in their day. Theres no better feeling than to hear how a company has increased revenues as a result of adopting a truly proactive, business-aligned IT model.

This annual list is divided into three categories: the MSP Pioneer 250, who are focused primarily on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, large data center-focused on- and off-premises; and the Managed Security 100 made up of off-premises-focused, cloud-based IT security services.

The MSP500 list will be featured in the February 2020 issue of CRN and online at http://www.crn.com/msp500.

About MainSpring

MainSpring, Inc. is an IT strategy and consulting firm that arms organizations with the strategy, tools and resources to impact their mission. Their proactive methodology helps countless organizations use technology to become more productive, secure and scalable.

Founded in 1993, MainSpring is headquartered in Frederick, Md., with offices in Florida, Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin. The firm supports a wide range of clients including businesses, nonprofits and government agencies such as the Department of Defense.
Zoom Makes Its Platform Free to K-12 Schools in the U.S., Italy and Japan

National emergencies bring pain to many industries, but provide significant opportunities to others. In the wake of the countrys response to the COVID-19 virus, which is shuttering school systems across the country, companies that supply video conferencing technology are falling into the latter category. The need for e-learning is higher than ever, and many educators are concerned about both the costs and availability of conferencing and collaboration platforms.

Zoom, a remote conferencing services company headquartered in San Jose, California, provides remote conferencing services that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration. As of the middle of last week, 343,000 people globally had downloaded the Zoom app, compared to just 90,000 people two months ago. Zoom is reporting that the rise in global daily active users (DAUs) rose 67 percent since January of this year.

There is no doubt that the global pandemic is likely to both benefit and test the company, which has seen its shares rise 77 percent since it went public in April 2019. Many nursing homes, locked down to visitors, are using the Zoom app to link patients and their loved ones in the absence of in-person visits.

Last week, Zooms CEO, Eric Yuan, announced that Zoom would be making its services free of charge to the nations K through 12 schools. While the app allows for free limited use, the company is lifting any caps for schools. It has eliminated the time limits for free accounts for users in regions affected by the outbreak, and removed all limitations for public schools in Japan, Italy and the U.S., with more countries to come, it said.

"Given that many K-12 schools are starting closing, we decided to offer Zoom access to all K-12 schools in the country starting tomorrow," Yuan wrote in an email.

Educators can sign up for the free account by filling out a form on the companys web site to remove the 40 minute time limit for anyone on the schools domain (after verification). Important to note: personal email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook are not eligible for the temporary program.

So the question iswill Zoom be able to keep up with traffic demands during the crisis period? According to an interview Yuan gave to Forbes last week, Zooms 17 data centers all across the world have thus far been able to cope with the increased volume of video conferences and calls.

Please enable JavaScript to view the

Edited by Maurice Nagle
Guinness and green attire may be a rarity in Winnipeg this St. Patrick's Day, as local pubs weigh the risks of a global pandemic against the financial gains of the biggest drinking event of the year.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Guinness and green attire may be a rarity in Winnipeg this St. Patrick's Day, as local pubs weigh the risks of a global pandemic against the financial gains of the biggest drinking event of the year.

Chris Graves, owner of the King's Head Pub, announced Monday he was closing the Exchange District watering hole until April 2 as a public health precaution; he is urging other local establishments to do the same.

"Its not one of, it is the busiest day of the year for the Kings Head, so its a big decision to close before that," Graves said of the annual party, which was set to run from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 2 a.m. Wednesday. "I would ask people to follow suit."

The King Street pub has a capacity of more than 400 people over two floors. Graves decided to close the doors in an effort to align with recommendations from Manitoba Health to keep public gatherings to less than 250 people  and for the safety of his staff members.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A sign marking the closure of the Kings Head Pub until Thursday, April 2.

"We can hand-sanitize and clean as much as we can, but were still grabbing glassware thats dirty and plates that are dirty off tables, so I felt like it was the right thing to do," he said.

While the more than 35 staff members currently on payroll at the Kings Head may be saved from exposure to the virus, Graves is worried what the extended closure will mean for their financial well-being.

"The staff are the most important people to me here and they make minimum wage and they rely on tips to live," he said. "Its great that they can skip the line and they can get on employment insurance quickly, but theyre getting basically employment insurance on minimum wage."

In response to COVID-19, Service Canada has waived its one-week waiting period for those who are in quarantine or have been directed to self-isolate and are claiming employment insurance benefits.

Graves is considering applying for a loan to help supplement employee wages over the next two weeks and the Kings Head is selling gift cards online for those who want to continue supporting the establishment.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The new Toad in the Hole is ready to go, but the Osborne Village pub may not open.

"Its going to hurt us as well, but we believe we can survive," he said.

In Osborne Village, Kevin Monk was preparing for what might be a very soft opening at the new Toad in the Hole location on Tuesday  if an opening happens at all.

"I do have all my permits Im ready to open right now," Monk said over the phone on Monday afternoon. "I dont know what Im going to do, to be honest."

The Toad vacated its original location at the beginning of January and moved into the former site of Buccacinos Fresca Italiana at 155 Osborne St., which Monk co-owns with his brother Michael. After two-and-a-half months of renovations, the owners were planning to mark the pubs grand re-opening with a St. Patricks Day bash  a plan that's been sidelined by widespread event cancellations and closures in reaction to COVID-19.

"This is the worst possible scenario for someone starting a business," Monk said. "Its like a horrible, horrible slap to the face when you put all your money and time into this and then all of a sudden extenuating circumstances happen.

photos by MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chris Graves pub has a capacity of 400 over two floors. Manitoba Health is urging closures of facilities holding 250 or more.

"(It) means that we dont have work for anyone and we have to go back into our savings. This is my livelihood  its not like I can go and sell you beer online."

If the Toad does open on Tuesday, it will be with limited capacity and plenty of hand-sanitizing stations throughout the pub.

Despite event cancellations and warnings from public health officials not to gather in large groups, determined partygoers held unsanctioned St. Patrick's Day parades and block parties in Chicago, small-town Georgia and Waterloo, Ont. over the weekend.

Last Friday, the Irish Association of Manitoba postponed its ninth annual St. Patricks Day parade and closed its Erin Street clubhouse indefinitely in response to the pandemic.

Shannons Irish Pub and Eatery will also be closed Tuesday for the first time since 2002.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chris Graves, owner of the Kings Head Pub, says hes losing the busiest day of the year by closing ahead of St. Patricks Day.

"Its the right thing to do as a small family business we need to play our part," a member of the pubs management team told the Free Press via Facebook.

The establishment was also shuttered Monday and its owners will be making closure decisions on a daily basis moving forward.

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At press time, dowtown nightclub 441 Main and the Thirsty Lion Tavern hadn't responded to requests for comment from the Free Press regarding the status of their St. Patrick's Day events scheduled for March 17.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney

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Shifts in deep geologic structure may have magnified great 2011 Japan tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck under the seabed off Japan--the most powerful quake to hit the country in modern times, and the fourth most powerful in the world since modern record keeping began. It generated a series of tsunami waves that reached an extraordinary 125 to 130 feet high in places. The waves devastated much of Japan's populous coastline, caused three nuclear reactors to melt down, and killed close to 20,000 people.

The tsunami's obvious cause: the quake occurred in a subduction zone, where the tectonic plate underlying the Pacific Ocean was trying to slide under the adjoining continental plate holding up Japan and other landmasses. The plates had been largely stuck against each other for centuries, and pressure built up. Finally, something gave. Hundreds of square miles of seafloor suddenly lurched horizontally some 160 feet, and thrust upward by up to 33 feet. Scientists call this a megathrust. Like a hand waved vigorously underwater in a bathtub, the lurch propagated to the sea surface and translated into waves. As they approached shallow coastal waters, their energy concentrated, and they grew in height. The rest is history.

But scientists soon realized that something did not add up. Tsunami sizes tend to mirror earthquake magnitudes on a predictable scale; This one produced waves three or four times bigger than expected. Just months later, Japanese scientists identified another, highly unusual fault some 30 miles closer to shore that seemed to have moved in tandem with the megathrust. This fault, they reasoned, could have magnified the tsunami. But exactly how it came to develop there, they could not say. Now, a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience gives an answer, and possible insight into other areas at risk of outsize tsunamis.

The study's authors, based at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, examined a wide variety of data collected by other researchers before the quake and after. This included seafloor topographic maps, sediments from underwater boreholes, and records of seismic shocks apart from the megathrust.

The unusual fault in question is a so-called extensional fault--one in which the earth's crust is pulled apart rather than being pushed together. Following the megathrust, the area around the extensional fault moved some 200 feet seaward, and a series of scarps 10 to 15 feet high could be seen there, indicating a sudden, powerful break. The area around the extensional fault was also warmer than the surrounding seabed, indicating friction from a very recent movement; that suggested the extensional fault had been jolted loose when the megathrust struck. This in turn would have added to the tsunami's power.

Extensional faults are in fact common around subduction zones--but only in oceanic plates, not the overriding continental ones, where this one was found. How did it get there? And, might such dangerous features lurk in other parts of the world?

The authors of the new paper believe the answer is the angle at which the ocean plate dives under the continental; they say it has been gradually shallowing out over millions of years. "Most people would say it was the megathrust that caused the tsunami, but we and some others are saying there may have been something else at work on top of that," said Lamont PhD. student Bar Oryan, the paper's lead author. "What's new here is we explain the mechanism of how the fault developed."

The researchers say that long ago, the oceanic plate was moving down at a steeper angle, and could drop fairly easily, without disturbing the seafloor on the overriding continental plate. Any extensional faulting was probably confined to the oceanic plate behind the trench--the zone where the two plates meet. Then, starting maybe 4 million or 5 million years ago, it appears that angle of subduction began declining. As a result, the oceanic plate began exerting pressure on sediments atop the continental plate. This pushed the sediments into a huge, subtle hump between the trench and Japan's shoreline. Once the hump got big and compressed enough, it was bound to break, and that was probably what happened when the megathrust quake shook things loose. The researchers used computer models to show how long-term changes in the dip of the plate could produce major changes in the short-term deformation during an earthquake.

There are multiple lines of evidence. For one, material taken from boreholes before the quake show that sediments had been squeezed upward about midway between the land and the trench, while those closer to both the land and the trench had been subsiding--similar to what might happen if one laid a piece of paper flat on a table and then slowly pushed in on it from opposite sides. Also, recordings of aftershocks in the six months after the big quake showed scores of extensional-fault-type earthquakes carpeting the seabed over the continental plate. This suggests that the big extensional fault is only the most obvious one; strain was being released everywhere in smaller, similar quakes in surrounding areas, as the hump relaxed.

Furthermore, on land, Japan hosts numerous volcanoes arranged in a neat north-south arc. These are fueled by magma generated 50 or 60 miles down, at the interface between the subducting slab and the continental plate. Over the same 4 million to 5 million years, this arc has been migrating westward, away from the trench. Since magma generation tends to take place at a fairly constant depth, this adds to the evidence that the angle of subduction has gradually been growing shallower, pushing the magma-generating zone further inland.

Lamont geophysicist and coauthor Roger Buck said that the study and the earlier ones it builds on have global implications. "If we can go and find out if the subduction angle is moving up or down, and see if sediments are undergoing this same kind of deformation, we might be better able to say where this kind of risk exists," he said. Candidates for such investigation would include areas off Nicaragua, Alaska, Java and others in the earthquake zones of the Pacific Ring of Fire. "These are areas that matter to millions of people," he said.

###

Scientist contacts:

Bar Oryan boryan@ldeo.columbia.edu

Roger Buck earth2buck@gmail.com

More information: Kevin Krajick, Senior editor, science news, The Earth Institute kkrajick@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-9729

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is Columbia University's home for Earth science research. Its scientists develop fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world, from the planet's deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational basis for the difficult choices facing humanity. http://www. ldeo. columbia. edu | @LamontEarth

The Earth Institute, Columbia University mobilizes the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainable earth. http://www. earth. columbia. edu .

This story has been published on: 2020-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
President Donald Trump holds a news briefing on the coronavirus outbreak while accompanied by members of the coronavirus (COVID-19) task force at the White House in Washington, on March 16, 2020. (Leah Millis/Reuters)

Trump: China Was Putting Out False Information About Coronavirus

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Chinese Communist Party provided information that was false about the COVID-19 coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, in his first critical comments towards the regimes handling of the outbreak.

China was putting information which was false that our military gave this [virus] to them, he said. That was false, and rather than having an argument, I have to call it where it came from. It did come from China.

He was responding to a question from a reporter about his Twitter post on Monday evening, where he referred to the novel coronavirus as a Chinese virus.

I didnt appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them, he said. Our military did not give it to anybody.

The president told reporters the term doesnt create a stigma against China and described the term as accurate.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

In the United States, more than 5,200 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the country, according to the latest figures provided by Johns Hopkins University. More than 90 deaths have been reported.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of State summoned Chinas ambassador, Cui Tiankai, over controversial remarks made by a vice director at Chinas foreign ministry, Zhao Lijian, who accused the United States of not being transparent about what it knows of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. He pushed an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus started in the United States, not China.

When did patient zero begin in [sic] US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? Zhao wrote on Twitter. He then claimed it might be [sic] US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan before adding, Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe [sic] us an explanation.

Medical workers (dressing in protective suits) check patients who recovered from the COVID-19 coronavirus as they arrive to be tested again at a hospital in Wuhan, China on March 14, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

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 the media outlet.

Several weeks ago, White House national security advisor Robert OBrien said that the Chinese regime silenced doctors and whistleblowers during the early phases of the outbreak, costing 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 added.

Inside China, numerous citizen journalists and rights activists have accused the Chinese Communist Party of suppressing information about cases and deaths, while claiming that numerous dissidents have been detained. During the height of the outbreak in Wuhan, disturbing videos uploaded on social media appeared to show people being forcibly taken into quarantine.
Long before coronavirus become part of our everyday vocabulary, county election officials had concerns about the April 28 primary.

With new voting rules in place and new voting machines that voters in some counties are expected to use to cast ballots for the first or second time this spring, they anticipated pulling off the presidential primary was going to be a challenge.

The coronavirus, which has prompted Gov. Tom Wolf to close schools and urge non-essential businesses to shut down, has generated a whole new set of obstacles for elections officials.

Weve got polling places that called and expressed a reluctance of hosting, said York County spokesman Mark Walters. Weve got poll workers who have called and expressed reluctance to even work the polls. On an ordinary election blue-sky day, were up against a shortage of poll workers. So to hear that some of them are reluctant to work amid a pandemic, thats certainly concerning.

With just seven weeks to go before the primary day, county election officials are urging state officials to come up with a new plan for how Pennsylvanians will cast their vote for their partys presidential, congressional and legislative nominees.

Some prefer delaying the primary as Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Louisiana and Ohio have done. Others, like Dauphin Countys elections director Jerry Feaser, suggest a strictly mail-in voting primary could work, too.

Pennsylvania has legalized voting by mail without having to provide a reason, in addition to its traditional absentee voting. So a strictly mail-in primary is a possibility the commonwealth could exercise.

State Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-Philadelphia, thinks its time to consider that for both the primary and November election. He has introduced legislation that would allow for that.

If the medical experts are correct and we have no reason to believe they arent about the coronavirus, any responsible policymaker needs to heed the experts on the spread of the epidemic, Boyle said. With that being the case, I dont know how in-person voting on April 28 is a realistic option. My bill provides for an alternative where we dont postpone the election.

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.



Whether to postpone or convert to a mail-in ballot primary, it would require action by the Legislature and the governor to agree for this change to happen. But the clock is ticking. If county officials are going to be asked to shift gears, they say they need to know soon.

Wolf said on Monday that Pennsylvania is considering delaying the primary to keep people safe.

Last week, the governor indicated he was not in favor of going to strictly a mail-in voting primary.

I dont think that at this point, I would not like to mandate that, he said. But I would like to encourage people to make use of it.

On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the state Department of State said she didnt have any new information to offer on the matter, but shared a statement from a few days before.

The Department of State is having comprehensive discussions about a range of potential options for the April primary election. Those discussions are being held in consultation with the Department of Health, the governors office, the legislature and the counties, the statement said.

The departments focus is on best ways to protect the integrity of the election while safeguarding public health. We will immediately notify the public if there are to be any changes in primary voting. In the meantime, we remind Pennsylvania voters that the new mail-in ballot option provides a valuable alternative and can be used for any reason or no reason at all.

In a conference call, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey said he didnt think the state needed to postpone the primary at this point. My view is theres probably a little bit of time to make that decision," Toomey said.

Boyle said election officials in Montgomery County as well as some in Philadelphia told him moving away from in-person voting is an option that deserves serious consideration.

So do Dauphin County officials.

This county is fortunate in that it has a strong pool of poll workers in many places, Feaser said. But now were only beginning to hear rumblings of concern for many of them because they are in the age bracket where they are most susceptible to the coronavirus.

As for polling places, Feaser said the county has several locations where there exists a potential concern about hosting voters for the primary. They include the community center at Pheasant Hills Estates, a senior living community, in Susquehanna Township; Frey Village, a senior living community in Middletown; and the Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg in Lower Paxton Township.

We actually are in the process of trying to move into the Hamilton Health Center in Harrisburgs ninth ward, second precinct because a church we had been using closed back in January and theres not any other ADA accessible polling place, Feaser said.

And if I lose the willingness of some of the private institutions that have opened their doors for decades for us, Im not going to have a lot of options, he added. My ability to conduct an election is going to be compromised.

It also could be compromised if the election is postponed. Some of the facilities used as polling places may already be booked for other engagements, he said.

While a mail-in primary presents challenges of its own, Feaser said Dauphin County is well positioned to run a mail-in only primary. It has contracted with David A. Smith Printing in Harrisburg as its ballot printer and arranged for that business to serve as a mail house to also stuff and mail ballots since the county office didnt have the staffing or capacity to handle it in-house.

Boyles legislation would require voters to apply for mail-in ballots. Ballots would not automatically be sent out to protect the integrity of the election, he said. It would provide for prepaid postage on ballot applications as well as for returning ballots themselves. His bill would appropriate $40 million to the Department of State to help counties cover those costs.

He and county officials are urging action soon so preparations can be made.

Walters said he is confident the governor and his administration are giving this issue some consideration and will provide guidance soon.

He said he told county officials on Monday, its not that [the governors] got his head in the sand with the election. Ill bet by Wednesday at the latest we will know whether we are going all mail-in or whether its being postponed.

On a related note, Feaser encouraged voters who have requested mail-in ballots to be sure their addresses are accurate as his office gets dozens of voter registration applications returned because a wrong address was provided. He also urges people to verify their address, noting college students may have listed their college address on their mail-in ballot application but are no longer there because their college has shut down.

For more information on voting, including applying for a mail-in ballot, visit the Department of States website: www.votespa.com .

*This post has been updated to include the Pennsylvania Department of State statement.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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Novonix Limited (ASX:NVX), which is in the electronic business, and is based in Australia, saw significant share price movement during recent months on the ASX, rising to highs of AU$0.63 and falling to the lows of AU$0.27. 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 Novonix's current trading price of AU$0.27 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 Novonixs 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 Novonix

What is Novonix worth?

According to my valuation model, Novonix seems to be fairly priced at around 0.24% above my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Novonix today, youd be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe the companys true value is A$0.26, theres only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Novonixs beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the companys shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.

Can we expect growth from Novonix?

ASX:NVX Past and Future Earnings, March 16th 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. 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. In Novonixs case, its revenues over the next couple of years are expected to double, indicating an incredibly optimistic future ahead. If expense does not increase by the same rate, or higher, this top line growth 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 already priced in NVXs positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on NVX, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, 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 Novonix. You can find everything you need to know about Novonix in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Novonix, 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.
Almost all school districts in the Greater Houston area will extend their campus closures until at least April 10 after originally saying they would remain closed for one to two weeks.

The announcements from individual districts Monday came hours after Gov. Greg Abbott waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year, and after the U.S. Centers for Disease control recommended limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people.

In a statement on his office website, the governor also said he is calling on the U.S. Department of Education to waive federal testing requirements for this school year.

Abbott said he is working with the Texas Education Agency to ensure students still receive instruction and that students with disabilities have the same access to education as their peers.

Locally, all superintendents in the TEAs Region IV, which encompasses most of greater Houston, said they decided to keep schools closed until after Easter and that they would evaluate whether to reopen them on April 6.

Elizabeth Celania-Fagen, superintendent of Humble ISD, said the extended closures will allow the state to test more people and, with that data, better know how the virus is spreading and what actions need to be taken.

Its definitely evolving every day, but health experts have been pretty clear that four weeks is far more helpful than two, Fagen said. We need more time to collect more data, and we need to give our healthcare systems more time.

With schools across the state in limbo, state officials canceled Texas high stakes standardized testing, which was slated to begin in April. Traditionally, students in grades 5, 8 and 12 must pass certain state-issued exams to advance to the next grade level or graduate, though some still can move on if given approval by a district committee.

However, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a conference call with education and government officials on Monday that the state delegate decisions around grade level promotion and graduation requirements to each district, the Houston Chronicle has learned.

Morath said he and educators across the state remain concerned that school closures related to COVID-19 will impact students academic growth. To that end, Morath said the TEA will make available free tools to diagnose student learning.

TEA officials said they are looking for ways that schools could administer the STAAR test if any local district leaders decide they want students to take it. That decision would be up to individual districts.

The STAAR announcement was the first bit of good news Aldine ISD Superintendent LaTonya Goffney had heard in days.

More Information The following Houston-area school districts will be closed until at least April 10, unless otherwise noted: Aldine ISD Alief ISD Alvin ISD Channelview ISD Clear Creek ISD Conroe ISD Crosby ISD Cy-Fair ISD Dickinson ISD Fort Bend ISD Friendswood ISD Galena Park ISD Goose Creek CISD Houston ISD Huffman ISD Humble ISD Katy ISD Klein ISD Lamar CISD La Porte ISD Magnolia ISD Montgomery ISD New Caney ISD (until April 20) Pasadena ISD Pearland ISD Santa Fe ISD Spring ISD Spring Branch ISD Sheldon ISD Stafford MSD Tomball ISD Waller ISD Willis ISD See More Collapse

I was just relieved and could actually breathe once the announcement was made, Goffney said. Regardless of whats happening, were always worried and concerned about our students performing, but what this enabled us to be able to do is to take care of our students needs and our communitys needs. I was grateful.

In Aldine, Humble and elsewhere, school districts are turning toward online instruction to try to keep students progressing. While some families lack access to internet, companies like Comcast are offering several weeks of free internet to lower-income households, and education leaders hope that will mean more of their students will be able to access video lessons and worksheets online. For those who cannot get access to the internet, schools are working to make paper packets available to students.

Almost every local district also began curbside meal distributions on Monday because many of their students rely on free and reduced meals as their sole source of nutrition during the day. Aldine ISDs 22 sites, for example, served a few hundred people breakfast and about 2,500 lunches. Officials expect that number to grow once more families learn of the service.

Goffney said not worrying about STAAR preparation and administration will allow her team to focus more on those aspects of their response to COVID-19. Abbott said that was the purpose of the waiver  to emphasize public health over other priorities as the virus continues to spread.

Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families, Abbott said. We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19.

Greg Smith, superintendent of Clear Creek ISD, said he knows all the upheaval and extended closures will be difficult for families. Still, he said, there is hope.

Before you know it our schools and our school halls will be bustling with children, and I for one cannot wait, Smith said. Until then, lets take care of each other.

Reporter Jacob Carpenter contributed to this story.

shelby.webb@chron.com
The SS Great Britain is drydocked a 10-minute walk west of Bristol's center, marked by its towering old masts. A visit includes the fine museum, the well-restored ship, and an impressive exhibit devoted to Brunel. You can get there on a harbor tour aboard an old, long, skinny canal boat on a relaxing loop around the Floating Harbour.

A short walk from the SS Great Britain is the M-Shed, an old industrial shed that tells Bristol's history with three galleries focusing on places, people, and lifestyles. Historic ships are often moored just outside, including a 1934 fireboat, the Mayflower -- the oldest surviving steam-powered tugboat, and a modern replica of explorer John Cabot's good ship, the Matthew. Cabot sailed the Matthew across the North Atlantic in 1497, discovering a new-found land and cleverly called it just that.

Back in town, take a stroll down characteristic King Street, with its historical pubs and the 18th-century Bristol Old Vic Theatre (which locals claim is England's oldest working theater). Because of its strategic and industrial importance, Bristol was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe in World War II, and you can tell where the bombs fell by the ugly postwar development amid venerable old buildings.
A group of kind-hearted Kilkenny volunteers are at home making face masks using cloth and are urging the wider community to do the same.

Liselott Oloffson who is married to Oscar-nominated director and co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, Tomm Moore came up with the idea.

"It is relatively easy - I am using a sewing machine but you can do it by hand as well using some material from home. I came up with the idea to make them for people working at Cartoon Saloon and for us at home," she said.

It is hoped that by wearing facemasks it will help flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Green Party TD, Malcolm Noonan said that it was encouraging that people were coming forward to volunteer and help vulnerable people at this time of crisis and said that 'making homemade face is but one of the initiatives coming forward'.

"In Taiwan, facemasks helped curb the spread of coronavirus and the Cuban government is calling on people to make masks. Ideally it would be great if the HSE were to bulk buy and distribute them as was done with the iodine tablets years ago but said that communities can do this together and make them for family and friends."

Local hospital consultant, Michael Conway agrees that making homemade masks could help to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

"Tomm and Liselott are making masks for the people working in Cartoon Saloon and they gave one in the Kilkenny colours to me. I am keen for my team in the hospital to wear masks just in case their individual droplets, if they are infected, get onto patients and colleagues."
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom's wedding could be postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus situation.

While insiders had hinted that the pregnant pop star and Lord Of The Rings actor would be pushing back their nuptials, Orlando addressed the situation himself while speaking to The Times UK on Sunday.

'I'm not joking when I say that coronavirus might have a play in whether we put things on ice, because we're going to be traveling and we don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable,' Bloom. 43, explained.

Taking precautions: Orlando Bloom has revealed that he and pregnant fiance Katy Perry's wedding might not happen due to the ongoing coronavirus situation. The couple are seen in August 2019 above

According to sources the couple were planning on a destination wedding in Japan.

But with 1500 confirmed cases in the country, according to one of Japan's leading newspapers The Mainichi, they aren't taking any chances.

The I Kissed A Girl songstress 'doesnt want to postpone her wedding, but its something that is looking more and more likely by the day,' a source told Hollywood Life last week.

The insider added: 'Its unfortunate, but shes taking it in stride. Shes told friends that they might just do something private at home and then have the big celebration in Japan when this all calms down.'

Serious stuff: 'I'm not joking when I say that coronavirus might have a play in whether we put things on ice, because we're going to be traveling and we don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable,' Bloom. 43, explained

Numbers: There are 1500 confirmed cases in the country, according to one of Japan's leading newspapers The Mainichi

Expecting: The COVID-19 epidemic has already prompted Katy - who revealed her pregnancy back on March 4 - to take a step back from her professional commitments

The COVID-19 epidemic has already prompted Katy - who revealed her pregnancy back on March 4 - to take a step back from her professional commitments.

The expecting star cancelled all of her press rounds during a trip to Australia, after a 'coronavirus scare' among record label staff, according to a source who spoke to Daily Mail Australia.

The Sunshine Coast Daily reported that two employees at the Universal Music Australia building in Woolloomooloo had been exposed to the virus. As a result, staff members were told to 'quarantine themselves' until Monday.

She subsequently holed up in her Sydney hotel until being able to fly back home on Thursday.

Outta here: The COVID-19 epidemic has already prompted Katy - who revealed her pregnancy back on March 4 - to take a step back from her professional commitments. The expecting star cancelled all of her press rounds during a trip to Australia, after a 'coronavirus scare' among record label staff. She is seen March 13 above

According to those close to Katy, the star has been taking serious precautions amid the health crisis.

An insider told People Monday that the 35-year-old songstress is doing 'well' but taking no chances as she quarantines at home as she awaits to give birth to her first child this summer.

Bloom 'is back at home' and 'isn't sick' following his recent return from the Czech Republic, where he was filming the Amazon series Carnival Row.

The celeb couple 'will spend time at home together and monitor the situation,' an insider told the publication.

The insider added, 'They are happy to be back in the U.S.' and 'have no plans to work for now and will instead lay low.'

Social distancing: An insider told People Monday that the 35-year-old songstress is doing 'well' but taking no chances as she quarantines at home as she awaits to give birth to her first child this summer. She's seen March 8 above

Katy and Orlando aren't the only celebs reconsidering their wedding plans.

Actress Emma Stone and fiance Dave McCary have also postponed their nuptials, according to Page Six.

The couple were reportedly set to tie the knot this weekend in LA. According to insiders they have not revealed a new date.
[March 17, 2020] Womply, FundRocket Partner to Launch Privately Funded Stimulus Program to Give Local Businesses Interest-Free Working Capital

Womply, a local commerce company serving small businesses and app developers, today announced Stimulus 2020, a website that provides American businesses owners with access to capital, free software, and information resources to help them navigate changes due to coronavirus. No Cost Capital Beginning today, any U.S. business can receive a no-fee, no-interest $1,000 capital offer through Stimulus 2020 capital partner FundRocket. To qualify for the capital offer, a business only needs to verify a legitimate business bank account. There is no credit check or collateral requirement, and all businesses will be approved as long as they aren't suspicious or predatory in nature. Once the business is validated, the $1,000 capital offer is sent immediately via ACH and is typically available for use within one business day. The capital has no restrictions and can be used for any business purpose, including paying bills, purchasing inventory or supplies, investing in marketing, or paying employees. Repayment terms are flexible and based on a percentage of business sales, with a cap at $100 per week. If businesses are closed or don't generate any sales, they pay nothing. Businesses who accept the capital offer will never pay back more than $1,000. Businesses that already have a Womply account are also eligible for the capitaloffer and can take advantage of it by connecting a verified business bank account and emailing Womply at [email protected].



Free Software Womply, which serves over 450,000 local businesses, has created a new free version of its software to help businesses monitor their business performance and benchmark themselves against similar businesses nearby. This will provide businesses with critical market intelligence during this crisis. Womply will add additional resources as other companies make them available to local businesses.

"Local businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, and they're especially vulnerable to the softening economy," says Womply CEO Toby Scammell. "Our mission is to help local businesses thrive, and we can't think of a better way to do that in our uncertain economy than by offering no-fee capital and free access to business and market insights." Important Information Womply is providing real time updates on information that affects local businesses including other offers that support local businesses, government announcements, and government tax and stimulus programs. Businesses can sign up for a free Womply account here. Stimulus 2020 is open to future corporate partners. Companies interested in providing support to local businesses should contact [email protected] to include their offer on Stimulus2020.com. About Womply Womply's mission is to help small businesses thrive in a digital world. Founded in 2011, Womply is the leading provider of data and software to local businesses and the top software partner to the payments industry. Our AI-powered data platform powers our CRM and marketing software, which serves more than 450,000 small businesses in every corner of America. In addition, Womply's data platform helps innovative developers create more powerful software for businesses and consumers alike. To learn more, visit www.womply.com or email [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005225/en/

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More than a century old, Irish potatoes are a Philadelphia tradition that can be found across the region in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick's Day. The seasonal candy features a sweet, coconut-cream filling that's rolled in cinnamon. Read more

At Stutz Candy Co., candymaker Eriq Saldutti opens up a 50-pound bag of sugar and pours it into an electric cream beater the size of a baby swimming pool. A sweet mist quickly fills the air inside the Montgomery County kitchen.

With sugar-fogged glasses, Saldutti reaches his hands into the beater, knuckling the coconut batter like pizza dough as it spins round and round. Its the start of Irish potatoes, a popular treat for Stutz and other area candymakers.

Weve been making Irish potatoes since 1965, using the exact same recipe, same machines, and old-fashioned techniques since we started, says Stutzs vice president Kristie Knappik. People grew up with them, so customers get really excited every year when they return.

Irish potatoes are a Philadelphia tradition, one thats more than a century old. In the weeks leading up to St. Patricks Day, the cinnamon-coated, coconut cream spheres pop up in area candy stores, gift shops, and supermarkets.

Irish potatoes are kind of like the Mummers, says Dave Lamparelli, founder of Philadelphia-area candy company Oh Ryans, which sold more than 2.5 million pieces of the candy last year. Once you go to New York or Pittsburgh or Washington, they have no clue what they are.

What are Irish potatoes?

While the exact origins of Irish potatoes are vague, history has it that they were first made in Philadelphia in the 1800s  possibly by Irish immigrants, possibly not. (By 1860, Irish were the citys largest immigrant population as a result of the Great Famine in Ireland.)

Theyre said to honor the Irish, but I think there was a crazed candymaker out there who accidentally dropped a coconut cream Easter egg he was making into cinnamon, says Lamparelli. He looked at it and said, That looks like a potato, I bet I can sell that for St. Patricks Day. 

Knappik agrees that the timing of Irish potato season is convenient. The miniature spud look-alikes are sold in the lull between Valentines Day and Easter, both candy-centric holidays. Irish potatoes are one of Stutzs best sellers at its three retail shops; the Hatboro-based confectioner produces about 20,000 pieces per year.

What are Irish potatoes made of?

Besides a hefty dose of Amerfond fondant sugar (100 pounds for every 140 pounds of candy), Stutzs recipe calls for butter, desiccated coconut, vanilla extract, salt, and a house-made marshmallow-like fluff made from corn syrup, inverted sugar, and cornstarch. A splash of water is added as it all comes together in the beater, a step that perfumes the air with a sweet scent of fresh-baked macaroons.

Turned out onto a 60-year-old electric-crank cut roller, the creamy filling is piped out, sliced into bite-size hunks, and rolled smooth. The little white spheres travel down a conveyor belt until they reach a metal ramp. They glide down as if on a waterslide, splashing into a pool of cinnamon at the end.

Its inhaling all of the cinnamon thats probably the most challenging part of the job, says Stutz production manager, Kerwin Subero, a Stutz employee of 20 years and Trinidad native who loves the coconut treat.

Workers at the end of the Irish potato line wear masks and gloves as they hand-roll each sugary piece in the ground spice. Stutz also blends a touch of cocoa powder into its candy coating.

Irish potato recipes vary from shop to shop, but coconut and cinnamon are always the dominant flavors. Some places add pine nuts to mimic a sprouted potatos eyes. Many homemade recipes call for cream cheese, an ingredient eschewed by most manufacturers because it makes the candies less shelf-stable.

The tartness of the cream cheese helps offset the sweetness of the sugar, says Pavia Burroughs of Old Citys Shane Confectionery, one of the few shops to still use cream cheese. Shane sold nearly 1,500 Irish potatoes from its refrigerated candy case in 2018.

Of course, you dont need a commercial cream beater or a cut roller to make Irish potatoes. Recipes for the local treat abound online, requiring little more than pantry staples, a hand mixer, and a large bowl. (In the South, potato candy takes on an entirely different meaning; the no-bake, Great Depression-era confection combines real potatoes, powdered sugar, and peanut butter in fudgy, jellyroll-like slices.)

But for most Philadelphians, only store-bought Irish potatoes will do. They are only available for a limited time  St. Patricks Day generally marks the cutoff date for production. You can find them at many area candy shops and grocery stores, or order them online at places like the Italian Markets Anthonys Italian Coffee and Chocolate House or the Reading Terminals Pennsylvania General Store.

We get people whove moved away, and theyll call in, all eager to ask us if we can ship the Irish potatoes up to Massachusetts or New York, says Stutzs Hatboro store manager Kim Wengert. (Stutz will ship for customers who call in.) My 9-year-old nephew actually asked for them this year for birthday. He was surrounded by toys, but when he opened the [candy] box, he screamed louder than ever: Irish potatoes!

Where to buy Irish Potatoes in Philly

This article has been updated since it was first published.

 READ MORE: Live your best life in Philly: Read our most useful stories here
Tourist admiring the Perito Moreno glacier, Argentina.  Marco Bottigelli

Travel deals are emerging amid the chaos of the global coronavirus outbreak. Many people are probably wondering if now is the right time to buy, whether for an out-of-town jaunt or a big summer vacation. The short answer is that it's not worth it right now, according to experts. Travelers should hold off on making plans given the extremely fluid situation, they say. "I know it's awesome to be able to get a great sale on a destination you've always wanted to go to," said Sara Rathner, a travel expert at NerdWallet. "But it's a risk. Wait as long as you can."

The coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, has infected more than 183,000 around the world and killed more than 7,100. The disease has had a dramatic impact on the travel industry. Airlines, hotel operators and others catering to tourists and business travelers have seen consumer demand evaporate, amid fear or necessity as governments have restricted travel to reduce the disease's spread. To that point, 55% of American travelers have canceled travel plans, according to Destination Analysts, a tourism market research firm. Those trips have primarily been in the short term, through May.

Many airlines are trying to spur demand by reducing prices along the travel value chain, experts said. There has been a 12% average decrease in airfare and a 6% to 7% average price reduction for train and bus travel over the past week due to the coronavirus, according to Boris Radke, the director of corporate affairs at Omio, a travel booking site that works with about 800 travel providers. For example, a round-trip flight from New York to New Orleans runs as low as $66 today. The same flight would have cost $302 around 40 days ago, according to Google Flights.

It's this ever-changing thing. We don't know how things will progress into June, July and beyond. Sara Rathner travel expert at NerdWallet

A round-trip flight from New York to Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, now costs as little as $346 for a July departure. That's about $200 less than it was a month and a half ago, according to Google. Before Italy announced a countrywide lockdown, luxury hotels in Rome were advertising rooms for around $50 to $70 a night, said Gabe Saglie, a senior editor at website Travelzoo. "As early as a week ago, we were seeing some drastic fare-slashing going on and hotel price drops," Saglie said.

Resist the urge

baona

Despite these deals, there's "no question" Americans should avoid travel for at least the next two months  and likely the next three to four months, said Radke at Omio. Tempering the urge to buy could save consumers a lot of frustration  and money  down the road. That's because major airlines, for example, are slashing their domestic and international flight capacities, many by more than half, through May. The situation remains fluid, making it impossible to know whether a flight booked today will be available in a few weeks or months  or whether the airline will even still be solvent, Radke said. "It's this ever-changing thing," said Rathner of NerdWallet. "We don't know how things will progress into June, July and beyond."

Countries and cities also may announce new travel policies or shut down daily life and cultural destination access to an unprecedented degree by the time a trip comes around, diminishing the allure of visiting a particular place. Traveling could also put individuals' health at risk. Officials and government agencies have urged social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and it's impossible to say how long it will take for the virus to run its course. President Trump suggested yesterday the crisis could extend into July or August. "Fall could sort of become the new summer in terms of people having the willingness, time and wherewithal to get to traveling again," said Saglie at Travelzoo.

Travel insurance
Millions of Australians are at risk of losing their jobs as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on casual workers and staff employed in tourism and related industries.

Australian casual workers are receiving fewer shifts and even having their jobs terminated thanks to the slump in business brought on by COVID-19.

According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions, more than two million Australians are employed casually, mostly in the hospitality, retail, tourism and education industries.

The ACTU says the 3.3million Australian workers who have no access to paid leave are most vulnerable due to the crisis, but they're far from alone.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the coronavirus crisis was an 'unprecedented' and 'incredibly difficult time' that could see almost eight per cent of workers out of a job, according to The Australian.

Over two million Australians are at risk of losing their jobs as the coronavirus threatens casual workers. Pictured: A Qantas flight attendant helping a customer to board

'One in thirteen Australian jobs rely on the tourism and hospitality sector and those employers, those businesses and those jobs are all on the line right now,' he said.

'Ultimately, we're not going to be able to save every single business or every single job either. This is a terrible, terrible event that we're dealing with. It's something that has never been encountered before,' he explained.

Australian casual workers were already a vulnerable group but slow trading caused by the coronavirus has heaped extra pressure on them.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said bosses have begun standing workers down, and other staff are being told their jobs are at risk.

Simona, a casual waitress in a Melbourne cafe, was one such case.

The Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham warned that one in 13 jobs are currently 'on the line'

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia as of March 17

Her boss informed her that 'because of the situation, that if it's very quiet they would probably have to fire me,' Simona told A Current Affair.

The waitress was unsure how she would pay her bills without the cafe job.

Kayleen, another casual worker from from Brisbane, told the program she was 'gobsmacked' when she lost her job.

The chef received a text from her boss that read: 'Since the coronavirus has got all this media attention it has been very quiet here.

'At this stage I don't have any shifts for you and I'm forced to let you go.'

Most casual workers are employed in hospitality, retail, tourism and education. Pictured: An empty cafe in Melbourne on Tuesday morning

The chef has been forced to turn to Centrelink benefits in order to receive any income.

The ACTU is calling for two weeks of paid special leave for all Australian workers impacted by the coronavirus.

McManus said: 'Many employers are standing down workers and considering letting people go due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.'

She explained that the 'most important thing' was to ensure that workers knew there would be no financial penalty if they did have to self-isolate.

'If working people are forced to choose between going to work sick or being able to pay their bills and feed their families then we are creating a disaster scenario for public health,' Ms McManus said.
[March 17, 2020] Design Vocals Celebrates One Million Clientele in Digital Industry

IRVINE, Calif., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Design Vocals team is proud to celebrate the milestone of ONE million clients served in the digital marketing industry. With each project comes an opportunity to grow and polish the skills of each employee involved in the project and the DV team has untiringly stayed true to this motto for eight years now. Throughout DV's professional journey, the company dealt with various clients from all sorts of industries, each with their requirements and specifications. This has allowed the talented team to polish their skills further. Design Vocals' team has hard-earned the position in the industry where the company stands tall and proud now. And this calls for a celebration with the exclusive 75% off on all services. The company wants Design Vocals' clients to be a part of this celebration and avail of this opportunity at once. Clients can now get all the high-end and professional digital marketing services, including logo designing, web designing and development, stationery designing and SEO, at incredibly low prices. A Big Occasion calls for a Big Celebration! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the same professional, high-end service at half the price.



Here's what Design Vocals' clients say: "Design Vocals have taken the business to the next level. The company created a beautiful website with great arrangements."  Hernandez, Businessperson

"When it comes to creating specialized, creative, and useful websites, no company can surpass Design Vocals."  Andrew Garcia, Brand Manager Now everyone can be a part of Design Vocals' successful clientele and see the difference it brings. On the other hand, Vocals Animation, a subsidiary of Design Vocals, is making a name for itself in the video animation industry, which includes animated movies, 3D animations, 2D character animations, screencast videos and many more. Vocals Animation's team is fully equipped to handle all kinds of video animation projects from around the world. The brand covers clients from all ends for a complete and prosperous digitally infused business experience. Each project is built unique to each client's requirements with a flawless process. The process includes brainstorming and communicating as the first step towards a successful delivery. The company believes that communication is the key to unlock the true potential of any business. The team of designers, illustrators and marketers work hand in hand to bring the sketched-out plan to a reality. And the company stays with clients even after the delivery to keep up with the performance metrics for the ongoing maintenance and support of clients. Visit https://www.vocalsanimation.com. Design Vocals

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India on Tuesday reported the third death from with an elderly patient suffering from the infection passing away in

The 64-year-old patient suffering from died at Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital.

This is the first death due to the disease from Maharashtra, which has the highest number of confirmed patients at 39, out of a total of 110 plus cases in the country.

The two other deaths due to the infection in India were from Karnataka and Delhi, respectively.

Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 167,500 people and killed 6600 others.
By Trend





In connection with the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the world, application of benefits in the fulfillment of obligations to the state is envisaged, Head of the parliamentary committee on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship Tahir Mirkishili said at a meeting of the committee on March 17, Trend reports.

Mirkishili noted that the issue was also discussed by the government of Azerbaijan.

The agreements have a special clause on force majeure, but it does not include the spread of the pandemic. Therefore, it will be necessary to include new concepts in the obligations in the contract, because the pandemic is spreading rapidly in the world.

The Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan said that the long incubation period, the speed of distribution and the lack of vaccines prompt states to take even more serious measures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus (COVID-2019) infection a global pandemic. Based on the recommendations and requirements of WHO on the prevention of the virus, it became necessary to carry out a number of urgent measures in the country.

In this regard, it was decided to postpone mass events for a month. Also, organizations, citizens belonging to the public and private sectors, are required to strictly observe special rules.
Mumbai, March 17 : Legendary actor Dilip Kumar says he is under complete isolation and quarantine due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Dilip Kumar took to Twitter on Tuesday to give an update about himself to his fans and followers. He also shared that his wife and former veteran actress Saira Banu is taking good care of the 97-year-old icon.

"I am under complete isolation and quarantine due to the #CoronavirusOutbreak. Saira has left nothing to chance, ensuring I do not catch any infection," he tweeted.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.

Known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-E-Azam" and "Karma", Dilip Kumar got married to Saira -- over 20 years younger to him -- in 1966.
ANN ARBOR, MI  With a shortage of kits for hospitals across the country to test for COVID-19, Michigan Medicine is ensuring the right people are being identified for its new curbside testing.

Michigan Medicine began curbside testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, at three different ambulatory sites Tuesday, March 17.

Dr. Michael Mulholland, Michigan Medicines senior associate dean for clinical affairs, outlined the process patients must go through to get tested without potentially exposing other patients to the coronavirus.

Because the United States is lagging behind in testing people for COVID-19, Mulholland said it is important patients know and go through the correct steps if they feel they might be getting sick.

"We have a really big problem in this country because we currently dont have enough testing kits to test everyone, he said.

What were trying to do is to figure out who might be infected and try to determine if they are just a little sick, or potentially very sick and try to make sure they get to the right place of care.

Michigan Medicine patients who have an appointment through their providers may use the screening service in the parking lots of the West Ann Arbor Health Center, Canton Health Center and Brighton Health Center.

Patients must call their physicians in advance and be referred for curbside screening. Those who arrive without an appointment will not be screened.

On Tuesday, Michigan Medicine debuted a new hotline that connects patients with trained nurses who will ask them questions about what types of symptoms they are experiencing to determine the severity of their illness, after theyve received referral from a physician.

After the initial screening call, they are either assured they should be able to stay home in self-isolation if it is a more mild illness, or they are referred to a video visit conducted by a provider. Mulholland noted patients need to have an iPhone or iPad to participate in that screening.

From there it is determined whether they need to set up a curbside appointment to be tested for COVID-19, Mulholland said, where a sample is collected from the back of patients nose by a healthcare worker to determine if it is the flu, COVID-19 or if they tested negative. If a patient is quite sick, Mulholland said they may be admitted to the emergency room on the spot.

Testing will be requested by Michigan Medicine providers with a focus on high-risk patients, including elderly patients and those with immuno-compromised conditions. The test may either be sent to the state testing lab or a private lab and results could take several days.

That makes it vitally important to keep patients who potentially have the coronavirus separate from other patients and healthcare workers during the screening process, Mulholland said.

We dont want to expose the other people in the clinic to potentially sick people, Mulholland said.

Michigan Medicine is developing its own test for COVID-19, which is awaiting FDA approval, Mulholland said. It is also using a private lab and the states lab for testing.

Michigan Medicine leaders dont believe they will face a bed or ventilator shortage if COVID-19 cases surge, CEO Marschall Runge said when announcing a new 32-bed isolation unit.

Additional containment rooms in intensive care units could be made throughout the hospital system in Ann Arbor if needed, Runge said.

READ MORE:

Drive-through coronavirus testing available in Jackson

Michigan Medicine adds 32 isolated beds, offers special sick time for employees

Free lunch pickups planned for Ypsilanti Community Schools students; volunteers sought

Free lunch pickup locations set for Ann Arbor schools

Michigan urges bars and restaurants to limit crowds to fight coronavirus spread
As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, were working to answer the questions on many parents minds. 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.

First the schools closed, then the babysitter canceled.

Jaime Fitch, 40, a manager at the University of Washington School of Medicine, woke up on Monday to learn that her childrens caretaker  and her familys best source of backup child care  had some symptoms of Covid-19, but not enough to get tested.

Her mother-in-law, who has babysat in the past, was recently in a car accident and had a broken sternum. And Fitchs husband, who is the director of marketing and operations at a start-up, needed to work, too.

So they did what a lot of parents are doing during the school closures: multitask, play jiu-jitsu with their schedules and hope for the best.

During conference calls, Fitch breastfeeds her 10-month-old daughter, angling the camera upward or turning it off. Her daughter takes naps on her chest in a carrier while Fitch responds to emails and attends online meetings. Her 4-year-old son watches videos and plays games online. A whiteboard in the kitchen that used to feature recipes now lists the daily meetings she and her husband must attend.
A Russian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev has cancelled their visit to India due to coronavirus outbreak, diplomatic sources told ANI on Tuesday.

"The meeting was expected to be held in March," the sources added.

The dignitary had last year visited India to discuss potential areas of cooperation in Russia's Far East Region, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 5th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September.

Russian President has also invited Prime Minister Modi as a chief guest for the massive Victory Day celebrations in May this year which would also provide an opportunity for the two leaders to review the progress made in the bilateral ties shared between the two countries and discuss ways to further bolster the special strategic partnership.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PARIS  An exodus from Paris at the Gare Montparnasse train station. A postal worker warning of the plague, the apocalypse and repentance, with the Eiffel Tower behind him. Fear in peoples eyes, and tense moments, in a long line outside a supermarket.

But also Parisians out jogging on deserted streets. Or walking their dogs, or trying to connect their children to their teachers on home laptops. And a California couple savoring, for now at least, their first trip to the City of Lights.

As France was put on lockdown on Tuesday to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Paris, one of the worlds most visited cities, turned into a ghost town. At noon sharp, police officers patrolling the Champs-Elysees, near the Arc de Triomphe, began enforcing new rules of confinement across the capital and the rest of France, one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe with 6,600 cases and 148 deaths.

In what has been described as the toughest health-related restrictions in Frances modern history, people will be allowed outdoors for only specific reasons for at least the next 15 days; the exceptions include buying groceries, getting medication at a drugstore, or commuting to work for those unable to work remotely. People leaving their homes now have to sign and carry a form explaining the reasons for their movements, or face fines. Across the city, police officers began stopping pedestrians and pulling over cars to inspect their papers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:20:43|Editor: huaxia

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Medics from north China's Tianjin Municipality gesture for a group photo with cabin staff aboard an airplane at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on March 17, 2020. The first batch of medics have been scheduled to depart Hubei, once the hard-hit province of the novel coronavirus, on Tuesday, as the epidemic situation has been greatly eased. The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

WUHAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei Province early on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued.

The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak.

A leading group of China's novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response on Monday demanded the orderly withdrawal of medical staff supporting the virus-hit Hubei Province, and required ensuring high-level treatment of severe COVID-19 patients and helping Hubei resume normal medical services while withdrawing the supporting medical teams.

Over 42,000 medical workers from across the country were dispatched to aid Hubei in fighting the epidemic since the virus outbreak.

"We arrived in Wuhan on Feb. 4 and worked in two temporary hospitals over the past 40 days. Together with colleagues from Wuhan and Henan Province, we managed 988 beds and treated 1,235 patients," said Ma Fuchun, head of the national emergency medical rescue team from northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

"Thankfully, we achieved zero patient deaths and zero infection of medics during our stay here," Ma said.

The Shaanxi team consists of 43 experienced doctors and nurses from departments including emergency treatment, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics and neurology as well as psychology under the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital.

"Our presence here not only reduced the burdens of local medical workers but, more importantly, brought confidence to disease-ridden Wuhan residents. It was also a good opportunity to hone our team," he said.

At 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, medics began to get on the bus. Some of them shed tears behind their masks.

"Wuhan people have acted bravely. I hope life here will return to normal as soon as possible, and the city will become more and more beautiful," said Cui Yaqing, a team member.

At about 7:30 a.m. the medics left Wuhan for Shaanxi. Police officers at the expressway toll-gate saluted while watching their vehicles leave.

In the meantime, 42 medics from the neighboring Hunan Province also set out on the journey home.

The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University sent the country's first field medical team to Wuhan on Feb. 4. Advanced equipment vans for operation, medical devices, outpatient service, testing, power supply and communication were also dispatched to ensure instant and independent treatment of patients.

The field hospital began receiving patients on Feb. 5 and treated 394 patients in total.

"We have stayed in Wuhan for 43 days. Besides treating patients, we also trained local medics on treating COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms and trained over 200 cleaners and policemen on epidemic prevention," said Xu Junmei, the team leader and vice president of the hospital.

"There were so many unforgettable moments during my 43 days here," said Wen Chuan, a medical staffer. "I will always remember the days the doctors and patients stuck together to keep each other warm and fight the epidemic."

The medical workers will be put under quarantine and vehicles and materials disinfected upon arrival.

Hubei reported only one new confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease on Monday, bringing the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province to 67,799.

As of Monday, Hubei had seen no newly confirmed COVID-19 cases for 12 consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan.

The province also saw 55,987 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery as of Monday.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on additional measures to improve the efficiency of public administration, Trend reports.

The decree says that for the electronic control of the situation on the implementation of decrees, orders and instructions of the Azerbaijan's president, a new information system is being created at the Presidential Administration.

The performance efficiency of local executive bodies will be evaluated by the main performance indicators in accordance with progressive world practice.

The Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan has been entrusted to develop, with the involvement of an international consulting company, and submit to the President of Azerbaijan the proposals within six months on the following:

- Creation and application of a mechanism for evaluating the efficiency of local executive bodies' activities;

- The operating procedure of an effective information system for electronic monitoring of the situation on the implementation of decrees, orders and instructions of the Azerbaijans president.

The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to analyze the situation of compliance with executive discipline by state bodies and structures and to inform the President of Azerbaijan twice a year about cases of violation of executive discipline committed by the state bodies and structures.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared permanent commission for women in the Navy and asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said there cannot be 101 excuses for not granting gender equality in the armed forces and a level playing field is needed.

Denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in a serious miscarriage of justice, it said.

The bench, also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi, rejected the Centre's stand that sea sailing duties cannot be granted to SSC (Short Service Commission) women officers in the Navy because its Russian vessels do not have washrooms for them.

Such arguments, the court said, are contrary to the Centre's policy of 1991 and 1998 which lifted the statutory bar on the induction of women officers in the Navy.

The bench quashed the prospective effect of the policy barring women officers inducted before 2008 from being granted permanent commission in the Navy. It also granted pension benefits to women officers who have retired and were not granted permanent commission.

It said there cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre to allow entry of women.

"Once statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting permanent commission," the court said.

It said that there is enough documentary evidence to suggest women officers in the Navy have brought accolades to the force.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Spring breakers in South Texas aren't letting their plans or partying be dampened by a global pandemic.

Indeed, throngs of party-goers arrived at Port Aransas this weekend for their spring holiday, seemingly unperturbed by the cases of coronavirus rapidly spreading across the United States. College students took to the beach for crowded concerts and DJ sets at the popular spring break location.

HoustonChronicle.com: Live updates on the coronavirus crisis

Back in Houston and in other major cities on Monday, officials shut down bars and relegated restaurant-goers to take-out only options,

CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: What you need to know

Texas reported its first coronavirus death Monday night.

Dan Carson is a digital producer for the Houston Chronicle. You can read his work on Chron.com and follow him on Twitter.
The phrase A picture is worth a thousand words is often used to describe how photos can have an impact beyond description. For Cheshire native Alex Krohn, seeing heart-shaped images allows her to reflect on what she has overcome, and also share positive messages with the world.

Through her Love Hearts Projects, Krohn collects photos and uses them as a source of inspiration. Locally, for the last three years, she has held love letter events where people write messages to friends, family, and others on postcards with heart photos.

This years event, held last Sunday, brought 70 people together at the Cheshire Parks and Recreation Department building.

It feels great to see the impact that the pictures can have, stated Krohn, a 2011 Cheshire High School graduate. We have people from different political backgrounds and places sharing their stories. It is good to hear positive messages when there are people in the world going through tough times.

Krohn began her project as a way to cope with the passing of her father, grandmother, and dog back in 2016. On Feb. 10 of that year, she encountered an emotional symbol while hiking through the snow with her friends at Roaring Brook Park in Cheshire.

I found an icicle in the shape of a heart, recalled Krohn. That (image) inspired me to get through the hike.

From that experience, Krohn started collecting heart-shaped photos.

I was in a sad place and those images gave me what I needed to get through it, explained Krohn.

After seeing how photos helped to pick up her spirits, Krohn became interested in sharing her story and experience with the world. She credits her friend Frank Roche for suggesting that she put pictures on postcards. Roche is the creator and host of The Postcardist Podcast.

It was a great idea, Krohn reflected. I thought it would be cool to get good and personal news in the mail instead of bills and catalogs.

In creating the Love Hearts Project, Krohn decided to share photos over Instagram (@loveheartsproject) and also asked people to submit their own shots for use through social media.

At the beginning, most of the pictures came from me and my friends, recalled Krohn. For my first year, I had push myself to get 25 photos.

In 2018, she had about 20 people attend her first love letter event at the Southington Community Cultural Arts building. Since she grew up in Cheshire, she decided to move the program to her hometown last year and had people get together at the Waverly Tavern.

I love Cheshire, said Krohn. I think it has done a lot for me even though I dont live here anymore.

For last Sundays third annual event, Krohn had 1,000 post cards printed.

Through social media and email, I chose 50 photos to use, stated Krohn.

For an entrance fee of $5, attendees received five postcards. To start off the program, Krohn showed a video to explain the Love Hearts Project. Next, she asked the crowd what the favorite year of their life was and why.

I thought that it would be a fun way to get people to reflect on their lives and start us off, explained Krohn.

Sitting in groups, attendees were able to write well-wishes to friends and families on the back of postcards.

I think a lot of people wrote that Im excited to see you and shared positive messages, stated Krohn. On every table, I also had a list of people who are in need of good wishes such as veterans, cancer patients, and others who are going through hard times.

Krohn credits family and friends for their support and assistance with the project.

I wouldnt be able to do this without them, said Krohn. There is so much work setting everything up and getting the pictures together.

Along with her inner circle, Krohn has enjoyed seeing her project grow and make connections around the world. She has become pen pals with a woman in Germany and also has people assisting her from places such as Israel.

This project started as my story and it has become everyones story. I love that, explained Krohn.

Proceeds from selling postcards, pens, clothing, and more all go towards planning the next years get-together. Krohn hopes to have at least 100 people participate in 2021.

I had hoped to have live music this year and, even though it didnt come together, that is one of my goals for next year, added Krohn.

For information on upcoming events, visit www.loveheartsproject.com.
Officers swarmed a Derry Township neighborhood on Monday night after a man accused of threatening a local resident was found near the persons home in a car with a gun, according to police.

Derry Township Police Chief Garth Warner said a call came in from a third party that an armed man had threatened to go to a residence in the 700 block of Cocoa Avenue around 7 p.m.

When officers checked the area, they found the man in his vehicle behind the house in question and he was armed with a handgun, Warner said.

Over the course of an hour, officers including the Dauphin County Crisis Response Team assisted to secure the scene, get people from the immediate area to safety and have other residents shelter in place.

CRT negotiators were able to get the man to surrender peacefully, Warner said. Though he had originally threatened to hurt others, his target was not there.

There was talk of him wanting to hurt other people at the scene, but that did not come to fruition, Warner said. There were no injuries to the man or police, Warner said.

Watch Warner discuss the standoff here:

Read more on PennLive:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 14:34:03|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Guo Yage

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- With the whole international community gearing up for the joint battle against a dangerous coronavirus, the sole superpower on the planet is letting the world down.

Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, a cluster of U.S. politicians have kept using the global health threat as a weapon to smear and stigmatize China.

They accused Beijing of covering up the outbreak, turning a blind eye to its timely sharing of information with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the broader international community.

To the astonishment of the world, they even went so far by employing racist language to label the pathogen behind the disease the "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus," although its origin remains undetermined and viruses have no nationalities.

Such slanderous rhetoric is irresponsible and despicable. It is a far cry from what the so-called "shining city upon a hill" is expected to do in face of a serious common challenge against humanity. To many, it is yet another symptom of Washington's moral decay and leadership deficit.

Smearing China will not gloss over the United States' earlier mistakes in its response to COVID-19. Although it went against the WHO's advice and rushed to be the first to impose a travel ban on China, it then seemingly fell into wishful thinking and denial, squandering the precious time China has bought the world with enormous sacrifices and prompting widespread criticism from the U.S. public of acting too little and too late.

Scapegoating China will not help with Washington's ongoing epidemic containment efforts.

At the same time, stigmatizing China will not contribute to the global battle against the pandemic. On the contrary, at a time when the world is in dire need of strong solidarity and mutual support, it only sows division and distrust and corrodes the very foundation for a global united front.

Thus it is high time that Washington woke up both to the threat of the coronavirus spreading on its soil and across the world, and to the threat of the political virus in its mind that is distorting its perception and hindering its response, and lived up to its due responsibility on the world stage.

Just as Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone conversation on Monday, the U.S. side should immediately correct its wrongful behavior and stop making groundless accusations against China.

The United States, as Yang urged, should take into consideration the common interests and will of the people in both countries and around the world, enhance communication and cooperation with China and the international community, and jointly safeguard the international public health security.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:06:01|Editor: xuxin

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A man sprays disinfectant at Al-Akbar Mosque in Surabaya, Indonesia, March 17, 2020. As many as 38 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Indonesia, bringing the total number in the country to 172, the government's spokesperson for all coronavirus-related matters Achmad Yurianto was quoted by state-owned television station TVRI as saying on Tuesday. (Photo by Dedy Instant/Xinhua)

JAKARTA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- As many as 38 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Indonesia, bringing the total number in the country to 172, the government's spokesperson for all coronavirus-related matters Achmad Yurianto was quoted by state-owned television station TVRI as saying on Tuesday.

According to him, the new cases were mostly found in Jakarta.

Yurianto also said that the death toll stands at five.

On Monday, the spokesman pointed out that lockdown policy will not be applied, saying that the focus is how to find the source of the virus and conduct isolation.

Some cities in the country have applied an emergency status to pave the way for tackling the virus spread.
Tamara Ecclestone's daughter's sixth birthday party has fallen victim to the current COVID-19 crisis.

After Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the UK to avoid public gatherings this week, the heiress had to cancel her daughter Sophia's celebrations.

Taking to Instagram, Tamara, 35, shared a snap of Sophia, dressed up for the special day all the same.

Disappointed: Tamara Ecclestone's daughter's sixth birthday party has fallen victim to the current COVID-19 crisis

She captioned it: 'This is 6. No party but so much love and laughter.'

Sophia still managed to smile in the sweet snap, as she posed in a Peppermint costume.

This will have been a particular disappointment as just weeks ago Sophia's cousin Lavinia was thrown a very lavish LOL themed birthday party to mark turning seven.

Earlier in the month, Tamara's sister Petra, 31, hosted the shin-dig, and Tamara posted a series of snaps to Instagram showcasing Sophia's own excitement for her cousin's do.

Smiling through it: After Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the UK to avoid public gatherings this week, the heiress had to cancel her daughter Sophia's celebrations - yet she was sure to still dress up and raise a smile

Birthday bash: Tamara joined her sister Petra Ecclestone, 31, for her daughter's lavish LOL themed birthday party weeks ago

Dressed in costume, and resembling the brightly coloured LOL doll, Sophia posed for a series of snaps in front of a elaborate floral arrangement and decorative pink bathtub.

Donning multicoloured hair and pink fashionable frames, Sophia channeled her best Bon Bon as she smiled gleefully before jumping in beside her mum.

On one of the photos, Tamara captioned the photo: 'Ready to celebrate her cousin LOL style. My real life doll,' followed by a heart-eye emoji.

Family affair: Petra also shared a photo alongside her niece Sophia as they enjoyed the birthday celebrations

Meanwhile, the Formula 1 heiress looked effortlessly chic wearing a complete beige ensemble as she prepared for an afternoon of family fun.

Upon arriving at the birthday bash, Tamara shared a series of snapshots from the birthday party, which displayed an edible pancake art station for the kids as well as a giant LOL themed pinata.

Sophia went to town on beating it with a stick, in hope to bust open the cardboard vessel, but proving too much for the real life doll, she threw the stick aside and ripped it open with her hands.

Costume party: Dressed in costume, and resembling the brightly coloured LOL doll, five-year-old Sophia posed for a series of snaps in front of a elaborate floral arrangement and decorative pink bathtub

Party fun: Sophia went to town on beating the pinata with a stick, in hope to bust open the cardboard vessel

Meanwhile, Petra took to Instagram to share a snap with her niece Sophia, whose neon painted eyebrows replaced her costume pink frames.

Petra also offered a glimpse of the elaborate affair as she documented the event in a series of snaps posted to her Instagram stories.

In one shot, the children were getting their nails painted at their very own nail station, complete with a selection of colour wheels displaying the hues on offer.

The birthday girl was also treated to an extravagant three-tier birthday cake which was decorated with LOL doll figurines and colours consistent with the theme.

Make your own pancakes: The party also had on offer a pancake art station which saw Sophia and the other kids make their own works of art

Colourful pancakes: The pancake art station proved to be a joy with guests making an array shapes and designs

In the spirit of extravagant celebrations, Tamara recently threw Petra a lavish baby shower as she prepares for the arrival of her baby.

She's set to welcome her first child with fiance Sam Palmer, making her a mother of four.

Tamara took to Instagram to share a series of snapshots from the baby shower, which displayed the pink colour scheme and the makings of a well-planned soiree.

In one shot, an elegant table setting showed that guests dined at a pink illuminated candlelit table, which included gold-tinged menus.

Sleepover: The kids also enjoyed a sleepover equipped with individual teepees decked out with blankets and cushions

Dress ups: Donning multicoloured hair and pink fashionable frames, Sophia channeled her best Bon Bon - which is one of the popular LOL dolls

Birthday cake: The birthday girl was also treated to an extravagant three-tier birthday cake which was decorated with LOL doll figurines and colours consistent with the theme

Included on the menu were a choice of whole Dover sole or chicken Milanese, while the sweets selection was billed as 'sugar and spice and all things nice'.

Guests were also treated to a healthy supply of champagne as they toasted the babys imminent arrival.

As well as dining, guests were also given the opportunity to personalise their own pairs of Converse shoes at a painting station  an activity which adorable little Sophia appeared to lap up.

Meanwhile, the woman of the hour stepped out in style for the festivities, donning a floral pink dress with eye-catching silver boots, while a pair of Minnie Mouse ears rested atop her golden curly locks.

Snapshots: The loving sisters got into the spirit of things as they posed for snapshots together at Petra's lavish baby shower last week
Albuquerque police are looking for a suspect in an aggravated assault in the area of 2nd Street and Griegos NW Monday night.

Officer Daren DeAguero, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, said officers were called to the 4400 block of 2nd Street NW for an aggravated assault earlier in the evening. He said when they arrived the person ran back into the house and refused to come out.

The subject eventually came out but fled the perimeter, DeAguero wrote in an email. Officers are currently searching the area attempting to locate the suspect.

DeAguero did not say who the suspect was or provide any details about the initial call.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren



Singh on Tuesday suspended the issuance of all Inner Line Permits (ILP) from the counters of the state and outside till April 15 to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

ILP is an official travel document issued by the government to grant inward travel of a person into Manipur for a limited period.

"In view of the coronavirus situation, the state government will suspend the issuance of ILP from Manipur Bhavans located at Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, online portals and other counters of the state," Biren told reporters on the sidelines of a programme.

The state government recently notified the "Manipur Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020" to tackle the outbreak.

The provisions of the regulation include empowerment of authorized officials to "forcefully admit and isolate" a patient suspected of carrying the infection but reluctant to undergo medical supervision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Falling prices for crude oil are usually a good thing for global refiners - except when nobody is driving. Worldwide, refineries are slowing output and contemplating extensive maintenance due to travel restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Gasoline demand in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer, is plunging. International flights are being grounded worldwide, slamming jet fuel demand. Margins for producing transportation fuels turned negative in Europe and Asia, and briefly did the same in the United States, in a rapid response to ...
One plane stood out from the rest on the ground at Malaga Airport on Tuesday morning. The airline Norwegian sent in the biggest plane of its fleet, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, in a bid to carry as many tourists from the Costa del Sol back to Norway in one trip.

"This is on top of the usual operations between Spain and Norway," explained the airline. The plane, normally used cover longer haul journeys is to be used in these exceptional circumstances for flights between Spain and Norway, both from the Costa del Sol and from Alicante.

The full flight from Malaga headed for Oslo where passengers would find special controls on arrival. From yesterday the government is only allowing Norwegian nationals or foreigners resident in Norway into the country.
New Delhi [India], Mar 17 (ANI): Russia on Tuesday imposed temporary restrictions on foreign citizens visiting the country from March 18 to May 1 in order to counter the further spread of the coronavirus infection.



"Starting from 00:00 (local time) on March 18, 2020, till 00:00 (local time) on May 1, 2020, most of foreign citizens and stateless persons will not be allowed to enter the Russian Federation. Those restrictions will not apply to certain categories of people: employees (and their family members) of diplomatic missions and consular offices, international organisations and their representations, other official foreign representations located in the Russian Federation; drivers of international motor transport, crew members of aircrafts, sea and river vessels, international trains; members of official delegations; bearers of diplomatic, official or regular private visas (only for those planning to attend the funeral of a close relative); persons permanently residing in the Russian Federation; transit passengers travelling through air border crossing points (airports)," the Embassy of Russia said in an advisory.

Starting from 00:00 (local time) on March 18, 2020, all the Russian diplomatic and consular missions abroad temporarily suspend accepting any visa applications except for diplomatic, official and regular business visa applications from foreign nationals and stateless persons mentioned above (issuance of visas according to the already accepted applications is being suspended as well), the advisory noted.

E-visa services will also become temporarily unavailable, it added.

At present, there are more than 90 confirmed cases in the Federation.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that the necessary measures were undertaken in order to ensure the state security, protect public health and prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, Sputnik news agency reported. (ANI)


WASHINGTON, DC, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce and Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced an exciting new collaboration with Amazon Business, The Minority Business and Technology Initiative. The initiative will help thousands of minority entrepreneurs expand their businesses globally and increase sales exponentially through e-commerce technology.

As the fastest-growing category of small businesses, minority-owned businesses are significant contributors to the economic vitality of U.S. communities. The Minority Business and Technology Initiative (MBTI) will provide participating minority-owned businesses with guidance, information, and resources to harness the power of the internet and reach more business customers in nine countries around the globe where Amazon Business is available.

This collaboration with Amazon Business is an important step into the future. After a yearlong pilot to test, gather feedback, and assess scalability, we are excited to launch the MBTI, said Henry Childs II, MBDA National Director. Global e-commerce sales are anticipated to hit over $3 trillion by the end of 2020. Further, Forrester projects e-commerce sales in the U.S. alone to reach $892 billion by 2022. The MBTI will provide tremendous opportunities for minority-owned businesses in the rapidly changing world of commerce.

MBTI will leverage resources and content from the Amazon Small Business Academy, with a specific focus on accelerating B2B capabilities of minority-owned businesses through interactive programming. The initiative will feature training seminars, led by Amazon Business experts, that focus on increasing revenue, exporting, mentorship, job growth, and raising corporate capital.

We are deeply committed to giving small business owners the help and guidance they seek to take advantage of digital business opportunities, said Anne Rung, Public Sector Director at Amazon Business. The Minority Business and Technology Initiative will harness the educational content of our Small Business Academy that was launched in 2019. The Initiative will benefit small businesses in both urban and rural communities, as well as those that are brand-new companies to those that have existed for generations.

According to the 2019 Amazon Small Business Impact Report, third party selling partners, which consist of primarily small and medium-sized businesses account for more than half of everything sold in Amazons online stores and have created more than 1.6 million jobs worldwide.

Amazon Business and MBDA will launch the first Minority Business and Technology Initiative webinar event in April, hosted by the San Antonio MBDA Export Center. The free program will provide minority-owned businesses with insights, best practices, and skills needed to start and grow online, or to expand an existing business with e-commerce.

To learn more about Minority Business and Technology Initiative and webinar registration, visit www.mbda.gov/MBTI.

About the MBDA:

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (www.mbda.gov) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to fostering the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority business enterprises. MBDA programs are focused on economic empowerment and leading minority business enterprises through business transformation. For 50 years, MBDA has helped minority-owned firms get access to capital, contracts, build scale and capacity, and expand into new markets.

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You are here: China

China has transported 332,000 workers to their workplaces with special trains amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, official data showed.

By Sunday, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. had sent 300 such trains since Feb. 16, with another 13 trains ready to leave in the near future.

The latest such train carrying over 200 workers southbound from central China's Hunan Province arrived at Shenzhen, one of the country's major manufacturing hubs, on Monday morning.

The special trains are among China's efforts to smooth transportation for work and production resumption amid the outbreak, as those trains run non-stop to their destinations with "green channels" for workers.
Large business will set up separate fund, we will long for about UAH 12-13 bln for medicine and other things

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has reported that he urged the large business to help the country, which "has been feeding it for many years" with finances, namely a separate fund will be set up for purchase of medicine and other necessary means during coronavirus spreading.

"We urgently need 50 ambulances. This is the amount that is not enough for our hospitals. We talked about certain means ... Honestly, I spoke frankly with them that this country has been feeding them for many years  it's time you (large businessmen) to help the country," he said on the air of the Freedom of Speech program on ICTV.

Zelensky said that a separate fund was setting up "and UAH 12-13 billion is needed from businessmen for medicine."
Leadership by example  the Jubilee House, Ghanas seat of government has introduced a new sitting arrangement at the presidency to help control the spread of the deadly Coronavirus during meetings with the President.



Visitors, maximum 25, who have an official meeting with the President, will not exchange pleasantries by means of shaking hands.



Seating arrangement



The seating arrangement layout is now designed to separate all visitors as much as possible so they do not get close contact with one another  this may help prevent the spread of the virus to minimize.



This new measure was effective when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday, 16th March, 2020, met with leaders of the countrys pharmaceutical and banking industries to discuss the way forward after Ghana recorded six [6] cases of COVID-19.







What is COVID-19



COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath. The virus can spread from person to person, but good hygiene can prevent infection.



Symptoms



Symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia. Some people will recover easily, and others may get very sick very quickly.



People with coronavirus may experience:









fever



flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue



shortness of breath





your symptoms



any travel history



any recent contact with someone who has COVID-19





self-quarantine at home and do not attend work or school



wash your hands often with soap and water



cough and sneeze into your elbow



avoid cooking for or caring for other members of your household



wear the mask your doctor gives you if you cannot avoid close contact with other people





do not go to public places such as work, school, shopping centres, childcare or university



ask someone to get food and other necessities for you and leave them at your front door



do not let visitors in  only people who usually live with you should be in your home



You do not need to wear a mask in your home. If you need to go out to seek medical attention



wear a surgical mask (if you have one) to protect others.



You should stay in touch by phone and on-line with your family and friends.





covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue



disposing of tissues properly



washing your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet



using alcohol-based hand sanitisers



cleaning and disinfecting surfaces



if you are sick, avoiding contact with others and staying more than 1.5 metres away from people



cleaning and sanitising frequently used objects such as mobiles, keys and wallets



If you have a confirmed case, you need to self-quarantine to prevent it spreading to other people.



If you are sick and think you have symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical attention.How to seek medical attentionTo seek medical help from a doctor or hospital, call ahead of time to book an appointment.You will be asked to take precautions when you attend for treatment. Follow the instructions you are given.If you have a mask, wear it to protect others. Stay at least 1.5 metres away from other people. Cover your coughs or sneezes with your elbow.Your doctor will tell you if you should be tested. They will arrange for the test.You will only be tested if your doctor decides you meet the criteria:You have returned from overseas in the past 14 days and you develop a respiratory illness with or without feverYou have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days and you develop a respiratory illness with or without feverYou have severe community-acquired pneumonia and there is no clear causeYou are a healthcare worker who works directly with patients and you have a respiratory illness and a feverAfter testingIt may take a few days for the test results to come back.If you have serious symptoms you will be kept in hospital and isolated from other patients to prevent the virus from spreading.If your doctor says you are well enough to go home while you wait for your test results, you should:There is no treatment for COVID-19, but medical care can treat most of the symptoms.Antibiotics do not work on viruses.If you need to self-isolateIf you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay at home to prevent it spreading to other people.You might also be asked to stay at home if you may have been exposed to the virus.To prevent the spread of viruses, practise good hygiene and social distancing.You should also follow our advice for travellers and advice for public gatherings and visits to vulnerable groups.Everyone must practise good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent the virus spreading.One way to slow the spread of viruses is social distancing. For example:staying at home when you are unwellavoiding large public gatherings if theyre not essentialkeeping a distance of 1.5 metres between you and other people whenever possibleminimising physical contact, especially with people at higher risk such as older people and people with existing health conditionsSurgical masks in the community are only helpful in preventing people who have coronavirus disease from spreading it to others.If you are well, you do not need to wear a surgical mask. There is little evidence that widespread use of surgical masks in healthy people prevents transmission in public.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
FSAU (the Fundo do Servico de Acesso Universal), the Mozambique governments Universal Access Service Fund, has launched projects to improve connectivity in ten locations.

The projects are in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala, Zambezia, Nampula and Niassa. According to press reports the scheme will mean that broadband with speeds of at least 20 Mbps will be provided at each of the 27 sites that will be installed in the 10 districts.

The countrys regulator, the Autoridade Reguladora das Comunicacoes, has been quoted as saying that the deployment will benefit businesses, farmers, start-ups and other sectors of the community. The FSAU is financed by a one percent levy on operators annual gross revenues.

A team recently visited a number of districts to carry out an initial survey of their potential and to hold meetings with representatives of district governments, as well as city officials and businessmen.

The government of Mozambique has been keen to show its commitment to expanding the telecom sector, injecting capital into the sector through FSAU, a fund that was created to finance telecommunication programmes and projects to ensure universal access to telecommunication services.

Last year Mozambiques Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications noted that the proportion of the Mozambican population reached by telecommunication services had expanded from 65 percent in 2014 to 85 percent in late 2019.
You might know that there are design firms that sell custom-made iPhones that are laden with gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones. Caviar is one of those brands, and it has claimed that its new range of customized iPhone 11 series can ward off the COVID-19 virus.

Caviar is a Russian design firm that sells customized iPhones and Samsung smartphones that are covered with precious metals and stones. Earlier today, it released a new range of customized iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max smartphones that are laden with gold and silver.

The phones are clad in 925 sterling silver, and the symbols on them are made using 18K gold. The company claims that due to the antimicrobial properties of gold and silver, along with protective symbols, the phones can keep viruses like COVID-19 at bay.

The customized iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max come in four versions: Blooming Lotus, Dragon, Hand Of Fatima, and St. Nicholas. The Blooming Lotus version is for people who believe in Indian and eastern wisdom. The Dragon version is for those who believe in the Asian culture. The Hand Of Fatima amulet is said to protect from damage and evil eyes. People come to St. Nicholas to ask for curing diseases and illnesses.

One of the brands representatives said, In difficult times, we go to the higher forces for protection and patronage. Someone find peace in religion, someone restore[s] their peace of mind by addressing to ancient talismans. The modern world meets us with hard times that require [the] mobilization of all inner and outer recourses. This is why the collection of iPhone 11 Pro amulet designs in the silver bodies is designed to help overcome all the obstacles on our way.

The cheapest version of Caviars iPhone 11 Pro (64GB variant) is the one with the symbol of Hand Of Fatima, and it starts at $5,290 and goes up from there. The Blooming Lotus and Dragon versions cost $5,750 (and up) for the iPhone 11 Pro. The St. Nicholas version costs $5,950. Higher storage variants cost more, and you can check out all the prices on the companys website.

Our Take

If you have the money and the belief to spend on these customized iPhones, theres no stopping you. However, we would still advise you to invest in a UV-C based sanitizer and the self-quarantine method if you dont want to get affected by the COVID-19 virus. Not traveling, unless really necessary, and checking out our article to find out the best ways to disinfect your iPhone without damaging it.

[Source: Caviar
A talk about wokeness, bubbles, and conspiracy theories. Photo: Universal Pictures

The Hunt was supposed to come out in theaters last fall. But  it didnt. Then it was set to release this month  which it did, sort of. The Hunt finally hit theaters in the middle of a global pandemic, making it extra difficult for fans to venture to their local cineplex to see the film. Thankfully, days after a dismal opening weekend, Universal announced that as of March 20, the studio would be making a selection of first-run theatrical releases available online for a premium rental price, including The Hunt. Curse broken?

On its long and winding road to release, the Blumhouse-produced, Craig Zobeldirected, Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuseco-written movie has been called politically divisive, toxic, racist (credit to the president on that one), and even damaging to America as a whole. And that was before anyone saw it. Contrary to prerelease hand-wringing, however, The Hunt isnt simply about the lefts hatred of MAGA types. According to the writers, its about the judgments people of all political affiliations make about the so-called other side. The plot centers on two women: Athena (Hilary Swank), the alpha in a group of hypocritical liberal elites who have decided to kidnap and hunt alt-right Americans, and Crystal (Betty Gilpin), the shockingly combat-proficient member of the hunted, who has little in common with the white nationalists, Fox News fans, and homophobes surrounding her. In a sea of villains, Crystal is our only hope.

Throughout the course of Crystals story, Lindelof and Cuse touch on a number of politicized concepts: wokeness, bubbles, cancel culture, bothsideism. In a South Parkstyle, everyones a mark satire, it can be hard to parse the message, so we asked the co-writers to help us through it all. In a conversation ahead of their films release, they explained their approach to a Most Dangerous Game version of politics, how they characterized their villains, and the conspiracy theories that inspired them along the way.

On Wokeness

Theres a moment in The Hunt, when one of the elites hunting poor Americans for sport says, Of course I would never blame the victim. The line is seemingly meant to poke fun at the murderers obvious hypocrisy, but was it also meant to make light of language habitually used around the Me Too and Times Up movements?

Lindelof: You know, it was said to me while I was writing Watchman, and it has stuck with me in a very profound way: The most dangerous people are the people who identify as woke, because its not a permanent state that you achieve, right? Its a practice. So we immediately decided that every single progressive in this movie felt like they were woke. This guy feels like hes saying the right thing: I would never blame the victim. But hes literally about to murder someone, and therefore hes a villain. His usage of that particular phrase, he doesnt even understand what it means.

I think that is beyond a valid [question] though, and what I would say  and this is not a defense  is Id never thought about [making light of Me Too language]. But Im going to be noodling over that one.

Cuse: We tried to just be very thoughtful and have conversations about finding some sort of truth in the idea of a privileged person who can state the sort of cultural company line. That felt like a thing that I had observed in the world, the platitude-ization of much more serious issues, and I think thats 100 percent a negative thing. But it wasnt meant to diminish the issue at all. It was meant to be a diminishing of the casualness with which it is treated.

On Bubbles

The Hunt takes an equal opportunity approach to who it sends up with its jokes; every group is a potential target. But how did the writers interrogate their own positions inside or outside these groups, and what sorts of assumptions or ideas went into their characterization as a result?

Lindelof: Theres a certain degree of hubris in telling any story like this, but I think our job, number one, was saying, We have a problem, and the problem is that were in a bubble, and our bubble is basically populated by people who think and feel the same things that we do  Im a white, cisgendered, hetero male inside this bubble, and Im curating it to be surrounding myself with other white, cisgendered, hetero males. Lets be super-duper aware of that. Lets go as hard on ourselves as we possibly can. That was basically our process. We have to take the hardest shots at our bubble. I think that its essential that if we werent making fun of ourselves, then we never wouldve been able to see our way through the movie.

Cuse: The reason that these extremely wealthy elites are the villains  and that was part of the DNA from the start  [is] because it felt like that was something that were familiar with in our lives as writers living in L.A. It is a privileged life. It is a very advantaged existence, and it always feels like the best people to make fun of are a version of yourself. So many of the things that Glenn Howerton and [the elites] say are things that I would say, you know? Then, I think the idea of putting these everyday Americans from all sorts of places across the country that me and Damon are not as familiar with sort of in the heroic role, just by nature of the fact that theyre the ones getting hunted, was also appealing for that same reason. Particularly with Crystal, the whole idea was judging a book by its cover when its completely the opposite of what you think.

On Bothsidesism

The Hunt works on a foundational assumption that there are assholes on both sides, which, for example, means people who are offended by white folks appropriating another culture exist in the same satire stew as people who think theres a deep state conspiracy to undermine the presidency. Were the writers concerned they were flattening certain arguments, or being flippant with their critiques of certain people?

Lindelof: [We approached the satire] very carefully, and also with the energy of a bull in a china shop. The thing is, if youre too careful then theres no fun, and if youre only there to have fun then youre not being responsible. Both things had to coexist. So we heightened the reality as much as we could. Some of the people who are being hunted are literally the guy with the tiki torch or a guy posing next to a dead animal; theyre two-dimensional stereotypical representations of what liberals see conservatives as. And then we had to do the same thing with the liberals. But there had to be one character in the movie, the hero who defied the conventions of stereotyping, who when you look at her you basically say, Oh, she has an accent like this. She wears clothes like this. This is who she is. And lets be wrong about her. Lets let the movie be about the cautionary tale of, heres what happens when you get it wrong.

I think that the idea the audience wants Athena to be wrong about Crystal is maybe our own interior desire to say, Maybe Im wrong about my uncle who Im screaming at at Thanksgiving. Maybe theres a little bit more to him than meets the eye. Maybe Im trying to put him in this specific lane because we have to choose a side, but maybe theres many sides and theres a little bit more nuance in the conversation.

Cuse: I think we found throughout the process of The Hunt, the times where we drifted from what was the best movie were the times where we werent actually going extreme enough. It felt like when people were laughing at the absurdity of it we were sort of in our sweet spot for what we wanted the movie to be. The commentary was like a texture and an angle for humor, and it provided a relevance, but storytelling wise, the North Star was subverting expectations, and thats where I think you really see the DNA of The Leftovers and of Watchman.

On Conspiracy Theories

The term conspiracy theories generally carries a pejorative connotation, suggesting that the allure of a particular conspiracy is based on biased or inaccurate evidence. But Cuse and Lindelof take a gentler approach to the phenomena. In fact, they were able to find inspiration in the most outrageous of conspiracy theories: Pizzagate.

Lindelof: I think if theres an overlap in the Venn diagram between The Leftovers and The Hunt, its this idea we use belief as a coping mechanism. We were talking a lot about conspiracy theories while we were making The Leftovers, and I believe that conspiracy theory is an emotional coping mechanism for the world. Its actually more comforting for us to believe that there is an Illuminati controlling everything, because the truth is much more unsettling, which is: its chaotic, and sometimes really bad things happen to really good people. Sometimes lone nutters assassinate presidents, but its easier for us to believe that they were a pawn in a scheme, because that gives us structure and it makes us feel sort of more comfortable in this weird way.

Cuse: We went through a lot of different iterations of what could motivate someone to do a hunt in the style of The Most Dangerous Game, and the thing that we kept finding most interesting was Pizzagate. Its really amazing as a story, because the further you get into it, the more amazing details there are to it. So the turns of that, and the idea of whats the craziest conspiracy theory that people might believe now about another group of people. Then what if it became real? That was what got us excited.

On Cancel Culture

Cancel culture is a very divisive term, one thats often used to conflate bullying with justifiably holding someone accountable for their actions. But what exactly is the duos take on the term, given that their movie was, literally and temporarily, canceled?

Lindelof: The idea of basically saying youre persona non grata, you are canceled  if that happens to Kathy Griffin, I kind of go, Thats bullshit. She should not be canceled for expressing herself. At the same time, if youre going to espouse provocative ideas, you should be wary of whats coming your way. I think cancel culture exists to protect, right? You have to trust that no one innocent is going to get basically swept up in the system.

But I cant sit here inside my glass house and throw stones. It does feel naive for me to say, in hindsight, What was all the hubbub [around The Hunt] about? At the same time, we went through this entire process where a hundred people read the script. We shot the movie in Louisiana with a crew of people from all walks of life and political ideologies. I was waiting for someone to come up to me and say, This movie is problematic. Its offensive, and that never happened. Maybe it never happened because Im me, and whos going to come up to me and say that? But guess what? Theres no shortage of people out there who have come up to me in my career and said, Damon, this is problematic. Did it ever occur to you?

If I can overly simplify something that shouldnt be overly simplified, and should be completely and totally nuanced, I think when it relates to someones behavior outside the realm of their work, cancel culture is probably a good thing. But when cancel culture is targeting something because of the content of the work, then its a bad thing. Again, broad generalization, but we still live in a capitalist society. Let the industry decide. If The Hunt came out and it bombed and it was 30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, thats not cancel culture. Thats people saying this is a piece of shit and it shouldnt exist. But if someones saying the movie shouldnt even be released. What? Why not? Why cant we trust people to make up their minds for themselves?
I confess  after the Sept. 11 attacks, I did buy a roll of toilet paper.

It sits in a box of perverse reporting keepsakes, which includes a Guantanamo Bay snow globe, an AK-47 shell casing from Yemen, a trophy from the Pakistani army, and a little pin from Bangui. Each square of the toilet paper is printed with an image of Osama bin Ladens face and the words, Wipe out terrorism. I bought it at one of the tourist shops in New Yorks Times Square just a day or two after the attack, marvelling at how quickly it had stocked the shelves.

If there had been Instagram in 2001, I may have posted a picture, which would have probably elicited a crying face emoji or flexed biceps, a couple of hashtags, and criticism or praise for my choice of post.

Im so happy there wasnt social media back then.

To compare 9/11 to todays crisis is, of course, an imperfect comparison. No one thought Al Qaeda was at your gym, or could kill you on the streetcar. One was sudden, the other gradual, like the difference between a tsunami and a famine.

Yet both were seismic security events that have forced us to curb our behaviour, deeply impacted the economy, and enveloped the entire world. And both have thrown us into a climate of fear, which can bring out the best in a society, or the worst.

Social media is helping bring out the worst.

Before I extol the virtues of supporting journalism, and encouraging everyone to use social media for good (spoiler alert: thats where this column is going), I will reassure you that Im not saying this from my journalism high horse.

Im no longer in a newsroom, or on a daily beat, which always gave me the benefit of doing something during a crisis. So I have a new appreciation for the helplessness you can feel as a consumer of news, and I too have been sucked into the social media vortex, checking Twitter more often than washing my hands, watching the Arnold Schwarzenegger PSA video urging us to stay home, which frankly is a lot easier for him to do with a donkey and a horse to entertain him.

(By the way, thats not some weird euphemism, Schwarzenegger actually owns a miniature horse named Whiskey and a donkey he calls Lulu, and he feeds them vegan yummies while pleading for social distancing. Last I checked, nine million people had watched.)

And there are some inspirational posts being shared and people helping others cope. Gyms are offering online workouts, mental health professionals are providing counselling and hey, Josh Gad, a.k.a. Olaf from Disneys Frozen, is reading bedtime stories every night. These are strange times, and suddenly an Olaf quote seems apt: We call this making the best out of what we can control.

But what has been so distressing to witness online is how quickly disinformation is being spread, and the speed with which so many have anointed themselves COVID-19 experts, wagging their well-sanitized fingers at others. This social shaming phenomenon is going beyond the generic trolls and partisan hacks weve all become accustomed to, and is starting to divide friends and relatives, increasing everyones anxiety.

More than a month ago, the director general of the World Health Organization warned of this phenomenon at a conference of security and foreign policy experts in Munich.

We have a choice. Can we come together to face a common and dangerous enemy? Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked. Or will we allow fear, suspicion and irrationality to distract and divide us?

Tedros argued that the world was not only facing a pandemic but also an infodemic, and that fake news could spread as quickly, and be as deadly, as the virus itself. That seems to be happening, not only fuelled by a panicked public, but also by some world leaders  most notorious among them being U.S. President Donald Trump, who contradicted Americas top infectious disease specialist this week by insisting the virus was under tremendous control.

I cant fathom how anxiety would have spiked after 9/11 if wed all been carrying smart phones. As it was, xenophobia was rife and paranoia rampant in the immediate aftermath. In the months and years that followed, tragic, unforgivable disinformation was spread through reputable news sources, which helped lead to war. But I fear it could have been worse. At the very least, I believe peoples individual mental health would have suffered even more if we were looking at our phones more than at each other.

We are in many ways, a more informed and skeptical world now, with a greater global understanding. But to listen for that information, we have to stop shouting.

Im certainly not the first in recent days to encourage people to take a break. Remove apps from your phone if they are stressing you out. Think before you respond. Seek out  and listen to  the real experts. Support legitimate journalism.

If we embrace a little social media distancing, this doesnt mean well be uninformed. My phone has never vibrated more with daily news updates from media outlets. News is breaking fast and furious, and reputable outlets are cranking it out as quickly as they can. Youll get the alerts. Or you can find them when you need to. We can use our phones or computers to check in on people, to feel connected, not isolated.

As the WHO director general argued, this is a time for facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not rumours. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma.

That was a month ago. The need is even more urgent now.
The federal government has suspended its $22.7 billion external borrowing plan, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, announced on Monday.

The minister spoke at the 2020 International Conference on the Nigerian Commodities Market organized by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja.

She said the decision to jettison the plan was taken due to current realities in the global economic landscape.

Ravaging impact of COVID-19

The breakout of the deadly coronavirus late last year has completely unsettled the world economy, with the price of crude oil plunging to the lowest level since 2016.

With the Nigerian economy dependent on oil revenues to finance the budget, the unprecedented crash in oil prices below the approved benchmark price of $57 per barrel has rendered approved estimates in the budget unrealistic.

Mrs Ahmed said the government would not even be keen to proceed with the borrowing plan even if the National Assembly gives the approval for it to go ahead.

The current market indices do not support any external borrowings at the moment, despite that the parliament is still doing its work on the borrowing plan.

One arm of the parliament has completed their work, and the other arm is still working. So, it is a process controlled entirely by the parliament itself. We are waiting, she said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the borrowing plan was approved by the Senate. The House of Representatives is yet to approve the plan.

On Monday, the minister said the government will defer the plan and watch the market till when the timing is right.

She said the government would continue to focus its efforts on its plan to diversify the countrys economy.

The unfolding events of the past few months, especially the coronavirus pandemic and the oil price wars in the international oil market have further reinforced the governments resolve to diversify the national economy.

The current challenges in the global economy, she noted, have brought to the fore the need for Nigeria to focus its attention on the development of a non-oil attitude to everything.

The federal government, the minister said, would prioritize its expenditure in favour of major capital expenditures that would have greater impact on job creation, visibility as well as enhance the ease of doing business in the country.

The expenditures that are not critical must be deferred to a later date when things become more normal.

Several national plans, programmes and projects have been directed at diversifying the production and revenue structures of the economy, she said.

Noting some achievements in the areas of production and revenue, she stressed the need to do more to boost production and exports base, less vulnerable to external shocks and provide more opportunities to the teeming population.

Driver of diversification

At the event, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the government was taking steps towards developing the Nigerian commodities market as a major driver for economic diversification efforts.

Mr Osinbajo said the government was working on diversifying the economy and broaden its revenue sources.

This, he said, would need the government to develop other channels of generating revenue and foreign exchange.

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This need is further underscored by the recent drop in the global price of crude oil, which also constitutes a major threat to achieving the planned government expenditure, he said.

He said there are other initiatives towards mapping, quantifying and efficiently exploring the nations solid minerals deposits.

Such efforts, he said, are equally necessary to diversify the countrys revenue sources from oil and create more opportunities in the regions where such solid minerals are deposited.

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Some of these developments in Nigerias agriculture and solid minerals sectors present the emerging opportunities to be fully explored to the benefit of everyone in the country, as well as the foreign partners.

The acting Director-General of SEC, Mary Uduk, said the country was well endowed with agricultural, metal and energy commodities, whose potentials are not yet realised.

She said the good news was that the capital market could provide an avenue to unlock these potentials and diversify the nations economy, provide jobs, create value and contribute to governments revenue.

We believe if we can develop and institutionalise a vibrant commodities trading ecosystem in Nigeria, we can substantially address problems of lack of storage, poor pricing, non-standardization, and low foreign exchange earnings affecting the countrys agriculture and other commodities sub-sectors, she said.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have made a $1 million donation to the non profits Feeding America and Food Banks Canada.

The Deadpool star, 43, and the Gossip Girl actress, 32, announced their charitable move via Instagram Monday in separate posts.

'Covid-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low income families,' he wrote. 'Blake and I are donating $1 million to be split between FEEDING AMERICA and FOOD BANKS CANADA. 'If you can give, these orgs need our help.'

Generous: Blake Lively, 32, and Ryan Reynolds, 43, have made a $1 million donation to the non profits Feeding America and Food Banks Canada. The couple was snapped last year in NYC

The 6 Underground leading man had wise words for his followers, injecting a bit of levity into the tough times with a nod to his playful feud with fellow actor and friend Hugh Jackman.

He wrote: 'Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who's isolated and might need connection. (Hugh Jackman's # is 1-555-HUGH.)'

Reynolds, a Vancouver, Canada native, captioned the shot: 'I think we can all agree, Covid-19 is an a**hole. If you're able to help, visit, @feedingamerica and @foodbankscanada.'

The Los Angeles native, who shares three kids with the actor - son James, five, daughter Inez, three, and a baby daughter whose name they have not revealed- followed suit with her own post on the social media site, with a serious message balanced with some lightheartedness.

Sense of humor: The 6 Underground leading man had wise words for his followers, injecting a bit of levity into the tough times with a nod to his playful feud with fellow actor and friend Hugh Jackman

Wise words: Blake encouraged her fans to check in on one another and quarantine amid the spread of the virus

'Covid-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low income families,' she said. 'If you can give, these orgs need our help.'

She encouraged her followers to keep in close touch with friends and loved ones via digital formats such as FaceTime and Skype, adding, 'Remember the lonely and isolated.'

She noted the selfless acts going on amid the troubled times, saying, 'We can all do something for one another, even if that's simply staying home.'

She ended the post in saying, 'Now can someone please tell Ryan that 'emotional distancing' from his mother in law is not a thing. Nothing can save him.'

Feeding America's Dan Nisbet later said in a statement to Variety: 'We are so grateful for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Livelys extremely generous donation, and for all of the donations weve been receiving.

'The Feeding America network of 200 food banks is working tirelessly to aid and provide meal assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors - children, the elderly, families struggling with food insecurity and individuals facing job disruptions - throughout our nation during this unprecedented time. Generosity like theirs will make all the difference.'
STEWARTVILLE -- Jim Parry remembers a small bell on his fifth-grade teachers desk. Whenever the class started to get out of control teacher Stan Tordsen would give that bell a ring.

That small, simple action is one of the few things Parry remembers with any degree of clarity from that year.

"That bell was the only consistent thing in my life at the time," Parry said. "And when he rang that bell, it meant you needed to sit down and be quiet and ready to learn in the next 10 seconds."

Looking back, Parry credits Tordsen as one of the positive influences from his childhood that helped him cope with the traumatic issues he was dealing with at home. There were a number of teachers like that for Parry: there was the PE teacher who fostered his love for running. Then there was his German teacher and his sixth-grade teacher who helped him gain a sense of self worth.

Their influence helped turn Parry into the teacher he is today -- the kind who is helps students make it through their own struggles.

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With the work he has done with students in his hometown school, Parry was recently named one of the semi-finalists for the position of 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

Parry is a REACH teacher for Stewartville Public Schools. REACH stands for Relationships, Education, Accountability, Character and Hard work. Its a program that strives to help students who are experiencing any of a number of issues, such as academic struggles, poor social skills, adverse childhood experiences, mental health issues, attendance problems, or behavioral concerns.

The blog for Stewartvilles REACH program says its goal is to "educate the whole student." It later says that "the personal/emotional needs of our students must be met first so they can find the academic success theyre looking for."

As part of the program, Parry works with his students on a number of things that might not be found in a normal classroom lesson plan. He emphasizes indicators of either success or failure -- things like attendance, self control, manners, perseverance, honesty and forgiveness.

Even when hes not in the middle of a lesson, though, his corner of the school never seems to be without students for any long stretch of time.

During a recent school day, Parry sat at his desk while students periodically strolled into his office. He greeted them casually as theyd make their way over to a miniature refrigerator and help themselves to a bottle of water or a granola bar.

Parry knows that if hes going to have any influence with his students, he first has to build a foundation of trust.

"The success that Im looking for is long-term changes in behavior," Parry said. "In earning their trust, I have to be vulnerable as well."

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Being nominated for Teacher of the Year isnt the first time Parry has been recognized for his work. Hes already been awarded the Human Rights Award from the organization Education Minnesota.

And while Parry may be dealing with a finite set of students in the community of 6,000 just south of Rochester, his reach has gone far beyond the hallways of Stewartvilles combined middle school and high school campus.

It started when local groups wanted to hear about his work with the REACH program. He then had the opportunity to speak at some of Education Minnesotas events, as well as for the Minnesota Education Association. Hes also had an impact outside of Minnesota, such as when he presented at the National Trauma Informed Schools conference.

Even state lawmakers have heard from Parry.

"For far too many students, adverse childhood experiences are life experiences," Parry told lawmakers at the Capitol last May. "These life experiences affect everything from mental and physical health to relationships and academics. Our students cant simply be fixed with a temporary response."

Regardless of the reach he has had to other educators and students, Parry is at home in Stewartville.

Teaching outside the district, he wanted to return for a long time. He applied for a teaching job in the district a handful of times before he finally received the position.

By that time, his old fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Tordsen, was retiring. Tordsen gave Parry that little bell that sat on the corner of his desk all those years ago.
London: The brother of the bomber who blew himself up at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in the English city of Manchester three years ago has been found guilty of murdering the 22 victims.

Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan parents, detonated his bomb at Manchester Arena as parents arrived to collect their children at the close of a show by the US pop singer in May 2017.

Hashem Abedi was found guilty of murdering the 22 victims. Credit:Force for Deterrence in Libya via AP

Among the dead were seven children, the youngest aged just eight, while 237 people were injured and 670 survivors reported suffering from psychological trauma.

Prosecutors had said his younger brother Hashem Abedi, now also 22, was just as guilty of the murders by helping his sibling to carry out the attack.
Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to improve India's aviation safety ratings and provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri assured the House that the aviation sector would emerge from the current challenges posed by the coronavirus outbreak, which forced countries around the globe to impose travel restrictions.

The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 provides for statutory backing to the DGCA, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Responding to issues raised by members during the discussion on the bill, Puri said while air fares needed to remain affordable, it was also necessary that airlines remain viable.

He also said that the civil aviation sector has been deregulated and the government does not set air fare.

He said that airline companies are under stress due to coronavirus outbreak.

On the disinvestment of Air India, the minister said the national carrier was losing Rs 26 crore per day before the coronavirus outbreak. The figures would be higher as several routes have been shut following the outbreak of the virus globally, he added.

He said India as of now has 3,500 trained air traffic controllers. Next year, 250 more ATCs would be hired.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has suggested for proper recognition to the aviation regulators.

Earlier, moving the bill for discussion and passage, Puri said there was a need to provide statutory backing to DGCA, BCAS and AAIB as these bodies were set up under executive order.

The Bill also provides for keeping aircraft belonging to the country's armed forces outside the purview of the Aircraft Act, 1934.

The Bill also proposes to increase the fine amount for violations of new rules from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

Participating in the debate on the Bill, M K Vishnu Prasad of the Congress said cases of "near miss" in the skies have increased many folds in the recent years.

Therefore, there is a need to augment human resources at air traffic controls to avoid mid-air collisions, he said.

Prasad also opposed the proposed sale of the national carrier Air India, saying this government is selling "family jewel" to manage its expenses.

Praising the effort of Air India during the evacuation of Indians from the coronavirus-hit China, he said that no private airline, other than the national carrier, came forward to carry out the job.

Speaking on the Bill, Jayant Sinha of the BJP said the statutory status to DGCA, AAIB and BCAS will improve India's safety ranking by ICAO and other international organisations.

It will also help promote the aviation sector of the country, Sinha said.

Other key proposals include increasing the fine amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore for violations of new rules, empowering BCAS or any authorised officer to issue directions, having designated officers for adjudging penalties, and introducing a provision for compounding of offences.

Generally, compoundable offences are those which can be settled by paying certain amount of money.

It would also bring regulations of all areas of air navigation services under the Act.

The Act has provisions for securing the safety of aircraft operations in India and carrying out civil aviation operations as per standards, procedures and practices laid down by ICAO.

ICAO audits, conducted in 2012 and 2015, have indicated a need to amend the Act to give proper recognition to the aviation regulators.

Among others, the audits had suggested enhancing the "maximum quantum of fines and to empower the departmental officers to impose financial penalties on individuals or organisations involved in violations of the legal provisions".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev's visit to India scheduled for later this month has been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak, Russian diplomatic sources said.

The Russian deputy prime minister was expected to visit New Delhi with a large delegation around the end of this month to take forward discussions on India's participation in developing the resource-rich Far East and Arctic regions.

The delegation led by Trutnev, the Russian president's special envoy for the Far Eastern federal district, was expected to hold several key business and political meetings here with a focus on strengthening bilateral economic ties, the sources said.

However, the visit has been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak, they said.

India and Russia have finalised the broad contours of an ambitious government-to-government agreement for long-term import of crude oil by India from Russia's Far East region.

The pact is likely to be inked during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit in October for the annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At present, the volume of bilateral trade between India and Russia is USD 11 billion.

Both the countries have set a target of enhancing it to USD 30 billion by 2025.

India's ties with Russia are largely driven by close cooperation in defence and civil nuclear energy sectors.

But the two countries in the last few years have focused on expanding the cooperation to oil and gas sectors.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called on bars and restaurants in their states to ramp up social distancing tactics to prevent spread of the coronavirus, asking them to reduce capacity or close outright.

On Sunday, Newsom called for the closure of all bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs in the state while advising restaurants to reduce maximum capacity by at least 50% and separate tables by at least six feet. He also strongly advised all seniors age 65 and over as well as those with chronic health conditions to stay home as they are especially vulnerable to the spreading virus.

We recognize that social isolation for millions of Californians is anxiety-inducing but we recognize what all the science bears out and  we need to meet this moment head-on and lean in, Newsom said.

Also Read: ABC Moves 'Nightline' Into 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Time Slot for Coronavirus Updates

Meanwhile, Cuomo has asked bars and restaurants in New York to voluntarily close after pictures and videos appeared on social media of heavily populated public spaces in New York City on Saturday. Cuomo is among dozens of New York politicians, including Queens-based U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have urged people to stay home.

Voluntarily close down. Voluntarily close down your bar, your restaurant, your gymnasium, Cuomo said. At one point, people actually react reasonably and responsibly. People say, You know, Im not gonna go into a bar with 100 other people bumping up against me because its too high a risk to have a martini. I can have a martini at home.'

No U.S. state has yet mandated a full lockdown in the same vein as countries like China, Italy and France, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top immunologist for the National Institutes of Health, said that he considers such a lockdown to be a possibility if the virus doesnt show any sign of containment in the coming days. If the virus spread continues, the volume of infected patients could overwhelm the ability of medical facilities to treat them, as has been the case in Italy.

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Also Read: All the TV Productions Suspended or Delayed Due to Coronavirus Pandemic (Updating)

If you are in an area where there is clearer community spread, you have to be much, much more intense about how you do that, Fauci told NBCs Meet the Press. When you think you are doing too much, you are probably doing enough, or not enough.

Businesses ranging from cafes to movie theaters have made adjustments to stay open in the face of the virus. Major theater chains like AMC have announced that they will reduce the number of tickets sold in each auditorium by 50% to allow spacing between moviegoers. Starbucks has ordered its locations to remove all seating and to only serve food and drink to go, while locations in malls, college campuses and other high-density areas will be closed.

As of Sunday, 335 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in California with six deaths, while 525 cases have been confirmed in New York with two deaths. Over 3,200 confirmed cases have been reported throughout the U.S. with 62 deaths, though the true number of Americans infected is believed to be far greater due to the lack of widespread testing of the virus and the unknown extent of how far the virus has spread by person-to-person transmission in communities.

Read original story Coronavirus Fight: California, New York Governors Call for Bars to Close At TheWrap
Massachusetts officials plan to issue $5 million in emergency funding to local boards of health and execute emergency contracts to help communities across the state respond to the spread of the coronavirus.

Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, who was named the head of the states command center, said the state will execute emergency contracts with the 14 largest municipalities and 15 state public health districts. She expects these measures would cover roughly half of the states population of 6.9 million people.

This is sort of unusual, Sudders said, noting that the emergency contracts bypass the typical bid selection process.

Sudders called the $5 million that will go to local boards of health across the state a down payment.

The state Department of Public Health said there have been at least 197 people who tested positive as of Monday night. DPH Commissioner Monica Bharel said Tuesday that all presumptive positive cases will now be considered confirmed cases.

The emergency funding is the latest step the Baker administration has taken to address the coronavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization called it a pandemic last week.

As New York prepares for a shelter-in-place order, Gov. Charlie Baker insisted that any suggestion that Massachusetts would shut down is false.

I want to address the ongoing rumors about a possible order of shelter-in-place. I spoke about this before, but let me be clear: we are not planning any shelter-in-place orders, Baker said, warning people to avoid hearsay during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Baker administration is considering other measures, however, such as extending the state tax filing deadline. The federal government announced Tuesday the federal tax filing deadline would be extended by three months.

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Australia's former prime minister Julia Gillard is in self-isolation in London after she hugged Canada's first lady on stage at a youth charity event.

Ms Gillard, 58, embraced Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, as she kissed her on her right cheek, on March 4 at Wembley Stadium.

The 44-year-old wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had talked about her battle with bulimia as a teenager during the WE Day discussion about women's equality.

She revealed nine days later she had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Australia's former prime minister Julia Gillard (right) is in self-isolation in London after she hugged Canada's first lady Sophie Gregoire Trudeau (left) on a stage at WE Day youth charity event

A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister, said she was in self-isolation in London as a precaution but had not been tested for COVID-19.

'Former PM Gillard did attend the WE Day event with Sophie Trudeau,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

'Ms Gillard is well and coming to the end of the recommended period for self isolation, which she has been doing as a precautionary measure only.

'She is following current UK public health advice and so at this stage has not been tested.'

A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister, said she was in self-isolation in London as a precaution but had not been tested for COVID-19. 'Former PM Gillard did attend the WE Day event with Sophie Trudeau,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday

The former Labor leader, who now chairs the Global Partnership for Education, has not shown any symptoms of coronavirus as she self-isolated for 14 days, her spokeswoman said.

'Ms Gillard is in London and feeling well, but as a precaution is self-isolating and will continue to do so until the end of the recommended period,' she said.

The Canadian WE charity confirmed on March 13 that Ms Trudeau had coronavirus.

'Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of the Canadian Prime Minister, tested positive for COVID-19,' it said in a statement.

'The WE organisation wishes Ms. Gregoire Trudeau a swift recovery.'

Justin Trudeau, Canada's Liberal PM, is working from home, via teleconferencing, after his wife reported feeling unwell after returning to Canada from the UK.

Justin Trudeau, Canada's Liberal PM, is working from home, via teleconferencing, after his wife reported feeling unwell after returning to Canada from the UK

Queensland's Labor Health Minister Steven Miles, state Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath and Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has declined to go into self isolation, despite sharing a stage with Mr Dutton on Monday last week at the opening of the University of the Sunshine Coast's Moreton Bay campus at Petrie, north of Brisbane

In Australia, two federal MPs have so far tested positive to coronavirus, including Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and his Queensland Coalition colleague, Nationals senator Susan McDonald.

Queensland's Labor Health Minister Steven Miles, state Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath and Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe have declined to go into self-isolation, despite sharing a stage with Mr Dutton on Monday last week at the opening of the University of the Sunshine Coast's Moreton Bay campus at Petrie, north of Brisbane.

Federal Liberal Education Minister Dan Tehan was also at the same event.

Mr Dutton went public with his COVID-19 diagnosis four days later.

Queensland Health guidelines only require self-isolation if it someone comes into contact with someone within 24 hours of their coronavirus diagnosis.
Some 12,000 beds have been prepared for potential coronavirus infected (COVID-19) patients, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said.

"Some 12,000 beds in the infectious diseases departments have been prepared," Shmyhal said during an extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday.

According to him, before the end of this week the first batch of tests will be delivered to Ukraine  10 million quick tests, which give 99.99% accuracy.

He also said that the Cabinet of Ministers is considering the issue of social support for doctors who are struggling with coronavirus infection.

"Instructions were given to calculate and provide financial and material incentives for those doctors who will work directly with the coronavirus. In the future, we will use all measures to protect and support doctors," he said.
The dormant Order of St Patrick, a British order of chivalry which has not been awarded since 1936, should be reinstated as a sign of Anglo-Irish reconciliation, amBritish MP has said.

The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, which bestows the rank of Knight (KP), was regularly awarded for more than a century before the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.

During a Commons debate to mark St Patrick's Day, DUP Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson called for the Queen start awarding the order again as a symbol of the strides the UK and Ireland have made towards reconciliation.

The adjournment debate was led by DUP MP Jim Shannon, a veteran of the short debates at the end of the parliamentary day who is well known for often being one of the only MPs to stay behind for the discussion which often runs late into the night.

In a mark of his notoriety, and in a moment of light relief after more than two hours of debate on the economic impact of Covid-19, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: "Before I put the question, can I suggest to all members this is their opportunity actually to intervene on Jim Shannon."

Mr Shannon got up to speak but was immediately intervened upon by DUP colleague Gregory Campbell. He went on to take interventions from 13 other MPs during the half an hour-long debate.

During the debate, Sir Jeffrey said: "Would he agree with me that Her Majesty The Queen has played a very important role in recent years in promoting reconciliation between the British and Irish peoples.

"And that there is a former order known as the order of St Patrick which was once awarded in recognition of the contribution that men and women make to relationships within our islands.

"Would it not be appropriate for her majesty to consider reinstating that order?"

The current system is made up of six orders of chivalry and four orders of merit, while the Order of St Patrick remains dormant.

The Order of St Patrick was created in 1783 by George III and it was last awarded by Edward VIII in 1936.

Mr Shannon said: "I'm happy to claim this man as my patron saint, and let's be honest how could I do otherwise?

"I'm blessed to live in the most wonderful constituency of Strangford - in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - and the fingerprints of St Patrick can be seen throughout and all over it."

Mr Shannon explained that he believes the story of St Patrick's life encapsulates all four nations of the United Kingdom.
Around 54,000 people across the country are being kept under community surveillance through health workers, Health Minister told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday while lauding efforts of doctors and paramedics in dealing with cases of

"As one metre social distancing is required to be taken while dealing with those affected with the virus, I laud doctors and paramedics who are working honestly with dedication while taking risks in treating these patients.

"I laud all doctors and paramedics, be it in villages or cities or in private or government in controlling at all levels," he told the House while replying to supplementaries during Question Hour.

The remarks made by Vardhan were lauded by all members including those from the opposition, with Anand Sharma (Cong) also appreciating the steps.

The minister also urged MPs to visit quarantine facilities in their areas and suggest ways to help improve facilities and take care of deficiencies.

Vardhan said a total of 54,000 people are under community surveillance across the country and health staff are helping in keeping in touch with them while under quarantine.

The minister, noted that the response has been positive in appreciating the high quality treatment at quarantine facilities.

He also said that ICMR scientists are in touch with scientists all over the world regarding use of retroviral drugs in treating patients and in the research underway across the world in finding treatment of the virus.

"We request members to help us by visiting such quarantine facilities in states and give us real-time feedback, to help us improve such facilities," he said.

On reports about poor facilities at such centres, he said, "these reports are exceptions, but these are are not the rule".

"I can agree with you that the facilities may not be good. It is quite possible that at some places bathrooms may not be 5-star type. We are conveying in strongest possible manner on such complaints. These are rare complaints and are not frequent complaints received," he told the House.

The minister also informed the House that Indian scientist at ICMR are in touch with global research for treating the virus.

"We have also heard about some research being done in the United States," he said, adding new vaccines can only be introduced after following a procedure.

"We are using all kinds of retroviral drugs for treating coronavirus patients...We are thoroughly seized of the issue. We are trying to do our best for patients and treating them," he said.

Earlier, Anand Sharma (Cong) said, "We do appreciate steps being taken as per WHO protocol. But the challenges are huge, given the size of the country. There are some disturbing reports about the condition of quarantine facilities.
[March 17, 2020] Datos Launches Field-proven COVID-19 Telemedicine Solution for Hospitals, Deployable Within 48 Hours TEL AVIV, Israel, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Datos (datos-health.com), a provider of an automated remote care platform, today announced the availability of its agile and comprehensive telemedicine solution for remote monitoring of coronavirus patients. As COVID-19 continues to spread, hospitals are expecting a surge in visitors to clinics and emergency rooms, which would result in a challenging additional burden on an already overstretched medical system. Datos's solution, easily implemented within 48 hours, is specifically designed to support hospitals across the world mitigate such a situation by helping to keep suspected corona patients, and those infected but not requiring hospitalization, at home while still providing them with optimal care. Hospitals and HMOs will be able to quickly deploy a robust and scalable COVID-19 telemedicine solution tailored to provide virtual services, including online symptom-checking tools and remote consultations with doctors, while simultaneously minimizing direct contact with those infected with the coronavirus. The Datos COVID-19-specific telemedicine package is already in use at Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest hospital, and has begun implementations in U.S. hospital systems. "Datos is providing an important solution for the US health care system to monitor COVID-19 remotely, easing the demand for inpatient-based monitoring at hospitals," said Uri Bettesh, CEO of Datos Health. "The first solution of its kind, we are able to deploy it within 48 hours. It requires no additional resources as it seamlessly integrates with care teams' existing workflows, providing crucial insights into patients being monitored outside the hospital at a fraction of the cost. Treating patients  who do not require hospitalization  out of emergency roms could ensure that key resources are available for the most serious cases." The Datos COVID-19 solution offers: For care teams , a fully configured COVID-19 dashboard that includes an overall view of all patients, sorted according to the severity of coronavirus symptoms, the delivery of daily symptom checkout surveys, the seamless launch of virtual visits via video calls (including via text message, without requiring the Datos app), data-driven reminders (to measure temperature and complete surveys), messages and content.

, a fully configured COVID-19 dashboard that includes an overall view of all patients, sorted according to the severity of coronavirus symptoms, the delivery of daily symptom checkout surveys, the seamless launch of virtual visits via video calls (including via text message, without requiring the Datos app), data-driven reminders (to measure temperature and complete surveys), messages and content. For patients, a user-friendly mobile app (available on iOS and Android) for home hospitalized patients to manually enter their relevant vitals, including body temperature, BP and saturation. Patients will be asked to respond to two types of coronavirus surveys, an initial assessment followed by daily symptom status updates, sent automatically and then scored and correlated with monitored vitals to yield timely reminders, personalized messages and virtual doctor visits via video calls. The solution additionally provides health systems with a private, HIPAA compliant, cloud-based interface of the Datos platform anywhere in the world. Optional extras include services delivered via a text message with links to web pages for reporting vitals management, survey distribution and video calls. About Datos Datos is a provider of a robust, hospital-grade Remote Care platform representing a groundbreaking, fully automated approach to patient care and data handling. The Datos platform is a true game-changer in that it delivers on the promise and full potential of patient-generated healthcare data, by enabling automation of patient journeys at highly affordable cost. Datos utilizes advanced analytics and works agnostically across any treatment protocol, patient profile, data source, wearable and medical device, allowing automated detection, management and prediction of irregular symptoms. The platform enables rapid and seamless implementation of remote care within existing workflows, and ultimately improves effectiveness throughout care pathways. For more information, visit www.datos-health.com, watch a video about our The Datos Coronavirus Telemedicine Program or email info@datos-health.com. Datos Contact:

Ruthie Weitz-Leopold, Chief Marketing Officer

ruthie.wl@datos-health.com

Media Contact:

Finn Partners for Datos

Danny Sudwarts

danny.sudwarts@finnpartners.com

@dannysuddy

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/datos-launches-field-proven-covid-19-telemedicine-solution-for-hospitals-deployable-within-48-hours-301025464.html SOURCE Datos

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On a totally unrelated side note, Cat Stevens, who is famous for some of the greatest peace anthems of the '70s, also famously converted to the Muslim faith and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. But that probably had nothing to do with it when he discovered on a 2004 trip from London to Washington, D.C. that he was on the no-fly list. As a result, his plane was diverted to Bangor, Maine (which is apparently more expendable), where he was detained, questioned, and sent back to London due to activities "potentially related to terrorism." He was actually traveling to the U.S. to meet up with Dolly Parton because she had recently recorded his song "Peace Train," which raises the question: What does the DHS think Dolly Parton is up to?

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It was an incident of potential profiling that many Muslim travelers had endured, but thanks to his fame and activism, Stevens' cause was taken up by the United Nations, where the British Foreign Secretary declared in a charming accent that the action "should not have been taken." Two years later, when Stevens tried again to befoul the purple mountains' majesty with his heretical message of peace and love, he got into the States with no problem. When asked, he said that "no reason was ever given," but being a serene kind of guy, he excused the incident as likely a harmless case of mistaken identity. Then he wrote a song that he sang with Paul McCartney about how much the border police suck, because you can be a gentle man of God and a musical revolutionary at the same damn time.

E. Reid Ross has a book called BIZARRE WORLD that's on store shelves as we speak, or you could just order it now from Amazon or Barnes and Noble and leave a scathing/glowing review. Kyle Siemens writes and draws stuff he hopes is motivational. Come be inspired here. Christian Markle wants you to check out these cute comic strips. Alan is on Twitter and writes about podcasts here.
Although talk about COVID-19 has dominated conversations around the world, in Ghana discussions around the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA's) ban on celebrities endorsing alcohol are still ongoing.



A number of celebs have expressed divergent views on the matter with some putting the FDA on blast for depriving them of one of their sources of livelihood, others believe the move is good because of the impact celebs endorsing alcohol can have on young people.



Also sharing her thoughts on the matter is actress Gloria Osei Sarfo who says she will never take on an ambassadorial role for any alcoholic beverage.



I think it is not fair that we take the source of livelihood from people. Though for me I will never be an ambassador for any drink like that, I think people should be allowed to just be.



"If not for anything at all, there should be some consideration for people who have that as a source of income," she said in a chat on Pundits on GHOne TV recently.



Last Saturday, March 14, Gloria Osei Sarfo made Ghana proud when she won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) held in Lagos, Nigeria.



Gloria, who was Ghana's sole nomination, won for her role in The Perfect Picture: 10 Years Later and was up against strong competitors such as Toni Tones in King of Boys, Eucharia Anunobi in The Foreigners God, Tina Mba in The Set Up and Mary Lazarus in Size 12.



Get Digital Versions of Graphic Publications by downloading Graphic NewsPlus Here. Also available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Congratulations have poured in from her colleague actors on social media and Gloria is still basking in the glow of the award which she was unable to pick up because of the COVID-19 scare.



Nollywood film, Living In Bondage was the big winner on the night with seven wins including Overall Best Movie. Its other awards are Best Director for Ramsey Nouah, Best Sound Editor, Best Cinematographer, Best Soundtrack, Best Writer and Best Movie (West Africa).



Other award winners were Beverly Naya who won Best Documentary with Skin, Funke Akindele who won Best Actress in a Comedy for Moms At War, comedian Funny Bone who took home the Best Actor in a Comedy for Smash, Toyin Abraham whose turn in Elevator Baby won her the Best Actress in a Drama trophy and Timini Egbuson who won Best Actor in a Drama also for Elevator Baby.

Source: Graphic.com.gh









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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:47:48|Editor: xuxin

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NAIROBI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Tuesday confirmed one new case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the number of confirmed cases in the country to four.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe told journalists in Nairobi that the patient had arrived in the country on March 9 from Britain.

Kenya reported its first case on Friday.
Bhopal: Chief Minister Kamal Nath has called for a cabinet meeting at 11 am on March 18, 2020, after Supreme Court issued notice and sought his response on a plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test in the assembly. Kamal Nath had also called a legislative party meeting at his residence on Tuesday to discuss Madhya Pradesh political scenario.

Earlier, in the day the apex court bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said that it will issue a notice to the state government and others, including the secretary of the legislative assembly, for Wednesday at 10.30 am.

In the court proceeding, senior BJP leader and three-time chief minister, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said, "the rationale, in this case, is that a floor test is required and usually the other side appears in such cases".

Reacting to Rohtagi's statement the Supreme Court bench said, "We will have to issue a sought notice and keep it for tomorrow morning." The bench then took note of the submission of senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for 16 rebel Congress MLAs, that they are also allowed to become parties to Chouhan's petition.

The decision of Supreme Court came after former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and nine other BJP lawmakers, including the leader of opposition in the state assembly, had moved the Supreme Court on Monday just after Speaker NP Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the house till March 26 without taking the floor test.

In his latest letter to the governor, Kamal Nath said, "Taking into account all the facts, I have forwarded your direction given to me to the Assembly Speaker for appropriate action."

On Monday, after meeting Governor Lalji Tandon CM Kamal Nath dared BJP saying that if they have any doubt about the majority they should bring a no-confidence motion against the government.

The development comes amid the political crisis that has engulfed the state after Jyotiraditya Scindia, a former senior Congress leader resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Scindhia`s decision to leave Congress was followed by the resignation from 22 party MLAs.
SAN DIEGO  Former California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter was sentenced Tuesday to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds and spending the money on everything from outings with friends to his daughters birthday party.

The ex-Marines defense attorneys had asked for home confinement, citing his military service including fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his nearly six terms in Congress. Hunter resigned from Congress in January after representing one of Southern Californias last solidly Republican districts.

Prosecutors submitted 87 pages of details to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Whelan ahead of Tuesdays sentencing that showed a corrupt congressman who intentionally and repeatedly stole from his campaign funds for a decade.

Hunter and his wife were accused in a 60-count indictment of stealing more than $250,000 in campaign contributions and trying to hide it on financial disclosure records, listing some personal expenses as contributions to wounded warriors. Each had faced up to five years in prison.

Each pleaded guilty to a single count in separate plea agreements last year.

The funds bankrolled private school tuition for his children, his wifes shopping sprees, weekend trips with his mistress and drinking parties in Washington.

Hunter asked the court Tuesday to spare the mother of his three children jail time, and said he takes full responsibility.

Prosecutors said a 14-month prison sentence was needed to punish a lawmaker who misled his constituents and whose wrongdoing has now left the 50th congressional district without a representative. A Democrat and Republican are headed to a November runoff for his seat.

And after he was caught, he ran for reelection and tried to convince voters in the district east of San Diego that as a staunch supporter of President Trump, he was the victim of a political witch hunt by left-leaning prosecutors trying to drive him out of office in Democratic California.

Hunter was ordered to report to prison on May 29.

Julie Watson is an Associated Press writer.
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.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was feeling fine after worry that he would test positive for the novel coronavirus after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, announced last week she was infected.

Trudeau has said he was placing himself in a 14-day self-isolation alongside his wife and their three children at their Ottawa residence last Thursday. The announcement came after Mrs. Trudeau returned home with flu-like symptoms following a trip to Britain.

She tested positive on Thursday.

I want to be clear: I have no symptoms and I am feeling very good, the prime minister told reporters outside his residence on Friday, according to video of his news conference.

Trudeau, 48, said he hasnt been tested for the virus, echoing President Donald Trumps initial stance on being tested after Trump also came into contact with people who later tested positive for the virus. Over the weekend, the White House said Trump was tested and the results came back negative.

There is no need to get tested until you are starting to show symptoms, Trudeau repeated Tuesday during a press conference in front of his Ottawa residence, according to Huffington Post reporter Althia Raj.

Dr. Anthony Fauci  the leading medical official on Trumps coronavirus task force  said Americans shouldnt get tested unless they have symptoms. However, medical professionals say people who have the coronavirus can still spread the disease whether they show symptoms or not.

There had been 424 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Canada as of Tuesday, with four deaths.

Trudeau, one of the most prominent world leaders, is the latest on a growing list of government officials who have either contracted the virus or have been in contact with those who have.

Story continues

Government officials in France, Iran, Brazil, Australia, and Italy have tested positive for the new coronavirus, which first emerged in China in December.

President Trump was in contact with Brazilian officials earlier this month at his Mar-A-Lago Club who later tested positive for the virus.

RELATED: Brazilian Official Who Took Photo with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago Tests Positive for Coronavirus

DAVE CHAN/Getty Images From left: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

Communities around the world are implementing lockdowns and quarantines amid a global effort to slow the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 190,000 people and killed more than 7,500 as of Tuesday.

Trump changed his tone on the viral outbreak this week, calling it bad after previously claiming Democrats were trying to politicize it as a hoax to damage him.

I think people have noticed that the situation has evolved rapidly around the world, Trudeau told reporters Tuesday, calling on Canadians to stay home and use as much social distancing as possible.

RELATED: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Self-Isolating with Wife Sophie as She Has Coronavirus Test

Late last week, an Australian official who had met with President Trumps daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, tested positive for the coronavirus.

Ivanka worked from home on Friday as a precautionary move but she wasnt showing symptoms, the White House said.

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, Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham has said.

As of Tuesday, there were about 5,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and 93 deaths.

To prevent the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages maintaining basic forms of hygiene including careful hand washing, avoiding touching the face, moving away from people who are coughing or sneezing and staying home at signs of illness.
On Tuesday morning, some supermarkets in Sydney and Melbourne were restricting acces to shoppers aged 60 and over, for a period of one hour in order to stagger the rush of customers vying to stock up in light of the coronavirus epidemic. This comes as politicians debate over the way forward.

Australia has reported at least 400 cases of the coronavirus and five deaths related to the virus.

Although the country is not yet in lockdown mode, some businesses are preparing for a rush on their services.

"This is the first day that we've tried such a measure, and it wasn't perfect in all stores," says Claire Peters, head of Woolworths supermarket chain, explaining that 7-8 in the morning was reserved for elderly and handicapped patients and that they would assess the efficiency of such a measure over the coming days.

One client, heading to the Woolthworths in the upmarket Sydney suburb of Neutral Bay told the media that he didn't think it was a good idea to get too many older people together in one place, seeing as this age group appears ro be more vulnerable to the virus.

Others seemed relieved that the supermarkets had taken the initiative to help seniors avoid getting crushed in the rush to buy basic necessities.

Stricter measures

Meanwhile, almost 2,500 doctors have signed an open letter to the health minister, Greg Hunt, to take immediate action on containment measures around the country to curb coronavirus.

Led by Dr Hemant Garg, the letter states doctors are dismayed at the disconnect between the actions being taken within the medical community and the recommendation for actions being passed on to the general population.

"We should immediately recommend a three to four week closure of schools, cultural and religious places including places of worship, gyms and leisure centres, pubs, bars, theatres, cinemas and concert halls," the letter states, as reported by The Guardian.

"This would allow a steady declaration of cases of coronavirus to present to hospitals and fever clinics as their symptomatic phase develops."

Growing concern over lack of protective medical supplies

On Tuesday Hunt said while school closures had not been ruled out, "mass school closures would impact significantly on critical emergency service workers, on health workers, as well as exposing young people potentially to being with grandparents on a much more broader basis."

There is also a growing concern among medical personnel over the amount of stocks for personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.

Medical groups have also voiced concern about the availability of respirators, which were in high demand during the bushfire crisis.

Last month the government said it was opening up the national medical stockpile as part of its response to the crisis.

"I'm pleased to indicate that we've been able to support our testing process for this with a large volume of masks. 230,000 new P2 masks, which will support the testing process, have arrived in Australia today and will be shared with states and pathology providers, and general practices who are taking samples around the country," Hunt said.

Australians abroad urged to return home

Travel advice issued on Tuesday evening by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australians should return home before the virus caused more borders to close.

Travellers are also being urged to reconsider their need to go overseas.

From midday on Tuesday Australians were no longer able to travel to Europe, with an initial EU ban in place for 30 days.

Australians returning from overseas will need to quarantine themselves for 14 days.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr listens during a Department of Justice African American History Month Observance Program at the Department of Justice February 26, 2019 in Washington, DC

Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Justice Department moved on Monday to drop its cases against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities indicted as part the FBI's investigation into Russian election interference.

In a court filing, prosecutors accused one of those companies or taking advantage of the US legal process to harm national security while ignoring its own legal obligations related to the case.

Notably, the filing also said the government decided to drop its case "particularly in light of recent events and a change in the balance of the government's proof due to a classification determination," in addition to other factors.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Justice Department on Monday moved to drop its case against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities who were indicted as part of the former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election.

In a court filing, prosecutors accused one of those companies, Concord Management and Consulting, LLC, of taking advantage of the US legal process and discovery to try to harm national security. All the while, the filing said, Concord refused to comply with its own legal obligations under the US judicial system.

That included complying with court-issued subpoenas, ignoring a court order to make available a corporate representative, and submitting a "misleading (at best) declaration from an incredible declarant, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the Russian oligarch and co-defendant who controls Concord and is alleged in the indictment as having funded and directed the defendants' election interference campaign."

Notably, the filing continued to say that based on consideration of these circumstances, "and particularly in light of recent events and a change in the balance of the government's proof due to a classification determination," and other details outlined in a classified addendum to the filing, the Justice Department decided to drop its case.

Story continues

The filing said prosecutors came to the decision after determining that Concord has no presence in the US and "no exposure to meaningful punishment in the event of a conviction" and that a case against the company would not serve justice or national security.

Mueller's charges in this case were directed primarily at the Internet Research Agency (IRA), an infamous Russian "troll factory" located in St. Petersburg that focused on sowing political discord during the 2016 race by using Russian bots to spread fake news and pro-Trump propaganda on Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media platforms.

The 13 Russian nationals charged were indicted for working in "various capacities to carry out" the agency's "interference operations targeting the United States."

All the defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the US; the IRA and two defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; and the IRA and four defendants were charged with aggravated identity theft.

Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was named among the defendants and accused of using his companies to bankroll the IRA's work.

The charges did not allege that any American was a knowing participant in Russia's activities, or that the underlying conduct altered the outcome of the race.

Read the original article on Business Insider
They allegedly went to the same Zimra officer who had assisted them in writing a letter on behalf of the manager and got him to enter the Ford Ranger into the system.
Relief efforts are taking place nationwide to help local service industry communities make ends meet as the COVID-19 pandemic has all but decimated their livelihoods. These efforts, generally proffered by non-profit groups, have thus far been aimed at the entirety of service industrybartenders, restaurant workers, and baristasbut a new spate of micro-efforts allow philanthropic individuals to donate directly to their favorite shop or even a specific barista. Venmo-driven, virtual tip jars let you provide direct support to those of your choosing from the safety and comfort of your own home.

To supplement our list of local service industry relief efforts, weve compiled an index of virtual tip jars from around the country. If you see a name you recognize, maybe consider tossing a few e-coins their way.

Does your cafe have a virtual tip jar that should be included here? Give us a shout!

Virtual tip jars by cafe:

Alabaster Coffee, Williamsport, Pa: Donate here

Albina Press, Portland: GoFundMe page

Alchemy Coffee, Richmond, Va: Donate here

Andytown Coffee, San Francisco: Donate here

Anthem Coffee, Tacoma: GoFundMe page

Bandit Coffee, St. Petersburg, Fl: Donate here

Bar Nine, Los Angeles: GoFundMe page

Bee Coffee, Indianapolis: Donate here

Bird & Branch, New York City: GoFundMe page

Bloc Coffee Company, Cincinnati: @BCCBaristasEPH

Bradburys Coffee, Madison, Wi: @BradburysCoffee

Branch Street Coffee Roasters, Youngstown, Oh: @BranchStreet_Baristas

Brick & Mortar, Richmond, Va: @BrickandMortarRichmond

Buunni Cafe, New York City: @Buunni-Coffee

Camber Coffee, Bellingham, Wa: Donate here

Canary Coffee Bar, Milwaukee, @Emily-Whitcomb-3

Cafe Grumpy, New York and New Jersey: GoFundMe page

Caffe Medici, Austin: @Medici-Baristas

Cerberus Coffee, Jacksonville, Or: Donate here

Chromatic Coffee, San Jose: Donate here

Cloud City Coffee, Seattle: @Cloud-City-Virtual-Tips

Collective Espresso, Cincinnati: @Collective-Espresso-Baristas

Comet Coffee, Ann Arbor: @CometCoffee

Compass Coffee, Vancouver, Wa: @Compass-Coffee

Cosmic Coffee, Austin: GoFundMe page

Cultivar Coffee, Dallas: GoFundMe page

Cup & Bar, Portland: @CBVirtualTipJar

Dark Heart Coffee Bar, Loveland, Co: @DarkheartCoffeeBar

Devocion, New York City: GoFundMe page

Doppio Coffee, Denver: Donate here

Dune Coffee, Santa Barbara, Ca: Donate here

Dweebs, New York City: @DweebsBrookyln

Elixr Coffee, Philadelphia: @Elixr_Relief

Epoch, Austin: GoFundMe page

Equator Coffees, Bay Area: GoFundMe page

Everyman Espresso, New York City: @EverymanEspresso

Farewell, Asheville, NC: @Farewell-TipJar

Fiction Coffee, Dallas: GoFundMe page

Flat Track Coffee, Austin: Donate here

Fleet Coffee, Austin: @FleetCoffeeATX

Flitch Coffee, Austin: @FlitchCoffee

Fulcrum Cafe, Seattle: Donate here

Ghostlight Coffee, Dayton, Oh: @GhostlightCoffeeStaff

Gimme! Coffee, Ithaca, NY: GoFundMe page

Gimme! Coffee, New York City (Brooklyn location): @GimmeLorimer

Gimme! Coffee, New York City (Manhattan location): @GimmeMottTips

Golden Boy Coffee, Denton, Tx: GoFundMe page

Gracenote Coffee, Boston: @GracenoteStaffRelief

Green Line Cafe, Philadelphia: @GreenLine_Relief

Groundswell Coffee, Chicago: GoFundMe page

Guilder, Portland: Donate here

Heart Roasters, Portland: Donate here

High Five Coffee, Asheville, NC: @HighFiveCoffee

Highlight Coffee, Glendale/Pasadena, Ca: @HighlightCoffeeBaristas

Hood Famous Cafe + Bar, Seattle: Donate here

Huckleberry Roasters, Denver: Donate here

Intelligentsia, Los Angeles (all LA locations): GoFundMe page

Ipsento Coffee, Chicago: GoFundMe page

Java Love, Montclair, NJ: GoFundMe page

Joe Coffee Company, New York City: GoFundMe page

Junto Coffee, Taylors, SC: @Junto-Coffee-Baristas

Kru Coffee, Sarasota Springs, @KruBaristaFund

La Colombe, Chicago (Andersonville location): GoFundMe page

La Colombe, Chicago (Wicker Park location): @LC-WickerPark-VirtualTipJar

La Colombe, Philadelphia (6th & Market location): @indylcbaristas

La Colombe, Philadelphia (Dilworth Plaza location): @DilworthLaColombeBaristas

La Colombe, Philadelphia (Fishtown location): @Fishtown_LaColombe

La Colombe, Philadelphia (Rittenhouse Square location): @LaColombeRittenhouse

La Marzocco Cafe, Seattle: @La_Marzocco_Cafe_Workers_Fund

Leslie Coffee Co, Wichita, Ks: @LeslieCoffeeTipJar

Linea Caffe, San Francisco: Donate here

Little Collins, New York City: @LC-Crew

Little Waves, Durham, NC: @CocoaCinnamon

Machinehead Coffee, Austin:@MachineheadCoffee_TipJar

Marigold Coffee, Portland: steve@cloudcitycoffee.com

Merriweather Coffee, New York City: GoFundMe page

Metric Coffee, Chicago: GoFundMe page

Metropolis Coffee, Chicago: GoFundMe page

Milkbar, New York City: @Milkbar_Brunswick_Tips

Mojo Coffee House, New Orleans: @MojoCoffeeHouse

Northside Social, Arlington/Falls Church, Va: GoFundMe page

Olympia Coffee, Olympia, Wa: Buy their coffee

Once Over Coffee Bar, Austin: @OnceOverCoffeeBar

Ox Coffee, Philadelphia: @Ox-Coffee

Ozo Coffee, Boulder, Co: @OzoTipJar

Palace Coffee, Canyon/Amarillo, Tx: @Palace-Coffee

Passion House Coffee Roasters, Chicago: GoFundMe page

Patent Coffee, New York City: @DrinkPatent

Patika, Austin: Donate here

Peregrine Espresso, Washington, DC: @PeregrineTips

Pinhole Coffee, San Francisco: Donate here

Power cUP Coffee, Cupertino, Ca: GoFundMe page

Proving Grounds Coffee, Royal Oak, Mi: @PGCTips

PTs Coffee, Kansas City, Mo/Topeka, Ks: @PTsCafeTipJar

Purple Llama, Chicago: @PurpleLlamaStaff

QED Coffee, Seattle: @QED-Barista-Fund

Radio Coffee & Beer, Austin: GoFundMe page

Refuge Coffee Co, Clarkston, Ga: Donate here

Reve Coffee Roasters, Lafayette, La: @TheLovingCupCoffee

Revival Cafe, Cambridge: GoFundMe page

Rival Bros Coffee, Philadelphia: @RivalBrosBaristaFund

Rohs Street Cafe, Cincinnati: @Rohsforever

Round Table Coffee Works, St. Paul: Donate here

Seabird Coffee, Cohasset, Ma: @Christen-Poole

Seven Pond Coffee Bar, Boston: @Seven_Pond_Staff

Seventh Coffee & Tea, Irvine/Seal Beach, Ca: @SeventhBaristas

Shift Coffee Bar, Fort Meyers, Fl: Donate here

Sightglass, San Francisco: GoFundMe page

Simons Coffee Shop, Cambridge, Ma: @PaoPaoM

Spitfire Coffee, New Orleans: GoFundMe page

Southside Coffee, New York City: @Southside-Coffee-Baristas

Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters, Brewster, Ma: GoFundMe page

Spokesman, Austin: @Spokesman

SPRO Coffee Lab, San Francisco: GoFundMe page

Square One Coffee, Lancaster/Philadelphia: @SQ1-Relief-Fund

Stacks Espresso Bar, New York, Massachusetts: @StacksBaristaFund

Stereoscope Coffee, Los Angeles: @StereoscopeCoffee

Street 14 Cafe, Astoria, Or: GoFundMe page

Stumptown Coffee, all Chicago locations: @StumptownChi-TipJar

Stumptown Coffee, all Los Angeles locations: GoFundMe page

Stumptown Coffee, all Portland locations: @Stumptown_Cafes_PDX

Stumptown Coffee, all New Orleans locations: @NOLATipJar

Stumptown Coffee, all New York City locations: @MooseMonies

Stumptown Coffee, all Seattle locations: @Sarah-Johnson-62

Taylor St, New York City: GoFundeMe page

Third Rail Coffee, New York City: GoFundMe page

Tiny House Coffee Roasters, Austin: @TinyHouseCoffeeRoasters

Trade & Lore, Asheville, NC: @TradeandLore-Baristas

Trianon Coffee, Austin: Donate here

Ugly Dug Coffee, Rochester, NY: @UglyDuckTipjar

Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia: Donate here

Varietal Coffee Bar, Sarasota, Fl: @Varietal_Coffee_Bar

Vigilante Coffee, Hyattsville/College Park, Md: Donate here

Wander Coffee Bar, Marysville, Wa: Cash App page

West Oak Coffee Bar, Denton, Tx: GoFundMe page

Citywide lists of service industry workers that you can donate to directly:

BaristaKC, Kansas City: Donate or sign up here.

Charleston, SC Coffee Professionals: Donate or sign up here.

Pittsburgh Service Industry Workers: Donate or sign up here.

Portland Service Industry Workers: Donate or sign up here.

San Francisco Service Industry Workers: Donate or sign up here.

Santa Ynez Valley, Ca Service Industry Workers: Donate or sign up here.

St. Louis Service Industry Workers: List can be found here.

Washington, DC Service Industry Workers: List can be found here.

Well be updating this story with more virtual tip jars as they are brought to our attention.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
Indian Air Force (IAF) is a step closer to getting a fully combat-ready indigenous supersonic fighter with the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in Final Operational Clearance-standard (SP-21) making its first successful test flight in Bengaluru on Tuesday (March 17, 2020). Tejas FOC(SP-21), piloted by former Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Commodore and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chief Test Flying (Fixed Wing) KA Muthana (retired), was in the air for 40 minutes.

The supersonic jet fighter aircraft, which an earlier version of which is already in service with the IAF, took-off from HAL Airport in Bengaluru at 12:30 pm and flew over India's tech capital before making a perfect landing. The HAL plans to deliver 16 Tejas FOC fighter by the end of April 2021.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director R Madhavan credited the entire LCA Tejas team for the successful maiden flight of the fighter jet in a press release by the defense PSU major. Apart from HAL, the other organisations involved in the development of LCA Tejas are Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), IAF and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).

"HAL achieved the momentous feat within a record time of 12 months after release of Drawing Applicability List (DAL) and SOP by CEMILAC. This would pave way for production of remaining 15 fighters from the FOC block which are planned to be delivered during the next financial year. The FOC aircraft are equipped with advanced features such as Air-to-Air refueling, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile system, etc. It imbibes a lot of manufacturing improvements which were based on the operational feedback of LCA IOC fleet with IAF," said the press release.

Minister of State, Defence, Shripad Naik had on February 5, 2020, stated in the Lok Sabha that IAF will induct 20 Tejas FOC jets with a break-up of 16 fighters and 4 twin-seater trainers. IAF already has 16 Tejas in its 45 Squadron (Flying Daggers) at Sulur Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu.
LONDON  One doctor described the machines as being like "gold."

Ventilators have quickly become the most sought-after medical device in the world because of their ability to help save the lives of some of the sickest coronavirus patients.

What worries experts is that it's increasingly clear many countries  including the United States and much of Europe  have nowhere near enough of them to keep pace with a pandemic killing exponentially more people every day.

The challenge is daunting.

The U.S. currently has an estimated 160,000 ventilators, far short of the 740,000 it would need in a "severe" pandemic like the Spanish flu of 1918, according to a study by the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins.

It's because of this that governments around the world have been scrambling to buy and make as many ventilators as possible. President Donald Trump even suggested that states might be better off not waiting for federal help, "if they can get them faster by getting them on their own."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked large companies that dont make ventilators, like Rolls Royce and the domestic appliance firm Dyson, to pivot toward the production of medical equipment in a way not seen outside war.

Johnson said Monday that "huge strides are being made" in these discussions with businesses, without giving specifics on numbers or a timeframe.

"We cannot make too many" has been the mantra of the British health secretary, Matt Hancock, during his recent rounds of interviews.

But some industry leaders warn that this is easier said than done.

These incredibly complex machines cost upward of $50,000 a piece, and involve international supply chains and strict safety regulations that normally take years to test and satisfy. They provide oxygen and push air into the lungs of sick patients who cannot breathe on their own.

Most young and healthy people won't need medical attention if they get the coronavirus. But ventilators can help save the lives of the older and infirm patients who develop lung complications after contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Story continues

Countries want to avoid having their health care systems swamped by the speed of the infection, like has happened in Italy, where one doctor, Daniele Macchini, described the "tsunami" of cases that hit its hospitals, overwhelming resources and forcing heartbreaking decisions about who lives and who dies.

Many experts are warning that the U.S. and other countries are in for a similar grim experience based on the current trajectories of coronavirus infection and death rates.

In this scenario, "every ventilator becomes like gold," Macchini wrote in a Facebook post.

Image: Seen through a metal ventilation tube (Vadim Ghirda / AP)

The U.S. does have thousands of machines in storage, potentially ready to be wheeled out into hospitals.

Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services, has declined to say exactly how many there are, citing "national security" concerns. But the Society of Critical Care Medicine, an American nonprofit, says there are an estimated 8,900 more ventilators stored in the Strategic National Stockpile, a network of guarded warehouses across the country.

"Tremendous supplies, but we want to acquire more," Azar said at a briefing Sunday.

The British government has sent out a clear message: If you build a ventilator, we will buy it.

The U.K. has only 5,000 of the machines and estimates it will need 20,000 more "under a reasonable worst case scenario," according to the country's Department of Health.

On Monday, the COVID-19 Response Team at Imperial College London, which has been advising the government, released modelling data that showed just how severely the virus could outstrip current critical care capacity in the U.K. and the U.S.

The British government said it is working with "a number of manufacturers" to build "a basic, functional ventilator" that's far cheaper and easy to produce than a standard model, the Department of Health said in an email to NBC News.

This timescale would upend the industry norm for such an intricate piece of technology.

Image: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a news conference on the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in London (Richard Pohle / Reuters)

In normal times, it would take two to three years for a newly designed ventilator to pass the necessary regulatory checks and be approved for use in hospitals, according to Charles Bellm, managing director of Intersurgical, a leading global supplier of medical ventilation products, who remains skeptical about London's fast-tracked plan.

"We should throw everything at it, and we might well be able to solve this problem, but it's going to require a total relaxation of the regulatory side of things," he told NBC News. "Standards aren't just made up. They are developed over a long time, due to things that have happened over the years, such as a battery failing or a piece of software going wrong."

Bellm's firm does not make ventilators themselves but the associated equipment, so any market newcomer would not represent a competitor for him. He said he wanted to make clear just how challenging this process will be so the public does not believe the government's strategy is a fait accompli.

"They won't just have to make the ventilator, they'll have to make the software, too, which is very complicated," he added. "Just remember, Dyson has never made anything that has kept someone alive. They make stuff that warms people up or dries their hair. So it's a bit different."

The British government regulator that oversees these products, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said that given the exceptional circumstances it would "take swift action to allow medical devices without formal regulatory approval to be used in the U.K."

Bellm, however, believes a more realistic plan would be for existing ventilator manufacturers to work with industry newcomers on existing designs. That might involve car plants and others refitting their production lines, building machinery that usually takes at least three months to test and fast-tracking its approval.

Image: NNew ventilators at the Columbus Covid2 Hospital on March 16, 2020 in Rome, Italy. (Marco Di Lauro / Getty Images)

Similar collaborative efforts across government and industry are being made in Europe and indeed the world, Bellm said, in addition to countries trying to buy up everything already rolling off production lines. Germany has ordered 10,000 new ventilators, and Italy 5,000.

"These manufacturing facilities of these companies are very advanced. They can be adapted," said professor Lenny Koh, a supply chain expert at the Sheffield University Management School, who was more optimistic about the idea. "I think that is definitely feasible."

One firm, the Swiss-based Hamilton Medical, which usually makes 15,000 ventilators a year, ramped up its production by 30-40 percent, its chief executive, Andreas Wieland, told Reuters.

"Theres a huge discrepancy between available ventilators and the need," he said. "Turkey has ordered many ventilators, China has ordered many devices, the United States  actually, everyone is ordering."

Bellm said that one respiratory product sold by his company has received more orders in the past three months than in the previous 15 years it's been available.

It's not just the regulation, though. International supply chains mean countries will have to continue working together rather than looking out for themselves.

Italy criticized other European countries for not coming to its aid sooner, pointing out that it was China, rather than any of its neighbors, who first sent medics and supplies.

Swedish Enterprise Minister Ibrahim Baylan has warned against countries becoming more insular and detached from the world. "We must find our way back to cooperation," he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Why prices of ACs, washing machines and other home appliances could go higher?
The Collegedale City Council met Monday evening in an almost empty room. It was likely one of the last local public meetings held as residents retreat to their homes away from the spreading coronavirus.

Chairs in the meeting room were spaced far apart. Only one citizen showed up in the normally crowded room. Some staff members were at the rear.

Collegedale is implementing procedures for keeping employees and citizens safe while at the same time keeping the city running.

At the commission meeting, City Manager Ted Rodgers updated the commissioners on how operations will be adjusted due to the health threat from the coronavirus.

The city will be practicing social distancing, evidenced by the new seating placement in the council room where chairs are spaced three to four feet apart.

The police department will be handling calls by phone versus responding in person to citizen calls when possible.

With schools and day care centers closing, Collegedale is setting up its own day care center in a room at city hall for use of employees. This is a creative way to get people to come and be able to stay at work, said the city manager.

The library is staying open but all programs have been cancelled. Books can be checked out online and picked up and dropped off at a drive-through.

The bathrooms, handles and surfaces that are often touched in city hall will be cleaned several times each day.

If needed, key managers will be able to work from home on laptops provided by the city.

The administration will continue to look at every operation and review and discuss how to best continue to keep the city going.

Upon recommendation from Vice Mayor Tim Johnson, the meetings of all social clubs such as Kiwanis, that regularly meet at city hall will be canceled until mid-April. The commission meetings and workshops which are used for discussions of city business and for planning upcoming commission meetings, will be cancelled until the end of March. The city manager will have the ability to call a meeting if there is urgent business that needs a vote to carry on operations. Meetings of the Collegedale Planning Commission, likewise will be cancelled if there is no business.

The citys policy for sick employees was also discussed. The city manager has told employees to stay home if they are sick. He said they have a liberal amount of sick days, but if someone has no days remaining, they should talk to Mr. Rogers. Employees will have to provide confirmation that they have been tested and are legitimately sick in order to be off work. It is sad, said the city manager, that people have to be taken care of, but that he also has to take care of the city and guard against abuse of time off from work.

In regular business Mr. Rodgers reported that at two-thirds of the way through the fiscal year, 53 percent of revenue has been received. March, when property taxes are due, will show an increase in revenue. Expenditures are now at 65 percent, which is on track, said the city manager. He also told the commission that the bank has recently stopped attempts to steal from Collegedales bank accounts with fraudulent checks. Now the checking accounts are being checked every day, he said.
Cancer patients are having their surgery postponed in a major treating hospital as it was revealed 15,000 people may be infected with the new coronavirus in just two weeks.

The impact of the coronavirus crisis on patients who have serious illness came as St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin confirmed specialists are having to review their patients based on clinical need and "some surgeries are being rearranged for the coming weeks."

It was confirmed last night that there are 54 new cases of the deadly virus, bringing the total number of people diagnosed with Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland so far to 223.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan said the next seven days are crucial in curbing the spread.

Threat

"The behaviours we adopt in the next seven days will form the template for how we interrupt the spread of this virus over the coming months," he said.

"We need to sustain social distancing, respiratory hygiene and these new ways of behaving if we are to succeed in minimising the threat posed by COVID-19."

The ongoing devastating fallout for the nation followed an admission by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the number of new people infected by the virus will jump by 30pc a day and it could reach 15,000 by the end of the month.

"Most people will be well and be treated at home and its important they stay at home. But a percentage will need to be hospitalised and a smaller proportion again may need critical care," he said.

He was speaking after a meeting of the Cabinet sub committee overseeing the crisis and the launch of a plan outlining how the Government intends to tackle the health, economic and social effects.

The virus cannot be stopped and it is likely to be weeks before the restrictive measures endured by the population will see cases plateau.

"We have hundreds of ventilators, hundreds more have been secured. But we cannot say at this stage whether the number of people who need to be ventilated will match the number of ventilators we have," the Taoiseach said.

Projections that half of the population may get the virus may materialise but it is important for people to know this would be spread out over months.

It was decided not to call for the closure of cafes and restaurants but he emphasised they need to impose social distancing between customers.

Research commissioned by the Department of Health shows more than three quarters of people are staying at home more often.

And nearly one in two has started working from home.

Mr Varadkar admitted that there may be 100,000 who will lose their jobs and he pledged social welfare supports for employees and employers .

Health Minister Simon Harris said a massive recruitment campaign for people with health-related skills will be launched today and the message will be: "Your country needs you."

It came as it emerged Croke Park is set to be used as a 'drive-thru' testing site for individuals suspected to have contracted Covid-19.

Authorities are looking for ways to help them keep pace with the escalating crisis and reduce risk for health care professionals.

It's believed the tunnel in the stadium, which runs from the Hill 16 end of the Hogan Stand and around to the Cusack Stand on the opposite side, provides a suitable venue for such testing.

Testing

While the details of the plan have yet to be fleshed out, it's understood that individuals requiring testing could drive through the stadium and be tested without leaving their car.

The service will be available by appointment only and no walk-ups will be accepted.

Like many sporting organisations, the GAA has suspended all games and collective training sessions have been suspended until March 29 at the earliest with the organisation's top brass open to using the stadium in this way in the national interest.

Residents around Croke Park welcomed the news that the stadium was to be used for Covid 19 testing, according to local Councillor and former Lord Mayor Nial Ring.

"The overwhelming reaction was that local residents are very pleased, indeed proud, that this local facility can be used to help those who may have contracted the virus and we are proud that the GAA offered the facilities to the HSE" said Cllr Ring.

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Coveney confirmed that Irish people are being urged not to undertake non-essential travel to Europe until March 29 - including to England.

Northern Ireland is excluded from this recommendation.

However, key supply chains to maintain the traffic goods will continue between the Republic and the rest of Europe.

Mr Coveney also warned there will be "enormous disruption" to air travel in the coming days across Europe and said he could not guarantee when people would be able to return home.

"Non-essential travel effectively means people who are choosing to go overseas and don't need to, they shouldn't be doing it.

"That is now our clear health advice and also travel advice," he said. "We can't be sure they can get back."

Mr Coveney also said he has been told by airlines across Europe that they will be grounding their fleets in the coming days.

"We are also seeing other EU countries closing borders, closing airports and not facilitating air transport in and out," he said. "Non-essential travel shouldn't be happening to and from this island."

The Tanaiste said the Government will ensure "key supply chains" which bring goods into Ireland will be maintained.

"Those supply chains are important and we need to maintain them and we regard that as essential travel," he said.
A six-year-old girl who dubbed herself 'President Isla' has set up her own coronavirus podcast to address concerns about the 'bonkers' pandemic.

Isla McConnell, from Cumbernauld in Scotland, decided to film herself speaking about the COVID-19 virus, which has spread rapidly across the globe since the first cases were reported in China in December.

In the clip, Isla is seen holding a pink LOL Surprise notebook as she prepares to make an 'announcement' to the camera.

Taking a serious tone, the six-year-old begins her speech by asking 'What's our announcements', before launching into an abridged report of the pandemic so far.

Isla McConnell (pictured), from Cumbernauld in Scotland, gives an 'announcement' about the coronavirus pandemic

'Over 100 people have got the coronavirus', she said. 'About 40 people has died because of it.

'Loads of people in Scotland have got it. I can't take it any longer!'

In her make-believe broadcast, Isla continues by asserting that 'we need to fix the coronavirus' but 'all the shops' have been 'mobbed'.

Supermarkets across the UK, where there are 1,543 confirmed cases of the deadly virus and 53 reported deaths, have seen shortages of toilet paper, pasta and hand sanitiser since the pandemic began to gather speed last week.

'Toilet roll, cleaning wipes, baby wipes, all gone. So, you can't use that much toilet roll,' Isla continues.

In the clip, Isla (pictured) explains 'we need to fix the coronavirus' but 'all the shops' have been 'mobbed'

Dozens of social media users praised Isla's passionate speech, with some insisting she is 'better than Boris [Johnson]'

'I'm a president, President Isla and I will be coming with some announcements around the world. This coronavirus is going bonkers.

'There's no toilet roll or anything in the shop. My cousin couldn't even get toilet roll!'

Isla's cousin Lauren Clancy uploaded the hilarious clip to Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 339,800 times and received 14,800 likes.

Dozens of social media users praised Isla's passionate speech, with some insisting she is 'better than Boris [Johnson]' and said the six-year-old should 'run for president'.

Pictured: Isla with her mother Caroline, father George, sister Mirren, and cousins Lauren Clancy and Caitlin

Isla's cousin Lauren Clancy uploaded the hilarious clip to Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 339,800 times and received 14,800 likes

One user said: 'As my first act as President all currency shall be changed to unicorn stickers.'

'Better than Boris. At least she's interested. Go on Isla...,' added another.

Isla's mother, Caroline McConnell, said: 'I'm assuming Isla has been overhearing lots of conversations about coronavirus, it's what we're all talking about daily.

'There's also lots of emphasis in school about handwashing.

'She was in the bedroom using my phone and came in and told us she had done a podcast.

'We all thought it was really funny, so her cousin Lauren posted it on Twitter.

'We honestly can't believe it, she's a bit of a character anyway but the fact so many people have laughed about it is amazing.

'It's all in good humour, we certainly hope it's put a smile of people's faces during this difficult time.'

There have been more than 182,000 cases of coronavirus confirmed worldwide, with 7,100 deaths reported as a result of the virus.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. The election of Rector of the Yerevan State University will be postponed due to the state of emergency declared in Armenia from March 16, the University said in a statement.

Chairman of the YSU Board of Trustees Gevorg Muradyan announced that the session, scheduled on March 23 during which the YSU Rector was to be elected, will not take place. Additional information on future developments will be provided, the statement says.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, at 17:00. As of now, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia is 64, one patient has recovered.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Fearing shortages of food supply in Singapore, some members of the public engaged in yet another round of panic buying on Monday night (March 16), after Malaysia announced that it will be restricting travels in and out of the country.

Following Malaysias announcement to lockdown, Singaporeans cleared supermarket shelves just hours later. | Image source: theAsianparent

The scene was a re-enactment of similar behaviour exhibited when Singapore raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level to Orange from Yellow, on Feb 7.

In a Facebook post that went out shortly after a lockdown was announced in Malaysia, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing advised Singaporeans against such behaviour, reminding the public to be mindful of what they buy, and not stockpile items in excess.

I urge everyone to continue to purchase in a responsible manner and to purchase only what you need. Otherwise, no amount of stockpiling will be sufficient, the Minister stated.

Singaporeans were also assured that the country will not face any immediate risks of running out of food or other supplies brought in by our retailers.

The Minister further elaborated that the Government has been actively working with essential firms such as NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong and Dairy Farm International to increase our stock of food and essential supplies over the last two months.

Food supply in Singapore adequate for its population, Chan

Speaking to the media today (March 17), Chan further elaborated that currently, Singapore has more than three months worth of carbohydrates like rice and noodles, and more than two months worth of a combination of fresh, frozen and canned stockpiles for proteins and vegetables for normal consumption.

For noodles, we also have domestic production capabilities, which we can ramp up as necessary. For eggs, we have local production, and we have activated other air freight options to bring in substitute supplies, should the Malaysian supplies be disrupted, he further added. The Government presently goes as far as Ukraine to secure their supply of eggs.

Story continues

In addition to the country months worth of stockpiles at a national level, the Government has further plans in place to manage disruption in usual supply lines from Malaysia. The contingency plans include stockpiling, local production and diversification of overseas sources, and will cover many years worth of supply disruption from our neighbouring country should there be any.

The Minister also stressed that travel restrictions between countries do not automatically mean that there will be disruptions in the chain of food supply in Singapore.

Some Singaporeans are concerned with the supplies of food and essential items, he said.

Let me first say that a disruption of supplies from Malaysia is one of the contingency scenarios that we have planned for over the many years, he reiterated, adding that while we may have to make some adjustments, there are sufficient supplies for all Singaporeans, so long as we buy responsibly.

He further urged the country to remain calm and to offer reassurance for those who need it.

I can understand the fear and anxiety of some Singaporeans, Chan noted.

Singaporeans who remain calm can help us reach out and reassure those who are anxious so that we can go through this together as one united people.

Food supplies in Singapore not to be affected by Malaysia lockdown

Image source: Facebook

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post today (March 17), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assured Singaporeans that there is no need to worry as the government has prepared for such an eventuality, and have plans in place to cope.

Prime Minister Lee stated that he had been in discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who assured Singapore that the flow of food supplies and cargo would continue despite the newly imposed travel restrictions.

The post Singapore Has Months Worth of Food, No Shortages Currently: Chan Chun Sing appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
Health Minister B Sriramulu expressed helplessness over the sudden outbreak of Covid-19 in state. During the discussion on Covid-19 at the Legislative Council on Monday, the minister said, "I honestly tell before this house, I don't know what to do and we are clueless about this disease. We are trying from all means to fight this disease."

"We have taken all measures to curb the spread of this disease. Many people are still not aware about the seriousness of the disease. Considering this, we are giving advertisements and also utilising Asha workers to visit each house and create awareness," he said.

The minister even mentioned that, following several complaints about not checking temperature of public during the screening process, the government had procured over 10000 machines to check the temperature.

"We even had meetings with private medical colleges and hospitals. In the beginning, they expressed anxiety in treating Covid-19 suspects. But now they are ready and if any positive symptoms are reported, then the same should be brought to the notice of the government," he added.

As per the information provided by the minister to the house, the goverment has so far spent over Rs 36 crore on Covid-19. "There is no financial dearth in the state to fight the disease," he mentioned.

Uproar in Assembly

A statement by Health minister B Sriramulu on the floor of the House asking people to cover their nose and mouth with hankies or a cotton cloth if there was a shortage of masks, led to heated arguments.

While replying to a query on the shortage of masks in the market and a few shops charging exorbitant price, Sriramulu said, "There is no need to wear masks. Those who are having symptoms like cold, cough and headache can wear masks. In case of unavailability of masks, people can wear a cotton cloth or a hanky with eucalyptus oil sprayed on it."

This received criticism from several members who demanded the minister to make necessary arrangements to curb the spread of the virus and maintain hygiene.

The minister promised to initiate strict action against those creating scarcity of masks. "We have enough stock of masks for the next three months. In case anybody tries to create a scarcity of masks or sells for a high price then the licence of such shops will be cancelled," said minister.

Measures by govt

- Labs to be set up in all districts for testing of Covid-19

- Temperature test at every public place

- 300 beds reserved in Army and BSF hospitals

- 2000 beds ready at other hospitals

- Doctors will be sent on deputation to the districts in need

- 5 km radius of the person who died due to Covid 19 has been declared a buffer zone
LANSING, MI -- A second Michigan Department of Correction (MDOC) probation agent has tested positive for the coronavirus, the agency announced Tuesday evening.

The newest case involves a probation agent who works at the Detroit Detention Center, a holding facility for jailed suspects before they are arraigned in Wayne County and transferred to the Wayne County Jail or released on bond. Those prisoners are not transferred to MDOC prisons, where MDOC spokesman Chris Gautz said no staff or prisoners have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Earlier Tuesday, March 17, the MDOC announced an agent working in the Jackson County Probation Office had contracted the virus.

These are the first two MDOC employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, the MDOC said. The MDOC has been in contact with the individuals and the department is proactively working to determine any other employees and offenders these individuals have been in contact with.

In the case of the Jackson County agent, the MDOC said it instructed the countys entire probation staff to leave work and self-quarantine for the next 14 days. Gautz said this is because the infected person was part of a close-quarters staff meting with all other employees and county health officials recommended the full-staff quarantine.

In the Detroit case, other coworkers were contacted and asked to self-quarantine and not to return to work due to having close contact with the infected employee. Gautz did not immediately know how many other employee were involved.

Our primary focus is the health and safety of our staff, the offenders and the public, MDOC Director Heidi Washington said. This is a matter we take seriously and are taking the advice of public health professionals and have notified employees who need to be quarantined.

It was reported by health officials Tuesday that Jackson County had its first coronavirus case, involving a 60-year-old woman. Gautz could not confirm if this case is the same as the probation agent.

The Jackson victim had a recent history of international travel, while the Detroit victim did not, according to the MDOC.

The MDOC is making arrangements for continued supervision of the probationers in Jackson County, since staff will be unable to perform duties during quarantine.

Michigan, as of midnight Monday, had 65 confirmed cases of coronavirus since tracking began March 10.

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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.

READ MORE:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Michigan spas, fitness centers cope with shutdowns: Its very, very challenging

Coronavirus creates scary time for Michigan retailers

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to order bars, restaurants to close dine-in services over coronavirus concerns

Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home
A reporter was deliberately coughed, sneezed and spit on by a man who claimed to be carrying with the coronavirus during a live television shoot outside a bus station in a Buenos Aires neighborhood.

Cronica TV's Marco Bustamante had just concluded an interview with a Chilean tourist at a transportation hub in the Retiro district when another man walked up to him and his cameraman.

The man, also a native of Chile, insulted Bustamante and told him to 'stop lying.'

He subsequently blurted that he was infected with 'coronavirus' and proceeded to cough, sneeze and spit towards a shocked Bustamante and his Cronica TV crew member before he walked away.

A Chilean tourist visiting Argentina spit, sneezed and coughed on a Cronica TV reporter while filming a live television newscast segment from a bus station in Buenos Aires. The man, whose name was not released by authorities, claimed to be infected with coronavirus

Marcos Bustamante was forced to seek police assistance at a bus station in the Buenos Aires district of Retiro moments after a male tourist from Chile coughed and sneezed on him and a television camera man, and then told them he was infected with coronavirus

Bustamante could be heard in the background shouting for the police at the deserted bus station.

Cops patrolling the area later arrived and set up a section where they quarantined the man in a corner. It is unknown if he indeed was infected with the deadly virus.

The Argentine government has confirmed 65 cases and two people have died.

The virus has produced 7,476 deaths globally and affected 187,947 people.

The Argentine government has confirmed 65 coronavirus cases. At least two people have died

It is unknown of the Chilean was confirmed to be carrying the deadly coronavirus that has infected 65 people in Argentina and left two men dead

Guillermo Abel Gomez, 65, died March 7 after arriving in Argentina on February 25 after traveling to Paris.

Cesar Cotichelli, 61, was declared dead last Friday. The college professor returned to South American nation February 24 after vacationing in Egypt, Turkey and Germany

Argentina took further measures Monday in an attempt at controlling the pandemic by cancelling domestic flights as well as long distance train and bus service beginning Friday. Service is expected to resume March 25.
Marlene Alpaugh, 72, of Bensalem, Pa., right, helps her husband Richard Alpaugh, 73, walk out after voting in a Bucks County special election for a state House seat at Bensalem High School on March 17, 2020. Read more

As Marlene and Richard Alpaugh walked through the doors of Bensalem High School to cast their vote in Bucks Countys special election for a state legislative seat Tuesday, they pushed aside their worries of the coronavirus and focused on their civic duty.

This election is just too important not to vote, said Marlene Alpaugh, 72, who has lived in Bensalem for 33 years.

I cant say its more important than the virus, but I really want to see a Democrat take the seat, she added.

The Alpaughs were part of a steady stream of voters who flowed through the Bensalem polling place Tuesday, despite the fact that the coronavirus had prompted Gov. Tom Wolf to direct the closure of all nonessential businesses and public spaces.

Many who turned out were older voters, with some, like Richard Alpaugh, who is recovering from a stroke, using a cane. Older people are particularly at risk from the virus.

The uncertainty upended the race for the 18th state House District, which could help determine which party controls the lower chamber next year. Campaigns and outside groups spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the race. But the campaigns scaled back their get-out-the-vote operations as the public health crisis deepened. And it wasnt clear the election would even be held until Monday evening, when a judge rejected county officials request to postpone it.

A Democratic operative who has worked in Pennsylvania politics for two decades said the campaign was his weirdest experience to date.

The election was held to fill a vacancy left by Republican Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, who resigned to become a Bucks County commissioner. Campaigning to replace him were Republican K.C. Tomlinson, who runs a funeral home and is the daughter of a state senator, and Democrat Harold Hayes, a union plumber.

The Pennsylvania GOP declared a victory for Tomlinson about 10 p.m., and said its candidates had also won in two other special elections for state House districts elsewhere in the state. Democrats didnt dispute that, reiterating that the elections should have been postponed for public safety.

Its been brutal, Hayes said earlier Tuesday of campaigning amid the pandemic.

His campaign ramped up safety precautions, he said, using special equipment, providing hand sanitizer and clean pens to voters. He emphasized that despite the worries, it was safe for people to vote.

Precautions are in place, he said. And democracy continues.

Both candidates are expected to run again in November to win a full term. But the winner of the special election will have the benefit of incumbency. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district, and Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump there in 2016. But Republicans outperformed Democrats in Bensalem in local elections last year.

In campaign ads, a GOP group tied Hayes to Philadelphias liberal district attorney, Larry Krasner, and warned he would bring Phillys radical policies to Bensalem." Democrats ran television ads portraying Tomlinsons sweet life  riding a horse, growing up rich to a powerful father, and living on a country club.

Local officials said they were pleasantly surprised by turnout  though expectations were already low for a special election.

Turnout is a lot better than I anticipated, said Bensalem Township Council President Ed Kisselback, a Republican.

We have consistently had two to three voters walking in, said Kisselback, 71. Its been a constant flow.

Up until the last minute we were wondering if we would have to postpone, Kisselback said. Everything else is closed except for this.

Wolf, a Democrat, had hoped to postpone the election but was rebuffed by state House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny), who has the authority to set special elections.

That led Bucks County officials to file an emergency petition seeking an injunction to halt the election over fears of the coronavirus. Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey G. Trauger denied that request, saying he had no legal authority to do so.

On Tuesday, Democrats pointed to a 2017 report that Traugers judicial campaign that year was co-chaired by Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, whose daughter K.C. is the Republican nominee for the state House seat.

I think the judge had an obligation to disclose that, Bucks County Democratic Chairman John Cordisco said. And then upon that knowledge, I think the parties would have a right to ask him to recuse himself, based upon that information.

A message left with an assistant to Trauger was referred to Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Baldi. He said in an email that Trauger was assigned the emergency case five minutes before he heard it.

There is nothing that I am aware of about the Petition that asserted or suggested the relief requested by the Bucks County Board of Elections was politically motivated or was based on one party receiving an advantage over another, Baldi wrote.

Many voters interviewed Tuesday were happy that the election wasnt postponed.

Peggy Thullen, 76, said she weighed her options before ultimately deciding to come.

I hesitated all morning, Thullen said. But this only takes a few minutes, so I said why not?

Walter Smith, 62, said: I dont think it needed to be postponed. But why hold it in a school?

They wont let the kids come to school, but theyll let all these potentially sick people come through here, said Smith, a Democrat.

Those working at the polls took multiple precautions Tuesday, with volunteers wearing latex gloves, offering hand sanitizer, and wiping down voting stations.

Voters turned out, but numerous poll volunteers, who are frequently older residents, called out.

Joe Waters, 75, a Republican poll manager, said his grandchildren urged him not to volunteer.

Im in good health for an old man, he joked.

We need to come out and vote, Waters added. If you dont vote, then dont complain.
The world is dealing with the ways to tackle the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease Covid-19. But epicentre China, which has minimised the outbreak, seems to be dealing with a different problem.

Several news reports have emerged which quote Chinese marriage registry officials as saying that divorce rate has risen in the country because couples are spending too much time together during coronavirus self-isolation.

The divorce rate has soared compared to before, several publications have quoted Lu Shijun, the manager of a marriage registry in Dazhou in Sichuan Province of south-western China as saying.

Young people are spending a lot of time at home. They tend to get into heated arguments because of something petty and rush into getting a divorce, Lu further said.

He added that over 300 couples have scheduled appointments to get a divorce since February 24.

Wuhan, the city at the centre of Chinas coronavirus outbreak, recorded just one new case on Tuesday as officials said they believed the country was over the worst of the crisis. Another 20 cases were recorded around the country, including nine in Beijing. All were reported among people who arrived from overseas.

Beijing has told all those arriving in the city to mandatorily undergo 14 days of quarantine but has not closed its borders. Other Chinese cities have adopted similar measures, even as authorities work to restart industries that are key to global supply chains.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 182,000 people and killed more than 7,100 across the world.
NEW DELHI - A British citizen appeared at a public hospital in Indias capital with a cough, difficulty breathing and a private clinics referral for a coronavirus test. She was turned away.

Indian authorities said Tuesday they would not widen testing for the virus, as most affected nations are doing, despite criticism that limited testing could mask COVID-19 cases in the worlds second most populous country.

The World Health Organization has urged countries to test as many people as possible to curb the pandemic, but India has only been testing those who have travelled from affected countries or come in contact with a confirmed case and shown symptoms after two weeks of quarantine. On Tuesday it added health care workers with symptoms who are treating patients with severe respiratory illnesses.

But officials said the WHO guidance didnt apply in India because the spread of the disease has been less severe than elsewhere. Balaram Bharghava, who heads the Indian Council of Medical Research, Indias top medical research body, said the guidance was premature for India, where community transmission hadnt yet been detected.

Therefore it creates more fear, more paranoia and more hype, he said.

The British patient sent home from the hospital last week in New Delhi didnt fulfil Indias testing criteria.

The woman, who requested anonymity fearing business consequences for her employer, said she told hospital officials that she may have had contact with a coronavirus patient in her hospitality sector job, but couldnt be sure.

After trying and failing to be tested a second time, she left India this week for France, where her family lives, and which President Emmanuel Macron said Monday was at war with the virus, announcing extreme measures to curb it.

Indian authorities have justified their restrictions as a way to keep a deluge of people from demanding tests that would cost the government money it needs to combat other diseases such as tuberculosis, malnutrition and HIV/AIDs.

ICMR said there was no need to offer such testing more widely. However, authorities said theyre preparing for community spread by bolstering their lab testing infrastructure.

As a result of the stringent criteria, sick people with potential exposure to the new virus are being sent home, and some experts fear that Indias caseload could be much higher than government statistics indicate.

Bharghava said virus infections in India can still be traced back to people who travelled into the country from affected locales. He said if community transmission is detected, then testing protocols would be revised.

Authorities have confirmed 126 cases, most of which have been imported  linked to foreign travel or direct contact with someone who caught the disease abroad.

India is conducting only about 90 tests per day, despite having the capacity for as many as 8,000. So far, 11,500 people have been tested.

But concerns of so-far undetected communal spread are growing.

Given the pattern of disease in other places, and given our low level of testing, then I do think that community transmission is happening,  said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, the director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute.

WHO said while self-initiated isolation by people with mild symptoms remains the most important community intervention, testing of all suspected cases, symptomatic contacts of probable and confirmed cases, would still be needed.

We need to be geared to respond to the evolving situation with the aim to stop transmission of COVID-19 at the earliest to minimize the impact. ... We need to act now, said Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHOs director for the region that includes India.

More than 400 million of Indias 1.3 billion people live in crowded cities, including many without regular access to clean water, conditions that could allow the disease to spread rapidly.

Community spread is very likely. But the only way to know for sure is through more expansive testing, said Dr. Anant Bhan, a global health researcher in Bhopal, India.

The virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but severe illness is more likely in the elderly and people with existing health problems.

India has a lower proportion of elderly than other countries, but its health care facilities are limited and already cant accommodate the large number of patients with other diseases.

This along with our high population density can be our great challenge, said public health researcher Oommen Kurian.

India has been reluctant to expand testing, not wanting to trigger panic and overwhelm hospitals, but also because of the cost: While the tests are free for patients, each one costs the government about 5,000 rupees ($67).

In an already stretched and underfunded public health care system, money spent on the coronavirus leaves less for other public health problems.

The coronavirus may also be spreading in India because health officials have struggled to maintain quarantines, with people fleeing from isolation wards, complaining of filthy conditions.

In the central state of Maharashtra, five people, one of whom had tested negative and the rest who were awaiting test results, walked out of an isolation ward last Saturday.

India has implemented a 19th century epidemic law that empowers public officials to enforce more rigorous containment measures and impose penalties and punishments for escapes.

Lav Agarwal, a health ministry official, rued that authorities often dont get enough support from people.

Similarly, in neighbouring Sri Lanka, the government has ordered about 170 passengers who evaded airport screening after returning from several affected countries to report to police or face financial penalties and possible imprisonment.

Aditya Bhatnagar, an Indian university student who was studying in Spain, described unsanitary conditions at an isolation ward where he and 50 others passengers on a Barcelona flight have been kept since landing in New Delhi on Monday.

Bhatnagar said the rooms, shared by around eight people each, lacked basic hygiene features such as clean bed sheets and bathrooms. He said the group, awaiting their COVID-19 test results, was not provided with masks or sanitizer.

I dont think these measures would be enough to contain the pandemic, Bhatnagar said, adding that some passengers had opted to move from the wards and into private hotels, paying 4,000 rupees ($55) a night to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

___

Associated Press writers Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi and Bharatha Mallawarachi in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 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.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Mr Andrews told reporters new gas supplies would be reserved for Victorian households and businesses first. New licenses for extraction will be conditional on a first offer being made to the Victorian market. "Reserving Victorian gas for Victorian businesses and Victorian households makes sense and thats what these arrangements will also deliver," he said. Exploration and extraction will begin from the middle of 2021. "Theres no prospect of any project getting away before then." Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes said a royalty system already applied to gas and modelling indicated it could generate $43 million a year once the industry got started.

The announcement - made months before the moratorium expires on June 30 - comes at a critical time as the push to lift the supply of gas into both Victoria and New South Wales takes on greater urgency. Manufacturers have begun openly blaming a three-fold increase in the gas price as they close their doors while the national consumer watchdog has warned of a looming supply shortfall unless more local supply is brought into market. The Morrison government, meanwhile, has made increasing gas production a condition for states to receive multibillion-dollar energy funding deals. Ben Davis, state secretary of the Australian Workers Union, on Tuesday said the state's conventional gas drilling moratorium should never have been imposed in the first place, and its removal was "well overdue". "It's a known technology and a safe technology, so I'm really heartened by the government's announcement today," he said. The decision would bring desperately needed new gas into the southern states of Victoria and NSW, Mr Davis said, and help offset the looming supply shortfall feared in the coming years as gas output from ExxonMobil and BHP's Bass Strait gas fields rapidly declines.

He said the revival of conventional gas drilling would lead to the expansion of new jobs in the gas industry and would offer reprieve for manufacturers who were struggling to stay afloat due to gas prices of up to $10-$12 a gigajoule, three times above historic levels. Loading "It offers light at the end of the tunnel for manufacturers who have been considering their options now for a year or two, to get more supply into the market so manufacturers can pay less for gas than the current unsustainably high prices," Mr Davis said. It comes after government geological surveys have identified "potentially significant" onshore conventional gas resources particularly in the Otway Basin, which stretches across the border to South Australia. Production of Victoria's estimated resources could generate more than $310 million annually for regional economies and create 6400 jobs, according to the state government. Environment Victoria chief executive Jono La Nauze warned that lifting the gas ban would make climate change worse and expose Victorians to greater risks of fires, heatwaves and drought.

"It is critical the Premier come clean with Victorians on how he plans to reduce Victoria's greenhouse emissions in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees," Mr La Nauze said. Scientific studies into the presence of onshore gas reserves have focused on the west of the Otway Ranges and also onshore in Gippsland. South Gippsland farmer Fergus O'Conner, a beef cattle producer and member of Farmers for Climate Action, said it was essential to look after agricultural land and not put it at risk with gas extraction. You wonder why the government has a community consultation period, when they do what they want anyway," Mr O'Conner said. "They ought to be held accountable." Lead Scientist Amanda Caples said research had shown there could be up to 830 petajoules in both the west Otways and Gippsland. Companies that wanted to drill for gas on private land would have to strike agreements with landholders, she said.
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While Donald Trump tried to change his tone on Monday, MSNBCs Rachel Maddow pointed out that the federal government still doesnt have a national plan for how to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

The MSNBC host trashed a new set of guidelines released by the White House on Monday, saying it looks like it was thrown together in five minutes.

The White House today released this sort of ad hoc, photo copied, Microsoft Word list of what theyre calling the presidents coronavirus guidelines for America, Maddow said. Its not clear if this is now meant to be the national plan, and who wrote this in a spare five minutes today.

Video:

Maddow blasts the Trump administration for *still* not having a federal standard for fighting the coronavirus outbreak. #ctl #p2 #maddow pic.twitter.com/5Bzsg1SP9N  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 17, 2020

Maddow said:

There is no federal standard for what states should do and for what cities should do, and there hasnt been from the beginning, and so the American response to this catastrophe lurches along, inching toward some national standard some day of what were going to do and how were going to do it. But we really are  policy-wise and in terms of the way we are dealing with this as a public health matter  were a blob inching along right now, sort of finding ways forward without clear direction. There is a clearer view now than there was two or three days ago in terms of what measures were going to be tried in the United States. But its still ad hoc. Today, oddly, Im not sure they meant to roll it out this way, but the White House today released this sort of ad hoc, photo copied, Microsoft Word list of what theyre calling the presidents coronavirus guidelines for America. Its like a list of ideas attributed to the president. Its like a weird word processing document with a bunch of different kinds of bullet points and asterisks and notes and pieces of advice  things that do seem helpful, but its not clear if this is now meant to be the national plan, and who wrote this in a spare five minutes today.

State and local governments are going it alone

The good news in all of this  if theres any to be found  is that state and local governments have come to the realization that the federal government, led by an incompetent president, is asleep at the wheel.

So instead of waiting on the White House for some type of clear national policy to combat this global pandemic, they are going it alone.

From coast to coast, governors in both parties are taking steps to protect their people by closing schools and shutting down various types of establishments where large numbers of people gather.

But as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said earlier today, theres only so much state and local governments can do to fill in the gaping holes left behind by this flailing administration.

When it comes to ramping up testing and increasing the number of hospital beds in places that are most likely to be impacted by this outbreak, the federal government will need to step in.

A change in tone by the president on Monday was not enough. The administration still has yet to release a concrete national plan to fight this pandemic.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter
Fourteen men and women, contestants in Big Brother Germany, will be among the last people in the world to learn about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has infected over 1,80,000 people across the world. The contestants have been accidentally involved in a quarantine situation since February 10, and will be told about the pandemic that has brought public life to a standstill in Germany in a special live show on Tuesday.

The shows rules forbid contact with the outside world, and the network behind it has so far neglected to inform them about the virus, and the potentially risky environment that they are living in. After a social media uproar, the network Sat 1 announced that it would inform the contestants about the virus, and allow them to ask questions, if they have any.

The network said that it had taken special hygienic measures to protect the contestants, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, hasnt detailed what these measures were. There have been more than 7000 cases of the coronavirus in Germany, with 17 deaths. Chancellor Angela Merkel has closed clubs, bars, leisure facilities, zoos and playgrounds. Sat 1 has said that none of the contestants has tested positive for the virus, which has infected celebrities such as Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko and actor Idris Elba.

Contestants of Big Brother Canada were only recently made aware of the situation, while the BBC says that Big Brother Brazil contestants are also in the dark.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The National Teaching Council (NTC) has postponed the Teacher Licensure Examinations for March 2020 in accordance with the Presidents directive for suspension of all mass gatherings following the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

A statement from the Council said a new date will be communicated hopefully after four weeks.

Meanwhile, all applicants have been advised to keep their vouchers and other particulars in a safe condition for use when the appropriate time is due.

Following the emergency measures announced by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana on the 15th of March 2020, regarding the spread of COVID-19, the National Teaching Council (NTC) hereby announces the postponement of the March 2020 edition of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), A new date will be communicated as soon as appropriate (hopefully after 4 weeks).

After, the announcement that six people in the country have as of Sunday, March 15, 2020, been infected with the coronavirus, stringent measures have been instituted by the government, including restrictions on all public gatherings and closure of basic, secondary and tertiary schools.

Aside from the ban on conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, religious activities, and other related events, President Akufo-Addo in his late Sunday broadcast announced that he had instructed the Health Minister and the Attorney General to work in tandem and submit emergency legislation to Parliament in accordance with Article 21 (4) (c) and (d) of the Constitution. COVID-19: Government seeks law to punish flouters of public gathering ban

Following the confirmation that six people in the country have as of Sunday, March 15, 2020, been infected with the coronavirus, stringent measures have been instituted by the government, including restrictions on all public gatherings and closure of basic, secondary and tertiary schools .

Aside from the ban on conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, religious activities, and other related events, President Akufo-Addo in his late Sunday broadcast announced that he had instructed the Health Minister and the Attorney General to work in tandem and submit emergency legislation to Parliament in accordance with Article 21 (4) (c) and (d) of the Constitution.

The government through the Attorney General is set to seek parliamentary approval for emergency legislation that will stipulate punishment for groups or persons who go contrary to the national ban on mass gathering following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana.

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, justified the cancellation of some public activities, saying the move is to avert a higher rate of infection among the citizens.

For the large social gathering, we want to ensure that, people desist from such gatherings and back it with the legal functions. That is why the Attorney General is going to Parliament to request legal sanctions for persons who do not observe these functions. The consideration of the President is that it is better to take the pinch now for the next 14 to 21 days and prevent the spread than allow it to escalate and prevent community spread that will lead to a lockdown of the society.

The learning from other parts of the world is that countries that delay in halting mass gatherings have a very high risk of escalating the spread of the virus in a very short time. The major challenge in this pandemic is community spread. So we have to be able to isolate the few imported cases quickly and ensure that, they dont interact with the general population. But, if we delay in opening a down on major public gathering and allow the population to interact over and over again. In about 14 days after the first case, we will be getting about 300 or 500 cases, he added.

Five of the six cases were recorded in Accra with one recorded in the Ashanti Region.

Having been in contact with about 151 people, all the patients have been isolated and are receiving treatment.

The cases were imported. There is yet to be any case of the virus being contracted from another person within the country but experts warn that not observing proper hygiene could lead to such a case.

citinewsroom
The number of the novel coronavirus cases went up to 125 in India on Tuesday even as new patients and deaths due to Covid-19 were reported across the globe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on all countries to ramp up their testing programs as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic.

We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva.

US health officials said Monday that the first human trial to evaluate a candidate vaccine against the new coronavirus has begun in Seattle, raising hopes in the global fight against the disease.

But it may be another year to 18 months before it becomes available, once it has passed more trial phases to prove it works and is safe.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments against the coronavirus disease, known as Covid-19, which has infected more than 175,000 people across the world since it was first identified in China in late December.

Here is the latest on the novel coronavirus in India and the world:

* UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait added to the list of high-risk countries requiring compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days

* India prohibits the travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom with effect from March 18.

* Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India also prohibited with immediate effect. No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 3pm India time. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

* Centre advised closure of gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres

* People also advised practising social distancing

* Restaurants to ensure handwashing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces. A minimum one-metre gap between tables and encourage open-air seating

World:

* Four new additions from the African region [2], European region [1] and region of the Americas [1]

* Cases from China no longer documented separately by WHO, as the total number of cases and deaths outside China has overtaken the total number of cases in that country

* Globally: 167,511 confirmed with 13,903 new cases; 6606 deaths and 862 new ones

* China: 81,077 confirmed cases (29 new) and 3218 deaths (14 new)

* Outside of China: 86,434 confirmed (13,874 new) 3388 deaths (848 new) in 151 countries
Almost all school districts in the Greater Houston area will extend their campus closures until at least April 10 after originally saying they would remain closed for one to two weeks.

The announcements from individual districts Monday came hours after Gov. Greg Abbott waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year, and after the U.S. Centers for Disease control recommended limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people.

In a statement on his office website, the governor also said he is calling on the U.S. Department of Education to waive federal testing requirements for this school year.

Abbott said he is working with the Texas Education Agency to ensure students still receive instruction and that students with disabilities have the same access to education as their peers.

More for you These essential businesses can stay open amid stay-at-home

Locally, all superintendents in the TEAs Region IV, which encompasses most of greater Houston, said they decided to keep schools closed until after Easter and that they would evaluate whether to reopen them on April 6.

Elizabeth Celania-Fagen, superintendent of Humble ISD, said the extended closures will allow the state to test more people and, with that data, better know how the virus is spreading and what actions need to be taken.

Its definitely evolving every day, but health experts have been pretty clear that four weeks is far more helpful than two, Fagen said. We need more time to collect more data, and we need to give our healthcare systems more time.

With schools across the state in limbo, state officials canceled Texas high stakes standardized testing, which was slated to begin in April. Traditionally, students in grades 5, 8 and 12 must pass certain state-issued exams to advance to the next grade level or graduate, though some still can move on if given approval by a district committee.

However, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a conference call with education and government officials on Monday that the state delegate decisions around grade level promotion and graduation requirements to each district, the Houston Chronicle has learned.

Morath said he and educators across the state remain concerned that school closures related to COVID-19 will impact students academic growth. To that end, Morath said the TEA will make available free tools to diagnose student learning.

TEA officials said they are looking for ways that schools could administer the STAAR test if any local district leaders decide they want students to take it. That decision would be up to individual districts.

The STAAR announcement was the first bit of good news Aldine ISD Superintendent LaTonya Goffney had heard in days.

More Information The following Houston-area school districts will be closed until at least April 10, unless otherwise noted: Aldine ISD Alief ISD Alvin ISD Channelview ISD Clear Creek ISD Conroe ISD Crosby ISD Cy-Fair ISD Dickinson ISD Fort Bend ISD Friendswood ISD Galena Park ISD Goose Creek CISD Houston ISD Huffman ISD Humble ISD Katy ISD Klein ISD Lamar CISD La Porte ISD Magnolia ISD Montgomery ISD New Caney ISD (until April 20) Pasadena ISD Pearland ISD Santa Fe ISD Spring ISD Spring Branch ISD Sheldon ISD Stafford MSD Tomball ISD Waller ISD Willis ISD See More Collapse

I was just relieved and could actually breathe once the announcement was made, Goffney said. Regardless of whats happening, were always worried and concerned about our students performing, but what this enabled us to be able to do is to take care of our students needs and our communitys needs. I was grateful.

In Aldine, Humble and elsewhere, school districts are turning toward online instruction to try to keep students progressing. While some families lack access to internet, companies like Comcast are offering several weeks of free internet to lower-income households, and education leaders hope that will mean more of their students will be able to access video lessons and worksheets online. For those who cannot get access to the internet, schools are working to make paper packets available to students.

Almost every local district also began curbside meal distributions on Monday because many of their students rely on free and reduced meals as their sole source of nutrition during the day. Aldine ISDs 22 sites, for example, served a few hundred people breakfast and about 2,500 lunches. Officials expect that number to grow once more families learn of the service.

Goffney said not worrying about STAAR preparation and administration will allow her team to focus more on those aspects of their response to COVID-19. Abbott said that was the purpose of the waiver  to emphasize public health over other priorities as the virus continues to spread.

Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families, Abbott said. We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19.

Greg Smith, superintendent of Clear Creek ISD, said he knows all the upheaval and extended closures will be difficult for families. Still, he said, there is hope.

Before you know it our schools and our school halls will be bustling with children, and I for one cannot wait, Smith said. Until then, lets take care of each other.

Reporter Jacob Carpenter contributed to this story.

shelby.webb@chron.com
Germany Relaxes Tax Payment Rules

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

17 March 2020

On March 13, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance announced the relaxation of certain tax payment requirements as part of a package of measures designed to ease the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus.

Three tax relief measures are included in the plan to help improve corporate liquidity. These are:

Tax authorities will be given greater latitude to defer tax debts;

Enforcement measures and late payment penalties will be waived for companies directly affected by the coronavirus until December 31, 2020; and

Companies will be able to adjust advance tax payments more easily if their profits have been affected by the virus.

In addition, according to an outline of the relief measures issued jointly by the Finance Ministry and the Economy Ministry, the Directorate General of Customs has been instructed to "accommodate taxpayers in an appropriate manner" for the taxes that it administers and enforces. These include energy taxes and the air passenger tax, among others.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - The Yield Growth Corp. (CSE: BOSS) (OTCQB: BOSQF) (FSE: YG3) ("Yield Growth")is pleased to announce its brand Urban Juve will launch new hand care products to reflect increased demand for self care products as a result of the pandemic COVID-19 (coronavirus).





Yield Growth Corp. (CSE: BOSS) (OTCQB: BOSQF) (FSE: YG3)



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6377/53512_pr_web_march%2016_yieldsite.jpg

Urban Juve products to be launched include hand sanitizer, hand moisturizer and hand cleanser.

According to Grand View research, the global hand care market size was valued at USD $12.4 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2019 to 2025. This estimate was made before the coronavirus outbreak and the growth rate could be much higher as education about the importance of hand washing and moisturizing grows. Data from Adobe Analytics showed that demand for hand sanitizers in the U.S. spiked by 1,400% between December 2019 and January 2020.

Urban Juve has built a distribution platform for its products which extends to Europe, North America and South America. It plans to launch its new hand care products in countries in all 3 continents by the end of 2020, beginning with Canada and the U.S.

Medical News Today states that, "hand washing is one of the most powerful ways to slow the spread of infectious diseases, but that overuse of soaps and hand sanitizers can cause the skin to dry out and crack." Moisturizing hands after washing can combat dryness which can make hands susceptible to infection. Dr. Zainab Laftah, a dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, recommends the use of a regular moisturizer and either of the following two options:

Wash with soap or with moisturizer and water, then moisturize. Use an alcohol-based hand gel and then moisturize afterward.

Urban Juve's luxurious, therapeutic, and botanically-infused skin products help to soothe and deeply moisturize the skin. Ancient Ayurvedic rituals for skin healing used powerful herbs and oils to replenish and restore the skin's natural pH balance.

"Skin is the largest organ of our body. It is our first line of defence against infections as it absorbs every pollutant from air, water, food and environment," says Yield Growth CEO Penny White. "Using the right products can feed skin the essential nutrients to support the immune system and fight harmful substances and germs that enter the body."

Urban Juve uses essential oils in its moisturizers because they have been well studied for their antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. This makes them an excellent option to use when applying to the skin (hands) to help prevent the spread of harmful pathogens naturally. Because essential oils are so potent, they can be used to help kill harmful microbes, but in a way that is much safer for the body and the planet.

"We are dedicated to bringing these botanical hand formulas backed with the science of Ayurveda to support the ultimate journey of health and wellness," says Urban Juve's Director of Product Development Bhavna Solecki. "Our formulas take inspiration from the ancient Indian texts that define the Ayurvedic elixirs to create products that provide protection from environmental pollutants."

About The Yield Growth Corp.

The Yield Growth Corp. is a health and beauty consumer packaged goods company selling plant-based products with over 200 proprietary beauty, wellness, edibles and beverage formulas at various stages of commercialization. Its products are sold through e-commerce worldwide and retail stores in 3 countries with distribution agreements in place for 12 more countries. It conducts research for plant-based therapeutics and has 13 patent applications filed in what the Global Wellness Institute reports is a $4.2 trillion-dollar global wellness market. It owns the skin care brand Urban Juve, which has been featured in UK Vogue and Elle Canada, and it owns cannabis brands Wright & Well and Jack n Jane. Its majority owned subsidiary Flourish Mushroom Labs is launching a line of medicinal mushroom products and developing a business in the emerging market of psychedelic medicine. The Yield Growth management team has deep experience with global brands including Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Skechers and Aritzia. Yield Growth earns revenue through multiple streams including licensing, services and product sales.

For more information about Yield Growth, visit www.yieldgrowth.com or follow @yieldgrowth on Instagram. Visit www.urbanjuve.com and findyourjuve across social platforms to learn, engage and shop.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Penny White, President & CEO

Kristina Pillon, Investor Relations

invest@yieldgrowth.com

1-833-514-BOSS 1-833-514-2677

1-833-515-BOSS 1-833-515-2677

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking information and statements (collectively, "forward looking statements") under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates, forecasts, beliefs and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to: risks related to the development, testing, licensing, brand development, availability of packaging, intellectual property protection, reduced global commerce and reduced access to raw materials and other supplies do to the spread of the Coronavirus, the potential for not acquiring any rights as a result of the patent application and any products making use of the intellectual property may be ineffective or the company may be unsuccessful in commercializing them; and other approvals will be required before commercial exploitation of the intellectual property can happen. The laws around cultivating, selling and using psychedelic mushrooms would need to change in most jurisdictions in order for the use of psychedelic products to be legal and sale of, and demand for, Urban Juve, Wright & Well, Flourish Mushroom Labs, Jack n Jane and UJ Beverages products, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals where applicable, and the state of the capital markets. Yield Growth cautions readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements provided by Yield Growth, as such forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future results or performance and actual results may differ materially. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Yield Growth expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53512
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines lifted a deadline for thousands of foreign travellers to leave the northern third of the country, including the capital, after quarantining the region due to an increase in coronavirus infections, officials said Wednesday.

The monthlong quarantine declared by President Rodrigo Duterte requires people to stay mostly at home and restricts land, air and sea travel on Luzon, the main island in the archipelago of more than 100 million people. The restrictions caused confusion and traffic jams, and the suspension of public transport stranded many health workers and emergency personnel.

Philippine officials initially asked foreign travellers, including tourists, to leave Luzon within 72 hours because all flights from the region would eventually be suspended. An inter-agency group dealing with the health crisis, however, said the deadline had been lifted and foreigners could leave Luzon anytime.

We dont want to give them pressure because itll be more difficult for them, so we opened up, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles told a late-evening news conference.

Foreign travellers in Luzon may face limited options for staying as mass transportation is suspended and more businesses decide to close. Some airlines have cancelled international flights, complicating the problems of outbound travellers.

A medical student from India, Abhishek Mishari, said he and dozens of fellow Indians wanted to go home but could not because of virus-related restrictions in India. Were just stuck here ... we are just afraid of the coronavirus spreading over here, he said outside Manilas international airport.

The Philippines has reported 202 infections and 17 deaths from the virus that causes COVID-19.

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.

The drastic moves announced by Duterte on Monday night caught many by surprise.

Only one member of a family can leave home to buy food, officials said, but many establishments were closed and long lines of people waited in front of supermarkets in metropolitan Manila.

Aside from the containment effort, Duterte declared all of the Philippines in a state of calamity for six months to allow a faster release of emergency funds.

___

Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila, Kiko Rosario in Bangkok and Nini Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia 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.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Citing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., advocacy groups asked a federal court on Monday to order the Trump administration to release a group of sick and elderly immigrants from a detention center in the Seattle area, an epicenter of America's current health crisis.

In their lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project demanded the immediate release of nine immigrants currently detained at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Tacoma, Washington. Citing guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the advocates said the detainees are especially susceptible to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, because of their underlying medical conditions and age.

If they contract the virus, the suit said, the immigrants are at "high risk for severe illness or death."

"It's a disaster waiting to happen," Eunice Cho, an ACLU attorney who specializes in detention matters, told CBS News. "Immigration detention centers are closed environments, just like the cruise ships, just like the nursing homes that were the site of some of the deadliest exposures to COVID-19."

The nine detained immigrants named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit suffer from chronic health conditions, ranging from heart, liver and kidney diseases, to epilepsy and a spinal cord injury. They include a Jamaican woman with an autoimmune liver disease, a Salvadoran man confined to a wheelchair who requires a colonoscopy bag and catheter, a 65-year-old Mexican woman who suffers from heart disease and hypertension and a Mexican man who survived a heart attack.

ICE Detention Center

A detainee worker at an ICE detention center in Tacoma, Washington, on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019. Ted S. Warren / AP

According to the CDC, older adults and those with underlying medical conditions like heart, lung and liver diseases and diabetes are at "increased risk" of "severe illness" if infected by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 6,700 people around the globe, including 86 in the U.S.

Story continues

The advocacy groups also underscored the Tacoma detention center's location in the Seattle metropolitan area, one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak. Thirty-seven people have died in neighboring King County, and 25 of those deaths have been linked to a nursing home in the city of Kirkland.

Cho, the ACLU attorney, said conditions in immigrant detention centers are even more conducive to the spread of viruses. "The only known way to prevent transmission of COVID-19, to protect the people who are most vulnerable in our society, is to employ social distancing and hygiene practices. Those two strategies are virtually unavailable to our plaintiffs," she said.

The lawsuit on Monday comes after ICE faces growing calls to downsize its detainee population to mitigate the risk of the virus spreading inside detention facilities, which were holding more than 38,000 immigrants as of last week. Democratic lawmakers, advocacy groups and attorneys have urged ICE to release immigrants with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, elderly detainees and those seeking humanitarian protections and who don't pose a threat to public safety.

Matt Adams, legal director of the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project, said Monday's lawsuit could pave the way for ICE to release some of these detainees.

"If we can go in and get an order clarifying that the federal government indeed has the responsibility to secure the safety of those who are at high risk  and that the only meaningful way to secure their safety is to release them  then we would expect that they would comply with that, not just with these nine individuals, but all of the others who are detained there," Adams told CBS News.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday's lawsuit.

In response to the pandemic, ICE said it has implemented plans to screen new detainees and isolate those with symptoms related to COVID-19. The agency has also temporarily suspended visits by family members and friends at detention centers. As of Friday, ICE said there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases among its tens of thousands of detainees. A staffer at an ICE detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, however, is currently being tested for the virus after indicating she was "not feeling well."

Adams said the measures ICE has takes are "insufficient" and will be ineffective unless the agency takes more drastic steps to downsize its detainee population.

"What you have is exactly what the CDC is warning you shouldn't have: you have hundreds of people who are being held together in close quarters, who are in constant contact with guards, with staff workers and new individuals who are being detained," he added. "You have the perfect feeding ground for this virus."

CBS News correspondent Seth Doane tests positive for coronavirus

Human testing for coronavirus vaccine begins in Seattle

White House coronavirus response coordinator on new guidelines
MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tris Pharma, Inc. ("Tris"), a specialty pharmaceutical company with a robust portfolio of approved products for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and related disorders, amidst the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, reiterated its commitment to the ADHD community by assuring ADHD patients, caregivers and health care professionals of the continuity of supply of its family of ADHD products. Specifically, Tris reminded the ADHD community that:

Quillivant XR (methylphenidate HCl), QuilliChew ER (methylphenidate HCl) and Dyanavel XR (amphetamine) are manufactured and packaged in the United States and;

and; No shortages for components of our branded ADHD medications which are sourced from China or other countries affected by the COVID-19

Additionally, Tris is proactively addressing the maintenance and potential increase of product availability by:

Increasing the production of our branded products and maintaining larger safety stocks in our inventory

Requesting the wholesalers to increase their stocking of our medications at regional distribution centers

"We are honored to be entrusted with providing the highest quality prescription ADHD medications to our many patients affected by ADHD," said Ketan Mehta, Chief Executive Officer of Tris Pharma. "We will continue to monitor the ever-changing pandemic environment and will adjust as necessary to meet the needs of our patients and their health care professionals."

Quillivant XR, QuilliChew ER, and Dyanavel XR are approved for treatment of ADHD in people 6 years and older. See products' Approved Use and Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning about Abuse and Dependence, below.

About Tris Pharma

Tris Pharma is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines that address unmet patient needs. Tris has pioneered the delivery of long-acting liquid, chewable, orally-disintegrating, and film strip dosage forms that can accommodate the unique needs of a wide variety of patients. Tris' fully integrated research, manufacturing, medical and commercial facilities are located in Central New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.trispharma.com

APPROVED USE

Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER are central nervous system (CNS) stimulant prescription medicines used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people 6 years and older. These medicines may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in people with ADHD.

It is not known if Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER are safe and effective in children under 6 years of age.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER are federally controlled substances (CII) because they can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep these medicines in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away these medicines may harm others and is against the law. Tell your doctor if you, your child, or any family members have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.

Dyanavel XR, or Quillivant XR and QuilliChew ER, should not be taken if you or your child are allergic to amphetamine or methylphenidate hydrochloride, respectively, or any of the ingredients in these medicines, or are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI.

Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER can cause serious side effects. Tell the doctor:

if you or your child have heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems. This is important because sudden death has occurred in children 6 to 17 years old with heart problems or defects, and sudden death, stroke, and heart attack have happened in adults. Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting any of these medicines. Since increases in blood pressure and heart rate may occur, the doctor should regularly check these during treatment. Call the doctor right away if you or your child have any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking any of these medicines.

if you or your child have mental problems, or a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression. This is important because new or worsening behavior and thought problems or bipolar illness may occur. New symptoms such as seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not true, being suspicious, or having new manic symptoms may occur. Call the doctor right away if there are any new or worsening mental symptoms during treatment .

. if you or your child have circulation problems in fingers and toes (called peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud's phenomenon). Fingers or toes may feel numb, cool, painful, sensitive to temperature, and/or change color from pale, to blue, to red. Call the doctor right away if any signs of unexplained wounds appear on fingers or toes while taking Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, or QuilliChew ER.

if your child is having slowing of growth (height and weight); Your child should have his or her height and weight checked often while taking Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, or QuilliChew ER.

if you or your child develop painful and prolonged erections (priapism), seek medical help right away. Priapism has occurred with methylphenidate (Quillivant XR and QuilliChew ER). Because priapism can cause long-lasting damage, it should be checked by a doctor right away.

if you or your child have symptoms of serotonin syndrome - agitation, hallucinations, coma, or other changes in mental status; fast heartbeat; sweating or fever; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; high or low blood pressure; problems controlling movements or muscle twitching; muscle stiffness or tightness. Serotonin syndrome may occur when Dyanavel XR is taken with certain other medicines and may be life-threatening. Stop Dyanavel XR and call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

if you or your child have phenylketonuria (PKU). QuilliChew ER contains phenylalanine as part of the artificial sweetener, aspartame. The artificial sweetener may be harmful to people with PKU or who are allergic to phenylalanine.

if you or your child are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, or QuilliChew ER will harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you or your child become pregnant during treatment with any of these medicines.

if you or your child is breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER pass into breast milk. You or your child should not breastfeed while you are taking any of these medicines.

Common side effects of amphetamine products include:

dry mouth stomach pain extreme mood changes decreased appetite nausea dizziness weight loss trouble sleeping increased heart rate

restlessness



Common side effects of methylphenidate products include:

decreased appetite

trouble sleeping

nausea

vomiting

indigestion

stomach pain

weight loss

anxiety

dizziness

irritability

mood swings

fast heart beat

increased blood pressure

Talk to your doctor if you or your child have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, or QuilliChew ER.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

See Medication Guide and Full Prescribing Information for Dyanavel XR, Quillivant XR, and QuilliChew ER, including Boxed Warning about Abuse and Dependence.

SOURCE Tris Pharma, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.trispharma.com


When this emergency is over, people are likely to emerge into fundamentally changed cities, with economies in crisis and beloved restaurants, businesses and cultural institutions gone for good. We all need to be worried about the corner diner and the new coffee shop and the bodega and the small nonprofit organizations, said Eric Klinenberg, a sociology professor at New York University and the author of Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. Theres just countless operations that are vulnerable right now because everyone is pulling in.

New York City is launching a loan program for small businesses, and hopefully state and federal governments will follow with more substantial rescue packages. But Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services, told me, Theres probably going to be some businesses that may not be able to recover from this.

I wonder if our cultural romance with urban living will recover either. In recent decades, millennials, who tend to be more averse to suburbia than their parents and grandparents, have helped fuel an urban resurgence. If the shock of the coronavirus is devastating enough, that could change, as more people seek their own personal bunkers.

We have lots of previous historical experiences that generated new anxiety about the city and pushed people out into the suburbs, said Klinenberg. There was a post-World War II anxiety about nuclear war that gave some people the fantasy that the suburb would be a safer place. Before that there were anxieties about infectious diseases, or public health hazards like cholera, that pushed people out of the city as well.

Klinenberg is far from convinced that this will happen again. What I hope for is that this rising generation learns to appreciate just how deeply connected we are to each other, just how valuable it is to invest in public goods, and how precious and important shared experiences in public spaces are, he said.

I hope so too. Maybe when this ends, people will pour into the restaurants and bars like a wars been won, and cities will flourish as people rush to rebuild their ruined social architecture. But for now its chilling to witness an entire way of life coming to a sudden horrible halt. So many of the pleasures and consolations that make dwelling in cramped quarters worth it, for those privileged enough to choose city life, have disappeared. Even if they all come back, well always know theyre not permanent.
LONDON  A jury in Britain on Tuesday convicted the brother of a suicide bomber who killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017, finding him guilty on all 22 counts of murder for his role in planning and executing the attack.

The man, Hashem Abedi, was the brother of Salman Abedi, the man who detonated a vest laden with explosives, killing children, teenagers, and parents waiting to pick them up after Ms. Grandes concert at Manchester Arena in northwestern England. More than 235 people were injured in the bombing, one of Britains worst recent terrorist attacks, and hundreds of others suffered psychological damage.

The jury took four and a half hours to find Hashem Abedi guilty on all of the murder charges, along with one count of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy to cause an explosion. A murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence, prosecutors said.

Hashem Abedi encouraged and helped his brother knowing that Salman Abedi planned to commit an atrocity, Max Hill, director of public prosecutions, said in a statement. He has blood on his hands even if he didnt detonate the bomb.
Warner Bros Pictures has delayed the production on "The Matrix 4" as concerns over the coronavirus pandemic continue to rise.

The film was in production since February, and moved from San Francisco to Berlin, where the team was preparing to shoot this week.

According to Variety, the production company decided to indefinitely delay further filming after US president Donald Trump banned travel to and from Europe.

It is still unclear when the shoot is going to resume and if they delay will impact the scheduled 2021 release.

Actors Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will be reprising their roles in the film, while Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Neil Patrick Harris are new additions to the cast.

Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell has co-written the script with Lana Wachowski, who will also direct the movie.

The number of deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 175,530 cases in 145 countries.

The virus, which originated in China's Wuhan city, was declared pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO) last week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You get a big refund. You're thrilled. The tax preparer says because he helped you get such a big refund, he'll take 15 percent of it as part of his fee. You sign the return. You look at his signature line that only includes a business label. At least it's not blank, right? Wrong. Below are common signs your tax preparer is a fraud.

Claims they are endorsed by the IRS  The Internal Revenue Service does not endorse tax preparers. It only recognizes certain credentials  certified public accountants (CPAs) , enrolled agents or attorneys . They have unlimited representation rights before the IRS. Some states have additional standards for other tax preparers. For example, California requires unlicensed tax preparers to complete tax courses and register with California Tax Education Council (CTEC) .

Doesn't have a PTIN  Anyone who prepares federal tax returns for a fee is required by the IRS to have an individual Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) and include it on federal returns.

Signs with a label or as "self prepared"  Paid tax preparers are required to sign your returns. Beware it they sign it "self prepared" or use a business label.

Takes a percentage of your refund as payment  Beware of tax preparers who base their fee on a percentage of your refund or claim they can obtain larger refunds than competitors. The fee should be based on the complexity of your return, not your refund.

Suggests you direct deposit your refund to an outside account  Questionable tax preparers may tell you it is more convenient; however, it is one of the most common ways scammers steal refunds. Your refund should always go directly to you.

CTEC is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1997 by the California State Legislature to protect taxpayers against fraud. Visit ctec.org.

SOURCE California Tax Education Council (CTEC)

Related Links

https://www.ctec.org


EOS imaging system allows full body, stereo-radiographic images of patients. The system is designed around a vertically traveling arm supporting two image acquisition systems mounted at right angles. Each acquisition system is composed of an X-ray tube and a linear detector.

An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves that echo off the body to create pictures of desired location. Nuclear imaging uses low doses of radioactive substances linked to compounds used by the bodys cells or compounds that attach to tumour cells. PET and SPECT scanners are two major instruments used during nuclear imaging.

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Statistics:

The global orthopedic imaging market is estimated to account for US$ 13,061.1 Mn in terms of value by the end of 2027.

Global Orthopedic Imaging Market: Drivers

Increasing demand for three-dimensional (3D) medical imaging equipment is expected to boost growth of the global orthopedic imaging market over the forecast period. A number of medical imaging modalities are currently enabling 3D visualization with accuracy and rapid diagnoses. Advancements in 3D imaging have led to development in computer-assisted detection (CAD) and image analysis applications. Moreover, surgeons are using 3D imaging to plan surgeries, which has led to increased application of these systems.

Global Orthopedic Imaging Market: Opportunities

Increasing adoption of dual modality imaging technique or hybrid imaging is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for players in the market. The adoption of hybrid imaging consisting of positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray transmission computed tomography (CT) scan is increasing globally. This advanced technology shortens acquisition time and provide accurate attenuation correction and fusion imaging leading to increase in diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Global Orthopedic Imaging Market: Restraints

Inadequate imaging infrastructure in developing and underdeveloped economies is also expected to limit growth of the market. Several developing and underdeveloped nations lack adequate imaging infrastructure useful to conduct test and technology implementation compared to the U.S. and other developed nation. Moreover, high cost involved in the initial set up and installation of imaging equipment and broadband technology in remote locations is one of the factors that could hamper growth of the global orthopedic imaging market.

Browse Press Release: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/press-release/orthopedic-imaging-market-2855

Key Takeaways:

The X-Ray System segment in the global orthopedic imaging market was valued at US$ 2,526.8 Mn in 2019 and is expected to reach US$ 3,505.2 Mn by 2027 at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period. Increasing demand for three-dimensional (3D) medical imaging equipment is expected to boost growth of the segment over the forecast period.

The Acute injuries segment held dominant position in the global orthopedic imaging market in 2019, accounting for 55.5% share in terms of value, followed by chronic diseases. Increasing prevalence of orthopedic diseases and bone injuries is expected to propel growth of the segment over the forecast period.

Market Trends

The market for major diagnostic imaging modalities including conventional X-ray systems, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and nuclear medicine imaging (PET and SPECT) is reaching maturity in major countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. This signifies that much of the future demand in these imaging segments will be for replacement purpose.

The market is witnessing rapid integration of AI in imaging systems. For instance, in February 2020, Sutter Health implemented artificial intelligence technology to analyze imaging data and physicians notes to improve the care quality and outcomes in diagnostic imaging of Sacramento, a U.S.-based health system.

Global Orthopedic Imaging Market: Competitive Landscape

Major players operating in the global orthopedic imaging market include, GE Healthcare, Siemens AG, Esaote SpA, Hitachi Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Planmed OY, EOS Imaging, and Toshiba Corporation.

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Global Orthopedic Imaging Market: Key Developments

January 2020: EOS imaging announced the first installation of its new EOSedge system in North America at CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

November 2019: EOS imaging presented its Advanced Orthopedic Solutions at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) Annual Meeting held in Dallas, Texas

Segmentation

Orthopedic Imaging Market, By Product Type: X-Ray System CT-Scanner MRI System EOS Imaging Systems Ultrasound Nuclear Imaging Systems

Orthopedic Imaging Market, By End User: Hospitals Radiology Centers Emergency Care Facility Ambulatory Surgical Center

Orthopedic Imaging Market, By Indication: Acute injuries Sports injuries Trauma cases Chronic Disorders Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Prolapsed Disc Degenerative joint diseases Others

Orthopedic Imaging Market, By Region: North America By Product Type: X-Ray System CT-Scanner MRI System EOS Imaging Systems Ultrasound Nuclear Imaging Systems By End User Hospitals Radiology Centers Emergency Care Facility Ambulatory Surgical Center By Indication Acute injuries Sports injuries Trauma cases Chronic Disorders Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Prolapsed Disc Degenerative joint diseases Others By Country: U.S. Canada Latin America By Product Type: By End User By Indication By Country: Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of Latin America Europe By Product Type: By End User By Indication By Country: Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific By Product Type: By End User By Indication By Country: China India Japan Australia South Korea ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East By Product Type: By End User By Indication By Country: GCC Israel Rest of Middle East Africa By Product Type: By End User By Indication By Country: South Africa Central Africa North Africa

Company Profiles GE Healthcare * Company Overview Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Overview Strategies Siemens AG Esaote SpA Hitachi Ltd. Koninklijke Philips N.V. Planmed OY EOS Imaging Toshiba Corporation



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(TNS)  Government agencies across Marin, Calif., are limiting public access to city facilities, canceling non-essential meetings and issuing local emergencies to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus.Over the weekend, as novel cases of coronavirus grew and more stringent directives were issued by health officials, governments were challenged to provide services.It is up to each city and town on how they implement the recommendations to limit social gathering and practice social distancing, said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County public health officer. We are not recommending or ordering government to cease its operations.Some cities and towns have canceled all non-essential commission and board meetings while also closing city halls, community centers and libraries to the public. Certain services, such as libraries, planning, recreation and public works permits, will be limited to online interaction.The Board of Supervisors will host its Tuesday meeting, but is canceling non-essential items on the agenda, including items to consider funding affordable housing in Bolinas and the reuse of Coast Guard property in Point Reyes Station.The coronavirus situation continues to evolve, as are guidance and recommendations coming from our public health officer, said Supervisor Katie Rice, board president. We are trying to adapt our public decision-making processes while keeping our residents and employees safe. Its a time to be cautious, but our intention is to be thoughtful while also continuing to conduct the essential business of government. San Rafael made the difficult decision to prohibit walk-in services and postpone its Monday City Council meeting to March 23 , which will be live streamed on YouTube, said Rebecca Woodbury, the citys director of digital service and open government.Previously, we were set up so people could watch meetings online but they could not participate, Woodbury said. We are in the process of launching a pilot using YouTube live so we can monitor comments that come in.This week, local emergency resolutions will likely be passed by Mill Valley Corte Madera , Fairfax, Ross, San Anselmo, Belvedere and Larkspur , according to city officials. Woodbury said city and town managers have been coordinating with each other and the county to determine the best course of action.On Monday, Tiburon canceled its Wednesday meeting and issued a local emergency . A special meeting to be held later this week to ratify the resolution, and the city is working on ways to comply with state rules surrounding public meetings, said Greg Chanis, town manager.We are exploring ways through technology to hold public meetings so that we comply with new guidance the governor released last week regarding the Brown Act, Chanis said. Our IT folks are practicing right now to see if our streaming works, assuming we come up with something reliable and (that) works. Our goal is to hold council meeting at regular times and dates moving forward. April 1 is our next scheduled meeting. San Anselmo canceled all public meetings throughout March, but the Town Council could meet should an essential need arise, according to a press release.Novato declared a local emergency on Wednesday and rescheduled the March 24 council meeting for April 14, according to City Manager Adam McGill. The meeting will be open to the public, but the city issued notices urging people to watch from home online Mill Valley also will continue to hold council meetings with public attendance, but is urging residents to tune in to its online broadcast, said Alan Piombo, interim city manager.This could be a time to consider bolstering online alternatives, Willis said.I think this is a real opportunity for innovation in public participation that doesnt require in-person attendance, he said.
Samsung has now started the mass production of the worlds first 512GB eUFS (embedded Universal Flash Storage) 3.1. It is meant for flagship smartphones and will offer considerable improvements over the older 512GB eUFS 3.0 mobile memory,

The 512GB eUFS 3.1 will deliver three times the write speeds of the previous mobile memory, breaking the 1GB/s performance threshold.

The new storage provides a sequential write speed of over 1,200MB/s, which is double the speed offered by a SATA-based PC. The difference is even more paramount when compared to a UHS-I microSD card, with a speed bump of over ten times.

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The 512GB eUFS 3.1 performs 60 percent faster than UFS 3.0. It offers 100,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS) for reads and 70,000 IOPS for writes

512GB eUFS 3.1 will make it possible to store large files without buffering

As for what this means for real-life experiences, there is plenty to look forward to. With the new memory, consumers will be able to enjoy the speed of an ultra-slim laptop on their premium phones. It will be possible to save large files such as 8K videos and heavy pictures without buffering of any sort.

Samsung also claims that it will be a loss let time-consuming to move content between two devices. Handsets equipped with the 512GB eUFS 3.1 will just take around 1.5 minutes to transfer 100GB of data. In comparison, phones with UFS 3.0 require more than four minutes for the same task.

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Other than the 512GB variant, the South Korean giant also plans to launch 256GB and 128GB options for flagships later this year.

The volume production of fifth-generation V-NAND has started at Samsungs new line at Xian, China. The plan is to keep up with the high storage demand across the industry. To avoid any hiccups, the chaebol will soon shift mass production at its Pyeongtaek line in its home country of South Korea from fifth-generation to sixth-generation V-NAND.

Speaking about the new product, company executive Cheol Choi said Samsung wants to remove the bottlenecks associated with conventional storage cards.

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As for which phone will be the first one to feature 512GB eUFS 3.1, it could end up being Samsungs own upcoming Galaxy Note 20. Another candidate is the Galaxy Fold successor. It will likely arrive in the second half of 2020.

The production plans can be disrupted because of the novel coronavirus

With all said, the coronavirus pandemic can surely disrupt the plans. Samsung had previously shut down its facility in Gumi, South Korea temporarily after an employee tested positive for the virus.

Compared to other countries, South Korea did a remarkably better job of slowing down the epidemic. Even though this sounds assuring, there is a threat of resurgence.

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And even if the country is able to contain the virus, other problems loom ahead. For instance, analysts believe that the sale of smartphones will take a hit because of the outbreak.

So, overall, the situation is quite uncertain. And thus, it will be interesting to see if Samsung is able to stick to the production schedule for its embedded storage memory lineup.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

This story has been updated with the latest numbers from APS

When the governor ordered schools to shut down for three weeks to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the expectation was that New Mexicos schoolchildren would still be fed.

On Monday, the first day of the closure, school districts across the state launched grab-and-go meal programs  some getting help from the National Guard  to make sure that expectation was met.

Nine school districts faced the major hurdle of a lack of food supplies. Students in these districts were supposed to be on spring break at this time and schools werent prepared to feed them.

That equated to 20,835 students who needed food in these districts, according to State Public Education Department spokeswoman Nancy Martira.

She said the department made an emergency food order and called in the National Guard to get those meals to these districts, which ranged from Texico Municipal Schools on the Texas border to Quemado Schools more than 300 miles away.

The National Guard delivered the food Sunday night and Monday morning, dropping off parcels to school districts in Roswell, Bloomfield, Texico, Melrose, Quemado, Silver City, Estancia, Socorro and Santa Fe.

The New Mexico National Guard is prepared for disaster and emergency preparedness, and distributed the food via trucks, Martira said.

Santa Fe Public Schools spring break was planned for March 16-20 and no food was on hand. But through the emergency food order and delivery, the district distributed 139 breakfast meals and 720 lunches, according to Gabe Romero, SFPS executive director of operations.

All children under 18  whether they attend a Santa Fe public school or not  can get food at seven sites.

Romero said the locations were chosen to spread out the distribution. The percentage of students at the schools receiving free and reduced meals was also a factor.

There were no difficulties; the district had plenty of capacity (and) no one was turned away, Romero said.

He said Santa Fe has about 12,000 meals immediately available, with roughly 1,700 at each site.

Superintendent Veronica Garcia said in a statement that she was grateful the governor and the PED made the meals happen.

Santa Fe will continue to provide meals at the seven sites on weekdays throughout the closure.

Martira said 77,713 New Mexico students who were scheduled to be on spring break received food on Monday.

Waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are primarily funding the grab-and-go meals during school closures.

The USDA will reimburse the costs of breakfasts and lunches for schools that have at least half of their population qualifying for free and reduced lunch, according to PED.

Martira said 95% of students in the state attend a school that qualifies for the USDA reimbursement.

Albuquerque Public Schools spokeswoman Monica Armenta said all of the funding for its 89 meal sites is provided by the USDA meal program.

APS was prepared to serve about 12,000 meals and ended up giving out 7,803 meals by mid-day Monday, serving a total of over 9,000 meals.

Armenta said some excess plates were picked up by homeless shelters.

Each school put in a request for meals based on estimated need, but we have flexibility to deliver more food to any site if needed, Armenta said.

Like Santa Fe, all students, whether or not they attend an APS school, are able to get breakfast and lunch.

There are 89 sites  chosen based on greatest need  across the district that are serving the meals.

For meal site information across New Mexico, the state has launched a webpage with feeding plans and hours of distribution by district during the closure: https://www.newmexico.gov/education/.

About 15 minutes before the pickup site closed, food service manager Rocio Quezada said Whittier Elementary School, one of the pickup locations in southeast Albuquerque, had served an estimated 50 bundles of breakfast and lunch.

Whittier had a drivable loop where families could pull up to the side of the building and get food without coming into the building.

Armenta said the number of meals being distributed is expected to go up as the closure continues and APS plans to serve meals until schools re-open.

Fares on all ABQ RIDE buses are waived for students 18 or younger in an effort to help families get to the APS meal sites, according to the city of Albuquerque. Free rides started Monday and will last until APS schools are back in session.

Students do not have to go to the school they attend to receive their meals. They only have to access the school site most convenient to them, Danny Holcomb, Transit Director, said in a statement. Our buses can pick up these students and families closest to where they live and get them to the closest participating site.

Students are tentatively scheduled to go back to school April 6.
DANBURY  From the moment the states first case of coronavirus was confirmed here on March 6, Danbury Hospital has acted like an advanced warning system for Connecticut, as officials gauge the best way to contain the infectious outbreak.

When Gov. Ned Lamont told a primetime MSNBC audience Monday that Danbury Hospital was at capacity, and that 200 nurses had been furloughed over exposure to COVID-19, it conveyed the sense to some that Danbury Hospital was in crisis.

The truth is Danbury Hospital still has available beds  and the 200 furloughed staff are not just nurses at Danbury Hospital but also doctors and non-clinical health workers from Norwalk Hospital and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., which are part of a $2 billion network called Nuvance Health.

On Tuesday the CEO of Nuvance spoke out in detail about the pandemic that has kept Danbury Hospital in the headlines, and called the governors inaccuracy an innocent mistake.

It was well-intentioned because earlier on Monday I was on a call with him and other CEOs of health systems and he was making reference to our experience being the canary in the coal mine for Connecticut, said Dr. John Murphy, president and CEO of Nuvance. I shared with him that we did have a significant number of infected patients, but our hospitals have the ability to repurpose parts of their facilities that are not actively housing patients.

The furloughed staff, most of whom have been symptom-free and some of whom are poised to return from their 14-day quarantine, represent 1.5 percent of Nuvances 13,000 employees.

Murphy said he has not reached the point where shortages at Danbury, Norwalk or Vassar Brothers are acute enough to shift staff from Nuvances other four hospitals.

He had a message about managing anxiety and stress for other hospitals that confirm a case of coronavirus.

What I have seen as each hospital experiences its first confirmed case is the spike in the level of anxiety, said Murphy, who said Nuvance hospital have handled 12 coronavirus cases. But as the days go by, the staff realizes that they have been treating infectious diseases professionally for their careers, and although the risks arent zero, if they follow proper protocol and work together we will get through it.

Meanwhile, Danbury Hospital has changed the way it does everyday business, Murphy said.

The hospital has postponed all elective surgery and is discharging patients as prudently as possible to make more beds available.

This week, the hospital launched a drive-up coronavirus testing site, where patients who have a doctors order can request a test. On Tuesday, more than 100 people were tested, Murphy said.

The hospital is also giving health screenings to employees coming onto the campus each shift.

Earlier this week, Danbury and other Nuvance hospitals established a no-visitors policy, making exceptions for women giving birth, and parents of children in a pediatric unit.

The coronavirus public health crisis is the first serious test of the year-old Nuvance network, which serves 1.5 million people from the Long Island Sound to the Hudson River and northern Litchfield County.

Murphy said he expects the crisis to make the network stronger.

It really is an extraordinary stress test, Murphy said. But if there is a silver lining here, its that this crisis has accelerated our ability to work together.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
Unresolved security issues and the formation of alliances are likely to characterise geopolitics in the Red and Mediterranean Seas and the Arabian Gulf in 2020

Expectations this year indicate that in the future the security of maritime routes in the Middle East  the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, particularly its eastern side, and the Arabian Gulf  will see more conflicts.

Developments in the areas surrounding these routes in 2019 produced structural changes in the geopolitical environment, given the strategic importance of these routes for global navigation, especially for oil, in addition to the overlap between the regional and international dimensions in the powers affecting them.

The changes that occurred in 2019 may lead to future security arrangements that may affect these maritime routes. The maps of cooperation and competition in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf are still being formed. The scene is different in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is pushing for an escalation to impose its interests in the region, while most of the coastal states in the region and the major powers agree on their interests.

In general, the security arrangements in the three maritime routes are related one way or another, due to the balance of power between the forces active in the region (regionally and internationally), with different levels of influence and priority for each. The three maritime routes have the utmost importance for Egyptian national security, which means the expansion of its scope in the Red and Mediterranean Seas and the Arabian Gulf.

Red Sea: Different security arrangements

It is difficult to examine the structure of security arrangements in the Red Sea in 2020 in isolation from the significant variables the region has seen.

The first of these is the political transformation in the Horn of Africa, which resulted in an Eritrean-Ethiopian rapprochement that came in tandem with the two countries embarking on multiple internal reforms through which foreign competition has been used to further security and investment in the region, whether between the Gulf states or the major powers, especially the US and China.

The continuation of the conflict in Yemen is a second variable affecting security in the Red Sea region and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, especially with the escalation of the role of the Houthi rebel group as a proxy for Iran in threatening Saudi interests after the escalation of the Iran-US crisis in 2019.

Security issues are expected to remain unresolved in the absence of a stable system of security in the Red Sea region in 2020 due to multiple factors, the most significant of which are:

- The diversity of regional security arrangements: There are two main projects providing proposals for security arrangements in the Red Sea, one of which is the establishment of the Council of Arab and African States bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in the beginning of 2020.

The council consists of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Djibouti, Yemen, Somalia and Eritrea. It seeks joint cooperation to enhance the security of this important maritime route, but it is expected that it will encounter obstacles from some countries, especially those that have been excluded from it, such as Ethiopia and Israel. The inability to coordinate with the International Alliance for the Safety and Protection of Maritime Navigation (IASPMN) to secure navigation in the Gulf region and the Gulf of Aden is also a potential hindrance to activating this council.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development Initiatives, presented by the African Union in 2017 and revived in 2019, was not fully accepted or approved due to Egypts reservations. Israel and Eritrea are excluded from both projects, which makes them an impediment to both. It is expected that this conflict, based on the fundamental interests of some countries, will continue, as Egypt affirms its focus on the security arrangements for countries overlooking the Red Sea (which means the exclusion of Ethiopia).

Meanwhile, Ethiopia has insisted that since historically it falls in the Horn of Africa, it has to be part of any arrangement. Therefore, it is likely Ethiopia will be supported by some major powers looking favourably on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, but this support will not enable them to impose security arrangements that the main powers in the region reject.

- The relative difference in US policies: The US has focused on arrangements to secure navigation in the Arabian Gulf, after its efforts to create a broad strategic alliance in the region extending to the Red Sea decreased, which it had tried to form more than once through what was known as the Arab NATO. The situation is expected to continue throughout 2020.

The US Trump administration has been achieving its goals in the Gulf without this alliance, and even if there is a goal to expand arrangements for securing navigation from the Arabian Gulf to the entire Red Sea, it will be in the medium or long term. This, however, will also hinge on some conditions, perhaps the most important of which are the success of current arrangements in the Arabian Gulf and the re-election of Donald Trump as US president later this year.

- The unresolved Yemen conflict: The conflict in Yemen increases the difficulty of establishing new security arrangements in the Red Sea, as the Houthi attacks against the Arab Coalition and on Saudi soil, and the groups involvement as an influential party in the Iranian crisis, coupled with the deteriorating humanitarian and economic conditions in Yemen, are all factors that indicate the continuation of the conflict at the entrance to the Red Sea.

- The nature of Chinese engagement: China is expected to increase its political and security interactions in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa to expand its trade within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, in which Africa occupies great importance. It is what drives China to secure its trade and oil passing through the Red Sea, starting from the Mediterranean and to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

It is possible China will increasingly participate with regional countries in security efforts, without offering its own vision of security arrangements in the Red Sea. China may seek to extend cooperation prospects with regional countries affecting this maritime route, especially the African countries, as it realises the US restrictions on expanding its security relations with the Gulf states.

- Stability in the Gaza Strip: Security in the Gaza Strip is not expected to worsen to the extent of threatening the stability of the Red Sea region. The Palestinian group Hamas is unlikely to carry out effective hostilities against Israel.

Perhaps the biggest difference is between the two Palestinian parties (Fatah and Hamas). Assuming Israeli military operations renew in the Gaza Strip, it is unlikely they will affect Israeli relations with the rest of the Arab countries on the Red Sea, because there are stable ways of managing these relations.

- The expansion of terrorism in the Red Sea: It is expected that terrorism will become more active at the entrance to the Red Sea and in the Horn of Africa, increasing the influence of some organisations, such as the Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the Houthis in Yemen, although this may also increase international efforts to combat it in the region. The different priorities and interests of the active states may limit these efforts and reduce the chances of establishing stable security arrangements.

Security of navigation in the Arabian Gulf

BALANCING SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS: Securing maritime navigation in the Gulf depends on how stable the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab Al-Mandeb are. The latter is an essential part of security arrangements in the Red Sea region, confirming the interconnection between the two regions.

In 2019, the Gulf witnessed an escalation of the Iranian crisis following the US sanctions on Tehran to push it to renegotiate its nuclear and missile programme. Since then, events have threatened oil navigation in these straits, which may worsen after the killing of Qassem Suleimani (commander of the Al-Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard) in early January 2020. Perhaps the entirety of the scene has led to the presentation of clear projects to secure navigation in these areas, and the status quo may continue in 2020.

Clear security arrangements for this region depends on several factors, the most important of which are:

- The ability of the US to activate the IASPMNs Operation Sea Guardian: Washington was able to form this as part of international efforts to monitor the security of the main maritime routes in the Middle East.

Its official headquarters were inaugurated in Bahrain in November 2019, and it includes seven countries: the US, the UK, Australia, Germany, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Membership in the alliance is not expected to increase, despite the US push, in anticipation that Washington will employ it for its own interests, whether against Iran or others, or impose its vision of security arrangements in the Arabian Gulf.

- Security chaos under control in the maritime routes of the Arabian Gulf: It is expected that countries will secure their trade passing through this tense region themselves.

In the light of caution about US aims in the region, France is leading an initiative to include the forces of 10 European countries to monitor navigation and secure the Gulf. Russia has presented a collective security project that includes maritime routes in the Arab Gulf region, while Iran has proposed a security framework that brings it together with its Gulf neighbours without the intervention of non-Gulf states. Meanwhile, some countries are protecting their own ships, such as Japan.

Perhaps the result of this overlap between the proposed security frameworks will be a lack of confidence among all the actors in these security arrangements and a state of security chaos that is nevertheless under control as a result of the absence of an agreed-upon security framework.

- Conflicting and balanced alliances in Gulf maritime security: As a consequence of the above, a number of countries are expected to cooperate to form an alliance to impose a specific perception of security arrangements in the Gulf maritime routes. This cooperation may result in the formation of two groups: one consisting of the US and countries that are members of the IASPMN, and the other consisting of Iran, Russia and China.

Although the latter group is not governed by a single coordination framework, its interests are consistent over Irans non-isolation in the region and most importantly that the US does not single-handedly form and impose its security arrangements in this strategic region. This state of conflict and balance between the proposed security frameworks for maritime routes in the Arabian Gulf is expected to continue in 2020 due to the inability of the US to mobilise more parties, especially with the upcoming US presidential elections and the European avoidance of taking the side of the US.

- Potential threats to Gulf maritime routes: Tension and instability in the Gulf region resulting from the spread of protests in Iraq and possibly their spiralling out of control, not to mention the direct confrontation between Iran and the US, are expected.

These confrontations between Tehran and Washington may extend to the Gulf maritime routes, especially if Iran or any of its proxies target ships crossing these sea lanes to threaten the interests of the US and its allies. If Iran enforces this threat, this may prompt some European and Asian countries to join the IASPMN under the leadership of Washington.

In conclusion, the prospects for the stability of maritime navigation security in the Arabian Gulf region are increasing, not because of the existence of agreed-upon security arrangements between all the parties, but because of the state of parity and balance between international and regional powers that constitute two groups in opposition about visions for these arrangements.

The stability of the situation depends on whether the US-Iraq confrontation spreads from Iraq to the maritime routes.

Eastern Mediterranean security: Consensual alliances against Turkish escalaion

Expectations about the security of the Eastern Mediterranean region in 2020 are inclined towards uncertainty. It is anticipated the region will witness accelerated developments, ranging from the exacerbation of security threats to the spread of terrorist groups, the influx of refugees and increased indicators of political and strategic cooperation among a number of countries in this region, in order to take advantage of gas discoveries or face common threats.

Perhaps the changes that the Eastern Mediterranean region went through in 2019 will increase the security tensions, especially with the Turkish escalation when Turkey agreed with the Government of National Accord in Libya to demarcate maritime borders in the absence of a regional security system, in addition to the intervention of several international and regional powers in the region.

In this context, the factors that may affect the future security arrangements in the Eastern Mediterranean during 2020 are:

- The Turkish policy of escalation: Ankara is expected to continue provoking the Eastern Mediterranean countries in 2020, whether about the disputed waters around Cyprus or in Libya, through escalation on five significant levels.

The first is continuing to promote the idea of the Blue Homeland at the top of the Turkish foreign policy agenda, seeking to impose Turkish control on an area of 462,000 km of coastal lands in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. The plan developed on 27 November 2019 when Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding to demarcate the maritime borders with the Libyan Government of National Accord headed by Fayez Al-Sarraj.

The second is the military harassment of ships of energy companies operating in the region surrounding Cyprus, the last of which was in mid-December 2019, when the Turkish navy forced an Israeli research vessel exploring for oil and gas with permission from the Cypriot authorities to move away from the island.

The third is the possibility of Turkish deployment of military forces in Turkish Cyprus and Libya. This was evident in mid-December 2019, when Turkey sent the first armed drone to Northern Cyprus, and the Turkish parliament authorised the government to deploy forces in Libya to counter the accelerated progress of the Libyan National Army to liberate the capital Tripoli.

The fourth is Ankaras continued violation by fighter planes and warships in the air and waters of countries such as Greece and Cyprus.

The fifth and last is Washingtons threat to close the Incirlik Airbase (in Turkeys southern city of Adana) and the Kurecik Radar Station (in eastern Turkeys Malatya) due to a new law adopted by the US Congress last December imposing sanctions on Turkey against the backdrop of the Turkish military operation in north-eastern Syria known as Peace Spring and the purchase of S-400 missiles from Russia.

Such policies indicate disagreements between Turkey and the Western powers, and Russia to a lesser extent, in the Eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, the European Union and the US, in addition to NATO, are likely to be more inclined towards the Egyptian, Cypriot, Greek and Israeli visions of the Eastern Mediterranean at the expense of Turkey.

On the one hand, energy companies such as the US Exxon Mobil and French Total are emerging as the biggest beneficiaries of gas-exploration projects off the coast of Cyprus, and they hope to do the same with Greece. On the other hand, it appears that the White House supports the Egyptian-Cypriot-Israeli plans to cooperate in the gas field and believes that it can contribute to reducing Europes dependence on Russian gas.

There are several indications that support this trend, such as the condemnation by the EU and the US of Turkey last June because of its drilling operations to explore for gas off the coast of Cyprus. Brussels and Washington have waved new sanctions in the face of Ankara after its recent provocative measures in the region. That is not to mention Trumps approval of a new law in December 2019 to lift the decades-old ban on supplying Cyprus with weapons and not to deliver F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

- The East Mediterranean consensus: The shifts led by Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Israel to build agreements with their neighbours in the EU to export gas, led by the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum launched in Cairo in January 2019, are expected to face attempts to prevent them in 2020, especially by Turkey and the Government of National Accord in Libya, as part of Ankaras attempts to obtain a share of gas discoveries in the region.

This forecast, however, depends on other factors that may slow the pace of the regional conflict if the political settlement in Libya has taken a more effective path in the wake of the Berlin Conference or Tripoli has responded to the demands of the countries of the region and the Libyan national forces not to enhance security and maritime cooperation with Turkey.

Therefore, Turkey may continue to try to create a new reality aimed at destabilising the stability of power balances in the Mediterranean and to obtain additional advantages in negotiations on the demarcation of maritime borders and the drawing of the borders of exclusive economic zones in the future.

- Progress in energy cooperation arrangements: The year holds great opportunities for achieving energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, which may provide strategic and economic interests for its countries to support their security partnerships. These opportunities increased in the light of the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum in January 2019 in Cairo and Israels launch of gas exports to Egypt in 2020 to liquefy gas in Egyptian plants before exporting it to European markets.

This is in addition to a similar agreement between Egypt and Cyprus, as well as a project to construct a sea pipeline from Israel to Italy through Greece to export gas to European markets signed in January 2020. Washington supports these opportunities, as evidenced by the multiple visits to the region by former US secretary of energy Rick Perry and his assistant Frank Fannon. Both attended the second meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum in July 2019 in Cairo.

- Stability of the Libyan scene: Libyas stability may influence the security of the Eastern Mediterranean, but this stability is unlikely to come in 2020 in the light of the escalation of security and military cooperation between Ankara and Tripoli and the reluctance of the US to support Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army, which is receiving increasing support from Egypt, the UAE, France, Italy and Russia.

Foreign interference in the Libyan conflict will likely exacerbate, and further escalation in Libya may worsen the security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

However, this may also push the Mediterranean countries affected by the Libyan conflict and escalating Turkish policies to boost security and diplomatic cooperation, with the increasing potential for specific military operations to deter Turkey from its provocative policies in the Eastern Mediterranean, perhaps through NATO or cooperation between some European and Arab countries.

- Consequences of the Cyprus crisis: This crisis, which affects security arrangements in the Eastern Mediterranean, is not expected to witness a major breakthrough in 2020 in the light of the Turkish rejection of all peaceful solutions.

This enhances the continuing tension between Greece and Cyprus on the one hand and Turkey on the other. The most significant result of this will be the increasing military and strategic rapprochement between Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt in an attempt to isolate Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially with Ankaras insistence not to recognise the maritime border demarcation agreements between Israel and Cyprus in 2010, as well as those signed between Egypt and Cyprus in 2013.

Consequently, the Cypriot military role is expected to increase in the Eastern Mediterranean, in order to deter Turkish provocations, as well as the ability of Cyprus, which lacks sufficient naval force, in its endeavours to develop effective deterrence in the face of Ankara by attracting Western naval forces to its side, such as from France, Italy and the US (which maintains a base in Crete less than 500 miles from Cyprus).

Cyprus may also enhance its military cooperation with Greece, a member of NATO that has been committed to defending Cyprus in the event of a Turkish attack since 1993, as well as the possibility of Greece and Cyprus strengthening their partnerships with Egypt and Israel.

- Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean security: Egypt is keen to provide a more stable security environment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The biggest challenge for Cairo in 2020 will be to secure natural gas supplies coming from Israel and Cyprus and to secure liquefied gas delivered to areas of consumption in Europe. This will require a flexible Egyptian policy to manage its interests, such as non-compliance with Turkish provocations, increasing defence capabilities to secure northern and north-eastern borders and gas lines and projects, and speeding up the process of demarcating the Egyptian maritime border with Greece and Libya.

In conclusion, there are geopolitical challenges that have grown in the Eastern Mediterranean during 2019 that increase the security threats there. Active forces in this region may agree on the necessity of imposing agreed-upon security arrangements, taking into account the balance of power.

The US and EU may seek to engineer a new balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean region, in order to counter both Russian motives for increasing regional influence and Turkish policies. This could prompt the US and the EU to cooperate with regional actors that are compatible with them in visions (Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the European countries), while coordinating positions with Russia.

These articles were first published in the newly released Outlook 2020: Egypts Projections of Regional and Global Issues by the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies (ECSS).

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Two more persons have been found positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Gautam Budh Nagar district. In total, there are three cases of COVID-19 in the district after the confirmation of two new cases by the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) on early Tuesday morning.

A 21-year-old woman, resident of sector 100 who had returned from France recently, has been found positive for the virus.

The health department had taken samples of four persons from the company after it was found out that the Jankapuri patient was attending work for almost 18 days after coming back from Italy before getting tested for COVID-19.

The new sector 78 COVID-19 patient had got in touch with the Janakpuri patient at work.

Also Watch l Tsunami is coming: Rahul Gandhi warns Modi govt on coronavirus crisis

Officials had also put 707 employees of the company on surveillance.

According to the officials, the sector 100 COVID-19 patient has been under observation since Saturday at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences while the other patient from Sector 78 was admitted on late Monday night.

We got the results during the wee hours of Tuesday after which the man was shifted to the isolation ward in GIMS. The woman was already under the observation at GIMS. The families of both the patients have been put under quarantine. We will be putting all the persons who got in touch with the two under the observation. Both the patients are at the isolation wards at GIMS, said Anurag Bhargava, chief medical officer.

The samples of family members of both the patients are being taken, said the CMO

Officials at GIMS are taking all the possible precautions to ensure that the virus doesnt get spread among the staff and others. We have tried to make all the possible arrangements to ensure that the infection doesnt spread. We have kept a distance of around two rooms between the patient and the hospital staff. The special kits for the staff to wear while treating the patients are also on the way, said Dr RK Gupta, director, GIMS.

Officials are now waiting for the results of remaining samples from the company where the Janakpuri patient worked in sector 80. Officials will also be taking samples of people who came directly in contact with the two recently identified patients of COVID-19.
Qatar announced an entry ban for foreigners on Sunday and also unveiled a $23.35 billion stimulus package to shield the economy against coronavirus impact.

The measures were announced by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar news agency reported. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Qatar stood at 401 as of Sunday evening.

According to the report, the Emir has ordered the stopping of all incoming flights to Doha, starting from Wednesday evening, March 18, for 14 days, with the exception of air cargo and transit flights.

Qatari citizens are allowed to enter the country, but they will be placed in quarantine for a period of 14 days.



The Emir also allowed employees over the age of 55, pregnant women, and people suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease, and high blood pressure, to work from home.

Students in government schools will start studying remotely from March 22, and students from grades one to eleven will be subject to a continuous evaluation.

As part of the economic stimulus programme, $20.6 billion will be used to support and provide financial and economic incentives in the private sector.

The central bank has been asked to put in place the appropriate mechanism to encourage banks to postpone loan instalments and obligations of the private sector with a grace period of six months.

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ALBANY - Following calls from state and local leaders to halt evictions statewide, the states chief administrative judge directed courts across New York to suspend eviction proceedings until further notice.

New Yorks Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks directed courts across the state to suspend operations, which will include eviction proceedings and pending evictions, until further notice as the state continues to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The directive followed a decision last week to implement a one-week moratorium on evictions in New York City.

The measures address concerns over the loss of housing should families not be able to afford to pay rent or mortgages, but also limits mass gatherings in the courts that handle those cases. With businesses ordered by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to close or limit service during the outbreak, thousands of people across the state are facing loss of income as their jobs are put on hold.

A statewide paid sick leave bill continues to be weighed in the state Legislature, but both chambers postponed their session at least until Wednesday, which leaves the measure unaddressed for now.

The state Association for Affordable Housing President and CEO Jolie Milstein applauded the judges decision and noted the group has urged its members to refrain from evictions at this time. The association represents hundreds of firms that manage tens of thousands of affordable housing units in New York.

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Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Milstein said more protections must be enacted to ensure low-income families are protected.

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak imposed new economic hardship on New York, millions of families in every corner of our state were already struggling to make ends meet during the current housing affordability crisis, Milstein said. The immediate next step is for our government leaders to develop a comprehensive plan to address the needs of the many New Yorkers who will face continued housing-related uncertainty in the weeks and months after the crisis subsides.

Measures also must be taken on a federal level to ensure property owners do not default on mortgages due to fewer rents being collected, said Patrick Boyle, director of policy at the Association for Affordable Housing.

Efforts to ensure services at senior and supportive housing facilities also are ongoing, Boyle said.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Many Ghanaians are saying, and some have been updating their status "we will all die by June 2020." I quote former President Mills "Ghana will not die but live to give glory to God'.

Despite our country's record of 6 cases of the novel COVID-19 (as of March 16), the restrictive measures imposed by the government is adequate to reduce its spread. Most cities in China were locked down in late January 2020. I have been quarantined for almost 60 days and still do not know when I will be able to move around freely. The last time I went out was on January 21, 2020. Foreigners in China are required to inform authorities about their temperatures daily. Those who plan to go outside their rooms are questioned and sometimes denied a permit for going out.

It is not surprising that most foreigners in China are safe and not exposed to this disease. As you are aware, most of the cases imported to Africa are from Europe. Most European countries started locking down after recording many cases of COVID-19. Ghana and most African countries have proactive by locking borders and imposing restrictions while we have few cases.

Statistics from the Sichuan government shows that no foreigner casualty has been recorded out of the 539 (as of 00:00 of March 16)people who have tested positive so far. This is because of strict monitoring, especially on foreigners during this restriction period. Thus carefully observing the directives issued by the government and the WHO religiously will prevent it spreads.

Enough of the talking. Let us Wash our hands frequently with soap and water, Cover our mouths when coughing, wear protective Nose Masks and most importantly STAY AT HOME if possible. It is time we start taking temperatures and other important records of any individual who enters any public office. With these records, future contact tracing can be easily done.

Let us be our brother's keeper and encourage each other to also observe laid down rules.This is not a matter of each one for himself. Remember an infected neighbor increases your chance of infection. It would suffice to say that, we are all in this together.

To the media, we have to be circumspect with our reportage and let us know that the like BBC, CNN, ABC news monitors and report to the world things on our media this could now put a red flag to the country which can eventually affect the economy. Some countries have seen this situation and are just releasing what they want to share to the world, so not to distort international cooperation. We should not find interest in just reporting cases quickly to the world but think about the country's well-being. There will be life after this pandemic, so be smart in your news reporting.

Above all, let us cry to God to heal our land. No need to be afraid or in panic and always remember that Ghana will not die!!!! We will be Great and Strong.

EVANS OPOKU-MENSAH is a researcher at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. He is a writer and financial analyst.He specializes in merger and acquisitions, energy economics and research and development investments and anything about corporate finance You may contact him through: Email: [email protected] [email protected]
A garbageman from California has captured the hearts of thousands by reassuring the public that he and others will continue to provide necessary public services while boosting morale during the coronavirus pandemic.

The man, who is known as Jester D, shared his thoughts about working an already difficult job at such an uncertain time in a viral Twitter thread that has been liked more than 448,000 times.

'Im a garbageman, I cant work from home and my job is an essential city service that must get done. Its a tough job, from getting up pre-dawn to the physical toll it takes on my body to the monotonous nature of the job, at times its hard to keep on going,' he wrote.

Inspiring message: A garbageman from California known as Jester D has tweeted his thoughts about working an already difficult job during the coronavirus pandemic

Proud: Jester noted that he is 'feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose' as he does his work because he knows people are 'scared but resilient'

'Right now though, right now I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work,' he continued. 'I see the people, my people, of my city, peeking out their windows at me. Theyre scared, were scared. Scared but resilient.'

Jester ended his post with some words of assurance, adding: 'Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering.

'Its gonna be ok, were gonna make it be ok. I love my city. I love my country. I love my planet Earth. Be good to each other and well get through this.'

Thousands of people commented on Jester's tweets, and many made sure to show their gratitude for his inspiring message and the work that he does.

Thank you: Thousands of people commented on Jester's tweets, which have been shared more than 448,000 times

'Thank you! We all need the reminder and the pep talk! Thanks for being so encouraging YOUR AWESOME,' one person wrote.

'Sometimes Twitter sucks, but right now Im grateful its a platform that amplifies voices like yours. We see you and appreciate you!' another added.

'Garbage collectors save more lives than cops, thank you for your service,' someone else commented.

'I appreciate what youre saying, I do, but police are out there working through this too. I have nothing but respect for them,' Jester responded.

Many people noted that Jester's work as a garbageman is what allows us to live in a civilized society.

Feel good message: Many Twitter users made sure to show their gratitude for his inspiring message and the work that he does

'Thank you to all garbage collectors, UPS/USPS/FedEx etc. deliverers, truckers, store stockers and checkers, custodians, street and sewer workers, and so many other folks who do the essential and often "invisible" work that holds society together,' one person wrote.

'You and your colleagues keep us living in a civilized,' someone else agreed. 'You may not hear it often but I told my kids now tell my grandkids. Water sanitation and trash removal keep us civilized. Thank you.'

Jester was overwhelmed by the positive response and returned to the thread to thank people for their messages.

'Wow you guys I dont even know what to do with a viral tweet. I have nothing to promote and if I did, I wouldnt do it on this tweet,' he wrote.

'My heart is filled to bursting with this response to my words, Im just a dude with a phone and a little spare time. Thank you.'

Happy: Jester was overwhelmed by the positive response and returned to the thread to thank people for their messages

As of Monday, they have been over 4,200 coronavirus cases in the US and approximately 74 deaths.

To slow down the spread, President Donald Trump has released a series of coronavirus guidelines that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools.

'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room.

While his guidelines will be revisited after the initial 15-day proposal, the president warned the virus could affect American life well into the summer.

'People are talking about July, August, something like that,' Trump said. 'They could be right in that period of time where it washes through.'
The West Bengal government on Tuesday evening confirmed the first case of Coronavirus in Kolkata. The infected man had travelled to London, UK, recently. On Tuesday morning, he was admitted in Beliaghata's ID & BG Hospital and his tests came positive.

He has been kept in a separate ward in isolation. His parents and driver too have been kept in isolation and are being checked. The 18-year-old had returned from the UK on March 15 but didnt go into self-quarantine.

The affected male did not travel on a London-Kolkata direct flight but travelled from London-Delhi and then Delhi-Mumbai. The Civil Aviation will share the details of all the passengers who travelled on these two flights. The affected male had attended a party in the UK, where three others had tested positive. Following this, he was admitted to the hospital.

The affected male is the son of bureaucrat, Arunima De, Joint Secretary, State Home Department. His mother had attended office at Nabanna, the state secretary till March 16. The office houses the Chief Ministers Office, other ministries and departments.

"As on today total 74,978 travellers/persons have been screened at Kolkata and Bagdogra Airports and 28,03,62 persons have been screened at seven Land Border Check Points along Nepal and Bangladesh. Also, 3,989 crew members of ships have been screened in three Ports. Till date, 12,244 travellers from COVID-19 affected countries have been identified and placed under surveillance," an official release from West Bengal`s health department said.

"For 248 of them, the surveillance period has been over. Eighteen are admitted in isolation facility on the date. Rest 11,978 are under home surveillance. Till date, 70 samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, ICMR-NICED, Kolkata and IPGMER, Kolkata for the test of COVID-19. Results of 69 samples are negative. One sample has come positive," it said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India is 137 so far.
Sue Perkins: An Hour Or So With...

Comedian Perkins rustles up a celebrity guest and indulges in good old-fashioned conversation for an hour or so.

Sue Perkins' (above) interviewees on her podcast range from the king of podcasting, Adam Buxton, to the economist Tim Harford with the Mary Berry episode a particular highlight

Her interviewees range from the king of podcasting, Adam Buxton, to the economist Tim Harford.

A highlight is the second episode of the first (and only) season, in which Mary Berry asks what a podcast is  and Perkins patiently explains. How very trendy, Berry decrees.

Happy Mum, Happy Baby

The fortnightly show was trundling along nicely when it secured a guest most podcasters could only dream of. The Duchess of Cambridge graced the show last month to share her experiences of motherhood with host Giovanna Fletcher.

The Duchess of Cambridge graced the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast last month to share her experiences of motherhood with host Giovanna Fletcher

The interview is great, not least because its hard to get a proper sense of the Duchesss personality from her media appearances, and this digs deeper.

Also worth seeking out is Fletchers interview with chef Nadiya Hussain, who is gloriously candid about her traumas while giving birth.

Irish History Podcast

If Brexit revealed anything it was that many in the UK have no more than a rudimentary understanding of the history of Ireland.

This ambitious podcast, hosted by author Fin Dwyer, takes listeners through the past 1,500 years of Irish history. Above: the Gap of Dunloe in County Kerry

This ambitious podcast, hosted by author Fin Dwyer, is a great way to get up to speed. Bit by bit, the podcast takes listeners through the past 1,500 years of Irish history.

Its best to begin at the beginning, with episode ones evocation of a chilly and densely forested island that was soon overrun with invading Vikings.

The Shrink Next Door

When veteran journalist Joe Nocera met his neighbour Ike for the first time, he assumed he was encountering a harmless eccentric. Ike was a psychiatrist known for treating Manhattans glitzy set.

In this eight-part series Nocera uncovers how Ike took advantage of his patients, insinuating himself into their lives until they could barely function without him.

The podcast has the retro feel of a slightly dusty thriller  its a story about obsession, betrayal and the desire for power, and its beautifully told.
Chinese Regime to Expel US Journalists Working for New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal

The Chinese regime is set to expel U.S. journalists based in China who work for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post in retaliation for the Trump administrations recent actions targeting Chinese state-run media outlets in the United States.

The ministry also announced that it would require China-based branches of Voice of America, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Time magazine to report information about their staff, finances, operations, and real estate in China. That measure, it said, was in response to the United States designating the five state-run outlets as foreign missions.

In early March, the U.S. State Department designated five Chinese state-run outlets as foreign missions, and slashed the number of Chinese staff allowed to work at the media outlets offices in the United States. An administration official previously labeled those outlets, including Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, as explicit propaganda organs of the Chinese Communist Party.

At the time, senior U.S. administration officials said such actions were an act of reciprocity against Beijings continued use of intimidation to silence members of a free and independent press.

Retaliation

In retaliation against the United States for reducing staff sizes at those outlets, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a March 17 statement that it would require all journalists of U.S. citizenship employed at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of the year to hand back their press cards within 10 days.

They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the Peoples Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, the statement said.

The ministry added it would impose reciprocal measures against American journalists over discriminatory restrictions the U.S. has imposed on Chinese journalists with regard to visa, administrative review, and reporting, without providing further detail.

Reactions

Marty Baron, executive editor of the Washington Post, said in a statement that the outlet unequivocally condemn any action by China to expel U.S. reporters. Amid the current novel coronavirus pandemic, the regimes decision is particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, when clear and reliable information about the international response to COVID-19 [disease caused by coronavirus] is essential.

Severely limiting the flow of that information, which China now seeks to do, only aggravates the situation, Baron said.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, at a March 17 press briefing, said he regretted the regimes decision to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct free press operations, which, frankly would be really good for the Chinese people  in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives.

He rejected the regimes assertion that the United States measures prompted it to take action.

This isnt apples to apples, Pompeo said. You all know the press freedoms you have  You all get to ask me whatever questions you want, and I give you the answer. We know that that kind of freedom doesnt exist inside of China.

Indeed, the Chinese will tell you that they want more information, people to know more about their country, and yet they continue to take actions like the one you see today, where they deny the world the capacity to know whats really going on inside of their country, he added.

Pompeo defended the decision to identify the state-run media outlets as foreign missions, saying they were not media that were acting here freely. They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. 

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of rights group PEN America, also lamented Beijings decision.

It would be impossible not to interpret Beijings latest move as an effort to control the uncontrollable story, namely the spread of COVID-19, she said in an emailed statement. Both countries should lift any applicable restrictions and allow professional media outlets to play their role of reporting the news and calling it like they see it.

Pompeo previously said that the measures formed part of the Trump administrations efforts to establish a long-overdue level playing field in its relationship with the Chinese regime.

For years, the government of the Peoples Republic of China has imposed increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment, and intimidation against American and other foreign journalists operating in China, he said.

While there are hundreds of Chinese nationals working in the media industry in the United States, there are only about 100 U.S. journalists working in China for U.S.-based and other foreign-based media outlets, according to an administration official.

U.S. officials also criticized Beijing for presiding over a deepening crackdown on independent journalism within the country. In a March 2 call with journalists, they cited examples such as the disappearance of citizen journalists covering the coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan, and the arrest of Jimmy Lai, founder of Hong Kong-based independent newspaper Apple Daily, in Hong Kong, on charges connected to his participation in the citys pro-democracy protests last year.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), in a statement, said Chinese leader Xi Jinping is terrified of a free and independent press because he doesnt want to be challenged when his government regularly spews insane propaganda like the recent conspiracy theory that the United States created the coronavirus.

These thin-skinned communist hacks hate the truth and are committed to covering-up their failures, Sasse added.

Last month, the regime revoked the visas of three Wall Street Journal reporters in Beijing, citing the newspapers refusal to apologize for a racially discriminatory headline of an op-ed piece, which had called China the real sick man of Asia. Those reporters werent involved in drafting the op-ed piece.

Another reporter with the paper had to leave last year after Beijing declined to renew his visa.

On March 2, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) said in a report that the Chinese regime has weaponized visas as part of an intensifying campaign to suppress independent reporting on issues deemed sensitive by Beijing.

As China reaches new heights of economic influence, it has shown a growing willingness to use its considerable state power to suppress factual reporting that does not fit with the global image it seeks to present, the report said.
BRUSSELS  Adopting martial language, President Emmanuel Macron ordered the French to stay at home for at least the next 15 days, as France put in place some of the most severe measures in Europe to try to curb the raging coronavirus.

The aggressive move by France came as other countries in the region introduced measures that their leaders described as unprecedented in postwar Europe, and as the European Union proposed a 30-day shutdown of all nonessential travel into the bloc from other countries.

The movement of French citizens will be tightly restricted, starting from midday on Tuesday and lasting through at least the end of the month, with people expected to stay home, leaving only for essential activities like food shopping. Anyone violating the order faces punishment.

We are at war, Mr. Macron said in an address to the nation Monday night. The enemy is invisible and it requires our general mobilization.
By Trend

Mutual visits of Azerbaijani and Russian citizens have been temporarily suspended, Trend reports.

A telephone conversation took place between Azerbaijans Prime Minister Ali Asadov and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin.

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, the sides agreed to temporarily suspend the mutual visits of citizens of Azerbaijan and Russia from 00:00, March 18, 2020. The decision doesnt apply to truck drivers.

Charter flights will be launched for Azerbaijani citizens, who wish to return to the country. The flight schedule will be announced later.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
GOTTINGEN, Germany, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sartorius will postpone its Annual General Shareholders' Meeting formerly scheduled for March 26, 2020, to a later date due to the coronavirus pandemic and the associated restrictive rules imposed on meetings. This was resolved today by the Executive Board of the company.

As a result of the cancelation of the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting on March 26, 2020, the resolution on the appropriation of the retained profit for 2019 and the payment of dividends, among other things, will also be deferred.

The Annual General Shareholders' Meeting is to be scheduled for a new date within the period of the first eight months of the current fiscal year as provided for under the German Stock Corporation Law. Sartorius will inform its shareholders and the public in a timely manner about its further planning.

A profile of Sartorius

The Sartorius Group is a leading international partner of life science research and the biopharmaceutical industry. With innovative laboratory instruments and consumables, the Group's Lab Products & Services Division concentrates on serving the needs of laboratories performing research and quality control at pharma and biopharma companies and those of academic research institutes. The Bioprocess Solutions Division with its broad product portfolio focusing on single-use solutions helps customers to manufacture biotech medications and vaccines safely and efficiently. The Group has been annually growing by double digits on average and has been regularly expanding its portfolio by acquisitions of complementary technologies. In fiscal 2019, the company earned sales revenue of some 1.83 billion euros. At the end of 2019, more than 9,000 people were employed at the Group's approximately 60 manufacturing and sales sites, serving customers around the globe.

Follow Sartorius on Twitter @Sartorius_Group and on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Petra Kirchhoff

Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

+49-(0)551-308-1686

[email protected]

sartorius.com

SOURCE Sartorius AG

Related Links

https://www.sartorius.com


Packed into a crowded federal prison complex with not enough masks, soap or hand sanitizer, and the sole doctor out sick, corrections workers in Tallahassee, Fla., were worried.

Then on Monday, a new inmate arrived and was immediately put into quarantine. And on Tuesday, a bus with almost a dozen inmates from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center showed up.

They were scheduled for quarantine, too. And all had elevated temperatures.

I just delivered hand sanitizer to the unit that the inmates will be housed in, said Kristan Morgan, a nurse practitioner at the prison who checked the new arrivals temperatures. Staff are starting to get fearful.

In jails and prisons across the country, concerns are rising of a coronavirus outbreak behind bars. Already, cases have been reported. On Friday, someone who works in a Washington State prison tested positive for the virus, and the day before, the sheriff in Hancock County, Ind., said a staff member at the local jail was being isolated at home after a positive test. On Tuesday night, New York State confirmed that an employee at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility had tested positive.
Ghana Fisheries Commission to ban unregistered canoe owners from fishing

March 17,2020 | Source: GNA

The Fisheries Commission (FC) has advised the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) to impress upon their members to register their canoes before January 2021.



According to the Commission, no unregistered canoe would be allowed to register after the stipulated time period.



The move is to help streamline operations in the fishing industry.



Madam Rebecca Sackey-Mensah, an officer with the Marine Fisheries Management Division in Accra, said this when she addressed canoe owners and other stakeholders in the fishing industry.



This was part of the Western Regional Fisher to Fisher dialogue held at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta-West municipality.



The meeting, which had earlier taken place in Sekondi and Axim, was under the auspices of the GNCFC and the Fisheries Commission; and funded by USAID.



Madam Sackey-Mensah warned canoe fishers that with effect from 1 January 2021, no unregistered canoe would be allowed to go to sea.



She said 15,000 canoes have so far been registered nation-wide with 3,600 out of 4562 registered in the Western Region.



She urged Chief Fishermen in the Western Region to ensure that their members provided accurate data to be able to access their cards.



She said the card would deal with issues affecting the supply and acquisition of pre-mix fuel and cautioned that those who have not registered their cards would not be supplied with pre-mix fuel.



Madam Sackey-Mensah also urged canoe owners to furnish the Chief fishermen with vital information to complete their cards.



Nana Emmanuel Odwire, the Western Regional Chairman of the GNCFC, advised Canoe owners to register with the council to fight the common cause.



He asked the Council to take contributions and raise funds to organize programmes instead of relying on Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) alone for sponsorship.



Prof Godfrey Baidoo-Tsibu, the Western Regional Director of Fisheries, called on fishermen to use the approved processes to catch their stocks.



He said the Commission received reports of two serious cases of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) two weeks ago which resulted in the death of one and the amputation of one arm of the other.

 BusinessGhana. All Rights Reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
By Nam Hyun-woo





Seegene CEO Chun Jong-yoon

Korean diagnostic firms including Seegene, Kogenebiotech, SolGent and SD Biosensor will export their respective COVID-19 assays, casting hopes that their fast detection capability will contribute to the world's battle against the epidemic.



The pace of coronavirus spread in South Korea has been showing signs of slowing in recent days, but the pace of the spread in other regions including the United States and Europe is rising, increasing the global demand for Korean firms' COVID-19 detection kits, which drew international attention for their ability to quickly produce a diagnosis.



According to government officials Tuesday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has recently approved the exports of COVID-19 assays by seven Korean diagnostic firms. The firms include Seegene, Kogenebiotech, SolGent and SD Biosensor  whose test kits were approved by the MFDS for emergency use in February  and PCL, LabGenomics and Cancerrop  whose test kits were approved for export this month before being approved for domestic use.



To export assays, companies have to apply for export approval from the MFDS first and then win approval from the importing countries' health authorities.



The companies will export assays which are based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, which can draw out results within six hours after taking samples from potential patients' saliva or phlegm.



This is faster than pan-coronavirus assays, whose process is more comprehensive and thus usually takes about one day for results. Real-time PCR saves time as it compares certain protein genes of the coronavirus.



"Since the WHO has identified the genome sequence of COVID-19, this enables firms to come up with real-time PCR kits, which can detect whether a sample has the genome sequence, thus drawing out results faster than pan-coronavirus testing," an official at Seegene said.





Kogenebiotech CEO Nam Yong-seok

Officials said COVID-19 assay export will aid countries which are struggling with the epidemic, given Korea's capacity of testing more than 286,700 people as of Tuesday, which is more than 10 times greater than the U.S.' capacity with just over 25,000 specimens  4,255 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 20,907 by U.S. public health laboratories.



During a press conference, Monday afternoon (KST), U.S. President Donald Trump said Korea did a "good job" handling the coronavirus outbreak, but also had "tremendous problems" at the beginning.



"I noticed a lot of people are talking about South Korea because they've done a good job on one side, but on the other side, tremendous problems at the beginning," he said. "They had tremendous problems and great numbers of death."



The remark came after U.S. lawmakers' criticisms on the U.S. testing capability. During a House hearing on March 11, House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney questioned why the U.S. has not tested more people, saying "South Korea can test more people in one day than we have in the last two months."



Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb tweeted that "South Korea, with aggressive COVID-19 screening and early mitigation measures, is turning the corner on their epidemic" and "the virus can be defeated with good policy."





SME minister Park Young-sun, third from left, poses with Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization Chairman Seo Jeong-sun, second from left, and SolGent co-CEOs You Jae-hyung, left, and Seok Do-su, right, during Park's recent visit to the company in this file photo, Tuesday. Courtesy of SolGent
The 17-year-old boy from Danville is charged in juvenile court with obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact in the killings of Ntombo Joel Bianda, 21, of Alexandria, and Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin, 19, of Germantown, Md. Because he was not charged as an adult, police are not releasing his name.
Police officers wearing protective masks stand guard in Kuala Lumpur outside the Sri Petaling Mosque which has emerged as a source of hundreds of COVID-19 infections spanning across Southeast Asia, March 17, 2020.

The Malaysia Health Ministry on Tuesday evening announced the countrys first deaths linked to COVID-19  two male patients who had been receiving treatment in Johor and Sarawak states.

Health Minister Adham Baba told reporters in Putrajaya that the victims were 34 and 60, adding the older patient died at Sarawak General Hospital.

The 34-year-old patient, who attended the Islamic religious gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur late last month, died at a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) in Johor Bahru, according to Adham.

Sadly, I have to inform that there have been two deaths due to the COVID-19 virus reported to the Health Ministrys Crisis Preparedness and Response Center today," Adham said.

Malaysia recorded 120 new cases as of noon Tuesday, bringing the total to 673. Of those, 12 are on ventilators, according to the new health minister, who added that 95 of the new cases were found to be connected to the Islamic gathering held from Feb. 27 to March 1.

Of the 673 cases recorded, 428 came from the tabligh cluster, Adham said referring to the gathering at the Kuala Lumpur mosque.

While the Health Ministry did not specify the names and occupations of the victims, the older man has been identified by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee as a pastor at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Kuching, Sarawak. He died about 11 a.m., according to the committees news release, adding that 193 people he had been in contact with are being quarantined.

Adham told reporters the victim had a history of chronic illnesses including diabetes and hypertension.

The victim showed symptoms of fever, cough and breathing difficulty beginning on March 7 and was admitted to the hospital on March 14 after testing positive for COVID-19.

His condition worsened and he was admitted to the ICU where he passed away today, Adham said.

The younger patient, meanwhile, apparently had no other illnesses and was found to have died purely due to COVID-19, the official said.

He started showing symptoms of fever on March 5 and was admitted to the Permai Hospital in Johor Bahru on March 12 after testing positive for the virus. The patient was transferred to Sultanah Aminah Hospital ICU where his condition worsened.

Adham urged the public to abide by governments lockdown order taking effect Wednesday and running through March 31.

The cooperation of all parties, both public and private, must continue. We urge the public to follow the order, he said. This approach has to be executed by the government, to prevent more Malaysians from being infected by COVID-19 and curtail the outbreak, he said.

Failure to follow the order could result in a prison sentence of up to two years and a fine, according to officials.

Nisha David in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni or the Company) (OTCMKTS: MARUY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Marubeni 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]

In November 2019, Marubeni reported a loss of 3.9 billion yen ($35.85 million) related to inappropriate recognition of loss from its U.S. agribusiness Gavilons trade in Italy and Spain in the last business year. Then, on March 16, 2020, Reuters published an article entitled Exclusive: Flying blind  Marubenis Gavilon ignored Brazilian red flags. The Reuters article reported, among other issues, that Brazilian risk controllers at Gavilon do Brasil raised red flags as early as June 2016 about lax accounting that ultimately let the company book inaccurate estimates for freight costs, boosting its profits and masking losses; an Ernst & Young audit flagged to Gavilon do Brasil managers that its processes left room for fraud; and that it was only in 2019 when Gavilon adopted a new accounting methodology that major discrepancies were revealed between actual shipping costs and the freight costs recorded in Gavilons books, leading to an internal investigation.

On this news, Marubenis share price fell $2.00, or 3.96%, to close at $40.56 on March 16, 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.
Former Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) (L) walks into the Edward J. Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse to be sentenced on corruption charges in San Diego, Calif., on March 17, 2020. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Former Congressman Duncan Hunter Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison

Former California Congressman Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison after he pleaded guilty on campaign finance violations.

Hunter, a Republican, will also receive three years of parole on the corruption charges that stemmed from misusing more than $200,000 in campaign funds to pay for personal expenses.

Last year, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to misuse campaign funds before resigning weeks later.

During a court hearing on Tuesday, Hunter said he is taking full responsibility for any dime that was spent by me or anyone else on my campaign, CNN reported.

Federal Election Commission finance rules bar officials from spending campaign funds for personal use.

In an interview with KUSI News last year, Hunter said, I think its important that people know that I did make mistakes. I did not properly monitor or account for my campaign money. I justify my plea with the understanding that I am responsible for my own campaign and my own campaign money.

Hunter, 43, faced a maximum of five years in prison, although prosecutors asked the judge to give him a lighter sentence because of his plea deal in December.

Former Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) (L) walks towards a court building for sentencing in San Diego on March 17, 2020. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo)

As we now know, Hunter lied to the people about his guilt. Not once, but countless times. In doing so, he conned voters into electing a soon-to-be-convict, prosecutors wrote in arguing in favor of prison time, reported The Associated Press. Our very democracy is at risk when a criminal like Hunter weaponize the tropes of fake news and conspiracy theories, they also argued.

Hunters defense lawyers said that it should instead be 11 months of in-home confinement. A letter from Hunters former colleague, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), said the court should consider his military service: Mr. Hunter needs special counseling and treatment after fighting our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Washington Examiner.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, decided not to call a special election to replace Hunter, according to a statement from his office in January. Californias 50th Congressional district will go unrepresented until the November elections.

Hunters wife Margaret, who was his campaign treasurer, also took a plea deal. She admitted to her role in the scandal and now faces up to five years in prison.

After he was indicted, Hunter was able to secure a victory in November 2018. He was first elected to office in 2008 after his father was a House representative for decades before him.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been using facial-recognition software to search through Marylands state database of registered drivers and hunt down undocumented immigrants without seeking state or court approval.

The data for drivers licenses is collected by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). The software employed by ICE allows an agent to take a photograph of an unidentified person and see if they have a Maryland license and whether they are undocumented. Beginning in 2013 Maryland allowed immigrants to get drivers licenses without supplying proof of legal immigration status, despite federal guidelines. Since that time, the state has issued over 275,000 licenses.

The Washington Post broke the story based on a previously unpublished letter, according to which a top Maryland law enforcement official told state lawmakers in November that ICE officials had logged nearly 100 sessions in the Maryland drivers license database since 2018, each of which could have included multiple searches.

In other states such as Utah, Vermont and Washington, ICE has had access for years to the drivers license databases but required a state official to actually run the search. In the case of the Maryland database, ICE agents anywhere in the country are able to search through it without seeking approval from state officials.

Harrison Rudolph, a senior associate at Georgetown University Law Schools Center on Privacy and Technology, told the Post that it appears that any law enforcement official with access to the National Crime Information Center maintained by the FBI can search the states database, calling it an unprecedented level of access for federal agentsincluding ICE deportation agents.

According to Maryland Sen. Clarence K. Lam (D-Howard), They have a wide-open door to be able to search through anything in this database. Theyve not been forthcoming in their willingness to [stop it] or coming up with solutions.

A spokeswoman for ICE, while refusing to go into details, claimed that the agency did not routinely use facial-recognition searches for civil immigration enforcement. Given the complete absence of oversight, these assurances cannot be given any value. Further, several immigrants detained by ICE have claimed they were told by law enforcement officials that they were found based on information taken from their drivers licenses.

The Post quotes Rockville resident Maribel Cortez, who told a court hearing how Jose Santos Quintero, her husband of 21 years and father of five with her, was arrested. Speaking to lawmakers through an interpreter, she said, They came to the house. They took him. The kids that were there, they didnt give the kids any explanation. And it wasnt until they finally were detaining him and taking him to the car that they were telling him they were arresting him because of a license. She further said that they have never before had any encounters with immigration or criminal law enforcement authorities.

The origins of ICEs access to the Maryland database remain murky, however Lam told the Post he gathered from meetings with ICE officials that it started with a 2012 memorandum of understanding. This 2012 memorandum precedes the 2013 decision to allow undocumented immigrants access to drivers licenses, raising the possibility that some lawmakers could have been aware of ICEs access when the push was being made to give undocumented immigrants drivers licenses.

For his part, Marylands Republican Governor Larry Hogan has refused to condemn the practice and said he will not support recently introduced legislation to place limits on ICEs ability to conduct warrantless searches of MVA records. Hogan has frequently been lauded by Democrats as a moderate Republican as opposed to the overt racism and demagogy of Trump. There were even suggestions last year that he run as a primary challenger to the president in this years election. This episode makes it clear that Hogan has no fundamental differences with Trump when it comes to brutal attacks on immigrants.

Other Maryland Republicans have evinced the same perspective. State Senator Justin D. Ready (R-Carroll) callously said that immigrants should have expected this outcome all along, saying, We didnt force them to give [their personal information] up.

Maryland state Democrats have confined their opposition to ICE along the most narrow lines. Delegate Dana Stein (D-Baltimore County) made clear that the party delegates dont want to do anything that impedes criminal law enforcement investigations. Stein took no issue with federal intelligence agencies, such as the FBI, who are similarly unencumbered by warrants or oversight.

Democratic Party commentators have taken aim at the particular use of facial recognition software, highlighting that they are often unreliable and exhibit racial biases. The Post, basing its concern upon the technologys tendency to misidentify individuals, states: The searches  could affect everyone, not just immigrants  Facial-recognition algorithms were shown to be up to 100 times more likely to misidentify people if they were Asian or black, a federal study found last year.

While concerns about the potential for misidentification are warranted, such criticism evades the central issue, which is the overall threat to democratic rights that mass state surveillance represents. Based upon this argument, all that is required is more accuracy in facial recognition, not democratic safeguards against state spying.

The Maryland state lawmakers 2013 decision to grant undocumented immigrants drivers licenses parallels the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy of the Obama administration. Enacted by Democrats on both the state and national levels, both policies offered undocumented immigrants supposed benefits in exchange for registering personal information with the state.

In both cases these seemingly immigrant-friendly policies were then used as a tool to go after immigrants instead. In the case of DACA, immigrants were left wide open to attacks by the Trump administration, who took over the executive programs put in place by the Democrat Obama. This sort of bipartisan attack is standard practice for the political parties of the ruling class, who, regardless of party, want to keep immigrants as precarious and exploitable as possible.
Launching a mass experiment in online learning, all of Bexar Countys independent school districts, now in their second week of an extended Spring Break, announced Tuesday that they will keep campuses closed for two more weeks.

Those that now provide free curb-side meals will continue to do so.

Northside ISD, the countys largest, announced its students will return April 6 but in the meantime will begin at-home instruction Monday. Parents should expect updates Thursday about how to access the curriculum, it said.

North East, Edgewood, East Central, Harlandale, Alamo Heights, Judson, Southwest, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City, Somerset, Southside, South San and San Antonio ISDs also announced they wont not reopen until April 6. By mid-afternoon they were followed by the local military installation school districts: Randolph Field, Fort Sam Houston and Lackland.

The superintendents have been conferring daily about the coronavirus and the decision was unsurprising, since the city of San Antonio has banned gatherings of 50 or more. Most superintendents in their statements Tuesday cautioned that further classroom shutouts were possible.

Now Playing: Children get laptop computers from Southwest ISD on March 19, 2020, to use during the coronavirus school closures. Billy Calzada / Video: San Antonio Express-News

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Parents should begin, if you have not already done so, to plan for long term closures of schools, a message from Northside Superintendent Brian Woods said.

Districts varied in their guidance for at-home learning. The announcement on SAISDs webpage said, Remote learning will begin Monday, March 23, but did not elaborate.

Southwest is following the Texas Education Agencys plan for implementing remote learning, Superintendent Lloyd Verstuyft said in a Tuesday letter to families that noted the uncharted and unprecedented situation.

We are using a combination of student packet work and technology-driven opportunities for students to continue their learning journeys, Verstuyft said, but more information about the instructional plan had not been posted Tuesday afternoon on the districts COVID-19 webpage.

Judson ISD Superintendent Jeanette Ball had written in her weekly Monday Message to parents that she expected the superintendents to meet Thursday and make the decision then. Other school districts had been telegraphing the possibility of lengthy campus closures by emphasizing their ongoing planning for using the internet to teach.

Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox

I realize that not having classes presents significant difficulties to working parents who have young, school-aged children. But we are hopeful that these measures will better ensure the long-term health and safety of children, staff, and the larger community, Ball wrote. Our ultimate goal is to try to return to a normal schedule as soon as it is reasonably possible.

The superintendents statements Tuesday similarly took note of the local disruption caused by the need to keep more than 300,000 students from meeting in classrooms every day.

We are hopeful that our planning and participation in social distancing will ensure the long-term health and safety of children, staff, and the larger community, Southwests Verstuyft said. Together, we will work through this time in our lives and come out stronger on the other side.

North Easts Sean Maika noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendations would be certainly something that will weigh into our decision on possible closures beyond April 3, adding: We are not there yet - but, the reality of the situation is that we need to prepare for a potential long-term closure.

On ExpressNews.com: A&M University San Antonio suspends in-person classes

We realize there are many spring events involving our students. There are field trips, proms, banquets etc. We are sorry to say that events scheduled within the time of our closure are canceled, Maika said.

It was too early, he said, to make a decision on graduation ceremonies.

Comal ISD, which borders Bexar County, also announced closures through April 3, as did Pre-K 4 SA, the citys model early childhood program.

Several charter school networks in San Antonio gave updates Tuesday about school closures.

Great Hearts Texas followed suit, shuttering its campuses through April 3.

BASIS Texas, a charter network based in Arizona with three campuses in San Antonio, announced it would close at least through Friday, March 27. Students began online learning Tuesday, with the network encouraging families to reach out to their schools head of operations if they do not have a device or internet access at home.

KIPP Public Schools extended to April 3 a closure that previously was set to end March 27. The school distributed a survey to parents to gauge families access to technology and online learning platforms.

IDEA Public Schools, which previously announced students would return March 30, closed schools indefinitely in a letter to parents Thursday. The charter network enrolls about 13,000 students in San Antonio who will continue their education through distance learning beginning Tuesday. Graduation ceremonies are postponed until further notice.

Balls message Monday said daily phone conferences by superintendents with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath had not yet produced decisions on testing, state accountability, waivers for attendance, or any other similar issues.

At about the same time she sent the message, though, Gov. Greg Abbott was announcing Texas will waive the requirement for STAAR exams, on which much of the states accountability system is based.

Alia Malik contributed to this report. | Ashley McBride covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Ashley.McBride@express-news.net | Twitter: @Ashleynmcb
Mumbai, March 17 : "Bigg Boss 13" fame contestant Paras Chhabra has landed in a new controversy. His designers have alleged that Paras has not paid dues for the clothes he wore inside the house.

In a recent interview to SpotboyE, one of the designers said: "It is extremely unprofessional. Every time he says mere GST issues chal rahe hain, hence I haven't got my prize money of Bigg Boss 13 and shall pay you only when I get it." Responding to such allegations, Paras' spokesperson has issued a statement, stating that he is not liable to pay anything to the designers.

"These are false allegations by the stylists to gain cheap publicity. Nearly after two months if this is what they are trying to do, we call it disgusting and uncalled for.

"They have taken due mileage and credits from Paras as it was a pure collaboration and should value it and they had approached Paras for a barter deal and he is not liable to pay anything. Collaboration means ,there are no finances involved or anything that they are claiming," the statement read.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / PPX Mining Corp. (TSXV:PPX) (the "Company" or "PPX") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 14,166,667 common shares of the Company at a price of CDN$0.06 per share to raise gross proceeds of up to CDN$850,000 (the "Private Placement").Under the Private Placement, the Company intends to pay finders' fees to eligible finders with a value equivalent to 8% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised from the sale of the shares subscribed for by subscribers introduced to the Company by the finders.The Private Placement is subject to all necessary regulatory approvals including acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date under applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital purposes.Closing of Previous Private PlacementThe Company also announces that, further to its news release dated February 26, 2020, it has closed its previously announced private placement of 6,917,901 shares for aggregate gross proceeds of CDN$415,074.06 and does not intend to complete an additional tranche under such offering. For further information regarding the Company's previous offering, please refer to the Company's news release dated February 26, 2020.Management Cease Trade OrderThe Company also announces that, further to its news release dated January 30, 2020, the management cease trade order (the "MCTO") imposed by the British Columbia Securities Commission on January 29, 2020 remains effective. The Company confirms that there have been no material changes to the information contained in the initial announcement of the MCTO.This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsBrian J. MaherPresident and Chief Executive OfficerFOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:PPX Mining Corp.Brian J. Maher, President and Chief Executive OfficerPhone: 1-530-913-4728Email: brian.maher@ppxmining.com Website: www.ppxmining.com 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.Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking InformationCertain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals in relation to the Private Placement.Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, production, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in the Company receiving no proceeds pursuant to the Private Placement and delays in regulatory approval in relation to the Private Placement, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to financing, mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law.SOURCE: PPX Mining Corp
The quarantine is imposed in some hotels; it should be observed

Ukrainians, who stay in Egypt and cannot return home due to the termination of the air traffic, should wait until the end of the quarantine in some hotels, where coronavirus was spotted as 112 Ukraine reported citing Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krykliy.

We will return everyone. There are particular cases; there are a few hotels, where the quarantine is imposed, there is a different situation. The consulates are in touch with the citizens; it will be reported later. There, unfortunately, the observation of the quarantine regime should take place, Krykliy noted.

He also urged the air carriers to return passengers to whom they sold tickets.

Dear air carriers, if you sold the tickets, you should return the passengers. We will return them anyway. But in case if return them at our own expense, we will file applications to compensate the cost, Krykliy stated.

Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba stated that the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Egypt has officially begun.

As we reported earlier, 750 citizens of Ukraine are currently quarantined in Egypt due to the suspicion of coronavirus.
Algeria announces 60 COVID-19 cases, 5 dead To stop flights and sea connections with Europe 19/3

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 17 - The Algerian health ministry announced in a statement Tuesday that another person has died from the coronavirus, or COVID-19, in the country.



The ministry said that the man was about 50 years old, from the Blida region, and that he had been suffering from a chronic disease. So far there are 60 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Algeria in over 10 provinces. Algeria will be halting all flights and maritime connections to and from Europe starting on March 19 to limit the spread of the virus. Mosques and religious institutions have been closed by the authorities as a precaution. (ANSAmed).




With Australia now enforcing 14-day self isolation to anyone arriving on an international flight - same as New Zealand - as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, one punter who assumedly just arrived back in Oz has found a way to pass the time.

Punching cones.

Watch the video below from 9 News Gold Coast journalist Mackenzie Colahan as the mulleted man is quizzed by a TV crew for his thoughts on the isolation policy.
(Newser)  Ohio's Tuesday primary has been called off despite a judge's refusal to grant a temporary restraining order. Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday night that polls would be closed under an emergency order from Health Director Amy Acton, reports the Columbus Dispatch. "During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus," the Republican governor tweeted. "While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity."

story continues below

Earlier Monday, DeWine said he didn't think the primary should be held, but Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye rejected a call to issue a temporary restraining order, arguing that it would set a "terrible precedent," the Washington Post reports. "There are too many factors to balance in this uncharted territory," Frye said. After the judge's decision, DeWine and LaRose turned to Acton, who had the power to postpone the vote by declaring a health emergency. Ohioans "mustnt be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights," said DeWine. The vote is now expected to take place on June 2. Arizona, Florida, and Illinois still plan to hold their primaries Tuesday, the AP reports. (Acton estimates that at least 1% of Ohioans have been infected.)
A telescope in Chile has found a world 640 light-years from Earth that rains liquid iron, adding to the strange tapestry of planets far from our own.

Why it matters: The more that scientists understand about planets circling other stars, the closer they get to finding out just how unique (or common) our solar system  and therefore life  is.

Details: The world, named WASP-76b, is tidally locked to its star, like the Moon is to Earth. The planets day side gets so hot that iron evaporates into its atmosphere.

Winds blow strong enough on the planet that the iron moves from the day side to the night side of the world where it then cools.

As the atmospheric iron cools, it rains onto the cooler night side.

The new discovery was made using the ESPRESSO instrument on the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

The big picture: WASP-76b is only one of the many weird exoplanets  planets circling other stars  that are fascinating scientists today.

The planet HD 189733b has winds that blow up to 5,400 mph and likely rains glass.

Another world, HD 209458b, orbits so close to its star that its thick atmosphere is evaporating and the planet appears to have a tail like a comet stretching out behind it.

55 Cancri e  located about 41 light-years away  is masked by a thick atmosphere that may hide a surface covered entirely in lava.

The bottom line: While many scientists are hunting for another Earth light-years away from our solar system, hundreds of other planets with their own properties are still worthy of study.

Go deeper: Curiosity rover captures a Martian panorama
Supernatural returns from hiatus tonight, Monday, March. 16 at 8 p.m. ET. The CW show has been moved to Mondays, where it will be joined by Roswell, New Mexico.

In this episode, Galaxy Brain, Dean (Jensen Ackles), Sam (Jared Padalecki), Castiel (Misha Collins) and Jack (Alexander Calvert), with Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes), are tasked with a dangerous rescue mission. Billie (Lisa Berry), a reaper, decides to visit the bunker.

Warner Bros. announced earlier this week that Supernatural, along with Riverdale, The Flash and hundreds of other productions, will be put on hold due to the pandemic.

With the rapidly changing events related to COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Warner Bros Television Group is halting production on some of our 70+ series and pilots currently filming or about to begin. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on any of our productions, but the health and safety of our employees, casts and crews remains our top priority. During this time, we will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control as well as local officials and public health professionals in each city where our productions are based."

Supernatural was in the middle of filming its last two episodes of the series.

What channel is the CW on?

You can find which channel The CW is on by using one of the channel finders here: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

How do I watch Supernatural without cable?

You can live stream it on fuboTV (7-day free trial and then $54.99/month) or AT&T Now (From $65/month). The CW is only available in certain regional markets, so make sure to check that CW is available in your region on both streaming sites.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) on Tuesday said a 33-year-old researcher who had recently returned from Italy and tested positive for Covid-19 in Bhusbaneswar, had stayed at one its guest houses between March 7 and 8. During his stay at the guest house, the person had come in contact with eight staff members directly or indirectly, IIT officials said.

In an email sent to students and faculty members on Tuesday night, IIT-Delhi Dean (Infra) KC Iyer and Associate Dean (Infra) JT Sahu said, It has come to our notice today that one guest from Milan, declared asymptomatic of Covid-19 at the airport screening centre on March 6, 2020, but advised home isolation for 14 days, had stayed in Gulmohar (Faculty Guest House) from March 7 afternoon to March 8 morning in room no. 209. As per the newspaper report, he tested positive on March 16 at Bhubaneswar and was moved to an isolation ward there.

The institute said that from check-in time till check-out, the researcher had come in contact with eight staff members. Later, two more guests stayed in the same room from between March 9 and 13, but they checked in only after 24 hours of the check-out of the Covid-positive researcher. The room is vacant since then, the IIT-D said in the email.

Till now, no staff or guest of the Gulmohar (guest house) has reported any symptoms, it added.

The institute has requested the host faculty to instruct the two guests who stayed from March 9 to 13 to undergo self-quarantine. Also, as advised by chief medical officer (CMO) of IIT-D, 10 recently appointed faculty members who are staying in Gulmohar are being asked to self-quarantine. For the eight Gulmohar staff (who came in contact with the researcher), we tried our best to get them tested at the hospital today but none of the helpline numbers were working. However, we are hopeful that we will be able to get the staff tested tomorrow (March 19), IIT-D said in the mail.

In the meantime, as a precautionary measure and as advised by the CMO, IIT Delhi, these eight staff members have been directed to self-quarantine at home, starting today for 14 days and they have been granted special leave during the quarantine period, it added.

The IIT-D said that most of these staff are contractual and their employers have also been informed about the decision.

The IIT-D said that the SDM (South Delhi) might take over Gulmohar in a day or two for quarantine of general public. Due to this, around 10-12 new faculty staying in Gulmohar have been asked to shift to Amaltas (guest house). Hence, we have stopped taking new bookings for both Amaltas and Gulmohar till further instructions. We have also cancelled all bookings, the institute said.

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Yes Bank will resume normal operations from 6 pm on March 18 and it has no liquidity problem, Administrator of the troubled private sector lender Prashant Kumar said on Tuesday.

"Our customers will be able to enjoy all services available before the moratorium," he said at a press conference. "There is absolutely no issue on liquidity side from Yes Bank. All our ATMs are full of cash."

Kumar said there is no need to worry about deposits. "Complete normalcy will be restored. All branches and employees are ready. If there is too much rush of depositors, the bank branches will remain open on weekends as well."

On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had imposed a moratorium on Yes Bank, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor till April 3 in view of its poor financial health due to bad loans.

"Only one-third of our customers have withdrawn Rs 50,000 during the moratorium. The customer feedback is that they do not feel the need to withdraw money from the bank. We have had higher inflows than outflows in the last few days," said Kumar.

At the same press meet, State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar said the lender is free to sell shares but assured that not one share will be sold in the next three years.

"We are not against retail shareholders. We are all here to protect them," he said.

SBI has announced an investment of Rs 7,250 crore in Yes Bank through the acquisition of 725 crore shares at Rs 10 each. SBI's shareholding in Yes Bank after reconstruction will be within the 49 per cent limit

On March 13, the Union Cabinet approved a reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank as proposed by the RBI.

On March 16, Yes Bank approved the reconstitution plan, appointing Kumar as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Food banks across the UK are being forced to close or reduce the service they offer as the coronavirus outbreak leads to a decline in volunteers and a shortage in food donations.

Campaigners said people on low-incomes could be pushed further into the grip of poverty and social exclusion due to a decline in the voluntary services.

Islington foodbank, which provides food to people in one of the countrys most deprived boroughs, announced on Monday that it would be closing in seven days' time in response to a growing number of volunteers self-isolating and a decline in donations  as well as concerns over risk of infection.

In a statement, the foodbank said the decision to close had been difficult, adding: We understand that we provide a service to vulnerable people who may need us now more than ever, but still feel this is the best way to keep our volunteers and clients safe and minimise the risk of infection.

In addition, we need a minimum number of volunteers at each session to operate but with increasing numbers self-isolating we cannot guarantee that. And finally, our food supplied are running low with donations down and supermarkets limiting how much we can order.

We will monitor the situation closely as it unfolds and will re-open as soon as we feel it is safe to do so.

Other organisations running foodbanks across the country told The Independent they too were being forced to consider closure or reduce the service the offer due to difficulties obtaining adequate food supplies and volunteer shortages.

Nick Waterfield, who runs a foodbank in northeast Sheffield, said the charity was in a state of uncertainty and flux and that it had already decided to close what he calls its social cafe, where clients could go to have tea and discuss their problems with volunteers.

Getting the stock in is one problem, but the social cafe is about social networking, support, but weve had to lose that. We couldnt run the risk of doing food in the same way anymore, and having people together in one space, said Mr Waterfield.

Im worried that social distancing will lead to a greater element of social exclusion. There is a risk that that is what will happen. Our more pastoral support is going to be diminished, and for many that was just as important as the food, if not more important.

Paul OBrian, who runs the Micah foodbank in Liverpool, said there was a very realistic prospect that they would be forced to close the service in the coming weeks, but that they were doing all they could to keep it open.

Our volunteer base is mainly retired people who have got the time and the wherewithal to spend their time with us. Those people are nine times out of ten over the age of 65 and 70, sometimes in their eighties, he said.

Sadly were being forced by this situation to ask many of our volunteers not to attend for their own safety. Last week we were okay, we got through, but this week we are seeing the majority of our volunteer base to not come in.

Mr OBrian continued: I dont want to scaremonger, but were not burying our head in the sand. We know that closure is the very last resort, but it just depends on how much of an effect this virus can have. That is the last thing we want to happen, but if by opening the foodbank we put the people using it at risk of getting coronavirus then we wont do it.

Im expecting for a myriad of reasons  whether it be self-employed people unable to access work, or lack of provision for school dinners  that our numbers are going to rise, which makes it all the more concerning."

Sabine Goodwin, coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), called on the government to urgently provide the financial means to those on low or no income to buy food and support themselves during this crisis and beyond.

She added: Dedicated volunteers have been depended on to provide emergency food parcels to those in need for too long. The spread of coronavirus means there's a possibility that we may now no longer be able to count on their good will and generosity to keep food banks open.

Varun Kanish, campaigns manager at Turn2us, said that, should foodbanks have to close down on mass, the charity would be "very worried about even more people going hungry across the UK".

Foodbanks are already the last resort for an increasing number of people in UK experiencing desperate financial hardship. This latest health crisis is pushing the most at risk and vulnerable further into the grip of poverty," he said.

Given the latest measures put in place to stop the spread of the virus, we would expect the government also has contingency plans that support critical resources like foodbanks and shelters.

It comes as charities call on the government to increase welfare benefit payments to support low-income families in the face of coronavirus. Child Poverty Action Group said ministers should bring in a 10 per week uplift in child benefit for the duration of the pandemic.

Chief executive of the charity Alison Garnham said: We are in very uncertain times and the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus will place additional financial pressures on families who are already struggling to get by.

The policy solution should not be to turn to the voluntary sector to boost food distribution projects, or to create new ones. As well as the loss of their dignity, families being forced into food banks are likely to increase the risk of infection from covid-19 and further its transmission in already vulnerable communities."

A spokeperson from the Department for Work and Pensions said: We understand people who are required to stay at home or are infected by Coronavirus may need financial support, and quickly.

Those affected will be able to apply for Universal Credit and can receive up to a months advance up front without physically attending a jobcentre.

If you believe that you may have been infected, or have been in close contact with someone who has, please do not delay making a claim to Universal Credit. You should stay at home and apply at the earliest opportunity.
The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Tuesday alleged that the Left-led JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) defaced the V D Savarkar Marg signboard inside the campus.

The students' union had objected to a road inside the campus being named after Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.

"The JNU administration last year took the decision to name the roads inside the campus and as a result, the road at the Subansir Hostel was named after V D Savarkar, but the left-wing students defaced it by pasting a Mohammad Ali Jinnah Marg poster," president of ABVP-JNU Shivam Chaurasia said.

There was no immediate reaction from the administration or the students' union.

Sources indicated that some students had 'reclaimed' the road by painting B R Ambedkar Marg on the VD Savarkar Marg signboard and later, a poster of Mohammad Ali Jinnah was found pasted on the signboard.

The administration on Monday had said that the decision to name the road after Savarlar was taken at the Executive Council held in November last year.

Police, however, said that they have not received any complaint regarding the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 11:05 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b266e0 1 City COVID-19,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak-in-Indonesia,South-Tangerang,Tangerang,Banten Free

Banten Governor Wahidin Halim announced on Monday that the first fatality had been recorded among the five reported COVID-19 cases in South Tangerang.

One patient, [a resident] of Pondok Aren district in South Tangerang, has died, Wahidin said at his official residence in Serang, as quoted by tempo.co.

There are now four confirmed COVID-19 patients in South Tangerang, he said.

Banten Health Agency head Ati Pramudji, who also helms the provinces COVID-19 task force, said the remaining four patients came from several districts across Tangerang regency, with two from Kelapa Dua district, one from Curug district and one from Ciledug district.

Read also: Scientists call for lockdown to contain COVID-19 ahead of Ramadan, 'mudik'

At the time of writing, 18 patients with suspected Covid-19 symptoms are under the local administrations surveillance while 130 others are under observation. Five suspected cases have tested negative, while 13 others are still awaiting test results.

Wahidin called on the people of Banten to stay home as much as possible and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Dont go out if its not urgent, avoid public spaces and consume [nutritious food], he said.

Indonesia announced 17 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 134.

As of Monday, eight people had recovered from the disease, while five had died. (rfa)
If you're looking to invest in pot stocks, you need to know they come with risk. Marijuana is not yet legal at the federal level in the U.S., and that puts cannabis stocks in a unique situation, one that involves more dangers than you might expect as an investor. Here are four of the biggest risks facing pot stocks today that shouldn't be ignored.

1. Insolvency

Arguably the most important consideration for any company is its cash flow. If a company has no available cash, it'll struggle to keep its lights on and continue doing business.

That's a reality faced by many pot stocks today. A recent analysis done by investment bank Ello Capital found that some cannabis companies are just months away from running into liquidity issues; Ello estimated in February that Harvest Health & Recreation (OTC:HRVSF) has about nine months of liquidity remaining, and that was among the highest listed.

In the company's most recent quarterly results, which Harvest Health released in November, it had cash and cash equivalents totaling $18.3 million as of Sept. 30. That's a sharp decline from the $191.9 million it had as of Dec. 31, 2018.

It's only an estimate, but it's an important reminder for investors: Always look at a cannabis company's cash-flow statement before making any investment decision. In Harvest Health's case, the company has used up $65 million in cash as part of its its day-to-day operating activities over the past nine months.

2. Fraud

The seemingly unlimited potential to make money in the cannabis industry is enough to lure people into pulling a fast one over on optimistic investors. In February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused a cannabis farm in Seattle of taking $4.85 million from investors and spending $3.5 million of that on "extravagant luxuries," according to an SEC complaint. The farm was eventually closed, and authorities say it was never profitable despite the farm owner promising significant profits for investors.

As exciting as it may be to invest in a start-up marijuana company that looks to have a lot of potential, there's significant danger in doing so. Harvest Health and other pot stocks have their risks, but they're still safer buys than pot farms that may not even offer investors any formal financial statements.

3. Hacking

Another danger for cannabis companies is the threat of people hacking into their systems. According to credit reporting company Experian, industries like cryptocurrency and cannabis that are still in their early growth stages are among the most vulnerable when it comes to hacking. Michael Bruemmer, who is a vice president at Experian and overlooks data breaches and consumer protection, says: "These controversial industries make great targets because they're more focused on growing their business and starting up than they are necessarily putting the appropriate focus on cybersecurity."

Without proper technologies in place, preventing hacks is a big challenge for these companies. And since much of the cannabis business involves healthcare, the information can be very sensitive. In January of this year, hackers breached THSuite, a point-of-sale provider in the cannabis industry. They were able to access the photo IDs, health information, and addresses of more than 30,000 people in the company's system. With sensitive medical information on hand, cannabis companies face even more potential liability than other industries do.

4. Theft

One of the biggest risks for the cannabis industry today is theft. Since cannabis companies operate primarily in cash because many can't obtain banking services, they're a prime target for thieves. In 2019, Colorado dispensaries hit a three-year high for burglaries.

Lawmakers have attempted to solve these issues through the SAFE Banking Act, but that has unfortunately failed to gain enough traction. In the meantime, companies remain vulnerable to these risks, and for many, that means having to pay security personnel. This only adds to their expenses and puts their financials in an even worse position, making profitability even more elusive.

What should investors do?

One thing investors can do to protect themselves is to keep a close eye on a company's earnings reports. Check whether there are any writedowns related to theft or data breaches, to see if there are any hints that a company is not doing enough to protect its assets. Investors can also mitigate the first two risks on this list by carefully researching a company and reviewing its financials.

However, with the cannabis industry growing and changing as quickly as it is, all four of these risks are likely to persist in one form or another. That's why, despite their potential, risk-averse investors may want to limit pot stocks to a very small portion of their portfolios, or consider investing in businesses that are adjacent to but not deeply immersed in the industry, such as cannabis real estate investment trust (REIT) Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR).
A startling new report from Imperial College London warns that 2.2 million Americans and 510,000 Britons could die from coronavirus if extreme action isn't taken to change the course of the outbreak.

Why it matters: The report's dire warnings prompted a quick course correction from both the American and British governments on their strategies, but its strict recommendations and long timeline  18 months  to stem the tide could have far-reaching implications for both populations and economies.

What they found: The report states the effectiveness of "mitigation," which includes isolating only the sick and those linked to them while advocating social distancing for at-risk groups, is limited. It instead recommends "suppression," a much more wide-ranging tactic to curb coronavirus' spread.

The researchers say that suppression "will minimally require a combination of social distancing of the entire population, home isolation of cases and household quarantine of their family members." It also recommends school closures.

The report notes that this strategy could have to be in place until a vaccine is developed, which could take 18 months  saying it is "the only viable strategy at the current time."

Worth noting: While China and South Korea have managed to suppress the outbreak using similarly draconian strategies, the report admits that it's not yet clear if suppression's successes can last in the long-term.

The state of play: The findings caused a messaging shift on both sides of the Atlantic.

While President Trump had previously brushed off coronavirus concerns and compared it to a winter flu, the White House advised people on Monday to avoid gatherings of 10 or more, stop non-essential travel and avoid bars and restaurants.

The U.K. previously allowed its citizens to go about the world more or less as normal, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson walked some of that back this week  admitting that the country was only days behind Italy's outbreak and instituting more strict recommendations for at-risk populations. But it still eschewed lockdowns and closures like those being implemented around the world.

The big picture: The New York Times reported that the Imperial College researchers "had shared their projections with the White House task force about a week ago and that an early copy of the report was sent over the weekend."

The BBC called the report the "crucial piece of evidence" that spurred Downing Street to act, saying the researchers "first realized the scale of the problem in China" and noting their "advice is heavily influential in government."

The bottom line: The report admits that "no public health intervention with such disruptive effects on society has been previously attempted for such a long duration of time."
The Karni Sena, which protested against Bollywood film "Padmaavat" over historic facts last year, has now asked the producers of "Prithviraj", an upcoming movie featuring Akshay Kumar, not to tamper with such facts.

Members of the outfit, led by its national president Mahipal Singh Makrana, staged a stir at the shooting of the film in Jamwaramgarh village, near Jaipur, on Saturday and asked the director, Chandra Prakash, to stop the shooting.

Prakash assured them that there was no tampering with historic facts in the film's script.

However, the Karni Sena demanded a written assurance.

Akshay was not shooting when the Karni Sena members staged the protest on Saturday.

"We held discussions with the director, Chandra Prakash, regarding the film's script today. We told him that no tampering with historic facts will be tolerated," Makrana said on Monday.

"Prithviraj Chauhan should not be portrayed as a lover in the film. The director has assured us that there is no such thing in the movie but we want a written assurance," he said.

Produced by Yashraj Films, "Prithviraj" is based on the life of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Susanna Reid has revealed she is self-isolating after one of her children developed symptoms of coronavirus.

The 49-year-old, who hosts Good Morning Britain (GMB) alongside Piers Morgan, said she plans to spend the next 14 days away from the ITV breakfast show, in line with advice from the government.

I am currently well but due to the new advice today I will be self-isolating for two weeks due to symptoms in my household, she wrote on Twitter. Stay well everyone.

During Tuesdays GMB, Reid told co-host Morgan that while she was displaying no symptoms and believed her son's illness was only a seasonal cold, she was still taking precautions.

Appearing on the show via video link, Reid said: One of the boys, one of my children, has a cough, a persistent cough, and that came on yesterday.

She added that her decision followed the first of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons daily press conferences on Monday, in which he called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel.

Before the briefing yesterday afternoon, the advice had been the person themselves would be confined to the house for seven days, Reid explained.

Well, suddenly with these new drastic action measures, that changed yesterday afternoon. It meant if one member of your household had the cough or fever you would all have to go in self isolation for 14 days. Immediately, I thought I cant go into work and work with you guys for 14 days.

All the children are off. Were two households. Its a very unusual situation. I am very, very lucky. Im paid even when Im sick. Im in a privileged position.

Susanna Reid is self-isolating for 14 days (ITV/Good Morning Britain)

Morgan quipped that Reid had taken extreme measures so that she could take a break from working with him.

I have heard of some ways of avoiding working with me but this is ridiculous, he said.

Among those sending Reid their well wishes were BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker, who tweeted: Stay safe Susanna. Hope you and the family are ok. See you back in a few weeks.

Gary Lineker also told the GMB host to stay well, while Davina McCall commented: Love to you all xxxx.

Earlier this week, newsreader George Alagiah also made the difficult decision to withdraw from the BBCs newsroom amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 64-year-old was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in April 2014 and continues to receive treatment. His agent said he will self-isolating after consulting with his doctors and editor.

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

Its been a difficult decision. At a time like this I so wanted to play my part in the BBC Newsroom, working with my colleagues to report on this unprecedented crisis - especially as so many are turning to the BBC to make sense of what can seem a frightening and confusing situation, Alagiah said.

After talking to my doctors and my editor we all decided that, on a balance of risks, it was probably best that I withdraw from the newsroom.

Celebrities including Idris Elba, Game Of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have all tested positive for coronavirus.

For all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak, follow The Independent's live blog here.
Farmers have warned that fruit and vegetable harvests may be lost due to a shortage of staff due to a coronavirus lockdown.

Australian growers rely on a steady influx of foreign workers to pick produce, but travel bans and self-isolating measures may cause them to lose crops through not having enough hands to collect them.

There is no current shortage of fruit and vegetables in Australia, but farmers are working with the federal government to ensure security in staff for the future.

'There are people overseas making decisions right now [about whether to come to Australia], who would otherwise be here picking fruit or vegetables in three and six months time,' Growcom policy and advocacy manager Richard Shannon told The Guardian.

The farming industry can't afford to send people away from work without losing huge amounts of crops and having a devastating impact on fresh food supplies (stock image)

The coronavirus outbreak has caused many countries to recommend people abandon any international travel plans to stop the spread of the disease.

Countries including Australia and New Zealand have enforced two weeks of mandatory quarantine for any arrivals into the country, while others such as Canada have closed their borders completely to foreigners.

These measures have caused travelers to cancel their plans, with Mr Shannon saying we need to be flexible with visa arrangements to ensure staff for farmers.

'All options are being explored, including creating greater flexibility around those visas for folks already in Australia, or incentives we might provide to attract more domestic workers,' he said.

International tourists are required to do farm work in a variety of industries in order to obtain a working holiday visa in Australia.

The farming industry can't afford to send people away from work without losing huge amounts of crops and having a devastating impact on fresh food supplies.

Panic buying due to the coronavirus has caused many essential items including toilet paper, pasta and rice to become nearly impossible to find on supermarket shelves.

Director of supply chain consultancy GRA Shanaka Jayasinghe said Australia's duopoly of the market through Coles and Woolworths has put us in good stead to handle any upcoming food shortages.

Mr Jayasinghe said customers may need to have an open mind to the cosmetics of fruit and vegetables in trying times for suppliers.

'Id say it would be a very understanding consumer right now, compared to a couple of months ago, in terms of the shape of a banana or pear,' he said.
MUSKEGON, MI  Nurses at Mercy Health Partners Hackley Campus are concerned that the hospital is not properly screening patients for coronavirus and that it doesnt have enough protective equipment for nurses, according to a statement issued by their union.

Nurses are on the frontlines in this pandemic and we need more support from the hospital to make sure we can provide proper care while keeping ourselves safe, said Justin Howe, an intensive care nurse said in a prepared statement.

Howe is president of the Mercy Health Partners RN Staff Council, the local affiliate of the Michigan Nurses Association.

The nurses claim they have complained to Mercy Health, which is owned by Trinity Health, and it is not listening to their concerns.

Mercy Health, in a statement to MLive, said its care standards align with Centers for Disease Control recommendations and that it is committed to providing adequate protective gear.

As of March 17, there were no known cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in Muskegon County, according to the public health department. There has been one negative test and five are pending, according to the health departments website.

The nurses specific concerns, according to the statement, are:

Inconsistent procedures for screening patients that are raising concerns about infection control. In response, Mercy said it is following CDC guidelines and will continue to adjust them as necessary.

Failure to provide the cornerstone of recommended protection for nurses, which is an N95 respirator mask or a powered air purifying respirator. Not all units in the hospital are receiving the masks, and when they do, not all nurses have been properly fitted, according to the nurses complaint. In response, Mercy said it continues to monitor the national supply chain and available stockpiles and will provide appropriate personal protective equipment.

No guarantee that nurses who get sick from treating infected patients and must miss work for an extended period will not suffer financially. In response, Mercy Health said it will provide additional paid leave to any employee that is exposed to the virus, and is waiving attendance and trady requirements.

The hospital has so far refused to negotiate with the nurses over working conditions related to COVID-19, which it is legally obligated to do, the union statement reads.

Mercy Health said it has engaged in regular and routine dialogue with the union since the outbreak, and we are disappointed that it has decided to spread misinformation to the public during this national emergency.

We look forward to thoughtful engagement and dialogue with our labor partners if and when they are willing to participate, the health systems statement reads.

Tom Goodman, a nurse in Hackleys emergency department, said nurses know what we need but the hospital isnt listening to them.

We tried to engage the hospital earlier on answering these questions, Goodman said in a prepared statement. We have a good team, but we are chasing the ball and being reactive to situations.

We hope to see better cooperation very soon as nurses deal with this urgent public health crisis.

MLive has complete coverage on coronavirus, including maps of known cases, 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:

 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.

Also on MLive:

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan confirms new coronavirus cases, raising total to 65

Property tax deadline extended in Muskegon County due to coronavirus

How to get free school district meals for kids in Muskegon County

What to do if you have a court date in Muskegon County before April 6
Miss World 1970: Beauty Queens And Bedlam

Rating:

Age Of The Image

Rating:

To his great credit, Michael Aspel did not try to excuse his 14-year stint as compere of the Miss World contest with the phrase: Things were different in those days.

That pretext is becoming as hackneyed as the plea: I was only obeying orders.

The former chatshow hosts demeanour made it plain, in the documentary Miss World 1970: Beauty Queens And Bedlam (BBC2), that he felt no need to reproach himself.

The beauty queens were willing contestants and he always treated them with respect.

To his great credit, Michael Aspel did not try to excuse his 14-year stint as compere of the Miss World contest with the phrase: Things were different in those days'

He saved his disapproval for the film star Bob Hope, who muscled in to snatch the comperes role just as the girls were about to appear in their swimsuits.

Aspel has coped with worse behaviour from stars in his career  remember the night Ollie Reed staggered onto his talk show roaring drunk?  but he couldnt hide his contempt at how badly Hope handled the job.

The comic launched into a series of one-liners so crass that the audience was gasping with embarrassment.

Its a jaw-dropping bit of footage: I dont want you to think Im a dirty old man, Hope told the crowd.

I never give women a second thought . . . my first thought covers everything. And then the first flour bomb hit the stage.

The real protesters, including Sally Alexander and Jo Robinson, were much better value for money and couldnt hide their delight at the mischief they caused. Aspel loved it too

This neatly balanced programme divided its narrative between those women who competed for the sash and crown, including that years first black winner, Miss Grenada Jennifer Hosten, and the other women who set out to disrupt the night at the Royal Albert Hall.

Trail-blazing feminists, or womens libbers as they were called 50 years ago, they came armed with water pistols filled with ink, which they squirted at the white shirtfronts of the bouncers. Those mesdames meant business.

In the film Misbehaviour, released last week, Keira Knightley plays the ringleader of the protesters.

This neatly balanced programme divided its narrative between those women who competed for the sash and crown, including that years first black winner, Miss Grenada Jennifer Hosten, and the other women who set out to disrupt the night at the Royal Albert Hall

Theres an irony, to which the film-makers seem oblivious, that the story of a watershed moment in Womens Lib apparently cant be told for the cinema unless it stars an ultra-glamorous actress  the former face of Chanel.

Not very feminist. The real protesters, including Sally Alexander and Jo Robinson, were much better value for money and couldnt hide their delight at the mischief they caused.

Aspel loved it too. What a story, he said happily.

Archive newsreels served up endless outdated zingers, such as organiser Eric Morleys boast: Well, if its a cattle market, I must confess theres some very fine beef there.

But not even Mr Morley could match the casual sexism of photographer Helmut Newton, whose depictions of sexually subservient women were explored by art historian James Fox in Age Of The Image (BBC4).

Newton bragged that he once bullied a young model into submission by telling her: My dear, Im not interested in you. Youre getting paid to be made into what I want.

Bob Hope himself might wince at a line like that.

Foxs signature in this outstanding series has been the way he tries to step into the images he is discussing.

For a segment about the Marlboro Man, and how the Wild West style revolutionised cigarette advertising, he tried his hand at cattle ranching. Yee-haw.

Talking about David Hockneys sun-filled paintings of the Los Angeles suburbs, Fox lounged beside a cobalt-blue swimming pool.

He even found street scenes that matched shots from Federico Fellinis mesmeric La Dolce Vita.

Its a good job, though, that he didnt try to recreate Helmut Newtons most infamous shot.

No one wants to see a BBC bod on all fours with a saddle on his back.

Foxs signature in this outstanding series has been the way he tries to step into the images he is discussing

Cowgirl of the night: Evan Rachel Wood is back as a robot, escaped from a sci-fi High Noon theme park, in Westworld (Sky Atlantic). Now shes in London.

The plot became wholly crackers halfway into the last series, but who cares? Its still fabulous.
Visa has entered a partnership with Nigeria based startup Paga on payments and technology.

Founded in Lagos, Paga scaled its fintech business in West Africa, before targeting expansion in Ethiopia and Mexico.

The startup has created a multi-channel network for over 14 million customers in Nigeria to transfer money, pay-bills and buy things digitally through its mobile-app or 24,840 agents.

The new arrangement allows Paga account holders to transact on Visa's global network. It will also see both companies work together on tech.

The collaboration reflects a strategy of the American financial services giant to expand in Africa working with the continent's top startups.

Visa's partnership with Paga doesn't include investment in the startup, but it is expected to drive larger payment volumes for both companies  and Visa's priorities in Africa.

"We want to digitize cash, that's a strategic priority for us. We want to expand merchant access to payment acceptance and we want to drive financial inclusion," said Otto Williams, Visa's Head of Strategic Partnerships, Fintech and Ventures for Africa.

The Paga-Visa arrangement will bring new merchant options to Paga's network.

"Based on the partnership we're going to launch QR codes and NFC [payments] into the market in Nigeria  alternative ways of receiving payments than bringing out a physical card," said Oviosu.

Tayo Oviosu

Visa and Paga's engineering teams have already started working together, according to Oviosu, and Paga expects to roll-out these new options in Nigeria sometime in second-quarter 2020.

The startup is pivoting toward becoming less of a Nigeria-centered company and more an emerging markets fintech platform. In January, Paga acquired Ethiopian software development company Apposit, on plans to launch in the East African country. After Nigeria, Ethiopia has Africa's second-largest population of 114 million.

Story continues

Paga has also opened an office in Mexico and will launch its payments products there this year.

There are several very large countries around the world in Africa, Latin America, Asia where these [financial inclusion] problems still exist. So our strategy is not an African strategyWe want to go where these problems exist in a large way and build a global payments business, Oviosu told Techcrunch in January.

The Visa-Paga partnership comes as fintech has become Africa's best funded startup sector  according to latest VC reporting  with thousands of ventures vying to scale digital-finance products to the continent's unbanked and underbanked consumers and SMEs.

As a company, Visa maintains multiple partnerships with Africa's largest banks, but collaborating with the continent's VC backed fintech ventures has taken center-stage. This was confirmed in Visa's recent 2020 Investor Day presentation, which dedicated several slides to its strategy of "partnering with leading African players" in the startup ecosystem.

The global financial services company has entered into collaborations with several African fintech ventures, such as B2B payments company Flutterwave and South African startup Yoco, which is focused on enterprise payments services and hardware for SMEs.

Visa has also jumped into the venture funding realm in African fintech. In 2019 Nigerian financial services company Interswitch reached a $1 billion valuation and unicorn status after Visa acquired a minority equity stake.

Visa's Otto Williams, who has taken a lead on the company's Africa strategy, noted non-equity collaborations will remain the primary focus  though those could lead to VC down the road.

"If we have a commercial partnership in place that creates the right investment thesis...you know those strategic partnerships inform venture investments," Williams said.

Of course, Visa's isn't the only American financial services firm backing African tech companies. In 2019, its rival Mastercard invested $50 million in Pan-African e-commerce venture Jumia. The two are working together on developing fintech services across Jumia's customer network.
In an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus, Egypt is suspending all flights into and out of the country's airports beginning at noon Thursday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said today.

The flight shutdown will last through March 31 and during that time Egypt will sanitize hotels and tourist attractions. Egypts economy relies heavily on foreign tourism, and in February alone hosted more than 900,000 tourists.

Losses in the tourism and aviation sectors during this period could exceed 2.25 billion Egyptian pounds ($143 million), Madbouly said.

"The decisions taken by the government to fight the virus have economic repercussions, but the states priority is to protect citizens," Madbouly said in a televised news conference.

The populous North African country has recorded 150 cases of COVID-19, of which 26 have recovered, Information Minister Osama Haikal said today. Three people in Egypt have died from the disease.

Madbouly also announced that the country will temporarily reduce its number of public sector employees working in government facilities. On Sunday, Egypt announced schools and universities would be closed for two weeks. The government previously issued a nationwide decree banning large gatherings.

A growing number of countries in the region are imposing their own travel restrictions to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Jordan and Saudi Arabia have halted all international passenger flights, and Israel is requiring that new arrivals self-quarantine for 14 days.
How to stay healthy

Social distancing comes at a cost to our mental health, as Abdullah Shihipar writes in The Times. The paradox, he says, is that social distancing is required to slow the spread of the virus, but loneliness can make us sick, furthering our sense of isolation from one another, and making us forget that were in this together.

But technology can be a useful tool for fighting loneliness and keeping your spirits up, according to Priya Parker in The Times.

Amid the grimness, there is an opportunity to experiment: Were living in a time of virtual happy hours and virtual dance parties, virtual choirs and virtual breath connection, virtual church services and virtual potlucks, virtual quarantine Shabbat and virtual sobriety meetings, she says.

And if you work from home, Olivia Judson suggests using Zoom, Skype or some other online video conferencing tool to create a virtual co-working group.

[Related: Social distancing doesnt have to doom your weekends. We have ideas]

You can also consider forming pacts with a small group of people, as Carolyn Cannuscio, the director of research at the Center for Public Health Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, suggests in The Atlantic. If two households are in strict agreement that they will reduce all outside contact, for example, then those two households can socialize together and support each other. I can see social and mental-health advantages to that kind of approach, she says.

Now should also be a time for building social solidarity, the sociologist Eric Klinenberg writes in The Times. While the federal government failed to prepare for the crisis, individuals can still work together to combat it and promote public health. He recommends developing lists of volunteers who can contact vulnerable neighbors and help them order food and medications, for example, or calling the nearest homeless shelter or food pantry to ask if it needs anything. Many people have also found ways of building social solidarity online:




Pope Francis walks the streets of Rome praying against coronavirus (Reuters)

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church has been pictured walking through the empty streets of Rome offering prayers to people affected by coronavirus and for an end to the crisis.

He was flanked by security guards shortly after delivering a blessing from his balcony window over an empty St Peters Square.

He left the Vatican unannounced and visited two churches, praying at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and St Marcello church where he prayed in front of a crucifix that was used in a procession when the plague hit Rome in 1522. A Vatican statement said he prayed for an end to the pandemic and also for the sick, their families and health providers and workers keeping pharmacies and food stores open amid a national lockdown.

According to Metro UK, in the photos, the pope showed no fear as he walked an empty Via del Corso, which is usually packed with shoppers and people taking strolls on Sunday. The Vatican said earlier that his Holy Weeks and Easter services next month will be held without public participation, a step believed to be unprecedented in modern times.

It was not clear how the massive events will be scaled down but sources said officials were studying ways to hold them in indoor locations, including St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, with small representative groups attending. The number of cases of Covid-19 in Italy has surged higher again. Some 3,590 more cases of the coronavirus have been reported in a 24-hour period, nearly 100 more than the increase the day before. The additional infections reported on Sunday represent the countrys biggest day-to-day increase.

This comes after Italys Civil Protection chief Angelo Borrelli announced the latest number of cases, bringing the total number of people with the new coronavirus to 24,747.

The number of deaths had increased by 368 to 1,809. The Holy Week services, which begin on Palm Sunday, lead up to Easter, the most important day of the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar for the worlds 1.3 billion members. Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus entry to Jerusalem, usually takes place in St. Peters Square, which traditionally is decorated with olive trees while those in the crowd hold up palm branches. Another Holy Week event, the Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday, takes place around Romes ancient Colosseum.
NATO leaders pose for a group photo at the NATO Summit in London, Britain, on December 4, 2019. Photo: Xinhua

By Xia Guohan

By announcing a sweeping travel ban for Europeans last week, the US disconnected with many NATO members. The move will have a profoundly negative impact on US-EU relations, and such impact will be magnified against the backdrop of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Misled by the US, Europeans believed the virus originated in China. This is probably a misjudgment and led to a directional mistake in epidemic preventative measures in the US and Europe.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said some Americans who presumably died from influenza had tested positive for COVID-19, which means several US cases in recent months could have been misdiagnosed. When the millions of coronavirus test kits promised by US President Donald Trump are dispatched in the hospitals all over the US, the number of COVID-19 infections could skyrocket.

As the US and Europe have been slow in responding to COVID-19, implementing city lockdowns, as China has done, could cause more harm than good. But the recent measures taken by the US, France, Italy, and Spain could help contain the outbreak to some extent.

Meanwhile, Italy has been cooperating with China in battling the virus, and Spain has also asked China for assistance. Other Europeans countries are expected to follow. A community of joint efforts in the fight against COVID-19 centering China and Europe has been formed.

In contrast, Europe is in a trust crisis with its traditional ally - the US, which pushed Europe into the corner and misled the continent by comparing COVID-19 to flu that started in China.

The origin of COVID-19 remains unproven. Given Trump's early passive attitude toward epidemic prevention efforts, the possibility that the US is the source of the European epidemic should not be ruled out.

The Trump administration imposed a travel ban on European countries as soon as it attached importance to its virus control efforts and did so without notifying European leaders in advance. This caused panic among Americans in Europe, and many of them chose to return to the US, which may have led to another large-scale outbreak.

Instead of cooperating with Europe to fight the epidemic, the US betrayed its allies and impacted a shaky US-Europe mutual trust, which has apparently irritated Europe.

In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel said, "The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to improve a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation."

One notable consequence of the US' Europe ban is that the UK will be isolated by both the US and Europe. The Trump administration imposed a travel ban on the UK as well because British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's careless policies against the COVID-19.

Trump had first imposed a travel ban on Europe without including the UK. This couldn't work because there wasn't a travel ban between the UK and other European countries. It is anticipated that major European countries will gradually block their borders. For example, the Schengen Agreement could be halted, and the EU could impose a travel ban on the UK. But what is more serious is the second phase of Brexit negotiations this year will be affected.

There are also hidden dangers of infection at US military bases overseas. Europe's epidemic situation is on a full-scale alert. If a large-scale outbreak occurs at US military bases in Europe, it will affect NATO military cooperation.

There have been confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US military base in South Korea, which has since been closed. The US has hundreds of overseas military bases. Whether US military forces abroad will get infected is greatly related to local health conditions. If a large-scale virus outbreak occurred at US military bases worldwide, then it would have a huge impact on US global hegemony and could accelerate alienation between the US and Europe.

The author is a Beijing-based research fellow with the Chinese think tank Grandview Institution.
T he coronavirus outbreak will lead to the deaths of about 250,000 people in the UK unless more draconian measures are introduced, scientists have warned.

The Imperial College Covid-19 response team, which has been advising ministers, said that even with the "social distancing" plans set out by the Government the health system will be "overwhelmed many times over.

In its latest report, it said the only "viable strategy" is a Chinese-style policy of "suppression" involving the social distancing of the entire population. Such measures would need to be maintained potentially for 18 months or more until an effective vaccine became available, it suggested.

The stark warning came after Boris Johnson unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures to try to control the spread of Covid-19.

Boris Johnson: Avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to fight coronavirus

In the first of his daily No 10 press conferences, the Prime Minister called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel.

Anyone living in a household with somebody who has the symptoms of a persistent cough or fever was told to isolate themselves for 14 days.

Special guidance will be issued by the NHS for the 1.4 million people most at risk from the disease - including the elderly with underlying health conditions - on further measures they need to take to "shield" themselves from it.

Mr Johnson said the measures - thought to be taken in light of the death toll warning in the Imperial College report - were needed at the UK was approaching the "fast growth part of the upward curve" in the number of cases.

"Without drastic action, cases could double every five or six days," he said.

Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /45 Empty Europe during Coronavirus - In pictures The Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate is almost empty in Berlin AP The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is deserted Getty Images Barcelona's cathedral, Spain AP Duomo Square in Milan, Italy, AP Colosseum in central Rome AFP via Getty Images The Autobahn 12 is completely empty shortly before the German-Polish border crossing near Frankfurt AP Closed shops following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium Reuters The Malagueta beach is cordoned off in Malaga, Spain AFP via Getty Images Vienna, Austria AP Deserted Hotel de Ville in Paris, France Getty Images The highway leading to Barcelona is seen empty of cars AP City of Gdansk in Poland is virtually deserted Reuters Ratusz Arsenal metro station visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters St. Peter's Square, Vatican in Rome, Italy Reuters The Royal palace in downtown Madrid, Spain AP The usually busy Larios street remains empty in Malaga AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty square in Naples, Italy during a lockdown across all of the country, imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus, in Naples, Italy Reuters Galleria Umberto in Naples, Italy Reuters A street is almost empty in downtown Naples AP An empty beach in Barcelona, Spain AP Homes and an empty street are seen under partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Ronda, southern Spain Reuters Restaurants remain closed on a seaside promenade in Valencia in Spain AFP via Getty Images A deserted Westland shopping center in Brussels BELGA/AFP via Getty Images A view of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade in Milan, Italy AP An empty street in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Itlay Reuters An almost empty Roemerberg square, the main tourist spot in Frankfurt, Germany AP An empty Via Condotti street in Rome, Italy Reuters Piazza Trilussa in Rome, Italy Reuters The Louvre Museum Getty Images Musee du Louvre in Paris is closed to the public AFP via Getty Images The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: "In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes Reuters An empty Disneyland Paris PA Old Town area visually deserted, amid coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters Old Town area is visually deserted, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) concerns, in Warsaw, Poland via Reuters

However, the Imperial College report warned that even with such a dramatic closing down of normal life, the surge capacity limits of health systems of both the UK and the US - which is adopting similar measures - were likely to be "exceeded many times over".

"In the most effective mitigation strategy examined, which leads to a single, relatively short epidemic (case isolation, household quarantine and social distancing of the elderly), the surge limits for both general ward and ICU (intensive care unit) beds would be exceeded by at least eight-fold under the more optimistic scenario for critical care requirements that we examined," it said.

"In addition, even if all patients were able to be treated, we predict there would still be in the order of 250,000 deaths in GB, and 1.1-1.2 million in the US."

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The report said there was now no alternative but to move to a policy of total "suppression" involving the social distancing of the entire population, home isolation of cases and household quarantine of their family members.

Even then, it said that it was "not at all certain" that the strategy would succeed in the long term.

"The social and economic effects of the measures which are needed to achieve this policy goal will be profound," it said.

"No public health intervention with such disruptive effects on society has been previously attempted for such a long duration of time. How populations and societies will respond remains unclear."

In response, a Government spokesman said that the recommendations put forward its Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) were in line with "best current evidence".

"This is a very fast-moving situation. In order to give the most robust scientific advice Sage draws upon and considers a range of evidence and views to reach its recommendations," the spokesman said.
A British tourist has been slammed for flying to a tourist hot spot shortly after being diagnosed with coronavirus despite being told to self-isolate.

The woman, 36, who had been in Australia less than a week, tested positive for the illness in Sydney before travelling to Hamilton Island on Friday, in Queensland's Whitsundays.

NSW health authorities contacted their counterparts in Queensland, who tracked the woman down on a beach on Sunday, the Courier Mail reports.

She spent the night in isolation on the island before being taken by boat to Mackay, where she is currently in hospital.

A 36-year-old British tourist has defied health authorities by travelling to Queensland after being diagnosed with coronavirus (stock image)

The UK national is understood to have told health authorities that she did not understand their instruction to self isolate upon receiving her results.

Hamilton Island spokeswoman confirmed in a statement that an international visitor had tested positive for COVID-19.

'Hamilton Island would like to stress that the safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff on the island is of utmost priority,' it read.

'We would like to remind anyone travelling to the island about the importance of strictly following the advice of the government and health authorities during this uncertain time.'

The spokeswoman said Queensland Health advised there would be no need to close the island as the incident was a 'very low risk'.

The woman was found by Queensland health authorities on a Hamilton Island beach. Pictured: Catseye Bay in Hamilton Island

The holidaymaker's case has been listed under NSW's coronavirus figures.

Health authorities demand that anyone being tested for COVID-19 should remain in quarantine while they await the results.

People that test positive are then required to isolate at home for 14 days, if they are not sick enough to be admitted to hospital.

There are currently 452 confirmed cases of the deadly virus in Australia, including 78 in Queensland.
There is no better way of painlessly revamping an interior than by an imaginative use of tiles. They are an interior designer's secret weapon and can be used to pull focus, alter dimensions or add a much needed splash of colour.

What's more, there's a plethora of them available from patterned, geometric to different shapes and textures most of which are pretty affordable. So where to begin?

Kitchens and bathrooms

Kitchens tend to be filled with strong horizontal and vertical lines created by cabinetry, islands and appliances, so geometric mosaics are a fantastic way of introducing visual contrasts,' said Fired Earth's creative director Colin Roby-Welford.

Moroccan styled Metropolis star tiles in a bathroom, 24.99 sq m, tonsoftiles.com

'Tiles in striking shapes such as chevrons, triangles and hexagons will subvert horizontal and vertical lines, while the sweeping curves of Arabesque or fanshaped designs will soften a scheme and prevent it from looking too linear.' Try Fired Earth's Nebula Green Hexagon 9.60, which will give some oomph to a tired kitchen or bathroom (firedearth.com).

Reclaimed wonders

One of the most popular and enduring styles are Andalusian and Moroccan tiles.

'Moroccan tiles are famed for their intricate patterns and decorative style which bring drama to any decor,' said Harriet Goodacre, Topps Tiles style consultant.

A few Topps Tiles Archivo Bakula Tiles arranged as a splashback (1.11 a tile or 71.04/m2) is a reasonable way to make a change.

Lee Thornley, founder of Bert & May, was so entranced by the art of reusing tiles that he moved from London to Andalusia and set up a reclaimed tile company.

Bert & May tiles have an attractive chalky finish and come in array of soft colours this 'washed out' look is very of the moment and easy to blend with the other aspects of your interior (bertandmay.com). Stars are a bestseller for them (Luna Saphire 3.50 per tile) and they report a trend towards busier patterns and intricate detail.' Check out the Fluer Tile 3.88 or the geometric Soho House Redchurch tile, 6. Those with a bigger budget might want to investigate the Antique replica collection, which starts from 30 a tile.

Scintilla Sapphire Star Pattern Tiles from Walls and Floors, wallsandfloors.co.uk, 24.95 psqm

Unusual spaces

The vogue now is to experiment with using tiles in more unusual places, such as kitchen islands units, staircases and headboards for maximum impact.

Americans Caitlin and Samuel Dowe-Sandes set up Popham Studio in Marrakech. 'I think we are in a golden age of utility meeting decorative potential,' said Caitlin.

Alongside traditional places, she suggests using them 'for feature walks, alternative headboards and chimney surrounds' (Popham tiles from 225 per sq m at daytrue.com).

Those not ready to embrace patterned tiles could experiment with layout. 'The most popular style we are finding currently is the ordinary brick effect tile but used in multiple different ways such as "brick style", chevron or staggered herringbone,' said Louise Ashdown, head of design at West One Bathrooms.

Popham Design's (pophamdesign.com) Hex Crossroads tiles in a living room

Hit the floor

While using floor tiles is nothing new, 'people are beginning to realise that floor space is a bit of a blank canvas - almost a fifth wall,' said Fired Earth's Roby-Welford. (Encaustic tiles 8.99, firedearth.com, each make for a bold floor statement.) There are, however, a few rules to consider when playing with tiles, according to London based interior designer Lizzie Green, 'laying parquet tiles the length of a room can make it seem longer and laying tiles vertically can make the ceiling feel higher.

'I recently laid a border of tiles around the top of a high ceilinged bathroom to draw the eyes up.

'In small spaces I wouldn't use huge tiles and the same goes for large rooms, I would only lay large tiles to eliminate the lines of grout.'
A medical worker collects samples from individuals who signed up for drive-through testing for the coronavirus at a Penn Medicine site in West Philadelphia on Tuesday. Read more

From eight to 10 drivers at a time waited in line Tuesday afternoon at 41st and Market Streets, all seeking the same thing: a coveted chance at a coronavirus test.

Within a tent, masked and gloved Penn Medicine staff approached each car, swabbed the passengers mouth or nose, and dropped the samples into a container to be sent for testing at a specialized lab. Its a scene that was repeated all over the region Tuesday at sites run by Penn, Jefferson Health, and Main Line Health as people exhibiting worrisome symptoms queued up, doctors referral in hand.

Taking a cue from South Korea, makeshift collection sites that can collect swabs to send to a specialized laboratory for molecular testing have been popping up across the country. One big reason is that doctors offices dont want to collect samples, because they lack the protective gear, the safety protocols, the will  or all three. It takes several days for test results to be completed.

Another reason is that molecular testing is more readily available now, thanks to the advent of commercial versions. But the biggest reason is that the coronavirus is becoming a runaway train, spreading from person to person in communities without any apparent source of infection. Expanding testing beyond the meager capacity of federal and state public health labs is vital to preventing a disaster. Public health officials have confirmed that community spread  transmission that cant be traced  is now occurring in some parts of Pennsylvania, notably Montgomery County.

The collection sites are not taking swabs from just anyone. Test-seekers must have symptoms such as fever, cough, and trouble breathing.

But a lot of people fit the description.

About 410 people were seen at Penn Medicines two collection sites, one in West Philadelphia and the other in Radnor.

Penn has developed a test that the government has green-lighted, and has also been sending samples to a commercial lab.

One man who declined to be identified wore a yellow mask when he pulled up to the West Philadelphia site.

About to get tested, he said. He had been to his doctor at Penn Medicine and was pretty sure he just had a cold, he said, but they wanted me to get tested, so here I am.

The sites are designed to serve patients as they sit in their cars  a strategy to limit person-to-person contact. But Penn workers also assisted a short line of walk-up patients, most of whom wore face masks.

A sign outside the collection site emphasized that testing is intended for people who have a doctors referral, and included instructions for obtaining one. But at the bottom, the sign also noted that patients with symptoms and no referral would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Penns sites will be open daily this week, as long as they have sufficient test kit supplies.

Also, 250 people flocked to Main Line Healths Newtown Square and Radnor sites on Tuesday, the first full day both were open. Swab collection began on Saturday at Newtown Square; the Radnor site opened for part of the day Monday.

So far the process has been running incredibly smoothly, with people waiting between 10 and 15 minutes, said Bridget Therriault, a spokesperson for Main Line Health.

In addition to a doctors referral, patients must schedule an appointment at the Main Line collection sites.

The health system is discussing increasing the number of appointments scheduled in a day and how to accommodate symptomatic patients who dont have a primary care doctor to give them a referral.

Jefferson Health has opened collection sites in Abington, Center City, Northeast Philadelphia, and South Jersey  all for patients with a referral from a Jefferson doctor.

Research has shown that the infection can be spread by people before they begin to have symptoms, so expanding from diagnostic testing to screening people with no symptoms could help with containment efforts.

But U.S. testing capacity remains too limited and laborious for that kind of screening. In the coming months, experts say, big diagnostic companies will be offering rapid molecular analysis that can be done at or near where the patient gets care.

Another challenge with screening asymptomatic people is that scientists dont know enough about the incubation period of the virus and how easily it can be transmitted.

Lets say you were exposed to this yesterday, and you test today. Youre going to test negative. You may still be incubating the infection. You could develop symptoms a few days later. That negative test may give you a false sense of security that youre fine, and you may go out there and come in contact with people, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said.

Meanwhile, the state is in talks to open two federally supported public testing sites in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, said Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

The state has not yet said exactly where those sites will be, and it was unclear if people will need a doctors note to get tested. But they will also focus on testing individuals with symptoms that would lead us to believe they may have COVID-19, Padfield said.

Philadelphia City Councilmember Mark Squilla said he had been briefed on plans by Mayor Jim Kenneys administration to set up a drive-through testing site in the parking lot of the stadium complex. City, state, and federal officials were working together on the site, he said, which was expected to open this week.

Val Arkoosh, a physician and chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, said she hopes to have her countys site open by next week, but declined to say whether patients would need a doctors referral.

She encouraged people with mild symptoms to stay home and not worry too much about whether they might test positive for the virus. Theres no cure beyond treating the symptoms, so for mild cases, that means over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, fluids, and rest.

Knowing youre positive or not is not going to impact your treatment," she said.

And now that everyone has been advised to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing, chances of spreading the virus should be limited.

Ideally, everyone with symptoms would get tested quickly, but for now, Arkoosh said, people who can isolate at home are not our top priority.

 READ MORE: So you think you have the new coronavirus. What should you do now?

Experiencing symptoms and think you should be tested? Heres what to do:

Penn Medicine: Call your primary care doctor for a consultation or schedule a virtual visit with PennMedicine OnDemand by calling 215-615-2222 or using the MyPennMedicine app.

Jefferson Health: Call your primary care doctor for a consultation or schedule a virtual visit with JeffConnect online at hospitals.jefferson.edu/jeffconnect or through the MyChart app.

Main Line Health: Call your primary care doctor for a consultation or schedule an appointment through Main Line Health Contact Center at 866-225-5654.

Staff writers Laura McCrystal, Jason Laughlin, and Allison Steele contributed to this story, as did Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The first 50 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio are spread across 12 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 on Monday updated the count on its website from 37 the day before. It was at 26 on Saturday and 13 on Friday. The first case was confirmed one week ago, on Monday, March 9.

Testing has stepped up considerably across the case. A total of 333 people were under health supervision. Fourteen people have been hospitalized, the state said. There is extensive testing in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, home to 24 positive tests.

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 are ages 14 to 86, and the much of the testing has occurred in the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, where there are large hospitals.

Here is the breakdown by county, according to the latest information available:

* Cuyahoga County - 24 cases.

* Butler - 6 cases.

* Franklin - 3 cases.

* Stark - 3 cases.

* Belmont - 2 cases.

* Lorain - 3 cases.

* Medina - 2 cases.

* Trumbull - 2 cases.

* Summit - 2 cases.

* Geauga - 1 case.

* Lucas - 1 case.

* Tuscarawas - 1 case.

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Concerns over coronavirus in Florida meant that some polling stations could not open on primary day due to a shortage of workers.

Ahead of polling day, approximately 100 staffers had volunteered to replace around 800 poll workers who had already pulled out, leaving many stations in Florida such as Palm Beach County, without staff.

According to the elections department in Palm Beach County, many workers failed to show up in at least five locations in the county as Florida, alongside Arizona and Illinois, ploughed ahead with their Democratic primaries.

Up to 441 delegates to the Democratic National Convention are in contention on Tuesday as Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders await to see how the coronavirus outbreak will impact turnout at the ballot box.

Ohio, on the other hand, postponed its primary after the states Republican governor, Mike DeWine, declared a health emergency as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic. In his announcement, the governor declared that to conduct an election tomorrow would would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at a unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus.

In addition to Palm Beach, Floridas Pinellas County also reported staff shortages.

Theres no hiding from the fact that now we are in dire straits between the number of workers who have dropped out and the number we need to run an election, said Dustin Chase, a spokesman for the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office, on Monday.

In a Tampa Bay Times report, Mr Chase revealed that of Pinellas countys 1,700 polling staff, more than 260 had decided to pull out due to the risk of coronavirus. In response, many polling stations were understaffed and more than a dozen of Pinellas precincts were relocated to other polling locations.

Some of these changes occurred as late as Monday, the day before the primary. The Pinellas spokesman added: Can I foresee lines longer than 30 minutes?, Yes, I can.

Floridas Secretary of State, Laurel Lee, announced ahead of Tuesdays polling day that the states Democratic primary would go ahead.

In a statement, Ms Lee said that the decision by officials in Florida was based on the advice of health professionals and the Florida Department for Health.

The state secretary tried to reassure voters in Florida that the elections were safe, saying on Monday that we are confident that voters in Florida can safely and securely go to the polls and cast their ballots in tomorrows election.

Meanwhile, volunteers across the three states voting in todays primary took to Twitter to complain of a lack of cleaning supplies at some polling stations.
Joe Biden secured major wins Tuesday and began to expand his delegate lead over Bernie Sanders with victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona.

Voters in those three states moved forward with their presidential primaries on Tuesday, while Ohio postponed its election over concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

Additional states have also postponed their primaries that were scheduled to happen in the coming weeks.

In Ohio, where a primary was scheduled, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday night that polls will be closed because of a health emergency. The Ohio health director issued the order.

Tuesday's elections come after Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky  all slated to vote in the coming weeks  have postponed their elections, citing risks to voters and poll workers with in-person voting posed by the virus.

App users tap here for results

Arizona | Florida | Illinois | Ohio | Delegate Tracker

Biden took a measured approach as he celebrated his primary wins.

The former vice president said Tuesday that wins in Florida and Illinois made it a "good night." At the time he spoke, votes were still being cast and counted in Arizona.

But Biden spent most of a brief address confronting the coronavirus and the national quasi-quarantine that had him speaking online rather than at a raucous rally with supporters.

"It's moments like these we realize we need to put politics aside and work together as Americans," Biden said. "The coronavirus doesn't care if you're a Democrat or Republican... We're all in this together."

Biden nodded to Sanders and his supporters, saying they "have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country." To the youngest voters, he added: I hear you. I know what's at stake.

Arizona

Delegates at stake: 67

Polls closed at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET (not everywhere within the state observes daylight saving time)

Joe Biden has won Arizonas Democratic presidential primary.

The state's top election official had declined to seek a delay because of the coronavirus, saying there was no certainty that putting off voting would help.

Most of the 1.2 million registered Arizona Democrats cast ballots early by mail, but about 300,000 could vote in person Tuesday. According to figures obtained by The Associated Press, turnout among Democrats had already surpassed the 2016 election. Over 480,000 votes had been cast by Tuesday morning.

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Florida

Delegates at stake: 219

Polls closed at 7 p.m. ET (but due to the Florida Panhandle's time zone, those polls were open until 8 p.m. ET)

Joe Biden has won Floridas Democratic presidential primary.

Voters in Florida cast ballots Tuesday even as officials sought to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

State health officials had been working with local election supervisors to ensure polling locations are safe and clean, and some precincts at nursing homes and senior centers had been moved.

In Palm Beach County, elections officials say many workers failed to show up in at least five locations.

Nearly 2 million Floridians voted early or by mail.

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Illinois

Delegates at stake: 155

Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET

Joe Biden has won Illinois Democratic presidential primary.

Officials declined to postpone the election despite concerns about low turnout because of the coronavirus outbreak.

There were some signs of early confusion, with voters calling a hotline to get help finding polling places.

In Chicago, about 50 polling sites opened late. Election authorities scrambled to find alternate locations as nursing homes and other typical polling sites backed out amid concern about the coronavirus. A Chicago elections official and Gov. J.B. Pritzker traded accusations about who was to blame for the problems.

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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that his state would not postpone its elections.

"We have to have our elections continue ... this is the right thing to do, our democracy needs to go on; we need to elect leaders; if we canceled these elections when would you have an election?" the governor told reporters at a daily news conference.

The governor said the state was "taking every precaution" at polling locations, saying voting machines would be wiped down after a person votes, and there will be plenty of hand sanitizer for people to use.

Earlier in the day, the governor mandated that any gathering of 50 or more people be canceled in the state. Even with that new order, the governor said, "I feel good about the decision to have the election go on."

Ohio

Delegates at stake: 136

In Ohio, a saga has played out over whether voters would head to the polls because of the coronavirus outbreak. On Monday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine requested that a court move the election to June because of the outbreak. A judge denied DeWine's request. Then, late Monday, the governor said Ohio Health Director Amy Acton would order the polls closed because of a health emergency.

Acton issued the order Monday night. Early Tuesday morning, Ohio's Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the state's move to close the polls.

Prior to the order, these were some of the steps the state took to address the outbreak:

The state had encouraged early voting, which ended Monday at 2 p.m. ET. Vote by mail needed to be postmarked by Monday.

Due to COVID-19, Ohio's secretary of state ordered counties to accept curbside absentee ballot drop-off during voting hours on Tuesday.

Ohio relocated about 150 polling places away from senior living facilities in at least 35 counties across the state.

The state worked with advocacy groups and political parties, using traditional and social media to get the word out about polling location changes.

Counties were to work with the original locations to allow people who live in those facilities to cast absentee ballots on Election Day.

Schools, although closed for classes, were to be used as voting locations.

Ohio was actively recruiting younger, healthier poll workers in case large numbers of the typically older poll workers dropped out. The state allegedly had just under 35,000 volunteers total. At least 2,000 new volunteers had signed up in the past five days.

Ohio uses touchscreen voting machines which would have needed to be cleaned regularly between voters. The state said it would reimburse all county boards of elections for the purchase of disinfectants and sanitizing materials. A northeastern Ohio-based company that makes sanitizing products was providing products to four large counties.

Ohio had the most detailed "COVID19 Primary Plan," with a frequently updated website dedicated solely to coronavirus changes and questions.

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Hearst TV contributed to this report.
Mulberry has announced that Johnny Coca will be leaving the brand after five years as its creative director with effect from 31 March 2020.

His last collection for Mulberry will be spring/summer 2021.

Coca, 44, came to Mulberry from Celine in 2015, where he had been head design director for leather goods, accessories, shoes and jewellery. Born in Seville, Coca had studied art in Paris and worked at Louis Vuitton before joining Celine.

Appointed following the abrupt departure of Emma Hill and five profit warnings, Coca was tasked with tackling falling sales and breathing life back into one of Britains best-loved accessories brands.

In addition to reworking the Mulberry logo, and shifting towards a more affordable range, he oversaw the launch of a number of new bag families including the Amberley and Iris, the introduction of eyewear and sneaker categories and the re-launch of the mens accessories and jewellery ranges.

His first show for Mulberry took place during London Fashion Week in 2016. Talking to the Standard soon after, Coca said, Im not here to destroy the brand, Im here to make it a success.

Coca, who oversaw a successful international expansion programme, that extended Mulberrys global presence across the UK, Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe and Australia, was also committed to Mulberry's longstanding commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.

Earlier this year, he launched Mulberrys 100 per cent sustainable leather Portobello Tote and the M Collection, a capsule of bags and outerwear crafted from a blend of Econyl-branded regenerated nylon and sustainable cotton.

Under Coca, the brand has also long urged its customers to send back bags to its Somerset factories to be repaired, and has a dedicated division that stockpiles hardware, leather and other materials so that even the oldest models can get a new life.

Thierry Andretta, Mulberry's Chief Executive Officer, commented: Johnny's creative vision has been a key element in delivering our strategy to develop Mulberry as an international luxury lifestyle brand.

"As we head towards our 50th anniversary in 2021 we continue to focus on our strategy to build Mulberry as a global luxury brand. We remain committed to developing responsible, innovative products, underpinned by a strong in-house creative team and our international direct-to-customer omni-channel business model."

The Spanish designer said he was proud of what he had achieved during his tenure. The passion and dedication I have seen at Mulberry has been incredible and I am honored to have been part of the brands history.
Children complained of the 'endless rabble of coughing' and people 'crammed in corridors' as they called for school closures across the UK.

Footage shows pupils 'huddling together' as they eat lunch in the canteen, while another social media post shows students crammed together in hallways following break time.

It comes as Boris Johnson has been accused of 'playing Russian Roulette' with schoolchildren across the UK after he stopped short of closing schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

One picture posted onto Twitter shows schoolchildren crammed into hallways following break time, amid the coronavirus outbreak. It comes as pupils call for the closure of schools in the UK

Another post showed a picture of a packed canteen. It follows a petition launched by worried parents and teachers reaching nearly 640,000 signatures

Footage showed pupils walking through crowded corridors and 'huddling together' as they ate lunch in the canteen, with a social media user complaining of an 'endless rabble of coughing'

One video, posted to Twitter, was captioned: 'It's this bad. People huddling together eating lunch from the dodgy canteen, endless rabble of talking and coughing and quarreling.

'Even people crammed in the corridors complaining of headaches and feeling sick, being advised to just "see what they say"!'

Another pupil posted a picture of a packed hallway, writing: 'How am I supposed to stay 1/5m away from people at school?'

Meanwhile, one Twitter user shared a sardines GIF from the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants, captioning: 'Other countries close schools, our school when the canteen opens...'

Pupils were also seen jumping and appearing to high-five a teacher in one post, which mocked Mr Johnson's advice to 'keep distance from people'.

It follows a petition launched by worried parents and teachers reaching nearly 640,000 signatures, as many parents have warned they will pull their children out of the education system.

Social media users started the #Covid19Walkout trend yesterday, encouraging students and school pupils to stay at home and one school in Derbyshire.

Last night the Prime Minister urged residents across the UK to implement social distancing and also advised a ban on mass gatherings.

But the government says it is keeping the situation in schools under review, with fears closing them would mean key workers in the NHS would have to drop their duties to look after children, and have limited benefits in reducing the spread.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty insisted last night that evidence suggested children tend to be less badly affected than adults.

One Twitter user posted a sardines GIF from the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants, captioning: 'Other countries close schools, our school when the canteen opens...'

A social media user questioned: 'How am I supposed to stay 1/5m away from people at school?' Last night the PM urged residents across the UK to implement social distancing

Another Twitter user mocked Boris Johnson's advice to 'keep distance from people', showing children jumping up and appearing to high-five a teacher

The UK death toll has risen by 14 to 71 today, with the number of people to test positive for coronavirus in the UK hitting 1,950 as of 9am, up from 1,543 yesterday.

Professor Neil Ferguson, a scientist at Imperial College who has been advising the government on coronavirus, said closing schools and universities could stymie the spread of the coronavirus but warned of uncertainties and negative impacts of such a move on the NHS.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'From a purely epidemiological perspective, we think with a lot of uncertainty that closing schools and universities would further reduce transmission.

'I have to say we don't fully understand whether children are transmitting this virus in the same way they transmit other viruses but, assuming that, it would have an impact.

'It would also have a number of negative impacts, particularly on health system capacity - a lot of nurses, a lot of doctors have school-aged children.

'So what's currently happening is there's a very thorough review of what a likelihood of school closure would be.'

But Chris Keates, acting general secretary of teachers' union the NASUWT said the lack of 'clear and definitive' direction from the government over what schools should do has 'created a rising sense of panic'.

She said: 'The NASUWT has to date been advising our members in the context of the advice issued by governments and administrations and public health bodies across the UK.

Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday evening at a press conference) has been accused of 'playing Russian Roulette' with school children across the UK

A petition launched by worried parents has reached nearly 640,000 signatures

'However, the lack of clear information with regard to the steps to protect teachers, headteachers and other staff working in schools in the context of commentators constantly referring to the threats posed by children carrying Covid-19 is causing chaos and confusion and placing intolerable pressure on all staff in schools and their families.'

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, wrote to the PM saying they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'.

Teaching union urges Boris Johnson to close schools for 'at least some time' A teaching union has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding schools are closed 'at least for some time and at least in some areas'. The letter from Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, said that they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'. It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college. 'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated. 'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.' Advertisement

It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college.

'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated.

'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.'

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Ian Robinson chief executive of Oak Partnership Trust in South West England which runs four schools said they are facing a number of issues.

'I can't criticise the government at the moment but I do feel the message isn't clear enough for schools and where it is becoming clearer for other organisations. We are still playing catch up in schools, we have within our trust a special school which has a large number of children with medical conditions and we have children on education healthcare plans also with medical conditions and they are at increased risk to the coronavirus.

'Schools are like a petri dish as soon as one child comes in with the coronavirus - our kids are great at a washing their hands they are really good but as soon as they wash their hands their hands are next to their face, they are holding hands with each other, they will hold hands with adults, I walked into school the other day and as soon as I walked in a child took my hand and led me to their work'.

He said he then went to wash his hands but as soon as he came out another child held his hand.

'The challenge for schools is massive, we have got lots of vulnerable children and adults that will be affected by that very quickly'.

Many parents have hit back at the advise with some claiming schools are like a 'covid pit'.

People across the UK hit back at Boris Johnson this morning as they claimed he was 'playing Russian Roulette with the lives of children across the UK

One said: 'Boris is now playing Russian Roulette with the children of the UK, saying if he closes the schools to protect the children the adults will then have to stay at home to care for them & wont be able to get to work, looks like Boris is just about to lose any respect he had'.

This is while one expert this morning said on BBC Radio 4 that classes are like 'petri dishes for the deadly bug'.

Another parent added: 'Most of my partners' kids' teachers are off and self isolating (as she is - support staff at the same school). I've just dropped them off in a potential Covid pit because to not do so would be illegal'.

One said children being 'crammed' inside school rooms and canteens would not help stop the spread of the virus.

This is while some said that keeping schools open during the crucial early phase was a 'poor decision by the UK'.

Another said people should 'spare a thought for primary school teachers in the front line surrounded by hoardes of bio-hazards'.

It emerged today that one school in Derbyshire had closed due to the concerns around the virus.

This is while a school in Stretford said it was not 'operationally possible to run the school'.

The school will close its doors today and will remained closed until April 14. In a letter she said: 'We find ourselves in this situation because we cannot follow all of the government's advice AND keep our children and our Stretford families safe.

Some highlighted what teachers would be going through while another said this could be a 'poor decision from the UK government

'The staff members who have symptoms are not being tested. They won't be tested because, thankfully, they are not seriously ill. I do not know if one, none or all have the virus.

'This is not acceptable. Staff who work in sectors which are not being advised to work from home should be tested.

'This would have allowed me to either keep the school open or to be able to identify who, if anyone, is at risk.

'Even if we double up classes to accommodate staff absence, we cannot operate at this staffing level. I also do not feel comfortable grouping pupils into even bigger groups which increases the risk of spreading the virus.'

Mr Robinson added: 'The idea of not going having to go mass gatherings for other people doesn't seem to apply to schools at the moment.

'The three criteria that was talked about in the briefing yesterday, we have staff that are within two of those criteria, staff with underlying health conditions and staff that are pregnant.

'At this moment in time they are still being expected to go into school which is a mass gathering.

'One of our headteachers, from last week we were told seven days in isolation, one of his children has a high temperature so was self-isolated from Monday. By the end of Monday when we were still in a meeting to discuss the rest of the week it had become 14 days and all family members, so already today I am facing the challenge of one of our schools not having a head teacher'.
Britain's Indian-origin finance minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday unveiled a "bold" rescue package to help UK businesses and the economy survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer joined British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his daily briefing from 10 Downing Street in London to announce that he is making available 330 billion pounds of loan guarantees to businesses to help them meet their day to day needs amid the ongoing near-lockdown.

"The coronavirus pandemic is a global health emergency but it is also an economic emergency. We have never in peacetime faced an economic fight like this one," said Sunak, who acknowledged that people's anxiety about the disease is matched by their anxiety about their livelihoods and therefore "unimaginable" level of intervention is required.

"This is not a time for ideology or orthodoxy. This is a time to be bold. A time for courage," he said, adding that he will do "whatever it takes" to support people's jobs and incomes.

As part of his bailout package, Sunak extended a business rates holiday to all businesses in the retail and hospitality sector for 12 months as well as a cash grant to help them survive and said any business that needs help will be able to access a loan on attractive terms.

An agreed facility with the Bank of England will help support liquidity amongst larger firms and for smaller firms, the business interruption loan scheme will be extended to offer loans of up to 5 million pounds.

Mortgage lenders will give a three-month mortgage holiday to people who need help and there will also be special help for airlines, hit particularly hard as a result of travel restrictions around the world.

"Yes this enemy can be deadly, but it is also beatable and we know how to beat it and we know that if as a country we follow the scientific advice that is now being given we know that we will beat it," Johnson said, as he reiterated Monday's advice for everyone to avoid unnecessary social contact and travel.

"We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy," he said.

The near-lockdown in place across the UK to tackle the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed 55 lives in the UK, has threatened the closure of large numbers of businesses in the country, including pubs, bars and restaurants.

The new financial package announced by Sunak builds on the 12 billion pounds he had set out last week in his first Budget in the House of Commons, when he suspended business rates for many firms in England, put in an emergency temporary loan facility in place, extended statutory sick pay for workers, set up a "hardship fund" for local authorities and boosted NHS funding.

Johnson said: "As time goes on we will learn more and more about the disease and the effects of our actions. And while we need national unity, we also need international cooperation. And although we now need to impose physical distance between ourselves, we must at the same time have closer social support for each other."



It follows draconian measures he had announced on Monday which calls on people not to go out, even to buy food or essentials, other than for exercise and in that case at a safe distance from others.

Advice on avoiding all social contact is "particularly important" for those aged over 70, pregnant women and those with other underlying health conditions, Johnson said.

People have been advised to start working from home "where they possibly can" and "avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues".

It triggered a string of event cancellations across the board, including West End plays, sporting fixtures and the annual UK Asian Film Festival which was due to begin next week.

"We are in a war against an invisible killer," UK health secretary Matt Hancock said, adding that emergency legislation to tackle the virus would be introduced in Parliament on Thursday.

The total number of people in the UK to test positive for the virus has risen by 171 in a day to hit a total of 1,543. London is facing the brunt of the crisis and is said to be nearing the peak faster than other parts of the country, with the number of cases set to rise dramatically within days.

"It looks like we're on the fast upswing or just about to get there and that's the reason to want to get in quite quickly with these measures," said Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's Chief Scientific Adviser.

Measures would be escalated once again in the coming days, when those with underlying health problems would be told to isolate themselves for three months.

The UK government says it wants to ensure that the period of maximum protection coincides with the peak of the epidemic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'It sucks'! That's what Hollywood star Idris Elba said after he was tested positive for Coronavirus. Interestingly, he had no symptoms but since he was exposed to someone who tested positive, he got the test done.

amazon.com

Without naming who he came in contact with, he said he has self-quarantined.

"Look, this is serious. Now's the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that, there are people out there who aren't showing symptoms and that could easily spread it. So now's a real time to be really vigilant about washing your hands and keeping your distance," he was quoted as saying.



This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing  No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ  Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020

Idris Elba is not the only one. Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju who is known for his role as Tormund Giantsbane on the show, has also revealed that he tested positive for coronavirus.

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"Sorry to say that I, today, have tested positive for COVID19, Corona virus," he wrote on Instagram from Norway.

"My (family) and I are self-isolating at home for as long as it takes. We are in good health - I only have mild symptoms of a cold," he added.

YouTube

Elba in the video had revealed that his wife Sabrina, also seen in the video, was doing fine.

"She is doing Okay. We've told our families, they're very supportive. We've told our colleagues. Transparency is probably the best thing for this right now. If you're feeling ill or feel like you should be tested or you've been exposed, do something about it. It's really important."



hearstapps.com

Meanwhile, Tom Hanks, who was one of the first celebrities to have been tested with COVID-19 has returned to home along with wife Rita Wilson. They are now in self-quarantine at their home.


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 15:19:30|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Fu Min

XIAMEN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- When Zhang Qi and his family were about to end their holiday and return home, they were reeling in shock with the news that their hometown Wuhan was locked down due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"Daddy, we cannot go home, right?" his daughter asked.

No one in the family expected that they would be "trapped" in a motorhome in a strange city for the next 40 days.

Zhang, a 38-year-old Wuhan resident, with his wife, daughter and mother, drove their caravan to Xiamen, a coastal city in eastern China's Fujian Province, on Jan. 20. They visited all the must-see attractions in two days. The bad news came when they were ready to head back.

"I was very worried. Life might be tough in a strange city. In addition, we had been in contact with lots of people on our trip. What if we were infected with the virus?" Zhang recalled.

On Jan. 24, Fujian activated top-level emergency response to the epidemic. All tourist sites in Xiamen were shut down.

Zhang and his family had no place to go but stay in the caravan. They were told by local community workers to fulfill a 14-day quarantine, wear face masks, check body temperatures and report their figures every day.

At the early stage of the virus fight, many challenges lay ahead. "We originally planned to stay in Xiamen for three days. I only had one coat, and there was nothing to eat except for a few bowls of instant noodles. It was so cold at night that we had to cover ourselves with seat cushions to keep warm," Zhang said.

His mother frequently complained that it was Zhang's fault because he choose travel during the Spring Festival holiday. Even worse, the motorhome was about to run out of fuel.

Zhang telephoned community workers, who came immediately and mobilized nearby enterprises to provide water and electricity for the family. Seeing the empty bowls of instant noodles, they also brought food and daily necessities for Zhang.

Not knowing what happened, nearby residents were once anxious when spotting Zhang's vehicle with a number plate from Wuhan. Community workers explained the situation to them and quelled people's fear.

"After the quarantine ends, citizens living around the parking lot came to visit us. An aunt came to chat with my mother every day. My daughter made friends with other kids, and public-spirited neighbors sent vegetables and snacks to us," Zhang said.

Returning home seemed nowhere in sight, so Zhang volunteered to work in the community's body temperature check point. "I want to do something for the community to pay back what they have done for us," he said.

In late February, Zhang received permission to return to Wuhan as the epidemic began to recede. Before they left, they received many gifts including local snacks, masks and disinfectants from Xiamen residents. His daughter also gave several cat toys to her friends.

After being "trapped" in the motorhome for 40 days, Zhang's family arrived at home safe and sound.

"It is like a dream," Zhang recalled. "We fall in love with Xiamen and take it as our second hometown. We will not forget those who lend a helping hand for us at hard times and will be back to the city when the epidemic ends."
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 Ministry of National Defence (MApN) acted, in the past 24 hours, to install eight tents destined for the epidemiological triage in the civilian and military medical facilities in the country situated in the Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Ramnicu Valcea, Roman, Sighisoara, Timisoara and Toplita garrisons, informs a release of the MApN sent on Tuesday to AGERPRES.

The number of civilian and military hospitals in the country in which such tents were erected is now over 20.

Around 70 specialists - medical personnel, specialists in acquisitions and logistics, as well as legal advisers - act presently in support of the central and local authorities. At the special TELVERDE telephone line made available to the population by the National Institute of Public Health, besides medics and nurses in the medical military institutes, there are students of the Medical Military Institute (officer students in the final years of study) who've volunteered to help, the quoted source shows.

The Ministry of National Defence mentions, also, that it has the forces and means ready to support the central and local authorities in actions with the purpose of limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to cooperation plans, and can act, if necessary, with additional forces and means, besides those at the ready, having personnel and technical means maintained in operational reserve.
A boy who cut his knee when he fell on a tree stump at a mid-term camp has settled his High Court action for 55,000.

Diarmuid O'Connor was 10 when the accident happened after he wandered off into an area of bushes when he was attending a mid-term break art camp, the court heard.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Garrett Simons said the boy has been left with a scar and often does not like to wear shorts in the summer as a result.

Through his mother Jacinta O'Connor, Diarmuid, now 15, of Ashton Avenue, Knocklyon, Dublin, sued Artzone Ltd, which ran an art camp on February 19, 2016, at Taney Parish Hall, Dundrum, Dublin.

During break time, it was claimed, the boy went in an area with bushes after his friends and fell.

Assistants ushered the group away from the bushes and an ambulance was called.

The judge said the settlement was a good one. He noted that if the case had gone to trial there may have been issues in relation to the boy wandering off and to supervision.
As trillions of dollars get wiped off, investors are wondering if stock markets should be shut temporarily to prevent further wealth erosion. On Monday, Philippines became the first country to indefinitely halt trading in financial markets to insulate them from the meltdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This is not the first time that trading was suspended.

US markets were kept closed for a week after the terrorist attacks in 2001 (9/11). Similarly, Greece had shut its market for more than a month during the European debt crisis in 2015. So is suspension in trading an ...
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Twice-a-day sanitation of staff vehicles, disabling biometric attendance and asking expecting mothers to work from home... these are a few measures that India's oldest steelmaker Tata Steel has taken to limit the spread of coronavirus in its campuses across the country.

Apart from the measures, the largest Indian steelmaker has also set up a COVID-19 medical task force.

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"This is to review the medical preparedness (in terms of availability of PPEs, setting up of quarantine centres, isolation wards, training of doctors and other medical logistics) of Tata Steel hospitals in Jamshedpur and in raw materials locations across Jharkhand and Odisha," a company spokesperson told Moneycontrol.

The company owns mines in the two states.

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

Apart from Tata Steel, many other Tata Group companies have taken similar steps. While Tata Sons, the Group holding company, asked employees to avoid face-to-face meetings of more than 20 people, Tata Motors has asked its 40,000 employees in India to keep clear of public transport.

The steps are significant for these companies and the rest of India Inc to limit losses and disruptions at a time when overall economic activity in the country could come to a standstill. Till now three have died in India, and 126 have been reported for infection.

Most of the companies have restricted travel to the bare minimum. Tata Steel too has asked employees to avoid traveling, even within the country by air, road or rail. Those who have traveled to coronavirus-prevalent countries, have been asked to go on self-quarantine.

Advisory for stakeholders

Importantly, the steelmaker has asked its vendor partners to avoid coming to its premises.

"All visitor gate passes, physical meetings, non-essential plant visits, non-essential visits to Procurement, Finance & Accounts and any other agency need to be minimised and done using digital platforms like Phone, Email, Video Conferencing," the company said.

Tata Steel has several facilities across the country, including in Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar, in Odisha.

The company has asked the expecting mothers on its payroll to work from home, or even take 'special leave.'
Its now almost certain that Vijay's Master is highly unlikely to hit the screens on 9 April, though there is no official word from the producers.

The big ticket event in recent times in Kollywood was the audio launch of Tamil cinemas leading superstar Vijays Master.

It was held last Sunday evening in Chennai at a closed door event at the banquet hall of a 5-star hotel, sans any fanfare. Normally Vijays audio launches are huge events held in indoor stadiums with thousands of fans congregating in a festival like atmosphere. This time it was scaled down and made to look low key, as Vijay was in the centre of a storm after income tax raids in his house and properties. The organisers also wanted it to play it down due to the coronavirus threat in the country.

The event was telecast as a deferred live on Sun TV on the day of the launch and it went viral, creating a huge impact with record TRPs. Vijay, who is normally a casual dresser, was in a black suit and said he is dressed like his good friend Ajith for a change. This went down well with the fans of both stars who are always daggers drawn on social media platforms.

A day after the Master audio launch, the Tamil Nadu government announced a complete shutdown of cinema halls, malls and education institutes in the face of the coronavirus threat. And with film shootings also halted, there is a complete lockdown in Tamil film industry. This has put the carefully laid out release plans of Master team in disarray. The Lokesh Kanagaraj directed film was supposed to be a quickie; it started its shoot in September last year and was to release on 9 April, as the big summer 2020 attraction. In fact the 9 April release date was touted to be extremely profitable as it lies on the Easter, Tamil New Year and Vishu weekend with 5-days of continuous holidays.

G Dhananjayan a leading producer and distributor whose Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban was scheduled to release on 20 March has been postponed indefinitely, has said, Coronavirus has created a complete shutdown of theatres and stoppage of shooting for two or three weeks. It will be total shutdown till the end of March. The entire release schedule will go haywire as biggies planned for April will be pushed depending on the situation. And the release of films under production is going to get delayed. All the stake holders in the industry should meet once the lockdown is lifted and work out a strategy as we produce nearly 200 Tamil films a year. We should follow fair trade practices and come out with a new release schedule.

Actors like Vijay, Ajith or Suriya are also as popular outside Tamil Nadu especially in overseas markets. They are pan Indian stars with phenomenal reach outside Tamil Nadu markets, which means a film like Master cannot release as planned or go for only a Tamil Nadu release. The international market is in complete shambles as most theatres are not functioning, with complete closure in Europe, Gulf and North America. Tamil cinema's biggest international markets like Malaysia, Singapore and emerging Australia, are also facing partial closure of cinema halls.

Hollywood and Bollywood have already announced that their summer 2020 releases are getting pushed, but in Kollywood nobody has announced an official change in release dates. The summer biggies announced in Tamil slated for release during April/May are Vijays Master, Suriyas Soorarai Pottru, Dhanushs Jagame Thandhiram, Jayam Ravis Bhoomi and Vikrams Cobra. All these films are in final stages of post production except Cobra, whose shooting in St Petersburg in Russias Baltic region had to be suspended and the crew rushed back to India last Sunday following the coronavirus pandemic.

All eyes in Kollywood are now on Master, as its 9 April release is doubtful with major part of the overseas theatres under a lockdown. Vijays Master has a theatrical market value of Rs 55 Crores outside of Tamil Nadu (Rs 30 Crs overseas + Karnataka, Kerala and Telugu dubbing and Rest Of India multiplexes valuation of another Rs 25 Cr), will find it difficult to release under prevailing circumstances. Its now almost certain that the film is highly unlikely to hit the screens on 9 April, though there is no official word from the producers. The other summer biggies in Tamil will also have to change their release dates accordingly.
Security experts, Fast Guard Service, advise everyone to consider how their habits could determine how easily they might be targeted, and take steps to prevent this happening. The use of social media is now deeply embedded in society, something that has both positive and negative connotations.

Reports from Police and the State Attorney state that the 10-strong gang used sophisticated surveillance techniques to target their victims, including monitoring posts on social media. Security experts, Fast Guard Service, consider the steps businesses and individuals should take to keep their premises and property safe.

The recent reports that Miami Police have arrested a burglary ring thats allegedly responsible for thefts amounting to millions of dollars highlights the ease in which thieves access and compile information on potential victims. Goods exceeding six figures in value were stolen from celebrity supplier, Eric the Jeweler, during the Super Bowl weekend, with five others having been carried out by the gang and more in the planning stage.

The arrest followed intense police investigations

The eventual apprehension of the gang of 10 stemmed from a bust of five marijuana grow houses and was part of a larger investigation known as Operation Growing Pains. Following an anonymous tipoff, the ring leader, Xandi Garcia, his girlfriend, mother, and seven other gang members were arrested on Tuesday 18 February. Its reported that Garcia was found with one of the pieces stolen from Eric the Jeweler in his possession.

In a statement made by Miami-Dade State Attorney, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, the gang, Would stalk and surveil their planned victims before committing the burglaries. They used social media and technical equipment to stalk their prey, one of which was planned to target New York Yankees pitcher, Aroldis Chapman.

The rise of social media and technology in organized crime

Gangs such as this are increasingly turning to technology to gather information on potential marks. Posting images and comments on social media might seem like an innocent pastime but is an easy way for criminals to hone in on businesses and individuals who have high-value goods. In addition, information regarding whereabouts and habitual movements are also valuable for thieves in their planning of a robbery.

The Miami jewelry gang took advantage of GPS trackers, which they placed underneath their victims cars. They then monitored their movements for weeks prior to the theft, allowing them to pounce at a time that presented the least risk of being interrupted. With such equipment easily available to purchase, it allows wrongdoers to carry out surveillance on their victims in the manner of a highly-skilled police investigation team.

High-value businesses and individuals should take a strategic approach towards security

Security experts, Fast Guard Service, advise everyone to consider how their habits could determine how easily they might be targeted, and take steps to prevent this happening. The use of social media is now deeply embedded in society, something that has both positive and negative connotations.

For individuals, the advice is to tone down images and comments that constantly show others you have multiple items of high value. Its also vital not post information showing habitual movements, or when a property might be left empty.

Businesses have a slightly more complex relationship with social media, needing to use the outlet as an advertising medium but not in a way that might make them easy targets. Online and technical awareness is a vital component of any robust security and should be considered as important as that of physical security elements. Staff training and ongoing refreshers as to online behaviors are crucial, as is the strategic use of apparatus such as CCTV, surveillance monitoring, security guards, and access control systems as deemed appropriate.

The arrest of this highly organized gang showcases the importance of both business and individual security, and the importance of how everyday actions could be being monitored by those who want to take advantage. Fast Guard Service experts highly recommend that every business and those of a high net worth undertake regular overhauls of the security they have in place, as well as continuing revisions into personal online habits.

To find out more visit https://fastguardservice.com

Original Source:

https://wsvn.com/news/local/10-arrested-after-police-break-up-organized-burglary-ring-in-miami/?fbclid=IwAR3jSk2LdtV2NS6X0oH1uPERsPwsoDThQMZkHaZuYGV_Y_KZ8lBkq6N9MUI
Australians who are overseas are being urged to return home as soon as possible in an urgent update to travel advice due to the coronavirus outbreak.

'We now advise all Australians to reconsider your need for overseas travel at this time,' a statement on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smart Traveller website read on Tuesday.

'If you're already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means.'

Australians who are overseas are being urged to return home as soon as possible in an urgent update to travel advice. Pictured: A woman walks through the empty international terminal at LAX airport in Los Angeles

The update was released a day after the Australian Government's 14-day self-isolation for all international arrivals came into effect on Monday.

From midday on Tuesday, Australians were no longer able to travel to Europe, with an initial EU ban in place for 30 days.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is meeting the national cabinet on Tuesday evening, with new precautionary measures likely to be announced on Wednesday.

Australian travellers are urged to reconsider whether their journey is essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of the destination and their age or health.

'As more countries close their borders or introduce travel restrictions, overseas travel is becoming more complex and difficult,' the update said.

'You may not be able to return to Australia when you had planned to.'

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

Australians who choose to stay overseas are urged to follow the advice of local authorities.

The updated travel advice also encourages residents to minimise the risk of contracting the deadly virus by self-isolating.

'If you choose to stay, note our ability to provide consular assistance in some places may be limited due to restrictions on movement and other services,' the update said.

As COVID-19 cases in Australia scale over 450, an increase of nearly 300 since Friday, the nation's chief medical officers are giving the government advice on how to best protect residents in aged care homes and at indoor gatherings.

Non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people have already been banned.

Most schools are already taking precautions, including cancelling excursions and assemblies.
Brussels police investigated a vehicle near the U.S. Embassy in Belgium that drew suspicion and a bomb squad during a brief security alert Tuesday that ended up being called a false alarm.

The area was cordoned off and a large security perimeter set up before investigators declared the vehicle no longer suspicious, Brussels-Ixelles police spokeswoman Ilse Van de keere said,

The U.S. Embassy is located in the European quarter of Brussels, where European Union institutions are located.

Belgium has been on high alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people on the Brussels subway system and at an airport in March 2016. Extra police officers and soldiers have become a common sight in crowded areas.
Late night did not stay dark long.

Days after announcing that his show would be off the air for several weeks, the host of CBSs The Late Show With Stephen Colbert made a surprise appearance on Monday, delivering a 10-minute monologue from his bathtub.

Welcome to my bathroom. Im your host, Stephen Colbert, he said at 11:35 p.m. Youre watching a very special social distancing edition of The Late Show.

Surrounded by bubbles, Mr. Colbert was dressed in a dark suit, sporting facial scruff and wearing AirPods. A toilet was visible in the background.

Like his fellow late night hosts  a group that includes NBCs Jimmy Fallon, TBSs Samantha Bee, HBOs John Oliver and Comedy Centrals Trevor Noah  Mr. Colbert said last week that his show would suspend production until at least March 30 to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.
The coronavirus outbreak may have disrupted the global supply chain but not all industries are suffering.



The global pandemic is expected to favor the ecommerce industry as any kind of lockdown and self-imposed quarantine are expected to boost demand for online shopping and quick delivery services.



Online sales have surged 52% from the year-ago period, and the number of online shoppers has increased 8.8% since the outbreak began, according to SaaS platform provider Quantum Metric report. The firm analyzed 5.5 billion anonymous and aggregated online and mobile visits to retailer websites from Jan 1 to Feb 29.



Notably, Chinese online retailer JD.com witnessed 215% year-over-year growth in online grocery sales during a 10-day period between late January and early February.

Moreover, Amazon AMZN, Instacart and Walmart WMT, offering same-day and next-day delivery services, have all cautioned about limited delivery availability. These companies services are experiencing delays as shoppers are hoarding products.

Meanwhile, 44% of retailers expect production delays due to the coronavirus and 40% expect inventory shortages in the near term, per a Digital Commerce 360 survey.

Year-to-Date Performance

E-commerce Prospects Bode Well for These Stocks in 2020



As consumers turn to digital options as a means to circumvent physical shopping environments, the change in behavior may impact longer-term behavior.



Delivery services across the board including Grubhub, Postmates and DoorDash as well as online grocers like FreshDirect might see a number of new customers as the need for delivery of food and on-demand goods rises.



In late February, the U.S. National Retail Federation indicated that sales in 2020 will rise 3.5% to 4.1% to a range of $3.93 to $3.95 trillion, despite uncertainty surrounding the trade war, the COVID-19 outbreak and the presidential election. Online sales are expected to increase from 12% to 15% to between $870.6 billion and $893.9 billion.



Consequently, big retailers like Walmart, Costco Wholesale COST and Target as well as online payment solutions provider PayPal PYPL are focusing on developing their footprint in the e-commerce space. However, this is increasing competition for Amazon, the market leader.



Against this backdrop, investors can tap the following e-commerce stocks, as they are well-poised to benefit from the aforesaid strong fundamentals of the e-commerce space.



Our Picks



San Jose, CA-based, eBay EBAY is expected to benefit from the ongoing momentum across managed payments and Promoted Listings offerings.



Further, this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) companys initiatives of enhancing seller experience by offering innovative seller tools, and delivering better buyer experience by building product catalogs utilizing structured data hold promise. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Moreover, the company has been accelerating efforts to roll out browsing-inspired shopping, boost customer-to-customer business and strengthen its brand.



Meanwhile, the leading provider of postage online and shipping software, Stamps.com STMP is expected to benefit from the ramp up of its United Parcel Services Inc. (UPS) partnership to all platforms in first-quarter 2020 (a net new shipping option for Endicia customers).



Moreover, this Zacks Rank #1 companys long-term reseller agreement with United States Postal Service (USPS), with benefits to higher volume customers is expected to be a major growth driver. The new agreements are for an initial term of four years until Dec 31, 2023 with an option to extend for two additional years.



Tel Aviv, Israel-based Fiverr International FVRR operates a platform that connects businesses of all sizes with freelancers offering digital services.



The Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) companys marketing efficiency and strong focus toward product and technology enhancements remain major positives.



Further, launch of four industry stores namely  Gaming, E-commerce, Architecture and Politics will aid the company in expanding catalog and gaining momentum across larger businesses.



Meanwhile, Costco Wholesale which is a retail wholesaler, is also expanding its e-commerce footprint in the United States as well as in international regions like Mexico, Korea, Canada and the U.K.



The company, which carries a Zacks Rank #2, also offers two-day and same day grocery delivery services to customers.



Recently, E-commerce giant Amazon announced openings to hire 100,000 new warehouse and delivery workers to meet increased demand for shipments as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It will also increase the hourly pay of workers employed in these positions by an additional $2 in the United States through April.



We note that this Zacks Rank #3 company has recently taken an initiative to bolster its Same-Day Delivery program by making the service available in Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, Orlando, FL and Dallas, TX for Prime members.



Apart from this, the companys one-day shipping and many other fast delivery services remain noteworthy and are likely to instill investor confidence.



Competition is intensifying further as PayPal has entered into a definitive agreement to invest $750 million in MercadoLibre, one of the largest e-commerce players in Latin America.



With the deal, the Zacks Rank #3 company is aiming to expand its reach in e-commerce as well as online payment markets. This presents a significant threat for Amazon. Moreover, this collaboration is likely to help MercadoLibre in strengthening its logistics infrastructure and investing in end-to-end payment solutions.



5 Stocks Set to Double



Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.



Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.



Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>

Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report eBay Inc. (EBAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report Stamps.com Inc. (STMP) : Free Stock Analysis Report PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fiverr International Lt. (FVRR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Following a little more than three hours of deliberations Monday evening, the 12 men and women of the Olmsted County District Court jury found a Rochester man guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of two men in March 2018.

Glenn Roger Johnson, 55, was found guilty in Olmsted County District Court of two felony charges of first-degree murder-premeditated and a charge of first-degree murder-with intent-while committing a felony.

He has been held on $3 million bail since shortly after the March 17, 2018, incident at the Salvation Armys Castleview Apartments. Johnson fatally stabbed his neighbors Eric Alan Flemming, 45, and Phillip William Hicks, 57.

The guilty verdict does not end the trial. Johnson and his attorneys will argue that he is not guilty by reason of mental illness. Jurors first needed to determine guilt before ruling on whether Johnson is not guilty by reason of mental illness.

Prosecutors called four witnesses before resting their case Monday morning. It was also the first time jurors were able to see the injuries Eric Alan Flemming, 45, and Phillip William Hicks, 57, suffered in the incident.

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Police were called to the apartment building on the evening of March 17, 2018 for a harassment complaint involving Johnson and Hicks. Less than an hour later, the officers were called back for a report of a stabbing.

Police, medical examiner testify

First to take the stand was Rochester Police Sgt. David Drees. Using 20 photographs of the fourth-floor hallway outside of Flemmings room as well as photos inside Flemmings room, jurors saw the bloody floor where Flemmings body lay as emergency responders tried to resuscitate him.

Both Hicks and Flemming were pronounced dead at Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys.

Rochester Police Investigator Chris Weber was the lead investigator on the case and testified that he and Sgt. Eric Strop sent samples taken from two kitchen knives found in Johnsons apartment to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. One of the knives had visible blood on the blade.

BCA forensic scientist McKenzie Anderson then testified that blood on one knife was a match for Flemming. A second knife blade that was testified also was found to be a match for Flemming. Johnsons DNA was also found.

Neither knife was found to have DNA of Hicks on it, Anderson testified. Hicks is alleged to have been stabbed before Flemming.

Defense attorney William Wright questioned Anderson on the concept of third party transference, which means that a person's DNA could end up on an item through another person without the original person touching the item. Anderson also testified that she could not determine when someones DNA is placed on an object.

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Nine sharp force injuries

Dr. Ross Reichard, Olmsted County's medical examiner, testified that Flemming was stabbed three times and cut approximately six times. Flemming was stabbed in the left side of his chest. The blade went through his skin and soft tissue into his chest cavity, damaged his lung tissue and his aorta, Reichard said.

A second stab to the abdomen went through Flemmings soft tissue into his abdominal cavity and damaged a large vein in his abdomen as well as aorta, Reichard said. The stab also hit Flemmings bowel. A third stab to the left side of Flemmings abdomen damaged his diaphragm.

His cause of death was multiple sharp force injuries, Reichard said.

Hicks suffered a single stab wound to his back. The stab wound went between two ribs and struck the right lower lobe of Hicks lung, Reichard said. Hicks death was most likely caused by a loss of blood, the doctor said.

Wright asked Reichard if CPR could cause other injuries but the doctor testified he did not list any signs that CPR may have caused injuries.

Prosecutors rested their case following Reichards testimony. The defense also rested its case without presenting additional evidence. Johnson did not testify.

Closing remarks

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"Glen Johnson leaves no question of what his intentions were," Associate Olmsted County Attorney Michael DeBolt said to the jurors in his closing arguments.

Johnsons repeated statements to police that he would "flatten" Hicks and Flemming as well as his statements that he would "get rid of them," were evidence of his intent to kill, DeBolt said.

Debolt told the jurors that Johnsons actions were "not a rash impulse" but that he carried out a deliberate plan.

"This is a case about a planned, calculated, intentional retaliation," DeBolt said, adding that Johnson was upset that law enforcement wouldnt do exactly as he wanted, so he took action into his own hands.

In his closing remarks, Wright told the jury that the case was more complex than the prosecutors presented. He said the jury had to look at the motivation behind Johnson's actions.

"This was not premeditated," Wright said.

Wright said that Johnson just wanted to stop the harassment and bullying he had endured at the hands of Hicks and Flemming. Wright urged the jurors to take a deeper look at the case.

"Did Mr. Johnson really intend to cause the death?" Wright said. "Or did he just act out of a need to stop the bullying, persecution, harassment that was causing him grief?"

Jurors were sent to deliberate at 3:40 p.m. and returned around 7:05 p.m. The jury was sequestered Monday night. The trial resumes Tuesday morning.

Before jurors were brought into the courtroom Monday morning, Judge Lisa Hayne and the four attorneys discussed how to handle the ever-changing public health response with jurors.

On Friday, Minnesota Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea issued an order suspending a number of court proceedings. Ongoing jury trials, like in the case of Johnson, have yet to be affected.

Hayne said it was a "fluid situation here, something weve never seen." There was some concern about jurors' continued ability to serve in light of Gov. Tim Walzs order to close schools starting Wednesday.

Senior Assistant Olmsted County Attorney Brian Hagen told the judge there was a reasonable possibility that the second portion of the case could be sent to jurors Tuesday. Defense attorney Samuel Shabel agreed with the assessment.
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers.

For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for that period of about a half-hour.

The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols.

Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated, said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets.

Health care workers might also collect those tiny droplets and larger ones on their protective gear when working with infected patients. They might resuspend these big and small droplets into the air when they take off this protective gear and become exposed to the virus then, Dr. Marr cautioned.

A study that is being reviewed by experts bears out this fear. And another study, published March 4 in JAMA, also indicates that the virus is transported by air. That study, based in Singapore, found the virus on a vent in the hospital room of an infected patient, where it could only have reached via the air.

Dr. Marr said the World Health Organization had so far referred to the virus as not airborne, but that health care workers should wear gear, including respirator masks, assuming that it is.
New Jersey officials have warned that 'many, many, many people' are at risk of infection after a coronavirus patient gave a false name and address and then walked out of a Newark hospital.

Health officials are desperately trying to track down the woman who remains 'at large' on Tuesday after she was tested for the deadly virus on Saturday and went missing before the results came back positive.

The woman had been tested for coronavirus at East Orange General Hospital in Newark on Saturday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a Facebook video Tuesday.

Her test results came back positive and health officials went to the address she had provided on her records to find no one by that name resided there, Baraka said.

'Many, many, many people' are at risk of infection after a coronavirus patient gave a false name and address and then walked out of a Newark hospital, said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in a Facebook video Tuesday (above)

The woman had been tested for coronavirus at East Orange General Hospital in Newark (above) on Saturday. She tested positive but when Newark health officials visited the address she had provided, they found no one by that name there

She had 'provided a false name and a Newark address', he said.

Officials are frantically searching for the woman amid fears that she could be spreading the virus to residents across the state.

Baraka said the 'at large' woman poses 'a public health risk to herself and to the entire community' and scolded that 'this is not a joke'.

The Mayor urged the 'young lady' to come forward for treatment 'immediately'.

'As of today, she has not been identified,' Baraka said.

'Because you gave a false name, because you gave a false address, you put many, many, many people at risk. Not only in the city of Newark, but all of the surrounding cities in this state as well. I'm urging you to immediately contact your health provider and go back to East Orange Hospital if you can. We are searching for you and looking for you.'

Baraka is also urging East Orange General Hospital to hand over all information about the patient, including surveillance footage of her at the hospital.

City of Newark officials are applying for a court order to be able to access the footage to help them identify the missing woman.

A statement from the hospital said it was cooperating with the police department.

'East Orange General Hospital has been working closely with the Newark Department of Health, Newark Police Department, East Orange Department of Health, and East Orange Police Department,' the statement read.

'We have already provided them with all information requested. Patient privacy laws constrain us from providing further comment to the public about a specific patient or case.'

New Jersey has joined other states in taking strong measures to slow the spread of the virus

A man with a face mask walks an empty street in New Jersey on Monday. The state has rolled out a curfew banning residents from non-essential travel between 8pm and 5am, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and closed all bars and restaurants until further notice

Bars and restaurants are closed that on the usually busy Hoboken street in New Jersey on Tuesday

Fears of a 'super-spreader' come as Newark reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Sunday.

Across the state of New Jersey, the number of confirmed cases stood at almost 300 and three people had died as of Tuesday afternoon.

New Jersey has joined other states in taking strong measures to slow the spread of the virus.

It has rolled out a curfew banning residents from non-essential travel between 8pm and 5am, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and closed all bars and restaurants until further notice.
JTI internship program poster / Courtesy of JTI



By Kim Jae-heun



International tobacco and vaping company JTI will host a global internship program called "Make It Bright" to foster the talents of the next generation, said the Korean branch last week. The internship is organized by the tobacco firm's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and it already began receiving applications from 33 countries around the world. JTI said it is looking for talented people with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset.



JTI will receive applications until April 30 and applicants can register as individuals or as two-person teams on the website. The candidates of Make It Bright should be aged between 19 and 24, who are legally eligible to work in Korea. They also have to have less than two years of work experience and have business-level English skills. Most importantly, the applicants should have no reason to be disqualified for overseas travel.



Details and additional specifics about the program are available on the Make It Bright official website at makeitbright.com or recruitment site Superookie.



The program will last seven months. JTI will first select trainees to compete for the three finalist spots, where the winning team will be given the opportunity to work as interns for six months at JTI and two runner-up teams will be given soft skills training in London, United Kingdom.



The trainees choose one of the given topics to go through the ideation process and participate in the local and global presentation competition. Then they will receive professional mentoring and experience various projects closely linked to hands-on practice.



JTI has operations in more than 130 countries. It is the global owner of both Winston, the number two cigarette brand in the world, as well as Camel, and has the largest share in sales for both brands. Other global brands include Mevius and LD. JTI is also a major player in the international vaping market with its brand Logic and tobacco vapor brand Ploom.


Inmates in Lebanons cramped prison facilities demand temporary release for fear of COVID-19 spreading among them.

Beirut, Lebanon  Riots erupted in at least two overcrowded Lebanese prisons as inmates demanded to be released over fears the countrys growing coronavirus outbreak will spread rapidly among them.

Lebanon has so far confirmed 120 cases and three deaths from COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has led to an unprecedented global shutdown. The total number of cases worldwide is nearing 200,000 with more than 7,600 deaths.

Lebanon announced a partial lockdown over the weekend with all nonessential businesses closed and streets emptying out, just like in many other countries hit by the pandemic.

Now, the countrys prison population is asking to be released, even if for a temporary amount of time. Videos shared with Al Jazeera by a family member of an inmate, in addition to others circulated on social media, show prisoners in the Roumieh and Zahle jails, two of Lebanons largest prisons, staging protests and chanting slogans demanding an amnesty.

Other videos showed them attempting to break down doors and setting fires, with black smoke filling a large cell.

At least two videos from Roumieh prison on Monday night show bloodied inmates bearing large wounds  one near the neck, another near the hip. In the video, inmates say the wounds are a result of live fire by security forces.





Look at what the state is doing to us, men shout as they attempt to dress a wound on one of the inmates.

An Internal Security Forces (ISF) source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to comment on the matter, confirmed that two inmates had been wounded, but said rubber bullets had been deployed, rather than live fire.

There was large-scale rioting, fires and breaking doors and destruction of equipment, a really big riot. So security forces intervened, the source told Al Jazeera, adding the situation was now stable.

A family member of an inmate at the Zahle prison, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said an imprisoned relative had taken part in a protest and hunger strike that began on Monday, in order to demand an amnesty.

The family member said dozens of inmates were now on a hunger strike.

Years-old demands

Prisoners and their families in Lebanon have long demanded an amnesty law be passed to release thousands who were jailed for petty crimes including drug use and possession, in addition to alleged involvement with hardline groups.

Lebanons political establishment has long promised an amnesty law would be endorsed, but successive governments have failed to come through, and prisons have witnessed recurring hunger strikes and riots by inmates.

Prime Minister Hassan Diabs government has committed to endorsing such a bill, though it is unclear who exactly would be included.

Their situation is really dire, there are people with medical conditions in there, the family member told Al Jazeera.

Despite the difficult conditions, the ISF source said precautions were being taken and all our efforts are focused on protecting the prisons from coronavirus. Only one person from each inmates family could now visit, the source said, and prisons are being regularly disinfected.





Cramped and unsanitary

Lebanon has long struggled with overcrowding at its detention centres, with about 10,000 inmates distributed among 25 prisons and 261 jails, most of which are very small, according to statistics gathered by the Beirut Bar Association last year.

More than 700 lawyers visited the countrys prisons in December to assess conditions and found them cramped and unsanitary, according to a subsequent report.

In addition, hundreds of inmates have been held for long periods of time without being sentenced, while others served their time but were unable to leave because they could not pay fines.

Melhem Khalaf, the head of the Beirut Bar Association, told local publication The Legal Agenda on Tuesday the association secured the release of about 80 prisoners by paying their fines since late last year, while 120 such cases still remained.

The association also provided free legal aid to 180 detainees whose cases were stalled because they did not have lawyers, while 120 more still required help, Khalaf said.
Reflexively, Ms. Mathis settled downtown (although there was a brief detour to the Upper West Side), moving from rental to rental, mostly  but not currently  on 10th Street.

Its the epicenter of where my friends are, she said. Coming from Los Angeles, where I felt a sense of isolation, I was looking forward to the vibrancy of living in New York and being close to everyone I knew.

Samantha Mathis, 49

Occupation: Actor

It takes a (Greenwich) village: My home in Los Angeles was beautiful. It had four bedrooms, and I could go hiking every day and smell the night-blooming jasmine. Now Im renting a junior one-bedroom and paying through the nose. But I can walk with my dog to Washington Square Park, and I run into my friends all the time.
New Delhi, March 15: The world's geriatric population (people aged 60 and older) will cross two billion by 2050 from nearly one billion in 2020 and in the case of a pandemic like novel coronavirus, these loved ones are at high risk of death owing to a multitude of factors like underlying conditions and low immunity.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 125 million people are aged 80 years or older today and by 2050, there will be almost this many (120 million) living in China alone -- and 434 million people in this age group worldwide. National Vaccination Day 2020: Do Adults Need to Be Vaccinated? From HPV to Tetanus, Here are Vaccinations Every Woman Needs.

A recent report published in the medical journal JAMA which examined more than 72,000 Chinese coronavirus patients found that the overall fatality rate was 2.3 per cent. But in adults over 80, the fatality rate rose to 15 per cent. By 2050, 80 per cent of all older people will live in low- and middle-income countries where health facilities are already dismal.

Public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging older adults, especially those who already have health challenges, to "stay at home as much as possible" to avoid getting COVID-19.

Early research shows that older people are twice as likely to have serious complications if they get COVID-19. People with chronic conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, are more at risk for severe cases of COVID-19.

"If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra-important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease," said public health experts at the CDC. Older adults living in communities where the virus has spread should take extra precautions like avoiding public places.

According to Ravi Shekhar Jha, Senior Consultant and Head of the Department, Pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Hospital Faridabad, "Older adults' lungs take more time in clearing up and there is not clear secretion from the lung. All these factors make them extremely vulnerable to the coronavirus." Another analysis of all cases diagnosed in China found that 86.6 per cent were aged 30-79 years.

Data from Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) showed that the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients aged 80 or older was 5.4 per cent, compared with an average mortality rate of 0.6 per cent.

According to Rajesh Chawla, Senior Consultant, Respiratory and Critical Care, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, elderly people above 50 years of age suffering from diabetes and heart disease need to take extra precautions as coronavirus can lead to severe conditions in them. The CDC advises against non-essential plane travel for older adults.

"The data continues to say that the people who are at higher risk for severe disease and death are those who are older and with underlying health conditions," according to Nancy Messonnier, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC.

Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people's risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease. Coronavirus: Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Aggravate COVID-19, Use Paracetamol in Case of Fever, Says France Health Minister.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

If you have someone senior at home, it is time to take some extra measures for your loved ones till the COVID-19 scare goes away.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2020 08:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
A second private school was sealed in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir for breaching government orders to suspend classes in all educational institutions as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19 virus, an official spokesman said.

The school, Tagore Institute of Education, at Ghagwal, had reportedly held parents meeting in its premises and messages were sent through SMS as reported by the parents, the spokesman said.

During an inspection by sub-divisional surveillance committee, it was found that school was open and children were present in the premises along with their parents, the spokesman said.

In view of the violation of the district magistrate's orders, the school was sealed, he said, adding the Samba administration has time and again appealed and also issued notices for closure of all educational institutions in the district.

It again issued a general advisory to all schools to adhere to the closure order, the spokesman said.

A private higher secondary school in Vijaypur area of the district was sealed for conducting classes in violation of the government order earlier on Monday.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration had last week ordered closure of all educational institutes across the Union Territory till March 31 as a precautionary measure to deal with the threat posed by the deadly COVID-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Federal Bureau of Investigation San Francisco Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett speaks during a news conference in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 30, 2019. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

California Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Acting as Agent of Chinese Intelligence Agency

A California man originally from China has been sentenced to four years in prison for acting as an agent of the Chinese regimes intelligence agency, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced March 17.

Xuehua (Edward) Peng, 56, a former tour operator in the San Francisco Bay Area, pleaded guilty in November 2019 in connection with acting as a courier for Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS)the countrys chief intelligence agency.

He was sentenced March 16 by a U.S. District Court judge in California, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $30,000, the DOJ stated.

Peng admitted to delivering classified U.S. national security information to MSS officials in China. He admitted to conducting five dead drops from 2015 to 2018, during which he retrieved secure digital (SD) cards containing classified information from hotel rooms in San Francisco and Columbus, Georgia, and then took them to Beijing.

He admitted to knowingly working for the Chinese regime, and was paid at least $30,000 for his services to the MSS.

This case exposed one of the ways that Chinese intelligence officers work to collect classified information from the United States without having to step foot in this country, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement.

Peng admitted that he was recruited after being approached by a Chinese official during a business trip to China in March 2015. The official asked Peng to use his U.S. citizenship to help them with matters of interest to the regime, the DOJ stated. Peng later came to realize that the official was an intelligence officer at MSS, but went ahead with the activities anyway.

According to the complaint, the FBI secretly filmed Peng conducting some of the pick-ups and deliveries, and intercepted his phone calls with his MSS handlers in China.

Demers said that this case represents but one example of the Chinese governments multi-faceted espionage efforts. Federal authorities in recent years have cracked down on Chinese espionage efforts in the United States.

Last year, a former U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted espionage on behalf of China. A former CIA officer was also sentenced to 19 years for an espionage conspiracy with the regime.
Chile and Peru announced a total closure of their borders on Monday while Latin America's largest airline said it was reducing operations by 70 percent as the region scrambled to stem the rapidly-spreading coronavirus pandemic. Latin America has registered more than 800 cases and seven deaths, according to an AFP count, after the Dominican Republic became the latest nation to report a fatality. "We've decided to close all our country's terrestrial, maritime and aerial borders for the transit of foreigners," said Chile's President Sebastian Pinera. The announcement came as Chile revealed on Monday its number of coronavirus cases had more than doubled since Sunday to 155. Peru followed suit soon afterwards with President Martin Vizcarra announcing a two-week border closure from midnight, while Colombia announced it would close its borders until May 30. Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay confirmed partial border closures. Paraguay also imposed overnight curfews. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced late Monday that his country would enter "collective quarantine." Latam Airlines said it was reducing operations by 70 percent, just four days after already cutting back by 30 percent. "If these unprecedented travel restrictions increase... we're not ruling out being forced to decrease our operations even more," said the airline's vice-president Roberto Alvo. Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador bucked the trend, saying he would not ban public gatherings or stop greeting people with "hugs" until public health officials said otherwise. - Stocks tumble - Chile rolled out a number of coronavirus control measures as the central bank slashed interest rates by 75 basis points to 1.0 percent. The move failed to stop the Santiago stock exchange closing down 14 percent, its worst fall in three decades. Regional stocks were battered as the Sao Paulo exchange lost almost 14 percent, Buenos Aires fell nearly 10 percent and Colombia plummeted more than 15 percent. Brazil's currency fell below $0.20 for the first time ever, prompting an emergency government investment of almost 150 billion reals ($27.5 billion) into the economy. Chile's closed borders caused a problem for a quarantined cruise ship in the country's deep south. More than 200 passengers and crew aboard the Silver Explorer in the remote port of Caleta Tortel are in lockdown after six people tested positive for coronavirus. Health authorities want to evacuate the other passengers back to their home countries, but may need special permission. - Cuba helping Nicaragua - Cuba said it was allowing a British cruise ship to dock despite five people on board testing positive for COVID-19 and nearly 40 others in isolation with flu-like symptoms. "We are working around the clock to arrange evacuation flights from Cuba to the UK as soon as possible for passengers on the Braemar cruise ship," a British foreign ministry spokesman said. Cuba is also sending specialist doctors to Nicaragua to help the central American country treat COVID-19 patients. Ecuador, which has seen 58 cases and two deaths, banned tourists from the Galapagos Islands on Monday while authorities in Rio de Janeiro used megaphones to order people at the beach to go home. Rio's Flamengo football club, the reigning Copa Libertadores champions, revealed that their Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the latest sports star to have tested positive for the virus. The city's famous Christ the Redeemer statue was also closed to the public. Honduras announced a week-long lockdown to prevent people from going to work, using public transport or taking part in religious activities. The Argentine government announced work exemptions for public and private employees of non-essential sectors, as well as parents with school-age children. Latin America has registered more than 800 cases and seven deaths
Harris County Clerk Closing Main Office and Annexes to the Public

The Harris County Clerk will close its main office and annexes to the public on the advice of county leadership as a measure to help contain and mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The closure will take effect Wednesday, March 18, 2020 and continue until further notice.

We are actively monitoring government guidance and following protocols, said Harris County Clerk Diane Trautman. The health and safety of both the public and our employees is our highest priority.

Employees will continue serving the public by email and phone, but residents are reminded that they can access most services online. Among these, electronic filing in real property, electronic filing in the courts (county, civil and probate) and personal records. Electronic filing for campaign and personal finance is also available online.

- Residents Encouraged to Use Online Services -



The Harris County Clerks Office is currently working on a plan to continue to make voting accessible for the upcoming elections. This includes discussions with the Harris County Commissioners Court, the Texas Secretary of State, and several other governmental entities to

make the plan feasible and timely.

I can assure you our office will do all it can to make sure voters are able to cast a ballot in the elections they qualify to vote in, added Trautman. Once the plan is ready it will be shared with the public.

Residents are encouraged to follow the Harris County Clerk on social media or visit HarrisVotes.com for updates and information.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday attacked the government in Lok Sabha over hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel saying that an effort was being made to run the government by adversely impacting the pockets of people.

Raising the issue in zero hour, Chowdhury said that the international price of crude was at the 2004 level when petrol and diesel were available for far less than their present prices.

He said the government had raised excise duties instead of passing relief to people.

"This is an absolute injustice with people. There is an effort to run the government by adversely impacting the pockets of people," he said.

Several other opposition members joined Chowdhury and protested against the government's decision.

DMK member Dayanidhi Maran accused the government of "loot".

Trinamool Congress member Sugata Roy said that people should have had good news of a drop in prices of petrol and diesel.

He said the government will earn Rs 39,000 crores by its decision.

The government had on Saturday increased the special additional excise duty on petrol from Rs 8 per litre to Rs 10 per litre and on diesel from Rs 2 per litre to Rs 4 per litre.

It had also increased road and infrastructure cess collected as an additional duty of excise and customs on both petrol and diesel from Rs 9 to Rs 10 per litre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Today is St Patrick's day and joining the millions of people around the world who'll be marking their Irish heritage are 5,000 people from 135 countries, who earlier this month officially became Irish citizens, receiving their certificates of naturalisation and taking the oath of fidelity to the Irish State.

Among them was Majo Rivas, a human rights lawyer originally from Paraguay now living in Cork. Her journey to Ireland from her home on the outskirts of the Paraguayan capital Asuncion came via South Korea, where she met her future husband on a scouting trip 12 years ago.

Now married and working here, Majo put down her roots in Ireland five years ago. "I have a great family here and a great network of friends. People couldn't have been more amazing, especially my husband," she says of her early days in Ireland.

Volunteering with local organisations plugged Majo into her new community stretching her social contacts far and wide. "I've always been an active citizen. I was always involved in women's rights and in scouting in my youth. The mission of scouting is to create a better world wherever you are and I try to live that out in my life in Cork City," she says.

Becoming a citizen meant she had a voice in the country she lived in. "It was very frustrating to me to go through referenda and general elections that affect me and people like me but I didn't get a say. I have never in my life not voted when I could vote. Finally, now I get to vote," she says.

"Citizenship formalised what I have already been doing - contributing to the community. It gives you rights and it's something that's really important. Finally you can say you are Irish".

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Majo also wanted to do something positive to mark her citizenship and is fundraising to create a bi-lingual library for a school in Cork, where many parents of children at the school come from different countries.

"I was born in a bi-lingual family. English was my third language. Everything to do with languages opens doors. This is a great way to support children learning with their families," she says.

And while the risk of contagion from coronavirus has meant that all parades have been cancelled, Majo says she will quietly celebrate the national feast day by cooking some traditional Paraguayan dishes for her friends and family.

For Jill Holtz, who also became an Irish citizen at a ceremony in Killarney earlier this month, swearing an oath of fidelity to the Irish State was an emotional experience.

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Born in the US but raised in Scotland, she and her husband, Ramsey, a Scot, had lived in Boston before coming to Galway for work. Their eldest daughter Blythe, now 18, was 10 months old when they arrived and their second daughter Fern, who is about to turn 15, was born here.

A year and a half ago Jill decided to apply for citizenship because she loved her life here and also because of Brexit. "Ireland has become a really modern, forward-looking country and I have a real affinity for it. The second reason is Brexit - it makes people who are not European feel insecure," says Jill, who runs her own information website mykidstime.ie from her home in Oranmore.

"We came here for work but stayed because we love it. It's home now and it's also close to where I grew up in Scotland. Oranmore is a really strong community and a really vibrant village," she says.

Jill is curious to see what feelings today brings up, especially after the emotions that rose up during her conferring ceremony. And while there'll be no parade, she says she's content to put her feet up after making a dinner of bacon and cabbage.

Last December Daria Klenovaya, originally from Russia, became an Irish citizen, fulfilling a long-held dream. While she's been living here for over six years, working for Apple in Cork, she first came to Ireland as a 10-year-old with Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children's Project. She clearly remembers the day she first stepped off the plane in Dublin and was met by her Irish host family, the Mannings from Clontarf, who welcomed her into their home many times in the years that followed.

"What I remember most is the smiles. Of course people in Russia smile but I had never seen smiles like this. Everyone was so happy to see us and I grew up wanting to be like this nation," says Daria, who grew up in the town of Klintsy, which was affected by the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in 1986.

"When I came to Dublin I came to the most wonderful Irish family. I don't have any siblings but in Ireland I have three sisters and two brothers. We grew up together and I fell in love with this country and with the people. Coming here was the first time I went outside Russia and it had a really big effect on me. I always wanted to come back," she says.

Daria believes that so much of what happened in her life is due to Mary and John Manning, her Irish parents as she calls them. When she became a citizen at a ceremony in Killarney last December, Daria - like all those waiting to be conferred - was allowed to bring one guest. It was, of course, Mary Manning who accompanied her.

"They pushed me to go forward. They supported me. I'm lucky that I've had two sets of parents who have only wished the best for me. My Irish mum was at the ceremony. I wouldn't have been there getting my Irish passport if it wasn't for her. I really feel I'm living the dream. I never thought this would be my life. People would say to me that it's one thing to go somewhere on holidays, it's different when you live there. They were right - it's better," she says.

She believes being an Irish citizen affords her more security - she will no longer have to apply for visas to travel and hopes more opportunities will open up. "It's this security and stability in my life. Maybe that's not such a big deal for a European person to get citizenship but for a non-EU, a Russian, having an Irish passport is a life-changing thing".

Daria is disappointed that on her first St Patrick's Day as an Irish citizen, the parade isn't going ahead. "Regardless of what's happening it will be a special day. My friends will make sure of that," she says.

One of the things she is most proud of is carrying on the tradition of volunteering she believes is intrinsic to being Irish. When she was little, Daria says she was always amazed at how much Irish people volunteered and this inspired her. "I've been volunteering since I was 14. My Irish mum was such a good example that we all wanted to be like her. Last year I went to Zimbabwe and spent three months there working in a community project. I'm really involved with volunteering with Apple," she says.

One of her proudest moments was when she and her Apple colleagues were packing humanitarian aid packages to send to Belarus as part of the company's commitment to charitable causes. "My journey hasn't always been easy. I never took anything for granted. All of this stared when I was 10, when I met people who were ready to share and help this kid. I grew up with that mindset and now I get to help other people. I never thought I'd be having the life I have," she says.
Joseph McCarthy vaulted to fame as a fearmongering senator. But the war record that got him elected was more fiction than fact.

Joe McCarthy didnt have to go to war. His job as an elected circuit judge in Appleton, Wisconsin, was important enough to exempt him from military service. It would be nice to say that he volunteered for the best of reasons: a strong sense of duty, a hatred of fascism. It would also be untrue. To his thinking, frontline action was an essential requirement for young politicians. There was but one rule to remember: One had to survive in order to exploit it.

The judgeship bored McCarthy. He viewed himself as a politician, and he had told everyone within earshot of his desire to seek real political office. Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Like many office seekers, McCarthy knew the value of a war record, and he told a fellow judge, Urban Van Susteren, that he must enlist at once. Van Susteren remembered advising him: Look, if youve got to be a hero to be a politician, join the marines. McCarthy agreed. Early in 1942 he entered a leatherneck recruit- ing office in Milwaukee and signed on the dotted line.

The news that a circuit judge had traded in his robes for a helmet and rifle traveled quickly through Wisconsin. And McCarthy helped the story along by implying that he wanted no special favors. He said he would serve as a private, an officer, or anything else. In fact, McCarthy had already written a letter on court stationery requesting an officers rank. He was sworn in as a first lieutenant.

On August 4, 1942, McCarthy began his tour of duty in the Pacific. For almost three years he served as an intelligence officer at Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, debriefing combat pilots who returned from bombing runs over Japaneseheld islands. By all accounts, he did a creditable job; his assignment, while hardly dangerous, was vital to the fliers who took the risks and got most of the glory. In his spare time, McCarthy played poker and acted as the islands procurernot of women, but of such things as liquor and exotic food. One Christmas he rounded up a few pilots and flew to Guadalcanal, where the men bartered for medicinal brandy, canned turkeys, pineapple juice, and other luxuries. On returning, he held an open house, passing out free food and drink to those who happened by.

But McCarthy was not about to be viewed as a small cog in a big machine. Not when his political instincts told him that those who came home with military honors would be rewarded at the ballot box. Before long, stories about his military exploits began filtering back to Wisconsin. In 1943 the Post-Crescent printed the following dispatch:

GuadalcanalEvery evening the judge holds court in a dilapidated shack just off a jungle air strip deep in the South Pacific combat zone. The folks in Wisconsin might be a trifle shocked at his lack of dignity now. He stands bare-chested before his bench, an ancient table reeling on its last legs, and opens court with: All right, what kind of hell did you give the Japs today?

That was only the beginning. News reached Wisconsin that McCarthy had become a tail gunner with Scout Bomber Squadron VMSB-235, flying dangerous missions and spraying more bullets (4,700 in one sortie) than any marine in history. As McCarthy carefully molded his image for the folks back home, he told of ever more impressive exploits. In 1944 he spoke of 14 bombing missions; in 1947 the figure rose to 17; in 1951 it peaked at 32. He requestedand receivedan Air Medal with four stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for 25 missions in combat. Honors poured in from the American Legion, the Gold Star Mothers, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

In 1949 the Madison Capital-Times received a letter from Marine Captain Jack Canaan, a flyer who was stationed with McCarthy at Bougainville. It claimed that McCarthys only combat experience had been two missions in one day. He told me that he did it for publicity value, wrote Canaan. In fact, in a hospital in the New Hebrides he personally showed me the Associated Press clipping about firing more rounds than any gunner in one day.I believe on the day he fired them, the Jap planes at Rabaul were all dead. Canaan advised the newspaper to check McCarthys official jacket in Washington. It would, he thought, expose the guy for the fraud he is.

The Capital-Times didnt pursue the tip, but other reporters got wind of it and started their own inquiries. Before long the real story of McCarthys Pacific exploits had emerged. In 1943 his squadron was assigned to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. The work variedfrom routine spotting flights on New Georgia, the largest of the Solomon Islands, to bombing runs over the island of New Britain in western New Guinea. Sometimes, to ease the boredom, the pilots would try to break every flight record on the booksmost missions in a day, most ammunition expended, and the like. According to one marine, Everyone at the base who could possibly do so went along for the ride on some of these missionsit was hot, dusty, and dull on the ground, and a ride in an SBD [Scout Bomber Douglas] was cool and a break in the monotony. It was also quite safethere werent any Jap planes or anti-aircraft gunners around.

McCarthy wanted to break the record for most ammo used in a single mission. So he was strapped into a tail-gunners seat, sent aloft, and allowed to blast away at the coconut trees. As a matter of routine, the public relations officer gave him the record and wrote up a press release for the Wisconsin papers. A few weeks later, McCarthy came into the fellows hut waving a stack of clippings. This is worth 50,000 votes to me, he said with a smile. The two men then had a drink to celebrate the creation of Tail-Gunner Joe.

All told, McCarthy made about a dozen flights in the tail-gunners seat. He strafed deserted airfields, hit some fuel dumps, and came under enemy fire at least once. His buddies recalled that he loved to shoot the guns. They gave him an award for destroying the islands plant life, and they laughed hysterically when he lost control of the twin 30s and pumped bullets through the tail of his plane.

It was on one of these missions that McCarthy claimed to have been wounded in action. Later, in his Senate campaigns, he would walk with a limp, saying that his plane had crash-landed or that he carried ten pounds of shrapnel in his leg. When pressed for details, he would refer to a citation from Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet: Although suffering from a severe leg injury, [Captain McCarthy] refused to be hospitalized and continued to carry out his duties as an intelligence officer in a highly efficient manner. His courageous devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service.

Citations like this were easy to come by. In McCarthys case, he apparently wrote it himself, forged his commanding officers signature, and sent it on to Nimitz, who signed thousands of such documents during the war. What bothered some newsmen was that McCarthy had never been awarded a Purple Heart. Could it be that his wound was not war related? Maybe he fell off a bar stool, mused Robert Fleming, the Milwaukee Journals crack reporter, as he began piecing together the incident. Fleming soon discovered that McCarthy had been aboard the seaplane tender Chandeleur on the day the injury occurred. It was June 22, 1943, and the Chandeleurs crew was holding a shellback initiation as the ship crossed the equator. During the hazing, McCarthy was forced to attach an iron bucket to one foot and run the gantlet of paddle-wielding sailors. He slipped, fell down a stairwell, and suffered three fractures of the metatarsal (middle foot) bone. That was the extent of his war wounds.

It is not unusual for someone, particularly a politician, to exaggerate his war record. Nor is it the sort of falsehood that generally hurts the feelings or the reputations of others. Why, then, the controversy over Tail-Gunner Joe? The question can be answered in several ways. For one thing, McCarthys puffed-up gallantry was not an isolated instance of deception, but rather an example of the way he consistently misrepresented his actions. For another, McCarthy used his war record to shameless advantage. He thought nothing of attacking political opponents as cowardly slackers or of claiming the exclusive right to speak for veterans with disabilities and for dead heroes. Finally, like some compulsive braggarts, McCarthy seemed increasingly unable to differentiate fact from fancy. He lied so often and so boldly about his exploits that he himself came to accept their veracity. His friends insisted that McCarthy always stuck by his war record, even in private. When Urban Van Susteren once asked about the wound, McCarthy rolled up his pants, exposed a nasty scar, and growled, There, you son of a bitch, now lets hear no more about it.

It would be an understatement to say that McCarthy launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1944 as a long shot. He was, after all, a political novice residing some 9,000 miles from Wisconsin and running against an incumbent. And his hastily fashioned campaign platform consisted of two vaguely worded statements about job security for every man and woman and lasting peace throughout the world. Still, the very thought of a two-fisted marine running for political office was both novel and patriotic.

But there was a complication. According to Wisconsin law, judges can hold no office of public trust, except a judicial office, during the term for which they are elected. Was McCarthy violating the law? The secretary of state thought so, but the attorney general took a more liberal approach. McCarthy could run, he decided, and the courts could untangle the mess if he happened to win. Of course, McCarthy did not expect to win. He was in the race for the experience, the publicity, and the chance to position himself for a serious run in 1946. With the campaign in high gear, he got a 30-day leave and returned to a heros welcome. When Joe set foot on Main Street this morning, wrote the Shawano Evening Leader, he did not have to walk far to find a friend. It was Hello, Joe, left and right, to the young judge who left a seat on the benchto take anotherbehind the rear guns of a dive bomber.

On returning to the Pacific, he applied for another leave, claiming that his judicial duties had been too long overlooked. When it was denied, he resigned his commission, obtaining his official discharge in February 1945. While the war was far from over, the fighting judge had other things on his mind. A major national election was only a year away, with another Senate seat up for grabs. That it belonged to Robert M. La Follette Jr., a figure of heroic proportions, meant little to McCarthy. Less than a month after his discharge he was busily preparing to challenge La Follette in the GOP Senate primary.

Stalwarts of the GOP establishment in Wisconsin may not have liked McCarthy, but they thought he was the best bet to defeat La Follette. They therefore made every resource available to him, including a public relations firm, a campaign staff, and a big budget. The Committee to Elect Joe McCarthy spent more than $75,000 during the race. The La Follette figure was about $13,000. For McCarthy, money became the great equalizer.

Much of it was used to produce a slick brochure (The Newspapers Say) with pages of photographs and short favorable quips from the local press. The reader learned that McCarthy was a man with small-town, working-class roots; a self-made man, free of inherited wealth and privilege; a robust man who had been a farmer, a boxer, a tough marine gunner. It was an exceptional piece of campaign literature, emphasizing the very qualities that set him apart from La Follette. McCarthy loved the brochure. He told Van Susteren that most people vote with their emotions, not with their minds. Show them a picture and theyll never read.

Much of the literature played strictly on McCarthys war record. Combat veterans have always done well at the polls, and 1946 was a fine year for patriotic chest-thumping. His newspaper ads were misleading but effective. They explained how he turned down a soft job exempt from military duty; how he joined the marines as a private; how he and millions of other Joes kept Wisconsin from speaking Japanese. And they all ended the same way: Today Joe McCarthy is home. He wants to serve America in the Senate. Yes, folks, congress needs a tailgunner.

McCarthy then zeroed in on La Follettes failure to enlist. (The senator, 46 years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed, remained in Washington with virtually all his congressional colleagues.) What, other than draw fat rations, did La Follette do for the war effort? asked one campaign flyer. Another called La Follette a war profiteer, a charge that McCarthy pressed with great relish. The senator, it seemed, had invested in a Milwaukee radio station and was rewarded with a $47,000 profit during 194445. Noting that the Federal Communications Commission licensed the station, McCarthy alleged that La Follette had made huge profits from dealing with a federal agency which exists by virtue of his vote.

The charge was absurd. All stations are licensed by the FCC. While McCarthy didnt try to prove that collusion occurred, his claims awakened liberal voters to the fact that La Follette had made a financial killing on a limited investment. His image as the archenemy of privilege had begun to wear thin.

McCarthy said little about his own campaign platform. He supported veterans pensions and the creation of an all-volunteer armyissues he knew to be popular with returning veterans and their families. His speeches on foreign affairs were laced with generalities that appealed to both isolationists and internationalists. His main theme was that America had the duty either to lead the world or to play no part in it at all. He never said which alternative he favored.

McCarthy edged La Follette by 5,000 votes. A few months later he won the general election as part of a GOP landslide that gave Republicans control of Congress for the first time in 18 years.

As a freshman U.S. senator, McCarthy was known mainly for his raucous behavior. Angry colleagues accused him of lying, of manipulating figures, and of disregarding the Senates most cherished traditions. By 1950 his political career was in deep trouble. He was up for reelection in 1952, and most political analysts expected him to lose. He felt that he needed an issue to attract attentionsomething to make his importance felt beyond the walls of the Senate chamber.

On February 9, 1950, during a routine dinner speech before a womens Republican club in Wheeling, West Virginia, McCarthy declared that he held a list of 205 communists actively shaping policy in the State Department. Overnight, his notoriety grew a thousandfold.

Although McCarthy had hardly discovered the political exploitability of communist infiltration, he was uniquely gifted in using it to promote himself publicly. He convinced an increasingly frightened America that the Reds and their fellow travelers had orchestrated a conspiracy so immense that heand he alonecould be trusted to deliver the nation from it.

But soon McCarthys life would rapidly disintegrate. In February 1954 the Senate had authorized his investigation by a vote of 851. Eight months later it had condemned him by a vote of 6722. And eight months after that it would crush his spiritand what remained of his careerby voting, 774, to censure him.

In the interval between his famous Wheeling speech in 1950 and his official Senate censure some four years later, McCarthy lost his identity as a man to that of an ism, his name touted by his enemies as a symbol of political opportunism, coercion, and reckless accusation. McCarthyism is still a dirty word in the American political vocabulary.

Although the censure had humiliated McCarthy, his physical decline had been obvious for years. In the latter part of 1956 McCarthy was treated at the Bethesda Naval Hospital for a variety of ailments: hepatitis, cirrhosis, delirium tremens, and the removal of a fatty tumor from his leg. Between visits, his friends pleaded with him to stop drinking, but to no avail. I would scream at him, Van Susteren recalled. Id say, Youre killing yourself, Goddamit. And hed say, Kiss my ass, Van. And that was that.

McCarthy entered Bethesda again on April 28, 1958. He died on May 2. The official cause of death was listed as acute hepatitisor inflammation of the liver. There was no mention of cirrhosis or delirium tremens, though the press hinted, correctly, that he drank himself to death.

David M. Oshinsky, a Pulitzer Prizewinning historian, is a professor of history at New York University and the director of the Division of Medical Humanities at NYU Langone Health. He is the author of A Conspiracy So Immense: The World of Joe McCarthy (Free Press, 1983), from which this article is adapted.

This article appears in the Spring 2020 issue (Vol. 32, No. 3) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: War Stories | The Tail Gunner

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This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd.'s (HKG:1618) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Metallurgical Corporation of China has a P/E ratio of 4.62, based on the last twelve months. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 21.7%.

See our latest analysis for Metallurgical Corporation of China

How Do I Calculate Metallurgical Corporation of China's Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share (in the reporting currency)  Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Metallurgical Corporation of China:

P/E of 4.62 = CN1.262  CN0.273 (Based on the year to September 2019.)

(Note: the above calculation uses the share price in the reporting currency, namely CNY and the calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.)

Is A High P/E Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each CN1 of company earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.

How Does Metallurgical Corporation of China's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (7.6) for companies in the construction industry is higher than Metallurgical Corporation of China's P/E.

SEHK:1618 Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 16th 2020

Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Metallurgical Corporation of China shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.

Story continues

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. 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.

Metallurgical Corporation of China shrunk earnings per share by 1.7% last year. But EPS is up 9.2% over the last 5 years.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. 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.

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.

How Does Metallurgical Corporation of China's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt totals a substantial 120% of Metallurgical Corporation of China's market cap. This is a relatively high level of debt, so the stock probably deserves a relatively low P/E ratio. Keep that in mind when comparing it to other companies.

The Verdict On Metallurgical Corporation of China's P/E Ratio

Metallurgical Corporation of China has a P/E of 4.6. That's below the average in the HK market, which is 9.2. Given meaningful debt, and a lack of recent growth, the market looks to be extrapolating this recent performance; reflecting low expectations for the future.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. 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.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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.
Baz Lurhamann, along with his family, are in voluntary quarantine after Hanks and his actor-wife Rita Wilson were tested positive for Coronavirus

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have left a hospital in Australias Queensland state five days after testing positive for the coronavirus, People magazine reported on Monday.

The pair are now resting at a rented home in Australia and remain under quarantine in the house, the U.S. magazines report said, citing a representative of the actor.

Last week, Hanks wrote on Twitter that he and Wilson had tested positive for the virus in Australia, where he is working on a film, after they felt tired and achy with slight fevers. Both Hanks and Wilson are 63 years old.

Meanwhile, director Baz Luhrmann has also gone into self-isolation after coming into contact with Hanks on the set of their new untitled Elvis Presley film.

The Australian filmmaker, along with his family, are in voluntary quarantine after Hanks and his actor-wife Rita Wilson were tested positive for COVID-19 disease last week.

In a statement on Twitter on Sunday, Lurhamann said he and his family were doing well.

Check out the announcement

"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. Very proud to say that the entire production is following these instructions to a T," he added.

Hanks had travelled to the Gold Coast, on Australias east coast south of Brisbane, to begin filming. He is set to play Presleys manager, Colonel Tom Parker, in the Warner Bros production.

Hanks and Wilson were among the first major American celebrities known to have contracted the coronavirus, which causes a disease, COVID-19, that has killed more than 70 people and infected more than 3,800 in the United States.

(With inputs from agencies)
LONDON  Last week, the lights went out on Broadway. On Monday, Londons West End  the last global theater stronghold to remain open through the growing coronavirus pandemic  went dark.

Londons performance spaces were some of the last to shut down among their international counterparts, as arts institutions across the United States and Europe  New Yorks dozens of theaters, Italys famed Teatro alla Scala opera house, Pariss Louvre museum  all shut their doors amid the viruss rapid spread.

But after Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain urged patrons to avoid theaters and other crowded public spaces in a speech on Monday afternoon, cultural mainstays across the United Kingdom began to follow suit.

Now is the time for everyone to stop nonessential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel, Mr. Johnson said in the speech. We need people to start working from home where they possibly can. And you should avoid pubs, clubs, theaters and other such social venues.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020

Indonesias hotels, airlines and banks and other tourism-related sectors have joined together to offer attractive travel packages to promote domestic travel, despite the governments appeals for people to stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Under the theme My Destination Indonesia hotel chain Plataran Indonesia, Bank BNI, Bank BCA, airline Garuda Indonesia, the Yayasan Putri Indonesia foundation and beauty brand Mustika Ratu are offering vacation packages that bundle together airplane tickets, accommodation and exotic tours to certain tourist destinations.

We have to look at our domestic market. Indonesias domestic market is our safety net for our economy, Plataran Indonesia founder and CEO Yozua Makes said during the launch of the promotion in Jakarta on Thursday.

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Linkedin Yi Peng (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 11:53 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b2b705 1 Health #health,#HealthCampaign,#education,#mental-health,#mentalhealth,#App Free

When Bagus Utomos older brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia 13 years ago, his screaming and crying through the night, outbursts of violence and other unpredictable behaviors were heartbreaking for his family.

We didnt know what that was, and we didnt know what to do. Its not easy to live with people who have a mental disorder, he said.

It took 10 years before I finally found something on the internet that explained this [schizophrenia] is an illness that required [medication].

There are countless stories like Bagus across Indonesia that show that many problems arise not from mental illness itself, but the lack of accessible information that helps families understand their rights and the nature of a disorder.

A 2018 Indonesian Psychiatric Association (PDSKJI) survey showed around 9 million Indonesians suffer from mental illnesses, with 400,000 having schizophrenia. A 2016 Human Rights Watch study indicated that Indonesia has a shortage of licensed psychiatrists, an average of only one for every 300,000 to 400,000 people.

Due to insufficient healthcare services, Bagus and his family searched for useful information in the media, but what they found only confused them.

They [the media] dont understand how mental illness results in human suffering; they dont know how families are struggling, Bagus said. Without proper media coverage, the public still believes that people with mental disorders are simply evil, not religious enough and need to pray more.

The economic divide in society deepens the stigma around mental health.

Irine Wardhanie, representative of Sindikasi, a trade union for creative industry workers, thinks the media industry tends to mislead lower-income communities.

The media treats the working class differently. We don't feed them with proper mental health information because they are more attracted to news with exaggerated, dramatic headlines, she said.

Vibrant future: Artwork by a schizophrenic artist who currently volunteers for the Indonesian Care for Schizophrenia (KPSI) community depicts science illuminating the future. (JP/Yi Peng)

Based on his own experiences, Bagus decided to help others by setting up the Community of Indonesian Care for Schizophrenia (KPSI), a support group for patients and families, in 2011.

After I saw my brother getting better, I realized it is important for everyone to have accessible information, so I started to focus on educating people with mental illnesses and their families.

Garnering some 48,000 Facebook followers, the KPSI aims to educate and empower both people with schizophrenia and their family members, while also promoting the responsible spread of information about the disorder.

Within the KPSI, Bagus launched a journalism program to establish an inclusive understanding of mental health issues among journalists by setting up seminars with qualified psychologists, people with mental disorder themselves and their families.

Journalists can be the allies that will help breakdown the stigma, and sometimes, education is better than anything, he said.

While the media can play a leading role in building awareness about mental health disorders, the fear of losing jobs and social stigma often pushes journalists into silence about their own experiences that could be meaningfully shared with both colleagues and audiences.

Media coverage of mental illness has improved in recent years, but journalist tend to hide the fact that they themselves regularly suffer the same problems, Irine said.

People think journalists are superhumanno fear no trauma. In fact, we are as weak as others, she added.

We see bad situations  human body parts, unborn babies. Veteran journalists tell the young ones who are not experienced that they have to be strong, because journalist dont know 'trauma' words [how to talk about trauma].

HOPE LIGHTS UP

To embrace mental health issues on a broader scale, the Cilandak community health center (Puskesmas) in South Jakarta created a mobile application called E Jiwa to provide accurate information about mental illnesses.

Closer look: E Jiwa App provides professional advice about mental health. (JP/Yi Peng)

The project was initiated by the Puskesmas doctor, Luigi, who explained that the app can be accessed in both Indonesian and English and is available for Adroid phones.

The app provides 29 short questions that are certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist people to understand the mental struggles they are going through and offer suggestions.

After the test, the user is given one of three colors that categorizes the state of their mental health. Green refers to healthy, yellow refers to moderate alarming and red means they need to consult a psychologist as soon as possible, she said.

The app already has more than 18,000 users in Jakarta, of which 13,000 are in Cilandak, but Luigi is aiming for a bigger goal.

E Jiwa not only encourages people to gain more awareness but also helps us [health workers] decide what to do next, she said. The database from this app would be beneficial for the research or the creation of a mental healthcare system in the future.

Margo Wiyono, the Social Affairs Ministrys director of rehabilitation for people with disabilities, points to the importance of local mental health programs having active media strategies.

We are promoting more informative content through social media, videos and press releases, he said. We want to make sure the information is accessible for all Indonesia and fight with the social stigma together. (ste)
Monday night, Paul Hoffman, the city of Bellaires city manager, announced the city government will follow Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgos prohibition of bars and restaurants starting 8 a.m Tuesday.

Additionally, restaurants must operate as delivery/takeout/drive-through only, all recreation center activities and programming have been canceled, along with the cancellation of many local events including the 12thAnnual Wine and Tapas event on March 28, the Board and Commission Recognition Dinner on March 30, the Party at the Pavilion on April 3, and the Trolley Run on April 4.

All municipal court jury trials will be postponed to April.

However, the Bellaire Aquatic Center, Evergreen Pools, library hours and circulation services are still being provided.

Regarding the citys readiness and prevent efforts, the citys, priority is of course that however long this thing takes, we are in position of providing police, fire, garbage pickup, water and wastewater services, said Hoffman. We will continue to keep public and employees informed.

Outside of COVID-19 news at Monday nights City Council meeting, business resumed as usual, starting with a proclamation in the age of Corona Virus, as noted by Mayor Friedberg as he honored Denton Ragland, president and CEO of the Bellaire Business Association.

Drawing on his extensive experience as a nonprofit executive, passionate in his leadership in support of organizations dedicated to improving the well being of the communities they serve, Denton Ragland came to the city of Bellaire, Texas, ready to make a difference, proclaimed Friedburg. Now, therefore, I, Andrew S. Friedberg, mayor of the city of Bellaire, Texas, do hereby proclaim March 16, 2020, as Denton Ragland Day.

The meeting continued with complaints from residents about the construction of a parking lot by Evelyns Park, raising questions about the validity of the permit allowing the parking lot to be built, as well as voicing concerns about the privacy and drainage implications of the lot.

I think there are several issues about the parking lot that I feel are illegal, said Bellaire resident Mary White. That parking lot is smack-dab on my property line.

Before adjourning, council held a closed meeting with the city attorney regarding the real estate transaction and land use issues of the parking lot by Evelyns Park. After the meeting, the city attorney confirmed the permit was issued in error and the council revoked the permit.

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
Members of Congress demand India release American pastor Bryan Nerren

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Members of Congress are demanding that the government of India release a Tennessee pastor who continues to be detained in the country even after he resolved a customs case brought against him for allegedly not paying duty on money he brought into the country.

We write to bring your attention to the case of Bryan Kevin Nerren Sr. of Shelbyville, Tennessee. We are immediately concerned with the health of the Nerren family, including Mr. Nerrens daughter with special needs, who has been hospitalized with pneumonia as Mr. Nerren remains in India without a clear point of return, Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Reps. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., and Jody Hice, R-Ga., wrote in a letter to the Indian Foreign Secretary last week.

Pastor Nerren, who leads the International House of Prayer Ministries in Shelbyville and operates a nonprofit organization called Asian Childrens Education Fellowship, which has been training Sunday School teachers in India and Nepal for 17 years, was targeted and arrested as he stepped off a flight in Bagdogra, India, last October.

We request that India uphold their end of the offer, as Mr. Nerren has upheld his, by finalizing the compounding of the offense and allowing him to return to his family, the letter said.

Before his arrest in Bagdogra, a security agent in New Delhi questioned Nerren about $40,000 he was carrying while traveling with two other pastors from Tennessee. The pastor explained that the funds were to cover two conferences and support a two-week trip for 13 ministers. After about an hour of questioning, he was cleared to fly, but when he arrived in Bagdogra he was arrested for violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act because he didnt complete a document to account for the funds. But the officials in New Delhi did not provide Nerren with the necessary forms.

Nerren recently accepted an offer to compound his offense. He submitted an application for compounding, filed an affidavit with the court indicating submission of the application, and compiled $7,000 to be transferred to Customs upon Customs finalization of the appropriate paperwork, the letter explained. He has completed all of these required actions. However, Customs is now requiring the submission of a waiver of forfeiture for the money lost, a request that was not included in the original conditions  and to our knowledge is not required by Indian law.

In the letter, the senators and congressmen reminded Indian officials that the U.S.-India relationship is a vital and healthy one, as exhibited by President Trumps recent visit to Delhi.

We do not wish for bureaucratic posturing in this case  which can now be simply closed according to Indian law  to become an impediment in that relationship, the letter said.

Nearly 170,000 people have signed an online petition by the American Center for Law and Justice calling for the pastor's release.

Ever since Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took office as Prime Minister in 2014, persecution of Christians has risen.

Since the current ruling party took power in 2014, incidents against Christians have increased, and Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences, noted Open Doors' World Watch List, which ranked India as the 10th worst country for Christians.

The view of the Hindu nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so any other faithincluding Christianityis viewed as non-Indian. Also, converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds or tribal religions are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities, the list added.

At least one Christian was attacked every day last year, according to Open Doors.
Dana Milbanks March 12 Thursday Opinion column, The spoiler campaign begins, misread the goal of Sen. Bernie Sanderss (I-Vt.) presidential campaign, which is the only one exclusively funded by small donors. His campaign is motivated to counter the ravages of inequality. Working-class and poor people are dying earlier than the rest of us. College costs leave students wondering if they can afford to get married and have a family. Other developed countries medical systems cover everyone at half the price. Inequality not only physically hurts us, but, combined with the Internet, also subverts us from being knowledgeable voters.
Aldi has cracked down on panic buyers by introducing restrictions on products amid coronavirus outbreak - following in the footsteps of Coles and Woolworths.

The supermarket limited customers to two packets each of dry pasta, paper towels, hand sanitiser, dry rice and flour on Tuesday.

Only one packet of toilet paper is allowed per customer.

Aldi has cracked down on panic buyers by introducing restrictions on products amid coronavirus outbreak - following in the footsteps of Coles and Woolworths

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of COVID-19 in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of toilet paper, pasta, rice, frozen food as well as tinned and other dried goods

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of toilet paper, pasta, rice, frozen food as well as tinned and other dried goods.

Aldi chief executive Tom Daunt said people should not worry about access to fresh food and essential items.

'We want to let you know that there is more than enough food to go around; we just need your patience and support,' he said.

ALDI GROCERY LIMITS Toilet paper  one per customer

Dry Pasta  two per customer

Flour  two per customer

Dry Rice (excludes microwave rice)  two per customer

Paper Towels  two per customer

Tissues  two per customer

Hand Sanitiser  two per customer Advertisement

He said while workers are doing the best they can to maintain stock levels, customers must also do their bit.

'The increase in violence that retailers have seen over the past few weeks is absolutely unacceptable,' he said.

He asked people to be 'considerate and compassionate' when they shop and respect employees.

'Quite frankly, we wont tolerate anything less. We understand your concerns, but buying more than is needed can mean that others will be left without,' he said.

He said while workers are doing the best they can to maintain stock levels - customers must also do their bit

Change-of-mind refunds have been suspended from March 17 until further notice to discourage over-purchasing.

Coles introduced similar restrictions on Tuesday, limiting customers to two packs per person of eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen dessert on Monday.

Coles has already imposed limits on mince meat, toilet paper and hand sanitiser after shelves were left bare.

Coles has introduced new buying restrictions on products as shoppers continue to panic-buy as the coronavirus crisis escalates (pictured: Empty fridges at Coles)

Empty toilet paper shelves at Coles supermarket in Adelaide, March 13, 2020

COLES GROCERY LIMITS Eggs - two packs per customer

Chilled pasta - two packs per person

Frozen vegetables- two packs per customer

Frozen dessert - two packs per customer

Mince includes Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken and Turkey - two packs per customer

Flour - two packs per customer Dried rice - two packs per person

Paper towels/tissues - two packs per customer

Hand sanitisers - two packs per customer Advertisement

'As the situation around coronavirus continues to develop, we want to ensure you have the most up to date information on product availability,' Coles said in a statement on Sunday.

Coles also announced they won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic buying.

Chief executive officer Steven Cain said staff were working 'as hard as possible' to ensure shelves were sufficiently stocked.

'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,' he said.

On Wednesday, Coles will introduce an elderly shopping hour which will allow older customers into the store at 7am to stock up on essential items.

Empty toilet paper shelves at Coles supermarket in Adelaide, Friday, March 13, 2020

WOOLWORTHS GROCERY LIMITS Dry Pasta - two per customer

Flour - two per customer

Tissues - two per customer

Paper towel, serviettes and wipes - one per customer

Toilet paper - one per customer

Hand sanitiser - two per customer

Bulk rice (2kg+) - one per customer Advertisement

Those who hold a government-issued Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Companion Card and Health Care Card are eligible.

Coles is also seeking more than 5,000 casual workers to help cope with demand.

The supermarket will introduce a fast-tracked induction process and will hire more Coles Online delivery van drivers.

It also plans to dedicate grocery deliveries to people who are isolated and vulnerable. This means deliveries for other customers will be temporarily suspended, as will the Click&Collect service.

Woolworths has also introduced its own elderly hour which kicked off at 7am on Tuesday.

Woolworths fresh food director Paul Harker said the initiative had proved very popular on Tuesday morning.

He insists there weren't food shortages despite reports of widespread of empty shelves.

Elderly shoppers are seen waiting outside Woolworths in Sunbury for the dedicated shopping hour

'There is no shortage of goods here in Australia,' he told the Nine Network on Tuesday.

'It is a logistics exercise of moving the product to get it back into stores with the pace and demand we're seeing.'
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The party's over for Spring Breakers in Florida.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday ordered the shutdown of all bars in the state for at least 30 days, and limited beach gatherings to no more than 10 people.

DeSantis also restricted restaurant occupancy to 50 percent as part of the most aggressive actions by the state so far to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The governor left further beach restrictions up to local authorities, and Miami Beach officials responded with a total beach closure and 11pm curfew.

 Slide me  Miami Beach is seen left on Monday and right on Tuesday morning, after an order closing the beaches to Spring Breakers

South Beach is seen during the outbreak of the coronavirus in Miami Beach after an order closing the beaches

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday ordered the shutdown of all bars in the state for at least 30 days, and limited beach gatherings to no more than 10 people

The governor left further beach restrictions up to local authorities, and Miami Beach officials responded with a total beach closure and 11pm curfew

Florida now reports 192 confirmed coronavirus cases and six deaths, a worrying trend in a state with many elderly retirees.

On Tuesday, Miami Beach issued an order closing all non-essential businesses, including restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and fitness studios.

The most popular parts of the beach closed to the public from 4.30pm Saturday and are set to remain shut until March 19 with Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declaring that spring break in Miami Beach is 'over' after a state of emergency was declared Thursday.

Instead of returning home when the famed party strip was closed on Saturday afternoon many students continued the week of celebrations further down the coast on other parts of the beach.

The Penguin Hotel restaurant is seen completely empty during the outbreak of the coronavirus in Miami Beach, Florida

Spring Breakers looking for fun today found restaurants and bars in Miami Beach closed for business

A security guard stands at the entrance to a city parking garage that the city closed to non-residents in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on Tuesday in Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach city officials closed the area of the beach that is popular with college spring breakers and asked them to refrain from large gatherings where COVID-19 could spread

South Beach is seen rather empty during the outbreak of the coronavirus in Miami Beach

Despite warning signs at the entry of the beach advising against mass gatherings and urging beach goers to practice social distancing the crowds of students continued to pour in throughout Sunday.

The Centers for Disease Control even greeted beachgoers with a floating billboard on Saturday which urged sunbathers to avoid contact with other people who are sick.

In close physical proximity the crowds appeared to disregard the warnings put forward by the CDC.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans were holed up at home, many thrown out of work until further notice as offices, stores and other businesses shut down. School was canceled for tens of millions of students, forcing parents to scramble for child care or find ways to entertain their children.

As recently as Monday, Spring Breakers had flocked to South Beach and flouted warnings from public health officials

Spring Breakers are seen in South Beach before the beaches were shut down over coronavirus fears

Hordes of Spring Breakers flocked to Miami this weekend before the shutdown was ordered

The young Spring Breakers seemed to have no regard for the health warnings of public officials

The rapid work stoppage had Americans fretting about their jobs and their savings, threatened to overwhelm unemployment benefit programs, and heightened fears the country could plunge into a recession.

Most people who come down with the disease have relatively mild symptoms, but it can be deadly for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Most people infected with the virus recover in a matter of weeks.

Health officials say that 'social distancing' - encouraging people to avoid close contact with others - is a key to slow the spread of the virus and keep U.S. hospitals from being overwhelmed with a sudden deluge of patients.
The move was backed by 243 MPs with at least 226 votes required.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has appointed Ihor Petrashko new Minister for Development of Economy, Trade, and Agriculture of Ukraine.

The move was backed by 243 MPs with at least 226 votes required, an UNIAN correspondent reported on March 17.

Read alsoNo default or major hryvnia collapse expected in Ukraine over quarantine  expert

As many as 217 members of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction voted in favor of the new minister, while seven votes were provided by the Za Maybutnie Group and 13 votes came from the Dovira Group. Moreover, six independent MPs backed the new appointment.

UNIAN memo. Ihor Petrashko graduated from Lviv Polytechnic National University with a degree in Business Administration. He also holds an MBA degree with the U.S.-based Vanderbilt University.

Petrashko has occupied senior positions at consulting and investment firms since 1996.

Moreover, he has served at positions with one of Ukraine's largest agricultural producers, UkrLandFarming Agro Holding, owned by Oleg Bakhmatyuk, since 2013.
[March 17, 2020] MorganFranklin Consulting Announces New Managing Directors

MorganFranklin (News - Alert) Consulting, a leading management and technology consulting firm, announced today the appointment of five new managing directors. Michael Fitzgerald, Omar Hawa, Andre Prince, Jordan Scheiderer, and Hudson Shelby have been promoted. "Each of our new managing directors has exhibited all the attributes that we look for in leaders," said MorganFranklin managing partner Chris Mann. "We are thrilled to promote five of our own as we expand our leadership team to match our growth trajectory through depth of capability, geographic reach, and industry specialization. Each of these new leaders takes great pride in developing our people and serving our clients, and I appreciate the example they set for our entire team." Michael Fitzgerald oversees MorganFranklin's Aerospace & Defense practice where he is responsible for the development and delivery of services addressing complex challenges at the core of the industry. His hands-on and collaborative approach helps companies achieve their mission-critical finance, technology, and business objectives with customized solutions tailored to each organization and rooted in industry experience. Previously, Mike was with Deloitte (News - Alert), providing audit, assurance, and advisory services to federal government contractors within the aerospace and defense industry. Mike earned a B.B.A. in accounting and finance from James Madison University and is a licensed certified public accountant in Virginia. Omar Hawa serves a wide range of clients from fast-growing private companies to large international publicly traded companies, specializing in complex transactional challenges in accounting, finance and business operations. His portfolio includes IPO readiness, financial reporting process design and improvement, enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations, audit readiness, technical accounting, and internal control (Sarbanes-Oxley) compliance. Omar also has experience advising erospace and defense companies with business process optimization, system and process integration management, and finance process improvement. He is a certified public accountant and received two B.S. degrees in accounting and business management, along with a minor in economics, from George Mason University.



Andre Prince oversees MorganFranklin's Private Equity Services practice and brings more than 20 years of experience delivering enterprise transformation and technology integration initiatives for public and private companies in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Prior to joining MorganFranklin, Andre served as a vice president for Rialto Capital Management and various clients at Deloitte. His expertise lies in using Lean/Six Sigma, technology integration, strategic sourcing, and operating model redesign to optimize portfolio company operations. Andre earned his B.S. in accounting from University of Miami and MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Jordan Scheiderer focuses on technical accounting and financial reporting, risk advisory, transaction services, and process optimization. Jordan has extensive experience leading teams that deliver valued support in revenue recognition, process improvement, US GAAP/technical accounting matters, and Sarbanes Oxley compliance. She serves public, privately-held, and private equity-backed companies in a variety of industries, including software-as-a-service, software and technology, government contracting, banking, real estate, and legal services. Jordan has more than 22 years of Big 4 and industry experience, collaborating with clients and team members to successfully meet strategic objectives. Jordan is a licensed CPA in Virginia and earned a B.B.A. from James Madison University.

Hudson Shelby focuses on formulating strategies and implementing strategic initiatives into business operations that drive growth, efficiency, effectiveness, continual improvement, and compliance. He has extensive experience driving transformational change through enterprise system implementations, business process improvement initiatives, and finance transformation programs, as well as merger and acquisition transactions. Hudson prides himself on teaming with his clients to develop practical solutions to complex challenges and serving as a hands-on, execution-focused business partner. Additionally, Hudson leads MorganFranklin's new Raleigh-Durham office, as well as the firm's presence across the Carolinas. Prior to joining MorganFranklin, he completed his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in civil engineering from Clemson University. About MorganFranklin Consulting MorganFranklin Consulting is a management advisory firm that works with leading businesses and government. The firm helps organizations address complex and transformational finance, technology and business objectives. MorganFranklin is headquartered in the Washington D.C. area with regional offices in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Raleigh-Durham, and Nashville. The firm supports clients across the globe. MorganFranklin Consulting is the brand name referring to the global organization of MorganFranklin, LLC and its subsidiary, MorganFranklin Consulting, LLC. MorganFranklin, LLC is a subsidiary of Vaco Holdings, LLC. Vaco is a portfolio company of Olympus Partners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005519/en/

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Bollywood likes to stay on top of the trend game. Be it a natural calamity or a terrorist attack, the filmmakers have time and again gone a mile to "secure" movie titles for potential projects.

Remember when Bollywood's official body saw a generous spike in the registration of movie titles with keywords 'Balakot', 'Pulwama' or 'Abhinandan'? Or when Ram Gopal Varma faced flak for visiting the battered Taj Hotel in Mumbai in the wake of 26/11 attacks?

But guess what? "Corona Pyaar Hai" has already been registered - an obvious pun and twist to the new, deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) in town with Hrithik Roshan's 2000 blockbuster debut Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai, TOI reported.

Insensitive much? Probably not, given the moviemakers make an effort to educate the masses about the symptoms, preventive measures, and ways to deal with the new coronavirus threatening human life and businesses alike across the globe. Too ambitious? Probably yes.

So we have imagined some of the iconic desi movies and how the makers would have dealt with the coronavirus pandemic around them, completely ditching their original plots.

#1 Hum SARC SARC Hain

OG Plot: Ramkishan (Alok Nath) and Mamta (Reema Lagoo) along with their four children Vivek (Mohnish Behl), Prem (Salman Khan), Vinod (Saif Ali Khan), and Sangeeta (Neelam Kothari) is a happy, tightly-knit family but that bond is challenged due to several misunderstandings.

Post Coronavirus:

"We Stand United."

Who better to bring a large family together under a roof than Sooraj Barjatya himself? Throw in a dholak and the parivaar of 25 buas and foofas can jam indoors without breaking a sweat - thus avoiding contact with infected persons outside and curbing the disease. Just what the Italians did.

#2 Trapped

OG Plot: Shaurya (Rajkummar Rao) accidentally locks himself in a new apartment he just rented to accommodate his would-be wife.

Post Coronavirus: He isn't complaining.

#3 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

OG Plot: A title as fitting as ZNMD, Zoya Akhtar was way ahead of her time. Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), Kabir (Abhay Deol), and Imran (Farhan Akhtar) plan a bachelor road trip to Spain.

Post Coronavirus: They cancel plans like the rest of us. The movie ends in under 30 minutes and we have a high-budget coronavirus health advisory mainstream short film.

#4 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro

OG Plot: Photographer friends Vinod (Naseeruddin Shah) and Sudhir (Ravi Baswani) looking to start their own photo studio encounter dark secrets and murder and are on a mission to bring the bad guys down.

Post Coronavirus: Vinod and Sudhir are now established photographers in multi-million agencies but their HR head wants them to come to the office every day and upload their work.

#5 The Lunchbox

OG Plot: A delivery mixup of lunchbox by the dabbawalas in Mumbai brings two strangers Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) and young housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur) together and their love story blossoms over "lunchbox" and handwritten notes.

Post Coronavirus: If your office isn't as flexible as your friend's and you're having a major FOMO, pack your lunch from home or get it delivered by your loved one as was the case with Saajan Fernandes. Avoid crowded places for your meals.

#6 Namastey London

OG Plot: Manmohan (Rishi Kapoor) flies his "British" daughter Jazz (Katrina Kaif) his village and gets her married to Arjun (Akshay Kumar), who she despises. Arjun takes a note of it and quietly wins her heart through the course of the movie.

Post Coronavirus: Coronavirus = no handshakes.

Among all things that have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, contact-based ways of greetings are perhaps the worst hit. Arjun channels his inner bhartiya and educates his wife Jazz and her friends about the benefits of greeting people by simply folding hands. Namaste.

#7 Dholay

OG Plot: You already know the plot of Sholay. Don't you?

Post Coronavirus: Shook hands and already regretting? Fret not. Jai and Veeru are en route on their bike with hand wash to sanitize you.

#8 Darr

OG Plot: Darr is about Kiran's (Juhi Chawla) story caught between Sunil's (Sunny Deol) love and Rahul's (SRK) obsession.

Post Coronavirus: Rahul (SRK) Kiran (Juhi Chawla) ke peeche haath dho ke pada hai. While she appreciates he's well sanitized, she realises he's still an obsessive stalker and needs to be kept away.

#9 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

OG Plot: Rahul (SRK) loves Tina (Rani Mukherji) in their college days. Anjali (Kajol) loves Rahul. Tina dies, and years later Anjali (Rahul and Tina's daughter) attempts to reunite Rahul and Anjali upon learning about their story through letters penned down by Tina before her demise.

Post Coronavirus: "The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but dont develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell." - World Health Organization.

Agar kuch kuch hota hai, Rahul, go get tested. Anjali can wait.

Just one thing that would be common in all these movies-- they would all maintain social distance.
Comes as Chancellor Merkel announced ban on gatherings in places of worship

The Robert Koch Institute says the coronavirus pandemic could last two years

Germany's public health agency has warned that the coronavirus crisis could last up to two years.

The Robert Koch Institute, the German federal government agency responsible for disease control and prevention, made the claim on Tuesday as it strengthened the threat risk for Germany from 'moderate' to 'high'.

It comes after German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday announced gatherings in churches, mosques and synagogues would be banned and said playgrounds and non-essential shops would close as the country reaches 7,000 confirmed cases, and 14 deaths.

According to RKI President Lothar Wieler (pictured today), the length of time depends on how many people develop immunity after contracting the virus, how many more people contract the illness and how long it takes to develop a vaccine

The Robert Koch Institute said the pandemic could stretch on for another 24 months as they usually run their course in waves.

According to RKI President Lothar Wieler, the length of time depends on how many people develop immunity to COVID-19 after contracting the virus, how many more people test positive for the illness and how long it takes to develop a vaccine.

Dr Wieler did not rule out the potential for some of the emergency measures established by countries to have to stay in place for that duration.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured yesterday) announced gatherings in churches, mosques and synagogues would be banned and said playgrounds and non-essential shops would close as the country reaches 7,000 confirmed cases, and 14 deaths

A woman walks past by shopping trolleys in front of a closed Ikea store in Berlin today

Meanwhile German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the government has come up with some 50 million euros (45 million) to bring home German citizens stuck abroad.

He announced a drive to bring home thousands of tourists stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe - particularly people on package holidays in Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the Maldives and Egypt.

Maas said the government is spending up to 50 million euros on the effort to bring Germans home over the coming days in co-operation with airlines including Lufthansa.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (pictured during a press conference today) said the government has come up with some 50 million euros (45 million) to bring home the thousands of German citizens stuck abroad

He did not give a precise number of stranded Germans but said there was a particularly large number in Morocco, with around 4,000 or 5,000. He said that 'even if we will do everything humanly possible, we cannot in every case provide a solution within 24 hours'.

He said his ministry has issued a formal warning against tourist travel to any country.

Germany's Volkswagen said it will close most of its European plants for two weeks due to uncertainty about demand for cars and supplies of parts amid the outbreak.

The Berlin city government has agreed to build a new hospital for up to 1,000 coronavirus patients with the help of the military and other partners, German daily Tagesspiegel on Tuesday cited the capital's health minister as saying.

As of Monday there were 6,012 people in Germany infected with coronavirus, of which 300 are in Berlin. The newspaper did not give any details of the construction timeframe.

Tagesspiegel said that from Monday underground train services in Berlin would be reduced, with trains only running every 10 minutes.
The COVID-19 coronavirus is pushing Italys health system to its limits, and the United States may be next. There are only so many doctors, rooms, and beds for people who need them. As the cases are increasingly appearing, how can the American health system make sure that people are treated for cases of coronavirusas well as for more typical diseaseswhile at the same time limiting new infections? And how can we make sure well have enough resources, knowing that they are finite, for all of our nations health care needs? Were starting to see that a key weapon in the battle against the coronavirus will be telemedicine.

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Apparently recognizing this reality, President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, is waiving restrictions on the use of telehealth for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, broadly expanding its use with Medicare paying for virtual visits in addition to in-person visits. Previously, telehealth services were only covered for seniors with established care living in rural areas.

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Telemedicine may be one important answer for maximizing resources and supporting the greatest number of people, while embracing the tactic of social distancing. We often think of telemedicine as a means to see doctors from a distance or simply to add convenience. But its particular value in the current situation is how it reallocates in-person care, time, and resources to those who need it most. With telemedicine, we can connect patients with providers using live videolike FaceTime or Skypeor secure text or email systemslike WhatsApp. For every patient that telemedicine triages, avoiding the need for an in-person appointment, another slot is opened up for someone who may have needed it more.

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What makes this latest development even more expansive is that CMS also waived enforcement of HIPAA health privacy law violations against providers acting in good faith. This means that everyday communication tools such as FaceTime and Skype, which previously couldnt be used because they werent technically HIPAA-compliant, can now be used for doctors to evaluate patients. It remains to be seen how existing health systems and providers may use these technologies. Privacy remains a paramount concern, and while doctors may not wish patients to be texting them photos and questions on their personal phones, it is now a legitimate option.

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Even with the pandemic continuing to advance, most people with mild illnesses and colds do not require the attention of doctors in person, and in fact many cases of COVID-19 can be most safely and appropriately managed outside of traditional health care venues. Thus, telemedicine may prove especially useful in improving access to doctors in areas under quarantine and lockdown.

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And yet, while some people may unnecessarily seek the attention of doctors, there are others with problems who arent taking them seriously enough. The average person cant be expected to know what might be a cold and what could be early signs of coronavirus complications, such as respiratory failure. Telemedicine has the potential to both screen populations at risk and expand access to care.

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Another way that these moves will ameliorate the burden on the system is in the case of testing. When testing finally becomes readily availableafter weeks of rationing that continue to this daypeople seeking nonurgent testing may add to systemic strain.

Unique to infectious outbreaks, limiting physical contact with doctors and the health care system may prevent disease spread, while simultaneously ensuring the system wont get backed up.

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How does this all work in practice? At Penn Medicine, Dr. Bill Hanson, an intensive care doctor and the health systems chief medical information officer, recognized the unique opportunities of this moment. In recent weeks, he has overseen efforts to scale up multiple telemedicine systems: (1) screening patients with automated text messages and calls, (2) virtual visits to triage urgent care and emergency visits, (3) virtual visits to replace outpatient visits for high-risk patients (with poor immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients), and (4) a tele-ICU program to coordinate uniform practices and precautions across many hospitals. Given this rapidly evolving health care crisis, Penn and other hospitals are poised to expand existing telemedicine infrastructure.

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Why hasnt telemedicine been adopted more prior to this crisis? The biggest reason is that most telemedicine practices are not covered by insuranceand in general, doctors and hospitals cannot support practices they dont get paid for. Last weeks $8.3 billion coronavirus response bill did expand Medicares telemedicine coverage, but Tuesdays news takes that even further. Other barriers that remain include licensing restrictions (e.g., my Pennsylvania medical license does not permit caring for a patient located across a river in New Jersey) and concerns about liability when taking care of people remotely. Though this is a challenging crisis, this may prove a timely opportunity to retrofit our system as we go to fully cover and support telemedicine so that we can be better prepared for surge demand on our limited health resources while also preserving necessary social distancing.

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But what if telemedicine care is inferior to in-person care? Doesnt everyone deserve the gold standard of in-person exams and their personal doctor-patient relationships to determine if they might have coronavirus? Its true, you cant listen to someones lungs or do a CT scan over a smartphone (yet), and nothing can replace a strong personal relationship. There are limitations to what can be done remotely, but lets not make false comparisons. Most triage can determine who needs a physical exam in person and who doesnt. When telemedicine cant offer that clarity, doctors can still err on the side of caution and refer patients for in-person evaluation. But we simply dont have the resources to examine everyone all at once. The true comparison is between people not getting any health care to those now getting health care via telemedicine, or between the sick person not getting enough attention because of overburdened doctors and the sick person getting full care.

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Beyond mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, we must invest resources now, adapting to the crisis while using it to develop health care for the future. This newest development by Trump and CMS may only be temporary, but its a unique opportunity to use telemedicine to its fullest potential, with these barriers currently lifted. With telemedicine, we can expand our systems triage capabilities to avoid wasted efforts and to handle surges. Most clinical decisions likely can be made by providers not physically present with patients. Once this crisis is over, a revamped telemedicine system would continue to improve access to more people and ensure those who need the most attention can get it.
TALLAHASSEE, FL  The Florida Department of Health has issued the following statement concerning the Coronavirus outbreak and the state's response.



"March 15 -- The State of Florida is responding to COVID-19. In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health will issue this update every day, seven days per week.

Governor Ron DeSantis is in constant communication with Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz and State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees as the State of Florida continues to monitor and respond to the threat of COVID-19.
A crowd of British tourists in Benidorm were filmed ignoring bewildered police trying to tell them to isolate amid Spain's coronavirus crisis.

It comes after footage of Britons chanting 'we've all got the flu, na na na na!' and taunting police in Spain was released yesterday.

The coronavirus death toll in Spain has hit 491 as cases skyrocketed by 1,987 to 11,178 in just 24 hours.

The country entered a state of emergency in a bid to slow the spread of the killer bug, banning people from going outside except to buy food, go to work, or get medical help for 15 days.

One shirtless tourist in Benidorm said coronavirus is 'just a flu that we just all need to get over. Have a beer, happy days, ciao guys'

A tourist was filmed pushing a trolley full of alcohol bought in a supermarket along the street after all bars were put on lockdown

A crowd of British tourists in Benidorm was filmed ignoring bewildered police trying to tell them to isolate amid Spain's coronavirus crisis

But Britons on holiday in Benidorm, Alicante, were filmed ignoring guidelines and continuing to drink and sing outdoors.

One shirtless tourist said: 'It's just a flu that we just all need to get over. Have a beer, happy days, ciao guys.'

Another man was filmed pushing a trolley full of alcohol bought in a supermarket along the street after all bars were put on lockdown.

Police are seen approaching a group of revellers singing and drinking alcohol outside in Benidorm

British revellers can be seen singing Hey Baby by DJ Otzi as they drank outside in Spain

In the clip, a police officer was seen stopping a group of British tourists as they walked along the street.

The officer said: 'It is not possible to walk in the street. Please go back to your apartment.'

The tourists continued to walk and one said: 'I'm flying soon.'

The clip then cuts to revellers singing Hey Baby by DJ Otzi as they drank outside.

Police are seen approaching the group and the tourists start to leave.

Footage released yesterday showed at least 50 Britons - some topless and others appearing to sip from cans of beer - yelling outside a block of flats in Benidorm as officers try to get them back inside.

Shocking footage shows at least 50 Britons standing outside a block of flats in Benidorm, Spain, as they defy the country's coronavirus lockdown

Some were topless while others were seen clutching cans of beer outside the flats

Officers pictured above after clearing the British tourists and sending them back inside

The video, filmed from a balcony, shows Britons standing around outside a block of flats while others sit on chairs.

The crowd starts chanting as Spanish police arrive and brandish batons as they attempt to get the group back inside. Sirens can be heard in the background.

The Britons can then be heard jeering at the officers, which are trying to maintain the curfew, before slowly shuffling back inside.

The clip was posted on Twitter on Saturday with the caption: 'The police clearing away English tourists, already cooked the terraces of Benidorm.'

It is believed to have been filmed at the Trebol Apartments in Benidorm's Levante Beach area at 3pm on Saturday.

Comments underneath the video state 'get them back to the UK!' and 'what unconsciousness, irresponsibility and stupidity'.

Drunken British tourists defied Spain's state of emergency repeatedly on Saturday as millions of Spaniards remained in their homes

In what is believed to be the same incident, two officers had to call for reinforcements to get Brits at the Trebol apartments in Benidorm back inside on Saturday

Police in Benidorm had run-ins with Brits as they tried to disperse large groups who had spent much of the day drinking take-away alcohol on the streets on Saturday

A separate clip of what is believed to be the same incident shows Brits drinking out of one-litre lager bottles and cans.

One could be overheard telling a police officer: 'We're not causing any trouble, we're just walking away.'

Reinforcements were called as two officers struggled to get the British tourists to move. They reportedly used force and pushed several people away.

There have been several reports of officers clashing with drunken Britons in the area.

A woman was arrested for sunbathing in Palma, Mallorca, yesterday.

Britons pictured quarantined in their holiday apartments in Benidorm yesterday

Spaniards and Brits queue to get essential supplies from supermarkets yesterday

A Spanish police officer wearing a face mask tells two Britons to get back to their holiday accommodation in Benidorm yesterday

The UK's foreign office has advised against 'all but essential' travel to Spain during the outbreak.

Airlines have promised to send aircraft to take Britons stranded in the country back to the UK.

Spain's emergency measures have restricted people going outside except to collect food or essential medicines. They must explain why they are out of the house to officers.

All cafes, shops, restaurants and bars in the country have been put on lockdown and all large public gatherings have been cancelled.

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez, whose wife has been diagnosed with the virus, has warned Britons not to behave as though they are on holiday if they are in the country.

Millions of Spanish citizens have obeyed the curfew. Residents of the capital, Madrid, were filmed clapping emergency services from their balconies over the weekend.
The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey increased to at least 267 cases Tuesday, with 89 new positive tests for COVID-19 announced by state officials.

Three people have now died in the state from the pandemic.

The news comes the same day New Jersey residents woke up to sweeping new restrictions to combat the outbreak, including the closure of all public and private schools that goes into effect by the end of Tuesday, the shutdown of casinos, dine-in restaurant service, theaters, and gyms, and a suggested curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Tuesday, Murphy also announced all indoor New Jersey malls must close indefinitely by 8 p.m.

Please just stay in after 8 p.m," Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton.

The latest number of cases was made public on the state Department of Healths website around 2 p.m.

Some of these cases have been directly linked to previously confirmed. There are some that dont have any link," state Health Commissioner Judy Persichelli said. This is an indication that community transmission is occurring.

There are now cases in 15 of 21 counties.

As we test more individuals, we expect more cases, Persichilli said, noting that 55% of the cases have involved patients who are currently hospitalized or were treated at hospitals at some point. The most concerning are those that are elevated from moderate symptoms to ICU, she said.

When they do get admitted to critical care, the disease moves very quickly, Persichelli said.

The update Tuesday included the first cases in Gloucester County  a 59-year-old man currently hospitalized at Inspira Medical Center-Mullica Hill and a 57-year-old woman at home in insolation and asymptomatic. Both live in Glassboro and have a history of international travel, county health officials said.

At least 17 of the new cases are still under investigation to determine in which counties the patients reside, Persichelli said.

With the latest numbers, the state provided a partial county-by-county breakdown of coronavirus cases as follows:

Bergen County: 84

Essex County: 32

Hudson County: 24

Monmouth County: 22

Middlesex County: 17

Union County: 15

Passaic County: 10

Mercer County: 9

Somerset County: 7

Morris County: 7

Burlington County: 5

Hunterdon County: 4

Ocean County: 4

Camden County: 3

Gloucester County: 2

Persichilli said 55% of known coronavirus cases in the state have led to hospitalization, while the average age of those who contract the illness is 52.

On Monday, Murphy announced New Jersey would be among a dozen states to get two coronavirus testing sites with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The two sites will be located at Bergen County Community College in Paramus and at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.

The governor also said Monday hes deploying New Jerseys National Guard to assist in the states effort to combat the spread of the virus.

The virus, which causes the illness COVID-19, has infected more than 196,000 people and killed more than 7,800 across the globe as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

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We understand that many of our monthly ticket holders will not be able to fully utilize their passes for the second half of March and possibly into early April, the announcement said.
A solicitor defrauded the taxpayer out of 63,000 by inflating translation costs for legal aid documents.

Babita Attra, 41, ensured that her partner, Alexandru Major, 35, won contracts to translate documents for defendants who could not understand English.

The word counts and costs of the work were inflated to cheat the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) out of at least 62,889.64 between March 2016 and February 2017, Inner London crown court heard.

On Friday, Attra, who worked for Carson Kaye Solicitors (CKS), was given a two-year suspended sentence as she has a baby to care for, while Major  the architect of the scam  was jailed for three years.

You knew what was expected of you as a solicitor. This was a serious breach of the trust placed in you by Carson Kaye and the LAA, Judge Jane Sullivan told Attra.

As a result of this you have lost your job and will not work again as a solicitor.

Partner Babita Attra was given community service / Tristan Kirk

The court heard Major ran Madison Translation to take on legal aid work for defendants who cannot understand court and police documents. He inflated the word counts on documents which were then submitted to the LAA by Attra, who manipulated the tendering process to ensure that Madison Translation won the contract despite being more expensive, said prosecutor Eleanor Mawrey.

When the scam was exposed by a partner at CKS, the couple forged documents in a bid to cover their tracks.

Jeremy Lynn, for Attra, said she qualified as a solicitor in 2013 after working as a paralegal on insurance claims.

Some of the companies that she worked for had a primary focus, which was squeezing cash out of the LAA.

It was in that background that she did much of her training and learning.

Major and Attra, from Catford, both denied but were convicted of conspiracy to defraud, transferring criminal property and forgery.
More than half a million Queenslanders signed up for a postal vote before the March 28 council elections, as early voting hours are extended and the electoral commission prepares for a very different election day than usual.

The deadline for requesting a postal vote was 7pm on Monday, triggering the Electoral Commission Queensland's website to crash and forcing people to email directly to request a postal vote form.

Minister for Local Government Stirling Hinchliffe. Credit:AAP Image/Darren England

In all, more than 540,000 people requested a postal vote and thousands more took advantage of early voting booths opening statewide on Monday for Queensland's 77 councils.

Queensland has about 3.2 million registered voters. Voting is compulsory, with a fine of $133.45 for not voting.
By Kim Bo-eun





gettyimagesbank

A growing number of businesses are likely to suffer a downgrade in credit ratings as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with local and global ratings agencies placing companies on their watch lists.



For now, at-risk companies are mainly limited to airlines, but businesses of more sectors including retail and petrochemicals may become subject to a downgrade, as the spreading virus afflicts more industries.



Korea Investors Service (KIS) recently kept Korean Air's credit rating at BBB+ but put the company on its watch list for a possible downgrade. Another local rating agency, Korea Ratings, maintained the same rating for the airline but also placed it on its negative review list.



Both agencies also put Korean Air's largest shareholder Hanjin KAL on review for a possible downgrade from its BBB rating.



The companies face a downgrade in an upcoming regular rating review that takes place between April and June as travel restrictions based on the COVID-19 outbreak are expected to be maintained for the time being.



"Due to the spread of [COVID-19] in Korea, a sharp decline in profit and profit creation capabilities is inevitable, and it is difficult to foresee the normalization of air travel demand and profitability within a short period of time," a KIS analyst said.



Moody's, meanwhile, downgraded Korean Air affiliate Hanjin International's corporate family rating to B3 from B2. The previous outlook for the company was stable, but the agency placed the ratings under review for a downgrade.






This story was last updated March 17.

As guidance from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changes by the day regarding risk mitigation and containment of the deadly coronavirus, the U.S. military has responded aggressively, prohibiting all but essential travel to international and domestic locations and canceling or postponing major exercises that were months in planning.

Stay up to date on closures, cancellations and other military guidance affecting operations and work requirements with our list below, updated daily.

Cancellations and Cutbacks

Exercise African Lion 2020

On March 16, U.S. Africa Command officials announced that the joint exercise, set to run March 23-April 4 across locations in Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal, had been fully canceled in light of international travel restrictions. The command had previously announced plans to scale back the training to protect against virus exposure. The exercise was set to include some 3,800 U.S. troops and the participation of a dozen partner nations.

Exercise Phoenix Express 20

A smaller AFRICOM multinational maritime exercise set to take place April 5-18 in the Mediterranean Sea, Phoenix Express was canceled March 17 "for force protection reasons."

Exercise Defender-Europe 2020

Also March 16, U.S. European Command announced that Defender-Europe 2020, originally set to be the biggest U.S. deployment for an exercise in 25 years, was being dramatically modified, with the cancellation of linked exercises Exercise Defender-Europe 20 -- Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response. Personnel and equipment stopped deploying from the United States on March 13, officials said. Some 6,000 troops, of the original 20,000 planned, had already deployed to Europe. Those who deployed for canceled exercise elements will return to the U.S., while elements of the deployed armored brigade combat team will conduct "gunnery and other combined training events with allies" in a modified exercise.

Operation Cold Response 2020

On March 10, military officials pulled the plug on Operation Cold Response, an Arctic exercise in Norway that had begun two days prior. That came after nearly two dozen U.S. soldiers, of the approximately 1,500 U.S. personnel participating in the exercise, were taken into quarantine isolation after coming into contact with a Norwegian service member who tested positive for coronavirus.

Juniper Cobra 20

This U.S.-Israeli missile defense exercise began March 3 and was set to run through March 15, but was canceled instead March 5 as the host nation implemented travel restrictions to control spread of the virus. About 700 U.S. personnel were participating in that exercise.

Joint Korea-U.S. military drills

The U.S. and South Korea postponed their planned annual military training Feb. 26 as Korean COVID-19 cases began to surge. Officials had originally said they were only looking to scale back the training.

Reserve drilling

The Navy has postponed all regular drill weekends through May 11 in accordance with CDC guidance, although Navy Reserve Activities locations will remain open for mission-essential drill requirements. "Reservists may complete drills via flexible reschedules, telework, and liberal authorized absences as directed by their unit leadership and supported command," Navy officials said March 15. The Marine Corps Reserve announced March 16 that it was also canceling drilling until further notice.

Air Force community activities

The Air Force has canceled all strategic outreach activities and support to community events through May 15, including air shows and U.S. Thunderbirds demonstrations.

Closures

Military museums

The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, closed indefinitely March 14, but is offering virtual tours of collections online. All U.S. Navy museums followed suit March 15, announcing they would remain closed until March 31 as a precautionary measure. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force also announced that day that it was closing indefinitely, but will offer virtual tours.

Military academies

The Air Force Academy in Colorado announced March 13 it would dismiss students without a clear return date as a precautionary measure. The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is closed to visitors as of March 17. The academy earlier announced that it would delay reforming the Brigade of Midshipmen to continue classes until March 28. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is also delaying the return of cadets from spring break until March 29 and has been closed to outside visitors since March 13.

Restrictions

Boot camp and basic training graduations

While training still continues at military basic training locations and recruit depots, the events now take place without families in attendance. The Air Force blocked families from attending recruit training graduations March 10 and later revoked planned liberty for newly graduated airmen, sending them direct to new duty stations instead. The Navy took similar steps to bar family attendance and cancel recruit liberty at its boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. The Marine Corps and Army followed suit the same week, also canceling planned family day celebrations.

Joint Base Andrews

The Maryland base declared a "public health emergency" March 16, noting that there is one presumptive positive COVID-19 case involving a military dependent. Base movement is restricted and services are limited while the condition is in place.

Arlington National Cemetery

The cemetery announced March 12 it will close to visitors, although planned funeral services will continue.

Pentagon access

The Pentagon has sharply restricted access to the building, announcing March 14 that foreign visitors, those without a pass and anyone without official business would not be permitted into the building. Only mission-essential personnel are being told to report into the building, and telework is strongly encouraged.

International travel

A 60-day ban on troop travel to locations designated "Level 3" by the CDC took effect March 13, and applies to leave, permanent change-of-station moves, temporary duty and any travel not deemed mission-essential by the relevant commander. As of March 17, that list included much of Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, China, South Korea and Iran. Travel to locations designated "Level 2" by the CDC -- now a global designation -- was also severely limited for military family members and civilian personnel accompanying troops, and hiring was paused for civilians pending hiring decisions in these countries.

Domestic travel

On March 14, the Defense Department instituted a sweeping ban on all domestic travel, including PCS moves and temporary duty, in efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus. The ban does give local commanders broad authority to make exceptions if they determine travel to be mission-essential or warranted due to humanitarian reasons or great hardship.

Eased or Lifted

Operational Pause

Marine Corps Installations East has lifted a one-day operational pause begun March 16 to assess protective measures taken to curb COVID-19 exposure. The command, which oversees all East Coast Marine Corps bases, has resumed limited mission-essential operations, although gyms have been closed and major gatherings called off.

Travel restrictions

DoD personnel in Cheonan, South Korea, near Camp Humphreys, are being told to check in with their commands on reporting back to work as severe travel restrictions are eased, a sign that the disease outbreak is abating. "We are winning!" U.S. Army Garrison Daegu tweeted, noting that the number of new cases was shrinking.

Know of a restriction or closure thats not on the list? Email Hope Seck at hope.seck@military.com. This list will be updated regularly.
A middle-aged Nigerian woman, probably from hell has been remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCC), Benin for allegedly inse...





A middle-aged Nigerian woman, probably from hell has been remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCC), Benin for allegedly inserting her finger in the vagina of a two-year-old girl and thereafter breaking the infants hymen.





Police prosecutor, Sergeant Patience Osayi, told the Evbuoriaria Magistrate court, in Benin, Edo State, that the accused, Esther Ehikioya, committed the offence on 3 February 2020, in Catholic Intercessory Academy, Sapele Road in Benin City.





According to the two-count charge preferred against the accused, the prosecutor said the offence is punishable under section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol.II Laws of the Defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable to Edo State.





The charge sheet read in parts: that you Esther Ehikioya F on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully had carnal knowledge of a girl, aged 2 years without her consent or even with the consent which is immaterial as to her age.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charge.





The Presiding Magistrate, Dorothy Adamaigbo, who rejected her bail request adjourned until 26 March.





She said that the full panel of the family court would be completed on the said date to look at the justification for the bail application.
With states across the nation reporting teacher shortages in critical areas, recruiting season becomes more critical than ever for districts and schools that know theyll need to hire teachers. While theres no single strategy that will ensure an effective yield of newly hired teachers, weve combed the country for some of the most innovative, practical, and rewarding recruitment tools. Heres a look at some of them.

Help with affordable housing

As teachers get priced out of housing, particularly in affluent areas, some cities and counties are taking action. In 2019, Californias Santa Clara County--the heart of Silicon Valley and home to some of the priciest real estate in the country--approved a plan to develop affordable teacher housing in the area, where housing for middle-income earners is sparse. Theyve since found a developer and received a $25 million pledge from Facebook toward paying for the new homes.

This year, the Hawaii State Department of Education--which governs all public schools in the state--partnered with Homes for Heroes , an initiative that provides teachers and their families the opportunity to rent military housing typically available only to active-duty service members. For a reduced rate, teachers can rent a two-bedroom apartment at the Schofield Barracks, a military base, which includes the price of utilities, an on-site gym membership, free parking and access to other on-base amenities.

The cost of living here is high. When we look at our teachers salaries, theyre somewhere in the middle. But you add cost of living, and they drop down to the bottom, said Cynthia Covell, assistant superintendent for the Hawaii department. A lot of teachers are coming right out of college. If we have a place where they can land, it helps with recruiting.

Money talks

Its no secret that teachers will gravitate to districts or even states that offer a decent pay scale. Low and stagnant pay across Oklahoma led to teacher attrition and walkouts in 2018, followed by statewide legislation that infused $623 million into Oklahomas education budget. That allowed schools to increase annual salaries for full-time equivalent classroom teachers by an average of $7,400. Subsequently, the number of teachers grew by more than 1,700 people.

The pay increases brought Oklahoma to among the top states in the region, observed Steffie Corcoran, spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Thats good news for Oklahoma where, just a few years ago, teacher salaries were among the lowest in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

Invest in recruitment best practices

Higher pay undoubtedly attracts job hunters. But some recruitment strategies that invest in human capital can produce lasting, positive resultsat little to no cost to recruiters. Examples include extending the reach of recruitment beyond the immediate school district; having principals interview candidates, a practice less than two-thirds of school districts employ ; and requesting candidates to conduct a classroom lesson.

Too often, school districts fail to use these types of recruitment best practices that involve broader outreach, according to a report by the Center for American Progress . A lack of resources may stymie school districts ability to embrace these effective strategies explains Lisette Partelow, senior director of K-12 Strategic Initiatives at the Center and co-author of the report.

But not every effective recruiting tool requires added resources, she notes. Having teacher candidates teach a lesson so you can observe their teaching skills directly doesnt cost more than doing an interview, Partelow said.

Consider candidates from specialized residency programs

Increasingly, states are turning to innovative preparation programs that focus on intensive on-the-job training with the support of mentors. The research on these programs shows that they produce candidates who stay in teaching longer, are more diverse, and are highly sought after by principals, according to Tara Kini, director of state policy for the Learning Policy Institute.

These programs tend to mirror the medical residency model. Thats true for those developed by The National Center for Teacher Residencies . Launched in 2007, NCTR supports year-long, apprentice-style programs in which prospective teachers practice and hone their skills alongside effective teacher-mentors in high-need classrooms for one year. Participants receive a stipend, learn from veteran teachers, and commit to teaching in their districts for three or more years beyond the residency.

Inspire from within

As Oklahomas teacher shortage and attrition rates neared crisis levels, the Oklahoma State Department of Education began to get creative in its recruitment strategies by utilizing its own resources to tell positive stories about teaching and learning in the state. They developed ShapEd My Life : videos of notable Oklahomans discussing the impact teachers have had on their lives. Similarly, the department created EdTalks, a video series that featured some of Oklahomas standout teachers talking passionately about their love of teaching. The video series has been shared via social media and used by Oklahomas colleges of education.

In one such video , veteran educator Christina Kirk tells her story as a proud Oklahoma teacher. She shares how she had a teacher who believed in her and how, after a decade-plus practicing law, she decided to follow in that teachers footsteps. She said: I asked myself: What can I do? I want to do what Ive seen done, and what I know what makes an impact on kids lives.  I want to teach. with a purpose, and with a passionEvery single day, I give my kids not only academics, but a little piece of me.

Its hard to walk away from that video uninspired.
A major road accident took place in Lori Province of Armenia, when a minibus and a car collided on the Spitak-Vanadzor motorway this morning.

The minibus turned sideways, 21 people suffered injuries and were taken to Spitak town medical center.



According to those gathered at the scene, the employees of the Vanadzor sewing factory were in a minibus, News.am reported.
Following Lviv and Odesa, the Kyiv City Administration announced the quarantine closure of shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms and other establishments, as well as a ban on events. Pharmacies, gas stations, grocery stores and banks will remain open

The Ministry of Health wants to spread these rules throughout Ukraine and is proposing the bill On counteracting the spread of dangerous and especially dangerous infectious diseases in Ukraine. With its help, Ukrainians with symptoms of infection are going to be forced to stay home, and business to stop its operations for three months.

So far, the initiative can only be judged on the basis of statements by officials: its text is not yet available on the Radas website. Nevertheless, amendments of the Ministry of Interior are available, which advocates for tougher punitive sanctions. Despite the lack of a full text, they plan to consider the initiative at an extraordinary plenary meeting. And given the factor of the mono-majority, the idea has extremely high chances to be implemented.

It is very likely that fines for non-compliance with quarantine will be increased for business and ordinary Ukrainians.

Penalties for the sick

To begin with, there is no punishment for healthy citizens who want to leave their homes, although there are rumors in the media that such restrictions are still being discussed. So far, Ukrainians are only asked to act responsible.

In Spain, by comparison, residents are strictly forbidden to take to the streets without permission. The exception is a trip for groceries, to a pharmacy and to work. Otherwise, you can get a fine of up to 2 000 euros, or even go to jail. But you need to understand that this country is the second in Europe after Italy in terms of the spread of the disease. In Ukraine, only a few cases of infection have been registered so far.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes to fine Ukrainians if they do not report symptoms of the disease. If we recall how the passengers of aircraft from Italy brought down the temperature with antipyretics, the introduction of responsibility for such a deception seems logical. But a fine from 170 to 425 hryvnias (15 USD) weakly motivates honesty.

For deliberately infecting other citizens the Ministry of Internal Affairs propose restricting freedom for a period of three months to five years, or imprisoning for three years. The chairman of the Radas committee on national health, Mykhailo Radutsky, says that this rule applies only to those who receive a certificate confirming the disease. But still the question remains: how can one prove that it was this person who caused the infection of other citizens?

In neighboring Russia, for comparison, people are not sent to prison for such a violation. Authorities introduced a fine of 80 000 rubles (1 000 USD), up to 360 hours of compulsory work, or up to a year of restriction of freedom.

If the MPs pass the law, then patients who hide the sources of infection and those who were in contact with them will be fined from 85 to 255 hryvnias (9 USD). Apparently, this rule is introduced out of fears that a person will save acquaintances from observation for two weeks. Will such fines be enough motivation to prevent people from hiding info on the health of their loved ones? The question is rhetorical.

For those who try to escape from observation or from self-isolation authorities also want to complicate the punishment. If now the fine for violating the quarantine is up to 1 700 hryvnias (60 USD), then the Ministry of Health proposes to increase it tenfold: from 17 to 34 000 hryvnias (607 - 1200 USD).

This is not the largest amount. In the Czech Republic you can get a fine of up to 130 000 dollars, in Israel - for 5,000 shekels (1250 USD), in Germany - for 450 000 euros.

And the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes not to limit themselves to fines and put offenders in jail for three years. There is also a prison term for such misconduct in many countries around the world. Violator of quarantine in Italy could face imprisonment for 21 years, in Russia - for 5 years, in China - up to life imprisonment or death penalty.

True, it is not entirely clear what will be done in Ukraine with the arrested fugitive if he is really sick?

There should be a court session which lawyers and prosecutors will attend. Where and how will they keep him at this time? This populism will do more harm than good, says lawyer Rostislav Kravets.

However, the managing partner of Bires Law Firm, Roman Shakhmatenko, proposes this scenario: first, the person is returned to the hospital bed, and after his treatment he is sent to serve their term. But the lawyer does not talk on real prison sentences.

I do not think that the goal of this project is to imprison. Rather, its tasks are preventive, from the category of intimidating," says Shakhmatenko.

Sanctions for restaurants, gyms and shopping centers

As for business, there is no document that provides for a large-scale ban on its activities.

We heard statements from law enforcement officers, and even read the protocols of the commissions. But note that there is no document. Any decision must be motivated and made by a specially authorized person, and also be based on specific norms of the law. When we see the document, then we will analyze its legitimacy, says Maxym Baryshnikov, specialist in medical law.

Experts say that private institutions can be closed due to epidemic without new legislation. As for the churches, the activities of which are covered by the new ban, we can forget about the states non-interference in the religious sphere. True, a state of emergency has not yet been declared. However, lawyers are considering the possibility of some resistance to the religious sphere due to the development of decentralization reform.

With mass events, everything is more complicated. Lawyers say that the law does not define their criteria, so theoretically the ban can be circumvented. But the new bill does not seem to introduce criteria.

With regard to specific fines for business, the current legislative provisions imply administrative liability (up to a maximum of 8 500 hryvnias  303 USD) and imprisonment in case of violation of quarantine conditions. The maximum term of restriction of freedom is up to eight years. Such sanctions are provided for in article 325 of the Criminal Code on violation of sanitary rules and norms for the prevention of infectious diseases and mass poisoning.

Also today, Article 137 establishes the responsibility of citizens to protect the life and health of children, according to which a fine of up to 850 hryvnias (30 USD) or community service for a period of up to 240 hours is possible. So, private kindergartens that continue to function despite the ban may be fined.

Amendments to the new bill by the Ministry of Internal Affairs also introduce punishment for deliberately creating conditions for another person under which he risks becoming infected." The offender to face imprisonment from 3 months to 3 years or restriction of freedom to 5 years. Thus, if at least one store employee works without a mask or antiseptic, the store owner can be held accountable.

But the bill should facilitate business financial issue.

Cafes, bars must pay rent even if they do not work. General phenomena, such as a pandemic, quarantine, martial law are not automatic force majeure. The business will have to inform the creditor that, as a result of quarantine implementation, compliance with the conditions is physically impossible. He will prove the impossibility of its functioning to the Industrial Chamber, says Shakhmatenko.

The Chamber of Industry has previously stated that each case will be considered individually. This means that the courts could be inundated with work. The bill also proposes to attribute the outbreak of infection to force majeure, that is, to save businesses and courts from unnecessary trouble.

The Verkhovna Rada also plans to separately consider a bill of the financial committee on tax deferment and the abolition of tax fines under quarantine, which is good news for entrepreneurs.

Unprofessionalism of doctors and officials

The Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes to fine doctors who refuse to examine people with symptoms of infection in the amount from 170 to 425 hryvnia (15 USD). If the doctor refuses to treat a person who is sick, the fine can grow up to 850 hryvnia (30 USD). According to the initiative, in the case when the patient died from lack of treatment, the doctor will go to prison for 2 to 5 years.

Doctors who talked with 112.ua, believe that such decisions cannot be made in a couple of days or even weeks. Before introducing such restrictions, it is necessary to seriously consider legislation. They also assure that this measure is not necessary.

And yet, there are doubts about the dedication of doctors. Epidemiologist Olga Holubeva spoke about the practice of working in the hospital, where the patient with an ebola appeared. Despite the training of staff, the institution experienced a real panic right up to refusals from work. Will 30 USD outweigh the doctors fear of their own health?

The issue of fines always depends on the average income of the population. Fines are not needed to punish anyone, but to prevent an offense. Calculating the required amount is quite difficult. 30 USD is a lot of money for a paramedic in a village, but not for a doctor at a central hospital in Kyiv, says Roman Shakhmatenko.

Officials hiding or deliberately misrepresenting information about the incidence might be fined 1 700 hryvnias (61 USD) or go to jail for up to 3 years, followed by a ban on holding certain posts. After some time after the outbreak of coronavirus, Italian authorities began to attribute this disease to all the dead, which falls within the act of misinformation.

As for disinfection, I would be careful, since all state authorities are prone to disseminate knowingly false information. In general, I support the strengthening of discipline in healthcare and emergency situations. If protection measures are not provided in a medical institution, then it should also hold accountable officials in departments, regions, and cities. Its wrong to force some to be responsible, while others consider themselves free from this, says Maxym Baryshnikov.

So far, in Ukraine the only case has been opened against officials of the Kharkiv City Council who refused to impose quarantine in the city. No one answered for the insufficient provision of hospitals with remedies.

The main question remains: how exactly do the authorities plan to use the sword of justice? The Interior Ministry said that law enforcement officers will be able to carry out raids and receive signals from citizens. It can be assumed that they will look into the windows of institutions and listen to denunciations, and the authorities will make ratings at the high-profile closures of institutions.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 216.3, up 5.62% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 24.58% in last one year as compared to a 19.22% fall in NIFTY and a 30.52% fall in the Nifty Energy index.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up for a third straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 216.3, up 5.62% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.67% on the day, quoting at 9258.7. The Sensex is at 31642.75, up 0.8%. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd has dropped around 3.85% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has dropped around 23.26% in last one month and is currently quoting at 11017.45, up 3.01% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 66.26 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 74.36 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 209.8, up 4.61% on the day. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd is down 24.58% in last one year as compared to a 19.22% fall in NIFTY and a 30.52% fall in the Nifty Energy index.

The PE of the stock is 5.59 based on TTM earnings ending December 19.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rite Aid will be making major changes and will spend $700 million over the next two years, company officials said in a call to analysts on Monday.

While the company has been reorganizing and saving for years, CEO Heyward Donigan says she was hired to grow the company, which is based in East Pennsboro Township and has more than 2,400 drugstores across 18 states mostly along the East and West Coasts. Donigan was hired in August. Officials at Rite Aid announced a new corporate strategy on Monday known as Rx Revolution.

Changes at Rite Aid over the next few years started with a new logo unveiled on Monday but also include an overhaul in merchandise, implementing workflow changes, re-engineering how the entire pharmacy team works, changing workspace, hiring more technicians and digital updates. New remodeled stores will include an open counter for pharmacists to easily step out and interact with customers.

Plans include overhauling all of its stores but it will be a multi-year process. In the short term Rite Aid expects to make changes to the exterior of its stores and incorporate new signage.

The company says that it is working on the store of the future.

It is a new day at Rite Aid, Jim Peters, COO of Rite Aid said on Monday.

The company plans to open nine pilot stores in the future and renovate around another 65 by the end of the fiscal year of 2021.

The company is not changing its iconic name but Rite Aid plans to change how it works.

This brand relaunch is far more than a new logo, said Peters, who began working at Rite Aid in October.

Heres a look at some of Rite Aids plans going forward:

Rite Aid plans to eventually renovate all of its store. (Image provided)

Store of the future

Rite Aid will launch nine pilot stores with its new design in the fall and will add 65 more remodels by the end of the fiscal year in 2021.

In the near future, stores can expect a change in signage and renovations on the exterior side of stores.

The stores will include wellness rooms that are modular and multipurpose, warm and inviting and equipped with telehealth capabilities, officials said.

The store of the future will be rolled out in a staged market approach.

Merchandise rehaul

Rite Aid says there will be a significant overhaul in merchandising over the next 18 months.

Rite Aid says its target audience will be women from age 25 to 49, multi-generational families and the millions of unpaid family caregivers. It plans to expand its delivery service.

The company will be focusing on healthy items and products that are better for the environment and expanding certain categories and will eliminate other categories. The company will eventually eliminate tobacco products.

Rite Aid says it plans to expand medications, over the counter offerings and food for pets.

Rite Aid plans to expand its sale of vitamins and supplements including CBD products.

Rite Aid also plans to build out its own assortment of branded health and beauty products.

Healthy products will now be placed at the end of aisles and reduce reliance on promotional sales, officials said.

Rite Aid plans to eventually renovate all of its store. (Image provided)

Pharmacy

Rite Aid is looking to streamline pharmacy workflow to free up time for its pharmacists.

Donigan says that Rite Aids strategic plan, RX Revolution, will focus on where 80 percent of its revenue comes from - medication and pharmacy services.

Our plan is to double down on the business of pharmacy," she said.

Rite Aid plans to hire more technicians and train them to do some of the responsibilities that are now performed by its pharmacists but dont have to be so that the pharmacists can be now front and center and engage more with customers offering them more consultative support, according to Jocelyn Konrad, executive vice president at Rite Aid.

Rite Aids goal is for pharmacists to engage with consumers 80 percent of the time instead of 20 percent of the time.

Our pharmacists will no longer be walled off and under-utilized, Rite Aid CEO Heyward Donigan said on Monday.

Changes in the pharmacy will include re-engineering how the entire pharmacy team works, changing workspace, hiring more technicians and digital updates. The new remodeled stores will include an open counter for pharmacists to easily step out and interact with customers.

Digital

Rite Aid will be launching a new app and a newly designed website in April. Customers will eventually be able to pay for their prescriptions in advance so they can checkout faster, according to Justin Mennen, chief information officer at Rite Aid. Customers will also be able to add over the counter items and retail items to their prescription orders that they can pick up in the drive-thru lane. Rite Aid also plans to expand self-checkout and add mobile scan and checkout.

Elixir is the new name for one of Rite Aid's subsidiaries. (Provided)

Elixir

Rite Aid announced a consolidation of its Envision Rx Options company, a health care and pharmacy benefit management company that it purchased in 2015 and has changed the name to Elixir. Rite Aid will consolidate its operations and its offices to the Rite Aid organization and incorporate it more into its Rite Aid operation.

Envision Rx Options was previously split into two parts EnvisionRx and MedTrakRx. The two divisions will now run as one company. And Rite Aid has big plans for Elixir, hoping to incorporate it better into Rite Aids operation believing that it could end up growing Rite Aids scripts by three million scripts a year.

Coronavirus

Rite Aid will eventually offer coronavirus testing. Rite Aid CEO Heyward Donigan made the announcement on Monday during a phone call with analysts.

Were working with the White House Taskforce to offer testing in out parking lots, she said.

Further information was not provided of when the testing might begin.

Rite Aid says it plans to keep its stores opened and is cleaning often especially around checkouts and bathrooms.

We do not have any plans for store closures or altered store hours, Donigan said.

Donigan says that Rite Aid is seeing a lot of customers come through its door lately.

On the retail side of the business we are stretched to the limit, she said.

Adding that it has been more challenging online as the company is seeing 10 times as many customers online.

Rite Aids corporate office employees will begin working from home this week.

By the numbers

Rite Aid has more than 6400 pharmacists.

Rite Aid has more than 50,000 associates.

Rite Aid has more than 2,400 stores.Rite Aid processes more than 500,000 scripts per day.

The company says it has $0 debt until 2023.

Its been a busy few years for Rite Aid

The last few years have been busy for Rite Aid as the company has engaged in merger, acquisition and sales talks with a number of companies, has had layoffs, has seen its stock have its ups and downs over the last six years, replaced its longtime CEO and also started a partnership with Amazon.

A merger between Walgreens and Rite Aid was first announced back in 2015 but, the merger was never approved by the Federal Trade Commission. The two chains later agreed on the sale of the stores, distribution centers and related inventory -- Walgreens Boots Alliance purchased 1,932 stores, three distribution centers and related inventory for $4.3 billion from Rite Aid.

Three hundred and fifty-six people were laid off as a result of closings of two facilities at 1 Geoffrey Drive, Fairless Hills and 8 Queen Ann Court, Langhorne, which together made up Rite Aids Philadelphia distribution center. The center in Bucks County was part of the deal with Walgreens but ultimately Rite Aid closed the center on Dec. 4 at Walgreens behest.

In February 2018, Rite Aid announced it was merging with Idaho-based grocery company Albertsons. On August 9, 2018, the companies mutually agreed to pull the plug on the merger on the eve of a vote for Rite Aid stockholders bowing to opposition. If the merger would have passed, Rite-Aid shareholders would have owned only about 30 percent of the combined new company.

In March 2019, the company announced the elimination of approximately 400 corporate and administrative staff positions.

In April, the board of Rite Aid approved a 1-for-20 ratio for a reverse stock split after stockholders approved the stock split. Rite Aids stock fell below $1 in December and the New York Stock Exchanged warned the company of a possible delisting because its stock fell below the required $1 mark.

In July, Amazon launched Counter, a network of staffed pickup points that gives customers the option to pick up their Amazon packages at Rite Aid stores. Rite Aid officials said at the time that the chain will have either the Counter program or Amazon lockers available in all of its stores.

In August, Rite Aid announced that Heyward Donigan, a former executive with Premera Blue Cross and former CEO of Sapphire Digital, had been appointed CEO of Rite Aid to take over for long-time CEO John Standley.

Rite Aid is based in East Pennsboro Township and also owns Health Dialog, RediClinic and EnvisionRx Options now known as Elixir.

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A Jetstar Airways flight has been forced to make an unplanned landing at Mildura airport after an issue with the aircraft's cargo hold.

Emergency services were called to the regional airport in Victoria's north-west after reports of an "aircraft incident" about 11.55am.

The A320 Airbus left Sydney at 10.25am bound for Uluru.

But the flight, number JQ660, took a left turn as it reached the air above Wilcannia, near Broken Hill, in NSW's far west.
A sign telling customers that Peli Peli is only open for off-premise business, which includes curbside service, delivery and catering, in the Galleria, in Houston,Monday, March 16, 2020. Peli Peli announced they were offering "curbside" lunches for patrons. Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

With many of the citys attractions and schools closed out of concerns for the coronavirus pandemic, theres not much left to do other than eat and drink.

But on Monday night, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Mayor Sylvester Turner ordered all bars and clubs countywide to close for 15 days. Houston restaurants are facing a conundrum: How can they keep the lights on while also protecting public health?

On Sunday, the Center for Disease Control recommended events with more than 50 people should not take place over the next eight weeks. A day later, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that, beginning Tuesday, the nations most populous city will close bars, clubs and movie theaters, and require restaurants to limit service to take-out and delivery operations only.

Los Angeles and Chicago have followed suit. And now Houston.

Restaurant owners are grappling with what to do.

For Thomas Nguyen, chief marketing officer of Peli Peli Hospitality Group, these extraordinary circumstances are keeping him up at night.

I havent been able to sleep, Nguyen said. Closing is the right thing to do to protect our 250 employees and not put them at risk, but we also have an obligation to them and their families to provide a means for them to get paid.

Like Nguyen, some owners are turning to a middle ground: curbside food pickup.

On Monday, Peli Peli Hospitality Group announced it is voluntarily closing its dining rooms for the week and switching its business model to curbside service to minimize the interaction between its employees and customers.

We have a small skeleton crew working shifts. We are limiting the number on each shift to limit interaction. It was a tough decision  are we correct? I hope so, Nguyen said.

Chef-owner Ryan Pera of Agricole Hospitality and his business partners are making hour-by-hour decisions.

We are currently working on a delivery system to put orders on your doorstep, Pera said. We want our employees to be able to make a living. They need to be able to make money.

Extensive closures could have far-reaching consequences for restaurants, known for high overhead costs and relatively narrow margins  and for the city as well.

The approximately 12,000 restaurants and bars in metro Houston employed 265,300 Houstonians in January 2020 and contributed $9 billion to Houstons economy in 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, according to Patrick Jankowski, regional economist and senior vice president of research at the Greater Houston Partnership.

It is a devastating time for our industry. I hear people talking about oil and gas being hit hard, but restaurants are a big contributor to the local economy, too, Nguyen said.

I am sick to my stomach because I dont know what this is going to do to us. We are a restaurant town.

marcy.deluna@chron.com
New Delhi: In an attempt to minimise the growing misinformation around the novel coronavirus, superstar Priyanka Chopra Jonas on tuesday shared important and authentic details about Covid-19 from UNICEF.

The actor took to Twitter to share the information with her followers.

Misinformation during a health crisis can leave us unprotected, spread fear & panic. Knowing the facts is key to protecting yourself & your family. Visit the @UNICEF website for reliable information on how to talk to children about #coronavirus: https://t.co/jeEBZXBeWn #COVID19  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) March 17, 2020

"Misinformation during a health crisis can leave us unprotected, spread fear & panic. Knowing the facts is key to protecting yourself & your family," tweeted 'The Sky is Pink' actor.

"Visit the @UNICEFwebsite for reliable information on how to talk to children about #coronavirus," she added along with a link to UNICEF's article on Covid-19.

Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 167,500 people and killed 6600.
Group of industrial workers in a refinery - oil processing equipment and machinery

Oil has plummeted to prices not seen since early 2016. A combination of coronavirus fears, the growing likelihood of a global recession and the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia are weighing heavily on energy prices. The worlds second- and third-largest oil producers, respectively, intend to flood global energy markets with more crude, despite already being awash with oil.

That caused the international Brent price to plunge by a whopping 54% since the start of 2020, seeing it trade at around US$32 per barrel. Energy stocks have been hit hard. One of the largest industry ETFs, the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF, has plunged by 63%, and there are signs of further losses to come.

Poor outlook

The sharp reduction in activity caused by the coronavirus and government attempts to prevent it from spreading has sparked a market reduction in the consumption of fuels. This means even the latest price crash wont boost demand, which typically occurs when prices fall substantially, despite significantly lower energy prices.

Even worse for oil prices is that Saudi Arabia and Russia, as part of their price war, claim they can add up to 3.2 million barrels daily to global supply in an already saturated market. That will only deepen the existing supply glut, leading to higher global oil inventories, meaning it will take longer for the oversupply, which is applying considerable pressure to prices to end.

As a result, many industry analysts substantially reduced their oil price forecasts. Some are predicting that oil could fall to as low as US$10 per barrel. This would be a disaster for energy stocks, which have already been ravaged by a multi-year price slump.

Oil stocks to fall further

It would certainly spark a new round of bankruptcies across the energy sector with many, particularly U.S. shale oil companies, having dangerously leveraged balance sheets. That makes oil stocks such as Baytex (TSX:BTE)(NYSE:BTE) unappealing investments. The driller, which has lost 77% since the start of the year, has net debt of almost $1.9 billion and several medium-term maturities.

Story continues

Baytex was expecting the North American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) benchmark to average US$50 per barrel during 2020, allowing it to generate enough free cash flow to substantially reduce that massive debt pile. That forecast is almost double the US$29 a barrel price for WTI, meaning that Baytex will fail to earn the planned free cash flow, impacting its ability to reduce debt.

It will also force Baytex to significantly dial down spending on exploration and well development, causing its oil output to fall. Boosting low-cost production is key to increasing earnings to make up the revenue shortfall caused by significantly lower oil. Latest developments could further reduce Baytexs oil reserves and production, because it will be forced to make asset sales to reduce debt.

If oil prices remain sharply lower for a sustained period, that could lead to a marked decline in cash flow, meaning that Baytex may never be able to fully recover.

Foolish takeaway

Energy markets will be in turmoil for some time to come, even if the fallout from the coronavirus is not as severe as anticipated. That means investors shouldnt count on energy stocks rallying any time soon. They should also consider avoiding investing in the energy patch, unless it is a driller with a robust balance sheet and strong fundamentals, allowing it to weather the current difficult operating environment unscathed.

The post Energy Market Turmoil: Further Carnage Ahead for Oil Stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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Restaurants across New York City were required to stop dining-in service Monday night. It is a necessary restriction as the city struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but also a devastating blow to the restaurant industry and tens of thousands of restaurant workers who are now left without a job. Our local spots are suffering and need your support more than ever. One way to do that is to buy a gift certificate, if you are so inclined.

Many of the restaurants are offering discounted prices for takeout (to avoid delivery fees).

Most of the restaurants are posting updates on Instagram.

Many of the delivery services are now offering no-contact delivery, allowing for instructions on where to leave the order upon delivery.

EV Grieve has an excellent list for the East Village (above Houston Street), here. The Chinatown Partnership has a directory of Chinatown restaurants/shops doing takeout & delivery here.

Were keeping an updated list of places staying open for takeout and delivery on the Lower East Side:

 Barrio Chino is offering takeout: (212) 228-6710 and delivery on Caviar.

 Balvanera is offering takeout and delivery. @BalvaneraNYC writes: Hi friends! Missing our empanadas or a nice steak? We are delivering! Everyday from 4pm to 8pm. You can order via phone at (212) 533.3348 or via seamless and Grubhub.

 (UPDATED) Cafe Katja is no longer offering takeout or delivery.

 Cibao is offering takeout and delivery. Call to confirm: (212) 228-0703.

 Char Sue is offering special menus (a whole roast duck dinner!) for takeout and delivery. You can text your order: (646) 801-5438 Pre-order before 5pm for 15% off. Delivery fee waved for all orders over $20.

 Clinton Street Baking Co. notes, you can order @trycaviar_nyc from 9am to 3pm or walk right in and take it out yourself. Stay healthy and eat well!

UPDATE: Closed temporarily.

 Davelle is open for delivery and takeout until further notice. Their delivery is available on Grubhub, Seamless, Yelp 24 and Postmates.

UPDATE: Closed temporarily.

 Diller NYC is open for deliver and takeout.

 Dimes restaurant is closed, but the market is open, and the deli next door is open for takeout and delivery. ALSO, they write: Like so many at this time, our staff (who have a heart of gold) have found themselves without a source of income and are uncertain of when it will return. We have set up a Venmo for donations @dimestimes. For anyone that has the means, your donation will be shared between front and back of house. We love you, we appreciate you, we thank you !!!!!

 Doughnut Plant is open for takeout and delivery ONLY. They note: You are welcome to come to the shops to get doughnuts and coffee but there is no dining in. To keep contact to a minimum we are encouraging pre-order for pickup or delivery via our website or through Seamless, Grubhub, Ubereats or Postmates.

UPDATE: Closed temporarily.

 Dudleys takeout window and delivery services are still available, with free delivery. If ordering online, use lower east side at checkout for 10% off.

 (UPDATED) Eastwood is open for delivery and takeout: Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday) 5pm-10pm. Delivery and takeout through Grubhub or call Eastwood at: (212) 233-0124. Beer, cider and wine also available for delivery and take out. Visit @eastwood221 for more updates including how to help support their staff.

 El Castillo de Jagua is offering takeout and delivery. Call ahead, at either location, 113 Rivington St: (212) 982-6412 or 521 Grand St: (212) 995-0244. @castillodejaguanyc writes: We will try as long as we can to provide service to our community. You can call ahead or use any of the food apps like Uber Eats, Seamless, Grubhub, DoorDAsh for deliveryWe will be open from 9am  6pm everyday. Stay safe everyone.

 (UPDATED) The Essex Market will remain open for the time being, but is scaling back hours. It is now open from 8am  7pm, Monday  Saturday, and 10am  6pm on Sunday. Starting on Monday, March 30th, the hours will be 8am  6pm, Monday  Saturday, and 10am  6pm on Sunday.

They write: Starting on Wednesday, March 25th, the market is reserving the hours of 8am  9am on Monday  Saturday for patrons 65 and older, expecting mothers, and those with increased risk of illness to shop in the marketIf you do not fit into one of those criteria, we ask that you be respectful and avoid visiting us during this short window so that at-risk members of the community can safely purchase the items they need.

A few vendors have decided to close temporarily, but all three grocers are operational and quite a few merchants offer delivery and takeout. The restaurants at the Market Line are closed but Ends Meat, the butcher downstairs, is offering distance pickups. Call ahead and they will facilitate pickup: (929) 306-6014. And Peoples Wine Shop (cellar level at the Market Line) from the Contra/Wildair team, is also offering pickup: (212) 202-2550.

 Forgtmenot is open for takeout and delivery:(646) 707-3195  looks like theyve got a nice grocery set up, as well.

 Golden Diner is open for takeout and delivery: Via Instagram, they write: Pandemic or not, we all still need to eat good right? Its a shit time for everyone now but more so for restaurants, the industry is tough enough with razor thin margins. Support your local spots that are still hanging on by a thread by ordering in and giving them a boost of morale. It also spares you the awkward conversation with your partner 3 days into their experimental cooking that they aint no iron chef so win-win. (You can also show support and give them some cashflow by buying gift cards  *shameless plug* ours is linked in bio ) We heard your demands and are now rolling out an all day menu so you can get wings & quesadillas for breakfast, matzoh balls & breakfast burritos at night. Also selling alcohol by bottles at no up-charge for yall so lets get weird.

 The Granddaddy Cafe is open for takeout with limited hours: 8am  4pm.

 Hwa Yuan is offering a 20% discount on takeout and delivery starting March 17 until further notice. Order on Doordash or call: (212) 966-6002.

 Ivan Ramen (@ramenjunkie) writes: Ivan Ramen and Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop are open for delivery! Please order Ivan Ramen if youre in the mood for ramen. If youre not cooking than please order food from anyone but order. We (independent restaurants) will make it somehow but we need your support! Hey New York, we can do this! Help us keep our employees working! Lots of love from Ivan Ramen!

 Katz Deli is offering delivery and takeout: (212) 254-2246 (also via Seamless, Ubereats, Caviar, Doordash, Postmates, and delivery.com), and still shipping nationally: katzsdelicatessen.com/shipping.html

 Kings Co. Imperial writes: Delivery and pick-up are available from both our Williamsburg and LES locations from 4:30pm  10:30pm daily. Stay tuned for new lunch and just add ice cocktail options coming soon. LES Delivery options: Caviar, Doordash, Postmates, Seamless Check their updates here: @kingscoimperial.

 Kossars is open for takeout and delivery from 7am  3pm, every day: (212) 473-4810.

 Le French Diner is posting a daily menu, available for pick-up, on Instagram. They write: Hi neighbors, heres tonights menu. Call (212) 777-1577 to place your order and it will be ready for pick-up within 20min. Well be serving every day from 5pm to 9pm and we will hopefully be able to deliver starting next week. Youre welcome! $15 off every bottle of wine, $6 beer.

 Les Enfants de Boheme notes: Our to-go shop LES Enfants Delice (18 Jefferson Street) is open. Well sell more of our restaurant lunch menu from the take-out window, including all of our burgers (Bohemian Burger, Salmon burger, Beyond Burger), along with our usual offering of salads, sandwiches, coffee, etc.Or call your order and pick up. Delice: (646) 476-3950.

UPDATE: Temporarily closed.

 Little Canal is open for takeout, noting in their Insta story: Slinging food and drink orders from our take-out window. Drinks: 8am  3pm; Food: 9am  3pm.

UPDATE: Temporarily closed.

 Melt Bakery is offering pickup and delivery. They note: We are still open normal hours for takeout, and delivery on GrubHub, Postmates, UberEATS, and DoorDash! Weve got piles of sams ready to go, and have never needed your support like we do now. If you need ice cream, we got you!

 Michaeli Bakery is open and offering takeout and delivery: (646) 360-2284. They continue to offer delicious, fresh-out-of-the-oven pastries, savory and sweet. They have daily discounts on fresh pastries, as well.

 Nakamura is open 12pm  9pm Friday  Sunday and 5pm  9pm Mon.  Thurs. They are offering takeout and delivery: (212) 614-1810 or order on Postmates.

 Partybus Bakeshop remains open with the following hours for pickup/delivery: Wednesday, 9am  4pm and Saturday 9am  4pm. They have breads, pies, cookies, pizzas and sandwiches.

 Petisco Vegano is offering takeout and delivery: (212) 387-0366.

 (UPDATED) Randalls Barbecue has permanently closed their doors.

 Rawsome Treats is available for pick-up or delivery by calling (646) 767-0373 or via their website from 12pm to 7pm Tuesday thru Sunday. They are also available on the Grubhub & Postmates platforms.

 Remedy Diner is offering pick-up and delivery from 8am  midnight: (212) 677-5110

 Russ & Daughters original store is OPEN; they are limiting the number of people inside and requesting people take a number and wait outside. They are also offering pick-up pre-orders at the shop. Their restaurants are closed but pick-up, pre-orders and delivery is available.

 Saluggis is offering takeout and delivery, plus carryout specials, like a large red pizza and a bottle of wine or a 6-pack for $35: 636-896-1163.

 Souvlaki GR is offering contactless delivery, every day, 11am  10pm: (212) 777-0116 and https://www.souvlakigr.com/.

 Spaghetti Incident is open from 5pm  10pm for takeout and delivery is available on Grubhub, Seamless, Postmates, Caviar, Ubereats or calling the restaurant directly: (646) 896-1446.

 Speedy Romeo Pizza is open for takeout and delivery at both their LES and Brooklyn locations: http://www.speedyromeo.com/order-online/

 Sticky Rice is offering takeout and delivery  not to mention happy hour drinks to go  lychee martinis for everyone!

 Sugar Sweet Sunshine Cafe is open. They write: We have modified hours at both locations. We have a full coffee bar, no seating, offer in-store pick-up, curbside pickup, deliveries through several platforms and Apple Pay. Still taking orders for birthday cakesJust trying to keep this shop sailing.

 Thailicious is still open for takeout and delivery: (646) 882-0343

 Tinys Giant Sandwich Shop is open for takeout and offering delivery via Seamless and Grubhub from 10am  6pm: (212) 228-4949.

 Top Hops Beer Shop is open for takeout and delivery at their Essex Market location. Email takeaway-deliveries@tophops.com or call (917) 261-2561 during Essex Market hours, or order directly online at www.tophops.com. Delivery hours: 2pm  7pm. They write: We are very much open for take away and delivery with some incredible beers! We actually have cans of Other Half in stock right now which is nothing short of amazing.

 Tre is open for takeout: (212) 353-3353 and delivery is available on Grubhub, seamless, and delivery.com.

 Two Bridges Diner is open for pick up and delivery, seven days a week, offering a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu (including the former Cup & Saucer menu!) plus daily specials: (212) 925-2963 or (212) 925-2973.

 VinVero Wines & Spirits writes: For the safety and health of our reduced staff and our customers, we are revising our operating hours effective immediately. TuesdayFriday from 2:008:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12:008:00pm, moving forward we will be closed on MondayOrders can be placed online for pickup at our storefront during business hours. Placed online for local delivery with a 6 bottle minimum. Place your order and then call the store to schedule your delivery, WednesdaySaturday from 2:008:00pm. If youd rather give us a call at (646) 822-2867. Take care of yourself and each other.

 Williamsburg Pizza on Broome and Allen is open for pickup and delivery. Calling them directly works quite well: (212) 226-4455.

 Yonah Schimmel is delivering/shipping through Goldbelly  not offering takeout at this time.

 Zafis Luncheonette is open for takeout and delivery: (212) 533-2415.

The Lo-Down is updating this list as things develop.

Please let us know if there are additions and/or corrections to be made at: tips@thelodownny.com or tag us on Instagram @lodownny.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is announcing a travel ban effective immediately for citizens of 16 countries over the novel coronavirus pandemic, the governmental Armenian Unified InfoCenter reported.

Citizens of China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are banned from entering Armenia.

Citizens of Armenia returning from the abovementioned 16 countries will be quarantined for 14 days.

The entry of one driver and one substitute driver carrying out freight shipments from these countries to Armenia will not be restricted. In addition, all Armenian nationals arriving to Armenia from all foreign directions must self-quarantine for 14 days. In the event of developing symptoms of disease during the self-quarantine immediately contact the 060 838300 hotline, the center said.

On March 16th, the Armenian government declared a state of emergency until April 14th over the novel coronavirus outbreak.

As of March 17, 16:00 (GMT+4), the number of confirmed cases stands at 64, with one recovered patient.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
If the airline industry was in trouble last week, it has gone into full-blown crisis mode in just the past few days, to the point where we have to wonder how many airlines will remain standing after all the coronavirus dust settles.

After the U.S. last week enacted restrictions on arrivals by anyone who has been in mainland Europe in the past two weeks, it subsequently expanded that ban to cover the U.K. and Ireland. And this week, the European Union plans to discuss a plan that would bar virtually all inbound travel by foreigners to its 27 member nations. This is in addition to entry bans being enacted by many other nations.

This week, the respected CAPA Centre for Aviation, a global group of researchers and analysts, made the following scary prediction: By the end of May, most world airlines will be bankrupt.

Things are so bad that Airlines for America (A4A), the U.S. airline trade organization, this week asked the federal government for up to $50 billion in financial assistance in the form of immediate grants and loan guarantees, as well as relief from federal excise taxes for all of 2020 and 2021.

The current economic environment for airlines is simply not sustainable, A4A said, adding that it can see no end in sight to the situation. The coronavirus impact on the industry is unprecedented and debilitating, A4A said. Carriers have seen a dramatic decline in demand, which is getting worse by the day. Carriers have been forced to remove flights from their schedule and make historic capacity cuts. Cancellations are spiking, and for U.S. carriers those cancellations are outpacing new bookings. The economic impact on U.S. airlines, their employees, travelers and the shipping public is staggering.

The analysts at CAPA agreed: As the impact of the coronavirus and multiple government travel reactions sweep through our world, many airlines have probably already been driven into technical bankruptcy or are at least substantially in breach of debt covenants, CAPA said. Cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and what flights there are operate much less than half full.

Update: Boeing is now asking the federal government for a bailout, too.

Chris McGinnis

Last week, Delta shocked industry observers when it said it would park 300 aircraft as part of its emergency plan to shrink overall capacity by 40 percent, including the cancellation of all flights to continental Europe for 30 days. That was just the first in a flood of similar announcements that followed in the past couple of days. Check out this map showing several Delta widebodies en route to the desert storage here.

Two weeks ago, United said it was cutting capacity by 10 to 20 percent, but it has doubled down on that estimate, with CEO Oscar Munoz telling employees this week that the company now plans to implement a 50 percent capacity reduction during April and May. We also now expect these deep cuts to extend into the summer travel period, Munoz said. Even with those cuts, we're expecting load factors to drop into the 20-30% range -- and that's if things don't get worse.

Munoz reported that during the first two weeks of March  typically Uniteds busiest time  its passenger numbers dropped by more than 1 million from the same time a year ago, and March revenues are expected to be down $1.5 billion.

Southwest Airlines said in recent days it's only been able to fill about half its seats and that it plans to cut capacity by "at least 20 percent" from April 14 to June 5.

American Airlines said that from March 16 through May 6, it will cut its international passenger capacity by 75 percent from last years levels. That includes all flights to Asia not already suspended except for three flights a week from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Tokyo Narita. It also includes Los Angeles-Auckland and LAX-Sydney service and a large number of flights to Europe and Latin America.

In addition to the international changes, the airline anticipates its domestic capacity in April will be reduced by 20% compared to last year and Mays domestic capacity will be reduced by 30% on a year over year basis, AA said.

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Last week, the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines) said it had suspended most U.S. service. In an update this week, it said Austrian Airlines will stop flying altogether from March 19 through March 28.

And low-cost carrier Norwegian, noting that the coronavirus situation is escalating by the hour, said this week that it is going even further than the massive cuts it announced last week. Norwegian will gradually cancel most of its flights and temporarily lay off a major share of its workforce, the company said. As of March 21, all intercontinental flights  including those to the U.S.  are canceled at least through April 17. It will be operating 85 percent fewer flights than before the crisis started, and more than 7,300 employees will face temporary layoffs.

International Airlines Group -- the parent of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling  said it will reduce overall capacity by at least 75 percent in April and May vs. the same months last year. Virgin Atlantic plans to reduce its daily flight operations by 80 percent starting March 26, parking 75 to 85 percent of its fleet. SAS has temporarily suspended most operations including its SFO-Copenhagen nonstop and sent 10,000 employees home.

And the bad news just keeps on coming faster than we can keep up  Air New Zealand is cutting long-haul capacity by 85 percent by months end, including all flights to San Francisco, Houston and Chicago ... Air Canada said its second quarter capacity will be down 50 percent from last year  Hawaiian Airlines will suspend Australia and New Zealand service stating March 22  and so on.

Generally speaking, if you have any international travel booked for the next few months, you just have to assume that youre probably not going anywhere.

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SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72066020R10006

ISSUANCE DATE: March 12, 2020

CLOSING DATE/TIME: April 02, 2020 at

17:00 (Kinshasa Time)

SUBJECT: Solicitation for Two (2) Partner Liaison Security Specialists (PLSS), Cooperating Country National Personal Service Contractor (CCNPSC - Local Compensation Plan)

Dear Prospective Offerors:



The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contracts as described in this solicitation.



Offers must be in accordance with Attachment 1 of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their records.



This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offers.



Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in the attached information.







Sincerely,

I. GENERAL INFORMATION



1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72066020R10006



2. ISSUANCE DATE: March 12, 2020



3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: April 02, 2020, at 17:00 (Kinshasa Time)

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Christiane Lemba at usaidhrkinshasa@usaid.gov



5. POSITION TITLE: 2 positions:

i) Supervisory Partner Liaison Security Specialist (S/PLSS)

ii) Partner Liaison Security Specialist (PLSS)

6. MARKET VALUE: Equivalent to FSN-11 for the S/PLSS and to FSN-10 for the PLSS. In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo. Final compensations will be negotiated within the market values.



7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The periods of performance are five (5) years, estimated to start August 2020. The services provided under these contracts are expected to be of continuing nature executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory job performance and need for continued services.



8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.



9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: All interested candidates eligible to work in DRC. Cooperating Country National (CCN) is defined as an individual who is a cooperating country citizen, or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country.

Click here to download the full document - PDF format
A huge cache of arms and ammunition including explosives, grenades and a rocket launcher were recovered by a joint team of police and army in two separate incidents in Kokrajhar and Udalguri districts of Assam on Tuesday, said top officials.

Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Tuesday evening said the joint operation was launched by police and army in Leopani Nala and Ultapani Nala in Kokrajhar district along the India-Bhutan border following a tip-off received from reliable sources.

The arms and ammunition were hidden beneath the ground near a tree at Fire Line 07 in Ultapani Reserve Forest under Bishmuri Police Post, he said.

The weapons recovered included two AK-56 rifles, a grenade launcher (M-79), a .22 rifle, a .22 pistol, two 7.65 mm pistols; a 9 mm pistol and 14 country made rifles and pistols, the DGP said.

The joint operation team also recovered several magazines along with a satellite phone, 10 grenades, 6 Chinese grenades, 2 country made grenades, 34 electric detonators among others.

The DGP said the joint team launched the operation at around 6.30 pm and the team was led by Mukut Rabha, Additional Superintendent of Police (HQ) Kokrajhar.

Follow up action is being taken, he added.

In the second incident, large quantity of explosives including grenades, detonators, arms and ammunition were recovered by another joint police and army team during a search in Assam's Udalguri district on early Tuesday morning, police officials said.

Based on specific input, police from Udalguri district and a team from army's 14 Garhwal regiment launched the search operation at No.1 Badagaon under Udalguri Police Station.

They recovered an AK 56 rifle with magazine and 12 live rounds of ammunition, a rocket launcher with five live rockets, 40 pieces of 36-HE grenades and 111 detonators with wire. They were concealed under sand in the midst of banana trees inside a forest, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko says she was refused a hospital bed for coronavirus treatment because the wards are 'full' of patients 'struggling with life'.

The Quantum of Solace star said last night she was struggling with a 102F fever, a day after she revealed she had tested positive for the virus.

But the London-based actress said hospitals are 'only taking patients that are struggling with life', saying she was told to call an ambulance if it got worse.

The 40-year-old said she did not know where she had contracted the virus, but suggested she could have picked it up from a taxi door handle.

Former Bond girl Olya Kurylenko, pictured, has been suffering from a 102F fever after being infected with coronavirus - but says her symptoms are not serious enough to warrant hospital treatment

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko - who starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (pictured) - says she was turned away from a hospital after testing positive for coronavirus because the wards were too full

The UK government is telling people with suspected virus symptoms to self-isolate at home, which Kurylenko is now doing.

A day after revealing her condition, the actress posted on Instagram last night: 'Why I'm not in hospital?

'Because hospitals are full and they are only taking patients that are struggling with life, if I understand correctly. I was told that if I get worse to call an ambulance.'

The Soviet-born actress told her 600,000 Instagram followers that she had been diagnosed in hospital after being taken in by ambulance with a fever of over 102F.

'They took a swab from my throat,' she said.

She said it was 'impossible to know' where she contracted coronavirus, but fears it may have been from a taxi door handle.

'It could be anywhere,' she said.

'I could have touched a taxi handle and gotten it from there. It's on surfaces.'

She said her temperature was a stable 100.4F (38C) 'for a week', sometimes higher, but is now coming down.

'Regarding coronavirus medicine, everywhere is at the same level,' she said. They didn't prescribe me anything other than paracetamol to bring down the temperature. That's all.'

Olga Kurylenko provided an update to her 600,000 Instagram followers last night and thanked them for their support

Olga Kurylenko (right) revealed on her Instagram page on Sunday night that she has been diagnosed with coronavirus. The 2008 poster for Quantum of Solace is pictured left

Daniel Craig as James Bond and Olga Kurylenko as Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace. The actress says she does not know where she contracted the virus, suggesting it could have been a taxi door handle

A day after revealing her condition she said: 'Thank you to everyone who has sent me well wishes. I'm overwhelmed with everyone's kindness.'

The 40-year-old French national, who played Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace, said she was diagnosed after feeling 'ill for almost a week' with fever and fatigue.

She is now facing days in isolation and posted a picture of her locked window on Instagram on Sunday night as she revealed she was 'locked up at home'.

She has lived in London for around six years. Her son aged four, from her former partner Max Benitz, and her mother also live in the city.

The star did not say which hospital she was diagnosed at.

The National Health Service is advising people to self-isolate for seven days if they have either a high temperature or a new, continuous cough.

Patients are told they do not need to contact health professionals unless they cannot cope with their symptoms, they get worse or their condition does not improve after a week.

Kurylenko (pictured in a social media post) is now facing days in isolation and revealed she was 'locked up at home'

Kurylenko driving Daniel Craig in her role as Camille Montes in the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace

Kurylenko's diagnosis comes days after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson became the first major Hollywood celebrities to contract the virus.

The couple were taken to hospital in Australia where Hanks had been filming an Elvis Presley movie directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Anyone who had come into contact with the couple during their stay in Australia was ordered into quarantine.

Kurylenko has recently finished shooting her upcoming movie The Bay Of Silence, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It is not yet clear if anyone else will need to be quarantined as a result of her positive test.

The mother-of-one originally rose to fame as a model after being discovered in Moscow at the age 13.

She starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace as Bolivian secret agent Camille Montes, a role for which she did dialect training.

The mother-of-one (pictured) originally rose to fame as a model after being discovered in Moscow at the age 13

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko (pictured left, and right during Paris Fashion Week in 2018) confirmed she had tested positive for the new coronavirus

The 40-year-old, who played Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace, said she was diagnosed after feeling 'ill for almost a week' with fever and fatigue. She also posted a picture of her balcony as seen through a locked window (left)

Since her turn as a Bond girl, she has appeared in films including Oblivion, The Water Diviner and The Room. She also appeared in 2018's Johnny English Strikes Again, part of the series which parodies the Bond films.

Kurylenko has a number of releases in the offing, including a French Netflix movie called Sentinelle that is in post-production and due out this August.

She is also slated to appear in a Chinese action thriller called The Hunting, originally called Fox Hunt.

The Hunting, which revolves around the Chinese government's attempt to capture white collar criminals who skip the country, was filmed in Europe last year.

Meanwhile the upcoming installment in the James Bond franchise, No Time To Die, has had its release date bumped from April to November because of coronavirus.

Billie Eilish's title song has already been released and the star Daniel Craig has already covered magazines to promote the movie.
UTICA, N.Y.  The U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force in Utica arrested a Brooklyn man last week on two warrants, one for a rape charge and another for a parole violation.

Hector Ramos, 28, was wanted by the New York City Police Department on a first-degree rape charge. Ramos allegedly attacked the victim with a gun. The victim was then treated and provided services through a rape crisis center.

New York State Parole also issued a warrant for Ramos arrest.

The task force arrested Ramos on March 12.
Brooklyn District Attorney Stops Prosecution of Low-Level Crimes Due to Spread of Coronavirus Robyn Mowatt Robyn Mowatt is a staff writer at Okayplayer where she

As the coronavirus continues to spread, the Brooklyn DA releases a statement regarding low-level offenses following Ohios move to possibly release inmates.

Hundreds of inmates from the Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland, Ohio could potentially be released due to coronavirus concerns. According to WJHL in Cleveland, judges at the Cuyahoga County Court are concerned about the virus spreading through the jail.

The report highlights that the Cuyahoga County judges also held a special morning session on Saturday to address the settlement of cases. The cases in question included those with guilty pleas and the decisions would be to either release the inmates and send them to prison or release them on house arrest.

Administrative Judge Brendan Sheehan shared in a recent Fox report that inmates are already in poor health. He also said it wouldnt take much for the coronavirus to spread behind bars.

Sheehan added that he hoped for hundreds of inmates to be released and that almost any type of inmate would be considered. In a statement he detailed, You gotta remember, the goal of this is to protect the community and the safety of the inmates, he said. If someones a serious violent person, well, were using our discretion to make sure the communitys safe also. He later shared that the jail may need empty space in the case that some inmates have to be quarantined for the virus.

In Louisiana, the ACLU has already called for expedited parole hearings for elderly people in state prisons. The organization has also asked for the release of all people jailed awaiting charges and trial who arent considered a risk to public safety.

Alanah Odoms Hebert, ACLU of Louisiana executive director released the following statement:

Given the CDCs warnings about avoiding confined spaces and the threat COVID-19 poses to the frail and elderly, immediate steps must be taken to safeguard the health and well-being of incarcerated people across the state.

CNN previously reported that the countrys 122 federal prisons and a high number of 1,700-plus state prisons have banned visitors and volunteers. The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced the ban on Friday.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez issued a statement expressing hed immediately decline to prosecute low-level crimes that dont jeopardize public safety due to the spread of coronavirus.

The officials statement also read, During this public health emergency, it is imperative that we also protect those who might be exposed to Coronavirus during the procedures of arrest, processing and detention in Central booking. Gonzalez also wrote that his defenders should alert his office of those who have clients in pre-trial detention who are vulnerable to infection.

Since COVID-19 has hit New York City, it has led to widespread shutdowns. Movie theaters, cafes, and popular restaurants are currently shuttering their doors.

Read his entire statement below.

Statement from Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez regarding the #coronavirus (#COVID19). pic.twitter.com/gVKpsDbXDt  Eric Gonzalez (@BrooklynDA) March 17, 2020

This article was first posted on March 16, 2019, it was updated on March 17.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In a horrifying incident, the body of an unidentified woman in naked condition and with her face crushed, was found underneath a culvert at Chevella of Cyberabad commissionerate on the city outskirts.

The incident comes close on the heels of the gang rape and brutal murder of a veterinarian at Shamshabad in November 2019.

According to police, passersby noticed a womans body lying underneath the culvert on the outskirts of Tangedapally village. The womans body had cut injuries on her lower jaw and on the throat.

Police suspect that her killers strangulated her with a nylon rope and killed her at a different location. After killing her, they transported her body and dumped it at the spot. To wipe out any evidence, they could have stripped her clothes and also crushed her face with a boulder.

Further, they informed that only after the post mortem examination, they will come to know if the victim was sexually assaulted.

Cyberabad police formed five special teams to detect the case. They said the victim could be aged between 25 to 30. There were no clues found on the body or on the premises. Further investigation is underway, said, police officials.
From prohibitory orders banning public assemblies to finger-marking people under quarantine so as to identify them, disallowing social gatherings to closing educational institutions, state governments have spared no effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Even so, experts question the preparedness of the state machinery to cope with possible community transmission of the disease, which so far has been limited to travellers from other countries coming in contact with and infecting local residents, and Indian nationals getting infected during foreign tours and transmitting the virus to their close contacts upon return.

There are not more than 50,000 isolation beds across hospitals in the states to admit patients or suspected coronavirus cases in a country of 1.3 billion people, and most of them are in the capitals and major district hospitals. There are only 52 labs in the country to assay swab samples, which go for a final test and confirmation or otherwise of coronavirus to the National Institute of Virology in Pune. In Bihar, there is just one testing lab and Gujarat has two. These 52 labs have the capacity to conduct 1,000 tests in a day unlike a lab in Wuhan, China, constructed in 12 days, which can perform 10,000 tests in a day.

Also read: Delhis 8th Covid-19 case flew to Singapore without waiting for test result

Health ministry officials said the government was ordering a million kits from overseas for increasing the testing capacity and private labs have been allowed to perform coronavirus tests on advice of a doctor.

Dr A S Anoop Kumar, head of the critical care unit at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikkode, who played a key role in diagnosing the nipah virus in north Kerala two years ago, said, We need to cut testing time in laboratories. We need more labs and isolation wards. We have to be equipped to treat a large number of patients and quarantine people at the local level.

Experts also question the training of medical staff to deal with the pandemic and say the governments need to enlist anganwadi staff and accredited social health activists to prepare a mitigation plan in which every house may require to be quarantined and every person scanned. And only a few states like Kerala have set up specialized centres to counsel people who tested positive for Covid-19. Counselling of patients and family is important part of treatment of the coronavirus. We have asked states to set up specialized counselling centres, said Dr T Sundararaman, former director of the National Health Resource Centre.

Also read: 34-year-old soldier tests Coronavirus positive, first case in Army

Sundararaman said scaling up of laboratory tests for Covid-19 is possible because it is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that is also done in case of other diseases such as dengue or HIV. More testing will increase cases but it should not create a scare. It will help in implementing a mitigation plan, he said.

Government officials in several districts, especially in Hindi-speaking central and northern India, admitted to constraints in health infrastructure. Our government hospitals are not fully equipped to handle patients (even) in normal days... if a large number of patients come. There will be chaos all over, said a health department official of the UP government. The need of the hour is to decentralize and create facilities at the local level. We need separate isolation wards at taluka level and [need to] include private sector.

Maharashtra and Kerala

So far, only 137 persons across India have tested positive for coronavirus and 13 people, including two Italian tourists, have recovered. Three persons have died so far in India; the most number of cases were reported from Maharashtra, followed by Kerala.

The spread of the coronavirus has not been rapid so far in India, but data shows that in many European countries, the number of cases spiked once random community testing was scaled up. With the first infection in India reported in early March, the country is in its most vulnerable phase. Experts warned of a possible spike in cases once the government starts reinforcing the number of testing facilities.

In Maharashtra, all exams have been postponed and educational institutions closed. The state has also decided to put an indelible ink mark on the hands of people put under self-quarantine for easy identification.

Next 15-20 days are most important for the state. We will have to take all the precautions. It has been observed that rise of the outbreak in second week and third week is very high and hence the state government doesnt want to take any chances, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said.

Dr Behram Pardiwala, internal medicine expert from Wockhardt Hospital, said the state government is in a right direction. I dont think that the government can do more than this... it is doing good job... we are still between stage 1 and 2. Any further restrictions would not be advisable.

Also read: What China, South Korea did to contain spread of coronavirus? Doctor explains

Anant Bhan, researcher in Global Health and Policy, however, said, We all are talking about isolation beds but we also need to check if all these beds are equipped with ventilators. Covid-19 leads to the development of pneumonia so patients need to be kept on ventilators. But in Mumbai, the number of ventilators is limited and mostly occupied.

Of the Indian states, it appeared that Kerala was best equipped. But, the second round of Covid-19 cases has busted this myth with 24 cases reported within a week. The number of cases in Kerala is 26 and 18,011 are under quarantine. The state has about 5,000 isolation beds and four testing labs. Health minister, K K Shailaja, blamed people coming from abroad for the spread saying they did not report symptoms. Three Italy-returnees in Pathanamthitta had infected eight others. We expected some hike in cases but irresponsible behaviour of some returnees added to our woes, she said.

Dr Kumar said it appears that the state eased up after the three patients who tested positive in January recovered. The first Covid-19 patient of the country, a medical student who returned from Wuhan in China, was hospitalised on January 28. At least 100 persons she came in contact with were quarantined in their homes.

Though Kerala is best equipped to deal Covid-19, there are still many gaps. There are no testing facilities at the district level. The state needs to make testing an effective mechanism.

Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, it was found that several district hospitals dont have dedicated desks to deal with suspected patients, especially in smaller districts like Barabanki.

Barely 29 kilometres from capital Lucknow, at the district hospital in Barabanki, scant information is being provided about the disease. Sahab batayenge (sir will tell), was the almost common reply from all doctors. Chief medical superintendent (CMS), Barabanki, SK Singh, said, his team was prepared.

In the Bahraich hospital, there was no separate queue for patients having symptoms similar to that exhibited by Covid-19. A patient asked, What happens if an infected patient stands in the queue? Many would get infected.

Chief medical officer Dr DK Singh said there was no reason to worry as the hospital had a trained team and added a ward was stacked with the N95 masks, thermal scanners, body protection suits and medication.

In a recent meeting, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed his ministers to visit districts to review measures taken by the state. In all 75 districts, a total 1,268 beds have been reserved for isolation wards, officials said.

West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar

In West Bengal, even though chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday invoked the Epidemic Act, 1897 and announced a Rs 200 crore fund to create medical infrastructure to deal with the pandemic, there arent enough isolation beds in the border districts of Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and Birbhum, home to workers who migrate to other states every year.

The state has about 163 isolation beds for a population of 90.2 million. There is only one testing facility even though officials said more facilities will be created in consultation with Indian Council of Medical Research. Government has strengthened the surveillance and control measures against the disease. We have a 24x7 helpline number, said Ajay Chakraborty, director of state health services.

Banerjee said the state has special problems because of its high population density and it shares international borders with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Neighbouring Sikkim has announced a ban on the entry of people, including tourists and migrant labourers, from other states and sealed three out of five entry points.

In the two densely populated eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar, there are only four testing labs and just over 4,000 isolation beds. The population of the two states is 130 million.

Both states have created special funds to fight coronavirus and invoked the Epidemic Act. That no positive case of coronavirus has been reported from Bihar is a testimony to this fact, said Dr Ajay Kumar, former national president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). There are, however, some gaps at the Patna airport, where I did not find anyone either to distribute forms or screen passengers when I returned from Goa via Mumbai on Sunday (March 15). Otherwise, the arrangements seem sufficient, he said.

Director of the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences Dr Pradeep Das, said the only lab in the state has capacity to test 700 samples per day. We have so far tested 40 samples and all are negative.

J&K, Ladakh, Punjab

In Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, officials have maintained vigil over 100 persons who have returned from abroad in the past one month. Of 52 testing labs in the country, J&K has three  2 in Kashmir and 1 in Jammu. We activated them in the shortest time, said Bhupinder Kumar, director of the National Health Mission and nodal officer for the Covid-19 campaign in J&K.

The sarpanch of Sambas Kaily Mandi Halqa, Ravinder Singh Sambyal, which has seven wards for a population of 1,600 people, said, There is no fumigation, no awareness, no preparedness in primary health centres.

Darshan Bharti, a resident of the border town of Poonch, said, The administration has issued prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr PC [Code of Criminal Procedure], which are not being taken seriously by anyone. However, a few posters and hoardings have been put for awareness.

Suresh Sharma of Bishnah, a rural belt of Jammu, said, In Bishnah, Deoli and Makhanpur, a few people, who returned from abroad, have been quarantined and every day health teams visit them to see their symptoms.

In Punjab, which sees a vast number of non-resident Indian visitors in April, tracking foreigners is a tough task. Punjab has entrusted 3,000 auxillary nurse midwives and 15,000 accredited social health activists with the task of tracking more than 60,000 passengers with a history of travel abroad.

It was found that ventilators were not available at civil hospitals, including in Sangrur, Barnala and Mansa. We are fully prepared to tackle any outbreak and as far as availability of ventilators is concerned, the number is enough. Still we are increasing its availability daily, state nodal officer Dr Gagandeep Singh said

Haryana, Uttarakhand, Northeast.

In neighbouring Haryana, there is only one positive case of coronavirus and the health authorities claim to be fully prepared to handle the virus. Elaborate arrangements pertaining to manpower and with isolation wards are in place to handle the virus in case there are any positive case, said director, integrated diseases surveillance programme, Dr Usha Gupta.

Officials said awareness of the disease in smaller towns and villages was rudimentary.

In Uttarakhand, two days after one positive case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Dehradun on Sunday, the Uttarakhand government has quarantined the whole campus of the Forest Research Institute and Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, where the first infected patient is staying.

Over 600 people have been quarantined by the state government, said a state health department official. JC Pandey, public relations officer the Uttarakhand health department, said the state had around 2,000 doctors, of whom around 1,700 are directly involved in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Most other north-eastern states have ordered the closure of all schools until April 15 and created isolation wards to accommodate up to 100 patients each. We can increase the number if needed, said Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues unfolding around the globe, people who are at higher risk for severe disease need to take special care.

COVID-19 appears to cause mild to moderate symptoms in most people who are infected. And some people seem to have no apparent effects from the virus.

But the older you are, the greater your risk for hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit, being placed on a ventilator, and death, according to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For instance, people in their 50s are at higher risk than those in their 40s, and those in their 60s and 70s are at greater risk than those in their 50s, the CDC says. People 85 and older are at the greatest risk. (In the U.S., about 8 in 10 deaths from COVID-19 are in people age 65 and older.)

We know immune systems change with age, making it harder for you to fight off diseases and infection, even if youre otherwise fairly healthy, says Michael Hochman, M.D., director of the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles.

At any age, certain health conditions can also increase the likelihood of severe COVID-19, and multiple issues hike the risk further, according to the CDCs new guidance. These include chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a weakened immune system due to an organ transplant, obesity (a body mass index of 30 or above), serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes. Children who have had heart disease since birth; have neurologic, genetic, or metabolic conditions; or are medically complex are also at higher risk.

A number of other conditions might hike the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19, the CDC says. These include moderate to severe asthma, a compromised immune system from issues such as HIV or the use of medications like corticosteroids, dementia, high blood pressure, liver disease, pregnancy, and being a current or former smoker.

Story continues

When you have an underlying chronic condition, it can make it harder for your body to fend off and recover from infection, Hochman says.

Given these factors, experts say that its imperative that anyone at higher risk for COVID-19 take specific precautions, even if there are no obvious outbreaks in their area.

We just dont know right now how many people in a given community have or have not been exposed to the virus, says Sean Morrison, M.D., chair of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. Thats why its best to err on the side of caution at this point, he says. Consider these steps if you or someone you love is at higher risk for COVID-19.

Stay Home As Much As Possible

If youre high-risk, the CDC recommends that you stay away from crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces with little air circulation, which makes it easier for the virus to spread.

Its wise to limit all outingseven those to the grocery store. A better bet is to order what you need online, or have a friend or family member run your errands for you.

For optional activities, consider your personal risk level and the likely risk of any event before deciding whether to attend. Small, shorter, outdoor gatherings (or those in well-ventilated spaces) where people can stay at least 6 feet apart, wear face coverings, come from the same area, and dont share anything (such as food or objects) are still somewhat risky but preferable to larger indoor events.

Avoid higher-risk gatherings, the CDC saysmidsized events where people can stay 6 feet apart but come from different communities or counties, and large gatherings where its hard to separate from others by at least 6 feet and people come from different areas. Put off any activity if you or anyone who will be attending has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the prior 14 days or has had any symptoms of the illness.

If you do go out, have a face covering, tissues, and a hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol for any outings. Avoid people who arent wearing face coverings, the CDC advises. Also, avoid contact with high touch surfaces, such as elevator buttons, door handles, and handrails. Use a tissue or your sleeve instead, then wash your hands as soon as possible.

Limit Your Visitors

For now, try to limit access to your house to only the people who live with you because even people without symptoms may unknowingly spread the virus.

Dont allow anyone who seems sick or who knows theyve been exposed to the coronavirus to visit. And if you do have guests, make it a rule that the first thing anyone does when they walk in your house is wash their hands, says Morrison at Mount Sinai Health System.

If possible, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet away from them. Morrison also recommends that you clean and disinfect anything guests may have touched, including tables, doorknobs, light switches, faucets, and even toilets, after they leave.

Sticking close to home and cutting back on guests for a long period of time can be challenging, so its important to find alternate ways to stay active and interact with others. Social contact is important to maintaining overall well-being, says Ronan Factora, M.D., a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics at the Cleveland Clinic.

FaceTime or Skype with friends or family who live elsewhere, set up a virtual book or game club with neighbors, or consider enrolling in an online course to keep your mind occupied.

And move around: Its fine, for example, to go for a walk outdoors and stop and say a quick hello to neighbors as long as they arent sick. But try to keep a safe distance, dont shake hands, dont touch your face, and wash your hands as soon as you go back inside.

Be Scrupulous About Hand Hygiene

No matter how much you clean, you cant disinfect everythingnothing is sterile unless youre in the operating room, Factora says. And all it takes is touching a hand, if contaminated, just once to your eyes, nose, or mouth for the virus to gain access to your body.

Generally, washing with soap and water is best, for at least 20 seconds. (Hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol will do if soap is unavailable.)

The most thorough method: Wet your hands, put soap in the palm of one hand, rub both palms together, then rub the back of each hand with the palm of the other hand, interlocking fingers, says Igor Koralnik, M.D., chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.

Follow by rubbing each thumb in a circular fashion before rubbing the tips of your fingers against the palm of your other hand. This will allow you to clean under your rings and nails.

Rinse and dry hands, and turn off the faucet using a paper towel, to avoid touching the handle.

The CDC recommends washing hands before eating; after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; after touching a pet or its food; and after touching the garbage or its handle. You should also wash your hands whenever youve returned home and after anyone has visited your home, Morrison says.

Take Care of Your Chronic Condition

If you have a chronic condition, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, continue taking care of yourself as your doctor advises. For instance, the American Heart Association recommends that people with heart issues, especially uncontrolled high blood pressure, limit or avoid over-the-counter decongestants and pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil and generic) and naproxen (Aleve and generic) because they can increase blood pressure levels.

And if youve been prescribed an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) for high blood pressure or heart failure, dont stop taking it, says the AHA, the American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Failure Society of America. Some research has suggested that these medications could, in theory, raise the risks of severe effects from COVID-19. But a new review of more than 60 studies, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, says there is no evidence thats the case.

Check with your doctor if you have concerns or questions about how to handle your chronic condition.

Have a 'Sick' Plan

Put together an up-to-date list of emergency contacts for family, friends, neighbors, and healthcare providerspeople you can reach out to if you or someone in your family falls ill.

Its a good idea to also identify a few people who can check in on you by phone or email daily if you live alone.

In addition, keep at least a 30-day supply of your regular prescription medications on hand, Morrison says.

Many private health insurance companies are now allowing people to get early prescription refills, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is permitting Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans to relax their rules that prohibit refilling a prescription too soon.

Make sure you also have drugstore items youll need if you get sick, such as a pain reliever like acetaminophen and a thermometer. As for other supplies, you dont need to buy out the toilet paper aisle at Costco, but it is good to have enough household staples and groceries on hand.

Get Medical Care the Safest Way

Get in touch with your doctor if you have nonurgent health concerns. He or she can advise you on whether you should be seen in person or via telehealth, and on what to do about delayed screenings, vaccines, and elective procedures.

For symptoms that may signal COVID-19, such as a fever, a cough, or shortness of breath, the CDC recommends calling your doctor right away. (Dont simply show up; your doctor may have a specific protocol in place for anyone who may have COVID-19.)

If your symptoms are mild, stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. For aches and fever, Hochman suggests acetaminophen, which is less likely to cause stomach bleeding in older adults than some other over-the-counter pain relievers. If you live with others, stay in a specific separate room and use a separate bathroom, if possible, and if you have to interact with others (including your pets) wear a face mask.

Any time you or a family member is experiencing what may be a health emergency, such as difficulty breathing or persistent chest pain, call your local emergency number immediately.





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Tuolumne County Government View Photo

Tuolumne Countys Department of Public Health has released some additional information about COVID-19.

The report is posted below:

Statistics

There are currently no known cases in Tuolumne County

The most recent updates are here.

Local Activations & Declarations

The Public Health Department has activated its Department Operations Center (DOC) to effectively respond to the COVID-19 incident, including communication and coordination with our federal, state, and local partners

Dr. Eric Sergienko, 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.

Public Health is preparing to activate a call center that will that will operate Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. We anticipate that the call center will go live on 3/17/20 and will share the phone number and other information widely at that time.

Community Agency Updates

Senior Center

The Senior Center at 540 Greenley Road will be closed until further notice

The Senior Center will have meals available for pick-up only at 540 Greenley Road in Sonora. Lunches will be made available to current Intake Congregate Clients and by reservation only.

Current lunch participants who would like to reserve a lunch should call 209-533-2622 by 9 a.m. that morning

For more information, visit: http://www.sierraseniorproviders.org/

The Meals on Wheels Program is continuing service as usual.

The Sonora, Jamestown, and Groveland Congregate lunch sites have ceased on-site serving.

Testing

Testing is being conducted at the discretion of health care providers in the community, based on their clinical assessment and current recommended guidance

Tests that will be conducted through the Public Health laboratory system are coordinated with our 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 our 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 [newer Federal guidance was issued 3/15. See below]

Large gatherings that include 250 people or more should be postponed or cancelled. This includes gatherings such as concerts, conferences, and professional, college, and school sporting events

Smaller gatherings held in venues that do not allow social distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled.

This includes gatherings in crowded auditoriums, rooms or other venues

Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people

This includes gatherings such as those at retirement facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental homes, and support groups for people with health conditions

A gathering is any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space

Please review the guidance details here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Gathering_Guidance_03.11.20.pdf

The acting County Health Officer, Dr. Sergienko has issued an order to support and implement the California recommendations (above) in Tuolumne County.

CDC Guidance on Mass Gatherings (released 3/15/20)

Recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

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 should modify events to be virtual.

This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus

Please view the guidance details here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

Schools

The Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools announced on 3/15/20 that all public schools will close in an effort to provide time for planning for a possible long term shut down due to COVID-19. Public schools will reopen on March 30th unless conditions call for an extension. Please view the TCSOS guidance and letters here: https://www.tcsos.us/newsroom/2019-novel-coronavirus/

Private school closure is at school administrator discretion

Please view the CDPH COVID-19 Schools guidance here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/School%20Guidance_ADA%20Compliant_FINAL.pdf

COVID-19 Guidance Highlights

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has their guidance documents available in one place: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx

The following guidelines were shared during the Governors live update on 3/15/20 (we are awaiting official documents on these guidelines):

Those who are 65 years and older should self-isolate at home (we are anticipating guidance regarding essential workers over 65 years old being allowed to continue working).

Those with underlying health conditions which can put them at increased risk should self-isolate at home

The State will be releasing guidance and expectations on 3/17/20 for schools that are remaining open and for schools that have closed.

All bars, wineries, pubs, and nightclubs should close. Restaurants should reduce their occupancy by half and implement social distancing measures.

Only end of life visitation will be allowed at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other congregate living facilities.

What You Can Do

Practice everyday prevention actions to stay healthy

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or with hand sanitizer of soap is not available.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

If you are ill, stay home. If other family members are ill, including children, keep them home.

Practice social distancing: put more space between yourself and others. About 6 feet is good, if you can

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.

Per the Presidents Coronavirus Guidelines: If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (e.g., a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people.

Per the Presidents Coronavirus Guidelines: If you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of coronavirus:

Work or engage in schools from home whenever possible.

If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule. You and your employers should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work.

Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.

Avoid eating and drinking in restaurants and food courts  use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options

Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.

Practice good hygiene.

If someone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider.

If you have symptoms or get sick.

Stay home, unless you need to seek medical care.

Stay away from other people, pets, and animals. As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and use a separate bathroom if available.

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.

Please see the CDC recommendations here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

Stay Informed

We intend to provide these updates each weekday until further notice, and on weekends if warranted

Stay tuned to the Public Health website https://www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/250/Public-Health

Follow Public Health on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tuolumnecountypublichealth

Visit the CDPH website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx

Visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

* We would like to include relevant updates from agencies that serve the community (e.g., the Senior Center is closed but they are offering drive-through lunch pick-up). Please submit updates to PHPIO@co.tuolumne.ca.us by noon each day for your update to be included in this daily email update.
Since when did viruses start having nationalities? Well, US President Donald Trump is back at it again and this time, it's racism, among a host of other things.



While the whole world is figuring out how to put a stop to the deadly Coronavirus that has been declared as a global pandemic, President Trump just took the issue to the next level with his pedestrian comment, referring to it as the Chinese Virus.

 Reuters

In his recent tweet, he wrote, The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!



The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

Trump, referring to the Coronavirus as Chinese Virus, has irked people on social media who are ridiculing him for his racist approach.



People are schooling him and reminding him that its a human virus not an 'Asian' virus for that matter.



It's not a the "Chinese Virus" you fucking racist dickhead!  Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 16, 2020

Its called the Coronavirus and its now as American as apple pie so stop racist comments.  Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 16, 2020

Lets remember. Coronavirus is not an Asian virus. Its a human virus. We must elongate the epidemic curve for slow rise, slow fall. We must release all medical stockpiles. We must limit public gatherings of any sort, of any kid. Sooner we do this, sooner we conquer this disease   Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) March 16, 2020

There are no words to express my absolute hatred of this man. None.  Seattle_Gal (@TerriSeattle) March 16, 2020

The virus doesn't have a nationality  Hussein (@leb_hussein) March 16, 2020

"Chinese Virus?!?"



Now you're adding racist hysteria to an already dire situation???



In times like this, we need a sane, steady hand at the wheel, and that ain't you.



So why don't you just STFU if you can't say anything useful?  BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) March 16, 2020

However, there are also people who are agreeing with Trump for calling it a 'Chinese Virus' as it originated from Wuhan in China. They even cited examples of the Spanish Flu and the Russian Flu.

They even went to say that the Chinese should be held accountable for all the current misery around the world.

Well it did originated from china, no one called "racism" for the Spanish Flu.  JimBimBum (@JimBimBum) March 16, 2020

It started in China. Hence the name Chinese virus. Imagine thinking thats racist.  BuffsFan (@BuffsF) March 16, 2020

Youre right, it is 100% the Chinese Virus and we need to hold them accountable for hiding it from the world for months.  Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) March 16, 2020

Thank you THE PRESIDENT for calling a spades a spades "Chinese Virus" #ChineseVirus was designed to eliminate all non Chinese, we need a global probe in this  Amitabha (@aMiTaBhA_74) March 17, 2020

A Chinese Twitter user agreed that Trump is not being a racist and wrote, Im a Chinese. We all know that the virus is from Wuhan. Donald Trump didnt say anything wrong. We also called it a Wuhan Virus or Chinese Virus. It is not racism #WuhanCoronavirus #ChineseCoronavirus.

Im a Chinese. We all know that the virus is from Wuhan. Donald trump didnt said anything wrong. We also called it Wuhan Virus or Chinese Virus. It is not racism #WuhanCoronavirus #ChineseCoronavirus  lok (@loklokhk3232) March 17, 2020

Clearly, people on social media have different opinions on Trump calling it a 'Chinese Virus'.

But, I am wondering if we can actually focus on eradicating this virus and making an antidote rather than giving this whole thing a political tinge.

Whats your take on the same? Let us know in the comments section below.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani casts his vote at a polling station during parliamentary elections in Tehran

Reuters

Iran has temporarily released 85,000 prisoners as the coronavirus crisis escalates in the region.

Its judiciary minister Gholamhossein Esmaili announced the decision on Monday.

Political prisoners are reportedly among those released. It is unclear whether Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian dual citizen detained in Iran since 2016, is among them.

Over 14,000 people in Iran had infected the COVID-19 virus as of Monday, with over 850 deaths.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Iranian government has temporarily released 85,000 prisoners in an emergency move to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Gholamhossein Esmaili, Iran's judiciary minister, on Tuesday said: Some 50% of those released are security-related prisoners... also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," Sky News reported.

Conditions inside Iran's jails have reportedly deteriorated within recent weeks, with inmates reporting large numbers of deaths from the Coronavirus in the country's overcrowded prisons.

As of Monday, over 850 people had died in Iran after catching the COVID-19 virus, with more than 14,000 infected.

Those who have passed away include religious leaders. Ayatollah Hashem Bathayi Golpayegani, who sits on the clerical body responsible for choosing Iran's supreme leader, died two days after contracting the virus.

A number of political prisoners are reportedly included among those released by the Iranian regime this week.

It is not clear whether Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian dual citizen detained in Iran since 2016, has also been released.

Business Insider has asked for UK Foreign Office to confirm Zaghari-Ratcliffe's status.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Hundreds of prisoners could be allowed back into the community earlier than planned to help ease overcrowding in jails.

The Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme means some inmates can be released with an electronic tag and under a curfew up to four-and-a-half months prior to their scheduled release date.

However, ministers now want to extend the maximum early release period under HDC in England and Wales by six weeks to six months, The Times said.

Inmates can be released with an electronic tag and under a curfew up to four-and-a-half months prior to their scheduled release date, but ministers now want to extend that period to six months to ease capacity fears

Figures published by the Home Office show there were 83,917 people in prison as of last Friday, while 2,718 were on the HDC scheme.

It was reported over the weekend that low-category inmates could be released to control the spread of coronavirus across the British justice system.

General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association Steve Gillan said on Saturday that some prisoners across sites in the UK have already been forced to self-isolate within jails as a result of the outbreak.

He added that he wasn't aware of any prisoners across the system having tested positive but said that 75 were in isolation along with more than 100 staff members.

The proposals will need approval from MPs and would see up to 600 fewer prisoners at any one time

However, it is understood these proposals, which need approval from MPs and would see up to 600 fewer inmates at any one time, are not linked to Covid-19.

HDC was introduced in 1999 to provide a 'managed transition' from prison to community for offenders serving short custodial terms.

Prisoners jailed for at least three months and less than four years can be considered for release on the scheme.

Criminals in several offence categories are either barred or 'presumed unsuitable', including sex offenders, terrorists and foreign national prisoners facing deportation.

Post-release, an individual on HDC is made to wear an electronic tag and must abide by a curfew until they have reached their automatic or conditional release date.
Powells Books warned employees Monday night that it will take several months to restore normal operations and indicated some layoffs announced Sunday will be permanent, not temporary.

The landmark business closed its five bookstores in the Portland area Sunday in response to the coronavirus outbreak, conceding that we cannot honor the social distancing guidelines presented by federal authorities.

The decision put hundreds of employees out of a job but Powells initially said it would reevaluate the closure at the end of March. In Mondays email, Powells painted a more dire picture.

Given the urgent need to close all of our locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to maintain recommended social distance, coupled with the rapid, significant downturn in sales in the recent weeks and days, Powell's needs to take to immediate steps to scale back the company, human resources director Michelle Afroso wrote to employees.

Powells layoffs are suggestive of the overwhelming effect the coronavirus outbreak will have on the regional economy. Many businesses, large and small, may face similar cutbacks in the coming days and weeks.

Oregons jobless rate was just 3.3% prior to the outbreak. But hundreds -- likely thousands -- of Oregon workers have lost their jobs in just the past few days as the scale of the coronavirus outbreak became clear and businesses shut down to reduce the risk of mass exposure.

In her note to employees, Afroso wrote that Powells is assessing the minimum staff necessary to continue operations and will then begin involuntary layoffs. Powells notified employees that their health insurance will last only until the end of the month in which they are last employed.

If sales continue to decrease in the future, we will need to take further action, Afroso wrote. We will try to avoid additional layoffs by reducing the size of the company over time through a hiring freeze and attrition.

Powells did not say how many people will lose their jobs altogether and did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The union representing Powells workers has 400 members and says roughly 85% of them lost their jobs in the temporary layoff announced Sunday.

We deeply regret having to take these steps, Afroso wrote. This is truly an unprecedented situation.

ILWU Local 5, which represents Powells workers, said late Monday that it supports the decision to close the stores in the interests of customer and worker safety. However, the union said it is disappointed in the lack of support Powells is committing to those who are responsible for the companys success.

The decision to lay workers off without reasonable provisions for their well-being will have a deep and lasting impact not only to them, but to the community at large, the union wrote. In this society, for any crisis event, it appears it is the workers who take the brunt of trauma.

The union set up a worker relief fund on its website.

Job cuts are accumulating rapidly as the coronavirus outbreak spreads and governments and businesses take provisions to insulate people from the contagion. The Oregon Employment Departments online jobless claim site was offline intermittently Monday amid a surge in electronic filings.

Many of the layoffs have been at bars and restaurants that have closed, and many more will close after Gov. Kate Browns order Monday that they shut down all but takeout and delivery service to avoid spreading the virus.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Auto and home insurer Windhaven Insurance has alerted its agents and employees that it is winding down the insurance operations of its entities, including Windhaven National Insurance Co., ClutchAnalytics and The Hearth Group, and that its assets are being foreclosed on by a lender intending to sell them.

Additionally, Windhaven National Insurance Co., a Texas-based private passenger auto insurer, is being placed into receivership by the Texas Department of Insurance.

These moves come less than two months after Florida officials placed the groups non-standard auto insurer, Windhaven Insurance Co. (WIC), into receivership and began to liquidate that company.

In a message sent to agents on Feb. 26 that was obtained by Insurance Journal, Windhaven said it has ceased all new and renewal business for its Windhaven companies, which include Windhaven Insurance Holdings Corp., Windhaven Underwriters, Windhaven Select, Windhaven Claims Management, Windhaven National Insurance Co. and The Hearth Insurance Group.

The company writes home and auto insurance in Florida and Texas through these entities. The Hearth Insurance Group is a Florida-based MGA offering homeowners coverage on State National Insurance Co. paper. Windhaven also owns software technology company, ClutchAnalytics, that is domiciled in Texas and builds digital insurance distribution systems.

Windhavens message to agents reads:

To Our Valued Agents, This notice is to inform you of important changes that will be occurring to the Windhaven, ClutchAnalytics and The Hearth businesses. We have ceased all new business and renewal business in all FL and TX programs for Windhaven and the Hearth. We are winding-down our business operations. One of our lenders will foreclose on a number of assets providing collateral for its loan. As part of the foreclosure process the lender will sell the foreclosed assets at an auction slated to occur on March 4th. If a sale occurs we expect that the buyer may seek to continue the producer agreements or want to work with you to make new producer agreements. Please note, we cannot guarantee that an auction will occur, that it will be successful or if or which producer agreements a buyer may look to continue. We regret the impact this decision may have.

Employees at the Windhaven Claims Managements facility in Miami were told by the company they would be laid off on Feb. 28. A message to employees said the company had been unsuccessful in its efforts to seek financing to enable the company to continue operations.

Windhaven National Insurance Co. was licensed in Texas in 2012 to write aircraft physical damage, auto physical damage, automobile liability, inland marine and other coverages, according to the Texas Department of Insurance website. Information about how many policies are currently in force was unavailable at press time. Windhaven National also offers auto policies in Florida through its Florida Windward program and currently has 30,600 policies in the state, as of Dec. 31, 2019, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) told Insurance Journal.

The Dallas Morning News reported Windhaven National closed its offices in Texas on Feb. 28, and that layoff notices filed with the Texas Workforce Commission showed that it had 96 employees in Dallas and 35 in Austin.

TDI has filed for Windhaven National Insurance Co., to be placed into receivership. A TDI spokesperson said on Feb. 27 that a hearing would be scheduled on the matter. At press time, TDI had not yet issued an order on the receivership.

Tampa, Fla.-based The Hearth Insurance Group has offered homeowners insurance through State National Insurance Co., in Florida since 1990 and also offers coverage in Texas. In a statement to Insurance Journal, State National Executive Vice President David Cleff said, We want to assure all policyholders and agents that their insurance coverage and policies written on State Nationals AM Best rated A insurance company via The Hearth, an independent Florida based managing agent, remain valid and that the strong security supporting their policies is unaffected. We are actively working on a solution to those services that had been provided by The Hearth Insurance Group via our network and affiliated partners to ensure that the obligations and servicing for all policyholders and agents continue to be fulfilled.

The now-liquidated Windhaven Insurance Co., which launched in 2005, had about 73,000 active auto policies in Florida as of Nov. 30, 2019. In December, the Florida Department of Financial Services placed the non-standard auto insurer into rehabilitation. Shortly after that, DFS declared WIC insolvent and the company was ordered into liquidation.

DFS was appointed receiver for WICs liquidation effective Jan. 6, 2020, and was authorized to take possession of all assets, estate, and property belonging to the insurer. All policies of insurance or coverage contracts that had not expired were canceled as of Feb. 5.

In December, Windhaven told its agents in an e-mail that its other insurance entities, including The Hearth or Windhaven National, were not controlled by DFS and the rehabilitation did not apply to its other companies.

Windhaven Insurance reported in a 2019 press release that, along with The Hearth, it had written close to $2 billion in home and auto insurance premiums since being established in Miami. It also said Windhaven Insurance had provided coverage to more than 240,000 policyholders through more than 8,000 local independent agents. It had additional offices in Tampa, Fla., and Dallas.

The Florida DFS does not regulate Windhaven National because the company is domiciled in Texas and the receivership is being handled by TDI.

Representatives from Windhaven did not reply to request for comment from Insurance Journal.

Topics Agencies Texas Auto Florida
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Linkedin Asip Hasani (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya  Tue, March 17, 2020 19:42 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b5b712 1 National coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,East-Java,khofifah-indar-parawansa,outbreak,isolation Free

The East Java administration has prepared 120 new isolation wards to add to the existing facilities in 44 referral hospitals in the province in anticipation of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Twenty of the new isolation wards are in Soetomo Public Hospital and 100 others in the new building of the Menur Mental Hospital, both in the provincial capital of Surabaya, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said.

This [the additional wards] is aimed at heartening the people so that they won't feel worried, Khofifah told reporters on Monday.

East Java's task force for COVID-19 mitigation had formed a mobile team comprising 30 physicians with expertise in communicable diseases who were ready to give medical assistance for coronavirus-related cases in hospitals that lacked qualified medical workers, she said.

With the team's establishment, Khofifah said he hoped the 44 referral hospitals would be able to function better in handling COVID-19 cases.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia recorded 172 confirmed COVID-19 cases, five of which turned fatal. The cases were recorded in several provinces, including Jakarta, East Java, West Java, Central Java and Bali.

Health Ministry Disease Control and Prevention director general Achmad Yurianto said on Tuesday the ministry found six confirmed cases reported by Airlangga University Hospital in Surabaya, East Java.

Read also: Regions close schools, cancel public events because of COVID-19

Khofifah said that as of Monday evening, at least 18 people in the region were under monitoring while six other people have been suspected of having been infected by the coronavirus.

Earlier on Sunday, Khofifah instructed school authorities to suspend activities for the next two weeks starting on Monday. The governor also ordered local administrations in the province to implement social distancing measures that included restrictions against mass gatherings.

The East Java administration previously announced that two of seven people who had been in contact with a COVID-19 patient who died at a Surakarta public hospital in Central Java last week had been sent to isolation wards in two different hospitals.

The two people were the late patients wife, who was admitted to Mediun Soedono Public Hospital, and their son, who was admitted to Malang Saiful Anwar Public Hospital.

The sample tests of the mother and son came out negative for COVID-19, Khofifah said. (syk)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio Catholic bishops on Monday canceled all in-person Mass through at least Easter on Sunday, April 12, due to the threat of coronavirus. The decision is effective immediately, and was made in consultation with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and health officials.

The move closes churches statewide for the remainder of the Lenten season, through Easter, the holiest day in the Catholic calendar.

This decision is not taken lightly and, as your bishops, causes us great sadness. However, after consultation with the governor and health officials we are convinced that this is the most prudent and necessary action, the bishops said in a statement. Science has proven that participation in public gatherings significantly increases the risk of contagion. This poses a serious danger to those especially most vulnerable.

The bishops encouraged Catholics to participate in services through live streams or the radio. Earlier this month, the Diocese of Cleveland recommended that sick parishioners stay home.

Read the full statement below:

After serious consideration of the grave health risk involved in public gatherings and in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the bishops of Ohio have decided -- effective immediately -- to suspend temporarily all publicly celebrated Masses/liturgies, at least through the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. The bishops of Ohio dispense the Catholic faithful who reside in their respective dioceses and all other Catholics currently in Ohio from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass through Easter Sunday.

This decision is not taken lightly and, as your bishops, causes us great sadness. However, after consultation with the governor and health officials we are convinced that this is the most prudent and necessary action.

Science has proven that participation in public gatherings significantly increases the risk of contagion. This poses a serious danger to those especially most vulnerable.

As Catholics, in every Sunday Mass we celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. In this moment, we are experiencing in a unique way the passion of our Lord as this pandemic prevents us from gathering for the Sunday Eucharist. In this very difficult time, we encourage the faithful to turn to the Churchs treasury of prayer. Sunday remains a holy day, and we encourage the faithful to pray using the rich resources of our faith, including praying as a family or individually the rosary, divine mercy chaplet, the Liturgy of the Hours, stations of the cross, etc. We also urge you to participate in prayer by way of radio broadcast or televised or livestreamed Mass and make a spiritual communion.

Please join us in praying for all who are suffering from illness or disease of any kind, for all health care workers, and for an easing of the anxiety and tension caused by this situation. Relying on the motherly care of Our Lady, we unite our sufferings to those of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our healing and our hope.

Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr

Chairman, Catholic Conference of Ohio

Archbishop of Cincinnati

Most Rev. Robert J. Brennan

Bishop of Columbus

Most Rev. Jeffrey M. Monforton

Bishop of Steubenville

Most Rev. George V. Murry, S.J.

Bishop of Youngstown

Most Rev. Joseph R. Binzer

Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Rev. Donald P. Oleksiak

Diocesan Administrator of Cleveland

Most Rev. Daniel E. Thomas

Bishop of Toledo

Read more on the coronavirus:

Catholic Diocese of Cleveland issues coronavirus, flu precautions during Lent

Gov. Mike DeWine wants to postpone Ohios Tuesday primary election till June 2 due to coronavirus

50 people have tested positive in Ohio for coronavirus, 14 hospitalized: Gov. Mike DeWines Monday briefing

All Ohio bars, restaurants to close 9 p.m. Sunday due to coronavirus - carryout still allowed: Gov. Mike DeWines Sunday briefing
A Myanmar court on Monday accepted a criminal defamation case against an editor nearly a year after the government military filed a lawsuit over his new organization's publication of online memoirs about the armed conflict in war-torn Rakhine state.

Lieutenant Colonel Zaw Min Tun of the Yangon Region Command originally filed the case against journalist Ye Ni and the online journal The Irrawaddy in April 2019 on behalf of a military commander, who argued that reporting in the memoirs was one-sided and cast the army in a bad light.

Ye Ni, editor of The Irrawaddys Burmese version, has been charged under Section 66(d) of Myanmars 2013 Telecommunications Law, which prohibits the use of the telecom network to defame people and carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

During the past year, legal officials and police in Yangon, where the lawsuit was filed, worked on the case to determine if the filing of the charge under Section Article 66(d) was valid, The Irrawaddy said in a report.

On Monday, the Kyauktada Township Court accepted the case and set Ye Ni's bail at 10 million kyats (U.S. $6,239).

The editor said he was surprised that the military renewed charges it filed nearly a year ago over reports on the fighting between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhines Mrauk-U township.

I am surprised. I was charged around the same time as filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi and members of the Peacock Generation group. Their cases are over now, he said.

I really want to know why they have renewed the old case [against me], he added.

A Myanmar court sentenced prominent filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi to one year in prison in August 2018 on criminal defamation charges for expressing his views critical of Myanmars military in Facebook posts. He has since been released.

Members of a traditional satirical group called the Peacock Generation also received prison sentences for mocking the military in performances in 2019.

Journalists are doing their jobs, but the authorities have different views, so they prosecute them using whatever charges they can, said Than Zaw Aung, an attorney working on the case.

Citing the article titled A Reporters Memoirs in Mrauk-U by former Irrawaddy reporter Moe Myint that was published in April 2019, Than Zaw Aung said the military filed charges because the story was misleading and could have damaged relations between the army and the public.

The military has called the article one-sided because it failed to include comments from army spokesmen or other military officers.

The Irrawaddy has been covering fighting between the Myanmar military and the AA since hostilities intensified in Rakhine state in late 2018.

Reported by Aung Theinkha for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
San Francisco, March 17 : Top tech giants Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube have come together to help fight the fake news and misinformation related to COVID-19 on their platforms.

In a joint statement, the companies said they are working closely together on COVID-19 response efforts.

"We're helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world," they emphasized.

"We invite other companies to join us as we work to keep our communities healthy and safe," the tech firms said on Monday.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg went a step forward, saying if need be, the social networking platform would remove misinformation from politicians, celebrities and even from private groups.

The number of cases worldwide have surpassed 150,000, with over 6,000 deaths.

Several European nations have enacted country-wide lockdowns, including France, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands and Ireland.

The US death toll climbed to at least 81, with 25 of those deaths being reported from Kirkland, Washington.

Facebook and Instagram have already announced to ban ads and commerce listings selling medical face masks on their platforms to stop people from exploiting the coronavirus emergency.

Facebook said that coronavirus-related searches on its platform would be greeted with an automatic pop-up featuring information from the WHO.

According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook is focused on stopping hoaxes and harmful misinformation.

However, cybercriminals are luring verified Facebook and Instagram users in disguise of spreading awareness about novel coronavirus (COVID-19), offering them $1,500 per week via a global email fraud.

The emails came from 'health organisations', offering money to advertise their awareness content on coronavirus on their verified handles on social media platforms like Facebook.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Airports and borders to close, schools and restaurants shut down to protect healthcare system already overburdened by war.

Libya has not reported any cases of coronavirus, despite being surrounded by affected countries.

That is good news because the health sector in the capital, Tripoli, is already struggling after months of attacks by forces loyal to the renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

It is hoped the countrys isolation may help it to reduce the coronavirus threat.

Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed reports from Tripoli.
Jordan Banman, left to right, Jennifer Teufel-Shatilla, Mason Shatilla, Dave Shatilla, Zack St. Pierre, Sarah Moreby and Tori Teufel pose for a photo in their Burlington, Ont. neighbourhood on March 16, 2020. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press)

COVID-19 Bringing Out the Best in Some Canadian Communities

On a weekend when many Canadians were getting themselves ready to weather the COVID19 pandemic, Jennifer TeufelShatilla was figuring out how to help others do so.

Armed with hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, she and her family travelled through their Burlington, Ont., neighbourhood distributing homemade flyers offering their free services to the many seniors and other vulnerable residents in their community.

TeufelShatilla said she, her husband, and their blended family of seven kids over the age of 13 are ready and willing to pick up groceries, drop off medication, or otherwise ensure that those isolated during the increasingly serious outbreak have what they need to get through the crisis in comfort.

If my mom wasnt local, or if I had somebody who was undergoing chemo or had suppressed immunity, I would hope that somebody would do that for somebody I love, TeufelShatilla said in a telephone interview.

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket in Larchmont, N.Y., on March 13, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

TeufelShatilla said she felt it was important to try and inject a little positivity into lives that have otherwise been consumed by the increasingly bleak news related to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has all but brought everyday life to a halt as cases continue to mount.

The grim developments continued to pour in on March 16, with officials in British Columbia reporting an additional three deaths from the virus. The growing number of cases, which has eclipsed 400 nationwide, prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to close the Canadian border to all foreign nationals with the exception of U.S. citizens.

But amid the slew of disheartening headlines are scattered myriad posts from organizations and individuals trying to strike a more positive tone.

A Sobeys location in Edmonton garnered much praise when it briefly offered a dedicated, earlymorning shopping hour reserved for seniors. Later posts indicated the approach had to be cancelled for reasons beyond the companys control, but also thanked community members for supporting the idea and offering free rides to shoppers who required support.

Torontobased author Catherine Hernandez began hosting a virtual story time for young children kept at home due to school and daycare closures, with the readings streamed via her Facebook page.

And in Montreal, a Facebook page set up by a group of local teenagers began offering babysitting services to parents unable to stay home with their children.

Group cofounder Taowa MuneneTardif, 17, said the group originally consisted of past and present students drawn from the same high school. As word spread, however, he said dozens of wouldbe volunteers have since joined in.

He said the students are all observing public health protocols in their interactions with local families, adding the teens are all keen to contribute during an unusually stressful time.

We figured, well, we have time, why not do something positive, MuneneTardif said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference at Rideau cottage in Ottawa on March 13, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Fred Chartrand)

Trudeau advocated exactly such an approach on Monday during the address in which he announced the partial border closure. He urged Canadians to maintain safe contact with relatives, friends, and neighbours to ensure everyone pulls through the outbreak.

The strength of our country is our capacity to come together and care for each other, especially in times of need, he said. So call your friends. Check in with your family. Think of your community.

One woman said her family has already benefited from the unsolicited kindness of strangers.

Isabel Jordan of Squamish, B.C., wasnt actively asking for help when she started musing on a community Facebook group about the trouble that can ensue when people hoard hand sanitizer.

Three of her four family members have underlying lung conditions, and Jordan said she was simply commiserating about the challenge of replenishing her homes supply at local stores that had been effectively cleaned out.

But Jordan said her post instantly prompted numerous offers of help, some from people she had never met.

Group members offered to scour nearby stores for new stock or top her family up from their own supplies.

Its nice to see people who are not as vulnerable understand that they have this health privilege, she said. Reaching out to help others is really heartening, because I dont necessarily see that a lot.
Singapore is not planning on imposing a lockdown but could consider 'major circuit breakers', like temporary closure of schools and offices, to check the spread of coronavirus, which has infected over 240 people in the country.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday said, "If we are vigilant, we implement our measures effectively, we do not have to lockdown our city and we don't want to lockdown our city."



Wong urged Singaporeans to comply with the health ministry's advisory to defer non-essential travel, after the emergence of more imported COVID-19 cases involving citizens who returned from overseas recently.

He said instead of a lockdown the government was considering 'major circuit breakers', like temporary closure of schools and offices.

The minister said the majority of imported cases in recent days did not involve foreign visitors such as tourists, but Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term passport holders who had been travelling and were infected by the virus when overseas.

Anyone who decides to travel despite the health ministry advisory will have to use their personal leave to serve their stay-home or leave of absence notice which has been mandated by the government in its fight to contain the virus.

"If there is no need to travel, please don't travel during this period. It puts everyone at risk. You put yourself at risk and you put your family members and the people around you at risk," Channel Asia quoted the minister as saying.

He also assured that Singapore was not "shutting" its borders.

Those who still wish to travel will "have to take responsibility for their actions", Wong said.

Singapore reported 17 new infections on Monday, its largest single-day increase to date, 11 of them were imported cases involving Singapore residents who had travelled to destinations like France, Spain, eastern Europe, the Netherlands and the United States.

The ministry had issued a travel advisory on Sunday asking Singaporeans to defer non-essential travel.

The advisory will be enforced for 30 days after which the situation would be reviewed.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday said his Malaysian counterpart has assured him the flow of goods and cargo, including food supplies, between the two countries.

Malaysia has announced that it would bar citizens from going overseas and foreigners from entering the country for about two weeks starting Wednesday.

The restrictions are part of a movement control order established by the Malaysian government to prevent further spread of the COVID-19, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday night.

"I was happy to hear his (Malaysian PM) reassurance that the flow of goods and cargo between Singapore and Malaysia, including food supplies, would continue," said the Singapore premier.

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to work out the operational details together so that goods, cargo and food supplies "continue to flow" between both countries.

Malaysia is Singapore's main source of some food essentials. The two nations are linked with an 1-km causeway and an 1.9 km bridge that sees a daily traffic of around 300,000 people.

Singapore was part of the Malaysian Federation prior to independence and has strong people-to-people relations which includes daily shopping and weekend outings in the neighbouring Johor Bahru city on the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsular.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 17:07 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b4d595 4 City road-accident,BusCollision,truck,Tangerang,Merak-port-Banten,toll-road,Banten,Cilegon Free

Five people were killed and four others were injured during an accident involving a bus and a container truck at kilometer 94 of the Tangerang-Merak toll road in Purwakarta district in Cilegon, Banten, on Tuesday at midnight.

The bus, an inter-island bus traveling from Medan, North Sumatra, to Jakarta, hit a container truck traveling to Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, tribunnews.com reported.

The bus driver was driving at a high speed prior to the accident before losing control of the vehicle at kilometer 94, causing the bus to crash into the back of the container truck.

Read also: Overload, fatigue main factors in truck accidents

The accident occurred at around 12:30 a.m., killing five passengers of the bus and injuring four others. Among the casualties was a toddler.

Some of the dead and injured victims were taken to the Drajat Prawiranegara general regional hospital in Serang, while others were transported to Krakatau Medika Hospital in Cilegon.

Personnel of the Banten and Cilegon Polices traffic accident investigation division are investigating the accident. The police were also looking for the bus driver, who fled the scene after the accident. (nal)
Vietnam Airlines said on March 16 that it has created the most favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens in Europe who want to return home amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19.

Passengers given medical check-ups and body temperature measurements at Van Don airport

The firm is maintaining five flights from the UK, France and Germany to Vietnam each day, but passengers are required to meet relevant requirements.

Vietnam Airlines said these flights will be put under the strictest medical control to ensure safety for passengers and its employees and prevent the spread of the risk of the disease in the community.

Those arriving at Vietnams airports will be put into medical quarantine and have their samples tested in line with the Ministry of Healths regulation, it noted.

In its press release the same day, Vietnam Airlines said that had been four flights from the UK, France, and Germany landing at the Van Don international airport and the Tan Son Nhat international airport, carrying 180 Vietnamese passengers.

All the passengers and crew members onboard were given medical check-ups and body temperature measurement, and equipped with protective gear. The aircraft were also disinfected after landing.

Vietjet offers 70 percent off fares

Vietjet and Thai Vietjet are offering 70 percent discount on all domestic and international routes until March 17 as part its programme titled Protect our planet  Fly with Vietjet.

With the promotion code "BOOKNOW70", passengers will enjoy the cheap prices when they book online at www.vietjetair.com, Vietjet said in a statement.

The flight period is applied from April 1 to June 16 this year, according to the airline.

To meet increasing travel demands and realise the dream of flying, Vietjet has continued to expand its domestic and international flight network, connecting many destinations including New Delhi, Mumbai (India), Bali (Indonesia) and Tokyo, Osaka (Japan).

Protect our planet  Flying with Vietjet welcomes all passengers to experience green, eco-friendly flights on new, modern and fuel-efficient planes, and inspire others to protect the green future, repel natural disasters and epidemics, and bring good value for the community today and in the future.

Three flights namely VN0054, VN0018 and VN0036 carrying 159 passengers, mostly Vietnamese citizens returning from Europe, land at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province, March 16 (Photo: Vietnam Airlines)



All flight crews, passengers and luggage are checked, supervised, disinfected before boarding and put under isolation at some places as prescribed (Source: Vietnam Airlines)



To ensure safety, all pilots and flight attendants are equipped with protective gears (Source: Vietnam Airlines)



To ensure safety, all pilots and flight attendants are equipped with protective gears (Source: Vietnam Airlines)



All flight crews, passengers are given health checkups before boarding (Source: Vietnam Airlines)



Passengers are not served with meals and other services on these flights (Source: Vietnam Airlines)





The aircrafts carrying 159 passengers, mostly Vietnamese citizens returning from Europe are instructed to land at a separate location, ensuring no impact on the overall operation of the airport (Source: Vietnam Airlines)



Previously, Van Don International Airport also welcomed flights from COVID-19 hit areas such as China, the Republic of Korea, bringing Vietnamese citizens, including 2-month-old babies, home (Photo: Vietnam Airlines)

VNA/VNN
By Jamie Freed and Tim Hepher

SYDNEY/PARIS (Reuters) - Boeing and other U.S. aviation companies are seeking billions of dollars in aid as they battle to survive a plunge in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, while Airbus is pausing production at two sites to bolster health and safety measures.

The rapid spread of the virus across the world has battered airlines as governments have introduced travel restrictions and consumers have stopped making bookings, calling into question the survival of several companies.

To preserve cash, airlines are cutting flights, laying off staff, suspending dividends, selling planes and flying cargo on empty passenger jets.

"It's now fair to call this the single biggest shock that global aviation has ever experienced," Qantas Airways Ltd CEO Alan Joyce said in a memo to the airline's 30,000 staff on Tuesday that was seen by Reuters.

Boeing Co on Monday said it was in talks with senior White House officials and congressional leaders about short-term assistance for the entire U.S. aviation sector.

U.S. airlines and cargo carriers have said they are seeking at least $58 billion in loans and grants along with additional tax changes, while airports are seeking $10 billion.

European airlines have also stepped up calls for emergency government aid. Passenger traffic across the region slumped by more than half on average last week, and the situation will worsen as borders closed, trade body Airports Council International Europe said.

Industry consultancy Tourism Economics forecast international travel will slump at least 10.5% this year, the biggest year-on-year drop.

Planemaker Airbus SE said on Tuesday it would pause production and assembly at its French and Spanish sites for the next four days to put in place strict health and safety provisions.

British infrastructure and aviation group Stobart said it likely needed additional liquidity because of the disruption to its business, especially at London Southend Airport.

Story continues

Airbus shares were down more than 7% at 0930 GMT after heavy losses on Monday. Boeing shares closed down 24% on Monday.

In Asia, Qantas, which is looking to raise a few hundred million dollars by refinancing some aircraft, said on Tuesday it planned to cut international capacity by 90% and domestic capacity by 60% until at least the end of May.

"Our goal is to protect as many jobs as possible and to make sure we remain strong enough to ride this out," Joyce told staff in the memo seen by Reuters.

New Zealand's Auckland International Airport said on Monday it would scrap its interim dividend after freezing hiring and halting discretionary spending.

Air New Zealand said it would cut capacity to Australia by 80% from March 30 to June 30 after both countries said over the weekend that all travelers would need to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.

Australian airports are set to lose more than A$500 million ($307 million) in take-off and landing fees, the Australian Airports Association said.

Avinor, a state-owned Norwegian company, said on Tuesday the number of passengers traveling from the country's airports fell 40% in the week ending March 15 from the same period a year earlier.

The only bright spot for airlines is the cargo market, where rates are surging as a result of the loss of capacity in the belly of passenger aircraft as those flights are cut. Airlines are flying some planes without passengers to transport cargo due to high demand.

(Graphic: Global travel, https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/13/3526/3487/travel.png)

RAISING CASH

Simon Birmingham, Australia's minister for tourism, said on Tuesday that neither Qantas nor smaller rival Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd had asked for a bailout, but that the government had not ruled out providing assistance.

"They believe they are viable and have strong cash positions ... but we want to make sure we maintain that confidence in the airlines," Birmingham told reporters.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways said on Monday it had agreed a $703.8 million deal with lessor BOC Aviation to sell and lease back six Boeing 777-300ER airplanes to raise cash.

The carrier, one of the earliest and hardest hit by the outbreak due to its proximity to mainland China where the virus originated, said its full-service airlines, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, had made an unaudited loss of HK$2 billion ($257.5 million) in February alone.

Cathay Pacific plans to cut up to 90% of its capacity in April.

"If we do not see a relaxation of travel restrictions in the near future, we expect the same arrangement will have to continue into May," Cathay Pacific Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said in a statement.

Japan's ANA Holdings said it would cut 2,630 more international flights serving 58 routes between March 29 and April 24.

Philippines' Cebu Pacific said it would cancel all flights from March 19 to April 14 after stringent quarantine orders.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed and Tim Hepher; additional reporting by Colin Packham in Sydney, David Shepardson in Washington, Sayantani Ghosh in Singapore; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Gerry Doyle and Mark Potter)
Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Indianapolis.

49ers massive trade: DeForest Buckner dealt for Colts draft pick

The 49ers are dealing DeForest Buckner for the Indianapolis Colts' first-round draft pick, rather than award him a multi-year contract, which they did earlier Monday with Arik Armstead.

Read the full story on The Mercury News.

Two-thirds of Indiana school districts closing, due to coronavirus

More than two-thirds of Indiana's school districts have closed their doors to students, as all public schools in surrounding states have done so in an attempt to slow the coronavirus spread.

Read the full story on Chicago Tribune.

Kentucky and Indiana bars and restaurants to close dine-in services

Takeout, delivery and drive-thru services will remain open.

Read the full story on www.wdrb.com.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
As a precautionary measure to combat the spread of coronavirus, no visitor or family members will be allowed to meet prisoners in Tamil Nadu for the next two weeks, said DGP Prisons Sunil Kumar Singh on Tuesday.

The DGP also said, "A special monitoring room has been set up inside the prisons to screen all new prisoners. Soaps are being provided and prisoners are advised to clean their hands often.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DETROIT, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Aerospace Raw Materials Market by Platform Type (Commercial Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, Military Aircraft, Helicopter, and Spacecraft), by Material Type (Titanium & Alloys, Aluminum & Alloys, Steel & Alloys, Composites, and Others), by Form Type [Titanium & Alloys (Plate, Billet, and Others), Aluminum & Alloys (Extruded Products, Sheet & Plate, Cast Products, and Others), Steel & Alloys (Long Products and Flat Products), and Composites (Prepreg, Compounds, and Others)], by Sales Channel Type (Direct Sales and Distributor Sales), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's aerospace raw materials market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2020 to 2025. After a continuous interest in our aircraft aerostructures market report from the industry stakeholders, we have tried to further accentuate our research scope to the aerospace raw materials market in order to provide the most crystal-clear picture of the market. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as formulate growth strategies.

Aerospace Raw Materials Market: Highlights

Aircraft designing and manufacturing depends upon various factors including comfort, safety, efficiency, and reliability and their intensity varies from aircraft to aircraft. Aircraft manufacturing is always highly regulated where many quality checks and legal documentation are required across the supply chain, before their use in an aircraft. This is a time-consuming process and any delay in aircraft manufacturing, due to shortage of raw materials, can lead to catastrophic results and put enormous pressure on OEMs with loss of millions of dollars.

Some of the raw materials have witnessed a remarkable journey in the aerospace industry over the decades. Titanium and composite materials have been at the top in the list of materials contributing higher in OEMs' strategies for next-generation aircraft. Other materials, such as superalloys, have also witnessed fair growth over the years. It is anticipated that titanium and composites will remain apple of the eye for the market stakeholders in the industry in years to come.

As per Stratview Research, the market for raw materials in the aerospace industry was estimated at US$ 15.0 billion in 2019 and is likely to experience a healthy CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period (2020-2025) to reach the value of US$ 19.8 billion in 2025. Raw materials majorly used in the aerospace industry are aluminum & alloys, titanium & alloys, composites, steel & alloys, and superalloys. Composite materials have been witnessing the most unsettling journey especially in the aerospace & defense industry where the penetration of advanced composites has increased to more than 50% of the structural weight in the next-generation aircraft programs, such as A350XWB and B787, with an aim to enhance fuel efficiency.

Click Here and Run Through the Detailed TOC of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/817/aerospace-raw-materials-market.html

Based on the platform type, commercial aircraft is expected to remain the largest as well as the fastest-growing segment of the market during the forecast period. Strong order backlogs of the best-selling aircraft programs, such as B737 and A320 including their variants; upcoming aircraft programs, such as C919 and MC-21; and large aircraft fleet size are likely to create a healthy demand for raw materials in the commercial aircraft segment. Grounding of B737Max and the recent outbreak of coronavirus across the world may have some short-term impact on the demand for raw materials. But the long-term outlook still seems impressive with good growth opportunities across the world.

Based on the material type, titanium & alloys are expected to remain the largest segment (in terms of value) of the market during the forecast period. Over the years, there has been a greater penetration of titanium parts as new aircraft programs are built with higher titanium content. However, in terms of volume, aluminum & alloys hold a significant share as all the legacy aircraft platforms, such as B737 and A320, are built with extensive use of aluminum alloys.

Register Here and Ask for a Free Sample on the Exclusive Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/817/aerospace-raw-materials-market.html

In terms of region, North America is expected to remain the largest market for aerospace raw materials during the forecast period. The USA is the growth engine of the region's market and has one of the largest fleets of commercial and military aircraft in the world. Due to the presence of major companies, the region is the early go-getter in the industry concerning technology and material adoption. Opening of assembly plants of the A320 and A220 aircraft programs by Airbus in the USA further assures a healthy growth of the market in the region.

However, Asia-Pacific is likely to witness the highest growth during the same period, driven by a host of factors including increasing demand for commercial aircraft to support rising passenger traffic, increasing defense budget of key economies, opening of assembly plants of Boeing and Airbus, and upcoming indigenous commercial and regional aircraft (COMAC C919 and Mitsubishi SpaceJet).

Key players in the aerospace raw materials market are VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation; Allegheny Technologies, Inc.; TIMET (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.); Alcoa Corporation; Kaiser Aluminum; Constellium SE; Hexcel Corporation; Solvay S.A.; Toray Industries, Inc.; and Carpenter Technology Corporation. All the major raw material suppliers have different growth strategies based on their synergies, product portfolio, market reach, geographical presence, and market positioning. However, the formation of long-term contracts, new product developments, and strategic alliances are some of the key strategies adopted by major players to gain a competitive edge in the market.

The aerospace raw materials market is gradually heading towards consolidation as the industry recorded a good number of mergers & acquisitions to tap growing opportunities in this briskly expanding market. For instance, in 2015, Solvay SA acquired Cytec Industries Inc. to enhance its advanced materials portfolio. Similarly, in 2018, Toray, the world's largest supplier of carbon fiber, acquired TenCate Advanced Composites Holding B.V. (TCAC) from Koninklijke Ten Cate B.V. Also, in 2015, Alcoa Corporation, the world's leading supplier of aluminum, acquired RTI International Metals, gaining excellent capabilities in the aerospace titanium market.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors

This report studies the aerospace raw materials market and has segmented the market in five ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the five ways in which the market is segmented:

Aerospace Raw Materials Market, by Platform Type

Commercial Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Regional Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

General Aviation (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Military Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Helicopter (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Spacecraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Aerospace Raw Materials Market, by Material Type

Titanium & Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Aluminum & Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Steel & Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Composites (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Aerospace Raw Materials Market, by Form Type

Titanium & Alloys (Form Type Trend and Forecast)

Aluminum & Alloys (Form Type Trend and Forecast)

Steel & Alloy (Form Type Trend and Forecast)

Composites (Form Type Trend and Forecast)

Aerospace Raw Materials Market, by Sales Channel Type

Direct Sales (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Distributor Sales (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Aerospace Raw Materials Market, by Region

North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , the UK, Russia , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , China , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World (Sub-Region Analysis: Latin America , the Middle East , and Others)

Stratview Research has number of high value market reports in the global aerospace & defense industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Aerospace-Defense.html

Some of our other related premium market reports are:

Aerospace Tube Materials Market by Platform Type (Commercial Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, Military Aircraft, Helicopter, and Spacecraft), by Material Type (Titanium & Alloys, Nickel & Alloys, Steel & Alloys, and Others), by Sales Channel Type (Direct Sales and Distributor Sales), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025.



Aerospace Thermoplastics Market By Aircraft Type (Commercial Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, Helicopter, Military Aircraft, and UAV), By Resin Type (High-Performance Thermoplastics, Engineering Thermoplastics, and Standard Thermoplastics), By Application Type (Exteriors, Interiors, Assembly Components, and Others), By Form Type (Reinforced and Unreinforced), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025.

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

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T he US Army is set to pull out of three military bases in Iraq as it scales back operations amid escalating tensions with Baghdad and Iran.

Troops will withdraw from al-Qaim and two smaller bases as part of a move to reduce the US presence in the country and safeguard military personnel.

A formal handover of the bases and military equipment to coalition forces is expected to take place this week.

It comes against a backdrop of intensified rocket attacks on foreign troops that has been blamed on Iranian-backed militias. The US also plans to withdraw from Qayara Airfield West, known as Q-West, and Kirkuk, but will retain five outposts in Iraq. A coalition statement said: As a result of the success of Iraqi security forces in their fight against Isis [Islamic State], the coalition is re-positioning troops from a few smaller bases.

These bases remain under Iraqi control and we will continue our advising partnership for the permanent defeat of Daesh [Islamic State] from other Iraqi military bases.

The pullout from al-Qaim would remove the only US outpost on the border between Syria and Iraq with the area now controlled by Iranian-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces and Iraqi troops. The town was one of the first in the country to fall to Islamic State in 2014 but was reclaimed by Iraqi soldiers in November 2017. The move comes amid worsening relations with both Tehran and Iraq after a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack in December. The US retaliated by launching a drone strike in Baghdad on the Iranian elite forces general Qasem Soleimani, killing him and Iraqi militia leader Mahdi al-Muhandis on January 3 in a strike that brought Washington and Tehran to the brink of conflict.

The killings led to a vote by Iraqs parliament to expel all foreign troops from the country amid worsening relations between US and their coalition partner.

Last Wednesday two Americans and British Royal Army Medical Corps medic L-cpl Brodie Gillon were killed in a multiple rocket attack on the Taji airbase, near Baghdad. A second wave of 33 rockets hit on Saturday injuring dozens more. Iraqi media today reported a fresh attack on a base that hosts foreign troops, Basmaya camp, south of Baghdad, which has been a key coalition training base since 2015.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:

All appropriate measures are undertaken to prevent coronavirus spread in Azerbaijan, the Health Ministry's chief infectiologist Jalal Isayev told Trend on March 17.

In these terms Azerbaijan is ahead of most countries in the world. However, to prevent the virus spread, people themselves must follow the rules of hygiene, he said.

"An extremely important and timely step was the restriction of visits to Azerbaijan for citizens of neighboring countries - Turkey, Russia and Iran. Owing to effective preventive measures, the situation in Azerbaijan is relatively more favorable than in other countries. However, despite this, it is necessary to take the issue seriously and be aware of the threats reality," Isaev emphasized.

COVID-19 coronavirus continues rapidly spreading in many countries.

According to the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers, long incubation period of the virus, high rates of its spread and absence of relevant vaccine made the world countries toughen the measures. Given that the World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic, and based on its recommendations and requirements it became necessary to undertake a number of urgent measures in Azerbaijan.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's Interior minister in the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fathi Bachagha, on Tuesday spoke with a number of French civil defence officials, 'Civil Protection', on how to create field hospitals for natural disasters
By Express News Service

KAKINADA/GUNTUR/VISAKHAPATNAM/KURNOOL/VIJAYAWADA: Amid the threat of the COVID-19 outbreak, a 38-year old woman who returned to the State from Dubai a few days ago breathed her last in the wee hours of Monday at the Government General Hospital in Kakinada. She died due to herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE), Dr Kiran, nodal officer for coronavirus at Kakinada GGH told TNIE, adding that her samples were sent to the VRDL at SVIMS in Tirupati, and she tested negative for COVID-19. Her death sent ripples across the port town, with people refusing to believe the hospitals statement.

She was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state and was suffering from high fever, he further said. The woman flew from Dubai to Hyderabad on March 11, and then went to Machilipatnam in Krishna district by car to meet a friend. Two days later, she was taken to her native place Antarvedi, in East Godavari district, from where she was rushed to the Kakinada GGH in the early hours of Sunday.

We found her platelet count very low. Considering that she arrived from Dubai and was running a fever, we sent her samples to be tested for COVID-19. We also took an MRI scan of her brain and she was diagnosed with HSE, Dr Kiran said.

When asked if she was screened at Hyderabad and why she was not diagnosed there if she had a fever, the doctor said he was unaware of this. All we know is when she was brought to the hospital, she was unconscious and had a high fever. She may have taken medication for fever when she landed at Hyderabad, but we cant confirm this, he said.

Hospital authorities are in a dilemma as to whether to perform a post-mortem examination as her relatives are reluctant to share her details including her medical history.

As the report of the womans death sent ripples across the port town, people got worried and refused to buy the report presented by the hospital. They asked how the authorities were not aware of her until she reached the hospital if everyone arriving from abroad was being tracked.

Kakinada GGH authorities said that as of 7 pm on March 15, there were no fresh cases of people suspected to have COVID-19 at the hospital.On the other hand, two people suspected to have COVID-19 were admitted to Fever Hospital in Guntur on Sunday night and kept in the isolation ward. Their samples were sent to SVIMS in Tirupati and the results came back negative.

According to Guntur DMHO Dr Y Jasmin, one of the two people suspected to have contracted the virus is a research scholar from Acharya Nagarjuna University. She arrived from Vietnam on February 19 and was staying in the varsity hostel. After suffering from cold and cough for three days, she was admitted to Fever Hospital on Sunday night. Another woman came to Guntur from Nepal on February 20 and she too was suffering from cold and cough for a few days. She was admitted to the hospital and kept under observation.

Guntur district Collector Samuel Anand said that there is no need to panic as there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the district. Two people suspected to be infected were admitted to Fever Hospital. He warned of stern action against people spreading rumours on social media.

Another person suspected to have COVID-19 was admitted to Kurnool Government General Hospital on Monday. The 27-year-old engineer returned from Germany on March 4 and had a cold and fever for a few days. He was initially admitted to a private hospital but officials shifted him to the isolation ward in Kurnool GGH and sent his samples to VRDL at Tirupati for testing.

Hospital superintendent Dr GS Ram Prasad said a young engineer did not report himself to authorities after his return. We appeal to people arriving from abroad to report themselves to authorities and have themselves self-isolated for 14-days, he said. With rumours spreading that a 26-year old of Pullampet in Kadapa district had COVID-19 symptoms, medical and health officials rushed him to hovernment hospital in Kadapa and kept him isolation ward.

GoM calls for closure of edu institutions

After a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on coronavirus, the Central government proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till March 31, including closure of all educational institutions, gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres

AP to take call on shutting schools today?

The AP Education dept is yet to decide on closing schools & colleges. Officials are discussing it with the minister and university principals. They dont want to make a hasty decision and create panic, said APSCHE chairperson Prof Hemachandra Reddy. A decision is likely to be taken on Tuesday

Three test positive for swine flu

Three persons suspected to have COVID-19 on Monday tested positive for swine flu (H1N1). They were among the 24 people admitted to Chest Hospital in Visakhapatnam on suspicion of having contracted coronavirus

Unanswered questions

If she had a fever and was screened at the Hyderabad airport on arrival from Dubai, why wasnt she quarantined?

If all those who arrive from abroad are being tracked, why werent officials aware of her until she was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state?
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- Dordt University welcomed nursing students to the new Carl and Gloria Zylstra Nursing Education Center last fall.

The space includes a large classroom, skills lab, two simulation labs with control and debrief rooms, and faculty office spaces. The space will offer students the ability to have a hands-on learning experience in a safe environment.

The simulation lab allows all nursing students to have the opportunity to care for specific patients as they prepare to handle the challenges of todays health care system upon graduation, says Melanie Wynja, instructor of nursing and simulation director.

The simulation rooms include two high-fidelity manikins that can breathe and blink. The instructors control and talk through the manikin behind one-way glass in the control room. Both manikins can emulate a variety of health situations that occur in real life, including a manikin that can give birth. This will give students various health challenges to learn from, alongside the experiences they gain in their clinical settings.

In a clinical setting, a student may not have the opportunity to care for a patient whose heart stops. In the simulation labs we will have all nursing students experience this and other scenarios in a realistic and psychologically safe environment where it is OK to make mistakes and learn from them, Wynja says.

Dordts nursing program also recently underwent an update in curriculum, which correlates well with the construction of the new nursing facility.

The goal of Dordts nursing faculty is for students to use clinical reasoning when caring for patients, says Deb Bomgaars, chair of the nursing department. Clinical reasoning is understanding the whole person and being able to plan and intervene appropriately based on patient needs.

The program strives to prepare Christian nurses to approach every person in a distinct manner, as a human being created by God. With 116 in the program last fall, the nursing program became one of Dordts largest majors.

Our students faces lit up as they entered their new space, says Brandon Huisman, vice president for enrollment and marketing. These areas were intentionally designed for student flourishing, and were eager to instruct returning students and invite prospective students to take advantage of these wonderful resources.

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Former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, second from right, leaves the federal courthouse in San Diego on Tuesday. He was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison for campaign finance violations. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)

On Tuesday, a sordid chapter of California political history came to a close, with the sentencing of former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter to 11 months in federal prison.

Hunter, that upstanding pillar of Congress who was reelected in 2018 despite being under indictment for stealing about $250,000 in campaign funds, will report to prison on May 29.

Youve probably read about his profligacy  he illegally used campaign money for family trips, restaurant tabs, personal items and, according to prosecutors, to finance extramarital liaisons with at least five different women. He also spent at least $600 to fly Eggburt, his family's pet bunny, across the country.

Initially, Hunter denied the charges, claiming he was the victim of a partisan witch hunt. Then he blamed his wife, Margaret, for misusing the funds: "Whatever she did," he said, "that'll be looked at too, I'm sure, but I didn't do it." Then he demanded that reporters "keep my wife out of it."

By the time Hunter pleaded guilty in December 2019, his wife had been cooperating with authorities for months. With a husband like that, who could blame her? On April 7, when she is sentenced for her role in the scheme, her cooperation is expected to win her a far less severe penalty.

The fact that Hunter, a staunch conservative who essentially inherited his seat from his well-regarded father, was reelected under such a dark legal cloud says much about the ideological leanings of his district, the 50th, home to many active and retired military personnel.

Until Hunters indictment, his Democratic opponent in 2018, Ammar Campa-Najjar, had been considered a long shot in the conservative district, which includes eastern San Diego County and parts of Riverside County. Suddenly vulnerable, the wounded Hunter waged one of the most disingenuous and disgusting congressional campaigns races of the cycle.

Campa-Najjar, the son of a Palestinian father and a Mexican American mother, was demonized. Hunter resorted to Islamophobia, calling Campa-Najjar a security risk, accused him of trying to infiltrate Congress and predicted he would leak classified military information if he won.

Story continues

The vile tactics were successful; 2018s blue wave failed to touch the shores of the 50th, though it came very close. Campa-Najjar lost by only 3.4 percentage points.

Now that Hunter is out of the picture, the question is whether the district will move leftward, as so many other traditionally Republican Southern California districts did in 2018, or remain in the GOPs hands.

Campa-Najjar, 31, who describes himself as a cigar-smoking, gun-shooting, whiskey-drinking, devoutly Christian Democrat, has never stopped campaigning for the seat.

On March 3, he placed first in the primary, ahead of three Republicans, including second-place finisher Darrell Issa, 66, the former Republican congressman who represented the 49th district, which straddles Orange and San Diego counties.

When Issa, who was the richest member of Congress, could see his district was becoming Democratic, he tried moving leftward, shifting positions on issues such as funding for Planned Parenthood. But he could see the writing on the wall. In January 2018, he announced he would not seek reelection. (And indeed, Democrat Mike Levin won the open seat.)

Instead, Issa would try to secure a post in the Trump administration.

President Trump nominated him to lead the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. However, his nomination hit a roadblock in the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, as The Times Sarah D. Wire wrote amid concern over something in [his] FBI background file. What that something was remains a mystery, and the agency is currently led by an acting director.

Issa has now set his sights on Hunters former seat. As an Arab American himself, Issa can't run the kind of racially tinged campaign that worked for Hunter. But that doesn't mean he's not trying to appeal to his voters basest instincts.

In a recent fundraising appeal, Issa accused Campa-Najjar of being a Democrat-Socialist and of having a radical social agenda.

Make no mistake, Issa wrote in the March 3 missive, the left is manufacturing crisis after crisis, in an attempt to whip the American people into a frenzy. From wildfires to sea-level rise and even the outbreak of viruses. ... These latest end-of-times scenarios are just a desperate gasp.

Campa-Najjar found the Issa letter puzzling, noting that wildfires in the state have been deadly and that coronavirus has already killed dozens of Americans.

Im not going to go negative on his history, he said. Im going to focus on his record, his voting to cut Social Security and Medicare and wanting to raise the retirement age. Why should the 50th welcome a congressman that didnt win the favor of his own voters?

Given the fear-mongering employed in the last election, there is a certain irony that, regardless of who wins in November, the 50th will be represented by a congressman with Arab roots. That's what I call progress. We can thank Duncan Hunter for that.
On Sunday, the Dutch cabinet announced, after a weekend of discussion, that from March 16 through April 6, schools, restaurants bars and clubs will have to close. This also includes the world-famous coffee shops, better known for their provision of cannabis. Soon after the announcement, long queues formed with people hunting to stock up on dope.

The Netherlands is the latest country that decided to close down its schools. For days, the Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, had maintained it was not not necessary, as it was not demanded by health authorities. But an open letter written by top-doctors with Italian and Dutch universities tipped the balance.

Like in other European countries, the announcements triggered a run on super markets, with people stocking up on toilet paper, sanitary tissues and  cannabis, because the restaurant prohibition also meant that the coffee shops had to close.

Currently there are 576 coffeeshops in The Netherlands, but the number is going down as in 2019 fourteen of them had to close down because of criminal activities or after they were found to have stocked up too much produce.

The Netherlands has a policy of tolerance towards soft drugs. According to the Dutch Parliament website, "selling soft drugs in coffee shops is punishable, but the Prosecution Office will not prosecute the coffee shop on the condition that coffee shops observe the criteria," meaning that if they don't sell to minors, don't sell hard drugs and don't 'cause nuisance,' police officially looks the other way.

But the coronavirus finally blocked Dutch tolerance on cannabis.

At 17:30 local time, the government had announced all restaurants to be closed, and people came in droves to stock up, leaving with sometimes large backpacks full. Still, closure, even for a few weeks, will mean a large setback for the industry as it generates a yearly turnover of some on billion Euro per year.
Mumbai: The Board of Airlines Representatives in India (BALR) has sought a 30 per cent reduction in aeronautical charges for the next six months as a temporary relief to the industry, which is facing the brunt of "recessionary situation," due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a representation to Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola last week, the foreign airlines body said that the new coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak is adversely impacting the airline industry, and it is under tremendous pressure to survive this storm.

Aeronautical charges include those related to route and terminal navigation services. On Monday, Air India Pilot Unions too had urged the government to provide the national carrier financial assistance on similar grounds.

"The current situation is causing a lot of concern due to flight cancellations and travel restrictions imposed by various countries, and it is becoming difficult to sustain flight operations, thereby affecting the load factors of all airlines," the body said.

Moreover, the passenger numbers have declined considerably, which has badly affected the cash flow of the airlines, it said.

"We would, therefore, like to appeal to your office to offer relief measures to the airlines, by means of 30 per cent reduction in aeronautical charges for a period of six months," the airlines representatives said.

These charges, if reviewed onwards, will assist the airlines in continuing the existing operations at lower seat tractors, it added.

"The DGCA has, in fact, appealed to the airlines to refund to passengers, without deducting cancellation charges. The airlines are in the brunt of a recessionary situation with decrease private demand," the representation added.

BALR represents 36 international airlines, including Air France-KLM, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Air India as well as Vistara from India.
First Company to Help Canadians Feel Better About Their Money Through Free Online Financial Planning

Burlington, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - WealthyPlanet, a FinTech company that will offer free and holistic, online financial planning to millions of Canadians, today announced it has closed a seed funding round with Mercanti Management Inc.

WealthyPlanet helps everyday Canadians worry less about their money through the first free, easy-to-use online financial planning tool, plus access to low-fee products and live non-commissioned advisors.

Most qualified financial planners ignore 99% of people with portfolios less than $1M as it is not profitable for them. Canadians pay over $10B per year in financial services fees*. WealthyPlanet is targeting an important problem for middle-income families with no access to a comprehensive financial and life plan they can set, track and manage. The company plans to address some of the biggest concerns of Canadians including carrying too much debt, saving for retirement, and accessing optimized and cost-effective mortgage, insurance and investment products.

"Through a lifetime building financial services organizations and sitting with hundreds of clients at their kitchen tables, I've learned what middle-income families need and the financial planning gaps that persist in our current market," says John Podlewski, Founder and CEO of WealthyPlanet. "I'm excited to have gained the confidence of a local Hamilton and national business icon like Sam Mercanti and pleased to be Mercanti Management's first technology company investment."

"I trust John and his vision for WealthyPlanet because he's built successful businesses before and knows how to grow company teams and financial services sales efforts like no other," said Sam Mercanti, President of Mercanti Management Inc. "We are pleased to partner with WealthyPlanet, and we share the need to champion a better financial future and quality of life for Canadian families."

A limited Beta program to use the free online financial planning tool will be available soon. Anyone can sign up to reserve a spot at www.wealthyplanet.com

*CIBC World Markets, Vanier Institute of the Family, Canadian Life and Health Statistics

About WealthyPlanet:

WealthyPlanet gives everyday Canadians confidence about their financial future through a powerful and free online financial planning tool, cost-effective products and advice. We are a Burlington, Ontario-based FinTech company filling a need for most people that have no long-term financial plan or understanding of their one monthly contribution required to reach financial and life goals. www.wealthyplanet.com

For more information:

Linda Montgomery

VP Marketing

WealthyPlanet

linda@wealthyplanet.com

Michael Sproule

Mercanti Investments Inc.

michaelsproule@cogeco.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53517
The coverage on this live blog has ended  but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's Asia-Pacific team. All times below are in Eastern time. Global cases: More than 190,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Global deaths: At least 7,894, according to Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. cases: At least 5,894, according to Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. deaths: At least 97, according to Johns Hopkins University.

7:16 pm: Kroger CEO says company has hired 2,000 people and have 10,000 openings amid coronavirus demand

Kroger has hired more than 2,000 people in the last week to keep up with increased demand from the coronavirus outbreak, CEO Rodney McMullen told CNBC on Tuesday. Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., currently has more than 10,000 openings for positions across plants, warehouses and stores, McMullen said. Kroger, which also owns Harris Teeter and Fred Meyer, has about 460,000 employees, McMullen said. Grocers across the U.S. have struggled to keep shelves filled during the coronavirus outbreak as consumers stock up on food and items such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Kevin Stankiewicz

7:04 pm: Coronavirus has now spread to all 50 states, US death toll passes 100

The new coronavirus that's rapidly spreading throughout the U.S. reached all 50 states on Tuesday as the U.S. death toll also passed 100. The virus has now infected more than 5,809 people across the country and killed at least 100. There were just 62 confirmed cases of the rapidly spreading virus in the U.S. on March 1, according to the World Health Organization. Will Feuer

6:55 pm: Tesla factory is still open for business amid 'shelter in place' order

Tesla is keeping its Fremont, California car plant running during "shelter in place" orders initiated across counties in the San Francisco Bay Area to curb the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, including Alameda County where the factory is based. In the the "everybody" e-mail about remaining at work despite the efforts to contain COVID-19, CEO Elon Musk wrote: "I'd like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work. I will personally be at work, but that's just me. Totally ok if you want to stay home for any reason." Lora Lolodny

6:48 pm: Even with $1 trillion stimulus, hit to economy and employment from virus will be big

The double-barreled approach of a $1 trillion proposed fiscal stimulus program and Federal Reserve policy could help soften the blow of an economic recession and head off a potential financial crisis. The White House is seeking a stimulus package worth between $850 billion and $1 trillion that could result in emergency funds for individuals and assistance for small businesses and credit for industries hard hit by the reaction to the virus. But even with the proposed stimulus, the view of economic forecasters has become more dire in recent days as companies seeking cash strain credit markets and the shutdown of business activity sends shock waves across the economy.  Patti Domm

6:40 pm: Stock futures fall after market rebounds on hopes for $1 trillion stimulus to battle coronavirus

Stock futures dipped in overnight trading on Tuesday as the markets remained highly volatile with the government response to the coronavirus fallout unfolding. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 200 points, indicating a 400-point loss at Wednesday's open. The S&P 500 futures were also down 20 points. Yun Li

6:36 pm: Tower at Chicago's Midway airport is closed after 'several' air traffic controllers test positive

The air traffic control tower at Chicago's Midway International Airport was closed Tuesday after "several" technicians there tested positive for coronavirus, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The airport is still open but is operating at a reduced rate, according to the agency. "The air traffic control tower at Midway Airport is temporarily closing while we ensure a safe work environment for air traffic controllers and technicians," the FAA said in a statement. Leslie Josephs

6:25 pm: Updated map of US coronavirus cases, which now total more than 5,800

6:17 pm: Group run by former Google CEO to hold meeting with venture capitalists about ways to fight coronavirus

A group founded by the former CEO and executive chairman of Google is huddling with venture capitalists to discuss how they can quickly use their resources to help fight the coronavirus. Seth Bannon, a founding partner of venture capital firm Fifty Years, told CNBC in an interview that the group, Schmidt Futures, is hosting a conference call on Wednesday with philanthropists, including leaders of firms like Bannon's, to discuss groups they can start funding that are looking to combat COVID-19. Brian Schwartz

5:45: Pentagon to free up 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 ventilators for coronavirus efforts

The Pentagon says it will give 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 ventilators to the Department of Health and Human Services from the military's strategic reserve in order to support the coronavirus response. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Tuesday from the Pentagon press briefing room that 1 million respirator masks would be made available immediately. Amanda Macias

5:30 pm: Travel industry pushes for $150 billion in aid as coronavirus cripples business

The U.S. travel and tourism industry is seeking $150 billion in relief to help grapple with coronavirus pandemic that has ground travel to a halt. Lobbying groups representing the country's travel and tourism industry met the White House on Tuesday to meet with President Donald Trump and other officials to discuss the devastating economic impact of the pandemic. Lauren Hirsch

5 pm: Cisco says Webex video-calling service is seeing record usage too, even as competitor Zoom draws all the attention

Zoom has enjoyed plenty of attention for outperforming market indices this year. That's because more people are using its videoconference software to meet with colleagues, clients and classmates as schools and businesses send employees home to duck the COVID-19 coronavirus. You might not know know it, but legacy enterprise technology company Cisco is also seeing heavy-duty usage of its Zoom competitor, Webex, where Zoom CEO Eric Yuan was once vice president of engineering. Webex was founded in 1995 and acquired by Cisco in 2007, long before the Zoom initial public offering in 2019. It isn't trendy in Silicon Valley. But users don't care -- they're flocking to it anyway. Jordan Novet

4:40 pm: The 2020 Olympics are still happening, insists the IOC  but skepticism is starting to creep in

A man, wearing a protective mask following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is pictured in front of a banner for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, March 12, 2020. Edgard Garrido | REUTERS

The 2020 Summer Olympics haven't been canceled or postponed. But people are starting to consider the possibility that they'll be the next major event to go. The Olympics are set to start July 24 in Tokyo. Yesterday, French Olympic Committee president Denis Masseglia told Reuters that if the COVID-19 coronavirus isn't contained by the end of May, he couldn't see how the Olympics could happen on time. The comment contradicted Japan's Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto, who said March 13 that "The IOC and the organizing committee are not considering cancellation or a postponement  absolutely not at all." The IOC reinforced its commitment to starting the Olympics on time in a statement Tuesday, but hedged Hashimoto's statement by saying there is "no need for any drastic decisions at this stage." Jabari Young, Alex Sherman

4:30 pm: The SATs have been canceled through May because of coronavirus

On March 16, the College Board, the organization responsible for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests, known as the SATs, announced that the exam has been canceled through the month of May. "In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), the College Board is canceling the May 2, 2020, SAT administration. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled March 28) are also canceled. Registered students will receive refunds," reads a statement from The College Board. "The College Board will remain focused on student safety and ensuring all students have the tools they need to work, and opportunities to receive the credit they have earned, during this challenging time." Abigail Hess

4:17 pm: Brooklyn Nets say 4 players have tested positive for the coronavirus

Commuters make their way through the Atlantic Center Barclays subway station on March 17, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Victor J. Blue | Getty Images

The NBA's Brooklyn Nets said four players tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and one player is exhibiting symptoms. Three of the players are asymptomatic and all four are currently isolated and under the care of team physicians. The team is asking all players and members of the travel party to remain isolated and to communicate with team medical staff. One of the players who tested positive is Kevin Durant, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Kevin Durant tested positive for coronavirus, Durant tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Durant says he is feeling fine: "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this." New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked at a press conference whether there was a cluster of cases in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, which is near where the team plays at the Barclays Center. But he denied any knowledge of an outbreak in the popular neighborhood. Dawn Kopecki, Melodie Warner

4 pm: Dow rebounds more than 1,000 points as Trump seeks $1 trillion in stimulus for coronavirus fight

Stocks surged Tuesday  rebounding from their worst day in more than three decades  as Wall Street cheered White House plans that could inject $1 trillion into the U.S. economy to cushion the blow of the coronavirus. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 900 points higher, or 4.7%. It briefly dipped below 20,000 for the first time since February 2017. The S&P 500 was up 4.6% while the Nasdaq Composite gained 6%. Fred Imbert

3:15 pm: Social Security offices close due to coronavirus. Here's what that means for you

The Social Security Administration is closing all of its local offices to the public starting on Tuesday due to coronavirus. "This decision protects the population we serve  older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions  and our employees during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," the Social Security Administration said in a statement. Local offices will still be available by phone with a priority on critical services, the agency said. That includes benefit payments for those who did not receive their checks or need them reinstated; cases with severe blindness, disability or terminal illness; and eligibility decisions needed for urgent Medicaid approval. Lorie Konish

3 pm: Sephora, Ulta and other beauty brands shutter stores, shift to online sales as coronavirus spreads

As Sephora, Ulta Beauty and other makeup stores temporarily shutter, they'll join a growing list of retailers roiled by the coronavirus outbreak, but they face unique challenges. Closed stores will suspend many of the retailers' typical sales techniques: Tester stations, one-on-one beauty advice and complimentary makeovers. And the retailers will have to overcome potential changes in customers' habits, as people cut back on social gatherings and work from home. Melissa Repko

2:52 pm: Trump seeks stimulus package potentially worth more than $1 trillion

The White House is seeking a stimulus package worth anywhere from $850 billion to over $1 trillion as the Trump administration looks to battle the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a source familiar with the matter. An administration official said the package could include: $500 billion to $550 in direct payments or tax cuts

$200 billion to $300 billion in small business assistance

$50 billion to $100 billion in airline and industry relief The developments came hours after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the Trump administration wants to get emergency funds in Americans' pockets "immediately" amid the crisis. Kevin Breuninger, Lauren Hirsch, Kayla Tausche

2:43 pm: New York City weighing 'shelter-in-place order'

A person wearing a face mask cross over the Brooklyn Bridge on March 17, 2020 in New York City. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images

New Yorkers should prepare for a "shelter-in-place" order in the coming days, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said, adding that a decision will be made in the next 48 hours. "We are all deeply concerned ... this is quite clear this is a fast growing crisis," he said at a press conference. "All New Yorkers, even though a decision has not been made by the city or the state, I think that all New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order." Noah Higgins-Dunn

2:35 pm: Dow rebounds by 1,000 points

Stocks surged in volatile trading as Wall Street cheered White House plans and new actions by the Federal Reserve to cushion the economic blow of the coronavirus. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 1,086 points higher, or 5.4%. The 30-stock average traded more than 200 points lower at one point and briefly surged more than 1,000 points. It also dipped below 20,000 for the first time since February 2017. The S&P 500 was up 6.1% after briefly trading lower on the day. The Nasdaq Composite gained 6.1%. It was also down earlier in the session. Fred Imbert

2:29 pm: NYC mayor updates the public

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is again addressing the public, two days after the city announced widespread restrictions on restaurants and bars. Earlier on Tuesday, New York state health officials announced the state's case count had jumped to about 1,700. You can watch de Blasio's live press conference here. Sara Salinas

2:23 pm: Treasury and IRS delay tax season deadline

The federal government will give filers 90 days to pay income taxes due for 2019 on up to $1 million in tax owed, Mnuchin said said at a press conference. The reprieve on that amount would cover many pass-through entities and small businesses, he said. Corporate filers would get the same length of time to pay amounts due on up to $10 million in taxes owed, Mnuchin said. During that three-month deferral period, taxpayers won't be subject to interest and penalties, he said. Darla Mercado

2:12 pm: Lyft pauses shared rides to slow outbreak

A Lyft logo is installed on a Lyft driver's car next to an Uber sticker in Pittsburgh. Gene J. Puskar | AP

Lyft joined Uber in suspending shared rides across all of its markets because of the coronavirus. "The health and safety of the Lyft community is our top priority, and we're dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19," the company said in a statement on Twitter. "We will continue to monitor the situation closely and base our actions on official guidance." Uber suspended pooled rides in the U.S., Canada, London and Paris. Hannah Miller

2:05 pm: UAW calls for two-week shutdown of Big 3 auto plants

The United Auto Workers union has asked the Big Three Detroit automakers to shut down production for two weeks to safeguard its members from the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter to union members, UAW President Rory Gamble said Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler haven't been willing to implement the request. A task force meeting is scheduled for later today. Noah Higgins-Dunn, Christina Cheddar-Berk

1:54 pm: Coronavirus could finally turn universal basic income into political reality

Not until a global pandemic landed in the U.S., forcing the widespread closure of businesses across cities and states, did the concept of universal basic income move from the labs of northern California into the mainstream. Policymakers are rapidly discovering that, with income poised to completely dry up for workers at restaurants, bars, movie theaters and hotels, millions of non-salaried Americans living paycheck to paycheck could soon be unable to afford food, rent and utility bills. Putting cash in their pockets may be the most efficient way to ease the burden. Ari Levy

1:51 pm: Apple Card users can request to skip their March payment, penalty-free

On Sunday, the Goldman Sachs-backed Apple Card emailed its customers to offer support as more and more consumers are bracing for the negative economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Beginning immediately, cardmembers can contact Apple Card Support and request to enroll in Apple's Customer Assistance Program. Upon enrollment, you will be able to skip your March credit card payment without incurring interest charges. "We're here to help," says Apple in its email to customers. Megan DeMatteo

1:46 pm: Disney pushes 'Black Widow' from May 1 release

Disney has postponed the May 1 release date of its much anticipated Marvel flick "Black Widow" as theaters across the country shutter amid the coronavirus outbreak. A new release date has not yet been determined. The movie is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an expansive, interconnected collection of films that act as puzzle pieces in a much bigger, overarching story. Moving "Black Widow" could have a "cascading effect" on the rest of the MCU releases, Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com, said. Sarah Whitten

1:40 pm: UK pledges almost $400 billion to help businesses

The U.K. government has announced a raft of new financial measures to help businesses under strain from the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at the government's new daily press conference regarding the outbreak of coronavirus in the U.K., Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced announcing 330 billion ($398 billion) of government-backed loans and guarantees "We will support jobs, we will support incomes and we will support businesses ... we will do whatever it takes," he said. "That means any businesses that needs access to cash ...will be able to access a government-backed loan," he said. Sunak noted that the government interventions in the economy being announced were "unimaginable" just weeks ago. Holly Ellyatt

1:34 pm: Chief mortgage regulator working on plan for potential spike in delinquencies from coronavirus

As the growing economic impacts of the coronavirus roll through the nation, some of the nation's largest mortgage lenders are already getting calls from borrowers, concerned they won't be able to make their monthly payments. Both government and independent regulators for the mortgage industry are now working on plans to deter another foreclosure crisis. While it takes 90 days for a loan to become delinquent officially, the expectation is that there will certainly be a spike. Diana Olick

1:29 pm: Marriott furloughs employees

Many of Marriott International's employees will have reduced hours or go on temporary leave because of the coronavirus, according to a company statement. "As travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world become more widespread, we are experiencing significant drops in demand at properties globally with an uncertain duration. We are adjusting global operations accordingly," the statement said. Employees will keep their health benefits while on leave and will continue to be eligible for company-paid, short-term disability that provides income protection in the event they become sick. Hannah Miller

1:20 pm: Italy reports 345 new coronavirus deaths, lifting total death toll to 2,503

Medical workers wearing a face make and protection gear help a patient on a stretcher suspected of having COVID-19, inside the new coronavirus intensive care unit of the Brescia Poliambulanza hospital, Lombardy, on March 17, 2020. Piero Cruciatti | AFP | Getty Images

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen in the last 24 hours by 345 to 2,503, an increase of 16%, the Civil Protection Agency said. The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 31,506 from a previous 27,980, up 12.6%, the slowest rate of increase since the contagion came to light on Feb. 21. Of those originally infected, 2,941 had fully recovered compared to 2,749 the day before. Some 2,060 people were in intensive care against a previous 1,851. Reuters

1:02 pm: US airline stocks rally

Several U.S. airlines reversed from multi-year lows after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Trump administration is seeking to pass an aid package for the ailing sector and others "very quickly." American Airlines surged more than 7%, while Southwest Airlines was up more than 4%. Alaska Air rose close to 9%. Delta was little changed. United was still down 3% but off the day's lows, after Mnuchin's comments. Leslie Josephs

12:54 pm: US coronavirus cases surpass 5,000, up fivefold from a week ago

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 5,000 in the United States, increasing fivefold over seven days as states ramp up testing and the new flu-like coronavirus sweeps across the country. Across the country, the virus has infected more than 5,145 and killed at least 91 people as of noon ET, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the virus has infected more than 189,386 people and killed at least 7,504, according to Hopkins. The number of cases changes by the minute as test results roll in and countries and U.S. states expand their testing capacity. Will Feuer

12:49 pm: Tennis' French Open postponed until fall

The French Open has been delayed until the fall because of the coronavirus, the tournament's organizers announced. Initially scheduled for May 24 to June 7, the tennis season's second Grand Slam will now take place Sept. 20 to Oct. 4. "While no one today can predict what the health situation will be like on May 18 (when qualifications were due to start), the lockdown measures in force make it impossible to prepare for it and therefore to organize it on the dates initially planned," the French tennis federation said in a statement. Hannah Miller

12:44 pm: Apple stores in U.S. closed 'until further notice'

Apple's U.S. retail stores are closed 'until further notice,' according to a notice posted on the company's website. On Monday, the Trump administration urged Americans not to gather in groups of more than 10 people amid increasing concerns about the spread of coronavirus. However, other countries as well as local governments have implemented health guidelines differently, which will affect how quickly Apple can re-open its stores. Kif Leswing

12:35 pm: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says financial markets will stay open, but could shorten trading hours

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Wall Street and the White House are committed to keeping financial markets operating, even if it means reducing hours at some point. "Everybody wants to keep it open," Mnuchin said at a news conference, responding to a question about stock market operations. "We may get to a point where we shorten the hours if that's something they need to do. But Americans should know we are going to do everything to make sure that they have access to the money in their banks, to the money in their 401(k)s and to money in stocks." Jeff Cox

12:28 pm: Poland closes border to foreigners, causing major traffic jams

Trucks are jammed on the motorway A4 Dresden - Gorlitz near Bautzen. Robert Michael | picture alliance | Getty Images

Poland is largely closed off to foreigners, resulting in massive traffic jams on its borders with Germany, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. In Lithuania, trucks seeking to enter Poland were backed up in a line 37 miles long, and the country has sent military planes and trains to Germany to help hundreds of its citizens who are stuck at crossing points with Poland. German police organized a convoy of vehicles to a ferry port on one of its Baltic Sea islands to help stranded citizens from Estonia and Lithuania get home. Hannah Miller

12:23 pm: No blank check for airlines seeking coronavirus aid after spending $39 billion on stock buybacks, unions say

The more than $50 billion in government aid U.S. airlines are seeking as coronavirus ravages their businesses must include worker and consumer protections, some lawmakers and labor unions said. Airlines are reeling from what executives have called an unprecedented collapse in travel demand as COVID-19 spreads, prompting millions of Americans to stay at home. More than 4,600 cases of coronavirus have been detected so far in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. As a result, airlines are culling thousands of flights, parking airplanes, deferring orders and asking workers to take unpaid leave in a bid to preserve cash. U.S. airlines employ close to 750,000 people. Leslie Josephs, Lauren Hirsch

12:16 pm: Ads featuring oxygen masks, finger-licking and hugs all put on hold due to coronavirus

A U.K. TV ad campaign featuring people eating KFC's fried chicken and sensuously licking their fingers has been paused in light of the outbreak, as health bodies around the world encourage people to frequently and thoroughly wash their hands and avoid personal contact. It didn't seem like the right time to air the ads, according to a KFC U.K. spokesperson. "We've decided to pause it for now  but we're really proud of it and look forward to bringing it back at a later date," the spokesperson told CNBC via email on Monday. KFC, which is owned by Yum Brands, coined its catchphrase "finger-lickin' good" more than 60 years ago. Lucy Handley

12:08 pm: Mnuchin says Trump administration is looking to get cash to Americans 'immediately'

U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by members of the Coronavirus Task Force, speaks about the coronavirus in the press briefing room at the White House on March 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer | Getty Images

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the Trump administration wants to get emergency funds in Americans' pockets "immediately" amid the coronavirus crisis. "Americans need cash now," Mnuchin said during a White House press briefing on the administration's latest efforts to combat the disease. "I mean now in the next two weeks." Kevin Breuninger

12:01 pm: Facebook to give $1,000 bonuses to employees to deal with coronavirus fallout

Facebook told employees that it would give each of them $1,000 bonuses in an effort to support its workforce working remotely as they wait out the coronavirus pandemic, a source close to the situation told CNBC's Julia Boorstin. The Information first reported that Facebook would offer bonuses to employees. The announcement was made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an internal note to employees. Facebook employs nearly 45,000 full-time workers, according to a January financial filing, but it also employs several thousands more contract workers. It is unclear if those contractors will also receive a bonus. Sal Rodriguez

11:53 am: NBCU, ViacomCBS, Walt Disney Television and other media companies will run new coronavirus PSAs

The Ad Council says it's working with the White House, the CDC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and media companies to show public service ads across major media platforms that discuss social distancing, personal hygiene and mental health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ad Council is a nonprofit that makes and distributes public service announcements, including campaigns such as "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" and "Smokey Bear," and has distributed information during times of crisis including the period after Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina. Megan Graham

11:47 am: Trump urges national restaurant chains to utilize drive-thru, pickup and delivery

President Donald Trump spoke with executives of the largest U.S. restaurant companies on Tuesday about the national response to the coronavirus outbreak. The White House said that the executives all committed to encouraging customers to use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options. Participants on the call with Trump included the CEOs of Domino's Pizza, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Restaurant Brands International, Bloomin' Brands, Yum Brands, Darden Restaurants, Papa John's, Wendy's and Raising Cane's. McDonald's U.S. president also participated. Some of the chains have already closed their U.S. dining rooms to reduce the spread of the virus. Amelia Lucas

11:42 am: WHO urges Europe to learn from China, take 'boldest' action possible to tackle coronavirus

The WHO urged Europe to ratchet up its efforts when tackling the coronavirus pandemic, pointing to a decline in the rate of new cases in China as evidence that bold action does work to reduce the spread. More than 185,000 cases of the coronavirus had been reported worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with 7,330 deaths. Europe has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, with one-third of globally reported cases now stemming from the region. Italy has recorded the most cases of COVID-19 in the region, with nearly 28,000 confirmed infections and 2,158 deaths nationwide. Sam Meredith

11:32 am: Dow rebounds by 500 points following third-worst day ever, helped by more Federal Reserve actions

A trader stands outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Monday, March 16, 2020. Gabriela Bhaskas | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Stocks swung wildly as Wall Street struggled to recover from its worst day in more than 30 years amid more monetary stimulus and progress on a possible treatment for the coronavirus. The S&P 500 was up 3.8% after briefly trading lower on the day. The Nasdaq Composite gained 4.1%. It was also down earlier in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded more than 500 points higher, or about 2.5%. The 30-stock average was briefly up more than 600 points and traded more than 200 points lower at one point. It also dipped below 20,000 for the first time since February 2017. Fred Imbert

11:26 am: Mark Cuban calls for rules on government aid to companies: 'We need to make sure all employees benefit'

Billionaire Mark Cuban said that government assistance to companies hit by the coronavirus pandemic should come with provisions to curb income inequality between executives and workers. Cuban said on Twitter that any incentives used by those companies to pay executives  including equity or re-pricing existing stock options  should not be allowed unless all employees benefit. "If we are going to bail out companies we need to make sure all employees benefit from a turnaround, not just execs," he said. Jesse Pound

11:13 am: NY state cases soar to about 1,700, hospitalizing 19%

The COVID-19 outbreak in New York state has spread to about 1,700 people, hospitalizing 19% of them and killing at least 12, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. Cuomo said at least 264 New Yorkers, or 19% of the known cases, have been hospitalized with COVID-19. The number of New Yorkers hospitalized with the virus is higher than average, Cuomo said during a press briefing on the COVID-19 outbreak spreading throughout the state. The state is scrambling to expand its hospital capacity to handle an influx of cases before infections peak here, he said. New York currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds, far short of what state health officials are predicting will be needed, he said. They estimate the state will need between 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds and at least 55,000 hospital beds at the peak of the outbreak across the state, which he predicted will take about 45 days. Berkeley Lovelace Jr., Noah Higgins-Dunn

11:08 am: Amazon prioritizes household staples and medical supplies from merchants

Amazon is telling third-party merchants it's "temporarily prioritizing" household staples, medical supplies and other product categories in response to a surge in demand from the coronavirus outbreak. The change went into effect Tuesday and is expected to last until April 5, according to a document obtained by CNBC. It only applies to Amazon's U.S. and EU marketplaces. Amazon said it made the decision to prioritize these shipments so it "can more quickly receive, restock and ship these products to customers," adding that it's "working around the clock to ensure availability on these essential products." The company told sellers it will notify them once it resumes regular operations. Annie Palmer

11:04 am: ESPN reveals how it will move forward without live sports, including 'stunt event programming'

ESPN Mike Windle | ESPN | Getty Images

Disney's ESPN released its first details on how it plans to fill programming on its networks with collegiate and professional sports canceled during the coronavirus outbreak, including airing classic games and "stunt event programming," ESPN published a transcript of an interview between Burke Magnus, executive vice president of programming acquisitions and scheduling, and Front Row, a website dedicated to the internal workings of ESPN. While ESPN hasn't made decisions about what "stunt event programming" it has in mind, Magnus referred to "ESPN8: The Ocho," an annual event ESPN has run on ESPN2 as a takeoff of the movie "Dodgeball," where events such as "Acrobatic Pizza Trials" and "Cherry Pit Spitting" have been packaged together to create a makeshift tournament of oddball events. Alex Sherman

10:58 am: Fed announces another $500 billion operation for overnight repo funding markets

The Federal Reserve is continuing to provide support for short-term bank funding, as it will institute another $500 billion repo operation Tuesday afternoon amid intensifying funding pressures. In the latest operation, the Fed will conduct another operation that comes on top of a similar offering Monday. The central bank's New York trading desk has been aiming to quell disruptions in the overnight funding markets where banks go to get operating capital. This latest move comes on top of up to $1.5 trillion announced last week. Repo involves banks posting high-quality collateral for reserves used to operate. The minimum bid for the repo operations as been 0.1%. The repo operations follow other liquidity measures from the Fed aimed at getting banks to keep money moving through the economy. Along with the aggressive liquidity measures, the Fed also has cut its benchmark borrowing rate 150 basis points, or 1.5 percentage points, over the past few weeks. Jeff Cox

10:51 am: Fed announces move to help businesses get short-term funding

The Federal Reserve said it is providing help to companies that are having a hard time getting the short-term funding they need to operate. In a move much anticipated on Wall Street, the bank announced a special credit facility to purchase corporate paper from issuers that have been having a difficult time finding buyers on the open market. Corporate paper involves unsecured short-term lending. The one-day facility, under the Fed's emergency 13(3) powers of the Federal Reserve Act, will involve three-month paper for eligible companies. The cost will be the three-month overnight index swap rate plus 200 points. Jeff Cox

10:40 am: Outgoing Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney under voluntary quarantine

Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, arrives to a news conference in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Outgoing White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is in self-quarantine in South Carolina after his niece got sick in the wake of interaction with the Brazilian delegation at the Trump resort Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Mulvaney has no symptoms now, a senior administration official said. Mulvaney's niece, who shares his residence in Washington, D.C., has made a full recovery but was ill for three to four days last week. Her test results for coronavirus are still pending, but she has tested negative for ordinary flu. Mulvaney had no contact with President Donald Trump after Thursday morning, the senior administration official said. Mulvaney left Friday morning because of the incubation period. He had zero contact with the president after his test, which came back negative. The White House doctor has been in the loop on it all. Eamon Javers

10:24 am: Homebuilder sentiment falls, as virus fears begin to factor in

A monthly measure of homebuilder sentiment only partially reflected the escalating economic effects of the coronavirus. Sentiment fell 2 points to 72 in March, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Sentiment levels have stayed in a tight range in the low- to mid-70s for the past six months. Anything above 50 is considered positive. The HMI stood at 62 in March 2019. Potential buyers worry about being out in public and about their financial health, as the stock market craters and businesses shut down. Real estate agents for existing homes saw a significant slowdown in buyer traffic at Sunday open houses this past weekend. Some companies have chosen to cancel open houses. Diana Olick

10:21 am: Cisco CEO: Customers spent 5.5 billion minutes in virtual meetings this month

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins told CNBC that the company's video conferencing platform Webex saw a surge in user activity since the beginning of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. "In the first 11 business days of March, we've had 5.5 billion meeting minutes," Robbins said on "Squawk on the Street." "Yesterday we held 3.2 million meetings globally on Webex, and that doesn't include one on ones. Those are multi-individual meetings." Companies are shifting operations online in a bid to slow COVID-19. In the United States, at least 4,661 coronavirus cases have been confirmed and at least 85 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Jessica Bursztynsky

10:18 am: Trump attacks Cuomo again on coronavirus response: 'Andrew, keep politics out of it'

President Donald Trump Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images

President Donald Trump and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo traded insults on Twitter, ramping up their attacks on each other over their efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo said Monday the federal government has been "behind from day one of this crisis." Trump replied on social media that "Cuomo of New York has to 'do more.'" Cuomo was quick to hit back: "I have to do more? No  YOU have to do something! You're supposed to be the President." Trump took another swing at Cuomo on Tuesday morning, admonishing the New York governor to "keep politics out of" the coronavirus response. Kevin Breuninger

10:09 am: America must confront 'how we're going to live with' coronavirus, disease specialist says

The coronavirus will be here for "many, many months" and the country must decide on a path forward, infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm told CNBC. The world is still far from rolling out a vaccine, Osterholm noted, and until then, COVID-19 will present a threat to everyone, especially those most at risk. "We have to continue to consider what it means to die from this virus. It's a very, very difficult and tragic situation. We also have to have a conversation about how we're going to live with it. We have to figure that out," the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "Do we envision an America that for the next 18 months will be in complete lockdown?" Will Feuer

9:59 am: Connecticut governor: 'I am worried' about ventilator availability if cases surge

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont told CNBC he's concerned that the number of ventilators in the state wouldn't be enough to handle a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases. "We have a long way to go there," Lamont said on "Squawk Box." "We do have some capacity there at this point, but I am worried. If we cannot flatten that curve, as they say, we could be overwhelmed." The Democratic Lamont said that is why social-distancing efforts are so critical. He said they are necessary to ensure a flattening of the curve  essentially trying to limit the surge of coronavirus cases. Kevin Stankiewicz

9:54 am: Facebook announces $100 million program for struggling small businesses

Facebook announced a $100 million program to help small businesses as governments throughout the country urge gyms and restaurants to close their doors to slow the coronavirus pandemic. In a blog post announcing the grants, Facebook said, "We know that your business may be experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. We've heard that a little financial support can go a long way, so we are offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time." Facebook said the grants will be available for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries. That would be an average of $3,333 per business. It could help businesses experiencing a sharp drop in traffic, but it's a fraction of Facebook's typical revenue. The company generated $21.08 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019 alone. Lauren Feiner

9:50 am: Trump administration wants an $850 billion stimulus plan, reports say

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin heads to the Capitol today to discuss a third coronavirus response package with Senate Republicans as policymakers try to stave off economic calamity. The Trump administration wants an $850 billion economic stimulus plan, Politico and The Washington Post reported. The White House's proposal would include about $50 billion in aid to an airline industry battered by the global pandemic, according to the Post. Congress already passed $8.3 billion in emergency funding to help stop the coronavirus disease's spread. A separate plan to expand paid leave benefits, boost unemployment insurance and make testing more affordable is working its way through the Capitol this week. Jacob Pramuk

9:43 am: US travel industry lobby heads to the White House

US Vice President Mike Pence and members of the CONVID-19 task force speak to the press at the White House March 10, 2020, in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images

Lobbying groups representing the country's travel and tourism industry are headed to the White House today to meet with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials to discuss the industry's response to the coronavirus pandemic and the "catastrophic economic impact on the hotel industry, its employees and U.S. economy," U.S. Travel Association and American Hotel and Lodging Association confirmed. The lobbying groups represent Carnival, Walt Disney, Expedia, Hilton, and MGM International, as well as a plethora of small businesses impacted by the pandemic. Travel Economics is forecasting a 10% drop in international visits to the U.S. a year, about double the decline the U.S. faced during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in 2003. This implies 8.2 million lost visitors in one year, even more than the 7.7 million international travelers lost in 2001 and 2002, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In all, it anticipates 825,000 jobs could be lost in the industry. The lobby groups have asked for a number of relief measures, including tax credits for employee retention, the deferment of quarterly tax payments, and the ability to carry back net-operating-losses, CNBC has reported. It is unclear what measures the White House is currently considering. Lauren Hirsch

9:33 am: Stocks bounce as Wall Street attempts rebound from the Dow's third-worst day ever

Stocks jumped as Wall Street tried to recover from its worst day in more than 30 years amid signs of potential fiscal stimulus and progress on a possible treatment for COVID-19. Trading overnight was volatile with Dow futures giving back more than 1,000 points as investors try to weigh the uncertain economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Those moves came after Politico and The Washington Post reported that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will ask congressional lawmakers for a stimulus package of $850 billion or more to help the U.S. economy grapple with the impact of the coronavirus. Fred Imbert

9:30 am: Senators push to let all Americans vote by mail

Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden are pushing to make vote-by-mail available to every American as the coronavirus pandemic threatens to keep people at home during election season. "The best way to ensure that this virus doesn't keep people from the ballot box is to bring the ballot box to them. We must allow every American the ability to vote by mail," the two lawmakers wrote in an opinion article in The Washington Post published on Monday. "And we must expand early voting so that voters who are not able to vote by mail are not exposed to the elevated infection risks of long lines and crowded polling locations." Tucker Higgins

9:27 am: Fed's Kashkari says 'we are using our tools aggressively,' doesn't see negative rates

Neel Kashkari Anjali Sundaram | CNBC

Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari said the central bank still has monetary policy options to deal with the coronavirus crisis, though negative interest rates still are unlikely. In a CNBC interview, Kashkari called on Congress to act in situations like a potential bailout for the airline industry. He said the Fed is in the "fourth round" of responders to the crisis, behind health care professionals, the public and Congress. "We are not at the front line of this," he said on "Squawk Box." "But we do have a job to do and we are using our tools aggressively to try to make sure the financial system is ultimately working." Jeff Cox

9:20 am: Oil prices could hit teens in coming weeks as markets crater over coronavirus and price war

An end to the oil price plunge is nowhere in sight, energy experts say, as futures of international benchmark Brent crude fell below $30 a barrel Monday for the first time since 2016. That's a stunning 54% drop year-to-date. "Oil could easily be in the teens at the bottom. Could even be low teens at the lowest," Abhi Rajendran, director of research at Energy Intelligence, told CNBC on Monday. Energy stocks have been hammered as demand plummets amid the escalating coronavirus crisis, but moves by state actors to unleash a flood of supply are driving them decisively into the ground. Natasha Turak

9:18 am: NY has the most cases in the US, West Virginia only state without a reported case

9:14 am: Uber suspends pooled rides in US and Canada to limit coronavirus spread

Uber Technologies began suspending shared rides on its ride-hailing platform in the United States and Canada to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The pooled option, which allows riders to book trips at lower prices by sharing the car with up to three other passengers traveling in the same direction, has been disabled for users opening the apps in the two countries. "Our goal is to help flatten the curve on community spread in the cities we serve," senior vice president Uber Rides and Platform Andrew Macdonald said in a statement. Reuters

9:09 am: Euro 2020 soccer tournament postponed until 2021

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has postponed the Euro 2020 soccer tournament to June 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Norwegian Football Association. It comes after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had organized a video conference meeting for all 55 of the group's associations Tuesday morning. Sam Meredith

8:40 am: Morgan Stanley expects a global recession this year

Morgan Stanley's chief economist Chetan Ahya told investors that a "global recession in 2020 is now our base case." Morgan Stanley said the coronavirus pandemic is fundamentally disrupting the world's economy, forecasting the lowest global economic growth "since the global financial crisis." Michael Sheetz

8:36 am: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson released from hospital after coronavirus treatment

(L-R) Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks attend the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. Steve Granitz | WireImage | Getty Images

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have been released from an Australian hospital after being treated for the new coronavirus. The couple is now in self-quarantine, their son Chet Hanks said in a video message on his Instagram account. Holly Ellyatt

8:18 am: Former Obama health official says you should be able to test yourself 'in the comfort of your own quarantined home'

There's still a major shortage of testing capacity in the U.S., Dr. Kavita Patel, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institute, told CNBC's "Squawk Box." Patel, who served as director of policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement under Obama, said that even hospitals that have test kits in supply, are running out of the necessary reagents or other supplies like cotton swabs and specific chemicals. She said there's no reason an at-home test could not be developed and made available to Americans across the country. "A test kit, just like anything else in our lives these days, can come to you even in the same day," she said. "Doing it in the comfort of your own quarantined home makes a lot of sense." Will Feuer

7:53 am: Nordstrom to close all of its stores in the US

Nordstrom is temporarily closing all of its stores due to COVID-19. The retailer has also withdrawn its 2020 earnings outlook. Nordstrom said it has experienced "a broad-based deceleration in customer demand over the past couple of weeks, particularly in markets most affected by the virus." The Seattle-based chain will close all of its locations, including its off-price division Nordstrom Rack, in the U.S. and Canada beginning Tuesday, for two weeks. Nordstrom said it will continue to offer pay and benefits to store workers at this time. Lauren Thomas

7:15 am: Antibody treatment could be ready for human testing by early summer

A researcher working with Doctor Paul McKay (unseen), who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, uses a pipette controller to express coronavirus onto surface protein to apply cell cultures, in a research lab at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in London on February 10, 2020. Tolga Akmen | AFP | Getty Images

Biotech giant Regeneron said it aims to have doses of a potential drug for COVID-19 ready to start human clinical trials by early summer. The approach involves creating antibodies to the virus that could be used to treat the disease and to prevent it, Regeneron said in a statement. The company had previously said it aimed to have hundreds of thousands of doses ready for human testing in late summer, so the new goal is a significant acceleration. Regeneron said it plans to start large-scale manufacturing by the middle of next month and still plans to ramp up to hundreds of thousands of preventive doses a month by the end of summer. Meg Tirrell

7:10 am: Spain's cases surpass 10,000, death toll rises

The total number of confirmed cases in Spain surpassed 10,000 and the number of fatalities rose to 491, said Fernando Simon, the head of the country's health emergency center. He said the number of cases rose to 11,178, up from a previous tally of 9,161 cases on Monday. Reuters

5:20 am: Iran has temporarily freed 85,000 prisoners, including political ones

A citizen wears a medical mask as a precaution against coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 01, 2020 in Tehran, Iran. Anadolu Agency

Iran has temporarily freed about 85,000 prisoners, including political prisoners, a spokesman for its judiciary said, according to Reuters, as it reacts to the coronavirus epidemic in the country. "Some 50% of those released are security-related prisoners. ... Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," Gholamhossein Esmaili said. Iran has one of the worst outbreaks outside China, where the virus originated. Its death toll has reached 853 and a total of 14,991 people have been confirmed to have the virus. Esmaili did not elaborate on when those released would have to return to jail. Holly Ellyatt

5:15 am: Macron warns 'we are at war' as France unveils $50 billion in coronavirus measures

French President Emmanuel Macron is seen on a television screen as he speaks during a televised address to the nation on the outbreak of COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus, on March 16, 2020, in Paris. LUDOVIC MARIN

France will spend 45 billion euros ($50 billion) to help small businesses and employees struggling with the coronavirus outbreak, the country's finance minister announced, after President Emmanuel Macron declared "we are at war" against the virus. Speaking in a televised address late Monday, Macron told the French people they are only allowed outside their houses for essential trips, such as to buy food and medicines, for a period of two weeks. Silvia Amaro

4:32 am: VW to halt European car production for two weeks
Chaos Reigns Behind Scenes on Hill as Dems, GOPers Jockey on Coronavirus Relief, Stimulus Bills

WASHINGTONWhen Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) left his Texas home at 3 a.m. on March 16 to drive to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to catch a flight to Washington, it was to force House Democrats to put changes in writing that they were making to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which the chamber approved late March 14.

God bless Louie, who had to drive from Tyler, Texas, to Dallas at 3 a.m. to make a 6:15 flight that landed at 9:55 a.m. Hes a freaking hero, a senior congressional aide who requested anonymity told The Epoch Times on March 17.

You have no idea how crazy it was, you really dont, the aide said. They were going to UC a bill yesterday that hadnt been written yet. It wasnt all written down when Gohmert got here.

The UCunanimous consentthe aide referred to is a legislative tool normally used to approve non-controversial measures and nominations without having to go through hours of debate or a time-consuming record vote. If just one senator or representative objects, however, the process is stopped.

Legislation often requires technical corrections to fix drafting errors, grammatical mistakes, and the like. But Gohmert insisted on seeing the corrections in writing before he would support their adoption through a unanimous consent process made necessary by the House recess this week.

Last night, some of the elected members of Congress heard that substantial changes were being made to [the bill] that the House passed in the wee hours Saturday morning without being afforded the luxury of time to read the final bill before we voted. I read the 9 p.m. version, but was given no time to read or compare the midnight version, Gohmert said in a March 16 statement.

Once again, because the Saturday morning bill was rushed so hysterically to passage, it requires more pages of changes, supposedly about 46 pages of technical corrections, some of which are truly substantive and not just technical corrections to a bill that was 110 pages long. The last draft of the technical changes I saw was 87 pages long, Gohmert continued.

The Democrats are writing the so-called corrections as we speak. Having someone here in D.C. prepared to object forces the Democrat leadership to at least have the law changes drafted before they are approved by a Unanimous Consent vote, he said.

One provision left unchanged is one mandating small businesses provide two weeks of paid leave for employees forced to stay home by the coronavirus or official measures combating it. The senior aide said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) opposed removing the provision.

Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.), who supported the overall bill, noted in a statement that while the bill does include provisions that allow a business to receive a 100% refundable tax credit, it puts the burden on the small business to front those costs. This will be devastating to most small businesses and could force some to close their doors permanently.

Timmons also pointed to the fact the bill would take effect 15 days after the President signs it into law. This drastically limits the time small business owners have to educate themselves about this law and how they will be impacted.

Further complicating matters on March 17, President Donald Trump is now pushing for yet a third coronavirus relief measure, this one an economic stimulus package estimated to cost $850 billion.

The details of that new proposal are being negotiated among Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and congressional leaders from both parties.

The proposed measure reportedly would include an estimated $500 billion in economic relief or stimulus achieved via a payroll tax cut or other mechanism, as well as a $50 billion aid package for the nations commercial airlines that have been hit particularly hard hit by the crisis.

Approximately $200 billion in loans for small businesses would also be made available with the package.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc.
NEW DELHI: An Indian-origin Jew was badly beaten by two persons who called him a Chinese and yelled Corona! Corona in Israels Tiberias city, in an apparent racist assault linked to the virus outbreak. Am-Shalem Singson, 28, from the Bnei Menashe community, hailing from the north-eastern states of Manipur and Mizoram, was admitted to the Poriya hospital with severe chest injuries, Channel 13 reported.

The police continue to search for the two suspects based on his description of the incident, the leading Israeli TV channel reported.

Singson told the police that he tried very hard to explain to the attackers that he was not Chinese and was not infected by the coronavirus, but it did not help.

The incident happened on Saturday.

Singson is a resident of the Maalot area and immigrated to Israel from India with his family three years ago, the report said.

There were no witnesses to the incident and the police search is primarily based on the security footage in the area. We were shocked to receive the report of the vicious and racist attack in Tiberias, Michael Freund, Chairman and Founder of Shavei Israel, the organisation that has been working on the immigration of Bnei Menashe to Israel, was quoted by the Channel as saying.

I demand that the Israeli police investigate the incident immediately and prosecute those who committed this heinous act, Freund said.
Few people are as knee-deep in our work-related anxieties and sticky office politics as Alison Green, who has been fielding workplace questions for a decade now on her website Ask a Manager. In Direct Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better.

The coronavirus has turned millions of office workers into remote employees overnight. Companies are sending workers home with laptops and a prayer that business will be able to continue as usual, but things cant be business as usual. Employers will need to adjust their expectations of how much can truly get done in these circumstances.

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Just because workers laptops are now nearby on their kitchen tables doesnt mean managers can expect their workforce to be available 24/7. In fact, employers need to allow for the opposite: maximum flexibility in difficult times.

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One problem people are already encountering: A lot of managers have no idea how to manage remote workers. As a result, they implement bizarrely tyrannical restrictionstelling their staff to leave their webcams on all day, for example, or instructing people to alert their manager every time they leave their desk for a bathroom break. (Witness this leaked Wall Street Journal memo.) The underlying message is clear (and insulting): We dont trust you to work when we cant see you.

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All of this pressure can make people feel like theyre expected to be working every minute of the dayin ways they generally wouldnt be expected to do when theyre in the office. When were in our offices, its pretty normal to get coffee, chat with colleagues, check the news or otherwise take an occasional break, and, yes, use the bathroom, all without feeling guilty or reporting in to our managers first. We also leave the office each night, physically distancing ourselves from the days work. People should continue to do those things when theyre working from home, and managers should expect them to. Remote workers arent on a chain gang; theyve just temporarily relocated their workspace.

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The underlying message is clear (and insulting): We dont trust you to work when we cant see you.

If managers have done their jobs correctly, theyve hired competent people who arent going to slack off just because theyre at home. If a manager has an employee on their team whom they dont trust to work when theyre not being closely watched, thats a failure of the managers and something that should have been addressed long before this crisis hit.

Ideally, managers have also established work goals that are based on output, not activities. The way you assess whether someone is being productive is by looking at what outcomes theyre achieving, not by monitoring how theyre spending each individual minute of the day. And when it comes to those work goals, priorities will naturally need to shift for now. Things that can be pushed back should be pushed back.

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Moreover, employers will need to extend grace to employees who are working at home under difficult conditions. Many employees will be working with their kids around because schools have closed. With young kids at home, those parents may be significantly more limited in what work they can complete, which is why, of course, in normal times most employers dont allow parents of young children to telework unless they arrange separate child care. But thats not practical right now. Theres no ideal solution here; the reality is employees in that situation probably cant get as much done as their colleagues who arent simultaneously juggling child care. In normal times that wouldnt feel fairand yet its the situation right now. We certainly shouldnt just fire everyone with kids or cut their pay dramatically. Instead, were going to have to recognize those constraints and be more flexible.

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Its important, though, that that flexibility extends to everyone. My inbox is full of accounts of employers who are letting parents work from home but keeping everyone else in the office. Thats not right, safe, or good for morale. Nonparents deserve the same flexibility for their own needs, whether thats caring for other loved ones or just being able to take reasonable breaks for their own sanity.

In practice, whether or not employers are offering this kind of flexibility varies widely. This person who wrote to me is representative of much of the mail Ive received:

Our leaders have been pretty callous about it. The only email guidance we got was a reminder that we cant care for kids while teleworking, and suggesting that if people dont want to burn through vacation time, they can telework before their kids wake up or while theyre taking a nap. There was also a super condescending reminder that older kids dont need to be supervised by parents during all eight working hours.

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On the other hand, Im also hearing encouraging reports like this:

Our company is telling everyone that we will be as flexible as possible. Theyre saying people can flex their working hours as much as they need, and that they understand people will probably not be as productive as usual, and if you need help getting things done, reach out to your manager. We understand of course that we all need to get as much work done as possible, because thats how we all get paid.

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Employers also shouldnt assume that people who started working from home overnight can easily jump into it. They may not have ideal work setups at home or might be sharing crowded space with others who have been sent home as well. Companies can ameliorate some of that by explicitly asking each person what they need to be productive; they might discover people need different equipment, more flexible scheduling, fewer hours, or other accommodations managers havent considered. But again, flexibility will be key. Expecting a workforce to become remote almost instantly means that some efficiency will probably be lost. Theres no way around that.

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Perhaps the best model Ive seen for managing this period comes from Wikimedia, the company behind Wikipedia, which has closed its offices and moved to remote work, deprioritized all nonessential projects, andmost importantlyimplemented a half-time work expectation for all staff and contractors while paying them for full-time work. We knew schools would be closing around the world, wrote CEO Katherine Maher in a Medium piece explaining the move. It is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect someone to be fully present, eight hours a day, when they have a three-year-old with crayons drawing on the wall, or an elderly parent who needs help navigating the stairs. We all have loved ones who need care, groceries that need purchasing, doctors appointments to keep, neighbors who need a phone call. And you know what? We trust our colleagues. People will work when they can, and when they cant, we trust theyll be right.
TUCSON, Ariz.  The Honda CR-V is all grown up. The unassuming little model that confused many buyers when it debuted in 1997 with less off-road or towing capacity than other SUVs is now effectively Hondas flagship. The CR-V outsold the Accord midsize sedan by 116,601 last year, and the loaded hybrid Touring model stickers at $35,950, a cool $660 above the Accord hybrid Touring.

2020 Honda CR-V Touring hybrid

CR-V hybrid prices start at $27,750. All-wheel drive is standard.

And people are gonna snap 'em up like the last roll of two-ply at Kroger.

The CR-V shares its hybrid system with the Accord. The EPA rates it at 40 mpg in the city, 35 on the highway and 38 combined  head-turning figures for a compact AWD SUV but short of the 40 mpg key competitors the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4 hybrids notched in combined driving.

Two miles a gallon looks like a lot, but the mpg difference probably amounts to less than $40 a year in fuel costs, hardly a deal breaker.

Driving impressions

Honda doesnt quite say the data doesnt matter, as the long gone and unlamented CEO of another automaker once did in a presentation, but it comes close, touting the CR-Vs performance, quiet operation and fuel economy in real-world driving, as opposed to the lab tests used to generate EPA ratings. Hondas wishes notwithstanding, EPA figures are the ones to use when shopping.

My skepticism notwithstanding, I averaged about 40 mpg in a day of driving on suburban and country roads outside Tucson, Arizona. I didnt have the chance to drive in stop-and-go city driving, where the hybrid would probably have been most efficient.

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2020 Honda CR-V hybrid engine compartment

Acceleration is confident, thanks to 212 total horsepower from the gasoline engine and electric motor. Peak torque of 232 pound-feet comes from the electric motor at zero to 2,000 rpm.

The engine and motor are smoothly integrated so driving the CR-V hybrid feels just like a conventional gasoline vehicle.

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Combine that with smooth auto stop at traffic lights and unobtrusive shifts to all-electric power for short distances at low speed and its entirely possible some drivers wont even realize its a hybrid.

The CR-V hybrid is considerably more powerful than the gasoline model, which is rated at 190 hp and 179 pound-feet of torque.

The steering is firm and direct. Like the drivetrain, the brakes feel just like a normal vehicle, blending conventional braking and regeneration to charge the battery seamlessly.

A pair of steering wheel paddles allow you to increase regenerative braking and use the pedal less. They provide a noticeable difference, but fall short of the level of deceleration provided by competitors one pedal settings that allow the driver to virtually ignore the brake pedal.

Front seat of 2020 Honda CR-V Touring hybrid

The all-wheel-drive system uses a conventional mechanical connection between the engine and rear wheels, unlike the RAV4 hybrids self-contained electrically powered rear axle.

The AWD system shifts power from front to rear wheels smoothly and quickly in sand and other low-traction conditions.

Roomy and comfortable

The CR-Vs 102.9 cubic-foot  105.9 if you get the base LX model, which doesnt have a sunroof  passenger compartment is exceptionally roomy, with best-in-class passenger space and the lowest cargo floor for easy access to loads.

The lithium-ion battery is mounted under the rear seat, so it doesnt reduce cargo space, which is rated at 33.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat, 68.7 with it folded flat.

The interior gets a few changes from non-hybrid models, including a push-button gear selector; gauges that include hybrid efficiency modes; relocated and lighted USB ports; and an optional wireless charging pad.

Most noteworthy is a new center console that provides storage for larger items, thanks to clever tweaks.

Standard safety features

Forward-collision alert and automatic braking

Adaptive cruise control

Automatic high beams

Lane-keeping warning and assist

Blind-spot and cross-traffic alerts are not available on the base LX model but are standard on others.

Exterior changes

A blue-lined Honda badge on the grille

Hybrid badges on grille, front fenders and tailgate

New front bumper

Rear bumper with hidden exhaust

Five-LED fog lights on all but the base LX model

Contact Mark Phelan at 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Honda CR-V hybrid boosts mpg, offers smooth performance
The Verkhovna Rada has appointed Ihor Petrashko Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine.

According to a correspondent of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, 243 MPs voted for the corresponding decision (draft resolution No. 3226 of March 16), which was introduced to the parliament by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, at an extraordinary parliamentary meeting on Tuesday.

According to open sources, Ihor Rostyslavovych Petrashko graduated from the Lviv Polytechnic National University and has a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 2001, he received an MBA certificate of the Vanderbilt University Business School (the United States).
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 22:05 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b61f40 1 World COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,India,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Indonesian-Embassy,New-Delhi Free

The Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi confirmed on Tuesday that an Indonesian citizen had tested positive for the coronavirus and was now under intensive care at a hospital in Indias city of Hyderabad.

Local news outlet The New Indian Express reported on Tuesday morning that a total of 10 Indonesians and three Indians had been brought to Hyderabads Gandhi Hospital on Monday after they were suspected to have contracted COVID-19.

The police said the 10 Indonesians belonged to an Islamic outreach organization and had arrived in Karimnagar  a city in Telangana state in southeast India  on Saturday from Delhi.

Indonesian Ambassador to India Sidharto Suryodipuro said the embassy was closely monitoring the case.

We have received a confirmation from Telanganas health authority that one of the Indonesian citizens tested positive. Nine other Indonesians will be tested later [on Tuesday] and the result will be announced tomorrow [on Wednesday], he told The Jakarta Post.

However, he provided no further details about the chronology of the case.

The news outlet reported that the Indonesians alongside three Indians were staying in a mosque after arriving in Karimnagar.

As the Indian government has restricted international arrivals into the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, authorities who had received information regarding the arrival of the Indonesians began to look for them and later took them to the nearby hospital for COVID-19 tests before taking them to Hyderabad.

Sidharto pointed out that the embassy would guarantee that the Indonesian citizens rights were protected in accordance with Indian law.

The Indonesian embassy will provide interpreting services for them. I have also spoken to the Telangana states director of public health. They said our fellow Indonesians were being taken care of in the hospital, Sidharto added.

The embassy is ready to cooperate with Indian health authorities to ensure the well-being of people around us," he said.
Chef Raymond Blanc said prime minister Boris Johnson's announcement left restaurants in 'no man's land.' (Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images)

Most bars and restaurants would not be covered by insurance even if the government ordered a nationwide shutdown.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said in a statement on Tuesday that the vast majority of UK businesses do not have cover for coronavirus irrespective of whether or not the government orders closure of a business.

The statement pours cold water on the theory that Boris Johnson stopped short of ordering bars and restaurants shut in order to protect the insurance industry from a wave of claims.

The prime minister on Monday evening told Brits not to go to bars and restaurants in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19. However, he stopped short of ordering all hospitality businesses to close.

The move led to anger from the hospitality industry, with business owners saying they would be unable to claim on their insurance unless they were legally told to shut. Jay Rayner, the Observers food critic, called the announcement staggeringly reckless and chef Raymond Blanc said it left restaurants in no mans land.

Read more: Pubs and venues warn of 'crippling blow' as public urged to stay away

Speculation began circulating on Twitter that the prime minister had made the fudge in an attempt to protect the UKs insurance industry, which is one of the biggest in the world. Rayner said on Twitter the prime minister was thinking more about big finance than people's livelihoods.

However, ABI said on Tuesday: Standard business interruption cover  the type the majority of businesses purchase  does not include forced closure by authorities as it is intended to respond to physical damage to the property which results in the business being unable to continue to trade.

ABI added that a small minority of larger institutions had coverage for business interruption caused by infectious diseases but said individual businesses should check with their insurers.

Read more: Wetherspoon boss lashes out at Boris over coronavirus comments

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Separately on Tuesday, two major UK insurers warned the spread of novel coronavirus was likely to hit their business this year.

Aviva (AV.L) said in a statement it remains well capitalised, with 2.4bn ($2.9bn) of cash on hand. But the company said it is too early to quantify the potential impact on our financial performance arising from Covid-19.

At this point, we remain focused on supporting our customers and colleagues while maintaining our financial and operational resilience, Aviva said. Shares were down 5% by lunchtime.

Royal London, which offers life and business insurance as well as pension products, said trading conditions in 2020 are likely to be difficult as a result of coronavirus. However, chief executive Barry ODwyer said: Our robust capital position means we do not expect the virus to have any material long-term impact on our business.

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France said Monday that it would follow other European countries in confining residents mostly to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the European Union considered closing its external borders to foreign travelers to impede infections.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that starting on Tuesday, people would be allowed to leave the place they live only for necessary activities such as shopping for food, going to work or taking a walk.

From tomorrow at noon and for at least 15 days, our trips will be greatly reduced Macron said in a televised address.

Macron said the government would provide further details, but he told the French people that everyone should stay at home, go out just for the bare essentials and commute to work only if working from home isnt feasible.

Anyone caught violating the new measures will be punished, he said.

The restrictions appeared to put France under a lockdown similar to the ones imposed last week in Italy and Spain in response to the virus. While the restrictions are in effect, residential gatherings with family and friends will be prohibited, the president said.

We are at war, Macron said repeatedly in his address.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner subsequently specified that all people circulating on Frances streets will have to justify, upon request, why they were out and about. Forms stating the purpose of essential outside travel  such as going to the bakery to buy a baguette  will be available for downloading, Castaner said.

People without valid reasons will be subject fines ranging from 38-135 euros ($43-$151), the minister said. Castaner said 100,000 police would be deployed in the coming days to enforce the lockdown.

The French plan was announced almost a week after a nationwide lockdown took effect in Italy, the country with the most reported virus cases in the world except for China.

Spain followed suit over the weekend, while other EU nations have adopted ad hoc national measures, including partial border closures.

As of earlier Monday, six of the 10 countries with the highest numbers of reported virus cases worldwide are in Europe: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and the U.K. France has reported a total of 6,633 cases, including 148 deaths.

British authorities also ramped up public health measures Monday, telling people who are in the groups considered most vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness to stay at home for three months.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people with the most serious health conditions should be shielded from social contacts for 12 weeks, starting this weekend. He mentioned people over 70, those with chronic illnesses and pregnant women as particularly at risk.

It was unclear whether everyone in the those groups was being told to stay home for 12 weeks. Johnson said the government was advising the entire population to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.

You should avoid pubs, clubs, theaters and other such social venues, he said at a news conference alongside his chief medical and scientific advisers.

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.

While national governments across Europe have taken a range of measures to contain the virus from moving into and within their countries, the 27 members of the European Union are looking at closing the EUs external borders to most foreign travelers.

In recent days, the EU has been urging its members to put common health screening procedures in place at internal borders but not to block shipments of medical equipment. EU officials fear that countries acting alone and without coordination might make things more difficult for neighbors whose health-care systems are already creaking.

The proposed travel restrictions will be put to to the blocs 27 leaders at a summit to be held via video-conference Tuesday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the plan calls for them to be in place for an initial period of 30 days.

Exemptions could be given to long-term residents in the EU, border area workers, family members of European nationals and diplomats. British citizens would not be included in the ban, even though the country officially withdrew from the EU on Jan. 31

Essential staff such as doctors, nurses, care workers, researchers and experts that help address the coronavirus should continue to be allowed in the EU, von der Leyen said.

Transport workers also could receive exemptions to ensure supplies of essential items such as medicine, but also food and components that our factories need, she said.

Asked whether she thinks Europe will return to having its passport-free travel area once the pandemic subsides, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she hoped so and noted that so far coordination didnt work well everywhere the way one would have hoped.

Merkel added that public health strategies in the EU should guarantee goods flow freely and ensure that Europeans can continue making cross-border commutes for work.

We will certainly need to continue talking (about this) in a European format, she said. But from our perspective, these are time-limited measures that serve to reduce the risk of infection.

Germany was preparing to shut non-essential shops, bars, museums and many other facilities and to limit restaurant opening times. Merkels office said Monday that overnight hotel stays will be allowed only for necessary and expressly not for tourist purposes.

Greek authorities announced that anyone entering the country from abroad would be subject to compulsory self-quarantine for 14 days. The health ministrys top infectious diseases official, Sotiris Tsiodras, noted that many young people were returning from countries where there is a large spread of the virus, such as the United Kingdom, whose public health strategy is to allow the virus to spread.

Separately Monday, the Russian government announced that it has decided to bar entry to all foreigners starting Wednesday and until May 1. The move will not apply to diplomats, foreigners permanently staying in Russia, plane and ship crews and truck drivers.

Ukraines president also instructed his Cabinet to close the subway, shopping malls and restaurants, cut passenger train and air links, and to ban gatherings of more than 10 people.
The Rolling Stones has cancelled their 'No Filter' summer tour due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The group, made up of - Mick Jagger, 76, Keith Richards, 76, Charlie Watts, 78, and Ronnie Wood, 72, were due to kick off their North America tour in San Diego on 8 May and finish in Atlanta on 9 July.

Yet due to the global coronavirus pandemic, The Rolling Stones has decided to postpone their upcoming summer tour and instead prioritise their fans' safety.

CANCELLED: The Rolling Stones has cancelled their 'No Filter' summer tour due to the global coronavirus pandemic (Mick Jagger, 76, pictured performing in Miami in August)

Releasing a joint statement to their band Instagram account, the group said: 'We're hugely disappointed to have to postpone the tour.

'We are sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to it as much as we were, but the health and safety of everyone has to take priority.

'We will all get through this together  and we'll see you very soon' - Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie.'

The statement added: 'AEG Presents / Concerts West advise ticket holders to hold onto their original tickets and await further information.'

Postponed: The group, made up of - Mick Jagger, 76, Keith Richards, 76, Charlie Watts, 78, and Ronnie Wood, 72, were due to kick off their North America tour in San Diego on 8 May and finish in Atlanta on 9 July (the group pictured performing in Santa Clara in August)

Statement: Yet due to the global coronavirus pandemic, The Rolling Stones has decided to postpone their upcoming summer tour and instead prioritise their fans' safety

Fans were quick to react to the post as they agreed with The Rolling Stones' decision to postpone the event.

One person said: 'Yes that is understandable and it is necessary to stop the virus .'

A different user put: 'Thank goodness its just a postponement! #keeponrolling.'

Another follower commented: 'Thanks guys. Please stay healthy and safe!!! .'

While a different fan added: 'We will be waiting. Stay safe, stay smart & stay kind..'

Fans: Fans were quick to react to the post as they agreed with The Rolling Stones' decision to postpone the event

The Rolling Stones has followed a list of celebrities and festivals who have made the decision to cancel events amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Celine Dion, 51, announced on her official Twitter account: 'Celine Dion #CourageWorldTour dates postponed in North America. Show dates from March 24 through April 27, 2020 to be rescheduled. - Team Celine.'

The news came just one day after the Canadian superstar postponed two concerts because she is suffering from a cold. She reassured her fans that she did not have COVID-19.

Celine leads a long list of stars cancelling gigs amid the pandemic, which currently includes The Who, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Stormzy, Green Day and Mabel.

Statement: Last week, Celine Dion, 51, announced on her official Twitter account: 'Celine Dion #CourageWorldTour dates postponed in North America. Show dates from March 24 through April 27, 2020 to be rescheduled. - Team Celine.' (pictured earlier this month in NYC)

Meanwhile it was announced on Friday that BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, which was due to take place in Dundee over the late May bank holiday (22 24 May), had been cancelled.

The annual event was set to see Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris and Camila Cabello perform in the Scottish city.

A spokesperson said: 'After careful consideration we have come to the decision that Radio 1s Big Weekend 2020 in Dundee will not go ahead.

'This decision has been made in conjunction with our event partners, in line with the advice from the Scottish government, and while we know fans looking forward to purchasing tickets will be disappointed, it is important that we prioritise the health and safety of all those involved.'

There are also growing concerns among music fans in Britain that the virus could stop the five-day Glastonbury 50th anniversary festival in late June, where 200,000 people are expected.

Headliner: It was announced on Friday that BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, which was due to take place in Dundee over the late May bank holiday (22 24 May), had been cancelled with Harry Styles, pictured in February, headlining

Adrian Coombs, Glastonbury Festival's Head of Event Operations, said: 'Glastonbury Festival thoroughly plans each year's event, and puts in place all necessary measures to protect the public and maximise safety

'We work closely with all of the relevant agencies, including Public Health England and the NHS, and always review our plans as any circumstances change.

'With this in mind and with our 2020 Festival still 16 weeks away, we continue to plan and prepare for the event, whilst at the same time closely monitoring developments with the coronavirus situation.'

203,000 people attended 2019's event at Worthy Farm, though it has been suggested that it could grow even bigger in the future. Lana Del Rey will headline with Sir Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Diana Ross.

Will it still go ahead? There are also growing concerns among music fans in Britain that the virus could stop the five-day Glastonbury 50th anniversary festival in late June, where 200,000 people are expected (pictured in 2014)
The Chancellors statement. A firm second step  but he must go further to deliver whatever it takes.

We called this morning for the Government to stand behind the British economy in a manner unique in modern times  arguably in this countrys entire history.

That means working with employers and unions, in a manner not seen for some 50 years, to fund employers and workers directly. Which will also entail special arrangements for the 15 per cent or so of the latter who are self-employed.

That implies the suspension of mortgages, rents, council tax and household bills; of business rates across all sectors; of a bigger hardship fund, and an income tax cut at the standard rate, because it makes no sense for the state to be giving with one hand and taking with the other.

Such a package is in our view whatever it takes: resuscitation for an economic heart seizure.

However, Rishi Sunak does not have the luxury of being able to implement ideals at once. He must act in real time with imperfect powers: if he announces emergency relief schemes, for example, the infrastructure wont be in place to get them up and running immediatedly; the manpower, the computer systems, the phone lines, the publicity.

Our reading of his statement is that the most important section of it is his commitment in the coming days[to] work with trade unions and business groups to urgently develop new forms of employment support to help protect peoples jobs and incomes through this period.

That sounds a lot like further direct help to come in the form of grants. It was not correct, as the BBCs initial reporting claimed this evening, that the Chancellors latest package consists entirely of loans. He is extending a business rates holiday. He is increasing grants to 700,000 of the smallest businesses.

And the Government has persuaded mortgage lenders to offer a three month payment holiday. Sunak and Boris Johnson also claimed that they have persuaded the insurance industry, which was digging in its heels over making payments, to move  and pay up.

It is significant that the Chancellor also said that there will be a new legal power in the Covid Bill to offer whatever further financial support I decide is necessary. That seems to us to pave the way for the kind of Big State Government action that, in these upside-down times, is necessary and urgent on a previously unimaginable scale.

None the less, the biggest bazooka in Sunaks armoury was the more than doubling of his Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. This offered loans of up to 1.2 million when he first announced it in the Budget  how long ago that seems now  and he is now upping that figure to 5 million.

The Chancellor argues that what firms most need is immediate help with paying rent, salaries and suppliers. That is surely correct. The question is whether business, the markets and workers fix their gaze on this loan scheme centrepiece or on the Sunaks evident intent to go further very soon.

If they concentrate their attention on the former, and on the gaps in the Chancellors statement, this package will fail to reassure. What about renters, its being asked? Or firms not eligible for the Business Rates holiday? The self-employed? Recipients of Universal Credit  designed, remember, partly as a support payment for workers?

330 billion of guarantees is a humunguous figure  well over a third of public spending as a whole.

But again a question arises of what that statistic looks like broken down into grants and loans. It may be irrational for firms or people to gripe about the latter when they are being made available on this sweeping scale. And it will also be the case that many are bound to be very soft.

None the less, Sunak, as he well knows, will be back at the press conference podium and the Commons despatch box in days rather than weeks with new announcements, in the wake of the discussions with employers and unions for which we called today, and which he will now undertake

It is weird to write that a package of some third of public spending is no more than a solid second step for the Chancellor, but there it is. He as, as Cameroon modernisers used to like to say, on a journey.
Tens of thousands of stateless people, many of whom were made stateless by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, will benefit from Uzbekistan's new law which confirms their right to citizenship.  UNDP/Mirfozil Khasanov

An estimated 50,000 stateless people in Uzbekistan are set to acquire citizenship following the passing of a new law in the country.

A provision in the Citizenship Law, signed by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday, will come into effect on 1 April, conferring citizenship to registered stateless people who were granted permanent residence in Uzbekistan before 1 January 1995.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the law and provided recommendations to national authorities during its drafting.

Authorities estimate that around half of Uzbekistans stateless population, or some 49,228 people, will benefit from the new provision and be recognized as citizens. Their children will also be eligible for citizenship through the same process under the new law.

The new law also includes other important provisions to prevent statelessness and introduces, for the first-time, simplified naturalization procedures. The simplified naturalization procedures will come into effect in September this year and will also benefit registered stateless people who acquired permanent residence permits after 1 January 1995.

Uzbekistan has made significant progress in resolving and preventing statelessness in recent years and this development is a huge leap forward in ending known cases of statelessness. Tens of thousands of people now have the opportunity to belong, said Yasuko Oda, UNHCR Representative for Central Asia.

Over the past three years Uzbekistan conferred nationality to some 10,000 stateless people, amended its birth registration practices to ensure universal birth registration, including for children born to undocumented parents, and launched a nationwide campaign to identify and register all cases of unregistered births.

There are currently 97,346 documented stateless people in Uzbekistan. Statelessness in the country and across the wider region is largely a result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the formation of new States, which left hundreds of thousands throughout Central Asia stateless.

While many were able to confirm or acquire the nationality of the successor States, others became stranded across newly established borders, with invalidated Soviet passports or no means to prove where they were born or resided.

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Private medical facilities will be allowed to test if people have the new coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2), top health officials said on Tuesday, amid calls to expand efforts that have been criticised for being too limited to be able to catch if the disease has begun to spread silently in a country of over 1.3 billion people.

These tests, however, will be open only to those who fit into rigid guidelines set by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)  people showing symptoms, and those who either have a travel history to one of the global coronavirus disease (Covid-19) hot spots, or have been in contact with a person who has tested positive. No voluntary or walk-in tests will be allowed.

The ICMR announcement  it also expanded government labs, announced the procurement of an additional 1 million test kits from the World Health Organization (WHO), and included health care workers into the testing fold  came on a day when a third Indian succumbed to the pandemic and 23 more were confirmed to have been sickened. Officials confirmed 137 cases in the country. At least six more were presumptive positive cases, making Tuesdays numbers the biggest single-day jump yet.

The body, Indias apex medical research centre, revealed that the first batch of second round of random samples collected from hospitals had all tested negative  a result they cited to say that the outbreak in India has not hit the critical stage of community transmission, a period when an infected person is unable to pinpoint he source of the disease. The results of 500 more samples are likely on Wednesday.

The technical committee that takes a call on the testing criteria has met twice so far. The recent meeting was on Monday, and it was felt that the criteria to collect samples  symptomatic people with a travel history or symptomatic people having come into contact with a laboratory confirmed case  remains the same, said Dr Balram Bhargava, director-general, ICMR.

Some experts, however, have questioned this approach, saying that they were not sure India had tested enough people to conclude that community transmission had not taken place. The ICMR stance is also at odds with the World Health Organizations, which has urged countries to test as many people as possible to curb the pandemic.

You can speculate one way or the other but do we have enough evidence to support theres community transmission? No we dont. In rest of the countries where aggressive testing began, community transmission was already established, said Dr RR Gangakhedkar, chief, epidemiology, ICMR.

The random testing process takes samples from severe pneumonia patients in hospitals across the country, a typical disease surveillance strategy that experts say needs to be reviewed when it comes to Covid-19 since many patients could be asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, thus not in hospital, but still be fuelling the outbreak.

For every confirmed case, there are 5-10 more people in the community with undetected infections and mild symptoms, according to a new analysis of data from China published in the journal Science.

There are chances these asymptomatic or mild cases are being missed and depending on the contagiousness, numbers and exposure, it can lead to many new infections, said Dr Lalit Kant, the former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases, ICMR.

ICMR analysed 1,000 samples taken between March 1 and 15. While half of these were found negative, the results of the rest were expected on Wednesday, the officials said.

Results of random samples from half the laboratories came in today and all of them are negative for Covid-19, suggesting no community transmission in the first lot. More samples will be collected on a weekly basis in days to come for the purpose of surveillance, added Dr Gangakhedkar, saying the criteria of selecting 20 samples from each of the 51 labs was adequate in number given the current degree of spread.

Experts have criticised the strategy. I am quite concerned by the lack of adequate testing. India has the resources; it is not like Africa. If you dont test, how would people know they have the disease? If people dont know, then how will secondary infection be prevented, said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy.

One of the proposals has been to authorise private labs  a demand that ICMR officials indicated they were open to.

ICMR is engaging with private sector labs to perform testing while ensuring appropriate safeguards. These labs will have to procure the testing material on their own, and the government will only provide the virus sequence. And ICMR appeals to them to perform tests at no cost. Many have said they are trying to procure the probes and asked for a week or so.

The approved labs are likely to be among the 51 facilities accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Laboratories (NABL).

In addition to these, the ICMR announced 49 more organisations such as the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Department of Biotechnology, and Defence Research, Development Organisation would be equipped to test for coronavirus by end of this week.

To ensure mass testing in a short duration, India has also added two lab sites that will have the capacity to perform about 1,400 tests in a day. The labs are in Noida (Delhi-NCR region) and Bhubaneswar (Odisha).

At present, India has a testing capacity of about 6,500 per day up to 300,000 samples. The new labs will increase the rate of testing to about 12,000 a day by the end of the week.

India has also placed orders for one million testing probes from Germany and has placed a request with the WHO for another million probes, which will take the total capacity to over two million.

For Muslims, Haram means prohibited and Halal stands for permissible. For instance, pork, alcohol consumption are Haram and hence considered forbidden for a practising Muslim. Now, it has emerged that even preventive measure for Coronavirus menace is not free of religious segregation.

The search for non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers has led to the sale of some so-called Halal alternatives in Malaysia. Locals are selling Halal hand sanitizers. Since face masks and hand sanitizers are highly recommended as preventive measures against the spread of novel coronavirus, Muslims are looking for something that is permissible in Islam. However, lets inspect what Islam says about the use of alcohol.

Facts vs Myth

In Islam, alcohol consumption is prohibited, not its use as medicine. So any hand sanitizer that provides protection against viruses and germs should be welcomed.

Prophet Mohammaed (PBUH) once said, Cleanliness is half the faith (Emaan). Hadith reference : Sahih Muslim.

Fundamentally, the alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good deterrent against potent coronavirus, so it is definitely not Haram or prohibited. Essentially, alcohol destroys the protein envelope that surrounds coronavirus. Destruction of protein envelope effectively kills the virus. But there must be at least 60% of alcohol content in hand sanitizers. Hence, alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a necessity, not a luxury.

Also, these are industrial alcohol, not meant to be consumed as beverages, so its usage as medicine is totally permitted.

In our daily life, we, the Muslims, even consume alcohol as medicine in a fixed quantity required for treatment of ailments. For instance, almost all Homeopathy formulations have some amount of alcohol and same is the case in some other biochemic formulations.

Using the so-called Halal hand sanitizer can be detrimental to you and your family.

In a perilous time like this, please do not get swayed by myth, make good use of alcohol-based sanitizers to save yourself and humanity from devastation.

(The views expressed are personal)

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Donald Trump lashed out at Andrew Cuomo Tuesday, demanding the New York governor keep politics out of the government response to the coronavirus crisis.

'Cuomo wants 'all states to be treated the same.' But all states aren't the same,' the president insisted Tuesday morning. 'Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big 'hotspot', West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases.'

'Andrew, keep politics out of it.' Trump continued.

He also took aim at Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer  a name that has been floated as a running mate for former Vice President Joe Biden  claiming she hasn't had an adequate response to the outbreak.

'Failing Michigan Governor must work harder and be much more proactive,' Trump tweeted. 'We are pushing her to get the job done. I stand with Michigan!'

Whitmer endorsed Biden for president earlier this month and has made the short list of those he is considering running with should he earn the Partys nomination.

Trump claimed he is working well with the states and their governors as coronavirus continues to rock the nation, and predicted that 'good things will happen.'

'Federal Government is working very well with the Governors and State officials,' he posted in another tweet Tuesday morning. 'Good things will happen! #KILLTHEVIRUS'

Donald Trump attacked New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for bringing politics in to the response to the coronavirus outbreak

Trump also called out Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for needing to 'work harder'

'Andrew, keep politics out of it.' he demanded, claiming federal government needs to respond to the situation differently for different states based on how they are affected by coronavirus

Andrew Cuomo has insisted he could handle coronavirus better than the president

Former Vice President Joe Biden is considering Whitmer (right) as his running mate should he earn the Democratic nomination for president at the DNC Convention in July

Trump insisted Tuesday that he and the federal government are working well with governors and state governments in response to the coronavirus outbreak. 'Good things will happen!' he predicted

The president referred to coronavirus in one of his tweets as the 'Chinese Virus,' which many have claimed over the past month is racist  but the term came about because the virus originated in Wuhan, China.

Trump's attack came a day after he spoke with U.S. governors to discuss the federal government response to help states deal with the increasing cases.

He specifically called out Cuomo after the governor published a New York Times op/ed over the weekend demanding Trump mobilize the military.

The president insisted during a press conference at the White House Monday afternoon that while the federal government is ordering massive amounts of medical supplies, he is encouraging governors to acquire ventilators and respirators for their own states.

'If they can get them faster by getting them on their own  in other words go through a supply chain that they may have. Because the governors  you know, during normal times  the governor's buy a lot of things, not necessarily through federal government,' Trump said.

'If they're able to get ventilators, respirators  if they're able to get certain things without having to go through the longer process of federal government,' he continued.

The president said that the federal government is 'stockpiling' necessary medical supplies, but he feels it may be more efficient if governors help acquire more.

'If they can get them directly, it's always going to be faster if they can get them directly  if they need them. And I've given them authorization to order directly,' the president said.

Trump held a video conference call with the nation's governors earlier in the day Monday where he told them not to rely on federal government for supplies because there might not be enough.

Trump has also began referencing to coronavirus on Twitter as the 'Chinese Virus,' which has been deemed a racist way to classify the disease. On Monday he said the hospitality and airline industry are going to be 'particularly affected by the Chinese Virus'

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, said Tuesday

He also said governors should do more to respond to the growing coronavirus crisis, including acquiring their own medical equipment for their respective states.

'Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment  try getting it yourselves,' Trump told U.S. governors during the conference call, according to a recording acquired by The New York Times.

'We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves,' he continued. 'Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.'

Following the call, Trump took a hit at Cuomo, claiming he has to 'do more' for the state with the most cases of coronavirus.

'Just had a very good tele-conference with Nation's Governors. Went very well. Cuomo of New York has to 'do more,'' he tweeted, having to repost after making a spelling mistake in the first iteration.

Cuomo lashed out at Trump: 'I have to do more?'

'No  YOU have to do something! You're supposed to be the President,' the governor fired back on Twitter.

'Happy to do your job, too,' he posted in another tweet.

'Just give me control of the Army Corps of Engineers and I'll take it from there,' Cuomo continued.

Trump was asked at the press conference Monday if he was going to use the Corps of Engineers or FEMA to build surge capacity areas at hospitals.

'So first of all, we hope we don't get there,' Trump said of using those resources. 'And that's what we're doing and that's why we're taking a very strict look at this.'

He also claimed that the federal government is already working on expanding and taking over unused buildings as flex space as more are diagnosed with coronavirus.

'We hope we don't have to get there. But we are doing a lot in that regard,' he added.

Trump said Monday that he wants governors to use their own supply chains to get ventilators, respirators and other medical supplies faster than they might be able to from the federal government

'If they can get them faster by getting them on their own  in other words go through a supply chain that they may have,' he said during a briefing. 'If they're able to get ventilators, respirators  if they're able to get certain things without having to go through the longer process of federal government'

Trump also used the phrase 'Chinese Virus' in reference to Coronavirus in a tweet Monday night when talking about the U.S. government bolstering hospitality and airline business as it takes a hit in light of the outbreak.

'The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!' Trump tweeted.

China lashed out Tuesday in a response to Trump calling the fast-spreading respiratory virus, which has affected every continent  except Antarctica  the 'Chinese Virus.'

Beijing demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations.'

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geng Shuang, said.

'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' Geng said at a daily news briefing.

Governors across the U.S. have scrambled in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and have increasingly turned toward the federal government for supplies, personnel and financial aid  including waiting on the economic stimulus package to pass through Congress.

The response to Trump from governors during the call Monday was furious.

New Mexico's Michelle Lujan Grisham said the president's plan was putting the whole nation at a higher risk.

'If one state doesn't get the resources and materials they need, the entire nation continues to be at risk,' the Democrat governor said on the call.

Lujan Grisham added that the response from the White House and Congress was causing states to compete against one another for necessary medical products.

Donald Trump held a video conference call with governors earlier in the day Monday. 'Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment  try getting it yourselves,' he said on the call. He then tweeted criticism at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, telling him to 'do more'

'YOU have to do something!' Cuomo shot back in a tweet Monday afternoon

He also said he is 'happy' to do the president's job as well in addressing coronavirus outbreak. 'Give me control of the Army Corps of Engineers and I'll take it from there,' he tweeted

On Sunday, New York City shut down public schools until April 20 at the earliest, meaning students in the city will miss at least more than a month of their curriculum.

Earlier on in the outbreak, New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City, established a one-mile containment zone earlier this month after dozens of cases were linked to a 50-year-old attorney, who lives there and worked in Manhattan, tested positive for coronavirus.

As of last Wednesday, there were 121 cases in Westchester County, New York, which is the biggest cluster in the state and one of the biggest in the U.S.

New York State has the most cases of coronavirus of any other state in the U.S. with nearly 1,000 confirmed cases.

The Times noted that Trump took an upbeat tone during the conversation Monday, repeating the phrase: 'We're going to get it remedied and hopefully very quickly.'

During a press conference Sunday afternoon, Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar told DailyMail.com that he couldn't 'disclose concrete numbers on particular items' when asked about providing ventilators and building more hospital beds.

He said he couldn't give a direct answer for 'national security purposes.'

'We will work to increase the supplies of personal protective equipment of ventilators of field medical units, hospitals,' Azar continued, keeping it vague.

'We have tremendous supplies,' he added. 'But we want to acquire more.'

Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the administration's coronavirus task force, also said on the matter: 'The whole issue of personal protective equipment and supplies and the capacity of our healthcare system is in the forefront of what we're talking about.'
Markel Corporation MKL has inked a deal to acquire majority stake in Lansing Building Products. Concurrently, Lansing Building Products has agreed to acquire the distribution business of Harvey Building Products (Harvey Distribution). Both deals, following the fulfillment of customary closing conditions, are projected to close by the end of April. The financial terms of the deal and the amount of Markels ownership stake were not made public.



Lansing Building Products is a supplier of exterior building products with 77 locations in 25 states. It caters to about 60,000 customers, mostly building contractors and professional home renovators across the United States and remains focused on the delivery of superior service.



Waltham, MA-based Harvey Building Products assists a variety of contractors and building industry professionals across the Northeast. It is a vertically-integrated manufacturer and distributor of windows and doors in addition to other exterior building products.



The buyout of Harvey will boost geographic presence and scale of Lansing. As a combined entity, Lansing Building Products will operate 113 branches in 35 states.



Lansing Building Products had set a goal to increase annual revenues from about $600 million to $1 billion by 2025. The goal looks achievable as Lansing and Harvey Building Products had combined sales of $1.1 billion in 2019.



Some of Markels notable deals include the acquisition of online freelancer and contractor business of commercial insurance brokers, Caunce OHara & Company Ltd. in November 2019. It also entered into an agreement to buy VSC Fire & Security, Inc. In November 2018, it had expanded Insurance-Linked securities with the Nephila buyout.



Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) insurance broker have lost 15.9% compared with the industrys decline of 16.6% in the past year. Nevertheless, the companys policy of ramping up its growth profile and capital position is likely to help the stock regain momentum.

Story continues

Other Stocks to Consider



Some other top-ranked property and casualty insurance stocks are Donegal Group, Inc. DGICA, CNA Financial Corp. CNA and First American Financial Corp. FAF, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Donegal Group surpassed estimates in the last four quarters, the positive surprise being 271.06%, on average.



CNA Financial surpassed estimates in the last four quarters, the positive surprise being 9.39%, on average.

First American Financial surpassed estimates in the last four quarters, the positive surprise being 17.68%, on average.



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The Mumbai police has been asked



to shut pubs, dance bars, discotheques and similar establishments in the city till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.

The police are taking every possible precautionary measure to prevent crowding in public places, he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police N Ambika (Headquarters -1) on Tuesday ordered all senior inspectors, assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure that pubs, discotheques, dance bars and orchestra bars remain closed till March 31, he said.

The order has to be executed immediately, the official added.

Earlier, the police had imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in Mumbai to prevent unnecessary gatherings.

At least 41 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Maharashtra, seven of them in Mumbai. A Mumbai resident died on Tuesday, becoming the first coronavirus-linked casualty in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been registered in Ukraine, including one lethal one.

The Cabinet of Ministers, if necessary, will offer President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to introduce national emergency to counter the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told an extraordinary plenary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Tuesday morning, an UNIAN correspondent reports.

"In the future, if necessary, we are ready to introduce a state of emergency in Ukraine, as most European countries are doing. If it's necessary, we are ready for such decisions. Proposals have been drafted and will be submitted," PM said.

Read alsoUkraine suspends regular passenger traffic with the rest of the world

As UNIAN reported earlier, today Ukraine authorities have confirmed seven cases of Covid-19 infection, of which one was lethal (in an elderly woman, who recently returned from Poland, died in Zhytomyr region).

On March 16, the president said he was ready to introduce a state of emergency in Ukraine, if necessary, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of top news as of 17.03.2020:

 The total number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Armenia has reached 72.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan, who also heads the coronavirus prevention activities in the country, noted that due to the tense epidemiological situation caused by the spread of coronavirus in many countries, he has decided to ban the citizens of 16 countries from entering Armenia. These countries include China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK.

The Armenian MFA has issued a statement and advised citizens to refrain from traveling abroad.

 Given the situation in the country, Armenian PM referred to the upcoming referendum on constitutional amendments.

The referendum will take place not earlier than in 50 days and not later than in 65 days after the end of the state of emergency, he said.

However, there are no cases recorded in Artsakh, and there is no need to postpone the presidential election in Artsakh, PM said.

 More than 187,000 coronavirus cases have been reported globally as of Tuesday. The death toll has reached over 7,400.

Meanwhile, US and China are blaming each other for the coronavirus outbreak.

According to State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, Pompeo conveyed strong U.S. objection to [China's] efforts to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States in a phone call with the director of China's Office of Foreign Affairs, Yang Jiechi. In turn, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted the US is responsible for the outbreak of coronavirus.

And according to French President Emmanuel Macron, France is in a health war. He has warned people to "severely restrict movements for the next 15 days at least.

 Ex-deputy head of the Armenian Investigative Committee Vahagn Harutyunyan, who was wanted by Armenia over the criminal case on March 1 events, has been released in Russia, his lawyer Mher Poghosyan said. Harutyunyan was detained on March 15.

The accusation brought against Vahagn Harutyunyan within March 1 case was supplemented in December last year. Harutyunyan is involved as an accused of abuse of power, resulting in negligent grave consequences and abuse of power, accompanied by violence, the use of weapons or special equipment.

 The Yerevan court of general jurisdiction did not accept for proceedings the first lawsuit filed by Shushan Pashinyan, a daughter of Armenias PM, against Narek Samsonyan, President of the "Civil Consciousness" NGO, Samsonyan said.

The court found that when filing this lawsuit, the plaintiff's legal representative had failed to comply with the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, which constituted grounds for the return of the lawsuit.

On March 13, a second lawsuit was filed.

In the lawsuit, the PMs daughter petitioned that the court obligate Narek Samsonyan to publicly refute the information about her that is considered slander.
Pooja Hegde, who is currently making her presence felt not just in Tollywood but also in Bollywood, has wrapped up the Georgia schedule of her upcoming film, Prabhas 20. Directed by Radha Krishna Kumar, the intense love story stars Prabhas in the lead and is expected to hit the theatres in October this year during Dusshera.

Recently, the entire team of Prabhas 20 zoomed off to Georgia to shoot some important portions despite the Coronavirus pandemic. Later, filmmaker Radha Krishna Kumar took to Twitter and updated all the fans about canning a chase sequence. He tweeted, "Successfully completed the cutest chase sequence with amazing international crew. Looking forward to the longest schedule in Europe #Prabhas20."

After filming in cold weather amidst rains and Coronavirus threat, the cast and crew of Prabhas 20 is now back in India. Earlier in the day, Pooja shared few pictures from Georgia on her Instagram account and wrote, "And just before I leave Georgia, it gives us a snowy goodbye..See you in safer times...#timetogohome #itsawrap #sanitse."

Thanking his international crew, Radha Krishna Kumar also tweeted today, "One more schedule done!! I thank the Georgian team for helping us finish a kickass schedule!! Lovely people you are!! #Prabhas20 First look soon."

As soon as the filmmaker posted this message, fans went crazy and in no time #Prabhas20FirstLook started trending on Twitter. While everyone is eagerly waiting for Prabhas starrer to hit the screens, for now, we are just glad that the makers will soon give us a sneak-peek into what's in store for us. It is being said that the first look will be out on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi. Along with that, the title of the film will be announced as well.

ALSO READ

Prabhas 20: Romantic First Look Featuring Prabhas And Pooja Hegde To Be Out On Ugadi
Kathmandu, March 17

Nepali Congress influential leader Prakash Man Singh has demanded that the government launch a special programme to prevent the country from likely coronavirus spread and address various other problems including the market crisis caused by public fears.

He assures that the opposition party is ready to support the government in this regard.

Speaking with ward chairs of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City elected on behalf of the party and constituency committee presidents of the party in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Singh also directed them to reach out to the citizens and make them aware how they could prevent the infection. He was of the view that such a drive could also help the party strengthen its image in the public.

This is the right time for us to show our work. Lets give up our personal aspirations and serve the people round the clock.
Bengaluru: The coronavirus positive number rose to 11 in Karnataka today but here's the good news first: Three of them are family members of the IT guy who turned up positive in Hyderabad 10 days ago, and they have all gotten better. They'll soon be discharged but advised to stay in isolation at home.

The 11 positive count includes the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who died of lung complications on the way back from Hyderabad last Tuesday, thereby becoming India's first coronavirus casualty.

Remarkably, the doctor who treated the coronavirus fatality at the latters residence in ward 30 of Kalaburagi has been detected positive, and will now have to spend the next 14 days in quarantine.

Some fifty people he came in contact with have been traced including seven of his family members. All are asymptomatic but are being observed.

Another new positive result today was of a 20-year old woman from Bengaluru, who returned from the UK on March 14.

A 67-year-old woman who returned from Dubai via Goa also tested positive. As she has a kidney ailment, extra care is being taken of her.

However, there are signs that the number is poised to rise further. In a mere four days since Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa declared a health emergency and shut down all places where people might gather -- schools, colleges, malls, cinemas, seminars, mass marriages, workshops and fairs -- for one week, the number of coronavirus positives has risen from 6 to 11.

A total of 2575 people are now under the scanner, with 2146 people advised to stay at home. Some 319 people have passed through the 28-day quarantine mandated by the World Health Organisation.

With the number of cases reaching double digits today, the state government is considering tightening restrictions further, shutting down super market and weekly fairs in the districts.

Bengalurus present Metro and public bus transport services are still in operation but there is a possibility their services will be curtailed to keep people from travelling.

The government has decided to issue a circular directing hotels and business establishments to avoid using air-conditioning because it spreads the virus.
AndreyPopov | Getty Images

Some good news  in the form of money  may be coming to Americans soon. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that the Trump administration plans to move "immediately" to send money to Americans as the coronavirus cripples the economy. "Americans need cash now," Mnuchin said, indicating checks could come in the next two weeks. The announcement follows much discussion over how the government could act to help shore up American workers' bank balances now, with so many businesses temporarily closed or operating at reduced capacities.

A thousand dollars for everyone

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said this week that he wants the government to send every adult $1,000. Details on how big the checks the Trump administration hopes to deploy have not been disclosed. The Treasury Department is proposing sending two rounds of payments to taxpayers on April 6 and May 18, NBC News reported on Wednesday. Both checks would be the same size. How much you receive would be determined by your income and the size of your family, according to the report. Of course, any plans would need a green light from Congress. "The basic idea of getting money into the economy very quickly is a good idea," said Leonard Burman, institute fellow at the Urban Institute, a non-partisan think tank, and co-founder of the Tax Policy Center. It is also an improvement over potential payroll tax cuts, another idea that has been touted by the Trump administration and others in recent weeks.

"The ideal thing would be to target the payments [at] the people who are most vulnerable, the people who lose their jobs who are working in industries that are severely affected by the coronavirus," Burman said. "It's hard to set up something to do that right away." Whether and how the extra income is taxed will also depend on the terms of the program. Burman said he thinks making that extra income subject to income taxes is a smart move. That way, he said, it would put a greater burden on high earners to pay more of it back. It would also increase state income tax bases that will be hurt in a recession. More from Invest in You:

Financial independence fans see opportunity as markets lurch

Panic shopping and fleeing to cash seem to go hand in hand

Is social media dictating how you spend? For individuals, the big question is: How can I best use this money wisely? The answer depends on your personal situation. Obviously, don't ignore critical expenses like rent, utilities or any other essential bill. Beyond that, "the majority of people should probably keep it in their checking account or savings account temporarily," said financial advisor Winnie Sun, founder of Sun Group Wealth Partners in Irvine, California. Another option is that if you have high-interest credit card, or other, debt. In that case, you want to try to pay down some of those balances, Sun said.

Should you invest or spend?

If you're near retirement, you definitely want to keep the extra cash on hand. But if you're in your 20s or 30s, you may want to invest the money toward your retirement by putting it in a Roth individual retirement account, Sun suggested. "If you went and bought XYZ mutual fund or put it into your IRA, I'm sure that in 20 years that would turn out to be a great thing," said certified financial planner Jude Boudreaux, senior financial planner at The Planning Center in New Orleans. One thing to remember about a universal plan to pay all Americans is that it is not based on financial need. "It's going to be too much for some of them and not enough for others," Burman said. If you don't need the money, you may want to consider donating to a charity that's directly involved in relief efforts or to your local food bank, Boudreaux suggested.

It's the difference between just being constantly in a fear and reactive state to the ability to shift and start to move forward again. Jude Boudreaux senior financial planner at The Planning Center
One of the country's largest debt collection companies has been ordered to pay half a million dollars in penalties after a court found it chased three people over debts they didn't owe.

Panthera Finance Pty Ltd has been ordered by the Federal Court to pay $500,000 after it was found to have unduly harassed the consumers as employees chased them repeatedly for money.

The country's second largest debt collector has been ordered to pay half a million by the federal court. Credit:AFR

The company also placed an incorrect default listing on the credit rating files of two of the customers and misled one of them into thinking they had to pay $100 to have this listing removed when it could have been done for free.

Panthera, the country's second largest debt collection company, collects debts on behalf of other businesses. In the 2018-19 year it made a net profit of $32 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 15:23:44|Editor: huaxia

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Min Yuting, a medic from northwest China's Shaanxi Province, wipes tears on a bus in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. At about 7 a.m. Tuesday, 43 medics from northwest China's Shaanxi Province left Wuhan on nine buses. The first batch of medics have been scheduled to depart Hubei, once the hard-hit province of the novel coronavirus, on Tuesday, as the epidemic situation has been greatly eased. The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

WUHAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of medical assistance teams are scheduled to depart Hubei on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued.

The 3,675 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and epicenter of the outbreak.

"We arrived in Wuhan on Feb. 4 and worked in two temporary hospitals over the past 40 days. Together with colleagues from Wuhan and Henan Province, we managed 988 beds and treated 1,235 patients," said Ma Fuchun, head of the national emergency medical rescue team from northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

"Thankfully, we achieved zero patient deaths and zero infection of medics during our stay here," Ma said.

The Shaanxi team consists of 43 experienced doctors and nurses from departments including emergency treatment, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics and neurology as well as psychology under the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital.

"Our presence here not only reduced the burdens of local medical workers but, more importantly, brought confidence to disease-ridden Wuhan residents. It was also a good opportunity to hone our team," he said.

At 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, medics began to get on the bus. Some of them shed tears behind their masks.

"Wuhan people have acted bravely. I hope life here will return to normal as soon as possible, and the city will become more and more beautiful," said Cui Yaqing, a team member.

At about 7:30 a.m. the medics left Wuhan for Shaanxi. Police officers at the expressway toll-gate saluted while watching their vehicles leave.

Hubei Province reported only one new confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease on Monday.
More than three years after the Ministry of Education first proposed to subdivide and sell a portion of land that is currently part of Whangaparaoa College, the outcome is still unknown.

The land is zoned for Residential  Terraced Housing and Apartments and this is what early proposals provided for.

The land was readied for sale by the Ministry of Education, and the process is handled by Land Information NZ (LINZ).

Last year LINZ put in its application to Auckland Council for consent to subdivide that would split the site, which runs along Whangaparaoa Road, west from the corner of Stanmore Bay Road to opposite the town centre, into three parcels of land.

Two of these (Lots 1 and 4 on the plan) are potentially to be sold and Lots 2 and 3 are to be retained by the college.

LINZ crown property deputy chief executive Jerome Sheppard says that LINZ is still in discussions with Council.

These discussions have been long and complex because of difficulties for car access to busy Whangaparaoa Road, he says.

At the moment LINZ and Council are looking at driveway access options for the Lot 4 parcel of land.

Once the issues are resolved, and the lots have been subdivided, some of the land  in particular Lot 1  will be considered for holding in the Treaty Settlements Landbank.

The proceeds of any land sale go to the Ministry of Education to be reinvested in the school property portfolio, Mr Sheppard says.
The backlash to Clearview AI's facial recognition tool is extending beyond tech companies and civil liberties groups. San Diego's police department and district attorney's office have confirmed that they banned use of Clearview AI in recent weeks. However, that wasn't before they were used in free trials. Police Lieutenant Shawn Takeuchi said that two detectives used Clearview for investigating financial crimes in tandem with "partners in the banking industry," while the DA office's Steve Walker said that eight investigators tried the tech in cases that didn't lead to charges.

Clearview AI's platform has raised a number of ethical concerns. Police can theoretically use photos and videos from security cameras to discover your online presence, including details you might not have realized were public. There's also evidence to suggest some (if not many) facial recognition algorithms have gender and race biases. And that's assuming the technology works as promised. Many security cameras capture footage at angles that make facial recognition difficult.

It's not certain that other law enforcement agencies and attorneys' offices will follow suit. In the past, police have credited the technology with assisting in some cases. They may be reluctant to ditch Clearview AI's system, even if it introduces the risk of false matches or exposes sensitive details.
1. Ten people, max: Thats the new national guideline for the safe size of groups during the coronavirus outbreak, President Trump and U.S. health officials said at a briefing.

The advisory is in effect for at least the next 15 days, along with recommendations to avoid discretionary travel, bars and restaurants.

With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner on the outbreak, President Trump said. When a reporter asked him when that would be, he suggested July or August.
The town of Turner, a small Marion County community about 10 miles southeast of Salem, said it has closed City Hall after an employees husband tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The announcement was first made Monday on the citys official Facebook page. Turner City Manager David Sawyer confirmed the details Tuesday morning in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive.

According to Sawyer, the employees husband had traveled to Kansas last week to visit relatives and later tested positive for the virus while there. The spouse remains self-quarantined in Kansas with other family members who were exposed.

We felt it was prudent to close city hall and watch for symptoms of other staff members, the citys Facebook post reads. There is no indication at this time that any one in Turner has the virus.

The police and public works departments in Turner, which has a population of about 1,800, will continue to function during the closure, Sawyer said. The city employs 10 people.

Sawyer said the city plans to reopen its building, located on Chicago Street Southeast, on Monday, so long as employees continue to show no virus symptoms  which include fever, a dry cough or difficulty breathing  through the end of this week.

Three of the 51 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Oregon to date have been Marion County residents, according to state health officials.

It was not immediately clear whether the city employees husband is among the confirmed Marion County cases.

This story has been updated.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632

Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijans capital Baku has hosted the Second Global Engineering Symposium.

The event, which is attended by about 100 participants, aims to bring together organizations working in mining, oil and gas, construction, information technology, chemical engineering and other areas to create a platform for the exchange of ideas.

It was hosted with the support of AzerGold CJSC, Germanys Freiberg University, Horizon Education Agency, Azerbaijan Diaspora Support Fund and Germany Azerbaijan Student and Scientific Workers Union.

The Global Engineering Symposium offers local students, young scientists and professionals the possibility to gain insights into neighbouring engineering disciplines and career paths as well as to build a network.

Addressing the event, head of Strategic Planning and Business Development of AzerGold Kenan Salayev spoke about the companys contributions to the non-oil sector of the country and made a presentation on the role of the mining sector in the socio-economic development of Azerbaijan.

Speakers from Portugal, Germany, Estonia, the South African Republic and other countries touched upon topics related to oil and gas, construction, information technologies, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering.

Accordingly, at the end of each panel, speakers answered the participants questions.

It should be noted that next symposium is planned to be held in the Bloemfontein city of the South African Republic on 24 October of this year.

Baku also hosted the First Global Engineering Symposium, which was held with the support of Germany Azerbaijan Student and Scientific Workers Union and Metax company on 20 March 2019.

--

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for Trobu in the Greater Accra Region, Moses Anim, says it would be suicidal for Ghanaians to hand over the administration of the country back to former President, John Dramani Mahama.

Moses Anim says the living conditions of Ghanaians will be worse off if John Mahama and the NDC return to the office.

According to him, both John Mahama and the NDC have nothing new to offer Ghanaians.

Mr. Anim said, NDC took us to HIPC but did not have the courage to admit it even though it was under an IMF programme in 2000. It took President Kufuor to have the bulk of Ghanas debt written off and get Ghana out of the IMF programme. Mahama and NDC have nothing better to offer Ghanaians, Moses Anim told First1news.com

The law-maker appealed to Ghanaians to reject Mahama come 2020, adding that the NDC should never be an alternative.

According to him, whiles the NPP builds and develops Ghanas economy, the NDC has a penchant to destroy and erode the countrys gains.

---First1news.com
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Independence (foreground left) and Police Coast Guard vessel (foreground right) despatched to monitor Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Sam Jaguar (background) in the waters east of Pulau Karimun Kecil, Indonesia, this morning.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Independence (foreground left) and Police Coast Guard vessel (foreground right) despatched to monitor Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Sam Jaguar (background) in the waters east of Pulau Karimun Kecil, Indonesia, this morning.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Independence and Police Coast Guard vessel (Picture source: Singapore Government)

Through close collaboration between Singaporean and Indonesian authorities, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) apprehended three perpetrators who had boarded a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Sam Jaguar in the Singapore Strait early this morning, in the waters east of Pulau Karimun Kecil, Indonesia. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) and Information Fusion Centre (IFC) played a key role in disrupting the sea robbery.

At 5.11am on 16 March 2020, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) received a report from Sam Jaguar that robbers had boarded their ship, and were locked in in the engine room by the ship crew.

The RSN's MSTF commenced close monitoring of the vessel, and despatched the Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Independence and Police Coast Guard craft towards the location of the incident, to be prepared to respond if the vessel entered Singapore territorial waters. Simultaneously, the RSN's Information Fusion Centre (IFC) shared information on the incident and perpetrators with the Indonesian authorities via the information-sharing portal IFC Real-time Information-sharing System (IRIS), and MPA's POCC shared the report with the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP)'s Information Sharing Centre in Singapore.

The TNI AL subsequently deployed two ships and one helicopter to hail and board Sam Jaguar in Indonesian Territorial Waters. Acting on the information shared by the IFC, the TNI AL successfully apprehended three perpetrators. The crew on board the bulk carrier were safe and unharmed.

Speaking about the incident, Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Ow, Head IFC, said, "Today's operational outcome is due to the good cooperation and quick response between Singaporean and Indonesian enforcement agencies. By working closely together with the shipping community and littoral states to monitor our waters and share information, we can quickly cue operational responses and keep up the pressure on sea robbers to bring sea robbery incidents down."
Forty students from European countries have been quarantined on the campus of International Sahaja Public School at Naddi village, 16 km from Dharamshala, in Himachal Pradesh in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The batch of 40 students returned from their native countries after their winter vacation ended a week ago.

Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said that the district administration met the school authorities on Monday and asked them to ensure that the students shall remain in self-isolation on the campus.

None of the students has symptoms of coronavirus infection but we have directed the school authorities to ensure that the children dont leave the campus, he said.

Another batch of 100 students, who were still to arrive, has been told to stay back till the situation becomes normal, Prajapati said.

The school, located at an altitude of 2,500 metres in the Himalayas, has children from 38 countries besides India from Classes 1 to 12. The residential school, affiliated with the Council for the Indian Certificate School Examinations (ICSE), was started in 1990. It has its own medical unit with a full-time doctor and nursing staff.

The school term begins in the third week of March and ends in the second half of December.

Some Indian parents complained to the deputy commissioner that the school was conducting classes in violation of the governments direction, putting the health of their wards at risk.

The state government has closed all private and government educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Prajapati said that he has sent a team, comprising police and health officials, to the school to check if the authorities are violating the advisory. If the school is found conducting classes, it will be stopped, he assured the parents.

When contacted, International Sahaja Public School director Ritesh Manake denied the charge of the parents and said: We have suspended classes and new registrations have also been put off till April 13. The parents have been informed. We are delaying the session.
Ontario has its first death with a COVID-19 connection as provincial health officials battle a backlog in testing for the new coronavirus and push to significantly increase daily lab capacity.

The death of a 77-year-old man in Barries Royal Victoria Hospital was one of 12 new cases reported in the province Tuesday  a low number compared with a surge in recent days and a backlog of more than 1,500 tests pending.

We dont think theres enough tests in Ontario, chief medical officer Dr. David Williams said Tuesday, cautioning against interpretations that the sudden drop in new cases signifies a downward trend.

One of the new cases is a health-care worker in her 20s who travelled to Las Vegas recently and was on the job at the London Health Sciences Centre, interacting closely with patients and staff while showing symptoms, the local health unit said Tuesday. It is tracing patients and other contacts.

While provincial lab capacity has been increased to almost 2,000 tests a day  almost double the level a week ago  efforts are underway to boost that to 5,000 per day as concerns about the novel coronavirus grow following Premier Doug Fords emergency declaration and increasing person-to-person spread.

The snag is a combination of lab capacity and the fact some testing swabs come from a factory in northern Italy, the hardest-hit region of a country reeling from COVID-19 with a rapidly increasing case count and death toll.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said the unidentified man who died in the Barrie hospital on March 11 had underlying health conditions and had been in close contact with someone who had COVID-19.

But he was not tested until after his death, for which no reason was given. The exact cause of his death wont be clear until a coroners investigation to determine if it was because of COVID-19 or with COVID-19, Elliott said.

Thats a really important distinction.

The case, which flew under the radar despite heightened awareness of the new coronavirus, raises the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 within the hospital.

Royal Victoria president Janice Skot said staff have carefully tracked the patients movements throughout the health centre andnotified staff and physicians as appropriate.

The fatality is further evidence of the increasing seriousness of the situation we are in, Williams said. Ontarios case count has more than tripled in the last week.

With increasing demand for tests at assessment centres outside hospitals and concerns cases are expanding from travel-related causes, associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said the province is working with its public health branch to create more clear criteria for who should be eligible.

The centres are seeing visits from large numbers of the worried well, added Yaffe, who stressed we do not want any people tested who have no symptoms. Test eligibility has been based on travel history, contact with anyone who has travelled or other clinical reasons that could point to possible COVID-19.

Most of Ontarios 185 cases since the outbreak began have been recovering in self-isolation at home, but one is intubated and on a ventilator in hospital and another was seriously ill but is doing better, Williams told reporters at a daily briefing. Another five cases have been cleared after testing negative in two separate tests more than 24 hours apart.

The province is bracing for a potential influx of cases as Ontarians travelling abroad or snowbirds wintering in the sunny south of the United States prepared to head for home amid repeated calls from the federal government to do so while commercial means remain available.

Have some come into contact with COVID-19 without knowing? said Williams, who noted anyone returning will have to self-isolate for 14 days at home and monitor themselves for symptoms.

The growing case count in the United States is of increasing concern, with 29 per cent of Ontarios purely travel-related cases now coming from there and mainly from six states: New York, Colorado, California, Florida, Nevada and Massachusetts.

To date, a total of 11,167 Ontarians have been approved for testing.

Read more about:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:08:59|Editor: Lu Hui

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NANCHANG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A silver pheasant has been released into the wild in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, according to the Jiulingshan Nature Reserve on Monday.

The silver pheasant, under second-class national protection, was found by Shu Xinren, a villager in Daqiao Village near the reserve on Sunday.

"I called the nature reserve immediately after I spotted the bird that was stuck between guard bars," said Shu.

The staff from the nature reserve rushed to the rescue and examined the silver pheasant, whose health was in good condition.

They released the bird into the wild on Sunday afternoon.

"To better protect wild animals, we have installed more than 100 infrared cameras in addition to daily inspections," said Shu Tesheng, a senior engineer with the reserve who was also on the rescue panel.

He said that they mobilized the locals to participate in wildlife protection as well.

A large number of wildlife species under state protection have been spotted since the nature reserve was founded, including Elliot's pheasants and white-eared night herons, as the reserve attaches great importance to its ecological system and the habitats of wildlife.
By 23, Tiffany Howell was in the depths of her addiction to alcohol and methamphetamine.

At the peak of her substance abuse, she had lost custody of her children and fell into prostitution.

"That was the very bottom. That's how bad it got for me," Howell, 29, told "Good Morning America." "I wasn't a good mother. I wanted to die, but I was scared to kill myself."

Today, Howell is six years sober and furthering her education.

"I have my kids, I'm a a home owner, I'm going to law school," she said. "I never knew my life could be this good or happy. I have peace, I have a self esteem. I have hope."

Howell, a mom of three living in Cottage Grove, Oregon, grew up in a drug and alcoholic home. She said it resulted in childhood trauma she wasn't sure how to address as a teen. So, she turned to substances.

"I needed more," Howell said. "I didn't like feeling emotion so I found a way to escape those emotions with alcohol and eventually drugs."

Howell had some run-ins with the law, and when money got low she turned to prostitution to pay for her drug habit.

PHOTO: Tiffany Howell, 29, of Cottage Grove, Oregon, has been clean for six years after an addiction to alcohol and methamphetamine. (Tiffany Howell)

More: Couple inspires with before-and-after transformation photos since battling addiction

"I just wanted things to end," she said. "The only alternative was to stop doing what i was doing."

When she first became sober, Howell attended three to four Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings a day.

"I didn't go to treatment and I surrounded myself with people who were also sober. It was hard in the beginning. A lot of the things I went through sober, I would never think I could."

On Sunday, March 15, Howell officially celebrated six years of sobriety.

In 2019, she shared a mugshot side-by-side with her astounding transformation in present-day.

Howell said she posted the photos onto Instagram in hopes her experience could benefit others.

Story continues

"When I first got sober I had so much shame," she said. "I lost my kids ,I had been into drugs, got arrested, was into prostitution -- felt there was no hope for me. I thought my life can not be good because of what I'd done."

"I hope my story inspires those people to have even an inkling of hope that their life can be wonderful."

Howell recently earned a bachelor's degree in business communications and criminal justice at Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Oregon.

She hopes to attend University of Oregon School of Law in the fall and follow in the footsteps of her late grandfather, Bill Howell, who was a criminal defense attorney.

Howell is one of many who are part of the sober positive movement on Instagram.

Hastags like #sober and #soberlife have millions of followers. There are now accounts titled Sober Movement, Sober Nation and Sober is Life--offering community to those in recovery, or trying to get clean.

Howell's photos were shared by the account Sober Motivation, which has over 21,000 followers and 332 posts.

The page's moderator, Brad McLeod of Ontario, Canada, launched Sober Motivation in 2018 to build a community.

"I hope it grows and lets people know they're not alone," McLeod, 32, told "GMA," adding he receives messages from people wanting to share their stories. "You never know some stranger with mental health issues, addiction or a convicted felon trying to improve their life -- maybe a movie here, or a movie there but there's so much shame in it."

PHOTO: Brad McLeod, 32, of Canada, became sober and graduated with a degree in addiction counseling. He's now a proud parent, owns a digital media marketing business and gives a platform for those in recovery through his Instagram page, Sober Motivation. (Brad McLeod)

"Theres the occasional trolls but I dont take it personally."

McLeod is 11 years clean after battling a heroin addiction.

At the time McLeod, a Canada citizen, was living in North Carolina, on a green card.

He had a long history of arrests and spent a year in jail in 2009 for three drug trafficking charges and was later deported as a result of his life choices.

"It cost my family close to $250,000 [between] detox programs and lawyers for my court case," McLeod said. "At the end of the day, I needed some accountability."

"I had to decide if that was the life I was going to be living or if I was going to go in another direction.

McLeod became sober and graduated from Conestoga College in Ontario with a degree in addiction counseling.

More: Woman's viral Facebook post on losing family member to overdose touches thousands

He's now a proud parent, owns a digital media marketing business and gives a platform for those in recovery through his Instagram page.

"My daughters are 3 weeks old and 2 1/2," McLeod said. "I am married and bought a house. I used to live on my brother's couch. It was challenging, but it's been a blessing. People were so upset and disappointed in me. The life I have right now, for a guy like me, I never expected to live past 25. I didn't want to. So, it's phenomenal."

He went on, "Anybody can make a comeback. Just be a light out there in a dark world."

Through Sober Motivation, McLeod has connected with people across the U.S., like Andrew Addington-Strapp of Columbus, Ohio.

PHOTO: Brad McLeod, 32, of Canada, became sober and graduated with a degree in addiction counseling. He's now a proud parent, owns a digital media marketing business and gives a platform for those in recovery through his Instagram page, Sober Motivation. (Brad McLeod)

Addington-Strapp has been clean for two years. Abuse and his father's suicide led to a near decade-long alcohol and opioid addiction.

"The abuse and the trauma from him killing himself, I think it kind of manifested when I got older. I'd escape when I'd go out in college to drink," Addington-Strapp, 36, told "GMA."

"Sooner or later," he added, "I couldn't hold jobs. I would end up not showing up, or I'd call out so I could go get drugs. It was like my priority [number] one."

Two years back, Addington-Strapp celebrated his brother's bachelor party in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Days later, he overdosed on heroin and fentanyl.

"That was the beginning of the end for me. It scared me to death," Addington-Strapp said. "I said, 'I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to die.'"

Addington-Strapp went through a painful drug withdrawal, even experienced hallucinations, he said.

In April 2018, he checked into University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he had seizures and remained for 8 days.

"I left on May 4, 2018.That was the day of my brother's wedding. I was the best man, which is wild."

Addington-Strapp obtained a sponsor to guide him through a 12-step recovery.

"The stuff I went through in retrospect was the biggest blessing I've had my whole life," he said. "It helps me have an attitude of being grateful and help people who have been where I've been."

PHOTO: Andrew Addington-Strapp, 36 (left) of Columbus, Ohio, credits his family, especially his brother, Austin Addington-Strapp, for support before and after sobriety. (Andrew Addington-Strapp)

Addington-Strapp's transformation to sobriety was also shared on Instagram on McLeod's personal page.

A video shows Addington-Strapp convulsing in a hospital bed during drug withdrawal. The photo to the right of the footage features a much healthier version of him, today.

"I want someone in a bad place to see it and [think], 'There's a potential where I don't have to live like this anymore,'" he said of the image.

"Because, we all suffer from this core issue. To see someone that has the same issue you have, recover, share their life experiences, ups and downs and still stays sober, it gives people hope."

"It does get better. It gets a lot better."

Addington-Strapp now manages a fitness center.

He credits his family, especially his brother, Austin Addington-Strapp, for support before and after sobriety.

Dr. Janet Taylor is a psychiatrist at Centerstone of Florida and treats people with addiction.

She said people entering sobriety are advised to remain "self protected."

"When you're making that change, it's important to also change those you hung out with when you got high, or a song you used to listen to that could trigger that moment," Taylor told "GMA." "Paying attention to your schedule, people, places and things ... and knowing there's a lot of cues to trigger you is extremely important."

As for the sober positive community online, Taylor said the impact of before-and-after images could make a difference to people in recovery.

"It can help those who may be on edge, or in need of inspiration to keep them from using," she explained. "It could kind of light that fire for that next step in moving forward or [keep] from slipping back into a life that they don't want."

Taylor said counseling and sponsor groups could help addicts from returning to old habits like trying to self-medicate trauma, or current pain.

Taylor added that there are 12-step programs that work in accordance with Narcotics Anonymous, but first you need to "educate yourself, find support and find a health care provider. Treatment is even available for people who don't have insurance."

If you're struggling with addiction, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can help you locate a treatment facility. Their helpline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day: 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Recovering addicts share astounding before-and-after photos and sober positivity on Instagram originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China called for immediately lifting sanctions on Iran to avoid interference in the COVID-19 fight and damage to the country's economy and people's livelihood, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said Monday.

Geng made remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on a letter sent by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to leaders of several countries, in which he accused the U.S. government of continuing to thwart Iran's efforts to counter the pandemic, with sanctions having caused about 200 billion U.S. dollars of direct damages to the Iranian economy in less than two years.

Saying the Iranian government and people are at a critical moment to fight against the novel coronavirus disease, Geng stressed continued unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran have deteriorated the situation and gone against the humanitarian spirit.

The sanctions could seriously affect Iran's fight against the pandemic and humanitarian assistance provided by the United Nations and other international organizations, Geng added.

Paying close attention to the situation in Iran and maintaining communication with the Middle Eastern country, China has sent anti-epidemic materials including test kits, as well as a team of voluntary experts to Iran, Geng said.

The spokesperson added that China will continue to provide assistance within its capabilities and in accordance with Iran's needs, and hopes the international community will strengthen cooperation with Iran and jointly safeguard global and regional public health security.
A meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been scheduled for Tuesday. Lanre Iss...





A meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been scheduled for Tuesday.





Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC National Publicity Secretary, in a statement Monday night, said the meeting will hold at the partys national secretariat in Abuja by 12 noon.





All members of the NWC are expected to attend as important matters concerning the party will be considered and deliberated at the meeting, it said.





A Court of Appeal, earlier in the day, stayed the execution order of a High Court restraining the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, from further acting in that capacity.

Justice Abubakar Datti Yshaya led panel of the granted the reliefs contained in an ex-parte motion argued by the lawyer to Oshiomhole and the APC, Wole Olanipekun (SAN).





Yahaya restrained the respondents from further taking any further steps in relation to the March 4, 2020 order by Justice Danlami Senchi of the High Court of the FCT.





We employ political parties to try to resolve their differences amicably without having to unnecessarily bother the court, he ruled.





Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari after a parley with APC Governors, directed the suspension of a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting earlier slated to hold tomorrow.




ALTON  Excitement will continue to build as the YWCA of Alton made the decision to postpone its 30th annual Women of Distinction awards dinner until Thursday, May 28.

The celebration has always been one of the YWCAs most special events. It is a well-loved and powerful tradition, honoring remarkable women in the community, and the YWCA welcomes guests from near and far to celebrate the impressive Women of Distinction award recipients.

This years Women of Distinction award recipients are Dr. Wendy Adams, Nancy Berry, Rosetta L. Brown, Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe, Monica Ellebracht, Olivia Ann Ervin, Angela Gray, Lisa Hayes, Sherry I. McCrady, Robyne OMara, Kendra Lynette Stiff and Virginia Woulfe-Beile.

Like the public at large, the YWCA has been closely monitoring the growing impact and increased uncertainty around COVID-19. After careful consideration and much discussion  and as the nonprofit organizations contribution to flattening the curve  the YWCA of Alton made the decision to postpone the 30th annual Women of Distinction awards dinner to Thursday, May 28, at The Commons, at Lewis and Clark Community Colleges Godfrey campus, 5800 Godfrey Road.

Registration and networking will begin at 5:15 p.m., with dinner and awards celebration to follow at 6 p.m. The new members of the Women of Distinction Academy will have photos taken at 5:45 pm.

Guests who have already registered do not need to do anything; your registration will automatically be moved to the awards dinners new date, May 28.

For questions, contact the YWCA of Alton at 618-465-7774. To register for the May 28 date,e visit www.altonywca.com or call the Y.

More Information If you go: What: 30th annual Women of Distinction awards dinner, presented by the YWCA of Alton When: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28; registration, networking begins at 5:15 p.m. Where: The Commons, Lewis and Clark Community College, 5800 Godfrey Road, Godfrey Info: Guests who have already registered do not need to do anything; your registration will automatically be moved to the awards dinner's new date, May 28. Sponsorship and other support opportunities still are available. For sponsorship documents and questions contact the YWCA of Alton by calling 618-465-7774 or visiting www.altonywca.com. See More Collapse

Support opportunities still are available and include sponsorship, advertisements, well-wisher ads and donations. For sponsorship documents contact the YWCA of Alton by calling the number, 618-465-7774, or visiting its website  www.altonywca.com.

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to celebrating together on May 28, YWCA Executive Director Dorothy Hummel stated.

The YWCA of Alton was established in 1918 and is part of the largest and oldest womens organization in the world. YWCA of Alton tailors its programs to meet the singular needs of its communities, as aligned with three key national platforms: racial justice and civil rights; empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls; and, health and safety of women and girls.

The YWCA of Alton is sponsored by Alton Memorial Hospital, Meridian Health, Morrissey Contracting Co. Inc. and Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery.
The World Health Organisation on Tuesday recommended that people suffering from COVID-19-like symptoms should avoid self-medicating with ibuprofen, after French authorities warned anti-inflammatory drugs could worsen the effects of the virus.

The warnings over the weekend by French Health Minister Olivier Veran followed a recent study in The Lancet weekly medical journal that hypothesised that an enzyme that is boosted when taking anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen could facilitate and worsen COVID-19 infections.

Asked about the study, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva that the UN health agency's experts were "looking into this to give further guidance".

"In the meantime, we recommend using rather paracetamol, and do not use ibuprofen as a self-medication. That's important," he said.

He stressed though that if ibuprofen had been "prescribed by the healthcare professionals, then, of course, that's up to them".

His comments came after Veran sent a tweet cautioning that the use of ibuprofen and similar anti-inflammatory drugs could be "an aggravating factor" in COVID-19 infections.

"In the case of fever, take paracetamol," he wrote.

He stressed that patients already being treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, should "ask advice from your doctor." Paracetamol must be taken strictly according to the dose, because too high a dosage can be very dangerous for the liver.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 180,000 people worldwide and killed more than 7,000, causes mild symptoms in most people, but can result in pneumonia and in some cases severe illness that can lead to multiple organ failure.

Even before the pandemic, French authorities last year sounded the alarm over serious "infectious complications" linked to the use of ibuprofen, which is sold under various brands like Nurofen and Advil, and other anti-inflammatory drugs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SIOUX CITY -- Briar Cliff University on Monday indefinitely postponed its commencement ceremony due to concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak.

The annual graduation ceremony for the private Sioux City school had been scheduled for May 10 at the Orpheum Theatre.

Briar Cliff said it postponed commencement as a result of public health recommendations that no public gatherings of 50 or more people be held within the next 60 days. The college's week of commencement events had been scheduled to start May 5. New dates have not yet been set.

The college on Monday also elaborated on its previously announced plans to suspend in-person instruction for the rest of the spring semester. Students and instructors will begin online classes on March 23.

Briar Cliff students may remain in their on campus housing or return home to complete their courses. Residence halls and dining services also will stay open.

No cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Woodbury County, as of Monday.

The University of South Dakota and five other public schools in the state also will switch to online classes, beginning March 23, the state Board of Regents announced Monday. In-person instruction is expected to resume April 6.

USD is urging students to return home to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, according to a statement posted on the college's website. Students who are unable to do so andhave not visited a Level 3 location may request to return to campus by contacting housing@usd.edu.

Limited dining services will be available for remaining on campus.

As of Monday, South Dakota has a total of 10 coronavirus cases, but none had been confirmed in Clay County.

The South Dakota Board of Regents announced last week that the colleges' spring break would be extended through March 20.

The Journal's Mason Dockter contributed to this story.

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The concept of 'flattening the curve' assumes importance as a way to ensure that the healthcare system can better deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

As authorities in India pull out all stops to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, a frequently-voiced concern is whether the healthcare system in the country is prepared for a sudden spike in infections. It is this context that the concept of "flattening the curve" assumes importance, as a way to ensure that the healthcare system can better deal with the crisis.

What is 'flattening the curve'?

'Flattening the curve' of an infection essentially means using protective practices to slow the outbreak so that hospitals have rooms, supplies, and doctors for all those who need care.

In other words, if there is a sudden rise in cases of COVID-19, hospitals may be left with inadequate resources to ensure treatment for all patients. But if the same number of patients seek treatment over a longer period of time, hospitals may be better equipped to deal with them.

Carl Bergestrom, biologist and co-creator of the 'flattening the curve' graph, has said on Twitter, "The steps we take now, individually and as a community, will determine the trajectory of the #COVID19 epidemic. This, in turn, will determine how many lives are lost. It is not just a matter of protecting yourself; it is a matter of protecting the most vulnerable among us."

4. Esther Kim (@k_thos) and I have created this illustration of why it is critical that we #slowthespread of #coronavirus. Freely available for any use under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Please share broadly. pic.twitter.com/OAVeGnIIXt  Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) March 7, 2020

The fear that healthcare systems may be overburdened by the sheer number of COVID-19 cases is not an unfounded one. According to a policy recently proposed by Italian authorities, coronavirus victims in Italy over 80 years of age may be denied intensive care if there is a shortage of beds.

'Flattening the curve' can be achieved by preventive measures such as washing hands, avoiding non-essential travel and ensuring social distancing.

As an article in The Indian Express notes, the novel coronavirus is not as fatal as H5N1 or bird flu. This, ironically, makes the infection more difficult to contain, since patients are more likely to be active, thus spreading the virus. This makes social distancing measures imperative.

An article in Live Science notes that flattening the curve as a response to epidemics has worked in the past. This was exemplified during the Spanish Flu outbreak in the United States in 1918. Two cities  Philadelphia and St Louis  handled the situation in very different manners, and the former reported a much higher toll. Philadelphia had conducted a massive parade despite the flu, and in the next six months, about 16,000 people died. On the other hand, St Louis closed schools, limited travel and encouraged personal hygiene. The city reported only 2,000 deaths in the same period.
Online travel firm MakeMyTrip on Tuesday said its priority is to make it as easy and safe as possible for its customers to manage changes to their travel plans on account of the coronavirus outbreak.

"We want to reach out to you personally in these uncertain times, as the situation around coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve," MakeMyTrip Founder & Group Executive Chairman Deep Kalra and MakeMyTip Co-Founder & Group CEO Rajesh Magow said in an e-mailed message to customers.

The company is taking all possible measures to help serve its customers during these unprecedented circumstances, it added.

"We are closely working with all our airline and hotel partners on lenient customer policies for date change, cancellations and waivers in the face of evolving travel trends and are seamlessly passing the waiver benefits to our customers, as applicable," the mail said.

The company's support teams are working 24x7 and are constantly monitoring updates from the government and public health authorities to be able to serve customers in the best way possible, it added.

MakeMyTrip is not levying any fee for processing cancellation or rescheduling requests for domestic as well as international flights up to April 30.

The company understands this is a difficult time for travellers and it wants to support them during this period of uncertainty, MakeMyTrip Chief Business Officer Saujanya Shrivastava said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australians have been urged to stop hugging and shaking hands in a desperate bid to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The nation's Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy announced the extraordinary measure in a press conference on Wednesday morning.

They were among a raft of measures announced when Professor Murphy and Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation to combat the spread of the pandemic.

Australians are urged not to hug, except with family members. Pictured are a man and woman embracing at Sydney International Airport on Monday when new self-isolation measures were enforced for passengers arriving from overseas

Australians are now discouraged from hugging and even shaking hands as part of social distancing recommendations to keep at least 1.5 metres apart.

'No more handshaking. No more hugging. No more - except in your family, you can do that in your family. Because you are already close to your family,' Professor Murphy said.

He also urged Australians to give more attention to washing their hands.

'No more scant attention to hand hygiene. Wash your hands all the time. Use hand sanitiser and practice sensible practices,' he said.

'And also, as the Prime Minister has said, we are in a situation now where there are mainly imported cases, small numbers.

Handshakes are also discouraged as part of social distancing recommendations (stock image)

'There is no need for us to be in a state of heightened anxiety, but we do need to be prepared and we all need to practice this social distancing.'

Other extraordinary measures included a indefinite ban on overseas travel and non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100, effective immediately.

'This is a once-in-a-100-year-type event,' Mr Morrison said.

'Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world. Life is going to continue to change.'

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia has climbed to 454 and is predicted to rise.

The growing figure includes five deaths.

'We have increasing numbers each day,' Professor Murphy said.
An Indonesian tested positive for coronavirus here on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in Telangana to five, even as the state government stepped up measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The five include a 24-year-old techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery. Even till this moment, no Telangana resident has tested positive for coronavirus on Telangana soil. That who came from foreign countries, who came after being infected, they tested positive.

No case has been identified here," state Health minister E Rajender told reporters here. According to him, the second positive case is a woman who came from Italy and the third a man from the Netherlands.

The fourth person, who tested positive, arrived fromScotland and the fifth patient from Indonesia. Telangana started thermal screening much earlier at the international airport here and more than 66,000 people have been screened, the minister said. The state government is tracing scores of people who came in contact with the five patients, he said.

Six labs have been readied in the state to test for the virus, he said, adding that the final confirmation on COVID-19 status would also be done in Hyderabad. Health authorities in Telangana used to get the confirmation on coronavirus cases from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune.

As per the Centre's directives, those coming from China, Iran, Italy, Korea and other countries, where the spread of COVID-19 has been found to be severe, are screened at the airport and people having symptoms for the virus would be sent to the state-run Gandhi hospital.

Those asymptomatic would be taken to the quarantine centresset up at Vikarabad and other places here, he said. If necessary, quarantine centres would be set up in districts, he said.

So far about 200 have been kept in quarantine centres. Stressing that those kept under observation at the centres are not virus-affected patients, Rajender said local residents need not fear about the presence of the centres. People coming from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka by road, where a high number of cases are seen, are also screened, he said.

The minister said those undergoing treatment for coronavirus are being provided with good food, wi-fi and other facilities. Police in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district registered a case against three people for allegedly posting fake news in social media that a doctor and his staff, who initially treated a woman who tested positive, also got infected and that they were admitted to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.

The TelanganaPrisonsand Correctional Services on Tuesday said 'mulaqats' (visitor meetings) of prisoners at all jails in the state has been cancelled in view of virus threat. The South Central Railway announced that the platform ticket fare has been increased across all stations on SCR zone to decongest railway stations as precaution against spread of coronavirus.

The revised platform ticket fare at all important major railway stations and all suburban stations would be Rs 50 from the existing Rs 10, while at the small stations it will be Rs 20 until March 31.
saurabh2711 BHPian



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CEIR - Lost My Phone - Found a way to Block it



After giving up all hopes of Google to help us in some way, we were hell bend to use all possible ways to track it that we could find.

This is where we found CEIR:



https://ceir.gov.in/Home/index.jsp



Central Equipment Identity Register. Facility for blocking & tracing of lost Mobiles.

This portal is open for public use. Currently on Pilot in Maharashtra & Delhi only. Having said that we got to know that MP Police is also using some similar service to track lost mobiles. Phones are recovered from Rajasthan & Some from as far as Bihar till date.

Did some browsing on the website & found that Only Maharashtra & Delhi have the details of all police stations in the drop-down. For all other states, the dropdowns are marked as "Default". However, this does not stops you from logging a complain & generate an acknowledgement for Lost phone blocking.



As it is evident that the only way to track your lost mobile is, tracking the IMEI number by the service providers and only way this can be done is by Authorities such as Police & others; this seems a logical approach.



This is how the website looks: Look at the red square at bottom left to "Block Lost or Stolen Mobile"





This website also tells you to verify validity of a mobile you are about to purchase (New or old), by sending an SMS or by App. Refer screenshots below:





OK, Sticking to what I did & steps required to log a complain.

Clicked on red square to block lost/stolen mobile: I landed on this page:







Pre-Requisite: You need to have the same SIM re-issued with you, that was in the phone when it was lost.

Reason for this is that: the OTP to register this complaint will be delivered to the original number which was lost with phone. Some background verification, to authenticate your request.



Mobile store which was to re-issue us the SIM was closed for the day & we waited till next day to have SIM in our hand.

Another Problem: Some service providers block SMS transactions (in/out) for first 24 hrs on new SIM to avoid any fraudulent transactions on lost SIM & Phone. Had to wait till 12th March 12PM for our SMS services to resume. As i was not able to receive OTP from this portal during entire period.



Once SMS Services resumed I logged into portal to complete all formalities.



NOW: Logging the Complaint

This Page Requires:

Section 1:



1: Mobile #1 : Mandatory - This is where you receive OTP & was the number lost with phone.

2: Mobile #2 : Optional - this could have also been in the phone when lost.

3: IMEI #1 # IMEI#2 : These are optional, but better to give it, if you have them handy. IF your number is correct, Police will track your IMEI from the service provider & track it.

4: Your Phone's Brand - Mandatory

5: Device Model : Optional

6: Upload Bill/Invoice : optional



Section 2: Lost Information

1: Lost Place : Mandatory

2: Lost Time : Mandatory

3: State : Mandatory

4: District : Mandatory

5: Police Complaint # : Mandatory " Got this from PDF downloaded from PCPC.GOV.IN.

6: Upload Police Complaint : This is where complaint PDF on PCPC.GOV.IN was uploaded. Others can scan & upload the complain they registered in Police station.





Section 3: Mobile Owner Personal Information

1: Name : Mandatory

2: Address : Mandatory

3: Upload Identity : Mandatory - Aadhar, PAN, Voter ID, DL etc can be uploaded.

4: Identity Number : : Mandatory - ID# of the document uploaded in step 3.

5: email id: Optional - Better you provide it, as they drop an email with complaint number at last.

6: Mobile Number for OTP : Auto populated from "Mobile 1 from Section 1".



Check the declaration "All info is true & I will be held responsible if found wrong".

Click Get OTP.



Once you receive OTP, enter it in Verify OTP Section, which is enable automatically after get OTP is clicked. OTP Is valid only for Five Minutes.



Done. New page with confirmation is displayed with all info you shared. Mobile gets blocked in 24 hours. IMEI is put on tracking for new SIM installation.









If you do not know your IMEI of lost phone (bills/box all lost & no backup at any place): This is how you can find out:



Under Security tab of your Google Account look for this:





Click on "Find a Lost Device".

this is the next page:





Select the device which is lost: Mine is Nokia 6:

On Next page, of all the options Click "Locate"







On Next Page: Click on the " i "



There you go, you have the IMEI.









Google does gives you lot of other options such as track, lock, erase etc for the lost phone. But they all need phone to be online in someway. Which I do not think, anyone will leave it that way after deciding "not to return". Hence mostly useless.



If only Google can start, tracking IMEI's, just like police do: It will be lot more easier to track.

Say for example : I log a complain with Google as well. Google knows, how long I have been using it. Share all details, including Police complaint. They verify & approve it & drop me an email with Email account, Phone number & location of the new person who is using it.

But i don't know, how feasible it is.



THE CEIR homepage also allows me to unlock my phone once found & which was blocked by steps explained above.

Use the greed box instead of the red box.



I am waiting for my phone to come back soon & I can update this thread with "How to Unlock".

But for the reference, this is how it looks:







This is he status of my request as on 16th March, 11 AM..

"Accepted for Blocking". Not sure what are the next steps, but once traced I may get an update. May be called on the number I gave, if found to handover.(touchwood)





Though I have ~0, hopes of my mobile being found & returned; I only hope that this website works the way it is projected. And my mobile is at least blocked from further use. I do not see any sense in picking up someone's cellphone & not returning it, if you have to keep it locked at home.



However, if this system works & I get my phone back or at least blacklisted on all Carriers ; this is great. Will be more than happy.



I hope & pray: Nobody is required to visit CEIR website ever. However, God Forbid you are in the same boat as I am : I hope this information can help you in easily logging the complaint. --Intentionally moving to another post, as this process will be common for all--After giving up all hopes of Google to help us in some way, we were hell bend to use all possible ways to track it that we could find.This is where we found CEIR:Central Equipment Identity Register. Facility for blocking & tracing of lost Mobiles.This portal is open for public use. Currently on Pilot in Maharashtra & Delhi only. Having said that we got to know that MP Police is also using some similar service to track lost mobiles. Phones are recovered from Rajasthan & Some from as far as Bihar till date.Did some browsing on the website & found that Only Maharashtra & Delhi have the details of all police stations in the drop-down. For all other states, the dropdowns are marked as "Default". However, this does not stops you from logging a complain & generate an acknowledgement for Lost phone blocking.As it is evident that the only way to track your lost mobile is, tracking the IMEI number by the service providers and only way this can be done is by Authorities such as Police & others; this seems a logical approach.This is how the website looks: Look at the red square at bottom left to "Block Lost or Stolen Mobile"This website also tells you to verify validity of a mobile you are about to purchase (New or old), by sending an SMS or by App. Refer screenshots below:Clicked on red square to block lost/stolen mobile: I landed on this page:Reason for this is that: the OTP to register this complaint will be delivered to the original number which was lost with phone. Some background verification, to authenticate your request.Mobile store which was to re-issue us the SIM was closed for the day & we waited till next day to have SIM in our hand.: Some service providers block SMS transactions (in/out) for first 24 hrs on new SIM to avoid any fraudulent transactions on lost SIM & Phone. Had to wait till 12th March 12PM for our SMS services to resume. As i was not able to receive OTP from this portal during entire period.Once SMS Services resumed I logged into portal to complete all formalities.This Page Requires:1: Mobile #1 : Mandatory - This is where you receive OTP & was the number lost with phone.2: Mobile #2 : Optional - this could have also been in the phone when lost.3: IMEI #1 # IMEI#2 : These are optional, but better to give it, if you have them handy. IF your number is correct, Police will track your IMEI from the service provider & track it.4: Your Phone's Brand - Mandatory5: Device Model : Optional6: Upload Bill/Invoice : optional: Lost Information1: Lost Place : Mandatory2: Lost Time : Mandatory3: State : Mandatory4: District : Mandatory5: Police Complaint # : Mandatory " Got this from PDF downloaded from PCPC.GOV.IN.6: Upload Police Complaint : This is where complaint PDF on PCPC.GOV.IN was uploaded. Others can scan & upload the complain they registered in Police station.: Mobile Owner Personal Information1: Name : Mandatory2: Address : Mandatory3: Upload Identity : Mandatory - Aadhar, PAN, Voter ID, DL etc can be uploaded.4: Identity Number : : Mandatory - ID# of the document uploaded in step 3.5: email id: Optional - Better you provide it, as they drop an email with complaint number at last.6: Mobile Number for OTP : Auto populated from "Mobile 1 from Section 1".Check the declaration "All info is true & I will be held responsible if found wrong".Click Get OTP.Once you receive OTP, enter it in Verify OTP Section, which is enable automatically after get OTP is clicked.Done. New page with confirmation is displayed with all info you shared. Mobile gets blocked in 24 hours. IMEI is put on tracking for new SIM installation.Under Security tab of your Google Account look for this:Click on "Find a Lost Device".this is the next page:Select the device which is lost: Mine is Nokia 6:On Next page, of all the options Click "Locate"On Next Page: Click on the "There you go, you have the IMEI.Google does gives you lot of other options such as track, lock, erase etc for the lost phone. But they all need phone to be online in someway. Which I do not think, anyone will leave it that way after deciding "not to return". Hence mostly useless.If only Google can start, tracking IMEI's, just like police do: It will be lot more easier to track.Say for example : I log a complain with Google as well. Google knows, how long I have been using it. Share all details, including Police complaint. They verify & approve it & drop me an email with Email account, Phone number & location of the new person who is using it.But i don't know, how feasible it is.THE CEIR homepage also allows me to unlock my phone once found & which was blocked by steps explained above.Use the greed box instead of the red box.I am waiting for my phone to come back soon & I can update this thread with "How to Unlock".But for the reference, this is how it looks:This is he status of my request as on 16th March, 11 AM.."Accepted for Blocking". Not sure what are the next steps, but once traced I may get an update. May be called on the number I gave, if found to handover.(touchwood)Though I have ~0, hopes of my mobile being found & returned; I only hope that this website works the way it is projected. And my mobile is at least blocked from further use. I do not see any sense in picking up someone's cellphone & not returning it, if you have to keep it locked at home.However, if this system works & I get my phone back or at least blacklisted on all Carriers ; this is great. Will be more than happy.: Nobody is required to visit CEIR website ever. However, God Forbid you are in the same boat as I am : I hope this information can help you in easily logging the complaint. Last edited by saurabh2711 : 16th March 2020 at 12:11 .
(TNS)  With spreading fears of the coronavirus, North Carolinas Republican and Democratic party officials are taking action to limit large gatherings by switching to virtual party conventions.Both parties have county conventions scheduled for this month and congressional district conventions in April. Those gatherings are the first steps in selecting delegates to the national conventions this summer.Right now we are working with counties (on) transferring their county conventions from physical conventions to digital conventions, state Republican Chair Michael Whatley told The Charlotte Observer Monday.The bottom line is we want to move forward with a process thats going to keep everybody in our communities safe and ensure that everybody who wants to participate in our state and national convention can do so.The move is the latest example of how the public health crisis is upending American politics. Two states, Louisiana and Georgia, have postponed their primaries.Officials at both national conventions  with Republicans scheduled for Charlotte in August and Democrats for Milwaukee in July  say theyre continuing to monitor the public health situation. But at a news conference Monday, President Donald Trump suggested even those might in danger.The president said America could be dealing with the virus until summer. They think August, it could be July, could be longer than that, Trump said, alluding to experts view of a possible timeline.Last week North Carolina Democratic officials passed a resolution calling on larger counties, that is, counties expecting more than 100 people at their conventions, to hold Virtual Party Conventions. Smaller counties would have that option.Its going to be like a pajama convention  you can just dial in, said Jane Whitley, Mecklenburg Democratic chair.That was after Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order to halt mass gatherings of 100 or more people.But since then the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised against gatherings of 50 or more people for the next eight weeks, or until at least mid-May. North Carolina health officials have made the same recommendation Officials of both N.C. state parties are trying to work out details of exactly how virtual conventions would work, particularly assuming some delegates have no access to computers. Democrats, for example, are looking at some combination of online participation and dialing-in. The state party would provide appropriate software or other technology.The North Carolina Democratic Party is working with the Democratic National Committee and public health officials to find the best solution, said state Democratic spokesman Robert Howard. We are reviewing a number of options . . . but are awaiting further guidance from the DNC.Wayne Schaeffer, chairman of the Bladen County GOP, decided to postpone his county convention last week.In light of the current CDC warnings even as late as yesterday evening I thought it was prudent, he said Monday. The warnings coming out of the CDC are literally evolving as we speak.County conventions choose delegates to the districts, which in turn choose them for the state convention. Thats where delegates to the national conventions are selected.Whatley said the GOPs state convention in Greenville is still scheduled to start May 14, but that also could change.Tatum Gibson, a spokeswoman for the Republican national convention, said officials have full faith and confidence in the administrations aggressive actions to address COVID-19.We will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with all stakeholders and health authorities to ensure every necessary precaution is taken into account, she said.Dr. Ada Fisher, one of the N.C. GOPs members of the Republican National Committee, said she has concerns about the inability of convention delegates to meet and interact physically. But she understands the situation.The circumstances of the virus are dictating that we have to change our ways on doing some things, said Fisher, who has a masters in public health. Thats unfortunate. But thats the way it is.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a government resolution imposing a temporary entry ban for foreign nationals and persons without nationality for a period from March 18 until May 1 as a measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, as follows from the document posed on the governments website on Monday.



"In order to ensure the states security, protect peoples health and prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection <> Russia Federal Security Service (FSB) is instructed to impose temporary restrictions on entry to the country by foreign citizens and persons without citizenship, including those arriving from Belarus and Belarusian nationals, from 00:00 local time on March 18, 2020 to 00:00 local time on May 1," TASS cited the document as saying.



The ban will not be applicable to employees of diplomatic missions and consular establishments in Russia, drivers of motor vehicles serving international routes, aircraft, ship and railway crews, members of official delegations, holders of diplomatic, service and regular private visas arriving in Russia due to the death of a close relative, and transit air passengers.



Russias Air Transport Agency was give 24 hours to inform corresponding air carriers about the ban. The Russian interior ministry and its territorial divisions were instructed to suspend the issuance of entry invitations and permits for the use of foreign nationals as labor migrants. The foreign ministry was instructed to suspend visa issuance to the above mentioned categories of people and notify foreign states about these measures.



Cases of the new coronavirus have been reported from about 130 countries and territories, including Russia, which has 93 coronavirus cases. The World Health Organization says that the novel coronavirus cases across the globe have exceeded 170,000, with more than 6,000 deaths.
New Delhi, March 17 : Pawan Gupta, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, on Tuesday again knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court claiming to be a juvenile.

In his second curative petition filed through his lawyer A.P. Singh, Pawan said that new evidence has emerged in the form of his school leaving certificate which claims that he was 16 years old when the crime took place.

"The new evidence is in the form of the school register of the school first attended by the petitioner which records his date of birth as being 08.10.1996 which makes him 16 years 2 months and 8 days old on the date of the incident, which was 16.12.2012. This document is ante litem motam, as it pre-dates the date of the offence in the present case. It would be a travesty of justice to execute the petitioner in light of this new material," the plea said.

The plea further alleges that the state has concealed the said fact. The petition prayed for a stay on the execution of the convict which is slated for March 20.

Meanwhile, advocate Singh also approached the National Human Rights Commission on behalf of deceased convict Ram Singh seeking compensation in regard of alleged custodial death of Ram Singh to his minor son.

The plea also sought stay on the execution of the four death row convicts.

On Monday, three death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case while praying for stay on their execution before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said that "Life is going short to short, why death?" Giving reference of coronavirus and the deteriorating air quality in Delhi the convicts in their plea stated, "Everyone is aware of what is happening in the world and also Delhi NCR in regard of water and air. Life is going short to short, then why death penalty?" The convicts also raised questions over the investigation of the case, stating, "Factors of caste and creed, financial status, political approach and pressure have become so important that investigators are hand picked for particular cases and where the establishment so wishes, the investigation is tailored to achieve a particular result. It is also depend upon the political power." The four convicts -- Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar are scheduled to be executed on March 20 at 5:30 a.m.

The case pertains to the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl, later dubbed 'Nirbhaya', in the national capital in December 2012. Six people, including five convicts and a juvenile, were accused in the case.

One of the accused, Ram Singh, committed suicide in Tihar jail days after the trial began in the case. The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.


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TOLEDO, Ohio, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. (NYSE: WELL) today issued the following statement from Thomas J. DeRosa, Chairman and CEO:

There is no perfect playbook to manage through a pandemic. However, flu and infection mitigation are integral parts of the day to day operating model in seniors housing, post-acute care and our medical office buildings. We maintain that the population of frail and/or memory impaired seniors are best served in safe, controlled environments that have time tested protocols in disease mitigation in place. It is imperative that this population's daily needs for nutrition, hydration, medication management and other necessary activities of daily living be met, especially at this time where conventional home settings have neither the infrastructure, protocols nor staff to appropriately care for these seniors. If we cannot maintain these social determinants of health for this at-risk population, they will wind up in acute care hospitals which, given hospitals' increasing need to focus capacity on testing and treating COVID-19, is simply not an option.

I strongly believe that Welltower is well positioned to help address this crisis as we provide the necessary support to our operators and health systems to meet the needs of their populations. We are also actively looking for capacity across our portfolio to enable more off-site COVID-19 testing and other assets that can offer effective quarantine for those exposed to this virus.

While this can change at any moment, we have seen senior housing occupancy levels remain stable over the last four weeks. Occupancy of our 579 senior housing operating buildings (SHOP) over that time frame remained at an average of 85.7%, with a range of 85.6% to 85.8%. Specifically, in the Seattle MSA, our portfolio remained stable with an average weekly occupancy of 83.9%, with a range from 83.8% to 84.0% over last four weeks.

As of March 16, we have two residents with reported positive tests for COVID-19 in the US. Elevated protocols were put in place as early as late January which, if we look at our Seattle area assets, tells us they are helping to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect our resident base. While elevated protocols in the communities might mean a slower new resident flow in the short term, we have also seen a commensurate decline in voluntary move outs and higher lead-to-closing ratios. Our highest priority has been and will continue to be the safety of our residents and employees.

On behalf of our operators, health system partners, the tens of thousands of care givers and all the employees of Welltower, I want to let you know that we have the strength, courage and resolve to manage through this unprecedented situation.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When we use words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, we are making forward-looking statements. In particular, these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our properties and our operators, and the health systems and populations we serve; measures we have taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including health and safety protocols and system capacity enhancements; and our expected occupancy rates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the impact of COVID-19; the status of the economy; the status of capital markets; issues facing the health care industry; negative developments in the operating results or financial condition of operators/tenants, including, but not limited to, their ability to pay rent and repay loans; the failure to make new investments or acquisitions as and when anticipated; natural disasters, pandemics and other acts of God affecting our

properties; our ability to re-lease space at similar rates as vacancies occur; operator/tenant or joint venture partner bankruptcies or insolvencies; the cooperation of joint venture partners; government regulations affecting Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates and operational requirements; liability or contract claims by or against operators/tenants; unanticipated difficulties and/or expenditures relating to future investments or acquisitions; key management personnel recruitment and retention; and other risks described in our reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Finally, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc. (NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The Company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at welltower.com.

SOURCE Welltower Inc.

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- Growth in need for mass production with reduced operation cost and increase in demand for IoT-based smart solution & automation in several industries for qualitative and reliable manufacturing drive the growth of the global SCARA robots market

PORTLAND, Oregon, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "SCARA Robot Market by Payload Capacity (Up to 5.0 kg, 5.01 to 15.0 kg, and More than 15.0 kg), Application (Material Handling, Assembling and dissembling, Wielding & Soldering, Dispensing, Processing, and Others), and Industry Vertical (Electrical & Electronics, Automotive, Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Metal & Machinery, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026". According to the report, the global SCARA robot industry was pegged at $7.70 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $14.78 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 9.8% from 2019 to 2026.

Incentives for market growth

Growth in need for mass production with reduced operation cost, surge in adoption of industry 4.0 and enabling technologies industries, increase in demand for IoT-based smart solution & automation in several industries for qualitative and reliable manufacturing drive the growth of the global SCARA robot market. However, high expenditure associated with implementation of SCARA robots hampers the market growth. On the contrary, rise in application areas of collaborative robots and increase in demand for automation in Asian countries are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the near future.

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Material handling segment dominated the market

By type, the material handling segment held the largest share in 2019, contributing to nearly one-third of the global SCARA robot market, due to growth in electrical, food & beverages, and electronics sectors. However, the assembling and disassembling segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 12.6% during the forecast period, owing to high growth in the electronic industry that demands SCARA robots for high-speed assembly task.

Pharmaceuticals segment to portray the fastest CAGR by 2026

The pharmaceutical segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 13.1% through 2026, owing to increased demand from the pharmaceutical industry to reduce repetitive tasks, save workers for hazardous environments, and reduce training overhead. However, the electrical and electronics segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for nearly one-third of the global SCARA robot market, due to high robot investment in production automation, retooling for new production process, and performing the handling operations in the industry.

Europe held the lion's share, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America

The market across Europe, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America, dominated in 2019, contributing to more than one-third of the market. However, the global SCARA robot market across Asia-Pacific is expected to portray the fastest CAGR of 11.9% during the forecast period, owing to high adoption of robotics technology in small & medium enterprise and rise in investments in education and research infrastructure.

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Major market players

Seiko Epson Corporation

ABB

OMRAN Corporation

Kawasaki Robotics

KUKA AG

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

DENSO Corporation (DENSO Robotics)

Fanuc Corporation

Staubli International AG

Yaskawa Electric Corporation

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The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has taken a multimillion-dollar hit to its finances, triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and exile from its home at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

In the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis, the orchestra has cancelled two concerts and postponed three that were set to take place at CBD venues after the Concert Hall was closed for renovations in February, effectively pausing its 2020 season for one month.

Closed down: Sydney Symphony Orchestra at Sydney Town Hall. Credit:Sarah Lorien

Well before the crisis struck, a review of the orchestra warned that the two years spent away from the Sydney Opera House would add significantly to its operational costs, while slashing ticket revenue. The SSO depends on international and interstate tourists coming through the Opera House to sustain its audiences. The impact was assessed as "north" of $10 million over two years, according to sources familiar with the company's position.

The city's premier performing arts company is not alone in now facing the economic shock of the coronavirus crisis, with Opera Australia saying it may have to sell one or two of its properties in Surry Hills and Alexandria to stay afloat.
The wind and hail insurance carrier of last resort for counties along the Texas coast has determined that its 1-in-100 probable maximum loss (1:100 PML) for the 2020 catastrophe year is $4.2 billion.

At a quarterly meeting in Austin on Feb. 18, 2020, the board of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association directed staff to bring the associations 2020 catastrophe funding up to the $4.2 billion mark through a combination of catastrophe bonds and traditional reinsurance. Together, the cat bonds and reinsurance would total $2.1 billion, the association reported.

As authorized by the board, TWIA will also ask the state insurance commissioner to approve spending $45 million of the associations 2019 net earnings to partially redeem the Series 2014 bonds used for paying Hurricane Harvey losses.

Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast in late August 2017. At its Dec. 10, 2019, quarterly meeting, the TWIA raised its ultimate loss estimate for Harvey to $1.7 billion from a previous estimate of $1.61 billion.

TWIAs board at the December meeting voted to assess member insurance companies an additional $90 million for Harvey losses. Member insurers had previously been assessed $282 million for Harvey losses. Most property insurers authorized to do business in Texas are required to be association members.

Prior to the December 2019 quarterly meeting, staff had recommended a 5% increase in rates for both residential and commercial properties. That recommendation received intense negative feedback from policyholders, coastal legislators, governmental boards and businesses along the Gulf Coast.

In July 2019, TWIA published its 2019 Rate Adequacy Analysis that indicated its rates were inadequate by as much as 42%. But the board declined to vote on a rate increase in December. It also did not take up the issue of rates at the Feb. 18 meeting. TWIA has said it will defer consideration of rates until the next statutorily required rate filing in August 2020.

Topics Mergers Catastrophe Texas
An employee stands at the Hammar Mushrif new Degassing Station Facilities site inside the Zubair oil and gas field, north of the southern Iraqi province of Basra on May 9, 2018.

Developing countries' oil and gas income could fall to their lowest levels in more than two decades if current energy market conditions persist, the IEA and OPEC have warned in a rare joint statement.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo expressed "deep concerns" about the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, warning it could have "potentially far-reaching economic and social consequences."

Birol and Barkindo said they expect developing countries to see their oil and gas income fall by 50% to 85% in 2020.

They singled out public sector spending in vital areas such as health care and education as being especially vulnerable.

International benchmark Brent crude traded at $29.91 Tuesday morning, down around 0.7%, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) stood at $28.98, more than 1% higher.

Oil prices slid 10% in the previous session, as the coronavirus continues to spread worldwide and amid an ongoing price war between OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC leader Russia.

Crude futures have more than halved since climbing to a peak in January.
Xiangyuan Li, a freshman at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania, had already decided to return home to Chengdu after being told on Thursday that his classes would move online. It would be boring with everyone gone from his college town, and he was worried about not being able to get into China for his summer internship.
As area residents struggled on Monday to find their footing in a world of shuttered businesses and government offices, the work of administering essential local services trudged onward.

There were lesson plans to design, feeding sites to organize and decisions to be made about how best to manage the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis, and its fallout.

Should water be shut off for past-due utility bills? Would people awaiting trial be stuck in jail with court dates postponed? With offices closed but work remaining, who would show up?

In Henrico, some local officials and teachers were on the job. So, too, was the countys Board of Supervisors, which is moving ahead with a weeklong review of the spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1.

Probably as we work through this week, well hear the numbers of the virus increase. Some [cases] will probably be closer to home, said Henrico Board of Supervisors Chairman Tommy Branin. Its going to be on all of our minds. But the business of the county has to continue.
Helping hand: Supermarkets are trying to cut down on crowded queues by providing tills dedicated to the elderly. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Supermarkets want to give elderly customers their own space to shop safely in the mornings - a policy also aimed at slowing hoarding by other shoppers.

Lidl said that, starting today, it was setting aside the 9am to 11am hours for shoppers aged 65 or older. And starting tomorrow, Tesco shops on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until 9am will be reserved for those aged 65 and over and family carers.

Iceland said it would devote the 8am-9am hour each day to elderly shoppers and wanted others "to give time to this customer group so they can shop in comfort and safety".

The grocers say notably younger customers will be asked to come back later - but those determined to shop won't be barred unless crowd control warrants this.

Lidl said elderly customers would be allocated dedicated checkouts during the 9am-11am window.

"While these customers can obviously shop with us at any time, we hope that offering this dedicated time will give these customers some peace of mind during their shopping trip with us," said Kari Daniels, CEO of Tesco Ireland.

"We would ask that all our other customers understand and support this initiative to help protect those most in need at this time."

Lidl said it hoped other shoppers would "respect this time period to allow more vulnerable customers to pick up the food and supplies they need".

Age Action and Family Carers Ireland welcomed the changes as likely to reduce elderly shoppers' potential exposure to Covid-19 carriers.

Catherine Cox, head of carer engagement at Family Carers, said Tesco's move would "give family carers and their loved ones some reassurance in terms of minimising contact risks during this crisis".

Meanwhile, pharmacists and grocers soon will change their store layouts and cap the number of shoppers allowed on premises at any time.

The aim will be to reduce person-to-person proximity and contact - the main means for transmitting Covid-19.

David Fitzsimons, chief executive of Retail Excellence Ireland, said customers would be advised "where you must stand (and) how you must pay. Please respect this guidance".

Minimising the handling of cash is among the policies to be introduced. "We will need to prepare for a new way of shopping for essential items," he said. "This new way will keep us all safe and healthy."


Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has personally briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the unfortunate explosion that rocked Abule Ado area of the state.

KanyiDaily had reported that a massive explosion rocked Abule Ado on Sunday morning, with 15 people confirmed dead, and many houses and vehicles destroyed.

In a tweet on Monday, Governor Sanwo-Olu was pictured showing President Buhari images of the devastation occasioned by the explosion in Lagos at the State House, Abuja.

Before meeting with Buhari, Sanwo-Olu had on Monday set up a N2 billion Emergency Relief Fund to assist victims of the explosion, urging members of the public to donate.

President Buhari had also commiserated with families who lost loved ones, and all those affected by the explosion in Lagos State.
In an effort to bolster its student advocacy initiatives, the Alamo Colleges District is expanding its resources for students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, including launching a partnership with the San Antonio Housing Authority.

At Palo Alto College, a third of students surveyed in spring 2018 reported experiencing housing insecurity  struggling to pay rent or find stable housing because of high costs, dangerous neighborhoods or overcrowding.

To help address that problem, the college will be partnering with the housing authority beginning this spring to provide Section 8 housing vouchers to 20 students to offset some of their rental costs.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio education leaders, advocates convene to address youth homelessness

The nationwide basic needs survey of college students in 2018 was conducted by The Hope Center at Temple University. In a sample drawn from the Alamo Colleges 90,000 students, 56 percent of respondents reporting housing insecurity and 17 percent reporting homelessness in the previous year  a trend reflected in colleges nationwide.

Officials at St. Philips College also are working with the housing authority, developing an agreement with the agency to build apartments on land near the college for students. Though the partnership is in its early stages, the authority has committed $1 million to the project, CEO David Nisivoccia said.

We are experiencing what the rest of the country is experiencing, which is this insecurity crisis for college students, said Gil Becerra, Palo Alto Colleges vice president for student success. Its much larger than housing.

That instability has led the districts five campuses to establish student advocacy centers that provide emergency grants, food pantries, clothes closets, counseling services and financial literacy education.

We know that in San Antonio overall, when we look at the statistics, but also when we hear student stories, that poverty is a challenge for the vast majority of our students, said Mike Flores, the college districts chancellor. They come to one of our colleges seeking a better life and what theyd like is assistance so that they can meet that need and then be able to move forward.

Last month, the city of San Antonio awarded a $50,000 grant to the district to mitigate youth homelessness. The funds  part of a larger grant to the city from the state of Texas  will support the five advocacy centers with a goal of helping 50 to 75 students with rent or other living expenses associated with shelter.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamo Colleges partnership with San Antonio Food Bank to bolster a student resource

This is a huge deal for students within the Alamo Colleges, said Alejandra Gomez, a Northwest Lakeview College student who sits on the Alamo Colleges board as a non-voting member. Having dealt with housing insecurity personally, Ive been able to go to my advocacy center and have help with paying my rent so I can continue being a student trustee.

Addressing homelessness among college students is difficult, Flores said, because students often dont identify themselves as homeless even though they dont have permanent housing. They may not be living on the street, but theyre sleeping on a friends couch, staying with a family member or in a car for short periods of time.

While it currently takes about three to five years to move off the Section 8 wait list, students who are referred by Palo Alto College to the housing authority can obtain a voucher in 30 to 45 days, Becerra said.

With a voucher in hand, students are responsible for about 30 percent of their rent, while the housing authority pays the rest.

To qualify for the vouchers, students must be taking at least six credit hours and eventually move to full-time enrollment, sustain a 2.0 grade point average and meet federal poverty requirements, according to details outlined in the partnership plan. After considering Palo Alto College students, the authority will make any remaining vouchers available to students at the other Alamo Colleges campuses.

Once students secure housing with the voucher, they can remain there up to one semester after they graduate.

Ashley McBride covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Ashley.McBride@express-news.net | Twitter: @Ashleynmcb
The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, has given reasons why he believes Adams Oshiomhole should not be allowed to continue as the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Contrary to the stance of the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, the VON DG, maintained that the call for the removal of the embattled national chairman by a faction within the party had little to do with the 2023 president ticket but mostly with the embattled chairmans actions.

He highlighted the defeat suffered by the party in some states during and after the last general elections, and the alleged disregard for the partys constitution as some of the excesses associated with Mr Oshiomholes leadership.

Mr Oshiomhole on Monday got a reprieve when an appeal court ordered that he remain as party chairman despite a previous order suspending him.

The party chairman has denied any wrongdoing and said his opponents were angry and the principled way he has run the affairs of the party.

It would also be recalled that the VON DG was among the party leaders that Mr Oshiomhole-led NWC suspended for anti-party activities in March 2019.

Mr Okechukwu was accused of working against the APC in his Enugu State after losing the partys senatorial primary.

In his statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES after the Court of Appeal ruling on Monday, Mr Okechukwu noted ten reasons which he referred as 10 Osho-Virus blunders which all party leaders must take into cognisance to save the Soul of APC from further unknown consequences of Osho-Virus damage and destruction.

Below are the reasons

1. Revival and Resurrection of collapsing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure, a political party in 2018 was ravaged by internecine intra-party feud; to win more states like Adamawa, Bauchi, Zamfara, and Sokoto, all strongholds of APC.

2. Brazen Incompetence: Second revival of PDP is evidenced in the Bayelsa State imbroglio. It is our considered belief that no sane national chairman of a prominent political party would submit the name of an incumbent Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be Deputy Governor, without evaluating the strategic cost to the party. Most importantly lack of diligent scrutiny of essential documents of candidate, or One Man-Show, points to Osho-Virus crass negligence and incompetence.

3. Flagrant breach of APCs Constitution via elevation of crass DICTATORSHIP and deceptively masquerading Sole Proprietorship of APC in the guise of Almighty Party Supremacy. We sincerely doubt whether Comrade Oshiomhole has taken time to peruse APCs Constitution, for if he has done, he could have been less narcissistic, less despotic and more collegiate in managing the party. For it is only Super Kings or despots that can impose national officers of the party in clear breach of APCs Constitution.

4. Manipulating, Corrupting and Mangling the 2018 APC gubernatorial and legislative primary elections. Is it 2023 that made Comrade Oshiomhole to mismanage our primary? Is it 2023 that made Comrade Oshiomhole to nearly shunt Asiwaju who made him governor and chairman, by covertly printing ballot papers to favour Ambode for Lagos gubernatorial primary?

5. Employing Double Standards- It is on record that Comrade Oshiomhole in his infinite self-survival-instinct ratified the Lagos gubernatorial primary election and which was not conducted by the APC Gubernatorial Primary Panel set up by him, but by Asiwajus men and did not ratify that conducted by Senator Amosus men at Ogun State? Is this kind of atrocity 2023 Virus or Osho-Virus?

Secondly Comrade ordered State Chapters to choose between Direct and Indirect method of primary election only to change the choice made by States depending on his whims and caprices. For instance he changed that of Enugu State from indirect to direct in the midst of gubernatorial election.

Thirdly, is 2023 or Osho-Virus responsible for favours Comrade dispenses at will, That Elrufia (El- Rufai) was the one who came to me crying to help him get rid of Shehu Sani and to replace him with his boy, Uba Sani and I sacrificed my comradeship with Shehu to please him.  Comrade Oshiomhole speaking.

6. In his classical double standard paradigm he glossed over the suspension of his Ward; whereas he ratified that of Ward suspension of Barister Inua Abdulkadir, vice chairman North West. Is that 2023 or Osho-Virus?

READ ALSO:

7. Covert use of the 2018 primary elections to empower his Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) native political structure. Not only did EPM members populate all state panels more than any other state, but they also headed about 10, as well as the most revered Appeal Panel. This way he not only violated the Federal Character Principle, but also denied most states the golden opportunity of heading at least one panel. Is this gross nepotism 2023-Virus?

8. Insincerity: Comrade Oshiomhole celebrated the abolition of Godfatherism in Edo State only to paradoxically deploy his handgun, the Edo Peoples Movement in a vain glorious plot to become Godfather. Is this 2023 or Osho-Virus?

9. Erosion of Buharis 12 Million Vote-Bank  Comrade Oshiomhole often displayed wanton narcissism and rascality in his dealings with state governors, members of NWC and party stakeholders by dishing out impulsive orders he could not condone when in office as governor; will if not stopped erode APC the famous Buharis 12 Million Vote-Bank, especially when Mr President will not be in the ballot in 2023.

10. Squandermania: Haphazard expenditure of party funds, such that more than N14 billion realised from Presidential, Gubernatorial and Legislative Primary Fees remain unaccounted for. Render Account now Comrade Oshiomhole?
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Native Staten Islander Al Forlizzi originally thought the worst part of his long-awaited Paris vacation would be when he got stuck in the Eiffel Tower elevator.

While we were in the elevator at the Eiffel Tower it stopped and started shaking. Then everyone went flying, said the long-time Rossville resident, who recently moved to Toms River, N.J.

"We thought maybe a cable snapped. One woman hurt her shoulder. Some people got bumps and bruises. The elevator was rocking and we were just suspended. ...But after 20 minutes, they got it started back up again, added Forlizzi, who arrived in France on March 8 with his family -- wife Joanne Garcia, her daughter and the daughters boyfriend.

Despite the scare in the elevator, the former Rossville resident and his family were in good spirits walking to the train station, especially since his stepdaughters boyfriend had just proposed at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

TRAIN STATION SCARE

But then they were met with some angry teenagers.

As we went to get on the train, a bunch of kids just blocked the door. ...We had to push our way through them. ...Some guy started yelling, Stop that. Stop that, from the platform. I think he knew what they were trying to do, said Forlizzi.

The group got off at the next stop. And before I knew it, I put my hand in my front pocket and they had pick-pocketed an envelope with 180 Euros. Thank God they didnt take my wallet, he recalled.

That day put a damper on their trip, but they still had a few days to finish visiting Paris sites -- or at least they thought.

A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

With the time difference, it was 4 a.m. in Paris when President Donald Trump addressed the United States on television last week.

Thats when Forlizzi and his family learned they had to cut their trip short because the president was banning travel from Europe to the United States.

"The president didnt say that U.S. citizens had more time to get home. It was very scary. Everyone was on the phone trying to change our flight, said Forlizzi. Then I read on the Homeland Security website that Trump only meant foreign nationals could not fly in from Europe after Friday.

Forlizzi and his family were finally able to get a flight home on Saturday.

Getting on the airplane wasnt much different from any other time Forlizzi left another country.

But once we were on the plane, they said we were the first plane arriving in the United States that will have to abide by the new restrictions, he recalled.

GREETED BY CDC

They [the airline] didnt even know what was going to go on when we landed. ... But when we landed, they said the CDC [Centers for Disease Control] were here. Two men in masks and full protective suits came on the plane, he added.

Next, everyones temperature was taken, and the passengers had to fill out a health questionnaire.

We also had to answer questions from the CDC. ...There were kids coughing who were taken to a back room, Forlizzi said.

Even though Forlizzi and his family members didnt exhibit any symptoms, CDC representatives told them they must quarantine for two weeks.

We were given a card that said we have to take our temperature three times a day, and to call the doctor if we have any symptoms, he said.

If it wasnt for the coronavirus, I would have kissed the ground when we got home, added Forlizzi.

***

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Appointment

17 March 2020

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) today announced the appointment of Jim Alderman as Chief Executive Officer for the Americas. Alderman will be based in the company's U.S. headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn. and will be responsible for the corporate offices and more than 680 hotels in the company's portfolio throughout the Americas. He will report to Federico J. Gonzalez, Chairman, Global Steering Committee for Radisson Hotel Group, as the representative of the company's Board of Directors.

Alderman most recently served as Executive Vice President for Extended Stay America (ESA), where he started the company's franchising group and transformed ESA from whole ownership to a thriving franchisor. He was responsible for their next-generation product through new construction and franchise sales, and asset management of existing real estate portfolio, as well as acquisitions/dispositions and future redevelopment.

Prior to joining ESA, Alderman held various senior leadership positions with Kimpton Hotels, Wyndham, Starwood Capital, IHG and Ernst & Young. With more than 34 years of experience in hospitality, Alderman has an extensive background in hotel and restaurant development, private equity fund investment, management contracts, franchises, public/private partnerships and investor relations. He has led global teams through both times of crisis and prosperity during his professional tenure dating back to 1986, and has been involved in the acquisition, development, joint venture and financing of more than $15 billion of hotel real estate projects globally.

Alderman earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Real Estate from Florida State University. He is an Executive Board Member for The Center of Real Estate Education and Research at Florida State University.
Politicians have made enterprises of themselves and their constituents

The commodification of politics is progressing from an emerging market in defections and lawmakers to a maturing market where lawmakers, hopeful candidates and ambitious leaders have formulated the mechanism for doing a trade.

As merchandise, lawmakers or local government representatives have neither principles or ideologies; and as for the ethics of representation and democracy, nobody really cares, including voters, as was confirmed in the Karnataka byelections.

The reduction of politics to a transaction between aspirants and political parties, a trade that has increased in value because the BJP has upped the stakes, is the ultimate desecration of the idea of representative democracy and free and fair elections.

In West Bengal, the Trinamul Congress did much the same thing. In other states, the BJP has acquired legislators, councillors and panchayat leaders in large numbers, turning politics into a trade and politicians into enterprises or commodities.

Horse-trading season

The 2020 trading season has started with a vengeance for the ruling BJP: Madhya Pradesh, the Rajya Sabha and municipalities and municipal corporations in states where it matters for the party. The trade is low-risk, because the BJP is confident that it has reached a position of dominance.

Even so, there is a conundrum; a creeping increase in the number of states, headed by regional parties, where resolutions have been passed in the state Assemblies against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens. Telangana has just declared itself anti-CAA, NPR and NRC.

The trade in lawmakers and councillors and panchayat members does not increase their efficiency to deliver more to their constituents; it probably reduces the quantum delivered, because time and energy is being wasted on the transactions that profits the individual but not the community.

Can one Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP raise the income of the poorest individual in Guna? Can one Dinesh Bajaj change the prospects of an individual whose citizenship may be challenged by the BJP as the party in power pushing through the CAA-NPR-NRC?

The absence of principles in the deal that the BJP and Trinamul Congress have struck is obvious. The Trinamul Congress is prepared to bargain with the BJP and its politics of majoritarian communalism, setting aside its self-appointed role as the principal crusader against the CAA-NRC-NPR. This is as unprincipled as politics can get.

Politician Pvt Ltd

The acquisition of assets  legislators and councillors, by visually dramatic means and undisclosed persuasions -- has become a regular spectacle in Indian politics, with set routines of chartered transport, buses, cars and planes, luxury resorts and ministerial berths.

In the trade, concepts like ethics, ideology, principles are junk stocks, that can be packaged and repackaged as required, exactly like in the real market.

As people who win elections, these persons have a value independent of the party to which they are temporarily attached, it would appear. And that is what makes them assets for the BJP and all other parties involved in the trade, including the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal, the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, earlier in Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its Left Front partners.

Endowed with a natural flair or an acquired skill, like the animal spirits that energise the markets, politicians have made enterprises of themselves and their constituents.

Over 25 per cent of the BJP is made up of such entrepreneurs; the Trinamul Congress leadership is so crammed with former members of the Congress that it makes little sense to start working out the maths.

The BJP, however, is insatiable. It has turned the Rajya Sabha into a marketplace, because at this point it does not have the majority it seems to believe is crucial to its prestige as the dominant party in Indian politics. Speeding up control of the Rajya Sabha is one of its aspirations, because that would make it exactly like the Congress was in the 20th century; the other one is a target set by the founders of the RSS -- a Hindu rashtra!

So focused is the BJP on having a majority in the Rajya Sabha that it has roped in the just-retired Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, as a nominee for a seat. The nomination sent to the President of India for approval means that Justice Gogoi will sit in the Rajya Sabha for the next six years.

It raises a question: is the Rajya Sabha nomination a barter deal or a quid pro quo, as Asadudin Owaisi has said? Either way, Gogoi is a cheap deal; the BJP gained more than it has given; a nominated seat in the Rajya Sabha.

The big trades in defectors in 2020 are the one in Madhya Pradesh and the one seat in West Bengal, where an Independent is being supported by the BJP and the Trinamul Congress.

Whereas Jyotiraditya Scindia got a Rajya Sabha seat in the trade, the legislators who propped up his value are now in limbo. Till they are formally cleared for defection by the Madhya Pradesh speaker and can join the BJP and win back their MLA status, they are assets, but of uncertain value; that depends on getting a nomination and wining an election.

The Rajya Sabha elections in 2020 is just one example. There have been others and there will be others.

The consequence is policy bankruptcy. The Indian economy has touched its lowest point in decades. Unemployment, foreign exchange reserves, industrial growth, farm growth have tanked.

The crisis has shattered the hopes of millions and ruined institutions and the infrastructure of the economy, like the banking system. The Yes Bank crisis in the most recent, but there have been spectacular failures in 2019 and earlier.

Policy bankruptcy

The degree of policy bankruptcy is measurable by the response of the government to the Covid-19 pandemic; it is also a measure of the irresponsible governance by the BJP and its failure to galvanise the states to act to contain the crisis, that is now teetering on the brink of spreading exponentially and destroying lives and livelihoods.

The political class in India has become so obsessed with its transactions that it has lost sight of the fact that a pandemic will mean shutting down the jobs that daily wage-earners, contract workers and the millions of people working as part of the unorganised labour force do.
By Trend

Tenth case of coronavirus infection was detected in Kazakhstan, Spokesperson for Kazakhstans Healthcare Ministry Dias Akhmetshrip said, Trend reports with reference to Kazakh media.

Akhmetshrip said that the case was detected in Almaty city.

A woman arrived in Kazakhstan via Istanbul  Almaty plane on March 15, 2020 tested positive for coronavirus infection, he 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 10.

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 6,500. Over 169,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 77,000 people have reportedly recovered.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
In a sign of true global solidarity, Cuba today allowed MS Braemer, a British cruise ship, to dock on its shores despite having at least five confirmed coronavirus cases on board and another 52 passengers displaying symptoms. The ship, with over 600 mainly British passengers, had no Cuban nationals on board but had requested help from both Cuba and the US.

Cuba acted without self-interest. The ship had been anchored in the Caribbean over the last five days as it frantically searched for a place to dock. Diplomats from the British Foreign Office had urged US officials to allow the ship to dock on American soil but were met with obstacles. Cuban officials instead accepted the request, stating that there must be a shared effort to confront and stop the spread of the pandemic. After all, these are still humans suffering, regardless of the passport they hold.

Cuba itself has only had five confirmed cases of Covid-19, and the ship docking could threaten to increase that number exponentially.

This is not the first time Cuban healthcare providers have stepped in to support global emergencies. Cuban doctors were praised after being deployed in West Africa to help during the Ebola crisis. They were said to have put other countries to shame following their response to the Haitian earthquake in 2010.

Started in the wake of Fidel Castros Cuban revolution, a government program has seen Cuban healthcare professionals sent across the world to help in humanitarian situations and crises. As the US continues to pressurize Cubas fledgling economy, even this program has come under threat from the Trump administration.

The coronavirus pandemic should be a cause for uniting the world in our fight against the disease. Cuba has for years run a celebrated universal healthcare system, with outcomes equal to developed countries and one of the worlds highest life expectancies. As the US continues its tenacious push to profiteer from coronavirus through its private healthcare system, its early failure to even provide adequate testing kits to its population speaks volumes. Spain, in a dramatic announcement, this week nationalized all its private hospitals in an effort to contain the impact of the virus. If we needed proof that a nationalized system works better and keeps citizens safer, this was it.

Instead of battling to close borders (only once the US economy tanked, might I add) and fuelling xenophobia by referring to a Chinese virus, the president could take this opportunity to prove that he really is capable of leadership. Trump continuing to ask for his wall to built will achieve nothing. With rising fears leading to a spike in gun sales, there must still be room for humanitarian goodness (remember that?), when we treat others, regardless of where they are from, as we would wish to be treated. Iran has already borne the brunt of US protectionism as US sanctions have accelerated the spread of the virus in the country.

After the rise of Isis and other national security crises, Trump was quick to push that old narrative about the US being the policeman of the world. If he really subscribes to that, then its time to apply that logic to the coronavirus. The reality is that global economies and international epidemics cannot be treated in isolation. Should a car bomb in Iraq occur, stock prices in the US would take a hit. The spread of coronavirus has already caused a financial contagion worse than the infamous 2008 credit crunch.

This is no longer about making America great again  that theory has already collapsed. Its about saving the world again. And if Trump squanders that opportunity, other countries have proven they will happily step in.
TEHRAN,Iran, March.17

Trend:

Iranian government is to remain active during the Nowruz holiday and officials would be active to continue fighting against the coronavirus spread, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, Trend reports via IRNA.

"All the necessary requirement for fighting and treatment of coronavirus would be provided domestically or via imports," said Rouhani.

Rouhani also noted the growing number of coronavirus infections revealed in Iran's northern provinces, because of traveling during the new Iranian year (begins March 21,2020) holiday.

"Naturally, everyone should join the campaign and stay at home. Hopefully, people would understand the situation and cooperate," Rouhani said. "The citizens of Iran should avoid traveling and follow the heath precautions."

He also pointed out that the government appreciates the hard work of doctors and nurses during the outbreak.

Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 16,900 people have been infected, 988 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 5,300 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.
WARREN, MI  General Motors shut down its Technical Center in Warren after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus.

The engineering building was shut down for the day after the employee tested positive on March 16, the Detroit Free Press reports.

We just learned yesterday that an employee who works at the Cole Engineering Center in Warren has tested positive for the virus, GM spokesman Jim Cain told the Free Press.

Cain said GM has been in contact with the family and put an emergency response plan into action. It includes directing employees at the Cole Technical Center and other sites to work remotely if they can.

Any employee who had contact with the affected worker will be directed to self-quarantine for 14 days and the GM medical team will help them coordinate care if they develop symptoms, GM said in a statement.

Going forward, we will continue to take aggressive steps to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep families safe, Cain said in a statement.

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:

READ MORE:

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6 ways Michigan residents are already impacted by coronavirus

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MARCH 17, 2020  Pianist Martin Camacho, dean of the Lamar D. Fain College of Fine Arts at Midwestern State University, has been named dean of UTSAs College of Liberal and Fine Arts and the Stumberg Distinguished University Chair. He begins his duties May 18.

As dean of Fain College, Camacho positioned the arts as a leading driver for fundraising efforts at the university and obtained some of the largest private gifts in the colleges history, including an endowed professorship in the arts and a gift to replace all pianos at MSU, located in Wichita Falls. He oversaw the successful approval and construction of a state-of-the-art mass communications building; renovations for music, art and theater facilities; and facilities upgrades to meet ADA standards.

Under his leadership the visibility and presence of the college in the community grew, allowing for several community-based endeavors, ranging from partnerships for after-school music programs to art community projects. He cofounded, with faculty support, the first Social Justice Festival at MSU Texas, now a weeklong universitywide event. Camacho promoted interdisciplinary projects and programs with business, marketing, media arts and digital arts, among others. During his tenure the college saw the highest enrollment and retention rates in more than a decade as well as an increase in the number and amount of student scholarships.

He brings a strong vision to lead the college and will be a passionate champion for the liberal and fine arts at UTSA.

At MSU and prior institutions he was instrumental in revising and modernizing music curricula, introducing technology-based instruction and increasing online offerings.

Dr. Camacho has shown he is an effective academic leader in addition to being an accomplished creative performer, said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. At Midwestern he was successful in building connections from the college to the communitythrough creative performance, fundraising, curricular redesign, and K-12 and community outreach. He brings a strong vision to lead the college and will be a passionate champion for the liberal and fine arts at UTSA and in the San Antonio community.

Prior to joining Midwestern Camacho served as Department of Music chair at historically black Alabama State University, overseeing one of the largest music programs among HBCUs. At Alabama State he supported the expansion of music ensembles and the marching band, and he increased student scholarship allocations. At both Midwestern and Alabama State he created preparatory piano programs for schoolchildren.

From 2010 to 2011 he served as dean of arts, humanities and social sciences at the Community College of Rhode Island, the largest community college in New England. Camacho led CCRI to its first accreditation of the music program by the National Association of Schools of Music and led an initiative to raise the recognition and compensation of adjunct faculty.

He began his teaching career at the Escuela Superior de Musica in Mexico City, where he also earned a piano certificate. Camacho later held teaching positions at the University of Miami before joining Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., where he served as assistant to the chair and then assistant chair of the Department of Fine Arts.

I have been very impressed with the trajectory of UTSA in the last decadeespecially now under the leadership of President Eighmy and Provost Espyand particularly impressed with the quality of the teaching and research in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, said Camacho. In our context of the rich history and culture of San Antonio, I am excited to seize our prime opportunity to reenvision our mission with the refinement of COLFAs focus and to strengthen the common threads that connect the liberal arts, humanities and fine arts and anchor those to our communities. Its an exciting moment for the college to innovate, and I am very much looking forward to working with our students, faculty and community toward our shared goals.

 Explore studies in the liberal and fine arts at UTSA.

 Learn more about UTSAs College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

Camacho studied piano performance at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, where he earned a bachelor of music degree. At the Cleveland Institute of Music he studied under acclaimed Armenia-born pianist Sergei Babayan, earning both a master of music degree and a professional studies diploma. He earned a doctor of musical arts degree at the University of Miamis School of Music, where he studied under the late American classical pianist Ivan Davis. He holds an M.B.A. from Barry University.

Camacho has performed extensively as a recitalist and soloist with orchestras in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Cuba, Japan, Norway, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Mexico. In 2009 he made his Carnegie Hall debut recital before a sold-out hall. Recent engagements include several recitals in the United States and Mexico and appearances with symphony orchestras in Cuba. In 2017 he released the critically acclaimed Armengol, a CD with the 22 Cuban dances of Mario Ruiz Armengol under Urtext Digital Classics label.

The College of Liberal and Fine Arts is UTSAs most academically diverse college, with nine departments encompassing the fine arts, humanities and social sciences. With more than 4,400 students, it is UTSAs oldest college. COLFA shapes the education of virtually every UTSA student through its highly ranked core curriculum. The college offers 33 degree programs, including doctorates in anthropology and English; a nationally recognized M.F.A. and one of the nations largest undergraduate programs in medical humanities. Its faculty includes exemplary, award-winning teachers and internationally recognized researchers and artists. COLFA is also a major provider of arts and humanities programming in Texas, reaching an audience of more than 70,000 guests annually.
The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) is asking the government to supply proper protective masks to health workers and start mass screening for the new coronavirus.

Two important elements of early protection against the epidemic is to ensure that the health-care sector is well-prepared, which means adequate protection for workers, and a large number of tests carried out, as proven by the example of South Korea, party lawmaker Zoltan Varga said.



He said that the governments performance so far had been appalling, adding that identifying the past contacts of coronavirus patients was useless unless tests were carried out.



In response to a question, he said the opposition would make every effort to help the country overcome the situation with the smallest amount of trauma.



MTI Photo: Zoltan Balogh
Dr Chris Brown has urged people to adopt pets amid the coronavirus crisis.

The famous veterinarian made a plea on Instagram on Tuesday, citing concerns that adoption rates will drop.

Alongside a photo of a dog, the 41-year-old wrote at length: 'Here's a thought. Maybe social distancing doesn't have to be so lonely.

Plea: Dr Chris Brown (pictured) has urged people to adopt pets amid the coronavirus crisis. The famous veterinarian made a plea on Instagram on Tuesday, citing concerns that adoption rates will drop

'With animal shelters already at capacity, coronavirus could create a potentially catastrophic drop in pet adoption rates. But if we're heading into a potential period of self-isolation, why wouldn't you take some company with you?

'With the WHO (World Health Organisation) now agreeing that pets pose no risk and can't be infected with Covid-19, social distancing with a friend might make perfect sense.

'Just think. What other time in our entire adult lives are we unlikely to be spending long hours in the office?' he wrote.

Alongside a photo of a dog, the 41-year-old wrote at length: 'Here's a thought. Maybe social distancing doesn't have to be so lonely. With animal shelters already at capacity, coronavirus could create a potentially catastrophic drop in pet adoption rates'

Before adding: 'So if you've been thinking about adopting (and can afford their food and health care) this could be the perfect time to take a furry family member from their social isolation and ease yours.

'All while seizing a perfect opportunity to understand and enrich each other's lives. If there is any positive to come from these crazy times, maybe an abundance of caring homes and loving humans with time on their side is one.'

As of Tuesday there were 452 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, with the majority of those in New South Wales (210) and Victoria (94), and five deaths.

He added: 'But if we're heading into a potential period of self-isolation, why wouldn't you take some company with you?'

There has been an increase of more than 70 new confirmed cases in the past day.

In recent days the federal and state governments have announced increasingly strict measures, including a 14-day self-quarantine period for those returning to Australia - from any overseas country.

Despite the measures, Australia's deputy chief medical officer warned that anywhere up to 60 per cent of the population could catch the disease.
Following the directives of the President Akufo-Addo, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) wishes to inform the public that the Annual Kwahu Paragliding Festival 2020 has been called off with immediate effect.

According to GTA, the cancellation of the event will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 among people.

In a statement issued by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and sighted by Modern Ghana, it said: "All those who have registered and paid to participate in the Paragliding festival, should contact GTA for further directives."

The statement added that all Regional Tourism and the National Tourism Awards slated between March and April have been postponed until further notice.

The Authority says it will announce new dates and schedules for these events when the situation normalizes.

The GTA also noted that it apologies for the inconvenience caused.

The Authority urges the public to adhere to the precautionary measures which has been put in place by the Government of Ghana through the Ghana Health Service to prevent the spread of COVID -19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  The United States has pledged 139-million in aid for the Philippines' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, its embassy in Manila said Tuesday.

Washington's embassy said its assistance, coursed through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), will improve the transportation of specimens and the capacity of laboratories to detect cases accurately and rapidly.

It added that aid will also help protect health workers and patients by ensuring that hygiene products, masks, waste management supplies and other needed items are available.

It also said that their aid will give communities better access to water, sanitation, hygiene services and commodities.

Earlier, China's embassy in Manila said that Beijing will be donating at least 2,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Philippines.

The Philippines has so far recorded 142 patients with the viral disease, with 12 deaths. This brings the fatality rate in the country to 8.4 percent, one of the highest in the world.

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 182,000 people and killed 7,154 people, according to Johns Hopkins University's tracking of the disease.
Berlin: Germany closed its country's border with France, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and Luxembourg to a large extent on Monday to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has given this information to the press. A news agency quoted Sehofer as saying that temporary border control has been implemented from 8 am on Monday with some exceptions to the work.

Coronavirus: Big decision of Patna High Court, hearing on important matters

Seehofer further said that without any valid reason, passengers would not be allowed to come in and out of the country. The spread of COVID-19 infection is rapid and aggressive. However, the outbreak of Corona in Germany has not yet reached its peak. To do this, Germany argues that these new measures have been taken with a protective view to prevent the growing impact of the corona.

Corona havoc in Europe, over 2000 people died in Italy

A total of 4,838 people have been found infected with COVID-19 in Germany till Sunday afternoon and 12 people have died there. In Europe, the Coronavirus has caused the most devastation in Italy, so far more than 2000 people have died due to Coronavirus in Italy.

Chicken business stalled, stray chicken roaming in the woods
SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MANSCAPED, the first and #1 selling brand dedicated to men's below-the-waist grooming, has officially launched in the United Kingdom (UK), equipping Brits with the proper tools for the job at long last. A country that has been well ahead of the groin grooming trend, the UK is a particularly prime and vibrant market for the brand's superior products and accessories.

MANSCAPED Precision-Engineered Tools, Unique Formulations and Accessories Now Available in the U.K. on uk.manscaped.com.

"British men pride themselves on being very refined, and rightly so. They are highly invested in fashion and grooming - and are certainly not new to manscaping," claimed Katy Hopwood, MANSCAPED's chief financial officer, who was born and raised in the UK. "The massive volume of blokes who already manscape, coupled with their discerning taste in grooming products, makes this launch extremely exciting for us."

MANSCAPED's arrival across the pond marks the third international market entrance in less than two weeks for the fastest-growing male hygiene brand. "The UK is a large strategic expansion point for the company," said Kevin Datoo, chief operating officer of MANSCAPED. "We experienced immense positive reception in Australia and Canada, and we anticipate the same in this populous and equally sophisticated region."

MANSCAPED offers a full line of premium products that have become part of a daily ritual of more than 1,000,000 consumers in the U.S., plus thousands more in the company's two new key markets. The intelligently designed product range includes precision-engineered tools, unique formulations and accessories that ensure an effective and hygienic manscaping routine.

"85% of women prefer men who manscape, and British women have a big voice," added Katy. "They feel that if they are taking care of themselves down there, the men should, too," Needless to say, all genders and walks of life across the UK will resonate with MANSCAPED's notion of Refining the Gentleman and the brand's commitment to providing the best products available on the market.

"At MANSCAPED, we aim to not only provide the right tools for the job, but to empower men and open the dialogue on below-the-waist grooming, hygiene and testicular health," said Paul Tran, founder and chief executive officer of MANSCAPED. "The truth is, the UK has not only been manscaping for years, but British men and women haven't been afraid to talk about it either. We are fortunate to capitalize on how powerful word-of-mouth is in the UK, and that Brits have no filter when it comes to pub talk!"

Dedicated to cultivating relationships directly with their customers, MANSCAPED offers a one-stop-shop online at uk.manscaped.com . This platform allows consumers to purchase a range of packages and hygiene plans, get limited time offers, and even learn trimming tips and tricks on the brand's highly educational and entertaining blog. In addition, Brits can find MANSCAPED products on Amazon.co.uk with Prime and pickup options available. In-store retail updates are to come, following a successful national rollout in Target U.S. last year.

About MANSCAPED:

Founded in 2017, San Diego, California-based MANSCAPED is the only brand dedicated to men's grooming and hygiene below-the-waist. The product range includes top-of-the-line precision-engineered tools, unique formulations and accessories to ensure a simple and effective manscaping routine. With direct-to-consumer shipping in the U.S., UK, Australia and Canada, as well as in-store options across the U.S., MANSCAPED is a one-stop shopping destination for men looking for a brand that is focused on the needs of what has, for too long, been a sensitive and often taboo subject. For more information, visit MANSCAPED.com or follow on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .

Media Contact:

Allison Frazier, Director of Public Relations

[email protected]4pr.com

925-216-2791

SOURCE MANSCAPED, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.manscaped.com


Tenders worth more than BD51 million ($134.2 million) were opened for bids and awarded last month. These included bids for a number of roads, sewage, construction and maintenance projects, said a statement from The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry.



Eight new tenders were opened for bids, while another eight were awarded, it stated.



Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Khayat, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning said the projects will meet citizens needs.



One of the most prominent projects awarded last month was the construction of a road leading to Al Louzi housing in Hamad Town, at a cost of BD5.2 million, stated Al Khayat.



Tender Board, the independent regulator of Bahrain government procurement activities, awarded eight bids with a total value of BD6.72 million while eight bids were opened with an estimated value of BD45 million.



In addition other projects awarded were related to engineering consultancy services for East Sitra Street project, at a cost of BD424,000, and another project to construct a main line for rainwater drainage to connect a housing project in Eker, at a cost of BD243,609, remarked Al khayat.



According to him, bids were invited last month for the construction of Southern Bahrain Loop Road (second phase), expansion project of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway and the development of Al Jasra Street (second phase).



Nearly 60 purchase orders worth BD71,916 were approved last month, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Health officials have warned the government that they're not fully equipped to handle a massive coronavirus outbreak after experts estimated the US could see as many as 1 million cases of COVID-19.

Hospitals are setting up triage tents, calling doctors out of retirement, guarding their supplies of face masks and making plans to cancel elective surgery as they brace for an expected onslaught of coronavirus patients.

Depending on how bad the crisis gets, the sick could find themselves waiting on stretchers in emergency room hallways for hospital beds to open up, or be required to share rooms with other infected patients.

Some doctors fear hospitals could become so overwhelmed that they could be forced to ration medical care.

'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.

Health officials have warned the government that they're not fully equipped to handle a massive coronavirus outbreak after experts estimated the US could see as many as 1 million cases of COVID-19. Tents set up in Seattle, Washington

Hospitals are setting up circus-like triage tents, calling doctors out of retirement, guarding their supplies of face masks and making plans to cancel elective surgery as they brace for an expected onslaught of coronavirus patients

The US is still facing an active flu season, and many hospitals are already running at capacity caring for those patients. A medical laboratory scientist tests for coronavirus in Seattle on Friday

The US is still facing an active flu season, and many hospitals are already running at capacity caring for those patients.

The new virus will only add to that burden, said Dr. Bruce Ribner an infectious-disease specialist at Emory University's medical school.

According to CNN, officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told medical professionals on Monday that there was not enough personal protective equipment in the Strategic National Stockpile to fulfill anticipated gaps in state and local supplies.

'We have been transparent that more supplies are needed - hence the request to Congress for additional funding so we could procure more and scale up production,' an HHS spokesperson told CNN.

The government doesn't yet have a solution for this problem, but is working on one. However, government health authorities are taking emergency steps to waive certain laws and regulations to help hospitals deal with the crisis. Hospitals, too, are getting ready.

In New York, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Center said on Monday that they only have a week's supply of masks on hand.

The shortage is due to production and distribution delays in China, where most personal protective equipment is manufactured.

Meanwhile in Connecticut, about 200 nurses were unable to do their jobs because they were stuck in isolation.

The nurses were unable to get tested after begin exposed to the coronavirus.

Connecticut's governor, Ned Lamont, said on Monday that the nurses work at a hospital in Danbury.

Lamont explained to MSNBC that the Danbury Hospital 'is at capacity, and they have 200 nurses on furlough because they were in contact'.

'If I could test those nurses, I could potentially get them back into the game' Lamont added.

To keep suspected coronavirus patients from mingling with others in the ER, the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, set up a tent in the parking lot where people with respiratory symptoms are diverted for testing.

Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina, did the same outside its emergency room.

In Seattle, hit by the nation's biggest cluster of coronavirus deaths, most of them at a suburban nursing home, UW Medicine set up drive-thru testing in a hospital parking garage and has screened hundreds of staff members, faculty and trainees, with nurses reaching through car windows and using swabs to collect specimens from people's nostrils.

Newly erected negative pressure screening tents are set up outside the emergency room entrance at University of Utah hospital as they prepare for coronavirus testing, in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 9

Medical personnel check out tents and a mobile medical unit that are nearing completion outside the emergency entrance at WellStar Kennestone Hospital to more efficiently serve patients who are being tested for COVID-19 on Monday in Marietta, Georgia

A medical tent was set up outside Norwood Hospital in anticipation and preparedness for patients needing testing and treatment for the coronavirus disease in Norwood, Massachusetts on March 12

In the US there are more than 4,700 confirmed case of the coronavirus and more than 90 deaths

At Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Hospital in Fremont, Michigan, Robert Davidson, an emergency medicine doctor, said hip and knee replacement surgery and other operations that aren't emergencies might be postponed if an outbreak hits the area. Authorities in New York state have already ordered that non-emergency surgeries be canceled.

If an outbreak hits, 'things that don't need to be done right now won't 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.

Govindaiah said the hospitals are also hiding the freebie surgical masks usually offered to visitors in the lobby, so that doctors and nurses can use them instead if supplies run tight.

At Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in the small mountain community of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, respirator masks are locked and under video surveillance.

'We've really got to ... expect that this is going to be bad,' said Blue Ridge Regional's Dr. Gabriel Cade. 'The situation in Italy is a huge eye-opener.'

In New York state, which has a large outbreak of more than 900 cases, the Health Department is accelerating regulations to get nursing students certified to work more quickly and is asking retired doctors and nurses to offer their services, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Last week, the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association asked for a presidential emergency declaration that would allow doctors and nurses to work across state lines and would waive certain rules to free up hospital beds.

Similar declarations were issued during Hurricane Katrina and the swine flu outbreak.

On Friday, President Donald Trump responded by issuing an emergency declaration and said he was giving the US health secretary authority to waive federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals 'flexibility' in treating patients.

In Seattle, hit by the nation's biggest cluster of coronavirus deaths, UW Medicine set up drive-thru testing (pictured) in a hospital parking garage and has screened hundreds of staff members, faculty and trainees

Nurse have been reaching through car windows and using swabs to collect specimens from people's nostrils

Trump also announced a government partnership with major businesses to set up drive-thru testing centers and a website to help people who think they might have the virus.

Those testing locations could include parking lots at Walmart, Target, Walgreens and other major chains.

The American Medical Association praised the action. In a statement, Dr Patrice Harris, AMA's president, said the emergency declaration is needed to help ensure that the US health care system 'has sufficient resources to properly respond to the ongoing outbreak, prevent further spread of illness and keep our communities safe'.

How bad US hospitals will be hit is unclear, in part because mistakes on the part of the government in ramping up widespread testing for the virus have left public health officials uncertain as to how many people are infected.

The number of cases in the US as of Monday night was put at more than 4,600 with more than 80 deaths. But by some estimates, at least 14,000 people might be infected.

Experts fear that when the problems with testing are resolved, a flood of patients will hit the nation's emergency rooms.

But large-scale testing will also give health authorities a clearer picture of the outbreak, enabling them to allocate resources where they are needed.

'What's most important now is that we get the testing done,' said Richard Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association.

In hard-hit Italy, doctors have been forced to make agonizing decisions about which critically ill patients receive care. Doctors fear that could happen in the US, too.

'Studies predict that a moderate outbreak could result in 200,000 patients needing intensive care,' said Dr Leana Wen, an emergency medicine specialist at George Washington University.

'The US 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.'

That would affect not only coronavirus patients but also trauma victims and people suffering heart attacks or strokes, Wen said.

In Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated in late December, patients died because they couldn't access care.

'We are at risk of that happening in the US, too,' Wen said.

Seattle-area scientists are working to estimate how soon infections will overwhelm hospital beds there.

Under the worst-case scenario, the number of active infections will exceed the number of beds by a large margin in the next two weeks, the Institute for Disease Modeling in Bellevue, Washington, said in a report.

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.

Most people recover from the virus in a matter of weeks, as has happened in mainland China.

Reacting to reports of dwindling supplies of respirator masks, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted relaxed recommendations for protective gear and said looser-fitting surgical masks are OK for doctors and nurses to wear when treating patients who may be sick from the coronavirus.

In another change, the CDC said coronavirus patients can be cared for in single-patient rooms with the door closed and do not need to be placed in specialized airborne-infection isolation rooms.
With global financial markets reeling the likes of which of which we havent seen since 2008 and Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggesting a two-week national lockdown to slow the spread of the virus, its appropriate to consider the far-reaching economic consequences of the pandemic.

Connecticuts economy is poorly positioned to weather the oncoming storm. Not only has our economy been stagnant along with our employment level for an entire decade, but also our largest industry are the 165,000 state and local public unions spread over our 169 towns and cities.
New figures estimate that the new coronavirus could kill more Americans than cancer, heart disease or dementia in 2020.

So far, the illness - known as COVID-19 - has sickened more than 4,200 people and killed 74.

But as a graphic from The New York Times shows, things could be much bleaker should overall infection rates and fatality rates rise.

In the worst-case scenario 6.99 million Americans would die from coronavirus - 2.74 million of them being those aged 80 and above.

New figures estimate that the new coronavirus could kill more Americans than cancer, heart disease or dementia in 2020 with an overall infection rate of 41% and a fatality rate of 0.5%

So far, coronavirus has sickened more than 4,200 Americans and killed at least 74. Pictured: Medics transport a patient through heavy rain into an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, linked to several coronavirus cases, March 7

But the numbers could exceed the deaths caused by cancer if the overall infection rates reach 70% and the mortality rate is 3%. Pictured: Lori Spencer visits her mom Judie Shape, 81, who Spencer says has tested positive for coronavirus at Life Care Center, March 11

In this worst-case scenario, 6.99 million Americans would die from coronavirus - 2.74 million of them being those aged 80 and above. Pictured: Healthcare workers workers test drive-up patients outside the Scripps Clinic for coronavirus disease in La Jolla, California, March 16

For the graphic, The Times collected numbers for other leading causes in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available.

Then, the newspaper used an estimate that Dr. James Lawler, an associate professor, in the department of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska, presented to a group of CDC officials and hospital executives: 480,000 US deaths.

This is, of course, much higher than the number of people who die per year from diseases such as dementia, stroke or diabetes.

Only two diseases kill people more: cancer and heart disease, causing an estimated 595,000 and 647,000 deaths per year, respectively.

From there, The Times created sliders with infection rate and fatality rate assuming that one percent to 70 percent of the US is infected and 0.5 percent to three percent of the population dies.

Worldwide, more than 173,000 people have been infected and more than 6,600 people have died

Some say as few as 20 percent of the population could be infected while, in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested 70 percent of the population will contract the virus.

In the absolute best case scenario, where just one percent of the population is infected and there is a fatality rate of 0.5 percent, only an estimated 3,300 Americans die.

That would coronavirus as the 55th leading cause of death in 2020.

In an average scenario, during which there is an overall infection rate of 30 percent and a fatality rate of two percent, coronavirus would cause 1.97 million deaths - ahead of heart disease and cancer.

And in the worst-case scenario, in which 70 percent of the population is infected and there is a three percent fatality rate, the virus would cause an estimated 6.99 million deaths.

That would be 10 times as many US deaths as from heart disease and 11 times as many deaths as from cancer.

However, this likely does not include interventions such as drive-thru testing, barring visitors from nursing homes - and other social-distancing measures.

That's 10 times as many people that die from heart disease and 11 times as many as die from cancer, the two leading causes of death in the US. Pictured: Members of a Servpro cleanup crew wearing hazardous material suits prepare equipment inside the Life Care Center of Kirkland, March 11

However, this likely does not include interventions such as drive-thru testing, barring visitors from nursing homes - and other social-distancing measures. Pictured: A patient in a biocontainment unit is carried on a stretcher at the Columbus Covid 2 Hospital in Rome, March 16

The Times also looked at ages to examine which groups would be most affected by the scenario in which 70 percent are infected and 3.0 percent die.

Among those from ages 10 to 39, coronavirus was the leading cause of death, killing about 84,000 people - with drug overdose and guns not far behind.

The risk of death increased with age. Among those from ages 60 to 79, an estimated 3.55 million people died, followed by heart disease and cancer, respectively.

In the highest-risk group, those aged 80 and above, an estimated 2.7 million died, with heart diseases and dementia being the second- and third-leading causes.

It's important to remember that this figures are just estimates and as widespread testing becomes more common, a clearer picture will be made available regarding infection rates and mortality rates.

Worldwide, more than 179,000 people have been infected and more than 7,000 people have died.
From disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker in Missouri to a convenience store operator in New Jersey, suspected fraudsters are trying to take advantage of the coronavirus panic to trick consumers into buying useless or harmful products, triggering state anti-gouging laws and anti-fraud efforts by state attorneys general.When people are desperate and afraid, they are more likely to make a bad financial decision, Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, co-chairman of the National Association of Attorneys General Consumer Protection Committee, said in an interview with Stateline.His advice to consumers? Dont fall for miracle cures. No cure or vaccine yet exists for coronavirus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bakker, who operates out of Branson, Missouri, was hawking just such a miracle cure until GOP Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmidts office filed a lawsuit to shut it down this week.Bakkers silver solution was touted as a cure not only for coronavirus, but also for other ailments. He has sold the colloidal silver products for up to $125. As of Thursday, the item was no longer available on Bakkers website, but a search turned up several items touting the benefits of silver solution. Bakker went to prison in 1991 on fraud and conspiracy charges, but he was paroled in 1994 and has reconstituted his televangelist career.While the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration also have pursued Bakker, states are able to act quickly because they are on the ground near where the frauds are happening. In the Bakker case, Missouri was familiar with Bakkers ministry and swooped in Tuesday, said Schmidts spokesman, Chris Nuelle.The New York Attorney Generals Office also sent Bakker a cease and desist letter and the FDA and the FTC also have warned Bakker to stop selling the stuff. Missouri was the first state to sue.Newsworthy events always trigger scammers and the bigger the event, the greater the scams, said Todd Leatherman, program counsel for the National Association of Attorneys General Training and Research Institute and a former attorney for the Kentucky Attorney Generals Office.That means the attorneys general in each state are quickly swinging into action, and the NAAG has set up a website for consumers to file complaints with each state attorney generals office.In New Jersey, local media reported a convenience store owner sold a spray sanitizer that burned four children. Manisha Bharade, of Wood-Ridge, was charged with endangering the welfare of children and deceptive business practices.On the River Vale, New Jersey, police departments Facebook page, officers warned the public not to use any hand sanitizer bought at the River Vale 7-Eleven.Democratic New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal warned potential fraudsters that they will be prosecuted. Businesses seeking to take advantage of vulnerable consumers during a State of Emergency will face serious consequences, he said in a news release. Separately, Grewal said the number of coronavirus-related price gouging incidents has risen to 270 in the state.In New York, Democratic Attorney General Letitia James ordered two New York City merchants to stop charging customers excessive prices for hand sanitizers and disinfectant sprays.In a news release, the office said investigators confirmed that an Ace Hardware store in Manhattan was charging customers $79.99 for a bottle of hand sanitizer; and that a market in Astoria, Queens, was charging $14.99 for a bottle of disinfectant spray.Attorneys general in most states are asking residents to report instances of price gouging to their local law enforcement offices or attorneys general.More than 30 states have declared states of emergency, which trigger emergency price gouging laws.It is rare for a state to interfere with commerce, North Carolinas Stein said, but in severe cases he said its necessary.As if being the most vulnerable to the coronavirus was not enough, senior citizens also are most vulnerable to scams.Sharing information is critical, said Kathy Stokes, director of AARPs fraud prevention program. Its important to report efforts at fraud, she said in a phone interview. She said the organization for people over 50 is seeing an upward trend in scams as news about the coronavirus ramps up.The important thing is to look to trusted resources for information about coronavirus  the WHO [World Health Organization] or the CDC, she said. Any time you see something that looks like an opportunity or something that will help you, engage your inner skeptic.
Oslo: "Game of Thrones" star Kristofer Hivju has revealed that he tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Norwegian actor, who played Tormund Giantsbane in HBO's epic fantasy series, took to Instagram on Monday to share his diagnosis.

Though in "good health", Hivju said, he and his family were in self-isolation.

"Greetings from Norway! Sorry to say that I, today, have tested positive for COVID19, Coronavirus. My family and I are self-isolating at home for as long as it takes. We are in good health - I only have mild symptoms of a cold," he wrote.

The actor appealed to people to be "extremely careful".

"... Wash your hands, keep 1,5 meters distance from others, go in quarantine; just do everything you can to stop the virus from spreading. Together we can fight this virus and avert a crisis at our hospitals," he said.

Hivju, 41, also urged fans and followers to follow the regulations for "staying safe and protecting not just yourselves, but our entire community, and especially those at risk like the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions".

He joins actors Idris Elba, Tom Hanks and his wife, actor Rita Wilson and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, who tested positive for coronavirus. Universal Music chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge was hospitalised for treatment of the infection over the weekend.

The number of deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 175,530 cases in 145 countries.
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WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

COVID-19: In further curbs, India suspends flights from Afghanistan,Philippines, Malaysia

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: India has imposed further curbs on incoming flights in a bid to control the coronavirus outbreak.

The Director General of Civil Aviation said that no flights will come in from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia starting Tuesday. Restrictions are temporary and will be force till March 31, the order said. The order would be reviewed periodically.

DGCA chief, Arun Kumar said that all scheduled Indian and foreign airlines engaged in international air transportation to and from India are therefore directed to follow the advisory and not carry any passenger in violation thereof.

Fight corona better: Know about India's testing strategy

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

On Monday, flights between India and European countries were suspended until March 31.

"Travel of passengers from the member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom, is prohibited with effect from March 18, 2020. No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," the advisory issued on Monday read.

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 15:11 [IST]
Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, listens during a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivan Duque, Colombia's president, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, March 2, 2020.

President Donald Trump's outgoing chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is voluntarily self-isolating in South Carolina as he awaits coronavirus test results from someone he recently had contact with.

Mulvaney is "teleworking" from his home while the test results are pending, a White House official told NBC News. Mulvaney himself tested negative last Friday and has no symptoms, the official said Tuesday.

Trump's press secretary Stephanie Grisham also has been working from home after being exposed to members of a Brazilian delegation at the president's Florida resort of Mar-a-Lago two weekends ago. Two officials in that delegation later tested positive for coronavirus.

The Associated Press reported Monday that Mulvaney's niece had contact with one of the Brazilian officials.

Mulvaney "had contact with someone whose test results are pending, so out of an abundance of caution due to his proximity to the president, he's teleworking pending those results," the White House official told NBC News.

Trump on March 6 announced that he would be replacing Mulvaney as White House chief of staff with Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C.

Trump said Mulvaney will become the United States special envoy for Northern Ireland.

Three days after he was tapped to be chief of staff, Meadows said he was himself entering self-isolation after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and her family has been self-quarantining after she had flu-like symptoms, and testing negative for the flu and strep-throat, NBC News reported. McDaniel has not received the results of her coronavirus test yet, according to an RNC spokeswoman who spoke with NBC.

McDaniel has been in close proximity with Trump in recent weeks.

in a text message to CNBC on Monday, Grisham wrote, "I'm working from home and yes I feel good."

"With my close proximity to the President, it's better to be safe than sorry," she added. Grisham is also White House communications director.

Trump has been criticized for downplaying the danger of the coronavirus pandemic until fairly recently.

On Jan. 22, in an interview with CNBC's Joe Kernen, Trump was asked if there were worries about coronavirus becoming a pandemic.

"No. Not at all," Trump said in the interview at Davos, Switzerland. "And we have it totally under control. It's one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It's going to be just fine."

In late February, he accused Democrats of using coronavirus as a "hoax" to damage him and his administration.

"The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus," he said at a campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, last month.

Mar-a-Lago was largely closed Monday for a "thorough deep cleaning," a source familiar with the situation told NBC News.
Alinta Energy has been fined $280,000 after using sales agents who fraudulently switched customers to new energy contracts without their consent, including using fake accents to impersonate customers in phone calls.

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) issued Alinta with 14 penalty notices relating to fraudulent activity that occurred between March 2018 and March 2019 involving three different groups of sales agents acting on behalf of Alinta.

Alinta Energy has been fined for a second year in a row after using third parties who signed up customers fraudulently. Credit:

It is the second time in two years Alinta has been fined by the commission for transferring customers without their consent.

In August 2018, Alinta was fined $300,000 after the ESC found that between September and October 2016 third-party operators acting for Alinta switched 15 customers without their knowledge or consent.
Donald Trump has given his own response to the coronavirus pandemic a perfect rating  at a press conference where he also conceded the virus is not under control and announced drastic new public health measures well beyond anything the US has ever tried.

Asked at a White House press conference whether the buck stops with him and how he would rate what the administration has achieved, Mr Trump was not shy.

I would rate it a ten, he said. I think we have done a great job. He then said his administrations achievements began with its early decision to bar foreign nationals who had visited China from entering the US.

It started with the fact that we have kept a very highly infected country, despite all of even the professionals saying it is too early to do this, we were very early with respect to China. We would have a whole different situation in this country if we didnt do that.

On the USs efforts to roll out mass testing, which have been decried as haphazard and slow, Mr Trump was equally positive.

As far as the testing, the testing we have done, we really took over an obsolete system, a system that wasnt meant to do anything like this, we took it over and we are doing something that has never been done in this country. I think we are doing very well.

Mr Trump gave himself a perfect rating just as he announced dramatic new measures to combat the viruss spread. He advised Americans to avoid gatherings of more than ten people (albeit on a stage with at least seven others around him)  a far more austere instruction than that issued by several states and major cities, which have capped the size of crowds at numbers as low as 25 or as high as 1,000.

But while the president seems to be facing up to the urgent need to combat the disease with all possible measures, he has still had sharp words for certain of his enemies, most recently his old bete noire Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York.

After a call with several governors, Mr Trump tweeted: Just had a very good tele-conference with Nations governors. Went very well. Cuomo of New York has to do more.

Mr Cuomo replied: I have to do more? No  YOU have to do something! Youre supposed to be the president. In a later tweet, he went further: Happy to do your job, too. Just give me control of the Army Corps of Engineers and Ill take it from there.

After the press conference at the White House, Mr Trump resumed his usual Twitter habits, retweeting criticisms of the New York Times and the Democratic presidential candidates.

Meanwhile, the USs coronavirus death toll has passed 80, with more than 7,000 dead worldwide.
Rebel Congress MLAs from political



crisis hit Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday claimed 20 more MLAs from that party want to join them and they were thinking of joining BJP in the days to come.

Speaking to reporters for the first time after arriving in Bengaluru and sending in their resignations, the 22 MLAs said they were ready to face any consequences.

"Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader; we have been doing with him for years, most of us are in because of him...We are still thinking regarding joining BJP. If we get protection from central police, we will go to Madhya Pradesh and think about it," a woman MLA said.

The legislators claimed 20 more MLAs are with them, but have been kept in captivity. If they too were with the rebels, Congress would have clearly broken and no law could have been enforced on the group.

The rebel MLAs said they are ready for any consequences and were confident that people of their constituencies are with them.

In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent youth leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion last week 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse.

Scindia joined the BJP on March 11.

"We were quiet when our leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was not made Chief Minister. Kamal Nath, who became CM, did not give any funds to our constituencies, while clearances were given for Chhindwara (constituency represented by Nath) at almost every cabinet meeting", a rebel MLA said.

Another MLA said Nath had no time to meet them and hear their grievances.

"When there is no development in our constituency, what is the use?"



Several MLAs also alleged that seniority and capability were not considered in forming of Ministry after the elections.

They said they even met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in this regard, but nothing came of it.

Rejecting claims by Congress leaders that they were held hostage here, the MLAs clarified that they had come to the city voluntarily.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The last fatal shooting in the Lincoln police district was on Nov. 22, 2018 about a mile and a half away in the Arcadia Terrace neighborhood when two teens pulled a gun and tried to rob an off-duty Chicago police officer. The officer grabbed his own gun and killed one of the teens.
Burma Mon State MPs Urge Govt: Ban Pilgrimages to Myanmars Golden Rock Over COVID-19

Pilgrims from across Myanmar visit the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda in Mon State. / The Irrawaddy

YANGONThe Mon State parliament has urged their state government to ban tours to Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, a well-known pilgrimage site in Kyaikto Town, over concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is also known as the Golden Rock, as it sits on top of a famous gold-colored boulder.

When the site is open, around 10,000 pilgrims, including tourists, visit the pagoda daily and an estimated 2 million people visit annually. The mountaintop area around the pagoda is normally crowded with pilgrims on weekends.

In Myanmar, cinemas and nursery schools have been closed indefinitely and religious festivals have been postponed or canceled following an announcement by the Myanmar President Office on Friday. The office postponed ceremonies and festivals, including the Thingyan water festival, until April 30 in an effort to reduce large gatherings and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

However, Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zan told the media on Saturday that the state government will not ban pilgrims and visitors from Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, as it is a religious issue.

The Mon State parliament then held a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue, according to U Zaw Zaw Htoo, a member of the Mon parliament for the constituency of Paung Township.

U Zaw Zaw Htoo said that the Mon parliament sent a letter on Monday to the state government urging them to suspend pilgrimage tours to the pagoda.

It is the time to restrict gatherings. We believe these pilgrimage tours to the pagoda should be banned absolutely. The state government shouldnt take the risk, U Zaw Zaw Htoo told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

He also said that banning public gatherings such as these crowded pilgrimage tours is the best way to stop the COVID-19 outbreak since Myanmar doesnt have strong enough healthcare systems to combat the pandemic.

Mon State parliament Vice Chairman Dr. Aung Naing Oo told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the state government should obey the instructions of the Myanmar President Office and comply with the directive to stop holding public gatherings, festivities and ceremonies.

The Irrawaddy reached out to Mon State government ministers on Tuesday but they declined to comment on the issue of the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda. The Union Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture also declined to comment.

Another famous religious festival in Myanmar, the Shwe Set Taw Pagoda Festival in Magway Region, normally held from January through the end of April, was cancelled on Friday because of the order from the Myanmar President Office.

The global death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic reached over 6,500 on Monday, with more than 170,000 confirmed cases since December.

Despite this, Myanmar has some COVID-19 suspected patients but no one has tested positive for the virus.

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Israel swore in its newly elected parliament under stringent restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak, in a surreal ceremony reflecting the country's unprecedented dual crisis in politics and public health.

Instead of the typical festive gathering of parliament's 120 members, the new lawmakers took the oath of office in 40 separate groups of three, in keeping with a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin presided over the unusual event after the Knesset, or parliament, was thoroughly sprayed with disinfectant.

The president, flanked by the Knesset speaker and secretary, opened the first session of parliament before a chamber empty save for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz. They sat several rows apart and made little eye contact, outnumbered by the three trumpeters in the hall who heralded the first session of parliament.

Mr Rivlin called for unity and compromise from the two leaders, saying Israeli people "are in need of rest, we are in need of healing" after three elections in less than a year.

After Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gantz were sworn in, they were ushered out of the hall and the lawmakers were brought in three-by-three for brief swearing-in ceremonies.

The event, two weeks after elections, gives the country a new legislature, but Israel still seems a long way from establishing a stable government.

Mr Rivlin yesterday formally designated Mr Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, the task of forming a coalition after the retired military chief secured a slim majority of recommendations from incoming lawmakers.

Mr Gantz promised to "do whatever it takes to form within as few days as possible a national, patriotic and broad government".

But beyond a joint desire to oust the long-time prime minister, Mr Gantz's supporters have little in common. The group is deeply divided along ideological lines and appears unlikely to band together for a government which could replace Mr Netanyahu, who faces serious legal troubles as he prepares to go on trial to face corruption charges.

Mr Netanyahu's Likud emerged as the largest party in the election but, along with his smaller religious and nationalist allies, he only has the support of 58 lawmakers, leaving his right-wing bloc three seats short of the required majority.

With the country's continued deadlock likely, and the prospect of yet another election seeming preposterous, Mr Rivlin summoned both Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gantz to an emergency weekend meeting in the hope of cajoling them into a unity government.

Both have expressed openness to the concept amid a national sense of emergency surrounding the spread of the virus. But there is deep distrust between them after a nasty campaign, and they differ on who should lead such a government.

Although Mr Gantz's chances of forming a new government appear slim, receiving the "mandate" from Mr Rivlin could strengthen his position in unity talks with Mr Netanyahu.

During the transition period, his Blue and White party is expected to name one of its members as speaker of the parliament and to pass legislation which would prevent an indicted politician from forming a new government. That could bar Mr Netanyahu from leading the nation if there is a new election and push him toward compromise.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-16 18:02:36|Editor: Xiaoxia

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ACCRA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced enhanced measures, including a ban on public gatherings and school closure from Monday to contain and combat the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

The public gatherings include conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, sporting events, and religious events such as services in churches and mosques.

This followed the announcement of four new cases of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, raising the number of reported cases in Ghana to six.

During the closure of schools, however, pupils who have registered for the final exams in basic school would be allowed to continue their preparations for the exams to be held next month, but under strict rules of social distancing and hygiene.

Akufo-Addo said, "Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel, and I am confident that together we shall overcome this challenge."
City leadership from various departments including the Shelton Police Department, Shelton Fire Department and Echo Hose Ambulance participated in a strategic planning session as part of a community-wide preparedness effort to continue to actively monitor COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus.

The city of Shelton continues to be in frequent communication with the state of Connecticut and is taking precautions to protect all residents, businesses, visitors, employees and first responders.

Shelton City Hall will remain open but will continue to follow social distancing practices and enhanced cleaning and sanitizing protocols.

It is imperative for all residents who are experiencing signs of illness refrain from leaving their homes and consult with their physician. In addition, we would like to remind residents about the importance of using social distancing and measures which have been set forth by the Department of Public Health.

Parks & Recreation programs at the Community Center are canceled. The pool, gymnasium and fitness rooms are closed. Outside organizations holding activities, with less than 50 people, will be held, unless cancelled by the organization. The Senior Center remains open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice. Members of the Senior Center can reserve a lunch by calling the center between 9 and 10:30 a.m. to schedule a lunch pickup. Shelton libraries will remain open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on Saturday. All scheduled library programs have been canceled.

All City parks, playgrounds and trails remain open. Normal trash pickup will continue as scheduled.

Residents are encouraged not to flush any wipes, including those marked flushable and are asked to dispose of them in their trash receptacles.

The Shelton public schools will remain closed until further notice.

Emergency services will continue to respond to 9-1-1 and calls for service using enhanced procedures to keep our first responders and community members safe.

The police department will be taking reports over the telephone for minor issues or incidents which would not require an officer to visit a home or business.

We will be monitoring the current situation daily and will make adjustments as necessary. The city of Shelton will be providing updates on the virus and our preparation efforts as it relates to our community on our city website at http://cityofshelton.org/.

For the most up to date information about COVID-19, please see www.cdc.gov, www.ct.gov/coronavirus, http://cityofshelton.org/ or dial 2-1-1.
FILE PHOTO: An entrance of the oil refinery of Eni is seen in Taranto

By Seng Li Peng, Ron Bousso, Ahmad Ghaddar and Laura Sanicola

NEW YORK/LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Falling prices for crude oil are usually a good thing for global refiners - except when nobody is driving.

Worldwide, refineries are slowing output and contemplating extensive maintenance due to travel restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gasoline demand in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer, is plunging. International flights are being grounded worldwide, slamming jet fuel demand.

Margins for producing transportation fuels turned negative in Europe and Asia, and briefly did the same in the United States, in a rapid response to international and domestic travel restrictions in scores of nations worldwide.

"What we are seeing is nothing short of unprecedented," said Tom Kloza, founder of the Oil Price Information Service, adding that demand destruction during this pandemic has exceeded what was seen in the wake of Sept. 11 and other disasters.

Crude oil prices have plunged this year, most recently after Saudi Arabia and Russia failed to reach agreement on limiting supplies. Both U.S. crude and international benchmark Brent have tumbled below $30 a barrel.

This would have been a boon for refining margins - but prices on gasoline and jet fuel have plummeted even faster this week, sapping refiners' profitability.

Traders, all speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was extremely difficult for refiners to plan run rates due to daily changes in the situation. On Tuesday, Phillips 66 <PSX.N> cut production at its Los Angeles refinery due to loss of demand, according to a source. The company declined comment.

Refineries must choose between extending maintenance while margins are so poor or ramping up to take advantage of cheap crude to fill up storage with refined products. However, once storage has been filled, refining rates would have to fall sharply, due to lack of demand.

Graphic: Asia refining margins tumble to record lows amid widening coronavirus crackdowns https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/7/9060/9041/AsiarefmarginsMarch172020.png

Story continues

In Europe, refiners are losing nearly $7 on every barrel of gasoline they produce, an 11-year low. Differentials for jet fuel cargoes also fell to a record low. [PRO/E]

Asian refiners are producing gasoline at a loss of 78 cents a barrel of Brent crude, lowest in 13 months. <GL92-SIN-CRK>

U.S. gasoline refining margins <RBc1-CLc1> fell a whopping 95% on Monday to settle at 28 cents per barrel, lowest since December 2008. On Tuesday, they rebounded, but were still at a meagre $2 per barrel.

Asian refining margins for jet fuel <JETSGCKMc1> plunged to $4.71 per barrel over Dubai crude, lowest ever based on Refinitiv data going back to March 2009. They were at $7.70 on Friday. In the United States, jet fuel prices when compared with the heating oil benchmark were at lows not seen since 2011 in both New York and on the Gulf Coast.

"When crude prices fell heavily early last week, it gave an incentive to refineries to keep runs unchanged. Eventually, with the virus-related situation developing, it's now the second time for global refineries to think of run cuts," a Seoul-based middle distillates trader said.

BIG SPENDING, TOUGH TIMING

Numerous refiners have invested in costly large-scale projects to capitalise on projected increases in demand for low-sulfur shipping fuel in the first half of 2020 due to new maritime regulations limiting the use of high-sulfur fuels.

Now, though, those refiners may be particularly hard hit, as the virus has curtailed cruises and global shipments of goods.

"Refiners that invested in sophisticated upgrading equipment to produce low-sulfur fuel oil for ships may suffer another blow," said Phil Verleger, a veteran oil economist and independent consultant, in a note.

For example, PBF Energys <PBF.N> market capitalisation fell to less than $1.3 billion on Friday, just $300,000 more than it paid for Shell's Martinez refinery earlier this year.

Following that purchase, PBF laid off members of its commercial business development team, according to a person familiar with the matter. The team had been looking strategic projects, acquisitions and other new business opportunities for the company.

PBF did not respond to a request for comment.

Italian energy group Eni <ENI.MI> said on Tuesday all its refineries in Italy were working normally except for two that had cut volumes for maintenance.

A spokesman for Repsol said the Spanish refiner had activated a global plan two weeks ago to ensure normal operation at all its facilities.

"Currently, oil products demand is decreasing and our refineries will adapt to this market situation at all times," a spokeswoman for Spanish refiner Cepsa said.

(This story was refiled to clarify that Phillips 66 has not commented on run cuts.)

(Additional reporting by Koustav Samanta in Singapore, Stephen Jewkes in Milan, Shadia Nasralla in London, Vera Eckert in Frankfurt, Laura Sanicola and Jessica Resnick Ault in New York, and Erwin Seba in Houston; writing by Florence Tan and Ahmad Ghaddar; editing by David Gregorio and Jason Neely)
Claire Calvin, the owner of Canteen Market Bistro, The Porch Kitchen and Alma Mexicana, said she already has laid off about 75% of her workforce so that they are eligible to file for unemployment. She said that Canteen and The Porch are ramping up production for takeout and delivery, focusing on frozen meals and such prepared foods as casseroles.

I have been expecting that to happen since Sunday, Calvin said. On the one hand, I wanted to keep everybody working. On the other hand, I didnt want to expose anybody to risk. So its good to have this clarity.

Though Canteen and The Porch will continue to operate, Calvin said, she expects Alma Mexicana will close.

Vivian Joiner, a co-owner of Sweet Potatoes, said that the restaurant will serve lunch today but close at 5 p.m. for the duration. The sister restaurant next door, Miss Oras Kitchen, will remain open for takeout. Miss Oras was already about 50% takeout, so were set up for that, Joiner said. Miss Oras also will offer curbside pickup.

Right now, Im planning to rotate employees so everyone can get at least something in their pockets, Joiner said.
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is creating havoc for owners of Michigan businesses such as restaurants and retail shops that involve contact with the public.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered the closure of some businesses, such as fitness centers and day spas, and has limited business for others, such as banning dine-in service for bars and restaurants.

Many business owners acknowledge the need for such stringent measures. But they also are unnerved at the financial implications.

Daniel Roth and Ryan Van Bergen shut down their Ann Arbor gym, Blue Lion Fitness, last Friday, March 13.

Well get through this, but I can see how a lot of businesses unfortunately wont, Roth said. Thats a scary and sad thing, to think that doing the right thing by closing your doors may mean you possibly may never get to reopen them again.

Here are some suggestions from business owners and associations.

1. Shop online.

If youre going to shop online, dont go to Amazon, said Meegan Holland, spokeswoman for the Michigan Retailers Association. Were asking Michigan customers to keep it local."

2. Shop over the phone.

If your favorite eatery or retailer doesnt have an online site for ordering or shopping, call them and place the order over the phone.

Call them, Holland said. Theyre probably sitting there with plenty of time on their hands.

3. Buy gift cards.

Maybe now is not the time to browse through your favorite boutique or art gallery, and your favorite restaurant doesnt have its dining room open.

But buying gift cards that you can use in the future could make all the difference in helping to pay the bills for now.

All of us are really grateful for gift card purchases," said Summer Schriner, who owns two shops in Lansings Old Town. Its helping put money in the coffers. And thats what most of us are most concerned about right now, is just getting that rent paid and making sure the employees are paid.

4. Order take-out or have food delivered.

Restaurants and bars can still offer delivery service, window service, walk-up service, drive-through service, or drive-up service. Restaurants may allow five people inside at a time to pick up orders, so long as they stay six feet apart from each other.

Its important Michigan take the necessary steps to protect public health, but we also realize the importance of supporting local retail, eateries and stores, Gary McDowell, director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development director, said in a press release. You can still get your favorite foods, just in a different way."

For people who are staying home, check with your favorite restaurants on delivery options -- or restaurants may be willing to run out an order to your vehicle if youre hesitant about going inside the building.

5. Post an online review.

Holland and Schriner said that positive online reviews do make a difference, and people can support their favorite establishments by going onto its Facebook page or third-page sites to post comments.

6. Promote on social media.

Schriner said shes urging people to go onto the Facebook pages for her businesses, so they can see whats going on the stores. Sharing those posts helps a lot, she added, as does liking a post and subscribing for updates.

All of us are feeling really, really uneasy about what the next weeks and months are going are going to bring, said Jen Brummitt, brand strategy manager for Gazelle Sports, a retail chain that specializes in running gear. But were hopeful and were doing everything we can to keep our staff safe and our customers safe and our communities moving the best that we can.

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.

READ MORE:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Michigan spas, fitness centers cope with shutdowns: Its very, very challenging

Coronavirus creates scary time for Michigan retailers

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to order bars, restaurants to close dine-in services over coronavirus concerns

Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home
New Delhi, March 17 : Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday cleared all apprehensions announcing that Parliament will not be adjourned sine die in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The Minister made the announcement after meeting of BJP Parliamentary Party chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Parliament will not be adjourned sine die due to coronavirus spread. It will function until its scheduled time on April 3," Joshi said while addressing media after the meeting.

With the spread of novel coronavirus infection in India, there were apprehensions that the second leg of Budget session which commenced on March 2 will be adjourned sine die before its scheduled date on April 3.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 125 with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and new cases in Karnataka, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala.

The government has taken several steps to contain the virus, including suspension of all visas to India till April 15, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

The novel coronavirus originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year and has killed over 7,000 people and infected more than 1.50 lakh globally. China remains the worst-hit with 3,189 deaths and 80,824 confirmed cases of infection.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the Thailand government has temporarily suspended visa on arrival for several countries, including India.

In an advisory, the Thailand government has temporarily suspended the visa on arrival for nationals and holders of passport or travel documents of several countries from March 13, 2020, till September 30, 2020.

Visa-on-arrival of nationals belonging to India, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China (excluding Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR), Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu have been temporarily suspended.

Also, the Thailand government has suspended visa exemption for nationals and holders of passport or travel documents of Italy, Republic of Korea and Hong Kong SAR.

"All existing visas attached to the passport or travel documents issued by the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates prior to the temporary suspensions remain valid," it said.

As many as 1,88,298 coronavirus cases have been reported so far with 7,499 deaths, globally. According to statistics, Thailand has reported 177 cases and one death, since the outbreak of COVID 19.

With coronavirus cases swelling in India, the Centre has banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.

So far, India has reported 137 cases and three deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 09:27:29|Editor: huaxia

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File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hold talks in Rome, Italy, March 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

China identifies with Italy's urgent concerns, and will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Xi Jinping said.

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday evening.

In the talk, Xi stressed that both China and Italy have experienced the severe test of the COVID-19 epidemic recently.

After months of hard work, China's epidemic prevention and control work has shown positive changes and made major progress for the current stage, Xi said, adding that the recovery of economic and social development has been accelerated at the same time.

Chinese Consul General in Milan Song Xuefeng (4th L) and Luigi Genesio Icardi (4th R), councilor for health of the region of Piedmont, pose for a photo in Turin, Italy, March 14, 2020. (Xinhua)

China will act prudently from beginning to end and strive for an early and complete victory over the epidemic, so as to provide other countries with confidence in their prevention and control efforts.

Noting that the Italian government has taken a series of resolute prevention and control measures in response to the epidemic, Xi said that China firmly supports Italy and has full confidence in Italy's victory over the epidemic.

China identifies with Italy's urgent concerns, and will send more medical experts to Italy and do its best to provide medical supplies and other assistance, Xi said.

Chairman of Italian Red Cross Francesco Rocca (6th R, back) poses for photos with members of Chinese aid team at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

China is willing to work with Italy to contribute to international cooperation in combating the epidemic and to the construction of a Health Silk Road, Xi said.

He expressed belief that through this joint fight against the epidemic, the traditional friendship and mutual trust between the two countries will be deepened, and the bilateral all-round cooperation will enjoy even broader prospects.

Conte noted that the Chinese government has taken resolute measures to effectively control the epidemic, which has greatly encouraged and provided reference for Italy and other countries, adding that Italy congratulates China on the achievement.

Conte thanked the Chinese side for its valuable support and assistance at Italy's difficult times, adding that this once again proves the profound friendship between the two peoples.

On behalf of the Italian government and people, Conte expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Chinese side, and said he believes that after the epidemic, the relationship between Italy and China will be stronger. 
Cooped up inside while we wait for the Exterminating Angel to take its leave, my thoughts turned to Ronaldinho, who isnt at home, but rather in jail in Paraguay. Having had his Brazilian passport revoked for previous mistakes, he tried to get into the country using fake Paraguayan documentation; heaven knows what he was thinking. It reminded me of the raft of South American players who came to Spain on false passports 50 years or so ago, thanks to an industry which, it seems, is alive and well today. The Argentinian Aguirre Suarez came over as a Paraguayan, while Carlos Martinez Diarte, Diomedes Martinez Cabrera and Luis Oscar Martinez Leguizamon first met over here, yet all had the same Spanish father.

A cameraman once told me about an experience he had with Ronaldinho. Asked for an interview by Canal+, the then-Barcelona player agreed to meet after training one day - but, when the appointed hour came, didnt turn up. Club officials explained that he was ill, but would see the journalists at his house. Given his address, they went over and sat down with a player still shaking off sleep, until his brother, Roberto de Assis, suddenly told him: Its time. Offering his apologies for the interruption, he went out onto his balcony to wave at a group of Japanese sightseers. Roberto, it emerged, had a tourism operator paying for visitors to Barcelona to see Ronaldinhos house and get a wave from the man himself.

Full screen Ronaldinho (centre) and his brother Roberto Assis (second right) arrive in court in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion. NORBERTO DUARTE (AFP)

That way of going about life, squeezing out every last bob and, at the same time, evading the taxman, isnt as common among footballers as people generally think, but there are some like that. Just as there is no shortage of adviser-agent-aides, sometimes the players own sibling, who boast neither training nor good sense and are armed only with their own audacity. Only a prolonged chain of errors can explain why this glorious footballer, a guy who only retired recently, is now penniless, with his assets embargoed and his passport revoked, and is sitting in prison in Paraguay. I certainly wish the lad all the best - he was great for the game of football. Its a case that should serve as a cautionary tale for many others.
The U.S. military can offer a range of emergency services as part of the effort to beat back the spread of the novel coronavirus. But how the military's potential could be tapped, and what the limits on its use may be, have yet to be see. The Associated Press offers the following information on what role the military could play and what it's done so far. Read the full story here.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says governments are heading in the right direction over COVID-19.

It comes as the Taoiseach confirms around half the population here could become infected and as Britain shifts to tougher measures to try to control spread.

Minister for Health Simon Harris spent time this morning in a teleconference with WHO, saying it was: "So important we work together on this global pandemic."

Doctor David Nabarro, the WHO special envoy for the global COVID-19, says it takes time to comprehend the scale of the outbreak.

"I think the world is waking up to the reality of the enormous threat that this unseen enemy is offering us.

"It really is an epic struggle and it takes time for each one of us to realise what this means."

Currently there are 223 cases of Covid-19 here with 54 new cases confirmed last night.

Today, Croke Park will begin to become a drive-thru facility for testing for Covid-19 for designated appointments.

In a message, local residents were told: "This will not be a walk-up service.

"The stadium lay-out has been identified as being suitable for facilitating this important service at this time.

"As soon as we have further information, we will share it with you."

It is understood that it will be a drive-thru service, running from 8am-8pm, with visitors given exact route directions and will not be permitted to leave their vehicle.

Meanwhile, the government has confirmed they are considering taking over private hospitals in order to tackle the Coronavirus.

The private hospital sector has approximately 2,500 beds in Ireland, a number of which are critical care and ICU beds.

Calls have come from political parties as well as the public after Spain and Italy nationalised private hospitals, which are usually reserved for paying patients.

The Italian government has ordered the private healthcare providers to offer free medical care to COVID-19 sufferers, while on Monday, the Spanish government announced it would put all of Spain's private health providers and their facilities into public control.

Here are a few simple steps that can slow the virus down #ItsInOurHands #COVID19 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/kNlMWjssBe  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) March 16, 2020

Sinn Fein's Health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly has called for similar procedures to be implemented in Ireland, and says this capacity may prove essential in the weeks ahead as Ireland's rate of infection continues to rise.

"We have limited capacity in our public hospitals, and while alternative settings of care are being identified and made available to treat patients, it is also important that private hospital capacity is at the ready," she said.

"Yesterday, Spain took all private hospitals under public control as the country combats Coronavirus - we must stand ready to do the same."

When asked by the Irish Examiner about whether the government were planning on the move, a spokesperson from the Department of Health said: "We are examining all possibilities for providing acute care accommodation for people requiring isolation."

Additional reporting by Digital Desk

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GoAir on March 17 said it is suspending all international operations, starting March 17, 2020, until April 15, 2020, due to unprecedented decline in air travel.

Earlier, Moneycontrol reported that GoAir has asked some of its employees to go on unpaid leave, to save on costs.

"GoAir has also initiated a short term and temporary rotational leave without pay program that will not only help the company counter the short term reduction in capacity, but will also ensure that a cross section of our employees stay away from the workplace to ensure business continuity," the company said in a statement.

The company also noted that airlines in India have petitioned the government seeking immediate support, "as most other governments around the world have already provided to their similarly affected airlines".

GoAir mentioned in the statement that it has been profitable for the past several years and that it remains on track to receive 12 to 15 aircraft each year through the end of 2025, in support of its planned growth. It also said that many immediate measures to make the business more efficient have also been taken, that will help it create an even stronger airline in the long run.

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

Other domestic airlines have also announced similar steps to cut down manpower costs at a time when the aviation industry has been one of the most affected areas in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo has also told pilots that they may no longer be required to do extra hours. The airline announced that it is withdrawing the incentive of giving compensation in lieu of leave.

Airlines and airport operators globally are also suspending dividends, selling airplanes and flying cargo on passenger jets amid plunging demand caused by the pandemic.
Lally Doerrer, right, and Katharine Hildebrand watch Joe Biden during his Illinois virtual town hall, in Doerrer's living room on Friday. Read more

News about the coronavirus is changing quickly. Go to inquirer.com/coronavirus for the latest information.

Neil Young looked into the camera and gave a little Hi, Bernie, as he started the opening harmonica chords of Heart of Gold" for about 7,000 Sanders supporters watching on computers and phones around the country. At one point, Youngs dog casually crossed in front of the shot, set up at his California home.

This is a moment when we must all come together, Sanders said later during the live-streamed concert and rally Monday night. Were all in this together, literally, in the sense that if I have it, youre in trouble, and if you have it, Im in trouble.

Around the same time, Joe Biden called into a telephone town hall meeting to take questions from the public about his campaign and the coronavirus.

Were going to overcome this moment, Biden said on the call. Its going to require all of us to be prudent and proactive.

In the runup to primary elections Tuesday in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, the pandemic and the isolation it has required has forced campaigns into a challenging predicament: try to turn out voters while assuaging their fears of going out in public.

Biden, who brought on a former surgeon general to address questions about the virus, said his campaign is following the guidance of state health-care officials who said the primaries would go on. He noted trying moments in American history when elections proceeded.

Sanders used the moment to stress his call for Medicare for All and for the government to protect the finances of people who will likely face steep economic losses. Were going to protect you, Sanders said on the live feed from Vermont. If youre a single mom, were going to protect you. If youre a small business owner ... a worker in a restaurant, the business of the federal government is to protect every man, woman, and child.

In the last five days, Sanders and Biden have shifted their campaigns to entirely remote operations, leaving field offices and headquarters empty and campaign staffers organizing video conferences to encourage volunteers to contact their friends and remind them to vote.

Across the country, field managers skilled in the art of door knocking and face-to-face persuasion relied on phones or computer screens to get the job done  with all the glitches that can occur in the age of the coronavirus.

Its extremely important we call supporters and let them know about the different changes," Jennifer Sousa, Bidens Arizona director, said on a get-out-the-vote call with about 60 volunteers. "Some polling stations may not be open, but they can go to any vote center and drop off their ballot. Let them know election officials are making sure elections are conducted in a safe environment for them to vote, and also, exercise their right to support Joe Biden.

As they try to motivate voters to come out, those voters are also hearing warnings from the federal government to avoid group interactions of more than 10 people. Ohios primary, also scheduled for Tuesday, was delayed. Arizona renamed its polling stations voting centers where absentee ballots could be dropped off in place of voting in person.

On Monday, in an interview with CNNs Anderson Cooper, Sanders said states should consider delaying primaries. I would hope that governors listen to the public health experts, and what they are saying, as you just indicated, we dont want gatherings of more than 50 people, Sanders said. "Im thinking about some of the elderly people sitting behind the desks, registering people, doing all that stuff. Does that make a lot of sense? Im not sure that it does.

One caller Monday, Lillian from Florida, asked Biden how he could guarantee that people who go out and vote will be safe.

Biden said that decisions to hold the primaries should be made by state health officials, not candidates. But he assured the woman that should she need to vote in person, polling places in Florida would require people to stand six feet apart from one another, and machines would be sanitized between uses.

Bidens telephone town hall went much better than a Friday live-streamed Q&A with Illinois voters, which had severe technical glitches.

Jill Biden called into five teleconferences Monday. Like you, Ive spent a lot of time at home these last few days, and theres nothing like isolation to reveal how deeply connected to each other we are, she said on a 4 p.m. call with Arizona volunteers, urging them to turn out voters.

One phone call can change a mind, one conversation can sway a vote, one ballot can win an election," Jill Biden said.

Sanders virtual events have seemed to go off largely without a hitch. The Monday rally was a well-produced program that transitioned easily from multiple locations between performers and speakers. Campaign manager Faiz Shakir said during Sanders virtual fireside chat this weekend that the campaign was uniquely prepared for the new campaigning because of its network of digital grassroots organizing.

This campaign more so than any ... potentially in presidential history is best suited and prepared for this kind of campaign," Shakir said.

Sanders on Friday said hed increase his footprint in Pennsylvania with the addition of 20 staffers and a plan for five field offices. But the campaign quickly clarified that it was going entirely remote and that the physical offices would go unused for now. Brooke Adams, coordinating director for Sanders in Pennsylvania, who moved to the area after heading the campaigns efforts in Iowa, said it had been an exciting, chaotic and troubling week."

People are still looking for a way to get involved, and in fact," Adams said, "maybe even in a stronger way, people are looking to be a part of something right now, and not emotionally alone in dealing with all of this.
T he NHS Blood and Transplant service have asked people to keep donating blood as the UK begins a coronavirus clampdown.

While the service's stock levels are currently good, they have said they need donors to keep travelling to their donating sessions during the clampdown.

The service told The Evening Standard that there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus transmitting through blood donation.

They added that there have been no confirmed cases of any type of coronavirus being transmitted through blood donation.

NHSBT have asked donors to continue travelling to donation sessions / PA

An NHSBT spokesperson said: Our stock levels are currently good. However we need donors to keep donating as normal and to follow the health, hygiene and travel advice. Travel to blood donation sessions is essential

Donation will help keep stocks healthy so we are well prepared for the impact of the coronavirus. Were regularly reviewing the situation and working closely with the DHSC, PHE, and the UKs other blood donation services. We're putting in place extra safety measures and safety is always our number one priority.

The NHS collects blood at mobile sessions across London and at dedicated donor centres in Edgware, West End, and Tooting.

If you cant make your appointment for any reason they ask that you let them know so they can offer it to someone else. This can be done by visiting their website.

In London, the NHS collect blood in dedicated centres in Tooting, Edgware, and West End / PA

The spokesperson said that all donors are screened for fitness to donate.

"We screen donors to make sure they are fit and healthy", they said.

"Our teams are trained in thorough universal hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of all infections.

"These include regular handwashing, wiping down surfaces that people touch such as door handles, using sterile collection sets for every donation and preparing the arm with an aseptic cleanser. Blood donation sessions remain safe."
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Around Rs 2,000 crore is missing from the books of accounts of Coffee day Enterprises (CDEL), media reports suggest quoting an internal probe.

While a Bloomberg report said the missing amount is at least $270 million (Rs 2,000 crore), a Mint report pegged the amount at least $350 million (Rs 2,593 crore).

The company owns Cafe Coffee Day, India's largest coffee chain. The amount was transferred from seven units of CDEL to personal accounts of the late founder VG Siddhartha and entities owned by his family, Mint reported.

The CDEL board had initiated an investigation after Siddhartha's death in July last year, and the probe report is still in the draft stages.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the reports.

The transactions were to mostly service accumulated debt, which in turn was incurred to pay back venture capital and private equity investors going all the way back to 2008. Siddhartha allegedly paid these risk investors as much as Rs 1,800 crore," a source told Mint.

The promoter family was not involved in the business when Siddhartha passed away, a Coffee Day Group spokesperson told the publication.

"The promoter family and management are fully cooperating with the investigation but oblivious to its outcome as their priority is to keep the business running in a challenging environment and meet all stakeholder commitments, including 30,000 jobs associated with the group," the spokesperson added.

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set CDEL a deadline of March 31 to submit the report, following which the company could face a penalty.

CDEL had in August 2019 hired former deputy inspector general of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Ashok Kumar Malhotra to analyse the contents of the suicide letter supposedly written by Siddhartha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi among several other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders arrived at the Parliament on Tuesday for the BJP Parliamentary party meeting.

BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP JP Nadda, Parlimanetary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, among others, arrived at the Parliament Library Building for the meeting.

Amid the coronavirus threat, several BJP leaders were seen wearing masks upon their arrival in the Parliament premises.

The second half of the Parliament's Budget session has seen uproar over Delhi violence and the alleged crisis in the banking sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump agreed Tuesday to work together to fight the coronavirus pandemic, reaching a cease-fire in their war of words.

The Democratic governor asked the federal government to help his state fight the spread of COVID-19, a day after he accused the Trump administration of a lack of leadership in the crisis.

"It is essential that the federal government works with this state," Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany. "We cannot do this on our own."

The remarks offered a stark change in tone from just a day earlier, when the governor said the Trump administration has been "behind from day one of this crisis."

At Tuesday's news conference, Cuomo announced that the virus had spread to at least 1,374 people in New York, hospitalizing 19% of them and killing at least 12. During the news conference, the state health commissioner announced that about 1,700 cases had been confirmed.

Cuomo, said he spoke to Trump earlier in the day and "put my hand out in partnership."

"I want to work together 100%," Cuomo said. "I need your help, I want your help, and New Yorkers will do everything they can to be good partners with the federal government."

"I think the president was 100% sincere in saying that he wanted to work together ... in a spirit of cooperation," Cuomo added. "I want to say thank you ... they will have nothing but cooperation and partnership from the state of New York."

"There's no time for" hyper-partisan politicking right now, Cuomo added. "The president is doing the right thing in offering to step up with New York, and I appreciate it."

Trump responded in kind during a midday briefing at the White House.

"With respect to Governor Cuomo, we had a really good talk this morning," Trump said. "We're both doing a really good job."

The efforts to bury the hatchet came just a few hours after the president admonished the governor for his prior comments.

"Cuomo wants 'all states to be treated the same.' But all states aren't the same," Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

"Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big 'hotspot', West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases."

"Andrew, keep politics out of it," the president added.

TWEET

Tempers flared between the two after Cuomo's initial comments a day earlier.

"Cuomo of New York has to 'do more,'" Trump tweeted Monday afternoon following a conference call with governors. It was not clear whom the president appeared to be quoting in the tweet.

TWEET

Cuomo shot off a fiery response shortly after: "I have to do more? No  YOU have to do something! You're supposed to be the President."

TWEET
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:54:45|Editor: xuxin

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TOKYO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said on Tuesday that it will announce standards on reopening schools by the end of March, so that municipalities across the country can decide the timing to resume classes.

Education Minister Koichi Hagiuda told reporters that the standards for reopening schools are likely to depend on factors such as whether there are any confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the municipality or in neighboring areas.

The government will also take into account the results of analyses to be released by a panel of experts on Thursday, he said, adding that the government will carefully determine whether to completely withdraw its former decision to close schools.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the school closure plan late February and requested local governments to shut down their schools until early April.

Some schools have already reopened for classes on Monday after being shut for around two weeks.

Hagiuda said ministry officials will be looking at these schools to learn what steps should be taken to prevent infections, adding that such measures will also be announced.
Donald Trump wants to send cash to Americans suffering from the coronavirus crisis immediately he said at the White House Tuesday.

'The payroll tax holiday would get money to people over the next six to eight months. We're looking to send checks to Americans immediately,' explained Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in the press briefing room. 'Americans needs cash now and the president wants to give cash now.'

'And I mean now - in the next two weeks,' Mnuchin added.

Precise details weren't announced at the press conference.

Mnuchin said he was previewing the plan with Capitol Hill Republicans and would reveal more later, but he suggested the amount could be more than $1,000. There would also be some income cut-offs. 'You don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks,' he said.

Trump said of his administration's stimulus plans: 'We're going big.'

The economy has spiraled since the coronavirus outbreak reached American shores. In Ohio alone, unemployment claims went from 6,500 last week to 45,000 this week, according to numbers given to reporters by Sen. Rob Portman's office.

President Trump (left) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (right) said Tuesday they wanted to send Americans checks to keep the economy going amid the coronavirus outbreak

President Trump said he wanted to get cash in the hands of Americans immediately at a press conference at the White House Tuesday

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Monday he supports giving $1,000 each month to working Americans during the crisis

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP'S CASH HANDOUT - Will it be a one-time sum or given to Americans monthly until crisis subsides? - Will money go to every individual taxpayer or every adult? - Will immigration status matter? - Will is be a physical check? - Will it be taxable? Advertisement

After his meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Mnuchin floated that the White House wanted to se $1 trillion injected into the American economy.

Mnuchin said this would be a combination of loans and 'direct checks,' like the ones he described at the White House earlier.

Beyond giving cash to Americans, Mnuchin said tax payments can also be deferred for 90 days.

After meeting with Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he planned to have the Senate vote on a bill that was passed in the House on Saturday, which had been a collaboration between the White House and House Democrats.

The cash handouts would come as part of a third bill passed to deal with coronavirus' effects on the American economy - one that would be worked out between the White House and Senate Republicans first.

Senate Democrats then would be brought into the fold, McConnell explained.

The White House sped up its embrace of a universal basic income-like stimulus after economic adviser Larry Kudlow told DailyMail.com Monday the administration 'might' get behind new proposals to give cash to American households.

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Monday announced that he was for a plan to give American workers $1,000 each month during the outbreak.

'We also urgently need to build on this legislation with additional action to help families and small businesses meet their short-term financial obligations, ease the financial burden on students entering the workforce, and protect health workers on the front lines and their patients by improving telehealth services,' the Utah senator said in a statement, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

'I will be pushing these measures as Senate discussions continue about an additional relief package,' he added.

'We might': Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow said the Trump administration might get behind new proposals to give cash to American households.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang campaigned on giving $1,000 each month to every American

Now-former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang made cash payment to Americans central to his run. Yang was promoting the concept of universal basic income and said Americans should get $1,000 a month - $12,000 annually - to keep people out of poverty.

He also said the policy would help alleviate the effects of automation, which will cost American jobs.

He dubbed his payment the 'freedom dividend.'

Yang, now a CNN commentator, reacted to the White House's proposal Tuesday.

'Well, I'm thrilled that we're doing the right thing. It's vital to help tens of millions of American families keep their heads above water at this time,' Yang said. 'So getting cash into America's families hands is 100 per cent the right move.'

Yang suggested that American adults get $1,000 a month, and if they have children an additional $500 per child.

Yang also revealed that his team and been working with the White House to provide them with studies on what cash-in-hand proposals could accomplish.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - one of the most progressive members of Congress - reacted positively to the White House's proposal, but she also suggested that student loan payments be postponed.

'Now we must suspend student loan payments,' she tweeted Tuesday. 'Suspending interest does nothing if people still have to pay out the same amount in principal. We need to suspend student loan *payments* for 3-6 months to give people wiggle room to afford food & necessities.'
: With Puducherry reporting its



first coronavirus case of a 68-year-old woman testing positive, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesday said all schools, colleges, cinemas and gymnasium centres would remain closed till this month-end from Wednesday as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Addressing reporters after chairing a joint meeting of officials of Health and other departments organised to review the steps taken to prevent the spread of the infection, he said the government had earmarked Rs 7.5 crore to the Revenue Department to procure on emergency basisequipment to rise to any exigency.

The Health Department has been asked to immediately recruit doctors and nurses to meet the shortage in manpower to meet any requirement.

All the tourists coming to Puducherry from other states and also abroad would be subject to intensive screening at the entry points, bus terminals, airport and other vulnerable spots.

Already, there was a decline by 50 per cent in the flow of tourists into Puducherry.

"The government does not want to remain slack and hence a multi-pronged approach has been adopted to keep the infection at bay,", he added.

Those organising social functions, including marriages, had been asked to restrict the invitees.

Places of worship had also been asked to put in place the necessary facilities for the pilgrims and devotees to wash their hands.

The Sunday market, a weekly open air market in the town, would remain closed as the market normally attracted large number of shopping public.

Political parties and other outfits would not be permitted to hold rallies, public meetings and demonstrations till this month-end, he added.

All the Ministers, Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, officials of the Health and Revenue Departments were among those who participated in the review meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Edgar Su

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Thousands of Malaysian commuters, many with suitcases stuffed with clothes, crossed into neighbouring Singapore on Tuesday evening, prepared for at least two weeks away from home, hours before their country starts to seal its borders.

With the highest number of coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is banning citizens from travelling overseas and visitors from entering the country from midnight until March 31 to help stop the spread of the disease.

But many of the 300,000 Malaysians who commute daily to Singapore were caught off guard by Monday night's announcement, which could have left them without a salary for the duration of the ban.

Lau Tong Lin, 21, is back in the city-state after going home to pack following a night shift at a Singapore supermarket. Lau said he plans to bunk with a cousin in Singapore.

"If I didn't come then I might have had to take no-pay leave," he said, adding he was afraid of losing his job.

Singapore, with a population of 5.7 million, relies heavily on Malaysians living in the southern state of Johor to staff businesses ranging from restaurants to semiconductor manufacturing.

The Singapore government has said it will assist companies that need to accommodate workers, including by finding them hotels and dormitories at a lower cost.

The labour ministry will fund S$50 ($35.02) per night for 14 nights for each worker that a company needs to accommodate.

After a traffic jam at the border, 27-year-old Nur Juliana got off her bus and decided to walk for an hour with two of her friends into Singapore.

She said that while her company, which manufactures medical products, is putting her up at a hotel, her parents were worried about the condition of her accommodation.

Despite the travel ban, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin had reassured him that the flow of food and other goods would go on as normal.

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Singapore on Tuesday reported 23 new cases of coronavirus, its biggest daily jump, taking its tally to 266 infections.

Malaysia and Singapore, which separated in 1965 after a brief union following independence from Britain, have close economic ties. The two countries, separated by a strait, have two land checkpoints.

As the deadline loomed, technician Lenin Prabaagaran was rushing home to pack his bags so he could make it out before the border closed. "I have no choice, or I have to go on no-pay leave," he added.

($1 = 1.4277 Singapore dollars)

(Additional reporting by Fathin Ungku in Singapore; Writing by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan confirmed 12 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, as the central bank announced measures to help troubled businesses and a tourism sector hit hard by the impact of the crisis.

The kingdom imposed measures on Saturday to fight the outbreak, including a tighter lockdown that closes all borders and bans all incoming and outgoing flights as of Tuesday.

Jordanian officials say the unprecedented measures, which also include closing schools and banning daily prayers in mosques were taken as the epidemic is spreading fast in neighbouring Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

The government has kept borders open for commercial cargo and has assured people hoarding food that the country has a stockpile of commodities and essential goods that would last six months.

Energy Minister Hala Zawati said in a statement the kingdom's supplies of gasoline and diesel covered 60 days on current consumption patterns and that it was already in talks with the country's three main fuel importers to bring storage units to the maximum.

Central Bank Governor Zaid Fariz told Reuters that Jordan's commercial banks were also asked to delay payments of loan instalments by companies and to allow the rescheduling of retail loans to ease losses by businesses and help individual borrowers.

Fariz said the moves aimed at "preserving financial" and fiscal stability" of the country by extending support for the country's hard-hit economic sectors that were beginning to show cash flow and liquidity problems as a result of the drop in business.

"What is needed is to preserve the health of these companies to be able to continue with their production and business activity," he added.

In another move, the central bank slashed compulsory reserves for commercial banks to 5% from 7% to inject more than 500 million dinars ($705 million) of extra liquidity to ease the economy's woes. The move was the first in nearly a decade, he added.

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Officials are worried the crisis that has hit the thriving tourism sector, which generates around $5 billion annually, will slash growth projections and deepen an economic downturn.

"The tourism sector is one of the most important sectors that have been affected directly and negatively after a period of continued growth," Fariz said.

The country has closed all tourism sites, including its most visited attraction, the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. Thousands of foreign tourists have left the country in the past few days and hotels occupancy rates have fallen dramatically.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Alexander Smith and Peter Cooney)
Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday defended his decision to accept nomination to the Rajya Sabha, saying he wants the legislature and judiciary to work together for nation-building.

Gogoi, however, said he will speak in detail about the issue, over which he and the Modi government have come under attack, after taking oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

"I have accepted the offer of the nomination to the Rajya Sabha because of strong conviction that the legislature and judiciary must, at some point of time, work together for nation-building.

"My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa," he told an Assamese channel.

President Ram Nath Kovind had nominated Gogoi to the Upper House of Parliament on Monday.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have questioned the nomination of Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha barely months after he retired in November last year.

He had served as the Chief Justice of India for about 13 months during which he presided over the benches that pronounced judgements on important matters like the Ayodhya land dispute, the Rafale fighter jet deal and the plea seeking a review of the apex court's judgement on the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple.

"Let God give me the strength to have an independent voice in Parliament," he said, adding, "I have much to say, but let me take the oath in Parliament and then I shall open up".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bars and restaurants will become takeout and delivery-only and businesses from movie theaters and casinos to gyms and beyond shuttered Monday night throughout New York because of the coronavirus.

New York is changing its rules to allow bars, restaurants and distilleries to sell their products off premises, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Gov. Cuomo said he is strongly encouraging nonessential businesses to close in New York after 8 p.m.

Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesnt crash our health care system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that, Cuomo said.

New York will also limit social gatherings to 50 people announced on Monday.

Before Gov. Cuomo closed all bars and restaurants Monday, some owners said quietly they wished he would do it.

They were worried about catching the coronavirus or having customers spread it at a St. Patricks Day party. But once Cuomo said they had to stick to deliveries, take-out or drive-thru only, many reacted with anger.

Sometimes the media blows things out of proportion, said Nia Miller, daughter of the owners of Peters Diner in Glens Falls. If you take the proper precautions, if you clean, if youre reasonably healthy, you should stay healthy.

Peters Diner will be offering takeout. But that wont cover all of the normal costs of the restaurant.

Its going to put a hurt on everybody, Miller said.

At New Way Lunch, owners focused on helping employees make ends meet without the abundant cash tips they normally collect.

All the New Way Lunch sites will be open for takeout, but Glens Falls owner Nick Gazetos was one of many who said patrons come for more than the food. They come for the ambiance, which he is no longer allowed to provide.

I personally think its going to kill business, especially if youre a waitress, Gazetos said. We are looking at how we are going to adjust to keep our waitresses on. Were going to have to pay them differently so they dont take such a big hit.

He would have closed only restaurants around New York City, where most of the coronavirus cases are now. There are a few in each of many upstate counties, and Albanys cases doubled over the weekend, but the situation is clearly worse three hours south.

In my personal opinion, I think some of the restraints put on upstate New York have been tough, he said. I think it made sense near New York City.

For the best

Some confessed a sense of relief.

At Sullys in Glens Falls, owner Bella Harrington is getting over pneumonia.

So Im quarantining myself. I dont associate with nobody, she said.

But as long as bars could stay open, her family was keeping Sullys open and continuing plans for a St. Patricks Day event Tuesday.

Still, Harrington said shed manage financially if she had to close.

Im an older bar, so I dont have all the bills these young people do, she said.

After the announcement, she expressed relief that she could still do takeout.

Corn beef and cabbage will go, then, she said.

In Moreau, Humbuggs canceled many events but was still open until the governors order.

If everybody has to close, I totally agree, 100%, said Angela Davis, the daughter of the owner. But if we close (before the order), theyll just flood the next place. It wont help anyone.

As an interim measure, she canceled Humbuggs St. Patricks Day event, all daily lunch specials and the customer of the week. Because that brings in the customers family usually  and we dont want anything that draws extra, she said.

Canceling was for the best interest of customers and staff, she added.

Financially, Humbuggs would be fine, she said. But she was worried about her employees.

Our kitchen boys especially, she said. Until they do (close all bars and restaurants), were going to let them work.

Lots of takeout

Humbuggs owner Keith Champagne, contacted after the announcement, wasnt thrilled.

I bought 200 pounds of corn beef. Thirty pounds of ham. Weve been prepping for St. Patricks Day for a week, he said.

He plans to pivot fully into takeout, immediately.

We do a tremendous amount of takeout already, he said. Hopefully, well sell a bunch of it through takeout. It is what it is.

Others wished Cuomo had waited one more day.

I was hoping it would happen after St. Patricks Day, said Helen Meade, owner of OMalleys Log Grill in South Glens Falls.

Her father traditionally held a free buffet on St. Patricks Day and she had bought the food for it already.

Instead, she plans to close until the pandemic is over. Her bar does have a grill, but she mainly serves drinks.

I cant compete. I dont think people would buy a cheeseburger and fries for takeout, she said. I am going to have to shut down. I just had to tell my employees. I feel horrible for them.

She has five employees. They can file for unemployment immediately, because New York waived the seven-day waiting period for unemployment caused by the new coronavirus.

Its a tough road, Meade said. I am going to have one heckuva bash after we open again.

Even if its summer, she will still hold a late St. Patricks Day party.

Shes not the only one planning for good days.

Fountain Square Outfitters decided to close Sunday night but is planning a big bash with other downtown merchants when the pandemic ends.

The retail store in downtown Glens Falls was not required to close, but the owners said they had to join in the effort to discourage people from congregating in groups.

If not being open stops even a couple people from transmitting it, its worth it, spokesman Matt Fuller said. If us being closed encourages people not to be out, its worth it.

He said owners just have to step up and try to slow the spread of the virus, so that hospitals are not overwhelmed.

In a Facebook post, the store owners wrote, We all have to recognize that each of us has to do our part to slow the advance of this virus. We cannot stop it, but if we can delay it so that our health care system can treat those who need it most without being overwhelmed in the process, well, that is what we will do.

You can reach Kathleen Moore at 742-3247 or kmoore@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @ByKathleenMoore or at her blog on www.poststar.com.  The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The U.S. Navy just demonstrated it can coordinate with AC-130 gunships for maritime strike against potential hostile surface ships.

In a two-day exercise in the Arabian Gulf, the Navy used cyclone-class patrol coastal ships and a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft integrated alongside AC-130W Stinger II gunships, the service said in a release.

While it conducted a similar mission using MH-6M Little Bird helicopters during Operation Earnest Will between 1987 and 1988, the recent demonstration was the service's first using the Stinger II, according to the release. It was also the first time the assets all coordinated together for operations in the Arabian Gulf, officials said.

"Our surface forces integrating with aircraft that have the firepower of an AC-130W brings a capability to the joint force that profoundly enhances our lethality in the maritime environment," said Capt. Peter Mirisola, commander of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50 and Combined Task Force (CTF) 55.

Related: AC-130U 'Spooky' Gunship Completes its Final Combat Deployment

"The addition of the gunship to the joint maritime battle significantly enhances our ability to detect, track, engage and defeat surface threats in order to control water space in the Arabian Gulf," he said in the release. "The effectiveness of this joint capability to conduct maritime strike, reconnaissance and armed overwatch was clearly displayed during this live-fire event."

In a video posted by the Navy, the AC-130, assigned to Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), engages a target as the USS Monsoon (PC 4), deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, keeps watch.

The AC-130 is known for its armed overwatch for ground troops in hostile environments. Unlike its older U-model cousin, the Stinger model uses a 30mm cannon and precision-guided munitions, and can deploy the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb.

The Navy did not specify what munitions were used in the exercise.

Officials said the aircraft's use in the Arabian Gulf also speaks to the U.S. deterrence campaign in the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.

"We've effectively employed similar joint capabilities in the past to counter belligerent forces that attempt to disrupt or hinder the free flow of commerce and freedom of navigation in this region using force, or attack U.S., coalition, or partner forces in a conflict," said Vice Adm. Jim Malloy, commander of Naval Forces Central Command.

"We will continue to work across component commands and coalition partners to further improve the lethality of our forces through our ability to simultaneously engage a multitude of threats in the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and adjacent waters," Malloy said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Read more: Military Travel Restrictions Eased in South Korea as Virus Cases Drop
Voters listen to Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and entrepreneur Andrew Yang as he speaks during a campaign stop in Nevada, Iowa, January 28, 2020.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah wants the government to cut a $1,000 check for every American adult as the spread of the coronavirus rapidly shuts down the economy. Fellow Republican lawmaker Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is proposing cash stipends to help people pay their bills. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a White House press briefing on Tuesday that "Americans need cash now," meaning "in the next two weeks."

On the other side of the aisle, Democratic Reps. Tim Ryan of Ohio and Ro Khanna of California support a payment of $1,000 to adults, as part of a plan laid out by President Barack Obama's former chief economist Jason Furman. Rep. Katie Porter, another California Democrat, tweeted her support for Romney's effort on Monday.

tweet

For anyone who followed Andrew Yang's performance in the Democratic primary, this idea that's now percolating in Washington sounds familiar. Well before COVID-19 became a worldwide health crisis, Yang was proposing a "freedom dividend" that would put $1,000 a month into the pockets of every American over a certain age, a reflection of the impact automation is having on the workforce.

Off the campaign trail, it's called universal basic income, or UBI, and it's been a topic for years in Silicon Valley, where the world's top engineers are building algorithms to replace humans across seemingly every sector of the economy. Billionaire techies Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have endorsed UBI, and start-up incubator Y Combinator launched a trial in Oakland in 2016 and has since expanded it.

The city of Stockton, California, about 80 miles east of San Francisco, started an 18-month pilot early last year, paying $500 a month to 125 low-income residents. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democrat from New York and a Bernie Sanders backer, praised Stockton Mayor Michael Stubbs on Monday for leading the charge.

tweet

Not until a global pandemic landed in the U.S., forcing the widespread closure of businesses across cities and states, did the concept of UBI move from the labs of northern California into the mainstream. Policymakers are rapidly discovering that, with income poised to completely dry up for workers at restaurants, bars, movie theaters and hotels, millions of non-salaried Americans living paycheck to paycheck could soon be unable to afford food, rent and utility bills.

Putting cash in their pockets may be the most efficient way to ease the burden.

"This is waking the world up to the fact that people need an ability to weather systemic shocks," said Sam Altman, the CEO of research lab OpenAI and previous president of Y Combinator, where he helped start the basic income project. "One way to do that is to give them cash."

The Democrat-led House of Representatives passed a coronavirus relief bill on Saturday, as legislators from California to New York prepared to implement rules that would force residents to stay home. While the bill would require health plans to cover testing at no cost, ensure that large employers offer two weeks of paid sick leave, offer payroll tax credits for employers providing leave benefits and provide funding for state unemployment benefits and local food assistance, there's nothing about sending money directly to families.
Da Dia Reef, a tourist attraction in Phu Yen. (Photo: VNA)

In a meeting held in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province on March 6, VITA Vice President Vu The Binh said the association has selected the four central provinces for a tourism stimulus programme because they are relatively low-risk areas at present, which is the most important factor.

Speaking about Binh Dinh as an example, Binh said though the province has seen 60-percent declines in the number of tourist arrivals and tourism revenue in January and February, the situation has been improved since the end of last month.

The VITA launched a tourism stimulus alliance last month to help boost the industry, which has been severely hit by the epidemic, in the central coast and Central Highlands provinces, he noted.

The four provinces are viewed as emerging destinations in Vietnam, of which, Binh Dinh currently has the most developed infrastructure and highest touris arrivals so it would act as a hub linking other provinces. The idea is expected to help the domestic tourism sector weather the crisis caused by the COVID-19 spread.

Director of the Binh Dinh Department of Tourism Nguyen Van Dung said the number of visitors to the province has gradually increased since air services between Quy Nhon and Hanoi back to normal with eight flights per day while those between Quy Nhon and HCM City have increased to seven.

Nguyen Ngoc Tan from the HCM City Tourism Association emphasised that the programme should involve not only discounts but also quality improvement to attract tourists.
The Congress has been shifting its MLAs out of Gujarat after some of its legislators resigned from the state assembly

Jaipur: Amid fears of horse-trading ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, 22 Gujarat Congress MLAs arrived in Jaipur on Monday, party sources said.

The Congress has been shifting its MLAs out of Gujarat after some of its legislators resigned from the state assembly.

"Nearly 60 MLAs from Gujarat have arrived here since Saturday. Of these, 22 came today (Monday)," the party sources said.

They said all the MLAs are staying at a resort on the Jaipur-Delhi highway.

According to the sources, two All India Congress Committee (AICC) observers for Rajya Sabha election will also reach Jaipur on Tuesday and hold discussions with the legislators.

Five Congress MLAs have resigned from the Gujarat Assembly so far. Speaker Rajendra Trivedi has accepted the resignations.

The Congress was confident of winning two of the four Rajya Sabha seats going to polls in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

However, its chances of winning the second seat appear bleak after these resignations.

In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, the BJP has 103 seats, the Congress 73 (before resignations). The Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) has two seats and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has one and there is one Independent.

Two seats are vacant due to court matters. After the five resignations, the Congress' strength has come down to 68.

The BJP requires 108 votes to win three seats, while the Congress needs 72 to bag two seats. The Rajya Sabha election is slated for 26 March.
Freight traffic through Cork Harbour has not been impacted by the coronavirus, said the Port of Cork, as efforts continue to maintain supply lines in and out of the country.

However, strict new guidelines are in place for all vessels arriving into Irish ports that will see ships being refused permission to dock until they have submitted a declaration of health as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus.

It means ships or their agents must supply a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDoH) when arriving into ports, including Cork, Shannon Foynes, and Dublin.

The document will list all other ports the vessel has stopped in the previous 30 days along with the history of the crew. Any crew illnesses must also be declared in the document.

In a notice to all mariners, the Port of Cork harbour master, Paul ORegan, said that prior to arrival and on initial VHF contact with Cork Harbour radio, each vessel shall confirm verbally that the MDoH has been submitted as required.

If the document has not been submitted then vessels will not be allowed to dock and will instead be directed to an anchorage until the MDoH is submitted and reviewed.

Other measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus include regulations to protect maritime pilots when they board inbound and outbound vessels.

These include no physical contact with the pilot, such as handshaking. The bridge team and the pilot will respect each others personal space as practical during the pilotage transit. A recommended distance between personnel of 1m space is advised, states the document.

Ships are also asked to ensure bridge surfaces, navigation equipment, and VHF radios are cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant prior to the vessel arrival at the pilot boarding station.

Cruise liners entering Cork Harbour have already been issued with new guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus.

Local tourism ambassadors who regularly board cruise liners when they dock in Cobh will not board vessels until further notice. Tourism information will instead be emailed to the vessel directly.

Tour operators bringing cruise passengers to various attractions in the region are also asked to ensure all buses are sanitised prior to passengers boarding for day trips.

Large groups of shore visitors going onboard shall also be prohibited.

Passenger details of those joining in Cobh must also be notified to the port authority prior to arrival.
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The man who coined the term cyberspace in the 1982 short story Burning Chrome, William Ford Gibson was born on March 17, 1948. Widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk, Gibson began his career as a writer in the late 1970s, thematically, focusing on effects of cybernetics, technology and computer networks on human lives.

His futuristic debut novel Neuromancer, which was published in 1984, follows a washed-up computer hacker, Henry Case, who is hired for a job, which pits him against a powerful AI. Neuromancer was the first novel to be put under the genre of cyberpunk fiction, going on to becoming the first novel to win Nebula Award, Philip K Dick Award and Hugo Award.

Neuromancer was the beginning of a trilogy, which came to be known as the famed dystopic Sprawl series. After having lost his father early in life, the author and his mother would move to Wytheville. However, Gibsons mum too passed when he was 18.

Gibson never graduated, and instead immersed himself in counterculture as he travelled between California and Europe. As a youngster, the author consciously rejected religion and instead took refuge in science fiction as well as authors as Burroughs and Henry Miller. In 1967 the author elected to move to Canada in order to avoid being drafted to the Vietnam War.

Before becoming an author, Gibson worked as a teaching assistant for three years on a film history course. During this time, Gibson met punk musician and author John Shirley and they became lifelong friends. It was Shirley who persuaded the author to publish his early short stories and take writing as a serious career option.

Gibson was subsequently introduced to Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner through Shirley, and in 1982, after a week in Austin, Texas, the four along with Rudy Rucker would go on to form the core of the radical cyberpunk literary movement.

Gibsons early short stories focus on cybernetics and cyberspace on human lives and their thematic intermingling, going to develop into a bleak film noir feel in 1981.

Reports say that after watching the 1982 cyberpunk film Blade Runner, Gibson, who had already written two-thirds of his debut novel Neuromancer, he re-wrote two-thirds of the book twelve times, fearing it would be a failure.

However, on its publication, Neuromancer quickly became an underground hit, going on to win a triple crowns in science fiction.

It was Gibsons novels Pattern Recognition (2003), Spook Country (2007) and Zero History (2010) which put him into mainstream bestseller lists.

The author, who is credited with renovating science fiction, at a time when the genre was considered to be widely insignificant, has gone on to publish the 2014 novel The Peripheral, followed by Archangel in 2017. He last published Agency, which was a sequel to The Peripheral, which was released on January, 2020.

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MEDFORD, Ore.  The City of Medford has declared a local State of Emergency in response to the new coronavirus and all the challenges that come with it, according to a City statement.

Officials stressed that this is not the same thing as a public health emergency, as "that is not the City's role." This does not change anything for businesses or organizations in the City, officials said.

"The declaration allows the City additional flexibility in terms of limiting access to public buildings, directing city staff and delegating resources as well as acquiring needed resources related to health and safety," the City said in a statement.

RELATED: Governor Brown orders that Oregon restaurants go take-out only, reduces gathering size

The Medford City Council is scheduled to ratify the emergency declaration at the City Council Meeting on Thursday.

We are working diligently to respond to this rapidly evolving situation, said Mayor Gary Wheeler. This declaration is not meant to cause panic, but instead, assure residents that the City is taking every precaution possible to prevent the spread of this virus in our community.

Medford says it will be waiving late fees for the March utility service billing cycle. Residents are encouraged to use the City's online services.

All municipal proceedings, with the exception of arraignments, are postponed until at least April 21. Community members are encouraged to call Municipal Court to reschedule currently-scheduled proceedings. Individuals wishing to resolve tickets or cases are asked to contact the court by phone in lieu of visiting the court in person.

RELATED: List of Pear Blossom events canceled for 2020 Festival Year

"We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available," the City said.

As of Monday, March 16, City Council meetings are expected to continue, but in support of state and federal guidelines for social distancing, the City strongly encourages livestreaming the meetings from home. Anyone who wishes to communicate with the Council is also welcome to email council@cityofmedford.org.
Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus will begin drive-thru testing for the coronavirus by appointment only.

The hospital made the announcement Tuesday morning, one day after 80 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, were reported in New Jersey. There there are a total of 178 cases across the state, including New Jerseys first pediatric patient.

The hospital advises patients who are experiencing fever, cough, and shortness of breath to call 201-388-1097 to begin the screening process. A healthcare professional will discuss the patients symptoms, and, if appropriate, set an appointment time for a screening.

The drive-thru testing will take place in the hospital, and if needed, additional tests will be performed in a specially designated area. Test results will be provided within 3-5 days.

Hudson Regional Hospital developed our testing system to assure that the community gets the most benefit from our medical staff and the limited number of testing kits, Dr. Nizar Kifaieh, president and CEO of Hudson Regional Hospital, said in a statement. We will provide regular updates throughout the Covid-19 crisis and we expect to expand and improve this program as instant tests become available in greater quantities.

Riverside Medical Group, also in Secaucus, began drive-thru testing on Thursday. About 20 patients a day have been tested, officials said.

For more information, call the Coronavirus Call Center at 1-800-222-1222 or visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html or www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml.
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Future Market Insights (FMI), recently published a study on skin perfusion pressure testing devices market, according to which, the global market value for skin perfusion pressure testing devices approached US$ 30 Mn in 2018. The market will observe gradual growth over the years to come and the report opines that increasing application of laser dopplers will be a key factor sustaining growth of skin perfusion pressure testing devices market.

Functional Advantages over Conventional PPG

Before the invention of laser dopplers, skin perfusion pressure testing devices, such as photoplethysmography (PPG), were used for SPP measurement. While laser Dopplers have been among the commonly used devices for the assessment of skin perfusion pressure (SPP), they are perceived as the standard instrument for detection of peripheral artery diseases and assessment of wound healing potential in limb ischemia patients. Ease of operability, non-invasiveness, and high accuracy will continue to advocate application of laser dopplers among physicians, driving the growth of skin perfusion pressure testing devices market.

In addition to accuracy in blood flow microcirculation, laser dopplers provide higher sensitivity, accuracy in reduction in signal noise ration with respect to PPG signals, stable readings, and minimal motion artifacts, unlike PPG. Such advantages of laser dopplers are likely to push their usage as an efficient skin perfusion pressure testing device over PPG in the future.

Integrating Tech-based Control Features: An Emerging Trend in Skin Perfusion Pressure Testing Devices Market

Manufacturers are currently focusing on developing new and innovative equipment for skin perfusion pressure testing devices. For example, the new generation free flap monitoring devices provide web-based capability, whereby, recordings from a laser doppler can be transmitted directly to a smartphone.

However, Vasamed SensiLase PAD-IQ, which is a third-generation skin perfusion pressure testing device, has gained much popularity in the market since it supports non-invasive vascular assessment in both upper and lower extremities.

With advancements in technologies, the skin perfusion pressure testing devices market is likely to witness significant growth in the next few years.

Skin Perfusion Pressure Testing Devices Market to Witness Substantial Revenue Growth in North America

FMI predicts that the skin perfusion pressure testing devices market will create incremental $ opportunity worth US$ 5.3 Mn between 2018 and 2028. North America will hold significant revenue share in skin perfusion pressure testing devices market, according to FMI.

Increasing cases of peripheral artery diseases have led to increased usage of skin perfusion pressure testing devices. With advancements in technology, laser doppler skin perfusion pressure testing devices are being introduced into the market that have high ease of operability and non-invasive features and thus, the high adoption rate of these devices will stimulate the growth of the skin perfusion pressure testing devices market in the region.

Vasamed Incorporated launched SensiLase PAD-IQ, which is a third-generation skin perfusion pressure testing device, in 2003 and it has gain much popularity in the region since it supports non-invasive vascular assessment in both upper and lower extremities.

Skin Perfusion Pressure Testing Devices Market: Segmental Insights

Adoption of skin perfusion pressure testing devices in North America and Europe to account for almost 3/4th of the estimated market value at the end of forecast period.

More than 2/5th of the global sales of skin perfusion pressure testing devices are accounted by laser dopplers, followed by consumables.

Portable skin perfusion pressure testing devices will remain preferred over cart-based variants.

Demand for skin perfusion pressure testing devices will be maximum in hospitals, followed by ambulatory surgical units.

Skin Perfusion Pressure Testing Devices Market: Key Companies

The report profiles some of the key companies operating in the skin perfusion pressure testing devices market, such as ELCAT GmbH, Spark Therapeutics, Inc., Perimed AB, Vasamed Incorporated, Moor Instruments, Biopac Systems Inc, ADInstruments, and Transonic Systems Inc.

Source Link: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/05/23/1841427/0/en/Skin-Perfusion-Pressure-Testing-Devices-Market-is-projected-to-record-a-CAGR-of-3-3-during-2018-to-2028-Future-Market-Insights.html

More from FMIs Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices Market Intelligence:

About Us

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends.

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The charges came after Glenview police investigated a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a news release. The Glenview Police Department was assigned the investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, and cooperated with the Cook County states attorneys office, according to Glenview police Sgt. Jim Foley and the release.
S0rinagar, March 17 : The Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil in a letter to Hamid Arabnejad, Managing Director of Iran's Mahan Air, requested to expedite the airlifting of pilgrims when the permission is received from the Central government.

"It is heartening to see your letter addressed to the Prime Minister of India dated 15-03-2020. The problem that affects the world certainly needs to be overcome by putting up a united front against it. The government of India has already outlined its readiness to combat this infection (coronavirus) that has now taken a pandemic form," the letter read.

"I would like to inform you that a delegation from Kargil, Ladakh, from where around 1,000 pilgrims are stranded in Iran, called on External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar on March 16," it said.

"I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to you and to your airline for the humanitarian gesture," the letter said.

"I would like to request you to kindly expedite the process of airlifting of the pilgrims as and when the necessary permissions/communications are received from the government of India," it said.
Wits announces early recess

Wits University will be in recess from Tuesday, 17 March 2020, four days earlier than scheduled.

Following meetings with the NICD, experts in infectious diseases and designated government departments, it has been determined that the University is currently in a low-risk moment and that taking the appropriate decisions now may enable the moderation of staff and student exposure to COVID-19.

As a result, the Senior Executive Team has made the following decisions:

The mid-term break will be brought forward and the University will be in recess from Tuesday, 17 March 2020, four days earlier than scheduled. This means that all academic activities for this week will be rescheduled. Wits will reopen on 30 March 2020 as per the almanac, but this date and the form of the academic programme may change, depending on national and global developments around the containment of the health pandemic. After consulting with key health experts, the executive has taken the difficult decision to request all students to vacate their residences within the next 72 hours. We are deeply cognisant that students may have some concerns and challenges around this decision but we believe that we are acting in the best interests of students and the broader public. Minimising exposure in the institution extends beyond face to face contact within the academic programme but also in our residences, especially at this relatively early stage of the pandemic. The Dean of Student Affairs and his team will steward this process and will be available to attend to any challenges that students (including international students) may experience. The University will continue to operate on essential and skeleton staff during this period. Over the next 72 hours, managers and executives will consult with staff in their departments to put in place arrangements for essential services to continue up until 30 March 2020. All executives, managers and essential staff will be required to ensure the continuity of operations during this time. In addition, academic staff may work from home but are allowed to come onto the Wits campuses as appropriate or if required, to ensure the long-term continuity of the academic programme. Non-essential professional and administrative staff may remain at home unless they are required to report for duty. Matters related to leave and working conditions during this period will be addressed by our Finance, Human Resources and Legal Divisions in consultation with unions and other stakeholders.

[WATCH] Wits Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib announces early recess

As stated yesterday, all graduation ceremonies will be postponed until further notice and more information will be sent to graduands in due course.

South Africa, and the higher education sector has never before confronted a pandemic on this scale. If we are to get through this period with the minimum impact on society, the Wits community and the academic programme, it will require an unprecedented solidarity from all stakeholders. This in principle means that we all need to reflect on how we can contribute to our institution, our country and the collective good of our communities during this time of crisis.

We are in a crucial moment in the life of this pandemic and it is important that we work as a collective for the benefit of our society. We urge all members of the Wits community to heed the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa: This epidemic will pass. But it is up to us to determine how long it will last, how damaging it will be, and how long it will take for our economy and our country to recover. It is true that we are facing a grave emergency. But if we act together, if we act now, and if we act decisively, we will overcome it.

Thank you

SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM

16 MARCH 2020 (20:00)
The nomination of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi (pictured) to the Upper House by the government of India is a pleasant surprise and will add tremendous value to the Rajya Sabha.

It is not long ago that Gogoi, along with three other Supreme Court judges, had gone public with their grievances against the modus operandi of then CJI Dipak Misra in January 2018, defying all past conventions of the apex court and ruffling feathers across Indian judiciary and politics. After becoming the CJI later that year, Gogoi had set a timeline for the adjudication of the ...
The flagship Apple store on Fifth Avenue is closed on March 15, 2020 in New York City. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11.

Apple's U.S. retail stores are closed "until further notice," according to a note posted on the company's website on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Trump administration urged Americans not to gather in groups of more than 10 people amid increasing concerns about the spread of coronavirus. However, other countries as well as local governments have implemented health guidelines differently, which will affect how quickly Apple can reopen its stores.

Apple announced on Friday that it was closing all stores outside of China until March 27 in response to the coronavirus crisis. It's now no longer clear when Apple's stores will reopen.

"Our retail stores are closed until further notice. We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers," adding that people who want to buy Apple products or get repairs could do it online or over the phone.

In a blog post published Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said store closures were necessary to stop the spread of the virus and that the company had learned lessons from the outbreak in China.

In mainland China, all 42 Apple stores have now reopened after closing in February as the coronavirus outbreak spread.

"One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the virus's transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance. As rates of new infections continue to grow in other places, we're taking additional steps to protect our team members and customers," Cook wrote in a blog post.
A 48-year-old man who kicked and stamped his elderly ill father to death in the kitchen of the home they shared has been jailed for seven years.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said Anthony 'Tony' Tims was attacked by his son, Mark, in a "place where he ought to have been safe".

While a jury had found that the accused was provoked to the point where he had lost control after his "irritable" father told him he wished he'd never been born, Mr Justice Hunt said the elder Mr Tims was drunk and "ought to have been ignored rather than attacked".

Tims had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to his father's murder at Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on July 13, 2018.

His plea was rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) but a jury acquitted him of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter after a two-week trial in January.

Mr Justice Hunt said that Anthony Tims had celebrated his 74th birthday by going to the bookies and drinking in a pub. His son was at home drinking. While both men were drinkers, he said his son's habit of drinking at home was a "bone of contention" between them.

When the older man returned home there was a "verbal exchange" between them in the kitchen and "out of the blue" Anthony Tims began to abuse his son, telling him he was a "disappointment" and he wished he'd never been born.

Tims then used a mug to strike his father using "significant force" and causing a "full thickness laceration on the forehead". When the deceased fell to the ground Tims "stamped and kicked him a number of times to the trunk and head", the judge said.

Verbal

The injuries he suffered, combined with a pre-existing heart condition, caused his death.

Mr Justice Hunt noted that although the jury had agreed that Tims was provoked by his father's words, the abuse he suffered was verbal and not physical.

At a previous hearing the judge had queried if provocation should be allowed as a defence in murder cases where the deceased only used words against the accused.

Mr Justice Hunt said after the attack Tims gathered his belongings and bicycle and left.

"He did not offer any assistance to his father when he recovered his composure," he said.

He also noted that his father was now deprived of the enjoyment he would have taken from going to the bookies and having drinks with friends.

The accused's daughter had lost a grandfather who doted on her and would grow up knowing what her father had done. She had learnt a lesson in " human cruelty" that a child her age should not learn, the judge said.

Mr Hunt set the headline sentence at 10 years but after taking mitigating factors into account, including his early guilty plea and co-operation with gardai, he reduced that to seven years and six months.

He suspended the final six months for two years on condition that he be of good behaviour. The sentence was also backdated to July 2018 when Tims first went into custody.
Toronto, Miranda McCurlie has been living in your future. She has been for three weeks.

McCurlie left her Toronto office and began working at home on Feb. 28. She works in marketing at a tech company, which started taking precautions against COVID-19 before the virus made its way to Canadas borders.

Our work already had bought us N95 masks and gloves and hand sanitizer before issuing the directive to work at home, McCurlie said from her North York condo.

While many Torontonians are already self-isolating like McCurlie, that number is about to ramp up with a call from the citys chief medical officer to stay at home if you can.

Dr. Eileen de Villa on Monday also recommended that restaurants and bars move exclusively to takeout and delivery, with no dine-in service. She also made the recommendation that cinemas close  Canadas big moviehouse chains did in fact close up on Monday evening  along with theatres and concert venues, to help counter the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a different city now.

The cascading changes have been swift and stunning; the new reality abruptly altering Toronto. One need only hop on a surprisingly roomy downtown-bound streetcar or wander through the suddenly cavernous Eaton Centre to be struck by the contrast of what is with what was just over a week ago.

McCurlie is adapting to her new normal  anxiously, she said. For all Torontonians there will be challenges, but for some, those adjustments will be bigger than for others.

McCurlies 4-year-old son Leo is blind and has autism, while her husband Nathaniel is immunocompromised. She worries that Leo will regress since he is not attending preschool, where he accesses therapy.

I can already see sort of regression in his progress, McCurlie said.

That aside, though, working from home has meant her team has bonded, watching each other work silently over a video link; acts of kindness from colleagues have become commonplace as they check in on each other.

McCurlie said colleagues have sent supplies to help out her family, such as a large box of diapers and toilet paper.

This is just one example of sacrifice in a city faced with a pandemic that has swept across continents, driving people indoors and pummelling global markets.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow in Toronto, causing de Villa to decree that the city will take drastic measures to increase social distancing. For the first time, de Villas comments suggested community spread in the city. She said three Toronto cases for which links cannot be found are still being investigated.

The recommendations impacting the service and nightlife industry will be subject to the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Under that provincial law, non-compliance could mean a $25,000 fine.

But this is necessary, experts say, before we overload our health-care system. The decisions made in the days ahead  including de Villas emphasis on social distancing  will help to flatten the curve. The idea is to sacrifice individual freedoms for the greater good.

I am calling on our city to rise to this challenge to reduce the spread of this virus, said de Villa.

We know that these measures that I am recommending today work based on the experiences of other jurisdictions.

The events that once brought us together and brought us joy now have the potential to bring us harm.

Apprehension about the coronavirus has emptied schools, churches, arenas, libraries, casinos and other public spaces and pushed many Torontonians to work out of their homes or simply encamp there.

Its sort of a short-term pain for the long-term gain of health, says Shauna Brail, an urban studies professor and the associate director of the School of Cities at the University of Toronto.

A couple of weeks ago, we were still debating the economic implications or the public realm implications and whether they did or did not outweigh the public health implications of making these kinds of dramatic changes. Were way past that now.

But its not meant to be a long-term shutdown of the city. Its meant to be an intervention in which the benefit far outweighs the challenge of encouraging the decline of some public life in the short term.

Were standing together to face down the pandemic. Just not too close together.

The new reality, for however long it lasts, has in many ways  if you ignore the toilet-paper hoarding  shown the city and the province to be resilient and compassionate; from social-media outrage over the draconian sick-day policies of some companies to volunteers offering to deliver food to our most vulnerable.

Elected leaders have tried to maintain calm. The province issued a statement over the weekend asking consumers to please practise normal grocery buying habits and refrain from panic buying.

The Ontario government also announced that workers will no longer need to obtain doctors notes.

Dr. Saverio Stranges, professor and chair of epidemiology at Western University, told the Star he had never seen anything quite like COVID-19. Hes from Italy and has been closely following developments there, said the scenario here is rapidly evolving.

Most of the cases we had in Ontario, at least  were people coming from outside the province. The last few days obviously raised concern in terms of community spreads with no clear epidemiological links, Stranges explained. And that calls for more drastic measures of social distancing.

This is important from a public-health perspective, Stranges stressed.

We dont have any other remedies yet for the coronavirus, he said. We need to be calm  but we also need to be responsible. And we have an advantage, because we have learned a lot from the Italian experience.

Ontario hospitals have plans in place to be able to treat a spike in patients that includes increasing the number of beds available across the province. After coronavirus put a strain on the health-care systems of other countries, hospitals here have been asked to scale back elective surgeries. They can also draw on a stockpile of ventilators should there be a sudden increase in critically ill patients.

Other essential services too have contingency plans in place. GO and UP Express services are scaling back, as of Wednesday, in reaction to a sharp decline in ridership. Some lines saw a drop of 40 per cent by Friday.

The TTC has not cut back on service, though Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, is encouraging riders to use transit during off-peak hours to avoid crowding.

Other important cogs in the machinery of a city will remain in place, and that includes waste collection, road maintenance and emergency services. Shelters and long-term care homes will stay open but with strict visitation rules.

Not only are schools shut down for an additional two weeks after the current March break but many potential distractions for kids are also closed, such as libraries and recreation centres along with city-operated arenas, pools and daycares. The Toronto Zoo is also closed.

Even the big telecom companies are stepping up as more people are required to work from home.

Rogers, Bell Canada, Telus and TekSavvy are all removing data limits till at least the end of April.

For many, the gym is no longer a sanctuary to sweat out anxiety. Fit4Less Clubs and GoodLife Fitness Clubs have locked their facilities, with GoodLife saying it is working on digital, at-home fitness options for customers.

The shutdowns and cocooning is forcing some organizations to be creative. Canadas World Wildlife Fund, for example, cant hold its largest annual fundraiser  the CN Tower Climb for Nature  because the tower is closed. The event  with a goal of collecting $1.4 million over the two days of the event  will become a virtual experience, said Megan Leslie, the WWFs president and CEO.

Brail believes that with so many public institutions shuttering over the last week, the pandemic and the need for lifestyle changes have become very real to people in Toronto.

As it gets closer and closer to us, I think weve responded with increased understanding that it is in our city, it does affect the people around us and we do need to behave in different ways, she said, noting that Torontonians are displaying calm and compassion.

We know that there are a lot of vulnerable people. Either they live alone, theyre elderly, or their incomes are at risk. And weve seen some messaging around that its time to be kind, to take care of others, to be generous, as individuals, as institutions, as governments as public and private organizations. Thats a really important message.

When Toronto comes out from under the shadow of this pandemic, Brail says her expectation is that well embrace the value and benefit of working together again.

There are people who would like to see that this demonstrates, Aha, were at a moment where distance no longer matters as much. But I think what well find is that the interaction matters very much. And while some jobs can be done remotely for the most part, actually we need to be together. We do better work, we innovate more, we accomplish more and we come up with new ideas that we couldnt up with if we were all working separately.

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President Trump may well be tempted to withdraw the 5,000 U.S. troops deployed to fight the Islamic State in Iraq. On Monday the anti-Islamic State mission announced that hundreds of troops would be redeployed from several smaller bases to larger ones in Iraq, or in Syria and Kuwait. While that may be prudent in view of the mounting risk of rocket attacks, a full U.S. pullout would hand Iran a major strategic victory. Having made containment of Tehrans regional ambitions a pillar of his foreign policy, Mr. Trump would have ensured Iranian dominance in Iraq as well as Syria and Lebanon.
Sydney's growing legions of home-based workers could be tempted to head to the coast in coming days as summer-like temperatures and warm seas offer a welcome distraction from coronavirus concerns.

The city's temperatures will start to warm on Wednesday with tops ranging from 26 to 29 degrees over the Sydney Basin, before climbing into the 30s in the west on Thursday and close to 30 on the coast. Friday's maximums will reach 33 to 36 degrees, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts.

Clovelly Beach on Tuesday. Temperatures are set to climb in coming days. Credit:James Brickwood

"If you live near the beach, you might be tempted to start work a bit later," said Weatherzone meteorologist Felix Levesque. The forecast light winds will create "ideal beach conditions", with clear skies and water temperatures of about 22 degrees, he said.

The source of the warmth is "a wave of heat" that has been building for some days over the interior of Australia, which will make its way from South Australia into Victoria and NSW in coming days, Mr Levesque said.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus: Mandatory for foreign travellers to register themselves on return to Odisha

India

oi-PTI

Bhubaneswar, Mar 17: In an attempt to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, the Odisha Government has made it mandatory for foreign travellers to register their names on return to the state and avail an incentive of Rs 15,000 for registration and home isolation.

Anyone who comes to Odisha from abroad has to register himself/herself mandatorily with the toll free number 104 or the online portal. https://covid19.odisha.gov.in, Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said on Monday.

This should be done within 24 hours of arrival with basic details and phone numbers. However, advance registration before arrival will be highly preferable, Tripathy said, adding they will be required to be in home quarantine for 14 days.

The foreign returnees will be given an incentive of Rs 15,000 for registration and home isolation.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India rises to 125; Death toll tops 7,157 worldwide

Their location will be tracked during their home isolation and mandated number of calls will be made everyday to keep a close watch and give appropriate medical guidance, he said.

However, to trace and track persons who have already entered the state, (those who have entered the state on or after March 4) a 48-hour period from 6 am of Tuesday (March 17 to March 19) 6 am is allowed to register themselves, the chief secretary said.

This will help the state in tracking persons who are already inside, sensitise them about home isolation and keep a watch on their health for effective monitoring of the situation, Tripathy said, adding registrations can be done by passengers or relatives or friends.

The chief secretary said this direction is issued as per the overall regulations and anyone not complying with the same will be punishable under provisions of the Indian Penal code and Criminal Procedure Code.

This initiative is being taken as a measure of abundant caution to protect the people of Odisha from getting infected by people who may be carriers of COVID-19 coming from abroad, he said.

The chief secretary said the regulation will be in force till April 15 and maybe extended based on situation.

Disgusting video shows woman licking flight toilet seat in 'coronavirus challenge on TikTok

The Odisha government has appealed to everyone travelling from abroad to Odisha to comply with this and be part of the State's efforts in protecting the people, he said.

Maintaining that extraordinary situations demand extraordinary response, Tripathy said, "At this point of time, the biggest source of infection of Covid-19, is persons coming from abroad into the State".

With closure of colleges, universities coupled with lock down in many countries and home-based work option for professionals, it is expected there will be a huge surge of people returning from foreign countries to Odisha, he said.

This multiplies the threat of virus spread into Odisha, he said adding the Central and the state governments have taken many steps to sensitise, sanitise and quarantine passengers coming from foreign countries.

In a message to the people, the chief secretary said, "Your action will save you, your family, your neighbours and the state. We request media for wider circulation. We request the help of Odisha associations abroad for wider publicity. Also PRI institutions for publicity inside the state".

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 10:57 [IST]
ERVING  Erving Industries is running its historic paper mill 24/7 making toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and dental bibs.

But the machines arent running 24/7 because of the coronavirus panic buying thats left store shelves empty coast-to-coast.

Its always this way, at Erving Industries, said Morris Housen, president, CEO and the third generation of his family running the mill, built in 1905, hugging the Millers River a 55-mile drive from Springfield.

Its such a capital-intensive business you always want to be running 24/7, every day of the year, Housen said. Every paper mill operates this way. We are always at capacity. There has been no surge.

Erving makes paper  120 tons of it a day  from recycled office paper collected around New England. The plant collects 12 truckloads of paper and ships 10 truckloads out each day.

The company makes giant parent rolls of material that it ships to its clients, Housen said. Those companies then cut up the paper and finish making it into rolls of toilet paper and paper towels, paper napkins and dental bibs.

The rolls destined for various products are barley distinguishable from one another when they leave Erving, Housen said.

Manufactures of paper products are telling consumers that they are trying as fast as they can to meet demand.

Georgia-Pacific, makers of Brawny, Angelsoft, Quilted Northern and Vanity Fair Napkins, said last week that its mills and regional distribution centers managed to ship out 120% of normal capacity.

Supermarkets have been forced to cut hours so they can restock shelves, and to put limits on the amount of paper towels and toilet paper one customer can buy.

In the meantime, Erving, like many other employers , has limited access to its plants and cut out business travel in hopes of stopping the spread of coronavirus among its 130 employees, Housen said.

Related Content:
New Delhi: The Centre Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 does not violate any fundamental right.

The central government, in its 129-page affidavit in response to the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of CAA, termed the legislation legal and asserted that there was no question of it violating constitutional morality.

It also said CAA does not confer any arbitrary and unguided powers on the executive as the citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh would be granted in a manner as specified under the law governing grant of citizenship.

The affidavit has been filed by B C Joshi, Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Supreme Court on December 18 last year had decided to examine the constitutional validity of the CAA but had refused to stay its operation.

The newly amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), one of the petitioners out of over 100 pleas which has challenged the CAA, has said in its plea that it violates the fundamental Right to Equality and intends to grant citizenship to a section of illegal immigrants by making an exclusion on the basis of religion.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) and the federal government will again meet today, Tuesday, to resolve the ongoing warning strike by the lecturers.

The meeting was confirmed by senior officials of the union Monday night.

We will be meeting with the federal government by 3 p.m., an official said.

Also, according to one the sources, the federal government has not paid our salaries, however, they have paid those who are enrolled on IPPIS.

This is a warning strike but if it is not resolved, we will proceed to indefinite strike. The workers cannot be asked to go back to work without being paid, the source said.

The meeting will be the second since the union started its warning strike last week Monday.

Crisis

ASUU asked its members in federal universities across the country to begin a two-week warning strike in response to the governments decision to stop the February salaries of lecturers who have not registered on the salary (IPPIS) payment platform.

The union is also protesting poor funding, the proliferation of state universities and non-implementation of previous agreements.

The federal government had reached an interim agreement with the striking university, lecturers to integrate the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The IPPIS is the governments accountability software that has been made compulsory for all public institutions, mainly for personnel payroll.

ASUU is opposed to the use of IPPIS for lecturers saying it does not consider some of the peculiar operations of universities.

The union then developed the UTAS which it wants the government to adopt for universities. The union also told its members not to register with it (IPPIS).

READ ALSO:

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had announced the agreement after a meeting between both parties.

Mr Ngige said the two parties will reconvene on Monday or Tuesday after the ASUU delegation deliberates with its National Executive Council (NEC).

More crisis

In a related development, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has also withdrawn its support for the implementation of the IPPIS, for its members across Nigerian universities.

The workers union, which had initially supported the initiative, said its trust in the system was betrayed as reflected in the various irregularities noticed in the payment of February salaries of its members.

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) also condemned the irregularities observed in the February salaries of its members paid by the government, saying the deployment of the IPPIS disregarded its members peculiar allowances, and particularly the Peculiar Earned Academic Allowance (PEAA).
A Las Vegas gun-shop owner has urged people to stop trying to buy weapons and ammunition for at least two days because he has nothing left to sell.

Brandon Burns, who owns Spartan Arms & Range Supplies, filmed himself in his store Monday in front of shelves that typically house rifles, shotguns, handguns and ammo - all of which have been stripped bare by panic-buyers.

'Listen folks, do us a favor OK? Tomorrow, don't blow our phones up, I don't have anything,' he tells viewers.

Brandon Burns, a gun store owner from Las Vegas, has showed off his nearly-empty shop after a weekend of panic-buying left the shelves stripped

Burns urged customers not to show up for the next few days while he replenishes the stock, with just a couple of revolvers and .22 rifles (right) left on the shelves

'No handguns, no rifles, no ammunition, no 9mm, no 40mm, no .45, no 5.56, no .22, no twelve-gauge, no twenty-gauge, we don't have it right now.

'We are gunna get it in the next two or three days though, so try to help our staff out and not blow our phones up asking if we have stuff because we just don't, OK?

'Things are not normal right now.'

It comes after states including California, New York and Washington - the worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic - reported soaring sales at the weekend.

Pictures taken across the country showed lines snaking out of gun stores and down the street as people attemped to protect themselves amid fears of riots and looting if the situation spirals out of control.

Others feared that the government's emergency powers could restrict their right to buy a gun while some Asian-Americans bought weapons to protect themselves from potential racist attacks.

Outlining the situation, he told viewers: 'No handguns, no rifles, no ammunition, no 9mm, no 40mm, no .45, no 5.56, no .22, no twelve-gauge, no twenty-gauge, we don't have it right now'

A file image showing how the shelves would typically look, before they were stripped

Bruns's handgun cabinet before all the weapons sold out amid coronavirus panic-buying

It comes as thousands of Americans flocked to supermarkets to stockpile essential goods as panic about the coronavirus, which has killed 69 and infected 3,774 in the US alone, takes hold.

Huge lines stretched along the sidewalk outside the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City, California.

Another stretch of shoppers was seen outside Gun World in Burbank.

US correspondent for Australian network Nine News Amelia Adams tweeted: 'Queues to buy guns in LA. Buyers tell me theyre scared of what will happen if people run out of food and supplies, and they need to protect their families.'

Shoppers in Las Vegas, Nevada, lined up to buy guns and ammunition as coronavirus panic takes hold

California, New York and Washington - the states hardest hit by the deadly bug - all saw a massive surge in gun sales as panicked shoppers lined up around the block (pictured in Burbank, California)

Americans are starting to panic-buy guns with sales rocketing across the country and shoppers lining up around the block outside hunting shops amid coronavirus fears. Pictured: Shoppers line up outside a gun store in Culver City, California

John Gore, 39, who lined up outside the Martin B. Retting store on Saturday, told the LA Times: Politicians and anti-gun people have been telling us for the longest time that we dont need guns.

'But right now, a lot of people are truly scared, and they can make that decision themselves.

Anna - who had never bought a gun before - said: 'Its not like an active panic, more a preoccupation with making sure everyone is adequately prepared, myself and family and friends.

'Better to be prepared and not need it than need it and not have it.'

Ralph Charette, 71, spent $1,500 at a store in Germantown, Wisconsin and told USA Today: 'There's so much uncertainty and paranoia but you've got to protect your own.'

Some buyers fear that the government's emergency powers could restrict their right to buy a gun. Pictured: Shoppers stretched along the sidewalk outside the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City

Some Asian-Americans are buying weapons to protect themselves from potential racist attacks. Pictured: Lines outside a gun shop in Culver City

People lined up outside a gun shop in Culver City as shoppers panic buy guns due to the coronavirus crisis

Gun sales also soared in San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles, as Asian-Americans feared they could be victims of racist attacks due to coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China.

Arcadia Firearm & Safety David Liu told CBSN that many are fearing for their safety should people in their local area catch the bug.

Online ammunition store Ammo.com said there has been a 68 per cent increase in sales from February 23 - when Italy's major outbreak was first reported.

Donald Trump urged Americans not to stockpile food and told citizens to 'take it easy' on Sunday.

Vice President Mike Pence also insisted that food stores will stay open indefinitely.

Trump also insisted the outbreak is under 'tremendous control'.

The president said the federal, state and local governments are all working with these retail leaders, including Walmart, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, Publix and several more, to ensure there are no shortages of goods and food.
Representative Image

Rebel Congress MLAs from political crisis hit Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday claimed 20 more MLAs from that party want to join them and they were thinking of joining BJP in the days to come.

Speaking to reporters for the first time after arriving in Bengaluru and sending in their resignations, the 22 MLAs said they were ready to face any consequences.

"Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader; we have been doing politics with him for years, most of us are in politics because of him...We are still thinking regarding joining BJP. If we get protection from central police, we will go to Madhya Pradesh and think about it," a woman MLA said.

The legislators claimed 20 more MLAs are with them, but have been kept in captivity. If they too were with the rebels, Congress would have clearly broken and no law could have been enforced on the group.

The rebel MLAs said they are ready for any consequences and were confident that people of their constituencies are with them.

In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent youth leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion last week 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse. Scindia joined the BJP on March 11.

"We were quiet when our leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was not made Chief Minister. Kamal Nath, who became CM, did not give any funds to our constituencies, while clearances were given for Chhindwara (constituency represented by Nath) at almost every cabinet meeting", a rebel MLA said.

Another MLA said Nath had no time to meet them and hear their grievances. "When there is no development in our constituency, what is the use?" Several MLAs also alleged that seniority and capability were not considered in forming of Ministry after the elections.

They said they even met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in this regard, but nothing came of it. Rejecting claims by Congress leaders that they were held hostage here, the MLAs clarified that they had come to the city voluntarily.
Nearly 3,000 jobs are being axed at Dixons Carphone after it announced plans to shut all 531 of its standalone Carphone Warehouse mobile phone stores in the UK (Yui Mok/PA)

Nearly 3,000 jobs are being axed at Dixons Carphone after the retailer announced plans to shut all 531 of its standalone Carphone Warehouse mobile phone stores in the UK.

The group said the shops  which make up around 8% of the entire groups selling space  will shut on April 3 as it plans to sell mobile phones solely in its 305 combined Currys PC World stores and online across the UK.

It expects to make 2,900 redundancies, but said almost 1,800 affected staff are set to take new roles elsewhere in the business.

The groups 70 Carphone Warehouse stores in Ireland will remain open and its international operations are unaffected.

Dixons Carphone said the move is essential to help turn around its UK mobile arm, which is set to make a 90 million loss this year.

Shares jumped 15% higher after the announcement as investors welcomed action to stem the mobile business losses.

Carphone Warehouse group chief executive Alex Baldock said: Theres never an easy time for an announcement like this, but the turbulent times ahead only underline the importance of acting now.

He added: Were working hard to look after those colleagues we cant find new roles for, financially and otherwise.

Well pay enhanced redundancy, any bonuses, honour their share awards, and help them find new jobs through an outplacement programme.

Dixons Carphone said it had not yet seen a large hit from the coronavirus crisis across its core chain apart from supply issues, but is preparing for one.

However, its 29 travel stores have been badly affected by the outbreak as passenger numbers plummet, and it is expecting profits from the division to be knocked by around 5 million.

And it warned of an impact from the Greek governments decision to close shops for two weeks from March 18.

However, it said both the travel and Greek businesses are small parts of the overall group and stuck by its full-year profits guidance.

We dont underestimate how upsetting this news will be for our colleagues, and well treat everyone with honesty, respect and care. We want to keep as many of our colleagues as we can and expect to find roles for almost 40% of those affected.https://t.co/hgyHTPjlcX  Currys plc (@currysplc) March 17, 2020

The firm said it had also seen a notable rise in demand for fridges and freezers, small domestic appliances and laptops as people prepare for home working and potential self-isolation.

Dixons Carphone said: We are aware that our stores could experience a significant reduction in sales in the months ahead and we are modelling a range of downside scenarios and planning accordingly.

We are ready to switch more fulfilment to our online and direct channels and we will manage our costs and cash closely, including a tight control of capital expenditure if necessary.

Carphone Warehouse group chief executive Alex Baldock said the coronavirus pandemic and bleak economic outlook underlined the importance of making the decision, but stressed the driving force laid with changing customer habits.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: We have to throw all of our weight behind where customers do want to shop with us, we cant wait.

Pressed on whether the Covid-19 outbreak hastened the decision, he said: The coronavirus and the uncertain outlook ahead has underlined the importance of acting decisively but, no, the driver here is what were seeing from customers.
Police in the northwestern US state of Oregon have urged citizens worried about the coronavirus pandemic not to call 911 if they run out of toilet paper.

The novel coronavirus has prompted panic buying across much of the US, and overseas, with items including hand sanitizer, mineral water and toilet paper frequently disappearing from supermarket shelves.

"It's hard to believe that we even have to post this. Do not call 9-1-1 just because you ran out of toilet paper," wrote the Newport, Oregon police department on Facebook.

"You will survive without our assistance."



The light-hearted post did not specify how many calls police had received via the emergency number over toilet paper, but did suggest a number of alternatives -- including using department store catalog pages, sponges and even corn cobs.

"Be resourceful. Be patient. There is a TP shortage. This too shall pass," the post concluded.

"Just don't call 9-1-1. We cannot bring you toilet paper.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos office immediately pushed back on the idea of a shelter-in-place order for the city to combat the coronavirus pandemic, reiterating that it cannot be done without the states permission and that there is no consideration of issuing one.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier Tuesday that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days.

De Blasio said no decision had been made yet, but he wants city and state officials to make a decision within 48 hours, given the fast spread of the coronavirus.

"New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter in place order, de Blasio said at a news briefing.

Officials in six San Francisco Bay-area counties issued a shelter-in-place order that went into effect Tuesday, requiring nearly 7 million residents to stay inside and venture out only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks.
In less than 24 hours, state testing identified eight new cases of coronavirus in Wyoming, with all but one tied directly to an earlier case involving a patient at a Lander assisted-living center.

Late Monday night, the Wyoming Department of Health announced that it had identified seven new cases of the illness, all located in Fremont County. Then on Tuesday afternoon, the department said it identified an 11th case  an older man who lives in Laramie County.

Until that spate of new cases, the Equality State had only reported three instances of coronavirus within its borders.

In a statement sent to media Tuesday, Fremont County health officer Dr. Brian Gee said the new cases are all either staff members or residents of the Showboat Retirement Center in Lander.

Two of the eight patients tied to the cluster are hospitalized, Gee wrote. Officials are testing other county residents and are awaiting those results. The state has placed an official quarantine on all residents and patient care staff and strict self-quarantine on remaining staff at the facility.

The followup work of interviewing staff and those who may have been in contact with them is continuing. Lander announced Tuesday afternoon that it was declaring a local state of emergency to open up funding and mutual support opportunities from the state and federal governments and to allow the city to make temporary revisions to personnel policies to ensure the health, safety, and personal well-being of our staff.

Elsewhere in Lander on Tuesday, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department announced it was temporarily closing its regional office in Lander after some workers there had symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The employees self-quarantined based on medical advice.

The initial Fremont County patient was an older man who was a resident of an assisted-living facility, Showboat Retirement Center, in Lander. His positive diagnosis was confirmed by the state late last week.

As of Saturday, the initial Fremont County patient was being treated at SageWest Health Care in Lander.

Testing at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory identified the new cases. The spokeswoman, Kim Deti, said the lab had tested 54 samples Monday, more than double the number of tests it had run until Monday.

WDH is continuing to follow up regarding exposure risks of the new cases and will work to identify and communicate with anyone who may have been in close contact with them, the Health Department announcement said in its Monday night press release. Known contacts will be monitored for symptoms and tested if needed.

Community spread

Earlier Monday, Deti said health officials were still not sure how the Fremont County man contracted the virus and said theres no explanation beyond community spread, meaning he was infected by someone in Lander who officials previously didnt know had the disease.

Gee, in his Tuesday press release, said that community transmission was likely to have occurred for the first patient to get ill.

But, he added, I do not believe that community transmission is currently widespread.

Deti previously declined to comment on how many residents of the facility may have been exposed to the virus. She said last week that the followup work by health officials trying to trace the virus origin and spread in Lander had been substantial.

At the Lander Medical Center  just one building north of the Showboat facility  staff members in a white tent on Monday afternoon stopped patients as they entered the clinics parking lot to take their temperature and screen them for signs related to the virus, sending those with symptoms through a side door to a separate part of the building to prevent other patients at the clinic from being exposed.

But testing had been limited to the most at-risk patients, said Dr. Ryan Firth, one of the clinics partners. He said the clinic was able to test about four patients on Monday and about five the previous week. He said they hadnt received any results from those tests yet.

In addition, the clinic had seen people who showed signs of the illness and tested negative for other sicknesses like the flu.

Were telling everybody thats flu-negative  (to) act like you have COVID, he said.

While the clinic has fielded many calls from those concerned they may have the virus, many  if not more than those concerned they may be sick  have called the clinic to ask if theres anything they can do to help out, Firth said. Ive been pretty impressed with our communitys response.

The positive community response to the illnesses in Lander has helped keep staff at the clinic motivated, even as it becomes clearer that the outbreak  and precautions meant to limit it  could last a long time, he said.

Everybodys got their game face on, Firth said. Right now, morales pretty good.

Worrisome cluster

The cluster at the facility is particularly concerning because the elderly and chronically ill are dying of COVID-19 at much higher rates than the rest of the population. According to data published in New York Magazine that looked at mortality in Chinese patients, the mortality rate for coronavirus patients was below 1 percent for all patients younger than 50. After that, it steadily climbs. Its nearly 10 percent for people between 70 and 79. Its even higher for those over 80: Nearly one in five of those patients died.

The average age of death in Italy  which as been particularly hard hit by the virus  is 81.

One of the worst clusters in the United States is in Washington state. It originated in a nursing home there. As of late last week, more than 100 people with ties to the facility  63 patients and 47 employees  had tested positive. Nearly 100 employees reported having symptoms of the virus. At least 25 deaths have also been linked to the home.

Deti said earlier Monday that the Lander case  and the older population generally  was a testing priority for state health officials.

COVID-19 in Wyoming

Before the announcement Monday night, three cases of coronavirus had previously been confirmed in Wyoming, all between March 11 and March 14. The first, announced Wednesday, is a Sheridan County woman with what a doctor described as a mild case of the infection. The second patient was the older Fremont County man. Finally, a Sheridan County man tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend while visiting Colorado.

The Sheridan woman who was the states first COVID-19 patient had traveled domestically before testing positive, and the the third case  also of Sheridan  was linked to the first.

In response to the pandemic, Gov. Mark Gordon declared a state of emergency and recommended public schools close for three weeks. Most have already done so.

Officially dubbed COVID-19, which is the disease this new coronavirus causes, the illness can result in respiratory issues. Its characterized by fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Anyone who is concerned they may have COVID-19 is asked to call their health care provider and get guidance on how to move forward. Health officials dont want people heading straight to the emergency room unless theyre having significant breathing problems.

More than 80 percent of patients will have mild symptoms from the disease. Most people, those who dont require hospitalization, will self-isolate at home for a couple of weeks.

There is no vaccine for COVID-19.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Seth Klamann Education and Health Reporter Seth Klamann joined the Star-Tribune in 2016 and covers education and health. A 2015 graduate of the University of Missouri and proud Kansas City native, Seth worked for newspapers in Milwaukee and Omaha before coming to Casper. Follow Seth Klamann 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
I miss going to the office. Ive worked in newsrooms all my adult life, and I miss the bustle and excitement. Somehow, perhaps counterintuitively, it helps me concentrate. But the sensible policy at The Washington Post is that those who can work at home should do so. This morning I wrote down my 16-character password for The Posts network on a business card and tucked it into my wallet, because I dont know when Ill get to my office again and dont want to have to go crawling to the IT folks because Ive forgotten how to sign on.
Government has today Tuesday, 17th March disclosed that there was another confirmed case of the deadly COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 7.

In a statement, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said, This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received report from NMIMR that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region.

The Government website dedicated to give updates on the coronavirus outbreak in the country explained that the most recent case of involved a 35-year old male Ghanaian who returned from France within the past 14 days.

This afternoon (17 March 2020); we have received report from NMIMR that indicated one (1) more confirmed case as positive for COVID-19 in Greater Accra Region. The case-patient is a 35-year-old male, a Ghanaian citizen, who returned to Acca from France within the past 14 days. This is another imported case, which brings the total number of confirmed cases to seven (7). The case is being managed in isolation and he is in stable condition. The statement added.

The Ghana Health Service also provided some updates on the on-going contact-tracing for already existing cases of COVID-19 in Ghana.

With regard to contact tracing, a total of 350 contacts have been identified and are being followed up. Two of the contacts who developed symptoms, had their samples tested but they came out to be negative. Currently, there is no death and all the seven (7) confirmed COVID-19 cases are being managed in isolation and are in stable condition, the statement concluded.

---citinewsroom
New York, March 17 : US President Donald Trump ruled out a national lockdown and said COVID-19 could send the economy into a recession while he announced new guidelines to battle the pandemic that has killed more than 65 Americans and pushed residents across 50 states into a near total shutdown.

Trump's comments came on a day when the US stock market plunged 12 percent on its worst day in more than 30 years and millions of Americans hunkered down at home, with the threat of job loss top of mind.

On Monday, the White House coronavirus task force urged older Americans to stay home, asked everyone to avoid groups of more than 10 for at least 15 days, and asked people to avoid going to restaurants and bars.

The guidelines revolve around six pillars: Listen to and follow the directions of your state and local authorities. If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider. If your children are sick, keep them at home. Contact your medical provider. If someone in your household has tested positive for the Coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. If you are an older American, stay home and away from other people. If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition-such as a significant heart or lung disease-stay home and away from other people.

White House coronavirus co-ordinator Deborah Birx said that if Americans follow these guidelines over the next 15 days, the US will see a clear difference in the trajectory of the pandemic.

"We will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus," Trump said. "We can turn the corner and turn it quickly. And then, we'll have a big celebration", Trump said.

Reacting to the new measures, doctors and nurses on the frontlines of America's fight against the coronavirus said that it's "going to be weeks if not months" for America emerge on the other side of the near lockdown situation.

The White House guidelines effectively transform how Americans will live and work and shop starting this week for at least a fortnight as the government scrambles to get its act together on expanding testing facilities.

Asked how the government defines "older Americans" since they are categorised among the high risk cohort, Birx responded by saying that the difference between physical and physiological age is crucial to assess risk profile. She did not specify a number to describe "older" Americans.

The White House task force called on the country's millennial population in particular to follow the guidelines and help communicate key messages on social distancing across what is now America's largest population cohort.

Birx said millennials' ability to communicate successfully and intuitively can be a powerful force to stop the spread of the virus.

"They're a group that communicate successfully independent of picking up a phone. They know how to contact each other without being in large social gatherings. We're asking all of them to hold their gatherings to under 10 people, not just in bars and restaurants but in homes. We really want people to be separate at this time", Birx said.

In the US, a little less than 4,000 cases have been reported and more than 65 people have died from COVID-19.

"When you look at the projections, there's every chance that we could be Italy," Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told Fox News, referring the new epicenter of the virus which began in China last December.

Two weeks ago, Italy had 1,700 cases of novel coronavirus and 34 deaths. Italy's death toll now is more than 1,800.

Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious diseases expert on the White House team, said Americans should not see the new guidelines as an "overreaction" and must take it "very seriously".

"When you're dealing with an emerging infectious diseases outbreak, you are always behind", he said.

"The best way to address it would be doing something that looks like it might be an overreaction but it's not an overreaction. It's a reaction that we feel is connected to what's going on in reality So take a look at the guidelines. Read them carefully. And we hope that the people of the United States will take them very seriously because they will fail if people don't adhere."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
WASHINGTON  Employees at the Washington, D.C., and New York offices of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were ordered to work remotely after a contractor in the agencys Washington tested positive for Coronavirus.

The positive test result came after two bureau employees had symptoms and were being tested for the virus, which the World Health Organization has designated a global pandemic. These cases have caused the agency, which is responsible for consumer protection in the financial industry, to call for mandatory teleworking at its offices in New York and Washington.

The office closure comes as some federal employees have expressed frustration over contradictory guidelines. On Friday, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a directive allowing telework for elderly employees and those with health conditions. Amid criticism, the White House issued new guidelines on Sunday night that expanded on the prior directive and encouraged federal agencies in the D.C. area to offer maximum telework flexibilities for all employees. However, those guidelines were not mandatory and they left out the vast majority of federal employees who do not work in Washington.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees who worked in Washington were notified of the first possible case of coronavirus in an email on March 12. That message said the agency had been informed that an individual who works in the bureaus downtown Washington headquarters exhibited symptoms and was scheduled to be tested for COVID-19.

At the time, the office was not closed, though employees who wanted to work from home were invited to do so.

This individual has been sent home and is no longer in the building. Any staff in the building who would like to leave and telework is encouraged to do so, the March 12 email said. Cleaning is already underway in common areas.  We have traced that individuals contacts in the building to the best of our ability and those individuals have also been sent home.

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On the following day, CFPB employees in Washington received an email informing them of a second potential coronavirus case.

In the second email to staff, the CFPB again said any staff member in the building who would like to telework is encouraged to do so. It also said the building would undergo deep cleaning and that highly rated air filters and ultraviolet lights were being used in the HVAC systems at the headquarters.

Kathy Kraninger, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

On Monday, the CFPB emailed staffers to inform them that a contractor who worked in the Washington headquarters has tested positive for COVID-19. The email also noted the bureau did not have test results from the two employees who were sent home after exhibiting symptoms.

According to the message, the CFPB has implemented a mandatory telework policy for its Washington headquarters and its New York regional office until March 20. A spokesperson for agency provided Yahoo News with a third message that went to all its staff on Monday, which expressed sympathies for the contractor who tested positive and noted that teleworking was also encouraged for employees in other offices that remain open.

My thoughts are with this person and their family during this trying time. I know I speak for all of us when I say we are looking forward to their full and speedy recovery. As you know, we have instructed the cleaning contractor to conduct a thorough and deep clean of the bureaus headquarters and New York offices. During this time, we have a mandatory telework policy in place for this week for D.C. and New York offices, the message said.

The coronavirus case at the CFPBs headquarters building is located about a block away from the White House. It also is home to a daycare center, also now closed, for infants and toddlers that is used by many CFPB employees. A parent of a child who attends the daycare center told Yahoo News they were terrified to learn of the coronavirus case in the building.

The agency has made clear the safety of employees is its top priority, a CFPB official, who asked not to be named, told Yahoo News. Some employees have made the choice to continue coming to the office, but that is not required. The agency remains committed to protecting employees and consumers every single day.

On Monday afternoon, the White House and the Centers for Disease Control issued new coronavirus guidelines that included telling people to work from home when possible.

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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In a landmark judgment the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the demand for a permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Navy, weeks after serving women officers of the Indian Army got a similar ruling in their favour.

The apex court in its judgment said, "Women can sail with the same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination."

Rejecting the Central government's argument which referred to physiological limitations of women officers in granting a permanent commission, the Court termed it as a case of gender stereotypes and said," To deprive servicing women is plainly discriminatory and to deny women officers would result in a serious miscarriage of justice to Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers who have served the nation."

"The application of servicing officers for Permanent Officers shall be considered on availability of vacancies," the Court added.

The Court has also quashed the Central government's September-2008 notification granting permanent commission to women officers only prospectively.

It has ruled that women and men both in the SSC in Indian Navy will be eligible for grant of permanent commission.

Supreme Court has also ordered the government to pay Rs 25 lakh in compensation to five women officers who were not reinstated despite Court's interim judgment.

This judgment follows a verdict by the Supreme Court in favour of permanent commission for women in Indian Army.

The apex court in February this year had ruled that the permanent commission will apply to all women officers in the Army in service, irrespective of their years of service.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALEPPO, Syria  The Turkish forces and Russian military police conducted their first joint patrol mission on the M4 highway in Idlib March 15. The move comes as part of the countries' implementation of a March 5 cease-fire agreement. Yet the patrols were met with popular rejection and created division among the Syrian armed opposition.

Russias Defense Ministry said March 15 the patrols on the M4 highway were cut short at the Turkish forces request, stating that terrorist groups were using civilians as human shields. The ministry added that it has given Turkey more time to create safe conditions for the patrols on the M4, which runs from Aleppo to Latakia.

Turkeys Defense Ministry said the mission was carried out alongside Russia, but did not state that it was cut short. The ministry posted photos of the patrols, with Russian and Turkish soldiers discussing road maps.

Opposition and civil activists gathered along the M4 March 13, near Ariha, south of Idlib, to protest the cease-fire and Turkish-Russian patrols. The protesters blocked the road and burned tires to express their opposition to the patrols.

Nearly 200 people gathered near the Ariha Bridge on the M4. The protesters said they would continue to demonstrate until their demands were met: to halt the patrols and for the displaced to be able to return to their homes in the areas around Idlib, which is under regime control.

Salwa Abdul Rahman, a journalist from Idlib at the Syrian Press Center, told Al-Monitor, The protesters do not represent any of the armed opposition parties. They consist of the displaced residents of Idlib.

Abdul Rahman joined the sit-in March 14. The demands are clear," she said. "They mostly urge the Turkish side to make sure to include in the agreement with Russia the return of the displaced to their areas in the vicinity of Idlib, from which the Assad regime forced them out.

Russia is involved in the crime. Based on that, it cannot be a guarantor [country]. This is why we refuse to see its patrols conducted, she said.

Ammar Mohamed Nassar, a civil activist from al-Bab city in the Aleppo countryside, told Al-Monitor, The protesters cutting the M4 highway before the patrols will have a negative impact on the opposition and Turkish ally.

He added, It is better for the sit-ins not to prevent the patrols from passing, but to deliver the messages to Russia and the Assad regime at the same time.

The armed factions are also divided over the cease-fire agreement. The Turkey-backed National Liberation Front, which is affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), fully supports the cease-fire and Turkish actions, including the patrols. Nevertheless, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) does not completely support the agreement and has indirectly opposed the joint patrols, despite tacit consent to the agreement. Commenting on the cease-fire March 7, HTS said it would not last long. HTS supports the protests on the M4 blocking the patrols.

The cease-fire agreement does not specify the eventual fate of large parts of the opposition-held areas south of the highway in the Jabal al-Zawiya region and northern Latakia countryside. The opposition fears that the above-mentioned area will be split between the regime forces and their allies.

Syrian activists and opposition accuse the al-Qaeda-affiliated Guardians of Religion Organization, HTS and the Syrian Salvation Government, which is close to HTS, of hindering the agreement and preventing patrols from being conducted. Activists say these forces are behind the M4 sit-ins with the intent of embarrassing Turkey and to foil its efforts to halt the regime offensive in Idlib.

Malek Tarboush, a journalist based in the Idlib countryside, told Al-Monitor, The opposition is divided over the cease-fire agreement in Idlib. This is crystal clear in their declared and undeclared stances. The sit-ins that seek to prevent the joint Russian-Turkish patrol mission on the M4 highway reflect the differing positions toward the agreement and its articles.

Col. Khaled Kutayni, who resides in Idlib and has defected from the regime forces, told Al-Monitor, The Russian occupier will invest in obstructing the patrols passage and the sit-ins to place great pressure on the Turkish ally, [considering it] to be weak and unable to meet its obligations.

Mustafa Segari, political director of the FSA-affiliated al-Mutasim Brigades, told Al-Monitor, The oppositions commitment to the Turkish understandings is a duty at this stage. Any attempt to undermine the Turkish diplomatic efforts will lead us to a new disaster.

He continued, Turkey is not resorting to bulldozers to open the roads to the Russian forces. Rather, it is cutting the road to the attempts to fully hand over the area and halt the regime forces offensives.
Nicolas Maduro's government on Monday banned gasoline sales in two states as part of a broader lock-down to stem panic buying by Venezuelans accustomed to hoarding basic goods whenever there's a hint of turmoil.

But his orders, which explicitly prohibit lines outside gas stations, were largely ignored in the western city of San Cristobal. At one gas station, tensions boiled over as motorists, some of whom had been stranded four days waiting to fill up, vowed to stay put until sales resumed.

"What am I going to do at home in quarantine?" said a visibly irritated Pasto Arevalo, a 60-year-old tax driver. "I don't have any food at home. If I don't work, I can't eat. Who's going bring me a kilogram of rice?"



While Venezuela's exposure to the coronavirus has so far been limited with just 33 cases confirmed the potential fallout from the disease has the entire country of around 30 million on edge.

After years of neglect, the country's hospitals, like much of its infrastructure, are in a tragic state, often lacking even basic needs like water and electricity, let alone antibiotics and coronavirus testing kits.

Meanwhile, US sanctions aimed at removing Maduro have exacerbated a humanitarian crisis that has pushed nearly 5 million people to flee the country in recent years.

At the centre of concerns is the plunging price of oil the lifeblood of the economy and responsible for more than 95% of all of its export earnings.

Even before the virus' outbreak, Venezuela's oil industry was on its knees. Severe sanctions applied last year by the Trump administration nearly halved production as state-run oil giant PDVSA lost access to US Gulf Coast refineries, its main market.

The industry has since stabilized at daily production levels of around 750,000 barrels per day, a seven-decade low, thanks to purchases from Russia, India and China.

But last month, the industry was rocked again when the Trump administration blocked U.S. companies from doing business with a trading unit of Russia's Rosneft that had been a critical lifeline for Maduro in his quest to bypass the sanctions.

At the same time, pressure has been building on India -- which imports about a third of Venezuela's remaining production and where Rosneft owns a major refinery -- to cut off purchases from Venezuela.

Trump last month visited New Delhi and warned of more US sanctions against those supporting Maduro. Since then, shipping traffic around Venezuela's ports has ground to a halt as Venezuela struggles to find new buyers for its crude.

"It's beyond a perfect storm," said Francisco Monaldi, a Venezuelan oil expert at Rice University in Houston. "Everything is moving in the wrong direction."



Now the country will have to contend with oil prices at a multi-year low amid a meltdown in oil markets after Saudi Arabia decided to flood the market to retaliate against Russia's refusal to go along with a proposed OPEC production cut.

On Monday, oil fell by 9.5%, adding to losses of nearly 50% in the past month. Most of the added supply from Saudi Arabia is of the same heavy crude variety that Venezuela produces.

Monaldi said with storage facilities already at capacity, production will surely take a further hit, although he said it's difficult to predict how much, given the ongoing volatility. Making matters worse, authorities pursuing corruption recently arrested several senior PDVSA executives whose job it was to find international buyers.

Rather than shutting down production, which can be costly and hard to resume, Monaldi expects the company to start selling its oil below cost.

"When nobody is willing to buy your oil you start to do crazy things," said Monaldi.

Maduro has banned most flights in and out of the country, ordered all but essential workers across the nation to stay at home and even appeared on TV urging Venezuelans to make their own face masks at home.

"The coronavirus isn't a game, it's a deadly threat," Maduro said in a televised address Friday in which he ordered all levels of government to work around the clock "to protect and defend the people during this crisis".

Opposition leader Juan Guaid has responded by setting up a special commission of health experts to monitor the situation. But other than urging people to stay at home, he lacks any real power to tackle the pandemic.

Maduro's moves could help delay an eventual reckoning by reducing economic activity to a crawl, said Russ Dallen, the Miami-based head of Caracas Capital Markets brokerage. While Venezuela sits atop the world's largest crude reserves, its ability to refine crude is practically non-existent after years of mismanagement, so it depends on gasoline imports to keep the economy running.

"He's shutting down everything," said Dallen. "That's the easiest way to cover up the fact that he's got no money and there's no gasoline coming in." But assurances from Maduro provide little relief to the many vulnerable Venezuelans just trying to scrape by.

At the gas station back in San Cristobal, Wendy Gonzalez said her tank was completely empty after waiting three days in line.

"I either stay here or walk home, and I live very far away" said Gonzalez. "What we Venezuelans have to live through is just deplorable. If it's not one thing, it's something else.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of coronavirus infections in Japan increased to 821 on Monday with 17 new cases confirmed. The data was compiled by local governments and the health ministry.

In addition, 712 people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been infected, and 14 cases have been confirmed among people who returned from China's Hubei Province on chartered flights.

Thirty-five people have died. Twenty-eight of them were infected in Japan and the other seven had been on the cruise ship.

By prefecture, Hokkaido has the most cases at 152, followed by Aichi with 123, Osaka with 108, and Tokyo with 90. Hyogo has 82 and Kanagawa has 55.

The confirmed infections include 15 health ministry and quarantine officials.

The ministry said that as of Monday, 55 patients were in serious condition. Fourteen of them had been on the Diamond Princess.

A total of 622 people had recovered and left hospital through Monday.
Director Radha Krishna Kumar on Tuesday revealed that the Georgian schedule of Prabhass next film, rumoured to be titled Jaan, has been successfully wrapped up amidst coronavirus outbreak around the world. One more schedule done!! I thank the Georgian team for helping us finish a kick-ass schedule!! Lovely people you are, Radha Krishna tweeted. He also added that the first look will be released soon.

The yet-untitled project, with the working title Prabhas 20, marks the maiden collaboration of Prabhas and Pooja Hegde. The crew over the last few days has been shooting in extreme weather conditions. In another tweet, Radha Krishna said that the team has been shooting in rain and 10 degrees-cold.

One more schedule done!! I thank the Georgian team for helping us finish a kickass schedule!! Lovely people you are!! #Prabhas20

First look soon   Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) March 17, 2020

10 degrees cold, pouring rain and corona virus threat. Nothing stops the spirit of crew. #Prabhas20 pic.twitter.com/8i5v0vSQeo  Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) March 14, 2020

The project was officially launched a year ago amid a ceremony in Hyderabad. To be predominantly shot abroad, the film was supposed to start rolling from November 2018 but had to be postponed due to Saaho, which couldnt be wrapped up on time.

Talking about the project, Radha Krishna had said a few months ago: At the moment, all I can say is that its going to be a love story which will be shot on a lavish scale. Weve finalised Europe where most of the shooting will happen.

Also read: Arti Singh wishes ex-boyfriend Ayaz Khan on his wedding anniversary, says Love you both so much. See pics

The film will be jointly produced by Gopikrishna Movies and UV Creations. Amit Trivedi is most likely to compose music for the project.

Prabhas and Radha Krishna were supposed to join hands for this project even before Saaho. However, due to the Baahubali stars other commitments, this project took time to get commissioned. Prabhas will spend the next six months on this project before moving on to his next film which is likely to be directed by Koratala Siva, who had previously worked with the actor in Mirchi.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Joe Biden has been declared the winner of last week's Democratic presidential primary in Washington state, giving him victories in five out of six states that voted March 10.

After nearly a week of counting votes, the former vice president on Monday held onto a small lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that turned out to be insurmountable.

Washington was a state that Sanders had been hoping to win. In 2016, he won more than two-thirds of the delegates from the Washington caucuses over Hillary Clinton.

Joe Biden has been declared the winner of last week's Democratic presidential primary in Washington state, giving him victories in five out of six states that voted March 10

Joe Biden has won Washington state, further solidifying his delegate lead against Bernie Sanders, who won the state in 2016

Of the states 89 pledged delegates, only 31 are allocated based on the statewide result.

The remaining 58 are determined based on the results of the states 10 congressional districts, and those results might not be calculated until the election is certified by the secretary of states office, which could be as late as March 27.

Biden won four other states last Tuesday: Missouri, Mississippi, Michigan and Idaho. Sanders won North Dakota.

In Washington, Democrats used he vote-by-mail presidential primary - moved up this year from May - for the first time to allocate delegates instead of the smaller caucuses used in previous years.

Four states - Arizona, Ohio, Illinois and Florida - are scheduled to hold primaries on Tuesday.

Joe Biden wpm victories in five out of six states that voted March 10

Joe Biden has amassed big polling leads in states set to vote Tuesday

Bernie Sanders trails Biden in pre-election polls in all of the states voting Tuesday

Biden opened up a huge national lead over the Democratic socialist, leading him 61 to 32 in an NBC News / Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday. The polls reflect the astonishing speed with which Biden has seized control of the race, after scoring overwhelming wins in South Carolina, on Super Tuesday, and in other states, and having key rivals drop out and endorse him.

Arizona is one of a group of key states voting March 17th. It includes Ohio, Florida and Illinois and is the third big batch of states to vote in concert.

Biden has achieved poll leads of more than 20 points each in all of the vote-rich states  putting him in position to score a decisive win

The two men clashed in a debate on CNN Sunday night, in an appearance that was more contentious than some political observers had predicted.

Biden on several occasions sought to highlight areas of agreement and talked up his coronavirus response plan, while Sanders brought up his past vote for the Iraq war and statements on health care and Social Security.

Nevertheless, Sanders said he would ultimately support Biden if he becomes the Democratic nominee.
Polish Border Guard Open source

Currently, almost 2,000 Ukrainians filled a special form on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine, stating that they cannot return home without assistance and expect the organized evacuation as Ukrinform reported citing Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Andriy Deshchytsia.

About 2,000 citizens of Ukraine appealed to the diplomatic and consular establishments in Poland, stating they need help in the return home, the diplomat said.

Deshchytsia has not excluded that some of these citizens could enter the territory of Ukraine on their own.

According to the ambassador, the issue of the organization of a special flight from Warsaw is discussed. Moreover, the possibility of the transfer of the Ukrainians by train is considered, including the citizens who are stuck at the Czech-Polish or German-Polish borders.

The Polish side may provide the so-called medical corridor and PKP Intercity will take people to the border and Ukrzaliznytsia will take people in Przemysl, Deshchytsia noted.

Moreover, according to him, the proper decision of the government of Poland is needed that is why the Ukrainian diplomats who hold talks with the Foreign Ministry and Infrastructure Ministry of Poland.

Three checkpoints work at the border with Poland: Dorohusk-Yahodyn, Korchova-Krakivets and Hrebinna-Rava-Ruska. The Ukrainian consuls stay there and help the Ukrainians to cross the border. Despite the fact that these checkpoints are mostly for cars, the pedestrian crossing of the citizens is held in agreement with the Polish border guards.

We control the number of our citizens who drive up to the working checkpoints. And if there are too many citizens we will put the question before the Ukrainian and Polish governments on the renewal of the work of the pedestrian checkpoint Medyka-Shehyni, Deshchytsia underlined.

According to him, he received the assurances from the Polish border bodies that they will treat with loyalty the Ukrainians whose visa or stay on biometric passports has ended during the quarantine in Poland.

As we reported, Ukraine has appealed to Poland with a request to open pedestrian checkpoint Shehyni-Medyka, where earlier Ukrainian citizens stuck with no possibility to enter Ukraine.
Coronavirus concerns have led the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to expand its state park closures zone to include Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

State parks now closed to the public are Delaware Canal, Evansburg, Fort Washington, Marsh Creek, Neshaminy, Nockamixon, Norristown Farm, Ralph Stover, Ridley Creek, Tyler, Washington Crossing and White Clay Creek.

Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens in William Penn State Forest also lies within the closure zone and is closed to the public.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located. Please note that the pins mark the exact geographic location when available. If said location is not available, it marks the center of the county.



The new zone is expanded from last Friday, when DCNR announced closures for parks in Montgomery County.

In addition, all public programs, events and trainings in state parks and state forests statewide have been canceled for the rest of March, according to DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.

But, the rest of the states 121 state parks remain open.

Except for the Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens, the 20 state forests, encompassing 2.2 million acres in 48 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties, also remain open.

DCNR facilities, including offices at state parks and state forests except in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, will remain open pending any changes in COVID-19 spread.

Dunn commented, As the coronavirus continues to spread, we want to assure our visitors that their health and safety is a primary concern. We are taking extra precaution by canceling group activities in an effort to minimize the risk of exposure and spread of COVID-19, while still allowing visitors access to the recreation and beautiful outdoor places, including fishing during the upcoming trout season, that can help their physical and mental health.

The cancellation of events applies to all public educational programs, special events such as races and festivals, and teacher and other trainings. It also includes programming by Friends groups and the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation.

Overnight accommodations such as tent camping, cabins and camping cottages normally open at this time of year will remain open.

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.

Except for the closed state parks in Montgomery County, fishing will continue to be allowed in Pennsylvania state parks and forests. As of Monday, DCNR expected that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will continue to stock trout, and fishing on Mentored Youth Trout days and opening days will be permitted. For the latest on trout stocking, visit the PFBC website.

Dunn said, in consultation with the Governors Office and Pennsylvania Department of Health, DCNR will continue to evaluate visitor health and safety as the COVID-19 situation evolves and will post updates on facilities on the DCNR website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

For more coverage of the coronavirus pandemic: https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/

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.
Beijing, March 17 : People with blood group 'A' may be more prone to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection while those with blood type 'O' has a lower risk of contracting the deadly virus, a first-of-its-kind study claimed on Tuesday.

Reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the preliminary study looked at the blood group of patients in China who contracted the disease.

Researchers led by Wang Xinghuan with the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University looked at blood group patterns of more than 2,000 infected patients in Wuhan and Shenzhen.

They found that blood type A patients showed a higher rate of infection and developed more severe symptoms.

Of 206 patients, 85 had type A blood -- 63 per cent more than 52 with type O.

"People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection," the authors wrote, adding that Sars-CoV-2-infected patients with blood group A might need to receive more vigilant surveillance and aggressive treatment.

"Blood group O had a significantly lower risk for the infectious disease compared with non-O blood groups", said the study that is yet to be peer reviewed.

According to a study in the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 'O' is the most common blood group (37.12 per cent) in India, closely followed by B at 32.26 per cent, followed by A at 22.88 per cent while AB was the least prevalent group at 7.74 per cent.

In the US, about 44 per cent of the population is type O, while about 41 per cent is type A.

Wang wrote: "It might be helpful to introduce ABO blood typing in both patients and medical personnel as a routine part of the management of Sars-CoV-2 and other coronavirus infections, to help define the management options and assess risk exposure levels of people".

While more cases of the respiratory illness have been recorded globally, it is on the decline in China, demonstrating that the course of the outbreak there has been altered, according to WHO Representative in the country Dr Gauden Galea.

"It is an epidemic that has been nipped as it was growing and stopped in its tracks. This is very clear from the data that we have, as well as the observations that we can see in society in general", he told UN News.

According to a recent study, in the case of 72,000 Chinese coronavirus patients, the overall fatality rate was 2.3 per cent but in the case of adults over 80, the same rate rose to 15 per cent.

Doctors believe that the novel coronavirus has "equal potential to penetrate and spread", irrespective of the gender, although various data show that more men are infected by the virus than women.

However, If you are type O does not mean you are absolutely safe, so follow all safetly guidelines issued by the local authorities.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
PORTAGE, MI  The Crossroads mall remains open under modified hours the day after a statewide government ban of gatherings of 50 people or more.

Bob Lapenna was at the mall on Tuesday, March 17, watching as people walked by while he waited for his grandson.

The coronavirus hasnt really hit Kalamazoo yet so I think its a little bit early for us to go into total panic mode, although I agree with the idea that you should be overly cautious, get ahead of the thing," Lapenna said.

He was out looking for something for his grandsons birthday, he said, otherwise he would probably be at work or at home.

The mall has placed hand sanitizer dispensers and is doing extra cleaning to try to fight coronavirus spread, and it is ready to alert officials if a case of COVID-19 should appear there.

We continue to monitor the situation and the governments response. If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the shopping center, we will alert the community and work with local, state and federal health officials to ensure an appropriate plan is in place to help diminish the spread of the virus, the mall said in a statement.

Beginning Monday, March 16, the shopping mall at 6650 S. Westnedge Ave. modified its hours and began operating from noon to 7 p.m. every day except for Sunday, when the hours are noon to 6 p.m.

We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak, in particular the potential impact within our local community, the mall said in a statement announcing the updated hours and other changes.

There is nothing more important than maintaining a safe environment, and we will be taking all necessary precautions for the well-being of our entire shopping center community," the statement reads.

The mall said it will follow guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and our local Department of Health.

Those steps include increased frequency of cleaning highly touchable areas and disinfecting high-traffic areas, and placing hand sanitizers throughout the mall, according to the statement.

Cherry Hill (the malls operating partner) has decided to postpone the opening of the Easter bunny experience out of caution. It may open closer to Easter, according to the statement. If it is canceled completely, Cherry Hill will refund all reservations, according to the mall.

Inside the mall, chairs were stored upside down on dining room tables in the mall common areas and some of the stores, including Hot Topic and Foot Locker, are closed. Other stores are open with modified hours.

The mall said it recognizes that retailers and merchants may implement their own corporate policies regarding modified hours or temporary store closures. The mall recommends finding the most up-to-date tenant hours by searching the mall directory and clicking on the tenant name.

The mall also released a list of tips for people to stay healthy, such as washing hands, avoiding touching their faces, avoiding close contact with sick people, keeping safe distance from others, and staying at home if you are feeling sick.

Rachel Wille, a public relations specialist representing the mall, said the mall expects all of The Crossroads restaurant and food court tenants to comply with the governors order that bans dine-in service through March 30. Seating in the food court is not permitted, she said.

She did not immediately answer additional questions about the mall remaining open during the gathering ban, or if the mall is taking any steps to limit the number of people gathered there.

Lapenna said he believes it might be a little over reactive to close down restaurants in Kalamazoo and he feels for the businesses being impacted. He pointed out Kalamazoo County has not confirmed any COVID-19 cases in Kalamazoo County as of midday March 17.

Related: Michigan confirms new coronavirus cases, raising total to 65

I think its good to be diligent, its good to be cautious, its good to be overly protective, but it might be a little bit early for Kalamazoo to go into the extreme panic, Lapenna said.

People are getting numb to all of warnings about different supposed threats, he said.

We hear over and over about extreme weather thats going to hit us, a big blizzard or extreme winds, and they just seem to never develop. After a while, its just like Chicken Little screaming that the sky is falling, or the kid that cried wolf. After a while, you just kind of blow it off," he said.

Lapenna, a cardiologist, said he is 70 years old and has the perspective that hes lived a great life, and isnt concerned about dying.

The potential for people shedding virus and infecting others is a danger, he said, but so is everything in life.

And every 100 yeas or so something hits the human race that sweeps through it and eliminates a lot of the weak, he said. So maybe its time to have a cleansing of our culture, of our society, I dont know. At some time we will have a massive overwhelming virus that spreads like crazy and kills a lot of people but I dont think this is it. This isnt the one.

Lapenna was thinking of going out to eat with his grandson later, though the coronavirus probably altered those plans as well, he said.

Read more:

Kalamazoo increases managers spending limit to $5 million during coronavirus outbreak

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans events and gatherings of more than 50 people amid coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus pandemic may impact Michigans May election, Secretary of State says

Kalamazoo spends $250K on disaster relief during Michigan coronavirus outbreak
ST. LOUIS  Students picked up homework packets, laptops and personal belongings Monday after nearly all schools in the region announced they would shutter until at least April 6.

In some districts that are on spring break this week, students were briefly allowed inside the buildings. School staff also started handing out free breakfast and lunch, including a drive-through option in Wentzville. Elementary students in Mascoutah will visit their schools Tuesday to pick up laptops and work packets.

The unprecedented shutdown to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus has schools scrambling to come up with plans for providing instruction and support services during the extended break.

We respect that your family may have many stressors right now, and it is our hope that the activities we provide will offer an opportunity for students to keep learning and keep their brains active but not overwhelmed, Craig Fiegel, Mascoutah superintendent, wrote in a letter to parents.

Unlike many colleges, which already offer online courses, teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade are not prepared for e-learning beyond one to three snow days at a time, administrators said.
Maine, one of three New England states to have legalized recreational marijuana, is sending out conditional licenses for dispensaries to sell that form of the drug, and facilities in which to grow and process it. The state's Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) announced that 31 such licenses were mailed last Saturday, March 14, to applicants deemed worth of acceptance.

Possession of a conditional license is only a first step for a marijuana company wishing to be fully licensed. After one is received, the owner of the facility must receive approval from its municipality. That approval is the last major step before the state issues an active license.

The 31 conditional licenses break down into 16 dispensaries, 10 grow facilities, four manufacturing centers, and one nursery. All of these properties are located in the lower end of the state; two -- one a dispensary and the other a grow facility -- are situated very close to the border with New Hampshire, a state that has not yet legalized recreational cannabis.

The OMP has said that sales of recreational cannabis in Maine will commence this spring. The mailing of the conditional licenses puts the regulator on track to meet that goal.

Maine legalized recreational marijuana through the voting booth in 2016, although the state has slow-walked the process. For cannabis stock investors, there are almost no familiar names among the list of conditional licensees.

Still, Big Marijuana is involved in a small way in the state. Massachusetts-based Curaleaf (OTC:CURLF) has a dispensary in Auburn that sells medical marijuana; that store is not on the roster of conditional recreational-use licensees, however. It's unclear if Curaleaf applied for a license, and was rejected.

On Monday, Curaleaf stock closed the day nearly 8% lower.
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There are other hints, maybe, that bipartisanship isnt quite dead.

In addition to death, destruction and a spirit of panic, the coronavirus may also be delivering what no politician in years has been able to achieve: bipartisan agreement in Washington.

Romney wasnt the only Republican on Monday to endorse including direct cash payments in a stimulus package. Tom Cotton, a conservative senator from Arkansas, appeared to be standing to Nancy Pelosis left when he criticized a bill negotiated between the House and the White House.

The proposed legislation doesnt go far enough, and it doesnt go fast enough, Cotton said on Fox News on Monday. I and a lot of other senators who Ive spoken to over the weekend are worried that were not doing enough to get cash into the hands of affected workers and families quickly.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has said he wants to pass the House bill immediately  words that are rarer than platinum from him. That bill includes access to free coronavirus testing, paid leave for displaced workers, expanded unemployment benefits and food stamps, and extra Medicaid funding.

For weeks, President Trump was slow to publicly acknowledge the severity of the coronavirus threat, but even he has begun to emphasize the need for drastic action. On Monday he discouraged gatherings of 10 or more people. Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread and transmission of the virus, he said in comments to reporters. Wed much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it.

Still, a partisan divide persists among the general public, driven in part by the differing stories being told by mainstream and conservative news outlets.

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll conducted at the end of last week found that while a majority of Democrats described themselves as very concerned about the coronavirus spreading to their community, just 17 percent of Republicans said the same. Interestingly, the number among independents was nearly as low: 20 percent.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Amazon announced plans to create 100,000 new full- and part-time jobs in its fulfillment centers and delivery operations in the United States to tackle a surge in orders from residents fearful of venturing out to stores or those living in areas where non-essential businesses have been told to close.

Amazon operates 10 fulfillment centers in New Jersey with the 11th set to open this year in Franklin Township, Somerset County. The company employs more than 17,000 people in New Jersey, placing it among the top-five largest employers in the state. Amazons total workforce is around 798,000.

While the company currently lists only 15 job openings in New Jersey, that figure will soon soar in the sprawling network of massive warehouses the company has built in the last several years.

In response to the surge in orders, the company says it will invest more than $350 million globally to boost pay by $2 an hour in the United States through April, with similar bumps in the U.K. and European Union. The companys currently pay rate in the U.S. is at least $15 an hour.

On its jobs website, the company currently lists pay of $17 an hour and the opportunity to start within seven days. No resume or prior work experience is required, according to the site.

New Jersey has reported 178 coronavirus infections and three deaths as of Monday. Nationally, 3,487 cases and 68 deaths have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while the World Health Organization reports a global death toll of more than 7,000.

Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered the closure of all schools, movie theaters, casinos and gyms, while restaurants are barred from accepting dine-in customers. Some shopping malls have also temporarily closed, including the new American Dream. Grocery stores remain open, but many have changed store hours.

Murphy has also suggested residents remain in their homes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to help slow the spread of the virus.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Another developer has expressed interest in building a hotel and event center in Clear Lake east of Interstate 35.

The Clear Lake City Council unanimously approved a preliminary economic development incentive agreement with VKB Management LLC and JSM Investment LLC, whose principal office is located in Johnston.

Like weve done before, this outlines our good faith intentions to work with the developer while they continue to do their due diligence on the site, said Clear Lake City Administrator Scott Flory.

The agreement, which Flory outlined at Mondays council meeting, states VKB Management LLC and JSM Investment LLC are interested in building a hotel and event center in the Courtway Park Subdivision, where Andrews Prestressed Concrete once stood.

The Courtway Park Subdivision, which is owned by TDFUEL LLC, or Lorri and Todd Hall of Sheffield, comprises 11 lots, two roadways and curb and gutter on nearly 64 acres east of Interstate 35 and north of Highway 122.

The hotel  if its franchise application is approved  will be a Marriott International featuring about 85 rooms and an approximately 450-person 6,000-square-foot attached event/conference/meeting center, according to the agreement.

Flory said the city expects to find out the status of the franchise application in early April.

The initial estimated capital investment for the proposed project is about $12 million, he said.

We dont see $12 million projects every day thats for sure, he said. Well see what becomes of that process, but Im optimistic about it as is the developer. It would be a very positive thing for Clear Lake.

Councilman Bennett Smith agreed.

Frankly, when it comes to hotel brands, Marriotts a fantastic brand and I think it would be a tremendous asset here in Clear Lake, he said.

The agreement enables Clear Lake and VKB Management LLC and JSM Investment LLC to take the necessary steps to formally consider a development agreement.

VKB Managements purchase option with TDFUEL is contingent on a development agreement with the city of Clear Lake.

Flory said VKB Management has credibility, experience and bankability.

(The developers) reputation is well-known and very positive, he said.

The agreement states the city of Clear Lake will reimburse the developer not to exceed $50,000 of the $75,000 total franchise application fee after its approved and after the approval of the project site plan and building permit issuance. The reimbursement would be paid from the citys general fund, tax increment fund or other funds.

The preliminary agreement will be terminated after 60 days if for any reason a development agreement hasnt been approved by the city of Clear Lake and the developer.

A future development agreement would include additional economic development incentives, subject to the City Councils approval, like property tax rebates, infrastructure incentives for water and sanitary sewer services, assistance with civil engineering consulting services and a financial contribution completion of the project.

The councils vote Monday comes five months after it unanimously  and enthusiastically  approved a development agreement with WillowStream LLC for a multi-million hotel, conference center and restaurant development.

The development agreement was the result of weeks  if not months  of work between Clear Lake and WillowStream LLC, a developer interested in building a $16 million hotel, conference center and restaurant in the Courtway Park Subdivision.

The development minimally included the construction of a 75-room GrandStay Hotel & Suites, an 8,500-square-foot conference/meeting/event center, and a 5,000-square-foot Jethros BBQ, a popular Des Moines-based restaurant, in the southwest corner of the Courtway Park Subdivision, the agreement stated.

According to the development agreement with WillowStream LLC, construction was to begin no later than Nov. 28, 2019, and be substantially completed by Nov. 1, 2020; however, work didnt begin on the site as agreed upon.

That developer had a purchase option for this particular lot. That option lapsed, expired for reasons I cannot comment on because I do not know, Flory said. Its an attractive location and another developer took immediate interest and secured a purchase option on that location.

The development agreement was signed by David Harchanko, president of Apollo Development LLC based in Monticello, Minnesota, on behalf of WillowStream LLC.

When asked whether WillowStream remains interested in developing in Clear Lake on Thursday, Harchanko said it remains very interested and remains confident that the GrandStay Hotel is the best solution, without commenting on the expired purchase option.

That does not necessarily mean that there will not be another hotel built in Courtway Park or in some other area of the community. It doesnt necessarily mean that this one will be built. Its an interesting scenario, Flory said. You may have none. You may have two. You may have one. We just have to see how things play out.

Reach Reporter Ashley Stewart at 641-421-0533. Follow her on Twitter at GGastewart.

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With no evidence to support his claim, Donald Trump predicted that the coronavirus would wash away in July or August.

Here was Trumps exchange with reporters:

Q: Mr. President? Mr. President, a lot of people are concerned about how long all of this might last. Do you have any kind of estimate that if Americans really were to band together and do what the white house was suggesting, how quickly we could turn this corner?

Trump: Thats my favorite question. How many times, Anthony, I think I ask him that question every day. And I speak to Deborah, I speak to a lot of them, I get the opinion. So it seems to me that if we do a really good job, well not only hold the death down to a level that is much lower than the other way, had we not done a good job, but people are talking about July, August, something like that. So it could be right in that period of time, where it  I say wash  it washes through. Other people dont like that term. But where it washes through.

Q: So is this the new normal until the height of the summer?

Trump: Well see what happens. But they think August, could be July, could be longer than that. But Ive asked that question many, many times.

Video of Trump:

Trump makes up imaginary July or August date for the coronavirus to "wash away." pic.twitter.com/xFbmeTwyvk  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 16, 2020

Trump later had to be corrected by his own administration officials:

Dr. Fauci having to step in to provide realtime cleanup for Trump. The president seemed to suggest current restrictive social guidelines could last until July or August; Fauci clarifies, no, they are 15-day guidelines being reviewed every two weeks.  Ian Sams (@IanSams) March 16, 2020

Trump is pulling sunshine and rainbows out of his backside, and not fooling anyone as the pandemic worsens in the United States, the economy is being crippled, and the stock market is in freefall.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Trading laws could prevent supermarkets from opening early to allow elderly and disables shoppers to get supplies before coronavirus panic-buyers strip the shelves bare.

Woolworths and Coles announced they will open to the vulnerable groups to exclusively from 7am to 8am, starting Tuesday until at least Friday.

But state laws in Western Australia and Queensland could prevent the supermarket giants from opening that early.

The laws allow Woolworths stores in Queensland's southeast to open at 7am, but those in the rural areas of the state are forbidden from opening that early.

Coles in Queensland won't be affected by the state's stringent laws as they don't plan to open at 7am.

They will instead be running its dedicated shopping hour from 8-9am for seniors and people with disabilities.

A Coles spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that Western Australian stores have been given permission to open temporarily from 7am Monday to Friday for Community Hour.

Woolworths and Coles announced they will open to the vulnerable groups to exclusively from 7am to 8am, starting Tuesday until at least Friday. Pictured: Elderly people wait for the opening of Woolworths in Balmain, Sydney, on Tuesday

The laws allow Woolworths stores in Queensland's southeast to open at 7am, but those in the rural areas of the state are forbidden from opening that early. Pictured: Elderly people wait for the opening of Woolworths in Balmain, Sydney, on Tuesday

'The WA Government has also approved additional temporary hours on the weekend mornings, however Coles is not offering Community Hour over the weekend,' she said.

Coles is awaiting an announcement from the Queensland Government today regarding possible extensions to their trading hours.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the government was looking at urgent measures to amend the laws, but it's not known when they will come into effect.

'We welcome moves by Woolworths and Coles to provide vulnerable Queenslanders with designated times to access the shops,' Ms Grace told the Courier Mail.

'We are looking at urgent, temporary actions to ensure that these measures are able to be accessed equitably across the state.'

Trading hours Queensland's southeast: Woolworths allowed to open at 7am Regional Queensland: Woolworths not allowed to open before 8am Western Australia: Coles allowed to temporarily open at 7am Monday to Friday Advertisement

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of essentials such as toilet paper, pasta and tinned and other dried food, and seen some shoppers embroiled in ugly confrontations over the limited stock.

'The move has been prompted by the unprecedented demand in supermarkets over the past week, which has seen many elderly and vulnerable people in the community missing out on vital items they may need when they shop,' Woolworths announced on Monday.

'While we'll continue to do our very best to restock our stores during this period of unprecedented demand, we know many of our elderly customers have been missing out on essential items when they shop,' managing director Claire Peters said.

'This temporary measure will give them, and those with a disability, the opportunity to shop before our stores officially open - helping them obtain the essential items they need most in a less crowded environment.'

Panic buying in recent weeks sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of essentials such as toilet paper, pasta and tinned and other dried food

The dedicated shopping hour has been set up for elderly shoppers can avoid confrontations such as this seen recently in a Coles supermarket last week

Shoppers must show a government-issued seniors or disability card to be granted early access.

Stores will open to other customers from 8am.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was 'common sense' and 'a great idea' when he appeared on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Monday.

Woolworths fresh food director Paul Harker said the initiative had proved very popular on Tuesday morning.

He insists there is no shortage of goods despite reports of widespread food shortages.

'There is no shortage of goods here in Australia,' he told the Nine Network on Tuesday.

'It is a logistics exercise of moving the product to get it back into stores with the pace and demand we're seeing.'

He said the exclusive shopping hour for seniors and pension card holders will be reviewed later this week to determine how it can best be managed.

The Coles shopping hour will start on Wednesday, when its stores also open at 7am for customers holding a government-issued Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Companion Card and Health Care Card.

Empty shelves of toilet paper are seen at Woolworths Town Hall in Sydney, Friday, March 13

Coles is also seeking more than 5000 casual workers to help restock its supermarkets faster under a fast-tracked induction process and will hire more Coles Online delivery van drivers.

It also plans to dedicate grocery deliveries to people who are isolated and vulnerable. This means deliveries for other customers will be temporarily suspended, as will the Click&Collect service.

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

'We believe all Australians deserve the right to access their share of grocery items, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable,' Coles CEO Steven Cain said.

Meanwhile, the smaller national supermarket chain IGA is considering whether to roll out a similar pensioners-and-seniors-only shopping hour across its 1300 Australian stores.

The idea is being trialled at an IGA in Melbourne's Altona, with a shopping hour between 6am to 7am, which could be extended across its network if successful.

IGA Chief Executive Fred Harrison said on Monday a final decision would be made by Wednesday.

There have now been more than 368 cases of coronavirus in Australia, and five people have died.

Globally at least 7,100 have died and 181,800 have been infected.
TEMPLE BAR INVESTMENT TRUST PLC

AGM UPDATE

LEI: 213800O8EAP4SG5JD323

Temple Bar Investment Trust plc considers the well-being of shareholders and attendees as a top priority and is closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Based on latest available advice, the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") is expected to proceed on 30 March 2020 as planned. However, only the formal business set out in the notice of meeting will be considered at the AGM. There will be no presentation from the investment manager.

Given the possible health risks arising from travel to, and interaction at, the meeting, shareholders are actively encouraged to consider whether their attendance at the AGM is necessary. Shareholders wishing to vote on any of the matters of business are urged to do so through completion of a proxy form which can be completed and submitted to the Company. Proxies should be completed and returned in accordance with the instructions on the form of proxy and the latest time for lodging proxies is 11am on Thursday26 March 2020.

Please note that the meeting will be conducted swiftly and the room will be vacated promptly at the close of the meeting. No refreshments will be served.

Ninety One UK Limited

Secretary

17 March 2020
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs royal exit has had an effect on just about every member of the royal family. One person said to be deeply hurt by the couples decision is Prince Charles.

The Prince of Wales and Meghan had formed a close bond before she and Prince Harry even tied the knot. The future king reportedly gave her the nickname Tungsten after the strong metal because he admired her strength and toughness. Meghan had also been credited by royal experts for helping Charles and Harry form a better relationship. Now though, many are paying attention to whats happening between Charles, Camilla, and the Cambridges.

Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Richard Pohle  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Theyve been having fun together

Its very rare for Charles, William, and both of their wives to make joint appearances at engagements but thats exactly what they did a month after Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down.

The princes and duchesses visited with injured service members at The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey, England, in February and royal fans everywhere took notice. The Duke of Cornwall and the Duke of Cambridge really looked to be their time together.

The father-and-son duo appeared playful and even shared a video of Charles pushing William in a wheelchair to set up his shooting from that position.

Body language experts say Kate and Charles are really bonding now too

Energy reader Alison Ward analyzed photos from the royal visit and opined that the Prince of Wales appears to be bonding with his other daughter-in-law, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, now in Meghans absence.

These pictures give a clear insight into how the family is bonding, Ward said. These heartwarming pictures of Prince Charles and Kate show what a wonderful father figure Charles has become and how their relationship has blossomed with humor and respect. Their shared glances in the company of William and Camilla show a mutual bond.

Ward added, The photos show Kate looking towards him for direction and for comfort and support. Kate is still learning on the job and while she is clearly doing well she can still learn from Charles who has been in his role for much longer.

Could they be the new Fab Four?

Prince Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Camilla Parker Bowles | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

For those who think that Charles and Camilla are looking to join forces with William and Kate as the new Fab Four, thats most likely not the case.

Part of the reason William, Kate, Meghan, and Harry got the Fab Four nickname is because of how popular they each were and had the public so excited about the direction the young group wanted to take their initiatives. Charles and Camilla dont have anywhere near that popularity, especially not with the younger generation of Sussex and Cambridge fans.

What seems to actually be happening is that the remaining senior royals are simply coming together to support and be there for each other more now as they are living in a new monarchy that no longer includes the Sussexes.

Read more: What Prince Harry Really Whispered to Meghan Markle in Church, According to Lip-Reading Experts
Turkish Central Bank cuts policy rate full point

Several banks across world such as US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England have also taken urgent measures to contain fallout from coronavirus.

In line with other central banks, Turkey's CB also holds emergency meeting, cutting its policy rate from 10.75 to 9.75

Addressing concerns of the fallout from coronavirus, in an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday the Turkish Central Bank Monetary Policy Committee cut its policy rate from 10.75 to 9.75.

BANK WILL PROVIDE LIQUIDITY AS THEY NEED THROUGH INTRADAY

The bank was set to meet on Thursday, but with fears of the virus mounting, and cases climbing worldwide, the meeting was moved up.

In a separate statement, the Central Bank announced that it will make moves to cushion the virus's likely economic and financial fallout. It will provide banks with as much liquidity as they need through intraday and overnight standing facilities, it said.

Liquidity may be injected into the market through repo auctions with maturities up to 91 days when needed, along with one-week repo auctions, the bank said.

These measures aim to boost predictability by providing banks with flexibility in Turkish lira and foreign exchange liquidity management, offering targeted additional liquidity facilities to banks to secure uninterrupted credit flow to the corporate sector.
Press Release

March 17, 2020 Villanueva: Displaced workers due to community quarantine to get P5,000 cash assistance from DOLE Workers in the private sector displaced by the community quarantine imposed in different parts of the country stand to receive a P5,000 lump-sum financial assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), according to Senator Joel Villanueva. In a statement, Villanueva said the amount will go a long way for workers, especially those who fall under the category of no work, no pay, and keep them confined in their homes while the government grapples to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. "We credit the labor department for its swift response to the issue," said Villanueva, who wrote to DOLE on Monday to access its emergency employment programs given today's circumstance. "Our workers continue to push their luck by leaving their houses to go to work because they have to provide for their families." "Sa pamamagitan ng financial assistance na ito, hinihiling po natin sa ating mga manggagawa na manatili na lamang sa kanilang mga tahanan habang ipinapatupad ang quarantine sa kani-kanilang mga lugar. Mas malaki po ang gagastusin natin kapag nahawaan tayo ng sakit na COVID-19," added Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development. Department Order No. 209 covers the guidelines on DOLE's COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), which the lawmaker urged the department to tap to provide assistance to thousands of displaced workers. Workers covered by the order include retained workers having reduced working hours due to the implementation of flexible working arrangements by employers, and workers whose employment has been suspended due to the temporary shutdown of their employer's operation, according to the guidelines. Affected workers, regardless of employment status, will be given P5,000 as a one-time unconditional financial assistance in lump-sum, , the guidelines stated. In addition, DOLE will also give affected workers employment facilitation services to match their skills with available domestic or overseas jobs. The assistance, which will be given to the beneficiary through their payroll accounts, will be given within two weeks upon the receipt of their application by DOLE regional offices. Employers must also submit a report on their efforts to scale down their operations due to COVID-19 such as adopting flexible working arrangements like work from home, reduced working hours, among others. Villanueva expressed hope the department would also act on his request to expedite the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program (TUPAD) to further cushion the impact of the quarantine among workers. TUPAD is an emergency employment program implemented in communities for displaced workers, seasonal workers, and even the underemployed. Beneficiaries work for a minimum 10 days but not exceeding 30 days, depending on the nature of the work to be performed. The lawmaker suggested to let TUPAD beneficiaries provide support services to law enforcers manning checkpoints "as long as TUPAD beneficiaries are provided personal protective equipment and training." He was also open to the idea of letting TUPAD beneficiaries help in the disinfection of public places, with the caveat that safety gear is available.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 08:27:44|Editor: yhy

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ACCRA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Ghana has suspended all sporting activities in the country to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The announcement was made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a televised address in Accra.

It comes after the west African country recorded four additional coronavirus cases, which brings the total number of infected cases to six.

Akufo-Addo said the decision is in the interest of public safety and the protection of the people.
Port St. Joe, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Han Tang Technologies, Inc. (OTC Pink: HTTI) announced today it has closed a stock exchange agreement to buy 100% of the outstanding common shares of R Squared Technologies, Inc., ("R2"), a technology company that has developed the SENTINELTM a man portable communication network between wired and Wi-Fi enabled devices to operate within a secure network. It can be used for both defense and emergency management applications. The SENTINELTM provides an immediate command and control network and provides a communication solution in response to a variety of adverse circumstances, including severe weather, natural disasters, power outages or even a hostile attack.

The SENTINELTM was conceived in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the earthquakes in Haiti and Northern Italy, as well as the subsequent horrific flooding events in both Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas and Florida, to address the disastrous breakdown in emergency response communications. All these events demonstrated the need for mobile communication systems at the local and the first response levels. The inability to communicate in all these disasters resulted in chaos and the additional loss of life. As a result, the SENTINELTMwas designed and is ready for production. SENTINELTM was developed to create a "Communication Network" to immediately establish a command and control network at the epicenter of a disaster or need.

R2's wholly owned subsidiary Skyborne Technology a designer and developer of manned and unmanned next generation aviation systems has opened its new manufacturing facility in Gulf County, FL. The company chose the area specifically to have access to employ manned and unmanned aircraft pilots, skilled manufacturing labor for composites, aircraft aluminum and high bullet proof fabrics. As part of opening of the new manufacturing facility, Skyborne Technology will unveil their Airship and Drone technology to begin testing their aviation products for target markets such as Agriculture Assessment, Communications, Education, Defense, Border Security, Health, Natural Disasters, Policing and Traffic Control.

The terms of the acquisition are as follows, in exchange for 100% of the R2 Shares and R2 Assumed Notes of $4,813,760, HTTI shall issue to the R2 Shareholders on a pro rata basis the following shares of Preferred Series B and Series C in an aggregate of Nineteen Million Eight Hundred and Sixty Seven Thousand (19,867,000) of Series B Preferred Stock, an aggregate of Fifteen Million Nine Hundred Thousand (15,900,000) Series C Preferred Stock the Issuable Shares shall be convertible in the aggregate into a number of shares of HTTI Common Stock representing approximately 95% of the shares of HTTI Common Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis immediately prior to conversion, subject to adjustment as described in the Series B and Series C Certificates of Designation. In exchange for the retirement of $2,275,215 in assumed notes will issue an aggregate of Four Million Five Hundred Fifty Thousand and Four Hundred and Thirty (4,550,430) Series D Preferred Stock convertible into HTTI common stock convertible at $.50 a share with a 6% coupon as described in the Series D Certificates of Designation. In addition, HTTI shall issue two classes of warrants, 500,000 of warrants with a cashless exercise and 1,000,000 of cash warrants exercisable into common shares at $1.00 per share.

Michael Lawson has been appointed as CEO and has 32-years serving as Chairman, CEO and President of public /private companies. Additionally, he has an extensive executive level operational background in both international aerospace and advertising industry. He helped film with his aerospace Team the first commercial space ad for Pepsi followed by the Pizza Hut delivery to the International Space station to just name a few global marketing projects. William and Michael have both previously negotiated airship advertising commercial contract(s) and awarded contracts with the US military and Security Agencies for both Drone and Airship. Their combined talents in utilizing Airships and Drones for advertising, military, environmental, communication, agriculture and other applications will open new opportunities for HTTI and our technology partners.

William Robinson, ('Billy") has been appointed as Chairman/President/CFO has 33-years serving as Chairman, CEO and CFO of several public/private companies. Additionally, he has an extensive executive level operational background in manufacturing, aerospace and technology. He led the company that received the first approval for a commercial drone to fly in US airspace. He has initiated and completed multiple public and private transactions assisted with the sale, merger, funding and IPOs. Prior, Mr. Robinson held management positions at Paine Webber initiating two IPOs and served as a vice president of Prudential Securities, Inc. with series 7, 6 and 65 license (inactive). Mr. Robinson studied Business and Finance at Oklahoma University, Northeastern State University and Northeastern A & M University.

"We are excited about the growth for HTTI and our subsidiaries and look forward to expanding the employment opportunities for the Gulf County Region and the State of Florida. Our current business model targets disaster relief, border protection, communication, public safety, environmental research, distance learning, medical and other vertical markets globally," stated Michael Lawson, CEO.

"Our combination with HTTI gives new financing options and expands the awareness of the company. Further, we are currently completing the financial filings to have HTTI back in good standings with the OTC expeditiously. Our combined technologies fill an immediate need in both the US and abroad," stated Billy Robinson, President.

About Han Tang Technology, Inc.

Han Tang Technology, Inc., (OTC Pink: HTTI) is a Research and Development holding company with a focus on Communication Aerospace and Environmental Solutions. Researchers at HTTI are actively engaged in solving transformative problems for the government and commercial clients. We are working on a wide range of topics including but not limited to advanced communication, Airship and Drone Technology and low altitude analysis of carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion, new energy processes, biomass conversion, energy efficiency crop and mining management.

About R Squared Technologies, Inc.

R Squared Technologies, Inc., ("R2"), a technology company that has developed the SENTINEL a man portable communication network between wired and Wi-Fi enabled devices within a secure network. It can be used for both defense and emergency management applications. The SENTINEL provides an immediate command and control network and provides a communication solution in response to a variety of adverse circumstances, including severe weather, natural disasters, power outages or even a hostile attack.

About Skyborne Technology, Inc.

R Squared's wholly owned subsidiary Skyborne Airship technology has significant investments in research & development of Intellectual Property and proprietary designs. In areas covering semi-rigid airship design, reverse-ballonet technology, mooring and hybrid propulsion that has competitive advantages for both its Spherical and Cylinder Class airship designs. Skyborne has a manufacturing facility in Wewahitchka, Florida and recently acquired the airport in Port St. Joe, Florida for manned and unmanned operations.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable US securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals, where applicable and the state of the capital markets. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company 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.

Contact:

(OTC Pink: HTTI)

Billy Robinson, President

504-722-7402

billy@skybornetechnology.com

www.skybornetechnology.com

Deborah Cheek, Communications Director

850-588-1747

deborah@skybornetechnology.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53487
The DoT has raised total demand of around Rs 53,000 core for AGR liability of VIL which included interest, penalty and interest on delay in payment of the amount

New Delhi: The telecom department's proposal to allow telecom companies pay adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues in 20 years will improve their cash flow, and the decision to raise tariff by mobile operators will help in resurrecting the financially stressed sector, industry body COAI said on Monday.

"We are very pleased with the Department of Telecom's submission before the court to give 20 years time to telecom operators for paying adjusted gross revenue dues, which will help in reviving the industry," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

The Centre moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking approval of its formula to allow telecom companies to pay their AGR dues in annual instalments for over 20 years to avoid impact on the economy.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah directed that the Centre's application be listed before the same bench which had given the 24 October 2019 verdict for payment of AGR dues, amounting to Rs 1.47 lakh crore, owed by telecom companies.

When asked that many telecom companies' licence will expire before 20 years, Mathews said that the operators are interested in buying 5G spectrum which will extend validity of their licence provided they get relief on the same.

"When you talk of 20 years then these operators are intending to buy 5G spectrum at some point of time. There is an effort on DoT's side that there is more competition in the market," Mathews said.

Vodafone Idea's 22 licences are estimated to expire by 2033, Airtel's 8 licences are due to expire in 2021, six each in 2024 and 2034 and another two by 2035.

Under the formula suggested by the government, the telecom companies impacted by the verdict of the apex court of 24 October, 2019 will be allowed to pay the DoT-assessed dues in annual instalments over 20 years (or less if they so opt), "duly protecting the next present value of the said dues using a discount rate of eight per cent (based on one-year marginal cost of lending rate of SBI which is currently 7.75 percent)".

As per the formula, "interest on the unpaid amount, penalty, and interest on penalty in relation to the past dues as on the date of the judgement of the Supreme Court will not be levied beyond the date of the said judgement, and the net present value will be protected using the discount rate".

It states that the telecom firms would continue to be liable for interest, penalty, and interest on penalty for unpaid dues of licence fee and spectrum usage charge which arises prospectively after 24 October, 2019, date of the judgement of the apex court.

Loss-making telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Monday said it has made an additional payment of Rs 3,354 crore towards adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to the Department of Telecom (DoT), thereby completing payment of principal amount calculated on self-assessment basis.

With this fresh payment, Vodafone Idea (VIL) has paid Rs 6,854 crore towards AGR dues.

The DoT has raised total demand of around Rs 53,000 core for AGR liability of VIL which included interest, penalty and interest on delay in payment of the amount.

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel too on February 29 claimed that it cleared entire AGR dues which the company calculated on self-assessment basis. It made additional payment of Rs 8,004 crore towards adjusted gross revenue dues to the DoT in addition to Rs 10,000 crore the company paid on 17 February, 2020.

"Based on the aforesaid payment we have now complied with AGR judgement and the directions in the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 24 October, 2019," Airtel had said.

According to DoT estimates, Airtel owed nearly Rs 35,586 crore, including licence fee, spectrum usage charges with interest on unpaid amount, penalty and interest on penalty till July 2019.

The DoT has said that it has received part payment of about Rs 25,900 crore, excluding fresh payment of Rs 3,354 crore of VIL, from telecom operators towards statutory dues and has again directed telcos to make full payments.
A shipping courier owner wanted by the United States government for smuggling firearms to Colombia and trading them to a dissident FARC group was arrested by Colombian authorities last Thursday.

Marlon Salazar Taborda was finally captured after intelligence agents discovered him hiding out the Cali neighborhood of Aguablanca three days before his capture.

An undercover agent filmed the businessman-turned-arms smuggler holding a couple of handguns that were transported from the U.S.

Salazar Taborda launched Salazar Multiservices in March 2015, operating it out of a modest warehouse in Cali, according to Colombian newspaper El Tiempo.

Colombian authorities arrested Marlon Salazar Taborda last Thursday in during an operation in Cali. Salazar Taborda allegedly used his shipping company to transport weapons from the United States to Colombian. The arms were used to acquire drugs from a dissident FARC group

An undercover Colombian law enforcement agent secretly recorded Marlon Salazar Taborda going displaying one of the many weapons the Diamond City gang sold and rented to other criminal factions in Colombia

Marlon Salazar Taborda got caught in the crosshairs of United States authorities a year ago for shipping military rifles and guns to Colombia. The weapons were hidden in cargo that contained home appliances and toys

However, he got caught in the crosshairs of U.S. authorities a year ago for shipping military rifles and guns to Colombia. Colombian authorities launched a manhunt for his arrest in October.

Investigators found that the weapons were taken apart and concealed in cargo boxes of toys and home appliances that were shipped down from the U.S.

'With the capture of Salazar Taborda, this criminal structure dedicated to the trafficking of cocaine and marijuana and the importation and distribution of weapons is completely dismantled,' Colombia's Tax and Custom's Police said in a statement.

As leader of the Diamond City, Salazar Taborda's gang allegedly swapped its smuggled weaponry with the dangerous Jaime Martinez gang, a dissident FARC group that operates out of the department of Valle del Cauca.

Marlon Salazar Taborda was arrested last Thursday in Cali, Colombia. Intelligence agents found discovered his location three days earlier after a search for his arrest was launched last year

Investigators found that the weapons were taken apart and concealed in cargo boxes of toys and home appliances that were shipped down to Colombia from the U.S. Investigators said some guns and rifles were traded to a dissident FARC group for drugs that were shipped to throughout South America, Central America and the United States

Authorities said that Marlon Salazar Taborda's Diamond City gang received marijuana and cocaine from the Jaime Martinez faction, a dissident FARC group

Authorities said that Diamond City received marijuana and cocaine from the Jaime Martinez faction.

The drugs were subsequently shipped across South America, Central America and the United States.

'With this [arrest] we are neutralizing a network that was dedicated to marijuana trafficking in the southern continent, cocaine trafficking north of the continent and the illegal importation of weapons into Colombian territory,' said Brigadier General Juan Carlos Buitrago Arias, director of the Colombian Tax and Customs Police

Salazar Taborda reportedly employed his courier service to deliver rented weapons to other local criminal factions, who in turn used the firearms to steal, extort and carry out killings.

Authorities have charged Salazar Taborda with aggravated crime, possession and illegal distribution of arms and drug trafficking.

Marlon Salazar Taborda was caught on video brandishing one of the many guns that were shipped from the United States to Colombia through his international shipping company

Authorities have charged Salazar Taborda with aggravated crime, possession and illegal distribution of arms and drug trafficking
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 12:16 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b2c964 1 News Singapore-Airlines,Singapore,airlines-tickets,#travel,#SingaporeAirlines,flights,Airlines,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Singapore Airlines is waiving all rebooking fees for tickets issued on or before March 15 with a travel period until May 31 amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a statement, the airline announced customers could cancel their existing flight itineraries and rebook when they were certain about their travel plans.

Customers' new flight itineraries should be completed by March 31, 2021.

The airline said all rebooking fees would be waived, though differences in new ticket fares may apply.

It will also waive all change fees for new Singapore Airlines and SilkAir tickets booked from Monday to March 31.

Read also: Singapore Airlines cuts more flights; Changi sees 33% drop in passengers

For inquries, customers are advised to reach the airline through an online form. Those with tickets issued directly from the airline are recommended to contact the airlines reservation team, while those who booked tickets via travel agents are suggested to contact the agents for further information.

Anticipating a rise in customers reports, the airline encouraged customers to be patient as the process may take longer than usual. It also recommends contacting the airline only if their flight will leave in the next 72 hours.

On Saturday, Singapore Airlines cut more flights to China and Italy after it slashed thousands of flights to countries such as India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand earlier. (wir/wng)
New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus cases has increased to 137 in India even as the government has issued directives, sealed the country's borders urging people to take precautions in the wake of the spread of the deadly virus. Doctors and medical staff have also been working hard to bring down the number of COVID-19 cases. People worldwide are praising India for fighting the Coronavirus. In a country of 135 crore people, India records 137 cases of the Coronavirus which is 0.0 0 0 0 1 per cent of the total population of the country.

While India has taken several initiatives and implemented measures to the epidemic, its neighbouring country Pakistan is battling choppy waters amid coronavirus outbreak. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday sought a debt waiver for countries witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases.

Khan took to Twitter to express his concern over poverty and hunger in the wake of the outbreak of the deadly virus. The Pakistan PMO tweeted, "Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI expresses his concern over poverty and hunger as a consequence of the Corona Pandemic. Moreover, he urges the world community to think of some sort of debt-off for vulnerable countries."

On Tuesday, Pakistan confirmed that COVID-19 cases had more than doubled for a second straight day, largely due to errors made in the testing and quarantine of travellers who recently returned from Iran via a land border crossing. So far, the total coronavirus cases in Pakistan stand at 237 sparking concerns the mistakes could prove costly, as it attempts to control the rapid spread of the disease, said a Reuters report.

Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly pilgrims, have reportedly been put into quarantine in recent weeks at the Taftan border crossing in the western province of Balochistan after returning from Iran, one of the countries worst affected worldwide by the virus.

Pakistan has a population of about 20 crores, and so far, there are 237 people suffering from Coronavirus. Accordingly, out of about 8.5 lakh people present there, one person is infected with this virus.

While 137 people out of 135 crore population of India are infected with this virus i.e. only about one in 98 lakh people are suffering from this virus. And in terms of population, more than 12 times the infection has spread in Pakistan than in India.

Pakistan has failed to receive major financial support from the US in the recent past, besides being denied aid from other nations. This is the reason Imran Khan has now sought loans on the pretext of Coronavirus.

As of December 2019, Pakistan had a foreign debt of about Rs 8,20,000 crore, and this debt is equal to 94 per cent of the GDP there. That is, if Pakistan's GDP is equal to 100 rupees, then it has a foreign debt of 94 rupees.

Pakistan will have to repay the foreign debt of about Rs 89,0000 crores in 2020. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan's debt can reach 9 lakh 60 thousand crore rupees by 2023, thereby, making it a failed state.

On the national front, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday asserted that it has 72 functional ICMR laboratories in the government sector for testing, adding that 49 more will be active by the end of this week. Currently, testing of samples in government labs is free but the government has to spend about Rs 5,000 on testing a sample. According to an estimate, it can cost from Rs 9,000-12,000 rupees to get Coronavirus examined in private labs.

About COVID-19, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava stated that India is at stage 2 and not at stage 3 while addressing a press brief in the national capital.

Any epidemic spreads in four stages. In the first phase, this type of virus spreads through a person coming from another country. Just like in the case of India, the first patient of Coronavirus came from Italy. In the second stage, the virus spreads from one person to another. This particularly affects those who live with or with the infected person.

In the third phase, the epidemic spreads from one community to another and hundreds, thousands of people living in that community get infected. In the fourth and last phase, the epidemic starts spreading rapidly to other areas of the country as well and there is no possibility of stopping it. Countries like Italy and Spain are currently going through the fourth phase.

India still has some time to defeat the Coronavirus but in the case of epidemics, time passes by very quickly and even a moment's delay can spin the situation out of control.

The total number of deaths recorded worldwide till Tuesday night was 7,866.
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[March 17, 2020] Bank of America Commits $100 Million in Support of Communities Around the World Impacted by Coronavirus Pandemic

Bank of America today announced it is committing $100 million to support local communities in need as the world faces unprecedented challenges from the coronavirus. The funds will help increase medical response capacity, address food insecurity, increase access to learning as a result of school closures, and provide support to the world's most vulnerable populations. "We must all work together as one global community - public and private sectors, as well as individuals - to address this healthcare and humanitarian crisis," said Anne Finucane, vice chairman of Bank of America. "As the needs in our local communities continue to rapidly escalate, we must take swift action to provide resources where there are gaps, and help local communities protect their most vulnerable populations." The majority of Bank of America's funds will be distributed on the ground in local markets, focused on both immediate needs facing local communities and providing ongoing support in the months ahead. The company will also increase funding to several national and global organizations that are on the front lines, tackling the most pressing issues in local communities. "Building on the efforts of local, state and international governments, we are focusing our resources on the number one priority - looking after people," added Finucane. Bank of America

At Bank of America, we're guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It's demonstraed in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (News - Alert) (@BofA_News).



Bank of America has delivered more than $2 billion in philanthropic investments since 2009, with approximately $250 million in 2019 alone. In April 2019, the company announced a new $5 billion Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment to benefit low- and moderate-income homebuyers and communities across the U.S. over the next five years. Also in 2019, Bank of America Community Development Banking provided a record $4.88 billion in loans, tax credit equity investments and other real estate development solutions. Between 2005 and 2019 Bank of America financed 202,800 affordable housing units. To meet the unique needs of its 12 million small business owners, the company provides advice, solutions and dedicated support. Bank of America maintained its position as the nation's top small business lender at the end of 2019, with $38.9 billion in total outstanding small business loan balances (defined as business loans in original amounts of $1 million and under), up 7% year over year. For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

www.bankofamerica.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005804/en/

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The NCP on Tuesday criticised the



Modi government for nominating former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha and said it should not have done so.

In a gazette notification on Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind nominated Gogoi to the Council of States to fill the vacancy caused due to the retirement of one of the nominated members.

Gogoi headed benches that pronounced several key judgements, including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case and the Rafale fighter jet deal.

NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the government should refrain from appointing to the Upper House of Parliament judges who have handled sensitive cases.

"The Modi government should not have nominated Justice (retired) Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha," Tapase said.

He said the people of the country look upon the judiciary for dispensation of justice "without fear and favour".

The power of judicial review over legislative actions vests with the high courts and the Supreme Court, he added.

"This is an essential and integral feature of our constitution. The government should refrain from appointing to the Rajya Sabha judges who have handled sensitive cases," Tapase said.

The NCP leader also said Justice (retired) Madan Lokur's comment on Gogoi's appointment should be viewed seriously.

Speaking to a leading English daily, Gogoi's former colleague Lokur said the ex-CJI's nomination was not surprising given there had been speculation about what honorific he would get.

Lokur, however, said it was surprising the nomination came too soon.

Lokur said the development redefines the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary and questioned whether the last bastion has fallen.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Guwahati on Tuesday, Gogoi said he would speak in detail about accepting the offer of a seat to the Upper House after he takes oath.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
EDMONTONAs the Alberta government holds public consultations about the future of car insurance, its been sitting on a report that calls for people to lose their right to sue for pain and suffering, potentially resulting in higher premiums than currently exist.

The wide-ranging study, provided internally to Albertas treasury board and finance department, and obtained by the Star, has been in the hands of the provincial government since November.

Critics, including personal injury lawyers, are taking issue with the reports findings. The recommendations mirror some aspects of whats been established in Ontario as well  a provincial system widely considered to be in need of reform.

Since the end of 2019, the United Conservatives have been seeking feedback from people in the province for a new sustainable system, which will reduce costs for consumers, according to the Alberta governments website. This came after the government ended an annual five per cent cap on insurance premiums put in place by the previous NDP government in 2017, ushering in premium hikes throughout 2019.

The report was compiled by Ontario actuary firm J.S. Cheng & Partners Inc., insurance consulting firm Cameron & Associates Insurance Consultants Ltd., and in consultation with representatives from the Alberta treasury board and finance department. The document was put together as part of a claims and costs study requested in 2018 under the former NDP government.

It recommends whats called a no-fault system and removing the right to sue over pain and suffering from the auto-insurance system, replacing it with a benefits schedule for injuries from a car accident  like a chart that puts a dollar amount to an injury.

The crux of the problem in Alberta, according to the study, is that people with several different injuries are seeking legal representation more often and that bodily injury claims are going up.

It found that people with what it calls top four injuries are more likely to be represented by a lawyer and that the percentage of claims from people with one or more of the injuries has steadily increased from 16 per cent in 2010 to 30 per cent in 2016.

Furthermore, the study says that in 2017, pain and suffering took up 57 per cent of money that goes toward bodily injuries that make up claims costs.

The main cost driver within bodily injury claims is pain and suffering, the study says.

The top four injury claims are psychological injuries, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; concussions; injuries to the joint that connects the jaw to the skull (the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ); and whiplash-associated disorder with chronic pain lasting longer than six months.

Albertans are increasingly retaining legal representation to negotiate their compensation following a motor vehicle accident, reads the study.

Our recommendation is that the system can be modified to make it easier for a claimant to make a claim without the time consuming and costly legal process.

This is what makes it a no-fault system, similar to whats in place in Quebec and Ontario, which caught Wilfrid Laurier University professor Mary Kellys attention. There are several different no-fault systems in North America, but essentially, it means that each insurer covers their own customer instead of a system where the at-fault driver gets sued by someone who isnt at fault in an accident.

It doesnt work in Ontario, said Kelly, an insurance expert. I think thats a fair statement, which is why Im rather puzzled that it is being considered in Alberta.

An independent 2017 report reviewing the Ontario system, requested by the provincial government and compiled by David Marshall, called it one of the least effective insurance systems in Canada and said that claims costs have consistently gone up.

(The system) is filled with disputes and inefficiencies, and a very high percentage of premiums are being used to pay experts and lawyers and not going directly to injured persons, the Ontario report says.

Ontario has a partial no-fault system where benefits are given to people by insurance companies regardless of fault, but where if the accident is severe enough  not at-fault individuals have the right to sue the at-fault individuals, Kelly says.

I have a hard time thinking how thats going to work in Alberta, Kelly said.

The study recommends a benefits schedule. Picture a document that says, if you break your leg, you get X amount of dollars, says Kelly. Ontario runs into problems when, for example, a person with only one leg breaks their leg in a car accident, she says, and the payout for breaking a leg on pain and suffering grounds isnt going to be adequate for someone with one leg as opposed to someone with two.

Complaints are sometimes lodged against insurance companies in this situation because people feel they arent getting enough, Kelly explained. The schedule of benefits would likely be put together after widespread consultation with stakeholders in the province, she said.

Another concern is that if there is a list of benefits for people, it could result in a gaming mentality where those who are injured could try to show that theyre more disabled than they actually are after an accident. Kelly says this is what happens in Ontario.

You would have pain and suffering compensation coupled with physical injuries on this meat chart  this is what Kelly calls it, since it puts dollar amounts on various bodily injuries  and If I can show Im just a little bit worse off, I get that next level of funding.

In Ontario, its completely bogus, said Kelly, pointing to the Marshall report as proof.

Ontarios insurance coverage is delivered by private companies, just like in Alberta. In British Columbia and Saskatchewan, insurance is delivered by public bodies  Saskatchewan Government Insurance and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

The study says that if the recommendations within it are adopted for Alberta, theres an expected scenario: Insurance premiums will most likely go up by three to four per cent every year, while claims costs go down for insurance companies at the same rate. In the longer term, says the study, premiums will increase at a more moderate rate.

However, the other optimistic scenario outlined in the report says that claims costs could decline from the 2019 or 2018 levels and premiums go sideways or slightly higher (though below the Consumer Price Index). This is the most likely outcome if all of its recommendations are adopted, particularly striking legal recourse for pain and suffering, the study says.

The study uses data points up to 2016 and 2017 to show bodily injury claims costs have been skyrocketing in recent years, making the insurance system in Alberta unsustainable. But not all experts agree thats currently the case.

Craig Allen, an actuary working with the legal community in Alberta and who has run his own numbers, disputes the study.

The cost of bodily injury claims per vehicle stopped increasing about three years ago, the middle of 2016, he said. They had been increasing for about five years before that between 2011 and 2016.

Celyeste Power, Western vice-president for the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), an industry organization that represents Canadas private home, car and business insurers, says the study confirmed, along with the other activities that weve seen, that bodily injury claims are the largest contributor to the increases that weve seen over the past few years.

Power said the IBC is interested in finding balance in the system where claims costs are managed along with premium.

Its unclear if recommendations within the report would achieve that, though.

The notion that such a system is on the horizon, not run by a public body, has Alberta personal injury lawyers and doctors alarmed. Some contend the insurance companies have been lobbying the provincial government for this kind of change because it means more profits for them. Power said theyre absolutely passionate about changing the system since the consumer is not happy with prices.

When our consumers arent happy, were not happy, she said.

Ward Hanson, a personal injury lawyer with Assiff Law in Edmonton, said he thinks of lawyers as advocates for people who may need to sue for damages and the prospect of future costs.

RELATED STORIES Autos A look at Ontarios auto insurance system

In the ideal world, theres a component of their settlement that takes into account the return for treatment ten years down the road, he said.

A concern Hanson hears often from people is that post-concussion syndrome could affect their ability to work many years after an accident. With a schedule of benefits in place, a person could lose their ability to challenge in court and receive pain and suffering compensation should they be unable to work years later.

These people are concerned about their livelihood, said Hanson.

The study also recommends an independent assessor be responsible for figuring out the severity of an injury after an automobile accident. The assessor would be independent from lawyers and insurers and they wouldnt be allowed to refer clients to the assessor.

Dr. Salim Esmail, an orthopedic surgeon based in Edmonton, says the system where an independent assessor is in place could be abused as well.

What happens in the medical profession is, clients get referred to an agency where you think youll get the opinion that you want, said Esmail. What happens is that specialists who do a lot of work with the insurance companies tend to get more referrals from the insurance companies for that reason.

In the 1990s, a system using independent assessors was proposed in Ontario as well, said Kelly, but it ultimately failed under the weight of tribunals and challenges to the findings.

There are always problems in trying to quantify injuries that are hard to measure, like chronic pain, like psychological injury, she said.

The problem when you create a model with a threshold, a model that is fundamentally set up so that if you can show that youre just a little bit more injured, you get access to a much richer benefit plan  some people have the incentive to try and reach that next level.

The Star submitted a list of questions about the study to the finance ministry, but spokesperson Jerrica Goodwin said, Its premature to discuss many of the points you raise, noting the government had appointed a panel to review Albertas current system.

No decisions have been made. We have appointed the committee to review the system and are committed to an automobile insurance system that is fair, affordable and accessible for Albertans, she said.

Clarification  March 18, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version to better reflect professor Mary Kellys characterization of the leaked Alberta auto-insurance study.

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LifeWay creates online Sunday school alternative for kids as churches respond to coronavirus

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The Southern Baptist Conventions publishing arm, Lifeway Christian Resources, is offering a free, in-home childrens Bible study program available to churches of all kinds that have postponed their services due to the coronavirus outbreak.

As many churches across the United States have suspended live events and moved worship services online to help containing the outbreak of COVID-19, LifeWay responded to the need for the continuation of children's ministry by creating a temporary free resource called LifeWay Kids at Home.

The Digital Pass experience offers parents and their children a Sunday school-like alternative that will provide weekly media-driven kids Bible study at home.

LifeWay Kids at Home includes a conversation guide, a series of videos that focus on the Bible story, life application and missions.

The provided content is taken from current-cycle material in LifeWays Bible Studies for Life: Kids broadly graded curriculum for 1-6th graders, the announcement from LifeWay reads. Churches using this curriculum will be able to remain on their teaching schedule. However, the LifeWay Kids at Home Digital Pass experience is available to any church, of any denomination, anywhere in the world.

Each Thursday night, new sessions will be updated with fresh content.

Churches will be able to access LifeWay Kids at Home anytime over the next 12 weeks through the end of the Spring quarter, according to the announcement.

LifeWay Kids Director of Operations Chuck Peters told Baptist Press that the new program is a response to many pastors who asked LifeWay in recent weeks how other churches are responding in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Although LifeWay Kids was initially available to churches that are already a part of LifeWays three brands of student curriculums, LifeWay is opening LifeWay Kids at Home to anyone who desires to use it.

Peters said the outbreak has presented an opportunity to serve the Church with no strings attached."

"We quickly became aware there is a broader need of churches we don't currently serve," Peters was quoted as saying. "This short-term temporary study is an opportunity for us to serve the church by serving families."

In order to access the new at-home kids program, families will need to go to LifeWays website and register through redemption code VZMD4SSQ38.

"This is our heartbeat  to serve the church and equip parents to minister to their kids," Peters told Baptist Press. "The coronavirus presents many challenges, but every obstacle is an opportunity. We have the privilege of aiding parents and caregivers  people who may have never done so  to conduct a Bible study in their home. We get to help facilitate that at no cost, no-obligation and no strings attached for these churches and families. It's why we're here: We're a ministry first."
Madhya Pradesh Congress party moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it the access to communicate with its rebel MLAs.

Earlier in the day, the apex court asked the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the state Assembly.

The state Congress party, in its plea, urged the apex court to declare as illegal the action of the Centre, the Karnataka government and the BJP's state unit of illegally confining its MLAs in Bangaluru.

It also sought a direction for allowing its rebel MLAs to participate in ongoing budget session.

The trust vote should be held only in the presence of all the duly elected MLAs of the state Assembly, said the plea filed by MLA Govind Singh, the chief whip of Congress legislature party in the assembly.

It said the communications of Governor Lalji Tandon asking the government to hold trust vote be declared as "illegal and unconstitutional".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The picture shows two horses: one named Egypt, the other Ethiopia. Both horses drink from the same pot with the one named Ethiopia holding with its teeth the pot for Egypt to drink with ease. The caption reads: This is how fair Egypt wants the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) agreement! It was a picture circulated on Facebook by some Ethiopian activists and it reveals much about how the current standoff is regrettably perceived in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian people are being misguided into erroneous conclusions that Egypt does not care about their lives or development, and that it wants to continue to have exclusive rights to the Nile River.

Such rhetoric has exacerbated the already strained situation between Egypt and Ethiopia. Sitting with Al-Jazeera, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andergachew said Egyptians want us to continue to live in a tragic situation. He was referring to millions of Ethiopians who do not have access to electricity, saying that Egypt wants to maintain this status quo. Clearly, it is never Egypts intent to prevent Ethiopians from utilising the Nile River based on a win-win agreement, where Ethiopia could produce electricity and Egypt could be assured that the filling of the dams reservoir would not affect its most basic needs in water. A portrayal of the current standoff as the outcome of Egypts egoism, obstructing the development of upstream Ethiopia so that the benefits could be solely Egypts, does not allow Ethiopians to get the facts straight on the issue.

It also does not hold true that Egypt wants no infringement on its share or ownership of the Nile, as the top Ethiopian diplomat claimed. First and foremost, Egypt clearly does not own the Nile. Egypt believes in the river as a shared resource that does not favour Egyptians exclusively. Rather, its benefits should be shared fairly among all riparian and downstream nations based on the standardised definition of fairness for a nation that does not have any alternative to fresh water but from the Nile. All African brothers, particularly the Nile Basin peoples, are aware of the root of the problem that Egypt is an arid land that depends almost entirely on water supplies that originate outside its borders. The country, therefore, clings to its water rights to the Nile the same way it does to life: simply there is no other water resource to suffice the needs of its population.

Moreover, during the course of negotiations over the GERD that spanned seven years, Egypt has shown the utmost give-and-take tendency; that it is ready to sacrifice some of its historically recognised rights until the GERDs reservoir is filled based on a precise timetable that would allow Ethiopia to generate power and ensure the uninterrupted flow of the Nile to downstream Egypt.

Indeed, as the devil lies in the details, little technicalities over the GERD agreement are pushing apart the second and third most populous African nations, Ethiopia and Egypt respectively, which together in the past joined hands to establish the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) so that African voices could be attentively heard in the world. In practice, Egypt did not internationalise the question of the GERD, as the Ethiopian foreign minister put it. The provisions of the Declaration of Principles which Ethiopia accepted and co-signed with Egypt alongside Sudan in 2015 make way for international mediation, with the consent of all signatories, in case of their inability to strike a balanced deal.

Now, playing the blame game takes us nowhere. Mobilisation here and there will get us nowhere, either. Field visits by the Ethiopian military top brass to the GERD location and such irrational talk about retaliation in case of any attack on the GERD and the like endanger present and future relations between the two ancient nations that boast a combined heritage of 12,000 years of civilisation.

Deescalating tension requires action by all parties concerned to better accommodate the needs of their peoples. On more than one occasion, Egypt has made it clear it will never stand against Ethiopias right to utilise the Nile for generating power. But again, this should not be done at the expense of undermining Egypts historical rights to the waters of the Nile River.

Still, Andergachew may have wanted to deliver a hidden message during his interview with Al-Jazeera. He said because Egypt knows that the GERD will not cause any harm to the nation, it should have funded it. The minister alluded to a very earlier proposal by late Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi nine years ago. Following the launch of the dam, Zenawi said Egypt and Sudan should contribute together almost half of the funding. In effect, Ethiopia sees Egypt as a potential buyer of cheap electricity that would be produced by the mega project with a power linkage with Sudan. If this option is on the table, funding could be facilitated through the World Bank, a party of the stalled talks between Egypt and Ethiopia, in return for Ethiopian action on the ground to downsize the GERD and proportionally minimise the storage capacity of the reservoir. As such, a permanent compromise could be reached as soon as possible.

In that case, Ethiopia would generate electricity to meet the demands of its own people and suffice the growing needs for industrialisation within its Growth and Transformation Plan aimed at empowering Ethiopians to reach middle-income status within the next decade. This would also help Ethiopia cut off the financial haemorrhage owing to the delay in getting the GERD accomplished on time over local corruption cases which the incumbent Ethiopian prime minister revealed two years ago concerning the mechanical works of the project. Based on initial studies, the GERD should have produced power by 2015. Now, with additional costs and the current regional crisis with Egypt, attaining that goal does not seem viable this year either. Egypt, on the other hand, would not sustain significant harm because any minimal effect would be mitigated and only then the GERD could be a symbol of regional integration as Ethiopian officials want it to be.

It is high time to remember who we are, before we slide into a senseless conflict over water resources, where no party would hold all the aces.

No matter what, the Nile, the inextricable bond, would continue to bind the peoples of Ethiopia and Egypt for life.

The writer is a former press and information officer in Ethiopia and an expert on African affairs.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Sunny Leone has shared a family picture in which the actor, husband Daniel Weber and their three kids - Nisha, Noah and Asher are seen wearing masks as they gear up to venture outdoors amid the coronavirus outbreak. Sunny expressed disappointment over how their kids have to adopt such a lifestyle.

Sharing the family picture on Instagram, she wrote, A new era! So sad that my kids have to now live like this but its necessary. Training toddlers to wear a mask Day 1... @dirrty99 and Nathalina team family effort! While Sunny and Daniel are seen wearing black masks, their three kids are in colourful masks.

Sunnys daughter Nisha is four years old and her twin boys Noah and Asher turned two this month. While Nisha was adopted by the couple from Latur in Maharashtra, they welcomed their sons via surrogacy.

Sunny has been regularly sharing pictures and candid videos of herself as she spends time at home amid the coronavirus lockdown. She shared a video on Sunday which had her making funny faces for the camera while enjoying a drink with music playing in the background. She wrote in caption, The song is so fitting! Bored out of my mind with staying home!! Blah Art and wine!

The actor had, however, hosted a Holi bash last week and pictures and videos from their celebrations were shared online. There are many pictures of the actor and her family playing with colours and water in the company of their friends and team members.

Also read: Katrina Kaif shares complete workout videos to survive coronavirus lockdown, Arjun Kapoor counts on movies

Meanwhile, many other Bollywood celebrities are also sharing updates about how they are spending time at home. While Katrina has shared a series of videos from her workout at home, Arjun is banking on movies to keep himself occupied during his self-quarantine period.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
With the Democratic primary at an inflection point as Mr. Sanders considers his next steps, Mr. Bidens campaign has tried to strike a balance between acting presidential, as if he will be the nominee, and not alienating Mr. Sanders and his loyalists. Last Wednesday, hours after Mr. Biden had collected four more victories, his aides seemed reluctant to call on Mr. Sanders to drop out even as they sent out a memo describing Mr. Bidens lead as nearly insurmountable.

Should our broad base of support remain  and we have seen no signs that would indicate otherwise  it will be nearly impossible for Sanders to recoup his current delegate disadvantage, the Biden campaign memo said.

After Mr. Sanders refrained from attacking Mr. Biden at a news conference that afternoon, and instead presented a list of policy priorities, some of Mr. Bidens backers hoped the debate would be the next step toward unifying the party around his candidacy. Mr. Bidens team believed it had extended an olive branch to Sanders loyalists in the hours before the debate, embracing a version of a plan Mr. Sanders has championed that calls for tuition-free public college for many students.

So some Biden backers said they were caught off guard when Mr. Sanders spent much of Sundays debate criticizing Mr. Bidens long record, which revived their broader frustrations with some of Mr. Sanderss surrogates who have slashed Mr. Biden in more starkly personal terms.

I didnt expect some of the sharp elbows we saw from the senator, said state Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, Democrat of Pennsylvania and a Biden supporter, even as he praised Mr. Sanderss pledge to support the eventual nominee.

There were more overt indications of displeasure from the Biden camp directly after the debate. Anita Dunn, Mr. Bidens chief strategist, compared Mr. Sanders to a political demonstrator, telling reporters that the former vice president had spent the debate graciously dealing with the kind of protester who often shows up at campaign events, on live television.

Some Sanders advisers are still hoping to eke out victories on Tuesday in Illinois and Arizona but are also cognizant that the outlook looks increasingly challenging. A poll released on Monday showed Mr. Sanders trailing Mr. Biden in Arizona by 20 percentage points. Florida also votes on Tuesday, and aides acknowledge that the state at this point is effectively out of reach. And in a blow that was long in coming, Washington States final results were announced on Monday, with Mr. Biden emerging as the victor after nearly a week of counting ballots.
By Akbar Mammadov

Head of the Azerbaijani Community of occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region Tural Ganjaliyev has expressed Azerbaijani people's readiness to co-exist with Armenians and said that Armenia has so far refused to negotiate with the Azerbaijani community of the region.

Ganjaliyev made the remarks in an interview with French newspaper La Baule Plus in its monthly print issue in March.

We have an Armenian church in central Baku, while in Nagorno-Karabakh our mosques have been destroyed by Armenian forces. It is very unfortunate, but we intend to rebuild our mosques and temples as soon as we return. There are nearly 40,000 Armenians living in Baku, which means it is possible to peacefully co-exist in Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region We are ready to negotiate, we are ready to discuss, but they must not refuse our existence, because we accept their existence, the paper quoted Ganjaliyev as saying.

"We hope to restore peaceful coexistence with the Armenian community in the future, but first the Armenian forces must leave our territory," Ganjaliyev who is also an MP from Khankendi constituency said.

The newspaper highlighted Ganjaliyevs statement that Karabakhs Azerbaijani community wants peaceful co-existence with the Armenian community.

"The Minsk group (United States, Russia and France) must redouble their efforts to achieve positive results [in the conflict resolution]. We want to return to our territories, rebuild our homes and live in peace with the Armenian community. However, Armenians refuse to negotiate with us. Armenia has been illegally occupying the territory and ignoring all the relevant decisions of the UN", the newspaper article reads.

The article also mentioned that Azerbaijan is a secular state, the religious question does not arise and the two communities, Muslim and Christian, have long lived in peace. I added that around one million Muslim Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homes after the Armenian occupation and the signing of the 1994 ceasefire.

Azerbaijani refugees can no longer go to their homes, but legally there is still a deputy from that constituency, who lives in Baku since he can no longer return to his occupied territory. This deputy is elected by refugees who can no longer return to their homes. In terms of international law, UN resolutions call on the Armenian army to leave the country and this new self-proclaimed republic is not recognized by the international community, the La Baule Plus emphasized in its monthly issue.

Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijans breakaway region which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Authorities arrest 10 people and shut down a facility in Nairobi for selling suspected fake testing kits.

Kenyan authorities have raided a shop allegedly selling fake coronavirus testing kits.

The Standard newspaper reported that police detained 10 people and locked the facility in the capital, Nairobi in Mondays raid.

The suspects advertised the testing kits online claiming they sold 600, according to officials.

They say that they are left with 400. We want to know who the 600 were sold to, Daniel Yumbwa, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council chief executive, told the newspaper.

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed there were at least 327 cases of coronavirus in Africa.

Kenya confirmed its first case of COVID-19, the medical term for the disease, on Friday. The East African country has confirmed a total of three cases as of Tuesday morning.

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On Monday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said his government was suspending travel from any country with reported COVID-19 cases.

Only Kenyan citizens, and any foreigners with valid residence permits, will be allowed to come in, provided they proceed on self-quarantine, he told the nation in a televised address.

Schools should close immediately and universities by the end of the week, he added. Citizens would be encouraged to make cashless transactions to cut the risk of handling contaminated money.

As of Tuesday morning, the disease has killed more than 6,600 people and infected almost 168,000 people worldwide, according to WHO.
Leon County, Florida poll worker Lena Simmonds wipes up a voter check-in counter while waiting on voters to arrive on March 17, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

The new coronavirus kept some voters and poll workers at home and hampered efforts to open some polling sites on Tuesday as three states held Democratic presidential primary contests amid a global pandemic.

Leaders in Ohio called off their primary just hours before polls were set to open as the federal government urged Americans not to gather in groups of 10 or more and asked older people to stay home. The state's Democratic Party said it was weighing options for challenging that move, which the Republican governor had pushed.

In Florida, at least five polling stations in Palm Beach County couldnt open because workers didnt report for duty, the county elections department said. The county had 800 volunteers back out as of Monday, with 100 new volunteers offering to take their place.

And a coalition of voting-rights advocacy groups filed a lawsuit seeking to extend mail voting in the state's primary by 10 days out of concerns that the coronavirus has kept voters from the polls on election day. But a federal judge rejected the groups' request for an order allowing Florida voters to request a mail-in ballot through March 24 and postpone the count until March 27.

At this hour, with voting in progress, a temporary restraining order would be adverse to the public interest, Judge Robert Hinkle of U.S. District Court in Tallahassee wrote in a ruling on Tuesday. He added: "The national healthcare emergency is not a basis to cancel an election."

At the same time, Hinkle raised the possibility of allowing more voting after the polls close Tuesday, saying a future order would set "procedures going forward."

In Illinois, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to encourage poll workers to mark space on the floor at polling sites to keep voters a safe distance apart and avoid spreading the virus. The tweet included a photo of a roll of blue tape, a piece of string and a tape measure along with a note that concludes: THIS PICTURE CAN SAVE LIVES.

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Ami Gandhi, senior counsel at the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, said the group was fielding an unprecedented volume of calls from voters confused about where to vote or unsure whether they should leave their homes to cast ballots. The limits on social contact was a source of widespread trouble for residents of nursing homes as election officials grappled with how strictly to adhere to the rules about voting.

"The normal procedures around this are simply not sufficient, and our most vulnerable community members are getting disenfranchised," Gandhi said.

In some cases, polling stations were moved out of nursing homes where the residents normally vote. But that risk-reducing step was taken too late for residents to apply for mail-in ballots, and public-health protocols made it tough for them to get assistance, she said. Voting machine malfunctions and misrouted polling supplies also caused problems in Illinois.

If it wasnt so tragic, it would be comical, the numbers of errors were seeing today," Gandhi said.

A Chicago election spokesman said there was a scramble to relocate about 50 polling places that said at the last minute that they would not be available for use on primary day. The delivery of election equipment had to be shifted to new sites Tuesday, delaying their opening. It was unclear how many of the new sites were up and running. No reason was given for the cancellations.

Board of Election Commissioners spokesman Jim Allen said turnout was slow early in the morning, likely due to people working from home because of the coronavirus.

Allen says he would call conducting an election during a global pandemic when people are afraid to go to a polling place a curse.

Not since New York City postponed its mayoral primary on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has an election been pushed off in such a high-profile, far-reaching way. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine initially asked a court to delay the vote, and when a judge refused to do so, the state's health director declared a health emergency to prevent the polls from opening.

The election-eve maneuvers left many Ohio voters bewildered or angry after they woke up not knowing whether they should go to polling stations to cast ballots, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

What played out in Ohio over the last 18 hours is deeply disturbing," she said, suggesting state leaders should have finalized election adjustments sooner. "Sheer chaos has resulted from the states 11th-hour decision to postpone the election, and its unlike anything we have seen before.

Some Ohio voters showed up at closed polling places. Certified public accountant Brian Anaya walked up to his polling place early Tuesday morning only to learn the election had been called off.

Anaya told the Columbus Dispatch he heard about a judge's ruling that the election would go forward but not that the state health director had closed the polls on the grounds of a health emergency.

At a news briefing in Columbus on Tuesday, DeWine said this was "no ordinary time in the United States, and so we have to preserve all the constitutional rights.

"It would have been wrong to compel people to make a decision today, whether they were going to risk their health, compromise health, risk their health to exercise their constitutional right," he said. "That is wrong."

The election is playing out as the virus' impact is becoming more tangible with schools closing across the country, workers staying home, restaurants and bars shuttering and the stock market plunging.

The rapidly shifting developments amounted to a kind of chaos rarely seen in an election season. And it may not end soon as some states that have presidential contests in the coming weeks have already moved to postpone them and others were being pressed to follow.

"These are unusual restrictions," Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said of recommended federal limits to try to control the spread of the virus. Her group is urging the delay of that state's 2020 presidential primary from April 28 to June 23, when congressional and legislative primaries are already scheduled.

Normally, we do not support postponing elections, but these are extraordinary circumstances," Lerner said.

In Arizona, the vast majority of the state's 1.2 million registered Democrats cast ballots early by mail, but about 300,000 can vote in person Tuesday.

At a polling place at a Lutheran church in Phoenix, a steady stream of voters arrived during an hour's span Tuesday morning. At times, several had to wait at the door before being allowed to enter after other voters left the building.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination but could face a setback if the older voters who tend to support him don't show up. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, can't afford to lose support from young voters who have been his most loyal supporters.

Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, released a memo arguing that the strong turnout of Democrats who voted by mail or cast ballots at early voting centers would ensure that results Tuesday will reflect the full electorates of the three states.

"We held elections during the Civil War, the 1918 flu pandemic, and World War II," she wrote. "We are confident that we can meet that same challenge today and continue to uphold the core functions and values of our democracy."

On Twitter, Biden encouraged Democrats to vote Tuesday by curbside if they could. "If you vote in person, please wash your hands, dont touch your face, and stay 6 feet from others in line," he said. For his part, Sanders tweeted that "going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision and we respect whichever choice voters make."

Sanders' team had expected Biden to do well on Tuesday. But the Vermont senator has also cast some doubt about the entire process, saying no one should risk being infected while voting and noting that its important to make sure that everybody who wants to vote has the right to vote, and that may not be the case now.

Still, Sanders faces an increasingly tough path to the nomination. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally, meaning he'd need to win more than 57% of those yet to be allocated to clinch the Democratic nomination.

The coming weeks will present additional uncertainties. After Tuesday, the campaign had been set to shift to Georgia next week, but officials there have already postponed their Democratic primary until May 19. That means voting isn't scheduled again anywhere until March 29 in Puerto Rico  and island officials are also seeking a delay.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday postponed the state's April 28 primary to June 2.

The first week in April, meanwhile, would have featured Louisiana, but its decision to delay its primary until June 20 leaves only primaries in far-flung Alaska and Hawaii and caucuses in Wyoming through April 4. That could leave the campaign in further limbo, perhaps prolonging a primary race that might otherwise have been wrapped up.

Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, urged states to stop postponing primaries when timing around the virus remains unpredictable. Instead, he urged them to make voting easier and safer, suggesting they expand access to vote by mail and early voting.

"The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy," he said, "and we must do everything we can to protect and expand that right instead of bringing our democratic process to a halt.

Times staff writers Michael Finnegan and Melissa Gomez contributed to this report.
As many as 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) in last five years, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise.

A total of 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 after their arrival in India, he said replying to a written question.

The minister said the government has extended various facilities to such people living in India on LTV.

These include grant of LTV for a period of five years at a time, allowing their children to take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical/professional institutions without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration, permitting them to engage in employment in private sector, purchase of dwelling unit and accommodation for carrying out self employment, opening of bank accounts, issuance of driving license, PAN card and Aadhaar number, he said.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ordered cable operators to relocate Geo TVs broadcast on March 13 in apparent retaliation for the networks coverage of the arrest of its editor in chief. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) urges the authority to lift its order.

Just a day after the arrest of the editor-in-chief of the Jang and Geo Group, Mir Shakilur Rahman, PEMRA issued a show-cause notice on March 13 to Geo News for airing unipolarity of views in its news bulletin and programmes and for discussing under investigation/trial matters barred under PEMRA laws.A separate PEMRA order also requested cable operators to block the Geo TV broadcast or move the channel to last on the list of channels. PEMRA accuse Geo TVs bulletins of biased in the reporting of the arrest of Mir Shakilur Rahman by Pakistans National Accountability Bureau (NAB). A show-cause notice ordered Geo to appear for a hearing on March 20.

Geo News, director news Rana Jawad confirmed the link between the arrest and attempted shutdown of Geo TVs broadast. This is a manifestation of the conspiracy to shut down, silence and end media, he said. Geo has said that the channel was blocked without any notice or explanation from Pemra, government, or military.

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) condemned the relocation of Geo News and that the action had been taken by Pemra without assigning a reason or giving it a hearing. PBA demanded Pemra restore the channel immediately and specify any complaint against the channel or if it had violated the code of conduct.

The PFUJ said it talked to PEMRA and the prime ministers adviser from the Federal Information Ministry, Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan, who denied issuing any directive was given to block the broadcaster. Cable operators have allegedly been threatened with legal action if the order is not complied with yet some local cable operators had still refused to comply to the PEMRA order. As a result, the Geos broadcast has only been partially blocked or relocated in some parts of Pakistan.

While it said PEMRA was within its rights to pursue action, PFUJ said: We understand that this may affect the rights of the media workers associated with the said news channels. We stand by them and will do everything to restore the affected channels as soon as possible.

The IFJ said: The blocking of Geo TV is a clear and blatant abuse of power and censorship of a key media outlet for covering an issue in the public interest. IFJ calls for a prompt investigation into the legality of such an order and PEMRA is strongly urged to revoke the restrictions on Geo TV with immediate effect.
Three days before the scheduled execution of four death row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case, the hangman arrived at the capitals Tihar jail, prison officials said Tuesday.

Jail officials said Sindhi Ram, also known as Pawan Jallad will carry out a dummy execution on Wednesday.

The four convicts - Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) - have been ordered to be hanged together on March 20. The execution will be Pawans first.

On Sunday, Tihar Jail authorities said they had asked the hangman to report three days ahead of the execution.

Also read: Meet the man chosen by Tihar for execution of Delhi gangrape convicts

Pawan Jallad, a father of five daughters and two sons, lives near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. His father, Mammu Singh and grandfather, Kallu Jallad, were also executioners. His great-grandfather was also a hangman during the British rule.

The four convicts are to be hanged together at 5.30 am on March 20, according to an order by a Delhi court earlier this month.

The execution of their death warrants has been deferred thrice so far due to the time it took for them to exhaust their legal remedies.

On Tuesday, one of the convicts  Mukesh Singh - filed a petition in a Delhi court claiming he was not in the national capital on the day of the crime. The petition was moved by the convicts his lawyer ML Sharma who sought a stay on the execution.

The other three convicts approached the International Court of Justice on Monday seeking a stay on the execution of their death sentence.

Also read: 2012 gangrape convict now says he was not in Delhi on day of crime, seeks stay on execution

The four men were sentenced to death for raping a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died a fortnight later at a Singapore hospital. Six, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, one of the accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar jail, shortly after the trial began in the case in 2013. The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
SAN DIEGO  Former California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter was sentenced Tuesday to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds and spending the money on everything from outings with friends to his daughters birthday party.

The ex-Marines attorneys had asked for most or part of his sentence be spent in home confinement, citing his military service fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his nearly six terms in Congress. Hunter, 43, resigned from Congress in January after representing one of Southern Californias last solidly Republican districts.

But U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan said given the amount of money Hunter misspent and the number of years he carried out the pilfering, home confinement was not an option.

Prosecutors ahead of Tuesdays sentencing submitted 87 pages to the judge that showed a corrupt congressman who intentionally and repeatedly stole from his campaign funds for a decade.

Todays sentence reinforces the notion that the truth still matters, that facts still matter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Halpern said after the hearing.

Hunters attorney, Devin Burstein, said the fact that Hunter was sentenced to less than a year instead of the 14 months prosecutors sought was because of his years of service and dedication to our country.

Congressman Hunter is ready to put this behind him and to continue helping veterans in every way possible, Burstein wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Hunter and his wife Margaret, who was his campaign manager, were accused in a 60-count indictment of stealing more than $250,000 in campaign funds and trying to hide it on financial disclosure records, listing some personal expenses as contributions to wounded warriors.

The money bankrolled private school tuition for his children, his wifes shopping sprees, weekend trips with his mistress and parties in Washington, according to the indictment.

Each pleaded guilty to a single count in separate plea agreements last year, and each had faced up to five years in prison.

Hunter, who in his plea deal admitted to conspiring with his wife to misspending $150,000, asked the judge Tuesday to spare the mother of his three children jail time. She was not present Tuesday. He said he takes full responsibility. He showed little emotion as his father, former Rep. Duncan L. Hunter, sat behind him.

The hearing was held despite many state and federal courts across California and the country all but shutting down or holding hearings by teleconference to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The judge said the full courtroom did not exceed 50 people, complying with federal recommendations.

Whelan noted Hunter wanted the hearing to proceed. Hours after the sentencing, the courts chief judge announced criminal proceedings, including sentencing hearings, would be suspended until April 16.

Prosecutors had asked for a 14-month prison sentence to punish a lawmaker who lied to his constituents and left the 50th congressional district without a representative. A Democrat and Republican are headed to a November runoff for his seat.

A broke and debt-saddled Hunter cavalierly spent campaign money on small things, such as a tin of chewing tobacco, and a copy of the book, Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid, according to prosecutors.

And after he was caught, he ran for reelection and tried to convince voters in the district east of San Diego that as a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, he was the victim of a political witch hunt by left-leaning prosecutors trying to drive him out of office in Democratic California.

Defense attorneys said he deserved home confinement because of his military and public service. His parents wrote a letter pointing out his bravery in signing up for the Marine Corps the day after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Hunters conviction ended his familys political dynasty in the 50th congressional district. He took over the seat from his father, who represented the area of suburbs and farm towns for 28 years before retiring.

Hunter was ordered to report May 29 to a prison in an undisclosed location in the western United States. The judge also ordered Hunter to participate in a drug and alcohol program. He will be under supervised release for three years.

He is the second congressman to be sentenced to federal prison this year. Former New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins, was sentenced in January to 26 months in prison after pleading guilty to insider trading charges. Both were re-elected while indicted.
For the past week, social media feeds have been filled with photos and videos of cleared grocery store shelves, hordes fighting for toilet paper, and empty freezers as Canadians stock up for potential self-isolation from COVID-19.

But despite the apocalyptic images, Canadas largest grocery store chains say theres no need to panic.

In a letter from Loblaw Companies Ltd. CEO Galen Weston to loyalty program members, shoppers were told stores and pharmacies will remain open. The company, which owns No Frills and Shoppers Drug Mart among others, said Loblaws has assigned an entire team to the challenge of rapidly re-stocking key food, health, cleaning and comfort items.

While items may be sold out at times, Weston said the company is ready for a range of outcomes.

The company is also reducing the prices of delivery items, eliminating pick-up fees for click-and-collect orders and introducing safeguards so that staff wont lose pay for coronavirus-related absences.

Meanwhile Empire Company Ltd., which owns Sobeys, Safeway and other grocery store chains, is not placing limits on products, spokeswoman Jacquelin Weatherbee told Canadian Press in an email.

Weatherbee noted that the company has seen a lift in sales in certain categories, beginning on Feb. 28 and accelerating as of March 8. Customers are buying more non-perishable food items, paper products and cleaning supplies.

And on a conference call March 12, Empires CEO Michael Medline said the company has seen a bump in sales amid the pandemic beyond the predictable categories such as toilet paper and canned goods.

In an email Monday, a Costco spokesperson said the company will continue to focus on keeping merchandise available for its customers.

Metro Inc. did not respond to a request for comment.

On Saturday, a statement from Health Minister Christine Elliott and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman urged Canadians to shop as usual.

Rest assured, we have plenty of food that will continue to reach grocery stores on a regular basis, the statement read.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has also advised Canadians to avoid panic-buying, and to stock up on non-perishable items such as dried pasta and canned foods.

With files from Wendy Gillis and the Canadian Press
Tripoli, Libya (PANA)  The chairman of the presidential council of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, on Tuesday discussed with the mayors and members of municipal councils of the Libyan western region on the general mobilization plan to face the risks and consequences of the coronavirus epidemic
Effective immediately, @NewYorkStateAG & I are suspending state debt collection, Cuomo wrote on Twitter. NYers with student debt, medical debt & other state-referred debt will have payments frozen for at least 30 days.

Were doing all we can to support those suffering financially due to #COVID19.

According to the New York state government website, the suspension aims to help workers and families who have been impacted by coronavirus, including people who are losing wages due to event cancellations, businesses shutting down and restaurants closing dining rooms.

More than 165,000 debts, including medical and student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the Office of the Attorney General for collection, will be frozen from March 16 through April 15. After a 30-day period, the OAG will reassess the needs of state residents for a possible extension.

Cuomo and James said the Office of the Attorney General will also accept applications for suspension of all other types of debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the OAG for collection.

In this time of crisis, my office will not add undue stress or saddle New Yorkers with unnecessary financial burden, AG James added in a statement. New Yorkers need to focus on keeping themselves safe and healthy from the coronavirus, and therefore can rest assured that state medical and student debt referred to my office will not be collected against them for at least 30 days. This is the time when New Yorkers need to rally around each other and pick each other up, which is why I am committed to doing everything in my power to support our states residents.

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Chandigarh, March 17 (IANS) A 29-year-old woman in Haryana's Gurugram who has travel history to Malaysia and Indonesia tested positive for coronavirus, a top health official said on Tuesday.

The woman works for a Gurugram-based company.

"This is the first positive case of the coronavirus in Haryana," state Director General of Health Suraj Bhan Kamboj told the media.

The woman has been admitted to a hospital in Gurugram and her condition is stable, he said.

Her throat swabs sent to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology confirmed her positive for coronavirus.

--IANS

vg/vd
The first of China's new medium-sized carrier rocket Long March-7A suffered a failure, official media reported on Tuesday.

The rocket blasted off at 9:34 p.m. Beijing Time on Monday from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the coast of China's Hainan province, but a malfunction occurred later, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Chinese space engineers will investigate the cause of the failure, it said.

With plans to reach Mars and set up its own space station, China is developing new generation medium launch vehicles including the Long March-6A, Long March-7A and Long March-8.

A test version of the Long March-5B, which has the largest carrying capacity to low-Earth orbit, has been produced and will be used to launch the modules of China's space station, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

China's heavy-lift carrier rocket, the Long March-9, is expected to make its maiden flight around 2030 and will support manned lunar exploration, deep space exploration and construction of a space-based solar power plant.

China joined the space club on April 24, 1970, when the Long March-1 carrier rocket launched the country's first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, into orbit. At that time, the carrying capacity of the Long March rocket was only 300 kg.

On November 3, 2016, China's current largest carrier rocket, the Long March-5, made its maiden flight, with its carrying capacity reaching 25 tonnes for low-Earth orbit and 14 tonnes for geosynchronous orbit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two weeks after the United States signed a landmark agreement with Afghanistans hard-line Taliban movement, the peace process stipulated by the agreement is already under severe strain because of disagreements over multiple issues mentioned in the agreement and outside its scope.

The Taliban and the Islamic Republic, the Afghan government and factions supporting the current political system, have already missed the March 10 deadline for beginning direct talks aimed at concluding a lasting cease-fire and working out a power-sharing agreement in a future political system during the next four months.

The immediate sticking issue is the release of some 6,000 predominantly Taliban prisoners.

The agreement commits the United States to work with all relevant sides on a plan to expeditiously release combat and political prisoners as a confidence-building measure with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides. But the Afghan government, which actually holds the prisoners, is not party to the agreement and has pushed for the issue to be included in the intra-Afghan negotiations.

The Taliban, however, have already rejected a March 10 decree by President Ashraf Ghani that stipulated a phased conditional release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

The Taliban refusal has apparently prompted the Afghan government to walk back on releasing 1,500 detainees to begin the process. "We have received the lists of the [Taliban] prisoners to be released. We are checking and verifying the lists; this will take time," Afghan National Security Council spokesman Jawed Faisal said on March 14. More crucially, he added that Afghan authorities want guarantees that they will not return to fighting.

The controversy over the prisoner release comes amid a larger political crisis over last Septembers presidential election. A week after Ghani was sworn in for a second term, his rival, Abdullah Abdullah, still insists that he, too, is the president. The two men continue to work from adjacent palaces amid a tense standoff. Their rivalry has so far failed to seep deep into the Afghan government organizations, which are broadly controlled by Ghani.

But nearly a week after U.S. Peace Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said he is trying to help the two to come to an agreement on an inclusive and broadly accepted government, there are no visible signs of a patch up despite Khalilzads saying that both leaders made clear that they are open to negotiations to end the political crisis and that peace and reconciliation is the priority.

In what amounted to a direct challenge to Ghanis authority, opposition politicians allied with Abdullah talked of forming a reconciliation council to negotiate with the Taliban. This council will be inclusive and will include representatives of the Arg [presidential palace] and politicians, Mohammad Mohaqiq, the leader of the Hazara Hizbi Wahdat-e Islami party, told Radio Free Afghanistan on March 15.

But presidential adviser Waheed Omar disagreed. Everyone believes the government represents the people of Afghanistan. It should represent politicians and all levels of Afghans, he noted.

The uncertainty over the beginning of intra-Afghan peace talks amid a political crisis is further clouded by the coronavirus pandemic. Afghan authorities say the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus infection, is low. But the country has conducted only 250 tests, of which 21 were positive as of March 16.

On March 15, the Afghan refugee minister told lawmakers that COVID-19 has infected many and has killed at least 10 Afghan refugees in neighboring Iran. Afghans officials are worried that the return of tens of thousands of people from Iran, where the infection rates are some of the highest in the world, is likely to cause an epidemic in their country.

If we dont start acting, I am afraid there might come a day where we cant even collect the dead," warned Abdul Qayoum Rahimi, the governor of western Herat Province, which shares a long border with Iran. We are in a situation where the politicians and even some parts of the government dont feel how grave the danger is.

In Kabul, Ghani acknowledged the challenge. Our vulnerability comes from our openness. We have open borders with Iran, one of the major centers -- and the flow cannot be stopped, he said during a March 15 video conference with leaders from across South Asia.

But the Taliban appear eager to use the pandemic to their advantage. In a March 15 statement, the Taliban warned that the coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to the tens of thousands of inmates at Afghan prisons. God forbid if the coronavirus epidemic hits the prisons, it will prompt a major catastrophe, the statement said.

Barnett Rubin, an academic and former State Department adviser, has urged the warring sides in Afghanistan to unite in ending hostilities in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

All forces should observe a cease-fire in place and confine themselves to quarters, or even disband and return home, since concentrations of people pose risks of contagion, he wrote. The resumption of offensive actions after the end of the pre-February 29 reduction in violence poses a risk of renewed escalation that threatens both the peace process and public health.

But the Taliban seem to be pressing ahead with an aggressive military strategy. At least 11 Afghan security forces and some 20 Taliban fighters were killed during a clash in the western province of Ghor late on March 15, according to Mohammad Kabiri, the official in charge of Shahrak district in Ghor. Earlier in the day, a suspected Taliban infiltrator reportedly killed at least seven Afghan soldiers in the southern province of Kandahar.

It is not yet clear whether the Taliban will refrain from launching a new spring offensive, which typically follows the Afghan new year that corresponds with the spring equinox around March 21. Past Taliban announcements of spring offensives have typically been followed by a considerable increase in violence.
The Southern India Mills'



Association (SIMA) on Tuesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mandate banks to provide a one-year moratorium for repayment of principal and interest amount to enable the textile and clothing industry tide over the crisis due to coronavirus.

The country has never witnessed such a crisis situation before and therefore, the industry required a helping hand from the government through this measure, SIMA chairman Ashwin Chandran said in a representation.

If the Centre agrees to this, it would go a long way in helping the industry tide over the crisis and ensure its survival, the SIMA chairman.

COVID-19 is affecting every sphere of life, including manufacturing activities, businesses across the globe and India is also not spared from the panic situation, he said.

The textile industry predominantly employs migrant workers from different states and also a large population comes for work from far-off places using public transport, he said.

Under the current scenario, especially the constant preventive measures being taken and awareness created by the government to fight against the pandemic, majority of the workers were not reporting for work and the migrant workers were also returning to their native places, Ashwin said.

This situation is likely to intensify and result in mass stoppage of production in the industry, he said.

With the expected steep reduction in demand due to sudden stoppage of exports/imports and also domestic sales due to the closure of malls and retail showrooms, the industry is likely to face unprecedented and severe losses and needs immediate financial relief to mitigate the crisis, he said.

Therefore, the textile industry, being labour and capital-intensive, needs immediate help to tide over the worst ever crisis being faced by the industry, Ashwin said.

Knitwear exporters from nearby Tirupur had already appealed to the Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman seeking financial measures, including moratorium, to help MSMEs to overcome the crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Christopher Biggins and Dame Esther Rantzen spoke to Good Morning Britain via video messaging on Tuesday, to weigh in on the current global coronavirus pandemic.

Actor Christopher, 71, and broadcaster Esther, 79, are both in the age group of UK citizens urged to self-isolate at the moment.

Speaking from his kitchen, Christopher explained that he's going to use the time to redecorate - but has serious concerns for the financial impact this will have on young performers, as theatre shows are being cancelled across the UK.

On Tuesday's GMB: Christopher Biggins, 71, expressed worries for 'out of work young actors' during the coronavirus pandemic as Esther Rantzen, 79, urged people to pick up the phone during self-isolation

'I'm going to redecorate my house, I'm going to rearrange it,' he said. 'My worry is the older person who lives on their own, I'm worried for their mental health.

'I think it could be disastrous for a lot of people.

'I worry about all the theatres that are closed and the cinemas; there's going to be a lot of young actors out of work.'

Esther gave an update of her situation, having appeared on the show from self-isolation on Monday.

Speaking from his kitchen: Christopher explained that he's going to use the time to redecorate - but has serious concerns for the financial impact this will have on young performers, as theatre shows are being cancelled across the UK.

'May I recommend this wonderful piece of technology,' she said, holding up a landline phone. 'You can actually talk to each other that way!'

Esther is the founder of an organisation called The Silver Line, which is a 24/7 phone line in place for the elderly to use so that they can speak to someone and not feel lonely.

Esther revealed that it has been used a lot since the pandemic took hold of the world.

'The Silver Line has had huge demand for our service. I suggest we ring each other up, talk to each other. If you need help - ask for it,' she said.

Pick up the phone: 'May I recommend this wonderful piece of technology,' she said, holding up a landline phone. 'You can actually talk to each other that way!'

Checking in: Esther gave an update of her situation, having appeared on the show from self-isolation on Monday

Prior to her GMB appearance, a clip was shown of US comedian Mel Brooks and his son Max.

The pair uploaded a video urging people to stay at home, which went viral.

Esther said: 'Can I ask Piers [Morgan] for your help? You just featured one of my personal heroes [Mel]. Would you mind making him your American correspondent?'

Meanwhile, regular co-host Susanna Reid skyped in from home, after self-isolating due to coronavirus symptoms in her household.

The ITV presenter announced Monday evening that she will be self -isolating at her London home after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by COVID-19 carriers and would not return to GMB as she adopts the precautionary measure laid out by the World Health Organisation.

Working from home: Susanna Reid called in from home during Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, after self-isolating due to coronavirus symptoms in her household

She took part in Tuesday's show via video call to join her co-star Piers Morgan as he joked she was trying to avoid him.

Speaking to Susanna via video link at the opening of the show Piers quipped: 'I've heard some ways of avoiding working with me but this is ridiculous.'

'Finally after all these years I've put myself in self-isolation from you,' she replied.

Susanna reassured viewers she had no symptoms, explaining that one of her children had mild symptoms that appeared on Monday.

She told Piers: 'One of my children has a cough, a persistent cough. And that came on yesterday. Before the briefing yesterday afternoon, the advice had been the person themselves would be confined to the house for seven days.

Revelation: Addressing Twitter followers on Monday evening, Susanna, 49, admitted she was distancing herself from the ITV production team, her co-hosts and members of the public  despite showing no symptoms herself

Self-isolating: Susanna took part in Tuesday's show, appearing via video call to join her co-stars Piers Morgan and Charlotte Hawkins

'Well, suddenly with these new drastic action measures, that changed yesterday afternoon. It meant if one member of your household had the cough or fever you would all have to go in self isolation for 14 days. Immediately, I thought I can't go into work and work with you guys for 14 days.'

Susanna shares three teenage sons with her ex husband Dominic Cotton, and pointed out that one child's symptoms have meant both households are self-isolating.

'All the children are off. We're two households. It's a very unusual situation. I am very, very lucky. I'm paid even when I'm sick. I'm in a privileged position.'

Asked by Piers how she would cope with enforced time off, she revealed: 'I love my work, I love coming into work, I love the daily battles, I love the challenge, I love interviewing and broadcasting all this to our viewers. It gives you so much pleasure. Im going to really miss that for two weeks.'

No symptoms: Susanna reassured viewers she had no symptoms, explaining that one of her children had mild symptoms that appeared on Monday

No testing: Piers was keen to point out that a lack of testing available for coronavirus meant Susanna and her family probably won't find out if they have they have contracted the virus

On how her family was coping, she added: 'My boys are teenagers, nothing much scares them and certainly not this. They are more concerned with not seeing their friends.

'Its going to be a challenge to fill the day productively. What I found yesterday was, I spent the entire day scrolling through twitter, getting updates but Im going to have to spend my time a lot better than just going through twitter for two weeks.

'We all think we have a novel in us, whether I spend the next two weeks writing a book or whether I actually do a lot of cooking or baking or whether we set up a home school.'

She explained: 'I have a perfectly normal temperature, as do all of my children. I do not have a cough, I have no symptoms. Im not feeling fatigued, I feel 100% healthy.

Concerned: Piers and Charlotte spent the show updating viewers on the global health crisis

'In other circumstances, before the advice changed yesterday, I would have come into work. Then the advice changed, if there is a persistent cough, and or a fever, then the whole household has to self isolate. There is no test for me to establish whether this is actually the virus and I have huge doubts it is. I really just dont think it is. I think its a seasonal cough.'

Piers was keen to point out that a lack of testing available for coronavirus meant Susanna and her family probably won't find out if they have they have contracted the virus.

He said: 'You don't know your son has coronavirus. You might all be doing this 14 day self isolation. Quite a lot of people for your two households, for no reason. Nobody knows if they've got someone who's got it.'

A vision: Charlotte was her usual stunning self in a blue dress

Susanna agreed, saying: 'Yesterday we heard from the World Health Organisation, test, test, test. Here we are not getting tested unless you are hospitalised. The advice for me and my family is dont even call 111 unless you are really worried it may be a seasonal cough, there is no fever, no one else has symptoms.

'Thats one thing for me but what if I was a healthcare worker or a teacher, or a nurse, or a police officer or an ambulance driver?'

She added: 'Its very frustrating not to be able to test for it this could be a rolling 14 day quarantine. These symptoms could disappear after 24 hours. Then somebody else might pick up some of the symptoms.'

Good Morning Britain airs weekday mornings from 6AM-9AM.
Fears of a coronavirus-induced global recession once again lopped off early gains as benchmark indices on March 17 logged in heavy losses for the fourth consecutive session.

Equity barometer Sensex failed to hold intraday gains and closed with losses due to fag-end selling.

The 30-share pack closed with a loss of 811 points, or 2.58 percent, at 30,579.09 while Nifty ended 230 points, or 2.50 percent, down at 8,967.05.

BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices closed 1.84 percent and 2.27 percent down, respectively.

"Markets across the globe are witnessing high volatility and the recent stimulus measures have failed to assuage the fears of investors. On the domestic front, the market will continue to follow the global cues and therefore further downside cannot be ruled out in the near-term. In these uncertain times, we suggest market participants avoid risky bets and start investing in a phased manner," said Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking.

We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades:

Note: The OI and volume data of stocks given in this story are the aggregates of the three-months data and not of the current month only.

Key support and resistance level for Nifty

According to the pivot charts, the key support level for Nifty is placed at 8787.17, followed by 8607.28. If the index moves up, key resistance levels to watch out for are 9275.37 and 9583.68.

Nifty Bank

Nifty Bank closed with a massive loss of 4.10 percent at 22,155.15. The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 21621.64, followed by 21088.07. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 23069.14 and 23983.07.

Call options data

Maximum call open interest (OI) of 7.73 lakh contracts was seen at the 9,500 strike price. It will act as a crucial resistance level in the March series.

This is followed by 9,000 strike price, which holds 6.20 lakh contracts in open interest, and 8,500, which has accumulated 2.83 lakh contracts in open interest.

Significant call writing was seen at the 9,000 strike price, which added 1.33 lakh contracts, followed by 9,200 strike price that added 1.13 lakh contracts.

Call unwinding was witnessed at 9,500 strike which shed 1.65 lakh contracts.

Put options data

Maximum put open interest of 21.73 lakh contracts was seen at 8,500 strike price, which will act as crucial support in the March series.

This is followed by 9,000 strike price, which holds 20.77 lakh contracts in open interest, and 9,500 strike price, which has accumulated 14.85 lakh contracts in open interest.

Put writing was seen at the 8,500 strike price, which added 9.5 lakh contracts.

Put unwinding was seen at 9,500 strike price, which shed 6.59 lakh contracts, followed by 9,300 strike price which shed 1.2 lakh contracts.

Stocks with a high delivery percentage

A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks.

12 stocks saw long build-up

60 stocks saw long unwinding

Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which long unwinding was seen.

41 stocks saw short build-up

An increase in open interest, along with a decrease in price, mostly indicates a build-up of short positions. Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short build-up was seen.

32 stocks witnessed short-covering

A decrease in open interest, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates a short-covering. Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short-covering was seen.

Bulk deals

(For more bulk deals, click here)

Board meetings

Larsen & Toubro: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Supreme Infrastructure: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve quarterly results.

SMS Pharmaceuticals: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

S H Kelkar and Company: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

RPG Life Sciences: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

PPAP Automotive: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Piramal Enterprises: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

HUDCO: The board will meet on March 18 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Stocks in news

Take Solutions: CARE Rating reaffirmed issuer rating at AA- with a stable outlook.

Vakrangee: Company introduced vHealth by Aetna primary care services through its network of Vakrangee Kendras.

Avenue Supermarts: 1,000 secured rated unlisted redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 100 crore redeemed.

Cambridge Technology: Company to sell subsidiaries to Tumuluru Sreenivasa Sastry & Prashanth Kumar Mettu.

Wipro: Company implemented core banking solution for Canara Bank sponsored Regional Rural Bank (RRB).

FII and DII data

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 4,044.69 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares of worth Rs 3,422.12 crore in the Indian equity market on March 17, provisional data available on the NSE showed.

Fund flow

Stock under F&O ban on NSE

There is no stock under the F&O ban for March 18. Securities in the ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.
Mumbai: In view of the coronavirus outbreak in Maharashtra, the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) has asked police personnel not to use breath analysers in order to safeguard themselves from the potential threat of getting infected.

According to officials, an order in this regard has been issued to all 10 police commissioners of the state, including those of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Aurangabad.

The order on the use of breath analysers deployed to check drunken driving has been issued by ADG (Traffic) Vinay Kargaonkar, they said.

The highway police, too, have been asked to suspend use of breath analysers on motorists, the officials said.

The order seeks to prevent traffic police personnel from getting infected by the disease, they said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 20:50 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b5e111 1 National social-distancing,civil-society-organizations,civil-society,COVID-19,novel-coronavirus Free

A coalition of civil society organizations has called on the government to better explain its social distancing recommendation to clear up confusion among the public over how to handle the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In his televised speech on the COVID-19 outbreak on Sunday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo highlighted the importance of social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

However, the recommendation has done little to change behavior at certain workplaces that have continued to run as normal.

The Civil Society Coalition, which consists of several civil society groups such as the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Lokataru, the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) and Amnesty International Indonesia, wrote in a statement that social distancing was not regulated under the legal system.

Today, social distancing is a mere suggestion to individuals and not adhered to by companies and other workplaces, making the recommendation ineffective," the group said in a statement on Tuesday.

The large number of Transjakarta and MRT passengers on Monday was an example of how the call for social distancing was largely left unheeded, with many residents using public transportation to commute to work. Many companies have required their employees to work from the office.

Read also: IYSF scientist praises social distancing policy, urges govt to cancel mudik'

The coalition said the main message of social distancing was that, by taking care of ourselves, we protect the health of others. It said the involvement of the public required effective and crisis-sensitive leadership.

The group also attributed the publics response to poor coordination between the government and local administrators.

There is poor communication between the President and the Jakarta governor. In a time of crisis when the peoples safety is at stake, leaders must halt any kind of individual or political competition and focus more on handling the crisis together, the coalition said, stating that humanity should win over political interests.

Moreover, the social distancing recommendation has not been accompanied by an increase of hospital services. Though the government announced that several hospitals were prepared to deal with a spike in patients, the current situation suggests otherwise.

A number of reports have revealed how the services of hospitals in Jakarta are poor for residents who intend to get check-ups. This shows that hospitals are not ready to handle patients, especially the common people, the statement said. (aly)
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has reportedly warned that the US could see an unemployment rate of 20 per cent

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has reportedly warned that the US could see an unemployment rate of 20 per cent as the coronavirus plunges the economy into a recession.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that a global recession has already begun due to the spread of COVID-19 as major companies begin laying off employees worldwide and a fifth of US workers say that they have already lost wages due to the crisis.

Mnuchin reportedly made his remarks about the economy during a meeting with senators on Tuesday.

According to Bloomberg News, Mnuchin said he believes the economic fallout from the coronavirus is potentially worse than the 2008 financial crisis.

He then said that the virus could drive up the unemployment rate if lawmakers don't provide a swift financial response to wage workers and small- and medium-sized businesses.

Treasury Department spokeswoman told Bloomberg that during the meeting with Senate Republicans, 'Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case'.

Regardless, economists for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley say that a global recession has likely already begun, with the only question remaining how severe the pullback will be, and how long it will last.

A statue of George Washington is seen by the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. Economists for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley say that a recession has already begun

A nearly empty Times Square due to the coronavirus pandemic is seen on Tuesday

Chairs are stacked at temporarily closed Cipriani Dolci at Grand Central in New York City as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States

'We expect the recession to be front-loaded, with a recovery in [the second half of the year],' said Goldman Sachs' chief economist in a note to clients.

'This assumes that infections will slow significantly by the end of April as the lockdowns and other mitigation measures bear fruit.'

Meanwhile, in a new Marist poll conducted for NPR/PBS News earlier this week, 18 per cent of US adults said that they had already lost their job or had their hours reduced due to the pandemic.

At the national level, President Donald Trump promised he's 'going big' with plans to blunt the economic pain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

What is the difference between a market crash and a recession? Stock markets are ultimately predictions about the real economy. Share prices move up and down as investors adjust their predictions about companies' future profits. The economy itself is measured by total productivity and output, or GDP. A recession is typically defined as negative GDP growth for two consecutive quarters. While a market crash can predict a recession, it doesn't always. Often the stock market declines without any subsequent dip in the real economy. In rare cases, however, a severe market crash can actually cause a recession, if consumers and businesses reduce their spending in response to falling asset values. Advertisement

Trump wants the government to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks to help support them while chunks of the economy come closer to shutting down, Mnuchin said Tuesday.

Gains for stocks accelerated temporarily as Trump and Mnuchin spoke at a briefing, but neither gave details about how big the stimulus could be.

Mnuchin is pitching Senate Republicans on a roughly $850billion stimulus plan to help the economy, including relief for small businesses and the airline industry.

Across the country, indications were stark that the pandemic, and the measures being taken to contain it, are having a severe effect on workers across a range of industries.

Travel has ground to a standstill, with business and personal trips being put on hold, and increasingly severe international travel bans.

American hotel and travel industry executives from companies such as Marriott and Hilton met with Trump on Tuesday to discuss a potential $250billion aid package, as thousands of hotel workers began furloughs due to the fast-spreading coronavirus.

'Millions of people could get laid off in the next few days, not weeks,' said American Hotel and Lodging Association CEO Chip Rogers.

Rogers echoed the same concerns as Mnuchin and said the economic impact of the pandemic on the hotel industry was already bigger than 'September 11th and the 2008 recession combined'.

Manager of the popular Bronx hangout spot Bronx Alehouse tapes a sign saying that they will be closing starting at 8pm on Monday, March 16

Taped off seating areas in a McDonald's restaurant in Brooklyn on Tuesday. New York is trying to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus by closing schools, restaurants and bars

A woman wearing a face mask walks in front of a Dunkin Donuts store in Bushwick, Brooklyn on Tuesday. The future of their workforce is uncertain due to coronavirus.

This Dunkin in Brooklyn remains open for carryout. Employees of the chain do not receive paid leave and fear being laid off

'Thirty-three thousand small business hotels across the country are facing the difficult decision right now whether to close their doors and lay off millions of people over the next few days,' Rogers said on the call with reporters after the Trump meeting.

The requested package would consist of $150billion in direct aid for the hotel sector and $100billion for related travel companies, including convention businesses, industry executives said on a call after the meeting with Trump, who made his fortune in real estate and hotels.

Separately, the airline industry has asked for $58billion in assistance for both passenger and cargo carriers, plus $10billion for airports.

The hotel industry said it was expecting to lose $1.4billion in revenue every week on account of the virus, according to statements from the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the US Travel Association, which also forecasts a 30 per cent drop in hotel occupancy over a year.

The sudden cratering of demand would cause the loss of 4.6 million jobs, the statements added.

The groups said they asked the White House to take 'immediate action' including a stabilization fund to keep people employed and access to liquidity for hotel businesses in the form of low interest loans.

They also asked for modifications to loan programs to help keep small hotel owners afloat and direct grants.

Roger Dow, chief executive of the US Travel Association, said 'it will take at least $100billion to cover wages for two quarters, and then you take the rest of the industry, we're talking $150billion'.

The world's biggest hotel operator, Marriott International, responded on Tuesday by launching furloughs what it expects will be tens of thousands of employees.

Marriott will not pay salaries to its furloughed employees at some of its managed properties which it started shutting down last week, according to the report.

Ieisha Dede, left, and Cali Malatek put up a take out sign outside a Denny's restaurant on in Spring, Texas. Houston area bars and restaurants have been ordered to follow new restrictions

Bartender Michelle Radziunas waits for customers at Maloney's Pub in Meriden, Connecticut, hours before the state joined others in closing all bars and restaurants

The company is also trimming staff through furloughs at properties that are still operating, the Journal said.

Marriott had about 174,000 employees at the end of 2019.

The staff reductions will include everyone from general managers to housekeepers, as layoffs or furloughs at the corporate level are still under discussion, according to the report.

Meanwhile, a spate of orders closing all restaurants and bars for dine in service in New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois and many other states has devastated those who work in the industry.

Across the country, there were 11,674,000 people working in restaurants and bars as of February, according to federal data.

Senator Rob Portman, and Ohio Republican, said on Tuesday that he received new data on Ohio's unemployment claims showing 45,000 claims this week compared to 6,500 last week, according to journalist Liz Skalka.

That's a one-week increase of 592 per cent.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine shut down the state's bars and restaurants on Sunday night, acknowledging that it would be hard workers.

About 500,000 people work in food and dining establishments in Ohio, around 10 percent of the state's workforce.

'Look, this is brutally tough, and my heart goes out to them,' DeWine said.

'But we have to do what we have to do to save their lives, and not just their lives but the lives of others. And our goal is for us to get through this.'
Kapoor is already facing an ED criminal case for receiving alleged kickbacks, through companies purportedly controlled by his family, for going slow on bad loans extended by his bank to some big corporate.

The ED has filed a fresh money laundering case against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and his wife for allegedly obtaining Rs 307 crore bribe from a realty firm routed through the purchase of a bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi at half the market price, officials said on Tuesday.

The agency alleged that the bribe was paid to the Kapoors for facilitating around Rs 1,900 crore loans from Yes Bank to the realty firm and delaying recovery.

An Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), which is equivalent of a police FIR, has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of an FIR filed by the CBI on the matter recently, they said.

Kapoor is already facing an ED criminal case for receiving alleged kickbacks, through companies purportedly controlled by his family, for going slow on bad loans extended by his bank to some big corporate.

This will be the second complaint against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The officials said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has gathered a number of financial documents related to the ownership, sale and mortgaging of the costly bungalow located at 40, Amrita Shergill Marg in the Lutyens' zone of the national capital.

The agency took up the money laundering probe against Kapoor and others after the Reserve Bank imposed a moratorium on the crisis-ridden Yes Bank earlier this month, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor.

The CBI had last week filed the FIR against Kapoor and his wife Bindu for allegedly obtaining Rs 307 crore bribe through the purchase of this bungalow from a realty firm at half the market price and facilitating around Rs 1,900 crore bank loans to it in return.

CBI suspects that the discounted transaction for the 1.2 acre-bungalow on Amrita Shergill Marg was a gratification to Kapoor through the company Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd in return for non-realisation of over Rs 1,900 crore in loans from Yes Bank to Gautam Thapar-promoted Avantha Realty and group companies.

Kapoor's wife Bindu is one of the two directors of Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd.

The CBI also carried out searches at the residence and office of Kapoor, his wife in Mumbai, Bliss Abode, offices of Avantha Realty and others in Delhi and NCR.

It was alleged that Kapoor bought the bungalow at Rs 378 crore, paying through Bliss Abode and the property was immediately mortgaged to Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited for a loan of Rs 685 crore -- which was Rs 307 less than the market price.

The banker, Rana Kapoor, was arrested by the ED on March 8 and he is at present in the agency's custody till 20th of this month.

It has also summoned Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar this week in Mumbai for questioning in this instance.

Photograph: PTI Photo
Sonos has revealed a major new software update that will affect its entire ecosystem.

The company says the new operating system will allow its connected speakers to get new features such as higher quality audio, new features such as the option to automatically group rooms, and lay a foundation for more updates in the future.

But it will not be available for older speakers, which will be cut off from the new software and any speakers that are running it.

The company provoked anger among many users when it announced in January that it would be cutting off software updates for older devices in the coming months. It only said then that the older products had "stretched to their technical limits in terms of memory and processing power", but not what Sonos needed that extra power to do.

It is the new operating system that required that extra hardware to be able to work, Sonos now says.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. 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March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

All of the speakers that were said to be too old to keep receiving updates will not get the update, but everything else will be upgraded to what it is calling "S2". The affected products are the original Zone Players, Connect and Connect:Amp (sold between 2006 and 2015), Play:5 (Gen 1), CR200, and Bridge.

Sonos will keep the current version of the app and software around, and re-name it "S1". That will still be able to power older devices, and it will still get bug fixes and security patches  but Sonos has warned that new features will not arrive and they may use their connection to streaming services and voice control.

Users with those older speakers will be given a choice of different options to get hold of the new update. They can either remove the S1-only products entirely; trade them up with Sonos for a 30 per cent discount on new purchases; stick with the S1 app and miss out on the new feature and products; or separate their system into two, effectively giving them two separate networks of older and newer speakers.

Sonos customers who do not have any of the older speakers will be able to upgrade as normal when the new operating system arrives.

The new update will arrive in June, Sonos said, but any products released after May will run the S2 software and app exclusively, meaning they will never be able to run in a system with the much older products. The company did not comment on whether that timeframe meant that a new product launch is scheduled for May.

It gave limited information on the new operating system, which it said "will power the next generation of products and experiences". It mentioned "new experiences such as increased personalisation and higher resolution audio formats for music and home theater", pointing to upgraded audio bandwidth and features such as "room groups", which will automatically identify speakers that tend to be used together.
We found 51 optimistic movies you can stream right now, so this time we thought wed focus on life-affirming books that will give you hope and make you feel good about the world, especially given the fact we now have some extra time to get some reading done.

I turned to Robyn Hammontree, wife of my AL.com colleague John), who reads upwards of 200 books per year. Yes, I said 200. She graciously shared an amazing list of options that will undoubtedly help to lift you up if youre in need, or if you just feel like getting lost in thousands of pages worth of adventure.

A lot of [these] have heavy topics, but theyre hopeful in nature, Hammontree said. Ive found that when I think I really want a happy book, what I actually want is something that makes me feel better. And that usually isnt something fluffy -- its something in which the primary point is This is hope, even in hardship and dark times.

Read her picks and their quick summaries below.

[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.]

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

The authors debut chronicles the unlikely relationship between a young woman whos lost her husband and a major league pitcher whos lost his game. 304 pages.

A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Ask Me to Tell You Shes Sorry, and Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Ove is about a grumpy yet lovable man who finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. Originally published in Sweden in 2012, then in the U.S. in 2013. 337 pages.

My Grandmother... is about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmothers fairy tales. 384 pages.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small forest town coming together as secrets that tear it apart, as one person finds courage to go against the grain. 432 pages.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The story of young womans bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 493 pages.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb

The New York Times best-selling author (a psychotherapist and national advice columnist) takes readers behind the scenes of a therapists world where she and her patients are looking for answers. 432 pages.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Longtime bestseller based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, who was forced to tattoo numbers onto the arms of thousands of fellow prisoners. 288 pages.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

A portrait of a marriage, the good and the bad.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Hobbits, wizards, golblins and sweeping battles. Youre probably plenty familiar with the books and films, but if youve already read and watched them 50 times, give them another spin. Frodo and his hobbit friends journey through Middle Earth to destroy the Ring of Power before Lord Sauron can stop them. Perfect escapism for the current times. 1728 pages.

Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

Boy wizard Harry Potter, and his friends adventures as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where they battle dark wizard Lord Voldemort. This will take some time. Highly re-readable for die-hard fans. 4167 pages.

The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

A man charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama who relied on the power of hope to survive his darkest times, telling a 30-year story of a man who would not lose his imagination or spirit. 367 pages.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

A story about love at first sight, friendship and heartbreak, full of hopeful twists and turns. 416 pages.

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs

Poet and essayist Nina Riggs powerful memoir explores motherhood, marriage, friendship and memory. 336 pages.

Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After by Heather Harpham

A mother learns her newborn daughter has a rare blood condition that places her at high risk for brain damage or death. Harpham manages to find happiness and hope in the world through a prism of heartbreak. 320 pages.

Educated by Tara Westover

Westovers memoir about a young girl who leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University. 352 pages.

How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoris of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

The inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringiyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who survived a massacre, immigrated to America and overcame her trauma through art and activism. 304 pages.

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

The bestselling author of Wild collects the best of The Rumpuss Dear Sugar advice columns. 368 pages.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, this memoir finds hope and beauty in the face of insurmountable odds as an idealistic young neurosurgeon attempts to understand what makes life worth living. 228 pages.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

In his debut novel, the co-creator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow writes about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing shes part of something bigger than she or anyone could have imagined. 336 pages.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

From the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun, this novel tells a story of love and race centered around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home. 496 pages.

Dont Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller

The author of this New York Time Bestseller shares memories of her childhood in Africa and of her headstrong mother. 320 pages.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Two sisters each embark on dangerous paths toward survival, love and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France in this novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. 440 pages.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

New York Times Bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. 531 pages.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling on Kazakhstan to stop harassing an opposition journalist who claims she was assaulted while trying to film the arrest of her husband and was forced to resign as a newspaper editor.

In a statement on March 17, the Paris-based media-rights group urged authorities to conduct a "transparent and effective" investigation into the attack against Inga Imanbai, who it said was being subjected to "full-blown harassment."

Imanbai's husband, Zhanbolat Mamai, is a leading figure in the newly founded opposition Democratic Party. He was arrested on February 21 on the eve of a planned protest rally in Almaty and sentenced to three days in administrative detention.

Imanbai said she tried to use her phone to film the plainclothes police officers who had come to take her husband to a police station.

But she said the device was snatched out of her hands, even though she had shown her accreditation as a journalist. She also says her head was slammed against a metal fence.

Imanbai, who is several months' pregnant, said she had to seek emergency medical attention at a hospital for a slight concussion as a result of the attack.

RSF said the police in Kazakhstan had done nothing in response to the complaint that Imanbai filed on March 1 about the attack.

Imanbai had been appointed as editor of the independent daily Zhas Alash newspaper in early January.

But she was sidelined from the position and then forced to resign on February 20, shortly before demonstrations were staged in Almaty and other Kazakh cities in support of the Democratic Party.

Imanbai says she was sidelined under pressure from the authorities because of articles she wrote about former President Nursultan Nazarbaev and his family, and because of her husbands role in the Democratic Party.

Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSFs Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said free media were "essential for a democratic debate and for the credibility of the reformist discourse" employed by Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, who has been in office for nearly a year.

Police prevented several journalists from covering the February 22 protests. More than 100 people were detained at the demonstrations.

Kazakhstan is ranked 158th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2019 World Press Freedom Index.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Coronavirus COVID-19 was detected in two more people in Uzbekistan, and the total number of infected in the country rose to eight, Trend reports referring to Uzbek Health Ministry.

As reported, another relative of the first infected Uzbek citizen who arrived from Paris on March 15 was found infected with COVID-19 virus.

In addition, the coronavirus was discovered during the medical check-up of Uzbek who flew from London to Tashkent Britain on March 14 on the flight operated by Uzbekistan Airways.

The first case of coronavirus was recorded in Uzbekistan on March 15. The infection was discovered during the medical check-up of a woman who is an Uzbek citizen and who returned from France. Later, the son and daughter of the woman were also detected to be infected with COVID-19.

Moreover, another Uzbek citizen who arrived from Istanbul in the morning of March 15 was found to be infected with coronavirus.

According to the Health Ministry, on March 16, 2020, husband and grandson of the first patient have been confirmed infected with COVID-19.

The outbreak of coronavirus 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 7,154. Over 182,407 people have been confirmed as infected.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Over the weekend, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., a leading ally of President Donald Trump, dismissed concerns about the novel coronavirus pandemic and said on Fox News that "it's a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant."

And former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, a Trump supporter who was pardoned last month, tweeted that "this hysteria is being created to destabilize the country and destroy" Trump.

But from Italy, where there is a national quarantine to try to slow the devastating effects of the coronavirus, Newt Gingrich offered a different perspective. The former House speaker wrote an opinion piece seeking to convince his fellow Republicans that not only was the pandemic very real, it required urgent action.

Inside the Republican Party and the conservative movement that Trump commands, there is now a deep divide as the nation confronts the coronavirus. For weeks, many on the right, including Trump, minimized the virus, if they considered it at all. Even in recent days, as much of the world shuts down to try to stop its spread, some Republicans mocked what they saw as a media-generated frenzy.

Their reaction reflected how the American right has evolved under Trump, moving from a bloc of small-government advocates to a grievance coalition highly skeptical of government, science, the news and federal warnings.

Their conspiratorial unrest is particularly acute within right-wing media, where Fox Business removed a prime-time anchor for casting the coronavirus as "another attempt to impeach the president." Other right-wing personalities continue to call the coronavirus a "hoax" or falsely blame George Soros, the billionaire investor and liberal donor, for causing it.

But conservatives and Republicans now face an undeniable reality as the pandemic's death count here and abroad climbs - and the worldwide reach of the coronavirus defies the bounds of political debate.

"It's damn clear that this is no hoax and should be taken seriously," said Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign adviser who co-hosts a podcast with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon called "War Room: Pandemic," which has documented the economic and health fallout of the coronavirus for weeks.

"The right underestimated this and thought the media was beating up on Trump again," added GOP strategist Ed Rollins, who chairs a pro-Trump super PAC. "That was yesterday. Today is, 'Life in America is changing before our eyes.' "

Trump has suddenly and markedly recalibrated his own approach, after weeks of blase comments about the virus that spurred some of his allies to dismiss the danger of the pandemic.

When asked Monday about Nunes' comment to Fox News, Trump did not echo him. Instead, Trump said he had not heard about the remarks, but would "disagree" with anyone calling on Americans to congregate in restaurants.

"I think it's probably better that you don't," Trump told reporters.

Hours later, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah said, "I'm pleased that the president and the public health officials seem to now be on the same page. I think there was a gap in the early days."

A turning point for Trump came last week when Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whom the president regularly calls, said in his opening monologue, "This is real."

"People you trust - people you probably voted for - have spent weeks minimizing what is clearly a very serious problem," Carlson said.

Carlson's riff caught Trump's attention and was one of the factors that led the president to start to reconsider his position, according to two White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly.

"The conservative media echo-sphere was playing to the president's worst tendencies, but you can almost time his turnaround publicly to how Breitbart and Tucker Carlson have been covering coronavirus," said Sam Nunberg, who advised Trump on media in the run-up to his 2016 campaign.

Several top Republicans, including Oklahama Gov. Kevin Stitt, have faced backlash for breaking with public-health experts and shrugging off the call for social distancing, offering discordant messages to Americans who are looking to the government for clarity and guidance.

Dark conspiracy theories have also made their way into the forefront of conservative discussions about the pandemic.

David Clarke, a former Milwaukee County sheriff and Trump booster, suggested on Sunday that the global panic about the coronavirus was being pushed by Soros - a common subject of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories - and urged people to take to the streets.

"Not ONE media outlet has asked about George Soros's involvement in this FLU panic," Clarke said. "He is SOMEWHERE involved in this."

Twitter took down those tweets on Monday, citing its policy against "encouraging self-harm."

Breitbart, a website once led by Bannon, has blanketed its pages in recent days with the coronavirus coverage. "War Room: Pandemic," broadcasting out of Bannon's home, has become another gathering place for conservatives who see the crisis as a defining test for the nation and for Trump.

Several Republican governors have contrasted with the politically charged response in Washington as they have dealt firsthand with the coronavirus and its impact. Ohio's Mike DeWine has been a pacesetter, moving rapidly to close down schools and some businesses, as has Maryland's Larry Hogan.

The virus has affected some of Trump's biggest supporters. Days after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., wore an enormous gas mask during a House floor vote on an emergency funding package for the coronavirus response, the congressman announced that he would self-quarantine for 14 days after encountering someone at the Conservative Political Action Conference who tested positive.

Other Republican lawmakers who attended that conference, such as Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Douglas Collins of Georgia, announced that they would self-quarantine even though they weren't feeling symptoms.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., meanwhile, has joined a right-wing clamor that has largely blamed China for unleashing "this plague on the entire world through their dishonesty and their lack of transparency and corruption." His efforts come as other conservatives push to define the virus as "Chinese" rather than solely in medical terms, even as Americans with Chinese heritage face xenophobia and growing challenges.

"We're shutting down our country because of the cold virus, which is what coronaviruses are," Rush Limbaugh told his national radio audience last week. "You think the Chinese are not laughing themselves silly over how easy this has been?" He later added, "The Chi-Coms run this scam on some sort of virus, and the Americans do this?"

During this year's State of the Union address, Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom "in recognition of all that you have done for our nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and that you inspire."

Historian Douglas Brinkley said Trump fueled Limbaugh and others with his early response to the coronavirus, which included sweeping travel restrictions on China as well as political shots at his critics.

"He lit up the conservative movement, which followed his lead," Brinkley said. "They knew what to do when he intimated it might be a hoax - and they have seen him belittle institutions of government for years, from the CIA to the State Department to the FBI. That has had a corrosive effect on the country."

Brinkley added that fierce partisanship, loyalty to Trump and a conservative media complex that is inclined to play up turbulence around Trump as unfair or "fake" has left the nation divided and on edge.

An NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday showed Republicans far less likely to be worried about the coronavirus, with 40% sensing that "the worst is yet to come" compared with 79% of Democrats. And 81% of Republicans approved of Trump's efforts, compared with 13% of Democrats.

Gingrich said in a phone interview from Rome - where his wife, Callista Gingrich, is the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See - that many conservatives were initially prone to be dubious about the threat of the coronavirus due to "classic conservative distrust of big government" and "the bias and hostility they see in news coverage about the president that makes them assume that it's one more lie."

But, Newt Gingrich said, those assumptions have started to fall away as headlines about the pandemic grip the nation.

"Facts matter," he said. "It took a little longer for people to believe it, but they watched what happened in Italy and saw that it was not unique to China. That cut through and became real."

- - -

The Washington Post's Kim Bellware and Philip Bump contributed to this report.
An Indian Union Muslim League



worker was stabbed to death by his neighbour, who also inflicted minor injuries on two others at nearby Thottilpalam, police said.

The man was identified as Ansar (30), they said, adding the reason for the murder was personal.

Ansar's neighbour stabbed the three of them on Monday night while they were in the IUML building here for conciliatory talks over a personal dispute, the Investigating Officer said..

All of them were rushed to the medical college hospital where Ansar succumbed to injuries.

The other two people have been hospitalised and were recovering, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While the ceasefire in Idleb holds, Russia is sending fresh supplies to the Syrian army, to replace what was lost in the recent fighting in the province reports Al-Masdar.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has sent more weapons and logistical equipment to Syria this week, amid an ongoing ceasefire in the Idleb Governorate.

According to maritime observer Yoruk Isik, citing Ben Kendim, the Russian Ministry of Defense owned Oboronlogistika, chartered the heavily laden RoRo Sparta II, which passed through the Bosphorus Sea on Sunday en route to the Port of Tartous in western Syria.

Despite the ongoing ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense is attempting to replace the military hardware that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) lost during the Turkish militarys large-scale attack in early March.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has been sending multiple ships to Syria each week to help resupply the Syrian army, who is currently on high-alert as they wait for the militant forces to withdraw from the southern part of the M4 highway (Aleppo-Lattakia).

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
As a cascade of similar announcements accelerated at San Antonio area universities, the University of Texas System chancellor on Tuesday directed all of the systems academic campuses to move classes online, close dormitories to residents who have other options and postpone spring graduation ceremonies.

Texas A&M San Antonio will not resume in-person classes this semester and the May 15 date for its spring graduation ceremony might be in jeopardy, a university update sent Tuesday to students, faculty and staff said.

Other area colleges and universities, amid the quickening clampdown on activity designed to slow the COVID-19 outbreak, also announced the rest of the spring semester would proceed online, not in classrooms.

The Alamo Colleges board of trustees late Tuesday approved a package of changes, many of them pay- or sick leave-related, to address the community college districts operations amid the crisis. Last week the district said it would move classes online for the next two weeks and the boards action didnt change that.

The exact timing of the UT System moves was left to the university presidents, including UT San Antonios Taylor Eighmy. The UTSA graduation currently is set for May 16 and 17. Graduates will still receive their degrees as scheduled, the letter from UT System Chancellor James Milliken said.

Living in campus residence halls and participating in campus dining programs will be limited to students who do not have a suitable alternative, Milliken wrote. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis, to serve students who require this accommodation, while observing social distancing practices.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

A&M San Antonio officials said the schools 6,500 students will receive information this week about options for those without personal computers and internet access. The campus will stay open, including student support services such as the Academic Success Center, the Academic Advising Office and the Writing Center, Fuentes-Martin said.

But a city-declared emergency ban of gatherings of 50 or more, announced Monday, caused A&M San Antonio to cancel its traditional ring ceremony for seniors that had been scheduled for April 4.

University officials are also considering the possibility of postponing spring commencement  a final decision will be made sometime this week after we consider all factors, said the emailed update from Mari Fuentes-Martin, the vice president of student success and engagement.

The communication did not address students who live on campus. While local colleges and universities announced extended spring breaks last week, Trinity University was the first to ask students to move out as well, followed by the University of the Incarnate Word on Thursday.

Now, almost every college and university is instructing its dormitory residents to move out, including Our Lady of the Lake University. OLLU and UIW gave students a deadline of March 30 to move, unless they get approval to remain in their on campus housing.

Exceptions will be made for students who have extenuating circumstances, a notice states from OLLU. Professors should provide flexibility to all students during this time of adjustment; even students already in online courses will need time to deal with changes to other closures in their communities.

Both private universities will resume classes online on March 21.

On ExpressNews.com: Forced to move out, Trinity University students rush to move home or find off-campus housing

UIW is closing its bookstore, libraries and computer labs. Librarians will be reachable online to help students and university officials directed students to providers who have announced their provide free internet to students impacted by coronavirus.

Most notices said universities will offer prorated refunds for parking, room and board.

Last week, St. Marys University canceled several alumni events and Homecoming Weekend which includes the Oyster Bake. Oyster Bake is a landmark Fiesta event and was scheduled to bring more than 35 bands to the university on April 17 and 18.

Although St. Marys also moved all its classes online, its campus remains open. But all campus events through April are canceled.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg tightened restrictions on gatherings in the wake of a fourth travel-related coronavirus case in San Antonio, the latest a doctor at University Health System. The new public health emergency order prohibits public and private gatherings of more than 50 people.

While the prohibition limit is set at 50, the order strongly encourages an even lower bar of 10. Both measures are in line with recommendations handed down by President Donald Trump and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Local school districts extended class closures until April 3 and canceled events during those weeks.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva | Staff Writer Joshua Fechter contributed to this report.
Virgin Australia's chief executive Paul Scurrah insists his company is "well-positioned to weather the storm" of a plunge in demand for air travel after suspending the carrier's entire international operations for nearly three months and slashing domestic flights by 50 per cent.

And Mr Scurrah warned the airline sector would need more help from the government as it confronts "an unprecedented time in the global aviation industry".

Virgin Australia will effectively ground 53 planes with the latest response. Credit:Bloomberg

The Morrison government said on Wednesday it would waive $715 million in fees and industry in a relief package aimed to help airlines through a major hit to tourism from the coronavirus travel bans.

It will refund and drop a range of charges on the industry including aviation fuel excise, the Airservices charges on domestic airline operations and domestic and regional aviation security charges.
While the movement of reducing administrative procedures and simplifying business conditions in 2018 was described as a big wave, the activities were just small ripples in 2019.

In an effort to continue business environment reform, in early 2019, the Government issued Decree 02 requesting ministries and branches to do three major things.

First, continue reviewing and submitting to the Government plans to abolish and simplify unclear, non-specific and unfeasible business conditions before the third quarter of 2019;

Second, accelerate the drafting of the law on amending related laws and submit the draft to the Government, so that the Government submits to the National Assembly for removal and simplification of business conditions prescribed in specialized laws;

Third, fully disclose the business conditions abolished and simplified in 2018.

This shows the strong determination to put Vietnams business environment and competitiveness into the ASEAN 4 group. To reach that goal, ministries and branches will have to undertake a huge workload.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys (VCCI) report Dong chay phap luat kinh doanh Vietnam 2019 (Vietnam business laws 2019) released on December 26, 2019 showed that the number of legal documents issued in 2019 was lower than the previous years.

By the end of November 2019, only 267 circulars had been released, much lower than 500-800 of the years before. Meanwhile, only 91 decrees had been promulgated, lower than the 155 decrees in 2018 and 125 decrees in the first 11 months of 2017.

While the movement of reducing administrative procedures and simplifying business conditions in 2018 was described as a big wave, the activities were just small ripples in 2019.

However, VCCI found that the efforts to reduce business conditions were modest. As of mid-November 2019, VCCI only received two requests from two ministries (Ministry of Industry and Trade - MOIT and Ministry of Health - MOH) to offer suggestions to the draft decrees on amending and supplementing some provisions of the legal documents related to business and investment conditions.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), two ministries, including MOIT and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), have plans to remove and simplify business conditions as per the request of Resolution No 02 in 2019.

The activities of reducing and simplifying business conditions this year seem to be quiet, commented VCCI chair Vu Tien Loc.

After a year of positive and innovative movements, it seems that the enthusiasm of some ministries has decreased significantly, or the ministries may find it impossible to simplify business conditions, he said.

Loc went on to say that while the movement of cutting administration procedures and simplifying business conditions in 2018 was described as a big wave, the activities were just m small ripples in 2019.

According to VCCI, after taking the moves of reviewing and cutting business conditions in 2018, some management agencies may think that

1/ business conditions have become perfect and it is impossible to cut business conditions further.

2/ they need time to assess the effectiveness of the cutting before they continue reviewing for the next simplification campaigns.

3/ space for reform is limited by the provisions of the laws.

However, VCCI said the business community believes that there is still much space for cutting and simplifying business conditions.

The World Banks Doing Business 2020 Report shows that though Vietnams business environment increased by 1.2 points from 68.6 to 69.8 points, it fell one grade in general ranking, from 69th to 70th.

This shows that Vietnams reforms and improvement in business environment have slowed down, while other regional countries have been speeding up.

Meanwhile, there are still big problems in the legal system on business, which are the inconsistency and overlapping of legal documents in covering investment and business activities.

Under the laws, investors have to go through many stages from the very beginning to the implementation of investment and business activities. And in each stage, they have to follow many procedures stipulated in many different legal documents.

Projects in the real estate sector, for example, are covered by the Investment Law, Environment Protection Law, Construction Law, Land Law, Housing Law, Real Estate Business Law, Urban Development Planning Law, Bidding Law and the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting.

Meanwhile, the requirements stipulated in legal documents are inconsistent, which confuses investors as they dont know which procedures they have to follow first or if they have to follow the procedures.

The inconsistency in legal documents prolongs the project implementation process and implementation, thus increasing the implementation costs, time and risks for enterprises, and causing an unfavorable business environment.

A real estate developer said some projects have to wait 3-5 years to get approval, while the process should take one month only.

According to VCCI, state management agencies are confused about the inconsistency in legal documents. If they apply the provisions flexibly to create favorable conditions for businesses, they will violate the laws. If not, the procedures will become very complicated.

Many local enforcement agencies are facing pressure from administrative procedure reform, but they feel powerless because of the inconsistency of legal documents.

Nguyen Dinh Cung, former head of the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM), thinks that it is necessary to limit the power of ministries and branches to issue circulars and then amend the circulars at any time.

He suggested setting up a task force in charge of reducing business conditions, comprising experts and businesspeople, and a taskforce operating under the lead of at least one Deputy PM.

Lan Anh

Reforms to be growth driver in 2020 Institutional reforms will continue to be the major growth driver in 2020 and beyond, while a focus would be placed on removing barriers and connecting firms to establish value chains, VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc said.
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[March 17, 2020] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, a Leading Securities Fraud Law Firm, Announces Investigation of Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) on Behalf of Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf Fair Isaac Corporation ("Fair Isaac" or the Company") (NYSE: FICO) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of the federal securities laws. If you suffered a loss on your Fair Isaac investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information here or contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, via email [email protected] or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights. On March 15, 2020, Fair Isaac issued a press release stating that, "[o]n Friday, March 13, 020, Fair Isaac was notified that the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, opened a civil investigation into potential exclusionary conduct by Fair Isaac." Fair Isaac advised investors that the Company "intends to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice and looks forward to a constructive dialogue about the state of competition in our industry."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $62.87, or over 20%, to close at $240.68 per share on March 16, 2020, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Whistleblower Notice: Persons with non-public information regarding Fair Isaac should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC (News - Alert) Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected]. About GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. ISS Securities Class Action Services has consistently ranked GPM in its annual SCAS Top 50 Report. In 2018, GPM was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements. With four offices across the country, GPM's nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPM's lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct including cases involving financial restatements, internal control weaknesses, earnings management, fraudulent earnings guidance and forward looking statements, auditor misconduct, insider trading, violations of FDA regulations, actions resulting in FDA and DOJ investigations, and many other forms of corporate misconduct. GPM's attorneys have worked on securities cases relating to nearly all industries and sectors in the financial markets, including, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, real estate and REITs, financial, insurance, information technology, health care, biotech, cryptocurrency, medical devices, and many more. GPM's past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times (News - Alert), Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. 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/20200317005833/en/

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Looks like in the next day or so. I will go to the Tiny Russian Village and get everything in order. We have two homes there and if need be, the whole family can come to stay. I have been working for years now in TRV for just this issue that we are facing right now. Not just Russia, but the whole world is facing

I will drive down alone and stock everything, before it is too late. Got to cut wood and got to get the places cleaned up from a long downtime. It is surreal feeling, yet I know it is what I have to do. The family has to have someone get the bug out place ready

I will be posting from the Tiny Russian Village after I get set up. It will take a few days, but I will be back online. The computer at home has become a work place for Svetochka and Moscow is on the verge of lock down. Thus, I have to leave quickly

This is why we have a rainy day savings and it is time to dig into it

In about two weeks, Moscow will be exponentially getting out of control. I am seeing mass issues in the US and the EU. It does not matter if you believe or not, it is happening and you must get ready to try to salvage all we can.Russia is building a huge emergency hospital in the middle of nowhere literally. Totally isolated from civilization and that should tell you something

I also need to get Vova in gear and wake up also. He is going to have to isolate himself and not party like a fool. (Good Luck ? I know ?)

Sometimes we must do against our feelings. I desire to stay with Svetochka and will hurt driving away. She is well stocked here in Moscow (For both her mother and her. Sveta has stocked her Uncle completely and her son is isolated in the country with lots of food.) and I have to get the same in the TRV. For then I will be able to help the family when the going gets rough

Talk to everyone in a few days when I get settled in TRV

WtR
Legal analysts from the outset viewed the Internet Research Agency indictments as partly a name and shame action by the special counsels office, since Russia does not allow its citizens to be extradited to the United States. In Mondays filing, U.S. prosecutors accused Concord of appearing in the case to force the government to turn over trial evidence that might expose or undermine the broader investigation.
WASHINGTON: Amid lockdown in several countries and growing concerns over Coronavirus pandemic, United States President Donald Trumps use of term China virus has added more fuel to the ongoing blame game between the two countries over the outbreak of the deadly virus.

According to reports, President Donald Trump sent a tweet on Monday evening, noting that he plans to bail out airlines and other industries that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. Only a few hours earlier, Trump held a White House news conference on the emerging coronavirus outbreak and was praised for finally offering a relatively sober assessment of the emerging disaster.

But shortly after that, the President tweeted, calling COVID-19 the China virus for the first time and giving voice to a hateful blame game that has been simmering among hardcore right-wingers for weeks. Trump, who has previously called the disease a foreign virus, tweeted: The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

With the coronavirus spreading from China into the US and around the world, both nations are trading tit-for-tat claims about its origins. The tense back-and-forth over what to call the virus is the latest chapter in a broader clash between the worlds two largest economies that ranges from trade and military competition to network equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co.

Hours before the Trumps tweet, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi the Trump administration strongly objects to Chinas efforts to shift blame for the coronavirus to the US, according to a State Department readout.

Critics slammed the Trump tweet, calling it racist and potentially inciting a backlash against the Asian-American community. Meanwhile, Trump also released new guidelines to slow virus spread in the country.

President Trump urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases. Scientists suspect that the virus first came to humans at a meat market in Wuhan that butchered exotic animals.

While COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the virus -- has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries. The pandemic comes at a time of wide-ranging tensions between the United States and China on issues from trade to human rights to Beijing's military buildup.
Amid the coronavirus crisis, quarantine facilities have been set up in various places including Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Gorakhpur with the help of Navy and Air Force, a senior Army official said on Monday.

"Quarantine facilities have been set up in Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Chennai, Surat, Jhansi, Jodhpur and other places with the help of Navy and Air Force," Director General Medical Services (Army) Lieutenant General RS Grewal said.

The Union Health Ministry on Monday informed that a total of 114 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India so far including 13 cured and two reported deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALBANY  Elizabeth Gibson was already stressed out when she showed up to Samaritan Hospital's Albany Memorial campus for coronavirus testing Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Albany resident had serious chest pains the night before, and an emergency room doctor ordered she get tested after days of experiencing cough, fever, aches and shortness of breath. So she went early the next morning, and was handed a mask as she lined up with about 15 other people underneath a tent.

What unfolded next left her rattled: A woman entered the tent, unmasked and coughing, and demanded a test. When she was refused  tests are administered by appointment only, and on a doctors order  she began yelling obscenities at the nurses on staff, Gibson said. Then she called her doctors office, on speaker phone, and yelled at the receptionist.

It just seemed like if I didn't have COVID, then there's a chance I got it from being there, said Gibson, referring to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. She was in line right behind me.

Her worry  of dense lines and possible exposure  is one felt by others whove sought out testing around the Capital Region. Many say theyre impressed by the professionalism of the staff working the sites, but worried about their proximity to so many people who are potentially infected. Local and state officials are hoping to set up more drive-through testing sites in hot spots around the state, so as to eliminate possible exposures like Gibsons.

At Memorial, the tent leads to a small hallway that leads to a larger air-controlled room where swabs are taken from a persons nose and throat. At various points along the way, information is collected from the patients.

Gibson said she was asked if she was an employee of a hospital (she's not) and told there's a separate testing line for health care workers, who were observed getting tested on Monday.

Jamie Burditt said the scene wasnt busy when he went for testing at Memorial around 6 p.m. Monday. But the cramped intake area, where four nurses sat taking peoples information, left him concerned.

Being inside, even with a mask and hand sanitizer made me feel like if I didnt have the virus already, Id have it after being inside there, he said.

St. Peters Health Partners, which operates the Memorial testing site, was unable to provide details about how it handles walk-ins and ensures social distancing at the test sites. A spokeswoman for the health system said they work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health to monitor COVID-19 and follow their testing guidance and protocols.

Burditt was initially denied a test because he wasnt at-risk enough. He was planning to go back to work Tuesday, but called his primary care doctor once more Monday and finally got approved. Now hes quarantined.

At Albany Medical Centers testing site, a white tent set up outside the emergency room, the intake area for testing is quite small, according to one man who sought testing and asked to remain anonymous to maintain his medical privacy.

At the intake, he said, staff wearing full protective gear and masks collect names, identify symptoms, take temperatures by mouth, and check blood pressure.

Masks for those seeking tests were available at the entrance, but the man  and his girlfriend and her son  all brought their own.

They made sure we covered up as soon as the thermometer was out of your mouth, he said.

Albany Med, as well as Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, offer drive-through testing options. On Monday, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said hed like to get an expanded drive-through testing site like the kind that are currently operational downstate, where the majority of New Yorks cases have spread.

Those sites  in Westchester County and Long Island  are operated by the state and can accommodate hundreds of people a day. Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently authorized drive-through testing facilities in Suffolk and Rockland counties, and on Staten Island.

Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people, Cuomo said. The governor is trying to move the states daily test count from hundreds to 6,000 by the end of the week.

Concerns are heavy that health care employees working the front lines will become infected and unable to help a surge of patients that's expected nationwide.

On Monday evening, the New York State Nurses Association said it's concerned about new federal infection protocols that substantially roll back health care worker protection standards.

The union called on the CDC and other authorities to immediately issue universal, standardized and mandatory protocols to be used by all local hospitals and health care providers to protect front-line workers from exposure.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 13:30:03

TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a credit agreement with HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) and Macquarie Bank Limited (Macquarie) providing for (i) a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate amount of up to US$25 million and (ii) a senior secured term credit facility in an aggregate amount of up to US$40 million (the Syndicated Facility). The Syndicated Facility amends and restates the Companys existing bilateral US$40 million revolving credit facility with HSBC, which was scheduled to mature on July 24, 2020 (the Existing Facility). The initial drawdown under the Syndicated Facility will be used to repay the Existing Facility in full and to fund the repurchase or redemption of the outstanding senior exchangeable gold bonds issued by Gold Exchangeable Limited (the Gold Bonds).



The Syndicated Facility will have a term of three years. In addition to repaying the Existing Facility and repurchasing or redeeming Gold Bonds, proceeds from the Syndicated Facility will be used for general corporate and working capital purposes. The Syndicated Facility shall be reduced by US$3.0 million each quarter commencing September 30, 2020, until December 31, 2020, and thereafter repaid in eight equal quarterly installments of US$3.78 million starting March 31, 2021, with the final payment of approximately $28.78 million on the maturity date, March 16, 2023. The Syndicated Facility allows for early repayments with no associated penalties and will hold security over the majority of the Companys material assets.

In conjunction with the Syndicated Facility, Mandalay entered into two separate hedging programs with HSBC and Macquarie for a total of 150,000 ounces of saleable gold over the Syndicated Facilitys three year term commencing monthly in July 2020, or 50,000 ounces of saleable gold a year. This hedge consists of a zero-cost collar hedge for 75,000 ounces of saleable gold with a floor price of US$1,550 per ounce and a ceiling of US$1,617 per ounce; and an Australian dollar gold forward contract for the remaining 75,000 ounces of salable gold at AU$2,390 per ounce.

Concurrently with the execution of the Syndicated Facility, Mandalay also entered into a bond purchase agreement with a holder of a significant portion of the outstanding Gold Bonds pursuant to which Mandalay has agreed to purchase such Gold Bonds for cancellation. Following the completion of this transaction, Mandalay intends to exercise its rights under the agreements relating to the Gold Bonds to cause Gold Exchangeable Limited to redeem all of the remaining Gold Bonds at a price equal to the principal amount of such Gold Bonds plus accrued and unpaid interest therein. Holders of the Gold Bonds will continue to have the right to exchange the Gold Bonds for shares of the SPDR Gold Trust in accordance with the terms of the Gold Bonds pending completion of the redemption.

Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, commented, We are extremely pleased to have accomplished a key strategic initiative of the Company and restructured our debt with both HSBC and Macquarie. Both lenders have been incredibly supportive in the process; underscoring the confidence in both of our producing assets and will undoubtedly contribute to the long-term success of the Company.

For Further Information:

Dominic Duffy

President and Chief Executive Officer

Edison Nguyen

Manager, Analytics and Investor Relations

Contact:

647.260.1566

About Mandalay Resources Corporation:

Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia and Sweden, and care and maintenance and development projects in Chile. The Company is focused on growing production at its gold and antimony operation in Australia, and gold production from its operation in Sweden to generate near-term cash flow.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the New Credit Facility and the repurchase or redemption of outstanding Gold Bonds. There is no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed on the terms set out in this press release or at all. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading Risk Factors in Mandalays annual information form dated March 28, 2019, a copy of which is available under Mandalays profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Working at a breakneck pace, a team of hundreds of scientists has identified 50 drugs that may be effective treatments for people infected with the coronavirus.

Many scientists are seeking drugs that attack the virus itself. But the Quantitative Biosciences Institute Coronavirus Research Group, based at the University of California, San Francisco, is testing an unusual new approach.

The researchers are looking for drugs that shield proteins in our own cells that the coronavirus depends on to thrive and reproduce.

Many of the candidate drugs are already approved to treat diseases, such as cancer, that would seem to have nothing to do with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
Overseas investment by domestic firms stood at $2.37 billion in February 2020, as per RBI data

Mumbai: Overseas investment by domestic firms stood at $2.37 billion in February 2020, as per RBI data.

In the year-ago same period, companies in India invested $2.36 billion. In January 2020, domestic companies invested $2.23 billion in their foreign firms (joint ventures/wholly-owned units).

Of the total investments in February this year, $1.16 billion was in the form of loans, $670.17 million was by way of issuance of guarantee while the rest $538.70 million was invested through equity, according to the data on Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) for last month.

Among the major investors, Bharti Airtel infused $978.92 million in a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mauritius, Tata Steel invested $162.19 million in a subsidiary in Singapore and Tata International pumped $112.99 million into a wholly-owned arm in Singapore.

Calleis Infrastructure invested $81.12 million in a wholly-owned subsidiary in the UK.
Bhopal, March 17 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has expressed unhappiness by writing a fresh letter to Governor Lalji Tandon in which he has said that he is deeply hurt by the allegation that he has not upheld parliamentary propriety.

Nath in the letter said that the Assembly has been adjourned due to the threat of coronavirus as the WHO has declared it a pandemic.

"I bring to your notice that in the last 15 months I have proved majority in the House several times. If you think that I don't enjoy majority, the opposition can bring a no-confidence motion. It has come to my knowledge that the BJP has moved the motion which is pending before the Speaker who will take appropriate action as per the rules of the House," Nath said in the letter.

He also appealed to the Governor to call back the Congress MLAs held 'captive' in Bengaluru.

"I have apprised you of unprecedented situation in the state repeatedly. At least 16 of our legislators have been kept in a hotel in Bengaluru in a captive like situation. It is the BJP leaders who took them there by a chartered flight. No one can talk to them. They are being prevented from coming to Bhopal. They are given bribes, lurements and are being pressured by the BJP and forced to give false statements before the media. I am attaching a copy by a kin of the 'captive' MLA who has complained to us," Nath said in the letter.

Nath also said with "utter sadness" and "anguish" that far from finding a solution to the "illegal conduct like restrictions on my MLAs", the Governor has not even mentioned it in his letter.

The Governor had asked the government twice to hold a floor test - first on March 14 and then on March 16. However, the government has refused to do so saying first the legislators kept in Bengaluru should be released.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh government, Congress and the Assembly Speaker, seeking their response to the plea filed by the BJP for holding a floor test. The matter will be heard on Wednesday.
A Connecticut man has been charged with threatening to murder Adam Schiff after allegedly sending the senior Democratic a threatening message through his schedule-a-meeting website.

Robert Phelps, 62, is alleged to have told the congressman for California's 28th district, 'I want to kill you with my bare hands' and 'you had better hope I never meet up with you'.

He signed the message with his name, address, phone number and email. Under the section headed preferred day for the meeting, he is alleged to have written: 'Measure your Coffin day'.

Schiff, as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, spearheaded Democrat efforts to impeach Donald Trump and has often found himself the target of Republicans.

Adam Schiff, pictured above entering a national security briefing on March 10, received the aggressive messages through his schedule-a-meeting website

When Robert Phelps, 62, was arrested he admitted sending the messages and said he had done so in order to 'defend' his president

The sinister message read: 'You little c*********, I want to come and see you so I can spit in your face and I want to kill you with my bare hands and smash your sick little round fat lying face in.

'You had better hope I never meet up with you mother f*****.'

It was signed off: 'Robert M. Phelps, Republican'.

Under the organisation section, he wrote, 'lyingc***suckerclub,s*****shiffy' and for the names of additional participants section he wrote, 'NANCY PIGLOSI DUMOCRATIC RETARDS'.

When he was arrested Phelps admitted sending the email but claimed he 'did not see the message as threatening', reports the Washington Examiner.

He also told investigators that he had a right to contact members of congress and defend 'his president'.

Schiff helped lead efforts to get Donald Trump impeached for his conduct with Ukraine

US Attorney John Durham charged him with threatening to kill House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

Phelps was bailed for $25,000 but faces a maximum prison term of 15 years for threatening to assault and murder a US official and for making interstate threats.

He sent the message to Mr Schiff in November but was not arrested until March 13.
PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Discover Accounting recently ranked some of the best colleges offering degrees in accounting. Most of these schools had a good variety of degree programs available, but the focus here is only on accounting. Degree programs were chosen for their high quality, affordability, retention rate, graduation rate, return on investment and other additional factors. While a list of the best schools for accounting is great, students want to find the school and accounting degree program that is the best for their needs, which often includes location.

Discover Accounting used a proprietary ratings system to rank various college and university's accounting bachelor programs. The following data types were used and included to determine the top ranked colleges in the U.S.: retention rate, graduation rate, cost of education, average salary for graduates, acceptance rate, online reviews and online programs offered.

University of Notre Dame, Binghamton University, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland in College Park, Villanova University, University of Florida, Lehigh University, Indiana University in Bloomington, University of Scranton and Rutgers University in New Brunswick are the top 10 colleges and universities on the ranking report from Discover Accounting.

Discover Accounting gathered specific types of data as the team worked to rank each accounting program. From public university to private, not-for-profit to for-profit, each school was thoroughly considered. Graduation and retention rates give prospective students a look into the success of each school in providing valuable learning and academic experiences to students who enroll.

While prospective students may look through the data and "best of" rankings, in the end, they are going to decide for themselves which school will be the best for them.

Some students may want a smaller student body while others may gravitate toward a large student body. The cost of education may be one of the most critical pieces of information they look for, though financial aid awards (scholarships, grants, work-study, or student loans) may lower what they are expected to pay. If the students focus is on attending a less expensive college, they are more likely to opt for a state university rather than a private college.

Story continues

Another factor that incoming students are likely to consider is the quality of the undergraduate accounting degree program. They are more likely to choose a school for its documented high-quality accounting academic programs at the undergraduate, master's, and PhD levels if their plans include spending their entire career as a CPA. It's still true that, based on what they learn about degree programs at various universities, students ultimately choose the university where the degree program meets their goals and needs.

Incoming students and their parents should also look at retention and graduation rates from each college or university they are considering. If they see that any institution has a significantly lower percentage of retaining students, they should ask what is causing students to leave and possibly transfer to other universities. A lower graduation rate may point to students' lack of preparation for college classes or it may point to a quality of education that is lower than it may be in other degree programs with higher success rates.

In the end, students who are weighing their postsecondary choices will make his or her decisions based on what is the best fit for them. Prospective students should read ranking and rating reports from several sources, Discover Accounting included, before making their admission choices.

###

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 18:12 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b58007 1 National coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-death-toll Free

Indonesia announced 38 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 172.

Health Ministry Disease Control and Prevention director general Achmad Yurianto said most of the new cases were reported in Jakarta -- where the country's first two confirmed COVID-19 cases emerged -- followed by East Java, Central Java and Riau Islands.

Yurianto, however, did not provide further details regarding the report, such as the detailed number of cases in each province or the source of transmission.

On Monday evening, we received [reports] of 12 new confirmed cases. But today, we also recorded an additional 20 cases as well as six confirmed cases reported by Airlangga University Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, Yurianto told reporters on Tuesday.

Yurianto claimed that no new deaths had been recorded as of Tuesday, with the number of fatalities from the disease remaining at five.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients has increased from eight to nine.

Several patients are now undergoing further examination, and well see in the next two days whether they can be discharged from hospital or still stay in the [isolation] ward, he added.

Yurianto said that overall, most of the cases were in Jakarta, particularly due to the high frequency of people movement in the capital.

The government will coordinate with the Jakarta administration and the Jakarta Police to conduct further contact tracing and find other people who have been exposed to the disease.

We have also asked those who have tested negative [for COVID-19] to self-isolate at home, he said. (glh)
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Growth in Digital Marketing Industry in India

khaskhabar.com : , 17  2020 2:33 PM
The coronavirus pandemic has affected both the domestic and international markets, and the damage has increased manifold in some major economic zones in the last few weeks. The virus had originated from the city of Wuhan of Hubei province in China. So far, 169,387 confirmed cases have been reported globally, per the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Of the total, 6,513 people have died, while 77,257 have recovered. Fortunately, biotech companies are in a race to develop a treatment for the virus and people are counting on them.

First Trial Kicks Off

According to a government official, the first clinical trial for a designed vaccine is expected to start today, stated the Associated Press. The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine created by Moderna, Inc. MRNA, which worked with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funded the trial. Notably, 45 young and healthy volunteers will first receive the vaccine in different doses in order to ensure minimization of adverse side effects. As the shots do not contain the virus, the participants are not going to get infected from the trials.

The move from Moderna, a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company, is in the right direction as far as public health and safety are concerned, and will likely set the stage for larger tests in the coming days. Notably, the stock has gained 8.9% year to date against the 11.8% decline of the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Other Companies in the Race & Up for Gains

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. INO is expected to start tests for candidates in April for its potential coronavirus vaccine, INO-4800. It has a testing center at the University of Pennsylvania and another one in the Kansas City, MO. It has plans for performing similar tests in China and South Korea. The company received a $5-million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate testing and other developments.

Story continues

Eli Lilly and Company LLY is collaborating with private biotech AbCellera to co-develop antibody therapies for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus. Another company, Vir Biotechnology VIR is partnering with biotech giant Biogen BIIB to develop and manufacture antibody treatment for the virus. Vir Biotechnology, being a relatively smaller biotech company, will get help from Biogen in large-scale manufacturing.

In addition to biotech companies, large pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson JNJ, GlaxoSmithKline plc GSK and others are also making significant efforts to develop vaccines and treatments to counter coronavirus.

While the overall vaccine development process has been impressively fast so far, it might take 12-18 months to fully validate a potential vaccine, which will be available to people at a later stage. Moreover, large scale production of the vaccine will take a considerable time, assuming that the tests generate positive results only. With the help of modern technology, researchers are looking for temporary vaccines as well, which will provide them time to come up with a permanent solution.

Update From China

Scientists in China are working with different combinations of HIV drugs to treat the virus. Moreover, an experimental Ebola drug, Remdesivir, is being tested by them. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is working with this drug on some Americans who were on the infected cruise ship in Japan and got the virus.

Chinas new daily cases of infections have been declining in the past few weeks. The country is now easing lockdowns and quarantine zones in some areas, which have put industrial activities on a recovery mode. The slow recovery of the economy in China will act as a positive catalyst for the overall global market, as the country comprises an integral part of the global supply chain.

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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin urged anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters in Chennai to withdraw their protest in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Stalin on Monday attended an anti-CAA protest at the old Washermanpet area in Chennai which was organised in support of the Shaheen Bagh protest.

"I am requesting you (protesters) to take preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. You should withdraw the protest and postpone it. We are there to support you," said Stalin while addressing the protesters.

However, the protesters turned down his request and asked Stalin to participate in the agitation.

So far, three people have died of the infection and the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has climbed to 126 in the country.

Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 167,500 people and killed 6600 others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
T he TV Baftas is the latest event to be postponed as the UK braces for a rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

The annual ceremony sees stars from big budget dramas, reality television and soaps congregate to celebrate the past 12 months in television.

But this year's event will now take place "later in the year" with the nominations announcement, which had been due on Thursday, March 26, also being postponed.

A statement from Bafta said: Following the latest government advice on coronavirus (COVID-19), we regret to announce that the British Academy Television Craft Awards and Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards, originally scheduled for 26 April and 17 May respectively, will be postponed until later in the year.

BAFTAs Best Moments of all-time - In pictures 1 /37 BAFTAs Best Moments of all-time - In pictures 2019 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the EE British Academy Film Awards 2019 Getty Images 1967 Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attend the BAFTA Awards dinner Getty Images 1998 Hugh Grant and girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley arrive for 50th British Academy Film Awards PA 2014 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolies matching outfits, with Tinie Tempah Getty Images 1955 Actress Audrey Hepburn smiles broadly as she arrives at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, for the premiere of the film 'As Long As They're Happy' and the presentation of the British Film Academy Awards PA 1992 British actress Audrey Hepburn poses with her BAFTA Special Award Popperfoto via Getty Images 1995 Four Weddings and a Funeral sweeps the British Academy Film Awards BAFTA 1996 Babe the pig heads to the British Academy Film Awards BAFTA 2005 Cate Blanchett Getty Images 2006 Actress Diane Kruger is protected from the rain as she arrives PA 2011 Colin Firth hands Meryl Streep her shoe after it fell off on her way to the stage Rex Features Jennifer Lawrence in the rain Rex Features 2014 Rapper Tinie Tempah high five with Prince William at the British Academy Film Awards BBC 2014 Prince William gives an award to Granny Helen Mirren BBC 2014 Angelina Jolie Getty Images 2016 Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprios reunion Rex Features 2016 Stephen Frys controversial bag lady joke Rex Features 2016 John Boyega, winner of the EE Rising Star award Dave Benett 2016 Leonardo DiCaprio kissing Maggie Smith on kiss cam BBC 2018 Protesters wearing T-Shirts that read "Times Up Theresa" get onto the red carpet at the British Academy Film Awards AFP via Getty Images 2018 Timothee Chalamet helps James Ivory on stage BBC 2018 Allison Janney admitted she met the Duchess of Cambridge while barefoot, and called her 'honey' at the British Academy Film Awards 2018 "I am here to celebrate MEN" says Salma Hayek BBC 2018 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the EE British Academy Film Awards Getty Images 2019 Margot Robbie Getty Images 2019 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the EE British Academy Film Awards Getty Images 2019 Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets Olivia Colman Getty Images

The announcement of the nominations, scheduled for next Thursday 26 March, will also be postponed until closer to the ceremony. Were working with all our partners to explore options for new dates and we hope to be in a position to confirm them in the coming weeks.

We are continually monitoring the situation to ensure we are prepared for the challenges we may face in the coming weeks and months. We are closely following the advice of the World Health Organisation, NHS and GOV UK/Public Health England, and the safety of our members, guests and staff remains our top priority.

The Bafta announcement comes in line with the government's most recent advice which has urged citizens against non-essential travel in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly disease.

Postponed: Line of Duty is just one of the shows that has seen production suspended / BBC/ Peter Marley

Several movies, sporting tournaments and celebrity events have been cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Television shows have also seen production suspended, with Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty and Stranger Things just a few of the shows seeing their filming schedules affected.
GALAPAGOS, Ecuador - Jessy Lamontaine managed to book a long-dreamed-of vacation for her family this year, taking them far from their home in Montreal, Canada, down to the Galapagos Islands, where they began exploring the wonders of nature and frolicked in the sun.

Then, the coronavirus pandemic hit in the middle of the trip, throwing their plans into uncertainty.

I was in tears this morning, Lamontaine said. I couldnt get any answers from the airline. I had no money and didnt know whether I was going to keep my job.

Lamontaine, her husband and their 6-year-old son were stuck on the islands when flights were suspended and they missed the last trip out. They are among travellers around the world who have had vacations disrupted  in this case extended  by the pandemic.

Officials in Ecuador had initially halted trips to and from the archipelago 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) off the South American nations Pacific coast prized for its diverse marine and plant life. Its famous for helping inspire English scientist Charles Darwin to describe the process of evolution.

Galapagos Gov. Norman Wray said Tuesday that the 2,000 foreigners who remain on the archipelago in the next week will have the possibility of leaving on charter flights or those approved by the government. They wont be able to go home immediately, however. The ban on international flights will keep them in Ecuador until the emergency measures are lifted.

Other popular South American tourist destinations such as Perus Machu Picchu have also been temporarily closed in response to the coronavirus, as has access to Chiles Easter Island.

In a short time, the crowds playing in the sun and exploring the waters in the Galapagos have mostly vanished. The upbeat vibe has given way to solitude, raising fears among locals who depend on tourist for their survival.

Jose Coque, owner of the Cormoran Beach House hotel on Isabela Island, said that until just a few days ago people were coming and going from the beach. Restaurants were packed and tropical music was blaring at full volume.

Now it feels like a convent, Coque said. Theres absolute silence and very few tourists.

All reservations for March and April have been cancelled, said Coque, who is concerned because his employees depend on a thriving tourism industry.

The chamber of commerce says foreign tourists make up 95% of business on Isabel Island, the largest in the archipelago, and at least 26,000 of them visited last March. Most visitors come from the United States, Europe and Canada.

But for the next three weeks, no foreigner will be able to enter the archipelago by any means of transportation.

The mayor of Santa Cruz Island, Angel Yanez, said the measure is not easy for locals but it is necessary.

Tourism is our sole source of income, he said. Therefore, were taking care that this virus does not reach the Galapagos.

So far, no cases have been detected in the Galapagos Islands, but on the mainland of Ecuador officials announced Tuesday that the number of confirmed cases had reached 111, with two deaths.

Chaotic scenes have played out at many airports around the world, as tourists desperately seek seats to return home.

But British tourist Ian Attenborough, who lives in Barcelona, Spain, said he wasnt worried about having his trip home delayed.

I have my own business and I can work from anywhere, he said. When flights pick up again, I will return.

Lamontaine, 38, said her worries eased when she got answers about how shed pay for her hotel and what would become of her job back home. Shes able to enjoy an extended vacation until her husband Sajid Qureshi and son Aydin figure out their exit plan.

The hotel owner told me he wasnt going to charge me, then I spoke to my boss, Lamontaine said. He said that my job will be waiting for me.

___

Solano reported from Quito, Ecuador.
The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to interface with Mutichoice Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) and other service providers to introduce the Pay as You Go Tariff (PAYG) plan.

The lawmakers made the resolution on Tuesday while adopting a motion by Unyime Idem (Akwa-Ibom, PDP).

Moving the motion, the lawmaker noted that the National Broadcasting Commission Act empowers the National Broadcasting Commission to regulate the ownership, activities or operations of Radio and Television Stations, as well as Direct Broadcast Satellite Service Providers. He said currently, there are over 10 Direct- To-Home Service Providers operating in Nigeria and rendering paid services.

He also noted that DSTV, one of the leading Direct-To-Home Service Providers in Nigeria, was launched in 1995 and has about 11.9 million subscribers, which is the largest market for its operations.

Mr Idem said he was worried that DSTV and other Direct-To-Home Service Providers have deliberately refused to implement the Pay As You Go Tariff Plan but rather charge users on a fixed monthly tariff plan, unlike what is obtainable outside Nigeria.

Nigeria constitutes 40 per cent of DSTVs global market share, yet over 40 per cent of the citizens do not use a greater part of their paid monthly tariff due to engagements that take them from one location to the other on a daily basis, hence they cannot access the services upon expiration, whether or not they used their previous subscriptions until they renew it for another month, he said.

He said he was aware that DSTV operates a Pay As You Go Tariff Plan in other countries but has chosen to exploit Nigerians through a fixed monthly Tariff Plan.

The continuous exploitation by Multichoice, owners of DSTV, constitutes economic sabotage against Nigerians as most of them pay for services they do not consume while the company, judging from their average monthly tariff of eight thousand naira, if multiplied by 11.9 million subscribers, makes about 100 billion naira monthly at the expense of its subscribers.

Part of the yet to be named ad-hoc committee mandate is to investigate the non- implementation of the Pay As You Go (PAYG) tariff plan by broadcast Satellite Service Providers with a view to ensuring strict compliance with the tariff plan and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

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Nigerians have for years grumbled over the continued payment for services not rendered by MultiChoice, the major distance-to-home service provider in Nigeria.

Subscribers have pleaded with the federal government to enact a law to compel MultiChoice to introduce pay-as-you-view billing system.

Many are of the view that there was a need for such billing system, as it would ensure value for the subscription.

The lawmaker said many of the subscribers complained of paying for services they do not use, adding that after several complaints, MultiChoice did not listen.

MultiChoice has in the past said it could not introduce a pay-as-you-view system because it was not viable.

The issue of not introducing pay as you view remains. Nothing will change it.

We are not going to do it. Our contract with our suppliers are month to month basis. The channels do not belong to Multichoice, the Chief Customer Officer of Multichoice, Martin Mabutho, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) last year.
The state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, after canceling its in-person meeting in Chalmette because of coronavirus concerns.

The virtual meeting was authorized by an executive order issued Monday by Gov. John Bel Edwards that requires state and local agencies, boards and commissions to provide for public attendance at meetings by either teleconference or video conferences, if necessary.

"All efforts shall be made to provide for observation and input by members of the public," the order says. Agencies are required to certify that they are using the online or phone meeting because they can't otherwise operate because of quorum requirements.

The CPRA meeting will have only one item on its agenda: approval of the state's proposed $1.1 billion fiscal year 2021 annual plan. The budget calls for spending $804 million on construction projects, $110 million on engineering and design of new projects and $16 million on planning.

The authority vote on the plan anticipates the Legislature ending the suspension of its annual session, now scheduled for March 29. The Legislature must approve the annual plan, which serves as the budget for the state's share of the costs of restoration and levee projects.

The authority will use an online platform to live-stream the meeting, and public comments will be accepted by using the platform's chat feature. The comments will be read aloud after an explanation of the plan by CPRA executive director Bren Haase.

The live-stream will begin at 9 a.m. on Zoom, with the meeting itself beginning at 9:30 a.m. The meeting also will be live-streamed on CPRA's Facebook account, but comments will not be accepted there.

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The CPRA's revised plan anticipates the state will receive between $120 million and $125 million from federal offshore oil revenue, which will be used mostly to fund levee construction projects throughout the state, and $117 million from the state's most recent budget surplus, which will be used on a variety of restoration and levee projects.

+4 $958M coastal authority draft plan released for 2021; here's what projects that covers A draft plan to spend $958 million in fiscal year 2021 on hurricane flood reduction and coastal restoration projects in Louisiana, with more t

If approved, this would be the first year the state would plan on spending more than $1 billion of money it controls on restoration and levee projects.

The decision to conduct a virtual meeting falls in line with other efforts by state officials to limit gatherings where the coronavirus might be spread.

Haase said the authority has two employees who are voluntarily self-quarantined because of either foreign travel or potential contacts with individuals who have tested presumptive positive.

CPRA inspectors and regional offices have not come across any potential issues with the numerous contractors involved in building coastal restoration or levee projects overseen by the agency, Haase said. With a number of new contract bidding efforts underway, the agency also is reviewing ways to use virtual meetings to deal with required bid meetings.

Mark Schleifstein covers the environment and is a leader of the Louisiana Coastal Reporting Team for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. Email: mschleifstein@theadvocate.com. Facebook: Mark Schleifstein and Louisiana Coastal Watch. Twitter: MSchleifstein.
A Wayne woman coughed on Hanover police officers and told them she was infected with the coronavirus after she was arrested following a motor-vehicle crash, police said.

After officers arrested Lea Piazza, 28, following a one-car crash March 12 in which she was suspected of driving while intoxicated, she grew belligerent with officers trying to question her, breathing on one officer despite his repeated orders to stop, Hanover Police Capt. Dave White said.

During arrest procedures at the Hanover Police Department, Piazza once again started breathing on police, this time coughing on an officer, and said: Oh by the way, I have the coronavirus and now so do you.

Three officers had been in contact with Piazza since her arrest, prompting the department to contact health officials and have the officers self-quarantine. Piazza told officers that her boyfriend had the virus and had been hospitalized for treatment, White said.

But after an investigation, officers determined that everything Piazza said was 100% false, White said.

When contacted, the alleged boyfriend told police that he had gone on one date with Piazza and barely knew her, White said. Additionally, the man told police he had been in the hospital for an unrelated tooth issue.

She was eventually charged with DWI, careless driving, reckless driving and refusal to take a breath test. Piazza was additionally charged with false public alarm for her claims and was released pending a court date.

The next day, Piazza herself called police and apologized for her outburst, said White.

Were not taking this stuff lightly, White said. "So if anything this sets an example. Dont screw around.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.

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Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday tweeted out a post on the experience of a coronavirus patient in India.

Sriramulus tweet included an image which carried the message of the coronavirus patient. In the message, titled Being Covid-19 positive in India, the patient lauded the government and various health agencies for taking care of her as well her family members who also tested positive for the virus.

Describing her experience as an eye opener, the patient said that the government and the health authorities have been working like well-oiled machinery to tackle and contain the spread of coronavirus and help those who are infected.

The patient, in her message, said that the authorities have shown every sign of how a mature and responsible system works in the time of crisis.

#COVID2019 positive patient explains his experience of undergoing treatment under our government supervision. #PositiveNews pic.twitter.com/KYkwK5JzUd  B Sriramulu (@sriramulubjp) March 17, 2020

The patient hit out at all the critics and urged everyone to be thankful to the unsung heroes - like doctors, nurses and various health authorities - who have been risking their lives to help people in the wake of this outbreak.

Be thankful that you are in India and not in Italy, China or Japan, our system is working and working well, the message concluded.

Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu posted the patients message in a tweet that read, #COVID2019 positive patient explains his experience of undergoing treatment under our government supervision. #PositiveNews.

Earlier in the day, Sriramulu tweeted out, We have got 2 more #COVID2019 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10. 20 yr old female who travelled from UK is tested positive & another contact of P6 (Kalburgi deceased patient) is tested positive. Both are admitted in designated isolation hospital (sic).

A doctor, who treated the 76-year-old man who died of the novel coronavirus in Karnatakas Kalburgi, tested positive for the virus.

The 63-year-old doctor is among the two new cases of Covid-19 in the southern state, which now has 10 people who have tested positive.
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Linkedin Jeff Mason and Steve Holland (Reuters) Washington, United States  Tue, March 17, 2020 08:18 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0f21c 2 World Donald-Trump,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health,social-distancing Free

President Donald Trump urged Americans on Monday to halt most social activities for 15 days and not congregate in groups larger than 10 people in a newly aggressive effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the United States.

Announcing new guidelines from his coronavirus task force, the president said people should avoid discretionary travel and not go to bars, restaurants, food courts or gyms.

As stocks tumbled, Trump warned that a recession was possible, a development that could affect his chances of re-election in November. The Republican president said he was focused on addressing the health crisis and that the economy would get better once that was in line.

The task force implored young people to follow the new guidelines even though they were at lesser risk of suffering if they contract the virus. Older people, especially those with underlying health problems, are at the greatest risk if they develop the respiratory disease.

"We've made the decision to further toughen the guidelines and blunt the infection now," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We'd much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it."

Reporters staggered their seating, sitting in every other seat in the White House briefing room, to follow social distancing measures.

Trump said the worst of the virus could be over by July, August or later. He called it an invisible enemy.

"With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly," he said.

The president has taken criticism for playing down the seriousness of the virus in the early days of its US spread. On Monday, when asked, he gave himself a good grade for his response.

Trump said a nationwide curfew was not under consideration at this point.

Normally a cheerleader for the US economy, he acknowledged the possibility of a recession while brushing off another dramatic decline on stock markets as investors worried about the virus.

"The market will take care of itself," Trump said, adding it would be very strong once the virus was handled. The president has long considered soaring stock markets to be a sign of his administration's success.

Trump said the administration had talked regularly about domestic travel restrictions but hoped not to have to put such measures in place.

He said he thought it would still be possible for G7 leaders to meet at the Camp David retreat in Maryland in June. Trump upset European countries, which make up a large part of the G7, by instituting travel restrictions from European countries without consulting with them first.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16)  Things are now one click or tap away from our phones and other mobile devices. Customers and even employees find doing things digitally is more convenient and practical.

AIAH, a company that specializes in helping companies automate their services through artificial intelligence, believes bots and humans work best together. AIAH offloads the manual, repetitive tasks and allows employees to focus on more complex and strategic activities.

Customers are now familiar with digital apps on their phones, getting things immediately. Now companies are being pressured by their customer to give compelling customer experience, said Gian dela Rama, AIAH Chief Executive Officer, in an interview with CNN Philippines Business Roundup.

He added, At the same time, companies are also being pressured by their employees to give better services. Digital services can actually help employees while working from home, things like timing in and timing out can be done online as opposed to a punch card.

Have you activated your phone plan online? Have you tried doing bank transactions on your mobile device? Maybe AIAH was the company behind these convenient services.

Dela Rama said that business processes that can be done manually are good for automation.

Look at your processes, are they simple enough to be done manually. Because if they are, its good for automation. A bad process automated can actually cause more problems, he said.

Although it seems the line between the digital and physical spheres are getting blurred, Dela Rama noted that automation does not necessarily mean replacing a physical job.

You cant really replace jobs for people, but you can automate their tasks or their functions...We automate tasks that are normally tedious, hard for people to do, or repetitive.

He added, The bigger companies have done it already.... They are seeing points of opportunities where they can automate more, but they are also seeing the value of the people that they have. As you automate, you actually move people into jobs where more creativity is required.

Visit www.aiah.ai to discover how bots and brains work best together.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins on the countrys national day - St Patricks Day, the Armenian Presidents Office told Armenpress.

Highly appreciating the Armenian-Irish relations, President Sarkissian wished congratulations to his counterpart and touched upon their meeting held years before.

I warmly remember our meeting when I was serving as Armenias Ambassador to Ireland and our conversation about culture, history and Armenian miniature painting, the President said in the letter.

Mr. Sarkissian expressed confidence that the Armenian-Irish friendly relations, which are based on common Christian value system, will continue developing, and the agenda of the bilateral cooperation will be supplemented with initiatives of mutual interest.

President Sarkissian expressed readiness to outline new cooperation directions, given Irelands achievements in the field of high technologies. In this respect, he introduced the presidential initiative ATOM (Advanced Tomorrow) aimed at creating a multi-functional scientific and educational environment, offering an exclusive experience to various groups, starting from children up to researchers, scientists.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Egypt has placed over 300 families under quarantine in a Delta village to stem the spread of the new coronavirus after two deaths were recorded this month originating from the area.

"We have confined more than 300 families to their homes where they will remain in quarantine," Health Minister Hala Zayed told late-night television host Amr Adib on Monday.

Without naming the village in Daqahliya governorate, 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Cairo in the fertile Delta, she explained that "cleansing procedures" were undertaken to prevent further infections and that other "touristic" governorates would also be shut down in coming days.

The "heightened" measures come after Egypt recorded two new deaths, with the toll now rising to four.

The health ministry said Monday that an Egyptian man aged 50 died after coming into contact with a 72-year-old woman, who succumbed on March 12 from COVID-19, hailing from the same Daqahliya village now under quarantine.

The other death was of a German man, 72, in Luxor, the site of coronavirus cases originating on a Nile cruise boat that was later quarantined.

Egypt's total confirmed virus cases stands at 166 after the ministry reported 40 new cases, 35 of them Egyptians and five foreigners of various nationalities.

The country said it would suspend all flights starting Thursday until the end of the month to try to reduce the rate of infections from the global outbreak.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly urged Egyptians on Monday to "stay put" in their homes and avoid "panic shopping", saying the state had ample reserves of food items and other basic products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Long March-3A carrier rocket carrying two satellites of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) blasts off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Dec. 16, 2019. (File PhotoXinhua)

By Yu Jianbin

BEIJING, Mar.17 -- The 54th navigation satellite of the BeiDou system was successfully launched at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center a few days ago, which means that the completion of BeiDou global navigation network is only one step away. The series of Long March 3A(LM-3A) rockets are indispensable for each launch mission of the Beidou project and thus known as the "BeiDou Express". This time, the LM-3A rockets also set a new launch record again.

The construction of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has gone through three phases of BDS-1, BDS-2 and BDS-3. The BDS-3 consists of 30 satellites, and the onelaunched this time is the 29th BeiDou satellite. The last geostationary satellite will be launched in May as planned. By then, the deployment of the BDS-3 satellite constellation with global coverage will be fully completed.

The LM-3A series mainly include three configurations: the launch capability of the Long March 3A is 2.6 tons, the Long March 3B 5.5 tons, and the Long March 3C 3.9 tons. According to the carrying capacity, different configurations can be selected to perform different tasks.

Jiang Jie, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief designer of LM-3A carrier rockets of China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), said that the LM-3A series of rockets have undertaken all the launching tasks of China's BeiDou project. Since the launch of the first BeiDou navigation satellite in 2007, the rockets have sent 54 satellites into predetermined orbits through 39 times of successful launches. With the four test satellites launched from 2000 to 2007 being counted in, the LM-3A rockets have sent 58 BeiDou navigation satellites into orbit for 43 times with a 100% success rate.

How to achieve such a high success rate? In particular, how to ensure high reliability of the rocket when China's aerospace industry has entered the era of high-density launch?

Academician Jiang said that the current number of LM-3A rockets launches has reached 110 times, with a success rate of more than 98%, and the launch success rate of BeiDou registered as 100%. Behind the data, it is a set of research and production management models suitable for batch production and high-density launch formed by the research and development team that meet the needs of BeiDou engineering and rocket development.

The Yuanzheng-1 (Expedition-1) upper stage, known as the "space shuttle bus", is an extremely critical technological innovation. It can work with a rocket to send high earth orbit satellites directly to working orbit. When the rocket and satellite are separated outside the atmosphere, the upper stage will continue to carry the satellite and fly for several hours in space. Its flight altitude can reach tens of thousands of kilometers.

Jiang explained that the upper stage enables the rocket to launch high-orbit satellites, demonstrating China's capability to quickly enter space. It can realize the rapid deployment of spacecraft and the miniaturization of satellite platforms, and reduce the cost of space launch as well. In particular, two thirds of BeiDou's global navigation satellites are directly orbited, and the "space shuttle bus" has played a vital role.

It is extremely difficult to develop the upper stage. Facing the challenge of flying in space for several hours and tens of thousands of kilometers, we must break through three major problems of autonomy, accuracy, and reliability, said Jiang. She introduced that the development of the upper stage started in 2009 and the first flight was realized in 2015. In the end, it achieved full-process automation in navigation, guidance, and control with high precision, and made breakthroughs in a series of key technologies such as adaptation to high-level space radiation and microgravity, with the reliability and flight level of the upper stage greatly improved. So far, the Yuanzheng-1 upper stage has successfully completed 15 flights.

The Long March-3A rockets are expected to perform about 10 launch missions in 2020, including the BeiDou project, the Gaofen satellites project, the Fengyun meteorological satellites, and international commercial launch missions, undoubtedly being one of the busiest rocket series in China's aerospace industry.
The Chancellor is drawing up a support package for airports and airlines struggling to survive.

Rishi Sunak said special measures would help the aviation industry deal with the biggest challenge in its history.

Ministers are even discussing temporarily renationalising struggling airlines, with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps saying emergency measures could see airlines, rail operators and bus firms 'run by the public sector'.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps at Downing Street in London today for a Cabinet meeting

A sparsely-filled carriage on a commuter train from Maidenhead to London Paddington today

A sparsely-filled carriage on an Underground train at Goldhawk Road in West London today

The dramatic proposal follows dire warnings that airports could shut down 'within weeks' without government intervention.

Plummeting passenger numbers and sweeping travel bans have resulted in global air travel grinding to a near-total halt.

The International Air Transport Association said yesterday that many airlines had seen demand fall to zero for the first time.

Gatwick Airport yesterday made 200 staff redundant and British Airways entered redundancy talks with its pilots.

Air passengers in face masks walk through a deserted London Heathrow Terminal Five today

A check-in information board displaying flight cancellations at London Luton Airport today

Two men and a child wearing face masks walk through London Luton Airport today

Speaking in the final day of the Budget debate, Mr Shapps said: 'The principle should, as far as we can possibly make this work, be that people and individuals and companies are left in the same position when we come out of this.

'Although I have to say, I feel we will be in a somewhat changed world, a somewhat changed environment on the other side of this, but nonetheless good organisations shouldn't be going bust.

'It'll be hugely challenging and we will require a lot of different responses and mechanisms in order to get there, including on occasions organisations being run by the public sector, which he's already seen in the case of trains but for a completely different reason.'

On train timetables, Mr Shapps said: 'It makes no sense for us to be running empty trains as fewer people will be travelling following the advice and guidance from the Government and Prime Minister last night.

'So in the short, medium-term timetables may be altered in order to ensure we don't effectively run ghost trains, which will make no sense.'

Mr Shapps said the Government is also 'determined' to ensure companies are 'left in as strong a position as possible' to ensure they can continue to operate after the virus outbreak, adding: 'We will work in partnership with the transport industry to keep essential services running for the public and for those who need to get to work, those who have essential business.'

Labour former minister Yvette Cooper questioned why train services would be reduced given so many are 'crowded', adding: 'Doesn't it make sense to keep many more of them running for those essential workers who still have to get to work, but to make sure there are far fewer people on them?'

Mr Shapps replied: 'She makes an excellent point and the reality is, because of social distancing as well, it may well be desirable to have more space between seats so people can keep some distance, so yes, that absolutely needs to be taken into account as we look at the timetabling going forward.'

Also today, Britons were been advised against all non-essential trips abroad as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues.

The Airport Operators Association warned that UK airports may shut down 'within weeks without Government intervention'.

Despite that warning, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told MPs the Government was advising against all non-essential foreign travel for an initial period of 30 days.

Meanwhile a second person has died in Scotland after being diagnosed with the illness, bringing the death toll to 56.
The Final Destination franchise turns 20 years old on the anniversary of the March 17, 2000 release of the first film. There have been four sequels and a sixth film is in the works. The first four are on Netflix but the original film provides an interesting look back at the creation of the franchise. Many of the seeds were there, but its quite a different film than the more elaborate sequels.

[This article contains spoilers for Final Destination and some of its sequels]

Netflix and chill with the first Final Destination

Alex (Devon Sawa) is flying to France with his high school French class when he has a vision of the airplane exploding. He wakes up and in his panic, gets ejected from the plane along with several of his classmates. The vision comes true and it would seem they escaped fate. Except death had a plan for them to die, so it still comes after them using other methods.

L-R: Ali Larter, Devon Sawa And Kerr Smith | Getty Images

The accidents get so much more elaborate in the sequels they overshadow the original plane crash. A plane crash seems quaint compared to the freeway pileup in Final Destination 2, the roller coaster in 3, the race track in 4 and the bridge in 5. If only Netflix had a jump to a catastrophe feature. Some of the DVD releases do

It wasnt just a simple plane crash in the original Final Destination though. They showed a lot of individual deaths to establish the order in which the passengers would perish. That becomes important later. And this was pre 9/11. Airplanes became much sensitive a year and a half after Final Destination came out so the movie might not have even worked anymore.

Final Destination does something the sequels dont

The biggest difference between Final Destination and its sequels is the main character. Alex is superstitious before it happens. In the sequels the vision of a catastrophe makes people believers. Alex was already a nervous flyer and his vision coming true, and subsequent deaths to boot, only exacerbate his worry.

Devon Sawa | Getty Images

The first Final Destination deals with grief and mourning more than the sequels do. It makes sense for the first film to explore that drama because it is a class that all knew each other. Most of the sequels involve strangers brought together. The first film is also introducing the rules so it takes more time for the characters to discover death is pursuing them in the order they were supposed to die. The sequels get right to it.

Alex gets clues about who is going to die next, and how. Most of the sequels dont really help their heroes out like that. Final Destination 3 would introduce the photo shadows but most of the sequel victims were on their own. John Denvers Rocky Mountain High is more of a theme in the original, which makes sense because it revolves around a plane crash. Some of the sequels would still pay homage to the song.

The elaborate death scenes begin here

The Final Destination series became a showcase for the most elaborate death scenes filmmakers could imagine. Sequels would string together Rube Goldberg mousetraps of death like prosthetic limbs in an elevator, or use real world death traps like fast food lanes, laser eye surgery or weight rooms.

L-R: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Chad Donella and Tony Todd | Getty Images

The original Final Destination is more about the surprise of death catching the viewer off guard, but it already has a few elaborate sequences. The deadly elements are clear right away. Theres a water leak, an electric chord, a character shaving, all things the viewer might suspect cause an accident. Its all a misdirect though, as that particular character dies by strangulation.

Another set piece in the first film involves a lot of liquid spilling and dripping. That would become a theme in many of the sequels. The finale is a big wild electric cable/explosion sequence, and theres even an epilogue with a chain reaction. Sequels would surely devote more budget to death set pieces, but Final Destination did a lot within their means.

Ali Larter | Getty Images

The sequels are all great too. This is one of the most inventive franchises that remains faithful to its concept but explores it in new ways each time out. Even the Nightmare on Elm Street franchises burnt out on nightmares in some of the sequels. So start your Final Destination journey on Netflix and if you like the ride, theres more where that came from.
Compton College Campus Closed to Public Beginning March 17 through April 10, 2020

The Compton Community College District President/CEO announced today that the Compton College campus will be closed to the public effective March 17, 2020, through April 10, 2020, to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus both locally and as a statewide effort.

The only individuals allowed on campus will be faculty, staff, and students who are encouraged to practice social distancing and health safety measures. Individuals working on current construction projects will also be allowed on campus.

For those that use the Compton College track and field for exercise, the track and field will be closed to the public March 18, 2020, through April 10, 2020.

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Compton College students are asked to continually check their Compton College email for updates on transitioning to online and alternative methods of instruction/student support services. All classes are canceled March 17, 2020, through March 20, 2020, so faculty can transition courses to an alternative instruction method, such as Canvas course delivery software or teleconferencing. The majority of courses will move to alternative methods of instruction beginning Saturday, March 21, 2020, through Friday, April 10, 2020. Options are also being explored for students who dont have reliable access to computers or broadband. More information will be provided directly to students on Wednesday, March 18, 2020

All campus entrances will be closed, except the Artesia Boulevard entrance. Campus Police will be monitoring the Artesia Boulevard entrance to allow only those that have permission to be on campus.

Compton College COVID-19 updates are available online at www.compton.edu//adminandoperations/campuspolice/covid-19.
Right now in Huntsville, the people who own, run and work in restaurants are trying to keep local flavors alive. With the specter of mandated restaurant and bar closures in other parts of the U.S. due to coronavirus, here, in Alabamas second largest city, businesses are shapeshifting to stay open as long as they can.

Domaine South is a European influenced eatery specializing in gourmet sandwiches, charcuterie, stews and wine. Located on the downtown square, Domaine South discontinued dining room service after a busy Friday dinner shift. Instead of opening Saturday, owner Kristian Denis held an employee meeting. There plans were discussed to reopen March 17 with curbside and delivery food service only until we get to the other side of this.

A couple of things led to her decision to close Domaines cozy, charming dining room. Bigger picture: Denis best friend and college roommate works as a nurse in Seattle, a city hit hard by coronavirus. Smaller picture, at Domaine South, Denis says, We had taken tables out previously to keep everybody further apart and stopped accepting cash earlier in the week. But none of those things was really going to alleviate the fact people were right on top of each other. So thats what we did.

Denis also has moved all employees who were not making $13 an hour, up to that figure. Front of house restaurant workers, such as servers and bartenders, often make much less than that hourly, generating income mostly via tips left by customers. "We just wanted to make sure we do everything we can that their rent is paid and they have groceries," Denis says.

Normally, Domaine South operates with a shift with five back of house, or kitchen, workers, five front of house, Denis and Domaine executive chef Luke Hawke. For now, theyll operate with a crew of two back and two front, Hawke and Denis. We want to make sure that were not on top of each other just because its so small and our kitchen is tiny, she says. All employees are being cross-trained to do each others jobs, somewhat of a rare cross-pollination in the biz. And all employees on a shift will share tips.

Kristine Mears has been a server and bartender at Domaine South since November 2018. Passionate about her service industry career, Mears is excited to learn kitchen skills during this period. "We're a fantastic team," Mears says. "We're honestly a family, so I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep us going."

Like a lot of people working in the service industry during the coronavirus pandemic, Mears' emotions zoom from fear and gratitude. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't somewhat scare me," Mears says, "just because we don't know what the outcome from this will be. However, it's really great to work for employers that really truly care about not only their employees but our guests. And we have amazing clientele that will make sure we are staying in business and are taken care of."

Domainee Souths curbside service works like this: Customers call in their orders and pay via debit/credit card over the phone. Customers pull up to the curb near Domaine South and call again to let them know theyve arrived and pop open their vehicles trunk. Were going to run it out and put it in their trunk, Denis says. Totally touchless.

Many other local restaurants have initiated curbside service too, or shifted to takeout/drive-thru only. Some of these range from pizza (including Big Eds, Pan e Vino, Earth and Stone) to Mexican (Fire & Spice, Buena Vista, La Esquina Cocina) to sandwiches (Dallas Mill, Happy Tummy) to upscale (1892 East, Cotton Row, Commerce Kitchen) to international (Neon Lilly, Luciano, Ol Heidelberg, Beignet Cafe) to barbecue/chicken (ChuckWagon, Beauregards) to coffee (Offbeat, Honest Roasters) and beyond (Straight to Ale, Hippea Camper). Development nonprofit Downtown Huntsville Inc. has compiled a running list of downtown restaurants doing so.

Judd Vowell is chief operation officer of Food And Beverage Associates, a restaurant group that manages Mediterranean-tinged Jones Valley restaurant Mezza Luna. Starting March 17, Mezza Luna, home to an airy dining room, bar and patio, will move to curbside service only, taking orders via phone. Theyre also working with their point of sale company to set up online options too. It took a serious amount of deliberation to move from in-house dining to curbside only, Vowell says, with both our staff and the guests in mind. We didnt make this decision without some difficult conversations.

A grilled fish entree at Mezza Luna. (File/Matt Wake/mwake@al.com)bn

Mezza Luna had planned to close March 16 for staff-training regarding COVID-19, the disease coronavirus causes. Over the weekend, the rapid spread of the virus became clear, Vowell says though, and we felt it was in the best interest of our community to follow the governments social-distancing recommendations. During this phase, Mezza Luna will utilize servers to deliver meals, including the restaurants brick-oven pizzas, out to customers vehicles. Mezza Luna, Domaine South and other Huntsville restaurants are also adding family style meals to increasingly malleable menus, such as spaghetti or short ribs.

Last week, Mezza Luna also intensified their restaurant's cleaning policies, using downtime to deep clean and keep employees on the clock. "We're doing everything we can to keep a steady paycheck coming," Vowell says. As far as libations go, businesses like Old Town Beer Exchange and The Wine Cellar have also started curbside service for packaged sales. For its to-go wine sales, Domaine South is only admitting one customer at a time.

Local third-party food delivery service GrubSouth has been encouraging customers to opt for a non-contact option for orders. No signing required, tips are done in advance and the foods left at your doorstep. Via Facebook, GrubSouth co-owner Katie Herron says, Weve definitely gotten more vendor applications than usual.

Denis and Vowell say their respective restaurants wholesale supply chain has remained stable. For now, at least. The coronavirus pandemics looking impact on society is too overwhelming to outline in sentence. When its all said and done though, Vowell thinks that will include a deeper appreciation for services weve taken for granted for so long. He adds, its critical for our community to support us as long as they can, utilizing the curbside availability while it lasts.

Understandably, Domaine South employee Kristine Mears says worry is soaring among service industry workers. "We live on tips, that's how we survive," Mears says, "and a lot of us are very day-to-day. I'm lucky I dont have any kids to worry about, but plenty of my service industry friends do."

Domaine owner Kristian Denis restaurant career goes back decades, including an early 90s stint waiting tables at bygone downtown Huntsville spot Richards on the Square. She says even the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks or Hurricane Katrina cant compare to present tense. In restaurants and bars the margins are really slim, Denis says, so they rely on the business theyre doing today to pay their employees tomorrow and to buy their food. Were lucky to be in a position that we can do this right now. But its going to be devastating for the service industry, and a lot of people are not going to come back from it.

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Covid-19 has had a big impacts on all aspects of the economy and life. However, the effects vary among different business fields.

Tourism waits for lifebuoy



Tourism has suffered the most heavily from Covid-19. Nguyen Thi Khanh, deputy chair of the HCM City Tourism Association, said the situation of travel firms is very serious and they need the governments support to survive the epidemic.





When coronavirus began in China, travel firms lost Chinese travelers, but they still had European travelers.



But the situation is getting worse as the virus has spread rapidly in Europe and the US in the last 10 days. Travel firms fear that they will lose the European markets as well.



Meanwhile, the number of domestic travelers has also dropped dramatically despite their efforts to slash tour fees to stimulate demand.



We visited a lot of safe destinations, including Phu Yen and Dak Lak to prepare for sale promotion programs, planning to design tours with fee reductions of up to 50 percent. However, travelers are not booking tours now because of the epidemic escalation, she said.

Covid-19 has had a big impacts on all aspects of the economy and life. However, the effects vary among different business fields.

Local newspapers reported that the government has told banks to launch a VND250 trillion credit package to help businesses overcome difficulties.

However, when businesses contact banks for the package access, they were told that the banks still cannot make disbursement because of the lack of guides.



The representatives of local tourism associations in the tourism cities of Hue, Da Nang and Can Tho also said slashing tour fees was the only thing they can do, but this will be insignificant, if the demand does not improve.



F&B chains



Mai Truong Giang, the owner of a business owning 27 shops with two brands Chewy Chewy and Otoke Chicken, said the turnover has dropped by 30-50 percent.



The street-front restaurants that serve dine-in clients have seen turnover decrease by 30 percent, while sharper turnover decrease is reported for restaurants located in shopping centers which are now deserted.



The owner of a restaurant in Hanoi said he has decided to cut salaries for workers by 40 percent for three months to be able to maintain operation.



Supply chains



The Vietnam Chemicals Group (Vinachem) is one of the big state-owned enterprises facing difficulties because of Covid-19.



Vinchames chair Nguyen Phu Cuong said the company has major materials for production, but needs to import additives. The Covid-19 outbreak has made it difficult to import additives from China, while the amount of stored materials is just enough for production until April.



The products of the enterprise include input materials of many key production fields.

Kim Chi
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:14:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A total of 114 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Russia as of Tuesday, up from 93 the day before, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova has said.

"In the Russian Federation, 114 infections have been registered in 26 regions. Of these, five have recovered and were discharged (from the hospital)," she told a government meeting attended by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, broadcast live.

Golikova said that 109 patients are currently being treated in hospital, with 106 of them without any symptoms of the illness.

According to Golikova, the Russian tally shows 104 cases as imported, with the other 10 becoming infected through contact with arrivals from abroad.

Speaking at the meeting, Putin noted that thanks to timely measures taken by the Russian authorities, it has been possible to curb a massive spread of the novel coronavirus.

He urged the Russian government to be extremely mobilized and proactive in fighting the virus.

Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement on Tuesday that among the 114 cases confirmed in Russia, 111 are Russians, with the other patients being two Chinese nationals and one Italian, who has been discharged from hospital after recovering.
Aidan caught the sniffles at his retreat. He lounged on the La-Z-Boy, and though able to operate the television remote, he was incapacitated from performing algebra.

Do you think Im dying of COVID-19? he asked.

Youre not dying. Youve had a stuffy nose since the day we adopted you. Truly, you look up the word grippe in Websters dictionary, and you will find the name Aidan Fisher-Paulson, I replied.

Other parents would have had a Hallmark moment. Nurse Vivian would make sweet warm tea with cinnamon toast. But cinnamon is too spicy for my son, so instead he drank ginger ale with his hot Cheetos. Im in the high-risk group, so youd think Id avoid Typhoid Aidan, but hes a teenager. He naturally avoids me.

Long-term readers know were related to Calamity Jane Canary, and though weve dropped the Canary/Kiniry, we retain the Calamity.

This is the second plague Ive lived through. Well, at least so far. I was in the high-risk group then, as well, though there was a lot more shaming.

Summer of 1981 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I led a coming out group with the Pink Triangle Collective. On the week that we talked about health, my co-facilitator, Danny, pulled out a New York Times clipping about a Rare Cancer Seen in Homosexuals.

The irony had not been lost on me that Id come out on the exact wrong day. There were more articles about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), notably by Chronicle reporter Randy Shilts.

And then it got real. By the time I moved back to New York, the end times had begun. David Norrie was my first friend to die, and then a funeral every week.

We got angry, because the government wasnt doing enough to keep us safe. We formed the first national AIDS switchboard, to dispel the rumors. We formed AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT UP. We didnt know whom to love, whom to touch, but we knew enough to tell people that they wouldnt get it from their Haitian cotton couch.

So far, 32 million people have died from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including Zanes first uncle, Tim. Im a light-one-candle-rather-than-curse-the-darkness kind of guy, and if you are as well, then support Terry Asten Bennett, the woman who runs Cliffs Variety. Shes the bus mom for the AIDS Life Cycle, and shes trying to raise money to fight that scourge at www.tofighthiv.org/goto/busmom2020.

Fast-forward to the scourge du jour. There are a few parallels (its likely that Corona beer wont do much better than the Ayds Candy line), and while Im in a different place than I was in 1981  decades past the age where I worry about the exchange of body fluids  there are a few lessons from then that we can use now.

The big one is not to blame anybody for a virus. Not the gays, not the Chinese, not the Italians. We dont need scapegoats. We need compassion. We need to be kind.

The downside to being a sheriffs deputy is that I dont get to call in sick for Armageddon. We cannot telecommute emergency service, so we show up.

But Aidan got two weeks off from school, thanks to the generosity of the archdiocese. Which means that he has Papa as his full-time teacher, and if Aidan thought Sister Lil was tough, hes got Dolores Umbridge now.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The new schoolhouse is the Bedlam Blue Bungalow in the outer, outer, outer, outer Excelsior, and everything is a teachable moment when youre homeschooling. Even the pandemic. Given his unique challenges, we havent had to teach him about social distance. We taught him emotional proximity was more important.

We tell Aidan to cover his sneezes. We tell him to keep his fingers (and toes) out of his mouth.

Stay informed, I say.

To which he replies, Did you know its named for the crown-like spikes on its surface?

To which Papa replies, Not the tiara I was hoping for.

We can each of us die at any moment, Aidan, but whats important is how we live. In the meantime, we wash our hands, and though other families may be humming Happy Birthday to get the full 20 seconds, the Fisher-Paulsons sing, I Will Survive.
The thought of potential gains from the construction and operation of Ethiopias Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) must be behind the Sudanese refusal to initial the draft agreement prepared by the US Department of the Treasury in collaboration with World Bank experts and behind the reservation lodged by the Sudanese delegation to the Arab League against the Arab foreign ministers resolution expressing support for Egypt and Sudan in the crisis surrounding the GERD.

The Sudanese delegation insisted that Sudan should be struck from the text of the resolution, thereby voiding it of substance. Clearly, the Sudanese stance bolsters that of Ethiopia, which has refused to sign the Washington agreement. But what, exactly, does Khartoum have to gain?

For one thing, Sudan, which suffers from a 40 per cent deficit in electricity, stands to get cheap energy from the GERD, according to an agreement signed between Khartoum and Addis Ababa during the rule of former Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir. For another, the dam will prevent damaging flooding of large tracts of land on either side of the Blue Nile in Sudan, including portions of Khartoum, during the annual flooding seasons. An average of 50 billion m3 of water flows from the Ethiopian highlands through Sudan in the space of only four months at the moment. The dam promises to spread that out across the whole year.

Third, the GERD will hold back the large quantities of silt the Blue Nile carries to Sudanese dams, such as the one at Roseiras, diminishing their electricity production. In addition to alleviating this problem, the GERD will make it possible for the dams to operate all year round instead of for just a few months a year. Fourth, with the regulation of the flow of the Blue Nile through the GERD, Sudan will be able to use its full quota of water under the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement with Egypt. Currently, Sudan can only accommodate 15.3 billion m3 of its stipulated 18.5 billion m3 quota because a lot is lost as a result of the speed of the flow during the short flooding season and the evaporation of much of the overflow.

On top of all this Sudan might be considering political gains or, at least, averting political losses. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was instrumental in brokering the agreement between the Forces of Freedom and Change in Sudan, which overthrew the Al-Bashir regime, and the military council that took power after his fall, which resulted in the creation of the current transitional government.

Apparently, too, Khartoum is hoping that the Ethiopian leader will do more to promote a comprehensive agreement with the rebel movements in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan, and Darfur states. The talks between the Sudanese government and those movements, which began some months ago in Juba, have made considerable progress, but an agreement is still out of reach, perhaps in part because the Abdel-Wahid Nour faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement has refused to join the talks. Conversely, even if Ahmed does not help in this regard, Khartoum would want to maintain good relations with Addis Ababa as a means to keep it from supporting Sudanese rebel movements, especially in the Blue Nile and Kordofan states bordering Ethiopia, in the event of disputes surrounding the GERD.

These gains are undeniably important for Sudan. But it could attain them and, simultaneously, maintain good relations with its northern neighbour by refraining from a position that jeopardises Egypts acquired historic rights to the Nile waters, virtually its sole source of water.

What would Khartoum have to lose if it put its initials to the final agreement on the GERD, even if it felt the need to register a reservation during the last meeting in Washington, instead of merely falling into line with Addis Ababas refusal to sign? What would Khartoum have to lose by agreeing to the Arab League resolution expressing solidarity with the two countries that lie downriver from Ethiopia, supporting the principles of international law and calling on Arab League members to take the necessary measures to persuade Ethiopia to sign the agreement prepared by Washington?

Doesnt the resolution affirm Sudans rights as well as Egypts in the face of Ethiopias determination to proceed with the construction and operation of the dam in a manner that could jeopardise the welfare of both the Egyptian and Sudanese people? There was nothing unconventional in the resolution, such as a threat of the use of force. It was a declaration of support that Sudan could easily have put its name to, letting Addis Ababa do the job of rejecting it while refraining from angering Egypt and other Arab League members.

Surely Khartoum must realise that Egypts indefatigable efforts in its six-year campaign to defend its water rights against Ethiopias unilateral actions were not for Egypts sake alone, but were for the sake of the Sudanese people as well despite Khartoums anti-Egyptian positions under Al-Bashir and its unproductive and sometimes negative positions following the fall of his regime until the US and World Bank stepped in to broker an agreement that would serve the interests of all three countries.

The more Ethiopia is allowed to have its way unilaterally, the greater the threat to both Egypts and Sudans interests, and the more Ethiopian greed is reined in, the more Egypt and Sudan have to gain. Suffice it to say that Sudan stands to lose half its share of Nile water under the 1959 Agreement because of the GERD. It will also lose the rich silt that has fertilised the lands along the Blue Nile for millennia. And what is to guarantee that Sudan will receive the electricity it bargained for in the event of tensions between Khartoum and Addis?

We can only hope that the discussions that Deputy Chairman of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo held in Cairo last Saturday and Sunday shortly after the talks that Egyptian General Intelligence Director Abbas Kamel held in Khartoum will have resulted in a clearer and more sensible Sudanese position on the GERD.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Freia's initial launch of 10,000 bottles of Dermogel in Italy, with the first batch of 4,000 bottles has been sold out within 5 days.

Freia's Manufacturing and supply chains are open, and another 34,000 units are being ordered for express delivery into Italy and 50,000 units on order from the UK.

Dermogel has been clinically proven to sanitize hands and to be effective in reducing microbial and viral contaminants on the skin.

MONTREAL, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ELIXXER, LTD. (TSX.V: ELXR. OTCQB: ELIXF) ("ELXR" or the "Company") announces that its Italian pharmaceutical partner, Freia Farmaceutici (Freia), has successfully launched its topical hand sanitizer, Dermogel, in Italy with their initial block of 10,000 units. The first batch of 4.000 bottles, from its first 10,000 unit manufacturing run, has been sold out within 5 days.

Freia's manufacturing and supply chains are open and the second batch of 34,000 units are on order. Further manufacturing runs are planned as demand increases.

In addition to Italy, Elixxer is assisting Freia to expand Dermogel sales into the US and the UK. Elixxer has secured initial orders for the UK of 50,000 units as of this morning.

Freia's Dermogel has been developed in Italy to effectively sanitize hands and is proving to be an effective alternative to soap and water in decreasing bacteria counts on the skin. This daily-use product is applicable to high traffic zones for sanitation and safety. Clinically studies on the medical benefits shows that Dermogel is an effective hand sanitizer with the added benefit of less irritation to the skin compared to existing brands on the market.

About Elixxer Ltd.)

ELXR Ltd. is a Canadian public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: ELXR) and the US OTC-QB exchange (OTCQB: ELXIF).

For further information please contact:

President, John McMullen, +1-416-803-0698, john@elixxer.com

Caution Regarding Press Releases

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to Elixxer and its operations, strategy, investments, financial performance and condition. These statements can generally be identified by use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of Elixxer, including completion of the Loan and any future investment or acquisition, could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Some important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, government regulation and the factors described under "Risk Factors and Risk Management" in Elixxer's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to Elixxer and persons acting on its behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Elixxer has no obligation to update such statements, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws.
South Africa: Department to increase water provision in rural areas

The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, has directed the department to increase the provision of water and sanitation in high density public areas, informal settlements and rural areas in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In response to the declaration of Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Sisulu has directed the department to ensure that rural areas and informal settlements are provided with water tanks and stand pipes to increase access to water for residents.

Sisulu said she is concerned that people living in the informal settlements are at high risk of contracting and spreading the virus amongst one another.

She said she has instructed her department to urgently find other solutions that will prevent the spread of the virus in such areas.

We find ourselves in an unfortunate situation, where we are called upon to respond to this pandemic. We commit ourselves to do everything possible to respond to the urgent needs of our people through the provision of water and sanitation, as we confront the possible spread of the virus, Sisulu said.

In support of the measures which have been put in place to minimise and curb the spread of the virus, the department will also provide water tanks and sanitisers in public spaces including taxi ranks, train and bus stations, and other areas where people congregate.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday interventions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa. These include closing schools from Wednesday, 18 March; closing 35 ports of entry and imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from countries hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Other interventions include the prohibition of social gatherings of more than 100 people and cancellation of mass celebrations of upcoming national days such as Human Rights Day and other large government events.

The measures were the outcome of an emergency Cabinet meeting held on Sunday in Pretoria.

Sisulu has appealed to South Africans to wash their hands regularly, while at the same time, using water sparingly, to ensure that everyone has their share.

We call upon everyone in the human settlements, water and sanitation sector to work with government in responding to the Coronavirus. We also appeal to residents where we will be providing services to work with our officials. This is a matter which requires all of us to play our role in order to succeed, the Minister said.

For more information and resources on COVID-19 click here.

 SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Overwhelmed supermarkets have warned they will not be able to keep up with the torrent of online food orders which surged as Britons braced for self-isolation.

The accelerating coronavirus crisis yesterday saw the government issue unprecedented guidance for Briton's elderly to stay at home for 12 weeks.

It fanned a spike in internet delivery orders which has left retailers snowed-under and struggling to cope.

The vulnerable were warned they could face up to six weeks for food packages as the delivery slots have already been snapped up.

Industry leaders said supermarkets would 'never have enough' capacity to provide for each self-isolated person in their own home.

Ocado said it has seen 'exceptionally high demand' on its website, meaning delivery slots have sold out 'quicker than expected'.

The online supermarket said it had to take its app offline 'due to performance issues driven by continued high demand'.

Overwhelmed supermarkets have warned they will not be able to keep up with the torrent of online food orders which surged as Britons braced for self-isolation (empty shelves in a London supermarket amid panic-buying)

Ocado said it had to take its app offline 'due to performance issues driven by continued high demand'

A retail source told the Telegraph: 'Online delivery accounts for about 7 per cent of our business. Even if you doubled to 14, there's still a huge gap.

'The reality is that neighbours and community groups will have to step in to deliver food. There's no other way of doing it.'

Chief executives are in discussions with the Government about limiting products to ensure key lines remain in stock, although the prevailing view is that supply chains are holding up.

Environment secretary George Eustice will meet supermarket bosses today to discuss ways to help elderly and vulnerable people as they self-isolate from the rest of society.

On Sunday, the UK's largest supermarkets wrote to customers calling on them to be 'considerate' and stop stockpiling, amid frantic scenes in stores.

Panic-buying by customers has resulted in some supermarkets rationing sales of certain products in a bid to ensure supply is available to more shoppers.

On Sunday, the UK's largest supermarkets wrote to customers calling on them to be 'considerate' and stop stockpiling, amid frantic scenes in stores

On Monday, Morrisons told shoppers it is increasing the amount of food it makes at manufacturing sites, increasing the volume of stock sent to stores and 'introducing temporary purchase limits' on products with high demand.

The supermarket has also said it will extend its home delivery service as retailers' online operations attempt to cope with a surge in demand.

Other supermarkets have also seen delivery slots fill up rapidly, with some shoppers saying on social media they have been unable to book home deliveries until April.

Environment Secretary George Eustice has continued to hold daily phone calls with supermarket chief executives to ensure customers will have the necessary supply of provisions.

A Government spokesman said: 'We are in regular contact with the food industry to ensure it is well-prepared to deal with a range of scenarios.

The accelerating coronavirus crisis yesterday saw Boris Johnson issue unprecedented guidance for Briton's elderly to stay at home for 12 weeks

'Retailers are continuing to monitor their supply chains and taking all the necessary steps to ensure consumers have the food and supplies they need.

'We've introduced new measures to make sure businesses can continue to keep food supply flowing, such as extending delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly.

'Representatives of our leading supermarkets have provided reassurance there is plenty of stock available.'

Analysts have suggested that supermarkets might cut down on their range of brands or products in response to the outbreak.

Bruno Monteyne, retail analyst at Bernstein, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'You can probably get 10 per cent or 15 per cent productivity improvement out of simplifying the range.'
BAD AXE  Recently, No Kid Hungry Michigan named Bad Axe Food Service Director Bonnie Gainor as one of the groups 2020 Michigan School Breakfast Heroes.

As a group dedicated to addressing hunger and poverty in youth, No Hungry Kid honors various educators, administrators and food service staff who demonstrate the groups action-first mentality. In particular, Gainor has time and again exemplified this attitude in her time at Bad Axe.

Working as the Food Service Director since 2009, Gainor was instrumental in the construction of a program designed to provide students with an extra opportunity to grab a bite to eat in the morning.

Dubbed the Second Chance program, Bad Axe realized that several of its students were falling into the habit of skipping breakfast first thing in the morning. But according to a press release from No Kid Hungry, research shows that hunger has long-term ramifications on children, including lower test scores, weaker attendance rates and a higher risk of hospitalization and chronic illnesses.

To help counter the adoption of those behaviors, Bad Axe, under Gainors guidance, used the Second Chance program to offer an additional source of nutrition for the schools students.

Students told Mrs. Gainor how they did not have time in the morning or some did not feel like eating breakfast when they are getting ready for school, Bad Axe Superintendent Greg Newland said. But once the school day started, they were getting hungry, and this had a great impact.

So Gainor sprung into action and devised a plan that would help ensure each student had the opportunity to eat in the morning if they so choose.

Mrs. Gainor came to me with the idea of offering students breakfast after the start of the school day in addition to serving before the school begins, Newland said. Working with the staff in the high school, we immediately saw a huge increase in the number of students who participated in getting breakfast.

Bad Axe quickly noticed a difference after the program was implemented, and Gainors project continues to help feed kids on a daily basis.

Mrs. Gainor has an endless commitment in ensuring our students have every opportunity to be hunger-free, Newland said. She realizes the importance for students to start their day off with a good breakfast in order to succeed. She is so deserving of this recognition.

According to No Kid Hungry, one in seven children will face hunger this year. Gainor is part of a growing number of educators working to eliminate that incidence.
With most of us stuck at home for longer than usual as much of the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic, now is a good time to get caught up on space exploration  no matter what your age or focus.

NASA's website has a plethora of opportunities for kids and adults alike to learn more about astronomy and spaceflight. Whether you want to be an astronaut, kill some time learning about the universe or help the agency work on future space exploration activities, there's no lack of things to do.

So, if you're looking for a little out-of-this-world escape while you're stuck at home, here is a list of free space-themed activities from NASA to keep you occupied.

Related: 'Space Racers' goes full STEAM ahead with free activities for kids

Get involved at NASA

NASA astronaut applications remain open for U.S. citizens interested in the chance to go to space. NASA is recruiting astronauts who may have the chance to land on the moon as a part of the forthcoming Artemis program. You have until March 31 to get your applications ready. NASA aims to put boots on the moon again in 2024, as long as the equipment is ready, the funding is there and the current flight schedule holds.

Explore Opportunities allows you, as a citizen scientist or engineer, to submit innovative ideas that could be used on future space exploration missions, or to participate in current missions. Example projects on the front page include making requests for the Juno spacecraft's JunoCam at Jupiter, creating a sensor for a possible Venus rover mission, and (if you're a student) participating in challenges related to NASA's Artemis moon program.

Observe the night sky

The International Space Station streaks across the New Jersey sky. (Image credit: Gowrishankar L. )

Spot the Station is a tracking tool that allows you to look up your location from anywhere on Earth, and find out when, where and how you can see the International Space Station (ISS) pass overhead. Sign up for email or text alerts to know when to stick your nose out the door. The ISS will appear like a bright star or planet slowly passing across the sky. There are currently three crew members on board the station doing science activities for Expedition 62, including NASA's Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka.

Stargaze (safely). While many cities are asking residents to remain indoors, if you are able to step outside (while practicing safe social distancing), you can see plenty of planets and constellations. Venus will be out in the evenings, while Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are visible at dawn. For sky maps and information about skywatching events, check out NASA's guide, "What's Up: Skywatching Tips from NASA."

Slooh will livestream an astronomy lesson and live telescope views from around the world on Thursday, March 19. The webcast, which is geared toward K-12 students, will begin at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT). "Slooh's live lesson will be educational, inspiring and soothing," Slooh officials said in a statement. "During the program, students will learn how to explore space by following in the footsteps of famous astronomers to make their own personal discoveries using Slooh's Quest curriculum."

Listen to podcasts

NASA podcasts let you catch up on the latest news, even if your hands are full doing chores or other activities around the house. Some of the listed podcasts on the front page include:

Read e-books

NASA e-books allow you to dive in-depth into a lot of space and aerospace topics, all for free. Some of the most popular downloads (all on the front page of the link) include a book about Hubble's galaxy discoveries, learning about how humans and animals light up the night, a photo-essay from NASA's Earth science division, a chronicle of the Cassini spacecraft's exploration of Saturn, and a discussion of robotic spacecraft that flew across the solar system and into interstellar space. Some of NASA's most popular free e-books include:

"Earth at Night" (Dec. 2019): This gorgeous photobook features glittering satellite images of Earth's city lights by night. In this e-book, NASA scientists explore "how humans and natural phenomena light up the darkness, and how and why scientists have observed Earths nightlights for more than four decades using both their own eyes and spaceborne instruments," NASA said in the book's description.

(Dec. 2019): This gorgeous photobook features glittering satellite images of Earth's city lights by night. In this e-book, NASA scientists explore "how humans and natural phenomena light up the darkness, and how and why scientists have observed Earths nightlights for more than four decades using both their own eyes and spaceborne instruments," NASA said in the book's description. "Hubble Focus: Galaxies Through Space and Time" (Aug. 2019): The second in a series of e-books, this book details Hubble's recent discoveries about galaxies, and the latest research on galaxy evolution.

(Aug. 2019): The second in a series of e-books, this book details Hubble's recent discoveries about galaxies, and the latest research on galaxy evolution. "The Saturn System Through the Eyes of Cassini" (Sept. 2017): Over a period of 13 years, NASA's Cassini mission captured about 450,000 images of Saturn and its moons. See some of Cassini's most amazing images and find out what the mission has taught scientists in this photo-filled book.

STEM activities

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's "teachable moments" for students, ranging from Pi Day discussions, some information about Mercury's transit across the sun, a retrospective about the Apollo program during the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, and citing the ever-popular "Star Wars" links to real-life science.

Explore NASA STEM gives home activities for students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 12th grade. There are pages tailored for students who would like to work on their own, and other pages for educators (and parents) who are looking for activities for kids, preteens and teenagers. The K- to 4 page for students, for example, has activities on airplanes, weather and climate, stars, Earth and the International Space Station.

The Space Foundation partnered with "Peanuts" to create 10 lesson plans, all of which are available as free downloadable PDF files here (Image credit: The Space Foundation/Peanuts)

Learn STEM with Snoopy in space! The Space Foundation has partnered with the makers of "Peanuts" to create 10 downloadable Snoopy-themed lesson plans for K-8 students. "Containing projects that utilize commonly available materials, students join Snoopy to learn about constellations, space suits, rocketry, microgravity, and the various missions of the Apollo Program," Space Foundation officials said in a statement. "Working through lesson plans that integrate subjects like Earth and space sciences, mathematics and more, students exercise skills like problem solving, performing investigations, constructing explanations, and information literacy."

"Space Racers," an animated kids' TV series produced in collaboration with NASA experts, has released free educational content for students during school closures amid the coronavirus outbreak. Free episodes of the series, as well as educational science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) activities and educator-approved lesson plans are available for download here.

Mobile apps

The "lunar and planetARy" app from the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) lets smartphone users explore planets, moons and other solar system objects via augmented reality. By pointing your smartphone camera at one of six downloadable graphics, you'll see 3D global maps of the moon, Mars, Pluto, Jupiter's moon Europa, Saturn and seven of its moons. Get the app for free from the App Store and Google Play; the interactive posters are free to download from LPI. (You don't actually need to print the posters; pointing your camera at the digital images on a computer screen works, too.)

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover pays a virtual visit to someone's living room via the agency's free Spacecraft AR mobile app. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

NASA's "Spacecraft AR" app brings the agency's many spacecraft right to your living room, so you can check them out with augmented reality. The educational app, which was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will place interactive 3D models right in front of you. Download it for free from the App Store and Google Play.

Smithsonian's "Apollo's Moon Shot AR" app is an immersive augmented reality (AR) experience that recreates the full timeline of the Apollo missions, allowing users to relive history for themselves. It is based on the channel's six-part television series, "Apollo's Moon Shot," which follows the journey of the moon landing program. The free app is available for download at the App store and Google Play.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
On Monday afternoon, actor Idris Elba tweeted that he has coronavirus: "This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic."

The fact that Elba wasn't showing any symptoms should worry people in the U.S., where testing has lagged far behind other countries dealing with the outbreak. Initially hospitals could only test people once they were showing symptoms and if they had recently been to a country with substantial outbreak or been in contact with someone known to have the virusa condition hard to meet on its own since, again, there was such little testing. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) doesn't have anywhere near a full figure for how many Americans are likely infected. An estimated 41,000 Americans have been tested so far, a stark comparison with South Korea, where up 20,000 people are being tested each day. Only 125 out of every million people in the U.S. have been tested, well behind many other countries.

New evidence suggests relying on visible symptoms is more dangerous than previously thought. A study published in the magazine Science on Monday found that some "86 percent of all infections were undocumented" prior to late January. On top of that, "these undocumented infections often experience mild, limited or no symptoms and hence go unrecognized, and, depending on their contagiousness and numbers, can expose a far greater portion of the population to virus than would otherwise occur." Symptoms include fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath, but the research from Science suggests that someone who has already contracted coronavirus can show few symptoms, if any, and still be infectious. By the time someone with COVID-19 begins to show symptoms, there's no telling how many other people they may have infected if they haven't been social distancing.

Story continues

That's counter to what we've been hearing from some public officials so far. Bruce Aylward, MD, part of the World Health Organization team that visited China's facilities in February, told The New York Times, "Theres this big panic in the West over asymptomatic cases." He added, "There is no evidence that were seeing only the tip of a grand iceberg, with nine-tenths of it made up of hidden zombies shedding virus. What were seeing is a pyramid: most of it is aboveground." Still, other public-health experts have recommended an abundance of caution. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, I dont think theres any question that someone who is without symptoms and carrying the virus can transmit the virus to somebody else. And speaking to The Atlantic, Carolyn Cannuscio, the director of research at the Center for Public Health Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, said, "The measures that have worked to get transmission under control or at least to bend the curve, in China and South Korea, have been extreme measures to increase social distancing." In other words, merely washing your hands and avoiding people with a cough isn't enough at all.

Unfortunately, with presidential campaigns under way, some candidates are undermining that abundance of caution. Former vice president Joe Biden tweeted on Sunday, "If you are feeling healthy, not showing symptoms, and not at risk of being exposed to COVID-19: please vote on Tuesday."

It's not clear what the "not at risk of being exposed to COVID-19" qualifier means, since there's no known demographic that isn't at risk of contracting the disease. And evidence now suggests that "feeling healthy" and "not showing symptoms" aren't indications that a person doesn't have the disease or isn't infectious. Being asymptomatic is not evidence that someone isn't infected: A study in Annals of Internal Medicine, published a week ago, finds that an individual can go 14 days between infection and showing symptoms, and some carriers may even remain completely asymptomatic. The Annals of Internal Medicine report doesn't address potential spread from asymptomatic infections, but estimates that at least 101 out of every 10,000 cases may develop symptoms even after the CDC's recommended 14-day self-isolation period. So "not showing symptoms" is not enough for us to assume that someone isn't a carrier and can't spread the disease to other people at a polling location.

In Ohio, one of several states scheduled to hold primaries on Tuesday, Republican governor Mike DeWine ordered voting be moved to early June, with an extension in place for absentee and mail-in ballots. (Over the course of less than 24 hours, Ohio's primaries were delayed, reinstated by a judge, then delayed again after a health emergency was announced.) Primaries are continuing as scheduled on Tuesday in Arizona, Illinois, and Florida. In Florida alone, more than 20 percent of the population is 65 years old or over, one of the demographics most at risk from COVID-19.

The Quiet Terror of Coronavirus

What is so deadly about the novel coronavirus is that it spreads rapidly without layman detectionuntil it's too late.

Originally Appeared on GQ
MINNEAPOLIS, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Law, a global legal network that includes more than 70 member firms and nearly 3,000 lawyers worldwide, is pleased to announce that 19 of its member firms have been listed in the latest editions of Chambers and Partners' legal guides. Ally Law is also ranked a Band 1 Leading Law Firm Network, Global-wide, in Chambers Global 2020, as well as Band 1 in Chambers Latin America (Global Law Firm Networks, Latin America-wide) and Band 3 in Chambers Asia-Pacific (Leading Regional Law Firm Networks).

Said Bjorn Welinder, president of Ally Law and a partner in Lund, Sweden-based law firm Lindmark Welinder, "We extend our congratulations to all of our member firms around the world that have been honored in these most recent rankings by Chambers and Partners. As an organization, we take great pride in the top-quality service, counsel and collaboration that is a hallmark of our client-service focus."

The Ally Law member firms ranked in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020 include:

Australia : Thynne + Macartney: Band 2, Shipping

Thynne + Macartney: Band 2, Shipping China : R&P China Lawyers: Band 2, Corporate/Commercial: East Coast: Shanghai (PRC Firms)

R&P China Lawyers: Band 2, Corporate/Commercial: East Coast: (PRC Firms) Hong Kong : Boase Cohen & Collins: Band 3, Family/Matrimonial (International Firms)

Boase Cohen & Collins: Band 3, Family/Matrimonial (International Firms) Taiwan : Formosan Brothers: Band 3, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate & Projects; also Band 3, Intellectual Property in Chambers Global 2020

Formosan Brothers: Band 3, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate & Projects; also Band 3, Intellectual Property in Vietnam : LNT & Partners: Band 2, Dispute Resolution; Band 3, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A; also Band 3, Banking & Finance and Corporate/M&A in Chambers Global 2020

The Ally Law member firm ranked in Chambers Canada 2019 is:

Ontario : Torkin Manes LLP: Band 1, Corporate/Commercial: Highly Regarded; Band 2, Real Estate

The Ally Law member firms ranked in Chambers Europe 2019 include:

Bulgaria : Kalaidjiev & Georgiev: Band 3, Dispute Resolution

Kalaidjiev & Georgiev: Band 3, Dispute Resolution Cyprus : Georgiades & Pelides: Band 2, Corporate/Commercial; Band 3, Banking & Finance; also Band 2, Corporate/Commercial in Chambers Global 2020

Georgiades & Pelides: Band 2, Corporate/Commercial; Band 3, Banking & Finance; also Band 2, Corporate/Commercial in Hungary : KCG Partners Law Firm: Band 4, Employment

KCG Partners Law Firm: Band 4, Employment Malta : WH Partners: Band 1, Corporate/Commercial: Gaming & Licensing; also Band 3, Corporate/Commercial and Financial Services in Chambers Global 2020 and Band 2, FinTech Legal in Chambers FinTech 2020

The Ally Law member firms ranked in Chambers Latin America 2020 include:

Argentina : Richards, Cardinal, Tutzer, Zabala & Zaefferer: Band 2, TMT (Telecoms, Media, Technology); Band 3, Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Band 4, Corporate/M&A; also Band 4, Corporate/M&A in Chambers Global 2020

Richards, Cardinal, Tutzer, Zabala & Zaefferer: Band 2, TMT (Telecoms, Media, Technology); Band 3, Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Band 4, Corporate/M&A; also Band 4, Corporate/M&A in Brazil : Cascione Pulino Boulos Advogados: Band 3, Banking & Finance; Band 4, Corporate/M&A; Band 5, Capital Markets, Projects, and Real Estate; also Band 3, Banking & Finance, Band 4, Corporate/M&A, and Band 5, Capital Markets and Projects in Chambers Global 2020, and Band 3, FinTech Legal in Chambers FinTech 2020

The Ally Law member firm ranked in Chambers UK 2020 is:

United Kingdom : Edwin Coe LLP: Band 1, Restructuring/Insolvency: Personal Insolvency; Band 2, Insurance: Mainly Policyholders (both UK-wide); Band 3, Employment: Senior Executive and Professional Negligence: Insurance (both in London (Firms))

The Ally Law member firms included in Chambers USA 2019 include:

Alaska : Birch, Horton , Bittner & Cherot: Band 2, Litigation: General Commercial, and Real Estate

Birch, , Bittner & Cherot: Band 2, Litigation: General Commercial, and Real Estate Illinois : Much Shelist, P.C.: Band 3, Construction

Much Shelist, P.C.: Band 3, Construction Michigan : Varnum LLP: Band 3, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate; also Band 2, Private Wealth Law in Chambers High Net Worth 2019

Varnum LLP: Band 3, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate; also Band 2, Private Wealth Law in Washington : Summit Law Group, PLLC: Band 3, Labor & Employment and Litigation: General Commercial

The Ally Law member firms ranked in Chambers Global 2020 include:

Israel : Lipa Meir & Co: Band 1, Restructuring/Insolvency ( Israel ); Band 4, Banking & Finance ( Israel )

& Co: Band 1, Restructuring/Insolvency ( ); Band 4, Banking & Finance ( ) USA ( North Carolina ): Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &

Jernigan, LLP: Band 4, Agribusiness (Global-wide)

About Ally Law

Ally Law, a Chambers and Partners Band 1 Global Law Firm Network, provides sophisticated legal services to major corporations, with a sharp focus on value and efficiency. Our 70+ firms include nearly 3,000 lawyers in 100 business centers worldwide. For more information, visit www.ally-law.com.

Press Contact:

Wendy Horn

Ally Law

[email protected]

+1.612.770.6046

SOURCE Ally Law
President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the press briefing room at the White House on March 15, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Millennials Are Core Group That Will Stop Coronavirus Spread: White House

The White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Debbie Birx singled out millennials on Monday at a press conference announcing new coronavirus guidelines, saying that millennials are the core group that will stop this virus.

I want to speak to purely to our largest generation now, our millennials. Im the mother of two millennials, Birx said. They are the core group that will stop this virus. They are the group that communicates successfully, independent of picking up a phone.

Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx speaks as US President Donald Trump looks on during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, on March 16, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

They intuitively know how to contact each other without being in large social gatherings. We are asking all of them to hold their gatherings to under 10 people, not just in bars and restaurants, but in homes, she added.

Theyre the ones that are out and about, and theyre the most likely to be in social gatherings and theyre the most likely to be the least symptomatic, she also said. There are more millennials now than any other cohort and they can help us at this moment.

Birx said if Americans followed the new guidelines from the White House Coronavirus Task Force for slowing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 (pdf), the United States would see a dramatic difference in the outbreaks trajectory.

Moving to speak to the general public, Birx said, We really want people to be separated at this time.

To be able to address this virus comprehensively, that we cannot see, for which we dont have a vaccine or a therapeutic, the only thing we have right now is the amazing ingenuity and compassion of the American people.

Were appealing to all Americans to take these steps, to protect each other and to ensure that the virus doesnt spread, Birx said. These guidelines are very specific. They are very detailed. They will only work if every American takes this together to heart and responds as one nation and one people to stop the spread of this virus.

Read More Trump Issues Coronavirus Guidelines, Urges Americans to Avoid Gatherings Over 10 People

President Donald Trump said at the press conference that if we [the United States] do a really good job, deaths due to COVID-19 can be greatly diminished compared to if no actions were taken, and the coronavirus outbreak could be estimated to wash over around July, August, or slightly beyond. Trump added that authorities are working to bring the situation to a best case, not a worst case scenario.

Alongside good hygiene practices, the guidelines advocate for older people and those who have a serious underlying health conditionsuch as a significant heart or lung problemto stay home and away from other people. It also advises people to not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.

The guidelines say people should stay home if they feel sick or if their children feel sick, and keep the entire household at home if someone in the household has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The guidelines also recommend to work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible, and avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.

It also advises against eating or drinking at bars, restaurants and food courts, and instead to use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options. People should also avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acknowledged on Monday that some people may consider the guidelines too extreme, but he asserted that they were well thought out.

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci at a news briefing at the White House in Washington, on March 16, 2020. (Reuters/Leah Millis)

The thing that I want to reemphasize and I say it over and over again, when you are dealing with an emerging infectious disease outbreak, you are always behind where you think you are, if you think that today reflects where you really are, he said.

Therefore, it will always seem that the best way to address it would be to do something that looks like it might be an overreaction, Fauci added. It isnt an overreaction. Its a reaction that we feel is commensurate, which is actually reality.

Take a look at the guidelines. We hope that the people of the United States will take them very seriously, because they will fail if people dont adhere to them.

We have to have, as a whole country, cooperate and collaborate to make sure these get done, he said.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have donated $1 million pounds to food-bank relief charities trying to help vulnerable people amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The couple announced their donation on social media and urged others to provide help where they could.

I think we can all agree, Covid-19 is an a******. If you can help, visit, http://FeedingAmerica.org and/or http://FoodBanksCanada.ca, the Deadpool star wrote on twitter yesterday.

Covid-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low-income families, he also wrote.

Blake and I are donating $1 million to be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada. If you can give, these orgs need our help.

Lively took to Instagram to update her own followers adding, Though we must be distancing ourselves to protect those who dont have the opportunity to self-quarantine, we can stay connected.

Remember the lonely and isolated. Facetime, Skype, make a video. Remember the love that can travel through all this, she wrote.

Feed America and Food Banks Canada operate networks of food banks throughout the US and Canada respectively.

We are so grateful for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Livelys extremely generous donation, and for all of the donations weve been receiving, Dan Nisbet, vice president of Major Gifts at Feeding America, told Variety.

The Feeding America network of 200 food banks is working tirelessly to aid and provide meal assistance to our most vulnerable neighbours  children, the elderly, families struggling with food insecurity and individuals facing job disruptions  throughout our nation during this unprecedented time. Generosity like theirs will make all the difference.

Both actors also took time to emphasise the importance of staying connected with friends and family throughout the outbreak, asking followers to support those around them.



The couple, who are often known for their dry sense of humour, then tried to lighten their posts with some sarcastic jokes.



The Marvel actor made a nod to X-Men star Hugh Jackman by asking followers to call him on a jokingly listed number 1-555-[sad face emoji]-Hugh.

Lively made an amusing dig at her other half by suggesting that emotional distancing would not allow Reynolds to escape his mother in law jesting that Nothing can save him.

A number of A-list stars have spoken up in support of Feeding America amidst the crisis including Justin Timberlake, Natalie Portman, Ben Affleck, Vanessa Hudgens, Alan Cumming, sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid, Josh Gad and Nick Lachey, according to Reuters.
Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks to members of the media at the Capitol in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Please, Not Shovel-Ready Projects Again!

Commentary

It was just a little over 10 years ago, at the height of the 20082009 financial crisis, that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said one of the dumbest things in modern times. The best way to stimulate the economy, she declared, was with unemployment insurance and food stamps. Right. Paying people not to work will get more people to work.

Now here we go again. In the throes of the COVID-19 financial crisis, Pelosi is still spreading her economic pixie dust. Maybe it is just an inviolable rule of politics that politicians never seem to learn from their past mistakes.

The economy is now partially paralyzed from fear of the virus, so Republicans and Democrats want to do something to juice the economy. President Donald Trumps big idea is to cut taxes.

This may not do much to suspend the fear and gridlock that has gripped the economy, but it can incentivize more work (by allowing every worker to keep more of their own money) and can accelerate spending at a time when demand has fallen off the cliff.

Economists can debate back and forth about how well a tax cut will work to avert an economic calamity, but it cant hurt. What is for sure is that this plan is far more likely to succeed than what Pelosi and her Democratic colleagues want. They favor paid leave for workers who dont come to work (which incentivizes nonwork), unemployment insurance, Medicaid expansion, bailouts for hard-hit industries and so on.

Spend, spend, spend.

History teaches us that these kinds of so-called stimulus plans always fail. The mother of all government spending plans was the failed $830 billion fiscal stimulus during Barack Obamas first months in office. Obamas first chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, explained the rationale in early 2009 by stating: A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.

Time magazine put Obama on its cover with a cigar and a top hat, looking like a dapper Franklin Roosevelt circa 1932. It was fitting because Obama had in mind a supersized New Deal. The promises were alluring. Obama told us that the money would be spent quickly on vital shovel-ready projects. Soon after it passed, Vice President Joe Biden famously predicted that 2009 would bring the summer of recoverywhich never happened because the unemployment rate continued to rise.

The giveaway was always less about resuscitating the economy and more about spreading hundreds of billions of dollars to left-wing interest groups. There would be money for the National Endowment for the Arts (how does that stimulate the economy?), Head Start, unemployment insurance and food stamps for illegal immigrants, renewable energy subsidies, high-speed rail, Cash for Clunkers and Medicaid expansion. The whiz kid economists in the Obama administration predicted a 2009 growth rate north of 4.5 percent. It barely got to 2 percent.

By the Obama administrations numbers, every year from 2009 to 2011, unemployment came in much higher than Obamas team predicted it would have if we had done nothing. Many of the shovel-ready projects, such as the $535 million that went to the now-bankrupt solar company Solyndra, turned out to be lemons or scams.

The stimulus didnt work because it ignored the very nature of government activity, which is the feds can only give money to Peter by taking money from Paul. With a tax cut, instead of making money from Peter, it lets Peter keep it.

Harvard economist Robert Barro explained during the Great Recession why the spending spigot didnt grow flowers: Every time heightened fiscal deficits fail, the policy advice is to choose still larger deficits, he concluded. The results from following this policy advice are persistently lower growth and an exploding ratio of public debt to GDP.

Obama and his aides are now trying to rewrite history to persuade the public that the Recovery Act of 2009 was a grand success. Obama recently tweeted that his policies set the table for the Trump boom of the last three years. In reality, in the Obama years, the bar on growth and wages was so low that it was easy for Trump to hurdle over it.

The most famous stimulus failure was FDRs New Deal of the 1930s. It more than doubled government spending as a share of GDP but never got the unemployment rate down below 10 percent in the entire decade of the 1930s, as Amity Shlaes documented in her book about the Great Depression, The Forgotten Man.

Trump understandably wants to act, and quickly. But he would be wise to avoid cutting a deal with Pelosi that forces him to waste taxpayer money or puts additional mandates on employers already getting crunched by the effects of the coronavirus. In this case, the palliatives could delay or impede a big economic snapback. In 2009, at the end of the day, all we got from the Obama stimulus was nearly $1 trillion of added debt and millions more people enrolled in welfare programs. Washington, aka the swamp, got rich from the largesse, but not so much the rest of the country.

Picking winners and losers among industries such as airlines and energy companies (an idea that both parties appear to like) is inequitable because just about every sector is getting hammered. Who chooses who gets a new lease on life and who doesnt? The best solution to averting bankruptcies in an uncontrollable event like this is for the Federal Reserve to open its discount window for low-interest loans to distressed companies with collateral but little revenue stream thanks to the virus.

There are so many uncertainties about where the coronavirus is taking our economy and for how long, but the one thing we do know for sure is that the government cant spend and regulate our economy or our country back to health.

Stephen Moore is an economics journalist, author, and columnist. The latest of many books he co-authored is Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive Our Economy. Currently, Moore is also the chief economist for the Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Donald Trump listens as Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Dr. Deborah Birx specifically mentioned millennials during a briefing on the coronavirus Monday, calling them "the core group" to stop the outbreak.

Birx, who serves as the coordinator of the White House Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force, alluded to scenes from over the weekend of young people partying in cities across the country.

"I want to speak particularly to our largest generations now, our millennials," Birx said. "I am the mom of two wonderful millennial young women who are bright and hard working, and I will tell you what I told to them: they are the core group that will stop this virus."

"They are the group that communicates successfully independent of picking up a phone. They intuitively know how to contact each [other] without being in a large social gatherings."

Later, when asked by a reporter to specify, Birx said, "Now why do I think the millennials are key? They're the ones who are out and about."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who serves as the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said during a press conference on Monday that millennials are "the core group that will stop the virus."

"I want to speak particularly to our largest generations now, our millennials," Birx said. "I am the mom of two wonderful millennial young women who are bright and hard working, and I will tell you what I told to them: they are the core group that will stop this virus.

"They are the group that communicates successfully independent of picking up a phone," she continued. "They intuitively know how to contact each [other] without being in a large social gatherings."

Her remarks came after President Donald Trump called on Americans tolimit all social gatheringsto no more than 10 people.

Story continues

Birx, who was a colonel in the US Army as a physician before retiring to work on HIV/AIDS vaccine research, later specified that she was referring to millennials going out to bars and restaurants.

Over the weekend, scenes emerged of young people crowding bars despite the severity of the virus becoming clear.

"Now why do I think the millennials are key?" Birx told a reporter. "They're the ones who are out and about."

She noted that many young people may not experience symptoms, but they can still transmit the virus to older Americans.

"We're protecting the Greatest Generation right now, and the children of the Greatest Generation," she said. "And [millennials] need to communicate with each other."

Read the original article on Business Insider
New Yorks subways, trains, and buses are our very lifeblood, said Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York and the Senate minority leader. Senate Democrats are leading the charge to include substantial support for the whole system in any package Congress will next consider to keep our vital public institutions stable and operating.

State and city officials have said they are not planning to reduce service on the regions vast transit system, which typically serves around eight million passengers every weekday. They have emphasized that it is important to keep the system operating so health care workers can get to work.

But the M.T.A. is particularly vulnerable to the sudden and precipitous economic downturn since it relies on a mix of funding from federal, state and city government  all of which are grappling with their own challenges  to operate and maintain its system.

They are a barometer of the regional economy, a much more immediate barometer for things to come, said Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative research group.

Revenues from fares and tolls, which contribute around half of the M.T.A.s operating budget, and dedicated taxes, which provide another third of that budget, are already taking a hit as ridership falls and the pandemic sets off sweeping layoffs and business failures across the city.

Officials have urged those who can to avoid subways and buses and enacted sweeping regulations, like closing schools, Broadway theaters, museums, movie houses, bars and allowing restaurants to remain open only for take out and deliveries, that have all but shut down New York.

The draconian measures are meant to curb the spread of the virus in New York City, where the number of confirmed cases climbed to over 1,000 on Tuesday.
Turkey and Russia agreed on the terms and conditions of their ceasefire deal in Syrias Idlib region last Friday, which was originally reached on 5 March.



Following four days of negotiations in Ankara, Turkish and Russian forces decided to deploy joint patrols across the major M4 motorway and establish a security corridor in the area. The corridor is six km north and six km south from the motorway. The M4 links the regime-controlled cities of Aleppo and Latakia.



A Kremlin press statement said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to maintain a regular dialogue at various levels, including personal contacts. The two men are concerned about ensuring a stable cease-fire and further stabilisation of the situation.



But this might not mark the end of the conflict. For Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Centre, Turkey has a major incentive to abide by the ceasefire, but little ability to ensure it lasts if Russia or the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad do not want that.



He stated that Turkeys primary motive in getting a ceasefire was to prevent a new influx of Syrian refugees into its territory. It was still trying to move refugees already in Turkey to the Spring Peace zone in northeast Syria through a plan to resettle one million there, he said.



But frankly the probability of this happening is low, Sayigh said. The ceasefire agreement is full of problems waiting to happen, and Russia will almost certainly move to exploit those problems in a matter of months, if not sooner, he added.



The deal is extremely important to the Turks. Before the 5 March ceasefire announcement, 60 of their soldiers were killed in clashes in Idlib. Furthermore, a new refugee crisis is threatening.



The UN announced in February that more than 900,000 people have been displaced in the region since late 2019, as hostilities are now approaching densely populated areas. UN officials said then that they were concerned about the conditions of women and children in the region, with families displaced several times in freezing temperatures.



Through almost a decade of war, many Syrian displaced people have moved to Idlib. When fighting approaches, they take the next step, which is to cross the Turkish border.



Aykan Erdemir, a former Turkish MP and senior director of the Turkey programme at the US Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Al-Ahram Weekly in February that Erdogan was negotiating with the Russians in Idlib to prevent a new refugee wave.



Turkey, which already hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, is also the top destination for the one million displaced Syrians in Idlib. Such a new refugee wave would exacerbate the growing anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey, further eroding support for the Turkish government, he said.



But the situation goes much deeper than refugees. Despite the deal, each party to the conflict has its own plans. The Al-Assad regime is interested in maintaining control over Idlib and other remaining parts of the country, Russia seeks to establish itself as a heavyweight player in the region through backing the former, and Turkey has the same vision for itself by opposing the regime.



It is not clear whether the ceasefire agreement will lead to a change in these plans. Yet, there is still room for a rapprochement between them. After announcing a ceasefire on 5 March, each side complained about the behaviour of the other in Idlib.



Turkish local media reported on 9 March that Al-Assads forces had violated the agreement 15 times during the first day of the ceasefire, including by engaging in harassment fire with a machine gun on a Turkish military convoy transporting supplies and firing three mortar rounds near another unit.



On Monday this week, Russias Foreign Ministry said terrorists in Idlib were not abiding by the deal and were conducting counter-offensive actions. To carry out provocations, terrorists have been trying to use civilians as a human shield, the statement read.



But there have been understandings on other issues, and these may facilitate the implementation of the Idlib deal.



Oil is now part of the Russian-Turkish conversation. Erdogan has announced that he has invited Putin to jointly manage the Deir Ez-Zor oil fields in Syria, now managed by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish armed groups.



I made the offer to Putin that if he gives financial support, we can do the construction, and through the oil obtained there we can help destroyed Syria get back on its feet, Erdogan said on 10 March.



Erdogan said that Putin was examining this issue. Turkey has also bought Russias S-400 missile-defence system in a $2-billion deal that has put Ankaras relations with NATO and the United States in question.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The daily updates on the global spread of the coronavirus are undoubtedly causing many to worry about how it may affect their lives now and in the future.

In times of uncertainty, you will always be able to find certain individuals who make it their mission to bolster the morale of those around them.

From volunteers using hashtags to help those in need to children taking part in an online art club, here are 13 heartwarming examples of people coming together to support one another amid the Covid-19 outbreak:

1. Volunteers help vulnerable in self-isolation

Certain individuals, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, are particularly susceptible to the virus, and so have been advised to stay indoors and reduce their social contact with others.

In Ireland, the hashtag #SelfIsolationHelp began doing the rounds, which people began using to offer assistance and run errands for people who have been asked to self-isolate.

There was so much negativity and I wanted to do something useful. This is about people feeling like they are not on their own, and that there are people out there who do want to help, Samantha Kelly, who set up the hashtag, told The Times.

Meanwhile, over the course of 72 hours more than 35 Facebook groups were set up in Canada as part of a caremongering movement.

Scaremongering is a big problem, Valentina Harper, who helped set up the first group, told the BBC. We wanted to switch that around and get people to connect on a positive level, to connect with each other.

Its spread the opposite of panic in people, brought out community and camaraderie, and allowed us to tackle the needs of those who are at-risk all the time  now more than ever.

2. Supermarkets introduce dedicated shopping hours for elderly

Recommended Iceland store introduces early hour for elderly for them to shop

Several supermarkets, including an Iceland branch in Belfast, have set up dedicated shopping hours for the elderly.

In doing so, they hope to allow the elderly to do their food shopping without having to worry that other customers have emptied the shelves first.

The Lidl and Tesco franchises in Ireland recently announced they had established early hours for the elderly, with Tesco adding that their carers are also welcome to shop at the same time.

This is a time for help. And at Tesco, thousands of our colleagues are working hard to help make sure that our communities have everything they need, Tesco said in a statement.

From Wednesday March 18th, we will introduce dedicated time-in-store for over 65s and family carers.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings up to 9am will now be a dedicated time for our senior citizens and family carers to have more space and a helping hand where needed.

3. Small shops help local community in need

 Cornershop giving coronavirus kits of hand gel and face masks for free to elderly

Last week, it was reported that a corner shop in Stenhousemuir, Scotland was giving away thousands of pounds worth of free supplies to those in need.

The corner shop has been giving away free face-masks, antibacterial hand gel and cleaning wipes to over 65s in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Asiyah and Jawad Javed, who run the cornershop, said the act of generosity had cost their business about 2,000.

We are just trying to help people who cant get out the house, said Ms Javed.

Another corner shop in Drylaw, Edinburgh has also been giving away free products, providing the elderly with toilet roll, antibacterial hand wash and paracetamol.

Owner Zahid Iqbal said the initiative has cost his business around 5,000, stating: We just want to set a good example in this world.

4. Postcard campaign launched to battle loneliness

While self-isolating may protect individuals from catching or spreading the coronavirus, it is inevitably going to cause some degree of loneliness.

Becky Wass, a freelance copywriter from Falmouth, Cornwall, came up with a novel idea to help combat loneliness: a postcard scheme that allows vulnerable members of society to request that others carry out certain errands for them.

The postcard, designed and created by Becky and shared on Facebook, offers help with errands such as shopping, collecting urgent supplies or alternatively offers something simple like a chat on the phone.

When it is dropped through a persons door, the members of the household can fill out all the options to dictate what they need.

5. Italian people in lockdown join in sing-alongs

 Coronavirus: People on lockdown in Italy sing together

A week ago, it was reported that Italy had been put under total lockdown.

While such extreme measures will have likely been quite frightening, some communities have been doing what they can to boost morale with a bout of heartwarming sing-alongs.

Videos have been circulating extensively on social media of people in Italy coming out on their balconies to sing with one another.

One Twitter user shared a thread of the videos on the social media platform, writing: 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.

The thread includes videos filmed in Salerno, Naples, Turin, Benevento and Siena, and has been liked more than 170,000 times.

6. Noel Fielding launches online art competition

For any children who are having to stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, it may be difficult for them  and their guardians  to stay in top spirits.

Noel Fielding devised an innovative way to allow youngsters to keep their creative juices flowing, announcing that he would be organising an online art club.

Fielding outlined that all were welcome to take part in the club, which involved him choosing a theme and giving participants a couple of hours to create an artwork based on it.

He then proceeded to share some of his favourite entries, many of which came from a horde of artistic children.

You gotta love this! Kids are so pure. Art Club was beautiful today. Thank you to everyone who joined in. I love you all. keep safe and keep smiling and creating, he later tweeted.

7. Musical aficionados share their talent

The cancellation of many events due to Covid-19 has meant that many school musical productions were unable to take place.

Broadway star Laura Benanti did not want the talent of those who were due to take part in productions go to waste, which is why she shared tweet imploring people to send videos of themselves singing.

Dark times for all. Trying to find some bright spots. If you were meant to perform in your high school musical and it was cancelled please post yourself singing and tag me. I want to be your audience!! she tweeted.

Many people responded, sharing videos of themselves performing and singing songs from plays including Hamilton, Matilda and Footloose.

Benanti later tweeted stating that anyone else who wishes to share videos of themselves performing musical numbers should do so using the hashtag #SunshineSongs.

8. Nightclub to transform into food distribution centre

Recommended Nightclub to become food warehouse to help vulnerable amid coronavirus

One of the UKs largest nightclubs recently announced its plan to turn into a giant warehouse to store food and other essential items for those in need.

Londons 338, which has a capacity of 3,000, said it is calling on young clubbers to give up their time to help those in need.

Right now, a huge priority for the club is to try to protect the most vulnerable members of society and a big part of this is enabling those in high-risk categories to stay at home and not be forced to go shopping where they may be exposed to the virus and may also be overwhelmed and frightened by panic buying and empty shelves, the owners said.

Dan Perrin, the clubs event director, stated that the venue is aware this will be a huge project, adding: Its not something we have done before.

But the hope is that we can bring together the young clubbers of London to help the elderly at this critical time, Perrin said.

9. Calls to purchase gift certificates and vouchers to support small businesses

While the spread of the coronavirus may mean you are unable to partake in activities you enjoy such as going to restaurants or going to the theatre, it is important to consider how businesses may suffer from loss of customers.

Writer Caroline Moss shared a tweet explaining that purchasing gift certificates may be a good idea, as it will mean you can support businesses and then use their services at a later date.

A good tip from a pal: support small businesses TODAY by buying gift certificates. They get the money now, you can go back and use the gift card later! Moss wrote.

Local folks are doing this with a new restaurant in town... it would be so sad to lose the places that make our communities wonderful, one person responded.

10. Pub offers free rooms to those who need to self-isolate away from vulnerable people

A pub in Greater Manchester is offering free rooms to people who need to self-isolate but are unable to in their own households.

The owner of the Flying Horse Hotel in Rochdale was inspired to make rooms available for free after assessing his own home situation.

Ben Boothman explained that his mother needs to self-isolate on her own at home, and so he wanted to offer rooms to people in the same situation.

If you think you are going to put someone in your household in danger, then do get in touch. We cant have people who are at risk themselves, but we can help in this way, by allowing them to isolate alone, Mr Boothman said.

He added that the hotel and pub is taking its hygiene procedures very seriously in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

11. Using pocket money to donate toilet paper to people in need

A young boy has been using his pocket money to purchase toilet paper and then hand it out to his neighbours as shelves are emptied in supermarkets.

While many shoppers have been partaking in panic-buying, seven-year-old Jimmy-Dean Hudson, from Westcliff in Southend, has been knocking on doors in his community giving out toilet rolls.

His mother, Tracy Hudson, explained that they went to their local shop and purchased between 60 and 70 toilet rolls, which they then gave to neighbours living on their road.

We met a few lovely elderly couples who had been panicking and said, We cant find any anywhere, Thank you so much, Ms Hudson told the BBC.

Ms Hudson added that she and her son are planning on putting packages together for paramedics working at Southend Hospital.

12. Landlord shows kind consideration towards tenant

A landlord demonstrated their compassion for their tenants when they assured them that they dont have to worry about being unable to afford their rent if they lose income during the coronavirus outbreak.

Amy Gledhill, a comedian and actor from Hull, tweeted that her landlord sent her a text that left her sobbing.

Given everything that seems to be going on with Covid-19 I wanted to let you know that whatever happens with your work I want you to feel secure in the house, the tweet read.

We can work something out if your circumstances change and I hope you know were approachable. Were living in a crazy time so take care of yourself and your family.

Landlords, take note, Gledhill tweeted. If youre in a position to say this to someone. please do. When we cant rely on the government, weve got to help each other.

13. Taxi company offering free rides to supermarket for elderly and vulnerable people

A taxi company in Tonbridge, Kent is offering to drive people who are elderly are vulnerable to the supermarket for free amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Terry Hill, owner of Castle Cars, told Kent Online that the firm is pleased Sainsburys is introducing a dedicated shopping hour for those who need it, saying that the taxi company wanted to offer its services so those who need to visit during this time dont have to worry about taking their shopping on the bus.

Its also a tough time for my drivers at the moment and I want to give them something that will boost their morale, Mr Hill added.

If you have any coronavirus symptoms, contact the online NHS 111 service and do not visit your GP or hospital.
Employees asked to work from home... cancelled travel plans... curtailed meetings...

Caution and precaution dominate Corporate India's response to Covid-19.

IMAGE: Security personnel scan a visitor with an infrared thermometer to check his temperature as a precautionary measure against coronavirus outside the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

Inside the offices of a global investment bank in Mumbai, panic stalks the floors.

Teams are being split up and separated into colour-coded zones, travel plans are on hold and conferences are being cancelled.

"We serve our global offices on a number of functions and cannot afford to let work stall. As a precaution, key teams have been segregated so that if one person is infected, we don't have to quarantine the entire lot," says a senior executive at the organisation.

Of a team of five, for instance, three are now working in one building and two in another.

The bank's Hong Kong office is locked down, throwing planned projects and timelines out of whack.

And where there were at least 50 trips a month to and from offices around the world, travel has dwindled to barely five flights.

Inside the India offices of another multinational company, employees are tagged by numbers: L0, L1 and L2.

L0 is a confirmed infection; L1 are those who have been in contact with L0; and L2 are those who were in contact with L1.

People who have travelled anywhere in Asia in the past few months have been asked to work from home and submit their travel itineraries, if any, for the months ahead.

IMAGE: Shopkeepers sit wait for customers at a market which used to be full of foreign tourists. Photograph: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images

While businesses have taken a hit, the crisis has also uncovered a human side to the cold and abstract face of globalisation.

T Thirukumaran, a mid-sized garment exporter, runs a firm called Estee Exports Factory in Tirupur that buys buttons and zips from small suppliers in Guangzhou in southern China.

He is having to charter his supplies out by special flights, spending three to four times more on freight.

"How can I ask my Chinese supplier to bear this cost? He is already suffering so much," he says.

So he will take the hit, because he is too small to negotiate a better deal with his buyers too.

Like him, a number of exporters, big and small, are absorbing the huge costs of using charter flights.

In the last 10 days, a leading courier company is believed to have moved 142 tonnes of cargo from China to Mumbai.

Small and medium logistics companies have their own stories of risk and run.

But big companies such as DHL and Fedex say that the international protocol for containment of Covid-19 lays down clear rules on health and safety of pilots, team members and customers.

It is slowing down business, but is important to curb the spread of the virus, they reason.

Small and mid-sized real estate firms in Mumbai have also defined strict protocols.

At the Vatika Business Centre in a Mumbai suburb, the office is dotted with precautionary signs and sanitisers.

At another, M3M Group, there have been awareness programmes for construction workers.

Almost every office is putting visitors through a preliminary screening about their recent travels and asking employees to declare their health status.

IMAGE: Passengers wearing protective masks at an airport terminal in New Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Across cities, parties are being rescheduled and holidays postponed.

The CEO of a mid-sized pharmaceutical firm says his nephew and niece have had to back out of a ski trip to Switzerland and there is no word on getting a refund on the bookings yet.

He is planning to cancel an upcoming employee meet in Mumbai.

In another drug firm, one of the sectors worst affected by the crisis, the CEO has been quarantined because he has just returned from a holiday in Egypt, considered to be a safe destination, but the company's taking no chances.

At airports, the gateways to the virus, inbound passengers are being delayed by two to four hours between landing and leaving the premises.

The delays are likely to get longer with the airport authorities instructing that all passengers on incoming international flights be screened.

And the ground staff, including catering, cleaning and security, will enter an aircraft only after all arriving passengers have been screened and cleared by the airport health organisation.

At Mumbai airport, screening counters have been set up in the pre-immigration space.

Doctors and paramedics, 65 of them for now, are on duty in three shifts round the clock.

Any suspected case is taken out of the airport to the ambulance through a separate corridor and ferried straight to hospital for testing.

IMAGE: A chemist sells face masks. Photograph: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images

The demand for face masks has, meanwhile, skyrocketed across India.

In a busy neighbourhood in Bengaluru, a chemist sells a long-time customer four N95 masks for Rs 180 each, while declaring: "They cost Rs 150, I am getting them for Rs 160. You are lucky because I'm selling this to others for Rs 400; they are really in short supply."

Since the news of a confirmed coronavirus case in India, 80 per cent of their business orders from around the country has been for N95 masks and toilet seat sanitisers, says Vikas Bagaria, founder of Gurugram-based PeeSafe.

"Many offices are ordering masks for their employees and these orders go up to 2,000," he says.

The company had stocked up on its masks inventory after reports of Delhi's failing air quality.

"Unfortunately, no one saw coronavirus coming and we are bound to run out of stock," Bagaria says.

IMAGE: Workers make protective masks inside a workshop in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

"Protective gear is precious now and we shouldn't allow it to be misused. It should only be used by caregivers of patients. It doesn't make much sense for the general public to wear masks," adds Dr Sudarshan Ballal, a nephrologist and chairman of the Bengaluru-headquartered Manipal Hospitals.

This was one of the private hospitals that the Karnataka government roped in when news of India's first positive case of coronavirus came in from Kerala (the patient has since recovered).

Some places, like the Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, have earmarked lifts for patients and coronavirus caregivers.

IMAGE: A teacher sits in an empty Chennai classroom after Tamil Nadu ordered the closure of primary schools across the state amid coronavirus fears. Photograph: P Ravikumar/Reuters

Karnataka had its first brush with the global scare when a techie from Telangana visited Bengaluru on February 20.

He fell sick and tested positive only after leaving the city.

It is believed that he picked up the virus while meeting colleagues from Hong Kong while on a trip to Dubai.

Though the techie's flatmate, an Intel employee, has not tested positive, there's widespread fear after news of the techie staying there broke out.

Health officials have been busy counselling residents of the society and monitoring those exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

Children from the area have reportedly been asked to stop attending schools even if they aren't showing any symptoms.

The Karnataka chief minister has, meanwhile, confirmed that no one in the state has tested positive for coronavirus.

IMAGE: A security guard uses an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of a man at the entrance of a bank in New Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Multinational companies are, however, putting their own measures in place.

"We have panels of doctors on standby across all locations. They are educating the employees," says Harshvendra Soin, chief people officer, Tech Mahindra.

Like other multinationals, Tech Mahindra has also put off all internal meetings and gatherings and instructed employees to avoid in-person meetings with outside partners, and instead leverage video-conferencing technologies.

Besides an emergency desk to help with medical queries, the company has stocked up on soap and food items across its offices.

Similarly, all incoming vendors and visitors are being screened at Intel's Bengaluru office.

While companies such as Wipro have set up in-house monitoring teams to assess the crisis, Amazon India, Flipkart, TCS, Godrej Enterprises and Titan have put restrictions on international travel for work.

Work-from-home advisories have also been issued to offices at the city-based Manyata Tech Park after an employee of a US-based software company returned to Bengaluru from an affected country and had flu-like symptoms.

Though doctors declared the employee asymptomatic for coronavirus, the campus is being disinfected and employers being told to work from home in the meantime.

Flight and hotel booking platform ixigo has, meanwhile, announced full refunds on flight bookings to 10 affected countries, including China, France, Germany, Iran and Italy.

"We will continue monitoring the situation and extend the waiver if the need arises," says Aloke Bajpai, co-founder and CEO, ixigo.

The best way to contain this highly infectious disease, says Dr Ballal, is to ensure self-assessment by patients.

This includes avoiding public spaces if one is unwell and sticking to proper cough etiquette: Using handkerchiefs, or elbows to cough into in the absence of one.

"Only the very sick should be admitted to hospital," he says.

Meanwhile, ignorance and disinformation isn't helping matters.

According to a survey conducted by fitness gear company GoQii, 32 per cent of people in India believe coronavirus is bioengineered in a lab in China.

Reported by T E Narasimhan, Aneesh Phadnis, Sohini Das, Raghavendra Kamath, Aditi Divekar, Nikita Puri.
As the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus continues to tighten its grip worldwide, the United Nations Security Councils Chinese presidency cancelled bodys two meetings on March 16 which were scheduled this week. The diplomatic sources of an international agency revealed that it was in the wake of the pandemic that the body made the decision after earlier only cancelling the meeting planned for March 17.

However, according to reports, before the recent revelation, the UN was still planning to discuss the situation of Darfur in Sudan on March 18 and multilateralism on March 19. Because the Chinese mission currently holds the rotating presidency of the UNSC, it was not possible to confirm the cancellations on March 15. It was reportedly the diplomats from other countries who have confirmed the decision.

Read - US Schools Supply Food To Combat Coronavirus Shortage

United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told the reporters that a positive case of the fatal virus, which was originated in China in December 2019, has been identified among the staff members at the UN Secretariat after a diplomat from the Philippines was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, last week.

However, the UN building still remains open and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was reportedly in his office on March 15. But Dujarric said that the usual number of people who enter the UN headquarters in New York City has shrunk from several thousand per day to only some 900 people. The Chinese mission reportedly said that the UNSC is still still functioning irrespective of the recent cancellations of meetings in the upcoming week.

The mission also said in a statement that the members of the council are still maintaining communication and consultation on certain issues on the agenda with a view to take necessary actions in a bid to fulfil the mandate of the Council.

Read - Coronavirus Epicentre Wuhan Reports One Confirmed Case; 13 New Deaths In China

Global Pandemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 162 countries, resulting in the deaths of more than 7,100 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.



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'.

Read - Valencia Confirm Over Third Of Squad Has Coronavirus

Read - Coronavirus Epicentre Wuhan Reports One Confirmed Case; 13 New Deaths In China

(With agency inputs)
By Peter Nurse

Investing.com - European stock markets turned red Tuesday, as evidence of the coronavirus hitting corporate Europe outweighed news of more central bank largesse and promises of action from the G7 and the Eurogroup.

At 05:15 ET (0915 GMT), the U.K.'s FTSE index was trading 1.4% lower, France's CAC 40 was down 1.1%, while the DAX was down 1.4%. The pan-eurozone index, the Euro Stoxx 50, dropped 1.0%.

The mood darkened as regulators in France, Spain and Italy all instituted short-selling bans on selected stocks. The Spanish ban will run for a month, while the French and Italian ones will run only for the day to start with. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said his country's ban may be extended.

The grim corporate newsflow out of Europe continued Tuesday. German carmaker Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p) is set to announce a suspension of its production from Saturday due to the coronavirus pandemic, the company's works council said on Tuesday.

Similarly, French carmaker Renault (PA:RENA) said that it was halting operations in Spain following the declaration of a state of emergency there in light of the coronavirus crisis.

Airbus (PA:AIR) is also stopping production and assembly activities at its plants in France and Spain for the next four days as governments there implement new measures to restrict movements and fight the coronavirus outbreak, the planemaker said on Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the Bank of Japan pumped more than $30 billion into markets with an 84-day dollar funding operation. This move came after the world's six major central banks took a joint step to provide more cash dollars on Sunday as a rout in financial markets over the past week led to a scramble by banks and companies for dollar liquidity. In addition, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut short-term rates to near zero while pledging hundreds of billions of dollars in asset purchases.

Tuesdays bounce follows hefty losses in Europe on Monday, while the Dow suffered its biggest one-day plunge ever, falling almost 3,000 points, after President Donald Trump said the worst of the outbreak could last through the summer and that it was not currently under control.

Story continues

Looking at economic indicators, the U.K. unemployment numbers for January are due at 0530 AM ET (0930 GMT), but these figures have largely been made outdated by events. However, the German ZEW economic sentiment release for March, at 0600 AM ET, will be of interest as a gauge of the mood among the countrys investors as the coronavirus pandemic takes hold.

Oil markets have pushed back above the $30 a barrel level Tuesday, helped by the prospect of U.S. and other countries filling strategic storage. That said, its debatable how long this will support prices given the major hit to demand and the sharp increase in supply resulting from the collapse of the OPEC+ output restraint pact.

AT 05:15 AM ET (0915 GMT), U.S. crude futures traded 1.7% higher at $29.50 a barrel and the international benchmark Brent contract up 0.3% at $30.15.

Additionally, gold futures fell 0.2% to $1,483.70/oz, while EUR/USD traded at 1.1116, down 0.6% on the day.

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State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar on Tuesday said that not even a single Yes Bank share the PSB holds will be sold before three-year lock-in period. None of the banks are planning to sell their stake in private lender ahead of the three year lock-in period, the SBI chairman said while addressing the media along with Yes Bank's administrator Prashant Kumar and Ashutosh Khajuria, CFO, Federal Bank.

The SBI chief added that the private lender may receive a second round of funding in the future.

Based on the reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India and six other Indian financial institutions have infused Rs 10,000 crore as new equity capital into Yes Bank.

"On account of investment of Rs 6,050 crore in Yes Bank, SBI's stake in the bank would be 48.21 per cent," the country's largest lender informed the stock exchanges on Monday.

Meanwhile, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) would be holding nearly 10 per cent stake in Yes Bank subsequent to the implementation of the reconstruction scheme.

Last week, the government had revised the authorised capital of the reconstructed bank to Rs 6,200 crore and the number of equity shares to 3,000 crore of Rs 2 each, amounting to Rs 6,000 crore. The authorised preference share capital will continue to be Rs 200 crore.

Meanwhile, Yes Bank's administrator Prashant Kumar said that the bank will be fully functional from Wednesday 6 pm. He also said there was no need to withdraw money in panic.

"There is absolutely no issue on liquidity side from Yes Bank, all our ATMs are full of cash," Kumar told media.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday assured that Yes Bank depositors' money was safe. The RBI Governor had said if required, the central bank would provide liquidity to support Yes Bank. The moratorium on its depositors and creditors of Yes Bank will be lifted on March 18, 2020.

By Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Moody's upgrades YES Bank's ratings; changes outlook to positive

Also Read: Yes Bank crisis: ATMs full of cash, no liquidity issue, says Prashant Kumar
Hung out to dry as collateral damage in the coronavirus crisis... if I were an entrepreneur, I would be incandescent.

Of course, everyone understands that human life and health takes top priority and the concerns of businesses come a long way behind.

When Boris Johnson announced the latest round of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, warning people against socialising and going out to pubs and clubs, health was uppermost in his mind and rightly so.

Bluewater in Kent was close to deserted on Monday as more people began to self isolate around the country

But it is outrageous that the Prime Minister should have told people to stay away from the high street without putting in place practical help for the businesses that will suffer as a result.

To be fair, the new Economic and Business Response Committee did meet last night to discuss what to do, but at this point we need action not more jaw-jaw.

As Gerry Ford, the founder of Caffe Nero, has said, what is needed now is a package of aid for firms to get them through these terrifying months.

Concrete measures ought to have included, at a minimum, a waiver on all tax and VAT payments for at least the next three months for retail and leisure companies.

And the business rate relief offered in the Budget to small firms should be extended to larger ones.

But the PM offered no such help. Worse than that, he burbled vague platitudes.

If my grandmother, who ran her own fish and chip shops, had heard him, she would have boxed his ears and told him to speak more clearly.

According to Boris, the economy will take a short-term hit but will come roaring back.

Great, except he neglected to say on what economic analysis he based this conclusion.

In any case, by the time the world economy does come roaring back, it will be far too late for the small firms that have already gone to the wall.

Their survival is measured in weeks, not months.

And when the Prime Minister says things like if we get it right and if we get the right response and if we work together then the virus will be a short-term problem because the fundamentals of the UK economy are very strong, it resembles feel-good twaddle.

What does it mean to get it right? He doesnt say.

What is the right response? He doesnt seem to know.

And while the UK economy may indeed fundamentally be strong, it will be a whole lot weaker if the retail and hospitality industries are razed to the ground.

Boriss attempt at international statesmanship also fell flat.

I think there is a widespread agreement amongst colleagues in the G7 that we are going to need to make sure everybody has access to liquidity, he said.

Well yes, firms need liquidity, or cash, to survive. But how will they make sure they have access? We are not told.

A ghost town: Nottingham city centre's streets were empty on Monday, Ruth Davidson asks why businesses are not being offered practical help by the government

Then, If we do things jointly then I think that the global markets will understand that were all really operating in the same sort of fiscal framework and I think well be much more successful that way.

Really? Global markets will have to work out what, if anything, this means before they feel the faintest reassurance.

Boris penchant for airy statements is just not good enough in a crisis of this magnitude.

Presumably, he will point to measures announced in last weeks Budget by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help small firms.

But if a week really is a long time in politics, imagine what its like in business.

Even before yesterdays announcement, there has been carnage on the stock market in leisure and retail shares.

The Restaurant Group, which owns Frankie & Bennys, lost nearly half its value yesterday. Pub chains JD Wetherspoon and Youngs are down 23 per cent.

There is no shame in worrying about money.

Be under no illusions over who will be most badly hurt in a high street shutdown. It is not just the big retailers, it is the small independent shops and cafes that give our towns their character.

Advising rather than ordering pubs, restaurants and theatres to close appears to have opened a dangerous loophole as insurance cover may not be valid.

Laying down the law may not be Boriss style but he needs to be crystal clear. Any entrepreneur will want to know precisely what assistance they can expect.

Yet the best Boris could offer was vague promises.

The Conservative Party has a philosophical aversion to state support and bail-outs. Usually, that is sensible.

This is not about pandering to incompetent operators. It is about a helping hand to firms who will from today see trade vanish through no fault of their own.

Ministers will almost certainly bail out the airline industry and they should support the high street too. It has already been torpedoed by unfair competition from online operators.

The retail, leisure and hospitality sectors account for around six million jobs, many held by low-paid people who can ill-afford unemployment.

Shopping and socialising are part of our culture. If we allow them to be destroyed by Covid-19, we will be ripping the heart out of our town centres.

Boris Johnson is not responsible for the coronavirus, but he is responsible for how he tackles it.

So please, Prime Minister, dont heap unnecessary financial misery on a frightened and traumatised nation.
A man has been killed and a police officer has been wounded after a gunman opened fire in a suburban area on the NSW Central Coast.

NSW police were on Tuesday night forced to lock down Cutler Drive in Wyong after reports of multiple gunshots being fired.

Negotiators and the tactical response unit were called in after a 40-year-old man allegedly opened fire.

A 20-year-old man was killed during the incident.

Residents stand in a street after police respond to reports of gunshots. Source: Nine News

A 45-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man sustained minor injuries, while a police officer was wounded in the back while trying to help the 20-year-old.

Police found the 20-year-old's body in a house on nearby Maple Street.

The alleged shooter was arrested by police about 7.30pm and was taken to Wyong Police Station.

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.
A total of 450 people, including stone pelters, miscreants, over ground workers (OGWs) and separatists of Jammu and Kashmir are presently under preventive detention in various jails, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said regular review is being undertaken on case to case basis and accordingly, extension in detention or revocation is made based on reports of field agencies and ground situation.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that in order to prevent commission of offences involving breach of peace and tranquillity, activities prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order, nearly 450 people including stone pelters, miscreants, over ground workers (OGWs), separatists, etc., are presently under preventive detention and are lodged in various jails and subsidiary jails, he said in a written reply to a question.

Even though DMK member A Ganeshamurthi asked the government to reply on the total number of political leaders who are under house arrest along with the reasons for their arrest, the union minister did not give any details.

Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to be in detention since August 5 when the central government announced the abrogation of Article 370.

Another former chief minister Farooq Abdullah was released last week after seven months in detention.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], Mar 17 (ANI): Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one of the most important figures of the last century, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.



"Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one most important figures of the last century. His entire life is a big lesson for all of us," he said in an address via video conference.

He thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for inviting him to the birth centenary celebration of the founding leader of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Prime Minister Modi said that he could not attend the event because of the spread of coronavirus.

Praising Bangladesh for making progress in different walks of life, Modi said: "It gives me intense happiness today to see the youths of Bangladesh working day and night to realise the dream of Mujibur Rahman of 'Sonar Bangla"

Without naming Pakistan, Prime Minister Modi said: "One regime, its torturous rule and ignorance of democratic values had spoilt Bangladesh and its people."

"Banghbandu's learnings and under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership Bangladesh, with inclusive and development-oriented policies, is moving forward. It is very appreciative," he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi tweeted: "Tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary. He is remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladesh's progress." (ANI)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that the country will close its borders to all foreign nationals, with exemptions for Canadian residents, U.S. citizens, diplomats and some other groups.

Why it matters: Trudeau is one of many global leaders who have taken the drastic step of closing their country's borders in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. The decision to exempt U.S. citizens will likely raise questions, especially considering that New York and Washington state  both of which border Canada  are the epicenters of the U.S. outbreak.
A group known as South-south APC Reenforcement Group, has thrown its weight behind the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government considering what the group described as fairness on the part of the president.

The group in a press release Monday, recalled that the president's rumoured third term was debunked by him following his uprightness.

The group also bemoaned the body language of some northern and South-south elites in a clandestine move to unseat the National Chairman of the party.

According to the release, "Once again, we the aforementioned group, reiterate our total support and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.

"Nigerians would recall that, when the issue of third term came up, it was alleged that some Northern cabals were planning to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari remain in office beyond 2023.

"But, the President, being a man of integrity and a leader per excellence, he publicly denounced it and told Nigerians and the world that he had no ambition to stay beyond May 29, 2023, because the President, Muhammadu Buhari is very much aware that the Presidency will go back to the Southern Nigeria in 2023.

"Mr. President, knows very well that constitutionally, he will be completing his second term of Northern eight years on May 29, 2023, and the Presidency will return to South.

"Despite this fact, as alreay affirmed by President Buhari, we are most worried about the move or the unholy alliance by some APC chieftains in the North and South South collaborating to remove Adams Oshiomohle from office, which suggest that there is a hidden agenda not to allow the Presidency to come to South in 2023.

"Further more, any Northerner, whether in APC or PDP, be it Governor or Minister that is having Presidential ambition for 2023, or plotting to retain the Presidency in North in 2023, should desist and drop the plan becuase it will not be for the interest of the country.

"As a Nation with six geopolitical zones and over 180 million people, it will be disastrous for the North to retain the Presidency in 2023, and that is why we are calling on President Buhari to call to order those Northerners in APC with hidden agenda to contest the Presidential election in 2023.

"Yes, Adams Oshiomohle, National Chairman of APC, is a human, and may have made mistakes, but,we totally condemned the plot to remove him from office, just because those with Presidential ambition in 2023, see, Adams Oshiomohle as a threat.

"The last General election, under the leadership of Adams Oshiomohle as National Chairman of APC, the party won the Presidential election, and more members in the Senate and House of Representatives, and majority of APC Governors.

"Yes, APC lost some states, such as Zamfara, Bauchi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Rivers, and recently Bayelsa via Supreme Court judgement, no one should put the blame on Adams Oshiomohle as there are APC leaders in the aforementioned states saddled with the responsibility to ensure the growth, progress and electoral victory of the party in the respective states.

"Also, we want to use this opportunity to advise APC leaders in South South region to be wise and should never allowed themselves to be used to remove Adams Oshiomohle from office by those who have Presidential ambition in the North come 2023.

"Very importantly, those having Presidential ambition for 2023, must be reminded that Adams Oshiomohle alone cannot singlehandedly make any individual to be APC Presidential candidate and also win the Presidential election, so, it is a miscalculation for anyone to see Adams Oshiomohle as threat to their presidential ambition.

"It is believed that the Northern cabals have a plan to distabilize the South and cause disunity among APC leaders in South South region.

"Emerging facts suggest that the present crisis in the All Progressives Congress APC, and the series of courts cases/judgements including the plot to remove Adams Oshiomohle, National Chairman of APC from office has to do with 2023 Presidential election.

"It is shameful and unexplainable that some known APC leaders in South South have joined in the plot to remove Adams Oshiomohle from office, they should be mindful of their actions and the path they have chosen to betray their own, Adams Oshiomohle.

"We are determined and ready to mobilize and support whoever emerges as APC Presidential candidate from the South in 2022, whether from South West, South South or South East.

"Those Northern cabals plotting for another Northern President in 2023, should be reminded of the consequence as the Southern Nigerians would not accept such injustice.

"The APC leaders in South South must bury their differences now and begin to work for the common interest of the region.

"The Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Presidential Amnesty Programme, these are agencies established to develop and care for the people of Niger Delta, but have been taken over by the perceived Northern cabals.

The group appealed to President Buhari, not to attend the controversial National Executive Council NEC meeting slated for Tuesday 17th March, 2020.

It is necessary for Mr. President, APC Govenors, Senators, Representatives and key National leaders to boycott the NEC meeting, because the APC which promised CHANGE is expected to do things differently and responsibly.
The US on Tuesday announced sanctions on several companies in Pakistan and UAE for their alleged contributions to Pakistan's "unsafeguarded" nuclear and missile programmes.

"Efforts by companies to illicitly procure US technologies in support of unsafeguarded WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programmes are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The Department of Commerce will continue to aggressively investigate and designate parties who do so," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said, weeks after his return from Pakistan.

The Bureau of Industry and Security in the Department of Commerce announced that it will add six individuals and 18 corporations to the Entity List for "enabling or assisting with Iran's nuclear programme, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programmes and Russian military modernisation efforts".

The Entity List additions include five Iranian nuclear officials, one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan and five in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) involved in assisting weapons of mass destruction (WMD) activities in Iran and Pakistan.

The Iranian officials were added for their involvement in nuclear-related activities that are contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the US.

The list additions also include 12 companies in Pakistan and the UAE that have been involved or have made significant contributions to Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programmes.

According to the Department of Commerce, the actions constrict the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to these entities.

Ross said the US has made it clear to Iran that it must comply with its nuclear safeguard obligations and immediately provide the International Atomic Energy Agency nothing short of full cooperation, and the regime continues to refuse.

"Iran's nuclear escalation underscores the serious destabilisation that the Iranian regime continues to cause in the region, and the threat posed to international peace and security," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton has received two emergency medical tents and plans on utilizing at least one immediately as it treats patients with the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The tents were secured due to the help of multiple elected officials, including Borough President Jim Oddo and Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), RUMC spokesman Alexander Lutz told the Advance/SILive.com.

We want to express our extreme gratitude for helping us, said Lutz.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

One of the two tents is currently being constructed by the entrance of the emergency room and will probably be finished later Tuesday, he added.

We will utilize every inch of the tent we can possibly use, said Lutz, adding that the hospital will follow the distancing rules required, even inside the tent.

Lutz said that the tent will have lighting, air conditioning, heat, medical supplies and stretchers if needed and that, for now, it will be used for the triage and isolation of patients.

However, the tent will have a multi-purpose function so that health care personnel can use it as necessities arise.

The second tent will probably be set up at a location off of the hospital campus, but that determination has not been officially made as the hospital is addressing the number of possible patients that will need to be treated for the virus on an hourly basis, Lutz said.

Dan Messina, head of RUMC, reached out a few days ago seeking help in securing emergency disaster tents to add capacity for when a surge begins locally, said Oddo.

Oddo said he began to work in collaboration with Rep. Rose, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Raul Perea-Henze, the NYC Emergency Management Office, and NYC Health and Hospitals.

Im particularly grateful to OEM First Deputy Commissioner Andy DAmora, a longtime colleague and partner in previous crises big and small, for his hands-on work in securing us this help, Oddo added. "Chasing supplies has nearly become an Olympic sport, and all of us in office locally continue to work collaboratively and individually pursuing all leads.

Rose said in a statement to the Advance/SILive.com that he is monitoring the situation on an hourly basis.

We cant be reactive, we have to be proactive, Rose said. "Every hour we are asking what could be the next crisis and how do we get ahead of it? That is why the borough president and I secured these tents to ensure theyre prepared for any surge in patients. But as far as were concerned, its never enough and we will keep fighting to secure resources and implement policies to keep our constituents safe and healthy.

Both Staten Island University Hospital campuses have a plan to deploy medical tents if the situation requires them to do so, spokesman Christian Preston said.

If needed, the tent has full utilities (electricity, hot and cold running water, and heat and air conditioning) and would be used to triage patients, assess their condition and in most cases, discharge home for self-quarantine, he said. Patients with more severe cases would be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Having tents available will be extremely helpful as the virus peak is expected to hit New York in around 45 days, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.

Cuomo said that right now 19% of New Yorks coronavirus cases have required hospitalization, and that the state expects the peak percentage to be between 15% and 19%.

He said the states hospital system is not ready for the virus peak, which is expected in around 45 days and expected to require between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds. Currently, the hospital bed capacity is about 53,000.

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The coronavirus pandemic and collapsing oil prices will slash the oil and gas revenues of vulnerable oil-reliant developing economies by up to 85 percent, the heads of OPEC and the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a joint statement as a growing number of countries are going into lockdown and oil demand is set to take an unprecedented hit.

Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the IEA, and OPECs Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo spoke on the phone to discuss the current oil market situation and the potential impact of depressed demand and low oil prices on the global economy and on oil-producing nations with vulnerable economies.

[I]f current market conditions continue, their income from oil and gas will fall by 50% to 85% in 2020, reaching the lowest levels in more than two decades, according to recent IEA analysis. This is likely to have major social and economic consequences, notably for public sector spending in vital areas such as healthcare and education, OPEC and the IEA said in a joint release.

Last week, both OPEC and the IEA slashed their projections for oil demand this year, expecting zero and even negative growth in demand amid significant economic slowdown as the coronavirus spreads around the world. Global oil demand is set to drop this year for the first time since the financial crisis in 2009, the IEA said as it slashed its demand outlook by 1.1 million bpd. The IEA now sees global demand falling by 90,000 bpd year on year in 2020. Related: Largest Oil Glut In History Could Force Crude Prices Even Lower

OPEC, for its part, now sees global oil demand rising by mere 60,000 bpd in 2020 after it slashed its forecasts by 920,000 bpd from last months assessment.

On Friday, Birol tweeted that Recent history shows that playing Russian roulette with the US shale industry through an oil price war can backfire. The major victims are likely to be people in developing countries that still rely heavily on oil & gas revenues to fund their social & economic systems.

The oil price war that OPECs top producer and de facto leader Saudi Arabia started will hurt the fiscal revenues of the oil producers in the Persian Gulf too, including those of Saudi Arabia, analysts say.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
President Trump announced the United States government would waive federal student loan interest amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Because many people are being forced to stay at home, not work, or work less, many people will need this break financially. However, the Trump student loan interest waiver doesnt mean what you think it does.

So, What Does It Mean?

Friday afternoon Trump announced he would like to waive interest on student loans during the coronavirus outbreak. For those out of work, it sounds like great news, but it doesnt mean you dont have to make your payment.

When Trump announced this change, the Department of Education immediately went to the drawing board to figure out how this will work. They came up with this

Your same payment will be due but the full amount will go to the principal and none of it will be going towards the interest. At this time, no interest will be applied to your account. This will give short-term relief to borrowers during the outbreak.

Other Options

Individuals who arent working at this time may need to pause their payments while they are out of work or until they get back on their feet. For these borrowers, you have a few options.

Income-Driven Payments: If your income is changing or you need to make a smaller payment, call your loan provider and discuss your options. Many of them will decrease the amount you have to pay based on your monthly salary.

If your income is changing or you need to make a smaller payment, call your loan provider and discuss your options. Many of them will decrease the amount you have to pay based on your monthly salary. Deferment: Deferment will give you a break from making payments on your student loans and you wont be responsible for any interest accrued on subsidized loans during this time. There is a short list of reasons you might be granted deferment, including unemployment, cancer treatment, economic hardship, education, military duty, or rehab.

Deferment will give you a break from making payments on your student loans and you wont be responsible for any interest accrued on subsidized loans during this time. There is a short list of reasons you might be granted deferment, including unemployment, cancer treatment, economic hardship, education, military duty, or rehab. Forbearance: Similar to deferment, forbearance will give you a break from paying your student loans. However, you will be responsible for any and all interest during this time. You dont have to have specific reasons why you are applying for forbearance.

People looking for deferment or forbearance will not have to make payments for a determined period of time. Typically, your loans would continue accruing interest during this time. With President Trumps proposal, people needing a break from payments wont have any interest added to their accounts.

However, it is a good idea if you can keep up your student loan payments at this time to do so. Dont take the interest-free period to take a break from paying off your loan. In fact, paying on it now can actually benefit you.

Questions About The Waiver

So far, there are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the Trump student loan interest waiver, including some the Department of Education cant answer. For instance, will the interest being waived now be added on later? DOE officials dont yet have an answer to this.

Also, it isnt yet clear as to whether or not federal PLUS loans will be covered under the waiver. This includes parent PLUS loans and graduate education loans.

All in all, the changes that need to happen for this waiver to take effect will be difficult for loan providers to implement in such a short period of time. Not to mention, some of these service providers will need to send their call center employees home to decrease the risk of contracting coronavirus. So, if you are looking to contact your provider about this, be patient.

The Trump Student Loan Interest Waiver Can Benefit You

Although you will still have to make payments on your loans, the Trump student loan interest waiver can help you if you arent in need of forbearance or deferment. Actually, you can take a good chunk off the amount you borrowed and shorten the amount of time youll be paying it back.

This waiver will be available to more than 35 million borrowers who have received a federal student loan. Private lenders, like Sallie Mae, will not be covered under the waiver.

Lastly, if you are wondering about what you need to do to benefit from the interest waiver, its nothing! You dont have to contact your loan provider. The interest will automatically be waived during this time and will be retroactive to Friday when Trump announced the change.

Read More
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQB: RYES) (the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the application for a Use Permit to Nevada County for the re-opening of the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine.

The Company previously submitted an application for a Use Permit to Nevada County as discussed in news release dated November 21st, 2019:

https://www.risegoldcorp.com/uploads/content/Nov21RiseGoldSubmitsPermitApplicationtoReopenIdahoMarylandGoldMine.pdf

All technical reports required for the Draft Environmental Impact Report ("DEIR") are now either complete or in final draft. The timeline, from the application submission in November 2019 to land use approval, is expected to range from 12-18 months. Construction and operational permits would follow as needed.

The technical reports conclude that the Idaho-Maryland Project ("IM Project") has no significant environmental impacts after mitigation has been incorporated. Preparation of the DEIR, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), is expected to commence shortly. In accordance with CEQA, the County will retain a 3rd party independent consultant to peer review the technical studies and conclusions and prepare the DEIR. The DEIR will provide a description of existing site conditions, project operations, and how the project may impact the existing conditions. Accordingly, the final judgement of the significance of impacts and mitigation measures are determined by the County in consultation with its independent consultant. However, based on the results of the technical studies, the Company believes the DEIR will arrive at a similar conclusion with no significant environmental impacts after mitigation is incorporated.

The Company's technical reports included the participation of numerous highly qualified independent consultants and were completed over a ~9-month period at a total combined cost of over US $1 million. The strong financial condition of the Company allowed extra work to be conducted in numerous areas to bolster the conclusions. Additional work in hydrology, including the digital modelling of groundwater and robust geomorphology studies, was completed with the participation of five experts with doctorate degrees in their fields.

A summary of the results from the Company's technical reports is provided in Table 1. Documents are or will be available in the upcoming weeks on Nevada County's website at the following link: https://www.mynevadacounty.com/2882/Application-Documents---Rise-Grass-Valle

Several reports are in the process of submittal and will be posted in the upcoming weeks.

TABLE 1 - Summary of Rise Gold Technical Reports1







1) Technical Report references provided at end of News Release.

Project Design

The Idaho-Maryland Mine is a past producing gold mine which produced 2,414,000 oz of gold at an average mill head grade of 17 gpt gold from 1866-1955.

The IM Mine was the second largest lode gold producer in the United States before being forced to close under War Production Board Order L-208 during World War II. The mine produced a substantial amount of gold in the years before the forced closure. In the two years before closure, 1940 and 1941, mine production averaged 920 tons per day with an average mill head grade of 0.38 oz per ton (12.9 gpt) and 121,000 oz of gold production per year.

The Company has recently completed 67,500 feet (20,600 meters) of exploration core drilling at the IM Project. Numerous high-grade gold intercepts have been encountered, both near the existing mine workings and to depths significantly below historic mining areas.

The Company believes it drilling program has been successful but cautions investors no current mineral resources or mineral reserves have been defined. The Company's submission of an application for a Use Permit from Nevada County requires information regarding planned throughput and material quantities. The Company cautions investors that no Technical Report has been filed to support that this rate of production will be achieved. The Company has not completed a feasibility study to establish mineral reserves and therefore has not demonstrated economic viability of the IM Project. The Company has not made a production decision for the IM Project.

The Use Permit application proposes underground mining to recommence at an average throughput of 1,000 tons per day. The existing Brunswick Shaft, which extends to ~3400 feet depth below surface, would be used as the primary rock conveyance from the underground workings. A second service shaft would be constructed by raising from underground to provide for the conveyance of personnel, materials, and equipment. Gold processing would be done by gravity and flotation to produce gravity and flotation gold concentrates. Processing equipment and operations would be fully enclosed in attractive modern buildings and numerous mature trees located on the perimeter of the Brunswick Site would be retained to provide visual shielding of aboveground project facilities and operations.

The Company would produce barren rock from underground tunneling and sand tailings as part of the project which would be used for creation of approximately 58 acres of level and useable industrial zoned land for future economic development in Nevada County.

A water treatment plant and pond, using conventional processes, would ensure that groundwater pumped from the mine is treated to regulatory standards before being discharged to the local waterways.

Detailed studies by professionals in the fields of civil and electrical engineering, biology, hydrology, cultural resources, traffic, air quality, human health, vibration, and sound have guided the designs of the project.

Approximately 300 employees would be required when the mine reaches full production.

Capital Advisory Contract

The Company announces it has engaged Capital Markets Advisory CA (CMA) to increase the awareness and the profile of the Company in the Investment Community. The contract remuneration is C$4,000 per month, has a minimum term of 6 months, and 75,000 stock options will be granted of pursuant to the terms of the Company's Stock Option Plan. The options are exercisable at C$0.50 per share for a period of three (3) years and expire on March 17, 2023. CMA's principle, Karen Mate, has over 25 years of experience in capital markets, specializing in connecting corporate clients with Institutions and high net worth accounts to offer unique investment and funding opportunities throughout North America and Europe.

About Rise Gold Corp.

Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. The Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine produced 2,414,000 oz of gold at an average mill head grade of 17 gpt gold from 1866-1955. Historic production at the Idaho-Maryland Mine is disclosed in the Technical Report on the Idaho-Maryland Project dated June 1st, 2017 and available on www.sedar.com. Rise Gold is incorporated in Nevada, USA and maintains its head office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Benjamin Mossman

President, CEO and Director

Rise Gold Corp.

For further information, please contact:

RISE GOLD CORP.

Suite 650, 669 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC V6C 0B4

T: 604.260.4577

info@risegoldcorp.com

www.risegoldcorp.com

The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.

References

Balance Hydrologics, Inc. (2020). Geomorphic Assessment, South Fork Wolf Creek, Near Grass Valley, California. Truckee, CA.

Benchmark Resources. (2020). Idaho-Maryland Mine Project Aesthetics Technical Study, Nevada County, California. Folsom, CA.

Benchmark Resources. (2020). Idaho-Maryland Mine Land Use Technical Study, Nevada County, California. Folsom, CA.

Bollard Acoustical Consultants, Inc. (2019). Noise and Vibration Analysis Idaho-Maryland Mine Nevada County, California. Loomis, CA

Dudek. (2020). Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis Technical Report for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project Nevada County, California. Sacramento, CA.

EMKO Environmental, Inc. (2020). Groundwater Hydrology and Water Quality Analysis Report for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project, Nevada County, California. El Dorado Hills, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Brunswick Industrial Site and East Bennett Road Right of Way Aquatic Resources Delineation of Water of the United States and State of California. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Brunswick Industrial Site and East Bennett Road Right of Way Biological Resources Assessment. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Brunswick Industrial Site and East Bennet Road Right of Way Watercourse, Wetlands, Riparian Areas Management Plan. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2020). Centennial Industrial Site Idaho-Maryland Mine Project Watercourse, Wetlands, Riparian Areas Management Plan. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Centennial Industrial Site Aquatic Resources Delineation of Waters of the United States and State of California. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Centennial Industrial Site Biological Resources Assessment. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Technical Memorandum for Centennial Industrial Site: Biological Resources Impact Assessment. Grass Valley, CA.

Greg Matuzak Environmental Consulting LLC. (2019). Centennial Industrial Site Habitat Management Plan for the Pine Hill Flannelbush (Fremontodendron decumbens). Grass Valley, CA.

InContext Cultural Resources Solutions. (2019). Cultural Resources Survey Report for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project, Nevada County, California. Fair Oaks, CA.

InContext Cultural Resources Solutions. (2020). Historic Properties Inventory and Findings of Effect for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project, Nevada County, California. Fair Oaks, CA.

Itasca Denver, Inc. (2020). Desktop Study of Cemented Paste Backfill. Lakewood, CO.

Itasca Denver, Inc. (2020). Predictions of Groundwater Inflows to the Underground Workings at the Idaho-Maryland Mine. Lakewood, CO.

KD Anderson & Associates, Inc. (2020). Traffic Impact Analysis for the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project, Nevada County, CA. Loomis, CA.

Linkan Engineering. (2019). Idaho Maryland Water Treatment Plant Design Report. Elko, NV.

Nevada City Engineering, Inc. (2019). Hydrology & Hydraulic Calculations for Preliminary Drainage Analysis & Detention Basin Sizing for Centennial & Brunswick Sites. Nevada City, CA.

Nevada City Engineering, Inc. (2020). Floodplain Management Plan for Centennial Industrial Site of the Idaho Maryland Mine Project. Nevada City, CA.

NV5. (2019). Geotechnical Engineering Report Idaho-Maryland Mine Project - Brunswick Industrial Site. Nevada City, CA.

NV5. (2019). Geotechnical Engineering Report Idaho-Maryland Mine Project - Centennial Industrial Site. Nevada City, CA.

NV5. (2020). Idaho-Maryland Mine Project - Brunswick Industrial Site Steep Slope, Erosion and Sediment Control Management Plan. Nevada City, CA.

NV5. (2020). Idaho-Maryland Mine Project - Centennial Industrial Site Steep Slope, Erosion and Sediment Control Management Plan. Nevada City, CA.

NV5. (2020). Idaho-Maryland Mine Project - Portion of Brunswick Industrial Site Management Plan for Potential Seismic Hazards. Nevada City, CA.

Precision Blasting Services. (2019). Environmental Factors of Blasting Report for the Proposed Idaho-Maryland Gold Project, Nevada County, California. Montville, OH.

Wendy Boes Botanical Consultant. (2019). Brunswick Mine Special Status Plant Survey Report. Nevada City, CA.

Wendy Boes Botanical Consultant. (2019). Centennial Industrial Site Special Status Plant Survey Report. Nevada City, CA.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53515
A snapshot of a single mouse skin cancer cell as it slides along a petri dish. The colours represent the distance the cell has travelled, from blue to pink to red. Credit: Dr Nikki Paul

It vaguely resembles a wave under the microscope, the cell's edge crashing and tumbling as it advances across the slide. But despite appearances, how cells move is a precise and tightly controlled process, involving a dynamic network of molecules.

It's less true for cancer cells.

Escaping these mobility restrictions is an important part of how cancer cells spread around the body, and something that Dr. Nikki Paul at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute aims to understand in more detail.

It's vital work for Paul, as most patients die from cancer that's spread and settled in another part of the body, through a process called metastasis. She hopes to find ways to stop cancer cells moving or slow them down by using drugs that block molecules responsible for them going astray.

Making cancer cells mobile

Cells are constantly talking to each other, receiving and giving out signals. And some of these signals prompt cells to pick up and move to a completely different part of the body. This migration can be hugely beneficial for the body, mobilising our immune cells to help us fight infection or cells coming together to form a scab over a wound.

But in the case of cancer cells, it's not quite as desirable.

Which is where Paul comes in. She wants to know where they are going, what makes them decide to break away from where they originally started growing and, ultimately, how can they be stopped.

Credit: Cancer Research UK

She's focusing on finger-like projections made of actin that help cells move aroundfilopodia. Cancer cells have more of these spikey projections, shown in white in the video above, than healthy cells. And Paul wants to know why, so that she can find a way to stop or slow down cancer cell migration.

And to do that, Paul needed access to some fairly sophisticated cameras.

A cell of ice and fire

Luckily, the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute is home to a number of powerful microscopes that allow scientists to look down to the level of individual cells.

The image at the top was taken by a super resolution microscope. It is a snapshot of a single mouse skin cancer cell as it moved across a petri dish.

And by using a dye that that binds to the actin filaments that make up the finger-like projections, Paul can watch the cancer cell live under a microscope as it moves. The arc at the top of the image shows the leading edge of the cell, which has a built-in compass. And the different colours represent the distance the cell has movedfrom blue to pink to redas it slides along the surface.

By using the super resolution microscope, Paul can visualise the dynamics of cell migration and interactions with other cells. And it's revealed some interesting preferences.

This particular mouse melanoma cell moves on its own, but there are other types of cancer cells that prefer to migrate in a group, and some move faster than others. These differences could be important when it comes to developing strategies to prevent cancer cells from spreading.

"We can visualise cancer cell migration in tissues as well, it's really helpful in recapitulating what is happening in patients," explains Paul.

Credit: Cancer Research UK

Why do cancer cells migrate?

We've blogged before about why cancer might spread to other parts of the body. And it turns out, there are lots of things that might make a cancer cell wander away from where it first started to grow.

Often, cancer cells accumulate changes in their DNA that makes them more active and more likely to migrate. But it's not the only reason cell's start to move, they're also constantly surveying and responding to changes in their environment.

Paul explains that certain DNA faults can change a cell's needs. They might want more nutrients, for example. And these cravings can cause the cancer cell to break away from the tumour and enter the bloodstream, to seek out a more comfortable place to grow.

But for Paul, it's not all about the why. Understanding how cells move and invade other parts of the body is a vital piece of the puzzle, particularly if the goal is to put the brakes on cancer cells.

Scientists like Paul can visualise cancer cells under the microscope and monitor how they respond to drugs that target how cells move. By creating time-lapse videos, Paul can track the speed and distance of the cells over time and understand how they put one foot in front of the other.

Together, this provides important information that they can use to develop strategies to stop cancer in its tracks.

"Many new treatment regimens now involve a combination of therapies," says Paul. "Sometimes we use different drugs to kill cancer cells, but also to stop them from migrating and spreading in the first place.

Explore further Researchers identify molecular machinery critical for cell mobility
Nicole Babin closed her three vintage clothing stores on Sunday night, joining the cavalcade of small businesses temporarily shutting down operations across Toronto in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The owner of Common Sort Clothing Corporation said that, without an online sales platform, she could continue to operate the business under severe revenue constraints for about two months. After that, Babin will be faced with the difficult decision of shuttering her stores for good.

On Monday, Torontos medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa strongly recommended that all dine-in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and theatres close as soon as possible. De Villa warned establishments may be ordered to close if they do not comply with her recommendation.

Even before the advisory, small and medium-sized businesses have seen revenue drop by as much as 70 per cent, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Many are worried about whether they can survive.

We have heard of numerous cases where business owners are calling in tears asking how to wind down their business, said Ryan Mallough, director of provincial affairs in Ontario for the CFIB. Were at a point where employees and employers are all looking for help.

The federal government announced a $1-billion package on Wednesday to help Canadians deal with COVID-19 and waived the one-week wait for employment insurance. But small businesses are looking for direct measures that will provide them with cash relief, such as temporary tax exemptions, administrative relief on tax filing deadlines and penalties and wage subsidies for businesses to retain staff, Mallough said.

We dont have the profits of Aritzia or big companies, Babin said. For the winter, paying rent and wages is all the money we have. In spring, we make enough money to last through to the next winter, but now its cutting it very tight for us.

According to preliminary results of a CFIB survey on the effect of COVID-19, 40 per cent of small businesses said they could support a 50 per cent drop in sales for no longer than one to three months.

The association, which represents 110,000 small and medium-sized companies, received about 150 calls regarding COVID-19 on Friday, double the average number of requests. The calls were from business owners requesting advice on looming tax deadlines, managing lease payments and employment-related issues, such as managing workers advised to self-isolate for two weeks and those returning from travel abroad.

Restaurants and bars are among hardest hit, according to the CFIBs Mallough. Restaurant bookings in Toronto decreased 50 per cent year-over-year on Saturday night, according to online reservation platform OpenTable. Since then, a cavalcade of eateries across the city announced temporary closures in response to growing community pressure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including Lees Restaurant, Bar Raval and Piano Piano.

As businesses launched delivery menus to help soften the blow, UberEats announced initiatives for independent restaurants owners and operators on Monday, including waived delivery fees and daily payouts rather than weekly. But delivery services will not save the food service industry, according to Alison MacKenna, co-owner of The Walton, a cocktail bar and cafe in Little Italy.

Our menu isnt deliverable, she said. At first business was slowing down and people started launching takeout menus and delivery services. But now many have just shut down.

Support for local businesses boomed on Saturday as owners and customers took to social media to express concern amid the slowdown. Toronto chef and restaurant owner Grant van Gameren launched the hashtag #2foryou, inviting followers to visit two local enterprises each day and restaurants and bars posted videos of employees wiping counters and menus with disinfectant wipes to demonstrate precautions to prevent spreading the disease.

But as concerns escalated over the weekend, small businesses felt pressured to close their doors, MacKenna said. Since The Waltons temporary closure on Monday, MacKenna laid off its 12 employees to allow them to apply for unemployment insurance and called her accountant.

We have no idea how long this will last, she said. Trudeaus speech today was not comforting to the small business owner. He talked about making credit available but small businesses cant go into more debt, they need some cash support. We should put a halt on mortgages and rents.
Read The Stars live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here. This story is no longer updating.

12 a.m.: The Ottawa Senators say one of its players has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The NHL team did not name the player when releasing the news tonight.

The Senator becomes the first NHL player to receive a positive COVID-19 test. The Senators say the player has mild symptoms and is in isolation.

11:50 p.m.: Westjet Airlines says some of its passengers may have been exposed to people infected with the novel coronavirus on recent flights.

The Calgary-based company made the announcement on their website and social media Tuesday, listing the flights and affected rows.

11:45 p.m.: A federal government official in Ottawa says Canada and the United States are working out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries to try to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The official, responding to a report by CNN citing American government figures, spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose details of talks that are still ongoing.

The network reported late Tuesday that the two countries are working on a joint statement that would be issued in within a day or two.

The restrictions would be designed to ensure that cross-border trade and commerce can continue.

8 p.m.: A federal prison in central Alberta has been locked down as a precaution as some inmates who showed flu-like symptoms await test results for COVID-19.

Correctional Services Canada says there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Bowden Institution, but a group of less than 10 inmates has been tested for the novel coronavirus.

Correctional Services Canada says the health and safety of its employees, offenders and the public is its top priority and it continues to take preventative measures, including testing any offenders as required.

It says it has its own health care services in its institutions and can handle cases of influenza and respiratory illnesses, such as COVID-19.

7:18 p.m.: The start of the French Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments that define success in tennis, will be postponed from May 24 until Sept. 20 because of the coronavirus, organizers announced Tuesday  immediately drawing criticism for not consulting others in the game.

The date change created conflicts with other events, including the Laver Cup mens team event headlined by Roger Federer that is scheduled for Sept. 25-27 in Boston, and a womens tournament in Wuhan, China, the city at the center of the global pandemic. Player Vasek Pospisil said the decision came out of the blue ... They are basically doing a power play right now, and its quite arrogant.

7:15 p.m.: The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs have declared a state of emergency for 62 First Nations due to COVID-19. The move includes closing reserve borders to non-essential travel.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas says First Nations do not have the physical housing ability to socially isolate and must take extra precautions.

The Southern Chiefs Organization also declared a state of emergency earlier Tuesday saying First Nations are at risk due to chronic overcrowding, lack of equitable health care and poor infrastructure.

None of the 15 cases of the novel coronavirus in Manitoba have been reported from a First Nation.

6:48 p.m.: Late Tuesday afternoon Hudsons Bay announced that all 89 of its stores nationwide would be closing for at least two weeks, effective immediately. During this closure, our store associates will be paid for all scheduled shifts that were planned for the two weeks, the company added in a statement.

The Holt Renfrew and H&M retail chains also announced temporary, immediate closure of all stores on Tuesday, with the latter being effective across North America.

6:29 p.m.: Three more people in British Columbia have died from novel coronavirus as provincial health officials said they were experiencing a spike in cases.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed the deaths on Tuesday and said there are 83 new confirmed cases in B.C. of COVID-19, a marked increase from previous daily updates. Henry also announced that B.C. has declared a public health emergency.

There are now 186 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and eight deaths in Canada so far  seven in B.C. and one in Ontario. Alberta, meanwhile, is reporting 23 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 97.

6:12 p.m.: A man in his 70s who has died was one of four new cases of COVID-19 announced Tuesday afternoon in the province of Ontario.

Three of the new cases are travel related but not the deceased, whose contraction of the virus was blamed by provincial authorities on close contact with someone else affected. This increase of 12 on Tuesday  eight announced in the morning, four in the afternoon  brings Ontarios total cases to 189.

The dead mans case was reported by the Simcoe Muskoka district health unit, north of Toronto. The other three were in the Kingston region and had just returned from travel  to Spain, Barbados and the U.K.

5:59 p.m.: After struggling for days to secure a flight home for a group of students on a humanitarian mission to Guatemala, a Quebec school board paid $280,000 for a chartered flight that scooped them out of the Central American country minutes before its border closed.

The 45 high school students and five teachers were on the last plane out of the Guatemala City airport Monday night, Helene Dumais, spokeswoman for the Commission scolaire des Grandes-Seigneuries, said Tuesday.

They landed Tuesday morning at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, she said, less than one week after the group left to work in a centre for disabled people in the Guatemalan village of San Juan La Laguna.

5:10 p.m.: In an effort to get COVID-19 tests to the public more quickly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is waiving the normal regulations and allowing test makers to market scientifically valid products in the U.S. immediately.

The FDA announced updated federal guidelines Monday night  which it called unprecedented  to allow new tests for COVID-19 to go onto the U.S. market. A Salt Lake City company called Co-Diagnostics said Tuesday morning that it intends to quickly distribute its Logix Smart COVID-19 test to certified labs around the country.

In the U.S., all tests being performed to detect COVID-19 work by detecting snippets of viral genetic code in a patient sample. They require large, complex machines found in places like the state health departments, major hospitals and commercial labs.

On Monday night, the FDA issued guidance stating that it does not intend to object if companies start offering serology tests, which can infer the presence of COVID-19 by detecting specific blood cells produced in response to the virus.

4:29 p.m.: The LCBO is reducing its hours following the provinces state of emergency declaration. In a statement, the LCBO wrote that beginning Thursday, all stores will operate from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

This measure follows previous action taken to elevate store cleaning and sanitization protocols and increased prevention awareness amongst employees, the statement read. Delivery options remain available to customers, though customers will have to follow pick up directions provided by Canada Post for home deliveries.

4:23 p.m.: North American stock markets rebounded strongly from Mondays steep losses on co-ordinated actions by central banks and plans for a US$1 trillion stimulus package by the U.S. government.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 324.81 points or 2.6 per cent at 12,685.21.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 1,048.86 points at 21,237.38. The S&P 500 index was up 143.06 points at 2,529.19, while the Nasdaq composite was up 430.19 points or 6.2 per cent at 7,334.78.

The Canadian dollar was down as investors continued to turn to the safety of the U.S. greenback as it traded for 70.55 cents US compared with an average of 71.61 cents US on Monday.

4:06 p.m.: Costco says it has had a surge of business since the COVID-19 outbreak, and is going to start controlling the number of customers allowed in its warehouses in response.

The company is also reducing some services and is asking customers and employees to practice social distancing in its stores.

Limits have been placed on the number of certain items customers are allowed to buy at once and the company is working with suppliers to make sure in-demand items are available.

Costco has also stepped up sanitation of its carts, cashes and product shelves.

3:50 p.m.: The number of coronavirus cases in Quebec has jumped to 74.

The province added 11 more cases this afternoon, in addition to the 13 reported earlier today.

The new cases are scattered across several different regions, including a total of five in the Lanaudiere and Laurentides regions north of Montreal, and two in the Monteregie southeast of the city.

3:45 p.m.: Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos medical officer of health, says there are 108 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Toronto including four people who have recovered. But theres an accelerated rate of transmission plus signs of local transmission. De Villa says they expect to see continued rise in cases in Toronto in coming weeks. Urges anyone who travelled abroad to self-isolate. Asks every person and business to implement social distancing.

3:30 p.m.: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney declared a public emergency in the province Tuesday, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Under new rules, any organized gathering of more than 50 people must be cancelled immediately, and Albertans are prohibited from entering many public facilities, including bars, recreation facilities, museums and fitness centres.

3:25 p.m.: Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, says theres a backlog in the testing. Adds that they are trying to get more kits, however items such as swabs are in short supply because of global demand.

3:15 p.m.: The B.C. government is suspending all in-class instruction in the provinces schools indefinitely.

Education Minister Rob Fleming says his department is working with school districts and teachers to figure out a plan to continue learning, but not in classrooms.

The suspension of classes will not affect students who are scheduled to graduate this spring.

Fleming says all students who are on course to graduate from Grade 12, and those progressing to the next grade, will do so.

There are 103 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including outbreaks at two care homes and a hospital in North Vancouver.

3 p.m.: Ontario health officials say 29 per cent of travel-related cases in province are now from the U.S., with the top states being New York, Colorado, California, Florida, Nevada and Massachusetts.

2:45 p.m.: The New Brunswick legislature has passed legislation to delay the municipal elections planned for May. They could be delayed up to a year.

The legislation also makes it possible to postpone two provincial byelections if necessary. They are currently set for June 15.

After passing the election legislation, the Legislative Assembly rose today until further notice.

Premier Blaine Higgs also called on banks to consider what they can do to help small businesses stay afloat.

2:45 p.m.: Mayor John Tory concludes statement by thanking health and other front-line workers. Says people are helping others, is the Toronto way and will get city through pandemic.

2:30 p.m.: Mayor John Tory announces that non-essential City of Toronto staff are being told to work from home. They will be paid and not laid off. Workers for essential services like water will continue to go to work. Civic centres will close, (City staff were extremely upset that Toronto officials were urging people to stay home while telling them to report for work).

Tory says he continues to talk with industry sectors on ways governments can help them weather this storm  will take extraordinary steps including significant city contingency fund to help businesses survive and workers make ends meet.

2:10 p.m.: Toronto to close all civic centres, city hall and Metro Hall to public starting Wednesday as they scale back non-essential services. Some staff will be allowed to work from home with limitations. Tory to make this announcement at 2:30 p.m.

1:55 p.m.: The Rolling Stones are postponing their 15-city North American tour because of the growing coronavirus outbreak.

The band announced Tuesday that its No Filter Tour, originally expected to kick off in San Diego on May 8, is postponed. They were to make a stop in Vancouver on May 12.

The Stones tour through North America last year was postponed after Mick Jagger had heart surgery, but the band rescheduled those dates and returned triumphantly to the road with a show in Chicago. Another of the rescheduled shows featured the announcement that NASA had named a tiny tumbling stone spotted on the Martian surface after the band.

1:52 p.m.: Kingston announced three cases this afternoon, and each patient had travel history to Spain, Barbados and the United Kingdom. All are self-isolating. In addition to the eight previously announced Tuesday morning by the province, Ontario has 11 new cases so far today.

1:40 p.m.: New Brunswicks Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Jennifer Russell says the province has a new presumptive case of COVID-19.

The newest case is a 10-year-old boy who is a close contact with one of the two confirmed travel cases in the province.

New Brunswick now has a total of eight cases, two confirmed and six presumptive.

1:37 p.m.: Casinos in Alberta remain open despite a restriction on mass gatherings and the shuttering of schools and daycares due to COVID-19.

Other provinces  including Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec  have closed their casinos.

Officials in Calgary, where a local state of emergency has been called, have questioned why the province hasnt done the same.

Albertas chief medical officer said at her daily update on Monday that there were no plans to close gaming establishments.

The provincial government takes in about $1.4 billion annually from casinos and lotteries.

1:30 p.m.: Quebec Premier Francois Legault is imploring youth to abide by rules in place forbidding gatherings amid a rising number of cases of COVID-19.

Legault made the plea today to athletes, artists, YouTubers and influencers  anyone with a young audience  to transmit the message that its not the time to be holding parties.

He says the province is launching a blitz to get that message across to younger people, who apparently havent heeded the advice of health officials.

The province is reporting an additional 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the total to 63.

1:20 p.m.: Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Liberal government is urgently reviewing whether to stay the course on allowing U.S. citizens to keep coming into Canada, noting nothing is off the table.

She says the Canada-U.S. border is a lifeline to Canada and that includes how we get many important supplies, including groceries and medicines.

Freeland is also urging all U.S. citizens who do not need to be in Canada to stay away.

She says now is not the time for residents of either country to cross the border for non-essential reasons.

Health Minister Patty Hajdu says Canadians who live near the U.S. border and are used to crossing over to pick up packages or buy cigarettes, alcohol or groceries should refrain from doing so.

1:16 p.m.: Freeland says she wants to tell potential visitors to Canada not to come. Shes talking about American tourists who are still allowed to come, under advisement to self-isolate for 14 days if they do.

1:15 p.m.: President Donald Trump is acknowledging Canadas decision to continue letting American citizens into the country, even though the borders have been closed to other foreign nationals.

Trump says the U.S. is working very closely with Canada, and also with Mexico, but hes refusing to say if the White House will close the doors to either countrys citizens.

In a news conference today, Trump singled out the new North American trade deal, which Canada finally approved last week, and described the relationship with both countries as outstanding.

The federal Liberal government says the exemption for U.S. citizens is to accommodate those people who live and work on opposite sides of the Canada-U.S. border.

The move has been panned by opposition critics who say it risks exposing Canadians to a potentially significant source of the virus.

1:10 p.m.: Transport Minister Marc Garneau says he is in close contact with airlines as well as Via Rail about the unprecedented impact on their operations.

He says the demand for air travel has dropped in an almost precipitous manner.

Asked about compensation, Garneau says he is in discussions with the sector but does not have anything specific to share at this time.

1:11 p.m.: The coronavirus is now spreading locally within a dozen African nations, continental health authorities said Tuesday, while a cruise ship was quarantined off Cape Town after several passengers shared a flight with a cargo ship worker who shows virus symptoms.

African nations have pointed to the number of cases confirmed in people arriving from abroad as the reason to slam shut some border posts and turn away foreigners. But the growing number of locally transmitted cases brings a new level of danger.

Economically shattered Zimbabwe, with one of the worlds weakest health systems, declared a national disaster on Tuesday even before the country has confirmed a case. It banned gatherings of more than 100 people for the next two months.

1 p.m.: Prince Edward Island still has only one confirmed case of COVID-19 but health officials are alerting anyone who was on West Jet flight 3440 on March 7 from Toronto to Moncton, N.B., to self isolate.

Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.s chief public health officer says the woman who is the confirmed case on the Island did return on that flight after travelling on a cruise ship.

Morrison also says all restaurants and bars will close in-room dining and dental clinics will be closing for 14 days.

She also says wakes at funerals will be family only with gatherings limited to no more than 20 people.

12:53 p.m.: Manitoba has announced that licensed daycares and preschools are being closed at the end of the day on Friday.

Premier Brian Pallister says it may be possible for a few to stay open as an essential service, and home daycares will continue to be available.

The province has also announced that all casinos will close tomorrow due to concerns about the novel coronavirus.

There are eight cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba, and all but one have been confirmed at the national

12:35 p.m.: Public Safety Minister Bill Blair stressed Canadians coming over the land border will always be allowed in, and those with symptoms will be referred to public health officials. Blair says irregular migrants will be taken into custody, screened for symptoms and questioned about where theyve been. These asylum-seekers are being placed in new shelters to ensure they isolate for 14 days, Blair says.

12:26 p.m.: Canadas top doctor says most of the more than 440 COVID-19 cases in the country are still among people who have recently travelled.

That includes eight Canadians who were repatriated from the Grand Princess cruise ship who are currently in quarantine at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

But Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer, says officials are concerned about the increase of cases in Ontario, particularly three cases being investigated as coming from community transmission.

She says there are also a number of cases in several provinces connected to a large dental conference that took place in Vancouver.

Tam also underscores the need to avoid large gatherings and stay home as much as possible.

She encourages Canadians to keep donating blood, and noted that Canadian Blood Services has all the procedures in place to keep people safe.

12:10 p.m.: Newfoundland and Labrador has announced two more presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total number of cases to three.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the provinces chief medical officer of health, says the woman and man live within the Labrador-Grenfell Health region, which covers Labrador and part of Newfoundlands Northern Peninsula.

The cases are linked to contact with the provinces first presumptive case announced on Saturday.

Fitzgerald recommended the closure of public spaces including fitness facilities, arenas, bars, performances spaces and said all St. Patricks Day celebrations scheduled for tonight should be cancelled.

12:07 p.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Emergencies Act is a tool the federal government can use to enact measures it would otherwise not be able to enact.

He says the Liberal government is looking at other ways to impose new measures without calling a state of emergency.

Trudeau also says that with three million Canadians living or travelling abroad at any time, it would not be possible to expect that everyone would be able to come home immediately.

Trudeau also says Canada is in a good fiscal position to be able to invest in Canadian individuals and businesses to make sure the country gets through this difficult time and continues to prosper and grow once this moment is over.

11:52 a.m.: Ontario health officials are confirming the provinces first death in a patient with COVID-19.

A spokesman for Health Minister Christine Elliott says the 77-year-old man in the Muskoka region was a close contact of another positive case.

Travis Kann says the man himself wasnt a confirmed case before he died, rather he was under investigation for the virus.

COVID-19 was discovered after his death. The investigation into the exact cause of death is ongoing.

11:41 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urges Canadians to stay at home and not go out for St. Patricks day in a televised statement. Also announces closing of national parks starting Wednesday. Adds that anything with a door will be closed.

Says that there will be major announcement on Wednesday on economic actions to support Canadians as quickly as possible.

Trudeau said Ontario is taking the right steps by declaring a state of emergency. Trudeau reminded people to say at home as much as possible and wash their hands.

11:28 a.m.: Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott tells CP24 that a patient has died in the Muskoka region but its unclear if COVID-19 is the cause of death. It would be the first in Ontario if confirmed. Four COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Canada, all were residents at one care home in North Vancouver.

10:40 a.m.: The Ontario government announces eight new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 185. Five of the new cases were detected in Hamilton, while two were in Middlesex London and one in York. All patients are self-isolating, health officials say.

One of the new patients, a man in his 60s, tested positive at Southlake hospital after returning from a trip to Costa Rica, and is now self-isolating. The rest were listed as pending.

The new cases announced mark a big drop from the previous two days, but there are 1,567 cases under investigation. There have been 11,167 tests, with 9,415 negative and five resolved (when a patient is no longer infectious based on two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart).

9:50 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Liberals will soon announce measures to help Canadians and businesses under financial strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with 680 News, Trudeau said the federal government is looking at a range of measures  including helping Canadians with their mortgages and funneling cash to families through the Canada child benefit.

We will be making announcements over the next couple of days to demonstrate how were going to support Canadians, whether its through E.I. for people who qualify for employment insurance . . . whether its money to businesses will allow them to keep people on the payroll even though theyre staying home, Trudeau said.

9:15 a.m.: Toronto mayor John Tory says he fully supports the provinces declaration of a state of emergency because it will help all cities protect the health of residents and further prevent the spread of COVID-19.

I hope the seriousness of this declaration will make it clear to every resident how important their personal actions will be in the coming days, Tory said in a statement. If people can stay home then stay home and limit your interactions with other people. We know from our medical professionals that engaging in social distancing will protect peoples health and the health of their family and their neighbours.

9:15 a.m.: Quebec political leaders have announced the provincial legislature will be closed until April 21 after todays sitting due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Simon Jolin-Barrette, the government house leader, made the announcement today alongside counterparts from Quebecs other major political parties.

Jolin-Barrette says the suspension is to limit the spread of novel coronavirus and to allow legislators to work from home.

He says legislature members also need to be available to constituents in their ridings.

8:56 a.m.: Shopping malls will still be allowed to stay open during Ontarios state of emergency for now. But Ontarios medical officer of health Dr. David Williams says that is not being ruled out.

8:50 a.m.: Premier Doug Ford stresses that its absolutely critical to keep the supply chains open. Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have stressed there is no need for panic buying during the pandemic.

8:47 a.m.: Ford says there will be more care beds to come, more personal protection equipment to be purchased (from masks to ventilators) and more testing to be done for workers in health care. There will be funds for staffing such as doctors, nurses, professional support workers. We will spare no expense to help Ontarians. Says this is the first stage.

8:45 a.m.: Ford  Every Ontarian must support each other. . . . We have the greatest minds, the greatest businesses, the greatest people in the entire world. . . . Ontario will come out of this stronger than ever before.

8:40 a.m.: We must come together as a province, Ford says after declaring a state of emergency in Ontario.

Ford has ordered the immediate closure of all bars and restaurants  except those offering takeout  as well as places of worship, theatres, private schools, and daycares.

A new $300 million relief package  the first stage of a larger initiative  will help people affected by the outbreak.

Ford stressed that we will support you during these difficult times.

8:34 a.m.: Ford emphasized that this is not a provincial shutdown. Most businesses can remain open. Supermarkets, pharmacies, factories to remain open.

8:32 a.m.: Ford has declared a state of emergency in the province. Public events of more than 50 people banned till March 30. All bars and restaurants closed. Only takeout allowed.

8:13 a.m.: Ford will declare a state of emergency in Ontario at 8:30 a.m. This gives the provincial government the power to order businesses and workplaces to close instead of just making a recommendation. Supermarkets, pharmacies, and medical offices will remain open.

Ford will be making the announcement with Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, Health Minister Christine Elliott, and Finance Minister Rod Phillips at Queens Park.

8 a.m. Toronto mayor John Tory is urging the city to avoid crowds for todays St. Patricks Day celebrations after the city announced the advised closure of restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the city. If you avoid green beer scenes today  as public health officials advise  I promise to proclaim a nice spring day after COVID-19 has been vanquished as St. Patricks Day 2 in Toronto... we will party! he tweeted this morning.

6 a.m.: Premier Doug Ford is expected to provide another update in response to the pandemic at 8 a.m. at Queens Park. He will be joined by Health Minister Christine Elliott, Minister of Finance Rod Phillips and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.

5 a.m.: Shares rebounded in Europe and Asia on Tuesday after a brutal sell-off that gave the U.S. stock market its worst loss in over 30 years.

Mondays 12 per cent drop for the S&P 500, its worst day in more than three decades, came as voices from Wall Street to the White House said the coronavirus may be dragging the economy into a recession.

4:00 a.m.: Finance Minister Bill Morneau is expected to soon announce the federal governments plan to help workers affected by COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that the details of the spending package would arrive imminently, with measures rolling out in the coming days to buffer the economy from the sudden shock of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Overnight: Shoppers Drug Mart is setting aside an hour each day for seniors and people with disabilities to pick up the items they need to avoid to lines and panicked shoppers. On Twitter, the company said it would dedicate the first hour of shopping at all of its stores to customers who need assistance or consideration, including seniors and people living with disabilities.

Overnight: WestJet says it is suspending all commercial operations for international and transborder flights for a 30-day period; Canadians who need help returning home will be able to apply for an emergency loan of up to $5,000 from the federal government; Dine-in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and theatres in Toronto are ordered to close in compliance with the Health Protection and Promotion Act after Mondays press conference with Torontos medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa.

Read more about:
The enemy engaged Ukrainian troops with proscribed 82mm mortars, anti-tank missile launchers, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Russia's hybrid military forces on March 16 mounted seven 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 seven times on March 16. 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 17.

Read alsoFour Ukrainian soldiers wounded amid 12 enemy attacks on March 15

The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 82mm mortars, an anti-tank missile system, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the town of Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Pisky, Lebedynske, Slavne, Novotoshkivske, and Khutir Vilny.

"Since Tuesday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions once near the village of Berezove, using a tripod-mounted man-portable antitank gun, heavy machine guns, and rifles," the update said.

No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops Tuesday morning.
West Virginia is currently the only state in the United States without a confirmed case of COVID-19. Yet as the pandemic continues to spread, there could be a flood of casualties in store for the rural Appalachian state, as a recent study suggests that West Virginia may have the highest at-risk population in the nation.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice acknowledged his states vulnerability in a press conference on Monday as he declared a state of emergency for all 55 West Virginia counties.

We should really be concerned because were an elderly state, and those of us that arent elderly, a high percentage of those have health issues, Justice said.

Currently, West Virginias status as the lone state with no reported cases of the coronavirus is more indicative of a lack of available testing than lack of casualties.

This virus is without question in West Virginia  probably somewhere right now, Justice said.

As of Monday, 84 people in West Virginia had been tested for the coronavirus, with 80 negative results and 4 pending results.

Heres the reality. Currently, I have enough tests and supplies and everything else to do maybe 500 people, Cathy Slemp, commissioner and state health officer at the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, said at Mondays press conference. I would love to be able to test everybody. Were currently testing folks that are seriously ill in hospitals ... vulnerable populations in hospitals and then also those that have high risk of actually having been exposed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website says that older people and people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions  like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example  seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness.

And in West Virginia, vulnerable populations make up a considerable chunk of the states inhabitants. A study released Friday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 51 percent of West Virginia adults age 18 and older would be at a higher risk of serious illness if infected with COVID-19  more than any other state, and 20 percentage points higher than neighboring Washington, D.C. And a quarter of adults below the age of 60 were also considered higher risk  again, more than any other state.

Story continues

We have an older population here in West Virginia. We also have a large number of people that have morbid health conditions  heart disease, diabetes, lung problems, Anna Allen, associate program director for the West Virginia University occupational medicine residency program, told Yahoo News. In general we do have a large number of people  even in the younger age groups  that have disabilities or other health care issues.

Allen also points to the ongoing opioid crisis, which further complicates how West Virginias older population would deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

What might be a little bit of a unique issue is we have a large number of elder parents in West Virginia, Allen said. Theyre taking care of their grandchildren. Weve had a lot of children that are in the foster system because of opioids and drug issues. And so we have a lot of elder parents, and theyre the primary caregivers of children who could be asymptomatic carriers.

West Virginia also has a large coal mining community with many cases of black lung disease, which can be caused by inhaling coal dust.

They can have obstructive lung patterns, Susie Criss, a counselor at New River Health Breathing Center, told Yahoo News of patients with black lung. It does make them more susceptible for respiratory illness.

The center, which includes a black lung clinics program, is one of nine black lung clinics in the state, and Criss says its clinic alone treats close to 500 patients. She says that although there arent any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia, the center is encouraging patients to practice social distancing.

This morning, we had a pulmonary rehabilitation class scheduled, and we met everyone at the door. If anybody had any respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, cough, fever, or if they had someone at home who had symptoms, we ask that they not come, Criss said.

Were hoping that we can at least slow the progression by educating everyone, Criss continued. A lot of the area churches are doing services where people can call in from home and participate. And were definitely encouraging our patients to call in any time they can, and not to go out in group settings.

West Virginia has closed schools, yet restaurants and bars remained open on Monday.

Go to the grocery stores. For crying out loud, go to the grocery stores. If you want to go to Bob Evans and eat, go to Bob Evans and eat, Justice said during Mondays press conference. If we get to the point in time where weve got to close the grocery stores and drive a truck around and whatever and bring groceries to people, well do that. But today, dont have a mad rush trying to buy all the toilet paper in the store. Well get by.

Brenda Marion, director of New River Health Breathing Center, said the center doesnt currently have access to coronavirus testing.

We have a health department within 10 miles that we can send someone if we truly suspect a case, Marion told Yahoo News.

West Virginia does have a higher ratio of beds to population than most other states. But some hospitals have recently closed in the region, meaning smaller clinics and health care facilities may need to step up and help if hospitals become overwhelmed by coronavirus patients.

This area is rural, probably poorer, elderly, a lot of disabled people in this area, Marion said. And so if it did for some reason start affecting a lot of our population, it would be very difficult for our rural hospitals to handle that. So I would say a lot of the clinics and other health care facilities in the area would have to kick in and figure out how we can help the county health departments and the hospitals.

I think thats a concern across the United States, Criss said of hospitals being overwhelmed. Everyone has talked about that. Everyone knows that thats a possibility. So we know that it can happen here.

I just hope that were being proactive enough that we dont hit that peak all at once.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Donald Trumps department of justice is seeking to drop charges against two Russian firms indicted by Robert Mueller, amid concerns they are seeking to exploit the process to obtain sensitive information, it has been reported.

The firms, Concord Management and Concord Consulting, were among 13 Russians and three entities charged by the special prosecutor in February 2018, claiming they tried to subvert the 2016 election and to support the Trump campaign.

The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy, Rod Rosenstein, then deputy attorney general, told reporters. We must not allow them to succeed.

Now, the New York Times has reported prosecutors are looking to drop the charges because they believe the firms are seeking to exploit the process.

Unlike the other firms charged, Concord fought the charges in court, the newspaper said.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

It said it used the case to try and obtain confidential information from prosecutors, then mount a campaign of information warfare, a senior Justice Department official said.

The case was due to go to trial next month.

But prosecutors have now urged the DoJ to drop the charges to protect national security.

A court filing made on Monday, read: Concord has been eager and aggressive in using the judicial system to gather information about how the United States detects and prevents foreign election interference.
It's official: Murray State becomes member of Missouri Valley Conference
Bhopal: Amid the continued power crisis in the state, Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday wrote to Governor Lalji Tandon reiterating the demand for the rebel Congress MLAs to be brought back to Bhopal from Bengaluru, where they are currently lodged.

The Madhya Pradesh CM further said that the MLAs being brought to Bhopal would ensure they are decision will be 'independent'.

"Let the 16 MLAs, who have been held captive, be released. Let them live in their respective houses for 5-7 days without any fear so that they can take an independent decision," Kamal Nath's letter read.

Through the letter, Nath further said the Governor's order of conducting the floor test on Tuesday itself, failing which it would be considered that his government lacks a majority, would be 'unconstitutional because of it being baseless.'

"Your belief that I should conduct a floor test in MP Assembly on March 17, otherwise it will be considered that I do not have the majority will be unconstitutional because of it being baseless," it added.

However, earlier today the rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh had held a press conference in Bengaluru stating that they were staying away from Bhopal on their own and had resigned following dissatisfaction with Kamal Nath's style of leadership.

Moreover, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh government and scheduled the hearing for 10:30 am on Wednesday in the plea filed by former MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and others to hold immediate floor test in the state Assembly.
Local cities have closed libraries, limited public access and canceled programs, and the Cowlitz County court system has suspended trials to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

All planned jury trials will be suspended until the week of May 4th, according to Superior Court administrator Chad Connors. Trials that have already started will continue as planned. All other trials scheduled to start by May 4 will be rescheduled and people summoned to jury duty are excused.

In Superior Court, civil jury trials and mandatory settlement conferences will be delayed until June 1. Criminal first appearance and arraignment hearings will occur as scheduled. In District Court, arraignments, except for DUI or domestic violence offenses, are suspended for the time being.

The Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office and Longview, Kelso, Woodland, Kalama, and Castle Rock police will suspend fingerprinting services until further notice. This does not necessarily affect concealed pistol license renewals and replacements, as those do not require fingerprinting, but it will likely disrupt applications for original concealed pistol licenses.

Kalama and Woodland PD specifically will be suspending person-to-person administrative activities. Services like concealed pistol license renewals and public disclosure requests will continue by phone or online if possible, and officers will continue to respond to calls.

In Longview, there will be no public access to the police lobby. Payments can be made by mail, and citizens are encouraged to report crimes online at mylongview.com.

Kelso and Longview PD will handle 911 calls that are not in progress by phone whenever possible. Officers will determine if face-to-face contact is necessary for those calls. Officers will continue to respond to calls.

Cowlitz County Assessors, Auditors and Treasurers offices will be closed to in-person services effective Tuesday. The Cowlitz County Historical Museum is closed until further notice.

The City of Longview is not closing public access to City Hall, but some departments will have limited services. The city urges customers to access services online or by phone.

The city has closed the library, Senior Center, and Mint Valley Racquet Complex, and it has canceled all recreation and library programs.

Upcoming City Council workshops and meetings will proceed as scheduled.

The City of Kelso closed the City Hall lobby and the Kelso Library. Staff members are available during regular business hours via email or phone. Kelso utility payments can be made in the drop box, online and by phone or mail. The drive through window will also be temporarily open for signing on to water service or closing an account.

Kalama Mayor Mike Reuter signed an emergency proclamation Monday. City Hall will be closed to walk-ins. Staff will be available by phone and email to assist customers.

Kalama canceled or postponed non-essential services and programs, including closing the Library, canceling parks and recreation classes and postponing City Council workshops. City Council meetings will have an abbreviated agenda limited to the authority to pay bills and other obligations.

Woodland Mayor Will Finn also signed an emergency proclamation Monday and closed all city-owned facilities to the public. Park shelter, community room and chamber rentals have been canceled through April 24. City business can be conducted by phone, email or online.

The City of Castle Rock also declared a civil emergency Monday.

The City of Rainier also declared a state of emergency Monday until April 30. The declaration will streamline assistance to residents and businesses to weather the unprecedented viral outbreak, according to Mayor Jerry Cole.

The city will also restrict access to city offices until further notice. Utility payments should be made online, by mail or in the drop box outside City Hall. Payment due dates for this billing cycle have been extended to May 1. Rainier also asks residents to do city business by phone or by email.

The scheduled March 18 session of the Rainier Municipal Court is also cancelled. The court is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. May 20.

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SOSUA, Dominican Republic  Keith Dobson wanted to buy a retirement home in a sunny place where he could live inexpensively and watch his investment grow while persuading his children and grandchildren to visit once in a while.

With retirement approaching, Mr. Dobson, a store manager with Home Depot near Toronto, looked first in Florida, Jamaica and Barbados but wasnt comfortable with property prices in those locations. So he was pleasantly surprised when he began looking at the relatively undeveloped north coast of the Dominican Republic.

There, he could buy a new two-bedroom house with a pool in a gated community for $120,000  a fraction of the cost for an equivalent property in North America  in a country where he could draw his Canadian pension, take out inexpensive private health insurance, and walk to the beach in five minutes.

We ran into someone whos a real estate agent near our place in Canada who had invested in properties in the Dominican, said Mr. Dobson, 62, who plans to retire in April. He said to us that Dominican is a growing place and there are lots of people moving in, lots of construction going on, and a great opportunity to get in at preconstruction prices.
Ayyappanum Koshiyum

Ayyappanum Koshiyum, which is unarguably the most-loved Malayalam movie of recent times, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. The Prithviraj Sukumaran-Biju Menon starrer which is written and directed by Sachy is a highly entertaining film that depicts the clash of toxic masculinities.

Shylock

Shylock, the out-and-out mass entertainer that features Mammootty in the title role, is one of the biggest hits of 2020 so far. The movie, which is directed by Ajai Vasudev is currently available to watch online at Amazon Prime. This Mammootty starrer is truly a treat for the audiences who love masala films.

Big Brother

Big Brother, the family entertainer marked Mohanlal's third collaboration with senior filmmaker Siddique. The movie, which hit the theatres as the complete actor's first release of 2020, was loved by the family audiences. Big Brother is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Thera Para (Karikku)

The Thera Para mini web series from the popular YouTube channel had created quite a stir among the audiences, especially the Malayali youth in 2019. If you are planning to binge-watch a Malayalam web series during this theater shut down days, this is unarguably the best option for you.

Driving License

Driving License, the Prithviraj Sukumaran-Suraj Venjaramoodu starrer is one of the last releases of 2019. The movie, that is directed by Lal Jr. emerged as one of the most loved entertainers of Malayalam cinema in recent times. Driving License is currently streaming on Amazon Prime if you are planning to rewatch it or missed this blockbuster in theatres.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has undertaken liquidity measures, including another $2 billion worth of dollar swap and long-term repo operations worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Pronab Sen, the former chief statistician of India, in an interview with CNBC-TV18 shared his views on the central bank's measures to deal with the havoc caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Sen said there isnt that much space for a rate cut and the situation is such that a rate cut will have a direct impact on the system.

The real question is that the danger of what is going on lies in the fact that what is going to happen, there is certainly going to be a slowdown but a lot of companies are going to be trying to get alternate sources of supplies for their inputs and costs are going to go up which means that for select customers the liquidity needs are going to go up, Sen said.

He added that broad spectrum liquidity injection like long-term refinancing operation (LTRO) doesn't solve the problem.

Some companies maybe withdrawing from the market because they are not getting supplies, they are cutting back on production and you are going to have other companies whose working capital needs are going to go up.

If the banks are going to be rigid upon their borrowing limits then it doesnt help matter very much, he added.

Also read: No surprise from RBI: here's what experts are saying

On the gross domestic product, Sen said: As far as growth is concerned since all our quarterly numbers depend almost entirely on what is happening to corporate India, I think we are going to see a larger hit than we expect and that would be the case in terms of the real economy operation. So on the headline GDP numbers expect a bout of 50 bps drop, but the real economy is more resilient than that thanks to the informal sector.

On the RBI rate cuts, he said, The rate cut should be there. In fact, one of the things that the governor should have done and I am surprised he didnt, is to essentially say that  I am calling the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) now, we will discuss the matter.

Whether he will announce a rate cut or not is of secondary importance because I do not think its essential instance, but at least to say that we have a legal restriction to rate cut and we are going to convene that and make that a regular affair instead of two monthly business, Sen added.
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 19:54 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b5ba85 1 World COVID-19,visa-free,visa-application,visa-on-arrival,coronavirus,pandemic,Foreign-Ministry,suspension Free

Indonesia is set to suspend its visa exemption policy for all countries for one month and expand restrictions for people with a history of travel to some of the world's countries hardest hit by the coronavirus in its efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the archipelago.

The temporary suspension, which includes exemption for short-stay visits, visa-on-arrival and diplomatic visa-free facilities, and the new travel restrictions will all come into effect on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The new policies came into force in view of the increased global spread of the coronavirus, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) had reached 152 countries as of Monday.

The Foreign Ministry said that all foreigners or travelers who wish to visit Indonesia must obtain a visa from Indonesian missions in accordance with the purpose of their visit and that upon application, applicants must provide a health certificate issued by a relevant health authority from their respective countries.

All visitors or travelers must complete and submit a health alert certificate to the Health Quarantine Office upon arrival at Indonesian airports, the ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The temporary travel ban, meanwhile, will bar people who have traveled to Iran, Italy, the Vatican, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in the last 14 days from entering or transiting in Indonesia.

Read also: Europe locks down as global virus panic spreads

At the same time, Indonesia maintained travel restrictions for those with a history of travel to China -- the country in which the coronavirus first emerged -- as well South Korea's hardest-hit regions of Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The nations on the list are among countries with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

The policy will enter into force at midnight on Friday and will continue to be evaluated in accordance with global developments, the ministry said.

Additional screening by the Health Quarantine Office will be in place upon arrival for Indonesian citizens who have traveled to the aforementioned countries.

If the additional screening shows initial symptoms of COVID-19, [citizens] should undergo a 14-day observation in a government facility. Meanwhile, if no initial symptoms are found, a 14-day self-quarantine will be strongly recommended," the ministry said.

The government will continue to closely follow the WHO situation report on the spread of the coronavirus. Given the increasing number of countries affected by COVID-19, the government advises all Indonesian citizens to restrict non-essential outbound travel."

Read also: Indonesians in Malaysia remain calm as they prepare for lockdown

For Indonesian citizens currently traveling abroad, the government advised them to return to Indonesia at the earliest possible time to avoid further travel disruptions.

Several countries have enacted policies to restrict the movement of persons. All Indonesian citizens are requested to closely monitor the available information through the Safe Travel application or contact the hotline of the nearest Indonesian mission, the ministry added.

In its daily report on Monday, the WHO said two new countries in Africa, one new country in Europe and one new country in America had reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. The total number of cases and deaths outside mainland China has overtaken the total number of cases recorded inside.

At least 167,511 cases have been confirmed globally, resulting in 6,606 deaths to date. More than 79,400 people have recovered from the virus worldwide, Johns Hopkins University's real-time data reported.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia has recorded 172 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with five cases that turned fatal, according to the government.

The ministry added that extensions of short visit passes for foreign travelers who are currently in Indonesia and have expired, as well as extensions of temporary stay permits (KITAS), permanent stay permits (KITAP), diplomatic visas and service visas held by people who are currently overseas and that will expire, shall be conducted in accordance with Law and Human Rights Ministerial Regulation No. 7/2020.
FELTON, California, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With reference to the report published by the professionals the scope of the global Network Management Systems (NMS) Market was appreciated by US$ 6.3 billion in 2018. It is projected to develop by a CAGR of 10.2% to reach US$ 11.94 billion by the completion of 2025. Network management system (NMS) supports enterprises in managing, provisioning, and monitoring the systems of computer along with in enhancing the availability of bandwidth and the performance of hardware in actual stage. Continuous rollout of the infrastructure of 5G mobile in numerous nation state, comprising the U.K., Germany and the U.S.A and forceful funds being made in constructing the fresh data centers have delivered the push to the market during the previous a small number of years.

Drivers:

Increasing acceptance of network management system by data centers to improve presentation and abolish threats of stoppage, together with increasing demand for greater Quality of Services (QoS), regardless of the business vertical, is likely to motivate the network management system market during the period of forecast.

Such as the global market carry on to enlarge, enterprises are progressively getting reliant on resources of networking to preserve their effectiveness. By itself, network management systems can assist in checking operating presentation, gaining whole network visibility, confirming safety, carrying out prognostic maintenance actions and stopping illegal admission.

Rising necessity for a responsive and safe substructure to function efficiently in cultured business atmosphere is expected to strengthen the demand for these services and solutions during the period of forecast. The suppliers of network management system (NMS) solutions are likewise projected to observe important occasions during period of the forecast as small & medium enterprises (SMEs) carry on to set up wired and wireless LAN arrangement through as portion of their hard work to accept cloud centered resolutions, decrease general costs of substructure , and confirm an easy admittance to information.

More and more rapid development in the global traffic of cloud, Internet Protocol (IP) and importance of the Internet of Things (IoT) are estimated to propose massive openings of market for the companies of network management systems (NMS) during approaching years.

Get Sample PDF and read more details about the "Network Management Systems Market" Report 2025.

Restraints:

On the other hand, the absence of alertness regarding the network management systems (NMS) between the managers of the network and greater price tag linked with the use of network management systems tools may possibly impede the development of the market.

Classification:

The global network management systems market can be classified by Vertical, Enterprise, Deployment, Component and Region. By Vertical, it can be classified as Media & Communication, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing, BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Government, IT & Telecom and Others. By Enterprise, it can be classified as Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Large Enterprises. By Deployment, it can be classified as Cloud-Based, On-Premises. By Component, it can be classified as Services, Solutions.

Regional Lookout:

By Region the global network management systems (NMS) industry can be classified as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa. In 2018, North America was the principal donor of revenue within the market. North America has been observing a speedy rollout of 5G substructure, substantial funds in new-fangled data centers, and an increasing infiltration percentage of broadband. The substantial development in the U.S.A. healthcare expenditure can likewise be credited for the substantial share of North America in the general market.

Then again, Asia Pacific has been witnessing rapid growth in the deployment of long-term evolution (LTE) infrastructure. Meanwhile, several governments in the region have been undertaking initiatives to promote digitalization in line with rapid urbanization and subsequent proliferation of the internet. Moreover, some of the nations in APAC, such as India, China, and Japan, are also bracing for launch of 5G. Such developments are poised to pave way for aggressive adoption of network management systems across the region and create significant opportunities for NMS vendors over the forecast period.

Conversely, Asia Pacific has been observing speedy development in the disposition of long-term evolution (LTE) substructure. In the meantime, a number of governments within the state have been undertaking advantages to encourage digitalization according to the speedy development and consequent propagation of the internet. Furthermore, some of the nation-states in Asia Pacific for example Japan, China and India, are too stimulating for the presentation of 5G. These types of progresses are composed to suggest for forceful acceptance of network management systems through the state and generate important openings for the suppliers of network management systems (NMS) during period of forecast.

Companies:

Some of the important companies for network management system (NMS) market are: Dell Technologies, Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Cola soft, Inc., VIAVI Solutions, Inc., Oracle Corporation, BMC Software, Inc., Riverbed Technologies, Inc., IBM Corporation, Juniper Networks, Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Net Scout Systems, Inc., Paessler AG, Nokia Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Broadcom, Inc. (CA Technology), and Solar Winds Inc.

Browse 101 page research report with TOC on "Global Network Management Systems (NMS) Market" at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/network-management-system-nms-market

Market Segment:

NMS Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

Solutions



Configuration management





Performance management





Security management





Fault management





Accounting management



Services



Consulting





Integration & Implementation





Training, Support & Maintenance

NMS Deployment Model Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

On-Premises



Cloud-Based

NMS Enterprise Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

Large Enterprises



SMEs

NMS Vertical Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

IT & Telecom



BFSI



Government



Manufacturing



Healthcare



Transportation & Logistics



Retail



Media & communication



Others

NMS Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

North America



U.S.





Canada





Mexico



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Spain





Italy



Asia Pacific



China





India





Japan





South Korea



South America



Brazil





Argentina



MEA ( Middle East & Africa )

Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights:

Structured Cabling Market

Enterprise Key Management Market

Hybrid Fiber Optic Connectors Market

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Market

About Million Insights:

Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place, that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying, is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive.

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Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden stated that he was considering a woman as his running mate. Possible choices could be, from top left clockwise, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Catherine Cortez Masto, Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris. (AP, Getty Images)

Joe Biden set off a chorus of cheers by flatly declaring in the presidential debate Sunday night that his running mate would be a woman. A flurry of speculative chatter now follows.

Who could it be?

Biden, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, gave little indication, other than that he would choose someone qualified to be president tomorrow. That leaves a long list of potential partners.

But factor in which potential candidates widen Bidens appeal among populations who could swing the election  Sun Belt suburbanites, Midwestern swing voters, purple state Latinos, to name a few  and the long list quickly becomes shorter.

One crowd favorite Biden already seems to have ruled out is Michelle Obama: He said on the campaign trail in South Carolina that he would ask in a heartbeat if I knew there were any chance of her doing it.

Hours after Biden dropped the news, one of the top potential candidates for the job, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, was already on CNN, politely fending off questions about whether she should be the one.

The senators presumed popularity in the industrial Midwest and her pragmatic politics could appeal to swing voters and mesh with Bidens style. That makes her an obvious contender. Since dropping out of the race and endorsing Biden, she has cut ads for him and actively appeared on the campaign trail as a surrogate, all of which could help her standing in the candidate's eyes.

But Monday, Klobuchar did what those who find themselves in the veepstakes always do: She played it coy.

I personally am not engaging in hypotheticals, the senator told the cable news anchor Monday morning. The familiar cat-and-mouse game followed, with the anchor pointing out it is no longer a hypothetical, that Biden is committing to a woman.

I think the vice president is going to make his own decision, Klobuchar said.

The Biden team is not expected to start formally vetting candidates for vice president before the nomination is closer to being clinched, perhaps after March ends, a close Biden ally said.

Story continues

Joe Biden is familiar with the process of selecting a vice presidential candidate, having been on the opposite end of the process in 2008, a Biden campaign official said, referring to Biden's having been recruited to be President Obama's running mate.

Biden had said often while campaigning that he was considering the possibility of a female running mate, but the political imperative became more pressing after Democrats' once-diverse candidate field dwindled to a battle between two white men in their late 70s.

That lack of diversity could work against Klobuchar, as Biden courts voters of color.

That has led to a lot of speculation about black candidates including California Sen. Kamala Harris.

Biden said in January that he would consider Harris for anything she was interested in, including the vice presidency. Shes qualified to be president, he said.

Harris has a special bond with Biden that could give her an emotional advantage: As attorney general of California, Harris worked closely with Biden's son Beau, who was attorney general of Delaware. Beau's death in 2015 of brain cancer at age 46 was a gut-wrenching experience for his father, who to this day tears up in his remembrance.

But the relationship soured as the two competed against each other for the nomination. In the first candidate debate, in particular, Harris lobbed attacks at Biden over his record on civil rights and school desegregation.

Biden insists hes still a fan. He talked with Harris the day after she dropped out of the race in December.

Im not good at keeping hard feelings, he told reporters.

Others around Biden may not be as forgiving. Jill Biden, at a recent campaign appearance in Illinois, talked about Harris' debate attack on her husband, calling it "just like a punch to the gut. It was a little unexpected."

Harris waited until after California voted to endorse Biden. The senator said she didnt move sooner because there were still other women on the ballot.

Now that the clamor for women in the White House is so high and the number of qualified women is so large, former Harris advisor Lily Adams said, it will be harder for anyone to say Bidens commitment is a form of tokenism.

It was a tactically smart thing to do at the debate and it will be a smart thing to do for the ticket, Adams said. Its a big decision you, yourself, get to make, and he has plenty of choices of qualified women.

Biden alluded earlier on the campaign trail to another black female politician frequently mentioned as a potential running mate, Stacey Abrams, as the woman who should have been the governor of Georgia. The 2018 gubernatorial candidate met with Biden in March 2019 and has expressed interest in being a vice presidential candidate. She has been in touch with the Biden campaign as recently as last week, according to a person familiar with the conversation.

One issue with Abrams could be her lack of national experience. In an interview last week with MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, Biden said experience on the national debate stage would be a "very important factor" in picking a running mate.

He then went on to add, however: "By the way, there's a number of women, as well, when tested in other ways, not on the debate stage, but in their debates in their states and being national figures. So, you know, I think that's an important factor."

Biden has also mentioned the two senators from the state of New Hampshire  Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan  though he did so at the same time he was trying to win over primary voters in New Hampshire, a state where he got crushed. That state has a Republican governor who could fill a vacancy, so putting either of those senators on the ticket would risk a Senate seat.

There is also a lot of buzz among party centrists about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who, like Klobuchar, might be able to help Democrats win back her home state and others in the upper Midwest. She endorsed Biden in the run-up to the state's primary where Biden won and took a commanding lead over Sanders.

All the women have strong resumes and are well liked. But their retail politicking skills are a big question mark.

A lack of electricity became a burden for 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton when she chose Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate. The affable, accomplished politician checked off a lot of boxes, but hardly excited the voters whom Clinton badly needed to show up on election day.

The ability to gin up voter enthusiasm is also an unknown for two Latina leaders in the Sun Belt who could otherwise be strong contenders. Biden has struggled to win among Latino voters, and the Democratic Party is eager to lock down teetering states.

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham both potentially could have appeal.

A very different politician, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, has also gotten considerable attention. She would give Biden a bridge to the partys progressives.

Biden has been in touch with Warren. They talked the day before she dropped out of the race, and his team had been in contact with Warren advisors in recent days to let them know he was going to endorse her plan for reforming bankruptcy law  an issue over which the two have tussled.

Appointing Warren, though, could also potentially risk a Senate seat since her successor in the Senate would be named by a Republican, Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Democrats, who control the state legislature, might be able to change state law to reduce that risk, but some Warren allies believe her policy differences with Biden are still too big to bridge.

Still, in 2015 when Biden was thinking of running for president, he invited Warren to lunch at the vice presidents mansion and sized her up as a potential running mate.
MBABANE  Nedbank Swaziland has been ordered to pay its suspended head of retail, Phesheya Nkambule, about E800 000 arrear salaries.



The Industrial Court issued the order after Nkambule took the bank to court for suspending him without pay since June 2019. The court ordered Nedbank to reinstate his salary forthwith with effect from July 2019. The bank has also been ordered to reinstate all benefits due to him in terms of his contract of employment. The benefits include medical aid and mobile phone.

When Nkambule took the matter to court last year, he demanded three months salary totalling E293 674.74 which translates to E97 882.58 per month. As at the end of this month from July last year, the money to be paid to him by the bank as per the order that was issued by Judge President Sifiso Nsibande is E783 060.64.



Defrauding



Nkambule, who was represented by Meluleki Ndlangamandla of MLK Ndlangamandla Attorneys, was suspended for his alleged involvement in defrauding the bank a sum of about E2.9 million.

He was initially suspended on full pay pending certain investigations. Nkambule was served with charges on February 14, 2019 and invited to appear at a disciplinary hearing on February 25, 2019. The hearing was scheduled for April 15, 2019 and it was postponed for continuation in May last year.



In the same month, Nkambule was called upon to give reasons why the terms of his suspension should not be varied from suspension on full pay to suspension without pay until the hearing was finalised.

The judge president, in his judgment, said Nkambule responded on May 23 and on May 28, Nedbank advised that the terms of his suspension had been varied to suspension without pay effective from June 1, 2019.



Benefits



He was also informed that his benefits granted to him in terms of his contract of employment were terminated.

Nkambule has not been paid his salary since June 2019 in line with the banks letter varying his suspension to without pay pending the disciplinary enquiry.

The head of retail argued that the case was premised on allegations and that the banks conduct constituted a breach of the employment contract. He told the court that he was entitled to his salary and benefits bestowed on him by the contract of employment for as long as he was an employee of the bank.



He conceded that in terms of Section 39(2) of the Employment Act, an employer is allowed to suspend an employee without pay provided that the suspension without pay would not exceed one month.

He also conceded that the bank was entitled to vary the terms of his suspension for only the month of June last year. Nkambule said any continued withholding of his salary and benefits beyond June 2019 was unlawful and in breach of Section 39 of the Employment Act.



Nedbank opposed Nkambules application and argued that he interfered with its exercise of disciplinary authority by filing a number of applications in court. This, according to the bank, led to a delay in finalising the hearing.

Nedbank also argued that the court should take a purposive interpretation of Section 39 of the Employment Act, which was to ensure that an employer held and completed a disciplinary hearing within a reasonable time.



The bank further raised the issue of a counterclaim of E2.9 million which it had filed. The judge president said the court did not take cognisance of disputes that had not been reported and conciliated upon. According to the court, the issue of E2.9 million was not raised at CMAC and the certificate before court showed that the nature of the dispute was non-payment of salary. The bank was represented by Zweli Jele of Robinson Bertram.

The court said the bank should have reported the counterclaim as its counter dispute before CMAC so that it would be conciliated upon.

In the circumstances, we direct that the respondent (Nedbank) reinstate the applicants (Nkambule) salary forthwith with effect from his July salary. This includes all benefits due in terms of his contract of employment, said the judge president.



Circumstances



The court mentioned that in the circumstances, it was unable to take cognisance of the counterclaim in its current form. Nedbank has filed a review application for the ruling of the court and to stay execution of the judgment. These matters are pending before the Industrial Court.



Nkambule is one of the bank managers who were investigated by the bank over the alleged misappropriation of a sum of about E2.9 million belonging to the bank.

The head of retail was charged with nine counts. He is alleged to have been aware that several invoices which were presented by service providers were fabricated in that the services were not rendered but he went ahead and authorised payment of those invoices without verifying that the work had been done.



Nkambule claimed that the bank accused him of frustrating the hearing and faking his sickness.

He said the bank issued a letter advising him that the terms of his suspension had been varied to without pay with effect from June 1, 2019.

He alleged that the employer, within the month of June after suspending his salary, facilitated that the usage of his mobile contract benefit with MTN Eswatini be terminated.



Contract



This was allegedly done through a short message service (SMS) on the weekend of June 28, 2019. Nkambule told the court that he was still an employee of the bank and he was entitled to the mobile contract benefit.

He alleged that his medical aid providers advised him that Nedbank told him that his employment had been terminated and should be removed from the benefit.



Since his salary was withheld, Nkambule said on June 25, 2019, all his loans and overdrafts were due and should be paid within a period of 14 days.

Should he fail to pay as the bank advised, Nkambule alleged that his employer informed him that they would institute legal action against him.



Nkambule alleged that Nedbank informed him that his salary would not be reinstated and that it was within the banks right to withhold it. The matter will be heard on July 17, 2020.
(Photo : Pixabay) (Photo : Pixabay)

And on the umpteenth day of the coronavirus panic, the overlords commanded: Thou shalt work from home.

As new cases of viral infection spread in the United States, many companies have started asking personnel to work from home-or what the cool kids call "WFH." Even several tech giants asked its employees around the world to work from their non-public abodes until further notice.





ALSO READ: Tech Giants Pledged to Pay Employees Per Hour Amid Working From Home Due to Coronavirus





For some, it's a dream. Sweatpants and slippers all day long? Hit us up! For others, it's a nightmare. Slow internet and chatty circle of relatives individuals? Some would alternatively work from the germ-laden McDonald's ball pit-heck, the Wi-Fi is probably better.





In search of the most important work-from-home tech annoyances and solutions, the first issue you want to do is define your space. However, that physical space must be dictated through your various tech needs, which includes Wi-Fi electricity and room for peripherals.





While many businesses may lack the right remote-work tech and security gear, they may also have guidelines about what you could and can't use. Make sure to test together with your organization's IT touch before using anything.





To get things started, here are your must-haves at home as you WFH:





1. Ethernet





Most U.S. households don't maximize their bandwidth, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, you may encounter slowdowns because of several factors-not, just your company and your screen-addicted kids, but also your router and your location in the house.





You can test your Internet speed through Ookla's Speedtest, even though you'll need on the way to decipher matters like "megabits per second."





Unless you have got a low-bandwidth internet service provider connection, you're probably no longer running out of network bandwidth. Tim Higgins, the managing editor of router-review site SmallNetBuilder, told WSJ that users might probably be exhausting his or her Wi-Fi bandwidth.





The satisfactory solution for top-notch connectivity? Switch to Ethernet. Given that most laptops don't have Ethernet ports anymore, you'll need a dongle for that. Unlike hand sanitizer, those aren't sold out on Amazon. You'll also need an Ethernet cable to connect to your router.





If Ethernet isn't an option, walk as close as you can on your Wi-Fi router. Mr. Higgins said devices that are getting weak indicators to eat up more bandwidth.





2. Monitors





Maybe you cannot be productive without your second, third, or 53rd monitor. The apparent solution: Buy a screen for home. You'll likely need one to hook up to a newer USB-C laptop if you got an older PC --- which could be bought in Amazon.





Not-as-obvious solution: Use an iPad. Sure, it's a smaller display. If you have a Mac running the current macOS Catalina and an iPad with iOS 13, you've got a feature known as Sidecar. This lets in you to wirelessly use your iPad as your Mac's second monitor. Fire up the Sidecar app in your Mac. It's just easy to use.





If you've got a Windows PC or an older Mac, try Duet, an app that lets you do the same thing. You'll probably need a good iPad stand to make this work-or such a cool fingers that connects your iPad on your PC screen.





3. Noise-canceling headphones





The dog! The kids! The transport guy! Alexa! It's so [insert expletive] loud in here. Noise-canceling headphones, people. Just don't be annoyed when the circle of relatives individuals scares the dwelling hell out of you looking to get your attention.





ALSO READ: Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Here Are the Top Headphones for Travel and Commuting





4. Group chat apps!





Fed up with emails? Or you miss walking over to someone's desk? Chances are your organization sets up with some chat or video-conferencing tool. Group chat apps like Slack and Google Hangouts are precise for brief bites of information-and, yes, GIFs. If you're running out of the office and want to speak with diverse people, you must have this kind of service installation. Sometimes, however, it's easier to hash something out on the telephone or via video chat. You've got masses of video-calling apps to pick out from-Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, or maybe FaceTime. Choose something your colleagues use and feel snug with.





ALSO READ: Facebook Work Chat vs. Microsoft Skype vs. Google Hangouts: Which Messaging Apps Is Best For Business





5. Cloud drive storage





You might be managing an essential file for your work desktop. Companies now provide cloud drive storage that's stab and smooth to use. You can tuck documents you may need in there for safekeeping and remote access. If your business enterprise doesn't have the option, you can use the free storage from Google, Apple, Microsoft or Dropbox, or pay for an upgraded plan. Even even though cloud drives are private, make sure you're not copying over anything that would be deemed particularly sensitive in your office.





There also are methods to get right of entry to your desktop laptop remotely, but this falls into the area of your IT department, and I don't recommend you do it without your employer's permission and assistance.





 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New Delhi, March 17 : A Delhi court on Tuesday extended by seven days the police custody of a Kashmiri couple and another accused who were arrested for having alleged links with an ISIS module.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana sent the trio to the custody of police.

Jahanjeb Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beg were arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly promoting the Islamic State's ideology of hatred and incitng Muslims to take up the violent struggle against the state.

Special Cell Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Kushwaha said that the couple had ties with the Islamic State of Khorasan Province.

Delhi Police's Special Cell had also claimed that the couple was also involved in instigating protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The couple was allegedly running a social media handle -- Indian Muslims Unite -- to increase participation in the anti-CAA and NRC demonstrations.

The police had seized four mobile phones, one laptop, one external hard disc and incriminating material from their house and a case was registered against them.
The back story of the ballot measure is as surprising as the margin of victory. In 2015, the national policing controversy arrived in Cincinnati when a police officer killed an unarmed black man. Mr. Mingo, who is black, felt called to be a voice for racial reconciliation. With the approval of the head pastor of Crossroads, who is white, a six-week program on racial reconciliation called Undivided was born. Participants were placed in small, multiracial groups where they held meaningful conversations and connect to fundamental truths about being Christians.

One of the first participants in the 1,200-person cohort was Carolyn Heck, a white evangelical. In 2015, she felt paralyzed by the racial divisions she saw in her city. She did not know how to connect her faith to her feelings of complicity with racism and was not active in politics.

The first session was really emotional  I felt a weight confronting my own implicit subconscious biases about black and brown people, Ms. Heck said in an email. She was surprised that she became uncomfortable and unsettled right away. I quickly realized that much of what I had taken for granted was not the norm for black people in my own church. I had privilege stacked upon privilege.

Cameron Smedley, a black Christian, was skeptical at first. I was used to being shut down, discredited or having whites change the subject when things got real around race, he said in an email. But he wanted to finally bring his full self to church. I not only heard from black leaders, but heard white leaders telling the truth about racial history and the transformative power of empathy, he wrote.

And so it went over six weeks together, as groups shared personal stories, wrestled with the racial wealth gap and housing discrimination and grounded themselves in the practices of empathy, listening, love and grace. During the last session, when everyone shared a meal in a home, Ms. Heck broke down in tears. I felt ill-equipped to lead or contribute to address racism. My group listened and encouraged me, she said, and called out the ways I had grown during the program. These relationships continue to this day.
STRASBOURG - Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic said Tuesday that Greece must urgently transfer asylum seekers from the Aegean islands and improve living conditions in reception facilities, according to a statement.

She also noted that the death of a 6-year-old child in a fire in Moria migrant camp the previous day was another tragic illustration of the urgent need to improve safety and sanitary conditions on Aegean islands. Greek authorities must act now to prevent other tragedies and plan swift decongestion of the islands, Mijatovic said.

The commissioner had urged the same at the end of October.
I think people will look at any pick that Joe Biden makes  because of his age and because of the moment  with an increased sense of responsibility, Weingarten said. One should always do that about a vice president. But thats especially true, she said, since Biden, Sanders and Trump are all in their 70s.
Highlights The Galaxy S20 Plus is available at a price of Rs 73,999

The smartphone comes with a 4500mAh battery pack

It also gets a number of nifty power saving features

It has been over a month since the launch of the Galaxy S20 at the company's unpacked event in the United States. Shortly after, the phone was announced for sale in India, with buyers in the country also becoming one of the first in the world to get their hands on the smartphone.

The S20 series features three new devices -- Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Of the three, it's the Galaxy S20 Ultra which is the true flagship from Samsung for the year. However, start retail at Rs 92,999, the device may not be for everyone.

The Galaxy S20 Plus, on the other hand, is available at a price of Rs 73,999 and as such appears to be more accessible for buyers. Apart from a few differences, the Galaxy S20 Plus brings pretty much the same specs as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and as such promises similar performance.

But one of the key differences between the two devices is the presence of a slightly smaller battery pack on the S20 Plus when compared to the mammoth 5000mAh pack found on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. This crucially sees the S20 Plus lag a little behind its elder sibling when it comes to battery performance.

But, fret not. There are a number of tricks you can employ to ensure your Galaxy S20 Plus can go on for hours and hours without its battery dying on you.

Use the Power Modes

One of the best ways to improve your Galaxy S20 Plus' battery life is to effectively use the various power modes. Open Settings > Device care > Battery > Power mode. From here you can move down from the High-Performance Mode to the Optimized to strike a fine balance between performance gains and power saving.

However, OneUI 2.1 also provides you with more aggressive Medium or Maximum power saving modes, with the latter shutting down several of the UI's functions, and restricting the usability of the phone in favour of exponentially increasing the phone's battery life.

Put unnecessary apps to sleep



Another simple trick that can be used to improve the phone's battery life is to put unnecessary apps to sleep that keep on running in the background eating away at your battery life. For this, Samsung provides software features built into the One UI 2.1 which allows the user to monitor which apps they use frequently and which rarely.

As such, one can find the apps that they use rarely and put them to sleep. This stops them from running in the background and eating away at your phone's battery life. For this, head to Settings > Device care > Battery > Battery usage and figure out which of these apps you'd like to put to sleep.

Adjust refresh rate and resolution

The Galaxy S20 Plus brings with itself, a 6.7-inch display which also brings with itself some impressive features such as high refresh rate at 120Hz and support for up to WQHD+ resolutions. While the two features greatly enhance the user experience of the device, they do, however, also prove to be a great draw on the battery of the device.

But there's an easy way to fix this. While Samsung itself doesn't allow the phone to run the high refresh rate and WQHD+ resolution together, users can further improve battery life by not only bringing down the refresh rate, but also the resolution to Full HD+.
A woman pilot of a ship, who had



recently travelled to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and another person returning home from England have been kept at the isolation ward of a government hospital here with symptoms of coronavirus, a health department official said on Tuesday.

The woman pilot had been hospitalised with fever and cold at a Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) hospital from where she was brought to the isolation ward of the Beliaghata Infectious Diseases hospital, he said.

Swabs have been collected from the person who has been admitted to the same ward of the hospital though doctors were yet to decide whether or not medical tests will be conducted on the woman, the official said.

Five other persons were under observation at the same isolation ward.

"Their swabs have been collected and sent for medical tests. We are waiting for the report," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BHABUA

A man claiming to be a union minister over a phone call to Kaimur superintendent of police (SP) Dilnawaz Ahmad for the release of liquor smugglers was arrested on Monday, police said. A regular rifle and ammunitions were recovered from his possession.

The accused, identified as Nagina Yadav of Brawan village here, made two phone calls in quick succession to the SP for the release of two arrested liquor smugglers.

In the first call, he identified himself as RJD legislator Arun Yadav.

A few minutes later, he made another call from a different number, this time posing as union minister R K Singh, and asked the SP to the smugglers. The SP played a trick and asked the caller to come to his office, assuring him to release the smugglers.

Next day, he reached the SP office to seek the release of the smugglers, but was arrested.

Meanwhile, police on Sunday arrested two persons after conducting raids at Barwan village in hilly Adhaura police station limits and unearthed hooch manufacturing units. Two persons, identified as Pratap Yadav and Shivji Yadav, were arrested.
Under the authority of Wisconsin State Statute 252.02(3) and at the direction of Governor Tony Evers, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS)Secretary-designee Andrea Palm has ordered a statewide moratorium on mass gatherings of 50 or more people to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Effective at March 16, all public and private mass gatherings are prohibited in the State of Wisconsin. This order will remain in effect for the duration of the public health emergency declared in Gov. Evers Executive Order #72, or until a superseding order is issued.

Mass gathering is any planned or spontaneous, public or private event or convening that will bring together or is likely to bring together 50 or more people in a single room or single confined or enclosed space at the same time.

This order may include, but is not limited to mass gatherings at: public or private schools, auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, museums, stadiums, arenas, conference rooms, meeting halls, exhibition centers, taverns, health and fitness centers, recreation centers, licensed pools, places of worship and religious gatherings.

Vernon County Health Department is working closely with federal, state, and local partners to be prepared for any changes to the situation and to make sure information is shared with the public," said Beth Johnson, Health Officer Vernon County Health Department. 

All gatherings that bring together or are likely to bring together fewer than 50 people in a single room or confined space at the same time must:

1. Operate at 50 percent of seating capacity.

2. Preserve social distancing of 6 feet between people.

3. Follow all other public health recommendations issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Health and the Vernon County Health Department.

4. Violation or obstruction of this order is punishable by imprisonment, fines, or both under Wisconsin State Statute252.25.

While the risk of getting the illness remains low, people should follow simple steps to avoid getting sick, including:

 Frequent and thorough handwashing with soap and water.

 Cover coughs and sneezes.

 Avoid touching your face.

 Stay home when sick.

 Practice social distancing.

To read the latest information about COVID-19, people can check the Department of Health Services (DHS), https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm and Control and Prevention (CDC) websites. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Campus News

UB student a new face of civil engineering

Wakil Pranto, a senior in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, has been selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as one of 10 New Faces of Civil Engineering in the college category.

By PETER MURPHY

Wakil Pranto, a senior in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, has been selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as one of 10 New Faces of Civil Engineering in the college category.

The program recognizes the next generation of civil engineering leaders by showcasing young, diverse and talented engineers.

Over the course of his academic career, Pranto has interned with such organizations as HDR, Metro North Railroad and Kiewit. He began his first internship with HDR as a freshman, and while internships that early in an academic career are rare, Pranto says it was an effective way for him to learn.

Im sure a lot of other people can agree: I learn the most if I can do hands-on work, and have that responsibility, he says. Its not just observing and listening and watching.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Pranto has made an impact on UB ASCE, UBs ASCE student club, as well as the department and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

He joined UB ASCE as a freshman and worked on its concrete canoe team. Currently, the clubs vice president, he oversees the various teams and operation of the club.

He previously served as community service chair for UB ASCE, continuing such club traditions as the monthly community service events with Habitat for Humanity and blood drives with the American Red Cross. He also organized new events with partners like the Buffalo Niagara Water Keeper.

We went down in September to the Buffalo Niagara watershed, and for two hours with other volunteers from different organizations we picked up all the trash, we recycled and just cleaned up the ecosystem around there, he says.

The department recognized him for his accomplishments with the 2019 Community Service Award.

Pranto also is a member of Theta Tau, a professional co-ed engineering fraternity, and sits on its community service and professional development committees. He joined the club during the first semester of his sophomore year, and has had various responsibilities in each of the positions.

For a year, I was in charge of professional development. I would assist new members and old members with resume review, cover letters and interview skills, and I would help them get ready for the career fair and things like that, he says. Its something I take pride in and something I enjoy.

Pranto also worked with other students in UB ASCE to assist fellow civil engineering student Hannah Bocker, who was critically injured in an accident in her hometown. The students organized a card-writing event to encourage people to support the Bocker family by donating to an online fundraiser organized by a family friend.

Pranto spread the word about the event during the capstone design class, a required course for civil engineering seniors. He also found a creative way to provide easy access to the online fundraiser.

We put temporary stickers on the card so that when people would sign it, they could scan the QR code on the sticker, and it would take them directly to the fundraiser on Facebook, Pranto says. We had a lot of students and faculty come and sign the card.

A native of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Pranto currently resides in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. After completing his BS, he plans to earn his MS in civil engineering with a concentration in structural engineering. After graduate school, he hopes to travel for at least a month before working in a structural or bridge engineering position in New York City.
As Alabamas confirmed cases of coronavirus rise into the double digits, swaths of the population have so far remained cut off from testing.

Why?

1. Were still rationing tests

Circuit Judge David Carpenter in Jefferson County recently posted on Facebook that hed been exposed to someone who tested positive for coronavirus. He found that the freestanding test clinic in his area was closed on the weekend.

The state coronavirus hotline recommended I get tested at an ER, he wrote. The ER doesnt have enough tests. I am quarantined.

The shortage of tests is a national problem, reported in several states. And without enough testing, Alabama and the United States cant really know how many people have the coronavirus.

The state relaxed the rules for who could be tested for coronavirus late last week, but that decision didnt come with an increase in testing supplies. Alabama hospitals and other providers are having to pick and choose who gets tested.

Don Williamson, executive director of the Alabama Hospital Association, said some hospitals around the state have reported testing supply shortages. Some hospitals dont have testing supplies at all. Harris, in a press conference Tuesday, called the shortage of testing swabs a particularly acute issue."

Dr. Michael Bindon, an emergency physician at Springhill Memorial Hospital in Mobile said hes spoken with ER doctors from around the state in his capacity as president of the Alabama chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

It can be frustrating to patients, but there are a limited number of tests, and most of the hospitals and emergency physicians have criteria to determine who gets a test, he said.

If we only have five test kits left, youre not going to use those on asymptomatic patients who think they might have been exposed.

2. People who might have coronavirus arent getting tested

When testing is limited, many people who may have the virus may not realize theyre transmitting the disease because they havent been sick enough to get tested or dont live near one of the states few testing clinics.

The most efficient vector of this disease is the young and healthy population (that) may not know they have it, said Brian Hastings, director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, at a state press conference Monday morning.

Read more: Why were so few people in Alabama getting tested for coronavirus?

Bindon said its a conversation emergency room doctors have been having with patients over and over:

Were saying to them, Theres a decent chance you have COVID-19 but were looking at whether youre sick enough to require hospitalization or well enough to go home, he said. If youre in a hospital without enough tests and you arent sick enough for hospitalization, were going to say you need to go home and quarantine for the next 14 days.

Thats a tough message to receive. If youre going to self-quarantine, youd like to know you have a disease, not just that you might have it.

State Health Officer Scott Harris said Monday there is no reason to test someone who does not have symptoms of COVID-19, but said there isnt data available to show how long a person might be contagious before or after symptoms occur.

South Korea, a country with a significant population of infected people but a very small death rate, has been praised by world health leaders for its response to the coronavirus outbreak. The country quickly set up a network of testing sites and has been testing nearly 20,000 people a day.

By contrast the United States, a country with six times the population of South Korea, has tested about 39,000 people total as of Monday morning.

3. There are backlogs at the labs On Saturday, Jacksonville State University released a statement saying university officials had hoped to be able to share results of COVID-19 tests that had been performed on two students, but still didnt have the test results. This announcement came more than a week after two JSU students were placed under quarantine after possible exposure to coronavirus in another state.

Unfortunately, at this time, all of (the private labs performing coronavirus testing) are overwhelmed with tests to run, said the release. The school found out Monday that the tests were negative.

Even as private companies like LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics and Assurance Scientific Laboratories began processing test kits and returning results last week, theres evidence demand is outstripping capacity.

Were already getting feedback from private labs that were getting close to capacity and may not be able to accommodate the volume starting to come in, said Bindon. Theres a bottleneck.

Harris said Monday morning that there was not a concern about not being able to test samples. The Alabama state lab, at least, does not have any issues with backlogs, he said.

We are able to test all the samples we receive on the day we receive them, he said. We dont have any concern about capacity right now.

4. Too few testing sites

Right now, most of the Alabamians who have been tested for COVID-19 live in Jefferson County, Harris said. This is where Assurance opened two drive-through testing locations late last week.

Jefferson County also has the highest number of confirmed cases in Alabama.

Thats not surprising, said Harris, because Jefferson County has also had the most access to testing.

As drive-thru coronavirus testing centers have popped up or are in the works in Birmingham and North Alabama, the rest of the state has one main option for testing: the emergency room. And emergency rooms around the state arent always equipped to administer a large number of tests.

In the southern part of the state were at a bit of a disadvantage, said Bindon on Sunday. Its been radio silence down here. If youre a patients and dont have those remote sites and your primary doctor isnt seeing you, theres really not a good answer right now.

Read more: Heres where you can get tested for coronavirus in Alabama

Harris said Tuesday morning that the state health department had opened six testing sites and hoped to open 5-10 more by the end of the week.

The barrier to opening testing sites, he said, has been being able to obtain supplies like personal protective equipment, swabs for testing and the like.

Bindon said he and other emergency room doctors are optimistic about the opening of more testing sites in South Alabama, But it cant happen soon enough.

Why does it matter? Because a lack of testing could break Alabamas hospital system

If COVID-19 isnt kept in check, even a small percentage of Alabamians needing hospitalization could overwhelm the states hospitals.

Bindon said most hospitals seem to have the equipment they need right now, but hes concerned that wont be enough.

Based on how this has played out internationally, we know were at the very beginning of (the epidemic), he said. If you look at the mortality data from other countries, its not bad at the beginning but (the death rate) starts going up as the hospitals get overloaded and are no longer able to keep up.

Harris said the state is tracking daily the number of beds and ventilators being used at hospitals around the state through an online reporting system. He said there hasnt yet been a surge.

We know we have a great hospital, said Bindon, but no healthcare system out there is set up to deal with 300 to 400% increases in patients needing ventilators.

Bindon, when asked what could help him and other healthcare workers do their jobs better, said it comes back to community buy-in on recommendations like social distancing, washing hands and avoiding crowds.

Italy was a decent healthcare system that got overrun, he said. Thats what were all trying to prepare for. Whether this goes to a level like Italy or whether we get more of a South Korea situation, a lot of that is going to depend on how seriously the public takes it.

Here are our live updates on the public health crisis in Alabama. You can find all of our coronavirus stories here.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil



Deshmukh on Tuesday said serious note has been taken of an incident in Aurangabad in which the brother of a man who eloped with a girl was allegedly killed by her family.

Deshmukh, in a tweet, asked police to file a charge sheet in the case within 30 days.

The 17-year-old brother of Amol Gaikwad was killed and his parents injured by the girl's kin in Lakh-Khandala area of Aurangabad's Vaijapur taluka, some 370 kilometres from here.

Amol Gaikwad had eloped with the girl and the killing was allegedly an act of revenge.

"The Home department has taken a serious note of the incident and have directed that the charge sheet in the case be filed in 30 days," Deshmukh tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Airlines are preparing to temporarily lay off tens of thousands of staff without pay.

Amid warnings of an industry collapse within weeks, BA-owner IAG, EasyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian all revealed drastic plans to slash costs and ground flights.

Virgin Atlantic said staff had agreed to take eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next three months, with the salary docked from workers pay over six months so their income does not dry up.

Airlines are preparing to temporarily lay off tens of thousands of staff without pay. Amid warnings of an industry collapse within weeks, BA-owner IAG, EasyJet, Ryanair and Norwegian all revealed drastic plans to slash costs and ground flights. Planes are seen parked in Germany

All 10,000 employees of the company, founded and controlled by Richard Branson, will also be offered voluntary redundancy.

In a sign of the scale of the coronavirus crisis, the airlines have been backed by the union Unite and pilots association Balpa.

Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, told Boris Johnson: If you do not take urgent action to support the aviation industry in the UK, there is absolute certainty that tens of thousands of jobs will be put at risk, and the industry will be unable to resume effectively once this health crisis has passed.

Virgin Atlantic said staff had agreed to take eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next three months, with the salary docked from workers pay over six months so their income does not dry up [File photo]

Virgin Atlantic called for 7.5billion in emergency loans while transport secretary Grant Shapps promised to meet airline bosses.

He told Sky News: We want to make sure that companies and individuals and organisations who are in a good state  not those that are going to fail anyway  are able to continue.

The most extreme measures were taken by Norwegian, which is the third largest airline at Gatwick.

In a sign of the scale of the coronavirus crisis, the airlines have been backed by the union Unite and pilots association Balpa. Planes are seen grounded in Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong

It is temporarily laying off around 7,300 staff  90 per cent of its workforce.

The airline which is saddled with debt, has lost more than 80 per cent of its market value since the start of the year.

IAG, which has announced three-quarters of flights will be cut over the next two months, also said it was taking actions to reduce operating expenses and improve cash flow.

These include temporarily suspending employment contracts, reducing working hours and offering staff unpaid leave.

The group, which also owns Iberia and Vueling, employs 66,000 staff.

Its chief executive Willie Walsh stressed that he had not requested a government bail-out and insisted IAG was resilient with a strong balance sheet.
A revised program from Comcast is giving disabled veterans and low-income veterans and military families in the company's service area free internet connections for two months, according to a Comcast release.

Currently, those veterans and military families have access to the company's Internet Essentials plan, which provides qualifying users with basic internet service for $9.95 per month. But between now and June 30, 2021 new Internet Essentials customers will receive two months free in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the company said.

Those customers include veterans receiving disability payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs and all Americans receiving public aid, including Medicaid, public housing assistance and food stamps, officially known as SNAP. A full list of qualifying users can be found on the company's website.

Related: Comcast Military Discount

"As our country continues to navigate the COVID-19 emergency, we recognize that our company plays an important role in helping the military community stay connected -- to their families, the VA and other health services, and the latest information about the virus -- through the Internet," Comcast said in a statement. "To help bridge the digital divide during this time of need, we're providing special offers to the thousands of veterans who qualify for our Internet Essentials program."

After the two months free, those new users will be enrolled in the $9.95 per month program, the release stated.

The Internet Essentials plan was first expanded to disabled veterans in 2018.

In addition to the offer of free service, Comcast said it's increasing data speeds for all users on the Internet Essentials plan. The increase would accelerate speeds from 15 Mbps downstream and two upstream to 50 Mbps downstream and five upstream, the company said.

Veterans and other users can apply for the program on the Comcast Internet Essentials website.

Stay Up-to-Date With Military Discounts

Want the scoop on military discounts? From travel to phones and everything in between, troops, military families and veterans can stay on top of military discounts. Become a Military.com subscriber and get full access through our newsletter..
The Post, which at the time still used at least one press dating to the Truman administration, lagged behind competitors in the adoption of color technology. Some traditionalists feared that color printing would cheapen a serious-minded product, but Mr. Clurman insisted that the new technology  soon recognized as the norm  would help the newspaper continue to attract advertisers and readers.
Last July, my wife, daughter and I used travel agent Carlton Leisure to book flights to Beijing with British Airways, returning via Hong Kong, with an internal flight between there and Chengdu.

We had planned this trip for the Easter holidays. However, due to the coronavirus, British Airways cancelled our flights and told us to contact Carlton Leisure for a refund.

This my wife did only to discover that each ticket incurs an administration fee of 75 (total 225).

Sting: Carlton Leisure helped itself to a 225 when one reader was forced to cancel his family's trip to China due to the coronavirus outbreak

If we had booked directly with British Airways we would be receiving a full refund. We are disgusted by this. We didn't choose to cancel and feel that any fee should be waived in this circumstance.

We had been planning this holiday for nearly nine months and saving for more than 18 months. This is a real kick in the teeth.

A. C., Ashford, Kent.

I checked Carlton Leisure's terms and conditions and there is, indeed, a 75 per person administration fee for cancellations. However, I agree with you. This is not a case of you simply changing your mind.

These are exceptional circumstances. Carlton Leisure has now taken a similar view and has reduced its fee for cancellations linked to coronavirus to 25 per person.

So you have had 75 deducted from your refund rather than 225. I did ask for the fee to be waived completely, but was told: 'We have already checked this with our senior management but unfortunately we won't be able to waive [the fee] completely.'

In the financial world, regulators have laid down rules on what constitutes a fair administration fee. This saw, among other things, charges for late payments on credit cards cut to 12.

There is also a general principle that any fee should reflect fairly the actual cost of administration and not include a profit margin.

At this time it is reasonable for travel agents to take a small fee reflecting the work involved, but any extra would sully their reputation  and that of the industry.

You have YOUR say Every week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here are some of the best from our article on the millions Lord Sugar has made from his apprentices: The two things you need in business are cash and contacts. Its no surprise that having Lord Sugar on board has helped these peoples businesses. L. M., London. This programme shows that the UK is still a place where you can always earn a living if you are willing to put in the effort and hard work. A. F., Cornwall. Some of these businesses are unique and they stand out. But any ordinary concept can succeed if you have an experts backing and someone to open doors for you. R. C., Manchester. I worked for a smart start-up financed by a millionaire for three years. I was one of three employees and we earned a fair wage, but the business never made a profit. You win some, you lose some. C. D., by email. Lord Sugar is making money from these talented people. However, he took the financial risks which helped drive their own successes. J. J., Farnborough. A top tip for would-be applicants is to watch episodes of past series before you go on. That way you wont embarrass yourself, especially when it comes to your business plan. T. J., Edinburgh. A high turnover doesnt always equal wealth. I know some companies with large turnovers, but they never make a profit. K. W., Chigwell, Essex. I often feel that the contestants should pitch their business plans from day one. Sometimes the winners ideas can end up being very ordinary. Q. S., Inverness.

We wrote to TalkTalk last July to say we no longer needed a landline and asked the firm to disconnect us.

We stopped our direct debit in August, but are still receiving bills even though we have no house phone.

I have written five times; twice by recorded delivery. The bills came to 148.78 and we were worried about getting into debt, so we sent a cheque and another letter asking TalkTalk to cut off the line.

A few days later we received a debt recovery firm letter for 148.78. TalkTalk claimed it had not received our cheque. So we sent another to the debt recovery firm. Both cheques were cashed, so we wrote to ask for our money back.

We then received a bill showing that we are in credit, but the firm is still taking 44.95 each month.

A. S., Worcester.

Am I alone in suspecting that some telecoms firms put paper letters straight into the bin?

TalkTalk says no disconnection requests were logged or recorded on the account. It claims it didn't receive your letters.

It says it checked the tracking references and found the first was incomplete and invalid. It says it could not find the second.

However, it does confirm that two payments were recorded in November. It has now refunded both, one of which was incorrectly charged to you and the other as a goodwill gesture. Your account has also been closed.

TalkTalk's website instructs those who wish to cancel to phone 0345 172 0088 or write to Talktalk Correspondence Department, PO Box 675, Salford M5 0NL.

You must include your full name, your TalkTalk phone number and your signature. Bear in mind that if you are in contract, there will be termination charges  and don't cancel your direct debit until the final bill has been agreed and paid.

Straight to the point I bought an ice cube maker from Sixty Stores on eBay, but it broke after just four months. The shop is refusing to refund me and eBay wont help either. R. S., Aldershot. Sixty Stores says it asked you to submit your refund request through eBay so it could resolve the issue there. It has sent a full refund of 79.99 to your PayPal account. *** I opened an account with Lloyds in 1974 with 7 and have not added or withdrawn any money since. Now Lloyds says it cant find my money as it doesnt hold the details for dormant accounts after ten years. D. M., Anglesey. Lloyds defines a current account as inactive if, after three years, no transactions have been made, there is no response to communications and the customer has no other active account with the group. It has now agreed to pay you 7 plus 19.22 interest. It also found two other accounts in your name with balances of 14.25 and 8.38. *** We sold our property in Milton Keynes in October and are now renting. I have repeatedly written to TV Licensing to request a refund for the licence we held at our old property, and sent copies of our council tax and water bills as proof of our new address, but we are still waiting. J. C., Cornwall. TV Licensing told me it is waiting for your new landlord to confirm that they hold a licence. However, the landlord lives abroad and is recovering from an operation. In light of these circumstances, it has now issued the 77.25 refund. Am I still entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period if I use an online estate agent? Emoov promised to refund me when I cancelled within 24 hours, but I have yet to receive my 805 back. R. M., by email. The standard 14-day cooling-off period does typically apply to online estate agents, which should mean you can cancel your contract and get a full refund  providing the service has not been used. Emoov and other similar firms, such as Purplebricks and Yopa, all reference it in their small print. Emoov refused to respond to my requests for comment, but you say you have since received a refund.

My mother died last year and I've been trying to transfer money from her savings account with Halifax into an executor account since January 24.

Initially, I was told this would take up to three working days. Six days later it had not arrived. So I rang the bereavement department and was told that as it was a large sum (80,000), it would be split over two payments, one arriving on January 31 and the other on February 3.

It hadn't arrived by these dates either, but this time the handler said he wasn't aware of the split payment and the money hadn't been transferred because the scan of the grant of probate had not come through.

On February 6, I received a letter saying my mother's savings account had been closed and the money transferred to a new account in her name.

The situation is getting worse and it's affecting my physical and mental health.

J. M., Chesterfield.

This is exactly the sort of behaviour from banks that Money Mail has worked hard to put a stop to since the launch of our Looking After Your Legacy campaign in 2015.

Bereaved relatives should not have to deal with this sort of red tape. Halifax says it's 'extremely sorry' you received 'a level of service well below the high standards' it expects.

It admits a number of errors were made and says it has shared the case with employees to ensure it doesn't happen again.

The funds have now been transferred into an executor account and a distress payment has been made.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) - Taguig City will be placed under lockdown starting Wednesday to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Mayor Lino Cayetano issued the travel restriction within the city a day after President Rodrigo Duterte placed the whole Luzon under enhanced community quarantine.

The Taguig City government said in a statement that starting midnight Wednesday, only vehicles delivering basic goods and supplies will be allowed to enter and exit the city. Supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, and banks will still remain open despite the city lockdown.

Taguig City has four confirmed COVID-19 cases, including an employee of a company in the city's upscale business hub Bonifacio Global City. The country now has 187 cases of COVID-19.

We are working to help small groceries and sari-sari stores to have a working supply chain. They will be allowed to operate under strict barangay monitoring and social distancing rules, said the local government added.

As part of prevention and containment measures against the virus, backpack sprayers and disinfectants will be also provided to all barangays for sanitation.

Meanwhile, families of residents considered as persons under investigation or monitoring will be assisted by the local government. The city's senior citizens will also be provided anti-COVDID 19 kits, the statement added,

The local government said it is working with transportation groups and barangays to establish point-to-point service and designated areas for community pick-up and drop-off for those who dont have access to basic supplies.

An emergency ambulance for non-COVID-19 cases will also roam around barangays.

The enhanced community quarantine in the whole Luzon will end on April 13.

For COVID-19 cases in Taguig City, please call 8789-3200 or 09664194510
This week, businesses across the region have been rapidly adjusting to keep customers and patrons safe in a potential outbreak of the novel coronavirus while staying up and running. In an effort to stay up-to-date with all the cancellations, closings and changes to our lives, my colleague Jorge Ramos has been helming the Daily Disruption feature on the Beaumont Enterprise website with updates as they become available.

Here are a few of the biggest business changes Ramos and the rest of our team have been tracking, along with a few new ones:

Dollar General announced Monday that it would reserve the first hour after opening  8 a.m. at most Beaumont locations  for senior shoppers to avoid increased exposure while they are shopping.

Other retailers, including Kroger and H-E-B, changed their hours to limit the amount of time people might be exposed, but also to give their employees a chance to restock rapidly depleted shelves. Kroger locations will open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and H-E-B will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the foreseeable future. H-E-B pharmacies will also close at 5 p.m. each day.

Delivery service Favor, owned by H-E-B, has been ramping up operations in the wake of social distancing and self-quarantines. It is offering delivery credit promos on its website and reducing partnership fees for restaurants for the next few weeks, while creating new policies for customers. It announced Monday that customers can have their deliveries dropped off at their doorsteps or specific locations to avoid person-to-person contact.

Until at least March 29, Starbucks will phase out its dining rooms and patio service for a to-go only model to reduce exposure. The company announced the change for all U.S. and Canadian stores Monday and said it was based on our experience in China in a press release.

Walgreens has also waived all delivery fees for prescriptions until further notice. It announced the policy change on March 13, and has since set item limits on certain products after facing bare shelves at stores across the country.

Chick-fil-A locations in Southeast Texas will go to a drive-thru only format until further notice.

Stay plugged in to the latest at beaumontenterprise.com and with the Daily Disruptions feature in the breaking bar at the top of the website.
A total of 25,782 persons belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) in the past five years, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

This was disclosed by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in a written reply on a question raised by Trinamool Congress MP Prasoon Banerjee.

He said LTV has been granted to people from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan who come to to India using valid travel documents i.e. valid passport and valid visa, and seeking permanent settlement in India with a view to acquire Indian citizenship.

Between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019, he said LTV has been granted to 26,786 such foreigners after their arrival in India. Of these, 25,782 persons belong to minority communities in these three countries.

Those eligible for LTV include members of minority communities in these three countries, Bangladesh/Pakistan women married to Indian nationals and staying in India, Afghanistan nationals married to Indian nationals and staying in India, Indian origin women of Bangladesh/Afghanistan/Pakistan nationality married to Bangladesh/Afghanistan/Pakistan nationals and returning to India due to widowhood/divorce and cases involving extreme compassion.

"Government has extended various facilities to such persons living in India on LTV. These include grant of LTV for a period of 5 years at a time and allowing children of such LTV holders to take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical/ professional institutions etc. without any specific permission from the State Government/UT Administration," he said.

He said they are also permitted to "engage in employment in private sector, purchase of dwelling unit and accommodation for carrying out self employment, re-entry (Return Visa) to go to their native country/ third country, allowing free movements within the State/UT, reduction of penalty on non-extension of LTV on time, opening of bank accounts, issuance of driving license, PAN card and Aadhaar number etc."
The coronavirus pandemic disrupted the 2020 presidential election as the Ohio governor announced late Monday that polls would not open "as a health emergency" despite a state judge's ruling that the election must go on.

"During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus," DeWine said in a tweet. He also promised to push for a remedy through the courts "to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity."

The announcement was sure to create more uncertainty as voters, poll workers and county election officials received yet another reversal regarding the fate of Tuesday's presidential primary, with voting set to begin at 6:30 a.m.

Earlier Monday, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye rejected a temporary restraining order supported by DeWine to seek the delay, saying in a hearing late Monday that rescheduling the election would "set a terrible precedent."

"There are too many factors to balance in this uncharted territory," Frye said at a court hearing Monday evening.

It was unclear how quickly the status of the lawsuit would be resolved.

The plaintiff's attorney, Diane Menashe, said via text that they will appeal Frye's decision in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Columbus. It remains unclear whether they will appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court if necessary - or whether the suit has been rendered moot by DeWine's announcement.

Edward Foley, a professor of constitutional law at Ohio State University and former solicitor general of Ohio, said the judge's ruling denied a request from private plaintiffs to delay the primary but may have left room for the sort of emergency directive made by the governor, which appears to preserve votes already cast while preventing in-person voting for reasons of public health. But he said there were still unanswered questions about the state of those early votes, as well as future opportunities for voters who have not yet cast a ballot but intended to Tuesday.

"We need greater clarity from the governor as to whether he's actually calling off the election," said Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California at Irvine.

DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a joint statement after the ruling, defending their effort to postpone voting Tuesday.

"The only thing more important than a free and fair election is the health and safety of Ohioans," they said in the statement.

"Logistically, under these extraordinary circumstances, it simply isn't possible to hold an election tomorrow that will be considered legitimate by Ohioans. They mustn't be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights."

On Twitter, the whiplash of election officials played out in real time.

At 7:37 p.m., about four hours after it had tweeted that the primary was delayed, the Summit County Board of Elections revised its announcement.

"We are aware the information we originally gave was incorrect. We apologize for any confusion we may have caused. We'll get the proper information out as soon as we have it," the account tweeted.

A few moments later, the Wayne County Board of Elections tweeted on its account: "We have NO Official word regarding the status of tomorrow's election. Please stay tuned."

Some Ohio counties began signaling to voters on social media that the primaries were back on. Franklin County, the state's most populous, said in a statement that poll workers should "prepare to report."

"You are encouraged to monitor your text and email for further updates. We regret any confusion that's been created and appreciate your patience and cooperation," the board of elections said in a statement at about 9:20 p.m.

Mike West, communications manager for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, said his office did not tell poll workers the election was postponed because of the possibility the judge would rule against it.

"We were very careful not to stop doing our work to prepare for tomorrow's election, because we wanted to wait for the official ruling," he said.

A spokeswoman for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had no information either, and said the office was in the middle of figuring out what to do.

"That's the million dollar question right now," said Bethany McCorkle, Yost's communications director. "People are trying to figure out where that would be appealed and if there's time."

The drama underscored the challenges more and more states could face as the election calendar unfolds with the pandemic as backdrop, as well as the threat to voter access that could ensue, legal experts said.

Marc Elias, a Democratic election lawyer in Washington, said "there is no perfect option at this point."

"Every state needs to do the best that they can to ensure voters can participate in the primary election," he said. "For some states, moving forward as planned makes the most sense. For other states with more time to plan, they may be able to mitigate some of the problems with a delay."

DeWine said at a news conference earlier Monday that he believed the state should cancel in-person voting in the state's primary Tuesday, noting that to allow it would not be in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines against gatherings of 50 people or more. He said he wanted to postpone in-person voting until June 2 and extending absentee balloting during the intervening weeks.

"It is clear that tomorrow's in-person voting does not conform and cannot conform with these CDC guidelines," the governor said in an announcement that caught some local election officials by surprise.

"We cannot conduct this election tomorrow, the in-person voting for 13 hours tomorrow, and conform to these guidelines," DeWine said. "This was not a decision that was easily made, like most of the decisions we've had to make," he said. "But I believe it is the right thing to do."

In the daily coronavirus briefing from the White House, President Donald Trump weighed in on DeWine's decision and whether the three other states holding primaries Tuesday should follow suit, saying he would leave that decision up to the states.

But, he said: "I think postponing elections is not a very good thing. They have lots of room in a lot of the electoral places. . . . I think postponing is unnecessary."

The announcement and subsequent judge's decision created new uncertainty for the two main Democratic White House contenders, former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Despite Biden's victories in recent primaries, Sanders has shown no sign that he will concede soon, and the havoc created by the pandemic could slow Biden's newfound momentum.

In three other states with presidential primaries Tuesday, officials contended with more poll workers announcing planned no-shows, more voting location closures and worries that the public would stay home. But officials in Arizona, Florida and Illinois said their primaries would proceed Tuesday.

"We're not going to panic," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said during a news conference Monday.

Still, election officials acknowledged that voters were worried - and that they need to take precautions for their health.

"The longer we wait the more difficult and dangerous this will become," said Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. "My message to voters is: Stay informed and make a decision that is right for you."

As they prepared for Tuesday's vote, local officials confronted shortages of poll workers and cleaning supplies and the need to close some polling locations, many of which were in senior living facilities.

In Arizona, the Maricopa County Elections Department closed 78 polling locations, citing widespread shortages of cleaning supplies. Now, rather than being limited to their local precinct, voters may cast ballots at any of 151 geographically dispersed polling centers.

The last-minute change is expected to create confusion for voters accustomed to going to the assigned polling location in their neighborhood, but officials said the change "allows equal access to the polls, while prioritizing the health and safety of the public."

As of Sunday, there were 13 confirmed or presumed positive coronavirus cases in Arizona.

Poll-worker shortages in Florida prompted one election official in Pasco County, north of Tampa, to draft sheriff's deputies, school district workers and county employees to fill in.

"I reached out to our county administrator and the sheriff, and also the school supervisor, and I said, 'We're hemorrhaging poll workers by the hour, and we need your help,' " Brian Corley said Monday.

Corley said that because of the coronavirus, many poll workers are afraid to show up - and he cautioned that people who are sick should not vote in person.

"This is the only time you'll hear me discourage voting," Corley said. "But if you're sick, don't come to the polls."

Corley said voters can ask someone to pick up a mail-in ballot for them at the office of the supervisor of elections and then have it returned it to the office by 7 p.m., when polls close. In Florida, voters can designate with a written affidavit someone to pick up their ballot.

Corley's office usually employees 1,000 poll workers, many of whom are retirement age. By Monday morning, 150 said they would not be coming in - and he said he expected more to drop out. There are more than 250,000 registered voters on Pasco County's rolls.

In Ohio, reaction to DeWine's announcement was mixed among voting advocates. Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, praised the decision after expressing concern earlier in the day that disinfecting supplies and poll workers was insufficient to "truly meet the challenge tomorrow."

A lawsuit intended to block Tuesday's election was filed late Monday in Franklin County, Ohio, by two female plaintiffs over the age of 65 who have not yet voted.

One of the women, Jill Reardon, said she has battled two forms of cancer and suffers from "severe immune deficiency."

"I should not be forced to make the choice between my health and my constitutional right to vote in the election," Reardon stated, adding that if the primary were held Tuesday, she would decline to vote in person, to avoid possible exposure to the virus.

The complaint stated that holding the election Tuesday would violate "numerous provisions of Ohio law," as well as the First and 14th amendments.

DeWine's announcement that he was seeking the postponement forced local election officials to turn on a dime. Dave Herron, a part-time employee working the phones at the Summit County Board of Elections in Akron, let out a laugh when asked how the county was processing the change, choosing to find humor in the grim and confusing situation.

"We're answering the phones and assuring the voters that, yes, they heard it correctly - the election isn't going to be held tomorrow," he said.

Herron said they were encouraging voters to apply for absentee ballots and asking poll workers who had already picked up supplies for in-person voting to keep those materials secured in their homes until they receive further instructions.

David Owens, with the Montgomery County Board of Elections in Dayton, said he was witnessing a surge in requests for absentee ballot applications after the governor's announcement. "We are trying to hit the curveball," he said. "We will follow the rules as soon as we learn what they are."

Others were waiting to see what the courts decided.

"We can't assume the election will be delayed until the judge rules," said Mike West, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, which encompasses Cleveland. "And things have been pretty unpredictable lately. We're going to wait and see, and whatever challenges are in front of us, we'll find a way to manage."

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing the Democratic Party to adjust its planning for the remainder of the primary calendar, scrambling state plans to select convention delegates, delaying preparations for a 12th debate in April and raising pressure for a change in party rules.

Louisiana and Georgia announced over the weekend their plans to delay primaries. On Monday, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a Republican, recommended that Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, move the presidential primaries scheduled for May 19 to June 23.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican, said he was considering postponing a Republican runoff in the 2nd Congressional District scheduled for March 31. Election officials in Maryland said they would examine the possibility of an election delay as well, and Texas Democrats called for all-mail elections on May 2 and May 26.

And in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, issued an executive order delaying village elections until April 28, when the state is scheduled to hold its presidential primaries.

The most pressing concern for party leaders is how to handle county and state conventions over the next months that will select the people who will serve as delegates at the national Democratic convention in accordance with the caucus and primary results. In normal times, states such as Iowa and New Hampshire would hold in-person meetings over the coming weeks to choose their delegates, but the national party has made clear that states can shift those plans to account for the viral threat.

"We are providing flexibility for how you get those bodies into the delegate slots," said a Democratic official who requested anonymity to discuss the internal discussions. State parties will still be required to choose their delegates in proportions prescribed by primary and caucus results, from slates that have been approved by the candidates who have been awarded delegates.

The party is also monitoring the four remaining states that will hold primaries or caucuses that are run by the party and not the state governments. Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming are still scheduled to hold contests on April 4, and Kansas is scheduled for May 2. In each case, state parties had planned to rely heavily on vote by mail, which is likely to allow the events to proceed with minimal disruption, the official said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Michael Scherer in Washington, Lori Rozsa in Palm Beach, Florida, Holly Bailey and Jimmy Magahern in Phoenix, Joanna Connors in Cleveland and Marc Guarino in Chicago contributed to this report.
Dr. Mehmet Oz has the cure for fighting the coronavirus quarantine blues: sex.

At a time when most couples are working at home and likely getting on each other's nerves, the 59-year-old talk show host recommends regular physical intimacy to stave off fights and combat depression while trapped inside.

'The best solution, if you're holed up with your significant other quarantined, is have sex. You'll live longer, get rid of the tension,' he told TMZ while walking the empty streets of New York City on Tuesday.

Scroll down for video

How to keep busy at home: Dr. Mehmet Oz, 59, is encouraging couples to have sex while quarantined during the coronavirus pandemic, saying it's 'the best solution' for depression

'It certainly gets some stories. Maybe you'll make some babies,' he added. 'It's certainly better than staring at each other and getting on each other's nerves.'

Dr. Oz explained that what they have learned from the coronavirus outbreak in China is that 'people get really depressed when they're quarantined.'

He advised that people should use the time at home to pick up a hobby or find something that they wished they had time to learn such as a new language, a musical instrument, or computer programming.

'Just do something you never thought possible. Read philosophy and get smart,' he said. 'Don't just watch escapism television and become braindead and numb to the world.'

And, of course, be believes couples should use the time to have sex while making the best of a bad situation.

Diagnosis: While walking the empty streets of New York City on Tuesday, Dr. Oz explained that 'people get really depressed when they're quarantined'

'Here's the good news. I talked to the surgeon general, Jerome Adams, today, and he believes we're six to eight weeks from being past the worst of this and having beaten this pandemic,' he added. 'That's how long we have to hold our breath for. That's our finishing line.'

Dr. Oz's advice about couples having sex while quarantined comes at a time when people are speculating that there will be a baby boom of pandemic babies who will be called 'coronials' or 'quaranteens.'

Dr. Kevin Kathrotia of Millennium Neonatology told FOX Business that the bars and restaurants closing may result in a spike in births this December.

'Its going to happen. Its probably going to be the biggest baby boom weve seen,' said Kathrotia, who is based in North Carolina. 'Anytime theres the threat of a hurricane, theres a little baby boom.'

'Everyones at home,' he continued. 'Those already with kids are less likely to have a kid, but those married without kids  theres going to be kids in nine months, I can assure you.'

Best solution: Dr. Oz noted that physical intimacy is better than 'getting on each other's nerves.' A couple is pictured kissing at the Barcelona airport in Spain last week

As of Tuesday, there have been 5,244 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US and 94 deaths.

To slow down the spread, President Donald Trump released a series of coronavirus guidelines that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools.

'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room on Monday.

While his guidelines will be revisited after the initial 15-day proposal, Trump warned the virus could affect American life well into the summer.

'People are talking about July, August, something like that,' Trump said. 'They could be right in that period of time where it washes through.'
An artist's illustration of a system designed to help block high-frequency sounds of up to 20 kilohertz. The system comprises tapered chains of Delrin plastic beads (darker beads) alternating with tapered chains of tungsten carbide beads (lighter beads), surrounded by plastic walls. Credit: Robert Rivera, University at Buffalo; Luis Machado, Federal University of Para in Brazil

Need to reduce high-pitched noises? Science may have an answer.

In a new study, theoretical physicists report that materials made from tapered chains of spherical beads could help dampen sounds that lie at the upper range of human hearing or just beyond.

The impacts of such noises on health are uncertain. But some research suggests that effects could include nausea, headaches, dizziness, impaired hearing or other symptoms.

"There is a fair amount of ultrasonic stuff around us, and much of it has effects that are unknown. In warmer areas, you have pest control systems that are strongly reliant on ultrasonic emissions to drive out the pests. You have ultrasonics from machinery, from drilling. Certain lamps may emit these high-frequency noises," says Surajit Sen, Ph.D., professor of physics in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences. "What does it do to our hearing? And in return, what does it do to our brain?

"Because of these unknowns, we thought it would be of potential value to design a system that kills off high-frequency sound."

The new research appears in the February 2020 volume of Granular Matter and was published online in the journal in November 2019.

Sen co-authored the study with Luis Paulo Silveira Machado, Ph.D., professor of physics at the Federal University of Para in Brazil. Machado did part of the work as a visiting scholar at UB with the financial support of his home university, and Sen's research was partially supported by a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship.

The study used computational modeling to explore how well various materials would dampen incoming sounds with frequencies up to 20 kilohertzhigh enough that only some people can hear these noises.

Machado and Sen researched a number of materials, all made from spherical beads of varying sizes surrounded by plastic walls.

The best set-up they found consisted of tapered chains of beads made from a metal called tungsten carbide, alternating with tapered chains of beads made from a plastic called Delrin. In computer simulations, this system effectively helped to filter high-frequency noises of varying loudness, greatly reducing these sounds.

The scientists have not yet tested the material in the laboratory. But if it works, the noise-filtering system could be used in headphones or other barriers that dampen high-frequency sound, the researchers say.

"An advantage of the proposed device is its simple configuration: spherical beads properly confined and positioned," Machado says. "This proposal allows a prototype of easy construction, with low cost and little maintenance. In addition, its configuration is scalable, being adaptable for small or large volumes. Our next step is to redirect the output signals, which is under study."

More information: Luis Paulo Silveira Machado et al. Decorated granular crystal as filter of low-frequency ultrasonic signals, Granular Matter (2019). Luis Paulo Silveira Machado et al. Decorated granular crystal as filter of low-frequency ultrasonic signals,(2019). DOI: 10.1007/s10035-019-0977-4
Fearing they may be infected with the coronavirus, hundreds have flocked in recent days to the Albuquerque hospitals offering drive-up COVID-19 testing, forcing one of the sites to shut temporarily because of dwindling resources and supplies.

Whitney Marquez, a spokeswoman for Lovelace Medical Center, said Monday that the hospital was temporarily putting its drive-up testing site on hold. The hospital was the first to start offering the service in Albuquerque on Friday evening. The site tested hundreds of people before its resources were taxed.

By Monday afternoon, the long lines of people seeking to be tested had spread to the citys West Side. There, a long line of cars snaked through the neighborhoods and streets that surround Presbyterians drive-up COVID-19 testing site.

The line for the test at PresNow, 4515 Coors NW, was so long that portable toilets were set up along the line.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services started offering drive-up testing for the virus Sunday, and more than 300 people were screened that day, said Alyssa Armijo, a hospital spokeswoman.

Lines were still long Monday afternoon.

Armijo said Monday that Presbyterian is requiring patients to be screened before being tested for COVID-19. The hospital screens for symptoms, such as fever and dry cough, and recent travel to coronavirus hot spots or exposure to infected individuals. The screening can be done on the Department of Healths hotline: 1-855-600-3453.

We are not open to the public as a drive-up like a restaurant, Dr. Jeff Salvon-Harman, the chief patient safety officer and medical director of infection control at Presbyterian, said Friday. These drive-ups are a means of lowering exposure risk to other patients and staff.

At the drive-up testing sites, the patients stay in their cars and a health care provider, covered in protective garb, approaches and takes a nasopharngeal swab, which is essentially a deep nasal swab that touches the back of the throat, Salvon-Harman said.

The specimens are then sent to a lab to test for COVID-19 and the results are available 1-3 days later, according to hospital officials.

Officials with the Department of Health didnt respond to calls or emails about testing availability on Monday.

Paul Roth, chancellor of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, said in a university message that UNM had opened a Respiratory Care Center that offers walk-in testing.

Journal photographer Roberto E. Rosales contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:06:36|Editor: ZD

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WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Monday night that his administration will close the polls on Tuesday, the scheduled primary day, due to rapid spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus," DeWine tweeted.

DeWine said Dr. Amy Action, director of the Ohio Department of Health, had signed the order to close all polling locations, and that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose would seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options to Ohioans.

Earlier on Monday, DeWine said he requested a court in the midwest state to grant delay of the state's Tuesday primary to June, but a Franklin County judge ruled in the evening that it would be a "terrible precedent" for a judge to change the date and rule 12 hours before the election takes place, according to local media reports.

Ohio is one of the four states set to vote on Tuesday. The other three -- Arizona, Florida and Illinois -- still plan to hold their primary elections on Tuesday, said the reports.

A number of U.S. states, including Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky, have postponed their primary elections due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Joe Barbuto announced Friday that "the in-person portion" of their state's caucuses was "suspended due to growing concern" over the virus.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday advised people not to gather in groups of more than 10, one day after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended no gatherings with 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.
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The Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) has announced a financial package of $200 million as part of a range of measures to support international efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

The financial package will be deployed via long-term loans, private sector and trade finance facility windows and grants, said OFID.

The Opec Fund will also modify existing loan terms, where necessary, to ensure an appropriate level of concessionality.

Opec Fund Director-General Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: "We have provided dedicated financing to partner countries to address emergency situations before, such as post-Tsunami assistance for several countries in Asia in 2007.

"To channel this funding, we will deploy resources bilaterally to impacted countries and regions, and we will also coordinate closely with the bilateral and multilateral agencies of our member countries, such as the Arab Coordination Group, as well as with the World Bank Group, regional development banks and specialised agencies of the United Nations," he added.

OFID, he added, has also built robust partnerships with a number of specialised agencies working in situations of conflict and disaster.

Dr Alkhalifa stated: "The most recent comparable situation was the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, during which we extended assistance to those actors leading the international response. Our natural partner in health emergencies where immediate action is needed is the World Health Organisation. The national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies throughout the world are also in an excellent position to engage with affected or vulnerable communities.

"We will ensure our assistance reaches the most vulnerable communities quickly and we stand ready to review our efforts as the situation develops," Dr Alkhalifa concluded.
A panel called "The Struggle for the State in Syria" discussed what the future held for Syria and what problems it might face writes Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Academics, journalists, activists and NGO workers met at Chatham House in London this week to discuss the future of Syria nine years after the start of the revolution entitled The Struggle for the State in Syria.

Among the issues examined by the four panels of the Syria Conference 2020 was accountability for war crimes, refugees, governance in regime areas, and the proliferation of non-state actors.

Unlike most Chatham House events, The Struggle for State in Syria was on record, and below are the highlights from the panel discussion.

After nine years of war, the landscape of Syria has been altered beyond recognition with internal actors carving out territories, while outside powers have jostled over influence, land, and resources.

The complex nature of the conflict has seen numerous distinct zones being formed in Syria, including areas controlled by the Syrian regime but under Russian or Iranian influence. Even in Idlib, Hayat Tahrir Al-Shams authority varies form town-to-town.

In parts of northern Syria under Turkish-military control, there have been numerous factors deciding the level of interference by Ankara. The Kurdish-majority city of Afrin has seen the most direct form of rule from Ankara, while Syrian opposition councils have been able to run their own affairs in other towns, Reem Salah said.

Every [Syrian] town is its own universe. They are all connected to some municipality in Turkey, so for example Jarabalus and Al-Bab are connected to Kilis [in Turkey], said Salahi, referring to the areas under Turkish-Syrian rebel control.

Territories run by the Syrian Democratic Forces have also seen the level of direct rule vary from one area to another, depending on the ethnic makeup of the town, said Wladimir van Wilgenburg.

Always they have been a little bit stricter on Kurdish areas because they have ultimately assumed that these people are their supporters, said van Wilgenburg.

For example, on polygamy they are stricter, but they have also implemented a military conscription system in Kurdish areas they are more tough because they dont want the Arab communities to rise-up against them.

In Daraa, which was re-captured by the regime in 2018, there are zones more heavily influenced by Russia or Iran, and others that have come under the direct control of the regime.

Some towns were also given limited autonomy when agreements were made with their surrender by the rebels and Russian military police have acted as conduits between locals and the government on issues of grievances.

I dont think Daraa is under Russian control. Russia has influence over specific areas of Daraa, but it is not under its control, said Haid.

With a stalled economy and currency crisis, sanctions and shortages of basic goods  and ineffective governance  there are plenty of grievances in opposition areas.

Protests have broken out in Suweidah, a majority Druze area, over the dire economic situation, while in Daraa locals have resorted to self-funding and DIY initiatives to fill the void due to the governments ineffectiveness in providing services. Whether this strategy is suitable for the long-term and the viability of regime rule in general remains in question.

Speakers: Khaloud Mansour (Affiliated researcher, Lund University), Zaki Mehchy (Chatham House), Ibrahim Olaibi (Guernica 37), Moderator: Nadim Houry (Arab Reform Initiative)

Governance in Syria has traditionally been dominated by the security apparatus and the Baath Party, Zaki Mehchy explained, but nine-years of war has altered the equilibrium of power in state institutions.

The leaders of the Baath Party are among the network or regime, but the Baath Party as an institution is being used and abused by the regime to control people and state entities, he said.

Ibrahim Olaibi mentioned the issue of law making during the war, where laws have been passed to cover the whole of Syria even when the majority population was living outside regime control. This, he refers to as a method of lawfare by the Syrian regime.

Why does the regime  which has the military power  need to play this legal game and why does it need to use law as a means and method of warfare, he said.

It tells Syrians, I know I only control 50, 60 percent of the land, and I know that none of the laws we pass are ever going to be respected but I can still do it and I can still get away with it. That is its message of power, that I am still in control and I can play dumb and issue these laws and amnesties and still control you.

The distribution of power by non-state actors, such as militias, has also impacted on the distribution of aid.

When talking about non-state actors, its hard to talk about one pattern because its different from one area to another. Sometimes the non-state powers have power and leverage over the regime, and in some areas, they benefit from their presence, said Khaloud Mansour.

Nine years of war has seen the regimes military and intelligence services further dominate the apparatus of the state. Sam Dagher reported from Syria until 2014 and during these years witnessed the subservience of government officials  including ministers  to intelligence officials and militia leaders. They are not shy about telling it the way it is. They were saying we are the ones making the decisions and we actually tell the ministers what to do, Dagher said.

While Dagher interviewed one militia leader, they demonstrated this by picking up the phone and giving instructions to Syrias oil minister.

Dagher said he was also questioned by intelligence officers (posing as officer managers) before and during interviews with leading government officials, highlighting the dominant role of the security apparatus in Syria.

Lina Khatib explained that the breakdown of government rule in regime territories has led militia and intelligence leaders to act as local chieftains.

Pervasive crony capitalism has also seen these actors use their power to benefit affiliated business leaders or themselves. Laws have been curated to allow these transactions to take place, said Khatib.

One example given was Law 48, which allows the private sector to share construction projects with the state, thus providing business owners affiliated with the regime opportunities to generate further profits.

One can argue that this type of law permits rising profiteers to engage in business  in a legitimate way  to line their profits and support the state at the same time, she added.

Nine years of bombing, gas attacks, massacres and torture  predominantly committed by regime forces  has seen half the Syrian population uprooted and more than half of those flee abroad. The ability of the regime to take back opposition territories, completely unopposed by world powers, and Bashar Al-Assads continued grip on power has left the question of accountability as one of the dominant issues for Syrian activists.

It is only fitting to conclude with a session on accountability and the rule of law, simply because dignity  or its lack  has been one of the moving and mobilising forces for Syrians to take to the streets and resist in the last nine years, said moderator Salim Salamah.

There has been a process of normalisation in Syria, there has been propaganda that the war is over, and Russia has started talking about reconstruction, which eventually paves the way to talk about repatriation and that (regime-controlled Syria) is a safe zone, said Sana Mustafa.

The Syrian Womens Political Movement asked displaced women inside and outside Syria what conditions would need to be in place for them to return to their homes. They concluded that the foremost demand was political transition, which is an unlikely scenario given the behaviour of the regime.

Although the return of some wealthier Syrian exiles would be desirable for Russia and the regime, Assad also wants to keep the millions of poorer refugees out of the country.

The regime, at the moment, is trying to cater to a very specific class of people. I think it will go out of its way to make sure those type of Syrians (poorer refugees) do not return to Syria because they are not the Assad regimes problem anymore and I think they want to maintain this, said Rime Allaf.

There is reason for this vicious bombing campaign in Idlib  the hitting of schools, and hospitals, schools and markets  this is a calculated campaign, as we all know, to terrorise the population into surrender but also for them to flee because the fewer Syrians they have to worry about the less they have to do, she added.

Jomana Qaddour, who has worked on the Syrian constitutional committee, said that the regime and its international allies will not allow the US and Europe to obtain a political win out of the oppositions defeat, thus making political negotiations challenging without firmer action.

To have a genuine political negotiation you absolutely have to have leverage. Having the moral high ground is not enough frankly that is a problem we face. Our allies  the United States and Europe  are not applying the kind of leverage that would give us something to use against the regime or put on the table, said Qaddour.

I see little reason for them to concede what they have fought very hard to obtain.

The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
(Bloomberg) -- The coronavirus pandemic is spurring purchases of computer monitors, keyboards and webcams as millions of workers are forced to turn dining tables, spare rooms and other domestic space into home offices.

Many of the worlds largest companies have told employees to work from home, and several areas are imposing stricter limitations on movement. Thats causing people to rush out and buy items theyre used to having at the office.

San Francisco Tells People Stay Home; Roche Tests: Virus Update

Michael Thompson, an account executive at startup Human Interest, was in an Office Depot in Silicon Valley on Sunday morning trying to buy a monitor. His company is letting employees expense up to $100 for this home-office equipment. He asked a salesman about 27-inch models, but they were sold out.Ill just go to Best Buy, Thompson said.Best Buy is sold out and theyre sending people here, the salesman replied. Thompson ending up getting a 24-inch monitor made by Acer Inc. for $99 -- one of six monitors available for sale in the store at the time.

Demand from Thompson and other workers is a rare bright spot for the technology industry as it faces a slump in economic activity and supply-chain disruptions from the pandemic. About 14% of people planning to work from home are buying new tech equipment, according to an online survey with more than 3,000 respondents by CivicScience on Monday.

Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc., AU Optronics Corp. and BOE Technology Group supply the displays that go into monitors sold by companies such as HP Inc., Dell Technologies Inc. and Acer. Microsoft Corp. and Logitech International SA dominate the market for high-end keyboards and mice favored by tech workers.

Logitech is one of the best-positioned companies in the face of a global pandemic, as its products enhanced a persons ability to be both entertained and productive at home, Wedbush Securities analysts wrote in a recent note to investors. As more people choose to or are encouraged to work from home, we expect demand to surge for Logitechs Creativity & Productivity products, along with Video Collaboration.

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Logitech shares edged higher in Swiss trading on Monday, while most European stocks slumped on concern about the pandemic. On Tuesday, Logitech jumped 3.4%.

HP said on Tuesday that demand for its products is holding and its factories are steadily coming online. The company is monitoring customer needs as circumstances change, it said in a statement.

The Office Depot on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco was mostly sold out of monitors on Saturday. Its just like toilet paper and hand sanitizer, said a salesman.

Some of the top product searches on Amazon.com Inc. last week were for hand sanitizer and other products to prevent the spread of the virus, but webcams and monitors are shooting up the rankings now, according to analysis by Marketplace Pulse.Computer monitor rose 410 spots and webcam shot up 1,297 places on the list of most widely used search terms, according to the market researcher. Docking stations from Dell and Microsoft, which connect laptops to monitors and other tech gear, have also risen the ranks of best-sellers in Amazons electronics categories.

The personal computers at the center of all this new gadgetry are mostly being brought home from workers offices. That will likely limit any PC sales bump. Many people already have laptops at home, too.Most large organizations provide knowledge workers with company laptops regardless of location, said Mikako Kitagawa, an analyst at research firm Gartner.Before the virus outbreak caught hold in Europe and the U.S., IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani was estimating that PC shipments would drop 8.4% in the first quarter.I dont think its enough to turn the PC market around, he said.

(Updates with HP comment in 10th paragraph.)

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 05:17:32|Editor: huaxia

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A Chinese expert gives instructions on washing hands in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 16, 2020. A Chinese expert team on Monday delivered medical aid to Iraq as part of China's efforts to increase Iraq's capabilities of combating the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese expert team on Monday delivered medical aid to Iraq as part of China's efforts to increase Iraq's capabilities of combating the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus.

At a ceremony at the Chinese embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Tao Zhongquan, head of the Chinese team, handed over the aid, including lab equipment and medical supplies, to Hassan al-Tamimi, director general of the Medical City facility in Baghdad.

"The goal of the visit of the Chinese expert team to Baghdad is to share the Chinese experience with their Iraqi counterparts," Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao said, adding that a new laboratory will be established to diagnose the novel coronavirus next week.

Iraq's Health Ministry on Monday confirmed one more death from COVID-19 and six new cases, bringing the total number of the infected in the country to 133.

"We came to Baghdad to transfer our expertise to Iraq," Tao said. "As long as we make joint efforts, we have complete confidence in overcoming it."

For his part, al-Tamimi hailed China's efforts to help Iraq, asserting that China has great experience in treatment and diagnosis of the coronavirus. After a nationwide campaign to fight the COVID-19 outbreak launched since late January, China has so far largely achieved success in taking the epidemic under control.

"In the coming days we will witness more cooperation in the field of training the Iraqi physicians and the medical workers on how to treat this disease," al-Tamimi added.

He believed that the Iraqi medics will make progress with the Chinese support through learning how to create the mechanisms of preventing the virus transmission, gaining better knowledge of its initial diagnosis and treatment, and following up the patients after recovery.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese team visited a community center for Palestinian refugees in Baghdad, giving health instructions on avoiding infection with the coronavirus, including how to wear facial masks, avoid crowded places, and wash hands often.

Yasin al-Ma'mouri, head of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua that the Chinese help will have tremendous impact on the efforts of the Iraqi health authorities to control the new coronavirus pandemic.

Mohammed Khairi, a resident from the Palestinian community in Baladiyat neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, told Xinhua that he benefited a lot from the advices given by the Chinse experts on how to prevent the infection.

On March 7, the seven-member Chinese expert team arrived in Baghdad to help Iraq fight the novel coronavirus. The team is expected to stay in the country for one month.
China on Tuesday assured Pakistan it is paying close attention to the situation in Jammu & Kashmir and that it opposes any unilateral actions in the region, prompting New Delhi to say that it expects Beijing not to comment on Indias internal affairs.

The reference to Kashmir was included in a joint statement issued at the end of Pakistan President Arif Alvis maiden visit to China amid the coronavirus pandemic. The two sides also spoke about making the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a high-quality demonstration project of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chinese side underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation and reiterated that the Kashmir issue was a dispute left from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements, the joint statement added.

It added that China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation in Kashmir. The statement further said both sides had exchanged views on the situation in Kashmir, and the Pakistan side had briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues.

Pakistan and China also said the new phase of development of CPEC will promote industrialisation and socio-economic development. Both sides hoped that the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting of CPEC, to be held soon, will further contribute to making CPEC a High-Quality Demonstration Project of BRI, the statement said.

In a terse response soon after, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India rejects the reference to Jammu & Kashmir in the joint statement. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Issues related to J&K are [an] internal matter of India, he said.

We expect other countries, including China, not to comment on matters that are internal affairs of India and also to respect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries, he said.

India also strongly objected to and reiterated its concerns to China and Pakistan on projects in the so-called illegal China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947, Kumar said.

India is resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan-occupied J&K. We call on parties concerned to cease such actions. Such illegal activities will never be accepted by India, he said.

India has consistently opposed CPEC because a key part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The reference to Kashmir in the joint statement was in line with Chinas strong opposition to Indias decision to revoke Jammu & Kashmirs special status last August. New Delhi had dismissed Beijings criticism, saying this was an internal matter that did not impact international boundaries.

Alvi met President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and the chairperson of Chinas parliament, Li Zhanshu. Alvis visit is being as seen Pakistans show of solidarity with China at a time when it is grappling with the worst public health crisis since the countrys formation under Communist rule in 1949.

During the meetings, China acknowledged Pakistans efforts to fight terrorism and combat terror financing. Beijing also expressed its solidarity with Islamabad in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty, independence, and security, and both sides reaffirmed their support on issues concerning each others core national interests.

Xi personally thanked Alvi for visiting China at a critical time and expressed gratitude for Pakistans gesture of support and solidarity. Pakistan continued its support to China in Xinjiang, where Beijing has been accused of serious human rights violations against Muslim minorities.
The Oklahoma Workers Compensation Commission (WCC) said it is striking all commission dockets in Oklahoma City and Tulsa set during the week of March 16, and has closed the administrative offices in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa for two days  March 16 and March 17  as a precaution due to the spread of COVID-19.

Commission dockets will be reset, and case filing deadlines will be extended once commission administrative hearing operations are reestablished.

WCC employees will remain at home on paid administrative leave during the two days of office closure..

In Louisiana, the Office of Workers Compensation said court appearances will continue between March 16 and March 27. After those dates they will be rescheduled on an expedited basis. No court appearance are allowed to be conducted by phone.

In addition, all in-person mediation conferences shall be continued between March 16 and March 27, and rescheduled afterwards on an expedited basis.

Because of the COVID-19 coronavirus, facsimile filing should be encouraged as much as possible, inasmuch as the state desires to limit unnecessary personal interactions and to promote social distancing, the OWC said.

In Texas, the Division of Workers Compensation reported that beginning March 16, the division would hold Benefit Review Conferences by telephone. DWC staff will contact parties to provide details.

Contested Case Hearings (CCH) scheduled for March 16-27, 2020, will be rescheduled. Beginning March 30, 2020, CCHs will resume and be conducted by telephone. Parties should send exhibits they will offer into evidence to DWC and other parties at least three business days prior to the scheduled CCH. DWC encourages parties to use encrypted email or fax when exchanging evidence.







Topics Workers' Compensation Louisiana Oklahoma
The Night Watchman

Louise Erdrich Corsair 20

Its 1953 and Thomas Wazhushk leaves Turtle Mountain Reservation and travels to Washington, striving to defeat legislation that would abolish native tribes and relocate Native Americans.

Meanwhile, in one of several subplots, Thomass feisty niece Pixie searches for her sister in Minneapoliss nastier precincts.

Erdrichs restless eye captures moments and years of the North Dakota reservations hardscrabble life and rich traditions. Ghosts unnerve, spirits dance, and magic may be why a foiled rapist gets a twisted mouth. A beguiling storyteller.

Jeffrey Burke

English Monsters

James Scudamore Jonathan Cape 16.99

Max Denyer is ten years old when hes torn from the rugged cheerfulness of his grandparents home and sent to board at the local prep school.

Its a place of institutional violence yet its only later, as he makes his way in the adult world, that he learns it was also a haven for paedophiles who left some of his friends traumatised for life.

One of the two school masters responsible is sent to prison  but will the other ever be brought to justice? A brave stab at a grim subject.

Anthony Gardner

This Lovely City

Louise Hare HQ 12.99

Brixton, 1950. Lawrie is a young Jamaican who arrived on the Windrush two years previously, hoping for a better life but was instead greeted by daily racism and abuse.

Now employed and in love, things seem to be looking up when he comes across the body of a mixed-race baby in the pond on Clapham Common, and finds himself a prime suspect in a murder investigation.

This is a timely first novel of real promise. Confidently written, compellingly plotted and atmospheric in its portrayal of post-war Londons austerity, it shines a light on the prejudice and fear at its heart.

Simon Humphreys
Sri Lanka - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Sydney, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Sri Lanka outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Sri-Lanka-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses





Sri Lanka prepares for 5G auction

Sri Lanka is building a national fibre network linked to numerous international cables. This 45,000km network, built and managed by Sri Lanka Telecom, will serve as the backbone for fixed broadband and mobile services, including 5G.

The governments Board of Investment of Sri Lanka supports the development of the telecom sector. Its funding as approved in 2018 and 2019 provided significant investment for network expansion and upgrades to mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure.

The market is now preparing to move from 4G towards 5G mobile services. Dialog Axiata and Mobitel conducted pre-commercial 5G trials during 2019, and Dialog has thus far repurposed 20% of its LTE antennae for 5G.

The fierce competition in the mobile market pushed Hutchison Lanka to merge with Etisalat Lanka in December 2018, being rebranded as Hutch and becoming the third largest operator in the country.

Sri Lanka has seen a very strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past six years, driven by rising usage of online video and the price drop of LTE-enabled smartphones. However, the market remains at an early stage of development, with penetration well below most other developed Asian countries. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years at least.

Fixed broadband penetration in Sri Lanka remains very low, partly due to poor fixed-line infrastructure and partly to the dominance of the mobile platform. However, the market has developed well over the last few years, albeit from a low base, and is supported by the two main telcos providing bundled service offerings including mobile, fixed broadband and video content. The telecom sector overall is being bolstered by the continuous expansion of the fibre and LTE networks, as well as growing investment in 5G.

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Key developments:

Dialog Axiata and Mobitel (Group SLT) run 5G pre-commercial tests, aiming to invest $254 million in network expansion;

Fixed broadband penetration remains relatively low but is growing steadily;

Maldives Sri Lanka Cable (MSC) is commisioned, expected to be lit at end-2020,

Telecommunication Levy is reduced to 11.25% of telecom service revenue;

High mobile penetration leading to slow-down in market growth;

Mobile broadband subscriber growth continuing steadily, supported by wider LTE coverage and cheaper LTE-enabled devices;

Telco market remains resilient despite the difficult macro environment (economic crises, presidential election and terrorist attacks);

Report update includes the regulators market data to December 2019, telcos operating and financial data for Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

SLT (Sri Lanka Telecom), Mobitel, Dialog Axiata; DNB (Dialog Axiata group), Etisalat Sri Lanka; Hutchison Lanka (Hutch); Bharti Airtel Lanka, Lanka Bell, Suntel.

Table of Contents

Key statistics

Regional Asian market comparison

Country overview Background

Telecommunications market Market analysis

Regulatory environment Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) National Policy on Telecommunications Telecom Levy Mobile network developments Pricing

Mobile market Mobile statistics Mobile infrastructure Towers 5G 4G (LTE) 3G Mobile broadband VoLTE MIMO Major mobile operators Dialog Axiata Mobitel Etisalat Sri Lanka Hutchison Lanka Airtel Lanka Mobile content and applications m-Commerce

Fixed-line broadband market Introduction Fixed broadband statistics Fixed-line broadband technologies Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Wireless broadband/WiMAX Wi-Fi Wireless Local Loop (WLL) Project Loon National Broadband Network Fibre-optic networks Fibre to the Building (FttB)

Fixed network operators Overview of operators SLT (Sri Lanka Telecom) Lanka Bell Dialog Broadband Networks (DBN)

Telecommunications infrastructure Introduction Fixed-line statistics International infrastructure Submarine Data centres Smart infrastructure Internet of Things (IoT) Smart Cities

Digital economy E-commerce E-government e-Health e-Education School Net project Connect To Learn Project in Kandy

Appendix  Historical data

Related reports





List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  2020 (e)

Table 2  Population coverage by type of mobile network

Table 3  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2009 2024

Table 4  Growth in the number of mobile towers  2014  2018

Table 5  Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2024

Table 6  Mobile operators and systems

Table 7  Mobile operator subscribers and market share  2019

Table 8  Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator  2009  2019

Table 9  Development of Dialog Axiatas subscribers, annual growth  2009  2019

Table 10  Development of Dialog Axiatas prepaid /postpaid subscribers and market share  2009  2019

Table 11  Development of Dialog Axiatas mobile ARPU  2007  2019

Table 12  Development of Dialog Axiatas revenue, capex and NPAT  2009  2019

Table 13  Growth in the number of Mobitels subscribers  2009  2019 (e)

Table 14  Growth in Mobitels revenue and EBITDA  2009  2019

Table 15  Development of SLTs mobile capex 2014  2018

Table 16  Growth in the number of Hutchison Lankas mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Table 17  Hutchison Lanka financial data  2017  2019

Table 18  Growth in the number of Airtel Lankas subscribers  2009  2019

Table 19  Development of Airtel Lankas financial data  2017  2019

Table 20  Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers  2009  2024

Table 21  Growth in fibre-optic network length 2014  2018

Table 22  Number of telecom operator licenses by category  2019

Table 23  Development of SLT Groups revenue by sector  2014  2019

Table 24  Development of SLT Groups capex by sector  2014  2018

Table 25  Growth in the number of SLTs fixed broadband subscribers  2015  2018

Table 26  Development of DBNs fixed broadband and fixed 4G subscriber base  2009  2019

Table 27 - Growth in DBNs revenue  2009  2019

Table 28 - Development of DBNs EBITDA and net profit  2014  2019

Table 29  Decline in the number of fixed-line connections and penetration  2009  2024

Table 30  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2009  2017

Table 31  Historic - Mobile subscribers, annual change and penetration  1995  2010

Table 32  Historic - Dialog Axiata prepaid /postpaid subscribers in millions and market share  2004  2009

Table 33  Historic - Etisalat Sri Lanka subscribers - 2004  2010

Table 34  Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration  2002  2011

Table 35  Historic - DSL subscribers  2003  2014

Table 36  Historic - WLL subscribers  1996  2016

Table 37  Historic - SLT fixed-line subscribers  1999  2014

Table 38  Historic  fixed-line subscribers, annual change and penetration  1995  2005

Table 39  Historic - Fixed subscribers  wireline and wireless (WLL) - 2009  2016

Table 40  Historic - Lanka Bell fixed-line subscribers  1999  2014

Table 41  Historic - International internet bandwidth  1998  2009

Table 42  Historic - Key broadcasting statistics  2016

List of Charts

Chart 1  Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category

Chart 2  Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 3  Telecoms Maturity Index  Central Asia

Chart 4  Mobile, mobile broadband and fixed broadband penetration  2019; 2024

Chart 5  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2009 2024

Chart 6  Growth in the number of mobile towers  2014  2018

Chart 7  Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Chart 8  Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator  2009  2019

Chart 9  Development of Dialog Axiatas subscribers, annual growth  2009  2019

Chart 10  Development of Dialog Axiatas prepaid /postpaid subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 11  Development of Dialog Axiatas revenue, capex and NPAT  2009  2019

Chart 12  Growth in the number of Mobitels subscribers  2009  2019 (e)

Chart 13  Growth in Mobitels revenue and EBITDA  2009  2019

Chart 14  Development of SLTs mobile capex 2014  2018

Chart 15  Growth in the number of Airtel Lankas subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 16  Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers  2009  2024

Chart 17  Development of SLT Groups revenue by sector  2014  2019

Chart 18  Development of SLT Groups capex by sector  2014  2018

Chart 19  Growth in the number of SLTs fixed broadband subscribers  2015  2018

Chart 20  Growth in DBNs revenue  2009  2019

Chart 21  Development of DBNs EBITDA and net profit  2014  2019

Chart 22  Decline in the number of fixed-line connections and penetration  2009  2024

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  Central Asia -Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 3  Hutch Lanka spectrum concessions





Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Sri-Lanka-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Nicolas Bombourg

nbombourg@budde.com.au



Within Australia

(02) 8076 7665



Outside Australia

+44 207 097 1241


In the span of a few days, coronavirus has upended American higher education. More than 400 colleges have canceled classes or moved them online to slow the virus's spread. While some schools hope that the shift will be temporary, others have confirmed that in-person classes and events will be canceled for the rest of the semester.The nationwide closures mark what could easily be the most massive and sudden shake-up of higher education to date. For many students and faculty alike, the swift switch to online learning has cast dramatic uncertainty on the rest of the school year.The uniting theme of university announcements last week has been one of proactive precaution. As university leaders monitor the evolving risk of coronavirus outbreaks hitting their campuses, many have made decisions motivated by concerns that an on-campus outbreak would overwhelm local health facilities, especially as supplies of masks and coronavirus test kits remain low.Locally, the University of North Carolina system, Duke University, and Elon University have all canceled in-person classes and shifted to online learning.Ohio State University president Michael Drake recognized that while the university's switch to online instruction will present a "Herculean task," he and other administrators felt an urgent need to act before the virus hit campus.he said at a press conference on Tuesday.While many schools are allowing students to stay on campus as classes move online, they have noted that plans to resume in-person instruction this semester are only tentative. For example, the University of Virginia announced on Wednesday that it will run its classes online until at least April 5, and cautioned that the cancellation of in-person classes will lastOther schools, including Harvard and MIT, have already decided to stick to online instruction for the rest of the semester and have asked students to move out of their dorms.Most schools that have asked students to leave have noted that exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for students who cannot go home due to extenuating circumstances. However, orders to vacate on short notice have left students scrambling to make plans.said Chase Reid, a sophomore studying economics at MIT. He was surprised when the school ordered students to leave their dorms so quickly: The announcement was made on Tuesday, March 10 and students are required to leave by noon on Tuesday, March 17.Students and parents are also concerned about the financial impacts of the online shift. While some schools with large endowments, including Harvard, Brown, and Princeton, have announced that they will refund prorated room and board costs to students forced to return home, not all schools have announced plans. Because of the high cost of issuing refunds, some schools may not be able to afford them For students and faculty at schools that are suddenly moving classes online, the future seems foggy as students question how the change will work and instructors try to make the switch as smooth as possible.Colette Feehan, a doctoral student who teaches a large linguistics class at Indiana University, is hopeful that she can maintain quality instruction but is concerned about the university's ability to adapt.she said. Her biggest concern is that she and other instructors won't be able to see whether students are absorbing the material to adapt their lectures accordingly.she said.Other classes are even harder to transition.said Priya Thoresen, who teaches studio art at the University of Minnesota.she said,Some schools that have already made the switch have experienced challenges. The transition "hasn't been amazing," said Violet Sinnarkar, a senior studying data science at the University of California, Berkeley.Since this is her final semester in college, she decided to take a lot of "bucket list" classes in subjects about which she really wanted to learn. For most of them, the transition online has been choppy at best.she said.Sinnarkar said.She is worried that Berkeley will follow other schools that have made final decisions to keep students learning online for the rest of the semester.While online instruction may not be ideal, experts suggest that students and faculty may just have to make the most of it for the near future. Gregory Gray, professor of medicine, global health, and environmental health at Duke University, said that transitioning to online instruction shows that leaders take coronavirus seriously. He also noted that the risk of the virus may not dissipate soon.Gray said.Schools with strong online infrastructures, such as MIT, are much more prepared for the shift. At Indiana, though, Feehan is worried about instructors whoshe said. While Indiana University and other schools that have moved classes online are doing their best to offer around-the-clock support as instructors prepare online classes, glitches seem inevitable.Transitioning can also be an issue for students, especially those who lack internet access at home and will no longer have easy-to-reach tech support once they leave campus. Recognizing the limits of internet access, Berea College in Kentucky canceled its classes for the remainder of the semester.Since the cancellations began, instructors across the country have gathered online to share tips about how to take classes online. Some professors can already speak from experience: Tim Bonebrake, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, has been teaching online classes since early February.Bonebrake wrote for Small Pond Science But he remains optimistic about his ability to help his students learn, even though two of his classes have large laboratory components.he said in a Martin Center interview.Of course, maintaining that level of involvement takes a lot of effort.he said.
Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur has said that people should not panic on the issue of coronavirus and take precautions instead.

The MoS Finance also said that the Prime Minister has asked all the MPs to create awareness when they find time and on weekends.

"Need to take precaution and not panic," said Anurag Thakur.

The Government has already issued certain guidelines on the issue of spread of COVID-19, the government on Monday prohibited the entry of passengers from the European countries and Turkey as a precautionary measure from March 18 to 31. The government also announced to expand the minimum quarantine for people travelling to India from the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

He said the decision will come into effect from March 18 12:00 GMT, at the port of first departure.

He also said that the government has prohibited the entry of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the UK to India with effect from March 18.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and new cases in Karnataka, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala.
The Central Railway on Tuesday



announced cancellation of 23 outstation trains saying the step was taken to contain the spread of coronavirus and also due to non-occupancy of trains.

The list includes some popular trains originating from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur like the Deccan Express, Nandigram Express and Pragati Express from Wednesday till April 1, a CR release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tuolumne County Public Health Department View Photo

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne Countys Health Department is providing a rundown of the latest local information related to coronavirus. The most recent updates are here.

You can find it below:

Governor Newsom on 3/15/20, called for individuals age 65 and those with chronic health conditions to isolate in place. This has prompted the Health & Human Services Agency to take immediate action. We are working on a process to contact every individual who is receiving In-Home Supportive Services and CalFresh to determine if individuals have the resources to shelter in place. We are also reaching out to our community partners to gather information from people who may lack appropriate resources.

Tuolumne County School Districts have announced plans to temporarily close in response to COVID-19. Schools will be closed effective Monday, March 16th through March 30th, unless circumstances indicate an extension.

There are currently no known cases in Tuolumne County

The Public Health Department has activated its Department Operations Center (DOC) to effectively respond to the COVID-19 incident, including communication and coordination with our federal, state, and local partners

Dr. Eric Sergienko, 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. Click HERE for the declaration. 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 current recommended guidance

Tests that will be conducted through the Public Health laboratory system are coordinated with our 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 our 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

Please review the guidance details here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Gathering_Guidance_03.11.20.pdf

The acting County Health Officer, Dr. Sergienko has issued an order to support and implement these state recommendations in Tuolumne County.

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: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fpreparing-individuals-communities.htmlThe California Department of Public Health (CDPH) also has specific guidance documents available here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx

Practice everyday prevention actions to stay healthy

*Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or with hand sanitizer if soap is not available

*Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

*If you are ill, stay home. If other family members are ill, including children, keep them home.

*Practice social distancing: put more space between yourself and others. About 6 feet is good, if you can

*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
M etropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick today vowed to keep her officers on the streets to continue the fight against violent crime and help Londoners overcome the fear and uncertainty caused by coronavirus.

Dame Cressida said the capital had faced the darkest of times before, including during the 2017 terror attacks, as she emphasised the grave nature of the threat being posed by the current pandemic.

But she said that the capital had pulled through then and could do so again now by displaying the same resilience as she promised that the Met would do everything possible to play its part.

The fast-moving nature of this pandemic presents many challenges that are new, Dame Cressida said in an article for the Evening Standard.

But I want to reassure you that much also remains the same. Our brave, dedicated and professional officers are, and will be, out there on our streets and supporting your community.

We are here to support people and to continue to perform our primary function  to protect lives and prevent crime wherever we can.

Dame Cressida has moved to reassure the public / Met Police

Dame Cressida said she had given assistant commissioner Mark Simmons, whom she described as one of Britains most experienced police officers, the task of stretching and flexing officers and resources to cope with the impact of the virus.

The Met was also doing everything we can to keep our staff fit and well so that they could continue to focus on my number one priority  bearing down on violent crime.

Fewer than 10 of the Mets more than 31,000 officers are known to have been confirmed as infected with coronavirus so far.

The Commissioner added: Policing has always been about responding to risk and balancing priorities with finite resources  and doing so as safely as possible.

The men and women of the Met joined the Job to help people and that is what we will always do. Like the city itself, the Met is deeply resilient.

We have many challenges facing us but we will meet them with our usual positivity. This is not the first time that London has faced a crisis and I think back to the response to the terrible terrorist atrocities of 2017.

In the darkest of times the values of tolerance, unity and kindness shone through. They will serve us well now. The Met is liaising with the Government and City Hall to keep abreast of the latest developments relating to the virus and following the advice of Public Health England in relation to its own staff and officers.

Some officers are being issued with masks and will wear them when judged appropriate as they carry out their duties.

Scotland Yard has emphasised, however, that the sight of an officer wearing a mask does not amount to confirmation that any person involved in an incident has Covid-19 because the measure is being taken as precaution.

The Commissioner yesterday went on patrol in Croydon with a team of more than 30 officers as part of work to drive down violence in the borough.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. More than 2000 people have responded to the Ministry of Healthcares March 16 appeal for volunteers, spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan said in a statement on social media.

Dear countrymen, the Ministry of Healthcare thanks you for the rapid and heartfelt response to yesterdays announcement on recruiting volunteers with the purpose of implementing various actions amid the novel coronavirus situation. More than 2000 people have already registered and expressed readiness to be involved in the ministrys works. At this phase we have sufficient information on volunteers and thats why we are temporarily suspending our appeal for new volunteers, Healthcare Ministry spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan said.

On March 16th, the Armenian government declared a state of emergency until April 14th over the novel coronavirus outbreak.

As of March 17, 16:00 (GMT+4), the number of confirmed cases stands at 64, with one recovered patient.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio says the COVID-19 outbreak may prompt a shelter in place order this week.

The mayor warned New Yorkers to be ready for the order within the next 48 hours, saying city officials and medical personnel were preparing for an onslaught" by ramping up testing capacity and building tents and other medical facilities.

Nearly 1,000 people have contracted the deadly strain of coronavirus in New York City, according to The New York Times.

I have never heard of anything like (a shelter in place order) in the history of New York, he told reporters in a news conference. Were going to have to create it from scratch.

He said he does not assume the military would play a role in such an order, which he described as a very serious and complex call that would require further coordination with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state officials.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Wed work with the state and use the (New York Police Department) and we would ... have to create some kind of monitoring system that made sense, he said, leaving leeway for residents to go to grocery stores and pharmacies.

We have a very few days and weeks to prepare for a massive number of cases, De Blasio said. We have to realize the extent of this crisis and deal with people in the greatest need.

A New York state panel a few years ago found the city may be short more than 15,000 ventilators weekly during the peak of a flulike pandemic in a worst-case scenario, The Times reported.
Subway shall be closed in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro effective Tuesday, March 17.

The Ukrainian Government at its extraordinary meeting overnight Tuesday decided to suspend all air, rail and bus services between cities and regions of Ukraine, according to Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy.

"From March 18, rail, air and bus intercity and interregional passenger transportations are banned. The national police will monitor compliance with these standards. From 12:00 on March 18, Ukraine suspends railway, air, bus intercity and interregional passenger traffic, and from March 17 the subway stops working in cities," he wrote on Telegram.

Up to 10 passengers in cabin shall be allowed in urban transport  buses, trolleybuses, trams, and shuttle vans.

Read alsoUkraine suspends regular passenger traffic with the rest of the world

No restrictions have been imposed on driving motor vehicles.

People's Deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko, who attended the extraordinary government meeting, confirmed the information in his Telegram channel.

"The Commission on industrial safety and emergency situations, chaired by prime minister, decided to close the subway in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro on March 17," he wrote.
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 18, 2020 06:14 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b62396 1 SE Asia COVID-19,Malaysia,lockdown,Indonesian-Embassy,Kuala-Lumpur,Wuhan-coronavirus,passport,visa-application,consular-assistance,suspension Free

The Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has announced that it will suspend consular services during the partial coronavirus lockdown in Malaysia and resume operations in April after the policy ends.

The Malaysian government has announced that it will enforce a partial lockdown to restrict the movement of people in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 after the country experienced a recent surge in confirmed cases.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced on Monday evening that the policy would be effective from Wednesday until March 31, urging the people to abide by the restrictions, as he added that the country's national security council would meet daily to monitor the situation, The Star reported.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Indonesian Embassy said it would only provide new applications for passport extensions through online registration during the lockdown. Meanwhile, successful applicants who want to pick up their visas and passports will be served as usual.

Services related to the issuance of travel documents in lieu of a passport (SPLP) for Indonesians, visa application, citizenship and other consular services will be resumed on April 1 in accordance with the development of policies made by Malaysian authorities.

Read also: Indonesians in Malaysia remain calm as they prepare for lockdown

The Indonesian mission said it supported the new policy enacted by the authorities to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The embassy will make sure that all Indonesians [in Malaysia] are protected and healthy, the statement said.

The embassy further called on Indonesian citizens to avoid mass gatherings, remain vigilant and keep updated on announcements made by the Malaysian government or the Indonesian Embassy itself as well as abide by the rules put in place by Malaysian authorities in order to fight the disease.

Related information from the authorities regarding the movement restriction or partial lockdown can be accessed through a hotline at 03-88882010.

As of Tuesday, Malaysia had recorded at least 566 confirmed cases. Nearly two-thirds of the new cases are linked to an Islamic gathering attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 from other countries, Reuters reported.

Three Indonesians were also infected at the event.
(Reuters) - Airlines across the globe are feeling the pain as travel demand withers because of the coronavirus outbreak. Several have scrapped flights and ditched financial forecasts.

Below is a list of how the world's biggest airlines have responded:

AIR FRANCE KLM

Air France KLM will park its biggest airliners and slash services by up to 90% over the next few days, it said on March 16. The group said it had identified measures to save 200 million euros ($223 million) in 2020 and ways to cut its capital expenditure by 350 million euros.

AIR NEW ZEALAND

Air New Zealand said on March 16 it would cut long-haul capacity by 85% in the coming months and look to lay off some permanent employees. The domestic network would be reduced by 30% in April and May, while the directors will take a 15% pay cut until the end of this year.

The airline has withdrawn its full-year earnings outlook, frozen hiring and offered unpaid leave to staff.

AMERICAN AIRLINES INC

American Airlines plans to cut 75% of its international flights through May 6 and ground nearly all its widebody fleet.

DELTA AIR LINES

Delta said it has seen net bookings fall by 25% to 30% and expected the situation to worsen further.

The airline is cutting domestic capacity by 10% to 15% and international by 20% to 25%, freezing hiring, offering voluntary leave options to staff and looking at early retirement of older aircraft.

FINNAIR

Finnair on March 16 issued its second profit warning in three weeks, saying it would report a substantial comparable operating loss for 2020 as it was cutting around 90% of its normal capacity from the beginning of April.

On March 17, Finnair said it would cancel most of its flights until the end of June as it starts transitioning to a limited network.

IAG

International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways and Iberia, said it would cut its flying capacity by at least 75% in April and May.

The group detailed cost cuts including a freeze on discretionary spending, working hours reductions and a temporary suspension of employment contracts.

Story continues

On March 17 the UK pilot union BALPA said that British Airways was due to make an unspecified number of pilots redundant.

IAG said 2021 capacity was likely to be lower than planned, and that the crisis would accelerate the permanent retirement of dozens of aircraft. It could not provide profit guidance for the current financial year.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP

JetBlue, which pulled its first-quarter and 2020 earnings forecast, said it was adjusting schedules between March and early May and was considering more flight cancellations.

JetBlue said the outbreak was expected to make at least a six percentage-point dent in its total revenue per available seat mile in the first quarter.

The carrier was considering voluntary time-off programs for employees, delaying some hiring and increasing the frequency with which it cleans aircraft.

DEUTSCHE LUFTHANSA AG

The German carrier cut long-haul capacity by up to 90% from March 17, and said it would only operate 20% of planned intra-Europe flights. It had previously said it would slash up to half the flights across its stable of airlines from April.

NORWEGIAN AIR

Norwegian Air said on March 16 it would cancel 85% of its flights and temporarily lay off 7,300 employees. The cancellations add to an already difficult financial situation at Norwegian, which has scrapped its 2020 outlook and lost 70% of its market value this year.

QANTAS AIRWAYS

Qantas Airways said on March 16 it would be making fresh cuts to its flying schedule beyond the 25% reduction in international capacity it announced previously.

CEO Alan Joyce will take no salary for the rest of the current financial year, the management team will receive no bonuses and all staff are being encouraged to take paid or unpaid leave, it said.

The airline said it could no longer provide guidance on the outbreak's financial impact.

RYANAIR

The Irish airline said on March 16 it would ground most of its aircraft in Europe over the next seven to ten days, expected to cut seat capacity by 80% for the next two months, and could even ground its entire fleet.

RUSSIA

Russia's airlines could lose 100 billion roubles ($1.4 billion) due to the outbreak and risk going bankrupt, the head of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency told the Interfax news agency.

SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES

SAS said on March 15 it would temporarily halt most of its traffic starting from March 16 "until there are yet again conditions to conduct commercial aviation".

The airline said this would trigger temporary lay-offs of up to 10,000 employees, or 90% of the airline's total workforce.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Singapore Airlines said on March 17 it was set to operate only 50% of the capacity planned up to end of April.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO

Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly is taking a 10% pay cut and was quoted in a media report as saying the carrier may ground airplanes and furlough employees, if conditions continue to worsen.

Southwest will take other steps to reduce costs, such as freezing hiring for non-frontline workers, according to the report. (https://on.wsj.com/2wLtuvs)

SPIRIT AIRLINES

The U.S. airline said it was cutting fares by up to 70% and trimming April capacity by about 5%.

UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC

The Chicago-based airline said on March 15 it would cut corporate officers' salaries by 50% and reduce flight capacity by about 50% in April and May, with deep capacity cuts also expected into the summer travel period.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Virgin Atlantic, the UK-based airline, said it would ground 75% of its fleet by 26 March and by up to 85% at points in April, as it cancelled more flights due to the outbreak.

WESTJET AIRLINES

Canadian WestJet suspended all international and transborder flights for 30 days from March 22 and reduced its domestic schedule by 50%. (https://bit.ly/2Udcne7)

(Compiled by Ankit Ajmera and Rachit Vats in Bengaluru, Milla Nissi and Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Mark Potter)
17.03.2020 LISTEN

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is blaming Mondays power outage in parts of the national capital- Accra on a technical issue from the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo).

In a communique, ECG explained that the outage being experienced in parts of Accra and other ECG operational areas is due to a technical challenge from GRIDCo.

While apologizing for the inconvenience caused, ECG assured that the power supply will be restored to the affected areas once the glitches are resolved.

Customers should please note that power supply will be restored to all affected areas immediately GRIDCo rectifies the situation. The inconvenience caused bu this technical challenge from GRIDCo is deeply regretted.

Areas such as Adabraka, Lapaz, North Kaneshie are some of the areas in Accra affected by Mondays blackout.

In the past weeks, there has been a widespread power outage in parts of the country compelling some Ghanaians in the affected regions to take to social media to voice out their displeasure.

citinewsroom.com also understands that the issue has to do with challenges being encountered by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo).

Recent intermittent power outages over  Amewu

The Minister of Energy had also stated that the recent intermittent power outages in the country have come to an end.

He gave the assurance after the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited's (WAPCo) successful completion of the cleaning and inspection of its 20 feet offshore pipeline from Badagry in Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana.

The cleaning and inspection exercise triggered pockets of power outages following the shutdown of WAPCo's pipeline.

Speaking to the media, John Peter Amewu said: We admit there were interruptions but we managed it. I am happy to announce that the cleaning exercise is completed and we have resumed gas flow. I can assure you that a lot of measures have been put in place for a stable supply of power. We have sufficient generation power and we have sufficient finances to back it. Dumsor is a thing of the past.

---citinewsroom
NAB's headquarters in Melbourne have been evacuated after a worker tested positive for coronavirus.

The employee was working on the ground floor of the building at 700 Bourke Street in Docklands.

The entire building was evacuated on Tuesday and is set to undergo a 'pandemic clean' as per the NSW Health guidelines.

The employee was working on the ground floor of the building at 700 Bourke Street in Docklands (pictured)

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

CEO Ross McEwan sent an email to all employees and informed them to work from home until further notice.

'In consultation with health authorities, we are vacating the 700 Bourke Street building and will have it pandemically cleansed,' it reads.

'All colleagues ... should go home and continue to work from home.

'We plan to have (the building) ready for colleagues to return to work later this week.

'We will advise you as the situation becomes clearer.

Last week, Westpac's Sydney headquarters have been evacuated after three staff were tested for coronavirus.

All employees were told to work from home until further notice. (Pictured: Woman wearing face mask in Melbourne)

Westpac's Sydney headquarters have been evacuated amid fears three staff have coronavirus. Two floors were cleared at the Kent Street office (stock image, pictured), near Barangaroo, on Wednesday afternoon and cleaned as a precaution

Two floors were cleared at the Kent Street office, near Barangaroo, on Wednesday afternoon and cleaned as a precaution.

'Westpac is currently taking precautions in relation to three employees with suspected cases of COVID-19 at its Sydney head offices,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

'Anyone who has come into close contact with these employees, as well as those who work on the same floor, are now at home.

'We are supporting impacted employees and any potentially affected floors are undergoing extensive cleaning which is in line with health authority guidelines during this time.'

Australia's tally for people tested positive for coronavirus reached 450 as of Tuesday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Another House of Representatives employee has been diagnosed with coronavirus disease or COVID-19, according to House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales.

We were advised that another employee from our Printing Service tested positive for COVID-19. He last reported for work on March 5. He went on leave on March 6, and was admitted to the hospital on March 7, Montales said in a message shared Tuesday by AKO Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin.

The employee was first diagnosed with dengue but was later confirmed to have the viral disease, the House secretary general said.

"Let us keep praying for his recovery and for his family's health," Montales added.

All personnel of the House Printing Service have been under quarantine since last week after a member of the staff tested positive for COVID-19. That employee died on Sunday.

Two new cases of COVID-19 were also reported by the Department of Health on Monday, raising the countrys total cases to 142, including 12 deaths.

Globally, the virus has infected more than 180,000 people and killed over 7,000 according to the Johns Hopkins University's tracker.
LONDON  As Italy confronts the ravages of an unexpected threat in the coronavirus, fears are intensifying that the economic damage could trigger a far more familiar danger  a banking crisis.

Italys banks and their formidable piles of bad loans have long constituted a central worry in an economy that has not grown in more than a decade. The nations lenders are at once big enough, sufficiently integrated with the world and adequately shaky to pose a constant menace to the global financial system.

European leaders habitually fret that Italys banks are but one misfortune away from a calamity that could force them to mount a rescue, lest a shock felt in Milan swell into a continental emergency.

Now, an epic misfortune is playing out.

With Italy effectively quarantined, its industry shuttered, and consumer spending practically nil beyond food and medicine, the economy is expected to contract by 3 percent this year, according to a recent forecast from Oxford Economics.
Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) sent about 200 coronavirus testing kits to the Gaza Strip March 13. The kits crossed via the Erez passage under the orders of Defense Minister Naftali Bennett, who now seems to understand that Israel is responsible for Gaza, even if he prefers not to recognize that reality publicly. The office of COGAT head Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon announced, Viruses and illnesses have no borders  therefore, it is in Israels best interests to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip and its outbreak in the territories of Judea and Samaria. This is in Israels interests because such an outbreak may well endanger the health of the residents of State of Israel as well.

One kit for every 10,000 residents seems a symbolic gesture. We can assume that it was intended to pressure Hamas to take action to prevent a catastrophe in the Strip, which is also in Israel's interests. Should the virus explode in the Strip, it will certainly spread to Israel. The Gaza Strip is one of the most crowded and poverty-stricken places in the world and an outbreak there could be deadly. Its health system is already collapsing even without the coronavirus. In light of the living conditions in the Strip, which has been under a strict closure for 13 years, it is doubtful that quarantine measures could be imposed.

At this stage, not one instance of coronavirus has been found among Gaza's residents, who say it's is the first time that something good has come out of the closure that blocks the virus at Gaza's gates.

But while it is true that no coronavirus cases have been found in Gaza yet, that absence means little as testing kits are so few and far between. According to various reports from the Strip, there are people who complain about symptoms that are typical of the virus but are not being tested. Hundreds of pilgrims have been returning from Mecca to the Strip, as well as thousands of laborers who worked in Israel until last week. It is very possible that some of them carry the virus and are now infecting others in the Strip. Prior to Israels Purim holiday on March 10, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett tightened the closure on the Gaza Strip in a security measure that was supposed to last three days, but the restrictions have not yet loosened.

Now for the first time, the Gaza blockade is functioning less to protect Israeli citizens from potential terror attacks than to protect the Palestinian workers. Their contact with Israelis, more than 300 of whom were diagnosed with the virus as of March 17, could bring the disease into the Strip. The closure on Gaza and the West Bank has caused great distress among Israeli farmers, who demanded that the defense minister exempt the agricultural sector and the workers it depends on. Bennett rejected the request out of hand.

The Israel defense system is very concerned about the spread of the coronavirus in the Strip. Should even one resident in Gaza be infected, the virus could spread rapidly throughout the population. Israel itself is now coping with a rising number of coronavirus patients and would probably not be able to help the Palestinians: not with testing, not with hospitalization in Israel, not with providing life-support ventilators or other medical equipment  not even humanitarian assistance.

To avert catastrophe, Bennett  who had long argued before he became defense minister that the Hamas regime should be brought down  is now permitting COGAT to visibly if indirectly coordinate with the Hamas administration.

Ynet reported March 15 that COGAT has allowed the Strip to import commercial quantities of cement, one of the raw materials not permitted to enter Gaza for fear it would be used to construct tunnels and bunkers. In January, the arrangement talks led to approval for cement to be brought in to the Strip to help jump-start employment in Gaza's construction industry, but the changes were never implemented because of the security escalation with Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

But cement alone will not be enough to significantly alleviate Gaza's economic distress. The closure has lasted for 13 years and only recently have Gaza residents begun to believe that an arrangement with Israel will give them some breathing space. Now the defense system faces both the epidemic and a worsening economic-humanitarian situation in Gaza, a truly thorny dilemma.

The Israeli economy is now approaching a state of emergency. Should Israels economy shut down almost completely, with its borders and international trade closed, Gaza and its residents will be directly affected.

According to an Israeli defense source who talked to Al-Monitor, Israel is making a tremendous effort to transfer goods to Gaza via Kerem Shalom including basic foodstuffs, basic hygiene materials and equipment for factories and small businesses. But it is not clear whether Israel will continue to allow imports into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing a few weeks from now. If the current crisis continues and worsens over the coming months, then Israel will certainly disallow imports into Gaza. How sad it is that when Israel finally opened the border crossings to laborers and merchants, along came an enemy of different stripes that returned Gaza to the harsh days of lockdown. True, the closure is for Gazans' protection, but a closure is a closure.
With social distancing in full swing as bars, restaurants and schools are forced to close their doors due to the coronavirus outbreak, it's been a St Patrick's Day with a difference this year.

Normally the Irish and Irish-for-a-day only have to grapple with whether to break Lent or not come March 17 but with the coronavirus pandemic closing down many of the main parade and events, the 2020 celebrations have gone online.

But there's still plenty of music, dance and craic to be had.

From the Irish American favorites Dropkick Murphys and Riverdance stars, to America's biggest Irish festival, nothing is stopping the St Patrick's Day festivities from continuing, even if the pints of Guinness have to be shared via Skype while friends all sit at home.

One Irish bar has even donated their corned beef and cabbage to charity as they can't serve it to customers.

Scroll down for video

Kinsella Academy of Irish Dance in Wisconsin performed for 'virtual' St Patrick's Day

Runa streamed a performance online for fans on St Patrick's Day

The Ear Inn in Manhattan, the oldest working bar in New York City, shared a picture on Monday of the stock of corned beef and cabbage they'd readied to celebrate Ireland's patron saint that was now being delivered to a local charity.

The pub was forced to board up its doors along with ever other bar in the city on Tuesday morning just as they would normally be readying themselves for a wave of green-clad, ravenous customers.

Owners Martin and Gary piled all the supplies into the back of a truck and dropped it off at God's Love We Deliver to make some people's St Patrick's Day a little brighter.

The main parade may not have stepped off up Fifth Avenue in New York City on Tuesday morning but that didn't stop some dedicated marchers from getting there before sunrise to ensure there was no break in tradition.

There are generally 234 marching units in the New York St Patrick's Day parade but that was cut down to two for 2020: the Fighting 69th Regiment, who proudly start the march every year, and members of the parade committee who were determined to keep the 258-year cherished tradition alive, coronavirus or not.

Board members of the St. Patrick's Day Parade prepare to march in an impromptu parade, Tuesday, March 17, after the main New York Parade was canceled due to coronavirus

Dermot Hickey waves the Irish national flag in Grand Central Station after expressing his disappointment in the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day parade due to conoravirus

'We understood totally why the parade had to be postponed. The health and safety of all, which includes the thousands of firefighters, police offices and health care workers who take part in our parade, is paramount,' Sean Lane, the parade's chairman, told IrishCentral.

'But we very much wanted to say that we were able to march just as our ancestors did for 258 years before, and we are proud that we were able to do so.'

In Boston, Irish American rock group Dropkick Murphy were set to be heading up the celebrations in their normal rambunctious before cancellations hit.

Yet for disappointed fans who thought they were missing out on seeing them live on Tuesday night, the band will now be livestreaming their gig for the world to hear.

Kicking off at 7pm EST, the group will be 'Streaming Up From Boston' via their Facebook page after they decided 'the show must go on'.

Talisk perform a virtual St Patrick's Day via the Milwaukee Irish Fest Facebook Page

Families posted their own St Patrick's Day celebrations from their home online

A 'virtual' St Patrick's Day is also being held by Milwaukee Irish Fest, the largest Irish festival in North America, which each August welcomes over 100,000 lovers of Ireland to explore all the Irish music, dance and culture they can handle.

Throughout March 17, they used their Facebook page to share videos of some of Ireland's best performers, as well as some up-and-coming stars.

The festival also made a call for pictures of how people around the world were celebrating now that none of us can gather together and received replies from all over the United States, as people shared their corned beef and cabbage dinners and Irish Carbomb cupcakes.

'Not particularly enjoying my Covid-19 St Patrick's Day. Oh well!' said one participant.

'At least there is Virtual St Patrick's Day! (In the frame on the left in my photo is my grandfather's medal for service in the Irish War of Independence 1919-1921.). Try and enjoy the Day!'

'Not particularly enjoying my Covid-19 St Patrick's Day. Oh well!' this man shared on Facebook

Mossy and Molly Moran and their dogs streamed a gig from their living room

Irish dancers were encouraged by teacher Ciara Sexton to share their videos

Ohio-based Irish musician Mossy Moran also decided to try his arm at a Facebook live gig on Tuesday alongside his daughter Molly and while the family dogs did their best to get in the way, the luck of the Irish pulled through and the father-daughter duo will continue their live shows via social media throughout March 17.

The pair will perform for the second time, hopefully with dogs still around, at 5pm EST.

Irish dancers were also left without a stage to show off their talents this St Patrick's Day until Riverdance star Ciara Sexton stepped in.

She established the #StPatricksDayStepAbout movement to give disappointed dancers an outlet to display the routines they'd practiced so hard for the big day.

'Irish Dancers, parents & Teachers - Getting cabin fever? A couple of us teachers have come up with an idea to get us all dancing the same step for St. Patricks Day!' Sexton wrote.

'Get out your jig shoes and either learn this step or create your own! Add the hashtag and we will create a collage! Lets bring our ID community together around the globe for a good old St Patrick's Day Step About!'

Dozens of dancers across the U.S. took part and posted their videos.

'Wish I could be out jiggin in all the Irish pubs today, but Im joining Irish Dancers from all over the world in a virtual step about this year instead!' wrote dancer Rebecca Kender.

'Keep up the festivities at home!'

'A very Happy St. Patricks Day from Mr. Dancing Feet, the girl who took the video, and the mother who hauled the board!' added dancer Nats, who performed out in the snow.

'Happy St. Patricks Day!' wrote Scoil Rince Saoirse based in Yonkers, New York.

'Especially during times like these, dancing brings us all together.'
India on Tuesday slammed China and Pakistan for reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement released by them and said it expects other countries not to comment on its internal matters and respect its sovereignty.

The Kashmir issue figured in the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi in Beijing on Tuesday during which the Chinese side "underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation".

"Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues," said a joint statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

Reacting to it, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar asserted that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and issues related to it are the country's internal matter.

"We reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement issued by China and Pakistan after the recent visit of Pakistani President to China," Kumar said.

"We expect other countries including China not to comment on matters that are internal affairs of India and also to respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries," he said in response to a query on the issue.

India would like to strongly object to and reiterate its concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called illegal 'China Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947, Kumar said.

"India is resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&K. We call on parties concerned to cease such actions. Such illegal activities will never be accepted by India," he said.
The Hotel InterContinental Dhaka is lit up to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, March 15, 2020.

Bangladesh kicks off a 375-day mega-year marking the centennial of its founders birth on Tuesday, with some initial festivities scaled back because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

The commemoration begins on Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans 100th birthday, March 17, and is set to continue through March 26, 2021, the 50th anniversary of the countrys independence.

Early Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid were scheduled to place wreaths on Mujibs grave, about two hours drive north of Dhaka.

They will take part in the prayers there and return to Dhaka the same day, Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury told reporters on Monday.

After the wreath ceremony, Hasina was to release commemorative coins and stamps from her residence on Tuesday afternoon.

A fireworks display Tuesday evening was to be broadcast live from Racecourse Maiden, a stadium where on March 7, 1971, Mujib delivered a speech that called for Bangladeshs independence from what was then East Pakistan.

A lifelong politician, Mujib had long campaigned for the rights of the people of what is now Bangladesh  starting as a student leader in 1940 when it was still part of the British Empire. As a result, he spent 11 years in jail, according to official accounts of his life.

On March 26, 1971, he was again arrested by the Pakistani Army and taken off to Pakistan, where he remained behind bars for the rest of the nine-month war of independence.

In 1972, he returned to Bangladesh and took the helm of the new nation but was assassinated along with most of his family on Aug. 15, 1975, by mid-level army officers.

Sheikh Hasina, his eldest daughter, was out of the country at the time, along with one of her sisters. Now 72, she is Bangladeshs longest-ruling prime minister.

Chowdhury, the chief coordinator of the committee organizing the events, said programs planned this month at schools across the nation would not be held as the government ordered them closed to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A grand public ceremony and exhibitions of art and documents representing Bangladeshs history in various parts of the country are now on hold.

Bangladesh on Monday confirmed eight coronavirus cases and has been following guidance of the World Health Organization and other health experts to avoid mass gatherings.

Well hold the Mujib Year programs by rearranging the schedule and well conduct the programs across the country accordingly, Chowdhury said.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League, which seeks greater autonomy for East Pakistan, talks with followers in his home in Dhaka, March 14, 1971. (AP)

Cost questions

Critics have complained that Hasinas Awami League government has not released complete details about the cost of celebration.

After allotting 1 billion taka (U.S. $11.76 million) for Mujib Year, the government requested an additional 1 billion taka in public funds in January  then solicited private donations in a statement released by the cabinet this month.

On Monday, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) called for all expenditures to be made public.

A high standard of transparency and accountability should be ensured, including voluntarily publishing information on already-spent funds by the government and the use of those funds and transactions related to celebrating the Mujib Year, TIB said.

"The information should be posted on a website and in other easily accessible media for ordinary people, it said.

It also questioned the request for private funding.

Direct or indirect force should not be imposed by any political party, their allies, private institutions, non-government or any civil society organizations to collect funds to celebrate Mujib Year programs, TIB said.

No invite

Meanwhile, an opposition leader complained that opposition parties had not been invited by the ruling Awami League to participate in the centennial, during which buildings and organizations across Bangladesh are displaying a government-issued logo and image of the founding father.

The Awami League should have invited all parties, at least the major political parties, to get involved in the celebration program, said Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a former leader of the ruling Awami League who now heads the Citizens Unity party.

I do not see any justification of celebrating Bangabandhus birth centenary in such a way, Manna said, using a widely used Bengali term that honors Mujib.

Citizens Unity is part of a cluster of opposition parties that hold no seats in parliament in a country that some critics say is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

Awami League official Shajahan Khan said the party did invite some opposition political parties to participate in the celebration.

We have not invited the parties who do not believe in the independence of Bangladesh, he told BenarNews.

The parties like Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and those with similar ideologies do not recognize Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the father of the nation and his role in the War of Independence, Khan said.

Manna, meanwhile, said the Awami League had been working against the spirit of those who fought for Bangladeshs freedom.

There is the Digital Security Act where government officials can jail a person for up to 10 years if they think any comments are criticizing the government. This law is an impediment to guaranteeing freedom of expression and free thought, he said.

And this is not the spirit of the War of Independence.
BRUSSELS  Many more than the population of this small Calhoun County community helped raise money for a married couple who lost everything in a February house fire.

About 130 people live in Brussels but many more than that showed up at the Brussels American Legion Post 685 Saturday night for Jim and Johna Tepen, of nearby Batchtown, also in Calhoun County.

Brussels biggest venue nearly burst at the seams with the couples friends, co-workers and county neighbors, who all wanted to help one of their own. The fundraisers organizers included a pasta dinner, silent auction and raffle.

Weve lived a lot of places, with my husband being in the military, and you dont find this everywhere, Johna Tepen said. But you find it in places like Calhoun. Its special, it really is.

The fundraiser was organized and sponsored by Brussels Wittmond Hotel and Restaurant, where Johna Tepen works, located across the street from the American Legion. Area youths quickly shuttled hot pasta from Wittmond to the legion to keep up with Saturdays crowd of supporters. Wittmond Hotel co-owner Caroline Stegman said its no surprise that people feel the way they do about the Tepen family, whose home was destroyed in a Feb. 3 fire.

Johna puts her heart and soul into her work, Stegman said, and, because of her dealings with people there from the tri-county and St. Louis area, a lot of people know her, love her, and really wanted to come out and support her as best they could.

Johna Tepens co-worker, Elaine Mans of Golden Eagle, helped to organize Saturdays event.

People have been great, Mans said. The community couldnt have done any more. Theyve been bringing in donations, desserts, we sold raffle tickets for donated items. Its heartwarming.

You really know where you come from and what you mean to people when something like this happens, she said. Its a small town, so were all close-knit anyway, but people have really stepped up.

Organizers planned the fundraiser in just three weeks. Despite the tight timeframe, co-organizer Haley Rose, also of Golden Eagle, said the people of Calhoun County made it a huge success.

Every day Ive been getting five and ten messages from people wanting to help and donate items, Rose said.

People are also giving clothes to them, cleaning out their closets, their kitchens, its just been overwhelming, she explained. Johna is one of my close friends, and she is always there to help when you need it, so its great to be able to help her in return.

The house fire occurred during the evening of Feb. 3, when Jim Tepen was helping a neighbor and Johna was out shopping. A neighbor alerted the former that his house was on fire. The house, which had been in Jim Tepens family for generations, was engulfed in flames by the time he got there, and, despite the quick fire department response, the house and its contents were a total loss. The Tepens also lost their three beloved dogs and five puppies to the fire.

Jim Tepen is a retired sergeant first class from the U.S. Army and currently works for the U.S. Coast Guard maintaining boats, shore facilities and navigation aids. Johna Tepen has worked for a number of years at the Wittmond Hotel. The couple also have a significant role in raising their grandson.

Organizers hoped that Saturdays fundraiser, along with a GoFundMe account page  Tepen Family House Fire, organized by Jeffrey Smolik  can raise $100,000 for the Tepens. Fundraising amounts are still being tallied, they said.
Nath reiterated that 16 MLAs of the Congress are currently in 'captivity' of BJP leaders in Bengaluru either in a resort or hotel where nobody is allowed to meet them.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday forwarded to Speaker of the Assembly a fresh directive given to him by state Governor Lalji Tandon on holding a floor test.

In his latest letter to the governor on Tuesday, the chief minister said, "Taking into account all the facts, I have forwarded your direction given to me to the Assembly Speaker for an appropriate action."

Nath and Tandon have been locked in a "letter war" since the governor directed the chief minister on Saturday to hold a floor test on 16 March. The floor test didn't take place as the Assembly was adjourned by the Speaker till 26 March on concerns over the coronavirus.

On Monday evening, Tandon wrote to Nath to hold a floor test on Tuesday, stating that the failure to do so will mean that the chief minister does not enjoy majority in the House. Nath said these directives were totally "baseless and unconstitutional".

"You have also mentioned in the letter that I have avoided holding a floor test in the Vidhan Sabha in the time-frame given by you, but I wish to bring to your kind notice that in the last 15 months I have proved my majority on the floor of the house many times.

"If the BJP is alleging that I don't have a majority in the Assembly then they should move a no-confidence motion to prove that," Nath stated.

The governor's direction to Nath to hold a floor test on 16 March came in the wake of resignations given by 22 MLAs of the ruling Congress last week.

However, the floor test was not conducted as Speaker NP Prajapati adjourned the House till March 26, after the government raised concerns over the coronavirus infection, which prompted BJP to move the Supreme Court for holding of immediate floor test.

Nath stated that he came to know that the BJP had submitted papers for bringing a no-confidence motion against his government, which are pending with the Speaker.

"The Speaker will act on it as per rules, and whenever it (the no-confidence motion) will be listed then automatically it will be proved on the floor of the House whether we have a majority or not," he stated.

The BJP, however, denied giving any notice to the Speaker for moving a no-confidence motion. Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava and BJP chief whip in the Assembly Narottam Mishra said no letter has been given by the party to the Speaker for moving a no-trust motion against the 15-month-old Congress government.

The chief minister reiterated that 16 MLAs of the Congress are currently in "captivity" of BJP leaders in Bengaluru either in a resort or hotel where nobody is allowed to meet them.

"They are prevented from coming to Bhopal while BJP leaders are freely meeting and contacting them and forcing them to give false statements in the media," it stated.

Nath also attached the complaint of the brother of Congress MLA Manoj Choudhary with his letter. The complainant had alleged that when the MLA's father went to meet him along with Congress ministers Jitu Patwari and Lakhan Singh Yadav in a Bengaluru hotel, they were physically prevented by staff and police, and detained.

"Let these MLAs move in a free and fair manner for 5-6 days after they come out of captivity to take a call on their decision independently," Nath stated.

Referring to Tandon's Monday directive, Nath said, "Your directive that I should prove my majority in the house by March 17 (Tuesday), failing which it will be construed that I don't have majority support, is totally baseless and unconstitutional".

"I also came to know that BJP leaders have filed a petition in the Supreme Court," he stated.

On the issue of not holding a floor test on Monday as directed by the governor, Nath referred to the health advisory of the Central government asking people to avoid gatherings and crowded places in view of novel coronavirus infection.

He also referred to the World Health Orgaisation (WHO) declaring the novel coronavirus a pandemic.

Referring to the governor's previous letter objecting the tone and tenor of Nath's missive, the latter said, "In my 40-year-long career, I have always maintained parliamentary traditions and followed them in the letter and spirit. It was not my intention and I regret for it".
Help India!

Yusuf Ansari, twocircles.net

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) who gave his majority opinion over the construction of Ram Mandir over disputed Ayodhya land as lawful has been nominated for Rajya Sabha by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This appointment of Ranjan Gogoi will mark his debut as a politician, replacing lawyer KTS Tulsi. Modi has sent the entire political environment of the country into a major shock and dismay by nominating Gogoi. In addition to the frenzy, questions are being raised from all corners. While AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi has posed the serious questions over this nomination, Yashwant Sinha (former Union Minister and BJP leader) has clearly said that if Gogoi does not have the good sense to say NO, he will cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary.

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Ranjan Gogoi is not the first retired CJI to have been nominated to Rajya Sabha. Mohammad Hidayatullah, the sixth Vice President of India from August 1979 to August 1984 was also a retIred CJI to have been appointed to the seat. Even his appointment had raised several eyebrows in the Parliament. Even Rangnath Mishra during his tenure as CJI was accused of giving a clean chit to Congress in the 1984 Sikh riots through his inquiry commission, of which he was the sole member. Congress politician Randeep Surjewala has also questioned the decision by saying that Modis message is clear through this appointment that one can either be on their side or disagree and bear the brunt of transfers leading to resignation.

It was however clear from Gogois majority opinion in the Ayodhya case that his next destination is Rajya Sabha. And why would it not be clear, after all, he had received blessings from Ram Lalla by supporting his side on the dispute. Ram Lalla has been showering similar blessings on people who lay hands in breaking the Babri Masjid from stone to stone and cleared the way for Ram Temple at the site  starting from former DM of Faizabad to the Judge who opened the locks of the disputed site to DSP of Faizabad who helped demolish the Babri Masjid in his tenure. All of them have made it to the Parliament, thanks to the blessings of Ram Lalla.

K K Nair who was the DM of Faizabad on June 1, 1949, was originally from Aleppo in Kerala who passed out in the ICS Batch of 1930. It was in his posting as the Zila Officer that idols were smuggled inside the Babri Masjid. The then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru had twice directed officials to remove the idols from the Masjid premise but Nair, giving the reason for not to hurt religious sentiments of people, refused to do so. When Nehru asked for the second time for the removal of idols, Nair wrote to the Union Government that before removing idols, one must remove him. Keeping the religious sentiments and secular atmosphere of the country, the Government-backed off from taking any further action. The Babri Masjid-Ayodhya Ram Mandir Dispute was one of the turning points in the course of Indias history that had far-reaching consequences in the socio-politics of the country.

In 1952, Nair took voluntary retirement. For the 4th Lok Sabha elections, Nair then reached the Parliament through Jan Sangh seat at UPs Bahraich. During this while, Nair became a highly symbolic Hindutva figure. It was also the same time when his wife Shakuntala Nair got into politics and won the Kaiserganj seat thrice through a Jan Sangh ticket. Even Nairs driver became a member of the UP Assembly.

The next contention Nair was faced with was to get the locks of the Masjid complex open. It was the then-District Magistrate of Faizabad, KM Pandey on whose instructions the locks were broken open in February 1986. Although he wasnt blessed to reach Parliament but he definitely did enjoy a small portion of the blessing by becoming the High Court Judge. This is another interesting story. Looking at the state of affairs, Pandey was recommended for the post but from 1988 to 1991, this appointment was not made. His promotion kept hanging in between until in September 1990, the VHP Bar Association General Secretary, Hari Shankar Jain filed a petition to the Allahabad High Court for promoting Pandey as the Judge. 10 other lawyers had supported this petition.

In the petition, it was clearly stated that the then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh had written an objection note against making Pandey the Judge. The original words of Mulayam Singh in the note read as Even though Pandey Ji is an honest and diligent judge, his instruction of breaking open the locks of the Masjid in 1986 created communal tensions in the area and this is the reason I would not recommend his name for the High Court Judge.

V P Singh was the Prime Minister then. The petition was still pending when the Government changed. Chandra Shekhar now took over as PM of India and Subramanian Swamy became the Law Minister. Swamy, in his tenure, gave the final nod for Pandey to become the High Court Judge of Allahabad High Court and he took over the post on January 24, 1991. Within a year, Pandey was transferred to the Madhya Pradesh High Court where he served till 1994 until his retirement. This is how Pandey was also rewarded by Ram Lallas blessings for breaking open the locks of the Masjid decades back.

The next step in Babri Masjid-Ayodhya Ram Mandir Dispute was on December 6, 1992, when the SSP of Faizabad was D B Ray. He was accused of negligence in his duty while the Babri Masjid was being demolished by the mob of ministers and Hindutva leaders. Ray was immediately removed from duty but was later rewarded by BJP ticket twice after his retirement from service. In 1996, Ray contested the Lok Sabha seat from Sultanpur and then in 1998, he won from the same seat. He is credited with sharing his roles of bravery and courage in the Babri Masjid demolition.

That is another story that D B Ray later got disillusioned with BJP and wrote a book where he put serious allegations on BJP leaders for their role in demolishing the Babri Masjid. In 2007 at the launch of his book, Ayodhya: The Truth of December 6, he accused BJP and VHP leaders as being even bigger iconoclasts than foreign invaders Mahmud Gazni and Aurangzeb. He added that these leaders, in the pretext of collecting money for the Ram Mandir are actually using it in a lavish lifestyle marked by the greatest worldly luxuries. Ray also went on saying on record that these were the people who asked for people to donate gold for the construction of a golden Ram statue but later used the donated gold to make gold biscuits and coins.

This is how from the start till now, everyone who supports the VHP and Hindutva ideologues in the Babri Masjid-Ayodhya Ram Mandir Dispute has been reaping favors from the Governments. It now remains on Ex-CJI Gogoi to either accept the offer of the Rajya Sabha seat or reject it.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Coronavirus COVID-19 was detected in two more people in Uzbekistan on March 17, and the total number of infected in the country rose to 10, Trend reports referring to Uzbek Health Ministry.

Coronavirus was detected during the medical check-up of the wife of the Uzbek citizen who flew from Istanbul to Tashkent Uzbekistan Airways on March 15 and was found to be infected with coronavirus, the report said.

Another Uzbek was also diagnosed with the infection on March 17, said the ministry.

The first case of coronavirus was recorded in the country on March 15. The infection was discovered during the medical check-up of a woman who is an Uzbek citizen and who returned from France. Later, the son and daughter of the woman were also detected to be infected with COVID-19.

According to the Health Ministry, on March 16, 2020, husband and grandson of the first patient have been confirmed infected with COVID-19.

It has recently become known that the coronavirus also was detected at relative of the first patient.

In addition, the coronavirus was discovered during the medical check-up of Uzbek who flew from London to Tashkent on March 14 on the flight operated by Uzbekistan Airways.

The outbreak of coronavirus 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 6,513. Over 169,387 people have been confirmed as infected.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
What just happened? The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is hitting the tech industry pretty hard, but those that can work from home have been mostly spared from its worst effects. Unfortunately, it seems YouTube creators might not be in that group for much longer: Google announced today that it will be relying more heavily on its automated content moderation systems until COVID-19 fizzles out.

That may not seem like much of a problem, but YouTubers have already been struggling to cope with the platform's often-unpredictable AI moderation systems for years. These systems will demonetize, block, age-restrict, or otherwise hinder the success of videos for seemingly arbitrary reasons at times. As you can imagine, that's a less-than-ideal situation for those who rely on the site to earn a living.

Regardless, for better or worse, those systems will continue to become more prevalent over the coming months. In a series of tweets and a blog post, Google claims that because there are now fewer human reviewers available to look over content and appeals, it has no choice but to rely on AI-based alternatives.

With fewer people to review content, our automated systems will be stepping in to keep YouTube safe. More videos will be removed than normal during this time, including content that does not violate our Community Guidelines.



We know this will be hard for all of you.  TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) March 16, 2020

Surprisingly, Google acknowledges that this will inevitably lead to more unfair video removals. "More videos will be removed than normal during this time, including content that does not violate our Community Guidelines," YouTube states, bluntly. "We know this will be hard for all of you."

It's unclear why YouTube, of all companies, doesn't have employees that can review content from home, but perhaps the platform's moderation tools require in-office presence for security purposes.

Regardless, creators aren't completely out of luck here. Until such as a time as human moderators are able to take over again, YouTube will not be issuing community strikes (enough of which can cause channel closure) based on videos taken down by the AI; unless there's "high confidence" that the video is "volatile."








Web Toolbar by Wibiya

What if Coronavirus was not just a new disease, but an artificially-created virus used as a biological weapon? Well, Hossein Salami, a top Iranian military official, has recently suggested that nCoVid-19 was created by the US army to attack China and other enemies.

In an article published on online news site Radio Free Europe, Hossein Salami, the commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), suggested on 05 March that the coronavirus might be an American biological weapon -- contradicting experts who say there's no evidence it could be man-made.

Today, the country is engaged in a biological battle", Mr Salami said to Iranian news site ISNA. "We will prevail in the fight against this virus, which might be the product of an American biological [attack], which first spread in China and then to the rest of the world," he added.

Iran has been one of the most affected countries by the virus. There are more than 14,000 confirmed cases and 850 people dead so far. Along these lines, the government has activated some plans to stop spreading fake news about the outbreak. The head of Iran's cyberpolice, Commander Vahid Majid, said on 05 March that 121 people had been summoned for spreading rumors about the coronavirus. He said 190 others had been warned over the phone and told to remove content from social-media pages, Radio Free Europe reports. "Dealing with those spreading rumors and those publishing fake news is currently one of the most important missions of the cyberpolice, Mr Majid asserted.

The coronavirus currently has a fatality rate of about 3.4 percent, with the elderly and those with underlying health problems dying far more frequently after contracting the virus, the European press agency explains. Massud Pezeshkian, a lawmaker and former Iranian health minister, suggested earlier this week that the outbreak in Iran was far more widespread than the government acknowledges, saying many infected citizens had not been identified, it suggests.

Draw your own conclusions

For more information: https://www.rferl.org/a/coronavirus-conspiracy-iranian-commander-suggests-virus-might-be-us-biological-weapon/30470600.html
It is our mission to help organizations like BNPP leverage AI and machine learning to radically improve their ability to accurately identify bad actors more quickly and efficiently than has been possible with legacy technology and techniques, said David McLaughlin, CEO and Founder of QuantaVerse.

QuantaVerse, the first in the market with artificial intelligence (AI) solutions purpose-built for identifying financial crimes, has signed an agreement with BNP Paribas (BNPP) for the use of two of QuantaVerses AI for AML solutions. BNPP is using the solutions to reduce false positives produced by transaction monitoring systems (TMS) and to provide better insights into the banks pseudo-client activity in support of its U.S. dollar clearing operation.

After an extensive evaluation process, QuantaVerse was selected for its proven and readily-deployable AI for AML solutions. BNPP will soon be implementing the following QuantaVerse AI solutions:



QuantaVerse Pre-TMS Entity Resolution & Risk Scoring (TM) reduces TMS false positive alerts by classifying the risk of each transacting party and counter-party, down to the pseudo-client level. In the vast majority of transaction messages, the transacting parties are often ambiguous which forces expensive manual intervention. This solution enables existing TMS rules and models to deliver more accurate alerts, reducing false positives and the time it requires AML investigators to review false positives.

QuantaVerse Third Party Risk Management (TM) provides risk managers with better insights into the variances in account activity that might indicate financial crimes, or that suggest an account is being used for something other than its stated purpose. This type of analysis is a growing regulatory burden driven by the need to understand the risk profile of pseudo clients.

It is our mission to help organizations like BNPP leverage AI and machine learning to radically improve their ability to accurately identify bad actors more quickly and efficiently than has been possible with legacy technology and techniques, explained David McLaughlin, CEO and Founder of QuantaVerse. We hope to help these organizations hone their use of AI for AML and then assist them in operationalizing these technologies throughout their business groups and across the jurisdictions in which they operate.

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 73 countries, with more than 196,000 employees, including nearly 149,000 in Europe.

About QuantaVerse

QuantaVerse is the leader of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning solutions purpose-built for identifying financial crimes. QuantaVerse utilizes its AI Financial Crime Platform to reduce financial crime risk by identifying patterns and discerning anomalies that current approaches and systems regularly miss. The QuantaVerse solutions have helped customers more efficiently comply with AML (Anti-Money Laundering), KYC (Know Your Customer) and FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) regulations. Most importantly, QuantaVerse is helping to rid organizations of money laundering and other financial crimes that support our greatest global ills  the drug trade, human trafficking, terrorism and political corruption. For more information, contact QuantaVerse at (610) 465-7320 or visit http://www.QuantaVerse.net.
MALTA - The Capital Region's computer chip manufacturing sector is sending non-essential employees home and crossing their fingers that the coronavirus epidemic doesn't do much damage to their orders.

For now though, GlobalFoundries, which employs 3,000 people at its Fab 8 chip factory in Malta, says things are running smoothly in the fab's clean rooms, with orders not dropping off yet.

"Fortunately, to date, we have not seen any significant impact to our business," GlobalFoundries spokeswoman Erica McGill told the Times Union on Tuesday. "With the measures we have put in place we have not had any disruptions to our production. But like the rest of the industry, we are waiting to see how this will play out."

GlobalFoundries is privately held by the emirate of Abu Dhabi, so its results are less transparent than chip companies that have sold their shares to the public like Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, which have seen their stock take a significant hit from investors. AMD, which has some of its chips made by GlobalFoundries, has seen its stock drop from a 52-week high of $59 on Feb. 19 to $38 on Monday.

However, AMD shares rebounded Tuesday to reach $41 as the rest of the stock market rebounded after the Trump administration announced new measures to try and halt the coronavirus spread.

Shares of Intel, the largest U.S. chip maker, were $67 on Feb. 16 and dropped to $44 on Monday. But on Tuesday Intel shares rose 10 percent by mid-day to reach $49 as part of the market rebound.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Fab 8 is still having its clean room workers come to make the chips for its clients like AMD. All non-fab and non-operational workers are working from home, while all travel has been restricted.

"All business-essential including fab operations and facility employees are reporting, as usual, to their designated shifts, McGill said. "However, we are taking proactive measures such as practicing social distancing and implementing stringent site visit controls and daily temperature screening and monitoring of all employees and any visitors entering our facilities. "

SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany, which helps companies like GlobalFoundries, IBM and Samsung research next-generation chip manufacturing, has also sent all non-essential employees to work at home. That means the clean rooms are still operating.

"Essential employees and anyone who remains on campus are again encouraged to use social distancing and take common sense precautions," Rhonda Haines, SUNY Poly's vice president of human resources wrote in a note to employees.
The Madhya Pradesh political crisis took a new turn on Tuesday as the Congress leaders moved the Supreme Court (SC) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of kidnapping and keeping in captivity its 16 MLAs. It also sought a direction for the release from of its MLAs from BJP's captivity.

The ongoing crisis in the state was sparked off by the exit of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. The application states that in the absence of these MLAs, there can be no vote of confidence. The petition has questioned Governor Lalji Tandon's order to conduct floor tests, adding that the Governor is assuming first that the Kamal Nath government is in minority.

This comes a day after the BJP approached the SC seeking a floor test in the state assembly. The SC will hear on March 18 plea of former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the state assembly. The court also issued notice to Speaker, CM Kamal Nath and Governor on a plea filed by the BJP seeking a floor test in the assembly within 12 hours.

The BJP petitioners had said that they are approaching the apex court as the respondents, Speaker and Madhya Pradesh CM have violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and willfully defied the directions issued by the Governor on March 14, requiring the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly. "It is submitted by the petitioners that the leaders of the main opposition party namely the BJP also on March 14 had addressed a letter to the Madhya Pradesh Governor that the government was reduced into minority and attempts of horse-trading were being made," the petition had said.

The petition had said that in such a situation, the Governor should exercise his constitutional powers and direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the house. "Since the government appears to have lost the majority in the House and the Chief Minister had himself expressed willingness to conduct the floor test, the Governor, in the exercise of his constitutional powers directed the Chief Minister to conduct a floor test in the house and prove his majority on March 16, 2020, when the budget session of the assembly begins," the petition had said.

The development comes as the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, which met on March 17 morning for the Budget session was adjourned immediately after the Governor's address till March 26, in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Governor has written a letter to the CM directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.
DHARAMSHALA: The budget session of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, which began here on Tuesday, has been curtailed to one day amid the coronavirus outbreak.

In his opening remarks, Speaker Pema Jugney said that the one-day session will strictly follow the agenda that includes the presentation and finalisation of the annual budget of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) for the 2020-21 financial year.

The House adopted two resolutions, one to condole the death of two Tibetans who committed self-immolation in Tibet, and the other to express solidarity with the suffering of Tibetans there.

The session ended in the afternoon with approval of the budget.

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the CTA issued new guidelines calling on Tibetan monasteries, schools and elder care homes in India, Nepal and Bhutan to cancel public gatherings for at least a month.

Boarding and day schools will remain closed for a month. The elderly care home will restrict all visitors except for staff and nurses, said a notification issued by the CTAs department of information and international relations.

All CTA staff and officials have been asked to cancel their official visits as a precautionary measure.
Markets regulator Sebi on Tuesday asked merchant bankers to provide to investors an updated copy of the 'General Information Document' for public issues, having information about UPI mechanism and reduced timeline for IPOs.

The General Information Document (GID) highlights certain key rules, processes and procedures applicable to public issues.

In a circular, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has come out with certain generic disclosures that should be mentioned in the GID.

It further said these generic information are not required to be provided in the abridged prospectus, which gives only key information to investors about IPOs and FPOs.

These generic disclosures pertain to alternate payment mechanism using UPI and consequent reduction in timelines for listing in a phased manner.

Some other disclosures are purpose of the GID, brief introduction to IPOs or FPOs, category of investors eligible to participate in an offer, offer procedure in book built offer, issue procedure in fixed price offer, allotment procedure and basis of such allotment, interest and refund, and glossary and abbreviations.

Sebi said the updated GID should be made available on the websites of the stock exchanges, where the shares are proposed to be listed.

The regulator has asked the merchant banker to ensure that an updated copy of GID is provided to an investor as and when requested by the investor.

The new framework will become applicable to all the prospectus filed on or after March 17, the regulator added.

Earlier in 2013, Sebi had asked the companies to give investors an abridged prospectus for IPOs and FPOs, with key information only, and provide generic details in a separate document. This was aimed at helping investors better understand the nuances of public offers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

SENT VIA EMAIL

Hon. Premier Doug Ford

Hon. Christine Elliott

Hon. Rod Phillips

Hon. Monte McNaughton

Dr. David Williams

Dear Premier, Ministers and Chief Medical Officer of Health:

Further to your announcement this morning regarding forthcoming emergency legislation to assist workers and those impacted by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, we respectfully request that the Government of Ontario take immediate action by including the needed and recommended solutions outlined below.

As you can all appreciate, the fluidity of the situation requires that we collectively take measures that are commensurate with the monumental task at hand. Now is not the time to be worried about balancing the budget; in the short run, critical next steps, resources and protections are required, and required immediately.

The following recommended solutions and resources are a non-exhaustive list and represents the urgently needed supports for all workers in Ontario, especially those most vulnerable among us. These required responses have been compiled with input from our affiliated members and from our community partners.



Provide at least 21 paid emergency leave days now - all workers need a minimum of 7 paid emergency leave days as a basic and permanent labour right, but during emergencies such as the current global pandemic COVID-19, workers need an additional 14 days of paid leave. To the extent that the government is not prepared to provide general protections beyond the current pandemic crisis, the legislation should provide for at least 21 paid leave days to all workers reasonably required to take time off as a result of the pandemic.

emergency leave days now - all workers need a minimum of 7 paid emergency leave days as a basic and permanent labour right, but during emergencies such as the current global pandemic COVID-19, workers need an additional 14 days of paid leave. To the extent that the government is not prepared to provide general protections beyond the current pandemic crisis, the legislation should provide for at least 21 paid leave days to all workers reasonably required to take time off as a result of the pandemic. Eliminate sick note requirements for all workers (including migrant and undocumented workers).

Ensure all workers have full job protection during this crisis. The emergency legislation should provide that all workers have full job protection during a pandemic including no reprisals, and a right to an unpaid leave of absence for taking reasonable time off as a result of the pandemic. This protection should also apply to any employees who need to be away from work to care for elders, dependents, including children because of school or day care closures relating to the pandemic.

Ensure full workers compensation to any worker who interacts with the public and that contracts health conditions related to Coronavirus/COVID-19.

Create an emergency fund to provide a non-repayable living allowance for vulnerable populations, including precarious workers and workers in the gig economy, seniors, social assistance recipients, and students  paid through provincial and/or federal general revenues.

Provide free health care - including in COVID-19 assessment centres, community clinics, and hospitals - for all (regardless of status), without health card or wait period requirements as well as remove barriers such as registration fees and bills, and implement appropriate staff training.

Develop a clear and explicit public messaging campaign to inform people that assessment and care is available to all residents, without charge.

Ensure that public services (including health care and child care) are properly funded, accessible, and affordable for all workers  particularly for frontline workers that cannot work remotely, and for those healthcare workers that are working to keep Ontarians healthy and safe during this crisis.

Ensure the health and safety of all workers  particularly for frontline workers that cannot work remotely  by providing the necessary equipment and supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Ensure immediate access to clean water for all Indigenous communities so that individuals can practice short-term prevention measures and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Fund the Anti-Racism Directorate to end xenophobia and racism as workers  especially Chinese, Iranian, and other groups of racialized workers  are more likely to experience loss of income during this pandemic, and to suffer the effects of racism.

Instruct all provincially-regulated institutions to extend and relax payment requirements on financial responsibilities facing consumers and households, including OSAP, rent, mortgage payments, gas and electricity bills (as other jurisdictions have).

Ensure that labour, community, and migrant organizations are included in the planning and implementation of the COVID-19 response to ensure that no one is left behind. In addition to the suite of recommended resources and solutions outlined above, we implore you to advocate for needed enhancements with your counterparts in the Federal Government, specifically as is related to accessing Employment Insurance (EI) and additional needed supports.

The reality is that while the recent changes announced to EI will accelerate access to sickness benefits, they will not change who qualifies for it. Less than 40 per cent of unemployed workers receive EI when they need it, and lack of access disproportionately affects women, newcomers, workers of colour, and others facing discrimination in the labour market. In addition to increasing access to EI, the OFL echoes the demands of our national counterpart, the Canadian Labour Congress, to raise income support levels particularly for low-wage workers; to waive the requirement for a medical certificate for sickness benefits; to eliminate the requirement for workers to be in Canada to be eligible for EI benefits; and to expedite EI Work Sharing applications  among others.

Premier, Ministers Elliott, Phillips, McNaughton and Dr. Williams  the solutions recommended above will require great resolve and attention to implement. We plead with you to work across political lines, and with labour and community groups that represent working people and vulnerable populations - to ensure that we do all that we can during these unprecedented times. As the Premier indicated during his comments earlier today, nothing is off the table. It is in that spirit, that we identify these urgent and needed supports.

We remain willing and able to meet, to further identify required next steps or to clarify any of the solutions we have outlined above.

In summary, while your announcement today that emergency support is forthcoming is welcomed - the details that we are aware of at present, are woefully inadequate.

We urge you all to heed the advice provided above, and together  let us work to provide real, meaningful and needed support for Ontarians as we all work and do our part to flatten the curve and spread of COVID-19, and keep our province healthy and safe, and our economy viable.

Sincerely,

PATTY COATES

President

PC/RH/TT/jc/cope343

C: Leader, Official Opposition, Andrea Horwath

OFL Heads of Unions, Executive Board and Council

Deputy Minister of Labour, David Corbett

OFL Directors

The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter .

For more information, please contact:
On Monday, Laurie Berliner, who sells hand-made hats at a shop called Madge & Me in San Anselmo, was getting ready to close for three weeks. Shell still make hats during the temporary closure, but wont sell to customers or operate her store.

In San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, Christin Evans, co-owner of the Alembic bar, shuttered the pub and her other shop, the Booksmith, for three weeks, though the bookstores website will remain open for business.

Down the street, Sunshine Powers, owner of Love on Haight, a clothing shop selling tie-dye apparel, swiftly grabbed valuables, including cash, art and jewelry, from her shop. She, too, was closing.

Across six Bay Area counties, confusion arose for retailers as they learned about the local shelter in place orders, the countrys most stringent effort yet in which 6.7 million people were directed to stay inside their homes and limit interactions with others, to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, considered one of the largest public health crises in recent years.

Essential services like grocery stores and other food sellers, hardware stores, banks, hospitals and pharmacies will remain open. Health care providers, post offices, laundromats and some businesses and professional services like accounting firms and attorneys that provide legally mandated services can stay open. Restaurants are closed to diners but can operate as take-out or delivery.

All other businesses must close. Sellers of souvenirs, shoes, clothes, jewelry, makeup and home goods will feel the brunt of the directive. Row after row of stores within regional malls  most not deemed essential  will close.

The mass closure is a sudden, devastating blow to a retail sector that was already struggling, particularly in San Francisco, owners say. Two dozen neighborhood commercial districts saw average vacancy rates rise last year, according to a city survey. Earlier this month, voters approved a tax on empty storefronts, a law that takes effect in 2021 and has no exceptions in the event of a recession  which looks more likely following the stock markets crash. The Board of Supervisors could, however, act to suspend, repeal or lower the tax.

The orders are in place until at least April 7 and were instituted separately by local health authorities in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

San Francisco retailers Allbirds and Everlane announced two-week closures on Sunday but will now need to extend those for another week to comply. Other big retailers such as Nike, REI and Apple must modify existing store-closure plans to continue through the orders April 7 end date.

Powers is already feeling the impact. Shes owned Love on Haight, a fixture in the neighborhood for 30 years, since 2017.

I have seven employees and my store supports 150 artists, Powers said. We are taking out loans so that our entire family can survive this.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

San Francisco is taking steps to assist businesses, including committing $10 million to expand sick leave. Private businesses are chipping in, with $1.5 million from Salesforce and $150,000 from Wells Fargo to help businesses and residents.

Now Playing: As local government announces mandatory 'shelter in place' San Franciscans head to the store to stock up on supplies. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce was in support of the citys move but said it would be detrimental to small mom-and-pop businesses in the city.

At this critical time, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce believes that the citys foremost priority must be protecting public health. If that means the closure of nonessential retail stores, then the business community supports that decision, said Jay Cheng, public policy director at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

Failure to comply with the law can result in a fine, imprisonment or both.

Shwanika Narayan and Roland Li are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com, roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika @rolandlisf4
By Trend

As of now 711 persons have left quarantine in Azerbaijan, Chairman of the board of Azerbaijan's Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) Ramin Bayramli said at joint meeting of the committee on health and on legal policy and state building of the Azerbaijani parliament, Trend reports on March 16.

According to him, now 560 persons are in quarantine.

"We can quickly and very precisely test over 5,000 persons per day. Up to 4,200 persons have been examined, 25 of them tested positive. Seven of those have their incubation period finished, so they recovered and were released," he noted.

Azerbaijan has enough drugs and medical means to combat against coronavirus, Bayramli added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Garda HQ say its initial response to the Covid-19 crisis will see a 20% increase in garda availability, resulting in more checkpoints generally and greater visibility in rural areas.

This is expected to be achieved by longer shifts, the accelerated use of student gardai, and the hiring of an additional 200 vehicles.

The new system also includes measures to try to slow and limit the outbreak of Covid-19 within the organisation  but many commanders still expect significant numbers could be affected.

The first batch of student gardai is due to be attested, or sworn in as gardai, this Thursday or Friday after only completing half their training.

Deputy Commissioner John Twomey spoke to gardai at Store Street Garda Station in Dublins north central division at 7am as the forces new contingency roster kicked in.

The plan, announced by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris last Friday, replaces the current 10-hour shift over five units (two of them resting) with a new 12-hour shift over four units (two resting).

Under the new roster, the local divisional commander can either split the fifth shift over the four units or assign it to rural duties.

Garda HQ said the measures will result in a 20% uplift in garda resources available.

Under the new Garda plan:

325 student gardai will be attested early  with 200 from of the senior batch (who have done 16-17 weeks training) expected to be sworn in this Thursday or Friday and 125 from the junior group (who have completed five-six weeks);

210 private cars have been hired, which will be marked up with the Garda sign and crest to provide support to gardai in responding to certain incidents, such as concerns in rural areas regarding vulnerable people, but will not be used in patrols or any rumoured lockdown misinformation on social media;

More checkpoints are supposed to be conducted to reassure the community and show criminals  including feuding gangs  they are about.

Garda sources said 600,000 gloves and hand sanitisers were being delivered to divisions, as well as a small quantity of masks and white suits.

The masks will be handed out to any prisoners who are displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

Public areas of garda stations also have signs informing people to keep their distance and hand sanitisers are being provided. Where public areas are small, some people will be asked to wait outside.

Garda bosses are aware the longer shifts will place an even greater strain on members with children, but said local commanders will try and accommodate this through either split shifts or night shifts.

Officers said that, under the old roster system, there was a lot of crossover between shifts, whereas under the new system the units are independent, limiting the risk of cross-contamination.

Garda sources rejected claims on social media of a lockdown and the use of the army to patrol streets, saying army personnel were an aid for the HSE, such as contract tracing and building testing facilities.
United States President Donald Trump for the first time on his Twitter feed used the phrase Chinese Virus, stepping up friction between the worlds two biggest economies as each tries to deflect blame for a deadly pandemic.

Trump, who has previously called the disease a foreign virus, tweeted on Tuesday: The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. Trump has previously retweeted a supporter who called it a China virus.

With the coronavirus spreading from China into the U.S. and around the world, both nations are trading tit-for-tat claims about its origins. The tense back-and-forth over what to call the virus is the latest chapter in a broader clash between the worlds two largest economies that ranges from trade and military competition to network equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co.

Hours before Trumps tweet, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi the Trump administration strongly objects to Chinas efforts to shift blame for the coronavirus to the U.S., according to a State Department readout.

Pompeo stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumours, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat, according to the readout.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian pushed a conspiracy theory the U.S. army may have had a role in spreading the virus.

In the phone conversation, Yang told Pompeo that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail, and any move to harm the interests of China will be countered resolutely, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

As new infectious cases continued to surge in countries outside China, Beijing intensified its propaganda efforts to avoid taking the blame of causing the pandemic, while promoting a narrative that Chinas unique institutional advantage under President Xi Jinping allows the country to adopt harsh containment measures to clamp down the spread.

Trump, who is facing an election this year, has sought to blame China for the virus as the outbreak slams global stock markets and threatens to push the world into recession.

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Mohamed Manar, Minister of Civil Aviation, convened with Pilot Montaser Mannaa, Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation and CEOs of all companies and bodies affiliated to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. During the meeting, the Minister gave his directives to quickly provide all the necessary facilities for the travel of Egyptians and foreigners to and from Egypt before suspending air transport movement at Egyptian airports.

He highlighted that Egyptair, Egyptian private airlines, and foreign airlines are to continue operating their international flights to accommodate passengers desire to travel to and from Egyptian airports before the specified date. He stressed that all tickets booked in this period to be exempted from any fines in the event of refunding or changing the tickets.

In regard to the tourist groups currently in Egypt, the Minister assured that tourist programmes will be completed and tourists will leave on their booked charter flights. Such flights shall not bring new tourist groups.

He added that Egypt National Airspace is not closed. In order not to harm the interests of Egyptian citizens, the decision to suspend air traffic does not include domestic flights and cargo flights.

Manar also stressed that coordination and cooperation shall continue with all appropriate authorities in Egypt to monitor developments of Covid-19 and its impact on the safety and security of civil aviation.

He added that during the period of suspension, all Egyptian airports and vital installations in the civil aviation sector will be disinfected.

The Minister of Civil Aviation indicated that EgyptAir, Egypt flag carrier, in coordination with the relevant authorities, will continue the process of evacuating Egyptian citizens intensively during the coming days before the suspension of flights and at the same time facilitating the return of foreign tourists to their countries after the end of their tourism programme.
Reiterating its stance on 'no NRC detention centres' in Assam, Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) MoS G Kishan Reddy, on Tuesday, has stated that there is only one centre at Matia, Goalpara with a capacity of 3000, in a written reply. The MHA has stated that there is no NRC detention camp/centre in Assam. Moreover, Reddy has stated in a written reply to the Lok Sabha that 10 inmates in the 6 detention centers in Assam who were declared foreigners/convicted foreigners have died in a different hospital from 1st March 2019 to 29th Feb 2020.

WATCH: Fmr Assam CM Tarun Gogoi admits We built detention centres'; Any response, Rahul?

MHA states 10 deaths in 6 detention camps till date

MoS MHA, in LS in a written reply to a question on the total number of detention centres in Assam: From 1st March, 2019 to 29th Feb, 2020, 3 teams of National Human Right Commission (NHRC) have visited Detention Centers in Assam and have interacted with declared foreign nationals  ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2020

No detention centres in Bengal till I'm alive: Mamata Banerjee's anti-CAA stir escalates

SC pulls up Centre, Assam Govt on detention centres

On Febuary 14, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Assam government to file a fresh report with regard to the status of the release of Bangladeshi migrants in detention centres as per its earlier order. Advocate Prashant Bhushan that over 300 people were in detention for over three years, while more than 700 had been detained for over one year. The top court in May last year had ordered that illegal foreigners in Assam who have completed more than three years in detention may be released after they provide biometric details in a secured database.

SC directs Centre, Assam Govt to file status report on Bangladeshi migrants in detention centres

Detention centres debate

The politics around detention centres started after PM Modi said that there were no detention centres in Assam set up by his government. This was countered by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who shared a news clip showing the detention centre in Assam's Goalpara stating that the Home Ministry in 2018 had sanctioned Rs. 46.41 crores to construct it, which has allegedly been 70% completed. He further alleged that PM Modi was lying to the public.

The BJP countered this stating that the UPA government's Ministry of Home Affairs had admitted in 2011 that three detention camps were opened in Assam - Gaolpara, Kokrajhar, and Silchar where 362 people have been detained in these detention camps. Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi too admitted to their existence adding that they were needed as Bangladesh was not accepting genuine foreigners back in their country then. He has since then shifted the blame to BJP asking 'Why did they not stop infiltrators?'

Kerala CM halts work underway on detention centre, claims 'will create panic in citizens'
Nazanin Raghari-Ratcliffe in Tehran following her release from prison - Free Nazanin Campaign/AFP

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on Tuesday described being "so happy" after being temporarily released from the "hell" of Iranian prison she has been confined in for four years as part of emergency measures to curb the country's raging coronavirus epidemic.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian mother of one from north London who has been incarcerated since 2016 on charges of trying to overthrow the regime, was released on a two-week furlough from Tehran's Evin prison on Monday afternoon as authorities sought to clear crowded jails where the virus could spread.

She is obliged to wear an electronic tag and her movements will be restricted to 300m from her parents Tehran home, where she will spend the next fortnight.

I am so happy to be out. Even with the ankle tag, I am so happy. Being out is so much better than being in  if you knew what hell this place is. It is mental. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming home, she said in a statement released by her family.

My thinking is that they want to keep me, but outside of prison until they sort out this thing. But to be honest, I just want to go home. I think they are showing a good gesture, as they are hoping to strike a deal. So they want to keep me out. If the deal wont happen, then they will drag me back in. But if it does, then they will let me go from here.

Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary said: "While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK.

It is unclear whether the move to grant furlough to Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe heralds a readiness to allow her to return home.

Her family have previously been wary of offers of furlough in case it could be used by authorities as a tool to apply psychological pressure. The last time it was granted, for three days in in August 2018, she was subjected to harassing telephone calls from her interrogators and then denied a promised extension and returned to prison at short notice.

Story continues

Monday's decision followed months of back-and forth diplomacy and appears to be have been subject to weeks of internal debate inside the Iranian government.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will have to stay within 300m of her parents' home - Free Nazanin Campaign

Hamid Baedinejad, Iran's ambassador to London, initially suggested she might be offered furlough on Twitter on March 3. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe told her husband over the telephone the same week that she had been privately informed she would be released in the following days, but the promise never materialised.

In an interview with Iranian media on Sunday Mr Baedinejad juxtaposed potential progress on Mrs Zagahari-Ratcliffe's case with moves to resolve a dispute over 387 million debt the UK owes Iran from a cancelled contract for Chieftain tanks dating from the 1970s.

Mr Raab discussed the case of detained British dual nationals with Mohamed Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, in a telephone call on Monday. Britain has in principle agreed to pay the debt but the two countries continue to haggle over the interest.

British diplomats deny any links between the detention of dual nationals and the tank debt, but Richard Ratcliffe, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, has said he believes his wife has effectively been held hostage over the dispute. Earlier this month he speculated that the postponement of a high court hearing originally scheduled for March 10 for six months may have thwarted the earlier promise of release.

A spokesman for Iran's judiciary said 85,000 prisoners have so far been granted temporary leave under the furlough policy, including 50 percent of "security" prisoners, which includes Nazanin.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe has to wear an ankle tag - Free Nazanin campaign/Free Nazanin campaign

Her release came as state television warned that "millions" of Iranians could die if the public does not take self-isolation advice from the government seriously.

Dr. Afruz Eslami, a state television journalist and medical doctor, reported that a study by Tehran's Sharif University of Technology had examined three scenarios based on varying levels public cooperation with emergency measures announced by the government.

The study found that full cooperation from the public starting now would see Iran's epidemic limited to 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over. Partial cooperation would see 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths.

But if the public ignores government advice and "medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be 4 million cases, and 3.5 million people will die," Dr Eslami reported.

Authorities in the Islamic Republic have been hammering home warnings to Iranians to stay home for Nowruz, the Persian New Year festival when millions of people traditionally head home to celebrate with family.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a religious ruling prohibiting 'unnecessary' trips, and a health ministry told state television that "shopping for the new year is like committing suicide these days."

The government has also found itself facing down religious leaders angered by an order cancelling Friday prayers and closing the country's two holiest Shia shrines.

Angry crowds stormed into the courtyards of the Imam Reza shrine in Mashad and the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom on Monday in defiance of an edict from the supreme leader to close it because of the epidemic. Several of the perpetrators have been arrested.
By Noel Baker and Joel Slattery

In a rare and historic address this evening, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said of the current phase of the Covid-19 pandemic: "This is the calm before the storm, before the surge and when it comes - and it will come - never will so many ask so much from so few.

"We will do all we can to support them."

Outlining new initiatives likely to soon come on stream, including the 'cocooning' of elderly people and those vulnerable through illness, the Taoiseach also warned that the crisis could extend into the summer.

Addressing the nation under Section 112 of the Broadcasting Act, only used in times of national emergency, Mr Varadkar began by walking to the podium and saying: "this is a St Patrick's Day like no other, a day none of us will ever forget."

He repeated recent comments projecting 15,000 cases by the end of this month and many more after that and said: "We are in the middle of a global and national emergency, a pandemic, the likes of which we have never seen before."

'We can stop it in its tracks'

We cant stop the virus, but we can stop it in its tracks, he said adding for the need to avoid close human contact.

These choices arent easy, but they are necessary, he added.

We will learn from the experience of other countries, he said, what works and what doesnt.

The Taoiseach said the pandemic could go on into the summer, adding that co-operation from the entire public was needed to ensure grocery shops remain open.

The Taoiseach said older and at-risk people will have to engage in cocooning for a number of weeks.

Mr Varadkar also praised the nurses and doctors on the frontline of caring for those who get the virus.

"Not all superheroes wear capes - some wear scrubs and gowns," he said, adding that his partner and sisters work in the health service and that there is stress and anxiety in families around the country.

Paying tribute to health professionals - including members of his own family - the Taoiseach also praised the efforts of others, including hauliers and teachers and people stocking supermarket shelves, who he said were also "frontline workers".

However, he said opening hours may need to be adjusted as the country tries to negotiate through the pandemic crisis, and told children they would have to wait to return to school.

He also warned of the need to "halt the spread of fear" and advised that people take a break from media and technology to aid their mental health.

Call to action

In what was effectively a call to action, there were glimmers of initiatives that will be used as the crisis develops, not least the cocooning of elderly people and those vulnerable through illness.

He said this would happen "at a certain point" and would last for several weeks. He said this would save many lives, but admitted that such forced separation would be difficult for families.

I know it is going to be very difficult to stay away from our loved ones," he said, adding: "As hard as it is we need to keep our distance from them.

"Promise them you will see them again soon."

He also said other changes would be needed, such as possible adjustments to opening hours for businesses, avoiding unnecessary journies, buying online from local retailers rather than travelling to shop, and working from home.

"In short, we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, it was announced that there were 69 new confirmed cases of Covid-19  bringing the total number in the Republic to 292. There are 62 confirmed cases in the North.

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Morgan Stanley warned investors on Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic is fundamentally disrupting the world's economy.

"Global recession in 2020 is now our base case," Morgan Stanley chief economist Chetan Ahya wrote in a note. "With Covid-19 spreading in Europe and the US after hitting Asia, the disruptions and dislocations in the economy and markets will trigger a [year over year] contraction in global growth in [the first half of 2020]."

Morgan Stanley believes the U.S. government is undertaking a "strong monetary and fiscal policy response" that "will help revive global growth" in the third quarter of this year. But, overall, Ahya said global economic growth will slow to 0.9% this year, "the lowest since the global financial crisis." The firm's base case for global growth is -0.3% in the first quarter, -0.6% in the second quarter, 1.8% in the third quarter and 2.5% in fourth quarter.

"This time will be worse than the global recession of 2001. While the policy response will provide downside protection, the underlying damage from both Covid-19's impact and tighter financial conditions will deliver a material shock to the global economy," Ahya said.

Morgan Stanley's new base case implies a $360 billion loss to nominal U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

The firm expects U.S. quarterly GDP to slow and not recover until the first half of 2021. Specifically, Morgan Stanley estimates the U.S. economy will see 1.8% growth in the first quarter of 2020, 0.3% in the second quarter, 0.2% in the third quarter and 0.2% in the fourth quarter.

 CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.

Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.
Oura Health, an Oulu, Finland-based provider of wellness ring and app, raised $28M in Series B funding.

Backers included Forerunner Ventures, Gradient Ventures and Square. In conjunction with the funding, Dr. Matthew Walker, scientist and bestselling author of Why We Sleep, will join as Chief Science Advisor. Eurie Kim, Partner at Forerunner Ventures and Jesse Dorogusker, Head of Hardware at Square will join Ouras board. Anna Patterson, Founder and Managing Partner at Gradient Ventures is joining as Board Observer.

The company intends to use the funds to launch a campaign (both product and educational), to hire talent and prioritize research support with academic institutions.

Founded in 2013, OURA provides a smart ring and app delivering precise insights to inform sleep and health habits. The ring and app give users daily feedback to improve their health, to better understand their body and reach their goals.

The company is based in Oulu, Finland, with offices in Helsinki, London, and San Francisco.

FinSMEs

17/03/2020
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. has slashed the amount of money it spends on Google advertising in recent days, a potential blow to the search giants revenue at an already-unstable time.The e-commerce company generally buys Google ads to funnel web shoppers to its online store. But since March 11, Amazon has cut back drastically across nearly all categories, according to data collected by Tinuiti Inc., a marketing agency that handles about $1.5 billion a year in spending for various advertisers.

Amazon has significantly pulled back in Google Shopping and text ads, said Andy Taylor, Tinuitis director of research. In Google keyword auctions, Amazon is still bidding lightly against some advertisers, but it has disappeared as a competitor altogether for others, he added.While we dont comment on individual customers, its not unusual for advertisers to adjust their campaigns at any time for any number of reasons, a Google spokesperson said. An Amazon spokesperson did not return a request for comment.

Amazon is responding to a surge in demand for everyday items as people avoid physical stores because of the coronavirus pandemic. The company is prioritizing the stocking of household and medical supplies and is looking to hire 100,000 extra workers. Amazon could be cutting back on ads because it doesnt want to push even more people to its website and overload its supply chain, warehouses and logistics network.They dont need to drive more demand, said Travis Johnson, global chief executive officer of Podean, a marketing firm that specializes in helping companies advertise on Amazon and other digital marketplaces. Some of his clients have seen sales on Amazon.com spike as much as six times this month, compared to February, he said.The pandemic may curb Googles ad revenue growth as economic activity slows and companies look for ways to cut costs. Online travel agencies Expedia Group Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc., which are major Google ad buyers, have been particularly hard hit since global travel almost ground to a halt a few weeks ago.In China, where the virus spread first, online ad spending will grow this year at the slowest pace since 2011, research firm EMarketer said Tuesday.

Story continues

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SHANGHAI, March 17 (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry on Tuesday advised Chinese citizens to avoid travel to countries posing a high risk in the global coronavirus pandemic, as the country tightens checks on arrivals to guard against imported cases of the disease.

Chinese citizens should avoid travel to heavily affected countries in Europe, as well as the United States, Iran and Korea, the foreign ministry said in a post on an official WeChat account. (Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
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Shear said in a March 13 interview, residents internal activities, like the exercise groups, card groups and Bingo, were still happening. However, things changed over the weekend and the Department of Health Services said the senior life center was no longer able to have communal dining or group activities and residents and tenants are being advised to stay in their rooms and practice social distancing, Shear said in a March 16 follow up email.

Shear said the senior life center has stepped up cleaning and sanitation efforts of common areas, with products its already using sufficient to eliminate the coronavirus as well as other infectious diseases. Staff who might have down time has been told to help clean common areas, he said.

Shear said the organization has talked with residents and staff about practical measures to take, such as washing hands more often, using hand sanitizer and not touching his face, mouth, nose and eyes as well as social distancing.

I dont think this is something that anyone should be panicking about but I do think its important for us to take practical measures to stop the spread the virus, he said.
On Monday morning at 11 am, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati rejected Governor Lalji Tandon's directive to hold a vote of confidence on the floor of the Assembly

On Monday morning at 11 am, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati rejected Governor Lalji Tandon's directive to hold a vote of confidence on the floor of the Assembly. The governor had asked for a confidence vote because 22 Congress MLAs, including some ministers, have resigned. The governor has now revised his directive and asked for the floor test to be conducted by Tuesday. His new directive is expected to meet same fate.

Incidentally, Kamal Nath and Prajapati have given very different reasons for not holding the floor test, at least for another 10 days. That will be analysed a bit later.

The BJP has done what it was expected to do under the circumstances  rush to Supreme Court asking for an urgent hearing and the carrying-out of a floor test. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Wednesday. Unlike the Karnataka issue, when the Supreme Court had constituted a bench after midnight and unlocked the justice's chamber in the early hours of the morning, the apex court showed no hurry in listening to the petition. It should, however, be noted that all eyes will be on the Supreme Court. In the past, the top court of the land has shown a preference for early floor tests, due recording of proceedings and ensuring that they were held freely and fairly.

Meanwhile, it is instructive to take note of Kamal Nath's letter to the governor  in which he rejected the floor test  which is full of contradictions and flaws, indicating his desperate desire to cling on to power for a while longer. The Congress leader does not have a majority in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly after Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit from the Congress and formal entry into the BJP.

Consider this: Kamal Nath exposed a major flaw in his argument in the very first paragraph of the letter. He claimed that several Congress MLAs had been held "hostage" (bandi banakar) by the BJP and then added that th`e MLAs were kept under the control of the Karnataka Police. Elsewhere in the letter, he called those MLAs kaidee (detainees). His argument is that until they are released, a floor test can't be conducted.

If what Kamal Nath is alleging is the case, then questions must be asked about the sort of chief minister who helplessly stands by while the Opposition party 'abducts' 19 legislators, including six ministers, and takes them to Bengaluru. He has a lot of agencies at his disposal to retrieve the 'kidnapped'. And the Congress has strongmen like Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar in Karnataka.

The Congress leaders are staying at a hotel in Bengaluru and have sent their resignations to the Speaker, chief minister and Governor. They have also been seen on television, criticising Kamal Nath and praising Scindia. If the chief minister continues to believe that the Karnataka Police is indeed holding the Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh as hostages or as unauthorised detainees, it borders on absurdity.

Kamal Nath then argued that under the circumstances, the governor's direction to hold a floor test is "undemocratic and unconstitutional". The chief minister should realise that it's not the governor's order but his decision to continue occupying the chief minister's chair despite losing confidence of sections of his own MLAs that is undemocratic and unconstitutional. He referred to a Supreme Court judgment in Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix versus Deputy Speaker Arunachal Pradesh and Others to assert why the governor can't interfere with the functioning of the Assembly.

He, however, conveniently forgot that the Supreme Court on several occasions has held that floor tests should be conducted at the earliest to see whether or not the government is in the majority and a show of strength can be done only on the floor of the House.

The expression of "surprise" over the governor's direction on more than one occasion in Kamal Nath's letter is also interesting. The Madhya Pradesh chief minister questioned how the governor could "prima facie believe" that his government has reduced to a minority. He doesn't think that the resignation letters of close to two dozen MLAs of his party should have any bearing on the governor's thought process and instead, spoke of recognising these MLAs as a separate group and invoking provisions of the anti-defection law. But, the MLAs and ministers have not formed a separate group, nor are they seeking recognition as separate group in the House. They have simply resigned from assembly.

As per Kamal Nath, the decision on a floor test can only be taken by the Speaker. Within minutes of the session on Monday beginning, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly on account of coronavirus, for the next 10 days. It didn't matter to him that the Parliament of India is in session.
West Linn has paid out $1.4 million in legal settlements involving members of the citys Police Department in the last decade, according to recently released city records.

Last months $600,000 settlement to Portland resident Michael Fesser to settle a wrongful arrest claim was the most recent and largest payout. Fesser was arrested in 2017 on theft allegations by West Linn police as a favor to Fessers boss, Eric Benson, owner of A&B Towing Co. Benson was a fishing pal of then-Police Chief Terry Timeus.

The city is insured by City County Insurance Services. According to a June 2019 audit, settled claims for West Linn before the Fesser payment hadnt exceeded coverage for any of the prior three fiscal years. West Linns current gross insurance premium is $361,507.

Here are the other settlements West Linn has reached since 2010:

--$120,000 in back pay went to fired Officer Tom Newberry, terminated in 2017 for publishing racist posts on Facebook.

An arbitrator found that although the Police Department was justified in firing Newberry, his behavior was widely known among police supervisors in the agency, including then-Chief Terry Timeus, yet they did nothing to address it until local media began reporting on the posts.

The arbitrator wrote: The Departments top management, including the Police Chief, all viewed Newberrys Facebook postings and took no steps to address the issue.

--$300,000 payout to former West Linn police Capt. Victor Lancaster to settle his 2015 federal suit against the city, former Chief Timeus and former City Manager Chris Jordan.

Lancaster claimed he was fired in retaliation for testifying in support of another officer's labor violation claims against the department.

Lancaster, who had been a member of the West Linn Police Department for 20 years when he was fired in April 2014, received $180,000 in damages and wages, and his attorneys received $120,000, according to a Feb. 8, 2015, agreement.

--$2,000 to Sgt. Jim A. Doolittle under a settlement agreement signed on June 20, 2014.

Doolittle submitted a letter resigning from West Linn Police Department on June 20, 2014. The former police K9 officer was given the lump sum to go toward the cost of his animals maintenance and allowed to retain ownership of the police canine, Viggo. The settlement doesnt say what led to Doolittles resignation.

The city also agreed to pay the medical insurance premium for him and his dependents through August 2014.

In an unusual provision, then-Chief Terry Timeus agreed to alert the state Department of Public Safety Standards & Training that Doolittle resigned under a settlement, but that Timeus wouldnt provide any other information unless the state agency requested it. Timeus said Doolittle also would be given a chance to challenge a request for information by the state standards agency.

In a second unusual provision, the city also agreed to deny any public records request regarding Doolittles employment with the city unless ordered to release it by the district attorney or attorney general.

Doolittle was hired as a reserve officer for West Linn in September 2002, became a full-time officer the next year and resigned as a sergeant in 2014.

-- $15,000 to Chad Atkeson, who filed a hostile work environment complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries on April 25, 2013.

Atkeson argued that a hostile work environment forced him to resign and that he was denied veteran preference points during a promotional process in violation of state law.

The city agreed under a negotiated settlement to pay Atkeson $15,000, train sergeants and command staff on their rights under the public employee collective bargaining agreement and allow non-bargaining employees who seek a bargaining unit job with premium pay to self-demote into the bargaining unit before competing for such a position.

The agreement was signed April 22, 2014.

Atkeson had tried for a sergeants job but then-Officer Mike Stradley got the post instead.

Atkeson filed an unlawful labor practice claim in March 2013, asserting he was passed over for the sergeant job in retaliation for writing a memo that said the city's pay practices violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Atkeson later filed a similar complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.

According to a separate suit by former West Linn police Capt. Victor Lancaster, the department denied Atkeson the job because he had been viewed as a member of "The Clique" that was critical about how the department was operated.

The job went instead to Stradley, whom Lancaster once accused of conducting an illegal search. Lancaster reported the possible violation to the Clackamas County District Attorneys Office and the Oregon Department of Justice and was told the search may have indeed been unconstitutional, according to the lawsuit. But an internal police investigation found no wrongdoing, a chiefs memo to Lancaster said.

--$350,000 to settle Officer Alexis M. Warwicks lawsuit against the city in 2010.

Warwick alleged she was fired in April 2010 in retaliation for complaining that she was treated unfairly and denied training opportunities because she rejected unwanted sexual advances and comments and because of her marital status.

After she made her complaints, she was investigated for untruthfulness.

"To follow up my investigation with allegations that I have been anything but truthful sounds much more to me like the City is angry that I've filed charges and would like to discredit me and justify reprimanding me for filing charges in the first place; without which the investigation never would have commenced, she wrote to West Linns human resources manager at the time, according to court records.

Under a settlement, her firing was altered to instead reflect a voluntary resignation as of April 10, 2010. All disciplinary letters and memos were ordered to be removed from her personnel file, and she instead was to get a positive letter of recommendation from West Linn police, written by then-Chief Terry Timeus and then-Sgt. Neil Hennelly.

The city paid her $217,194 for emotional distress plus $132,806 for attorney fees, the settlement shows.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Princess Martha Louise's boyfriend Shaman Durek has revealed that the Norwegian royal flew to the US to surprise him before Norway shuts its borders.

Durek Verrett, 44, from LA, shared a gushing Instagram post last night praising the royal, 48, for 'flying across the world' with her children Maud Angelica, 16, Leah Isadora, 14, and Emma Tallulah, 10, to see him for two days.

He said he 'cried like a baby' when she surprised him at his door, and called the action a 'declaration of love'.

The loved-up post comes weeks after it was rumoured that the couple, who have been together for just over a year, had broken up.

Princess Martha Louise's, 48, boyfriend Shaman Durek, 44, from LA, has revealed in a gushing Instagram post that the Norwegian royal flew across the world to surprise him before the coronavirus lockdown

Alongside the emotional Instagram post, Durek shared two selfies of the couple beaming with one another.

Posting the snaps to his 158,000 followers yesterday, Durek wrote: 'Love is more than words, it's an action, a declaration.

'My favorite scene from the Titanic is when Rose said " You jump I jump". That is a declaration and a action of love.

'This world as we know is needing more actions of love, especially with everything going on right now. Less hate, less judgment, less pointing the fingers and a whole lot more of love please.'

Durek called the surprise two day trip by the Norwegian royal a 'declaration of love' before Norwegian borders shut down

In a lengthy Instagram post about the move by Princess Martha, he quoted a famous line from the film Titanic, writing: 'You jump, I jump'

He continued: 'My love, without even telling me, showed up at my door before being locked down.

'She literally flew across the world to see me before her country boarders where closed.

'Just to see me before she couldn't anymore, even if it was just for two days. It was the best two days in my life for me and my family.'

He went on to say that he'd been shocked by Princess Martha's move, explaining: 'When she surprised me I cried like a baby because that is love to me. Taking action!

Durek shared several selfies of the couple as he called the mother-of-three 'amazing, beautiful and powerful'

'I know this women loves me as much as I love her. Demonstrating acts of love is far more greater than just saying it.'

He continued: 'It doesn't hurt to wash the dishes or to take out the trash or surprise your love with a gift or give them a massage. Just do something so off the wall.

'Like going straight to the airport with your kids, no bags, no nothing and jump on a plane just to see the one you love.'

He added: 'Love you my sweet, sweet Martha. You amazing, beautiful, powerful, wise women who makes me a better man. You jump, I jump.'

In a comment responding to Durek's post, Princess Martha said loving her boyfriend makes her 'soul sing' (pictured together)

Princess Martha responded to her boyfriend's Instagram post with a lengthy comment, writing: 'In the unpredictable and challenging times we are all part of, where I feel for everyone who are affected, we need to remember that more important than the fear we are all tapping into, is the love we have for each other.'

She gushed: 'I love showing up for you with love, darling. It makes my soul sing. It is important to show it now more than ever.

'Even if we cant hug and have developed new foot shakes to stay safe, let us all love each other more. Say more beautiful things to each other and be there for each other.

'Dont spread negativity, but stay loving, genuine and true. Even in quarantine, lets love more. You dont even have the excuse of not having time to do loving actions for each other anymore.

The couple, who regularly share snaps together on social media, both encouraged their followers to focus on love during the crisis

'Because you actually suddenly have time together. Show up for each other, the ways we can, in addition to washing hands a lot and follow WHOs advice constantly. Lets help each other out through these times. Love.

'Be alone in nature and love. I pray for all affected and that we all can show up for this wonderful planet we live on with the respect and love it deserves.'

The royal announced her relationship with Shaman Durek in May last year, but an Instagram post suggests they may have been seeing each other from at least February.

Earlier this week, Norwegian authorities said that all non-resident visitors arriving from countries other than Finland and Sweden would be asked to leave Norway on arrival.

The country had earlier closed a wide range of public and private institutions, including schools and restaurants, and halt all sporting events in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The best thing your fellow residents can do is TNR, which you mentioned. This is the humane solution for reducing feral cats in the community and involves trapping the cats and taking them to a clinic to get fixed and vaccinated. The clinic also will clip the cat's left ear indicating that the cat has been fixed and return the cat to its neighborhood. The goal is to stabilize the cat population by making sure no kittens are born. If the cats are fixed and fed, they generally aren't even seen much in the neighborhood except by the people who feed them.
A woman from Mumbai with travel



history to Dubai, undergoing treatment at civic-run Kasturba Hospital since last week, has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, a top Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said on Tuesday.

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said the woman, a resident of suburban Andheri, had been undergoing treatment since the past 4-5 days at Kasturba Hospital.

She has tested negative for the coronavirus (Covid-19) but will undergo medical test again, he said.

"We are going to keep her for 24 hours in quarantine and if she tested negative again, then discharge protocols will be activated," said Kakani.

Speaking about recovery of patients, he said an individual's will power is an important factor in coming out of the infection.

According to BMC officials, the woman and her husband were part of a 40-member group undergoing treatment at the hospital since last week after returning from a Dubai tour.

They said the number of coronavirus positive cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) now stood at 15. These included a three-year-old girl from Kalyan in Thane district.

The MMR comprises Mumbai and parts of adjoining districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad.

Kakani said so far 540 people had been admitted for possible coronavirus infection in Mumbai and 452 of them tested negative for the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading online travel aggregator MakeMyTrip on Tuesday announced that the company is waiving off fee for processing cancellation or rescheduling requests for domestic as well as international flights up to April 30.



"MakeMyTrip is not levying any fee for processing cancellation or rescheduling requests for domestic as well as international flights up to April 30. We understand this is a difficult time for travellers and we want to support them during this period of uncertainty," Saujanya Shrivastava, Chief Business Officer, MakeMyTrip said in a statement.



"We continue to work closely with all our airline partners for lenient customer policies for date change, cancellations and waivers in the face of evolving travel situation. We are also seamlessly passing on waiver benefits to our customers, wherever applicable," he added.



Earlier, with India announcing to cancel all non-official visas till April 15, the said the decision will have a distinct impact on inbound and outbound international travel.



The Ministry of Health on Tuesday said that so far 126 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, 12 up from Tuesday tally of 114.
A 14-year-old Stewartsville Middle School student and her mother died in a three-vehicle crash on Friday in Virginia, the township schools superintendent and Virginia state police confirm.

Eighth-grader Jeniffer Costaesilva and her mother, Patrizzia Costaesilva, were in the vehicle with Jeniffers father, Enio Da Silva Jr., who was seriously hurt, a district Facebook post said and Superintendent Maria Eppolite confirmed.

Patrizzia Costaesilva, 44, of Greenwich Township, was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, which was towing a small utility trailer, in the left lane of Interstate 95 South, just beyond Henry Road in Sussex County, Virginia State Police said.

The pickup went off the highway, hit the median barrier and jackknifed, coming to a stop facing traffic, police said. A 2020 Freightliner tractor-trailer hit the Dodge head-on, instantly killing Patrizzia Costaesilva and her daughter, police said. The third person in the pickup, whom the district identified as Da Silva, was taken to a hospital, police said.

The tractor-trailer swerved to the right and sideswiped another pickup that had moved to the right shoulder. The occupants of the tractor-trailer and the second truck suffered minor injuries, police said.

Jeniffer Costaesilvas sister, Letticia Da Silva, a Phillipsburg High School graduate, was not in the vehicle and has traveled to Virginia to be with her father, Eppolite said. A GoFundMe has been set up to support the family.

Jeniffer Costaesilva was a friend to many and had insight far beyond her years, Eppolite said.

The superintendent remembered the student as a sweet young lady who was bright, energetic and had a great sense of humor.

The girl played volleyball with the Little Liners in the Greenwich Recreation Association.

Counselors were brought to the school on Sunday and will be available remotely this week to those who need them, Eppolite said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin.
TWIN FALLS  ODunkens Draught House decided Monday afternoon to cancel its St. Patricks Day street party, planned for Tuesday. The decision came after the pub decided on Thursday to cancel the Twin Falls St. Patricks Day parade.

ODunkens had a permit that allowed the restaurant to hold a party on Main Avenue, which would have been closed to traffic had the event not been canceled. The City of Twin Falls asked the restaurant to consider shutting down both events to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The decision was difficult for ODunkens owner Jennifer Colvin. She said she appreciated the citys willingness to work with her.

The bigger picture  is everyones health and safety, Colvin said.

At the same time, St. Patricks Day is ODunkens biggest day of the year.

The revenue would have helped, especially if there are going to be some closures, Colvin said, noting that she now has a surplus of inventory that she probably wont be able to sell anytime soon.

Twin Falls City Manager Travis Rothweiler said at Mondays City Council meeting the city appreciates ODunkens willingness to voluntarily close its St. Patricks Day events.

Those are incredibly hard and impactful decisions, Rothweiler said. That was really done in the best interest of the larger community.

While the city did ask ODunkens to voluntarily shut down the parade and street party, Rothweiler said that the city has not placed any other restrictions on businesses. He said the city is urging everyone to follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Idaho Gov. Brad Littles office.

Rothweiler said he does not anticipate the city putting any restrictions on businesses in the future, and also added that there would be legal uncertainties if the city wanted to go that route.

We certainly would not do anything like that without full consultation with the governors office and full consultation with City Council, Rothweiler said.

Rothweiler did not recommend residents lock themselves inside.

If youre well, and youre not impacted, continue to follow the governors advice that he placed out there, and that is to use services, Rothweiler said. Continue to live your life, but do so with caution and simple discretion.

Today, President Donald Trump asked individuals to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people and to avoid bars, restaurants and food courts. The president recommended choosing delivery, pickup or drive-thru dining options instead.

As of yesterday, the CDC reported 68 Americans had died from the coronavirus, and 3,487 had been infected.

Despite the street party cancellation, ODunkens will be open Tuesday, and Colvin said she expects a significant turnout. She added she will be doing everything she can to ensure that her clients arent in close contact with each other. Shell be setting up tables on the sidewalks outside and disinfecting tables and menus frequently.

She said she hopes to have a proper St. Patricks Day celebration at some point.

We can make some sacrifices for the good of the general public, and then hopefully once everything has subsided, and were at the end of the curve, maybe we can do a re-do of St. Patricks Day, Colvin said.
The Rolling Stones commented, "We're hugely disappointed to have to postpone the tour. We are sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to it as much as we were, but the health and safety of everyone has to take priority. We will all get through this together - and we'll see you very soon."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:04:18|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Lujiazui, the core financial zone in Shanghai, has attracted 22 major foreign and domestic projects so far this year amid the outbreak of COVID-19, local authorities said Tuesday.

Zhou Haidong, with the Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone Management Committee, said the projects involve various fields such as finance, asset management, e-sports and shipping.

As of Tuesday, Lujiazui has attracted eight licensed financial institutions and three international asset management institutions, including a business consulting company registered by British industry leader Legal & General Investment Management.

Another institution Korean Reinsurance Company Shanghai Branch obtained a business license on Jan. 13 and settled in Lujiazui. Hugh S. M. Yoon, CEO of the branch, said their Shanghai office has now resumed work and plans to start underwriting business from April 1.

"In the long run, the opening of the Shanghai branch will definitely improve our understanding and service of the local market," Yoon said.

On Feb. 14, despite the ongoing epidemic, Russell Investments Management (Shanghai) completed private fund management registration in China.

"China is one of the most promising and attractive markets for the global asset management industry, which is why we chose Shanghai. Lujiazui will be our starting point for expanding our business in the future," said Ying Tan, president and general manager of the firm.

On March 1, Shanghai unveiled a number of new measures on facilitating the development of foreign enterprises, including easing market access and expanding opening-up, as part of its efforts to further spur growth and minimize the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
After the rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh clarified that they were staying away from Bhopal on their own, state Law Minister PC Sharma on Tuesday reiterated the demand that they should be brought back to the state.

"The press conference should be held in Bhopal if they are not afraid. They are being held captive by BJP there. Why was the press conference held in Bengaluru and not Bhopal? We have written to the Home Minister too. They should be brought back for the floor test to be held," Sharma told ANI here.

He further defended Speaker NP Prajapati's move of adjourning the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, in view of coronavirus by saying, "Coronavirus has caused havoc around the globe, thousands of people have lost their lives, the Prime Minister himself conducted video conferencing with SAARC nation heads, many Vidhan Sabha Assemblies have been adjourned, the Madhya Pradesh Speaker similarly adjourned the house till March 26, following which the proceedings will begin."

The Congress leader further said that the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court and, therefore, its judgement should be awaited.

Earlier in the day, rebel Congress leader Govind Singh Rajput said that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath doesn't even give 15 minutes to legislators for discussing issues related to their constituencies. He also claimed that the group of rebel legislators was not being held captive.

Speaking at the press briefing of Congress rebel MLAs in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he said, "Kamal Nath Ji never heard us even for 15 minutes. Then whom should we talk to for development work in our constituency?"

"We have not been kept captive, we have come here willingly. Secondly, when the Madhya Pradesh government was formed we were there in the opposition for 15 years. When the government was formed Rahul Gandhi brought two faces in light--Scindia (Jyotiraditya Scindia) Ji and Kamal Nath Ji. Scindia Ji was not made the CM, rather Kamal Nath Ji became the CM of MP. We thought everything will continue to be normal, but the CM's behavior changed later," he added.

Rajput asserted that Congress MLAs staying in Jaipur were also "sad" but they were helpless. If set free, half of them will come running to Bengaluru, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / We've all heard of relative humidity, but do you know what that phrase means? Most people think it describes the amount of moisture in the air, but there's a little more to it. It means the amount of humidity in the air at a specific temperature compared to the amount of maximum humidity that could be held in the air at that same temperature. Clear as mud, right? Here, Lloyd Swiggum from Roadrunner Restoration explains about humidity in your home and why it's important to understand what it can do.





"Humidity is a normally good thing," Lloyd says. Some moisture in the air is essential to be comfortable, he adds. However, too much can be a bad thing, especially when catastrophic water damage has occurred like that caused by water damage or fire.



"When Roadrunner Restoration comes in to assess the damage after a catastrophe in your home, fast correction of humidity levels is one of our top priorities," he says. "It's our goal to preserve your home as much as possible." Lloyd of Roadrunner Restoration says he has seen firsthand some of the effects that can occur from not controlling the humidity levels in a home. Some signs of high humidity and possible moisture damage, he adds, include condensation on the inside of window glass, stains from moisture or leaking along the tops of walls, and bathrooms that show mold growth or that smell musty or moldy.



"Most people aren't aware of the irreversible damage that can be caused when you don't control the moisture in the home," he adds. The damage can even cause rotting in the structural areas of your home. High humidity can also draw in pests looking for humid conditions in which to live. Most of all, Lloyd says, living in high humidity conditions can cause severe health issues since invisible or hidden mold, fungi, and dust mites all thrive in humid conditions.



"When Roadrunner Restoration comes in," he says, "we use industrial-strength dehumidifiers to remove the excess moisture from the air." A dehumidifier is a cost-effective appliance for removing excess water from the air before it causes structural damage or health issues. Lloyd says their industrial-strength dehumidifiers have powerful fans which draw room air through the appliances. The air passes by a cold coil, which causes the air to condense. The water that accumulates drips down into a holding tank that is emptied periodically. The now dehumidified air passes by a hot coil to be warmed back up before it flows out into the room. The process continues until the thermostat senses the humidity in the room is back to normal range.



Lloyd of Roadrunner Restoration says dehumidifiers must be used correctly to help prevent overheating. According to Robson Forensics, some of the dehumidifiers designed for home usage have caused millions of dollars of damage. These incidents have caused several recalls of dehumidifiers due to malfunctioning heating coils that overheat, causing a fire.



Most manufacturers recommend 8-12 inches of space between it and any adjacent wall, Lloyd of Roadrunner Restoration says. The filter needs to be changed or cleaned periodically to ensure constant airflow through the appliance. He says it's also important to use the appliance in an enclosed area with doors and windows shut, as this prevents the unit from running continuously which could lead to overheating. Lastly, the coils need to be cleaned periodically to prevent dust and dirt buildup on the coils, since buildup is likely to cause stress on the fan and freezing of the coils, both of which can lead to the compressor overheating.



If you want to control the humidity in your home, Lloyd of Roadrunner Restoration says a dehumidifier is the way to go. But when it comes to catastrophic damage and resultant moisture issues, don't leave your home's humidity to chance -- call the professionals at Roadrunner Restoration (888-950-1616) to restore your home to its normal relative humidity levels before it's too late.

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581223/Roadrunner-Restoration-Talks-About-Why-a-Dehumidifier-is-Important
Districts varying responses to the coronavirus pandemic is showing, yet again, how a multitude of disparities in terms of funding, staffing, and support play out for students, a new Education Week survey shows.

They survey results definitely mirror some of the other things we see. These are definitely unprecedented times and what bears out in the survey is that the challenges are impacting vulnerable students and families more than others, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, the executive director of the Education Trust-West, a nonprofit that advocates for disadvantaged students and students of color.

A nationally representative survey, fielded by the EdWeek Research Center, was conducted online March 10 and 11slightly before the crest of school closures due to COVID-19. A total of 1,165 K-12 educators took the survey, including 420 principals and 745 other district leaders, including curriculum and instruction personnel, superintendents, technology directors, and health and human service directors.

Read on for three of the findings.

1. Many leaders report having emergency plans, but those plans werent necessarily well tailored for the coronavirus.

Half of those surveyed said that their district had an emergency plan that addressed some aspects of pandemics or disease outbreaks, but nearly a third said that they either did not have such a plan or the plan did not address pandemics.

Even well-prepared school leaders have told Education Week that their plans didnt always directly line up with the realities of the coronavirus. For example, their plans may have been well suited for seasonal influenza outbreaks, but not an illness that survives as long on surfaces as the coronavirus or one that would disrupt school for weeks.

However, most of the school leaders said they were in close contact with public health agencies, a best practice.

2. The digital divide is real and its starkly playing out as schools close.

Forty one percent of the school leaders said they couldnt provide remote or e-learning activities to every student in their district for even one day. Troublingly, the second most common response was the opposite: 22 percent said they could provide those opportunities as long as we needed to.

Those findings point to drastically different e-learning capacitiesand portend that Americas students will receive vastly different educational experiences over the next few weeks or months, especially if schools remain closed.

The gaps are also associated with demographics. When EdWeek researchers broke the findings out by districts socioeconomic status, they found that 31 percent of districts where less than a quarter of students were low income said they could not provide e-learning opportunities. But more than half of districts where most students were low-income said they could not provide those learning opportunities.

In terms of density, school leaders in rural districts were the least likely to say they could not provide e-learning at any grade level. While just 16 percent of suburban districts said they couldnt provide e-learning, 29 percent of rural districts reported that problem. Rural communities disproportionately suffer from a lack of broadband capacity, Education Week has previously reported.

The survey also found divides in terms of respondents function within schools. District leaders were a lot more pessimistic than principals about remote-learning capacity: 45 percent of them said they could not productively provide e-learning, compared to smaller percentages of elementary, middle, and high school principals.

Its possible these divides reflect differences in knowledge: Districts central offices may have the best sense of their infrastructure capacities.

In general, principals of older high school students were also more likely to believe they could provide remote learning. As schools struggle to develop either online or paper-and-pencil packets of learning materials, the findings portend more challenges to find appropriate, standards-aligned activities for young students, including those learning to read.

3. Gaps Exist in Districts Cleaning and Communications Abilities

The digital divide isnt the only troubling gap in the EdWeek findings.

The EdWeek Research Center also found districts with high numbers of students of poverty were less likely to report that they were daily cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles and light switches, than other districts, with about 68 percent of those districts reporting those activities, compared to 84 percent of the wealthiest districts.

And the districts with the neediest students were less likely to ask sick students to stay at home49 percent of those districts said that, compared to 73 percent of wealthy districtsa finding that may reflect widespread concern about food insecurity and lack of supervision for students whose parents must work.

They were also much less likely than wealthier school systems to offer paid leave for staff caring for sick family members, the survey showed.

Nearly all the superintendents interviewed by Education Week have highlighted communication as a key strategy to keep staff and students safe and build relationships with them at a time of massive uncertainty for communities. But some communities struggled more than others to communicate.A quarter of rural districts, for example, said they had not communicated with their community about what to do in an outbreak of coronavirus, compared to 4 percent of urban districts. And they were less likely than urban districts to have used the news media or a student information system to communicate with parents.

Those findings may reflect the small size of rural districts and fewer central office staff: Smaller districts struggled more with communication efforts than did large ones.

I think what a lot of your data says to me, and positions us to do, is that post all of this, we really need to think about how do we continue to provide districts the resources they need regardless of whether theyre rural or urban, Smith Arrillaga of the Education Trust-West said.
Nearly half of self-identifying Anglicans in England support same-sex marriage, according to a poll.

YouGov asked over 5,000 people across the UK whether they believed same-sex marriage to be right or wrong.

Of the 1,171 people surveyed in England who identified as Church of England, Anglican or Episcopal, 48% said that same-sex marriage was right, contrasting with around a third (34%) who said it was wrong and 18% who answered "don't know".

The poll did not ask about church attendance.

When YouGov first asked the question in 2013, 38% of self-identifying Anglicans said that same-sex marriage was right. That figure rose to 45% in 2016.

The 2020 poll found that they are still less likely than the rest of the population to support same-sex marriage, with 60 per cent of total respondents believing same-sex marriage to be right. Support within the wider general public has also risen from 46% in 2016.

Londoners were more likely to support same-sex marriage (68%), as were those aged 18- to 24 (74% vs 37% of 65+).

The latest poll was conducted on behalf of the Ozanne Foundation, which is campaigning for LGBT equality in the Church of England.

The foundation's director, Jayne Ozanne said: "These results show that those opposed to same-sex marriage are now clearly in the minority, and that a substantial group within the Church of England believe same sex marriage is right.

"This shows the urgent need for the Church of England hierarchy to recognise and respect the clear views of a significant proportion of its members, which are steadily increasing as time goes by."

The Bishop of Liverpool and chair of the Ozanne Foundation, the Rt Rev Paul Bayes said: "These results provide a challenge to us in leadership within the Church of England to ensure that we understand the views of the people we serve.

"Attitudes are indeed changing quickly, and we must be open to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through them if we are to be an effective witness of God's love to the nation."

Others in the Church of England were more sceptical of the findings. Peter Ould, Church of England priest and commentator on sexual identity, said that self-declared Anglicans should not be conflated with active members of the Church of England.

He accused Ozanne of using a "manipulative" definition of 'Anglican' "which doesn't reflect the actual members in the pews".

"If all of these 'Anglicans' were actually attending church there would be well over 10 million people worshipping in the Church of England every Sunday!" he said.

He added: "On top of this, the change in support from the last survey is well within the margin of error, meaning there is no statistical significance in the claimed increase in support for same-sex marriage."

Church of England minister Liam Beadle tweeted: "I'm not sure what this is meant to demonstrate. We don't do theology by opinion poll. Indeed, my opinion and the Church's teaching can be in tension without my wanting any doctrinal revision!"

Matthew Mason, tutor in ethics at the Pastors' Academy, posted a similar comment on Twitter: "This would only be remotely interesting or relevant if you gave a clear definition of what respondents mean by 'Anglican' - my father worked in prisons for a couple of decades, and almost everyone self-identified as CofE, and also revealed the questions you asked."

Re-posted with permission from Christian Today
The Gatekeeper

Kate Fall

HQ 16.99

Rating:

Discretion may be the better part of valour, but it is the worst part of a memoir.

Kate Fall was David Camerons deputy chief of staff for 11 years, first in opposition and then in Government. Her desk was positioned outside Camerons door so she became known as The Gatekeeper.

By all accounts, she was good at her job. In his own disappointing memoirs, David Cameron praised her highly: I valued her emotional intelligence and judgement more than anyones. She clearly has a story to tell.

In his own disappointing memoirs, David Cameron praised Kate Fall highly: I valued her emotional intelligence and judgement more than anyone's

But will she tell it? I wrote this book with the hope that it would shed some light on the world behind the public facade, she writes on page one. The blood, sweat and tears. The chaos and camaraderie. The friendships and fall-outs. The victories and regrets. I want to share with others what it is like behind that famous door of Number 10.

Bizarrely, four pages later, she repeats the same passage, with the words slightly rearranged. Has her computers copy-and-paste mechanism gone berserk? I wrote in the hope that I could shed some light on the world behind the facade of politics, to share with others what it is like behind that famous door. The blood, sweat and toil. The chaos and comradery. The victories and regrets. The friendships and fallings-out.

So she promises a lot. But there is always a tension in political memoirs. The author wants to boast about what went right, while the reader wants to hear what went wrong. True to her reputation for good manners, Fall is careful to highlight the friendships over the fallings-out, and the camaraderie over the chaos.

Her book has a jolly, can-do, Famous Five air about it, with old chums David and Kate and George (Osborne) and Samantha (Cameron) pictured embarking on their great big adventure. Of their first day in Downing Street, she writes: We are like school children who want to huddle together in a corner and laugh at our good fortune. But where was Timmy the dog? Who knows? Perhaps settling in to his new job as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Fall maintains her matey, jolly-good-show tone throughout the book, sometimes against almost insuperable odds. It comes as a surprise to find that the people occupying Harold Macmillan and Rab Butlers old desks are all hooked on Game Of Thrones, and josh each other with schoolboy nicknames. Wheres Sobsborne? asks Prime Minister Cameron, the day after George Osborne has been spotted shedding a tear at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher.

IT'S A FACT MPs hanging their coats in the cloakroom of the Houses of Parliament will find space for their swords and at least one MP uses it. Advertisement

The role of the Famous Fives wacky, scatterbrained Uncle Quentin, full of madcap theories, is taken by Michael Gove, who eats his breakfast during Cabinet meetings and is forever getting into scrapes. In a particularly funny passage, Gove decides to shed as many trappings of government as possible, and elects to drive himself to work. This is a very noble gesture, with a slight hitch  Michael is a terrible driver. He has come late to it in adulthood, only passing his driving test after the birth of his first child (and following quite a few attempts). He arrives and is shown the car park, which is accessed via a car lift. Only, Michael takes the angle slightly wrong, and the lift doors close on his car when he is halfway in, then  automatically  the doors go forward and back, forward and back, until the car is crushed with Michael in it. Mrs Gove is not best pleased.

Sadly, such indiscretions are few and far between. For the most part, Fall regards her role as a memoirist as an extension of her job as gatekeeper: to present the polished face of the Cameron administration to the world, and to paper over any unseemly cracks.

Take the case of Andy Coulson, for example. To many observers, it was always reckless of Cameron to appoint this former editor of the News Of The World as the Conservative party director of communications, particularly as Coulson had been forced to resign his editorship over phone hacking allegations. As we all now know, Coulson was to end up in prison.

But, in Kate Falls eyes, he could do no wrong. Yes, there were warnings, but not of a specific nature; most of the feedback was positive, she writes. Once Coulson is installed in Number 10, everyone finds him one of the most professional people we have worked with, a brilliant manager and a rare adviser. When he is forced to resign from Number 10, prior to his arrest, There are a lot of tears on the day he leaves. There must surely have been fury and recrimination too, but her lips are sealed.

Such loyalty may be admirable, but candour is the oxygen of a memoir, and its absence renders everything lifeless. She reveals next to nothing of her own private life, beyond the fact that her daughter and son were six and three years old when she embarked on what she calls Project Cameron and 17 and 14 when it was over. She never reveals the name of her husband, her sole reference to him being restricted to three words, in brackets. In passing, she says of her gang in Downing Street: We are all quite wrapped up together Relationships collapse. Some under the stress of never being put first Three marriages break down after the 2010 election (including my own).

By this, she seems to suggest that the pressure of her work led to the end of her marriage, but she sheds no further light on it. Her memoir is further impaired by a tendency towards truism. We learn, for instance that In politics, personalities matter. Of Prime Ministers Questions, she tells us: There is no doubt that a leader who fails to deliver at these weekly exchanges will begin to fade in the estimation of their colleagues over time. Hold the front page!

Clusters of cliches abound. One passage goes: Judgement is everything in politics. The more senior you are, the more it matters. In the end, the job of a politician is to make decisions on our behalf. I also have doubts about her decision to write her book in the present tense. Presumably, she hoped it would lend a diary-like urgency to events that might otherwise seem stale, but it feels forced and artificial. It also gets her into a muddle with her tenses whenever she tries to refer back or forward in time.

Kate Fall is interesting about the way the architecture of Number 10, with its higgledy-piggledy corridors and random rooms, lends itself to closed doors and inner circles, which then exacerbates some peoples sense of being left out

Nonetheless, the book has a pleasantly breezy tone, and offers the odd sharp insight into the effect of power on those who gain it. As The Gatekeeper, she would watch MPs who had just gained promotion in ministerial reshuffles. Some remain themselves. Others seem to grow a layer of pomposity in the short time it takes them to walk down the corridor  normally in inverse proportion to the importance of their job. Alas, with characteristic tact, she offers not a single example.

She is interesting about the way the architecture of Number 10, with its higgledy-piggledy corridors and random rooms, lends itself to closed doors and inner circles, which then exacerbates some peoples sense of being left out. By and large, it seems that Camerons two administrations  the first with the Lib Dems in tow, the second without  were friendlier than many others, though she is notably more waspish to those, like Michael Gove, who finally broke ranks. He always speaks like he is presenting a bouquet of the sweetest-smelling flowers, she writes.

Of Steve Hilton, the maverick guru who was the Dominic Cummings of his day, and then fell from grace, she writes astutely: For David, Steve represented Dumbos lucky feather: with it, he can fly. But David finds, as Dumbo does, that he can fly without the feather  and he always did. How long will it be before Boris Johnson starts to wonder if he can fly without the aid of his own lucky feather?
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Before I proceed with my arguments, I want to state emphatically that any national ID registration in Ghana that is underived from the National Identification Authorities database is unnecessary and makes nonsense of the entire National Identification registration process.

However, upon careful analysis of the systematic critique on the Electoral Commission as embarked by IMANI, I can conclude that it is ill-conceived and deliberately skewed to achieve a specific agenda broader than the national interest. IMANI is simply projecting Smartmatic, Idemia whiles demonizing Thales and the Electoral Commission and for whatever reason, only they can tell.

In most of Franklin Cudjoe's criticism of the EC, he has referred to Thales as a fraudulent company by advancing his argument on the World Bank debarring of Thales and another reported case in South Africa while cautiously calling similar allegations against Smartmatic in the Philippines and Venezuela as frivolous and unwarranted. As to the criteria that IMANI and Franklin Cudjoe used to acquit the allegations against Smartmatic and Idemia but upheld those against Thales as a standard and measure for some reasons of attacks on the EC is only embedded in the interest they seek to achieve.

On the Good Evening Ghana show with Paul Adom Okyere and Dr.Okoe Boye, Bright Simons was emphatic; Thales was not qualified for the bid since they have been debarred by the World Bank group. Notwithstanding the fact that Dr. Okoe Boye had averred the final decision to award the contract was not based on the allegations against any of the companies, Bright Simons maintained that the allegations should have been the bases for exclusion and Thales should have been omitted from the initial bidding stage. IMANI has consistently constructed that comparatively,

Idemia is the best company to win the bid for they are the most experienced and make the best affordable BVR solutions including the famous Morpho tablets. What is quite intriguing is that a simple search on Google reveals that Oberthur Technology SA a company owned by Idemia, as of 2017 was also debarred by the same World Bank for two and a half -years for engaging in bribery, corruption and collusive practices in a national ID project in Bangladesh. So why was Bright Simons calling for the disqualification of only Thales without mentioning Idemia?

Why would IMANI hide this fact throughout the entire analysis?

Could it be that the search engine for IMANIs research team led by the most intelligent Bright Simons could not locate this information or they were playing mischief to suit their ill motives? For a research organization and a policy Think Tank such as IMANI to engage in intellectual dishonesty by suppressing information in other to project a certain agenda smacks of a preconceived orchestrated intent which has been judiciously cooked and executed to smear the EC and Thales.

If the sole intention of their agitation is to provide value for money audit as being flaunted by IMANI, why are they not using the same scrutinizing criteria uniformly for all the companies involved in the tender process? Why would they fish for mud on Thales but be silent about the dirt on Idemia and Smartmatics?

Is IMANI choosing and picking information depending on what suits their agenda instead of conducting a fair analysis of the issue? In conclusion, the big question one may ask. Is IMANI working in the national interest?

Deducing from the chronology of the sequence of events above any lame person will answer NO and that is where Murtala Mohammed takes on IMANI recently may be right after all.

Murtala Mohammed, Atik Mohammed, and Jojo EdinaManba Hughes have been tagged for easy access to IMANI

Nana Kwame Ofori

Ghana Analytics
A Belfast woman has spoken of how her life "changed forever" when she lost her best friend to cancer.

Claire Barnes (44) was the first person to add her message of tribute when Marie Curie's seven-foot-tall daffodil visited CastleCourt in the city last Friday as part of a nationwide tour to mark their annual Great Daffodil Appeal.

Encouraging the public to write heartfelt words to someone they know who has been affected or lost their life to cancer, for Claire there was only one person her message could address - her best friend of 17 years Aundrea Bannatyne, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2017.

The 42-year-old from Dundonald, who was mum to boys Jack (18) and James (14), had been diagnosed with the condition just a year before in July 2016. Exactly a year later she was admitted to the Marie Curie Hospice during what would be the final few weeks of her life.

Three years later best friend Claire explains she still thinks about Aundrea each and every day, with the memory of the inspirational woman fuelling her in keeping her legacy alive and continuing to fundraise for the charity.

"We were friends for 17 years. We met through a friend. I went with her to Aundrea's hen night and we just clicked, despite being like chalk and cheese," said Claire.

"In those years of friendship we never had a cross word. Aundrea was full of life and she just had the biggest heart. She was my best friend and I always describe her as my person.

"It is a huge gap in all our lives from when we lost her in 2017."

When Aundrea received her diagnosis in 2016 the news was grave, with doctors telling the mum-of-two that it was just a matter of time for her.

"We travelled together to Germany to get her treatment, but while there the advice at the time was to go home and make memories," added Claire.

"Aundrea wasn't going to accept her prognosis. She had gone through the cancer battle before with her son James, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of two. He is 14 now and doing really well.

"For her to be given this news now, it was just the case that she had to fight it. Unfortunately, the cancer spread.

"When she was admitted to Marie Curie I was on holiday at the time. Despite what had happened it was all so unexpected and sort of happened quite quickly.

"I came home from holiday and we expected her to be in the hospice for 12 weeks. In the end it was only around four."

She added: "Not all our memories of that time are sad. She put her face on, put a smile on and gave it her all."

Despite the years passing, for Claire the grief remains as strong as ever for her missing friend. Instead, she is determined to channel all her effort into carrying on her legacy through fundraising for Marie Curie.

"There is no amount of fundraising I could do to give back to Marie Curie. What they did for Aundrea, it was care on another level. You could not put a price on the care not only Aundrea but her friends and family were given," said Claire.





For more information about the Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal tour around the UK, or to donate, visit mariecurie.org.uk/greatbigdaffodil
Kelowna, BC, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GTEC Holdings Ltd. (TSX-V:GTEC) (OTC:GGTTF) (FRA:1BUP) (GTEC or the Company) is pleased to announce that Norton Singhavon, Founder, Chairman and CEO, has agreed to waive a portion of his entitlement to further payments (the Payments Waiver) in connection with GTECs acquisition of 1118157 B.C. Ltd. (1118), GreenTec Bio-Pharmaeuticals Corp. (GBP) and Grey Bruce Farms Incorporated (GBF). The Company has also secured agreements with certain other vendors of 1118, GBP and GBF to reduce their milestone entitlements and all vendors have agreed to increase the floor price of common shares in the capital of the Company (the Common Shares) to be issued in connection with milestone payments still payable.



This Payments Waiver and various amending agreements will not only reduce shareholder dilution, it will improve the Companys balance sheet while aligning with shareholders interests during the current sector downturn. The Company is focused on maximizing shareholders returns by strengthening the balance sheet, achieving its production and sales targets, and growing the Company through internal investment.





Amendment to 1118157 B.C. Ltd. Share Purchase Agreement

The Company entered into an amending agreement on March 13, 2020 (the 1118 Amending Agreement) with the vendors of 1118 amending certain terms and conditions of a share purchase agreement dated November 22, 2017 among GreenTec Holdings Ltd. and the vendors of 1118, as assumed by the Company (the 1118 SPA).



Pursuant to the 1118 Amending Agreement, the 1118 vendors, being Norton Singhavon and Michael Blady, have agreed to waive all entitlement to the remaining milestone payments otherwise due under the 1118 SPA. Mr. Singhavon waived his entitlement to $350,000 (payable in Common Shares) of remaining milestone payments and Mr. Blady waived his entitlement to $150,000 (payable in Common Shares) of remaining milestone payments. As a result of the 1118 Amending Agreement, the Company owes no further payments in respect of the acquisition of 1118.



Since Mr. Singhavon and Mr. Blady were vendors of 1118, the 1118 Amending Agreement is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI  61-101). However, the 1118 Amending Agreement is exempt from minority approval, information circular and formal valuation requirements pursuant to Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value nor the consideration paid in connection with the 1118 Amending Agreement exceeds 25% of the Companys market capitalization.





Amendment to GreenTec Bio-Pharmaceuticals Share Purchase Agreement

The Company also entered into an amending agreement on March 13, 2020 (the GBP Amending Agreement) with the vendors of GBP amending certain terms and conditions of a share purchase agreement dated November 15, 2017 among GreenTec Holdings Ltd. and the vendors of GBP, as assumed by the Company (the GBP SPA and together with the GBP Amending Agreement, the GBP Agreement). Norton Singhavon, the CEO of the Company, was one of the GBP vendors.



Pursuant to the GBP Amending Agreement, the GBP vendors have agreed to reduce their entitlement to a portion of the purchase price such that the remaining payment obligations (payable in Common Shares) of the Company in connection with the GBP acquisition are reduced by $5,750,000. In addition to reducing the purchase price, the GBP vendors have agreed to restructure the remaining milestones and raise the floor price of the Common Shares to be issued in connection with the new milestones to a deemed price per share equal to the greater of (A) the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Common Shares, and (B) $1.00.



Since Mr. Singhavon was a vendor of GBP, the GBP Amending Agreement is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI  61-101). However, the GBP Amending Agreement is exempt from minority approval, information circular and formal valuation requirements pursuant to Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value nor the consideration paid in connection with the GBP Amending Agreement exceeds 25% of the Companys market capitalization.





Amendment to Grey Bruce Farms Share Purchase Agreement

The Company also entered into an amending agreement on March 13, 2020 (the GBF Amending Agreement) with the vendors of GBF amending certain terms and conditions of a share purchase agreement dated September 15, 2017 among GreenTec Holdings Ltd. and the vendors of GBF, as assumed by the Company (together with the GBF Amending Agreement, the GBF Agreement).



Among other things, the GBF Amending Agreement raised the floor price of the Common Shares to be issued to the vendors of GBF (excluding Mr. Singhavon) in connection with the completion of the first five harvests and upon GBF obtaining either a medical sales or processing licence from Health Canada (the Remaining Milestones), to a deemed price per share equal to the greater of (A) the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Common Shares, and (B) the last commercial financing undertaken by GTEC (currently, $0.55).



In lieu of an entitlement to $1,787,500 (payable in Common Shares) of the purchase price payable in connection with the remaining milestones under the GBF Agreement, Mr. Signhavon will now accept a reduced milestone payment of $1,000,000 in Common Shares upon GBF achieving 1,500kg in aggregate cannabis sales (the Cannabis Sales Milestone). The Cannabis Sales Milestone represents a $787,500 reduction of Mr. Singhavons pro rata entitlement to any outstanding milestone payments. Mr. Singhavon has also agreed to raise the floor price of the Common Shares to be issued in connection with the Cannabis Sales Milestone to a deemed price per share equal to the greater of (A) the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Common Shares, and (B) $1.00. As a result, Mr. Singhavon will be issued 1,000,000 Common Shares in connection with the Cannabis Sales Milestone. In consideration for entering into the GBF Amending Agreement the Company has agreed to pay to the vendors of GBF a one-time cash payment of an aggregate of $25,010, of which Mr. Singhavon will receive $10.00 in total.



Since Mr. Singhavon was a vendor of GBF, the GBF Amending Agreement is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI  61-101). However, the GBF Amending Agreement is exempt from minority approval, information circular and formal valuation requirements pursuant to Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value nor the consideration paid in connection with the GBF Amending Agreement exceeds 25% of the Companys market capitalization.





Satisfaction of Grey Bruce Farms Harvest Milestones

On November 4, 2019 and December 23, 2019 GBF completed its first and second harvests, respectively, satisfying two harvest milestones under the GBF Agreement. The Company intends to issue an aggregate of $210,000 of Common Shares to satisfy required milestone payments. Accordingly, the Company intends to issue an aggregate of 381,818 Common Shares to the arms length vendors of GBF, at a deemed price of $0.55 per share.



The GBF Amending Agreement and the issuance of Common Shares pursuant thereto are subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). The Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance thereof.





Extending Investor Relations Services

GTEC has extended its engagement with Oak Hill Financial (Oak Hill) by way of a renewal agreement (the Renewal Agreement) dated February 20, 2020, to provide business advisory and investor relations services (the Services). The parties originally entered into a consulting agreement dated February 28, 2019 (the Agreement) and all services are provided in accordance with TSXV policies and applicable securities laws and regulations.



Pursuant to the Agreement, Oak Hill will continue to provide the Services to the Company for another 6 months. As consideration for the Services, the Company will issue to Oak Hill 60,000 options (Options) to purchase Common Shares. The Options will be exercisable at a price of $0.16 per share for a term of two years and will vest quarterly in four equal instalments, with the first instalment vesting on the date of grant. Oak Hill currently holds 100,000 Options of the Company. Oak Hill reserves the right to acquire any additional securities of the Company. The Renewal Agreement is subject to approval of the TSXV.





About GTEC

GTEC Holdings Ltd. is a specialized cannabis company which produces and distributes highly sought-after ultra-premium cannabis products in Canada. The Company has four licensed and operational assets and is currently distributing cannabis through medical and recreational sales channels. GTECs products are currently achieving amongst the highest gross margins and retail pricing within its sector in Canada (A).



GTECs exclusive cultivar collection includes rare and unique cultivars, which are not currently available from other Licenced Producers. GTECs premium and ultra-premium product portfolio include: BLK MKT, Tenzo, GreenTec, Cognoscente and Treehugger.



The Company wholly owns operations in BC, Alberta and Ontario, and is licensed by Health Canada for the following: sales into recreational supply chains, direct sales to medical patients, extraction, and analytical testing.



GTEC is a publicly traded corporation, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (GTEC), OTCQB Venture Market (GGTTF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (1BUP). The Companys headquarters is based out of Kelowna, British Columbia. To learn more about the company or to request our most recent corporate presentation, please visit our website at www.gtec.co





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.



CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals, where applicable, and the state of the capital markets. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. For instance, there can be no assurance that: shareholders returns will be maximized, that the balance sheet will continue to strengthen, that production and sales targets will be achieved; that the Companys products will continue achieving amongst the highest gross margins and retail pricing within its sector in Canada; or that the TSXV will approve any of the Amending Agreements referenced above, or the Renewal Agreement, or the issuance of shares to the arms length vendors of GBF;. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company 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.



Note (A): This analysis is based on the most recently available Financial Statements on SEDAR from publicly listed Licenced Producers (including GTEC), as of November 19, 2019. Companies included, were those listed on New Cannabis Ventures Canadian Cannabis LP Index, that currently produce in a; greenhouse, indoor operation, or a combination of both, with quarterly sales greater than $1 million. Those with outdoor operations were excluded from the analysis. Based on the analysis GTEC had the third highest gross margin in the sector, and the no.1 highest based on those solely with indoor operations.
This is a fast-moving situation. For the latest updates, read The New York Timess live coronavirus coverage here.

At a news conference on Thursday, President Trump addressed the question of the hour: How long will it take for things to go back to normal?

People are talking about July, August, he said.

But that inquiry, many doctors and scientists say, is the wrong question.

We need to change the conversation from: How inconvenient it is to me? to Who are the people who are suffering most, and how can we help them? said Sarah Fortune, a professor and chair of the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Think of it as a community service.

Although life on lockdown is disruptive, experts say that it might be the only way to prevent mass death and infection.
The restrictions of the visits to the EU will act for 30 days initially but might be extended

Ursula von der Leyen Open source

The EU will close its external borders for all minor travels within the measures on the fight against the coronavirus epidemic as CNN reported citing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The less travel, the more we can contain the virus, von der Leyen stated. She expressed the confidence that the European Council will approve the restriction of the entrance to the Schengen Area.

The president of the commission stated that the restrictions of the visits to the EU will act for 30 days initially but might be extended.

The members of the families of the European citizens and diplomats will be exempted from such bans as well as the transborder, medical workers and carriers conveying goods.

The restrictions should be approved by 26 states, which enter the Schengen Area. The countries, which are not the members of the Schengen Agreements, particularly, the UK, will be invited to join the measures.

According to BBC, Germany became one of the last countries, which closed its border due to the coronavirus epidemic.

These are the measures not existed in our country but which are necessary, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated.

The borders of Germany with France, Austria and Switzerland were closed on Monday. The restrictions do not spread on commercial traffic.

Spane will also close its borders later.

French President Emmanuel Macron declared war against the virus during the speech on Monday, banning all public events all over the country.

As we reported, the Russian government decided to shut down the border traffic with Belaurs in the view of the spreading Chinese coronavirus.
Sara Nelson, president of the flight attendants union, speaks about aviation safety during last year's government shutdown. She has some good ideas about airline bailouts now. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP/Getty Images)

It's probable that not even the Atomic Clock has the ability to keep up with the speed with which major American corporations extended their hands for government bailouts in the novel coronavirus crisis.

So far, we've heard from the airline, hotel, casino and cruise ship industries, all of which assert that they're facing immense losses and even bankruptcy as the lockdown of American and international economies take hold.

Surely there will be more, since the Trump administration has been signaling its willingness to listen.

This is not a bailout. This is considering providing certain things for certain industries.

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin

"Were going to back the airlines 100%," President Trump said Monday. "Were going to be in a position to help the airlines very much."

The nature of that help isn't yet clear, though the airline industry has asked for $60 billion in help, including $25 billion in direct grants plus loan guarantees and tax rebates and repeals.

The list is already growing, ranging from aviation, which could make a case, to retailers, who have asked to an immediate lifting of tariffs on Chinese goods, to you-gotta-be-kidding-me appeals from consumer goods companies selling food, personal care, hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting products, which in fact have been flying off the shelves.

The Consumer Brands Association, which includes Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and General Mills among its leading members, asked Trump this weekend for emergency funds to "mitigate supply chain disruptions," which sounds like they can't make and ship product fast enough to keep supermarkets stocked. If ever there's a problem an industry should be happy to have, that's it.

It's fair to say that some industries might indeed need government assistance to get over the emerging economic slump. The question is, what does the American public get in return?

Story continues

Saying that the survival of these industries should be reward enough won't do. Unlike such small businesses as restaurants and bars, which have been shut down in parts of the country by government order and were facing huge drops in patronage anyway, most of the hardest-hit major industries have the capacity to survive one way or another.

But no government help should be provided without strict oversight about how it's used. That's warranted because American industry has grossly misused its previous handouts, fattening shareholder returns and executive pay while leaving employees aside. That can't happen again.

That's the theme of a statement Monday by Sara Nelson, president of the Assn. of Flight Attendants, which represents 50,000 airline employees. In a series of tweets, Nelson acknowledged that the airline industry could face a crippling setback from the coronavirus emergency.

She called for "direct payroll subsidies to workers in the passenger airline industry," including "flight attendants, pilots, airline ground workers, airline caterers, airport cleaners, greeters, security screeners, wheelchair attendants, and other airport service workers. Anyone who touches aviation."

Those subsidies may well be subsumed into a stimulus plan being worked out on Capitol Hill on Tuesday by congressional leaders and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

But Nelson wisely is seeking specific guarantees to ensure that government money flows to the workforce: "Airlines must commit to maintaining payroll," she wrote. "It means no bonuses, no buybacks, & no breaking union contracts in bankruptcy. Companies should commit to pay a min $15 wage & board seats for workers."

That's as good an outline of the mandates as one could hope for. The current crisis could present a unique opportunity to reverse the decline of labor's voice in American business practice. Setting minimum wages and raising the bar for layoffs is a good start.

Prohibiting the use of government help to pay executives or raise returns for shareholders is mandatory, along with preserving union contracts.

Airlines and all other recipients of government largess should be required to commit to noninterference with union organizing in their shops and to welcoming labor representatives onto their boards. If any industry needs to be put out of business as a result of the crisis, it's the union-busting business.

Let's be clear what we're talking about. Mnuchin, in congressional testimony March 11, rejected the term "bailout." He said, "This is not a bailout. This is considering providing certain things for certain industries.

In other words, a bailout.

Airlines must commit to maintaining payroll. It means no bonuses, no buybacks, & no breaking union contracts in bankruptcy. Companies should commit to pay a min $15 wage & board seats for workers.Grounded planes can transport supplies & patients to help stem the pandemic. 9/11  Sara Nelson (@FlyingWithSara) March 16, 2020

Nelson's suggestion of an oversight board with subpoena powers and representatives from management and unions is a good one, too. We don't need guesswork to know how corporations will spend their bailouts if they aren't watched like hawks. Past experience tells the tale. Take the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the massive giveaway to corporations and the rich enacted by the Republican-controlled Congress and signed by Trump in December 2017.

The tax cuts would produce a massive spur to U.S. economic investment, yielding fortunes in economic growth, the proponents said. "It will be rocket fuel for our economy," Trump promised.

Didn't happen. To be more precise, the short-term spurt in growth dissipated faster than a sugar high from Jolt Cola. One reason certainly was that businesses didn't fulfill the promise of pumping their tax breaks into investment  whether capital investment or investment in their workforces via higher wages.

The fate of the tax cut: Companies promised to invest, but capital spending dropped off in 2019 as they put the money into share buybacks instead. (Federal Reserve of St. Louis)

Sure, not a few employers funneled some money to their workers, generally via onetime bonuses. Companies announced these payouts as though they signified the bounty brought by the tax cut bill, but in fact they were cheeseparing handouts that, unlike wage increases, weren't lasting; in most cases they didn't even approach the $1,000 headline sums the companies claimed.

As for capital spending, this was also evanescent. Gross private domestic investment rose from $2.7 trillion in the first quarter of 2018, as the tax cuts took effect, to $2.9 trillion a year later. That was its high water mark; it was down to $2.8 trillion in the last quarter of 2019.

The vast majority of businesses  84% of respondents to a January 2019 poll by the National Assn. for Business Economics  had made no change in their hiring or investment plans as a result of the tax cuts. By December 2019, a leading index of new capital orders had sunk to its lowest level since August 2016, raising fears for economic growth in 2020.

So where did the money go? Mostly in share buybacks, a neat way for corporations to pump money out to their shareholders. In the third quarter of 2018, buybacks by Standard & Poor's 500 companies reached $203 billion in those three months alone  the first time quarterly repurchases exceeded $200 billion. In the year ending September 2019, they came to almost $800 billion.

No one has a right to be surprised at this outcome. It merely replicates what happened after the previous major giveaway to corporate America, a 2004 tax holiday designed to prompt corporations to bring home profits they had parked overseas.

The idea was for them to spend the money on jobs and domestic investment. Instead, they spent the money on stock buybacks to benefit their shareholders and fatten executive pay. A Senate subcommittee report in 2011 determined that the 15 biggest companies taking advantage of the tax holiday, including Pfizer, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, actually cut jobs and reduced research spending. The treasury lost $3.3 billion in revenue over 10 years, the panel found.

There is no evidence that [the tax break] increased U.S. investment or jobs, and it cost taxpayers billions, a U.S. Treasury report determined . After the tax holiday, U.S. corporations even stepped up their sequestering of profits abroad, figuring that sooner or later a new administration would offer them yet another break. That's exactly what happened: A discounted tax rate on repatriated funds was a central element in the 2017 tax cut bill.

Airlines have been among the big spenders on their own shares. As Bloomberg reported this week, America's major airlines spent 96% of their free cash flow on share buybacks from 2010 through 2019. That included United, which launched a $3-billion share repurchase in December 2017, as the tax cuts were nearing congressional approval. That was on top of a $2-billion program it had completed that very month.

Those figures should give some color to the appeal sent by United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz to Mnuchin and congressional leaders Monday. In his letter, Munoz pleaded for the government to "offer support to the men and women of United Airlines. ... Financial support that you provide would allow United to continue paying our employees as we weather this crisis  protecting tens of thousands of people from imposing a temporary furlough."

You would almost think that the company's concern in shoveling out $5 billion via share buybacks was for its rank-and-file workers, rather than its shareholders.

The airlines arguably were especially foolhardy in diverting to shareholders' pockets the surge in profits they collected over the last 10 years, a post 9/11 golden age for air travel. Few industries are as trapped in a permanent boom-and-bust cycle as the airlines, which are continually buffeted by fuel costs and intense competition.

As Tim Wu of Columbia Law School observed, American Airlines, which has become known for lousy customer service and lousier (if possible) labor relations, began raking in the bucks after completing its merger with US Airways in 2013.

"There are plenty of things American could have done with all that money," Wu writes. "It could have stored up its cash reserves for a future crisis. ... It might have tried to decisively settle its continuing contract disputes with pilots, flight attendants and mechanics." Instead, from 2014 through 2020, American spent $15 billion buying back its own stock.

To be fair, there can be sound justifications for share buybacks. Corporate executives sometimes can make the case that no other investment yields as much potential return as buying up their own undervalued shares.

But given the relentless neglect of middle-class employees by big employers, buybacks have done little except exacerbate economic inequality. Companies are always faced with the choice of investing in their workers or their shareholders; almost universally over the last few decades, they've chosen the latter.

And now they want taxpayers to keep them afloat. Sure. That's a worthy goal. But the public, through its political leaders, has unprecedented leverage over corporate America in this crisis. Let's use it.
P arents dropping off children at the school gate should stand a couple of metres apart to stop the spread of coronavirus, Englands deputy chief medical officer said today.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said they wanted to minimise the amount of close contact between individuals.

He told ITVs Good Morning Britain: Its perfectly possible for me to drop my 11-year-old off at the school gate ... and I can do that in a way that I keep a couple of metres away from other parents.

I can still have a conversation with them if I choose to but actually I can do that safely.

He moved to reassure families that youngsters rarely suffer serious symptoms from Covid-19, adding: What we already have a very clear picture on is that children are not seriously affected by this virus, they dont become ill in very large numbers at all. What we dont know is if they are being infected and having mild illnesses, or whether they are just not being infected at all.

He made clear that schools could be shut if more stringent measures are needed to contain the outbreak.

Mayor Sadiq Khan suggested school children may be asked to stay home in the two weeks before Easter.

Mr Khan, who attended the Governments emergency Cobra meeting last night, said: I wouldnt be surprised if, over the course of the two weeks before Easter, government advice changes.

He added: The advice is that it makes very little clinical difference in relation to closing schools. But that advice may change ... what we do know is some teachers may be pregnant, others may have underlying health issues, a child may have a persistent cough or temperature which means mum, dad, carer decides to withdraw the child.

The Department for Educations position is that schools should remain open unless advised otherwise by Public Health England.
An Apple employee in Los Angeles has been found to be coronavirus positive. The employee worked at Apple's Culver City offices, reports Variety.

"A team member in our Culver City office has informed us they tested positive for COVID-19. The individual had no symptoms when they were last in the office, and remains in self-isolation at home," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.

"We recognize this is a challenging time for our global community and our thoughts remain with those around the world personally affected by COVID-19 and the heroic medical professionals and researchers fighting it," the spokesperson added.

Apple employees at the office campus have been alerted to take extra precautions.

"The news comes a day after the news broke that Universal Music Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge has been hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus," said the report.

Grainge's 60th birthday celebration on February 29 in Palm Springs was reportedly attended by Apple CEO Tim Cook, veteran music manager Irving Azoff, and Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue.

Cook last week announced to temporarily close all retail stores outside of Greater China till March 27, along with committing $15 million to help with global recovery.

Cook said at all of the offices, "we are moving to flexible work arrangements worldwide outside of Greater China".

"That means team members should work remotely if their job allows, and those whose work requires them to be on site should follow guidance to maximize interpersonal space. Extensive, deep cleaning will continue at all sites. In all our offices, we are rolling out new health screenings and temperature checks," the Apple CEO said.

"We're also announcing that we are matching our employee donations two-to-one to support COVID-19 response efforts locally, nationally, and internationally," he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16)  House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano wants to hold a small hearing this Wednesday, March 18, to tackle the COVID-19 situation in the country.

In a briefing on Monday, Cayetano said he is considering doing a "roundtable discussion" with over five lawmakers, one government agency at a time, starting with the Department of Health.

"We will be holding hearing but not the usual hearings na napapanood niyo, it will be more round table style, we will only have four upmost five members of Congress present, we will only have one department at a time and we will start with the Department of Health next Wednesday," he said.

Unlike previous hearings that would sometimes accommodate up to 200 people, this time, deliberations will be held with over 30 to 50 individuals at a time. Media coverage will also be limited during this time.

The lower chamber will also be creating a "Defeat COVID-19 Committee" which will serve as an advisory and coordinating panel to the national government inter-agency committee amid the virus threats.

This will be composed of key members of select House committees that could better address the issue such as the committees on health, tourism, labor and employment, banks and financial intermediaries, and appropriations among others.

Meanwhile, electronic deliberations are also being considered during the congressional break once President Rodrigo Duterte decides to call for a special session.

"Kung kailangan ng special session, kung magpapatawag ang Pangulo, we will amend our rules na pwedeng Speaker and Majority, Minority Leader ang nasa Congress, then ang botohan ay electronic and through Facebook transmissions and through media na lang yung discussions if and when may urgent bills na ipapasa," the Speaker said.

[Translation: If we need a special session, if the President calls for one, we will amend our rules wherein the Speaker and the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader are only the ones in Congress. And then, voting will be done via electronic and through Facebook transmissions and discussions will be made through the media and if there are bills to be passed.]

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte will have another televised address to the nation in the afternoon after a meeting with the government's Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Panelo said a total lockdown will be recommended to the President during the meeting.

The Philippines has so far recorded 140 COVID-19 cases, with 12 fatalities. Two have already recovered, while the rest are admitted at various hospitals in the country.
Chandigarh, March 17 (IANS) A 29-year-old woman in Haryana's Gurugram who has travel history to Malaysia and Indonesia tested positive for coronavirus, a top health official said on Tuesday. Her condition is stable.

The woman works for an Gurugram-based information technology company.

"This is the first positive case of the coronavirus in Haryana," state Director General of Health Suraj Bhan Kamboj told the media.

The woman has been admitted to a hospital in Gurugram and her condition is stable, he said.

Her throat swabs sent to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology confirmed her positive for coronavirus.

She was earlier in home isolation and developed symptoms on March 12.

Earlier, she was kept in isolation ward in the Civil Hospital from where she has been shifted to Fortis Health Care Hospital.

The government said her office has been disinfected and other contacts have been put on surveillance as per protocol and all of them are asymptomatic.

In Haryana, 3,120 people have been kept under observation.

The government said 38 people have been admitted out of which 31 were discharged but still under surveillance at home.

Seventy samples have been sent out of which 61 found negative for COVID-19.

--IANS

vg/rt
5 1 of 5 Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News / Billy Calzada Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News / Billy Calzada Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News / Billy Calzada Show More Show Less 5 of 5









A man wielding a machete was killed Monday night during a struggle with a police sergeant who was trying to arrest him near downtown.

The man, who police said was 58 years old, was reportedly pulled over for a traffic violation by the sergeant at 8:45 p.m., San Antonio police said. The two stopped at the parking lot of a post office at 1140 S. Laredo Street.
The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday the petition filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and others to hold an immediate floor test in the State Assembly.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr. DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.

The BJP on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the state, which was sparked off by the exit of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The petitioners said that they are approaching the apex court as the respondents, Speaker and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, have violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and willfully defied the directions issued by the Governor on March 14, requiring the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly.

"It is submitted by the petitioners that the leaders of the main opposition party namely the BJP also on March 14 had addressed a letter to the Madhya Pradesh Governor that the government was reduced into minority and attempts of horse-trading were being made," the petition said.

The petition said that in such a situation, the Governor should exercise his constitutional powers and direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the house.

"Since the government appears to have lost the majority in the House and the Chief Minister had himself expressed willingness to conduct the floor test, the Governor, in the exercise of his constitutional powers directed the Chief Minister to conduct a floor test in the house and prove his majority on March 16, 2020, when the budget session of the assembly begins," the petition said.

However, despite the clear directions issued by the Governor, the item for seeking the confidence vote has not been included in the business to be transacted on the floor of the House on Monday.

The direction of the Governor is, thus, intentionally and wilfully been defied, the petition stated.

The development comes as the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, which met on Monday morning for the Budget session was adjourned immediately after the Governor's address till March 26, in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani has bemoaned the federal governments resolve to keep the land borders closed, especially for the importation of rice into the country

Sani stated that similar sanction has not been placed on foreign nationals coming into the country from countries with prevalent cases of coronavirus.

Nigeria recorded the first case of the deadly disease on February 28, when an Italian man flew in from Milan

Read Also: Alleged Extortion: Shehu Sanni Refuses To Take Lie Detector Test

Many have been calling on the federal government to place a travel ban on countries affected by coronavirus.

He wrote: Our borders remain open for Corona and closed for Rice.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting the "fruitful and constructive" video conference with leaders of the SAARC nations and promised his country's "fullest support" to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

I thank PM @narendramodi for his initiative to combat #COVID19 with cooperation among #SAARCNations.The discussion was fruitful and constructive with many great ideas being shared and initiated. #LKA will extend fullest support and thank the member nations for their solidarity  Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) March 16, 2020

READ | PM Modi Announces 'COVID-19 Emergency Fund'; Pledges $10 Mn To Battle Pandemic In SAARC

Rajapaksa on Sri Lanka's economy

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa began the conference by expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating the move. The leader said that Sri Lanka's economy had 'taken a serious blow' due to the virus. He added that the tourism sector which was just recovering after 2019 terrorist attacks was suffering the most. Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka's biggest challenge was to stop the virus from entering its territory and control its spread.

Talking about Sri Lankan citizens abroad, he said that there were a large number of citizens working in Italy and South Korea. He further said that 34 students were evacuated from Wuhan and 750 others studying in different Chinese provinces were also rescued. During the conference, Rajapaksa had recommended that SAARC leaders work together to help the economy tide over the difficult period.

"He (Rajapaksa) also recommended the establishment of a SAARC ministerial-level group to share best practises and coordinate regional matters on combating COVID-19," as per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

READ | PM Modi Leads SAARC Conference On Coronavirus, Shares 'Prepare, Don't Panic' Mantra

About SAARC conference

Participants from all eight SAARC nations  India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Bhutan  held a video conference to exchange their views and share experiences in fighting the pandemic that has killed more than 6000 people globally.

The conference witnessed Prime Minister Modi proposing the creation of a COVID-19 emergency fund based on voluntary contributions from all the countries, with India making an initial offer of USD 10 million for the fund.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: 'Prepare, But Don't Panic,' PM Modi Addresses SAARC Nations

READ | Pakistan Raises Kashmir At SAARC COVID-19 Meet, Demands Lifting Of 'lockdown In J&K'
The Irish hotel, restaurant and services industries have demanded emergency support from the Government as hundreds of outlets began closing over the Covid-19 crisis, with mounting fears over the future of almost 200,000 direct and support jobs.

Failte Ireland admitted the situation facing tourism operators nationwide was now "catastrophic".

A soaring number of high-profile Irish hotels and restaurants confirmed they have opted to close until March 29, with fears all Irish restaurants, with the exception of takeaways, could be forced to close because of collapsing bookings.

This is despite many having put in place strict social distancing measures.

Dozens of Irish hotels could also close over the next 48 hours, with cafes and even hair-dressing salons now shutting.

Failte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly said the sector was facing a challenge unprecedented in its history.

"The impact of Covid-19 on the tourism and hospitality industry is catastrophic in the short term," he said.

"In addition to the pub closures, what we are picking up from the industry in general is that we could be facing into potentially as many as 170,000 short-term lay-offs across pubs, hotels and restaurants."

However, a further 30,000 support jobs could be temporarily lost in industries such as laundry services, baking, food supply, tour guides and transport.

Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) chief executive Adrian Cummins said he believed all restaurants, both north and south of the Border, should now close.

"We want to close but they (government) need to tell us so that everybody closes across the country. We have received overwhelming support from the public towards those restaurants and cafes who have closed," he said.

Countries including France, Lithuania, Denmark, Spain, the Czech Republic and Italy have closed all restaurants in their battle to control the virus.

Services industries have also been hit. The high-profile Peter Mark hair salon chain confirmed it was closing all its outlets both in the Republic and Northern Ireland until March 29.

Emergency meetings of hoteliers have taken place in Dublin, Co Cork, Co Kerry and Co Galway.

In Cork, the high-profile Vienna Woods Hotel closed with the loss of 100 jobs.

"We now need the Government to step up and offer the industry the leadership and support it needs," owner Michael Magner said.

The Carrigaline Court Hotel, also in Cork, said it was "with a heavy heart" it was restricting operations to hotel residents only.

One Dublin hotelier, who asked not to be named, said his operation had lost 300,000 in Irish and overseas bookings over the past four days.

"We undertook a significant refurbishment and expansion recently and our loan repayment on that is almost 40,000. You can do the maths yourself," he said.

Kerry now faces, per capita, the greatest scale of job losses and hotel closures given the size of its hospitality and tourism industry.

Irish Hotel Federation members now wants the Government to outline what it proposes to do to help the crisis- hit industry.

Practical supports could range from a VAT reduction to PRSI payment suspensions and from loan directives to the banks to a special marketing fund once the crisis has passed.
OTTAWA - Canada is closing its borders to most foreign nationals except Americans and is barring anyone, including Canadian citizens, with symptoms of the novel coronavirus from boarding flights to this country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA - Canada is closing its borders to most foreign nationals except Americans and is barring anyone, including Canadian citizens, with symptoms of the novel coronavirus from boarding flights to this country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.

The measures come after days of complaints from provincial and municipal governments that travellers to Canada were not being given proper warnings to go into isolation, and not being screened well for symptoms of COVID-19.

Trudeau said the government's response to the virus is changing in real time on the advice of public-health experts and Canadians should expect additional measures before the crisis ends.

"As the virus continues its spread we've decided to take increasingly aggressive steps to keep you and your family safe," Trudeau said Monday afternoon outside his Ottawa home.

Trudeau remained in self-isolation because his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for COVID-19 last week and is recovering. He chaired a cabinet meeting from afar Sunday evening, where the latest decisions were made, and held calls Monday with G7 leaders to discuss Canada's ongoing response and attempt international co-operation on the virus that has now killed more than 6,500 people worldwide.

"They are exceptional circumstances calling for exceptional measures," Trudeau said.

Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said the rate of infection in Canada is increasing and the effort to slow the spread of the virus to give health systems a fighting chance to be able to treat it must be heightened immediately.

"As the virus continues its spread we've decided to take increasingly aggressive steps to keep you and your family safe." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

"We are in a fairly critical period," Tam said.

Those with the virus typically experience mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

The vast majority recover. But for some, including Canadians aged 65 and over and those with compromised immune systems or pre-existing conditions, the illness can be much more severe. The government's goal is to keep the number of severe cases down to a level hospitals and doctors can handle.

British Columbia reported three more deaths from COVID-19, all residents of the same North Vancouver care home that saw Canada's first death a week ago. Across the country there are now more than 400 confirmed cases, with new confirmed cases in many provinces, including 32 in Ontario and 30 in British Columbia at mid-day. The number has more than doubled since Friday.

Tam said the critical element is how many of the new cases were not linked to recent travel. As of Monday, she said she has not seen much evidence of widescale community transfer.

Tam said efforts by Canadians to restrict their movements for the next two weeks could well tell the tale of whether Canada will be able to "flatten the curve", the phrase used by experts to describe slowing the rate of infection to a manageable pace.

The country is in the midst of an unprecedented slowdown, with schools and public facilities closing, retailers and restaurants temporarily shutting down or limiting services, and business leaders urging all companies to allow as many workers as possible to work from home.

Tam said Canadians should not gather in groups with more than 50 people and should stay home entirely as much as possible.

"What the experts are telling us is that this situation will get worse before it gets better." Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland

Health Minister Patty Hajdu and other leaders also reiterated calls for Canadians not to panic buy and reminded them the supply chains are safe and food and other supplies will be available.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to the media about Canadian measures to counter the COVID-19 virus in Ottawa, Monday March 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Trudeau urged Canadians who are abroad to come home immediately and said the government will set up a fund to help them do so if they find the cost out of their reach.

Canada's border closure takes effect March 18 for anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or a U.S. citizen, with some exceptions including diplomats and airline crews.

Airlines will be required to screen all passengers for signs of the virus and deny boarding to anyone showing symptoms. Overseas flights will be funnelled to just four airports in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary to allow the Canada Border Services Agency to better screen arrivals and ensure they are getting information that they are to self-isolate for 14 days.

Calgary-based WestJet announced Monday it was suspending all commercial operations for international and transborder flights for a 30-day period.

As of Monday night, the Calgary-based airline said tickets for the period beginning March 23 would no longer be available for sale. Its final commercially scheduled flight will be Sunday night.

"After that, we will be operating rescue and repatriation flights in partnership with the Canadian government," WestJet's statement said.

"To assist Canadians in returning home on short notice, we are in the process of lowering prices on our remaining seats into Canada in all cabins."

As of Wednesday, WestJet said it will also suspend all outbound international ticket sales for travel until Sunday night, "so we are no longer sending Canadians out of the country and can instead focus on bringing them home."

Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she is proud of how Canada is coming together as a country to try to slow the spread of this virus but warned the worst is yet to come.

"What the experts are telling us is that this situation will get worse before it gets better," she said in a briefing from Parliament Hill, which she said will become a daily occurrence.

Some provinces, including British Columbia, wanted Canada to include Americans in the border closure, but Freeland said that decision is being reviewed and debated constantly, given issues such as the need for food and other supplies to flow across the border. What measures are taken, she said, need to be carefully thought through.

She pointed out, however, that Canada has also asked people to limit non-essential travel, and that all incoming travellers from the U.S. are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

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"Self-isolation for 14 days in Canada. That, I don't consider to be something that a tourist would like to do for a holiday," she said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday closing the northern border with Canada has been considered but not acted on yet.

"We think about it  we think about it, if we don't have to do it that'll be good," he said. "We have very strong emergency powers when it comes to something like this, both on the southern and the northern borders. We are talking about different things, but we'll see. Right now we have not decided to do that."

Trudeau is promising additional measures to help workers later this week. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday his government will table emergency legislation to ensure job security for anyone who can't work because of COVID-19, including the need to quarantine, self-isolate or look after kids who can't go to school.

 with files from James McCarten in Washington.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2020.
Gov. Andrew Cuomos decision to call up the New York National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers to find buildings to convert to makeshift hospitals is the right one. As hospitals around the country face the prospect of unmanageable surges of patients stricken with COVID-19, military medical units may be crucial. Our regular health care system simply cannot cope alone.

The U.S. health care system is built around a set of assumptions that limit its capacity to cope with disaster. Like a hotel room bed, an empty hospital bed is a loss center. So increasingly hospital systems have reduced their numbers of beds in order to maximize income. Considering ever-increasing operating costs and highly capitalized equipment, this is a rational strategy. It dictates an emphasis on high-tech medicine and profitable services like same-day procedures for the well-insured to the neglect of prevention and public health. But it is also a sunny-day strategy that quite deliberately leaves little margin for error. Intensive care units are usually close to full.

Since World War II and the outbreak of the Cold War, the military has relied on the Army National Guard and Reserve to surge in the event of hostilities. The Army organized many of its Reserve units to provide logistical support to the frontlines. The units for medical support were set up in the Reserve commanded by a medical corps major general.

The units included large hospitals, frontline clinics and medical supply warehouses that could be mobilized and deployed when needed. Physicians, nurses and many other professionals staffed the units and trained on weekends and in summers to support the mission. The Army relied on having skilled and trained professionals who worked in the civilian sector and were proficient in their specialties to mobilize when needed.

National Guard troops prepare food for distribution during the coronavirus outbreak in New Rochelle, N.Y, on Friday. (Caitlin Ochs/Reuters)

The hospital units in the Army Reserve have stockpiles of hospital beds, ventilators and other medical equipment, all of which could be used in emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic. FEMA has the authority to call up these units and set up treatment centers in critical areas. The Reserve medical units are trained to configure buildings such as schools and warehouses as treatment centers as well as setting up mobile hospitals.

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As the pandemic spreads, it is certain there will be a shortage of both general medical and ICU beds. The gap can be managed by the medical units in the Army Reserve. Moreover, these medical units are set up to train and support doctors and other health professionals to get up to speed to treat the kinds of problems that will develop with the coronavirus illness. Conditions associated with pandemic coronavirus also complicate force protection. But the Army already has extensive experience standing up assets in pandemic environments, as was done in Liberia during the Ebola outbreak in 2014.

These Reserve units should be mobilized immediately to train and staff health care professionals before the numbers of sick patients mount and the capacity of the hospitals across the country has been exceeded. The president has the authority to call up 200,000 reservists on his own, then Congress can go to higher stages of mobilization, which will likely be needed.

There is another disconcerting sense in which military medicine is more prepared for extreme situations than civilian medicine. Medical professionals may well be confronted with a series of triage decisions for which they are unprepared. With critical care units typically operating near capacity, hospital leaders are already contemplating explicit rationing. In keeping with its training for disaster scenarios, military medical culture is better adapted to circumstances apt to crush morale in the civilian world.

But the sooner mobilization takes place the less likely it will be that such unbearable decisions will have to be made.

Our regular health care system is based on normal, best-case scenarios. But military medicine plans for worst-case scenarios. And that is what we face now.

Stephen N. Xenakis, a psychiatrist and retired Army brigadier general, serves on the executive board of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania and is an adjunct professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Follow him on Twitter: @SteveXen

Jonathan D. Moreno is a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Emergency workers in Rio de Janeiro toured the city's famed beaches on Monday to urge people to stop sunbathing and go home, in an effort to avert the spread of coronavirus. Fire crews toured Copacabana beach with loudspeakers, calling out: "The civil defence of the state asks the population to avoid crowds on the beaches."

One beach-goer, Lislei Costa Silva, a social assistant, admitted that calls for social distancing were going unheeded.

"I'm here, I know I'm doing wrong," she said.

Meanwhile, residents of the hillside neighbourhood of Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's largest favela, have requested a ban on tourists entering the area.

Wallace Pereira da Silva, head of Rocinha's residents association, feared foreign tourists could spread the virus.

"What we have most news of is that the disease comes from foreigners, and because foreigners very much visit Rocinha, that worries us," he said.

Brazil has recorded 234 cases of coronavirus, with local transmissions confirmed in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Bahia state.

There are another 2,000 possible cases nationwide.

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, and death.

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.
Supplier News

17 March 2020

SHR (Sceptre Hospitality Resources), a pioneer of advanced hotel revenue generation technologies, secured a significant investment from Serent Capital, a San Francisco and Austin based private equity firm focused on investing in high-growth technology and services businesses.

SHR provides a central reservation system (CRS) to hotels to help them optimize revenue generation and deliver an exceptional experience to their guests. Founded in 2012 by the same team that founded Whiteboard Labs in 2004, SHR has developed a suite of products that encompass guest and revenue management and is used by thousands of hotels across the world.

"For over 8 years we've been proud to deliver a valuable and meaningful product to our customers. With this investment from Serent, we're looking forward to the next chapter in our story and continuing to deliver our product to even more hotels and their guests," said Rod Jimenez, Co-founder of SHR. He continued, "Serent demonstrated its commitment to the hospitality technology market and its long-term orientation through the investment. Despite the challenges that the current environment presents to the hospitality industry, we continue to believe that revenue generation tools will be of paramount importance to hotels, and we are excited to have a partner that shares in that belief."

"Rod has built a remarkable suite of solutions that is not only critical for hoteliers but is also well-loved by its customers," stated Lance Fenton, Partner at Serent Capital. "We've spent the last 12 years as active investors in the hospitality market, and we believe Rod and his team have built an exceptional and unique business, which will be a great platform for us as we look to expand its footprint both organically and inorganically through M&A."

SHR represents Serent Capital's 5th platform investment in the hospitality sector. Previous investments in the space include BirchStreet, Compeat, FranConnect, and Knowland.

About Serent Capital

Serent Capital invests in growing businesses that have developed compelling solutions that address their customers' needs. As those businesses grow and evolve, the opportunities and challenges that they face change with them. Principals at Serent Capital have firsthand experience at capturing those opportunities and navigating these difficulties through their experiences as CEOs, strategic advisors, and board members to successful growing businesses. By bringing its expertise and capital to bear, Serent seeks to help growing businesses thrive. For more information on Serent Capital, visit www.serentcapital.com.
Lenders and financial advisers who work with entrepreneurs say the smartest way to overcome lenders skepticism is to overdo everything: put down more than the minimum when buying; provide copious paperwork to prove what you earned and how; and stoke your financial cushion so erratic gig cash flow doesnt undermine your financial stability and standing when you buy and own a house.
The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has suspended his 'speak out' tour slated for Friday, 20th March in the Savannah region.

The move is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

Ghana has recorded six cases of the disease.

Mr Mahamas decision came before governments ban on all social gatherings including political rallies for the next four weeks.

The speak out tour is part of a campaign strategy that gives the former president an opportunity to interact and listen directly to the concerns of the people, especially at the grassroots.

----classfmonline
Church of Ireland services in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe have been suspended with immediate effect.

Rt Revd Andrew Forster, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, said the church, like all of society, had a duty to do what they can to protect peoples lives and minimise suffering.

He said: I am announcing the suspension of all public acts of worship in the United Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe. This includes Sunday services and regular midweek services.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals will still be permitted as long as they comply with the guidance of the appropriate public health authority.

The bishop said churches would remain open at service times for those who wish to pray privately and stressed that that pastoral support was still available.

Our church buildings will be open at service times for those who wish to pray privately.

Clergy who are well enough will ensure that they are available to parishioners for pastoral support  if necessary by telephone or online.

We are also investigating options for non-traditional forms of worship, such as radio and online religious services.

Revd Forster also encouraged parishioners to continue to look out for one another and ensure that anyone who is struggling as a result of the crisis receives the support they need.

He said: In the midst of crisis, we have an opportunity to show what real Christian community is all about.

Stay in touch with one another. Keep an eye on your neighbours, especially those who are older, those who are more vulnerable and those who are lonely.

Look after them. Dont do anything that puts their health at risk. Make sure theyre okay.

Some in our Church family and in the wider community will be experiencing financial hardship.

Be generous. Give to charities. Support local foodbanks. Let us show what real community is all about.

The Bishop expressed his regret at having to take these measures in the face of what he described as a rapidly changing situation.

He said: We, at diocesan level, will be in regular communication with parishioners.

No bishop wants to suspend services  especially not a Church of Ireland bishop on the Feast Day of St Patrick. But it is done for the right reasons and with peoples best interests at heart.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday held an an all-party meeting to discuss the threat of the coronavirus spread and devise ways and means to tackle it.

Holding all-party meeting at CMO to discuss the threat of coronavirus and to collectively deal with it. Informed the leaders about the steps taken by the state government to deal with the disease so far, Gehlot tweeted.

It is our collective responsibility to ensure people are aware, prepared and that everybody takes precautions, he said.

Gehlot said ways to minimise political meetings, events, programmes in the present situation were also discussed in the meeting.

Our focus should be to ensure that the spread of the virus is contained, he said.

Members of different political parties were present in the meeting.

Four coronavirus cases have been reported in the state so far and three of them have been cured of the affliction.

The state government has taken a slew of preventive, precautionary and remedial measures to contain the spread of the virus and to deal with the situation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced on Tuesday that President Trump is considering sending checks to Americans to offset the economic impact of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

Those checks would be worth about $250 billion in total, part of a possible $1 trillion economic stimulus, CNN reported.

This is a very unique situation in this economy. We have put a proposal on the table that would inject $1 trillion into the economy, Mnuchin told reporters on Capitol Hill.

We are looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said at an earlier press conference on Wednesday. Americans need cash now and the president wants to get cash now. And I mean now, in the next two weeks.

Mnuchin said at the press conference that the Trump administration would preview the plan within the next two weeks before approval. The treasury secretary indicated he was in conversation with Republican senators regarding the plan, and that the administration was considering checks for about $1,000, although its not clear if the checks would go to individuals or families.

On Monday Senator Mitt Romney (R., Utah) expressed support for giving all Americans $1,000 in the midst of the pandemic.

Every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy, Romney said. Congress took similar action during the 2001 and 2008 recessions. While expansions of paid leave, unemployment insurance, and SNAP benefits are crucial, the check will help fill the gaps for Americans that may not quickly navigate different government options.

On Tuesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) introduced a plan to give monthly payments to working families for the duration of the pandemic.

Struggling families need help, and they dont have time to sort through confusing rules and mandates about whos paying for what and how, Hawley said. These families need relief  now  to pay bills that are coming due, make those emergency grocery runs, and get ready for potential medical bills.

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The plan is targeted to families with married parents making $100,000 or less, and single-parents making $50,000 or less.

Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) has also expressed support for giving cash stipends to workers affected by the crisis. Cotton on Monday critiqued emergency spending legislation passed by the House as being too complicated, relying on paid sick leave and refundable tax credits when it would be faster to give cash payments directly to Americans.

The Trump administration originally requested Congress approve an $850 billion economic stimulus to counter the effects of the pandemic. $50 billion of that amount would be set aside for the airline industry, which has been hit particularly hard by the crisis.

More from National Review
The number of positive coronavirus cases at Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan Township has increased to five, Geralyn Prosswimmer, chief medical officer of Hunterdon Healthcare Partners, confirmed Tuesday.

Only one of the five cases is currently being treated at the hospital. Three are connected to the 54-year-old woman who was the first first positive case in the county and are self-isolating at home. They are currently at home and well," according to Prosswimmer.

As of Tuesday morning, 15 inpatients and 22 outpatients have been tested by Hunterdon Healthcare.

The continuing spread of COVID-19 pushed the countys Board of Freeholders to declare a state of emergency in the county on Monday, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy announced the closure of all schools, gyms, casinos and more.

On the heels of these actions, Hunterdon Healthcare announced on Tuesday that it is indefinitely suspending visits to the Hunterdon Medical Center beginning Wednesday.

All those 12 and younger will not be permitted to visit the hospital.

Exceptions can be made for adult visitors, including visits from:

one significant other or adult support person of a Maternity & Labor/Special Care Nursery patient;

one parent or guardian of a Pediatric Unit patient;

one parent or guardian of a Pediatric Psychiatric Unit patient if and when a mutual agreement between the parents or guardians and care team has been established;

one adult support person of a Same-Day Surgery or Ambulatory Procedures patient; one significant other or adult support person of an Intensive Care Unit patient;

one adult support person of an Emergency Department patient; one adult support person or required aide of an outpatient;

and, one adult support person of a medical group practice patient. Extenuating circumstances will be considered for hospice patients based on the best interest and needs of each patient.

All individuals who meet the exception guidelines will be screened upon entering the hospital, and will not be granted visitation if they exhibit any coughing, sneezing or a runny nose, a fever, trouble breathing, have recently traveled internationally, have recently traveled domestically to areas with widespread COVID-19, or have come into contact with individual who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Individuals who arrive at the hospital for a test or procedure and exhibit the above illnesses or have the above travel history are masked at the front door through to when they exit the building, Prosswimmer said.

Each screening is performed verbally by a trained employee of Hunterdon Healthcare at the main entrance of the hospital as well as at the Hunterdon Health and Wellness Centers and at all outpatient physician practices.

Anu Jose, Patient Care Assistant at unit 5 South, helps to screen visitors at the main entrance of the Hunterdon Medical Center.Courtesy - Hunterdon Healthcare

In preparation for a continued rise in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, Hunterdon Healthcare is prepared to add up to 30 more hospital beds throughout the Hunterdon Medical Center, which currently holds 178, Prosswimmer added.

We feel that we are as prepared as we can possibly be, Prosswimmer said. Because we dont know a lot about the virus yet -- were learning as we experience the pandemic in our country and in our globe -- we felt it was best to be as prepared as possibly could. So were preparing for the worst.

Beyond the visitor restrictions and screenings and prepared addition of hospital beds, Hunterdon Healthcare is preparing for the worst through enacting a number of other measures.

Hunterdon Healthcare actively uses an EPA-approved antimicrobial cleanser to kill the coronavirus while cleaning the hospital as well as all other locations operated by Hunterdon Healthcare.

Fortunately, its not a very difficult virus to kill. Standard procedures with EPA-approved cleansers will work, Prosswimmer said.

Hunterdon Healthcare has also activated its Command Center, the brains of the organization," which providers and employees can call or email to receive immediate answers to any questions they might have, Prosswimmer said.

This is our centralized location where all of our leaders, both our clinical and our administrative leaders, come together," Prosswimmer said. "And it really gives us a chance to supercharge our existing operations so that we can quickly and effectively collaborate to make decisions about things like visitation policies, managing supplies and distribution, managing beds, staffing, care coordination, all sorts of things like that.

Daily coronavirus updates are shared via email through the Command Center with all Hunterdon Healthcare staff.

Last week the center had completed the transformation of its newest unit into a negative pressure unit, meaning that each room within the unit contains ventilation systems that can trap infectious or potentially harmful particles and prevent them from spreading to others.

To allow for social distancing, Hunterdon Healthcare has converted every area where patients, visitors and employees congregate in the hospital into a triage area.

Hunterdon Healthcare has marked all areas where people gather and sit to allow for adequate social distancing.Courtesy - Hunterdon Healthcare

We measured out and marked appropriately distanced seating or standing locations, and this applies to the patients, the visitors and staff," Prosswimmer said. And our intent is to maximize each congregation area while also providing the comfort that we need to wait for an appointment or wait for a procedure to be done.

Beyond those actions, Hunterdon Healthcare also recently established a COVID-19 Hotline open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 908-788-6440, which community members are encouraged to call with questions about the coronavirus. The center also recently launched a mobile app for its Hunterdon Healthcare Anywhere program, through which patients can meet with a provide via a secure online video for non-emergency medical issues.

All community events, support groups, and meetings hosted by Hunterdon Healthcare have been canceled until further notice. All non-essential employee travel has been restricted, and a system has been created with Occupational Health Services through which employees who have recently traveled can document their activities prior to returning to work.

Primary care practices within the Hunterdon Healthcare system have set up respiratory centers to segregate patients with respiratory complaints from other individuals. Prosswimmer revealed that Hunterdon Healthcare intends to open an assessment tent within the next couple of days for patients in the community whose primary care doctors cant accommodate them.

Hunterdon Healthcare is actively following and implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New Jersey Department of Health guidelines to avoid the spread of coronavirus within the hospital and at all outpatient locations and wellness centers.

Individuals interested in learning the latest information about the coronavirus can visit Hunterdon Healthcares Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Caroline Fassett can be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.

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BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Ministry of Education on Monday released a guideline pledging to better apply information technology in primary and secondary school teaching in a bid to ensure universal access to quality education.

By 2022, online classes will be available in rural schools to help address the lack of teachers and other educational resources, according to the document.

Meanwhile, exemplary classes given by outstanding teachers will be offered on the Internet to help teaching staff nationwide improve their professional abilities, the ministry noted.

In order to narrow the education gap between urban and rural areas and among different regions, leading schools will share their high-quality educational resources through opening online schools or giving online courses, among others, the document said.
The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) has accused the UAE of smuggling jet fuel to retired and rebel Gen. Khalifar Haftar, in clear violation of UN embargo.

The NOC in a statement said it also informed the UN, the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), and several other countries of the aviation fuel shipment.

The shipment came from the UAE to Benghazi on a ship called Gulf Petroleum 4 and has been in Benghazi port for a number of days, it also said.

The NOC, is the sole and internationally recognized Libyan entity in charge of the Libyan oil. The company also indicated that UAE in September 2019 recognized it as the countrys sole independent, legitimate and nonpartisan oil company and committed to support it exclusively for the sake of Libyas political and economic stability, and the well-being of all its citizens.

A western diplomat working on Libya said that the import of jet fuel to Benghazi would break the UN arms embargo imposed on Libya since 2011, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports.

UAE and several other countries have thrown their weight behind the east-based military rebel commander to the detriment of the GNA.

Haftar has launched since April 2019 a military offensive to overthrow the Tripoli-based administration that he accuses of being controlled by members of Muslim Brotherhood.

Several countries backing either the GNA or Haftar agreed in the Berlin conference, held January 19, to cease interfering in Libyan internal affairs and respect the UN embargo.
A Connecticut man has been arrested on charges that he threatened to kill Representative Adam Schiff of California, the Democrat who was the lead impeachment manager in the House during the proceedings against President Trump, federal prosecutors announced on Monday.

The man, Robert M. Phelps, 62, of Torrington, Conn., used a meeting request form on Mr. Schiffs congressional website to send the expletive-laden threats, which were made on Nov. 12, the eve of the first public impeachment hearing, according to a criminal complaint.

Mr. Phelps was taken into custody on Friday and made a brief appearance the same day in U.S. District Court in Connecticut. He was at least the third person to be charged with threatening Mr. Schiff, a former federal prosecutor who became the face of the impeachment case against Mr. Trump. Several other Democratic lawmakers have faced similar death threats.

Prosecutors said that Mr. Phelps wrote, I want to come and see you so I can spit in your face and I want to kill you with my bare hands and smash your sick little round fat lying face in.
Prisons in California, Illinois and Ohio are releasing hundreds of inmates early to decrease prison populations in an effort to combat the potential spread of coronavirus among inmates.

As of Tuesday morning, no prison in the United States has reported a case of COVID-19 but many county, state, and federal jails and courthouses are beginning to take preventative measures to ensure the safety of inmates.

Inmates are considered high risk because of their inability to social distance from others and their limited access to basic hygiene measures.

In response, Los Angeles County in California, Cuyahoga County in Ohio, and Cook County in Illinois have released or are planning to release inmates to allow for more space of social distancing and self-isolation.

In Brooklyn, 'low-level crimes' will also not be prosecuted, to limit potential exposure to the virus for employees and visitors, while New York Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that those arrested with 'flu-like' symptoms will be booked using video technology.

Inmates crowd a dorm room inside the Men's Central Jail in 2014. There are currently 21 inmates in quarantine here as the county tries to reduce the risk of the coronavirus

Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles County where there are attempts to reduce the prison population to help prepare for the event of a coronavirus outbreak among inmates

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva revealed he had called on officers to reduce the number of arrests and that they had dropped from 300 a day to 60 since February

Los Angeles County has decreased its prison population by 600 people to combat the potential spread of the coronavirus among inmates.

Early release is being granted to those with less than 30 days on their sentence, reducing inmates from 17,076 to 16,459 since the end of February.

The LA County sheriff is also asking officers to cite and release offenders when possible, which has reduced the daily number of arrests from 300 to 60.

The moves in LA County, where there are 94 coronavirus cases and one death, have seen daily arrests drop from 300 to 60, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday at a news conference.

He added that the aggregate bond amount for people to be booked also went up from $25,000 to $50,000.

'Our population within the jail is a vulnerable population just by virtue of who they are and where they're located,' he said.

'So, we're protecting that population from potential exposure.'

There are already nine inmates in the county in isolation at a correctional treatment center, 21 inmates in quarantine at the Men's Central Jail and five in quarantine at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility.

Staff in these locations are said to be taking the temperature of anyone entering, looking for fevers.

But staff themselves are also at risk and several have already been placed in self-isolation.

'Over the weekend, we've had several of our personnel come into contact, and they have been self-isolated,' Villanueva said.

'However, fortunately, no one has actually tested positive for the virus.'

The Los Angeles River flows behind the Twin Towers Jail in Los Angeles County. Five inmates are in quarantine in the correctional facility as a result of the coronavirus

The Cuyahoga County Corrections Center in downtown Cleveland has released 200 inmates since Friday as they attempt to reduce the prison population against the coronavirus

Other prisons around the country are taking measures to prevent spread among inmates and staff.

The U.S.'s 122 federal prisons and many of the 1,700-plus state prisons have banned visitors and volunteers.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced its ban Friday, joining most state and county prisons.

They have also banned lawyer visits for 30 days.

In response, many federal prisons are increasing the number of prisoner phone calls or the total number of minutes allotted.

Prisons in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio and South Dakota are looking to expand video calling abilities for inmates.

In Cleveland, Ohio, Cuyahoga County's common pleas court held extra hearings on Saturday to try and clear the prison population, releasing 200 people since Friday.

Those released were said to be low-level, non-violent inmates who have been placed on probation or released by having their bond reduced to a manageable level.

'We are trying to make as much room as possible, so when this virus hits our jail, the jail can deal with these people, quarantine them and deal with it instead of letting them sit there and infect the whole entire jail,' said Administrative Judge Brendan Sheehan.

'You gotta remember, the goal of this is to protect the community and the safety of the inmates. If someone's a serious violent person, well, we're using our discretion to make sure the community's safe also,' he added.

An inmate in a six-bunk cell inside the Men's Central Jail in LA County. Inmates are more at risk than the general population as they can not social distance from other inmates

The Cook County Jail in Illinois is in talks to begin the compassionate release of inmates with exceptional health care needs who don't pose a threat amid the coronavirus crisis

And in Cook County in Illinois, talks are underway to begin the compassionate release of inmates with exceptional health care needs who don't pose a threat or a flight risk.

Sheriff Tom Dart said the first of those early exits was secured on Monday.

'The office has already secured the release of several detainees deemed to be highly vulnerable to COVID-19, including a pregnant detainee and another detainee who was hospitalized for treatment not related to the virus,' the sheriff's office said in a statement.

This graph shows how the number of coronavirus cases have risen in the U.S. since January

'Additionally, staff are reaching out to other jurisdictions regarding detainees who are in custody due to outstanding warrants on low-level offenses. Sheriff's staff are asking those jurisdictions to either quash those warrants or geographically limit them so that those detainees can be released from Cook County Jail.'

New arrivals in Cook County Jail, which has a population of 5,600, will now be kept in a receiving area to be monitored for symptoms before being placed with the general population and in Illinois state prisons, the 40,000 inmates plus staff will have increased access to hand santitizer and soap.

In Massachusetts, Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger's office revealed that 30 men who had been in community sober homes are now at the jail's pre-release center so that they could be monitored for illness.

Sheriff Coppinger said that it was so treatment could be provided on site if the men became ill.

And in Houston, Texas, the Harris County Juvenile Court announced that the court wing will be fully closed to all until further notice.

A person who had been at the court tested positive for the coronavirus, as did an employee at a correctional facility in Pennsylvania, where 34 inmates and staffers are now in quarantine.

In Brooklyn, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday that low-level offenses that don't jeopardize public safety will not be prosecuted amid the outbreak in an attempt to reduce the potential exposure of employees and visitors to the virus during the arrest, processing and detention process.

'During this public health emergency, it is imperative that we also protect those who might be exposed to the coronavirus during the procedures of arrest, processing and detention in Central Booking,' he said in a statement posted to Twitter, adding that they will 'immediately decline to prosecute low-level offenses that don't jeopardize public safety'.

Also in New York on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that if people have flu-like symptoms when being arresting, they will not be taken to a precinct or to central booking but there will 'specific methodology' used for their booking.

This will include the use of video conference systems to limit contact between those people and first responders.

The preventative actions come after evidence from previous outbreaks, such as an outbreak of mumps in Texas and New Jersey jails in 2019, highlighted the risk to the country's prison population.

Prisoners have limited access to basic hygiene measures and high rates of existing health issues. Those being held in handcuffs also can't cough into their elbow as advised and alcohol-based santizer is considered contraband in many US prisons.

U.S. prisoners have a higher than average rate of HIV and are more likely to be smokers than the general population.

And they are an aging population.

District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday that low-level offenses that don't jeopardize public safety will not be prosecuted amid the outbreak to reduce potential exposure

From 1990 to 2012, the US prison population aged 55 and older increased by 550%.

Inmates have no way to social distance or self-isolate if there was an outbreak in a prison.

'You can't keep a 2- to 3-foot distance from inmates, and they can't keep that distance themselves,' Ray Coleman Jr., a teacher at the federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, told CNN.

Some experts have advised that the only way to fight against a prison coronavirus outbreak is to reduce the number of imprisoned people.

This method was used in Iran, the country with the third worst outbreak, with 70,000 prisoners temporarily released after China reported three provinces with more than 500 cases in prisons during the height of their outbreak.

'In the best of scenarios, we would only hope to delay this,' Josiah Rich, a Brown University epidemiologist and director of the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, told The Guardian.

'And because we have so many ill people behind bars, it's going to get there, it's going to spread like wildfire.'

The United States accounts for 22 percent of the world's prison population with around 2.3 million people incarcerated.
I enjoy this quote by W. Edward Deming, "It is not necessary to change, survival isn't mandatory."

Not all change is good, not all change is bad, it just is. When we review change in the review mirror, we can often evaluate what the ramifications of those changes have been. In the case of most small and mid-sized communities, the change that has taken residents and business away from the city core have certainly opened up new opportunities, but at what cost? Much of this change is a ticking time bomb creating an unsustainable community economic model when measured over the course of decades and future generations.

As we moved away from the urban model of living to a more suburban model of living, on one hand, it has expanded our communities and opportunities. On the other hand, it has also created an uncalculated financial burden that many communities are just now coming to grips with.

Let me further explain by using a paragraph that I recently read in "Strongtowns" by Rachel Quednau: "When our towns changed course in the 1950's and 60's from the traditional to the suburban model of development, they were setting themselves up for this financial mess - they didn't calculate the future maintenance cost that would have shown them that. They just kept building roads and subdivisions and strip malls. Today, we're left to figure out how to pay for it all, and because so many homes and streets were built at the same time, they're all falling apart and in need of maintenance."

Let me continue with the why in Quednau's piece: "While a traditional street built hundreds of years ago may have housed 40-50 families and businesses in compact, modest buildings, the typical suburban street now houses just over 20 families in homes with large yards, spread apart from one another. We have half the number of households paying for a street that's twice as big. No wonder the math doesn't work out."

It isn't whether urban or suburban living is right or wrong, both have their strengths. It is simply that the suburban financial structure, unless modeled and planned for decades in advance is built in such a way that it will eventually become a huge financial burden to communities. That is even greater for communities that struggle with lower incomes and poverty. Small or mid-sized communities need to understand there is a way out of this dilemma, but it involves new thinking and bold actions. Let me offer just a few.

Knowing that altering the current taxing system would take a yeoman's effort requiring years of time, communities must adopt strategies that are implemented quickly. Finding ways to return residents and business to their downtowns can start the change. Adopting strategies such as tax reduction or tax elimination for new downtown projects for a limited amount of time is a start. Encouraging and even incentivizing the revitalization of older buildings into loft apartments and better business opportunities should be a community's top priority.

Adopt the "if you build it, they will come" strategy for those downtown resident and business efforts. This pays for itself over time, as infrastructure upkeep is lower over the long haul. The more people sharing this financial burden will reduce the pressure on the community as it relates to upkeep and so forth.

One need not just consider the downtown core. Look at the neighborhoods surrounding the core. What can be done to assure all that space is fully utilized? Assuring all those homes are restored and occupied, or torn down so new homes can be built is a must. Providing incentives for this ought to be a top priority. Simply by limiting the additional building outside of your current community footprint, you can avoid adding to the existing difficulties associated with maintaining the community's infrastructure footprint. We aren't advocating greater control of where people build, but taxing bodies need to recognize this is a long-term burden and plan accordingly.

The best strategy a community can adopt is not falling for the same past traps we have been sucked into. As you build further out from your core, know and understand the financial ramifications of this strategy moving forward. Most communities already have too many roads that are failing: Think twice before adding more.

John A. Newby is partnering with the Daily News for this weekly "Building Main Street, Not Wall Street " column series that is dedicated to helping communities and media companies work together allowing both to not just survive, but thrive in a world where truly-local is lost to Amazon, Wall Street chains and others. You can email him at john@360MediaAlliance.net.
By Trend





Nearly 250 Azerbaijani citizens are brought back from Turkey to Baku, Spokesperson for the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Nurida Allahyarova told Trend on March 17.

In connection with the decision to temporarily suspend flights between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Azerbaijani national air carrier, on behalf of the government, has carried out another Baku-Istanbul-Baku charter flight on March 16 to return Azerbaijani citizens from Turkey, Trend reports.

Reportedly, 237 Azerbaijani citizens returned to their homeland from Istanbul by this plane, which landed in Baku at 22:04 Baku time (GMT +4).

On March 15, 474 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Istanbul to Baku.

In order to quickly respond to possible appeals of our citizens living, studying or temporarily staying in Turkey, a hotline has been created (+90 537 282 67 40) at the Embassy and Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Turkey.
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, some are turning to the online, plush toy world of Webkinz for comfort.

Webkinz are stuffed animals with account numbers that can be used to create online avatars to play with at webkinz.com. The service, created by the Canadian toy company Ganz, has been around since 2005.

As the respiratory infection known as COVID-19 has spread across the country and the world, many have taken to Twitter in recent weeks to joke about jumping back onto Webkinz during periods of self-isolation and social distancing. Plush pets are currently sold out, according to the companys website.

Now that we have 0 human contact can Webkinz be the rage again, one user tweeted. I need something to entertain me for hours.

The site has seen a significant jump in usage week-over-week, according to Karl Borst, executive creative director of Webkinz. People logging onto the website last Sunday was up 25% from the weekend before. The company has seen an increase in the number of new accounts being created as well.

Steam, a video game distribution service, also reported higher usage in recent weeks. The number of online players increased from roughly 16 million on March 10 to nearly 20 million as of Tuesday, according to the company.

As with Steam seeing its highest level of usage ever, it is clear that with more people at home equals more people playing online, Borst said in a statement.

In the United States, 4,281 cases of the coronavirus and 85 deaths have been confirmed. There were 197 positive diagnoses reported in Massachusetts as of Monday, according to the state Department of Public Health. Nearly 450 people in the commonwealth are under quarantine.

Gov. Charlie Baker has issued a series of emergency actions, including canceling schools statewide, and officials are urging the public to engage in social distancing and avoid large gatherings.

One person tweeted that if someone is self-quarantined, it may be a good time to check in on their Webkinz. Another Twitter user said people should have their online avatars wash their hands during the outbreak too.

The peak of Webkinz usage was in 2008 when nearly 4 million unique players took to the site, according to Borst.

While were nowhere near those numbers now, we are very proud that weve been able to continue to entertain our players for so long, Borst told MassLive. Our 15th anniversary celebration is on April 29th this year!

See more reactions from Twitter

if youre self-quarantined, maybe its time to check up on your Webkinz that havent been fed in 10+ years. (theres an app)  @webkinz pic.twitter.com/14vIj570D3  Mary Eddy. (@marrrrrryeds9) March 15, 2020

Don't forget to wash ur webkinz hands too pic.twitter.com/9uqgZIqS6k  nat,, (@natcatrulez) March 16, 2020

If this quarantine mess was going on back when I was in elementary school, I wouldnt have no worries. Id be excited to sit home so I could play webkinz & club penguin day in & day out. Those were the daysss   brooklyn  (@mallori_brooke) March 17, 2020

You could use this time in quarantine to check on your Webkinz.  Phi Mu Fraternity (@PhiMuFraternity) March 16, 2020

Quarantine update: I got a Webkinz I would 10/10 recommend everyone else to do so  b (@brimorton2) March 17, 2020

webkinz servers are poppin tbh best part of social distancing  sage marie (@popov4lyfe) March 16, 2020

this is a great time for Webkinz to make their comeback  Ally Mattos (@albal_mattos23) March 17, 2020

Maybe its a good time to check in on my webkinz..  LANA (@lanajoness) March 17, 2020

With all this free time Im gonna login to Webkinz and check on my pets I havent played with in 8 years... pic.twitter.com/3618mtWsjY  aud  (@AudreyGorman) March 16, 2020

Make sure to quarantine your Webkinz and save your KinzCash for food at the W-Shop  sydney secunda (@sydsec_) March 16, 2020

Day 1 of being quarantined: My friends and I have made Webkinz accounts and met up at the park....



Heres me and Sarah on the see-saw  pic.twitter.com/fh7O2D516T  Elyse Lee (@elyseclee) March 17, 2020

Now that everything's closing and we're all quarantined, it's time to restart society on Webkinz.  shutupimshakira (@Sniperdoodle12) March 17, 2020

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 03:27:17|Editor: xuxin

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A traveller wipes his hands with sanitizer at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, Canada, March 16, 2020. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a series of new measures on Monday afternoon to further contain the COVID-19 spread in Canada. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

OTTAWA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a series of new measures on Monday afternoon to further contain the COVID-19 spread in Canada.

Speaking to reporters from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa where he is self-isolating, Trudeau said Canada is closing its borders to people who are not Canadian citizens, or permanent residents of Canada, but exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members and U.S. citizens.

He stressed that no one who is displaying symptoms will be permitted to board a flight to Canada, and that air operators will be required to complete a basic health assessment of every passenger based on guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

"I know this news will spark concern among Canadians travelling abroad. I want to assure you that our government will not leave you unsupported," he said.

"To help asymptomatic Canadians to return home, our government will set up a support program for Canadians who need to get on a plane. Canadian travellers will be able to get financial assistance to help them with the costs of returning home or temporarily covering basic needs while they wait to come back to Canada," he said.

Trudeau said only four Canadian airports -- Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Montreal Trudeau Airport and Calgary International Airport -- will receive international flights.

However, he pointed out that domestic flights and flights from the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean will not be affected, and that the measures do not apply to trade or businesses.

Trudeau said COVID-19 has been spreading quickly across the world, and Canada is no exception. Therefore, Canada is taking "increasingly aggressive steps" to keep Canadians safe.

"I know that these measures are far-reaching. They are exceptional circumstances calling for exceptional measures," he said.

More than 400 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Canada and there have been four deaths.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said that 13 percent of those cases required hospitalization.

Almost three-quarters of the cases were people who travelled outside of Canada recently, but public health officials said community transmission is happening more frequently.
There are now 463 confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City, the New York Post reported on March 16. Schools, restaurants, and some public facilities have been told to close. Along with fear and anxiety, discrimination against Chinese people is also spreading across the city, with members of the Chinese community reporting several such incidents.

One New York University (NYU) student was recently accosted with the comment Oh my god, thats what corona looks like! While walking near Bryant Park. As this tense situation continues to escalate quickly, Chinese students are finding themselves going through a difficult time this semester, which all started when they first came back to school in January.

The year of the rat, the first of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, and the start of a new decade should have marked a fresh start. But for Chinese students, when it was time to return to the US, traveling home for winter break may have been a gamble too far.

Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, and this years date for the holiday was unusually early. Because of this, most Chinese international students planned to celebrate this important festival at home with their families in China. For many of them, it was supposed to be the first Chinese New Year that they were able to spend at home since starting their studies abroad.

However, the outbreak of coronavirus crushed these hopes for many. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on Jan 30, 2020, showing just how serious this new disease was.

With thousands of confirmed cases in China, Chinese international students face unusual challenges going back to school this semester. The Chinese government issued an order blocking all main routes of transportation in Wuhan, and later the whole of Hubei Province, responding to the quickly spreading virus which was found to be contagious through person-to-person contact.

Miss X, a junior student at New York University had her flight from Wuhan to New York canceled because of the virus. This is the first time I couldnt help but cry when parting with my parents at the airport since I came to the US for high school six years ago, said Miss X, who had to switch to an earlier flight and spend the holiday alone on the airplane. Students living in cities where there were no direct flights had to book last-minute tickets with two or three layovers, since many flights were canceled. After arriving at the customs gate, they found that the usually long lines and waiting times had doubled due to extended questioning of students coming from China. They asked me if Id been to Wuhan in the past 14 days and I said yes, Miss X said, recalling that it took her up to 10 minutes to pass customs, which normally takes about a minute. Later, on Jan 31, 2019, according to the New York Times article, the US border began barring entry by most foreign nationals who had recently visited China.

Getting back to the US was just the first challenge, especially for students like Miss X from provinces severely hit by the outbreak, such as Hubei and Guangdong. They were asked to undergo self-isolation for at least 14 days, which is the approximate incubation period of the virus. Miss X missed all classes during the first two weeks of school. However, even before confirmed cases had appeared in New York City, fear gripped the city, manifesting itself in several attacks on Chinese people. The New York Post in early February reported on an alleged attack on a Chinese woman wearing a face mask in a subway station in Chinatown. I used to wear masks every day for protection since the virus outbreak, says Tommy Guo, another NYU student from China. Now I think I have to protect myself from attacks by not wearing masks. This is outrageous.

Miss X also told of how conflicted she was in her daily interactions with other people, as she did not know how to tell people where she was from. I take pride in my hometown, my beautiful city Wuhan, but now I feel like I cant say where Im from as proudly because of this virus, and I could sense how people around me were afraid of me when I first got back, Miss X says, looking heartbroken. Guo from Henan Province says he saw other students in the US shunning Chinese students, and some Chinese students from other provinces talking about keeping away from students from Wuhan. This is not right, Guo commented, but I get that everyone is scared.

On top of dealing with their own situations in the US, students from China are also going through a difficult time worrying about their family members in China. Miss X said that her family is heavily affected by the virus - her grandparents live in another city in Hubei and are not able to be with her parents in Wuhan. I feel lucky and relieved that no one in my family is sick, but at the same time I worry a lot every day, since there will soon be many dangerous elements in their lives, Miss X says, referring to how person-to-person contact will soon become inevitable when work and daily life are resumed. Miss X says that she spends hours viewing news reports about the virus online every day, and that although she Facetimes her family members as much as possible, it doesnt really help alleviate her stress.

On top of the already significant challenge of dealing with school work, Chinese international students are going through an even more difficult time this semester as a result of the stress caused by the prejudice they are facing in the US and anxiety about their families back in China. Unfortunately, but also inevitably, the virus is spreading and running its course in the country, and New York City is no exception. The first patient tested positive on Monday, Mar 1, 2020. Unsurprisingly, the number is growing rapidly, as New York City is packed with people, making person-to-person contact unavoidable. I see dozens of grocery delivery boxes in the lobby of my apartment building every day, Guo says, revealing that he, too, is hoarding essential supplies like rice, flour, and water. People are now responding to the crisis and are preparing for the worst.

With the Chinese government firmly implementing policies and continuously searching for ways to prevent the further spread of the disease, the situation in China is easing. By Mar 16, 2020, there were a total of 68,679 cured cases out of 80,881 confirmed cases in China. The US has been given an example of how to successfully deal with the Coronavirus outbreak, but society has yet to fully take on just how serious this disease is.

Wearing masks is undoubtedly necessary in this situation, since the virus incubation period can continue for up to 14 days. This means there could be people who dont even know they are carrying the virus, which increases the risk of more people getting infected. This means that wearing masks and washing hands as often as possible are essential precautionary measures that will protect ourselves as well as others. However, hardly anyone wears masks in public in New York City, where over 7.7 million people ride the subway system every weekday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. I see one non-Chinese person wearing a mask every time Im on the subway, NYU student Sandra Liu says. Many parents of Chinese students have shipped packages of face masks to their kids in the US. Liu received masks sent from her worried mom back home in Guangzhou, China. People are not wearing masks, and its freaking me out, she says, as she took out a mask from the box and put it on.

The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to People's Daily Online.

The author is a New York University student.
Most articles published between 2014 and 2019 discussing the characteristics, use, and therapeutic effect of cannabidiol (CBD) are supportive, with supportive conclusions in more studies with CBD-related industry funding, according to a research letter published online March 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Emma C. Deary, from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and colleagues examined authors' relationships with the CBD industry and study conclusions in articles assessing the characteristics, use, or therapeutic effect of CBD. A total of 417 articles published between 2014 and 2019 were included, of which 99 were human studies.

The researchers found that 20.6 percent of the articles disclosed any CBD-related industry funding; 50.0 percent of these studies received support from the same company. Overall, 119 articles (28.5 percent) disclosed CBD-related conflicts of interest (COIs) and 65 (15.6 percent) had an author employed by the CBD industry; 149 (35.7 percent) had any CBD-related COI. Sixty-one of the 99 human studies (61.6 percent) had any CBD-related COI. About two-thirds (65.7 percent) of the conclusions of the articles were supportive of CBD, while 7.0 percent were unsupportive. Supportive conclusions were found in 79.1 percent of studies with CBD-related industry funding and 62.2 percent of studies without such funding.

"Given the potential for industry bias, sponsorship, and author affiliations, conflicts should be taken into account when the legitimacy of health-related claims from CBD studies is evaluated," the authors write.

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Farmers Peter and Paula Hynes and their farmily celebrated St Patrick's Day in a very memorable way today, despite official St Patrick's Day parade celebrations not going ahead in Ireland due to coronavirus.

The farmers in Aherla, Cork were joined by their children on the farm in Cork with some farm animals and veterinary students who were working on the farm before heading home to the US and Canada.

"We just got a notion at the weekend that we wanted to do something, with all the local parades cancelled for our children Chloe, Becky and Georgina," Peter told the Farming Independent.

The family had three veterinary medicine students on their farm - Morgan from North Carolina, Adam from Ontario and Alecia from Alberta, Canada.

"With these students here we wanted to show them the Irish spirit before they left the country. Everyone is busy and we wanted to do this as simply as possible. They've all left the farm now to go home."

The calf in the video was due to be auctioned to raised funds for World Downs Syndrome day, but that's put on hold, according to Peter, and calves born on the farm are being held on the farm as the family is restricting movements in and out of the farm.

"The only trip I make is to the co-op to get farm supplies. Our milk is collected at night time so there is no contact between us and driver and the farm is strictly only open to necessary deliveries or collections from the farm."
Mirzapur, March 17 (IANS) A person suspected to have Corona virus escaped from the isolation ward in Mirzapur district but was later caught and admitted back to where he had been previously quarantined.

The man had run away to his home.

According to sources, the man, with recent travel history to Nepal, reported throat problems and fever. He was admitted to the isolation ward of the district hospital on Monday, and his samples have been sent for testing.

Late on Monday evening, the man broke through the duct of his ward hospital and ran away.

The district administration was soon alerted after which authorities began looking for the man. Later during the night, he was found in his own home.

Meanwhile, two more suspected cases have been put in isolation in the same ward. While one had recently travelled to Japan, the other came from Dubai.

According to latest figures of the Uttar Pradesh Health Department, the total number of patients found positive for Corona virus stands at 13 after 598 samples tested negative. Reports of another 107 samples are awaited.

--IANS

amita/rs/
Apple said the French decision 'will cause chaos for companies across all industries'. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Apple has been fined a record 1.1bn by French antitrust regulators after the US tech giant was criticised for anti-competitive agreements with two favoured distributors.

The French agency said Apple conspired with two wholesalers - Tech Data and Ingram Micro - in a move that thwarted wholesale competition for non-iPhone products such as Apple Mac computers. The duo were also slapped with fines of 76.1m and 63m.

"Apple and its two wholesalers agreed to not compete against each other and prevent resellers from promoting competition between each other, thus sterilising the wholesale market for Apple products," Isabelle de Silva, head of the French agency, said.

The Apple penalty is the latest crackdown on Silicon Valley by France's Autorite de la Concurrence. It fined Google 150m late last year for setting "opaque" rules for its Google Ads advertising platform that it applied unfairly and randomly. The fine comes after Apple said on Saturday it was closing its hundreds of retail stores outside of greater China until March 27, and moving to remote work in order to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Apple said the French decision "will cause chaos for companies across all industries" and vowed to appeal it.

The tech firm said it considers customers should be allowed to choose the product they want, either through Apple Retail or its large network of resellers across the country.

The fine dwarfs the previous record antitrust penalty in France for a single company - 350m - which was handed down to Orange SA in 2015.

The combined penalty for Apple and the two wholesalers is also a record.

The French regulator said the case was prompted by a complaint lodged by eBizcuss, an Apple premium reseller, in 2012.

Bloomberg
National Address by Chair of EOC PM Silveria Jacobs on COVID-19, Schools closed as of Wednesday, March 18th

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs announced on Tuesday that St. Maarten now has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. She said the patient recently returned from the United Kingdom and he is currently in quarantine. Jacobs said testing was conducted in Guadeloupe and the RIVM will also be conducting tests based on the procedures that have to be followed.

Jacobs also announced that a decision to close all schools as of Wednesday, March 18th, 2020 for a period of two weeks.

The government also decided to shut down all non- essential services to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This shutdown goes into effect by Wednesday, March 18th, 2020.

Residents of St. Maarten are the only persons allowed to board aircraft's to return to St. Maarten, these persons must have in their possession a valid St. Maarten ID card or proof of registration. Persons that returned to the island including crew members are obliged to stay quarantined for a period of 14 days which will be monitored by CPS.

Residents are again urged to practice proper hygiene, refrain from touching, social gatherings.

Jacobs also called on residents not to go binge shopping and food and medical supplies will still be coming into the island as trade continues.
Water users in a rural area south of Carlsbad continued to fight claims by Intrepid Potash that the company owns water rights in the Pecos River, an amount that local ranchers said could completely drain the Pecos.

Intrepid Potash recently claimed ownership of about 35,000 acre feet of water rights along the Pecos, with 19,000 identified for consumption.

In response to the claims, the Carlsbad Irrigation District (CID) filed litigation intended to block Intrepids ownership of the water and seven preliminary authorizations granted by the Office of the State Engineer to change the point of diversion and manner of use of the water.

The CIDs attorney Ken Dugan said Intrepid hadnt used that much water in decades, essentially leaving its water rights unused for up to 50 years.

He said if water rights arent use for an extended amount of time, they are forfeited.

Dugan at a Wednesday CID board meeting alleged Intrepid intended to sell the water to the oil and gas industry, as the Potash mining industry suffered in recent years.

If Intrepid took that much water out of the Pecos, Dugan also worried New Mexico could fail to deliver water to Texas as required under the Pecos River Compact, a 1948 agreement between the two states that saw New Mexico providing water from the Pecos River  which crosses into Texas  to the Lone Star State.

Intrepid, after not using their water rights has come along 30 or 50 years later and claimed they have 19,000 acres feet of consumptive water rights on the Pecos River, Dugan said. We have a certain amount of water that the CID has to measure and send to Texas each year.

To meet its obligations, the State of New Mexico spent about $100 million to purchase land and additional water rights.

If Intrepids claims for water rights hold up in court, Dugan said that money would be wasted.

What we cant have is that the state spent $100 million to buy up water rights to ensure we are compliant with the compact, and Intrepid after not using their water rights for decades can claim this much acre feet, he said. Theyll just drain the river. Its very concerning to us.

Last month, Fifth Judicial District Judge Ray Romero ruled that Intrepid must stop pumping water under the seven preliminary authorization as he rules on Intrepids rights to the water.

The authorizations, not official permits, in question were granted unilaterally by former State Engineer Thomas Blaine, read the CIDs lawsuit suit, to move and place into effect water rights on the river without any public input or hearings.

Intrepids attorney Chuck Dumars refused to comment as he said it was his offices policy that he cannot discuss ongoing litigation.

Dugan said a trial was scheduled for August but would likely be postponed as the City of Roswell sought to intervene and filed for a continuance.

Neither the City of Carlsbad or Eddy County joined the litigation.

Eddy County spokesperson Jeri Strong said Eddy County had nothing to add to this story.

The judge gave me some doubt as to how hes going to rule, Dugan said. We will fight it out in the adjudication. If ruled they have the rights, CID can still challenge the change of use. This is big money for them (Intrepid). You can see why theyre fighting it.

Hannah Riseley-White, Pecos River bureau chief with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission said Intrepids claims to the water were actually based on a conservation agreement, not an official lease, between the State and Mississippi Potash  Intrepids predecessor in operating a refinery south of Carlsbad.

This was not a lease, she said. It was an agreement to continue their non-use. Were very concerned with the decades of non-use. Were quite concerned about these intrepid potash applications. Weve protested them.

That non-use allegedly dated back to 1973, when the water rights became dormant at the closure of the refinery, Dugan said.

Previously, he said Intrepid rarely used more than 5,000 acre feet a year.

For about 40 years, Intrepid or its predecessors used caprock water, or water extracted from underground, instead of pumping from the Pecos River, Dugan said, which constituted an abandonment of the river water rights.

Is that an excuse to not use your water? Thats abandonment, Dugan said. Im confident that we will get a judgement that their water right is zero. We cant get the water back.

James Walterscheid, a former Eddy County commissioner and farmer in the Otis community south of Carlsbad argued water rights could not be approved by the state if it impaired the source of water.

What about impairment? he asked. The river is being impaired by Intrepid.

CID attorney Steve Hernandez said Intrepids claims must be fought to ensure New Mexico remains compliant with the Compact, or local water uses could suffer reductions in their allotments.

If we go into deficit with Texas, there will be a priority call. That will affect everyone up and down the river. We worked for years and years to put this settlement together and get approved, he said.

If Intrepids claim is approved, it would upend everybody in the southern part of the state. We had to make a deal and weve all benefited from that. It would get really ugly, really fast.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.



2020 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.)

Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Criminal Case Dispositions

242nd District Court

February 2020

Michelle Elizabeth Gonzales  possession of controlled substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  convicted  confinement, 9 months, county jail

Marty Rangel  possession of controlled substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  convicted  confinement, 12 months, state jail; CSCD and community control, 3 years

Jade Lauren Ogden  possession of control substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  dismissed  in federal prison until 2027; fraud use/possession of identifying information number items  dismissed  in federal prison until 2027

Dana Jay Jenkins  possession of controlled substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  dismissed  co-defendant took responsibility

Roland Perez Quintanilla  possession of control substance, penalty group 1, more than one gram but less than four grams  convicted  confinement, 5 years, Texas Department of Corrections

Ashley Nicole Davis -- possession of control substance with intent to deliver, penalty group 1, more than one gram but less than 200 grams  dismissed  co-defendant took responsibility

Emilio Gaucin  evading arrest/detention with vehicle  convicted  confinement, 10 years, Texas Department of Corrections, CSCD and Community Control, 10 years

Andy Ray Junod  aggravated assault with deadly weapon  dismissed  refiled as misdemeanor; aggravated assault with deadly weapon  dismissed  refiled as misdemeanor

Hugo Mondragon possession of control substance, penalty group 1, more than one gram but less than four grams  dismissed

Anthony Lane Marriott  forgery of government/national government instrument of money  deferred  CSCD and community control, 4 years; unauthorized use of vehicle  dismissed

64th District Court

David Bruce Gay  possession of controlled substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  convicted  confinement, 15 months, state jail

Taylor Kade Reynolds  possession of controlled substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  convicted  CSCD and community control, 4 years; confinement, 18 months, state jail

Phillip John Franco  possession of marijuana, more than 4 ounces but less than or equal to 5 pounds  deferred  CSCD and community control, 3 years

Robert Earl Brooks, Jr.  assault causing bodily injury date/family/household  convicted  CSCD and community control, 6 years; confinement, 6 years, Texas Department of Corrections

Melissa Renee Ward  arson of building/habitat/vehicle  dismissed  plead guilty in another case

Kevin Dewayne Garza  aggravated robbery  convicted  confinement, 45 years, Texas Department of Corrections; unlicensed possession of firearm by felon  convicted -- confinement, 20 years, Texas Department of Corrections

Robert Vallin Farias  theft of less than $2,500 with two or more previous convictions  convicted  confinement, 4 years, Texas Department of Corrections

Taylor Kade Reynolds  possession of control substance, penalty group 1, less than one gram  convicted  CSCD and community control; confinement, 18 months, state jail
- Rapid development of research program on investigational Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen-targeted radiohybrid PET imaging agent since company's 2018 acquisition -

Blue Earth Diagnostics, a Bracco company focused on molecular imaging diagnostics, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE clinical trial of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F), an investigational Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen-targeted radiohybrid PET imaging agent. The LIGHTHOUSE study is a Phase 3, multi-center, single-arm imaging study being conducted in the United States and Europe to evaluate the safety and diagnostic performance of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET imaging in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer (NCT04186819). The primary objectives of the LIGHTHOUSE study are to assess the sensitivity and specificity of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET for detecting pelvic lymph node metastases compared to surgical pathology on a patient level. The first patient in the LIGHTHOUSE study was dosed in Los Angeles, Calif. at RadNet's Liberty Pacific Advanced Imaging Center in conjunction with Tower Urology.

"We are excited to initiate this Phase 3 imaging trial of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F), with the hope that it may help address the needs of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer," said Jonathan Allis, D. Phil., CEO of Blue Earth Diagnostics. "LIGHTHOUSE is part of our strategy to expand and advance a world-leading prostate cancer imaging portfolio, alongside our planned Phase 3 clinical trial investigating the use of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET imaging in patients with an elevated Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) level after prior therapy. rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) and approved, commercially available Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) have unique and complementary mechanisms of action, and we believe both compounds may ultimately allow physicians and their patients flexibility in selecting the diagnostic agent most appropriate to each specific clinical situation."

"Effective staging of primary prostate cancer determining its presence and whether it may have metastasized is critical in assessing a patient's prognosis and informing individual clinical management strategies," said Gerald L. Andriole, MD, the Robert K. Royce Distinguished Professor and Chief of Urologic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. "Up to 25% of prostate cancer patients may have detectable lymph node metastases, which are correlated with a risk for recurrence and associated overall survival. Conventional imaging techniques, such as MRI and CT, are limited in the information they may provide, particularly in high-risk primary prostate cancer, due to low sensitivity and specificity. Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), or pelvic lymphadenectomy, is considered the gold standard in assessing pelvic lesions, but its use is limited to the planned surgical area. An ideal staging technique for detecting metastatic disease should not only include the pelvic nodes but also more distant soft tissue and skeletal findings and be both sensitive and specific for identifying prostate cancer metastases. A number of investigational studies have reported promising diagnostic performance using PSMA-targeted PET agents, but none are approved and clinical use is limited to compassionate use and research protocols. The Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE clinical study is designed to investigate the diagnostic performance of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET imaging as a potential decision-making aid in assessing newly diagnosed disease."

"Prostate cancer is a leading cause of male cancer-related death worldwide, and we anticipate that eventually a large proportion of patients with prostate cancer may be eligible to undergo PSMA PET imaging to help stage their disease and inform subsequent treatment choices," said David Gauden, D.Phil., Chief Scientific Officer of Blue Earth Diagnostics. "Blue Earth Diagnostics acquired an exclusive license to a broad family of theranostic rhPSMA agents in 2018, which includes an exclusive option for therapeutic applications. Since that time, we have worked closely with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Scintomics to identify a lead imaging candidate for further development. We selected rhPSMA-7.3 (18F), a single isomer of rhPSMA-7 (18F), as the candidate for our Phase 3 imaging studies. In anticipation of imaging performance, production capacity and quality needs, we selected F18 as the radiolabeling isotope of choice for rhPSMA-7.3 PET imaging. The 110-minute half-life and energy of the F18 radioisotope enable high resolution PET scans; large batch production; consistent, centralized manufacturing; and efficient distribution and broad geographic availability independent of select individual hospitals all of which are important considerations in facilitating broad availability of this cutting edge technology for prostate cancer patients."

"Results from the early clinical experience by TUM, including with rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET, in more than 1,000 prostate cancer patients were included in the Investigational New Drug (IND) submission for the LIGHTHOUSE trial," said Peter Gardiner, MB ChB, MRCP, FFPM, Chief Medical Officer of Blue Earth Diagnostics. "Some of that experience has recently been published online in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Retrospective analyses assessed the diagnostic performance, biodistribution and safety of rhPSMA-7 (18F) in primary prostate cancer and in biochemical recurrence after both radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy. Blue Earth Diagnostics is also conducting a Phase 1 clinical study in Finland to assess the safety, biodistribution and dosimetry of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) in healthy volunteers and patients with prostate cancer."

About the LIGHTHOUSE Phase 3 Clinical Trial for rhPSMA-7.3 (18F)

The LIGHTHOUSE Phase 3 clinical trial is a prospective, Phase 3, multi-center, single-arm, imaging study investigating the safety and diagnostic performance of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. The study will enroll approximately 375 evaluable patients at clinical sites in the United States and Europe. The primary endpoints of the LIGHTHOUSE study are to assess the sensitivity and specificity of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) PET for detecting pelvic lymph node metastases compared to surgical pathology on a patient level. Secondary endpoints will assess the safety of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) in patients and determine inter- and intra-reader agreement of rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) scan interpretations by blinded independent readers. Additional information about the Phase 3 LIGHTHOUSE trial is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NC04186819).

About rhPSMA

rhPSMA-7.3 (18F) consists of a radiohybrid Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-targeted receptor ligand which attaches to and is internalized by prostate cancer cells, and is labeled with the 18F radioisotope for PET imaging. rhPSMA compounds can also be labeled with radioisotopes such as 177Lu and 225Ac for therapeutic use. Blue Earth Diagnostics acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to rhPSMA imaging technology from Scintomics in 2018, with an option to therapeutic rights. rhPSMA originated from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and has been utilized clinically under German legislation at the Department of Nuclear Medicine there for the diagnostic imaging of men with both primary and recurrent prostate cancer. rhPSMA compounds have not received regulatory approval.

NOTE: Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection is FDA-approved for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment.

This press release is intended to provide information about Blue Earth Diagnostics' business in the United States and Europe. Please be aware that the approval status and product label for Axumin varies by country worldwide. For EU Axumin product information refer to: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/medicines/004197/human_med_002100.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001d124.

U.S. Indication and Important Safety Information About Axumin

INDICATION

Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection is indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Image interpretation errors can occur with Axumin PET imaging. A negative image does not rule out recurrent prostate cancer and a positive image does not confirm its presence. The performance of Axumin seems to be affected by PSA levels. Axumin uptake may occur with other cancers and benign prostatic hypertrophy in primary prostate cancer. Clinical correlation, which may include histopathological evaluation, is recommended.

Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur in patients who receive Axumin. Emergency resuscitation equipment and personnel should be immediately available.

Axumin use contributes to a patient's overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure, which is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Safe handling practices should be used to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and health care providers.

Adverse reactions were reported in 1% of subjects during clinical studies with Axumin. The most common adverse reactions were injection site pain, injection site erythema and dysgeusia.

To report suspected adverse reactions to Axumin, call 1-855-AXUMIN1 (1-855-298-6461) or contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Full U.S. Axumin prescribing information is available at www.axumin.com.

About Blue Earth Diagnostics

Blue Earth Diagnostics is a leading molecular imaging diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel PET imaging agents to inform clinical management and guide care for cancer patients in areas of unmet medical need. Formed in 2014, Blue Earth Diagnostics is led by recognized experts in the clinical development and commercialization of innovative nuclear medicine products. The company's first approved and commercially available product is Axumin (fluciclovine F 18), a novel molecular imaging agent approved in the United States and European Union for use in PET imaging to detect and localize prostate cancer in men with a diagnosis of biochemical recurrence. Fluciclovine F 18 has a broad range of other potential applications in cancer imaging and Blue Earth Diagnostics is investigating the molecule for other cancers including in neuro-oncology. The company's pipeline includes innovative Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-targeted radiohybrid ("rh") agents, which are a clinical-stage, investigational class of theranostic compounds, with potential applications in both the imaging and treatment of prostate cancer. Blue Earth Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a global leader in diagnostic imaging. For more information, visit: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005054/en/

Contacts:

For Blue Earth Diagnostics (U.S.)

Priscilla Harlan

Vice President, Corporate Communications

(M) (781) 799-7917

p.harlan@blueearthdx.com



For Blue Earth Diagnostics (UK)

Clare Gidley

Acting Communications Manager

Tel: +44 (0) 7917 536939

c.gidley@blueearthdx.com



Media

Sam Brown Inc.

Mike Beyer

(M) (312) 961-2502

mikebeyer@sambrown.com
- Alibaba founder Jack Ma has donated medical supplies to Kenya and several other African countries

- The donation is meant to help Africa prepare adequately for a potential surge in the cases of coronavirus

- The billionaire also donated medical supplies such as test kits, masks and protective suits

Chinese billionaire Jack Ma is at his philanthropic works again and this time, his help is timely as he has donated medical supplies to every African country to help fight coronavirus.

Ma, the co-founder of Alibaba, said he wanted Africa to be one step ahead in combating the virus and thus donated the supplies to help the continent.

READ ALSO: Mt Kenya university suspends learning, asks students to use online learning platform

Jack ma said Africa could be ahead of the pandemic and that was why he donated the supplies to every country. Photo: Jack Ma.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Jowie Irungu back on social media with new name weeks after getting out of jail

In a statement on March 16, 2020, he said he was donating test kits, face masks and other protective suits to Africa.

To each of the 54 African countries, we will donate 20,000 test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 medical use protective suits and face shields, the statement read in part.

READ ALSO: Restaurant manager says elderly woman who was whipped by waiter had been sent by competitors

The world has been hit with the COVID-19, a zoonotic disease with flu-like symptoms, that has so far claimed lives of thousands of people.

After breaking out in China, the disease spread to many other countries and reached all the continents.

While incidences in the African continent are relatively minimal, the billionaire said Africa could be one step ahead of the coronavirus with the proper help.

Ma's donation was to help curb potential surge in demands for medical supplies and equipment in Africa that may arise from an increase in the number of cases.

The statement comes days after President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed two more cases of coronavirus in Kenya on Sunday, March 15, bringing the total number of infections to three.

The head of state also ordered for the closure of learning institutions from Monday, March 16, for day primary and secondary schools.

Boarding schools were given up to Wednesday, March 18, to suspend learning.

Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna later said there were three more suspected cases that were awaiting tests results.

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.

I want to go back to high school - Elizabeth Makau | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
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WINSTED  St. Anthony School, a Catholic elementary and middle school founded 155 years ago under the auspices of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, is closing permanently in June.

Parents learned about the decision to close the Pre-k to eigth grade school this month at a special school meeting led by the Rev. Bruce Czapla, who leads the parish community at St. Joseph.

A parent posted the news on Facebook, and since then, residents have mourned the loss of Winsteds only parochial school.

Milly Hudak, a lifelong resident who attended St. Anthony, sent her own children there. Her 12-year-old granddaughter is now a sixth-grader at St. Anthony.

Im very sad, Hudak said. I went there, my son went there, my granddaughter is there now. Shell have to go to (the Gilbert School) now, where there are much older students. Shes only attended St. Anthony, so its very sad for her.

Winsted resident Linda Ellis, a 1949 St. Anthony School graduate, was also saddened by the news. I enjoyed the discipline, and the sisters, she said. The sisters were the teachers. It was a very sacred place to go to, and the sisters made it very special for us. Its a shame that its closing.

School were closed last week in response to the coronavirus. This week, the classrooms and hallways of St. Anthony, like schools across the state, were dark and empty. Desks and tables were covered with papers, writing materials and books, waiting for children to return.

Czapla said the process to evaluate the schools future started about a year and a half ago, when officials realized the institutions finances were getting worse.

Things were getting tighter and tighter, Czapla said. Even though we were paying our bills and salaries, we had to be very careful. As that situation grew, the finance committee and other members set up a Secure Our Future committee to figure out what to do.

For the following year, the school and church communities organized fundraisers to help the schools coffers. But the efforts werent enough, Czapla said, leading them to a difficult decision.

It became very evident to us that we could not be financially secure for the future, he said. The archdiocese was very vigilant, and tried to help us. But we didnt want to put the parish in jeopardy. St. Anthony has always been seen as a mission of the church.

St. Josephs parish is a dedicated group, the priest said. The parish, and by that I mean the people, have been extra supportive of St. Anthony School, he said. I cannot commend them enough. Most of all, I cant commend the parents of our students who have hung in with us over the years.

Twelve years ago, St. Anthony Schools enrollment was about 200 students. Today, it has about 90 students.

We always had financial challenges, but it has become almost impossible, Czapla said. We have to pay people justly, to keep up with educational standards, and weve done that very well. Our students are a reflection of that ... look at the names of the valedictorian and salutatorian at the Gilbert School, and youll see that they are often St. Anthony graduates. As time went on, and the enrollment got lower and lower, it just got more difficult.

Czapla called the failing enrollment a perfect storm for St. Anthony School. The economy was bad, he said. People are not as readily invested in their religion, and they dont think to enroll their children in a school like ours ... these things just built up.

Czapla also noted that fundraisers werent enough to keep the school going.

I dont think people realize how important it is to pay just wages and benefits, he said. Sometimes people forget about that ... plus there are the costs to maintain the school, to make improvements, and to provide what the students need.

After a March 13 parents meeting, teachers and other school staff provided parents with work for the children to do at home during the coronavirus school closure. The teachers had all their childrens books ready, Czapla said. We dont know how long (the school shutdowns) will continue, so we are prepared. But we have to finish the school year, and we still have expenses. Donations are still needed to do that.

St. Joseph Church also needs support. We need donations, but we also need people to be present, Czapla said. When we dont see people, its difficult. We need our parish together.

The archdiocese suspended public Masses through April 3.

Parish and school members can call the church at 860-379-3369, or visit www.stjoseph-winsted.org/

According to its website, St. Anthony School was founded by the Franciscan Fathers of St. Joseph Church led by the Rev. Leo Rizzo de Saracena, O.F.M. It is the longest continuously run school in the Archdiocese of Hartford.
" " Some auto manufacturers, such as Toyota, Audi, BMW and Kia, already use Google to manage navigation, maps and other electronic features in their cars. (Creative Commons/Flickr/.RGB.)

Perhaps the reason Apple and Android have both managed to maintain significant market share with their handheld devices is because they have different approaches, with different appeal. One of the biggest differences between Apple and Android products is that Apple designs and makes its own hardware, because the company wants to control every aspect of the user experience. This is attractive to people who want uniformity in their phones, tablets, computers and music players. Google, on the other hand, hasn't expressed interest in becoming an actual manufacturer of the devices, instead preferring to continually tweak and improve the backbone necessary for the device to run, which is then implemented on phones and tablets made by a variety of other manufacturers. This approach appeals to people who want more control and choice over their own phones -- or to those who find Apple's control-freak personality stifling.

The Open Handset Alliance was established in 2007 to help Google's partners collaborate on these goals (as they applied to smartphones) which helped propel the Android platform to its current status. Google hopes the Open Automotive Alliance will have the same success. If the alliance does succeed, this will be a new use for the Android platform; however, the automakers aren't necessarily starting from scratch -- based on Google's proven track record, car designers can be reasonably confident that Android will provide the safe and reliable technology that's necessary for a passenger vehicle.

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Right now, cars' infotainment systems are all over the place. Some car manufacturers use Linux-based or BlackBerry-based operating systems. Others collaborate with computer companies for custom branded systems -- Ford's partnership with Microsoft for the MyFord Touch interface is a notable example. This is frustrating for companies who develop apps for these cars, because they have to be customized for each brand. The Genivi Alliance, formed in 2009, made attempts to integrate into cars using the Linux open source operating system. That alliance was backed mainly by BMW, General Motors and Intel. Though Android is based on Linux, Android has specific advantages because it's been proven to be adaptable to lots of devices made by a bunch of different manufacturers, and it's familiar to technology companies around the world, too. Since app developers are already intimate with Android, it'll cost automakers less to code and troubleshoot on a familiar platform. Also, some auto manufacturers, such as Toyota, Audi, BMW and Kia, already use Google to manage navigation, maps and other electronic features in their cars.

Google hopes that better integration will be safer for drivers and their passengers. A common platform, the alliance says, will improve safety because it'll be easier to use. There will be less of a learning curve between cars, and people will be more likely to actually use features like wireless and hands-free integration if the system is intuitive. Using Android to run some of the car's electronic features will basically turn the car itself into an Android device (or "ecosystem," if you prefer), reaching new customers and reinforcing the platform's importance with existing customers. When the technology is implemented, it'll be found in literally hundreds of millions of new cars [source: Vance]. In fact, we should begin to see Android-integrated cars by the end of this year.

This all points to the evolution of the car as a computer. We're heading in a direction in which a car's center console will be able to do a lot of the same things a computer or tablet can currently do. Yes, cars are already computer-driven, and have been for a long time. Computers control everything from mechanical functions, like engine timing, to comfort functions, like climate control. But that's quite different from the notion that a car itself should be able to, say, stream music videos, or search for recipes on Pinterest to compile and sync a grocery list. Clearly, though, plenty of car manufacturers and technology companies -- and certainly the OAA -- are preparing for that time to come.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Vice President Leni Robredo started her own efforts to help health workers amid the country's fight against the coronavirus disease officially known as COVID-19.

Robredo on Tuesday said she will provide free shuttle services to these workers and other frontliners beginning Wednesday. The service will travel five routes and will pick up workers at 6 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at different points. It will also be available in the afternoon.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under "enhanced community quarantine" which halted work and mass transportation services to restrict movement on the country's main island which is home to large communities and industries.

This resulted in some health workers, who are exempted from work suspension, walking for as long as three hours to get to their workplace.

Interior chief Eduardo Ano earlier said local government units can provide transportation for those who are allowed to go to work and for residents who need to buy their basic needs.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto also relaxed restriction on public transport by allowing tricycles in the city to operate to serve health workers and other exempted employees.

Robredo's team also delivered 7,350 personal protective equipment sets to nine hospitals in the cities of Manila and Quezon on Monday. There are 490 frontliners based in San Lazaro Hospital (50 frontliners), Philippine General Hospital (100), UP-National Institutes of Health (50) in Manila. In Quezon City are the Lung Center of the Philippines (100 frontliners), Philippine Heart Center (50), Quirino Memorial Medical Center (50), Philippine Orthopedic Center (30), Veterans Memorial Medical Center (30) and East Avenue Medical Center (30), she said.

The Vice President said her office raised 17.3 million for the sets as well as food and care packages for the health workers and their families.

On Monday, the Philippine General Hospital said some of its staff members were placed under observation for possible COVID-19 infection.

The state-owned hospital asked for donations of masks (both surgical and N95), 70 percent alcohol, face shields and surgical gowns for its employees. The University of the Philippines College of Medicine's Student Council made the same appeal to the public to help fellow students who are interns for the hospital.
Clark County laser manufacturer nLight plans to move its headquarters from an industrial area north of Vancouver to a 21-acre site in nearby Camas.

In a filing with securities regulators Monday, nLight said it paid $12.2 million to buy the property from Sharp Electronics. The new facility includes clean room manufacturing space and offices.

The company, which makes lasers for electronics manufacturers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

For 2019 nLight reported $176.6 million, down from $191 million the prior year. Though the company makes many of its products in Washington and Oregon, nLight has substantial operations in China and has been badly hurt by the trade war.

And nLight warned that this quarters sales will be further hurt by supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The companys stock price is down nearly 40% in the past month as the coronavirus epidemic roiled the markets; it closed Monday at $11.62.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 06:44:18|Editor: huaxia

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A monitor shows the trading information at the Stock Exchange in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 16, 2020. Brazil's Stock Exchange B3 plunged more than 10 percent on Monday amid fears of the global COVID-19 pandemic, triggering a circuit breaker that temporarily suspended trading. It was the first circuit breaker of the week, but the fifth in eight days. Last week, the circuit breaker was activated once on Monday and Wednesday, and twice on Thursday. (Photo by Leo Barrilari/Xinhua)

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Stock Exchange B3 plunged more than 10 percent on Monday amid fears of the global COVID-19 pandemic, triggering a circuit breaker that temporarily suspended trading.

It was the first circuit breaker of the week, but the fifth in eight days. Last week, the circuit breaker was activated once on Monday and Wednesday, and twice on Thursday.

The mechanism automatically activates when the Bovespa Index (Ibovespa) loses more than 10 percent, purportedly giving investors time to reconsider panic selling.

By the end of the day, the Ibovespa saw a drop of 13.92 percent, reaching levels registered in June 2018, amid the global financial crisis.

The Ibovespa has fallen 31.68 percent so far in March. This year, it has seen an accumulated drop of 38.45 percent.

The Brazilian real also took a hit, trading at a record low of 5.04 reais to the U.S. dollar on Monday. So far this year, the real has devalued 25.68 percent against the U.S. dollar.
Economy tickets on most flights out of the UK direct to destinations in India were sold out following a rush to beat the ban imposed by New Delhi on travellers from the UK taking effect from 12 noon GMT (5.30 pm India time) on Wednesday.

No economy tickets were available on airlines online sites to Delhi or Mumbai, while major travel agencies dealing mainly with tickets to India stopped taking calls. The Boris Johnson government also highlighted the ban and advised Britons against all but essential travel to the country.

Only some premium or upper class tickets were available, costing thousands of pounds. The ban announced in New Delhi on Monday affects all travellers, including British citizens, Overseas Citizens of India and Indian citizens travelling to India from airports in the UK.

Revising its travel advisory for India, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: The Government of India has announced that passengers from the UK (and the EU and Turkey) will be prohibited from entering India.

Airlines will not permit passengers from those countries to board planes from 1200 GMT on 18 March 2020. The restrictions are due to be in place till at least 31 March 2020. This does not affect British Nationals already in India who should follow the advice of local authorities, it added.

UK inward and outward travel has already fallen by a significant amount since the outbreak of coronavirus. Ryanair, Virgin and EasyJet have cut flights by 80% this month and IAG has decreased capacity by 75%.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in the House of Commons: UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lock downs in various countries. The speed and range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented.

So I have taken the decision to advise British nationals against all non-essential international travel.

The official advisory, which is central to business and insurance arrangements, noted the steps taken by India to deal with the coronavirus challenge.

It said: There is an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, but cases have been confirmed in other countries, including in India. India has announced additional measures to limit the spread of coronavirus.

You should comply with any additional screening measures put in place by the authorities, which can vary state by state from outright bans to quarantines to restrictions on large gatherings.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  A 1.3-billion financial assistance program will be given for workers affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon amid the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 outbreak, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

Under the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program, each worker will receive 5,000 in cash to be processed through the companies' payroll system.

The agency said 250,000 workers are expected to benefit from the program, which will prioritize those who work in small businesses and micro enterprises.

DOLE is also working on providing emergency employment for drivers affected by the Luzon quarantine since public transportation has been suspended.

As of Tuesday, DOLE said 97 companies have implemented flexible work arrangements, while 28 establishments have temporarily suspended operations.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Luzon under "enhanced community quarantine" beginning Tuesday to contain the spread of COVID-19. It is effective for a month, but can either be cut short or extended, depending on the situation.

All people in the region can leave their homes only to access basic necessities; land, air and sea travel are restricted; and mass public transportation services are suspended. Most work is suspended, except work in the private sector but work should be done from their homes.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government warned that private companies and businesses that do not render essential services but are continuing operations during the quarantine will be forcibly closed.

The government has also appealed to business to help their employees financially.

The Philippines now has 142 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 12 deaths. Authorities are urging the public to maintain at least an arm's length distance from each other to prevent any more spread of the virus.

CNN Philippines' Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
Just as Greeks are emerging from a decade-long crisis that cost the country a quarter of its output, the impact of the coronavirus on the vital tourism sector threatens to deprive them of the fruits of recovery.

The industry accounts for around a fifth of Greeces economy and more than a quarter of jobs, according to the London-based World Travel and Tourism Council. That makes it the European Unions second-most exposed country to the sector after Cyprus and signals more pain ahead for Greeks reeling from years of hardship.

The government has already ordered the closing of seasonal accommodation, which includes over half of hotels. And after people flocked to coastal areas in unseasonably warm weather, organized beaches were also shut down on Sunday.

We were fully booked, but half of the reservations never showed and its going to get worse from here, said Helen Michael, owner of a 25-room hotel near the central Syntagma Square in Athens. People are afraid.

Greece has 352 confirmed virus cases and four reported deaths. The government closed all schools and universities until March 24 and canceled parades for next weeks independence day celebrations. Authorities announced the first measures last week to address the economic impact on companies and parents can take special paid leave as long as schools are closed.

Were monitoring reservations and cancellations hour to hour, said Alexandros Vassilikos, president of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH).

Michael, who runs one of Greeces almost 10,000 hotels, says trips are being canceled at a rate of above 20%. We had lots of reservations through to the end of April, including for Easter, but now the situation is a disaster and its likely to continue through May, she said. Right now, the last thing people are thinking about is summer holidays.

Greek hotels generated revenue of 8.7 billion euros ($9.8 billion) in 2019, a rise of more than 7% compared with 2018, according to HCH data. The number of tourists visiting from abroad reached 31.3 million people in 2019, almost triple the countrys population, and they spent 18.2 billion euros.

Tourism wont be the only sector to suffer, Vassilikos predicted, but urged the government to prioritize the industry because if it collapses the consequences will be felt from the accountant in Rhodes to the plumber in Athens.

The virus outbreak has come at a delicate time for Greece. While the Mediterranean nation was benefiting from its lowest borrowing costs on record before the global pandemic pushed up bond yields, the real economy was still suffering.

Take Vassilis Karayiorgos, a 50-year-old pet shop owner just outside Athens. Even at the beginning of the outbreak, he already had a book with a list of struggling customers who had taken food for their pets and who said theyd pay when they get their salary or pension at the end of the month.

The government had forecast a growth rate of 2.8% for 2020, but economists now see the economy expanding by less than 2% -- in a positive scenario. Growth could slow by as much as 0.9% depending on the length of the epidemic, analysts at Athens-based Alpha Bank said in a report last week.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked European counterparts in a call last week that any spending on combating the virus be excluded from budget calculations. Greece is under an enhanced monitoring program after exiting its bailout in August 2018 and had agreed to an annual primary surplus target of 3.5% of GDP until 2022. The government wants to cut the target to have more fiscal room to tackle the outbreak.

Whats critical for Greek hoteliers is to secure enough liquidity. For the moment we want measures to maintain our cash flow and to help us protect jobs, Vassilikos said. The vast majority of Greek hotels are healthy businesses and shouldnt be left alone to collapse for something that is beyond their control, he said.

Demands include the postponement of tax and social security obligations at least until the end of May, the granting of state guarantees to hotels so that they can borrow money and the suspension of loan installments to banks.

Bank fears

Helen Michael is one hotelier who may suffer. She took out a loan to refurbish her hotel in 2018 and to open an organic vegan restaurant on the site. I had no problem in making monthly payments, but now what will I do if I have no guests?, she asked.

Greek banks have non-performing exposures of more than 70 billion euros and theyre trying to reduce them by 40% through an Italian-style plan, named Hercules, that uses state guarantees. A new wave of bad loans would hamper lenders efforts to clean-up balance sheets and re-establish credit lines to the fragile economy.

I was due to hire three more people this week ahead of the summer season, but now I dont know what to do as I may not have the money to pay them, Michael said. I will have to look at cutting spending, including the possibility of laying off staff.

To contact the reporters on this story: Paul Tugwell in Athens at ptugwell1@bloomberg.net;Sotiris Nikas in Athens at snikas@bloomberg.net

2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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[March 17, 2020] The Najafi Companies and Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) Align to Offer to Acquire Tegna Inc.

The Najafi Companies ("Najafi"), a private global investment firm, and Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world's largest and most watched faith-and-family broadcaster based in Fort Worth, TX, announced today the delivery of an offer to Tegna Inc.'s (NYSE: TGNA) board of directors to jointly acquire the U.S. broadcast, digital media and marketing services company and take it under private ownership. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005829/en/ The Najafi Companies and TBN have joined forces and expect to create a wholly owned new entity for the proposed acquisition. The group believes a successful bid would create significant value to Tegna's shareholders, while as a private company under Najafi and TBN, Tegna would have the opportunity and flexibility to execute a long-term value creation strategy, free from the pressures of managing short-term public shareholder objectives. The proposed offer is timely and critical given the unique market dynamics and current industry pressures Tegna operates under. The terms of the proposed transaction are $20 per share cash subject to certain conditions. Compelling synergies Tegna owns 62 television stations and four radio stations in 51 markets, reaching 41.7 million television households. TBN reaches more thn 175 nations with its inspirational programming 24 hours a day in 14 languages and on 32 global networks. Najafi has deep experience in the media and technology sectors and takes a long-term view on its investments, creating value through growth and superior performance. Najafi and TBN believe Tegna will have multiple strategic opportunities to enhance its positioning and overall value to its audience and advertisers under the combined private ownership structure.



About The Najafi Companies The Najafi Companies, based in Phoenix with offices in Los Angeles and New York, is an entrepreneurially driven private investment firm founded by Jahm Najafi in 2002. The firm makes highly selective investments across industries, with deep experience in media, technology, consumer, sports, retail and other sectors. The firm comprises a team of concentrators, not diversifiers. The Najafi Companies funds its investments with internally generated capital, enabling it to think long-term, move quickly and operate in true alignment with management. The firm's passion is to invest and create value in areas that are underserved or undergoing rapid transformation. During these uncertain times, The Najafi Companies is ready to make investments and partner with world-class, entrepreneurial teams. For more information about The Najafi Companies, visit www.najafi.com.

About Trinity Broadcasting Network Trinity Broadcasting Network is the world's largest and most watched faith-and-family broadcaster, reaching over 175 nations across the earth with inspirational and entertaining programming 24 hours a day in 14 languages and on 32 global networks. As the world's most influential non-profit religious broadcaster, TBN has led the way in expanding the impact of faith-based television across the earth through the creation of innovative content designed to reach every viewer demographic with the life-changing message of hope and grace. For more information about Trinity Broadcasting Network, visit www.tbn.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005829/en/

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Hundreds of prisoners escaped from four Brazilian prisons after their day-release rights were temporarily revoked and restrictions on visitors tightened due to the countrys coronavirus outbreak.

The Sao Paulo state prison authority said in a statement on Monday night that 174 inmates had already been recaptured but admitted it was still tallying the exact number of fugitives that had broken free following riots at semi-open jails in Tremembe, Porto Feliz, Mirandopolis and Mongagua. Local media put the figure at more than 1,500.

Footage on Twitter appeared to show a long line of prisoners fleeing from Mongagua penitentiary on the Sao Paolo coast, where 400 reportedly fled. Other videos showed riot police attempting to regain control of one prison.

The Sao Paulo state prison authority said acts of insubordination had taken place at the jails after it postponed the Easter prison break  one of five annual breaks for prisoners in semi-open regimes who work in the day  because of coronavirus.

The measure was necessary because the benefit would include more than 34,000 convicts of the semi-open regime who, returning to prison, would have high potential to install and spread the coronavirus in a vulnerable population, generating health risks to servers and custodians, the prison department said.

It later added that riot police taking care of the situation had restored control at all four of the prisons, which do not have armed guards under the semi-open programme.

Prison officers taken hostage by inmates had also been released, according to local reports.

These prisoners were unhappy about the decision that suspended the Easter leave, Lincoln Gakiya, a prosecutor in Sao Paulo state, told the Guardian. The prisoners were told and in some units, rebelled.

Prison riots in Sao Paulo state are regular occurrences and often result in bloodshed. Last year, 57 people were killed following rioting at a jail in Altamira, one of Brazils most violent cities.

Gangs such as the Sao-Paulo based First Capital Command (PCC), which traffics guns, drugs and other contraband, have a strong presence within the countrys prison estate and are responsible for fuelling much of its violence.

Brazil has a prison population of 234,000 people, of which a third do not have access to a health station in their jail, according to figures from 2017, raising concern over the spread of coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, the country had reported 234 cases of infection.

Addtional reporting by Reuters
TALGHAR, Kazakhstan -- A former local official has been sentenced to seven years in prison in Kazakhstan's southern Talghar district for ordering the shooting of a civil-rights activist.

The Talghar district court on March 17 found Nurghali Appazov, the former governor of the subdistrict of Panfilov, guilty of abuse of office and inflicting bodily harm on Galina Arzamasova, and sentenced him the same day.

The court also ordered Appazov to pay 1.4 million tenges ($3,400) to Arzamasova as compensation and barred Appazov from serving in public office for life.

Arzamasova was shot from a distance in late August 2019 as she was approaching the local governor's office, with whom she was scheduled to discuss government plans to sell land belonging to local parks.

A day after the incident, Appazov's driver, Ghani Smanov, was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting. Smanov was found guilty of inflicting bodily harm but the court released him from custody because Arzamasova forgave him.

A small projectile, possibly shot from an air rifle from a vehicle, hit Arzamasova in the pelvis. She told RFE/RL then that she was confident the attack was linked to her civil-rights activities.

The 64-year-old activist, well-known for her campaign demanding more transparency in local politics, has said she was attacked twice by unknown assailants in 2017. She also says her house was once burglarized and targeted in an attempted arson attack.
(@FahadShabbir)

Afghanistan would be glad to join the May 9 celebrations in Moscow commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, but has yet to receive an invitation, Ambassador to Russia Dr. Mohammad Latif Bahand told Sputnik in an interview

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) Afghanistan would be glad to join the May 9 celebrations in Moscow commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, but has yet to receive an invitation, Ambassador to Russia Dr. Mohammad Latif Bahand told Sputnik in an interview.

"Russia will soon celebrate the 75th anniversary of the WWII victory ... Of course, Afghanistan will be happy to participate, but I have not seen any invitation yet," Bahand said.

He also welcomed Russia's efforts to facilitate peace in the Islamic republic, including its readiness to offer a venue for intra-Afghan talks.

"The Afghan people and the Afghan government, including myself, welcome the aspirations of all the countries that are now ready to offer a venue, including Moscow, Russia, Germany, Norway and Qatar," he said.

He added that "it doesn't matter where people gather" for talks. What matters, according to the ambassador, are the "intentions of those who invite;" that they sincerely support the process itself rather than a certain side or people.

Moscow has hosted intra-Afghan consultations with the participation of Taliban members and the country's prominent politicians on multiple occasions. The Taliban repeatedly refused to participate in talks involving the Afghan government.

Hope for first direct Kabul-Taliban talks arose after the US struck a peace deal with the radical movement in late February. The negotiations, initially scheduled for March 10, are currently in limbo due to differences over a prisoner release.
Donald Trump doubled down Tuesday after China lashed out at Washington for him calling the novel coronavirus 'the Chinese Virus'.

President Trump tweeted Monday: 'The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!'

Early Tuesday Beijing demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations'

But Trump then doubled down tweeting Tuesday morning about New York's governor Andrew Cuomo - who has demanded the military are activated to build hospitals - that: 'Cuomo wants "all states to be treated the same."

'But all states arent the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all.'

The tweet-for-tat came the day after Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called China to accuse it of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the U.S. military.

Contrasting conspiracy theories, that it was created by China as a tool for biological warfare, have been aired in pro-Trump circles in the U.S.

And Pompeo himself has called it the Wuhan virus in a series of media appearances, as have fervently pro-Trump Republicans including Tom Cotton, the Arkansas senator, and Paul Gosar, an Arizona congressman who then had to go into self-quarantine over fears he was infected with it.

First hit: Beijing has accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatisation by connecting the novel coronavirus with China after President Trump published the post on Twitter

Doubledown:

China has expressed its 'strong indignation and resolute opposition' after US President Donald Trump referred to the coronavirus as 'the Chinese virus' in a tweet yesterday. President Trump is pictured speaking during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force on March 16

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' said Geng Shuang (pictured) from China's Foreign Ministry

Diplomatic feud over crisis: The U.S. and China are clashing over how to describe covid-19, the novel coronavirus first seen in Wuhan, China

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatisation by connecting the novel coronavirus with China.

He did not name President Trump specifically, but was referring to President Trump's tweet, reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' Mr Geng said at a daily news briefing.

The spokesperson stressed that the coronavirus outbreak had occurred in multiple places around the world and the urgent task was for the international community to join forces to curb the pandemic.

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' Mr Geng continued.

Coronavirus fears have gripped the United States with multiple cities going into lock down. Young people wear protective masks while walking through Times Square in NYC on March 5

More than 4,660 people have been infected and at least 86 have died of the virus in the US

Anti-US sentiment is also growing in China as people on the country's Twitter-like Weibo has shown an outpouring of anger towards President Trump.

One person said: 'Trump is the virus of the world'.

Another typical comment accused: 'American virus!'

A petition urging President Trump to apologize over his comment has appeared on the White House's website.

The post read: 'President Trump owes all Chinese apologies for naming COVID19 "the Chinese Virus" in his latest twitter, especially under the circumstances where the origin of COVID-19 is not scientifically definite yet. Not only is his twitter defiance against science, but also cause hostages among Chinese and the other races.'

The request would need 100,000 signatures to secure a response from the White House. As of writing, 25,716 people have signed.

On Monday Pompeo, in a phone call he initiated with top Chinese official Yang Jiechi, voiced anger that Beijing has used official channels 'to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States,' the State Department said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) and Chinese politburo member Yang Jiechi (left) shake hands following a press conference in Washington in November 2018

A man wearing a facemask as a preventative measure following a coronavirus outbreak which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan sits at a Hong Kong cruise terminal in February 2020

Pompeo 'stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat,' the department added.

The State Department on Friday summoned the Chinese ambassador, Cui Tiankai, to denounce Beijing's promotion of a conspiracy theory that had gained wide attention on social media.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, in tweets last week in both Mandarin and English, suggested that 'patient zero' in the global pandemic may have come from the United States -- not the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.

'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.

Scientists suspect that the virus first came to humans at a meat market in Wuhan that butchered exotic animals.

Pompeo himself has sought to link China to the global pandemic, repeatedly referring to SARS-CoV-2 as the 'Wuhan virus' despite advice from health professionals that such geographic labels can be stigmatizing.

Yang issued a 'stern warning to the United States that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail,' the official Xinhua news agency said in its summary of the call with Pompeo.

People wearing face masks walk through a rapeseed farm used to produce canola oil in China's central Jiangxi province that borders Hubei province, the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak

A sign posted on a Sanrio store in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles announces its temporary closure as the coronavirus pandemic brings much of the world to a standstill

The key Chinese foreign policy leader 'noted that some US politicians have frequently slandered China and its anti-epidemic efforts and stigmatized the country, which has enraged the Chinese people,' Xinhua said.

'He urged the US side to immediately correct its wrongful behavior and stop making groundless accusations against China.'

President Donald Trump, under fire over his handling of the pandemic, and his allies have sought to cast the coronavirus as a disease brought by foreigners.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a Trump ally, has spoken of the 'Chinese coronavirus' and in a recent statement vowed, 'we will hold accountable those who inflicted it on the world.'

While COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the virus - has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries.

The news comes as China tries to deflect blame for the contagion and reframe itself as a country that took decisive steps to buy the world time by placing huge swathes of its population under quarantine.

The world should follow China's principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment to curb the escalating coronavirus pandemic, state-run newspaper China Daily said

China built a 1,000-bed coronavirus hospital in 10 days in Wuhan to curb the epidemic. The picture shows Huoshenshan Hospital nearly complete on the outskirts of Wuhan on February 3

State-run newspaper China Daily today urged the rest of the world to learn from China and follow the principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment to halt the global spread of the coronavirus.

China reported only one new domestic infection today compared to a daily toll of 15,152 five weeks ago.

It also comes after China and the United States blamed each other as the alleged origin of the killer infection.

A Beijing spokesperson last week claimed that the coronavirus might have been brought to Wuhan by the US military while US politicians called it the 'Wuhan virus' or 'Chinese coronavirus'.

With cases falling in China and soaring abroad, Beijing is now rejecting the widely held assessment that the city of Wuhan is the birthplace of the outbreak.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian went a step further on Thursday, saying on Twitter that 'it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan' - without providing any evidence.

He doubled down on his claim on Friday by posting a link to an article from a website known for publishing conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks.

China and the US have blamed each other as the alleged origin of the virus. China's Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian (left) accused the US military of bringing the coronavirus to Wuhan while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus'

Dali Yang, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, said he believed Zhao was 'tweeting in his official capacity'.

China's intention in promoting the conspiracy theory is 'to divert from domestic discontent' over the handling of the outbreak, which has killed more than 3,200 people in the country.

Asked if Mr Zhao was representing the government's view, fellow foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Friday that 'the international community, including (people) in the United States, have different views on the source of the virus'.

'China from the beginning thinks this is a scientific issue, and that we need to listen to scientific and professional advice,' Geng said.

The United States, meanwhile, has angered China by using language directly linking the virus to the country.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus', prompting Beijing to reject the term as 'despicable' and 'disrespecting science'.

While Kevin McCarthy, a US congressman, called the virus the 'Chinese coronavirus' on Twitter.

In a tweet on Monday, he wrote: 'Everything you need to know about the Chinese coronavirus can be found on one, regularly-updated website.' He was sharing the link to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




The man was found dead in the politicians house

The death of one Ifeanyi Ikejemba, a cousin to Dozie Ikedife Jnr, has generated controversies in Nnewi, Anambra state, POLITICS NIGERIA learnt.

Dozie Ikedife Jnr was a deputy governorship aspirant under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015. He is also the eldest son of late Anambra elder statesman and former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife.

The Ikedifes and the Ikejembas are from Otolo and Akammili villages respectively.

This paper gathered that Ifeanyi Ikejemba, who had lived with the Ikedifes for over 16 years was found dead on March 2, inside his room in the Ikedifes family compound.

However, the death of Ifeanyi has caused a furore in the family as Ifeanyis elder sibling, Ebele Ikejemba, accused Dozie Jnr of killing her brother. Also on that fateful day, some youths in the community threatened to raze down Mr Dozies house and other properties.

Ebele, who had earlier made her stance known via a Facebook post dated March 3, called the attention of the police and human rights activists to the alleged murder. According to her, Dozie Jnr sent for her brother to come and see him at Otolo, a night before his death. Ifeanyi left Akammili and never returned alive, She narrated.

Dozie Jnr returned from the United States of America (USA) on that day and called in around 9:00 pm.

Nevertheless, when POLITICS NIGERIA contacted Ebele, she insisted that Dozie killed Ifeanyi saying that three holes were found on his corpse when she visited the morgue. She added that when Dozie Jnr came to announce the death of Ifeanyi, he claimed that the deceased had carnal knowledge of his daughter fourteen years ago.

Quoting Dozie Jnr, Ebele stated that the alleged assault took place when the girl was five years old.

Dozie Ikedife Jnr apparently ordered his security, driver and chef to beat him up and the next morning being 02/03/20 he was told that Ifeanyi our brother didnt wake up.

However, when we went to the police to determine where the body of our brother was, we saw several gunshot wounds inflicted on his body. But the gunshot wound inflicted on his body had been stitched up by Dozies younger brother, Dr Somadina Ikedife so that it would have seemed like he was beaten to death.

Instead our very quiet and helpful brother was rather shot in cold blood. Now Dozie Ikedife Jnr is reaching out to the powerful businessmen and military to hide away from the sins he has committed, She said.

Rancour

Although the relationship between the Ikejembas and the Ikedifes have been a smooth one in the last fifteen years, a disagreement occurred towards December 2019, POLITICS NIGERIA gathered.

Dozie Jnr sponsored the tiling apprenticeship training for Ifeanyi and the tertiary education of his younger sister.

Meanwhile, this correspondent was told that before the visit of March 1, Ifeanyi had a disagreement with Dozie jnr which led to him moving out of the house in December.

Ebele stated that Mr Dozie owns a bar called Elders court in Otolo, where Ifeanyi once worked. While he was working at the bar, Dozie was not paying him and Ifeanyi complained that if Dozie wants him to continue working, he deserves to be paid like other staff, this was the basis of the disagreement, Ebele said.

She further explained that Ifeanyi protested because staying in the bar clashed with his tiling job.

Ikedifes defence

When our correspondent reached out to Mr Dozie, he immediately claimed the telephone number dialled was not his and a follow-up SMS was sent to him, insisting that the line belongs to him.

Meanwhile, his media aide, Lotanna Okafor, contacted POLITICS NIGERIA the following day, saying Mr Dozie instructed him to respond to the allegations. In his response, Mr Dozie denied being culpable for Ifeanyis death.

We were all asleep only for domestic staff to tell us that he was dead the following day, Okafor said.

It was a great loss because Ifeanyi is a good boy that the family likes. The late Dozie Snr loved him. In fact, when his grandmother died, Dozie gave her a befitting burial.

When quizzed about the cause of Ifeanyis death, he told this correspondent that police are yet to ascertain the cause of the death. Although he denied any disagreement between Ifeanyi and Mr Dozie, he confirmed that the deceased stopped managing the bar some months ago.

However, Okafor said he was not privy to much information about what brought Ifeanyi to the house that night but he debunked allegations of any assault launched on the deceased.

Ifeanyis room is still much intact. His clothes are there. He comes and leaves when he feels like, He told POLITICS NIGERIA.

The cry for justice

Ever since the death of Ifeanyi, all efforts by his family members to get justice have yielded no result.

POLITICS NIGERIA confirmed that Mr Dozie Jnr was invited by the police to the Area Command in Awka but he refused to honour the invitation.

Ebele earlier told POLITICS NIGERIA that when the police came to Dozies residence to arrest some suspects, no one was found in the house.

We demand the Inspector General of police to set up a team to be headed by DCP kauri to investigate the whole situation. We are willing to involve the Human rights movement, the American Government (Since Dozie also has an American citizenship) and has the capability of running away, involving the government and every possible media outlet since now he is moving to threaten our families, She disclosed to our correspondent.

Although POLITICS NIGERIA could not reach the Area Commander of police in that area, Haruna Mohammed, the Anambra state police spokesperson promised to look into the case.

Just saw it. Let the complainants meet me in the office for discreet investigation please, He informed our correspondent.
GETTY

Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, which will require thousands of people to work from home. Experts say the key to successful remote work is to have open lines of communication with managers, and to act like youre working in an office.

Brian Kropp, vice president at research firm Gartner, said in an interview that from manager to employee, as well as employee to employee, there has to be as much visibility as possible into workflows.

In a regular office, employees and their managers have the ability to talk to each other and check-in more often, something that Kropp says will dramatically change as more work from home.

You need to have some sort of way to have moments where there are just updates. Some companies, at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday morning, will have a quick 30-minute standing meeting where everybody whos working remotely calls in and talks about what theyre working on, he said.

Kropp said other companies have used Google Docs as a way to have people jot down daily what theyre working on.

One of the biggest shifts that happen by going from in-person to remote is you dont have the serendipity of bumping into people at the coffee machine while youre getting lunch, he said.

Follow workplace etiquette, embrace the outfit mullet: Shopify, Google

Many companies already have work from home policies, including Ottawa-based e-commerce company Shopify.

Thirty per cent of its employees already work from home, it said in a March 11 tweet. That was the same day it announced that all of its workers will work from home starting March 16 due to COVID-19.

Of course Shopify is no stranger to remote work, Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke tweeted on the day of the announcement. We actually closed our offices once for a [one] month period to build empathy for the remote workers of Shopify.

Dayna Winter, a writer and content marketer at Shopify, offered useful tips on Twitter, like to embrace the oufit mullet: business on top, couch slug on the bottom.

Story continues

You only need to look decent from the waist up for meetings now, she wrote. Repurpose the extra time youd normally spend commuting/looking presentable - get fresh air, whatever. I get most of my housework done in the [morning] before I start my day.

She also added moving around the house and working from different spots helps.

Google also instructed its employees to work from home until at least April 10, as first reported by Business Insider.

The California-based search giant offered eight tips to help those who have never worked from home do it successfully.

Googles tips include scheduling meetings, sharing goals and updates regularly, and maintaining workplace etiquette.

Just because your team isnt at the office doesnt mean theyre not busy. Check calendars before scheduling meetings, and when you reach out via chat, start by asking if its a good time to talk, Google wrote.

You can also proactively inform your co-workers of your own availability by setting up working hours in Calendar. That way, if a team member tries to schedule a meeting with you outside of your working hours, theyll receive a warning notification.

Trust your employees, focus on outcomes

Kropp said there are many effective tools to successfully work from home, but major challenges will emerge.

Employees, he said, will have to become a lot more intentional about what they do.

You actually have to think through and plan to meet with people rather than just meetings happen, he said.

Kropp also said that managers will now have to trust your employees a lot more.

If youre a manager thats been used to checking in with people frequently by providing a lot of feedback, visually seeing people work and using your own personal visual conformation that people are working, those sorts of behaviours do not work at all in a remote environment.

You have to trust your employees are getting stuff done. You have to go with a mentality of I will trust them, rather than I will observe them and track them. he said.

As part of the state of emergency, daycares and schools have been instructed to shut down. Kropp said that this too will change the dynamic in households where parents have young children.

People who have kids are going to be in a situation where theyre going to have to make lunch for their kids, they have to use an iPad to help them stay occupied during the day, he said. So the idea that youll be able to get that immediate response over Slack [or other messaging boards] is going to be incredibly difficult.

Kropp said it would be helpful if organizations set out expectations on what responsiveness looks like. He added that communication should focus on what the company cares about, not about how the work is going to get done.

Focusing on the outcomes you achieve and giving you a lot more flexibility about how youre going to be doing work, he said.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief.
Aldi is reducing their opening hours to help deal with low stock on the shelves created by panic-buying due to coronavirus.

The supermarket chain announced as of Wednesday stores would be opening at 9.30am and closing at 7pm.

'We are operating at full-steam and working under immense pressure to provide products to every single customer that shops with us,' a statement read.

Aldi is reducing their opening hours to help deal with low stock on the shelves created by panic buying due to coronavirus

'We also want to let you know that there is more than enough food to go around; we just need your patience and support.'

This will apply to all stores unless other state trading restrictions apply.

The trading hours will be re-evaluated weekly to determine the best course of action going forward.

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 supermarket company said the decision was made to allow their employees a break to look after themselves, replenish stock and allow cleaning.

'Please think before you buy and only buy what you and your family need. If we all do this, then we can make sure we have enough for everyone,' the statement continued.

Similar early closures are being put in place at Coles and Woolworths to restock bare shelves.

On Tuesday Aldi also limited customers to two packets each of dry pasta, paper towels, hand sanitiser, dry rice and flour.

Only one packet of toilet paper is allowed per customer.

Similar protocols are being rolled out at Coles and Woolworths to help combat panic buying that have left shelves empty

The spread of coronavirus has sparked panic buying which has stripped supermarkets of long-life essentials such as toilet paper, pasta, rice, frozen food as well as tinned and other dried goods.

Aldi chief executive Tom Daunt said people should not worry about access to fresh food and has asked customers to be respectful to staff.

Aldi chief executive Tom Daunt asked customers to respect staff

ALDI GROCERY LIMITS Toilet paper  one per customer

Dry Pasta  two per customer

Flour  two per customer

Dry Rice (excludes microwave rice)  two per customer

Paper Towels  two per customer

Tissues  two per customer

Hand Sanitiser  two per customer Advertisement

'The increase in violence that retailers have seen over the past few weeks is absolutely unacceptable,' he said.

He asked people to be 'considerate and compassionate' when they shop and respect employees.

'Quite frankly, we wont tolerate anything less. We understand your concerns, but buying more than is needed can mean that others will be left without,' he said.

Change-of-mind refunds have been suspended from March 17 until further notice to discourage over-purchasing.
She just spent some sun-filled days in Palm Springs.

But now as much of California goes on lockdown it seems isolation has taken Kendall Jenner down memory lane.

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star shared some sultry photos from a photoshoot she did back in 2018.

Wow factor: Kendall Jenner sultry snaps, taken in late 2018, to Instagram on Monday night that showed her in a latex one piece and Louis Vuitton stocking, that drew attention to her incredibly tiny waist and long lean legs

Kendall opted for the latex one piece that drew attention to her incredibly tiny waist and long lean legs.

The beauty teamed the look with a pair of vintage Louis Vuitton stockings that made their runway debut back in 2008.

She completed her sexy ensemble with black Jimmy Choo patent pumps.

Old school cool: Kendall's hair was styled up into a voluminous updo with a long fringe framing her porcelain face, as she posed in a squat position and against the trunk of a vintage car

Kendall's hair was styled up into a voluminous updo with a long fringe framing her porcelain face.

The reality star had a simple glam complete with contoured cheekbones and a nude plump pout.

All shots taken by the popular KarJenner clan's photographer Sasha Samsonova with her tresses styled by Jen Atkin and makeup by Mary Phillips.

Pedal to the metal: She just spent some sun-filled days in Palm Springs as she rode a bike

In one photo she squatted, facing a car and with her back to the camera, with her knees spread.

A second photo shows her in the same outfit, leaning against the trunk of a vintage car.

Her posts come a day after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered all non-essential businesses, including gyms, bars, movie theaters, concert halls and dining in at restaurants closed amid the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
India's apparel exporters have asked Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to undertake a string of measures to ease the working capital crunch faced by the industry in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter to Shaktikanta Das, Governor, RBI, on March 16, the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) wanted the apex banker to facilitate faster clearance of banking and packing credit to the industry.

AEPC chairman, A Sakthivel said that the deeply integrated global value chain of the apparel sector has been impacted by disruptions in both exports and imports. Since orders are getting postponed by 3 to 6 months, the industry has sought an extension of the packing credit period for existing loans, upto a period of 360 days from the existing period of 270 days.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Authorities shut schools, colleges in Uttar Pradesh till April 2

"It is also expected and evident that the prevailing uncertainties will impact the order position as also the response time to meet the orders. Further, this is going to impact the working capital condition of the apparel exporters", Sakthivel pointed out. He wanted RBI to recognise the volatilities in the global apparel markets and order postponements/cancellations, and provide full support of the financial institution in managing financial viability of the apparel sector.

In order to pre-empt the liquidity challenges expected due to the adverse impact on export realisations and working capital, especially by the MSME sector, AEPC called for an extension of the bill realisation period from 9 months to one year.

They wanted banks to be allowed to delay declaring companies' accounts as non performing asset NPA for a minimum of 1 year 'as the lack of business coupled with fixed cost will make accounts as NPAs'.

Extension of the exemption period from caution listing of exporters by RBI from March 31, 2020 to March, 31, 2021 was another demand.

The AEPC letter also requested RBI to enhance the existing limits for advances of exporters by 25 per cent and implementation of collateral free lending upto Rs 2 crore. For lending beyond Rs 2 crore to the MSMEs, the exporters wanted a cap on the collateral requirement at 35-40%.

The apparel council also wanted the government to consider all apparel exporters for the 5 % Interest Equalization Scheme which is currently available only for MSME exporters. A two year extension of the Interest Equalization Scheme upto 31st March 2022 has also been sought.

India exported $16.2 billion worth of garments in 2018-19. The apparel sector contributes to 43% of India's textiles exports in value terms and enjoys 5 % share in the country's overall exports. Apparel sector is also the largest employment provider after agriculture and employs 129 lakh workers, 65-70% of which are women.

Also read: Coronavirus: Airport screening unlikely to deter spread of pandemic

Also read: Coronavirus update: Quarantine facilities available at Rs 3,100 per day in Delhi's Aerocity
Retailers and other employers have started cutting casual workers as a big fall in sales from the coronavirus-linked slowdown hurts profits and threatens the viability of some businesses.

A text message sent to staff from a Factory X store manager  which owns retail stores Alannah Hill, Jack London and Dangerfield  said due to a sharp rise in Sydney coronavirus cases it had issued a major cut in casual hours for the remainder of the week."

A leaked email from a Liquorland manager for North Sydney and the Central Coast said sales were down 10 to 15 per cent at many stores and they would move to cut staff hours.

There are concerns that the shedding of casual labour could be the start of a big rise in unemployment as sectors such as hospitality, retail and the arts are badly hit by changes to spending caused by the public health crisis. Unions attacked the flagged cuts with Retail and Fast Food Workers Union secretary Josh Cullinan accusing the Coles-owned Liquorland of putting its profits ahead of the workers who made the business a success.
South Africa: Coronavirus 101

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the Coronavirus (COVID-19) a national disaster.

South Africa has imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020.

South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea.

Any foreign national who has visited high-risk countries in the past 20 days will be denied a visa.

South African citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on return to South Africa.

South Africa has cancelled visas to visitors from those countries and previously granted visas are hereby revoked.

South Africa has 72 ports of entry in the country which are land, sea and air ports.

Of the 53 land ports, 35 will be shut down with effect from Monday, 16 March.

Two of the eight sea ports will be closed for passengers and crew changes (Mossel Bay and Saldanha).

Schools will be closed from Wednesday, 18 March, and will remain closed until after the Easter Weekend.

To compensate, the mid-year school holidays will be shortened by a week.

According the World Health Organisation (WHO) this is what you need to know about COVID-19.

What does the WHO pandemic declaration mean?

The declaration allows governments to activate preparedness plans and undertake emergency procedures to protect the public, such as travel and trade restrictions.

When is a pandemic declared?

Generally, the WHO will declare a pandemic when there is sustained community outbreaks on different continents.

When was the last global pandemic?

The WHO last declared in 2009 for the H1N1 flu.

What is the difference between an outbreak, epidemic and pandemic?

An outbreak is a sudden rise in cases of a disease in a particular place. An epidemic is a large outbreak. A pandemic means a global epidemic.

Does a pandemic reflect the severity of a disease?

A pandemic has nothing to do with how serious an illness is. It just means a disease is spreading widely and at an alarming rate.

What can I do to minimise the risk of infection?

The virus is very susceptible to common anti-bacterial cleaning agents such as bleach, and alcohol-based cleaners (60% volume). Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Maintain at least 1 metre distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands.

What is self-isolation?

Self-isolation is a way to keep yourself from possibly infecting others if you think you might be infected. It involves limiting contact with public places, relatives, friends, colleagues, and public transport.

I have flu like symptoms, should I get tested?

The symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or fever. However, these are also symptoms of the flu. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) recommends that you should only get tested if you display symptoms plus:

Been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 person;

Travelled to a high risk country;

Worked in or been to a healthcare facility treating people with Covid-19;

Have a severe case of pneumonia with an unknown cause.

However, one should consult your medical practitioner immediately if you display symptoms.



Where should I go if I want to test for COVID-19?

If you think you might have contracted the virus, you can call the NICD helpline (0800 029 999) and you will be advised on possible testing facilities. However, testing is not routinely done unless testing is indicated by a health professional therefore one would need to be assessed by your medical practitioner in order to qualify for testing.

What happens if I test positive?

Anyone who tests positive will immediately be notified and put into quarantine at home or at a facility designated to manage the outbreak. You will then remain in quarantine until repeat testing shows you no longer have the virus.

How much does the test cost?

Public sector testing is free of charge. Private laboratories such as Lancet, Ampath and Pathcare can also test for SARS-CoV-2. Enquiry should be with the respective laboratory for their costing of the test. If going via a private lab, it is advisable to check with your medical aid to ascertain if they will cover the costs for the test.

How is COVID-19 infection treated?

There is no specific treatment available for SARS-CoV-2. Treatment is supportive (e.g. providing oxygen for patients with shortness of breath or managing a fever). Antibiotics do not treat viral infections. However, antibiotics may be required if a secondary bacterial infection develops. Currently there is a vaccine being developed.

Which hospitals will treat COVID-19 infected patients?

The following hospitals have also been identified as centres for isolation and treatment of people infected with Coronavirus:

Polokwane Hospital in Limpopo;

Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mpumalanga;

Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, Steve Biko Hospital and Tembisa Hospitals in Gauteng;

Greys Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal;

Klerksdorp Hospital in the North West;

Kimberly Hospital in the Northern Cape;

Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State;

Livingstone Hospital in the Eastern Cape; and

Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape.

- SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
MINNEAPOLIS, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks), a model that improves America's education system with intentionally deepened relationships and a data-driven personalized and supportive approach, announced today that Massachusetts public schools can apply for funding as part of the Student Opportunity Act. The state bill lays out the infusion of $1.5 billion into school districts over the next seven years. The BARR model aligns with the Massachusetts Student Opportunity Act funding source and can help schools that apply with the application process.

The aim of the Student Opportunity Act is to tackle inequity in how funds are directed to districts across the state by requiring more funds for school systems with higher percentages of low-income students and English language learners. Each school district would be required to establish targets for "addressing persistent disparities in achievement among student subgroups" and would be required to submit an evidence-based plan to the state every three years illustrating how their schools would use the additional funding to meet those goals. The plans have to be submitted by April 1, 2020.

"We salute the state of Massachusetts and its Student Opportunity Act and we are thrilled that it has passed this landmark legislation," explained BARR Executive Director Angela Jerabek. "BARR's mission aligns perfectly with the purpose of the bill and its mission to strengthen the tools and resources that the state's schools have access to. BARR is a strengths-based model that provides schools with a comprehensive approach to meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of all K-12 students. Schools within the BARR network harness the power of relationships and data to become more equitable, ensure that no student is invisible, and remove both academic and non-academic barriers to learning."

Jerabek continued, "The results are powerful. Students earn more credits. Math and reading scores improve. Absences and suspensions are reduced. Graduation rates increase. BARR schools also report stronger culture with happier, more engaged students and teachers. BARR has demonstrated these results in schools big and small, urban, rural and suburban, as well as those that are both underserved and fully resourced."

The BARR model has met the Evidence for ESSA requirements five times. BARR has met the requirements four times in reading and math impacts  in reading for both the whole class and struggling students, as well as in math for both the whole class and struggling students. The BARR model is also one of only four programs in the U.S. that supports the social and emotional learning needs of high school students while also meeting the national ESSA evidence standards.

About BARR Center

The BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) is a model that aims to bring education into the 21st century with intentionally deepened relationships and a data-driven personalized and supportive approach that aligns students, teachers, staff, and families with unified culture of support and success so that, together, we can build strong schools and communities. For more information, visit, https://barrcenter.org/.

SOURCE The BARR Center

Related Links

https://barrcenter.org/


Yes Banks RBI-appointed administrator Prashant Kumar and the rescuers have made a strong case to the banks depositors that their money is safe with the bank. At a presser called on Tuesday, a day before the moratorium will be lifted, the team has done just what it was supposed to do  build confidence among the customers. At the presser, the most important presence was that of State Bank of India Chairman Rajnish Kumar, who is the biggest guarantor of Yes Banks future. SBI alone has forked out Rs 6,000 crore into the fund pool and is the biggest trust factor in the exercise. At the presser, Ranish Kumar said his bank will not sell a single share of Yes Bank in the next three years.

Following the financial failure, Yes Bank was rescued by a hurried deal planned and executed by the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Besides SBI, seven other private banks too joined the exercise, lending money and their brand for the Yes Bank rescue. During the presser on Monday, Prashant Kumar outlined why he didnt expect a run on the bank when the moratorium is lifted tomorrow. Only one-third customers withdrew during moratorium period where there was a withdrawal restriction of up to Rs 50,000, Kumar said. All our ATMs and branches have enough money and I want to reiterate that there is absolutely no problem with liquidity, said Kumar.

Perhaps, beyond the repeat assurances by the administrator what would have given confidence to Yes customers are the words of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das (in a press conference yesterday) and SBI chairman at todays presser. The banking regulator and the countrys largest bank which has led the bail-out have vouched for Yes Banks safety and there can be no greater assurances to the retail depositor in the bank.

AT1 bond investors set for legal battle

Though the rescue deal has been planned well, Yes Banks tryst with its Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bondholders, having Rs 8,415 crore worth of such papers, is unlikely to end any time soon. The stage is set for a long legal battle after investors moved the Bombay High Court shortly after the RBIs decision to write down these papers became public.

The outcome of the case will be crucial for Yes Banks investors in these papers, especially retail investors, who had approached the regulator and the courts to seek respite from the decision. Technically, the bank could write down these bonds but the court will have to take a call on whether this amounts to injustice to the investors. Yes Banks new board and management will have to address these concerns going ahead, bond dealers said.

The call to write down Yes Banks AT1 papers was taken and notified by the Reserve Bank of India while framing the bailout scheme of the scam-ridden Yes Bank, whose co-founder Rana Kapoor is now being investigated for multiple quid-pro-quo deals and financial irregularities.

Yes Bank collapsed financially following years of careless lending and financial irregularities. Its financial ratios and capital position worsened beyond the central banks tolerance levels triggering a hurried bailout. Yes Bank was then rescued by a team of banks led by State Bank of India and half of Indias private banking sector, who together pooled in about Rs 10,000 crore to keep the bank alive. The process is still on.

What are AT1 bonds?

AT1 securities are a type of contingent convertible bonds designed after the financial crisis to try to ensure that investors would be on the hook if a bank runs into financial stress. After the Yes Bank reconstruction scheme was notified by the government, there was confusion in the market on March 14 on whether these bonds will be honoured or extinguished as said in the draft reconstruction scheme made public by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). But, Yes Banks RBI-appointed administrator Prashant Kumar clarified that these bonds will be written down fully, as per the agreed reconstruction scheme. This is because the reconstruction scheme was formed after the RBI invoked Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which arises when the bank is deemed to be non-viable or approaching non-viability, enabling the write-down of certain Basel III AT1 Bonds.

In light of the above provisions of the Basel III Circular, the Perpetual Subordinated Basel III Compliant Additional Tier I Bonds issued by the Bank for an amount of Rs 3,000 crore on December 23, 2016 and the Perpetual Subordinated Basel III Compliant Additional Tier I Bonds issued by the Bank for an amount of Rs. 5,415 crore on October 18, 2017 have been fully written down and stand extinguished with immediate effect, Kumar informed exchanges.

Investors in these bonds have already started approaching courts for resolution. Last week, Axis Trustee representing, bondholders of Yes Banks AT1 bonds filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking remedy against the Reserve Banks decision to extinguish these bonds. The petitioners have argued that the total write-down of AT1 bonds, treating these instruments below equity is not fair. Besides Axis Trustee, Larsen & Toubro and Indiabulls Housing Finance too have reportedly moved the Bombay High Court separately against the AT1 bond writedown decision.

Industry cautious



The AT1 bond write-down will not end with Yes Bank alone. This will likely rattle investors in AT1 bonds of other banks as well, bond dealers said. Private lender IndusInd had deferred its fundraising plan post the Yes bank collapse. Bondholders have invested a total of nearly Rs 94,000 crore in AT1 bonds issued by Indian banks, according to rating agency ICRA. AT1 bonds, also called perpetual bonds, are considered quasi-equity instruments and are riskier than Tier 1 bonds.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:18:36|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Education (MOE) Tuesday said that 22 universities have been racing against time to develop testing products for the novel coronavirus, including detection kits for nucleic acid and antigen and antibody testing.

So far, seven testing kits developed by universities in collaboration with enterprises have been put into clinical use after gaining the approval of the National Medical Products Administration, Lei Chaozi, head of the science and technology department under the MOE, said at a press conference in Beijing.

Apart from meeting the domestic needs for virus testing, the universities' products have played a part in mitigating the surging demand for detection abroad, Lei noted.

On March 12, the West China Hospital of Sichuan University donated nucleic acid testing kits able to test more than 1,000 people to the government of Georgia to aid its battle against the coronavirus. The testing kits, co-developed by Tsinghua University, Sichuan University and enterprises, can detect six respiratory viruses, including the novel coronavirus.

Moreover, 14 novel coronavirus testing kits developed by five Chinese universities, including Tsinghua University, Sichuan University and Xiamen University, have obtained the CE marking, which allows them to be marketed across the European Union, Lei noted.

The university-developed testing products have been supplied to more than 10 countries such as Italy, Britain and the Netherlands, the official said.
Cloud telecommunications company Zadarma has introduced a special offer for remote working in the conditions of the rapid virus spread

BURGAS, Bulgaria, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19, known and feared as the Coronavirus, is spreading around the world. The World Health Organization has officially claimed a pandemic. Everyday the news are reporting that more and more countries are getting affected and events and flights are getting cancelled. Businesses are experiencing a tremendous negative effect. No business is interested in slowing down its activities, and the only way to maintain the pace might be switching to remote work. Companies all over the globe, including such big names as The Washington Post, are encouraging their staff to work from home. And their number will continue to grow in the foreseeable future.

In order to facilitate a smooth transition to remote working, Zadarma, a cloud telecommunications provider, has introduced a special offer on business phone bundles. Their Office bundles include several virtual numbers, outgoing calls to destinations within the region of your choice, extensive PBX features, CRM system and more.

In this emergency case of a rapidly spreading virus, Zadarma has taken down 50% of the Office bundle prices for the EU and USA/Canada regions. The discount will be available for 2 months. To receive the offer you need to enter a promo code - RemoteOfficeEU and RemoteOfficeUS respectfully - in the Zadarma personal account.

All Zadarma existing clients from most active pandemic European countries had numbers from their respectful locations extended for free for a month. For new customers Zadarma has introduced 50% off monthly fees for six months. The list of the numbers with discounts is available on Zadarma website.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Zadarma speaking of the current offer: "We ourselves have offices in six different countries and this week we have transferred all European offices to remote working and suggested that any employee from other locations who feels safer working from home moves to remote work as well. Obviously, it is essential for us to stay in constant connection with our clients, partners as well as within the company. We understand the necessity of flawless voice communication and how having an organized phone system can be a difference between success and failure, especially in such a critical situation. We hope this offer can help companies transition to remote work smoothly and at a low cost."

Even in these uneasy and uncertain times, human interactions are at the forefront of business success across all industries. Being able to maintain a connection with partners and customers while your employees work from home can result in a significant gain for the business.

Connecting a phone system bundle with Zadarma will take only a few minutes , which is helpful in the situations when the time is of an essence.

About Zadarma: Zadarma is an international cloud telecommunications company established over 13 years ago. It provides companies and individuals with virtual phone numbers from 100 countries around the world, free Cloud PBX, call tracking, free website widgets and a free CRM system. It is trusted by over 1,500,000 clients from all over the world.
The Australian aviation industry is in crisis mode. Qantas has cut international capacity by 90 per cent and there is an expectation Virgin will announce the grounding of its entire international fleet over coming days, as both airlines struggle to stem their losses as travellers abandon the skies and governments effectively close borders.

Qantas has gone early and it has gone hard, effectively cutting 75 per cent of its capacity across the entire group. But we will have to wait until Thursday for the second shoe drop and how it will deal with the tens of thousands of staff now surplus to its needs.

Before the aviation market went from very bad to catastrophic - and that was only a few days ago - Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the number of surplus staff was sitting at 2000.

Back then, Qantas was hoping that asking staff to take paid holiday leave, unpaid leave and long service would be enough. This now looks like a very flimsy bandage for a gaping wound, albeit one that the company didnt inflict.
An NIA court here on Tuesday granted bail to activist Akhil Gogoi, arrested in December last year for his alleged role in violence during anti-CAA protests, after the agency failed to file a charge sheet against him within the specified period of 90 days in connection with a case of alleged Maoists links.

However, he will not walk out of jail as three other cases are pending against him.

The investigating agency had sought extension of his judicial custody for an additional 90 days for further probe and filing of charge sheet.

The court rejected the plea, following which lawyers of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader applied for bail.

Gogoi, also anI activist, was then granted bail against a bond of Rs 30,000 in connection with the NIA case.

Gogoi has been in judicial custody since December 26. He had mobilised public protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act across several districts in Upper Assam before his arrest on December 12 from Jorhat.

Police had handed him over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which booked him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Gogoi, who is reportedly not well, is currently lodged in Central Jail, Guwahati.

The Assam Human Rights Commission on Monday issued a notice to the jail authority asking it to submit a report on his health condition.

Gogoi was taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital when he fell ill a day before he and three other KMSS leaders were scheduled to launch an indefinite fast in the jail from March one against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The stir was subsequently called off.

A series of tests were conducted on theI activist in the hospital and he was taken back to the jail later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Swedens government has advised all high schools (for students aged over 16) and universities to close from Wednesday, with teachers urged to arrange online lessons so that students can keep up with their work.

Schools for younger children have not yet been asked to shut, but the Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has told a press conference he will monitor the situation.

Bus passengers in Stockholm have been advised by the citys transport operator to get on board using side doors, rather than at the front, to reduce contact between the public and drivers.

New guidelines from Swedens Public Health Agency on Monday urged workers in the Swedish capital to stay at home and work remotely if they can, with evidence that the virus is spreading more rapidly in Stockholm than elsewhere in the country.

Sweden has not taken the decision to close pubs, cafes or restaurants.

SOURCE: AGENCIES
Rutgers University will hold classes online for the rest of the semester, suspend its commencement ceremonies and give students prorated refunds for room and board, the university announced Tuesday.

The announcement, the latest in a string of unprecedented responses to the coronavirus pandemic, brings an abrupt end to campus life this spring for most of the universitys 70,000 students. Only Rutgers clinical classes at the medical, pharmacy and health science schools will continue in person.

These are the right actions to take for the health of our community, President Robert Barchi wrote in a letter to the campus community. But I know I speak for all faculty and staff when I say how deeply we will miss the vibrancy that students bring to our campuses each spring, and how incomplete this year will feel without our commencement ceremonies.

The university will also cancel its annual Rutgers Day celebration. Commencement events could possibly be rescheduled for later in the year, Barchi wrote. The lack of ceremonies will have no effect on Rutgers ability to confer degrees.

To our seniors, I offer our communitys heartfelt appreciation for all you have contributed and my sincere regret that the global situation has required this unfortunate decision, Barchi wrote.

Rutgers last week canceled two days of classes and announced all instruction would shift online for two weeks after spring break ends March 23. It also asked all students to leave campus until April 3.

About 3,000 students, mostly international students and those in clinical courses, have been allowed to remain in the residence halls and can continue to live there for the rest of the semester, Barchi wrote.

Other students will receive notification telling them when they should return to remove their belongings from dorm rooms, Barchi wrote.

The university will provide more information about prorated room and board refunds in the future. The estimated cost of room and board for an undergraduate student is $13,512 a year, according to the university.

Barchi made the decisions based on state and federal guidance to cancel or postpone large events, he wrote. New Jersey has reported 267 cases of the coronavirus, including one Rutgers professor. Three people in the state have died from the COVID-19 virus.

I want to thank every member of our community for the grace and flexibility with which you have responded to this historic crisis, Barchi wrote. "You have shown resolve, toughness, and an incredible determination to make it work.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso  Commuters on bicycles and motorbikes wove through traffic in this West African city wearing face masks to protect their lungs  but not against coronavirus. They were protecting themselves from the fine dust blowing in from the Sahara.

Widespread panic over the coronavirus has not yet arrived in this country and many others in Africa, even as the pandemic has swept across China, and now Europe and the United States.

Sub-Saharan Africa has not been hit as hard or as early by coronavirus, despite predictions by many experts who had warned that the high traffic between the continent and China, where the outbreak started, would set off the infection in Africa. Instead, it has been mostly people coming from Europe and North America who have carried the virus to Africa.
North Macedonia on Tuesday cleared the final hurdle to becoming the 30th member of the NATO military alliance after the Spanish Senate ratified its accession.

Spain's office at NATO said that 259 of the 264 senators endorsed the move. The bill was immediately signed by King Felipe and will be submitted to the US State Department for official confirmation within the next 72 hours.

Hailing the move, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted: "With that, all Allies have welcomed our soon-to-be 30th member. Congratulations, North Macedonia!"



It marks the end of a long quest for the former Yugoslav republic. Joining NATO and the European Union has been a priority for its leaders, but a dispute with neighbouring Greece over the country's name stalled progress for more than two decades.

North Macedonia previously was known as Macedonia, a name it shared with a Greek province. Under a 2017 deal with Athens, the country changed its name and Greece agreed to drop objections to its NATO and eventual EU membership.

Greece was the first country to ratify North Macedonia's accession to the western military alliance. The country is expected to be given the green light to start EU membership talks in coming weeks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For the first time since 2014 there was a pro-democracy demonstration in the capital. In late 2015 pro-democracy leader (and former prime minister) Thaksin Shinawatra called on his followers (the red shirts) to play dead for the moment and wait for the military government to allow elections. At the time the military was looking for an excuse to crack down hard on any opposition, especially when it involved public demonstrations in the capital.

Times have changed. The elections took place a year ago. The military changed the constitution before allowing elections so the newly elected government is basically a military government pretending to be a democratic one. Not surprisingly the red shirts, now wearing black, are back. The economy is a mess, censorship is rampant and the Islamic and separatist violence is still around down south. The new, pro-military king is, as expected, corrupt and unstable. Not much to cheer about after six years of military rule. Resuming public protests seemed appropriate, even though that sort of thing is now illegal. Then again the military is much more disliked than feared compared to 2014.

The military cant be blamed for the covid19 (coronavirus) that came out of China three months ago and became a global pandemic. That meant Chinese tourists stopped coming to Thailand and soon after that most other tourists did likewise. Tourism is about 20 percent of the Thai economy and for 2020 tourism activity is expected to be down by at least a quarter and possibly a third or more. That added to other economic woes has got most Thais anxious about their financial futures.

The military can also be blamed for the bad behavior that has made Thailand less attractive to foreign investors. Lots of foreign businesses are moving factories and other investments out of China and would prefer to relocate to somewhere else in East and Southeast Asia. Thailand used to be a favored destination. No more and the military is held responsible by most for this.

The military is also accused of turning its new Cyber Warfare troops loose against Thais who oppose the military rather than against foreign hackers who seek to do harm to Thai individuals, businesses and government agencies. Soldiers have also been employed for all sorts of dirty work directed against opponents of the government. Sometimes the troops wear civilian clothes and pretend to just be pro-military Thais.

The elected military government is behaving much like the former unelected military government. For example, the new government is using compliant courts to terrorize journalists using jail terms for fabricated offenses and getting opposition political parties outlawed the same way. This ensures that the civil war between the military/royalist coalition and democrats continues. The more the military tries to suppress the democrats, the more anger they generate among the majority of Thais who do not want to be ruled by the military. The generals realized they were in trouble after the March 2019 elections showed the democrats winning more votes than expected. The pro-democracy parties attempted to form a coalition government but lost out to a slightly larger coalition assembled by the pro-military parties. This close call for the new military dominated government led to the current policy of terrorizing individual critics (real, suspected or imagined) and litigating suspect organizations out of existence. Methods include trying to arrest and prosecute key pro-democracy politicians on false charges and disrupt pro-democracy activity in parliament.

March 13, 2020: In Bangkok several hundred Thais, dressed in black, protested the misrule of the military since 2014. This demonstration was the result of larger and larger groups showing up on university campuses to discuss and protest military rule. These meetings became larger and more frequent. The black attire is part of the Black Friday identity the group has assumed with plans to make the demonstrations a weekly event. That worked in Algeria and may yet work in Hong Kong and maybe in Thailand as well.

March 10, 2020: In the south (Chumphon Province), the army completed mine clearing operations in a portion of the Thai/Burma border that had once been the scene of fighting by Burmese Karen tribal rebels against Burmese, and sometimes Thai troops. That fighting had been, at times intense and extensive in some border areas. This left thousands of landmines and unexploded munitions (dud shells as well as grenades), usually concentrated in a few border areas. The army mine clearing troops recently completed clearing 200 old mines and over a hundred other unexploded items from 3.5 square kilometer border area. These clearance operations make border areas safe once more the locals as well as Thai and foreign tourists.

March 6, 2020: In the south (Narathiwat province), three policemen were ambushed late at night as they were driving back to their station. A firebomb and gunfire killed one policeman and wounded the other two. The attackers fled after making two separate attacks on the speeding police pickup.

March 4, 2020: In Malaysia, negotiators for Thailand and the Moslem separatist group BRN met for two days to discuss ways to settle the continued (since 2004) unrest and violence in the three Moslem majority provinces of southern Thailand. That last of these meetings had been held at the end of January. That was the first such meeting in several years. While the violence has diminished in the last few years since 2004 there have been about 7,000 deaths. More importantly, most Moslems in the south want the violence to stop because it has clearly not worked and is just making life difficult for the very people BRN and other radical groups say they are serving.

February 28, 2020: In the south (Narathiwat province), a roadside bomb was used against a ranger patrol, killing one ranger and wounding the other five. All were traveling in a pickup truck along a rural road. The explosion wrecked and halted the truck.

February 23, 2020: In the south (Narathiwat province), a special counter-terrorism task force searched remote rural areas for suspected terrorist camps. Contact was made and five terrorists were killed while others escaped. Six assault rifles and other abandoned gear.
Mayor William Peduto has declared a State of Emergency in the City of Pittsburgh and signed an Executive Order prohibiting all public gatherings of more than 50 people.

"As the coronavirus has spread throughout the world, we have learned one great lesson: that by taking decisive action early on, we can slow the spread of the disease and save untold numbers of lives," Mayor Peduto said. "I am making this announcement now so our residents can further plan for the impacts COVID-19 will have on them and their families, most likely for weeks to come."

The announcement comes as Pittsburgh Public Schools  and all K-12 schools statewide  have been ordered closed by Governor Wolf.

The city is working with nonprofit partners and the Pittsburgh Public Schools to provide food options for city schoolchildren while the schools are closed.

The State of Emergency allows the mayor to adopt precautionary measures to mitigate expected effects of public health disasters. Those measures may include:

 Cancelling or limiting large gatherings

 Cancelling or limiting events or gatherings that require city permits

 Encouraging the use of social distancing to lessen exposure and transmission of disease

 Cancelling or limiting some city services

 Cancelling or limiting public and private activities that could increase exposure or transmission of disease

The Executive Order separately prohibits all gatherings of more than 50 people in the city.

The State of Emergency will be for an initial term of seven days and be subject to ratification and renewals by Pittsburgh City Council.

The city is also working with UPMC, Allegheny Health Network on expanded testing capacity, hospital needs and support for Public Safety personnel.

The action follows other steps the city and its partners have lately made to protect and support residents and businesses due to COVID-19. They include:

 The city banned all city government-affiliated meetings of more than 50 people, and business-related travel by city employees

 The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority extended its shut-off moratorium until May 31 and waived income qualification criteria. Pennsylvania American Water has also ceased shut-offs

 The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh extended assistance to Pittsburgh small businesses

 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh suspended all evictions except for those with serious public safety implications

 Columbia Gas, Duquesne Light and Peoples Gas have suspended service shut-offs until at least May 1

The Executive Order will suspend all court cases by Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections PLI, Mobility and Infrastructure, and Public Works except for life-safety circumstances.

All City of Pittsburgh employees with school-age children will be allowed to tele-work if possible. Those who cannot tele-work may bring their children to the office.

The city continues to advise residents to wash hands, clean regularly used surfaces, and not to go to work or other public spaces if sick.
A NEW interactive map that aims to connect volunteers with vulnerable and self-isolated individuals throughout the Covid-19 crisis has been launched in Limerick this Tuesday evening.

The map, created by the Limerick Leader in conjunction with the new #VirtualMeitheal in Limerick initiative, shows a visual map of all the individuals, communities, businesses and organisations that are giving up their free time to assist with those experiencing difficulties across the city, county, and hinterland areas.

Some of the services include collecting groceries, prescriptions and medication, assisting with errands, entitlements, IT issues, walking the dog, and general assistance.

See below to navigate around the map.

The new map, which follows the success of last months general election virtual map, aims to be a one-stop shop for anyone who needs assistance, and to connect the wider community during the pandemic.

The brainchild of the Liveable Limerick project, Virtual Meitheal Limerick aims to protect the community by connecting people virtually.

As part of the initiative, Liveable Limerick has teamed up with the Limerick Leader, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Team Limerick Cleanup, Limerick Tidy Towns, Limerick Post, Live 95, Spin South West, UL Student Life and Mary Immaculate College Students' Union.

As of this Tuesday, there are 292 Covid-19 patients across the country, following an increase of 69 cases over the past 24 hours.



How to use the map

Each thumbnail represents a function or organisation. There is a search bar where you can type your location or type of service that you need. It will help declutter the pins on the map, in which you can zoom in and out. If you cannot find a service that you want, you can make contact with Virtual Meitheal Limerick below.

The circular thumbnail with the grocery shopping indicates that there is a person who is willing to do groceries or collect medication in their area.

The blue HELP telephone image indicates that there is a person who is offering a wide range or specific services.

The red heart indicates that a company is open for business and is willing to help the community.

The green square handshake symbol indicates that there is a community service (e.g. a GAA club or community council, Meals on Wheels) that is offering its services through a variety of volunteers.

More symbols will appear over time.

If you want to be included on the map, contact any of the following with your name, contact details, the service you wish to provide, and what areas you wish to cover.



Contact Liveable Limerick

Email: info@liveablelimerick.com,

Twitter: @liveablelimk



Contact Fintan Walsh (overseeing the map)

Email: fintan.walsh@limerickleader.ie

Twitter: @FintanYTWalsh

WhatsApp: 0876609973
New York, New York, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In cities across the globe citizens are being asked to work from home or social distance themselves while health organizations prepare testing sites, hospital units and clinics. UNITED SIKHS, a global humanitarian non-profit organization based in New York, has devoted a HELP HOTLINE to serve those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As soon as the government declared a COVID-19 a National Emergency; UNITED SIKHS immediately began working with local authorities to provide as much support as possible. reported UNITED SIKHS, International Humanitarian Aid Director, Gurvinder Singh.

In Canada, UNITED SIKHS has appealed to the public to avoid the, Panic buying of supplies. In response, the Canadian administration calmed the country stating that the food supply in Canada will remain unaffected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

As a preventative measure, several Sikh worship sites have been closed across the United States. However, in the state of New Jersey, gurdwaras are prepared in Bergan, Passaic, Atlantic, Somerset Middlesex, Morris and Mercer counties to provide food and additional services to those in need. Each county is staffed with volunteers to serve langar and lend support where needed. Additionally, COVID-19 information in varied languages to prevent the spread of the virus.

UNITED SIKHS has launched a global COVID-19 assistance program. The organization urges those most in need to check with the UNITED SIKHS chapter within their country. Unite States residents can call (855) 878-6333, or here for assistance. Populations urged to call for this support are at- home elderly persons with pre-existing conditions, and low-income households with children.

The UNITED SIKHS HELP HOTLINE will provide free supplies including:

Hot meals

Dry goods

Medicines, (Over-the -counter meds)

In a public appeal, UNITED SIKHS Chief Executive Officer Jagdeep Singh, urged Our seniors, children and vulnerable groups with pre-existing medical conditions are suffering the most due to this pandemic. Those who are financially able should consider donating to UNITED SIKHS so that this free delivery service of life essentials can be expanded to everyone who needs it.

In step with the UNITED SIKHS mission, humanitarian action is needed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and after disasters caused by natural hazards. The UNITED SIKHS goal is to always prevent and strengthen preparedness for emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reach of UNITED SIKHS is global and invites those living anywhere in the world to contact UNITED SIKHS via email at: contact@unitedsikhs.org, to activate a Sikh Aide support team in their community. Our teams run year-round to help eradicate poverty and work towards creating a healthier and happier world. For more information on UNITED SIHKS, visit: www.UNITEDSIKHS.org.

COVID-19 Sikh Guideline Materials will be distributed at more than 450 gurdwara institutions nationally.

Click here for COVID-19 resource materials in English and Panjabi.

About UNITED SIKHS: UNITED SIKHS is a U.N. affiliated, international non-profit, non-governmental, humanitarian relief, human development and advocacy organization, aimed at empowering those in need, especially disadvantaged and minority communities across the world. UNITED SIKHS is registered: as a non-profit tax exempt organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in the USA; as a Registered Charity in England and Wales under the Charities Act 1993, Charity Number 111 2055; registered in Australia as a not for profit NGO (ABN 24 317 847 103); and is a registered NGO in Belgium; as a non-profit organization in Canada; under the Societies Registration Act 1860 in Panjab and as a tax exempt organisation under section 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961; under the French Association Law 1901; under the Societies Registration Act 1860 in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan; as a registered society under the Registrar of Societies in Malaysia (registered as UNITED SIKHS Malaysia Humanitarian Aid Organisation- Regn No: PPM-015-14-06042015); and an NGO pending registration in the Rep of Ireland.:

Attachment
The World Health Organization on Tuesday called on member states in the Southeast Asia region to urgently scale-up measures to combat COVID-19, as confirmed cases cross 480 and the disease claimed eight lives.

"The situation is evolving rapidly. We need to immediately scale-up all efforts to prevent the virus from infecting more people," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO Southeast Asia region.

Eight of the 11 countries of the WHO Southeast Asia region have confirmed cases of COVID-19.

While Thailand has 177 confirmed cases, Indonesia 134, India 137, Sri Lanka 19, Maldives 13, Bangladesh five, Nepal and Bhutan one each.

"More clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed. While this is an indication of an alert and effective surveillance, it also puts the spotlight on the need for more aggressive and whole of society efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We clearly need to do more, and urgently," the regional director said.

Looking at the numbers, some countries are clearly heading towards community transmission of COVID-19, the regional director said, adding this should best be prevented.

"Of critical importance are continued efforts to detect, test, treat, isolate and trace contacts. Simple public health measures are critical. Practising hand hygiene, covering your cough and sneeze, and practising social distancing cannot be emphasised enough," Dr Khetrapal Singh said.

"This alone has the potential to substantially reduce transmission. However, if community transmission does set in, countries would need to gear their responses to slow down transmission, as well as end outbreaks," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CHICAGO  Election officials in Chicago on Tuesday said they asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to postpone Illinois primary election, but were rebuffed and reportedly threatened with a charge of voter suppression.

Chicago voters had been met with dozens of precinct closures at the beginning of Tuesdays primary election. A spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners told the Chicago Tribune that election officials saw more than 850 previously committed election workers call off amid concerns about the new coronavirus. The Cook County Clerks office was forced to move more than 80 polling locations and there were reports of some precincts not receiving voting well into voting hours.

Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Jim Allen told reporters in Chicago that the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners had asked Pritzker to postpone the in-person election voting in light of the ongoing pandemic and the governor refused.

As of Tuesday morning, Ohio, Georgia and Louisiana had announced they would postpone their primaries.

Pritzkers chief of staff took to Twitter Tuesday refuting the claim.

This is a lie, the governors Chief of Staff Anne Caprara wrote. And frankly, given what we are dealing with in this moment, Im disgusted that Jim Allen would lie like this. We offered them the national guard, young volunteers and assistance with keeping polling places clean. The Governor has been trying to balance continuity of government, not disenfranchising people who already voted, avoiding a legal crisis & keeping everyone safe. The Chicago Board of Elections have been worried about scoring cheap political points.

Allen later walked back his comments.

Pritzker has said multiple times in his daily briefings on COVID-19 that elections are a pillar of democracy and that he couldnt move them even if he wanted to.

Illinois statute appears to address this issue. 10 ILCS 5/20-25 states:

In the event of a deployment of the United States Armed Forces or the declaration of an emergency by the President of the United States or the Governor of Illinois, The Governor or the executive director of the State Board of Elections may modify the registration and voting procedures established by this Article or by rules adopted pursuant to this Article for the duration of the deployment or emergency in order to facilitate vote by mail voting under this Article. The Governor or executive director, as the case may be, then promptly shall notify each election authority of the changes in procedures. Each election authority shall publicize the modifications and shall provide notice of the modifications to each person under its jurisdiction subject to this Article for whom the election authority has contact information.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Evictions across the state have been halted indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

How is someone supposed to find housing. We cant even find toilet paper, said State Supreme Court Justice James Murphy. He is the head judge for the Fifth Judicial District of New York, which includes Syracuse and Onondaga County.

The chief judge of New York State, Judge Lawrence Marks, issued an order Sunday that stopped evictions starting Monday, but the timing and exactly what was covered was not clear.

Murphys office also issued a clarification Tuesday morning after being contacted by city hall about a pending eviction.

Where ever someone was at 9 a.m. Monday is where they will stay, Murphy said. Syracuse Housing Court had stopped evictions last week.

But still, eviction is a confusing process even in the sanest of times.

Monday night, a woman who was facing eviction because she lost her house through foreclosure, tried to explain to police and the new owner that she had no one to help her load her things or drive the van.

She had an apartment, but her lifetime of furniture and photos would not fit. She just needed a little more time.

Marshals had come lock her out Monday morning, she and her lawyers said. A lawyer helping her said marshals were changing the locks when an email came through telling them evictions should stop.

The woman, a former Syracuse school teacher, did not want to be named because she was embarrassed about what had happened to her and her home of more than 20 years.

The owner left, but promised to come back to evict her later today.

Murphy, the judge, said if woman was in her home Monday, the order should cover her.

Were not kicking people out in the middle of this, he said.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

 List of CNY schools closing

 A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State

 How fast is coronavirus growing in New York?

 Here are the latest closings of events

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.
In a matter of five years, Windows 10 has managed to reach a billion devices across 200 countries worldwide. In its announcement, Microsoft said that 100 percent of the Fortune 500 are now using Windows 10 devices making it a critical platform for driving business transformation in the enterprise and beyond.

One in seven people, from developers, business professionals, students and families are planning, creating, ideating, executing, and doing great things with Windows 10, said Microsoft in its press release. It is notable that Windows 10 is the only operating system that runs in over 80,000 models and configurations of laptops and 2-in-1s from over 1,000 different manufacturers. Apart from laptops and PCs, it powers Windows Mixed Reality, Microsoft HoloLens and the entire Xbox family of consoles, including the latest Xbox Series X, which will be launching later this year.

One of the reasons Windows 10 adoption has increased massively is because Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. This means any PCs or laptops running Windows 7 will no longer get any new updates, bug fixes, security patches or even technical help by the Microsoft customer service.

The company is also working on a new version of Windows 10 made specifically for dual-screen devices. Showcased last year, Windows 10X is all set to power the Surface Neo, a dual-screen foldable device that will is set to launch at the end of this year.

With Windows 10, our focus has always been to put the customer at the center, to listen to feedback, and to have that feedback shape the development process. One of the strongest examples of this customer focus is our Windows Insider Program which now has over 17.8M Insiders in every country of the world, said Yusuf Mehdi, CVP Modern Life, Search and Devices, Microsoft. We have also strived to make Windows an open, inclusive, and accessible platform that can empower everyone to achieve their goals. Our Windows Accessibility team focuses on human-centered design, a method where engineers and designers work to deeply understand peoples needs, and then co-design and continuously iterate on solutions directly with them.
Hundreds of retired doctors are set to return to work to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Up to 500 of Queensland's senior doctors will respond to the state government's appeal for assistance in battling the crisis.

The Queensland Branch of the Australian Senior Active Doctors Association has begun drawing up a plan of action to get the former medical staff back to work.

Association President Professor Geoffrey Hawson said: 'ASADA strongly believes that senior active doctors are an underutilised asset in advancing the health of Queenslanders and all Australians.'

Up to 500 senior Queensland doctors are ready to come out of retirement to help fight coronavirus. Pictured: A nurse performing a coronavirus examination in Brisbane

Australian Senior Active Doctors Association Queensland president Professor Geoffrey Hawson (pictured) said his team is working to mobilise doctors across the state

Professor Hawson and his ASADA colleagues have consulted with local Queensland medical associations and will continue discussions with members across the state.

The professor said he believed there were currently two groups of doctors who could help fight the crisis.

'The first consists of currently retired doctors who could volunteer their services in a call-up of doctors once the State Government puts in place mechanisms for them to practice,' he said.

'The second group consists of senior active doctors who are currently registered but are transitioning towards retirement. Many, many of these would like to continue to contribute to the healthcare of Queenslanders,' he explained.

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

One issue with mobilising senior doctors is that many of them have lapsed practicing licenses but new legislation could be put in place to fast-track their renewal.

Professor Hawson said: 'The government could provide for a step down or occasional practice registration category to keep these doctors in the system and available to practise in the community as needed.'

The ASDA has sought a meeting with the Queensland Health Minister to offer its support and outline a detailed plan.

Professor Hawson said ASADA 'welcomes discussions with the Health Minister Steven Miles around how these doctors could contribute their vast experience and expertise if they wish to volunteer.'

The association is calling for an occasional practice registration to allow retired doctors to volunteer their services. Pictured: A doctor practicing coronavirus testing in Adelaide

Senior doctors across the state have voiced their support for mobilising retired professionals.

The president of the Redcliffe and District Local Medical Association, Dr Kimberley Bonderson, said: 'Members of RDMA support the introduction of registration categories enabling retired and senior active doctors to assist the QLD Government in the current health crisis.'

ASADA Gold Coast representative, Dr Darryl Gregor, said that he was positive that many colleagues would assist during the crisis.

'I've always held the view that retired doctors are an incredible resource for governments dealing with flood, drought and regional shortage crises,' he said.

The Western Australian government is also encouraging retired doctors and nurses to join the coronavirus-fighting workforce.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the spread of the virus was inevitable and would put extra pressure on the health care system.

'This recruitment drive will help ease the pressure on our existing health workforce and ensure that Western Australians can continue to access safe and high-quality care,' Mr Cook said.

'We encourage anyone who is not already working in the WA public health system, including retirees, to consider positions on offer as we work to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the WA community.'

Immediate starts and flexible hours are being offered across metropolitan and regional WA.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have left the hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

A representative for the couple told The Hollywood Reporter on Monday that the couple are now under quarantine inside a rented house in Australia  where they were at the time of the diagnosis.

Hanks announced last week that he and Wilson had both tested positive for the virus.

We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too, Hanks wrote in a public announcement.

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 actor later shared a couple of updates and thanked the professionals caring for he and Wilson in Australia.

Wilson also shared a special quarantine playlist on Spotify.

The Independent has contacted the pairs representatives for more information.
DUBLIN, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Disease Analysis: Type 2 Diabetes" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The type 2 diabetes market is dynamic and complex. In the non-insulin segment, while older generic drugs are widely used, especially first-line metformin in the US and EU, the more novel branded drugs are used in a sizable minority of patients, generating over $24bn in sales in 2018.



The DPP-IV inhibitors have been the most commonly used of these, due to their safety and tolerability, albeit with intermediate efficacy, but GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors are poised to overtake them in the important US market, with recommendations in a 2018 American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes (ADA/EASD) consensus report for patients with relevant co-morbidities due to their benefits on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and for the SGLT-2 inhibitors in particular, heart failure (HF) and renal impairment.



This is expected to continue to grow these classes, though clinical inertia still needs to be overcome among a number of physicians, and intense pricing competition, with increasing rebates in the US, is typical across the indication. However, loss of exclusivity will start to take a toll on all of these classes over the next 10 years, particularly starting with patent expirations for the leading DPP-IV inhibitor, Januvia, in 2022.



The SGLT-2 inhibitors are hoping to bolster growth with data and label additions for pivotal HF and chronic kidney disease (CKD) trials, including in non-diabetics. Jardiance has taken the lead, with a strong reduction in cardiovascular (CV) death, after Invokana faltered due to concerns about an increased risk of amputations. Side effects, including increased risk of genitourinary infections, and safety concerns have generally held the class back somewhat.



Sales of the injectable GLP-1 agonists have grown substantially with the addition of a more convenient weekly formulation, Eli Lilly's Trulicity, which expanded usage of the segment rather than displacing Novo Nordisk's daily Victoza, which was the first in the class to show a CV benefit. However, Novo Nordisk's weekly Ozempic, introduced in 2018, is more effective, and has helped the franchise stay ahead in sales. The battle is continuing with trials of higher doses of both drugs, new CV indications, and development of Eli Lilly's GIP co-agonist, tirzepatide.



Another fairly effective weekly GLP-1 agonist in development, efpeglenatide, was dropped by Sanofi in late 2019 as the company did not have confidence it could be differentiated enough. Pipeline ITCA-650 is implanted under the skin every six months, which could be attractive to a segment of patients, though it did not show a clear CV benefit in its modest-sized cardiovascular outcomes trial (CVOT). While the GLP-1 agonists cause weight loss, their main side effect is nausea, and as injectables they tend to be used after oral drugs have failed. However, an oral formulation of Ozempic, Rybelsus, approved in 2019, appears to be the most effective branded oral drug and is poised to disrupt the segment, as well as expand usage earlier on in competition with other oral classes.



In Japan, DPP-IV inhibitors are used more commonly at first line, and guidelines are somewhat equivocal about the implications of the CV findings of the other classes for Japanese patients.



In the insulin segment, the popular analogs are coming under increasing pricing pressure with the advent of biosimilars. The latter have had only limited sales so far, but are still ramping, and additional biosimilars are poised to soon enter the US market. For basal insulin analogs, Toujeo and Tresiba are Sanofi and Novo Nordisk's longer-acting replacements for segment leader Lantus and for Levemir, respectively. Toujeo has not been able to stem losses for Sanofi's basal analog portfolio in the US, with only a quarter of the sales of Lantus, but has had more success in doing so outside the US. For Novo Nordisk, Levemir's profile was not as strong as Lantus's to start with and lagged in sales, so Tresiba is more of an advance, and has helped to increase usage in the US and stabilize overall sales in other areas.



Weekly basal insulins are in development, and while there are questions about their utility, they could be especially useful in fixed-ratio combinations (FRCs) with weekly GLP-1 agonists. For mealtime insulins, the more recent ultra-rapid-acting formulations have relatively marginal benefits over their predecessors, and Novo Nordisk's Fiasp only has modest sales, though it is still early in its ramp. It is also still early in the ramp of mealtime biosimilars, which in the US face the challenge of more exclusive payer contracts. For the insulins space in general, while companies are looking into glucose-sensitive insulins with a lower risk of hypoglycemia, it is still uncertain how promising these will be.



Improving insulin sensitivity is a mechanistic unmet need, but pipeline candidates so far have not appeared very compelling, though imeglimin has shown intermediate efficacy in Japanese patients.



Given limited budgets for many patients, there could be indirect competition with novel dyslipidemia drugs.



The overall likelihood of approval of a Phase I type 2 diabetes asset is 7.5%, and the average probability a drug advances from Phase III is 68.4%. Type 2 diabetes drugs, on average, take 8.7 years from Phase I to approval, compared to 9.2 years in the overall endocrine space.



Key Topics Covered



1. OVERVIEW

Latest key takeaways

2. DISEASE BACKGROUND

Definition

Patient segmentation

3. TREATMENT

Major treatment guidelines

Guideline treatment targets are individualized according to patient characteristics

Treatment guidelines are shifting their approach based on results from recent clinical outcomes studies

4. EPIDEMIOLOGY



5. MARKETED DRUGS



6. PIPELINE DRUGS



7. KEY REGULATORY EVENTS

As Sanofi Exits Diabetes R&D, Meaning of Diabetes R&D Blurs

8. PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS



9. LICENSING AND ASSET ACQUISITION DEALS

Hanmi Says Sanofi Made Optimal' Efpeglenatide Decision, Still Eyes 2021 Approval

Novo Nordisk Enters Its First Strategic RNAi Pact

10. CLINICAL TRIAL LANDSCAPE

Sponsors by status

Sponsors by phase

Recent events

11. DRUG ASSESSMENT MODEL

Non-insulins

Generically available oral drugs

Branded non-insulin drugs

Insulins

Other pipeline mechanisms

12. SWOT ANALYSIS



13. MARKET DYNAMICS



14. FUTURE TRENDS



15. CONSENSUS FORECASTS



16. RECENT EVENTS AND ANALYST OPINION

ORMD-0801 for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( November 18, 2019 )

) PEX168 for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( September 19, 2019 )

) Tresiba for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( September 19, 2019 )

) PEX168 for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( September 17, 2019 )

) Ozempic for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( September 17, 2019 )

) ZGN-1061 for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( September 5, 2019 )

) Zynquista for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( July 26, 2019 )

) Remogliflozin Etabonate for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( July 11, 2019 )

) HM12525A for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ( July 3, 2019 )

17. KEY UPCOMING EVENTS



18. KEY OPINION LEADER INSIGHTS

Interviews with physicians at the ADA conference

19. UNMET NEEDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lhir6a

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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All passengers arriving at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport will be counseled and quarantined, isolation wards have also been set up at Vikarabad and Dulapally districts of Telangana, informed the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare.

"On the directions of Central government of India, state Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has ordered the setting up of quarantine facilities and isolation wards in areas nearby Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for people coming from Middle East and European countries," Dr G Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Telangana told ANI.

"All passengers, including Indians and foreign nationals, who arrive at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) will be counseled and quarantined immediately on their arrival from China, Iran, Italy, Republic of Korea, France, Germany and Spain. The passengers who are asymptomatic will be taken to government facilities in Vikarabad and Dulapally, whereas those with any symptoms will be kept in isolation in government hospitals and tested for coronavirus," he added.

"We have set up quarantine facilities at Telangana State Forest Academy in Dulapally and Haritha Valley View Resorts at Ananthagiri Hills in Vikarabad district, he further informed.

He also informed that fifty-four passengers have been quarantined at the Vikarabad facility.

A total of 126 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Africa: Limpopo legislature postpones all its outreach programmes

The Speaker of the Limpopo Legislature, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, has taken a decision to postpone sectoral parliaments and outreach programmes of the legislature.

These include the Taking the Legislature to the People programme, which was planned for 18 - 20 March in the Mopani District of Limpopo.

Lerule-Ramakhanya welcomed the measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday to combat COVID-19.

The President has declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act.

As the Limpopo Legislature, we take the decision by the South African government, led by President Ramaphosa in dealing with this pandemic, very seriously We value the health of the honourable members, the staff and the well-being of the people of Limpopo.

We would further like to call on all communities to take the Coronavirus outbreak seriously because it is our current reality and not a pandemic to be disregarded.

We will continue to strengthen our support towards government programmes for those who are infected and those who are to be tested for this virus. We further salute the volunteers, brave men and women in our country, who continue to protect the citizens of Limpopo and the country at large, Lerule-Ramakhanya said.

For more information and resources on COVID-19 click here.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Aan Airbus A380 takes off for a demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Airbus (AIR.PA) on Tuesday said that it had suspended production at its facilities in France and Spain, after both countries entered into coronavirus-related lockdowns.

The factories, the European planemaker said, would close for four days so that the company can implement new hygiene standards.

These measures will be implemented locally in coordination with the social partners, the company said in a statement.

Airbus is also working together with its customers and suppliers to minimise the impact of this decision on their operations.

Shares in Airbus, which have fallen by more than 45% so far this month, declined by more than 6.6% on Tuesday.

Read more: Travel stocks worst hit as coronavirus pushes Italy to take over Alitalia

Travel and aviation industry stocks have been among the worst hit in Europe, as the sector contends with the spiralling coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, Airlines across the continent  including EasyJet (EZJ.L), Ryanair (RYA.L), Virgin Atlantic, and Norwegian Air (NAS.OL)  slashed their schedules and suspended operations.

Meanwhile, a draft decree seen by Reuters showed that the Italian government has set aside 600m (535m) to keep Alitalia, the countrys flag carrier, afloat.

Airbus said that it was carefully monitoring World Health Organization guidelines, and that it was assessing the potential effects on the virus on its suppliers, personnel, and operations.

Read more: UK to unveil new financial measures to combat coronavirus impact

This will allow sufficient time to implement stringent health and safety conditions in terms of hygiene, cleaning and self-distancing, while improving the efficiency of operations under the new working conditions, Airbus said about the new measures.

In those countries, the company will also continue to maximise homeworking wherever possible.

Spanish transport minister Jose Luis Abalos said on Monday that the lockdown in Spain will last more than 15 days, while French president Emmanuel Macron said that France was at war with the virus.

Story continues

France will deploy 100,000 police officers to enforce the 15-day lockdown ordered in the country.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
As the new coronavirus shuts down countries around the world, the impact can be seen from space.

A satellite that detects traces of human activity  tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks, fossil fuel burned in power plants and other industrial activities  shows striking reductions in pollution across China and Italy since the outbreak first started.

Both countries have taken unprecedented measures to limit the movement of people in the hope of slowing or even containing the spread of the disease. Even in South Korea, which has put more modest restrictions on the movement of its citizens, pollution appeared to fall.

Its the first time in history weve seen something like this, said Marco Percoco, an associate professor of transportation economics at Bocconi University in Milan, referring to the speed and the size of the pollution declines in Italy and China.

More NO 2 emissions December 2019 to March 2020 December 2018 to March 2019 Milan Milan Venice Venice Florence Florence Italy Italy Rome Rome Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea More NO 2 emissions Dec. 2018 to Mar. 2019 Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Milan Milan France France Venice Venice Florence Florence Italy Italy Rome Rome Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea More NO 2 emissions December 2019 to March 2020 Milan Venice Florence Italy Rome Mediterranean Sea December 2018 to March 2019 Milan Venice Florence Italy Rome Mediterranean Sea More NO 2 emissions Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Milan Venice Florence Italy Rome Mediterranean Sea Dec. 2018 to Mar. 2019 Milan Venice Florence Italy Rome Mediterranean Sea Each frame in this video represents a 20-day composite of nitrogen dioxide concentrations from mid-December through mid-March. Source: Sentinel-5P satellite data processed by Descartes Labs

Northern Italy

Italy is facing the largest coronavirus outbreak outside of China, with nearly 30,000 illnesses and 2,100 deaths reported so far.

Early cases were clustered in the north, where the outbreak has been especially severe, but the disease has continued to spread throughout the country.

In early March, the government imposed emergency measures restricting the movement of roughly 16 million people throughout northern Italy, including major cities like Venice and Milan. Bars, restaurants and other gathering places were closed, and citizens were asked to avoid all unnecessary movement. Soon after, similar restrictions were extended countrywide.

The impact of those restrictions can be seen in pollution readings gathered by the European Space Agencys Sentinel-5P satellite. The images show that emissions of nitrogen dioxide, a gas closely linked to vehicle exhaust, are considerably lower across northern Italy compared to the same time period last year. The region regularly struggles with wintertime smog.

The satellite data was analyzed for The New York Times by Descartes Labs, a geospatial analysis group.

In a separate analysis made public this weekend, researchers from Bocconi University reported a sizeable decline in several types of air pollution in Milan during the lockdown, including nitrogen dioxide levels and particulate matter pollution, a byproduct of burning fossil fuels that is highly damaging to human health.

It is clear people are not moving by cars, said Dr. Percoco, an author on the study, noting that vehicle emissions are a major source of particulate matter and other pollution in Italian cities. Few people are on the streets, he said, with many Italians staying home to avoid the virus.

More NO 2 emissions December 2019 to March 2020 December 2018 to March 2019 Beijing Beijing South korea South korea Seoul Seoul Tokyo Tokyo Japan Japan China China Wuhan Wuhan More NO 2 emissions December 2019 to March 2020 December 2018 to March 2019 Beijing Beijing South korea South korea Seoul Seoul Tokyo Tokyo Japan Japan Wuhan Wuhan More NO 2 emissions Dec. 2018 to Mar. 2019 Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Beijing Beijing Seoul Seoul Tokyo Tokyo China China Wuhan Wuhan Philippine Sea Philippine Sea More NO 2 emissions Decembeer 2019 to March 2020 Beijing South korea Seoul Tokyo Japan CHINA Wuhan Philippine Sea Decembeer 2018 to March 2019 Beijing South korea Seoul Tokyo Japan CHINA Wuhan Philippine Sea More NO 2 emissions Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020 Beijing Seoul Tokyo CHINA Wuhan Philippine Sea Dec. 2018 to Mar. 2019 Beijing Seoul Tokyo CHINA Wuhan Philippine Sea

China and South Korea

The drop in pollution was even starker in China, where the new coronavirus was first detected. The largest emissions reductions were seen surrounding the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province.

Chinese officials put the region on lockdown in late January, following the Chinese New Year holiday, and have only recently begun relaxing restrictions to allow workers in key industries to return to their jobs. That includes public transportation workers and those involved in making medical supplies and other necessities.

The unprecedented lockdown, which barred the movement of nearly 35 million people, caused widespread economic disruptions, including a slowdown in manufacturing and electricity generation.

Pollution across the region plunged accordingly.

What we saw in China was a very rapid effect, said Joanna Joiner, an atmospheric physicist at NASA. The agencys own analysis found that nitrogen dioxide emissions over eastern and central China were significantly lower during January and February this year compared to what is normal for the period.

Every year, pollution dips across the country during the weeklong Lunar New Year celebration, as factories shut down and people stay home from work. (The holiday falls in late January or early February each year). But usually, emissions rebound as the country reopens for business. This year, they stayed at lower levels for weeks.

A smaller decrease in nitrogen dioxide pollution can also be seen in South Korea, around the capital, Seoul. The South Korean government did not bar the movement of its citizens but encouraged strict social distancing by closing down schools and universities, asking people to work from home and canceling large gatherings.

The social distancing measures, as well as an increasing number of people in self-quarantine, appear to have had an impact on air pollution, said Minwoo Son, a coordinator at the Global Air Pollution Unit of Greenpeace East Asia. But further analysis is needed to fully understand the depth of coronavirus impact on South Koreas air, he added.

As more countries shut down life as usual to slow the spread of coronavirus, we may see further drops in pollution around the world, Dr. Joiner said.

Were seeing changes in human behavior, in how people are moving around and how theyre using fuels, she said. Pollution wont hide from the satellite data. Its going to tell us whats going on.
New Delhi, March 17 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed the Lok Sabha Speaker for not allowing the Tamil Nadu parliamentarians to raise the issue of Tamil language and described it as an "absolute insult" to people of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament premises here, Rahul Gandhi said, "Yesterday I asked a question about the 50 largest wilful defaulters. Procedure is if you ask a question then you are allowed a supplementary question." The Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad said that he understands that the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla does not want him to speak in the House. "I am an MP and I have certain rights that he can't take away. But today the entire Tamil people wanted to ask the question over Tamil language. He snatched the rights of the MPs during the debate on language," he said.

"Tamil, which has a history and which is in their DNA, Speaker did not allow them to ask questions. Its an attack on their language, their rights. This is unacceptable and is absolute insult to the Tamil people," he said.

The Congress leader further said that the Lok Sabha House is for all and a discussion should take place. "And now a days there are no discussions, no one is allowed to ask questions. It is now one way traffic and it has become a loudspeaker," he said.
A food truck vendor who has seen every event she was scheduled to work at for the next six weeks cancelled has called for relaxation of street trading laws to give vendors a fighting chance.

Like the rest of Perths food truck community, Sandra Bahbah was taken by surprise when on Friday Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced events of more than 500 people would be banned across the country from March 16.

Sandra Bahbah in her Middle Eastern food truck 'Meast'.

Even before that announcement, Perths event calendar was decimated by cancellations, including weekly major food truck events such as South Perth Streats and the Inglewood Monday Night Markets.

Ms Bahbah has been driving her Middle Eastern food truck, Meast, around Perth events for five years and said she feared for other trucks unless government and councils stepped up and let the industry operate in smaller groups throughout the city.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and other senior government officials on Tuesday called on citizens not to buy more food and essentials than they need, assuring the public that Armenia has no shortage of supplies.

In a live broadcast on Facebook on the first full day of a 30-day state of emergency declared last night to slow and contain the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Pashinian ascribed rising food prices to panic buying.

Reports of major instances of panic buying in supermarkets across Armenia first appeared in media on Monday within hours after the Pashinian government announced a set of limitations, including a ban on public gatherings and the possibility of restricting peoples travel due to epidemiological conditions.

Pashinian today cited official statistics showing that in recent days trade at large supermarkets increased by an average of 30-40 percent, while small shops reported falling sales. The prime minister urged citizens not to forget about small and medium-sized businesses.

I understand that shopping in supermarkets is much more convenient, but even today there are a lot of goods in large amounts in small and medium-sized shops, and it is surprising that they have problems with sales, he said.

Gegham Gevorgian, chairman of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition, also confirmed that Armenia is provided with the necessary amount of food. He said that mainly groceries have been in great demand in recent days.

As for the level of prices, the head of the anti-trust body said: I think that apart from the monitoring of prices it is also important to ensure uninterrupted supply of stocks to exclude shortages. I assure you that at this moment we have no such problem.

Prime Minister Pashinian also assured the public about a stable situation in the financial market. [The financial market is strong] especially after our results last year when our international reserves reached a record level, and the Central Bank purchased and stocked an unprecedentedly large amount of foreign currency. So, we will have no problems, the head of the Armenian government said.

Pashinian added that his government is against the logic of economic benefits. The economy needs no benefits, which will only weaken it, it needs a program of development underpinning each penny spent on it. We need to make sure that as a result of this assistance, companies and businesses will become more competitive and stronger, the prime minister said.

Pashinian once again stressed that the situation is fully under his governments control. I am convinced that we will come out of this situation as winners, that we will become much more proud and stronger, much more viable, competitive and competent, he said.

Later on Monday Prime Minister Pashinian visited several supermarkets and stores in Yerevan to monitor the situation connected with supplies and prices. During a live broadcast on Facebook he registered that shelves at all places were full of the usual assortment and found no change in prices.

Pashinian also walked into three pharmacies in the city center only to find that all of them had no alcohol-based hand sanitizers in stock. Only one of the three pharmacies had medical masks on sale.

Armenia confirmed 72 coronavirus cases as March 17 evening. Officials say Armenias first COVID-19 patient identified on March 1 has recovered.
Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday requested an emergency designation from the Small Business Administration for the entire state of Texas in order to access the agencys disaster loan program for small businesses.

The SBA will consider the request, and if it grants an Economic Injury Disaster Declaration, small businesses in Texas will be able to apply for long-term, low-interest loans from the federal agency.
A Liberal senator has been savaged on Twitter after she encouraged Australians in self-isolation to consider ordering catering.

Senator for New South Wales Hollie Hughes suggested buying catered meals is a viable way to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

'If panic buying or cooking isn't your thing, caterers have had their businesses slow down/come to a screeching halt as events are cancelled,' Senator Hughes tweeted on Tuesday.

'Perhaps give a catering company a call and see if they'll do meals for you to have at home?'

Senator for New South Wales Hollie Hughes has been savaged on Twitter after she encouraged Australians in self-isolation to consider ordering catering

The Liberal Senator suggested buying catered meals is a viable way to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 panedmic

But the senator was quickly slammed for her 'totally tone deaf' suggestion as not everyone is able to afford the luxury.

'Another example to add to her cavalcade of ignorance. Hollie doesn't understand that most people can barely keep the lights on. Hollie has no comprehension of what is happening in her own society. Hollie is entitled,' one person tweeted.

'My daughter is an event producer, what can she do? No events, all cancelled. That means ZERO income for her,' another wrote.

'Do they make meals at $2.90 - $4.80 each? Cause that's pretty much my budget,' added a third.

'Says someone on 200k+ p/a as well as expenses... Totally tone deaf to the reality of actual employees,' another wrote.

Other Twitter users managed to find light in Senator Hughes' suggestions by cracking jokes.

The senator was quickly slammed for her 'totally tone deaf' suggestion as not everyone is able to afford the luxury

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

'Great. I'll have the tempura Moreton Bay bugs, a rare roast rack of lamb with garlic baby potatoes and fresh steamed greens, and a nice bottle of dry rose. Where do I send the bill?' one wrote.

Another added: 'Yes I would like a fully catered three course for four people, full service, for tonight, thank you. Hollie they're asking if I want bar staff please advise.'

Senator Hughes seemingly responded to the criticism with a follow-up tweet where she urged people to 'get a grip'.

'So supporting small businesses on the brink of total collapse, businesses that employ thousands of Australians makes me some sort of Marie Antoinette,' she wrote.

'Get a grip people.

'This place is feral and those suggesting these businesses should fail and don't deserve support should be ashamed.'

Restaurant and Catering CEO Wes Lambert said Senator Hughes' support should be commended during a difficult time for small business.

'There are thousands of caterers across the country that have had their entire lives ground to a halt due to the corornavirus outbreak,' he said.

'Members have reported up to a 90 per cent drop in trade with some currently having zero forward bookings.

'These members are now turning to new means to make ends meet such as setting up virtual brands through online delivery companies just to pay the bills.'

Mr Lambert said catering isn't always expensive canapes and fine dining.

'Many are salt of the earth small business people who are just interested in running their business, paying their staff and serving the best food they can,' he said.

Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes is pictured in the Senate chamber at Parliament House on February 25

Supermarket shelves have turned bare as Australians race to the shops to panic buy long-life goods, toilet paper and hand sanitiser amid the coronavirus pandemic.

All international arrivals into Australia were from Monday required to self-isolate for 14 days in a bid to stop the outbreak.

The government have also cancelled public gatherings of more than 500 people and bars, clubs and restaurants could be shut in the coming weeks.

There are more than 450 cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five people have died.
Volvo Car India on Tuesday announced work from home as a safety measure for its employees with immediate effect, considering the number of Coronavirus cases have risen to over 100 in the past few days across the country

Bengaluru: Volvo Car India on Tuesday announced work from home as a safety measure for its employees with immediate effect, considering the number of Coronavirus cases have risen to over 100 in the past few days across the country.

"Necessary IT infrastructure is in place to facilitate business continuity, with scheduled meetings managed via Microsoft Teams/ Skype", the Swedish luxury car company said

in a statement.

All domestic and international travel was suspended as early as February, to limit the exposure of its employees to the virus, the company said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  The Cebu Archdiocese announced on Tuesday the suspension of all of its religious activities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Archbishop Jose Palma said in a press conference that Holy Masses, processions, and other religious activities will be canceled. This include activities in the upcoming Holy Week.

Instead, the Archdiocese of Cebu will utilize its social media and other digital channels to air masses. Palma mentioned that masses will still be celebrated inside churches but "without the presence of the congregation."

"We ask of you for understanding because these are trying times," Palma said, as he also urged the public to obey the government's measures in fighting COVID-19.

Palma said the archdiocese's churches will remain open for people who wish to say their prayers individually while some protocols will also be observed.

Dr. James Guardario, one of the archdiocese's medical consultants, said the public should not touch images in churches and practice social distancing. No one should also use the holy water at the entrances of the church since it can be a source of transmission, he said.

The churches will also be sanitized regularly.

Dr. Brian Albert Lim, another consultant of the archdiocese who attended the press conference, suggested that people not bring their children in the churches.

Lim, a member of the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, also asked the faithful to wash their hands before and after going to churches. He pointed out that the elderly should avoid going to the churches as they are susceptible to the disease.

The announcement of the Cebu Archdiocese came after Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed an executive order last weekend ordering the closure of its borders to combat COVID-19.

The executive order prohibited the entry of all travelers to Cebu, from all domestic airports and seaports starting March 17. International flights arriving in Cebu are restricted to countries with confirmed COVID-19 local transmissions.

There are still no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cebu as of this writing.

The Philippines has tallied a total of 187 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, with 12 fatalities.

Cebu-based stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
But there is no standard or scientific definition of what a mass gathering of people is, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. And scientists who have studied the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and more recent outbreaks have not found strong evidence that restricting mass gatherings alone is effective in controlling an outbreak, Dr. Osterholm said.

In addition to the size of a gathering, public health experts may consider factors such as the density of people in one place when making recommendations on social distancing, Dr. Osterholm said.

Events where people congregate in a small space may increase the opportunity for person-to-person transmission of the virus. Gatherings that last for longer periods of time, such as rallies, concerts or conferences, may also increase the opportunities for transmission compared with brief encounters that may occur at a pharmacy or a grocery store. That is why the context of the gathering may be more important than the actual number of people in some situations.

What is proper social distancing for a major metropolitan city with sustained community acquired transmission is going to be different from a sleepy farming community, Ms. Hills said. You wouldnt want to just one-size things.

The prevalence of a pathogen in the community is another important factor to consider. If a pathogen is extremely widespread, then it makes sense to limit gatherings to much smaller numbers, Dr. Osterholm said.

If 20 percent of the population is infected, you can have one meeting with 10 people in it and pretty well assume that there will be someone there who can transmit the virus, Dr. Osterholm said. Because of a lack of testing, it is not yet clear what portion of the population is infected with the coronavirus.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has lamented the inadequate presence of test centres across the country for the detection of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

The Senate President, while raising concerns on the unavailability of test centres in some geo-political zones of the country, said the fight against the disease should not be left to government alone.

I believe that the federal government has done well, so far, but I think there is need for them to do a little more, and that is in the area of testing Centres.

There is at the moment no testing Centre in the entire South East, at the moment, the entire north has no testing Centre, Abuja is federal capital territory.

So, the entire north has no testing Centre, and when you have this situation, you need to take immediate action to test and confirm, whatever it is.

So, I believe the federal government is supposed to do that, and we as an Assembly are prepared to support them if the request is for resources.

We are going to support it for those testing Centres to be provided in the South East and in the northern part.

Even those that have been established, we want to suggest that we continue to upgrade the standard, we dont want anything to tamper with the standard requirement for those testing Centres to be very functional.

The second issue is for isolation Centres that state governments are doing. Many of our states, in fact, almost every state has established one isolation centre.

I think the federal ministry of health should come up with a minimum standard. That standard should be replicated in all the states, the Senate President said.

Earlier, the Senate Committee Chairman on Health, Senator Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC  Kwara Central), while coming under order 43 of the Senate rules, called on Nigerians to observe the practice of prevention control.

The lawmaker, while advising Nigerians to avoid traveling to countries worst hit by the epidemic, called on the federal government to consider disallowing citizens of highly infected nations from coming to Nigeria.

Our response so far is commendable in terms of containment, however, Mr. President, given what is going on in the world now, particularly as we speak, 27 out of the whole African countries are already affected including our neighbour behind, Ghana and South Africa, which are on partial lockdown.

It is on this note I wish to observe that Nigerians need to increase the observance of the practices of prevention control.

This include avoidance of shaking of hands. The reason for this is that hands touches all over the place.

If this practice continues, it means we could have a transmission that will go out of hand.

Also, we have to indulge in practicing hand washing frequently with soap for not less than twenty seconds.

Mr. President, the other one is that if it is possible, that people should not travel to countries where we have highest cases. Now the epicenter is in Europe. Many countries in Europe are already affected, including some countries in the Middle-East like Iran and so on.

And it is spreading into African countries now, it means except it is absolutely important, Nigerians should be advised not to travel out of this country.

As we go along, our government will also have to consider, with what we have heard so far, disallow non-Nigerians who are citizens of countries with high rates of infections from entering and in our country, Oloriegbe said.

Signed:

Ezrel Tabiowo

Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
CAIRO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday donated medical aid to Iraq as part of its efforts to help the country cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. In Iran, a senior cleric died from the virus as the death toll climbed to 853.

In a ceremony held at the Chinese embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a China medical team handed over a batch of medical aid to Iraq as part of China's contribution to its fight against the epidemic.

Tao Zhongquan, head of the Chinese expert team, delivered the aid, including lab equipment and medical supplies, to Hassan al-Tamimi, director general of the Medical City facility in Baghdad.

"The goal of the visit of the Chinese expert team to Baghdad is to share Chinese experiences with their Iraqi counterparts," Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao said, adding that a new laboratory will be established to diagnose the novel coronavirus next week.

Zhang revealed that the Chinese government is preparing for delivering more medical aid to Iraq.

Tao said that, in light of China's success in controlling the outbreak of coronavirus, his team was sent to Iraq to help share China's expertise and experience with Iraq "in order to make joint efforts to confront this virus."

Al-Tamimi hailed China's efforts to help Iraq, looking forwarding to increasing cooperation in training Iraqi medical personnel on treating the viral respiratory disease, as China has great experience in its treatment and diagnosis.

Iraq's Health Ministry on Monday confirmed one more death from COVID-19 and six new cases, bringing the total number of the infected in the country to 133.

In Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, 1,053 more COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 14,991, of whom 853 have died and 4,996 have recovered.

Ayatollah Seyed Hashem Bathaee, 78, a member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, died from COVID-19 in Qom city where the first cases of the novel coronavirus in Iran were detected on Feb. 19. At least 25 Iranian officials and lawmakers have so far been infected with the viral respiratory disease.

The Assembly of Experts is a high-ranking legal institution that elects and oversees the activities of the supreme leader in Iran.

As part of the latest efforts to stem the raging epidemic, the Iranian government on Monday closed the Shiite shrines in the religious cities of Mashhad, Qom and Shahr-e-Rey. They will be closed at least until March 25.

In Manama, the Bahraini Health Ministry confirmed that a 65-year-old Bahraini woman has died due to the COVID-19 infection, who was the first such death recorded in the country. The total number of confirmed cases in Bahrain reached 221, of whom 77 have recovered.

Qatar, the worst-hit Arab country, on Monday reported 38 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 439.

In Israel, the Ministry of Health announced that a total of 85 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 298, including four in serious condition.

In Ankara, Turkey reported 12 new cases of COVID-19, as the total number of confirmed rose to 18. The new cases included seven from Europe, three from the United States, and two people who had contact with the first case, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

Kuwait's Health Ministry announced 11 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 123.

In Beirut, 10 new COVID-19 cases were reported, as the total number of the confirmed cases increased to 109. The streets of the Lebanese capital were almost empty as the government imposed a state of health emergency, shutting down most businesses, except for pharmacies and medical facilities.

In Cairo, the Egyptian Health Ministry denied the report by British media that 19,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus in Egypt, noting that it "immediately transparently announces any new cases of the novel coronavirus in coordination with the World Health Organization."

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said that Egypt will suspend all passenger flights to and from its airports from March 19 to March 31 in a bid to prevent the COVID-19 spread.

Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of government agencies for 16 days, excluding health, security, and military sectors. The government also ordered the closure of markets and malls, barbershops and beauty salons, except for pharmacies and food supply companies.

In Rabat, Morocco decided to close restaurants, clubs, cinemas and gyms, as well all mosques. Minister of Tourism Nadia Fettah Alaoui said that nearly 100 special flights have been authorized to repatriate thousands of stranded Europeans in Morocco.

In Khartoum, Sudan declared a state of health emergency to fight the coronavirus, as a higher committee was set up to work out the measures to prevent the virus' outbreak, which has already killed one person in the country.

In Algiers, Algeria announced a decision to suspend all air and maritime links with the European continent and all flights to and from six African nations, including Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
Lawmakers from the Myanmar military and the National League for Democracy party cast votes on bills to amend the 2008 constitution at the national parliament in Naypyidaw, March 10, 2020.

Myanmars ruling party lawmakers on Tuesday rejected an opposition party-sponsored bill to amend the constitution to allow chief ministers in ethnic minority regions to be elected, rather than appointed by the country's president, legislators said.

Military-appointed and ethnic parliamentarians supported the measure proposed by the main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) on the sixth day of voting on changes to the charter.

The bill submitted by USDP lawmaker Thein Tun called for amending Article 261(b), which gives the president the power to appoint chief ministers in Myanmars 14 states and regions.

But it failed to receive more than 75 percent of all votes that it needed to pass.

At Tuesdays session, 631 lawmakers cast ballots on the measure, while 23 were on leave. The bill received 239 votes in favor, and 388 objections, with four disqualifications.

Some lawmakers said they believe that their NLD colleagues voted in unison against the bill, while MPs from the USDP, Arakan National Party (ANP), and the military all voted in favor of it.

ANP lawmaker Pe Than from the lower house of parliament said NLD lawmakers who rejected the change determined the outcome of the ballot, making it clear that the party opposes political decentralization.

It is ironic that a major democratic party is rejecting all attempts at decentralization, he said. It is tragic for our ethnic minorities because they are not allowing us to experience the essence of federalism. This has become a major roadblock in the long journey ahead.

NLD lawmaker Myat Nyana Soe from parliaments upper house told the media that the measure failed to pass because the party previously sought to pass the measure in conjunction with a proposal to reduce the number of military MPs, who are appointed to one-fourth of the seats in the assembly.

These ballots are being cast by the free will of individual MPs, he said. The results could change any time.

Military MP Lieutenant Colonel Myo Htet Win said changing Article 261(b) is crucial for decentralization and power-sharing between the Union government and regional governments.

We believe that if we want to create a democratic federal union, amending Article 261(b) is crucial for ethnic groups and ethnic parties who cannot compete with the major parties in elections, he said. It is essential to change it if we really want to proceed with the sharing of power with regional governments.

Myanmar political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said the NLDs rejection of the measure has weakened trust and understanding between political parties.

It now has become a trend that the NLD will reject all bills sponsored by other parties, and MPs from all other parties will do the same with NLD-sponsored bills, he said.

It also has disrupted the trust and understanding between parties, he added. If the NLD wants to try this again, it will take it a long time to rebuild that trust.

Other bill rejected

A bill submitted by military MP Brigadier General Maung Maung to change the required qualifications for government ministers at the national, state, and regional levels also failed to pass on Tuesday.

The measure would have barred candidates with foreign citizens in their immediate families from becoming central government ministers or chief ministers in states and regions.

In order for us to so succeed with the passage of constitutional amendments, there should be trust-building between parties and factions, he said. Its not good because the [NLD] is trying to push though changes with [its] majority vote.

The NLD holds 59 percent of the seats in parliament, while ethnic parties hold 11 percent, and the USDP has 5 percent. Appointed military lawmakers hold a constitutionally-mandated 25 percent.

Only by means of negotiations and inclusive brainstorming can we find a way that works, Maung Maung said.

The NLD pledged to reform the constitution in the run-up to the November 2015 general elections, which it won by a landslide.

But its efforts to make democratic changes to the charter have largely been rejected this week by military and opposition party lawmakers, dashing the NLDs hopes of fulfilling its campaign promise before the next general election at the end of 2020.

Reported by Thiha Tun and Thet Su Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
The newly constituted Chennai bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) will start taking matters from Wednesday from the premises of the Delhi-based Principal bench, the tribunal said.

The Chennai bench, which comprises judicial member Justice M Venugopal and Member (Technical) Kanthi Narahari, would start hearing of appeals filed from March 18, 2020, from Delhi.

The bench would "admit, hear and dispose of such appeals as may be filed after constitution of Chennai Bench w.e.f. 18th March, 2020 in terms of Notification dated March 13, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs," the NCLAT said in a notice.

Earlier, the NCLAT had informed that all filing related works for Chennai bench would also be handled at the Delhi-based Principal bench only as it would take around two months to create infrastructure there.

"...it is provided that since Infrastructure as also Human Resources is lacking and raising of the same is likely to consume not less than two months, all filings in respect of Chennai Bench Jurisdiction shall be done at the Principal Bench at New Delhi even after 18th March, 2020 i.e. the date of constitution of the Chennai Bench, till the Bench at Chennai is expected to become functional in all probability in the month of June, 2020," it said.

On March 13, the government had notified the constitution of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, Chennai Bench.

The Chennai-based bench would hear the appeals against the orders of the benches of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) having jurisdiction of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Lakshadweep and Puducherry, the notification said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twenty new case of the novel coronavirus surfaced in Pakistan on Sunday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country to 53.

The number of coronavirus cases have doubled in Pakistans southern Sindh province, with 18 new positive cases detected on Sunday.

The Punjab province also reported its first two cases in Lahore and Islamabad.

Murtaza Wahab, a spokesperson of the Sindh Government, said 13 of the cases surfaced when a group of pilgrims were tested for the virus after they reached Sukkur city from the Taftan border.

Track live updates on the coronavirus here

Pakistan saw a sudden increase in coronavirus infections on Tuesday when a dozen new cases were reported across the country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that he was personally monitoring measures to deal with the coronavirus in the country.

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 said.

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.

The deadly virus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 6,000 lives and infected more than 150,000 people across 135 countries and territories.

China remains the hardest-hit with more than 80,000 infections and 3,199 deaths.

Pakistan's high-powered National Security Committee on Friday took several decision to boost efforts to defeat the threat posed by the virus.

Among other things, it decided to close down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran.

It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.
Good evening, everyone. Last week, I had the honor of speaking to all of you from Philadelphia, the birthplace of the foundational documents of our democracy. Tonight, in keeping with the latest guidance from the C.D.C. to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, Im speaking to you from my home in Wilmington, Del. I hope all of you are staying safe, talking and taking the recommended precautions and talking to the doctor, if you have one, to keep your social distance, to slow the spread of this virus. This pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives and every aspect of this campaign. Most of all my heart goes out to all of those who have lost a loved one, to those who have contracted the virus, to all the brave Americans who are working harder than ever to help their neighbors, and all those children that are home from school that are worried and dont know quite why. Doctors, nurses, E.M.T.s and public health officials, as well as the front line emergency workers like firefighters and dedicated folks working to keep the shelves stocked in the grocery stores. You know, tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war. Its going to require leadership and cooperation from every level of government. And its going to require us to move thoughtfully and decisively to quickly address both the public health crisis as well as the economic crisis. Its going to require us to pay attention to the medical and scientific and health experts. And its going to require each of us to do our part. Yes, this is a moment where we need our leaders to lead. But its also a moment where the choices and decisions we make as individuals are going to collectively impact on what happens  make a big difference in the severity of this outbreak and the ability of our medical and hospital systems to handle it. You know, I know we, as a people, are up to this challenge. We always have been. I know that well answer this moment of crisis with the best that we find in all of us, because thats what Americans always have done, and what we do. Thats who we are. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things when the need arises. And today we are moving quickly to adapt our routines to meet this challenge. Americans in three states went to the polls today. I want to thank all the public officials and the poll workers, who work closely with the public health authorities to assure safe opportunities for voting, to clean and disinfect voting booths and to make sure the voters could cast their ballots while maintaining a distance from one another that was safe. You know, its important for us to get through this crisis, protecting both the public health and our democracy. Today it looks like, once again, in Florida and Illinois  were still awaiting to hear from Arizona  our campaign has had a very good night. We move closer to securing the Democratic Partys nomination for president. And were doing it by building a broad coalition that we need to win in November with strong support from the African-American community, the Latino community, high-school-educated people, like the folks I grew up with in my old neighborhood. Labor, teachers, suburban women, veterans, firefighters and so many more. And were doing it with a common vision. Senator Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision for the need to provide affordable health care for all Americans, reduce income inequity that has risen so drastically, to tackling the existential threat of our time, climate change. Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues. Together, they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country. So let me say especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders: I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president, is to unify this party and then to unify the nation. You know, its in moments like these, we realize we need to put politics aside and work together as Americans. The coronavirus doesnt care if youre a Democrat or a Republican. It will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender or your ZIP code. It will touch people in positions of power, as well as the most vulnerable people in our society. Were all in this together. This is a moment for each of us to see and believe the best in every one of us, to look out for our neighbor, to understand the fear and stress that so many are feeling, to care for the elderly  the elderly couple down the street  to thank the health care worker, the doctors, the nurses, the pharmacists, the grocery store cashier and the people restocking the shelves, to believe in one another, because I assure you when we do that, when we see the best in each of us, we lift this nation up and well get through this together. Thats how weve always done it. God bless you all and my special prayer for those of you in the frontlines of the crisis  doctors, nurses, health care workers caring for the virus victims and their families. My prayers are going out for everyone. My hopes are high, because I believe in times of crisis, Americans have always stepped up. We have to step up and care for one another. Thank you all. Thank you all for listening.
Friendship between the Italian and Chinese peoples has flourished during the battle against the coronavirus, with Italians expressing genuine gratitude for Chinese assistance.

Chinese medical experts have an exchange with local medical staff at the hospital affiliated to the University of Rome. (Photo via Chinese medical team to Italy)

Italy has already put in place a countrywide lockdown in response to the epidemic, requiring people to stay home. In a spirit of optimism, Italians are holding "balcony concerts" at 6 p.m. every day in several neighborhoods in Rome to boost everyones morale. The concert programs usually include the Italian national anthem, pop music, classical opera and so on.

"I don't know if there are any Chinese neighbors here, but I want to thank this country and this people from the bottom of my heart, said a loud male voice from a microphone on March 14. At that moment, the strains of the magnificent song "March of the Volunteers", the Chinese national anthem, could be heard.

Duan Yan, a Chinese student at the Rome University of Fine Arts, grabbed his phone to take a picture of the scene. "It was a really proud and emotional moment when I saw my Italian neighbor waving at me, and I burst into tears."

In recent days, Chinese and Italian people have joined hands to fight against the epidemic, resulting in many heart-warming scenes.

On the evening of March 12, a medical team sent by the Chinese government to fight the epidemic arrived in Rome armed with medical supplies. The team not only provided supplies to hospitals, but also travelled to affected areas, including Lombardy and Veneto to share their experiences with local medical workers and researchers.

Francesco Rocca, president of the Italian Red Cross Society, welcomed the Chinese delegation at the Red Cross headquarters in Rome and expressed his gratitude for Chinas generosity.

One young Italian man decided to thank China for its help in a time of crisis by learning to sing the Chinese national anthem word for word. Meanwhile, a Neapolitan girl named her paintings "For Italian and Chinese doctors and nurses fighting the epidemic" in order to show her gratitude.

"Chinese doctors embody the humanitarian spirit and we should pay tribute to them. They could have stayed at home [in China] but they chose to come here [to Italy] to fight," an Italian netizen called Max wrote on the Chinese embassy's social media account.
Its certainly looking like a busy, bittersweet week ahead for ex-Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. This Monday, he was nominated for a seat at the Rajya Sabha by none other than President Ram Nath Kovind - amidst widespread accusations of partisanship hurled from opposition politicians and media platforms.

 Reuters; Police detain protestors in May 2019, who had assembled to demonstrate after a sexual harassment allegation against Gogoi was dismissed by a chair headed by Justice Bobde, who succeeded Gogoi as Chief Justice.

Its a symbolic move in more ways than one. President Kovind had been a practicing lawyer for 16 years before entering politics, and had his own 1994-2006 stint in the Rajya Sabha. Concurrently, Gogoi took a slightly different path, forging a 42-year long career through the trenches of Indias courtrooms. Here are a few details that most dont know about the 46th Chief Justice.



Royal Lineage

 DNA India

Looks like the legacy goes even further back than Ranjan Gogoi himself. On his maternal side, the judge can trace his lineage back to Prandar Singha, the last king of the Ahom kingdom of Assam. The dynasty itself is incredibly old, dating back to the early 1200s - it lasted for over 600 years before collapsing under festering internal politics, attacks from Burmese invaders and finally, fell into British rule in 1826.



Almost A Soldier

 Assam Times

In a 2018 interview with The Times Of India, Ranjan Gogois elder brother Anjan Kumar Gogoi opened up about his childhood with the ex-CJI. Narrating a particular episode from their youth, he displayed a penchant for mischievousness that might have ended up changing his brothers life. We both were selected to join Sainik School Goalpara (A top-quality military boarding school) but our father said that only one of us could go and asked to decide for ourselves who would stay back. We decided to toss a coin, and being naughty, I used the famous line, heads I win, tails you lose. I won. Maybe had he gone to the Sainik School, he could have achieved greater heights than mehe was far better in studies than me. While Ranjan was destined for law, Anjan went on to become an IAF fighter pilot, retiring from the air force as an Air Marshall.



The Honest Brother

 Assam Times

Despite his recent allegations, ex-Justice Gogoi had strong roots in honesty, according to his elder brother. You cant possibly predict what can happen to you in the future but one thing I can tell as an elder brother that since childhood he (Justice Gogoi) showed indications that he treads only on the right path. I still remember when playing a game of marble, I, as the elder brother and somewhat naughty, tried to cheat. He would always challenge my game and tell me not to break the rules. From the very beginning, he always followed the right path and rules. When he took up law, I knew he would make a good lawyer, who would not take any false case just for the sake of practicing law. When he became a judge, I knew he would be a good judge, the ex-fighter pilot said.



A Student With Something To Prove

 Wikimedia

Later on in his youth, Gogoi would be given an ultimatum by his father, Kesab Chandra Gogoi who was a politician himself - to crack the UPSC examinations. Putting aside his latent interest in law and history, Gogoi reinforced his reputation as a keen academic by cracking the UPSC exam and on presenting his father with the results, politely said that he would rather prefer to become an advocate instead. Soon, he graduated with honors in history from St. Stephens college, before earning his law degree from Delhi University.



Career As A Lawyer

 Wikimedia

Gogois introduction to advocacy began in 1978, when he passed the bar and began to practice at the Gauhati High Court. After 23 years, he was made a permanent Judge of the same, and then appointed to the Punjab and Haryana High Courts in 2010 by then-President Pratibha Patil. He quickly rose to the position of Chief Justice there, and by 2012 was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court. Six years later in 2018, he would succeed Dipak Misra as the Chief Justice of India.

Amitabh Bachchans Kaun Banega Crorepati Tax Case

 Reuters

While Gogoi has presided over several landmark cases, one of his more unusual ones revolves around none other than Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Way back in 2002, Bachchan filed tax returns showing an income of Rs 14.99 crore, yet the tax authorities determined that his income was Rs 56.41 crore and filed a lawsuit against the actor. The Bombay High Court dismissed the tax officials in 2012, but Gogoi and his bench quashed the dismissal in 2016. Guess he wasnt a fan.



An ex-Chief Ministers Son

 Assam Legislative Assembly

Ranjan Gogois aforementioned father Kesab Chandra never got to see his son become a judge, dying just three years too early. Regardless, he did make a pretty bold impact on Assam as a politician with the Indian National Congress - the very rivals of the figures that have backed Gogoi Jr. in contemporary
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the top federal health agency charged with responding to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, was the target of a cyberattack Sunday. The incident appears to have been a bid to slow the agency's response to the ongoing pandemic, experts have suggested.The attack comes as officials at all levels of government are scrambling to respond to the rapidly spreading virus.While it is unclear where the attack came from, it apparently resulted in no data breach and did not compromise the overall operations of the agency, according to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, speaking with The Hill Multiple sources told ABC News the attack was not a hack, but was likely an attempted distributed denial of service attack (DDOS) that sought to overload the agency's systems."We have extremely strong barriers, we had no penetration into our networks, no degradation of the functioning of our networks, we had no limitation on the ability or capacity of our people to telework, weve taken very strong defensive actions," Azar told the publication.The incident also appears to have involved the release of disinformation, according to a report from Bloomberg that said a recent tweet by the National Security Council (NSC) regarding misinformation had referenced the HHS incident."We are aware of a cyberincident related to the Health and Human Services computer networks, and the federal government is investigating this incident thoroughly, John Ullyot, NSC spokesperson, said in a statement to Bloomberg. HHS and federal government cybersecurity professionals are continuously monitoring and taking appropriate actions to secure our federal networks.A number of federal agencies are now involved in a response to the attack, including the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced a 30-day halt to dine-in service at restaurants and bars and the temporary closure of gyms, theaters and casinos to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Ahead of the Rajya Sabha



polls slated for March 26, the lone NCP MLA in the Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday announced his support to the ruling BJP, which is shoring up numbers to win three of the four seats on offer.

The Nationalist Congress Party is in alliance at the national level, including in neighbouring Maharashtra, with the Congress.

"I had a meeting with minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja after which I decided to support the BJP for the Rajya Sabha polls. I took this decision as I am hopeful I will be able to complete pending work in my constituency with the help of the Gujarat government," said Kandhal Jadeja, NCP MLA from Kutiyana in Porbandar district.

The Congress, which had 73 members in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, is now down to 68, after five legislators quit, and is trying to protect its flock by flying them to Jaipur.

State Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja said the NCP MLA's support will hopefully lead to the BJP winning three seats in the RS polls.

The NCP MLA's move comes despite the party's state president Shankarsinh Vaghela claiming that the former would toe the official line and support the Congress.

"We are fighting BJP at the national level. The NCP and Congress are in alliance at national level, so we will direct our party MLA to vote for the Congress candidate," Vaghela had said.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda, speaking in Jaipur, said his party's high command was in touch with NCP leaders including its chief Sharad Pawar on this development.

For the four seats, while the BJP has fielded Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramila Bara and Narhari Amin, Congress candidates are senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.

In the 182-seat Assembly, the BJP has 103 seats, while the Congress is down to 68.

The Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) has two MLAs, the NCP one and there is an Independent MLA, Jignesh Mevani, who has already announced support for the Congress. Two seats are vacant due to legal issues.

As per the RS poll arithmetic, the BJP will require 108 votes to win three seats, while the Congress will need the support of 72 MLAs to win two seats.

The Congress has confirmed support of 69 MLAs, and the BJP of 106 MLAs, including two from BTP and one from NCP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Doctor Evidence ("DRE") is focusing its AI-enabled medical search engine on the COVID-19 medical literature and daily emerging breaking research.

Today, as requested by The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and in response to researchers call for AI machine-readable technology to address the fast evolving Coronavirus literature, DRE is offering it advanced AI Search Platform, DOC Search, to provide "up-to-the minute" access to the relevant literature, studies and news that precisely answer any specific Coronavirus related research question (i.e., viral rate, pathology, contagious attributes, effectiveness of social distancing, etc.).

Leading organizations including the Allen Institute for AI, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), Microsoft, and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health released the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) of scholarly literature about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and the Coronavirus group, are searching for the solutions to process the literature.

DRE is opening up its DOC Search platform for special use by academic researchers under a special COVID-19 login. DOC Search has used its advanced natural language processing technology to let users search the 13,000 full-text articles made available by the Allen Institute for AI et al. Any user can success the platform by going to https://covid19.doctorevidence.com/ and logging in under User Name: covid19, and Password: covid19. There are pre-loaded Coronavirus questions with updated search results in the platform once a user is logged in.

"DRE feels compelled to immediately share our powerful artificial intelligence technology solutions to help researchers find and review the emerging global evidence on the novel Coronavirus and COVID-19," said Bob Battista, MBA, FRCPH, FRCP Edin., co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Doctor Evidence.

Dr. Todd Feinman, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Doctor Evidence adds, "DRE's search platform will enable researchers to get fast answers to questions as the evidence rapidly evolves. Evidence will help flatten the curve."

About Doctor Evidence:

DRE is a market leading company in the AI-enabled health technology marketplace that deploys state-of-the-art solutions to identify, synthesize, and analyze complex clinical data into actionable knowledge. DRE provides instant, continuous search and data synthesis intelligence across critical functions of Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Life Science companies to optimize their strategies that enable them to generate actionable data insights. Its technology platform provides DRE's customers with a Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") Insights Engine which empower them to make better decisions from lab to patient.

SOURCE Doctor Evidence

Related Links

http://www.doctorevidence.com


New Delhi: The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.

In continuation of the travel advisory issued on March 11 and March 16, the following advisory has been issued.

"Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect," it said.

No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IST). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure, according to the advisory.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also issued a circular in this regard on the lines of the government advisory.

This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.

The government has also banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31 on Monday.

India on Tuesday reported its third coronavirus fatality with a 64-year-old man dying in Mumbai, Health Ministry officials said as the number of positive cases rose to 125.
NIAMEY, Niger - Niger says its army has killed at least 50 Boko Haram extremists after an attack on a military post.

The West African nation says the heavily armed Boko Haram fighters attacked the eastern Toumour post overnight into Sunday.

The government says the army used air and ground forces to fight back, killing at least 50 fighters and destroying a large number of vehicles. One soldier was injured.

Boko Haram is based in neighbouring Nigeria. Its decade-long insurgency has focused on attacks inside that country, but the extremists also have staged attacks in Niger and Cameroon.
Serbia's president praised China Tuesday for helping to battle the new coronavirus as he accused the European Union of abandoning Belgrade by restricting exports of protective equipment.

The Balkan state, a candidate for EU membership, has recorded about 65 cases of COVID-19 and is trying to prevent a full-scale outbreak that could cripple its health care system.

that Brussels is now limiting exports of masks and other protective equipment has angered Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, who is casting China as the country's saviour.

"We are waiting here for our Chinese brothers. It has turned out that without you Europe can hardly defend itself," Vucic told Beijing's ambassador Chen Bo after Chinese tests for the new coronavirus arrived Tuesday.

"If all goes well, by the end of the week experts from China will come," the ambassador was quoted by Servian state TV as saying.

Beijing has in recent years challenged Brussels for influence in the region, in particular through heavy loan-based infrastructure investment in cash-strapped countries.

On Sunday, after new EU restrictions were announced, Vucic told the nation that "European solidarity does not exist, it was a fairytale." The Chinese are "the only ones who can help us", he added.

In neighbouring Bosnia, nationalist Serb leader Milorad Dodik also blasted Brussels' "bad decision", under which masks, glasses and protective garments can only be exported outside the bloc with authorisation from EU governments.

"We don't have any options, we don't make a lot of the equipment that is necessary in these circumstances," he said.

There were also signs of concern in Albania, which has imposed the toughest restrictions on public life in the Western Balkans to protect against a pandemic.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Edi Rama said regional leaders were talking with EU envoys to get "guaranteed access for the countries of our region to imports of sanitary equipment".

Florian Bieber, a Balkans expert, told AFP: "The image of China will be boosted mostly by local autocrats" looking to play an anti-EU populist card during the coronavirus crisis.

Balkan governments should shoulder blame for "under-investing in health care", and in Serbia's case, initially "downplaying the seriousness" of COVID-19, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, March 17 : Various efforts are being made at the global level to fight coronavirus. Out of several preventive steps, masks are seen as being important which has increased the demand for them.

Amid the increasing demand for masks, residents of Mustafabad and Khajuri are making them at their homes.

Some of them are using machines while some have employed workers to make the masks.

The masks which are being made in Mustafabad can be availed at lower prices.

Saleem, a Mustafabad resident, told IANS: "We cut surgeon masks in our factory and then send them to Uttar Pradesh where they are finally made. The masks made in our factory will be exported to Dubai from where we have got an order worth Rs 5 crore." "One mask in Dubai will cost Rs 14. We appeal to the people who suffered during the Delhi violence that if they want employment they can come here. We will give them a machine and they can make masks on it," he said.

Shahnawaz, another resident of Mustafabad, said: "The cost of a mask made in our factory will be Rs 50 which is much cheaper than the masks available in the market. From cutting to stitching, everything is done in our factory." "I started making masks when swine flu spread and now when the demand has again increased we have started making them again," he said.

Despite the huge quantity of masks being sent to the market from here, there is a shortage of masks in Delhi due to which their prices have skyrocketed.
Shopping malls and other public places in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are emptying out after the government announced major social distancing measures this week to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Syaiful Redzuan / AFP/Getty Images)

At the end of last month, thousands of Muslim missionaries from two dozen countries congregated at a sprawling mosque complex outside the Malaysian capital for a weekend of prayer.

Now authorities in multiple countries are searching for people who attended the event, a key driver of a surge in coronavirus cases across Southeast Asia that has prompted sweeping new travel restrictions and social distancing measures.

Malaysian health officials said Tuesday that they had traced more than 400 infections  and one death  to the four-day gathering at the Seri Petaling mosque outside Kuala Lumpur from Feb. 27 to March 1. The gathering is the source of more than half of the countrys nearly 700 recorded cases of COVID-19, the most in Southeast Asia.

Experts worry that many more infections could still emerge: As of Monday respiratory samples had been collected from fewer than one-quarter of the roughly 14,500 Malaysians who attended the event. Almost 6,000 people were yet to be located.

Another 1,500 attendees came from overseas. Five countries  Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and Brunei  have identified coronavirus infections in citizens who attended the gathering.

The mosque event, held before Muslim-majority Malaysia had announced any significant social distancing measures, has accelerated a second wave of infections across a closely connected Southeast Asian region that until now has managed to keep a lid on the epidemic.

Mosque leaders at first resisted the idea that the gathering was connected to the spread of the virus, with one official quoted as saying he didnt want the institutions name tied to all sorts of perceptions. Health officials also said for days that 5,000 Malaysians had attended the event, before raising the latest estimate to nearly three times that number.

At the time, Malaysians were still in a state of relative complacency about the need for social distancing, said Khor Swee Kheng, a Malaysian physician and public health specialist.

Story continues

No longer: Malaysia announced on Monday that it was closing its borders for two weeks, barring its citizens from traveling abroad and shuttering all religious institutions, government offices, schools and businesses. Organizers of the missionary gathering this week urged attendees to get screened.

Prime Minister Muhyiddini Yassin said drastic moves were needed to stop the virus spread.

The decision is expected to have immediate repercussions in neighboring Singapore, the wealthy city-state where hundreds of thousands of Malaysians work, many commuting across the border daily.

Vehicles line up to cross the causeway from southern Malaysia into Singapore on March 17 ahead of a ban on overseas travel announced by Malaysia to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Catherine Lai / AFP/Getty Images)

Singapore, which has won praise for managing its outbreak while avoiding the large-scale shutdowns seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, has recorded an uptick in cases in recent days. Most of the new infections are in residents who are believed to have been exposed to the virus while overseas, including at least five who were at the mosque event in Malaysia.

After Singaporean authorities traced the movements of the five infected people and found they had visited at least 10 mosques after they returned, the countrys Islamic Religious Council said it would suspend activities at all mosques for two weeks.

The Singaporean government this week ordered travelers returning from other Southeast Asian countries to isolate themselves at home for 14 days. Malaysia was exempted from the order due to the close economic ties between the countries, but officials said this week that they had not ruled out stricter measures.

The increasing number of cases from the religious meeting in Malaysia is a concern, but the control strategy remains the same, said Ooi Eng Eong, deputy director of the emerging infectious diseases program at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.

We will not be able to undo the transmission that has happened, but we can minimize the likelihood of new chains of transmission from forming.

The mosque event went relatively unnoticed until March 9, when a 53-year-old man tested positive for the coronavirus in his home country of Brunei. Authorities there said he had returned from Kuala Lumpur on March 3 and begun showing symptoms four days later  the first coronavirus case in the small, oil-rich nation on the island of Borneo.

By Tuesday, Brunei had recorded 54 cases, most linked to the Malaysian gathering.

Cambodia said that of 33 people infected, 22 had attended the mosque event.

Officials in Thailand said that two Thais who attended the event had tested positive for the coronavirus, but they were still searching for some of the 132 Thai participants. Provincial religious affairs committees have been urged to help locate attendees and get them to report to health authorities.

The spike in cases has spread worry across a region of tightly packed urban areas and limited medical infrastructure. As one of the more economically developed countries in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is seen to have better testing capacity than its regional neighbors.

It is inevitable that the number of cases in Malaysia will continue to rise, Khor said. However, with the range of movement restrictions announced by the government, complacency in Malaysian society could be broken, leading everyone to take the outbreak more seriously and adopt social distancing measures.




Inside Hook

Even before the novel coronavirus began spreading in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak, the global auto industry was already in a tough spot. It had experienced year-over-year sales slumps, and now COVID-19 is forcing factories to close around the world. But now, its also offering a rare glimmer of hope.

As the Detroit Free Press reports, a Honda car assembly factory in Wuhan has resumed production. The small return to daily life comes just a couple days after the New York Post reported that all 16 temporary hospitals in the city had been closed. So while Europe becomes the new epicenter of the pandemic, with the U.S. following close behind, the place where it all started seems to be getting back on its feet.
Two Italian nationals who tried to enter Ghana from the epicentre of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were prevented from entering Ghana Monday night, [March 16, 2020].



The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who disclosed this said: "Last night there were two Italians, who it was clear they were coming from the epicentre ...even though the aircraft was still in the air, we had to make arrangements at the airport to ensure that they did not get off the aircraft and they are returned to their originating destination."



"So though we are yet to hit the 1 pm timeline today [Tuesday, March 17, 2020], some soft enforcement has already commenced at our ports of entry," Mr Nkrumah said.



He said details of the travellers who were en route to Ghana on an Air France flight were confirmed which triggered the action to deny them entry.



On whether there would be a total ban on flights from the epicentre Mr Nkrumah said: "as the President said the guidelines that have been given are subject to review at any point in time. At this stage, this is what we believe is appropriate to do and this is how we are enforcing it at this stage."



As part of measures being taken by the government to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus disease in Ghana, the government has banned travellers who want to come to Ghana but have been to any country that has been affected by the disease (COVID-19) within the last 14 days.



The ban takes effect Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 1 pm.



Ghana has so far confirmed six cases of the Coronavirus disease.



As part of the travel advisory measures, the government has "strongly discouraged" travelling into Ghana until further notice.



A statement from the Ministry of Information on Sunday, March 15, 2020, however, said that Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghanaian residence permits would be allowed into Ghana but would be made to observe a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine.









Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The GM logo is seen at the General Motors plant in Sao Jose dos Campos

(Reuters) - General Motors Co <GM.N> and Ford Motor Co <F.N> said on Tuesday they each have had one employee, both working at U.S. engineering centers, test positive for coronavirus.

These are the first confirmed cases of coronavirus among the automakers' U.S. employees. GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV <FCHA.MI> are still operating their U.S. factories normally, while working with the United Auto Workers union to determine how best to keep thousands of hourly employees safe on assembly lines.

The two cases disclosed Tuesday involved workers at technical facilities.

GM said on Tuesday an employee at its Michigan technical center tested positive for coronavirus.

The Warren technical center in suburban Detroit houses about 20,000 employees. The employee who tested positive works at the Cole Engineering Center on the tech center campus north of Detroit.

GM said its medical team is working to speak with co-workers who may have had direct contact with the infected employee, and they will be told to self-quarantine for 14 days.

GM officials learned the employee had tested positive for the highly contagious COVID-19 respiratory illness on Monday, after the company had issued an order that salaried employees should work from home. Access to the Cole building was restricted, and the building was cleaned, GM spokesman Jim Cain said Tuesday.

The head of the UAW's GM department said in a statement the union is working with GM to inform any UAW members who should be in quarantine.

At Ford, the company said an employee working at a product development office in Dearborn, Michigan was exposed to coronavirus after leaving work several days ago, and was diagnosed before returning to work.

"This person wasn't at the workplace at that building or any other facility," Ford spokesman T.R. Reid said Tuesday.

(Reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru and Paul Lienert and Joe White in Detroit, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Berkrot and Chris Reese)
Horse racing in Britain is to be suspended from Wednesday due to the coronavirus outbreak, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.

Tuesday's decision comes a day after the BHA said the sport would continue behind closed doors, initially to the end of March, although April's Grand National was cancelled.

"As of tomorrow race meetings will cease up to the end of April," the BHA said in a statement on its website "The decision will be kept under constant review."



BHA chief executive Nick Rust described the COVID-19 crisis as "a national emergency, the like of which most of us have never seen before".

"We're a sport that is proud of its connection to rural communities and to the local businesses that support our industry," he said.

"But our first duty is to the health of the public, our customers and to racing industry participants and staff." The two meetings scheduled for Tuesday at Taunton and Wetherby are going ahead as planned behind closed doors.

Racing in Ireland continues behind closed doors.

There has been a criticism over the decision to go ahead with jump racing's four-day Cheltenham Festival last week, which attracted more than 250,000 spectators.

The authorities defended their decision at the time as they were following government advice.

Britain on Tuesday ramped up its response to the escalating coronavirus outbreak.

The government imposed unprecedented peacetime measures prompted by scientific advice that infections and deaths would spiral without drastic action. Rust said the coronavirus would hit the racing industry hard.

"There will be difficult months ahead for many of us," he said. "We need to focus now on ensuring that we can continue to look after our horses as the virus affects the thousands of participants and staff who dedicate their lives to caring for animals.

"We need to do what we can to support businesses inside and outside racing and the many people whose livelihoods depend upon this 4 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) industry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday suggested convening a special meeting of GST council to bring aviation turbine fuel (ATF) under the GST.

He also said that there will be zero tolerance on issues of flight security and noted that airlines had been given suggestions to deal with the impact of coronavirus.

Replying to debate on the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, in Lok Sabha, the minister agreed with members that airfares should be affordable but noted that airlines should also be viable.

The minister said several airline companies feel the strain and ATF comprises 40 per cent of operating cost.

He said with prices of crude down, it was time to get the states on board about bringing ATF under GST.

He said a special meeting of Goods and Services Tax council can be convened "to bring ATF under GST".

The minister urged states to delink ATF from petrol and diesel for bringing it under GST.

He said on issues of flight security there will be zero-tolerance. "Anyone who threatens physical security of aircraft deserves no consideration," he said.

The minister said that apart from domestic air travel taking a hit, IATA has estimated that there could be a loss of $63 billion to $ 113 billion on account of coronavirus.

He said India cannot be immune from the impact of the virus from an economic point of view.

The minister said domestic travel was down and airlines have given their suggestions including requesting oil companies to give 30-day credit.

The minister said while 700 aircraft were operational in the country, the benchmark is 2000 aircraft.

Referring to the privatisation of Air India as the "future of Maharaja", he said the airline was incurring a daily loss of Rs 26 crore and there was a huge debt.

He said the airline was in the "sentimental space" and added the government would not have liked to privatise it as a matter of choice.

Referring to the flight ban involving comedian Kunal Kamra being mentioned during the debate, the minister said there was a code of conduct to be followed. He said the incident may have gone unnoticed but the person put in on social media.

The Bill seeking to convert Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and two other existing bodies under the Civil Aviation Ministry into statutory bodies was passed by Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

It seeks to amend Aircraft Act, 1934.

The audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in 2012 and 2015 indicated a need to amend the Act to give proper recognition to the regulators, to enhance the maximum quantum of fines and to empower the departmental officers to impose financial penalties for violations of the legal provisions.

The Bill adds air navigation services to the list for which the Central government can make rules.

Apart from DGCA, two other bodies to get statutory status will be the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)




Cooking for people I love, creating deliciousness out of fresh ingredients, browsing through cookbooks for inspiration, perusing grocery shelves for choice items and writing about my expat life enriched by food. That's what I do here.



Leave me a comment or write me at foodlustpeoplelove [at] gmail [dot] com.
Mumbai, March 17 : Stocks of the crisis-hit Yes Bank have surged over 60 per cent, a day after Moody's upgraded its outlook for the bank and the Reserve Bank Governor assured that the bank's revival plan is credible bank and it may infuse more liquidity if required.

At 11 a.m., shares of Yes Bank were trading at Rs 60.65 per share, higher by Rs 23.55 or 63.48 per cent from its previous close.

Global rating agency Moody's on Monday upgraded Yes Bank's ratings and changed the lender's outlook to positive.

Moody's Investors Service upgraded the bank's long-term foreign currency issuer and foreign currency senior unsecured MTN programme ratings to Caa1 from Caa3 and (P)Caa1 from (P)Caa3 respectively, among other upgrades.

Further, speaking to the media on Monday, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das sought to assure the private bank's depositors that their hard-earned money is safe as the reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank as credible and sustainable.

He also said that the central bank will infuse additional liquidity into the private lender, if required, and urged depositors that there was no need to carry out panic withdrawals after the moratorium on the bank ends on Wednesday (March 18).

A total of seven private banks along with the State Bank of India have so far committed investments into the bank.

Investment by private banks has so far reached Rs 3,950 crore. Among the private players, ICICI Bank and Housing Development Finance Corporation committed Rs 1,000 crore each. Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank committed to invest Rs 600 crore and Rs 500 crore, respectively.

Both Federal Bank and Bandhan Bank have been allotted shares for Rs 300 crore each as per their commitment and IDFC First Bank has been issued equity shares in the crisis-ridden bank for a consideration of Rs 250 crore.

Further, SBI which would hold 49 per cent stake in the cash-strapped lender has been allotted 605 crore shares for Rs 6,050 crore.

The private sector bank had been put under a moratorium by the Reserve Bank of India since March 5 which has restricted deposit withdrawals up to Rs 50,000 per month. Under the terms of the notified scheme, this moratorium will now be lifted at 6 p.m. on March 18 and the bank will full-fledged operations thereon.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Gaza Strip has witnessed, since the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, a complete calm, especially in relation to Israel, as the launch of incendiary balloons and rockets into Israeli towns has ceased.

The tension along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel has persisted over several months amid mutual accusations related to the implementation of the truce recently reached under Egyptian auspices.

Since the beginning of 2020, the Gaza Strip has experienced repeated military escalations between the Palestinian resistance factions and Israel, the last and most dangerous of which took place Feb. 23, after the Israeli army killed an Islamic Jihad militant and dragged his body with a military bulldozer on the security fence in the town of Khuzaa, in southern Gaza.

In response to this incident, al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihads military arm, and other factions, launched approximately 60 rockets at Israeli towns. Israel then launched raids targeting militants and training fields in the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding Palestinians.

Yet, when the Higher National Commission for the Great Marches of Return and Breaking the Siege postponed its protests until March 30, Israeli towns witnessed the return of incendiary balloon and rocket launches from the Gaza Strip.

Israel has responded with airstrikes, the tightening of the blockade, limiting the fishing zone, banning exports and imports, and canceling trade permits.

But the tension has disappeared. Israel has not taken major and exceptional measures to ease the siege, and balloons and rockets have disappeared. Calm has returned to the scene.

Many changes had occurred, the most prominent being the spread of coronavirus, and the fear that it would spread in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

Political analyst Hani Habib told Al-Monitor, Coronavirus outbreaks and Israels preoccupation with it internally after recording dozens of cases inside [its territories], [explains] the fear of its arrival to Gaza and its spread among 2 million [people] in this narrow geographical area.

He added, The burdens that [Israel] will bear as an occupying power and being unable to shirk from its responsibility to provide assistance to the enclave makes the continuation of calm in the interest of both sides.

The Hamas government in Gaza has taken precautionary measures to prevent the arrival of the virus in the Gaza Strip  where no cases have been recorded so far  including the closure of schools and universities, and the suspension of various activities and gatherings.

Despite the confirmation of the Great Marches of Return commission that a mass demonstration will still take place on Land Day on March 30  the first protest since the commission's activities were suspended in early 2020  a source told Al-Monitor that it would probably be canceled. The reliable leadership source in the commission said the final decision would be made later this month, but it hinged on coronavirus developments.

Suhail al-Hindi, a member of Hamas political bureau, told Al-Monitor, The commissions leadership will evaluate the situation and advance the public interest over any other interest. What matters to us is the safety of our people.

On whether the resumption of mass marches on the border will lead to confrontation with Israel, Hindi said, We are looking forward to a national day with distinction, with the participation of hundreds of thousands, and to convey our message to the world that we are against the deal of the century [the US peace plan] and we are committed to our national principles, and we hope that it ends without any injuries or victims.

Several factions canceled field activities in the Gaza Strip in March as a result of coronavirus, and weekly activities in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons were canceled as well.

The Israeli Channel 13 announced March 13 that Israel has allowed, for the first time, the entry of about 200 testing kits to the Gaza Strip to detect the coronavirus.

Hamas did not respond to this news, but it came in conjunction with an announcement from the Ministry of Health in Gaza that the central laboratory in the Rimal Martyrs Center in Gaza is working around the clock to conduct laboratory tests for suspected cases of coronavirus.

Palestinian columnist Mustafa Ibrahim told Al-Monitor that the calm prevailing in Gaza today is mainly the result of understandings sponsored by Egypt and Qatar, and the spread of coronavirus has strengthened this calm because everyone is busy facing it and the unwillingness of either side to open other fronts.

Israel Today quoted what it described as senior officials in Gaza as saying that the visit of Palestinian representatives from Gaza to Cairo  following the recent round of fighting between Israel and the Islamic Jihad  contributed to the stability in southern Israel and strengthened efforts aimed at achieving a settlement in Gaza. The sources added that the coronavirus outbreak has also contributed to the calm.

According to the newspaper, Hamas and the armed factions in Gaza fear that should they launch rockets or incendiary balloons or provoke violent clashes at the border, Israel would take advantage of the global concern with the coronavirus outbreak to launch a wide-scale attack on Gaza and carry out targeted assassinations.

But Ibrahim suggested that Israel is not ready, with or without the coronavirus, to gamble with an uncertain war in Gaza, as long as it achieves what it wants calmly. He added that Israeli leaders are currently focusing on forming a new government after three failed attempts within one year.

Ibrahim al-Madhoun, a political analyst close to Hamas, agreed that the factions, Israel and the mediators are all keen to maintain calm on the Gaza front.

He told Al-Monitor that a war at this time has "complicated calculations, especially in light of the outbreak of the coronavirus, and Israel is not ready for hundreds of thousands of Israelis to sit in shelters, which contribute to the spread of the disease. He added that Hamas is also aware of the difficult reality of living in isolated Gaza, so calm is now in everyone's best interest.
In an effort to protect the safety and wellbeing of its community, Lancaster University Ghana will be suspending on-campus classes and activities from the 17th of March 2020. This is following the Ghanaian Governments recent mandate to all Education Institutions after six COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the country.

The community is advised to avoid gathering in large groups, and to observe prescribed social distancing and good personal hygiene. Students and staff are also advised to employ the basic protective measures advised by the WHO which includes washing hands frequently, covering the mouth and nose with tissue when coughing or sneezing, avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth, and maintaining at least a distance of 1 metre between themselves and anyone who is coughing, sneezing or has a fever.

Students will continue to be able to access Lancaster Universitys online library of resources, as well as keep in touch with their lecturers through Moodle. In addition to this, all student support services will be available online as well.

Professor Malcolm McIver, Provost of Lancaster University Ghana, stressed on LUGs commitment to providing the necessary support to the student and staff community during this time: Please be assured that LUG remains committed to providing all of our students with the best possible education and to that end alternative methods of delivery are currently being put in place to ensure that. Fortunately, we had anticipated the Governments decision, and thanks to the forward planning of our management team we are confident that we will continue to meet the learning needs of our students and safeguard their wellbeing.

Lancaster University Ghana is monitoring the situation and will communicate any further updates as necessary.

Whilst the university is closed, current students and parents who have any questions or queries can contact the Head of Student Affairs Department via email [email protected] . In addition, our October intake is still ongoing and interested prospective students and parents can call 0209 607 008 or email [email protected] to make an inquiry about studying at Lancaster University Ghana.

About Lancaster University Ghana:

Lancaster University Ghana (LUG) is a partnership between Lancaster University (LU) and Transnational Academic Group Ghana (TAG Ghana). For over 50 years Lancaster University has been providing World Class education to students across the world. Lancaster University holds top ten positions in all major UK league tables and a global league table position inside the top 150 of all universities world-wide. Transnational Academic Group (TAG) provides students across emerging markets access to top-ranked post-secondary and executive education. Over the last decade, TAG has successfully delivered programs in academic partnership with some of the worlds top ranked institutions, and has had over 2,000 graduates across Africa and the Middle East.

Lancaster University Ghana provides a world class degree in Ghana delivered by exceptional academic staff, with outstanding student support, scholarships, and a family friendly experience. LUG has a distinctive approach to education focusing on helping its graduates develop a creative approach to problem solving, an ethic of service, and the ability to meet any challenges that lie ahead of them. For further information visit https://lancaster.edu.gh/
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday that the Trump administration is discussing sending checks to Americans "immediately" to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Driving the news: Mnuchin, who has been working closely with bipartisan leadership on Capitol Hill to pass new legislation to provide coronavirus relief, announced a series of economic stimulus efforts at the White House designed to help small businesses, corporations and individuals.

What he's saying: "Americans need cash now," Mnuchin said. "And I mean now  in the next two weeks."

It's still unclear who would get money and how much, but Mnuchin indicated it would be aimed at those hurt most by the coronavirus outbreak.

"We don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks," Mnuchin said.

Some on Capitol Hill and liberal and conservative economists have called for direct government payments of $1,000 to every American adult. Mnuchin said the amount of each check "may be a little bit bigger than what's in the press."

Other highlights:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shipped a second supply of medical equipment to Iran as the Islamic Republic fights to contain its spreading coronavirus outbreak, which has so far killed more than 800 Iranians.

Providing life-saving assistance to those experiencing distress is essential to serving the common good, the UAEs Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy said in a statement. The leadership and people stand shoulder to shoulder with nations in their time of need.

The two aircraft, which took off from Abu Dhabi on March 16, were carrying 32 tons of medical supplies and equipment, including thousands of pairs of gloves, surgical masks and protective equipment, according to the UAE Foreign Ministry.

Provision of medical supplies is critical to curbing the spread of COVID-19, and the UAE is committed to doing all it can to stamp out the virus, both at home and around the Gulf region, Hend Al Otaiba, director of strategic communications at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, wrote on Twitter.

The flight is the second such humanitarian aid delivery from the UAE to Iran this month. In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 7.5 tons of medical supplies, as well as five WHO experts, to Iran on March 3.

On March 15, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Emirati counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan spoke on the phone about ways to contain the pandemic. The top Emerati diplomat affirmed the UAE's support to the Iranian people as they come through this crisis, according to a statement released by his office.

The coronavirus has killed more people in Iran than any other country outside China and Italy. The countrys Health Ministry confirmed some 14,000 Iranians are infected with the disease, and more than 850 people have died.

Irans neighbors are increasingly shutting their land and sea borders, further isolating the country, which had already been grappling with economic sanctions on oil and gas exports imposed by the United States. Tehran has blamed Washingtons "maximum pressure" campaign for limiting Irans ability to contain the disease.

Iran has called on other countries for their help in breaking US sanctions, which were imposed after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in 2018.

The US State Department says it has offered assistance to Iran, which the regime has rejected.

On Twitter, Seyed Abbas Mousavi, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, praised the UAE, as well as Uzbekistan and the United Nations children agency, UNICEF, for their recent deliveries of medical supplies.

My country is sincerely thankful for these humanitarian efforts and will never forget the way they stood with #Iran in hard times, Mousavi wrote Monday.
Around 255 Indian students are stuck at Kuala Lumpur Airport due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. All the students went to the Philippines for their further studies.

According to students, the Indian Authorities told them they cant go to India. Students said, "If our Indian government won't allow us to enter into our own country, then where should we go?"

Earlier on March 11, an Indian official statement said all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment, and project visas stand suspended till April 15. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13 at the port of departure.

Students added, "We are expecting the Indian government to take us back, we are not ready to go back to the Philippines, until the situation gets normal there. They should rescue us since the Malaysian airports are going to lock down from tomorrow."

Advocate Ram Dulal Manna, one of the student's father talked to Zee News and said, "From the last 18 hours about 255 students are stuck at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, all the students have tried their best and tweeted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Delhi."

He added, "They wanted to come back and sent mails but the Indian Authorities haven't yet replied to their emails."

Globally, around 1,86,665 people have been tested positive for the coronavirus.

(Inputs from Srabonti Shah)
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is in self-isolation after returning from the Caribbean and is advising residents to stay home as the city, province and country battle the global COVID-19 pandemic.

I am self-isolating out of an abundance of caution. I flew there and flew back. Peel Health doesnt think that there is any risk, said the mayor.

Im following the guidance and self-isolating.

Brown said he and his family flew to a Caribbean country, but flew right back. He has been in isolation for three days and is showing no symptoms.

The City of Brampton implemented new measures Monday ahead of the provinces emergency declaration on Tuesday shutting down all bars and restaurants outside of take-out and delivery.

Speaking with Toronto Public Health, we wanted to stay consistent. Were co-ordinating with the City of Toronto being adjacent boundaries. We felt with St. Patricks Day coming up that it was too big of a risk that there would be big crowds at bars, pubs and restaurants, said Brown.

They can stay open, people can get take-out. They can pick up or order delivery, they just cant eat inside, he said, adding businesses not following the closure order could face significant fines.

At the moment, the closure order hasnt been extended to all non-essential businesses.

At this point, we havent got to there. Obviously, were keeping pharmacies and grocery stores open, so people have access to supplies, Brown said.

While Brampton isnt under any quarantine orders of any kind, the mayor and city are advising residents to stay home as much as possible and only go out when necessary.

As much as possible, were asking everyone to stay in their homes, said the mayor. Right now, in the City of Brampton, weve shut down everything. On Friday, we decided to close all rec centres (and) city hall. Every worker that can work from home is working from home.

Graeme Frisque is a reporter for Mississauga News and Brampton Guardian. Reach him via email: gfrisque@metroland.com

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Many Lehigh Valley educators plan to send two weeks worth of classwork to students -- if they havent already -- after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all K-12 schools to shut down for 10 business days in an effort to thwart the spread of the coronavirus.

The state Department of Education Sunday released additional guidance for Pennsylvania schools about the instruction of students and operation of Pre-K Counts and Head Start supplemental programs during the COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Educational services include flexible instruction days for districts/schools with approved plans; online/digital learning opportunities; and non-digital learning opportunities, such as materials being sent to homes.

The decision to use one or more of the those methods, however, continues to be made on the local level of the districts based on feasibility, availability of resources, access and equity considerations, as well as the states social distancing recommendations. Local districts are required to provide full access to learning for all students, with particular attention to appropriate public education for students with disabilities and English as a second language services for English Learners, according to the state.

No school district will be penalized for not meeting the minimum 180-day/hours requirements as a result of COVID-19 response efforts, according to the state Department of Education. Students in the Lehigh Valley currently are scheduled to return back to school on Monday, March 30.

In Phillipsburg, district superintendent Gregory Troxell said the preparedness plan for the next two weeks includes online, digital, pen and paper instruction, project-based assignments and assessment packets. Staff are beginning to prepare up to two weeks worth of classwork. The lessons are developmentally appropriate and limit screen time for young children.

Assignments are being handed in for grading through such online platforms as Google classroom and in other cases, being saved for when students return to school.

Other school districts, such as Whitehall-Coplay, arent mandating any formal instruction, according to the districts website. Most, however, are encouraging students to at least keep up with their schoolwork.

The Easton Area School District is directing parents to online educational materials, a message on the website states. Students left behind all district-issued iPads in classrooms as a result of no formal instruction being required, it added.

Nevertheless, the district encourages students to seek independent learning opportunities, the memo states. District administrators are collating resources and materials that will support learning during the closure.

In a letter to parents Monday evening, Pen Argyl Area School District Superintendent W.M. Schlegel said individual school principals would be sending parents information on how to extend learning opportunities that could be enhanced through the use of the students Chrome books. Students who left Chrome books behind at school were being asked to fill out online surveys in order to retrieve them.

The Nazareth Area School District also isnt requiring formal alternative educational days. All assignments that were previously scheduled to be completed and submitted from Monday through March 27 are postponed to a later date, yet to be determined, said district Superintendent Dennis Riker.

However, he said students are being encouraged to continue in a learning mindset and review concepts and skills that are applicable to their course and grade-level work.

As the situation continues to evolve, we will reevaluate our position during this 10-day closure, Riker stated in a memo to parents on the districts website Monday afternoon. The district is prepared to provide educational opportunities for our students in the event of a school closure that extends beyond March 30, 2020.

The Bethlehem Area School District is treating the first 10-day closure like a snow day, said Jack Silva, chief academic officer and assistant superintendent. This means the district is not requiring assignments or graded work during the period.

"Teachers may share virtual content that reviews and reinforces skills and subjects students have already learned in class. We are not pressing forward on new stuff or graded stuff, Silva said. It is for minimizing learning loss for the 10 days.

Much of the enrichment work will be online, but the district recognizes a large chunk of its student body does not have internet access at home. So, printed worksheets and activities will be available at eight bagged meal pick-up locations the district plans to open Tuesday. If the closure extends beyond these two weeks, the district will contact families about more formalized instruction.

Teachers are using the closure time to ramp up their skills and online learning materials in recognition the closure could be longer, Silva said. He praised teachers and principals for their hard work and the concern theyre showing for students and families.

Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy also gave a video update to parents on Monday, echoing educational materials would be made available online and videos for parents also would be be available on ways to access the information.

"So please stick with us and bear with us as we try to convert from having kids come every day with their teachers to providing some learning experiences beyond (in-school instruction), Roy said.

Reporter Sara K. Satullo contributed to this report.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Park Hotel Group, a leading hospitality group in Asia Pacific, on Feb 25 announced that it has obtained a S$237 million green loan from United Overseas Bank (UOB) to re-finance Grand Park City Hall hotel, a property owned and managed by the Group.

Headquartered in Singapore, Park Hotel Group is one of Asia Pacifics leading hospitality companies. Established in 1961, Park Hotel Groups growing presence in the region today comprises of nearly 30 hotels and resorts operating or under development across 11 key destinations. With a focus on expanding across Asia Pacific and meeting the changing needs of travellers today, Park Hotel Group has a brand portfolio featuring its luxury Grand Park, its upscale Park Hotel and its midscale Destination, as well as Park Rewards, its dedicated loyalty programme that rewards guests, diners and corporate bookers.

The green loan, the first for Park Hotel Group, is the largest green loan obtained for any hotel property in Singapore from a single financial institution. UOB issued the loan under the UOB Real Estate Sustainable Finance Framework, the first such lending framework for the sector established by a Singapore bank.

Grand Park City Hall hotel

Image credit: Harshil Shah (no changes were made to original image)

In October 2019, UOB announced that it has extended its first green loans under its new UOB Real Estate Sustainable Finance Framework, the first lending framework for the sector established by a Singapore bank. The Bank developed its UOB Real Estate Sustainable Finance Framework specifically for companies that own or manage real estate assets, such as data centres, hotels, industrial and residential properties, offices, restaurants and retail spaces.

The financing framework sets out the eligibility criteria, including sustainability strategy, objectives, ratings and performance targets, for companies to meet when applying for green loans or sustainability-linked loans. This makes it easier for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often have limited resources, in particular to apply for sustainability-linked or green loans. Under the framework, UOB will record and monitor the borrowers management of loan proceeds, as well as track the sustainability metrics as agreed with the company.

Story continues

UOB is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. UOB is rated among the worlds top banks: Aa1 by Moodys and AA- by both Standard & Poors and Fitch Rating. In Asia, UOB operates through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as branches and representative offices across the region.

Grand Park City Hall hotel sought to incorporate sustainable and smart features in its refurbishment plans in 2017.

It received the Green Mark Platinum certification awarded by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the highest distinction in the green building rating system.

To minimise waste during construction, the Grand Park City Hall hotel retained 90 per cent of its building structure. It also reduced water and energy consumption and carbon emissions significantly by installing a number of features. These include a rainwater harvesting system, water- and energy-efficient fixtures, centralised chilled water system, high performance air-to-water heat pump and mechanical ventilation fans.

Mr Allen Law, Chief Executive Officer of Park Hotel Group, said, Acquiring the green loan from UOB points to our commitment to sustainability, a key pillar of our strategy to advance our triple bottom-line in positively impacting People, Profit and Planet. I am delighted that we share similar values with UOB, an esteemed partner that is working with us to make sustainability a key business priority and to join the global effort in building businesses that last.

Mr Leong Yung Chee, Head of Corporate Banking Singapore, UOB, said, In meeting our clients financial needs, green financing is one way we partner them to promote sustainable development. Our support of Park Hotel Group demonstrates our commitment to working with our clients to respect the environment in support of climate action.

UOB believes in being a responsible financial services provider and we are committed to making a difference in the lives of its stakeholders and in the communities in which they operate in.

Just as we are dedicated to helping our customers manage their finances wisely and to grow their businesses, UOB is steadfast in our support of social development, particularly in the areas of art, children and education.

The Grand Park City Hall hotel was named the Climate Action winner at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacifics Sustainable Hotel Awards last year for its innovative use of technology and the adoption of sustainable practices to combat climate change in line with the Paris Agreement and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13. In August 2019, the Grand Park City Hall hotel also received the Singapore Green Hotel Award, an accolade presented by the Singapore Hotel Association with the support of BCA, the National Environment Agency, Public Utilities Board and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Mr Paul Ho, chief mortgage officer at iCompareLoan, commenting on the green loan provided by UOB said, such loans are useful for clients, particularly SMEs in this sector, to help them develop sustainable buildings. By partnering banks such as UOB, such SMEs can create positive outcomes in their sustainability journey.

The green loan market aims to facilitate and support environmentally sustainable economic activity. The GLP have been developed by an experienced working party, consisting of representatives from leading financial institutions active in the syndicated loan market, with a view to promoting the development and integrity of the green loan product.

The post Grand Park City Hall hotel secures S$237m green loan from UOB appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
(Bloomberg) -- Serbia suspended all preparations for parliamentary elections scheduled for April 26 after imposing a state of emergency that effectively bans public activity to contain the coronavirus, the electoral commission said.

The vote will be delayed by at least a month, Blic newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information. President Aleksandar Vucic will meet representatives of political parties on Tuesday that are planning to take part.

Preparations for the ballot will resume after the state of emergency is lifted, the commission said.

Serbia has closed its borders to all foreigners but Chinese, shut schools and limited the hours of cafes and restaurants. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Monday the government may impose a curfew if citizens dont abide by an order to stay home. The state of emergency may last 90 days and can be extended to a maximum 180 days.

(Updates with report saying ballot to be postponed by at least a month in second paragraph.)

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Bhopal, March 17 : BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chaouhan said on Tuesday that rebel Congress MLAs lodged in Bengaluru have "openly" come out against the Kamal Nath government and that these MLAs have made it clear that they are not kept as captives in the Karnataka capital.

"The Congress MLAs' statements have nailed the Congress lie. These legislators are clearly against the present Nath government," Chaouhan said, adding "rather than diverting attention of the people, Kamal Nath should face the floor test in the Assembly." "By avoiding the floor test, the Congress government is only buying time," said Chaouhan.

He said the BJP MLAs have presented themselves physically before the Governor. "On the basis of the numbers, the Congress government has lost its majority, which only the floor test in the Assembly can bear out," said the BJP leader.
F ormer Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond says some allegations that he sexually assaulted women have been made up for a political purpose, a court heard today.

The politician, 65, insisted some of the claims against him were fabrications and other incidents had been exaggerated, as he took to the witness stand for the first time at his trial.

Salmond, who is accused of 13 charges of alleged sexual offences against nine women, told the High Court in Edinburgh this morning: I wish I had been more careful with peoples personal space, but there was no intention whatsoever to offend.

But Im of the opinion, for a variety of reasons, that events are being reinterpreted and exaggerated out of all possible proportion.

Asked to explain the allegations he faces, Salmond replied: Some - not all - are fabrications, deliberate fabrications for a political purpose. Some are exaggerations taken out of proportion.

Alex Salmond is giving evidence at his trial / PA

He told jurors he believes publicity of the criminal case for the last 18 months may have led some witnesses to quite innocently reassess their opinion.

At least one of the charges against me on the indictment, I think there was a legitimate grievance, even if it wasnt what actually happened and not what was presented at the time, he added.

Salmond is accused of a string of offences against women between 2008 and 2014, including at his official Bute House residence in Edinburgh while he was Scottish First Minister.

The trial has heard claims that a policy was brought in after a complaint in 2014, preventing female civil servants from being left along with the politician.

But Salmond told the court this morning: There was no policy like the one thats been described.

He said politicians and staff would be living out of each others pockets in the intense political environment, and suggested there could be a a blurring of the normal social professional boundaries.

Asked by Gordon Jackson QC if there were problems with female staff, Salmond replied: In general, no. There was an incident I was made aware of, but in general, no.

One woman has claimed Salmond stripped off his clothes and attempted to rape her during an alleged incident at his official residence.

Yesterday another woman likened the politician to an octopus, saying she had to fend off his advances after they looked together at a Christmas card depicting a couple kissing.

I think over the passage of time the incident is misremembered, Salmond said today. I did say: Lets recreate the Christmas card. It was a joke, it was hi-jinks, it was a piece of fun. It was not meant to be anything more than that.

She said, dont be daft, and we sat back down again.

Salmond, who has lodged special defences of consent and alibi, denies 13 charges of alleged sexual offences. He was cleared of one further charge this morning on the direction of the judge.

The trial continues.
Conroe Independent School District Superintendent Curtis Null informed the community in a Facebook live video announcement Monday evening the district will remain closed until at least April 10 amid coronavirus concerns.

The decision was made after speaking with local officials and Houston area school superintendents who are making the same announcement.

This is personal for me, Null said of having to make a decision about school closings. We love having school. We love having your children in school each day, and so anytime that we have to make decisions that change that its heartbreaking for us and we understand all of the ramifications that are associated with that.

Null told his audience that the school closure plan changed this afternoon after conversations with local government and health care officials and a conference call with the superintendents of all the schools in the Greater Houston area.

New Caney ISD, Splendora ISD, and Willis ISD have announced that they will also be closed through April 10.

The goal, Null said, is to return to school on April 13, the Monday after Easter. But local and school leaders will meet again on April 6 to determine if that is the best course of action or if they should extend the closure further.

It was not my intention to have breaking news tonight, he said, promising more information through Facebook Live in the coming weeks, for both parents and students.

The plan to continue students education while schools are closed is still in the works but Null said that parents should be watching out for information from their schools by Thursday for more details.

We want learning for our students to continue and thats a non-negotiable for us, Null said. How we will do that, thats a challenge.

Continuing education

The education students will receive during this time will take many different shapes and forms, Null said, depending on factors like grade level and access to the internet. The district is aware that not all students have access to the internet at home and will be working with those families to make the necessary accommodations.

My pledge to you is that we are going to make sure that every student in Conroe ISD has equal access to the learning opportunities, Null said.

He urged community members to have patience with CISD while its teachers transfer their curriculum to an online format, something they were not prepared to do when they originally created their lessons. Foundational curriculum components will be the focus, and students who receive special education services will continue to receive those services though they may look very different.

He told employees that he will be asking the board at its regular meeting on March 17 to authorize the continuation of employee payments through the closure so that employees dont have to worry about being paid during the closing.

The food distributions from the district will continue while schools are closed and updated schedules will be sent out. Null said they do not want to have to send people to the pick-up sites every day if they can avoid it. He is proud of the community for the flood of volunteers for the distribution, but he urges people not to show up to volunteer unless they have been invited.

Impacting seniors

To the class of 2020, Null said he understands how much this is impacting their senior year. He hopes that by making this move the district can help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community and that the events they were looking forward to  like prom and graduation  can continue.

I cant make promises today about proms or graduation, but what I heard from our health care experts in our community, is if we didnt do something now to try to stop this there was no doubt that we would have no proms and no graduations this year because of this virus, Null said.

Governor Greg Abbott has waived STAAR testing requirements this year but viewers were still concerned about AP tests. Null told AP students that the district does not control testing for AP testing, but assured them that the district was in contact with the College Board, the governing body, and is waiting on their guidance about possibly rescheduling the tests.

At this time, the last day of school has not changed, and next years calendar is not changing. It is not expected that the district will have to make up these days at the end of the year, Null said, according to the indications he has been given from the Texas Education Agency. But, this could still change.

We know that when we close schools it can be a burden on parents and a burden on the economy, we understand that well, Null said. But when I receive information as the superintendent of schools, from the county judge and from our health care experts, that tell us that closing schools is what can keep our community safe, and they urge us to do that, I can assure you that any of you in my seat would make the same decision.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
Earlier, we had reported that a case has been filed against the supporters of Rajith Kumar, who had violated the instructions of the health department amid the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as per reports, it has been confirmed that the professor has been taken into custody by the Kerala Police. After his recent exit from Bigg Boss Malayalam, the fans were eagerly waiting to see the popular contestant at the Cochin International Airport premises.

Later, Ernakulam Collector, S Suhas had posted on his Facebook account that a case has been registered against 4 known and 75 unknown persons who were gathered at the airport and had apparently violated the instructions proclaimed by the health department in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.Also, known for his misogynistic remark, Rajith Kumar was suspended in the 10th week of the second season of Bigg Boss Malayalam.

Bigg Boss Malayalam 2 Vote: Save Your Favourite Contestant Nominated In Week 11!
17.03.2020 LISTEN

A renowned International Evangelist, Dr Lawrence Tetteh, on Monday pleaded with President Akufo-Addo and the Coronavirus Task Force to review their stand on religious gathering.

He admitted that although the world, including Ghana, was facing a dire situation due to the fast spreading COVID-19 infection across nations, the role of religious institutions, such as churches and mosques, were very crucial in providing psychological and physical solace, reassurance and education to their congregation in times like this.

Dr Tetteh indicated that with majority of Ghanaians being religious, it would be easier to relay information and education on the COVID-19, which had currently been declared a pandemic, to help stop its spread.

People can easily be corrected from the pulpit, and we can look at that as an effective channel of communicating the preventive guidelines to our members to educate them and also help to stop the spread of the COVID-19 infection, he said.

Dr Tetteh, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, stated that in as much as the Government had a constitutional responsibility to protect the citizenry, the present situation required a holistic approach and a massive united front with divergent stakeholders including religious leaders, who could effectively sensitise their followers.

He, however, commended President Akufo-Addo and the COVID-19 Task Force for the swift action to shut down the operations of some sectors of the economy, and for instituting strict travel measures to help contain the spread of infections within the country.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was a serious global health issue that required in-depth knowledge and the effective dissemination of clear information to populations for counselling, protection, and prevention.

While observing that a Bible prophecy identified pestilence as a notable feature of the 'end times,' Dr Tetteh quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14, to assure believers of the Gospel of God's promise of saving them from such calamities.

In times like this fear and over anxiety could lead to a surge in infections, hence the need to for the Government to strengthen its partnership with religious institutions and their leadership in the strategies to properly inform and sensitise their members, he said.

Dr Tetteh noted that the pandemic required both spiritual and scientific analysis and, as highlighted by the President in his address to the nation, the situation must be devoid of all selfish interests by individuals or groups, to ensure a unified country.

He advised religious leaders to learn to be broad-minded and be well informed about the COVID-19 and the emerging issues, and avoid over spiritualising the situation, or taking undue advantage of their members.

The Evangelist said religious institutions must learn how to do things differently; for instance desisting from the laying of hands on congregants and taking social distancing seriously by minimising the number and meeting times.

It was very important to promote the various hygiene etiquettes regarding coughing, sneezing and handshakes, he said, and called on all to frequently wash hands with soap under running water or use alcohol-based had rubs, among the other prescribed methods, for prevention.

---GNA
President Donald Trump released new guidelines on Monday that include closing schools and limits gatherings of more than 10 people to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

Coronavirus cases in the United States continue to swell and many remained undetected. Infectious diseases experts believed that for every one person positive for COVID-19, around five to 10 people are walking around the community undetected.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy together with the task force members said that the recommendation for strict guidelines will help slow down the spread of the virus. It is expected to take place in place in 15 days.

In a recently published article, Trump said: "It seems to me if we do a really good job, we'll not only hold the death down to a level that's much lower than the other way had we not done a good job, but people are talking about July, August."

READ: 17-Year Old Develops Website That Allows You to Track COVID-19 Cases in Real Time

The president also mentioned that if everyone makes this change by following the guidelines and make some sacrifices by staying at home and avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people, he believes that the country will defeat the virus, which will later on call for a big celebration.

Moreover, Pres. Trump also told a group of governors that they should try to get their own ventilators and not wait for the federal government to fill the growing demand of the respirators that are needed to diagnose people who are potentially carrying the virus.

Meanwhile, the announcement of the President surprised some governors who are looking for help from the federal government in terms of equipment, personnel, and financial aid to detect the virus and contain the pandemic COVID-19.

ALSO READ: Plot Twist! Mexico Wants to Close the Border

Dr. Fauci also asserted during the briefing with the governors that there are some terms in the guidelines which may seem to be inconvenient. However, he believed that this would help stop the virus. Some commented that the government is overreacting but Dr. Fauci said that this was not an overreaction.

Dr. Fauci said: "I say it over and over again: When you're dealing with an emerging infectious disease outbreak, you are always behind where you think you are."

Trump also clarified that there will be no national lockdown following the rumors that the same will happen as what Spain and Italy did.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also calling to stop mass gatherings of more than 50 people, cancellation of air flights, and shutting down of places like bars, restaurants, stores, libraries, and museums.

READ MORE: Google CEO Apologizes to President Trump

If the strict guidelines of Trump's administration to combat COVID-19 will not be followed, there is no doubt that the problem will get worse. There are more than 4,000 individuals who were tested positive for coronavirus and that is out of the few Americans who were tested until today.

Moreover, U.S. health officials ordered millions in six counties in the Bay Area to stay at home. These counties include Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. Berkeley City also issued the same order.

The strict guidelines were set to help slow down the spread of the pandemic COVID-19 and to protect the most vulnerable group, those who have respiratory and chronic illnesses and the elderly, against the virus. According to an epidemiologist at Colombia University Jeffrey Shaman that in every 3,500 confirmed cases in the United States 3,500 individuals are potentially carrying the virus that remained undetected.

American policymakers have now begun taking more aggressive measures to slow down the transition like canceling events and closing restaurants to control COVID-19.





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ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NATSO, representing the travel plaza and truckstop industry, issued the following statement today confirming that its members remain open and continue to serve the professional drivers who are transporting supplies and goods in support of COVID-19 emergency relief.

Travel centers and truckstops across the United States continue to provide food, fuel and the other essential amenities needed by professional drivers, including showers.

"Truck drivers are depending on truckstops and travel centers as they deliver food and life-saving supplies. Our members are committed to doing their part during the nation's response to this emergency," said NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings. "As the nation confronts the coronavirus outbreak, the country's travel centers and truckstops are committed to remaining open and serving America's drivers. Fuel retailers are 'essential' businesses that must remain open even if other 'nonessential' businesses are forced to close."

Travel centers are well-positioned to serve the nation's hard-working, professional drivers during this critical time.

Although some states have ordered the closing of sit-down restaurants, travel plazas and truckstops offer many food options, including quick-serve food and healthy grab-and-go options. Even where restaurants are prohibited from offering sit-down table service, travel centers are converting those restaurants to allow for take-out options.

"In these difficult times it is essential that the American people can count on the nation's professional truck drivers to continue delivering food and other essential products to communities throughout the country," Mullings said. "The truckstop and travel center industry is committed to continuing to play the important role of feeding and fueling truck drivers."

Founded in 1960, NATSO represents the industry on legislative and regulatory matters; serves as the official source of information on the diverse travel plaza and truckstop industry; provides education to its members; conducts an annual convention and trade show; and supports efforts to generally improve the business climate in which its members operate.

Contact: Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman

703-739-8578

SOURCE NATSO, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.natso.com


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The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will suspend Mass indefinitely amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, following days of civic leaders urging people to stay home and away from each other.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said the suspension would begin Wednesday, but churches would remain open for "individual and private prayer."

He also recommended that priests offer confessions in more places other than small confessional booths, which could bring two people closer than what health officials recommend.

Weddings can also go on, but only the rite and with only 10 people in attendance -- including the pastor, DiNardo continued.

Pastors were first to deliver the news Tuesday afternoon to their parishioners. At Saint Helen Catholic Church, Rev. Jim Courville, said in a message to that he met with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and the rest of the presbyteral council to prepare how the church leaders would handle the cancellation of events.

Courville ended his note by telling the Catholic faithful to wash their hands.

His note also mentioned that more churches would seek out how to live stream Mass, while some churches had already done so for parishioners to watch from home.

On Sunday, despite the urging from local officials to practice social distancing, parishioners at the Catholic Charismatic Center in Eastwood could be seen holding hands and allowing ushers to place wafers onto the tongues of worshipers. On the evening before, photos showed DiNardo, 70, posing shoulder-to-shoulder with dozens of people following a confirmation ceremony at Saint Francis Cabrini Catholic Church.

The local move follows a decision by the Archdiocese of San Antonio over the weekend to suspend Mass there.

On Friday, the archdiocese said it would exempt churchgoers who did not wish to attend Mass, and asked people who are elderly, have compromised immune systems or are ill to stay home.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect additional supermarket chains across the Lehigh Valley joining the effort.

Many Lehigh Valley stores are adjusting their hours to accommodate senior citizens, pregnant women and patients who are high-risk in an effort to curb coronavirus exposure.

Starting Tuesday, Dollar Generals corporate office was encouraging all stores to designate the first hour of operations for just senior citizens to shop. The timing allows the more at-risk customers to shop at the beginning of the day to avoid crowds.

Some Lehigh Valley locations include: 859 Nazareth Pike, Lower Nazareth Township; 1866 Catasauqua Road, Hanover Township, Lehigh County; 432 Blue Valley Dr., Washington Township (Bangor); 440 Main St., Walnutport; 2106 Union Boulevard, Allentown; 1720 Butler St., Wilson Borough; and 3308 Church St., Washington Township, Lehigh County.

More than ever, its important we come together as a community to serve those in need, including advocating for our seniors. Beginning 3/19, all Stop & Shop stores will open earlier from 6:00AM-7:30AM daily to serve customers who are age 60 and over only. https://t.co/qmZhPUnlpJ  Stop & Shop (@StopandShop) March 16, 2020

Target is reserving the first hour of shopping just on Wednesdays to support vulnerable guests, including the elderly and those with underlying health concerns. There are Lehigh Valley locations at 3835 Dryland Way, Lower Nazareth Township; 912 Airport Center Drive, Hanover Township, Lehigh County; 1600 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., South Whitehall Township; 749 N. Krocks Road, Lower Macungie Township; and 1204 New Brunswick Ave., Greenwich Township.

Stop & Shop along Route 22 in the Phillipsburg area is doing the same and including pregnant women and patrons who are immunocompromised in the effort, said spokeswoman Stefanie Shuman.

The grocery chain this past Thursday announced it would be reserving 90 minutes for patrons age 60 and over each morning. Seniors can shop exclusively from 6 to 7:30 a.m. throughout the week. A memo to customers from President Gordon Reid states seniors will be allowed to enter before any other customers. This will allow for a less crowded environment in which it is more feasible to practice social distancing, Reid stated.

The store will not be requiring identification, but Reid said employees reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are not a member of this age group.

Redners Markets on Wednesday announced it also is asking from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily be reserved exclusively for those who are at the highest risk for contracting Covid-19. This includes the elderly, immune-compromised, those considered high health risk and women who are pregnant.

While we will not be asking for any personal identification or proof we will ask that other guests and communities respect this decision and be courteous to this request by allowing our most vulnerable to shop our stores when first opened, stocked and sanitized, said Ryan S. Redner, the chains president and CEO.

Redners Market locations include: 3745 Nicholas St., Palmer Township; 1201 Airport Road, Allentown; 2180 MacArthur Road, Whitehall; 2300 Lehigh St., Allentown; 101 Held Drive, Northampton Borough; and these convenience stores: 135 Airport Road, Allentown, and 33 W. 21st St., Northampton Borough.

Giant Food Stores Tuesday evening announced it also would be opening its stores from 6 to 7 a.m. daily for customers exclusively who are age 60 and older. Some Lehigh Valley locations include 801 S. 25th St., Palmer Township; 2918 Easton Ave., Bethlehem Township; 2174 W. Union Boulevard, Bethlehem; 301 Town Centre Blvd., Forks Township; 1880 Leithsville Road in Hellertown; 801 S. 25th St., Wilson; 859 Nazareth Pike, Lower Nazareth Township; 301 Town Center Boulevard, Forks Township; 2641 MacArthur Road, Whitehall; 202 Chestnut St, Coplay; 216 E Fairmont St., Coopersburg; 3015 West Emmaus Ave., Allentown area; and 3070 Tilghman St., Allentown area.

Kings Food Market at 531 Route 22 in nearby Readington, Hunterdon County also is on board.

From 7 to 8 a.m. starting Tuesday, all senior citizens, pregnant women and high-risk patients are able to exclusively shop the chains 25 stores across New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island, New York. Kings Food Market spokeswoman Kimberly Yorio said the decision came following a morning leadership meeting among the chains task force.

Our No. 1 issues include how can we protect our customers and associates, Yorio said. "Its critical that we take care of our people and our community. One of our leaders on the task force asked, Can we do this at this time? and the answer was a resounding, Yes. "

Positive feedback on the effort is mounting. Kings patrons filled the chains social media platforms with more than 900 comments in support by Tuesday afternoon.

yessssss Kings yesssssss. Made me cry in such a good way, posted Jennifer Dean.

My favorite grocery for years....now more than ever. We will remember this decision, posted Sue Turner Leloia.

Good for you you are doing the right thing, posted Eleanora Scully.

Yorio said the hour will be designated for these customers into the foreseeable future. Its also based on the honor system.

We are asking shoppers who do not fall with in a high risk group to shop later in the day, she said.

While these chains are some of the first across the United States to implement the altered hours, it has become the new normal in Australia. Some of the nations biggest chains in Australia are allowing the elderly to shop between 7 to 8 a.m. and several local stores are implementing similar measures, according to various published reports.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Photo: skys the limit2/Flickr

Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Dallas. Dallas ISD decides to close schools indefinitely Read the full story on nbcdfw.com. Bullion will pay its employees to perform community service during coronavirus pandemic Read the full story on Eater Dallas. Dallas bars, theaters, gyms closed; restaurants limited, due to COVID-19 pandemic Read the full story on CBS DFW. Hit-and-run kills man on scooter in Old East Dallas Read the full story on Advocate. 2 men found shot to death in South Dallas, Old East Dallas, police say Read the full story on Dallas Morning News. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

School districts across North Texas will close "indefinitely" as part of the effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, they announced Monday.



The ritzy French restaurant is also temporarily eliminating lunch service and will only open for dinner two nights a week.

In what Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is calling a "gut-wrenching decision," all bars, lounges, theaters and clubs will close for at least seven days, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A man driving a scooter died and another person was injured Saturday night in a hit-and-run collision in Old East Dallas, police said.
Amazon India has said it is working extensively with seller partners to ensure product availability, and bringing on the additional capacity for delivery, after stocks ran out on some popular items, especially in the household staples category

New Delhi: Amazon India has said it is working extensively with seller partners to ensure product availability, and bringing on the additional capacity for delivery, after stocks ran out on some popular items, especially in the household staples category.

With coronavirus fears prompting more and more people to shop online, the company said it is working to ensure that prices are not artificially raised on basic need products during the pandemic and has blocked or removed tens of thousands of items, in line with its policy in this regard.

Summing up actions Amazon India has taken to minimise the spread of the coronavirus while supporting those directly and indirectly impacted by the global pandemic, the company in a blog on Monday said it has recently seen an increase in people shopping online, which, in the short term, is having an impact on how it serves customers.

"In particular, you will notice that we are currently out of stock on some popular brands and items, especially in household staples categories. You will also notice that some of our delivery promises are longer than usual.

"We are working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on the additional capacity to deliver all of your orders," it said, providing an update as on 14 March.

"We're also working to ensure that no one artificially raises prices on basic need products during this pandemic and have blocked or removed tens of thousands of items, in line with our long-standing policy," it added.

The company said it is actively monitoring the store and removes offers that violate its policy.

"We continue to work closely with authorities in India and worldwide to ensure that we are taking the right precautions and have implemented a series of preventative health measures for employees," it said.

The company has also recommended that global employees work from home, for roles where such arrangements are possible.

"In light of ongoing international COVID-19 developments, we now recommend that all global employees who work in a role that can be done from home, do so through the end of March. Every team is different and not all jobs are conducive to working from home," it said.

Employees and partners whose work requires physical presence in their workplace, have access to their usual paid and unpaid time-off benefits, it added.

"All Amazon employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed into quarantine will receive up to two weeks of pay. This additional pay while away from work is to ensure employees have the time they need to return to good health without the worry of lost income. This is in addition to unlimited unpaid time off for all hourly employees through the end of March," it said.

The company is also working closely with public and private medical experts to ensure it is taking requisite precautions for associates, delivery and transportation partners at its sites.

"We have paused visitor entry into our fulfilment centers and have increased the frequency and intensity of cleaning at all operations sites across India. All our associates are required to stay home and seek medical attention if they are feeling unwell," it said citing some of the measures in this regard.
Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz declared a citywide state of emergency on Monday over growing fears about the coronavirus pandemic.

Public schools in the community remain closed. Gatherings are limited to 25 people, and consumption of food or drinks at bars or restaurants is prohibited. Northampton executive branch board, committee and commission meetings, excluding governmental or regulatory bodies, are also canceled during the state of emergency, according to a statement from the mayors office.

Municipal buildings and facilities remain closed to the public and will begin operating with reduced staffing to provide emergency and essential services only, the statement said. Non-emergency personnel will work remotely to the extent possible to minimize potential COVID-19 exposure and transmission.

The announcement follows public health orders issued by Gov. Charlie Baker on Sunday that sought to limit the spread of the respiratory infection, named COVID-19. As of Monday, 197 cases of the disease have been reported in the state. None were in Hampshire County, where Northampton is located, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Narkewiczs declaration comes as financial concerns mount for some businesses in the city due to the virus. Classes and public events in the community were previously canceled as well.

The mayor on Monday also urged people to practice social distancing as much as possible.

THIS IS NOT A SNOW DAY, Narkewiczs statement said. Individuals and families should restrict social interactions such as child play dates, parties, and other social gatherings with the goal of limiting contact that could potentially spread the disease.

Residents in Northampton can visit the citys website to get updates on the virus.

Related Content:
While the world is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, one Austin-based virtual incubator is amping up efforts to use technology to confront infectious disease threats.

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Dr. Andrew Nerlinger and his wife, Dr. Lisa McDonald, launched PandemicTech in 2016. Its main goal has been to explore how the private sector and innovation community can take a different approach to preventing pandemics, instead of relying only on the government.

Little did they know how timely and useful their efforts would be as the spread of COVID-19 has officially reached pandemic levels.

Nerlinger is also a venture partner with Bill Wood Ventures, which was founded by prominent venture capitalist Bill Wood. Wood was a founding partner at the now defunct Austin Ventures and also founded Silverton Partners. McDonald is also director of health care at Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), the startup incubator of the The University of Texas at Austin.

Wood got involved with PandemicTech in April 2018, and is now one of its primary funders along with the Houston-based Laura and John Arnolds family office, Centaurus Advisors.

When Andrew told me about PandemicTech, it just looked really interesting as a way for me to apply some of my background in technology and entrepreneurship to help solve some really big global problems such as infectious diseases, Wood told Crunchbase News.

WHO partnership

Since its inception, PandemicTech has issued grants and made investments in projects in Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Australia and Mexico. It recently launched The PandemicTech Innovation Fellowship 2020  a $100,000 innovation challenge focused on global health security. Its also formed a partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr. Moredreck Chibi, regional adviser on innovation for WHOs Regional Office of Africa, said he engaged PandemicTech and the Austin community to support the inaugural WHO Innovation Challenge that was launched in October 2018.

Story continues

PandemicTech offered the WHO amazing support on the evaluation of more than 2,400 applications, Chibi wrote via email.

We continue to work with PandemicTech on supporting the selected innovators to further develop their innovations for transition to scale, he said. This has been one of the most productive and fulfilling partnerships WHO AFRO had in complementing its effort towards scaling appropriate innovations fit for the African context.

Lack of investment and innovation

Wood believes organizations that traditionally attack infectious disease threats are not really built for innovation, and the use of technology.

When you get plugged into global health, you realize the profound needs that are not being met, Wood added. You start to realize how dramatically unprepared we are. And now, when something like this [COVID-19] happens, the evidence is really clear that there has been an enormous lack of investment and innovation in this space.

McDonald agrees.

The fundamental push behind PandemicTech was about preparing in advance for situations such as the Coraonavirus pandemic.

Its very interesting to see that sort of reaction in the moment or retrospectively, she told Crunchbase News. And that supports the fundamental thesis behind what weve done.

Current efforts

From a humanitarian perspective, the WHO has launched its COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, according to Nerlinger.

But he said it will also be critical for the private sector to support local economies, particularly those left without a source of income, while still following public health guidelines.

The private sector can also drive the uptake of technologies like telemedicine that can both improve access to medical care and support the call for social distancing, Nerlinger said.

PandemicTech is also observing that many companies, even early-stage startups, are working on technologies that could be used to support our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We encourage these companies to seek partnerships that help adapt technologies to fighting COVID-19, particularly with promising technologies like telemedicine, and for investors to support these innovative efforts, Nerlinger said.

Beyond its goal of identifying promising applicants for its fellowship program, PandemicTech is looking for experienced mentors across sectors to join its advisory network. Its also interested in partnering with investors or other funding organizations to support early-stage innovation in the fight against pandemics.

Blog Roll Illustration: Li-Anne Dias
See full coverage of the coronavirus and schools here

Leading Democrats on congressional education committees have introduced an emergency aid package to help K-12 schools and colleges and universities deal with the spread of the coronavirus, which has triggered a mass closure of schools across the country.

The Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act would provide $1.2 billion in mandatory funding to support K-12 and higher education institutions as they do everything from clean facilities and provide meals, to plan for extended school closure and provide mental health resources and support. Early-childhood education programs would also receive $600 million in the legislation for similar purposes.

The legislation would also direct money to students impacted by university and college closures, as well as $3 million to aid children and families through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (which was created by Congress to help researchers and front-line providers help children and families who have experienced trauma). In total, the bill would provide $3 billion in new federal funding.

The coronavirus has upended K-12 educationmost states by now have shut down their schools, and educators have rushed to try to ensure online learning opportunities are available where possible. But its not clear when or if this education-focused coronavirus bill will advance.

See: Education Weeks Map of Coronavirus and School Closures

Although the House passed a coronavirus aid bill late last week that included provisions for student access to school meals and job protections for government employees like teachers, the proposal has been the subject of ongoing wrangling and could face significant opposition in the Senate, which could take up this broad bill this week. And President Donald Trump announced his support for a sweeping economic stimulus plan to stem COVID-19s impact, which could also dominate proceedings in Congress in the near future.

For perspective on the scale of the aid proposal: Title I funding for disadvantaged students, the single largest federal program that provides funding for public schools, currently gets about $16.3 billion.

Sponsors of the Senate version of the bill include Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate education committee. Murray announced the legislation on March 13 and said it was also sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the chairman of the House education committee, announced he was sponsoring companion House legislation on March 16.

School closures are jeopardizing access to basic essentials for millions of young people and students across the country, often leaving families without many options, Scott said in a statement about the bill. The Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act is a strong response that provides schools and students the support they need as we confront this public health emergency.

You can read a fact sheet about the The Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act here:

Photo: Servepro employee Joseph Felks cleans chairs and other items at Joyner Elementary School in Tupelo, Miss., March 11, as the Tupelo Public School District conducts a cleaning of all campuses to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus while the students are on spring break. --Thomas Wells/The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal via AP

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Whataburger announced that it will shift its business away from eating in and move to drive-thru only as the coronavirus pandemic continues, according to a release.

The restaurant expects to temporarily close all dining rooms by 3 p.m. Tuesday. But Whataburger's full menu will still be available at the drive-thru window.
Ajit Singh, MD

Dr. Singh is a board-certified internist since 2003 whose range of expertise includes medical and geriatric care. He is currently serving patients in Broward County and Palm Beach County, Florida.

Established in 2007, AIM Healthcare is a physician-owned medical practice dedicated to providing compassionate health care and outstanding service to its patients. The practice is actively engaged in shaping, controlling, and monitoring the quality of ones health through a variety of efforts. There, Dr. Singh cares for the medical needs of adult patients, including screening, acute and chronic illnesses, disease prevention, patient education, and follow-up care after hospitalization.

Professionally, he is affiliated with the Broward Health system, including Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, Florida & North West Hospital in Margate/Coconut Creek, Florida.

Throughout his academic career for the last 20 years, Dr. Singh earned his medical degree from Rural Medical College - Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences University in India. Upon relocating to the United States, he completed a three-year residency program in internal medicine at New York- Methodist Hospital and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York City, New York.

Thereafter, he became board-certified in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, intense certification exam to be taken by doctors every 10 years who want to achieve the best standards of care and keep themselves up to date in diverse healthcare challenges.

Internal medicine or general medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They manage and prevent common and complex diseases by providing comprehensive care and promoting overall wellbeing.

Passionate about academics, Dr. Singh dedicates his time teaching and training medical students and advanced registered nurse practitioners from all over the United States who come for clinical rotation/ internship to his office.

He provides medical services to the indigent population at Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Moreover, he is affiliated with geriatric centers, including assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities, locally in South Florida.

On a more personal note, Dr. Singh has been married for 23 years. His wife is an elementary school together. They have two children who are currently in college.

Learn More about Dr. Ajit Singh:

Through his findatopdoc profile, https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/1819519-Ajit-Singh-Internist or through AIM Healthcare, http://www.aimhc.com/.

About FindaTopDoc.com

FindaTopDoc is a digital health information company that helps connect patients with local physicians and specialists who accept your insurance. Our goal is to help guide you on your journey towards optimal health by providing you with the know how to make informed decisions for you and your family.
A judge has been shot and critically wounded outside a courthouse in Mississippi, police said.

Chancery Judge Charlie Smith was shot Monday morning in the parking lot outside the Lauderdale County Courthouse in downtown Meridian, WTOK-TV reported.

Smith was getting out of his truck to go inside the courthouse when the gunfire happened, Meridian Police Lt. Rita Jack said.

Chancery Judge Charlie Smith was shot Monday morning in the parking lot outside the Lauderdale County Courthouse in downtown Meridian

Investigators had no immediate suspect or description of a vehicle which might have been involved, Jack told The Meridian Star.

Police planned to review surveillance video of the area.

The judge was taken to a hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound near his abdomen. Police believe one shot was fired, Jack said.

'We are working with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office to get video surveillance and we're hoping to get a break soon in this case,' said Jack.

At a meeting later Monday, Chancery Judge Larry Primeaux said Smith had emerged from surgery and was expected to be transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

Police block off streets following the shooting of Lauderdale County Chancery Court Judge Charles Smith outside the Lauderdale County Courthouse, in Meridian, Mississippi

Chancery Judge Charlie Smith underwent surgery in a Meridian hospital Monday morning and was later transported to a Jackson hospital where he was reportedly in stable condition

'Judge Smith is a decent, fair person and he certainly did not deserve this,' said Primeaux, who has known Smith for decades.

'It's simply a tragedy and it's something we can't tolerate in this society, and we really do need to look at what proper security should be for judges and other personnel at the courthouse in Lauderdale County.'

Smith's district includes Lauderdale and Clarke counties.

Among subjects that chancery judges in Mississippi handle are divorces, child custody cases, adoptions and guardianships.

Smith became a judge in January 2019 after more than 20 years as a youth court and county court prosecutor.

Lewis Robbins, the interim chief of the Meridian Police Department, right, speaks with officers at the scene of the shooting
Many people thought Regina Phelps, a crisis management consultant, was "crazy" when she added pandemic planning to her company's list of services in the late 1990s. "Then in 2006, when the avian influenza [H5N1 outbreak] really picked up, it was like, 'oh, my gosh, they're so brilliant,'" Phelps tells CNBC Make It. (The so-called bird flu infected at least 800 people from 2003 to 2015, and has about a 60% death rate, according to the World Health Organization.) Today, Phelps' phone is ringing off the hook as companies across the country (and world) are adjusting to the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 7,100 lives globally. "I get up every morning at between 3 to 3:30 a.m. and I've been on calls from 4 a.m. till now," she says.

Regina Phelps, a pandemic planner and founder of Emergency Management & Safety Solutions in San Francisco, CA. Courtesy: Dave Kieffer

Phelps is the founder of Emergency Management & Safety Solutions in San Francisco, where she advises companies like Whole Foods, Nike and Starbucks on crisis management plans, including possible pandemics. Many companies have already curbed travel and asked non-essential employees to work from home. Here are four things Phelps advises that every business needs to do now for its employees, and to keep things under control.

Know who's sick

First, companies need to know what is going on with their employees/vendors. "The key thing is, are there any illnesses?" Phelps says. Managers should be continuously checking in with their employees even while they are working from home to see if they have any symptoms brewing or have gotten sick since leaving the office. "If someone has COVID-19, you cannot say who the person is [because] of HIPA. [But] you need to however interview the employee to determine who they had contact with and then interview those people and send them home for 14 days," Phelps says.

Re-adjust workplace environments

What's more, if employees are not able to work from home, companies need to re-adjust workplaces for social distancing. "So, we're talking about [being] six feet apart," Phelps says, "No handshaking and no face-to-face meetings." Desks will likely need to be moved and areas that people touch need to be cleaned multiple times a day. "Increased cleaning of all high touched surfaces is a bigger issue in jobs that have equipment or machines they work with," Phelps says. Also, companies need to close all break rooms and cafeterias. Employees will now need to eat spread out at least six feet apart.

Deploy support services

Companies should be deploying all of their Employee Assistance Program services to provide emotional support and counseling for employees. "Many are going to be extremely uncomfortable because for them this just happened overnight," Phelps says. In her experience, many people become frightened in chaotic times like this and feel very alone. So it is important for companies to make their employees feel supported at and outside of work.

Watch out for scammers
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Trend:

Nearly 250 Azerbaijani citizens are brought back from Turkey to Baku, Spokesperson for the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Nurida Allahyarova told Trendon March 17.

According to her, the last two buses arrived this morning.

"All passengers on the Istanbul-Baku regular bus route have been already brought back to Azerbaijan. The first two buses reached Baku yesterday, and the last passengers crossed the Red Bridge checkpoint today at 02:30. They are already in Baku. No virus has been diagnosed in any of them, and they are not taken to quarantine," she added.
Passengers wearing masks to avoid coronavirus infection at Tan Son Nhat airport

Hosting a government meeting on COVID-19 disease prevention on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that many recent flights to Vietnam had passengers infected by coronavirus. Thus, the Vietnamese government has decided to suspend visa issuances for all arrivals for 15 to 30 days to limit the intake of infected travellers. However, the PM did not announce the official date of this policy.

According to data released by the Ministry of Health on the evening of March 16, eight flights had arrived to Vietnam with passengers infected by coronavirus, including flights from Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, Russia, and England.

So far, Vietnam has detected sources of infection from Europe (UK, France), the US, Southeast Asia (Malaysia), and South Korea (Daegu). In the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam had 16 cases originated from China (Wuhan).

Since March 15, Vietnam has temporarily suspended entry for visitors from or having travelled through the Schengen area, the UK, or Northern Ireland within 14 days before their intended date of arrival in Vietnam, and has temporarily suspended visa issuance at the border. This policy is also applied for overseas Vietnamese holding foreign passports.

Currently, Vietnam has implemented three forms of isolation: centralised military management, home isolation, and group isolation (for foreign experts and those who have official passports to work in Vietnam).
Guyanas March 2 election came while the country is on the cusp of a transition from relative poverty to newfound wealth  and it was marred by severe irregularities that caused the U.S. and other countries to reject the result.

Why it matters: The coming days could determine whether the worlds next oil-rich country maintains democracy or slips back into strongman rule just as revenues start to flood in.

Driving the news: Results that showed incumbent President David Granger on course for victory were rejected by election observers, the courts and finally the international community.

Granger has agreed to a recount overseen by CARICOM, an organization of Caribbean states, but the process remains contentious and tensions are high in Guyana, which sits on the northern tip of South America.

It all comes down to one electoral region, where results with no apparent basis in reality seem to have tipped the election in Grangers favor.

The response from Washington was sharp. Democratic nations cant ignore this blatant disregard for rule of law, said Michael Kozak, acting assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs. The world is watching. There is still time.

What theyre saying: Were giving it one more shot. If this fails again, and they attempt to subvert the process, then it will be  even more apparent to all that the elections were rigged, Bharrat Jagdeo, the opposition leader and a former president, told Axios in a phone interview today.
Kumar said that the Centre came out with final notification for reconsturction of Yes Bank on 13 March and it is basically about constitution of board, equity participation and infusion into bank.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrator for Yes Bank, Prashant Kumar, said on Tuesday that the crisis-hit private sector lender would resume full banking services from Wednesday (18 March) at 6 PM.

Talking to reporters, Kumar said, "We invite you to any of our 1,132 branches across India from 19 March, post commencement of banking hours to experience the full suite of our services."

He said that keeping the customers at the core, Yes Bank has been able to resume services within an expeditious timeframe under the guidance and direction from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Furthermore, with the backing of the State Bank of India (SBI), and private sector banks, Yes Bank stands recapitalised with reinforced liquidity and highest standards of ethics and governance, the administrator said.

"You will be able to access all our services including digital services and platforms. The timely resumption of these services have been possible due to the strong technology infrastructure of the Bank as well as the commitment of our employees who have worked round the clock to minimize the inconvenience caused to you," he said.

Kumar said that the Centre came out with a final notification for the reconstruction of Yes Bank on 13 March and it is basically about the constitution of the board, equity participation and infusion into the bank.

After equity infusion, the very next day on 14 March, Yes Bank declared its December quarter results, he added.

"If you see them, the entire stressbook has been taken into account, provisioning was increased from 42 percent to 72 percent," he said.

Kumar said that complete normalcy would be restored, all branches and employees are ready for the operations of the bank.

"Only 1/3rd of our customers have withdrawn Rs 50,000 during the moratorium. Customers' feedback is that they don't feel the need to withdraw money from the bank. We have had higher inflows than outflows in the last few days," he added.

SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said that Yes Bank is raising the fund, there was enough money available, but a conscious decision was taken to keep it within Indian domestic banks.

"Free to sell shares but assure that not one share will be sold in the next 3 years. Must not read too much into todays price of Yes Bank shares. Not against retail shareholders; we are all here to protect shareholders," he said.

On Monday, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das assured that Yes Bank depositors' money was safe. The RBI Governor had said if required, the central bank would provide liquidity to support Yes Bank.
A new grass-root community project to support others during the coronavirus outbreak was launched earlier this week.

Independent Cllr John Leahy alongside Banagher native Corrinne Concannon have organised a Covid 19 Community initiative entitled: Watching Out For Your Neighbour. Cllr Leahy explained what the initiative is all about: We as a society are really living in frightening times with regard to what is facing us. Our healthcare workers will be the ones at the front-line who will be fighting this battle and many vulnerable and elderly people in our communities are the ones who are facing real worries.

Many people in the typical Irish spirit are looking to play their part and to help out. In this context, we have set up; Offaly  Watching Out For Your Neighbour. Its simply a group of volunteers who will collect groceries and medical prescriptions for those who are caught up in this crisis. Take for example an elderly person or someone who has to self isolate or who is ill, he/she can contact their local shop to put together their groceries and we in turn will see that these are delivered to their doorstep. We are up and running now and have a dedicated set of volunteers who are working hard on the ground.

If you know anyone that wants to avail of the voluntary service please contact Coordinators John Leahy 0872073226 or Corrinne Concannon 0873364418.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 11:38:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Beijing reported a total of nine newly confirmed cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from other countries Monday, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission said Tuesday morning.

The nine imported cases included six from Spain, one from the United States and two from the United Kingdom. That brings the total of imported cases in the city to 40 by Monday.

Beijing also reported seven newly-added suspected cases Monday, three from the United Kingdom, one from the United States, one from France, one from the Netherlands and one from Egypt. A total of 14 people in close contact with the suspected cases were screened.

There were no new reports of indigenous COVID-19 cases in Beijing Monday.

As of Monday, Beijing had reported a total of 455 local confirmed cases. Of the total, 368 have been discharged from hospitals after recovery.
A multi-stage criminal scheme

Protect Yourself from Phishing Attacks

Social engineering-driven malware threats continue to be a big threat, but new research details how cybercriminals profit off such schemes to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars from stolen credit cards of unsuspecting victims.Cybersecurity firm Check Point Research, in a report shared with The Hacker news, uncovered the digital trail of a Nigerian cybercriminal, who went by the name of "Dton" and targeted hundreds of thousands of people under the moniker of "Bill Henry" by sending them malicious emails with custom-built malware.The company said it disclosed the findings to concerned Nigerian and international law enforcement authorities for further action.The operation began with Dton buying stolen credit card details from Ferrum Shop, an online marketplace that sells over 2.5 million stolen credit card credentials, and then charging them each $550 each to fraudulently net more than $100,000 in illicit transactions."During the years 2013-2020, the account he regularly logs into has been used to purchase over $13,000 worth in stolen credit card credentials," Check Point noted.Subsequently, the researchers found that Dton's monetizing cyber crimes were no longer dependent upon buying stolen credit cards. Instead, he started collecting this data himself, for which he purchased bulk email lists of new victims and malicious tools, including keyloggers (AspireLogger) and remote administration tools (RATs) such Nanocore and AZORult , a family of spyware that steals information and is used to download additional malware.In the next step, Dton orchestrates a RAT-spamming operation, wherein the custom-built malware is disguised as innocuous email attachments, and sent out to each of the email addresses, thereby harvesting user credential details without the recipients' knowledge."Active for over seven years, Dton orchestrates his operation from Benin City, a city in southern Nigeria with a population over 1.5 million," the researchers told The Hacker News."But most of his attention went into buying malicious tools of the trade: Packers and crypters, infostealers and keyloggers, exploits and remote VMs.""Dton now disguises his custom-built malware into everyday email attachments, blasts them out to each of the email addresses on his lists, and harvests user credential details without the email owners ever knowing."The RATs contain hard-coded credentials for a single Yandex mail to which all the aggregated stolen victim data is sent to.But Check Point researchers found a twist in the criminal's modus operandi: "When business with someone goes well, Dton infects them with a RAT just in case it later turns out to be useful; when business with someone goes less than well, Dton resolves the dispute by reporting them to the Interpol."It's no surprise that bad actors are continually finding new ways to trick consumers into providing remote access to their computers to steal information. By combining sophisticated social engineering techniques with information already available about the target from other sources, the attacks have proven to be an easy vector to bypass security barriers.The ever-evolving sophistication of social engineering scams underscores the need for preparedness and practicing good security hygiene . It's essential that accounts are secured with two-factor authentication and be vigilant when it comes to opening emails and attachments from unknown senders.
D onald Trump has been criticised for branding coronavirus "the Chinese Virus".

The US president made the remark as he tweeted about plans to support "industries, like airlines and others" amid the outbreak.

He spoke of measures to help those "that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus".

"We will be stronger than ever before," he said, ending his tweet in his signature rambunctious fashion.

He was swiftly condemned for applying a nationality to the virus.

"Viruses dont have nationalities, and the virus is replicating plenty good right here in the good old USA," David Gorski, MD, wrote.

Eugen Gu, MD, tweeted: "We are in deep trouble as a nation now that President of the United States makes the conscious decision to go down this dark path of hate."

Actress Mia Farrow described the virus, which has infected more than 4,600 people in the US, "as American as apple pie".

At least 83 people in the nation who have been confirmed patients have died following diagnosis.

Swathes of the US, including Los Angeles and New York, have shut down areas such as bars and restaurants in a bid to stem the spread.
By Trend

A direct charter flight to be implemented from Rome to Baku, Trend reports referring to the Facebook page of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Italy on March 17.

According to the embassy, Azerbaijani citizens who applied to the embassy with the purpose of returning from Italy due to the epidemiological situation in this country, will be provided by the direct charter flight from Rome in the evening of March 17.

Embassy staff individually contacted the majority of compatriots who applied to the embassy and informed them of the relevant organizational issues in connection with their return to Azerbaijan.

The embassy asks those citizens who could not be contacted to urgently call 06 85305557 or via the hotline - 349 8155582.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Black Hawk Replacement: Sikorsky and Bell Go Head-to-Head

Sikorsky and Bell will duke it out in a two-year competition to replace the militarys iconic Black Hawk helicopter.

Neither contender looks much like a helicopter, let alone the 40-year-old Black Hawk frame they are aiming to replace. With military strategists demanding three times the range and double the speed, the army needed to start with a clean design sheet.

The Future Long-Range Reconnaissance Aircraft (FLRAA) program has entered its final two-year competition phase, the military announced on March 16, after which one of the two will be selected for a final program of record.

Bells V-280 Valor, which builds on its Osprey tilt-rotor design, already exceeded the speed requirement back in 2018, reaching 300 knots.

The V-280 Valor flies in this handout image. (Bell)

Sikorskys double-bladed SB>1 Defiant, which took designers back to the drawing board, is catching up, recently reaching 140 knots in airspeed.

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk has been a staple of military missions for decades and undergone numerous upgrades.

But with the military revamping to meet renewed great power competition, as per the National Defense Strategy, another upgrade wont cut it.

In addition to being able to fly 1,725 nautical miles, the new aircraft is going to need to demonstrate both low-speed agility and a huge leap in speed.

Weve asked for 250 to 280 knots. Thats more than double the current capability, James Thomson, Deputy Director of the Armys Future Vertical Lift team, previously told The Epoch Times. Thats a pretty significant increase.

The FLRAA program is one of two key helicopter-like programs which come under one of the Armys six modernization priorities: Future Vertical Lift.

The Defiant and Valor were both demonstration aircraft. They now both go through to the competition phase known as the Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR). A winner will then be selected in 2022, with the Army aiming to finally field the aircraft by 2030.

These agreements are an important milestone for FLRAA, Patrick Mason, Program Executive Officer, Aviation, said in a statement. The CD&RR continues to transition technologies from the JMR-TD [Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator] effort to the FLRAA weapons system design. We will be conducting analysis to refine the requirements, conceptual designs, and acquisition approach.

Like everything in the militarys modernization, the FLRAA program is part of a strategic shift to tackle China and Russias growing military prowess.

The longer range and speed are needed because of the distance created by the long reach of China and Russias air defense and missile systems.

Once we penetrate and then disintegrate that air defense system, think about a fleet of vertical lift aircraft that can come through there at 280 knots or more, and deliver a battalions-worth of soldiers on the objective to really exploit that window that we open up, said Thomson.

Conventional helicopter design bumps up against a natural speed barrier that limits them typically to around 150 knotssomething called retreating blade stall.

This means that as the aircraft moves faster, the side of the rotor spinning forward gets more and more lift, and the other side (the retreating side) gets less and less lift.

The SB>1 Defiant solves this by having two rotors spinning in opposite directions, canceling out the lopsided lift.

The V-280 Valor essentially switches into a propeller plane mid-flight by tilting its rotors forward.

The big benefits of a tilt-rotor configuration are that you have a wing, the Valors chief engineer Paul Wilson previously told The Epoch Times. Wing-born flight is highly efficient in terms of speed and range.
Council to have closed meeting Tues.

Public buildings operated by the Green River city government will close until further notice in the latest response local officials have made to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. City Council meetings will occur behind closed doors, but will be broadcast and streamed until the risk of spreading the disease ends.

The announcement was made Monday evening, taking effect immediately.

Even though we have not had a confirmed positive case here, we need to focus on slowing the transmission of COVID-19 and reducing the change of illness and death, while minimizing social and economic impacts, a release from the city states.

While city buildings will be closed to the public, city employees will still work to ensure service remains uninterrupted. The city will remain open for business through its online payment portal and employees can be contacted by email or telephone. Any business needing to be conducted in person will be done by appointment only.

No matter what, were still going to provide services, City Administrator Reed Clevenger said Monday. We dont want to cause a panic.

Clevenger said police and fire protection will not be impacted, as well as street work and sewer services.

Clevenger said the city is working with both the Sweetwater County and Rock Springs governments to roll out a common response amongst the three groups. He also said the city is also working with the school district and timed the closure of the Green River Recreation Center with closures to Green Rivers schools because the center would not be able to handle the potential massive influx of children and teens being dropped off during the day. The center would have also become a potential epicenter to spread illness if it would have remained open.

Bottom line, our job is to help flatten the curve, Clevenger said.

The curve Clevenger mentions is the exponential rate at which diseases like the COVID-19 virus spreads. According to the Washington Post, the reason why experts want to limit infections and flatten the curve are due to concerns of disease infection rates doubling every three days, which would result in more than 100 million COVID-19 infections by May. The key strategy being proposed at the federal level, known as social distancing, is designed to limit exposure by limiting social interactions and opportunities for the virus to spread. Limiting its spread also limits the opportunity for viral infections occurring amongst populations more susceptible to severe illness, including senior citizens and those with compromised immune systems.

Aside from determining how the city will operate under the new guidelines proposed by federal and state agencies, Clevenger said the city has been actively fighting rumors that have sprouted up on social media. One rumor involves the permanent and sudden closure of the Smiths store in Green River.

Smiths is not closing, Clevenger said.

Council meeting still planned

The Green River City Council will meet Tuesday night, but will do so behind closed doors. The city is opting to stream the meeting online through Facebook and broadcast it on television through Channel 23. Residents wanting to comment on city issues that will be brought up are asked to submit their comments to hrinfo@cityofgreenriver.org before 7 p.m. the date of each Council meeting.

Clevenger said informational presentations regularly given to the Council by groups such as the Green River Chamber of Commerce or Climb Wyoming, will be instead emailed to Council members, with formal presentations being cancelled until further notice.
Penny Lancaster enjoyed one final hurrah with her friends on Monday night as she celebrated her 49th birthday.

The former model brought her loved ones including husband Sir Rod Stewart, 75, together in Las Vegas for a lavish dinner party before jetting back to the UK and going into self-isolation.

The move comes as the UK government placed a mandatory quarantine on citizens aged 70 plus from next weekend, meaning that Rod will have to be holed up at home for months.

Cheers! Penny Lancaster (front right) enjoyed one final hurrah with her friends as she celebrated her 49th birthday in Las Vegas on Monday night, joined by husband Sir Rod Stewart (head of table, centre left)

Penny was seen wearing a gorgeous red dress, raising a glass as she toasted to another year with her nearest and dearest.

She shared: 'Thanks to all our friends for coming together to celebrate my birthday during the most unprecedented time we have known.

'Together we stand, together we give thanks and although this might be one of the last get togethers for a while lets pray we all remain safe and healthy.'

One person commented: 'Happy Birthday Penny, stay safe you, Sir Rod, family and friends xxxx'.

'Stay safe!': The former model's friends and family were quick to respond and wish her all the best in these difficult times

Another shared, 'Happiest of birthdays to you!! Safe flight back home. Sending you a big hug'.

'Happy birthday Penny you look amazing please wrap Rod in cotton wool for the next few months', a third wrote.

Two days earlier, the blonde beauty revealed that Rod's concerts in Las Vegas had been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sharing a snap of them together, she wrote: 'Rods last show in Vegas tonight as the shows next week have been postponed due to the coronavirus.'

The government plunged Britain into an extraordinary lockdown this week - urging everyone in the country to stop all 'non-essential' contact with others.

Cancelled: Two days earlier, the blonde beauty revealed that Rod's concerts in Las Vegas had been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak

The PM warned that the coronavirus was now in a phase of rapid spread across the UK, with London seeing a particular surge, and it was time to take radical action to stop the NHS being swamped.

Everyone should avoid contact that is not absolutely necessary - with restaurants, bars and cinemas and travel off limits, and an end to large gatherings. Admitting that the squeeze could last 12 weeks or even longer, Mr Johnson acknowledged he was 'asking a lot'.

Entire households should self-isolate for two weeks if one person has been showing symptoms, and older people should prepare to stay away from risks for months to come. He said that meant 'you should not go out, even to buy food or essentials'.

But unlike New York - where all bars and restaurants have been compelled to close by 8pm local time tonight - Mr Johnson said he would rely on businesses and Britons to follow guidance.

Quarantined: The move comes as the UK government placed a mandatory quarantine on citizens aged 70 plus from next weekend, meaning that Rod will have to be holed up at home for months

Boris also said he was not yet ordering schools to be closed, saying he still believed it could make matters worse.

At a dramatic press conference in Downing Street, as the UK coronavirus death toll spiked to 55, the PM said: 'If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. If that is not possible, you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.'

'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all non-essential travel. We need people to start working from home where they possible can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.'

In a special plea to the capital, Boris said people there were at the highest risk. 'It looks as though London is now a few weeks ahead... it's important that Londoners now pay special attention to what we are saying about avoiding all non-essential contact.'

The move came after ministers were warned the death toll from the virus could hit 260,000 unless dramatic measures were taken immediately.
A Bay Area man who stabbed two sisters on a commuter train platform in Oakland, Calif., two years ago, killing one and wounding the other, was sane at the time of the murder, a judge ruled Monday.

The man, John Lee Cowell, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder last week in the killing of Nia Wilson, 18, on a Bay Area Rapid Transit platform. He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of her sister Letifah Wilson, 27.

Three days into a jurys deliberations on whether Mr. Cowell was criminally insane, Judge Allan Hymer intervened to reject his insanity defense.

The decision came a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California called for the isolation at home of all residents 65 years and older to limit the spread of the new coronavirus and to protect the people most at risk. Four of the 12 jurors, along with the judge, are over the age of 65. The judge stepped in to make the decision himself to prevent jurors from continuing to deliberate in person.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / CubicFarm Systems Corp. (TSXV:CUB) ("CubicFarms" or the "Company") announces that Chris Ericson has resigned as a member of the Company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Ericson was a board nominee of strategic shareholder Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. ("Nu Skin"). Nu Skin continues to be a supportive shareholder of CubicFarms, however, it has chosen not to appoint another nominee at this time, given its operations in similar markets.

"On behalf of our Board, I thank Chris for his valuable contributions and wish him well in future endeavours," said Dave Dinesen, Chief Executive Officer of CubicFarms.

"It has been a pleasure to serve on the CubicFarms Board. I have confidence that the Company's dynamic and innovative group of professionals will continue positively impacting the controlled-environment agriculture space," said Mr. Ericson.

CubicFarms has initiated a process to replace Mr. Ericson on the Board.

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.

About CubicFarm Systems Corp.

CubicFarm Systems Corp. ("CubicFarms") is a technology company that is developing and deploying technology to feed a changing world. Its proprietary technologies enable farmers around the world to grow high-quality, predictable crop yields. CubicFarms has two distinct technologies that address two distinct markets. The first technology is its patented CubicFarm System, which contains patented technology for growing leafy greens and other crops. Using its unique, undulating-path growing system, the Company addresses the main challenges within the indoor farming industry by significantly reducing the need for physical labour and energy, and maximizing yield per cubic foot. CubicFarms leverages its patented technology by operating its own R&D facility in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, selling the System to farmers, licensing its technology and providing industry-leading vertical farming expertise to its customers.

The second technology is CubicFarms' HydroGreen System for growing nutritious livestock feed. This system utilizes a unique process to sprout grains, such as barley and wheat, in a controlled environment with minimal use of land, labour and water. The HydroGreen System is fully automated and performs all growing functions including seeding, watering, lighting, harvesting, and re-seeding - all with the push of a button - to deliver nutritious livestock feed without the typical investment in fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, field equipment and transportation. The HydroGreen System not only provides superior nutritious feed to benefit the animal, but also enables significant environmental benefits to the farm.

Information contact

Kimberly Lim

kimberly@cubicfarms.com

Phone: +1-236-858-6491

www.cubicfarms.com

SOURCE: CubicFarm Systems Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581232/CubicFarm-Systems-Corp-Announces-Resignation-of-Chris-Ericson-from-Board-of-Directors
[March 17, 2020] Military Cybersecurity Market | Use of Cloud-based Solutions to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the military cybersecurity market and it is poised to grow by USD 4.11 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005537/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. The use of cloud-based solutions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Use of cloud-based solutions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Military Cybersecurity Market is segmented as below: Type Network Security

Data Security

Identity & Access

Cloud Security Geographic Segmentation Americas

APAC

EMEA To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30272 Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by theway of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our military cybersecurity market report covers the following areas:



Military Cybersecurity Market Size

Military Cybersecurity Market Trends

Military Cybersecurity Market Industry Analysis This study identifies adoption of AI and machine learning as one of the prime reasons driving the military cybersecurity market growth during the next few years. Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the military cybersecurity market, including some of the vendors such as BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin (News - Alert), NORTHROP GRUMMAN and Thales. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the military cybersecurity market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Military Cybersecurity Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist military cybersecurity market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the military cybersecurity market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the military cybersecurity market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of military cybersecurity market vendors Table of Content PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface

2.2 Preface

2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE Market segmentation by type

Comparison by type

Network security - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Data security - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Identity & access - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Cloud security - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by type PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers

Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS High adoption of Al and machine learning

Emergence of IoT analytics

Emergence of cloud computing PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview

Landscape disruption PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

BAE Systems

General Dynamics

Lockheed Martin

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

Thales (News - Alert) PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology

List of abbreviations PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005537/en/

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SELINSGROVE  Susquehanna University plans to resume face-to-face classes on campus April 6 although students will have the option of continuing on-line instruction for the rest of the semester.

The date for students to move back to campus is April 5, Mondays announcement states.

Students currently are on extended spring break due to the coronavirus with on-line classes scheduled to begin next Monday and continue through at least April 3.

The university also announced it will refund room and board fees in response to COVID-19 by crediting students accounts on a prorated amount for each week they do not reside on campus.

Staff is assisting students during their extended absence from campus by doing such things as watering plants, feeding fish and handling requests for shipping personal items, spokesperson Amanda K. ORourke said.

Absent a suspected or confirmed case of the coronavirus, facilities staff is following cleaning protocols typical for the cold and flu season, paying particular attention to doorknobs, handles and water fountains, she said.

The biggest change is that shifts for housekeeping personnel have been placed farther apart so they can socially distance themselves, she said.

At nearby Bucknell University in Lewisburg where a student has been quarantined off-campus awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test further cleaning of buildings is planned, spokesman Michael Ferlazzo said.

This is in addition to the cleaning done Sunday in and near the room in Swartz Hall where the student had been in self-quarantine since feeling ill shortly after returning from a spring break trip to New York City Thursday.

The student, whose identity and sex were not disclosed, was tested Sunday at Evangelical Community Hospital near Lewisburg and the results are awaited from the state Health Department.

Bucknell decided because of the coronavirus to switch to remote instruction for the rest of the spring semester beginning this Thursday.

Students have until 6 p.m. Tuesday to move out of on-campus housing unless granted permission to stay. They have been asked to pack up quickly and leave without congregating.

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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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath in a letter on March 17 asked the state's Governor, Lalji Tandon, to let the 16 legislators in Bengaluru "live in their respective houses for 5-7 days without any fear so that they can take an independent decision".

"Let the 16 MLAs, who have been held captive, be released," Nath said. The chief minister, who has exuded confidence regarding the survival of his government, added in his letter that the Governor's "belief" the floor test should be conducted today is "baseless".

"Your belief that I should conduct floor test in MP Assembly on 17th March, otherwise it will be considered that I don't have the majority will be unconstitutional because of it being baseless," Nath said in his letter.

Tandon had, on March 16, shot off a letter directing Nath to hold a floor test on March 17, the second day of the budget session which began on March 16.

Tandon, in his letter, said failure to hold a floor test will mean the chief minister does not enjoy a majority in the house.

Nath, who had met the Governor yesterday, had claimed that his government holds a majority and there was no need of a floor test.

"Those who claim that we don't have a majority should move a no-confidence motion against my government to get the floor test done," Nath told reporters outside Raj Bhavan.

The Madya Pradesh Assembly was adjourned till March 26 yesterday citing coronavirus concerns. After this, the BJP had moved Supreme Court, with the apex court asking the Nath government to give by March 17 its response to former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test in the assembly.

The 15-month-old Nath government's stability has come under doubt due to resignation by 22 rebel Congress MLAs.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VR Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: VRR, FSE: 5VR; OTCBB: VRRCF), the "Company", or VR, is responding to difficult drilling conditions and rising drill costs by suspending the current drill program at Ranoke, with plans to restart later this spring or summer when surface conditions improve.



From VRs CEO, Dr. Michael H. Gunning, We cant drill without water, and as of late last week, all surface waters at Ranoke were completely frozen, all ponds and all creeks. Delays and difficulties related to water has both impeded the length of the holes completed, and pushed our drill costs to unacceptable levels, so in the broader context of current market uncertainty and volatility, VR is responding by suspending drilling with three holes complete, with plans to return later this spring or summer to complete the first-pass drill program when ground conditions for water will foster more efficient drilling. Strategic thinking is required during the current market cycle, and VR will recognize that this is simply not the right time to be fighting our drill costs. We continue to advance our Big Ten gold project in the Walker Lane in Nevada, with news to follow. The Company is well funded to execute its strategies for 2020, reporting a $2.2m working capital in February.

As shown on Figure 1, three holes are now complete at Ranoke, all to the depth of between 500 - 650 metres. They constitute a north-south transect across the western part of the main gravity anomaly, and across the southern contact of the main magnetic anomaly. The next four holes will form an east-west transect across Ranoke, including the eastern part of the gravity anomaly:

Holes 4 and 5 will test shallow, near-surface IP anomalies associated with the north-trending fault which forms the western boundary of the Ranoke magnetic complex, and;

Holes 6 and 7 will test the magnetic low coincident with the eastern arm of the main gravity anomaly (Figure 2). Hole 2 was located on the western periphery of this magnetic low.

As shown in Figure 3, fluorite-carbonate veins were intersected in a basement intrusion in Hole 3. The fluorite is magmatically derived and hydrothermally precipitated. The fluorite veins in Hole 3 are significant: 1. Fluorite grains occur with copper and gold grains in the multi-element anomaly in the regional OGS geochemical survey data, and; 2. Fluorite is a key attribute in the mineral deposit model for an iron oxide copper-gold breccia body or carbonatite intrusion targeted at Ranoke.

The north-trending fault shown on Figure 1 which forms the western boundary of the Ranoke complex is evident on all inversion and derivative products from both the gravity and magnetic surveys. Holes 4 and 5 will test the possibility for structurally-controlled mineralization at Ranoke along this fault.

The east-west fault shown on Figure 1 is based on the disruption of the otherwise coherent, high intensity gravity anomaly. Hole 1 completed in November and located near the fault intersected numerous specularite veins, and iron carbonate breccia zones and potassium alteration (see news release dated Nov. 4, 2019); Holes 6 and 7 will follow this up and test the center of the magnetic low coincident with the eastern arm of the gravity anomaly for mineralization related to this structure.

Ranoke has never been drilled. The goal of this first pass drill program is unchanged: to fully test the centers of the IP, gravity and magnetic geophysical anomalies, and coincident soil gas geochemical anomalies, for copper and gold hosted in a large-scale, hydrothermal iron oxide breccia body or carbonatite intrusion emplaced into older Archean gneiss along the western margin of the Kapuskasing structural zone which bisects the Archean Superior craton, and has a long-lived history of mafic and carbonatite intrusions and kimberlitic diatremes which collectively span nearly 1.6 billion years of activity.

The Company will report any material geochemistry when the program is complete and data are in hand from all of the drill holes.

The helicopter-assisted drilling at Ranoke is based out of a road-accessible trailer camp located at the near-by Ontario Power Generation hydro-electric facility at Otter Rapids.

About the Ranoke Property

The Ranoke property is located in northern Ontario, Canada. Infrastructure in the region is shown on location figures provided at the Companys website at www.vrr.ca . The property is 15 kilometers west of the CNR railway spur which supplies Moosonee located on tide water 100 kilometres to the northeast, and is 25 kilometres north of road access to Otter Rapids, an Ontario hydro-electric facility serviced by Highway 634. Exploration at Ranoke is facilitated by the town of Cochrane which is located about 100 kilometres to the south on the Trans Canada Highway, and is the major service hub to the region.

The Ranoke property is large. It consists of 360 claims in one contiguous block covering 7,400 ha covering a 12 x 12 km area. The Ranoke property was staked directly by VR. It is owned 100% by VR, and is free and clear of any interests or royalties.

Technical Information

Summary technical and geological information on the Companys various exploration properties is available at the Companys website at www.vrr.ca .

Technical information for this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101. Justin Daley, P.Geo., Principal Geologist at VR and a non-independent Qualified Person oversees and/or participates in all aspects of the Companys mineral exploration projects. The content of this news release has been reviewed on behalf of the Company by the CEO, Dr. Michael Gunning, P.Geo., a non-independent Qualified Person.

About VR Resources

VR is an emerging junior exploration company focused on large, underexplored copper-gold mineral systems in the western United States and Canada (TSX.V: VRR; Frankfurt: 5VR; OTCBB: VRRCF). It is the continuance of 4 years of exploration in Nevada by a private exploration company, with a foundation built upon the diverse experience and proven track record of its Board in early-stage mineral exploration, discovery and M&A. VR is well financed for its exploration strategy. It owns its properties outright, and evaluates new opportunities on an ongoing basis, whether by staking or acquisition.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Michael H. Gunning

_____________________________

Dr. Michael H. Gunning, PhD, PGeo

President & CEO

For general information please use the following: Website: www.vrr.ca Email: info@vrr.ca Phone: 604-262-1104

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to: VR is responding by suspending drilling with three holes complete, with plans to return later this spring or summer to complete the first-pass drill program when ground conditions for water will foster more efficient drilling.

Although the Company believes that the use of such statements is reasonable, 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. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Companys public disclosure filings are available at www.sedar.com ; readers are urged to review these materials.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Photos accompanying this release are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e17a238b-9af9-4fd2-b2bf-f2df5f3f7ce7

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb4a6b68-fda3-4703-a16c-4840d03a4774

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d1abce41-83bf-4483-80df-f13f24081e26
Islamabad: Pakistan reported its first casualty due to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, health ministry officials said as the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 infections rose to 193 in the country.

The first fatality was reported from Lahore. Meanwhile, Sindh has 155 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan 10, Gilgit-Baltistan 5, Islamabad 2 and Punjab 6, officials said.

"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 kms from Lahore, died here on Tuesday," Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid told a press conference here on Tuesday.

Provincial authorities on Tuesday confirmed five new cases of the novel coronavirus in the Sindh province, pushing the country's tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 193, Wahab was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

The number of quarantined pilgrims in Taftan where over 9,000, who have returned from Iran and have been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a 'tent city', the report added.

After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accused in a press conference that pilgrims were not properly isolated at Taftan and were kept together.

Meanwhile, government is taking steps to contain the pandemic as authorities in Punjab province converted all public sector universities' hostels into quarantine centres as an immediate arrangement.

Officials said that universities were informed in the province to clean all hostels and shift the belongings of students, if there were any, to store rooms after properly tagging them for identity.

The Prime Minister's Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that all educational institutions have been closed and their staff stopped from attending the institutions.
Tehran, March 18 : Iranian researchers have discovered a drug combination to heal the lesions in the lungs of COVID-19 patients, IRNA news agency quoted an Iranian health official as saying.

Mostafa Qanei, head of the scientific committee to combat COVID-19, said the "complex" is the combination of three medicines which could reduce the period of hospitalisation of the patients, Xinhua reported.

"We have diagnosed the lung lesion, and this complex aims to heal the lesion," Qanei was quoted as saying.

He noted 40 per cent of the patients who received the medicine left the hospital four days earlier.

Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Tuesday announced that 16,169 people have been affected with the coronavirus, of whom 988 have died.

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
CORTES DEPARTMENT, Honduras  Yovani has a strategy for staying alive: He will not let anyone know he is back in Honduras, he will move homes every couple of weeks and he will stay indoors.

This is how much he fears the gang member who killed his brother, who forced two other close relatives into exile and who, he says, is trying to murder him next.

Yovani, 23, had hoped to apply for asylum in the United States. But when he and his family arrived at the border late last month, U.S. officials diverted them to Guatemala instead.

The action is permitted under a new accord between the Trump administration and the Guatemalan authorities, but it has left Yovani with no good options. Fearing for his safety in Guatemala, he and his family returned to Honduras. And then they looked for a place to hide.

We cant stay in one place, Yovani said from northern Honduras, where he, his wife and two daughters have lived since earlier this month.

Getting killed in Honduras, he explained, is super-easy.

Trump administration officials last year created the policy, which allows them to send asylum-seekers to Guatemala to apply for sanctuary there. Their hope is that it would reduce the number of migrants reaching the United States.

But critics say the deal may be a death sentence for migrants.

Since the transfers began in November, more than 900 Central Americans have been sent to Guatemala. But only 20  about 2%  have formally applied for sanctuary there.

The rest have opted instead to face the risks of either returning to their home countries or heading north once again, hoping to find sanctuary in Mexico or try their luck, one more time, at the U.S. border.

Supporters of the Guatemala-U.S. deal point to the large number of transferees who have left Guatemala as evidence that their asylum cases likely had little merit. Migrants and their advocates, however, say it instead reflects the dangers vulnerable people face because of Guatemalas weak rule of law.

To be here is almost the same as being in Honduras, said Carlos Eduardo Woltke Martinez, a migrants advocate in the human rights section of Guatemalas public prosecutors office. Youre in the same neighborhood of the criminal groups. The conditions here are not a guarantee of your safety.

Kirk Semple is a New York Times writer.
Two more people have tested positive for novel coronavirus in Karnataka, taking the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases to 10 in the state, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Tuesday.

The two fresh cases include a 20- year-old woman with a travel history to the United Kingdom and a person who came into contact with the 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who died last week from the infection.

"We have got 2 more COVID2019 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10. 20 yr old female who travelled from the UK is tested positive and another contact of P6 (Kalburgi deceased patient) is tested positive. Both are admitted in the designated isolation hospital," Sriramulu tweeted.

Meanwhile, quarantine facilities have been set up in various places including Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Gorakhpur with the help of Navy and Air Force, a senior Army official said.

According to official estimates, there are 114 people have tested positive for COVID-19 till Monday including 13 cured and two reported deaths. The tally includes 17 foreign nationals in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump told a group of governors Monday morning that they should not wait for the federal government to fill the growing demand for respirators needed to treat people with coronavirus.

Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment  try getting it yourselves, Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times. We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.

The suggestion surprised some of the governors, who have been scrambling to contain the outbreak and are increasingly looking to the federal government for help with equipment, personnel and financial aid. Wednesday, Trump directed his labor secretary to increase the availability of respirators, and he has generally played down fears of shortages.

Governors Jay Inslee of Washington, whose state is at the epicenter of the domestic outbreak, and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico both reacted angrily to the administrations slow response to the crisis.

If one state doesnt get the resources and materials they need, the entire nation continues to be at risk, said Lujan Grisham, a Democrat.

Trump used much of the call to repeat the same upbeat theme he has offered in public, assuring the governors: Were going to get it remedied and hopefully very quickly.

Alluding to the Federal Reserves emergency intervention, Trump also told the governors that the central banks purchase of $500 billion of Treasury bonds and $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities would probably go up substantially from that level.

Without directly trying to fault President Barack Obama as he has recently, Trump wrongfully said, we broke down a system that was broken, very badly broken and vowed to create one that I think is going to be the talk of the world.

In fact, although the Food and Drug Administration under the Obama administration released guidance on testing, it never completed regulations on the matter, and experts have said repeatedly that no moves by the agency should have affected the testing problems.

Aside from Trumps predictions  which are at odds with his medical advisers, who say the worst is yet to come  the president seemed to evince little awareness of the severity of the contagion.

Explaining why he did not include the United Kingdom in his initial travel ban from Europe last week, Trump said, all of the sudden we were getting numbers that werent good, so we had to put U.K. in.

Britain had nearly 500 coronavirus cases last week.

Lujan Grisham said the federal government was impeding the states ability to respond to the virus and was creating a situation where the states were competing against one another for the needed products.

And, she said, the governors are getting little clarity from the White House.

The governor requested a call back from Vice President Mike Pence, the point person on the administrations response. And in an illustration that at least Pence, himself a former Indiana governor, is taking the complaints of the state leaders seriously, he telephoned Lujan Grisham immediately after the call ended, according to an aide to Lujan Grisham.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
President Vladimir Putin said the spread of coronavirus in Russia is 'under control' today, after touring a new facility built to spot empty supermarket shelves and to track quarantined citizens.

'We were able to contain mass penetration and spread' of the pandemic, the Russian president told a government meeting.

'The situation is generally under control despite high risk level.'

Putin's comments came after a tour of a new coronavirus information centre in Moscow that is pulling together IT resources including surveillance cameras and artificial intelligence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, tours the new coronavirus information centre in Moscow today

Officials told Putin today that the systems can monitor social media for 'fake news' on the coronavirus and can spot empty supermarket shelves.

A new app is also to be released to provide free telemedicine consultations, they added.

Russia so far has 114 confirmed cases with no fatalities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stands flanked by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, left, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, right, while visiting a coronavirus information centre in Moscow today

A man bulk buys toilet paper in a food mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, about 1,900 miles east of Moscow, Russia yesterday

An RZD Russian Railways worker and a commuter are both pictured wearing face masks at Belorussky Railway Station during the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) today

'Though medically speaking the epidemic has not taken on great proportions, the same cannot be said of the psychological aspects,' said deputy prime minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

'The centre... also effectively fights so-called 'fakes' and rumours,' he said, citing a recent example when people began to share a false report of 32 deaths from the virus.

'Artificial intelligence, the neural networks that were trained to do a semantic analysis, identified the anomaly. A minute later the operator here had it... and Russian internet giants made their front pages to show only aggregated information from official sources,' he said.

A couple wearing medical masks shop in a food mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, about 1,900 miles east of Moscow, Russia yesterday

An RZD Russian Railways ticket office clerk in a face mask is pictured handing something to a customer at Belorussky Railway Station during the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) today

A young couple are pictured wearing face masks in Moscow today, amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, in charge of the state coronavirus response, said the centre has a database of contacts and places of work for 95 per cent of those under compulsory quarantine after returning from virus-stricken countries.

'We have identified where they are,' he said.

'When the person leaves the building we record it,' he said.

Sobyanin also showed Putin images of well-stocked supermarket shelves on a huge screen.

RZD Russian Railways workers are pictured wearing face masks at Belorussky Railway Station, Moscow during the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) today

'This is the analysis regarding food and other crucial products. You can see there is a televised online picture fed from surveillance cameras,' Sobyanin said,

'We also have images made by inspectors who go around warehouses and stores,' he said. 'This happens in real time.'

'We have agreed with (Russia's biggest bank) Sberbank that starting Monday, anybody who wants it will be able to download a free app... to consult a doctor for free, Sberbank will pay for it,' Mishustin said, before setting up a call with a doctor for Putin.

'This system is unique in the world,' Mishustin told Putin of the information centre.
Voter turnout was low in three key states that held primary elections on Tuesday amid the coronavirus outbreak, even at a potentially decisive moment in the presidential contest.

Florida, Illinois, and Arizona each were holding primaries Tuesday amid the outbreak that officials were calling unprecedented. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine cancelled his state's primary, citing the health of poll workers and voters. Former Vice President Joe Biden has an opportunity to further knock back Sen. Bernie Sanders in the trio of primaries.

Despite the high stakes and months of polling showing strong emotions in the presidential contest, polling locations often featured short lines, empty booths  and the unmistakable sign of the times, bottles of hand sanitizer.

Voters went the to the polls in the three states just a day after the White House issued new guidance for people not to gather in groups of more than 10.

It was a turnaround from Super Tuesday, when voters across the country stood in packed lines for hours in order to cast votes that helped determine the outcome of the race between Biden and Sanders.

There was no telling how a change in the size of the electorate would affect the outcome in a race where Biden has tended to score big among minority and older voters, and Sanders staged large rallies in the days before the outbreak was in the forefront of people's minds.

Biden has already amassed a delegate lead, and has a chance to put Sanders farther behind him in critical states like Florida, where Sanders is under fire for his past and recent statements about Fidel Castro.

The new coronavirus kept some voters and poll workers at home and hampered efforts to open some polling sites on Tuesday as three states held Democratic presidential primary contests amid a global pandemic.

The coronavirus has taken a toll on voter turnout in states voting Tuesday. A nearly empty polling place is seen at Garfield Elementary School on March 17, 2020 in Forest Park, Illinois. People are heading to the polls to vote for their Republican and Democratic choice in their parties respective primaries during the COVID-19 outbreak

Leaders in Ohio called off their primary just hours before polls were set to open as the federal government urged Americans not to gather in groups of 10 or more and asked older people to stay home. The state's Democratic Party said it was weighing options for challenging that move, which was pushed by the Republican governor.

Problems popped up across the country, including in Florida, which has the most delegates up for grabs among the states voting Tuesday. In Okaloosa County on the Panhandle, two dozen poll workers dropped out, leaving Elections Supervisor Paul Lux's staff scrambling to train replacements.

"We are at the honest end of the rope," Lux said.

The developments were a reminder of how the most elemental act of American democracy - voting - was being severely tested as Arizona, Florida and Illinois moved forward with primaries while confronting the impact of a global pandemic. The Democratic presidential primary between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is playing out as the virus' impact is becoming more tangible with schools closing across the country, workers staying home and restaurants and bars shuttering.

"It's definitely eerie," said Jesse Lehrich, a Democratic operative and former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman who is based in Chicago.

Sharon Trask and other voters use hand sanitizer as they stand in line to vote at Lincoln Lodge Polling station, 1st ward, Tuesday, March 17 2020 in Chicago. Election officials have been promoting voting early and casting ballots by mail in an attempt to control crowds and curb the spread of the coronavirus

A voter fills out a ballot during the primary election in Ottawa, Illinois, U.S., March 17, 2020. The polling station was relocated from a nearby nursing home to a former supermarket due to concerns over the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19)

A voter uses hand sanitizer as she leaves a polling station for the Florida presidential primary, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Bonita Springs, Fla.

Chicago residents line up for early voting at the Roden Library Monday, March 16, 2020, in Chicago

People wait in line to vote in the presidential primary election at the Supervisor of Elections office, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Delray Beach, Fla. This polling station was made available after some precincts in Palm Beach County were unable to open after poll workers did not report to work

He said while local officials had done a good job of encouraging residents to vote early, the election in Illinois was "understandably, a bit of a mess." But more broadly, Lehrich noted, the coronavirus seems to have cast a "shadow" over the Democratic primary race in recent days, as debates over policy minutiae have taken a back seat to issues of life and death.

"Biden and Sanders are debating the merits of marginally different policies in this little pseudo-reality, while America is consumed by an unprecedented crisis. That's not a criticism of the candidates - everything else in politics feels small in the shadow of coronavirus," he said.

The big question Tuesday was whether the coronavirus would affect turnout at the polls. Biden is moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination but could face a setback if the older voters who tend to support him don't show up. Sanders, meanwhile, can't afford to lose support from young voters who have been his most loyal supporters.

Voting machines are collected from a polling place at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Wintersville, Ohio, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Ohio's presidential primary was postponed Tuesday amid coronavirus concerns

Millions of voters have already participated in some form of early voting. But there were some signs on Tuesday that voters - and poll workers - were staying home.

In Burbank, a small community southwest of Chicago, most of the voting stations stood empty at 8 a.m. Only 17 people had voted, a pace that officials said was unusually slow.

In Palm Beach County, Florida, 800 volunteer poll workers backed out on Monday and just 100 new volunteers offered to take their place.

Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Wendy Sartori Link said three polling sites had to be moved and four opened significantly late because workers didn't show up and hadn't given notice, leaving her and her staff in the lurch.

"We probably should have been expecting it more than we were," she said.

In Illinois, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations canceled at the last minute and said they would not be available for use on Tuesday. Timna Axel, director of communications for the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, said voters had been calling the group's hotline all morning to get help finding their polling places.

The steady flow of calls - including from some polling place workers - is "unusual for a primary," Axel said.

Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn said Tuesday afternoon that the former vice president's campaign watched early morning reports of low Chicago turnout with some concern Tuesday, but she said those worries abated as voters cast ballots throughout the day.

"You hear there's no rush hour" at the polls, "and then you realize, well, there's no rush hour at all," because so many voters are working at home. That doesn't mean turnout won't be lower than it would have been, Dunn said, but that voting will be "more evenly distributed throughout the day."

Both the Biden and Sanders campaigns believe that neither candidate can expect any inherent advantage from lower turnout.

The tumult surrounding the virus has left the primary campaign in a state of suspended animation.

Sanders, the last Democrat standing between Biden and the nomination, isn't planning to drop out. His campaign looked to have nowhere to go after a big loss last week in Michigan, and another blow landed Monday night when Biden was declared the winner of the primary in Washington state, giving him victories in five out of six states that voted March 10. Yet Sanders' top advisers see no downside to staying in the race as they assess how the coming days and weeks unfold.

"I don't have to tell anybody that we are living in a very unprecedented and strange moment in the history of our country," Sanders said during a virtual rally on Monday, urging supporters that it may be time to "rethink our value system, rethink many of the systems we operate under."

Still, Sanders faces an increasingly tough path to the nomination. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded and, if Biden has another big night Tuesday, he will pad an already large and perhaps insurmountable lead. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally, meaning he'd need to win more than 57% of those yet to be allocated to clinch the Democratic nomination.

Voters cast their ballots for the Florida presidential primary, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Bonita Springs, Fla. Floridians are voting across the state as election officials manage losses of poll workers and changes to polling places because of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Guillermo Cruz-Sanchez takes his ballot to the ballot box at the Su Nueva Lavanderia polling place Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Chicago. Voters across the state are getting the chance to decide competitive primary races for the U.S. House and the Illinois Supreme Court, with concerns about the coronavirus looming large

Voter Shelby Zurick Beasley, left, casts her ballot in the Illinois primary with the help of election worker Irene Jester at Parkview Church of the Nazarene Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Fairview Heights, Ill. Voters are casting ballots in the Illinois primary despite the coronavirus outbreak, with judges at this polling place seeing a slow but steady turnout. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The coronavirus could amplify calls for Sanders to drop out of the race, especially if Biden comes out of Tuesday night's primaries in an even stronger position, Lehrich noted.

"It all feels like a bizarre formality given the moment - a pointless subplot with a foregone conclusion, in the midst of an existential threat," he said.

The coming weeks will present additional uncertainties. The campaign had been set to shift to Georgia next week, but officials there have already postponed their Democratic primary until May 19. That means voting isn't scheduled again anywhere until March 29 in Puerto Rico - and island officials are also seeking a delay.

The first week in April, meanwhile, would have featured Louisiana, but its decision to delay the primary until June 20 leaves only primaries in farflung Alaska and Hawaii and caucuses in Wyoming through April 4.

The precariousness surrounding the vote in many states comes as lawmakers on Capitol Hill negotiated with the Trump administration over a financial bailout package intended to contain the economic fallout from the virus. Speaking at a White House press briefing Tuesday, Trump insisted his administration was working fast to respond to the crisis, and he said eradicating the coronavirus would help ensure future primaries go on.

"We're getting rid of this virus. That's what we're doing," he said. "That's the best thing we can do.

A sign is taped to the entrance of a polling location at Hilltop Elementary School, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Beachwood, Ohio. Ohio called off its presidential primary just hours before polls were set to open there and in three other states, an 11th-hour decision the governor said was necessary to prevent further fueling the coronavirus pandemic that has paralyzed the nation
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Samir Ali  Trend:

Baku is interested in developing diplomatic relations with many countries, Editor-in-chief of Azerbaijans SES newspaper, political expert Bahruz Guliyev told Trend on March 17.

Guliyev was commenting on the possible cooperation of Serbia with Armenia in military sphere.

At the same time, Azerbaijan focuses on the foreign policy of countries with which it has established relations, including Serbia, the expert said.

Baku closely monitors the policy of the countries with which it cooperates, as well as observing the relations of a number of countries with Armenia, Guliyev added. This is extremely important in the context of further political relations.

In this regard, I think that if Serbia strengthens ties with Armenia, the occupier, and shows interest in military cooperation, then first of all, this cannot correspond to the spirit of cooperation with the leading country in the South Caucasus  Azerbaijan because Azerbaijan cooperates with many countries, including Serbia, in the field of economy, energy and others, Guliyev said.

From this point of view, the military ties of Serbia with Armenia may have a very negative impact on this cooperation," Guliyev said. Today Armenia is isolated from a number of regional and international projects due to its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan.

The cooperation with a country that does not have economic power cannot be useful to Serbia, the expert said. Armenias economic resources are insignificant. The country's leadership sees the only way out of this situation in foreign aid, which includes financial donations from the diaspora.

In this case, Serbias behavior raises important questions, the expert said. I think that in this situation, Azerbaijan has reason to worry about the possible military cooperation between Serbia and Armenia. This makes the abovementioned aspects important. Serbia should not undermine its authority in the international political circles."
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Xiaomi has been granted a new design patent, and this time around, the company patented a phone a small part of which folds. This may sound odd, and quite frankly, it is.

If you take a look at the images provided in the gallery down below, youll see the device itself. Only a small part of this phone is foldable, and it folds outwards. The top 10-15-percent of the device is foldable.

Only a small part of this Xiaomi handset folds, and it includes three cameras

As you can see, on that foldable part, the company plans to include three cameras. Those three cameras can be used as rear-facing ones, when the phone is folded, and front-facing ones when its fully unfolded.

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When unfolded, you get rather large display camera holes at the top, but you can keep it unfolded, if you want. That part of the device also has a secondary function, it can help you prop up your phone.

This design has been patented with the CNIPA, in China. As its usually the case, just because Xiaomi patented this, doesnt mean that the company will actually make the device.

Xiaomi has yet to release its very first foldable smartphone. The company did show off its demo foldable smartphone last year, but since then, the company has been rather quiet.

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Some rumors suggested that its very first foldable smartphone will arrive by the end of 2019. Well, that did not happen, and were still waiting for some more information from Xiaomi.

Chances are that the companys first foldable smartphone will not look like this patent. It will probably be a proper foldable smartphone, that folds right down the middle. This design does look quite interesting, but its hard to imagine Xiaomi releasing a phone on which only such a small part folds, as its first foldable handset.

The device that the company demoed was actually quite interesting. It folded outwards, and it did not include any cameras whatsoever. The final product almost certainly will not look like that, though.

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Xiaomi is expected to introduce its first foldable smartphone sometime in 2020

Xiaomi is expected to announce its first foldable smartphone this year, but we still dont know when will that happen. Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola, on the other hand, already released its foldable offerings. Samsung and Huawei released two of them already.

Foldable smartphones do have their issues, quite a few of them, but theyre quite exciting nonetheless. People in the industry are going crazy over them, as they represent a new form factor, and something new in the industry in general.

Such smartphones are still not for the vast majority of regular consumers, though. Not only are they too expensive, but theyre simply not worth spending all that cash considering how many compromises you need to deal with. That may change in the future, though.
As first reported by the Miami New Times, company managers downplayed the threat of the virus internally and directed salespeople to do the same with customers. Managers told employees in meetings, according to the employee who spoke with the Miami Herald, and via email, according to the New Times, to persuade cautious clients to cruise by using lines like, The Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise and Scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus.
Serious criminals with a drug addiction may be spared jail through the expansion of a special court program designed to break the cycle of crime.

The Victorian government will introduce legislation to Parliament on Wednesday to expand the Drug Court, which has been running from Dandenong and Melbourne magistrates courts, to Shepparton, Ballarat and the County Court.

Its introduction to the County Court will mean up to 30 offenders convicted of more serious charges, including drug trafficking and some armed robberies, could avoid jail and enter a special diversion program every year.

Magistrate Tony Parsons speaks to a drug court participant. Credit:Simon Schluter

Only those who are sentenced to four years jail or less for crimes that do not involve physically injuring victims or sexual offending would be eligible. Offenders who commit hold-ups using guns would not be eligible either.
Washington, March 17 : The US state of Ohio has cancelled its presidential primary just hours before polls were set to open on Tuesday due to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Taking to Twitter on Monday night, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said: "During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus." DeWine said Amy Action, director of the Ohio Department of Health, had signed the order to close all polling locations, and that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose would seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options to the state's residents, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier on Monday, DeWine said he requested a court in the midwest state to grant delay of the state's Tuesday primary to June, but a Franklin County judge ruled in the evening that it would be a "terrible precedent" for a judge to change the date and rule 12 hours before the election takes place, according to local media reports.

Ohio is one of the four states set to vote on Tuesday.

The other three -- Arizona, Florida and Illinois -- still plan to hold their primary elections on Tuesday.

A number of US states, including Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky, have postponed their primary elections due to the outbreak.

Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Joe Barbuto announced last week that "the in-person portion" of their state's caucuses was "suspended due to growing concern" over the virus.

President Donald Trump on Monday advised people not to gather in groups of more than 10, one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended no gatherings with 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.

The number of infections in the US climbed to nearly 4,000 with more than 65 people dying of the disease.
The federal government of Nigeria has made it known that it has no plan to place restrictions on foreigners from countries with high case of coronavirus.

This was made known by the minister of state for health, Olorunmibe Mamora while addressing a press conference in Abuja.

However, he stated that foreigners from China (where the disease originated last year), Japan, Iran, Italy, Germany, France, South Korea and Spain would be subjected to secondary screening at the point of entering into the country.

His words:

Despite we have not recorded a confirmed COVID-19 case in the last one week in Nigeria, it is important to remember that we are still at high risk like other countries. We will continue to monitor returning travellers that fit our case definition and improve our surveillance, detection and risk communications

Travellers from these eight countries will undertake secondary screening at the point of entry. They are also advised to self-isolate for 14 days on entry
Warren Thoma, the Founder, says, "My team believes in the Jain mission to leave this world better than you found it. We appreciate the quality of JAIN products and look forward to representing the line of products.

Fresno, California, March 17, 2020 - Jain Irrigation, Inc., the world leader in irrigation technology, announced today it signed an exclusive agreement with Warren Thoma & Associates, LLC. Warren Thoma & Associates will be representing Jain Irrigation landscape products, including the award-winning ETwater controller and new Jain Unity software in 27 states in the Midwest and the Eastern United States. You can view all 27 states here.

Warren Thoma and Associates has serviced the professional Green and Irrigation industries since 1991. They represent only manufacturers who are dedicated to servicing the commercial trade with superior products and customer service. Warren Thoma, the Founder, says, "My team believes in the Jain mission to leave this world better than you found it. We appreciate the quality of JAIN products and look forward to representing the line of products. We especially value the benefits of the Jain Unity software for smart controllers. The ability to look back using real-time ET data and forward using predictive analytics is a game-changer for our territory. We look forward to promoting this software to our customers and helping them conserve water.

I've known and admired Warren and his team for years. We worked together on the Irrigation Association Board, and I appreciate Warren's work ethic and strategic thinking. I have been looking forward to this opportunity to partner for some time. Their reputation for quality and customer service is excellent. Together we can make a difference in water savings and the landscape industry overall , said Aric Olson, President of Jain USA.

ABOUT JAIN IRRIGATION

Jain is a fully integrated global food/plant production company recognized by Harvard Business to be one of five global sustainability champions and the G-20 for lifting people out of poverty. Our irrigation manufacturing capabilities include everything from behind the pump to the flush valve at the end of the lateral and everything in between, including drip irrigation. We lead the industry in manufacturing technology, owning both our extrusion and mold manufacturing equipment providers. Jain leads plant science research globally across a variety of food crops and is staffed with some of the world's leading research scientists. With the Gandhi Library, Jain now houses the prominent collection of the world's best plant science knowledge in a single facility. Our agronomic knowledge is integrated from our world-class tissue culture operations through our food processing businesses. We research, educate, advance, manufacture, finance, propagate plants, and purchase produce for processing all to fulfill the Jain mission, leave this world better than you found it.
Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies By Elizabeth Reinach I wrote Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies to enliven and avert people at odd corners of the day. The books contain plays which groups might like to act out. I hope the fun is transferred to the readers, said Reinach.

With a passion for storytelling, author Elizabeth Reinach releases the first book out of the collection of memorable tales, Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies that will entertain a wide variety of readers. This exciting new introduction will invigorate and divert the audience into comedic, historic and tragic tales. From stories about a monkey family to Muji slippers, each tale is accompanied by delightful illustrations that detail the characters experiences and will keep readers captivated.

Being an active member of local writing groups, Reinach decided to take all of her short stories and combine them into several books. The Three Dimensions series is a part of her literary contribution to the lively community of her hometown, Aberdeen. In addition to Lizzies Fizzies, the three-book series also includes, Lizzies Scaries and Lizzies Histories. After reading the first book out of the collection, readers will be excited to dive into the rest of the series.

I wrote Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies to enliven and avert people at odd corners of the day. The books contain plays which groups might like to act out. I hope the fun is transferred to the readers, said Reinach.

Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies will leave readers excited for what is yet to come in the next two books of this charming collection.

Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies

By Elizabeth Reinach

ISBN: 9781984592408 (softcover); 9781984592415 (hardcover); 9781984592392 (eBook)

Available at the Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris

About the author

Elizabeth Reinach is a talented writer who accomplished her dream to become a published author after she retired from her professional career. Reinach graduated from the University of Manchester and has spent her career as a social researcher engaging in projects in the social work field. The stories that are illustrated in the Three Dimensions series are part of her contribution to the lively community of Aberdeen Writers. Three Dimensions contains three different books including, Three Dimensions: Lizzies Fizzies, Three Dimensions: Lizzies Scaries and Three Dimensions: Lizzies Histories. Reinach has also published Tom  the Cat and Heirs of Deceits. She plans to write more books to embellish her passion for literature. She is an active member of local writing groups and had a play performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She currently resides in Aberdeen, Scotland. For more information, please visit http://www.lizaberdeen.com/.

For General Inquires, Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Grace Bywater

480-998-2600 x 534

gbywater(at)lavidge(dot)com
Difficult Women: A History Of Feminism In 11 Fights

Helen Lewis Jonathan Cape, 16.99

Rating:

Its never been easier to find a feminist role model. Publishing is awash with gutsy heroines thanks to series such as Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls, which celebrates extraordinary women.

But such books are hamstrung by a tendency to edit out the less appealing elements of trailblazers. For journalist Helen Lewis, this has been bad news for feminism, diluting a radical political movement into feelgood inspiration porn.

Difficult Women is pitched as an antidote to that, offering unvarnished portraits of the figures on the front line of 11 key battles for womens rights.

Helen Lewis looks at the problematic aspects of more famous figures, such as birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes (above), who also campaigned for eugenics

In chapters that cover subjects including divorce, the vote, work and abortion, we meet Lady Constance Lytton, a suffragette who blew the lid on the horrors of force-feeding, and Marie Bonaparte, a French princess who investigated why some women had bad sex.

Just as riveting is Lewiss look at the problematic aspects of more famous figures, such as birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes, who also campaigned for eugenics.

As well as focusing on disruptive individuals, Lewis explores what it means to cause difficulty as a woman generally, arguing that doing so is essential to getting anything done.

What can feminists learn from the Difficult Women of the past? she asks. First, that making progress means making enemies.

Blending rigorous research with passages that make you bark with laughter, this is an effortlessly smart study of feminisms power to make society better for everyone.

Death By Shakespeare

Kathryn Harkup Bloomsbury, 16.99

Rating:

Next time someone bemoans the body-count in the latest horror flick, ask them how many people are rubbed out in the works of William Shakespeare. The answer, reveals Kathryn Harkup in this look at how realistic his deaths are, is that the Bard bumped off more than 250 named characters.

Add the countless unnamed walk-ons who bite the dust and were dealing with one of the most prolific killers theres ever been.

Mind you, death was all around in Elizabethan England. Life was nasty, brutish and short, and death what Harkup calls a social event. There was no getting away from it.

Unlike so many of us today, Shakespeare knew what death and serious injury looked, sounded and smelled like. So did his players

Unlike so many of us today, Shakespeare knew what death and serious injury looked, sounded and smelled like. So did his players. These days, when actors pluck out Gloucesters eyes in King Lear, theyre really squeezing on lychees.

Back in the Bards day, though, the props guy was a regular down at the slaughterhouse  where genuine eyeballs were readily available.

Not that all Shakespearean deaths are realistic. Suicide would have been a much messier business than even the longest of Shakespeare plays allows, Harkup argues. Nor did he know his poisons.

IT'S A FACT The most common cause of death in Shakespeare's plays is stabbing. Advertisement

Much of the witches brew in Macbeth, with its fillet of snake and toe of frog, might be disgusting  but it wouldnt be that toxic. Tooth of wolf, on the other hand, could be a reference to ergot, a black, fang-shaped fungus that cuts off your blood supply, before blinding and killing you.

Thankfully, the majority of deaths in Shakespeare are less stomach-churning. Fencing was to Elizabethan theatregoers what gunplay is to gamers today  and Shakespeare gave them what they wanted, with 22 sword fights in Henry IV part one alone.

Were I a schoolteacher introducing phone-addicted teens to Macbeth or Romeo And Juliet, Id go in big on Shakespeares violent delights.

Christopher Bray
FAIRFIELD  The Board of Selectmen voted this week to approve the settlement in a case brought by former police detective Stephen Rilling, ending a saga that started almost 3 years ago.

Sources said the settlement is for just under $100,000. According to town attorney Jim Baldwin, the settlement would be paid for by the towns insurance carrier. The agreement was reached before the case went to trial later before a jury later this month.

The town agreed to approve the insurance companys decision to settle, the cost of which will be borne by them, First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said about the settlement. Under the terms of the policy, the town really had no other choice.

Rilling, the son of Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling who was addicted to painkillers while working for the Police Department, claimed in the lawsuit against the town of Fairfield that his superiors put him in a position to steal thousands of dollars of heroin and Oxycotin despite his pleas to take him off narcotic cases.

The former detective also claimed that he was not allowed to retire on a disability  being addicted to the powerful painkillers.

A 19-year veteran of the department, Rilling agreed to a plea bargain in March 2018 and pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor possession of narcotics and three counts of fourth-degree computer crime. He was sentenced to a suspended 5-year sentence with three years probation.

According to police, Rilling signed out more than 800 packets of Oxycotin, more than 225 folds of heroin and a few packets of cocaine from the departments evidence room between June 2016 and February 2017. They said he falsely claimed he needed to have the drugs tested while actually taking them for personal use because of his addiction.

The department said the drugs came from various raids and operations as well as from the homes of people who had overdosed.

In the lawsuit, Rilling claimed his addiction came from the use of prescribed opioids after an on-the-job car accident in 2009. He states in the suit that in 2013, he told his superiors in the department he was addicted to opioids and admitted himself to a drug treatment facility.

When he returned to work after treatment, Rilling claimed that he was ordered to resume his role investigating narcotics crimes  despite his protests  causing him to relapse. The suit claimed this decision led him to resume his use of opioids and resulted in his theft of Oxycotin, heroin and other narcotics from the evidence locker.
By Express News Service

PHULBANI: A coronavirus suspect fled from quarantine at District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), Phulbani on Monday, sparking fear among the people.

The youth had been admitted to the isolation unit, in consideration of his travel history.

A resident of Sunpanga village under Balliguda police limits, he had returned from Kerala, that has so far reported 21 positive cases, on March 4.

Although he had no symptoms, the district administration decided to quarantine him owing to his travel to the affected state.

COVID-19 LIVE | Government proposes India lockdown to contain spread of coronavirus

Chief District Medical Officer Rajeshree Pattnaik said the youth had come to his village to attend a festival.

He stayed in the village for a fortnight and on Sunday, health workers brought him to sub-divisional headquarters hospital at Balliguda for medical examination.

From there, he was brought to the DHH and kept in isolation ward.

From preliminary examination, no symptoms of COVID-19 were found in him. However, he complained of unnecessary detention and in the morning, he left the ward without informing anyone, she said, adding that his swab samples have not been collected yet.

Since he is untraceable, the DHH authorities have registered a complaint in the town police station at Phulbani.

On Sunday, a woman of Kekerbadi village under Daringbadi suspected of suffering from the disease was admitted to the isolation ward of DHH.

She had returned from Tamil Nadu four days back and is under observation.
Trade conflicts, climate change and epidemics may at first glance appear to be a hindrance to Viet Nams agricultural sector.

Farmers in An Giang Province harvest rice. Current challenges provide an opportunity for the agricultural sector to speed up the value chain restructuring and innovating the growth model.

But some see it as an opportunity to speed up the value chain restructuring and innovating the growth model.

In the early months of this year, Viet Nams agriculture faced many challenges, not only from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic but also trade tensions and worsening climate change.

These alone put the production and export of key agricultural products at high risk, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said.

According to the initial assessment of the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MAR), fisheries along with fruit and vegetable products will be directly affected by the fast and prolonged pandemic.

This is forcing companies to change production and business methods and seek more exporting markets.

Order delays for seafood products will lead to the development of processed products such as canned and frozen foods, Cuong said.

A lesson was learned from fruit and vegetable export market because when the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred, the Chinese market stalled, causing a consumption disruption of high-yielding agricultural products which were rarely put into processing such as watermelon and dragon fruit.

The head of the agricultural sector said localities must proactively adjust their production and harvest seasons to suit the market need and be prepared to move quickly when the pandemic is over, while at the same time promoting domestic consumption and export to key markets such as the United States, EU and ASEAN.

The ministry is also negotiating to expand markets to minimise dependence on certain markets by planning fact-finding missions to the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

It is quickly completing the technical documents for export permits of durians, passion fruit, avocados, grapefruits and custard apples to China; grapefruits to the US; and longans, grapefruits and passion fruit to Japan.

Better preparation, lower risks

Meanwhile in the Mekong Delta region, salinity intrusion came earlier this year with higher severity. Saltwater has covered nearly 100km from the estuary, threatening the agricultural production and livelihoods in the region.

In a recent field trip to this area, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the success of the region in changing crop structure in drought and salinity areas, so the damaged rice area was just 39,000ha, equalling just 9.6 per cent of the damage in the worst-hit year 2016.

According to MARD, this achievement was attributable to early planning and preparation. Since September last year, the ministry requested localities and its departments accelerate construction and repair irrigation works to cope with saltwater and diversify crops.

To avoid salinity in rice production, the ministry has instructed localities to sow the 2019-20 winter-spring crop 10 to 20 days earlier compared to the previous crops. The localities also changed the plantation areas with drought risk and proactively cut and extend crops.

The ministry forecasts the weather will be more predictable and natural disasters such as drought and salinity may not follow the repeat rule of five years. Therefore, people need to adapt, mitigate losses and even exploit changing ecological conditions to regulate the plantation.

Deputy Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said the ministry was coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other relevant ministries and agencies to build a master plan for the Mekong Delta region.

After 2020, it will rotate the agricultural production model from rice-fruit-fishery to fishery-fruit-rice, aiming towards reducing rice plantations and increasing areas for fruit and seafood products.

To rotate this axis, we must identify fresh water, brackish water and salt water are all resources. At the same time, agricultural infrastructure must be built to serve this task, Hiep said.

Regarding animal husbandry, although epidemics have caused great economic losses, it also provides an opportunity to promote the restructuring of production, focusing on the application of advanced technology and building closed chain, from inputs to production, processing and consumption.

According to Tran Cong Thang, director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, the restructuring process has decreased the number of small farms, but to avoid the "left behind" situation, the Government should have policies to train and support safe livestock households.

There are still many niche markets for small- and medium-sized animal husbandry households to develop such as organic farming, high-quality specialty products thanks to great domestic demand, he said.

Large enterprises are encouraged to continue working together with localities to develop disease-free poultry production chains and areas in compliance with the Vietnamese regulations and recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for domestic consumption and export, Thang said.

According to Minister Cuong, business plays a very important role in establishing the value chain of production-processing-consumption.

At present, we have about 12,000 enterprises directly producing in the agricultural sector, only about 1 per cent of the total businesses in the country, in which, small and micro enterprises account for 95 per cent, Cuong said, noting enterprises are mainly processing, preserving and trading agricultural products while the number of enterprises investing in mechanisation and research of seed is small.

Attributing the "absence" of enterprises in stages requiring large financial investment, technology and human resources to high risk in the sector, the minister urged localities to effectively implement the issued policies on enterprise development, supporting industries, credit for high-tech agriculture, along with creating favourable investment and business environment for businesses.  VNS

Which investors are pouring money into agriculture? Tran Ba Duong, a member of top 10 stock billionaire, president of Thaco, an automobile manufacturer, has joined hands with the King of Catfish Duong Ngoc Minh, president of Hung Vuong Group (HVG).
The Lagos State Ministry of Health has confirmed a third case of coronavirus in Nigeria.

Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, broke the news to journalists at the government secretariat Tuesday morning.

This is a new case independent of the index case of a 30 year-old Nigerian, female, who returned from the UK on 13th March, the commissioner revealed.

Mr Abayomi said the patient, who initially showed symptoms of the infection, observed self-Isolation, and thereafter tested positive.

Although Nigeria has so far recorded three cases of the virus, only two are active. The second case, linked to the index case, later tested negative.

The first case, an Italian who arrived the country on a business trip, was confirmed on February 27.

The man had spent two days within the country and visited Lagos and Ogun state before he fell ill and was diagnosed of coronavirus.

He has since been isolated and placed under treatment.

On Monday, the minister of state for health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, said the contact case from the index case was well and released to go back into the community. He said the index case was still, however, being observed as the viral load of the virus is yet to be at zero significant level.

He said the Italian would be under observation until that is achieved but he is clinically stable and responding to treatment.

Mr Mamora said between January 7 and March 15, a total of 48 people who had met the case definition of the disease has so far been tested in eight states  Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Enugu, FCT, Rivers Kano, Yobe  out of which 47 tested negative and have been cleared, one positive (contact of index case) and one result still pending. There has been no death so far.

No ban

Mr Mamora also announced that Nigeria had no plans on restricting any countrys nationals from entering the country.

Instead, the country would be intensifying screening on passengers from eight countries  China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Germany, Japan, France, and Spain.

Mr Mamora, while giving the national update on the status of the disease in the country, said these eight countries have been highlighted as countries with high risk of widespread community transmission and screening would be intensified on passengers from these countries.

The U.S. and UK, despite having high ongoing transmission and cases, are not part of the countries earmarked for intensive passengers screening.

As at the time of reporting, the U.S. ranks eighth on the table of countries with the highest number of confirmed cases with 3,802 confirmed cases while the UK ranks 10th with 1,391 confirmed cases following Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Japan which is on the list for intensive passengers screening to Nigeria, ranks 17th with 840 confirmed cases.

Responding to why the UK is not on the list for intensive passengers screening, Mr Mamora said We are monitoring situations and it is dynamic and we will do so when necessary.

He added that passengers from these eight countries will undertake secondary screening at the point of entry and also advised to self-isolate on entry.
UPDATED

School superintendents are desperate for clear guidance from the federal government on whether schools should close and for how long they should keep schools shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Even though many states have ordered all public schools to shut down, the dozen that havent have left district leaders in those states trying to sort through confusing messages about what to do.

Many were hoping to get that kind clarity on a call scheduled between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and district leaders Tuesday afternoon, but the call was canceled at the last minute.

On Monday, President Trump himself urged families to keep their children home from school if possible, one part of his administrations latest guidance to halt the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. That guidance calls for no more than 10 people to be gathered in the same room at the same time. But neither Trump, nor members of his federal task force, explicitly called for schools to close.



How can you recommend no groups of 10 or more [people] and not recommend that schools be closed? said Daniel Domenech, the executive director of AASA, the School Superintendents Association.



No Single Message on Shutting Down Schools

In guidance to school districts late last week, the CDC said that while there was a role for school closures in mitigating the spread of the disease in the community, modeling data also indicated that early and short-to-medium term closures, like two to four-week closures, did not necessarily alter the diseases epidemiological curve. And while longer closures of eight to 20 weeks were more impactful, other efforts, such as handwashing and isolation, were more effective, according to the guidance.

We understand that these are all recommendations, and they are trying to give a lot of latitude to localities to make those decisions, said Domenech.

But the problem that we run into is that we have the president saying you should not have any assembly of 10 or more people. How do you reconcile that with schools that are open and will open with thousands of kidsand definitely more than 10 in any classroom? It does not make sense. And that is the kind of confusion we are dealing with that needs clarification.

The Tuesday call that many were counting on to clarify things was supposed to be between the district leaders and Kathleen Ethier, director in the division of adolescent and school health at the CDC.

As of March 17, 38 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, had closed their school systems, meaning that nearly 39 million children are out of school, according to Education Weeks map of school closures.

While many of the early school closures were for two and three weeks, districts like New York City, the countrys largest school system with 1.1 million students, will be closed for about a month. And many are gearing up to possibly be out of school for the rest of the school year. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has suggested that students may not return to school this year.

The patchwork response is putting superintendents in an awkward position, Domenech said. They are looking for a uniform message from the administration, not one group saying one thing and then someone else saying a different thing, Domenech said.

Domenech suggested looking at the examples in other countries that have centrally ordered schools to close. But the CDC guidance to districts last week said that some countries that closed schools, like Hong Kong, did not have any more success in halting the spread of the disease than some that did not close schools.

Educators are charged with and are responsible for the safety and welfare of not just their students but their staff, Domenech said. We are not talking here about people simply catching a cold. We are talking about people getting fatally ill, and dying. Nobody wants that to happen on their watch. They want clear guidance on whats the best thing to do.

Daniel Bittman, superintendent of the 14,000-student ISD 728 school district in Elk River Minnesota, said he hoped hearing directly from the CDC would give him more understanding of the virus and the experiences of the communities that have been impacted.

He was also looking for some guidance about what he should be saying to his community about how long the districts schools may remain closed because of the pandemic and for examples of both successful and unsuccessful mitigation strategies.

I do think that when there are opportunities to collaborate with superintendents across the country and medical professionals thats extremely valuable, Bittman said. We should be looking for those opportunities on a regular basis in order to make sure that we are making the best decisions for our kids, staff, and communities. Our communities look to our districts to provide [information] and guidance in these situations. In our state, as well as most states throughout the country, oftentimes school districts are the largest employers, and we have the ability to reach the [greatest] number of people. When we lose those opportunities to partner, we are less effective.

He wanted to hear about strategies that had been attempted in Washington state or New York, both hotspots, that were critical to managing the pandemic or supporting students.

Bittman hoped to gain as much from the CDC representative on the call as well as his peers around the country, particularly how they were supporting vulnerable students, including students with IEPs, 504 plans, and students in poverty.

The call would have allowed me and my team to communicate with a broader spectrum, he said.

He said his district will continue to use CDC resources, along with state educational and health guidance to make local decisions.

Elk River closed on Monday, opening on a limited basis on Tuesday to allow students and parentsin controlled settingsto pick up devices, personal effects, and medicine.

Bittmans district closed not long after the CDC issued guidance recommending that some communities cancel events of more than 250 people. Even that would have been difficult to manage, he said. The high school cafeteria has 500 students at lunch time, and adding more lunch sessions would not have allowed them to comply, while practicing social distancing.

We were not able to do that with 250, let alone 10, Bittman said.

We cannot function as a school system, in terms of only having 10 people at a time in an area, he said. We dont have the space, we dont have the staff, and we dont have the capacity to do that.

Image: A building-closure sign on the main office window of Robertson Elementary School in Yakima, Wash. All 15 Yakima County school districts cancelled classes this week because of the coronavirus outbreak. (Amanda Ray/Yakima Herald-Republic via AP)
Mission

Supporters of the Lyon-Martin and Women's Community Clinic hold signs during Thursday's press conference. | Photos: Sam Lew/Hoodline

One of the nations leading transgender-inclusive clinics may soon be closing its doors  despite the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

On Thursday, over 80 people gathered in front of the Mission's Lyon-Martin Health Services and Womens Community Clinic (1735 Mission St.) to protest its imminent closure. While there is no set closure date for the clinic, it could happen as early as May.

We are here today to take back our clinic, J.M. Jaffe, Lyon-Martin's former trans health manager, told the crowd. We will not let it shut down without a fight.

Lyon-Martin and the Women's Community Clinic primarily provide services to low-income, uninsured or underinsured transgender people and cisgender women. The two clinics served 3,000 patients in 2019  an increase of over 70% from the previous year.

For transgender clients, services include hormone therapy for gender transition, trans-affirming gynecologic care, and referrals to trans-sensitive mammography. The clinic offers assistance to clients seeking genital surgery, hair restoration, chest surgery, and body contouring.

This is as lifesaving for trans people as insulin is for diabetics, said Dr. Nick Gorton, who has worked at the clinic for 15 years.

"The queer and trans community is no stranger to pandemics," said J.M. Jaffee, Lyon-Martin's former trans health manager, at the rally.

Nonprofit HealthRIGHT360, which manages Lyon-Martin and the Women's Community Clinic, told staff in late February that the location would close. Services are set to be consolidated to HealthRIGHT 360s Integrated Care Center, two blocks away at 1563 Mission St.

According to Lyon-Martin's staff, that consolidation would mean a 90% reduction in all of its services, with only two half-days per week. The Integrated Care Center's staff aren't currently trained to serve queer and trans patients, and staff say that could create an unsafe environment for both them and their patients.

Many transgender clients say that Lyon-Martin is the only space where they feel safe enough to receive services.

The clinic saved my life a lot of times," said Jae Cripe, who has been a patient at the clinic for 10 years. "Transphobia makes it hard for people to access care and to know that doctors will treat you with respect and dignity."

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The announcement came shortly after health clinic staff unionized under SEIU 1021, which represents healthcare workers, government employees, and nonprofit agencies.

While HealthRIGHT 360 says it's committed to keeping the services that the community clinic offers, its completely not financially sustainable to do so, said its communications director, Lauren Kahn. Lyon-Martin and the Womens Community Clinic are operating at a loss of $800,000 per year.

HealthRIGHT 360 and the two clinics have called on the city to provide funds to keep their doors open for the next two years, while they figure out how to sustain themselves over the long term, or seek alternatives.

The amount of money theyll need, they say, is close to $1.4 million over two years.

Without that happening very soon, were not going to have a choice but to consolidate, said Kahn.

Over 80 people, including District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, attend the rally in support of saving the community clinic.

The clinic has at least one key supporter: District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro.

I cannot allow Lyon-Martin, which has been a part of the queer community in San Francisco for 40 years, to close on my watch," Mandelman said at the rally. "A public health crisis is no time to close care clinics like Lyon-Martin."

A Hoodline reporter reached out to Mandelman to inquire as to his plans to help fund the clinic, but did not receive a response by press time.

In the meantime, the two clinics have started a GoFundMe account and an Instagram page to assist their efforts to keep their doors open  as they continue to face overwhelming demand.

Ive seen so many people pass away because theyre too afraid to go to a clinic, said Sindura Reddy, Lyon-Martin's community engagement coordinator, noting that the clinic's patients currently face a six-month-long waitlist for mental health services. This city needs to step up and support trans people.
The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health announced Monday afternoon that two more people in the county have died after contracting the novel coronavirus.

The victims, both men, bring the total death count from Covid-19 in the county to four. One man was in his 80s and the other was in his 50s, per county health officials.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a video streamed on his Facebook page Monday evening that one of the men was homeless, but didn't identify them. County officials didn't specify or offer additional details on which victim was homeless.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, there were 138 cases of Covid-19 in the county and 52 people have been hospitalized.

The Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport will remain open during a shelter-in-place order enacted throughout the Bay Area to slow the spread of novel coronavirus, the agencies announced Monday.

The shelter-in-place order will be in effect until April 7, according to health officials from San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Solano, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The Port of Oakland and the airport are considered essential services, and will remain open, along with BART, hospitals, pharmacies and grocery stores.

The Grand Princess cruise ship, which was carrying quarantined passengers with coronavirus, docked at the Port of Oakland on March 9. The ship has since moved to San Francisco and the Oakland port said none of its employees, customers or business partners have tested positive for coronavirus.

The Port of Oakland oversees Oakland International Airport, and said it is continuing an "accelerated sanitization regimen" along with introducing social distancing policies at all facilities. Both the port and the airport are continuing daily unloading and loading, and regular schedules of inbound and outbound flights.

Santa Cruz County is joining six other Bay Area counties in ordering residents to shelter in place effective at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and lasting until midnight on April 7 to help restrict the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The county currently has nine confirmed cases.

Public activities will be confined to essential services and activities.

Exceptions to the order include law and safety operations, essential government services, health care operations, pharmacies, child care facilities, food production including farming, food businesses including groceries and other food retailers, telecommunications, restaurants operating at reduced capacity, shelter including hotels, social services, establishments and agencies serving economically disadvantaged populations, gas stations, banks, laundry businesses, and safety and sanitation businesses.

Several San Francisco city departments will continue providing services -- despite limited resources -- amid a three-week stay-at-home order for San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties, department leaders announced Monday.

The order, announced by Mayor London Breed early Monday afternoon, is mandating that San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Marin county residents stay home through at least April 7 to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

As part of the order, non-essential gatherings and travel will be banned, with residents being directed to work from home or stop working unless they provide an "essential service" like those in the health care industry and law enforcement.

During this time, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will continue service for essential travel. The service, however, will be reallocated to lines that serve critical healthcare facilities, Muni Director Jeffrey Tumlin said during a news conference at City Hall.

Cable car service on the F-Market and E-Embarcadero lines will be eliminated for the time being, he said, in order to ensure the safety of car drivers, since cable cars don't have partitions separating drivers from passengers.

Tumlin also said Muni has suspended all late penalties for traffic citations. Muni is also suspending some parking enforcement, like enforcement of residential parking permits, peak hour towing and parking for longer than 72 hours.

Enforcement for street cleaning, double parking, blocking bike lanes and parking in transit-only lanes will still be enforced. Meter parking will also be enforced, as essential businesses such as grocery stores, will remain open.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf on Monday called for city residents to comply with an order by health officials to shelter in place to deal with the coronavirus pandemic but also said they should remain calm.

Referring to the shelter-in-place order that was issued for Alameda County and five other Bay Area counties earlier on Monday, Schaas said, "This limited order is something we all must take seriously but not panic."

Speaking at a news conference at Oakland City Hall, Schaaf said, "There are many things that we as Oaklanders can continue to enjoy while we do the very responsible thing and that is to help prevent the spread of COVID-19."

The mayor said, "We must be clear that essential workers are still going coming to work to do their jobs. While we must practice social distancing we can go about our essential tasks during the day. All essential businesses will remain open. You do not need to run to the grocery store right now."

Non-essential services in Sonoma County and the cities of Healdsburg and Santa Rosa will be cut back to reduce the risk of potential community spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, officials announced Monday.

To limit person-to-person contact the county and city governments will focus on providing only essential services and many public facilities will temporarily be closed through April 5 as a result.

Emergency law enforcement and fire services, water and wastewater treatment, emergency road repairs and transit services will continue, officials said.

City of Santa Rosa parks and county regional parks will remain open, but the public is warned to use precautions and avoid congregating at parks, and officials say people categorized as high-risk should stay home.

The public is advised to go online for updates on essential services and alternatives for other services affected by the closure.

The Superior Court of Alameda County on Monday said it is requesting an emergency order from the state Supreme Court that would close all its courthouse locations to the public through April 7 in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus shelter in place order in the Bay Area.

Under the request, current temporary restraining orders would be extended by 30 days. Requests for new restraining orders would be accepted at a drop box at the Hayward Hall of Justice, court officials said.

If the emergency order request to California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye is granted, the Superior Court would halt virtually all of its operations, treating them as court holidays for statutory time and date calculations.

The chief judge of the federal trial courts in the Northern District of California ordered Monday evening that federal courthouses will be closed to the public until May 1 and most court functions will be postponed or conducted telephone or video.

Chief U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton said that because of the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, federal court facilities in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and McKinleyville will be open only to people with official court business beginning on Tuesday.

No federal civil or criminal jury trials will be scheduled until May 1.

In criminal cases, initial appearances, bail hearings and arraignments and other proceedings before federal magistrates will continue, but will all be heard in San Francisco and will be conducted by telephone or videoconference when possible.

In civil cases, motions before the district judge assigned to a case will either be decided by the judge on the basis of the papers, without a hearing, or, if the judge thinks a hearing is necessary, a hearing will be conducted by telephone or videoconference.

Grand jury proceedings used to prepare indictments will be suspended until May 1.

Officials with Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit are temporarily canceling weekend service because of the shelter-in-place ordered in seven Bay Area counties and the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Weekend service is scheduled to resume April 11. Marin County is one of the seven counties where residents have been ordered to shelter-in-place for three weeks starting Tuesday. Trains will operate normally during weekdays and any changes will be considered on a daily basis.

SMART ridership is down lately, as it is for most all of the region's transit agencies. Gonzalez said that 3,256 people rode SMART on Feb. 27.

Two weeks later, ridership was off by 29 percent. Gonzalez linked the decline to the number of people staying home because of the virus.

Tuesday will be partly cloudy in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Highs will be in the mid 50s. Southeast winds will be 5 to 10 mph, before becoming southwest winds at 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers after midnight. Lows will be in the upper 40s. Southwest winds will be 5 to 15 mph.

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Highs will be in the 50s. South winds will be 5 to 15 mph. The chance of showers is 20 percent.

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.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said late Monday the state's primary polls will closed on Tuesday due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election tomorrow would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus," the Republican governor said in a statement.

DeWine said Amy Acton, director of the state's health department, will order the polls closed as a health emergency. He also said Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose will pursue voting options through the courts.

@GovMikeDeWine: As such, @DrAmyActon will order the polls closed as a health emergency. While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State @FrankLaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity.

Ohio was one of the four states scheduled to hold presidential primaries on Tuesday. Illinois, another state expected to vote Tuesday, said in an earlier Monday statement that it was "proceeding with plans for tomorrow's primary as scheduled."

DeWine's announcement came after a judge rejected a lawsuit that sought to postpone the state's primaries to June 2.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Franklin County Judge Richard Frye said such a delay, 12 hours before voting was scheduled to begin, would set a "terrible precedent." Ohio polls had been scheduled to open at 6:30 a.m. ET Tuesday.

Earlier, DeWine said that although he lacked the legal authority to suspend the election, he made the recommendation in light of guidance from public health officials. Over the weekend, the CDC had advised people to reschedule events with 50 or more people.

On Sunday, DeWine ordered bars and restaurants in Ohio to close their doors to in-house customers. He said, however, restaurants would still be able to continue their takeout and delivery options.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, the Ohio Department of Health has reported 50 cases in the state. Nationwide, there have been at least 4,600 cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

 CNBC's Tucker Higgins contributed to this report.
A few days ago the entire Executive stood shoulder-to-shoulder and spoke from the same script as they addressed the media. We were assured that the huge challenges presented by Covid-19 would be tackled jointly and rigorously.

It was an important moment. It was known that, on other issues, there were tensions and divisions between the parties, so seeing them together and committing to a joint response was of huge significance.

A sign, perhaps, that when it came to an extraordinary moment and an extraordinary crisis, political parties could shift from the usual 'dreary steeples' domain and work together for the common good.

Yet less than 24 hours later Michelle O'Neill called her own press conference in the Great Hall at Stormont to backtrack on a stance she had supported the previous day: "Now is the time to take action and ensure the schools, universities and colleges are closed and that needs to happen immediately. People are fearful. On the back of the angst that there is amongst the wider public, now is the time to take action. People are rightly concerned about the impacts on their families and their children and, as a parent, I share those concerns and I have been contacted by many parents who did not send their children to school this morning."

The contents of her statement don't seem to have been discussed with any other party in the Executive, let alone Health Minister Robin Swann. Indeed, they don't even seem to have been discussed with her colleague Deirdre Hargey, the Communities Minister, who had appeared on a BBC Radio Ulster interview about two hours earlier and supported what had been agreed the day before.

It's not entirely clear why O'Neill changed her position so rapidly. A number of sources suggest that Sinn Fein came under "enormous pressure" at constituency and grassroots level after Boris Johnson's press conference - on the same day as the Executive's conference - which was interpreted by some as the UK taking its own standalone 'herd' response to Covid-19, rather than sharing the advice and strategy in other affected countries.

Whatever the specific reasons, it would surely have made sense to discuss it with the Executive first, if only to gauge whether the "rapidly changing daily circumstances" relating to tackling the virus justified a recalibration of Executive policy?

It was also interesting that O'Neill chose to make her statement - effectively distancing Sinn Fein from Executive policy - the day before she and Arlene Foster were due to take part in a North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC), at which tackling the crisis was topping the agenda.

Again, why couldn't she have waited an extra day and gauged the mood at the NSMC? Why not have that particular conversation behind closed doors - at which the Irish Government side could update the Northern Ireland government about their own progress - and see if it was possible to dovetail certain aspects of their approaches?

Perhaps most important of all, why did she do something which she knew was certain to provoke a huge storm and undermine the united approach which had earned plaudits on Thursday afternoon?

If things were bad before the NSMC, they rose to toxic level late afternoon on Saturday with this tweeted intervention from Sinn Fein MLA (and former Health Minister) John O'Dowd: "Let's be clear, this shire (sic) of b******s are using everyone of us in some form of twisted medical experiment. Do you honestly believe the rest of Europe is wrong and this balloon and his ilk are right? If you are not angry, it's time to get angry, we are on the brink of disaster." That tweet, intemperate and unnecessary though it was, actually shores up the argument that it was Johnson's comments and response on Thursday that persuaded (although others would say that her hand was forced by an on-the-ground rebellion) O'Neill to backtrack from Sinn Fein's pro-Executive unity.

But why not talk to Foster and Swann and ask them if they were prepared to distance themselves from Johnson's position? Indeed, during ministerial question time yesterday Swann said: "Herd immunity is not a tool I will be utilising as a way to combat this virus."

Had O'Neill asked him about it on Friday morning she might have discovered that he would have been happy with a joint Executive statement saying then what he said 72 hours later. So, why didn't she ask him? Why didn't she speak to Education Minister Peter Weir?

She must have known, as must her advisers, that her statement on Friday was very unhelpful. But she went ahead.

She must have known that O'Dowd's tweet would offend many people, including some who agreed with his broader point, but she didn't distance herself from it, and nor does she seem to have asked him to remove the tweet.

Yesterday morning Naomi Long tweeted: "I think the politicisation of this crisis by SF is wrong. We now need to get round the table at the Executive and get back on the same page, giving consistent, clear and scientifically sound advice to those we represent to keep them as safe and as healthy as possible."

Replying to her, Sinn Fein senator (and former Lord Mayor of Belfast) Niall O Donnghaile, said: "But people dying is 'political'. Putting a political union with Britain ahead of the scientific realities of living on a separate landmass is 'political'. I don't want us all to simply be on the same page if you're on the wrong page tbh."

Sinn Fein is at the heart of government in Northern Ireland. It agreed a joint Executive strategy on Thursday and that agreement provided a rare moment of hope that something as enormous as Covid-19 could be tackled collectively. Since then the party has fallen in behind O'Neill in the ending of that collective approach.

So, does Michelle O'Neill support Robin Swann? Is Sinn Fein standing behind the efforts of the Health Department's efforts to contain and control Covid-19? And, if not, then what precisely is Sinn Fein's position at the moment?

Whether the party likes it or not, the fact remains that Northern Ireland is part of another jurisdiction and each jurisdiction has the right to decide how best to deal with this crisis. As it happens I do believe in the need to co-operate at a time like this, having noted elsewhere that the virus is no respecter of borders or national identities.

My fear is that Sinn Fein's actions since Friday morning have made north-south co-operation on this crisis much more difficult to achieve.

The Executive table is the best place to agree joint strategy - not solo-run press conferences and intemperate tweets.
Hard-line Shiite faithful in Iran pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines just closed over fears of the new coronavirus, Iranian state media reported Tuesday, as the Islamic Republic pressed on with its struggle to control the Mideast's worst outbreak.

Roughly nine out of 10 of the over 17,000 cases of the new virus confirmed across the Middle East come from Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed.

Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.

Late on Monday night, angry crowds stormed into the courtyards of Mashhad's Imam Reza shrine and Qom's Fatima Masumeh shrine.

Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. That's worried health officials, who for weeks ordered Iran's Shiite clergy to close them.

Earlier on Monday, the state TV had announced the shrines' closure, sparking the demonstrations.

We are here to say that Tehran is damn wrong to do that! one Shiite cleric shouted at the shrine in Mashhad, according to online video.

Others joined him in chanting: The health minister is damn wrong to do that, the president is damn wrong to do that!



Police later dispersed the crowds, state media reported.

Religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary called the demonstration an insult to the shrine in a statement, urging the faithful to rely on wisdom and patience amid the closure.

Iran's shrines draw Shiites from all over the Mideast for pilgrimages, likely contributing to the spread of the virus across the region.

Saudi Arabia earlier closed off Islam's holiest sites over fear of the virus spreading.

President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said despite the closures, our soul is closer to the saints more than at any time.

State TV reported that Iran had deployed teams to screen travelers leaving major cities in 13 provinces, including the capital, Tehran.

But Iran has 31 provinces and authorities haven't taken the step to lock down the country like in the allied nations of Iraq and Lebanon.

The teams check travelers' temperatures and will send those with fevers to quarantine centers.

Iran has been urging people to stay home, but many have ignored the call.

Most people infected by the new coronavirus experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people with no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Meanwhile in Israel, the number of people infected by the virus rose to 304 on Tuesday as the defense ministry was to roll out its plan to use near-empty hotel facilities, ravaged by the crash in tourism, as recovery centers for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Two hotels are to begin receiving patients on Tuesday with others likely to follow. The facilities are to be overseen by medical officials with patients quarantined in rooms, and food and other amenities delivered to the rooms by protected hotel staff.

Israel's Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced Tuesday that the annual Memorial Day ceremonies, scheduled this year for April 27-28, would be held without an audience.

The ceremonies at military cemeteries typically draw the country's top leadership and bereaved families.

Bennett also issued instructions to allow into Israel only those Palestinian workers and merchants whose work is deemed essential in health, agriculture, nursing and construction.

Workers allowed in will stay in Israel for between one and two months.

Also, following an overnight Cabinet approval, Israel's internal Shin Ben security service said it will begin deploying its phone-tracking technology to combat the spread of the virus.

The Shin Bet insisted the use will be limited only to help save lives and warn those who have been exposed. Amid secrecy concerns, it said the technology won't be used to enforce quarantines and the data will only be stored temporarily and available to just a select group of agents.

The emergency ordinance will be effective for 30 days.

Prime Minister Netanyahu announced late Monday that the public sector would begin to operate in an emergency format, with many civil servants sent on leave.

The private sector would operate on a smaller scale, with businesses required to scale back 70 per cent of employees.

Vital services, including supermarkets, will continue to operate normally.

Netanyahu said that no country-wide quarantine would be declared but said that local blanket quarantines would be used at focal points of the virus's eruption.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Professor punished by university for refusing to use transgender pronouns appeals case

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A Christian philosophy professor at a state university in southern Ohio who was punished for objecting to using opposite sex pronouns when addressing a trans-identified student is appealing his case.

The appeal comes after a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit of Nicholas Meriwether, who argued that Shawnee State University unlawfully disciplined him after he refused to accede to the demands of a male student by referring to him as a woman and using female pronouns.

Meriwether is being represented by Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, which specializes in religious liberty and First Amendment law.

Professors dont give up their First Amendment freedoms simply by choosing to teach, said ADF Senior Counsel Travis Barham, in a Thursday statement.

Public universities have no business trying to force people to express ideological beliefs that they do not hold. Dr. Meriwether remains committed to serving all students with respect, but he cannot express all messages or endorse all ideologies. When the university tried to force him to do this and then punished him for exercising his rights, it violated the First Amendment.

Barham believes the magistrate both misinterpreted and misapplied the law.

"The district court should not have adopted her recommendations and dismissed the case, Barham explained.

Thats why were asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit to reverse both rulings and allow Dr. Meriwether to continue pursuing justice.

Meriwether's ordeal began in January 2018, during a political philosophy class he was teaching wherein he replied to a male students question by saying, Yes, sir.

The student informed the professor after class that he identified as transgender and told him that he must be addressed as female. When the professor did not immediately agree, the student became angry, said he would get Meriwether fired, and filed a complaint with the school, which set in motion a formal inquiry.

Meriwether reportedly said he would call the student by his preferred name but that was not enough for the university and he was accused of creating a "hostile environment for the student. He was also given a written warning and threatened with further corrective actions unless he fully complied.

This isnt just about a pronoun; this is about endorsing an ideology, ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, said.

The university favors certain beliefs, and it wants to force Dr. Meriwether to cry uncle and endorse them as well. Thats neither legal nor constitutional, and neither was the process the university has used to get to this point."

Legal disputes where transgender ideology is concerned have been percolating through the federal judiciary in recent years, where competing claims of religious freedom, free speech and employment rights are being adjudicated.

In October, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC & Aimee Stephens. Stephens is a trans-identifying man who's claiming wrongful termination. The funeral home fired Stephens for failing to comply with the sex-specific dress code and would not agree to recognize him as a woman while on the job. A ruling is expected by the end of June.

In a separate case earlier this year, Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, denied the request of a trans-identified sex offender who wanted the criminal justice system to refer to him by using female pronouns.

The convict, a man named Norman Varner, who's in federal prison for possession of child pornography, started identifying as transgender in 2015 and had reportedly indicated his plans to undergo elective surgery to try to look more like a woman. The Fifth Circuit heard his case after he appealed a lower court's decision prohibiting him from changing his name to "Katherine Nicole Jett" in an attempt to be recognized as a woman despite having male anatomy.

If a court orders one litigant referred to as her (instead of him), then the court can hardly refuse when the next litigant moves to be referred to as xemself (instead of himself)," Duncan wrote in his opinion.
A view of the interior of a campus building at Pomoma College, where students are being asked to vacate their dorms in response to the coronavirus. (Laure Joliet / Pomona College)

Marie Tano, 21, found a sanctuary when she arrived to study at Pomona College from a small town in Georgia. For the first time, she didnt have to worry about money, her food was taken care of, and she had access to healthcare, therapy and the support she needed to do well in school.

Pomona is really a safe haven for me, she said.

Now, her security has been taken away. In response to the new coronavirus, the college, like others throughout the country, has asked students to leave campus and not expect to return for the remainder of the semester as the school shifts to online classes.

It has made an exception for some, but not all. Students who petitioned to stay, but were rejected, said they are feeling anxiety and fear about the future as the Wednesday deadline to leave campus approaches.

Colleges and universities across the country are grappling with the difficult question of whether to let students stay in campus housing or send them home. Campus officials want to downsize their densely populated dorms and classrooms to protect against the risk of spreading the infectious disease. But they also must balance those concerns against the fact that some students may not have access to shelter, food or Wi-Fi and see their campus as a safer space to stay.

The University of Californias nine undergraduate campuses plan to keep both dorms and dining facilities open to students who need them  although they are urging those who can, to safely go home.

UC Merced, where two-thirds of its 8,800 students are low-income, has told all students who need to stay that they are welcome to do so and plans to continue its basic needs services, such as food and rent assistance. The campus also has emergency funds available for needy students  those who lose jobs, for instance. For students who are returning home and lack technology for online learning, Merced has supplied loaner laptops and hot spots for remote connection to Wi-Fi.

We have made these decisions to ensure that our students have access to the resources they need to continue their education as we move our instructional delivery online, said Charles Nies, vice chancellor for student affairs.

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UCLA also will continue to serve its students on campus as needed. But all dining halls and quick-service restaurants have become "to-go" operations with meals served in take-out containers.

We recognize that university housing could be a students permanent home, and not all students can leave, campus spokesman Ricardo Vazquez said. Housing, Dining and Residential Life are here for any student who needs to stay in their unit to complete their spring quarter.

Many smaller institutions such as Pomona have responded somewhat differently, requiring students to leave campus unless approved to stay via a petition process. While student protests over the issue have roiled Pomona, the process has unfolded more smoothly at neighboring Claremont McKenna College, a fellow member of the five-campus Claremont Colleges.

Among 1,184 Claremont McKenna students living in campus housing, about 200 petitioned to stay and about 85 received approval to do so. That included all international student applicants, who face potential health risks and visa problems if they leave the country, said Dianna Graves, assistant vice president and dean of students. Some domestic students, such as those who are homeless or in fragile health, also were approved to stay, she said. The college is closing dining facilities but will provide food service for students who remain on campus.

Graves said the top concern of those who petitioned to stay involved technology  access to the internet or securing sufficient data on their phone plans. The college was able to meet those needs by providing enhanced internet and data plans, loaner laptops and iPads, VPN connections and other services, Graves said.

College officials made a point to check in with every single student with a personal phone call, Graves said.

Still, many students have been emotionally devastated by the abrupt end to their school year. One student came to her office sobbing about leaving, Graves said. But the college needed to be mindful of government health guidelines recommending social distancing, a practice that is counter to the school's intimate classes, crowded dining facilities and shared dorms and bathrooms, she said.

Our goal throughout this response has been to acknowledge the significant personal losses while offering support to get through this, she said.

At Pepperdine University in Malibu, about 1,000 students requested permission to continue living on campus. About 200 will do so, more than half of them international students. University officials were able to help the other students get home safely by providing financial support from donor gifts for flights and gas  or a safe place to live temporarily, said Connie Horton, vice president for student affairs.

At Pomona, school officials said in a statement that they are "working with students around the clock to help find housing and travel options for the move off-campus" officials said in a statement.

The school says it will continue to pay student employees, help cover travel costs, provide Wi-Fi hot spots and laptops, and provide room and board refunds for students, moves that other private colleges have made nationwide.

But some say those efforts fall short of addressing the most significant effects of returning home for students who come from poverty, abuse and other situations that make them vulnerable at home. And they say school officials have not offered them clear communication and guidance about the process.

Student advocates with the group FLI Scholars, the acronym for first-generation and low-income students at Pomona College, surveyed 135 students who petitioned to stay on campus. The self-reported data indicate that 70% were denied, they said. School officials did not respond to questions about how many students had applied to stay and how many were accepted or rejected.

In their letter to students, officials said that they would "not be able to accommodate every student who requests to stay on campus while also doing our part to limit the spread of the virus.

Those who remain on campus will move to designated residence halls in order to consolidate limited services and to "maintain reasonable workloads for employees in housekeeping and elsewhere," officials said.

Petitions to stay were reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration family structures, immigration issues, financial issues, geography and health concerns, officials said. Some students said they are trying to appeal the decisions, though there's been little guidance on how to do so.

Tano said she is still hopeful the school will reconsider its rejection of her petition. For now, she's making plans to stay with alumni in Los Angeles. But, she said, "I feel really desperate to remain on campus."

Going home to Georgia, is not an option, she said. Her father is older, and she worries about making him sick. And she wouldn't have the resources she needs to finish her classwork. She also has a history of health problems and her doctors and therapists are near campus. She said she is struggling to understand how a school with significant resources cannot accommodate more students.

"The school has made me feel like a burden," she said. "This is a school with a $2-billion endowment."

On Monday, as calls to limit public gatherings grew around the country, Pomona officials said there was even more urgency to get people off the campus.

"Good public health practice dictates that we quickly reduce the number of people on Pomonas campus as much as possible," officials said in a statement. "We strongly urge students who can leave before Wednesday to do so."
About 25 labour protests have taken place this month. Some 233 million workers in small- and medium-sized enterprises are the most vulnerable to the effects of the epidemic crisis. Layoffs, non-payment of wages, high commercial rents are the main cause of protests. Taxi drivers demand the suspension of cab rental fees.

Rome (AsiaNews)  Construction workers recruited to build an emergency hospital in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus, have started labour action because they have not been paid.

More labour protest has been reported in other parts of China. In Zhoukou (Henan), workers at one construction site were beaten for staging a protest to get their wage arrears.

In the first two weeks of March, 25 protests took place across the country, mostly by self-employed workers or employees in small businesses, the China Labour Bulletin reported. Economic hardships related to the coronavirus outbreak are the main reason.

No labour protest took place during the first two months of the year, during the lunar New Year or the shutdown of economic activities to fight the spread of the infection.

In addition to construction, the sectors most affected by recent labour action are services and transport.

In early March, small business owners protested demanding a cut in rents as they are the most affected by the countrys economic lockdown and lower sales.

China has 63 million self-employed businesses, like family-run restaurants and kiosks. About 233 million people are employed in small- and medium-sized companies.

Dissatisfaction is brewing over layoffs and the failure to pay wage arrears.

On 10 March, workers at a snack food company in Beijing staged a protest after the company refused to pay three months' wages. An arbitration court ordered the company to pay the workers arrears worth almost 400,000 yuan (US,000).

In the Chinese capital, workers at an online service provider demonstrated against the company after it said it would give them only 80 per cent of the local monthly minimum wage.

On 9 March, medical staff at private hospital in Zibo (Shandong) staged a protest because they were owed three months of pay. They also said that the hospital was using expired medical supplies.

However, the loudest labour action was taken by taxi drivers. The lack of customers because of the lockdown in many provinces has significantly reduced their earnings.

On 10 March, a thousand of them demonstrated in Liuzhou (Guangxi), demanding the suspension of cab rental fees and the right to sell their vehicle back to the cab company with no penalty.
HOUSTON - After being denied U.S. asylum in Texas and returned to a squalid camp in Mexico, a mother from El Salvador chose to send her three children back across the border alone. Now, those children face deportation, even though their father lives in Maryland and is eager to take them in, according to attorneys.

Lawyers for the children sued the U.S. government Tuesday demanding that the children be released from a government facility and allowed to seek asylum.

Their mother remains in Matamoros, Mexico, where an estimated 2,000 people live in a squalid tent camp, waiting for their court hearings a short distance away in Brownsville, Texas.

Many parents at the camp have made the same choice. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 498 children in its custody have said their family is in Mexico.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., the CAIR Coalition and Justice Action Center argue that the children deserve a new court hearing because they are now considered unaccompanied children under government rules.

The Associated Press is withholding the names of the mother and her children because they fear being targeted by MS-13 if forced to return to El Salvador.

According to the lawsuit, the mother and father were active in their local church in El Salvador and frequently evangelized to others. They believe their ministry drew the attention of MS-13, the violent transnational gang. Gang members attacked the father and eventually threatened his life, leading the family to flee.

They lived in Mexico for two years, then moved back to El Salvador, going from town to town, the lawsuit says. But they concluded last year that they would have to try to enter the U.S.

The father and his second eldest daughter went first, arriving in the U.S. in June 2019 and settling in Maryland after they were released by border agents.

The mother and three of their children  daughters now aged 16 and 14, and a 9-year-old son  left later and arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in September. By then, the U.S. had implemented its Remain in Mexico program in South Texas, under which more than 50,000 people have been sent back across the border with court dates sometimes months away.

The mother and her three children were sent to Matamoros under the program.

In January, a judge in Brownsville denied their asylum claim and the family returned to the camp.

At the camp, someone grabbed the 16-year-old daughter and tried to assault her. Another person beat the 9-year-old boy and took money he had to buy food. They had seen kidnappings and extortion attempts, and once observed a corpse floating in the nearby Rio Grande.

So the mother sent her three children across the border alone in January.

The Department of Health and Human Services has declined to release the three children, so their father goes to a facility in Crofton, Maryland, to see them.

He says he is certain that if they are deported, they would be killed.

My only purpose was to save my family, he said.

Even if the children win their case in U.S. courts, the mother may have no way of entering the country herself. According to her lawyers, she has missed a deadline to file an appeal.

The mom said she would be happy regardless.

A mother wants the best for her children, she said. Nothing can compare to a mothers love.

___

This version corrects the name of the Justice Action Center from Justice Action Council.
SYDNEY: Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have left a hospital in Australia`s Queensland state five days after testing positive for the coronavirus, People magazine reported on Monday.

The pair are now resting at a rented home in Australia and remain under quarantine in the house, the US magazine`s report said, citing a representative of the actor.

Last week, Hanks wrote on Twitter that he and Wilson had tested positive for the virus in Australia, where he is working on a film, after they felt tired and achy with slight fevers. Both Hanks and Wilson are 63 years old.

Hanks had travelled to the Gold Coast, on Australia`s east coast south of Brisbane, to begin filming a movie about Elvis Presley. He is set to play Presley`s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, in the Warner Bros production. Warner Bros is owned by AT&T .

Hanks and Wilson were the first major American celebrities known to have contracted the coronavirus, which causes a disease, COVID-19, that has killed more than 70 people and infected more than 3,800 in the United States.
London: Hollywood actor Idris Elba announced that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, the British actor said: "This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus."

"Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I'm doing. No panic," he added.

The star also posted a video with his wife, Sabrina, where he said that he was tested last Friday after someone he had been exposed to tested positive, variety.com reported.

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ  Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020

"Look, this is serious," the UK actor warned, adding: "Now is the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands.

"We live in a divided world right now - we can all feel it...It's been bulls**t. But now is the time for solidarity, now is the time for thinking about each other."

The Golden-Globe winning star of BBC's "Luther" and Marvel's "Avengers" joins a list of actors who have tested positive for the virus recently, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kristofer Hivju of "Game of Thrones" and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, said Variety in a report.
Steven Spielberg spent weeks in Paterson this past summer filming his upcoming movie musical West Side Story.

Now, Vanity Fair has first-look photos of the 2020 reimagining of the classic Romeo and Juliet-inspired show from Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. The Broadway musical debuted in 1957.

New Jersey streets stood in for 1950s New York during the filming, which took place last year in Paterson and Newark (Spielberg also filmed across New York City).

Clifton teen Rachel Zegler, who is making her film debut as Maria in the movie, is prominently featured in the photos.

The pictures also show Spielberg on set and Zeglers co-stars, Ansel Elgort (Tony), Ariana DeBose (Anita), David Alvarez (Bernardo) and Rita Moreno (Valentina, Docs widow), who won an Oscar for playing Anita in the 1961 version of the film, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Moreno also serves as an executive producer on the film, due out Dec. 18.

Maria is strong, smart, and beautiful, tweeted Zegler, 18, sharing a photo that shows her in a white dress with Elgort, 26. And she is Latina. I am so proud to carry on her legacy.

Zegler, who is of Colombian American heritage, is a graduate of Lodis Immaculate Conception High School. She played Maria in a BergenPAC Performing Arts School production of West Side Story" in 2017.

In another photo from the movie, members of rival gangs the Sharks and the Jets can be seen on the dance floor for a scene filmed at a gym in Queens, per set photographer Niko Tavernise.

maria is strong, smart, and beautiful.



and she is latina.



i am so proud to carry on her legacy. @amblin @VanityFair @20thcentury pic.twitter.com/RXNauzfQlg  rachel zegler (@rachelzegler) March 16, 2020

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner penned an updated script for the film, which includes the original productions songs.

There are, of course, some changes there, too.

Heres one, from the new lyrics to the iconic song America:

Life can be bright in America/If you can fight in America.

Life is all right in America/If youre all white in America.

Another way Spielberg updated the movie was to right previous wrongs by casting Hispanic actors to play Hispanic characters.

In the original movie, Puerto Rican characters were mostly played by white actors, like Natalie Wood, who played Maria. DeBose is of Afro-Puerto Rican heritage and Alvarez is Cuban Canadian.

This story is not only a product of its time, but that time has returned, and its returned with a kind of social fury, Spielberg told Vanity Fair. "I really wanted to tell that Puerto Rican, Nuyorican experience of basically the migration to this country and the struggle to make a living, and to have children, and to battle against the obstacles of xenophobia and racial prejudice.

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

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Via @narendramodi twitter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 17 paid tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary and hailed his contributions towards Bangladesh's progress. Modi will participate in the birth centenary celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh on March 17 via video link.

The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on March 17 and were expected to be attended by several foreign dignitaries, including Modi. But it will be without any public gatherings due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.



Tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary. He is remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladeshs progress. This evening, via video link, will address Bangabandhus 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations being held in Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/uqAxL0h4F6

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2020

"Tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary. He is remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladesh's progress.

"This evening, via video link, will address Bangabandhu's 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations being held in Bangladesh," Modi said in a tweet.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman served as the first president of Bangladesh and later as the prime minister of Bangladesh from April 17, 1971, until his assassination on August 15, 1975.

He is considered to be the driving force behind the independence of Bangladesh and has been given the title of "Bangabandhu" (Friend of Bengal). His daughter, Sheikh Hasina, is the current prime minister of Bangladesh.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Telemedicine finally came of age this week.

As Disneyland said it would close, Broadway went dark, so many conferences were canceled (E3, Apple's WWDC, NAB and others) and Tom Hanks announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus, many people had the same questions.

Am I infected too? How do I find out?

At a press conference Friday, President Donald Trump urged people to turn to telemedicine, which I did as well this week after developing a mild sore throat.

Because, as I discovered, despite the many claims of testing becoming more widespread, the cold reality is that, as of today, the local doctor office is unlikely to see you. I was directed to get my questions answered by the Los Angeles County of Health, where the recording told me there were 30 people ahead of me on hold.

But the telemedicine folks are more than happy to take a look, via webcam, and figure out if you're actually at risk or not.

Does it replace actual testing? No. But it's a start, as you can actually get an answer from somebody, without having to wait for an appointment, or worse, visit an office that might be filled with people who are infected, or you will infect.

Can they actually tell if you're positive? Probably not. But they can see some of the symptoms, just by staring through the webcam. And that's a start.

Dr. Christina Johns, senior medical advisor for PM Pediatrics, a Lake Success, New York-based urgent care provider that offers telemedicine services, says she can look at somebody and detect sneezing, coughing and respiratory symptoms. "Without putting a stethoscope to their chest, I can tell if they're in respiratory duress," she says. "Can they finish a complete sentence in one breath?"

What she hasn't done, nor have the folks at Doctor on Demand, the telemedicine firm founded by TV's Dr. Phil McGraw and his son Jay, is diagnose someone as testing positive for the virus.

What they are doing is screening out the worried folks who watch the news and fear the worst and refer the ones with symptoms that might actually within the scope of the virus to the local health departments.

"Our platform is better suited to deal with this overflow," says Dr. Ian Tong, the chief medical officer for Doctor on Demand. "It's difficult for any one practice to deal with this, we have capacity to handle it."

I sought Doctor on Demand's help when I worried about the virus, paying $75 for a 15-minute session. I was promised a five- to 10-minute wait period, but it (understandably) stretched to 30 minutes before I was connected to Dr. Susan Mayo of Los Angeles.

She had me put my mouth basically right up to the webcam and say "Aah" and she said from that, she could tell that I wasn't swollen and wasn't seeing signs of the virus.

Tong said call volume has spiked 20% in the last weeks since the coronavirus began to spread, and he expects it to spike even more, before dying down in April.

In a week in which there was so much confusion about the coronavirus, where the only stated remedy beyond washing hands was to lock yourself up at home and stay away from people, at least telemedicine gave us somebody to talk to and try and get some answers from.

But Dr. Michael Klein, a Boston-area physician worries that telemedicine will become so popular, people will stop coming in for their in-person visits.

People will likely prefer webcam visits "because it's a lot easier to not have to take time out of the day to come see me," he says. "But in person, I get nuance from how they dress, how they interact with the staff and a lot of information from a physical exam, that you just can't get from a webcam."

In the short term, the telemedicine pre-screenings help take the load off local doctors, he says. There's no question the virus scares "jump-started" telemedicine this week. "I just hope people don't get too used to it."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

(c)2020 U.S. Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A set of allegedly stolen personalised number plates have been recovered, all thanks to the watchful eye of a tight-knit army of AFL club members.

Scott Eagar was devastated after his beloved Greater Western Sydney Giants number plates were stolen from his car in Kogarah in Sydney's south on Friday.

He reported the alleged theft to police and posted an appeal on a Giants members private chat group on Sunday, urging fans to keep an eye out for his distinctive plates, which can be seen from space.

Within two hours, an eagled-eyed Giants member had spotted the number plates in her neighbourhood in Busby in Sydney's south-west.

She called the police but the car left before officers arrived.

Scott Eagar (pictured at a game) didn't think he'd ever see his GWS Giants number plates again

A fellow Giants fan spotted the plates in her local neighbourhood for two consecutive days

Mr Eagar's distinctive personalised plates (pictured on his car) can be seen from space

The woman couldn't believe her luck when the same allegedly stolen car returned 24 hours later and filmed the dramatic arrest shortly afterwards.

Footage supplied to Daily Mail Australia shows the unmarked police car stopping alongside the vehicle before two plain-clothed officers rush out and arrest an alleged offender behind the wheel of the parked car and another man nearby.

Both men were later charged by police with one due to face court later on Tuesday.

The number plates will be forensically examined before they are returned to a relieved Mr Eagar.

'The cops said 'You have no chance of getting those plates back. No one would be dumb enough to put them on a car, theyll be up in a man cave somewhere,' Mr Eagar told Daily Mail Australia.

'Within two hours one of the members of the GWS Facebook group had found them.

'They might as well have painted the car pink the plates stood out that much.'

He was stunned the brazen thieves returned to the same neighbourhood with his easily-recognisable number plates two days in a row.

'The police said to me the guys would have to be two of the stupidest criminals alive,' Mr Eagar said.

'I never thought I would ever get them back and didn't realise how special the plates were until they stolen.'

Originally a member of crosstown rivals Sydney Swans, Mr Eagar swapped alliances in the Giants' second season in 2013 and remained loyal ever since.

'I'm proud to be part of a such a close-knit group who look out for each other,' the the hospital theatre technician said.

A man behind the wheel of the parked car was intercepted by plain-clothed officers

Two men were arrested at the scene on Monday and taken back to Fairfield Police station

The woman who recognised the number plates and reported the alleged theft is happy to help out a fellow Giants member.

'It takes a lot of time and effort to get number plates like that so to be able to help out was brilliant,' she said.

'The Giants members are very much like a family.'

A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that a Hurstville man, 27, was charged with driving conveyance without consent and goods in custody.

He was refused bail and will appear in Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday.

A Busby man, 30 was charged with being carried in a conveyance without consent of owner and will face Liverpool Local Court on April 6.
WATERLOO  Elective surgeries, procedures and diagnostic testing are being postponed at MercyOnes Waterloo and Cedar Falls medical centers until further notice, hospital officials announced.

MercyOne said the guidelines are effective immediately.

MercyOne Medical Group and medical staff are working with all ordering providers and their nurses to ensure patients are contacted, the organization said. We will continue to monitor guidelines from CDC, Iowa Department of Public Health and Black Hawk County Health Department to make a decision about rescheduling appointments.

The decision was announced at the first COVID-19 briefing held at the Black Hawk County Emergency Operations Center in Waterloo on Tuesday by Dr. Matthew Sojka, MercyOne chief medical officer.

That is the recommendation from the American College of Surgeons, and the American College of Gastroenterology, Sojka said. So we are in line with them, and were doing that to protect our patients.

He said MercyOne will be watching access to our buildings, including asking about peoples recent travel and limiting the numbers of visitors.

UnityPoint is restricting visitors at its hospitals to help protect the people we are caring for, especially our most vulnerable, Dr. Dan Glascock, UnityPoints chief medical officer, said Tuesday.

What we need now is the help of our community, Glascock said, which was echoed by Sojka. That advice: Stay at home if youre sick, employ social distancing, avoid community gatherings, and wash your hands frequently.

Most importantly, nows the time to stay calm, Glascock added. Be informed. Be kind to one another and respect the health care needs of our community.

Sojka and Glascock outlined the number of intensive care beds in the Cedar Valley: UnityPoint has 12 beds, while MercyOne has 12 beds in Waterloo and four more in Cedar Falls and 15 ventilators available at MercyOne, according to Sojka.

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Gagandeep Kang, director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute and the first woman from India to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, says that testing everyone with even mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), including those with no travel history to countries that have experienced community transmission, will go a long way in isolating people with the illness and arresting its spread. Such measures will also help develop a disease pyramid that will makes it easier for health workers to administer medical care to patients, Kang, who is also the vice-chair of the board of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is promoting Covid-19 vaccine development efforts, told Hindustan Times in an interview

Do we need to do more testing in India to identify community transmission?

We do need to do more testing. I have made that clear. You dont know what you are dealing with until you test. What is the harm in testing? One potential harm could be that we overload the system and then there will be not enough testing kits left for people who need them the most. But now we have molecular testing for which reagents are available.

Do we have a sufficient number of labs equipped to do Covid-19 testing?

These tests are easy to make. Our laboratories have experience with quality control. Every laboratory in India which has national accreditation for quality and does polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests has passed those quality standards. Rapidly expanding the laboratory network which can do the test can reduce the burden on the governments testing infrastructure. It is doable.

Do you think testing parameters should be revised from just testing travellers and contacts, to include everyone with symptoms?

Yes. There are over a hundred causes of cough and fever, but in the absence of resources, testing will have to be decided based on availability of testing resources. Some of these cough and fever cases will be from coronavirus. Once you identify them, you can get them to self-isolate and reduce transmission.

Thats the advantage of testing those with mild illness. Those with severe illness also need to be identified to understand what is the proportion of people with severe symptoms. A disease pyramid can be built based on this data.

More than anything, it is important for the protection of our healthcare workers. They are the most precious resource for us right now.

Do you think costs need to be standardised for testing by private labs?

Open it up to the Indian companies. They are good at reducing cost. They can develop tests that are cheaper.

Do we need to import material to develop testing kits?

At this stage, we need to import protective gear, monitors and ventilators. There are enough PCR machines and we have the ability to make reagents for testing. But we dont have enough ventilators and monitors, which we will need as the disease progresses.

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TDT | Manama

The First Supreme Criminal Court of Appeal has confirmed a 5-year imprisonment sentence awarded to a drug smuggler. The suspect, an Asian national, was caught while attempting to smuggle drugs into Kingdom by hiding int a mobile phone box.

The man stood trial in August last year on the charges of smuggling hashish and narcotics with the intent of selling it, in addition to drugs abuse. He was arrested at Bahrain International Airport.

As per officers testimonies, they found a mobile phone (iPhone) box from the man stuffed with a substance smelling like hashish. Court statements say, two pieces of hashish and narcotic pills were found hidden inside the box.

The suspect, however, told Public Prosecution officials that the drugs were for personal use and not for selling. Investigators, however, found that the substance was packed in a method preparing it to be sold.

Laboratory tests of the mans urine and blood also proved that the man had abused drugs. He appealed not guilty, but the court rejected his pleas.
A pharmacist wears protective mask and gloves in his pharmacy on March 11, 2020 in Rome, Italy.

The WHO urged Europe to ratchet up its efforts when tackling the coronavirus pandemic, pointing to a decline in the rate of new cases in China as evidence that bold action does work to reduce the spread.

As of Tuesday, more than 185,000 cases of the coronavirus had been reported worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with 7,330 deaths.

Europe has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, with one-third of globally reported cases now stemming from the region. Italy has recorded the most cases of COVID-19 in the region, with nearly 28,000 confirmed infections and 2,158 deaths nationwide.

Hans Kluge, regional director for Europe at WHO, said Tuesday that European countries must triple their efforts to prevent the spread, saying there must be "no exceptions" when taking robust action.

"There is, quite simply, a new reality," Kluge said during a Facebook Live broadcast at WHO's main offices in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"Every country, with no exceptions, need to take their boldest actions to stop or slow down the virus threat. Boldest action should include community action: Thinking that this does not concern me is not an option," he added.
By Kim Bo-eun





Kakao Bank said Tuesday the internet lender will be led solely by the current CEO Yun Ho-young, after the departure of co-CEO Lee Yong-woo.







The bank said the decision not to appoint another co-CEO was made at a committee meeting ahead of the shareholders meeting to be held at the end of this month.







Lee left in January after joining the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, ahead of the general election slated for April 15.







"Yun is Korea's greatest expert when it comes to the convergence of IT and finance, and we have determined that he is the most apt to lead Kakao Bank in a Big Blur era," a Kakao Bank committee member said.







The "big blur" refers to a boundary blurring phenomena seen among industries based on the development of information and communication technology (ICT).







Yun began his career at Daehan Fire & Marine Insurance acquired by Lotte, and also worked with another non-life insurer, ERGO Daumdirect. He then moved to portal operator Daum. Yun became Kakao's vice president after Kakao acquired Daum.







Yun was in charge of preparations for the foundation of Kakao Bank, which launched in July 2017.







Kakao Bank has attracted over 10 million customers in the two years since its launch. It also turned to a surplus in the shortest period among internet banks.







The bank had 11.28 million customers as of the end of 2019, and recorded a 13.7 billion won net profit.







"From the bank's launch in 2017 to 2019 was a period in which we confirmed new possibilities in the mobile banking sector and established a base for expansion. This year, we will aim to expand services and enhance customers' experience so that they will automatically associate Kakao Bank when they think of mobile financial services," Yun said.


The NCTCs biggest problem right now, officials say, is that it is understaffed. Of its roughly 1,000 employees, about 700 are full-time government workers and 300 are contractors. About 30 percent of the government workers are supposed to be loaned by the CIA and other agencies. But a significant number of these interagency transfer positions are vacant, an NCTC veteran said, weakening the cross-government mission. With Grenells hiring freeze, and the reluctance of the CIA and other agencies to send transfers, the personnel shortage is becoming more severe.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan sharply rose to 212 on Tuesday, amidst conflicting statements by authorities on the nation's first casualty due to the viral infection.

Officials said that the Sindh province is the worst-hit with 172 cases, followed by 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 in Balochistan, 8 in Punjab, 5 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad.

According to Meeran Yousuf, media coordinator to the Sindh health minister, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 172 in Sindh province on Tuesday. Of the 172 patients, 134 are in Sukkar, 37 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad city.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting statements on the first coronavirus death in Pakistan. Earlier in the day, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid in a press conference in Lahore confirmed Pakistan's first casualty due to the novel coronavirus. "One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 km from Lahore, died here on Tuesday," he said.

In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre also confirmed the death. According to the statement, the patient, who came from Muscat on March 15 and was tested positive, was admitted to Lahore's Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

However, later in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar rejected the statements. The chief minister in a tweet said according to the test report, the person did not die of coronavirus. In a statement, the Pakistan Army said all medical facilities of the armed forces were "operationalised and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic".

A central testing laboratory has already been set up at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Rawalpindi, it said, adding that COVID-19 help desks have been established at all military hospitals. The army chief has "directed all commanders to take maximum necessary measures to assist civil administration".

As the country's already fragile economy came under more pressure due to the viral outbreak, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday announced to cut its policy rate by 75 basis points to 12.50 from 13.25 to tackle the economic challenges.

Among other things, Pakistan shut down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday hold a Cabinet meeting via video link, Special Assistant on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said.

Meanwhile, the opposition accused the government of failing to contain the spread of virus. It also alleged that the quarantine facilities for pilgrims who returned from Iran and kept at Taftan border point are poor. "The government has failed to check the spread of coronavirus," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told reporters here.
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazals romance is not unknown to the audiences. The two have been reportedly dating for over five years now, after they first met on the sets of the film Fukrey. Ali Fazal often calls Richa Chadha his Mohabbat, which means his love. He always posts sweet captions for his lovely girlfriend. One such latest instance was when Richa Chadha shared her breezy picture on her IG, Ali Fazal could not hold back earlier today that is on March 17, 2020, to pour his love on the pic.

Also Read | Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal Adorable Pictures From Recent Vacation

In the picture, Richa Chadha is posing in front of a scenic backdrop. According to one of the hashtags in the picture, it is from Richa Chadhas personal vacation in Bhutan. The breezy picture of Richa is a pleasant sight to see. She wore a yellow top and a high belted lower. Her hair kissed the cold breeze as she looked into the unknown. Richa Chadhas picture is pure goals.

Check out Richa Chadha's photos on Instagram

Also Read | Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal To Get Married Sometime In April?

Richa Chadha shared the picture on her Instagram. She wrote the caption, Breezy like social distancing , Richa Chadha was referring to everyone to keep themselves away from large crowds. Richa Chadhas breezy picture got her beau Ali Fazals attention. He poured in hearts and compliments and also called her, Mohabbat, once again. The picture received many comments from Richa Chadhas followers. One fan wrote, Aaah! How nice it is to see a smart confident beautiful woman, kudos. More fans poured heart eyes and emojis on the picture.

Here is how beau Ali Fazal reacted to Richa Chadha's Instagram picture

Snippet Credits Richa Chadha's photos on Instagram

Check out some reactions of Richa Chadha's photos on Instagram

Snippet Credits Richa Chadha's photos on Instagram

Also Read | Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal To Have A Monsoon Wedding In June? Here's What We Know

Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha have been dating for five years and according to several reports, the two might even tie the knot in June 2020. The couple does not shy away from media attention as they have attended many events together. Ali Faizal and Richa Chadha are pure #goals.

Also Read | Richa Chadha Becomes A Member Of The Advisory Board Of Women In Film And Television India

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.
Dentsu Aegis Network sub-Saharan Africa has launched Dentsu Data Labs - this specialist division will lead the way in data intelligence and consultancy, marketing technology and audience insights.

Dentsu Data Labs has a valuable data offering, with the combination of their proprietary research they have done in the SSA region, over the last five years. The unique way they have combined it with digital client IDs and media owners data sets, is drastically increasing the relevance of the creative and content served to every consumer. The results have shown drastic increases in performance.Their strength lies in their owned Customer Data Platform, which manages and protects anonymised personal consumer information, allowing the division to build customised audiences for clients across the region, that will drive efficiency and real-time insight into elusive consumers.Dentsu Aegis Network has a proven record in pioneering the digital arena, having heavily invested in programmes such as Consumer Connection System and Ecos, across SSA. With personalised communication being essential to brands it will further elevate their offering.They combine a data-driven and technologically enabled ethos, with an idea led and people focussed approach.These insights and understanding create a unique and differentiated solution that underpins clients' decision-making, helping them to identify, reach, understand, retain and grow their customer base.Powered by experts in the data and technology, their team of experienced data scientists and engineers drive business performance for clients across industries. The offering is now available in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. Dawn Rowlands , CEO for Dentsu Aegis Network SSA, said: Getting the most out of data and technology is a critical driver of success in the digital economy. When used well, they enable brands to create closer relationships with their customers through more relevant, compelling communications and experiences. Thats where Dentsu Data Labs comes in. Preparing for the future of Dentsu the most important goal for us is to help our clients grow and transform themselves digitally by ensuring that we are one step ahead of the rapidly evolving cultural landscape in Africa. This data foundation will allow for the use of AI and personal communication at scale in Africa."Jaco Lintvelt, the previous managing director for iProspect South Africa has been promoted to managing director for Dentsu Data Labs.Rowlands adds: "Jaco takes up the roll with 10+ years experience in digital services. He brings a broad perspective of results-driven marketing to support Dentsu Aegis Networks strategic growth efforts in data. He is a recognised thought leader in his field and has a deep understanding of the opportunities that data provides giving us an added advantage. This allows our leadership to remain at the forefront of the digital economy. Jaco Lintvelt , managing director for Dentsu Data Labs, said: ''Marketers and agencies need each other more than ever, however, what marketers want from agencies is vastly different to what it was a couple of years ago. The type of business problems they are asking us to help solve cannot be solved with a single-minded focus and most of the time it requires a collective set of skills to answer the brief.''Lintvelt continues: We are finding that most of the times the strategic solves lie in the way we utilise our own proprietary data and research that we have invested in SSA for a while now and how we combine that with the information the client has regarding their consumers or sales patterns. That really dictates the direction we will go within our business such as the media, content and creative approaches.Jaco LintveltManaging director for Dentsu Data LabsT: +27 21 442 5600E: moc.sigeaustned@tlevtniL.ocaJ
Starting Tuesday, Massachusetts residents lives will be changed even more so due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and public officials response to the outbreak.

Gov. Charlie Baker on Sunday announced multiple emergency actions the state would be taking to combat the spread of the respiratory infection, dubbed COVID-19. The governor declared a state of emergency earlier this month as well, as the threat of the pandemic grows across the state and nationally.

One-hundred-and-ninety-seven cases of the illness have been reported across 10 counties in the commonwealth as of Monday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 4,281 positive coronavirus diagnoses and 85 deaths in the U.S.

For the vast majority of people, approximately 80% of the population, coronavirus would mostly feel like the flu, Baker said during a weekend press conference. But the reason we are taking this so seriously is because

I orealize these measures are unprecedented, Baker said, but were asking our residents to take a deep breath and understand the rationale behind this guidance.e

From school closures to restaurant restrictions, here are the changes going into effect this week following Bakers public health orders.

School closures

K-12 educational programming, at both public and private elementary and secondary schools, will be suspended for three weeks starting Tuesday.

Districts must temporarily halt in-person educational operations, but staff should plan for how to best provide alternative access to student learning opportunities during this period and potentially beyond," the governor said.

School buildings may be available to provide food or other essential non-educational services, according to the governor. Bakers office is expected to provide more guidelines as schools approach the end of the suspension order on April 6.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will collaborate with schools on ways to sustain learning and services during the suspension. The agency has already received a partial federal waiver providing greater flexibility with food service in certain districts with higher numbers of low-income students.

During this period it is critical that students and their families, as well as school staff, stay home as much as possible, the governor said in a statement. Restricting access to school buildings will have little impact on public health if these best practices are not followed in good faith.

Bakers office has not ordered the suspension of pre-school and daycare services, though the governor is urging childcare providers to follow state guidelines that call for temporary closures due to individuals exposure to infection.

Residential and day schools for students with special needs are also excluded from the order.

Restrictions for restaurants and bars

The governor ordered all restaurants and bars in the commonwealth to not serve customers on site. Food and beverage service will be available through delivery and takeout only. The mandate is also effective from March 17 to April 6.

Limits on large-scale gatherings

Bakers order limits any gathering to a maximum of 25 individuals. Such functions may include civic, faith-based and leisure events as well as sporting activities with spectators, concerts, conventions and more. The restriction is a significant change from the governors ban last week on gatherings of 250 or more people.

Grocery stores and pharmacies are not subject to the restriction, as they provide essential functions, according to Baker.

I realize these measures are unprecedented, Baker said, but were asking our residents to take a deep breath and understand the rationale behind this guidance.

People are also asked to keep a 6-foot distance between themselves and others.

Orders for assisted living facilities, hospitals and insurers

The governor banned visitors from going to assisted living residences, nursing homes and rest homes. The visitation ban excludes end-of-life issues and goes into effect Tuesday, according to Baker.

Hospitals operated or licensed by DPH or the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health must, as of Sunday, screen all visitors and restrict visitation if people show signs of illness, the governor said.

All commercial insurers have been ordered to cover medically necessary telehealth services starting Monday. Coronavirus-related treatment and testing must be covered as well without requiring cost-sharing. Companies cannot require prior authorization for these services either, according to the governor.

Guidance for state employees

Non-emergency state employees in executive branch agencies should not report to work on Tuesday.

During this period, the administration will work to expand alternative work arrangements for the executive branch workforce and further develop plans to continue to provide essential state government services, Baker said in a statement.

Services at the RMV

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles also extended the expiration dates for Class D licenses, Class DMs, ID cards and learners permits starting Sunday, Baker said.

All customers with expired/expiring credentials physically dated between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020, will continue to have an active status within the RMV system until sixty days after the expiration date printed on their credential, according to a statement from the governor.

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook orTwitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.

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Gabon, a forest-covered haven for gorillas and chimpanzees, will stop allowing tourists to see its great apes fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals, the country's forest agency said Monday.

The Central African nation has one only confirmed COVID-19 case so far, but fears linger after an Ebola epidemic in 1995 wiped out more than 90 percent of the gorillas in the verdant north.

"We have decided to close tourist activities for viewing the great apes in our parks to avoid any risk of transmissions between humans and the animals," said Christian Tchemambela of the country's National Agency for National Parks (ANPN).

"The respiratory viruses that affect humans are easily transmitted to great apes because the two species are so closely related," he told AFP.

Gabon has taken drastic measures to counter the spread of the virus, closing schools, bars and nightclubs since Friday, a day after the country confirmed its first case -- a 27-year-old man who had recently returned from France.

Almost 80 percent of Gabon is covered by forests, and primate habitation programmes have been set up in its parks in recent years to attract tourism and use the income to further finance wildlife protection.

"Because of the new coronavirus, humans being in contact with gorillas pose a threat," said Tchemambela.

He added that staff working in the parks will be placed in quarantine for 14 days before being able to enter areas near the gorillas.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday "aggressive" steps to lock down the country's borders to curb the spread of coronavirus but left crucial openings that will allow freight to move from the United States.

"We will continue to ensure that Canada receives important goods," Trudeau said during a news conference outside his home in Ottawa. Trudeau is in self-imposed isolation with his wife, Sophie Gregoire, who is recovering from COVID-19.

The most significant step is banning the entry of most people who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Exemptions include U.S. citizens as well as travel for business and trade purposes  which means American truck drivers can continue to bring freight into Canada.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau also made clear that Canadian truck drivers who make regular cross-border deliveries are not expected to restrict their travel or self-isolate if they show no coronavirus symptoms. Canadians returning from another country currently are being told to self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

Canadian Trucking Alliance President Steve Laskowski welcomed the provisions to ensure that trucks will continue to move between Canada and the United States.

"We applaud Minister Garneau and the government for recognizing that even in these extraordinary times, the border with the U.S. and Canada needs to stay open for commerce," Laskowski told FreightWaves.

Laskowski stressed that truck drivers showing symptoms for the coronavirus or having tested positive for COVID-19 need to be isolated. But he said a 14-day isolation period for drivers merely for crossing the border "would have been a disaster."

Officials also announced the arrival of international flights will be limited to the country's four largest airports: Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. The four airports handle the highest number of passengers and volumes of freight in Canada.

Story continues

Canada had 324 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths as of Monday.

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Those picked-over grocery-store shelves dont tell the full story. The Bay Area is not in danger of running out of food, industry members and experts say, and the food supply chain is as healthy as ever.

Were not seeing any challenges on the supply side at all, said Michael Janis, managing director of the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, which sells produce to local stores, restaurants and catering companies.

Even before six Bay Area counties issued shelter in place orders on Monday, long lines snaked through many grocery stores here, and items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer appeared to be in short supply as residents prepared to hunker down in their homes to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. But despite the rush, the supply chain for food products like fruits, vegetables and meat has not yet been disrupted  even if its taking some stores a little longer to restock the shelves.

Food is not going to run out, said Karan Girotra, a professor of operations and technology and an expert in supply chain management at Cornell Tech in New York City.

People are buying more food, but theyre not eating more, Girotra explained: Whats happened is the pattern of shopping has changed. People are panicked and are buying more goods than usual. Unlike hand sanitizer, which is being consumed more than usual, when shoppers buy a months supply of food, its not going to be used in a week.

Grocery stores in the Bay Area depend largely on distributors, who work with suppliers like farmers and packaged-food companies. Most of the U.S. imported food comes from Central and South America, Girotra said, and those regions have not been heavily affected by the coronavirus.

In Bakersfield, Creekside Organics owner Brenda Haught prepared to receive 18 truckloads of produce from Mexico on Monday. The trucks en route carried items like peppers, zucchini, watermelons and cucumbers. Haught said the truckloads translate to 30,000 cases of produce, her weekly average, and will be distributed to grocers across the U.S., including clients like Whole Foods.

For shoppers, I dont think therell be trouble buying fresh fruits and vegetables. What people seem to be more concerned about are toilet paper and bottled water, she said.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle 2017

One challenge that food suppliers might face is an exacerbated labor shortage due to the coronavirus. If workers get sick, or if they cant go to work because their childs school has been canceled and they dont have alternate child care arrangements, that could hold up food production.

Then again, many segments of the food industry, like agriculture, have already been dealing with a labor shortage for years.

If we dont have people to pick oranges in Florida, that might be a problem, said Girotra. But we didnt see that happen in China, and its unlikely to happen here.

Jim Monroe, who handles communications for the National Pork Producers Council, echoed that sentiment from the meat side of food production. Were not seeing any current disruptions in the pork supply chain, he said. But were trying to get ahead of it and seeing if we can find solutions to keep workers in plants.

If there is a holdup in the supply chain, its due to increased demand, not decreased supply. Buyers from grocery stores showed up in droves to the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market in the early hours of Monday morning, looking to refill their shelves.

For Earl Herrick, owner of Earls Organics, one of the distributors located inside the market, it represented his biggest single sales day in 32 years of business, 50% larger than a typical days sales. The product is there, he said. But some of the farmers who sell him produce have had to put him on an allocation  if he normally gets 10 pounds of broccoli a day from a farm, for instance, he might now be getting only 6  and as a result, hes had to allocate his wares for some of his clients, too.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Rainbow Grocery in San Franciscos Mission District did experience one hiccup: Its Monday delivery from United Natural Foods  a major national distributor of natural food brands including Larabar, Amys and Stonyfield  was canceled with no explanation, said marketing coordinator Cody Frost. That leaves a gap in some of Rainbows inventory, but Frost emphasized that in general the store is well stocked, with the exception of paper products.

Our produce section is robust, he said. So up until today it seemed like we were able to steadily stock and restock most products. Were hoping that the delay on our receiving products is temporary.

The store has been moving through pasta and dry bulk items more quickly than normal, but Frost was not concerned that Rainbows suppliers were going to run out of it. A lot of packaged products are manufactured well before theyre actually delivered, so most of our distributors should have a considerable back stock of items like pasta, he said. The thing that would be more concerning would be if fresh produce were immediately affected, which it is not.

Now Playing: As local government announces mandatory 'shelter in place' San Franciscans head to the store to stock up on supplies. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

For Jim Offenbach, owner of Golden Gate Meat Co., his trucks carrying meat from farms in Nebraska, Minnesota, Oregon, Arkansas and other locations were still arriving on schedule. In fact, if anything, we might have an overflux, he said. Northern California restaurants account for 80% of his business, and many of them have cut down on orders or temporarily closed in light of the pandemic. However, increased demand from Offenbachs retail customers, like Berkeley Bowl, had offset some of that  and, he said, theres plenty more meat available if local stores want to buy it.

The bigger challenge, said Cornells Girotra, is if coronavirus-induced job losses lead to a situation where many people cannot buy food. Thats when people will go hungry, Girotra said.

Herrick of Earls Organics stressed that his company was working harder than ever to ensure that its grocery clients could buy as much food as they need. Were trying to maintain enough inventory so that everybody gets served, he said. We understand that we provide a service thats essential to the community, and we take that seriously.

Esther Mobley and Shwanika Narayan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com and shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley @shwanika Instagram: @esthermob
China on Wednesday ordered American journalists at the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal to relinquish their press cards within two weeks, effectively expelling them from the country.

The foreign ministry said in a statement the move was in retaliations for Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for Chinese state-run media on American soil.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HARRISBURG  A judge late Monday night rejected an attempt to delay a special election to fill a vacant seat in Pennsylvanias House of Representatives from Bucks County over concerns that it would risk public health as coronavirus spreads.

Bucks County Judge Jeffrey Trauger said in his order that he could find no legal authority to allow the postponement.

The election is scheduled for Tuesday.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.



Trauber, however, ordered the county elections board to continue safety precautions, such as providing hand sanitizer, wipes, rubber gloves, masks and signage reminding voters of social distancing recommendations.

Officials in Bucks County on Monday had sought an order to postpone the special election there.

Under pressure from Democrats to delay it for public health reasons, House Speaker Mike Turzai, a Republican whose office is charged with scheduling special elections, had refused.

The seat is open because Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican, resigned after winning a county council seat last November.

The House seat is in politically moderate southern Bucks County around Bensalem, just north of Philadelphia, and Democrats view it as a pickup opportunity.

Meanwhile, two other special elections to fill vacancies in the House were expected to go forward as scheduled Tuesday for seats based in Mercer and Westmoreland counties.

READ MORE:

Growing list of central Pa. municipal buildings closing to public over coronavirus concerns

Symptoms of coronavirus: Do you have COVID-19 or the flu or allergies?

Pa.s senior centers expect to provide meals, some services, if closed by coronavirus

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Putin calls Russian prosecutors to step up efforts to return stolen state assets from abroad

 RAPSI, Natalia Vaneyeva

16:43 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Russian President Vladimir Putin during the extended session of the Prosecutor Generals Office on Tuesday called prosecutors to step up efforts to return embezzled state property from abroad.

He also asked prosecutors to work on this subject in cooperation with bailiffs, police, tax authorities and the financial crimes agency Rosfinmonitoring.

According to the President, it is necessary to combat corruption in the field of realization of national projects, state and municipal programs and state defense order.




A team of researchers from the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research in Australia says they've found a possible solution for the coronavirus.

Research director Professor David Paterson told a news outlet they have seen two drugs--- an HIV and anti-malaria medicine--- completely wipe out viruses in a test tube.

Paterson hopes to have patients sign up for a nationwide human trial by April.

The HIV drug, along with an anti-malaria drug called chloroquine, has been administered to a few COVID-19 patients in Australia. The patients reportedly recovered without any traces of the virus.

Paterson, who is also an infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, said the drugs were effective in fighting the virus and completely eradicating it from the patient's body.

However, he clarified it isn't supposed to be labeled as a "cure" but as a "potentially effective treatment option."

The researchers are now hoping for a larger clinical trial involving more than 50 hospitals. They plan to have a set number of patients treated using only the HIV drug, another set with only the anti-malaria drug, and the last set with a combination of the two drugs.

The team of scientists will be observing for possible side effects.

"We're not on a flat foot, we can sort of move ahead very rapidly with enrolling Australians in this trial," Paterson said.

The group aims to go forward with the first wave of patients as they expect the virus to continue spreading for months ahead.

The drug trials and research will start once the team has secured necessary fundings.

A study at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity has seen success at understanding how the body fights off the coronavirus.

Katherine Kedzierska, the laboratory head, found people's immune system responded to the threat of COVID-19 in the same way it responds to the flu virus.

The research was conducted after obtaining a sample from Australia's first patients who were found positive for coronavirus. They conducted studies to identify the antibodies aimed to fight the respiratory illness.

Samples taken showed the body giving immunity and fighting back against the virus.

Kedzierska hopes their findings could help research groups in finding an effective vaccine.

The research can also serve as a guide when evaluating potential trial candidates.

Immunity

The new research has pushed the envelope further as it can now screen patients using blood markers to see who is at risk for developing serious or fatal symptoms.

Screening patients can drastically help combat the virus as patients will now be given the proper care they need.

However, it is too early to say if the immune response generated by the body can give people immunity from the disease for a longer period.

The answer can only be revealed after scientists check-in with recovered patients in the coming months.

Kedzierska says their findings could lead to new therapeutics by serving as an understanding of what's lacking or different in people with worse cases of coronavirus.

The group will now map the immune system of a bigger group of patients.

The findings of the study are published in Nature Medicine.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Friday, March 13

11:27 p.m. -- A deputy assisted an MPD officer with a simple assault investigation at a Lincoln Township residence.

10:20 p.m. -- Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the 900 block of Joe Mann Boulevard.

9:42 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Geneva Township residence in reference to a car-deer crash that occurred on North Bush Road just south of West Barden Road.

8:12 p.m. -- Officers responded to a report of an aggravated, felonious assault in the 1300 block of Crescent Drive.

4 p.m. -- A 66-year-old Homer Township man reported he was contacted over the phone by a suspected scammer. The scammer eventually made threats to the man and said that he was going to come to his residence. The 66-year-old said the scammer had an accent that could be Jamaican. The man did not feel that the scammer would actually show up but wanted it reported in case he did. The phone number came back out of Jamaica.

3:30 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-tree crash in Ingersoll Township.

1:07 p.m. -- Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the 1800 block of North Saginaw Road.

11:53 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Greendale Township business in reference to a counterfeit $20. There are no suspects, and the bill was mailed to the United States Secret Service.

6:09 a.m. -- Officers performed a death investigation in the 200 block of Sycamore Square.

12:24 a.m. -- A 22-year-old Midland City man was arrested for operating while intoxicated, violation of controlled substances, driving while license suspended and two warrants after a traffic stop for speeding in the area of M-30 and Shaffer Road.

12:04 a.m. -- Officers performed a warrant arrest in the area of Eastman Avenue and Commerce Drive.

Thursday, March 12

7:39 p.m. -- A deputy made contact with an 18-year-old Mills Township girl who reported a 21-year-old Midland man sent her threatening messages via social media. The 18-year-old wanted the incident documented and did not want the 21-year-old to be contacted.

4:38 p.m. -- A deputy arrested a 28-year-old Breckenridge woman after finding methamphetamine and prescription drugs in her possession on a traffic stop in Sanford. The 28-year-old had an additional confirmed warrant out of Bay County. The deputy cited the driver, a 28-year-old Breckenridge man, for driving a vehicle while unregistered and uninsured. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot.

2:56 p.m. -- A 33-year-old Saginaw man was arrested on Saginaw County failure to appear warrants following a traffic stop for expired registration in Jerome Township. The man was turned over to the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office.

1:31 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township residence in reference to a 41-year-old being scammed out of $200 over the phone. The deputy gave the 41-year-old an identity theft checklist form and advised him to notify his bank.

8:49 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Ingersoll Township.

8:20 a.m. -- Officers responded to a car-deer crash in Edenville Township.

4:04 a.m. -- A deputy initiated a traffic stop on a 21-year-old Midland woman for a traffic violation in the City of Midland. The woman had a suspended Michigan driver's license and a bench warrant out of Midland County, and was arrested.
President Donald Trump attended an online service as one of hundreds of thousands of Christians across the country on Sunday after declaring National Prayer Day with the new coronavirus pandemic last Saturday.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 169,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 6,500 of them have died. The online change in many churches comes after public health and other local and federal government officials have already responded to requests to ferret out physical rallies to stem the spread of the virus that has infected nearly 4,000 people in the United States and claimed 69 lives.

Trump tweeted last Sunday morning that he had watched an online service by senior pastor Jentezen Franklin of the multi-campus Free Chapel Church in Gainesville, Georgia, one of his evangelical advisers.

Trump said, "I'm seeing a fine, beautiful service from Reverend Jentezen Franklin. Thank you!" posted on Twitter.

Franklin delivered a message at an auditorium in Gainesville, Georgia, empty, under the title "Choose Faith Over Fear," making it clear that the church is still in operation despite changes in the situation.

"All that's here are empty seats because the building and the seats are not the church. The people are the church," he said. "In the Old Testament, God had a temple for His people. But in the New Testament God has a people for his temple." He assured the online audience that God was still in control and told them, 'I'll live in you and your body will be my temple.'

"When he's near, that fear disappears from our lives. And today, there is no need for panic. But we have to make a choice. We should choose faith over fear," he added.

Prior to reading the President's declaration of prayer for all Americans affected by the coronavirus Pandemic and our national response efforts, Franklin said, "I am happy to say that the president kindly tweeted and will join this service today," and "I am praying for President Trump, Melania and all the government and people of Washington."
Cars line up to enter a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, California on March 16, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

5-Year-Old Child Tests Positive for Coronavirus, New Jersey Officials Say

A 5-year-old child from Paterson, New Jersey, has tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus along with the childs parents, said state health officials.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh told news outlets on Tuesday that the husband is in his 40s and his wife in her 30s. Their other child, who is 4 years old, was tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on Monday.

The family has been in self-quarantine for the past week, he said, according to NJ Advance Media. The 5-year-old remains at home and has not been hospitalized, according to state health authorities.

The husband works in Teaneck, Bergen County, which has 61 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Thirty-two of those cases have been reported in Teaneck, authorities said.

Even before these first cases of Paterson residents were announced my administration has implemented preventative measures to practice social distancing and containment to prevent community spread, Sayegh said in a statement. We ask that residents remain calm and isolate themselves as much as possible in order to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

All of New Jerseys public and private schools, as well as colleges and universities, are now going to close for an indefinite period of time, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday. Restaurants, bars, casinos, and other nonessential businesses were shuttered starting at 8 p.m. on Monday. Restaurants and bars can provide delivery or takeout only.

This is not a time for selfishness. This is a time to think of those around you, Murphy told reporters on Monday. There are some people out there who think this is fake news. This is not fake news. This is real.

The governors of New York and Connecticut announced similar measures on Monday.
Were buckling down for this new normal, said Erin Clegg, a mother of three in North Potomac, Md., who had her youngest child with her at work. Her older children started the day with online learning, which they found to be mostly a review; they were with their father, who was able to work from home.
When you hear calls to save the Chesapeake, it usually means saving oysters or some animal or plant and not everybody is going to respond to that, he said. But if you make an appeal for justice  say, lets help people who are being harmed by pollution on these rivers, lets make it so that pregnant women can drink tap water without harming their unborn children, or making sure kids can wade into a river and not get sick from flesh-eating bacteria  then one day you just might find the oysters are back and bigger than ever.
(Natural News) News is breaking all over the world that chloroquine, a prescription medication used to treat malaria, also appears to be effective against the coronavirus. According to local news KFOR.com, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is advocating testing of the drug against COVID-19, the disease caused by the Wuhan coronavirus. From the KFOR.com website:

James explained that repurposing existing medications is often the fastest path to treating those infected by the virus in a novel way.

That would be really exciting, because its a drug that already has FDA approval, and it is readily available, she said. If it works, it might treat COVID-19 almost instantly.

Wider studies are now underway to confirm the results.

Chloroquine is best known as a malaria treatment, and it seems very likely to be helpful in preventing coronavirus infections. But what about natural molecules from herbs that might offer the same promise against both malaria and coronavirus?

Heres a promising candidate herb that prevents malaria and tuberculosis

In the world of natural medicine, there are already powerful, well-known treatments against malaria that also happen to prevent tuberculosis, an aggressive infection of the respiratory tract. While nothing is yet proven to treat coronavirus, our review of herbal medicine studies and medicinal phytochemicals leads us to the conclusion that this Chinese Medicine herb may one day become known as the natural cure for coronavirus (although clinical trials are needed, obviously, to prove this).

The chemical is called artemesinin, and the herb is known as sweet wormwood. And no, we dont sell it. This isnt a commercial promotion, its an effort to help save millions of lives using medicine thats available right now, all around the world.

Artemesinin is known for its ability to block the bacterial strain that causes tuberculosis, known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. That doesnt mean it prevents coronavirus, which is a viral infection, but its a strong candidate for a number of logical reasons.

According to research published in the journal Phytomedicine, artemisinin / sweet wormwood has a 100% cure rate for treating drug-resistant malaria, at least in a small trial involving 18 patients (all of whom were cured). As Herbs.news writes in this important story:

A study led by Pamela Weathers, a professor of biology and biotechnology at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), published in the journal Phytomedicine, describes how the Artemisia annua plant, commonly known as sweet wormwood or sweet annie, saved 18 patients with drug-resistant malaria from the brink of death.

The Congolese patients, who ranged in age from 14 months to 60 years, had all developed severe, untreatable malaria, with symptoms ranging from loss of consciousness, to trouble breathing and convulsions, among others. When they failed to respond to intravenous treatment with an ACT, compassionate doctors decided to try the dried leaves of the Artemisia annua plant as a last resort. After only five days of the treatment, all 18 patients were fully recovered, including one child who had been in a coma. Blood tests revealed that absolutely no parasites remained in their blood.

That study was published in Phytomedicine, and the full study is available at this link on ScienceDirect.com. The title of the study is, Artemisia annua dried leaf tablets treated malaria resistant to ACT and i.v. artesunate: Case reports.

Theres even more scientific evidence to back this up. Natural News covered another story about sweet wormwood herb in 2017, entitled, Chinese medicine herb discovered to prevent tuberculosis infections. The story cites a study published in Nature Chemical Biology in 2011.

Heres part of that story:

Chinese medicine herb discovered to prevent tuberculosis infections

A recent study reveals that artemisinin, a compound found in sweet wormwood, shows potential in tuberculosis treatment. This Chinese herbal medicine is previously known for its efficacy in treating malaria. Researchers at the Michigan State University have discovered that the compound prevents Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a tuberculosis-causing bacteria, from becoming dormant. Dormancy was associated with antibiotic resistance in patients.

Lead researcher Dr. Robert Abramovitch explains that dormant bacteria become highly tolerant to antibiotic therapy. Inhibiting dormancy makes the tuberculosis bacteria more susceptible to drug treatments and shortens treatment duration. To test this, researchers engineered a tuberculosis strain that glows bright green upon the onset of dormancy. A vast number of compounds were then assessed to see if they could prevent the bacteria from becoming dormant.

According to the researchers, Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mtb requires oxygen to thrive. Artemisinin is shown to inhibit the molecule called heme found in the bacteriums oxygen sensor, which in turn disrupts the Mtb from sensing its deteriorating oxygen levels. When the Mtb is starved of oxygen, it goes into a dormant state, which protects it from the stress of low-oxygen environments. If Mtb cant sense low oxygen, then it cant become dormant and will die, Dr. Abramovitch says. The researchers have also identified five other compounds that may potentially replicate a similar effect on the bacterium.

A 2011 study also supports artemisinins anti-tuberculosis potential. Researchers said using the compound as a conjugation factor induces a selective antagonistic effect against multi- and extensively drug-resistant strains of Mtb. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

###

More published studies and papers discuss artemisinin as a complementary treatment against malaria or tuberculosis

The author of the paper mentioned above, Robert Abramovitch, is also a co-author of a 2016 paper, published in Nature Chemical Biology, which explores the ability of artemesinin to treat tuberculosis, a respiratory illness. This paper is entitled, Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosRST signaling and persistence. It says: (bolding added)

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DosRST two-component regulatory system promotes the survival of Mtb during non-replicating persistence (NRP) The screen discovered novel inhibitors of the DosRST regulon, including three compounds that were subject to follow-up studies: artemisinin, HC102A and HC103A. Under hypoxia, all three compounds inhibit Mtb-persistence-associated physiological processes, including triacylglycerol synthesis, survival and antibiotic tolerance. Artemisinin functions by disabling the heme-based DosS and DosT sensor kinases by oxidizing ferrous heme and generating hemeartemisinin adducts.

In addition, the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology also discusses the use of artemisinin as a therapy against malaria. In this article by Richard. T. Eastman and David A. Fidock, its explained that artemisinin is now used across the world because malaria has become resistant to the prescription drugs chloroquine and sulfadoxinepyrimethamine. From their summary:

Drug resistance, however, remains the biggest threat to current drug efficacy. The former mainstays of antimalarial chemotherapy, chloroquine and sulfadoxinepyrimethamine, have been rendered ineffective for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria by the emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasites.

Almost all malaria-endemic regions have switched to artemisinin (ART)-based combination therapies (ACTs) for the first-line treatment of P. falciparum malaria.

The term ACTs means artemisinin-based combination therapies.

We caution that artemesinin is not proven to treat or cure coronavirus, but so far, nothing else is either

The upshot of all this is that artemisinin is a promising candidate that might one day be known as the natural cure for coronavirus. However, since nearly every government and science body in the world is run by Big Pharma and the vaccine industry, its almost certain that this herb will never be tested against coronavirus. The natural cures are, of course, systematically suppressed.

Fortunately, this herb is widely available right now, and it works with a very high margin of safety, efficacy and affordability. Thats precisely why the pharmaceutical industry doesnt want you to know about it, of course: Theres not much money to be made in affordable natural cures.

Yet this is how we can best serve humanity: Find the natural cures that exist right now, test them and disseminate the information as widely as possible. But Big Tech is making sure that all voices that promote natural cures are censored, thereby protecting Big Pharmas profit interests. The DOJ has even announced its going to conduct criminal investigations into false cures being promoted for the coronavirus, which of course means they will specifically target anyone selling herbs, colloidal silver, chlorine dioxide and so on.

Its all a grand racket to keep the people isolated from real knowledge while protecting the profits of the corrupt pharmaceutical industry that already kills 200,000+ Americans a year. In fact, so far this year, Big Pharma has killed far more people than the coronavirus, at least for the moment.

While I cant tell you what to do with your own personal health strategy, I encourage you to discuss artemisinin with your naturopathic physician to determine if its a good fit. Personally, Im stocking up on this herb and will start taking a preventive dose immediately. Should I begin to show any symptoms of respiratory distress or fever, Ill up my daily dose of this along with a wide assortment of other vitamins, herbs, minerals and superfoods that might also be effective.

Rest assured, the corrupt establishment will make sure that sweet wormwood never gets tested against the coronavirus. Thats how they can say, in perpetuity, theres no evidence that it works. Theres no evidence because they refuse to test it, just like the CDC managed to claim coronavirus infections were low in America because they deliberately botched the testing kits.

Its amazing what the corrupt establishment can achieve by avoiding testing the things they dont want to test, isnt it?

Read Pandemic.news if you want to stay alive.
You can leave your umbrella at home for today, but light rainfall is in the forecast for Phoenix starting on Wednesday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone. Wednesday's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 75 percent, with expected rainfall of 0.76 inches.

The coming days will also bring cool temperatures, expected to stick around through Friday. Temperatures will reach just 59 degrees on Thursday, then turn to warmer weather from Saturday to Sunday.

Winds are predicted to rise as high as 22 mph on Sunday, while today will be calmer with a top speed of just 12 mph. Skies will be cloudy today.

This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
New Delhi, March 17 : Soon after the RSS urged the government to convince the opposition on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Union Minister Shripad Naik assured them on Tuesday that they already have done so.

"We have made everyone understand. We have told them (the opposition) that if you have any doubt, lets sit face to face and clear it. We don't have anything to hide," said Naik and added that a debate has also taken place on the floor of the House.

This comment comes in the aftermath of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) urging the union government to initiate a dialogue with the opposition parties to dispel all doubts over the amended act, even as it welcomed it.

"It is the duty of the union government to clarify all doubts of the opposition parties. As the ruling party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah should initiate dialogue in this regard," said RSS Sarkaryawaha (general secretary) Suresh "Bhayyaji" Joshi.
Vietnams Ministry of Health is seeking all travelers who boarded eight flights between March 4 and 15 that carried passengers testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

The flights include:

-- Flight SQ176, operated by Singapore Airlines, from Singapore to Hanoi on March 15;

-- Flight VJ826, operated by Vietjet Air, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Ho Chi Minh City on March 4;

-- Flight TK162, operated by Turkish Airlines, from Istanbul, Turkey to Ho Chi Minh City on March 8;

-- Flight QH1521, operated by Bamboo Airways, from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc on March 9;

-- Flight QH1524, operated by Bamboo Airways, from Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City on March 13;

-- Flight SU290, operated by Aeroflot, from Moscow, Russia to Hanoi on March 13;

-- Flight QR970, operated by Qatar Airways, from Doha, Qatar to Ho Chi Minh City on March 10;

-- And flight TG564, operated by Thai Airways from Bangkok, Thailand to Hanoi on March 15.

The Ministry of Health recommends that all passengers on these flights contact the provincial or municipal Centers for Disease Control immediately for instructions on health monitoring, as they may have been exposed to passengers carrying the novel coronavirus.

Ticket agents are responsible for notifying passengers who purchased tickets for these flights.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 182,600 people and killed more than 7,100 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 61 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

Forty-five cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection.

More than half of the new 45 patients arrived in Vietnam on multiple international flights.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Update: Menards says their bleach prices are reasonable after being accused of price gouging by Michigan Attorney General

The home improvement company Menards got a cease and desist letter from the Michigan Department of Attorney General Tuesday after investigators found evidence of Menards stores hiking prices on bleach and 3M face masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the letter sent to Menards corporate offices in Wisconsin, Assistant Attorneys General Darrin F. Fowler and Andrea Moua wrote the attorney generals office has received 18 written complaints from consumers about price increases at the companys locations in Michigan.

Reports began coming in about Menards early last week, per the Attorney Generals office, including one from a customer at the South Haven location.

Investigators found Menards has essentially doubled the price on some cleaning products such as bleach and priced two-packs of 3M face masks at $39.95 with a $20 in-store rebate.

The letter calls the reports unconscionable and directs the company to respond in 10 days, noting the department is taking steps to either file a civil lawsuit or commence a formal investigation if no assurance of voluntary compliance is provided.

In short, the actions of Menards this past week are unacceptable, the letter concludes. In this very unique moment, we are hopeful that Menards will immediately change course and renew its commitment to the jingle it has worked so hard to brand into the consciousness of Michigan consumers.

In an email to MLive, Menards spokesperson Jeff Abbott said its been a very chaotic time for all of us since the coronavirus outbreak, adding its hard to figure out the market in unusual, unprecedented conditions.

He said the Clorox bleach Menards carries changed the concentration of sodium hypochlorite from 6 percent to 7.5 percent late last year, which increased costs but also increased the number of uses per bottle. The company dropped prices on the original product to make way for the new in February, Abbott said, and priced the new version of the product at $8.99 in early March.

That price was lowered to $7.49 on March 13 to be competitive in the marketplace, Abbott said.

Based on the market, our $7.49 price on a 121-ounce bottle of 7.5% sodium hypochlorite concentrated bleach seems reasonable to us, he said.

Abbotts email did not directly address the concerns raised over prices of 3M masks raised by the Attorney Generals office.

We will continue to monitor and adjust prices if the market changes, he said in the email. Our focus right now is to get products to our stores or else none of this would matter anyway.

In a statement, Attorney General Dana Nessel said big box stores are not immune to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act or a recent executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer intended to stop price gouging on products related to the coronavirus.

Large corporations must also play by the rules, and my office will work diligently to ensure this states consumers are treated fairly and not abused by businesses seeking to unlawfully jack prices up to line their pockets with profits at the expense of the public during this time of great need," she said in the statement.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Attorney Generals office has received 363 complaints of price gouging. The department temporarily expanded hours of operation for consumer tip lines this week, leaving lines open for additional reports through 11 p.m. Tuesday.

The line is typically open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Michigan residents can report suspected violations of the Consumer Protection Act online or by calling 877-765-8388.

This article has been updated to include a response from Menards spokesperson Jeff Abbott.

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.

For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

 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.

Related coverage:

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan Attorney General extends hotline hours for coronavirus price gouging complaints

Michigan Attorney General investigating more price-gouging reports amid coronavirus scare

4 Michigan stores accused of coronavirus price-gouging on masks, sanitizer

Michigan bills aim to stop price gouging during emergencies like coronavirus

Michigan Attorney General warns against coronavirus-related price gouging

Dont try to get tested for coronavirus without calling ahead, and more tips from Michigan doctors

Amazon to hire 100,000 people to keep up with coronavirus outbreak

Michigans governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak

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Mango Sciences, Inc., a leading data science company focused on emerging markets, today announced how it plans to understand, manage, and solve the health challenges of underrepresented populations to enable precision medicine for billions of consumers. Formerly known as Enlightiks Inc. and owned by Practo Technologies, Inc., Mango Sciences continues to develop Querent - an advanced predictive artificial intelligence analytics platform that makes deep clinical data meaningful and accessible.

Emerging market consumers are routinely overlooked in health research and delivery. An overwhelming 86% of all clinical trial participants are of Caucasian origin though they make up only 16% of the worlds population. Consequently, the medical needs for a majority of the worlds population remain unmet whilst clinical insights from these populations, which could benefit everyone, are overlooked.

Mango Sciences is tackling this fundamental issue by connecting clinical research to patients of underrepresented communities. Partnering with hospitals and clinics in India and other emerging markets, the companys platform unlocks key health insights from complex clinical data. By expanding access to global emerging market data, Mango Sciences can improve discovery in precision medicine and patient care for all populations.

Our unique AI analytics platform not only analyzes large amounts of structured and unstructured health data, but also turns it into functional information with real world applications, said Vamsi Chandra Kasivajjala, Mango Sciences co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. We look forward to strengthening the fundamental framework of clinical research for all populations by first providing access to some of the worlds largest emerging markets for populations that have never before been studied.

Mr. Kasivajjala brings more than 20 years of internationally recognized experience in blending entrepreneurship with pioneering data analytics and healthcare informatics technologies in Asia, Africa & United States. Prior to co-founding Mango Sciences, Mr. Kasivajjala was the founder of Enlightiks and previously the head of the healthcare division at SRIT building 15 products including EMR, RIs, and PACs before the company was sold to Religare Technologies, Inc.

Ultimately, we are addressing global health inequity and transforming clinical research for millions of people that have been largely overlooked, said Dr. Mohit Misra, Mango Sciences co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. We are excited to finally break through industry bottlenecks and expand global access to precision medicine by generating heterogeneous data insights. As we begin a new decade, our approach will drive major advances in patient care not just for emerging markets but for all world populations.

Dr. Misra is a clinician and industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in global healthcare and life sciences. As Head of Digital Health at the Asia- and Africa-focused Evercare Health Fund, Dr. Misra led all investments for digital health for the billion-dollar impact fund. Previously, he served as the Commercial Head and Chief Medical Officer at the Harvard data company Aetion, Inc. He gained first-hand experience of clinical trial representation of patients on the NICE HTA Committee in the UK for 5 years.

Mango Sciences Asia operations are based in Bangalore, with US headquarters in Boston.

About Mango Sciences, Inc.

Mango Sciences is a leading emerging market data science company connecting millions of underrepresented patients to precision medicine. The companys Querent platform utilizes industry-leading AI analytics to transform deep clinical data into key insights that drive global health improvements. Mango Sciences is currently partnering with hospitals to understand the health data of individuals in India and other emerging markets to drive advancement in patient care and drug discovery for all populations. To learn more, please visit www.mangosciences.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005196/en/
Boris Johnson has said the economy should come roaring back after the Covid-19 outbreak (PA)

All non-essential public access to the Houses of Parliament is to be stopped in the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle also urged MPs and peers over the age of 70, as well as those with underlying health conditions and those who might be pregnant, "to pay particular attention to the advice of Public Health England".

Under new guidance published on Monday, these groups are "strongly advised against" social mixing in the community.

In a statement late on Monday, Sir Lindsay said there will be "no access to the public gallery" in both Houses of Parliament from Tuesday in response to the coronavirus pandemic, adding that "all non-essential access" will be stopped.

Earlier on Monday, he stressed to MPs the importance of Parliament continuing despite the outbreak, but said he will be "constantly" reviewing access arrangements.

Measures already taken include the cancellation of commercial tours, MPs, peers and other passholders being discouraged from bringing guests into the parliamentary estate for social visits, and a ban on mass lobbies by campaign groups.

Sir Lindsay earlier told MPs: "All of us recognise the importance of Parliament continuing at such a difficult time - the need to ensure proper scrutiny and that our constituents' concerns are addressed.

"However, to reduce the risk to those who work on the parliamentary estate and those who visit, we have taken some proportionate and reasonable measures to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus."

Sir Lindsay said the situation remains under constant review by parliamentary authorities.

MPs' tours of constituencies will also be stopped, the parliamentary education centre closed and school visits will cease from Tuesday.

He added: "I have taken this decision with the latest government advice and with the Lord Speaker in consultation with Public Health England.

"These further steps are necessary to allow Parliament to continue to fulfil its constitutional duties."
Amid the coronavirus scare, the Delhi government has banned any gathering of more than 50 people but the anti-CAA protesters at Shaheen Bagh are adamant that they will not end the protest.

Joint Commissioner Delhi Police D.C. Srivastava told IANS: "DCP R.P. Meena and local police station incharge are informing the protesters about the deadly virus and making an appeal to them to end the protest as a preventive measure."



When asked that if they don't leave whether action will be taken or not, he said that "As of now we are making an appeal but if they don't listen to it then we will see what should be done."





Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a press conference said that the DM and SDM have the power to take action under the Epidemic Act.



Earlier, the Delhi government directed the closure of all gymnasiums, nightclubs, theatres, weekly markets and spas in the city till March 31, apart from gatherings of more than 50 people.
The Pound Sterling to New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD) exchange rate edged higher, leaving the pairing trading at around NZ$2.0360.

Sterling remained under pressure today as investors awaited the governments announcement about additional help for businesses that would be hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas, and theatres in a bid to help stop the spread of the virus. However, this increased the risk of companies suffering which could lead to the collapse of many.

Last week saw Chancellor Rishi Sunak announce support for businesses alongside the measures from the Bank of England (BoE).

According to a finance ministry source, it is expected fresh measures will be announced during the governments daily news conference.

However, due to the ongoing risk-off mood amongst investors, the Pound was able to make slight gains against the New Zealand Dollar.

Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said the government need to take further steps and noted:

Government has got to do more on the upfront costs facing businesses. Banks have got to do more to get support to the front line. And also I think the UK has to do more to coordinate a global economic response.

Added to this, the Pound was under further pressure after weak unemployment data showed the countrys jobless rate increased to 3.9% in the three months to January.

The UK unemployment rate increased to its highest level since August 2019, although this did little to stop GBP rising against NZD.

Meanwhile, the Kiwi remained under pressure on Tuesday as investors flocked towards safe-haven currencies as the risk-off mood continued.

Markets were rattled as the coronavirus pandemic continued to dominate the headlines and many countries increased their efforts to contain the virus.

Investors were not reassured by coordinated moved from central banks which included another emergency rate cut from the US Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) slashing rates to record lows.

The New Zealand Dollar was able to make slight gains earlier in the session after the government said it would pump $12.1 billion into the economy to help soften the blow of coronavirus.

According to Kiwibank, the stimulus package was larger than expected, while Westpac called the move bold.

Westpac stated it was suitably aggressive and will cushion the blow to parts of the economy.

Commenting on the move, Westpac currency strategist, Imre Speizer noted:
From Country Living

Queen Elizabeth has returned to Buckingham Palace for her working week as she carries on with some duties amid growing uncertainty over the coronavirus. In line with her routine schedule, the 93-year-old monarch arrived at the palace this afternoon having spent the weekend at Windsor Castle. The Royal Standardthe flag that flies above the palace when the Queen is in residencewas raised, replacing the Union Jack that is flown when she is away.

Still, even as some things are continuing as usual, the royals are changing their schedules as the coronavirus outbreak worsens. Last week, it was announced that the Queen would postpone upcoming visits to Cheshire and Camden. A spokesperson said that the decision was made in consultation with the Medical Household and Government and was taken as "a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in light of the current circumstances." Prince Charles and Camilla also postponed their spring tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, and Jordan, which a spokesman said was "owing to the unfolding situation with the Coronavirus pandemic."

Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images

Other royal duties such as audiences and investitures are carrying on as normal. Charles and Camilla may carry out engagements in the UK during the time they would have been away on tour. The Queens spokesperson said that "events will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in line with the appropriate advice."

So far the UK has not banned mass gatherings or closed schools. However Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that plans include asking people over 70 to stay at home for up to four months. Although this has not been implemented yet, if it does come into effect then it would apply to the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, and Camilla, as well as other minor working royals the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Alexandra. At 69, Princess Anne would just avoid the quarantine until she turns 70 in August.

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[March 17, 2020] GetSwift Adds Former Governor and Presidential Candidate Howard Dean and General (Ret.) Mark Bowman as Co-Chairs of Advisory Board GetSwift Limited (ASX: GSW) ('GetSwift' or the 'Company'), a leading provider of SaaS (News - Alert) logistics technology, announced the formation of a new advisory board and the appointment of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and General (Ret.) Mark Bowman as co-chairs. The new advisory board, which will proactively assist management in identifying and cultivating new public and private sector business verticals, comes as the Company secured a significant equity facility totaling up to US$45 million from a private alternative investment group based in the United States. "We are incredibly fortunate to have found such impressive leaders to share their global experience and can-do approach with our team," said CEO Bane Hunter. "Governor Dean is known far and wide as a thought leader, coalition builder, and problem solver at the highest levels of government and business. General Bowman built his career leading Army initiatives in digital transformation all the way to the staff of the Joint Chiefs. We look forward to their ideas and vision as we help our customers grow their business with superior delivery management and digital logistics systems." Governor Dean is a distinguished former governor and presidential candidate who is known for his bipartisan democracy-building initiatives around the globe. General Bowman is a decorated Army general with a career focused on digital technology advancements in the command, control, communications and computers arenas, including the emergence of cyber as a growing element of the global economy and global security. Governor Dean is a former Democratic National Committee Chairman, presidential candidate, six-term governor and physician, and currently works as an independent consultant focusing on policy, health care, early childhood development, alternative energy, and the expansion of grassroots politics around the world. He is a frequent on-air commentator with CNN and MSNBC and is a strategic consultant for the global law firm Dentons, whose footprint spans six continents. Governor Dean is also the founder of Democracy for America and a board member of the National Democratic Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit institution supporting democracy in nations around the globe. "GetSwift is tackling one of the universal needs for organizations of all sizes around the globe: tracking the delivery of goods and services, and ommunicating vital information to those in need," said Governor Dean. "I'm excited to join with General Bowman in advising Bane and his leadership team as they continue to guide GetSwift along this exciting journey." Governor Dean has extensive experience in Southeastern Europe, including in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Balkans, and brings to bear an extensive knowledge of Iraqi and Iranian affairs and has spent time in China and Myanmar. He has been active in combatting human trafficking in Asia and in the United States. He lectures frequently in Europe and is currently teaching a course on the Politics of American Foreign Policy at the Jackson Institute at Yale University. Respected on both sides of the political aisle, Governor Dean was chairman of the National Governors' Association, the Democratic Governors' Association, and the New England Governors' Conference while he served as Governor of Vermont. He left office in Vermont to run for president in 2003 where he implemented innovative fundraising strategies, including use of the Internet. Governor Dean graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in political science in 1971 and received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. Using extraordinary leadership and team-building skills, Lieutenant General Bowman refused to just manage the status quo. Instead, he pioneered the introduction of new technologies and drove positive change throughout his nearly 38-year Army career, culminating with significant positions including CIO/J6, US Central Command, Director of Architecture Networks Operations and Space, Department of the Army, and finally as CIO/J6, Joint Chiefs of Staff. In these positions, he was the driving force behind the moves to Thin/Zero Client, Enterprise Email, Reliable Secure Mobile VoIP Phones, Push-to-Talk Satellite Phones, Effective End-Point Management, and many other efforts. Bowman's efforts saved millions and increased security while providing better service and increased capabilities to the user. "The convergence of logistics and enabling software brings both challenges and opportunities for governments and businesses around the globe," said General Bowman. "I look forward to bringing my personal perspectives and experience to GetSwift as well as my support for the executive team at this exciting time." Since retiring from the Army, General Bowman serves on several boards and as a consultant. On the boards, he helps companies develop, meet, and exceed their goals. General Bowman also serves for the US Army as a Highly Qualified Expert - Senior Mentor (HQE-SM) focused on Communications and Cyber. Finally, he is an accomplished speaker who presents frequently on the subjects of Leadership, IT Innovation, IT Security, and Cyber. General Bowman has a Bachelor's Degree in History from Norwich University (News - Alert), VT, where he received his commission. He holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University, PA. This announcement was approved, and authorised for release by, the GetSwift Board of Directors. About GetSwift Limited Technology to Optimise Global Delivery Logistics GetSwift is a worldwide leader in delivery management automation. From enterprise to hyper-local, businesses across dozens of industries around the globe depend on our SaaS platform to bring visibility, accountability, efficiency and savings to their supply chain and "Last Mile (News - Alert)" operations. GetSwift is headquartered in New York City and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:GSW). For further background, please visit GetSwift.co. GetSwift is an emerging growth company and is subject to a variety of risks. The Company is not yet profitable, and there can be no assurance that it will achieve profitability. The Company's business and a variety of investment considerations are discussed in more detail in the Company's filings with the Australia Securities Exchange (ASX). Investors are encouraged to review the more complete information contained in such filings. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005594/en/

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A Longford woman has spoken of her immense pride at representing her native county in the Manchester St Patrick's Day Parade.

Local woman Catherine Ruane expressed her delight at being in a position to represent the county at Sunday's celebrations across the Irish Sea.

Hundreds of people turned out for the parade despite being met with concern over coronavirus.

Organisers of the Manchester parade have faced some criticism from people concerned about the spread of Covid-19 especially as similar parades in London, Dublin, Liverpool and New York were cancelled because of the pandemic.

But that didnt stop some fans of the event joining in with the celebrations, which have been held in Manchester city centre for over three decades.

Ms Ruane was certainly not going to let the furore dampen her delight at being able to take part as she contacted the Leader via social media earlier today.

"So proud to carry the Longford Flag in Manchester Irish Parade on Sunday," she said.

"Also with Mags Mc Gagh and some other lovely Longford natives (were present)."
Why U.S. Airlines Will Need to Lose the Hubris After We Bail Them Out

When the Trump Administration, a.k.a taxpayers, bails out U.S. airlines for $50 billion or more  it will happen, whether or not anyone uses the b word  many travelers will react with righteous indignation. They will say, how dare they? Or, they deserve to go out of business.

These people will have a point. Many airlines made a fatal error in the past five years. Business was so good airlines thought they were real companies. They figured they could leverage good times to push profits into the stratosphere. As they added fees while reducing passenger comfort, carriers wanted to prove to investors they were every bit as real as Federal Express or even Amazon. They also pushed to buy back stock, with the largest carriers using 96 percent of their free cash flow over 10 years to buy back shares, according to Bloomberg.

I bought the hype, too. Airlines are for-profit businesses, I said, and they deserve to maximize revenues, even if it meant a mother and son could not sit next to each other for free, or a family could not afford to go home for Christmas. I even defended the reduction in space, from the skinnier seats to tiny bathrooms, noting airlines needed to maximize every square inch to offer low fares and still generate investor return.

Get the Latest on Coronavirus and the Travel Industry on Skifts Liveblog

Im not completely changing my stance. After the bailouts, reconstituted airlines will be for-profit companies, and they should charge for extras passengers value. They also should set ticket prices according to the laws of supply and demand, because thats the best way to price a scarce, perishable asset. Passengers might hate high prices, but they also would hate learning a flight sold out six months in advance.

Still, after airlines receive tens of billions in taxpayer subsidies, they need to be honest with themselves. Now, and in the future, theyre more susceptible to external shocks than other large businesses. You can argue coronavirus is a once-in-a-century phenomenon, but given how airlines operate, some kind of shock was bound to happen. Airlines are not regular businesses, and they dont need to be run that way.

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So when this saga is over, and airlines get their billions, I call on them to show some humility. Stop with all this talk about how investors are undervaluing them, and how they deserve to be treated like other high-quality industrial companies. Its bollocks.

Airlines are what they are. They are publicly traded public utilities, akin to the water or electric company. Some of those trade on public markets, too, including PG&E in San Francisco. They can make money, and return profits to shareholders.

Airlines can mimic those companies. But lets stop with this fantasy that airlines are normal business. Yes, they are publicly-trade corporations, but they also rely on government subsidies to run their operations. Do they think terminal rents pay for the entire cost of running a major airport?

This is not an argument for a return to regulation. If airlines want to charge $10,000 for a last-minute transatlantic flight, thats fine. (Of course, itll be awhile before demand recovers enough to let them command those prices.) Heck, if they want to charge more for an aisle seat than a window, thats OK, too. (It is a better seat.)

But the arrogance needs to go. Executives need to know theyre not running a typical business. U.S. airlines are a national asset, so important to our transportation network that they cant fail.

So when the boom times return  and they will, because at their core, Americans love to travel  airlines need to rethink how they interact with investors and customers. They can make money, even lots of it, but they should reconsider whether they must stretch for that extra half-point of margin, especially if whatever they want to sell will piss people off.

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Portland police are asking for the publics help in identifying a suspect in the February death of Chantel Downs, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing Northeast Halsey Street.

Responders found the 36-year-old dead at Halsey and Northeast 42nd Avenue after 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 29. Police said she had been crossing Halsey from north to south when struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Halsey.

Chantel Downs, 36, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing Northeast Halsey Street on Feb. 29, 2020.Crime Stoppers of Oregon

The car, which police described as a burgundy or maroon-colored sedan, continued driving on Halsey then turned northbound onto Northeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard.

Police said the car would have front-end damage, including the windshield, and a disabled passenger-side headlight.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner determined Downs died as a result of the crash.

Police have no information about the suspected driver and are working with Crime Stoppers of Oregon to develop leads.

Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information reported to the organization that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime. Tipsters can remain anonymous and can visit the App Store and download P3 Tips to submit secure and anonymous tips. They can also go online at p3tips.com/823 or call 503-823-HELP (4357).

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
To the Editor:

For years many businesses large and small have closed because of the large rent increases foisted upon them by landlords. Now we are faced with an even more dire situation as a result of the coronavirus: lack of patronage.

Landlords should suspend or mitigate rent payments, or make arrangements for future payments. That way these establishments may survive, their employees granted a reprieve from layoff or, in many cases, the loss of their jobs. And those who frequent these establishments should order takeout and have their food or merchandise delivered.

This is the time to pull together and save what is precious. If we do not do so, the panic will continue, and the recession predicted by many, avoidable if sense prevails, will surely come.

Richard M. Frauenglass

Huntington, N.Y.

To the Editor:

Re Fed Cuts Rates to Near Zero; Virus Toll Soars (front page, March 16):

Now that financial institutions can borrow money at no interest (or close to it), why cant the Fed cap their unsecured lending rate at, say, 5 percent for the duration? This would be a huge boon to the millions of people who will struggle to pay off credit cards and consumer loans when they lose their jobs. And it might stave off a tsunami of bankruptcies.
The Navrattan Group of Company recently celebrated its 21st Anniversary and, quite obviously, its founder, Mr. Himansh Verma, felt very emotional on the occasion. In his message to his team, Himansh said, it is a very emotional occasion and a happy moment for all of us. My family and I have a deep sense of gratitude towards my professional family who has worked dedicatedly in achieving the goals of the company.

The roots of this company date back to 1999, when a young Himansh Verma began working for his fathers jewelry business. Soon after, he started his independent venture, Navrattan Consultancy. Presently, the Navrattan Group has its operations spread out across India, US and Europe, with a net worth of more than a billion Euros.

What is amazing is the fact that Navrattan Group is the only such entity in the world to be dedicated completely to work on innovative eco-friendly technologies.

The group is working on path breaking technology solutions in the fields of construction, alternative energy, waste management & disposal, infrastructure development, transportation, basalt mining, health care, etc.

Its founder has brought into the Groups ambit leading scientists and researchers, whose efforts coincide with the overall interests of the society. Under the Navrattan banner, the team has been successful in developing more than 60 Innovative Technology IPRs. One of the latest products to be launched as part of this drive will be the worlds first 100% Green Crete, Navrattan Green Crete, a product of Navrattan Green Cement Industries Pvt. Ltd.

While addressing his Group, Himansh Verma also said, today, the Navrattan Group of Companies has set a benchmark in the innovative science & technology sector and is an example for others to follow. We still have a lot on the cards, and I am optimistic that along with the researchers, scientists, support of the government, and the teamwork of Navrattan employees we will be able to take Navrattan to great heights.

Disclaimer: This is a company press release. No HT journalist was involved in the creation of this content.
New Delhi:

The central government allocated Rs 1 lakh crore for Jammu and Kashmir in the first annual budget for the new Union Territory on Tuesday.

As the Union Territory (UT) doesnt have an elected government, the finance ministry presented a budget of Rs 101,428 crore for FY2020-21 in Parliament.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointed out that it was the highest allocation, adding that it was also the first time that the J&K budget crossed the Rs 1-lakh-crore mark.

The budgetary proposals and demand for grants are likely to come up for vote in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The Centre revoked Article 370, which gave special status to J&K, on August 5 and bifurcated it into two UTs  Jammu and Kashmir with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir came into effect on October 31.

In the absence of a state government, Parliament takes the responsibility to approve the budget for a state or Union Territory.

Sitharaman underlined that about Rs 38,000 crore has been earmarked for various development schemes, which is an increase of 27% from the last year. She added that J&K can have an economic growth of 11%, the fastest among states and UTs.

The capital expenditure has been pegged at Rs 23,910 crore while revenue expenses stood at Rs 31,406 crore.

The government also presented a separate expenditure plan of Rs 55,317.81 crore for the last five months of the current fiscal. The budget for J&K was laid by junior finance minister Anurag Thakur.

Sitharaman, in a statement, pointed out that the original grant for the financial year 2019-20 was Rs 88,911 crore.

The capital component of the budget has increased substantially and the expected revenue receipts are Rs 91,100 crore whereas revenue expenditure is expected to be Rs 62,664 crore thereby making available revenue surplus for capital expenditure to the tune of Rs 28,436 crore, Sitharaman added.

With regard to the Union Territory of Ladakh, the total budget estimates for last five months has been pegged at Rs 5,754 crore. Of this, she said, capital expenditure would be Rs 4,618.35 crore and revenue expenditure would be Rs 1,135.65 crore.

With the abrogation of Article 370 and Re-organisation of State into Union Territory, the PoK and West Pakistan Refugees have qualified for citizenship rights which were denied to them since 1947, she said.
An Indonesian tested positive for coronavirus here on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in Telangana to five, even as the state government stepped up measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The five include a 24-year-old techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery.

"Even till this moment, no Telangana resident has tested positive for coronavirus on Telangana soil. Those whocame from foreign countries, who came after being infected,they tested positive.

No case has been identified here," state Health minister E Rajender told reporters here.

According to him, the second positive case is a woman who came from Italy and the third a man from Netherlands.

The fourth person, who tested positive, arrived fromScotland and the fifth patient from Indonesia.

Telangana started thermal screening much earlier at the international airport here and more than 66,000 peoplehave been screened, the minister said.

The state government is tracing scores of people who came in contact with the five patients, hesaid.

Six labs have been readied in the state to testfor the virus, he said, adding that the final confirmation on COVID-19 status would also be done in Hyderabad.

Health authorities in Telangana used to get the confirmation on coronavirus cases from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune.

As per the Centre's directives, those coming from China, Iran, Italy, Korea and other countries, where the spread of COVID-19 has been found to be severe, are screened at the airport and people having symptoms for the virus would be sent to the state-run Gandhi hospital.

Those asymptomatic would be taken to the quarantine centresset up at Vikarabad and other places here, he said.

If necessary, quarantine centres would be set up in districts, he said.

So far about 200 have been kept in quarantine centres.

Stressing that those kept under observation at the centres are not virus-affected patients, Rajender said local residents need not fear about the presence of the centres.

People coming from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka by road, where a high number of cases are seen, are also screened, he said.

The minister said those undergoing treatment for coronavirus are being provided with good food, wi-fi and other facilities.

Police in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district registered a case against three people for allegedly posting fake in social media that a doctor and his staff, who initially treated a woman who tested positive, also got infected and that they were admitted to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.

The TelanganaPrisonsand Correctional Services on Tuesday said 'mulaqats' (visitor meetings) ofprisonersat all jails in the state has been cancelled in view of virus threat.

The South Central Railway announced that the platform ticket fare has been increased across all stations on SCR zone to decongest railway stations as precaution against spread of coronavirus.

The revised platform ticket fare at all important major railway stations and all suburban stations would be Rs 50 from the existing Rs 10, while at the small stations it will be Rs 20 until March 31.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

Azerbaijani citizens purchased 189 real estate properties in Turkey from January through February 2020, which is 11 properties less compared to the period from January through February 2019, Turkeys General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadaster told Trend on March 16.

Azerbaijani citizens purchased 90 real estate properties in Turkey in February 2020, which is 15 properties less compared to February 2019.

In February 2020, 118,753 properties were sold to foreigners in Turkey, which is 51.4 percent more compared to February 2019.

In February 2020, 4,005 real estate properties were sold to foreigners in Turkey, which is 20.6 percent more compared to February 2019.

Azerbaijani citizens purchased 1,191 real estate properties in Turkey in 2019, which is 59 estate properties less compared to 2018.

In December 2019, Azerbaijani citizens purchased 146 real estate properties in Turkey, which is 20 properties less compared to December 2018.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary and hailed his contributions towards Bangladesh's progress.

Modi will participate in the birth centenary celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh on Tuesday via video link.

The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on Tuesday and were expected to be attended by several foreign dignitaries, including Modi. But it will be without any public gatherings due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"Tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary. He is remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladesh's progress.

"This evening, via video link, will address Bangabandhu's 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations being held in Bangladesh," Modi said in a tweet.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman served as the first president of Bangladesh and later as the prime minister of Bangladesh from April 17, 1971, until his assassination on August 15, 1975.

He is considered to be the driving force behind the independence of Bangladesh and has been given the title of "Bangabandhu" (Friend of Bengal). His daughter, Sheikh Hasina, is the current prime minister of Bangladesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Maharashtras Shirdi town will close its temple for devotees from Tuesday to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the latest religious organisation in the state to shut its doors.

Maharashtra has reported 36 cases of Covid-19 so far and one death due to the disease on Tuesday. The state has the highest number of coronavirus patients in the country, which has reported 125 cases so far.

According to news agency ANI, the trust said that the Shirdi Sai Baba temple will be closed for devotees from 3pm till further orders. The temple is one of the most visited temples in the state.

Highlights Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Maharashtras Shirdi town is the latest religious organisation in the state to shut its doors The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust has already decided to close the temple until further notice There are 36 positive cases of coronavirus in the state so far

Arun Dongre, the trusts chief executive officer, had requested devotees on Sunday to defer their visit to Shirdi for a few days to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus.

Also read: Amid coronavirus pandemic, Maharashtra to stamp those in home quarantine

As per the directives of the government, I request the devotees to postpone their visit to Shirdi for a few days, Dongre had said, according to ANI.

On Monday, the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust decided to close the temple until further notice as a precaution to avoid the spread of fatal disease.

It also instructed all its employees to wear masks and hand sanitisers have been provided to everyone inside the Siddhivinayak temple.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked district collectors on Monday to ensure there is no crowding at religious sites given the coronavirus outbreak.

Adesh Bandekar, chairman of Siddhivinayak Temple Trust at Prabhadevi, said while prayers will continue inside temple premises, the temple was shut for devotees from Monday evening onwards until further notice.

Because the government has given a call that we should avoid crowding at any place, we have decided to keep the temple closed for devotees. People can meanwhile pray at home. It could be closed for 15 days or longer depending on what the government decides, said Bandekar.

Similarly, Shree Mahalakshmi Temple Charities at Bhulabhai Desai Road and Mumbadevi Mandir at Zaveri Bazaar have also announced that the temples will be closed from Tuesday onwards.

In a circular issued by the state government, a copy of which is with HT, district collectors have been empowered to take necessary decisions to control crowds under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

To control the spread of coronavirus, restrictions need to be imposed to avoid gathering of people at one particular place, which is why permissions for social, political, and religious gatherings shouldnt be given until further orders. If permissions are given, they should be revoked as per the Act, reads the circular.

Suhail Khandwani, the managing trustee of Mahim Dargah, said that considering Haji Ali and Mahim dargahs are attached to masjids and regular prayers take place there, they cannot close it for devotees.

We have advised people to not crowd or gather at one particular place for long. The devotees can come to the masjid for one prayer, and later perform other rituals at home, said Khandwani.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay, which has around 500,000 members, said they would take a call soon. The church has issued directives for religious services, including discouraging devotees from taking communion in the mouth.

Punes famous Dagdusheth Ganpati temple will be closed from Tuesday. The decision was taken on Monday following instructions from the state, said temple authorities.

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While there is a distinct possibility of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe putting off his trip to India in April, (the second time in six months) the Covid-19 scare is also likely to impact investments into India from Japan in the short run. However Japan is bullish on India in the long run. Interview with Business Standard by Keiichi Onozawa, representative of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japanese Government for South Asia. Excerpts:

To what extent would Covid-19 impact Japanese investment decisions this year?

A: Now, Japanese businesspersons face a difficulty in traveling to and from India. Also, the demand is globally shrinking. These factors can have some effects on foreign companies to delay their investment decisions in the short term. In the long term, however, we reaffirmed the importance of robust global supply chain. For example, many factories in India have been struggling to find alternative sources for procurement after China has closed down and this is where we have the room to provide them alternative inputs. In this sense, India should be seen as a destination to attract additional FDI to make those companies' supply chain robust.

Last December, Prime Minister Abe's visit was cancelled due to the turmoil on CAA. There was an understanding it could be held in April 2020, but with the Covid-19 outbreak when do you see the next occasion happening?

A. It was a huge disappointment to have to reschedule PM Abes trip to India in last December. I hope the next occasion will happen as soon as possible.

At this stage which are the big investment areas which you see? Does it still include the bullet train project?

A: At the bilateral summit meeting at Tokyo on October 2018, 57 Japanese companies had declared their interests in broadening business in India with a commitment of $3 billion. Last October, India governments top officials had met around 40 Japanese companies for the next round of investments from Japan Roadshow. We observe broadening variety of investment areas by Japan from auto-sectors to steels, pharmaceuticals, food processing etc. The high speed railway project is a symbolic big project already agreed between both the prime ministers. I hope that we proceed as soon as possible to expedite Make in India, and to boost economic growth connecting two big cities.

There is a proposal from the to Japan to launch an India-Japan fund of funds. What is the progress in that respect.

A: Both the PMs have welcomed the launch of Japan India Fund of Funds at their bilateral summit meeting on the side of G20 Osaka summit, last June. We are working hard for the coming launch of that Fund. I aim to facilitate the business matching between Indian Investee startups and Japanese companies. Japan and India can develop globally competitive technologies by complementing Japans strength in hardware, and Indias strength in software. This is why my ministry and GOIs ministry of Electronics and IT signed an MOU on the Japan-India Digital Partnership on October 2018. Many Indian IT and software companies already broadened their business in Japan. They have even contributed to the development of engine control software in collaborating with Japanese auto-companies. Tricog, an Indian healthcare startup has partnered with Japanese health machinery company Fukuda Electronics to develop AI based diagnostic program on heart beating patterns. They are successfully expanding their business not only inside India but also to Kenya, Thailand, and Indonesia. We want to facilitate such good cycles in terms of technologies, finance and human resources, and expedite Japan-Asian circulations of innovations in many areas including healthcare, logistics, education, agriculture and fin-tech.

What are the chances of being signed in 2020 with India as a signatory

A: I was disappointed to hear from PM Modi that it is not possible for India to join Japan has been trying hard to solve Indias concerns together with other member countries. As is written in Joint leaders statement on the RCEP, all participating countries including India will work together to resolve Indias significant outstanding issues. Japan will make every effort to bridge India and other member countries. Being part of the agreement will benefit India. According to the High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) on trade, RCEP will benefit India the most compared to other member countries by improving 0.8% of GDP, and pushing up 11% of exports. Second, India should not miss the chance of integration to emerging East Asia market and supply chain. Regional integration will expedite Make in India. Third, India should be aware of the cost of not being part of RCEP. If RCEP without India happens, other rival countries will become more attractive for foreign companies. The later India decides, the less opportunities India can take. I personally think India can improve the trade deficit by herself. According to the Asian Development Bank, the utilisation rate of Indias FTAs varies between 5 per cent and 25 per cent, which is one of the lowest in Asia, while around half of Japanese companies in India are using Indias FTAs. Improving the usage rate of Indias FTA will improve the trade deficit.
Vietnam-Japan cooperation in the field of shipbuilding is hoped to bring great opportunities to develop Vietnams technology, especially in ship designing.

On March 2, 2020, representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam met with General Yamazaki Koji, chief of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces Joint Staff.



At the talks, the two sides put forward a wide range of cooperation issues for the coming time, including technology transfer in the military shipbuilding industry and cooperation in producing economic items.



Vietnam also proposed to conduct joint training activities between the Military Technical Academy, the School of Information Officers of Vietnam and the National Defense Academy and other Japanese schools.



Commenting about the cooperation program, Do Thai Binh, a respected expert in shipbuilding, said this was a good move which will open up opportunities to develop Vietnams shipbuilding industry.

Vietnam-Japan cooperation in the field of shipbuilding is hoped to bring great opportunities to develop Vietnams technology, especially in ship designing.

After World War II, Japan emerged as one of the countries with the best shipbuilding techniques for both military and civil ships.

In Japan, the building of military and civilian ships is nearly the same. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, there are still gaps that can not be cleared. So, the cooperation with Japan in this field will pave the way for a new development direction for Vietnam's shipbuilding industry in the future, he commented.



According to Binh, Vietnam has gained big achievements in the shipbuilding industry in recent years. The orders to build tens of ships, both military and civilian, for export to African countries have come.



However, in most cases, Vietnam builds ships based on ready-made designs provided by clients. This means that Vietnam just does outsourcing, like a hired worker.



In order to develop a shipbuilding industry of its own, Vietnam needs to develop design. It needs to design not only the appearance, but the engine and functional uses of ships.



Not all countries can do this. Japan is one of the worlds leading countries in this field.



I hope that through the cooperation program, Vietnam will be able to receive modern technologies and to some extent, develop designing, Binh said, adding that shipbuilding is a general industry which needs advanced technologies.



After World War II, the US left hundreds of military ships in Japan, large and small. Japanese inherited those ships to research, copy technology and develop technology to a new level.



Therefore, Japans shipbuilding sector is close to the US, one of the most powerful military powers in the world. Therefore, Vietnam's cooperation with Japan in this field is be the shortest way to access the modern shipbuilding industry and apply the most advanced technologies in shipbuilding.

Thanh Mai

Vietnam shipbuilding industry short of skilled workers Among the sounds of hammers and steel-cutting machines, 50-year-old Nguyen Ngoc Hong, a worker of Pha Rung Shipyard Company in Hai Phong City, puts a vessel through final tests after construction has been completed.
Before COVID-19 swept across western Europe and caused schools and bars to close across the United States, it threatened East and Southeast Asia.

Millions of Americans and Europeans are now learning to cope with changes to their daily lives brought on by coronavirus precautionschanges that have been a reality since January or February across mainland China and in places like Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

For weeks, in many places across Asia, children have been home from school, employees have been working from home and people have been learning to conduct their lives amid the outbreak.

With that in mind, here is some advice for staying safe, healthy and productive through the disruption and danger of COVID-19from people who have already experienced it.

Keep things in perspective

Youre not alone. Your fears are not atypical. Knowing that this too shall pass, just like those newborn days with your kids, thats an important message. This isnt the beginning of the end. Keeping that perspective, and also humor has really helped me Like recognizing that Im wearing a mask, stockpiling toilet paper, and that this is ridiculous, right?

 Stephanie Young, 39, therapist and mother of two in Hong Kong

Make sure your kids are active, occupied and well-rested

No matter what age they are, kids absolutely need to get some physical activity in their day. I make it a point every day that all three [of my kids] have to go outside, even if just for a walk or to ride their bikes. I also make [my kids] have little exercise breaks between their online classes if they can, like 50 jumping jacks or 20 squats

Its good to keep your kids a little busy. If theyre bored, they get frustrated and thats when they have their tantrums. Even if school doesnt necessarily have online work for them, you can find something basic for their age, whether its math or language or science related And its definitely important to have a routine, to keep a normalcy.

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 Nicole Serje, 43, of Hong Kong, whose three children have been home from school since January

I would suggest that the most important part of the routine is the inclusion of mindful breaks away from the screen and sedentary seated time. At school, children are often on the move, not just at break and lunch play, but when relocating from class to class and also within the classroom itself. This needs to be replicated as much as possible at home to ensure there is movement throughout the childs day. This may take the form of short mini brain breaks, mindfulness, yoga, free play, structured exercise, rest and sleep.  Luke Schroder, 38, grade school teacher from the U.K. living in Hong Kong

Talk to your kids about COVID-19

Obviously its highly age-dependent. With your younger school-aged kids its acknowledging the facts around what a virus is, and comparing it to other things theyre familiar with in school. Here in Asia we have discussions of hand foot and mouth [disease] and head lice is everywhere. All of those things that are highly contractable and contagious that theyre familiar with already is probably a good place to start and wont amplify this to make it seem scary. Im really cognizant of [my boys] media access and what they hear the adults talking about. Thats another one: just limiting the overhearing helps.

The older kids, Im teaching high school kids, their access to information is so intense and immersive that parents just have to try to mitigate that in some way, or at least balance it because they get all the headlines just as much as we do.

 Stephanie Young, 39, therapist and mother of two in Hong Kong

Practice social distancing, but dont isolate yourself

I wish I had known how key social distancing is for containing COVID-19. Unfortunately, we are seeing the impact of national containment measures not being enacted quick enough in the West. Considering this late response and how highly contagious COVID-19 is, I would have tried to warn more friends and family members back in the U.S. to start practicing social distancing as soon as possible...

For practicing social distancing without being totally isolated socially, I recommend having regular tele-meetups with friendsarrange lunches, coffee chats, or even workouts over FaceTime. Mental health check-ins via telephone or video with friends and family members are great.

 Shereen Ayub, 30, who was quarantined in her Beijing home for 14 days

Read more: What Is Social Distancing? Heres How to Best Practice It as Coronavirus Spreads

Keep your hands to yourself

When youre outside, try not to touch things. People may have sneezed on their hands and touched the surroundings, and the germs can last for days. When you touch it, and you bring your hands to a mucosal surface (like your eyes, nose and mouth), then you could get the disease. You can use a tissue to push door handles or [elevator] buttons for example, so that youre not in contact with any potential bacteria directly. If you are not near a sink, use hand sanitizer.

 TT Chan, 26, medical worker at a Hong Kong hospital

A traffic reminder to maintain personal hygiene greets drivers on a Los Angeles freeway on Mar. 16, 2020. | Frederic J. BrownAFP/Getty Images

Read more: The Secret to Keeping Your Kids Happy, Busy and Learning if Their School Closes Due to Coronavirus

Cancel your travel plans

I really encourage people not to travel at this time. Its quite risky to travel, especially these few weeks when its already spreading to all countries worldwide. I think the most worrying thing is that when you travel out there are no travel restrictions, but when you come back maybe there is and you need to quarantine yourself. The situation is changing quickly and you dont know whether the policy will be tightened and maybe you cant go back to work.

 Wilson Hung, 41, who had to self-isolate for 14 days in Taipei, Taiwan after returning from a four-day vacation to Japan

Be prepared for the possibility that mass closures, including schools, could be extended and your current home routine could be a new normal for the foreseeable future. Cancel any upcoming travel plansbesides the fact that there may be airline cancellations and more tightened travel restrictions on Americans flying in and out of other countries (and perhaps restrictions for domestic travel), the biggest reason everyone needs to take containment measures seriously is to protect those most at risk of being severely affected by COVID-19, and to spare the healthcare system from a possible overload.

 Shereen Ayub, 30, who was quarantined in her Beijing home for 14 days

A passenger waits for his train at an almost empty platform at Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro station in Washington, D.C. on Mar. 16, 2020. | Alex WongGetty Images

Create a distraction-free work space at home

I recommend creating a physical separation between your work and home life. For me, Ive repurposed a section of my apartment as my work space. And when Im in my work space, Im working. When I leave it, then thats a break. Its the place I use to hold myself accountable.

 Ashton Smalling, 25, English teacher from Texas living in Seoul, South Korea

Give yourself breaks. Not just lunch breaks, but time to just get out of your chair, look out the window and come back with a more focused mind. Otherwise you could get burned out very easily and lose motivation.

 Jeremy Tan, 28, copywriter in Singapore

Read more: How to Stay Productive When Working From Home

If youre in quarantine, dont stress yourself out

Id encourage people to take some deep breaths and really come to terms with the idea that youre just going to be alone for a couple of weeks. It doesnt have to be a bad thing. With the right mindset, people can embrace this as a sanctuary. Its a good time for people to pamper themselves, to do things that you normally dont have time to do because youre racing around with work, school and taking care of your kids. Try to stay busy with things that bring you some joy. Its when people sit and get too deep in their heads that they start to think bad things.

 Sarah Arana, 53, who spent 12 days quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, followed by a 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.



Stay on top of the latest news, but dont fixate on it 24/7

Knowing what measures are in place in your local community is important. You want to know whether your library, your post office is open before making a wasted trip for example. But its not healthy to be watching the news all the time. Turn off the news, put on some Netflix, read a book, occupy your mind with other things. Life still goes on.

 Mandy Chan, 33, administrative assistant in Hong Kong

Additional reporting by Laignee Barron and Amy Gunia in Hong Kong, Charlie Campbell in Shanghai and Louise Watt in Taipei, Taiwan

Correction: March 18 The original version of this story misspelled Shereen Ayubs first name. It is Shereen, not Ahereen.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A former San Francisco Bay Area tour operator was sentenced to four years in prison for serving as an unregistered agent for Chinas Ministry of State Security in a scheme to use dead drops to pick up digital memory cards from a source and take them to China.

Xuehua Edward Peng, 56, also was sentenced Monday in Oakland, California, federal court to pay a $30,000 fine, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Peng pleaded guilty on Nov. 25, 2019, to acting at the direction and under the control of ministry of state security officials in China. If convicted at trial, he could have faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Hayward, California, resident admitted that while he was on a business trip to China in March 2015, an official of the Peoples Republic of China introduced himself and asked Peng to use his U.S. citizenship to assist him.

Peng came to understand the official worked for Chinas Ministry of State Security but agreed to take actions in the U.S. on behalf of China and learned how to use dead drops: rent hotel rooms, leave money and leave for several hours.

The official instructed Peng to return later and retrieve small electronic storage devices that the source would leave for him, a Justice Department statement said. Thereafter, Peng was to fly to the PRC and deliver the retrieved devices to the PRC official. Peng never met nor interacted with the individual who left the devices for him and was instructed not to access the information stored on the SD cards.

Peng made practice run in June 2015 and then participated two dead drops in the San Francisco Bay Area between October 2015 and April 2016. He then made three dead drops from Columbus, Georgia, before telling the Chinese official that he wanted to return to dead drops in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The U.S. was never at risk because the information left for Peng was provided by an FBI double agent who had also been approached for spy work by the Chinese government but decided to inform the U.S. government instead, prosecutors have said.

Peng was arrested in September 2019 before completing the next dead drop.

This case exposed one of the ways that Chinese intelligence officers work to collect classified information from the United States without having to step foot in this country, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement.

Investigators described Peng as a sightseeing operator in the San Francisco area for Chinese visitors and students. Public records listed Peng as president of U.S. Tour and Travel in San Francisco, but no website for the company was found.

Peng entered the country in 2001 on a temporary business visa. He became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 following his marriage and was naturalized in September 2012.
Syracuse University is offering free bus rides to students who can return home to major cities as quickly as possible amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Buses have begun departing today from the Syracuse campus to New York City; Philadelphia; Boston; Rockaway, New Jersey; and Washington, D.C., Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie wrote in a message to the campus community. Students can reserve tickets online.

The buses will have limited capacity in consideration of coronavirus social distancing guidelines, Haynie said.

Students have been advised to take as many of their belongings as they can with them on the bus.

Haynie said the buses were part of an effort to help students still residing on campus depart for home quickly and safely." Haynie and other officials urged any students able to take advantage of the buses to do so, quickly.

SU last week began to shift online in response to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The universitys spring break was already scheduled for this week, with classes to resume on Monday. SU plans to resume classes online only on Monday.

The university had hoped to bring students back to campus for residential courses as soon as March 30, but scrapped those plans yesterday as K-12 schools, businesses, restaurants, bars and even courts closed or significantly diminished operations.

Chancellor Kent Syverud announced yesterday SU would keep classes online for the rest of the semester.

Since last week, SU has kept its dormitories open, at first for students who opted to stay instead of leave for spring break. Now, the dorms will be open only to students who do not have another place to go or have extreme circumstances. Students will be required to apply to remain on campus.

Dining halls have switched to grab-and-go service only, officials said. Faculty and staff have been instructed not to come to campus unless they are considered to be essential employees.

Inevitably, some students left for spring break without their belongings. SU is offering to pack and store belongings for future pickup dates.

For students who have stayed on campus but now have family available to pick them up, SU is developing a staggered schedule for move-outs.

Read more:

Le Moyne, Ithaca colleges to continue online classes through spring semester; Ithaca postpones graduation

Coronavirus to peak in NY in 45 days; Thousands more hospital beds needed, Cuomo says

A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State

NY closing gyms, restaurant dining rooms, more

Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government, education and sometimes fun stuff like treasure hunters. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992

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Lidl and Tesco in Ireland have announced dedicated hours for the elderly so they can shop before other members of the general public.

The daily updates on the coronavirus pandemic have prompted many individuals to panic-buy food and household supplies, despite retailers discouraging them from doing so.

Stockpiling may prevent vulnerable members of society, such as the elderly, people with disabilities and those with health conditions, from buying items they need.

With that in mind, several supermarkets have been introducing shopping hours specifically for the elderly, so they dont have to worry about products being sold out by the time they enter the store.

On Monday 16 March, Lidl Ireland shared a tweet outlining how its new dedicated shopping hour for the elderly will work.

Weve been listening to your feedback and we will be implementing priority shopping hours for the elderly across all 163 Lidl stores in Ireland, 9-11am every day, until further notice, the tweet read.

Tesco Ireland has also followed suit, stating that it is encouraging the elderly and their carers to shop at its stores on specific days of the week.

This is a time for help. And at Tesco, thousands of our colleagues are working hard to help make sure that our communities have everything they need, the companys statement read.

From Wednesday March 18th, we will introduce dedicated time-in-store for over 65s and family carers.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings up to 9am will now be a dedicated time for our senior citizens and family carers to have more space and a helping hand where needed.

Earlier this week, a branch of Iceland supermarket declared it would be establishing an early hour for the elderly to shop.

The store, which is located at The Kennedy Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, stated that it is welcoming the elderly to shop at the supermarket from 8am to 9am in the morning.

Recommended Iceland store introduces early hour for elderly for them to shop

Iceland Foods at Kennedy Centre will be opening their store between 8-9am for the elderly commencing Tuesday 17th March, the statement read.

Could the wider public please respect this hour, and understand that this time is allocated for elderly people only. Iceland appeal to peoples better nature when realising who needs priority.

When asked by The Independent whether the early hour for the elderly will be rolled out across more stores, a spokesperson for the supermarket said it is currently allowing its stores to make their own decisions on how best to serve their local communities.

If you have any coronavirus symptoms or have recently travelled to an affected area, contact the NHS helpline on 111 and do not visit your GP or hospital.
To contain the spread of coronavirus, the has extended the disinfection facilities to other public service vehicles like auto-rickshaw, gramin sewa, phat-phat sewa, maxi cabs and eco-friendly vehicles.

The drive will start on March 17 (Tuesday) and will be done free of cost, the said in a statement.

"The disinfection of vehicles will be done at all the DTC and cluster bus depots on a daily basis in two shifts. The first shift will be from 10 am to 12 pm, whereas the second shift will be from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

The government has advised that everyone should get their vehicle disinfected every day although this service is not mandatory for all.

"Earlier, the issued a notification under which it was made mandatory for all the inter-state buses entering the capital to carry a "Certificate of Disinfection" from their respective states. Also, these buses are again being disinfected after entering the premises of various ISBTs," the statement said.

Apart from that, the Delhi government has been disinfecting its own DTC and cluster buses as well as metros on a daily basis to prevent the spread of coronavirus, it added.

Meanwhile, on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, all local bodies in Delhi have initiated action to check the spread of by invoking provisions of Delhi Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020 and provisions of Section 376 of the Delhi Municipal Act, 1957.

"All local bodies have issued directions that all hotels, motels, guest houses, mall managements, banquet halls, restaurants and eateries, market associations and RWA will ensure that proper sanitisation facilities -- washing with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitiser is available at the entry point of their respective establishments, localities and society. Further directions have been issued to ensure there is no crowding and gathering at one particular place," Raj Niwas said in a statement.

The Union Health Ministry on Monday informed that a total of 114 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India so far including 13 cured and two reported deaths.
The prudential regulator is monitoring a higher than normal number of superannuation members switching their balances into cash as super funds seek to limit market volatility and call for calm.

This week has seen the ASX post its biggest fall on record after coronavirus fears fuelled a steep sell-off that has wiped billions of dollars in equities value. Wall Street stocks tumbled to levels not seen since 1987 and global market participants are resisting calling a bottom to the rout in global markets.

MTAA Super, a $12.8 billion industry fund that serves the motor and trades industries, became the second fund to suspend its stock lending program in an effort to curb short selling and taper market volatility.

HESTA chief executive Debby Blakey says investors have a responsibility to step up. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Anxious superannuation members have sought to stem their losses by ripping money out of equities heavy accounts and placing the balance into cash or defensive options. The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees chief executive Eva Scheerlinck said this number was low and called for patience.
As the coronavirus epidemic gathers pace, fake news and health myths have sprung up on social media, spreading further panic and confusion.

The NHS is currently advising you to stay at home for up to 14 days if you have either a high temperature or a new, persistent cough. But, as doctors work around the clock to contain the outbreak and find a cure, much is unknown  perfect conditions for an outbreak of public misinformation.

As a result, the NHS has enlisted the help of social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google, to battle the spread of 'fake news'  vital, as so many of the rumours start on these websites.

Here we take a look at some of the most common myths to sort the fact from the hyperbole and fiction.

As the country tries to tackle the coronavirus epidemic, fake news and health myths have sprung up on social media. Among the myths is that Vitamin C can prevent the virus. (Stock image)

I CAN TEST MYSELF WITH A KIT AT HOME

Public Health England has warned against using 'rapid' testing kits that promise swift results in around ten minutes, compared with NHS tests that can take several hours. It says the results were found not to be reliable.

HOLD YOUR BREATH TO SPOT COVID-19

People have also been told not to fall for a self-test which involves holding your breath. The Department for Health and Social Care has warned about anonymous online posts that claim to come from Japanese doctors, recommending holding your breath as a way of testing for Covid-19.

The theory is that if you can hold your breath for around 20 seconds without coughing, tightness or discomfort, then this proves your lungs are functioning properly, so therefore you are not infected.

However, the Department of Health says there is no basis for this claim; you should instead consult nhs.uk/coronavirus for official advice on the outbreak.

Public Health England has warned against using home testing kits that promise swift results. (Stock image)

IT CAN'T SPREAD IN WARM CLIMATES

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that all the evidence suggests coronavirus can be transmitted anywhere, including places with hot and humid weather. There is also no evidence to suggest that the disease can be killed by cold or snowy conditions.

'There has been some confusion regarding seasonality and coronavirus,' says Trudie Lang, a professor of global health at the University of Oxford.

'In fact, the issue is simply that when the spring and summer come along, normal cases of flu will drop off, relieving the burden on the NHS, which will be better able to deal with coronavirus.'

The best way to protect yourself against Covid-19 is by frequently washing your hands  this removes viruses that could be on your skin and avoids infection that could occur if you then touch your mouth, nose and eyes.

IBUPROFEN CAN WORSEN SYMPTOMS

While the French authorities yesterday warned that taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen could be a factor in aggravating the infection, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends prescribing the lowest dose for the shortest duration to prevent adverse effects. (Stock image)

French authorities yesterday warned that taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs to help with coronavirus symptoms could worsen the situation.

The country's health minister, Olivier Veran, a neurologist, tweeted on Saturday: 'Anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, cortisone) could be a factor in aggravating the infection. In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you already take anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor's advice.'

Dr Charlotte Warren-Gash, an associate professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, says: 'Most deaths from Covid-19 have been among older people and those with underlying health conditions.

'We already know non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen should be prescribed with caution for people who have underlying health conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends prescribing the lowest dose for the shortest duration to prevent adverse effects such as gastro-intestinal bleeding and cardiovascular or kidney problems.

'For Covid-19, research is needed into the effects of specific NSAIDs among people with different underlying health conditions, which takes into account the severity of infection.

'In the meantime, for treating symptoms such as fever and sore throat, it seems sensible to stick to paracetamol as first choice.'

VITAMIN C CAN PREVENT THE VIRUS

While recent research suggests that Vitamin C does reduce the duration of a cold, there is no evidence that it can prevent Covid-19. (Stock image)

Vitamin C became known as a popular immune-boosting supplement after twice-Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling claimed that taking large doses of it could not only prevent the common cold but also protect against severe illnesses, including cancer and heart disease.

Recent research suggests taking an average dose of 200mg of vitamin C does reduce the duration of a cold in the general population, according to a review of several dozen studies in 2013 cited by independent fact-checking charity fullfact.org.

However, there was no evidence it could prevent the common cold. Similarly, there's no evidence it can prevent Covid-19.

MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO CATCH IT

'There's no evidence that one gender or racial group is more likely to be infected by the coronavirus than another,' says GP Steve Cox.

'Some of my patients also ask me if they are more likely to catch coronavirus from Chinese people  and the answer is No. All the data we have so far suggests that everyone is equally at risk of becoming infected.

However, evidence suggests that children  aged 16 and under  are generally very mildly affected. Those most at risk of dying or developing severe cases are people with underlying health conditions, such as respiratory problems.'

SALT WATER GARGLES WILL KILL THE VIRUS

Gargling with warm water mixed with salt or vinegar can help to eliminate the virus, which lodges in the throat before it reaches the lungs, according to one post doing the rounds on Facebook.

There is no evidence of any scientific basis to this advice, according to the independent fact-checking charity fullfact.org.

The NHS does recommend that gargling with salt water can soothe a normal sore throat, but this advice does not apply to those with coronavirus, for which there is no known cure.

The WHO has also said that there is no evidence that rinsing your nose with a saline solution will help to prevent infection with coronavirus.

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN HAND SANITISER

'I really wouldn't recommend this,' says GP Steve Cox. 'It would be very easy to get the ingredients and proportions wrong.

And there's no need  washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water is the best way of preventing the spread of this virus.'
After two weeks of a bitter power struggle in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the reinstated National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday toed the path of reconciliation, saying he is ready to work with party leaders, irrespective of ideological differences.

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi on March 4 had ordered the suspension of Mr Oshiomhole as APC chairman, pending the determination of a substantive suit.

The court order blew wide open the simmering crisis in the party as the contending forces showed their hands.

At a meeting in Abuja, four ministers joined a group of leaders of the party from Mr Oshiomholes South-south region to call for his sack and replacement by Victor Giadom, the deputy national secretary who had announced his take over of the partys national secretariat.

Mr Giadom had also summoned a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party for Tuesday (today), a development that further deepened the crisis.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal reversed the suspension and reinstated Mr Oshiomhole, pending hearing of his appeal.

I have been forced to agree that I am not the best chairman in the world and I will never be. But nobody can fault my sincerity of purpose. My style can only be my style but I have recognised that I must reconcile my style to the style of others so that we will meet in the middle of the way, Mr Oshiomhole said on Tuesday, adopting a pacifist tone for the first time since he assumed the leadership of the ruling party in 2018.

Mr Oshiomholes suspension unveiled the multifaceted nature of the crisis rocking the party.

While some accused the chairman of high-handedness in leading the party, others threw their weight strongly behind him.

The drums of war became silent on Monday immediately after the Progressive Governors Forum met with President Muhammadu Buhari in the State House on the crisis.

Some members of the forum, state governors elected on the APC platform, had been alleged to be behind the call for the national chairmans removal due to their personal ambitions.

The meeting with the president led to the indefinite postponement of the controversial NEC meeting slated for Tuesday.

A National Working Committee (NWC) meeting was held at the party secretariat instead on Tuesday.

The secretariat was filled to the brim as Mr Oshiomhole in the company of a majority of the NWC members later addressed journalists on the status of the party.

Among the NWC members PREMIUM TIMES identified with Mr Oshiomhole were the controversially approved deputy national chairman (South), Abiola Ajimobi; the deputy national secretary, Mr Giadom; the partys national auditor, Paul Chukwuma; vice-chairmen of some of the geo-political zones except that of North-east, Salihu Mustapha; and few other members of the NWC.

The controversially approved acting national secretary of the party, Waziri Bulama, was reported to have been at the party secretariat complex but this reporter did not see him at the meeting.

In the euphoria of his reinstatement, Mr Oshiomhole acknowledged the animosity among party leaders but denied the existence of division in the NWC.

This NWC is not divided, he said. It is true that we have arguments, it is true that some people must have been provoked to approach the court, but it is also true that deep in our hearts, no one of us wants to destroy our party, he said.

He accused the main opposition party, PDP, of amplifying APCs internal crisis.

It can only be unusual when we fight each other, quarrel with one another, we develop that level of animosity that we become incapable of sitting down, put on our thinking cap, reminding ourselves that the things that are binding us together are more than what divide us, Mr Oshiomhole said.

He also noted the widely referred suspicion that some of the partys governors want him removed.

The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on several occasions accused Mr Oshiomhole of trying to teleguide him as a godfather. Mr Obaseki also accused the national chairman of trying to deny him APC ticket for a second term.

There is also a speculation that the Progressive Governors Forum is planning to present one of its members as the partys presidential candidate in 2023 and that the governors consider Mr Oshiomhole a threat to the plan.

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In reaction to this, Mr Oshiomhole said: I am not capable of being bias by the very background I am from and I recognise that one tree cannot make a forest, however that tree might think of itself.
A group of businessmen from Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and is believed to have discussed ways to further create opportunities for entrepreneurs from the Union Territory, officials said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh were present during the meeting held at Shah's office at the Parliament House complex.

Loans to manufacturers, artisans, industry incentives and a few other issues were discussed so that more business opportunities could be created in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nigeria has confirmed a third case of coronavirus infection in the country.



The patient is a 30 year-old Nigerian female who flew into the commercial city of Lagos from the UK on 13 March.



Lagos State Ministry of Health has tweeted that she was under self-Isolation when she developed symptoms. She is receiving care at Mainland General Hospital.



Nigeria reported sub-Saharan Africa's first case of the coronavirus in February.



The Federal Government announced on Monday that it will keep its borders open, even to tourists from high risk countries, the Punch newspaper reports.



Minister of State for Health Dr Olorunnibe Mamora is quoted as saying that they will screen visitors from France, Germany, Spain, China, Japan, Iran, Italy and South Korea.

Source: BBC









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WASHINGTON  For weeks, President Donald Trump has minimized the coronavirus, mocked concern about it and treated the risk cavalierly. On Tuesday he took to the White House podium and made a remarkable pronouncement: He knew it was a pandemic all along.

I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic, Trump told reporters.

Here is what Trump actually said from the beginning of the pandemic.

Jan. 22, asked on CNBC whether he was concerned about a global pandemic: No, not at all, Trump said. We have it totally under control. Its one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. Its going to be just fine.

Feb. 26, at a White House news conference, about the number of reported cases of the virus: Were going down, not up. Were going very substantially down, not up.

Feb. 27, at a White House meeting: Its going to disappear. One day  its like a miracle  it will disappear.

March 7, seated next to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach, Florida, club: Im not concerned at all. (At least three members of the Brazilian delegation and one Trump donor at Mar-a-Lago on March 7 later tested positive for the virus.)

March 16, in the White House briefing room, warning that the outbreak would last until summer and then suddenly disappear: So it could be right in that period of time where it, I say, wash  it washes through. Other people dont like that term. But where it washes through.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Some residents recently thanked the Gladwin County Commissioners' unanimous Second Amendment sanctuary adoption Wednesday morning.

Those interested in the topic again filled the regular commissioner's court meeting, hoping to generate their approving the resolution and barring red flag legislation.

Commissioner Joel Vernier told the Daily News that commissioners' yes vote is "a statement of support."

Vernier made a motion Wednesday to adopt the resolution that was presented by residents Barry Thornbury and Jason Schultz. Commissioner Ron Taylor seconded the motion. Thornbury and Schultz presented the resolution during commissioners' Feb. 24 meeting. It was tabled for a vote until last Wednesday. At that meeting, Thornbury told commissioners that more than 400 county residents signed a petition supporting a sanctuary movement.

The group also drew support from state representative Jason Wentworth and Gladwin County Sheriff Mike Shea. The sheriff said Thornbury and Schultz did a good job of presenting their concerns and were professional.

"I think they did a good job of making sure legislators know their concerns," Shea said. "People are concerned about our Constitutional rights being upheld."

Shea described the red flag legislation, which was introduced in Michigan in February 2019 and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as "far reaching."

Shea along with many gun owners and supporters oppose the law because they feel it doesn't support the Constitution. The Constitution mandates people aren't to be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process. Red flag legislation allows seizing a non-convicted person's guns without due process. Thornbury and Schultz say this violates fourth, fifth and 14th amendments - and particularly the Second Amendment.

If the red flag legislation passes, it would allow law enforcement or family members to request an extreme risk protection order in circuit court for a person allegedly posing a risk of personal injury to themselves or others by possessing a firearm, thus resulting in confiscating the person's weapons before they are convicted of a crime.

Many agree the legislation infringes on citizen rights. Gladwin resident Henry Bradley said this means if someone is angry at a person, they can make a claim the person is suicidal or threatening and law enforcement comes in and disarms the person. Bradley said there are pros and cons to having such legislation and not having it.

Bradley doesn't tote a gun but supports the rights of those who do.

Thornbury said the commissioners' act sends a message to legislators along with other county residents that their governing body is enforcing and abiding by the Second Amendment.

Gladwin County Commissioner Chair Sharron Smith, an active shooter, said the commissioners' sanctuary adoption doesn't change laws.

Seventeen of Michigan's 83 counties have adopted a Second Amendment sanctuary status. In all, more than 400 municipalities in 20 states have reportedly protested red flag legislation.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Another person was shot at the Cloverleaf Apartments in South Kansas City. According to Kansas City, Missouri, police, a shooting victim walked into a hospital early Tuesday morning who had been shot at the complex. The injuries to that person are not life-threatening.
Twelve residents of a Louisiana nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus, the facility confirmed Tuesday.

After the discovery of the first positive resident, Lambeth House, in uptown New Orleans, went into lockdown on Friday.

Of the home's 268 residents, 26 have been tested for the virus, 17 are in isolation and the results of some tests are still pending, and one has died a spokesperson told CNN.

It comes after a nationwide moratorium on visitors to nursing homes was implemented on Friday, as it became clear that the facilities are sites for quick spread among elderly people who are more vulnerable to life-threatening infection.

Twelve patients at the Lambeth House (pictured) in New Orleans have tested positive for coronavirus. One has died and 17 are in isolation, a spokesperson told CNN

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) permitted on-site testing after a first resident tested positive last week.

Lambeth House is now screening any necessary visitors to its grounds, including its entire staff and all postal or FedEx workers.

Staff members are taking the temperatures of all residents and checking in on them via phone calls on a daily basis, a spokesperson told CNN.

On-site amenities at Lambeth Houses have also been shut down to limit social contact among the residents.

All of these measures are in keeping with restrictions imposed under the Trump administration's Friday declaration of a state of emergency.

No visitors are allowed on the premises of nursing and retirement facilities, with limited exceptions, such as end-of-life scenarios.

Residents of the Lambeth House are also now barred from leaving the facility.

However, one of the residents confirmed to have coronavirus is currently in isolation at their family home, and seven are hospitalized.

More than 5,000 Americans have coronavirus and nearly 100 have died

Sixteen patients are in isolation at Lambeth House, while one is in isolation at their family home. All staff and residents alike are being temperature checked daily

One of those who tested positive has died.

Three of the 148 people who have tested positive in Louisiana have died.

Nationwide, more than 5,00 people have coronavirus. Many cities have ordered closures for businesses where people gather, such as gyms, bars and restaurants.

In some places, eating and drinking establishments have been told to remove chairs and tables and only serve customers via delivery and pick up.

During a Tuesday evening press briefing, President Trump and his coronavirus task force emphasized the importance of social distancing for all Americans to limit the spread of the highly-contagious coronavirus.

Social distancing is primarily being encouraged to protect the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, who are at greatest risk of developing serious disease after contracting COVID-19.

With age, the body's immune system starts to degrade, making it less capable of swiftly and effectively identifying pathogens and attacking them.

This makes elderly people more at risk of becoming infected with coronavirus as well as any viral or bacterial infections.

And once their immune response does kick in, it's more likely to overreact, causing what's known as a cytokine storm - a rapid influx of immune cells that go off the rails, attack healthy tissues and cause dangerous inflammation.

The US first saw the devastating potential of coronavirus for elderly people when 29 people at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington died of the infection, accounting for nearly a quarter of the facility's 120 patients.
Pune: As a preventive step against Covid-19 (coronavirus) infection spread, authorities at religious places, including Sai Baba temple at Shirdi, have decided to keep the premises close for devotees at least till the end of March this year.

The trusts managing temples responded positively to request by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to close down the premises. Thackeray on Monday had urged religious places to voluntarily take a call to prevent the virus infection from spreading.

The prominent religious places closed from Tuesday till next week are Bhimashankars Jyotirling temple, Gajanan Maharaj temple at Shegaon, four Ashtavinayak temples in Pune district and Dehus Tukaram Maharaj temple.

Mohan Rathod, Shirdi Sai Sansthans public relation officer, said, The temple is closed from Tuesday itself and an official statement will be released soon.

Sanjay Gawande, Bhimshankars temple trustee said, We are planning to close the temple today [Tuesday] as per the instructions given to us. In Pune, Dagdusheth Halwai temple has already announced closure till the end of this month and Mumbais Siddhivinayak temple has also taken a similar call.
Idera, Inc., the Houston, Texas-based parent company of global B2B software productivity brands, acquired FusionCharts, a provider of JavaScript charting components and tools.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

Led by Pallav Nadhani, founder, FusionCharts will join Idera, Inc.s Developer Tools business unit that includes Embarcadero, LANSA, Sencha, Whole Tomato and Froala. FusionCharts allows developers to build visually appealing dashboards for web and mobile projects. The companys products include FusionCharts Suite XT, FusionTime, and FusionExport charting libraries that offer 100+ interactive charts and 2,000+ data-driven maps. Product features include extensive documentation, consistent API, and cross-browser support that make it easy to build data visualization for any project. FusionCharts is used by more than 800,000 developers across more than 28,000 companies, including Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Adobe, IBM, Intel, Caterpillar, Walmart, Vanguard, and many others.

Idera delivers B2B software productivity tools that enable technical users to do more with less, faster. Its brands span three divisionsDatabase Tools, Developer Tools, and Testing Toolswith products used by millions of community members and more than 50,000 customers worldwide, including some of the worlds largest healthcare, financial services, retail, and technology companies.

FinSMEs

16/03/2020
At the urging on one of her patients after hearing her story, Pamela Neuberth shares the details of her near-death experience and the discoveries she made in heaven in her debut book titled Life After  The Day I Died (published by Archway Publishing).

Following the near-death experience description, Neuberth discusses her recollections of heaven and family members she saw there. Filled with encouraging stories, especially about heaven, the book also includes encouraging, motivational messages to help everyone through their journey. Since everyone will eventually die and lose someone to death, the author feels that people today need to be inspired, and affirmed.

I want everyone who reads this to feel empowered to participate in their own life, and their own destiny, Neuberth says.

Life After  The Day I Died is available for purchase online on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Day-I-Died/dp/1480882054

Life After  The Day I Died

By Pamela Neuberth

Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781480882065

Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781480882058

E-Book | 266 pages | ISBN 9781480882041

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Pamela Neuberth, born Pamela Brown, lives in Carroll County Maryland. She is a mother, a nurse, and a grandmother.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904.
Mary Beth Fasano, MD, MSPH, FAAAAI "...I had hoped to greet many of you personally during our 2020 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, however the unprecedented events related to the current coronavirus pandemic made that impossible and have reshaped our professional and personal lives in ways none of us could have imagined."

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is pleased to introduce its 2020-2021 President, Mary Beth Fasano, MD, MSPH, FAAAAI.

The AAAAI is the largest professional membership organization for allergist/immunologists, other medical specialists, allied health and related healthcare professionalsall with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases, including asthma.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the AAAAI as your President for the next year. I am preceded in this role by outstanding leaders in the fieldmany of whom have served as mentors instrumental in my career development. I had hoped to greet many of you personally during our 2020 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, however the unprecedented events related to the current coronavirus pandemic made that impossible and have reshaped our professional and personal lives in ways none of us could have imagined. As an organization, we are composed of members with unique expertise and skills that can help our patients and our community through this most challenging time. I look forward to our opportunities to collaborate on important issues confronting our specialty and the patients we serve over the next year, said Dr. Fasano.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Fasanos passion for allergy/immunology began as a pediatric resident and then fellow at Johns Hopkins. Following fellowship she spent 10 years at Wake Forest University/Bowman Gray School of Medicine, two years in private allergy practice in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is now in the Division of Immunology at the University of Iowa. She has been fortunate to have had the support of many mentors over the years at Johns Hopkins, Wake Forest and the University of Iowa. Their direction, feedback and friendships have shaped my career path and provided numerous opportunities for advancement and success. I owe them a huge thank you, said Dr. Fasano.

At the University of Iowa since 2004, Dr. Fasano is involved in clinical practice and serves as the Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Program Director and medical consultant for Iowas severe combined immunodeficiency newborn screening program. She is board certified by the ABP and the ABAI and is participating in Maintenance of Certification with both certifying boards.

In addition to leadership roles within the AAAAI, Dr. Fasano served as Vice President and President of the Iowa Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (2011-2014). Her involvement in medical education has included service on the University of Iowa Graduate Medical Education Committee, membership on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) A/I Milestone Project Working Group and membership on the ACGME A/I Review Committee. She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI), including one year as Chair (2011-2012), and recently returned to the ABAI Board of Directors as the liaison to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP).

Dr. Fasano received her MD from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. Prior to attending medical school, she received an MSPH from the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She also completed a one year research fellowship in infectious diseases at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina before starting her allergy/immunology fellowship. Her research experiences at Wake Forest related to the role of IL-1 in sepsis syndrome, followed by research during fellowship in the area of complement deficiencies and other primary immunodeficiency disorders, served as the foundation for an ongoing fascination with congenital immunodeficiencies and other immune-based disorders. However, it has always been the privilege of caring for individual patients that has sustained my passion for our field of allergy/immunology, said Dr. Fasano.

She met her husband Mark, a native of Amarillo, Texas, during their first year of medical school in Lubbock. They have shared many adventures over the years as their professional careers in medicine have evolved. They are also the proud parents of two children, Vince and Elena, and recently welcomed a daughter-in-law (Vinces wife Megan) to the family.

Dr. Fasanos family has provided tremendous support over the years. Their patience and understanding of the challenges of a career in medicine while raising a family has been fabulous. I am truly blessed, she said.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has over 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

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UK Coronavirus Crisis Could Last Until Spring 2021: Officials

Nearly 8 million could be hospitalized

The coronavirus epidemic in the UK could last until spring 2021 and see nearly 8 million people being hospitalized, according to a secret briefing for senior National Health Service (NHS) officials by Public Health England (PHE).

The document, seen by The Guardian newspaper, shows public health officials expect the virus to be present in the country for at least another 12 months. It was drawn up over the last few days by PHEs emergency preparedness and response team and approved as accurate by Dr. Susan Hopkins, PHEs lead official dealing with the outbreak, according to the publication.

It has been shared with hospital bosses and senior doctors in the NHS in England and warns as many as 80 percent of the population are expected to be infected with COVID-19 in the next 12 months, and up to 15 percent (7.9 million people) may require hospitalization.

Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical adviser to the UKs government, had previously described 80 percent as a worst-case scenario, rather than an expected outcome.

East Anglia University medicine professor Paul Hunter said, For the public to hear that it could last for 12 months, people are going to be really upset about that and pretty worried about that.

A year is entirely plausible. But that figure isnt well appreciated or understood. I think it will dip in the summer, toward the end of June, and come back in November, in the way that usual seasonal flu does. I think it will be around forever, but become less severe over time, as immunity builds up.

The document also projects that about 500,000 of the 5 million workers deemed vital because they work in essential services and critical infrastructure, will also be off work sick at one time during a month-long peak of the epidemic. These include 1 million NHS staff and 1.5 million in social care.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on Monday that 53 people in the UK had died from the disease and called it the most serious public health emergency that our nation has faced for a generation, adding that the government will give the NHS whatever it needs, to help tackle the virus.

As of Monday, 44,105 people have been tested in the UK, of which 42,562 were confirmed negative and 1,543 were confirmed as positive, according to the Department of Health.
New Delhi: India is fighting a big battle against the coronavirus in spite of its old and weak system. This has been possible because our system has shown a strong will.

Therefore every warrior fighting this battle should be respected.

For this, we appeal to all of you to send messages on #CoronaFighters. Your message to these real heroes of the country will boost their morale and will add strength to this fight.

Even when the demonetisation took place, the employees of the bank also worked like this. They worked till late at night and did not take any holiday.

The employees did not even get the money for working overtime.

The way government employees are engaged in fighting the coronavirus today has again told us that they are the real warriors for the country in times of crisis.

People who are working day and night for you and your safety are your unknown heroes.

With the help of such warriors, the government and the system are fighting against Corona but as a society, we also have a responsibility.

There have been reports about many people who fled from the hospital when they were kept in isolation on suspicion of infection, but the police caught and brought them back. Such cases have come from Mumbai, Agra, and Darbhanga.

In Agra, an FIR was lodged against a father for misleading the system about her infected daughter.

Many people are criticising the government facilities in isolation. But this kind of thinking will be harmful in the fight against corona.

We must be vigilant and responsible. We all should try to help at our ends because the caution is more important than the fear of the virus.

As of Tuesday evening (March 17, 2020), there has been 129 number of positive coronavirus cases in the country.
A Ministry of Finance (MoF) report has stated that Vietnams total two-month budgetary revenue sat at VND276.7 trillion ($12 billion), up 9.3 per cent on-year, with budgetary revenue from domestic activities up 12.8 per cent on-year. However, revenue from export-import activities reduced by 15.7 per cent on-year to about VND48.2 trillion ($2.1 billion).

Meanwhile, the General Department of Vietnam Customs also reported last week that in the first two months of this year, customs agencies nationwide collected VND1.308 trillion ($56.87 million) daily from export-import activities, down from the VND1.458 trillion ($63.4 million) in the same period last year.

A reduction in domestic production due to COVID-19 has led to a two-month fall in state revenue collection

The Lunar New Year holiday and especially the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were cited as the key reason, which has slashed enterprises activities in production, imports, and exports.

For example, Vietnams total export and import turnover with China has decelerated, with an on-year increase of only 2.4 per cent, far lower than 5 per cent reported in the same period last year.

In 2019, China held 15.75 per cent of Vietnams total goods export value and 29.7 per cent of import value.

In the first two months of 2020, the total import turnover of major contributors to budgetary revenue suffered large constrictions on-year, such as fossil coal (down 14.6 per cent), assorted cloth (10.5 per cent), assorted steel (18.5 per cent), complete built-up vehicles (57 per cent), assorted fibre (13 per cent), garment and footwear materials (11 per cent), and machinery and equipment (3.7 per cent).

The reduction in the imports of these products has led to a decline in budgetary revenue, stated the MoF report.

For instance, since early this year, Huynh Nhu Garments and Textiles JSC in the northern province of Bac Giang has not imported any containers of raw materials from China, which usually meet 70 per cent of the firms total material needs, with the remainder being purchased from Vietnam and other markets such as India, Southeast Asia, and South Korea.

It is hard to boost imports from these markets as the current health crisis is causing a decline in garments and textile production in these nations, said Pham Nhu Binh, sales manager of the companys marketing division.

Elsewhere, the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association last week reported that total automobile industry sales in the first two months of 2020 were down 27 per cent on-year, with passenger cars down 30 per cent and commercial vehicles by 17 per cent, while special-purpose vehicles went up 9 per cent.

The majority of components for the industry are imported as the local supporting industries are not fully in place yet.

A number of auto brands suffered from shrinking sales in February, such as Mercedes-Benz (100 per cent on-year), Honda (13 per cent on-year and 27 per cent on-month), THACO buses (26 per cent on-year and 74 per cent on-month), Peugeot (36 per cent on-year and 12 per cent on-month), and Ford (21 per cent on-year and 1 per cent on-month).

The General Statistics Office reported that in the first two months of 2020, the novel coronavirus had depressed the local production, with the index for industrial production only expanding by 6.2 per cent on-year, far lower than the 9.2 per cent on-year rise in the same period of last year.

The whole economys total export turnover hit $36.92 billion, up only 2.4 per cent on-year  3.6 per cent lower than the climb in 2019s corresponding period.

Meanwhile, total import turnover reached $37.1 billion, also up 2.4 per cent on-year  far lower than the 7.5 per cent on-year ascension last year.
2019 was a good year for Volkswagen (OTC:VWAGY) -- but 2020 is going to be difficult.

How difficult? It's impossible to say right now.

In a news conference to present VW's 2019 results (which were good), CEO Herbert Diess said that the company is preparing to shut down all of its European factories due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, but that the longer-term ramifications are impossible to predict right now.

"Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Diess said on Tuesday morning.

Volkswagen Group factories in Spain, Portugal, and Slovakia, as well as the Lamborghini and Ducati factories in Italy, will all be shut down by the end of this week. VW's other European factories will begin preparing to suspend production, likely for two weeks, Diess said.

He was unwilling to give any guidance on the longer-term impact of the virus pandemic on VW's results. "The corona pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges," Diess said, noting that there are also serious concerns about the longer-term economic effects of the responses to the pandemic.

Put another way: Shutting down factories will be expensive in the near term. If the virus passes and leaves Europe and North America deep in recession, that will be another financial challenge for the company.

About those 2019 results

In contrast to Diess' grim forecast, the company's 2019 results were good. Operating income before one-time items rose 12.8% from a year ago, to 19.3 billion euros ($21.19 billion), on a 7.1% increase in revenue.

Some highlights:

Sales of VW-brand models actually fell about 1% from 2018, but revenue and operating profit both increased from a year ago thanks to an improved mix of models sold. (Good sales of VW-brand SUVs in the U.S. were particularly helpful.) Revenue rose 4.5% to 88.4 billion euros; operating profit before special items increased to 3.8 billion euros from 3.2 billion euros in 2018.

The VW brand's operating margin (before one-time items) was 4.3%, up from 3.8% in 2018. One-time charges attributed to the VW brand totaled 1.9 billion euros in 2019, roughly unchanged from charges in 2018, and were all related to the diesel-emissions scandal.

Audi's revenue and operating profit both fell, in part because of internal accounting changes (VW shifted the way it accounts for its multibrand sales units) and in part because of higher costs due to new-product development and model launches. The higher costs were offset somewhat by improved sales mix and cost reductions elsewhere.

Audi's operating margin was 8.1% in 2019, up 0.2 percentage points from its 2018 result.

Porsche's revenue jumped 10.1% from 2018, to 26.1 billion euros, on a 9.5% year-over-year increase in vehicles sold. Operating profit before special items rose 2.4% to 4.2 billion euros, as higher costs and unfavorable exchange-rate effects cut into profitability.

Porsche's operating margin (excluding special items) fell to 16.2% in 2019 from 17.4% in the year prior.

Volkswagen's 2020 guidance is unchanged, but...

The guidance that VW issued to investors in February calls for 2020 deliveries to be roughly the same as 2019 figures, with an operating margin between 6.5% and 7.5%. For the moment, that guidance stands unchanged, with a huge caveat: "Currently, it is almost impossible to make a reliable forecast" for 2020, CFO Frank Witter said.

Witter emphasized that right now, VW's senior management is focused on supporting its employees and stabilizing its business as Europe scrambles to respond to the pandemic. The company will update its 2020 outlook later in the year.

VW earnings: The raw numbers

All financial results are shown in euros. As of March 17, 1 euro = about $1.10.
Britain could face stringent new controls on funeral services for coronavirus victims including limiting the numbers of mourners allowed.

Funeral directors have been working to develop contingency plans and are set to meet with Cabinet Office officials today to establish a set of national guidelines.

There have been concerns over inconsistencies of guidance appearing across the UK, especially after a U-turn over advice in the Republic of Ireland last week.

Funeral directors in Britain have been working to develop contingency plans (stock picture)

The Irish Association of Funeral Directors had initially called for a quick burial or cremation for coronavirus victims, giving the option of a service at a later date.

But it then amended that guidance to allow funerals to take place but only with close relatives at funeral homes and banning open caskets.

In Britain, the National Association of Funeral Directors is due to meet with Whitehall officials today amid calls for clear national guidance.

Chief executive Jon Levett said: 'Funeral directors across the UK have been working to develop contingency plans and are ready to step up to support the Government and the nation in these unprecedented and worrying times.

'However, consistency of advice is key and this is what we are aiming to achieve from our meeting with the Cabinet Office today.

'Funeral directors need a very clear national policy to work to and we are concerned by inconsistencies of guidance appearing across the UK which is making it impossible for funeral directors to give accurate advice.

National Association of Funeral Directors chief executive Jon Levett has called for clear UK guidance ahead of a meeting today

'For example, if there are restrictions on numbers of people gathering, bereaved people need to know exactly what this means for funeral services and how funeral directors can support them.'

Earlier this month, it was claimed funeral for coronavirus patients could be streamed online to stop more people becoming infected.

Mourners may be encouraged watch online instead of attending large services where bereaved relatives who have come in to contact with victims may have contracted the virus.

The National Association of Funeral Directors said arrangements for cremations and burials might need to be adapted if there is a mass outbreak.

Other potential measures include crematoria being opened 24 hours a day to cope with a worst case scenario of 50,000 extra deaths per week.

Funerals could be shortened to allow more services to take place, diggers could be used to create multiple graves at once and refrigerated lorries may be used as temporary mortuaries.

Scientists have said the UK had 'no time to lose' in changing tactics in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed.

The Imperial College Covid-19 response team - which is one of several scientific teams advising ministers - published a paper showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread.

The stark warning came after Boris Johnson yesterday unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures to try to control the spread of the infection. They were announced as the death toll of people with coronavirus in the UK reached 55.

In a No 10 press conference, the Prime Minister called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel, while those who live with somebody who is ill should stay home for 14 days.
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quaker Chemical Corporation ("the Company", also known as Quaker Houghton) (NYSE: KWR) today filed a Form 8-K to disclose that it will not be filing its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 on March 17, 2020, as it had expected. The Company previously disclosed on March 2, 2020, in conjunction with its earnings release, that it had filed a Form 12b-25 with the SEC to enable it to extend its filing deadline to March 17, 2020. The Company now estimates that it will file the Form 10-K within the week. The additional time is required to complete the year-end audit and controls work which has been significantly impacted by the combination with Houghton International in the second half of the year, the added complications of working restrictions related to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the identification of certain control deficiencies which are discussed in detail in the Company's Form 8-K. The Company has amended its bank credit agreement to allow for the delayed delivery of its audited financial statements which is also discussed in detail in the Company's Form 8-K. The Company expects no material changes in its consolidated financial statements included in its earnings release on March 2, 2020, and believes they fairly represent the financial position of the Company on December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations about future events. These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, intentions, financial condition, results of operations, future performance, and business, including but not limited to our current and future results and plans and statements that include the words "may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements. A major risk is that demand for the Company's products and services is largely derived from the demand for its customers' products, which subjects the Company to uncertainties related to downturns in a customer's business and unanticipated customer production shutdowns. Other major risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, significant increases in raw material costs, customer financial stability, worldwide economic and political conditions, the impact of widespread public health crises, including the recent spread of the coronavirus, foreign currency fluctuations, significant changes in applicable tax rates and regulations, future terrorist attacks and other acts of violence. Furthermore, the Company is subject to the same business cycles as those experienced by steel, automobile, aircraft, industrial equipment, and durable goods manufacturers. Other factors could also adversely affect us, including those related to the Combination and other acquisitions and the integration of the combined company as well as other acquired businesses. Our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company and its operations that are subject to change based on various important factors, some of which are beyond our control. These risks, uncertainties, and possible inaccurate assumptions relevant to the Company's business could cause its actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results. All forward-looking statements included in this press release, including expectations about the timing of the completion of the Company's financial statements and audit for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and the timing, form and content of the Company's Annual Report are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release, which may change. Therefore, we caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. For more information regarding these risks and uncertainties as well as certain additional risks that we face, you should refer to the Risk Factors detailed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, as amended, and in our quarterly and other reports filed from time to time with the SEC. We do not intend to, and we disclaim any duty or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or future events or for any other reason. This discussion is provided as permitted by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

About Quaker Houghton

Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) is the global leader in industrial process fluids. With a robust presence around the world, including operations in over 25 countries, our customers include thousands of the world's most advanced and specialized steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, offshore, can, mining, and metalworking companies. Our high-performing, innovative and sustainable solutions are backed by best-in-class technology, deep process knowledge and customized services. With 4,000 employees, including chemists, engineers and industry experts, we partner with our customers to improve their operations so they can run even more efficiently, even more effectively, whatever comes next. Quaker Houghton is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, located near Philadelphia in the United States. Visit quakerhoughton.com to learn more.

SOURCE Quaker Houghton
Accredited private laboratories could soon be allowed to start coronavirus testing facilities but they will be asked to absorb the costs and offer the service for free to patients, a top official of the Indian Council of Medical Research, or ICMR, said on Tuesday.

The first step screening test costs about Rs 1,500 while the additional confirmatory tests costs about Rs 3,000. The government doesnt charge patients for the tests and wants the private laboratories also to test people for the highly contagious infection without a charge.

This is our appeal to them, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava on Tuesday said, adding that some private laboratories who had approached them for approvals had offered to run the diagnostic test for free.

But it wont be free-for-all.

According to the ICMR guidelines for private labs, the private sector cannot run the tests without a doctors prescription which should have been given in line with government guidelines.

Officials said ICMR would share the standard operating procedures for testing Covid-19 as soon as private laboratories procure the primers, probes and reagents as needed as per the guidelines.

News agency ANI quoted unnamed ICMR officials to indicate that the research body was in talks with about 60 private laboratories accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).

Officials suggest that one reason why the government hasnt looked at private labs is because of the limited number of instances where testing was required. Till last evening, only 11,500 people had been tested for coronavirus, said an ICMR official. India has reported 137 confirmed cases by this evening.

ICMR officials, however, rejected criticism that the government might erroneously have concluded that the infection hadnt moved to the community transmission stage and many Covid-19 positive cases may have been left out.

Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, who heads ICMRs Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases division, and Bhargava told reporters that they had collected 500 samples from different hospitals across the country to test if people, whose symptoms such as respiratory distress syndrome, had been infected with coronavirus.

India has limited testing to those who have traveled from affected countries or come in contact with a confirmed case and show symptoms after two weeks of quarantine. This is in contrast to the World Health Organization that urged countries to test as many people as possible to curb the pandemic.

ICMR officials said the large-scale testing was a strategy to be adopted only after it appears that the disease has moved into the community transmission stage.
The Congress on Tuesday said the functioning of Parliament is in contradiction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion of adhering to social distancing and closure of schools and colleges due to the threat of coronavirus in the country.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said coronavirus is a matter of national importance and it should not be a divisive political issue, and everyone should unite on it cutting across party lines.

However, he did not give a clear answer on whether he or his party has sought postponement of the Parliament session or made a suggestion to the government in this regard.

"Coronavirus is a matter of national importance, cutting across party lines. It should not be a divisive political issue. I think the government is trying its best, I am not at all criticizing the government...

"There is some degree of contradiction that the prime minister, on the one hand, clearly says that you should have social distancing, you should be working from home, you have closed schools, colleges. Courts, where I go everyday, at all three levels are functioning at 10-20 per cent, parties, get togethers, travel. On what principle basis can Parliament be exempted," he asked.

Singhvi said amid the threat of coronavirus, Parliament sees a gathering of around 2,000 people everyday.

"I don't think there should be one less day of functioning of Parliament, but, we have an in-built mechanism to make up, if you don't sit down, you can sit later. In fact, I am sharing with you that I have suggested to courts that they can cancel sittings for 1-1.5 months and sit right from May to July and forgo the summer vacations, which is my personal suggestion and not of the Congress.

"These calibrated, correct, nuanced approaches would be better for Parliament and in line with the prime minister's thinking. So, as in the other case you didn't listen to Jaitely, at least, listen to the prime minister," he said.

Asked whether he has written to the government in this regard, Singhvi said, "It is being talked about, I have said so now, I am not talking of closure. Closure is the wrong word, we are only calibrating and making up... This is not in my domain, it is with the medical experts from Government of India."



He said they will know whether this is the first phase, middle phase, second phase, third phase, peaking, semi peaking, but, certainly, it sounds odd and a contradiction and a paradox.

"That all round you there are limitations, but, there is hunky-dory here and I am very happy that things are fortunately going well here, I am very happy, but, we should be hoping for the best and be prepared for the worst," he noted.

There is talk of Parliament being closed ahead of its scheduled time, but government has indicated that Parliament will function normally till April 3, when the Budget Session ends as per schedule.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bauchi District Head Dies Of Lassa Fever

A district head in Bauchi State has been killed by Lassa fever, Governor Bala Mohammed has disclosed.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Lawal Muazu, on Monday.

According to the statement, the governor did not, however, give further details or the identity of the district head.

He said the governor disclosed this when he paid an advocacy visit to the Director General of the Center for Disease Control, Abuja, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu.

The governor described plans by the CDC to establish its centre in Bauchi State as a welcome development even as he pledged to provide the necessary facilities for its smooth take-off.

The governor said, Because of the escalation of the outbreak of Lassa fever in Bauchi State, the death of one of the district heads and the infection by some medical personnel, I decided to cut down my official visit to Germany by coming to solicit the support of the Federal Government through the DG, National Centre for Disease Control and ED, National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

Muazu noted that the governor said he was currently working on accessing alternative funding from relevant bodies through the support of multilateral bodies and global organisations working in the state.

The media aide said that the Director-General told the governor that the NCDC planned to establish its centre in Bauchi State to manage outbreak of diseases.
Scotland's former first minister Alex Salmond on Tuesday claimed some of the sexual assault claims against him were fabricated for political reasons, as he began giving evidence at his trial.

Salmond, who led the Scottish National Party's unsuccessful 2014 campaign for independence, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, charged with 13 sexual offences against nine women.

He denies the charges. His legal team has submitted special defences of consent and alibi.

"From where I stand now, I wish I had been more careful with people's personal space, but there was no intention whatsoever to offend," he told the court.

"But I'm of the opinion, for a variety of reasons, that events are being reinterpreted and exaggerated out of all possible proportion."



The judge on Monday formally acquitted Salmond of one charge of sexual assault after prosecutors offered no evidence, reducing the total from 14 charges against 10 women.

It is alleged the offences took place at various locations across Scotland between June 2008 and November 2014, and include one charge of attempted rape at his official Edinburgh residence.

He is alleged to have repeatedly kissed her face and neck, groped her, pinned her against a wall, pulled at her clothes and stripped himself naked before trying to rape her.

The woman claimed Salmond also attacked her on a separate occasion in May 2014.

Salmond told his lawyer Gordon Jackson under questioning that "in general" he had no problems with female staff, although he had been "made aware" of one incident.

He told the court one of the alleged incidents -- that he asked a woman to recreate a Christmas card design of a man and a woman about to kiss under the mistletoe -- was "misremembered".

The woman -- a civil servant -- on Monday said she "felt like (she) was wrestling with an octopus" and the alleged incident left her "quite alarmed".

Salmond on Tuesday dismissed the alleged assault as "a joke" and "hijinks".

"It was not meant to be anything more than that," he added. But he told the court some of the charges against him were "fabrications" and "exaggerations".

"There were two reasons -- one is that some, not all, are fabrications, deliberate fabrications for a political purpose," he said.

"Some are exaggerations taken out of proportion." Salmond, who is married and a former economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, took over the leadership of the SNP in 1990, standing down after the failed referendum.

He was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary Mike Pompeo threatened the Iraqi government that the Pentagon will carry out fresh attacks in retaliation for rocket strikes on bases in Iraq housing US military personnel, according to a memo released by the State Department Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo speaks to the press at the Department of State in Washington D.C. [State Department photo by Freddie Everett/Public Domain]

Pompeo held a telephone conversation Sunday with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, one day after the al-Taji base, north of Baghdad, was struck by 33 Katyusha rockets leaving three US soldiers wounded, two of them seriously. The attack is the latest in a series of retaliations and counterretaliations that are spiraling dangerously toward the eruption of another major US war in the Middle East.

The threat of more US military action in Iraq comes as the country is reeling from the combined impact of the spreading coronavirus and a drastic fall in the price of oil, its virtually exclusive export.

The latest attack on the al-Taji base followed US airstrikes that left five Iraqi regular army soldiers, two policemen and one civilian worker, a cook, dead, along with a number of others wounded. The US bombing raids, which struck a civilian airport under construction outside Iraqs Shia holy city of Karbala were launched after an earlier rocket attack on Camp Taji, as the US military refers to the base, which killed two US and one British soldier. A separate strike against a base of the Kataib Hezbollah Shia militia in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border reportedly killed 18 fighters.

According to the State Departments readout of the call: Secretary Pompeo reiterated that the Government of Iraq must defend Coalition personnel supporting the Iraqi governments efforts to defeat ISIS. Secretary Pompeo underscored that the groups responsible for these attacks must be held accountable. Secretary Pompeo noted that America will not tolerate attacks and threats to American lives and will take additional action as necessary in self-defense.

The tone of this ultimatum expresses all the arrogance of a colonial occupier toward an oppressed country.

US troops, more than 6,000 of them, are remaining in Iraq despite the vote of the countrys parliament last January demanding their withdrawal.

That vote came after the criminal January 3 drone missile assassination of Gen. Qassem Suleimani, one of Irans top officials, at Baghdads international airport. Suleimani was murdered by the US government after arriving at the airport on a commercial flight en route to a meeting with Prime Minister Mahdi for discussions on diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. While Trump administration officials initially claimed that the assassination was ordered to preempt imminent attacks, this pretext was subsequently dropped. The real motive for the killing was Washingtons determination to disrupt any attempt to weaken its anti-Iranian axis based upon Israel, the Saudi monarchy and other Sunni Gulf oil sheikdoms.

Also killed in the attack was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of the Kataib Hezbollah, one of the largest components of the predominantly Shia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Al-Muhandis was the deputy leader of the PMF, which played the predominant role in ground fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which overran a third of Iraq in 2014, routing US trained security forces. By a vote of the Iraqi parliament, the PMF was incorporated into the countrys armed forces as a kind of national guard.

Washington has blamed Kataib Hezbollah for the attacks on the al-Taji base, on the presumption that the militia has a motive for retaliating for the assassination of its commander. While the militia has not claimed responsibility for the rocket strikes, it has issued a warning that after March 15 operations would begin to drive foreign forces from Iraq.

Previously, the Pentagon blamed Kataib Hezbollah for an attack on an Iraqi base in Kirkuk last December that killed a US military contractor. The US military responded by launching an air strike that killed two dozen Shiite militia fighters, which in turn triggered an angry demonstration in Baghdad and the storming of the American embassy. This was followed by the drone assassination strike that killed Suleimani and al-Muhandis.

The Iraqi military, however, insisted that the Shia militia had had no presence near Kirkuka predominantly Sunni areafor the previous 18 months, and that the attack had been launched by ISIS.

As Pompeo was making his threats, Pentagon officials confirmed that US military personnel are being pulled out of smaller bases in Iraq and consolidated in a few more defensible locations, where Patriot missile batteries and so-called Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) systems are being deployed over the protests of the Baghdad government. The deployment of the Patriot missiles is also seen as paving the way for a US attack on Iran, by providing protection against Iranian retaliation.

The Pentagon attempted to put a bright face on its circling of the wagons in Iraq, claiming that the occupation force it leads: remains in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq to defeat ISIS; since 2014, together, we have liberated more than 55,000 square kilometers and freed millions of Iraqi people from ISIS murderous rule. Our troops are re-positioning in coordination with the Government of Iraq. Due to operational security, we will not announce a specific timetable for the troop movements.

This is of course all lies and nonsense. The US-led forces remain in Iraq in defiance of the countrys parliament and in the face of the overwhelming hostility of the Iraqi people. They are not acting in coordination with any elements within the Iraqi military or government.

Maj. Gen. Tashin al-Khafaji, the spokesperson for the Iraq Joint Operations Command, a body formed to coordinate operations between the US military and Iraqi security forces, announced on Sunday the suspension of all cooperation and joint operations with the US-led foreign forces in response to last Fridays US-British airstrikes. The general denounced the strikes as an act of aggression against Iraqs official armed forces. In an earlier statement, the Iraqi representatives on the Joint Operations Command called upon the government to speed up the expulsion of US troops from Iraq, warning that their continued presence posed a severe threat to the countrys stability.

Pentagon officials told NBC News that several hundred US troops leaving the smaller Iraqi bases would be pulled out of the country. With the deployment of the Patriot batteries and C-RAM systems, however, the number of troops on the ground would likely increase. While officially the Pentagon places the number of US military personnel in Iraq at 5,200, thousands of additional soldiers and Marines were sent into the country during the buildup of tensions that culminated in the assassination of Suleimani.

It is abundantly clear that the US is not in Iraq to fight ISIS. On the contrary, American commanders openly acknowledge that they now see the Shia militias that defeated ISIS with assistance from Iran as their principal enemy. Just as Washington is backing al-Qaeda-linked militias in Syria, it may well begin lending support to ISIS in Iraq in order to better divide and rule the country, while preparing for a direct military confrontation with Iran.

Meanwhile, the ravages of the coronavirus are posing an increasing threat to Iraq, while Iran remains one of the epicenters of the global pandemic. The Iraqi government announced a curfew in the capital of Baghdad Tuesday which will run until March 24 in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. The government has thus far reported 110 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.

The situation in Iran, whose infrastructure, health care system and access to medicine and basic supplies have been crippled by US maximum pressure sanctions, is far more severe. On Monday it was reported that 129 people had died from the coronavirus over the previous 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll to over 850.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, General Kenneth McKenzie, the chief of the US Central Command, which oversees American military operations throughout the Middle East and in Afghanistan, gloated over the death toll and the infection of senior figures in the Iranian leadership, quipping, of course, death is permanent.

McKenzie speculated that the crisis created by US sanctions, plummeting oil prices and the coronavirus crisis could provoke Tehran to launch military aggression. In the same breath, he noted that the US now has two aircraft carrier-led strike groups in the Persian Gulf region for the first time since 2012.

Even as the coronavirus confronts the US and the world with a crisis of unprecedented dimensions, US imperialism is calculating how it can exploit this crisis to advance its interests through an escalation of military aggression that can ignite war throughout the Middle East and the entire planet.
Can't allow every person who thinks of some solution to COVID-19 to file petition: SC

SC likely to seal fate of Madhya Pradesh government today

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions that have sought a floor test in Madhya Pradesh. The petitions have sought a directive that the floor test be held within 12 hours.

The matter will be heard by a Bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta. The petition says that 22 Congress MLAs supporting the government had resigned on account of dissatisfaction. The resignations of six MLAs have already been accepted by the Speaker. This has reduced the Congress led government to a minority, the petition also stated.

The government has no moral or legal right to remain in power even for a single day. All attempts are being made by the Chief Minister to convert his minority government into a majority by giving all possible threats, the petition also stated.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Madhya Pradesh: Governor well within his right to order floor test

Horse trading is at its peak and hence it is essential that a floor test is conducted as directed by the Governor. The floor test is necessary as it would make it absolutely clear as to whether the Chief Minister enjoys a majority on the floor of the house, the petition also stated. Any deferment of the floor test will further encourage horse trading the petition filed by former MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others also said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 7:30 [IST]
Rev. Miki Abia (Synod Clerk) & Rt. Rev. Fonki (Moderator) Facebook

Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, sixth Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, thanked God Sunday, March 15, 2020, as he begins his second five-year mandate at the helm of the protestant church.

Sundays twin ceremony at the courtyard of the Presbyterian Comprehensive Secondary School (PCSS) Buea Town also saw the induction into service of the new PCC Synod Clerk, the Rev Miki Hans Abia.

The solemn church service was pegged on the theme Wake Up, Watch Out drawn from the Revelations of John Chapter 3:2. Attended by a cross section of lay faithful and the clergy, Rt. Rev Fonki worshipped God for abiding with the PCC for the last five years, praying for better days.

The PCC Moderator said Wake Up, Watch Out will be the mantra of the Church for the next five years. It shows the churchs commitment to God and its service to the nations, Fonki said.

The message Wake Up, Watch Out is timely. Strengthen what remains and is about to die. To wake up is to be watchful, the Church leader said in a soul-searching sermon. This is a call to the church to do the right. As a church we should do the right things out of love and not to please people but to please God. Be faithful even if it costs your life. Repent and believe dear Presbyterians by receiving the word of God in your lives.

The Moderator preached further: Keep standing, hoping and believing because Jesus is coming soon. Watch and pray. Presbyterians Repent, Repent, Repent or you perish. Time has come for us to change the world; we must stand up as true Christians of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon. Let us stand up and win Cameroon back for God.

Wake up and let us fight corruption, let us take our church from self-sustainability to self-sufficiency. Watch out for the wolf in sheep clothing, watch out for those who smile with you in the face but have negative plans for you in their mind. Time is not on our side. Its either now or never. Arise, wake up, and watch out, the destiny of our nation is in our hands.

Presbyterians Wake Up, Watch out God is on our side; Hallelujah

An institution and induction ceremony is an ecclesiastical rite by which a church leader is introduced into his/her new function and endowed with spiritual authority to function to the glory of God. Moderators in the PCC are elected for a five-year term renewable once.

The PCC is carved out into 30 presbyteries over the national territory with 567 clergy with a total of 1,553 congregations. The PCC which has congregations in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, USA and South Africa is aimed at proclaiming the good news of God through Jesus Christ, in word and action. The ceremony was also set aside to raise funds for the construction of a new Synod Office.

Rev.Fonki Samuel Forba

The Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba hails from Bombe village in Akwaya Subdivision, Manyu Division of the South West Region of Cameroon. He was born to late Lucas Fonki Forba and Mama Miriam Anava. He is the first child in a family of fourteen children.

He started his elementary and primary education in Akwaya. His secondary school education pursuits took him from SAR/SM Akwaya to Government Technical High School Kumba where he specialized in carpentry. He later on had his vision and calling into the ministry of word and sacraments. He then wrote and passed the entrance examination into the then Presbyterian Theological College Nyasoso in 1987.

After many years of serving God and the church in multiple denominations throughout the nation, the Rev Fonki Samuel was in 2005 appointed Presbyterial Secretary for East Mungo South and Parish pastor of Bonamoussadi congregation in Douala, a position he held until 2013 before being appointed Presbyterial Secretary East Mungo North Presbytery and Parish Pastor of PCC Bastos Congregation, Yaounde. The PCC Synod of Hope in Bamenda in November, 2014 elected Rt.Rev Fonki Samuel Forba to become the sixth Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon since the independence from the Basel Missionary Society in 1957.

Aside being the Moderator of the PCC, he is currently the President of the Council of Protestant Churches (CEPCA) in Cameroon, the Chancellor of the Cameroon Christian University (CCU), The vice Board Chairperson of the Administrative Council of the Protestant University of Central Africa and one of the leaders of the National Council of Religious Leaders in Cameroon. He is happily married to Dr. Perpetua Bi Numfor Fonki and they are blessed with two children.

Rt. Rev. Fonki is the 6th Moderator after the late very Rev. Abraham Ngole (1958-1969), late very Rev. Jeremiah Chi Kangsen (1969-1985), late very Rev. Henry A. Awasom (1985-1999), the Very Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku (1999-2009), and the Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana (2009-2014).

Rev. Miki Hans Abia, New PCC Synod Clerk

The Rev. Miki Hans Abia hails from Njindom, in Meta, Momo Division of the North West Region of the Republic of Cameroon. He was born in Tombel, Kupe-Muanenguba Division of the South West Region, where his parents Pa Joseph Mejang Miki (late) and Ma Elisabeth Miyeh Miki had lived for more than half a century.

He was the fourth among eight children, two of whom are of late. He acquired his FSLC, GCE O/L and GCE A/L in GS Ebubu Tombel, RCM Ediki-Kumba Road, GPS Kumba Town, PSS Kumba, PHS Kumba and NCC Bamenda. His ministerial journey began in 1993 when he received his pastoral call at Mile 20 in Tombel. He would later pass the entrance exams into the Theological Seminary in Kumba in 1993 and graduated in 1997 and authorized to serve as Assistant Pastor in the PCC. He was ordained into the ministry of word and sacraments in a December 1999 in PC Kumba Town.

During his 23 years in the Ministry, the Rev. Miki Hans Abia has served at the PCC in many capacities. He is married to Nyango Afor Viviane Miki and God has blessed their union with 4 children.

The Synod Clerk, Rev. Miki Hans Abia was inducted as the 10th Synod Clerk after late Rev. Aaron Su (1959-1962), late Rev. Moses A. Fondo (1962-1964), late Rev. Jeremiah Chi Kangsen (1967-1969), late Rev. Thomas N. Ediage (1969-1985), Rev. Dr. Jonas N. Doh (1985-1989), Rev Nyansako-ni-Nku (1989-1999), Rev. Dr. Festus A. Asana (1999-2009), Rev. Abwenzoh Williams Membong (2009-2014) and Rev. Babila George Fonchang (2014-2019).
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attend the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California.

The couple left hospital and were in self-quarantine, son Chet Hanks said in a video message on his Instagram account.

Actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have been released from an Australian hospital after being treated for the new coronavirus.

Hanks and his wife were in Australia for preproduction work on an Elvis Presley biopic. Hanks announced last Thursday on Instagram that he and his wife had come down with the virus.

"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 said in the post.

"To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive," he said.

The couple were released from the Gold Coast University Hospital and are now quarantining themselves in their rented Queensland home, media reports say. Australia has 377 confirmed cases of the virus and three deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The couple are not the only A-listers to have contracted the virus. British actor Idris Elba announced Monday he has the virus. He said he had no symptoms but had been in contact with someone that had tested positive for the virus. He then self-quarantined before being tested.

Tweet

The U.K. revised its guidance to the public for the coronavirus Monday, advising against all nonessential contact and telling the public to avoid pubs, restaurants and theaters.
Reno Omokri, a popular social media commentator has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for looking at photos of Lagos state explosion from the comfort of the presidential Villa when he could have travelled to Lagos to comfort the victims.

Read Also: Sanwo-Olu Takes Lagos Explosion Pictures To Buhari In Abuja

Omokri made this known in a post he shared on his official Twitter handle on Monday.

He wrote: Scores of people died in your own country and the best you can do is look at photographs? And you call yourself President? Cant you go to Lagos to see things and comfort the victims yourself? What kind of leader commiserates via photographs? If it were cows!
(TNS)  Secretary of State Paul Pate is asking Iowa county auditors to do a walk-through of their systems to make sure they are secure ahead of the 2020 elections.Pate is telling auditors that his office will provide $1 million to assist them with cybersecurity resources ahead of the elections.Its like we are asking them to walk through their house to see if any windows or doors have been left open, Pate said Thursday before meeting with the auditors who were in Des Moines.During the next few weeks, the United States Department of Homeland Security and the state Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) will conduct scans of all 99 counties websites and internal systems to look for vulnerabilities. That could be outdated equipment and software, for example, said Jeff Franklin, Pates chief cybersecurity officer.Solutions may include replacing equipment and software, and separating critical infrastructure from non-critical systems, he said.Following the scans, the SOS will make an initial investment of $1 million to help cover the expenses of the recommended upgrades. Almost every county already receives at least three cyberservices from the OCIO, including training, intrusion detection and malware prevention, to monitor for the bad guys, Pate said.Theyve figured out that they cant kick in the front door, so now they are sneaking around looking for another way to get inside election systems, Pate said.Some counties have their own information technology staffs, some contract with third party vendors. Pates goal is to have all counties signed up for the full range of services available from his office.We built a very strong foundation to secure Iowas elections, Pate said. It is now time to take out cybersecurity to the next level. We need to bolster our cyber maturity.Franklin described the scans as a pro-active way of seeing if you have issues and to prioritize whats vulnerable.The SOS also is helping counties transition their websites to .gov domains to help ensure they all have top-level security. Pates office will cover the cost of the transition. Homeland Security recommends the .gov domain and the National Association of Secretaries of State adopted a similar resolution in February.The Iowa election community has done a tremendous job of adapting to the changing world of election cybersecurity, Pate said. This is a team effort and we all need to be on the same page.The fund to assist counties with cybersecurity comes from a federal grant to Iowa through the Help America Votes Act.
The Mumbai police has been asked to shut pubs, dance bars, discotheques and similar establishments in the city till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.





The police are taking every possible precautionary measure to prevent crowding in public places, he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police N Ambika (Headquarters-1) on Tuesday ordered all senior inspectors, assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure that pubs, discotheques, dance bars and orchestra bars remain closed till March 31, he said.



The order has to be executed immediately, the official added.



Earlier, the police had imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in Mumbai to prevent unnecessary gatherings.



At least 41 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Maharashtra, seven of them in Mumbai. A Mumbai resident died on Tuesday, becoming the first coronavirus-linked casualty in the state.



Meanwhile, as a preventive measure, the police are also vacating the beaches in the city.



On Tuesday, police teams were seen appealing people not to loiter at the Marine Drive promenade as well as Girgaum and Juhu beaches.



The social media handles of the police are also putting out messages against gatherings and crowding.



The police have also issued prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 to private tour operators who organise sight-seeing or other kinds of tours through the city, asking them to suspend their operations till March 31.
A much-needed drive-thru coronavirus testing site opened here Monday, just a few miles from the Mar-a-Lago Club, home to the country's most high-profile COVID-19 exposure. A week ago, President Donald Trump and a few top aides hosted a festive dinner with Brazilian officials, some later found to be ill with the novel coronavirus.

Despite repeated assertions from White House officials that tests will soon be available to anyone who wants them, residents here found the reality much different. Of the 6,000 people who called for an appointment and hundreds who drove up on Monday, just 65 were able to get tested. Testing officials said they had 80 test kits left for future patients and announced Tuesday they would not take any more appointments.

What's more, contrary to experts saying that tests would be restricted to those who need it, among those who managed to get the test was at least one worried well person without symptoms and without an increased risk of exposure.

Jay Wolfson, a professor of public health at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said he sees the "potential irony" of communities close to Trump's home struggling to meet testing demands after the president boasted earlier that anyone could get a test. But he said the situation here Monday showed how ill-prepared the country is for the pandemic.

"We got started late and have a lot of catching up to do," Wolfson said. "It's not like a hurricane, where Florida has done it over and over again."

South Florida has been a concern because it's been a hot spot for confirmed coronavirus cases. The latest numbers show the area had about half of the state's total 131 positive cases as of Monday at noon. And Florida is likely to have more than its share of serious cases, requiring hospitalization, because its population skews older.

This test site is run by a federally qualified health center, FoundCare, and opened in its parking lot. FQHCs receive federal funds to provide health services to underserved communities, and they typically send out swabs for testing to hospital and commercial labs  for a wide variety of conditions from strep infections to STDs. With none of the hospitals in the area yet offering COVID-19 testing, center officials decided they had no choice but to set up shop.

Yolette Bonnet, CEO of FoundCare, said dozens of patients experiencing respiratory symptoms were referred to FoundCare last week by the county health department and local doctors, who couldn't test themselves.

"We know that the best way to control COVID-19 is to keep it contained," she said. "In order to safeguard FoundCare patients as well as staff in the main location of the health center, while serving those seeking COVID-19 virus testing, we made the decision to set up a drive-thru testing site."

The health center announced the drive-thru opening late Friday and informed people to call ahead so they could be screened to meet certain medical guidelines and then make an appointment. By 9 a.m. Monday, more than 1,200 people had called the center requesting a test.

Dr. Leslie Diaz, infectious-disease medical director at FoundCare, said priority for testing was being given to health providers, first responders such as police and fire crews, seniors and people with compromised immune systems.

Dozens of cars lined up for the limited number of tests available Monday. Most had to drive away without getting what they wanted.

"It's very difficult to turn people away," said Diaz.

A drive-thru COVID-19 testing site opened Monday in West Palm Beach, Florida. But only 20 of dozens of visitors could get the test.(Phil Galewitz/KHN)

Five known cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, had been confirmed in Palm Beach County as of Sunday. Four were related to international travel, while the fifth remained under investigation. These numbers do not include the Brazilians at Mar-a-Lago.

The press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Brazils charge daffaires in Washington tested positive for the coronavirus days after they met with Trump at his exclusive Florida club on March 7 and joined a family birthday celebration. And one of nearly 900 attendees at a March 8 Trump Victory committee fundraiser brunch at the club tested positive for coronavirus.

Trump announced Saturday that he has tested negative for the virus.

Mar-a-Lago was getting a "deep cleaning," including its grand ballroom where the festivities took place, but there is no word if its workers were being tested or being told to self-isolate, under the protocols suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Operating from a white tent erected in the FoundCare parking lot, medical assistants wearing masks and gloves were taking throat or nasal swabs of patients. The line was orderly, though at times cars were backed up into the street waiting to get into the parking lot.

Diaz said they planned to test 40 people Tuesday. "It's a difficult situation, but we needed to start doing" drive-thru testing, she said Monday. Then the clinic announced Tuesday that, because its test supply was limited, it would be able to keep only those appointments made for this week. Later appointments will depend on whether more tests can be secured.

Drive-thru testing centers have been set up by health systems and medical practices in at least 10 states from New Rochelle, New York, to Austin, Texas, to San Francisco. Florida has several sites also.

Saskia Popescu, a senior infection prevention epidemiologist at HonorHealth, a large health system in Phoenix, said drive-thru testing is vital because it helps limit patients' exposure and takes some of the pressure off hospital emergency rooms and urgent care centers. "It's a positive thing, as we don't need the worried well inundating the health system," she said.

Richard Durant, who drove nearly an hour from his home in Fort Lauderdale, got tested Monday. Although he does have a chronic condition, he didn't meet any of the official criteria for testing. Those include having had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case; experiencing a fever or cough or shortness of breath; traveling internationally in the past 14 days; having been on a cruise ship or plane within the past 14 days; or attending a gathering where an outbreak is under investigation.

"I am 68 and have COPD [a lung disease] and I just wanted to make sure I was not positive," he said.

Durant, who has not been sick and has no signs of the virus, arrived at the clinic about an hour before it was scheduled to open, filled out a form listing his risk factors and then drove around to a parking spot where a medical assistant took a swab of his nose.

Durant said he's been largely self-quarantining at home and staying away from large groups of people and will continue to do that no matter what the test result is.

"What's going on around the world is very scary, and I just read up on the Spanish flu that killed millions of people," said the retired procurement manager at FoundCare. "I know medical science is a lot more advanced now and take solace in that."

FoundCare officials, citing patient confidentiality rules, would not say why Durant received the test.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, MI  An 82-year-old Charlevoix County accused of killing his daughter was arraigned on several charges including open murder on Tuesday.

Paul Henry Crest of Bay Township is also charged with assault with intent to murder and two counts of using a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The charges relate to shootings which occurred in Bay Township on Sunday, March 15 in which a 51-year-old woman, Crests daughter, was found dead in a basement with five gunshot wounds to the torso. Crests 77-year-old wife had non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to her right hand and hip.

Crest, through his court-appointed attorney Christopher Turkelson, pleaded not guilty to all four charges. The murder and assault with intent to murder charges both carry a possible maximum penalty of life in prison, Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney Allen Telgenhof said.

82-year-old Michigan man with dementia charged with open murder of daughter

Turkelson indicated that he would be requesting psychological evaluations on Crest regarding his competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility.

His wife previously told Michigan State Police that her husband is in the early stages of dementia and was upset they had taken recently taken away his car keys and were not allowing him to drive.

Judge Angela Lasher scheduled a probable cause conference in the matter for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7.

Crest is being held without bond due to the severity of the charges against him, Telgenhof said.
Former Vice President Joe Biden was declared on Monday the winner of the Democratic presidential primary in Washington state, AP reports, narrowly defeating Bernie Sanders.

The big picture: Biden was also the winner of Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Missouri on Tuesday  snatching most of the delegates up for grabs from Sanders, who faces a quickly narrowing path to the Democratic nomination.

Sanders earned just one projected win in Tuesday's primaries: the North Dakota caucuses, per AP.

What they're saying: "What became even more apparent yesterday is that while we are currently losing the delegate count  approximately 800 delegates for Joe Biden and 660 for us  we are strongly winning in two enormously important areas which will determine the future of our country," Sanders said at a press conference Wednesday, prior to Biden's projected win in Washington.

"Poll after poll, including exit polls, show that a strong majority of the American people support our progressive agenda," Sanders said.

"After last night, we are one step closer to restoring decency, dignity, and honor to the White House," Biden tweeted on Wednesday night.

Go deeper: Sanders says he's staying in race
Masks worth about UAH 1 million (US$37,707) had been purchased in various locations over the past weeks.

Kyiv police have detained in the capital city of Kyiv an armed gang a few days after they robbed local entrepreneurs of 100,000 medical face masks at gunpoint.

The armed robbery was reported on March 13, according to the press service of the Prosecutor's Office in Kyiv.

According to the victims, medical face masks worth about UAH 1 million (US$37,707) had been purchased in various locations over the past few weeks and were set to be resold amid coronavirus fears.

Read alsoCurrency panic in Kyiv: Dollar up to UAH 27.90 in exchange booths

Apparently tipped about the batch, the attackers, who were posing as SBU security operatives, ambushed the entrepreneurs as they were reloading boxes with masks.

Police have identified and detained three individuals complicit in the crime  local residents aged 26 to 42.

None of them have any relation to law enforcement.
KAMPALA  Police have written to the military, seeking to know whether Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde was lawfully holding the guns and army uniform found during a search of his residence last week.

During a search of his home conducted by CID Director Grace Akullo, head of forensics Andrew Mubiru and head of political crimes Richard Mugwisagye, over 20 army uniforms and two guns were recovered from Tumukundes home in Kololo. About 14 people found there, including Tororo North MP Annet Nyaketcho and Tumukundes son Amanya, were arrested.

Police spokesman Fred Enanga told journalists on Monday, March 16, 2020 that they had written to the army, inquiring whether they had given the military supplies to Lt Gen Tumukunde.

We are consulting with the army to know what he retired with them. What we know is that retired officers remain with only ceremonial uniform, Mr Enanga said.

Nevertheless, Mr Enanga said the evidence they have gathered has enabled them to submit the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for guidance.

According to the UPDF Act, any person found with government stores is tried in the court martial.

Mr Enanga said they had halted the search at Tumukundes homes until he leaves hospital where he has been admitted since Sunday. Police have also preferred charges of obstruction of police duty against 13 people arrested with Tumukunde last week. They include Tororo North MP Annet Nyakecho.

Related
Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, has pledged donate 20,000 testing kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits to each African country to help the fight against coronavirus.



Mr Ma, Asia's richest person, earlier this month sent consignments of medical supplies to the US and pledged to distribute two million protective masks across Europe.



In a statement, he said the resources for African countries would be delivered to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed overseeing distribution to the rest of the continent.



Mr Abiy confirmed the news in a series of tweets and spoke of his "great appreciation" for Jack Ma's partnership.



"As members of the global community, it will be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts, or fail to act. We need to take action now," Mr Ma added in his statement.



He said the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation would also provide online material for coronavirus clinical treatment to medical institutions on the continent.



There has been a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in Africa in recent days, although they are still fewer than in most other continents. Strict measures have been ordered - including travel restrictions and the closure of schools - in South Africa and Kenya among others.



There are concerns that the continent's weak health systems may be unable to cope with a large outbreak, and that governments lack financial and logistical resources to deal with the virus.

Source: BBC









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Mobile, Ala.

The South is deeply conservative and widely impoverished  especially the Deep South. That combination could portend awful consequences for us as the spread of coronavirus, now officially a pandemic, accelerates.

The confluence of reactionary politics and an impoverished population will exacerbate the already frightening consequences of COVID-19. For one thing, many of the white voters of this region are not only diehard supporters of President Donald J. Trump, but they are also a dedicated audience for right-wing news outlets such as Fox News, whose hosts have repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of the virus.

Following Trump's lead, conservative talk show hosts have told their listeners that the coronavirus is a "hoax" concocted by the "liberal media" to bring down his presidency. Even after Anthony Fauci, the highly respected head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified before Congress about the lethality of the virus, Rush Limbaugh told his radio audience, "This coronavirus ... all of this panic is just not warranted. This ... virus is the common cold." That means local leaders in this region will be ill equipped to order shutdowns of mass gatherings or to urge the social distancing measures that are necessary.

But it also means we have a population dependent on hourly wages who are reluctant to stay home even if they have a fever. Further, it means that many of the sick will not have access to the medical care they will need. The ultraconservative governors and state legislatures that control this region have refused  just refused  to expand Medicaid, even though the federal government picks up most of the tab as one of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

(Perhaps political scientists even now are writing books about this utterly catastrophic and inexplicable rejection. I do hope so because I can think of no rational reason for this behavior except that Republicans are determined to portray Obamacare as a failure. Among Southern states, only Louisiana, Arkansas and Kentucky have expanded Medicaid, and two of those have Democratic governors.)

Traditional Medicaid covers poor children, impoverished pregnant women, poor senior citizens and the poor disabled. The Medicaid expansion, significantly, covers low-income able-bodied adults, including many men and women who work every day but can't afford health insurance. Think of short-order cooks, restaurant wait staff, housecleaners, painters and even owners of small businesses such as pool-cleaning or plumbing. Sure, they can go to an emergency room, but those will become increasingly overwhelmed when the virus spreads through the region, as it surely will.

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Oh, wait! What if the town they live in doesn't have a hospital? Hospitals across the rural South  in rural areas across the nation, actually  have been shutting down because they cannot afford to stay open. They have been losing money for decades because so many of their patients are uninsured or underinsured.

The Medicaid expansion threw many of those hospitals a lifeline. But not here in my home state. Not in Georgia or Mississippi or Tennessee or South Carolina. Rural hospitals in those states continue to shut down. Last year, GQ reported that 106 rural hospitals had shut down across the country since 2010. Seventy-seven of those "were in deep red states where local politicians refused the Obama administration's Medicaid expansion," GQ said. More hospitals have likely closed since then.

Public health officials have already stated that the nation's health care system could easily be overwhelmed by the virus as hospital beds are filled, all ventilators are in use and, of course, some nurses, doctors and other medical staff get sick. Patients in towns where hospitals have been shuttered will swamp already-overburdened facilities in larger cities.

House Democrats have put together an emergency aid package that includes funding to pay for coronavirus tests for those without insurance and paid sick leave for workers whose employers don't provide it. Guess what? Republicans have already criticized it. (So, they want sick food service employees to show up for work?)

Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Richard Shelby of Alabama and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi could tell their leader, Mitch McConnell (whose Kentucky constituents have access to Medicaid, thanks to a Democratic governor), to get on board with the aid package because their constituents need the assistance. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 16

Trend:

In connection with the decision to temporarily suspend flights between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Azerbaijani national air carrier, on behalf of the government, has carried out another Baku-Istanbul-Baku charter flight on March 16 to return Azerbaijani citizens from Turkey, Trend reports.

Reportedly, 237 Azerbaijani citizens returned to their homeland from Istanbul by this plane, which landed in Baku at 22:04 Baku time (GMT +4).

On March 15, 474 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Istanbul to Baku.

In order to quickly respond to possible appeals of our citizens living, studying or temporarily staying in Turkey, a hotline has been created (+90 537 282 67 40) at the Embassy and Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Turkey.
WASHINGTON D.C. -- If youre part of the group of Americans still gathering in large groups or ignoring guidelines on travel, President Donald Trump had message for you Tuesday: stay home. Trumps expressed his displeasure with people who continue to pack bars and restaurants during a press briefing Tuesday.

"Im not happy with those people. But those people are being shouted down by other people. Its almost like self-policing, Trump said. People are not happy when they see other people doing things theyre not supposed to be doing.

The president said its important for all Americans to do their part to help limit the spread of the coronavirus and that includes not gather in group of larger than 10 people as laid out in White House guidelines issued Monday. Still, photos and videos were shared heavily on social media Monday evening as people in state where the bars and restaurants remain open continue to cram into the buildings.

When asked about Americans who are planning to travel for vacation in the coming weeks, especially to places like Puerto Rico or the Caribbean, Trump had suggestion for those people as well.

I would just say enjoy your home. We have to get this problem fixed and then well get back into business really quick, Trump said. I would recommend that they enjoy their living room.

Trumps message came a day after the new guidelines were issued which encouraged Americans to avoid large gatherings, do not dine in at bars, restaurants, food courts and other eateries. Those guidelines are intended to be in place until the end of the month as a way to slow down the spread. If successful, Trump said those steps could help lead to putting an end to the virus by July or August.

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.

READ MORE

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Trump slams Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers response to coronavirus amid statewide shutdown

Person who tested positive for coronavirus may have exposed others at infectious disease conference in Grand Rapids

President Trump says coronavirus reality could last until July or August; releases new guidelines
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Read more

Im as surprised and horrified as anyone, but I finally believed words that came out of the mouth of President Donald Trump.

As many of you of course know, his administration has lied almost every day of his presidency, and adding that disclaimer is me at my most End Days-generous. Hes botched the initial response to the virus  and lied about that, too.

But now hes saying that were on the hook until July or August  and I think hes on the level.

For once.

And that is terrifying.

Understand that this is the road weve traveled with the guy who in theory is supposed to lead us out of this crisis:

In just a matter of weeks, hes said:

We have it very well under control.

The numbers are going to get progressively better.

One day  like a miracle  it will disappear.

Those were lies, every one of them, lies that some of my fellow journalists have insisted on characterizing as untruths and falsehoods that undermined his credibility and our public confidence.

And then Trump said:

I take no responsibility at all, for the slow rate of coronavirus testing in the United States.

We will be backing you," he told governors Monday about ventilators and other life-saving instruments needed to fight coronavirus, "but try getting it yourselves.

Even when Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican ally, rushed to Trumps defense, saying the president only meant that they shouldnt get caught up in federal bureaucracy if they could get the equipment faster, it still felt like one big, Youre all on your own!

Which is exactly how living in this country had felt for many people before there was a crisis in which nobody could conveniently opt out.

No one gets a pass with a pandemic  even if wealth and fame likely get you tested faster  which might explain why a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed that only 46% of Americans now say the federal government is doing enough to prevent the spread of coronavirus, down from 61% in February.

It also found that only 37% of Americans have a good amount or a great deal of trust in what theyre hearing from the president, while 60% say they have little or no trust in what hes saying.

But there is public opinion, and there are Trumps whiplash delusions.

Even when he seemed to strike a more sober tone at his address Monday  which, honestly, worried me even more  he gave himself a 10 out of 10 for his coronavirus response. Talk about grading on a curve.

Remember, this was the same virus he originally seemed to be calling a hoax. Now, this week, its an invisible enemy" that could last months and cause a recession.

They think August, could be July, Trump said.

You know, give or take the impending apocalypse. If that sounds flip, understand that being irreverent is my coping mechanism. Whats yours?

I mean, who in their right mind believes Trump tested negative for the virus? Especially when this week he homina homina hominad his response to a reporter asking what it was like to take the test.

Not, not uh  something I want to do everyday  you know, its a little bit of a  its a little bit of  good doctors in the White House, but its a test. Its a test. Its a medical test. Nothing pleasant about it.

There was one more glimpse of truth  Trump said he told his 13-year-old son that its bad, its bad"  before reverting to his old ways.

After his address on Monday, Trump went back to downplaying the lasting effects of the coronavirus outbreak and called it the Chinese virus in a tweet.

And continued with the gaslighting on Tuesday: I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.

But for one brief, horrifying moment, I trusted something the president said, and God help us all.
A. (a) Schematic diagram of accelerated PDA polymerization with nano-TiO 2 and UV, (b) SEM of PDA/TiO 2 /PtNW modified electrode. B. (a) Samples of different coated electrodes (1 cm  1 cm). (b) Schematic diagram of the working electrode (WE) for the electrochemical test. AFM images of (c) Ti/Pt, (d) PDA, (e) PDA/TiO 2 , and (f) PDA/TiO 2 /PtNW, showing the changing trend of RMS roughness. Credit: SIAT

With rapid development of smart flexible electronics in wearable and implantable fields, it is urgent to prepare biomimetic electrode materials with simple operation, good biocompatibility and low cost, to obtain better stimulation/recording performance.

Traditional flexible electronic devices have disadvantages of low adhesion, easy delamination and failure in the fabrication process.

Although the polymerization process will be prolonged, the dopamine (DA) and its derivatives are promising for the fabrication of functional films and devices with excellent conductivity, bioadhesion and long-term stability.

Based on their previous work on neural interfaces (Electrochia Acta, Advanced Materials Interfaces), Prof. Wu Tianzhun's group from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed an accelerated deposition process using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation with the existence of nanotitanium dioxide (nano-TiO 2 ) to realize a rapid and stable synthesis of polydopamine (PDA) films.

The researchers also proposed in situ deposition process of nanostructured coatings such as platinum nanowire (PtNW) on PDA adhesive layer for better electrical performance.

This method reduced the time of PDA polymerization process to less than 1 h. It also increased the platinum (Pt) chelating rate with PDA (<1h) at room temperature, which was more than 10 times faster than the traditional photo-oxidation method.

Compared with electrodes of the same size based on Ti/Pt sputtering, the impedance of the proposed PDA/TiO 2 /PtNW coated electrode was reduced by 99.74%.

An extremely high cathodic charge storage capacity (CSCc) was also observed, which was about 106.5 and 1.6 times higher than that of Ti/Pt and PDA/PtNW electrodes, respectively.

In addition, PDA/TiO 2 /PtNW electrodes presented significant photocurrent polarization responses with a stable current of -136.1 A, showing excellent charge transfer and UV absorption capacities.

This co-deposition method has demonstrated potential to speed up the polymerization process and enhance the electrical performance for flexible electrodes with low cost.

This work provides a new idea for the preparation of flexible electrodes and can be widely used in practical applications such as neural implants, biosensors, drug carriers and photoelectric electrode materials.

The study, titled "Fast Polymerization of Polydopamine Based on Titanium Dioxide for High-Performance Flexible Electrodes," was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

More information: Zhaoling Huang et al. Fast Polymerization of Polydopamine Based on Titanium Dioxide for High-Performance Flexible Electrodes, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2020). Journal information: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces Zhaoling Huang et al. Fast Polymerization of Polydopamine Based on Titanium Dioxide for High-Performance Flexible Electrodes,(2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b19875
BOGOTA, Colombia, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC) ("Ecopetrol" or the "Company") informs that in an extraordinary session held on March 16, its Board of Directors adopted a set of actions to address the challenging market conditions, which have resulted, among other matters, in a 40% decline in the Brent crude price as compared to the end of 2019, due to external shocks such as the strong escalation in the supply of oil and the spread of COVID-19.

These measures are part of an intervention plan that aims for the Company to adapt timely and orderly to changing market conditions.

The first stage of this plan includes the following actions:

Effective immediately, a COP$ 2 trillion cutback in costs and expenses in order to strengthen the Company's competitiveness, including austerity measures, prioritization of operational and administrative activities, and control over operational expenses, such as travel restrictions, sponsorships and involvement in events, among others. Implementation of new commercial strategies to maximize the value of the crudes and products sold by the Ecopetrol Group. A US$ 1.2 billion decrease in the 2020 investment plan so that the new range of the investment plan is now US$ 3.3 - 4.3 billion. The measures adopted aim to intervene investment opportunities on early stages, seeking to preserve production and cash flow, and maintaining the integrity and reliability of investments, as well as social investment commitments already made. Regarding the Earnings Distribution Proposal reported to the market on March 2, 2020 the Board of Directors proposed a new payment scheme consisting of: a first payment of 100% of the dividend to minority shareholders and 14% of the dividend to the majority shareholder, to be made on April 23, 2020 , and the payment of the remaining 86% of the dividend to the majority shareholder to be disbursed during the second half of 2020.

The production target for 2020 remains unchanged, between 745 - 760 mboed.

As of December 31, 2019, Ecopetrol's Gross Debt/EBITDA ratio was 1.2 times, providing the Company with flexibility to access the debt markets if needed. Furthermore, Ecopetrol currently has available committed credit facilities for US$ 665 million with international banks and terms for an additional committed facility have been agreed, for COP$ 990 billion with local banks, which is currently pending authorization from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. Along with the intervention measures announced today, the availability of these resources will allow Ecopetrol to continue mitigating risks associated with crude oil prices volatility and minimize risks related to liquidity stress.

The Company will continue to monitor market developments to determine the need to launch subsequent stages of the intervention plan, seeking to optimize the balance between decisive responses under current market conditions, and preserving the Company's long-term value. These measures are aligned with Ecopetrol's commitment to operational excellence, the safety and care of its workers, the protection of the environment, shared growth with communities and the generation of value for its shareholders.

-----------------------------------------

This release contains statements that may be considered forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Juan Pablo Crane de Narvaez

Head of Capital Markets

Phone: (+571) 234 5190

E-mail: [email protected]

Jorge Mauricio Tellez

Media Relations (Colombia)

Phone: (+ 571) 234 4329

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.

Related Links

http://www.ecopetrol.com.co


Hours after the Bergen County Executive defiantly announced an executive order shutting down malls and other businesses to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the executive order closing them down is postponed until Saturday, his office said.

Citing his moral authority to take the executive action, an impassioned Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced Monday evening the closure of shopping malls, offices, various retailers and other facilities in the county, which has five major malls.

The executive order is postponed until 8 a.m. Saturday, Tedesco said in an update Tuesday. The statement did not offer an explanation for the delay, simply saying it was to provide additional clarity and to be in conjunction with state government."

At the Monday night news conference, Tedesco said that his executive order had not been reviewed by the state Attorney Generals office and that the executive order far exceeded what Gov. Phil Murphy had done. Tedesco said his decision was a matter of saving lives during the fast spreading pandemic, which has surged to 178 cases, including three deaths, in New Jersey.

Calls to Tedesco on Tuesday morning were not immediately returned.

Bergen County continues to have the most cases of the coronavirus, with at least 61 cases as of Tuesday morning. Two of the states three deaths from the virus are from Bergen County.

These are difficult times and I cannot promise that the coming days will be easier, Tedesco said Monday night. We are going to have to make many sacrifices.

Tedesco said he knew his decision would bring criticism and said he was already threatened with lawsuits.

If you want to put money over somebodys life, then shame on you, Tedesco said.

Several businesses were exempt from the order, including restaurants for takeout orders, drug stores, banks, law firms, funeral parlors and gas stations among other establishments. Wholesale stores were also permitted to sell items available in supermarkets, similar to the countys Blue Laws in place on Sundays.

Tedescos order came after Gov. Phil Murphy closed all schools, movie theaters, casinos and gyms, barred eating in restaurants and urged a curfew for non-essential travel. The partially-opened American Dream mega-mall in East Rutherford announced last week it would close.

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Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.

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The House met Monday to temporarily change its rules so members can submit their votes to party leaders and committee chairs. Read more

This story was produced as part of a joint effort between Spotlight PA, LNP Media Group, PennLive, PA Post, and WITF to cover how Pennsylvania state government is responding to the coronavirus. Sign up for Spotlight PAs newsletter.

HARRISBURG  The Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday approved a rule change that allows all members to vote outside the state Capitol in response to the coronavirus.

While rules previously allowed proxy voting, the 50-member body couldnt legislate unless at least 26 senators were present on the floor. Lawmakers met Wednesday to approve a resolution that temporarily adjusts this rule so members can participate and vote remotely using technology.

The temporary rule will expire at the end of July or when Gov. Tom Wolf lifts his emergency declaration.

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) told reporters following Wednesdays session that its possible no one will preside over the chamber in person, meaning the entire Senate could meet and pass laws virtually. The public will be able to access the proceedings at all times, he said, although details are still being worked out.

Senators will also be able to electronically introduce legislation and have access to simultaneous, interactive participation for remote committee meetings, according to the Senate resolution passed unanimously Wednesday.

Twenty-eight senators gathered on the Senate floor, with most lawmakers from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties not in attendance as they heed President Donald Trump and Wolfs calls for social distancing. Currently, most confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in the southeast, though the number of cases in central and western Pennsylvania is rising.

The House met Monday to temporarily change its rules so members can submit their votes to party leaders and committee chairs, who still must be present in the Capitol if lawmakers want to consider legislation.

House members also shortened the amount of time needed to move bills between the two chambers. The Senate did not follow, but could later vote remotely to suspend the rules to move certain bills more quickly.

State legislatures across the country are grappling with how they will continue to operate during the coronavirus pandemic, with at least 11 postponing or suspending their sessions and several others closing their doors to the public, Governing magazine reported. Pennsylvania closed the Capitol to visitors on Friday and cancelled all public events.

As of late last week, lawmakers had planned to come in for several session days. But in the past few days, the number of COVID-19 cases has grown across the state.

Corman said Wednesday the chamber is still figuring out how it will operate remotely.

As we all try to be part of this new normal, we still operate under the same spirit and the same guidelines that have always governed us," he said on the floor.

All Senate action for the time being will be focused on the coronavirus response, he added.

100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA provides its journalism at no cost to newsrooms across the state as a public good to keep our communities informed and thriving. If you value this service, please give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate.
RENO, Nev.  The husband of a California woman who was found beaten to death at a Nevada casino is suing the hotel and casino.

An attorney for Robert Morris filed the lawsuit in Washoe County District Court in connection with the death of 37-year-old Amber Morris, the Reno Gazette-Journal reports.

Morris, of Moreno Valley, California, died of blunt force trauma to her face and head in July 2019. According to an affidavit, her body was discovered lying half-naked near the door of a Circus Circus Reno hotel room.

An autopsy found she was strangled, and her face had been stomped on, causing bleeding in her brain.

Tevin Raeshaun Johnson, 22, was arrested the following day on an open murder charge. He pleaded not guilty and is facing trial in November.

Morris was staying with her sister at the hotel while her husband finished his contracted work at the Tesla Gigafactory, east of Sparks, Nevada.

The lawsuit alleges that Circus Circus Reno failed to provide adequate security to hotel guests.

Sara Robbins, a publicist for The Row  which encompasses Circus Circus, Silver Legacy, and the Eldorado  declined to comment.

Morris and his attorney are asking for an excess of $15,000 in damages. That also includes damages for past medical and funeral expenses, attorney fees and for costs accrued from the lawsuit.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Union health ministry has recommended use of anti-HIV drug combinations Lopinavir and Ritonavir on a case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of the condition of a patient having coronavirus infection.

IMAGE: A nurse use thermal screening device on a patient at Railway hospital in the wake of deadly corona-virus,in Patna. Photograph: ANI Photo

In its revised guidelines on the 'Clinical Management of COVID - 19' issued on Tuesday, the ministry recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for high-risk groups patients aged above 60, suffering from diabetes mellitus, renal failure, chronic lung disease and are immunocompromised.

According to a health ministry official, a committee of experts comprising doctors from AIIMS, experts from National Centre for Disease Control and World Health Organization among others revisited the treatment guidelines and recommended supportive treatment in patients suffering from coronavirus infection.

The ministry also recommended Lopinavir-Ritonavir for symptomatic patients having hypoxia, hypotension, new onset organ dysfunction (one or more), increase in creatinine by 50 per cent from baseline and any other organ dysfunction among others.

There is no current evidence from randomised controlled trial to recommend any specific treatment for suspected or confirmed patients with COVID-19.

No specific anti-virals are recommended for treatment of those suffering from respiratory ailment due to lack of adequate evidence from medical literature.

"The use of Lopinavir-Ritonavir in PEP regimens for HIV (4 weeks) is also associated with significant adverse events which many a times leads to discontinuation of therapy.

"In light of the above, Lopinavir-Ritonavir should only be used with proper informed expressed consent on a case to case basis for severe cases, within the mentioned framework along with supportive treatment as per need," the guidelines stated.

This combination of drugs was given for the first time to an elderly Italian couple currently undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the SMS hospital in Jaipur.

Lopinavir-Ritonavir is used widely for controlling HIV infection.

The guidelines issued by the health ministry also state that COVID-19 patients may present with mild, moderate, or severe illness --the latter includes severe pneumonia, ARDS, sepsis and septic shock.

Early recognition of suspected patients allows for timely initiation of infection, prevention and control.

"Early identification of those with severe manifestations allows for immediate optimised supportive care treatments and safe, rapid admission (or referral) to intensive care unit according to national protocols.

"For those with mild illness, hospitalisation may not be required unless there is concern for rapid deterioration. All patients discharged for home should be instructed to return to hospital if they develop any worsening of illness," the guidelines stated.

The guidelines advise the treating doctors to closely monitor patients with severe acute respiratory infection for signs of clinical deterioration, such as rapidly progressive respiratory failure and sepsis, and apply supportive care interventions immediately.

"Application of timely, effective, and safe supportive therapies is the cornerstone of therapy for patients that develop severe manifestations of COVID-19," it said.

"Understand the patient's co-morbid condition to tailor the management of critical illness and appreciate the prognosis. During intensive care management of severe acute respiratory infection, determine which chronic therapies should be continued and which therapies should be stopped temporarily.

"Communicate pro-actively with patients and families and provide support and prognostic information. Understand the patient's values and preferences regarding life-sustaining interventions," the guidelines stated.
The right to protest, the legitimacy of protests as a democratic tool, as well as the funding of protests have all been subjects of vociferous debate over the last few months. Recently, the Supreme Court, in an unrelated (and rather old) case, pronounced a judgment that should give much-needed comfort to democratic protestors merely fighting for their, or their communitys, rights.

The Petition by Indian Social Action Forum, a Delhi-based NGO, challenged the provisions of the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act, 2010 that banned organisations of political nature from receiving funds from abroad. This included organisations of farm workers, students, etc, which are not directly political, but whose objectives aim to advance political interests, or organisations which habitually engages in or employ common methods of political action, such as bandh or hartal for instance. This, it was argued, directly contradicts Article 19(1)(c) which guarantees the right to form associations or unions as a Fundamental Right (Admittedly, this does not extend to a right to receive foreign funds).

The organisations that were targeted under these provisions were mostly grassroots organisations such as those protesting the Kudankulam nuclear power project, as well as other activist organisations such as Greenpeace.

The Supreme Court did not weigh on whether a Fundamental Right was being violated, but effectively read down the provisions to hold that any organisation which supports the cause of a group of citizens agitating for rights without a political goal or objective cannot be penalised as an organisation of political nature. The court also made it clear that such exemptions will not apply to organisations that are used for channelling foreign funds by political parties.

However, even as the NGOs celebrate, there are significant problems with the half-hearted nature of the judgment. First, as we have been seeing in several recent judgments, the court does not seem to be impressed by the argument that vagueness in the law makes it prone to be misused by the government, and is, therefore, a sufficient ground to strike it down. In fact, one recalls the observation in the Aadhaar judgment accepting the governments contention that no State would be interested in the mass surveillance of 1.2 billion people in the country, when every indication is to the contrary.

Time and again, the court allows the government the benefit of the doubt with regards to the possible misuse of power, leaving the citizen without any recourse against the executives machinations.

How does vagueness work against the citizen? When laws are framed by Parliament, they are ideally subjected to public debate, as a result of which problematic provisions are weaned out. When the law is vague (in this case, the Act gave the government the power to frame rules whereby an organisation can be declared to have political objectives  without defining what a political objective is), the executive essentially circumvents such parliamentary scrutiny by filling the void. This then has the dual effect of leaving the citizen second guessing what his rights actually are, while constantly living under the shadow of punitive action by the government.

Second, the court completely side-stepped the question of violation of Fundamental Rights (on the ground that the petitioner organisation, not being a citizen could not claim Fundamental Rights u/Art. 19). Having said that, both the Constitution as well as international law (the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) grant the freedom of assembly and association.

However, can you exercise a right without the resources to do so? It was the argument of the petitioners that restriction on funding makes the right to association nugatory. Often, the restrictions were used not only to cut off funding, and thereby sustenance for organisations, but also to mire them in exhausting litigation with the government.

Where does this leave us in the current spate of protests seen around us? First, the court makes a welcome demarcation between politically-motivated action and that of voluntary organisations which have absolutely no connection with party politics. This should, one hopes, take the sting out of the governments fashion of labelling all dissent as politically-motivated, on the ground that it is aimed at bringing down the government.

Meanwhile, foreign funding will continue to be looked upon with suspicion for hidden political motives. Perhaps the government will have to establish clear linkages before tarnishing a recipient organisation.

(Disclaimer: The author assisted the petitioner's counsel in the early stages of this case).
Aged care workers are among the lowest paid and the least qualified in the sector with many feeling like they had "drawn the short straw" if they ended up in their jobs.

New models of "teaching nursing homes", though, had improved retention with many seeing a job in aged care as a career, the Royal Commission on Aged Care Quality and Safety heard on Tuesday.

Yet a highly successful Australian program that provided on the job training, research and education in 16 aged care facilities was dropped in 2015 because the federal government wouldn't fund it.

Some aged care workers feel their jobs are not valued as much as others in the healthcare sector. Credit:Louise Kennerley

A report found the Teaching and Research Aged Care Services (TRACS) program had proved the value of providing "ongoing education to the existing aged care workforce to further build their skills and understanding of care for older people".
A protester, at left, is held back by Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and his wife Jill, center, during a campaign rally in Los Angeles, on March 3, 2020. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

Biden Gets Secret Service Protection After Protester Run-Ins

WASHINGTONDemocratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who has been repeatedly accosted by protesters on the campaign trail, is receiving U.S. Secret Service protection beginning this week, the agency said.

Biden made the request earlier this month after a handful of testy interactions with protesters at recent campaign events, including one in which two protesters rushed a stage in Los Angeles and came within a few feet of Biden during a Super Tuesday victory speech. Bidens wife, Jill, and several staff members, including one trained security officer employed by the campaign, restrained the women and carried them from the stage. Neither the former vice president nor his wife was hurt.

The leading candidates in the 2012 and 2016 presidential contests had Secret Service protection by this point in those races. Neither Biden nor Democratic primary rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had requested protection until now. Sanders still has not made a request.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his wife Jill, speaks to members of the press at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, on March 10, 2020. (Matt Rourke)

The Secret Service protects, by statute, the president and vice president and their families, as well as some other senior government officials. It is also authorized to provide protection to major party presidential candidates, an authority granted after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.

The process for assigning a security detail to a candidate generally requires that campaigns initiate the request for protection. The Secret Service does a threat assessment and consults with Department of Homeland Security officials and a congressional commission made up of the majority and minority leaders of both chambers, plus another member. The ultimate decision on whether to provide protection is made by DHS.

Earlier this month, Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), said the House Homeland Security Committee had asked the Secret Service to provide protection to all remaining major presidential candidates.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, participates in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington on March 15, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Richmond, one of Bidens campaign co-chairmen, said members of Congress were very worried about the March 3 episode, when the protesters rushed the stage at the Biden speech in California.

At an event in New Hampshire, a man approached Biden from behind. When the man tried to interrupt Biden, Bidens wife put her arms around the man, turned him around and helped push him away.

Biden isnt the only candidate to have been accosted at a campaign event. Topless demonstrators crashed a Sanders rally in Nevada in February.

By Zeke Miller And Alexandra Jaffe
In a surprise announcement today, Macmillan abandoned its controversial embargo on new release e-books in libraries, effective this week.

There are times in life when differences should be put aside, reads a brief memo from Macmillan CEO John Sargent addressed to librarians, authors, illustrators, and agents. Effective on Friday (or whenever thereafter our wholesalers can effect the change), Macmillan will return to the library e-book pricing model that was in effect on October 31st, 2019. In addition, we will be lowering some e-book prices on a short term basis to help expand libraries collections in these difficult times. Stay safe.

A Macmillan spokesperson confirmed that the removal of the embargo covers all titles, including new release Tor titles (which were technically still under a "test" embargo on October 31, 2019).

The news comes as libraries across the nation are (or soon will be) closing down their physical locations in an attempt to slow the outbreak of Covid-19.

This is extraordinarily welcome news in an unprecedented time," said ALA Senior Director for Public Policy & Government Relations ALA Inouye. "Equitable access to digital content is more important than ever as libraries continue to serve their communities amid rapidly changing circumstances. Macmillans return to its original lending terms signals a new starting point for all publishers to consider how they can work with libraries to ensureand expandaccess for all readers. ALA looks forward to working with publishers to make that happen.

While the Covid-19 outbreak clearly played a role in Macmillan's decision to abruptly abandon its embargo on new release library e-books, at press time it is unclear whether the move also coincides with conclusions drawn from other data gathered by Macmillan, or whether Macmillan executives will revisit the policy or explore another major terms revision for library e-books in the future.

At the ALA Midwinter Meeting, in January, Sargent told librarians that Macmillan's embargo was meant to address what he sees as a publishing ecosystem tipping out of balance, and said that Macmillan executives would assess their data and make a decision about the embargo's efficacy some time in March. Its been exactly what we predictedyou have this horrific drop in sales because were not making [new titles] available, Sargent reported to librarians at ALA, about the embargo's initial impact on the publisher's bottom line. But, he added Macmillan would stick with with the embargo for "another two or three months" to better assess the policy.

The news also comes less than two weeks after Macmillan executives sought confidential feedback from a select group of librarians on three proposals that would have potentially replaced the embargo with a combination of price hikes and other restrictions.

 I hope that it can be a good starting point for further negotiations, with good faith on both sides. 

Michael Blackwell, director of the St. Mary's County (MD) Public Library and an organizer of the ReadersFirst coalition, told PW he was pleased to hear that Macmillan would be dropping the embargo on new release titles, and thanked Sargent for a "gracious" move in ending the stalemate.

"I hope that it can be a good starting point for further negotiations, with good faith on both sides," Blackwell said. "Let's move forward together for the good of readers inside and outside libraries."

PW library columnist Sari Feldman, former executive director of the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library and a current ALA Policy Fellow, struck a similar note. "During these difficult times, I appreciate Macmillans willingness to support readers and public libraries," Feldman said. "This is the time to come together."

Macmillan's controversial two-month embargo on new release e-books in public libraries officially kicked in on November 1, 2019, over the strong objections of the library community, which has consistently rejected the embargo as violating a core value of librarianship: equity of access. The embargo policy came just over a year after Macmillan instituted a four month "test" embargo on new release e-books from its Tor imprint.

In response, the library community waged an ongoing public awareness campaign in the media, which drew the attention of federal and state lawmakers. In addition, a number of libraries have boycotted Macmillan e-books.

Carmi Parker, an ILS administrator for the Whatcom County (WA) Library System who maintains a resource for libraries boycotting Macmillan in the wake of the embargo, said she is looking forward to ending the boycott and bringing new release Macmillan e-books back to library readers.

"The pandemic has highlighted for us how important it is for readers to have access to e-books and e-audiobooks, especially for the young people in Washington State, where all schools are closed through April 24," Parker told PW. "But we recognize too that the issues that prompted the embargo may not be resolved, and we are willing to work with Macmillan and other publishers on ways to make e-lending technology work well for all of us."
We do all this and the men in our lives dont even comb their hair

I know I said last week that its how nice you are inside that shows on your face. But as I contemplate flying to Sydney to meet the Hunk, Ive been reconsidering that sentiment. And so it transpires that on Monday I find myself in a little mews in Notting Hill, right across from Nikki Tibbles flowers, pressing on the buzzer of a medi-spa called Lazeo London.

I am buzzed in. I make my way up to reception. Oh, I think to myself, how many times have I climbed steep stairs to a medi-spa? Starting with a clinic on Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge when I was still a student, wanting to be rid of the capillaries in the whites of my eyes, not realising Janice Dickinsons eyes on the cover of Vogue had been airbrushed. I was prescribed drops containing the shells of snails*, which never worked.

A beautiful blonde woman greets me. She says she once did a story with me about a Nigella Lawson dress. I dont remember. I do so many stories. She says the quiet mews is useful as celebrities are dropped off to have invasive treatments and no one ever sees them come and go. I am here to see Dr Victoria Jaminson, a beautiful Irishwoman (everyone is beautiful in Notting Hill). She tells me she has been reading my column. I have only two words to say to you, she says. David. Run.

I am running. I am.

Im led to a room. Im not wearing any make-up. Dr Jaminson stares at me for a long time. You have a perfect, heart-shaped face. Great skin. Beautiful.

I dont think she is lying, because what would be the point? She goes on, You are lucky. Your neck is fine, and your eyelids havent sagged. Oh, well, two less things to worry about.

She doesnt want to give me too much Botox in my forehead, as that will make my eyelids droop. We dont want that. Just a little, and a smattering around the eyes.

How long is it since you had the face-lift?

Is nothing secret? Sacred?

About eight years.

She asks me to frown. And smile. She is very thorough. She takes a photograph of me against a door. I feel as though Ive just been arrested and charged. The crime? Growing old. Not dying.

We opt for some filler in my cheeks, too. Then she asks me if I have heard of the thread. Whats that? I say. A new Netflix miniseries?

Its a thread that is placed in your jaw and then up to your forehead, and it pulls everything up.

Why do I not know about this? I ask her. Just like Carrie when told by her assistant that her Chanel bag is rented from Bag Borrow or Steal.

The new thread is different. I dont even know about the old thread. It bends, it moves. I dont do it, but I can give you the number of a man who does.

I say that I dont want to end up looking like Jennifer Aniston.

You wont. Trust me.

I dont know. We do all this and the men in our lives dont even own floss. They dont brush their tongues. They dont even comb their hair.

Thing is, Im getting very nervous about flying to Sydney on the off chance that the Hunk:

A. Is still single and not remarried.

B. Fancies me.

I am worried my face will explode.

Why do we not learn from past behaviour? When I thought I might get back with my husband, I went running like a mad thing round Highbury Fields. Now, I am having poison injected into my face in the hope of a date down under.

A friend emails me. On no account be tempted to write about flying to Sydney. You will blow the romance! For once, you have to forget the column inches and put passion first! The Hunk could be the f*** of a lifetime, and remember, you are at your peak. Sexy, successful. More interesting than most other women he will have met. If it takes off, there will be endless column inches going forward.

The thing is, I just never listen. Its too late

* This was before I became vegan. Poor snails.

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Among these women were eight members of Skal International, six of them representing Skal USA clubs. Skal International is the world's largest organization of top travel industry leaders which has chapters in over eighty countries worldwide with almost 15,000 members representing every facet of the travel and tourism industry.

Laura Mandala, Founder of WITTI, recognized the following Skal women for international awards:

Jennifer Ackerson , Skal USA Long Island, Tourism Marketing

, Skal Long Island, Tourism Marketing Dawn Drew , Skal USA New York , Travel & Tourism Media

, Skal , Travel & Tourism Media Morgan Maravich , Skal USA Washington , Rising Stars in Travel

, Skal , Rising Stars in Travel Holly Powers , Skal USA Boston , Lifetime Achievement in Travel

, Skal , Lifetime Achievement in Travel Iris Salazar , Skal USA New York , Travel and Transportation

, Skal , Travel and Transportation Phyllis Stoller , Skal USA New York , Travel Blogging

, Skal , Travel Blogging Julie Scott , Skal Nairobi , Travel and Transportation

, Skal , Travel and Transportation Lavonne Wittman , Skal Pretoria , Mentor in Travel

All of the women had a few comments about the award and what it meant for Skal to receive so much international visibility.

Wittmann, the 2019 President of Skal International, said, "It is an absolute honor for me to have received the outstanding mentorship award, especially from a women-based organization specifically in travel and tourism. The award has come at a very opportune time to embrace the rise of the African woman in our industry. As Skal International President 2019 and a proudly South African woman, the award is of huge significance not only to me but to my country as 54% of our population is below the age of 24. This is one of the most important groups that would benefit from this award. It gives me the opportunity and leeway to uplift, enlighten, and motivate our youth and empower them to attain their dreams and expectations."

Stottler, President of the Women's Travel Group, noted, "I won for our blog: https://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com/blog/ which offers stories, tips, and encouragement to women who love to travel. The blog is unusual for its authenticity and straight uncensored advice. I operate a tour company for smart women travelers; the blog is an extension of our 28 years of our small group tours. The award to me means recognition that women have a travel voice. The voice is different than men's and is often overlooked by the travel industry but not by WITTI. Solo women travelers are the fastest growing demographic. We are so proud to represent them and to be awarded for doing that. Furthermore, to be a woman of the Board of Skal in New York, is an honor that brings weekly benefits to my business."

Scott, who is an inbound tour operator at Bunson Travel in Kenya and Secretary of the Skal International Council, made these comments. "Being recognized by WITTI at the Top Women in Travel as an Outstanding Woman in Travel and Transportation is such a great honor to me. When I was first nominated by a fellow Skalleague, who is a believer in the African travel and tourism industry, I looked at the website and thought wow to be nominated by such a group was already an honor. Women have been the backbone of the travel industry, but there is still disparity when it comes to senior leadership positions. With my award, I aim to reassure women in our industry that they can do it. I worked with my club to bring the Skal Congress to Kenya and helped to restart the Skal Club of Addis Ababa. I am now working to grow Skal clubs in Africa. I am looking to work with Women in Travel and Tourism International (WITTI) to form a mentorship program and assist them when times are hard as we face this new reality we are in now."

Salazar, an officer of Micato Safaris, an exotic tour operator specializing in Africa, and past president of Skal New York, shared her thoughts. "After WITTI recognized me as one of its Outstanding Women in Travel and Transportation, I thought a lot about something WITTI said, that 'women have long been the backbone of the travel and tourism industry.' When I first heard that I thought 'Right on!' because to be the backbone of anything you need to have a substantial backbone yourself and I to consider myself in that company of women who stand up not just for what they believe, but for each other. And that's also why it's so significant to me that eight women from Skal were represented among this year's winners. As immediate past president of Skal International New York, my goal was to further Skal's mission of doing business among friends and sharing each other's successes. I was especially delighted that three of us from the eight Skalleagues recognized are members of Skal New York. So, while I feel honored to receive this award and am personally gratified that through my success I might serve as a role model for young Latin American women, I think it's true--especially in the travel industry--that behind every successful woman is likely another successful woman. I truly believe we want to benefit from each other's successes, to benefit from these strong backbones we have in common."

Powers, president of Powers Travel and Event Management, past president of Skal International USA, and currently the ISC Counselor to Skal USA, was thrilled to receive a lifetime achievement award and observed, "How exciting to see so many talented female Skal International members being singled out and honored for excellence in our industry at this prestigious event. I am truly humbled to be included in this esteemed group."

Maravich, who is a director of the Global Business Travel Association and served as president of Skal Washington, remarked, "Receiving the 'Rising Star' award from WITTI is a great honor. This award particularly recognizes my work, efforts, and additional involvement in the industry as a young professional in travel and tourism. I value this industry and appreciate to have had the opportunities and experiences that I've had within it so far. I have an amazing network of friends and colleagues that I like to call my tourism family, who have helped me to get to this point and shared their knowledge with me along the way. I would not be where I am without my tribe and I love that it keeps growing with more faces. I decided in college to follow my heart to an industry called tourism and this shows that following your passion does work, that doing what I love and working hard...works. This is an award I will always treasurer and I am grateful for the selection. It was quite an honor to be recognized with all of the other awardees, especially my fellow Skalleagues. To have so many female Skalleagues recognized for their work in the travel and tourism industry is a testament to where Skal International is today as an organization. Part of my success in this industry is from the relationships formed with Skal, so I am delighted to have received this award with so many Skalleagues by my side."

Drew, who is the former publisher of National Geographic Traveler and CEO of MOSTE, had some insightful comments. "WITTI has evolved from the casual lunch meetings with just a few of us to become an organization that supports and recognizes the achievements of women on all levels of the industry. I am very proud to have been selected by my peers for this honor. It means so much to have the recognition and the friendship of the many women who have been industry leaders. My company operates worldwide and is based in New York City. We specialize in destination development for travel and tourism, destination marketing, and film production. I am founder and CEO of MOSTE and Dawn Drew Independent Productions. I have known about Skal for many years. But spending the evening with the other WITTI winners who are members of Skal really turned my head. Such wonderful, supportive, fun, powerful women! I look forward to each and every opportunity to be with them and to work with them."

Ackerson, president of ALON Marketing Group, which specializes in tourism marketing and training, offered her observations. "The award has given me the opportunity to appreciate my own contributions to the industry. Besides moving at a steady pace for a very long time, my company has always focused first on our clients and not on myself or our company. It is a great feeling to take a moment to reflect and realize that I have made an impact to win an award of this stature. To win it amongst these other prestigious women is beyond gratifying. My company is a tourism marketing company and has assisted supplier businesses small and large on how to achieve their goals in tourism, specifically on how to work effectively with the tourism travel trade. ALON Marketing Group is based in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY, where I have been a member of Skal in New York and Long Island for many years."

The conference was highlighted with an hour conversation with President Barack Obama, who discussed his life in the White House, its impact on his family, and what it was like to be a former President and most importantly a discussion on tourism promotion. Tourism promotion was one of his key initiatives to rebuild the national economy. His discussion did not include any aspects of American politics in 2020.

Skal International USA is the largest national committee of Skal International with 2,000 members and 45 clubs throughout the United States and its territories. Several new markets, including Houston, Savannah and San Antonio are future sites under consideration for activating new Skal clubs.

Contact:

Tom Moulton

[email protected]

SOURCE Skal International USA
ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan will hold a teleconference on Tuesday with German, French and British leaders to discuss Turkey's standoff with the European Union after it opened its borders to migrants trying to enter the bloc.

Tens of thousands of migrants tried to get into Greece, a European Union member state, after Turkey said on Feb. 28 it would no longer keep them on its territory as part of a 2016 deal with Brussels in return for EU aid.

Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrians, the world's largest refugee population, and fears that Syrian government forces could drive another 3 million across its borders from the rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib.

The European Union has called on Turkey to stop the migrants, from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa as well as Syria, trying to cross the border.

Greece has used tear gas and water cannon against the migrants, and both countries have sent troops or security forces to the border. Ankara has accused Greek forces of shooting dead four migrants at the border, a claim Athens strongly denies.

Erdogan, on a visit to Brussels last week, was told by EU leaders he must stop encouraging migrants to cross into Greece if Ankara wanted the bloc to provide further backing.

"The support that can be given to Turkey, what can be done following Erdogan's talks in Brussels and the evaluation of EU leaders will be handled (in the call)," a Turkish official told Reuters, adding they would also discuss the global coronavirus outbreak and fighting in Libya.

The talks were originally planned as a summit meeting in Istanbul. That was changed after the spread of coronavirus prompted all four countries to impose travel restrictions.

The four leaders will discuss updating the 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey under which the bloc pledged 6 billion euros ($6.8 million) in aid to finance projects for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

The summit will also discuss Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, where a nearly two-week old ceasefire struck by Russia and Turkey is broadly holding. Erdogan has repeatedly said the European Union and NATO have to support Turkey to protect civilians there.

(Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Dominic Evans)
DStv Now has made a selection of channels available to all South Africans for free.

DStv Now is an online streaming service which is bundled with DStvs satellite broadcasting service, and allows subscribers to watch TV and shows from mobile devices, smart TVs, laptops, and more.

The new free channel package is available to all South Africans, however, and not only DStv subscribers.

The company said that in response to the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa, a number of DStv Now channels are no longer locked behind a subscription and are available to anyone with an Internet connection.

DStv channels which are now available to stream for free are:

100  DStv

 DStv 180  Peoples Weather

 Peoples Weather 238  SuperSport Play

 SuperSport Play 313  PBS Kids

 PBS Kids 320  Channel O

 Channel O 343  TBN

 TBN 400  BBC World News

 BBC World News 401  CNN

 CNN 402  Sky News

 Sky News 403  eNCA

 eNCA 404  SABC News

 SABC News 405  Newzroom Afrika

 Newzroom Afrika 414  Euronews Now

Staying informed about the latest news on the virus is the first step in stopping its spread, said the company. For this reason, it has made several 24-hour news channels available.

In addition to these channels, episodes of popular series are also available via the Catch Up portal on the free service, including Igazi, The River, Isibaya, Binnelanders, Suidooster, and Die Ware Naarheid.

Signing up

To sign up for DStv Nows free service, users must navigate to the DStv Now portal, select the option to Sign Up, and follow the steps below.

Fill in your details and click Create Account.

Provide your ID, smartcard, or customer number. If youre not subscribed to DStv, scroll to the bottom and choose Skip.

Name your profile and set your profile picture.

Start watching.

If youre planning on watching DStv on your phone or tablet, download the DStv Now app for Android or iOS.

DStv Now noted that its free service is currently only available in South Africa.

Now read: Major Netflix shows delayed by coronavirus
The outbreak of the new coronavirus in Hungary has entered its next stage, going from isolated cases to clusters, chief medical officer Cecilia Muller said.

The cases identified in the country so far were either individual ones or within smaller communities, she told a press conference after a meeting of the operative board coordinating the epidemic response.



But in the coming days the epidemic is expected to appear in clusters, she said, adding that at this stage it would be impossible to trace infections.



Muller advised those who could to stay at home and minimise social contact, saying all contact with others presented a risk of infection.



She said that besides the National Centre for Public Health (NNK), two additional labs would begin testing samples for the virus and more hospitals would treat patients. If the number of Covid-19 patients rises, infectology departments outside Budapest will also be involved in treating them, she said.



Muller said that though there was sufficient space in hospitals for quarantining people, the authorities were also ordering people to home quarantine. Concerning the countrys blood supply, she said all non-urgent surgeries had been cancelled, meaning that blood supply needs would also change.



The chief medical officer also said several health-care workers were in quarantine due to coming into close contact with patients, adding, however, that their initial tests had come back negative.



Meanwhile, she said Interior Minister Sandor Pinters first test for the virus has come back negative, as did those of more than forty of his contacts. Moroccan media reported on Saturday that Abdelkader Amara, the transport minister, had tested positive for the virus.



The minister last week visited Hungary and met the interior minister, among others.



The Government Information Centre on Sunday said Pinter showed no symptoms of Covid-19 but would undergo the same examinations as everyone who had come into contact with patients.



Official advice and information is available from the Hungarian government website (in Hungarian and English): koronavirus.gov.hu



Also, you can call the Hungarian governments dedicated coronavirus hotline on +36 80 277 455 or +36 80 277 456 if you believe you have symptoms - ask for an English speaking operator.



MTI Photo
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the state of emergency might be introduced in Ukraine due to the situation with the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

"You heard that President of France [Emmanuel] Macron said that everyone is banned from going outside during 15 days. So far we have not faced such a situation. However, I should tell you honestly: if this is necessary, we will introduce the state of emergency," he said in the Freedom of Speech program on the ICTV television channel, when asked whether the Verkhovna Rada could make a decision on the introduction of the emergency state in Ukraine on Tuesday.

Zelensky also said that the state of emergency will be introduced in Chernivtsi and Zhytomyr region, where COVID-19 cases have been registered.
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As the coronavirus continues to spread in the U.S., more and more businesses are sending employees off to work from home. Public schools are closing, universities are holding classes online, major events are getting canceled, and cultural institutions are shutting their doors. Even Disney World and Disneyland are closed. The disruption of daily life for many Americans is real and significant -- but so are the potential life-saving benefits.

It's all part of an effort to do what epidemiologists call flattening the curve of the pandemic. The idea is to increase social distancing in order to slow the spread of the virus, so that you don't get a huge spike in the number of people getting sick all at once. If that were to happen, there wouldn't be enough hospital beds or mechanical ventilators for everyone who needs them, and the U.S. hospital system would be overwhelmed. That's already happening in Italy.

"If you think of our health care system as a subway car and it's rush hour and everybody wants to get on the car once, they start piling up at the door," says Drew Harris, a population health researcher at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. "They pile up on the platform. There's just not enough room in the car to take care of everybody, to accommodate everybody. That's the system that is overwhelmed. It just can't handle it, and people wind up not getting services that they need."

Harris is the creator of a widely shared graphic visualizing just why it is so important to flatten the curve of a pandemic, including the current one -- we've reproduced his graphic at the top of this page. The tan curve represents a scenario in which the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients.

However, Harris says, if we can delay the spread of the virus so that new cases aren't popping up all at once, but rather over the course of weeks or months, "then the system can adjust and accommodate all the people who are possibly going to get sick and possibly need hospital care." People would still get infected, he notes, but at a rate that the health care system could actually keep up with -- a scenario represented by the more gently sloped blue curve on the graph.

These two curves have already played out in the U.S. in an earlier age -- during the 1918 flu pandemic. Research has shown that the faster authorities moved to implement the kinds of social distancing measures designed to slow the transmission of disease, the more lives were saved. And the history of two U.S. cities -- Philadelphia and St. Louis -- illustrates just how big a difference those measures can make.

In Philadelphia, Harris notes, city officials ignored warnings from infectious disease experts that the flu was already circulating in their community. Instead, they moved forward with a massive parade in support of World War I bonds that brought hundreds of thousands of people together. "Within 48, 72 hours, thousands of people around the Philadelphia region started to die," Harris notes. Within six months, about 16,000 people had died.

Meanwhile, officials in St. Louis, Mo., had a vastly different public health response. Within two days of the first reported cases, the city quickly moved to social isolation strategies, according to a 2007 analysis.

"They really tried to limit the travel of people and implement Public Health 101 -- isolating and treating the sick, quarantining the people who have been exposed to disease, closing the schools, encouraging social distancing of people," Harris says. "And, of course, encouraging hand hygiene and other individual activities."

As a result, St. Louis suffered just one-eighth of the flu fatalities that Philadelphia saw, according to that 2007 research. But if St. Louis had waited another week or two to act, it might have suffered a fate similar to Philadelphia's, the researchers concluded.

At the time the 2007 research was released, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading adviser in the U.S. response to COVID-19, the disease caused by the current coronavirus, said the evidence was clear that early intervention was critical in the midst of the 1918 pandemic.

As for just how big the current coronavirus pandemic will be in America? "It is going to be totally dependent upon how we respond to it," Fauci told Congress.

"I can't give you a number," he said. "I can't give you a realistic number until we put into [it] the factor of how we respond. If we're complacent and don't do really aggressive containment and mitigation, the number could go way up and be involved in many, many millions."
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the United States is taking deliberate actions that hamper Irans measures to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"Iranian President Hassan Rouhani recently said that along with the $200-billion damage already dealt to the economy of the country, the May 2018 unilateral US sanctions, imposed within the framework of the maximum pressure campaign, pose a serious obstacle to efficient measures against the infection," the statement reads.

The Russian ministry believes that the reason behind the numerous fatalities in Iran is not only the infection itself, but also the fact that the U.S. is hindering efforts to counter it.

"We strongly call upon the United States to face the truth and make the much-needed decision to immediately lift the sanctions that directly affect fundamental human rights in Iran," TASS cited the statement as saying.
Pressed on his immigration record as vice president, Joe Biden pledged Sunday that no one will be deported at all during his first 100 days in office, and that subsequent deportations would only be commissions of felonies.

The reason is its about uniting families, its about making sure that we can both be a nation of immigrants as well as a nation that is decent, Biden explained to Univision anchor Ilia Calderon. He also said the Obama administrations approach to immigration took much too long to get it right, despite calling Democratic criticisms of Obamas immigration record bizarre in August.

President Trumps 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale said the Sunday comments made Biden a train wreck on illegal immigration.

Joe Biden is a train wreck on illegal immigration and would harm national security. Hed have ZERO deportations for the first 100 days INCLUDING CRIMINALS and after that deport only felons. Trashes the rule of law and makes us less safe. Insanity!

pic.twitter.com/MCUSAt83Wo  Brad Parscale  Text TRUMP to 88022 (@parscale) March 16, 2020

Biden first floated the 100 days moratorium during a February town hall in Las Vegas.

Some of you are going to get mad at me with this, but nobody is going to be deported in my first 100 days until we get through the point we find out the only rationale for deportation will be whether or not, whether or not you have committed a felony while in the country, he said.

Biden also told Univision anchor Jorge Ramos in February that the Obama administration had made a big mistake with its deportation policy, after defending it previously.

The former vice president has tacked to the left in his immigration rhetoric in recent months, saying in January that he would fire any ICE agent who tried to deport an undocumented immigrant not charged with a felony, and added that I dont count drunk driving as a felony.

Story continues

Ahead of the Iowa caucuses, Biden said that most undocumented immigrants currently protected from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are more American than most Americans.

More from National Review
(TNS)  Electric bikes have supercharged Madison, Wisconsins bike share program.Ridership of Madison BCycle more than doubled in 2019 following the conversion of the fleet to e-bikes, which use battery-powered motors to give riders a boost.Company officials are hopeful that success will continue when the 2020 season begins on Sunday.Its really been incredible, said Morgan Ramaker, director of BCycle, a division of Waterloo-based Trek Bicycles.BCycle, which has owned and operated Madisons bike-share system since 2011, provides equipment for programs operated by local partners in 40 U.S. cities, including Milwaukees Bublr Bikes.In the 11 cities that added some e-bikes last year, Ramaker said ridership has quadrupled compared with classic bikes. But Madison, the only city with an all-electric fleet, saw the greatest increase, and Ramaker is hoping other programs will follow suit.We really wanted to demonstrate what we thought that best-in-class experience would look like, she said. Now weve got a great story to tell.In addition to more trips, Madison BCycle saw a 64% increase in users in 2019, which Ramaker said is a direct result of the e-bikes.They dont want to show up to meeting sweaty, she said. We heard from writers who said, You know, I had knee surgery and so now with an electric bike I can ride again.The company plans to add another 100 e-bikes this year.Bike share is essentially a short-term rental program. Users buy passes  annual, monthly or half hour  that allow them to check out a bike from any of the 45 stations clustered along the Isthmus, near East Side and UW campus. They can then return the bike to any station.Madison BCycle sold 43,741 passes in 2019, more than the previous two years combined, and users took more than 231,000 trips.Overall, the bikes were ridden an average of four times per day  the highest utilization rate of any system  with some days topping 15 trips per bike.For bike share thats a tremendous number, said Madison city traffic engineer Yang Tao.Tao said the program has been a key piece of the transportation network, especially Downtown, where bikes are often faster than cars and provide a last mile alternative for bus riders.The bike share provides an important service for our residents and our visitors, he said. Someone visiting Madison  instead of relying on a car that person may rent a bike and ride to UW. That fills a niche that can otherwise be hard for a city to provide.While the city has helped with planning and allowed BCycle to use its electricity for a nominal fee, the bike share program does not receive public subsidies.If a city provided a service like this ourselves, its going to cost much more, Tao said. Its lucky for us to have a local partner willing to invest.While BCycle remains dependent on support from Trek, Ramaker said its a mutually-beneficial relationship for the bike manufacturer.One of Treks corporate objectives is to change the world by getting more people on bikes, she said. What better way to do that than to put 300 of them around the city, make it really easy to get on one, right? It removes so many barriers that would be difficult for a bike shop.While transportation infrastructure  a seat on the bus, a parking stall  has long been shared, the idea of shared-used vehicles is relatively new, largely enabled by technology like smart phone apps and computer software to manage transactions, said James Longhurst, a transportation historian at UW-La Crosse.Bike share systems and e-bikes are part of what he calls a Cambrian explosion in urban mobility where everything from ride hailing services to electric scooters are competing with privately owned cars.These many different species are coming and going, he said. We should think less about the success or failure of any one. ... and more about what city transportation should be. Whatever it is now its not going to be that in the future.Ramaker said 37% of riders surveyed said they were using their personal cars less because of BCycle.That is one of the most meaningful things that I heard, she said. We do want to get people out of their cars, thinking about other ways to get around and experience the city.Longhurst said e-bikes may be the most efficient means of moving people in an urban setting.Particularly if its a shared e-bike, he said. The efficiency in space and power is something weve really never seen in America before. There is a potential for this to be revolutionary.
Church of the Highlands opens coronavirus testing site to help up to 500 people daily

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The multi-campus Church of the Highlands in Alabama says it will begin offering drive-through coronavirus testing at its Grandview campus starting Tuesday, even for people who can't afford to pay for it.

In partnership with Assurance Scientific and the Christ Health Center, Alabama residents who have either been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms such as a cough or fever can receive testing at the Church of the Highlands campus on Grandview Parkway.

In a statement on its a website, Alabamas largest church said the test site will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be operated in consultation with the Jefferson County Department of Health.

Testing will be limited to 500 people per day to best allocate resources.

Testing resources are scarce nationally and are limited to those experiencing symptoms of cough or fever or persons who have had direct in-person exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, a Church of the Highlands Facebook post reads. Please help protect these resources by not presenting if you are not certain you need to be tested.

Test results will be made available within 72 hours.

Those who come for testing will be asked pre-screening questions to see if they qualify for the test.

In the interest of public health, all persons must remain in their vehicles with their windows rolled-up, a joint press release from the Christ Health Center and Church of the Highlands explains. As you are presenting for possible contagious disease, no restroom facilities will be available.

The release explains that anyone coming for COVID-19 testing is declaring that they should self-quarantine until such time you receive a negative COVID-19 test result.

Those who are tested at the site will be billed through their insurance provider, whether that be a major insurance carrier or Medicare or Medicaid.

Church of the Highlands, Assurance Scientific and Christ Health Center have also created a fund to cover the cost of anyone who does not have insurance so that no one will be turned away for inability to pay.

The statement on the churchs website advises older adults and those with chronic medical conditions to avoid crowds.

Church of the Highlands Senior Pastor Chris Hodges preached his sermon on Sunday, much like many other pastors across the United States, to an empty room with thousands watching at home.

Its a whole lot more than whether we have a church service or not, Hodges said at the start of his sermon. Our church is not a service, our church has a service. This is really one small part of who we are as a church.

Hodges said that church representatives have been meeting with local health officials and mayors to figure out how the church can serve our communities in every way we can.

If you have hope, listen to me, our city needs us right now, Hodges said. The people around us need us right now and people are discouraged. They think the sky is falling. This is serious, make no mistake about it. This is a global pandemic. Its a serious issue. We are going to survive this. I know we are.

Church of the Highlands launched Grandview as its 14th campus after purchasing the former Cahaba Grand Conference Center in 2016.

Church of the Highlands is not the only church serving as a coronavirus testing site.

Another is the multicampus Biltmore Church in Asheville, North Carolina, which is holding drive-through testing at its campus in Arden operated by Buncombe County Health and Human Services.

The testing will be available weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or based on the availability of supplies, according to The Ashville Citizen-Times.

Much like in Alabama, testing at Biltmore Church will only be for those who have come in contact with someone with coronavirus or are exhibiting symptoms.

As of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control reported 3,487 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and 68 related deaths. The virus has been reported in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The average age of death from the new coronavirus is 80.
Vinson Synan, one of the first historians of Pentecostalism and a powerful advocate for the breadth and depth of the Pentecostal movement, died on Sunday. He was 85.

Synan was a professionally trained historian with a doctorate from the University of Georgia. He was the son of a Pentecostal pastor who himself became a Pentecostal pastor and eventually the assistant general superintendent of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC).

He sometimes experienced a tug of war between his scholarly and religious commitments, Synan wrote in his 2010 memoir. But in both roles, he helped people understand Pentecostalism as a tradition with deep Protestant roots and as an ongoing movement that was expanding to include Christians in all denominations all over the world.

Born in 1934 and raised in the Pentecostal Holiness church, some of Synans earliest memories were listening to his father and uncle preach to poor white people during the Great Depression in small Virginia churches and revivals.

People would be up on their feet shouting the victory, he wrote. The altar calls were a sight to behold and sometimes painful to hear. People crowded the front of the church seeking salvation, sanctification, baptism in the Holy Spirit, or divine healing. Often the roar of concert prayer was deafening.

These people were known derogatively as holy rollers. Synan found the term offensive and grew interested in the history of Pentecostalism. He was surprised to find that the elders in his church knew little of their Pentecostal past.

His father, Joseph Synan, didnt know anything about Charles Fox Parham, for example, the original proponent of the decisive Pentecostal doctrine that speaking in tongues is Bible evidence of a second baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The elder Synan did know about the second leader of the movement, William J. Seymour, who led the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in 1906, but he didnt have all the details right. He told his son that Seymour, an African American, was a one-legged man. Seymour actually had two good legs but was blind in one eye from smallpox. In the tangle of testimonies of faith and miracles, passed down from preacher to son, the bad eye had somehow become a missing leg.

But 12-year-old Vinson Synan was awestruck. The misremembered and half-remembered history fascinated him. He had to know the true scale and scope of the Pentecostal tradition.

That became possible at the University of Georgia, where the historian Horace Montgomery allowed Synan to write his dissertation on the history of the movement. Pentecostalism was an unusual subject for an academic study, but Montgomerya Unitarian Universalist who studied the politics of poor white peoplethought it was interesting, and he promoted the project. It became Synans groundbreaking 1971 history, The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement.

The book rooted Pentecostalism in the teachings of John Wesley, arguing it didnt spring from nothing but developed out of British and American revivalism, Anglican spirituality, and the Keswick higher living theology. Synans account has become the standard narrative of Pentecostalism, but at the time it cut against Pentecostals sense of themselves as a Holy Spirit rupture in history.

When Synan published a revised version of the book in 1997, he changed the title to The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition. He was arguing, he said, that Pentecostalism was a tradition, despite the fact that most Pentecostals have disdained the word tradition as belonging to the older and colder established churches.

In the process of researching and publishing the book, Synan also met and befriended the archivists and church historians at the different Pentecostal denominations. He brought them together in 1970 to start the Society for Pentecostal Studies, the first academic guild for the purpose.

Synan was not interested in a purely academic relationship to Pentecostalism, though. Even as he was working on his dissertation, he planted and pastored a Pentecostal church in Georgia. And as a minister, he found his own sense of Pentecostalism expanding in the 1970s.

He was invited to a prayer breakfast, hosted by the Full Gospel Business Mens Fellowship International, and was surprised to find non-Pentecostals therepraying in tongues. Synan saw a Lutheran minister praying to be filled with the Spirit. Synans first instinct, he recalled in his memoir, was to criticize the man for doing it wrong. He was sitting down, when he should be standing up. He was definitely praying too quietly. Then the minister started speaking a language that sounded like Arabic, a language he didnt know. Synan understood it to be a gift from God and a rebuke to his own small faith.

Next Synan read about the Jesus People, hippies who loved Jesus and were filled with the Spirit in California. He was shocked, but thrilled, to find those people could be Pentecostal too.

Then Synan witnessed the Catholic Charismatic Renewal as it broke out at the University of Notre Dame. He was stunned. It was, he would later write, the most surprising turn in the whole history of Pentecostalism. That came as an utter shock to me, he said, to most of my friends, and probably to the Catholic Church.

For the rest of his life, Synan advocated for a broader understanding of the Pentecostal movement and helped lead an ecumenical Charismatic movement, including organizing and chairing gatherings of the North American General Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization. He also became general secretary, assistant to the general superintendent, and director of evangelicalism for the IPHC.

No one in our movement has been more influential in global Christianity than him, said Doug Beacham, general superintendent of the IPHC. He was a pillar in the mid-20th century move of the Holy Spirit that impacted Christians from nearly every faith family within Protestantism and Catholicism. We are grateful for his scholarship, his passion for Jesus Christ, his love and service to the IPHC, and for the way he and his wife Carol and their children consistently demonstrated what it means to live in the Holy Spirit.

As an academic, Synan served as director of the Holy Spirit Research Center at Oral Roberts University and dean of the School of Divinity at Regent University, while writing extensively on the history of Pentecostalism. His scholarship served as the starting place for generations of historians. Synan was also active observing and explaining contemporary developmentsfrom the scandals of televangelists to new revivals, like the Brownsville revival in Pensacola, Floridaand predicting Pentecostalisms future.

Going forward, he told CT in 2010, Pentecostalism would likely become more diverse and more global, growing in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. And it would face some challenges.

The biggest, he said, would be to keep the Pentecostal fire burning. All of its big revivals have cooled off after a generation or so. Pentecostalism is into its second century, but its still vigorous because it tends to renew itself every 30 or 40 years. If [its leaders] keep the excitement and the fire going intellectually and culturally, the [movement will] continue to grow.

Synan is survived by his wife and four children. He will be buried in Chester, Virginia.

CT also recently covered the death of fellow Pentecostal historian Edith Blumhofer, of Wheaton College, who passed away March 5.
Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has given reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to restrict fli...





Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has given reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to restrict flights from high risk countries with Coronavirus.





The spread of Coronavirus has shut down economies, sport events and put the world on stand still.





Canada, Italy among other countries have closed all borders in order to curtail the further spread and increase in COVID-19 cases.





However, Buharis government has insisted that the border will remain open and that flights from Europe are welcome.

Reno Omokri, however, says Buharis government has refused to restrict flights from high risk nations because former vice president Atiku Abubakar raised the suggestion earlier.





The former presidential spokesman further appealed to Buhari to drop his ego and save the lives of Nigerians at risk.





Omokri on his Twitter page wrote: The reason General Buhari does not want to restrict flights from Coronavirus high risk nations is because the closure of borders was first suggested by Atiku Abubakar.





He does not want Atiku to get the credit. This is about ego. Buhari must drop his ego and do the right thing to save lives!





Atiku had urged the government to restrict flights into Nigeria.





Meanwhile, the Senate has asked Buhari to immediately impose travel ban on high risk countries as Nigeria records third case.





The third case was confirmed after a 30-year-old lady who returned from Uk on the 13th of March tested positive of COVID-19.




In her final year as principal at George Fitton School, Gail McDonald applied for a federal grant to offer Indigenous language instruction in her school.

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This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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In her final year as principal at George Fitton School, Gail McDonald applied for a federal grant to offer Indigenous language instruction in her school.

The school learned it would receive $68,000 in August.

"Before we wrote the grant (proposal), we surveyed our families to see which Indigenous language is the most popular first step," said vice-principal Sherry Baker.

"Michif came out on top."

Michif uses Cree verb phrases and French noun phrases and is the language used by Metis, who are descendants of First Nations women and European men who worked in the fur trade. According to the Louis Riel Institute, fewer than 1,000 people speak Michif today.

Of 480 students at the school, 40 per cent are Indigenous, and principal Brad Twordik said that places the school in the No. 1 or 2 spot in terms of Indigenous population in Brandon schools.

Baker said she assumes parents made their survey choice according to their own backgrounds.

Kindergarten and Grade 1 students are learning basic Michif from Metis elder Verna DeMontigny, and every second lunch hour students in grades 4 to 8 can also learn it, along with beading, finger weaving and general knowledge of Metis culture.

Roughly a dozen students participate.

Jerilynn Wood implements the Building Student Success with Indigenous Parents Program at George Fitton and participates in the language programming. Metis herself, she has been teaching herself Michif for two years.

"Ive got the French part. The Cree is a little more difficult, learning the gender differences. I thought I had it until Miss Verna told me I was all out of context. Im catching it now that I have an actual teacher," Wood said.

The students are responding well and enjoying the lessons.

"Theyre soaking it up," she said.

This past Monday, students from the school performed at a Brandon School Division board of trustees meeting, where board members were delighted by the performance of two songs: "Taanshi (Hello)" and "Ma famii (My Family)."

COLIN SLARK/THE BRANDON SUN George Fitton School students perform two Michif songs at a Brandon School Division board of trustees meeting last week. From left: Allan Rincon, Hadley McLelland and Janessa Henderson, with Isabelle Hagan at the back and Jerilynn Wood, building student success with Indigenous parents worker.

"The students who sang the songs in Michif were such a diverse group of learners. It was beautiful," Baker said.

"Their family members filled the gallery. It showed the support we do have from our families."

Raised in foster care, a child of the Sixties Scoop, Cree trustee Delvina Kejick lost her language at a young age. Witnessing the young students resonated deeply.

"I believe that language is the basis of ones culture and gives us a stronger sense of our identity, our ancestors, a renewed future and hope for actual acts of reconciliation," she said.

"My whole being has and continues to long deeply for my language, and its exciting to see and hear of many learning much earlier. They will be stronger down the road. I look forward to the implementation of Indigenous languages in school and curriculum. We have it happening in high school and thats important, but starting as early as possible is even better."

The grant the school received  Canadian Heritages Indigenous Languages Component (formerly known as the Aboriginal Languages Initiative)  is for this school year only, but the proposal included the provision for DeMontigny to pass on some basic teaching skills.

"Were hoping to explore other ways of doing it (including Indigenous language instruction). Part of the grant is for Mrs. DeMontigny to provide some learning tools for others to use, so others may access it as well," Twordik said.

Staff in Woods position at other schools are learning from DeMontigny as well to build skills across the school division.

"Were trying to make a sustainable plan," Twordik said, adding its not just about the language but about the culture, as well.

He hopes the school might be able to continue inviting DeMontigny to the school, even if less often.

"Our Ks and our 1s love to see her walk into the room. They get pretty excited when shes there," he said.

This week is Metis week at the school. Students will jig to the strains of fiddles, and learn even more about the culture through storytelling.

The Brandon School Division has offered Cree, Michif, Dakota and Anishinaabe at its four high schools. Cree is currently being taught at Crocus Plains for semester two.

 mletourneau@brandonsun.com

 Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism.
The refugee crisis is exacerbated by poorly designed camps and settlements. Heres how to do it right.

Watching inhumanity unfold at refugee camps such as Moria on the Greek island of Lesvos, it is hard not to ask why the situation has become so dire for people fleeing war and desperate lives, and for the countries receiving and hosting them.

The war in Syria has been going on since 2011; how can it be possible that what should be the most simple of tasks still has not been achieved  the provision of decent services and protection for human beings regardless of who they are or where they have come from.

Mostly, this is a logistical and organisational task which can be achieved with the right professional and financial resources; neither of which should be an issue for a continent like Europe.

As time goes on, the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria and other war-torn areas of the world is getting worse for refugees from those places. As has been happening on Lesvos, we see images daily of burning refugee centres, desperate people being beaten with sticks and tear-gassed, and angry protesters fearful of more immigration.

It all seems so far removed from the European ideal of open and free societies; a Europe which seemed to be the incubator and catalyst for a modern interconnected and sustainable humanity; a Europe we hoped would finally overcome its dark history of colonialism, imperialism and fascism.

From a humanitarian and professional perspective, you would expect the sort of mess unfolding on Lesvos to happen at the beginning of a crisis such as the war in Syria, not years into a known situation. And it is happening right on the richest continent on this globe.

This is the shameful result of there being no vision or leadership when it comes to managing the refugee crisis; of politicians having succumbed to the most primitive narrative and adopting panicky, short-sighted policies.

Closing borders with repressive measures, deporting young refugees and migrants even when they have learned the language and are working or are in the middle of apprenticeships are actions used to score political points with voters by ambitious populist European politicians and leaders in Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy or the centrist parties moving to the right in Scandinavia or Greece.

Their hard line attracts votes from people who feel insecure and have not been shown the benefits of implementing modern migration and integration measures.

Affordable housing or small business support and saving schemes which made Europe so successful in its reconstruction following WWII have been abandoned and neglected throughout Europe.

Europes visionless response to the refugee crisis has created the chaos necessary for right-wing nationalism to thrive. Recent newspaper headlines, such as Illegal immigrants flood in! and Migrants rob young Britons of jobs seen in the UK in 2019, have fuelled this sort of sentiment.

There is a solution

Given the right tools  a team, a sufficient budget, three months to set up proper camps and six to implement the first phase of getting them up and running  and the immediate crisis in Greece and, by default, the European crisis would be over if only it was managed correctly.

Done properly, we could avoid the images of human suffering and abuse, stories of suicidal children, women being abused, human traffickers and mafia thriving.

The conditions on the Greek islands, the reforms introduced by the Greek government resulting in a block on asylum claims  a violation of international law  and the reduction of social support even to recognised refugees will open the doors further to human trafficking and exploitation.

I saw it all when I was manager of the Zaatari refugee camp on the Jordanian-Syrian border in 2013 and 2014. During the initial restrictions strictly limiting the freedom of movement of refugees in the 100,000-person camp, prostitution, smuggling and child abuse were prolific. We were aware that Syrian mafia and business networks linked to the armed opposition were making millions every month. We did not have the resources or intelligence available to do much about it.

This is still going on. Gangs and people smugglers are preying on the desperation and vulnerability of people trying to get to Greece. Recruitment into brothels, sweatshops and farms in Europe is thriving because desperate refugees feel they have no choice.

Documents are forged by international gangs, and children, in particular, have been disappearing without a trace  tens of thousands over the past five years, according to Europol and other child protection agencies.

Quelling our fear of immigrants

For those worried about the effect of refugees coming into their countries, properly managed refugee settlements would also stem any uncontrolled rush of refugees towards northern Europe. Responsible management of sustainable camps developing into settlements could fix all that.

There would be immediate protection and asylum procedures for people in the most dire need and support for victims of violence as well as trauma treatment.

There would be a due process to help people return to their countries in dignity with the right support or be linked to opportunities elsewhere in the world.

This has been done before and can be done again. But Europe must be willing to invest properly in hosting larger numbers of refugees and desperate migrants.

To do this, camps will need to be transformed into sustainable settlements and cities which can accommodate hundreds of thousands of people. That is what communities have managed throughout history when towns and settlements have emerged as the result of arrivals of refugees pushed out by invaders. Many of our cities have grown that way.

Temporary holdings, storage and transit, and emergency camps with tents or portacabins and only communal washing and cooking facilities are not the answer. Those are for dealing with an immediate crisis; here, we face an continuing situation.

My time at Zaatari made this clear to me. The camp residents became angry; they looted, rioted and rebelled against the aid agencies and authorities there for as long as there was no vision or understanding about the space and services they really needed.

Communal toilets and kitchens would be dismantled and used as materials to build individual homes. In Zaatari, once the communal facilities had been dismantled and turned into 14,000 private toilets and kitchens in homes modelled and decorated to the taste of the residents, there was peace in the camp.

All the residents of the camp really wanted was to be recognised as individuals with dignity and identity.

Therefore we partnered with private-sector and government city planning experts from the City of Amsterdam to review and adjust the way camps were being designed and built.

As a result, Zaatari has become peaceful. It hosts a plethora of innovative projects fostering education, technology, arts and entrepreneurship. The refugee camp has become a settlement and an incubator for change.

Europe must be prepared to do exactly what we have been expecting Kenya, Jordan or Ethiopia to do for decades on our behalf. Host, assist and, if needs be, absorb and integrate refugees and migrants into existing communities.

At this stage in Europe, it may be more acceptable for the sake of political peace to begin with establishing new larger settlements, also in Europe, from which integration, return and resettlement can be coordinated and within which humans can develop and grow strength rather than just being stashed away out of sight.

That would involve moving away from a straightforward integration of large numbers of newcomers into the social and economic fabric which has caused friction in Europe.

This is how it could be done.

Building a basic accommodation service facility for, initially, 100,000 people on mainland Greece or in other EU countries could be done in nine weeks, including preparation.

That would mean setting up five villages for 20,000 residents each. This scheme could be expanded as required. It would need a total of approximately 2km of land per settlement, simple planning, simple infrastructure and basic services to begin with.

Land plots could be allocated allowing for houses and small businesses to be established.

There should be access to business finance, work permissions and building permits. The main point is to allow for some self-initiative.

Taking a more culturally-sensitive approach would help: When it comes to shelter and space, begin to build some communities based on peoples origins.

Most importantly, provide a safe space for unaccompanied children, women and others who need additional protection and support.

Introduce training so refugees can acquire new skills and invest in the future of people.

The camps designed as settlements, rather than just emergency-response sites, must become incubators for change and human development. They must allow for initiative, business development, entrepreneurship and learning.

Deploy social caseworkers to talk, train and develop peer support  understand what the individual stories are and show people how to help each other.

This way, we can help everyone to regain their identity and dignity which many have lost on their journey.

Building resilience, strength and perspective in individuals will lead to stronger communities and constructive engagement, instead of anger, frustration and aggression building up.

Positive engagement and dialogue is the basis on which this crisis can be turned into an opportunity, not only for the people involved but also their future communities either in a new place or back home.

The EU has invested in Turkey to support its hosting of refugees and, ultimately, so it will hold back millions of newcomers. But while we must maintain our support for Turkey and the Middle East, we should also invest in Europe. We should invest in areas which are structurally weak and depopulated by developing new population and commercial hubs.

Building new migrants inclusive settlements and cities which are designed as drivers for our economies, for innovation and growth ought to sound appealing to the people already in those areas. We do not have the workforce, the youth and energy everywhere in Europe any longer. In many areas, Europe is in decline demographically and economically.

According to Eurostat, the EUs statistics arm: Since reaching a peak at 336.4 million in 2009, the working age population in the EU-28 has been shrinking not only as a share of the total population but also in absolute terms.

Investing in people by actively drawing on the energy of migration could pay off in a big way if we harness that energy. It will pay off for the hosts and will ultimately be the best investment into development and a more sustainable world.

The Gulf, China and Asian city-states have shown us over the past 30 years the power and economic drive that migration and urbanisation can bring. The UAE and the Gulf thrive on the workforce of millions of migrants; China has lifted 800 million people out of poverty.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
By Rajendra Jadhav and Syed Raza Hassan

MUMBAI/KARACHI (Reuters) - India closed the Taj Mahal, its principal tourist site, and the financial hub of Mumbai ordered offices providing non-essential services to keep half their staff at home in increased measures to curb the coronavirus in South Asia.

Mumbai, a metropolis of 18 million people, also authorised hospital and airport authorities to stamp the wrists of those ordered to self-isolate with indelible ink reading "Home Quarantined" and displaying the date the quarantine ends.

There have been concerns that over-stretched health systems in India and the region could struggle to handle a surge in cases. New Delhi has already taken measures including suspending most visas into the country.

Indian health authorities are analysing data from more than 1,000 patients who had not travelled to coronavirus-affected regions and were not known to have come into contact with confirmed cases, to determine whether the disease has begun spreading through the country, a senior official from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.

"That will tell us whether it has already reached in-community, or we are still in the earlier stage where the disease is limited to the traveller and close contacts," the official told Reuters.

RESTRICTIONS MOUNT

India's western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, has been the hardest hit with 39 confirmed coronavirus cases, or about a quarter of the 126 cases in the country.

A patient there died after contracting the virus on Tuesday, Praveen Pardeshi, who heads Mumbai's civic body, told Reuters. It was the third death in India.

Along with the Taj Mahal, dozens of other monuments and museums including the Ajanta and Ellora caves and religious sites such as Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple were closed.

The curbs in Mumbai come just days after the city shut down schools, cinemas, malls and gyms, and also banned mass gatherings.

Story continues

India expanded its travel restrictions on Monday, banning passengers from countries of the European Union and European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom - including its own citizens.

Neighbouring Sri Lanka said it would suspend all international flights for two weeks beginning Wednesday. Indian airline GoAir suspended all international operations and asked some of its employees to take unpaid leave.

PAKISTAN RISE

Pakistan said confirmed cases had more than doubled for a second consecutive day, reaching 237.

Officials said the jump was largely due to errors in testing and quarantine of travellers who recently returned from Iran through a border crossing in Balochistan province.

"If the arrangements were better we could have saved these people from the virus," Saeed Ghani, a minister in the provincial Sindh government where many of the cases were detected, told a television channel on Monday night.

The government of Sindh announced on Tuesday night that all shopping centres, malls and restaurants would be shut for 15 days in the province, including in Pakistan's largest city and financial hub, Karachi. It also announced the closure of government offices.

Pakistan postponed its Pakistan Super League cricket tournament.

Authorities in South Asia have struggled to get travellers to self-isolate or stay quarantined in medical facilities that many view as poor and unhygienic.

At least 38 Afghans who recently returned from Iran and were in isolation escaped from a facility in western Afghanistan on Monday after breaking windows and attacking hospital staff.

At least one of them was confirmed to have the coronavirus. The country currently has 22 confirmed cases.

Separately, in Navi Mumbai, a suburb of India's financial hub, local media reported that 11 people, who had been isolated after returning from Dubai, also fled the hospital, forcing police to launch a manhunt.

With the overnight rise in Pakistan, the overall number of confirmed cases in South Asia has now crossed the 400 mark.

Sri Lanka, which is heavily reliant on tourism for foreign exchange, saw its currency hit a record low against the dollar on Tuesday.

Pakistan's stock market slid again a day after recording one of its biggest ever one-day declines. Its central bank cut its policy rate by 75 basis points on Tuesday ahead of an expected decline in inflation due to the virus.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Shilpa Jamkhandikar in Mumbai, Devjyot Ghoshal in New Delhi, Abdul Qadir Sediqi in Kabul, Storay Karimi in Herat, Syed Raza Hassan in Karachi, Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo; Writing by Euan Rocha and Alasdair Pal; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Giles Elgood)
I forgot the Mouse bought Fox, because I was wondering when they made an Amy Adams thriller.

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Well, it was only a matter of time.

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My birthday's that week--I'm the biggest introvert I know and thinking I'll have to spend it unable to go anywhere or hang out with anyone makes me want to scream/cry/sink into the void. I'm terrified the rest of the year will just be one long nothing

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</3 broken-hearted tbh 'If it flops will scarjo's bonus be smaller?

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I'm shocked (not really) that they waited for theaters to literally close before officially calling it.

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i'm so selfish omg i'll just refrain from my actual thoughts and reflect on my own self-involvement rn and hope to get better even though i know i won't lmao oop

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Welp. Call me delusional, but I really was hoping we'd have new movies again in May, lol :( 



Edited at 2020-03-17 06:01 pm (UTC)

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OmG its because of the tree comment? Lmao!!!

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Lol yes

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so what are studios besides universal gonna do with everything thats currently in theaters?? just sit on them and re-release when theaters open back up?? cause lmao.

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Ooh boy! Is it a fall film?some films work better in the summer and not fall/winter

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Hopefully they replace it with Jungle Cruise (July release) which can go to December.

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That could work and the way they could release Falcon and Winter Soldier in October?. That is if Black Widow is related to it and if Falcon and Winter Soldier is related to Eternals. Eternals looks like a fall/winter film.



Jungle Cruise looks a bit like Pirates of the Caribbean so i wonder if it works to be released on December. Jumanji worked on December tho so if Jungle Book is good people will go watch it.

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jungle cruise is summer? i thought it was a november/december release this whole time, it seems to fit there better anyway

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At least we can go a year without Disney dominating the box office, I guess.

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Weren't test screenings for Woman in the Window kinda trash?



Do us Amy stans a solid and put it on streaming, you assholes.

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iirc the ending was "confusing"



it's really not in the book

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Films like New Mutants and Woman in the Window should be available for streaming or on demand at least.

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Yeah the reactions from the test screenings were that this movie is trash. Theres no point in waiting to release it in theaters. I wouldnt bother to see it in theaters but Im so bored in isolation right now Id watch it if it was streaming.

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there will be close to nothing in the cinemas for a long time

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The email my boss just sent out is the biggest pile of horse shit.



We are EXTENDING hours and to weekends if we need to to accomodate patients and social distancing (no mention of OT). We are up in people's business for 9 hours a day. All the gyms closed but physical therapy is still fucking open apparently. If i get sick bc i have to come to work, im gonna raise hell.



OH and my boss said to try not to talk about the virus and what's going on with each other and patients since it 'heightens fears' meanwhile she kept saying all morning how this whole 'thing' is bullshit and ppl are blowing it out of proportion.

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Would you be paid sick leave? Then say you're not feeling well. She had no right to exploit you like this.

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I mean people still need PT so I can understand why they're still open. It's a medical field technically. I'm sorry they're extending the hours though. That really sucks.

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While i agree, majority of our patients atm are chornic pain and have had no surgery. If they were post op thatd be one thing. We unfortunately have a ton of patients who never leave and are lifers. We dc for one thing and 2 weeks later are back for something else or even the same thing because they dont continue to do their exercises and dont change their habits that caused the pain to begin with. idk how ppl afford it honestly. Some have ridic high deductibles of 5k and are in PT year round. It's crazy.

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I hope she comes to get senses!



How the hell are people not going to talk about it?

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drop it on Disney+

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In addition, the review found no consistent evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) moderates the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC - the psychoactive component of cannabis) in healthy volunteers

In addition, the review found no consistent evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) moderates the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC - the psychoactive component of cannabis) in healthy volunteers

Single dose of THC, roughly equivalent to smoking one joint, may induce a variety of psychiatric symptoms associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. These effects are larger with intravenous administration than with inhaled administration, while tobacco smokers have fewer symptoms - though the authors stress that further work is needed to test this, and this finding should not be taken as a recommendation to use tobacco to counter the effects of THC.

These findings highlight the risks of cannabis use, which are highly relevant as medical, societal, and political interest in cannabinoids continues to grow.

A single dose of the main psychoactive component in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can induce a range of psychiatric symptoms, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies including 331 people with no history of psychotic or other major psychiatric disorders, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

At the same time, the results from an analysis of four studies found no consistent evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) induces psychiatric symptoms itself or that it moderates THC's effects in healthy volunteers. On the other hand, the review and analysis suggest that smokers are less sensitive to the effects of THC, but this finding is preliminary, and the authors do not recommend using tobacco for this purpose.

"As the THC-to-CBD ratio of street cannabis continues to increase, it is important to clarify whether these compounds can cause psychotic symptoms. Our finding that THC can temporarily induce psychiatric symptoms in healthy volunteers highlights the risks associated with the use of THC-containing cannabis products. This potential risk should be considered in discussions between patients and medical practitioners thinking about using cannabis products with THC. This work will also inform regulators, public health initiatives, and policy makers considering the medical use of THC-containing cannabis products or their legalisation for recreational use," says Professor Oliver Howes from King's College London, UK. [1]

Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, with 6-7% of the population in Europe using it every year, over 15% in the USA, and around 188 million people globally. The drug has been legalised in 11 US states, Canada, and Uruguay, and policymakers elsewhere are deliberating whether to allow the medicinal use of cannabis products.

Over 150 years ago, a first study found an association between cannabis use and psychotic symptoms, such as paranoia and hallucinations, and the effects were subsequently linked to THC. Many studies support the original findings, but there have been discrepancies, and the contribution made by factors such as dose, prior cannabis use, and the method of administration (inhaling, oral capsules, or intravenous injections) has not been systematically evaluated.

For the current review, researchers identified 15 studies that studied participants' psychiatric symptoms following the acute administration of intravenous, oral, or nasal THC, CBD, and placebo in healthy participants. The studies included scores for an increase in severity of positive psychotic symptoms (including delusions and hallucinations), negative psychotic symptoms (such as blunted affect and amotivation), and general symptoms (including depression and anxiety), which were compared after THC administration versus placebo. A change in symptoms with an effect size of 0.4 or more was considered clinically important, and an effect size of more than 0.70 was considered a large effect.

The doses of THC in the meta-analysis ranged from 1.25mg to 10mg, leading to peak THC blood levels of 4.56 to 5.1 ng/ml when orally administered and 110-397 ng/ml when injected or inhaled. These blood levels are comparable to those seen shortly after smoking a single typical cannabis joint containing 16-34mg of THC.

Compared to placebo, THC was found to induce significantly more severe positive psychotic symptoms (average effect size of 0.91), negative symptoms (average effect size 0.78), general symptoms (average effect size 1.01) and total symptoms (average effect size 1.10). The effect sizes remained significant for all types of symptom regardless of sex, age, dose, route of administration, prior cannabis use and tobacco use. However, intravenous administration had more pronounced effects than inhaled THC on psychotic and negative symptoms, while there were insufficient studies to assess the effect of oral THC. [2] Greater induction of psychotic symptoms by THC was associated with lower rates of tobacco use, [3] and greater induction of negative symptoms was associated with a higher age [4].

Dr Faith Borgan from King's College London says: "Our finding that schizophrenia-like symptoms can be induced using a compound that activates the receptor to which THC binds in the brain adds to recent work showing that cannabinoid 1 receptor proteins are altered in people with schizophrenia. As our results were in healthy people, the implications for clinical patients will need further work," [1]

The authors speculate that the finding that the induction of psychotic symptoms was lower in people with higher tobacco use suggests tobacco smokers are less sensitive to the effects of THC. However, further work is needed to test causality and the authors do not recommend the use of tobacco to counter THC. They say that smokers could be less sensitive to the effects of THC due to an association between tobacco smoking and lower brain cannabinoid 1 receptor levels.

The authors also reviewed four studies that examined the effects of CBD on the development of the same psychiatric symptoms, compared to placebo, and no significant differences were found. In studies that focused on whether CBD counters THC-induced symptoms, one study identified reduced symptoms, using a modest sample, but three larger studies failed to replicate this finding.

The authors highlight several limitations to their study. Their finding that psychotic symptoms were not moderated by dose or by prior cannabis use contrasts with results from several studies and may reflect limited power in the analysis. They suggest that further work is needed to clarify the effects, particularly at the level of individual symptoms. The authors identified potential publication bias, where significant findings are more likely to be published than lower effect sizes. However, they found that the better the quality of the study, the greater the effect size, suggesting that their results - which also included lower quality studies - may in fact underestimate the size of the effect of THC on inducing symptoms.

Writing in a linked Comment, lead author Dr Carsten Hjorthj (who was not involved in the study) from Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, says: "Finally, although THC, alone or in combination with, for example, CBD might have a role in treating certain symptoms, caution should not be thrown to the wind. As Hindley and colleagues have clearly demonstrated, there are at least transient psychiatric symptoms associated with even relatively low doses of THC. Of course, this result should not be extrapolated as meaning that single doses of THC will eventually lead to schizophrenia or other severe disorders. However, it might be prudent to extrapolate and paraphrase the words of Moore and colleagues from their 2007 meta-analysis to apply to both recreational and medicinal use of THC-containing cannabis: 'there is sufficient evidence to warn people that using THC could increase their risk of developing psychiatric symptoms or even a psychotic illness'."

###

Peer-reviewed / Meta-analysis and systematic review/ People

NOTES TO EDITORS

This study was funded by the Medical Research Council. It was conducted by researchers from Kings College London, South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College London, Leiden University Medical Hospital, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center and VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE.pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com

[1] Quote direct from author and cannot be found in the text of the Article.

[2] IV THC induced significantly greater positive symptoms compared to inhaled THC (z=2.34, p=0.014). As with positive symptoms, IV THC induced significantly greater negative symptoms compared to inhaled THC (z=2.43, p=0.015). The p value is a test of statistical significance; in this study, a p value of less than 005 was taken as an indication of statistical significance. The Z value reflects the magnitude of difference between the two samples relative to the sample variability, assuming a normal distribution.

[3] There was a significant negative association between the tobacco smoking and positive symptoms induced by THC (p=0.019).

[4] Higher mean age of the sample predicted greater negative symptoms induced by THC (p=0.022).
The Lagos State government has announced that it would commence the tracing of all the passengers in British Airways Flight BA75 from London, on which the third confirmed case of the novel coronavirus traveled to Nigeria.

We would be reaching out to every member of the flight. We are going to be repeating what we did with the contact of the index case, said the states commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi.

The commissioner added that public health officials are already working towards identifying every member of the flight.

He said the third confirmed case, who self-isolated after she developed symptoms of the disease upon arrival from the United Kingdom, has been admitted, alongside her family, to the isolation centre.

While she is being kept at a separate room, her family who had close contact with her while she was self-isolating at home have been put into a family suite at the isolation centre.

I spoke to her this morning she is doing well. She needs supportive care, the commissioner said.

He said the rooms and the suites at the isolation centre are of the recommended standard and that people who suspect to have come in contact with an affected person should not worry about the standard of the suites and rooms at the isolation centre.

They are on a standard that is comparable to anywhere in the world, he said.

Also responding to the reported delay in admitting the third confirmed patient and her family to the isolation centre, Mr Abayomi explained that the process of admitting a person into isolation is elaborate and takes time.

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We have done our bio-containment responsibility, he said. It takes a lot of time to admit a patient. Samples are taken through an elaborate process that the whole process can take up to two hours or longer. It is a very detailed standard procedure.

PREMIUM TIMES learned that the third confirmed patient upon developing symptoms self-isolated herself, but it took several days and repeated calls before officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control could get to her residence to test her.

This newspaper also learned that she and her family were kept outside the isolation centre waiting in an ambulance and there were no officials at hand to attend to them up to the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Mr Abayomi also denied that there were no reagents to conduct tests for suspected coronavirus patients in the country.

Number of cases may increase

The number of novel coronavirus cases in Nigeria may increase from the three by the end of the day, as the Lagos State government has commenced the testing of three other persons with visible symptoms of the flu-like disease.

Speaking to journalists at the states secretariat in Alausa, the states commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi, told journalists that the state is currently holding the three suspected cases at the isolation centre in the Yaba area of the state.

Mr Abayomi said one of the suspected cases being held at the facility is a traveller from the United States, who arrived in Nigeria through one of the high-risk countries in the Middle East. He explained that the traveler was admitted on Monday night and was in stable condition while the test result was being awaited.

His sample has been taken this morning and the result will be announced later today, Mr Abayomi said.

He said the second suspected case with visible symptoms of the disease, is from the United Kingdom and would have his test done later on Tuesday.

The third case is another man who travelled from the Indian sub-continent through Cairo.

His fever is quite high, and he has been coughing, Mr Abayomi said. He further explained that the result of the sample taken from the man is being expected to come in later today.

Meanwhile, Mr Abayomi said people coming from high-risk countries who are exhibiting symptoms of the diseases should call a new toll-free number 08000CORONA or 08028971864, 080 35387653, and 0805975886.
SEATTLETo mark its 25th anniversary as well as 25 million games sold, Kheper Games Inc. celebrated with a party at a private venue, the Swedish Club, last week, just in the nick of time, it seems.

The Seattle-based company that prides itself on having the most diverse set of games for all types of adult occasions held a celebration March 15. The core of their product line is adult party games, romance games, drinking games, pot-themed items, bachelor/bachelorette games, barware, bath items for couples and trendy novelties.

The Coronavirus can do a lot of things but we cant let it break our spirit! said Tony Pellham, vice president of operations.

Arista Catering provided dining options for the evening at the party.

Our venue was delightfully flexible, said CEO Brian Pellham. However, once catering told us we were having food served regardless, we decided to make the most of it. With the pandemic recently announced, we sent out a socially conscious email to our guests advising them to socially distance themselves and to sit out if they had any fear or reason to believe they had a recent exposure. The party reduced down to be mostly Kheper employees, previous vendors and good friends who have always been there to help. We are thrilled that we were able to still celebrate our big announcements while keeping everyone safe. And the extra food will help those dear and near to us, keeping their refrigerators well-stocked while food is getting somewhat sparse at grocery stores. We asked our friends to join us virtually and you can learn more about our company via our Instagram KheperGamesInc. Or, see our Facebook page and the YouTube page here.

Kheper Inc. has an extensive line of sex games and novelties, including: Lucky Sex! Scratch Tickets and Dice, Lets F*ck Dice, Cards and Coupons, and Sex! Board Game, Crackers, Dice, Coupons, Scratch Tickets, and their Sex! Card Game, that has now sold over two million copies. They also have sold more than a million What the F*ck? adult party and drinking games. Their current trending best selling adult party game is Extreme Personal Questions. Their pot games like THC and Lords of Cannabis are getting extremely popular as well as marijuana use become more legalized.

For more, visit KheperGames.com.
More than 2,158 people have died from COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Italy.

Amid the pandemic, Australian radio personality Kate Langbroek, 54, and her family have been in lockdown in Bologna, Italy for the last 12 days.

On Sunday, Kate revealed that it could be a lot longer before life returns to normal in the Northern Italian city as they could be trapped for five weeks in total.

'We weren't allowed to shop together': Kate Langbroek (pictured) has revealed she and her family will be lockdown for 5 WEEKS in Italy due to the COVID-19 outbreak

'Weve got another three weeks!' Kate replied, which would bring the total lockdown to a whopping five weeks in total

On Instagram, a follower asked the host: 'What happens after the 14 day lockdown is over?'

'Weve got another three weeks!' Kate replied, which would bring the total lockdown to a whopping five weeks in total.

On Sunday, Kate and her husband Peter Allen Lewis left their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan in the safety of their home to go to the supermarket.

'P and I went to the big supermarket in the morning. Had to queue to get in cause had to stay a meter apart at all times,' Kate wrote on Instagram.

'We werent even allowed to shop together so had to yell to each other what we were getting... still, shelves full. People calm.'

Braving the elements: On Sunday, Kate (left) and her husband Peter Allen Lewis (right) left their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan at home to go to the supermarket

Yummo! On Sunday night, the family of six gathered around for a home-cooked meal

She shared a video from the supermarket, showing herself and Peter wearing ski mufflers because they didn't have any face masks.

'Lots of staff!' Kate said in the video as she panned around the busy supermarket.

Later at night, the family of six gathered around for a home-cooked meal.

'For our 12th night in lockdown, we had the most stunning and unexpectedly joyous meal,' Kate wrote on Instagram.

'Calamari (painstakingly crumbed by daughter); langoustines in garlic and parsley butter, jasmine rice (bought a five kilo bag!) and Asiany salad with lime with chili on the side.

'This enforced family time together has actually been pretty lovely. At times.'

Expats: Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a 'gap year'. They have since extended their stay for another 12 months

Kate appeared via satellite from 'lockdown' in her apartment in Bologna, to give another update on Weekend Today on Saturday.

She revealed police were patrolling the city to conduct bag checks on those who were out during the region's 'total lockdown'.

The mother-of-four said that everything in the city, except for essential services, such as supermarkets, post offices, banks and tobacconists, have been closed.

In Italy, there has been 27,980 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2,158 deaths, which accounts for 30 per cent of the global death toll of 7,093.

Meanwhile, in Australia there have been 450 cases and five deaths.
The NHS may not have enough ventilators to keep coronavirus patients alive if the public fail to take steps to slow the pandemic's spread, the head of the health service warned today.

Sir Simon Stevens said that plans were in place for a 50 per cent increase in the number of lifesaving mechanical breathing aids available from just over 8,000 to 12,000 in the next few weeks, with machines coming in from private hospitals and even the Army.

But grilled by MPs in the Commons today he said that whether it was enough to save lives would depend on the public response to warnings from the Government designed to delay transmission.

It came as experts warned that Government plans to get manufacturers like Dyson and JCB to transfer production lines over to making the livesaving machines could take months.

At the same time there was also a warning from the Doctor's Association UK that the NHS is short of trained staff to operate them.

Asked by Health Select Committee chairman Jeremy Hunt whether the NHS in England has enough ventilators, Sir Simon said: 'That will partly depend on the clinical protocols that are being used for the patients that are requiring care ... it will also depend partly, frankly, on the extent to which we, the people of this country, respond to the asks that have been made of us.

'It is very important that collectively we do, because that is what will keep this infection rate down.'

The grim advice unveiled yesterday by Boris Johnson - with people urged to avoid all 'nonessential' social contact - was laid bare today as the PM told the Cabinet that the country is 'engaged in a war against the disease which we have to win'.

Sir Simon Stevens said that plans were in place for a 50 per cent increase in the number of lifesaving mechanical breathing aids available from just over 8,000 to 12,000

Today's ventilators include a computer-electronic control system with valves, regulators, filters, oxygen and exhalation sensors, flow meters.

Mr Johnson later told the nation 'we only really have a few weeks' to build the ventilators it is expected the NHS will need.

He added: 'What I want, what all business wants - to explain what I'm seeing - is an end to suffering.

'That is why they are working incredibly hard in the next few weeks, and we only really have a few weeks, to build literally thousands of ventilators that this country will need.'

He added: 'The British industry, manufacturers are responding to this challenge with incredible energy and determination.'

Mr Johnson plunged the UK into a coronavirus lockdown that could last 18 months after experts warned that the 'worst case' scenario of 250,000 deaths had become the most likely outcome.

Sir Simon told the MPs there were a total of 6,699 adult mechanical ventilators in the NHS, as well as further 750 paediatric mechanical ventilators which can be re-purposed.

There are also an estimated 691 in the private sector and 35 in the Ministry of Defence, bringing the total to 8,175.

He added: 'For some weeks now we have been out preparing and procuring our mechanical ventilators, and can see a line of sight over the next several weeks to another 3,799.'

A medical ventilator works as an artificial set of lungs - getting oxygen in and removing carbon dioxide from the body - and is used to treat respiratory diseases.

But concerns have been raised as to how quickly production of ventilators that are up to regulatory standards can be increased to meet demand.

The Government's website has posted a form for businesses to full in if they can help.

The Government's website has posted a form for businesses to full in if they can help

Dyson, Rolls Royce, JCB, Honda, Philips and Unipart are among those who have either been confirmed to be involved with the request or have registered their interest.

A spokesman for Wiltshire-based Dyson told MailOnline: 'Using our expertise and resources we are working with other companies to see if we can provide a rapid solution.'

Rolls Royce, meanwhile, told MailOnline: 'We understand that the government is exploring ways in which businesses can help deal with the outbreak of COVID-19.

'As they shape their plans, we are keen to do whatever we can to help the government and the country at this time and will look to provide any practical help we can.'

A spokesman for logistics company Unipart also confirmed to this website that it had been approached by the government.

'We're pleased to be involved in such an important project and doing everything we can to help,' they said.

Healthy people below the age of 70 have been urged to work from home if they can, to avoid socialising or going out and to stop all non-essential travel

Data from the Imperial College team shows that nothing can stop the coronavirus overwhelming NHS intensive care units. Even the most strict quarantine measures would not prevent there being far more cases than there are beds to handle

UK authorities had confirmed 1,543 cases of the coronavirus and 55 deaths by yesterday. The true number of infected people is believed to be higher than 25,000

Professor David Delpy, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: 'This proposal assumes that the NHS wants more of the latest spec ventilators with all the usual manufacturers' guarantees and liability cover.

'Since modern ventilators are usually electronically controlled with a variety of built-in sensors, there may be supply chain limitations on how rapidly one can ramp up production.

'The previous generation of mechanical ventilators were relatively simpler, and components could be manufactured by many engineering companies with fairly standard machine tools.

'These are certainly adequate for all but the most complex ventilation support cases, but I suspect there are currently no UK manufacturers of these since there is no NHS market for them.'

Boris Johnson was warned that the NHS is short of trained staff to operate ventilators even if they are built

Dr Rinesh Parmar, chair of the Doctor's Association UK, added: 'Whilst NHS hospitals make emergency plans to create ITU [intensive treatment unit] beds and the government purchases more ventilators, the elephant in the room is the lack of highly trained intensive care nurses and doctors.

'It is pointless acquiring new ventilators without enough highly trained staff to operate them.'

Dr Parmar added that securing more capacity in private hospitals could free up more space to treat coronavirus patients needing breathing assistance. But he warned there were still too few intensive care beds within these hospitals.

He added: 'The systematic under-resourcing of the NHS and exodus of staff that the government has presided over has ultimately left the country with a severe lack of specialist intensive care nurses and doctors.'
Mayor Sylvester Turner and top Houston supermarket executives on Monday said stores will remain open and continue to restock daily with food and household items, amid a surge in demand driven by the new coronavirus pandemic.

There is no problem with the food supply chain, Turner said in a news conference at City Hall. We are not running out of items for our grocery stores. In fact, there's no problem even with sanitizers or things of that nature. It's just that people are purchasing quite a bit, and then they simply have to go and restock.

Houstonians have experienced long lines and empty shelves at grocery stores and supermarkets the last couple weeks across the Houston area. Turner and supermarket executives said there is no need to stockpile food items or basic goods, because none of the chains suppliers anticipate running out.

Our distribution center here in Houston has teams working around the clock. We have products and supplies arriving daily into all 109 of our Houston stores, said Joe Kelley, president of Krogers Houston division. The supply chain is strong and adapting to the increase in consumers' needs. Conditions and quantities will continue to improve on a daily basis at each one of our stores.

Some stores, including Kroger and H-E-B, have trimmed hours to give staff more time to disinfect and restock shelves. H-E-B has also installed sneeze guard shields in checkout areas to separate cashiers and customers.

H-E-B president Scott McClelland said goods from 1,300 trucks poured into H-E-B stores across Texas Sunday, and he echoed Turners message that residents do not need to stock up on food.

For now, McClelland said, H-E-B is limiting how many people can shop at once in an attempt to keep customers a full shopping cart length away from each other and limit COVID-19s spread.

H-E-B may eventually offer fewer brands of certain food items, which McClelland said would help the stores continue to meet demand.

"You may not see 40 different kinds of bread or 100 kinds of bread, you may see three or four, he said. "If you think about a product and how it flows from the manufacturer  you have a big pipe, and there's only so much that can fit through the pipe. And you look at how do you do it the most efficiently? So you're making tradeoffs all the time around assortment and efficiency.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murdering teenager Damani Mauge, who was found with fatal stab wounds on a bus in Croydon.

The suspect, from Mitchum, was arrested on Sunday and has also been charged with attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

He is due to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Police said they had been called to a stabbing on a 130 bus in Whitehorse Lane in south London at about 8.30pm on Sunday, March 8.

Damani, aged 17, was found with fatal knife wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 9.10pm.
Embattled Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole says there is no crisis within the partys National Working...





Embattled Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole says there is no crisis within the partys National Working Committee, NWC.





The former Edo State Governor stated this when be addressed members of the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja which had in attendance members of both pro and anti-Oshiomhole groups on Tuesday.





The APC National Chairman, who confirmed that he was dragged to court, said such was one of the tenets of democracy and we will bounce back.





The former Labour leader said, despite what we have passed through, this NWC is not divided.





He argued that the action and inaction of NWC members were not to destroy the party but for its progress.





I think that God is never wrong, He has allowed what has happened to happen so that we all can learn, everybody re-examine his conscience, strengthen those bonds of friendship, bonds of solidarity and work as a family.





I am the first to admit that I am not the best chairman in the world and I will never be. But no one can fault the sincerity of my purpose.





My style can only be my style. But, I recognise that I must reconcile my style to others so that we can meet in the middle of the road.





Recall that some aggrieved party members dragged Oshiomhole to court in a bid to remove him from office.





A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court had ordered him to stop parading himself as national Chairman pending the determination of a suit seeking to remove him as APC Chairman.





Following the suit filed, Justice Danladi Senchi had ordered an interim injunction suspending Oshiomhole as National Chairman and ordered him to stay away from the partys secretariat.





The courts order was, however, vacated by a Federal High Court in Kano State which also ordered operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies to ensure Oshiomhole resumes his duties.





But, the Court of Appeal on Monday stayed the execution order of a High Court restraining Oshiomhole from further acting as APC National Chairman.





Justice Abubakar Datti Yahaya led panel granted the reliefs contained in an ex-parte motion disputed by Oshiomholes lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN).





However, another FCT High Court had also granted an interim, permitting Victor Giadom, acting National Secretary of APC to act as the partys National Chairman.




The appointment of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind has not gone down well with several opposition parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and AIMIM, with many claiming that Gogoi's nomination to Upper House of Parliament was quid pro quo.

Former Karnataka CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah said, "What is the message that President is trying to convey to the people of India & future CJIs?"

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised the move, adding that it will have repurcussions of the move on independence of the judiciary.

Is it quid pro quo?

How will people have faith in the Independence of Judges ? Many Questions pic.twitter.com/IQkAx4ofSf  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 16, 2020

AAP MLA Raghav Chadha also raised question over Gogoi's appointment and said that it will set a bad precedent and cause huge loss to the independence of judiciary.

"There is a view point that post-retirement appointment of judges is itself a scar on judicial independence. How do you handle that" said the then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi (March 2019)https://t.co/kS8kjlc41l  Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 16, 2020

"This will not merely set a bad precedent but will cause irreparable damage to the indepence of judiciary. Separation of powers btw the legislature, executive & judiciary is part of the basic structure of our Constitution - which this Govt has systematically dismantled & damaged," he tweeted.

Gogoi was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Kovind on Monday (March 16). The notification said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of Article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to nominate Shri Ranjan Gogoi to the Council of States to fill the vacancy caused due to the retirement of one of the nominated member."

Ranjan Gogoi, who retired on November 17, 2019, served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from October 3, 2018, to November 17, 2019.

Gogoi delivered several historic decisions during his tenure, including key verdicts in highly-sensitive disputes like the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid title dispute case, the 'Entry of women to Sabarimala Temple' row, and the Rafale deal controversy, and the Assam NRC dispute.

Heading a five-judge Constitution bench, Ranjan Gogoi, who was then Chief Justice of India (CJI), had delivered the historic verdict on the decades-old Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit (Ayodhya case).

The Supreme Court had unanimously handed over the disputed site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram Temple, and set up a trust for the purpose, besides giving five acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board in the temple town.

Gogoi, who had succeeded 45th CJI Dipak Misra, was succeeded by current CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde on November 17, 2019.
Iraq's Resistance Reveals How U.S. Troops Will Be Removed From Its Country By Moon Of Alabama March 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - March 14, 2020 - Yesterday the U.S. attacked five sites in Iraq and killed 3 Iraqi soldiers of the 19th Division, two policeman and a civilian. The strikes came after some 10+ rockets, fired by unknown people, had hit the joint base Camp Tali and had killed 2 U.S. and one British soldiers. Today the U.S. received the revenge for its strikes. The U.S. Central Command had argued that the "defensive precision strike" against the five sites created deterrence i.e. they would prevent other attacks: We believe that this is going to have an effect on deterring -- on deterring future strikes of this nature. We've seen in the past what happens when you don't respond. Now people know that we're not going to -- we're not going to tolerate these direct attacks on American or coalition service members, and we're willing and able to respond. Even hawkish analysts find that the argument is nonsense. The U.S. claims that the group Kataib Hezbollah, part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and under command of the Iraqi government, fired the missiles. But the positions the U.S. hit were not Kataib Hezbollah positions. U.S. intelligence in Iraq is not up to date with regards to where Kataib Hezbollah units or those of the other 20+ PMU groups are stationed. TM CT - 12:05 UTC  Mar 14, 2020 After asking a military source in 19th Commando Division about the Al-Atheer facility and presence of "Iranian missiles", the response I got was that KH withdrew from the site 7+ days ago and the unit took their place.

So yeah, the Mussayib site was under Iraq Army. British forces were supposed to join yesterday's U.S. strike but the Wall Street Journal reports that the Brits were called back by their government because the attribution of the original rockets strike to Kataib Hezbollah was shady and because there was no legal justification for the strikes. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The Iraqi government announced that it would protest at the United Nation about the U.S. breach of its sovereignty. Ayatollah Sistani condemned the U.S. attack and even the Iraq Joint Operational Command, which includes coordinating U.S. officers, protested against the strikes. The Iraqi parliament and government have told the U.S. to leave Iraq. The Trump administration is not willing to do that. In consequence more U.S. soldiers will have to die in Iraq. That the "deterrence" strikes did not deter anything was proven today when another rocket salvo was fired at Camp Taji in broad daylight: A hail of rockets landed on a military base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad Saturday morning, wounding three coalition soldiers and two Iraqi soldiers. The same base, Camp Taji, was the target of a rocket attack on Wednesday which killed three servicemen, including two Americans and one British. The U.S. in Iraq is not fighting some "Iran backed" groups but is an occupation force and therefore a legitimate target for Iraqi government forces: 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. (I bet $10 that the "(Iran backed)" in that quote is not from Sajad Jiyad but was added by the NBC/AP writer or editor. Sajad Jihad often stresses that these groups do have motive and means to act on their own.) (Added: Sajad Jihad has now confirmed to me that the politicizing words in the parenthesis are not from him but were added by the NBC/AP writers.) The Iraqi police found the launch site from where today's rocket volley was fired. Its pictures tell a lot about how this fight will go on until the U.S. occupation forces leave Iraq.

Source - bigger

Source - bigger This is a fixed camouflaged position under a roof. It was probably built months if not years ago. The launcher cases were dug into the ground of some shed. They were already adjusted to the planned strike direction. To launch the rockets one had simply to clear the top of camouflage, pull up the rocket launcher from the front and set the height adjusting stick up. One man could do that within a few minutes. The electrical launch command would then come from remote by a wire or cellphone. The setup of the position reminds one of similar positions the Lebanese Hizbullah has built in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. The people who set up this launch position in Iraq seem to have received some training from experienced staff. If there is one well prepared positions aimed at Camp Taji how many others are there? Ten? One hundred? Or even a thousand? How many exist around other sites in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed? Previous strikes had come from mobile platforms. That the resistance in Iraq now revealed one of its fixed camouflaged launch sites is intentional. It is a warning to the U.S. to ponder about the above questions and potential consequences. These secret launch sites are a real deterrence. In 2006 Israel attacked Hizbullah in Lebanon with the intention to disarm the group. But Hizbullah's defenses were stubborn and hundreds of rockets were fired each day against Israeli positions. Israeli bombers then tried to find the launch sites but those where hidden and not detectable from the air. In the end it was Israel which had to file for peace. Since then its forces have not dared to again enter Lebanon. The U.S. in Iraq has no way to protect its troops from such unpredictable rocket volleys. It has no way deter or even win against the forces that are now working to evict it from Iraq as well as other places in the Middle East. It should finally recognize that and leave. " Source " Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here
Three prominent bookstores, McNally Jackson in New York City, Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., and Busboys and Poets in Washington D.C., have together laid off more than 600 employees as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Late yesterday afternoon, social media lit up with the news that some 80 members of staff of McNally Jackson Books in New York City had been let go, including a majority of those who had been with the company four years or less or worked part-time. The employees who have been let go will be given a week of pay, and their health benefits will be sustained for the time being.

On Twitter, the store management posted that the layoffs were a reaction to the stores "facing down a massive, unprecedented loss in revenue." The post said: "These layoffs are temporary. We intend to hire back our employees as soon as we can." In the meantime, the staff have asked for support from the public in the form of gift cards and other donations.

McNally Jackson has six New York City locations, including four bookstores and two Goods for the Study stationery stores. Its newest bookstore, at City Point in Brooklyn, held its grand opening just two weeks ago. The stores are closed to customers, but are continuing to process online orders and phone orders for delivery. In December, McNally employees joined the the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

With seven locations in the Washington, D.C., area, Busboys and Poets employed booksellers, waiters, and a management team for its combined restaurant-bookstore venues. DCist reported Tuesday that hundreds of employees had been laid off. In a post on Twitter, founder and owner Andy Shallal wrote: "Sh*ts getting real. Doing carry out and online only at this point...Had to do layoffs. Trying to stay buoyant and hoping this wont last."

At Powell's Books in Portland, approximately 340 of the store's 400 employees have been laid off, according to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 5, which has represented the employees since 1999. The company's five bookstores were closed on Sunday.

In a message to employees, Powell's human resources director Michelle Afroso wrote: Given the urgent need to close all of our locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to maintain recommended social distance, coupled with the rapid, significant downturn in sales in the recent weeks and days, Powell's needs to take to immediate steps to scale back the company," according to The Oregonian.

There was no promise that the booksellers would be hired back. "If sales continue to decrease in the future, we will need to take further action. We will try to avoid additional layoffs by reducing the size of the company over time through a hiring freeze and attrition," Afroso wrote.

The union expressed "disappointment" that management took the move, writing: "The loss of profit is nothing compared to the lifelong trauma such a loss of income and benefits are likely to have for individuals." It has set up a Coronavirus Worker Relief Fund online for donations.

This article has been updated to reflect new information.
On March 17, the Verkhovna Rada with 269 votes appointed her Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, at an extraordinary meeting March 17 appointed former acting chief of the State Bureau of Investigaiton, Iryna Venediktova, as new Prosecutor General of Ukraine. She replaced Ruslan Riaboshapka, who was dismissed in a non-confidence vote March 5.

Iryna Venediktova, 41, was born in the city of Kharkiv on September 21, 1978. She is a lawyer, Doctor of Law. She graduated from Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs. In addition, she completed an international commercial arbitration course at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London.

Venediktova has her own scientific school, which includes a number of candidates of sciences, who had defended their theses under her scientific supervision.

Political career

In 2015, Venediktova applied for the post of judge of the Supreme Court. She failed since she did not score the minimum required points.

During the parliamentary elections in the summer of 2019, she was elected people's deputy with the Servant of the People Party. She was third in the party list. She worked as an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky on legal policy and justice.

Read alsoIryna Venediktova appointed Ukraine's new Prosecutor General

On December 27, she was appointed Acting Director of the State Bureau of Investigation. Later she terminated her deputy powers. On March 13, she became a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

On March 17, the Verkhovna Rada with 269 votes appointed her Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

Venediktova in SBI

Immediately after her appointment, the official announced a change in the SBI's structure and an increase in the number of investigators in Maidan-related cases. Later, she appointed as her deputy Oleksandr Babikov, the official activists claimed earlier represented fugitive ex-president Viktor Yanukovych as a lawyer. The SBI, however, assured that Babikov would not deal with the Maidan cases.

Venediktova also made a statement that she favors the abolition of the law on amnesty of Maidan participants. Several lawmakers reminded her about this during the appointment to the post of prosecutor general. The official also promised to deliver monthly reports to inform the public about the Maidan investigation progress.

Venediktova as Prosecutor General

Venediktova called her first steps at the new post, in particular the need to conduct an audit of criminal cases and address staffing issues at prosecutorial offices across the country. According to Venediktova, it is therefore necessary to make informed and legal decisions so that the prosecutor's reform continues "without tilts," and on the other hand, so that "prosecutorial offices don't collapse once legal procedural decisions are made."

Venediktova also promises not to take back "prosecutor werewolves" [corrupt prosecutors] to the office.
Most bookstores across the country are closing their doors amid coronavirus worries. Few others, like downtown L.A.'s the Last Bookstore, remain open while facing drops in sales. (Mark Boster / For The Times)

As movie theaters, performance venues, gyms, libraries, sporting events and even Disneyland are shutting down to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, bookstores in Los Angeles and beyond have been forced to make some very tough decisions.

Echo Park's beloved Stories Books & Cafe closed its doors Monday in response to the pandemic. Why? "Because it's the safest, most responsible decision we can make," co-owner Alex Maslansky explained in a phone interview.

Though book sales remained strong last week, cafe sales dropped 50%, forcing Maslansky and his business partner, Claudia Colodro, to make the difficult decision to lock up indefinitely. "We will defer to science to tell us when it's safe to open," he said.

The decision came a day after L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered bars, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers to close to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Restaurants were forced to halt dine-in service and limit business to takeout and delivery . The L.A. County Library also closed all of its 86 locations Sunday until the end of the month to comply with state restrictions on the size of gatherings. And the sixth annual Independent Bookstore Day, scheduled for April 25, was postponed.

Ever dream of having Capitol Hill Books all to yourself? Now you can. Email us to reserve a one hour time slot. info@capitolhillbooks-dc.com pic.twitter.com/orHg1VfAKR  Capitol Hill Books (@chbooksdc) March 16, 2020

In New York, the Strand Bookstore shuttered its physical location and online checkout until further notice. Portland's famed indie bookstore Powell's announced it would close its five stores through the end of March but would keep online shopping open. In Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill Books took a different approach to the pandemic. Rather than shutting down completely, the business shifted to private, one-hour appointments.

Story continues

By midweek, major indie bookstores across the nation had collectively laid off more than 600 employees as a response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Publisher's Weekly. Among them was Powell's Books, which announced it was shedding "the vast majority" of its workers.

Powell's Books, the storied independent bookstore in Portland, is laying off "the vast majority" of its workers.



"I can only hope we might find a way to come back together on the other side of these terrible times."https://t.co/RlJGFCa76H pic.twitter.com/YR2F8E0LBk  Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) March 18, 2020

"The retail landscape for independent bookstores is very different than it was just a few days ago, and its clear that more major challenges lie ahead, for indie bookstores and for all small businesses," said Dan Cullen, a spokesperson for the American Booksellers Assn., in an email. "This has been an unprecedented economic downturn, with scores of stores having to make the difficult decision to close for in-store shopping."

By midweek, most L.A. bookshops had done just that.

On Tuesday, Pages in Manhattan Beach closed to walk-in business, but just the day before, customers had trickled in to browse the shelves and purchase puzzles for kids out of school. The breezy bookshop is still taking online and phone orders, and offering curbside pickup and delivery in the area.

We just felt it was the right thing to do for the safety of our customers and our staff, manager Kristin Rasmussen said of her decision to close.

Vroman's Bookstore was also taking measures to encourage customers to hunker down, offering 99-cent shipping for all sales within L.A. County and curbside pickup. By Tuesday morning, they had heeded guidelines from the California Department of Public Health and closed locations in Pasadena and Hastings Ranch for two weeks. They also canceled all events through the end of April.

The latest regarding operations at Book Soup...

We are closed to the public starting today but operational online and by phone. Stay safe everyone! pic.twitter.com/J41tdSPI22  BookSoup (@BookSoup) March 17, 2020

Chevalier's Books in Hancock Park remained open on Wednesday, but staff were encouraging customers to do curbside pickup or order books to be delivered to their homes. It was busy over the weekend, staffers said, selling a lot of middle reader books. On Monday the store saw fewer customers, buying mostly adult fiction. While alternative buying methods are now available, rapid developments have made it difficult to plan. "It's not even one day at a time," said one staffer. "It's one half hour at a time."

West Hollywoods iconic Book Soup, which shuttered on Tuesday, was mostly empty Monday afternoon, but the phones rang nonstop as customers called to arrange shipping or drive-through pickup for the most sought-after titles.

The energy is a little weird, said bookseller Ben Szymanski, 27, who wore disposable gloves while he worked. Today is pretty quiet, but it was busy on Saturday with people who wanted to stock up.

Eso Won Books in Leimert Park shut down "for the foreseeable future" on Sunday, even though the streets were lively with vendors and drummers, said co-owner James Fugate. Instead, the veteran bookshop, which specializes in titles by African American writers, is taking phone and online orders and only letting people in to pick up books. When they do, "just as a measure of protection," Fugate wears gloves.

"I don't know how this is going to play out, this is really serious," he said on Tuesday between taking phone orders. "As businesses, this is probably the greatest challenge we'll ever see."

(1/2) We're encouraging customers to stay home as much as possible & take advantage of our website & online shopping. So for a limited time we are offering 99 shipping to LA County! Just select "99 Media Mail LA County" at checkout. pic.twitter.com/9yjCVloWsH  Vroman's Bookstore (@vromans) March 16, 2020

At downtowns cavernous Last Bookstore, owner Josh Spencer was still grappling with how to deal with an unprecedented situation. He saw sales plummet 50% over the weekend, shortly after President Trump declared a national emergency over the outbreak.

"We're struggling pretty hard," Spencer said in a phone interview Monday. "We're getting ready to emphasize our e-commerce on social media and focusing our online sales through Amazon and EBay." He's also considering offering home delivery.

As news circulated earlier in the week of more bookstore closures, store manager Chon McLeary said they weren't following suit. "We're still open today but we're taking it day by day ... that might change tomorrow."

Though the bookstore was far from empty Monday afternoon  tourists still took Instagram selfies in the upstairs book tunnel and labyrinth, and readers flipped through potential purchases in the armchairs  the traffic inside the multistory establishment was subdued.

A lot of us have stopped coming in, so its kind of a bare-bones staff at this moment, said McLeary on Monday, explaining that those still working were primarily employees who couldnt afford to forgo the paycheck. As far as maintaining a 6-foot distance from others, "it's been pretty empty in the store so it hasn't been hard to keep social distance," said Spencer.

For Lucy Cates and Jackson Bailey, both 21-year-old college students, the Last Bookstore was the obvious place to be. I think this is a really unique time where you cant do a lot of things you would want to do, and we both really like to read, said Cates.

The sparsity of customers enhanced the browsing experience too. If this place was insanely crowded, I probably wouldnt have come in, Bailey said, as Cates pulled a small sanitizer spray out of a leather Feminist fannypack and squirted some into her friend's hands.

Sales at the Last Bookstore plummeted over the weekend shortly after President Trump announced a national emergency over the coronavirus. (Julia Wick / Los Angeles Times)

While the bookstore has enough orders to stay open for now, that could change rapidly. "If this keeps up for another week or two, then it may be impossible to stay open," Spencer said. "We might just have to close, but I don't think we'll go out of business."

Skylight Books in Los Feliz officially closed its doors at noon on Wednesday, but it would continue offering curbside pickup and ship phone and online orders. Despite the stress of not knowing when they can welcome patrons in again, manager Steven Salardino was feeling a little hopeful. "Yesterday was our biggest online sales day ever," he said on Wednesday. "We got five times the amount we normally would have."

Once Upon a Time in Montrose remained open on Wednesday, but had implemented a one-family-at-a-time policy. Earlier in the week, the children's bookstore owner Maureen Palacios said it would likely close by the week's end. Her business is enabling customers to browse the shelves via FaceTime and planning to live-stream author events on Facebook.

After saying it had no immediate plans to close, Diesel in Brentwood made the call on Tuesday to offer curbside pickup only.

Traffic inside the store Monday afternoon was far below the usual number. "Normally we're packed around this time, especially when kids are out of school," said Joey Puente, one of two clerks at the store on a day of reduced hours.

"Lots of people are coming in for a specific purpose, getting one or a few books on a list and leaving  not much browsing," said Puente.

How can bibliophiles support their local literary gems during difficult times? The website Literary Hub put together some suggestions, which included signing up for newsletters, organizing digital book clubs and taking virtual classes from writers. Cullen also proposed supporting the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, which is offering financial support to affected booksellers.

Or bookworms can just keep buying, no matter what.

"We sold out of [Albert] Camus' 'The Plague' pretty quickly," said Maslansky. Preparing to close Stories Books Monday afternoon, he found one last used copy of the existentialist novel for one lucky customer. He'll keep shipping orders "during the duration of the plague," but encouraged buyers to look ahead.

"People can still buy gift cards for the post-COVID future if they want."

Sonja Sharp, Julia Wick, Donna Wares, Alison Brower and Boris Kachka contributed reporting.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend

The Central Insurance Company of Iran intends to sign a contract with Azerbaijan and Turkey to upgrade and develop insurance and reinsurance cooperation, Director General of Central Insurance of Iran Gholamreza Soleymani told Trend

According to Soleymani, a draft insurance cooperation contract has been prepared for the development of technical and special cooperation with both countries.

Soleymani added that establishment of insurance and reinsurance companies with joint investment, direct or indirect investment of insurers in the insurance market, insurance statistics, development of life insurance, assessment of injuries, the use of information technology in the insurance sector, exchange of experience on resource investing and control methods will be reflected in the contract

Improvement of technical knowledge of insurance specialists through seminars, specialist trips or training courses, cooperation on land borders for passenger and transport insurance is also proposed within the cooperation of other parties to this contract, said the official.
TRENTON  Six capital city residents have been tested for the novel coronavirus with two coming back negative, officials said Monday.

While Mercer County has six confirmed cases of the respiratory illness, Trenton still has none confirmed. Health officials await results of the four other tests, city spokesman Connor Ilchert said.

He did not immediately have more information, as city officials continued to ramp up efforts to deal with the growing pandemic.

But The Trentonian has learned that a dispatcher for the Trenton Police Department and his wife have been exposed to the respiratory illness.

The wife works in an office in Princeton where she was exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19, reportedly one of the cases in Princeton who already tested positive. It was not clear if the contact was with a Princeton resident or employee of the university.

The dispatcher is in isolation and cannot report back to work until cleared by a doctor and wont be penalized for any sick time.

Mayor Reed Gusciora has said the couple is asymptomatic.

All you need is one person in City Hall [to get sickened] and then the whole place would shut down, the mayor said. Were doing everything we can to keep people healthy.

However, The Trentonian has learned of a Trenton dispatcher who posted on Facebook that he was being tested for coronavirus, after coming back negative for the flu and strep throat, because he had a low-grade fever, chills and dry heaves.

It was unclear whether it was the same dispatcher Gusciora said was asymptomatic.

A fire department employee is also among those who may have been exposed to the virus, according to internal correspondence reviewed by The Trentonian.

City officials are requesting 300 masks to help protect police officers while responding to calls during the outbreak.

Police are taking precautions while responding to calls that include taking reports over the phone for minor crimes and incidents.

Theyre also interviewing people outside of homes whenever possible to limit exposure, part of a larger effort by state officials to protect law enforcement during the outbreak.

As health officials call for social distancing, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Monday issued guidelines urging police to use telephone and video conference whenever possible to cut down on in-person contact during calls.

Faced with this unprecedented health crisis, our work as members of law enforcement is more important than ever, Grewal said. Our law enforcement leaders and officers are among the best in the nation, and I know that, working together, we will rise to this challenge. The guidance we are offering today represents commonsense measures, supported by health experts, to keep our officers safe while meeting our duty to protect our communities.

The AG also instructed prosecutors to delay filing charges against suspects in cases that do not imminently impact public safety. He cautioned prosecutors to use discretion about who they detain during the pandemic.

Grewal also directed county prosecutors to have assistant prosecutors on call to make charging decisions about anyone who doesnt follow the governors executive order, which shuttered schools, gyms, movie theaters and other non-essential businesses.

Grocery stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, gas stations, and healthcare facilities are exempt from Gov. Phil Murphys shutdown edict, and officers have been instructed not to enforce local ordinances that may limit those establishments hours, Grewal said.

Mayor Gusciora declared a state of emergency on Saturday, following emergency efforts undertaken by county executive Brian Hughes and Gov. Murphy.

llchert said the city was doing everything we can to follow the state shutdown order after New Jerseys confirmed coronavirus count jumped by 80 to 178 cases, including at least two deaths, state health officials said.

Mercer County announced Monday it was indefinitely shuttering all non-essential facilities at the close of business Monday.

That included the clerks office and McDade Administration building, the Board of Social Services, one-stop career center, county libraries, the Mercer County Improvement Authority, Cure Insurance Arena and Arm & Hammer Park.

Criminal and civil courthouses and the county surrogate remain open only for emergency proceedings, Hughes said.

The county jail, sheriffs office and emergency communications center also open, along with county public spaces which are still being patrolled by park rangers.

Trenton-Mercer Airport must stay open to allow for medivac, military and state police operations, Hughes said.

The purpose of this action is to reduce the movement of people in county buildings for the health and safety of our employees and the public with whom they interact, Hughes said in a statement.

Trenton City Hall was already restricted to essential personnel, and schools, senior centers and recreation facilities were closed until at least March 27.

The governing body planned to meet remotely this week, Ilchert said. And the city was working with area hospitals to establish a mobile testing site, the mayors spokesman said.

Mercer County has a half-dozen cases, with at least four in Princeton.

Health officials there announced a woman who works at Princeton University and three others tested positive for the coronavirus after attending a Feb. 29 house party.

No other information was immediately available about the location of Mercer Countys two remaining confirmed cases.

A Robbinsville cardiologist and his wife also tested positive for the coronavirus but werent being counted as part of Mercer Countys tally because they live in Burlington County.

And Hamilton officials announced over the weekend that a person associated with Mercer Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19.

The school is part of the Mercer County Special Services School District which provides educational services to special education students throughout the county.

Sources told The Trentonian that the individual is a teacher who resides in Toms River in Ocean County.

The Hamilton Health Department was awaiting a list of residents who came into contact with the teacher.

Kimberly J. Schneider, Superintendent of Schools for the Mercer County Special Services District, sent out a letter that said a limited number of students and staff have potentially had close contact with the presumptive positive individual.
Global workforce management and intelligence provider recognized as one of the industry's most forward-looking managed service providers (MSP)

Workforce Logiq, a global provider of AI-powered workforce intelligence, technology, and services to large corporations, announced today its ranking as "Best-in-Class" in Ardent Partners' 2020 MSP Solution Advisor. Workforce Logiq has been evaluated against 14 MSPs and recognized for the strength of its overall offering and predictive, on-demand analytics capabilities.

Workforce Logiq ranked highest for Provider Strength, which considers factors such as execution ability, client success, and product and solution vision. The company also ranked highly for Solution Strength, which assesses the ability to support the full scope of contingent workforce management, talent acquisition, and staffing activities.

"Workforce Logiq has undergone a remarkable transformation in less than 18 months from a traditional provider of MSP and VMS solutions to a progressive MSP that leads with innovation and revolutionary analytical competencies," said Chris Dwyer, vice president, research at Ardent Partners. "The company's new executive team sparked an innovation-led solution structure and brought an interesting mix of technology expertise that has resulted in them becoming one of the industry's most forward-looking platforms."

The 2020 MSP Solution Advisor helps talent acquisition, human capital management, human resources, and procurement executives better navigate the MSP landscape and maximize investments in the talent procurement market. Ardent Partners evaluated MSPs across several factors including statement of work (SOW) management and services procurement, self-sourcing, reporting and analytics, technology, future of work vision, talent advisory and consulting services, and more.

As the report highlights, Workforce Logiq distinguished itself from competitors on key differentiators:

Unmatched commitment to artificial intelligence (AI): Workforce Logiq has developed AI as a core, foundational technology that supports the delivery of all its MSP services. The on-demand insights and predictive talent intelligence help organizations source, engage, and match candidates faster, and anticipate and pinpoint key geographic and skill-set volatility risks during periods of company and global economic uncertainty.

Workforce Logiq has developed AI as a core, foundational technology that supports the delivery of all its MSP services. The on-demand insights and predictive talent intelligence help organizations source, engage, and match candidates faster, and anticipate and pinpoint key geographic and skill-set volatility risks during periods of company and global economic uncertainty. Self-sourcing services for high-quality nonemployee labor: Workforce Logiq's predictive, proven self-sourcing platform leverages intelligent technology to help companies recruit and prioritize candidates already engaged and nurture them with relevant messages. The company's exclusive partnership with Upwork is an additional tool that assists clients in self-sourcing top-tier freelance talent through the platform's vast network, providing organizations with on-demand workforce and location flexibility.

"We're committed to giving organizations the analytical edge they need to find and retain the best talent in today's increasingly uncertain labor market," said Jim Burke, chief executive officer of Workforce Logiq. "This recognition by Ardent Partners as a top MSP speaks to our team's ability to deliver the predictive intelligence and expert advisors required to make informed, cost effective talent procurement decisions across the board. We will continue to invest in our clients' success and help them navigate their contingent and full-time talent retention and acquisition challenges."

To learn more about how Workforce Logiq enables organizations to win the talent they need to grow, please visit www.workforcelogiq.com.

About Workforce Logiq

Workforce Logiq, a global provider of AI-powered workforce intelligence, technology, and services to large corporations, enables organizations to win and retain the talent they need to grow. With clients in 50+ countries, Workforce Logiq provides expert guidance, real-time and predictive analytics, and patented and award-winning technologies. Workforce Logiq's universal sourcing solution addresses all elements of its clients' acquisition and retention programs, including full-time (RPO), contingent (MSP), and freelance/"gig" (FMS) workers. Backed by global investment firm The Carlyle Group, the company helps clients attain greater management, performance, and financial control over their talent supply chains.

Today, Workforce Logiq is powered by more than 1,000 workforce management experts and manages 8,000 active supplier relationships and $3 billion in spend globally. Workforce Logiq is headquartered in Orlando, Florida; its European headquarters is in Stockholm, Sweden. Workforce Logiq's portfolio of companies include AI software company ENGAGE Talent, advanced payroll provider LOKI Systems, and background screening provider Quick Search. For more information visit http://www.workforcelogiq.com, follow on Twitter @WorkforceLogiq, or connect with Workforce Logiq on LinkedIn.

About Ardent Partners

Ardent Partners is a research and advisory firm focused on defining and advancing the strategies, processes, and technologies that drive Best-in-Class performance for procurement and finance departments within the enterprise. Since 2010, Ardent Partners has actively covered the procurement, fin-tech, and workforce solutions marketplace and produced research to help business decision-makers understand the technology landscape and select the best-fit solutions for their needs. For more information, visit www.ardentpartners.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005117/en/

Contacts:

Abigail Holmes

Corporate Ink for Workforce Logiq

workforcelogiq@corporateink.com

617.969.9192
By Kong Jun

The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons released recently highlighted the treaty as a cornerstone that prevents the proliferation of nuclear weapons, reiterated the universal benefits of nuclear energy and its applications for peaceful purpose, supported a world free of nuclear weapons under the principles of undiminished security for all, and promoted universality and effective safeguards in response to ongoing and emerging proliferation challenges.

The continuous increase of uncertainties and instabilities in the international situation has seriously damaged global strategic security. Undoubtedly, the joint statement sent a positive signal, whose release will help maintain the international arms control system as well as world peace and stability.

The NPT is the cornerstone of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation system and an important component of the post-WWII international security system. From a historical perspective, the treaty has promoted its three pillars - nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful utilization of nuclear energy - in a balanced way, playing an irreplaceable role in promoting world peace and economic development.

Parties to the NPT will hold the quinquennial review conference this year when the system built on the treaty will face a severe challenge. The US and Russia have retrogressed in their respective nuclear disarmament process. Washington exited the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) last year to lift the restriction on developing nuclear missiles, and now it takes a passive attitude toward the renewal of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, also known as the New START Treaty. If the US is bent on going down this path, we may see the two major nuclear powers free from the restriction of any nuclear disarmament treaty for the first time in the decade.

In the meantime, the international nuclear non-proliferation system is impacted. Washingtons rampant promotion of maximum pressure and double standards regardless of international law has made it difficult to resolve the Korean and Iranian nuclear issues at an early date, and the system does not cover some states with nuclear weapons. There are already signs that international cooperation on peaceful applications of nuclear energy is being politicized and victimized by major-power competition.

As the five foreign ministers stated, the success of the NPT was not foreordained, nor is its future success guaranteed. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the NPT-designated nuclear-weapon states, China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US must safeguard the international order underpinned by international law, make the NPT review conference a success, and empower the treaty to promote international peace and development in the new era. In particular, the US and Russia, with the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, should earnestly fulfill their special duties of nuclear disarmament, renew the New START Treaty, and slash their nuclear arsenal, thus paving the way for other countries to join the nuclear disarmament negotiations.

In the 1980s, ex-USSR leader Gorbachev and the then US President Reagan demonstrated the conviction that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Under current circumstances, reiterating this conviction by the five nuclear states will help showcase their restraint in using nuclear weapons, prevent a nuclear arms race and reduce nuclear risks. The five states should insist on resolving regional nuclear hotspots by political and diplomatic means within the framework of international law and preserve the international nuclear non-proliferation system and regional peace and stability. They should also launch highlight cooperation in the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and meet the growing needs of non-nuclear weapons states for sustainable development.

China firmly supports the international arms control system including NPT and remains committed to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and in any circumstances, and made the unequivocal commitment that under no circumstances will it use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. Last year China reiterated the concept that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. China is the only nuclear-weapon state doing so by now. It actively pushes forward dialogues and negotiations regarding the Korean nuclear issue and strongly preserves the comprehensive agreement for the Iranian nuclear issue. It also takes an active part in international cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and provides assistance to developing countries.

While the US is hyping up the major-country competition, China strongly promotes major-country cooperation. China successfully hosted an annual meeting for the five main nuclear nations in January last year and they reached an important consensus on preserving the NPT. No matter how the international situation changes, China should continue to push forward the five-state coordination and cooperation to enhance the international arms control system. Meanwhile, we should keep resisting unilateralism and hegemony and safeguarding our own strategic security interests.
Killer: Satoshi Uematsu (left) in a police vehicle as he returns to Tsukui police station in Sagamihara, Kanagawa. Photo: STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty

A Japanese court has sentenced a former care home employee to hang for stabbing to death 19 disabled people and injuring two dozen others in the deadliest mass attack in post-World War II Japan.

The Yokohama District Court convicted Satoshi Uematsu of the killings and of injuring 24 other residents and two care-givers at the Yamayuri-en residential centre in July 2016.

During the investigation and trial, Uematsu repeatedly said he had no regrets and was trying to help the world by killing people he thought were burdens. Advocacy groups said the suspect's views reflected a persistent prejudice in Japan against people with disabilities.

The trial focused on his mental state at the time of the crime. Chief Judge Kiyoshi Aonuma dismissed defence requests to acquit him because he was mentally incompetent due to a marijuana overdose.

"The attacks were premeditated, and the defendant was acting consistently to achieve his goal," Judge Aonuma said, according to NHK public television.

"The crime, which took the lives of 19 people, was extremely heinous and caused damage that is incomparable to any other case," he was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

Uematsu listened as the judge delivered the ruling. After the judge declared an end to the session, Uematsu raised his hand seeking permission to speak, but was not allowed to do so.

Prosecutors said Uematsu's motive came from his biases and work experience at the home and not from the use of marijuana. They said Uematsu was mentally competent and should take responsibility for his actions.

The killings mirrored a plot described in a letter that Uematsu had tried to give to a parliamentary leader months prior to the attack. He quit his job at the Yamayuri-en facility after being confronted about the letter and was committed to psychiatric care, but was released within two weeks.

Uematsu (30) told medical staff and officials he was influenced by the ideas of Adolf Hitler, whose killings of disabled people were seen as intended to improve the perceived master race.

Executions are carried out in secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged.
Dutch cannabis users had something to cheer today when the country re-opened its famous 'coffee shops' just two days after shutting them over coronavirus fears.

The weed suppliers will now be open for takeaway purchases during Holland's virus lockdown after a Dutch government U-turn on Monday night.

Cannabis smokers had queued around the block to stockpile cannabis when the ban was initially announced on Sunday, putting a twist on the usual search for pasta and toilet paper.

However, another Dutch institution - the sex clubs and brothels of Amsterdam's red-light district - will remain closed until April 6.

People queue to buy marijuana at the Bulwackie coffee shop in Amsterdam on Sunday, thinking the shops were about to shut for weeks or months - a policy now abandoned

A queue of people line up outside a shop called Doctor Green - one of Holland's famous 'coffee shops' - in the Hague on Sunday

The coffee shops were re-opening today after the Dutch government revised its quarantine measures on Monday night.

Authorities feared that closing the coffee shops completely would promote the drug trade on the streets.

However, consuming cannabis at the cafes themselves - which often have a special ventilated room for customers to smoke their joints - will be banned during the lockdown.

The queues built up within minutes on Sunday after the Dutch health and education ministers gave a televised press conference announcing the closure of many businesses, along with all Dutch schools.

Customers in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Utrecht and the Hague lined up in their dozens to stock up for what could be a lengthy quarantine.

Another Dutch institution - the sex clubs and brothels of Amsterdam's red-light district - will remain closed until April 6. People are pictured walking past the Erotic Museum yesterday

People outside a coffee shop called The Point in the Hague on Sunday where cannabis smokers said it would be 'nice to at least have some in the house' during a lockdown

Long lines form at a coffee shop in Eindhoven on Sunday, with queues forming within minutes of a televised address by Dutch ministers

'For maybe for the next two months we're not able to get some weed so it should be nice to at least have some in the house,' one cannabis buyer in the Hague said.

'My friend called me like five minutes ago, he saw the press conference - good friend,' the Dutch shopper called Jonathan said.

'I wouldn't mind having a little bit of weed - keep it easy while we're at home for so long. It might be a long time in quarantine,' said an Irish woman who gave her name as Hannah as she queued in the Hague.

'I was literally just watching the press conference with my flatmate and then I just went downstairs and suddenly there's this queue of like 30 people, and all these cars arriving as well now.'

Separate queues also built up at Roermond near the border with Germany, amid fears that the German government would shut its borders with the Netherlands next.

Germany has already introduced strict controls for those arriving from France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark from Monday.

Cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, but it decriminalised the possession of less than 0.18 ounces in 1976 under a so-called 'tolerance' policy.

Dutch health officials said today that the country's coronavirus death toll had nearly doubled overnight to 43, while 1,705 people have now been infected.
After having instructed Aramco to boost production to unseen levels, Saudi Arabia now plans to boost oil exports in May to a record 10 million barrels per day, causing oil prices to fall once again.

In order to achieve this level of exports, the Kingdom is trying to reduce its domestic consumption, which it expects to replace with natural gas from the Fadhili gas plant.

Saudi Arabias Energy Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday claiming that Saudi Arabia will utilize the gas produced from the Fadhili gas plant to compensate for around 250,000 barrels a day of domestic oil consumption, which will enable the Kingdom to increase its crude exports during the coming few months to exceed 10 million barrels a day,.

Saudi Arabia may struggle to free up more crude oil for exports in the next couple of months as power consumption is set to increase during the hottest months of the year in the country (May to September). According to the EIA, in 2018, Saudi Arabia reported burning an average of 0.4 million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil for power generation, the lowest amount since at least 2009. Related: Is The Oil Price Crash Good For Renewable Energy?

In the meantime, natural gas consumption has been rising steadily since 2009, and is expected to rise this decade.

Riyadh has made a 180-degree turn in the last two weeks, after its proposal to deepen the OPEC+ output cut deal by 1.5 million bpd got rejected by Moscow, which despite the gloomy demand picture in oil markets saw no reason to make additional production cuts.

Saudi Arabias decision to flood an already woefully oversupplied market has effectively started an oil price war in which Riyadh is aiming to squeeze any competition out of core markets such as Europe and Asia. The Kingdom followed up on its threat to flood the markets with oil by chartering as many as 31 supertankers to ship the extra crude.

In the last couple of days, Aramco has offered their Arab Light and Arab Heavy blends for between $25 and $28 dollar per barrel in Europe, and todays announcement to increase exports to 10 million bpd could send prices even lower.

This scorched earth tactic from Saudi Arabia is quite surprising, given the fact that the Kingdom has consistently overcomplied with its OPEC+ production quota, which saw its total crude exports fall below 7 million barrels per day in January/February.

As the pain for oil exporters continues to increase, it is unlikely that Saudi Arabia nor Russia will unilaterally take action to once again cut production, as neither of them will want to be seen to have lost the oil price war.

Bob McNally, former energy advisor for President George W. Bush and founder of Rapidan Group was quoted by CNBC as saying that National prestige is involved here, honor is involved and political power is involved. And political leaders will suffer costs in a war if they believe they are pursuing a greater and more important aim,.

With none of the parties planning to return to the negotiating table, what is next for oil?

Related: Is $10 Oil On The Horizon?

Most likely, prices are set to fall further until most high-cost producers are squeezed out of the market, or at least until either Riyadh or Moscow can claim some sort of victory by inflicting sufficient damage to opponents.

In the short term, this will likely mean that both Saudi Arabia and Russia and even the UAE will continue to flood the market, or even talk them down in case they cannot free up more oil for exports and that oil prices will fall into the lower $20s, or below.

In its second price forecast in less than two weeks, investment bank Goldman Sachs slashed its price outlook for WTI to just $22 per barrel in Q2, while cutting its outlook for Brent oil to just $20 per barrel.

Goldman cited the combination of the Covid-19 oil demand shock and the price war as the reason for its lower forecast. The bank also believes that oil is likely to stay lower for longer as it will take a long time for inventories to come down again.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Photo: Kevin Mazur/2016 Kevin Mazur

Following distressing reports that Kid Rocks Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N Roll Steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee was refusing to close in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Variety has confirmed that the restaurant reversed its decision not to close. Steakhouse owner Steve Smith, who also owns two other restaurants in the area, had initially said he would not be following Nashville Mayor John Coopers orders to close all bars in the city, calling the mandate unconstitutional.

Smith quickly walked back his statements after online pushback, now saying that in cooperation with the Mayors office, Tootsies, Honky Tonk Central and Kid Rocks Honky Tonk have closed to help protect public health. Kid Rock himself remains silent in the face of all of this controversy, which is surprising, given his candor with absolutely everything else.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln closed Neihardt Hall nearly a year ago as students in the Honors Program moved into the Knoll Residential Center.

Neihardt, named for Nebraska's poet laureate, has remained dark since then as UNL mulls potential future uses for the residential and academic hall.

In the meantime, the complex on the east side of 16th Street on UNL's City Campus is being prepared for the possibility of serving as a quarantine site for students who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

UNL's facilities team has worked around the clock since March 11 to prepare the Piper wing of the dorm, Nebraska Today reported Tuesday.

"We've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, and we actively started setting this up last Wednesday," said Larry Shippen, UNL's associate director of Housing Facilities Operations.

Piper is being set aside for students returning from study-abroad trips in countries designated Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  sites where there is a high risk of being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

The double-occupancy rooms have been converted to single-occupancy, and staff have cleaned and disinfected the areas where quarantine could take place. Refrigerators and microwaves have also been brought into the rooms, and those students would also have the option to order meals from dining services.

In partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Lancaster County Health Department, Shippen and his team have also developed quarantine protocols to keep students and staff members safe.

That gives students who don't have anywhere else to go when they return from overseas an opportunity to self-quarantine in a familiar place, Shippen said.

"Students still living on campus who feel they may have been exposed to the virus also have this option," he added.

Currently, health department officials have said there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln or Lancaster County.

But the ability for students to go somewhere safe will help the remaining community at UNL  particularly the 450 international students living on campus  who cannot return home.

"We have people in other situations that could be homeless if we didn't offer shelter to them," Shippen said.

Another facility that's preparing to serve as a potential quarantine site is the clinic at the People's City Mission. The nonprofit announced on its Facebook page that the clinic building closed Tuesday and "will instead be used for isolating patients with the COVID-19 virus if that becomes necessary."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS
Amid coronavirus outbreak, several prisoners reportedly broke out of four Brazilian jails on March 16. According to international media reports, the prisoners broke out a day before their day-release privileges were due to be suspended over coronavirus outbreak. It Is still not clear how many prisoners had escaped as the authorities are still tallying the exact number of fugitives.

While speaking to a Brazilian media outlet, the Sao Paulo state prison authorities said that the acts of insubordination had taken place ahead of suspension of the day-release program. It further added that the suspension was necessary as approximately 34,000 convicts would be returning to jail and would have a high potential to install and propagate the coronavirus in a vulnerable population. It further added that it would have generated health risks to servers and custodians.

READ: 'Test, Test, Test': WHO Chief On How Countries Should Combat Coronavirus Outbreak

Coronavirus outbreak has also created a panic situation in Italy as inmates across the nation attempted prison breaks. The overcrowded prisons of Italy pose a major risk with severe health and logistical challenges. Under the measures taken against the coronavirus outbreak, prison administrations had implemented restriction including a ban on visitors and leave permits after which prisoners managed to escape after a collective break in Foggia, in the southern region of Apulia.

READ: How The Coronavirus Is Upending American Politics

Controllable pandemic

The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 1,82,000 people and left more than 7,000 dead. The deadly virus has already infected 234 people in Brazil. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 160 countries and territories. 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.

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'.

READ: Dubai: Bars, Lounges Shut Down As Coronavirus Fear Looms Large

READ: Wall Street Worst Hit In Three Decades Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Troubled private lender Yes Bank today announced that all its ATMs and branches have enough cash to meet any requirement once the moratorium is lifted from 6 pm tomorrow.

All ATMs are full with cash, all branches have adequate supply of cash, Yes Bank Administrator Prashant Kumar told reporters.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had imposed a withdrawal cap of Rs 50,000 on March 5 which will be lifted from tomorrow 6 pm. Kumar said complete normalcy will be restored after the moratorium is removed from tomorrow evening. All our customers will be able to enjoy the entire banking service, he said.

On the liquidity side, he assured that there is no issue and the bank would not have to depend on any external party for liquidity. In case the requirement arises, liquidity line is available.

Kumar asked customers to not worry and continue doing transactions the way they were doing earlier. He said only 1/3rd of their customers withdrew Rs 50,000 during the moratorium. Customers feedback is that they dont feel the need to withdraw money from bank. We have had higher inflows than outflows in the last few days, he said.

SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said not even a single Yes Bank share it holds will be sold before the three-year lock-in period.
New Delhi, March 17 : Expressing serious concern over the menace of child pornography, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday that the House will soon discuss a report by a panel on prevention of child pornography so as to enable suitable amendments to the existing laws or a new legislation on the issue.

"Let us have some time during this session for discussion on the report and the ministries concerned should take note of those conclusions and then go ahead with making suitable amendments to law or (bring in) any new law," he said.

He asked Union Minister and Leader of the House, Thawar Chand Gehlot, to consult other members and come up with a date when the issue can be taken up for discussion along with what all measures the central government has taken and what needs to be done, followed by proper implementation.

The panel headed by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh broadly addresses two main issues -- access of children to pornographic material and circulation of porn material on the social media showing abuse of children.

Naidu said that the committee had submitted a very meaningful report and that it should be discussed in the ongoing session.

The Chair was responding after the issue was raised during Zero Hour by BJP lawmaker Kailash Soni.

Soni said that the Rajya Sabha had expressed deep concern over child pornography and various initiatives that needed to be taken. The government had banned over 800 porn websites in recent months.

Referring to recent rape of minors in Dehradun, Bhopal and Patna, the BJP lawmaker said that investigations into these cases had revealed that all the accused, who too were minor, had watched pornography before committing the crime.

Soni said that some non-governmental organisations and newspapers have initiated campaigns against child porn but there was a need for a law with stronger penal provisions.
JACKSON, MI  Outside of a few exceptions, the Jackson County Courthouse is shutting down for the rest of the month starting Tuesday, March 17, amid the growing coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.

Effective immediately, all Jackson County Circuit and District Court operations are being severely limited after Jackson County Chief Circuit Judge Susan Jordan and Chief District Judge Daniel Goostrey signed an order Monday, March 16, shuttering the court offices until Monday, April 6.

The courthouse will be shut down to all hearings with the exception of:

- In-custody arraignments

- Probable cause conferences and preliminary examinations that have not been waived

- Circuit court hearings for in-custody defendants

- In-custody juvenile court hearings

- Preliminary and emergency hearings for child protective proceedings

- Waiver hearings for youths to be charged as adults

- Personal protection orders and hearings on violations of those orders

- Emergency mental health hearings

- Any emergency motions

For court hearings that go on as scheduled, attendance is being strictly limited to essential parties, attorneys, court staff, law enforcement and parents of in-custody juvenile defendants.

Whenever possible, hearings will be conducted using video technology to avoid in-person appearances as well, the order states.

The order comes on the heel of 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19 being discovered in Michigan since Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency.

Anyone with questions regarding emergency court hearings or actions can call the Circuit Court at 517-788-4268.

For district court questions, call 517-788-4260.

For Probate Court questions, call 517-788-7290

For Friend of the Court questions, call 517-788-4470

For Youth Center questions, call 517-788-4460

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
In a last ditched effort, one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, Pawan Gupta, has moved the Supreme Court with a curative petition against the dismissal of his review plea rejecting his juvenility claim.

The top court had on January 31 dismissed his review plea against the rejection of his appeal on January 20.

The review plea was taken up for consideration in-chamber by a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna and was dismissed.

Pawan's counsel A P Singh confirmed filing of the curative petition on Tuesday.

While dismissing his appeal on January 20, the top court had said there was no ground to interfere with the Delhi High Court order that rejected Pawan's similar plea.

The apex court had said that the convict's claim was rightly rejected by the trial court as also the high court.

It had said the matter was raised earlier in the review plea before the apex court which rejected the claim of juvenility taken by Pawan and another convict Vinay Kumar Sharma and that order has attained finality.

Pawan's counsel had earlier argued that as per his school-leaving certificate, he was a minor at the time of the offence.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi Police, had said Pawan's claim of juvenility was considered at each and every judicial forum and it will be a travesty of justice if the convict is allowed to raise the claim of juvenility repeatedly and at this point of time.

The trial court had on March 5 issued fresh black warrants for the execution of all the four convicts in the caseMukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan (25), Vinay (26) and Akshay (31)in Tihar Jail at 5.30 am on March 20.

All the convicts have exhausted their legal remedies and constitutional remedies with the filing of their mercy petitions, which have been rejected by the President.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NORWALK  A Norwalk man evaded police in a high-speed chase after he was seen recklessly doing donuts in the middle of Connecticut Avenue, according to police.

Steven Carey, 29, of Highwood Avenue, was arrested on an outstanding warrant on Saturday and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, two counts of interfering with an officer, failure to comply with fingerprinting, failure to obey traffic control signals and failure to drive in the proper lane.

Police spokesman Sgt. Sofia Gulino said an officer was cleaning his cruiser at Freds Car Wash at 8:40 a.m. on March 11 when he observed a black BMW come screeching down Stuart Avenue and pull two consecutive doughnuts in the middle of Connecticut Avenue  one of citys busiest roads  before speeding back down Stuart Avenue at a high rate of speed.

The car was gone by the time the officer could get to his cruiser, Gulino said, but the officer and newly arrived detectives saw the same BMW pull into the car wash parking lot moments later.

The officers approached the vehicle and asked the driver to stop, but the driver suddenly reversed into Connecticut Avenue, nearly striking a pedestrian, and sped away south on Connecticut Avenue, Gulino said.

Police briefly chased the car, but called the pursuit off near Van Buren Avenue due to safety concerns.

An investigation revealed the car had been loaned to Carey, who returned the car to the dealer hours after the incident, police said.

On Saturday, Carey was taken into custody by state police for an unrelated incident. When they learned of his arrest warrant, he was transported to Norwalk and was held in lieu of $175,000 bond.

While in holding, Carey allegedly threatened to assault officers. He later had to be restrained by police when he allegedly made a threatening move toward an officer who was trying to get him to comply with fingerprinting requirements.

Carey has been previously convicted of reckless driving, interfering with an officer and breach of peace for an incident in which he drove head-on toward a police officer, forcing him to swerve to avoid a collision, and then later resisted arrest.

In 2012, Carey was granted accelerated rehabilitation for an incident in which he stole a Ford Econoline van and crashed it into several cars and fixtures on Wall Street.

Carey is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Norwalk on March 23.
Fall River is a benefits broker on the Colorado Front Range, which specializes in self-funding, compliance, and HR technology.

A release said that following the transaction, Fall River will join Alera Group through Benefit Commerce Group  an Alera Group company. The Fall River team will continue to serve clients in their current capacities.

We are excited to welcome Fall River Employee Benefits to Alera Group, said Alera Group CEO Alan Levitz. Their continual pursuit of excellence makes them a fantastic fit for our organization, and we look forward to the synergy they will build with existing Alera Group firms throughout the region.

As an Alera Group company, we will continue to bring our clients the highly personalized service of a boutique brokerage, now combined with the unmatched resources and collaboration of a strong national organization, commented Fall River CEO Kristen Russell. By joining Alera Group, we are able to grow and bring even more tools and innovative ideas to better serve our clients.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday ordered state health and social service agencies to redirect services toward senior citizens and people with chronic health conditions  two populations that hes told to stay home as the coronavirus spreads.

The new executive order aims to put more staff in residential care and outpatient facilities, and to add programs that would serve seniors cloistering themselves at home.

It also required departments to let first responders and other caregivers continue working as long as they take precautions and show no signs of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. With 572 cases so far  a number that keeps escalating  the state is scrambling to meet heightened demand for healthcare workers.

These will be challenging times and California is mobilizing every part of government to protect and isolate residents most vulnerable to COVID-19, Newsom said in a statement accompanying the order.

Those who are over the age of 65, Californians with underlying health issues, residential care patients and all those who care for these individuals are uniquely at risk, he continued. In the coming weeks, our state must rally behind these Californians and work aggressively to ensure their needs are safely met.

Newsom threw many elderly adults into confusion and panic on Sunday when he told them to isolate themselves. The guideline was among several aggressive interventions that Newsom made to curb the virus. He also urged bars to close and restaurants to reduce capacity. And he restricted visits to nursing homes and other assisted living facilities, saying that only end-of-life visits would be allowed.

Though none of these measures have the force of law, the governor could choose to make them mandatory.

Some wondered whether they would be able to get groceries, medications, or fresh air.

Im confused about this thing, said Deni OBrien, 66, who lives in Inverness  an unincorporated area of western Marin County near Point Reyes.

Grocery delivery services generally dont travel that far, OBrien said, so she and her neighbors have no idea what theyll do if they cant go to the market in Point Reyes.

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.

OBrien said shes unlikely to adhere to the guidelines.

I plan on hiking, going to the beach, practing my guitar, looking at the elephant seals, she said. But Ill stay six feet away from everyone. Ill stay six feet away from the elephant seals, too.

Glen Park resident Pauline Scholten, who is 67, said she would try to follow the orders. But shes concerned about her 96-year-old aunt, who lives in an assisted living facility in Daly City.

Theyre basically on lockdown, Scholten said. The dining room is shut down, and now they all have to take meals in their rooms. I feel bad for her.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
A good way to deal with fake news is to arm yourself with the facts and educate others.

Update: This story will be updated to answer any new questions that come our way.

There is a lot of uncertainty and confusion surrounding the spread, symptoms, and causes the disease, COVID-19.

First, let's clarify some terms:

Coronavirus is the name of a family of viruses that can cause diseases in animals and people. The coronavirus family generally caused various respiratory illnesses in people.

COVID-19 is the name of the disease in question. The name was chosen by WHO (World Health Organisation) as the disease was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 has been classified as a pandemic because it's spread to most of the civilised world.

SARS-COV-2 is the name of the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Information is one of the most important ways people can protect themselves from this disease, and where you get your information from is essential as well. Trusted sources like WHO, The United Nations, the World Economic Organisation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ministry for Health and Family Welfare, and National Center for Disease Control will give you verified and authentic information. They also have a lot of visual aids and precautionary measures that you can follow in case you either are infected with the virus, SARS-CoV-2 or have imposed self-isolation at home.

Misinformation is rampant during times of trouble. A good way to deal with fake news is to arm yourself with the facts and educate others. Social media is always accessible and self-checking the information before you put it out is a good habit to inculcate during these times and to carry forward even during periods of normalcy.

Below are some of the myths and misinformation circulating on social media and messaging apps.

Q: Can dogs spread or get infected with coronavirus?

A: This myth started out because a dog in Hong Kong was tested positive with coronavirus. However, the WHO stepped in and states that dogs can not spread the virus. While dogs are susceptible to the family of coronavirus, they are not going to get infected with this strain of the virus.

Q: Bats are the source of coronavirus

A: While there is no solid confirmation that bats are the cause of the virus scientists do suspect them. They believe that the virus was transferred from a bat to a pangolin and then transferred to a human being. However, some experts also believe that snakes, sold at a market in Wuhan, could be the source of the virus. Scientists are still trying to understand this virus however, the process has been slow.

Also Read:

Coronavirus outbreak: Facebook cancels developer event F8, gaming conference E3; Apple's WWDC, Snapchat annual conference opt for online version

Coronavirus outbreak: What is community transmission? How do you protect yourself from the virus?

Q: Can Vitamin C help cure the virus?

A: There is no cure for COVID-19 currently but experts are working on it. No antibiotics or medicines that were used to cure SARS that first spread in China in 2002 are working on this strain of the virus either.

Q: Using gaumutra will rid you of the virus?

A: Certain people have been promoting this remedy. However, there is no medical proof that this works.

Also read:

Coronavirus outbreak: What's the difference between pandemic, epidemic and outbreak?

Key coronavirus safety tips: How to quarantine yourself and keep from spreading COVID-19

Q: Ayurveda, Homeopathy and other herbal medicines can cure/prevent coronavirus?

A: AYUSH, a division in the Government of India has released an advisory that spoke about different methods to prevent the infection from coronavirus. However, this again has no scientific backing to support the effectiveness in addressing coronaviruses.

Q: Will the onset of heat/summers mean a decline in the spread of the virus?

A: COVID-19 stems from the family of coronavirus that has caused SARS and MERS infection. While the family of viruses typically survive better in winter, there is no definite proof that COVID-19 will play by the same rules. There is a lot of unknown surrounding this novel coronavirus. Assuming that the virus will disappear in the summer would be a false hope.

Q: Taking a hot bath or drinking hot water can kill the virus or prevent the virus

A: Coronavirus symptoms for a majority of the people infected (9 out of 10 people) include cough, mild fevers, sore throat, headache, body ache. Drinking warm water will make you feel better but it will not cure you. WHO also states that having a bath in hot water won't work since the body temperature remains at an average of 36.5C to 37C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower.



Q: Using a hand dryer or a UV light will kill the virus

A: No, these won't help sterilize your hands. Using water and soap is the only way to rid yourself of the virus. UV lights can also irritate your skin due to the radiation. Hand sanitizers that have more than 60 percent of alcohol can be used in an emergency.

Q: Only old people are affected by the virus

A: While older people are more affected by this virus, other people with pre-existing conditions like liver, kidney, diabetes, heart conditions, and even people who smoke can be seriously affected. Younger people can be infected but they might show milder symptoms. However, if they do no practice social distancing or quarantine themselves, they might infect people who do not have a good immune system.

Q: Eating garlic will help prevent infection

A: No, it will not help prevent the infection.

Q: It is not safe to receive a package from China

A: A study has found that the virus could be detected in the air up to three hours later, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. However, this study has not been tested by other scientists and therefore is not conclusive. There is also no proof that the virus can be transferred to one person or the other via the air.

Q; Eating meat can cause coronavirus

A: The answer is no, the disease does not spread through consumption of chicken, mutton or fish and avoiding it does not mean you are safe. The virus spreads if someone comes in contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected person.

Q: If you can hold your breath for ten seconds without discomfort, you dont have COVID.

A: Dr Faheem Younus tweeted out that most young patients with Coronavirus will be able to hold their breaths for much longer than 10 seconds. And many elderly without the virus wont be able to do it. The only way to make sure that you are no infected is to get tested.

Q: Is there a possibility that a person who was infected and cured can get infected again?

A: Currently there is no definite answer to this question. However, according to Harvard, most people who get cured develop atleast a short term immunity towards a specific strain of the coronavirus. But studies have found that the virus is mutating rapidly and they can get infected with another mutated strain of the coronavirus. Often these mutations change the virus enough to make you susceptible because your immune system thinks it is an infection that it has never seen before.

Also Read:

Bleach gargles and drinking miracle mineral solution will not prevent COVID-19

Drinking vodka, or any other alcohol, does not prevent coronavirus

Coronavirus Outbreak: State, Union territories helplines, Whatsapp chatbot and tracking the virus
Amid the Covid-19 crisis, the race to secure the Democratic nomination has put health spending and rolling back tax cuts in the spotlight, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

The Covid-19 pandemic is reshaping our lives here in Ireland and in the US, it could well overturn the apple cart of American political and business life.

The countrys strained if not ramshackle public health system is being pushed to its limits.

The centrist candidate Joe Biden has emerged as the front runner for the Democratic nomination for president following the Super Tuesday and other recent primaries.

Should he go all the way, he may end up presiding over a government that veers quite far to the left.

More and more  Mr Biden included  are accepting the case for a rapid increase in public spending with the aim of propping up the healthcare system and ensuring that the financially vulnerable receive greater protection.

This, in turn, is likely to result in higher taxes on the wealth and income of wealthy people and big corporations.

Already centrists in the Democratic party have begun to endorse the idea of a wealth tax.

In something of a turnaround, pro- Donald Trump campaigners are seeking to paint even Mr Biden as a socialist.

We may not end up with Bernie Sanders as president, but many of the ideas he promotes may well be adopted although the lefts ambitious Green New Deal plan may parked for some time on financial grounds.

At the end of a tumultuous week, the Trump administration has owned up to the seriousness of the situation but is far from hinting at possession of a grip on the crisis.

The centrist Democrats led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Biden have moved to seize the initiative, with Ms Pelosi working closely with President Trumps Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on an agreed plan.

A key role is set to be played by the leader of the US Senate Mitch McConnell.

Most people in business would welcome concerted action regardless of cost considerations.

Mr Biden has announced the formation of a new Public Health Advisory Committee with six members including figures from the Obama administration such as Zeke Emanuel, brother of the former Mayor of Chicago and Chief of Staff to the President, Rahm Emanuel.

Also in the group is the former Homeland Security advisor, Lisa Monaco.

Mr Sanders is sticking to his goal of implementation of his Medicare for All plan which he says, will cost between $30trn and $40 trn to implement over 10 years.

Mr Biden favours an Obamacare-plus approach  building on the achievements of Obamacare - which he says would extend coverage to around 97% of Americans.

He argues that the current public health crisis must take precedence.

It is not about a debate about Medicare for All. Its much beyond that right now, he said.

Last week, Mr Biden announced a plan aimed at combatting the coronavirus pandemic. This includes public health measures such as free public Covid-19 testing, along with emergency paid leave and the creation of state and local emergency funds.

We need broader measures to shore up economic demand, keeping credit moving to our job creators, he said.

Mr Sanders has spoken with clarity about the dangers of the current situation where civic minded people who took tests are faced with crippling bills and many are still going to work despite feeling ill.

But Mr Bidens strength lies in his huge connections across the political system to mayors and officials.

All of this will ultimately have to be paid for  though the US retains a unique capacity given the global strength of the dollar to print money.

While the White House will be tempted to shore up big corporations, Mr Biden has already unveiled a tax plan that would effectively reverse most of the President Trump tax cuts of 2017.

He has promised to raise income tax on the top 1% with the aim of raising $3.2trn over the next 10 years.

Economists disagree as to the amount that could actually be raised.

Experts at the Tax Policy Centre puts the figure at $4trn  but this was before the recent financial crash which has raised the prospect of an income and wealth-destroying recession.

This, in turn, could prompt the federal government to press ahead with a badly needed programme of investment in infrastructure repair across the US.

The administration may well have to pump countless billions into a rescue of businesses on Main Street and a programme of restructuring and even cancellation of personal debt.

The programme of increases in taxes on the wealthy could well turn out to be much more wide-ranging.

A society-wide crisis up to and including war have a way of conjuring up situations which few people can have imagined. Just talk to some of our better historians.

The Biden campaign has been seeking to build its fences with the Sanders campaign in the hope of reducing the numbers of young people staying at home in the November election.

The gathering crisis has brought forward such a prospect.

The warring factions in the Democratic party have a chance to agree on a common programme of action.

The crisis has brought them closer together. There is a realisation that American society could be embarking on a period of profound transformation.

The Democrat rivals would do well to consider this  particularly the purist followers of Mr Sanders.

As former candidate Hillary Clinton used to say: Never waste a crisis. The two men and their backers will not be forgiven by history if they duck this opportunity to craft a programme of deep reform.
Chandigarh: A day after banning all kinds of gatherings of more than 100 people, the UT administration on Tuesday exempted weddings and related functions from the directive.

However, the administration has requested those hosting such functions to avoid a gathering of more than 100 people till March 31.

The administration also clarified that the order on closure of pubs is limited to those establishments where people come in close physical interaction, like dancing while those serving only food and beverages are exempted.

The clarification comes on the day the Punjab government decided to restrict gatherings at wedding functions to 50.

Malls shut in Mohali

The Punjab government has also ordered the closure of all shopping complexes and malls besides kisan mandis till March 31. Cinema halls had already been ordered shut.

The malls to be effected in Mohali are VR Punjab in Kharar, Bestech in Sector 66 and Paras Downtown and Dhillon in Zirakpur. VR Punjab witnesses a footfall of 25,000 daily while up to 14,000 shoppers and moviegoers visit Bestech at weekends.

Mansa Devi closed

Meanwhile, in Panchkula, Mata Mansa Devi Temple closed entry to general public on Tuesday. According to officials, priests will continue to perform daily rituals, but devotees wont to be allowed to enter till further orders.

The shrine board will provide live feed of the aarti on its website and social media platforms.

Kali Mata Temple in Kalka along with 11 other local temples in the district, including those in Sector 6, 7, 9 and 11, have also been directed to shut down till further orders. The priests have been asked to remove temple bells by March 31.

24-hr quarantine of intl passengers

All passengers  Indians as well as foreign nationals  arriving at the Chandigarh airport on international flights will be quarantined for 24 hours from March 18. At present there are two international flights  Dubai and Sharjah.

Airport chief executive officer Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj said: Passengers through direct flights from Dubai and Sharjah or having travel history to other countries will be quarantined for 24 hours immediately after their arrival.

Mohali civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said: We have made an arrangement of 300 beds at Gian Sagar Hospital in Banur and designated it as the quarantine centre, where the passengers will be kept.
Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart

Recently, theres been quite a bit of fear in relation to the coronavirus. The media reports on it constantly. States are declaring states of emergency, and store shelves are emptying as people are buying supplies to prepare for the virus. The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus a pandemic.

This isnt the first time that Western civilization has confronted the fears of a pandemic. The Black Death, a pandemic of the bubonic plague, terrorized Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. Within five years of its arrival in Europe, it is estimated to have killed 20 million peoplea third of the entire population of Europe. It then disappeared and returned repeatedly for the next 300-plus years.

How did Europeans between the 14th and 17th centuries deal with their fears of the Black Death? Many of them turned to their faith for comfort. Some, unfortunately, used the supernatural negatively as a way to legitimize the persecution of Jews. Others, however, used their beliefs in the supernatural as a positive response to the epidemic.

In the Catholic tradition, art became a way of not only learning religious lessons and stories but also giving solace to believers in distress. According to art historian Dr. Louise Marshall, In setting up hierarchical relationships of mutual obligation between worshiper and image, those who lived during the pandemic were not neurotic and helpless, but were taking positiveand in their eyes effectivesteps to regain control over their environment  

She also writes: Throughout the pandemic, for many towns the first line of supernatural defense remained the local patron saint. At the heavenly court, the local saint could be relied upon to plead the communitys cause with all the vigor and passion of a citizen on an urgent embassy to a foreign dignitary.

In other words, during the Black Death, people used imagery to pray to a patron saint who would serve as an intermediary between the sick and heaven. These patron saints included St. Sebastian and St. Rosalia. St. Roch, however, became a saint specially invoked against the plague.

Saint Rochs Story

According to The Golden Legend or Lives of the Saints, Roch was born in Montpelier, on the border between France and Italy, to a noblewoman who was barren until she prayed to the Virgin Mary. Roch was born with a birthmark of a red cross and was a very devout Christian from an early age.

Rochs wealthy parents died when he was 20. Upon their death, Roch gave away all of his riches and went to Italy to help those sick with the pestilence. He went from town to town, clearing away the pestilence with miracles: through prayer, making the sign of the cross, and by the touch of his hand.

After visiting a number of towns, an angel told Roch that he would get the plague himself. The townsfolk of Piacenza, Italy, where he was, expelled him; he then lived in a nearby wood, where he fashioned a hut out of branches and leaves.

Despite his condition, Roch spent his time in cheerful prayer. A spring miraculously appeared and supplied him with water, which tempered his fever. A dog belonging to a count living nearby brought him food and licked his wounds, which healed him. Later, during a hunting excursion, the dog led Count Gothard to Roch, and the count became Rochs follower.

Despite still being ill himself, Roch continued his mission. He entered the nearby town to heal plague victims. Soon, however, Roch asked God to be healed and was granted recovery.

After recovering, Roch returned to the province where he grew up, now at war. He was imprisoned by his uncle, who did not recognize him and believed him to be a spy. Roch, refusing worldly glory, did not reveal who he truly was. Instead, he welcomed prison and spent the next few years in prayer.

After Roch spent five years in prison and was close to death, a light shone forth from inside the prison. His last prayer was that anyone who prayed to him in the name of Jesus would be delivered from pestilence. Upon his death, an angel placed a golden tablet under his head. The golden tablet granted Rochs dying prayer and included his name so that all came to know his true identity.

Christ Appointing Saint Roch as Patron Saint of Plague Victims, circa 16231626, by Peter Paul Rubens. Oil on canvas. St. Martins Church in Aalst, Belgium. (Public Domain)

Roch as Patron Saint of Plague Victims

The plague had not entirely disappeared from Europe when Peter Paul Rubens, a devout Roman Catholic and a leading painter for the Catholic Counter-Reformation, painted his Christ Appointing Saint Roch as Patron Saint of Plague Victims. It is part of a larger altarpiece, in Belgium, which was completed for the Aalst guild of hops and grain merchants in 1626, whose patron saint was St. Roch.

Rubens composed the scene in an upper and lower half. The upper half depicts four figures: Jesus, an angel, St. Roch, and a dog. Jesus descends into darkness, dressed in a red robe, with a light around his head that illuminates the darkness.

Jesus points to a sign held by the angel that reads, Eris In Peste Patronus. This roughly translates as You are the patron during pestilence.

St. Roch is shown kneeling on one knee and looking at Jesus. He holds a staff and bag in his right hand and points to himself with his left, as if to acknowledge Jesuss sign.

In the lower half of the painting, Rubens depicted multiple figures infected with the plague. They look up at the scene above, with their arms outstretched as they ask for relief from their sufferings.

Only one figure in the lower half of the picture plane stands. It appears that Rubens expertly placed this figure to stop our eyes from leaving the picture plane and to lead our eyes back to the upper half of the composition. It is also the only figure that occupies both the upper and lower halves of the composition.

Fearless Compassion

During the height of the Black Death, the fear it inspired sometimes resulted in people abandoning their own infected families.

How might St. Rochs story and Rubenss depiction inform us today? During a time of fear, it is easy to think only about our own well-being. Of course, we should consider our well-being, and we should definitely make sure that our families are safe. But we should also, I think, remember to not let our fear prevent us from caring for others.

Faith and compassion is what I take away from St. Rochs story. One thing the Europeans response to the Black Death incorporated was faith in a benevolent power greater than themselves. St. Roch did not fear illness or prison because his faith in God was deep and powerful. His goal was to compassionately help the suffering, and he succeededwhich is why, despite his refusal of worldly renown, we are still discussing him almost 700 years later.

Though Rubens depicted a clear separation between the upper half and lower half of his painting, we neednt interpret that literally. In other words, it is not that heavenly matters are absolutely separate from worldly concerns. The most significant figures in the composition are Jesus, the angel, and St. Roch, but also significant to the composition is the sign at which Jesus points (and our eyes necessarily follow): the sign that signifies St. Roch is patron saint of pestilence. The angel holding the sign looks out at us as if to suggest, Heaven has not forgotten you.

Stories like St. Rochs, in which a human being requests to serve the afflicted, even after his own death, offer a compelling message. St. Roch refused material gain, but he did not deny the material world, nor did he separate himself from it. The refusal of material gain for oneself is different from the refusal of the material world altogether. With the help of his faith and the resulting compassion, he fearlessly traveled to help as many people in this world as he could, despite his own sufferings, and his compassion extended even beyond death.

Im guilty of being as fearful as the next person. But St. Rochs story and Rubenss depiction remind me to strengthen my faith and my compassion and to be a source of comfort for othersfor anyoneduring these trying times as the world confronts a new viral threat. If our faith and compassion are strong, maybe the miraculous will happen for us too.

Art has an incredible ability to point to what cant be seen so that we may ask What does this mean for me and for everyone who sees it? How has it influenced the past and how might it influence the future? What does it suggest about the human experience? These are some of the questions we explore in our series Reaching Within: What Traditional Art Offers the Heart.

Eric Bess is a practicing representational artist. He is currently a doctoral student at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA).
CALGARY, Alberta, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gibson Energy Inc. (Gibson or the Company), (TSX: GEI), announced today that Ms. Judy Cotte will join the Companys Board of Directors effective March 17, 2020.



We are very excited to have Judy Cotte join Gibsons Board of Directors, said James Estey, Chairman of Gibson. Judy has significant legal experience, including the last 10 years exclusively focused on ESG, and is a recognized expert on ESG and responsible investment. Her addition reflects the Boards ongoing commitment to ensuring access to the right skillsets to continue to move the Company forward, as well as a recognition of the importance of sustainability and ESG principles in how our Company operates.

Ms. Cotte is currently Chief Executive Officer of ESG Global Advisors, a firm that bridges the gap between companies and investors on environmental, social and governance factors. Prior to forming ESG Global Advisors, Ms. Cotte was Vice President and Head of Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment for RBC Global Asset Management and was a member of the firms Executive Committee. Previously, Ms. Cotte was the Director of Policy Development and Chief Operating Officer for the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance. Ms. Cotte has a Masters degree in securities law and practiced law in various capacities, including as enforcement counsel with the Ontario Securities Commission, litigation counsel with a large broker and as a partner in a Bay Street law firm.

Ms. Cotte is currently a member of the TSX Listings Advisory Group, the CCGG Public Policy Committee and the UN PRIs Global Policy Reference Group.

As part of joining Gibsons Board of Directors, Ms. Cotte will also serve on the Environment, Social, Governance/Health and Safety Committee.

About Gibson

Gibson is a Canadian-based oil infrastructure company with its principal businesses consisting of the storage, optimization, processing, and gathering of crude oil and refined products. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the Companys operations are focused around its core terminal assets located at Hardisty and Edmonton, Alberta, and also include the Moose Jaw Facility and an infrastructure position in the U.S.

Gibson shares trade under the symbol GEI and are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.gibsonenergy.com.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Chyc-Cies

Vice President, Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations

Phone: (403) 776-3146

Email: mark.chyc-cies@gibsonenergy.com
All of us, trapped in our homes right now. Photo: Fox Network

As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka Mattoo represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production company with Jack Black. Now she writes and directs, but she still encounters a tidal wave of comedy hopefuls looking for the advice, information, and pep talks that only a former agent can provide. In show business, they say that its all about who you know. Well, youre in luck, because now you know Priyanka!

So, uh, how am I supposed to even think about something as insignificant as screenwriting while the world seems like its ending?

 Everyone, everywhere in the world right now

Oh, man. I spent last Thursday in a panic spiral, looking for anyone on the internet to dole out one comforting word, and it did not happen! So Ive been comforting myself, and it seems to be working, so maybe I can pass that comfort along. I havent made this crystal clear to my readers, but this column is a recurring excuse to give myself pep talks. Im glad it helps all of you, and weve built a nice community, but since I started writing it, Ive embarked on a screenwriting career, made a short film, gotten agents, sold a show, and was supposed to pitch another this week, but now, pandemic! Every time Ive felt discouraged or confused about my career in the last few years, answering readers questions gives me the clarity I often need to boost me back up. So thank you for existing, and for reminding me to remind myself that everything is hard, but not impossible. What is a writing career if not a series of existential crises? Technically, youve been preparing for this since you decided to be a creative person.

Now, I admit this situation is easier for me to bear than the average American. I grew up in the Middle East during the Gulf War, my ancestral home was burned down by militants, and my family has collectively experienced four air wars. I wouldnt wish that series of events upon anyone, but it does put me in the unique position of being able to wake up and remind myself that I slept a full night, in a bed, with neither air raid nor gas mask. A lot of the world has all of that to deal with on top of the virus. That said, this is objectively a huge deal. Swaths of the country are losing their financial stability, and many more will become critically ill, especially if everyone keeps mingling about! This is all so bad and hard. And like all hard and bad times in my experience, the only way I know not to implode is to focus, as much as possible, on getting through today, and thinking about tomorrow  tomorrow.

My danger-adjacent childhood taught me to accept that everything might end tomorrow. It might! But it probably wont. There is always a chance it might, but I could also just keel over any given Tuesday. So I can choose to spend today rocking back and forth in my bed, wanting to vomit (like last week), or deciding today is going to be at least tolerable, and I might even enjoy a moment or two. Of course, the latter option is easier said than done if youre currently enduring crippling anxiety or depression. If you are, and can muster the wherewithal, please seek out a therapist who can Skype! You dont have to go through this alone. Open Path is a great resource for lower-cost therapy at $30 to $60 a session.

And now what? Who wouldnt want to spend a day or two at home, not seeing anyone, eating a bag of stale cookies and watching subpar TV? It can be fun! But not quite as fun 30 days in a row, when its the law and/or youre homeschooling children while somehow working. And definitely not when so many peoples jobs and lives are disintegrating. As my friend Liz said the other day, The mechanics of this, I can probably deal with. My challenge will be in not getting depressed. The desire to lie in bed and give up is also my constant companion, but thankfully keeping my brain chemicals up has become a hobby of sorts.

Here are some things that have been great for my brain chemicals: daily meditation, a walk or two, doing busywork with my kids, reading funny books, making soup. But nothing is as restorative as my No. 1 mental-health practice in trying times: staying off social media. Sure, I pop in every once in a while to see how everyone is doing, but since I took it off my phone (and disabled Safari!), Im ten times calmer. Its nice to feel connected, yes, but see how the panicked howls of hundreds of millions of users might make you feel  more sad and scared right now?

In addition to your chosen combination of mood-lifting practices, might I recommend adding some shape to your day? My husband and I are currently home with a 6-year-old and a toddler, and like all the other homeschooling parents, every morning we take a big piece of craft paper, tape it on the wall, and write up a basic schedule: meals (and what were eating for them), when were taking turns working, the brain activity and physical activity for each morning and afternoon, and a chunk of quiet time in the middle of the day. The toddler naps, I sit still, and the boy does whatever he wants, as long as hes quiet. Its not a perfect system, but it keeps us all going, gives us purpose hour by hour, and leaves less of those thinky cracks where one can fall into thinking the world is over already.

Theres also a crucial game we play in the evening with our son that I think every grown person in the world should, crisis or not: Rose, Bud, and Thorn, in which you highlight the best part of your day (rose), the worst part of your day (thorn), and the thing youre most looking forward to tomorrow (bud). We play it as a family  I even play it on our podcast, Foxy Browns  but it can also be played over group text, or FaceTime, or  Im not certain how TikTok works, but sure! In times like this, it can feel impossible to think of anything positive to say, but its a surprising exercise in amplifying the goodness of small moments. Weve also added a fourth element, Pomegranate, which is what youre feeling most grateful for every evening. Am I brainwashing my children into having perspective and gratitude? Absolutely. And now Im hoping to indoctrinate you, dear, suggestible readers.

You might find, after a few shapely, Twitter-free days capped by Rose, Bud, and Thorn (and Pomegranate!), that youre feeling compelled to get out of bed and do something with all of your ideas and feelings. You dont have to write a script. Maybe its a maudlin song, maybe its just journaling. Maybe you cross-stitch, or paint, or reread the Harry Potter series. Dont worry so much about being productive. Just keep your brain in a good place  that takes a lot of energy.

As a parent, there is not a chance in heck Im going to have any time to write more than this column until school is up and running, but I do often come back to this incredible NPR piece with Nora Roberts, who started writing to escape the madness of being stuck in a snowstorm with her children. Let her 198 New York Times best sellers be an inspiration, and if this cycles through like every other crisis Ive experienced, Im guessing well also come back to our normal lives with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity.

So, in the course of keeping yourself alive and your spirits afloat, do you have to write a masterpiece? Or even the garbage draft of one? No! Definitely not, if you dont feel like it. Dont feel any guilt about this at all. Your main goal right now is to stay home, stay healthy, and nourish yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, one day at a time. Selling your wares, or participating in some kind of invisible content race, is the least of your worries this month. There will be plenty of time to hustle* once we get through this as a society, which we most definitely will  if we all just stay home. STAY HOME. xox

*If there isnt a writers strike, but thats a whole other column!

Were committed to keeping our readers informed.

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Ancient ice age humans survived the freezing temperatures by robbing mammoth grave yards and building 'mysterious bone circle structures', a study finds.

British scientists examining a site in Russia dated the bones to 20,000 years ago, when Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers lived in the harsh frozen environment.

As well as dozens of mammoth bones, reindeer, horse, bear, wolf, red fox and arctic fox bones were also found on the Russian Planes site.

About 70 of these structures are known to exist in Ukraine and the west Russian Plain, but this is the oldest discovered.

Researchers say the bones were most likely sourced from animal graveyards, and the circle was then hidden by sediment. It is now one foot below current surface level.

Scroll down for video

The majority of the bones found at the site investigated, in the Russian Plains, are from mammoths. A total of 51 lower jaws and 64 individual mammoth skulls were used to construct the walls of the 30ft by 30ft structure and scattered across its interior

Previously, archaeologists have assumed the circular mammoth bone structures were used as dwellings, but the new study suggests this may not always have been the case

A total of 51 lower jaws and 64 individual mammoth skulls were used to construct the walls of the 30ft by 30ft structure and scattered across its interior.

For the first time, the archaeologists from the University of Exeter found remains of charred wood and other soft non-woody plant remains within the circular structure near the modern village of Kostenki, about 310 miles south of Moscow.

They say this indicates people were burning wood as well as bones for fuel, and the communities who lived there had learned where to forage for edible plants.

Dr Alexander Pryor, who led the study, said the Kostenki 11 site represents a rare example of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers living on in this harsh environment.

Climate reconstructions indicate at the time summers were short and cool and winters were long and cold, with temperatures around -4 degrees F or colder.

The last Ice Age, which swept northern Europe between 75-18,000 years ago, reached its coldest and most severe stage at around 23-18,000 years ago.

Most communities left the region, probably because of lack of prey to hunt and plant resources they depended upon for survival, scientists say.

'What might have brought ancient hunter gatherers to this site' in the first place?, Pryor said, while considering the unlikely frozen location.

'One possibility is that the mammoths and humans could have come to the area en masse because it had a natural spring that would have provided unfrozen liquid water throughout the winter - rare in this period of extreme cold.

'These finds shed new light on the purpose of these mysterious sites.

'Archaeology is showing us more about how our ancestors survived in this desperately cold and hostile environment at the climax of the last Ice Age.

'Most other places at similar latitudes in Europe had been abandoned by this time, but these groups had managed to adapt to find food, shelter and water.'

For the first time, the archaeologists from the University of Exeter found remains of charred wood and other soft non-woody plant remains within the circular structure near the modern village of Kostenki, about 310 miles south of Moscow

For the first time, the archaeologists from the University of Exeter found remains of charred wood and other soft non-woody plant remains within the circular structure near the modern village of Kostenki, about 310 miles south of Moscow

Bone circles were eventually also abandoned as the climate continued to get colder and more inhospitable.

Previously, archaeologists have assumed the circular mammoth bone structures were used as dwellings only.

The new study suggests this may not always have been the case as the intensity of activity at Kostenki 11 appears less than would be expected from a long term site.

Other finds include over 300 tiny stone and flint chips just a few millimetres in size.

This is likely debris left behind by the site's inhabitants as they knapped stone nodules into sharp tools with distinctive shapes.

They would have been used for tasks such as butchering animals and scraping hides.

The research was conducted by academics from the University of Exeter, University of Cambridge, Kostenki State Museum Preserve, University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Southampton.

The research has been published in the journal Antiquity.
At the instructions of King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan government took a series of decisive measures to limit the spread of the Coronavirus.

King Mohammed VI thus gave his instructions to the government to create immediately a special fund dedicated to the management of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The $1 billion fund, to be financed by the state budget, will also be backed, at the Monarchs instruction, by a contribution of more than $104 million from the Hassan II Fund.

The Fund will support the expenses incurred for upgrading medical equipment and infrastructure, and purchasing emergency devices to enable the medical staff treat infected people in good conditions.

The fund will also help national economy to cope with the shocks induced by this pandemic and mitigate, in particular, the social impacts, through measures to be proposed by the Economic Monitoring Committee set up last week to assess the effects of the pandemic.

Besides, in response to the request for fatwa sent by the King, Commander of the Faithful, to the Supreme Council of Ulemas, the scientific body responsible for fatwas recommended the temporary closure of mosques for the five daily prayers and for the Friday prayers, from Monday, March 16.

Even before the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus a global pandemic, the Sovereign had decided to repatriate Moroccan students from China, a move that was hailed and highly appreciated by the students and their families.

Moroccan authorities took several other measures to limit the spread of contaminations. In this connection, besides the suspension of all international air and maritime passenger traffic, trade, cultural, sporting, artistic events and religious festivals, both Islamic and Jewish, were cancelled. Morocco also decided to close schools and universities and launched a Remote Learning Program that began this Monday March 16 on Television and via Internet.

All public gatherings were banned and cafes, restaurants, hammams (public baths), movie theaters, museums, stadiums, gyms, local playgrounds have been closed. Major music festivals of international renown, such as Mawazine in Rabat, Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, and Agadirs Timitar were also canceled.

The authorities have also made every effort in terms of organization and logistics to allow the repatriation of Moroccan tourists stranded abroad.

Measures were also taken to safeguard commuters using buses, trams and cabs, through regular disinfection of vehicles and equipment and limitation of number of passengers in cabs, buses and trams.

Besides transportation means, city cleaners have also started disinfecting public spaces across the country, including markets, and public administrations.

Abroad, most Moroccan embassies have set up monitoring and support units for the Moroccan community and opened hotlines for anyone needing assistance.

All these preventive measures illustrate the determination of Moroccan authorities to deal with the spread of the Coronavirus, with all the responsibility and caution required by the situation.
An island community off the south-west coast has asked people not to visit, as part of an effort to protect the elderly living there.

Bere Island Projects Group (BIPG), which oversees many of the activities on the island, made the appeal after discussions with the local ferry company and health professionals.

BIPG co-ordinator John Walsh said the permanent population of the island is around 160. About a third are elderly and a number have underlying health issues.

He said that some day-trippers are still coming to the island, even though its two pubs and three restaurants are now closed. The local community centre has also closed, and those who operate out of it are working from home.

He said they were trying to discourage visitors and also limit the number of trips islanders have to make to the mainland.

We can email Murphys SuperValu in Castletownbere with a list of shopping and they will bring them down to the ferry, Mr Walsh said.

We have a community bus on the island and we can use this to drop off supplies.

He added that the island also has an Active Age scheme with a list of people willing to do messages and jobs for the elderly, as well as a strong active retirement group which would also be mustered to help.

Its not all doom and gloom however, because while people may be self-isolating the group is doing the best it can to lift their spirits.

Were used to dealing with problems, Mr Walsh said.

BIPG used its community radio to broadcast Sunday Mass from Castletownbere for the islanders. He said teachers on the island were also linking up with pupils via the radio station and providing them with study tips.

We also hope to get some motivational speakers to appear on it, said Mr Walsh.

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Check out the companies making headlines after the bell.

FedEx  The shipping company's stock was up 4% in extended trading after the company reported third-quarter revenue that beat analysts' estimates. FedEx said it had revenue of $17.49 billion, while analysts polled by Refinitiv expected $16.89 billion. The company reported earnings of $1.41 per share excluding some items, which was in line with analysts' estimates, according to Refinitiv. FedEx also withdrew guidance for fiscal 2020. "We are suspending our fiscal 2020 earnings forecast for our consolidated and segment results due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic," Alan Graf, Jr., FedEx Corp. executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in a statement.

MongoDB  The database maker's stock dipped 8% in extended trading after the company reported fourth-quarter financial results. MongoDB reported a loss of 25 cents per share, while analysts had expected a wider loss of 28 cents per share. The company beat analysts' estimates on revenue, reporting revenue of $123.5 million, while analysts polled by Refinitiv expected $110.6 million. MongoDB also stated weak fiscal-year guidance, where they expect a bigger-than-expected loss.

Boeing  Shares of the plane manufacturer fell 3% in extended trading after news broke that Boeing is seeking tens of billions of dollars in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance. The company faces a looming liquidity crunch from the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and Boeing told lawmakers it needs government assistance to meet those needs.

Las Vegas Sands  The resort owner's stock fell 2% in extended trading after the company announced that it is closing its Venetian and Palazzo resorts in Las Vegas until at least April 1 because of the coronavirus. "While we hope this closure is a short-term necessity, we are realistic it may be a prolonged event," said Rob Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands, in a statement. The company said that it is prepared to offer support to employees over an extended period and donated $250,000 to community organizations.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles  The automaker was up 2% after the bell. Earlier today, the United Auto Workers union asked the Big Three Detroit automakers, including Fiat Chrysler, to shut down production for two weeks to keep autoworkers safe amidst the coronavirus outbreak. "FCA has already implemented extensive protocols to ensure the health and welfare of our workforce," Simon Sproule, a spokesman for the company, said in an email to CNBC Tuesday. "We are continuing to carefully monitor the situation and are making improvements as needed."
Posted on: March 17, 2020 4:45 PM

A former missionary who previously worked as a senior advisor at the World Health Organisation has been called back into service following the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Ian Smith previously served as Executive Director of the Office of the Director- General and Advisor to the two previous Director-Generals, of the WHO, Dr Margaret Chan and Dr Lee Jong-wook; and is now serving as a senior advisor to the current Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Dr Smith lives with his wife Sally in the Yorkshire Dales village of Arncliffe, where they worship in the parish of Upper Wharfedale and Littondale. Dr Smith is a bell ringer and his wife Sally is a sides person.

Before moving to Geneva in 1999, the couple worked in Nepal for 16 years as medical missionaries with the Baptist Missionary Society and the United Mission to Nepal. When they returned to Europe, they worshipped at the Crossroads Church, an independent evangelical church in Ferney, close to the French-Swiss border. When they returned to the UK, Sally Smith took up a position as Advisor on Faith and Religion for UNAIDS.

Speaking to the Anglican Communion News Service, Ian Smith stressed that it was important for people not to panic about the virus, which was reclassified by the WHO has a pandemic last week. Many people are deeply alarmed by the rapid spread of COVID-19, he said. The outbreak of disease has caused a pandemic of fear and panic. But we must not spread fear, stigma and misinformation.

Ian Smith

"We must stop, contain, control, delay and reduce the impact of this virus at every opportunity. Every person has the capacity to contribute, to protect themselves, to protect others, whether in the home, the community, the healthcare system, the workplace or the transport system.

COVID-19 is a new virus that first emerged in China in January. Since then, it has spread to over 100 countries around the world. More than 125,000 people have been infected, and nearly 5,000 people have sadly died, Dr Smith said. The virus causes fever, cough and breathlessness, and spreads in droplets produced by someone with the disease when they cough or sneeze. Those droplets land on surfaces and the virus can then get picked up when someone touches the surface and transfers the virus to their mouth and face on their hands.

Fortunately, most people infected with COVID-19  about 80 per cent  have a relatively mild disease, but some people get a more severe form and need to be hospitalised. Those at greatest risk of serious illness or even death, are the elderly and those with other illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

He said that people can protect themselves and others by following a series of simple measures: keeping a one metre distance from other people; practicing no contact greetings, such as a bow or a nod rather than hugging or shaking hands; washing your hands frequently and using hand sanitiser; avoiding touching your face, nose and mouth; and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Anglican provinces have issued guidance for their churches which takes into account the international guidance and the local situation in their countries and regions.

In a blog for the Anglican Communion News Service this week, the Primate of Hong Kong, Archbishop Paul Kwong, explained that Churches in his province have not held public worship services in mid February.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu, have advised Church of England clergy to avoid physical contact, such as the shaking of hands during the sharing of the peace, and have said that the Eucharist should be distributed in one kind only, to avoid the sharing of a common cup; bringing the C of E into line with the other three Anglican Churches within the UK and Ireland.

The Presiding Bishop of the US-based Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, said that diocesan bishops have my support . . . if, in light of the public health situation in their diocese, they decide  for a designated period of time  to suspend the administration of the common cup to the congregation in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, and/or to cancel in-person gatherings for public worship.

The Bishop of Washington, Mariann Budde, has instructed churches in her diocese  including the Washington National Cathedral  to suspend services for two weeks. As your bishop, my highest priority is the health, safety and well-being of our people, with particular concern for the most vulnerable, Bishop Mariann said. It is also our collective responsibility as Christians to be good neighbours, and to do our part to protect the social fabric upon which many lives depend.

The Palestinian Authority has closed all schools in its area, affecting the education ministry of the Diocese of Jerusalem. St Georges School in Jerusalem is under Israeli control but has also had to close because many of its teachers come from Palestinian areas and face travel restrictions imposed by both the Palestinian Authority and the State of Israel. Israeli restrictions on international visitors means that St Georges Guesthouse is facing cancellations; and St George's College has cancelled courses until at least Easter. The Princess Basma Centre for children with disabilities has also partially closed.

It is my prayer that with the coming of Easter next month, in view of the current crisis, our commemoration of Christ's resurrection will have an even greater meaning, thanks to the Grace of God and to your continuing prayers and support, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Suheil Dawani, said in a letter to international supporters.

Staff at the Anglican Communion Office are taking steps to combat the spread of the virus, including limiting international travel and greater use of technology for virtual meetings.
BRASILIA, March 16 (Reuters) - Brazil's government will likely announce a package of measures to prop up the civil aviation sector later on Monday, as business evaporates and flights are cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Infrastructure Ministry said.

A ministry spokesman told Reuters that the measures would include delayed tax payments but not tax cuts for companies in the sector. Details of the relief package are not finalized and must be agreed with the Economy Ministry and the office of the president's chief of staff, he said. (Reporting by Jake Spring Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
A doctor who attended a conference for emergency room (ER) doctors has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Buzzfeed News.

Rosny Daniel attended the conference in New York City, before falling ill and testing positive two days later, leading to fears he may have infected hundreds of ER doctors.

Alongside working as an ER doctor, the 32-year-old is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

The conference, which was organised by the Council of Residency Directors (CORD) was set up to discuss teaching methods, innovation in emergency medicine research and as a late addition, coronavirus.

The doctor confirmed that precautions were being taken at the conference, telling Buzzfeed that there was more hand sanitiser than Ive ever seen at a conference.

Mr Daniel explained to Buzzfeed that at the time even the medical community was unsure how the situation was going to escalate.

We absolutely didnt know what was happening, nor where this was gonna strike, said Mr Daniel. Everyone there, were all people who care about the health and wellbeing of our communities. We just happened to have terrible, terrible timing.

Despite his worries about Covid-19, the people close to him didnt properly understand the situation, until the number of cases started to increase.

I was already paranoid, he said. Friends I was with started to make fun of me for being paranoid. But Tuesday, we were all like, holy s**t.

Mr Daniel let the organisers of the conference, as well as his university know about his test and subsequent result.

On Saturday, American College of Emergency Physicians announced in a press release that two other ER doctors were in intensive care in the US after contracting Covid-19.

Recommended Doctors and nurses told they can break rules to fight virus

Today we received word that two of our ACEP members are in critical condition as a result of COVID-19. An emergency physician in his 40s in the state of Washington presented with symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 syndrome. A 70-year-old member in New Jersey has tested positive for the virus, read the statement.

I am deeply saddened by this news, but not surprised. As emergency physicians, we know the risks of our calling. We stand united with our colleagues and our thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery are with each of them and their families.

In the US 4,461 cases of the disease and 85 deaths have been recorded so far.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkeys export of leather products to Turkmenistan from January through February 2020 made up $672,000, which is 34 percent more compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 17.

Turkeys export of leather products to Turkmenistan in February 2020 decreased and amounted to $423,000, which is 30.3 percent more compared to February 2019, the ministry noted.

From January through February 2020, export of leather products from Turkey to world markets grew by 8.6 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $285.7 million.

During the reporting period, Turkeys leather products export has made up 1 percent of the countrys total export.

In February 2020, Turkey exported leather products to world markets worth almost $152.5 million, which is 4.2 percent more compared to the same month of 2019.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover in January 2020 exceeded $33.9 billion.

Export from Turkey exceeded $14.7 billion in January 2020, which is increase by 6.4 percent compared to January 2019.

Turkey's import increased by 18.8 percent in January 2020 compared to the same month of 2019 and exceeded $19.2 billion.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Grand fireworks lit up Dhaka's skyline as the Mujib Year celebrations, marking the birth centenary of Bangladesh's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, got underway throughout the country on Tuesday.

The Bangabandhu's 100th birth anniversary will also be celebrated across the world in line with the initiative of the UNESCO.

"The Father of the Nation's ideals are our eternal source of inspiration," President Abdul Hamid said, opening the centenary celebrations at the Suhrawardy Udyan, in a nationwide televised speech as the country witnessed the illuminated skylines.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina, who is the eldest daughter of the Bangabandhu, in an emotion-choked voice said Bangladesh will always follow its founder's ideology and uphold the flag given by him.

"Father, sleep in peace...your Bangladesh is marching towards advancement at an indomitable pace and will go ahead further...We must build 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by you (Bangabandhu). The day is not far away. It's our commitment to you," Hasina said in her speech telecast by both state-run and private television channels.

Despite the scaled down festivity in view of the global coronavirus pandemic, the capital Dhaka appeared jubilant with sounds of fireworks and illumination at 8:00 pm, the time when Mujibur Rahman was born 100 years ago.

Several foreign dignitaries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were scheduled to join a grand inaugural ceremony originally planned, but the COVID-19 outbreak forced the government to scale down the planned festivities and the delegates to postpone their visits.

Instead, recorded statements of the foreign leaders were telecasted by all Bangladeshi TV channels.

The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid massive festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka.

Besides Modi, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen sent their recorded statements paying tributes to the Bangabandhu.

Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members, including his 10-year-old son, in a 1975 military coup that toppled his government. His daughters Hasina and Rehana survived the attack as they were abroad that time.

(Photo: Twitter/@airnewsalerts)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:11:46|Editor: xuxin

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Brunei reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday following preliminary tests, bringing the country's total number of infections to 56.

According to the Ministry of Health, all confirmed cases are being treated at the National Quarantine Center at Tudong District. Two of them are in critical condition, while the others are in stable condition.

The ministry said that as a precautionary measure, all cinemas in Brunei will be closed temporarily starting Wednesday. A 14-day self-isolation order will also be imposed on all visitor arrivals through all ports.

In addition, the entry ban to Brunei has been extended to visitors from all European countries, including Britain, except for citizens and residents of Brunei.

A 53-year-old local man became the first confirmed case for COVID-19 in Brunei on March 9 after returning to the country from Kuala Lumpur. He possibly contracted the virus there during the religious mass gatherings from late February to early March, which were reportedly attended by about 16,000 people, according to the ministry.
An Alvin father and son have been arrested on assault charges and landed a local bar under heightened scrutiny from area law enforcement due to a string of recent "out-of-control disturbances," according to a release from the Friendswood Police Department.

Nathaniel Martinez, 20, and his father, Daniel Martinez, Jr., 42, both of Alvin, were arrested and charged with aggravated assault March 15 following an incident at the Friends Pub located at 2407 W. Parkwood Avenue.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 17, 2020 - 00:14 | Japan, All, Coronavirus

Japan has decided to ask all travelers from about 30 European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, to self-quarantine for 14 days in response to a surge in coronavirus cases there, a source with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to announce the measure on Wednesday during a meeting of a government task force on the virus, the source said.

The self-quarantine is expected to cover visitors from 26 European countries that comprise the Schengen Area and several others including Britain and Romania, according to the source. Japanese nationals will also be subject to the request.

In addition, the Japanese government is considering an entry ban on foreign travelers from Iceland and some parts of Italy, Spain and Switzerland, government sources said earlier in the day.

The decision was made after a panel advising the government on Tuesday recommended asking travelers from Europe and Southeast Asia to self-quarantine for 14 days regardless of whether they have symptoms such as high fever or coughing.

The entry ban is expected to cover the northern Italian regions of Valle d'Aosta, Trentino-Alto Adige, Fruili-Venezia Giulia and Liguria. Japan has already closed its doors to five other regions in the country's north, which has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, as well as parts of China, South Korea and Iran.

The Swiss canton of Ticino, which borders Italy, may also become subject to the entry ban, along with the Spanish provinces of Madrid and La Rioja as well as the Basque Country, the sources said.

Foreign nationals who have been to any of the places within 14 days of arriving in Japan would be turned away, the sources said.

In policy recommendations submitted to the health ministry on Tuesday, the panel warned that Japan is seeing a growing number of "imported" cases of the COVID-19 disease.

All travelers from Europe and Southeast Asia, including Japanese nationals, should be asked to stay at home or their lodgings, refrain from using public transport, and to be on the lookout for the onset of symptoms, the panel said.

"Border measures need to be further enhanced," Takaji Wakita, the panel's chair and head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said at a press conference.

The measures come as the international community steps up efforts to contain the outbreak that has spread from China to infect more than 170,000 worldwide.

The United States has announced similar travel restrictions on other countries, while the European Union is mulling a 30-day ban on nonessential entry into the bloc.

Related coverage:

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India has imposed further curbs on incoming flights in a bid to control the coronavirus outbreak. In an order on Tuesday, aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that no flights will come to India from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia starting Tuesday.

The order further said that the restrictions are temporary and will be in force till March 31, and will be reviewed subsequently.

All scheduled Indian and foreign airlines engaged in international air transportation to/from India, therefore, are directed to follow the advisory and not carry any passenger in violation thereof, DGCA chief Arun Kumar said.

In a similar move on Monday, flights between India and European countries were suspended with effect from Wednesday till March 31.

Mondays advisory read: Travel of passengers from the member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom, is prohibited with effect from March 18, 2020. No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

Soon after the ministrys advisory, the aviation regulator also released a circular on Monday directing the airlines to follow the orders and ensure there is no violation.

In a separate advisory, the health ministry on Monday extended the mandatory quarantine to passengers coming in from four more countries - United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020 at the port of first departure, the advisory said.

Earlier, only passengers arriving to India from seven countries - China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany - had to undergo quarantine mandated for them by the Indian government. This was started March 13 onwards.

The passengers who need to undergo mandated quarantine have been divided into different categories on the basis of the severity of their symptoms by the Airport Health Organization (APHO).

While category A comprises the high-risk passengers, requiring mandatory segregation and isolation, who are directly sent to hospitals, those under category B pose a moderate risk, and need to be shifted to dedicated state governments quarantine facility.

Passengers in category C, with low risk, need to be kept under home quarantine and are monitored.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom during an interview in his office at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Oct. 8, 2019. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo)

California Governor Gavin Newsom Halts Evictions Amid Pandemic

California Governor Gavin Newsom on March 16 issued an executive order to help protect renters and homeowners during the coronavirus pandemic.

The executive order (pdf) authorizes local governments to halt evictions for renters and homeowners, slows foreclosures, and protects against utility shutoffs for Californians affected by COVID-19 and will remain in effect through May 31, 2020 unless extended. It also requests banks and other financial institutions halt foreclosures and related evictions.

It follows concerns that many Californians are experiencing substantial loss of hours or wages, or layoffs related to COVID-19, making it harder to keep up with rent payments, mortgages, and utility bills.

People shouldnt lose or be forced out of their home because of the spread of COVID-19, said Newsom in a statement. Over the next few weeks, everyone will have to make sacrificesbut a place to live shouldnt be one of them. I strongly encourage cities and counties take up this authority to protect Californians.

However, the governors Executive Order does not relieve a tenant from the obligation to pay rent, or restrict the landlords ability to recover rent that is due.

In addition, the governor has asked the Californias Public Utilities Commission to monitor measures by both public and private utility providers to implement customer service protections for electric, gas, water, internet, landline telephone, and cellphone service on a weekly basis.

California currently has 392 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths, including one non-California resident, according to March 15 figures from the California Department of Public Health. This total does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland.

On Sunday, Newsom called on all bars, pubs, breweries, and wineries in California to shut down over the coronavirus, adding that there will be new restrictions on restaurants.

Restaurants will have their occupancy levels cut in half, he announced on Sunday night in a press conference, adding that people need to distance from one another. We believe this is a nonessential function in our state, Newsom said of bars. And we believe that is appropriate under the circumstances to move in that direction.

Senior citizens, people aged 65 and older, are asked to stay at home unless they have an emergency reason. This request extends to residents with underlying health issues, such as blood disorders, chronic kidney disease, asthma, chronic liver disease, compromised immune systems, pregnancies in the last two weeks, metabolic disorders, heart disease, and other conditions that make them more susceptible to serious illness, according to the Los Angeles Times.
If you inherit a house, or any other kind of property, you may feel as if you've been thrown into the deep end of real estate ownership. Not only must you deal with the loss of a loved one, but you'll also have to wade through the legal and financial repercussions of inheriting a home. While this isn't a rare situation, being a real estate beneficiary has a lot of moving parts.

So, if you do find yourself in this position, you'll need to take some specific steps. We spoke to experts who explained exactly what you'll need to do if you inherit real estate.

Step 1: Meet with a probate attorney

When you learn that you have inherited a property, you should first meet with a probate attorney to determine who has assumed the various rights and responsibilities associated with the property. Doing so will help you assess the full picture of what you've inherited.

"Find out if theres back taxes, liens, HOA dues, or other liabilities youll be assuming," says Nate Smoyer, director of marketing at Avail. "Find out if there are any specific covenants regarding the property and its future use."

Step 2: Hire a property inspector

Experts recommend treating inherited property as you would a real estate purchase. Before buying a house, you would have it inspected. You should do the same with a home you inherit.

"This usually costs between $400 [and] $600, but it could save you a lot of headache," says Smoyer. "Oftentimes, a real estate agent can be a great source for finding a recommended inspector."

Step 3: Find out what obligations, if any, are attached to the property

Ideally, the inherited property will be paid off, but that may not be the case. Real estate attorney Adam Gutin says that making yourself aware of any obligations on the propertyincluding mortgage paymentsis key.

"When a person inherits property, they are naturally going to want to know how much it is worth," he says.

"However, the other question she should ask promptly is whether there are any ongoing or imminent obligations that need to be performed with respect to the property, such as payment of assessments or property taxes, or landlord-related obligations."

In many cases, a family member or representative from the estate will have these answers. If they don't, the person who inherited the property can hire professionals to help, for example, a real estate broker, property manager, or real estate attorney.

"If you inherit real estate that is subject to a mortgage, it really depends on the terms of the loan documents," Gutin says.

"The first question is whether the death of the borrower triggers a default under the loan documents or a requirement for the loan to be immediately repaid. If the beneficiary wants to keep the property, then they need to consider whether they have the ability to pay off the loan or whether they have the credit to refinance the property."

Step 4: Decide whether to sell or keep the property.

Once you have all of the information above, you'll be ready to decide what to do with the inherited property.

"Determine the property's current market value for both renting it and selling it," Smoyer says. "Inheriting a property can give you a significant boost in building long-term wealth. It may be tempting to sell off, but consider the long-term cash-flow potentials if you were to rent it out. Talk through your options with a trusted local real estate agent."

In most cases, experts say, people who inherit real estate ultimately opt to sell.

Terrence Freeman, an attorney with the South Florida firm Nason Yeager, says that's because many beneficiaries don't want to take the time and money to maintain the property.

"Most people who inherit property either arent local to the property, or dont have the time, money, know-how, or desire to jump into real estate as a business, or to keep up a vacation home," he says.

How do you know if you should sell the property or keep it as a rental?

Here are a list of factors to consider when deciding whether to sell or rent an inherited property.

Is your property located in a buyers market? If so, hold on to the property as a rental until the market improves, Smoyer advises. You might even consider renting the home out for the long run, because rentals can have significant value. You can use free rental calculators to help to determine whether keeping the property makes financial sense.

If so, hold on to the property as a rental until the market improves, Smoyer advises. You might even consider renting the home out for the long run, because rentals can have significant value. You can use free rental calculators to help to determine whether keeping the property makes financial sense. Is there growth potential? Do your research on the surrounding market, Smoyer says. "Does the property have appealing features, and is it in a location desired by renters?"

Do your research on the surrounding market, Smoyer says. "Does the property have appealing features, and is it in a location desired by renters?" What level of involvement is realistic for you? Property managers have a lot of responsibilities, including maintaining the property and making sure that your tenant is happy. You'll need to factor that into your decision.

Property managers have a lot of responsibilities, including maintaining the property and making sure that your tenant is happy. You'll need to factor that into your decision. "If you hire a manager to oversee the rental, youll likely end up paying so much money in management fees that it makes the investment not worth it," Smoyer says.

Do you own any assets? Real estate can be a valuable asset, so keeping it for the long term might be worth it. Plus, if it comes down to it, you have the option to live in it (unlike stocks).

Real estate can be a valuable asset, so keeping it for the long term might be worth it. Plus, if it comes down to it, you have the option to live in it (unlike stocks). How much money can you make off a rental vs. selling? "While selling right away can be tempting, you should consider the long-term value of the property," Smoyer says. Try to determine how much money you can make off monthly rent payments (minus expenses) over the time you want to keep the property. "Very often, youll find that you can make more money over time by renting the property out."

What should you do if you inherited a property with other people?

In some cases, several people inherit a property jointly in a will. If this happens, you'll have three basic options. First, you can keep the property and own it together. Second, one person can buy the other(s) out and take full ownership. Finally, you can sell it and split the profits.

Usually, experts agree, the third option will prevail.

"Voluntary partnerships are complicated enough," Bob Kaufman, a real estate attorney at Fischel Kahn, explains. "Partnerships imposed upon people through inheritance are even less likely to succeed."

If you do decide to keep the property jointly, Gutin recommends putting an agreement in writing to clearly state each person's respective obligations and rights to the property.

In the end, as in all real estate transactions, deciding what to do with inherited property requires a decent amount of time and careful consideration, in order to make sure that you make the right financial decision.

The post What You Need To Know If You Inherit Real Estate appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
A member of the House of Representatives has said the 37 billion fund for the renovation of the National Assembly complex as well as the ongoing purchase of vehicles for lawmakers, should be jettisoned. Instead, the money should be channelled into educating out-of-school children, he said.

Although the 2020 budget has been signed into law by the president, Farah Dagogo (PDP, Rivers) urged the House to thoroughly consider the use of legislative backing to rework the 37 billion already budgeted for the renovation of the National Assembly for the menace of out-of-school children.

Mr Dagogo, who spoke at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Monday, made this comment after his party member from Delta State, Ndudi Elumelu, also the Minority Leader, gave a similar suggestion.

Mr Elumelu, last Thursday, had said to reduce Nigerias out-of-school children, every Nigerian lawmaker needs to donate a share of their quarterly allowances to return the children back to school.

Last Thursdays plenary was devoted by the green chamber to hatch a way forward on the menace of out-of-school children.

Nigeria nurses a sore thumb of about 10.5 million of its children not being in school, the highest by any country, UNICEF says.

Apart from inept policies and poor implementation, funding is believed to be a major underbelly to education in Nigeria. Allocation to the sector has largely hovered around five to 7 per cent of national budgetary spendings.

The countrys 706.8 billion allocation to education is a paltry 6.6 per cent of the 2020 budget. Although UNESCOs Education for All Global Monitoring Report recommended between 15 and 20 per cent of national budgets for education in developing countries.

PREMIUM TIMES has also shown that with the recommended target not met, 69 per cent (490.3 billion) of the amount earmarked to the sector is for settling bills, paying of salaries, among others.

But Mr Dagogo, who represents Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, said funding can be improved if the ninth assembly would prove it is a group (of lawmakers) who are willing and ready to sacrifice their comfort for the benefit of the masses, who are also our constituents.

We all know the financial quagmire the country is into today. All levels of government are working round the clock to improve the lives of the masses. If we are truly desirous of getting this out-of-school children debacle right, the renovation of the National Assembly, purchase of cars and other sundry matters should be shelved.

How to better the lives of our children for the future should be the priority, he noted, adding, Even if most people would not want to admit it, the National Assembly is an institution known for taking proactive steps and measures that serve the interest of the country. This is another moment to test that character.

Mr Dagogos view was shared by Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), who called the intended spending for NASS renovation wasteful and needless. It is the same thought held by Akin Alabi, (APC, Oyo).

I see no reason why we should spend N37b renovating the National Assembly, Mr Alabi wrote in a tweet. Yes, we need an upgrade on some aspects like the electronic systems (sound system, voting system etc) as they are outdated but N37b? No. Lets spend that on our schools and hospitals.

Another lawmaker, Armayau Abdulkadir (APC, Katsina), also believes the 37 billion can transform thousands of lives if channelled into proper use.

The leadership of both the upper and lower Houses have downplayed all criticism, saying the fund is not within the purview of the National Assembly but with the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA).

They were, however, silent on why both chambers overlooked this during the screening of MDAs budgets.
Church bells will ring twice a week before ministers pray outside on the steps of Anglican cathedrals in Sydney, Parramatta and Wollongong, for the first time since World War II.

The bells will ring at midday on Mondays and Thursdays as a call to prayer as communities face the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman for the Sydney Anglican Diocese said it would be the first time since the Second World War that public prayers would be led outside on church steps. This would be done in respect of social-distancing measures, after the bells are rung.

Praying at St Mary's Cathedral on Tuesday as the community faces a coronavirus epidemic. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Dean of Sydney Kanishka Raffel, the senior minister of the city's Anglican cathedral said he wanted to invite all people to pray and, twice weekly gather on the steps of the Cathedral in public prayer.
Amazon is hiring around 1,00,000 workers in the US to meet the online shopping rush prompted by shutdown and lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic. These positions are mainly for the warehouse and deliver workers.

The company has announced this move in order to keep up with the surge in online shopping as consumers look to self-isolate themselves and as many offline stores down their shutters to comply with lockdowns.

The company will provide an additional $2 per hour for the workers in fulfilment centers of the US through April. As of now, the pay for the entry level workers is $15 per hour.

In addition, the company will pay extra 2 pounds per hour for the workers in Europe and the UK. The total budget that Amazon has planned to undertake this exercise is $350 million, most of which will be spent on increased compensation in the US, UK, and Europe.

Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president of international operations in an official blog post wrote, We are opening 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon's service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public.

In the blog post, Clark has acknowledged the workers who might have been affected due to shutting down of restaurants, pubs and cafes. He welcomed them on his team. We also know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas like hospitality, restaurants, and travel are lost or furloughed as part of this crisis, wrote Clark.

On Saturday, Amazon said that it was facing shortage of products and had run out of stock for household items amid the surge in buying. We are working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on additional capacity to deliver all of your orders. Amazon had said.

Last week, Amazon said that it would give upto two weeks of pay to Amazon employees diagnosed with COVID-19.

Two Amazon employees, one from Seattle and one from Brazil have been tested positive for the COVID-19 disease. Amazon had issued a work from home directive to its employees who can work from home on March 5.


Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III is proposing giving $4,000 to American adults making less than $100,000 a year in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

An unprecedented pandemic demands an unprecedented response from our government, Kennedy remarked in a news conference.

Adults making more than $100,000 a year would receive $2,000. Individuals 18 years old and under would receive $1,000.

Every single family, every single American, needs direct and immediate cash relief.



$4k to every adult who makes under 100k/year

$2k to every adult who makes over 100k/year

$1k for every child 18 or younger



We must meet this moment. We must provide direct assistance.  Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) March 17, 2020

Kennedy also added in the news conference that the given money must be matched with immediate unemployment insurance and a historic investment in Medicaid.

Kennedy is currently running against Sen. Ed Markey in the Democratic Senate primary.

On Monday, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney proposed giving every American adult $1,000 in response to the coronavirus.

There are currently 197 cases of COVID-19 being reported across 10 counties in the commonwealth as of Monday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 4,281 positive coronavirus diagnoses and 85 deaths in the U.S.

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AT&T faces another lawsuit, as a victim sues for a cell phone hack that stole his life savings, totaling $1 million.

Rob Ross says that back in October 2018, he was in his home office in San Francisco. Suddenly, a withdrawal notification appears on his iPhone. Immediately, his phone service goes out. Upon restoring it, he discovers that $1 million is stolen from his bank account. I had $1 million stolen that night. It included my daughters college fund, my retirement, Ross says.

Ross reached out to cybercrime task force React to get to the bottom of his financial theft. It turns out the perpetrator used a hacking method called SIM swapping to steal Rosss life savings. React worked with investigators to connect Rosss unfortunate incident with other SIM swapping cases. Ultimately, it led them to the home of 21-year-old Nicholas Truglia. Truglia is a social media star who posted all his new jewelry and possessions after stealing Rosss money. Truglia was arrested and charged with computer crime with the intent to defraud.

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SIM swapping and another AT&T cell phone hack

SIM swapping occurs when someone convinces a users carrier to swap out their current SIM card for one they own. The phone number of the owners account the hacker wants to access is also transferred to the hackers SIM card. Once complete, the hacker gains access to everything the owner controls on the phone: email, passwords, financial information, photos, and so on.

How do hackers pull off SIM swapping? Its simple. They could have someone on the inside of a wireless carrier that works for them. That person could then pull off the scheme as legitimate personnel without leaving a trace. Hackers recruit mobile retail employees, who then pull off the hacking jobs within the carrier.

This isnt the first lawsuit brought against AT&T by one of its customers. Transform Group Founder and CEO Michael Terpin filed a $224 million lawsuit against AT&T in August 2018 for a SIM swap attack that stole $23.8 million in 3 million cryptocurrency tokens. Terpins lawsuit against AT&T was for the second SIM swap attack he personally experienced. AT&T claimed it instituted more protective measures after Terpins first loss but the new measures didnt prevent him from being victim to a second attack.

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SIM swap lawsuits, carrier, and customer responsibility

Rob Rosss lawsuit, as is the case with Michael Terpins, demonstrate that some customers believe its the wireless providers responsibility to not only provide wireless service but also protect customer data. If customers are allowing wireless providers access to their data, the reason goes, then providers should do everything to enact greater mobile security measures so that hacking attacks like SIM swaps are more difficult to perform.

Many wireless providers believe that they are just providers of wireless internet  and thats all. Any responsibility for customer data lies with the customer, some say. And yet, if wireless providers are unable to protect customer data, how can providers expect customers to possess such technical knowledge?

AT&Ts carelessness with customer data

Americas second-ranked carrier could claim its innocent, but Ma Bell has also been guilty of selling customer location data to third parties for profit. With AT&Ts data carelessness comes the fact that the company recently hired Verizon to manage its customer portal  something that has to be against some type of professional rule in the carrier industry. Giving Verizon access to AT&T customer data seems ethically and morally wrong, on some level, even if legally acceptable.

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When a carrier plays fast and loose with customer data, a lawsuit to hold it accountable is justified. Wireless providers may not like it, but they are their customers data keeper.
Out of concern for the health and well-being of our neighbors, the Catoosa County Board of Commissioners will restrict in-person access to the general public at its regular and special called meetings beginning Tuesday and continuing through the duration of the statewide public health emergency declared by Governor Brian Kemp.

As the Board will continue to conduct necessary County business, the public will have real time virtual access to meetings via livestream on the Catoosa County Government Facebook page.

This action is in response to the coronavirus/COVID-19-19 outbreak and is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the County during this public health emergency and is otherwise authorized under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Sec. 5-14-1(g)).

Citizens will not be permitted to attend meetings of the Board of Commissioners in-person. People who have specific business on a published meeting agenda of the Board of Commissioners may be invited by the Board on a case-by-case basis to attend and participate in a meeting for specified limited purposes. Anyone who signed up to speak during the public comments portion of the March 17 Board of Commissioners meeting will be notified when normal meeting procedures are resumed and given an opportunity to address the Board at that time.

"We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding," officials said.

For the latest information on Catoosa Countys response to COVID-19, visit www.catoosa.com.
China Fortune Land Development Co Ltd (CFLD) ranked first in the list of "Top-20 Industry City Operators in China," released by the Guandian Index Research Institute on March 16 because of its outstanding performance in running new industry cities. China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Dev. Co. ranked second and third respectively.



The related report on the performance of industry city operators points out that policies including the development plan outline for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the integrated regional development outline for the Yangtze River Delta issued in 2019 have created new incentives for local governments to introduce preferential follow-up industrial policies and increase the supply of industrial land.

According to the report, the national industrial layout will be further optimized and upgraded. Issues currently facing operators of industrial real estate include determining how best to strengthen public private partnership (PPP) and how to efficiently guide and develop the industry.

The top three operators on the rankings are benchmark enterprises in the operation of industry cities in China. As the leading domestic new industry city operator, CFLDs extraordinary performance in promoting regional high-quality progress with industry development as a priority earned it first place on the list.

Over the past year, CFLD has continued to introduce a number of billion-yuan leading projects for industrial zones, including Lishui New Industry City in Nanjing and Changfeng New Industry City in Hefei province. In addition, it has provided custom industrial services for enterprises, ensuring the rapid implementation of projects.

The report also notes that 2020 marks the end of Chinas 13th Five-Year Plan and the completion of the project to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. During this time, "industrial development" has undoubtedly been a keyword. With opportunities and risks, industrial real estate companies need to enhance their operating capabilities to thrive in the future.
The United States for the first time held Russia responsible for the deaths of dozens of Turkish troops in Syria as it vowed accountability.

An airstrike last month in the Idlib region killed 34 Turkish soldiers, although Ankara blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and reached a new ceasefire deal with Moscow.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, announcing new sanctions on Syrian officials on Tuesday, placed blame on Russia, which along with Iran has backed Assad in his bloody quest to crush rebels.

"We believe Russia has killed dozens of Turkish military personnel in the course of their military operation," Pompeo told reporters, without naming a specific incident.

"We stand with our NATO ally Turkey and will consider additional measures that support Turkey at the end of the violence," he said.

Analysts widely doubted that Assad's rundown air force could effectively hit Turkish forces but until now the United States had steered clear of blaming Russia, mindful of official statements by Ankara.

After the killings, Turkey killed dozens of Syrian government troops as retaliation but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew to Moscow to negotiate a ceasefire with his counterpart Vladimir Putin that includes joint Russian-Turkish patrols.

Idlib has been the last major battleground between Assad's forces against jihadists and their rebel allies, who are backed by Turkey.

The offensive launched in December caused a new humanitarian crisis in Syria's brutal nine-year civil war with close to one million people fleeing in the dead of winter.

Pompeo announced new sanctions against Syrian Defense Minister Ali Ayoub, accusing him of destroying an earlier truce through the offensive.

"His deliberate actions since December 2019 have prevented a ceasefire from taking hold inside Syria," Pompeo said.

Under the sanctions, any US assets of Ayoub are frozen and the United States can prosecute anyone for financial transactions with him.

US officials had earlier pointed to the deaths of Turkish troops as proof that Ankara should be cautious about building relations with Russia.

Turkey has defied warnings from its NATO alliance and was kicked out of the US F-35 program after it went ahead and bought the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, although it has not activated it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Regulators in France, Italy and Belgium banned short selling in some stocks for Tuesdays session, aiming to curtail the plunge in equity markets driven by the coronavirus outbreak.

Frances AMF halted such trades in 92 stocks, while Italys Consob blocked the transactions in shares of 20 companies and Belgiums FSMA imposed a similar restriction. Spain went further, telling market participants late Monday they couldnt bet on share declines for a month, and French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he would like to see that rule extended Europe-wide.

We are standing ready to take stronger decisions if necessary, Le Maire said on a phone briefing with reporters. We want to avoid speculation on markets. We will use all the means available to us to protect our businesses.

Short selling, in which traders sell borrowed shares with the aim of repurchasing them at lower prices to return to the lender, is controversial in the best of times. Proponents say it results in a more liquid, efficient market, and alerts investors to dodgy accounting or overhyped company prospects. Opponents accuse short sellers of being short termists who can destabilize companies by publicly criticizing accounting or management.

Shorts have had some notable successes lately: NMC Health Plc shares plunged after Muddy Waters Capital LLC made accusations of financial wrongdoing. Trading in the shares was then suspended, and the company said an internal investigation turned up evidence of suspected fraud in its accounts.

The U.K.s Financial Conduct Authority declined to comment on a possible short selling ban in Britain, while Dutch regulator AFM said it continues to closely monitor developments in the financial markets.

In Switzerland, there are no plans to ban or limit short selling because the market is functioning as it should, according to a spokesman for the SIX stock exchange. Germanys Deutsche Boerse has a mechanism, the volatility interruption, to prevent a disorderly drop in prices, a spokesman said by email, so a ban on short selling is not to be expected.

Madrid, as well as Italy, had already ordered a one-day ban on short selling in the March 13 sessions.

The European Unions market regulator on Monday ordered hedge funds and other traders to disclose more information when they bet that stocks will decline and signalled that more restrictions could come soon. Traders now must inform regulators when their net-short positions account for at least 0.1 per cent of a companys share capital, compared with 0.2 per cent previously, according to the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority.

The practice was already under attack before the stock market started tanking in February. French politicians prepared a report last year on ways to rein in short sellers and activist investors, and German authorities began an investigation into speculators who criticized the accounting of payments company Wirecard AG.

The market meltdown makes stricter short-selling regulation more necessary than ever, Eric Woerth, the president of the French National Assemblys Finance Commission and a co-author of the French report, said in a phone interview Monday. Its time to get moving.
Over-reliance by countries on artificial intelligence to tackle international migration and manage future migration crisis could lead to serious breaches of human rights, a new study warns.

AI can help states and international organisations prepare for large movements of people, and improve reception conditions. But it could also be used to reinforce unlawful practices, bar entry and allow for discrimination, the research says.

The study, published in the journal Migration Studies, highlights how AI has the potential to revolutionise the way states and international organisations seek to manage international migration, including by potentially predicting the next migration crisis.

AI technologies may be used to perform tasks including identity checks, border security and control, and analysis of data about visa and asylum applicants in a way which can cut costs and increase efficiency. This could make the process quicker and easier for migrants and asylum seekers. AI could also help countries to spot potential gaps in their reception facilities, adapting them to comply with their legal obligations under international human rights law.

However, the analysis suggests AI could be used by countries to put measures in place to prevent arrivals. This includes assisting targeted maritime interventions aiming at returning migrants and asylum-seekers to places where they may fear for their lives or freedom.

AI has been used already in Canada for algorithmic decision-making in immigration and asylum determination, and in Germany, where technologies such as face and dialect recognition for decision-making in asylum determination processes have been piloted.

In the European Union (EU), the revised Schengen Information System (SIS) will be using facial recognition, DNA, and biometric data to facilitate the return of migrants in an irregular situation. Swedish authorities have used 'migration algorithms' based on techniques such as machine learning to forecast future migration flows.

The research says the use of AI could amplify the "digital divide" between states with more advanced technological capabilities and those lacking them. AI technologies could cement the leading position of those AI-capable states such as those in the global North, which would be placed at the forefront of the global efforts to manage migration in the years to come. States with less advanced technological means could be further isolated. This could lead to AI reinforcing a North verses South divide, unless southern countries develop their AI capabilities.

Dr Ana Beduschi, from the University of Exeter Law School and Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, who carried out the research, said: "AI is at risk of becoming another political tool, used to reinforce old state practices, aiming to curb international migration and prevent asylum-seekers from reaching their territories".

"AI technology may bring innovation, reduce costs, and build more effective systems for international migration management. However, it is important that such tools are developed and deployed within ethical and legal frameworks, in particular international human rights law."

The study recommends organisations and countries using AI should ensure the technology will not be detrimental to migrants' and asylum-seekers' rights.

###
This is our new statement: The system is full, the president said last April.

At the time, top aides to the president convinced him that it was not legal to simply turn away all migrants seeking to enter the country. International treaties and American law require asylum seekers to have an opportunity to present their case, although a related policy now allows the administration to make some wait on the Mexican side of the border for their asylum hearings.

The Trump administration has previously tried to push through a policy that would deny asylum to migrants who illegally crossed the southwestern border, an effort the Supreme Court refused to allow in 2018.

But officials insisted on Tuesday that the new policy was not meant to achieve the presidents immigration goals. They said it was driven by the presidents health advisers and would be in effect only as long as the coronavirus remains a threat to the United States.

Officials said the new policy would be based on authorities that can be granted to public health officials in the time of a medical or health emergency, not on immigration laws that the administration has repeatedly cited as justification for past actions at the border. Another official said the administration would invoke a federal legal code that says if the surgeon general identifies any communicable disease in a foreign country, he or she can prohibit people from that country from entering the United States.

The new policy also applies to the northern border with Canada, which has already closed its borders to most foreigners  but not Americans  in an attempt to keep the virus at bay. Officials said Mr. Trump would soon also take separate action to further insulate the United States from the possibility of the virus spreading from Canada.

In the next 24 hours, one official said, the United States and Canada plan to issue a joint statement saying that they are suspending nonessential travel between the two countries. That would allow trade to continue, but would restrict flights and border crossings for things like vacations.
Indices opened higher but drifted into the negative territory in line with Asian markets. At 9:23 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 500.08 points or 1.59% at 30,889.99. The Nifty 50 index was down 150.05 points or 1.63% at 9,047.35.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 1.06%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 1.08%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 386 shares rose and 711 shares fell. A total of 52 shares were unchanged.

Stocks in news:

Grasim Industries fell 2.28%. Grasim Industries informed that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has passed an order imposing a penalty of Rs 301.61 crore on Grasim Industries in respect of its domestic Man-Made Fibre turnover. While the company is yet to receive the order of the CCI, it believes that on merits it has sufficient grounds for an appeal.

Delta Corp was up 0.52%. Delta Corp said the casinos operated by the company and its subsidiaries in Goa will remain closed until 31 March, 2020, and will be reviewed thereafter for further course of action. The company is unable to estimate the quantum of potential losses on account of the impact of this closure and the coronavirus pandemic at this time.

Indian Oil Corporation rose 1%. Indian Oil Corporation said the company has issued 29,950 unsecured, rated, taxable, redeemable, non-convertible debentures (Series - XVI) of Rs 10,00,000 each aggregating to Rs 2,995 crore on private placement basis to meet its capex requirements.

KEC International was up 1.40%. KEC International said the company has completed the acquisition of 100% shareholding of its step-down subsidiary KEC International (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. from KEC Global Mauritius, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

CSB Bank gained 0.42%. CSB Bank said the company's board has approved the proposal to merge 19 branches of the bank with the nearest branches of the Bank, with the intention of reducing overall costs and improve productivity.

Global Markets:

Overseas, most Asian markets were trading lower on Tuesday a day after Wall Street's historic market rout, as the coronavirus remained a major risk to economic growth.

In US, the Dow ended nearly 3,000 points lower on Monday, capping an ugly session for Wall Street that saw circuit breakers temporarily halt trading for 15 minutes, amid rising fears that fresh Federal Reserve stimulus won't be enough to combat the threat of lost jobs and wages from the coronavirus outbreak.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TOKYOA Japanese court on Monday sentenced a former care home employee to hang for knifing to death 19 people with disabilities and injuring two dozen others in the deadliest mass attack in Japan since the Second World War.

The Yokohama District Court convicted Satoshi Uematsu of the killings and of injuring 24 other residents and two caregivers at the Yamayuri-en residential centre in July 2016.

During the investigation and trial, Uematsu repeatedly said he had no regrets and was trying to help the world by killing people he thought were burdens. Advocacy groups said the suspects views reflected a persistent prejudice in Japan against people with disabilities.

The trial focused on his mental state at the time of the crime. Chief Judge Kiyoshi Aonuma dismissed defence requests to acquit him because he was mentally incompetent due to a marijuana overdose.

The attacks were premeditated, and the defendant was acting consistently to achieve his goal, Aonuma said, according to NHK public television.

The crime, which took the lives of 19 people, was extremely heinous and caused damage that is incomparable to any other case, he was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.

Uematsu, his long hair tied in a pony tail and wearing a dark suit, listened as the judge delivered the ruling, according to drawings by an artist in the courtroom. After the judge declared an end to the session, Uematsu raised his hand seeking permission to speak, but was not allowed to do so.

Prosecutors said Uematsus motive came from his biases and work experience at the home and not from use of marijuana. They said Uematsu was mentally competent and should take responsibility for his actions.

The killings mirrored a plot described in a letter that Uematsu had tried to give to a parliamentary leader months prior to the attack. He quit his job at the Yamayuri-en facility after being confronted about the letter and was committed to psychiatric care, but was released within two weeks, officials have said.

Uematsu, 30, told medical staff and officials that he was influenced by the ideas of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, whose killings of disabled people were seen as intended to improve the perceived master race.

Kazuya Ono, whose son Takashi was wounded but survived, said he still doesnt understand why the killings occurred.

I stared at him throughout the trial to see if he showed any feelings of apology or regret, but I couldnt see any of that, he told reporters after the ruling. The trial ended without any convincing explanations of why the killings had to happen.

Shinichiro Kumagaya, a pediatrician at the University of Tokyo who has cerebral palsy, said the case underscores the prejudice against disabled people that persists in Japan. In order to eliminate violence against disabled people, it is important for the entire society to share in supporting people with severe disabilities, Kumagaya said in an interview with NHK. But in our society, the responsibility is entirely pushed onto their families and care homes, and I think this attitude is the root cause of such violence.

Japan maintains the death penalty despite growing international criticism. A government survey showed an overwhelming majority of the public supports executions. Japan and the U.S. are the only two countries in the Group of Seven industrialized nations that retain capital punishment.

Executions are carried out in high secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged. Since 2007, Japan has begun releasing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but disclosures are still limited.

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Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev's visit to India scheduled for later this month has been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak, Russian diplomatic sources said.

The Russian deputy prime minister was expected to visit New Delhi with a large delegation around the end of this month to take forward discussions on India's participation in developing the resource-rich Far East and Arctic regions.

The delegation led by Trutnev, the Russian president's special envoy for the Far Eastern federal district, was expected to hold several key business and political meetings here with a focus on strengthening bilateral economic ties, the sources said.

However, the visit has been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak, they said.

India and Russia have finalised the broad contours of an ambitious government-to-government agreement for long-term import of crude oil by India from Russia's Far East region.

The pact is likely to be inked during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit in October for the annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At present the volume of bilateral trade between India and Russia is USD 11 billion. Both the countries have set a target of enhancing it to USD 30 billion by 2025.

India's ties with Russia are largely driven by close cooperation in defence and civil nuclear energy sectors. But the two countries in the last few years have focused on expanding the cooperation to oil and gas sectors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city of North Charleston installed hand sanitizer dispensers as a precautionary measure for the coronavirus earlier this month, about a week before public schools were shuttered. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Union minister V Muraleedharan said on Tuesday he has tested negative for the novel coronavirus after he held a meeting with a doctor in Kerala, who tested positive for the virus after coming back from Spain.

The Union minister of state for external affairs had gone into self-quarantine at his home in Delhi after the meeting last Saturday.

He had held the meeting at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram, which was also attended by the infected doctor.

Last Saturday I had visited Research Div. of a Medical Institute, whose Hospital later reported a #COVID19 +ve case. As a measure of abundant precaution I am in home quarantine since then (sic), Muraleedharan tweeted.

Have tested negative for #COVID19. No to panic! Yes to precaution! he said.

The doctor, a radiologist, had tested positive on Sunday and returned from Spain on March 1. He had joined his duty two days after he returned.

He was asked to join his work after he disclosed his travel history and did not show any symptoms of Covid-19. He fell ill on March 13 and tested positive on March 15.

One of the premier medical institutions in Kerala, the hospital is under the Union science and technology ministry.

There are 22 patients of Covid-19, including two foreigners, in Kerala and three people have recovered from the disease in the state. It was the first in the country to report positive cases of the novel coronavirus.

India has reported 126 cases of the novel coronavirus and said that the disease has spread to 15 states and Union territories.

There have been three coronavirus deathsone each in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, so far.

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Linkedin Rizki Fachriansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 14:02 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b3d954 1 Health COVID-19,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak-in-Indonesia,Wuhan-coronavirus,Eijkman-Institute,laboratory,medical-check Free

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise, it is easy to resort to panic and despondence when you suddenly have a fever and dry cough.

Now that a number of institutions and laboratories have been authorized to conduct COVID-19 tests, heres what you can do if you think you are infected.

1. Recognize the symptoms

According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may also suffer aches, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and diarrhea. Around 16 percent of those with COVID-19 will also develop difficulty breathing.

2. Consult with your doctor

If you exhibit COVID-19 symptoms and have a history of travel to regions with a high number of COVID-19 cases or have had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case within the last 14 days, consult first with your doctor and health workers at the nearest community health center (Puskesmas), clinic or hospital.

Should your doctor find any cause for concern, they will collect a swab sample from the upper part of your respiratory tract for COVID-19 testing.

Read also: Test 'every suspected case' of COVID-19: WHO

3. Ask for your sample to be sent to one of the institutions authorized to conduct tests

Initially, only the Jakarta-based Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) was authorized to conduct throat swab tests. But starting this week, a number of other institutions have been allowed to conduct tests.

- Eijkman Institute for Microbiology

The Eijkman Institute for Microbiology in Jakarta announced on its Facebook page on Monday that it now offered COVID-19 testing services to the public.

If you ask for your sample to be sent to the institute, health workers will then issue a letter requesting a test for COVID-19 and complete a form requesting laboratory testing for the purpose of virus detection. You will also need to state your consent before your sample is sent for testing.

Note that Eijkman only accepts samples submitted by health centers, such as Puskesmas and hospitals, along with an official referral. Test results will remain confidential and are only subject to disclosure to the authorities.

- Health Ministrys Environmental Health and Disease Control Centers (BBTKLPP)

If you are based around Jakarta, Yogyakarta in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Banjarbaru in South Kalimantan, Medan in North Sumatra, Palembang in South Sumatra, Batam in Riau Islands, Makassar in South Sulawesi, Manado in North Sulawesi, and Ambon in Maluku, you may have your sample sent to the local BBTKLPP.

Health Ministry spokesperson Busroni said there were 10 BBTKLPPs across Indonesia. He called on the public to consult first with their doctor and have their samples taken for testing at the local BBTKLPP along with an official referral.

If members of the public feel concerned after having experienced shortness of breath, fever or any related symptoms, please visit the nearest health center. Let the doctor decide, Busroni said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.

- Airlangga Universitys Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD)

As reported by tempo.co, the ITD in Surabaya, East Java has prepared 2,000 test kits for COVID-19 since the Health Ministry designated the institute as one of the official testing bodies.

We expect to produce more reagents so we may be able to test more [samples], said ITD head Inge Lucida on Saturday, adding that the institute had been coordinating with the lab of the Health Ministrys Health Research and Development Agency (Litbangkes) in Jakarta regarding the testing procedures.

She went on to say that the ITD was still awaiting official permission from the ministry to test more samples.

We have received informal permission to receive and test suspected COVID-19 samples. But we still have yet to receive official permission, Inge said.

She said she expected the ITD to soon help accelerate testing in Surabaya.
Former governor of Ekiti state, Segun Oni has announced that he is set to dump the ruling All Progressive Congress to return back to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).

The former governor who joined the APC in 2014 added that even if he is given the whole world by the APC and his supporters are marginalized, he would still exit the party.

Read Also: Former Ekiti governor Segun Oni suspended indefinitely by APC

He made this known on Monday while fielding questions from newsmen at Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

It is true that I am leaving the APC for the PDP. You all knew the kind of treatment I have been getting. As we speak, none of my supporters was being allowed to get appointment or contest elections in APC.

If the APC gives me the whole world, I wont be happy seeing integral part of my political family, I mean my supporters being treated badly.

Is that how to run a party? You leave out some people when you are giving out appointments all just because they belong to the Segun Oni political family?

When I was the APC deputy national chairman, some of them said they suspended me from the party. Up till this moment, the issues surrounding the so-called suspension have not been attended to.

We have to fight against the tyranny of the minority that is existing in the party. How can some people, who are not even party excos at the ward level gather together to announce the suspension of a party leader?

We have taken a decision and we are at the process of joining the PDP. We are going to set up implementation committee to work on our programme of actions.

I am not that kind of a politician that will rush at things; we cant just go back that way. There must be proper planning. We are carrying out local government by local government counting of those that will follow us.

Those who took the action were my supporters across all the local governments and 177 wards, who felt bad about the whole scenario in APC.

But the major thing is that, we are moving, we have taken a decision to go back and on that we are working on, he said.
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President Donald Trump opens the daily press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic situation at the White House in Washington on March 17, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Administration Lifts Limits on Telehealth Services for 62 Million Medicare Recipients

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 17 lifted all restrictions on telehealth services for Americans covered by Medicare to address the threat of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump announced the lifting of the limits during a press conference at the White House, calling it a historic breakthrough.

This has not been done before, the president said.

Previously, Medicare only covered telehealth services for those living in rural areas and brief visits for established patients. With the restrictions lifted, all 62 million Medicare beneficiaries can call a doctors office and request to have their appointments conducted remotely via software such as Skype and WhatsApp.

Medicare recipients are 65 years or older, making the group among the most vulnerable to the virus.

This is a part of our larger effort around mitigation. As we are encouraging Americans to stay home whenever possible, we dont want out Medicare policies getting in the way, said CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

As a result, a person from the vulnerable population who needs a routine check-up wont have to venture outside of his or her home and can avoid unnecessary exposure to the virus. Meanwhile, elderly Medicare recipients who are experiencing mild flu-like symptoms can avoid having to sit in waiting rooms with other vulnerable patients and see a doctor from the comfort of their homes.

Verma said that the agency made the change in accord with a recent appropriations bill and the emergency declaration issued by Trump.

This action is part of our broader effort to make sure that government requirements, rules, and regulations dont get in the way of patient care during an emergency, Verma said.

Medicare beneficiaries across the nation, no matter where they live, will now be able to receive a wide range of services via telehealth, without ever having to leave home, she added.

The covered telehealth services arent limited to patients at home. Doctors can conduct a telehealth appointment for people at nursing homes and hospital outpatient departments, according to Verma.

Trump noted that the federal government has also lifted telehealth restrictions on states, which can now also cover such services.

The Trump administration has also temporarily suspended penalties for violating privacy regulations so that doctors can connect with patients using their own phones.

The lifting of the Medicare telehealth restrictions is part of the Trump administrations broader effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The administration issued strict guidelines on March 16 for Americans to follow for the next 15 days, including requests to limit travel and social gatherings.
Donald Trump said Tuesday that he doesn't think it's inappropriate to call coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' because that's where the disease originated.

The president said during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon that he only started referring to the virus in that way after Beijing blamed the U.S. military for brining coronavirus to China.

'Well China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false,' Trump asserted in remarks to the press. 'And rather than having an argument, I said I have to call it where it came from. It did come from China.'

'So I think it's a very accurate term,' he continued. 'But, no, I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody.'

When a reporter brought up that the term 'Chinese Virus' has a stigma around it and that some have called it racist, Trump pushed back.

'No, I don't think so. No,' he said, flipping the switch: 'I think saying that our military gave it to them creates a stigma.'

Donald Trump said Tuesday that he thinks calling coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' is appropriate because the disease originated in Wuhan, China

Trump said that 'rather than having an argument,' about where it originated, he would 'have to call it where it came from. It did come from China. So I think it's a very accurate term'

Chinese officials are floating the conspiracy that those in the U.S. Army brought coronavirus to China during the Military World Games in Wuhan in October 2019

When asked about the stigma around calling it the 'Chinese virus,' Trump said the real 'stigma is 'saying that our military gave it to them'

Chinese officials have been floating a conspiracy that the U.S. Army brought coronavirus there when they participated in the Military World Games in Wuhan, China in October 2019.

Trump did not say whether he would continue using the phrase when asked, but just minutes later in a meeting with tourism executives, the president again called it the 'Chinese virus.'

He said he was talking to the industry leaders about 'what has happened since the Chinese Virus came about.'

Trump doubled down Tuesday morning after China lashed out for him calling the novel coronavirus 'the Chinese Virus.'

The president tweeted Monday: 'The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!'

Early Tuesday Beijing demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations.'

But Trump then doubled down tweeting Tuesday morning about New York's governor Andrew Cuomo - who has demanded the military are activated to build hospitals - that: 'Cuomo wants 'all states to be treated the same.'

'But all states aren't the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all.'

The tweet-for-tat came the day after Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called China to accuse it of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the U.S. military.

Contrasting conspiracy theories, that it was created by China as a tool for biological warfare, have been aired in pro-Trump circles in the U.S.

And Pompeo himself has called it the Wuhan virus in a series of media appearances, as have fervently pro-Trump Republicans including Tom Cotton, the Arkansas senator, and Paul Gosar, an Arizona congressman who then had to go into self-quarantine over fears he was infected with it.

First hit: Beijing has accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatization by connecting the novel coronavirus with China after President Trump published the post on Twitter

Double down: He posted the next morning that 'some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus,' while others are not experiencing as bad a fallout from the outbreak

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' said Geng Shuang (pictured), a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatisation by connecting the novel coronavirus with China.

He did not name President Trump specifically, but was referring to President Trump's tweet, reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' Mr Geng said at a daily news briefing.

The spokesperson stressed that the coronavirus outbreak had occurred in multiple places around the world and the urgent task was for the international community to join forces to curb the pandemic.

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' Mr Geng continued.

Diplomatic feud over crisis: The U.S. and China are clashing over how to describe covid-19, the novel coronavirus first seen in Wuhan, China

Coronavirus fears have gripped the United States with multiple cities going into lock down. Young people wear protective masks while walking through Times Square in NYC on March 5

Nearly 6,000 people have been infected in the U.S. and at least 100 have died after contracting coronavirus

Anti-US sentiment is also growing in China as people on the country's Twitter-like Weibo has shown an outpouring of anger towards President Trump.

One person said: 'Trump is the virus of the world'.

Another typical comment accused: 'American virus!'

On Monday Pompeo, in a phone call he initiated with top Chinese official Yang Jiechi, voiced anger that Beijing has used official channels 'to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States,' the State Department said.

Pompeo 'stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat,' the department added.

The State Department on Friday summoned the Chinese ambassador, Cui Tiankai, to denounce Beijing's promotion of a conspiracy theory that had gained wide attention on social media.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) and Chinese politburo member Yang Jiechi (left) shake hands following a press conference in Washington in November 2018

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, in tweets last week in both Mandarin and English, suggested that 'patient zero' in the global pandemic may have come from the United States -- not the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.

'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.

Scientists suspect that the virus first came to humans at a meat market in Wuhan that butchered exotic animals.

Pompeo himself has sought to link China to the global pandemic, repeatedly referring to SARS-CoV-2 as the 'Wuhan virus' despite advice from health professionals that such geographic labels can be stigmatizing.

Yang issued a 'stern warning to the United States that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail,' the official Xinhua news agency said in its summary of the call with Pompeo.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a Trump ally, has spoken of the 'Chinese coronavirus' and in a recent statement vowed, 'we will hold accountable those who inflicted it on the world.'

While COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the virus - has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries.

The news comes as China tries to deflect blame for the contagion and reframe itself as a country that took decisive steps to buy the world time by placing huge swathes of its population under quarantine.

China built a 1,000-bed coronavirus hospital in 10 days in Wuhan to curb the epidemic. The picture shows Huoshenshan Hospital nearly complete on the outskirts of Wuhan on February 3

China reported only one new domestic infection today compared to a daily toll of 15,152 five weeks ago.

It also comes after China and the United States blamed each other as the alleged origin of the killer infection.

A Beijing spokesperson last week claimed that the coronavirus might have been brought to Wuhan by the US military while US politicians called it the 'Wuhan virus' or 'Chinese coronavirus'.

With cases falling in China and soaring abroad, Beijing is now rejecting the widely held assessment that the city of Wuhan is the birthplace of the outbreak.

The United States has angered China by using language directly linking the virus to the country.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus', prompting Beijing to reject the term as 'despicable' and 'disrespecting science'.

While Kevin McCarthy, a US congressman, called the virus the 'Chinese coronavirus' on Twitter.

In a tweet on Monday, he wrote: 'Everything you need to know about the Chinese coronavirus can be found on one, regularly-updated website.' He was sharing the link to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

China and the US have blamed each other as the alleged origin of the virus. China's Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian (left) accused the US military of bringing the coronavirus to Wuhan while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) referred to it as the 'Wuhan virus'
Every March 17, countries all around the world celebrate the annual feast day of St Patrick. Still a religious Feast Day, St Patrick's Day has developed into a day of celebration as Irish culture and history is payed homage to through colourful displays in parades, music, Irish dancing and food.

St Patrick's Day is commonly associated with the colour green. However, St Patrick's colour was in fact blue. There even exists a colour dubbed St Patrick's blue. The green colour became associated with the holiday after it was linked to the Irish Independence movement.

Despite his status as Patron Saint of Ireland, St Patrick was British in nationality. He was born to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales in the late fourth century.

To aid the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, St Patrick used the shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity.

St Patrick is noted for removing the snakes out of Ireland. However, due to the moist Irish climate the country could never host reptiles.

Irish immigrants began celebrating St Patrick's Day in Boston in 1737.

In Chicago, the Plumbers Local 110 union dyes the River Kelly green. The dye lasts for around five hours.

St Patrick's birth name was Maewyn Succat, but was later changed to Patricius after being ordained as a priest.

Publicans used to be closed on St Patrick's Day. Although difficult to imagine now, by law pubs had to shut their doors on the Catholic holiday. The law was repealled in 1970, and the Irish began to raise a glass to St. Patrick.

St Patrick's Day has been celebrated in outer space. NASA's International Space Station has been seen to showcase their respect for the Irish holiday as astronaut Cady Coleman played the flute in the space station to honour the day. Similarly, astronaut Chris Hadfield was recorded singing Danny Boy on St Patrick's Day in 2013.
LANSING, MI -- Michigan education leaders want federally required standardized student assessment tests, such as the M-STEP, put on hold, due to coronavirus-caused school closures.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Twitter announced officials, including State Board of Education President Dr. Casandra Ulbrich and State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, sent a letter making the request to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Tuesday, March 17.

Today, @MIEducation sent a letter to Betsy Devos urging her to grant a nationwide waiver of statewide student assessments. When kids get back to school, the number one priority must be ensuring they have the resources they need, not on state assessments.https://t.co/6T17L2Ahnp  Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 17, 2020

Its time for Betsy DeVos to do the right thing on behalf of our students and waive statewide assessments, Whitmer said. When our kids get back to school, our number one priority must be ensuring they have the resources they need to get back on track.

Whitmer ordered all public and private K-12 schools in Michigan to close from March 16 through April 5 in order to stem spread of the coronavirus.

Michigans standardized M-STEP tests, mandated by state and federal law, are scheduled to begin the week of April 13 and continue through May 28.

The M-STEP is the state standardized test, and is administered annually to students in grades 3-7 in reading and math. The M-STEP social studies test is administered in grades 5 and 8.

For a variety of reasons, this is not simply an undesirable situation; it is a completely unacceptable one, Ulbrich and Rice wrote in their letter to DeVos. "Many children will struggle with the long absence from school. It will take many districts a considerable period of time to resume normal functioning, not to mention refocusing on the instruction of children.

" ... Upon return to school, our focus nationally should be on instruction, supports, and nurturing of students, not on state summative assessments ... By waiving the requirement nationally to provide state assessments under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, you help schools put students first and focus on providing the supports that students will need in the coming weeks and months.

Rice is working with the state Legislature to suspend the testing mandate under state law, a statement issued by the Michigan Department of Education said.

As of Tuesday, March 17, Michigan had recorded 65 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an uptick of 32 cases in three days.

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Read MLives complete coverage 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:

 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.

Read more on MLive:

Michigan doctors offer their best tips for preventing coronavirus

Michigan coronavirus case count up to 53, including 1 child

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to order bars, restaurants to close dine-in services over coronavirus concerns

Coronavirus has Michigan pursuing temporary closure of casinos, governor says

Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home
Jaipur: The Karni Sena, which protested against Bollywood film "Padmaavat" over historic facts last year, has now asked the producers of "Prithviraj", an upcoming movie featuring Akshay Kumar, not to tamper with such facts.

Members of the outfit, led by its national president Mahipal Singh Makrana, staged a stir at the shooting of the film in Jamwaramgarh village, near here, on Saturday and asked the director, Chandra Prakash, to stop the shooting.

Prakash assured them that there was no tampering with historic facts in the film's script.

However, the Karni Sena demanded a written assurance.

Akshay Kumar was not shooting when the Karni Sena members staged the protest on Saturday.

"We held discussions with the director, Chandra Prakash, regarding the film's script today. We told him that no tampering with historic facts will be tolerated," Makrana said on Monday.

"Prithviraj Chauhan should not be portrayed as a lover in the film. The director has assured us that there is no such thing in the movie but we want a written assurance," he said.

Produced by Yashraj Films, "Prithviraj" is based on the life of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.
The coronavirus has changed the way we live our daily lives and it has upended countless business sectors, including the New York real estate market. Brokers, buyers and sellers are struggling mightily to do business when its anything but business as usual. Open houses are being eliminated, or at least circumscribed; brokers are doing FaceTime apartment tours for clients who are worried about being out. And, in the suburbs, theyre scrambling to find short term rentals for clients who feel the walls and everything else closing in on them in the city.

Getting Buyers into Your Home

Restrictions on open houses now range from limits on frequency and duration, to required preregistration to full-on bans in some buildings. Prospective buyers should be prepared to swap their shoes for booties before they start counting closets and to keep their (sanitized) hands to themselves.

Even a week ago, before many businesses and schools closed, a survey by the National Association of Realtors found that 25 percent of sellers nationwide had already changed the terms of engagement with prospective buyers because of the virus. New requirements include a stop at a hand-washing station, at the very least, a liberal spritz of hand sanitizer. In some instances, buyers are being asked to leave their shoes at the door and don booties. And theyre often discouraged from touching kitchen and bathroom fixtures.

Denae Montesi, a sales agent at William Raveis NYC, is punctilious about being the one to open and close the front door. She keeps as firm a grip on her iPad as she does on the doorknob, signing in prospective buyers at open houses rather than letting them do it themselves. Other brokers have chosen to go old school: they provide pens, wiping them down after each use, or simply invite attendees to keep them.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has named a road inside the campus after Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, a move criticised by the students' union.

IMAGE: A man walks past the newly placed campus road named VS Savarkar Marg at JNU Campus in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The road going towards the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, from the university campus has been renamed, according to Saket Moon, vice president of the JNU students' union.



"Earlier, the road didn't have any name. But on Sunday night, we saw that it had been named as V D Savarkar Marg," Moon said.

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh slammed the move, terming it a "shame" that Savarkar's name had been put in the university.



According to registrar Pramod Kumar, the decision to name the road after Savarkar was taken at the executive council meeting on November 13.

Shortly after the road was renamed, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad alleged that the JNUSU had defaced the signboard of the road.

"The JNU administration last year took the decision to name the roads inside the campus and as a result the road at the Subansir Hostel was named after V D Savarkar, but the Left-wing students defaced it by pasting a Mohammad Ali Jinnah Marg poster," president of ABVP-JNU Shivam Chaurasia alleged.

The JNUSU refuted the claims and said while the entire country and the world is fighting a medical emergency and organising its resources for the same, "it is bewildering that the JNU administration has an entirely different set of priorities".



"On March 15, the administration found an opportune time to name one of the JNU roads as VD Savarkar Marg. This was done after the Delhi government advisory asked a halt to academic activities prompting students to start leaving home," they said.



The administration knows that Savarkar and his ideology is unacceptable to JNU students, the JNUSU said.



"It is unfortunate that such a time was chosen to play divisive politics.



"The ABVP has crossed more levels of shamelessness and is trying to malign JNU further by circulating morphed images of the road in the name of Jinnah," it said.



They accused the administration of also trying to use this opportunity to further other "devious" agendas.

JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said they have filed a police complaint regarding the defacement, but the police said they have not yet received it.



Last year, controversy had erupted in the Delhi University after the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad-led students' union there had installed a bust of Savarkar without permission from authorities. It was removed later by the students' body.
A day after the Congress government in the state highlighted its achievements on the completion of three years in office, the SAD in a scathing attack on Tuesday dubbed the party rule as the period of betrayal marked by the neglect of people.

The opposition party on Tuesday also dared Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to name "a single development project or welfare scheme" started by his government while accusing him of "cheating" farmers on debt waiver.

The SAD chief also accused the CM of betraying the youth in the name of jobs, cellphones and Rs 2,500 unemployment allowance every month.

The Congress government on Monday had held a press conference to highlight its achievements to mark the completion of three years of its rule in the state.

"This is a period when the people of Punjab got nothing except betrayal, indifference and neglect at the hands of a power-drunk and arrogant ruler who humiliated Punjabis, treating even meeting people below his royal dignity," Badal alleged.

Attacking the chief minister for being "inaccessible", SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal asked how many times Amarinder Singh toured the state and enquired about people's problems.

He said in the past three years of the Congress rule, the state remained "headless" with "no government visible" either in the civil secretariat or in villages, towns and cities.

"How many times in these three years have you been to your office or to your state or how many times have you been even to the sacred Harmandar Sahib and Durgiana Temple to seek blessings of the almighty," Badal asked the chief minister.

He said Chief Minister Amarnder Singh "lied shamelessly" in the name of the great 'Guru Sahiban', taking a "false oath" in the name of Guru Gobind Singh, "only to cheat farmers" on debt waiver and jobs to suicide-hit families.

Stating that the Congress government has "not fulfilled" any promise made to people, Badal said, "Forget implementing the Rs 90,000-crore farm loan waiver, the government has not even released one rupee to any farmer from the Rs 3,000 crore allocated for loan waiver in the last year's budget."



Badal alleged that during the Congress rule, all promises remained "unfulfilled" due to which people suffered.

He said power tariffs had gone up by 17 times in three years from around Rs 5.50 per unit under their rule to Rs 8.5 per unit.

He said power tariffs for the industry too had gone up to Rs 9 per unit, crippling the industrial sector.

Badal alleged that the Congress Party was "squarely responsible for the desecration of religious texts" in Punjab.

He alleged that the incidents of the desecration of religious texts were a "part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to defame" the then SAD BJP government ahead of the 2017 assembly elections.

"Subsequent events have provided categorical and convincing evidence of the Congress hand in the conspiracy. The version of the key witness Surjit Singh (in the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing incident at Faridkot) unnerved the Congress government as they knew that this would lead the trail to their house," Badal alleged.

"That is why they brazenly and shamelessly tried to destroy the evidence by putting pressure on the key witnesses to change his version, leading to his death under psychological stress," he said.

The Akalis in the past had accused a minister and a Congress MLA of mounting pressure on Surjit Singh for not deposing as a witness in this case to save some accused.

Surjit had died of cardiac arrest on January 13.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The relevant decision was backed by 269 MPs.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has appointed Iryna Venediktova, former acting chief of the State Bureau of Investigation, the country's new Prosecutor General.

The relevant decision was backed by 269 MPs, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

After the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the extraordinary session, shook Venediktova's had to congratulate her.

Venediktova called her first steps at the new post.

She said it is necessary to conduct an audit of criminal cases and address staffing issues at prosecutorial offices across the country.

"You know that 226 prosecutors on lustration and 400 prosecutors who were dismissed in the autumn are on the threshold  we already see court rulings on their reinstatement," she said.

Read alsoCoronavirus update: Cabinet to offer Zelensky to introduce national emergency "if necessary"  PM

According to Venediktova, it is therefore necessary to take informed and legal decisions so that the prosecutor's reform continues "without tilts," and on the other hand, so that "prosecutorial offices don't collapse once legal procedural decisions are made."

Venediktova also emphasized the need to coordinate the work of all law enforcement agencies.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 5, Ukrainian parliamentarians voted in favor of a motion of no confidence in the country's Prosecutor General Ruslan Riaboshapka.

This entailed his immediate dismissal.
The number of reported coronavirus cases shot up drastically Monday in New Jersey, when the state announced 80 new cases, bringing the total to at least 178.

The first reported case was on March 5, when a 32-year-old man from Fort Lee, Bergen County, tested positive. Since then, the state has seen exponential growth. In the U.S., there are thousands of confirmed cases and nearly 70 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Across the world, more than 175,000 people have been reported to be infected in the pandemic. More than 7,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.

So far, New Jersey has recorded three deaths. Rita Fusco-Jackson, a Freehold resident in her 50s died on Thursday, officials said this weekend. The first death was of John Brennan, a 69-year-old man from Bergen county, who died March 10.

On Monday night, Gov. Phil Murphy announced the death of a man in his 90s from the virus.

The trajectory for coronavirus cases in New Jersey closely mirrors what has been seen elsewhere in the U.S. and around the world: a slow buildup followed by dramatic spikes that reflect the virus exponential spread. The number of cases announced on Monday  80  raised the state total to 178, an 82% growth in reported cases overnight.

As recently as 11 days ago, there was one case in one county in New Jersey. Now, 14 counties are affected. Hunterdon County had its first positive test on Monday, the first new county to be affected since Mercer and Ocean three days ago. The spread has been swift in Essex County. The virus was found in eight other counties prior to being seen for the first time there on Thursday, but Essex now has the second most cases in the state behind Bergen.

As of March 15, there were no reported cases in Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, Salem, Gloucester, Sussex or Warren counties.

On a radio show Sunday, Murphy said hed take more draconian steps to curb the spread of the virus.

Murphy asked for a statewide curfew Monday, requesting New Jerseyans to not leave their homes between 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to help stop the spread of the virus. He announced it after a joint call with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. The governors of the tristate area also jointly announced all movie theaters, gyms, and casinos in all three states must close at 8 p.m. Monday and will remain closed until further instruction. They also said that bars and restaurants will only serve take-out food till further notice.

We want everybody home  not out, Murphy said.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

Disha Raychaudhuri may be reached at disha@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Disha_RC.

Nick Devlin is a reporter on the data & investigations team. He can be reached at ndevlin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @nickdevlin.
Tony Lodge is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies and author of The Great Carbon Swindle  How the UK hides its emissions abroad.

Just last week we saw an 18-day run of coal-free days  something we havent seen since the dawning of the first industrial revolution. So said the Governments last energy minister in 2019, who parroted the claim that Britain was enjoying coal free electricity supplies for the first time since the Marquis of Rockingham was Prime Minister.

Sadly, it wasnt true  and regrettably was therefore grossly misleading. New Centre for Policy Studies research shows the UK was in fact importing coal fired electricity from the Netherlands over this period (June 2019) via undersea cables known as interconnectors.

But why was this significant and what does it mean for wider energy, industry and climate policy?

Importing electricity and certain carbon intensive raw materials from overseas allows Britain to hide its carbon footprint. During last Junes coal free fortnight, whilst no domestic coal was used to power the grid Britain imported an estimated 40.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) of Dutch coal-fired generation. The emissions from this generation were (and are) consequently offshored into the EU and dont appear on UK statistics.

The same is true in terms of carbon-intensive raw materials such as coal. The Government is now extremely reluctant to approve new mining projects. Yet this means that industrial consumers (such as the steel industry) are simply importing raw materials or finished goods from overseas, which can involve a significant extra cost in terms of carbon emissions.

The consequence is that when the UK claims to be reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, it is often simply offshoring them, for example by increasing its imports of electricity generated from European coal and gas while using statistical sleight-of-hand to ignore the carbon emissions involved. This not only hides the real picture in terms of emissions, but discriminates against UK firms which are subject to climate levies that their competitors overseas do not have to pay.

If it is to deliver on its climate change commitments and show transparent global policy leadership, Britain will need to deal with its most carbon-intensive imports  including electricity. Our new paper proposes the introduction of a new carbon border tax, restricted to specific carbon-intensive sectors.

This would provide a far more accurate picture of Britains true carbon footprint; deter carbon offshoring; ensure a level playing field for UK and overseas firms; and incentivise those overseas suppliers to lower their own carbon costs if supplying goods to the UK market. It would reduce global carbon emissions, and establish Britain as a policy leader ahead of the COP26 climate conference in November.

Though the UKs ageing coal-fired power stations will all be closed by 2025, there will remain a market in Britain for between five and six million tonnes of industrial coal to supply the domestic steel, cement, brickmaking, chemicals, domestic fuel, horticulture and other sectors.

For example, the steel sector requires high-grade coals to operate blast furnaces at Scunthorpe and Port Talbot. Despite calls by the Government for new steel-making processes, it is unlikely that the blast furnace technique for raw steel production in Britain will change before 2040 at the earliest.

If you asked Extinction Rebellion, their answer would be to shut down the industry completely. Yet if this industry did not exist, we would simply have to import these products from elsewhere (wind turbines, after all, are largely made from steel). In any event, the Government says it is committed to encouraging and helping maintain a competitive steel industry in the UK as part of its Industrial Strategy.

It is fair to say that Whitehall is not keen on coal: applications in the UK to develop new mines have been repeatedly delayed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, even when they receive local planning approval. Yet the result is not that we are using less coal, but that we are transporting it over tens of thousands of miles from Russia, the USA, Australia and Colombia. This represents a significant offshoring of transportation emissions  without even considering issues around environmental or employment standards. Our paper shows:

Transporting coal from Australia emits 625 per cent more in CO2e emissions than transporting British mined coal (73,480 compared to 10,122 CO2e/tonne of coal).

Coal imported from Siberia emits 569 per cent more in CO2e than transporting British mined coal (67,738 compared to 10,122 CO2e/tonne of coal).

Transporting coal from the USA emits 235 per cent more in CO2e emissions than British coal (33,933 compared with 10,122 CO2e/tonne of coal).

The recent Conservative Party manifesto declared that free markets, innovation and prosperity can protect the planet. Then our solution is the perfect case study.

Indeed, not addressing carbon intensive imports means that Britain will continue to hide emissions off balance sheet, encouraging other countries to pollute while claiming virtue. At the same time, we will damage our own economy via carbon leakage. Retaining the status quo is in effect protecting and encouraging polluting exporters  a reverse protectionism for polluting industries in other countries, which increases global emissions.

A carbon border tax would expose and reduce carbon intensive imports, encouraging the private sector in the UK to invest in domestic industries and boost growth and skilled jobs in precisely the places where the Government is keen to see investment, such as northern England. It would also generate significant new revenue streams for central government from the monies raised.

The tax would force exporting states to reduce the carbon intensity of their energy grids; the higher their use of coal and gas, the higher the levy they face. This policy would lead to them reducing their emissions, the reshoring of jobs to Britain and increased energy security. It deserves serious examination.
Donald Trump said Tuesday that he doesn't think he will be taking action to order a national lockdown as the coronavirus death toll in the U.S. nears 100.

'Well you can do a national lockdown  hopefully we're not going to need that. We think of everything. I mean we have every idea that you mentioned. We've thought of  and, you know, that's a very big step,' Trump said in a response to a question from DailyMail.com during a White House briefing Tuesday afternoon.

'That's a step that  I mean, in one sense it would work,' he admitted. 'It's a very big step. It's something we talk about. But we haven't decided to do that.'

When pressed on what the determining factors would need to be for Trump to make that decision to implement a nationwide lockdown, Trump claimed that the U.S. wasn't going to get to that point.

Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is not currently considering a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus

'I just don't think it's going to be an action we're going to take,' he said in response to a question from DailyMail.com

'I mean, in one sense it would work,' he admitted. 'It's something we talk about. But we haven't decided to do that'

The coronavirus task force is conducting daily briefings updating the press on the situation and response to the outbreak. Trump has showed up to many of those briefings, sometimes speaking and taking questions for more than an hour

'It would have to get to a level ' he started, but cut himself off. ' I just don't think it's going to be an action we're going to take.'

'I don't think I'm going to talk  but, Anthony, all of the people standing behind me would get together in a room, plus some additionals, and we would make a decision,' he said, conceding that if a national lockdown were announced it would be decided by the coronavirus task force  including top immunologist Anthony Fauci.

'But, I don't think that's a step we're going to be taking,' the president reiterated.

The comments on a potential lockdown that spans across the nation comes as San Francisco implemented the strictest measures seen so far in the U.S.

At midnight between Monday and Tuesday, a 'shelter in place' requirement went into effect.

The lockdown will continue through April 7  meaning about 7 million residents in the San Francisco Bay Area will be required to stay in their homes for a minimum of three weeks.

Individuals were instructed only to leave their houses for 'essential' reasons.

During the now-daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, Trump announced guidelines Americans should follow for the next 15 days to stop the spread.

He said during the press conference Tuesday that the guidelines were announced because it was the 'next natural step' in containing and stopping the spread of the deadly virus.

Trump and the task force released Monday guidelines for Americans to follow for the next 15 days that they say will significantly stop the spread, including limiting gathers to 10 people or less and staying home if you're older or don't feel well

San Fransisco took it way further and implemented at midnight a lockdown of the bay area for the next three weeks  a step Trump isn't near ready to take

The streets in San Francisco were virtually empty Tuesday morning as around 7 million people began to 'shelter in place' until April 7

The guidelines include 'social distancing' measures like limiting gatherings to 10 people or less.

It also recommends elderly individuals and those not feeling well should stay home.

The guidelines also ask people not to go to bars and restaurants, and instead use drive thrus or delivery and pick-up services  and it also recommends people cancel all non-essential travel plans.

While the measures were released as a recommendation and are not mandatory, some members of the coronavirus task force have described them as 'rules.'

Some other states, like Pennsylvania, are closing all non-essential establishments like restaurants, liquor stores and clothing retailers.

Places like doctor's offices and grocery stores will remain open.
Floridas state of emergency due to the rapid spread of coronavirus in the state, and throughout the country, has created a need for many workers to work remotely. However, certain licensed insurance employees were restricted from doing so by a Florida law that required they conduct business from their agency offices.

In response, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who oversees the Florida Department of Financial Services, has issued a directive allowing Florida agency customer service representatives who would otherwise be restricted from conducting business outside of a licensed agency to do so given the current circumstances.

In order to afford flexibility to licensees who are quarantined or whose offices are subject to closure due to the COVID-19, the Department of Financial Services will not enforce provisions of [Florida Statutes] until May 8, 2020, unless this order is extended by subsequent Directive of the Chief Financial Officer, the order states.

The law applies to Florida 4-40 Resident Customer Service Representative (CRs) licenses and was enacted in 1990. It allows salaried employees of insurance agents or agencies in Florida to transact insurance business under the supervision of a licensed and appointed general lines agent. Employees holding the 4-40 license are unable to transact insurance outside of the office of the agency they are employed by, cannot be employed by more than one general lines agent or agency at any given time and must be housed in the office of the agent or agency. The CRs can also only solicit business within the agency office or by phone from the office, according to DFS, which is charged with regulating the sale of travel insurance and other insurance products within the state of Florida.

Patronis order specifically references the two Florida Statutes that say insurance customer representatives shall not engage in transacting insurance outside of the office of his or her agent or agency and says insurance customer representatives must be housed in the actual confines of the office of the agent or agency whom he or she represents, among other stipulations.

By recommendation from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), companies nationwide have begun allowing employees to work remotely in an effort to slow the spread of the strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19. However, Florida insurance employees carrying 4-40 licenses could have faced disciplinary action for doing so prior to the waiver in the directive.

Patronis said in the directive that under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis emergency order, government agency heads have certain authority to waive statutory and administrative provisions to the extent strict compliance with such provisions would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the ongoing emergency.

Florida Association for Insurance Agents (FAIA) President Jeff Grady said several member agencies reported they are now working remotely and that many agencies called or emailed to inquire about a waiver for 4-40 licensees.

FAIA worked with CFO Patronis office over the last week in coming up with a solution that allows insurance professionals to perform their work at home, if necessary, the association said.

Grady said it was hard to estimate a percentage of how many of their members are now working remotely but noted the number is growing rapidly.

We have debated the discontinuance of this license for several years, particularly given its unique status within the era of state license reciprocity, Grady said. I am hopeful this disaster will illuminate the need for Florida to do away with the 4-40 license.

FAIA representatives themselves have made adjustments to work from home and said they will continue to be available to members via phone, email or through its online community.

There are other issues facing insurance agents as the coronavirus epidemic continues to go on. FAIA is communicating with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation regarding the potential for an order that would temporarily postpone policy non-renewals and/or cancellations, and Grady said FAIA is also receiving many inquiries from agents regarding business interruption insurance. The association has conveyed that message to OIR as well.

FAIA is constantly communicating with regulators and cabinet officials to address insurance issues caused by COVID-19, he said.

Topics COVID-19 Agencies Florida
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio said there have been 36 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Staten Island and the city total has reached 814, during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

That number will continue to grow, de Blasio said, as more people are tested and results continue to come back.

One of the newest confirmed cases is Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres, who alerted the Council today that he tested positive and will be quarantining himself for several weeks.

Im sorry that hes going through this. Im hoping he comes through it very smoothly, de Blasio said about Torres.

The City Council is working to find people who have interacted with Torres; de Blasio said he has not.

"The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has been alerted and will conduct extra cleaning measures in City Hall. They have been conducting extra cleaning all week, and this new cleaning will be on top of that. Council Member Torres was last at City Hall on March 10. The Councils City Hall and 250 Broadway offices have been closed since Monday, said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

"Everyone at the Council is praying for Ritchies speedy recovery. He is a great friend and colleague. I know he is anxious to get well and continue serving the people in the Bronx who elected him, Johnson said.

There have been seven deaths citywide.

INCREASED TESTING CAPACITY WITH PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

Testing capacity for the city will increase by up to 5,000 in the coming days due to a public/private partnership between Health + Hospitals and Bio Reference Laboratories, he announced.

The city is still taking a highly prioritized approach to testing, he reiterated that only the most vulnerable and currently hospitalized will be tested through the public health system and its clinics.

De Blasio said the city will be mobilizing a Medical Reserve Corp of approximately 9,000 licensed and/or retired medical professionals would be called to help if increased capacity is needed.

Those interested in signing up can do so at nyc.gov/helpnownyc.

In addition to increased testing, theres an increase need for hospital beds and the city has made a non-stop stream of requests to the federal government.

De Blasio has asked for permission to use unused hospital beds in veterans hospitals for COVID-19 patients, as well as specific medical supplies, adding that what the city has received thus far is insufficient.

Hes also asking the House and Senate to use their respective powers to ensure the military will be activated and reach New York City, if needed.

Its quite clear that our military is in a high state of readiness and have agreed to work closely with the city, he said.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

NYC SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR A SHELTER IN PLACE SCENARIO

Even though de Blasio cannot order a shelter in place without Gov. Andrew Cuomos approval, he said New Yorkers should prepare for the scenario and the decision would be made in the next 48 hours.

Its something I dont take lightly and there are substantial challenges to be met, he said, adding that there are questions about what would happen to residents who have no money, no food, lack of medication and what role the government would play so that nobody gets left behind.

We would have to create some kind of monitoring system that makes sense, he said, acknowledging that people would still need to leave the house.

That system would have to be created from scratch.

The current hypothetical shelter in place scenario means that first responders and health care workers would continue to return to work, and hes looking to how California and Italy have sheltered as a model.

During the press conference, Secretary to Cuomo Melissa Derosa released the following statement: The emergency policies that have been issued are of statewide impact, and the Governor is making every effort to coordinate these policies with our surrounding states. Any blanket quarantine or shelter in place policy would require State action and as the Governor has said, there is no consideration of that for any locality at this time.

53 The coronavirus life in New York City: The new normal

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Apart from the health and safety concerns arising out of Covid-19, an unintended consequence of the deadly virus is an increase in the number of divorce rates and domestic violence cases in cities where a lockdown is in place.

For example, Chinese marriage registry officials have been quoted as saying that the divorce rate has risen in the country, with a record-high number of divorce requests in recent weeks. The officials are blaming it on Covid-19, for causing couples to spend too much time together during self-isolation, which leads to increased tempers and conflicts.

Apart from this, there has been a surge in gender-based domestic violence in countries such as China, France and others. Millions are spending time cooped up indoors and the fear and uncertainty, added to the economic strain this puts on families, is seen as contributing to this distressing phenomenon. For many wives suffering physical or even emotional abuse at the hands of their husbands, there was a brief period of respite when the men left for work. This window has been closed now. With children staying at home because of schools and other educational institutions closing, the number of vulnerable people within families has increased.

Even historically, national and community crises have led to increased reports of domestic abuse. From an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to Hurricane Katrina, various crisis situations have led to a spike in domestic assaults and psychological abuse. In India, support systems like friends, neighbours and relatives are suddenly out of reach for women while places like offices, gyms, malls and even places of worship are also becoming out of bounds fast.

Dr Venkatesh Babu GM, consultant psychiatrist, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, says that the virus scare could have consequences such as increased anger, divorce, domestic violence or abuse or even unwanted childbirth. He points out that there are certain variables that need to be looked into to figure out why this is happening.

Community-level variable

A perception of threat and fear of survival is impacting everyone, at all levels. In a situation like a pandemic, where you are constantly battling a fear beyond your control, your adrenaline levels are constantly activated and information processing is always about tackling any kind of harm, says Dr Venkatesh.

Individual-level variable

Variables like financial security, job and safety of the family impact every individual, regardless of gender and socio-economic background. Many people are seeing job losses now;this leads to anger which is channelised or displaced onto ones own family members because that is the only primary access there are available.

Displacement is a phenomenon which was already and naturally a part of our everyday life. When there are times things are going wrong at work, you tend to take the frustration out at home. But what happens when this becomes the norm  you dont have access to anybody else, apart from the digital world? That creates a huge amount of conflict, he explains.

Family-related variable

Every family has certain equilibrium they have built up. Whether it is a newly-married couple or one that has been together for many years, they will have built up a certain way of engaging and communicating. The time you spend together, your work-life balance, the way you handle conflicts and so on. These methods are now curtailed. For example, even with a disagreement, you have to face your partner for the entire day. If you dont have a proper communication system, things get out of hand, points out Dr Venkatesh.

Impressions about partners might change

Dr Naveen Jayaram, consultant psychiatrist, Sakra World Hospital points out that emotional issues crop up when somebody is suddenly quarantined. Apart from the stress of the impact of the virus, couples might end up having arguments or emotional problems as they spend a lot of time together. Sometimes, past events might pop up in arguments and peoples impressions about their partners might change. So, the more time they spend together during this crisis time, the more problems will pop up, he says.

What can you do?

Though it is a serious issue, the fear of the virus has not turned into full blown panic and the quarantine period is for a smaller duration and is also not that intense, says Shreya Chatterjee, consultant psychologist, Mindscape Clinic.

However, if you have an abusive parent or partner, and that person is staying in the house for a longer period, the chances of abuse are definitely going to increase. In that case, I would recommend the potential victim to maintain a safe distance and not get into arguments or debates with the other person;

keep conversations to a minimum,

she says.

She adds that people who have to stay with partners who already have a history of domestic violence should keep a list of helpline numbers ready and should seek help when necessary.

Can also lead to emotional isolation

With an increased need for social distancing and keeping oneself cocooned in ones house, there are also fears about how people with mental illnesses will be able to handle the sudden isolation from the rest of the world.

This is especially true for a city like Bengaluru which has a high number of migrants and young working professionals, who are living alone.

It is affecting people, I have seen that in many of my patients as well, says Shreya. They need to understand that these are temporary restrictions and not the end of the world. They should take care not to get into a downward spiral with thoughts like Is this going to continue? or What will happen? and so on.

She advocates practising meditation and mindfulness and leveraging technology to stay in touch with friends and colleagues.

Through video calls, phone calls, chats and more, stay in touch with your support system, says Shreya.
Kazakhstans doctors have reported three more cases of coronavirus in the country. According to the press service of the ministry of health of the republic, the total number of infected has increased to 13, Tengrinews reports.

Dias Akhmetsharip, a spokesperson for the ministry, informed that among the newly infected there was also a girl born in 2018, who had arrived from Berlin on March 13. The child was taken to the children's infectious disease hospital in Almaty.

Another Kazakh, who has been diagnosed with coronavirus, is being treated in Germany.

The president has declared a state of emergency for a month because of the spread of coronavirus in Kazakhstan.
A suspect in a rare Singapore bank robbery is set to face charges in the Asian city-state after four years avoiding extradition to the country as he attempted to reach his native Canada, authorities said Tuesday. Singapore police and the country's public prosecutor said in a joint statement that David James Roach had been sent back by Britain after being detained there in 2018 en route to Canada. His arrest followed an earlier spell in a Thailand jail on charges related to carrying stolen cash after Roach initially fled Singapore for Bangkok in 2016, the statement said. Thai authorities refused to send him to Singapore as the countries do not have an extradition treaty. He is scheduled to be charged in court later Tuesday with robbery and money laundering related to allegations that he stole Sg$30,000 ($22,000) from a Standard Chartered bank branch after strolling in and presenting a threatening note. In a bid to get its extradition request approved, Singapore agreed to a demand from London that Roach not face corporal punishment if convicted. Floggings with a heavy rattan cane, a legacy of British colonial rule, are a common punishment in Singapore, and convicted bank robbers face a minimum penalty of six strokes as well as at least two years in jail. But Britain abolished caning for criminals decades ago and refuses to extradite anyone to a country where it exists. Bank robberies are extremely rare in Singapore, where a zero-tolerance approach to crime has made the country one of Asia's safest cities. mba/axn STANDARD CHARTERED
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 07:49:21|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows spring scenery at the campus of Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The campus of Wuhan University is not open to the public due to epidemic prevention and control works. The university on Monday organized a ten-day live broadcast to show cherry blossoms in spring in the campus. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Y ou may be used to seeing them nestled in amongst the interiors of every cool girls content on the gram, but what you perhaps didnt know is that cacti have more benefits than just embellishing a room.

While the prickly plants perhaps arent top of your list of hydrating ingredients youd like to adopt as part of your skincare regime, its time to think again.

Cactis powers of resilience in adapting to desert-like conditions mean theyre bursting with water-storing tissue, which, in turn, has meant that they have developed hydration reserves within their fabric.

The saguaro cactus (the signature cactus shaped-plant you see in pictures of the desert) is just one breed of cacti and has the ability to store up to 200 gallons of water within itself.

But what actually are cacti? They are members of the plant family Cactaceae, of which there are over 1750 known species, all of which have different chemical and vitamin compositions.

Two Saguaro cacti in the Arizona desert (Getty Images ) / Getty Images

The most commonly used parts of cacti in the cosmetic industry are the fruits, which includes the seeds, and the flowers and stems of the cactus plant itself. Prickly pear, nopal cactus and the Queen of the Night species of cactus are widely used in skincare products, Eleanor OConnor from the Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association says.

LA-based beauty brand Freck Beauty launched its line of five skincare products in November 2018 and used cacti as the key ingredient of the line.

Cactus is an amazing ingredient for skincare because you can use so many different elements of the plant (the pulp, the water, the oil on, the skin and the flower) and they are all so hydrating for the skin, says Remi Brixton, founder and CEO of Freck Beauty.

Brixton claims that, since launching cacti skincare, Freck Beauty customers have experienced more hydrated skin and less skin complaints within just one use of the cactus-based products.

The prickly plants contain a multitude of skin-loving ingredients, including high levels of essential fatty acids, amino acids (which stimulate collagen production) and Vitamin E.

But cactus skincare is a minefield; in the case of prickly pear, the fruit is used, while in the case of the Queen of the Night cactus, the flower is used.

We've sifted through the science to bring you a comprehensive guide to the cacti to look out for in skincare.

Prickly Pear cactus

Renowned celebrity facialist to the stars, Dr. Barbara Sturm, concocted her Hydrating Face Mist (75, shop it here) using Prickly Pear Extract (less commonly referred to as Opuntia-Ficus-Indica.) The extract is a product of the Prickly Pear cactus, which is native to the Americas.

Opuntia has excellent anti-inflammatory properties and contains the vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C and the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium, Dr. Sturm says.

She describes the prickly pear extract as being able to cool down irritation reactions thanks to its soothing and hydrating properties.

Prickly pear extract, which is perhaps the most common cactus derivative used in an arsenal of high-end skincare products, contains 150 per cent the amount of Vitamin E (a natural antioxidant) that Argan Oil does.

Prickly pear cacti growing in Cyprus (Getty Images ) / Getty Images

Prickly pear is also rich in amino acids, which stimulate collagen production to promote faster cell turnover and Vitamin K, which is known for its brightening properties.

Clinical studies have shown it to have outstanding hydrating properties thanks to its high content of water-binding compounds, Dr. Sturm states.

However the oil of the prickly pear cactus, due to its notoriously nourishing ingredients, has become a precious commodity. The seeds of the prickly pear cactus contain approximately 5 per cent prickly pear oil, meaning several are needed to fulfill demand.

Nopal cactus

The nopal cactus and the prickly pear are actually derived from the same plant; the prickly pear refers to the fruit of the plant, while the nopales are the pads of the cactus.

High in antioxidants and phytochemicals, the nopal cactus contains 17 amino acids and various antioxidants that prevent the skin from sun damage.

Purple prickly pear cactus flowers and buds in Southern Arizona (Getty Images ) / Getty Images

The nopal is also loaded with an impressive spectrum of vitamins. From vitamin A for anti-aging, fighting free radicals and moisturising, to Vitamin C, which brightens, stimulates cell turnover and increases skin's elasticity, the nopal is a serious skin superfood.

It is also one of the most betalain-rich plants in existence; betalains are the pigments which give the nopal cactus fruits their trademark red colour. Betalains are some of the most naturally powerful antioxidants and are known for their ability to strengthen the skin's cells, helping to make them more resistant to toxins and harmful bacteria.

Betalains are found in only a limited-number of fruits and vegetables around the world. Some other plants that contain betalains are beets, swiss chard, and bougainvillea flowers.

Queen of the Night cactus

This rare cactus blooms only once a year in Mexico, typically between the months of July and October, and only between dusk and dawn on one night of the year. The plant withers away hours later.

Because of this, not much is known about the cactus, owing to its rarity, but it's gained notoriety in the cosmetic industry thanks to its ability to hydrate both oily and combination skin types.

The Queen of the Night in bloom (Getty Images ) / Getty Images

The Queen of the Night cactus is renowned for its ability to rebound from tough conditions and restore moisture in even the driest of environments, which make it the ultimate hydrator.

The Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association says that the Queen of the Night cacti "are primarily known for moisturisation through improving skin barrier function and humectant properties which will result in softer and smoother skin."

Cult-Japanese beauty brand Boscia was so enamoured by the Queen of the Night's ingredients that it infused its renowned Cactus Water Moisturiser (37, shop it here) with them.
Chennai, March 17 : Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Tuesday appealed to the members of one community protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to stop their protest and safeguard themselves against the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in the country.

In a statement issued here, Kamal Haasan told the protesters that their health was as important as their rights. "Till you are healthy, your voice for your rights would be loud," he said.

Kamal Haasan told the protesters that protection against coronavirus should be taken now and once the situation attains normalcy, the opposition to CAA can be shown with renewed vigour.

On Monday, K.M. Kader Mohideen, National President of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), urged people to stop Shaheen Bagh-type protests in Tamil Nadu as the blame of spreading coronavirus might fall on the community.

He said that all over the world, steps were being taken to prevent congregation of people to avoid the spread of coronavirus and appealed to the Muslim community to stop protests in Tamil Nadu.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The fact that the jury did not convict on seven of the eight charges reflects that the prosecution did not have the evidence to prove the charges, Zucker said. Arguably the verdict indicates that the case may have been overcharged.
A nearly desolated Pariser Platz at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. (Michael Kappeler/DPA/Getty)

German finance minister Olaf Scholz has announced that the government will deploy billions worth in financial aid to support the economy, safeguard jobs, and help businesses withstand the corona crisis.

It is a situation that none of us has ever experienced, Scholz told journalists in Berlin on Friday, noting that the coronavirus crisis will have very tangible consequences on the German economy.

Scholz said that the government had agreed on a package of measures to help small, medium, and large companies. The aid includes tax relief for companies, including in the form of deferral of taxes, and unlimited credit to businesses to ensure their liquidity for the next few years. The government will initially make 20bn (18bn, $22bn) available to the KfW state development bank, and "there is no upper limit on the loan amount that KfW can grant," economy minister Peter Altmaier said.

This is the bazooka, with which will do the necessary, Scholz said. We are not feeling our way around, we are putting all our weapons on the table.

The German parliament also unanimously agreed on Friday to green-light a new law that enables the government to make access to short-time work easier and reduce costs for companies.

German chancellor Angela Merkel had on Thursday described the coronavirus pandemic as an exceptional situation in every respect, and more extraordinary than the banking crisis, of 2008, as lives needed to be saved as well as the economy kept running.

Germanys leading economists this week had urged the government to act fast to protect the economy from financial damage during the pandemic. They called for tax cuts, part-time working hours, and state participation in companies  and said it was time for the government to waive its debt-break rule, which forbids it from taking on any new debt.

Corona cases climb

Robert Koch Institute director Lothar Wieler reported today that corona cases in Germany had risen to over 2,300  a significant increase from 1,565 on Wednesday. So far, six people have died.

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Merkel warned on Wednesday that up to 70% of the population of Germany is likely to contract the virus. European leaders broadly expect that figure of between 60% to 70% infected to be the case across all EU countries.

Merkel urged people to forego things they would normally do  like going to concerts  for the greater good of not transmitting the infection to vulnerable elderly people or those with chronic illnesses.

READ MORE: Merkel warns up to 70% of Germans likely to contract coronavirus

The chancellor said that since there is no vaccination or therapy against the virus, the focus must be gaining time to slow it down and ease the pressure on the hospital system. The Robert Koch Institute director said this week that the world cannot expect a vaccination against coronavirus before the end of the year, or even 2021.

Most German states have now banned any gatherings with more than 1,000 attendees, including theatre, opera and other cultural events. The states of Bavaria, Berlin, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Saarland will close down schools and kindergartens from Monday.
KIGALI  Rwandas Trade Ministry has fixed food prices in order to prevent markets from hiking them during the coronavirus outbreak.

Ms Soraya Hakuziyaremye, the Rwanda Trade minister, said there is no reason why many companies and traders should take advantage of the emergency situation over coronavirus to increase food prices.

Some of the food prices whose prices have been fixed increase maize, beans, bananas, sugar, rice, cooking oil. For instance, for a 25kg bag of rice, the Trade Ministry has fixed at Rw18,000 and a kilogramme at between Rw750 and 800. For Pakistan rice, a 25kg bag has been fixed at Rw20,500 or 900 a kilo.

A kilo of sugar has been fixed at between Rw850 and Rw1,000. Cooking oil has been fixed at between Rw1500-2000 per litre.

The measures come after the Rwanda government on Saturday suspended learning in schools until further notice after reporting a coronavirus case. Two more people tested positive on Sunday. The number of the novel coronavirus cases in Rwanda rose to seven on Monday following two more people who tested positive on Monday.

The recent cases include that of a Rwandan woman whose husband tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday with recent travel history in Fiji, United States and Qatar. The other is a 61-year old German native who arrived in Rwanda on March 13, from Germany via Istanbul.

The government also requires all taxi-moto operators to remove the helmet screens for passengers to limit the possibility of spreading the virus.

The East African Community has suspended with immediate effect all meetings (statutory and otherwise) due to the novel coronavirus #Covid_19 outbreak.

Other African countries with coronavirus cases include Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Cote dIvoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Somalia.

Related
The Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus (Covid-19) will meet in Abuja on Tuesday to discuss how to stop the spread of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria.

The committee is expected to decide whether the government should ban flights into Nigeria from high-risk countries or gathering at social activities and festivals.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said at a press briefing on Tuesday that the committee will meet for the first time later on Tuesday for the discussion.

The committee was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari last week to spearhead the coordination of anti-Covid-19 activities in the country.

The committees meeting will be coming on the heels of the new confirmed case of the virus in Lagos.

Heading the committee is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. There are 11 other members.

Reason

Mr Ehanire said it is necessary for the committee to discuss measures needed to reduce the influx of suspected cases into the country.

He said the federal government will make further announcements later Tuesday on the decisions of the committee.

He said the government was yet to state its stands on the restriction of travellers from high-risk countries or ban of mass gatherings.

Mr Ehanire also said there are no new regulations on if the government will be officially quarantining people coming into the country or continue with the existing advice of self-isolation (quarantine).

With regard to banning flights into Nigeria or social activities and festivals, I will provide an update after the deliberations of the Inter-Ministerial meeting of the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus, scheduled for later today, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Any new decisions will be transmitted later today, he said.

Covid-19

Nigeria is one of the countries which have reported at least a case of the Covid-19 since it was detected in Wuhan, China in December.

As at the time of this report, Nigeria now has three confirmed cases of the disease.

Two of the cases were imported into the country and the third was a contact person of the index case.

Mr Ehanire said the latest case is a Nigerian national in her 30s, who returned from a short visit to the UK on March 13.

He said the woman had been diligent in observing 14-day self-isolation and is not expected to have been in contact with lots of people.

He said intensive contact tracing had begun to help identify all persons who the patient had been in contact with since her return.

We expect the number to be small, because of her sensible decision to go into self-isolation from the time of her arrival, the minister said about the latest patient.

He urged Nigerians to continue taking precautions to protect themselves and their families from the virus.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at Missouri S&T are developing an airborne-biohazard system that could help screeners spot air travelers with lung diseases due to coronavirus and other viruses. Professors in electrical and computer engineering are using machine learning to build a robust system to alert authorities to airborne biohazards as travelers pass through TSA security checkpoints.

Assistant professor Dr. Jie Huang and visiting professor Dr. Rex E. Gerald II, their lead graduate student Chen Zhu, and assistant research professor Dr. Qingbo Yang are working on the prototype. Dr. Donald Wunsch, who has expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), recently joined the research effort.

"The mission of this lab is to invent sensors that have ultra-high sensitivity," Huang says. "We are advancing new frontiers in research."

To trigger the airborne-biohazard system, individuals would exhale into a sensor that Huang's team is developing to detect viruses in the breath. If the sensor indicates a virus, the breath would be chemically tagged for further testing in a spectrometer. The researchers say the entire process would take less than a minute and could eventually differentiate between a cold, flu or coronavirus. The research team hopes the system could be made widely available in accessible locations so that people could self-test, similar to blood pressure monitors in retail stores.

"This could provide valuable information to the individual, done in private of course," says Gerald. "We focused on airports first to try to mitigate the impact of canceled flights in the event of a potential pandemic, which could cost billions of dollars to the airline industry."

Credit: Terry Barner, Missouri S&T

With each iteration of the prototype device, the research team has provided researchers in other disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, and medical research, with the opportunity to evaluate the evolving design of the sensor system. The team adjusts and modifies the system based on feedback from those evaluations. The researchers say the front-end sensor that would indicate whether someone is sick or healthy could be ready for clinical trials in about a year, adding that the full system with chemical tagging and a spectrometer will take significantly longer.

The biohazard sensor showcases the types of research that complement the University of Missouri System's NextGen Precision Health Initiative. NextGen is expected to accelerate medical breakthroughs and improve lives by harnessing the research being done at the system's four universities and training a new generation of health scientists and practitioners.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Rajeev Bhattacharyya

What will be the final outcome of the peace process in Nagaland? The high hopes generated in December over the proposed accord has given way to despair in the hill state with most of the senior functionaries of the rebel groups expressing doubts over the central governments motives.

To cap it all, the Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), the biggest of the rebel outfits in the state and a stakeholder in the talks with the government, was quoted as saying that it was still clinging to the twin demands of a separate flag and constitution for Nagaland. Further, it has warned the Centre not to indulge in terrorist activities allegedly carried out by its agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The March 5 raid at Dimapur on the houses of two senior functionaries of NSCN-IM was the latest episode in a long sequence of events that began last year. The plans for the accord went awry after the NIA filed a charge-sheet against three functionaries of the outfit for being involved in the killing of Arunachal Pradesh legislator Tirong Aboh and other people in 2019. Subsequently, cases were also registered against top members of the group for terror funding after cabinet kilonser (minister) of NSCN(IM) Alemla Jamir was apprehended at the Delhi airport while carrying Rs 72 lakh in cash.

A section of the BJP top brass seems to be offended with the NSCN-IMs activities after the decks were cleared for the landmark accord in December. The questions asked are, how can an agreement be inked with a group allegedly engaged in terror-funding or the killing of a legislator? Some have even drawn conclusions from reports that the NSCN-IM had sent representatives to China to renew the war against the Indian State. While it is true that the outfit has increased its presence in Myanmars Somra Tracts and has transferred weapons out of the designated camps, it is doubtful if the outfit had actually approached China seeking assistance for a separatist campaign.

It is no secret that the NSCN-IM has been running an empire in the Northeast, which was consolidated after the ceasefire with the government in 1997. Several reports have been compiled on its sources of income from investments and taxation in the region. The NSCN-IM was involved in the assassination of former Lok Sabha MP of Arunachal Pradesh Rajkumar Wancha in 2007. Four years later, the CBI arrested three functionaries who were linked with the sensational murder. Its commander-in-chief Anthony Ningkhan Shimray was arrested for gun-running and released four years ago. In the early nineties, the NSCN-IM was allegedly involved in the massacres of Kuki inhabitants in Manipur.

Was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in the dark over the NSCN-IMs conduct? Why were all these activities not curtailed years earlier? It was an open secret that members of the outfit were involved in the ambush last May in Arunachal Pradesh. Despite this, several rounds of talks were held to break the deadlock for the proposed agreement in Nagaland. The offenders in the recent crimes have already been arrested. Why not move on and bring the peace process to a logical conclusion?

So far, there is no evidence against the NSCN-IMs general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and other top functionaries who were keen to clinch the agreement with the government, although many people allege that the assassination of the legislator could not have been carried out without the approval of the outfits top leaders. The NSCN-IM is also not the only stakeholder in the peace process. The government had involved other rebel outfits and civil society groups in the talks to ensure acceptability of the agreement.

Nation building is a painfully long trajectory which cannot be accomplished in the span of a few years as some right-wing leaders and groups would prefer. It goes through what German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel termed as a process of thesis, antithesis and synthesis which is bound to take a longer duration in a culturally diverse country like India.

Concessions to the periphery of the country and redressing its grievances are unlikely to fuel centrifugal forces. On the contrary, Indian democracy would be strengthened. The Nagas and most indigenous communities in the Northeast are unlikely to accept their demands being bulldozed all the time.
Malaysia has rolled out some of the most drastic restrictions seen across Asia, to stop the spread of the virus.

Malaysia has rolled out some of the most drastic restrictions seen across Asia to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Its borders are now closed to tourists, and Malaysians themselves cannot leave for two weeks.

The country has more cases than anywhere else in Southeast Asia, but there are concerns about undetected cases in the region.

Al Jazeeras Jessica Washington reports from Jakarta.
Photo Illustration by Lyne Lucien/The Daily Beast/Getty/Mandel Ngan

The Biden campaign knows protesters.

Having appeared as uninvited guests at speech after speech, rally after rally, officials have dealt with anti-Biden evangelists on a semi-regular basis for much of his year-long campaign. Theyve perfected the art of physically protecting their boss, who typically stands still, waiting for the yelling and chanting to stop. One time, he quipped, this is not a Trump rally, before letting them press on.

Sunday nights televised debate was held without an audience. Which is why it raised eyebrows when, in a briefing with reporters, Anita Dunn, a senior adviser and strategist for Bidens campaign, likened her boss only political opponent to a disruptive dissenter just minutes after he sought to make an explicit unity pitch to the country during a state of national emergency.

I think its fair to say that Vice President Biden showed up to a debate tonight and for two hours graciously dealt with the kind of protester who often shows up at campaign events, she said, with a pause, during a briefing call with reporters following Sunday nights debate. On live television.

She was, of course, referring to Bernie Sanders.

The commentwhich was stated on the record and was the first of several post-debate remarks by four senior campaign officialsseemed a stark contrast to the approach Biden had made before and during the debate, seeking to extend a hand to his opponents supporters should he defeat Sanders soundly on Tuesday.

Before the briefing call, Biden took two steps towards appealing to more liberal voters, using versions of ideas put forth by Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) as inspiration. First came an endorsement of Warrens bankruptcy plan, pleading to repeal parts of a 2005 law they had famously sparred over 15 years ago while Biden was in the Senate. (Biden claimed on Sunday night he did not help write the bill, despite a mountain of evidence that indicates he worked closely on it).

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Then he pivoted towards Sanders. Using portions of a 2017 Senate bill the Vermont Independent introduced to make public colleges and universities tuition free for families earning less than $125,000, Biden specifically credited Sanders for his new stance. But the bill is different from what the senator has campaigned on during his second presidential bidwhich would make all of those institutions universally tuition-free and not dependent on income. On stage, Sanders said Biden was behind the curve for adopting a position that was part of the Democratic Partys platform under Hillary Clinton four years ago.

While its unclear if Dunn was speaking in an offhand fashion, Bidens communications team seemed to endorse her remarks, with his national press secretary posting three flame emojis on Twitter, indicating it was a positively fiery proclamation from #AnitaDunn, as she was labeled in the tweet.

I think hes doing phenomenal on that front, Barry Goodman, a top Biden bundler and Democratic National Committee member, said when asked about squaring Bidens unity with Dunns comments. Someone may be a liberal, someone may be a progressive, someone may be a moderate. We cant win doing that, he said. I think theyll all come out for Joe.

During the debate, which was held in Washington, D.C., instead of Phoenix, Arizona, to help minimize the spread of COVID-19, Biden and Sanders engaged in a back-and-forth over votes of decades past, but generally remained civil in tone. But the virtual spin room suggested theres some fine-tuning to be done on the part of party unity.

Goodmans thinkingwhich echoes others in Bidens orbitis that self-proclaimed Sanders supporters will come over to the former vice president once he is the presumptive nominee, or even before that, seeing what's at stake against President Donald Trump.

A rogue comment from a campaign official or surrogate, which appears to buck the candidates own calls to come together just hours prior, wouldnt likely change anything. These guys are all smart, Goodman added, when pressed again about Dunns comment specifically. Theyre all brilliant people.

Steve Schale, the head of the pro-Biden super PAC, Unite The Country, acknowledged that some are guilty of throwing sharp elbows because theres still an active primary going on.

I dont care how hard the candidates try themselves to show a good face, the nature of operatives is to run as hard into the wall as you can until theres no longer a campaign, he said. That doesnt mean theres no work that needs to be done.

Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who strongly rebuked Trump at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, said that surrogates and others can express their thoughts the way they wish to, those are their words, acknowledging that its not always the most helpful. Khan, who endorsed Biden in November and was speaking in a personal capacity, said that Bidens pledge to support and campaign for Sanders if he were to become the nominee speaks volumes of the persons nature and intentions to unite all of us.

Reached for comment by The Daily Beast, a Biden adviser said they came into this debate seeking to build a bridge, adding that they extended a hand but the campaign felt that Senator Sanders responded by unloading old oppo and grievances that had already failed to be productive in previous competitions.

The adviser went on: We needed to defend ourselves, and we did. But make no mistake: Our hand is and continues to be outstretched. Vice President Biden and Bernie Sanders are friends who share in the most important of values and causes, and who are both deeply committed to their legacies including unifying this party and defeating of Donald Trump.

But while some Democrats brushed off Dunns comments as tough post-debate spin, as one moderate strategist put it, others in Sanders world heard alarm bells going off.

In light of this, I think we should stay in til the convention, Heather Gautney, a senior policy adviser for Sanders, tweeted in reference to her remarks. The Sunrise Movement, a group of young activists who pushed for the idea of a Green New Deal, strongly condemned the comments.

The Democratic Party faces a stark generational divide between younger and older Democrats. Condescending to these already alienated and frustrated younger voters, as @JoeBiden advisor Anita Dunn did, could cost us the general election -- or fracture the party forever, the group wrote on Monday afternoon.

To be sure, Sanders has not exactly sent the welcome wagon to Bidens fanclub. Just after Biden won the South Carolina primary by a landslide, due largely to a strong showing from African-American voters who effectively helped launch a string of successes on Super Tuesday and beyond, Sanders said that the political establishment was working hard to coalesse around Biden, a remark that offended several Biden loyalists, including hOUSE Majority Whip James Clyburn, who told The Daily Beast: I find it very interesting that someone is referring to African-American voters in South Carolina as the establishment.

When asked what specific actions the Biden campaign can take to appeal to Sanders supporters, one senior Sanders campaign adviser directly involved in strategy listed off a series of action items.

They need to not make the mistakes of 2016, and say to the Sanders movement that you guys have nowhere else to go so shut up and take it, the official said. Thats not going to work. On top of that, Biden would need to show a real deep respect for Sanders and the way he changed this game. Finally, the source contended: Bidens team better not start thinking that a false unity is enough.

You cant just say lets unite and beat Trump, the senior official said. They have to acknowledge that they understand what this movement is.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit! And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:46).

This phrase was the last of Jesus Christ upon the cross. It is a powerful moment, and one that indicated the end of the Mosaic law. As one of the final statements of Christ, and one of only seven recorded that He made on the cross, believers have pondered over it for centuries. Why did He say this? Is it a callback to the Psalms? Understanding this verse reveals the close nature of the Father and the Son, and the power the Son had during His earthly ministry.

Who Wrote Luke?

Across all four Gospels there are seven statements that came from Jesus on the cross. Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit comes from the Gospel of Luke. The longest of the four Gospels, it was composed by Luke, a Greek doctor who was one of Pauls companions.

This chapter of Luke picks up after Jesus was brought before the Council with Him being brought to Pontius Pilate. It covers the Crucifixion, His death, and burial. Other details Luke recorded regarding Jesus time on the cross include Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross, the sign stating This is the King of the Jews, and the story of the repentant criminal next to Jesus.

When the Lord called out to His Father in verse 46, it was the sixth hour of the day. The way the Jewish people kept time during the Roman Empire was according to the hours after sunrise. The sixth hour would have been about noon.

How the Phrase "Into Your Hands, I Commit My Spirit" is Translated

Across most translations into English, much of the verse is unchanged. There are a few words that are not translated the same. Perhaps the biggest divergence in translation is around the major verbs in the verse.

The first verb is in Jesus statement - paratithemi (). This word is defined as, to place alongside, i.e. present (food, truth); by implication to deposit (as a trust or for protection): allege, commend, commit (the keeping of), put forth, set before. It is an active term where the subject makes a decision to put in trust or give over. In the English, most translations maintain an active part of the verb.

A brief list of the translation of paratithemi include:

-King James Version: Commend

-New International Version: Commit

-New Living Translation: Entrust

-Good News Translation: Place

Those four words, commend, commit, entrust, and place, are chosen by most translators.

The other word that can often have different translations in English is the verb that describes the actual moment of Jesus death. Some translations focus on making it an active verb, like paratithemi, emphasizing Jesus choice. Others translate it using a more passive voice, where death happened to Jesus, rather than Jesus relinquishing His life. The word ekpneo () means to breathe out, to expire. However, it is translated differently.

Some of the translations include:

-King James Version: Gave up the ghost

-New International Version: Breathed his last

-Contemporary English Version: He died

-Websters Bible Translation: He expired

For some believers, whether or not the translation is more active, like gave up the ghost or breathed his last, in which Jesus appears to be making a decision is very important. Because He was fully God and fully man, Jesus could have taken himself off the cross, remained alive, and exerted His divine authority. He chose not to do so. His divine nature means He intentionally had to choose to no longer hold onto life.

For people who believe this element of the crucifixion is important, the passive implication that Jesus simply passed away on the cross due to sustained injuries in some translation is an insufficient reading of the text. Translations with expired or died would not be acceptable. Other readers and thinkers do not see this choice as taking away from Jesus divine nature, and go with what is easier for them to read or exegete.

Why Is Jesus Quoting Psalms?

Much of the weight and significance of this sentence is that Jesus is communicating directly with the Father that He is returning to His side. After thirty-three years of earthly ministry, and the Father turning away briefly during the Crucifixion in Mark 15:34 when the Lord cried out, ...Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?, the Son would again sit at the right hand of the Father.

It is also significant because of its connection to Psalm 31. It is a direct quotation from that passage of Scripture. In context, it appears: For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your names sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God (Psalm 31:3-5).

The writer asserts their innocence and righteousness in the face of many enemies. This Psalm is usually attributed to David, who has confidence that his soul is safe with God. He put his faith and hope in the Lord, and He will go to be with God. It also expresses confidence the Lord will vindicate his life after his death. Though his foes may win a temporary victory, God will justify the righteous.

Jesus invokes this Psalm with the same meaning. Jesus lived a blameless life on earth. Not only did Jesus know He would go to be with the Father, but He knew His life would be vindicated with the resurrection mere days later. Though Jesus enemies thought they defeated Him at Calvary, God granted Jesus the ultimate victory with new bodily life. Jesus will have the final victory after His return as well.

Why Is Luke 23:46 Important to the Easter Story?

This verse contains a great deal of information in it, no matter how it is translated. It reflects the closeness of the Father and the Son in the Godhead. The divine power and authority of Jesus is illustrated. He invokes the words of His ancestor David as a final demonstration of His knowledge and innocence.

Finally, there is a hint of what would follow. God did vindicate. On the day now called Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, Jesus returned to life in His glory, and left an empty tomb. No matter how dark things were on the cross, no matter how hopeless things seemed when He was in the grave, nothing compares to the light and glory of the living Savior, to whom all can come for salvation.

Sources

Grogan, Geoffrey. Prayer, Praise and Prophecy. United Kingdom: Christian Focus, 2001.

Laurie, Greg. Finding Hope in the Last Words of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2009.

Strong, James. Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Updated and Expanded Edition. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC, 2007.

Walvoord, John F. and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Old Testament and New Testament. United States of America: Victor Books, 1987.

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry.
While criminal and civil jury trials in all federal courts throughout the Western District, including in San Antonio, have been suspended at least until May 1, sentencing hearings and other court business is continuing, officials said Tuesday.

But all other events that are not case specific such as tours, naturalization services and legal education have been canceled in light of the coronavirus pandemic, said Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia.

We have also suspended grand jury proceedings in all the divisions except in cases where there is an urgent matter, said Garcia, who issued the orders Friday and Monday.

The Western Judicial District includes San Antonio, Waco, Austin, Midland-Odessa, Pecos, El Paso and Del Rio.

About 750 people, including those in the probation department and U.S. District Clerks office, support the courts throughout the district.

About 80 to 85 percent of them will work at home. Those who remain will come in on a rotation basis, Garcia said.

There are 18 district court judges and 15 magistrate judges spread across the district.

As far as Im concerned, a majority of them will be in their chambers. Even though we are not having jury trials, we are having motions and pleadings, and they are continuing to issue orders, said Judge Garcia of the judges.

He said sentencing of prisoners will continue as usual to avoid overcrowding as federal law enforcement agencies continue to make new arrests.

Once they are sentenced, we need to get those people out, so they can be sent to the Bureau of Prisons, and that frees up the back end, he said.

U.S. marshals have also begun to take extra precautions with prisoners due to be sentenced at the various courts.

Before the Marshals Service brings any defendant to the courthouse, he or she will have their temperature taken. If its high or they appear to be obviously ill, they will not be transported, Garcia said.

Many of the federal prisoners whose cases are heard in the San Antonio division courts are being held in detention facilities in Karnes, Guadalupe and Wilson counties.

John MacCormack is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | JMacCormack@express-news.net | Twitter: @JohnMacCormack
Baghdad: A pair of rockets hit an Iraqi base hosting US-led coalition and NATO troops, Iraq's military said Tuesday, the third attack on installations hosting foreign forces inside a week.

The rockets slammed into the Besmaya base south of Baghdad late Monday night, a statement by the military said, making no mention of casualties.

Spanish forces linked to the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, as well as NATO training forces, are present in Besmaya.

The last week has seen a renewed spike in rockets hitting Iraqi bases hosting foreign forces, with three coalition troops killed on March 11 in a similar attack on the Taji airbase, which was hit again on March 14.

Since late October, there have been 24 rocket attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad or bases where foreign troops are deployed, killing a total of three American military personnel, one British soldier and one Iraqi soldier.

No attacks have been claimed but Washington has blamed Kataeb Hezbollah, a hardline faction in the Hashed al-Shaabi -- a military network incorporated into the Iraqi state.

The US has long insisted Baghdad should do more to reign in such factions and prevent them from targeting American troops and diplomats.

But Washington took a much tougher line in December after a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack, launching retaliatory air strikes against Kataeb Hezbollah.

The faction's supporters then surrounded and briefly stormed the US embassy. Days later, Washington killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Hashed deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike on Baghdad.

Outraged, Iran launched cruise missiles at the largest Iraqi base hosting US troops and the Iraqi parliament voted to oust all foreign forces from the country.

The parliamentary vote has yet to be implemented by a government.
A special court here on Tuesday



allowed the bail plea of Kalyan resident Areeb Majeed, arrested for allegedly traveling to Syria to join the terrorist organisation ISIS in 2014.

He would not be released immediately as judge R R Bhosale stayed the bail order till March 26 as the National Investigating Agency (NIA) said it wanted to file an appeal against the order.

Majeed was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2014 upon his return from Syria.

He had moved the Bombay High Court after the special NIA court denied him bail on several occasions. The high court then asked him to file a fresh plea before the lower court.

Majeed sought bail from the special court on the ground that he was in jail for over six years as an under- trial prisoner.

Majeed, who hails from Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district, returned to Mumbai from Turkey on November 28, 2014, following which he was arrested under the UAPA and section 125 (waging war against a country which has friendly ties with India) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the investigating agency, he and three other engineering students from Kalyan flew to Baghdad in 2014, as part of a group of 22 pilgrims visiting Iraq, but after reaching there the group of four joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A cool breeze wafted through the patio at Ladybird's on Monday night as bar-goers made the most of their last evening out for awhile with friends.

Brandon Baird wiped down the pool table at the Heights watering hole with a stash of sanitizing wipes he plucked from his shirt pocket. He cleaned up an arcade machine, too.

Seated at the bar, Robby Vetter  having returned to Houston hours earlier from a work trip to Louisiana  ordered another cold one soon after 11 p.m. He learned the not-so sobering news from other regulars like him that his neighborhood hangout would soon close for the next 15 days, maybe more.

The goal: to curb the number of new coronavirus cases.

Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer

Outside the bar, as a karaoke crooner had a go at Lizzo, Vetter contemplated the consequences of the government order while having a smoke. It would mean not seeing his Houston family -- made up of fellow patrons and the bartender -- for awhile.

You take for granted that you can just walk across the street and see somebody, said Vetter, a Missouri native.

They made me a birthday cake on my birthday, he continued. My mom was so happy someone was taking care of me.

Jessica Lopez, the bars new general manager of two weeks, joined Vetter outside.

I cried on my way to work, she said. Lets have a little bit of fun, as safe as we can.

The night continued in Houstons East End, with customers popping into the D&W Lounge on Milby Street as usual. At midnight, the pool table featured a cornucopia of fresh produce, including a box of paper-wrapped papaya, a bag of white onions and ripe pineapple.

Kevin Bernier, Nick Gaitan  both musicians  packed a table with Pete Gomez and Grace Mireles.

Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer

Bernier nearly hunkered down for the night at home until he learned the mandated closure didnt kick in until after 2 a.m. He found his pal, Gaitan, already there with his pick of the produce. Their table lathered their hands in coveted hand sanitizer at least once.

I could go buy a six-pack at any corner store, but my friends are here, Gaitan said.

Longtime bartender Mary Pomaikai was still slinging beers as last call approached and owner Keith Weyel soon stepped in after patching up a broken jukebox at a bar on Dairy Ashford Road. Both saw the closure as doing their part in helping Houston stay healthy as the number of COVID-19 cases was expected to increase.

Their livers will be happy for two weeks, Pomaikai mused of her patrons.

With minutes to go until close, Gomez tapped out.

See you in two weeks, he hollered on his way out the door.

Pomaikai opened a side exit for a skinny cat to scamper outside.

Despite the closure, Pomaikai plans to return to work.

We got to come down here every day to feed the cats, she said.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Wrobel explained that he put the idea forward to the Acquire team and it was met with a positive response.

Were now four-months in and things are going great, he said.

So, how did Acquire mitigate any potential teething problems associated with one-less day in the office?

Originally I was a little concerned about clients not getting a quick response by their account manager on their day off, said Wrobel. So, instead of the office closing on a particular day of the week I split the days off between the staff and implemented a buddy system so that each employee was responsible for actioning the urgent enquires of their buddy on their day off and vice versa.

Wrobel thought that everyone might want Friday or Monday off to have a long weekend, but he was pleasantly surprised when some staff choose to take the middle days and split the work week up.

Wrobel told Insurance Business that he has been delighted with the results.

Definitely, I have only seen positive results from the trial. Retention rates have increased, and turnover has increased 45% from the same period in the previous year, he explained. Im sure many factors have contributed to that, however, there has been a noticeable improvement in office morale and staff happiness which Im sure has contributed to the companys success.

A simultaneous intuitive allows staff members to take a 30-minute break on top of their lunch break to go to the gym, or exercise which Wrobel said has also contributed to a happier, healthier and more productive workforce. He told Insurance Business that if things continue to go well, he will look to make it a permanent change.

Id like to see the concept expand to the entire industry and ultimately the country as a whole, he said. If more directors make the change, hopefully it will lead to a more systemic change in the future.
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday has asked all the passengers on flight British Airways flight BA 75 that arrived in Lagos on 13th March, 2020, to stay at home.

This was made known on Twitter by Prof, Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Health Commissioner, following the report of the third confirmed case of COVID19 in Nigeria,

According to the government, those passengers should isolate themselves for 14 days.

The new case is a Nigerian National who recently returned from the UK, self-isolated and contacted the National Agency For Disease Control (NCDC) when she developed symptoms.

She is said to be clinically stable and being treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos.

Read Also: Nigerian Lady Tests Positive For Coronavirus In Lagos
C hancellor Rishi Sunak has announced an unprecedented package of Government-backed loans worth 330 billion will be made available amid the coronavirus outbreak.

At a press conference on Tuesday, he stated that "never in peacetime have we faced an economic fight like this one".

Announcing new measures to help the economy, Mr Sunak said he was extending the business rates holiday to all businesses in the hospitality sector and funding grants of up to 25,000 for smaller businesses.

He also announced homeowners would get a three-month mortgage holiday if they are suffering difficulties due to the outbreak.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, left, looks as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson / AP

Mr Sunak said: The Government will stand behind businesses small and large."

He added: I can announce today an unprecedented package of Government backed and guaranteed loans to support business to get through this.

Today I am making available an initial 330 billion of guarantees, equivalent to 15 per cent of our GDP.

That means any business who needs access to cash to pay their rent, their salaries, suppliers or purchase stock will be able to access a Government backed loan or credit on attractive terms.

And if demand is greater than the initial 330 billion Im making available today, I will go further and provide as much capacity as required. I said whatever it takes, and I meant it.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government is acting like it is wartime / AP

At the press conference, Boris Johnson said the Government will do whatever it takes to support the economy.

We must act like a wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy, he told a Downing Street press conference.

We support millions of businesses and tens of millions families and individuals through coming months.

The Government must and will act with a profound sense of urgency.

Deserted London during Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /64 Deserted London during Coronavirus - In pictures A quiet Millennium Bridge PA A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images An empty Millennium Bridge PA Visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Paul and Jill Ruddock gallery the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A sparsely-filled carriage on an Underground train in west London PA A few people listen to a classical quarter performing in Covent Garden AP A quiet Regents Street PA Commuters walk through a quiet Waterloo Station at 9.00am AFP via Getty Images Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern AFP via Getty Images a near-empty Pret A Manger restaurant on the Strand AFP via Getty Images A member of the public on the tube PA Oxford Circus PA A quiet shop floor in Harrod PA Harrods PA People walk through Chinatown PA A view of Covent Garden PA A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA The Mary Poppins statue outside the closed Odeon Leicester Square PA An empty Kings Cross tube station in London PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn An empty King's Cross tube station PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Paddington Station Jason Collie A couple sit at a restaurant on usually busy street in Clapham, Reuters London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Bicycles remain in there racks outside an empty street near Euston station PA Cambridge Circus PA Leicester Square PA Covent Garden PA A quiet shop floor in Harrods PA A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA An empty cinema theatre in Canary Wharf PA An empty terrace of tables outside a bar in Canary Wharf PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA A quiet shop floor in Harrods PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn People wait for a DLR train toward Canary Wharf at Mudchute statio PA A view of Canary Wharf station in London PA A view of Canary Wharf in London PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A near-empty rush-hour train from Tring in Hertfordshire to Euston PA A view of Canary Wharf in London PA Twilight over London Jeremy Selwyn

Mr Sunak explained that financial help will be delivered through two main schemes.

To support liquidity amongst larger firms a new lending facility with the Governor of the Bank of England will "provide low cost, easily accessible commercial paper".

To support lending to small and medium-sized businesses the business interruption loan scheme will be extended to provide "5 million with no interest due for the first six months".

Both of these schemes will be up and running by the start of next week," he added.

Mr Sunak also said that he is also taking a new legal power to offer whatever further financial support I decide is necessary.

He will provide cash grants of up to 25,000 to smaller businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with a rateable value less than 51,000.

The Chancellor will also be extending a business rates holiday for those smaller businesses to all businesses in those sectors irrespective of their rateable value.

He revealed homeowners will get a three-month mortgage holiday if they are suffering difficulties due to the outbreak and added: For those in difficulty due to coronavirus, mortgage lenders will now offer a three-month mortgage holiday so that people will not have to pay a penny towards their mortgage cost while they get back on their feet.

Britain's Chancellor Rishi Sunak / AP

"In the coming days I will go much further to support peoples financial security.

In particular, I will work with trade unions and business groups to urgently develop new forms of employment support to help protect peoples jobs and their incomes through this period.

Asked if individuals and businesses would lose out while the Government put the finishing touches on support measures, Mr Johnson said: Be in no doubt that the state is asking people to do something, to make very considerable changes to their lives, and it is only right therefore that the state should stand behind people as they make those changes.

And thats what a government, thats what a society is there to do.

Its there to look after people through thick and thin and to make sure that we get through this together and thats what were going to do.

Mr Johnson said the Government action represented a huge package of support for businesses.

It comes in form of standing behind companies obligations and behind their debts on a huge scale, and also making sure they have the cashflow that they need, he said.

This is a quite extraordinary effort to put liquidity into the economy at a difficult time.

Be in no doubt: one day the UK economy is going to bounce back and those good, brilliant British companies will bounce back, and that is why we are taking the steps to protect them that we are today.

The prime minister also confirmed that insurers will pay out to businesses regardless of the fact that they have not been ordered to close.

Asked if the UK is heading for a recession, Mr Sunak said: This will have a significant impact on our economy  thats what I said last week, I stand by that.

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But I also stand by what else I said is  you know, this will be temporary, we will get through this and we will get through it together, and the steps that were taking mean that we will emerge together on the other side able to rebound back to confidence and economic activity.

Thats why all the interventions were looking at are designed to provide that bridge through this  what will be a very difficult, challenging period  but get us through this period and so that we can be there on the other side to emerge stronger thereafter.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government is acting like it is wartime / AP

The Government's announcement received mixed reactions from other politicians.

Liberal Democrats leadership candidate Layla Moran tweeted: Listening to the Chancellor. Welcome help for businesses and people who own homes, but there is one massive question: what about renters?

People who rent arent as financially stable. There will be disappointment for many here especially the low paid and the young.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted: As the Chancellor says, his statement doesnt address how we prevent workers being laid off because the business is no longer open. It is very helpful that he says he will take action on this but redundancies will happen in real time. This needs to be done very swiftly.

After Mr Sunak announced measures to support struggling homeowners, Labour MP Jess Phillips tweeted: Need protection for renters, how will mortgage payment holidays be passed on? Need a break on eviction surely.

While Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy tweeted: Where is the protection for renters & the low paid? No more delay: statutory sick pay must be massively increased. Cuts to benefits must be reversed, evictions must be banned, we must use systems we already have to get money to people & give them the security they need  fast.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said the Government measures to support the economy through the coronavirus outbreak did not go far enough.

People are being laid off today and losing their incomes. We are disappointed that this package does not address their concerns, he said.

The further announcements laid out by the Chancellor lack the certainty required amidst growing public anxiety, and still do not go far enough in protecting workers, renters and those who are losing their jobs, or in fully supporting businesses at the scale necessary.

In particular, the Chancellors claim that new forms of employment support will be developed does not appreciate the urgency and gravity of the situation.

Workers and businesses need to know now that they will be supported, not in a few days time.

The press conference was held as 1,950 tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, although the Government warn that as many as 55,000 people could be infected.
Kolkata, March 17 : All cinema halls in West Bengal will remain closed till March 31, while film shoots in the state would remain suspended upto March 30 in view of the novel coronavirus threat, various stakeholders announced on Tuesday.

"We have decided that all cinema halls will remain shut till March 31 and the decision will come into effect immediately," an Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) official told the media.

State minister Aroop Biswas announced all shoots have been cancelled till March 30.

The minister, considered the bridge between the government and the film industry, held a meeting with various bodies of artistes, technicians, producers and film channels on tthe situation.

The EIMPA official said though the industry would suffer huge losses, the priority now was to take all measures to combat the lethal disease."There will be huge losses if cinema halls and all film shoots are closed for such a long period, considering the present situation of the Bengal film industry. We will use time till March 31 to find out ways to recover the losses," she said.

Television serials and soaps which do not have fresh episodes ready, will go for repeat telecasts. The decisions came a day after state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stressed on closing down all cinema halls for the time being to help tackle the Covid-19 threat.

The entire matter would be revisited after Banerjee holds a review meeting on March 30.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) moved the Tuesday seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel allegedly kept at

The development came on the heels of the apex court asking the Kamal Nath government in the state earlier in the day to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the Assembly.

MPCLP, in its plea filed by Govind Singh, an MLA and chief whip of Congress legislature party, urged the apex court to declare as illegal the action of the Centre, Karnataka government and the MP BJP of illegally confining its in Bangaluru.

The plea, filed through senior lawyer Devdutt Kamat, said the trust vote would be a "sham" if 22 did not take part in it as almost 10 per cent of constituencies go unrepresented.

"In the instant case, as the 22 MLAs who represent 22 constituencies almost constituting 10 per cent of the total seats have purportedly resigned, the electorate of such constituencies are completely unrepresented.

"In these circumstances, a trust vote if held will be complete sham and would be antithetical to the principle of representative democracy which is the basic feature of the constitution," the plea said.

A floor test in such a situation ought to be held only after by-elections to the seats falling vacant as a result of the resignations have been held, the MPCLP said.

The plea also sought a direction to allowing its rebel MLAs to participate in the ongoing budget session.

The party also said that the trust vote can be held only in the presence of all the duly elected MLAs of the MP Assembly.

It said the communications of Governor Lalji Tandon asking the government to hold trust vote be declared as "illegal and unconstitutional".

The MPCLP said it was constrained to invoke the jurisdiction of the court to "uphold the rule of law and pass appropriate directions against the blatant abuse of power and subversion of democracy by the BJP-ruled state government of Karnataka".

It said the Centre and the Karnataka government have subverted constitutional limitations by exercising state power to aid MP BJP in its to attempt to bring down the democratically elected government.

"The said respondents (Centre and Karnataka government) have in order to benefit the BJP in MP have used the might and power of the state to hold 16/22 MLAs belonging to MPCLP in complete isolation in Bengaluru," it said.

The Congress MLAs have not been permitted to either contact the office bearers of the party or even their family members, it said.

Even the office bearers of the MPCLP have not been allowed to meet them despite numerous attempts being made, it alleged.

"It is relevant to note that although these MLAs have purportedly sent their resignation letters, none of them have resigned from the primary membership of Congress party," it said.

The confinement of Congress MLAs to prevent them from participating in the ongoing budget session of the legislative assembly in MP is not only an "outright subversion of the democratic ethos enshrined in the Constitution but is also a flagrant violation of Article 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution", it said



"The petition also challenges the unconstitutional messages sent by Governor in purported exercise of his powers under Article 174 read with Article 175 on March 14, 15 as well as on March 16.

"The said messages direct holding of floor test in the absences of 16/22 MLAs belonging to Congress is a fraud upon the Constitution played by the Constitutional authority itself and are completely beyond the realm of powers of the Governor," the plea alleged.

On Saturday night, Governor Lalji Tandon wrote to Nath asking him to seek a trust vote in the Assembly soon after the Governor's address on Monday, saying his government was in minority.

The Governor had also directed that the trust vote be held by division of votes and the process be recorded on video by the Vidhan Sabha through independent persons.

"The above work must be completed under any circumstances on March 16, 2020 and it should not be adjourned, delayed or suspended," he had said in the letter.

After the Speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators.

These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted.

The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.
Married At First Sight's Cathy Evans has apologised for using a racial slur in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2015, when she was aged 21.

In the post, which has since been deleted, she used the N-word while documenting her weight loss.

Cathy told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday: 'This post is from 2015 when I was younger and made some foolish decisions. I regret my use of this word and am deeply sorry for any offence I may have caused.'

Apology: Married At First Sight's Cathy Evans has apologised for using a racial slur in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2015. Pictured during filming in Sydney on October 16

The offensive caption was accompanied by a photo of Cathy posing in her bedroom.

She wrote: 'Me high waisted shorts getting a little baggy but n***a I'm still wearing them cuz I'm cheap af and don't wanna buy new ones.'

Last week, Cathy issued another apology for using a homophobic slur and joking about rape in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2014.

'I regret my use of this word': In the post, which has since been deleted, she used the N-word while documenting her weight loss

'I was younger and made some foolish decisions': The offensive caption was accompanied by this photo of Cathy posing in her bedroom

In the now-deleted post, Cathy described a man she had encountered at the gym as a 'f**king f****t', before telling a friend 'he was raping [her] with his eyes'.

Cathy told Daily Mail Australia: 'I am so embarrassed for my use of such offensive and inappropriate language. It was a lapse in judgement at the time and I apologise for any hurt or offence I have caused.'

She had left the comments alongside a photo of herself at the gym. She was 20 years old at the time and studying performing arts at Unitec Institute of Technology.

'I am so embarrassed': Last week, Cathy issued another apology for using a homophobic slur and joking about rape in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2014

'Lapse in judgement': In the now-deleted post, Cathy described a man she'd encountered at the gym as a 'f**king f****t', before telling a friend 'he was raping [her] with his eyes'

Her caption read: 'Wish I was this tanned all year! Trained back today, any advice on how to deal with a f**king f****t who won't stop staring at me when I work out?

'Like not the normal "checking you out". It's like proper, "In my culture, women don't even come out of the house." Any advice I'll take, thanks.'

After her friends commented on the post, Cathy added: 'I'm not joking but [the man] looks like he's raping me with his eyes.'

Cathy split from her 'husband', Josh Pihlak, on Sunday's episode of MAFS.
RTHK: Americans urged to avoid crowds for the next 15 days

The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases.

President Donald Trump, in a marked shift in tone about a crisis that has enveloped the globe, for the first time acknowledged that the pandemic may send the US economy into a recession and suggested that the nation may be dealing with the virus until July or August.

The guidelines, which would rewrite the norms of American society for half a month, were released as the US government tried to blunt the impact of an expected surge of coronavirus cases, racing to bolster testing and aid even as the financial markets tumbled.

Among the new recommendations: Over the next 15 days, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided. If anyone in a household tests positive for the virus, everyone who lives there should stay home. The administration did not define what an older American was in terms of the recommendation to stay home.

We will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus, Trump said. We can turn the corner and turn it quickly.

The president, in an appearance in the White House briefing room, when asked when the pandemic would subside, said that if we do a really good job" the crisis could pass by the height of summer. That was a far less optimistic take than in his earlier predictions that it could be over within weeks. He also acknowledged that the virus, which has battered the global markets, may send the nation's economy into a recession, a potentially brutal blow for an incumbent in an election year.

Trump was unusually sombre about the matter after playing it down for weeks. He acknowledged the pandemic was not under control in the United States or globally but said he did not yet plan to call for domestic travel restrictions and said he was reluctant to advise states to cancel the primary elections ahead.

Without providing details, he said we're going to back the airlines 100 percent," a note of reassurance for an industry crippled by travel bans and fears of spreading the virus.

The expansive guidelines were issued on a day of fast-moving developments in a capital resplendent in cherry blossoms but awash in anxiety.

Congress convened to try to finish an aid package and consider another one behind it. The Supreme Court postponed oral arguments for the first time in over a century. And the US surgeon general said that the United States is about where Italy was two weeks ago in the coronavirus struggle, a sign that infections are expected to rise.

When you look at the projections, there's every chance that we could be Italy, Surgeon General Dr Jerome Adams told Fox News. Yet he said the US has opportunities to mitigate the pandemic.

Two weeks ago, Italy had 1,700 cases of coronavirus and had reported 34 deaths. Now, Italy is reporting an estimated 25,000 cases and more than 1,800 deaths. About 3,800 cases have been reported in the United States and so far, more than 65 people have died from coronavirus. Although the numbers may not be directly comparable, the trajectory is, as Adams sees it.

The administration also alleged that a foreign disinformation campaign was underway aimed at spreading fear among Americans already spooked by the pandemic.

On Sunday, federal officials began confronting what they said was a deliberate effort by a foreign entity to make Americans think the government was going to impose a nationwide quarantine. Agencies took coordinated action on Sunday evening to assure Americans that the government was not planning to do that.

And on Monday, national security officials said there had been a cyberattack involving the computer networks of Health and Human Services, but the networks were operating normally. They didnt detail the nature or scope of the problem or identify the foreign entity.

On Fox News, Adams claimed the US has "turned the tide" on testing, a critical part of tracking and containing pandemics, but whether that is true remains to be seen. The US effort has been hobbled by a series of missteps, including flaws with the testing kits first distributed by the federal government and bureaucratic hurdles that held up testing by private laboratories.

On Capitol Hill, a nearly empty House met to adopt a resolution to make what were described as technical changes to polish off a coronavirus response measure designed to speed testing for the virus and provide sick leave to workers kept home because of it. It went into recess before adopting the measure, however.

The measure is likely to pass the Senate this week, though the timing is uncertain. The 100 senators, with a few exceptions, were expected to gather on Monday evening, despite the federal public-health guidelines prohibiting large gatherings. (AP)

This story has been published on: 2020-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

A strike by the Union and professional Associations of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is in full force at the Kotoka International Airport.

Aviation safety, financial and other services were grounded on Monday, March 16, 2020, in protest of the encroachment of lands belonging to the GCAA in parts of Accra.

This, unfortunately, comes at a time when their services are needed most at the Airport particularly due to the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The action is also characterized by the wearing of the red arm and wrist bands by the workers to express their displeasure.

The Staff Association had earlier threatened to withdraw some services which are critical to aviation safety.

The move is in reaction to what the workers describe as the inability of management to heed their concerns over the encroachment of some aviation lands at La Wireless and Nkwatanang in Accra.

At least 660 acres of land located at La Wireless and Nkwatanang have been cited as being illegally occupied by some individuals and organizations.

The Aviation Minister is however expected to tour the lands in question as the Ministry seeks an amicable solution to the concerns raised by the workers unions.

The Minister had in an earlier statement described the workers' threat as unfortunate, saying efforts were already being made to address their concerns.

The Ministry had gone ahead to assure all passengers of air transport that there will be no disruptions to flights from Monday, March 16.

---citinewsroom
Texas House District 135 Representative Jon Rosenthal and his staff have created a Google Sheet document with resources for homebound residents to help social distancing efforts while businesses and schools close to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Houston Area Homebound and COVID-19 Resources document includes resources for students to maintain their education through online learning sites like Scholastic Learn and free audiobook programs like the streaming app Libby as well as links to updates from the Center for Disease Control, emergency services and food resources.
Exercising helps increase white cells in the body said the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Exercise causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells. These antibodies or white blood cells circulate more rapidly, so they could detect illnesses earlier than they might have before."

Change up the routine.If you feel like you are coming down with a cold and feel relatively fine, then go workout. However, if you start overheating and start feeling weak, you need to adjust your routine. Try reducing the intensity in half. Listen to your body.If you have a 24-hour virus and start feeling better--listen to your body if you should start exercising again. Sometimes we can bounce back faster or it may take up to 10 days to feel energized to start exercising again. Raul Seballos, M.D. at the Cleveland Clinic said don't return to the action 100 percent. "If you try to go back too soon, you may just end up prolonging recovery phase," he told Men's Health. "You may also be more short of breath if you're recovering from an upper respiratory infection." If you return too soon you risk getting more sick because your immune system is low. Avoid exercise with the stomach flu.If you have the norovirus and are vomiting and have diarrhea, do yourself a favor by staying home. With the stomach flu, it is very easy to become dehydrated and sweating will make it worse. Working out when you are dehydrated can elevate the heart. The body needs to work harder when it is dehydrated and sweating makes it worse. When this happens we dont sweat and the heat remains trapped in the body and it cant cool off. What happens is that the body begins to overheat, making you feel more rundown. If you feel better, start doing stretches at home and take time off from the gym. Do not exercise with a fever.Working out with a fever can make you feel even worse. Jut like the stomach bug, you become hydrated with a fever. What is more alarming is a fever over 100 degrees could really deplete the system. Working out with a fever can damage the heart if the fever is ongoing. If it continues to linger above 100 for a few days, you should call a doctor. Furthermore, exercising with a fever can "raise your risk of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that may result in heart dysfunction, failure or sudden death," CNN reported. The body at this point is letting you know not to push it. Doing exercises will take what energy you have and leave you even more depleted. The below the neck rule.The general rule is to monitor symptoms below the neck. If symptoms below the neck include nasal congestion, chest congestion, body aches, fatigue and fever, don't leave for the gym. "A neck check is a way to determine your level of activity during a respiratory illness," Neil Schachter, MD, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York explained to WebMD. He advised if you have any tightness in your chest from a cold or from having bronchitis, do not work out. Wait until these systems subside and give yourself time off. Your body will need to recover from these ailments. Rushing things makes it worse. Use gym etiquette.

Since we know that exercise makes you stronger from the inside out, there might be lingering concerns when you start to get a cough or when the sniffles start. Maybe you've been coasting regarding your exercise regimen and then those sniffles became congestion, so what should you do then? Pushing yourself to go to a spin class or to lift weights while you are sick could do a lot of harm. Certified personal trainer Idalis Velazquez shared with CNN that although sweating it out can help get over being sick quicker , this is not always the case. "Health comes before fitness, and even though we can't control when we get sick, we can do our part in helping our body recover from illnesses," she said. If we are going to help our bodies recover, we need to use discernment. Know when to hit the gym and when to take time off whether you have a stomach bug or a cold with these 6 tips.

Don't be selfish and spread your germs by going to the gym when you are sick. It is bad enough people don't wipe down the equipment when they are done using it. Bacteria loves to be in warm places and if you have a virus, it will spread like wildfire through workout mats, weights and locker rooms. Make sure to bring alcohol wipes and use towels on various surfaces that you use. Wash your hands after you use equipment and carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you. While you use gym etiquette for others, make sure to protect yourself from further sickness by wiping equipment down before using it.

We can't always prevent ourselves from getting sick. But when we do, we can pull back from our normal exercise routine. There is no reason to push it if you are sick. The body will tell you whether you should go to the gym or not. Use this as a barometer when it comes to being involved in exercise or not. If you decide to go to the gym, be mindful of others who are not sick, and take it slow.
Actor Kamal Haasan has moved the Madras High Court alleging harassment by Chennai police while he appeared before the Commissioner on March 3 2020 in connection with the freak accident on the sets of the film Indian 2. In his plea, gthe actor-politician said he was questioned by the Chennai police for three hours continuously without giving him a break.

The 65-year-old stated that it was not necessary for him to be at the 'accident site' for reconstruction as he is merely an actor and that the movie is produced by Lyca Productions. There is no precedent of a 'hero' being questioned, Haasan added.

The actor's party - Makkal Needhi Maiam - had issued a statement earlier asking the Tamil Nadu Government to stop harassing him through the police. The party further said the state government was doing this on purpose as his party secured good votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Haasan was summoned by the Chennai police on March 3 in connection with the accident at the shooting spot of Indian 2. Three people were killed and nine injured on the set of the film after a crane on which they were sitting crashed to the ground.

All the three who lost their lives were assistant directors of the film, which was being shot at EVP Film City, a private cinema studio, near Chennai. Haasan, director Shankar were among the others who had a narrow escape.

A sequel to the 1996 film Indian, Indian 2 is a vigilante action thriller directed by S Shankar, produced by Lyca Productions. It also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Siddharth, Rakul Preet and Priya Bhavani Shankar in major roles.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has decided to end his self-isolation in Sevan and return to Yerevan after testing negative for the novel coronavirus for the second time within two days.

Pashinian underwent another test for the highly contagious and potential deadly disease after one of the persons he had contacts with during his trip to a southern Armenian province as part of a constitutional referendum campaign last week had tested positive.

The answer to our tests is negative again. Coming back to Yerevan in the morning, Pashinian wrote in a Facebook post during the night referring to the results of his test and the test of his wife Anna Hakobian.

The couple had first decided to isolate themselves in a government villa at Lake Sevan late on Friday and undergo coronavirus tests after local media raised concerns about Hakobians contacts with the wife of President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro during a visit to that Latin American country on March 7. The Brazilian leader has since said he tested negative for the virus after it was discovered that an aide and another senior government official were infected. Pashinians and Hakobians first tests also came back negative.

Earlier last week, citing risks to public health posed by the novel coronavirus infection, Pashinian suspended his political campaign ahead of next months constitutional referendum. He said his government will be in discussions on what to do about the referendum scheduled on April 5 and the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in some parts of the country over the coronavirus outbreak on Monday and in the coming days.

No political goal can be above public health, Pashinian said.

In the referendum Armenians are to be asked to vote on a constitutional amendment that would lead to the dismissal of seven of the Constitutional Courts nine members installed before nationwide protests swept Pashinian to power in 2018.

The seven, including Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian, would be replaced by judges to be confirmed by the National Assembly, in which Pashinians My Step bloc holds a majority.

As of Sunday, Armenias health authorities confirmed 28 coronavirus cases in the country. They said the first patient hospitalized on March 1 had recovered from the disease.
BERNE  A state Supreme Court judge ruled last week that the town board violated the law when it abruptly made a town planning board member an alternate and then appointed former justice Thomas J. Spargo as the boards chairman.

Emily Vincent filed a lawsuit on Feb. 5, alleging the town board didnt hold a public hearing before making her an alternate on the planning board, a position she says doesnt exist.

In their arguments the town said that since the board made Vincent an alternate, she was essentially still a planning board member and that she hadnt exhausted all her legal remedies before filing the lawsuit.

In her decision on Friday, state Supreme Court Judge Denise Hartman disagreed noting that alternates are used on a town board for when there is a conflict of interest for another member.

The positions of planning board member and planning board member, alternate are not equivalent, she wrote.

Hartman added that the town board can remove members who prevent the planning board from having a quorum, but that it is still required to follow the procedures laid out in the law.

Hartmans decision went into effect immediately and would call for Spargo to be removed and Vincent to be reinstated. Town Supervisor Sean Lyons did not immediately return a call for comment on the ruling.

Its unclear when Vincent will officially re-join the board. The town suspended all public meetings until at least March 31 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

On Monday, Vincent said her faith in the justice system was restored after the judge's ruling. She thanked town residents who helped her raise the money to file the lawsuit.

"I felt like it happened at a really low time in my life," she said. "(The board) decided to kick me when I was down."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Vincent was appointed to the board for a four-year term in January 2017. Last year she was diagnosed with a medical condition that would require surgery and a lengthy recovery time. She notified the boards chairman on Dec. 27 that she would miss the next three board meetings, according to the lawsuit.

Lyons has said Todd Schwendeman previously was chairman, and the shifts were made because the Town Board felt Spargo would be "more in line to our goals of bringing more businesses to the town and being less restrictive to homeowners on home occupations."

Spargo is a former state Supreme Court justice who was convicted of shaking down attorneys and soliciting a $10,000 bribe about 10 years ago.

Following his 2009 conviction, Spargo was disbarred by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court and sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. He can apply to the court to get his law license back and a courts grievance committee would scrutinize any application before its considered by the appeals court. Ultimately, the court will decide if it is in the publics best interest to have Spargo practice law again.
Mulberry has announced that Johnny Coca is leaving the brand after five years as its creative director.

On Tuesday, the British heritage brand published a statement in which it revealed that Coca would officially step down from his role at the end of March 2020 with spring/summer 2021 scheduled to be his final collection for Mulberry.

Following the announcement, Thierry Andretta, Mulberry's chief executive officer, thanked Coca for his contributions to the brand over the past five years.

Johnnys creative vision has been a key element in delivering our strategy to develop Mulberry as an international luxury lifestyle brand, Andretta said.

On behalf of the Mulberry board and entire team we wish Johnny every success in his next venture.

Similarly, Coca said he was proud of everything he had achieved during his tenure.

I have loved my time with this iconic British heritage brand and would like to thank the amazing teams and everyone who has supported me during my time here, Coca said.

I am proud of everything we have achieved and the collections we have created. The passion and dedication I have seen at Mulberry has been incredible and I am honoured to have been part of the brands history.

Coca first joined the brand in 2015 having previously worked at Celine as head design director for leather goods, accessories, shoes and jewellery, and as a designer for Louis Vuitton.

During his time at Mulberry, the Spanish-born designer breathed new life into the luxury accessory label by reworking its logo, delivering a more affordable range, introducing eyewear and trainers, and putting a circular fashion model at the forefront of its collections.

Earlier this year, Coca launched Mulberrys sustainable leather Portobello tote, and the M Collection, which features bags and outerwear made using a blend of Econyl-branded regenerated nylon and sustainable cotton.

In February, Mulberry also launched its Made To Last exhibition, which featured a handbag exchange where customers could put their current accessories towards their next investment.

In addition, Coca oversaw a successful international expansion programme that saw the brand extend its global presence across the UK, Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe and Australia.

Mulberry has confirmed that it has already begun the process of finding a successor and will continue to develop innovative products.

As we head towards our 50th anniversary in 2021 we continue to focus on our strategy to build Mulberry as a global luxury brand, Andretta said.

We remain committed to developing responsible, innovative products, underpinned by a strong in-house creative team and our international direct-to-customer omni-channel business model.
English Premier League emergency meeting will take place on Thursday, as clubs assess the ongoing ramifications, including how to fulfill the remainder of EPL fixtures this season. Liverpool will discover more about their Premier League fate when emergency meeting takes place on Thursday. They sit comfortably at the summit of EPL log with 25-point gap. After 29 matches they have 27 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. The League title has eluded them for the past 30 years.

England Premier League has been suspended until next month at the earliest over concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus. It is likely that the date will be pushed back by a number weeks or the current campaign cancelled in the worst case scenario. Right now, opinions are divided among the pundits, club owners,stake holders and EPL officials as regard best decision for the current season.

Premier League clubs will meet on Thursday to discuss how best to end the current top-flight season, including the possibility of declaring the campaign void. Liverpool title winning chances is hanging on a thread. After an excellent performance in the League so far, lets hope for a favourable decision as Liverpools fate is being decided on Thursday.

The question now is: should Liverpool be handed the League title or the 2019/20 season be declared null and void?

Post Views: 3
Kemi Olunloyo, a self-acclaimed investigative journalist has queried why president Muhammadu Buhari had to sit back at the Presidential Villa to be briefed on the explosion which rocked Abule Ado, Lagos state on Sunday.

Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday flew to Abuja to present the president with some photos from the scene of the incident.

Read Also: Kemi Olunloyo Makes New Claim As Davido Features Chioma In 1 Milli Video

Reacting to this in a post her Instagram page, Olunloyo queried why Sanwo-Olu had to fly down to Abuja when the President could have easily visited the scene himself.

She wrote:

Is this PRESIDENT Buhari???

He couldnt come to Lagos to visit residents? Sanwoolu had to take pictures to him?
If the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. ends up being as bad as whats happening in Italy, then were going to need a lot more ventilators.

Those are the machines that keep people with severe cases of Covid-19 alive by pumping oxygen into their overwhelmed lungs.

The good news, reports Forbes magazine: There are a fair number of companies in the U.S. that make ventilators, such as Medtronic, GE Healthcare, Allied Healthcare and Washington states Ventec Life Systems.

The bad news: The U.S. and state governments apparently havent put in many new orders yet, and it will take about three months for manufacturers to ramp up production once a significant number of orders do come in.

Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment -- try getting it yourselves, President Donald Trump told the nations governors during a Monday conference call. We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves.

It wasnt immediately clear what the president meant when he said the federal government would be backing the states. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose state is the hardest hit in the U.S., reportedly reacted angrily to the presidents directive.

Political leaders are realizing that they need to act now -- and probably should have acted a while ago -- but someone has to agree to pay the bill for equipment needed to combat Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.

If there is a risk of a surge in need, and if it takes three months to boost part deliveries, somebody ought to be placing orders right now, Forbes writes. But a hospital might well hesitate, given the perhaps equal risk that the extra machines will never be used. Who would eat the cost?

The usual answer in a national emergency is the federal government would eat the cost.

An ICU ventilator costs between $25,000 and $50,000, and in a worst-case scenario the U.S. would need tens of thousands of additional machines.

Theres also potentially an even bigger problem: operating hospital ventilators requires special training, with each machine needing to be configured for each specific patient. If thousands more machines than usual are needed, there might not be enough staff to operate them.

Read the Forbes report.

-- Douglas Perry

@douglasmperry

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put abolitionist leader Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.
How legacy churches can thrive

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I have been a pastor for 27 years and have served three churches. Those churches have a combined age of over 470 years! I love pastoring legacy churches and I want to use this column as a way to highlight the joys and be realistic about the challenges of legacy churches.

When I graduated seminary (1993) it was assumed you had to be a seminary graduate to pastor and that all of us would go work for churches. Both assumptions are not reflective today. The dream of pastoring a big steeple church has been replaced with the dream of starting a church, creating a non-profit ministry and/or using a bi-vocational platform to more effectively reach people. There is a reluctance to be captured by the work of the institutional church.

For the most part the transition from a focus on the institutional church to more mission expressions is a good one. But a consequence is that legacy churches have been left behind in a missional world. Big steeple, small steeple and no steeple churches that once had a great heritage of ministry and missions feel a long way from that era. We now have legacy churches with a great past and no future and a church planting movement has with great futures but no past. Both expressions of the church are weaker because of this.

The best contribution of legacy churches is a sense of the past. Heres the challenge for many of us  when we think of the past  we think of the last 40 years when many legacy churches have faced a slow decline (that decline has felt more rapid in the last 10 years). We have gone through the stages of grief as we have watched this decline (shock, anger, denial, guilt and acceptance) and we have let the last 40 years cloud our view of Gods work through our congregation and church plants around us.

Here's the problem with that thinking  the last 40 years of the church I currently serve represents less than 20% of our history! So we need a greater perspective to see the work of God. Every season cant be harvest season.

So what are the paths forward that I see for legacy churches that I would like to share in this forum? Here are a few:

Acknowledging our grief  The biggest mistake I have made in pastoring legacy churches is not providing space and time to grieve. Legacy churches have lost a lot over the last 4 decades (friends, family, ministries). Leaders must provide an opportunity for grieving.

 The biggest mistake I have made in pastoring legacy churches is not providing space and time to grieve. Legacy churches have lost a lot over the last 4 decades (friends, family, ministries). Leaders must provide an opportunity for grieving. Building from the outside in  Too many church town hall meetings start the conversation with us. This often leads to more frustration and greater decline. Creativity and breakthrough happens when we start conversations with the folks outside the church.

 Too many church town hall meetings start the conversation with us. This often leads to more frustration and greater decline. Creativity and breakthrough happens when we start conversations with the folks outside the church. Reconnecting instead of rebranding  The greatest barrier is not the names of our churches, the denominational label we wear or our logos. We need to reconnect the relational bridges to our community.

 The greatest barrier is not the names of our churches, the denominational label we wear or our logos. We need to reconnect the relational bridges to our community. Diversifying streams of income  Fixed costs (buildings and personnel) are strangling the ministry and mission of most legacy churches. The decline of institutional givers is adding to this challenge. Our buildings provide one way of diversifying streams of income.

 Fixed costs (buildings and personnel) are strangling the ministry and mission of most legacy churches. The decline of institutional givers is adding to this challenge. Our buildings provide one way of diversifying streams of income. Being faithful in our time with great hope in Gods time  Every season is not harvest season  will we be faithful if we dont see the results?

 Every season is not harvest season  will we be faithful if we dont see the results? Practical paths to growth for legacy churches  There is A LOT of opportunity to reach growing older people. Not all growing churches are going to be led by young people.

 There is A LOT of opportunity to reach growing older people. Not all growing churches are going to be led by young people. Separating the mission of the church from purpose of facilities  Too many mission conversations become building centric. The mission of the church is one conversation. What we do with church facilities is a different conversation.

 Too many mission conversations become building centric. The mission of the church is one conversation. What we do with church facilities is a different conversation. Taking the long view  Many legacy churches (including the one I currently serve) have faced more challenging days than the ones we are in today. We need to stop judging Gods work and the churchs effectiveness by the most recent times.

Heres what I passionately believe  the rebirth of the church in America will happen through legacy churches. I love church planting and we will need more of it in the future  but lets walk in the strength of what God has done and with the hope that He will continue to do His good work.
Freeman Dyson may be gone, but his famous alien-hunting idea will likely persist far into the future.

Dyson, a quantum physicist who died at age 96 on Feb. 28, recalled in a 2003 interview just how he first advanced his concept of a "Dyson sphere," which could betray the existence of an advanced alien civilization. It was via a 1960 article in the journal Science called "Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation."

Dyson wrote the article just as scientists were beginning to search for signs of alien intelligence using radio telescopes. The 1960 piece noted, Dyson said, that radio is a great medium for searching  but only if aliens are willing to communicate. If the aliens remained silent, you would need to look for their heat waste from space, using infrared sensors.

Related: What is a Dyson sphere?

"Unfortunately, I added to the end of that remark that what we're looking for is an artificial biosphere," Dyson said in the 45-minute interview from 2003, which is on YouTube's MeaningofLife.tv channel.

He was imagining a swarm of objects that could masquerade as dust from a distance, he added, but his choice of words sparked an accidental legacy.

"The science fiction writers then got hold of it and imagined the biosphere means a sphere  it has to be some big, round ball. And so, out of that, there came these weird notions, which ended up on 'Star Trek.'"

One of Dyson's daughters sent the physicist a videotape of a 1987 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" called "Relics," Dyson said. The plot follows a distress call heard by the famous USS Enterprise starship; fans of the series may recall this as a crossover episode with "Star Trek: The Original Series" star Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (played by James Doohan).

The crew warps in space to the source of the call and discovers an immense Dyson sphere  which is indeed portrayed as a solid spherical object  surrounding a star. If we were to place this sphere in our own solar system, it would be so large that it would extend almost as far as the orbit of Venus, according to "Star Trek" fan site Memory Alpha. (In the episode, the Dyson sphere is explained as being as large as two-thirds of Earth's orbital diameter, and Venus' orbit is a little beyond that point.)

"I watched it [the episode], and oh yes, it's very clearly labeled [as a Dyson sphere]; it was sort of fun to watch it, but it was all nonsense," Dyson said in the interview. He added that the name "Dyson sphere" is a misnomer, as he originally got the inspiration from 1930s science fiction writer Olaf Stapledon, who first wrote about the concept in the novel "Star Maker."

Related: The evolution of 'Star Trek' (infographic)

Depictions such as the one in "Relics" have given us the current popular understanding of a Dyson sphere, which envisions a mammoth structure surrounding a star to capture as much of its energy as possible.

So imagine everyone's surprise when in 2015 scientists announced a star that was exhibiting strange behavior, fluctuating with no apparent pattern. Many ideas were put forth by the discovery team, including the idea that perhaps this was a real-life Dyson sphere in action.

This star (called KIC 8462852) is otherwise an unremarkable object. It is a bit hotter and larger than Earth's sun and is no great distance from us in cosmic terms, sitting about 1,480 light-years away from our planet in the constellation Cygnus.

The researchers picked up on the star's weird light fluctuations using a mission designed to stare at stars for years at a time to hunt exoplanets. The star showed up in data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, displaying sudden dimmings of up to 22% for a few days or a week at a time. In fact, it wasn't astronomers who first saw the pattern; it was citizen scientists examining Kepler's work through the crowdsourced Planet Hunters project on Zooniverse.org.

The 2015 research team, led by astrophysicist Tabetha "Tabby" Boyajian (then at Yale University, and now at Louisiana State University), initially could not explain the dimmings and brightenings through natural phenomena such as dust.

Their discovery paper in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society went viral. The star was nicknamed Tabby's star (and, later, Boyajian's star) after the discoverer; Boyajian credits the Dyson sphere idea to one of her colleagues and not herself, she told Space.com.

One of the best results of the paper was that it promoted more collaboration between astronomers and those who search for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence, she said in an interview. "We're all looking at the same sky, at the same targets, but we don't mix that well. We don't go to the same conferences, and we don't read the same papers," she added.

Another happy side effect of the publicity was that Boyajian's team got time on the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), a network of 42 radio dishes in Northern California operated by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute. Most telescopes have limited time available for observations and, as such, teams need to write proposals for how they plan to use the time. These proposals are then peer reviewed by other astronomers to determine who will get the telescope for a predetermined period of time.

Related: 13 ways to hunt intelligent aliens

Boyajian and colleagues wrote a one-page proposal that was initially turned down, but then they received an invitation to use the ATA anyway "because it was good publicity," she said. The bonus telescope time helped Boyajian's team catch a break. In 2017, the star dimmed and brightened several times while the telescope was aimed at it, as her team discussed in a paper published in 2018 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"This was really exciting, because we were able to watch this in real time and trigger a bunch of other observations to really study what was going on in front of the star," Boyajian recalled. This resulted, she added, in a "whole boatload of data" as the team examined the star's luminosity in different colors of light.

That's when the team discovered that more blue light was blocked than red light, which suggests the blockage cannot be a solid object like a perfect sci-fi Dyson sphere, Boyajian said. "You would imagine if you had some solid object go in front of a light source, it would block all of it equally," she explained.

By 2019, some astronomers favored explanations such as swarms of comets or clumped clouds of dust for the star's weird behavior, but Boyajian maintains the star merits more study. (In fact, she is working on a few new papers about KIC 8462852.)

"We still have yet to pin a natural explanation on it," she said. "Typically, when you have dust surrounding a star, you also have an infrared excess, [meaning] it glows in the infrared, in longer wavelengths. We don't see that at all.

"On top of these observations," she continued, "we have another very peculiar issue with the star, in that it not only has these short-term drops in its brightness, but it also has this very long-term variability going back over a century. [Before,] this star was over 20% brighter than it is today. It just threw a wrench in everything."

Some people are sticking to the Dyson sphere hypothesis, Boyajian said, invoking the idea that perhaps construction is changing the patterns of light over time. She added that until the team can find another star like this one to do comparison studies, KIC 8462852 may remain a mystery.

"Nature is a lot more creative than we are," she said, suggesting that perhaps NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) could pick up a signal in one of the zones of the sky it studies, as long as the signal happens within a period of 300 days. Kepler, for comparison, stared at the same patch of sky for four years, including a two-year period when KIC 8462852 was dormant in between its sudden dimmings.

TESS rotates between different areas of the sky every 27 days and switches hemisphere views from south to north (or vice versa) roughly once a year. Part of its field of view overlaps between the rotation sequence, allowing for a small zone that can be studied for several months at a time.

A smaller possibility of an "aha" signal could come from Europe's Gaia mission, which is monitoring a billion stars for properties including movement and luminosity changes, Boyajian said. Since Gaia constantly moves between different portions of the sky, it cannot do constant monitoring  meaning that if it spots something interesting, any observations would be brief and another mission would be needed for follow-up.

Amid the international excitement about her find, Boyajian received an offer from an acquaintance of Dyson to put her in touch with the famed physicist, when Dyson was about 91 years old. She wrote Dyson an email briefly explaining her work, and how the scientists were struggling to explain the behavior of KIC 8462852. To her delight, Dyson responded only 15 minutes later with congratulations.

"This is a new kind of creature in the celestial zoo, and it will turn out to be important," read part of Dyson's email to Boyajian. He compared her team's find to the discovery of gamma-ray bursts in the 1960s by the United States' Vela satellites, which were designed primarily to detect nuclear tests.

Dyson wrote in that email that one of the team members behind the gamma-ray burst discovery confided in him about the find and said the researchers "hesitated to publish the discovery" because "the bursts seemed to defy the laws of physics." (In just a few seconds, gamma-ray bursts can produce as much energy as the sun will produce in its 10-billion-year lifespan.)

Dyson encouraged the researchers to show what they had so far, with faith that, over time, some explanation would come forth. So the publication went ahead, sparking various competing explanations for decades. A generation later, in 1991, NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory launched and discovered an average of one burst a day, emanating from all over the sky.

Compton discovered that the bursts come in two flavors  longer lived and shorter lived  and it wasn't until 2005 that the sources of both were pinned down. Long-lived bursts come from very powerful supernova explosions known as hypernovas. Short-lived bursts occur when two remnant star corpses (called neutron stars) crash into each other and form a black hole, or a black hole swallows a neutron star.

"It was just a lovely email," Boyajian said of Dyson's words. His theories remain relevant to astronomy, she added, as scientists grapple with the ongoing question of why we have not found intelligent aliens yet, given the size of our universe and the decades of dedicated searching by Earthlings.

"Even though we found dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of planets that are everywhere, there is no sign of intelligent life out there with a megaphone screaming at us, 'We're here,'" Boyajian said.

Fermi Paradox: Where are all the aliens?

10 exoplanets that could host alien life

Warp drive & transporters: How 'Star Trek' technology works (infographic)
The mission first of all sparks a process of transfiguration in us. If not, it would be just a job, said Fr Giorgio Marengo. Mongolia has closed its borders and suspended schools. All pastoral activities are on hold. Masses, rosaries, youth education, and Lent catechesis are conducted via social media. The parish of Arvaiheer is conducting a survey to see how to improve its services.

Arvaiheer (AsiaNews)  Mongolia has locked down all schools and banned travel. Pastoral activities have been suspended to avoid the coronavirus infection. In such context, one realises that, before and above everything we can do in terms of projects and activities, there is a dimension of giving that takes place in a deeper way. Even if there is nothing outside, one discovers even more that the mission before it is an activity, something you do, it is a dimension of the spirit, said Fr Giorgio Marengo, a Consolata missionary who has been in the Asian country since 2003.

Fr Giorgio is saddened and concerned by the news about the infection, especially from his native Italy. But the latter is affecting Mongolia as well. In late January, the Mongolian government closed the countrys borders with China. Flights have been cancelled and no one can enter or leave the country, which has reported four coronavirus cases so far.

As a result of the situation, pastoral activities have been halted. For more than a month, Fr Giorgios parish in Arvaiheer has been closed as Masses in its large ger (yurt) have been suspended. The parish kindergarten has also shut down, sewing classes put on hold, whilst free showers are no longer available.

Every day, we get messages from the Health Ministry with directives about the precautions to be observed, explained the clergyman. In this sense, we greatly admire the efforts of the Mongolian government to prevent contagion and closely follow all official orders. Officials often come to check if we are in compliance and we work with them.

With respect to Lent, we have lost its communal experience, but this has not stopped the creativity of the faithful, with some coming up with personal initiatives in support of the faith.

Meanwhile, Pastoral outreach has moved to social media, whilst private messages and telephone calls with the faithful continue with people asking every day for the passage of the Gospel to meditate on. At the same time, we are also happy to see how people from different religious traditions are engaging in prayer and solidarity.

Fr Giorgio has had however to halt the preparation of catechumens, and it is still not clear weather Holy Week services will go ahead. For the missionary community, two priests and two nuns, the freed-up time is being used to "reflect on how to sort out its activities when they are possible again. To this end, We have prepared a questionnaire to conduct by phone asking for suggestions on how to improve our pastoral services.

At a time when activities are at risk, we realise that we are here as a gift, that the mission is a dimension of the spirit, said the clergyman, mindful of being a missionary in a foreign land.

As Saint Paul said: I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.' He was a prisoner, experienced all sorts of deprivations in his pilgrimage to get to Rome, and then spent two years under house arrest. He did not build structures, but continued to be consumed by the love of Christ.

The ongoing constraints "could be a lesson for us to rediscover that the mission, before it is a thing one does, is an inner dimension that one experiences, namely giving oneself to God in response to a free giving that one received, i.e. the missionary vocation that exists even when one cannot preach or do work.

At this time of crisis, it is clear that the mission first of all sparks a process of transfiguration in us. If not, it would be just a job. To exist, the mission must not be based on great works, but on inner beingness. This does not mean fleeing the world, but rather being consumed by answering the Lords calling, transcending what one can do. (A.C.F.)
Officials with The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono have announced that the track will not be hosting live horse racing for at least two weeks.

The postponement of racing comes due to the current state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and suggested guidelines from Governor Tom Wolf.

During the two-week period, iBet Mohegan and Dial-A-Bet will still be available, however deposits will not be able to be made in person.

Additionally, training will be prohibited.

(With files from The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemens Association)
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has announced that the conduct of marriages at its City Hall will be limited to only the couples and two witnesses each from the bride and groom.



Additionally, the AMA has directed the Police to ensure strict compliance concerning public gatherings in Accra.



An AMA statement said the directive followed a meeting by the Public Health Emergency Response Management Team(PHERMT)of the AMA on Monday (March 16, 2020) which discussed the public health preparedness against COVID-19 pandemic for the Accra Metropolis.



"The conduct of marriages at the AMA City Hall have been limited to only the couples and witnesses (two from both the groom and the bride)", the statement said.



"Also, the Police has been directed to ensure strict compliance concerning public gatherings in the metropolis. All public gatherings and programmes at the AMA City Hall are suspended until further notice".



The AMA statement further directed all food vendors and all public toilets to provide handwashing facilities.



Drivers are also to disinfect their vehicles (seat, door handle) using the bleach solution ("Parazone') and provide handwashing facilities (veronica buckets, liquid soaps, hand sanitizers).















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
image by John Fenton

Jazz doesnt want to stay home and chill  so members of the Jazz Journalists Association launched on Monday, 3/15/2020, JazzOnLockdown: Hear It Here, a series of curated v-logs featuring performance videos of musicians whose gigs have been postponed or cancelled due to coronavirus concerns.

The initial JOL post, by Madrid blogger Mirian Arbalejo (of MissingDuke.com) is dedicated to Marcelo Peralta, Argentine born/Spanish resident saxophonist-composer-arranger who is reportedly the first jazz musician to succumb to the illness.

Marcelo Peralta, photo https://www.lagacetasalta.com.ar/

The second JOL post, by New Zealands John Fenton (JazzLocal32.com), presents keyboardist/synthesist/dance club remixer Mark di Clive-Lowe, a native son now based in Los Angeles, playing in his hometown at the start of what turned out to be an aborted world tour.

Both posts and subsequent ones (coming from Chicago, Havana, the Bay Area and elsewhere) include information on how to sustain musicians financially as their live shows have been curtailed (for a limited time, its hoped).

Mark di Clive-Lowe, photo by Farah Sosa

The JJA intends to add to its JazzOnLockdown posts daily. Anyone anywhere is invited to submit JazzOnLockdown posts, which require 1) name(s) of musician(s); 2) venue, locale and date of cancellation(s); 3) posted video to be embedded; 4) appropriate contextual information; 5) methods for helping the musician(s) get by (i.e., links to their Bandcamp page, website, records for sale); 6) link to the submitters own page or site. Send all inquiries to JazzOnLockdown@JazzJournalists.org.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has expressed unhappiness by writing a fresh letter to Governor Lalji Tandon in which he has said that he is deeply hurt by the allegation that he has not upheld parliamentary propriety.

Kamal Nath in the letter said that the Assembly has been adjourned due to the threat of coronavirus as the WHO has declared it a pandemic.

"I bring to your notice that in the last 15 months I have proved majority in the House several times. If you think that I don't enjoy majority, the opposition can bring a no-confidence motion. It has come to my knowledge that the BJP has moved the motion which is pending before the Speaker who will take appropriate action as per the rules of the House," Nath said in the letter.

He also appealed to the Governor to call back the Congress MLAs held 'captive' in Bengaluru.

"I have apprised you of unprecedented situation in the state repeatedly. At least 16 of our legislators have been kept in a hotel in Bengaluru in a captive like situation. It is the BJP leaders who took them there by a chartered flight. No one can talk to them. They are being prevented from coming to Bhopal. They are given bribes, lurements and are being pressured by the BJP and forced to give false statements before the media. I am attaching a copy by a kin of the 'captive' MLA who has complained to us," Nath said in the letter.

Nath also said with "utter sadness" and "anguish" that far from finding a solution to the "illegal conduct like restrictions on my MLAs", the Governor has not even mentioned it in his letter.

The Governor had asked the government twice to hold a floor test - first on March 14 and then on March 16. However, the government has refused to do so saying first the legislators kept in Bengaluru should be released.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh government, Congress and the Assembly Speaker, seeking their response to the plea filed by the BJP for holding a floor test. The matter will be heard on Wednesday.
: Despite the Kerala



government disapproving acts of targeting foreigners over the coronavirus scare, instances of the visitors being singled out and humiliated have surfaced in the state.

The latest incident was reported from Kannur where two tourists had to go without a morsel of food for four days after hotels allegedly refused to serve them any.

The foreigners - a man and and a woman - were seen crying out of hunger on the wayside by locals in Payyannur in north Kerala town of Kannur following which the police and local authorities extended them a helping hand.

The French and Italian nationals later said they had reached Kannur on March 11 but had not got any food for the last four days and had been starving.

They said they wandered here and there and knocked at the door of many hotels and restaurants for food but no one helped them.

Seeing the plight of the visitors, police and Payyannur civic body authorities bought them food and shifted them to Thalassery taluk hospital.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also said foreigners should not be seen as a COVID-19 carriers and warned those who tease them.

The tourists, who reached Kerala after visiting Mumbai, Goa and Madurai, had no symptom of the coronavirus, authorities said.

While hotels and resorts are denying foreigners rooms, restaurants are reluctant to give them food in many places even in well-known tourist destinations.

Local people even chased them away out of fear of the spread of the virus and tried to evict them forcefully from public buses, the visitors complained.

In another incident, a French couple, who reached Kannur from the highrange Wayand on a state-run KSRTC bus, had to face the wrath of co-passengers.

Some local passengers, who got frightened seeing the foreigners, didn't allow the bus to proceed further.

A number of passengers even got out of the bus due to the presence of the French couple.

The bus was later taken to Kannur Town police station, from where the couple were shifted to the district hospital for observation.

The couple, who reached the southern state on March 2 via Dubai, had no symptom of the virus in the preliminary examination, police said.

In Kochi, police extended helping hand to a 27-year-old French woman Desmazure and her three-year-old Tao on Monday.

Police traced the woman, who had lost her purse and had no money, based on the information of local people that a foreigner and child were roaming around the city amid the coronavirus threat.

Their trouble began after an enquiry by local health officials found that she had also been to Varkala, from where an Italian tourist had tested positive.

She was taken to a hospital and found she had no symptoms. As she had no money, she was forced to spend the night at the hospital corridor all night. Though a room was provided later, it was not clean and full of cobwebs and mosquitoes.

The police later helped her to contact the French Consulate in Puducherry to arrange money and to go Delhi via train.

She was also given a 'no coronavirus' certificate by the doctors before departing from the state, they added.

Meanwhile, DGP Loknath Behera said police would ensure accommodation to the foreigners finding it difficult to get it.

Local police officials were asked to inform the tourism department about such tourists in distress.

Twentyfour people, including two foreigners, have tested positive far for the virus so far in the state. This is besides, the three medical students from Wuhan, India's first three cases, who were treated and cured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chuck relocated from Shanghai China to London in October, 2019 before the coronavirus emerged. During the pandemic, airlines have dramatically reduced passenger and cargo flights, significantly limiting our ability to move pets from all origins and to all destinations.--Walter M. Woolf, VMD Air Animal Founder and Veterinarian

The COVID 19 pandemic spreading around the world is disrupting mobility, according to Air Animal Pet Movers.

Air Animal and its global network of trusted pet moving providers are being besieged with numerous requests for U.S. and global pet relocation services. Airlines have dramatically reduced passenger and cargo flights, significantly limiting our ability to move pets from all origins and to all destinations, said Walter M. Woolf, VMD, founder and CEO of Air Animal Pet Movers. We remain cautiously optimistic that airline passenger and cargo capacities will gradually improve in the second quarter.

Families relocating with their pets may speak with an Air Animal pet move client care representative in Tampa or Orlando about their options Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT.

About Air Animal

Air Animal has helped more than 50,000 families move their 110,000 furry, feathered and scaly pets around the globe since 1977. They welcome referrals from major corporations, relocation management agencies, household goods movers, veterinarians, families, U.S. military and government transferees. Get the best in animal care and transportation. Air Animal is an appointed and endorsed IATA air cargo sales agency working with all airlines that move animals. They are an Indirect Air Carrier cleared for tendering live animals to airlines by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. See airanimal.com to learn more about Pet Moving Made Easy.
KEC International on Monday (16 March 2020) said it has completed the acquisition of 100% shareholding of its step-down subsidiary KEC International (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. from KEC Global Mauritius, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

The said acquisition of shares has made KEC International (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. a direct subsidiary of the company.

Shares of KEC International was up 1.13% at Rs 263.25.

KEC International reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 144.92 crore in in Q3 December 2019, up by 29% from Rs 112.37 crore reported in Q3 December 2018. Net sales increased by 16.1% to Rs 3,073.11 crore in Q3 December 2019 as compared to Rs 2,646.63 crore in Q3 December 2018.

KEC International is a global infrastructure engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) major. It has presence in the verticals of power transmission and distribution, railways, civil, solar, smart infrastructure and cables. The company is currently executing infrastructure projects in over 30 countries.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Photo : REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado/File Photo) FILE PHOTO: The logo of Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seen during the 4th annual America Digital Latin American Congress of Business and Technology in Santiago, Chile, September 5, 2018. (Photo : REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo) FILE PHOTO: A worker assembles a box for delivery at the Amazon fulfillment center in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., April 30, 2019.

As Americans retreat to their homes due to coronavirus pandemic, Amazon's sales on its to get basic necessities such as groceries and medicines have doubled. However, the eCommerce giant has created a potential internal public health crisis.

The demand surge has brought on the online retailer to make plans to hire 100,000 additional warehouse employees to respond to the needs of innumerable clients who are now in self-quarantine. Amazon has also increased the wage by $2 per hour by the end of April, according to a memo released on Monday, Mar. 16.





ALSO READ: Tech Giants Pledged to Pay Employees Per Hour Amid Working From Home Due to Coronavirus





Amazon's effort isn't enough to protect workers?





Workers said they fear that Amazon isn't doing enough to shield the viral outbreak in its warehouses in the United States. More than 1,500 Amazon personnel signed a petition on Monday. The workers asked for hazard pay, paid sick leave, paid childcare, closure of any facility where a worker is infected, among others.

A spokesperson for Amazon told BuzzFeed the vast majority of its employees continue to return to work and serve the people in their communities to deliver resources immediately to the doorsteps.

Amazon said it is going extra miles to keep the buildings extremely clean. The eCommerce giant also urged its employees to practice necessary precautions such as social distancing and other measures.

"Those who don't want to come to work are welcome to use the paid and unpaid time off options, and we support them in doing so," Amazon added.

Although hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and surgical masks are now available in facilities, a few personnel claims the supply is running low. Warehouses are not receiving any extra cleansing, employees claim. Others note that managers continue to insist on holding "stand-up" meetings in a small corner for 10 to 15 minutes before each shift at each facility.





ALSO READ: Nevermind Buying Face Masks, Sanitizers Online; Amazon, eBay Ban Sales Health Products Amid Coronavirus Outbreak





Situation not limited to US facilities, too

The dangers are not limited to US facilities. On Monday, Bloomberg stated that five warehouse people in Amazon centers in Spain and Italy were identified with COVID-19, prompting some unionized employees in Italy to call for a strike.

Some people in Europe have also been staying home to keep away from contamination. In essence, something that warehouse workers inside the US say is also occurring on the other side. The staff shortages compound the pressures on those who choose to remain at work, or can't afford to work at home.

According to Amazon workers, staffing in a few locations is down as much as half. Some are happy to get more money. However, employees also said there who needed the money from their warehouse activity more than their parents were laid off without pay due to coronavirus worries.

To help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Amazon has been cleaning of its centers. It also contributed a few hand sanitizer for employee consumption and encouraging personnel to wash their hands frequently. In a few regions, it has additionally suspended the use of metal detectors; employees also acquired a message saying that Amazon imposed a social distancing of approximately three feet.

Some centers have also allowed employees to bring mobile phones onto the warehouse floor with them in case the circle of relatives members needs to contact them in an emergency.

















 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Last Wednesday, the unfiltered entertainer Cardi B posted a short video letting her 60 million Instagram followers know how she felt about the topic on everyones minds: the Covid-19 outbreak. Let me tell yall something, I aint even gonna front, she said in the profanity-laden 46 seconds. A bitch is scared. Im a little scared.

Clad in a transparent chain-link dress, she questioned the Trump administrations response to the pandemic, expounded on the delay in retail items being shipped from overseas and warned her followers to take the threat seriously. In closing, she chuckled a cartoon villains throaty laugh and moved to the beat of her own voice as she let out an ominous but oddly musical cry: Coronavirus! Coronavirus! Im telling you, [expletive] is real! [Expletive] is gettin real!

Several days later, a Brooklyn D.J. and producer who goes by DJ iMarkkeyz saw his fans tagging him in the videos comments with a familiar request: you know what to do. To his 150,000 followers on Instagram, iMarkkeyz is known for remixing memes and viral clips. (He recently made a song from Chaka Khans acrobatic rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner during last months N.B.A. All-Star game.) As he said in an email interview, he makes between four and seven beats a day on Ableton, and he already had a particularly hot one that fit the cadence of Cardi saying coronavirus.

When people tagged me in that vid, I [was] already chopp[ing] it all together in my head, he said. And thus the uber-timely Coronavirus Remix was born. Seemingly overnight, it has gone vir  well, you know.
10.

To the city in the morning, back in the evening. A punker drives homeless people by bus
With a total of six months imposed, the judge added this to the defendant's existing prison term, and is not to run concurrently

A Co Tyrone man who was due to contest cruelty charges has changed his plea at the last minute, amid claims the beating and ear-pulling of children is acceptable.

In the course of the hearing it emerged the children's mother claimed their behaviour improved after her partner, the defendant, dealt out physical punishments, which the judge said was down to "terror".

The defendant is in his 40s and from the Cookstown area but cannot be named to protect the identity of the victims.

Having previously denied the offences, he changed his plea on the third time the matter was to be heard as a contest at Dungannon Magistrates Court.

He admitted wilfully assaulting two children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health, on dates between January 2013 and December 2017.

The young witnesses were in attendance in preparation to give evidence, accompanied by specialist officers and other witnesses, including two siblings. It was the third time they had attended as the case has been repeatedly listed for hearing, then adjourned at the 11th hour.

Yesterday, the defendant, who is currently serving a custodial sentence for unrelated offending, appeared in the dock and pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court heard police and Social Services were alerted to reports of child cruelty, at the hands of the defendant.

He was arrested and accepted slapping the children, including about the head, as well as pulling them by their ears.

This, he maintained, was acceptable as a method of dealing with misbehaving children.

Bizarrely the children's mother contended the children had been cheeky and missed school, but after the defendant meted out physical punishments, their behaviour and school attendance improved.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan remarked: "That's because they were terrified of him."

He had previously warned he was considering sending the case to crown court or to ask the Public Prosecution Service to conduct a review. However, that did not materialise.

Handing down sentences of three months imprisonment in respect of each child to be served consecutively, Judge Ranaghan said the only thing preventing longer terms was the defendant's guilty pleas, sparing the young victims having to give evidence.

With a total of six months imposed, the judge added this to the defendant's existing prison term, and is not to run concurrently. The case had been listed for hearing in October and then again in December. In all instances including yesterday, the young victims and two other siblings were in attendance to give evidence, with the defendant only changing his plea at the very last point. The first hearing was adjourned when facilities to hear evidence from children were unavailable.

On relisting for December, the matter was halted after a defence barrister advised he could no longer act for the defendant.

Having taken a short time to consult, the barrister told the court: "I'm afraid a difficulty has arisen. It is very regrettable but I am no longer able to continue in this case."

Addressing the defendant in the dock, Judge Ranaghan said: "This is very, very unfortunate as young children are involved.

"You face very serious charges which may be more comfortable in the crown court. If this occurs again, I will force this case on one way or another."

After telling the accused to speak with his solicitor to retain another barrister, Judge Ranaghan warned: "You need to understand how serious this is."

From the dock the defendant replied: "You need to understand, this is my family."
State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is looking to set up an LPG bottling plant in Mizoram, besides upgrading 100 retail outlets across the Northeast in the next financial year, a senior official said.

The company is currently in talks with the Mizoram government for setting up the bottling plant in the state, said G Ramesh, chief general manager of the

The company would upgrade 100 retail outlets across the Northeast at an estimated cost of about Rs 50 crore in the next financial year, he added.

is also looking to commission at least nine retail outlets in Mizoram in the forthcoming fiscal, Ramesh said.
When it comes to key medical infrastructure and health care investments, the country fares worse than the top affected nations, report Sachin P Mampatta and Sohini Das.

IMAGE: Officials distribute sanitisers to bus passengers in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, at a bus station in Surat. Photograph: PTI Photo

Government announcements shutting down malls and other crowded places might well be key to any chance of India managing the coronavirus outbreak.

An analysis of medical infrastructure and other data of the top 10 affected countries shows that India lags far behind on the resources required to deal with a pandemic.

The World Health Organization recorded 1,32,536 cases across 123 countries in the week ending March 13. China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, France, Germany, the United States of America, Switzerland

and Japan are the top 10 countries based on cases detected. They accounted for over 90 per cent of covid-19 patients.

India has fewer hospital beds and doctors per 1,000 people than any of those countries. A significant section of people might not even have adequate facilities for washing hands, a basic requirement to keep

the disease at bay.

India also has a high chance of people being pushed into poverty because of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure, suggesting that a widespread pandemic may well have wealth and inequality consequences, too.

Many of the figures used for the analysis from the World Bank appear with a lag, but provide a broad picture of the gap between India and key affected countries. The analysis considered the year with the latest available data for India, and that years data for other countries was taken for comparison, where available, or the year closest to the India data.

India has 0.7 hospital beds and a similar number of physicians per 1,000 people in 2011. China had 3.8 for the same year and Italy had 3.5. China also had a higher number of physicians (1.8) as did Italy (4.1).

Hand washing is one of the recommended ways of avoiding covid-19. Data shows that 50.7 per cent of the rural population does not have basic hand-washing facilities, including soap and water (2017 data). It was 20.2 per cent in urban areas, around 40.5 per cent for the population overall.

Indians are also particularly vulnerable to being pushed into poverty by the expenses of catching a major disease. The proportion of the population pushed below the $1.9 poverty line because of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure was around 0.03 per cent for Iran showed a 2011 study. It was 4.16 per cent in India.

This appears to be in line with the fact that India has not been a big spender on health. Comparative international figures are available for 2016 with the World Bank, which shows that India spent 3.14 per

cent of general government expenditure on health, compared to Chinas 9.05 per cent, Italys 13.47 per cent and Irans 22.6 per cent.

India has since seen a widespread rollout of Ayushman Bharat in an attempt to have universal health coverage. However, this has also run into some headwinds, including reach and reports of hospitals

refusing patients under the scheme.

Well I think when a pandemic like this hits any country most health care (infrastructure) will fall short. I think the government has acted very swiftly and has been proactive. This kind of mass hysteria

globally I have not seen before, said Ranjan Pai, chairman of Manipal Education and Medical Group.

Global hysteria has been fuelled also by the absence of key requirements such as masks and respiratory equipment, an issue that India could also face, according to the manufacturing segment.

The soft underbelly of Indias healthcare security stands exposed in (the) absence of imports from China for many devices where India was overly dependent (domestic companies are) ramping up manufacturing capacity to take advantage of global shortages in masks and gloves, and other consumables, said Rajiv Nath of Association of Indian Medical Device Industry, he is also the managing director of Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices.

Nath said that they were working on compiling data of the manufacturing capacity and capabilities for ventilators and oxygen supplies.

The WHO said on March 3 that it had shipped half a million sets of protective equipment to 47 countries, but supplies are still falling short. It estimated that manufacturing must increase by 40 per cent to meet global demand. It has set up a fund called The covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

The fund has been organised with the help of the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation. It is seeking financing for protective equipment for medical workers on the frontlines, for

diagnostic laboratories, improving surveillance and data collection, and to establish and maintain intensive care units; strengthen supply chains; accelerate research and development of vaccines and

therapeutics; and take other critical steps to scale up the public health response to the pandemic, according to a note.

This comes even as developed countries too have been overwhelmed by the large numbers needing care simultaneously. Foreign news reports indicate that Italy is already been facing a shortage of ventilators and beds in the intensive care units of its hospitals. Medical professionals now may have to choose who to help and who, as one report put it, leave gasping for air.
Scroll down to read our guide on how to set up your TVG account ahead of the Belmont Stakes. Mandatory Credit: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Read our helpful TVG account setup guide to make sure you know exactly how to get started and set-up your TVG account ahead of this year's highly-anticipated Belmont Stakes race in New York.



Setting up your TVG account is fast and easy. As with most online bookmakers, you will need to provide identification and payment details.

After that, make a first deposit and place your first bet, and should it lose, TVG will give you a free bet of up to $300 to use at your pleasure.

If you wish to learn more about TVG, then be sure to check out our TVG review to learn more about betting on horse racing with this industry leader.

Claim Your $300 Risk-Free Win Bet Go to TVG The $300 Risk Free Bet is only open to new TVG account holders in TVG Participating States, age 21+ and 4NJBets account holders who are residents of New Jersey. Void where prohibited by law. To qualify for the Promotion, sign up for a new TVG account using any of the following promo codes: RISKFREE300 between 4/19/21 and 12/31/21. Full T&C Apply. Visit site

Claim your TVG Promo Code

In NJ? Claim the 4NJBets Promo Code

Jump to:





TVG Account Signup Guide





Visit TVG Complete the signup process Wait for your TVG account to be verified Make your first deposit Place your first wagers Watch live horse racing streaming Live stream horse races in HD with TVG live streaming.



How to Verify a TVG Account



Verifying your new TVG account is simple. All you'll need to do is provide the following information when registering for an account, and youll be ready to wager:

Address

Full legal name

Telephone number

Social Security Number

Email address

Bank account

Every new member must provide accurate billing and residential information in order to get a TVG account.

This information includes your real residential address, full legal name, telephone number (either home or mobile), social security number, and an active email address. If there are any changes to your information, you must report them as soon as possible.

TVG account signup screen. T & Cs apply. (credit: tvg.com)

Now, after your information has been processed, youll get a confirmation email. This states that you now have an official TVG account. Likewise, it confirms that you agree to all terms and conditions. Once this is done, you can start depositing, betting, and using your bonuses.

Since your TVG account can only be used if youre a United States resident, there are several things you need to keep in mind.

Find out more about New York sports betting







Legal Betting Age



In some states, the legal age is 18, while in others its 21. Also, make sure you know your states laws on online betting, since some states forbid any form of gambling, even online. Likewise, some states dont allow online betting.



TVG Eligible States



As of the time of writing, you can leally open a TVG account and wager with TVG should you be located in the following 30 states:

State Restrictions

If you reside in the following states, you wont be able to bet with TVG.

Alabama

Alaska

District of Colombia

Georgia

Hawaii

Kansas

Maine

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska

Nevada

North Carolina

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Wisconsin



Your First TVG Account Deposit



As a US-only racebook, your TVG account can only be funded with United States Dollars (USD). As far as payment methods go, there are several available options:





Credit/Debit cards

TVG Prepaid card

eCheck

PayNearMe

BetCash

PayPal

Wire Transfer

Green Dot MoneyPak

Some of these payment methods have small fees. Others dont have any. For example, using your PayPal account will be charged $5 per deposit. PayNearMe takes $3.99 as a deposit fee. It's worth noting that TVG charges a $5 deposit fee for debit/credit cards.



TVG Prepaid Card



The TVG Prepaid Card is a great option for betting with TVG. First, there are no deposit fees, so this might be your best payment method if you deposit regularly.

Also, both deposit and withdrawal limits can be adjusted to your preference. Likewise, there are also some limits depending on which payment method you choose. In general, the usual wait time for withdrawals is up to 5 business days.



Restricted Banking



Most banks allow online wagering deposits. Some do not, including some major banks. With the below banks, you will not be able to deposit into your TVG account:

Bank of America

Capital One

Wells Fargo

Union Bank

Huntington Bank

Most Prepaid Cards*

*Besides the TVG Prepaid Card, MasterCard offers the Vanilla MasterCard Gift Card which can be used for making a TVG deposit. Note, TVG considers this a debit card and will charge a $5 deposit fee.



Minimum & Maximum Deposits



The minimum deposit is usually $10. This also accounts for the welcome bonus. Wagers can range from $1 to $10,000. Some smaller tracks have lower wagering minimums.

Now, if you use your credit or debit card, your deposit limit starts at $5,000 per month. You can increase this limit to $25,000 a day and $100,000 per month. BetCash option allows you to put $2.000 per deposit and there are no monthly or daily limits.



TVG account conlusion



Signing up for a TVG account is easy. You can bet on horses online in minutes once your TVG account signup is completed and verified.

Claim Your $300 Risk-Free Win Bet Go to TVG The $300 Risk Free Bet is only open to new TVG account holders in TVG Participating States, age 21+ and 4NJBets account holders who are residents of New Jersey. Void where prohibited by law. To qualify for the Promotion, sign up for a new TVG account using any of the following promo codes: RISKFREE300 between 4/19/21 and 12/31/21. Full T&C Apply. Visit site

Note to readers: we may earn a commission from the offers and links on this page.
Chuck Robbins, chief executive officer of Cisco Technologies Inc., speaks during a keynote session at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016.

Zoom has enjoyed plenty of attention for outperforming market indices this year. That's because more people are using its videoconference software to meet with colleagues, clients and classmates as schools and businesses send employees home to duck the COVID-19 coronavirus.

You might not know know it, but legacy enterprise technology company Cisco is also seeing heavy-duty usage of its Zoom competitor, Webex, where Zoom CEO Eric Yuan was once vice president of engineering.

Webex was founded in 1995 and acquired by Cisco in 2007, long before the Zoom initial public offering in 2019. It isn't trendy in Silicon Valley. But users don't care -- they're flocking to it anyway.

"Our MAU, WAU, DAU  right now it is all-time highs," Sri Srinivasan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's collaboration group, told CNBC over a Webex call on Thursday.

He was using the acronyms for monthly, weekly and daily active users, a common barometer for people's engagement with online services. In addition to following those statistics, Cisco also watches a figure it calls engaged user population, or EUP. It shows how much time users spend in meetings compared with that amount one year ago. That's going up, too, said Srinivasan, who spends a majority of his work hours at his home office in the Seattle-area city of Sammamish and doesn't have an office at Cisco's San Jose, California, headquarters.

In February Cisco saw 22 times the amount of network traffic per second it normally gets for Webex service from users in China, Srinivasan said. Traffic also jumped in Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, with three or four times usual levels, he said.

Generally speaking, Cisco hasn't been making lots of noise about its heightened Webex usage. It removed certain limitations from its free Webex offer, which doesn't ask for payment details, given impact from the coronavirus last week. In contrast, Zoom's Yuan told CNBC's Jim Cramer in February that it was seeing record usage almost every day, and on Thursday Yuan shared a screenshot on LinkedIn showing Zoom ranked No. 3 in the top free apps on Apple's App Store, ahead of Netflix, Google's YouTube, and Facebook's Instagram. (On Tuesday, Zoom was the top free app listed on Apple's App Store in the U.S.)

The difference in approach might have something to do with the nature of the companies. Zoom's whole business revolves on virtual calling. Cisco is more diversified, leaning on sales of data center equipment for most of its revenue.

"We don't care about the conversion rate at all," Srinivasan said. Cisco doesn't disclose the financial results for Webex.

Over the years Cisco has enhanced Webex in several ways, including adding automatically generated call transcripts and cutting down on the time it takes to join a meeting, as well as media quality, Srinivasan said. And like Zoom, Webex allows users to show fake backgrounds on video calls instead of their actual working environments.

"Maybe we haven't done a good job of marketing ourselves," he said.

People spent 5.5 billion meeting minutes on Webex in the first 11 business days of this month, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins said on CNBC on Tuesday.

WATCH: Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins on how the private sector can help during the coronavirus crisis
As it is repeatedly said, these are unprecedented times both for society and our industry. In March theatres across the nation went dark and since then lights have been flickering on, then off, across the nation.

Even with the government's support package, many will be scrambling to make ends meet over the coming months, which in turn will have a drastic impact on artists, freelancers, makers, technicians, and anyone working behind-the-scenes on stages across the nation. Here are a selection of ways to help.





1.Donate to charities supporting the industry

There are a raft of charities that have already mobilised to help those, especially freelancers, who don't have any money to support themselves as opportunities and productions shut down across the UK. A few of them are www.actingforothers.co.uk, www.royalvarietycharity.org, www.actorsbenevolentfund.co.uk. The "Shows Must Go On" and the Theatre Artists Fund campaigns has already been making millions for those in need.





2. Buy venue memberships

A small way to give theatres cash injections (and to give yourselves perks and access to tickets for post-lockdown shows ahead of time) is to buy into membership, friend and loyalty schemes available on their websites. A win-win, if you have the means to help out in a financial way.





3. Donate over refund

A lot of venues are asking, if they have the means, for patrons to refund and instead see their ticket cost as a donation to help the theatre continue to function. Considering almost every venue relies on ticket income to survive, the goodwill of audiences is vital to keeping institutions afloat during these trying times.









4. Buy play scripts

Even if you don't have a chance to watch a full production, you can still have play scripts delivered to you  which will allow you to support writers and companies across the UK, as well as our incredible assortment of script publishers. This doesn't just apply to scripts of course, you can also pick up instructional guides, theatre how-tos and general arts-related books.





5. Be patient

If you're a ticket holder, the best thing to do is wait for your venue to contact you regarding your performance. Trust us  the theatre workforce, freelance and salaried, is full of brilliant and ingenious people that will be completely snowed under after the November announcement. But they will be in touch (oh, and be sure to check your spam  a lot of updated ticket details can go there!).





6. Buy merchandise

There are a ton of venue-owned online stores available so you can always find stage-y gifts to purchase. A great way to give someone a pick-me-up during these trying times.





7. Watch shows and performances online, and donate where possible

In this digital age, a show can still go on even if there's no one in the room. Many producers have been cooking up ways to create content to keep performers in work and put shows in front of theatre-lovers. We'll be covering these as and when they come up  with services like stream.theatre or BroadwayHD giving some wonderful creative fixes. There are also always cast recordings!





The West End cast of Leopoldstadt

 Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage





8. Shout about things

Social media is there and is a vital way of linking up artists and opportunities in a time where they're at a scarcity. There are great Facebook groups that provide hourly updates on situations and advice. It's more important than ever to make sure people aren't feeling mentally isolated and worried  reach out to your fellow makers and make sure they're okay  there are a great wad of links here on Exeunt.





9. Subscribe, sign-up and keep an eye-out

At the moment, we don't know when things are going to go back to "normal"  or if venues will be able to reopen in December. But if you follow your favourite venues on social media, sign-up for newsletters or bookmark pages, you can be there to cheer on the industry in what might be its darkest hour. WhatsOnStage's daily newsletter is available here, for example.





10. Look ahead

It may all look uncertain at the moment, but it is only through resilience that the industry will keep itself going. It's never too early to think about finding the light at the end of the tunnel  if you're an audience member then start drawing up a wish list of shows you might want to book for.
While many businesses have seen sales plummet due to coronavirus, one Australian beauty brand has seen an unexpected massive sales spike in recent weeks.

Cangro - which is known for its eyelash and brow growth serums - has seen an 88 per cent rise in sales of their products over the past couple of months - and it's all because of the changing way that people are shopping.

'We have seen an increase in online sales of 88 per cent - so almost double - in the past few weeks, and it's growing daily,' co-founder Felecia Tappenden, from Sydney's Northern Beaches, told FEMAIL.

'It has been our biggest month of sales since we launched nearly three years ago excluding sale periods.'

Cangro - which is known for its eyelash and brow growth serums - has seen an 88 per cent spike in sales of products over the past couple of months (pictured after using the products)

Founders Felecia Tappenden and Belinda Robinson (pictured) said the surge has been due to a change in the way people are shopping and they are shopping more online

Felicia said that she and her co-founder Belinda Robinson had seen 'so many stories' about how coronavirus had negatively affected businesses, that she was 'sure that was going to be us'.

But after several months of closely monitoring their balance books, Felecia and Belinda were shocked to see the opposite - a substantial increase in figures.

'After sifting through the data and feedback from customers, we realised we were actually benefitting from people choosing to stay at home as it has led to an increase in online browsing,' Belinda said.

'Our traffic and website session durations have increased, paired with the feedback from customers and retailers, proves to us that customers are still wanting to make purchases and that they are now using that additional spare time to browse online at home.'

The pair also said the fact that people are increasingly looking to products that are made in Australia has helped (Cangro products pictured in use)

The pair also said the fact that people are increasingly looking to products that are made in Australia has helped.

'We've noticed an increase in customers specifically reaching out to confirm the products' origins as well as where the product is being sent from,' Felecia said.

This confirmed to the businesswomen that people are no longer just concerned about personal interactions, but about the possibility of spreading the virus through products too.

'Customers are still wanting to make purchases and that they are now using that additional spare time to browse online at home,' the founders said (Cangro pictured in use)

Cangro (pictured) isn't the only company to see significant results from online sales, as many have said that direct-to-consumer companies can see growth

Cangro was founded several years ago, after Felecia and Belinda realised that they had had enough of spending money and time on lash extensions and various lash enhancement products.

The pair enlisted the help of a cosmetic chemist to develop their own eyelash enhancer, which helps to nourish, nurture and grow your natural lashes.

These days, the business is so successful that they have added eyebrow enhancer, hair growth serum and collagen to their lineup.

They also boast a host of celebrity fans, and glowing online reviews.

Cangro was founded several years ago, after Felecia and Belinda (pictured) realised that they had had enough of spending money and time on lash extensions and products

Cangro isn't the only company to see significant results from online sales.

The New York Times recently reported that 'there may be a silver lining in all of this for direct-to-consumer companies' - many of which are still noticing growth.

Their expert said that they can see this as a 'real opportunity for leading online brands' to capitalise on.

The COVID-19 crisis has wrought havoc nationwide. Schools have closed, flights grounded and the stock market has plunged almost 30 per cent from its February 20 peak.

More than $660billion has been erased from the ASX amid mounting fears of a recession and critical supply chains with China and other parts of the world interrupted.
Surin beach vendors defy order, face fine

PHUKET: Beach chair and umbrella operators who have returned to Surin Beach will be fined for ignoring the ban on any trade on the sands at Surin, Chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration (OrBorTor) MaAnn Samran has confirmed.

tourism

By Khunanya Wanchanwet

Tuesday 17 March 2020, 05:20PM

The beach chair and umbrella vendors have returned to Surin Beach. Photo: Supplied

Mr MaAnn said he became aware that beach chair and umbrella operators had returned to the beach last week.

"They are not allowed. No trade of any kind is allowed on the beach, Mr MaAnn told The Phuket News today (Mar 16).

Under the beach management policy implemented during the days of the military-run National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), Surin Beach was designated a virgin beach, meaning a vendor-free beach, as it was to be left bare for all people to enjoy, Mr MaAnn repeated.

Of note, Phuket was the only province in the country where a beach management policy was introduced.

Meanwhile, the vendors remain on the beach today, Mr MaAnn confirmed.

We have already told the local villagers and the beach operators. In addition to sending them a warning letters, we have installed four signs on the beach to remind them that no trading is allowed on the beach, Mr MaAnn said today.

"Now we coordinating with the Phuket Beach Management Committee [which regulates all beaches in Phuket] for legal proceedings, Mr MaAnn confirmed.

Mr MaAnn said that he at this stage he did not know how much the fines would be.

However, he said that the beach vendors were in breach of both the Public Health Act, which bans the distribution of goods in public places or ways without express permission from the local authority, and were encroaching on government land.

The local vendors return to Surin Beach follows the Cherng Talay OrBorTor posting a notice on Dec 23 ordering all vendors to vacate the sands at Surin Beach by Jan 12  or face having their business demolished by the OrBorTor and the vendors themselves face legal action.

Not wanting to tempt fate, the beach vendors all vacated their areas immediately, but later filed an appeal with the Phuket Governor for the right to make a living by serving tourists on the beach. (See story here.)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that not allowing MPs from Tamil Nadu to raise the issue of Tamil language in Lok sabha is "unacceptable".

"When you ask a question, you are allowed a supplementary. It's okay for the Speaker to hurt me, I understand he does not want me to speak. I am an MP, I have certain rights, he can take it away. Today entire Tamil people wanted to ask a supplementary about the Tamil language," Gandhi told reporters.

"This is about the people of Tamil Nadu and their language. They have every right to defend their language, to believe in it and to speak it. It's unacceptable. You can't take away the right of Tamil people to ask a question in this House about their language," he added.

The comments of the Congress leader came a day after he expressed discontent with Minister of State (MoS) Finance Anurag Thakur's response in the Lok Sabha on the issue of wilful bank defaulters.

On Monday, Gandhi had urged the Centre to reveal the names of wilful defaulters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
T esco has announced that all its 24-hour stores will reduce their hours from tonight.

The supermarket's 24-hour stores will from Tuesday night open only between 6am and 10pm to give staff more time to restock the shelves, which are being depleted quickly as shoppers stockpile.

Staff in stores were reportedly informed on Tuesday afternoon and it was not immediately clear whether some will see their shift hours cut during the uncertain times.

Details are being updated online with new store opening times, and it is believed some larger 24-hour stores that have pharmacies will remain open beyond 10pm.

Deserted London during Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /64 Deserted London during Coronavirus - In pictures A quiet Millennium Bridge PA A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images An empty Millennium Bridge PA Visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Paul and Jill Ruddock gallery the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A sparsely-filled carriage on an Underground train in west London PA A few people listen to a classical quarter performing in Covent Garden AP A quiet Regents Street PA Commuters walk through a quiet Waterloo Station at 9.00am AFP via Getty Images Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern AFP via Getty Images a near-empty Pret A Manger restaurant on the Strand AFP via Getty Images A member of the public on the tube PA Oxford Circus PA A quiet shop floor in Harrod PA Harrods PA People walk through Chinatown PA A view of Covent Garden PA A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA The Mary Poppins statue outside the closed Odeon Leicester Square PA An empty Kings Cross tube station in London PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn An empty King's Cross tube station PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Paddington Station Jason Collie A couple sit at a restaurant on usually busy street in Clapham, Reuters London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Bicycles remain in there racks outside an empty street near Euston station PA Cambridge Circus PA Leicester Square PA Covent Garden PA A quiet shop floor in Harrods PA A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA An empty cinema theatre in Canary Wharf PA An empty terrace of tables outside a bar in Canary Wharf PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A commuter crosses an empty Waterloo Bridge PA A quiet shop floor in Harrods PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn People wait for a DLR train toward Canary Wharf at Mudchute statio PA A view of Canary Wharf station in London PA A view of Canary Wharf in London PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A near-empty rush-hour train from Tring in Hertfordshire to Euston PA A view of Canary Wharf in London PA Twilight over London Jeremy Selwyn

A Tesco spokesperson said: "We are changing these store hours to ensure we can serve customers better at this time.

"It gives our colleagues the time overnight to restock the store, replenish the shelves and support our online grocery service at a time when demand is high.

The decision comes as the Government announced a business rates holiday for all retailers and the leisure industry.

Earlier on Tuesday, Morrisons revealed a series of packages to protect staff and announce an expansion of its online operations - including 3,500 new jobs.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government is acting like it is wartime / AP

Supermarkets have seen a surge in shoppers stocking up on essentials, and said supply chains are working well. However, there have been reports of abuse aimed at staff.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the British public to avoid all non-essential social contact as well as venues like pubs, restaurants and theatres.

He has also repeatedly urged shoppers to be sensible when buying food.

But at a press conference on Tuesday he was asked again if supplies will last.

He said: "We are absolutely confident our supply chains are working, and will work, and we will get farm to fork food supplies."Therefore people should have no reason to stockpile or panic buy."

London panic buying during the Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures 1 /61 London panic buying during the Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures PA Wire Shoppers descended on supermarkets again AFP via Getty Images Shoppers seen rushing to get toilet rolls as new ones are put on sale in a London Morrisons store Rex Features Shoppers should be sensible when buying food and groceries Lucy Young Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon PA Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Lucy Young Reuters Reuters Reuters People queue outside a Sainsbury's store as the coronavirus outbreak continues Reuters Reuters Reuters Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Queues for hand sanitizer at Boots in Islington Jeremy Selwyn Tesco Brent Cross 9.00 am Jeremy Selwyn Empty shelves of pasta are seen at a supermarket Reuters Brent Cross Shopping centre at 5:30am Jeremy Selwyn SplashNews.com A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products Reuters AFP via Getty Images Shelves have been cleared of the likes of pasta and toilet roll AFP via Getty Images A woman carries a basket filled with toilet rolls AFP via Getty Images Shoppers wait in line for a supermarket to open its doors in London AFP via Getty Images Shoppers are faced with partially empty shelves AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Brent Cross Shopping centre at 5:30am Evening Standard / eyevine AFP via Getty Images A long line of shoppers queue to buy groceries at a supermarket in Chingford, London Cham Karimeddin Shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford Getty Images Empty shelves in the bakery aisles of an Asda store in London PA Shoppers queue at the checkout of a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images A customer leaves with shopping as other customers queue to enter a Costco Wholesalers in Chingford Reuters A long line of shoppers queue to buy groceries at a supermarket in Chingford Ashraf Karim Eddin Shoppers are faced with partially empty shelves at a supermarket in London AFP via Getty Images FILE PHOTO: A man stands next to shelves empty of fresh meat in a supermarket, as the number of worldwide coronavirus cases continues to grow, in London REUTERS

But industry sources recently said: "Shoppers over coronavirus is getting worse despite appeals for calm and supermarket bosses are concerned the government is yet to get to grips with the magnitude of the crisis."

On Sunday, the food industry appealed to shoppers to stop panic buying, placing adverts in national newspapers.

But by Tuesday shelves were stripped bare of items such as pasta, soap meggs and chicken, and freezer shelves were emptied.

Meanwhile, the death toll from coronavirus in the UK has hit 71 while cases reached 1,950.

The NHS said 67 people in England have now died from the virus after 14 more secumbed to the virus as of Tuesday.

Seven of the deaths were in London, which has emerged as the epicentre of the country's outbreak.

A statement from NHS England said: A further 14 people, who tested positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 67.
A leader from Convoy of Hope, a key responder to the area in the wake of Hurricane Michael, will speak at Cypress Creek Community Church in Alford on Sunday, March 22.

Bruce Headley, Convoys executive director of Church Relations, will talk in the 10:30 a.m. service.

Convoy of Hope is a non-profit, faith-based organization that provides food, supplies and humanitarian services to impoverished or otherwise needy populations and also engages in disaster relief work.

On the day that Hurricane Michael made landfall, Oct. 10, 2018, Convoy team members loaded food and other supplies and headed to the Florida Panhandle. The organization would play a long-term role here, and in 2019 it also responded to 46 other domestic disasters, providing more than 11 million pounds of food and serving more than a million people.

Cypress Creek Community Church is located at 1772 Macedonia Road in Alford. Macedonia is roughly two miles down Park Road, which can be accessed directly from U.S. Highway 231.

For more information, call the church pastor, the Rev. Charles Jackson, at 573-0693.
A Northern Ireland app is celebrating a "significant soar" in downloads since it was launched last August.

Gander, which was created to reduce food waste by boosting sales of yellow stickered labels in participating Hendersons outlets including Spar and Vivo stores, has said over 41,000 downloads have taken place in the last four months, placing it in the top 12% of apps nationally.

Its success is translating into store revenue too, with up to 45% more reduced-price food having been sold and therefore not going to waste.

Founder Ashley Osborne said that stores, on average, are selling between 85%-100% of their reduced products shown on Gander, with yellow-stickered items selling 40% quicker since the introduction of Gander.

Mr Osborne said: "The traction and growth of Gander has been amazing. We had expected a decent level of interest, but never envisaged the degree of downloads, especially when only trialled in Northern Ireland initially.

"The level of positive buy-in demonstrated by customers and retailers alike has been phenomenal and testament that Gander's proposition is a great fit for consumers out there."
To all those who will soon be voting in the Uganda elections, best wishes. It seems certain for some there will be jubilation and for almost as many disappointments. It seems like it will be the usual stuff on the menu: violence, deaths, rigging and the usual winner-Museveni. There are differences on a few issues, but it will be mostly the same. The real powers are invisible and already planning for a life after Museveni. Besides, the arrest of Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde shows that the internal fights within the powerful have already started.

I believe that voter turn out could be low despite the enthusiasm of the youths to register and be part of the election. Now, I'm not too sure who you might think be blamed for this, but some people like Andrew Mwenda, have always blamed Dr. Kiiza Besigye for low voter turnout.I know some of you are purposely dense, and some are still suffering from attribution problems. So, read this very slowly so you understand it the first time, because I am done with this after this answer:

Some people, for whatever reason, think that elections cannot remove any Ugandan president from power, they just hate politics, and they base this on our political history since independence. For instance, when Yusuf Lule was removed from power, some people went to court, and it ruled that he had been removed illegally, but nothing changed. Besigye has been to court twice but nothing changed. Amama Mbabazi went to court after the 2016 elections, his lawyers offices were broken into and computers were destroyed, and nothing changed.Other voters are chronic procrastinatorsthey dont make up their mind to vote till the last minute. That does not mean that Besigye is responsible for their decision not to vote or register for elections.

Besigyes votes have been miraculously increasing since 2006 yet people blame him for low voter turnout. My feeling is that his message of elections cannot remove Museveni from power, mainly does the opposite effect-- it energises the people and then they vote him in big numbers, only for the Electoral commission to announce its own results. People see a man during campaigns who deserves to be their president and decide to vote for him to prove him wrong, but he ends up proving them right. For example, in 2011, there was a massive difference of 3,363,406 votes between Museveni and Besigye despite the huge crowds pulled by Besigye. In 2016, that difference was reduced to 2,463,185. Besigye increased his votes by 1,443,724 in 2016, which means Besigyes message isnt putting off voters from voting. It also meant that he was building something that is pulling everyone together.

But then again, you can only trust these statistics for arguments case. For example, with all the crowds we saw at Amaama Mbabazis rallies, he was only given 136,519 votes, which is less than the male population of Kayunga district. It basically means that over 5 million Bakiigas didnt even vote for him, since Bakiiga are about 6 million. Common sense would tell you that the Electoral Commission was under instructions to give him that result, and that the elections werent free and fair.

Basically, theres fraud in every election, and, generally enough to make a difference. So, I cant understand how someone could acknowledge ballot stuffing in the past elections, and then go on to say, I do not think Besigye has ever defeated Museveni in an election. How does one quantify this? The Uganda elections since 1996 have all been about endorsing Museveni for president and pulling as many dirty tricks as he can get away with. Such as: -gerrymandering poll results until they look like a Rorschach inkblot; having votes reaching late in some places, or sometimes stop people from voting; threatening voters who dont support the incumbent; giving little time for the main opposition leader to campaign, for instance, Besigye spent most of the time in prison during the 2006 elections. Our political system is a mess, and it continually elects incompetent people.

Registration ahead of time is a good thing. It allows the verification of voters to be spread out over time. But there have been problems in voter registration since 1996, and this creates confusion among the voters, such that some decide not to vote altogether. Now, I hear that Ndagamuntu wont even be used during voting.

I think anti-Besigye propaganda has already set a new record, with both supporters of Museveni (not all NRMs) and Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, calling him a mole and an ally. Andrew Mwenda has gone to the extent of questioning why Museveni hasnt jailed Besigye permanently, for using the elections as a mobilisation exercise against the government, since Besigye doesnt believe that elections can remove Museveni from power. If we walk back to the 1980 elections, Museveni used those elections as an exercise to rejuvenate and open different FRONASA cells around the country. His former driver, Fred Rwigyema, was his bodyguard, and he was responsible for recruiting other Banyarwanda into the struggle Museveni was organising. I dont think this made Museveni an ally of Obote, did it? During the campaigns, Museveni was also on record threatening to go to the bush, which he did, if Obote rigged the elections, but Obote never charged him with treason. Nobody even charged him with treason after the war, but, instead, Mwenda penned an article dated 15th April 2005accusing Museveni for most of the killings in Luwero.

As shown above, Besigye was increasingly building something for the opposition till the most selfish man appeared on the scene.In my no humble opinion I think Bobi is probably the worst opposition activist in our history and deserves no support from any dignified political party in Uganda. He should be forced to look at the insults and behaviour of his followers towards other opposition leaders. I predicted that he would have the opposition weak and divided before the 2021 elections. I may have missed it by a few months when I was still cuddling him to work with Besigye, but he still did it. I sincerely hope that he loses by a huge margin. Without Besigye or Tumukunde, we do not have any capable candidates remaining in the race who have a chance of winning and looking presidential. Mugisha Muntu seems like a good guy but Im inclined to believe that he isnt meant to be a politician, and I think thats why he is lurking around someone like Bobi.

I for one will be glad when the elections are over. Most PP propagandists assume I am a small child, due to their nursery reasoning. However, I am not offended nor hurt toward by anybody whom I disagree with politically. We can disagree and still be friends.
The San Francisco Bay Areas economy enters a three-week lockdown at midnight in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, with six regional counties directing residents to keep to their homes as much as possible.

As of Monday morning, Bay Area counties were reporting 273 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Six people have died of the respiratory illness in California.

POWERHOUSE

The six counties under the lockdown order accounted for $877 billion of economic output in 2018. Thats about 30% of Californias economy, the biggest in the United States. That makes the collective economy of the six counties bigger than Sweden, and nearly the half the size of all of Italy, whose residents went under a similar lockdown a week ago.

PEOPLE, JOBS

The area has a population of about 6.7 million people, and employs 3.5 million, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. It is unclear how many of those will be considered essential employees, but it is safe to say that the large majority will be required to stay home.

Some public sector jobs, including police and firefighters, as well as healthcare, utilities and sanitation workers, will be allowed to carry on as usual. So will grocery stores and food delivery, including take-out.

THERE ARE SOME BIG COMPANIES HERE

Technology looms large: Apple, Google Inc.-parent Alphabet, Facebook and Intel are the Bay Areas biggest companies by market capitalization. They were among the first to ask employees to work from home.

Less well known: the region has the largest cluster of biotech companies in the country. Healthcare and professional services employ large numbers of people, and tourism is also a key business, says Sean Randolph, senior director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

I just do worry a lot now about what the impacts over the longer term are going to be and all the people out there who are in fact economically vulnerable, he said in a phone interview from his office, where he was collecting physical documents that he may need once he begins working from home on Tuesday.

LAYOFFS ARE STARTING

Ginger Rowe, founder and owner of a casual clothing shop in Los Gatos in the South Bay, told Reuters she is closing shop and laying off her three employees as of Tuesday.

At least they can claim unemployment insurance because thats what they and we pay for. And because, with not having any revenue or sales or anything, I wont be able to continue paying them .... I can have my employees hopefully reinstated after this craziness.

SOME HELP

After the U.S Department of Labor changed its rules last week to allow workers to apply for unemployment benefits even if they are only expected to be temporarily unemployed, California Governor Gavin Newsom opened applications to people whose hours are reduced or jobs eliminated due to the virus. Some cities, including San Francisco, have banned evictions of residents who do not pay rent because of virus-related hardship.

HOMELESSNESS

The Bay Area has 28,000 people who do not have permanent places to live, the third-largest homeless population in the country behind New York City and Los Angeles, according to a report last April from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. The homeless are exempt from the order to remain at home, although cities say they are making efforts to shelter them.

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King Abdullah approves law giving government sweeping powers to combat the spread of the new coronavirus.

Jordans King Abdullah has approved a national defence law that gives the government sweeping powers to enforce a state of emergency to help it combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The royal decree issued on Tuesday allows Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz to impose curfews, close businesses and place restrictions on freedom of movement of the people.

The law, enforced so far during wars and disasters, will be implemented in a way that it will not impede on the civil and political freedoms of Jordanians, and to protect public freedoms and freedom of speech, according to the royal decree.

The health of Jordanians is sacred and comes above anything else, the decree said, as Jordan recorded 40 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Tuesday.

Extraordinary measures

Last week, Jordan announced a lockdown beginning on Wednesday, ordering all citizens to stay in their homes apart from emergencies and banning travel between provinces, to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The government announced the closure of all government institutions except hospitals from Wednesday onward and ordered private firms to close their offices and send employees home.

All shops in malls would be shut apart from those selling food and medicine. Gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned.

On Tuesday, the government banned any travel in and out of the country. It has closed land and sea border crossings with Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel and Palestine and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights.

Army troops have been deployed around the capital Amman and on highways between provinces.

The head of Jordans food and drug administration, Hayel Obeidat, told Al Jazeera he has instructed pharmacies to deliver medications to patients for free to keep people at home and minimise risk of infection.

The state of emergency was imposed in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus in Jordan [Ali Younes/Al Jazeera]

In the past weeks, Jordans health ministry has struggled to impose a quarantine of suspected cases, and its orders were not heeded by some individuals who took to social media to criticise the measures.

On Tuesday, the government also issued a conditional release of detainees and prisoners to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The law was needed

Experts said the government had to resort to the emergency law because Jordanian citizens were not cooperating with the government and were not taking the spread of the coronavirus seriously.

This law is needed because of the spread of the coronavirus in the country and because the public did not really take it seriously as per government orders, said Laith Nasrawin, an associate professor of public law at the University of Jordan.

Ibrahim Aljazy, an associate professor of international law at the University of Jordan, told Al Jazeera that the country needed such a law at the moment of this health crisis.

We are dealing with a special circumstance due to the spread of the pandemic.

But member of parliament Ghazi al-Hawamleh told Al Jazeera he disagreed with the emergency laws, claiming there was no need for it.

Even though Jordanians were slow to react properly to government orders, overall they were coming around, he said.

Follow Ali Younes on Twitter: @ali_reports
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at a COVID-19 coronavirus infection testing facility at Glen Island Park, Friday, March 13, 2020, in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Associated Press

Starting Monday at 8 p.m., all gyms, movie theaters, and casinos in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will close indefinitely.

The measures also limit bars and restaurants to take-out, the states' governors announced Monday morning.

"We have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states, so don't even think of going to a neighboring state because there's going to be a different set of conditions," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Across the tri-state area, virtually all inessential businesses will be shuttered, or significantly reduce their operations beginning Monday at 8 p.m.

The measures were announced by Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, and Ned Lamont of Connecticut on a media call Monday morning.

By Monday evening, gymnasiums, movie theaters, and casinos will close indefinitely.

Bars and restaurants across the three states will be limited to take-out and delivery service.

Additionally, public gatherings cannot exceed 50 people, following a new recommendation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday.

"All non-essential businesses must close," Murphy said, and unnecessary travel is "strongly discouraged."

The novel coronavirus.

BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images

The policy measures amount to an early regional, coordinated response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Throughout the three states, there are at least 1,074 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is caused by the new coronavirus. New York has at least 950, New Jersey 98, and Connecticut 26.

The number of confirmed cases in the three states, and around the country, will surge as testing continues.

"We have agreed to a common set of rules that will pertain in all of our states, so don't even think of going to a neighboring state because there's going to be a different set of conditions," Cuomo told reporters.

Story continues

"When we say these facilities will close at 8 p.m., they will remain closed until further notice," he added.

Lamont, for his part, slammed the US government, who failed to respond swiftly to the surging epidemic, he said. At the time of writing, there are 3,813 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country and 69 deaths.

"The feds are asleep at the switch," he said. As a result, the tri-state governors said they were doing their best to keep residents safe.

"We can't stay this enough, that everyone needs to stay in and be safe," Murphy said.

New York's Cuomo agreed. "This is a do-the-right-thing situation," he said. "Everyone is in the same situation here."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Night Curfew in Maharashtra: Check guidelines, rules; what is allowed, what is not allowed

India reports third coronavirus death after 64-year-old dies in Mumbai

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Mar 17: India reported third coronavirus death on Tuesday, 17 March, after a 64-year-old man, who was tested positive in Maharashtra, passed away at Kasturba Hospital, ANI reported.

The deceased had a travel history to Dubai and was admitted to civic-run Kasturba Hospital, was suffering from other health issues as well.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said,"The patient had hypertension and severe pneumonia. Suddenly, his heart rate went very high before he died," he said.

Pardeshi clarified that it would be incorrect to say that the deceased died solely because of COVID-19 infection.

The deceased was a resident of suburban Ghatkopar and he had a travel history to Dubai. He was first admitted in Hinduja hospital in the city on March 13, before shifted to Kasturba Hospital the next day.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

According to sources, some of the close relatives of the man and staff at the Hinduja hospital had been isolated earlier.

At 38, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The development comes after a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died on Tuesday last, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.

The total number of positive cases in India rose to 125 on Tuesday, including both Indian and foreign nationals, according to Health Ministry. The cases include 22 foreign nationals and two persons who died in Delhi and Karnataka.

Delhi has so far reported seven positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 13 cases including one foreigner.

Karnataka has 8 coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 39 including 3 foreigners. Ladakh has reported four cases while Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported four cases. Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each. Odhisha reported its first case on Monday.

In Haryana all the fourteen infected with the virus are foreigners while Uttarakhand has reported one case. Kerala has recorded 24 cases including two foreign nationals. The number also includes three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

According to the ministry's data, 13 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients. Two persons infected with the virus have died so far.

Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has said no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a health ministry official said over 52 000 people who had come in contact with the 125 positive cases have been identified through contact tracing and were under vigorous 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 states and union territories.

With the positive cases of COVID-19 showing an increase, the government has proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till March 31. "Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18th March 2020," Lav Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the ministry said on Monday.

"No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," he had said. Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till March 31 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently, he had said.
By Trend

Nearly 250 Azerbaijani citizens are brought back from Turkey to Baku, Spokesperson for the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Nurida Allahyarova told Trend on March 17.

In connection with the decision to temporarily suspend flights between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Azerbaijani national air carrier, on behalf of the government, has carried out another Baku-Istanbul-Baku charter flight on March 16 to return Azerbaijani citizens from Turkey, Trend reports.

Reportedly, 237 Azerbaijani citizens returned to their homeland from Istanbul by this plane, which landed in Baku at 22:04 Baku time (GMT +4).

On March 15, 474 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Istanbul to Baku.

In order to quickly respond to possible appeals of our citizens living, studying or temporarily staying in Turkey, a hotline has been created (+90 537 282 67 40) at the Embassy and Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Turkey.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Maharashtra government informed Bombay High Court on Tuesday it has requested the railways to screen passengers for the novel coronavirus as is being done at all domestic and international airports across the state to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Highlights It listed measures taken by the state government to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus PIL sought orders for setting up of the Epidemic Disease Control Board to prevent coronavirus spread Maharashtra has 39 positive cases of coronavirus and reported one death

There has been one death in the state and 39 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus so far in the state. India has 126 cases of the novel coronavirus and 13 patients have recovered, the Centre has said.

The government said it has not received any response as yet.

A note submitted by government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade, filed in response to a public interest litigation, said a high-powered committee of 21 heads of departments led by the chief secretary was monitoring efforts to control the spread of the infection.

Also read: Shirdi trust to close temple from today to contain coronavirus outbreak

It listed measures taken by the state government to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, including the closure of schools, colleges and postponement of university examinations and shuttering of public places like movie theatres, museums, gymnasiums, swimming pools etc.

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission has also stayed its scheduled examinations, it said.

The note said local trains and buses in Mumbai are being cleaned with sodium hydrochloride solution, which is expected to dilute and eradicate the effect of the novel coronavirus.

Also read: Coronavirus update:COVID-19 cases rise to 126 in India, Maharashtra has the highest numbers

The public interest litigation has been filed by a resident of the citys Prabhadevi, Sagar Jondhale, raising concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

Expressing an urgent need to invoke the century-old Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, the 42-year-old has sought orders for setting up of the Epidemic Disease Control Board for better prevention of the spread of dangerous diseases.

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Afterpay has settled with Californian regulators over allegations that it was offering illegal loans in the state.

The buy now pay later juggernaut said it has finalised an agreement with the California Department of Business Oversight (DBO) which requires to to offer its service under a finance lender's licence and pay costs of $1.5 million which was included in its December half year.

This includes the refund of $US905,000 ($1.48 million) in late fees paid by Californian consumers.

In the US, two out of three people aged 18 to 30 actually dont own a credit card anymore and are a prime market for Afterpay. Credit:Bloomberg

"The refunds represent all the fees Afterpay has collected from more than 640,000 Californians in so-called buy now, pay later transactions that the DBO concluded were illegal loans," said the DBO in a statement on its web site.
After dishing out an epic homeground performance at 2019s Pune Weekender, you might expect Pune-based producer Ritviz to take a break, go on vacation - anything except collab with Delhi rap prodigies Seedhe Maut, and dive into a studio with the intent to blend together Hindustani classical, EDM and the sickest lyrics from Delhis increasingly dominating rap game.

Well, thats what the trio did - not just meeting in Delhi and Goa to fill up your future 2020 playlists with upcoming releases, but also collaborating for their first ever music video - Chalo Chalein, Check it out below:

Sweet deal, especially with the dancers. While you can catch an interview with dancehall feature Jahnavi Sheriff here, I went on to pick Ritvizs mind on some very important questions. Heres the gist of it.

First of all, thanks for speaking to us! This is the first time were speaking again since the Weekender, if Im not wrong. Hows things been for you since then?

Its been a very insane roller coaster ride, honestly. Its been so overwhelming that Im still processing it right now, itll still take some time to gather my [thoughts].

The video for Chalo Chalein came out very recently. Can you tell us a bit about the shoot itself? Working with the dancers during the production phase - how did it go for you?

So we shot the music video right at the tip of Colaba. The place was beautiful, and everyone was working together on the set. The shoot began in the morning and my call-time was at around 4 it was an entire day where the entire crew was on it, and when I got there, the energy - I was jumping! You can even see this in the BTS videos, thats how excited I was!

Our old uncle walked in towards the end. That was just magic - the actor can just flip, or switch. Its like he has a switch button and once you hit it, he just transforms into a character. Every single dancer as well was so mind-blowing - watching them do their takes, you know. Its always fun to hang with them.

Overall, it was just one epic day. I wish I had more shoots coming up for me because this was a very memorable one.

While the dancers have their own styles and backgrounds contrasting on screen, theres also the matter of you and Seedhe Maut. You both have your own unique talents and it comes from different places - very literally from Pune and Delhi. What was that collaborative spirit like?

To start off, Ive been a great fan of them right from the beginning, when they launched their first EP. It was a different world, completely - I come from a very different place. Thing is, this is just a teaser, compared to what we have coming up in 2020. Its insane, I remember I had gone to Delhi to meet the boys the idea was just listen to our music, and well see if we connect over something. We didnt think about the whole gaana banana hai thing - we were just hanging out.

Now that turned into two days where we locked ourselves in the studio and knocked out two songs. Later, we went to Goa, and we didnt even go on the beach. It was a great way to explore and work, and eventually it felt like we created a system. Were constantly playing with each others melodies and lyrics, in such a fun environment.

Now, you mentioned that uncle in your music videos. This is the sixth or seventh one to feature in a Ritviz music video - where did the idea come in?

It all started with filmmaker Reema [Sengupta] of CATNIP, who conceptualised the video and together, we came up with the idea of that uncle. It got so free-flowing and we entered different [creative] zones we ended up having him because it just felt right, you know? In a way, we were paying respects to where we started from.

So yeah, were continuing this little tradition!

Can you tell us more about your experience working with Bacardi Sessions?

Its been a great journey - this is what a brand and artist collaboration should look like. My collaboration with Bacardi has been insane with house party sessions and so on its been unbelievable.

The idea of expression, what Im trying to portray in terms of visual and audio - the synergy works well with Bacardis motto. It really pushes the message that things you care about and are really passionate about - you should pursue that. Thats what my music is all about, and the thought process I inculcate. Its beautiful, and we have a lot of stuff in the pipeline.

On your Youtube channel, the Chalo Chalein video has a very interesting top comment from a fan.

'My father passed away on 24th February 2020 after fighting cancer for more than a year and a half.

This song has been playing on repeat. Currently sitting in my car listening to this song on repeat. This song just makes me feel that my father has left his physical body and gone to neel gagan aka heaven. Thank you Ritviz from the bottom of my heart for this song.'

How does it feel to influence a fan so deeply?

When I read this comment, I couldnt process it since it was a very heavy comment and the whole thing was very hard to digest, you know. Its extremely overwhelming but also humbling at the same time.

Just the fact that my music can travel into somebodys psyche I say this, always, but I feel that a song basically takes birth inside a listener. I say this onstage too - its not my song, its your song. When people come to my show and sing along to my music, they sing it like its theirs!

That way, I know that this is that dudes song. It has become his. Im just glad that I have been able to share my music, which was my only goal since I was a little kid. If I sit on a song for too long, I feel weird about it, so my entire goal is just to share whatever I have and experience this entire thing together.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects in 2020?

Sure! First of all, there's the upcoming project with Seedhe Maut - a new album that you can expect to come in a couple of months. My own album, DEV, is also in the process and should come out around then too.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that large businesses will organize transportation of their employees.

"I have had the first meeting with large businesses today. They have large enterprises not only in Kyiv, but also all over Ukraine. They will provide minibuses and buses to transport their employees to work," he said during the Svoboda Slova (Freedom of Speech) program on the ICTV television channel on Monday.
Headquarters of Google in Mountain View in Santa Clara County where a Stay in Place order comes into effect on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Photo: Google) Image Source: PK

New York, March 17 : "Shelter in Place" orders have been clamped on Silicon Valley, the home of tech giants like Google and Facebook, imposing one of the most stringent restrictions in the country on people's movement.

Health authorities in six counties in the centre of global technology innovation issued the orders which are almost like a lockdown on Monday as the threat of Covid-19 loomed across the country.

Sara Cody, the health officer of Santa Clara County where Google is headquartered, said at a news conference that the orders requiring people to stay home and restrict businesses were needed because of "a tipping point here in Santa Clara County with exponential growth of our cases" of coronavirus.

The Silicon Valley area had 258 confirmed cases and at least three deaths as of Sunday.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that a change in behaviour is needed to protect people against the coronavirus.

US President Donald Trump at his news conference ruled out a national lockdown or quarantine "at this point." But he added, acewe may look at certain areas, certain -- certain hotspots." About 6.7 million people will be covered by the orders that come into force on Tuesday and continue till April 7.

Police and sheriffs have been asked to "ensure compliance" with the orders.

Under the orders, employees of all the businesses that are not considered essential will have to work from home, except for those required to maintain them.

Non-essential travel is banned, and those who leave home have to maintain a social distance a" about two metres - from others.

However, walks, jogs and hikes are permitted.

Stores, pharmacies, hardware stores and biotechnology companies will be open.

Breed said that people, who would be allowed to shop for their needs, would find the stores adequately supplied and there was no fear of shortages of essential goods.

Restaurants will be allowed to only have takeout service.

Essential government services will continue to be open and public transportation will operate in the area.

San Mateo County, where Facebook is located, is also under the restrictions.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, March 17 : The Delhi Police on Tuesday urged a court here to dismiss a plea against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for allegedly posting "misleading" tweets during the December 15 Jamia violence, saying that the matter with similar allegations is pending before the Delhi High Court.

In its status report submitted in the court, police said that a writ petition titled 'Lawyers Voice vs Union of India and others' was pending in the High Court and pleaded for the dismissal of an application filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja took the status report on record and listed the matter for further hearing on April 23.

"In view of the submissions made, the status report is not supported by a copy of the writ petition. The same be filed on the next date of hearing," the court ordered.

Sisodia had, on December 15, allegedly shared pictures and videos from Jamia Nagar in which police officers were seen carrying cans and pouring some liquid on DTC buses, which were subsequently set afire.

The complainant-lawyer accused the Aam Aadmi Party leader of "irresponsible and careless approach by spreading false information to incite violence and promote disharmony".

On February 24, the court had rejected a police report that gave a clean chit to Sisodia on the ground that he had only posted his "opinion" and tweets are mere allegations against the police.

The court had then directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to submit a fresh status report on March 17.

The complainant had requested the court to issue directions to the Delhi Police to register an FIR against Sisodia under Sections 153 (wanton provocation with an intent to cause riot), 504 (intent to provoke breach of peace) and 505 (conducting public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

In his court plaint, Srivastava quoted Sisodia's tweet: "BJP is setting fire in Delhi due to the fear of defeat in elections. AAP is against any kind of violence. See by yourself in this video, how fire is being set under the protection of the police." "The tweets are being shared by many users, causing further doubts, confusion and unrest in the minds of people," the petitioner claimed in the complaint.
The uptick in COVID-19 cases has Americans adjusting to a new normal. Over the weekend, a number of states enacted their own social restrictions and more were announced on Monday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked an estimated 5.3 million residents over the age of 65 to isolate themselves at home. Early data show older adults and people with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and lung ailments, are at highest risk for severe cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

Newsom also requested that bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs in California  one of the states hit hardest by the coronavirus  close for the time being, and that restaurants socially distance patrons and reduce their occupancy by half.

Bars and restaurants in several other states, including Ohio, Illinois, Washington and the District of Columbia, have been ordered to close temporarily, while some states such as Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts have moved to takeout-only options for food service businesses. Puerto Rico has implemented a strict 9 p.m. overnight curfew for its residents, and casinos, movie theaters and school districts have closed their doors in many areas around the country.

Appearing on several news programs over the weekend, Anthony Fauci, an immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, emphasized the need for precautions related to the pandemic, telling Chuck Todd on NBCs Meet the Press that Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing. All the while, pictures of crowded bars and restaurants flooded social media on Friday and Saturday in a handful of cities with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Health experts suspect the coronavirus is spread by respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes, which is why the CDC recommends people maintain a distance of about 6 feet from others. Distance can help reduce the introduction of the virus into new communities and slow its spread in areas that are already affected, the agency says.

Social distancing can also protect people at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19 and relieve pressure on the health care system so sick individuals can get the care they need, Anne Schuchat, M.D., principal deputy director of the CDC, told AARP.

You can imagine if 100 people were going to get sick over 100 days you would have a certain kind of pressure on the health care system. But if 100 people get sick all in the same day, its a different kind of pressure, Schuchat explained.

Regions around the world that have experienced a surge in the number of people infected with the coronavirus have instituted lockdowns as a way to curb the number of new cases. Fauci, over the weekend, was hesitant to call for such drastic measures in the U.S. as of now, but said he thinks we should really be overly aggressive and get criticized for overreacting.
PATNA

The Bihar government on Tuesday declared the novel coronavirus COVID-19 an epidemic disease and issued The Bihar Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulation, 2020.

By doing so, Bihar joined Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in declaring COVID-19 as epidemic.

The regulation will give legal powers to government officials to conduct mass screenings of suspected patients, including forcible isolation, sealing of any geographical area and take punitive action against those hiding symptoms of the virus or spreading misinformation.

In Bihar, 311 suspected cases have been reported to date but none has tested positive. There has been no death either even as districts along the Indo-Nepal border have been put on high alert and all schools/colleges closed till March 31. Special screening is being done for passengers coming to Bihar by flight and trains from other states.

The Bihar Epidemic Diseases, COVID 19 Regulation 2020 has been issued by invoking section 2, 3 and 4 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which came into force on Tuesday with the notification issued by the health department.

Principal secretary (health) Sanjay Kumar said the regulation had been brought in with the objectives of providing legal cover to officials, including DMs, in taking appropriate measures to contain the spread of the virus and also encourage social distancing among people to check the virus.

The purpose of the regulation is to provide legal powers to officials to take immediate measures for containing the spread of the outbreak wherever necessary like sealing of malls, cinema halls or other public places or say vehicular traffic in any given area, Kumar said.

Under the provisions of the regulation, all government and private hospitals in the state should have Flu corners for screening of suspected COVID-19 cases and all hospitals will record the travel history of the travel of any person if he/she has travelled to any country or area where COVID-19 has been reported. Those persons having travelled to a country where outbreak of COVID-19 has been reported after February 29, 2020, but have no symptoms of cough, fever, breathing difficulty should quarantine themselves at home.

The regulation has underlined that in case of any report of cases of COVID-19 in any defined geographical area falling in a particular district, the DM of the district concerned is empowered to seal the area, barring entry and exit of population from the containment area, closure of schools, offices and banning of public gatherings and also banning of vehicular movement.

Another highlight of the regulation is empowering the DM to initiate coercive action against any person considered suspected/confirmed of COVID-19 in case the patient refuses to take measures for prevention or treatment like home quarantine/ institutional quarantine/ isolation.

Moreover, surveillance officers, on getting information about suspected cases of COVID-19 and there is belief he/she presence in a premise is hazardous to public health, would be empowered to enter such premises after giving reasonable opportunity to the occupier and also carry tests of the suspected patient.

The regulation has also provisioned that any person/ institution/organisation found spreading misinformation regarding COVID1-9 through print, electronic or social media would be booked.

Significantly, the principal secretary, health maintained the regulation would be valid for one year but could be withdrawn earlier after reviewing the situation in the state.

What it means

Mass screenings of suspected patients

Forcible isolation if needed

Sealing of any geographical area

Punitive action against those hiding symptoms

Punitive action for spreading misinformation.

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The Strand bookstore in New York. Photo: Getty Images

Last Tuesday, Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene hosted a talk with the author Kate Elizabeth Russell. Few signs of anything amiss could be discerned. The event was so well attended that dozens of audience members had to stand in the aisles, and no one seemed particularly concerned about the possibility that deadly germs were lingering on their plastic cups of wine.

By Thursday, Greenlight had decided to cancel all events, but its doors remained open, and customers continued to file into the store, stocking up on books and puzzles to occupy their minds during the lonely days to come. Stories of pandemics were selling well  Ling Mas Severance, Emily St. John Mandels Station Eleven  as were the sorts of thick, ambitious tomes that are more often spoken of than read.

And then came Monday, when the city and state tightened restrictions on bars and restaurants and students stopped going to school. Greenlight sent out an email to its customers noting that the moment has come to do more. Along with most of the citys other indie bookstores, it was shutting its doors to the public.

The sense of doom and gloom that has suddenly descended over the world is, in some ways, not altogether unfamiliar to people in the publishing business. For the last decade, as the internet has encroached on the mental space we once reserved for reading, people who rely on books for a living have wondered how long their jobs will last. But amid the shuttering of chains like Borders, the rise of the indie bookstore has been a bright spot. These stores have thrived and multiplied because they provide what Amazon cant: conversations with authors, story hours for kids, cozy spaces where readers can gather, staff members eager to recommend something to fill the void once youve torn through all of Tana Frenchs mysteries. In an increasingly atomized, online world, they offer a sense of community that augments the value of the books themselves, and that was never clearer than in the days before they closed.

On Friday, at Books Are Magic in Cobble Hill, the co-owner and author Emma Straub sat on a leather couch wearing a hand-drawn pin reminding customers to wash their hands. Nearby, kids and their parents slouched in beanbag chairs, flipping through picture books about dragons and princesses and snow days. The cozy scene stood in stark contrast to the fear and uncertainty of the world outside the store. This is the whole point, said Straub, looking at the families wistfully. By then, she had made the difficult decision to cancel all events. Just two nights earlier, Maira Kalman had given a talk about her new illustrated edition of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. She was so perfect and so funny and warm and talked about art and family and New York City, and it made me feel so happy, Straub said, as though reminiscing about something that happened years ago. In another two days, Books Are Magic would close, but Straub was still oblivious about what was to come. Were gonna be here, even if the rest of our staff is staying home, Straub said. Im gonna need a crowbar to get my husband out of here. As with the rest of the world, the realization that life as we know it was ending came in waves, with each day wiping out the previous days understanding of the crisis.

Mil Mundos, a bilingual bookstore run by a collective in Bushwick, hasnt fully closed yet, but it has reduced its hours and stopped serving food. On Saturday, customers poured into the coral-colored room, buying out the stores supply of Parable of the Sower, the first in a dystopian duology by Octavia Butler. Everyone had that half-guilty look on their face, like, Should I be here? Should I be outside? recalled Maria Herron, one of the stores founders. Peoples anxiety was through the roof, and you could see it in the way they walked, in their shoulders and backs. But we talked about books, about poetry, and the relief and the rejuvenation was so palpable. In the face of the prospect of social isolation, people were just so excited to be social. On Monday, she said that the collective was debating whether to reduce their hours or open their doors for appointments only. Either way, they are planning on ramping up book delivery service on bikes.

A few other bookstores in the city remain open  Barnes & Nobles is reducing its hours and is prepared to close stores promptly along with guidance from local and national officials. The Mysterious Bookshop, a speciality store in the Financial District, was open but empty, according to the manager, Tom Wickersham. Most other stores arent taking any chances. This week, no one will be rummaging through the discount racks beneath the iconic red-and-white signs of the Strand Bookstore on Broadway. It will be one of the only times in nearly a century that the store has gone dark. (It also closed during Sandy and for two weeks after 9/11.) Everyone who works in retail is pretty freaked out about what the long-term implications will be for this, said James Odum, the communications director for the store, but were really focusing on what we can do for now and what the next seven days look like. The Strand has not laid off any employees, but other bookstores, including McNally Jackson, have already taken that step.

Many of the shops are looking for creative solutions to stay open for online business, as well as the communities theyve fostered. Astoria Bookshop, in Queens, is offering books for pickup. The vast majority of our customers live in Astoria, Lexi Beach, the owner, told me, so if theyre well enough to go out for a walk, they can come to the store, knock on the door, well have their book ready for them. Beach was intrigued by an idea shed seen on Twitter from a bookstore in D.C. that was offering customers exclusive occupancy of the store for one-hour time slots. Indie bookstores are constantly stealing each others ideas, she said. Mil Mundo was in the process of figuring out how to conduct its next book club on Google Hangouts  it planned to discuss Ursula K. Le Guins The Dispossessed. Were trying to think about the ways we can still be an inspiring space without the physical space, she said. Theres a silver lining to all of this  that we can reinvent how we talk about storytelling.

Ever dream of having Capitol Hill Books all to yourself? Now you can. Email us to reserve a one hour time slot. info@capitolhillbooks-dc.com pic.twitter.com/orHg1VfAKR  Capitol Hill Books (@chbooksdc) March 16, 2020

On Monday, I spoke to Straub while she was in the midst of her first morning of homeschooling her kids. As predicted, her husband was at the store, and so far, the outlook was positive  they had 50 new orders waiting to be filled. Straub, who has a book of her own coming out in May, is also brainstorming how she can support authors during this strange and difficult time. Were talking about setting up virtual book tours, she said. The internet has always been a thing that we, as a store, have been good at, so I feel like this is the time for us to really use that force for good and try to shine the light on as many writers as we can.

Meanwhile, at Idlewild, a bookstore specializing in travel books and language classes, the owner, David Del Vecchio, has begun experimenting with offering classes on Zoom. So far, he said, it had gone surprisingly well. At first Zoom seemed like a compromise, he wrote in an email, but it works great for a small class. Even though it sucks not to be able to be in a room together, its not that different in some ways. Last week, just before they made the choice to close their doors, a steady trickle of customers bought stacks of books. No one was buying travel guides, he said, but more customers were buying international fiction than usual. People are just trying to maintain a connection to the world, he said, until it opens up again.

Were committed to keeping our readers informed.

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FILE PHOTO: Staff safety helmets are seen at the entrance of the gold mine site, operated by Endeavour Mining Corporation in Hounde,

(Reuters) - Gold producer Endeavour Mining said on Monday an employee at its Hounde mine in Burkina Faso tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday and was placed under quarantine but mining and exploration activities were not disrupted.

The employee experienced mild symptoms hours after arriving at the site from Britain, the company said, and the few people who were in contact with the employee have been identified and placed in quarantine.

Because the employee did not show symptoms on arrival and passed the company's mandatory health screening, Endeavour said it was increasing its preventive measures by introducing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for any employees or contractors arriving in Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso.

"Endeavour has not witnessed any impact to production or operations at any of its mines or exploration activities," the company said in a statement.

Endeavour also said it has enough supplies and equipment, and suppliers have confirmed placed and forecast orders are intact.

The first confirmed case of the coronavirus at a mine site in Africa highlights the challenges mining companies face in managing large numbers of employees working together in often close quarters, as the virus spreads across the continent.

Burkina Faso reported its first two cases of coronavirus on March 9, and had 15 cases of the virus at last count.

Endeavour Mining shares were down 20.3% in early trading as stocks worldwide sank in a broad-based selloff.

(Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar in Bengaluru, Writing by Arundhati Sarkar and Helen Reid, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Barbara Lewis)
On Tuesday morning, the Post group advised of a series of measures to ensure the operation of its services under the best possible sanitary conditions.

Opening hours for Espace Post and Telecom shops will be from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, as of Wednesday 18 March, with some exceptions. To ensure the proper functioning of the network as a whole, some smaller post offices will have to be closed temporarily. Customers will be referred to nearby branches instead. The first post offices affected by the closures will be Belair, Limpertsberg, Esch-Nord and Esch-Lallange, starting on 17 March.

In order to limit unnecessary travel, Post Luxembourg reminds customers that a large part of its services are available online or remotely, such as subscribing to mobile subscriptions, viewing mobile plan consumption, ordering and managing mobile options, subscribing to fixed telephones, internet and TV subscriptions, managing checking accounts and Post bank cards, transferring and recovering parcels and even printing stamps at home.
Less than 40 per cent of Americans trust what Donald Trump says about the coronavirus outbreak and less than half approve of his response, according to a new poll out hours before the president called the disease a "Chinese virus."

A NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday shows 45 per cent of registered voters approve of Mr Trump's handling of the public health crisis, which has closed restaurants, bars, schools, movie theatres and other entities around the country and prompted an ongoing stock market cratering.

Only 37 per cent of registered voters reported having a "A great deal/A good amount" of trust in the information Mr Trump gives about the virus and his administration's response. Until last Monday, the president at least two dozen times downplayed the scope and severity of the outbreak, which he is now acknowledging could throw the American economy into a recession.

"It's bad," he said Monday after referring to worry around the virus as a "hoax" cooked up by Democrats and the news media to sink his presidency.

Within the poll are some signs of trouble for Mr Trump.

For instance, only 33 per cent of college educated white women approve of his virus response. Mr Trump needs to retain many in this voting bloc if he hopes to secure a second term, especially in six or seven swing states that experts predict will decide the election.

On the flip side, there are figures within the poll that likely will give Mr Trump and his campaign aides hope.

His approval rating, despite the uneven response to the outbreak, went up one point from February, to 43 per cent.

As the latest data about voters' feelings of his handling of the crisis came into view, Mr Trump on Monday morning paused his weekend and Monday tone of being more publicly serious about the outbreak. He also returned to his penchant for public feuds with other elected officials.

"Cuomo wants "all states to be treated the same." But all states aren't the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big "hotspot", West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases. Andrew, keep politics out of it...." Mr Trump wrote.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday urged Mr Trump to announce a single national plan that all states would have to follow, saying his state, joined by New Jersey and Connecticut, would follow their own joint plan to fill what he called a dangerous vacuum.

Mr Trump has been accused many times during his term of expressing racist sentiments, and surely will gain after the "Chinese Virus" post.
Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

From Town & Country

St. Patrick's Day festivities around the world may have been canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak, but many revelers are taking their celebrations onlineincluding the royal family.

The Windsors nearly always post on social media to mark major holidays from the UK and beyond, so it's not at all unusual for them to do the same today. What is unusual is the lack of a royal presence at the St. Patrick's Day parade, which is being skipped this yearbut not due to the coronavirus.

Normally on St. Patrick's Day, a member of the royal family (in recent years, the Duchess of Cambridge) greets the Irish Guards at their parade, handing out sprigs of shamrock to officers and guardsmen of the regiment. But this year, with the majority of the regiment deployed overseas, the parade held in their honor won't go on. In their Instagram post, Kate and Prince William acknowledged the circumstances, and took the opportunity to share "more on where the Irish Guards will be working" today, in lieu of attending a parade.

The royal family's main account, which represents Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and several other royals who don't have their own handles, also shared an image of the Irish Guards to commemorate the occasion. "In this photograph, The Queen is seen inspecting the @IrishGuards at Windsor Castle in 2009. Her Majesty is Colonel in Chief of the regiment," the comment explained.

Story continues

And for their part, Prince Charles and Camilla posted a photo of the two of them, taken at the reopening of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. "Wishing you a very happy #StPatricksDay," they wrote.

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As the growing economic impacts of the coronavirus roll through the U.S., some of the nation's largest mortgage lenders are already getting calls from borrowers, concerned they won't be able to make their monthly payments. Both government and independent regulators for the mortgage industry are now working on plans to deter another foreclosure crisis.

While it takes 90 days for a loan to become delinquent officially, the expectation is that there will certainly be a spike.

Currently mortgage delinquencies are near record lows, as lending tightened significantly after the subprime mortgage crisis. Until now, home values and employment were both strong, and home equity is at a record high.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac already have loan forbearance programs in place, often implemented during natural disasters, but the current situation is neither local nor momentary.

"We're on the front end of this. We don't know," said Mark Calabria, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) which currently oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under government conservatorship. "If this goes more past the summer, certainly it's going to call for a different set of responses."

For now, Calabria said borrowers do not need to have been sickened by the virus to qualify, only to show financial hardship.

"You could be working somewhere, you've lost your job, that is a hardship that we will count. You can just be adversely impacted economically," said Calabria.

In Italy, mortgage payments are being suspended temporarily, but so far the Trump administration has made no mention of that in the U.S. Some members of congress have called for a suspension on both foreclosures and evictions from rental homes.

"Ultimately whether there is a broad-based suspension of mortgage payments, the White House or Congress would have to lead on that. I think that they're moving on these issues," he added.

Calabria said so far they have had no applications for forbearance, but large lenders are hearing from borrowers and waiting for more guidance from FHFA.

"Wells Fargo is working on a daily basis to ensure we are putting measures in place to support the needs of our customers impacted by COVID-19 in the most effective ways," said Tom Goyda, a spokesperson for Wells Fargo.

"We are currently providing assistance including fee waivers, payment deferrals, and other expanded assistance for credit card, auto, mortgage, small business and personal lending customers who contact us, and we will continue to communicate with customers as the situation evolves," he said.

There is also concern over delinquencies hitting the FHA, the government's mortgage insurer. FHA backs low down payment loans for borrowers who may have lower credit scores. These borrowers would likely be more sensitive to any disruption of income. The vast majority of FHA lenders are now nonbanks and don't have the same liquidity. If they offer forbearance to borrowers, their investors still need to be paid and it's questionable whether nonbank lenders can handle that.

A recent report from the Financial Services Oversight Council warned, "Most non-banks rely heavily on short-term funding sources and generally have relatively limited resources to avoid financial shocks."

In an interview about non-bank lending on CNBC last month, Ted Tozer, former president and CEO of Ginnie Mae, which guarantees FHA and VA loans, explained the issue.

"The big challenge they have is they do not have access to the liquidity the banks have--Deposits, CDs. They have to rely on short-term bank lines of credit which could be pulled back in the time of a recession when they need that liquidity to stay afloat," said Tozer.

The Treasury already announced a mortgage stimulus, pumping $200 billion into mortgage-backed bonds, in order to stabilize mortgage rates, but so far there is no new plan for current borrowers. Calabria said he expects to announce more later this week.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In 2016, scientists at MIT and elsewhere observed the first signs of healing in the Antarctic ozone layer. This environmental milestone was the result of decades of concerted effort by nearly every country in the world, which collectively signed on to the Montreal Protocol. These countries pledged to protect the ozone layer by phasing out production of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, which are also potent greenhouse gases.

While the ozone layer is on a recovery path, scientists have found unexpectedly high emissions of CFC-11 and CFC-12, raising the possibility of production of the banned chemicals that could be in violation of the landmark global treaty. Emissions of CFC-11 even showed an uptick around 2013, which has been traced mainly to a source in eastern China. New data suggest that China has now tamped down on illegal production of the chemical, but emissions of CFC-11 and 12 emission are still larger than expected.

Now MIT researchers have found that much of the current emission of these gases likely stems from large CFC "banks"old equipment such as building insulation foam, refrigerators and cooling systems, and foam insulation, that was manufactured before the global phaseout of CFCs and is still leaking the gases into the atmosphere. Based on earlier analyses, scientists concluded that CFC banks would be too small to contribute very much to ozone depletion, and so policymakers allowed the banks to remain.

It turns out there are oversized banks of both CFC-11 and CFC-12. The banks slowly leak these chemicals at concentrations that, if left unchecked, would delay the recovery of the ozone hole by six years and add the equivalent of 9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmospherean amount that is similar to the current European Union pledge under the UN Paris Agreement to reduce climate change.

"Wherever these CFC banks reside, we should consider recovering and destroying them as responsibly as we can," says Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at MIT, who is a co-author of the study. "Some banks are easier to destroy than others. For instance, before you tear a building down, you can take careful measures to recover the insulation foam and bury it in a landfill, helping the ozone layer recover faster and perhaps taking off a chunk of global warming as a gift to the planet."

The team also identified an unexpected and sizable source of another ozone-depleting chemical, CFC-113. This chemical was traditionally used as a cleaning solvent, and its production was banned, except for in one particular use, as a feedstock for the manufacturing of other chemical substances. It was thought that chemical plants would use the CFC-113 without allowing much leakage, and so the chemical's use as a feedstock was allowed to continue.

However, the researchers found that CFC-113 is being emitted into the atmosphere, at a rate of 7 billion grams per yearnearly as large as the spike in CFC-11, which amounted to about 10 billion grams per year.

"A few years ago, the world got very upset over 10 gigagrams of CFC-11 that wasn't supposed to be there, and now we're seeing 7 gigagrams of CFC-113 that wasn't supposed to be there," says lead author of the study and MIT graduate student Megan Lickley. "The two gases are similar in terms of their ozone depletion and global warming potential. So this is a significant issue."

The study appears in Nature Communications. Co-authors with Lickley and Solomon are Sarah Fletcher, and Kane Stone of MIT, along with Guus Velders of Utrecht University, John Daniel and Stephen Montzka of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Matthew Rigby of the University of Bristol, and Lambert Kuijpers of A/gent Ltd. Consultancy, in the Netherlands.

From top to bottom

The new results are based on an analysis the team developed that combines two common methods for estimating the size of CFC banks around the world.

The first method is a top-down approach, which looks at CFCs produced around the world, based on country-by-country reporting, and then compares these numbers to actual concentrations of the gasses and how long they persist in the atmosphere. After accounting for atmospheric destruction, the difference between a chemical's production and its atmospheric concentrations gives scientists an estimate of the size of CFC banks around the world.

Based on recent international assessments that use this top-down approach, there should be no CFC banks left in the world.

"But those values are subject to large uncertainties: Small differences in production values or lifetimes or concentrations can lead to large differences in the bank size," Lickley notes.

The second method is a bottom-up approach, which uses industry-reported values of CFC production and sales in a variety of applications such as refrigeration or foams, and estimates of how quickly each equipment type is depleting over time.

The team combined the best of both methods in a Bayesian probabilistic modela hybrid approach that calculates the global size of CFC banks based on both atmospheric data, and country and industry-level reporting of CFC production and sales in various uses.

"We also allow there to be some uncertainties, because there could be reporting errors from different countries, which wouldn't be surprising at all," Solomon says. "So it's a much better quantification of the size of the bank."

Chasing a lost opportunity

The CFC banks, and the sheer quantity of old equipment storing these chemicals around the world, seem to be larger than any previous estimates. The team found the amount of CFC 11 and 12 stored up in banks is about 2.1 million metric tonsan amount that would delay ozone recovery by six years if released to the atmosphere. This CFC bank is also equivalent to about 9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in terms of its effect on climate change.

Interestingly, the amount of both CFC-11 and CFC-12 that is being emitted from these banks is enough to account for the recently observed emissions in both gases.

"It really looks like, other than the extra amount being produced in China that seems to have stopped now, the rest of what we're seeing is no mystery: It's just what's coming out of the banks. That's good news," Solomon says. "It means there doesn't seem to be any further cheating going on. If there is, it's very small. And we wanted to know, if you were to recover and destroy these building foams, and replace old cooling systems and such, in a more responsible way, what more could that do for climate change?"

To answer that, the team explored several theoretical policy scenarios and their potential effect on the emissions produced by CFC banks.

An "opportunity lost" scenario considers what would have happened if all banks were destroyed back in 2000the year that many developed countries agreed to phase out CFC production. If this scenario had played out, the measure would have saved the equivalent of 25 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide between 2000 and 2020, and there would be no CFC emissions lingering now from these banks.

A second scenario predicts CFC emissions in the atmosphere if all banks are recovered and destroyed in 2020. This scenario would save the equivalent of 9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere. If these banks were destroyed today, it would also help the ozone layer recover six years faster.

"We lost an opportunity in 2000, which is really sad," Solomon says. "So let's not miss it again."

Explore further Emissions of banned ozone-eating chemical somehow are rising

More information: Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate, Nature Communications (2020). nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15162-7 Journal information: Nature Communications Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15162-7
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Eradicating-Polio-When-Two-Jewish-Researchers-Changed-the-World.html

Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin invented vaccines against polio.

Panic gripped the country as the virus spread. Schools closed and cities were quarantined. It wasnt anxiety over Covid 19, but another scourge that haunted patients a generation ago: polio.

Before the mid-1950s, polio cases surged in the United States and around the world each summer. Up to 50,000 Americans became infected each year; in 1952, 3,000 people died from polio in the United States alone. The disease (officially called paralytic poliomyelitis) caused an infection in the central nervous system, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis. Children were particularly at risk: thousands were left with severe impairment each year and the disease killed between 2-10% of people who contracted it.

A September 7, 1937 article from the Milwaukee Sentinel illustrates the panic many parents felt as they tried to keep their children safe: An edict barring children under 7 from school and other public gathering places was promulgated yesterday the article announced, noting the possibility of postponing the opening of all grades should the situation become more alarming A local public health authority advised parents to keep young children in their own backyards, alone, and advised them not to attend parties, picnics, and beaches.

As families across the US and the globe clamored for research into this deadly disease, two young Jewish doctors made a series of startling breakthroughs, eventually finding cures for polio. Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin saved many thousands of lives and protected unknown numbers of children from paralysis and other health complications. The polio vaccines they developed changed society, lifting the dread of polio that our parents and grandparents lived under.

Albert Sabins Early Research

Albert Sabin was born in 1906 in Bialystok, Poland. Like many Jews, the Sabins faced intense anti-Semitism; the threat of violence was never far away. In 1921, when Albert was fifteen, his parents, Tillie and Jacob, saved up enough money to move their family to Paterson, New Jersey, where they had relatives. Albert knew no English, so his cousins tutored him when the family arrived. A brilliant student, after six weeks Albert knew the language well enough to enroll in high school in Paterson, where he excelled.

One of Alberts uncles was a dentist and he promised to pay for Alberts college if he became a dentist too. Albert enrolled in New York University, one of the few universities which didnt have Jewish quotas at the time. He loved medicine and science, but realized that dentistry was not for him. Instead, he managed to take on extra jobs and obtain enough scholarships to finance medical school on his own, where he embraced medical research and virology.

He graduated from medical school at New York University in 1931; that year a major polio outbreak panicked the city. Sabin decided to devote himself to research on polio. He trained as a pathologist and studied in London and New York before eventually moving to Cincinnati in 1939 where he worked at the University of Cincinnatis Childrens Hospital Research Foundation, investigating viruses.

When World War II broke out, Dr. Sabin became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Corps, where he studied viruses affecting American troops around the world, producing some startling breakthroughs. One of his earliest subjects was on sandfly fever which was sickening American troops in North Africa: Dr. Sabin showed that the disease was being spread by mosquitoes and that mosquito repellant could help minimize the disease.

Dr. Sabin also conducted vital wartime research on dengue fever, toxoplasmosis and encephalitis, all of which were bedeviling American troops. A vaccine he helped develop against encephalitis was given to about 70,000 American troops who were preparing for a possible invasion of Japan.

Dr. Jonas Salk

Jonas Salk was born in 1914 in the Bronx, New York. The Jonas family was a poor Jewish family with four children. Jonas father, Daniel Salk, worked in the garment industry; his mother Doris always encouraged Jonas to do something extraordinary with his life.

# "Dr. Salk is a member of the Jewish race but has, I believe, a very great capacity to get on with people.

From an early age, Jonas realized he wanted to change the world by performing medical research. He attended City College New York then, like Sabin, went to New York Universitys medical school. No matter how brilliant his mind, Jonas Jewishness was a barrier to his success in the medical field in the 1930s. When he applied for a fellowship performing medical research, he asked his mentor, Dr. Thomas Francis, a famous researcher of infectious disease, for a reference. Dr. Francis concluded his recommendation of Dr. Salk by addressing the anti-Semitism that was rampant at the time: Dr. Salk is a member of the Jewish race but has, I believe, a very great capacity to get on with people.

The Salk family

Together with Dr. Francis, Dr. Salk did groundbreaking work that eventually led to a flu vaccine. Their research was hailed as a patriotic and vital addition to the war effort during World War II. Dr. Salk later joined the University of Pittsburgh and became head of virus research there. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he - like researchers around the world - turned his attention to one of the most pressing public health crises of the day: polio.

Race to a Polio Vaccine

Albert Sabin made a startling discovery: polio was caused by a virus that lived and thrived in the small intestines of infected people. He and other researchers realized that a vaccine might be able to prevent the virus from ever entering the bloodstream, preventing it from colonizing and spreading within patients intestines.

Some polio vaccines had been tried, but theyd tragically resulted in death and the infection and paralysis of people who tried them. As the 1950s began, incidents of polio increased and the public clamored for more research and for treatment for this terrible disease. The race was on to develop an effective polio vaccine.

Jonas Salk was part of a prestigious team surveying all polio cases in America. It soon became clear to him that any effective vaccine would have to contain strains from three distinct polio variations. Though he was one of the youngest researchers laboring on the polio vaccine, Dr. Salk was undeterred. His self-confidence sometimes alienated others, but he was confident that he and his research team were on the right track. Salk drew on recent research about growing vaccines in animal tissues under laboratory conditions, and cultivated polio virus cells in monkey kidney cells. He then killed these virus cells using formaldehyde. Dr. Salks goal was to develop a vaccine using these dead polio cells.

This clashed with much conventional wisdom at the time that a vaccine using live polio cells would be superior. This was the path that Albert Sabin was taking, growing a live-cell vaccine. His vaccine had the advantage of using manipulated polio cells: since these were not the same cells that caused diseases in humans, it was thought that Sabins live virus vaccine would be safer. It also had the advantage of being able to be administered orally, instead of through an injection as the dead virus vaccines had to be. Salk and Sabins professional rivalry devolved into a personal rivalry as well, with each feeling their own potential vaccine was superior and disparaging that of their rivals.

In 1954, with the stakes mounting, Jonas Salk took a dramatic step. His dead cell vaccine had been tested in animals, but officials were reluctant to test it in humans. Dr. Salk injected his vaccine into himself - as well as into his wife and children. They were the first humans to be vaccinated against polio using Salks invention. When no ill effects occurred, the world clamored for his vaccine.

In 1954, the polio charity March of Dimes arranged a large-scale trial for children ages six to nine. Over a million children took part. Parents raced to push their children into line to be considered. The trial was given major media coverage, which alienated many scientists and doctors from Dr. Salk, whom they saw as attention-seeking. Still, the possibility of finding a vaccine for polio electrified the nation. Half of the children taking part in the trial received Salks vaccine and one half received placebos. At the end of the trial, it was announced that Dr. Salks vaccine was successful: hed found a way to prevent polio.

Dr. Thomas Francis, whod overseen Salks trials, called a major press conference at the University of Michigan on April 12, 1955. Over 50,000 doctors watched the broadcast in specially arranged theatre screenings. Millions of people tuned in to hear the conference on the radio. Dr. Salks polio vaccine had been found to be safe and effective it was announced. Throughout the country, people burst into celebration. Church bells rang. People embraced and burst into tears. Drug companies started production on hundreds of millions of doses of Salks vaccine.

Continuing Polio Research

Although Dr. Salks vaccine was widely embraced, Dr. Sabin continued to do research on his live vaccine. He conducted major trials outside of the United States, so that people whod already received Dr. Salks vaccine wouldnt be included and cloud the results. Many of Dr. Sabins trials took place in eastern Europe and other Communist countries, where it was found that his vaccine was also effective in preventing polio.

Jonas Salk with his family

Dr. Sabins had several advantages over Dr. Salks. Salks vaccine had to be injected and also required periodic booster shots. Sabins vaccine could be taken orally and never needed any follow-up doses. In addition, Dr. Sabins live vaccine seemed to be catching, much as a regular virus might, and provided protection even for people whod never received a vaccination. By the mid-1960s, Dr. Sabins vaccine became the preferred vaccine used in the United States.

Further Endeavors

After abolishing polio, the lives of Salk and Sabin diverged enormously. Jonas Salk moved to California and seemed to drift both personally and professionally. Though he did conduct some research on AIDS in the 1980s, he never again neared the success hed achieved in his work on the polio vaccine. One of his greatest post-vaccine projects was establishing the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences in San Diego, which brought scientists and leading contributors to other fields together to work towards goals that could benefit the human race.

Albert Sabin later conducted research into cancer. He became president of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel in 1970, though he had to step down two years later because of ill health. Albert Sabin died in 1993 at the age of 86. Jonas Salk passed away in 1995 at the age of 80. When they died, polio was a disease of the past, relegated to history books thanks to their tireless research and brilliance.

A Legacy of Service

Neither Jonas Salk nor Albert Sabin ever patented their vaccines, even though doing so could have made them unimaginably wealthy. On April 12, 1955, Dr. Salk appeared on television and journalist Edward R. Murrow asked him who owned the patent to the polio vaccine hed invented. Salk answered, Well, the people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun? By not profiting from their vaccines, both Dr. Salk and Dr. Sabin helped ensure that the vaccines would remain inexpensive and widely available.

The generosity and ingenuity of these two doctors inspired a generation of Americans. In 1983, Dr. Sabin was diagnosed with ascending paralysis: ironically, this man whod done so much to save others from paralysis suffered from two years of paralysis himself. After he was diagnosed, the Chicago Tribune wrote about his plight and printed his home address, suggesting that the public write him get-well cards and thank him for all his work.

Over 100,000 people wrote to Dr. Sabin. Local school children volunteered to help him count the letters and reply to them. Dr. Sabins wife explained, When I read them to him, I cry All the people thanking him when I read those letters to him, I can hardly continue. Dr. Sabin told the newspaper. I cant even tell you the feeling it gives me. It makes me feel that what I did was somehow worthwhile. You always have a feeling of doubting whether what you have done with your life is truly worthwhile People forget. But these lettersas long as I live, these letters will give me a feeling of warmth.

These two pioneering researchers changed the world and deserve to be remembered.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders take part in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate at CNN Studios in Washington on Sunday. (AFP via Getty Images)

Joe Biden committed to halting deportations of nearly all immigrants in the country illegally. The former vice president said Sunday at the Democratic debate that he would place a moratorium on deportations in the first 100 days of his administration and then would only look to deport people convicted of felonies.

"Its about uniting families," he said. "Its about making sure we can both be a nation of immigrants as well as a nation that is decent."

Biden has faced criticism over the 3 million people deported during the Obama administration.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had previously agreed to put a stop to deportations "until a thorough audit of current and past practices and policies is complete," his website states.

"They're an important part of our agricultural economy, our construction economy. These are good people and yet theyre living in terror," Sanders said. "And weve got to end that terror and end the ICE raids and move toward a path toward citizenship," he added, referencing the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The two Democratic presidential candidates also agreed that they would ensure people who are in the country illegally feel comfortable going to the doctor if they are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus.

Biden said anyone who goes to the doctor for coronavirus symptoms should not be reported.

There are certain things you cannot report an undocumented alien for  an undocumented person for," Biden said, correcting himself. And that would be one of them. We want that. Its in the interest of everyone.

Sanders noted that his "Medicare for all" plan was criticized for including medical coverage for immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

Right now we have the absurd situation where undocumented people who try to do the right thing  theyre sick, they want to go to the doctor, they dont want to spread this disease  are now standing, thinking about whether ICE is going to deport them, he said. One of the things that we have to do is make sure that everybody feels comfortable getting the healthcare that they need. That should be a general principle above and beyond the coronavirus.
NEW HAVEN  The Archdiocese of Hartford announced Tuesday that funeral Masses will not be held for the time being due to concerns about the coronavirus.

The announcement came as part of a series of instructions and recommendations to parishes across Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties, offered after the archdiocese on Monday canceled all weekday and weekend Masses for weeks.

While funeral Masses are suspended, priests will be permitted to celebrate the Rite of Committal with Final Commendation at graveside for small groups of family and friends, provided the assemblage doesnt exceed limits established by authorities, officials said.

The archdiocese also advised pastors to make a prudent judgement about opening a church for private visits by parishoners on limited occasions, as the faithful should not be totally deprived of the opportunity to visit a church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament or to venerate a sacred image of our Lady or the saints.

Priests will continue to offer a daily Mass, without an audience, at the main alter of their respective churches, the archdiocese said.

Weddings and baptisms can continue, but with accomodations, according to the archdiocese. No Mass should be said at weddings, they advised, and the number of people participating in a baptism should be as limited as possible.

The archdiocese also suggested restricting pastoral visits during the effort to hinder a coronavirus outbreak.

In light of the dangers posed by the pandemic, any pastoral visits to the homebound by priests, deacons, or Extrodinary Ministers of Holy Communion should be carried out with great caution and social distancing, and only if pastorally necessary in the judgment of the pastor, officials said.

The Diocese of Bridgeport also is suspending funeral Masses and permitting priests to celebrate the Rite of Committal with Final Commendation at graveside, Director of Communications Brian Wallace said Tuesday. He noted the diocese is updating its policies based on the latest information.

The practice is very similar to what happens on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. A funeral rite will be performed without celebration of the Eucharist. Mourners should be limited to immediate family and close friends only, and their number should be less than 50 people, Wallace said in a statement. The Bishop has also suggested to pastors that at a later date, a public memorial Mass could be celebrated for the repose of the soul of the deceased and the consolation of the family.

Bishop Michael Cote canceled the public celebration of Mass in the Diocese of Norwich Tuesday until further notice is given.

This decision was made in light of the recommendations of healthcare professionals and Governor Ned Lamonts executive order requiring the closure of all restaurants, bars, gyms, and movie theaters and the prohibition of civic, social, and recreational gatherings of 50 or more people, including religious, spiritual, or worship gatherings of such size, officials with the Norwich diocese said in a release.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
Goldman Sachs slashed its oil forecast on Tuesday as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to pressure demand.

"Demand losses across the complex are now unprecedented," Goldman's global head of commodities research Jeffrey Currie wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. The firm said that oil use has fallen by eight million barrels per day as the coronavirus has led to a near standstill in travel, among other things.

Goldman now sees U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude and international benchmark Brent crude both averaging $20 per barrel in the second quarter. Earlier on Tuesday the firm said WTI would average $22, before revising the forecast to $20 just a few hours later.

Goldman has cut estimates multiple times in the last few weeks. The firm previously lowered its target for WTI to $29 and Brent to $30 after the breakdown in OPEC talks earlier in March.

WTI settled at $28.70 on Monday, so the new target implies an additional 30% downside ahead. This would be on top of WTI's 53% drop this year. Goldman's Brent target is 33% below the contract's Monday settle of $30.05.

The drop in demand comes as powerhouse producers Saudi Arabia and Russia get set to ramp up production beginning April 1, which is when the OPEC+ production cuts currently in place expire.

The firm said that the sudden drop-off in demand, which began in January when the virus started hitting Chinese fuel demand, aided the price war that's broken out between OPEC and its allies, which includes Russia.

"While it is tempting to view the COVID-19 oil demand shock and the oil 'price war' as separate events, we like to emphasize that OPEC+ pursuing a market share strategy is simply a second-order effect of the virus made possible by extremely weak demand, pushing the market far down the global supply curve," Currie said.

Goldman said that the virus will likely lead to far worse outcomes than previously thought  even below estimates from just a month ago  for both the commodities and equity market from just last month.

On Sunday, Jan Hatzius, Goldman's chief economist, lowered his first-quarter GDP growth forecast to zero from 0.7%. The economist also sees a 5% contraction in the second quarter, followed by a sharp snapback for the remainder of the year.

But unlike equities, which the firm believes will swiftly rebound, oil will likely stay lower for longer.

"While financial markets are forward-looking and are likely to rebound once the contagion stabilizes, commodity markets are spot assets and must clear the surpluses developing today from weak demand and rising supply," Currie said.

Longer term, however, Goldman believes lower prices will lead to a beneficial re-balancing of the market.

"The industry is likely to emerge in a much more healthy position with many of the zombie companies that were a dead weight on returns removed," the firm said.

- CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed reporting.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 00:07:02

GetSwift Adds Former Governor and Presidential Candidate Howard Dean and General (Ret.) Mark Bowman as Advisors

Media enquiries:

James Richardson, Public Affairs Advisor

james.richardson@dentons.com +1 202-408-9160



Investor enquiries:

investors@getswift.co



Company Secretary:

julian.rockett@boardroomlimited.com.au +61 2 8016 2841

GetSwift Limited (ASX: GSW) (GetSwift or the Company), a leading provider of SaaS logistics technology, announced the formation of a new advisory board and the appointment of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and General (Ret.) Mark Bowman as co-chairs.

The new advisory board, which will proactively assist management in identifying and cultivating new public and private sector business verticals, comes as the Company secured a significant equity facility totaling up to US$45 million from a private alternative investment group based in the United States.

We are incredibly fortunate to have found such impressive leaders to share their global experience and can-do approach with our team, said CEO Bane Hunter. Governor Dean is known far and wide as a thought leader, coalition builder, and problem solver at the highest levels of government and business. General Bowman built his career leading Army initiatives in digital transformation all the way to the staff of the Joint Chiefs. We look forward to their ideas and vision as we help our customers grow their business with superior delivery management and digital logistics systems.

Governor Dean is a distinguished former governor and presidential candidate who is known for his bipartisan democracy-building initiatives around the globe. General Bowman is a decorated Army general with a career focused on digital technology advancements in the command, control, communications and computers arenas, including the emergence of cyber as a growing element of the global economy and global security.

Governor Dean is a former Democratic National Committee Chairman, presidential candidate, six-term governor and physician, and currently works as an independent consultant focusing on policy, health care, early childhood development, alternative energy, and the expansion of grassroots politics around the world. He is a frequent on-air commentator with CNN and MSNBC and is a strategic consultant for the global law firm Dentons, whose footprint spans six continents. Governor Dean is also the founder of Democracy for America and a board member of the National Democratic Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit institution supporting democracy in nations around the globe.

GetSwift is tackling one of the universal needs for organizations of all sizes around the globe: tracking the delivery of goods and services, and communicating vital information to those in need, said Governor Dean. Im excited to join with General Bowman in advising Bane and his leadership team as they continue to guide GetSwift along this exciting journey.

Governor Dean has extensive experience in Southeastern Europe, including in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Balkans, and brings to bear an extensive knowledge of Iraqi and Iranian affairs and has spent time in China and Myanmar. He has been active in combatting human trafficking in Asia and in the United States. He lectures frequently in Europe and is currently teaching a course on the Politics of American Foreign Policy at the Jackson Institute at Yale University.

Respected on both sides of the political aisle, Governor Dean was chairman of the National Governors' Association, the Democratic Governors' Association, and the New England Governors' Conference while he served as Governor of Vermont. He left office in Vermont to run for president in 2003 where he implemented innovative fundraising strategies, including use of the Internet. Governor Dean graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in political science in 1971 and received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978.

Using extraordinary leadership and team-building skills, Lieutenant General Bowman refused to just manage the status quo. Instead, he pioneered the introduction of new technologies and drove positive change throughout his nearly 38-year Army career, culminating with significant positions including CIO/J6, US Central Command, Director of Architecture Networks Operations and Space, Department of the Army, and finally as CIO/J6, Joint Chiefs of Staff. In these positions, he was the driving force behind the moves to Thin/Zero Client, Enterprise Email, Reliable Secure Mobile VoIP Phones, Push-to-Talk Satellite Phones, Effective End-Point Management, and many other efforts. Bowmans efforts saved millions and increased security while providing better service and increased capabilities to the user.

The convergence of logistics and enabling software brings both challenges and opportunities for governments and businesses around the globe, said General Bowman. I look forward to bringing my personal perspectives and experience to GetSwift as well as my support for the executive team at this exciting time.

Since retiring from the Army, General Bowman serves on several boards and as a consultant. On the boards, he helps companies develop, meet, and exceed their goals. General Bowman also serves for the US Army as a Highly Qualified Expert  Senior Mentor (HQE-SM) focused on Communications and Cyber. Finally, he is an accomplished speaker who presents frequently on the subjects of Leadership, IT Innovation, IT Security, and Cyber.

General Bowman has a Bachelors Degree in History from Norwich University, VT, where he received his commission. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University, PA.

This announcement was approved, and authorised for release by, the GetSwift Board of Directors.

About GetSwift Limited

Technology to Optimise Global Delivery Logistics

GetSwift is a worldwide leader in delivery management automation. From enterprise to hyper-local, businesses across dozens of industries around the globe depend on our SaaS platform to bring visibility, accountability, efficiency and savings to their supply chain and Last Mile" operations. GetSwift is headquartered in New York City and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:GSW). For further background, please visit GetSwift.co.

GetSwift is an emerging growth company and is subject to a variety of risks. The Company is not yet profitable, and there can be no assurance that it will achieve profitability. The Company's business and a variety of investment considerations are discussed in more detail in the Company's filings with the Australia Securities Exchange (ASX). Investors are encouraged to review the more complete information contained in such filings.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005
Xi's push for joint international efforts a testament to vision of shared future"

The Yellow Crane Tower, a famous Wuhan landmark that has watched over the city for millennia. As China's epiccenter of COVID-19, as of March 17, the city has 50004 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 39220 patients have fully recovered, while 2480 died. (Photo by Pixabay)

The March sun shone bright upon the Yellow Crane Tower, a famous Wuhan landmark that has watched over the city for millennia. By reference to the lunar calendar, the entire city will soon be immersed in the fragrance of cherry blossom, a wonderful scene that will ease the suffering and pain of Wuhan and its people. Spring is in its heyday, as is the battle against a lethal virus that has killed over two thousand locals.

After becoming the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, Wuhan has recently come under the spotlight and hit global media headlines. Both the Chinese authorities and the people of Wuhan have made great sacrificesin curbing the spread of the virus . On January 23, the city went into lockdown - its citizens stayed in their homes for self-quarantine, while thousands of medical professionals and experts across China were sent to the cityto help.

After months of arduous struggle, which involved the building of makeshift hospitals, professionals coming together to develop quick test kits and providing citizens the necessary material and mental support, some positive signs have emerged. More than 30,000 patients were discharged and all temporary hospitals created to handle the epidemics were shut down. Daily new cases on the Chinese mainland dropped to 27 on March 15, down from its peak of a thousand a month ago. Most provinces have reported zero increases for successive days.

On March 10, Chinese President Xi Jinping, commander-in-chief of Chinas war against COVID-19, flew to Wuhan to inspect epidemic prevention and control work on the ground, announcing that the spread of the disease in China has been basically curbed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves to residents who are quarantined at home and sends regards to them at a community in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

While the people in Wuhan may soon be able to enjoy the fragrance of cherry blossoms, the pandemic situation for people in other nations is getting worse. During a news briefing on March 14, WHO Director-General TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus noted that more coronavirus cases are being reported each day outside of China than China reported at the peak of its epidemic, while Europe has now become the epicenter of the pandemic.

No country is immune from the virus. It has been years since President Xi proposed the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind. It is time to test the theory, with China offering help to the world, said Zhu Liyu, executive director of the human rights research center of Renmin University of China.

In the face of a challenge that threatens everyone on the planet, China has decided to provide support to other nations to tackle the virus. During a phone call with his US counterparts Donald Trump in February, Xi stressed that it will take joint efforts from all countries to contain the further spread of the virus.

China is protecting not only its own people, but also the rest of the world, said the Chinese President.

Zhao Tong and Xian Jiangnan contributed to the story.
Home sales and prices in the San Antonio area kept climbing in February, but the coronavirus outbreak threatens to cool the markets hot streak.

Last month, owners and developers sold 2,382 houses in the San Antonio metro area, up 8 percent year-over year, the San Antonio Board of Realtors reports.

The median price rose 6 percent to $238,000 as the regions inventory of available homes remained tight at 3.2 months. Inventory is measured by the average time it takes for a home to be sold if no new homes are listed, and six months typically indicates a balance between buyers and sellers.

Most of the homes sold in February - 62 percent - were priced between $200,000 and $499,000. Nearly 32 percent cost under $199,000, while 6.6 percent were priced at over $500,000.

With low inventory and high demand for homes, a reported 97.5 percent of sellers in February sold their homes for list price, SABOR chairwoman Kim Bragman said. However, there is still good news for buyers as we see a steady flow of houses come on the market.

Despite record low mortgage rates, job growth and more new homes being built, fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is looming.

This untimely disruption to overall economic activity will likely affect Texas' housing markets, even in an environment of historically low mortgage rates, Jim Gaines, chief economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, wrote in a report this week.

Buyers and sellers may be reluctant to view/show existing homes, and a few homebuilders have already experienced some constraints on materials, especially those imported from China, he added. The fear of contamination and spread of the virus may keep both buyers and sellers on the sidelines for some time.

Levi Rodgers, who owns and operates the Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group in San Antonio, said sales may slow in the second quarter and pick back up in the third quarter.

For now, the markets doing phenomenal across the board, he said. We are still tremendously busy.

Clients have the option to walk through showings virtually, and Rodgers said his agents are comfortable using FaceTime, Zoom, YouTube and other technologies.

Theyre also equipped with hand sanitizer.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
FILE PHOTO: The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: "In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes today from 9pm for an indefinite period of time" in Paris

By Leigh Thomas and Valentina Za

PARIS/MADRID (Reuters) - France, Italy, Spain and Belgium curbed stock market trading on Tuesday, banning short-selling to shield some of Europe's biggest companies from a sell-off triggered by the coronavirus.

The move will temporarily halt bets on falling shares at scores of companies from the world's largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, to Spanish bank Santander and Air France-KLM.

The radical curbs, and calls by some Italian politicians for stock markets to be shut, were in contrast to the United States and Britain, where regulators said they should stay open and no curbs are imposed.

They also differed from Germany and highlighted the splintered approach of the European Union and its haphazard response to the health pandemic and economic fallout.

The intervention by some of Europe's biggest countries, last seen in the wake of the financial crisis, also underscores a growing sense of alarm in Europe's capitals as they scramble to contain a disease that has shut schools and shops.

In short-selling, traders borrow a company stock with a view to selling it, hoping to buy it back later at a lower price and pocket the difference, a practice that often exacerbates market moves amid panic selling.

In Italy, Tuesday's 24-hour short-trading ban applies to its biggest bank UniCredit and car maker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Italian market regulator Consob is expected to announce on Tuesday a more lasting short-selling ban which it can introduce for up to 90 days, a person familiar with the matter said.

The ruling 5-star party, part of a governing coalition, had even called for the country's stock markets to be closed entirely. That, however, has not gained wider political support.

"CALM THINGS DOWN"

Asked whether stock markets should be closed, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told RTL radio that other things could be done first, such as banning short selling, describing that as "a first step to calm things down".

Story continues

He said it was important to keep financial markets open so companies can be correctly valued.

Other countries are hesitant to follow.

Germany has said it is not planning a ban, while the Dutch financial watchdog said it saw no reason for such a move.

The splintered response highlights differing views in Europe to financial markets, with Italy and France traditionally more sceptical and interventionist, while Britain, the Netherlands and, to some extent, Germany more liberal.

The London Stock Exchange declined to comment on a trading suspension for the whole market, but noted it did not suspend trading in previous times of extreme volatility like the financial crisis and the 1987 "Black Monday" rout.

France is banning short-selling on 92 stocks, the financial markets authority said. Spain imposed a one-month ban that could be extended.

Such restrictions can wrong-foot hedge funds, who often rely on short selling to turn a profit in a downturn, as well as to counterbalance other bets they have taken.

In Italy, hedge funds held 84 short positions as of Tuesday compared with 33 in Spain and 20 in Belgium. French regulator the AMF reported 728 notifications of changes to short positions in 2020.

Bridgewater, the world's biggest hedge fund, has placed a $15 billion bet against European and British companies although it is not clear whether the firm owns more European stocks than it shorts.

Under European Union law, national authorities have the power to introduce such bans. They are required to inform the EU umbrella body, the European Securities and Markets Authority.

Many countries curbed short-selling around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. While such bans can soften the impact of a shock, however, market experts say they only work for a limited time.

(Additional reporting by Hans Seidenstuecker in Frankfurt, Bart Meijer in Amsterdam, Huw Jones in London and Jesus Aguado in Madid; Writing by John O'Donnell; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Pricing has not been finalised, but the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said it would appeal to the private chains to conduct tests at no cost to the consumer. According to officials, the price of the test could range between Rs 9,000 and Rs 12,000, depending on the type and quality of kit being used. If reagent is available at Rs 3,000, the cost of test is Rs 9,000 without ...

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Digital Editor
Amid rising concerns over coronavirus, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday asked people to exercise abundant caution against the threat and behave as if there is a curfew in the state.

Gehlot struck the note of caution after holding a series of meeting, including an all-party meet with political leaders and another with religious heads, seeking their support in handling the situation in the state, an official statement said.

"The government will not impose curfew for it (to tackle the situation) but the people will have to act as if there is a curfew," the statement said, quoting the chief minister.

After meeting with the chief minister, religious leaders issued a joint public appeal asking devotees to avoid visiting religious places for the time being and to offer prayers at home.

The chief minister also convened an all-party meeting in his office and discussed the situation with the political leaders. He said that the situation in the state is under control but next the two-three weeks are crucial and people should avoid visiting crowded places.

Gehlot said coronavirus has become a cause of concern for all and support from political parties was needed.

The chief minister suggested to the leaders of various parties to create awareness among masses in villages through their organisations.

He also sought suggestions from political leaders on how to tackle the situation.

Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf and leaders from various parties, including AAP, attended the meeting.

In a separate meeting with religious leaders, the chief minister said they should convince devotees to avoid visiting religious places in view of the threat of the spread of coronavirus.

He said it was in public interest and for safety of the people and was not intended at hurting religious sentiments of anyone.

The religious leaders, from different religion, later issued an appeal asking people to offer prayers at home till March 31.

In both the meeting, participants assured the chief minister their cooperation in handling the situation, the official statement said.

In view of the scare, North Western Railway has also cancelled Ambala-Ganganagar-Ambala express train from March 18 to March 30 while Jaipur's City Palace Museum, Jaigarh Fort, Shilamata Temple in Amber will also remain closed for tourists till March 31.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot cancelled public hearing at his residence till March 31.

Meanwhile, test reports of three persons, evacuated from Iran and are in quarantine facility of Indian Army in Jaisalmer, were found negative on Tuesday.

Their samples were collected after they were found with symptoms of coronavirus affliction. Rest are in healthy condition and have been quarantined in Jaisalmer, an official said.

A total of 289 Indians, who were evacuated from Iran, reached Jaisalmer in two batches on Sunday and Monday and samples of three were collected.

A total of 467 samples have been collected in the state so far. Of them, four were tested positive, 445 negative and test reports of 18 are awaited.

Of the four coronavirus positive patients, three have recovered.

The situation in the state is under control but there is need to remain vigilant, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
March 17 (Reuters) - Macy's Inc on Tuesday joined Nordstrom Inc to temporarily close all of its stores in the United States, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nordstrom said on Monday it would temporarily shut its stores in the U.S. and Canada and withdrew its fiscal 2020 forecast. Macy's, which owns over 800 stores, said it would continue to operate its e-commerce sites.

Macy's, along with Saks Fifth Avenue and Gap Inc's Banana Republic, last week sent notices to shoppers that they were open for business in a move to stem losses due to a steep decline in traffic.

The fast-spreading virus, which has killed about a hundred and infected over 4,000 in the United States, has been a big headache for retailers who are already struggling with falling sales due to stiff competition and a shift to online shopping. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
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Vistara, the joint venture airline between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, has adjusted its operations, apart from taking steps to cut costs and conserve cash, to limit the damage from novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, its CEO Leslie Thng said in a March 16 mail to employees.

The efforts come on the back of travel advisories by governments, including India, restricting travel. Apart from that, customers -- both for business and leisure -- have cut down on travel.

Pointing out that these restrictions have 'adversely impacted air travel demand globally and locally,' Thng said Vistara too is not immune to disruptions.

He said the airline has adjusted its international and domestic capacity for March and April. "As the situation is still evolving, we are closely monitoring and will make further capacity adjustments as and when required," Thng said.

While over 6,000 people have died, more than 180,000 have been infected globally. In India, the numbers are three and 126, respectively.

The aviation sector is among the most hit. While bookings for IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation) have come down by 20 percent, Vistara too had talked about similar impact on some of its routes.

On March 16, industry advisory CAPA said the continuing spread of coronavirus may lead to bankruptcies of most airlines by May-end. CAPA's South Asia CEO Kapil Kaul told Moneycontrol, "Depending on the extent of the spread in India - impact on Indian airlines with weaker balance sheet will be severe."

Thng added that the airline is working with its stakeholders to minimise the impact. "We are taking preventive measures to reduce cost and conserve cash, including engaging our partners and suppliers to work together. Discretionary operating expenditures will also be tightened," said Thng.

The management has also taken measures to prevent the virus from spreading in the flights. It had set up a task force to take these measures.

We are continuously monitoring flights across our network for risks. If any suspected case comes to our attention, our operations and maintenance control centres are immediately informed for necessary action.

"This includes immediate sanitisation of the affected row including three rows ahead and behind of it, lavatory, sidewalls, tray tables, overhead compartments and carpets by approved cleaners. If any confirmed cases are reported, we will carry out complete sanitisation of the aircraft. Deep cleaning of cabins and cockpit is being carried out on regular intervals," a Vistara spokesperson said.
(in front, left to right) Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards Ltd. seated with Katherine Shin, Trane Digital Business Leader; (in back, left to right), Jon Khalev, head of customer success for t We look forward to expanding our work with the Certification Program and further building out our work to create healthier homes. said Katherine Shin, Digital Business Leader for Trane Residential HVAC and Supply.

Allergy Standards Ltd. is an Enterprise Ireland client company and co-founded the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program with AAFA, the worlds largest and oldest patient advocacy organization dedicated to saving and improving lives of people affected by asthma and allergies.

The asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program announced today that Trane, a climate innovator advancing the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, has committed to collaborating with the Program on research & development and innovations for education on products which improve indoor air quality. This announcement was celebrated in Washington, D.C. with the Ambassador and Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Government agency which supports Irish businesses internationally.

The Global Ireland Lunch is attended by more than 300 Irish business leaders and government representatives aimed at fostering relationships and trade between the U.S. and Ireland.

Allergy Standards, based in Dublin, is led by a team of healthcare entrepreneurs and combats misleading product labelling claims through the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program. Through the Program, Allergy Standards adds value to products scientifically proven to reduce allergen exposure. They also provide meaningful compliance and risk reports for businesses and data insights in an allergy-aware world.

More than 65 million Americans are impacted by asthma and allergies, and symptoms are often exacerbated by avoidable triggers in household products. To address this issue, Allergy Standards Ltd. develops Certification Standards in partnership with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

We are delighted that Tranes innovation agenda will now also contribute to the Allergy Standards vision of a world where asthma and allergic exacerbations, caused by avoidable indoor triggers are eradicated, said Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards.

Trane has received asthma & allergy friendly certification for its CleanEffectsTM Whole Home Air Cleaner.

Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of AAFA, attending the business lunch today said, This global partnership between an Irish health technology company, an American patient advocacy organization and socially-conscious manufacturers is a world-class example for finding solutions to address todays challenges with asthma and allergies.

Trane is honored to attend this event in Washington D.C. alongside Ambassador Mulhall, AAFA and Allergy Standards, said Katherine Shin, Digital Business Leader for Trane Residential HVAC and Supply. We look forward to expanding our work with the Certification Program and further building out our work to create healthier homes.

About Trane

Trane  by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator  creates comfortable, energy efficient indoor environments for commercial and residential applications. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced control. For more information, please visit http://www.trane.com or http://www.tranetechnologies.com.

About the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program

The asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program is a unique, ground-breaking collaboration between Allergy Standards Limited and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The Program tests and certifies products to prove their suitability for people with asthma and allergies. The program works with retailers and manufacturers to offer consumers products for a #healthierhome. CERTIFIED products include air cleaners and filters, paints, bedding, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, flooring and more. Visit aafa.org/certified for more information.

About Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Irelands international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness. In this way, we support sustainable economic growth and regional development, and help create and sustain employment in Ireland. For more information visit enterprise-ireland.com.
India reported its third death due to coronavirus on Tuesday (March 17) after a 64-year-old man, who was tested positive in Maharashtra, died at Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai. According to government officials, the man had returned from Dubai. Earlier, a man in Karnataka and a woman in Delhi had died due to the deadly virus.

Amid the rising coronavirus cases in India, Maharashtra government on Monday (March 16) announced that it would "stamp" all those who have been sent to home quarantine amid the scare over the deadly virus. Notably, maximum coronavirus cases in India have been reported in Maharashtra with the total cases jumping to 39, including 3 foreign nationals.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and attended by several senior health officers. The Maharashtra government said that the step is a precautionary measure after 39 cases of coronavirus were detected in the state.

"It is not a crime if somebody is infected by Covid-19. They must be given proper medical treatment and psychological support. The Epidemic Diseases Act has been invoked in the interest of the people and the district administration must create awareness on it," CM Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, two persons tested positive for Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Noida on Tuesday. According to Gautam Budh Nagar CMO Anurag Bhargav, the first case has been detected in Noida's sector 100 with a travel history from France. The second case is from sector 78 in Noida and the person is a doctor by profession who reportedly came in contact with a relative who had recently returned from Dubai.

Both of them have been quarantined at the Government Institute of Medical Science (GIMS) in Greater Noida while their test samples have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The total number of coronavirus cases in India have jumped to 125 on Tuesday (March 17) forcing the government to step up the efforts to place the country in a near-total lockdown with states across the country shutting down schools, colleges, parks, gyms and public gatherings.
India sees third COVID-19 death, number of affected climbs to 126

A 63-year-old COVID-19 patient died in Mumbai Kasturba Hospital today, the first case in the state, taking the toll of the disease in the country to three, after one patient each died in Karnataka and Delhi earlier.

All three died were aged people, above 60 years of age, confirming the fact that the virus does more harm to elder people than younger ones. The dead include a 76-year-old male in Karnataka, a 65-year-old woman in Delhi and now a 63-year-old male in Mumbai.

The number of people affected by the new coronavirus across the country also rose to 126, with Maharashra reporting the highest number of positive cases.

The 63-year-old man, who returned from a trip to Dubai, was under treatment at the state-run Kasturba Hospital in south central Mumbai for the past five days. He had not disclosed his travel history.

The COVID-19 positive patient was in a private hospital for five days and was subsequently referred to the Kasturba Hospital, Mumbai. The patient had a travel history to Dubai, which he reportedly did not disclose at the time of his admission to the private hospital, union health ministry said. His wife, who also tested COVID-19 positive, is reported to be stable.

Meanwhile minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan has self quarantined at his Delhi residence after he returned from Kerala where he had attended a medical conference that was addressed by a COVId-19 infected doctor, who was later quarantined.

Muraleedharan will remain in isolation for 14 days and will return after a final check.

The Parliament was also declared sine die as the government grappled with crisis management  bringing people to screening centres and spreading community awareness for containment of the viral outbreak.

With several people, including at least one doctor in Kerala, ducking screening and self-declaration protocols to move around despite high risk of infections and with no law to penalise such people, the governments task is arduous.

The centre on Monday issued a social distancing advisory but people are taking things lightly. Social distancing is the only effective measure available to India to stop the virus from growing but that cannot happen unless people cooperate. We still see people travelling, traffic rush on roads is still the same. This must stop, says leading medical expert Devi Shetty, adding that cooperation is the key.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 on Tuesday after fresh cases were reported from several states, the health ministry said. These include 22 foreign nationals and three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Delhi has so far reported seven positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 13 cases, including one foreigner. Karnataka has 8 coronavirus patients while Maharashtra has 39, including 3 foreigners. Ladakh has reported four cases while Jammu and Kashmir has three. Telangana has reported four cases. Rajasthan has also reported four cases, including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each. Odisha reported its first case on Monday. In Haryana, there are 15 cases, which include 14 foreigners, while Uttarakhand has reported one case. Kerala has recorded 24 cases, including two foreign nationals. The number also includes three patients who were discharged from hospitals last month.
The number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 116 with two deaths. Caritas issued a health advisory for its staff, partners and beneficiaries. Its Lent campaign has been adapted to fight the pandemic. The Archdiocese of Goa and 15 Protestant churches in Mizoram impose strict hygienic rules.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Caritas India is planning to set up an emergency task force and will be conducting an emergency meeting at the national level to evaluate the situation and plan the next course of action, said Fr Paul Moonjely, Caritas India executive director, speaking AsiaNews.

Caritas India, the leading Catholic charity, is already involved in the coronavirus emergency and wont leave anyone alone to face this situation. "We are going to reach out to isolated communities and support them, Fr R Moonjely explained.

As part of its strategy, the Catholic charitys public relations and communications manager Patrick Hansda issued an advisory for all the staff, partners and beneficiaries, urging them to follow prevention instructions to reduce the risk of contagion.

Meanwhile, the outbreak continues to progress across the country. As of today, the number of COVID-19 stands at 116.

For Hansda, The situation in India is alarming. The Corona pandemic has created widespread fear among the masses, particularly after the first two deaths, one in New Delhi and the other in Karnataka.

Concerned about public health, Caritas India is looking at the health situation within its Lent campaign against hunger and disease so as to build the resilience of the community and support its partners in tackling the pandemic.

Caritas is not alone in this battle. Other Church organisation are also involved, calling on their members to respect the basic rules that prevent contagion, such as frequently washing their hands and avoiding the sign of peace.

The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman responded to last weeks message by Card Oswald Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) by issuing instructions on what to do during religious services.

Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao, head of the local Church, urges the faithful not to kiss the crucifix and priests to rub their hands with sanitising gel before placing the hosts in the faithfuls hand.

On Good Friday, blessing with the raised cross will be adequate. Those who wish can line up, bow and leave.

If anyone comes into contact with infected people, they should be asked not to come to public services for at least two weeks. The directive will remain in force until Easter Sunday, 12 April.

Yesterday the Indian government closed the borders with its neighbours. On Saturday, Goa ordered the closure of schools, cinemas, bars, restaurants, swimming pools and casinos.

Last Wednesday, the north-eastern state of Mizoram closed its borders with other Indian states as well as neighbouring countries (Bangladesh and Myanmar).

The Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, which includes 15 Protestant Churches, has given its blessing to the States decision, asking its members to respect the rules, and calling for God's intervention so that the State remains safe from the coronavirus and the global pandemic is contained. (A.C.F.)
The opposition Left Front and Congress on Tuesday staged a walkout from the West Bengal Assembly, after the speaker turned down their demand for a statement from Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee on the steps taken by her government to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Disgruntled lawmakers of the Congress and the Left Front walked out of the assembly shortly after the Question Hour, as Speaker Biman Banerjee did not heed to their call for a statement from the CM.

"Whenever we demand a statement from the state government regarding any problem, it is turned down...," Left Front Legislative Party leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

"We have been denied our democratic rights inside the House," Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan said.

The state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said opposition parties should stop politicising each and every matter.

"Coronavirus has been declared as pandemic. We should now keep aside political differences and fight unitedly," Chatterjee said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, March 17 : Amid the soaring number of coronavirus cases in India, Central Parliamentary Affairs Minister V. Muraleedharan has put himself in home quarantine in Delhi.

His staff said that the Minister had travelled to Kerala to participate in a press conference. He met a doctor there who tested positive for COVID-19. Hence, Muraleedharan was adopting a precautionary measure. He has also undergone a corona test and the report is awaited.

The toll from coronavirus in the country reached three on Tuesday after a 64-year-old Mumbai man died. The number of corona cases has been reached to 126 so far.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Employer and regulatory underinvestment in technology that automates correct pay conditions is leading to staff underpayment, an employment lawyer has told a Senate inquiry.

Andrew Stirling, a former lawyer at Allens and now partner at Tanda PaySure, the wage compliance division of Australia-based company Tanda, has made six recommendations to the federal government in a written submission to the inquiry into unlawful underpayments.

The Australian government is consulting with employers on complexity around award rates over concerns about new timesheet rules for salaried staff that came into effect earlier this month.

The Fair Work Commssions new annualised wage arrangement means employers in multiple award categories must create, and for 7 years, retain records for hours worked (and non-paid breaks) by salaried staff, and any extra pay for overtime.

Two key recommendations made by Stirling were for the federal government to fund the Fair Work Ombudsmans (FWO) investment in payroll calculation technology, and for the FWO website to pilot an accurate pay calculator that lets staff identify if they are being underpaid.

Stirling said politicians and regulators need to take their share of responsibility on the underpayment issue to assist employers who are trying to navigate a complicated industrial relations system but are struggling with the complexity of compliance.

He said many employers are not investing in payroll calculation technology and still use outdated manual processes or are using cheap foreign technology not adapted to comply with Australian workplace law.

Practical and legislative support from the government would encourage uptake of technology that does comply, which would, in turn, reduce underpayments.

Employing more Fair Works inspectors isnt the answer. This may lead to a few more prosecutions each year. If we really want widespread, improved compliance outcomes there has to be a fundamental technological rethink, Stirling said.

Stirling called for funding for FWO to invest in payroll calculation technology. He said the FWO would use the technology for its own compliance activities and would also make it available to employees and employers so that they could work together to achieve better compliance.

Sophisticated payroll calculating technology is available on the market to manage award complexity. If the government encouraged the uptake of this technology by the FWO and by employers it would lead to better compliance and few instances of underpayment, he said in the submission.

Stirling also recommended that the FWO pilot the use of a true payroll calculator on its website to give users an accurate picture of gross wages payable under an award.

He said that last year, the FWO had more than 6 million calculations performed on its website pay calculator which is the only publicly available way for employees to check their wages.

The difficulty with this tool, he said, is that it doesnt calculate pay at all. This means employes cant properly check their wages. It simply provides rates of pay based on award classification and age.

At best, the information in the FWOs pay calculator might help an employee to identify that they are being paid the incorrect hourly rate. Armed with the correct hourly pay, the employee would still need to manually calculate their pay based on rules in the modern award to determine if they had been underpaid and to what extent, Stirling said.

He added that without a true payroll calculator, many employers dont know what to pay and employees dont know what they should be paid.

A true payroll calculator, available to both employers and employees, is far more likely to lead to widespread compliance than simply giving the FWO more funding to undertake more of the same regulatory activities. More of the same is not enough. Australia needs to completely rethink how compliance can be achieved and monitored at scale, he said.
A UN staff member in New York has tested positive for coronavirus, a top official here has said, stressing that the case will not have a "critical impact" on the work of the organisation due to "strong risk mitigation measures" undertaken at the global body.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at the daily press briefing on Monday that the staff member, who has tested positive for COVID-19, "is well and has not had any contact with any other UN personnel since before the onset of symptoms".

"... we are part of New York City. New York City is now in a phase of community transmission, and I think UN staff, as we said, are New Yorkers, so... it's to be expected that, eventually, one of our staff would be impacted," Dujarric said.

As of March 16, 463 New York City residents have tested positive for the virus.

Dujarric stressed that "we do not expect this or any other infections amongst UN personnel in New York to have a critical impact on our business because of the very strong risk mitigation measures we've been taking for more than a week now, including reducing greatly our footprint".

He said that the medical director has briefed the Secretary-General on the situation, adding that the "staffer's not been in contact with any UN colleagues".

As part of measures at UN Headquarters to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Guterres has directed that all staff will be required to telecommute unless their physical presence in the workplace is needed to carry out essential services.

The reduced staffing level, in effect from this week till April 12, would be reappraised after three weeks.

Guterres has said that the aim of such a measure is twofold - to reduce the physical presence at the UN 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," Guterres has said, adding that the organisation "remains open for business", but "our work will be done from different locations, using different technologies".

The 39-storey UN Secretariat Building houses the Security Council, Trusteeship Council, Economic and Social Council, several UN agencies as well as media offices for foreign reporters.

Dujarric said that the number of people entering the building has fallen since the time measures were put in place to reduce footprint in the wake of the spread of coronavirus in the city.

On March 4, the day before the first measures were put in place, over 11,000 people had entered the building and this fell to 5,393 by March 11.

On Monday, the number stood at 918, including about 300 delegates.

"I don't expect the number to go up to more than maybe 1,500 by the end of the day, because these are in-and-outs".

Last week, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines had informed the UN Medical Services that one of its delegates has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

The delegate was last in 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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sixth, masks are an important signal that its not business as usual as well as an act of solidarity. Pandemics require us to change our behavior  our socialization, hygiene, work and more  collectively, and knowing our fellow citizens are on board is important for all efforts.

Finally, providing top-down guidance with such obvious contradictions backfires exactly because lack of trust is what fuels hoarding and misinformation. It used to be said that back in the Soviet Union, if there was a line, you first got in line and then figured out what the line was for  people knew that there were going to be shortages and that the authorities often lied, so they hoarded. And when people feel as though they may not be getting the full truth from the authorities, snake-oil sellers and price gougers have an easier time.

Given that there is indeed a mask shortage and that medical workers absolutely do need these masks more, what should the authorities have said? The full painful truth. Despite warnings from experts for decades, especially after the near miss of SARS, we still werent prepared for this pandemic, and we did not ramp up domestic production when we could, and now theres a mask shortage  and thats disastrous because our front line health care workers deserve the best protection. Besides, if they fall ill, we will all be doomed.

If anything, a call for people who hoarded masks to donate some of them to their local medical workers would probably work better than telling people that they dont need them or that they wont manage to make them work. Look, more masks would be great. We are doing our best to ramp up production. Till then, if our medical workers fall ill, we will all be worse off. Please donate any excess  maybe more than two weeks worth per person  to your hospital sounds corny, but its the truth. Two weeks is a reasonable standard because the C.D.C. and the W.H.O. still recommend wearing masks if youre taking care of someone with a milder illness self-isolating at home, something that will increasingly be necessary as hospitals get overwhelmed.

Research shows that during disasters, people can show strikingly altruistic behavior, but interventions by authorities can backfire if they fuel mistrust or treat the public as an adversary rather than people who will step up if treated with respect. Given that even homemade masks may work better than no masks, wearing them might be something to direct people to do while they stay at home more, as we all should.

We will no doubt face many challenges as the pandemic moves through our societies, and people will need to cooperate. The sooner we create the conditions under which such cooperation can bloom, the better off we all will be.

Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina, the author of Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest and a contributing opinion writer.

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The Delhi government on Monday imposed a complete ban on social, religious, academic, cultural and political gatherings of more than 50 people in the national Capital in the third round of sweeping restrictions announced to contain the spread of coronavirus which has affected seven people in Delhi and 119 across the country so far.

While the government has allowed weddings, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said all weekly markets, gymnasiums, nightclubs and spas in the city will also remain shut till March 31 in addition to educational institutions, cinema halls and swimming pools.

On Thursday, the Delhi government had announced closure of all schools and cinema halls till March 31. The next day, the government barred all formal gatherings of over 200 people, including the IPL matches to be held in Delhi.

All restrictions have been imposed under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, which was invoked by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday to exercise social distancing and avoid community spread of coronavirus. The Act allows district magistrates (DMs) to take action against people not following the rules. Defying the law can lead up to six months imprisonment and R 1,000 fine or both under Section 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

I want to appeal to the people to cooperate with the authorities. The governments are doing whatever they can to contain the outbreak, but it is only with your cooperation that our efforts will be successful. Many countries have witnessed a major outbreak of the virus, which has fortunately not happened in our country. I will also request everyone to stop shaking hands with each other, ensure that you regularly wash your hands and sanitise them properly, and to not touch your face and eyes with hands, Kejriwal said on Monday.

The Delhi government has ordered that no social, cultural, family, political, and social gatherings should be held with more than 50 people present at a single gathering till March 31. Even though weddings have been kept out for now, I request people to postpone weddings to a later date, as a preventive measure to control the outbreak of the virus.

The ban, effective from Monday, will also apply to protests, including the one at Shaheen Bagh.

Kejriwal said it has also been decided to order municipal commissioners and district officers to install mobile washbasins in public places so that people can keep their hands clean. Security guards at buildings would also be given hand sanitisers for people to use when they enter and exit the complex.

So far, Delhi has had seven positive cases of coronavirus out of which two have recovered and released from the hospital. One patient, a 68-year-old woman, has died and four are still undergoing treatment at Safdarjung hospital.

Kejriwal on Monday held a review meeting with all DMs and sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) of the city through video-conferencing.

Weekly bazars, gyms, nightclubs shut

The government also ordered the closure of all weekly markets, gyms, nightclubs and spas till March 31. This is in addition to previous orders under which schools, colleges, cinema halls, swimming pools and all other educations institutions were declared shut.

A senior government official, however, clarified that as of Monday, no orders were issued for closure of malls, restaurants, bars and pubs which means they will continue to operate as usual though most of the malls and restaurants have reported a drastic fall in the footfall post the emergence of coronavirus.

The L-G on Monday once again directed the revenue department and the municipal corporations to ensure all hotels, motels, guest houses, mall managements, banquet halls, restaurants, eateries, market associations and RWAs maintain proper sanitisation.

Taxis, rickshaws, other public service vehicles being sanitised

Informing about the steps taken by the city government to avoid the spread of the virus through public transport, the Delhi CM said free disinfection has been started by the Delhi government at all its cluster and DTC bus depots.

All the private taxis, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, Grameen seva and all other public service vehicles can avail our free sanitisation facility at the bus depots to prevent community transmission of the virus, Kejriwal said.

Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said workers have been disinfecting all Delhi buses daily. Besides, buses which come from other states are not being allowed to enter without a Certificate of Disinfection from the respective states.

Disinfection of public service vehicles will be done at all the DTC and cluster bus depots on a daily basis in two shifts. The first shift will be from 10 AM to 12 PM, whereas the second shift will be from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, Gahlot said.

As the Delhi Metro handles lakhs of passengers every day, Kejriwal said his government will consider thermal screening at all Metro stations as a part of checking against coronavirus.

Action against overcharging, hoarding of masks/sanitisers

After receiving complaints from various residents welfare associations of sanitisers and masks not being available in the retail market, food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain on Monday held a review meeting in which he directed officials to take action against shop owners and manufacturers found overcharging, hoarding or black marketing these essential items.

The Delhi government urged people not to hoard these items saying masks are not essential in prevention as it Covid-19 is not an airborne disease.

Pharmacists said that they are now rationing the sale of these items since people are placing bulk orders  100 to 200 units of each item. Every day we get customers demanding masks and hand sanitisers in large number. We have got clear instructions from the government and Drugs Control department to keep adequate stock and distribute them properly among the customers, said Saddam, a pharmacist at Religare Wellness in Vasant Kunj.

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One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. We'll use ROE to examine Clifford Modern Living Holdings Limited (HKG:3686), by way of a worked example.

Clifford Modern Living Holdings has a ROE of 22%, based on the last twelve months. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each HK$1 of shareholders' equity it has, the company made HK$0.22 in profit.

View our latest analysis for Clifford Modern Living Holdings

How Do I Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Clifford Modern Living Holdings:

22% = CN76m  CN346m (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets.

What Does ROE Mean?

ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses.

Does Clifford Modern Living Holdings Have A Good ROE?

One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Clifford Modern Living Holdings has a better ROE than the average (7.8%) in the Industrials industry.

Story continues

SEHK:3686 Past Revenue and Net Income, March 17th 2020

That is a good sign. We think a high ROE, alone, is usually enough to justify further research into a company. For example, I often check if insiders have been buying shares.

How Does Debt Impact ROE?

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking.

Clifford Modern Living Holdings's Debt And Its 22% ROE

Shareholders will be pleased to learn that Clifford Modern Living Holdings has not one iota of net debt! Its high ROE already points to a high quality business, but the lack of debt is a cherry on top. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time.

The Key Takeaway

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Tethys Petroleum Limited (TSXV: TPL.H) ("Tethys" or the "Company") today provides a corporate update.

TSX Venture Exchange Application

Tethys is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") to graduate from the NEX Board to the TSXV as a Tier 2 Oil & Gas Issuer. Approval has also been given by the TSXV for the previously announced shares for debt transaction with Olisol Petroleum Limited ("Olisol") and the convertible debenture with Gemini IT Consultants DMCC ("Gemini"). Graduation to the TSXV is conditional on completion of the aforementioned transactions with Olisol and Gemini and a number of other routine conditions. The Company is working to meet the TSXV conditions and hopes to be able to do so during April 2020.

Management Changes

Tethys Non-Executive Chairman, Bill Wells, has assumed the role of Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"). Clive Oliver, who has acted as CEO since September 2018, in addition to Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") and Corporate Secretary, will continue in these other roles.

Tethys has been restructured where operational management for the Kazakhstan operations has almost completely been transferred to the main operating subsidiary, TethysAralGas LLP ("TAG"). As a wholly owned subsidiary, Tethys reviews the operations and has set up controls but to a large degree delegates the management of the Kazakhstan operations to local management of TAG. To date, this appears to be working well as the operational efficiency appears to have improved while the costs have been reduced. The increasingly efficient operations at the TAG level means the demands on Tethys management are reduced. With the restructuring of the debts and, assuming completion of the workout with Olisol and DSFK, it is anticipated that the time demands on Tethys management may be reduced. The transition from Clive Oliver as CEO and CFO to William Wells as CEO and Clive Oliver as CFO is being driven in large part by the requirement of the TSXV that the CEO and CFO positions need to be separated. The change in listing to the TSXV is required as part of the anticipated issuance of convertible debenture. William Wells, as Chairman, has been very active and involved with the Tethys workout and is naturally positioned to assume this role. The Tethys management team, TAG management and the board have worked closely together to put Tethys on more solid footing and it is expected that this coordinated approach will continue in much the same way.

Kul-Bas Exploration

KBD-01 ("Kalypso")

The current management and board at Tethys have reviewed information on the Kalypso well to try and better understand why this well was not productive (despite initial favorable reports). The Kalypso exploration and appraisal well was drilled to a depth of 4,500 metres in the central part of the geological allocation in the second block of the Upper Permian sediments. The well location was identified from prior seismic exploration interpretation in the Kul-Bas territory and drilling was completed in September 2011.

The Company announced on December 4, 2013 that a successful cementing procedure had been carried out on the Kalypso well and a comprehensive stimulation and subsequent testing program, to be conducted primarily by Schlumberger, would commence mid-December, initially on the Permo-Carboniferous interval. The testing program would involve acid-fracture stimulation of the carbonate interval approximately 4,100 metres below the surface and would take up to one month to complete. Electric logs run over this section and drilling data indicated more than 100 metres of gross potential hydrocarbon bearing zones.

On March 7, 2014 the Company announced that the first phase of the stimulation on Kalypso had been successfully completed with the reservoir being fracked but that further work was required to complete the stimulation of the well, which was targeting what was believed to be gas condensate in tight Carboniferous platform carbonates within a significant structure.

The current Board understands from its technical personnel that after lowering the shank and creating pressure to open the circulation holes, it was not possible to restore circulation and cement the shank due to damage to the sealing glands of the suspension device. In the period from October 2013 to January 2014, an attempt was made to carry out remedial cementing and well testing. Circulation openings and partial cementing of the interval at 4,242 - 4,068 metres were made but due to the long period of time the well was idle with drilling fluid, it was not possible to achieve normal circulation behind the column. Nevertheless, perforation was made in the 4,127 - 4,169 metres interval. An attempt was made to stimulate oil inflow but no inflow was received. Members of the Company's Reserves Committee concluded that further work was not worth pursuing because the rocks were simply too tight to have any chance of producing without a long lateral horizontal well with multi-stage fracks that would cost more to drill than could be recovered. At the end of January 2014, work on the well ceased.

KBD-02 ("Klymene")

The Company completed the drilling of Klymene in late 2019 to a depth of 2,750 metres and is currently testing the well. As previously announced, testing was delayed during the winter weather months and due, in part, to poor access roads to the remote well-site. In providing information to shareholders on the testing of the well, the current Board is especially cognizant of the difficulties arising on the Kalypso well, as described above, and has therefore decided that the prudent approach is to make an announcement of the Klymene testing results only once the testing process has been fully completed. It currently anticipates the final testing and a further announcement being made in mid to late April.

About Tethys

Tethys is focused on oil and gas exploration and production activities in Central Asia and the Caspian Region. This highly prolific oil and gas area is rapidly developing and Tethys believes that significant potential exists in both exploration and in discovered deposits.

Disclaimer

Some of the statements in this document are forward-looking, including statements relating to the graduation to the TSXV, completion of the transactions with Olisol and Gemini and other conditions of the TSXV and testing results of the Klymene exploration well. Such statements are not promises or guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those suggested by any such statements, including the risk that the TSXV will not give final approval for Tethys graduation to the TSXV or that Tethys will not be able to complete the transactions with Olisol and Gemini or meet the TSXV conditions and that the testing of the Klymene well will not be successful. No part of this announcement constitutes, or shall be taken to constitute, an invitation or inducement to invest in the Company or any other entity and shareholders of the Company are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Save as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this announcement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contact Information:

Tethys Petroleum

info@tethys-group.com



www.tethys-group.com
Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that the Department of Official Language is trying to increase the progressing use of Hindi in Central Government works.

"Hindi was enshrined as the Official Language on 14th September, 1949 by constituent assembly of India. The Department of Official Language is trying to increase the progressing use of Hindi in Central Government works," the Minister told the Upper House.

The minister gave this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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These are unprecedented times. As a mid-career ER physician and mom of four kids, COVID-19 has changed everything. Schools are closed, all public events canceled, and the United States has declared a national emergency. There is a heightened sense of urgency at work. Scenarios that seemed absurd 24 hours ago are now a frightening reality. Things are going to get worse. Are you ready?

We are bringing physicians back from retirement and asking medical staff to cancel all non-essential travel. All hands on deck seems to be the battle cry of even the most conservative medical leaders. Many of us will soon get sick and as I wait, my 13-year-old daughter is in France, unlikely to get home. Where is this going from here?

I have always had a rather taboo approach to my profession. Colleagues are aware of the difference in me, and patients are sometimes exposed to my unique worldview. It has defined how I see my work, and it will be the bedrock of my response to this medical, societal, and humanitarian crisis. Every day, in all kinds of ways, I bring God to work.

Early in my career, on an average Tuesday, I was yelled at by an angry patient. It rattled me. The nurses saw it coming, as I exited the room, refusing to write an opioid prescription for non-malignant pain for a patient with a reputation for demands and abuse.

Youre useless! You call yourself a doctor?

Harsh, but it happened, and when it did, the 5-hour wait in the minor area of our department didnt go away. I felt the staring eyes of weary patients, lined up in the chairs. My posture immediately stiffened. I tried to move on, and it took a few minutes to remember where to go. Inside myself, actually, deep into the soul part of me that believes I have a deep sense of worth and value even when bullies try to shout me down. I have a defender, in the Christian faith, He/She is a parent-figure that stands up strong between me and the psychological forces that try to harm me. Shes amazing, doing an awesome job as a doc today! Shes strong and has got this. As much as this is the well-known verbiage of a million self-help books, when those words are spoken into my mind, supernaturally by Someone who I believe created me and loves me  it works. This has been my experience.

When I show up religious at work, I am constantly checking myself. Is someone offended, judged, or marginalized by my belief system? If so, I am doing it wrong. Perhaps you are skeptical of this approach to medicine, and thats OK. We are evidence-based scientists, and the minute we stop asking questions, we are doing doctoring wrong. We all need to ask good questions. Medicine has gaps. Several ends often remain loose, and I may be wrong, but I have found that filling the gap with faith has built a reliable resiliency in me. Empowered by a Christian worldview, I am equipped to deal with any task, even when I dont feel equipped. Its a life-perspective that emboldens me, this other-worldly experience of coming to work not alone.

Here is what following Jesus at work, as an ER physician in a global pandemic, empowers me with:

1. A sense of calling and divine purpose. I became a doctor after years of praying about what I was going to do with my life. I believe that I was called by Someone, for something bigger than me, and I am to show up for my shifts, see patients responsibly and compassionately and work towards a greater good for all of us.

2. A command to treat others the way I want to be treated. If this wasnt so clearly prescribed by Jesus, I wouldnt do it naturally. Naturally, I would run to Costco, buy up all the toilet paper, fill my pantry and grab a lot of extra essential things, but I will be reminded daily to share and not hoard, and this will be better for the world.

3. A community of like-minded individuals that are for me. My husband and I meet each week with other couples that intentionally check in with one another. I am able to be honest about my fears with intelligent and caring people who ask if I am sleeping OK, taking breaks, and also brainstorm how to keep the kids busy while all the schools are closed.

4. Apparently, I will have the ability not to worry. Isnt that crazy? As Christians, we take the teachings of Jesus seriously, and no matter what you think about Jesus, historically his words were recorded as reliably as any ancient scholar we reference today. Jesus said, Dont worry. about anything, ever. And he said that to people who were living in violent, scarce times and he meant that if anyone sets an intention to surrender your anxious thoughts to God, you will experience a calm that is unexplainable. Interesting, eh? Even if you dont believe this is true, wouldnt you want to try? You could show up at your over-crowded hospital, don your personal protective equipment, enter the negative pressure room, look right into the throat of an infected, coughing, septic patient, and NOT worry. All I know is I do not have the ability to do that by myself, and so I take God to work.

5. Hope. In recent days, I have felt my mind struggling for perspective. I want to come up above the fray of worry and fear and see into the distance, beyond this virus and the disruption and pending devastation it threatens to bring. I want a sign that points toward goodness, relief, normalcy. When I shift my gaze from the ER hallway, I search for the source of that perspective, and it shows up as hope. We all need hope. When hope is lost, we evaluate for risk of harm to self and others; we deliver bad news; we pronounce people. Its exhausting to self-generate hope, and so I am grateful to have found a source. Jesus is the spiritual source of my hope upon which I have built my faith. This particular journey is not everyones story, and I have deep respect and a curiosity for any spiritual story of another kind. What is the source of your hope? Hope will be vital in the weeks to come.

We need each other more than ever. Consider your calling to medicine, whether it includes a source of hope. Look closely there; you may find what you need.

Rose Zacharias is an emergency physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
A 25-year-old man has been arrested after a Woolworths supermarket worker was stabbed in the car park outside a store on the Mornington Peninsula.

It comes after an assault on a Coles supermarket worker at Barkly Square shopping centre in Brunswick on Sunday, but there is no evidence to suggest either incident was related to panic buying driven by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Woolworths employee was stabbed in the car park of the supermarket on the Point Nepean Highway in Rosebud just before 1pm on Tuesday.

Rosebud Woolworths on Tuesday afternoon. Credit:Nine News

"It is believed a staff member was collecting trolleys when he was approached by an unknown man and stabbed to the lower body just before 1pm," a police spokeswoman said.
Starbucks Philippines and J.CO Donuts & Coffee have announced the temporary pause of their operations in Luzon due to the implemented enhanced community quarantine.

Starbucks clarified their operations will continue in Visayas and Mindanao.

J.CO Donuts & Coffee also paused their operations in Luzon while their operations in Visayas and Mindanao will continue but with adjusted store hours.

Please be informed that store operations in Metro Manila and Luzon are temporarily paused. Kindly see our Visayas and Mindanao Schedules for your reference. As always, be safe and healthy! their post reads.

Meanwhile, 7-Eleven Philippines will implement precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their customers and employees.

The post Starbucks PH, J.CO Donuts pause operations in Luzon stores appeared first on UNTV News.
The session will take place on March 20.

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Coronavirus is interfering with the rules set out by the Slovak Constitution. The new parliament needs to convene for its first session by the end of March, but MPs will have to do so under strict measures.

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The new 150 MPs will take their oath in masks and rubber gloves, as the founding parliamentary session cannot be skipped or postponed. Based on the Constitution, the first session must be convened 30 days from the election at the latest, which in this case is March 30.

President Zuzana Caputova has set the date to Friday, March 20, because later than that the number of people infected with the coronavirus might be higher and the risk of infection may increase as well.

"Disease does not skip constitutional officials so this was also a reason not to postpone [the session]," she said at a press conference.

Safety ecurity rules will not allow public and most journalists into parliament. The only exception applies to the public service RTVS, which will run a live broadcast.

Touching the constitution only in gloves
San Antonio, Texas, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center has teamed up with the City of San Antonio to hold a special community blood drive at the Alamodome this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The Alamodome was selected because it allows for the recommended social distancing between donor beds and in waiting areas. The drive  and starting this week, donations at all South Texas Blood & Tissue Center donor rooms  are by appointment only to manage flow and avoid crowding. Donors can make an appointment at SouthTexasBlood.org/give-now or by calling 210-731-5590. All donors will receive either a Valero or a Target gift card, plus another of their choice from the new STBTC Donor Store. Selections include GrubHub, Hulu and Amazon.com. On Saturday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg designated blood donation as an essential city function. With virtually all blood drives canceled because of fears of the new coronavirus, it is imperative that individual donors make an appointment and give at the Alamodome or at one of the STBTC donor rooms. Donor room locations and hours are listed at SouthTexasBloog.org/give-now/locations-hours. In a time of great uncertainty, one thing is certain  the need for blood donations never slows down. An additional 600 donations per day are needed, as transfusions still are necessary for surgery patients, accident victims, new moms and their babies, and cancer patients. The need is especially acute for new donors and those with type-O blood. As the supply of blood shrinks, hospitals across South Texas already have begun to postpone elective surgeries. The mayor noted that blood donation is a safe action people can take at a time when many feel powerless. Free parking for the drive will be available in Lot A, which is just south of the Alamodome. Donors can enter via the University Heath System entrance at the southwest corner of the dome, and there will be a greeter there to direct them. In addition to social distancing, STBTC, a subsidiary of San Antonio nonprofit BioBridge Global, is taking numerous precautions to keep donors safe, including taking the temperature of potential donors and staff members as they enter donor rooms and the Alamodome drive. All donors undergo a mini physical, which includes a temperature, pulse and blood pressure check, and they are asked about recent travel to areas of community incidences of COVID-19. Coronavirus concerns have led to declines in blood donations that have resulted in a national emergency. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and the U.S. Military Defense Agency made an urgent appeal for the public to donate blood. Dr. Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, reiterated that there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus and the virus poses no known risk to patients receiving blood. ### About the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center: The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) is a nonprofit community blood center that provides blood, plasma, platelets and other blood components to 100 hospitals in 48 South Texas counties. It is the largest blood supplier in our region. STBTC has a 45-year history serving the South Texas community. It is part of the BioBridge Global family of nonprofit organizations, which offers services in regenerative medicine and research including blood banking and resource management; cellular therapy; umbilical cord blood collection and storage; donated human tissue recovery and distribution for transplant; and testing of blood and plasma products to help patients in the United States and worldwide. STBTC has seven donor rooms in South Texas and conducts hundreds of mobile blood drives each year. STBTC is online at SouthTexasBlood.org

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More than 100 people in the Washington region have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, sparking school closures and statewide and citywide efforts designed to stem the spread of the illness. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said all restaurants and bars in the city must close for on-site service beginning at 10 p.m. Monday, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced the closure of bars, restaurants, movie theaters and gyms.
Pennsylvanias 600 state-owned liquor stores are heading for a 9 p.m., systemwide closure tonight as part of Gov. Tom Wolfs broadening efforts to impose social distancing across the state to interrupt the spread of coronavirus.

But the decision appeared to have the reverse effect in the short term this week as buyers of all shapes, sizes and interests rushed to the state stores to make sure they had enough of whatever they like to ride out the storm.

Is it essential? No, said Ro Gallegos, a 43-year-old insurance company employee from Fairview Township as he left the Fine Wine and Good Spirits store in Lemoyne with a fresh bottle of rum Tuesday afternoon. Is it something that will calm my nerves and get me through this? Absolutely.

Jason Gerard, a state Senate staffer from West Hanover Township, was toting a box full of wine and vodka for himself and some family members out of the store on Jonestown Road.

Buying on Tuesday, he said, owed more to the uncertainty about when the system would reopen than any specific fear of running out. I dont know that you can consider a state store a core function of government. So I would assume they would be kind of on the secondary list of stores and businesses that need to be open. So its just more, bring prepared long term."

And what about vodka helps you be prepared?

"its just a creature comfort, Gerard said. Its just something that I enjoy.

A lot of people were looking for those creature comforts this week, a spin through the stores showed. Shelves carrying economy wines, vodka and bourbons seemed especially picked over. In fact, it really seemed like if you werent moving it today, you might need either a new marketing plan or a new recipe.

Pat Hendershot of Lower Paxton Township shops at the Fine Wine and Good Spirits Premium Collection store on Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township. The PLCB is closing state liquor stores at 9 p.m. tonight until further notice during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. March 17, 2020. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board posted a new high for daily sales in the last 52 weeks on Monday in the aftermath of the announced shutdown of its nearly 600 state-owned liquor stores.

Unprecedented, said PLCB spokeswoman Elizabeth Brassell, when asked about what looked and felt a little bit like a bank panic, except the run here was on vodka, boxed wine and bourbon. We are depleted to a level we have never experienced before because we were unable to plan for this rush of business.

No hard numbers were immediately available, Brassell said, but based on preliminary figures it is by far our highest sales day in the last 52 weeks. That honor, she said, had previously been held by the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 2019 when the state stores rang up a cumulative $19.6 million in sales, before sales taxes.

For the week of March 10 through March 16, Brassell added, sales are up 123 percent from the same week last year.

The statewide shutdown takes effect at 9 p.m., and is indefinite, though PLCB Chairman Tim Holden said Monday that the agency will re-evaluate its operations toward the end of the month, guided by the strategy developed by the Governors Office and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

This matters to drinkers, especially those who like hard liquors, because while the PLCBs Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores now share the wine market with hundreds of grocery stores and restaurants with permits to sell bottles to go, in Pennsylvania it is still the only game in town for liquor.

Still, most shoppers said they understood and supported the decision to close.

I think its the right thing to do, Gallegos said. We want to try to limit our exposure to the general population, and if you have a liquor store and its the only thing open, everybodys going to be congregating there.

I think closing everything theyre closing is prudent, agreed John Hopkins, a 70-year-old retiree from Lower Allen Township.

The Fine Wine and Good Spirits Premium Collection store on Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township. The PLCB is closing state liquor stores at 9 p.m. tonight until further notice during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. March 17, 2020. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

But there were some concerns voiced, too.

Denise Simpson, a UPMC Cancer Center staffer from Camp Hill, worried that the sudden end to the access of alcohol could be very harmful to alcoholics who have a dependency on the stuff.

Its a disease for them, and Im just afraid of where theyre going to go, and what happens, Simpson said, adding that if those folks seek help with detoxification at hospital emergency rooms, thats probably not the greatest outcome in the middle of a pandemic.

Addressing that very question at her afternoon briefing on the state of the state with regards to coronavirus, Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine called it a very important concern and one that she planned to address later Tuesday afternoon in a call with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.

No outcome of that call had been made public as of the publication of this story.

In terms of future access to alcohol, Brassell noted the major grocery chains that have wine-to-go permits will continue to be supplied and stocked by the PLCB  which also runs the wholesale market in Pennsylvania  for the foreseeable future. But it is true that, for most other spirits, what you have in the liquor cabinet now is going to have to last for a while.

So people like Tasha Brown, 44, of Harrisburg, were getting what they needed.

Brown left the Jonestown Road store on the East Shore with two bottles of E&J Brandy, something she likes to take a shot of every now and then.

An outlier on this day, she said she is a little put out about the closure. Theyre making a big deal out of nothing, she said about state and federal officials sounding the coronavirus alarm. But she was getting ready all the same.

They dont have this at the grocery store, Brown quipped.

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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As coronavirus cases mount, Pa. is preparing two public mass testing sites: Video

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The Opposition New Democrats continued to employ procedural tactics Monday to stall the Manitoba government's legislative agenda, including introduction of the provincial budget.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Opposition New Democrats continued to employ procedural tactics Monday to stall the Manitoba government's legislative agenda, including introduction of the provincial budget.

NDP MLAs rose on points of privilege throughout the day, preventing the legislative assembly from dealing with routine business, such as the introduction bills and question period. The stalling tactics prevented, for a third-consecutive sitting day, the introduction of the 2020 Manitoba budget, which was originally scheduled to be tabled March 11.

An hour before MLAs convened in the chamber, two Progressive Conservative cabinet ministers called a news conference, where they urged the NDP to put aside partisan differences and allow the legislature to function normally.

"At times like this, we as legislators need to rise to a different level and to show Manitobans that we are there working for their best interests," said Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen, referring to the COVID-19 emergency.

The NDP is objecting to the fact the Tory government had lined up more than 20 bills to be introduced on budget day, some of which, they contend, would hurt workers, students, schools and families.

NDP MLAs such as Nahanni Fontaine rose on points of privilege through the day, preventing the government from introducing the budget. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

The party has repeatedly offered to allow the government to introduce its budget, saying its goal is only to delay the rapid-fire introduction of bills. It argues Manitobans would have little opportunity to debate them.

"The delay of (Premier Brian) Pallister's legislation has absolutely no bearing on the province's response to COVID-19, and we were pleased to work collaboratively with the government last week to approve emergency funding for health-care supplies," NDP house leader Nahanni Fontaine said Monday in a statement.

The government says the NDP ought to adhere to the rules of the legislature, which allow for the orderly introduction of bills, provide opportunities for cabinet ministers to update MLAs on the coronavirus emergency and permit the Opposition to ask questions.

Asked whether the government was prepared to compromise with the Opposition by offering to introduce fewer bills, allowing for its budget to be introduced, Goertzen, who also serves as government house leader, said such accommodation is already built into the rules.

He noted the rules of the legislature permit the Opposition to designate five bills to be held over until fall. However, the government must also introduce bills by March 18 to assure they are passed by June 1, when the house rises for the summer.

Finance Minister Scott Fielding urged the NDP to "stop the political brinkmanship" in the legislature. He said the Opposition "can't cherry-pick which rules they want to follow."

Finance minister Scott Fielding (left) and government house leader Kelvin Goertzen asked the NDP to allow the legislature to function normally. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba, said the rules of the legislature have become "weapons" to gain political advantage for both the government and opposition parties.

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While the government could technically introduce its budget, it doesn't want to yield to what it sees as the "hostage-taking tactics" of the NDP, he said.

The NDP runs the risk its strategy will backfire, Thomas said, noting the content of the bills the government wishes to introduce is unknown.

"I think the NDP has more to answer for here than the government," he said of the legislative standoff. "The public already thinks that politicians are too self-interested and opportunistic. And they think the NDP is preventing the government from dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and the economic downturn that's coming."

Meanwhile, the government, NDP and Liberals did agree on one thing Monday before the stalling tactics began.

The parties passed a motion giving them the flexibility  by agreement  to vary the sitting hours, days and location of the legislature to deal with "emergency public measures" during the coronavirus outbreak.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
The national cabinet has declared a human biosecurity emergency, banned crowds of 100 people from indoor venues, restricted aged care visits and ordered Australians not to travel overseas as the coronavirus spreads around the world.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the unprecedented measures are likely be with Australia for six months at least, as the government looks to avoid a total lockdown of society that would see schools shut and essential services put at risk.

"This is a once in 100-year event," he said. "We haven't seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the first World War."

The measures were authorised by Mr Morrison and all state and territory leaders in the newly formed national cabinet on Tuesday night and announced on Wednesday.
Indias hesitation in adopting mass testing for coronavirus (Covid-19) even as it spreads is jeopardising the lives of millions who may be infected but dont know it. India has, so far, limited testing to those with travel history from affected countries, their contacts, and symptomatic health workers dealing with Covid-19 patients. The government has argued that it is not possible to test everyone. It has plans to scale up diagnostic laboratories doing Covid-19 tests from 63 to 121, and is putting in place mechanisms to allow 51 private labs to test. Officials have suggested that if India begins testing people with symptoms, the system will not have enough capacity to test, once community transmission begins.

The government, however, must reconsider its approach. A new analysis of data from China shows that for every confirmed case, there are another five to 10 people in the community with undetected disease. Many people with mild or no symptoms remain undiagnosed but infect others. In China, this led to nearly 80% of the new cases. Random community testing of 1,100 patients in intensive care units, as India is doing, is too small a sample for a population of 1.37 billion. The first 500 random cases have tested negative, but this should not make the government complacent. To deal with the issue of capacity, there is only one way out  involve the private sector substantially. The government is considering the option now, but it should move fast. India has procured one million diagnostics kits, but the overstretched government sector does not even have the human resources to scale up to a few thousand tests. Even when a little over 10% of its diagnostic capacity of 6,000 tests a day is being used at the Indian Council of Medical Research labs, the diagnostic reports for tests take several days to be generated.

Rapid mass testing in South Korea has brought down new infections and death rates to less than 1%, compared to the world average of close to 4%. Makeshift fever clinics in China, offering rapid testing, brought down new cases on Monday to 21, compared to 62 in the United States and 344 in Italy, where the epidemic spiralled out of control because of delayed diagnosis. The World Health Organization has urged countries to test every suspected case. India must redefine its outdated testing parameters to permit walk-in testing. It has allowed two labs to do rapid testing, but this is not enough. This is the biggest health emergency in living memory. As long as quality and infection control measures are in place, it should not matter whether testing is done in public or private hospitals, for it saves lives. .
The Senate is getting ready to vote on legislation that would sanction Lebanese officials responsible for wrongfully detaining American citizens, Al-Monitor has learned.

The Senate moving forward with the sanctions bill, introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, indicates that Washington is skeptical Lebanon will actually allow US citizen Amer Fakhoury to return home, even after a military tribunal ordered his release on Monday.

The Senate is getting the process underway to [unanimously pass] Sens. Shaheens and Cruzs legislation that sanctions Lebanese officials for the detention of American citizens, and this is in response to recent developments in Lebanon, a Senate aide told Al-Monitor.

Why it matters: Shaheen and Cruz introduced the bill to sanction the Lebanese government, judicial and military officials last month as a response to charges against Fakhoury, Shaheens constituent. Lebanon arrested Fakhoury in September and charged him with torturing prisoners at the notorious Khiam Prison during the civil war as a member of the Israel-backed South Lebanon Army.

A military tribunal ordered Fakhourys release this week on the grounds that it has been more than 10 years since the alleged crimes. But it's unclear as to whether Fakhoury  who suffers from stage 4 cancer  will actually be released because he faces another case from a group of prisoners who claim the New Hampshire resident tortured them during the war. Fakhourys family acknowledges that he worked at the prison but denies that he tortured prisoners.

Whats next: The Senate is set to quickly pass the sanctions legislation unless a senator blocks the request for unanimous consent. The House, which is in an extended recess as the United States grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, would have to pass the bill next.

But even one chamber passing the bill signals a clear US warning shot to Lebanese officials over the Fakhoury case. Shaheen and Cruz have also coordinated with the White House on the legislation.

Know more: Check out Congressional Correspondent Bryant Harris analysis of the Lebanon sanctions legislation from last month.
Jury trials must be stopped to prevent court cases becoming a game of Russian roulette with coronavirus, barristers have said.

Jurors have been ordered to continue attending trials unless they are in at-risk groups or have symptoms, despite government guidance for the general public to avoid contact with others.

But high-profile cases, including the trial of the Manchester bombers brother and the men accused of killing PC Andrew Harper, have already lost jurors over the pandemic.

The Bar Council, which represents over 17,000 barristers in England and Wales, said it was receiving reports of jurors dropping out of cases across the country.

Chair Amanda Pinto QC said: Being in a jury trial should not be a game of Russian roulette with the participants health.

All those involved in court proceedings, be they barristers, witnesses, defendants, jurors or members of the public - let alone court staff and judges - should not be expected to attend court, whilst the rest of the country is very strongly urged to work from home and to avoid non-essential contact and confined spaces.

The Bar Council said some jurors were dropping out of cases because they were self-isolating with potential coronavirus symptoms, while others were coming to court when they should not, and thereby putting everyones health at risk.

It called for the Ministry of Justice to continue proceedings without requiring people to attend court were possible, including by using video and phone technology.

The Bar Council believes that it is vital that the justice system functions as far as possible but putting peoples health - and in some cases lives - at risk in our courts when this is avoidable, must stop immediately, a spokesperson added.

 Cressida Dick: Met Police not ruled out boosting numbers in London amid Coronavirus

Jurors considering the alleged murder of PC Harper were sent home on Tuesday after one of them came down with a horrific cold.

On Monday, a juror in the trial of alleged Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi was discharged after going into self-isolation over the weekend.

There were further reports of jurors refusing to attend court over coronavirus, or refusing to meet with their lawyers, while witnesses have been unable to give evidence because of coronavirus symptoms.

Mustapha Hakme, a criminal defence barrister, wrote on Twitter: Nearing end of serious trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court and the jury, who have been out deliberating for some two hours, are about to be discharged.

One has refused to continue as she is pregnant and two others are unwell. The courts are about to feel the reality of what faces all of us.

But any move to postpone trials will worsen a backlog of criminal cases already caused by cuts to the number of sitting days.

James Mulholland QC, vice chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said: The criminal justice system is already in crisis and the coronavirus is likely to bring it to the point of collapse.

The Lord Chief Justice said it was not realistic to suppose that it will be business as usual in any jurisdiction, but it is of vital importance that the administration of justice does not grind to a halt.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Lord Burnett said there was an urgent need to increase the use of telephone and video technology to hold remote hearings.

Emergency legislation is being drafted which is likely to contain clauses that expand the powers in criminal courts to use technology in a wider range of hearings, he added.

Our immediate aim is to maintain a service to the public, ensure as many hearings in all jurisdictions can proceed and continue to deal with all urgent matters.

HM Courts and Tribunal Service insisted that business would continue on Monday, with updated guidance calling jury service an essential part of the criminal justice system and one of the most important civic duties a citizen can undertake.

For those already on trials, jury service is currently continuing, and individuals are expected to attend court unless they have a reason not to.

We're carefully following government advice and keeping the situation under constant review, an official document said.

It adds that for those currently serving on a jury, you will be expected to attend as normal unless they have signs of covid-19, or a diagnosis of the disease; are over 70, have a weakened immune system, an underlying health condition or are pregnant; are following official government advice on self-isolation; or there is another reason why they cannot attend.

Anyone wanting to be discharged was told to call the jury central summoning bureau, which was experiencing a high volume of calls on Tuesday morning.

An automated message told callers that they had to submit requests to be discharged in writing.

England's civil courts could relax rules and deadlines in ongoing cases in anticipation of delays in the coming weeks due to coronavirus.

Law firm Leigh Day claimed on Tuesday that one of its lawyers had secured a direction on time extensions in a brain injury case it is currently involved in.

The firm said an order made in the High Court - which it called the covid-19 direction - means that parties involved in the case can agree extensions for up to 56 days by consent without a further order from the court, in light of the outbreak.

Additional reporting by PA
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

San Francisco Unified School District and its non-profit partner are asking the community for donations to support its response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which includes running meal distribution sites starting Tuesday.

With schools closed for at least the next three weeks amid a regionwide shelter-in-place order, providing meals is estimated to cost SFUSD at least $314,000 above federal reimbursements for school meals.

Meals will be handed out for free to all children 18 and younger at eight sites between 9-10 a.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday, the program will expand to 14 sites, and Thursday and all future days during the closures will have 18 sites.

No ID or proof of school enrollment is required, but a child must be present during the pickup, according to the district. A list of the pickup sites can be found at https://www.sfusd.edu/services/health-wellness/nutrition-school-meals.

The district and its partner Spark* SF Public Schools are asking for monetary donations for the goals of providing the meals, as well as cleaning and preparing school sites in time for the campuses to reopen, and expanding technology options for students during the closures.

"We are anticipating numerous additional costs related to COVID-19, some of which will not be covered by state and local funding," SFUSD Superintendent Vincent Matthews said in a news release. "At the same time we are preparing to reopen, we are working together to provide essential services to our students, families and staff while schools are closed."

People wishing to donate can visit sparkssfpublicschools.org/donate or text "4SFUSD" to 44321.

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.
EDMONTONCasinos in Alberta are to close immediately after Premier Jason Kenney declared a state of public emergency to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Other provinces  including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec  had already closed casinos, and Manitoba announced it will close its six casinos Wednesday.

Albertas state of emergency declares that any gathering larger than 50 people must be cancelled.

It means casinos, bingo halls and bars will be closed along with any recreation facilities, museums and art galleries that were still open.

Council members in Calgary, where a local state of emergency was called Sunday, have been questioning why the Alberta government hadnt closed casinos earlier.

Kenney says the province will do whatever it takes to control the spread of the virus.

Read more about:
tech2 News Staff

Since OnePlus first entered the market, it has used the same logo, font, and the red and white theme. Now, almost 6 years later, the company is ready to refresh its brand visual identity.

In a blog post by CEO Pete Lau, he talks about introducing a new company logo. However, while he teases the new brand identity in the blog, he said that the announcement will be made tomorrow (18 March).

Meanwhile, a report by 9to5 Google claims that the new logo was leaked via Chinese Patent office. The report suggests that a few variations are expected in the upcoming logo including the "1+" icon and its font.

It is speculated that this new logo will be used on its upcoming OnePlus 8 series smartphones. The series is likely to make its global debut as soon as next month.

In addition to this, 9to5 Google also reported that Robert Downey Jr, brand ambassador of OnePlus was spotted holding OnePlus 8 Pro. The report suggests that it looked like he was shooting for an advertisement and this image was shared by a photographer which was eventually taken down. The image shared below is from a Robert Downey Jr fan page. The said image just reveals a vertically-aligned camera setup at the back.

Referring to a tweet by a user Max J, the report also revealed that OnePlus might be planning to unveil the OnePlus 8 series on 15 April.
I have felt uncomfortable with the idea of donating money to candidates in elections in which I have no voting rights  such as senators in states other than my own. I always believed that only those able to vote in an election and who will be directly affected by it have the right to donate to the candidates. It has become clear to me, however, that individual senators and other elected officials outside my state do indeed have a powerful effect on the entire country. Is it appropriate for me to donate to candidates in elections in which I cannot vote? Christine, Seattle

Given that campaigns for public office in this country require citizen contributions, you are absolutely entitled to help candidates from districts and states other than your own. (Whether the way that elections are financed here is good for our democracy is another question.) As you recognize, the effects politicians have arent confined to their immediate constituencies. On the contrary, the prospects for our country depend on who holds elective offices at every level. For one thing, representatives from each of the states in the U.S. House and Senate vote on national legislation. For another, policies in one state affect what happens in others. Guns stolen in Pennsylvania are used in crimes in New Jersey. Children educated in Texas end up working in California. Voter suppression in Florida affects the composition not only of its State Legislature but also of its legislative delegates in Washington and could determine who wins the White House. We are one nation; if were to aim at liberty and justice for all, we need to do it together.

I am a transgender man who is currently in medical school and at the point in my training when I am seeing patients day to day. I am also at the point in my physical transition where no one would assume, or even reasonably guess, that I am trans.

If a patient of mine expresses their discomfort with trans people or a belief that trans people are mentally unstable, should I attempt to remove myself from that patients care if at all possible? Should I inform the patient that I am trans and give them the option of choosing another doctor? (On the latter, I would lean toward not doing so, because I feel I have a right to my privacy and because my safety could easily be compromised in my current work environment.)
Air planes of German carrier Lufthansa are parked at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Europe's airlines are heading for an effective shutdown, with just skeleton services expected across the region and Ryanair warning its entire fleet is likely to be grounded within 10 days.

The seismic changes within the sector due to the coronavirus pandemic are likely to have a permanent structural effect on the industry and the way people travel.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh, who was due to retire at the end of this month, has postponed his departure.

The airline group, which owns Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, is slashing its capacity by at least 75pc during April and May.

Virgin Atlantic has asked its staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave between now and June as it plans to cut about 80pc of flights. German holiday firm TUI has cancelled most of its operations, while Easyjet also said it could have to ground its entire fleet.

The dramatic reduction in global travel demand is already increasing financial pressure on airlines, which ratings agency Fitch expects will result in increased lease deferrals or restructurings, airline bankruptcies, and ultimately, aircraft repossessions. While lessors have historically benefited from the ability to move aircraft from regions or countries with weak demand to others with stronger demand, the global scale of the current stress significantly impairs this traditional risk mitigation strategy, it said.

Australia's Centre for Aviation (CAPA), a well-regarded research consultancy, claimed that most airlines would be bankrupt by the end of May.

"As the impacts of the coronavirus and multiple government travel reactions sweep through our world, many airlines have probably already been driven into technical bankruptcy, or are at least substantially in breach of debt covenants," it claimed.

"Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented. Normality is not yet on the horizon."

Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based agency that manages airspace across Europe, said yesterday that there were just 20,040 flights on Sunday in the airspace it oversees. That was almost 24pc, or 6,263, fewer than on an equivalent Sunday in 2019.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said that the carrier group is doing "everything we can to meet the challenge posed by the Covid-19 outbreak", in light of "unprecedented" travel restrictions that have been imposed often without notice.

"We are communicating with all affected passengers by email and SMS, and we are organising rescue flights to repatriate customers, even in those countries where travel bans have been imposed," he added.

Ryanair has a fleet of more than 450 aircraft. For April and May, it expects to reduce its seat capacity by up to 80pc and it warned that a full grounding of the fleet "cannot be ruled out".

Mr O'Leary said that Ryanair is "a resilient carrier group" with a very strong balance sheet and substantial cash liquidity. It has about 4bn in cash and cash equivalents.

"We can, and will, with appropriate and timely action, survive through a prolonged period of reduced or even zero flight schedules," said Mr O'Leary.

"Ryanair is taking immediate action to reduce operating expenses and improve cash flows," the airline added.

"This will involve grounding surplus aircraft, deferring all capex and share buybacks, freezing recruitment and discretionary spending, and implementing a series of voluntary leave options, temporarily suspending employment contracts, and significant reductions to working hours and payments."

Airline shares were eviscerated when markets opened yesterday, wiping billions of euro off their market capitalisations.

Ryanair's were 18pc lower by lunchtime, while shares in IAG were down 28pc. Easyjet had declined 19pc.

Lufthansa was 11pc lower and Air France-KLM had fallen 17pc. In the US, airline stocks also plunged.






By Choi Yearn-hong




By Natalie Rahhal, Acting US Health Editor for DailyMail.com

HOW DANGEROUS IS CORONAVIRUS?

About 14 percent of people who contract the Covid-19 coronavirus are taken to hospital  with severe symptoms including breathing problems and pneumonia. About 5 per cent need intensive care.

But the majority who get the virus suffer nothing more than a cough and may never know they are infected.

So far, some 51,000 people around the world have already recovered from coronavirus  and that just includes the numbers who received a diagnosis.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE?

Officially, the death rate so far has been just over three percent. But experts believe the true mortality rate is probably between one and two percent. This is because most mild cases have not been picked up by doctors or reflected in the official numbers  so the death rate is inflated.

HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER DISEASES?

Seasonal flu kills roughly 0.1 percent of people. So Covid-19 is between 10 and 20 times more fatal.

But it is far less dangerous than SARS  the virus that ripped across China in 2003  which killed 10 percent of patients.

BUT DOESNT CORONAVIRUS SPREAD MORE EASILY?

Yes, but not dramatically. The best estimates suggest every person with Covid-19 passes it on to 2.6 people, on average. For flu that number is 1.5.

CAN IT BE SPREAD WITHOUT SYMPTOMS?

Initially scientists feared carriers who had no symptoms could pass it on. That is now in doubt.

What is likely, however, is those who have mild symptoms are putting it down to a cold and going about their normal lives  which puts others at risk.

HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR?

Again, unclear. Initially scientists said this could take up to two weeks.

But recent evidence suggests the incubation period could be as long as a month  particularly among children.

The average, however, is much shorter. A Chinese study said the average period of symptom onset was 5.4 days for adults and 6.5 for children.

WHO IS AT RISK?

The virus can affect anyone  with a study of the first 41 infected people revealing two thirds did not suffer from any pre-existing condition. But the middle-aged are most likely to get it  78 percent of those infected in China have been aged 30 to 69.

WHAT ABOUT THE OLD?

Only 3 percent of people infected so far have been over 80  but if they get it they are more vulnerable. Analysis of 72,000 cases in China suggests for over-80s the death rate is 15 percent. For those in their 70s the death rate is 8 percent and for those in their 60s, 4 percent.

WHO ELSE IS VULNERABLE?

Those with other conditions  such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney problems  are likely to suffer severe complications if they become infected.

WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?

Children seem to be low-risk. Less than 1 percent of the Chinese cases have been under the age of ten  and if children do get the virus its often a mild form.

They do, however, retain the virus for longer than adults.

A study last week found the virus was still present in the stools of some children for a month after they contracted it.

DOES GENDER MATTER?

Men are marginally more likely to get the virus than women. It is not clear why this is.

HOW DO DOCTORS TEST FOR COVID-19?

Anyone who has symptoms particularly if they have travelled to an at-risk area  are told to call ahead to their health care provider, local emergency department or clinics.

This way, health care providers can be prepared, wearing masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment when they meet the possible patient and escort them to isolated areas of the facility.

They are tested using a cheek swab which is sent off for analysis at one of 12 Public Health England labs, a process that takes between 24 and 48 hours. Any positive test is double-checked at the main PHE lab in Colindale.

WHAT TREATMENT DO PATIENTS GET?

There is little doctors can do to tackle the virus, but they can treat the symptoms  such as fever and respiratory problems. Antivirals and antibiotics are also used, mainly to keep secondary problems at bay.

In the most serious cases patients are put on life-support equipment.

There are several clinical trials for potential coronavirus treatments ongoing worldwide, including one in Nebraska, where at least 13 patients are in quarantine, including two in biocontainment units.

WHAT ABOUT A VACCINE?

Even though the Wuhan virus appeared only a few weeks ago, 20 teams around the world are already manufacturing vaccines.

Chinese authorities provided the DNA code for the virus early on in the outbreak, enabling scientists to get to work straight away.

At least 30 companies and research institutions in the US are racing to make a vaccine.

Last week, one of these companies, Moderna, shipped its candidate vaccine to the US, signalling the shot was ready to begin clinical trials.

Even so, US health authorities say it will likely be upwards of a year before a vaccine is actually ready.
LAVAL, Quebec, March 17, 2020, a CRO in the U.S. and Canada specializing in a flexible, innovative approach to comprehensive early stage drug development, announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Amador Bioscience ,a translational and consulting clinical research organization located in China and the U.S. This partnership aims to expand world-class capabilities and resources to promote drug development in China and North America.



"We are excited to collaborate with Amador Bioscience's dedicated team of diverse experts, particularly in support of China's fast-growing and innovative biotech industry," stated Steve Mason, Executive Vice President, Altasciences.

Altasciences and Amador Bioscience will collaborate on IND-enabling preclinical studies, design and conduct of early-stage clinical programs, including first-in-human and proof-of-concept trials, as well as provide end-to-end solutions, such as laboratory services, to transpacific drug development programs.

"We are pleased to be partnering with Altasciences, offering our clients access to world-class preclinical and clinical facilities, personalized services, and 25 years' expertise in conducting successful clinical trials," said Xiaomin Chen, General Manager, Amador Bioscience. "Our synergistic and effective collaboration will surely expedite the development of novel therapeutics," added Mrs. Chen.

About Altasciences

Altasciences is a forward-thinking, mid-size contract research organization offering pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies a proven, flexible approach to preclinical and clinical pharmacology studies, including formulation, manufacturing, and analytical services. For over 25 years, Altasciences has been partnering with sponsors to help support educated, faster, and more complete early drug development decisions. Altasciences' integrated, full-service solutions include preclinical safety testing, clinical pharmacology and proof of concept, bioanalysis, program management, medical writing, biostatistics, and data management, all customizable to specific sponsor requirements. Altasciences helps sponsors get better drugs to the people who need them, faster. Altasciences has strategically placed facilities in the U.S. (Seattle and Kansas City) and Canada (Montreal and Laval).

About Amador Bioscience

Amador Bioscience provides global-standard laboratory, clinical research, strategy consulting and regulatory filing services to leading biopharmaceutical companies. The laboratory services focus on bioanalysis, biomarkers and immunogenicity assessment. Amador's clinical research unit specializes in innovative clinical development strategy, protocol design, study initiation and monitoring of clinical studies in China and the U.S. In addition to the R&D strategy and regulatory pathway, Amador's consulting services perform global-standard data analysis and generate submission-ready study reports. Amador has successfully supported CTD filings in China and U.S. Amador Bioscience operates in the U.S. (San Francisco Bay Area, Virginia) and China (Shanghai-Hanghzou and Beijing).
Update 3/18/20: All Ohio State University Extension offices are closed to the public until further notice. Extension staff is working remotely and can be reached via email and phone.

Most extension programs, events and activities through April 20 have been postponed, canceled or will be held virtually.

Contact information for each county extension office and a staff directory can be found here: https://extension.osu.edu/lao.

  

Across Pennsylvania and Ohio, 4-H and extension activities are on hold to hopefully slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Pennsylvania 4-H suspended all 4-H events, activities and club meetings on March 12 until further notice.

Penn State Extension also canceled all public, in-person events it sponsors through April 5. That includes workshops, conferences and meetings. Some of them may be rescheduled for a later date or moved online, if possible.

Our primary goal is to limit exposure and transmission potential to reduce the risk to our staff and those we serve, and we appreciate the publics understanding as we navigate these unprecedented circumstances, said Brent Hales, director of Penn State Extension, in a statement.

Ohio 4-H asked that all 4-H events, programs and activities scheduled through April 20 be held virtually, postponed or canceled, said Kirk Bloir, state 4-H leader.

Additionally, an exception is being made this year for the livestock quality assurance certification requirement for members with livestock projects. Bloir said they discussed the situation with the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The quality assurance certification must be completed before opening day of exhibition, but it does not need to be done at least 45 days prior to opening. Youth exhibitors may take the online Youth for the Quality Care of Animals training.

Ohio State University Extension interim director Jacquie Wilkins sent a statement to extension staff statewide that unless a meeting or event is absolutely mission-critical, it should be delayed, held virtually or canceled for the next several weeks.

What is mission-critical will be decided at a local level. For up-to-date information on Ohio State University Extension events, visit: https://cfaes.osu.edu/news/events
The impact for all electric two-wheelers, which are imported mostly from China, is that it will lead to price escalation that will be passed onto customers.

For Okinawa Autotech, a fledgling maker of electric two-wheelers, that started making products a couple of years ago, sales were humming along steadily with numbers of 45,000 units a year and projections of reaching 100,000 in sales by this year.

Suddenly, the squeeze of components and parts from China started after the coronavirus outbreak along with stricter norms enforced under FAME 2 by the Centre.

Now, Jeetendra Sharma, the companys managing director (MD), claims that other than battery, everything is locally made and admits that those projections stand corrected.

"We expect to see sales of anywhere between 50,000 and 60,000 by March-end, Sharma says.

Okinawa, which makes a range of more than half a dozen products that start as low as Rs 60,000, has production capacity at 90,000 units per annum at its new plant in Alwar, Rajasthan.

It has been among the more aggressive players in the electric two-wheeler space with different variants across both low-speed and high-speed vehicles.

Sharmas big plan is to launch an electric motorcycle with a top speed of 120 km.

However, that has also been postponed till Diwali as opposed to the June-July time-frame set earlier.

Under the governments national mission on electrification of vehicles (FAME 2), the industry has seen sales of 280,000 units that are dominated by two-wheelers and three-wheelers but there is every indication that a contraction has begun and will be there for a while.

Saket Mehra, partner, Grant Thornton Advisory, says its time consuming to make ones own electric vehicles from scratch.

He adds that many small companies have, over the last eight years, tried to make a go of such products but did not succeed.

He says, In the current market, the entire two-wheeler projections are being redone.

"The impact for all electric two-wheelers, which are imported mostly from China, is that it will lead to price escalation that will be passed onto customers.

Sullaja Firodia Motwani, a two-wheeler veteran and founder of Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions, which makes green three-wheelers and small vehicles, says that speed is an integral part of performance for any two-wheeler.

When you make bikes or scooters that are slower than 60 km per hour, it becomes a challenge to go uphill, overtake on long roads, carry two people and so on, she says.

In addition, making bikes with bigger electric engines that perform well without vibrations has not been easy in the past for indiginous players, although that is slowly changing, adds Motwani.

Any long-term slowdown in two-wheeler sales will not bode well for the national plan to electrify India's vehicles, which are vastly dominated by two and three-wheelers, she says.

She goes on to say that in five to 10 years, a large chunk of two-wheelers - with ICE motors - will be replaced by EVs. Chinas EV-related sales is less than 50 per cent when usually during post the Chinese New year, its at its highest.

So, there will be a possible 10 per cent to 12 per cent price hike for the electric two-wheeler industry.

Even a price change of 5 per cent can make a big difference to sales because customers at that segment are highly price sensitive, says Mehra.

Ather Energy, which makes electric scooters and runs a 300-man R&D centre out of Bengaluru, has two scooters - the Ather 450 and the pricier Ather 450 X - launched in January and will start production in July.

Most two-wheeler makers rely on China and import knock-down units and powertrains, says Tarun Mehta, Athers co-founder.

What are Athers investors looking at, given the market changes?

When something like what is happening right now (coronavirus outbreak) happens, we start to focus on products, customers and our existing technology.

"We wont introduce new products for at least two years, he says.

He adds that in the next five years, the company expects at least 25 per cent of the scooters to go electric.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
For more information about the Company please visit: www.sunniva.com

For more information about CannaPharmaRx please visit: www.CannaPharmaRx.com.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information or Statements (with respect to Sunniva)

This press release contains forward-looking information or statements. All statements that are or information which is not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, statements regarding the closing of the SMI Transaction and the estimate of net cash proceeds from the SMI Transaction are "forward-looking information or statements". Forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking information and statements contained herein, Sunniva has made numerous assumptions including, among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Sunniva's continuous disclosure documents available on www.sedar.com. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information or statements. Although Sunniva has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information or statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking information or statements. Sunniva assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

Safe Harbor Statement (with respect to CannaPharmaRx)

This press release may contain forward looking statements vis-a-vis CannaPharmaRx which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues and any payment of dividends on its common and preferred stock, statements related to its financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by CannaPharmaRx with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in CannaPharmaRx's filings with the SEC. Among other matters, CannaPharmaRx may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including, but not limited to, general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in CannaPharmaRx's most recent SEC filings. CannaPharmaRx has incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in its expansion of its existing and new service lines, noting there is no assurance that CannaPharmaRx will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long term. Additional service offerings may expose CannaPharmaRx to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations where it will be providing services, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time.

Company Contacts:





Sunniva Inc. CannaPharmaRx, Inc. Dr. Anthony Holler Attention: Richard Brown Ness Capital & Consulting Chairman and Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Phone: (866) 786-6482 Phone: (978) 767-0048



Sunniva Investor Relations Contact:

Rob Knowles

VP Corporate Development

Phone: (587) 316-4319

Email: [email protected]



SOURCE Sunniva Inc.

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The Barton family  mom Naomi, dad Grant and daughters Phoebe, 2, (left) and Nora, 4, in their home's renovated kitchen in Merion Station. The town is convenient to work, schools, and businesses in nearby Narberth. Read more

Bright light pouring into the circa-1920 houses millwork windows, even during a snowstorm, sealed the deal for Naomi and Grant Barton. The stone center-hall Colonial home in Merion Station was the perfect spot for the couple and daughters Nora, 4, and Phoebe, 2, who moved from West Philadelphia in November.

I remember coming through the front door and even though the wallpaper was dark, it still felt really bright in the reflection of the snow, said Naomi, 36, a nurse practitioner and the living donor coordinator in the kidney transplant program at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood. It felt warm and cozy.

The neighborhood was also a draw, offering an easy commute to both Naomi and Grants jobs, close proximity to schools, and the ability to walk to shops in nearby Narberth Borough. Its a quaint strip with American flags lining the main street, with shops, restaurants and a little library and park, she said.

The home did need some work, mostly to suit the Bartons style. It had great bones and a lot of soul, she said. The previous owner, whom they met, had been in the home for 40 years. While he had more traditional decorating taste, the Bartons believed that he had taken great care of the house.

He raised his family here, and I think he felt good about bestowing it to us, the next generation to raise a family there, said Naomi, who appreciates that the home has had only a few occupants in its 100 years. It felt like a place to really put down roots.

To make the home less formal with a more casual vibe, they did some modernizing. Functional improvements included installing central air conditioning, moving the laundry room upstairs, and updating some electrical work. Aesthetically, they replaced wallpaper with pastel paint, removed dark rugs, and refinished the existing wood floors.

They gutted the kitchen, saving some of the appliances. Removing an existing wall into the dining room and a half wall into a seating area enlarged the space.

We wanted to finish it with millwork that matched the rest of the house so it didnt look out of place or be too open, Naomi said.

Bronwyn Reice of Buckminster Green designed the large island with a reclaimed pine countertop. A built-in speed oven functions as a second conventional oven and microwave. Instead of cabinets, drawers fill the area below the counter, and windows fill the space where upper cabinets once were. The new windows in the black-and-white kitchen match the style of the original windows while filling the room with bright light.

I was a bit nervous about not having upper cabinets because thats what I was used to, Naomi said. But the drawers work great for storing bowls and plates. Everything except cups, which I store in our hutch.

The kitchen is where the family eats dinner on most nights, unless they have company. Then, they move into the adjacent dining room. They enjoy spending time in the living room, with a stone wood-burning fireplace at its center.

Its really nice to have a real fire in the fireplace, something we couldnt do in our old house, said Grant, 35, a hospitalist at the VA Hospital in Philly. This floor of the house is very cozy and has been one of the nice surprises.

Four of the 3,000-square-foot homes five bedrooms are on the second floor. The couple stole a couple of feet from the room they use as an office to create his and her closets in the master bedroom. They also gutted the en suite bathroom, installing a double vanity, a white subway tiled walk-in shower, and a black-and-white basket weave tile floor.

The third floor includes a guest bedroom and bathroom for friends and family who often visit. The kids like to tell stories about our relatives, even the ones who dont live nearby, Naomi said. Most family members are present in the family photos that line the walls surrounding each staircase. Nora and Phoebes favorite shows their grandfather with a bird on his head.

The children enjoy playing in their bedrooms, but their favorite game is hide-and-seek in the houses nooks and crannies, most notably the crawl space under the stairs.

It makes me feel like they will grow up with all these memories of their house," Naomi said, and thats a really good feeling.

Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com
Acquisition adds industry expertise and out-of-the-box solutions to Alfresco

Alfresco Software, an open source content services provider, today announced a strategic move to acquire long term partner, Technology Services Group (TSG), a Chicago based Enterprise Content Management software and services firm. TSG provides expert advice, services and solutions including strategic advisory, application development, software engineering, and software products to many prestigious clients in North America.

Founded in 1996 and an Alfresco partner since 2006, TSG employs 45 full-time software engineers, industry specialists, and solutions experts. In addition to content management services, TSG provides no-code interfaces for case management, annotation, as well as additional massive scale options that leverage NoSQL approaches.

Jay Bhatt, Chief Executive Officer, Alfresco noted: "We are delighted to welcome TSG to the Alfresco family. This acquisition will add more industry specialists and technical resources to our team, who will serve our global customer base. TSG's 24-year experience in the Content Services market coupled with their experience with the Alfresco Digital Business Platform makes them the perfect complement to our growing business."

TSG offers best-in-class solutions including:

OpenContent Search a no-code, configurable interface for finding and retrieving documents from a variety of repositories

OpenContent Forms a no-code unique "wizard" interface that simplifies form and workflow requirements for dynamic forms and dynamic workflow; enables the replacement of "hard-coded" forms and templates to accommodate rapidly changing business needs

OpenContent Case a no-code, configurable, stream-lined interface for viewing and interacting with a set of related documents from a variety of repositories

OpenAnnotate a browser-based annotation tool enabling the collaborative annotation, high speed viewing, manipulation and redaction of documents and video content

According to TSG's owner and founder Dave Giordano: "We are tremendously excited about the new opportunities that we will be able to bring to our clients and our employees by becoming part of Alfresco. Joining Alfresco allows us to continue to offer our products, solutions and services to all of our current clients as well as additional Alfresco customers, backed by the strength and support of a globally recognized leader in the Content Services market"

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Alfresco

Alfresco Software, Inc. ("Alfresco") is a commercial, open source software company that builds and markets a cloud-native, process, content and governance intensive Digital Business Platform. It is a single, integrated platform built from the ground up by Alfresco and is used to digitize processes, manage content and securely govern information. Alfresco is used by more than 1,300 industry-leading organizations, including Cisco, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Delta Dental, Liberty Mutual, LexisNexis, Pitney Bowes, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, NASA, RB Capital Markets and the US Navy Department. Founded in 2005, Alfresco has its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and operations in Atlanta, GA., Maidenhead and London, UK, and Sydney, Australia. For more information about Alfresco, please visit http://www.alfresco.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005012/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Sara Krypel

AlfrescoUS@teamlewis.com

781-418-2422
If the airline industry was in trouble last week, it has gone into full-blown crisis mode in just the past few days, to the point where we have to wonder how many airlines will remain standing after all the coronavirus dust settles.

After the U.S. last week enacted restrictions on arrivals by anyone who has been in mainland Europe in the past two weeks, it subsequently expanded that ban to cover the U.K. and Ireland. And this week, the European Union plans to discuss a plan that would bar virtually all inbound travel by foreigners to its 27 member nations. This is in addition to entry bans being enacted by many other nations.

This week, the respected CAPA Centre for Aviation, a global group of researchers and analysts, made the following scary prediction: By the end of May, most world airlines will be bankrupt.

Things are so bad that Airlines for America (A4A), the U.S. airline trade organization, this week asked the federal government for up to $50 billion in financial assistance in the form of immediate grants and loan guarantees, as well as relief from federal excise taxes for all of 2020 and 2021.

The current economic environment for airlines is simply not sustainable, A4A said, adding that it can see no end in sight to the situation. The coronavirus impact on the industry is unprecedented and debilitating, A4A said. Carriers have seen a dramatic decline in demand, which is getting worse by the day. Carriers have been forced to remove flights from their schedule and make historic capacity cuts. Cancellations are spiking, and for U.S. carriers those cancellations are outpacing new bookings. The economic impact on U.S. airlines, their employees, travelers and the shipping public is staggering.

The analysts at CAPA agreed: As the impact of the coronavirus and multiple government travel reactions sweep through our world, many airlines have probably already been driven into technical bankruptcy or are at least substantially in breach of debt covenants, CAPA said. Cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and what flights there are operate much less than half full.

Update: Boeing is now asking the federal government for a bailout, too.

Chris McGinnis

Last week, Delta shocked industry observers when it said it would park 300 aircraft as part of its emergency plan to shrink overall capacity by 40 percent, including the cancellation of all flights to continental Europe for 30 days. That was just the first in a flood of similar announcements that followed in the past couple of days. Check out this map showing several Delta widebodies en route to the desert storage here.

Two weeks ago, United said it was cutting capacity by 10 to 20 percent, but it has doubled down on that estimate, with CEO Oscar Munoz telling employees this week that the company now plans to implement a 50 percent capacity reduction during April and May. We also now expect these deep cuts to extend into the summer travel period, Munoz said. Even with those cuts, we're expecting load factors to drop into the 20-30% range -- and that's if things don't get worse.

Munoz reported that during the first two weeks of March  typically Uniteds busiest time  its passenger numbers dropped by more than 1 million from the same time a year ago, and March revenues are expected to be down $1.5 billion.

Southwest Airlines said in recent days it's only been able to fill about half its seats and that it plans to cut capacity by "at least 20 percent" from April 14 to June 5.

American Airlines said that from March 16 through May 6, it will cut its international passenger capacity by 75 percent from last years levels. That includes all flights to Asia not already suspended except for three flights a week from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Tokyo Narita. It also includes Los Angeles-Auckland and LAX-Sydney service and a large number of flights to Europe and Latin America.

In addition to the international changes, the airline anticipates its domestic capacity in April will be reduced by 20% compared to last year and Mays domestic capacity will be reduced by 30% on a year over year basis, AA said.

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Last week, the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines) said it had suspended most U.S. service. In an update this week, it said Austrian Airlines will stop flying altogether from March 19 through March 28.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

And low-cost carrier Norwegian, noting that the coronavirus situation is escalating by the hour, said this week that it is going even further than the massive cuts it announced last week. Norwegian will gradually cancel most of its flights and temporarily lay off a major share of its workforce, the company said. As of March 21, all intercontinental flights  including those to the U.S.  are canceled at least through April 17. It will be operating 85 percent fewer flights than before the crisis started, and more than 7,300 employees will face temporary layoffs.

International Airlines Group -- the parent of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling  said it will reduce overall capacity by at least 75 percent in April and May vs. the same months last year. Virgin Atlantic plans to reduce its daily flight operations by 80 percent starting March 26, parking 75 to 85 percent of its fleet. SAS has temporarily suspended most operations including its SFO-Copenhagen nonstop and sent 10,000 employees home.

And the bad news just keeps on coming faster than we can keep up  Air New Zealand is cutting long-haul capacity by 85 percent by months end, including all flights to San Francisco, Houston and Chicago ... Air Canada said its second quarter capacity will be down 50 percent from last year  Hawaiian Airlines will suspend Australia and New Zealand service stating March 22  and so on.

Generally speaking, if you have any international travel booked for the next few months, you just have to assume that youre probably not going anywhere.

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates!

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This years flu vaccine campaign will be the biggest ever with 400,000 more vaccines available in 2020, compared with last year.

The announcement was made this morning as Health Ministers David Clark and Julie Anne Genter launched a new COVID-19 public health campaign.

Free flu vaccines will be available from GP clinics and selected pharmacies for certain people including:

People aged 65 and over

People who are pregnant

People with certain chronic conditions, and

Young children with a history of severe respiratory illness.

Healthcare workers will receive a free vaccine from their employer.

New Zealanders health is our top priority. Our strong advice is to get your flu vaccine early this year to protect yourself, your family and your colleagues against the spread of the flu, says Health Minister David Clark.

The Government is starting this years flu vaccination programme early, and is prioritising jabs for the New Zealanders who are most at risk.

Getting your vaccine will reduce your chances of catching the flu, and improve our ability to manage higher demand at hospitals from COVID-19.

Its critical we do all we can to prevent a bad flu season this year. The flu causes significant strain on our health system and more people vaccinating against flu will ensure health services are there for those who need them most.

While the flu vaccine will not protect you against COVID-19 it will help to flatten the curve of demand on our hospitals this winter."

Making more vaccines than ever available earlier than usual is another step that the Government is taking to get ahead of this global pandemic, says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter.

As can be expected, there is a huge global demand for the flu vaccine this year. We have done well to secure more doses than ever but we still need to ensure who are most at risk are at the front of the line. Im sure most New Zealanders will agree this is the right thing to do.

We can all agree that we need to protect our health workers. They are interacting with sick people every day, and more than ever we need them to be well to ensure our health system is prepared to fight COVID-19.

Our healthcare workers are the heart of our health system and it is right we ensure they are able to continue working throughout the winter.

To make sure this happens I have asked DHBs to actively target people who qualify, including healthcare workers. This will include aged care workers, as well as doctors, nurses, and hospital staff."

The Government also launched a major public health campaign to educate New Zealanders about simple steps everyone can take to help prevent the spread of the virus.

"Unit Against Covid-19 is a simple call to action. Now is the time for New Zealanders to come together, support each other and do the things that can help slow the spread of the virus, says David.

We are reminding people of the simple actions they can take to fight COVID-19  washing and drying hands frequently, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, staying at home if you are sick and looking after each other especially the elderly and vulnerable.

We know these actions will help slow the spread of COVID-19 and we know this campaign will remind people to do the right thing.

We are in this for the long-haul and yesterdays major health investment allocated $10 million to the campaign."
Much of Oregons entertainment industry has closed down for business to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, and that now includes most of the states casinos.

Spirit Mountain Casino in Grande Ronde started the day saying it was maintaining its regular hours.

Everything is normal, said a Spirit Mountain employee who answered the phone Tuesday morning.

But around midday The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde announced it would close Spirit Mountain at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday. The casino is tentatively scheduled to reopen on April 1.

We pride ourselves as being a caring community who views every individual that walks through our doors as a member of the Grand Ronde family," Spirit Mountain general manager Stan Dillon said in a statement. The casino staff has done an outstanding job protecting everyone through preventative measures, but the continued growth of Covid-19 in Oregon has made this closure necessary.

Chinook Winds Casino and Resort in Lincoln City, operated by the Siletz Tribal Council, also announced it was temporarily shutting down because of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. It will close Tuesday at 9 p.m. and remain closed for at least two weeks. Chinook Winds Hotel will close at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The casino said in a statement: Stay home. Be safe. The beach will be waiting.

Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville also has decided to close for two weeks.

Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield, Wash., previously announced it was temporarily closing because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Said ilani president and general manager Kara Fox-LaRose in a statement:

Despite dedicating additional resources for sanitation efforts and limiting certain aspects of our operations, it is apparent that the correct response to this public health crisis is to do our part in slowing its progression.

This post has been updated.

-- Douglas Perry

@douglasmperry

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Matt and Noah Colvin bought almost 18,000 bottles of hand sanitizer with the intention of reselling them for profit during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tennessee brothers eventually donated their supply to a local church after the state's Attorney General put a stop to the scheme.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reminded the public that price gouging is also illegal in the Lone Star State.

"My office will work aggressively to prevent disaster scams and stands ready to prosecute any price-gouger who takes advantage of those taking precautions and looking for safety and supplies," Paxton said.

As of Monday, the attorney general's office had received 255 consumer complaints regarding price gouging.

READ MORE: The man with 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer donated them after intense pressure

The majority of the complaints were from Houston and Dallas, spokesperson Kayleigh Date said. Common complaints regarded toilet paper, bottled water and hand sanitizer.

Texas law prohibits a person or business from unreasonably raising the cost of necessary supplies at any point during a declared disaster. The state is currently under a disaster proclamation.

Under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, price-gougers may be required to reimburse consumers and may be held liable for civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. An additional penalty of up to $250,000 incurs if the affected consumers are elderly.

Texans who believe they have encountered price gouging can call the Office of the Attorney Generals toll-free complaint line at (800) 621-0508 or file a complaint online.

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read him on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net | @m_b_dunphy
Regulatory News:

In the context of Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and the fight against its spread Elior (Paris:ELIOR) is working closely with authorities. The Group is rigorously following the guidelines of the World Health Organization and local governments to ensure the health and wellbeing of our teams, customers and guests.

The rapid spread of the epidemic in Continental Europe, (in Italy as of February, followed by France and Spain), and more recently in the United Kingdom and the United States with the notable consequences of governments' decisions to close schools and universities, and to limit travel by imposing working from home is impacting our activities.

Elior's activities in the Healthcare sector are in high demand for catering in every country, and equally for the Services activities in France. The current crisis underlines the essential nature of our missions' in support of public and community services, particularly in hospitals, clinics, residential care homes, facilities for people with disabilities, isolated elderly and in support of vital activities (army, police, firefighters)

In the Business and Industries sector, although strongly impacted by the widespread use of working from home, we offer solutions tailored to the specific demands of our customers particularly industrial to provide them with all the necessary support they need to implement their Business Continuity Plans, under the best health and safety conditions.

Our central kitchens are also mobilized to provide meals, notably for healthcare professionals currently on duty, upon request by the authorities.

To mitigate this situation, Elior is making use of all existing measures to rapidly adapt its organization, including use of vacation days, training, internal mobility and partial unemployment, based on governmental plans to support their national economies.

With the sale of Areas, in July 2019, Elior has exited the tourism sector and reinforced its balance sheet. At September 30, 2019 Elior Group's leverage ratio1 was 1.8x, which is significantly below the covenant requirements2

Elior Group has at the end of February 2020 a liquidly3 of around 800 million.

Given the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic, its current acceleration in Continental Europe and its start in the United Kingdom and the United States, we are not in a position to accurately determine the net impact on our full-year 2019-2020 objectives4

Elior will provide an update on the impact of this health crisis on its activities with the first half 2019-2020 results publication on May 27, 2020.

About Elior Group

Founded in 1991, Elior Group has grown into one of the world's leading operators in contract catering and support services and has become a benchmark player in the business industry, education, healthcare and leisure markets. With strong positions in 6 countries, the Group generated 4,923 million in revenue in fiscal 2018-2019.

Our 110,000 employees feed over 5 million people on a daily basis in 23,500 restaurants on three continents, and offer services on 2,300 sites in France.

Innovation and social responsibility are at the core of our business model. Elior Group has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2004, reaching the GC Advanced Level in 2015.

For further information please visit our website at http://www.eliorgroup.com or follow us on Twitter (@Elior_Group)

1 Leverage ratio: Net Debt/EBITDA without IFRS16 impact.

2 Elior's Senior Facilities Agreement stipulates that the Group's leverage ratio must be less than or equal to 4:1 at September 30 and less than or equal to 4.50:1 at March 31.

3 Liquidity: undrawn credit lines cash deposits authorized overdraft lines.

4 FY 2018-2019 press release

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005693/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Ines Perrier ines.perrier@eliorgroup.com +33 (0)1 71 06 70 60



Investor relations

Kimberly Stewart kimberly.stewart@eliorgroup.com +33 (0)1 71 06 70 13
New Delhi: Schools, colleges, multiplexes, malls, gyms and swimming pools across several states have been shut till 31 March. The idea is to avoid mass gatherings at a time when more than 100 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected in the country.

However, it is not easy to completely isolate yourself especially when one needs to manage a house, be at work or even go about the day in a healthy manner without putting others at risk.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a leading public health institute in the US, issued guidelines for community mitigation strategies to limit the spread of what has already been declared a pandemic.

The instructions include recommendations for social distancing. Many experts think that is the best way to break potential chains of transmission by preventing infected people from coming in close contact with healthy ones.

Almost every guideline issued by various institutions have clearly asked citizens to not panic. News18 explains how to limit social exposure without severely affecting your daily routine.

What is Social Distancing?

Social distancing is a term that epidemiologists use to refer to a conscious effort to reduce close contact between people in the hope to prevent community transmission of the virus.

According to global health experts, social distancing measures can be revved up or moderated according to the situation prevalent locally.

What is Flattening the Curve?

Flattening the curve refers to using protective practices to slow the rate of COVID-19 infection so that hospitals have rooms, supplies and doctors for all those who need care.

Simply put, a large number of people becoming sick over the course of a few days could overwhelm a hospital or care facility. With more people expected to become severely ill due to COVID-19 at approximately the same time, a situation may arise when there could be a shortage of hospital beds, equipment or doctors.

When plotted on a graph, the sudden spike in the number of patients in a short span of time would result in a steep and narrow curve. However, if the same number of patients arrived over a longer span of time, essentially at a slower rate, the graph would look like a longer, flatter curve.

This would mean lesser patients every day and a better chance of the hospital being able to keep up with adequate supplies, beds and health care.

Do Visits to Old Relatives Need to be Avoided for Now?

Global health experts said citizens should start limiting visits to people who are in assisted-living facilities and nursing homes. Moreover, health guidelines prescribed that people aged over 60 years must limit their social contact to the "absolutely unavoidable."

Are Common Spaces in Housing Societies a Problem?

Any place that has the potential to host a large gathering is being considered a potential risk. At best, one can visit these places when the crowd expected is minimal.

Even if You're Symptom-Free, Should Places Like a Restaurant be Avoided?

The best option is to stay at home. However, one can visit places where not too many people are expected. China and South Korea have taken extreme measures to execute social distancing which, they claim, have resulted in bringing the rate of transmission down.

If Not Eating Out, Are House Parties an Option?

As long as none of the guests have symptoms that could potentially be leading to transmission, gatherings in private, closed premises are not be worried about. However, in the event of close contacts developing any of the COVID-19 symptoms, the party needs to be called off.

What about Dates?

Almost every guideline instructs against large gatherings, not so much about one-on-one interactions. However, News18 reported several cases in India where people are cancelling their dates due to the pandemic scare.

Albert Ko, the chair of the epidemiology department at the Yale School of Public Health, told the Atlantic that dating is usually one person and another person. "What were really worried about in terms of public health are these large gatherings where you have people crowded together. Dating is at the other end. I think you can still date."

Grocery Stores Are a Necessity, How To Avoid People There?

Health experts recommended trying to shop at times when there are lesser shoppers. The other option is to rely on mobile applications that provide the facility to home-deliver groceries.

Not Everyone Has Car and Bike, How Safe is Public Transport?

In order to address this very concern, several offices in India have asked their employees to start working from home relieving them from the need to travel to work daily.

However, for those who cannot miss work, travelling at non-peak hours can be an option. Metro rides in New Delh, for example, have seen decline in foot-fall at what is colloquially referred to as "office-hours."

Several media reports have stated that people are consciously not touching support bars and rims in order to stay safe. Opting for ride-sharing services may also be considered

For How Long Should Social Distancing be Practised?

While countries in the past have implemented social distancing and been able to reduce the number of cases, past experiences suggest that once the restrictions are lifted, the outbreak can resurge. Therefore, unless medically advised, citizens have been advised to avoid all places of mass gatherings.

What is the Best Way to Go Out Safely Without Putting Others at Risk?

The World Health Organisation recommend several basic measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.

- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.

- Stay home when you are sick.

- Contact a health worker if you have symptoms; fever and a dry cough are most common.

- Do not touch your face.

- Do not travel if you have a fever and cough.

- Do not wear a face mask if you are well.
RIDGEFIELD  A town resident has tested positive for the coronavirus, First Selectman Rudy Marconi told residents Monday night.

We have a positive test and I know it wont be the last one, Marconi said Tuesday.

He said more tests are currently being done, and he expects the number of Ridgefield residents confirmed to have the virus to rise. They were living in Ridgefield, yes. I dont know how long, Marconi said.

The patient is being treated at Danbury Hospital, he said.

Right now, health officials are investigating anyone the patient may have had contact with, the first selectman said. Marconi said he believes the patient is 88-years-old, but said he was not given any information on their current condition.

Health officials expect the virus to peak in the next 45 days, Marconi said, after which cases may begin tapering off. He warned that process could take an additional 45 days, meaning the virus could affect the state into the summer months.

He said he is also concerned about the long-term impact the health crisis will have on local businesses, many of which are not part of a larger conglomerate.

Theyre on their own, and when they begin to close, its not going to look good, Marconi said. Thats why were asking everyone to buy local.

In his most recent update on the crisis, Marconi asked residents to avoid play dates and other large gatherings that could risk spreading the disease. He confirmed no curfews have been ordered for the town.

The town Stop and Shop has a steady stream of deliveries, the first selectman said. The chain of supply will only be stressed if hoarding continues to take place, Marconi said.

Concern about the virus led Gov. Ned Lamont to declare a state of emergency last week, and ordered bars and restaurants to close throughout the state.

On Tuesday, the Governor said there are now 68 confirmed cases of coronavirus throughout Connecticut
Lithuanian English

Siauliu Bankas AB, company code 112025254, domicile address Tilzes st. 149, Siauliai, Lithuania.

Siauliu bankas has taken all mandatory and recommended security measures.

In view of the current coronavirus threat and preventive actions, we seek to ensure the safety of our customers and employees, and, therefore, from 16 March to 30 March (with the possibility to extend, upon necessity) we have temporarily closed approximately one third of the 60 customer service points of Siauliu Bankas operating in Lithuania. Temporarily closed units have been selected based on customer flows, distance between customer service points and taking into account instructions of supermarkets.

Clients are recommended to choose electronic customer service channels, if possible, and not to visit the banks units.

Those employees who have the possibilities are recommended to work at home, while the rest are provided with preventive measures at their workplaces.

Currently, the Bank continues performing its usual functions, however, until the impact of the coronavirus on the economy is clear, the management is unable to assess its impact on Siauliu Bankas' operations or financial results for 2020.

The Bank will inform market participants by a separate notification if the operating conditions change.
Segun Oni, a former governor of Ekiti state, says he is on his way out of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oni, who sought the t...

Segun Oni, a former governor of Ekiti state, says he is on his way out of the All Progressives Congress (APC).





Oni, who sought the ticket of the APC but lost to Kayode Fayemi, the incumbent governor, disclosed this to journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday.





He said the decision was taken after an observation of alleged maltreatment of his supporters.





The development comes about two years after the former governor threatened to leave the party over alleged harassment of his supporters.

In May 2019, the APC in Ifaki-Ekiti ward two, Ido/Osi local government area of the state, had suspended Oni.





He was suspended for his refusal to honour an invitation sent to him by the fact-finding committee of the ward over allegations of anti-party activities levelled against him.





Oni said he is making plans to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his former party, but gave no exact date for his official return to the PDP.





You all knew the kind of treatment I have been getting so far. As we speak, none of my supporters was being allowed to get appointment or contest elections in APC, he said.





Even if the APC gives me the whole world, I wont be happy seeing integral part of my political life, I mean my supporters being treated badly as we have come to find it





You can imagine, at a particular time, I was suspended in my Ward at Ifaki Ekiti and nothing was said about it.





Apart from politics, I am the Asiwaju, a high title holder in my town; if someone can have the effrontery to do that to me here, you can see it has sent a signal that there is a problem.





Its not about Segun Oni, my people and supporters are the main issue. I can confirm to you that we have taken a decision and we are in the process of joining the PDP.





We are going to set up implementation committee to work on our programme of actions. Our joining PDP is not something that will take three months. I am not that kind of a politician that will rush at things, we cant just go back that way. There must be proper planning. We are carrying out local government by local government counting of those that will follow us.





I am not alone in this. Those who took the action for me were my supporters across all the local governments areas and 177 wards who feel bad about the whole scenario in APC. But the major thing is that we are moving, we have taken a decision to go back and on that we are working on.
The Enterprise Group has made donations to three different institutions to aid the treatment and curb the spread of the novel coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19 in the country. The three institutions are the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).



The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research received an amount of GHS60,000 to support the purchase of coronavirus testing equipment for over 2,000 people while the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, received an amount of GHS40,000 to aid the purchase of equipment and consumables for the management of the COVID-19 Isolation Centre at the hospital. The Ghana Health Service, on the other hand, received a life insurance and peace of mind cover with a total sum- assured of GHS20,000,000 for all front-line medical staff involved in the treatment and management of the COVID-19.



Speaking at the donation ceremony, the Chief Finance Officer of the Enterprise Group, Mr. Daniel Larbi-Tieku, said the nature and global spread of the COVID-19 calls for critical actions and a concerted effort by all in managing and containing the pandemic.



This is a novel virus that has its tentacles in every part of the world now. Its nature and rate of spread should be the concern of every human being. The world requires the support of all in fighting the virus and it is critical that we all contribute to the actions being taken, Mr. Gadzekpo said.



Mr. Larbi-Tieku also stated thatEnterprise Group is complying with international and national protocols required to help stem the spread of the disease. However, in the interest of public safety, clients are encouraged to patronize the Companys electronic channels such as the mobile app, USSD portals and also the Contact center for prompt service. He further urged Ghanaians to keep themselves and others safe by strictly adhering to good personal and respiratory hygiene.



The first case of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 was announced in December 2019 in Wuhan China. The Wealth Health Organization (WHO) on 11th March 2020 declared the COVID-19 as a global pandemic after it spread throughout the world. On March 12, 2020, Ghana recorded its first two cases after two person suspected of carrying the virus were tested positive.

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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Miguel Aguirre, his wife and two children were the only people on a normally bustling street near San Francisco's City Hall, a day after six area counties issued a shelter-in-place order requiring most residents to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks  the most sweeping lockdown in the U.S. On Tuesday morning, only two coffee shops on the street were open. Both were empty.
Iraq's president Tuesday named a former governor of the city of Najaf as prime minister-designate, following weeks of political infighting, as Baghdad residents rushed to stock up on supplies hours before a days-long curfew was set to take hold amid a global pandemic.

Adnan al-Zurfi was appointed premier-designate by President Barham Saleh after tense meetings between rival political blocs that went on for weeks without reaching a consensus on a candidate to replace outgoing Premier Adil Abdul-Mahdi. Hours after the announcement, Iraq's powerful Fatah parliamentary bloc rejected al-Zurfi's candidacy signaling a rocky path to government formation for the new premier-designate.

The development came after an earlier premier-designate, Mohammed Allawi, withdrew his candidacy after political groups rejected his proposed Cabinet lineup.

Fatah, headed by Hadi al-Ameri, garnered the second highest number of seats in parliament in the May 2018 federal election.

In a statement, the bloc accused Saleh of ``disregarding'' the constitution and naming al-Zurfi in the absence of political consensus. ``The president of the republic shall endure full responsibility for the repercussions of this provocative step.''

``We will take all measures to prevent this disregard of the law and constitution,'' the statement said.

Al-Zurfi, 54, was appointed by Iraq's U.S. administrator Paul Bremer as governor of Najaf in 2004 and later served in the same post for two terms between 2009 and 2015. His second term was cut short following his dismissal by the provincial council. In the May 2018 election he ran under former Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's list.

According to Iraq's constitution, al-Zurfi has 30 days to propose a lineup of ministers and form a new government. Saleh wished al-Zarfi success ``in his new tasks to work for early and fair elections and to achieve the aspirations of the Iraqis,'' according to a statement from his office.

Early elections have been a key demand of anti-government protesters camped out in the capital's Tahrir Square since last October, when thousands took to the streets to decry government corruption, poor services and unemployment. Abdul-Mahdi resigned under pressure from the demonstrations.

Subsequently, Allawi's efforts to form a government were plagued with delays and dysfunction as legislators failed on two occasions to approve his Cabinet of independents, which alienated Iraqi Kurdish and Sunni lawmakers.

Al-Zurfi's naming came hours before a curfew imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic was to take effect in Baghdad as Iraq struggles to contain the spread of the virus.

Residents of the Iraqi capital rushed Tuesday to stock up on last-minute supplies ahead of the start of the 11 p.m. curfew. Many were concerned it could be extended beyond the week's time announced by the government.

Long lines formed at gas stations and shops. Workers stood guard outside supermarkets to take the temperatures of shoppers coming in. Gloves were handed out.

The effective lockdown coincides with the annual Shiite Muslim commemoration of the death of revered Imam Mousa al-Kazim. Thousands of Iraqis typically make the journey on foot to the shrine of the imam in the Khadimiya area outside Baghdad.

Pilgrims in the past few days have been stopped from carrying out the trek by security forces over the fears of the virus, which has infected more than 182,000 people and killed more than 7,100 globally.

The fate of the six-month protest movement has also come into question amid the strict protocols prohibiting large public gatherings over the new virus. The number of demonstrators camped out in central Baghdad squares had been dwindling before the outbreak. Some said they would stay to keep the protests alive, but others expressed fears of a surge in the viral outbreak.

Iraq has had 11 deaths from among 154 confirmed cases of the virus, which causes the COVID-19 illness. Most people experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people with no visible symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

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Canada has closed its borders to nationals from all countries except the United States in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus....





Canada has closed its borders to nationals from all countries except the United States in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.





This is even as 27 African countries have now recorded at least one case of the virus, according to the BBC.





Benin, Liberia, Somalia and Tanzania are the latest African countries to hit by the infection.





Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose wife had tested positive for the virus, announced the closure on Monday as part of measures to fight the infection.





He, however, exempted permanent citizens, diplomats and immediate family members of Canadians.





We will be denying entry to Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, Trudeau told reporters.





This measure will carve out some designated exceptions, including for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members of Canadian citizens and, at this time, U.S. citizens.





Trudeau also said the government would mandate airlines to do a basic health assessment of anyone travelling to Canada, including citizens.





Anyone who has symptoms will not be able to come to Canada, he said.





Canada currently has about 323 confirmed cases of the disease, with the prime minister undergoing self quarantine as a precaution.





Since its outbreak in China in December, coronavirus  which has spread to more than 140 countries  has dealt a heavy blow on economies, with a number of governments resorting to emergency measures.





Nigeria currently has only one case of the virus, an Italian who arrived Lagos for a business trip.




Brazil has recaptured more than 500 prisoners who fled four jails ahead of a planned lockdown of the facilities over the coronavirus pandemic, according to prison authorities.

The Sao Paulo Secretary of Penitentiary Administration was still tallying the number of fugitives on Tuesday, following the mass breakout the day before, according to officials. Local media reported on Monday that as many as 1,300 inmates had escaped during riots.

The four jails, Mongagua, Tremembe, Porto Feliz and Mirandopolis, allow prisoners to leave to work or study during the day and return to the facility at night.





As a precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 11, prison authorities planned to halt the day-release programmes to avoid inmates picking up the disease while outside of the prison and infecting other inmates upon their return.

The prison authority had said the measure was being instituted for the benefit of the 34,000 inmates as well as guards and staff.

In addition to the escapes, there were acts of insubordination over the measure in the prison, but the state Penitentiary Administration said the situation had been immediately brought under control.

Coronavirus risk to prisons

Brazil was the first country to confirm an infection in Latin America. As of Tuesday, the country of more than 209 million people had reported 234 infections with no deaths. The disease caused by the virus, COVID-19, has infected 184,000 worldwide with more than 7,500 deaths, according to the WHO.

High-population prisons have proven a particular challenge to governments across the world as they race to contain the outbreak.

On Tuesday, Iran announced the temporary release of 85,000 people from jail, many political prisoners, in an attempt to prevent the spread among the prisoners.

In the United States, advocates have warned that the prison system is woefully unprepared for an outbreak, while rights groups have called for high-risk inmates to be released.

In Italy, an order curtailing prison visits lead to riots last week.
All active cases in Bahrain are linked to international travel and no locally transmitted cases have been identified, Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh, Minister of Health, underscored yesterday at a press briefing.

The briefing by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19) provided updates regarding the current state of efforts and future plans to contain the spread of COVID-19, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

The minister explained that all active cases receive ongoing medical care, in line with the recommendations established by the World Health Organization (WHO).

She stressed that if Bahrain witnesses a rise in COVID-19 cases, hospital beds will be allocated to patients on a priority basis, reiterating that medical treatment will be available to citizens at all times and that the ministry will introduce additional measures to ensure compliance with social distancing recommendations.

Al Saleh also underlined the importance of only receiving information from official, verified sources and abstaining from circulating rumours in the community.

Lieutenant-General Tariq Al Hassan said Bahrain has maintained low-infection rates by introducing comprehensive testing for COVID-19, flight reductions, and strict epidemiological monitoring at all ports of entry.

CURBS PUBLIC GATHERING

Al Hasan further added that the kingdom will heighten its precautionary measures to include limiting public gatherings to 150 people, as instructed by the Cabinet, and introducing a contact tracing mechanism to inform citizens of the different routes of active cases.

The Chief of Public Security explained that citizens and residents who have had direct or indirect contact with an active case are required to self-isolate and call 444 to schedule their medical examination.

Al Hasan went on to note with pride that Bahrain has been identified as an example internationally for its approach to combatting COVID-19.

ENOUGH FOOD SUPPLY

Speaking on essential food supplies, Zayed R Al Zayani, Minister of Trade, commerce and Tourism, noted that reserves remain to ensure a sufficient supply of essential foods.

The Minister affirmed the ministry will closely monitor consumption trends to certify supply continues to meet demand and ensure the availability and stable price of essential goods as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

He underlined the support Bahrain is extending to businesses to ensure they are not adversely affected by the decrease in demand caused by COVID-19, highlighting loan breaks extended by banks following the outcome of the Ministrys meeting with Bahrain Chamber of Commerce.

NUMBER OF CASES

Lieutenant Colonel Dr Manaf Al Qahtani, Infectious Diseases Consultant & Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and Member of the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus, highlighted the summary of cases as follows:

* Bahrain has recorded 64 active cases, of which 62 are stable and 2 remain critical.

* 85 active cases remain as part of The International COVID-19 Repatriation Programme (ICRP), all of which are stable.

* 77 cases have been discharged after responding positively to treatment

* 147 individuals have discharged after completing the 14-day quarantine period.
PC Paul Sheldrake, pictured, is accused of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog which caused injury in a public place - a charge he denies

A police dog handler is to stand trial over claims his German Shepherd attacked a woman as she walked her Yorkshire terrier in a park.

PC Paul Sheldrake, 38, has denied being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog which caused injury in a public place.

The officer's black German Shepherd police dog, called Cain, allegedly attacked Marianne McRae while with her pet in Arun Park, Chelmsford, Essex.

PC Sheldrake is said to have been exercising Cain when the incident happened on February 11 last year.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge during a ten minute hearing at Ipswich Crown Court today and was given unconditional bail.

His trial which is due to last two days is due to start on July 20.

An earlier hearing at Ipswich magistrates court was told that Cain ran towards Ms McRae before lunging at her twice and biting her on her right side.

She was said to have been treated at Broomfield Hospital, in Chelmsford, where she received a tetanus shot and was prescribed antibiotics.

The prosecutor told magistrates that Cain was a serving police dog at the time of the incident.

Jamas Hodivala QC who is representing PC Sheldrake described the case as 'an unusual prosecution' at the hearing today.

Ipswich Magistrates Court was told Cain the black German Shepherd, pictured, ran towards Marianne McRae before lunging at her twice and biting her on her right side in a park

The court heard that the defence had asked for information about the Essex police force's dog handling policies.

Police dog Cain was praised by Essex police's dog section for his 'great work' in August 2018 when he assisted in the arrest of four suspects in three separate cases in one night.

PD Cain was said to have located a robbery suspect hiding on a roof, tracked down another two men who had fled from a stolen car and helped in the arrest of another man just one hour after he allegedly stole a car.

Just three weeks earlier, Cain was also acclaimed for following his nose to track down a missing man after his car was found abandoned in Braintree, Essex.

PC Sheldrake, pictured centre outside court today, will face a two-day trial on July 20 after the incident in Chelmsford, Essex, last year

A spokesperson for Essex Police said at the time: 'PD Cain is one of our many police dogs deployed to search for missing people and suspects and we have other police dogs trained to search for drugs, cash, weapons, blood and explosives.'

An Essex Police spokesperson said today: 'The officer has not been suspended. PD Cain has not been used operationally since the incident.'
The number of passengers in trams, trolleys, buses and shuttle buses has been limited

On March 18, Ukraine will temporarily suspend the operation of the subway in the number of Ukrainian cities. The decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting on Monday, Infrastructure Minister Vladislav Krykliy reported this on his Telegram channel.

"From 12:00 am on March 18, 2020, the work of the subway in the cities stops," Krykliy wrote.

As of now, Ukraine blocked all types of traffic across the state border as part of measures to combat the Covid-2019 epidemic.

On March 16, it temporarily closed about a hundred checkpoints and banned entry into Ukraine for foreigners.

As we reported earlier, on March 16, a woman who was hospitalized with suspected Covid-19 died in the infectious ward of the Chernivtsi Regional Clinical Hospital at about 19:00. The press service of the Chernivtsi Regional State Administration reported that.

"Death occurred as a result of severe concomitant neurological pathology, not associated with manifestations of coronavirus infection," the statement said.
The Senate, on Tuesday, said the review of the 2020 budget passed by the National Assembly has become inevitable as a result of tumbling oil prices amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

The finance minister, Zainab Ahmad, recently expressed a similar view.

The Senates stance was sequel to the receipt and deliberation of the interim report of the Senate joint committee on finance, appropriations, national planning and petroleum resources (upstream).

The report comes one week after the Senate constituted the joint committee to engage relevant federal ministries on the recent oil price crash as well as the effect to Coronavirus on the nations economy.

The brent crude oil crashed by about 30 per cent last week, after the worlds top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, began a global oil fight.

In December 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari signed a N10.50 trillion 2020 national budget. In the budget, Nigeria pegged oil production at 2.18 million barrels per day, with a price benchmark of $57 per barrel.

Since the crash, the price of brent crude hovers between $34 and $29 a barrel.

This has sent Nigeria into a revenue crisis. Giving the oil crisis, the government may not be able to finance the budget  having only about half of what it projected in revenue for 2020.

In the case of Nigeria that makes most of its foreign earnings from oil and produced its oil at about $30 per barrel, the price crash portends a potential recession for the economy, according to experts.

The report

Presenting the report, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Adeola Olamilekan, said the committee met with the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and discussed a wide range of issues bordering on the current economic realities.

These include the cost of production of a barrel of crude oil compared with the other petroleum producing countries and the need to prioritise the social and the real sector of the economy, looking at their importance to the overall benefit of Nigeria.

The short term solution suggested by the committee is to address the sharp drop in the crude oil price which is creating difficulties in funding the 2020 Appropriation Act as passed by the National Assembly, he said.

While the long term solution discussed is the need to consider and pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which is yet to be laid before the National Assembly. This, he said, will address the issue of the cost of production, gas flaring and other issues that might affect the petroleum sector.

On budget implementation, the lawmaker said, the capital releases for the first quarter commenced by second week in March with the sum of N340 billion to be released to the critical sector of the Economy such as Transport, Agriculture, Works and Housing, Health and other Social and Real sector has commenced.

The effects of the sharp drop in crude oil price will be felt with effect from May, June and July from our findings, he said.

The committee recommended that revenue-generating agencies must be alive to their responsibility in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act passed by the National Assembly and other relevant laws of the National Assembly.

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This is even as it pledged to continue to engage NNPC and other relevant agencies so as to keep them abreast of the current ongoing in the Executive Arm.

In his remark, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said Nigeria is in a challenging period.

He stressed the need for the passage of the PIB to let the petroleum industries have the legal framework to work faster and harder.

Now that we know it is difficult to get to foreign loan, we have to be a genius as a government and country. We have to look inwards. This requires a holistic approach both physical and monetary to ensure that the economy does not collapse.

If we have to borrow for domestic purposes, we must be careful not to allow the private sector lose out. We should not suffer only but benefit also from this tough time.
Canara Robeco Mutual Fund, along with its newly appointed creative agency FCB India (Mumbai), has released a new campaign as part of their investor education and awareness initiative. The communication has been devised around demystifying mutual funds in a country that still has a lot of potential to invest and benefit from mutual funds and their offerings.

The creative visualization is in line with AMFIs (Association of Mutual Funds in India) vision of educating masses of India. This message has been creatively conceptualized using multiple everyday situations, where the protagonists come across a lesser known fact about mutual funds, that truly surprises them with the simplicity of the message. This is where a unique visual tool, the larger than life head, pops up and takes center stage leaving not only the characters in the films, but also the viewers bemused, only until the reason for this is explained by the protagonist. To add to this, the use of a colloquial phrase like Kya Baat Hai!, which is a symbol of surprise and appreciation, adds to the memorability of the campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohit Bhatia, Head  Sales & Marketing at Canara Robeco Mutual Fund said, The task we were set out to do was to ensure that we reach Indian masses not to propagate a fund or an AMC, but to make investor education a more delightful and memorable experience for viewers. This was done by enriching their knowledge about the simple nuances of investing in Mutual Funds by stating their functional aspects in a simple & interesting manner that investors will find easy to relate with. This is part of our overall broad Investor Education campaign for Mutual Funds called smarTomorrows, which endeavors to highlight fundamentals around investing and various opportunities of investment that Mutual Funds provide. Our agency FCB India, has created an admirable investor education campaign that aims to demystify mutual fund investing for Indian investors through some very informative, simple yet memorable creatives.

Speaking on the campaign, spokesperson from FCB India, quoted, Mutual Funds as a category is very challenging, as the communication has to target two key things  changing peoples perception that the category of financial products is complicated, and at the same time, increasing memorability of a Concept oriented message. With Canara Robecos clear approach, we were able to do something extremely unique, bold and different. The visual tool used, and the mood of the films will ensure that the viewers are left saying Kya Baat Hai, every time they watch them. We are sure that this campaign will make people notice how mutual funds are one of the best options when it comes to investing your money.

The campaign is live on multiple digital platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, along with a large-scale extension into Print/OOH and other ambient mediums like Uber cab branding
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Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough signed an order Tuesday morning limiting capacity at bars and restaurants to 50 or less people and movie theaters to 25 or less per each screen through April 1 in a continued effort to mitigate the spread of the new coronavirus.

The order comes a day after Keough lowered capacity limits for events at county facilities, canceling all events of 50 people or more following guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control Sunday.

According to the order, all restaurants must reduce occupancy of the entire premise to 50 people or less at any one time in total and tables, should be spaced a minimum of 10 feet apart; all restaurants may continue to-go, takeout, delivery, and catering operations; restaurants shall not allow any employee to report to work who is sick and strict handwashing and sanitizing operations must be deployed; any bar or club shall limit occupancy to 50 persons or less at any one time in total; and movie theaters shall limit occupancy to 25 persons or less per screen at any one time.

The order also states lack of compliance could result in the businesses being shut down.

Keough originally signed a disaster declaration for the county March 12 during a special commissioners court meeting following the announcement of the county first case that same day.

During an emergency special session, commissioners approved the transfer of $50,000 from the countys contingency fund to the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for the purchase of supplies for staff and first responders. Commissioners also moved to reimbursed Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack $20,000, funds he moved from his budget to OEMHS March 12 to help with the purchase of supplies.

Commissions are expected to move additional fund to OEMHS in the coming weeks.

As of Tuesday, there have been four reported cases in the county.

The countys first case A Patton Village police officer, who is tasked with administrative duty, remains in critical condition. The officer 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 and had no recent contact with the public, such as calls for service and arrests.

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 countys fourth case, a woman in her 40s, is a resident of northwest Montgomery County. Her case is connected to Montgomery Countys third case. She is currently in isolation at her home and does not require hospitalization right now.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
This density is what sends customers to the shoe repairman or the corner coffee shop. It also puts people in parks and playgrounds that provide a rare opportunity for those in a metropolitan area split on the fault lines of race and class to share the same space and to experience, if only fleetingly, their common humanity.
Ask Brian De Palma about his first impression of Harvey Weinstein and he is unequivocal. I saw a bully. Just a bully. He had met the now disgraced producer in New York when Weinsteins company was making a presentation of Neil Jordans 1992 hit The Crying Game about the IRA. They wanted me to host the dinner, explains De Palma, 79, the legendary director of hits such as Scarface, Carlitos Way and the Oscar-winning The Untouchables. Id seen the film and thought it was quite remarkable, but when I first saw Harvey Weinstein, I thought, This is a person I do not want to be involved with.

Scarlett Johansson in The Black Dahlia, 2006. That De Palma is such a vocal supporter of women in the industry may strike some as slightly ironic, given that critics have often labelled his own work misogynistic

Robert De Niro in The Untouchables, 1987. The film earned Sean Connery his only Oscar

Brian De Palma and Michael Caine on the set of Dressed To Kill, 1980. 'Being politically correct, De Palma says, has never been my problem. I just do what I think is right for the film

The director was so horrified at the tidal wave of sexual assault allegations that engulfed the now-convicted producer that he plans on shooting a film on the subject. Its a combination of the Weinstein stories and a lot of the other #MeToo stories that came out, he says. Having been a director for 50 years, needless to say Ive come across a couple of the notorious predators in the business.

De Palmas first major hit came with in 1976 with a blood-soaked version of Stephen Kings horror story, Carrie. I was hearing stories even then, he says. George Lucas was casting Star Wars and we would both hear from these young actresses on other films about how they were being manipulated by the person meeting them. It was the old, Lets have a meeting at 6.30pm in the office when nobodys there line, and then they would try to seduce them. You want to make actresses feel as safe and as good as possible and the fact that these people then cross the line drives me crazy. Its against everything you want to accomplish for the film.

But its not like everybody didnt know what was going on, he adds. People saying they didnt know  thats hard to believe.

Ive come across a couple of the notorious predators. People saying they didnt know... thats hard to believe

That De Palma is such a vocal supporter of women in the industry may strike some as slightly ironic, given that critics have often labelled his own work misogynistic. Beautiful women who meet their demise in gory fashion have memorably featured in his movies (Angie Dickinson in the 1980 hit Dressed To Kill is a famous case in point) and hes rarely been afraid of nudity either. Its a criticism that draws a weary sigh from the man himself.

I just think its incorrect, he says. If youre making a suspense movie, would you rather photograph an attractive woman walking around with a candelabra in a haunted house, or Arnold Schwarzenegger? Being politically correct, he adds, has never been my problem. I just do what I think is right for the film.

Its a code he has adhered to over the years, although it came with its own set of problems. After filming The Black Dahlia in 2006, British actress Jemima Rooper, who had a small part as a porn actress, recently claimed that while filming the pornographic element, De Palma asked if my pants could come off, and I was like, Oh my God, what do I do? (When it was apparent that she had tattoos on her back that would have been time-consuming to conceal with make-up, the idea was scrapped).

De Palma says now: Of course I realised that she was worried, but Jemima certainly knew what was going to be in the scene. Its not that you havent prepared them for what theyre going to do, but it doesnt mean that once they get in there, they wont feel very uncomfortable.

Melanie Griffith in Body Double, 1984. While admitting he has always been controversial, De Palma has nonetheless enjoyed huge hits

Al Pacino in Scarface, 1983. The brilliant portrait of megalomaniacal drug lord Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino), was heavily criticised on its release for its excessive violence and profanity, but has since been hailed as a masterpiece

He recounts a similar experience on the set of Carrie, starring Sissy Spacek, which opens with a scene in the girls showers at school. There were many girls who just couldnt do the nudity and I said, OK. But because Sissy had done all the nudity in the shower scene a day before, they said: Well, if Sissy can do it, I can do it. But its always a delicate situation. You have to be very careful.

De Palmas latest project marks a departure from movie-making. He has written his debut novel, the political satire Are Snakes Necessary?, with his partner Susan Lehman, a former New York Times editor. We did it for fun, he says. Im very good at plot and dialogue and I would send her a scene. She would write the descriptions and broaden out the characters and then send it back to me.

The story follows a senator who is cheating on his Parkinsons-afflicted wife with the beautiful young videographer trailing his campaign. Events, however, soon take a turn for the worse, and when the senator tries to put things right, deadly consequences ensue. Its fast-moving, laced with De Palma-esque twists and inspired in part by the real life US senator John Edwards, who fathered a child with his campaign videographer. I follow American politics, says De Palma, and that whole thing was like a comedy.

Eagle-eyed De Palma fans will spot recurring themes of his screen work such as voyeurism  a fascination for which can be traced back to an incident in his own childhood. When he was 17, he followed his philandering father with a camera and after catching him with a mistress, threatened him with a knife (though no one was harmed). One tends to be overdramatic as a teenager, he admits. Afterwards I went home, got in my car and drove to the seashore. My parents got divorced and I recovered.

An ability to capture human behaviour at its most vulnerable and unsavoury has certainly served him well as a director. Scarface, his brilliant portrait of megalomaniacal drug lord Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino), was heavily criticised on its release in 1983 for its excessive violence and profanity, but has since been hailed as a masterpiece.

The making of the film was fraught  not only did Pacino burn his hand on the barrel of a gun, necessitating a two-week stay in hospital, but due to the frequent cocaine-snorting scenes, Pacino has suffered from nasal problems ever since. Did they use real cocaine?

De Palma laughs. No! But I dont remember what Al was snorting. He worked very hard. It was an exhausting schedule.

Further problems ensued with the screenwriter Oliver Stone, who went on to direct Wall Street and JFK. He told me that he almost got himself killed one night, says De Palma. He was doing research and hanging out with a lot of cocaine cowboys in South Florida and they thought he was a narcotics agent.

While admitting he has always been controversial, De Palma has nonetheless enjoyed huge hits including gangster classic The Untouchables, which earned Sean Connery his only Oscar, although having played the indestructible James Bond for so many years, he wasnt used to being on the receiving end of bullets (he hated being shot). De Palma also helmed the first of Tom Cruises Mission: Impossible outings, although declined to direct the sequel. It was a very difficult shoot and the only reason to do another would be to make more money. How much money does one person need?

De Palma has also endured bruising failures, such as 1990s critical and commercial disaster The Bonfire Of The Vanities. Described by one critic as one of the most indecently bad movies of the year, De Palma admitted that once the movie bombed, I might as well have put on my leper suit [in Hollywood]. But as he explains now: Youre not going to last very long in the film business if you cant take a horrendous reception of your movie. Of course it hurts, but Ive had some of the worst receptions in the history of movies and Ive managed to go on and make other movies.

Despite the fickleness of Hollywood, De Palma has maintained a circle of lifelong friends including directors Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese.

In fact, Scorsese has been kind enough to give his friend a rave review for his new novel, noting that reading it is like having a new Brian De Palma picture. And while De Palma has no plans as yet to turn it into a movie, hes hoping to start shooting his Weinstein/#MeToo-themed film later this year in Paris. Its a lot of fun, he says, and its really scary.

As a description of Hollywood itself, De Palma would no doubt agree, it couldnt be more apt.

Are Snakes Necessary? by Brian De Palma and Susan Lehman is published by Hard Case Crime on March 31, priced 16.99
The second phase of the budget session is in Parliament. On the number of Kashmiri Pandits who left the valley in the 1990s and currently residing in the country, the Home Ministry said on Tuesday, "The number of registered migrant families currently residing in Jammu is 43,618, 19,338 in Delhi-NCR and there are 1,995 in other states and union territories. On the other hand, the total population is 64,951." The Ministry of Home Affairs in Parliament said that the Indian Penal Code does not define any crime as 'Hate Crime' and hence the National Crime Records Bureau does not keep any data under 'Hate Crime'.

Imran died due to coronavirus in Pakistan, chaos across the country

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that the figures of foreigners coming to India are not decided on the basis of their community. Currently, 25,782 persons from minority communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have been granted long-term visas from January 1, 2015, to December 2019. In this sequence, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan thanked the doctors across the country today in the Rajya Sabha. He said in the House, "Doctors all over the country are working with full honesty to buy all the threats, I think there are not enough words to appreciate them. I thank all the doctors and paramedics on your behalf."

Germany's big decision on Corona, border seal with 5 neighboring countries

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan can meet President Ram Nath Kovind at 6 pm today and discuss the corona virus. The Health Minister said in the House, 'We have heard that some research is still being done in the US on the coronavirus, Chloroquine. Approval has been given after detailed scientific scrutiny. This approval has been given not by the Ministry but by the scientists working in the ICMR. We are doing our best to provide better treatment for the patients.' He further added, 'ICMR scientists are in touch with the activities taking place around the coronavirus all over the world. As far as retroviral drugs are concerned, we are using it on some patients.'

'Reena Dwivedi' pictures going viral, multiple fake accounts created
"I can't wait to see where I match!" said Curry, a fourth-year student at the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus who is participating in the National Resident Matching Program.

The value in assisting others was ingrained in Curry as a child. She grew up in a racially and socioeconomically diverse suburb of Cleveland where her father was the longtime director of a nonprofit agency providing affordable housing and related services.

"I was always exposed to the social determinants of health through the work he did," said Curry, whose mother is a psychologist. "We talked about the inequities that exist and how politics and policy affect people. There were a lot of discussions about that at our dinner table. I was really interested in issues regarding racial and socioeconomic disparities in health."

As an undergraduate at Ohio State, Curry co-founded ENCompass (Empowering Neighborhoods of Columbus) and also served as its co-president. The student group helps people in underserved communities by connecting them with health and social services resources, such as food pantries and electrical assistance programs.

"I loved the actual act of volunteering, being with people and hearing their stories," said Curry, who now serves as an adviser to the group. "Our health care system isn't always meeting people's needs, and people end up in emergency rooms or are admitted to hospitals for preventable diseases. Helping people is more than just giving them medicine and treatment. It's also understanding that people might not be able to access food or utilities and the greater impact that their community and life circumstances have on their health and well-being."

Curry initially intended to make an impact on public health as a researcher, but that field lacked the connection with people that she desired. A research project in Costa Rica after her sophomore year hammered home that point, and it also opened her eyes to another opportunity. During that trip, Curry spent a day working with patients at a community health fair.

"I left the happiest I had been the whole summer," she said. "I really enjoyed connecting with people. I realized that to have an impact, I wanted to work more directly with people, identify issues in their community and addressing them as a physician leader."

Curry, now planning a career path in medicine, shadowed family physician Allison Macerollo, M.D., who cares for patients in an underserved community in Columbus.

"I was thrilled to see the work Dr. Macerollo did as a family physician," Curry said. "I was inspired by the patient-centered, preventive, compassionate care she provided for her patients and could see myself pursuing a career in family medicine."

Near the end of her first year of medical school, Curry attended the AAFP's Family Medicine Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., putting her on a leadership path within the specialty.

"That was one of my favorite experiences in medical school," she said. "It was my first time being involved with the AAFP at the national level. I loved being with a diverse group of family physicians from all over Ohio and also from across the nation. It was a politically volatile time, and we had diverse political beliefs, but we all came together around issues that impact our patients. That was awesome."

That fall, Curry took on a bigger role as the AAFP's student representative to the AMA Medical Student Section. She is now a student member of the Academy's Commission on Federal and State Policy.

"I'm very interested in health policy," she said.

Curry said that her plan throughout medical school has been to match into family medicine, and her rotations during her third year confirmed that commitment. She's done her part to draw other students to the specialty. The Ohio State Family Medicine Interest Group was recognized as a Program of Excellence by the Academy when Curry was president in 2017.

The FMIG offered well-attended lectures, workshops and panels with family physicians working in diverse practice settings that highlighted the diversity of the specialty.

"Students don't always understand everything that family physicians can do," Curry said. "We wanted them to see the amazing opportunities family medicine offers."

Among her many honors, Curry was one of five students chosen from a field of 2,750 applicants to be awarded a Pisacano Scholarship last year by the ABFM. Now Curry, like her fourth-year peers, will spend this week waiting to hear where opportunity will take her next. Her interests include caring for underserved populations, community engagement, preventive health and women's health.

"I learned a lot about myself and what I was looking for during residency interviews," she said. "I want a program that supports my goals and passions in family medicine, values and promotes resident well-being, and provides strong, broad-spectrum training in family medicine."
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. -- The South Lane School Board named the district's new superintendent this week.

The board picked interim superintendent Yvonne Curtis, who has more than 20 years of experience in Oregon public education.

Officials said the decision is effective July 1.

"Dr. Curtis has the experience that will benefit our school district, putting our students first to improve graduation rates, supporting student success in all Pk-12 academic areas and programs and meeting the needs of our diverse communities in our school district and building positive relationship within our community," said board chair Sherry Duerst-Higgins in a statement.

Curtis has a doctoral degree from the University of Oregon and a master of teaching degree from Lewis and Clark college.

"I am deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity to lead the South Lane School District," Curtis said in a statement.
As concerns about coronavirus grow, there are a number of resources and recommendations available to Wyomingites. The Star-Tribune has listed many of them below.

Know the symptoms

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is a respiratory illness. Its symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms appear within two weeks. If you have contact with a person who has COVID-19, you should self-isolate for 14 days.

Where to get help

Natrona County residents who fear they have COVID-19 or another respiratory illness are encouraged to call Wyoming Medical Center's newest clinic, which was established specifically for this issue. The clinic will only test those patients who do not have the flu and who physicians believe may have COVID-19. The clinic, which accepts walk-ins but asks you to call ahead, can be reached at 307-233-0291. It's located at 245 S. Fenway St. in Casper.

The hospital has also launched a telehealth screening hotline. Patients who are experiencing respiratory illness symptoms such as fever, cough, nasal and chest congestion and sore throats can call the hotline, where they can speak with a registered nurse. The hotline number is 307-233-7288 and is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Patients who believe they're sick are asked not to go to the emergency room to avoid overwhelming the facility. They are asked to either call Wyoming Medical Center's clinic or the patients' normal health care providers. Only patients who are having trouble breathing should go to the ER.

The Casper-Natrona County Health Department has established a local hotline that potential patients can also call. People can also call the number for information about COVID-19. That number is 307-577-9892.

The state also has a hotline for those outside of Natrona County. That can be reached by dialing 211.

Follow the state Health Department's tips

Stay home when sick and avoid contact with other people unless you need medical attention.

Follow commonsense steps such as washing your hands often and well, covering your coughs and sneezes, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

Operators of nursing homes and other health care facilities should closely follow guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for infection control and prevention, including those that restrict visitation. Assisted-living facilities should also follow these practices.

Older people and those with health conditions that create a higher chance of getting seriously ill should be careful to avoid crowds, unnecessary air travel or situations where they may be in close contact with others.

Everyone should follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to avoid foreign travel to many areas and cruise ship travel.

If you are hungry

The Natrona County School District has established a program to feed students while its schools are closed. Any person 18 and under can get a free lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, at any of the following locations: Trail Elementary, Sagewood Elementary, Pineview Elementary, Poison Spider School, Roosevelt High School, Bar Nunn Elementary, Mountain View Baptist Church, Cottonwood Elementary, Evansville Elementary, Journey Elementary, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming main branch, Paradise Valley Elementary, Casper Recreation Center, Midwest School, Verda James Elementary.

For Natrona County residents whose jobs or finances have been affected by recent closures, the Poverty Resistance Food Pantry, Natrona County Community Action Partnership and Joshua's Storehouse are available to provide aid:

Poverty Resistance Food Pantry: 307-215-4732, 450 S. Wolcott St.

Natrona County Community Action Partnership: 307-232-0124, 800 Werner Court No. 352.

Joshuas Storehouse: 307-265-0242, 334 S. Wolcott St.

If you need to shop

If you are elderly and fearful of going to a busy grocery store, Smith's (2405 CY Ave.), Albertsons and Safeway stores in Wyoming are offering senior citizen-only shopping hours.

Smith's senior-only hours are from 7 to 8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Pharmacy hours will also open early for seniors, and the store is waiving its pick-up fee for customers 60 and older through April 18.

Albertsons and Safeway stores are reserving every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. for vulnerable shoppers including seniors, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.

Albertsons in the Hilltop Shopping Center is located at 2625 E. Second St., and Albertsons in west Casper is at 1076 CY Ave.

Talk to your leaders

For residents who would like to participate in public meetings without attending in person, the city of Casper now has a phone number and email address to accept public comment. Residents can either call ahead of a council meeting to schedule their comment time or call at 6 p.m. on meeting nights. The phone number is 307-235-8215 and the email address is councilcomments@casperwy.gov.

If you need financial help

We've put together a complete guide of financial help available to you  from unemployment benefits and rent assistance to health insurance or small business loans.

Got something to add to our list? Email us at editors@trib.com.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Seth Klamann Education and Health Reporter Seth Klamann joined the Star-Tribune in 2016 and covers education and health. A 2015 graduate of the University of Missouri and proud Kansas City native, Seth worked for newspapers in Milwaukee and Omaha before coming to Casper. Follow Seth Klamann 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
JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin branded prime minister Boris Johnson's advice that people avoid pubs a 'tactical error'. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

JD Wetherspoon (JDW.L) chairman Tim Martin has described the UK governments advice to stay away from pubs and other venues over the coronavirus pandemic as a tactical error.

The difference in keeping the hospitality industry open, even with reduced sales, is colossal, said Martin, as hospitality leaders warned of mass closures and hundreds of thousands of job losses as they reacted to prime minister Boris Johnsons announcement on Monday.

Martin suggested that the best path for the UK would be to admit that most people will get the virus, while protecting the elderly and sick, thereby building up group immunity.

Read more: Pubs and venues warn of 'crippling blow' as public urged to stay away

He pointed to Wetherspoon sales which have been positive in the last few weeks in spite of storms and health scares as evidence that this position would be in tune with the robust instincts of the nation.

Martin highlighted the hospitality industrys contribution to the UK economy, saying that the industry adds 120bn ($146.5m) a year in tax and provides 6 million jobs. Wetherspoon alone contributes 2m a day in tax, according to the company.

JD Wetherspoon stock chart. (Yahoo Finance UK)

"Lockdown delays the inevitable and destroys the tax base at the same time, which will cripple the NHS and the economy, Martin said.

The board continues to plan partially mitigating actions. The company will announce its interim results on 20 March 2020, when a further update will be provided.

Wetherspoons stocks sank 11.5% as the governments announcement spooked investors.

Shares in other pub chains also nosedived as Marstons (MARS.L) fell 14.1% and the City Pub Group (CPC.L) fell 14.6%. The City Pub Group also announced cuts in staffing, opening hours and director salaries, and is asking landlords for rent holidays.

Read more: Coronavirus risks pushing hotel, cafe, and bar businesses into extinction

The British Beer and Pub Association has written to Johnson, warning of an existential crisis for pubs and brewers that puts hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk. It wants a six-month freeze on companys business rates and other tax bills.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Finance UK
DERBY  Mayor Richard Dziekan Tuesday joined a growing list of municipal leaders declaring a state of emergency in their town due to the corornavirus, but in declaring one for Derby, Dziekan tried to quell residents fears amid major changes being felt in everyones daily life.

Were all pulling together, and together, we will ride this out, Dziekan said.

Dziekan said the move loosens some constraints of the City Charter, allowing him and his staff to react quickly to any issues that may arise over the coming weeks.

While Dziekan said there are not any confirmed cases of the virus in Derby, hes following recommendations by state and local health officials, the city attorney, the local emergency management department and others in signing the declaration.

The action also gives Dziekan the ability to make emergency purchases of equipment to support critical functions like the Police Department and other first responders without having to go through various levels of approvals.

Our main priority is the safety of our staff and residents, Dziekan said. We understand that some actions that have been taken thus far may cause hardship for our residents. Please know that we do not make these difficult decisions lightly and we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work through this difficult period.

As Derby is home to Griffin Hospital, Dziekan said he remains in constant contact with hospital officials and the Naugatuck Valley Health District to keep the lines of communication open and transparent.

Together we will work to reduce the exposure of our citizens and guests, Dziekan added.

Dziekan said hes holding daily conference calls at 11 a.m. with local health officials, Griffin officials, and fire, police and city department heads to ensure everyone is getting the same information from the CDC, so any false information or rumors can be nipped in the bud.

Dziekan said various permitting had to be expedited this week in order to enable Griffin to set up tents outside the facility on Division Street to allow for drive-through testing. With more testing, he knows the number of known infections may rise, but in the meantime, he encouraged residents to remain calm, stay vigilant with healthy habits and, if they feel sick, to call their primary care doctor before heading out to the emergency room.

Keep your distance, dont go out, just hunker down until its over, Dziekan said, adding he, too, is missing his daily contact with the public, including meeting up with friends at Archie Moores for some socializing.

Were going to get back to normal, and if we stay put until the worst is over, we can back to life faster, he added. Life has changed for all of us, but the feds and the state are finally getting a handle on everything. We know people are upset about places having to shut down. But lets just ride this out together.

Dziekan encouraged residents to visit the citys website or his Facbeook page to check out a list of area restaurants that are open for takeout and/or delivery.

Meanwhile, Derby City Hall, the Veterans Community, senior center, public library and Derby schools remain closed. All meetings have been cancelled, but Dziekan said certain ones will take place via the Zoom application and will be posted on the city website.

Some online resources Dziekan said are helpful to the public include the Naugatuck Valley Health District and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He encouraged people to call 2-1-1 or text CTCOVID to 898211, or to call his office at 203-736-1450, ext. 221, with questions or concerns.

jean.sos@snet.net
A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking quashing of his death penalty.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana dismissed Singh's plea claiming he was not in Delhi on the day of the incident.

The plea claimed that Singh was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, and was not present in the city on December 16, when the crime took place.

The public prosecutor told the court that Singh's plea is frivolous and a tactic to delay the scheduled hanging.

The plea also alleged that Singh was tortured inside the Tihar jail.

Meanwhile, the court asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to Singh's counsel.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh, 32, Pawan Gupta, 25, Vinay Sharma, 26, and Akshay Kumar Singh, 31.

This is the fourth death warrant. The earlier three were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.

On Monday, Mukesh moved the Supreme Court seeking restoration of legal remedies and alleging that his earlier counsel misled and forced him to sign the papers.

The apex court had refused to entertain his plea.

On July 9, 2018, the court dismissed his review plea against its judgment. Later, his curative and mercy pleas were rejected by the top court and President Ram Nath Kovind respectively.

The young woman, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless one), was gang-raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused.

Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 10:44:57|Editor: ZD

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LONDON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Houses of Parliament were closed to visitors and tourists on Monday because of the coronavirus outbreak.

A limited shutdown will continue until further notice and will affect thousands of sightseers and overseas visitors who want to see Britain's parliament in action.

Officials at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in London said steps taken will allow the Parliament to continue to fulfil its constitutional duties.

Overseas travel restrictions have also been introduced in order to preserve the operation of the Parliament.

"We are resolved that Parliament should, insofar as possible, continue to fulfil its important constitutional duties of passing legislation, holding government to account and, crucially, representing the views of the people of the United Kingdom and making their voice heard," said the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle and Lords Speaker Norman Fowler in a joint statement.

"We are clear that now is the time to be pragmatic. Everyone in the country is being asked to strike a balance and it is right that we do the same," said the statement.

They said the restrictions relating to overseas travel and visitor access imposed on Monday have been developed in conjunction with Public Health England and reflect the government's current approach.

Members of the public wishing to enter the Parliamentary Estate solely to view Westminster Hall will no longer be admitted.

No new banqueting bookings are accepted, and all existing bookings taking place from Monday onwards have all been cancelled.

Tours have also been canceled from Monday. Mass lobbies, which usually take place in Westminster Hall or in the larger committee rooms, have also been banned.

Members of the public will still be able to watch debates in both chambers from the public galleries as well as debates in Westminster Hall. And people will still be allowed in if they have booked meetings with their MPs.

Parliamentary authorities have also strongly discouraged parliamentary travel to other countries, and asked politicians to assess the risk of visits on a case-by-case basis.

The advice will affect official delegations, including the hosting of visiting parliamentarians and officials from overseas.
The head of the public health authorities is urging the French to stay home and limit contact with others. The situation is deteriorating fast, he says, but there are simple ways to stop coronavirus COVID-19 from spreading further in France.

As it stands, there are 5,423 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in France, since 24 January, with 127 death and over 400 people in critical condition, according to official figures published on Sunday.

Jerome Salomon, the head of the French public health authority, said that coronavirus is rapidly spreading in France with the number of cases doubling every three days.

He also says French people are not applying the basic recommendations given to them

We can all carry the virus without being aware of it. So, we can easily transmit it if we do not respect the one metre minimum distance among each other, if we do not wash our hands carefully, and if we do not drastically reduce contact with others, Salomon said.

Yesterday, there were shocking reports showing large groups of people meeting outside. They do not seem to understand that they need stay home.

#ResterChezVous

Salomon added that France will not be able to slow down the rate of Covid-19 transmission if the French keep refusing to respect the rules.

The French hospitals already are in great difficulty and they must take care of people being admitted every hour.

We could easily reach a stage where our hospitals will be saturated and unable to take new patients. This will be a disaster. This is why our health workers are urging people to stay home, he added.

Salomon took the example of the town of Codogno in Italy where a lockdown proved to be successful as there were no new cases registered since.

As for the alarming figures of 300,000 to 500,000 COVID-19 related deaths reported in the media, Salomon said that these are projections presented by epidemiologists in a scenario where there are no measures to contain the epidemic.

Masks and gloves

Pharmacists and doctors voiced concerns because there are not enough face masks and gloves for them. Yet, they interact with an increasing number of people and fear they might be infected and help spread the virus.

The French government will put its stock of face masks and gloves at the disposal of health workers.

Stealing masks make no sense as the transmission is essentially by hand, Salomon explained.

Wearing gloves while touching potentially infected surfaces will make little difference.

Salomon said that people showing symptoms such as coughs, sore throat, headaches and other ENT related symptoms should stay home instead of bravely going to work.
WATERLOO  MercyOne is not allowing visitors at this time (see below for exemptions). In addition, anyone entering the building must answer questions and have their temperature checked. This includes all colleagues, providers, patients, visitors, vendors, etc.

The new access restrictions are effective beginning Wednesday.

Exemptions will be made for the following circumstances: Children admitted to the hospital; maternity units/birth center; patients receiving end of life care.

For all the above exceptions, only one visitor per patient. The one visitor must be: 18 years or older; either immediate family members, powers of attorney, guardians, or patient representatives' healthy with no symptoms of illness including respiratory or fever.

Photos of the coronavirus threat
NICOSIA, CYPRUS / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Atalaya Mining Plc. (ATYM.L)(AYM.TO) is providing an update on how the Company is continuing to manage and respond to the current global health situation in relation to COVID-19.

The Company`s priority is to protect its workforce and the local communities surrounding both Proyecto Riotinto and Proyecto Touro. Atalaya is following the requirements and recommendations issued by the Government of Spain and the regional and local health authorities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

Activities at Proyecto Riotinto continue with no interruption to production with the following restrictions:

All non-critical site visits and employee and contractor meetings have been cancelled. Whenever possible, employees are required to work remotely and to communicate any potential exposure to the virus.

Coronavirus-related mandatory health and safety instructions and restrictions are in place for incoming and on-site contractors and employees to reduce the exposure.

To date, there has been no impact on production or shipment of concentrate from Huelva. Additionally, there has been no significant disruption to the supply chain of the Company's operation and the level of critical consumables and spare parts for production continues to be acceptable.

It should be noted that according to the official statistics, Huelva has one of the lowest number of COVID-19 cases per capita within Spain, to date, and not a single employee or contractor has tested positive for the virus.

Atalaya continues to monitor and implement business continuity measures to mitigate and minimize any potential impacts of the global outbreak on our operations, supply chain, and commercial and financial activities.

Whilst the Company currently maintains its production guidance for 2020, it is also conscious of the rapid outbreak of the Coronavirus and the evolving measures being imposed to reduce its spread by the Spanish Central Government. The recently imposed national restrictions have not impacted the Company`s operations but the potential future impact of these restrictions is unknown. The company will update the market in due course as necessary.

Story continues

Contacts:

Newgate Communications Elisabeth Cowell / Adam Lloyd / Tom Carnegie + 44 20 3757 6880 4C Communications Carina Corbett +44 20 3170 7973 Canaccord Genuity (NOMAD and Joint Broker) Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / James Asensio +44 20 7523 8000 BMO Capital Markets (Joint Broker) Tom Rider / Michael Rechsteiner / Neil Elliot +44 20 7236 1010 Peel Hunt LLP (Joint Broker) Ross Allister / David McKeown +44 20 7418 8900



About Atalaya Mining Plc

Atalaya is an AIM and TSX-listed mining and development group which produces copper concentrates and silver by-product at its wholly owned Proyecto Riotinto site in southwest Spain. In addition, the Group has a phased, earn-in agreement for up to 80% ownership of Proyecto Touro, a brownfield copper project in the northwest of Spain which is currently in the permitting stage. For further information, visit www.atalayamining.com

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Atalaya Mining PLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/581070/Atalaya-Mining-PLC-Announces-Company-Update--COVID-19




Former Member of Parliament for Akwatia constituency, Baba Jamal, has praised the government for its latest directive in the wake of the coronavirus spread.



According to him, though the Presidents directive has come in time to help contain the pandemic, there should be the provision of enough kits by the government to address the needs of Health Professionals and Ghanaians.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' program, Baba Jamal explained that like other African countries enough kits should have been provided at areas the people gather frequently to help them get protected.



"So what is the government doing with the $100 million it announced recently to help fight the disease?" he asked.



"The preventive measures you announced are good, but what practical measures have you taken to contain the spread?"



While expressing worry about the level of education on the disease and its preventive measures, he charged the President to show commitment and leadership by putting the allocated money to good use.



"Is is about time you engaged in massive education exercise to have more people educated about the virus and the personal hygiene they need to keep," the former NDC MP said.



The government has announced a ban on church-related activities, mosques prayers, and all other public gatherings.



President Akufo-Addo made this bold declaration Sunday evening, as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.



In his second national address on the Coronavirus update, President Akufo-Addo said; "all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, sporting events and religious events such as services in churches and mosques have been suspended."



The ban will be in force for the "next four weeks".



Additionally, he said, though "private burials are permitted," the membership should be "limited to not more than 25 persons."



"Secondly, all Universities, Senior High Schools and basic schools (i.e private and public) will be closed Monday, 16th of March, 2020 till further notice," President Akufo-Addo stated.



Watch video below





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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Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to be hospitalized for treatment of neck pain

Lockdown-like restrictions to return in Maharashtra? Here's what CM Uddhav Thackeray has to say

No plans of lockdown says Maharashtra CM

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces.

The government has also decided to postpone all ongoing exams in the state, Thackeray told reporters at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.

The next 15 to 20 days are important for the state as far as containment of the coronavirus spread is concerned and people should be extra vigilant on this aspect, he said.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rises to 19

There should be no crowding at religious sites in view of the novel coronavirus threat, though worship there may continue, he said.

Maharashtra has 37 Covid-19 patients as on Monday.

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Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 8:07 [IST]
New Delhi: In this present age, there is no such person who is not troubled by the rising of Corona. The wrath of this virus has increased that more than 5400 people have died in its grip every day. It is still being speculated that soon this disease will be overcome. Not only this virus has affected the human life of people, but the fear of this virus has created panic in the whole world today. Coronavirus, which has spread in more than 145 countries of the world, has killed 5735 people so far. According to the World Health Organization, so far 153517 cases have been reported in the whole world. In China alone, its number of patients has been 81 048. In China, 3204 people have died due to this so far. In the SAARC countries, when the outbreak of this virus has been reported, a total of 203 cases have been reported here. Of these, 107 cases have been reported in India, 52 in Pakistan, 16 in Afghanistan, 13 in Maldives, 3 in Bangladesh, 1-1 in Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. But because there is a large part of the world's population here, if it spreads here, it can kill many people.

According to the information received, thinking about this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussed video conferencing with all the member countries to unite all the SAARC countries to fight it together and share its prevention efforts. The Prime Ministers of all the countries except Pakistan participated in it. But Imran Khan was not involved in this, but was replaced by Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to the PM and Minister of State for Health.

By doing this, Pakistan opened its bed. This is because Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly said that he wants to talk to India, but when he got a platform in which PM Modi himself took the initiative, he showed his back and ran away from there. Actually, Imran Khan has made a huge mistake by making this decision. The reason for this is also that he got such a platform from where he could start a new relationship. If this were the case, it would have been the first time that both PM Modi and Imran Khan would have come face to face and the Coronavirus would have been correct but a positive message from Pakistan. but that did not happen.



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She says it should be repealed to put the Maidan shootings investigation off pause.

New Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova has commented on the initiative she had voiced earlier to repeal the law on clemency for participants in the Revolution of Dignity.

While Parliament considered her appointment, Venediktova was asked whether her position changed on the initiative.

"As for the law on, as you call it, 'clemency' If you read the law correctly and check if it is in line with the criminal procedure law, you will also have certain questions. Therefore, let's be honest here in parliament. Either we admit the fact that the courts in their judgments are already circumventing the norms of the law, therefore, law enforcement agencies must either comply with the criminal procedure legislation or this law," Venediktova said, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoNew Ukraine's Prosecutor General: Who is Iryna Venediktova

She added the task of the Verkhovna Rada was to "harmonize legislative acts."

"You can't be all 'white and fluffy' here and at the same time demand results. You know that case No. 1455 [on Maidan shootings] is on pause. Therefore, it is simply necessary to realize: either we implement a special law that is contrary to criminal procedural legislation and remain on pause, or we want a comprehensive and objective investigation so that our special laws comply with laws whose force is higher," Venediktova said.

She called on the lawmakers to decide: "Either you comply with the laws that you adopt and do it logically, or you don't."

On February 20, 2020, the then Acting Director of the State Bureau of Investigation Iryna Venediktova talked about the need to repeal the law "On the prevention of prosecution and punishment of persons regarding the events that took place during peaceful gatherings, and the recognition of some laws of Ukraine as invalid" of 2014. According to her, there is a contradiction between this law and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Andrew Bookes / Getty Images

En espanol | The U.S. Secret Service is warning that cybercriminals are trying to steal from people using several scams tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As more and more people have tested positive for coronavirus, we've seen an increase in the number of scams that are occurring, says Special Agent Chris McMahon, who spoke to AARP in an interview on Monday.

McMahon, who is with the agency's Global Investigative Operations Center, says overseas partners including Interpol and Europol alerted law enforcement here to these schemes, which, like the virus itself, have seeped into the U.S. The Washington-based center combats cyber-enabled financial crime.

There are different coronavirus swindles, he warns, adding that there are fundamental ways consumers can protect themselves from losing cash or divulging sensitive personal data.

"You always want to be vigilant, McMahon says.

As more and more people telework, they're relying increasingly on email, so additional scams are forecast, the Secret Service says, urging extra caution.

One sickness, many sick scams

The Secret Service gave AARP a PowerPoint presentation covering a variety of schemes that pose a threat. In the presentation was an email with the words Wuhan Viral Advisory, which offered promising treatments. Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for the coronavirus.
Finally, if the British government quickly went all-out to suppress viral spread  aiming to reverse epidemic growth and reduce the case load to a low level  then the number of dead in the country could drop to below 20,000. To do this, the researchers said, Britain would have to enforce social distancing for the entire population, isolate all cases, demand quarantines of entire households where anyone is sick, and close all schools and universities  and do this not for weeks but for 12 to 18 months, until a vaccine is available.
Chinas top medical authority issued a gag order after Wuhan labs sequencing coronavirus found it resembled the SARS virus that killed nearly 800 people in 2002-2003 back in late December, according to Chinese media.

Caixin Global, a respected independent publication, reported that genomics laboratories sequenced the coronavirus by December 27, but were ordered by local and national officials to hand over or destroy the samples and not release their findings.

Additionally, Wuhan officials deliberately did not inform a health team from Beijing during a January 8 visit that local medical staff had already been infected by patients, in an attempt to keep its contagiousness under wraps. The city then went ahead with its lunar new year celebration on January, which brought thousands of families to the city to celebrate, without informing people that coronavirus was transmissible between humans.

In recent weeks, Chinese state media has stepped up propaganda efforts to shift focus away from Beijings failures.

Zhong Nanshan, a pulmonologist who has made major announcements on Chinese state media, said at a press conference on February 27 that the coronavirus first appeared in China but may not have originated in China. Other media outlets have repeated or implied the same message.

On Sunday, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic asked China to send everythingeven to send us doctors, [because] our doctors are already tired.

We will be begging [Chinese citizens] to come and help us with everything, Vucic said, criticizing the European Union for refusing to export medical equipment to Serbia.

Alibaba co-founder and Asias richest man Jack Ma, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, announced last week that he was donating 500,000 test kits and 1 million masks to the U.S. to help fight the outbreak.

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LOS ANGELESAnne Hodder-Shipp is offering an encore of her Compassionate Customer Service webinar at a discounted rate with scholarships available.

The webinar takes place at noon PT Wednesday, March 18, and is open to anyone looking to learn how to handle concerns, complaints, and questions with tools that translate into return visits. The webinar will take place online. Attendees can participate from anywhere in the world via phone or computer.

This live training is for adult industry customer service reps, store managers, retail staff and other professionals looking to build stronger, more effective customer communication skills.

My Compassionate Customer Service webinar has been a popular and accessible professional development tool, so Id like to make it available this week at a discounted rate with scholarships available to those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19-related changes, Hodder-Shipp said. While the industry shifts to work-from-home, limited travel, and social-distancing protocols, many professionals  me included  have had to adjust to a new normal. This is a prime opportunity to build skills and benefit from professional development with reduced financial obstacles.

Sponsored by education organization Everyone Deserves Sex Ed, Compassionate Customer Service was inspired after Hodder-Shipp was invited to speak to retailers at an event hosted by award-winning distributor Eldorado. To a standing-room-only crowd, Hodder-Shipp shared communication tools, problem-solving strategies, and humorous anecdotes while answering important questions from an eager audience of adult industry professionals.

Stellar customer service is key for forming lasting, loyal relationships with adult retail shoppers, and that includes responding to customers in a compassionate manner, Hodder-Shipp said. I had a blast working with so many adult store managers and staff during the inaugural workshop and I knew I had to create a version that would be available to adult industry professionals around the world. This Compassionate Customer Service webinar teaches effective ways to communicate with people who might not know what theyre looking for or might be seeking more than just a product recommendation, and help create a sense of trust that can turn that shopper into a loyal lifelong customer.

Compassionate Customer Service combines social psychology research with tangible communication tools and a five-step process for answering customer questions. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the strong impact compassion and empathy can have in a retail environment, how to strengthen their own compassion and empathy muscles, and ways to effectively improve their day-to-day interactions in their professional AND private lives.

Tickets are $39 per person; following payment, attendees will receive a private link that directly connects to the live webinar.

For those in need of a full scholarship, email [email protected] before signing up.

Sign up directly at AnneHodderAppointments.as.me/CompassionateCustomerService.
This afternoon were announcing new guidelines for every American to follow over the next 15 days as we combat the virus. Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread and transmission of the virus. We did this today, and this was done by a lot of very talented people, some of whom are standing with me. And thats available. And Dr. Birx will be speaking about that in just a few minutes. Its important for the young and healthy people to understand that while they may experience milder symptoms, they can easily spread this virus and they will spread it, indeed, putting countless others in harms way. We especially worry about our senior citizens. Weve made the decision to further toughen the guidelines and blunt the infection now. Wed much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it. And thats what we are. Therefore, my administration is recommending that all Americans, including the young and healthy, work to engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, avoid discretionary travel, and avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and public food courts. If everyone makes this change or these critical changes and sacrifices now we will rally together as one nation, and we will defeat the virus. And were going to have a big celebration all together. With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly. A lot of progress has been made. Im also pleased to report today that a vaccine candidate has begun the Phase 1 clinical trial. This is one of the fastest vaccine development launches in history. Not even close. Were also racing to develop antiviral therapies, and other treatments, and weve had some promising results  early results, but promising  to reduce the severity and the duration of the symptoms. And I have to say that our government is prepared to do whatever it takes, whatever it takes were doing.
A Connecticut man has been charged with threatening the life of Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank). (Mark Wilson / Getty Images)

A Connecticut man has been charged with threatening the life of Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), the House Intelligence Committee chairman who played a key role in impeachment proceedings against President Trump, the Justice Department announced Monday.

Robert M. Phelps, 62, was arrested on Friday and released on $25,000 bond.

The FBI alleged in an affidavit that Phelps on Nov. 12 sent threats in a meeting request to Schiff through the lawmaker's official website.

"I want to come and see you so I can spit in your face and I want to kill you with my bare hands and smash your sick little round fat lying face in," the person who sent the meeting request, allegedly Phelps, told Schiff, according to the affidavit.

The request was signed: "Robert M. Phelps Republican." The request included an email address for Schiff to reach Phelps.

The Justice Department subpoenaed the internet service provider associated with that email address and confirmed Phelps' identity. FBI agents interviewed Phelps on Dec. 4 at his home in Torrington, Conn., the affidavit said.

Phelps admitted he sent the email but did not see it as threatening, the FBI wrote in the affidavit.

Phelps asserted to the agents he had the right to contact members of Congress and to defend "his president," the affidavit said. He urged the FBI to investigate Democrats pushing to impeach Trump.

Phelps could face up to 10 years in prison for threatening to assault and murder a U.S. official. He could not be reached. A spokesman for Schiff declined to comment.
The majority of businesses will not be able to claim on their insurance for the cost of the coronavirus shutdown, even if Boris Johnson orders them to close, the insurance industry has warned.

The prime ministers decision not to require the closure of pubs, clubs and theatres, while urging consumers not to visit them, caused outrage among operators who said it would prevent them from making insurance claims.

But the Association of British Insurers said today that only a small minority of larger firms are believed to have policies which cover them for the cost of business lost due to infectious diseases.

The statement increases pressure on chancellor Rishi Sunak to come up with a multi-billion pound package of protection to prevent businesses from going bust in the crisis.

A senior member of the governments fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, has said the state should take on the role of insurer of last resort in recognition of the fact that the private insurance industry does not have the resources to cover the cost of business closures.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

French president Emmanuel Macron has already led the way by announcing a 300 billion package to ensure that no business whatever its size will face risk of bankruptcy.

Following widespread calls from businesses for the PM to mandate closure in order to allow them to make insurance claims, the ABI released a statement warning that most will not be able to do so.

Irrespective of whether or not the government orders closure of a business, the vast majority of firms wont have purchased cover that will enable them to claim on their insurance to compensate for their business being closed by the coronavirus, said the ABI, which represents the UKs insurers.

Standard business interruption cover - the type the majority of businesses purchase - does not include forced closure by authorities as it is intended to respond to physical damage at the property which results in the business being unable to continue to trade.

A small minority of typically larger firms might have purchased an extension to their cover for closure due to any infectious disease. In this instance an enforced closure could help them make the claim, but this will depend on the precise nature of the cover they have purchased so they should check with their insurer or broker to see if they are covered.

OBR committee member Sir Charlie Bean said the state will have to act as insurer of last resort.

And the former Bank of England deputy governor said Mr Sunak should not be deterred by the need potentially to spend billions of pounds.

Skimping on protection for businesses would be counter-productive in the long run because it would mean the state being deprived of future tax revenues from companies which fail during the outbreak, he said.

All the evidence we have from financial crises or things like this is big early action is better than half-hearted action and delay, Prof Bean told the House of Commons Treasury Committee.

He added: There is a very good argument that the state should be the insurer here.

There is quite a lot of discussion about wanting the government to mandate bars and restaurants to close so people can claim against their insurance policies, We seem to forget that insurers have limited pockets.

We are taking about such a deep and widespread downturn here and all we are doing is passing the problem on to an insurer who may not be able to pay.

This to me is exactly the case where the state should be stepping in to try to implement things which minimise unnecessary damage to the supply side.

While some companies would be able to reduce their losses by effectively asking staff to go on long unpaid holidays, others - such as airlines which have taken on significant debt to buy planes - will have little way to stem the financial damage of a halt to business, he said.

There may be a question of whether the insurers have deep enough pockets to be able to pay out, said Prof Bean.

This is why in some sense you need the state to be there as the insurer of last resort against what is essentially an act of God.
I am respectfully asking you to help against Covid-19 and apply as a volunteer both in emergency and basic care, Human Resources Minister Miklos Kasler wrote in a public letter to all medical professionals.

Applications are expected from medical students, including those studying dentistry and pharmacy, as well as interns and specialist candidates, specialists from clinics where a decline of patients is expected due to the epidemics, those working in private healthcare, and health care professionals currently not in the health sector or out of work.



One reason for the recruitment is that health workers over the age of 65 had to be relocated to positions where they could not encounter coronavirus patients, Index writes. That is why the ministry is looking to recruit volunteers aged 18-48.



Update: Almost 900 volunteers applied for the call within two days, most of them medical, pharmacist and dental students, but also a significant number of graduate doctors and health professionals.



MTI Photo: Noemi Bruzak
Australian health officials have rubbished claims that ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs make coronavirus symptoms worse.

France's health minister Oliver Veran claimed on Saturday that the over-the-counter painkiller could aggravate COVID-19.

'Taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, cortisone ...) could be an aggravating factor for the infection. If you have a fever, take paracetamol,' Mr Veran said.

Debate is still raging around whether ibuprofen aggravates the symptoms of COVID-19 or not with some health officials claiming it does and others saying there is little to no evidence backing the claim

Australia's Department of Health rejected claims from the French Health Minister that ibuprofen aggravates COVID-19 however the NHS in England has removed it from their advice list for stay-at-home care

WHY COULD IBUPROFEN WORSEN CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS? Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by blocking your body's production of certain natural substances that cause inflammation, and is used to decrease pain or a fever. Experts say paracetamol should be a first choice because: 1. Ibuprofen may dampen the body's immune response to infection because it is has anti-inflammatory effects. This may slow the recovery process, Professor Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, said. 2. He added that it is likely the coronavirus acts in a similar way to SARS, in that it reduces an enzyme which regulates salt and water in the blood. This can lead it pneumonia. Ibuprofen may aggravate this, Professor Jones said. 2. NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and stress on the kidneys if taken over a long period of time. This could be exacerbated in those who already have kidney or stomach problems brought on by severe illness, such as COVID-19, experts said. Advertisement

Australia's Department of Health hit back on Tuesday and said that not enough was known about the virus to fully understand the effects of taking ibuprofen.

'Over the counter anti-inflammatories ... may play a role in general symptomatic management of mild cases of COVID-19 disease,' a Department of Health spokesperson said.

'There have been examples of more potent anti-inflammatories used such as corticosteroids as one of many drugs being administered to stabilize those who are critically ill.

'Evaluation of their effectiveness in this setting is ongoing including in the Australian health care context.'

Meanwhile Nurofen producer Reckitt Benckiser sought to quash warnings against taking the drug on Monday.

The company said it was not aware of any evidence that the pills' active ingredient ibuprofen adversely impacted patients.

'RB has neither received new safety information nor been involved in the evaluation of any adverse events regarding the use of ibuprofen in COVID-19,' the company said on Monday.

'Appropriate use of ibuprofen and paracetamol is still currently being recommended by most European health authorities as part of the symptomatic treatment of COVID-19.'

Debate started to rage after Amelia Milner (pictured), four, who has suspected coronavirus, was given ibuprofen and experienced a raft of problems including a spike in temperature and vomiting

There are more than 450 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five people have died as debate continues to rage around what people should or shouldn't take

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

However, Britain's NHS has removed ibuprofen from its suggested painkillers for people suffering from coronavirus, and not recommends paracetamol instead.

The issue was highlighted when a four-year-old British girl was given ibuprofen by her parents after she became ill with a cough and a fever - the hallmark symptoms of coronavirus.

Instead of making her feel better, the painkiller appeared to make her temperature spike.

She began shaking, panting, couldn't keep her eyes open and vomited, according to her stepfather, Dan Collins.

In a moving Facebook post, Mr Collins shared a photo of Amelia and warned: 'If your child has symptoms of coronavirus, DO NOT give them ibuprofen.'

Amelia was given ibuprofen as her mum and stepfather were unable to get any Calpol. She has not been tested for coronavirus because she is not in hospital.
The (Covid-19) outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, the most populous city in Central China, in December 2019. To fight the coronavirus, hospitals were set up in Wuhan in a very short time, with facilities such as intensive care units, medical equipment rooms and quarantine wards.

Huber & Ranner, the German designer and manufacturer of air handling systems, was assigned to quickly deliver and install its ventilation systems and HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) for two hospitals in Wuhan in just a few days. But The Chinese city had to be completely shut down to prevent further spread of the pathogen. Sending Huber & Ranners technical staff from Germany to supervise the installation of the ventilation systems in Wuhan was quite risky. This is where BlinkIN, a Bengaluru-based intelligent visual-assistance company played a key role by providing its tech support to address the crisis. It helped service engineers of Huber & Ranner to install air ventilation systems in two hospitals in Wuhan, remotely.

Huber & Ranner uses BlinkIN to power their customer support service (platform) X-Care, which was very elemental for setting up and maintaining the shipped ventilation units for the two hospitals in Wuhan, says Dhiraj Choudhary, co-founder of BlinkIN. The companys platform helped to install several ventilation machines in Wuhan hospitals. Whenever they need any troubleshooting or maintenance, they are using BlinkIN to help them out.

Choudhary says he never thought that the technology platform of his company would have such a massive social impact. It brings us a lot of satisfaction and pride that we are able to contribute (in the fight against coronavirus) using technology.

An alumnus of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), Odisha, Choudhary co-founded the company in 2017 along with college friend Nitin Kumar, and Harshwardhan Kumar, an alumnus of College of Engineering Bhubaneshwar and German entrepreneur Josef S.

Incubated at Nasscom Centre of Excellence, BlinkIN empowers support teams across the globe to deliver a visual customer experience. This significantly enhances the quality of the service, reduces field visits and cuts down travel cost and decreases downtime. The firm said that someone's ability to physically experience or utilise their skills in another location is restricted by the barriers of time and distance.

With BlinkIN, no app or software installation is required. Customers or field engineers are able to securely connect and instantly share live video and photos of the issue with the remote expert. The experts can then guide them using a live pointer and augmented reality (AR) screen annotations. This allows for a dramatic decrease in explanation time and near-instant diagnosis of the problem.

There are challenges with audio and video platforms as you cannot point to something when you are providing guidance, says Choudhary. We are addressing this by providing intuitive communication.

BlinkIN offers Scotty an artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR)-powered live video calling system. The agent is able to handhold users and guides them using augmented on-screen annotations and live pointers overlaid on their screen. This helps to seamlessly transport human skills and knowledge to the exact location where and when they are needed. The company also offers Huston, an AI-powered self-service system powered by a virtual agent. This helps a user leveraging the expertise of senior engineers, on a smartphone.

As of today, BlinkIN is active in 43 countries. Choudhary says there are several applications of the platform which can be quite helpful for during the pandemic, especially when their employees work from home.

Nearly 6,000 people have died and over 150,000 have been infected globally due to outbreak. About 73,000 victims have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus.

Several tech are making efforts to tackle the pandemic. Microsoft Bing team has launched a web portal for tracking COVID-19 infections and an interactive map to monitor its spread worldwide. The website, available at bing.com/covid, provides up-to-date infection statistics for each country.

DeepMind, an AI company owned by Alphabet, is using its existing work to help researchers combat COVID-19. The London-based lab recently said it hopes to contribute to the scientific effort using the latest version of its AlphaFold system to release structural predictions of several under-studied proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. DeepMind also said these structural predictions have not been experimentally verified, but those night contribute to the scientific communitys interrogation of how the virus functions, and serve as a hypothesis generation platform for future experimental work in developing therapeutics.

Tech giant IBM plans to work with medical institutions and practitioners by providing support in the development of drugs to combat the outbreak. The firm plans to use its IBM clinical development (ICD) system to help speed up the development of key drugs in fighting the virus. ICD is a unified, SaaS-based data capture solution created to provide end-to-end visibility and management capabilities for patients, sites and clinical trials.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba claimed, its new AI-powered diagnosis system can identify coronavirus infections with 96 per cent accuracy via computerised tomography scans. The diagnosis algorithm was created by Alibaba's research institute, Damo Academy.

Many tech start-ups are also making efforts to fight the disease. In China, DJI drones are delivering health advice while Little Peanut delivery robot is serving food to quarantined patients. XAG, an agritech firm, is providing large-scale disinfectant spray services.
Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) has asked all advocates to abstain from work in all courts across the two states till March 31, in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Advocates were asked to appear only for urgent matters, such as bail, anticipatory bail and stay orders.

Karanjit Singh, chairman of BCPH, said that the annual election of the bar association, scheduled for the first week of April, has also been postponed.

The high court on Monday urged people to leave the court premises (of all courts) across the states immediately after their work is done. The court has also banned the entry of people who are not directly involved with a matter listed in the court.

Regular matters will not be listed before the court until March 31, unless and until there is an emergency. Advocates have also been asked by the bar council to e-file cases, unless unavoidable.

In view of the unprecedented situation, the bar council had unanimously resolved to request the advocates to abstain from work in all courts across Punjab and Haryana until March 31. However, the advocates may appear only in the urgent matters, said Singh.

The state government has already banned large gatherings to curb the spread of the virus. Cinema halls, gyms, malls, schools, colleges and universities have also been ordered to shut till March 31. The Supreme Court, acting upon the advisory of the health department and the Government of India, is also hearing only urgent cases.

Every day, thousands of lawyers, litigants and officials assemble for the court proceedings throughout the state of Punjab and Haryana, which make the courts the most vulnerable and dangerous place for the spread of Covid-19. The administrative committee of the HC, vide order dated March 16, has also decided to only hear the urgent matters and issued guidelines for containing the spread of the virus, said Ajay Choudhary, secretary of the bar council.

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Despite titling their recent essay for National Review The Next Coalition of the Right, Yuval Levin and Ramesh Ponnuru are less focused on the future than on the past. Levin and Ponnuru were leading lights of reform conservatism, an intellectual and political movement now deceased. Their essay is a postmortem of sorts: It sets forth an explanation for why the reformocon attempts to redefine the conservative agenda failed, and seeks to draw lessons from this failure for the future. The trouble: Levin and Ponnuru have learned the wrong lessons from the fall of their movement. At the zenith of the reformocon moment, reformocons were fiercely critical of the Republican establishment for mistaking the problems of the present with the problems of the past. Now the mandala has turned: Today it is the reformocons themselves who are trapped in the lens of a generation out of date.

The phrase reform conservatives is most closely associated with the people who staffed or wrote for the Conservative Reform Network (also called the YG Network) in the early 2010s, which includes both Ponnuru and Levin. In this piece I will also lump outsiders who shared the general vision of this Beltway clique but had no formal ties to it (for example, Michael Lotus and James Bennetts America 3.0 remains the most compelling statement of the basic reformocon vision I have read, though neither author ever adopted the title reformocon) in with them. The movement was first and foremost a response to the victories of Barack Obama and the failures of the Bush presidency. The central tenet of the reformocons was that the then-existing conservative consensus was three decades behind the times. A conservatism fit to 21st-century conditions demanded more than rewarmed platitudes from the Reagan era. There was an implicit generational lens to this critique: Almost all of the reformocons hailed from Generation X, and many explicitly portrayed their ideas an attempt to seize intellectual terrain from fogey old Boomers frozen in a past forever gone. Their job was to take the energy that Republican defeats and the Tea Party revolt had poured into conservative politics and channel it into a more coherent, practical, and forward-looking framework of ideas and policies.

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This framework began with the recognition that American political elites generally, and Republican elites in particular, had become economically and socially isolated from the mass of the American people. This isolation caused the GOPs governing class to miss the obvious: Married couples, not corporate suits and financiers, are the natural constituency of any conservative movement, and the actual backbone of Republican electoral success. Policy should strengthen families and encourage family formation. The disintegration of family life among the working classes was the greatest disaster to befall post-war America. This disaster was matched in scale by two other challenges, each of which threatened to unwind the fabric of American society. The first was the deteriorating economic security of middle-class families, who were forced to take on enormous debt and then defer marriage, children, and other joyous things to have any hope of holding place in Americas meritocratic hunger games. The second was the slow death of American civic society. This collapse in social capital left the American people isolated, atomized, and lonely. Such a people lack resilience. As the reaching social and economic policies of the Obama presidency vividly demonstrated, such a people will also inevitably turn to the federal government as the first solution to their ills.

To renew American society, then, Republicans needed to empower normal Americans to solve their own problems without interference from or reliance on federal power. The reformocons favored what some of them called decentralization and others termed subsidiarity: Whenever possible, problems that the federal government managed should be handled instead by state governments (or in Lotus and Bennets more interesting formulation, compacts of states). Many things that state governments do would in turn be handed over to cities or to civic organizations and private enterprise. This would effectively end many national culture-war controversies. Tribe blue would be free do its thing in blue territory, and tribe red the same in its. Items of concern that could not be pushed downward would be evaluated according to two standards: Will this help or will this hinder middle- and working-class families? Will this help or will this hinder a renaissance in American civic life?

This last question is important. In the reformocon worldview, decentralizing meant not just devolving the federal government downward but building local communities upward. As Levin wrote for National Review in 2014:

The premise of conservatism has always been . . . that what matters most about society happens in the space between the individual and the state  the space occupied by families, communities, civic and religious institutions, and the private economy. . . . Creating, sustaining, and protecting that space and helping all Americans take part in what happens there are among the foremost purposes of government.

That was the reformocon vision for making America good again. It was a glorious vision  a glorious vision rendered inert.

In the year 2020, debates over ideas matter more to the Right than they have for decades. At first glance this seems a silly thing to say. The sitting president has all the intellectual coherence of a rock. But that rock crashed through Washington, opening up holes in the conservative coalition that conservatives long pretended did not exist. Now a half-dozen factions war among the ruins, desperately trying to stake their claim to define the ways and means of the future American Right.

The reformocons are not among the warring tribes. This is odd. This should be the reformocon moment. Their diagnosis of American society has aged well. Their warnings that a society of distrustful, atomized individuals would lead either to political radicalism or to dangerous nihilism has proven entirely correct. GOP voters have proven less attached to Reaganite ideology than even they imagined; Their argument for reorienting the GOP around working-class interests is now the starting point for every one of the factions grasping for the crown. In The Next Coalition of the Right, Levin and Ponnuru lay out their preferred explanation for why the reformocons are not among these factions: the presidency of Donald Trump.

As Levin and Ponnuru see it, the Trump presidency has posed two problems for the wonks and intellectuals of the Right. The first is practical and personal: The thinkers of the Right, including the reformocons themselves, are divided between those inexorably opposed to cooperating with the president and those who view Trumps term as an opportunity that must be seized. This divide has fractured movements and friendships. But Levin and Ponnurus second point is more subtle. Because Trumpism has for the most part not been embodied in particular policy proposals, they write, different factions on the right have tried to claim its power for their own and to insist that Trumps success in 2016 is proof of principle for a new direction. But the Trumps administrations inability to enact or even endorse a coherent policy platform means that these debates over the new direction of conservatism can never end. Lacking both the responsibility to enact and implement policy and the burden of resisting an assertive progressivism in Washington, the Rights policy thinking has been short on discipline and mooring. Policymaking has been replaced by posturing. This is a death knell for a movement as wonkish and policy-focused as reform conservatism. Implied here is that if a more competent, policy-savvy administration had been elected or a Democratic administration threatened the nation with policies of their own, then the reformocons would still be around and the intellectual civil war that now pits one bitter conservative against another would have ceased long ago.

Here I must tip my hand and move from the third person to the first. I am 28. That puts me at the tail end of the Millennial bulge. Since returning to my homeland this January after several years abroad, I have traveled from one side of America to the other, curious to understand the current war of ideas dividing the American Right. Over the last few months I have had conversations with dozens of Millennial and Zoomer conservatives of an intellectual bent. I have delved into the writings they say inspire them most. My interactions with the youngest generations of our movement  I use the word young generously here, Americas oldest Millennial is now 39  have convinced me that many older conservatives misunderstand both the actual significance of the moment we live in and the nature of the challenges this moment poses to conservatism. Its nuance and good sense withstanding, Levin and Ponnurus essay typifies this problem. Their perception of the problems facing conservatism is diametrically opposed to how these same divides are perceived and debated by the rising generation.

From the perspective of the young conservative, the defining event of the last decade was not the election of Donald Trump but the revolution in morals and manners now dubbed the Great Awokening. This secular revival has blessed its adherents with a scheme of ethics, aesthetics, eschatology, and soteriology all their own. Essayist Wesley Yangs thumbnail sketch describes the new dogmas well: The awokened metastasize a complex and rebarbative set of critiques of power into an active parapolitical program seeking to transform the world along a sweepingly utopian line that overthrows all orders, hierarchies, laws, and norms that stand between the privileged and the justice the awokened believe they deserve. The zeal of the converted has carried these notions far; the system of ritualized language and punitive surveillance pioneered by young leftists has carried it even further. Its reach now extends well past the realm of the fervent faithful. Few in young America are untouched. Even those who have never formally studied the doctrines of the Great Awokening echo its view of truth, virtue, and evil. It is the default ethos of Americas future  and for the young, Americas present.

It is worth emphasizing that the stunning advance of the woke had very little to do with the federal government. Barack Obama was not the author of the Great Awokening; the former president was a liberal of the old sort, a man who believed himself the living incarnation of the American creed. He was left frustrated and mystified by a generation of young progressives who had left behind their  and his  ancestral faith. No government forced them to leave. The agents of the Awokening made their case the old-fashioned way: In lectures, essays, and op-eds, they convinced; in newspaper headlines, music videos, and YouTube montages, they suggested; in campus protests and corporate HR codes, they coerced. But only rarely was this a matter of state coercion. Social pressure, not federal tyranny, keeps the young woke.

Older conservatives are well placed to understand why this has happened. For decades they have been predicting that a people unmoored from tradition and community will throw themselves at the first totalizing ideology to come along that promises to give their lives a shred of purpose and meaning. For decades they have warned that the gradual secularization of American society, slow collapse in American social capital, and incessant attacks on Americas heritage would produce such a people. As they foresaw, so it has been. What these older conservatives struggle to understand is that the future they imagined does not just describe the world the young conservative has inherited  it describes the young conservatives themselves. The young conservative knows enough to reject the woke vision of the common good. But for what? The young conservative has no answer to this question. Indeed, he is not really a conservative at all, if by that we mean someone intent on conserving inherited values, traditions, or culture. None of those things are part of his inheritance. He feels their loss. He too is desperate for something that promises to imbue his life with a shred of purpose or meaning.

What could the reformocon platform ever offer such a person?

In the face of Barack Obamas political program, conservative debates revolved around an urgent, yet very specific, question: What must be done to keep the federal government from interfering with our way of life? The reformocon platform was a laudable attempt to answer this question. It provided tools to keep the federal government at bay in a form that a wide swath of Americans  including those who did not consider themselves conservatives  could endorse. But the problem posed by the Great Awokening to the American Right is more urgent and more fundamental. The central question that absorbs the young conservative is not How do I stop the government from interfering with my way of life? but What should my way of life be in the first place?

Consider in this light the bizarre popularity of Catholic integralism among younger conservative intellectuals. A vanguard integralist intellectual recently described his political ideals in a way that speaks directly to this question:

The integralist view is that human happiness involves achieving common goods. So we need a common understanding of what the good is, and its possible to reach such an understanding because there really is an objective good for human beings.

That objective good being, of course, whatever was Catholic doctrine before Vatican II. Through the wonkish lens that Levin and Ponnuru wished more conservatives would adopt, Catholic integralism is pure fancy, a flight through fairyland. Catholic traditionalists are a minority of a minority: They represent only a tiny sliver of American Catholics (who are in turn only a fraction of the American populace writ large). Their vision of the common good cannot be reconciled even with the hopes and desires of Protestant conservatives. There is no constituency for their project, no possible way to marry it to American tradition or current American political practice. American society simply will never be remade along the lines of 19th-century Catholic theology. This is an eschatological fantasy masquerading as a political program  or in Levin and Ponnurus politer, more measured terms: policy thinking short on discipline and mooring.

But why, then, it is having a moment with the young thinkers of the Right?

Because government policy is not really what they care about. The young conservative is attracted to integralism not because they think its vision of the good is attainable, but because the integralists unapologetically advance a vision of the good. The integralists can tell them why the doctrines of the Great Awokening are malevolent falsehoods. The integralists provide a reason to stand strong against the social pressures of the woke. The integralists know what kind of man men should strive to be, what kind of woman women deserve to be, what purpose their life should be devoted to, and what rules and emotions should govern the relations of one human with another. They do not just endorse a stronger civic society  they have a gloriously specific vision of what worthy civic society actually looks like. They have a vision of human flourishing all their own, equal to and as compelling as the ethics and aesthetics fostered on them by the leftist over-culture.

This is true for all of the various poles of thought that those repelled by the Great Awokening have turned to. Be it the evo-pysch-infused classical liberalism of Jordan Peterson and the Intellectual Dark Web, the meme-based machismo of the Internet alt-right, Thiel-inspired techno-futurism, or the integralists Benedict Optioning cousins, these movements all share a key feature. They are oriented toward resisting not leftist politics but leftist culture. The story of next-generation conservatism, in other words, will be the story of a counterculture. Debates over what shape that counterculture should take cannot be resolved by a more disciplined policy environment.

Little wonder then that the reformocon vision of the future struggled to take hold! Reformocons argued for the centrality of community without endorsing any concrete vision of communal life. They described the need to build new institutions without committing themselves to any specific institutions. They authored wonkish proposals to strengthen family formation but painted no picture of families worth forming. The visions of the reformocons were colorless and empty. This was by design: Like a coloring book, every community and family could fill out the pre-printed designs with whatever color palette they treasured most. That worked when conservatives had an organic set of treasured traditions, values, and relationships to fill the blanks in with. Now they do not, and the reformocon platform is found wanting.

It is the unfortunate fate of Generation X to be sandwiched between two generations much larger and louder than their own. For the first decades of their life they were forced to live and relive the political struggles of the Boomers, as the leftist counterculture of the 1960s attacked the existing, conservative over-culture on one front after another. The Boomers fight is now over. Today, the Left owns the over-culture. The cultural insurgency that will define the politics of their remaining years will come from the right. I suspect that in the decade to come, Generation X conservatives who cannot speak directly to the challenges of that fight will find their programs dead on arrival, obsolescent as the once-shining ideas of the reformocons.

More from National Review
Construction, Non-QM Products; Webinars; Info on VVOEs, e-Notes, e-recordings

Ive washed my hands so many times now I can see the answers to a math test I took in 1978! Were going through a test of the financial system. I love it when politicians, or anyone, whine about the government being involved in the financial services sector, or housing finance. Youre telling me private capital has the strength to replace Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, or the Federal Reserve, in this kind of environment? There is, of course, chatter about how about large banks or Agencies that have lent money to companies to finance their servicing portfolios. Hows that collateral? Theres also talk of husbands and wives together for more than eight hours at a time, with an expected baby boom in nine months. Organizers of April and May conferences rushing to book prime autumn time slots. Counterparty risk is once again rearing its ugly head: Texas Capitals warehouse bank (with its unrelated exposure to the oil business) is full and not allowing refis. Appraisers nervous to go into houses, and owners nervous about having appraisers in their house. Virtual showings have increased. Policies and procedures implications go far beyond changing handshakes to fist or elbow bumps, and a sample of recent market-driven changes are below.



Lender Services and Products

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With the Coronavirus moving markets daily, and the 10-year T-note at 84 bps, the refinance activity is back and volume is soaring. Remember just two short months ago, however, we were at 1.95, the equity markets could not stop, and LOs were looking for things to chase. One thing has not changed, consumers are spending in the US, even if it is panic shopping, confidence has been up and construction lending is very active. Are you ready for this loan volume? CFSI Loan Management is a full-service construction risk mitigation company, helping lenders manage the construction process from beginning to end. We help our lending partners to ensure that the contractor and project feasibility phase is set prior to loan approval and after loan funding we provide full service fund control (including lien releases) and a national inspection platform that allows our clients to ensure that the project is progressing on time and the percent complete is accurate for funding each draw. Lenders manage credit risk, CFSI manages construction risk. Let CFSI Loan Management help you lead your market with real estate agents, borrowers and builders with a construction loan program. Please contact President Brian Mingham for information.

Is home equity part of your marketing mix? When potential customers think home equity, you want your name to be top of mind. Providing a seamless home equity experience can turn a mortgage customer into a lifelong borrower. Learn how to reach people where they are along the customer journey, providing the peace of mind and sense of security they expect. Download Blends eBook to learn how to integrate home equity into your marketing strategy.



Webinars and Training

In the wake of the many recent industry conference cancellations due to COVID-19, Maxwell has announced an innovative event to cultivate some of that conference energy with their three-day MAXOUT 2020 Unconference, which will take place March 23-25th. Ill be keynoting a session titled, 2020: COVID-19, Low Rates, Recession? on Wednesday and Im excited to be a part of what's shaping up to be an amazing event. MAXOUT 2020 is 100% web-based and 100% FREE, and three lucky attendees will win a $500 Amazon Gift Card, $250 Amazon Gift Card, or $100 Amazon Gift Card. To check out the agenda, register for sessions, and partake in MAXOUT 2020, visit: www.himaxwell.com/maxout-2020

Calling all Operations Leaders and Executives: According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, total mortgage application activity jumped 55 percent just last week. To assist with capacity challenges and limited staff, XINNIX can train new operations and sales support talent FAST! Its solutions are on-demand and require as few as 10 days to complete, with no travel requirements. There are solutions for all your new talent needs, including Processors, Loan Officer Assistants, Call Center Sales, Retail Loan Officers, and Wholesale Account Executive positions. Schedule an appointment today or call 678-325-3500, to discover how XINNIX can help you source, train and assimilate new talent to your team, quickly.



Policy and Procedure Changes

Do lenders headquartered in hurricane-prone areas have a leg up on companies located elsewhere when it comes to disaster preparedness and contingency plans? Possibly. People are using this as a good reason to organize their home offices. Everyone is looking at their eNote and eVault capabilities. But what about those shippers that dont have any choice to come into work: paper files are still alive and well.

Schools are shutting down temporarily everywhere. Attorneys and title companies are letting clients know that they will start having their non-closing employees work from home, and may shutdown their offices altogether much to the detriment of closing a loan. Can your county register deeds? Lenders and vendors are quite pleased when they can operate at almost full capacity even when working from home, but may also be faced with having to care for children that arent able to go to school.

Ken Perry with the Knowledge Coop sent, This is most likely going to move us closer to E-Closings. If you think wire fraud and email breaches were bad, just wait until a bad guy can sign loan documents by webcam. I can order a drivers license today that says Robert Chrisman, with accurate data, and has my face on it. HELOCs for all my hacker friends if we arent careful in the way we authenticate the borrower!

The Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) maintains a list of counties that allow e-recording.

What about verbal verifications of employment? Of course, if a potential refi candidate just lost their job, despite saving money on their monthly payment, the lender is going to have a tough time meeting the Ability to Repay (ATR) rules.

Dave Green, Chairman & CEO of the StoneHill Group, wrote, On a note for those in the mortgage QC world, we are required to send written reverifications per Agency HUS and VA guidelines, for all documents used to qualify for the loan. This requires letters, postage, postage paid return, etc., which may be hard to do for many QC companies to maintain security of non-public information. It is usually done in a secure office environment.

Several very talented operations folks sent valuable notes. FHA does require a verbal VOE within 10 days of closing. (2) Alternative Current Employment Documentation. If using alternative documentation, the Mortgagee must: obtain copies of the most recent pay stub that shows the Borrowers year-to-date earnings; obtain copies of the original IRS W-2 forms from the previous two years; and document current employment by telephone, sign and date the verification documentation, and note the name, title, and telephone number of the person with whom employment was verified. Re-verification of employment must be completed within 10 days prior to the date of the Note. Verbal or electronic re-verification of employment is acceptable. Electronic re-verification employment data must be current within 30 days of the date of the verification.

One well-known wholesaler wrote, Well be publishing guidance on VVOEs soon similar to the guidance we follow when borrowers are employed during a government shutdown. I hear Freddie will be doing the same. I am not sure on Fannie, but well use the same guidance for both. HUD requires 10 days prior to the note with some exceptions, so well use the guidance on FHA loans sparingly.

And from a medium-sized retail group: Regarding the VVOE, FNMA and most Non-A jumbo lenders require this to happen before the note date. It goes without saying, delays getting docs out are imminent. FNMA states, Lenders must obtain a verbal verification of employment (verbal VOE) for each borrower using employment or self-employment income to qualify. The verbal VOE must be obtained within 10 business days prior to the note date for employment income, and within 120 calendar days prior to the note date for self-employment income.



Capital Markets

Sunday nights Fed events (100 bps rate cut, $700 billion worth of Treasury and MBS purchases, full reinvestment of Fed paydowns with the removal of the $20 billion cap, the resumption of QE with the Desk buying at least $200 billion over the coming months due to the recent break down in price action with nominal spreads widening, and coordination with other central banks to reduce the cost of using dollar swap lines) helped the MBS market find some footing yesterday. Lower coupons outperforming by a point or more versus benchmark curves, and treasuries prices higher in what was a very volatile trade to open the week: the 10-year yield closed the day -22 bps to 0.73 percent. It would appear the Federal Reserve is now officially spent, as that was the last of its conventional monetary ammunition to counter the economic crisis triggered by the new coronavirus.

The Fed's decision, which was made in lieu of the March FOMC meeting, was followed by an intraday announcement of a $750 billion repurchase operation by the New York Fed. The Desk also wasted no time in supporting the MBS market with two FedTrade operations targeting up to $7.6 billion MBS. In the first, they purchased $5.09 billion UMBS30 2.5 percent through 3.5 percent and then $2.5 billion GNII 2.5 percent through 3.5 percent ahead of the settlement close.

The decision by the Fed was a move that was intended to stabilize and likely lower mortgage rates after they moved sharply higher last week. Instead, investors saw it as evidence the central bank is almost out of bullets. The S&P index experienced its steepest drop since 1987 yesterday, and could soon be lower than when President Trump took office.

(If you are looking for an indicator of where economic data goes from here, it is not so optimistic. China released disastrous economic data yesterday, which shows the effect of its large-scale lockdown from two months ago. Industrial production for the combined months of January and February fell 13.5 percent from a year earlier, retail sales plunged 20.5 percent from a year earlier (both were expected to post increases), and February Fixed Asset Investment contracted 24.5 percent from the year prior when it was expected to increase. February House Prices missed expectations and the unemployment rate jumped.)

Todays calendar is already underway with February retail sales (-.4 percent, -.5 percent ex-auto). Later today brings same store sales from Redbook for the week ending March 14, February Industrial production and capacity utilization, January business inventories, JOLTS job openings for January and the March NAHB Housing Market Index. The Desk will conduct two MBS FedTrade operations targeting buying $1.1 billion and then $2.519. We begin today with Agency MBS prices worse .125 and the 10-year yielding .80 percent.

Jobs

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The superintendents of Bexar Countys independent school districts, now in their second week of an extended spring break, have been conferring daily about the coronavirus and on Tuesday afternoon began announcing they will continue to keep campuses closed.

Northside ISD, the countys largest district, announced it will remain closed for two more weeks than planned, with students returning April 6 and will begin at-home instruction on Monday. Parent should expect updates on Thursday about how to access the curriculum.

North East, Edgewood, East Central, Harlandale, Alamo Heights, Judson, Southwest, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City, Somerset, Southside, South San and San Antonio ISDs also announced they will not reopen until April 6. By mid-afternoon they were followed by the local military installation school districts: Randolph Field, Fort Sam Houston and Lackland ISDs.

Comal ISD, which borders Bexar County, also announced closures through April 3, as did Pre-K 4 SA, the citys model early childhood program.

Also Tuesday, Texas A&M San Antonio announced it will not resume in-person classes this semester.

The decisions were unsurprising, given the city of San Antonio has banned gatherings of 50 or more.

Therefore, and because of the rapidly evolving nature of this situation and out of an abundance of caution, Northside ISD is joining other San Antonio area districts in extending our closure of campus classrooms through Friday, April 3. Parents should begin, if you have not already done so, to plan for long term closures of schools, a message from Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods said.

Several charter school networks in San Antonio gave updates Tuesday about school closures.

BASIS Texas, a charter network based in Arizona with three campuses in San Antonio, announced it would close "at least through Friday, March 27, 2020." Students began online learning Tuesday, with the network encouraging families to reach out to their schools head of operations if they do not have a device or internet access at home.

KIPP Public Schools will be closed through March 27, with students returning March 30. The school distributed a survey to parents to gauge families access to technology and online learning platforms.

IDEA Public Schools, which enrolls about 13,000 students in San Antonio, announced last week schools would be closed through March 30. Students and parents can access distance learning curriculum provided on IDEAs website.

Staff Writer Alia Malik contributed to this report. | Ashley McBride covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Ashley.McBride@express-news.net | Twitter: @Ashleynmcb
Logo of Marriott hotel is seen in Vienna, Austria on Apr. 9, 2018. (Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters)

Marriott Begins Furloughing Tens of Thousands of Employees

Marriott, the worlds largest hotel company, told several media outlets on Tuesday that it would furlough tens of thousands of employees as the company struggles amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson for the firm didnt say exactly how many workers would be furloughed. The firm is expected to close numerous locations around the globe to curb the spread of the virus.

The spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that there have been no layoffs at the corporate level, but its under discussion. Another spokesperson told Bloomberg News and the WSJ that employees can keep their health benefits for now.

Marriott Chief Executive Officer Arne Sorenson and MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren are expected to meet with Trump administration officials Tuesday at the White House.

The firm told the paper it will bring back as many of the employees as soon as possiblewhen the coronavirus outbreak is contained and business operations return to normal.

The company confirmed, meanwhile, that around 130,000 employees are on the payroll. Its not clear if all of them will be on furlough.

Marriott isnt the only travel-related company that is suffering during the outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, as governments have issued travel bans and other restrictions to curb its spread.

Marriott has not immediately responded to requests for comment.

A number of local hotels and motels have announced in recent days that they would close and lay employees off amid the coronavirus outbreak.

On Sunday night, MGM Resorts and Wynn Las Vegas said they are shutting Las Vegas locations over the virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.

MGM Resorts said in a statement it is temporarily suspending casino operations indefinitely, starting Tuesday. Wynn Las Vegas said it would shut down its Wynn and Encore locations, starting Tuesday.

Popular restaurant chains like McDonalds and Starbucks announced they are limiting their restaurants to carry-out or drive-through. In several states, all restaurants and bars have been closed and can only provide drive-through, delivery, or takeout.

President Donald Trump on Monday issued guidance that Americans should avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, adding that the outbreak could last until July or even August.

If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus, Trump said in a news conference. Were going to have a big celebration altogether.

The White Houses latest guidance advises Americans to avoid drinking and eating at bars, restaurants, and other food establishments. Trump also recommended against most social visits, including visiting nursing and retirement homes.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 03:46:15|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Jordan said on Monday that all restaurants will be closed as of Tuesday and it may impose the defense law to give authorities more power to combat the spread of COVID-19.

In a press conference in Amman, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said the number of the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Jordan has reached 20.

He added that the government may find itself in a position to implement the defense law, which is a special law adopted only at times of emergencies. The law grants the government the authority to restrict public gatherings and citizens' movements and arrest anyone suspected of undermining national security.

The minister added that Jordan started imposing compulsory quarantine on all passengers arriving in the country and that the quarantined people have been put in five- and four-star hotels in Amman and the Dead Sea area.

The government, he said, will provide them with all their basic needs at no expense. Enditem
The Indian government is doing everything possible to address the coronavirus epidemic that's been on a rise in the country. Gathering of more than 50 people for any occasion is banned and heavy lockdowns are instructed in maximum coronavirus-hit regions like Maharashtra and Kerala. The Kejriwal-led government in Delhi has also imposed a ban on people assembling for meetings, social gatherings, going to the gym, spa, movies or nightclubs until the virus is taken care of completely.



 Twitter

Amidst all this, the Maharashtra state government has gone beyond basic and normal protocol and is stamping everyone who has been sent to home quarantine amid scare over the pandemic. As per the reports, the health minister, Rajesh Tope said the left hand would be stamped to identify those who are under home quarantine.



The decision was taken at a meeting held by top officials, which was chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey, when almost 39 cases of COVID-19 were detected out of which 7 suspected patients escaped from treatment centres in the last few days.

Greater Mumbai's Municipal Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi issued an order to all officials concerned at hospitals and the airport, asking them to stamp the left hands of those who are under home quarantine, with their dates of isolation and with an ink which would last them at least 14 days.

"It is not a crime if somebody is infected by Covid-19. They must be given proper medical treatment and psychological support. The Epidemic Diseases Act has been invoked in the interest of the people and the district administration must create awareness on it," the Chief Minister said.

Besides, the Health Minister stated that a stamp with somewhat permanent ink, the ones used for voters during election, will be applied on the left hand, indicating "that person/patient is under compulsory home quarantine" till March 31.

"This will help other people identify them if they break home quarantine and mix among the public during their home isolation period," he said.

 Twitter

The government has also stated that an apt punishment for those who breach the home quarantine rule is applicable and anyone who does so will be sent to the government quarantine facility.



Well, Maharashtra government is doing what it can to limit the cases in the state. Also, overcrowded spaces such as train stations etc in Maharashtra are also under a strict lockdown, along with everything else done to curtail crowds and initiate isolation.

Better to issue certificate of 100% quarantine. Stamp will disappear in few days.  Kamal (@Kamal36754111) March 16, 2020

Teja main hu, mark idhar hai.  Desi Engineer (@Engihumor) March 16, 2020

Jis desh me log vote karne ke baad ink bhi mita lete hain wahan ye thappa mitana kaunsi badi baat hai  Boring (@Boringism) March 16, 2020

Awesome idea  Mrs Rawat  (@rawat_shivali) March 17, 2020

When going gets tough... Very nice idea. To hell with the over sensitive snowflakes    (@tweet_sandesha) March 16, 2020

According to news reports, the number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 after fresh cases were reported from several states.
ABC/Image Group LAStill not convinced the COVID-19 coronavirus will affect you because you're young? Well, your favorite artists have taken to social media to tell you you're wrong.

On her Instagram Story, Taylor Swift posted a message warning fans to practice social distancing. She writes, "Guys, I follow you online and I love you guys so much and I need to express my concern that things aren't being taken seriously enough right now."

"I'm seeing lots of get togethers and hangs and parties still happening," she adds. "This is the time to cancel plans...don't assume that because you don't feel sick that you aren't possibly passing something on to someone elderly or vulnerable...we need to make social sacrifices right now."

On Instagram, Lady Gaga posed with her three dogs, and wrote, "So I talked to some doctors and scientists. Its not the easiest for everyone right now but the kindest/healthiest thing we can do is self-quarantine and not hang out with people over 65 and in large groups."

She adds, "I wish I could see my parents and grandmas right now but its much safer to not so I dont get them sick in case I have it. Im hanging at home with my dogs."

Ariana Grande posted a lengthy series of tweets admonishing people who say the pandemic "isn't a big deal."

"It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to take this situation that lightly," she scolds. "The 'we will be fine because we're young' mindset is putting people who aren't young and/or healthy in a lot of danger. You sound stupid and privileged."

She then urges people to call their senators and tell them to support the House of Representatives bill h.r.6201, to provide people with "necessary financial support" due to the pandemic.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - PG&E Corp. (PCG) said bankruptcy court of Northern California has approved the use of $23 billion financing to support the company's turnaround plan. The company won the approval as the California Governor has decided to withdraw his objections to the financing commitments. The financing includes $11 billion in debt commitments, $9 billion in new equity and $3 billion through new shares. In a public letter to the company on December 13, the California Governor had rejected an earlier PG&E reorganization plan saying it lacked major changes in governance and tougher safety enforcement mechanisms. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, issued today the statement below on the coronavirus pandemic.

The full AJC statement follows:

AJC Call to Action on Coronavirus

If America  and the world  needed a reminder of our interconnectedness, our interdependence, and our shared vulnerabilities, COVID-19 is it.

The virus respects no borders. It bows not to military might, religious edict, or government fiat. It is indifferent to ethnicity, nationality, faith, gender, and political orientation, if, alas, not to age.

As the coronavirus makes its way through our communities, straining health care systems and transforming the daily lives of millions, we grieve for those who have succumbed to the disease and express our sympathy and solidarity with affected families, as we call on governments at every level to affirm core principles:

Informed leadership With authority comes the responsibility in a time of public health emergency to base policy on scientific expertise and pragmatism  not on superstition, prejudice, political expediency, or partisanship;

With authority comes the responsibility in a time of public health emergency to base policy on scientific expertise and pragmatism  not on superstition, prejudice, political expediency, or partisanship; Global cooperation Just as the disease disregards national and state boundaries, so must the efforts to combat it  with data on testing, transmission, morbidity and mortality, as well as current and contemplated containment strategies, treatment regimens and capacity, and progress on anti-viral medication disseminated widely;

Just as the disease disregards national and state boundaries, so must the efforts to combat it  with data on testing, transmission, morbidity and mortality, as well as current and contemplated containment strategies, treatment regimens and capacity, and progress on anti-viral medication disseminated widely; Openness Public trust in government  and individuals' willingness to sacrifice comfort and convenience, and access to family, education, social amenities, and work, for the public good  depends on governmental transparency, the assurance of the public's right to know;

Public trust in government  and individuals' willingness to sacrifice comfort and convenience, and access to family, education, social amenities, and work, for the public good  depends on governmental transparency, the assurance of the public's right to know; Civility Crises test the human spirit, and too often summon the basest responses: bigotry, scapegoating, xenophobia, selfishness, finger-pointing. Leaders must inspire the better nature in all of us, modeling compassion, mutual respect, unity, urgency, and self-sacrifice. Citizens must follow suit.

In our increasingly globalized world, the COVID-19 pandemic may be a harbinger of this century's escalating and universal threats to public health and safety. As such, it should dispel false notions that global problems  from novel pathogens to terrorism to climate change  can be resolved by national action alone. Above all, they require urgent, thoughtful, fact-based leadership, and the maximum possible international cooperation.

As our leaders at the national, state, and local level, in concert with their counterparts around the world, confront this disease and the terrible losses it incurs, they will have  and they will need  the support of civil society, of the business community, of individuals of every faith. For, truly, we are all in this together.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


A security official checks the temperature of a visitor at the Parliament House in New Delhi, India (Manish Swarup/AP)

Countries across the world are taking measures to halt the spread of coronavirus. It has infected more than 182,000 people across the globe and thousands with the virus have died.

Here are the latest updates:

 FRANCE

Frances government is pledging 45 billion euros (41 billion) in aid for small businesses hurt by the spreading coronavirus.

That is in addition to tens of billions already promised for French employees forced to stop working because of store and restaurant closures and strict new confinement measures.

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire announced the new aid after another dark day for French markets. The makers of Renault, Peugeot and Citroen cars suspended all production and other companies were forced to sharply curtail activity to stem the virus spread.

(PA Graphics)

The aid will include tax breaks and a solidarity fund for struggling small businesses across the economy.

France now has more than 6,600 cases of the virus, including 148 deaths.

 AUSTRALIA

A third Australian government politician has tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the planned resumption of parliament next week following a scheduled two-week break.

New South Wales state senator Andrew Bragg said that he had suffered flu-like symptoms and tested positive for the virus after attending a friends wedding on March 6. Authorities said at least six wedding guests have contracted the virus.

Queensland state senator Susan McDonald said she tested positive on Monday after becoming unwell on Friday evening. Home affairs minister Peter Dutton, who is also from Queensland, tested positive after showing symptoms a day earlier. Mr Dutton has since been discharged from the hospital but remains in isolation at home. Ms McDonald was admitted to a hospital on Monday, which is standard procedure in Queensland regardless of the severity of symptoms. Mr Bragg is expected to self-isolate at home.

Thank you @FIFAcom friends: Arsene Wegner, Mauricio Pochettino, @CaseyStoney, Aliou Cisse, Jose Mourinho, Jill Ellis, Giani Innfantino, for such great support to @WHO in the fight against #COVID19! Only with solidarity, acting as one, can we kick out #coronavirus! https://t.co/HpnLMzXHIK  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 17, 2020

Politicians have been told to bring the minimum staff back to the national capital, Canberra, when Parliament resumes to legislate an economic stimulus package meant to stave off a recession due to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Also, Australias highest court has decided not to sit as a full bench to hear cases until at least August because of the coronavirus. The High Court announced on Tuesday that hearings that were to be heard by what is known as a full bench of seven or five judges will be postponed starting next week.

 SOUTH KOREA

South Korea has further postponed the beginning of the new school year by two weeks to protect students from the spread of the coronavirus.

Education minister Yoo Eun-hye said that schools nationwide would now reopen on April 6, which is five weeks later than usual. It was the third time the country has delayed the start of new school terms amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Education Ministry is also looking closely into the rise of infections among people under the age of 19, which rose from 379 on March 7 to 505 on March 14.

 CHINA

Wuhan, the city at the centre of Chinas coronavirus outbreak, recorded just one new case on Tuesday as officials said they believed the country was over the worst of the crisis. Another 20 cases were recorded around the country, including nine in Beijing. All were reported among people who arrived from overseas.

Beijing has required all arrivals to undergo 14 days of quarantine but has not closed its borders. Other Chinese cities have adopted similar measures, even as authorities work to restart industries that are key to global supply chains.

With foreign universities closing classes, thousands of Chinese people studying overseas are seeking to return home, shifting the focus from domestic containment to preventing infected people from bringing the virus back with them.

Businesses have slowly restarted in Beijing (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Wuhan has closed emergency field hospitals and state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday reported the nation is now counting down to its final domestic cases. With the infection still growing overseas, China has sent personal protective gear and medical experts to Italy, Iran and other nations grappling with the epidemic.

 SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka said it will add more quarantine centres to help fight coronavirus in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Army commander Lt Gen Shavendra Silva said that 23 army vacation bungalows will be used as quarantine centres for a group of travellers who arrived recently from London.

The government, meanwhile, said it has imposed new measures to limit gatherings.

Sri Lanka has confirmed 28 cases of the virus, with no deaths so far.

Even one child dying from #COVID19 is one child too many.

We must protect vulnerable populations, incl. children, from infection by aggressive efforts to reduce transmission. This includes test all suspect cases, isolate & care for cases and quarantine contacts.#coronavirus  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 16, 2020

 UNITED STATES

President Donald Trump insists the US can be rolling again quickly after the coronavirus outbreak if we do this right.

A day earlier, Mr Trump urged the American public to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. He also urged the elderly to stay at home and practice social distancing for the next couple of weeks.

The US president said Americans public health and the US economy can be protected through what he says are shared sacrifices and temporary changes.

The president added that, if we do this right, our country and the world frankly, but our country, can be rolling again pretty quickly.

Across the United States, more than 4,660 people have been infected by the Covid-19 virus and 95 people have died.

 INDIA

India said it will bar all passengers  including Indian citizens  from entering the country on flights from the European Union, Turkey and the UK beginning on Wednesday.

A worker disinfects a police bus in New Delhi, India (Manish Swarup/AP)

According to a statement issued by Indias aviation regulator, travellers coming from or transiting through the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar will be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine when they arrive.

Arrivals from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany are already subject to similar restrictions, while many border points with neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma have been shut.

Indias tourist ministry announced this week that it is shutting down the Taj Mahal, its famous monument of love, to visitors.

A customer wearing a face mask and gloves goes shopping in the early morning in a supermarket in the Berlin district of Friedenau (dpa/AP)

 GERMANY

Germany has launched a drive to bring home thousands of tourists stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe  particularly people on package holidays in Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the Maldives and Egypt.

Foreign minister Heiko Maas said the government is spending up to 50 million euros on the effort to bring Germans home over the coming days in co-operation with airlines including Lufthansa.

He did not give a precise number of stranded Germans but said there was a particularly large number in Morocco, with around 4,000 or 5,000. He said that even if we will do everything humanly possible, we cannot in every case provide a solution within 24 hours.

He said his ministry has issued a formal warning against tourist travel to any country.

Meanwhile, Germanys Volkswagen said it will close most of its European plants for two weeks due to uncertainty about demand for cars and supplies of parts amid the outbreak.

A worker wearing protective clothing disinfects historical Fatih Mosque, in Istanbul (AP)

 TURKEY

Turkey is bringing home more than 3,600 of its citizens who have been stranded in nine European countries after the government suspended flights to 20 destinations over the coronavirus outbreak.

Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the citizens will be returned to Turkey later in the day, on board 34 Turkish Airlines flights.

He said the returnees will be placed in quarantine for 14 days in Istanbul and in the nearby city of Kocaeli.

Masked Spanish officers check vehicles entering the country (AP)

 SPAIN

The number of deaths has jumped from 309 to 491 in 24 hours and new infections have risen to 11,178, nearly 2,000 more than a day earlier.

The numbers were reported by Spains health emergency centre director, Fernando Simon. With a population of 46 million, Spain has surpassed South Koreas infection total and edged closer to Irans.

Spanish police started enforcing land border checks on Tuesday after the country, which is already under strict lockdown measures, banned people from entering or exiting the country in an attempt to contain the spread of the illness.

At the La Jonquera border, a key crossing point for trucks from and to France in north-eastern Spain, masked agents of Spains national and Catalan regional police stopped cars and trucks, checked documents and redirected some of the vehicles back to France.

Spanish citizens and residents are allowed to return home, and goods are allowed in and out.

The Russian government says that it has decided to bar entry to all foreigners starting on Wednesday (AP)

 RUSSIA

Health officials have ordered coronavirus testing for everyone who returned from European countries in the last 14 days.

The decree released by the countrys public health watchdog also outlines mandatory testing for everyone who returned from abroad in the past month and exhibited flu-like symptoms.

Previously, testing in Russia has been limited to people who showed symptoms and either returned from countries severely affected by the pandemic or had contact with those who had already been diagnosed with the virus.

The measure is one of the many Russian authorities took this week to tackle the spread of Covid-19 in the country, which has reported 93 cases.

On Monday, the cabinet announced that Russias borders would be closed to all foreigners starting on Wednesday. Authorities in different Russian regions imposed restrictions on public events and recommended people should work and study from home.

In Moscow, all schools will be closed from Saturday and all mass gatherings of more than 50 people are banned.

City authorities also require travellers from all European countries along with the United States, the UK and Russias ex-Soviet neighbours Ukraine and Belarus to self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

Shoppers walk by near empty shelves at a grocery store in North Vancouver, British Columbia (The Canadian Press/AP)

 CANADA

Ontario, Canadas largest province, has declared a state of emergency.

State premier Doug Ford said all organised events of over 50 people are prohibited.

Mr Ford added that all restaurants and bars will be closed except for takeaways or delivery. Grocery stores, chemists, corner shops and public transit will remain open.

Schools, child care centres and theatres are also closed in Canadas most populous province.

He said no expense will be spared to support Ontarians in need.
WASHINGTON  Congress second piece of sweeping legislation aimed at tackling the coronavirus would provide paid sick leave to thousands  if not millions  of Texans, offer unemployment insurance to those who lose jobs during the pandemic and send the state a Medicaid boost estimated in the billions.

After a brief delay in the House, where a Texas Republican on Monday threatened to stall it, the bill offering aid including free testing and more won final approval and was sent to the Senate, where it could pass as early as Tuesday.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Health professionals and economists say the interventions offered in the bill are crucial, especially in Texas, given the large population of those in need, and especially as social distancing becomes a vital part of combating the virus. They say people arent going to stay home if it means losing paychecks. And putting money in peoples pockets will be key for bouncing back from an economic recession we seem headed toward.

Really its pretty obvious: If you have a job and you get paid hourly and you dont have any unemployment insurance or paid sick leave and you go down for three weeks, how do you pay your bills? How do you do anything? said John Diamond, a Rice University economist.

But questions remain over how far the bill will actually go in offering some of those protections  especially paid sick leave, which has emerged as one of the main sticking points in the package.

The House bill requires employers to provide employees two weeks of paid sick leave  but only if they have 500 or fewer employees. That would appear to leave out many Texas employees  4.6 million of whom work for private companies with 500 or more employees. Some of the nations biggest employers  and those employing low-income and hourly workers seen most at risk, such as fast food chains, grocery stores and other big retailers  dont offer paid leave now.

Theres this notion that youre safe because youre insured and you can do what you need to do, but unless you are living in a closet, you are exposed to other people, and if those people have to be in a workplace because thats the only way theyre going to get paid, then what are we going to do about that? said Elena Marks, president and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation in Houston.

As much as 40 percent of the Texas workforce lacks paid sick leave, according to at least one study. That study, done in March 2017 by the Institute for Womens Policy Research, found as many as 4.3 million Texas workers lack paid sick leave, and low-income and part-time workers are especially unlikely to be covered.

For subscribers: The only curve that matters is the infection rate: Experts issue warning as markets collapse

Texas Democrats said more needs to be done and blamed the Republicans, including the Trump administration, for the limits on paid sick leave. The bill was the culmination of lengthy negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

I know that the Democratic leadership pushed the president and Mitch McConnell as hard as they could to include everyone and those guys wouldnt budge, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said.

Castro said he thinks broader sick leave provisions could be included in a future stimulus package coming in the next weeks.

I hope that more paid sick leave will be included, Castro said. Remember, this was passed I think before some people who opposed broader measures see the full impact on the economy, and hopefully once they have a sense for just how badly our economy is going to get hit, theyll be more open to taking stronger action.

Paid sick leave provisions must protect anyone whose own health, or the health of a loved one, is compromised by COVID-19, so no one has to choose between seeking care, providing care, and missing a paycheck, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a San Antonio Democrat, said.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, said this clause is something that we had to have to get this legislation passed currently.

My hope is that well be able to do more. But this is a good first step, he said.

In the meantime, Green said, its a time for employers to be good patriotic Americans and give these employees some consideration.

For subscribers: What its like living paycheck-to-paycheck in Houston during a coronavirus pandemic

Some Texas Republicans were also unhappy with the provision as written, however.

The bill purports to help people by putting a massive mandate on small and medium-sized businesses while perpetuating the K-Street Corporate welfare cronyism Americans are sick of  exempting businesses over 500, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Central Texas Republican, wrote in The Federalist. Worse yet, the mandate was to be paid later through tax credits, and the tax credits would not even cover it all.

Roy was one of six Texas Republicans who voted against the bill, which passed in the wee hours on Saturday, complaining they were given little time to review the sweeping legislation.

President Donald Trump on Monday suggested the exemption for large employers would get another look before the bill passed the Senate, saying we may very well be adding something on that.

But the bill would do much more than just offer paid sick leave. It includes billions for programs offering food to seniors and low-income residents, grants to states for unemployment insurance and would boost Medicaid funding for states, as well.

The Medicaid boost alone would send an extra $2.5 billion to Texas alone, if left in place through the end of the year, according to estimates by the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

For subscribers: East Texas lawmaker Gohmert threatens to stall House coronavirus bill

The House sent the bill to the Senate late Monday after U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, an East Texas Republican who also voted against the bill, spent much of the day threatening to hold it up. Pelosi had planned to pass what Democrats had deemed technical changes to the bill with unanimous consent, but Gohmert said he wouldnt allow it without first seeing those changes. With the rest of the House out on a week-long recess, a single person had the power to stall it.

Gohmert said on the House floor Monday night that he was concerned it would overwhelm small businesses.

He said he still has concerns, but nonetheless allowed it to move along.

Theres no question in my mind at this point the, what are being called technical corrections, make the bill better than what it was when it got passed in the wee hours Saturday morning, he said.

ben.wermund@chron.com
A 22-year-old woman locked down in Spain because of the coronavirus pandemic says Australia should learn from the mistakes of other countries before it's too late.

Naomi Nguyen, from Sydney, has been working as an English language assistant at a high school in Valencia since January, when COVID-19 was ripping through China.

The deadly virus has since wreaked havoc across Europe, with Spain recording more than 11,000 cases of infection and almost 500 deaths.

The Spanish government on Saturday announced a 15-day lockdown in a desperate bid to stop the spread.

From Sunday, people were required to stay inside unless they were picking up groceries, visiting a pharmacy, seeking medical assistance or walking a pet.

Police and military are patrolling the streets and locals risk being fined if they're caught outside without a valid reason.

Speaking of life in 'house arrest', Ms Nguyen warned Australia could face the same grim conditions if the outbreak wasn't taken seriously.

Scroll down for video

Naomi Nguyen (pictured), from Sydney, is in lockdown in Spain due to the coronavirus pandemic

Speaking of life in 'house arrest', Ms Nguyen warned Australia could face the same grim conditions if the outbreak wasn't taken seriously

'On Thursday I was teaching at my school like normal, by Saturday night I was no longer able to leave my house,' she wrote.

'In Australia, they continue to allow interactions which are likely to spread the virus. Restaurants, bars, schools, sporting venues, remain open.

'What this allows is for the rapid spread of the virus between so many people who are asymptomatic, unaware, or simply are ignoring the signs and passing the virus on.'

There are more than 450 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five people have died. The number of infection has rapidly increased in a matter of days.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government has banned public gatherings with more than 500 people and advised Australians to reconsider all travel plans.

Based on her experience in Spain, Ms Nguyen said cases of infection will spread like 'wildfire' in Australia if more drastic measures weren't taken.

Ms Nguyen is pictured on the beach in Valencia before lockdown was implemented

The Spanish Government on Saturday announced a 15-day lockdown in a last-ditch attempt to save lives. From Sunday, residents were required to stay inside unless they were picking up groceries, visiting a pharmacy, seeking medical assistance or walking a pet. Pictured: Empty streets in Spain

Based on her experience in Spain, Ms Nguyen (pictured in Spain) said cases of infection will spread like 'wildfire' in Australia. 'This cancerous virus has and will spread like wildfire, completely unknowingly to you, and soon you will turn around and realise just how much will be burnt,' she said

'This cancerous virus has and will spread like wildfire, completely unknowingly to you, and soon you will turn around and realise just how much will be burnt,' she said.

'The inaction of this week, you will feel in the next week or two, when all the cases start to show.

'That's what happened to us and likely for weeks to come our numbers will continue to jump in the thousands because we all decided that a dinner with the girls or another session at the gym wouldn't pose risk.'

Ms Nguyen said she initially expressed 'selfish worries' about her lack of freedom amid the lockdown - before understanding the seriousness of the COVID-19 threat.

'People are losing their lives and their loved ones,' she wrote.

Pictured: Shoppers are required to line-up to enter Spanish supermarkets and must stay one-metre away from one another

The supermarkets are monitoring how many shoppers are allowed in at once during the lockdown

The 22-year-old (pictured in Alicante) has been working as an English language assistant at a high school since January

'This is the hardest pill to swallow and this is why you should care a lot more than you probably do.'

The 22-year-old called for Australians to take immediate action to combat the outbreak while it is still viable.

'We all have the ability to break the chain of infection, one less interaction could make a difference,' she said.

'Please everyone, don't just practice social distancing, but stay at home! The bars, clubs, parks, gyms, will all still be there when this is over.

'Don't be like us, because it's going to happen whether you address it or not.

'Stay home, that one extra night out or gym session is not worth putting you, the people you love and your country's future in jeopardy.'

There are more than 450 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five people have died

Pictured: Residents line up for tobacco in Valencia, Spain

To keep herself busy, Ms Nguyen is practicing Spanish, writing in her journal, colouring and painting, as well as learning to braid and sew

Pictured: Ms Nguyen's paintings. Tot anira be translates to 'Everything will be fine'

Ms Nguyen has also made the 'tough decision' to stay in Spain in a bid to 'limit global travel to stop the spread of the disease'.

It comes as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smart Traveller released an urgent travel update for Australians overseas on Tuesday.

'We now advise all Australians to reconsider your need for overseas travel at this time,' the statement said.

'If you're already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means.'

From midday on Tuesday, Australians were no longer able to travel to Europe, with an initial EU ban in place for 30 days.

Ms Nguyen said her family were 'panicking' about the latest travel advice but she's 'not too worried'.

'I think it applies more to travellers and it's my home here [in Spain] too,' she said.

Ms Nguyen (pictured before lockdown) said if she can mentally battle through the lockdown, she can get through anything

She said: 'On the Saturday when we heard about lockdown I went on a last bike ride to the marina at Port Saplaya (pictured) and I just sat there and cried because we don't know how long we won't be free from our houses for'

Ms Nguyen is trying her best to stay positive during the 15-day lockdown

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

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Nguyen shed light on what life is like in lockdown.

'Obviously it's so surreal here. I was meant to fly to Ireland on Thursday and changed my flight literally Wednesday because I was scared of getting stuck there,' she said.

'I had school on Thursday and there were whispers of classes going online and obviously now we're all locked up.

'I knew it was after they cancelled a major festival called Las Fallas. It's actually a UNESCO event and people come from all over the world to see it.

'On the Saturday when we heard about lockdown I went on a last bike ride to the marina at Port Saplaya and I just sat there and cried because we don't know how long we won't be free from our houses for.'

The supermarkets have also turned bare with residents panic buying goods.

'You have no selection in the supermarkets it's like you have to buy the only milk left,' she said.

Pictured: A helicopter patrols to make sure residents are staying indoors

A sculpture of a woman wearing a face mask is seen in Valencia, Spain

Pictured: The empty streets of Spain. The country has recorded more than 11,000 cases of infection and almost 500 deaths

To keep herself busy, Ms Nguyen is practicing Spanish, writing in her journal, colouring and painting, as well as learning to braid and sew.

'A lot of people have started online movements to help us get through it,' she said.

'Last night I did a free online belly dancing class. African music class today.

'The day before we got locked in I also went and printed some photos from home just to get myself through this.

'Facetime is getting me through too.'

Ms Nguyen said if she can mentally battle through the lockdown, she can get through anything.

'I'm living through history I know it,' she said. 'And I've seen how supportive people can be.

'I know we will all come out stronger, more compassionate, and for me mentally if I can do this I know I can get through anything.

Ms Nguyen also shared photos of the bare supermarkets during the lockdown

'You have no selection in the supermarkets it's like you have to buy the only milk left,' she said

'I've just got to be positive and look forward to being outside once more. You really don't know how much you value freedom until you don't have it anymore.

'And like the Spanish have said, when it's over it's gonna be one hell of a party.'

Ms Nguyen (pictured before lockdown) said she needs to remain positive. 'And like the Spanish have said, when it's over it's gonna be one hell of a party'

Ms Nguyen also shared photos and videos which show people attempting to buy groceries at the supermarket, residents cheering from their balconies and helicopters patrolling the lockdown.

'Every night at 8 and 10pm we all go out and clap for the workers that are in the medical field and at the supermarkets for what they're doing for us,' she said.

'Lining up for the shops you can see we have to stand a metre apart and some have put marks on the floor to show [the distance required].'

The supermarkets are also monitoring how many people are inside and follow a 'one in, one out' rule.

The 22-year-old, who has lived in Sydney her whole life but often gallivants across the globe, said living in Valencia took some getting used to because it's smaller than Sydney.

'I ride my bike to school it takes 20 mins and it's beautiful. It's simple and people are nice,' she said.

'Took some getting used to how laid back the Spanish are but it's usually blue skies and simple days.' Ms Nguyen said.
CJI Ranjan Gogoi

The Congress on Tuesday criticised the government for nominating former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha and used the remarks of former law minister Arun Jaitley on cooling off period for judges to attack it.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered the advice of his late law minister before nominating Gogoi.

"Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex-CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha," he asked on Twitter.

"Justice Lokur rightly summarises it -: 'Has the last bastion fallen?'," Surjewala said in another tweet.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi also said that Modi could have adhered to the advice of Jaitley in this regard.

He also highlighted and shared the 2012 remarks of Jaitley on having a cooling off period for judges to head Tribunals.

"Modiji amitshahji hamari nahi to arun Jaitley ki to sun lijiye! Did he not speak and write against post retirement largesse to judges? Do u remember," he said citing Jaitley's comments.

"...Courts function on faith trust perception and faith. Each has taken a bad beating today," he said.
Andon Jan. 24,2020 President Donald Trump became the rst sitting president to speak at the 47th annual March for Life, the nations largest anti-abortion rally. And this America is why he is hated! It all revolves around the innocent babya precious life given by God! It is what each and everyone of you were when your mother allowed you to live! Jesus saidif you allow one hair on the head of an innocent child to be harmed, it would be better that you were on the bottom of the sea with a milestone around your neck. And that America is just a few reasons why WE LOVE Donald J Trump! He ghts for all of us!
Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) unveiled a plan Tuesday to help working families with monthly payments amid uncertainty stemming from the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

Struggling families need help, and they dont have time to sort through confusing rules and mandates about whos paying for what and how, Hawley said in a press release. Theyre not sure whats going to happen to moms or dads workplace during this crisis, or if their work can afford to keep everyone on payroll. Lets not overthink this. These families need relief  now  to pay bills that are coming due, make those emergency grocery runs, and get ready for potential medical bills. Lets get it to them.

Hawleys proposal calls for the federal government to give families a fully refundable monthly benefit lasting through the coronavirus emergency. It uses the IRSs standards for household expenses, meaning a family of three would receive $1,446 a month; a family of four, $1,786; and a family of five, $2,206. The proposal is targeted at all single parents making less than $50,000, and all married parents making less than $100,000, before phasing down.

Kansas Citys Democratic mayor, Quinton Lucas, reacted enthusiastically to Hawleys proposal.

A thousand times yes!! Thank you Senator @HawleyMO . Kansas City stands ready to support your proposal. https://t.co/NyTFvBFblP  Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) March 17, 2020

The plan comes as the Senate attempts to arrive at a consensus on economic protections for U.S. workers amid a flailing economy. On Monday, Senators Mitt Romney (R., Utah) and Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) called for a cash stipend for every American to offset the economic fallout from the pandemic, mirroring former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yangs universal basic income proposal.

More from National Review
The depth of ties between China and Iran was revealed dramatically in late February 2020, when news broke that some of Tehrans most senior officials had contracted the coronavirus. By early March, one of Irans vice presidents, the deputy health minister, and 23 members of parliament were reported ill, OUPblog writes in the article Why Irans dependence on China puts it risk.

A member of the 45-person Expediency Council charged with advising Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei died, and even the head of Irans coronavirus task force is sick. After China, Iran has more confirmed deaths from the virus than any other nation. Yet this episode is only the latest indication of intensified relations between China and Iran. Over the past two decades, their links have deepened along strategic, commercial, technological, and political dimensions.

Leaders in Tehran and Beijing often invoke their 2,000 years of peaceful civilizational ties. The two nations were undeniably connected by the famous caravan routes of the Silk Road in ancient times, but their strategic relationship really dates to the 1980s, when China opportunistically sold arms to both sides in the Iran-Iraq War. Chinas military support to Iran has waxed and waned over the subsequent decades, but it is clear that critical advances in Irans missile programs owe much to Chinese technologies, and the US intelligence community remains convinced that Chinese networks continue to provide sensitive defense materials to Iran in spite of international sanctions.

Over the past several years, Beijing and Tehran have expanded their military partnership to include a series of joint exercises and a military cooperation agreement signed in 2016. As Chinas defense industry matures and overtakes Russias, Iran has every incentive to continue its investments in Chinese arms.

For Irans clerical regime, commercial ties to China have assumed near-existential importance over the past two decades. Irans oil sales to China rose from $2.5 billion in 2001 to more than $27 billion in 2014. Over that same period, Irans imports from China grew at a similar pace, and China increased to account for 50% of Irans total trade. When Iran was hit with Obama-era nuclear sanctions, China remained an economic lifeline through barter arrangements, financial workarounds like the China National Petroleum Corporation -affiliated Bank of Kunlun, and over $5 billion in infrastructure investments through the 2010s.

In the Trump era, Washington slapped Iran with unilateral sanctions that sent Europeans and other international investors scurrying. Yet China again sought ways to keep open its commercial ties with Iran. As evidence of these sanction-busting efforts, in September 2019 Washington leveled sanctions on subsidiaries of the giant Chinese shipping company, COSCO, for trafficking in Iranian oil. In January 2020, the Trump administration accused China of doing hundreds of millions of dollars in business with Irans national oil company over the prior year.

Todays hardline leaders in Tehran perceive China as a necessaryeven naturalpartner in opposition to the United States. The ruling regime thus remains desperate for Beijings support. That said, Tehrans tight embrace of China comes with serious potential downsides. However essential Irans commercial and economic ties to China may be, they are also broadly unpopular. During the Obama-era sanctions, Iranians called Chinese barter trade a junk for oil scheme, believing that Chinese businesses were unfairly exploiting Irans plight.

In addition, Chinese investments in Iran play to the advantage of Irans entrenched establishment and prop up the most dysfunctional features of its economy, including the dominance of the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the well-connected religious foundations, or bonyads. Private companiesfrom textile manufacturers to walnut farmershave suffered from Chinese competition. As a consequence, many of Irans pragmatists, reformists, and opposition figures tend to see China as a partner of necessity rather than choice.

During the Green Revolution of 2009, anti-regime protesters were heard chanting Death to China, believing that the regimes anti-riot gear and surveillance technologies had been provided by Beijing. Today, the techniques and tools used by the regime to tighten its control over national cyberspace clearly bear the imprint of Chinese telecommunications companies, including Huawei and ZTE.

Facing further pressure from the United States, Irans leaders may have no choice but to make themselves even more dependent on Beijing, especially when it comes to commerce and tools of political repression. But such moves are also fraught with risk; they are not widely popular among Iranians, threaten the long-term health of the Iranian economy, and force Tehran into a vulnerable junior role in its strategic partnership with an increasingly powerful China. For a regime that so jealously guards its national autonomy and independence, such outcomes may prove even more dangerous than the immediate threat posed by the coronavirus.
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US evangelicals are not as hated as they might think: sociologist

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Evangelical Christians in the United States are not as negatively viewed as they might think, according to a sociologist who recently spoke with the National Association of Evangelicals.

Bradley Wright, associate professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut, was interviewed by NAE President Walter Kim in a podcast posted online on Sunday.

When Kim asked Wright "if there is a difference" with how people outside of faith perceive Christians in general and evangelicals in particular," Wright talked about the Pew Research Center and their highly publicized surveys on how warmly Americans feel about various religious groups.

He explained that evangelicals normally fall in the middle of the pack, being ranked warmer than groups like atheists and Muslims, yet colder than Catholics and Jews.

Wright, however, warned that such surveys have very unstable data, with the results likely to change considerably over the months, even with the same sample.

I think the short answer is that its middle of the pack is how people view evangelicals, but it varies somewhat, said Wright.

Wright noted that this tends to be different than how evangelicals think other people think about them, proposing that evangelicals tend to think of the general population as being more hostile.

Maybe thats part of the fear narrative is that we tend to think like, well, everyone hates us or nobody likes us or something like that. I dont think thats true, he explained.

The wrong narrative is nobody likes us, were failing, and a third of Americans dont want anything to do with religion. I think a more accurate narrative is people have somewhat mixed feelings about evangelicals, like they do about most religions and as they do about a lot of things in the world. And theres a lot of people who just arent sure what they think about religion.

Wright also took issue with the claims about Christianity in America being in decline, noting that it varies among different denominations and movements within the faith.

For example, according to Wright, religious groups such as evangelicals are maintaining their numbers, while mainline Protestants are indeed suffering severe decline.

Wright told Kim that he credited the popularity of the decline narrative as being captivating to different groups for different reasons, saying that it benefits different people.

Journalists can use it to get their stories published, pastors can use it to sort of motivate their flock to pay attention to them. Book writers can use it to sell books. Conference givers can use it to get people to enroll in their conference, he explained.

Earlier this month, Paul Djupe of the Public Religion Research Institute wrote a report published by Religion in Public titled, Perceived Discrimination toward Christians is Highest Living Among Christians.

Djupe analyzed data from the Voter Study Groups Nationscape and found that Christians living in largely conservative states were more likely to believe that Christians face discrimination than those living in largely liberal ones.

If Christians are persecuted by the non-religious, then Christians in Vermont and Oregon would be on top of the list. However, the opposite is true  the highest reported values come from Christians in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, wrote Djupe.

The lowest rates are reported in the northeast  Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. This is not the pattern that the elite rhetoric leads us to expect."
Seven years after the hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013, the Tihar Jail in Delhi is under the spotlight for yet another high-profile execution.

While Afzal Guru's hanging was a guarded act, the execution of four death row convicts in the sensational Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, slated for March 20, has been a much-discussed affair.

Afzal Guru, a medical college dropout and resident of Sopore in north Kashmir, was executed at 8 am on February 9, 2013 and buried on the prison premises.

His mercy plea was rejected on February 3, 2013 by then president Pranab Mukherjee. The first hanging date fixed for him was October 20, 2006, according to the book 'Black Warrant' written by former Tihar Jail law officer Sunil Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury.

Since Guru's wife Tabassum filed a mercy plea with then president APJ Abdul Kalam, his hanging could not take place. Kalam and even his successor Pratibha Patil did not take a decision on his hanging, even though Patil pardoned 34 other convicts, the book said.

As part of the ritual before hanging, the jail authorities practice a dummy execution with sandbags according to the prisoner's weight.

The ropes used in the hanging are called 'Manila Ropes', which are especially brought from Buxar Jail in Bihar.

On March 5 this year, a trial court had issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of the convicts - Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) in the Nirbhaya case.

This is the fourth death warrant against the convicts. The earlier three warrants were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.

After the fresh death warrant was issued, the Tihar Jail authorities wrote to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh requesting for the service of hangman Pawan Jallad, a senior jail official said.

"Pawan Jallad, a hangman from Meerut, has been asked to report at Tihar Jail on March 17, three days ahead of the scheduled date of hanging," said Sandeep Goel, DG (Prisons).

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless), was gang-raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unless you live under a rock, youve probably watched the video of one Georgy, who has been living in the streets for nearly a decade, singing a Justin Bieber song impressively.

In the video, Georgy also asked for help from wellwishers for his homeless peers who have been sleeping at Uhuru park under a Fly Over.

Days later, it appears Georgy might have found his silver lining after a number of showbiz players pledged to come through fro him. One of the wellwishers is comedian Francis Munyao alias MCA Tricky who took to social media to pledge his support for George.

Georgy georgy georgy! I will personally help you mahali naweza, guys lets support some of these fine talents, I salute this brother. ???? kindly lets do 2k comments tagging @justinbieber @justinbieber @justinbieber hadi imfikieeeeee kwani iko neneee alafu sasa hapa home tucome thro tumsaidie #unsungheroes, Tricky wrote on Instagram.

Actor and YouTuber Kevin Mwangi alias Shaniqwa also offered to record a song free of charge.

Mca Tricky please bring him to my studio a record ngoma for free we cant afford to waste such a talent. Leta yeye, he wrote.

Others who have vowed to help Georgy include singer/producer Naiboi and Radio Maishas DJ 2one2.
Two people in Noida have tested positive for coronavirus. According to reports, both persons had a travel history to France.

Gautam Budh Nagar CMO Anurag Bhargav told ANI, "Two persons test positive for Coronavirus: one in Sector 78 and another in Sector 100 with travel history to France. Both are admitted in designated isolation hospital."

This comes a day after the Noida Authority had announced a ban on all community events in an effort to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Indu Prakash Singh, an offer in Noida Authority, told LiveMint that the ban was imposed on the orders of Ritu Maheshwari who is the CEO of Noida Authority.

All cinema halls across Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad have been closed till March 31 as per orders which had been earlier issued by the administrations of the two districts.

According to the Health Ministry, a total of 125 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed so far in the country. Among them are 17 foreign nationals and 108 are Indian nationals.

With the addition of these two cases, the number of cases confirmed coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh has risen to 15. So far, three people in the country have died due to the deadly virus, a 64-year-old man in Maharastra, a 76-year-old man in Karnataka and a 68-year-old woman in the national capital. Currently, Maharashtra has the highest number of cases of any state in India with 39 confirmed cases. Kerala is the second highest with 24 cases of coronavirus confirmed thus far.

Across the world, around 180,00 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. Over 7,000 lives have already been lost due to the deadly virus.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Total COVID-19 positive cases rise to 126 in the country
Syracuse, NY -- Our greatest hope to stem COVID-19s spread remains to starve the virus by practicing social distancing for the foreseeable future, the county executive said Tuesday.

While Ryan McMahon said no new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, he urged extraordinary measures to continue. A husband and wife tested positive for the virus Monday, and they were infected somehow in the community. Those in contact with the infected couple will be contacted and asked to quarantine.

Heres a rundown of McMahons noon briefing Tuesday:

Happy St. Patricks Day -- now, no partying

The county executive started off by wishing everyone a happy St. Patricks Day -- perhaps Syracuses biggest annual party day.

But McMahon reminded people to avoid crowds, even if they decide to tip a few under these abnormal conditions.

Much as you want to party it up, do it responsibly, he warned. Stay six feet apart. Dont throw a party and invite everyone over.

No school! But no party, either

Not that school is out across Onondaga County, many children are rejoicing. But McMahon warned that letting kids hang out together defeats the whole point of closing schools.

This isnt time for our teenagers to start hanging out with each other, six or seven in a basement, McMahon said. You should not be letting them hang out with friends.

While that child may not get sick, he or she could spread the virus to grandma or grandpa. The elderly are among the most vulnerable to become seriously ill.

If in doubt, call your doctor

This isnt the time to persevere through an illness on your own.

McMahon urged people to call their doctor if experiencing sickness, shortness of breath, coughing or even a low-grade fever. Based on symptoms, a doctor will know whether you should get tested.

University Hospital has started a COVID-19 hotline at 315-464-3979 for anyone who feels they may be ill in the 14-county Central New York region. If you have a primary doctor, call that office first.

Still more volunteers needed

Local non-profits still need help meeting the needs of feeding seniors, who are avoiding grocery stores and other public places like never before.

McMahon referred people to the United Way or the Food Bank. Both of those are practicing safe social distancing policies while helping the people most in need, he said.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070.

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.
BERLIN, March 16 (Reuters) - Airlines will temporarily be allowed to take off and land from Frankfurt Airport during the night, the transport minister for the regional government of Hesse said, adding that it was essential Germany's largest airport continued to operate.

Airports around Europe have been shut as passenger volumes collapse and governments introduce travel restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus, most recently in Germany's southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, where Stuttgart and Karlsruhe airports were closed.

"Frankfurt Airport must and will stay open," Hesse's Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir said on Monday, since it was one of very few airports in Germany that was able to handle infected arrivals.

Given the enormous disruption the air transport industry was facing, it was likely many flights, including repatriation flights, would be forced to arrive at night, he said, which meant that 24-hour operation would be necessary. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt Editing by Riham Alkousaa)
House Intelligence Committee majority counsel Daniel Goldman (R) and House Judiciary Committee minority counsel Steve Castor at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the grounds for the impeachment of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 9, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Impeachment Lawyer Daniel Goldman Says He Has Cononavirus

The top lawyer for Democrats during the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump said that he tested positive for coronavirus, just days after Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) confirmed that a Democratic staffer contracted the virus.

My COVID-19 test came back positive. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support. It means a lot to my family and me, he wrote on Twitter. I am almost back to 100 percent. Im lucky enough not to fall in the vulnerable category and, for me, it was just like the flu.

Goldman, who conducted most of the questioning for the House Intelligence Committees Democratic witnesses late last year, said he has had difficulty in getting tested for the virus.

My difficulty in getting a test despite the exact symptoms and a negative flu test underscores how shockingly unprepared this administration is to deal with this pandemic. In fact, I was told that NYC hospitals STILL would not test my wifewith similar symptomsunless admitted, the lawyer wrote.

FINAL UPDATE (thread): My #COVID19 test came back positive. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support. It means a lot to my family and me. I am almost back to 100%. Im lucky enough not to fall in the vulnerable category and, for me, it was just like the flu. 1/  Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) March 15, 2020

FINAL UPDATE (thread): My #COVID19 test came back positive. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support. It means a lot to my family and me. I am almost back to 100%. Im lucky enough not to fall in the vulnerable category and, for me, it was just like the flu. 1/  Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) March 15, 2020

Last week, he started writing about his symptoms and lamented the lack of testing in New York City.

Goldman went to Weill Cornell hospital in New York City last week and said there was a significant number of people in the emergency room. He waited for six hours for results to come back.

Schiff, the head of the House Intelligence Committee, announced that a staffer tested positive for the virus.

Medical professionals believe that my former staff member likely contracted the virus after leaving the office, but we will still be taking additional precautions over the next few days, Schiff said in a statement. The former staffer is feeling better and no current staff have reported any flu-like symptoms at this time.

Goldman later confirmed that the staffer was him. His last day working on Capitol Hill was on March 6.
These Podcasts Keep You Up to Date on Coronavirus

11 Podcasts That Deliver Honest COVID-19 Content

Im a podcast listener  a big one. Seriously, the only time I seem to listen to music anymore is on my runs throughout the week, and even then, sometimes I swap out my 165-BPM playlist for a new podcast or one Ive been meaning to catch up on.

So naturally, now that we are really starting to get some information about the new coronavirus (COVID-19) taking the world by storm, I needed to know where in the podcast world could I find solid, reliable, trustworthy and, most importantly, accurate information.

RELATED: Why Social Distancing Is the Best Tool to Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic

I hate to break it to you guys, but our Commander in Chief and his administration have really dropped the ball on this one by providing false or misleading information about the coronavirus on more than one occasion, and have left a lot of us wondering what to believe and what to ignore. Listen, our personal politics aside, there was always going to be more we could do when it came to something of the truly awesome magnitude of this global pandemic. Hindsight is 20/20, right?

But now is not the time to fear monger or panic. Its time to #FlattenTheCurve by putting into practice the new term du jour: Social Distancing. Social distancing isnt quarantining yourself in your home for weeks on end  its simply applying best practices to mitigate the spread of a virus that is already running rampant, killing over 6,700 people worldwide at the time of this reporting.

We owe it to ourselves to be smart, listen to accurate information and be empathetic to those around us. Is your head spinning a bit from all this information? I feel you; mine is too. So thats why I picked out my top picks for the best coronavirus podcasts to listen to right now. Some are all coronavirus, all the time, and some just have expert reporting on the pandemic just about every episode. Either way, listen to one or more of these, and you should know all you need to know about COVID-19.

Podcasts Devoted to Coronavirus COVID-19

America Dissected  Coronavirus

In the first season of this Crooked Media podcast, physician and former city health commissioner of Detroit Dr. Abdul El-Sayed discussed, or dissected, the public healthcare system in America. In the second season, he dissects the Coronavirus outbreak: How did we get here? What went wrong? What do we do about it now? Supplemented by interviews with boots-on-the-ground and backed up by facts, El-Sayed offers a refreshingly honest take on the current state of affairs without scaring the sh*t out of everyone.

New Episodes: Tuesdays and Fridays

Check It Out Here

Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta covers a different topic every day of the week about the COVID-19 pandemic with expert commentary from Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC and Dr. Howard Markel, a professor of historical medicine at the University of Michigan, to combat bogus claims and conspiracy theories that seem to be spreading faster than the virus itself.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

Coronavirus Global Update

Living in the States, it can be easy to forget that we are not among the only communities dealing with food shortages, lockdowns and false information. It helps to step back and take a 30,000-foot view of whats going on in the rest of the world. From what we can learn from the efficient way South Korea has handled the epidemic to the first case of the virus to hit South Africa, the BBC takes a global perspective of what is going on  a view we cant forget when talking about a virus that does not discriminate.

New Episodes: Everyday

Check It Out Here

Viral: Coronavirus

This podcast claims that its just the facts, man, based on the most authoritative sources: No hype. No rumors. No B.S. We have to admit, we believe it. Getting into the details about not only how the virus affects our bodies, but all that outside our bodies as well, including the financial markets, state and federal governments even the upcoming presidential election. Hosts T.J. Raphael and Emily Saul from Three Uncanny Four promises to deliver in depth answers to some of the simplest questions we didnt even know we had.

New Episodes: Every Tuesday and Thursday

Check It Out Here

Epidemic With Dr. Celine Gounder and Ronald Klain

Just Human Productions Epidemic is hosted by infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist and medical journalist Dr. Celine Gounder and co-hosted by advocate for global health security measures and former Obama Administration Ebola czar Ronald Klain. If that wealth of knowledge isnt enough to pique your interest, how about the deep dive into a question we often hear asked yet havent heard succinctly answered: Do we need a coronavirus czar?

New Episodes: Every Friday

Check It Out Here

Coronavirus Daily Briefing

If all you need is a 15-minute daily update to what the hell is going on, consider this the coronavirus daily briefing you have been looking for. Everyday at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, catch up with the latest numbers, headlines, commentary and context around the coronavirus outbreak. The team at Ride Home Media takes the important headlines and sorts what's real, what's valuable and whats straight up fear mongering in order to deliver short, digestible tidbits we can listen to in no time.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

Podcasts That Cover Coronavirus COVID-19

The Daily

Hosted by Michael Barbaro with the help of the Pulitzer prize-winning journalism of the New York Times, The Daily takes an in-depth look at one subject for the day with a breeze through what else, you need, to know today. Lately, it has no choice but to focus on the increasingly nerve-racking subject of the coronavirus, but has additionally offset its hard-hitting, fact-based reporting by focusing on ways we can get through the tough times  such as the wonderful special episode about Tom Hanks, who recently tested positive for the virus  that have nothing to do with the virus. Its just about how awesome Hanks is. Enough said.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

Today, Explained

OK, OK, so not 100 percent corona-content: the Vox Media Today, Explained podcast focuses on what needs to be explained and guess what? COVID-19 needs to be explained, like, every day. Sandwiched between some politics updates (which also need some hefty explaining) the Vox team, lead by Sean Rameswaram, takes a conversational tone to telling us what we need to know.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

What Next

Mary Harris has reported throughout the public radio system  for NPR, Marketplace and WNYC  and now she is host and managing editor of What Next, Slate's new daily news podcast. Another podcast cut to fit perfectly within the commute home (which most of us dont need to worry about right now) and whereas this isnt coronavirus-only content, when it is, it delivers. Experts such as Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency medicine physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston and Dr. Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, help break down coronavirus in a way that wont cause us to lose sleep at night.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

Post Reports

Post Reports is a podcast from The Washington Post that hits your phone by 5 p.m. every weekday. Martine Powers hosts and asks the questions we didnt know we wanted answered. Why does the coronavirus skip children? Can we qurentene the economy? What vulnerabilities does the lack of paid sick leave expose during a global pandemic? The Post, well, Reports on all of that and more, every weekday.

New Episodes: Every Weekday

Check It Out Here

What the Health

A podcast that focuses on the relationship of health news through a political lens, Kaiser Health News What The Health helps us understand the deeper impact of what is going on with the coronavirus behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. As you can imagine, policies and healthcare go far beyond the coronavirus, but the impact that each will have on the other is fascinating for those of us who follow politics as if it were our (second) job.

New Episodes: Every Thursdays

Check It Out Here

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Amid the rising coronavirus cases in India, Maharashtra government on Monday (March 16) announced that it would "stamp" all those who have been sent to home quarantine amid the scare over the deadly virus. Notably, maximum coronavirus cases in India have been reported in Maharashtra with the total cases jumping to 39, including 3 foreign nationals.

Talking to media, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the government has decided to stamp the left hand of those under home quarantine in order to identify them easily. Tope added that a stamp with indelible ink will be imprinted on the left hand indicating "that person/patient is under compulsory home quarantine" till March 31. "This will help other people identify them if they break home quarantine and mix among the public during their home isolation period," he said.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and attended by several senior health officers. The Maharashtra government said that the step is a precautionary measure after 39 cases of coronavirus were detected in the state.

"It is not a crime if somebody is infected by Covid-19. They must be given proper medical treatment and psychological support. The Epidemic Diseases Act has been invoked in the interest of the people and the district administration must create awareness on it," CM Thackeray said.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officers have been ordered by the government to visit Housing societies for drive against Covid 19 outbreak in the city. It is learnt that teams of BMC officials will keep in touch with residents who have gone into isolation in their homes to ensure they complete their quarantine period of 14 days. The civic body has formed multiple health posts in all the 24 wards comprising of 1,067 teams to visit housing societies.

After conducting checks at housing societies, the corporation will now maintain a regular follow up with travellers even if they tested negative and are in self-quarantined. The BMC has procured a list of residents who recently returned from a foreign country. It has created health posts for a door-to-door campaign, and dispensaries where people can report about themselves or other suspected cases in each wards. Details of these health posts and dispensaries have been distributed in all housing societies.

The teams raise awareness in housing societies and enquire about the travel history of the residents. The BMC through these teams has managed to survey 10,027 housing societies and neighbourhoods they had visited and so far, no person has been found to be symptomatic. However, total 524 people who recently returned from a foreign trip have been under self-isolation despite being testing negative, said BMC officials.
The rising death toll and related societal dislocation due to Covid-19, the coronavirus, has had a significant impact on the global polity in a manner that was unanticipated. At the time of writing, over 7,000 deaths have been reported globally and more than 180,000 cases of infections recorded. Many public health experts aver that the worst is yet to come and that the next few months will be crucial. A tsunami-like community transmission of the virus across the world can have catastrophic effects. This is why it is imperative to enforce draconian quarantine measures and effective testing protocols.

While the economic consequences are gutting stock markets with gloomy forecasts of global recession, the security domain and its correlation with politics are also undergoing major structural changes. This will reorder global politics and have an impact on India.

It may be recalled that former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, in his seminal book Perestroika (1987), cautioned, at the height of the Cold War, that the new political outlook calls for recognition of one simple axiom: Security is indivisible. It is either equal security for all or none at all. While the primary focus at that time was nuclear weapons, and to an extent terrorism, the Gorbachev axiom rings true today in a loud and clear manner with respect to the current global health crisis.

The concept of security, which was defined during the Cold War decades largely along the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) vector, soon morphed into a WMD-terrorism combine after the enormity of 9/11. Yet, the dominant discourse still prioritised hard security with its concomitant military emphasis. The epidemic/pandemic threat and its impact on human security was cloistered in the basket of non-traditional security issues and seen as a relative lower policy priority by way of funding and capacity-building.

What the Covid-19 experience has done is to expand and rearrange the concept of national security, make it more inclusive, and foreground human security in a more holistic manner. Human security is a multilayered and graded concept and shaped by a host of factors, including individual genetic pedigree, socioeconomic indicators, nutrition levels and the local ecosystem. The empirical pattern and the clear rich-poor divide reveals that even in the 21st century, despite radical political progress, all human beings are not equally secure.

Global security in the 20th century was dominated by military considerations and territoriality as pursued by the major powers of the time. The two world wars, separated by a mere 20 years, offer a tragic testimony to the price paid by the citizen. More than 90 million lives were lost in both these wars, and while estimates vary, the end of World War II and the birth of the atomic age, against the backdrop of the Hiroshima cloud, altered the political dynamic among the principal interlocutors.

Traditional enemies became wary partners (Germany-France- the United Kingdom) and evolved into military allies under the leadership of the United States (US), while wartime allies (the US and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR) transmuted into strategic competitors. Paradoxically, while techno-strategic insecurity was ostensibly assuaged by the acquisition of more lethal nuclear weapons, planners blithely calculated collateral damage to human security in the millions. In 1965, the then US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara forged a strategy of assured destruction of the adversary (USSR) and asserted that deterrence would depend on the capability to destroy the aggressor as a viable society by causing more than 100 million fatalities.

Mercifully, the catastrophic nuclear exchange did not take place, but the techno-strategic profile of the nuclear weapon transformed geopolitics in an irrevocable manner. Gorbachev alluded to this underlying tenet when he embarked on his perestroika and both he and the USSR paid a price for what followed. Washington and Moscow remain wary adversaries but the existential nature of the nuclear weapon continues to both constrain and challenge contemporary political and security policymaking.

Specific to the current coronavirus challenge, the regional political dynamic has been impacted by the commendable Indian initiative to initiate a summit-level South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) consultative process. Predictably, the Pakistan response has been Pavlovian and a crude attempt made to inject a bilateral issue (Kashmir) when a larger collective human security matter is on the anvil  but this is reflective of the tenacity of the political compulsion in the prioritisation of security considerations.

Epidemics have an existential quality, and the long cycle of history has many tragic punctuations where numbers ranging from thousands to millions have died. The immediate challenge for the Saarc and the extended southern Asian region, which includes Iran, would be to comprehend national security in an inclusive manner and transcend both the military dimension and ideological fetters. Contested territoriality ought to acknowledge the centrality of human security and internalise the Gorbachev template that now, more than ever, security is indivisible.

The nascent Indian initiative to encourage a collective approach to what could turn into an intractable global security challenge must be sustained.

C Uday Bhaskar is director, Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi

The views expressed are personal
The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions.

Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs.
After the trick at the well, fighters sent Mohammed and the other women on a second suicide mission, replacing the girl who had died by running into the firing squad with a new captive. She said their target was to be a market in Banki, a once-bustling town. One of the fighters planned to escort the women. But the new captive assured the militants she was from Banki and knew her way through the countryside.
A group of four US lawmakers has requested Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to ensure the return of Tennessee pastor Bryan Nerren who was arrested in India last year on charges of travelling with USD 40,000 of undeclared currency.

Senators James Lankford, Marsha Blackburn and Congressmen Scott DesJarlais and Jody Hice, in a letter to Shringla, said Nerren was arrested in West Bengal's Bagdogra in October, 2019 and charged with violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act for travelling with USD 40,000 of undeclared currency.

On October 11, he was released on bail. His passport was seized in order to ensure appearance at court hearings - all of which he has attended, the lawmakers said.

"We write to bring your attention to the case of Bryan Kevin Nerren Sr of Shelbyville, Tennessee. We are immediately concerned with the health of the Nerren family, including Mr Nereen's daughter with special needs, who has been hospitalised with pneumonia as Mr Nerren remains in India without a clear point of return," the Congressmen wrote in the letter.

"We request that India uphold their end of the offer, as Mr Nerren has upheld his, by finalising the compounding of the offence and allowing him to return to his family," they said.

"The US-India relationship is a vital and healthy one, as exhibited by President (Donald) Trump's recent visit to Delhi. We do not wish for bureaucratic posturing in this case which can now be simply closed according to Indian law to become an impediment in that relationship. Thank you for your attention to this matter," the letter said.

On December 31, 2019, Indian Customs issued a show cause order confiscating the USD 40,000 and imposing a penalty of Rs 3 lakh (roughly USD 4,000). As of January 2, 2020, Nerren had surrendered the entire amount and paid the fine, the letter said, adding that most recently, he accepted an offer to compound his offence.

He submitted an application for compounding, filed an affidavit with the court indicating submission of the application, and compiled USD 7,000 to be transferred to Customs upon Customs' finalization of the appropriate paperwork.

He has completed all of these required actions. "However, Customs is now requiring the submission of a waiver of forfeiture for the money lost, a request that was not included in the original conditions and to our knowledge is not required by Indian law," the letter said.

"Following nearly five months of court dates, provision of additional documents and requirements beyond the original conditions of Mr Nerren's arrest, Mr Nerren remains in Siliguri, India," they wrote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ontarios police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who was Tasered by police after he reportedly set himself on fire in downtown Toronto Tuesday.

The Special Investigations Unit  which  said it was launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding an incident that began with a call for a man in distress near Church St. and Dundas St. around 8:45 a.m.

According to the Toronto police, a call for help came in reporting that a man was pouring accelerant on himself, then set himself ablaze.

In a statement Tuesday, the SIU said Toronto police responded and deployed a conducted energy weapon, also known as a Taser, then the man was apprehended. He was taken by ambulance to St. Michaels Hospital, but later died.

Two SIU investigators and two forensic investigators are probing the case.

Toronto police said on Twitter that they couldnt comment because the SIU had invoked its mandate.

Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis

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Manipur Chief Minister N Biren



Singh set up a three-member panel to probe the clashes between two communities at Chassad village in the state's Kamjong district, warning strict action will be taken against those found to be involved in violence and arson.

The three-member panel, comprising of the Additional Chief Secretary, the Deputy Inspector General (Intelligence) and the Joint Secretary, has been asked to establish the course of the events that led to the clashes in the village, Singh told reporters late on Monday.

It will also identify those behind the incidents of violence that left several houses damaged, he added.

The chief minister said that his government will repair the houses which were torched, as well as provide financial assistance to the affected people.

Normalcy is returning to the area as adequate security forces, including the Assam Rifles and the Army, have been deployed, Singh said.

Clashes broke out between the two communities on Monday, which police suspect was due to a land dispute, prompting the district administration to clamp prohibitory orders under section 144 Crpc at Chassad-Kamjong and along the main road of the Sampui area in the hill district.

Mobile internet services have been suspended for three days across the state, following the violence.

A ministerial team, led by deputy chief minister Y Jaykumar, has already visited the area.

The two communities were engaged in a deadly ethnic clash in the 1990s during which more than 1,000 people were killed and at least 1 lakh displaced.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
How They Make It Work... 21 Habits of a Successful Marriage: an intelligent and insightful guide to creating better relationships. How They Make It Work... 21 Habits of a Successful Marriage is the creation of published author, Ed Wimberly PhD, who holds a masters degree in clinical psychology from Arizona State University (ASU) and a Ph.D. from United States International University (USIU) in San Diego, California.

Wimberly states: Throughout the course of my 45 years in private practice, I have at times wondered how it is that some couples do so well beyond therapy and on their own to improve and progress, while others who initially improve through the counseling process seem to fall back into many of their old and self-defeating habits. It took me a while but I now understand that often, those couples who fall back into their old destructive habits usually do so because they neglect to replace them with new and productive ones. Removing dysfunctional habits must be followed by developing new and healthy habits.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Ed Wimberly PhDs new book is a highly inspirational, encouraging, and pragmatic guide that teaches couples how to form healthier relationship habits.

Far from a harangue or sermonizing litany on couples errant ways, this book is one that encourages couples to work together to examine and dismantle dysfunctional tendencies and replace them with habits that will help them shape a more successful marriage.

Dr. Wimberly continues, How They Make it Work addresses 21 new habits I have consistently observed through follow-up contacts that seem to help couples continue to thrive and to grow on their own beyond professional intervention.

At the end of each of the 21 chapters are several questions designed to help you process together the new habits that are being suggested here. Since they have worked for others, there is more than a good chance they will work for you.

View a synopsis of How They Make It Work... 21 Habits of a Successful Marriage on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase How They Make It Work... 21 Habits of a Successful Marriage at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about How They Make It Work... 21 Habits of a Successful Marriage, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Toilet paper stolen from church amid coronavirus panic

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As panic-buying of various products intensifies worldwide because of the global coronavirus pandemic, a church in the U.K. says its toilet paper has been stolen.

The church warden at St. Mary and St. Margaret's Church in Sprowston, Norwich, said she discovered two Sundays ago all of their paper rolls were gone, according to multiple news reports.

The church restrooms are open to the public every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., usually used by those visiting the cemetery and for community group meetings.

"We keep the church open for people to use it. My anxiety is that if anyone needs the loo the facilities are available for them," the Rev. Canon Simon Stokes, told the Norwich Evening News.

He continued, "It does seem that people are very fearful and frightened and that seems to be catching."

"People are stockpiling different things. You can put two and two together and make five but my assumption is it is linked to coronavirus, but who knows."

Despite the theft, the church continues to keep its facilities open to the public.

Supermarkets and other stores around the world are running out of toilet paper with pictures of empty shelves rocketing around social media.

In Oregon, one police department has asked residents not to call 911 to report shortages of toilet paper.

Its hard to believe that we even have to post this, the Newport Oregon Police Department wrote on its Facebook page Sunday.

Do not call 9-1-1 just because you ran out of toilet paper. You will survive without our assistance.

The police department went on to list what has been used throughout history before toilet paper as possible alternatives consumers might use today such as grocery receipts and cloth rags.

"Be resourceful. Be patient. There is a TP shortage. This too shall pass. Just dont call 9-1-1. We cannot bring you toilet paper," the department reiterated.

As a result of the panic buying, retailers in the United Kingdom have limited sales of hand sanitizers and some Australian stores have placed restrictions on toilet paper.

The phenomenon of panic-buying is an emotionally driven response to circumstances rooted in what is known as "retail therapy," according to psychologist Paul Marsden of the University of the Arts-London.

Its about taking back control in a world where you feel out of control, he said in comments to CNBC.
The Social Security Administration Tuesday closed its offices around the country, including in Syracuse, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The SSA offered services on its website and over the phone beginning Tuesday morning.

The move came after calls from the union representing Social Security employees. In Syracuse, the offices, located on the fourth floor of the James M. Hanley Federal Building, were typically a source of heavy foot traffic. The Social Security Administration serves mostly retirees and people with disabilities.

This decision protects the population we serve -- older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions -- and our employees during the Coronavrius (COVID-19) pandemic," the agency said in a statement.

Officials noted that several services are available on the SSA website, at socialsecurity.gov. People can apply for benefits online, check on their applications or appeals, request replacement cards and print benefit verification letters using the website.

The agency also published a Q-and-A for people with concerns about the coronavirus and their benefits.

Syracuse-area residents can contact the Social Security office by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Officials said anyone who has scheduled an in-office appointment or hearing will be contacted by phone. Appointments can be handled over the phone, the SSA said. Individuals with upcoming hearings will be given the option of holding the hearing over the phone.

SSA officials said employees may call from private telephone numbers. They warned people to avoid scams by remembering that employees will never threaten or ask for any form of payment over the phone.

SSA invited anyone with questions to call the national hotline at 1-800-772-1213.
Alibaba founder and billionaire Jack Ma on Monday joined Twitter, sending out his tweet that the first shipment of 1 million masks and 500,000 coronavirus testing kits are on way to US. "The first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the US is taking off from Shanghai. All the best to our friends in America," Ma tweeted. Within no time, he had garnered 88.3K followers.

He later retweeted a tweet from his foundation, saying "Through a donation of 500,000 testing kits and 1 million masks, we join hands with Americans in these difficult times". "Drawing from my own country's experience, speedy and accurate testing and adequate personal protective equipment for medical professions are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus. We hope that our donation can help Americans fight against the pandemic!" the foundation had said.

The Jack Ma Foundation in January announced it will donate 100 million yuan (14.4 million US dollars) to support research and development of a novel coronavirus vaccine. "We firmly know that while scientists are racing against the clock, it won't be an easy task from the vaccine research to the final large-scale production and use," said Ma.

Ma said the foundation would strive to provide more help for the development and accumulation of medical science in the fight against viruses. Alibaba Group said it would provide public research institutions free access to all AI capabilities needed for the development of vaccines and new drugs for the novel coronavirus.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath met Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday night and later claimed his government enjoys majority, ruling out holding a floor test in the assembly as demanded by the BJP.

Nath also dared the opposition party to table a no- confidence motion against his 15-month-old Congress government if they wanted to test its strength in the house.

The Chief Minister went to meet the governor after the latter shot off a letter earlier in the day, directing him to hold a floor test on Tuesday, the second day of the budget session which began on Monday.

Tandon, in his letter, said failure to hold a floor test will mean the chief minister does not enjoy a majority in the house.

"I met the governor and thanked him for his address on the opening day of the budget session. We are in a majority today so no question of a floor test.

"Those who claim that we don't have a majority should move a no-confidence motion against my government to get the floor test done," Nath told reporters outside Raj Bhavan.

Nath's meeting with the governor at Raj Bhavan lasted for over half-an-hour.

"I also discussed current political situation with him, Nath said.

"The BJP thinks that we dont have a majority and hence has demanded a floor test. We told them it they think that we dont have a majority, then move a no-confidence motion against us.

"They brought it (no trust notice) today and presented it before the Speaker. We will prove out majority, Nath said.

However, senior BJP leader and legislator Narottam Mishra denied submitting any notice to the speaker for moving a no-confidence motion against the Congress government.

Nath once again alleged that 16 Congress rebel MLAs have been held "captive" by the BJP, a charge repeatedly rejected by the opposition party.

I told the governor that as per constitutional provisions, rules and procedures, we are ready for everything.

Besides, they should also bring back those 16 captive MLAs (who are in Bengaluru) and grant them freedom, he said.

Whatever people say, but we have a majority today and we will prove it also, Nath added.

The 15-month-old Nath government's stability has come under doubt due to resignation by 22 rebel Congress MLAs.

Prior to meeting the governor, the Chief Minister took part in a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at his residence here.

After the CLP meeting, Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot also said the Congress government is in majority.

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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Jammu and Kashmir Director-General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Monday reviewed the security scenario of Shopian and Anantnag districts.

"He chaired meetings of jurisdictional officers during his visit to these districts. The DGP while chairing the meeting of jurisdictional officers in these districts lauded the recent successful anti-terrorist operations carried by the police personnel along with other security forces," an official statement said.

The DGP said that with the coordinated efforts of police and other security forces, terrorist violence levels have come down, relieving some pain of the masses, who have been suffering due to ongoing violence.

The DGP said that the work and peace efforts of Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces have been acknowledged and appreciated by the public at large.

"The DGP appreciated the synergy among the forces which is yielding good dividends and added that there is a need to remain alert and vigilant in times to come to maintain peace," the statement added.

"During the visit, the DGP was briefed about the present security scenario of Shopian and Anantnag by the jurisdictional officers. The officers also apprised DGP about the measures taken to maintain peace and stability in their respective areas and provided their feedback during the meeting," it further stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The first death from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been registered in Turkey, the number of confirmed cases in the country has more than doubled over the past 24 hours to 98, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Tuesday, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

"Today we have the first death from coronavirus, an 89-year-old patient who had contact with a patient infected in China has died. The total number of infected people is now 98", Koca told reporters Tuesday.

Koca said Monday the number of coronavirus-infected people in Turkey had increased over the day to 47 from 18. Three of those infected returned from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, the minister said, adding that the risk of infection from abroad remains high.

The COVID-19 was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei Province last December and has since spread to more than 150 countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) later declared the COVID-19 a pandemic.

Globally, more than 167,500 people have contracted the new coronavirus and more than 6,600 people have died, according to the latest data provided by the WHO.
Israel has banned residents from leaving their homes for 'non-essential' reasons and announced it plans to track coronavirus sufferers' phones during the outbreak.

Massively restricting movement, the health ministry ordered people to stay home unless they need to buy food or medicine, seek medical attention, or travel to a workplace where there are no more than ten people. They also suspended all public transport at night.

The Middle Eastern country has reported 324 cases of COVID-19 but no deaths.

Prime minister Netanyahu said that concerns about the spread of the virus trumped those about privacy. He is pictured at a press conference yesterday in Jerusalem

Israel is using anti-terror laws to enable it to harvest data from its citizens mobile phones. These powers are usually reserved for tackling Palestinian-linked terrorists

A directive issued by the government today read: 'You must not leave your homes to visit parks, playgrounds, the beach, the pool or libraries.

'You should maintain social contacts by media and not entertain friends or family unless they live in your building.'

The statement did not say when the new regulations come into force. AFP was unable to immediately reach a health ministry spokesman.

It was released after officials confirmed that Israel would use anti-terror laws to access geolocation data and send alerts to individuals that come into contact with confirmed sufferers.

The spying powers are usually only reserved for tackling Palestinian-linked terrorism.

But an extension of their use for a 'limited period' was signed off by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet on Monday night.

The near-deserted beach front in Ashkelon, Israel, today. The country has now ordered people to stay at home

The near-deserted beach in Ashkelon today. Windsurfers are still seen on the waves

A woman has her temperature checked with a contactless thermometer at the entrance to a retirement home in Ramat Efal district, Israel, today

Israel has adopted sweeping measures to contain the virus. These also include prison sentences of up to six months for anyone breaching isolation orders and police being allowed to use 'reasonable force' to break-up gatherings of ten or more people.

Opposition politicians today claimed the move was a step too far and would 'surrender transparency and oversight' over privacy rules.

But Mr Netanyahu defended the move, saying halting the virus's spread outweighed concerns about the invasion of privacy.

Delaying the measure could also 'lead to the deaths of a great many Israelis', he claimed.

He added: 'These means will help us greatly in locating the ill and thus stopping the spread of the virus.

'We will approve these digital tools for a limited period of 30 days. Israel is a democracy and we have to balance individual rights with the greater needs of all.' Mobile phones constantly receive signals from satellites revealing the owner's movements.

A man wears a facemask at Camel Market, Tel Aviv, yesterday. Israel has reported 324 cases

New measures will see Israel track its citizens mobile phones in order to plot their movements

The new measures will use this data to create a picture of an infected person's movements before they were diagnosed with the virus.

Anyone who may have been exposed to them will then be identified and sent a warning by text message to self-quarantine.

Nadav Argaman, head of internal security agency Shin Bet - Israel's equivalent of MI5 - today confirmed the unprecedented move and moved to reassure concerns over privacy.

He said: 'The other state bodies don't have the necessary technological means to aid this effort.

'I am well aware of the sensitivity of this matter and therefore have instructed that only a very limited number of agents will be handling this and the information will not be saved in the Shin Bet database.'

Anyone who may have been exposed will then receive a message asking them to self-quarantine. Pictured above is a man wearing a face mask in Tel Aviv

Israel will sentence people that do not quarantine themselves to up to six months in prison

Further measures announced by Israel include putting the majority of public sector workers on leave for one month and banning more than 30 per cent attendance in private sector workplaces.

Israel has so far had 324 confirmed cases of Covid-19, but no recorded deaths.

In the Palestinian territories 41 cases have been confirmed in the occupied West Bank, with none in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has already closed schools, malls, restaurants and most leisure spaces as well as limiting gatherings to ten.
The situation in New Rochelle  to say nothing of the Hasidic communities in Brooklyn, where as of Tuesday some yeshivas still remained open  is a case study in how religious communities are particularly vulnerable, especially religious communities that send their children to parochial schools and gather three times a day for communal prayer.

Dr. Steven Shayani, a cardiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who was raised in Great Neck, thinks that his hometown is going to be hit hard in part because the village and its surrounding region have double, maybe even triple the number of synagogues as New Rochelle. When I realized that 10 days ago, he told me, I got on the phone and called every local official. If New Rochelle has that many cases, imagine what Great Neck will be.

What he learned, talking to health and school officials, was that there is nobody in charge. The chain of command is broken in New York state, he said. So instead of relying on officials, Dr. Shayani took the initiative to warn the community himself, reaching out and asking his contacts to practice rigorous social distancing. But he knows his influence is limited: Im one doctor sending texts and emails.

Mayor Bral has told all Great Neck citizens to stop gathering together, including to worship. Crucially, his order went into effect before the Sabbath, a time when families typically get together in synagogues and for meals.

Rabbis followed his lead and urged their congregants to stay home. Yosef Bitton, the rabbi of the United Mashadi Jewish Community in Great Neck, wrote in a note to his community, This is a very special Shabbat for me because this Sunday is the anniversary of my father. Every year on the anniversary of his fathers death Rabbi Bitton says Kaddish, the mourners prayer. But I know as a rabbi, he wrote, that protecting your life and avoiding the risk of someone elses life, is more important than saying Kaddish.

Still, after Shabbat ended, rumors spread of people holding services in homes and synagogue parking lots. Mayor Bral took to Facebook to admonish them: Stern warning for those individuals who held services in their home for Shabbat, you have put many peoples lives in danger. Dont be selfish!
Fearful of communist encroachment that threatened its survival, Thailand provided crucial aid to the U.S. fight in neighboring Indochina.

During the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. But Thailands multifaceted support for U.S. combat operations in IndochinaVietnam, Cambodia and Laoswas a far more important contribution.

The Southeast Asian kingdom, bordered on the east by embattled Cambodia and Laos, was home to major U.S. Air Force bases used to launch attack, escort, bombing and reconnaissance missions throughout the war zone. Thailand also provided boots on the ground to assist the U.S. and its other allies in the fight, which included South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and The Philippines.

By the end of the war, more than 40,000 Thai military personnel had served in Vietnam, suffering losses of 351 killed and 1,358 wounded. Most Thai forces saw action in open and covert operations conducted primarily in Laosalthough Thailands Queens Cobras and Black Panthers did fight in South Vietnam.



Queen Sirikit of Thailand talks with U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kenneth Young Jr. and U.S. Army Col. William McKean, commander of the 27th Infantry Regiment near Korat, Thailand, in June 1962. U.S. instructors and advisers were sent to Thailand to bolster the countrys military. (Everett Collection Historical/Alamy)

In a 1967 interview on ABC Scope, a weekly TV news program, Foreign Minister Thanat Khoman explained that Thailands reasons for supporting the war effort had both security and economic underpinnings. His countrys common borders with Laos and Cambodia, each threatened by communist insurgencies, put the kingdom in a dangerous position that endangered its own survival. The instability on the long eastern border also affected Thailands economy.

In 1953, the Viet Minh, the communist-dominated organization fighting at the time for Vietnams independence from France, invaded French-controlled northern and eastern Laos, where the communist Pathet Lao insurgency was emerging, a direct threat to Thailand. In 1954, after a defeated France ended its rule of Indochina, the Thai government pushed for pro-Western Laos to act as a buffer between Thailand and the newly created communist North Vietnam.

Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, had never been under the control of a European colonial power, a source of great pride in the country. Thailand therefore had not experienced the anti-colonialist revolutionary fervor that drove communist-backed independence movements elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Even so, Thailand still feared the regions spreading communist movementthe Viet Cong in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the Pathet Lao in Laoswhich proselytized an ideology that imperiled Thailands monarchial form of government, culture and dominant religion. The Thais believed it was their duty to fight against the communists who were destroying Buddhist temples in their quest for control of Cambodia and Laos.

In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, U.S. leaders in Washington, committed to a containment policy to stop the spread of Soviet-style communism, were deeply concerned about communist expansion in Southeast Asia. They had lost China to Mao Zedongs communists in 1949 and just narrowly defeated the North Korean/Chinese attempt to conquer democratic South Korea in 1950-53. Much of Americas Cold War leadership adhered to the domino theoryif even one Southeast Asian country fell, the rest would inevitably drop like tumbling dominoes.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his successor, John F. Kennedy, would not allow Laos to fall to communists, and their administrations realized that Thailands active cooperation was vital in that effort. They hoped to make Thailand an anti-communist stronghold in the region through economic support, military aid and troop training.

In 1951, the CIA sent case officer Bill Lair to Thailand, James Parker, a CIA case officer in Laos 1971-73, said in a 2016 interview with the Bangkok Post. He was given the job of training some Thai border police as a ready reaction force to counter communist incursions across the Thai borders.

In 1953, Eisenhowers selection for a new ambassador to Thailand was William Donovan, who had led the World War II spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, created in 1947.

Like the U.S., Thailand was concerned with events in Laos, which had been its buffer against intervention from both China and Vietnam. If Laos fell, the door was wide open for communism to infiltrate Thailand. Particularly disconcerting, Thailand was home to 50,000 ethnic Vietnamese, many of them sympathetic to North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh and his communist ideology. The CIA estimated that some 3,200 known communist guerrillas, mostly ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese, were operating in Thailand by the mid-1960s. The Thais understood that the only answer to this problem was to join forces with the United States.

By the late 1950s Pathet Lao forces, linked with the communists in North Vietnam and China, were gaining more and more control of territory in Laos, which was struggling to defeat the insurgents. To counter the Pathet Lao, the CIA developed an anti-communist paramilitary force in Laos and trained Thai army and police units in guerrilla warfare. For the first time, Thai forces began covert operations into Laos under the direction of the CIA.

Those forces were a way to confront the communists in Laos without the direct action of American troops. However, by 1959 U.S. Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, had covertly entered Laos and begun training Meo tribesman to fight the Pathet Lao.



The Udorn bases Air America compound, shown around 1965, is crowded with T-28 Trojan aircraft likely destined for a CIA covert operation. (Courtesy Randy Kim)

Thailands situation worsened in 1961 as North Vietnam, with assistance from the Soviet Union and China, provided support to communist operations in South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and parts of Thailand. The Communist Party of Thailand led an armed revolt in the northeastern provinces of the country. In response, Thailand deployed 30,000 troops, wresting an uneasy control of the area, which lasted throughout the war.

The United States gave both economic and military aid to Thailand, and in return Thailand provided both air and ground bases for the Americans. Between 1961 and 1965 seven Thailand bases saw the arrival of American warplanes. Eventually, they housed more than 400 aircraft and 25,000 military personnel.

Although technically Thailand-owned bases for the Royal Thai naval and air forces, the installations served as headquarters for U.S. Air Force units that used them for operations throughout Indochina. Some 80 percent of the American airstrikes launched against North Vietnam and its guerrilla camps in the region came from those air bases.

CIA operatives, under the guise of military advisers, began training Lao troops and pilots in Thailand, while Thai special forces continued their covert missions into Laos. Specially trained Thai operators volunteered to join the Royal Laotian Army and complemented the facade with Laotian uniforms and ID cards. By early 1962, about 60 Thais had enlisted in Lao units; all on the CIA payroll.

The CIA also began training Hmong tribesmen from the mountains of Laos and Vietnam to fight the communists under an authorization that Eisenhower signed in December 1960. The training camps were in Thailand. With much of the training and logistics coming from the CIA, the new forces were prepared to battle the enemy through covert action.

The American aid did not go unnoticed by the communist side. Tensions ramped up when the Pathet Lao attacked in spring 1962 and took control of the Nam Tha river valley in northwestern Thailand. Fearing an all-out attack, Thailand sent thousands of troops to repel the attackers.

In May 1962, Kennedy deployed 6,500 Marines to bolster the Thai forces (although he decided in July to withdraw them because of concerns about establishing a long-term commitment). Thai operatives, trained by the CIA and U.S. Special Forces, entered Laos and engaged Pathet Lao units, driving them back and securing the northern part of the country against further encroachments.

In the meantime, American technicians and engineers worked on improvements at Thai air bases. Air America, a U.S. government-owned airline secretly supporting CIA missions, flew from those bases into Laos and Vietnam, delivering supplies to covert groups working with anti-communist forces.

Despite those efforts, by 1962 the reports coming out of Laos were not good. The North Vietnamese were using a network of routes that ran through the country, collectively known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, to smuggle arms and fighters into South Vietnam. Intelligence estimates indicated 7,000 to 9,000 North Vietnamese Army troops were in Laos.



Thai army soldiers in the Queens Cobras unit look at Viet Cong killed during a December 1967 battle east of Saigon. Thailand sent thousands of troops into South Vietnam to assist in the fight against communist forces. (Bettmann/Getty Images)

In March 1964 American planes flying out of Thai bases started bombing Viet Cong camps and supply routes in Laos. Those bombers were not allowed to strike North Vietnam directly. That changed after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, when North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer, and President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory airstrikes on North Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Royal Thai air force planes and Royal Laotian planes based in Thailand were flying bombing missions over territory held by the Pathet Lao in both Laos and Thailand. On the ground, Thai and Laotian special forces units, ferried by Air America from Thailand to Laos, attacked Pathet Lao positions.

In early 1966, Thailand openly pledged to send combat troops to Vietnam (in addition to the Thai soldiers already placed into Laos for covert operations). Within months of the announcement, 5,000 men had volunteered. In 1969 the Thai military deployed more than 12,000 ground troops, including the Queens Cobras regiment and the Black Panther Division of the Royal Army Volunteer Force.

By 1971, 15 percent of the Thai army was in South Vietnam, perhaps as many as 22,000 troops, not including those in covert actions. Their primary mission was to fight North Vietnamese guerrilla forces taking refuge in Laos. The U.S. Air Forces 606th Air Commando Squadron trained Thai forces in counterinsurgency operations. And the Thai air force was deployed to support the ground forces.

Three Thai special forces units joined with the U.S. 1st Special Forces Group, and by early May 1966 the joint forces began conducting 30-day missions into remote, undisclosed locations not just inside Laos, but throughout Indochina.

Thai forces were very effective in their missions, and thus Thailand became the target of ever-increasing guerrilla attacks. In 1967, guerrillas killed 138 people, including 78 government officials.

Udorn Royal Thai Air Base was hit by a guerrilla attack in July 1968. Several aircraft were lost, and five American and Thai personnel were injured. Four of the intruders were killed, among them a North Vietnamese Army officer.

After the attacks on the air base, Thai counterinsurgency and covert missions increased. In July 1968 three groups of Thai special forces were sent into Laos to conduct long-range reconnaissance missions. An estimated 21,000 Thais were operating in Laos by 1973. They often dressed like and lived with the ethnic Lao and Hmong populations.

In addition to combating Pathet Lao infiltrations, the Thais had to contend with the Viet Cong, Muslim separatists, Chinese terrorists and even Indonesian communists. All of those groups were a constant threat to the stability of Thailands government, either through terrorist-style attacks or direct confrontation along the border. The rather large Vietnamese population also was still a great concern.

The CIA reported that all conditions for rapid development of a subversive mechanism were present in Thailand. CIA intelligence pointed out that the Chinese were actively working with the Pathet Lao and possibly with the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand and Malaysia.

With Thailand facing threats on all fronts, the U.S. increased the military and economic aid being sent. Like South Vietnam, Thailand was becoming increasingly dependent upon U.S. support.



Gen. William Westmoreland, the top U.S. commander in South Vietnam, awards a Thai soldier in 1968. (U.S. Army)

Despite the valuable assistance the Thai government had provided to the U.S., by August 1970 President Richard Nixon didnt consider Thailand as important as his predecessors did. Realizing this, the Thai government decided to halt its clandestine operations in Laos and asked the United States to remove American forces from Thailand.

While the request did have merit and the forces were removed over time, Thailands actions were more an act of political showmanship than anything else. Even though 48,000 U.S. troops were eventually removed from Thailand, covert operations continued, albeit to a lesser extent, until 1975.

Despite the departure of the American military, Thailand never fell under communist control like its neighbors to the east did. Indeed, Thailand emerged as one of the regions strongest and most stable economies. American troop withdrawal did not mean that American financial aid stopped, as happened in South Vietnam, and that may be one of the reasons Thailand was able to hold on when others could not.

Dana Benner holds a bachelors degree in U.S. history and Native American culture and a master of education degree in heritage studies. He teaches history, political science and sociology on the university level. Benner served more than 10 years in the U.S. Army.

This feature originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of Vietnam magazine. To subscribe, click here.
London Tubes and trains may run a 'scaled down' service on weekdays from as early as this week, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan warned today.

The Underground, Overground and Docklands Light Railway Service could see journeys reduced as thousands of commuters work from home.

The Mayor of London told Good Morning Britain that scaling down could begin as soon as this week and will also affect TfL Rail.

The plans would see journeys on weekdays cut down to the numbers customers are used to having at the weekend.

Mr Khan told the show: 'What we may do over the course of next few days and weeks is go down to a Saturday Sunday service and maybe scale that down over the course of the next few days and weeks.'

London Tubes and trains may run a 'scaled down' service on weekdays from as early as this week, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan (right) warned today

A sparsely-filled carriage on an Underground train in west London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatre

A sparsely-filled carriage on a commuter train between Maidenhead and London's Paddington Station the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres

He also revealed that despite requesting to attend the Government's Cobra meetings over the last few weeks to help the capital cope with the Covid-19 crisis, he was only finally invited yesterday.

'I've been asking to attend the Cobra meetings for weeks,' he said. 'For the first time yesterday morning we got call from downing street inviting us to Cobra.

'We were told London is a few weeks ahead of rest of the country and way this virus is spreading is faster than government and ministers thought.'

Other plans that could be rolled out to help London cope with the coronavirus pandemic include subsidising hotels to take in the homeless, he added.

'I raised this point yesterday in reference to rough sleepers,' he said. 'There's no reason at all bearing in mind record vacancies hotels and motels have that they shouldn't be used to help homeless.'

He demanded more clarity from the Government on whether pubs should shut or remain open.

Pictured: Carriages in Manchester are almost empty as people stay at home to avoid coronavirus

An empty King's Cross tube station in London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible

Pictured: King's Cross station in central London as the Prime Minister advises people to start social distancing

The Government is currently advising the public to stay away from bars, pubs and restaurants.

But Mr Khan said that because the Prime Minister has not ordered the businesses to shut they are not able to claim lost earnings on insurance.

'One of the biggest concerns is the lack of clarity,' Mr Khan said. 'We've had now bold action to add people's health we need bold action to help people's livelihoods.

'What I'm being told is because it's not a ban they cant claim for insurance. Many of these businesses rely on cash flow to pay wages - even a week's closure means they can't pay wages.'

He added: 'My concern about the lack of support for businesses is that people may choose to work to keep food on table rather than self-isolate.'

London commuters have told how they are closing down their work-places and preparing to work from home as the Coronavirus pandemic takes hold.

Businessmen, accountants and engineers were among the few passengers arriving at Waterloo station in what is usually the rush hour.

They told how they would pick up laptops and attend meetings to coordinate working from home. While key workers explained why they had to come into town.

Businessman Ivan Bell, 56, from Hastings, told MailOnline: 'I run a packaging design company and I've come in to organize how we are going to work from home.

'I have offices in London, New York and San Francisco.

'We have already shut the office down in California and today I will be shutting down the offices in London and New York.'

Accountant Sharon Da Costa, 50, from north London, told MailOnline: 'Today is my last day. Half of the office is already working from home and I'm just getting everything I need so I can do the same.'

Public Relations worker Emma Smith added: 'I've come in for a meeting to work out how we are going to work from home.'

Marketing Executive Helen Jones, 51, from Staines, said: 'This is my last day. I'm collecting my laptop so that I can work from home.

'Some of us left the office before the government announcement urging people to stay at home last night.'

Structural engineer Richard Whitehead, 48, from Fleet, Hants, said: 'We are working at the moment but I'm sure everything will soon grind to a halt.

'We are already having meetings by conference call so that people can work from home.'

Hannah Milbourn, 23, from Public Health England, explained: 'I can't work from home. I'm part of the team who is organizing the response to the Coronavirus and issues the guidance on how best to tackle. It.'

A university lecturer told how he was obliged to come to work until the institution closed down.

He added: 'As long as the students are coming I will be coming to work. We will put all lecturers online from tomorrow. But if the students are there I should be as well.'

University pay-roll manager Jenny Fitzgerald added: 'I'm the person who makes sure everyone gets paid. So I have to come in.'
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has broken his silence on moves to oust National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Faulting the moves, Tinubu said those behind them are infected by the 2023 virus.

In a statement he personally signed on Sunday afternoon, the former Lagos Governor said: While Corona has been presently contained in Nigeria, we must be alert to another sickness that seems rampant within a certain segment of society. That sickness is old Ambition-virus 2023. This illness afflicts many in the political class along with their allies in the media.



Those touched by this malady find that their ability to tell time and discern the difference between the present and the future has been strongly impaired. The carriers of this sickness are confused as to the very season our nation now finds itself.

They conflate things, which no sensible person would conflate. The primary symptom of their malady is the driving tendency to believe the events of 2023 will be decided before we even exit the year 2020.

Consequently, everything they say and do is geared toward obsessive jockeying for position to control and manipulate a race still three years away. In doing so, they recklessly undermine the very party which they claim to serve and weaken the administration of President Buhari to which they claim to be loyal. They line up to run a race for which the track has not even yet been constructed.

Put another way, they seek to pluck the fruit before the seed is even planted. As such, their actions border on the pathological. True, ambition is inherent in human endeavour. Without it, nothing great is achieved. However, strong ambition applied in the wrong way has never done anything positive.

At best, it results in confusion. Usually, its results in something worse. No matter how great ones ambition and how able one may be, nobody can rush or speed time. That is beyond the realm of human capacity. To do so is to contest against fate itself. When it ends, such a contest rarely ends well.

In a well-structured society, people come to understand that the time for politics is seasonal; it is periodic. The responsibilities of governance are what is perpetual. Many of our politicians sadly have inverted this reality. Politics and electioneering are secondary to governance for they are but tools of governance, the platforms by which one demonstrates his or her worthiness to lead a great people.

The more a person obsesses over and constantly engages in political manoeuvring is a warning sign. Not only is he prone to the 2023 virus. He likely has little to offer in the way of good governance. He wants to hold public office that you might serve him not he serve you.

For if he had adequately studied and been acquainted with the ways and means of progressive governance, he would be focused on that important task at the present moment. He certainly would not drown himself and all around him in harmful political intrigue.

Stating that Oshiomhole has worked tirelessly for the APC, Tinubu continued: The plotters launched their attack solely because they perceive the chairman as an obstacle to their 2023 ambitions. People went to court knowing full well the party constitution prohibits such action because these people had not yet exhausted all internal disciplinary procedures.

We even had a national deputy secretary improperly call for a NEC meeting on the basis that he believed himself the acting national chairman. Clearly, this man would not have summoned the temerity to make such a move had he not been instigated by powerful individuals who he thought would reward or, at least, protect him for committing the wrongful act.

Those engaged in these manoeuvres see themselves as clever or cunning. They do so because they only understand the mean craft of political intrigue. They have yet to understand the value and long-term utility of democratic governance. Thus, they embark on the strangest of quest. They would rather dismantle and weaken the institutional core of their party just to gain control of that weakened edifice in order to pilfer the party nomination, which they crave. This is more than sad.

Many of us expended sweat, tears, toil and sleepless nights to build this party. Our personal sacrifices were not insignificant. We built this party not simply as a vehicle for personal ambition. We built the party because we saw it as perhaps the only enduring hope to bring progressive governance to this nation. Those who now seek to abuse the party by using it as their personal device do it great harm.

They should not be allowed to sacrifice this collective enterprise at the altar of their self-aggrandizement. Somehow, some way they should find in themselves the bearing to adhere to the democratic spirit on which the party was founded. To be an APC member means more than merely carrying a membership card. It means to believe in a set of ideals and principles geared to our highest purpose as a party and a nation.

He tackled the anti-Oshiomhole elements within APC, stating they were distracting President Muhammadu Buhari from fixing the nation. According to him: In a broader context, those afflicted with the 2023 virus do a grave disservice to President Buhari and his administration. They should be trying their best to help the president. Instead of seeing President Buhari as our present leader and commander-in-chief, their sole contemplation is upon his eventual exit. Yet, not even a full year has passed since his second inaugural. How can they be committed to helping him realise his mandate when the fullness of their gaze is affixed to seizing this very mandate for themselves?

The President is faced with many challenges. He is fighting hard on security to keep the population safe. He is pushing for economic reforms that will augur future sustainable growth. His disdain for corruption remains unwavering. Add to it now the Corona crisis and its resultant social as well as economic impact. Politicians express loyalty to him but the words of too many of our politicians are like butter under a burning sun; they melt quickly away. Better to be loyal in deed. Instead of trying to manipulate party and other mechanisms solely to their political gain, it is time to shelve political intrigue for the time being. It is time for all party members to truly see what is at stake and work with Mr. President for the collective good of the nation.

This means we must rally around President Buhari. Instead of everyone saying they are working for the party and nation but going their separate ways based on their selfish designs, we must help him build a stronger national consensus on policies that will ensure safety and bring greater prosperity. If need be and when called upon, we must offer ideas and suggestions that move policy and progress forward. This is the time for governance. It is not the moment to bring the politics of 2023 into 2020. In due course, 2023 shall come. Nothing can prevent it. However, that time is not today. If we are earnest, the present offers sufficient work and challenges for us without trying to add to it by rushing the future. Let us dedicate our energies to helping President Buhari win the present. In this way, you better secure the future for the nation, the party and even for whatever personal ambitions you may nurture.

I have said what is on my mind in hopes that some people may leave the 2023 frenzy and commit themselves to the harder yet more rewarding task of improving progressive governance, whether within the party or at the local, state or federal levels. Yet, I am not so naive to think all will heed this counsel. The stubborn, those obsessed with the obsession of their ambitions, will ignore all advice.

They will constantly pull 2023 into all that occurs in 2020. Their vision is blurred and judgment made faulty by their ailment. We are democrats so we cannot physically quarantine them. However, we can quarantine their ideas and antics by not falling prey to them. This is the best way we help President Buhari fulfil his mandate and inoculate our party and the nation from grave folly.

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Over the years, musician and actor Miley Cyrus has distanced herself from the role that made her famous. She rose to prominence as the eponymous character on Hannah Montana in a role that paralleled her own life. But now, shes using nostalgia to target to the young millennials who grew up watching her on the Disney Channel. And she has an important message.

Cyrus had to cancel her Australia benefit concert

Miley Cyrus | Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic, Cyrus had planned to help aid another disaster. She announced in February 2020 that she was heading to Australia to headline a benefit concert in the wake of the bushfires that have caused destruction there.

However, as the coronavirus threat spread, Cyrus had to make the hard decision to cancel her concert, which she had been hard at work in rehearsals for. And as the threat has only grown since, it seems safe to say that she made the right call.

Shes dealing with quarantine the Hannah Montana way

As her fans (known as Smilers) are well aware, Cyrus got her start on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. A lot has changed over the years, but the silly sitcom proved to be a great way for the artist to communicate how shes feeling in the wake of all of this.

Cyrus posted a clip from Season 2, Episode 6 of the series, titled Youve Gotta Not Fight For Your Right to Party. In it, Hannah is forced to share a bathroom with her brother, Jackson, who leaves his things everywhere. Cyrus compared her characters reaction to the situation to her own, writing: Day 2 Quarantine. This is the REAL ME. RIGHT NOW.

Cyrus has an important message for her fans

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. And plenty of her followers reacted to the clip positively. So Cyrus continued to spread the Hannah Montana wealth, posting another clip with a powerful message. Be thoughtful. Respectful. Compassion. HUMAN, she wrote, encouraging her followers to practice restraint in lieu of buying up mass quantities of things like toilet paper and soap.

Its incredibly difficult to make smart decisions while panicking, but think twice before following the fear and being inconsiderate. There is enough to go around it we take care of one another. This is a beautiful time to LEAD, she finished.

Did Hannah Montana predict coronavirus?

In addition to her positive message, Cyrus couldnt help having a little bit of fun. She shared her own version of the Wash Your Lyrics meme featuring her song from Hannah Montana: The Movie, as well as an image of Hannah Montana brand hand sanitizer. And she had one more clip.

In Hannah Montana Season 3 Episode 27 Got to Get Her Out of My House, Miley and her family hire her best friend, Lilly, to clean their house. And she does it very well (as seen above). Cyrus jokingly hashtagged the post Hannah Montana predicted coronavirus. While the subject matter doesnt exactly line up, its a good reminder to keep cleaning during this time. We bet Cyrus is!
Under this amendment, OSE Immunotherapeutics will receive a 5 million milestone payment at the start of the Sjogren's Phase 2 study sponsored by Servier, originally scheduled to be part of a post-Phase 2 option exercise milestone.

Regulatory News:

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OSE Immunotherapeutics SA (Paris:OSE) (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) and Servier today announced the execution of an amendment to the two-step global licensing option agreement for exclusive global rights to interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) antagonist OSE-127. In particular, the amendment modifies the provisions regarding the option exercise modalities and associated financial conditions.

Under this amendment, OSE Immunotherapeutics and Servier have agreed to modify the provisions regarding the potential exercise of the option, amending step 2 of the option agreement, making OSE eligible to receive a 5 million milestone payment from Servier upon the enrollment of the first patient in the Phase 2a clinical study in Sjogren's syndrome and an additional 15 million payment upon exercise option completion of both Phase 2 clinical trials, and in priority upon completion of the Phase 2a clinical study in Sjogren's syndrome. The previous version of the agreement had the full 20 million milestone payment due upon completion of Phase 2 clinical study in Ulcerative colitis.

Alexis Peyroles, Chief Executive Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics, said: "We are very pleased with the terms of this amendment, further demonstrating Servier's commitment and strong belief in the potential of OSE-127, as a potential best-in-class treatment for autoimmune conditions. This milestone payment associated with this amendment, in line with our business model, will reinforce our cash position. The encouraging Phase 1 results with OSE-127 showing a good safety and tolerability profile for the product, together with a novel and differentiated mechanism of action as the only full-antagonist of IL-7R, support the potential of this compound to be an important therapy for patients suffering from Sjogren's syndrome or ulcerative colitis, both debilitating autoimmune diseases. We look forward to evaluating the product's efficacy in these indications through the two independent Phase 2 studies expected to be initiated this year."

Claude Bertrand, Executive Vice-President Research Development at Servier, said: "We are very pleased with the progress already achieved on OSE-127's program. Having two Phase 2 clinical trials to start this year is a significant milestone in R&D. Our collaboration with OSE will contribute to the acceleration of the development of therapeutic solutions for patients suffering from auto-inflammatory diseases with very strong medical needs."

Under the terms of the initial agreement signed in December 2016, OSE Immunotherapeutics granted Servier a two-step option agreement to acquire the exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize OSE-127 until the completion of a Phase 2 clinical trial planned in ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune bowel disease. OSE is eligible to receive up to a total of 272 million in development, regulatory and sales milestones. The 272 million include the upfront payment of 10.25 million, received in early 2017, and additional payments of up to 30 million to be paid upon the exercise of the initial two-step option, including 10 million paid upon exercise of the first option step and received in early 2019. Based on the positive Phase 1 results with OSE-127, two independent Phase 2 clinical studies are expected to start in 2020: in Sjogren's syndrome, under Servier sponsorship, and in ulcerative colitis, under OSE sponsorship. Under the current amendment, the second option provides a 5 million milestone payment upon enrollment of the first patient in the Phase 2a clinical study in Sjogren's syndrome and a 15 million milestone payment upon completion of both Phase 2 clinical studies and exercise of the option, in priority upon successful completion of the Phase 2 in Sjogren's syndrome.

About Servier

Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 149 countries and a total revenue of 4.6 billion euros in 2019, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group invests on average 25% of its total revenue (excluding generics) every year in research and development and uses all its profits for its development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier's constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development.

Becoming a key player in the fight against immune-inflammatory disease is part of Servier's long-term strategy. Servier wishes to bring innovative therapeutic solutions to patients suffering from these often highly debilitating pathologies. Its research focuses on lupus, Gougerot-Sjogren syndrome and scleroderma, for which no cure exists. This goal will be reached by establishing partnerships all over the world, to accelerate the marketing of innovative drugs with high added value for patients.

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About OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and artnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. The company has a diversified first-in-class clinical portfolio consisting of several scientific and technological platforms including neoepitopes and agonist or antagonist monoclonal antibodies, all ideally positioned to fight cancer and autoimmune diseases. The most advanced therapeutic-candidate, Tedopi, is a proprietary combination of 10 neo-epitopes aimed at stimulating T-lymphocytes and is currently in Phase 3 development in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients in failure after checkpoint inhibitor treatment (anti PD-1 and anti PD-L1) and in Phase 2 testing in pancreatic cancer in combination with checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo. BI 765063 (OSE-172) (anti-SIRPa monoclonal antibody) is under a license and collaboration agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim; this checkpoint inhibitor is currently under Phase 1 clinical trial in advanced solid tumors. BiCKI is a bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component anti-PD-1 (OSE-279) and targeting innovative targets. FR104 (an anti-CD28 mAb) has successfully completed Phase 1 testing and has potential to treat autoimmune diseases. OSE-127 (monoclonal antibody targeting the CD127 receptor, the alpha chain of the interleukin-7 receptor) is partnered with Servier under an option agreement up to the completion of a Phase 2 clinical trial planned in autoimmune bowel diseases; in parallel, Servier plans a development in the Sjogren syndrome. The Phase 1 clinical phase of OSE-127 is completed and has shown positive results; planned Phase 2 studies in ulcerative colitis and Sjogren's syndrome to start in 2020.

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Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics' management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "target", "plan", or "estimate", their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics' shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Reference Document filed with the AMF on 26 April 2019, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2018, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics' website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.

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Press contacts:

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Dubai will to host the next International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators (ICMA) in 2022/2023.

This was revealed at the ICMA congress held in Rio de Janeiro recently, said a Wam news agency report.

In showcasing the benefits of the UAE as a preferred jurisdiction for alternative dispute resolution, Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC) presented Dubais bid with the UAE to become the first Middle East country to host the event since ICMAs inception in 1972.

"I am very pleased and proud to hear that the UAE is the choice to host ICMA XXII in 2022/2023. This brings immense pride to the country and the community as it presents a great opportunity for the regions maritime law community to showcase their expertise," said Majid Obaid bin Bashir, Chairman and Secretary-General of EMAC.

"Yet another testament that the maritime fraternity has the confidence in EMACs services. We are delighted to be a part of the organising committee to host ICMA XXII. From its first day, EMAC has contributed to the growth of the maritime sector through its arbitration and mediation services to the benefit of the wider Middle East. We look forward to hosting all our industry colleagues and friends for around all corners of the world. We would like to thank AD Ports, DP World, Adnoc, DMCA and all who have supported the bid process," he added.

ICMA is a significant and informative event for the global maritime arbitration sector, and is in every maritime and commercial arbitrator's calendar. It is a forum for maritime arbitrators, mediators and lawyers from around the world to deliberate and exchange views. The conference is generally attended by arbitrators, lawyers, ship owners, charterers, and commercial professionals.
RAMALLAH, West Bank  One of the facades of Bethlehems The Walled Off Hotel was painted black in February to protest US President Donald Trumps so-called deal of the century, a peace plan for the region launched last year. Yet as this West Bank city turns into a ghost town after Israel and the Palestinian Authority imposed a full lockdown due to the novel coronavirus, the black wall seems a forecast of the grim days to come. In a humorous tribute to the coronavirus fears, the hotel has placed a surgical mask on the face of the monkey bellhop statue at its entrance.

The original decision to paint the facade black was made Feb. 3 to protest the US plan, explained Wissam Salsaa, who manages and co-owns The Walled Off Hotel along with mysterious British mural artist Banksy, who has been a frequent visitor to Bethlehem since 2007. The black paint on the hotels facade sends the world the message that the US plan is unfair and unjust to the Palestinian people, said Salsaa.

The hotel, whose name is an eyewink to the luxurious Waldorf hotels, neighbors the separation barrier in the city of Bethlehem, south of the West Bank. Salsaa often points out in his interviews that the hotel boasts the worst view ever as it overlooks the separation barrier curved around Bethlehem, with the Israeli camps and settlements in the rear. The idea behind the hotel is to have the Palestinians voices heard and sufferings highlighted, he told Al-Monitor.

Political messages are the forte of the hotel jointly owned by Salsaa and Banksy. Among Banksy's 80 works displayed in the hotel, one of the most political  and the best known  is the Scar of Bethlehem, a miniature manger in front of Israel's separation barrier. Unveiled in December 2019 around Christmas, the Scar of Bethlehem is placed on a medium-sized table in the reception area. It depicts Virgin Mary and Joseph, the carpenter, with baby Jesus on the manger in the middle, and a monkey and a cow to their side. The nativity scene is placed below a miniature replication of the separation barrier, the upper part of which is pierced by a star-shaped bullet hole, with Peace and Love drawn in graffiti letters in French and English. Three large, wrapped gifts are placed under the mini-manger.

Longtime friends Salsaa and Banksy began to explore the idea of doing something durable and permanent in Bethlehem for Palestine, Salsaa said. Opening a hotel and turning it into a piece of art had been Banksys idea, but it was Salsaa who found the building only 4 meters (13 feet) away from the Israeli apartheid wall. Located in close proximity to the daily clashes, the building was abandoned by its owners during the second intifada in 2000.

Salsaa rented and restored the building with help from his wife, Rasha, who is an architect. Banksy fed them ideas and filled the hotel with his works of art.

Inspired by the English gentlemens club, the three-story hotel consists of five sections. The lobby and restaurant area is designed in the classic English style with Banksys paintings and statues thrown in. The statues of three cherub monkeys wearing teargas masks  a reference to the teargas used by the Israelis when Palestinians protested the construction of the barrier  are on prominent display.

An ancient door in the lobby area leads to the nine bedrooms on the second and third floors. The hallways leading to the guestrooms are all decorated with Banksys artworks, as well as the rooms.

Next to the lobby area on the ground floor, there is a museum split into five divisions, each providing key moments of Palestinian history starting with the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The construction of the separation barrier and settlements, the wars on the Gaza Strip and the suppression of the popular resistance in the West Bank are also shown. The diorama of UK Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour, who promised the land of Palestine to the Jews, is placed at the entrance to the museum. Many items are on display, including audiovisual representations and the e-gates that resemble the ones installed at the military checkpoints.

There is also the large art gallery where masterpieces by Palestinian artists are exhibited, and a small atelier where visitors are given tools to draw and write on the separation barrier.

When the hotel opened with a big splash in March 2017, the international attention and fame were largely due to Banksy and his secret identity. The hotels success and value are mainly associated with Banksys reputation, Salsaa said. But the initial curiosity developed into a solid customer base. The hotel [has] hosted more than 300,000 visitors since its opening, he added.

The Walled Off Hotel seeks to deliver to the world the Palestinian peoples message, because many of the people in the world are not aware of the Palestinian reality, said Salsaa. It is the international media which shapes the image about Palestinians, and this image is mostly disfigured and erroneous. That is why the hotel is trying through arts to make the voice of the Palestinian people heard," Salsaa said, adding that the staff makes a point of informing the visitors about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Palestinian history and cause.

We are focusing on the power of arts to communicate the Palestinian narrative. We managed to achieve such a goal through the multiple activities conducted at the international level, Salsaa explained, referring to a street play organized by Banksy for the Balfour Declaration centennial in 2017, where children from the refugee camps saw a character playing Queen Elizabeth II apologize by unveiling graffiti that read SORRY.

"That was to stress the need that the UK apologizes for what it has done to the Palestinian people, more precisely for the Balfour Declaration, he said.

On Jan. 18, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas toured The Walled Off and expressed his pride in this art hotel that expresses the sufferings of the Palestinians in a creative manner.
Gov. Kate Brown took stricter steps Monday to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Oregon. She limited crowds to 25 people and ordered restaurants and bars to either shut down or serve take-out only.

Public health experts warned that without such drastic measures, the demand for intensive-care beds could quickly outstrip capacity.

Here are four key issues to know Tuesday:

SPREAD: The COVID-19 virus has infected more residents of a Linn County nursing home and reached residents of neighboring Benton County for the first time, public health officials said. Two adults from Benton County were among the 12 Oregonians who most recently tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Oregon Health Authority. It was the most new cases in a single day. But even that number is likely artificially low, because of the limited testing available in Oregon.

HEALTH CARE: Several hospital systems announced that they are collectively preparing for what they expect to be an onslaught of new patients as the virus spreads through Oregon. Researchers expect the number of new cases statewide will double every 6.2 days, said Dr. Renee Edwards, chief medical officer at Oregon Health & Science University. That will mean the state needs 1,000 additional hospital beds and another 400 intensive care beds in a matter of weeks. To prepare for the spike and to preserve medical gear, OHSU, Providence and other hospitals are delaying elective procedures.

RESTRICTIONS: The governors order that limited restaurants to serving takeout and delivery food only does have some exemptions. The ban does not include grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores and workplaces, Brown said. Still, the governor urged all Oregonians to avoid being around more than 10 people at a time.

REACTIONS: Public officials are also taking steps to respond to reported price gouging, which occurs when sellers significantly mark up in-demand goods. Two popular current targets? Hand sanitizer and toilet paper. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel issued a particularly stern warning: If youre putting our community at risk in order to make a buck during a time of crisis, in addition to rotting in hell, youll face the full weight of the legal power granted to me by the people of Oregon."

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive staff

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PARIS, March 15 (Reuters) - France is ready to spend tens of billions of euros to help companies get through the coronavirus, its finance minister said on Sunday.

"There will be all the money that is necessary. The state will be completely behind them." Bruno Le Maire told France 2 television. "The economic actors are in complete distress."

"The state will help everyone get through these difficult times and it will cost tens of billions of euros."

He said the government would do what is necessary to ensure that banks provide loans to companies that needed it and on Monday the government would announce a series of measures to help firms.

Les Echos daily newspaper reported that the government was preparing a plan of 30 billion euros ($33.17 billion) to support firms. ($1 = 0.9044 euros) (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Marine Pennetier)
At the Fine Wine and Good Spirit Store in the Ivyridge Shopping Center in Roxborough, customers were greeted with some empty shelves as they waited in line to purchase the beverages of their choice before the closing time of 9:00 PM on Tuesday March 17, 2020. Read more

As lines stretched out to the sidewalks in front of Pennsylvanias liquor stores before they closed indefinitely on Tuesday night, advocates raised concerns about how the state plans amid the coronavirus outbreak to care for people who are addicted to alcohol  for whom quitting cold-turkey can be life-threatening.

State health officials said in a Tuesday afternoon news conference that they were working on help for people with alcohol dependencies, through Pennsylvanias Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Though they acknowledged that the concern is an important one, they did not provide any further details on the plan.

 READ MORE: Pennsylvania reopens online liquor sales, but site unavailable due to high demand

In Philadelphia, health officials noted that there are other places around town to get alcohol: The state, of course, isnt suddenly entering a second Prohibition era. Pennsylvanians can still buy wine and beer at the grocery stores and convenience stores that are licensed to stock it, said Elizabeth Brassell, a spokesperson for the state Liquor Control Board. Bars and restaurants that have suspended dine-in services still sell beer and wine to go, if theyre licensed for it. Independent breweries, wineries, and distilleries can also sell alcohol to carry out.

But advocates for those with alcohol dependency say making alcohol less accessible can still pose a problem for people deep in addiction, with limited resources. People who cant afford to buy enough wine or beer to satisfy their needs and rely on hard liquor may face alcohol withdrawal, said Bill Stauffer, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for people in addiction and recovery.

 READ MORE: A liquor run before the Pa. shutdown: This is to make being at home with the kids ... a bit more tolerable

If youre a middle- or upper-class person with heavy alcohol use, youre going to find a way to get to those distilleries and get hard liquor," he said. For poor members of the community who may not have access to those kinds of services, its going to continue to be a concern. Hopefully there are efforts to target support for them.

Henry Kranzler, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the schools Center for Studies of Addiction, said that because alcohol is still available in other locations besides liquor stores, he didnt believe closing the stores is going to be a huge problem, particularly in the context of everything else."

He said closing PLCB stores was likely the right decision to limit the spread of coronavirus, part of a wider plan across the state to practice social distancing and isolation as cases of COVID-19 climb throughout the United States.

Still, he said, higher costs and lower access to alcohol could present a problem for some.

 READ MORE:

Severe alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, even life-threatening. Simple withdrawal  where someone feels shaky, has headaches, and is nauseated  isnt serious and dissipates with time, Kranzler said. But severe withdrawal can bring on tremors, delirium, seizures, and autonomic instability  dysfunction in the nerves that regulate non-voluntary body functions. This can cause death.

Those that are beginning to experience alcohol withdrawal, they need to get somewhere they feel safe and be treated. Trying to do that on their own can put them in a perilous situation, said Joseph Garbely, chief medical officer at Caron Treatment Centers, which he said has been preparing for a potential influx of people in alcohol withdrawal.

Kranzler recommended that people worried about alcohol withdrawal during coronavirus-related shutdowns should try to taper down their drinking, rather than stop abruptly. If they need medical help, they should call a doctor or call ahead to an emergency room to avoid sharing space with people who may have the virus.

Stauffer said that the state should work to educate people about alcohol dependency and withdrawal so they can make decisions about how to seek care.

Ive worked with people who didnt realize they were dependent, until something happened where they couldnt get access to it, and they dont realize why theyre going into withdrawal, he said. I think were going to focus on getting the public care and education  what does alcohol dependence look like, how common is it, and what to do in those circumstances.
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.
Melbourne researchers have mapped immune responses from one of Australia's first novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, showing the body's ability to fight the virus and recover from the infection

Melbourne researchers have mapped immune responses from one of Australia's first novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, showing the body's ability to fight the virus and recover from the infection.

Researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) - a joint venture between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne hospital - were able to test blood samples at four different time points in an otherwise healthy woman in her 40s, who presented with COVID-19 and had mild-to-moderate symptoms requiring hospital admission.

Published today in Nature Medicine is a detailed report of how the patient's immune system responded to the virus. One of the authors on the paper, research fellow Dr Oanh Nguyen said this was the first time that broad immune responses to COVID-19 have been reported.

"We looked at the whole breadth of the immune response in this patient using the knowledge we have built over many years of looking at immune responses in patients hospitalised with influenza," Dr Nguyen said.

"Three days after the patient was admitted, we saw large populations of several immune cells, which are often a tell-tale sign of recovery during seasonal influenza infection, so we predicted that the patient would recover in three days, which is what happened."

The research team was able to do this research so rapidly thanks to SETREP-ID (Sentinel Travellers and Research Preparedness for Emerging Infectious Disease), led by Royal Melbourne Hospital Infectious Diseases Physician Dr Irani Thevarajan at the Doherty Institute.

SETREP-ID is a platform that enables a broad range of biological sampling to take place in returned travellers in the event of a new and unexpected infectious disease outbreak, which is exactly how COVID-19 started in Australia.

"When COVID-19 emerged, we already had ethics and protocols in place so we could rapidly start looking at the virus and immune system in great detail," Dr Thevarajan said.

"Already established at a number of Melbourne hospitals, we now plan to roll out SETREP-ID as a national study."

Working together with University of Melbourne Professor Katherine Kedzierska, a laboratory head at the Doherty Institute and a world-leading influenza immunology researcher, the team were able to dissect the immune response leading to successful recovery from COVID-19, which might be the secret to finding an effective vaccine.

"We showed that even though COVID-19 is caused by a new virus, in an otherwise healthy person, a robust immune response across different cell types was associated with clinical recovery, similar to what we see in influenza," Professor Kedzierska said.

"This is an incredible step forward in understanding what drives recovery of COVID-19. People can use our methods to understand the immune responses in larger COVID-19 cohorts, and also understand what's lacking in those who have fatal outcomes."

Dr Thevarajan said that current estimates show more than 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases are mild-to-moderate, and understanding the immune response in these mild cases is very important research.

"We hope to now expand our work nationally and internationally to understand why some people die from COVID-19, and build further knowledge to assist in the rapid response of COVID-19 and future emerging viruses," she said.

###
An elderly father and his devoted son have captured the hearts of thousands after a photo of them talking through a window of an assisted living facility went viral.

Sandy Hamilton, an employee at Whispering Pines Assisted Living in Minnesota, witnessed the moment and took to Facebook on Sunday to share the poignant image, which has since been shared more than 789,00 times.

'My assisted living is on lockdown so he comes every day to see his dad and they talk through the phone, sweetest thing ever,' she wrote.

Heartwarming: A poignant photo of an elderly father and his son talking through the window of his assisted living facility amid the coronavirus pandemic has gone viral

Touched: Sandy Hamilton, an employee at Whispering Pines Assisted Living in Minnesota, took to Facebook on Sunday to share the image after witnessing the sweet moment

In the picture, the father is sitting in a recliner, talking on the phone with his son, who is relaxing in a folding chair outside of his window.

Most nursing homes and care centers across the country have restricted visitation and gone on lockdown to protect those who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults ages 60 and up and people with severe chronic illnesses are more likely to become severely ill from the virus.

With more and more people looking for creative ways to stay in touch with their loved ones, particularly their elderly relatives, Hamilton found the moment between the father and son incredibly touching.

She posted the image of the two men making the best out of a bad situation with their consent, and it quickly went viral.

Going viral: The post has been shared 789,000 times and received over 18,000 comments

More than 18,000 people have commented on the picture, with many commending the son for making such an effort to see his father.

'That's what love looks like!' one person wrote.

'This is an example of the part of humanity that should be celebrated,' another added.

'Omg what a lovely thing to see,' someone else commented. 'So nice to see a son who cares so much.'

As of Tuesday, there have been 5,244 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US and 94 deaths.

To slow down the spread, President Donald Trump released a series of coronavirus guidelines that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools.
The World Health Organization on Monday asked all countries to ramp up their testing programmes as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic.

We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva, adding that all countries should test all suspected cases. Without testing, cases cannot be isolated and the chain of infection will not be broken, he said.

However, the Indian authorities have taken a diagrammatically opposite approach, instead choosing to restrict coronavirus tests to only those with recent travel history to affected and high-risk countries or those known to have come in contact with confirmed cases and also exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

Restricted Testing Protocol

So if you have a cold, cough or fever and don't have a history of travel to countries that are high-risk at the moment or have not come in contact with travellers, chances are that you will not be tested immediately for coronavirus.

This highly-restricted testing protocol has meant that India has only tested 9,000 people for the virus as of Monday. Compare this to South Korea, which is testing as many as 12,000 people per day. The high amount of testing done by the country, which has fourth-most cases, has been credited with saving lives and reducing the impact of the disease.

While India has lagged in testing suspected cases, the country was one of the first to essentially shut its borders, cancel visas and deny entry to foreigners from high-risk nations. The government has also now started ordering the same kind of restrictions as in the worst-hit nations. Schools, movie theatres, swimming pools, gyms, even offices are being shut. Large public gatherings are being banned.

But these containment measures, as strict as they have been, only work to an extent. In a country as overcrowded as India, some people always slip the net. This has been the case with many people fleeing isolation wards in various states and coming in contact with others, risking community transmission.

In the early stages of an outbreak, contact tracing, isolation, and individual quarantines are regularly deployed to contain the spread of a disease.

But experts point out that these tools are useless if suspected cases of a disease are not tested. And this is a void that the Indian government has failed to fill in time.

Expansion Plans

On Tuesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country's apex body on biomedical research, finally announced that the administration has decided to expand the number of labs that can test patients for COVID-19 from the present 72 government facilities.

Another 49 non-ICMR, Ministry of Health, and other government laboratories will also be engaged for testing by the end of this week. This would include the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Defence Research and Development Organisation, DBT and government medical colleges.

Apart from this, 51 private labs accredited with the National Accreditation Board of Laboratories will also be roped in for the tests, but they will have to acquire probes on their own and this may take another 7-10 days.

Despite the limited amount of testing done, the ICMR has insisted that there has been no community transmission of COVID-19 in the country.

Community Transmission Risk

We are in stage 2. We are not in stage 3. There are four stages. Third stage is community transmission which we hope we shouldnt have, ICMR director-general Dr Balram Bhargava said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

This claim is backed up by random sampling, rather than expansion of testing to those without travel and contact history.

Dr Bhargava said that a random sampling exercise was done as part of which 1,000 people were tested in February and another 1,000 were tested in the first 15 days of March. All the February samples and the first 500 March samples were negative, the ICMR DG said.

Community transmission is when a patient cannot be traced to a known confirmed case, going undetected. Since India has among the lowest testing rates in the world, around 5 in a million, it cannot be ruled out with certainty.

Nivedita Gupta, ICMR scientist, epidemiology and communicable diseases division, said that low testing has been done to avoid indiscriminate and futile testing. We have to rationalise it somewhere, she told News18.

ICMR scientists have also said that early testing of asymptomatic people may throw of false negative results. This protocol has been adopted despite recent studies suggesting that 80 per cent of the people spreading the disease may not even know they are infected.

Lack of Kits

Part of the reason for the restricted testing method could be the low number of test kits available with the Indian authorities. According to various estimates, India only had 1.5 lakh test kits and lack of any domestically made kits made it entirely reliant on imports.

Thyrocare Technologies Limited, a chain of diagnostic and preventive care laboratories, on Tuesday told News18 that obtaining kits from abroad has been a challenge because of the airlines being in lockdown and travel bans imposed by the government for several nations.

An Indian-developed kit is also a few weeks away at the minimum as the Chennai firm said to be the first to manufacture one in India said getting clearances from government facilities will take at least two to three weeks.

The reasons for this slow response of the Indian industry and the full extent of the difficulties laboratory have faced has remained largely opaque, considering the pace at which some other countries worked after Chinese scientists uploaded a copy of the viruss genome to an online repository on January 10.

Government scientists now insist that India will scale up its testing kits to a million and orders have been placed with the WHO and Germany. Till then, it will rely mainly on urging people to practice social distancing that shifts the onus of stopping the spread of the virus from the government to the public.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Pakistani President Arif Alvi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks here on Tuesday with visiting Pakistani President Arif Alvi.

"At present, the Chinese government and Chinese people are working hard to score an all-around victory against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)," said Xi.

Xi praised Pakistan's support for China, noting that at the beginning of the epidemic, President Alvi wrote him a letter to convey consolation, and Alvi's latest trip marks his firm support. The Pakistani side also offered everything within their capabilities to provide China with anti-epidemic materials.

"China is deeply grateful for Pakistan's support. Facts have proved once again that China and Pakistan are true friends who share weal and woe and good brothers who share each other's joys and sorrows. The special friendship is a historical choice, and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples," said Xi.

The epidemic is currently erupting at different places around the world. Countries should work together to fight the epidemic, said Xi.

"China is willing to make more contributions to preventing the spread of the epidemic worldwide, and will continue to provide support and assistance to Pakistan," said Xi, adding that China always adheres to the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

"No matter how the international situation changes, China will always stand firmly with Pakistan, and is committed to deepening the ironclad China-Pakistan friendship, so as to make China-Pakistan relations a model for building a community with a shared future for humanity, and better benefit the two peoples," Xi said, adding that China is glad to see a Pakistan of unity, stability, prosperity and strength.

Xi said China will continue to support Pakistan in maintaining national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and support Pakistan in pursuing a development path that fits its national conditions.

He called on the two sides to maintain exchanges of visits and meetings between leaders, promote cooperation in key areas and projects, and build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into a model of high-quality development within the Belt and Road cooperation. He also urged strengthening communication and cooperation in international and regional affairs.

"China is willing to continue to provide support to Pakistan in controlling the locust plague," Xi added.

Alvi said that under the strong leadership of President Xi, China has achieved significant positive results in the fight against the epidemic, to which he expressed sincere congratulations on behalf of the Pakistani government and people.

Alvi said in the face of the disaster, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have demonstrated outstanding leadership and strong capability in mobilization. China's experience and practices provide useful lessons for other countries.

It is believed that after the epidemic, China will become even stronger. The attempts by some forces to use the epidemic to stigmatize and isolate China run against the will of the people and are doomed to fail, said Alvi.

Pakistan and China are ironclad brothers who can go through thick and thin together, said Alvi, stressing that the two peoples feel deep amity toward each other and the bilateral friendship becomes even firmer as time goes by.

The more difficulties there are, the more the friendship and solidarity between Pakistan and China can be displayed, said Alvi, noting the Pakistani side thanks China for its assistance and will stand with China to overcome current difficulties.

Alvi said Pakistan will continue to support China on issues concerning China's core interests, and is willing to maintain close exchanges with China, deepen cooperation and make efforts in building the Pakistan-China economic corridor. Pakistan will continue to promote bilateral anti-terrorism cooperation and work together to safeguard fairness and justice in the international arena.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents.

The two countries also issued a joint statement on deepening the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
In the days since President Trumps declaration of a state of national emergency on Friday, confusion has marked the messages from the White House about the nations 2.1 million federal workers. At first, the recommendation from the acting budget director was that limited telework should be made available to the elderly, to those who are pregnant and those with health risks. Mounting criticism resulted in Sundays guidance from the White House asking agencies to offer maximum telework flexibilities to all eligible employees and use all existing authorities to offer telework to additional employees. But the directive is not mandatory, leaving decisions about teleworking up to each individual agency and resulting in a hodgepodge of policies. Every agency is scared to death to do anything without getting approval, and they dont want to be the first, one senior manager was quoted in a report by The Posts Lisa Rein, Ian Duncan and Tracy Jan.
(Natural News) Officials at e-tailer Amazon said over the weekend that customers should expect some delays as the company works diligently to fill a surge of orders likely tied to the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

The warning comes even as officials claimed they were preparing to hire as many as 100,000 new warehouse workers  but without any mention of how thats going to happen if nationwide quarantines or localized shutdowns occur to curb the virus spread.

As reported by The Epoch Times, company officials noted that some items are already going out of stock in response to increased demand.

In particular, you will notice that we are currently out of stock on some popular brands and items, especially in household staples categories, Amazon wrote in a blog post on Saturday.

Meanwhile, other promised deliveries could now take longer to get to customers.

We are working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on additional capacity to deliver all of your orders, said the Seattle-based company.

Amazon also noted that it would be monitoring its sales platform for signs of sellers hawking shortage items like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and water at inflated prices to take advantage of customers.

Were also working to ensure that no one artificially raises prices on basic need products during this pandemic and have blocked or removed tens of thousands of items, in line with our long-standing policy. We actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policy, the blog post noted.

In order to keep its own employees safe and to protect shipments, Amazon said it was undertaking improved daily cleaning procedures and doing cleaning nightly as well.

In addition to serving our retail customers, were making sure Amazon Web Services customers have the tools and support they need to keep their businesses and organizations moving forward safely and efficiently, said the company.

What happens if Amazon workers get sick?

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon would surge-hire an additional 100,000 warehouse workers and delivery personnel as well as bump up pay by $2 per hour in order to meet demand.

The paper added:

The tech giants decision to go on a hiring spree and boost worker pay shows the dual challenge companies such as Amazon face as they seek to meet surging demand for food and key household items and also take care of employees at the front lines of the pandemic.

The decision to hire more personnel comes amid measures taken by several states  including Washington, where Amazon is based  to lock down cities and limit residents activities due to the virus. (Related: Report: US will be overwhelmed with coronavirus cases, virus testing FAILING.)

Thats what makes Amazons decision to hire more people a risk: What happens if they get sick? Will entire distribution centers have to be shuttered? And thats if the company can even find enough workers who arent already in cities where mayors have ordered near-complete shutdowns like New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

On Monday, President Trump stopped short of issuing a national lockdown order but did introduce guidelines that Americans, some businesses, and state leaders should follow in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

They include some now-familiar suggestions like shuttering restaurants and bars and using drive-up and/or delivery instead; staying indoors if you feel sick; staying away from nursing homes where older, more vulnerable people reside; washing hands; and avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people.

The problem for Amazon will come when even more people are added to the companys warehouses at a time when infection rates have yet to peak. If distribution centers begin to shutter because of the virus, then shortages will only get worse and people more desperate.

Sources include:

TheWallStreetJournal.com

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
Air India pilots have sought urgent financial aid from the government citing their Covid-19 duties. In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri, the two Air India pilots unions - Indian Aviation Guild and the Indian Commercial Pilots Association - said that coronavirus has wreaked havoc across the globe.

During this time, Air India employees have gone above and beyond to get our countrymen back from Covid-19-affected countries worldwide, the pilots bodies said in the joint letter.

On one hand the cabinet has openly praised the recent efforts of Air Indians and the national carrier but on the other, the government has not infused any funds. Our fundamental right to wages for work already done is being flouted time and again, the letter further said.

This repeated withholding of wages is straining us financially, said the pilots associations.

We urge you to provide urgent financial aid to Air India so that we, the airlines employees, can keep on doing our jobs and (continue) serving the nation, they stated.

Hundreds of Indian nationals have been brought back from coronavirus hotspots across the world on Air India flights. On Sunday, a special flight of Air India carrying 211 Indian students and eight other passengers, who were stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy, landed in Delhi.

More than 230 people were also brought back from Iran, another epicentre of coronavirus, on the same day.

With global travel bans due to the pandemic, many airlines across the world are staring at massive losses and fear going bust as the worsening coronavirus crisis ravages demand.

Major world airlines have announced deep cuts to service, with US carriers formally releasing a plea for a bailout of some US $50 billion.

Earlier, European carriers announced additional cutbacks in service due to the crisis. Britains Virgin Atlantic added that it has decided to park 75 per cent of its total fleet, and in April this will rise as high as 85 per cent.
Diplo is social distancing himself from his young sons after being in contact with 'hundreds of people' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 41-year-old DJ and producer made the difficult decision to stay away from his two sons Lockett, nine, and Lazer, five, as he can't be certain he isn't carrying the virus, and doesn't want to spread it to them or their grandmother.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the star shared a video of himself and his sons pressing their hands to either side of a glass door separating them as he wrote: 'My son's are too young to understand the complexities of what's happening.

Precautions: Diplo is social distancing himself from his young sons after being in contact with 'hundreds of people' amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured in Janaury

'But they aren't anxious and nervous like the rest of us. They live in a house with their grandmother who is the most vulnerable.

'I have been in contact with hundreds of people in the past four weeks... And I'm staying away from the house until I am cleared of the virus.' [sic]

Diplo, real name Thomas Wesley Pentz, has admitted it 'hurts' to be away from his offspring, but is making a 'sacrifice' to ensure those around him are 'safe'.

Decision: The doting dad made the difficult decision to stay away from his two sons Lockett, nine, and Lazer, five, as he can't be certain he isn't carrying the virus. Pictured in February 2017

Separated: Taking to Instagram on Monday, the star shared a video of himself and his sons Lockett and Lazer pressing their hands to either side of a glass door separating them

Limited contact: The star's youngest son Lazer was seen playfully interacting with his father

He added: 'This hurts because I miss them so much they are what makes me wake up every day and live and breath, they are my ultimate joy, but this is my sacrifice to make sure everyone around me is safe...

'I haven't had this much time home in years, and I wanted to build Legos and watch movies with them.. But for now im just going to stay by the window and listen to them play drums and sing for me.' [sic]

Diplo also encouraged people to 'think about others' when trying to deal with the potentially deadly virus, as it has proven particularly dangerous for the elderly, as well as those with underlying medical conditions.

He wrote: 'Think about others in every decision you make in the coming weeks. This isn't A drill.. We already have enough news from Italy Iran Korea and China about the best ways to slow this.

Constantly on the move: The musician's busy career sees him regularly performing in front of sizeable crowds. Pictured with (L-R) Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus in April 2019

Life and soul: Last month, he shared footage of himself partying with carnival revellers in Brazil

'We need to be smart, going out and interacting with groups is canceled, but kindess is not canceled, Love is not canceled, empathy is not canceled. Happiness is not canceled... Stay strong for the ones who can't right now.' [sic]

In a follow-up post, the star, who shares his sons with former partner Kathryn Lockhart, insisted that the best way to combat the virus for everyone to assume they're infected and then take the necessary precautions.

He said: 'People are asking if I have Covid-19.. And no, not that I know of... But you need to assume everyone who isn't in a quarantine has this disease and doesn't know.. YOU NEED TO ASSUME EVERYONE HAS THE VIRUS.... AND YOU NEED TO ACT LIKE IT..

'You can carry the virus for weeks and show no symptoms. (80% of people carrying it do not show symptoms or only have mild symptoms) but you can unwillingly transfer it to everyone you come Into contact with until there is a vulnerable person that's contacts it from you.

Shooting: Late last month, Diplo was rushed to safety after a shooting at the start of one of his sets that left two people injured during Carnival in Brazil

Safety first: The DJ and record producer ducked for cover as the shots rang out just moments before he was due to begin his set in Pinheiros, Sao Paulo

'You must assume that you have it.. to stop the disease where it is right now.. The minute everyone acts like that - is the minute the clock starts to contain it. We are very far from that moment still. And you til then our lives will change..

'No work / no interaction.. Some of us could run out of rent money or food.. So if you have the power to be responsible for the ones that can't .. You need to do it. The faster we start, the faster we can recover.' [sic]

Late last month, Diplo was rushed to safety after a shooting at the start of one of his sets that left two people injured during Carnival in Brazil.

A man and a woman were reportedly shot during an attempted theft at the street party in Sao Paulo.

Rushed: He was rushed from the stage on top of a truck as gunshots were fired in the crowd

Diplo was about to introduce himself on stage, taking selfies and recording the crowd on his phone at the moment the gunshots rang out.

He could be seen ducking for cover at the end of his Instagram post as security guards rushed into the crowd.

Witnesses at the scene claimed the chaos began when a man tried to snatch a chain off a fellow reveller's neck.

The alleged theft victim then pulled a gun out and shot the assailant, hitting him in the stomach.

Cases: More than 180,000 people globally have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and at least 7,000 people have died  the true number of cases is likely to be significantly higher

Guidelines: Healthy people below the age of 70 have been urged to work from home if they can, to avoid socialising or going out and to stop all non-essential travel

A female friend of the alleged thief was caught ion the crossfire and shot in the thigh, according to police.

Producer Diplo was on top of a truck when the shooting happened and was rushed to safety by security guards.

As a result the rest of the producer's set and the street party parade were cancelled.

The producer, who is behind Major Lazer, had also performed at the Latinha Mix block in the Pinheiros district of the city the previous night.
Lee Dinzik waits for her testing as she sits in her car while medical personnel prepare, at a drive-through coronavirus testing lab in West Palm Beach, Miami, on March 16, 2020. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Florida Governor Orders Bars, Nightclubs to Close for 30 Days

All bars and nightclubs need to close for 30 days, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered on March 17.

Youve seen a lot of things about people congregating at some of these things, DeSantis said at a press conference. We view that as something that could be problematic for spreading the virus.

The order takes effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Stealth carrierspeople who dont have symptoms or have such mild symptoms but are nevertheless passing it alongis something that really nobody has a handle on, DeSantis said. If theyre not meeting in those big groups, then the chance of that being passed on is less.

While bars and nightclubs need to close for a month, restaurants are not being ordered to shut down.

Amended guidelines for restaurants include only seating up to 50 percent of the total capacity and advising screening for employees, blocking any that show symptoms or elevated temperatures.

Voting precinct clerk Edgar Moore wears protective gloves and has a mask ready as people arrive to vote during the Florida presidential primary as the coronavirus pandemic continues in Miami, Florida, on March 17, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Customers are being encouraged to get take-out or delivery instead of dining in.

DeSantis also said hes asking Floridas university board of governors to mandate students go home and take classes online for the remainder of the spring semester, prompted in part by four University of Florida students testing positive for COVID-19, the disease the virus cases.

We dont want large crowds of people congregating right now, the governor said. We want enough isolation so that the virus has more difficulty spreading throughout the community.

University of Florida President Kent Fuchs told students in a letter after the press conference that those who havent home home yet must do so if possible. Employees who can work remotely were being strongly encouraged to do so.

Students on spring break at beaches should avoid gathering in large crowds, the governor said. No group of more than 10 people should be on a beach, with appropriate distance between the groups.

A mobile police tower overlooks an area of South Beach that the city closed in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Miami Beach, Florida, on March 17, 2020. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Local governments are free to order stricter measures, DeSantis added, noting that some counties have seen zero or few cases while others have been heavily affected.

Florida on Tuesday reported 192 patients have tested positive for the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which started in China last year and causes symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Six people have died in the state.

COVID-19 disease can be deadly for some patients, primarily the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

Social distancing measures have been put into place in most states to try to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected hundreds in New York, Washington state, California, and Florida, with at least one case in nearly every state in the nation.
Mr. Shepherd, 47, is a conspicuous presence wherever he goes in Houston. He favors one-arm bear hugs, cargo shorts and button-down shirts that hang loosely over a physique that splits the difference between Santa Claus and a defensive lineman. He takes a youthful delight in his success. The house he is remodeling includes a bourbon wall and a wine room similar to his steakhouses.

But an earnest determination to use his fame to lift Houston also seems to weigh on him. Mr. Shepherd is the most prominent chef to come out of Texass most populous city since the heyday of Southwestern cuisine in the 1980s and 90s. When Mr. Shepherd won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Southwest in 2014, he was the first Houston chef in 22 years to receive the honor.

Its a lot for one person to shoulder, he said.

Mr. Shepherds responsibilities have grown more intense as he scrambles to respond to the coronavirus. On Monday, an order was issued limiting all Houston restaurants to pickup, delivery and drive-through service. Mr. Shepherd had already reduced the hours and ramped up the takeout operations at all of his businesses.

He was also forced to cancel Southern Smokes spring fund-raiser, scheduled for later this month. The charitys mission is to provide support to members of Houstons food and restaurant community, and it had just started to see a rise in applications from people who lost jobs because of the pandemic  a trend unlikely to end soon.

Were a crisis relief organization, said Kathryn Lott, Southern Smokes executive director. And the crisis hasnt even really hit yet.

Later this year, the Beard Foundation plans to give its first Best Chef Texas award. Its the latest sign of what many Texans feel is overdue recognition for restaurants in the second-largest state. Houstonians debate how much credit Mr. Shepherd deserves for the states rising status, but they agree that he benefits from it.

I get the complaint that he takes up too much of the air in the room, said Alison Cook, the restaurant critic at The Houston Chronicle and a fan of Mr. Shepherds. But I think what it eventually means is that everyone gets more air.
Oman Air Cargo, a division of the national carrier of Oman, was awarded the Fastest Growing International Cargo Airline of the Year (Highly Acclaimed) at the Air Cargo India 2020 awards gala held recently in Mumbai.

Mohammed Al Musafir, senior vice president  Oman Air Cargo, said: We are humbled and honoured to receive this award on such an important, international platform. We thank all our customers and industry partners for their trust and faith in Oman Air Cargo, which has helped us in our development and growth over the years, and we look forward to their continued support."

2019 was another year of significant growth for Oman Air Cargo. With 112,500 tons of cargo transported, Oman Air Cargo achieved year-on-year growth of 16 per cent in terms of tonnage. In spite of the years challenges, 2020 will see more developments and growth in delivery of special products, thanks to customized solutions to customers with special commodities including Pharma, Fresh Produce, Valuables and Dangerous Goods, along with improved services including shorter acceptance and dwell time with express connections through its state-of-the-art hub in Muscat.

Oman Air Cargo officials received this recognition at The STAT Trade Times Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo, part of Air Cargo India 2020. The gathering is a popular and important event within the air cargo community which acknowledges pioneering work by companies and leaders in the international air cargo sector. This event was attended by senior dignitaries from throughout industry sectors including airlines, freight forwarders and other partners.

"Recognition at an event of this magnitude reflects and commemorates that everyone at Oman Air Cargo works with determination and professionalism to earn customers trust and confidence," Al Musafir added. - TradeArabia News Service
LAS VEGAS, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AGS (NYSE: AGS) (the "Company") today announced that its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at a location to be announced in Las Vegas, Nevada. The record date for the meeting is April 13, 2020.

To be timely, pursuant to AGS' Bylaws and Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, any notice of business or nominations with respect to the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by no later than 5 p.m. PDT on March 27, 2020. Any such stockholder proposal must be submitted and must comply with the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and AGS' Bylaws.

Proxy materials will be mailed to shareholders of record on or about April 15, 2020, and will available on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov and on AGS' website at http://investors.playags.com/.

About AGS

AGS is a global company focused on creating a diverse mix of entertaining gaming experiences for every kind of player. Our roots are firmly planted in the Class II Native American gaming market, but our customer-centric culture and growth have helped us branch out to become a leading all-inclusive commercial gaming supplier. Powered by high-performing Class II and Class III slot products, an expansive table products portfolio, highly rated social casino solutions for players and operators, and best-in-class service, we offer an unmatched value proposition for our casino partners. Learn more at www.playags.com.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Language



This release contains, and oral statements made from time to time by our representatives may contain, forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and projections, which are intended to qualify for the safe harbor of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the public offering and other statements identified by words such as "believe," "will," "may," "might," "likely," "expect," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "believes," "continues," "projects" and similar references to future periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections of future events.

These forward-looking statements reflect the current views, models, and assumptions of AGS, and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or qualified and could cause actual results in AGS's performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of AGS to maintain strategic alliances, unit placements or installations, grow revenue, garner new market share, secure new licenses in new jurisdictions, successfully develop or place proprietary product, comply with regulations, have its games approved by relevant jurisdictions and other factors set forth under the section entitled "Risk Factors" its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2020, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements speak only to the facts and circumstances present as of the date of this press release. AGS expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contacts:

Julia Boguslawski, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Investor Relations

[email protected]

Steven Kopjo, Director of Investor Relations

[email protected]

2020 PlayAGS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All notices signify marks registered in the United States. All  and  notices signify unregistered trademarks.

SOURCE AGS

Related Links

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Macron says restrictions, including punishment for those who flout rules, needed as people ignored previous warnings.

French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered stringent restrictions on peoples movement to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and said the army would be drafted in to help move the sick to hospitals.

France had already shut down restaurants and bars, closed schools and put ski resorts off-limits, but Macron said measures unprecedented in peacetime were needed as the number of infected people doubled every three days and deaths spiralled higher.

In a sombre address to the nation, where the virus has killed 148 people and infected more than 6,600, the president said that from Tuesday midday (11:00 GMT) people should stay at home unless it was to buy groceries, travel to work, exercise or for medical care.

Anyone flouting the restrictions, in place for at least the next two weeks, would be punished.

I know what I am asking of you is unprecedented, but circumstances demand it, Macron said.

Were not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress.

France will deploy 100,000 police to enforce the lockdown and fixed checkpoints will be set up across the country.

Stay at home, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said, adding that fines of up to 135 euros ($151) would be handed out to those who do not respect the new restrictions.

Macron said tougher action was needed after too many people ignored earlier warnings and mingled in parks and on street corners over the weekend, risking their own health and the wellbeing of others.

Coronavirus infections and fatalities in France and Spain have been surging at a pace just days behind that of Italy, the epicentre of the outbreak in Europe where hospitals in the worst-hit northern regions are stretched to breaking point.

Seeking to offer reassurance to businesses, Macron said the government would guarantee 300 billion euros ($335bn) worth of loans. The loan guarantee plan would be submitted to Parliament in coming weeks and would be retroactive, a finance ministry source said.

Rent and utility bills owed by small companies would also be suspended to help them weather the economic storm, he added.

No French company, whatever its size, will be exposed to the risk of collapse, Macron said.

Under the new measures, soldiers would help transport the sick to hospitals with spare capacity and a military hospital with 30 intensive care beds would be set up in the eastern region of Alsace, where one of the largest infection clusters has broken out.

Macron said he was postponing the second round of local elections on Sunday.

Because the governments sole focus needed to be fighting the pandemic, he said he was suspending his reform agenda, starting with his overhaul of the pension system  an issue which ignited months-long protests.

The government would, when necessary, legislate by decree to fight the coronavirus, he said.
ITALY -- As the days go by, the number of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continues to rise in Italy.

Currently there are 23,073 positive cases in the peninsula, marking 2,470 additional cases in only 24 hours, according to the latest data Italian officials released on Monday afternoon.

Overall, Italy recorded 27, 980 cases, with 2,749 people who healed and 2,158 who tragically died, according to the data.

We cannot let our guard down, Italian Prima Minister Giuseppe Conte said.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Conte recently declared a lockdown of the whole country until April 3 as the country registered the largest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and deaths outside of China.

We are fighting the most important challenge of the past decades, the most serious one after World War II, to win it we need the responsible contribute of 60 millions Italians, Conte said.

In an act to support each other while quarantined, Italians have organized flash-mobs throughout the country.

Every day at 6 p.m. people go out on their balconies and start serenading their neighbors with singing and music.

The Advance/SILive.com previously reported on how Venetians are dealing with the lockdown.

Its like being at war, said Stefano Spezzamonte, who works in Venice and whose daughter lives on Staten Island.

As of Monday night, Veneto, the region that includes Venice, recorded 2,473 COVID-19 cases overall and 69 deaths, making the third most affected region in the country.

The governor of the region, Luca Zaia, announced this week a proposal to randomly test people on their way to grocery shop -- one of the very few activities still permitted by the government.

Zaia said the region itself would pay for the tests.

I dont care about the budget that much, Zaia said to the Italian newspaper Il Corriere Della Sera. [The budget] is worth less than the life of my constituents.

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LONDON  The coronavirus may be spreading fear and uncertainty across the globe, but despite the anxiety  and fast-dwindling number of shoppers  independent British brands and retailers have forged ahead in the last week, unveiling new concept spaces.

They are all bursting with color and optimism, from Mira Mikatis new rainbow-hued store in South Kensington, the brands first permanent retail foray, to Koibirds new concept highlighting Lagos Fashion Week and Natasha Zinkos all-pink souvenirs and takeaway shop in Mayfair.

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Here, a roundup of the most noteworthy openings. As the U.K. awaits the inevitable announcement of stricter lockdown measures and some stores decide to close of their own accord, these are some names worth remembering and supporting with a visit  post-crisis, naturally.

Mira Mikati:

Mira Mikati has always been one of the loudest advocates of feel-good fashion, with her child-like illustrations, rainbow motifs and flair for bright, clashing colors. She wanted to channel the same feel better vibes in her new South Kensington store, not far from Chanel, Canada Goose and MSGM.

Mikati teased her retail ambitions last year with a pop-up store created in collaboration with Colette founder and consultant Sarah Andelman, but now she is bringing her full vision to life with a permanent space that doubles as a playground for adults and children alike and a varied retail offer that spans fashion, food and art.

The label is all about positivity, optimism, colors and happiness. As a lifestyle brand, my aim was to create an experimental space that wouldnt just be a retail shop but more a playground where one can shop, re-energise discover new things all in one space, nicknamed the happy house for providing a constant supply of happiness, said Mikati, who hosted a launch last week while taking all necessary precautions. I was very surprised to see many people turned out, I feel that people were looking to escape what is currently going on in the world, looking for some feel-good moments in the aim of ending the negative energy that has been going around.

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The 790-square-foot space features rainbow-hued chairs and a staircase, life-size dolls and a bright, patterned floor and seesaw in its courtyard created by the color-obsessed artist Yinka Ilori.

Apart from Mikatis own ready-to-wear collections, the store stocks accessories by French label L/Uniform; a food corner by the popular chain Wild and the Moon; matcha teas and powders sourced from Brooklyn-based Kettl; Superflowers CBD skin care, and a selection of books and home accessories.

I decided to have everything that I love from food to other complementing happy brands. There will be different concepts and brands throughout the year but all around the same positive and optimistic vibe, Mikati added.

Koibird:

Concept boutique Koibird  known for its destination-inspired themes that change every six months  has now reopened its doors for spring with a new concept spotlighting Lagos fashion scene. Lagos is the latest international inspiration for Koibird, which has so far transported its clients to the slopes, with alpine fashion edits, and to the beach, L.A. and South Korea.

The edit, in partnership with Lagos Fashion Week, features designers from across the continent, most of which were scouted during Lagos Fashion Week last season. They range from LVMH Prize-winner Thebe Magugu to Kenneth Ize, who made a buzzy Paris Fashion Week debut with Naomi Campbells support on the catwalk, and a wide-ranging series of names exclusive to Koibird in the U.K., such as Rich Mnisi, a rtw and furniture designer; streetwear label Wafflesncream, and Loza Maleombho, an Ivorian designer known for her feminine tailoring, which counts the likes of Solange as a fan.

We attended Lagos Fashion Week to discover African brands making waves and were blown away by the talent, diversity and energy on show. Sustainability and a slow fashion model is one that designers employ naturally and we fell in love with brands from a number of Africas fashion capitals who take inspiration from their cultures to create a contemporary aesthetic, said Belma Gaudio, the stores founder and creative director.

In line with its new concept, the retailer, which is known for going all out with its interiors, has reimagined its Marylebone store with a black-and-white graphic theme inspired by the work of Senegalese artist Babacar Mbodj Niang.

It will be delving further into the lifestyle category with labels like Baba Tree, which offers baskets that are handwoven by Ghanaian artisans, and Moroccan ceramics by Bouchra Boudoua. It is also debuting its first vintage edit with pieces from the likes of Fendi, Moschino and Yves Saint Laurent.

Beyond the store, the African media platform Nataal will be taking over the retailers new blog to talk about the continents contemporary culture.

Natasha Zinko:

Natasha Zinko recently moved her London flagship to Dover Street, a location with higher footfall that offers her fledgling label more visibility. But with a few more months remaining on the lease of her previous Mayfair location on Maddox Street, Zinko, a sworn optimist, wanted to make the most of it.

She has brought to life a takeaway and souvenirs concept shes had in mind for a while now: She built a bar with bright pink ceramics featuring the little piglet illustrations seen on her spring 2020 clothing; created chairs using leftover fabrics from her studio, and started serving matcha teas and ice cream, turmeric lattes and Napoleon cake, with a side of hoodies and T-shirts bearing the brands logo.

In the same way she has been pushing the sustainability agenda in her rtw collections, Zinko has taken an eco-friendly approach with her foray into food and beverage, too, using recycled caps and only producing small quantities of snacks every day to avoid food waste.

These are all the healthy things I love to eat and you dont find this kind of offer in Mayfair. Were trying it out and if it works we could do a pop-up in our flagship store next, which has even better footfall or we can move it to Soho, said Zinko, who will be operating the space until this summer.

Tres Bien:

Swedish mens wear brand and retailer Tres Bien opened its first concept store in Londons Soho area, right across from JW Andersons flagship, another newcomer in the neighborhood. The store is discreetly located in a mews, off of buzzy Wardour Street, with no obvious branding or clothes displayed in the windows, save for its bright blue storefront.

We want people to not be able to see whats in the window. Its like a neighborhood shop, where you need to walk in and get to know us, said Simon Hogemann, who cofounded the business with his brother, Hannes.

The brothers are stocking their own label, as well as curating leading mens wear names ranging from Stussy, to Craig Green and Dries Van Noten. I wanted to cut through the selection and look at whats the essence. Theres a bit of younger fashion energy, mixed with streetwear and contemporary pieces, Hogemann added.

Their aim is to constantly change the stores edits and offer exclusive capsules, hence the minimalist, adaptable interiors of the store that are also true to the Hogemanns Swedish sensibility.

Its a blank canvas. Everything is movable and we could easily change things around to dedicate the space to one single brand. Its a plus to be flexible and mobile, said Hogemann, who is cooking up a partnership with Asics next. Weve been around for 15 years online, so we have a following for sure. Were going to experiment and see whats right for this year.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

The medical supplies and equipment have been imported and are being imported into Azerbaijan upon Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs instructions as part of the fight against coronavirus, Chairman of the Azerbaijani parliaments Committee on Health Ahliman Amiraslanov said.

Amiraslanov made the remark at the parliamentary meeting in Baku on March 17, Trend reports.

Chairman stressed that Azerbaijan has enough laboratories to analyze the virus and the country closely cooperates with the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of the fight against COVID-19.

Amiraslanov stressed that large-scale and high-quality work is being carried out in Azerbaijan to combat this dangerous virus, while the population must also feel responsibility in this sphere.

Unfortunately, we have shortcomings in this sphere, the chairman said. Relatives of those arriving from abroad try to take them home bypassing quarantine, but this is very dangerous. If a person has a virus, then it may spread widely. Isolation is also very important. Families continue to walk anywhere, exacerbating the dangerous situation.

On the other hand, it is also wrong to create the hype but it is necessary to beware of this virus, the chairman said. In general, the population must be responsible and comply with the rules set by Azerbaijan. In this case, we will overcome this virus."

Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues spreading rapidly around the world.

The long incubation period of coronavirus, the speed of spreading the virus and the lack of a vaccine forces Azerbaijan to take more serious measures, the Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers said.

The WHO has declared coronavirus a global pandemic. Based on WHO recommendations and requirements on the virus prevention, it became necessary to undertake a number of urgent measures in the country.

In this regard, a decision was made to postpone the mass events for a month. The organizations related to the public and private sectors, the citizens are required to strictly observe special rules on preventing the coronavirus spread.
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 14:40 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b40fda 1 World COVID-19,Malaysia,lockdown,Indonesians,Wuhan-coronavirus,coronavirus,restriction Free

Simandjuntak Yosep Parulian, 46, an IT consultant based in Kuala Lumpur, is one of the many Indonesians who will be affected by the Malaysian governments new policy to restrict the movement of people in order to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Malaysian government announced on Monday that it would enforce a partial lockdown, which will be come into effect on Wednesday, after the country experienced a recent surge in confirmed cases.

Malaysia reported 125 new cases on Monday, taking its total to 553, the highest number in Southeast Asia. Nearly two-thirds of the new cases are linked to an Islamic gathering attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 from other countries, Reuters reported. Three Indonesians were also infected at the event.

Yosep said the situation in the city remained normal ahead of the lockdown, although people were still rushing to supermarkets to stock up on supplies.

Its fine [here]. But we are just starting to work from home and our kids are starting to take their classes online, Yosep told The Jakarta Post via instant messaging on Tuesday.

Its different from the lockdown implemented in Wuhan. People in Kuala Lumpur, for instance, will still be able to travel to other cities in the country, he said. Behind my apartment, there is a construction site and the builders are still working as usual, he added.

It [the partial lockdown] has not caused panic.

In a televised speech on Monday evening, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the measures, which will remain in place from Wednesday until Mar. 31.

Schools and universities will be shut, as will government and private business offices, except those that provide essential services, Muhyiddin said. Foreigners will not be allowed into the country and citizens will not be allowed to leave.

These actions must be taken by the government to stem the spread of the pandemic that may take the lives of our countrys people, Muhyiddin said.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister explained that supermarkets and minimarts would remain open.

However, mass events such as public weddings and small-scale funerals will not be allowed as well as religious activities including Friday prayers. All religious activities are totally banned, the statement read.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesian citizens are still allowed to leave the country.

However, people like Yosep are reluctant to leave Malaysia as they will not be allowed to reenter as foreigners.

Agung Cahaya Sumirat, the head of the information, social and culture department at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, said on Tuesday that Indonesians in the country were prepared for the situation. We have been communicating with a number of Indonesians here. They remain calm, he said.

However, the embassy has yet to announce any measures it will take to ensure Indonesian citizens receive adequate supplies during the lockdown.

Currently, around 700,000 registered Indonesians live in Malaysia, but Agung said the number could be higher.

We cannot depend on the embassy. We should be proactive, too, said Yosep, who said he had taken several steps to prepare ahead of the lockdown.

Taking advantage of the supermarkets that remain open, Yosep has begun to stock up on supplies such as a two week supply of canned and dried foods that are enough for two weeks.

However, he said it was still difficult to find face masks and hand sanitizer.

Other than that, it is just the same as usual."
COVID-19 Response

Updated List of Statewide School Closures with Closure Dates

(Updated May 11; originally published March 17) With nearly every state shutting down schools for the rest of the 20192020 academic year, many are now weighing options for summer school, with decisions expected in the next few weeks. Plans for the fall appear to be on hold for most states.

Forty-seven states so far have extended their statewide school closures through the remainder of the school year  44 by mandate, three by recommendation. Of those that have not closed for the remainder of the year:

Montana has allowed schools to reopen as of May 7, although most districts remain closed to in-person instruction. Schools that did reopen in that state are practicing social distancing and taking other precautions with students reentering school buildings. Prior to this, Montana's Department of Education had recommended that all schools in the state remain closed through the end of the school year. Montana was previously included in our list of states that shut down schools for the remainder of the school year.

Nebraska schools are closed until May 31, which for many districts in that state is beyond the last day of the academic year anyway. No word yet as to whether that closure date will stand or be extended to encompass all schools in the state.

The Wyoming school closure order is currently set to expire May 18. This latest closure extension was issued just a day before the previous closure order's expiration of April 30, and neither the governor not the Department of Education has yet begun hinting at what comes next.

Plans for Summer and Fall

We're now beginning to track statewide plans for summer schools, along with highlights from some of the major school districts. Most states have not yet issues clear guidance on summer school with regards to potential in-person instruction. In states without clear guidance, many large districts have already announced cancellation of in-person instruction for the summer. Here's what is known so far. (Red indicates a state has clearly closed summer schools to in-person instruction; green indicates open.)

Closed Through the End of the Year

States explicitly ordering or advising their schools to remain closed to in-person instruction through the end of the 20192020 academic year now include (bold indicates extension announced this week; green indicates a recommendation rather than a mandate; links are to official documents where possible):
A retired school teacher has being convicted of fondling schoolboys five decades ago.

Patrick Harte (78), of Glendown Park, Templeogue, Dublin, had denied 11 counts of indecent assault of seven complainants at the Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street.

The offences took place between September 1968 and September 1970.

The jury of six men and six women began deliberations on Friday.

After a little over six hours, they brought in guilty verdict on all counts.

The verdicts were by majority, with two jurors dissenting.

The trial, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, heard that the defendant was a teacher at the primary school in the late 1960s when the complainants were aged around 10.

Anne Rowland, prosecuting, told the jury the accused would fondle some of the boys after calling them to the top of the class.

Trousers

One complainant, now in his 60s, told the trial the accused called him up to the front and put his hand down his trousers and fondled his genitals.

He said Harte had previously physically assaulted him.

Harte had strenuously denied the allegations.

Judge Martin Nolan remanded him to appear for sentence on April 27.
MATTYDALE, N.Y. -- A Mattydale woman is accused of recklessly causing the death of a 23-month-old boy she was babysitting last summer.

Jessica Sims, 24, of 103 Roxboro Circle, was charged Thursday with first-degree manslaughter, a felony, in connection with the death of Lennox Santiago, of Liverpool, Onondaga County sheriffs spokesman Sgt. Jon Seeber said.

Sims was running a daycare out of her apartment at Orchard Estates in Mattydale at about 4:30 p.m. July 17 when she called 911 to say the boy had fallen out of a chair and struck his head, Seeber said.

When emergency crews arrived at the apartment, Santiago was unconscious, but breathing with a weak pulse, Seeber said.

NAVAC ambulance rushed the boy to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, where he underwent brain surgery for a severe head injury, according to the sheriffs office.

Santiago died two days later, on July 19.

Detectives assigned to the Abused Persons Unit interviewed Sims a few times, and reviewed evidence and autopsy reports during the eight-month-long investigation.

During the investigation, they learned Sims was the only adult in the apartment at the time. There also were three other young children in the home when Santiago was injured, Seeber said.

When detectives asked Sims questions about the boys injuries and exactly what happened, her story changed on several occasions, Seeber said.

Sims admitted to detectives she struck the boys head on a coffee table, but it was not immediately clear why, Seeber said. Detectives say thats what caused the boys injuries, he said.

Santiagos obituary said the boy passed away peacefully... after twenty three happy months. It also said he had an infectious smile and radiated love to everyone he met.

Sims was arraigned on the manslaughter charge, as well as violating probation, Thursday in Centralized Arraignment Court.

Records show Sims was on probation following a DWI-related arrest from Sept. 9, 2017. At the time, Onondaga County Park Rangers charged Sims with driving while intoxicated, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Police said Sims drove her car over a pedestrian crosswalk that goes over Interstate 690, through barricades and through a wooden fence. She was stopped on the West Shore Trail along Onondaga Lake Park, records show.

A judge last week sent Sims to the Onondaga County Justice Center on $25,000 bail or $100,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Salina Town Court.

Sims remained in jail Monday night, according to the sheriffs office.

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A primary school has banned parents from entering its grounds at pick-up and drop-off times in a desperate bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Aitken Hill Primary School, in Craigieburn in Melbourne's north, announced the stringent new measures on Monday.

'During the afternoon, again we ask that parents do not enter the school grounds. We will let students leave as normal except for the Prep students,' the school wrote in a letter to parents.

'The Prep team and the leadership team will coordinate their dismissal. Our teachers are planning for student learning at home should our school be closed.

'At this stage, there is no direction from the Department of Education to close our school or others.'

Aitken Hill Primary School, in Craigieburn in Melbourne's north, announced the changes on Monday

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (front) argued the decision not to close schools was based on how the disease presented in children, and to avoid busy health and emergency workers being forced to look after their kids

'Our teachers, support staff and leaders are very visible and welcoming in our school, and its hard for us to not interact with our community as we normally would.'

The school said the measures are temporary and will continue to update parents as they receive information from the Department of Education and Training.

Other schools in Victoria have not been told to close but some private schools across the state - such as Ballarat Grammar, Carey Baptist Grammar School, Loreto Mandeville Hall, St Kevin's and Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah College - have decided to shut their gates.

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

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton argued the decision not to close schools was based on how the disease presented in children, and to avoid busy health and emergency workers being forced to look after their kids.

'There is currently limited information on the contribution of children to transmission of COVID-19,' he wrote in a statement.

'For pre-emptive school closures to be effective, prolonged closure is required and it would be unclear when they could be re-opened.

'If there were still a large pool of susceptible students when schools are re-opened, there would be likely to be re-emergence of transmission in the community.'

Some of Victoria's biggest universities are moving classes online after a state of emergency was declared in Victoria to deal with the spread of COVID-19.

La Trobe, Monash and Swinburne universities announced on Monday night that from Tuesday all classes will be suspended until the end of the week so staff can prepare for online learning.

Swinburne University will pause lectures until next week, while those at La Trobe and Monash will be recorded and made available online.

Schools in New South Wales have adopted social distancing measures, including cancelling assemblies, excursions and travel, as well as some events and conferences in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

The Association of Independent Schools of NSW said some of its 500 schools will start teaching students remotely.

St Christopher's Catholic Primary School in Panania in Sydney's southwest closed on Monday after a person who attended an event hosted by the school tested positive for the disease.

The University of Technology Sydney has paused all lectures, tutorials and classes for a week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the Today Show on Monday he was following the advice of the nation's top doctors and still sending his children to school.

'My kids are going to school. I trust the medical advice of those who are responsible for the medical health of our nation,' Mr Morrison said.

A statement from the Department of Health and Human Services was sent to schools on Monday amid the COVID-19 outbreak

St Christopher's Catholic Primary School in Panania in Sydney's southwest closed on Monday after a person who attended an event hosted by the school tested positive for the disease

'They don't consider these things idly, they consider them very carefully. It's a fact that younger people are less at risk and there are greater risks in school closures.'

There have now been more than 368 cases of coronavirus in Australia, and five people have died.

Globally at least 7,100 have died and 181,800 have been infected.

A state of emergency was declared on Monday to enforce the national 14-day isolation sanctions on all travellers coming into Australia, announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the weekend.

Anyone returning from overseas will have to self-isolate or risk fines of up to $20,000, while police officers will have the power to can detain people, restrict movement and prevent entry to premises.
France's finance minister said Tuesday that he was willing to nationalise large companies to protect them from bankruptcy, while warning that the country faces recession this year as the coronavirus epidemic sinks the economy.

Bruno Le Maire announced a 45 billion euro (USD 50 billion) aid package to help businesses and employees cope with the escalating health crisis.

"I will not hesitate to use any means at my disposal to protect large French enterprises," the minister said during a conference call with journalists.

"This can be through capital injections or stake purchases. I can even use the term nationalisation if necessary," he said.

Le Maire earlier described the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic as an "economic and financial war." "It will be lengthy, it will be violent... this war will require us to mobilise all our forces," he told RTL radio.

Additional economic support measures will be announced shortly, he said, and will be based "on a growth forecast of minus one per cent, that is to say negative growth." France's national debt will exceed 100 per cent of GDP this year, he added, well above the European Union's guidelines of not more than 60 per cent.

France's markets regulator also moved Tuesday to ban short-selling in 92 stocks for the day in a bid to tame the fierce volatility on financial markets as nervous investors try to assess the virus' economic toll.

Short-selling involves borrowing shares to sell them, effectively betting their price will fall so they can be bought back cheaper, allowing the investor to pocket the difference.

The practice can put immense downward pressure on prices at times when buyer interest is virtually non-existent.

France's Financial Markets Authority (AMF) said that "taking into account the significant losses in recent days on the financial markets" it had decided "an urgent step" was needed.

The short-selling ban would last all day Tuesday for stocks especially hard hit when a global sell-off saw Wall Street plunge nearly 13 per cent on Monday.

Le Maire said he was prepared to impose a short-selling ban of up to a month if necessary.

The Paris market, like its European peers, did slightly better in early trade Tuesday, gaining 4.0 per cent, helped in part by the short-selling ban, dealers said.

By mid-morning, however, gains were being eroded as virus worries once again came to the fore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There are 20 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Pennsylvania, bringing the statewide total to 96, the state Health Department said Tuesday.

Five of the new cases are in Cumberland County, bringing the total in that county to 10. Those are the only cases reported in the Harrisburg area.

Heres a breakdown of the other new cases: two in Allegheny County; one in Beaver County; three in Bucks County; two in Chester County; two in Delaware County; two in Montgomery County; two in Philadelphia County; and one in Washington County.

There are 879 patients who have tested negative, the department said. Commercial labs have emerged as the primary testing option for most Pennsylvanians, so data is not available on the total number of tests pending. No fatalities have been reported in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvanias health secretary, has said the number of cases is likely to grow. She continues to urge residents to protect themselves - and their neighbors.

Pennsylvanians have a very important job right now: stay calm; stay home and stay safe," Levine said in a statement. "We have seen case counts continue to increase and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is stay home.

Gov. Tom Wolf has closed Pennsylvania schools and called for non-essential businesses to shut down to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The state-owned liquor stores will close tonight and counties and municipalities have revamped their operations due to the pandemic.

The health department has slated a media briefing for 2 p.m.

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.

More coverage:

Dealing with coronavirus crisis, districts offer students new versions of school lunches

Coronavirus and elections: Pa. county officials fear they cant pull off April 28 primary without changes
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau had a blunt but simple message on Monday for Canadians travelling outside the country: If you're abroad, it's time to come home.

But as the coronavirus outbreak has prompted border restrictions and flight cancellations around the world, many travellers are struggling to return sooner than planned.

"You can't get ahold of anybody, you can't actually get a flight home," Ottawa resident Saralyn Hodgkin, who is with her husband and two boys in Costa Rica, told CBC News Network.

"I'm stressed out. I'm well and I'm healthy and I'm stressed out."

WATCH | An Ottawa resident in Costa Rica talks about being 'stressed out' over travel arrangements:

Hodgkin said her family has a return flight booked for Thursday, but wanted to come home earlier, and they have been trying to contact Air Canada.

"It just didn't work out. People are not available, phone lines are not available," she said. "It's frustrating and challenging."

Anthony Eric Williams-Jones, a professor in McGill University's department of earth and planetary sciences, along with five students, had travelled to Morocco for an annual two-week geological field trip. However, they are now stuck in Casablanca, having discovered on Sunday morning that their flights back to Canada had been cancelled.

WATCH | Justin Trudeau urges Canadians abroad to return home:

"We're trying to do things very methodically, so literally we have spent all of our time contacting  online  airline companies, travel agencies ... to try and get us out of this country to anywhere that might then allow us to get back to Montreal," he said.

They spent "hours and hours" looking for other options and were able to secure a flight to Qatar that leaves on Wednesday and then a flight from Qatar to Montreal on March 22.

"That's the best we could come up with. As you can imagine it's bedlam," he said. "I was in the Royal Air Morocco service centre yesterday and it was a free-for-all. People were literally fighting with each other, everyone scrambling to get out of this country."

Story continues

Submitted by Anthony Eric Williams

He said because of that fighting, he was unable to book a flight that was leaving on Sunday,

"We literally could not get contact with a service agent because of the fights that were breaking out in the room around me."

Kingston, Ont., resident Abhishek Sharma, 34, left for India in Feb. 11 with his wife and two daughters. At the time, he had no real concerns about the coronavirus and was more focussed on introducing his new 10-month-old daughter to the family in Kapurthaia, Punjab.

"Last Wednesday, I started panicking because there were so many cases in different parts of the world," said Sharma, a project manager at Queen's University.

Return flight too costly

He decided he wanted to return to Canada as soon as possible and not wait for his scheduled April 1 flight. He tried to contact Air Canada, spending hours, calling repeatedly, but had no success, he said. Then, someone on Twitter gave him another Air Canada number, he said, and after a 2-hour wait on hold, he spoke with an airline representative.

He was told the only flight available from New Delhi to Toronto was March 23, but that it would cost $9,000 for his entire family. That would have been on top of the $7,200 he said he already paid for the return tickets.

He said he couldn't afford it, so he will have to wait until April 1.

"I hope the flights aren't cancelled by that time," he said. "All I care about is the safety of my family. I just want to come back as soon as possible to be in my home."

WATCH | An Ontario family in the Dominican Republic describes the challenges of finding a flight back to Canada:

On Twitter, Air Canada has said that given the high volume of calls related to COVID-19, it is asking customers to contact their original booking source for inquiries, or if they booked with the airline, that they look forward to serving them "as soon as we are able."

As well, for those considering making changes or cancelling travel plans, the airline said it has "enhanced [its] flexibility in order to help" and that passengers should visit their website.

Meanwhile on Monday, Trudeau announced that the federal government will set up a support program for Canadians who need to get on a plane. The program will provide an emergency loan to Canadians "in need of immediate financial assistance to help return home or to temporarily cover their life-sustaining needs while they work toward their return," the government said in a statement.

The repayable loan program, which offers up to $5,000 per traveller, is styled after one already in place for Canadians in trouble abroad. It's meant to "bridge the gap" for Canadians who may have unexpected longer stays or see a spike in ticket prices.

WATCH | A Quebec woman in Spain expresses concerns over border closures:

Kim Sheehan, from Rawdon, Que., who is vacationing with her husband in southern Spain's Costa del Sol, said they have changed flights and airlines three times as they tried to get home as fast as they could.

But she said the flights are mostly booked or being cancelled, and for what is available, the prices are more than $2,000 per person one way,

However, they do have a flight booked with British Airways to London, England, on Friday, and a WestJet flight back to Canada in the middle of next week.

After March 29, she will have no place to stay in Spain, and she's concerned about border closures and the potential cancellation of flights in Spain and London.

"We want to get out before borders are closed," she said. "So we're just hoping we'll be able to fly out."
Australian aircraft must be cleaned more thoroughly, a union says, with sleeping blankets being reused on Qantas domestic flights and many Jetstar planes not disinfected after every trip.

A shortage of face masks, hand sanitisers and sick bags caused by a strain on China's manufacturing supply is escalating airline workers' concerns about health and safety on Australian planes as the coronavirus continues to spread.

Questions have been raised about the cleaning of domestic flights Credit:Heath Missen

Of the 298 confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia, 151 cases had direct or indirect links to travel outside of Australia. There have been 33 positive cases on Qantas flights and 14 on Virgin flights.

The Transport Workers Union wants cleaning on Australian planes to be improved in the face of the virus threat.
By PTI

LONDON: Britain's Indian-origin finance minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday unveiled a "bold" rescue package to help UK businesses and the economy survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer joined British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his daily briefing from 10 Downing Street in London to announce that he is making available 330 billion pounds of loan guarantees to businesses to help them meet their day to day needs amid the ongoing near-lockdown.

"The coronavirus pandemic is a global health emergency but it is also an economic emergency. We have never in peacetime faced an economic fight like this one," said Sunak, who acknowledged that people's anxiety about the disease is matched by their anxiety about their livelihoods and therefore "unimaginable" level of intervention is required.

"This is not a time for ideology or orthodoxy. This is a time to be bold. A time for courage," he said, adding that he will do "whatever it takes" to support people's jobs and incomes.

As part of his bailout package, Sunak extended a business rates holiday to all businesses in the retail and hospitality sector for 12 months as well as a cash grant to help them survive and said any business that needs help will be able to access a loan on attractive terms.

ALSO READ| UK government says 'reasonable' estimate that 55,000 could be infected with coronavirus

An agreed facility with the Bank of England will help support liquidity amongst larger firms and for smaller firms, the business interruption loan scheme will be extended to offer loans of up to 5 million pounds.

Mortgage lenders will give a three-month mortgage holiday to people who need help and there will also be special help for airlines, hit particularly hard as a result of travel restrictions around the world.

"Yes this enemy can be deadly, but it is also beatable - and we know how to beat it and we know that if as a country we follow the scientific advice that is now being given we know that we will beat it," Johnson said, as he reiterated Monday's advice for everyone to avoid unnecessary social contact and travel. "We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy," he said.

The near-lockdown in place across the UK to tackle the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed 55 lives in the UK, has threatened the closure of large numbers of businesses in the country, including pubs, bars and restaurants.

The new financial package announced by Sunak builds on the 12 billion pounds he had set out last week in his first Budget in the House of Commons, when he suspended business rates for many firms in England, put in an emergency temporary loan facility in place, extended statutory sick pay for workers, set up a "hardship fund" for local authorities and boosted NHS funding.

Johnson said, "As time goes on we will learn more and more about the disease and the effects of our actions. And while we need national unity, we also need international cooperation. And although we now need to impose physical distance between ourselves, we must at the same time have closer social support for each other."

It follows draconian measures he had announced on Monday which calls on people not to go out, even to buy food or essentials, other than for exercise and in that case at a safe distance from others. "Advice on avoiding all social contact is "particularly important" for those aged over 70, pregnant women and those with other underlying health conditions," Johnson said.

People have been advised to start working from home "where they possibly can" and "avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues". It triggered a string of event cancellations across the board, including West End plays, sporting fixtures and the annual UK Asian Film Festival which was due to begin next week.

"We are in a war against an invisible killer," UK health secretary Matt Hancock said, adding that emergency legislation to tackle the virus would be introduced in Parliament on Thursday. The total number of people in the UK to test positive for the virus has risen by 171 in a day to hit a total of 1,543.

London is facing the brunt of the crisis and is said to be nearing the peak faster than other parts of the country, with the number of cases set to rise dramatically within days. "It looks like we're on the fast upswing or just about to get there and that's the reason to want to get in quite quickly with these measures," said Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government's Chief Scientific Adviser.

Measures would be escalated once again in the coming days, when those with underlying health problems would be told to isolate themselves for three months. The UK government says it wants to ensure that the period of maximum protection coincides with the peak of the epidemic.
Starting Tuesday, every German cross-border employee is required to present a certificate when crossing the border into Luxembourg.

Employers were advised to provide the document to all German residents, in the event that their presence at work was necessary.

The government scrambled to publish the certificates after German minister Horst Seehofer announced on Sunday that Germany would be closing its borders.

In the event that France joins Germany in shutting down borders, Luxembourg authorities have prepared a certificate for cross-border workers, which became available on Monday evening here https://gouvernement.lu/dam-assets/documents/actualites/2020/03-mars/certificat-frontaliers.pdf .

Currently, cross-border workers passing from Germany into Luxembourg must show the employer's certificate and either their identity card or a certificate of residence to border authorities.

However, a number of questions remain. Stefan Dohn, press spokesman for Trier police, said they expected there to be people who were not registered, such as Luxembourgers resident in Germany.

Dohn recommended that people register as soon as possible, but explained in some cases, a person might be permitted to cross the border if they could provide proof of residence.

Other exceptions would be made for patients requiring treatment in German hospitals, or family members living either side of the border who need to collect children.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 15:29:30|Editor: huaxia

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CHONGQING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Global home furnishing giant IKEA has reopened all its offline stores on the Chinese mainland excluding Wuhan, a hard-hit city amid the coronavirus outbreak.

An IKEA store in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality resumed business on Tuesday, with an opening time from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

According to the store staff, the central air conditioning system is shut down, and public facilities are disinfected every day, while IKEA restaurants and other facilities remain closed amid the outbreak.

All staff workers are required to wear masks at all times and keep a one-meter distance from customers.

Since opening its first store in Shanghai in 1998, IKEA has opened 30 stores, two experience stores and three LIVAT shopping centers on the Chinese mainland.
Producers Guild of India (GUILD) on Tuesday announced that they have set up a relief fund for daily wage earners impacted by the shutdown of film, television and web productions amid coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement shared on Twitter, Siddharth Roy Kapur, president of the GUILD, urged the members of the film fraternity to contribute to the fund to "minimize the disruption in the lives of our valued colleagues".

"In the light of the complete shutdown of all production relation activity for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there is bound to be a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of daily wage earners in the industry.

"The Producers Guild of India has decided to set up a Relief Fund to help support those affected by the shutdown. We would encourage the entire fraternity to contribute to the fund to minimize the disruption in the lives of our valued colleagues and associates in this difficult time," Kapur said in a statement.

The decision comes after many from the film industry, including filmmakers Sudhir Mishra, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, had raised concerns over the impact of shutdown on the daily wage workers.

Various film bodies in India including Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE), Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) and GUILD on Sunday decided to put all productions on hold from March 19 to March 31 to control the spread of the deadly virus.

Mishra had first raised the issue on Twitter.

"We all are interconnected. We thought of doing something, we will look after those who have worked with us. We have informed our head of departments. We are there to help. Anubhav Sinha, Vikramaditya Motwane have informed their own people. I am sure Rohit Shetty will be helping his own people. We can survive for six months but the daily wage workers are going to suffer a lot. We all should help each other," the director told PTI.

Sinha had suggested that managing a large fund would be "complex" but filmmaker should look after their crew.

"Let's communicate to our daily wage workers through respective HoDs from our previous films to reach out to us if they are in need. I feel if each one of us looked after our workers from our previous films they will all be covered...," he tweeted.

Motwane had welcomed the move, tweeting, "Daily wage workers are going to have a really hard time, especially if this carries on beyond the end of the month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
During the Red River Campaign, a Louisiana major kept notes on a newspaper and eventually slipped them to a Rebel general

On the afternoon of February 3, 1864, while taking a leisurely horseback ride about five miles outside Alexandria, La., Confederate Major David French Boyd was stopped and forced into custody by a small band of so-called Jayhawkers. These brigands, better known to history perhaps as Louisiana Scouts, were draft dodgers, deserters, and Unionists who, after robbing people and places for their own benefit, would hide out in the swamps to evade both military and civilian authorities.

Boyd was chief engineer on the staff of Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor, commander of the District of West Louisiana, and Taylor wasnt about to disregard this transgression. He instructed his cavalry to hunt down the criminals and ordered that any armed man of draft age who could not account for himself was to be shot on the spot. To a subordinate stationed at Fort DeRussy, Taylor directed: No officer should be permitted to travel north of the [Red] river from here [Alexandria] to Marksville until we root out this band. At present they number 15, but the whole population sympathize[s] with them.

Public opinion be damned, howeverTaylor planned to do all he could to stop these hoodlums from assaulting and kidnapping his men.

Nearly a week after Boyds abduction, his captors decided to sell him to Federal forces occupying Natchez, Miss. But en route to Natchez, as the group crossed the Black River, the small skiff they were using overturned, plunging Boyd and the outlaws into the icy river. A veteran swimmer, Boyd saved the lives of two of his captors who would have otherwise drowned. During his struggles in the water, Boyd also managed to rid himself of $5,000 he had stashed in his boot, money intended as payroll for the Confederates garrison at Fort DeRussy. Better that the money be lost than end up in the hands of the Jayhawkers or Federal guards.

Despite his heroism, Boyd was sold for $100 to the Yankee authorities in Natchez on February 7. To his good fortune, he soon learned that an old friend in high places happened to be just up the road at Vicksburg: Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. When Cump received Boyds letter, he was visiting the city he had helped conquer under Ulysses S. Grants command in July 1863.

Boyd had been one of Shermans professors during the latters tenure as president of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy in Pinevilletodays Louisiana State University. He informed Sherman of his incarceration at Natchez, saying he wished to be transferred to Federal custody in New Orleans, where a formal system of exchange was already in place for prisoners of war in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Sherman acquiesced and Boyd was soon on his way to the Big Easy. Sherman even allowed Boyd to ride aboard his ship on the journey south, later writing in a letter to his wife that until they parted, He [Boyd] clung to me till I came away.

Prison life did not suit Boyd. A request for a mattress, blankets, and a pillow from his captors was immediately granted, but his pleas to be allowed to roam the city on parole were denied. Boyd also complained about the noise and his lack of privacy within the facility to no avail. By late March, the prison became even more crowded with officers taken prisoner after engagements at Fort DeRussy (March 14) and Henderson Hill (March 21). Among the latter number was yet another member of Taylors staff, Captain Charles LeDoux Elgee. Though young, Elgee was sickly in nature and Taylor wished to secure his release before the onset of yellow fever season (mosquito season, as Louisianans are well aware, can sometimes run for 910 months).

Surprisingly, even during the Red River Campaign, commanders from both sides agreed to a formal prisoner exchange to take place at Grand Ecore on the Red River, north of Natchitoches. Early the morning of April 5, Boyd and 56 other Confederate officers, along with 60 noncommissioned officers and more than 300 enlisted men from another prison, were lined up on the docks to board the transport vessel Polar Star. (Confederate Lieutenant John C. Sibley of the 2nd Louisiana Cavalry, one of Boyds fellow prisoners, was undoubtedly one of the best-dressed of the lot, as the night before he had thrown a rope out of his window and pulled in a new linen shirt and $32 in greenbacks courtesy of two local ladies. As the Confederates lined up to ascend the gangplanks, Sibley recalled, Hundreds of ladies crowded the levee to see us leave. There were several gentlemen but they dare not make any sign of Pleasure or they are arrested.)

In addition to the large ironclad gunboat fleet the Union had amassed to complement Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks forces marching overland toward Shreveport, the Navy enlisted the assistance of dozens of independently owned transports. They were all under Federal contract with the Department of the Gulfs quartermaster corps to move men and material.

One of those ships was Polar Star, which had first operated as a service vessel for people traversing the Missouri River. Constructed in 1858, Polar Star had a crew of 35, which included cooks and waiters, as well as a chambermaid and a pantry man to feed the crew and passengers. Once all were aboard, Polar Stars captainHorace Holton, a Missouriansteered the boat up the Mississippi River with 450 Secesh prisoners to exchange.

On April 6, Polar Star passed Baton Rouge and Port Hudson. A day after entering the Red River, the boat reached recently captured Alexandria, where its prisoners got a chance to converse with Yankee soldiers stationed on shore. The Polar Star came up with 500 prisoners on the way to the front to be exchanged, recalled a member of the 128th New York Infantry. They were delighted at the prospect of a chance to fight us again.

A few of the soldiers in the 38th Massachusetts Infantry vented to the prisoners aboard the ship concerning a recent guerrilla attack. The rebels shouted back the taunts defiantly and pointed up the river, recalled one Yankee.

On the same day, reports of the disposition of the Unions Mississippi River Squadron, and other pertinent information about waterborne troop movements reached Taylors hands. Cryptically, the general wrote, The progress of these vessels up the river was closely watched by an officer of my staff, who was also in communication with [Brig.] General [St. John R.] Liddel[l] on the north side [of the Red River]. The reports came from spies keeping a tally of Union ships and soldier strengthsan officer in addition to Major Boyd.

[On April 7] we came above Grantecore [Grand Ecore], noted Private John C. Porter of Texas, one of Boyds fellow prisoners aboard Polar Star. This was just prior to the Mansfield and Pleasant Hill battles. Wrote Captain Edward T. King, a Confederate artillerist injured and captured at Fort DeRussy, Owing to the retreat of General Taylor and the Confederate Army, no exchange was made and they took us on with them until their defeat and retreat. Holton, meanwhile, bitterly complained: Went up 400 miles [and] through some strange mismanagement, got 80 miles beyond our lines. Had our retreat cut off & but for the [fact] of bearing a flag of truce, would inevitably been captured, were stopped twice by Rebels who boarded us[,] examined papers & passed us on our way.

During the trip, Boyd had secretly made detailed notes in the margins of a newspaper he carried. He jotted down the locations and numbers of the Federal gunboats, troops, and guns he had heard about or seen while aboard Polar Star. According to Private Porter, during the first Confederate detainment of the vessel on April 7, [O]ur boat was halted by Confederate Cavalry, and the officer in command went ashore and had an interview. We could have easily taken boat, crew and guard, but we were upon parole [i.e., had given their word of honor not to attempt an escape], and did not suspect them [the ships crew] of acting treacherously.

A Confederate surgeon was allowed to board the vessel during the stop to examine sick prisoners. Boyd secreted the newspaper into the doctors possession under the promise he would get it into General Taylors hands as soon as possible. Apparently, Holton and his sailors were already becoming more cautious after that first stop by the Confederates. On April 9, Sibley remembered, [J]ust before dark, there came an order toblow no whistles, and look out for sharpshooters. Something is wrong above [their position].

As it turned out, the surgeon Boyd contacted did not understand the need for urgency and delayed in delivering the message to Taylor until April 19. Even at that late date, the information still proved valuable to the Confederate commander.

On April 10, Sibley noted, We passed several Confeds today who hailed our boat to know what our flag of truce was for, among others was Lieut. Fontleroy [T.K. Fauntleroy] of [Captain Oliver] Semmes Battery [dispatched by Taylor to harass enemy ships]. We left him on shore ready to pitch into the fleet as it comes down. Captain King similarly lamented, We had not gone very farwhen we were ordered to stop and land under [the] guns of a Confederate battery. Of course, we were greatly rejoiced, but to our surprise, Lieutenant Fontleroy [Fauntleroy] under whose guns we had been brought to land, after coming aboard and having a conference with the officers in charge and with Colonel Bosworth, Colonel Bird [Byrd] and some other Confederate officers [allowed the vessel to proceed]. We were greatly discouraged to see them allow the Federal officers to continue with their boat and prisoners.

King later speculated, There was never a greater mistake made, for we were fairly recaptured and if given our liberty could have not only saved the large quantities of provisions she had in her [Polar Stars] hull, [some of] which I saw her discharge [previously] at Natchitoches but we could also have sunk her on some shallow places in the river and prevented the escape of the immense fleet above. The Federal army was badly discouraged by their defeat and could have been captured if properly pressed.

Two days later, Polar Stars captives witnessed the April 12-13, 1864, Battle of Blairs Landing. Ironically, one of the observers was Lt. Col. James D. Blair of the 2nd Louisiana Cavalry, who owned the landing being fought over. Confederate Brig. Gen. Tom Green of Texas led a bold attack with his cavalry against the Yankee gunboats in the river. Headway was being made as the horsemen waded into the river and almost disabled the lead boat, but a cannon shot killed Green and the attack quickly dissipated. Of the affair, Holton wrote, You may expect to hear of an awful fight and I tremble for the result. Our Gun Boats are anchored there and I hope a good deal from them.

Due to the pandemonium of the Red River Campaign, the order exchanging the troops was temporarily rescinded. Late on April 14, Sibley noticed they were [d]ownward bound, [the] exchange played out. We are again on our way to prison. Porter recalled, When they [the boat officers] had decoyed us to Alexandria, within their lines, they became bold, and told us they were taking us back to New Orleans. This was about dark, and some of the men began to make preparations to jump off, which four succeeded in doing; the last of whom leaped from the top of the banister, which made a tremendous splash when he struck the water, and the guard upon the hurricane deck, shot at him, with what effect none of us ever knew. But he had given away the plan, and the officers doubled the guard. Before the light of another day, we were again upon the bosom of the Father of Waters [Mississippi River], where it required but little restraint to keep us aboard.

On the 15th, Polar Star passed Baton Rouge, where the captain and crew learned more details about the battles at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, both Confederate victories. The ship anchored off New Orleans the following day, waiting until another exchange could be arranged. Holton did not want to be able to be made a target of [again], reporting in frustration: Both of my Boats are now seized by Gov. to go up Red River. I have abandoned [Polar Star] to [the] Government and they can put their own men in Charge & I will go back home in a day or two. Holton acknowledged, I have just returned from a very dangerous trip up Red river.

True to his word, Holton quit the shipping business and opened his own military clothing depot.

In late July, Boyd and the rest of his fellow captives finally were exchanged for Federals captured during the Red River Campaign. Elgee died four months later, but Blair, Boyd, Sibley, King, and Porter returned to active duty. Years later, when Richard Taylor was writing his postwar reminiscences, he reached out to Boyd about his voyage on Polar Star. Boyd responded, elated that Taylor had been able to use his intelligence and harass Banks forces until they escaped to safety across the Atchafalaya River in late May 1864. Amazingly, Taylor still had the newspaper Boyd had given him.

Boyd, meanwhile, continued to regale his friends with the story of rescuing the two long-bearded sinners from drowning on the way to Natchez. As for Polar Star, the vessel returned to passenger transport work after the war, until 1883, when its boilers suddenly exploded on a routine trip up the Missouri River, sending it to an inglorious end at the bottom of the muddy water.

_____

Swamp Men

The outlaw bands running rampant through central Louisiana in 1864 called themselves Jayhawkers, a label we typically associate with antislavery guerrillas in Kansas. At first, these Jayhawkers were organized into smaller bands, but when Union Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks arrived to begin the Red River Campaign, he offered them a place in his army. The Yankees dubbed them Louisiana Scouts. Described as more like ragamuffins than men, they nevertheless inflicted heavy damage in the region. But when the defeated Yankees retreated, Rebel cavalry hunted down and killed or dispersed the Jayhawkers. The most infamous of the lot was probably Ozeme Carriere (shown). As a local once groused: Carriere, with his band of jay-hawkershas been very actively engaged in robbing the citizens of all the fine horses, gunsthus showing a disposition to carry on their thieving business publicly. R.H.H.

Richard H. Holloway is a Louisiana Park Ranger, based at Forts Randolph and Buhlow in Pineville. He has worked with the Louisiana National Guard; Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge and Alexandria); and George Washington University. His biographies of Richard Taylor, Hamilton Bee, and William Boggs can be found in Confederate Generals of the Trans-Mississippi, Vol. 3.

This story appeared in the May 2020 issue of Americas Civil War.
The Justice Department on Monday abandoned plans to move forward with a criminal trial against two Russian firms indicted by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller for financing efforts to interfere in the 2016 election.

The two Russian companies, Concord Management and Concord Consulting, were charged in 2018 with conspiring to defraud the U.S. government by organizing efforts on social media to propagate disinformation and sow discord to affect the 2016 election. Both firms are owned by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a businessman known as Putins chef, who is also a defendant in the case.

Another Russian company, the Internet Research Agency, an apparently Kremlin-funded propaganda arm, and 13 Russian individuals were also charged.

At the request of prosecutors, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, dismissed the charge in the two-year prosecution.

There is a substantial federal interest in defending American democratic institutions, exposing those who endeavor to criminally interfere with them, and holding them accountable, which is why this prosecution was properly commenced in the first place, wrote Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers and U.S. Attorney for Washington Timothy Shea.

In light of the defendants conduct, however, its ephemeral presence and immunity to just punishment, the risk of exposure of law enforcements tools and techniques, and the post-indictment change in the proof available at trial, the balance of equities has shifted. It is no longer in the best interests of justice or the countrys national security to continue this prosecution, the prosecutors said.

Prosecutors added that the indictment would remain, but recommended that the better course is to cease litigation and pointed out that Concord has immunity from just punishment anyway since it does not do business in the U.S.

After the trial was dropped, President Trump on Monday night retweeted another users tweet mocking the move that read, How embarrassing for Team Mueller.

More from National Review
The External Affairs Ministry officials on Tuesday said they cannot confirm whether more than 250 Indians in Iran have tested positive for novel coronavirus but acknowledged that they were aware of such a list of people being circulated.

At the daily inter-ministerial press briefing on coronavirus on Tuesday evening, MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi was asked several times about Indians in Iran testing positive.

"Of course in a situation like that, you will find some positive cases among the Indian pilgrims given the extensive spread of virus in Iran.

"Rest assured that every care is being taken by mission in cooperating and coordinating with the government of Iran for safety of Indians there. The ambassador is giving a lot of attention to them," Ravi told reporters.

"Cannot confirm that over 250 Indians in Iran have tested positive for coronavirus and whether the list that is being circulated is authentic or not ," he said in response to a question about media reports claiming that more than 250 Indians in Iran have tested positive for the virus.

He, however, said that it was not possible that all the tests of the Indian pilgrims would have come out negative as they were located in Qom.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The present COVID-19 epidemic has become a truly global concern after the World Health Organization designated it as a pandemic. It means that coordinated global response is needed to tackle it.

Yet a top American official continues to spin tales rather than taking responsibility to contain the outbreak by adopting a focused and holistic approach.

U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, during an address at the Heritage Foundation on Wednesday, accused China of "covering up" the initial outbreak thus delaying a global response by two months.

It is not helpful to find a scapegoat at this moment, as it will not mitigate the growing outbreak in the U.S.

O'Brien said that health official from the World Health Organization could have been on the ground sooner if China had shared information. In reality, China worked swiftly to share relevant information in a transparent manner with the world, including the WHO, earning international respect.

A WHO report released on February 28 praised China in unequivocal terms, saying: "China's bold approach to contain the rapid spread of this new respiratory pathogen has changed the course of a rapidly escalating and deadly epidemic."

The U.S. faces a challenge as more than 1,600 infected cases had been reported, with at least 41 deaths as of March 13, and Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, has warned "it's going to get worse."

Frankly, it is pointless to point the finger at others. Natural calamities and viral infections can originate anywhere at any time and spread like a wildfire. What matters is how well we launch a response.

Here we see the gigantic efforts undertaken by China to combat the disease. It has put in place the necessary measures to treat infected people and prevent the virus from spreading further.

Another important lesson from Chinese response is that, instead of showing xenophobia, China willingly accommodated foreigners, including thousands of students from other countries, offering them proper care and thus mitigating the threat of quick spread of the disease.

We live in an integrated global village and hardly anything is truly foreign any more. And to call COVID-19 pandemic as "foreign virus" is totally unjustified, and laying the blame on the doors of Europe for spreading the virus to the U.S. is saying too much without enough proof.

It is time for a global response and not to show divisions. Reproaching others will take the fight against the virus nowhere. To the contrary, by sharing data, good practices and results of medical research, we can beat this invisible enemy.

Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
Researchers estimated as many as half of all cases were not identified and that 30% of hospitalized patients would require critical care. They also suggested almost 81% of the population in the U.S. and U.K. might be infected during the pandemic and said the drastic social restrictions might need to be in place for many months.
A Vietnamese influencer has received praise for being cooperative during her quarantine in Ho Chi Minh City as a COVID-19 precaution while inspiring others to do the same.

Chau Bui, who has nearly three million followers on Instagram and Facebook, is waiting to be released from a quarantine facility in two days if she tests negative for the novel coronavirus.

The 23-year-old influencer, whose real name is Bui Thai Bao Chau, is a famous fashionista on Vietnamese social media.

In 2019, she was named in Forbes Vietnams 30 Under 30, a list featuring 30 Vietnamese individuals who stand out in their respective industries.

She has been kept under quarantine at a facility that is 40 kilometers from the center of Ho Chi Minh City since March 5, after returning from Paris, where she attended the Paris Fashion Week.

Earlier, the fashionista was also in Milan, located in Lombardy, the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy, for the Milan Fashion Week.

Chau Bui is seen in a photo she posted on her Instagram in February 2020, capturing her attending a fashion event in Milan

Not-so-cary quarantine camps

In a new video blog, or vlog, posted Friday on her YouTube channel with nearly 500,000 subscribers, Chau Bui showed viewers how her quarantine journey had been.

I was just informed that Im going to be under quarantine, Chau said at the beginning of the clip.

At first, the quarantine was obviously not something pleasant to her.

I was crying so much that my eyes got swollen, she described how she received the news.

However, it did not take long for the young woman to be back on her feet, as she quickly made friends with people on the van carrying them to the quarantine locality.

It was seven hours between her arrival in Vietnam and the first nap she had at the quarantine zone, as she and others had to get sanitized and their body temperature taken before they were led to their isolation rooms.

Im exhausted, I didnt sleep last night and havent eaten anything for nearly a day, she said in a clip filmed at the end of her first day at the facility.

In the next part of the vlog, Chau let viewers see how she embraced her new life at the quarantine zone.

Chau Bui enjoyed the daily meals she received at the place, worked online and took advantage of the quarantine time to take a much-needed break from her busy working schedule as well as maintaining a daily workout and meditation routine.

Normally, I only have one hour per day for workouts. Now I have the whole day for it, she said.

A collage of pictures Chau Bui posts about her quarantine time on her Instagram.

Chau Bui also cherished the freedom of not having to put on makeup for two weeks straight, as her skin had got 'tired' after weeks of constant makeup for her appearances at the foreign fashion shows.

Besides, she also maintained a positive outlook on the facilitys inadequacies in living conditions, including a bathroom without a shower and a lack of washing machines.

Ive learned to use my positive thinking and applied basic life skills to adapt to the environment here, Chau told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper from the quarantine zone.

Its completely different from where I live. It challenges everyones bravery and ability to overcome difficulties.

If we compared this place to our own home and had negative thoughts, things would be very tough and our government would have to face a lot of pressure in epidemic prevention.

The woman insisted that she does not mind washing her clothes by hand. In contrast, it brings her joy by invoking her childhood memories.

A collage of pictures Chau Bui posts about her quarantine time on her Instagram.

Outside, I have to go buy foods by myself. In here, I have three meals a day delivered by the soldiers. I admire them very much, and I feel warm, she said.

Ive been treated very kindly, so why do I have to complain?

I laugh a lot

Besides the video, she has kept her fans updated through her daily 'diary' shared in Instagram stories.

Through the stories, Chaus fans know what she eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, how often she works out, how she is treated by her fellow quarantined friends, and how nice the staff at the quarantine facility are.

It was a Sunday morning when I woke up at 6:00 am and received a cup of ca phe sua da [Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condescended milk] from a young soldier, Chau wrote in a Sunday Instagram post with images reviewing her quarantine time.

Ive realized that it has been a very long time since I laughed so much, she added.

Every morning you wake up and see those lovely people around, theres no way to feel unhappy.

Chau Bui in a photo she posts on her Instagram

In her 'quarantine diary,' Chau said she has received snacks and foods from her roommate and other people who are also under quarantine like her.

Everyone is truly lovely and takes care of each other, Chau wrote.

During her 14-day quarantine, Chau Bui has been able to make friends, had nine-hour sleeps that are rare for a busy person like her, and received flowers from the medical staff on the International Womens Day (March 8).

We might have different lives outside, but here, we are all soldiers who wear blue face masks and always maintain positive energy during the 14-day journey, Chau wrote.

Chaus optimism has received huge support from her fans who flocked to her social media accounts to deliver messages of love and admiration for her positive thinking.

Many people praised her as a celebrity who has been a good role model about obeying regulations during the epidemic.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 182,400 people and killed more than 7,000 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 61 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

Forty-five cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection.

Vietnam requires compulsory 14-day quarantine for people returning from areas hit by COVID-19.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised India for its efforts to fight against the novel coronavirus, which has killed and infected thousands in more than 100 countries across the world.

India, which has reported 125 positive cases of the novel coronavirus and three deaths, has intensified efforts to halt the spread of the disease by banning gatherings, shutting down schools, colleges, gyms, nightclubs and weekly markets.

Highlights WHOs representative to India said the commitment from the Indian government and the Prime Ministers Office has been enormous, very impressive Bekedam also commended ICMR, which has managed to isolate the strains of Sars-Cov-2 India reported 125 cases on Tuesday from across the country

The Centre has also widened critical restrictions by banning travel from the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom from March 18. The UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait were also added to the list of high-risk countries requiring compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days.

People from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia were also prohibited to travel to India.

The commitment from the Indian government and the Prime Ministers Office has been enormous, very impressive. It is one of the reasons why India is still doing quite well. I am very impressed that everyone has been mobilised, Henk Bekedam, WHOs representative to India, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Bekedam also commended the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which has managed to isolate the strains of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes the infection.

We have very good research capacity in India and especially at ICMR and department of health research. They have been able to identify the virus. Now India will continue to be part of the research community, he said, according to ANI.

The virus strains have been isolated by the countrys top virology laboratory, the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) in Pune, using the throat swabs of the initial three patients in Kerala  all students from Wuhan in China.

The isolation of virus strains is the first step towards expediting the development of drugs, vaccines and rapid diagnostic kits in the country.

Other countries such as Japan, Thailand, the United States of America and China have already isolated the virus strains. Countries isolate strains from their patients to check for variations in samples.

Isolating the virus will mean we could have our own vaccine in future. However, there are several research projects active globally right now that are working on war footing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, but I would say it will take at least one-and-a-half to two years before a vaccine sees the light of day, Dr RR Gangakhedkar, head of epidemiology division at ICMR, said.

WHO experts have said about 20 vaccines are currently under development by several research groups around the world.

The world health body had on Monday called on all countries to ramp up their testing programs as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic.

We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva.

All countries should be able to test all suspected cases, they cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded, he added.
Amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, legendary actor Dilip Kumar on late hours of Monday took to Twitter to inform his fans that he is under self-quarantine and safe.

The 97-year-old actor who recently got discharged from the hospital following backaches revealed how he is dealing with the situation.

"I am under complete isolation and quarantine due to the #CoronavirusOutbreak. Saira has left nothing to chance, ensuring I do not catch any infection," read Kumar's first tweet about coronavirus.

The 'Naya Daur' actor then went to urge people to stop the spread of the virus by staying indoors.

"I appeal to all of you to protect yourself and others by staying indoors as much as possible. The #CoronavirusOutbreak transcends all boundaries and borders," Kumar tweeted.

"Follow guidelines issued by health departments, protect yourself and others by limiting your exposure to others," he added.

Several Bollywood celebrities are currently under self-quarantine as all shooting and production work has been halted in India in the light of the spurt in cases of the highly contagious virus.

In India, according to official data, there are an estimated 114 cases who have tested positive for COVID-19 with two deaths reported from the infection.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
" " Is 666 really "the devil's number," or is there a more down-to-earth explanation for these three digits? juvonse/Pixabay

Would you buy a used car with a license plate ending in 666? Or take a job at an office tower in New York City with the address 666 Fifth Avenue? After all, 666 is the infamous "number of the beast," allegedly Satan's secret code for evil.

In the biblical apocalyptic book of Revelation 13:18, it reads, "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is 666."

From that passage, it sure sounds like 666 is Lucifer's lucky number. But when you dig deeper into the Bible and its historical context, there's evidence that the author of Revelation was using numbers to send his early Christian readers a coded message.

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When Letters Are Also Numbers

"The beast" was a reference to an evil-looking creature that the author of Revelation saw rising out of the earth in a vision (Revelation 13:11-18). This creature could perform miraculous things, would demand that everyone be "marked" with its name or number in order to buy and sell anything; and would also kill those who did not worship it. So, who was this? Over the centuries, people have wondered whether this beast referred to someone who has come and gone, was yet to come or to no person in particular.

The book of Revelation was written in Greek, the language of the Christian world in the first and second century C.E. There were no numbers in Greek, at least not the numbers that we'd recognize today. (Our so-called "Arabic numerals"  0, 1, 2, 3, etc.  were developed centuries later.) Instead, each letter of the Greek (and Hebrew) alphabet had a numeric value. For example:

alpha = 1

beta = 2

pi = 80

psi = 700

For the Greek-speaking Christians reading Revelation, they would have been very comfortable reading letters as numbers. That's how numbers were displayed in the market or in legal documents. They also would have been comfortable turning numbers back into letters thanks to a practice called isopsephy.

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Word Games With Numbers

Isopsephy, in Greek, means "equal in numeric value," and was a popular way of playing with words in the first century. The trick was to add up the numeric value of one word and then find a second word or phrase that added up to the same number. Words that were numerically equal were thought to have a special connection.

One of the best-known first-century isopsephies was referenced by the Roman historian Seutonius. "A calculation new: Nero his mother slew." In this case, the emperor's name "Nero" equals 1,005, the same value of the phrase "his mother slew." For Romans who suspected that the ruthless emperor had murdered his mother, this isopsephy was the proof.

Archaeologists have even discovered ancient Roman graffiti that substituted numbers for names, says Thomas Wayment, a classics professor at Brigham Young University.

"There's graffiti at Smyrna and Pompeii that says, 'I love her whose number is 1,308,'" says Wayment. "That's pretty common. And hopefully everybody did their math correctly and could make the connections."

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'666' Was a Coded Message

Wayment and most other biblical scholars have no doubt that the author of Revelation intended 666 to be an isopsephy solved by his first-century readers.

"The author says, this is the number of a man, which is a classic isopsephy formula," says Wayment, who recently co-wrote an article on Revelation 13:18 and early Christian isopsephies. "Christians would have known right away, this is a coded message."

Revelation is famously cryptic and was meant to be that way, even to its original audience. Wayment says that in apocalyptic writings, an angel or other heavenly messenger often reveals their meaning through coded speech.

"As a reader, you're seeing something through the eyes of the visionary and he's telling you, 'you need to make sense of this,'" says Wayment. "That's part of your experience and participation in the vision."

According to most scholars, 666 was yet another coded reference to Nero, a "beastly" emperor who brutally persecuted early Christians in the Roman Empire.

To solve the isopsephy and equate Nero to 666, you need to use the full name "Caesar Nero" in Greek. If Caesar Nero is transliterated into Hebrew as nrwn qsr or "Neron Kesar" and then calculated, the numbers add up to 666. Interestingly, some early manuscripts of Revelation have the number written as 616 instead of 666. The common explanation is that "Caesar Nero" is written differently in Greek and Latin, another language spoken by early Christians. In the Latin version, the letters only add up to 616.

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Other Readings of '666': Satan's Perfect Imperfection

Not all Bible scholars are convinced that 666 is simply an isopsephy. James M. Hamilton, a professor of biblical theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of "Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches," sees powerful symbolism in the repetition of the number 6.

In biblical symbolism, Hamilton says, the number seven represents "completeness" or "perfection." True completeness was only achieved by Jesus Christ, who saved the world through his perfect sacrifice. If Jesus had a symbolic number, it would be 777.

By assigning 666 to the "number of the beast," the author of Revelation is warning Christians to beware of Satan's "cheap imitation of Christ," says Hamilton. "That's the best Satan can do, one short of perfection."

For Hamilton, those "false Christs" raised up by Satan could take the form of a corrupt emperor like Nero or even modern cultural norms that are in rebellion against God.

"If participating in that culture entails worshiping false gods or denying something that the Bible teaches, Christians need to say, 'I'm not going to take the number or name of the beast,'" says Hamilton.

Now That's Cool Third-century Christians picked up the habit of signing letters with the number 99, the numeric value of "amen."

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Originally Published: Mar 17, 2020
The Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday dismissed the plea of the mother of 2012 Delhi gang-rape case convict Mukesh Kumar, seeking the Commission's intervention to prevent his execution.

Earlier in the day, Advocate AP Singh, the lawyer of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder convicts, said that he has approached the NHRC, seeking a stay on the execution of the four death row convicts."We have appealed the NHRC to stay the March 20 death warrant, which is a miscarriage of justice. The basis for the appeal is that Ram Singh, who was believed to have committed suicide in Tihar Jail, has a 70-year-old mother and a 10-year-old son," Singh told reporters.He alleged that Ram Singh was killed in the prison and added that Mukesh Singh, his brother, is the only witness of the incident and therefore should not be executed."At that time, it was suspected that Ram Singh had committed suicide. Now that the book 'Black Warrant' has come out, it is clear that Ram Singh was lynched and jail officials were involved in it," Singh said."The probe into the alleged suicide was biased. Yet compensation has not been given to the family of the deceased. Mukesh is the only witness to the incident. If he is executed in a hurry, it will be a miscarriage of justice and a violation of the human rights," he added.Singh urged the Human Rights Commission to stay the execution, seek records in the matter and give compensation to the family of Ram Singh.On Tuesday, convict Mukesh Singh approached a Delhi court seeking quashing of the death penalty, claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed. The court has reserved its order.This comes as the four convicts -- Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma -- are scheduled to be hanged at 5:30 am on March 20.The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
FILE PHOTO: The first Air France Airbus A350 prepares to take off in Colomiers near Toulouse

PARIS (Reuters) - Air France KLM <AIRF.PA> will park its biggest airliners and slash service by up to 90% over the next few days in response to the impact of the coronavirus, it said on Monday, sending its shares down 16% in early trade.

It said it had identified measures to save 200 million euros ($223 million) in 2020 and ways to cut its capital expenditure by 350 million euros.

"The deterioration of the environment linked to the epidemic and the sharp reduction in its activity ... lead the group to forecast a sharply deteriorated financial trajectory," it said in a statement.

The company said it welcomed recent expressions of support from governments in France and the Netherlands.

Air France KLM said it would cut back flights over the next few days, with the number of available seat kilometres (ASK) potentially falling by 70%-90%.

It will ground Air France's fleet of Airbus <AIR.PA> 380s and KLM's Boeing <BA.N> 747 fleet.

The group has more than 6 billion euros in cash and cash equivalents, it said, after both airlines drew on two revolving credit facilities last week.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Sarah White, editing by Louise Heavens and Jason Neely)
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The global next generation non-volatile memory market is expected to reach USD 7.46 billion by 2024, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing need for fast and economical storage solutions across diverse applications is estimated to drive industry growth over the forecast period.

Next Generation Non Volatile Memory is used for various applications such as enterprise, industrial and automotive to store and manage information, which is expected to augment market growth over the next six years. Increasing use of Next Generation Non Volatile Memory in mobile phones to enhance customer experience is expected to fuel market growth.

The increasing demand for wearable electronics and replacement of flash memory storage may provide new growth avenues to the Next Generation Non Volatile Memory industry. Low environment stability and high design cost may act as a restraint to market growth over the forecast period.

All common computing platforms from handheld devices to supercomputers use storage systems to store data permanently or temporarily. Smart cards store a few bytes of data and are expected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period. Economical and efficient solution development is expected to be a critical success factor for industry players.

The Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at a considerable rate owing to increasing demand for smartphones and tablets. Additionally, presence of key market players in countries such as China, India, Japan and South Korea is also expected to positively impact the regional market over the forecast period.

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Efficient programming and eras ability options offered by MRAM product segment is predicted to impel industry growth over the next eight years

Cache memory and enterprise storage was a major application segment in 2015 and accounted over 57% of the overall industry in the same year

North America was estimated to be the key regional market in 2015

Key industry participants include Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., IBM Corp, Adesto Technologies, Crossbar Inc., Fujitsu Ltd, Toshiba Corporation, and Intel Corporation

Toshiba along with SK Hynix are working on production of Next Generation Non Volatile Memory chips, which is expected to decrease power consumption and increase data transfer speed

Grand View Research has segmented the global next generation non-volatile memory market on the basis of product, application and region:

Next Generation Non Volatile Memory Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2024)

FeRAM

PCM

MRAM

ReRAM

Next Generation Non Volatile Memory Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2024)

Mobile Phones

Cache Memory & Enterprise Storage

Industrial & Automotive

Mass Storage

Embedded MCU & Smart Cards

Next Generation Non Volatile Memory Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2024)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

RoW

Access full research report on global next generation non-volatile memory market:

www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/next-generation-non-volatile-memory-market
"Serving in the military changes you. The shades and degrees of change vary for everyone, but no one is ever the same as...
Mayor Lori Lightfoot added that the protocol has been, for cases in CPS, to close the school and do a deep cleaning, and then the Chicago Department of Health investigates, looking at possibilities for exposure. In the event somebody else in the school community tests positive now, all of the schools are already getting deep cleans during the closure, and cases are still going to be investigated, she said.
New Delhi, March 17 : The government on Tuesday suspended air travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the government said no flight will take off from these countries to India after 3 p.m. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

The suspension is temporary, the government said adding, it shall be in force till March 31 and reviewed again.

India has already suspended its air travel to Wuhan, the epicenter of coronavirus in China.

Air India on Thursday cancelled all its flights to Kuwait till April 30 and curtailed services to various other countries, including Spain, France and Sri Lanka.

The national carrier had already temporarily suspended its services to Rome, Milan and Seoul.

"No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours (3 p.m.). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," said the government order.

It however, added that this instruction was a "temporary measure" and will remain in force till March 31, following which it will be reviewed.

Earlier, the government stopped issuing travel visas to India and urged Indians against visiting abroad in the forceable future, unless unavoidable.

The deadly coronavirus has infected 125 people in India and killed three others. The global toll stands at 7,121 and infected cases crosses 1.5 lakh.
Deputy Commissioner, Kalaburagi on Tuesday said that the 63-year-old doctor, who was attending the 76-year-old man -- patient who died of coronavirus here, has tested positive for COVID-19.

The doctor is among the 10 people who have been tested positive across Karnataka so far.

"A 63-year-old doctor who treated the 76-yr-old man who died due to coronavirus has tested positive. He along with his family has been kept in quarantine at his home. He will be sent to isolation ward today," said Sharat B, Deputy Commissioner, Kalaburagi.

Two more people were tested positive for novel coronavirus in Karnataka, taking the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases to 10 in the state, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Tuesday.

The two fresh cases include a 20-year-old woman with a travel history to the United Kingdom and the person who came into contact with the 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who died last week from the infection.

"We have got 2 more COVID-19 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10. 20 yr old female who travelled from the UK is tested positive and another contact of P6 (Kalburgi deceased patient) is tested positive. Both are admitted in the designated isolation hospital," Sriramulu tweeted.

According to official estimates, there are 126 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 till Monday across India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gold prices inched lower on Tuesday, following a meltdown in precious metals last session, as investors continued to sell assets across markets to keep their money in cash amid heightened panic over the coronavirus pandemic.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold slipped 0.2% to $1,511.30 per ounce by 0039 GMT, having slumped as much as 5.1% on Monday to its lowest since November.

* U.S. gold futures rose 1.7% to $1,511.50.

* Most Asian shares fell after Wall Street's historic market rout, with fleeting initial gains evaporating as the coronavirus remained a major risk to economic growth.

* International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Monday said 20 additional countries had asked about receiving aid as the outbreak halts economic activity, and she called for strong, coordinated fiscal stimulus to limit the damage.

* Japanese business confidence plunged to decade lows in March as the spreading epidemic stoked fears of a global recession and sent stock markets tumbling, the Reuters Tankan survey showed.

* Britain's economy looks on track to grow by the smallest amount since the financial crisis this year as the outbreak threatens to drag major economies into recession, the British Chambers of Commerce said.

* Euro zone finance ministers pledged on Monday an "unlimited" commitment to fight the economic fallout of the pandemic, saying they would do whatever it takes and more to restore confidence and a rapid recovery.

* U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday said he was seeking a "big number" for an additional stimulus package intended to prop up the economy amid the virus, but he did not elaborate.

* U.S. President Donald Trump urged Americans to halt most social activities for 15 days and not congregate in groups larger than 10 people in a newly aggressive effort to reduce the spread of the virus in the United States.

* Palladium rose 2.5% to $1,657.03 per ounce, having plummeted as much as 18% in the previous session.

* Platinum rose 3% to $638 per ounce, after posting its biggest one-day percentage decline ever on Monday.

* Silver gained 2.2% to $13.18 per ounce, having touched its lowest since 2009 on Monday.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0930 UK Claimant Count Unemployment Chng (Feb)

0930 UK ILO Unemployment Rate (Jan)

1000 Germany ZEW Economic Sentiment (March)

1000 Germany ZEW Current Conditions (March)

1230 U.S. Retails Sales MM (Feb)

1315 U.S. Industrial Production MM (Feb)
As state and local officials roll out plans to help businesses and employees weather the novel coronavirus pandemic, five Portland-area chambers of commerce are trying to get a $250 million homeless services measure pulled from the May ballot.

Representatives from the Beaverton, Tualatin, Gresham, North Clackamas and Oregon City chambers of commerce sent a letter to Metro on Monday saying that now is not the time to add taxes. They join other business groups advocating for delayed implementation of new taxes around the state.

The homeless services measure would impose a 1% tax on people who earn $125,000 a year, or couples who earn $200,000. It would also apply a 1% tax on Metro area businesses that generate more than $5 million annually.

Bars, restaurants and events centers have closed or reduced hours because of state and local bans on large gatherings and social distancing protocols.

Oregon leaders predict a significant hit to small and local businesses. Nationwide, economists predict a possible recession to follow the pandemic.

Chambers of commerce leaders say that the tax increases would stress local businesses.

Now is not the time to stack new taxes on local businesses and residents, the letter said. Instead, Metro should work with the local business community to protect working families and small businesses in the months ahead.

On Tuesday, the Metro president fired back.

We know that the population of the regions most vulnerable isnt going to get smaller during a recession, said Metro President Lynn Peterson. Now, more than ever, is when we need to come together as a community.

The entire Metro Council later said publicly they would keep the measure on the May ballot.

Supporters of the measure say that many small businesses and low-wage workers likely to be hit hardest by COVID-19 would not be affected by the tax.

The Portland Business Alliance, which is Portlands chamber of commerce, also released a letter Monday endorsing the homeless services measure.

Our region has seen record economic growth over the past few decades. While this has been a boon for our business community -- including immigrant family-run small businesses, like Fubonn -- not everyone has benefitted, says Michael Liu with Fubonn Shopping Center and Portland Business Alliance board member. Along with this economic boom, there is ironically also an affordability crisis that is affecting far too many families, in every community in our region. Its time to come together to help those who are hurting.

The business alliance was part of the coalition that created the measure, but hadnt formally endorsed it until pushback from other business groups.

The Alliance for an Affordable Metro, which appears to be made up of the lobbying groups Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce and Northwest Grocers Association, filed a ballot title challenge at the beginning of March to the measure.

In statements about why they filed the challenge, the lobbying groups said that they are against adding business taxes.

A Multnomah County Circuit Court judge Tuesday made minor tweaks to the language of the ballot title, but not most of the substantive changes the business group argued for in the lawsuit.

The homeless services measure campaign has not pulled punches in its response to the calls for stopping or delaying the tax measure.

The lobbyists trying to exploit the coronavirus crisis are apparently immune to shame, said Angela Martin, who is running the measures campaign. They want to use this moment to punish those who already need help most -- including people who may be the most impacted by the looming public health crisis.

Homeless people are among the most susceptible to infection and death from the coronavirus. Many have respiratory problems and weakened immune systems from living in harsh conditions.

Social service agencies are also having to triage services so that they can allocate resources to coronavirus response.

While the measure was formed before COVID-19 news began to hit the global stage, supporters say that it would help in times like these.

The campaign has not defined exactly how the funds would be used, but said that they would go toward behavioral health, employment, rent assistance and other services.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A Hayward man was sentenced to four years in federal prison Tuesday for smuggling purported national security information to China for more than two years.

Prosecutors said the smuggling carried out by Xuehua Edward Peng was actually managed by an undercover agent using classified data that the U.S. government had decided could be safely released. But U.S. Attorney David Anderson said Peng will now spend years in prison for compromising the security of the United States.

Peng, 56, entered the U.S. from China on a business visa in 2001 and became a U.S. citizen in 2012. He ran a travel business for Chinese visitors before his arrest in September.

According to an FBI affidavit, a confidential U.S. source met in 2015 with officers of Chinas Ministry of State Security and offered to supply classified information through a California man who had family and business dealings in China.

The source proceeded to leave digital devices containing secret information in hotel rooms, usually taped to a dresser, the affidavit said. It said Peng got a key to the room from the front desk, picked up the device and left an envelope of $10,000 or $20,000 in cash, a total of $70,000 in five drops. He then flew to China and handed over the devices.

The first two drop-offs were at hotels in Newark in October 2015 and Oakland in April 2016, and the last three were in Columbus, Ga., between July 2017 and June 2018, the affidavit said. It said another drop-off was planned for the Bay Area before Peng was arrested.

Peng pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge of acting as a foreign agent. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Hayward Gilliam of Oakland under a plea agreement that also included a $30,000 fine.

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.

His lawyers, Edward Swanson and Mary McNamara, were not immediately available for comment. In a court filing, they described Peng as a simple man who was recruited by sophisticated foreign agents who had no criminal record, lived with his wife and two young daughters, and deeply regrets his actions in the case.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Australians have been told to avoid going to the emergency room unless they urgently need it as hospitals bear the brunt of an explosion in coronavirus cases.

New South Wales Health said the outbreak of the deadly virus had further raised demand already sitting at record highs at the end of last year.

Westmead Hospital in western Sydney had the lowest treatment response times in the state despite being tasked with accepting the state's first COVID-19 patients.

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A nurse wears protective clothing in front of two people outside a COVID-19 clinic at the Mount Barker Hospital in Adelaide on Tuesday. Australians have been urged to avoid emergency rooms unless they urgently need to use them

As the cases nationwide rise to more than 450, NSW Health is awaiting a new batch of 500 ventilators to treat coronavirus and the flu.

'We have been planning for COVID-19 for many months,' NSW Health deputy secretary Susan Pearce told The Sydney Morning Herald.

She urged people who weren't in need of urgent medical attention to see their GP or pharmacist instead of visiting hospitals.

The state's chief health officer added the public should be rest assured the health system was poised to deal with the coronavirus crisis and could cope with demand.

Only those who have symptoms of the virus and have been near confirmed cases, or those who are experiencing symptoms and have been abroad, are eligible to be tested for COVID-19.

One researcher at Neuroscience Research Australia said at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney's Darlinghurt many of those who presented for testing were turned away because they did not meet the eligibility criteria.

A paramedic wearing a mask is pictured at Adelaide's Mount Barker Hospital on Tuesday. NSW Health deputy secretary Susan Pearce told those who were not in need of urgent medical attention they should go to their GP or pharmacist instead.

It comes as new data of ER attendance rates in NSW from October to December 2019 showed there was a 3.6 per cent increase in presentations compared with the same quarter the year before.

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

Three out of ten emergency department patients were also not treated within the clinically recommended time-frame, according to the Bureau of Health Information.

For the first time since the BHI began reporting the data in 2010, the number of attendances for last year surpassed three million.

NSW Ambulance call-outs also rose, reaching more than 317,000 responses during the last October-December quarter - a 3.5 per cent increase.

The government last week announced its health package on top of its $10billion stimulus package and promised further measures were on the way.

It will establish 100 pop-up clinics across Australia to divert people who may be infected away from hospitals.

In New South Wales, there are 29 new COVID and flu clinics to deal with the influx of cases.
The first man in Tennessee to be diagnosed with coronavirus has opened up about his experience on Facebook  and says that while he is still recovering, he has been moved by the incredible response from his community.

Chris Baumgartner, a 44-year-old father from the city of Franklin, was diagnosed after returning from a conference in Boston. His case was announced by Tennessee governor Bill Lee on 5 March.

In his Facebook post, he describes how the illness affected him, and not just in terms of physical health. Physically, my case was on the mild end of the spectrum, and I continue to recover. Mentally, our experience has been all over the board.

Imagine having to confront a virus, so feared, it now has the entire world on the brink of mass hysteria, while at the same time, being forced to deal with irrational panic, people demanding to know if you are the one, where you live, and if you might have somehow infected their child or family.

Its given us a whole new appreciation for those who live under the cloud of Stigma every single day of their lives. If this is you, Please know, you are not alone. We are here for you!

Since Mr Baumgartner was diagnosed, Tennessee has confirmed 52 coronavirus cases across the state in people aged 11 to 82. Governor Lee declared a state of emergency on 12 March, but there are as yet no reported deaths.

Mr Baumgartner writes that his experience showed him what he calls human kindness at its very best, with people making calls, sending messages of encouragement and generally stepping in to offer support.

A recent incident in the states most populous city, Nashville, offered a glimpse at the other side of the coin. Richard Feldman, a disgraced doctor who lost his licence 12 years ago, was brought to the polices attention after being linked to a mysterious yellow truck advertising private coronavirus testing  even though he is banned from practicing in the state.

Mr Baumgartner, by contrast, offered a rallying cry of sorts to his fellow Tennesseans to be the best citizens they can.

Inside us all lies the ability to decide how we choose to deal with the fear of the unknown, he writes. How we decide determines whether fear wins out or humanity shines through. We are so grateful to be surrounded by a community who chose the latter.
Three more Covid-19 cases were reported from Kerala on Monday taking the total number of positive cases to 24 in the state, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

He said the state government has intensified monitoring and surveillance as more people have started arriving from abroad and the total number of people under observation has risen to 12, 740. Vijayan added 12, 470 people have been quarantined in their homes and 270 admitted to the various hospitals. We have controlled the pandemic in the first stage. The results were there to see. But now people have started coming from many countries and we are overloaded. But there is no need to panic as we have strengthened our vigil, he said.

Vijayan said tourism, public transport, shops, and business establishments have been affected because of the outbreak and asked people to be a little patient to overcome the major challenge. He said the government has decided to screen domestic passengers and those leaving for aboard to check further spread of the disease.

The government plans to deploy more doctors and medical staff at four international airports and convert its facilities and other properties near airports into quarantine centres.

Sri Chithira Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Thiruvananthapuram has separately been partially shut after one of the doctors, who returned from Spain on March 1, was tested positive.

The doctor joined duty two days after he returned. Though he disclosed his travel history, he was asked to join work as he did not show any symptoms. He fell ill on March 13 and tested positive on March 15. As the issue triggered outrage, the SCTIMST said the Union health ministry directive did not specify Spain as the high-risk country earlier.

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KAMPALA/KIGALI  A Ugandan and a Rwandan have been charged with conspiracy to commit a felony in connection to illegally acquiring Ugandan national identity cards.

Denis Tukamushaba alias Chicharito, the Proprietor of Eagle Tours and Travel in Kabale district, and Josian Uwimana, 26, appeared before Kisoro grade one magistrate court Raphael Vuenni on Monday to listen to the charges.

Tukamushaba was charged with conspiracy to commit felony contrary to Section 390 of the penal code act while Uwimana was charged with falsifying information contrary to Section 53 of registration of passports act 2015.

Tukamushaba was arrested from Kabale town last Wednesday for allegedly helping Rwandan nationals to acquire Ugandan national identity cards. Tukamushabas arrest came after Uwimana told police that he helped her secure a Ugandan National Identity card.

Court heard that between April and May 2019, Tukamushaba connived with Edgar Ensinikweri, a National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) official attached to Kabale branch and helped Uwimana to acquire a Ugandan national identity card number CF941221004USG yet she is a Rwandan national. Tukamushaba pleaded not guilty of the charges.

Uwimana was also charged with illegal entry in Uganda and pleaded guilty of both charges. Vueni released Tukamushaba on cash bail worth shillings 300,000 and adjourned the case until April 20th this year for further mention. His sureties were asked non-cash shillings one million each.

Related
Close observers of Russian disinformation tactics in electoral interference have two big questions as the 2020 election approaches: How large is the appetite for escalation among Russian intelligence agencies this time around? And where was, and is, S.V.R., Russias counterpart to the C.I.A.? The internal competition between Russian spy agencies is fierce, and S.V.R., a potent and storied foreign intelligence agency, is widely recognized as more competent, and stealthier, than Russias bumbling military spy agency, G.R.U. It was G.R.U. that was caught red-handed in 2016 meddling in the presidential election.

At stake is what kind of election interference we should expect as November is coming: a lackluster rerun of leaking and trolling and fake social media activity, which would most likely be harder to do and less effective than in 2016  or more pernicious operational innovation and escalation, perhaps even tactics that take advantage of the coronavirus outbreak.

American intelligence officials reportedly reached a preliminary conclusion last week, and that answer points to escalation  as well as to S.V.R. Russian intelligence operatives, according to reports on the United States intelligence assessment, are working to support and amplify white supremacist groups in order to try to incite violence.

The goal of an aggressive foreign active measures campaign is not, as a recently departed senior intelligence official implied, to strengthen President Trump. It is to weaken the United States.
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Australian actress Teresa Palmer is taking steps to keep her family safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hacksaw Ridge star, 34, has chosen to self-isolate with her husband, Mark Webber, and their three children at their rural Adelaide property.

Teresa, who began home schooling her two sons on Monday, told her Instagram followers she was 'making cleaner food choices' and 'incessantly cleaning'.

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Home schooling, 'incessant' cleaning and washing hands every hour: Inside Teresa Palmer's coronavirus lockdown in Adelaide with her family. Pictured with her husband, Mark Webber

Teresa and Mark are parents to sons Forest, three, and Bodhi, six, and daughter Poet, 11 months. Mark also has a 12-year-old son, Isaac, from a previous relationship.

While the Australian government has not ordered for schools to be closed, many parents are choosing not to send their children to educational facilities.

Teresa said her first day of being a 'mummy teacher' had been exhausting, but she was happy her boys were enjoying themselves.

'I kept their regular schools hours': Teresa, who began home schooling her sons on Monday, told her Instagram followers she was 'making cleaner food choices' and 'incessantly cleaning'

Safety first: Her makeshift classroom included a white board with a lesson plan and hourly reminders for the children to wash their hands

'I kept their regular schools hours and packed lunches to keep some semblance of routine... Wrangling both of them at different stages of development, learning and interest was challenging BUT I had fun,' she wrote.

She shared videos of the activities she'd prepared for her children, including reading and writing tasks, arts and crafts and 'imaginative play'.

Her makeshift classroom included a white board with a lesson plan and hourly reminders for the children to wash their hands.

Mark also ran a P.E. session in the family's backyard which included an outdoor obstacle course for the boys.

Staying active: Mark also ran a P.E. session in the family's backyard which included an outdoor obstacle course for the boys

Prepared: Teresa revealed her family had stocked up on food and supplies, and were eating healthy meals and drinking plenty of Remedy kombucha, fresh orange juice and water

Teresa revealed her family had stocked up on food and supplies, and were eating healthy meals and drinking plenty of Remedy kombucha, fresh orange juice and water.

'We are washing hands frequently, boosting our immune systems by squeezing fresh OJ and generally making cleaner food choices,' she wrote.

'We perhaps are being more diligent than others but it feels right at the moment.

'Its a crazy world out there. We are trying to be proactive in a way that not only protects us but also protects those we love - the more vulnerable members of our community, including my parents.'

'We perhaps are being more diligent than others but it feels right at the moment': Teresa said she was happy taking every precaution possible, even if others thought it was 'over-reacting'

Globally there have been more than 181,000 cases of coronavirus, with the death toll already surpassing 7,000.

In Australia, the first reported case of COVID-19 occurred in January.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 450 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, including five deaths.
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In the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, the Delhi Police on Tuesday said that they held a meeting with protesters at Shaheen Bagh and urged them to end their demonstration.

Police said that they held a meeting on Monday also regarding the same issue but nothing came out of it.

"We have conducted a meeting on Tuesday to the protesters. We urged them to end their protest after the outbreak of coronavirus. We held a meeting on Monday also but nothing positive has come out of the meetings," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) (DCP) R P Meena said.

However, the protesters claimed that police only spoke to some 10 to 15 people and did not come to the place where they were sitting.

"Today, senior police officers came here and talked to some 10 to 15 people near the barricading. We asked them to come to the pandal and announce their appeal to the protesters through the stage, but they did not come," one of the protesters claimed.

A section of people, mostly women, have been protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Shaheen Bagh area here since December 15.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Returning officer A P Singh asked representatives of two Rajya Sabha nominees of the BJP, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, to give replies on Tuesday to written objections submitted against their nomination papers.

Two Congress candidates for the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh and Phool Singh Baraiya, on Monday filed written objections against BJP nominees Scindia and Sumer Singh Solanki, seeking that their nomination papers be rejected on certain grounds.

I have asked representatives of both BJP candidates (Scindia and Solanki) to come to my office at 10 AM (on Tuesday) to give replies to the written objections. After that I will take a call on their nomination papers, A P Singh told PTI.

A P Singh, the MP assembly's principal secretary, is the returning officer for the Rajya Sabha polls.

On the date of scrutiny of the nomination papers on Monday, Digvijaya Singh petitioned the returning officer stating Scindia has not furnished details of cases pending against him, Congress leader and advocate JP Dhanopia said.

Neither Scindiajis affidavit and nor his nomination papers have the mention of cases pending against him, Dhanopia added.

Likewise, Baraiya has demanded that Solankis nominations be scrapped as his resignation from the college where he taught was accepted a day after he filed his nomination papers on March 13, he added.

Solanki, who was an assistant professor of history at Shaheed Bheema Nayak Government Postgraduate College, Barwani, resigned from his government job on March 12, Dhanopia said.

We have told the returning officer that Solanki cannot contest the elections as he filed his nomination papers on March 13 when his resignation was not accepted yet. His resignation was accepted on March 14, he said.

So Baraiya has demanded that Solanki's nomination be rejected as it violated rules, Dhanopia said.

Three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh, currently held by Digvijaya Singh, and BJP leaders Prabhat Jha and Satyanarayan Jatiya, are falling vacant next month. The Congress has re-nominated Digvijaya Singh.

March 18 is the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers.
CLEVELAND, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) ("Sherwin-Williams") today announced the determination of the pricing for its previously announced cash tender offers (the "Tender Offers") to purchase up to $500.0 million combined aggregate principal amount (the "Maximum Tender Amount") of its outstanding 2.750% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "2.750% Notes") and 4.200% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "4.200% Notes" and, together with the 2.750% Notes, the "Notes").

The terms and conditions of the Tender Offers are described in the Offer to Purchase, dated March 3, 2020 (the "Offer to Purchase").

Sherwin-Williams will pay holders who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their 2.750% Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 16, 2020 (the "Early Tender Time"), the Total Tender Offer Consideration of $1,043.42 for each $1,000 principal amount of its 2.750% Notes accepted for purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest in respect of such Notes from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date (as defined below). Sherwin-Williams will not accept for purchase any of the 4.200% Notes. The applicable Total Tender Offer Consideration for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Total Tender Offer Consideration") was determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase, calculated as of 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 17, 2020 (the "Price Determination Date").

The Total Tender Offer Consideration is detailed in the table below.

CUSIP

Number Title of

Security Aggregate

Principal

Amount

Outstanding Acceptance

Priority

Level Reference

U.S.

Treasury

Security Bloomberg

Reference

Page Reference

Yield Fixed

Spread

(basis

points)(1) Total Tender Offer

Consideration(1)(2) 824348

AU0 2.750%

Senior

Notes

due 2022 $760,165,000 1 1.125% U.S.

Treasury

due

02/28/2022 FIT1 0.383% +30 $1,043.42 824348

BB1 (144A):

824348

BA3 4.200%

Senior

Notes

due 2022 $385,909,000 2 1.125% U.S.

Treasury

due

02/28/2022 FIT1 0.383% +30 $1,055.00

(1) Includes the Early Tender Premium of $30.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. (2) Per $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered and validly accepted.

Settlement for Notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time, and that are accepted for purchase, will be March 18, 2020 (the "Early Settlement Date"), one business day following the Price Determination Date.

Because the aggregate principal amount of the 2.750% Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn is greater than the Maximum Tender Amount, the Tender Offer for the 2.750% Notes will be subject to proration. The aggregate principal amount of each holder's validly tendered 2.750% Notes accepted for purchase will be determined by multiplying each holder's tender by the final proration factor of approximately 89.2% and rounding the product down to the nearest $1,000 principal amount.

The Tender Offers will expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, at the end of the day on March 30, 2020. However, because the aggregate principal amount of Notes that was validly tendered as of the Early Tender Time is greater than the Maximum Tender Amount, holders who validly tender any Notes after the Early Tender Time will not have any of their Notes accepted for purchase. The Notes not accepted for purchase will be promptly returned or credited to the holder's account.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are acting as dealer managers for the Tender Offers. The tender agent and information agent for the Tender Offers is Global Bondholder Services Corporation.

Requests for documentation for the Tender Offers should be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (866) 807-2200 (U.S. toll-free), (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers) or by email at [email protected]. Questions regarding the Tender Offers should be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or (212) 723-6106 (collect) or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. at (877) 558-2607 (toll-free) or (980) 613-4472 (collect).

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Tender Offers are made only by and pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase. The Tender Offers are not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, "blue sky" or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities or "blue sky" laws require offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, any offer will be deemed to be made on behalf of Sherwin-Williams by a dealer manager, or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. None of Sherwin-Williams, the dealer managers or the tender agent and information agent makes any recommendations as to whether holders should tender their Notes pursuant to the Tender Offers.

About Sherwin-Williams

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. Sherwin-Williams manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Krylon, Minwax, Thompson's WaterSeal, Cabot and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 4,900 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries around the world. Sherwin-Williams shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: SHW).

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events and conditions and may discuss, among other things, anticipated future performance (including sales and earnings), expected growth, future business plans and the costs and potential liability for environmental-related matters and the lead pigment and lead-based paint litigation. Any statement that is not historical in nature is a forward-looking statement and may be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "project," "could," "plan," "goal," "potential," "seek," "intend" or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Sherwin-Williams' control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from Sherwin-Williams' historical results and experience.

These risks, uncertainties and other factors include such things as: general business conditions, strengths of retail and manufacturing economies and growth in the coatings industry; changes in general domestic economic conditions such as inflation rates, interest rates, tax rates, unemployment rates, higher labor and healthcare costs, recessions, and changing government policies, laws and regulations; changes in raw material and energy supplies and pricing; changes in Sherwin-Williams' relationships with customers and suppliers; Sherwin-Williams' ability to successfully integrate past and future acquisitions into Sherwin-Williams' existing operations, as well as the performance of the businesses acquired; competitive factors, including pricing pressures and product innovation and quality; Sherwin-Williams' ability to attain cost savings from productivity initiatives; risks and uncertainties associated with Sherwin-Williams' expansion into and operations in Asia, Europe, South America and other foreign markets, including general economic conditions, inflation rates, recessions, foreign currency exchange rates, foreign investment and repatriation restrictions, legal and regulatory constraints, civil unrest and other external economic and political factors; the achievement of growth in foreign markets, such as Asia, Europe and South America; increasingly stringent domestic and foreign governmental regulations, including those affecting health, safety and the environment; inherent uncertainties involved in assessing Sherwin-Williams' potential liability for environmental-related activities; other changes in governmental policies, laws and regulations, including changes in tariff policies, as well as changes in accounting policies and standards and taxation requirements (such as new tax laws and new or revised tax law interpretations); the nature, cost, quantity and outcome of pending and future litigation and other claims, including the lead pigment and lead-based paint litigation, and the effect of any legislation and administrative regulations relating thereto; adverse weather conditions or impacts of climate change, natural disasters and public health crises; and other risks, uncertainties and factors described from time to time in Sherwin-Williams' reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Holders are cautioned that it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results and that the above list should not be considered to be a complete list. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and Sherwin-Williams undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Jim Jaye

Senior Vice President  Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Sherwin-Williams

Direct: 216.515.8682

[email protected]



Eric Swanson

Vice President  Investor Relations

Sherwin-Williams

Direct: 216.566.2766

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Julie Young

Vice President  Global Corporate Communications

Sherwin-Williams

Direct: 216.515.8849

[email protected]

SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company

Related Links

http://www.sherwin.com


With five more persons testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the number of infected cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has increased to 14 from nine, said a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Daksha Shah, deputy director of BMCs health department, said of the five people who have tested positive in the MMR, one is from Mumbai and two each from Navi Mumbai and Kalyan cities.

Till 9 am (Monday), five new people, who were already admitted, were found positive. It means presently 14 people are positive in which six are from Mumbai and the remaining eight from rest of the MMR, said Shah, briefing the media at the BMC headquarters here.

The latest person to test positive in Mumbai is a 44- year-old woman from S-ward of BMC. She had travelled to Lisbon and Portugal and was admitted to a hospital on March 14, Shah said.

Shah said the 37-year-old wife and three-year-old daughter of a Kalyan-based man, who had tested positive earlier, have also been found to be infected with the 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

She said a 47-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman from Navi Mumbai have tested positive for Covid-19. They are relatives of a person who had tested positive for the coronavirus earlier.

They have a travel history of the Philippines and they arrived in Mumbai on March 2, she said.

According to Shah, 65 persons suspected of having coronavirus infection were being treated at civic-run Kasturba Hospital till Monday evening.

The BMC said 1,865 people were checked for the viral infection at Kasturba Hospital OPD until Monday.

According to the BMC, a total of 498 people with possible coronavirus infection were admitted to Kasturba hospital so far.

Of these, 452 tested negative for the coronavirus infection and 433 of them have been already discharged from the hospital.

Shah said since Monday at 9 am, tests of 20 people were negative, while medical reports of 24 others were awaited.

According to the BMC, a total of 2.46 lakh passengers have undergone screening for the disease at the Mumbai international airport so far, as per the guidelines from the Union government.

As per the guidelines of the Union government, an isolation facility has been set up at Seven Hills Hospital in Marol and all travellers with suspected coronavirus infection are isolated there, Shah said.

She said all travelers on airports are divided into A, B, and C categories, depending upon their risk profile.

High risk A category travellers are admitted to Kasturba Hospital, while medium risk travellers admitted at Seven hills for 14 days. Low-risk C category travellers are advised home isolation, she said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Ohio has closed pretty much every public space you can think of to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The polls. Bars. Sit-down restaurants. Gyms. Movie theaters and recreation centers.

One glaring omission from that list?

Malls.

Shopping centers remain open and were not included in the governors ban on mass gatherings of more than 50 people.

Thats because its usual for people in malls to be within arm's length of one another, said Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman Rachel Feeley in an email, adding that the decision to keep malls open is fluid, and could change.

While mass gatherings have been canceled, spaces, where people are constantly moving such as airports, shopping malls and centers, grocery stores or similar spaces, remain open per public guidelines, according to an email from Starwood Capital Group, which owns Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted and SouthPark in Strongsville.

The coronavirus has shown to spread quickly and easily between people, through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing from as far as six feet away. The CDC advises people put distance between themselves and others to prevent the spread of the illness.

Malls are taking precautions against the spread of coronavirus. Theyre limiting hours, and increasing cleanings.

Still while malls remain open, its another question entirely whether the store youre hoping to check out is.

Its a mixed bag. Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Lululemon, J. Crew, Sephora, H&M, REI and Apple have closed stores. Others, like Victoria Secret, are staying open, but increasing cleaning and discontinuing physical bra fittings. Malls recommend that people reach out to stores directly to see if theyre open.

Ed Jaroszewicz, the marketing director for the SouthPark Mall said the center remains open to allow stores to make their own decisions about closures.

As a leasing company, were allowing the retailers who choose to remain open the opportunity to do so, he said in an email.

Pinecrest in Orange is an outdoor lifestyle center.

We are an open-air destination and we feel that we need to support the tenants," Jessi Fausett, Pinecrests marketing director, said in a phone interview. "All tenants may implement their own policies regarding modified hours or temporary store closures.

Heres a look at how malls across the region are reacting to the coronavirus outbreak:

Great Northern Mall and SouthPark Mall

Great Northern Mall and SouthPark Mall reduced its hours to 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Theyve also canceled all events through March 31.

The malls are also increasing its disinfecting practices, including cleanings of doors, bathrooms, water fountains and other surfaces. Its placed hand sanitizer stations at entrances, common spaces and high touch areas, and placed signs about reducing the virus spread throughout the mall.

Theyve removed some seating in common areas to maintain social distancing.

Beachwood Place

Beachwood Place is also changing its hours in response to the COVID-19 outbreak: its now 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The mall is disinfecting high-traffic areas in the mall and parking garages. Its also providing hand sanitizer stations throughout.

We remain committed to supporting the operations of our retailers, the mall said in a statement on its website. We recognize that, in light of concerns surrounding the coronavirus, retailers and merchants may implement their own corporate policies regarding modified hours or temporary store closures.

Crocker Park

In a message on its Instagram, Crocker Park in Westlake says its open. It suggested reaching out to individual retailers to see if they were open for business.

A spokeswoman for the shopping center did not return messages for additional comment.

Pinecrest

Pinecrest is monitoring the coronavirus situation closely and increasing cleanings. Flagship REI is closed.

Summit Mall

Summit Mall in Fairlawn is also changing its hours in response to the COVID-19 outbreak: its now 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Its increased cleanings of areas including entrances, restrooms, door handles and drinking fountains.

We are closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation with federal, state and local health officials and will provide any additional updates as they become available, a statement on its website read.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 15:52:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SHIJIAZHUANG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Ma Zhiwei's morning starts at 5:40 a.m. when he begins watching students' video clips of home study in the class WeChat group.

Ma is in charge of a graduating class in Hengshui High School, northern China's Hebei Province. The school has won national fame for securing seats at noted universities in big Chinese cities for at least 80 percent of its graduates in the past two decades, but it also takes criticism for its exam-cramming approach.

In order to prevent large-scale gathering and flow of people amid the coronavirus outbreak, China has postponed the start of the new semester in primary and middle schools.

Monday marked the first day back to school for only three Chinese provinces and regions, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Guizhou, which have been marked clear of local coronavirus infection cases.

However, for other provinces like Hebei, local authorities are still waiting for the number of new infections to reach zero to open campuses.

Hebei alone has 625,000 graduating high school students eager to return school in their final sprint toward the national college entrance examination, also known as "Gaokao" in Chinese, set on Jun. 7 and 8 every year.

"We require morning reading time to start no later than 6:00 a.m. at school, but many of my students at home have chosen to start reading earlier," said Ma.

Ma said his students have been following the school's class schedule since Feb. 10, as the fate-deciding Gaokao is now only around 80 days away.

In 2019, the number of students who sat for the Gaokao in China exceeded 10 million.

"Self-discipline, ideals and responsibility" are the mottoes in Hengshui school for preparing students for the fierce competition.

"Designated study time is from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at school. Many of my classmates extend their study hours," said one of Ma's students Yu Xinyue.

The student, from Dongchengzi Village in the city of Chengde, lives the farthest away from the school. Since her home is a three-hour bus ride away, she usually lives on campus. However, since the extended winter vacation, she has been studying from home.

"One advantage of studying from home is that I can search online for famous teachers' courses, but there is a lack of learning atmosphere and a competitive class environment," said Yu.

The provincial education department has built an online platform of cloud classrooms pooling its high-quality teaching and learning resources to share with students.

Ma frequently checks on each of his students about issues ranging from their learning to the condition of their wireless communication signals.

"The school coordinates with technicians to help each student solve network problems at home since tests are usually given to students online," said Ma. "For students in rural areas, it is not convenient to print materials, so the school mailed the materials to their homes."

The local authorities have also acted swiftly to ensure internet access to graduating high school students studying at home after the outbreak of the epidemic.

The city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei, for example, has offered 10 GB of national data traffic packets per month free of charge to each of the 60,000 students from impoverished families and 30,000 teachers, and accelerated the fixed bandwidth at teachers' homes free of charge so that they can tutor students online from home.
New Delhi, March 17 : In yet another ploy to delay hanging, wife of a Nirbhaya convict has filed for a divorce in a local court in Bihar's Aurangabad.

In the plea, the wife of convict Akshay Kumar Singh has said she does not want to live the life of a widow as her husband is set to be hanged on March 20. The court has posted the matter for March 19.

Punita, Akshaya's wife, has said, "My husband is innocent. I want to be legally divorced before he is hanged." Punita's lawyer Mukesh Kumar Singh, speaking to media in Aurangabad said, "My client (Akshay Kumar Singh's wife Punita Singh) has a right to seek divorce from her husband. That is why I have filed a plea in the family court. She has the right to seek divorce under Section 13(2)(II) of Hindu Marriage Act which says a woman can seek divorce if the husband has, since the solemnisation of the marriage, been guilty of rape, sodomy or bestiality." A senior lawyer at Tis Hazari court in Delhi told IANS, "Yes, the woman can file for divorce if her husband has been convicted in a case of rape." All the four convicts of Nirbhaya -- Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) are currently lodged in Tihar jail and are set to be hanged on March 20. They have been using tactics to delay the hanging, which has already been postponed twice. They have even approached international court and India's Human Rights Commission.

However, some legal experts feel that there is no chance of any further delay as all formalities have been completed and the convicts have exhausted all legal remedies.

(Sanjeev Kumar Singh Chouhan can be contacted at sanjeev.c@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Quot;bhaukaal" : &; Cast: Mohit Raina, Abhimanyu Singh, Siddhant Kapoor, Bidita Bag; Direction: Jatin Satish Wagle; Rating: * * * (three stars)By Vinayak Chakravorty "Bhaukaal" reloads the formula of hinterland swag soaked in bloody mayhem, to unfold its story of Hindi heartland lawlessness. The drama is basically set up through a cops-versus-gangsters showdown and the tone and texture could remind you of "Mirzapur", except that this show unfolds its story from the perspective of a cop who is out to set things right.

At the centre of all the violent chaos is Mohit Raina, who shot to fame as small screen's Lord Shiva ("Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev"). Essaying the rather familiar prototype of the alpha cop who towers over gangland excesses, Raina is quite a package of hunk factor and screen presence.

The setting is Muzaffarnagar, a small town in Uttar Pradesh. Raina as the committed cop Naveen Sikhera gets promoted to senior superintendent of police and is transferred to the town, established here as the 'crime capital of North India'. The simmering tension in the streets is established primary through the two gangs that rule the town -- Mohammad Shaukeen and the Dedha brothers. Between them, these two gangs have divided up turf to carry on with business.

The cop community as well as the media dismiss SSP Sikhera's transfer to such a place more as punishment than promotion. For Sikhera, the challenge becomes obvious at the very outset. To start weeding off the mafia filth would seem like an impossible task in a place where not a single witness is even ready to come forward and testify if a crime happens. Sikhera further realises he has to deal with a police force that runs low on morale under such circumstances, and locals who have no faith whatsoever in the system.

As the episodes roll, you realise there isn't much of a novelty here in terms of a plot, neither do you spot any attempt to go beyond a familiar picture of smalltown lawlessness in order to serve up unknown facts about such a milieu that might hitherto be untapped by screen fiction.

However, director Jatin Satish Wagle makes up with an impactful narrative style. As SSP Sikhera plants moles inside the gangs and begins cellphone surveillance, brutal drama takes over. Shootout episodes between cops and gangsters are interspersed with the protagonist cop's somewhat cliched showdowns with the media and politicians who are reluctant to let him function.

The series overflows with violence, melodrama and cuss words. It is almost as if the makers were looking for a functional idea to set up 10 episodes of unadulterated gore fest because there is always a stock of ready takers for that sort of an idea. The inevitability of all the action could get to you at times, but the series in its final scene leaves you with an open ending that promises another gripping season is in store.

While Raina as SSP Sikhera is aptly cast as the quintessential Bollywood cop, most others in the cast play out genre stereotypes, made popular over the past two decades when the gangster flick grew in Indian mainstream -- from Ram Gopal Varma's "Shiva" in 1990 via Anurag Kashyap's "Gangs Of Wasseypur" films in 2012.

In "Bhaukaal", that sort of suspense and violence literally finds an Over The Top rehash. It is generic, but enjoyable nonetheless.

(Vinayak Chakravorty can be reached at vinayak.c@ians.in)
'The RBI has not allowed any commercial bank to fail in the past three decades.'

'It has always played the role of a matchmaker, but this is the best deal it has stitched,' notes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

Early Friday morning, a senior banker woke me up with his outbursts on the phone: "Is this the way to save a bank? We are killing it and creating a big trust deficit in the financial system."

He was referring to the moratorium imposed on Yes Bank Ltd by India's banking regulator, capping withdrawal of money by its depositors at Rs 50,000 each.

The Reserve Bank of India also superseded its board and appointed an administrator, a year after it ousted the bank's promoter -- CEO Rana Kapoor -- and appointed Ravneet Gill as the new boss.

Freezing of all activities of a bank of Yes Bank's size in March, the last month of a financial year, creates enormous inconvenience for all.

It has been big time into cash management of companies.

How will they manage? Many medium and small enterprises will not be able to pay their suppliers and those microfinance borrowers that have banking relationship with Yes Bank will be stuck.

Indeed, for medical and other emergencies, a depositor can withdraw more, but there is no window for those who plan their investments in March to save on income tax and/or need to pay advance tax in the middle of the month.

Another senior banking consultant said Yes Bank should have been auctioned to the highest bidder.

That's the best way to revive it and discover its worth.

There was merit in these arguments.

But when the RBI put up the draft reconstruction scheme for the bank, I am sure both agreed that this is the best possible way to revive Yes Bank, given the circumstances.

The last time a new private bank was put under moratorium was in July 2004 -- Global Trust Bank Ltd.

Within 72 hours, it was merged with public sector Oriental Bank of Commerce.

This time, India's largest lender, the State Bank of India, is the white knight.

But it is not merging Yes Bank with itself; it will put in up to 49 per cent equity, revive it, and could continue to hold at least 26 per cent stake for the next three years.

The RBI has not allowed any commercial bank to fail in the past three decades.

It has always played the role of a matchmaker, but this is the best deal it has stitched.

Why am I saying so? Before that, why did the RBI have to step in? And why now?

The deal has been in the works for months.

All of us know that Yes Bank needs capital, desperately. But what is not in the public domain is the flight of deposits.

Even the best of banks fail when depositors rush to withdraw money en masse.

Yes Bank's deposit portfolio has been eroding fast over the past few months.

The RBI gave it a new CEO and left it to the market to find a solution to the problem.

That was the first choice. Indeed, many prospective investors walked in, did a recee, but walked out as either they were not convinced about the quality of assets or were gripped by the fear of the unknown -- how many accounts would turn bad in the future.

Over the past one year, whenever a new large bad asset surfaced in the banking system, Yes Bank has been exposed to it.

There have been investors willing to take a bet on the bank, but the Securities and Exchange Board of India's takeover norm and pricing formula came in the way.

These investors were bargaining for a lower price and higher stake, not in conformity with the norms of the market regulator.

In April 2009, the Mahindra group could rescue the scam-hit Satyam Computer Services Ltd after Sebi waived the norms.

Under the current takeover code, the market regulator does not have any discretion to do that.

The only way it could be waived is through the moratorium route, exercising RBI's powers under Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act.

That's how SBI can acquire a 49 per cent and at Rs 10 per share.

At this price, the RBI would bring in Rs 2,450 crore.

That will not be enough to bring Yes Bank back on track. What next?

SBI's presence will create confidence and excite the investor community to take a fresh look at Yes Bank.

I assume a rights issue will follow -- the pricing of which is not governed by the Sebi norms.

Besides, when an investor buys a share at a rate cheaper than the market price, under the income tax law, the difference is treated as profit and one needs to pay tax on that but this is not applicable to shares bought from a rights issue.

A rights issue becomes successful when at least 90 per cent of it is subscribed.

SBI will probably underwrite the issue and other investors (including those that wanted to buy Yes Bank shares at a cheaper price but could not because of the Sebi norms) may pick up shares.

Depending on the response, SBI can bring down its stake immediately after the rights issue.

All this is expected to happen fast. Even though the moratorium is for one month, one can expect that it will be business as usual for Yes Bank by the second half of March.

Since it is not a merger, there will not be any value erosion for SBI stakeholders.

No depositor will lose money, no branch of Yes Bank will be closed and none of its employees will lose their jobs.

The current investors in Yes Bank will also see value, if they are willing to stay put.

The only loser in the deal are those that invested in the bank's additional tier-I or AT-1 bonds, of Rs 10,800 crore -- mostly mutual funds.

Such bonds are quasi-debt instruments and carry higher risks. Media reports say the bond holders will move court against the RBI plan of writing them down permanently.

While the write-down will unnerve bond holders and Indian banks will find it difficult to raise money through this route in the future, RBI's plan is in sync with the Basel III guidelines on such instruments.

The agreements between the investors and the bank for such bonds, I understand, do not have any formula and provision for converting the AT-1 bonds into equity or a temporary write-down to be followed up by write-up later.

Even if such a provision had been there, still the bond holders might not have got anything as Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, under which Yes Bank is being reconstructed, gives RBI freedom to overrule all such provisions.

To start with, SBI should keep a good amount of deposit with Yes Bank to instil confidence in others and the RBI can open a liquidity window, if needed.

This could be an Indian version of the Troubled Asset Relief Program of the US, financed not by the government, but by a government-owned entity.

If all goes well, the SBI will make money from its investment.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Tamal Bandyopadhyay, a consulting editor with Business Standard, is an author and senior adviser to Jana Small Finance Bank Ltd.
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President Donald Trump took to Twitter to lash out at the respective governors of New York and Michigan as the death toll attributed to the coronavirus pandemic continues to rise and as his administration faces blistering criticism for its response.

The president accused Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) of politicizing the growing crisis, suggesting that a wholesale federal policy is not appropriate given that some states are more overwhelmed with cases than others. The president pointed to differences in New York, which he referred to as a hotspot, and West Virginia, which has yet to report a single case, though his argument ignores a sobering reality as the nation grapples with a testing shortage that has led many not to get tested for the virus or otherwise complicated results.

Cuomo wants all states to be treated the same. But all states arent the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big hotspot, West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases. Andrew, keep politics out of it.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020

Trumps tweet followed an earlier one in which he mentioned a teleconference he had conducted with governors nationwide and claiming Cuomo has to do more.

No  YOU have to do something! Youre supposed to be the President, Cumo later retorted.

I have to do more? No  YOU have to do something! Youre supposed to be the President. https://t.co/tYeDt1lcOZ  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 16, 2020

Trump later referred to Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) as the Failing Michigan Governor, urging her to work harder and be much more proactive. The president did not make mention of several executive orders Whitmer signed related to the pandemic that require businesses to close, extend unemployment benefits to those adversely impacted, mandate a cap on the number of attendees at indoor events, and lift weight restrictions for vehicles carrying items essential to slowing the spread of the virus.

Failing Michigan Governor must work harder and be much more proactive. We are pushing her to get the job done. I stand with Michigan!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020

Trumps message followed an appearance Whitmer made on MSNBC outlining her administrations response to the crisis.

The federal government did not take this seriously early enough and now it is on us to make sure were doing everything we can based on the best facts and science available and that we are always putting the health of our people front and center, Whitmer said at the time.

As PoliticusUSA reported earlier today, a new poll published on Tuesday from NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist found that 60 percent of Americans do not trust the presidents response to the crisis after weeks of contradicting the recommendations of healthcare experts.
Iran said 135 new coronavirus deaths took the country's overall toll to nearly 1,000 Tuesday, as it curtailed celebrations for a fire festival in a bid to contain the disease.

The COVID-19 outbreak in the Islamic republic is one of the deadliest outside China, where the illness originated.

The latest deaths, announced by health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour in a televised conference, take the total death toll in Iran to 988.

Since it announced its first two deaths in the holy Shiite city of Qom last month, Iran has taken a series of steps to contain the virus.

However it has yet to impose any lockdowns and the outbreak has spread to all 31 of the country's provinces.

In its latest attempt to contain the virus, police banned celebrations marking the traditional fire festival that comes before Nowrouz -- the Persian New Year.

Chaharshanbe Soori falls on the last Wednesday of the Iranian calendar before the country's New Year's eve, which is on March 20 this year.

Celebrations start on Tuesday evening with Iranians traditionally jumping over fires and lighting fireworks, with many suffering burns resulting in hospitalisation.

"Those who go out can be infected with the coronavirus and make things harder for themselves and their families," state agency IRNA quoted Tehran police official Keyvan Zahiri as saying.

Authorities in other provinces such as Isfahan, Golestan and Khuzestan had also cautioned people against observing the festival, IRNA reported.

The latest health ministry figures showed the COVID-19 disease was spreading fastest in Tehran province.

"Reports by more than 56 laboratories indicated that we have had 1,178 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours," Jahanpour said Tuesday.

"This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 16,169 as of today noon," he added.

Jahanpour also said 5,389 people who were infected had been discharged from hospitals "with general good health".

Tehran province recorded 273 fresh cases of infection.

Alborz, to the west of Tehran, was next with 116 new cases, followed by East Azerbaijan with 78.

"As of this morning, more than 15 million of our countrymen have been screened" for symptoms, he said.

The official reiterated calls for Iranians to stay at home during the outbreak and asked them to report possible symptoms on a ministry website.

The site identifies the individual using their national identity number and asks if they have symptoms such as coughing or fever.

It also asks if they live with anyone suspected of carrying the virus, anyone under treatment or anyone who has recently recovered.

If the symptoms are not serious, the advice is to stay at home. The site tells people where their nearest healthcare centre is located.

According to the health ministry, the trend of rising reported infections is due to the increasing number of tests being carried out.

It says many patients started showing symptoms days after they were infected.

Official tolls given at the national level, announced every 24 hours, have usually lagged behind reports by local media and have sometimes been contradicted by provincial authorities.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that US sanctions were "impairing" Iran's ability to fight the COVID-19 disease.

"Join the growing global campaign to disregard US sanctions on Iran," he wrote.

The United States began reimposing crippling sanctions on the Islamic republic in 2018 after unilaterally withdrawing from an international accord on its nuclear programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A court in Rajkot in Gujarat on



Tuesday sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in February, 2018.

Special POCSO judge DD Thakkar sentenced Ramesh Dudakiya, an autorickshaw driver, for the crime which took place on February 9, 2018.

As per the case details, Dudakiya kidnapped the minor and raped her in a nearby isolated hostel building, killed her and fled.

He had also looted and murdered a 70-year-old woman just two days before raping and murdering the girl, the prosecution said.

Police arrested him for the woman's murder and subsequent probe proved he was behind the rape and murder of the toddler as well.

Medical evidence and deposition by a witness led to his conviction, the prosecution said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Pentagon is also making available 2,000 ventilators for hospitals, a number that would likely fall far short of the expected need. When you look at how many people who may need it, 2,000 doesnt put much of a dent into it, Mr. Esper said.

While the military has infrastructure to help, there are limits. Field hospitals and the hospital ships Comfort and Mercy are designed for trauma wounds, not viruses, and doctors would have to be assigned from elsewhere to staff them. The ships, each with a 1,000-bed capacity, have helped in natural disasters like tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes, not quarantines.

Defense Department officials said that one possibility for the Comfort would be to station in New York Harbor and absorb non-coronavirus patients in New York, which could free up hospital beds in Manhattan to attend to infectious cases.

Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington said he spoke with Mr. Esper on Tuesday about getting access to resources that could help bolster new medical hospitals. I would predict that were going to be getting real help from the Department of Defense, Mr. Inslee said.

Part of the challenge is the unusual role Mr. Trump has assigned to FEMA, which traditionally is designated as the lead federal agency during major disasters to take requests from individual states and then assign other federal players to deliver on the pleas for help. In this case, Mr. Trump has left the Department of Health and Human Services in charge.

FEMA is the only agency that has the full breadth of the federal government at its disposal, said Daniel J. Kaniewski, who in January left FEMA, after serving since the start of the Trump administration as one of the agencys top officials.

The disaster is so far-reaching, the federal government would never be able to address all of the requests for help, said W. Craig Fugate, who led FEMA during the Obama administration.
If youd made previous arrangements to use city facilities for events scheduled within the next eight weeks, you wont be forced to cancel, but City of Plainview officials will recommend following the latest Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines (which are changing daily).

The CDC on Sunday announced guidelines recommended public gatherings be limited to 50 people or less for the next eight weeks. President Donald Trumps office on Monday suggested public gatherings be limited to 10 people.
Gov. Gavin Newsom press conference View Photo

Sacramento, CA  California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new Executive Order with additional recommendations regarding how residents should respond to COVID-19.

Notably, it directs additional resources to help protect residents at senior care centers.

Also, the Governor is now recommending that restaurants eliminate dine-in options and movie theaters and health clubs close for the time being. In order to prevent the spread, yesterday, the Mayors of seven counties in the San Francisco Bay Area ordered residents to shelter in place and only leave their homes for essential activities that include buying food or medicine, seeing a doctor or caring for a family member.

Statewide, the Governor is asking residents over the age of 65 to stay home.

Additional information from the Governors Office about protecting senior and high-risk populations is below:

The order directs the following:

-The state must focus on protecting the health and safety of the most vulnerable in licensed facilities.

-The state shall immediately identify health, community care facilities, and other sites that house populations that are most vulnerable to COVID-19. This includes, but is not limited to seniors and individual who require assisted-living services due to chronic health conditions.

-The state shall redirect resources and provide technical and compliance support to protect caregivers and those they care for.

-Enforcement activities shall focus where there are allegations of the most serious violations impacting health and safety.

-The Health and Human Services Agency, in consultation with counties and labor organization and consumers, shall leverage existing services and programs to support home isolation of vulnerable Californians, including seniors and those with serious chronic underlying health conditions.

-To address the increased demand for healthcare workers and first responders, state Departments shall authorize first responders, care providers, and workers who are asymptomatic and taking precautions to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, to continue working during the period of this emergency

-It is also important that older adults and those at elevated risk of serious illness from COVID-19 take immediate steps to reduce their risk. This includes staying at home as much as possible and practicing social distancing.

Based on the Governors announcement yesterday, older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease should take the following steps:

-Remain at home until order is rescinded, or until further guidance is issued. Cancel any non-essential travel, appointments, etc.

-For routine medical care, contact your health care provider to discuss rescheduling.

-Continue with outdoor activities.As long as you practice social distancing, we encourage you to continue your outdoor activities such as walks, runs and yardwork, to the extent your health allows it.

-Practice social distancing. Maintain distance, at least six feet, between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

-Avoid handshaking, hugging or other intimate types of greetingsgreet others with a wave, nod or bow instead.

-Stay in touch with others by phone or email. Ask friends and family to do any essential grocery shopping, picking up medications, etc.

-You should ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.

Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick.

-Family and Caregiver Support Family, friends, and caregivers who come to your home to provide you with support should be asymptomatic, meaning having no fever, cough, or other respiratory symptoms.

-Know what medications your loved one or client is taking and see if you can help them have extra on hand.

-Monitor food and other medical supplies (oxygen, incontinence, dialysis, and wound care) needed and create a back-up plan.

-Stock up on non-perishable food items to have on hand in your home.

-Have supplies on hand. Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand.

-If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications.

-Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms.

-Have a plan for if you get sick: Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.

-Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.

-Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs. Pay attention to potential COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you develop symptoms, call your doctor or local public health department.

-If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs* include: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, bluish lips or face. *This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.

Hand washing

-Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.

-Encourage hand washing by family and friends, particularly children.

-Provide alcohol based hand sanitizers to supplement hand washing.

-Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

-Clean frequently used devices, such as mobile phones.

-Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones) with common cleaning supplies

-See the Center for Disease Control and Preventions guidance regarding the prevention of disease in homes and residential communities.

-Use respiratory etiquette.Cover cough with a tissue or sleeve.

-Provide adequate supplies within easy reach, including tissues and no-touch trash cans.
Concerts for the People

At the Town Hall on Tuesday the diva, Dame Nellie Melba, will open one of the most remarkable seasons of her career by inaugurating her cherished scheme of Concerts for the People. The great soprano will be supported by the Sate Orchestra under Mr Andre Skalski, in several beautiful arias, her rendering for which she is world-celebrated, namely, the Jewel Song from Faust, the Adieu from La Boheme, and Mozarts Voi che sapete.

Marie Curie honoured

Mme Curie, who discovered radium, has been elected as an Associe Libre of the French Academy of Medicine, by sixty-two votes to sixteen, becoming the first woman to be honoured by a membership. In the past the title of Associe Libre has been conferred on great scientists such as Pasteur, Arago and Chevreul who like Mme Curie, not being doctors of medicine were unqualified for nomination as full members of the Academy.

Australians on display
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 15)  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3-million grant (about 150 million) to the Philippines to help tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic, including the purchase of medical supplies.

The regional lender based in Manila announced the additional funding for the Philippines on Saturday, saying it would allow the government to purchase diagnostic reagents and equipment, materials for makeshift hospitals, and personal protection supplies for health workers managing severe COVID-19 cases, to name a few.

There are 140 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country as of Sunday afternoon. Eleven died from the disease, according to the Department of Health.

The Department of Finance said separately that it asked for the grant from ADB under its Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Fund. The lender will manage the funds, assist in the purchase of supplies, as well as in choosing the suppliers for medical equipment in coordination with the Health Department.

The Philippines has been under a state of public health emergency since March 8, when local transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed.

DOF asked for the funding aid on Thursday shortly after the World Health Organization classified the disease as a global pandemic, with over 152,000 cases and more than 5,000 deaths reported worldwide. The money will be used to acquire testing tools, protective gear for medical personnel, as well as equipment to be used on patients with severe cases.

Metro Manila has been placed under a month-long community quarantine, with local government units imposing curfew hours to keep residents at home. Classes on all levels have been suspended while work in government offices have been canceled or placed under skeletal workforce arrangements. Private businesses have been encouraged to allow work from home set-ups.

Last month, ADB also extended financial aid for China to support early detection of the disease, as well as a $2 million grant for all its developing member-states to fight COVID-19.

The grant is separate from the 2.35-billion supplemental budget requested by the Department of Health from Congress to buy N95 masks, gowns, gloves, and protective gear for 5,000 health workers. The House Committee on Appropriations approved a 1.65-billion fund on March 10, just before Congress sessions went on a break. The supplemental budget needs to be approved by both the House and the Senate before it can be signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte.

ADB had to shut down its headquarters in Mandaluyong for disinfection beginning March 12, upon learning that a visitor who entered the premises eventually tested positive for COVID-19. The banks staff have been told to work from home while their offices are being cleaned.
While the headlines for the last few weeks have been a lot of COVID-19 related doom and gloom, one study has really stood out. It turns out that there is at least one serious silver lining to the coronavirus outbreak, and that silver lining is saving lives.

A new analysis from a Stanford University scientist has shown that Chinas austere measures that essentially shut down the country and brought the Chinese economy to a grinding halt over the last several months have slashed the countrys staggering air pollution by such a large degree that the epidemic has actually saved lives. And not a paltry number, either. By Earth Systems Professor Marshall Burkes calculation, Chinas coronavirus lockdown has saved tens of thousands of lives.

Burke based his analysis on U.S. government sensor data gathered in four cities across China. The data measured particulate levels of PM2.5, which is the particulate most linked to deaths caused by air pollution, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The study averaged a decrease of PM2.5 in the four cities and calculated how the drop would impact Chinese mortality rates on a national scale. The results? According to his calculations, the drop-in pollution has most likely saved the lives of 4,000 small children under the age of 5 and 73,000 elderly Chinese adults over the age of 70. Related: Saudi Arabias Oil War Could Bankrupt The Kingdom

And, believe it or not, these numbers are a conservative estimate. Very conservative, in fact, as Burke did not consider any deaths for people between the ages of 5 and 70, who are less vulnerable to death caused by air pollution. Even with the most conservative calculations, reports Forbes, Burke still emerged with 1,400 kids saved and 51,700 elderly.

Source: NASA

This means that China has actually lost fewer lives over the course of the coronavirus pandemic than it would have under business as usual, without COVID-19. Even under these more conservative assumptions, the lives saved due to the pollution reductions are roughly 20x the number of lives that have been directly lost to the virus, Burke wrote in his report published on the G-FEED blog. It should be noted, however, points out Forbes, that his numbers do not include other negative consequences of the lockdown.

This impact is not limited to China. Northern Italy happens to be the region of Italy that suffers from the highest rates of air pollution in the country, as well as the region that is hardest hit by the coronavirus. Italy, which is the country with the biggest coronavirus outbreak outside of China (with the caveat that Irans numbers are likely extremely underreported and could be as bad or worse than Italy), has also experienced a significant reprieve from air pollution since shutting down the nations economic center and largest city of Milan. The shutdown has now spread to the rest of the nation as well. Related: OPEC+ Scraps Meeting As Oil War Heats Up

The European Space Agency (ESA) has reported that Italys greenhouse gas emissions have subsequently plummeted, as shown in a video released this week. The agency's Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite has seen a sharp decrease in emissions of nitrogen dioxide over Italy during the first two and a half months of 2020, reports Space.com.

The lesson here is not that COVID-19 is not a tragedy, but that we need to take a much closer look at our status quo and what Burke refers to as the substantial costs that our current way of doing things exacts on our health and livelihoods. While the disruption of COVID-19 will have sweeping and long-term economic impacts that will undoubtedly be devastating in a number of ways, especially for more vulnerable populations, Burke writes that more broadly, the fact that disruption of this magnitude could actually lead to some large (partial) benefits suggests that our normal way of doing things might need disrupting.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
New York City residents should prepare for a shelter-in-place order to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, the mayor says.

Rumours circulated about the city implementing the order after San Francisco announced on Monday its residents were expected to abide by its own shelter-in-place rule.

If implemented similar to that of San Francisco's, residents in NYC, which is home to more than 8 million, would only be allowed "essential" travel outside their homes to get food, medicine, or for exercise. People working in necessary job fields would also be allowed to travel for work.



Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would make the decision within the next 48 hours and encouraged New Yorkers to prepare for the order now.

It is definitely a possibility at this point, the mayor said. It is a difficult, difficult decision.

His response to combating the spread of the coronavirus differs from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who said on Tuesday a shelter-in-place order was not under consideration for the city.



"We hear New York City is going to quarantine itself - that is not true," Mr Cuomo said, adding a decision like that would need state approval first. "We have no interest whatsoever - and no plan whatsoever - to quarantine any city."

Mr de Blasio also said during his press conference that the number of Covid-19 confirmed cases rose in NYC from 463 to 814. Seven people have died from the virus.

We are certainly going to have thousands of cases next week, he added. It is not that long before we hit 10,000 cases, that is a true statement.

A rise in the number of cases is expected as more and more residents are tested for the virus.

In an effort to promote more testing, the city has signed with a private lab so an estimated 5,000 people can be tested per day, Mr de Blasio said.

Other measures already put in place in New York City is the shutting down of bars, restaurants, gyms, and community venues to promote social distancing. Residents can only order takeout or delivery food from restaurants. New York state also implemented a ban on social gatherings with 50 people or more.

On Monday, New York City closed its public schools in a move officials were hoping to avoid in the last week partly because 114,000 of its students are homeless. But it was ultimately decided closing schools could help stop the spread of Covid-19.
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A San Francisco tour operator who handled dead drops of sensitive information on behalf of Beijing's Ministry of State Security was sentenced to four years in prison for spying for China.

Edward Peng Xuehua, a naturalized US citizen, was arrested in Hayward, California, in September for arranging transfers of money and SD cards loaded with stolen data in different locations across the United States on behalf of China's premier intelligence body.

Peng pleaded guilty in federal district court in Oakland, California, to one charge of illegally acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.

The judge sentenced him to 48 months in prison on Tuesday and a USD30,000 fine, short of the 10 years and USD250,000 fine allowed.

Peng, 56, was exposed by what court filings said was a "double agent operation" targeting the MSS.

The operation led them to Peng, who in 2015 was seen picking up an SD card with US secrets that the double agent, under instructions from her Chinese "handlers," left inside a book at the front desk of a hotel in Newark, California.

Months later Peng was watched picking up another book dropped at the same hotel that also held a secrets-loaded memory card.

He then flew to Beijing where, according to investigators, he contacted MSS agents and handed over the card.

The FBI watched on several other occasions between 2016 and 2018 when Peng either picked up the stolen US secrets or left money for the double agent in hotels in both the San Francisco area and Columbus, Georgia, at the direction of MSS agents.

Peng first came to the United States in 2001 on a business visa and stayed legally as a non-immigrant worker.

He married and in 2006 became a permanent resident, and six years after that became a full citizen.

He had a registered business, US Tour and Travel, which served visitors from China planning to study in the United States.

"This case exposed one of the ways that Chinese intelligence officers work to collect classified information from the United States without having to step foot in this country,' said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers. Peng "is now being held accountable for his criminal actions and his betrayal of his oath of citizenship," Demers said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Americans waste an obscene amount of food. Between 30 and 40 percent of food produced for human consumption never gets eaten, ending up in landfills where it breaks down and emits methane, a greenhouse gas whose pound-for-pound impact is 25 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.

There are numerous reasons for this waste, from overstocking by retailers and over-buying by shoppers, to confusing expiry dates and poor cooking skills; but regardless of the reason, it's something that must be stopped. Excessive food waste must be curbed not only from an ethical standpoint, but also because it's a powerful tool in the fight against global warming and climate change.

Now, a new study from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and published in the journal Manufacturing and Service Operations Management has an interesting solution. Professor Elena Belavina says that opening more grocery stores could reduce food waste significantly. This may sound counterintuitive, but it's the conclusion reached by studying data from the grocery industry, the U.S. Census bureau, and other academic studies.

Most U.S. cities lack diverse options when it comes to grocery shopping, which means that people tend to overbuy when visiting a store. They buy more than what they can realistically eat, which means food goes to waste. By contrast, when there are more stores in a neighborhood, people will shop daily or multiple times a week, buying just what they need, which means less food goes to waste. From Cornell's press release:

"'The more stores you have, the lower food waste is going to be,' said Belavina, an expert in operations management and supply chains. 'Very small increases in store density can have a very high impact.' For example, Belavina found that in Chicago, which she said is typical of many American cities, adding just three or four markets within a 10-square-kilometer area (about four square miles) would reduce food waste by 6 percent to 9 percent."

The perfect balance would be something akin to New York City's arrangement, which blends supermarkets with small neighborhood markets and corner-store bodegas and produce stands. Europe (and much of the rest of the world) is famously good at this, too, with specialized retailers catering to shoppers' various needs, such as bread, cheese, meat, and produce.

 K Martinko  A lively food market in Tel Aviv, Israel

It is possible to have too many grocery stores, which can tip the balance in the wrong direction and generate more food waste, but generally in the U.S. this is not a problem. From the study: "Actual store density in most American cities is well below this threshold/optimal level, and modest increases in store density substantially reduce waste."

Belavina's research did find that increasing the number of grocery stores would lead to more food waste by retailers, but this is less than the amount of food wasted by consumers. "We at home throw away 10 times more food than the grocery stores," she said. This is why focusing on solutions to minimize consumer waste will have a greater benefit overall than focusing on retailers.

Belavina suggests that when adding more stores isn't feasible, people should explore alternative shopping methods such as online orders and deliveries. "Any service that makes it more convenient and allows you to shop more frequently [is worthwhile]. To reduce food waste, essentially what households need to do is bring less groceries home."

This advice feels strange at times like these, when people are frantically stockpiling groceries to ensure they don't go hungry during a global lockdown. But once life goes back to normal, it would probably be wise to strike a balance between stocking the house with non-perishable staples so that you're never entirely unprepared and buying perishable foods in smaller quantities on a regular basis. It's also smart to familiarize yourself with the foods that are most commonly wasted, such as coffee, bananas, chicken, milk, apples, bread, potatoes, and pasta, and make an effort to minimize these at home.
The Archaeological Survey of India on Tuesday ordered shutting down of all its centrally protected monuments, and cancelled all permissions given for filming, photography and cultural events within its premises till March 31 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.

IMAGE: Tourists visit the historic Taj Mahal in Agra. Photograph: PTI Photo

A formal order was issued a day after tourism and culture minister Prahlad Patel had announced the move and instructed ASI to do the needful to contain the spread of the virus in the country.

"Keeping in view COVID-19, ministry of culture has decided to shut all ASI monuments, sites and museums till March 31...all the online permissions like filming, free entry, photography, cultural events issued for the above period shall also remain cancelled," the order stated.

There are 3,691 centrally protected monuments and sites under the ASI.

The order came after a high-level meeting of the Group of Ministers on COVID-19 on Monday.

In the meeting it was decided that a set of measures for social distancing should be implemented as a preventive strategy.

India has reported 126 positive cases include 22 foreign nationals. So far, three people have lost their lives after getting infected with the virus.
Morgan Stanley further cut its oil price forecast, now expecting Brent crude to average $30 a barrel during the second quarter, from $35 a barrel earlier.

Reuters quoted the investment bank as saying, Temporary sell-offs to even lower levels are possible, if not likely.

Barclays also revised its oil price forecast earlier this month. The UK bank now expects Brent to average $43 a barrel in 2020, with West Texas Intermediate at $40. Thats down from an earlier forecast of $59 for Brent and $54 for WTI. Even earlier, Morgan Stanley said it expected Brent crude to average $55 a barrel in the second quarter, down from $57.50 earlier, and WTI to trade at around $50 a barrel, down from $52.50.

For now, Goldman is the most pessimistic. The investment bank said last week we could see Brent fall as low as $20 a barrel if the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia continues long enough.

It was this war, rather than the prospects of a global recession on the back of the coronavirus outbreak, that "completely changes the outlook for oil and gas markets," according to Goldman analyst Daniel Courvalin, as quoted by Business Insider. "The prognosis for the oil market is even more dire than in November 2014, when such a price war last started, as it comes to a head with the significant collapse in oil demand due to the coronavirus," Courvalin said.

International agencies are also revising their forecasts, for oil demand this time. The EIA, the IEA, and OPEC all expect demand to take a beating this year, mostly because of the coronavirus, again.

Worse may be yet to come, at least according to Rystad Energy.

Oil prices have reacted extremely negatively and we believe ... that we have not seen the bottom of the oil price just yet, the Norwegian consultancy said, as quoted by CNBC. The potential loss of demand in March-April may dwarf anything the World has ever seen, just when OPEC+ producers open the floodgates of new supply to the market.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Aldi has announced sweeping changes to its trading hours as the COVID-19 crisis continues to put pressure on the grocery sector.

The supermarket giant announced all its stores will now trade from 9.30am to 7pm unless state or local trading restrictions apply.

The usual trading hours for most Aldi stores was 8.30am until 8pm.

Aldi said the changes were made to give staff a break and allow them to care for their families.

Aldi has announced a change to its trading hours to allow for staff to care for their families and for stock to be reset in the store

'We are operating at full-steam and working under immense pressure to provide products to every single customer that shops with us,' an Aldi statement read.

'We also want to let you know that there is more than enough food to go around; we just need your patience and support.

'Please think before you buy and only buy what you and your family need. If we all do this, then we can make sure we have enough for everyone.'

Each store will also undergo thorough cleaning during closing hours.

'We would ask everyone to be considerate and compassionate in the way they shop,' the statement continued.

'This means civil behaviour, courtesy to those less able and respect for the employees of retail outlets.'

Wooloworths also announced plans are underway to increase the supply of toilet paper in the wake of panic buying in the face of the COVID-19 crisis

Coles has also introduced limits on the sales of crucial items but has also urged customers to treat their staff with 'respect and compassion'

The company will continue to monitor the situation and make the necessary adjustments.

'We will continue to re-evaluate these hours on a weekly basis and communicate the decision to either uphold these hours or return to normal trading hours,' the statement read.

Poll Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes No Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes 860 votes

No 2944 votes Now share your opinion





The announcement comes after Woolworths made adjustments to its operating procedures.

The company has dedicated 7am to 8am each day to the elderly and have adjusted their stock orders.

'We want to slow the panic down,' Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said.

'We understand that our customers' priority is to be prepared, but the vast majority of our food is grown or manufactured in Australia so there is not a concern with supply. What we have is a spike in demand.'

The supermarket also announced plans are underway to increase the supply of toilet paper, which is selling seven weeks' worth per day.

There are more than 450 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five people have died

Woolworths also announced it is suspending online deliveries in Victoria - where it had 'extraordinary' demand - to focus on keeping supermarkets stocked.

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

Coles had also introduced limits on sales of pasta, flour, uncooked rice, paper towels, paper tissues and hand sanitisters, as its shelves were left bare by panic buyers.

Customers are only allowed two of those items each.

A spokeswoman for Coles pleaded for customers to show 'respect and compassion' for its exhausted staff.

'Coles team members and suppliers have been working as hard as possible delivering more products to stores every day and stocking shelves as quickly as possible,' a statement said.

'We ask for customers to continue to respect, show compassion and support our team members in stores and our Customer Care and Coles Online call centres, particularly if a product is unavailable or if the checkout queues are longer than normal.

'We have significantly increased the number of team members working in our stores to support this level of unprecedented demand and are actively recruiting for more than 5,000 more casual team members.
It must have been pretty miserable living in the Mitchell Lake area on the citys South Side back at the turn of the 20th century. The lake served as the repository for the citys sewage, making it little more than a fetid swamp  and a spawning ground for millions upon millions of mosquitoes.

The blood suckers were so thick, travelers avoided the area, and the mosquitoes often drove farmers away from their fields. The mosquitoes also spread malaria which, at the time, was common in San Antonio.

When Dr. Charles A. Campbell examined 87 adults and children who lived near the lake, he found that 78 were infected. Right now the worlds attention is trained on the COVID-19 pandemic, but back then, malaria was the scourge everyone was desperate to prevent and better treat.

So in an odd chapter of San Antonio history few people know anything about, Campbell went batty  literally. A San Antonio physician and former city bacteriologist, he spent much of his life fighting the disease by designing and building what he called malaria-eradicating, guano-producing bat roosts.

After much trial and error, the roosts eventually succeeded in attracting large colonies of bats. But whether they actually helped quell the malaria epidemic is debatable.

Campbell was inspired to this work, he wrote in his book Bats, Mosquitoes and Dollars, published in 1925, by the question of whether bats, like bees, can be colonized with the intention to accomplish the eradication of that world-wide disease, malaria, which Nature intended man, and man only, to carry.

On ExpressNews.com: Bat-killing fungus detected in 21 Texas counties and in Bracken bat cave

His biological pest control gained Campbell praise locally and nationally. In 1919 he was nominated for a Nobel Prize and his book was called monumental by the director of the New York Zoological Society, according to a story in the Sept. 26, 1965 edition of the Express and News.

Additional bat roosts were built elsewhere in Texas as well as in Berkeley, California; Tampa, Florida and Rome, Italy.

Today we think of malaria as a problem in Africa or tropical jungles, said Timothy Anderson, a disease intervention and prevention expert with the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. But it used to be rampant in the United States. During the Civil War, for example, it killed more soldiers than the war itself.

In San Antonio, death rates from malaria between 1914 and 1923 ranged from 3.8 to 19.6 per 100,000 people, according to Anderson.

The number of cases was likely to have been 50 to 100 times higher, he said.

The disease was so prevalent that, in 1942 the Office of Malaria Control in War Areas was founded, charged with eradicating malaria in the South, especially around military bases. Today, it is known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Campbell began building bat roosts of various sizes and shapes as early as 1910. One prototype contained a series of inclined shelves and was baited with guano-saturated cheesecloth intended to attract bats.

But according to an article in the Summer 1989 issue of Bats magazine, published by Bat Conservation International, the bats ignored the roost and several other prototypes that followed. Having a crisis of confidence, he left his family, suspended his medical practice and traveled to West Texas, where he spent time studying bats in their natural habitat.

Noting that bats preferred caves with a ready supply of water, he returned to San Antonio where he decided to build an artificial roost near the malodorous waters of Mitchell Lake. In an article in the July 30, 1920 issue of the peer-review journal Public Health Reports, the new roost was described by one observer as a sort of tower set on four posts about 10 feet above the ground. It was about 20 feet high with walls slanting inward and a slightly elevated roof so the bats could enter and exit.

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Several months after it was constructed, in the early evening of July 4, 1911, Campbell watched as the first bats to take up residence in the tower emerged to fly off for their nighttime feeding. It took about five minutes for them to exit the roost.

To goose the numbers, he played loud recorded music outside a hunting lodge where a large colony of bats returned each morning after feeding. Cascade of Roses played by the Mexico City Police Band was apparently annoying enough that, according to Campbell, the bats refused to roost, flying off into the early morning darkness.

He repeated the performance at a nearby abandoned ranch house, rousting the colony that lived there.

The evicted bats, Campbell claimed in his book, apparently took up residence in the new roost and soon, he wrote, there were so many he it took two hours for an estimated 100,000 bats to emerge from the structure.

On ExpressNews.com: Spurs mascot Coyote saves game from bats

The experiment, it appeared, was a resounding success, although at least some of that success was due to what could be seen as Campbells skill for exaggeration.

In Bats, Mosquitoes and Dollars, Campbell described testimonials given in 1914 by tenant farmers living near the lake who said that, once the roost went up, they and their animals were no longer vexed by clouds of mosquitoes. And, he said, he couldnt find a single case of malaria in the area.

Although all his evidence was anecdotal, the Bexar County Medical Society endorsed Campbells work and the San Antonio City Council passed a law making it a crime to kill bats. More of Campbells bat roosts were built in Texas and beyond. According to the Bats magazine article, after Campbell died in 1931, his heirs continue to receive profits from guano sales until 1948 when his last surviving heir, a Mrs. Milton Campbell, was receiving $500 annually, the equivalent of more than $5,300 today.

Theres plenty of evidence, however, that the bats might not have been the main cause of the decline in mosquitoes or the resulting malaria. The 1920 Public Health Reports article, for example, questioned several of Campbells glowing claims about his bat roosts. In interviews, for example, employees at a land company headquartered near the lake after the roost was built reported no decline in mosquito swarms after the roost was built.

Also, necropsies performed on several captured bats found their stomachs contained mostly the remains of moths and that (n)othing resembling mosquito remains was found.

And while its true that malaria rates declined in the years after Campbell began building his roosts, there were other, more likely explanations for that drop, according to Fran Hutchins, director of the Bracken Cave Preserve with Bat Conservation International.

It is clear that the decline in malaria can mostly be attributed to draining ditches and other areas of standing water, better sewage treatment, and the use of insecticides such as DDT, he said. Bats may have helped, but they were only a piece of the puzzle.

But in San Antonios puzzle of strange historical events, the bat man of San Antonio is certainly one of the oddest.

Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
By David Shepardson and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. airlines sought a government bailout of more than $50 billion (41 billion pounds) as the White House is urgently drafting a financial assistance package in the wake of the steep falloff in U.S

By David Shepardson and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. airlines sought a government bailout of more than $50 billion (41 billion pounds) as the White House is urgently drafting a financial assistance package in the wake of the steep falloff in U.S. travel demand sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.

A trade association warned that without action airlines could run out of money by year-end - and even sooner if credit card companies started withholding payments. Without action soon, airlines and others in the sector could furlough tens of thousands of workers.

Airlines for America, the trade group representing American Airlines , United Airlines Inc , Delta Air Lines Inc , Southwest Airlines Co and others, said the industry needs $25 billion in grants, $25 billion in loans and significant tax relief to survive. They also seek tax relief that could be worth tens of billions of dollars through the end of at least 2021.

They also seek a package of $8 billion, equally divided in grants and loans for cargo carriers. Airports are seeking at least $10 billion in emergency government assistance, sources told Reuters.

Boeing Co is also seeking short-term assistance, for itself, as well as plane suppliers and for the entire aviation sector, a person briefed on the matter said, saying the company is confident Americans will want to travel again and is in talks with the White House and U.S. lawmakers. It is not clear how much Boeing is seeking. Boeing declined to comment.

"We have to back the airlines - it's not their fault," U.S. President Donald Trump said, saying he has told the airlines he will assist them but did not endorse a specific figure. "We're going to be backstopping the airlines. Were going to be helping them very much."

The pain was felt around the globe, with European carriers making unprecedented cuts to flights, costs and staffing while stepping up calls for emergency aid. South America's largest carrier, LATAM Airlines Group, cancelled 90% of its international flights as demand collapsed.

"This is a today problem, not a tomorrow problem. It requires urgent action," said Nicholas Calio, president of the airline group. The airlines' proposal would see them get funds within 15 days of approval.

U.S. carriers have slashed flights and last week met with the White House to sound the alarm for urgent action. The National Economic Council and U.S. Treasury are drafting a proposed assistance package and officials have been in early talks with lawmakers, officials told Reuters.

Delta is in advanced talks with banks to borrow about $4 billion and an announcement could come as early as Tuesday, a person briefed on the matter said. Bloomberg reported the talks earlier.

Separately, Amtrak and U.S. airports are also in talks about receiving urgent government assistance. Amtrak and its state rail partners are seeking $1 billion as it slashes trains and warned it could see losses of at least hundreds of millions of dollars this year.

The companies said the grants would compensate them for reduced liquidity - net of financing - for all of 2020 attributable to the coronavirus outbreak.

Air Line Pilots Association President Joe DePete said Monday "any economic relief package must contain strong labour protections for the airline employees who haveor willsuffer financial harm."

Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat, said any airline bailout "must have some major strings attached  including new rules to prohibit consumer abuses like unfair change and cancellation fees; protections for front-line workers like flight attendants, pilots, and airport workers." He also called for requiring "development of long-term strategies and targets to reduce the carbon footprint of the airline industry."

Two people briefed on the matter said the chief executives of all of Airlines for Americas' members signed off on the request, including United, Atlas Air , Delta, American, Hawaiian Airlines , Southwest and JetBlue Airways Corp .

Southwest said Monday it had secured a new $1 billion line of credit and withdrawing its previous 2020 financial guidance. Southwest said its planes were flying only half full. It will reduce capacity by at least 20% from April 14 through June 5.

United said Sunday in the first two weeks of March it had 1 million fewer passengers and is currently projecting revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March.

The airlines warned about the impact of a 30-day domestic ban because that would require them to repay consumers for all tickets purchased within seven days if the service cannot be provided even for non-refundable tickets. That could boost liquidity losses by $7 billion to $10 billion and make it harder to obtain credit. Trump said Monday he was not planning any domestic travel freeze.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told Fox Business Network "It's not so much a bailout" for airlines, describing it instead as liquidity and cash flow help.

"We don't see any of the airlines failing. But if they get into a cash crunch, we're going to try to help them. We're consulting with the House and Senate to see what works. And of course the Treasury Department and the Fed have enormous powers on this," Kudlow said.

United is cutting 50% of its flights in April and May, while American said it will cut 75% of international capacity. Delta is cutting 40% of its flights in the next few months.

Airlines asked the administration to rebate the excise taxes carriers paid into the Air Trust Fund this year and to repeal all federal excise taxes on tickets, cargo and fuel through the end of at least 2021.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Steve Holland; additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Description

GIS - 17 March, 2020: The Prime Minister , Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth , effected a site visit, this morning, to assess prevailing situation at the quarantine centre of Quatre Surs and to ensure that all sanitary measures taken are being respected . The Deputy Prime Minister , Mr. Ivan Leslie Collendavelloo , and the Minister of Health and W ellness, Dr. Kailesh Jagutpa l and other ministers were also present. The

There are currently some 25 Mauritians coming from high risks countries placed at the quarantine centre.

In a statement to the press, Prime Minister Jugnauth underlined that the centre is an appropriate and ideal place to quarantine people adding that the local residents should not be worried of any risk related to Covid-19. He stressed that all identified quarantine places have been chosen following discussions with experts.

He expressed satisfaction with regard to the services and treatment provided at the centre by the medical and non-medical staff of Flacq Hospital. All preventive and bold measures taken, he added, reflect the firm determination of the Government to prevent Covid-19 from entering Mauritius. However, he said, the country still remains extremely vulnerable and at risk.

The Prime Minister cautioned the spread of fake news regarding Covid-19 and warned untrusted sources not to create panic amidst the population. He reiterated that, as a date, there is no case of Covid-19 in the country and advised the citizens to adopt sanitary habits and follow all guidelines listed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Zelensky said Ryaboshapka had failed to produce results. But the sacking shocked observers. His attack on corruption in the prosecution service was seen by good-governance advocates as a seismic reform. Yet here was the populist president  a man whose broad-based political support gave him the best chance in decades of modernizing Ukraines ossified and corrupt political and law enforcement institutions  abruptly veering away from a crucial reform of the prosecution service toward . . . what, exactly?
Despite the low oil prices that brought on by the combination of the coronavirus pandemics migration to the United States and the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, US shale producers will together hit a new record output next month, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Today, the EIA predicted that OPECs shift to maintain its market share will cause global inventories to increase further, and prices to fall further.

And the US shale will do its part to contribute to a global increase.

Oil production in the seven most prolific shale basins will hit a new high of 9.075 million barrels per day in April, an increase of 180,000 barrels per day. The largest increase will come from producers in the Permian basin, adding 38,000 bpd of the 180,000-bpd total increase, reaching 4.79 million bpd.

All other basins are expected to see a decrease in oil production next month.

Meanwhile, gas production in those seven plays is expected to decrease, the EIA said, by 188 million cubic feet per day.



Related: The Most Destructive Oil Price Crash In History?

Russia and Saudi Arabia are waging an oil price war, with Saudi Arabia ramping up production to more than 12 million bpd, and has booked VLCCs to carry more oil to its customers for next month. Both Russia and Saudi Arabia have insisted that they can comfortably withstand these lower oil prices. Analysts arent sure of those optimistic statements, nor that US shale will be able to keep its debt-laden head above water in a sub-$30 WTI environment.

US shale producers are now facing a more direct coronavirus challenge as lawmakers in the States work to shutdown nonessential businesses and activities in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading. In Texas, home to part of the Permian basin, schools have been closed and could remain closed for the remainder of the academic year, and Dallas and San Antonio have banned large gatherings.

In New Mexico, housing the other part of the Permian, Governor Grisham ordered state employees to work from home, and called on other businesses to follow this as well.

Other states have closed bars, restaurants and movie theaters, and the California Bay area has ordered residents to remain at home for three weeks.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Last week, the global cruise line industry all but ground to a halt, with the biggest companies suspending operations, at least in the United States, for 30 days. The decision, announced by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department urged Americans to avoid cruise ships, and the United States banned most travel from Europe.

Thirty-two million passengers were expected to embark on ocean cruises in 2020, according to CLIA, though that number will certainly drop given the coronavirus pandemic. People over 60, an important cruise customer demographic, are especially at risk from the virus.

When sailings begin again, travelers can expect increased passenger health and travel screenings and changes in cleaning and food service procedures; loosened trip cancellation and change policies may also stay in effect.

Approximately 40 ships and 90,000 passengers were at sea at the time new sailings were suspended. Two of those ships, the Costa Luminosa and the Braemar, operated by the Fred Olsen Cruise line, are known to have had passengers or crew infected with the coronavirus and have had trouble finding ports that will accept them. Cuba finally allowed the second ship to dock.
Along with Bill Kristol, Jennifer Rubin, Max Boot, and other once respected intellectuals, we now see the same anti-Trump lunacy infecting Atlantic Monthly writer Anne Applebaum, whose self-important loathing for Trump has descended into outright anti-Americanism.

In her case, the transmission vehicle is the coronavirus.

First, she wrote a badly reasoned Atlantic Monthly piece claiming that American had finally gotten its comeuppance in the coronavirus pandemic just as the Japanese got theirs before the Meiji Restoration, when they realized how far behind they were relative to some other countries' technology (really?). "Called America's bluff," she put it, implying our entire nation was some kind of con.

Then she put out this ridiculous tweet:

China has reacted to the outbreak of coronavirus in Italy by sending aid. The US has reacted by suspending flights. Who is the superpower? https://t.co/TsM3Eu7KR7  Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) March 12, 2020

Is there anyone who cares about such hierarchies at a time like this? What most people are thinking is that China is responsible for this virus, period, and needs to be held accountable. Whether it was through tolerating the eating of bat soup in Wuhan wet markets or accidentally releasing the virus through an infected worker from a government lab into that same Wuhan wet market (such geniuses to position them next to each other), it's responsible. It has since failed to contain the spread of the virus, has lied repeatedly about its origins, covered up evidence, refused aid from the U.S., and is busy throwing dissidents and whistleblowers into prison over the whole thing to keep the press good. It's also trying to falsely pin the crisis onto the U.S. and might even be trying to spread the disease to top U.S. officials, as a suspicious recent incident demonstrates.

China's behavior has been nothing short of reprehensible, and yes, this communist regime, unlike the free government in the U.S., may just topple as a result of this behavior, too. The Chicoms at a minimum are acting as though it might happen.

Yes, we are the superpower here, and that goes without saying. Applebaum is, after all, tweeting in English. Her weird obsession with hierarchies makes her sound like a six-year-old demanding to settle some kind of score with a rival by asking, "Who's the biggest?"

Besides that, she was actually tweeting a dishonest claim, that the Chicoms, out of that big communist heart of theirs, were giving Italy aid while America did nothing. It wasn't even true  the Italians paid for the medical supplies, and the Chicoms were fulfilling a previously made contract. But never put it past the Chicoms to put a good propaganda opportunity to waste now that they know that Applebaum will carry the water for them.

Naturally, she got "ratioed" for this tweet  a Twitter term meaning the negative replies she got outnumbered her "likes" and retweets. To read these comments, at least five to one negative, is a thing of awe. If it wasn't precisely a true ratio, it was enough to make her jump in and attempt to defend herself by criticizing her critics. It seems to have worried her.

People who insist on misunderstanding this tweet should look in the mirror. Our president has lied and covered up this disease; he announced a travel ban, without warning his allies, as a fake cure. You think he is a model for the world?  Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) March 13, 2020

The Federalist noted that she and her cohorts at the Atlantic Monthly were mouthing outright Chinese propaganda, too. Here's the Federalist's summary of her American "comeuppance" piece, titled "How the Coronavirus Called America's Bluff":

In an article titled "The Coronavirus Called America's Bluff," Applebaum makes the case for why the Trump administration is just as bad as the Chinese Communist Party. Applebaum initially describes China's failings in handling the virus, but then compares Trump to officials in Wuhan for being "concerned about the numbers  the optics of how a pandemic looks." She acknowledges China's threats against it's [sic] own doctors, but shifts blame away from the Chinese Communist Party because they did not instruct "anyone in the United States not to carry out testing." She writes "many of those recounting China's missteps have become just a little bit too smug."

Umm, if China's got a lot of missteps and we should avoid being "too smug" why does that not apply to leftist gloats about President Trump's supposed missteps? The other thing is, China's "missteps"  putting a government infectious disease lab next to a Wuhan wet market, letting someone get ill from its byproducts, spreading it through the market, destroying the evidence of its origins, jailing whistleblowers and dissidents, hurling people into pens like livestock where if they didn't have coronavirus when they went in, would surely have it when they came out  were some doozies of "missteps." To even call those outrages which contributed to the global spread of a pandemic and shut down the world economy 'missteps' is not just the mother of all understatements, it's full blown Chicom propaganda.

Here's another thing: She dumped her U.S. citizenship for Polish citizenship after marrying some Polish functionary. I don't know all the rules of dual-citizenship, but her loyalty now is to another country, or in a de facto way, the European Union. When she speaks of "our," it leaves a funny taste in the mouth given that she's sworn loyalty to Poland. Who is this "our" you speak of, Kemosabe?

Apparently stung by that criticism or worried about her credibility, Applebaum attempted to bolster her street-cred against communism on Twitter by citing a column she wrote on China last year, as well as her book on the Soviet Gulag written several years ago. She wants you to read that column "very carefully."

But she missed the point. Her animating motivation for this nonsense is her Trump-hate. It's not of the neo-con variety, but of the Eurotrash variety.

Like a lot of Trump-haters, she's spent massive amounts of time in Europe, and as mentioned earlier, apparently dumped her U.S. citizenship for Polish citizenship, and is a bigtime embracer of the European Union. It's also worth noting that she has a long history as a Soros acolyte. She went to the very far left United Nations Beijing Women's conference as a correspondent. She's above all a European Union-defending globalist and if jumping in bed with China will advance Trump-hate, she'll jump in bed with even China.

Yes, she has written fairly well regarded books in the past on the evils of communism, but they may be in for a re-look, given her associations with George Soros's "open society," which today is being reviled in Eastern Europe. Soros-ism seems to be at the root of her past endeavors.

I was a tutorial student at St Antony's College at Oxford, right around the same time she was in the early 1980s. I didn't know her, but I know what the atmosphere was like in the St Antony's Russian Studies divisions - very leftwing, very anti-Thatcher, but not utterly in denial of truth. The Polish community was strong, and one professor was aligned with a then-little-known tycoon named George Soros in a bid to free eastern Europe, in what the first seeds of Soros' spread of his globalist ideas through the world. Dissident expats at the time were viewed with contempt, something my great tutor, Dr. Harry Shukman, noted to me in the mid-1990s at a later meeting, and as he told me then, should not have happened. Shukman, who died in 2012, did the world a tremendous service in saving Soviet records and files during the brief period when they were open by translating and cleaning up the memoirs of a defecting Soviet general. Applebaum was right in the middle of that and now it shows.

Now she's lost her sense of right and wrong, her sense of good and bad, based on her crazy loathing of Trump, which now extends to America itself. In the same way an alkie or a drug addict craves illicit substances over life itself, Applebaum's hate of Trump is the drug that rules her mind. She can't even keep her once clear perspective straight  and criticize China as she may, the coronavirus combined with her static hate of Trump has driven her to state things that make the Chinese very, very happy.

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of image from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Poland // CC BY-SA 2.0 and Pixabay public domain images.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George has said he w...





A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George has said he will contest for 2023 presidency if national leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC Bola Tinubu decides to contest.





The PDP chieftain said Tinubu should not be the president of Nigeria because he is not a good manager of resources and has no respect for the poor.





Speaking to DailyTrust, Pa George said The moment I read that the APC will zone the Presidency to the South-West so that Bola can contest, I said to myself, I have put in far more and I would contest against him.





Why? Because we all experienced what he did as a manager of this state. Whatever it takes, if he comes out, Ill fight against him.

To be assertive and to confirm, I am very much interested in the presidential race.





Asked if he had a personal disagreement with Tinubu, George said he just disapproves of the national leaders methodology and has no personal issues.





There is nothing personal. It is just about his methodology, his system of governance, the lack of respect for the poor people of this country.





My major interest is not in being a candidate or becoming the president of Nigeria but finding a solution to various challenges plaguing the country, George added.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu says resolving the long-running dispute with Egypt over its giant dam on the River Nile requires 'strong political will" from Egypt

Ethiopia demands "serious and fair" talks in order to return to the negotiating table with Egypt and Sudan over its giant dam project on the River Nile, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew said.

In an interview with China Global Television Network CGTN, Gedu said resolving the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD requires a "strong political will" from the Egyptian side.

Tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt over the $4.8 billion dam were building up after Addis Ababa did not attend the latest round of US-sponsored talks held in Washington in late February, which were expected to generate a final deal. It cited the need for more time for further domestic consultations.

Only Egypt initialed an agreement crafted by the US over the filling and operation of the dam, while Ethiopia and Sudan did not.

Ethiopia said it plans to commence filling the dam's reservoir in July, though outstanding issues over the filling and operation of the dam remain unsolved.

"The solution for disagreement again is negotiations. We demand serious and fair talks to take place for us to return to the table once again. The only chance we have is to agree on this. For this, strong political will from the Egyptian side is needed," Gedu said in the interview, a clip of which was published by the foreign ministry on Monday.

Following Ethiopia's absence from the Washington talks, Egypt accused it of deliberately not attending to "hinder the path of negotiations".

Ethiopia hopes the mega project, which is now around 71% complete, will make it Africa's biggest power exporter. But Cairo fears the project will restrict supplies of the Nile waters, on which it is almost entirely dependent.

Gedu said the mega project is key to his country's efforts to eliminate poverty and overcome its acute shortage of electricity.

"In Ethiopia, more than 65 million citizens live without electricity and the investors we are inviting to help us defeat poverty are suffering from insufficient power supply, preventing industries from bearing fruit, and hundreds of factories are affected by this," Gedu said.

"Every year, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians graduate from high schools and universities, its mandatory to create jobs for these young people," he said. "The key for [resolving] all these problems is found in the completion of Renaissance Dam project."

Gedu emphasized that Ethiopia, nevertheless, never sought to solely benefit from the Nile water.

"Though the source of most of the Nile water can be located in Ethiopia and even with over 85 percent of the water contributed by Ethiopia, Ethiopia not a single day said we have to benefit from this water alone," he said. "The water of the Nile belongs to Ethiopians, Egyptians, Sudanese and people of other Nile basin countries."

"We give full recognition for the right of basin nations to use the water and we properly understand our right of using the Nile water responsibly," Gedu said.

Gedu has slammed the Arab League's push to resolve the row with Egypt over the dam as "unacceptable", after the pan-Arab bloc earlier this month adopted a draft resolution supporting Egypt's stance on the dispute.

Sudan insisted its name be removed from the resolution, saying it "does not serve the spirit of dialogue and negotiations", drawing Cairo's criticism which said Sudan sought to "weaken the effect of the resolution."

"The [Arab] League's intervention and promotion of conflict on a matter that is not even concluded yet between the three countries is unacceptable", the Ethiopian minister said.

The bloc had a chance to use this situation to strengthen ties between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, he said

"We believe the Arab League can still positively impact the differences between Ethiopia and Egypt. The Arab league should have a role to promote solidarity among countries in the Eastern African region and the Middle East based on mutual cooperation."

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 11:31:45|Editor: huaxia

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WUHAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China:

-- A total of 21 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths were reported on the Chinese mainland Monday. Of the deaths, 12 were in Hubei Province and one in Shaanxi Province.

Also on Monday, 930 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 202 to 2,830.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,881 by the end of Monday, including 8,976 patients who were still being treated, 68,679 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,226 people who died from the disease.

By the end of Monday, 157 confirmed cases including four deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 11 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 67 in Taiwan including one death.

-- Twenty imported cases were reported on the mainland Monday. Among them, nine were reported in Beijing, three in Shanghai, three in Guangdong, and one in Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Shaanxi respectively. By the end of Monday, 143 imported cases had been reported.

-- Central China's Hubei Province reported one new confirmed case of COVID-19, bringing the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the hard-hit province to 67,799.

As of Monday, Hubei had seen no newly confirmed COVID-19 cases for 12 consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan.

The province also saw 893 patients discharged from hospital after recovery on Monday, bringing the total number of discharged patients in the province to 55,987.

-- The first batch of medical assistance teams were scheduled to leave Hubei Tuesday as the epidemic situation has been greatly eased.

The 3,675 medical staff belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan.

-- Over 1.5 million students in their final year of senior and junior high schools in China's Guizhou Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region returned to school Monday, as the coronavirus spread has been basically curbed.

-- Hubei has started sending out workers after new infections petered out in most of its cities. The cities of Jingzhou, Huanggang, Xianning and Qianjiang have arranged chartered vehicles to send out thousands of migrant workers at a time when factories across China are rushing to resume work amid a labor crunch.
GUATEMALA CITY - Guatemala announced Tuesday that it was suspending incoming flights carrying immigrants and asylum seekers sent by the United States, citing concerns over the global coronavirus pandemic.

The measure covered two flights of Guatemalan deportees scheduled for the day, as well as indefinitely suspending flights carrying people from other Central American nations who were being sent to Guatemala under an asylum co-operation agreement with the United States that is part of Washingtons broader crackdown on immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Starting today all flights of returnees under the (agreement with Washington) are suspended for the duration of the state of calamity, Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo said.

In the case of deported Guatemalans, Brolo said it was a precautionary measure until health protocols can be put in place to transport people to their hometowns, since public transportation has been shut down.

The ministry said U.S. authorities are increasing health checks of people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody to guarantee that no returnee is sent with symptoms related to COVID-19 or coronavirus, and Brolo said deportees would undergo four or five such examinations.

Guatemala, which has reported one fatality from the new coronavirus and five other confirmed cases, has closed its borders to foreigners, though the constitution protects Guatemalans right of entry.

Most people who come down with the disease have relatively mild symptoms, but it can be deadly for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Most people infected with the virus recover in a matter of weeks.

Tens of thousands of people from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years seeking asylum or fleeing poverty.

ICE typically operates several flights weekly returning Guatemalans who are being deported.

The Trump administration has in recent months has flown 939 migrants from El Salvador and Honduras to Guatemala as well, through the asylum co-operative agreement signed in July. Under the accord, the U.S. can require Salvadorans and Hondurans who cross its southern border to seek asylum in Guatemala instead. The vast majority have chosen to return to their home countries rather than request refuge in Guatemala, which is also has high numbers of would-be immigrants and asylum seekers fleeing the country.

The Trump administration says flying people from other countries to Guatemala is critical to discouraging people from leaving the region and trying to enter the U.S. The American Civil Liberties Union and other American civil rights groups have sued to stop the agreement and similar deals the U.S. has reached with El Salvador and Honduras.

___

Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed from Houston.
Trials are being done using arthritis, HIV and a combination of other existing drugs to treat the novel coronavirus.

Drugs used for treating arthritis are being tested as treatments for COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, as researchers rush to find ways of helping patients and slowing the number of infections.

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said on Monday they began a clinical trial of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara as a coronavirus treatment, while in Spain a separate trial is studying if a combination of two drugs can slow down the spread of coronavirus among people.

Enrolments for the mid-to-late stage trial of Kevzara, an immune-system modifying drug known as a monoclonal antibody, will begin immediately and test up to 400 patients, Sanofi and Regeneron said in a joint statement.

Regeneron in February announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a treatment for the new coronavirus, called SARS-CoV2, and said it would focus on monoclonal antibodies.

The virus that emerged in central China in December has now infected more than 179,000 people worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking these figures.

Doctors have seen that many of those who become critically ill from SARS-CoV2 are experiencing a so-called cytokine storm, which happens when the immune system overreacts and attacks the bodys organs. Some researchers think drugs that can suppress the immune system, including monoclonal antibodies, might be useful for limiting this autoimmune response.

Meanwhile, Barcelona-based researchers said on Monday they would administer a drug used to treat HIV - containing darunavir and cobicistat - to a coronavirus-infected person.

The patients close contacts would be administered hydroxychloroquine, a drug for malaria and rheumatoid conditions because laboratory experiments suggest it prevents this strain of coronavirus from reproducing.

The goal of our study is to separate the transmission chains, Oriol Mitja, a researcher at Germans Trias I Pujol Research Institute, told a news briefing.

Patients with coronavirus can infect between 5% and 15% of the people they come into contact with during the 14 days after starting to show symptoms, he said.

The trials goal is to reduce that number below 14 days and also to reduce the percentage of contacts infected and researchers plan to analyze the results in 21 days.

Around 200 patients with coronavirus and 3,000 of their close contacts will take part in the trial, which has private and public funding.

Mitja - who plans to talk with World Health Organization officials this week - said there were two other similar projects in Australia and the United States, but that his is in the lead.

Also on Monday, Madrids La Paz-Carlos III hospital announced a trial to administer another antiviral drug, Remdesivir, to voluntary patients with serious and milder cases of coronavirus, Madrids regional government said in a statement.

About 1,000 patients will take part in the European-wide trial, it said.
In view of the coronavirus



outbreak in the city, the commission which is conducting inquiry into the 2018 Koregaon-Bhima caste violence, has decided to hold its hearings in Mumbai.

The hearings, which were to take place in Pune in the last week of March, will now be held at the commission's Mumbai office between March 30 and April 4, said V V Palnitkar, the commission's secretary.

"All concerned are requested not to visit the office of the commission except for compelling reasons," Palnitkar said in a release.

The commission, headed by Justice (retd) J N Patel, is looking into the caste clashes which broke out near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in Pune district on January 1, 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bhopal, March 17 : After 22 Congress MLAs turned rebel and sent their resignations to the Speaker in Madhya Pradeh bringing the Kamal Nath government on the brink of collapse, the BJP is also struggling to keep its flock together.

A BJP legislator Narayan Tripathi had meeting with chief minister Kamal Nath twice on Monday shortly after the Assembly was adjourned for 10 days.

The MLA from Maihar along with Congress legislator Arif Masood came to meet Kamal Nath at his residence.

Tripathi was not a part of the delegation led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who met Governor Lalji Tandon at Raj Bhawan on Monday. Chouhan demanded immediate floor test for the government to prove its majority.

Tripathi also did not accompany the BJP legislators who were put up at a resort in Gurugram.

When asked Tripathi did not openly express support to Kamal Nath, but said he will support whoever provides development in his constituency.

He had earlier said that some of the Congress MLAs have been held in 'captive' in Bengaluru, giving enough hint which side he is likely to vote if confidence montion is brought in the house.
Prince William has been training for his role as the future reigning monarch for his entire life. Princess Diana tried to give her sons as normal a life as possible, however, she was well aware of her eldest sons destiny. Hes been getting ready for his eventual ascension to the throne ever since boyhood.

But the Duke of Cambridge made a major mistake at a recent royal appearance when he made a joke about coronavirus (COVID-19). At the time of the comment, no one knew how serious the situation would become in a very short amount of time. Still, as a future royal leader, Prince William should have exerted more caution with his words.

Prince William | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince William made an insensitive joke about coronavirus

It happened while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on a tour of Ireland in early March. Coronavirus was spreading across the globe but still hadnt reached pandemic status. Thats why Prince William felt comfortable enough to share a joke about the virus, which is very regrettable in retrospect.

He made the joke while attending a reception at the Gravity Bar in Dublin. I bet everyones like Ive got coronavirus, Im dying, and youre like No, youve just got a cough, Prince William quipped to Joe Mooney, a paramedic. Does it seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment? Is it being a little bit hyped up do you think in the media? he asked.

Prince William even joked about spreading the virus himself when he said: By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus, sorry. He continued, saying, Were keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop!

The Duke of Cambridge likely regrets his crude comments about coronavirus

The past week has changed millions of peoples outlooks about coronavirus. With travel bans, school closures, event cancellations, and restrictions on gatherings of more than 100 people, the world looks like a very different place as governments desperately try to curtail the spread of the virus to protect vulnerable citizens.

Prince William surely didnt expect any of this to happen, otherwise he wouldnt have made the joke. But this proves an essential point about leadership that the Duke of Cambridge needs to learn before he becomes king.

William hasnt publicly apologized for the joke or expressed his regret over saying it. And he probably wont draw attention to it now as the royal family tries to move past the crisis.

The royal family is canceling travel plans for now

First Prince Charles refused to shake hands at royal engagements, choosing to bow and say Namaste instead. Then when the situation got worse, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and other senior royals began canceling events.

Owing to the unfolding situation with the coronavirus pandemic, the British government has asked their royal highnesses to postpone their spring tour, a spokesperson for Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall said in a statement.

These cancellations prove that everyone in the royal family is taking coronavirus seriously now, including Prince William. But its all proof that senior royals should always be careful what they joke about. Hopefully, the Duke of Cambridge learned a very important lesson about restraint and always speaking carefully.
Last night, military vehicles entered Paris as President Emmanuel Macron announced in a televised address that the French population would be placed under confinement amid the coronavirus pandemic. The total number of SARS-CoV-2 cases in France grew by 1,210 yesterday to 6,663, with 148 deaths.

For weeks, French political authorities have downplayed the dangers posed by the coronavirus pandemic, and taken disjoined, belated and insufficient actions, wasting precious time for combating the disease. Until last Thursday, the governments main concern was to reassure the financial markets that all economic activity would continue as usual.

Beginning tomorrow at midday, going for a walk and meeting friends in the park or on the street, will no longer be possible, Macron said. It is a matter of limiting all contacts outside the house to a minimum. On all French territories, overseas and here, only necessary travel will be allowed: To go shopping, while maintaining a one-meter separation from others, without holding hands, without hugging. Obviously, this includes travel to work, when working from home is not possible.

Macron did not place any restrictions on the operations of large non-essential companies, except vaguely referring to requirements that employers put in place safe conditions.

After the speech by Macron, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced that 100,000 police and gendarmes would be deployed to the streets to maintain the quarantine. To leave their homes, people must carry forms that can be downloaded from the interior ministry website to certify that they are going out for authorized reasons: shopping, medical care, helping a dependent person, or work. Police will give 38-euro fines, soon to be raised to 135 euros, for violations.

The lock-down is to last 15 days but will be renewable by Macrons order. Given that the incubation period of the disease lasts 14 days, it is likely that the number of cases will rise rapidly throughout the first period of containment; the health services would then need to renew the containment in order to identify and diagnose all the patients.

As in Italy and Spain, the French army is being mobilized. It will build a field hospital to treat coronavirus patients in the east of the country, which has been particularly affected. As Macron spoke, images were published on social media showing armored personnel tanks and other military vehicles arriving in Paris.

It remains unclear what measures are being taken to support workers and small business by these major restrictions on economic activity. Macron claimed that 300 billion euros would be used to assist businesses, including by exempting them from rent and payroll taxes that fund social spending. Macron also pledged that partial unemployment payments would be expanded to cover all workers who lose their job due to the pandemic at 84 percent of their net wages, according to government statements to the press.

Nor did Macron explain why Europe is not mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros to support the public healthcare system in the treatment of the sick, while Italy, devastated by the virus, desperately needs international support. In contrast, the European central bank has already announced the provision of 120 billion euros directly to the financial markets.

As part of a destructive, nationalist reaction by governments internationally faced with a pandemic whose treatment urgently requires international coordination, research and funding, Macron announced that the EU member states had agreed to close the blocs external borders.

Like Prime Minister Philippe in his speech last Saturday, President Macron used his speech to berate the population for failing to adhere to directions from medical authorities, and to hold it responsible for the failure of the government to take any substantial action to address the virus.

This is an attempt to justify the governments assertion of vast state powers, not only to isolate people as necessary during a pandemic, but to suspend democratic rights in the face of a national emergency. In fact, only three days ago, the government was maintaining that it was safe for the population to stand in long queues and vote in the municipal elections, which the government insisted must go ahead, and which saw a record level of abstention as voters sought to avoid the virus.

Macron had regularly repeated for more than a week that the country would move inevitably onto the highest stage of an epidemic, meaning that the virus would saturate large portions of the population, while the media and government maintained a silence about the catastrophic implications of such a massive spread of the fatal disease.

On Thursday, Macron announced the closure of all schools, universities and creches beginning yesterday. On Saturday, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced the closure from midnight that evening of non-essential businesses. Last night, Macron reversed the governments plans to continue with the municipal elections, postponing the second round indefinitely, meaning that the first round will also have to be repeated as well.

The decision by the governments of France, Italy and Spain to announce complete confinement is at the same time an expression of their own bankruptcy. Had quarantines taken place weeks ago, they could have saved thousands of lives, and prevented tens of thousands from contracting the illness. A complicit inaction prevailed in the highest political levels in Europe as in the United States.

The Italian government in Italy was the first to adopt quarantine measures last Wednesday. Over the following three days, wildcat strikes spread across the country in the automotive, metal and logistics industries, as workers demanded the idling of factories and the right to stay at home if their work was not essential to the fight against the disease. Similar strikes erupted among auto workers in Canada, postal workers in Britain, and bus drivers in Paris.

The fears of a social explosion by workers, after a wave of strikes and yellow vest protests that has lasted two years in France, played a major role in the calculations of the corporate and financial elite. Their strategists know that the pandemic has laid bare the disaster produced by the policies of austerity in Europe that have slashed hospital budgets for decades. The anger in the working class explodes regularly across Europe.

Pointing to the danger of disorder, Macron said that after the end of the pandemic, We will win, but this period will have taught us a lot. A lot of certainties and convictions are being swept aside and placed in doubt. A lot of things that we thought were impossible are occurring. Let us understand that the day after, when we will have won, it will not be like the day before. We will be stronger morally, and we will have won much.

Macron also pledged to suspend all the austerity cuts currently in course. Nothing must divert us, he said. This is why Ive decided to suspend all the reforms underway, including to the pension system.

Workers cannot take in good faith the promises of the European Union or Macron, the president of the rich, who, only a few weeks ago, was tear-gassing protests of nurses and healthcare workersthe same workers the government now labels as heroes. The lockdown in France and the recourse to the army point to the threat of a major expansion of the police state that has been used against the yellow vests and strikers.

The working class must mobilize to demand a humane and equal treatment of all those who are sick, full wages and decent living conditions for all workers and small businesspeople affected by the quarantine, and the end of austerity across Europe.
Company Extends $0.10 warrants an additional 12 months

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 15, 2020) - Carube Copper Corp. (TSXV: CUC) (the "Company") is pleased to report the results from its Annual General and Special Meeting (the "Meeting") held in Toronto, Ontario, on February 28, 2020. Approximately 24% of the record date outstanding shares of the Company were represented at the Meeting by proxy or in person. All of the matters submitted to the shareholders for approval set forth in the Company's Notice of Meeting and Information Circular dated January 16, 2020, were approved by approximately 94% or more of votes cast; including the re-election of Tony Manini, Alar Soever, Zimi Meka, Stephen Hughes and Yale Simpson and the election of Kimberly Ann Arntson as directors.

The appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors was confirmed. The Stock Option Plan and the reservation for issuance of the maximum number of shares permitted under the plan was approved by approximately 94% of disinterested votes cast at the Meeting. The resolution to change the Company's name to C3 Metals Inc. was approved by more than 96% of the votes cast at the Meeting.

Following the Meeting, the board of directors confirmed the appointment of Company officers as follows:

Mr. Antony Manini, B.Sc. (Hons), FAusIMM, FSEG, Executive Chairman, Director

Mr. Stephen Hughes, B.Sc. (Geology), President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Jeffrey Ackert, B.Sc. (Geology), VP Business Development

Mr. John McNeice, CA, CPA, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Chris Irwin, B.A., LL.B., Corporate Secretary and Counsel

Warrant extension

The Company also announces that it intends to extend the expiry dates of a total of 24,029,750 warrants which are exercisable to purchase common shares of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The warrants were issued under a private placement with closings on March 22, 2018 and March 29, 2018. The expiry dates will be extended by a one-year period to March 22, 2021 and March 29, 2021. All other terms and conditions of the warrants remain unchanged. The Company will not issue replacement warrant certificates and warrantholders will be required to present the original certificates in order to exercise their warrants on or before the new expiry dates.

Story continues

About Carube Copper

Carube Copper is focused on creating substantive long-term value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of world class copper and gold deposits. Carube Copper recently concluded the acquisition of Latin America Resource Group Ltd. and now holds 5,700 hectares of copper and gold skarn licences in southern Peru. These licences are located in the very prospective Andahuaylas-Yauri belt, an emerging porphyry copper province that is host to several producing mines. Carube currently holds a 100% interest in 5 licenses covering 207 km2 of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica, a 100% interest in two porphyry copper-gold properties covering 337 km2 within the Cascade Magmatic Arc in southwestern British Columbia and a 100% interest in the 46 km2 Stewart Brook gold project in the Meguma gold belt of Nova Scotia. Carube is actively searching for additional high potential copper and gold properties to add to its portfolio.

Tony Manini, Executive Chairman

+1 (647) 953-5924  tmanini@carubecopper.com

Jeff Ackert, Vice President, Business Development

+1 (647) 957-2249  jackert@carubecopper.com

www.carubecopper.com

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Carube Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements".

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Carube Copper hereby incorporates the entire disclaimer set forth on its website at http://www.carubecopper.com/uploads/1/6/5/2/16521880/disclaimers-and-forward-statements.pdf

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53468
The Action Democratic Party (ADP), has lamented the colossal loss recorded at the site of the gory explosion that rocked Abule Ado area of Amuwo Odofin local government of Lagos State,describing it as an avoidable national tragedy demanding thorough investigation.

According to National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Adelaja Adeoye, the level of damage done by the loud explosion, makes it very difficult to accept or reject what the cause could have been, but an extensive investigation should be carried out by the Lagos State government and the Federal government to clear the air over this matter. The party posited that, the frequency in the disasters, ranging from midnight market fire, explosions and other tragedies across the country, is a serious source of worry and concern, because they threatens the existence of our dear citizens, therefore, calls for urgent review of Nigerias disaster management, while measures must be put in place to avert the occurrences of these black days

The residents of Lagos, woke up to a loud explosion, that was heard in most parts of the State, on Sunday morning, while some people were saying that it was pipeline explosion(s), others have expressed contrary opinion, of what it could have been.

It is important that a thorough investigation is carried out, as National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said that the disaster was not due to pipeline explosion in their earlier report, even though, NNPC gave a contrary report to what happened.

ADP expressed deep sympathy for all victims, especially the residents of Abule-Ado, students of Bethlehem girls and St Joseph School, Abule Ado, who are currently at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Navy Town receiving medical care.

The party also consoled the family of Reverend Sister Henrietta Alokha, the principal of Bethlehem Girls High School, Abule Ado who died, while trying to save the lives of girls inside the school, under her care.

She was indeed the heroine, who laid down her life, just to save the lives of others. We pray for her soul to meet the Lord in heaven.

ADP however calls on all Nigerians to support the victims and the family of those who lost their lives as a result of this explosion at this trying time, with relief materials. We pray for the souls of the departed to rest well, while those with various degrees of injuries recover on time.
The video of a man using a long-blade knife to corner another man in the Basin Street flats complex in Dublin's inner city and stab him repeatedly has led to calls for a knife crime clampdown.

Not only is the use of knives a major worry, but the fact that attacks are being deliberately recorded by the aggressors to be used as examples to others is seen as a development that exposes just how brazen and unafraid of the law some criminals are.

"The problem with knife crime in Ireland is clearly evident from this video recording of a knife attack in Dublin," said Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan.

"Such scenes are unacceptable.

"Fianna Fail introduced legislation last year to impose longer prison sentences for possession of knives with intent to injure or cause harm.

"The next government needs to expedite that legislation so that all people are aware that it is unacceptable to carry knives to inflict harm," he said.

Sentencing

"At present the maximum sentence for carrying a blade is five years.

"Under Fianna Fail's legislation that maximum sentence would be increased to 10 years.

"The incidence of knife crime in Ireland has increased in recent years and a clear message needs to be sent out that carrying knives for violent purposes is completely unacceptable," Mr O'Callaghan added.

The number of knife seizures by gardai in Ireland rose by more than 60pc between 2016 and 2018.

Gardai seized 1,936 knives in 2018, compared to 1,600 in 2017 and 1,197 in 2016.

Knives are also being discovered by gardai during drug seizures.

Last December, as part of Operation Pier, gardai from Pearse Street Garda Station conducted a search operation at a number of residences at Pearse Street.

Along with the cocaine haul a number of knives were also seized.
Several boxes of hand sanitizer and other cleaning materials were donated to firefighters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on March 17, the citys fire department said.

The department said the donation came after the New York Times reported on Tennessee man Matt Colvin, who had hoarded more than 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer in order to sell them online for a profit. A portion went to first responders, the fire department said.

Colvins scheme drew backlash, and it was later reported that the Tennessee Attorney Generals Office had issued a cease-and-desist letter to Colvin and his brother as they investigated them for price-gouging.

Colvin apologized for his actions, local media reported, and donated the haul to a local church. Credit: Chattanooga Fire Department via Storyful
Australians flying to a dream holiday in Bali face being trapped in their hotels for two weeks as the local government imposes strict rules to combat the coronavirus.

All tourists are now being forced to self-isolate on the island, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers either forced to stay indoors or lose thousands of dollars if they cancel.

In a desperate bid to stop the COVID-19 spreading, the Indonesian government has also banned mass gatherings, dancing, yoga and schools have been closed.

The Governor of Bali announced that schools and universities across the area will also be closed, sending the island into lockdown.

Empty chairs line Kuta Beach on March 12 as tourism in Bali plummets due to the coronavirus, with tourists forced to self-isolate on arrival on the island (pictured)

Australia has also introduced a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period for people arriving from overseas.

This means Australians who choose to still go on their holiday in Bali would be forced to spend a total of four weeks in quarantine.

One woman told Daily Mail Australia that when she went to Sydney Airport on Monday, the check-in desk was empty - with no Australians opting to take her flight.

She had been due to fly to Bali, but decided to cancel at the last minute after hearing of the self-isolation policy.

'Jetstar staff told me that if I flew to Bali, I'd have to self-isolate,' she explained.

People are seen using a face mask to prevent coronavirus at Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport in Pekanbaru, Indonesia (pictured)

Indonesia have shut the idyllic Gili Islands (pictured) for travellers coming from Bali for two weeks

'All the other Aussies had cancelled, there was no one there.

'And then my accommodation in Bali cancelled on me at the last minute. I was scared that I'd get there and be stranded.

'It just wasn't worth it, so I left the airport and went home.'

Jetstar are now offering credit vouchers to customers who have flights booked but would prefer not to travel.

There were no cases of coronavirus on the Gili Islands, but the Indonesian government has now restricted access to prevent the virus' spread.

Under normal circumstances, 3,000 tourists visit the Gili Islands every day.

Those already on the island will be allowed to stay for the duration of their booking.

Only 73 people have been tested for coronavirus in Bali and just 1,138 across Indonesia, but there are thought to be thousands of unconfirmed cases.

All test samples taken in Bali must be sent to Jakarta to be examined with screening equipment.

On Friday Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to reconsider any non-essential travel amid coronavirus fears.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Australians to reconsider any non-essential travel amid coronavirus fears

Chinese tourists wearing facemasks as a preventative measure as they arrive in Bali

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

'We now advise all Australians to reconsider your need to travel overseas at this time, regardless of your destination, age or health - if your travel is not essential, consider carefully whether now is the right time,' he said.

'This is done to protect their health and to limit their exposure, given we have so many countries now that are affected by the coronavirus.

'Given the spread of the coronavirus to so many countries now, across Europe, including to the UK, the United States, and throughout the world, I think this is a very common-sense measure to put in place at this point.'

A travel ban has been put in place for mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.

Scott Morrison urged Australians to cancel all non-essential travel on Friday

On Facebook, Australians have slammed holidaymakers who have travelled to Bali regardless of the travel advice and restrictions.

'If youre silly enough to fly out now....please dont come back,' one person wrote.

'You would have to be such a selfish person right now to travel purely for your own happiness. What happens if you spread it to them or you bring it back. Have fun champ,' another commented.

'Only the naive,' someone else wrote.

'Postponed.. the right and responsible thing to do,' another commented.
A dying man picked up his best mate and missing toddler William Tyrrell from behind a shed and drove them 300 kilometres, a court has heard.

The NSW inquest into the disappearance of the three-year-old has focused on Frank Abbott, a convicted paedophile and person of interest in William's suspected abduction in September 2014.

Kirston Okpegbue said she had helped treat Ray Porter at a NSW mid-north coast aged care facility when he made a confession about his knowledge of William's disappearance.

The NSW inquest into the disappearance of William Tyrrell has focused on convicted pedophile Frank Abbott (pictured in June 2014)

William disappeared from the front yard of his foster grandparents' house at Kendall.

Ms Okpegbue told the court in Taree on Tuesday that Mr Porter had claimed to have given a friend and William a lift and driven them north.

The court also heard that Mr Porter only had two friends that he spoke of - one of whom was known as 'Frank'.

Ms Okpegbue said that in April last year, Mr Porter had told her at the Uniting Mingaletta facility in Port Macquarie that he had been in a car with William.

'When Ray was talking to you and had this strange conversation with you, did he say something about picking up his best friend with a cute little boy?' Gerard Craddock SC asked.

'Yes,' she replied.

'Did he say something about picking them up from behind a shed at Kendall School?' Mr Craddock asked.

She replied: 'Yep ... Ray said he had picked up his best mate at Kendall School. Behind the school was a shed. From there they drove 300km (north).'

Three-year-old William Tyrell vanished from his foster grandparents yard in Kendall, NSW, in September 2014

Ms Okpegbue said Mr Porter, who died last year, was distressed following the conversation and had placed his head on her shoulder.

Earlier, the court heard that Abbott had bragged to local townspeople that he knew where William was buried.

Daniela Parish told the court that Abbott was staying on the Parish family property at Herons Creek at the time William vanished from nearby Kendall.

She said Abbott had on several occasions claimed to have knowledge of William's whereabouts and suggested that he had been buried by another local man Geoff Owens.

Mr Owens worked on the Benaroon Drive property from which William vanished.

Mr Craddock asked: 'Did Frank Abbott say I know where William Tyrrell is, why don't you check Geoff Owen's place?'

Kirston Okpegbue was pictured outside Taree local Court on Tuesday where the NSW inquest into the toddler's disappearance is being held

Ms Parish replied: 'He was telling everyone in Kew.'

She added that he had made the claim 'many times'.

A day earlier, her brother Martin - a Baptist minister - had continually advocated for Abbott and claimed that he was innocent after he was charged with a sexual offence against a child.

Abbott was acquitted but he was subsequently convicted of abusing a child.

Abbott lived on the Parish family property in a caravan and would do handyman work for $10 an hour.

Ms Parish said she left was fearful of Abbott after he had bragged that he had twice beaten a murder charge and that 'I'd go to jail anytime' because he would get 'three square meals a day'.

'I was scared of him from that day,' she said.
90 Day Fiance star Nicole Nafziger has been a mainstay for fans of the show since she first appeared. And even though shes no longer on the franchise, many fans still check up on her to see if there have been any developments in her relationship with Azan Tefou. Now, after not seeing Tefou for a long time, Nafziger is visiting her love in Morocco. However, some fans have been questioning the wisdom of this choice, given the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. To make matters worse, it seems as if Nafziger may be stuck in Morocco for a while.

Nicole Nafziger visits Azan Tefou

Even though Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou arent on 90 Day Fiance any longer, the two have remained a couple of interest for fans of the show. Tefou and Nafziger have had two failed attempts at marriage, and their story left many fans wondering if they will ever actually wind up tying the knot.

Now, despite conjecture that the two might not be truly together any longer, Nicole Nafziger is in Morocco visiting her lover. Nafziger has been posting photos of herself with Azan Tefou to her Instagram since she landed. Some fans have been questioning the wisdom of her travel plans, given the current coronavirus outbreak.

However, some commenters remain unconvinced that shes actually visiting Tefou. Nafziger posted a photo of herself and Tefou, and captioned it, Had a great night out the other day. One Instagrammer commented, Other day as in yesterday, 4 days ago, 4 months ago or 2-4 years?

On a different photo of Nafziger and Tefou, a user commented, How do we know this is a new photo? Hold up a newspaper with todays date!

Will Nicole Nafziger have to stay in Morocco?

Now, its appearing as if Nicole Nafziger may wind up stuck in Morocco with Azan Tefou during the coronavirus outbreak.

As reported by CNN, Morocco has decided to close both air and sea borders during the coronavirus outbreak. The borders closed on March 15, essentially stranding travelers in the country during their trips.

One traveler told CNN, Were supposed to travel tomorrow and what were really upset at that without any warning, the government decided to suspend all flights in and out of Morocco. All other countries like Algeria give enough warnings of one week  but we didnt receive any warning.

Based on this report, it seems as if the 90 Day Fiance star will be stuck in Morocco without Azan Tefou until the country decides to reopen its borders. As fans may have noted, Nafzigers child, May, is not with her during this trip.

90 Day Fiance fans react to Nicole Nafzigers travel plans

Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou of 90 Day Fiance | TLC

90 Day Fiance fans have not been particularly impressed with Nafzigers choice to travel during the coronavirus outbreak  especially because it means shes leaving May at home as the virus spreads.

One Redditor commented, She has no plan. Classic [Nicole] not thinking ahead or about Mays best interest.

Another wrote, Maybe she should have thought of that instead of quitting her low paying job and going on an expensive trip. She has a child and doesnt appear to give a f*ck about supporting her or bettering their lives.

Nickel appears as though she never has a plan. That is why Mommy and Daddy are always bailing her out and giving her money. They are her safety net and always will be as long as they continue to enable her behavior, opined another commenter.
The shutdown is real.

The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey increased to at least 267 cases Tuesday, with 89 new positive tests for COVID-19 announced by state officials. Three people have now died in the state from the pandemic  the latest, a 90-year-old man from Saddle Brook.

The news comes the same day as never-before-seen restrictions to combat the outbreak, including the closure of schools and the shutdown of casinos, dine-in restaurant service, theaters and gyms.

The state also saw its first pediatric case of coronavirus today in Paterson  a 5-year-old child. The childs parents have tested positive as well.

The good news? Weve all got an extra 90 days to file our tax returns, and legislators are considering a bill that would provide every American with an immediate $2,000 cash payment, which could grow to $4,500 by the end of the year if the crisis doesnt abate.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak across New Jersey, New York City and nationwide.

New Jersey now has at least 267 coronavirus cases with 3 deaths: The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey increased to at least 267 cases Tuesday, with 89 new positive tests for COVID-19 announced by state officials. There are now cases in 15 of the states 21 counties.

N.J.'s 3rd coronavirus death identified as 90-year-old Saddle Brook man: The man, whose name was not released, is the second coronavirus death in Bergen County, which continues to have the most cases in New Jersey. It has not been revealed if he had underlying health conditions.

N.J.'s 1st pediatric coronavirus case is 5-year-old child whose parents also tested positive: A married Paterson couple and their 5-year-old child have tested positive for the coronavirus. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh described the husband as in his 40s, the wife in her 30s. They have a second child, a 4-year-old, who was tested for the virus Monday afternoon, Sayegh said.

Gov. Phil Murphy to ask President Donald Trump to help build hospitals in N.J. for possible coronavirus case surge: In his letter to Trump, Murphy said 55% of the states about 23,687 hospital beds across 71 hospitals are already occupied. "This only appears to be a fraction of the capacity that will be needed as Coronavirus-19 spreads through the New Jersey population, Murphy wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Cory Booker wants to give you money to get through the coronavirus crisis. Heres how much: Booker joined several of his Democratic colleagues Tuesday in urging Senate leaders to pass legislation providing every American with an immediate $2,000 cash payment, and it could grow to $4,500 by the end of the year if the crisis doesnt abate.

N.J. orders all indoor malls to close starting tonight to fight coronavirus pandemic: New Jersey is now ordering all of its indoor shopping malls to close until further notice, starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday, to help battle the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Murphy announced. Murphy said amusement parks and amusement centers also must close.

You can take an extra 90 days to file your tax return amid coronavirus outbreak: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said during the Trump administrations daily coronavirus briefing that taxpayers can defer filing and paying any taxes they would owe on April 15 by 90 days interest-free and penalty-free.

Another N.J. hospital to begin drive-thru coronavirus testing: Hudson Regional Hospital  located on Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus  will conduct testing by appointment beginning immediately, it announced Tuesday. People who have a fever, cough and shortness of breath must first call 201-388-1097 to begin the screening process.

Record number of unemployment applications crashed N.J.'s website, Gov. Murphy says: We saw a record number of unemployment applications yesterday, Murphy said at an afternoon news conference. "The state system crashed. State Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Rob Asaro-Angelo said unemployment applications have increased 12 fold this week.

Riding shotgun during the pandemic: Heres how delivery drivers are keeping things moving: With thousands, likely millions, of New Jerseyans quarantined at home, who is able to deliver necessities like meals and groceries? Our reporter takes a ride with one of them.

Kids will be fed during coronavirus school closures in N.J., but its complicated: More than 500,000 students rely on school lunches across New Jersey. The concern is higher in low-income districts, where missing a school lunch or breakfast means being hungry that day, experts said.

N.J. could turn dorms into coronavirus quarantine centers, build makeshift hospitals, Murphy says: Appearing live on NBCs Today," Murphy was asked about New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construct makeshift hospitals. Murphy said New Jersey could potentially" make a similar request down the road.

Amazon, one of N.J.'s largest employers, to hire 100K nationally, hike pay due to coronavirus demand: Amazon announced plans to create 100,000 new full- and part-time jobs in its fulfillment centers and delivery operations in the United States to tackle a surge in orders from residents fearful of venturing out to stores or those living in areas where non-essential businesses have been told to close.

National Guard prepares to help N.J. during coronavirus. Heres what that means: The troops from the Army and Air National Guard units across the state will work for N.J.'s Office of Emergency Management and be paid by the state. Theyll send military police officers to help direct traffic at drive-by testing sites. Others will use National Guard Humvees and trucks to deliver food and other supplies. And theyll be ready to set up temporary hospitals if needed.

N.J. hospitals dont have enough beds for expected 300K coronavirus patients in worst-case scenario, study says: The analysis, released Monday by The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers-Camden, estimates that in a worst-case scenario, New Jersey could face a 300,000 hospital bed shortfall over the duration of the outbreak.

Tell us your stories: As the coronavirus epidemic widens, we want to hear your stories. What have you seen or witnessed? Have incidents of selfishness sent you into a rage? Have random acts of kindness renewed your sense of faith and hopefulness?

To help gather these stories and ideas, weve set up a Google form.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
The third battalion lock-ups functioning in court complexes of Delhi will remain closed till March 31 amid the coronavirus outbreak, police said on Tuesday.

Duty magistrates have been deployed to conduct proceedings in jail premises for remand extension, they said.

"The third battalion lock-ups will not be receiving any fresh undertrial prisoner (UTP) from local police till March 31," a senior police officer said.

All police stations of the city have been asked to devise their own means to deposit the fresh UTPs directly at central jails located at Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini, as the case may be, the police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Polls in the US suggest Hispanic voters in Florida are likely to vote heavily against Bernie Sanderss socialist agenda.

The days of Bernie Sanders winning over Hispanic voters could be over as Floridas Democratic primary gets underway.

Polling shows former Vice President Joe Biden has a commanding lead among the states Latino voters.

Sanders recently praised Cubas Fidel Castro and describes himself as a democratic socialist, two things that could see him lose the Sunshine State.

Al Jazeeras Andy Gallacher reports from Miami.
A 23-year-old pharmacist working in a private hospital of Delhi was arrested for allegedly abducting and murdering his relative with whom he was in a relationship, the police said Tuesday. The body of the woman, also a pharmacist, was found at an isolated place in Uttar Pradeshs Rampur on February 6, a day after she went missing from her home in south Delhis Madangir.

The arrested man, Heera Singh, allegedly killed the woman as she had learnt about his engagement with another woman and had caught him talking to her over the phone. Also, the relative had started pressuring Singh to marry her though their families were against it, deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said.

DCP Thakur said that on February 9, the 23-year-old pharmacists uncle lodged a missing person complaint at the Ambedkar Nagar police station and suspected the role of Heera Singh, who had also gone missing the same day.

A case of kidnapping was registered but the two could not be found despite her pictures and physical description being uploaded on the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET), published in newspapers and circulated across police stations in Delhi-NCR.

A few days later, the DCP said, it was learnt that the body of an unidentified woman was found in Uttar Pradeshs Rampur and a case was registered at the local Civil Lines police station. The Delhi Police added murder charges in the kidnapping case and launched a manhunt for Singh, the prime suspect.

We caught Singh from Delhi on Monday after locating his hideout through technical investigation, Thakur said.

During interrogation, DCP said, Singh told the police that he was in a relationship with the deceased woman since 2017 but their families were against their alliance. On February 5, the woman asked Singh to give his cellphone to her as she had lost hers. When Singh went to give her his cellphone, the two got into a fight over his closeness with his fiancee, Thakur said.

Singh lured her to Rampur after convincing her that they will get married in a temple. He took her to an isolated place and smashed her face and head multiple times with a brick till she died. Singh threw his woolen gloves at the spot, picked up her purse and left for Haryana. He threw her ID and ATM card on the way and the empty purse in Vaishali, near Ghaziabad, an investigator said, adding Singh frequently changed his hideouts to avoid his arrest.
The mother of a 31-year-old Kerala woman, who had fled to Afghanistan in 2016 with her husband to join the so-called Islamic State (IS), has sought the governments help for her return to India after she featured in a report by news website StratNewsGlobals saying she wanted to come back.

Nimisha alias Fathima was a part of a 21-member group that had joined the IS. She featured in the report based on the footage from the questioning of Nimisha and two other women, Sonia Sebastian alias Ayesha and Rafaela, by Indian intelligence agencies last year. Out of the 21, six men are believed to have been killed in Afghanistan.

The website reported nearly 14,000 IS fighters and their family members surrendered to the Afghan authorities between October and December 2019. The state police couldnt confirm whether the three Kerala women were among those who surrendered, or captured.

Nimishas mother, Bindhu Sampath, asked the external affairs ministry to help the women return to India and face the law. After four years, I saw my daughters photo for the first time. I plead to the Union government to help them return. Let them face the law of the land. I hope the government will take some steps at the earliest, said Bindhu Sampath. She added she had been praying for her daughter for four years and was happy to see her grandchild sitting in her daughters lap.

Nimisha, a dentist, was seven-month pregnant when she left the country under the guise of going for pilgrimage in 2016.

In the report, the women are heard expressing their disappointment over their lives in Afghanistan and their keenness to return to India. Nimisha is heard saying she would love to visit her mother provided she is not arrested.

This video came to our notice also. We dont have any mechanism to cross-check it and it is for central agencies to speak about it, a senior police officer, who did not want to be identified, said, adding the role of state police was limited in such cases.

The 21 people, including five converts to Islam, from upper-middle-class and well-to-do, educated families went missing from Keralas Kasargod in 2016. Later, intelligence agencies traced them to Afghanistan. Nimisha and Sebastian had converted to Islam from Hinduism and Christianity while they were in college. Nimisha later married Esa, a Muslim convert from Christianity, and Sebastian Abdul Rashid, who was believed to be the 21-member modules leader.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in November announced that they had obliterated the IS from the country. The statement came a week after over 600 IS fighters surrendered with their families to the Afghan government. Reuters in November cited officials and said air strikes by Afghan and coalition forces, lack of funds and low morale forced the IS to give up.

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Chinese authorities on Monday stressed taking accurate measures against the cross-border spread of coronavirus and speeding up work and manufacturing resumption in all aspects.

A leading group of China's novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic response convened a meeting on Monday, which was chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

The meeting called for adapting epidemic prevention and control efforts to new changes, doing a good job in the follow-up work of epidemic prevention and control, and expediting the restoration of people's normal work and life.

Preventing virus cross-border spread

"At present, the situation of epidemic prevention and control in China continues to improve, and the virus spread is basically under control," said an official statement issued after the meeting.

Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan, the epicenter city of the COVID-19 outbreak, were urged to concentrate health experts and medical resources in intensified efforts of treating severe cases and reducing the fatality rate.

Authorities urged precautions against the emergence of any new sporadic or clustered cases.

"Currently, the influx of infections from overseas brings uncertainty to the end of the epidemic in China," the statement said, underscoring the necessity to "accurately step up prevention and control measures against the import and export of infections."

The meeting required intensified communication, cooperation and coordination of actions between China's health, customs, immigration and education authorities and their counterparts in relevant countries for the joint implementation of travel-related guidelines on epidemic prevention and control.

The reporting system of COVID-19 shall be strictly implemented by individuals, localities, accommodation providers and families, the statement said, demanding sound efforts in issuing reminders on outbound travels by domestic residents.

Monday's meeting also called for intensified international cooperation on COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment methods, and medicines.

Resuming work, manufacturing

The follow-up work of epidemic prevention and control shall be carried out in an orderly manner, focusing on caring for and helping certain groups of people, restoring normal social order, and helping market players resume work and manufacturing, according to the meeting.

Authorities stressed guaranteeing wages and other rights and interests of workers who were quarantined in accordance with the law, encouraging enterprises to stabilize employment relations by adjusting salaries, shortening working hours, and arranging work shifts and breaks.

Greater efforts should be made to promote the employment of farmers-turned workers, especially those who are poor or from Hubei, according to the meeting.

"At present, most provincial-level regions have lowered the level of emergency response to the epidemic," the statement said.

It said epidemic prevention and control measures taken during the resumption of work and manufacturing should be optimized as per the requirements of coordinating the virus battle and economic and social development.

The statement demanded inter-regional coordination in this regard and efforts to facilitate workers to return to their posts "as soon as possible" through point-to-point transportation.

Wang Huning, 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.
A large tent being installed for public attendance at Tuesday's Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles City Council meetings typically draw a feisty crowd ready to sound off about planned housing developments, lawsuit settlements and city contracts.

Tuesday's meeting was held with new measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19: Amid the unprecedented shutdown of Los Angeles businesses and schools amid the coronavirus crisis, city officials erected a tent outside City Hall so the public could watch the meeting on a video screen and comment remotely to the city's 15 council members.

Several speakers complained about the setup, arguing it was unfair and disenfranchising. "Keeping the public outside of a public meeting in 52-degree weather with no heaters and no bathrooms is not a pandemic response, it's oppression!" said Sabrina Johnson, a member of the homeless advocacy group KTown for All.

Rob Quan of the Unrig L.A. coalition also complained that there were no restrooms and questioned whether the site was accessible to people with disabilities. Shortly after he spoke, a city attorney said there was a wheelchair lift by the outdoor steps.

Doug Haines, who sits on two neighborhood councils in Hollywood, arrived about a half hour before the 10 a.m. meeting began, taking a seat in one of dozens of plastic white chairs placed on the red brick forecourt.

Chairs were roughly six feet apart under the 40-by-70-foot tent. A nearby kiosk allowed members of the public to sign up to speak during the meeting, which was expected to last through the day.

Haines told The Times hed come to give public comment about development.

He wants the City Council and mayor to suspend the approval of all discretionary projects that do not otherwise require a city hearing until all neighborhood councils are permitted to meet again and review them. He was told last week by the city that neighborhood council meetings have been suspended.

Im afraid we are going to get a wave of approvals without public comment, he said.

Story continues

Stella Mutrux also sat in the back of the tent, waiting to speak. A volunteer in North Hollywood, Mutrux is worried about the cancellation of events to help the homeless. She'd traveled to downtown so the city can hear us.

As the meeting kicked off, Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez appeared on the video screen and called for public comment.

Two tourists from the Netherlands, Angelique Meulenkamp and Nico Kalk, wandered into the tent and watched the proceedings for a bit.

The pair were vacationing in the U.S. and had driven an RV around the Grand Canyon. City Hall officials told them the government building was closed, Kalk said, and that they should head to the beach instead.

Is the beach closed? Kalk asked a reporter.

Meanwhile, posted signs inside City Hall encouraged social distancing. But inside the City Council chamber, staff and city officials could be seen mingling in close proximity at some points.

A handful of television cameras were cordoned off behind a red rope in the back of the council chamber.

Seats normally packed with union members, lobbyists and neighborhood leaders were empty.
Americas couple! Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Over the weekend, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson further alleviated concerns about their coronavirus diagnoses with two excellent social media posts: Wilson did a very long and amusing rap, while Hanks gave an update about how theyre on the health rebound. Two weeks after our first symptoms and we feel better, he wrote, encouraging everyone to keep social distancing. This, too, shall pass. We can figure this out. This update comes after numerous days of silence from the couple, who last reported on March 17 that their symptoms were somewhat improving, although they still felt generally sick. No fever but the blahs, Hanks explained at the time. Folding the laundry and doing the dishes leads to a nap on the couch. Bad news: my wife has won six straight hands of Gin Rummy and leads by 201 points. And, in an cruel twist of fate, noted typewriter superfan Hanks added this bit of trivia with a photo: I travelled here with a typewriter, one I used to love. Zoom in on the company name.

Hanks and Wilson had previously returned to their rental home in Australia last week to continue their self-quarantine. The couple announced their coronavirus diagnosis on March 11, testing positive after feeling under the weather. To quell concerns, Hanks tweeted to assure fans that he and Wilson were receiving dedicated treatment from doctors Down Under. Hanks initially traveled to the continent to prepare for his role in Baz Luhrmanns upcoming Elvis Presley biopic. He seems to be embracing the Aussie lifestyle during his isolated stay, sharing a picture of toast slathered in (too much?) Vegemite and a cute roo. Thats certainly one way to ride out the virus.

Thanks to the Helpers. Lets take care of ourselves and each other. Hanx pic.twitter.com/09gCdvzGcO  Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) March 15, 2020

This article has been updated throughout.




Government has declared the coronavirus pandemic a State of National Disaster, postponed Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), all independence celebrations, and banned public gatherings of more than 100 people for 60 days, including church services, weddings and all international sporting fixtures.





The measures were announced by President Mnangagwa at State House yesterday in his State Of the Nation Address (SONA) which outlined sweeping precautions taken by the Government to control the new virus that has already affected some countries in southern Africa.





Declaring the pandemic a State of National Disaster allows the Government to raise and use more resources.





While there have been no confirmed cases of CovID-19 in Zimbabwe, the Government has put the country on high alert, with screening and testing, and the latest moves reinforce this state of preparation.





The school term, which has only two more weeks to run, will not be affected by the ban unless there are extraordinary situations.





Should the situation escalate, the President said the Government would not hesitate to take further and even more drastic measures for the countrys common good.





Resources originally earmarked for a series of national events would now be channelled towards strengthening systems to defend the country from coronavirus and for drought mitigation efforts.





With immediate effect and for a unified and coordinated effort, I have directed that our national disaster management machinery extends its mandate and focus on dealing with the pandemic, with the Ministry of Health and Child Care as the lead agency





Government has decided to postpone, curtail or cancel public events, gatherings and activities. In that respect, Government has postponed the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, all national independence celebrations previously planned and pending international sporting fixtures until the threat of coronavirus recedes. All these activities will resume as soon as we are satisfied that our nation is no longer at risk.





President Mnangagwa giving a state of the nation address on COVID 19 virus at state house yesterday. Picture by John Manzongo





Resources originally earmarked for these events will now be redirected towards strengthening our defences against the coronavirus and towards drought mitigation. Gatherings of more than 100 people, including those for purposes of worship and weddings stand suspended for the next 60 days after which the suspension will be reviewed.





President Mnangagwa said curtailment of unnecessary travel to high risk countries remained in force and visitors from the same countries are also encouraged to postpone their travel arrangements to Zimbabwe for the next 30 days.





He said major ports of entry would remain open but screening, testing and other recommended World Health Organisation measures would be enforced vigorously.





However, all designated small border crossings will stand closed until further notice. Designated small border crossings are entry points that allow communities living in border areas to visit each other without using passports but passes. They are thinly manned and thus not equipped to deal with the coronavirus.





To reduce the likelihood of infections and the spread of the coronavirus, Government has now put all hospitals and health facilities on high alert for (Covid-19), said President Mnangagwa.





Kits and other accessories for screening, handling, testing and treatment continue to be availed. More isolation and treatment centres are being identified, designated and equipped appropriately.





A national communication taskforce on the virus and for disseminating accurate information and raising general national awareness on the pandemic will be immediately constituted.





Going forward, our monthly National Clean Up Exercise must henceforth, incorporate heightened awareness on the virus, including measures, which experts recommend to ensure highest standards of public hygiene. Now is the time to show unity of purpose in our nation. We have to reach out to each other in fighting this deadly pandemic.





As such President Mnangagwa said: We either unite in fighting it or it forces us together in shared grief. The choice is that stark and ours to make. That choice has to be now while there is still time.





President Mnangagwa said the adverse effects of the virus across the globe had affected implementation of some projects in the country notably in transport and infrastructure development.





He said lives had been lost across the globe and thus Zimbabwe should join hands with the rest of the world in fighting the virus.





While we are relieved that our country is still free from this virus, which continues to spread elsewhere across persons, communities, countries and continents, we stand in full solidarity with all the peoples and nations of the world so far affected by the pandemic, said President Mnangagwa.




Around a week ago, newly-wedded Rishi Kumar took a train to Delhi from Moradabad railway station, hoping he would return with a gift for his wife next month.

Kumar, who works for a packers and movers company and resides in a one-room house near Kashmiri Gate with three others, packed his bag on Tuesday and headed to his Siras Kheda village without any gift for his wife.

"My employers told us a disease is killing people in thousands. They paid us for the week and asked us to leave. There hasn't been much business over the last few days," he said, worrying how will he repay the money he took from his relatives for the wedding.

The coronavirus outbreak in the national capital has hit a large number of daily wagers, roadside vendors and labourers who come to Delhi in search of livelihood.

Many have been returning to their villages due to lack of work opportunity with the epidemic affecting the business in daily markets.

"It has hit everyday life here. The footfall has dropped drastically. My guy who delivers products to different stores in his tempo has also returned home in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat," said Dinesh Sharma, a wholesale supplier of species in Sadar Bazar.

The 57-year-old businessman said two of his eight workers have also left for their respective villages in Bihar.

Meethu's roadside chat bhandar in Daryaganj is also a desolate place and he had been wrapping up early in the evening.

"I have been running losses for the last few days. I earn just enough to pay for the rented accommodation my family lives in and daily use items.

"I heard there's no cure of the new disease people are scared of. I have no clue what will become of people like us if the situation continues," he said.

Tilak Ravi, 32, a vendor selling belts in Chandni Chowk, said he heard the coronavirus attacks people who eat rats and bats and alcohol keeps it at bay.

"People are staying indoors and mostly soaps and masks are selling," he said.

Asked if the street vendors are at a greater risk of contracting infection, Ravi said, "Street vendors, rickshaw pullers, labourers came in contact with a number of people daily. We handle cash, talk to people without any protection. We do it for our living."



"Many people I know have returned to their places in neighbouring states. Their families called them back or they simply do not have work," he said.

National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) has also said the Delhi government's decision to ban weekly markets till March 31 as a precautionary measure will have an adverse impact on the livelihoods of street vendors.

The association said it will write to the city government to reconsider its decision.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that any gathering - religious, family, social, political or cultural - of over 50 people will not be allowed in the national capital till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Gyms, night clubs and spas will also remain closed.

It had last week ordered closure of cinema halls, schools, universities and swimming pools till March end.

The city has reported seven positive cases of coronavirus and one death due to the disease so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stark warning from state TV comes as death toll in the country nears 1,000, with at least 16,000 confirmed cases.

Iran has issued its most dire warning yet about the new coronavirus outbreak ravaging the country, suggesting millions could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep travelling and ignore health advisories.

A state television journalist, who is also a medical doctor, gave the warning on Tuesday citing a study by Tehrans prestigious Sharif University of Technology, which offered three scenarios regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran, one of the deadliest outside China, where the illness originated.

On Tuesday, 135 new coronavirus deaths took the countrys overall toll to 988, as it curtailed celebrations for a fire festival in a bid to contain the disease.

Dr Afruz Eslami said if people begin to cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over. If they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths, she added.

But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Irans already-strained medical system, Eslami said. If the medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be four million cases, and 3.5 million people will die, she said.

Eslami did not elaborate what metrics the study used, but reporting it on Irans tightly controlled state TV represented a major change for a country whose officials had for days denied the severity of the crisis.

At least 12 Iranian politicians and officials, both sitting and former, have now died of the illness, and 13 more have been infected and are either in quarantine or being treated.

No unnecessary travel

Iran has been scrambling to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus which so far has infected some 16,000, including 1,178 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry.

On Tuesday, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting unnecessary travel in the country.





It came as the public ignored repeated warnings and pleas from security forces. Iran has been urging people to stay home, but many have ignored the call.

Late on Monday night, angry crowds stormed into the courtyards of Mashhads Imam Reza shrine and Qoms Fatima Masumeh shrine.

Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. That has worried health officials, who for weeks ordered Irans Shia clergy to close them.

On Monday, the state TV had announced the shrines closure, sparking the demonstrations.

Police later dispersed the crowds, state media reported. Religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary called the demonstration an insult to the shrine in a statement, urging the faithful to rely on wisdom and patience amid the closure.

Irans shrines draw Shias from all over the Middle East for pilgrimages, likely contributing to the spread of the virus across the region. Saudi Arabia earlier closed off Islams holiest sites over fear of the virus spreading.

In its latest attempt to contain the virus, Iranian police banned celebrations marking the traditional fire festival that comes before Nowruz  the Persian New Year.

However, since it announced its first two deaths in the holy city of Qom last month, Iran has yet to impose any lockdowns and the outbreak has spread to all 31 of the countrys provinces.

15 million screened

State TV reported that Iran had deployed teams to screen travellers leaving major cities in 13 provinces, including the capital, Tehran.

The teams will check travellers temperatures and send those with fever to quarantine centres.

Apparently, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, Iran released 85,000 prisoners on temporary leave, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said on Tuesday. He said that the order included half of all security-related prisoners, without elaborating.

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Among those released is Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who was in jail for nearly two months.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said more than 15 million Iranians have been screened for symptoms,

According to the health ministry, the trend of rising reported infections is due to the increasing number of tests being carried out.

Roughly nine out of 10 of the more than 18,000 cases of the new virus confirmed across the Middle East have come from Iran.

Countries across the Middle East have imposed sweeping travel restrictions, cancelled public events and called on non-essential businesses to close for the coming weeks.
New Africa Coronavirus Crisis Looms With Internal Spread

JOHANNESBURGThe coronavirus has now been confirmed in at least 30 of Africas 54 countries, officials said March 16, and regional power South Africa is warning of a new crisis once the virus begins to spread at home and into crowded low-income communities.

The most alarming confirmation of a first case came from Somalia, the Horn of Africa nation, with one of the continents weakest health systems after nearly three decades of conflict. Tanzania, Liberia, and Benin also announced their first cases.

African nations have begun imposing travel restrictions, as many confirmed cases come from abroad. Algeria cut all air and sea contact with Europe, effective March 19, and Botswana barred travelers from 18 high-risk countries.

South Africa announced it will revoke nearly 10,000 visas issued to people from China and Iran, two of the hardest-hit countries, in January and February. It also will require visas from several hard-hit countries that had been visa-free, including the United States and Italy.

Both are dramatic steps that target important business partners, at a time when South Africas economy has again slid into recession. In response, Frances embassy urged French citizens visiting South Africa to leave as soon as possible.

The internal transmission risk is now setting in, South Africas health minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters a day after the country declared an unprecedented national disaster. It has 62 cases, all from abroad. Health officials are investigating two cases of possible local transmission.

The reality is this: For now, individuals that have been infected thus far are people who can afford going on holiday abroad or they travel for business. Those individuals also have accommodation for self-quarantine, the minister said. However, when this outbreak starts affecting our poor communities, where families do not have enough rooms or spaces to quarantine those affected, we will experience a crisis.

South Africa might have to impose a lockdown if these and other new measures that include travel restrictions and school closures dont work within two weeks, the health minister said. Its going to be very hard.

South Africa has one of the most developed health systems in Africa, and global health experts have openly worried for weeks that the virus could quickly overwhelm countries on the continent with weak health systems.

Somalia is one of them. Health minister Fawziya Abikar said the countrys first confirmed case was a Somali national who had recently arrived from abroad. Somalias government quickly announced that international flights to the country would no longer be allowed as of March 18.

Large parts of Somalia remain under the control of the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab terrorist group, which has been hostile to aid groups and often carries out deadly attacks in the capital, Mogadishu. The insecurity will hurt efforts to contain the virus.

In Liberia, the executive director of the countrys environmental protection agency tested positive after arriving last week from Switzerland.

Liberia, along with neighbors Sierra Leone and Guinea, was devastated by an Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016 that killed more than 11,300 people.

There is no cause for panic, Information Minister Eugene Nagbe said.

Tanzanias health ministry said the countrys first confirmed case was a 46-year-old Tanzanian woman who recently traveled from Belgium. Tanzania came under unusual criticism from some global health officials last year after the East African nation was accused of not sharing information about a possible Ebola virus case.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But severe illness can occur, especially in the elderly and people with existing health problems. Worldwide, reports say that over 181,000 people have been infected, 7,000 have died, and over 78,000 have recovered, most of them in China.

Across Africa, some health experts have worried that cases of the virus were going undetected.

We have to ask the question: How strong are our monitoring systems, especially those in rural areas or with limited technology? That is a reality on the continent, and perhaps why we have not yet seen a surge in cases, public health researcher Dr. Shakira Choonara told The Associated Press.

Professor Cheryl Cohen with South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases expressed concern that the current numbers could rise rapidly.

The major area for the virus is now Europe, and we are connected more to Europe and U.S. than we are with China, she said.
Soon after the RSS urged the government to convince the opposition on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Union Minister Shripad Naik assured them on Tuesday that they already have done so.

"We have made everyone understand. We have told them (the opposition) that if you have any doubt, lets sit face to face and clear it. We don't have anything to hide," said Naik and added that a debate has also taken place on the floor of the House.

This comment comes in the aftermath of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) urging the union government to initiate a dialogue with the opposition parties to dispel all doubts over the amended act, even as it welcomed it.

"It is the duty of the union government to clarify all doubts of the opposition parties. As the ruling party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah should initiate dialogue in this regard," said RSS Sarkaryawaha (general secretary) Suresh "Bhayyaji" Joshi.
As coronavirus continues to spread through the U.S., parents are being asked to teach their kids from home and practice social distancing, staying away from others as much as possible to lessen the reach of COVID-19.

In a news conference yesterday, President Donald Trump revealed updated guidelines for Americans to follow over the next 15 days, recommending all Americans avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people and homeschool when possible.

New guidelines announced by President Donald Trump yesterday may have parents asking if it's safe to schedule playdates for kids amid coronavirus spread. (Miguel Sanz / Getty Images)

As parents attempt to homeschool amidst kids' complaints of being bored, they may ask whether or not it's still OK for kids to have small playdates with other friends. Manasa Mantravadi, a pediatrician at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana, says no.

"Not in person at least," Mantravadi explained. "This virus is highly contagious and may show minimal to no symptoms in healthy individuals and children, but can then be transmitted and cause severe illness and even death in vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with chronic conditions."

Dr. Manasa Mantravadi with her family. (Manasa Mantravadi)

Mantravadi cautions that most children on a play date aren't able to abide by the Center for Disease Control's "six-foot rule," maintaining a safe distance from others to avoid spreading or catching coronavirus.

"It's just not worth the risk in our society," said Mantravadi. "Social distancing is the most critical and important factor that we, as parents, can control during this COVID-19 outbreak."

Kathy Bergin, a lawyer in Ithaca, New York, recently canceled a playdate her sons, ages 8 and 6, had planned, out of what she calls "an abundance of caution" and a desire not to bring coronavirus into their home, which they share with her father-in-law.

Good morning, everyone! What will you do today to #FlattenTheCurve?



We cancelled a playdate, and dug out some puzzles for the kids to make, err, throw across the floor. Then a long walk with the dog. Remember, you're not quarrantined. You can step outside. #coronavirus https://t.co/O8egXpEwut  Kathleen Bergin (@disaster_lawyer) March 15, 2020

Bergin tweeted about her decision to cancel the outing, encouraging others to also help "flatten the curve" by practicing social distancing.

Story continues

Bergin says the other parents involved in the playdate agreed that cancelling was the best decision.

"We live right by the school, so we can head up to the soccer field any time to run off some steam," Bergin told TODAY Parents. "Other kids play there, too, but we don't meet up in large groups or play on the metal gym equipment. It's an open-air field, so we're comfortable with that for now, but if a directive came out telling us to do something else, we'd follow it as much as possible."

Kathy Bergin with her husband, Dan, and her sons, Kieran, 8, and Kai, 6. (Kathy Bergin)

One solution for kids who are antsy to spend time with friends: Virtual playdates. Many families are banding together with classmates and cousins for group FaceTimes, Facebook messenger chats, Skype sessions, Google hangouts and Zooms.

"We just scheduled some virtual playdates with friends and set themes," said Mantravadi. "My kids will be playing Uno and Spot It card games with friends, my daughter and her friends plan to teach each other a new dance they made up an at the end perform it all together with music and my son and his friends are going to invent a never-before-seen new sport, coming up with a point system and rules."

And then there's the ultimate old-school solution: Snail mail. "We also wrote a lot of letters to our family members and will send one a week, so we are creating a pen pal system of friends and family as part of our new normal," said Mantravadi.

Mantravadi, who's also the founder of Ahimsa, a line of dinnerware for kids, said that when considering whether or not to hold playdates or venture out into public places, it's important to ask yourself if you want to pose a serious risk to your community.

"There are so many things beyond our control, but staying home and limiting movement within society is something we can control," said Mantravadi. "This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, so we really have to wrap our heads around this situation. We have to do the best we can as parents to provide a new normal for our children."

So what does Mantravadi, a mom of three, tell her own kids about preventing the spread of COVID-19?

"I reassure them that things may look a bit different for some time because we have to stay apart in order to protect each other," she said. "In a challenging time, we have the opportunity to teach our children some wonderful things. We can model good behavior by showing empathy and support to those who are sick. We can engage our children in helping support those who are impacted by the ripple effects of this pandemic, like donating to local food pantries or organizations which provide healthy meals to children impacted by poverty and hunger."

"We can teach them that we are stronger together, even when we must remain apart."
I dont believe public money should be spent on abortion, Mr. Hanna told the Post-Standard in Syracuse, N.Y., in 2012. But the idea that Planned Parenthood should not be funded? I mean, they provide about 20 percent of the female population with all of their health care. And they do it at a fraction of what the cost would be if someone showed up at a hospital emergency room.
Saudi Arabia plans to boost oil exports even further from April to May, reaching a record of more than 10 million barrels a day as the kingdom taps a new field.

The increase in shipments of about 250,000 barrels a day shows the kingdom is determined to carry on with its policy of pumping flat out after its alliance with Russia collapsed. Moscow and Riyadh are engaged now in a price war that has sent Brent crude, the global benchmark, below $30 a barrel and prompted energy companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. to plan for big spending cuts.

Saudi Arabia will utilize the gas produced from the Fadhili gas plant to compensate for around 250,000 barrels a day of domestic oil consumption, which will enable the Kingdom to increase its crude exports during the coming few months to exceed 10 million barrels a day, the kingdoms Energy Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Oil erased earlier gains, with Brent falling 2.3% to $29.37 a barrel as of 1:54 p.m. in London.

Saudi Arabia has told refiners it plans to supply 12.3 million barrels a day in April, a record, although the kingdom hasnt said how much oil it will export during the month. According to the International Energy Agency, Saudi Arabia consumes an average of 3.15 million barrels a day, suggesting that exports would be capped at slightly above 9.15 million barrels a day. The new gas plant would help the kingdom boost exports above that level.

Before the price war broke out, Saudi oil exports averaged just under 7 million barrels a day from December to February, according to tanker-tracking data.

Price war

Riyadh, Moscow and several other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are boosting their exports just as global oil demand suffers an historic contraction due to the coronavirus pandemic. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said on Tuesday that the rate of petroleum consumption was dropping right now by about 8 million barrels a day, or about 8% of global demand.

Trafigura Group Ltd., one of the worlds top independent oil traders, has estimated the daily demand loss at 10 million barrels as more countries lock down million of citizens in their homes, school close, flights are canceled and businesses close across Europe.

In a sign that the kingdom is preparing for a long battle, despite the heavy economic cost, state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco on Monday indicated that Riyadh could withstand cheap oil.

We are very comfortable with $30, Khalid Al-Dabbagh, the finance director of Aramco, told investors on March 16 during the companys maiden annual earnings call. In a nutshell, Saudi Aramco can sustain very low oil prices and can sustain it for a long time and that is, especially the case compared to others in the sector.

With the price war showing no sign of abating and demand falling, Wall Street is slashing its oil forecasts. Goldman is now predicting that Brent will average $20 a barrel during the second quarter. Oil traders privately say the benchmark could even drop into the single digits to force some producers to shut down their wells. Thats something that hasnt happened since the industry downturn of 1997 to 1999.
JOHANNESBURG, March 16 (Reuters) - A worker at AngloGold Ashanti's Obuasi gold mine in Ghana tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, the company said, the second known case of the virus at a mine site in Africa.

AngloGold Ashanti said operations at the Obuasi mine, where gold production is ramping up, would continue.

The infected employee - a Ghanaian who lives in mine accommodation and had recently returned from Britain - is in self-isolation.

AngloGold Ashanti said it is working with Ghana's ministry of health to trace all contacts. Non-essential staff will work remotely until further notice and any arriving travellers will be subject to a mandatory two-week self-quarantine, the company said.

"Anglogold Ashanti Ghana remains in a state of high alert and preparedness to deal with the global challenge presented by the COVID-19 outbreak," the company said. Ghana has so far reported six cases of the novel coronavirus.

On Monday, Tanzania, Liberia, Benin, and Somalia confirmed their first cases of the virus that has spread to 30 African countries. Endeavour Mining earlier reported a worker at its Hounde mine in Burkina Faso got coronavirus, also after a trip to Britain.
A further 14 people have died in 24 hours after being diagnosed with coronavirus in England, the Department of Health has said, bringing the death toll in the UK to 71.

The new figure was announced as the NHS moved to cancel all non-emergency surgery.

A statement from NHS England said: A further 14 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) have died.

Patients were aged between 93 and 45 years old and had underlying health conditions. Their families have been informed.

A second person in Scotland  a patient who was elderly and had underlying health conditions  has also died, Scotlands chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said.

And a second person in Wales  a 96-year-old  has died after testing positive for Covid-19, officials announced.

The updated figures came after the UKs top scientific adviser said the virus may have infected 55,000 people in the country.

The real figure is unknown since testing was limited last week to patients already in hospital.

Sir Patrick Vallance told MPs the hope was to keep the death toll to under 20,000 as he told of the huge strain the health service will be under from Covid-19.

Boris Johnson told his cabinet the pandemic was a war that must be won as he set out plans for a team to tackle the outbreak and economic chaos.

The government warned UK citizens against travelling outside the country, as well as advising people not to go to public places or mix with other people.

The NHS will pay for staff to stay in hotel accommodation if they want to keep away from a family member who may be infected with the virus.

Recommended Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 as UK sport effectively cancelled

Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare as people continued to panic-buy.

Sir Patrick said the stringent measures introduced on Monday, such as telling people to avoid public places, should have a very significant effect on the peak and lead to a reduction in cases and deaths after two to three weeks.

Asked whether it was hoped that deaths could potentially get below 20,000, Sir Patrick said: That is the hope that we can get it down to that. To put that into perspective, every year in seasonal flu the number of deaths is thought to be 8,000.

If we can get numbers down to 20,000 and below, thats a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get to with this outbreak.

But he refused to be drawn on suggestions that the governments measures could have to be kept in place for 18 months to prevent the virus resurging.
Pilot testing of the mRNA vaccine on primates has been launched, said Zhang Quan, director of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, during a news conference on Monday.

Zhang said the pilot testing of the vaccine, which can be used against the novel coronavirus, will be focused on animal toxicology and the vaccine's effectiveness. Clinical trials are expected to start in mid-April.

The development of another virus-like particle vaccine has also made progress during its tests on mice, with scientists discovering a specific antibody in lab mice that could be useful in fighting the COVID-19 virus, he added.

On the research of COVID-19 medicine, Zhang said that as of March 15, there are 21 hospitals conducting 184 cases of clinical study on the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, a medication that treats certain types of malaria.

Scientists have also conducted around 1.78 million screenings in search of possible chemical compounds that would work against the virus, he said.

A team of epidemiologists has been surveying how the virus spreads so as to make contingency plans for the control and prevention of imported cases.
Labor union should abide by accord on job creation model in Gwangju



A job creation model in the southwestern city of Gwangju is on the verge of falling apart as the union involved has virtually decided to pull out of a tripartite agreement. The Gwangju chapter of the Federation of Korea Trade Unions (FKTU) has recently decided to break an accord to attract investment to build a car assembly plant and create 10,000 jobs in the city, 330 km southwest of Seoul.



The Gwangju-type job creation, one of President Moon Jae-in's key policies, centered on providing relatively lower salaries to workers and instead compensate them with a variety financial and administrative support from the municipal authorities.



The city government, union and management in Gwangju signed the win-win accord in January last year, and the local chapter of the FKTU represented the workers in the agreement. The union has threatened to drop out after the municipality and the employers group rejected five demands it made. Specifically, the union called for one of its representative to be appointed as a board member, introducing a fair contracting system between prime contractors and suppliers, limiting executives' salaries to less than twice those of employees, expelling directors recommended by Hyundai Motor, and setting up a citizens' advisory committee.



According to the FKTU, the agreement has failed to serve its initial purpose by representing only the interests of Hyundai Motor while rejecting the union's requests. It is regretful the union is sticking to its demands, some of which are unacceptable. The city government has attempted to compromise by agreeing to some of the demands, but the union still will not budge.



Nothing could be more pitiable than watching a union going against the model's purpose of creating jobs. The trilateral agreement is a promise to the people. If it breaks the promise due to its excessive demands, the umbrella union is not behaving properly as the organization that represents the nation's workers. The FKTU should reconsider its decision. It is our earnest wish that it will strive for the success of the experiment in a forward-looking manner.


[March 16, 2020] Aspen Appoints Kevin Chidwick as Group Chief Financial Officer

Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited ("Aspen") (NYSE: AHL) announced today that Kevin Chidwick has been appointed Group Chief Financial Officer, effective May 1, 2020. Kevin was previously Chief Financial Officer at financial advice network Openwork Limited, a role he was appointed to in March 2018. From September 2005 to August 2014, Kevin was Chief Financial Officer of Admiral Group Plc. He was appointed to the Admiral Group Plc Board in 2006. He also held senior roles within the Admiral Group Plc including Chief Executive Officer of Elephant Auto Insurance in the U.S. from January 2012 to March 2017, where he grew annual revenue from $17M to $200M, and Chief Executive Officer of Confused.com from November 2010 to December 2011. Kevin, who will report to Mark Cloutier, Executive Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, succeeds Scott Kirk, who will leave Aspen on April 30, 2020, to pursue opportunities outside of the company. Mark Cloutier commented: "Kevin is an extremely accomplished financial services executive who has held a number of senior roles within diverse and successful companies. His proven track record of growing businesses through his strategic insights and strong financial acumen make him an exciting hire for Aspen at this time in our evolution. "Kevin joins an industry-leading executive team with significant strength and expertise, and I look forward to working closely with him as we unlock the potential within our business and focus on total value creation. "I would like to thank Scott Kirk for his significant contribution to Aspen over a number of years and to wish him well with his future endeavors." About Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited Aspen provides reinsurance and insurance coverage to clients in various domesti and global markets through wholly-owned subsidiaries and offices in Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Aspen reported $12.6 billion in total assets, $7.0 billion in gross reserves, $2.7 billion in total shareholders' equity and $3.4 billion in gross written premiums. Aspen's operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A" by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, an "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best Company Inc. and an "A2" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. For more information about Aspen, please visit www.aspen.co.



Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This communication and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of Aspen contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements using words such as "may," "seek," "will," "likely," "assume," "estimate," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "do not believe," "aim," "predict," "plan," "project," "continue," "potential," "guidance," "objective," "outlook," "trends," "future," "could," "would," "should," "target," "on track" or their negatives or variations, and similar terminology and words of similar import, generally involve future or forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect Aspen's current views, plans or expectations with respect to future events and financial performance. They are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and other risks, uncertainties and contingencies. The inclusion of forward-looking statements in this or any other communication should not be considered as a representation by Aspen or any other person that current plans or expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Aspen undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

There are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, factors affecting future results disclosed in Aspen's filings with the SEC (News - Alert), including but not limited to those discussed under Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in Aspen's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2019, each as filed with the SEC and Aspen's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the twelve month ended December 31, 2019 to be filed with the SEC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005872/en/

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Stranded abroad? What you need to know about returning to Canada

The federal government is shutting the border to most foreigners, but Canadian citizens, permanent residents and Americans can still enter. At the same time, the number of international flights back to Canada is shrinking. The federal government said stranded travellers shouldn't fret because it's offering emergency loans of up to $5,000 to help Canadians find a way home. If you fall ill with the coronavirus while abroad, don't expect to fly home anytime soon. The prime minister said anyone displaying symptoms won't be permitted to board a flight to Canada, but they can get financial assistance.

To stay abreast of the situation, Canadians abroad are encouraged to register with the government's free information service for international travellers. They can also contact Global Affairs Canada for emergency assistance. Airlines and travel agencies have been swamped with calls from customers, so many people aren't able to reach them by phone. For travellers with internet access, many airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat, are waiving change fees and have set up systems where passengers abroad can rebook their trips online. For people who need to call their airline or travel agency before rebooking and are unsuccessful, Flight Centre travel agency spokesperson Allison Wallace suggests they go ahead and book a one-way flight home. While there are no guarantees, she said that airlines are likely to forgive the cost of your original return ticket during these difficult times. Read more on this story here.

The latest in bridal accessories?

Denis Lovrovic/AFP via Getty Images

(Denis Lovrovic/AFP/Getty Images)

In this photo taken yesterday, a pedestrian walks by the display window of a famous bridal dress store in Zagreb, Croatia, where mannequins were decked out with protective masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Story continues

In brief

WestJet Airlines is suspending all international flights  including to the U.S  for 30 days, beginning Sunday, March 22. The final commercially scheduled, Canada-bound flights taking off from international destinations will leave by 11:59 p.m. local time, that night. After that, the airline said it will operate rescue and repatriation flights in partnership with the Canadian government. As of last night, when the announcement was made, tickets were no longer available for sale for the 30-day period after March 22. Read more on this story. The Canadian Snowbirds Association says it's advising all of its members to heed the prime minister's advice and head for home. The advocacy group, which represents tens of thousands of Canadians who winter in warmer climes, has told members to leave their residences in places like Florida and Arizona because insurance options will become increasingly limited in the days ahead as some providers move to cancel or restrict policies  including policies that were signed well before COVID-19 spread to parts of Canada and the U.S. Read more on this story. Tightening public health restrictions will not immediately slow COVID-19 cases. The cases appearing today are a snapshot of infections that happened about two weeks ago. It takes about five days for symptoms to appear and another six or seven days for people to become sick enough to seek medical help. However, experts say don't despair if it looks like social distancing is not working. They say the impacts won't be apparent for at least two weeks and probably longer. Read more on this from the CBC's Kelly Crowe. Paralysis isn't supposed to be a symptom of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus sweeping the world. But as CBC business columnist Don Pittis writes, drastic action by the world's central banks  the "bazooka" as it has been called  has left economic actors stunned and immobilized. As markets continue to gyrate and tumble, there is increasing evidence that even free money, now being offered at nearly zero per cent, is simply not enough to offer reassurance. Read more on this story here. Ohio suspended its presidential primary just hours before voting was due to begin today. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state's health director declared an emergency that prevents polls from opening out of fear of exposing voters and volunteer poll workers to the virus. Meanwhile, primary voting in three other states  Arizona, Florida and Illinois  will go ahead as officials felt they had done enough to ensure the safety of voters. Read more on today's primaries here. Now for some good news to start your Tuesday: The Parlour Barber Shop in Yorkton, Sask., is decorated with echoes of the 1920s: vintage lamps and recovered photographs from the Prohibition Era. The images tell of Yorkton's connection to bootlegged liquor and the struggles men have historically faced in the area. The shop's owner, though, is using the business to prioritize a very present and pressing concern: men's mental health. "I want to make that man feel important," says Sean Craib-Petkau. "You know, feel at least as if one person cares about him and his well-being." Read more about the shop here.

Front Burner: When social distancing is a matter of life and death

Government and public health officials are urging Canadians to practice social distancing. But what, exactly, does that mean? Andrew Gurza lives with cerebral palsy and is vulnerable to serious complications from COVID-19. He explains why social distancing is a deadly serious issue for him. Then, a public health expert answers some of our questions about how to do social distancing right.

Today in history: March 17

1765: St. Patrick's Day is celebrated for the first time in Canada, in Quebec City. 1866: The U.S. government ends reciprocal tariff concessions for Canadian trade, a month after Canadian fishing concessions to Americans ended. The move helped swing opinion in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in favour of Confederation. 1955: The "Richard Riot" breaks out in the Montreal Forum. Canadiens fans were enraged that NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended star forward Maurice Richard for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs for a stick-swinging incident with a Boston player and an assault on a linesman. 1967: For the first time in Canadian history, a special Commons-Senate committee recommends the removal of a federally appointed judge. The committee said Justice Leo Landreville should be removed from the Ontario Supreme Court for misconduct. He was accused of compromising his judicial functions by accepting shares in a natural gas company. Maintaining his innocence, Landreville resigned on June 7. In 1977, a Federal Court invalidated the committee's report, ruling that Landreville was not given an opportunity to refute the charges. 2018: The New York Times and The Guardian report that Cambridge Analytica, a voter-profiling firm based in the U.K., improperly harvested Facebook data of some 87 million users (including 622,000 in Canada) in order to help manipulate the outcomes in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A man acted in self-defense when he shot and killed his girlfriends ex-boyfriend who had forced his way into her home, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said.

Adam Andrew Whitz, 51, of Grand Rapids, was shot and killed Jan. 8 by Matthew Jakubowski inside Anastasia Hahns home in the 600 block of Houseman Avenue NE, the prosecutor said.

Under Michigan law, a person defending their home from an intruder is given wide deference in the actions that person takes in defending themselves in their own home, Becker wrote in a four-page opinion released Tuesday, March 17.

While it is not absolute, a rebuttable presumption in the use of deadly force where someone is breaking into a home is a substantial burden (for prosecutors) to overcome when trying to prove a crime. We cannot do so in this case.

Grand Rapids police responded to a 2:20 a.m. report that an ex-boyfriend had been shot while breaking into Hahns home. Whitz had a gunshot wound to his right upper chest. He was found dead, just inside the front door, between a couch and coffee table.

Hahn owned the house. Jakubowksi had moved about three weeks earlier.

They were watching television and drinking when Whitz showed up. He banged on the front door and windows, demanding to be let in. Hahn would not let him in and told him to leave, she told police.

Whitz had acted that way before, she said.

He continued banging on the doors, demanding to be let in, and yelling about how much he still loved Ms. Hahn, Becker wrote. According to her, Mr. Whitz also taunted Mr. Jakubowski, telling him to come at him and wanting to fight.

Hahn said she was fed up after five minutes so she went to the front door to tell Whitz to get off of her property. She opened the door despite Jakubowski telling her not to.

She told police that Whitz pushed past her. He rushed in and they started fighting. And I  I just got out of the way.

She told police punches were thrown before the shot was fired.

Jakubowski had recently bought a handgun from a gun store because of concerns about Whitz showing up at the house. Jakubowski showed Whitz the gun to get him off the porch before he pushed his way in.

Jakubowski said Whitz saw the gun while he was outside, put his head against a window and yelled,  do it man, do it! the prosecutors report said.

Jakubowski said he wanted to call police but Hahn stopped him as she had in the past.

He told police that Whitz appeared to be leaving after he was shown the firearm. Jakubowski said he sat on the couch and started to fall asleep. He was awakened by Hahn opening he door and Whitz trying to get in, he told police.

Hahn tried but could not keep Whitz out. Whitz allegedly said he was going to kill them both and threw a couple of punches at Jakubowski.

No punches connected but the two (men) engaged in a physical struggle, and Mr. Jakubowski said that is when he shot Mr. Whitz. Mr. Jakubowski said he did not want to do this, nor did he really mean to, but Mr. Whitz was attacking him. Mr. Jakubowski had grabbed the gun again when he realized Mr. Whitz was forcing his way into the home, and had it in his hand during the struggle, Becker wrote.

The use of deadly force in self defense is generally justifiable if, under all the circumstances, he honestly and reasonably believes that he is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that it is necessary for him to exercise deadly force.

Becker said that Jakubowski was not required to retreat further inside the home to avoid Whitz. He chose to fight.

He was armed with a weapon in that fight, and whether accidental or intentional, a shot was fired which killed Mr. Whitz, Becker wrote. Under the law, Jakubowskis actions were reasonable because he felt he was going to be killed or seriously harmed that night  .

Becker said that despite evidence that Jakubowski, and the other two, had been drinking, there is not admissible evidence to show Jakubowskis blood-alcohol level at the time he had the gun.

No charges will be filed, Becker said.

More on MLive:

Driver arrested after report of 30 gunshots fired in Kalamazoo County

Monks handcrafted casket for young slaying victim beautiful act of love

Mom who starved daughter smiles as she hears baby born in custody OK
Microsoft is closing its stores in the face of the coronavirus epidemic, joining popular ranks.

Microsoft closes stores in the face of coronavirus

We are closing Microsoft store locations to help protect the health and safety of our customers and employees. During this unprecedented time, the best way we can serve you is to do everything we can to help minimize the risk of the virus spreading, Microsoft says. Its stores are closing specifically because of COVID-19 health concerns. Microsoft says it will continue to pay employees for their regular hours.

Microsoft joins popular ranks in closing its stores

The tech company is but one of a handful of companies that are closing its retail stores due to the coronavirus pandemic. The companys announcement is reasonable in light of person-to-person encounters in retail stores. When one thinks about customers using touch to engage with its products (laptops, for example), touching is the last thing consumers need to do in public at this time.

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What makes COVID-19 such a threat is that it acts as a silent infecter. A number of individuals here in the US have been affected by COVID-19 who have had no contact with places such as South Korea, Italy, Japan, or China. New infections are occurring despite the lack of visitation to the nursing home facility in Kirkland, Washington. Kirkland is acting as its own mini-epicenter of the American coronavirus strand.

A number of people in Washington state, out of the blue, are appearing with coronavirus symptoms rather quickly. This is leading doctors and medical personnel to suspect that the virus has been spreading rapidly while going virtually undetectable. Microsoft has its headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Redmond is only 4 miles (12 minutes) by car from Kirkland, where the Life Care Center nursing facility is reporting a large number of infections.

A disease that can go undetected in potential carriers makes COVID-19 far more lethal than influenza. Flu will show symptoms. Cold will show symptoms. Bad allergies will show symptoms (sneezing among them, perhaps complaining of a sinus headache or two). A COVID-19 infector can be sick with the disease and give it to others without the slightest display of symptoms.

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Presidents order moves Microsoft, other companies, to go home

US President Donald Trump says American citizens are to avoid large crowds. He also says that gatherings should not have more than ten people, down from the limit of fifty people within the last few weeks. At this point, Microsoft obviously employs more than ten people and would have to send most of its workforce home anyway. Additionally, the company would have to limit the number of visitors to its retail stores, which wouldnt make the experience fun for most. To send one employee home is to send them all home, so Microsoft is doing what any business in its shoes would do (and is doing).

Microsoft isnt alone in closing down its stores. Google has told its global employees to work remotely until April 10th. Verizon and T-Mobile are closing their retail stores temporarily to fight the spread of the disease.
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: Railways cancels 22 trains; hikes platform ticket to Rs 50

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Mar 17: To avoid overcrowding amid rising cases of novel Coronavirus, the Indian Railways on Tuesday decided to hike platform tickets from Rs 10 to Rs 50 for 250 stations in the country.

This has been done by six divisions of the Western railway zone -- Mumbai, Vadodra, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot, Bhavnagar -- that covers around 250 railway stations.

In Southern railway zone, price of platform ticket only in Chennai has been raised, officials said, adding in Central zone, comprising of five divisions -- Mumbai (CST), Bhusawal, Nagpur, Solapur, Pune -- prices have been raised across all stations.

The Central Railways has suspended 22 long-distance trains till March 31. Some of these trains include Deccan Express between Mumbai and Pune, Rajdhani Express, Nagpur Humsafar Express, and Pragati Express.

Pune Humsafar, Hyderabad Intercity, Duronto Express have also been suspended.

Coronavirus: Not everyone needs to wear a mask says fresh health ministry guidelines

This comes at a time when the state governments and the health ministry has asked people to refrain from gathering in large number at a place to contain the coronavirus spread.

With 12 new cases of novel coronavirus infections reported in India on Tuesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in India climbed to 126, up from 114 a day earlier, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
By William Schwartz | Published on 2020/03/16

A large number of celebrities have lent their voices to a get out the vote campaign in anticipation of South Korea's parliamentary elections on April 15th. Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-jin, Jung Hae-in, Kim Gu-ra, Kim Sook, and others make up a thirty-nine person delegation encouraging people to choose their elected officials wisely for a more healthy Republic of Korea.

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This is the third such get out the vote campaign in South Korea, following one for the presidential election of 2017 and another for the local government elections in 2018. Director Lee Ji-seon is coordinating the campaign, and has taken a break from doing commercial work for television variety shows for this express purpose. The campaign will largely take place on social media, with people rewarded with gift sets for engaging with it.

That the campaign is still going forward in spite of concerns regarding COVID-19 is somewhat surprising, given current calls to postpone presidential primary elections in the United States for safety reasons. However, the voting process is much more efficient in South Korea, reducing the risk of spreading the disease. Additionally, heightened vigilance regarding the disease's spread among the common population has resulted in an optimistic outlook for the country a month from now.

Written by William Schwartz
Due to new travel restrictions, Oman Air will be suspending all flights between the sultanate and Bahrain and Egypt from March 19, until further notice.

All guests holding Oman Air flight bookings can contact the call centre at (+968) 24531111 or contact Oman Air representatives in their country of origin.

For further updates on flight operations, please refer to the airline's website and official social media channels. - TradeArabia News Service
How will 5G benefit Vietnams economic development, especially in manufacturing and retail?

Denis Brunetti, president of Ericsson Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos

5G will pave the way for increased investments in smart manufacturing capabilities in the country, supporting the governments vision and focus on driving an increased and sustainable productivity growth rate of 7 per cent per year by 2025.

By wisely taking a strategic decision to focus on science, technology, and innovation, and embracing the accelerated adoption of Industry 4.0 through 4G Narrowband-IoT and 5G capabilities, Vietnam is well on its way to creating a digital ecosystem that will attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in high-tech and drive the next wave of inclusive and environmentally sustainable socio-economic development across the nation.

As a critical national infrastructure and innovation platform, 5G will favourably impact many industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, public safety, and retail. As an example, the growing retail industry will increasingly leverage e-commerce solutions and platforms to reach more customers efficiently and cost effectively, providing improved services and shopping convenience via mobile connectivity.

Over the past 30 years, a significant proportion of Vietnams $350 billion FDI and phenomenal socio-economic development journey has been driven by the traditional economy fuelled by labour, land and natural resources. In contrast, the new digital economy will be created by scientific and technological advancements and innovation, particularly in areas such as 5G, AI, cloud computing, and big data.

This emerging digital economy will create new industries, many of which we may not even be able to imagine today, creating a broad range of new jobs across existing and new industries that will require new capabilities and skills centred around science, technology, and engineering.

Coupled with Vietnams National Innovation Center initiative, the governments investment in sustainably growing the nations start-up ecosystem will also contribute significantly to the countrys innovation capacity and the establishment of a thriving digital economy leveraging 5G as the enabling platform.

How can Ericsson help the country develop the 5G networks, and help communications services make the best use of it?

As a trusted and long-term strategic partner in Vietnams ICT industry, Ericsson is committed to working alongside leading mobile service providers, such as Viettel, VNPT Group, Mobifone, and Vietnamobile, to expand 4G network coverage and capacity whilst also preparing for the commercial introduction of 5G through a series of technical and commercial trials.

Ericsson has been supporting Vietnamese mobile service providers with technical 5G trials since 2019, leveraging our technology leadership, strategic partnerships, and expansive 4G base - which can seamlessly and efficiently be upgraded to 5G capabilities when required.

We are proactively working with mobile service providers to ensure Vietnam is at the forefront of 5G developments, sharing our technical capabilities, market insights, and thought leadership.

In addition, Ericsson also recognises the need to lead the market in forging strategic 5G ecosystem partnerships that include cross industry players, bringing them together with mobile service providers to deliver compelling digital transformation engagements and new revenue streams.

For instance, automotive 5G production is now a reality for German electric microcar company e.GO Mobile AG at its Aachen complex, enabled by 5G connectivity from Ericsson and Vodafone Germany. Ericsson is also teaming up with Telefonica Germany to enable 5G car production via a private network for Mercedes-Benz. The 5G network will enable the car maker to boost flexibility, production precision, and efficiency as digitalisation becomes a reality in car production. We are in the process of exploring similar opportunities in Vietnam.

What are your companys plans in Vietnam to cash in on increasing technology demands and increase competitiveness amid enforcement of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)?

Ericsson Vietnam is well positioned to tap into the benefits and value of the EVFTA, and I am proud and honoured to have contributed to the EVFTA through my former role as co-chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

Ericsson views 5G as critical national infrastructure and as an innovation platform that will support the countrys national ambition to connect industries to the internet as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, helping them to be more productive and efficient through mobility and digital transformation.

We are already investing in a variety of emerging technologies, such as AI and automation in the network solutions we are providing our customers in Vietnam. We are encouraged by the favourable terms and conditions incorporated in the EVFTA, particularly in relation to intellectual property rights protection, investment protection, and environmentally sustainable development.

We are planning to strategically partner and collaborate with world leading manufacturing companies to support them in introducing smart manufacturing facilities to Vietnam. The EVFTA will further accentuate the need for accelerated expansion of 4G networks, coupled with the introduction of 5G capabilities to Vietnam starting this year.

Through the EVFTA, the countrys focus on social, economic, and environmental sustainability will further increase Vietnams international competitiveness as it aims to become a high-income economy by 2045. The EVFTA will also open up many more opportunities for Vietnamese firms to increase innovation capacity and quality standards in order to promote and sell their products and services to the 500 million strong EU population, helping further integrate Vietnamese companies into the global supply chains of EU companies.

Ericsson is committed to supporting Vietnams mobile service providers and their customers in realising these benefits through 4G and 5G capabilities.
Detectives have appealed for patience on the first anniversary of a St Patrick's Day tragedy in which three schoolchildren from Northern Ireland died.

Three teenagers were killed in a crush as they waited to gain entry to the St Patrick's Day disco at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown.

Lauren Bullock (17) died along with Morgan Barnard (17) and 16-year-old Connor Currie - all from nearby Dungannon, Co Tyrone - died outside the venue, which was being attended by hundreds of young people.

Detective Chief Inspector Eamonn Corrigan said: "One year on from the heartbreaking events, our thoughts remain very much with the families of the three teenagers who sadly lost their lives at the St Patrick's night event, and also with their friends, anyone who witnessed the tragedy unfold and the wider community.

"We do not underestimate that today will be extremely painful and traumatic for the families of Morgan Barnard, Lauren Bullock and Connor Currie and I would like to reassure them that our focus remains firmly on trying to find answers for them.

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"We remain in close, regular contact with these families providing them with updates on the progress of the investigation, which is one of the largest undertaken by the PSNI. We will continue to offer them personal updates at any time of their choosing."

Mr Corrigan asked for patience from the families due to the sheer volume of evidence involved.

"However, we remain absolutely committed to building up an accurate picture of what happened last St Patrick's night," he said.

He said this involved over 1,000 witnesses, including around 800 young people who were there that night.

"It takes time to cross-reference witness statements with CCTV footage, mobile phone videos and phone calls made to the emergency services as well as other evidence gathered. I understand the length of time this takes can be frustrating for the teenagers' loved ones but it is important we get this right for them."

To date, a total of 148 people have been identified as potential significant witnesses where it was deemed appropriate to carry out in-depth video interviews. Analysing the interviews and identifying the relevant evidence forms a major part of the investigation.

In addition, 207 written witness statements have been taken from young people at the venue that evening.

Police have spoken to a further 400 young people who either declined or were deemed unnecessary to record a statement.

Two people have been arrested so far and have since been released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

A further eight men - at the time aged 26, 26, 27, 27, 36, 39, 50 and 53 - were interviewed under caution.

Seven of the men have been further interviewed under caution and will be subject to a report to the PPS.
In view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed advocates, litigants and parties to appear in-person only in urgent matters and avoid unnecessary crowding on its premises.

In a circular, the NGT said adjournments can also be sought in matters, if asked for, till April 13.

Request in this regard may be sent in advance through email in a prescribed proforma as per existing practice, the tribunal said.

The NGT said it was issuing directions in view of the advisories issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the government of India with regard to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In view of the opinion of public health experts, including medical professionals, and also considering the safety and welfare of all litigants, lawyers and staff members, the directions have been issued, the green panel said.

"Advocates, litigants and parties in-person may appear in urgent matters before the NGT. The partes who are not concerned with matters need not appear and unnecessary crowding of NGT complex be avoided," it said.

The tribunal said adjournment shall be given, if asked for till April 13.

"Request in this regard may be sent in advance through email in prescribed proforma as per existing practise," the NGT said.

"Considering the importance of safety measures for health, all concerned are requested to cooperate with the instructions of the staff on duty in the interest of all," it said.

The tribunal had earlier stopped the use of biometric machines to mark attendance at the Principal Bench here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COLUMBUS, OhioUnhappy with Secretary of State Frank LaRoses directive postponing Ohios primary election from Tuesday until June 2 amid coronavirus fears, Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder says the House is looking to act to legally adopt, change or extend the election date.

However, after considering calling House members in on Tuesday to vote on such changes, the speaker  as well as Senate President Larry Obhof -- now say lawmakers wont convene until next week, when theyre scheduled to meet March 24, 25, and 26.

We will consider an extension of absentee voting for the March 17 primary, Householder said in a statement Tuesday afternoon, adding they will also consider a list of to-do items requested by Gov. Mike DeWine. I do not want to expose members and staff to coming in and out of Columbus multiple times unless absolutely necessary during this virus situation.

UPDATE: Speaker @HouseholderOH decides not to convene the Ohio this week. "We will consider an extension of absentee voting for the March 17 primary and the

Governors items next week during our regularly scheduled session days." pic.twitter.com/9og47EGnyE  Jeremy Pelzer (@jpelzer) March 17, 2020

On Monday night, the Ohio Department of Health ordered that polls for Tuesdays primary election be closed because of fears that polling places could facilitate the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected about 190,000 people worldwide, including 67 confirmed cases in Ohio as of Tuesday afternoon.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose, on his own authority, issued a directive Monday night to local elections officials moving the primary to June 2.

The secretary believes that Ohioans who intended to vote on March 17 must be afforded the opportunity to do so, said LaRose spokesman Jon Keeling in a statement Tuesday. In his role, he has a duty to finish this election, and he has directive authority to do so. The directive issued last night lays out a path to do that, but he recognizes the legislature or courts could certainly provide greater clarity.

Earlier on Tuesday, Householder issued a statement saying that the Ohio legislature must act to hammer out what should be done about Ohios primary.

Over the last 18 hours, unprecedented chaos and confusion have reigned over Ohios election system, the Perry County Republican stated. The legal authority to change the date rests with the Ohio General Assembly  not the courts and not via executive fiat.

While Householder and Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes spent Tuesday morning contacting their respective members to determine their ability to attend a session on Tuesday, the Ohio Senate was not as anxious to act.

Ohio Senate Republicans spokesman John Fortney stated via text that the Senate will stick to its existing schedule and not meet until Wednesday, March 25. Obhof and Householder have talked about the situation regarding the primary and the next steps moving forward, Fortney said in a statement.

Ohio House Majority Whip Jay Edwards said Tuesday that all options are on the table for state lawmakers. The Athens County Republican said lawmakers' phones have been ringing off the hook Tuesday morning from constituents trying to vote and poll workers complaining that they aren't getting paid.

Sykes, in a release, said she strongly urges Householder and Senate President Larry Obhof to immediately call the legislature back into session.

We never should have arrived at this point, Sykes, an Akron Democrat, said in a statement. The Ohio Black Legislative Caucus asked days ago for the governor, Speaker and Senate President to reevaluate our preparedness for this election. They called on the legislature to convene to address these concerns and others. ...But they waited and miscalculated and ordered poll workers to not report to the polls before a judge had even made a decision.

Theres another wrinkle that must be worked out in order for lawmakers to hold session: The Ohio Department of Health has banned mass gatherings of 50 people or more in the state.

However, Householder said lawmakers believe that limit doesnt apply to the legislature as a separate branch of government and "would unlawfully restrict constitutionally protected political speech.

The order already includes an exemption for free-speech-related gatherings. However, Householder said he has consulted with Attorney General Yost about the legal issues surrounding the 50-person limit and asked the attorney general to seek relief from the limits.

Read recent coverage:

Here are the new rules for voting in Ohios delayed primary election -- at least, for now

Ohio polls remain closed following overnight ruling from Ohio Supreme Court

Today is NOT really Election Day: Capitol Letter

Citing health emergency, Ohio officials to order polls closed on Election Day, despite judges ruling

Gov. Mike DeWine wants to postpone Ohios Tuesday primary election till June 2 due to coronavirus
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE:HIG) share price has dived 43% in the last thirty days. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 32% 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). So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Hartford Financial Services Group

Does Hartford Financial Services Group Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 5.86 that sentiment around Hartford Financial Services Group isn't particularly high. The image below shows that Hartford Financial Services Group has a lower P/E than the average (8.7) P/E for companies in the insurance industry.

NYSE:HIG Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 17th 2020

Hartford Financial Services Group's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

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Notably, Hartford Financial Services Group grew EPS by a whopping 39% in the last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 13% per year over the last five years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

How Does Hartford Financial Services Group's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Hartford Financial Services Group has net debt worth 15% of its market capitalization. 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 Bottom Line On Hartford Financial Services Group's P/E Ratio

Hartford Financial Services Group has a P/E of 5.9. That's below the average in the US market, which is 12.7. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. Given Hartford Financial Services Group's P/E ratio has declined from 10.3 to 5.9 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.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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 Baker administrations executive order requiring insurers to cover medically necessary services telephonically includes behavioral health care, officials said. Yet the order doesnt reduce the long-standing barriers to mental health care that advocates and lawmakers say exist unless the treatment is directly related to the coronavirus.

The Telehealth order makes insurers cover telemedicine in hopes of preventing people from overloading hospitals that are preparing to treat coronavirus patients. The order allows carriers to require documentation and recordkeeping of Telehealth-related claims as long as it complies with guidance provided by the state Division of Insurance. The requirements may not be more restrictive than those implemented by MassHealth for its customers.

The same rules apply for testing and treatment related to the coronavirus. But the coronavirus-related coverage does not need prior authorization, easing requirements that health advocates have previously created problems for patients seeking behavioral health care coverage well before the outbreak.

Nor does it change how doctors are compensated for physical health care versus behavioral health care. The guidance does not implement any changes to the rate structure that has sparked legislation on Beacon Hill.

The Telehealth order is one of several issued Sunday night by Gov. Charlie Baker to rev up the states response to the coronavirus pandemic. He also ordered schools to close until April 6, banned dine-in services at restaurants and extended renewal deadlines for licenses and other credentials at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, among other changes.

Federal health officials announced Tuesday that Medicare would cover telemedicine nationwide, expanding virtual resources to millions of older Americans.

Coronavirus cases in Massachusetts increased to 197 on Monday, up 33 from a day earlier. No deaths linked to the disease have been reported in the state.

Lawmakers who have advocated for telemedicine and behavioral health services said the governors executive order was the right move.

I commend the Governors executive order as an initial realization of the usefulness of telemedicine  since there is room to go further. I would hope that any mental health services that are needed in connection to COVID-19 would be included as essential services and covered by insurance without cost-sharing, said Sen. Harriette Chandler, a Worcester Democrat and vice chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.

Initially, the executive order appeared unclear on what services would be covered. Lawmakers reached out for clarification on whether mental health services would also be covered under the Telehealth order and were told those services would be included.

Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, said he and other lawmakers learned mental health was included, a service he said is crucial for the public.

We have a number of truly vulnerable people in Massachusetts who rely on mental health care to get through their daily lives," Cyr said. "In a pandemic where the amount of stress, anxiety, social isolation that all of us are feeling ... I think weve got to make sure that we dont forget that.

Sen. Cindy Friedman, an Arlington Democrat and co-chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, said the Telehealth order expands crucial services to the public amid a public health crisis. There are some unanswered questions and long-standing issues related to mental health parity, but those existed before the pandemic.

Were just expanding peoples ability to access, but were not changing any of the other issues that still exist, which is who decides medical necessity and the rate structure for mental health versus physical and surgical health, she said.

There is this ongoing issue, but for the purpose of this virus, this is extremely important," Friedman said of the Telehealth order.

The Telehealth executive order comes at a time when health care advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns about barrier to behavioral health care services. About half of mental health providers in the region do not accept insurance, often due to financial battles with insurance companies that have retroactively denied claims after paying a practitioner, a process known as a clawback.

The Senate passed a mental health bill that would eliminate prior authorization requirements for patients suffering acute mental health symptoms, implementing a pilot for tele-psychiatry in public schools and other programs. The bill is now before the House.

The Senate planned to tackle Telehealth in an upcoming bill, but Bakers executive order brings a crucial service to the public in the short term, Friedman said.

After the governors announcement Sunday night, Senate President Karen Spilka issued a statement saying the health care changes are in the best interest of preserving public health and our healthcare system, but we know they will have impacts on our residents, communities and businesses."

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Three more coronavirus cases have been detected in Kazakhstan, Spokesperson for Kazakhstans Healthcare Ministry Dias Akhmetsharip said, Trend reports with reference to the ministry.

All three cases have been detected in countrys Almaty city.

Akhmetsharip said that the first patient is a girl born in 2018, who arrived in Kazakhstan via Berlin  Minsk  Almaty flight. Currently she is hospitalized.

The second patient is a man born 1966, who arrived from Moscow on March 10, 2020. The third patient is a man born 1956 who also arrived from Moscow.

Thus, the total number of coronavirus cases detected in Kazakhstan is 13.

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 7,150. Over 182,406 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 79,430 people have reportedly recovered.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Jim Holton has kept Mountain Town Station open during disasters, both natural and man-made. Monday, he decided that there was one he couldnt ride out.

A global pandemic.

After running the numbers, he decided to temporarily shut down Mountain Town and Camilles Prime, the attached fine dining restaurant, until the governor lifts her order shutting down restaurants across the state in and effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The business might be able to weather the storm, he said, but hes concerned about his employees, who now find themselves out of their source of income. They have rent, student loans in some cases and theyll need to eat.

Hes got that covered a little bit, at least. Some of the food in the restaurants storage compartments can be safely stored for a couple of months. Hes also got a little freezer space for another local restaurant, the owner for which announced Monday hes taking a hard look at what he can do.

We will be closing today at 3pm as directed by the Governor, owner Chris Elmo Walton wrote on the Max & Emilys Facebook page. For today we will be take out only, no dine in and no delivery. There are going to be limitations to what we can do, so please call ahead if possible. This is all uncharted territory. This was never a conversation that Tim and I had, never a scenario we thought possible. Were going to do the best we can to help as many people as possible.

Tomorrow we are, at least for now, going to be open for takeout or call in takeout only from 11-2. We will worry about Wednesday, Wednesday.

Holton said he decided to shut down Mountain Town and Camilles in the interim after running the numbers. He could make the money work at Summit Smokehouse, which doesnt require nearly the staffing to do a takeout operation. Hed need too many takeout orders at the other two restaurants to make it work.

He expects both restaurants to remain closed well into the spring.

The governors order affects dine-in service, but not delivery and takeout. That has some restaurant owners looking at expanding how they get food to customers.

Freddies Tavern, 705 S. Adams St., announced Monday that they plan to offer takeout and delivery service. Fred Phillips, who owns it, said Monday morning that itll be his staff who delivers the food.

So will the Shepherd Bar, 324 W. Wright Ave. Owner Kent Roth announced his plans Monday.

Our plan is in place  we will start pick-up and delivery only starting tomorrow March 17th, he announced. We will run this everyday of the week from 11am-7pm. Please call 989-828-5434.

We will deliver west to Summerton, east to Wise, south to Pleasant Valley and north to Walton roads. We can also deliver beer, wine and growlers to those of age.

The owners of another popular local restaurant that offers only dine-in are weighing their options.

Rozs Diner, at the corner of Mission and Rosebush roads in Rosebush, doesnt currently offer take-out, but Chris Bair, who co-owns it with his wife Megan, said theyll probably have to switch to take-out orders. Right now, however, hes weighing options and expects to make an announcement on the restaurants Facebook page.

The governors executive order allows up to five people to be in a restaurant at one time picking up food orders, provided there is more than six feet between them. There are no provisions for establishments that are most bars.

I dont know how or if Ill survive this, said Donna Corbat, of the Pine Knot Bar, 308 N. State St. Bar business is up and down and most of us go day to day.

We need financial help now, not next week. What good would a loan do when no income to pay back? Im sorry, Im really at a loss to say how devastating this is to my employees, friends and myself.

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Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) our March 2020Porker of the Month for wanting to ban flavored tobacco vaping products.

On February 28, 2020, the House of Representatives voted to pass Rep. Frank Pallone's bill, The Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. The bill would prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products. Rep. Pallone's legislation would also impose a $9.9 billion tax on vaping products over 10 years, which would destroy tens of thousands of jobs. It's been proven that vaping and e-cigarettes have been more successful than gum or patches to help people quit smoking In the United Kingdom, there is no ban on flavored tobacco products, and a March 4, 2020 report found that "smoking rates are continuing to fall rapidly and harm from vaping is rare." Rep. Pallone is blatantly ignoring the U.K.'s success on vaping.

CAGW President Tom Schatz said, "Rep. Pallone's main interest should be to reduce the number of smokers across America. Instead he is putting millions of Americans at risk who rely on vaping to kick their deadly habits. Banning flavored tobacco products will discourage the smokers who only use flavors, driving them back to using cigarettes. There will be a black market for e-cigarettes for those who cannot access flavors, further endangering the health of millions of Americans. For trying to create a health crisis that can be avoided, Rep. Pallone is deserving member of the March Porker of the Year."

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.? For more than two decades, Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers and government officials who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.

1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 650 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 467-5300

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005674/en/

Contacts:

Alexandra Abrams (202) 467-5310

aabrams@cagw.org
Judge Quinn said the value of the plea was lessened by being "caught red-handed" (Stock picture)

A judge praised a father and son who bravely tackled five men "caught red-handed" trying to burgle their farmyard.

One of the gang, Edward Carthy, of 27 Rioch Street, Kilkenny, who pleaded guilty, was jailed for 18 months for his part in the burglary at Ossory Hill, Johnswell and the assault of one of the farmers.

On November 19 last year, John Armitage Jnr took a break from working in the farmyard to have a cup of tea with his father, John Snr, at his nearby home. He locked up the farmyard before he left.

When the pair returned 15 to 20 minutes later, around 7pm, they saw a silver VW Passat parked at the farm gate with its lights off.

Then they saw five men jump over the gate, run to the Passat and attempt to escape in a "haphazard" way by "bundling themselves" into the car. The Armitages ran after the five men and tried to hold some of them, but couldn't.

The car took off but drove off the road and crashed. The group of men abandoned the car and the Armitages gave chase.

There was a scuffle. Mr Armitage Jnr got hold of one of the men, Carthy - who he said had been driving the car.

As Carthy was trying to get out of the car, through the window, he punched Mr Armitage Jnr in the chest "five or ten times". Mr Armitage Jnr held Carthy until the gardai arrived.

A number of items were found at the yard gate, from inside the farmyard. The tap on a diesel tank was turned on in the farmyard and containers left around.

Mr Armitage Jnr spent almost 24 hours in hospital with bad bruising, and was unable to work for five or six weeks. His father also went to hospital, as he hit his head and hurt his hand.

Previous convictions

Judge Cormac Quinn heard that Carthy had 12 previous convictions, including two for entering a premises with intent to commit an offence and one charge of burglary.

In his victim impact statements, Mr Armitage Snr said he had installed CCTV security, and his wife is nervous to be on her own.

Mr Armitage Jnr said a threat to "get" him had been repeated a number of times. He, too, has installed a home alarm. Both men had financial costs for security and medical care.

Gerard Downey BL, for Carthy, said his client lives with his wife and four children and claimed Mr Armitage Jnr had been kicked in the ribs by another man in the car.

Carthy expressed remorse, and his family offered 500 in compensation to Mr Armitage Jnr.

Judge Quinn said the value of the plea was lessened by being "caught red-handed", and sentenced Carthy to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended for three years, with 18 months to be served concurrently, on the assault charge - all back-dated to the day Carthy was imprisoned in November.
France is ready to use the ultimate weapon to protect its biggest companies from the market turmoil set in motion by the coronavirus: Nationalization.

With European Union leaders pulling out all the stops to try to get control of the situation and France tearing up its budget plans to promises billions of euros in support for the economy, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the state will intervene in any way necessary to protect the countrys economic assets.

I will not hesitate to use all the means available to me, Le Maire said. That can be capitalization, that can be by taking stakes, I can even use the term nationalization if necessary.

Following President Emmanuel Macrons promise to guarantee 300 billion euros ($335 billion U.S.) of bank loans last night and Chancellor Angela Merkel earmarking another 550 billion euros of state lending to support German businesses, the EUs economic heavyweights are deploying their budget muscle to support companies as the continent shuts its doors to ride out the pandemic.

The EU also plans to clear the way for national efforts. A draft proposal, circulated by Brussels, says curbs on state handouts should be loosened to aid virus-stricken industries.

As the continent heads for a savage recession, the measures are designed to backstop the economy, preserve jobs and reassure investors as the leaders ask their citizens to accept unprecedented curbs on daily life in order to control the spread of the deadly virus.

European bonds markets have been in turmoil as investors try to gauge the impact of the outbreak  and they werent helped by European Central Bank President Christine Lagardes botched intervention on Thursday.

While Italian yields have surged this month, with 10-year rates more than doubling to around 2.4 per cent, they remain well short of the almost 7.5 per cent euro-era record seen during the debt crisis. German yields have also rebounded from record-lows as investors ready for more spending, but 10-year rates are still negative.

EU leaders will hold another emergency telephone call later on Tuesday to discuss closing borders and other efforts to combat the spread of the virus. Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe, approved a 25 billion-euro package to support its strained health system while helping businesses and families with delayed tax payments and mortgage relief.

War footing

In a series of public addresses Monday night, the leaders of countries from Finland to Germany sought to convince populations of the need for restrictions ranging from school and workplace closures to the shuttering of non-essential shops and services. Alongside efforts to prepare national populations for sacrifice, the EU was battling to maintain cohesion as the crisis threatens to tear at the blocs bonds.

We are at war, Macron said in an address to the French people on Monday evening, making the case for national unity and shared sacrifice.

Hotels and taxis will be requisitioned for health workers, all proposed reforms, including his controversial pension overhaul, are to be halted, while the government will ensure that no business is allowed to fail. Bank loans will be guaranteed for companies and a solidarity fund created for workers affected by the fallout of the virus containment.

In the process, Macron is upending the economic philosophy that brought him to power in 2017 promising to pare back the presence of the state in economic life.

French industry

Already last week, Le Maire said the government would back companies in which it has a stake. This includes a broad swathe of the travel sector which has been particularly hard hit. The government holds substantial shares in firms ranging from Airbus SE and Renault SA to Air France-KLM and Aeroports de Paris, as well as an indirect holding in Peugeot maker PSA Group.

Air France-KLM has grounded planes and taken steps to bolster cash by drawing down credit lines, warning that drastic cost-cutting measures can only make up half of the sales lost from taking out as much as 90 per cent of capacity. Global airport operator ADP has also been hit by the near-halting of air traffic, first to China, then the U.S. And now even more broadly.

Europes carmakers, including PSA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Volkswagen AG, have also taken extraordinary measures to shutter production sites as demand cools, health concerns grow and the delivery of parts gets snarled up.

Still, nationalizations and recapitalizations could involve delicate and complex negotiations with other nations. The Dutch and French governments have already discussed a recapitalization of Air France-KLM, but any move must be coordinated so that the two states arent diluted, a person familiar with the discussions said. Italy has stepped up efforts to keep bankrupt Alitalia afloat, with a new 600 million-euro loan under discussion as part of a plan to re-nationalize the carrier.

Stimulus plan

Le Maire brandished the possibility of nationalizations as he gave details of an emergency budget that will include 45 billion euros of spending to cover salaries of furloughed workers and support companies in addition to the loan guarantees. Frances debt will rise above 100 per cent of economic output.

The action is based on the economy shrinking 1 per cent this year. But even that could be much worse depending on how the epidemic evolves in the coming weeks, Le Maire said.

This economic and financial war will be long, he said in a telephone briefing with journalists. It will be violent and will require all the strength of our nation, as well as Europe and the Group of Seven, he said.

 With assistance from Tara Patel, John Ainger and Greg Ritchie.

Read more about:
WASHINGTON (AP)  The White House is proposing a roughly $850 billion emergency stimulus to address the economic cost of the new coronavirus. The request will be outlined to Senate Republicans Tuesday and will aim to provide relief for small businesses and the airline industry and include a massive tax cut for wage-earners.

Two people familiar with the request described it to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

The White House hopes the measure will pass this week, as the administration scrambled to contain the economic fallout of the severe disruptions to American life from the outbreak.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to outline the rescue plan Tuesday to Senate Republicans.,

White House officials offered senators a preliminary briefing late Monday at the Capitol, saying they want the plan approved by Congress as soon as possible, suggesting in a matter of days.

ASAP, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said late Monday. There's an urgency.

The rush to inject cash and resources into the economy is an effort unlike any since the 2008 economic crisis, with political and economic interventions and eye-popping sums to try to protect Americans from the health and financial fallout.

Mnuchin will return Tuesday to meet with Senate Republicans at lunch to launch the effort.

Weve got a lot of work to do from here, Mnuchin told reporters late Monday.

At the same time, Democrats have proposed their own $750 billion package.

Senators returned to an emptied out U.S. Capitol, clear of tourists or colleagues from the House, to confront an even more dire situation than the one they left for a long weekend, before Trump declared a national emergency.

Pending is the House-passed aid package approved early Saturday  with sick pay, free testing and emergency food  that is endorsed by President Donald Trump and ready to become law.

But action was stalled for much of the day as the Senate waited on the House for technical corrections as Republicans and a leading small business group raised objections, a setback only resolved late in the evening with a House voice vote of approval. Senate passage could follow as early as Tuesday.

All sides  the House, Senate and White House  agree the pending bill is not the last and not nearly enough to handle what's coming. At the start of the month, Congress approved $8.3 billion in initial aid. Trump quickly signed into law the measure, which provided federal agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments, and funding to help state and local governments respond to the threat.

CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: All of the latest news, numbers and analysis to keep you up-to-date, only on HoustonChronicle.com

We will need big, bold, urgent federal action to deal with this crisis, Schumer said Monday.

Schumer floated the Democrats' proposal for at least $750 billion to boost hospital capacity, unemployment insurance and other direct aid for American households, businesses and the health care industry. Republican senators conferred privately over their priorities.

Republicans often reluctant to spend federal dollars did not flinch at the head-spinning number, as a roster of America's big and small industries  airlines, hotels, retailers  lined up for aid.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, called for sending $1,000 to every adult American.

The president conveyed that lawmakers should not be impeded by the price tag, said Eric Ueland, the White House legislative director.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wants a comprehensive approach with significant steps for the economy, particularly Main Street businesses. He opened the Senate on Monday with a message to Americans: The Senate stands with you.

The days ahead will test whether Congress can quickly respond to the crisis.

Industries representing a broad swath of the economy are seeking help in withstanding the fallout as schools close and Americans are being told to stay inside, skip nonessential travel and avoid gatherings with 10 people or more.

That means no dining out, no boarding planes, no shopping the malls as a great national shutdown sparks business closures, layoffs and lost paychecks for rents, mortgages and everyday needs.

The nation's largest business organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, asked the Trump administration and Congress on Monday to act rapidly to help companies have access to cash and avert a potentially devastating hit to the economy.

The request from the U.S. airlines alone could easily top $50 billion, according to Airlines for America, the trade group representing the carriers.

We're going to back the airlines 100%, Trump said at a White House briefing. "We've told the airlines we're going to help them."

In a letter to Trump and congressional leaders, the Chamber of Commerce called for legislation including a three-month cancellation of the taxes companies pay to support Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance.

"No family and no business should go bankrupt just because of the temporary disruption in income caused by the coronavirus," said the chamber's CEO, Thomas J. Donohue.

The nation's governors were also calling on Congress to swiftly bring economic aid, particularly for the unemployment insurance system to help displaced workers, and fast.

We need a better response from the federal government, said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat. I am out of patience."

Pulling together the new package will challenge the basic logistics of governing as Congress itself struggled to adapt to the new normal.

House Democrats were told on a conference call they won't be recalled to Washington until the next package is ready for action, according to people familiar with the call but unauthorized to discuss it and granted anonymity.

The 100-member Senate convened for an evening vote  a potentially stunning sight in the new era of social distancing. While different authorities around the country have issued conflicting advice, the Trump administration said at a Monday news conference that Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people over the next 15 days.

The No. 2 Senate Democratic leader, Dick Durbin of Illinois, counting the number of senators on the floor, questioned what example they were setting. He urged swift passage of the House package. What are we waiting for? he asked.

Despite Trump's robust support, a handful of Republicans said they wanted to make changes in the House-passed measure. It doesnt go far enough," said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

In addition, the National Federation of Independent Business, which counts hundreds of thousands of small-business members, initially opposed it.

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.
Photo credit: @martina_sergi

From Red Online

Martina Sergi, 29, is an Italian yogi and author who teaches yoga online, at retreats, and at international yoga festivals. Since March 9, Martina has been living under lockdown in Milan. Italy was the first European country to impose a national lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, but now Spain, France, and the Netherlands have also ordered restrictions on their citizens' daily movement. You can keep up to date with the latest UK Coronavirus advice via the NHS website and the British government website.

Martina shared her experience with Red's sister site Women's Health, to give us a sense of what life is like under a lockdown.

I live near the city centre of Milan, where as of March 15th, there were 1,750 cases of COVID-19. Italy is one of the epicentres of the pandemic, with over 20,000 cases across the country. We have one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in the world not because we have poor healthcare, but because there are too many cases for the hospitals to handle. Consider that most of the people who die are over 70, and in Italy, we have a high percentage of elderly citizens. On March 9th, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered a nationwide lockdown, requiring people to stay home and avoid nonessential travel.

When I return home from the grocery store, I leave my shoes outside. I wear the same pair of sneakers every time I go out. After opening the door to my apartment, I clean my hands, keys, and phone with alcohol, then remove my plastic gloves and face mask. I throw the gloves away, but I use each mask more than once because theres a shortage.

Even though there has been some discussion about whether masks are necessary, most Italians wear masks outside. After I take off the gloves, I wash my hands. If my dog, Dobby, and I are returning from a walk, I even clean his paws.

Story continues

Every time I go outside or bring something new into the apartment, I think of places where the novel coronavirus could be hiding. Its like a job.

We only had about two days to prepare for the lockdown, but we knew things were changing even before it was announced. Two weeks ago, my boyfriend Danilo received a message from his company instructing him to work from home, like many other people in office jobs.

On Saturday, March 7th, we started reading about a possible lockdown in the newspapers, and then the lockdown started that following Monday. The COVID-19 numbers were increasing so quickly, it was the only thing the government could do to try to contain the spread.

Daily life has completely changed since the lockdown went into effect.

Aside from grocery runs and dog walks, we haven't left our apartment in over a week. I think our cat, Lepi, is happy about it, because he's a very cuddly cat who likes to have us around.

Danilo and I still go outside, but only when we need to. Whenever you go outside, you need to carry a piece of paper called a 'self certification for traveling and commute', so if the police stop you, you can prove you have a reason for being outside. You fill out the form online and print it out. That reason can be either buying food or medicine, walking your dog, or going to work, if you have a job that requires your physical presence.

I am not sure what happens if you don't have the form with you, but if you are outside without a good reason, you can be fined up to 206 euros [about 187], and go to jail for up to three months.



Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only places allowed to be open to the public.



Some companies are still open but they need to take precautions, and some restaurants are still delivering food. When you go to the grocery store, they only allow a certain number of people inside at a time, because you need to stay at least one metre away from the other shoppers at all times. I try to stay even further away.

So you go, you get on line outside the store, and you keep your distance while waiting. I always wear a mask and gloves. Not everyone uses gloves, but since Danilo is diabetic, were very concerned about him catching the coronavirus. [Editor's note: Some pre-existing medical conditions, like diabetes, make people more susceptible to complications if they develop COVID-19]

I try to go shopping once a week, and buy everything well need so I dont need to go back. Before the pandemic started, I would go shopping every two days and buy less, but to be a good citizen right now, its important to go less frequently.

Danilo doesnt go to the grocery store because hes at a high risk for complications from COVID-19. Instead, he tries to go outside at least once a day to walk Dobby. Usually, they go later in the evening, when there are even less people outside.



Im not scared when I go outside because I know Im careful.

Im mostly scared of other things, like when this is going to end. Its okay to do this for a month, but is this going to last three months? How long is it going to be?

A few days ago, the parks were still open, but now the gates are closed because people were going there to hang out. I was reading that because so many people arent following the rules, the government is considering introducing even more restrictions, like a possible curfew. Because people aren't following the rules, Ive been posting on my Instagram Stories to please stay home and please respect the rules. If not everyone is doing what theyre supposed to do, this is going to last longer.

None of my family or friends have COVID-19, but Im worried for high-risk people like my boyfriend and my father, who is 75. One of my friends is a nurse at one of the largest hospitals in Milan, where theyre doing intensive care on the coronavirus patients. Shes the only person I know who works in the hospitals, so she tells me what she sees. She has to be very carefulhealth care workers are exposed to the virus the most of anyone. Because of that, she took the precaution three weeks back to stop seeing all of her friends in person. So Ive been seeing her on FaceTime.

Under the lockdown, people are connecting online more than ever, and not in a fake way. Instead of 'making connections', its more like finding connection, because the internet is the only way you can stay in touch right now. Its nice to see how people are helping each other and supporting each other, which I hope will continue after the coronavirus situation quiets down.

In order to maintain a sense of normalcy, Im still working out and doing yoga every day, except I do it at home.

I created a little home gym using weights, resistance bands, a bar for pull-ups, TRX and my yoga mat. My personal trainer still tells me which exercises to do over FaceTime, and sometimes I'll send him videos of me doing the exercises so he can check that I'm doing them correctly. Usually, the workouts are circuit training or weight training for 45 minutes.

Not everyone knows how to do yoga at home without an instructor, so my friends and I are offering free yoga classes over YouTube Live. Last week, 1,000 people tuned in, and even though I cant actually see everyone like in a studio, the connections are powerful. Im doing a lot of live chats on Instagram, and looking for new ways to engage my online community. A lot of people are sending me questions about the lockdown, like asking whether we have enough toilet paper. We do!

Its a way to keep my mind busy. I cant just do nothingit will make me crazy! Lots of people are writing to me saying they are cleaning their houses, reading books they never read before, taking care of their body and cooking, things like that. People are using this free time to do something useful, which is good. I know other people are offering free classes online, and some places are offering free ebook downloads, so there are lots of people who are trying to help.

I think Italians are very good at creating beauty and staying connected in these situations. As youve probably seen online, were doing a lot of flash mobs from our apartments. Yesterday, at noon, there was a message going around social media to open your window or go out on your balcony and clap for all of the doctors and nurses working for us, to say thank you. People did it all over Italy. We clapped for one minute, all together. A few days ago at 6 PM, we sang the National Anthem. On Sunday at 9 PM, everyone switched off their lights, and went to their windows or terraces with a lighter or phone flashlight.

For a minute, all of these lights felt like a sign of hope.



I think its important during times of crisis that somehow you feel connected as a population, so I really love that about my country. Were trying to stay strong.

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A newborn in London was diagnosed with the illness shortly after being born, The Guardian reported. The childs mother was also diagnosed with the virus; she was hospitalized before giving birth from what doctors deemed pneumonia, the news site said. Based on reports, officials dont know if the baby got the virus in the womb or during birth. The report did not cite how the mother delivered.
South Africa: President's meeting with AU Commissioners postponed

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in his capacity as Chair of the African Union (AU), requested the postponement of a meeting with Commissioners of the African Union Commission.

The AU meeting was scheduled to take place on 19 March 2020, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the Presidency, the Presidents request arises from the priority he is giving to South Africas national response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The President is leading the National Command Council which meets three times a week to coordinate the multi-sectoral response to COVID-19.

The AU Commissioners support the Chairperson in running the Commission and have the responsibility to implement all decisions, policies and programmes across eight portfolios that include Peace and Security, Political Affairs, Social Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Human Resources, Science and Technology.

The meeting was due to discuss the programme of work of the African Union for the current year and would have been the Presidents first meeting with Commissioners since assuming the Chair in February 2020.

The meeting has been postponed to a date to be mutually agreed upon in April 2020, said the Presidency.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Bitcoin made a smart comeback on March 17 to rise more than 17 percent, a day after the world's largest cryptocurrency slipped below its crucial support of $5,000 following last weeks gruelling crash.

The digital currency was quoting $5,292.62, up 16.29 percent at the time of writing this copy.

The volatility in bitcoin prices can be attributed to the global sell-off in the financial market due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019, has now spread to 152 countries and territories, killing more than 7,100 people and leaving hundreds of thousands in quarantine.

The highly infectious disease is spreading rapidly in Europe and the United States, forcing shut down of offices, schools, cafes, cinema halls, malls-- basically upending normal life.

India is also seeing a steady rise in cases. So far, it has reported three deaths and 126 confirmed cases.

The outbreak, called a pandemic by WHO, has roiled equity markets across the globe. All major indices have tanked more than 20 percent from their January levels. Both the Nifty and the Sensex have fallen over more than 27 percent from their all-time intraday highs touched on January 16, 2020.

Bitcoin, which was the top returning asset class of 2020 until last week, has wiped off all the gains and is now trading 26.71 percent below its 2019 closing prices.

The cryptocurrency has been prone to wild and often inexplicable price swings after it failed to pick up as an alternative currency, limiting its use to speculation.
Three Nirbhaya case death-row convicts, here on Monday, moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), praying stay on execution after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the plea of fourth death-row convict Mukesh Singh, seeking restoration of legal remedies saying his earlier counsel misled and forced him to sign the papers.

In their ICJ plea they have raised questions over the case investigation. "Factors of caste and creed, financial status, political approach and pressure have become so important that investigators are hand-picked for particular cases and where the establishment, so wishes, the investigation is tailored to achieve a particular result. It's also depend upon the political power," they said in the petition filed through advocate A.P. Singh.





"The malaise runs deeper. The political class is using investigating agencies as tools for partisan political objectives. Heads of agencies are chosen to do hatchet jobs," it claimed.



Referring to coronavirus and the deteriorating air quality, they said, "Everyone is aware of what is happening in the world and also in Delhi NCR in regard of water and air. Life is going short to short, then why death penalty?"



Earlier an apex court Bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra and M.R. Shah, heard submissions of lawyer M.L. Sharma, appearing for Mukesh, and rejected the plea by terming it "not maintainable" as the review and the curative pleas in the case had been dismissed.



"Circumstances say there is no remedy left. You (Mukesh Singh) have availed mercy plea. It was rejected. Warrants issued. Curative petition has been dismissed. What's the remedy left," the Supreme Court said.



The four convicts -- Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma and Akshay Kumar -- are scheduled to be executed on March 20 at 5:30 a.m.



The case pertains to the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl, dubbed later as Nirbhaya, in the national capital in December 2012.



Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial begun.



The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
By Steven L. Shields



(slshields@gmail.com}







As we in Korea are hunkering down during the current health crisis, the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch (RASKB) has made available an electronic version of The Korea Magazine (1917-19) for your reading enjoyment.







James Scarth Gale, the publisher, was a Canadian Presbyterian missionary educator who arrived in Korea in 1888. Unlike the more general nature of the earlier periodicals, The Korea Magazine was billed as a missionary monthly. Reading some of Gale's comments in the final edition of the magazine, it seems clear that freedom of the press was severely restricted by the Japanese imperialist authorities. It is well known the Japanese wanted to suppress and erase the Korean language and culture.







Among some of the first Westerners who lived in Korea were many prolific writers and scholars. They had few outlets for their writing, so some of the more enterprising among them started English-language magazines. The names of the editors, publishers and writers in these early periodicals are a who's who of the missionary and diplomatic community in Korea during the late Joseon era, through the Korean Empire and into the Japanese occupation. Most of them, including Gale, were founding members of the RASKB.







Gale was an unusually prolific writer and translator. He worked with the Bible translation committee in Korea, and eventually published his personal Korean-language translation of the Bible. He translated "Pilgrim's Progress" into Korean, and produced volumes of material including literature, poetry, history, Korean-English dictionaries and grammar books. It is said the collection of his papers at the University of Toronto includes more unpublished material than what has ever seen the printed page.









In the pages of The Korea Magazine, one may read some of the best of Korean literature that has been translated into English. Gale's poetic sensitivity made him an ideal translator. His translation of the traditional Korean love story "Chunhyang," here titled "

," was serialized over several months. Gale also published English-language translations of ancient texts from the Goryeo and early Joseon kingdoms. One of the more interesting translations, presumably by Gale, includes

of a young Korean who accompanied his brother to Beijing. The younger man wrote of his exploration of the city and countryside while his brother was engaged in government business. It is a fascinating first-hand account of what Beijing was like 300 years ago!









The Korea Magazine is quite scarce, but the RASKB's president, Brother Anthony of Taize, was given access to a complete set of The Korea Magazine. He was encouraged to upload

of the magazine, type-scripted from the originals for easy reading.









Amid the flurry of writing and publishing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Korea, the RASKB was established in 1900 and began publication of its own journal, Transactions.

, from 1900 to volume 92 published in 2018, is available online. While it leaned toward academic writing, various other periodicals of the time were produced for a broader audience.









The Korean Repository was issued monthly beginning in 1892, and ran for five volumes until 1898. Appenzeller, Hulbert, Jones, Gale, Allen and other well-known missionaries, educators and diplomats are among the most prolific of the writers and translators whose work appeared in the Repository's pages. After its first volume, there was a hiatus for three years, and then four more volumes were published. Most of these writers were the founders of the RASKB. A full run of The Korean Repository

.









"The Korea Review" was published and edited by Homer B. Hulbert from 1901 to 1906. Hulbert was a linguist and strong proponent of the Korean Empire against the "protectorate" and eventual take-over of the nation by imperial Japan. Hulbert was a close friend of Emperor Gojong and was twice appointed as a secret emissary by the emperor. Hulbert's 1906 book, "The Passing of Korea," so angered the Japanese that Hulbert was expelled from the country. Thus, it ended the publication of The Korea Review, as well. The RASKB has reprinted the full series, but Brother Anthony provides

for much easier reading.







The RASKB offers an extensive virus-free e-book library on its website. You may access all past publications of the RASKB, including its annual journal Transactions, with hundreds of books from the RASKB's extensive library that are available in electronic format. The current restrictions on movement and gathering give residents of Korea plenty of time to catch up on their reading.







Keep calm and read on!







Steven L. Shields, a retired cleric, serves as a vice president of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (www.raskb.com) and is a columnist for The Korea Times.










Plummeting oil prices have been the focus of attention ever since Saudi Arabia and Russia fired the first shots in what analysts see as a potentially devastating oil price war. Oil producers, however, are not the only ones suffering the consequences of this war, aggravated by the slump in demand from the coronavirus pandemic.

There were 10 liquefied natural gas projects in the United States slated for approval last year but due to an already sizable glut and the U.S.-China trade war, many final investment decisions were pushed into 2020.

Some of these projects might even be canceled if the situation doesnt improve soon.

Driftwood LNG

Tellurians Driftwood LNG project on the Calcasieu River in Louisiana is set to have an export capacity of 27.6 million tons of liquefied gas. The final investment decision was supposed to be made this year after Tellurian secured debt and equity funding for the $30-billion project. However, the FID date has been delayed as the company grapples with several problems raised by current market conditions.

Media recently reported that Tellurian had cut its workforce by 40 percent and embarked on an executive suite reshuffle in a bid to improve its profitability and secure funding for Driftwood LNG, especially after Indian energy company Petronet, which had committed to buy 5 million tons of LNG from Driftwood earlier this month, said it would delay its final decision on this commitment.

The Driftwood project is Tellurians priority," a spokesperson for the company told media. "In the midst of extreme global financial market conditions, Tellurian is reducing our corporate overhead costs and recently reduced our headcount to be resilient and prepared for the future." Related: Oil Plunges As Saudis Boost Exports To Record High

Market conditions are indeed extreme. Buyers from Europe are turning away LNG cargoes in an oversaturated market where prices have fallen historic lows. Asian buyers are also turning away or deferring deliveries, and Chinas largest gas importer PetroChina earlier this month declared force majeure on all gas imports. Whats worse, with the outbreak continuing to spread outside China, the prospect of a quick improvement seems slim.

Lake Charles LNG

The Lake Charles LNG project, a joint venture between Shell and Energy Transfer, was delayed last year. The partners in the joint venture asked for a five-year extension of the term for completing the 16.45-mtpa facility and FERC granted that extension. According to industry sources, the project could cost between $12 billion and $16 billion. The companies have yet to make the final investment decision.

Its worth noting that the delay was not a direct result of the LNG market situation. Shell inherited the project from BG Group, which it acquired a few years ago, and had to revise the partnership agreement with Energy Partners. Under the revised terms, Shell, already the biggest trader of LNG globally, has agreed to take half of the facilitys export capacity. The delay will see the lake Charles LNG plant ready in 2025, as long as the partners make the final investment decision, which will probably happen after they pick a company for the engineering, procurement, and construction work on the facility. The latest update in this respect was a tender announced last December.

Meanwhile, many fear the Covid-19 pandemic is about to bring the global economy close to a halt, which will hardly be conducive to making final investment decisions on projects worth billions of dollars. Like other projects, Lake Charles LNG might get another delay.

Rio Grande LNG

Rio Grande LNG is the third-largest liquefied natural gas project that was scheduled for approval in the United States this year, with a nameplate capacity of 27 million tons annually. NextDecade had plans to make the final investment decision on the $15-billion Rio Grande LNG project this year and have it completed by 2023. Related: Saudi Arabia Books Supertankers To Flood U.S. Markets With Oil

The company has so far secured a $50-million investment from the United Arab Emirates state investment corporation Mubadala as well as $25 million as payment from Enbridge for the Rio Bravo pipeline that will feed natural gas into the liquefaction trains. Bechtel has also bought into the project, paying $15 million for a stake in it. However, there hasnt been any news of buyer commitments and these are the most important factor for making an FID on an LNG project in a world that is fast getting drowned in LNG.

The Rio Grande LNG project is also facing environmentalist opposition that has taken it to court with a total of six organizations including the Sierra Club asking last month a federal judge to overturn the permits issued for Rio Grande LNG by the FERC. The grounds for the request were safety and environmental concerns.

Things are not looking up for the rest of the projects due for approval this year. Magnolia LNG, Port Arthur LNG, and Brownsville LNG are all grappling with the same problems weighing on the whole industry. If oil and gas prices remain subdued for the rest of the year, which is now increasingly likely, some of these projects will simply become unviable. And the oil price war will also play a major part.

"If coronavirus brought the near-term prospects of new LNG business to a particularly slow crawl, we believe the OPEC+ blow up will bring it to a full stop, at least until the dust settles," Michael Webber, managing partner of Webber Research & Advisory said in a recent note to clients. "For companies in the process of restructuring, like Tellurian, it certainly won't help the market's appetite for refinanced, commercially-challenged LNG paper. It's hard to imagine its lenders not feeling the collapse of commodity prices in several places throughout their loan books."

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Hours before the debate, his campaign also announced that he had decided to support making public colleges and universities tuition-free for many students, adopting a proposal that Mr. Sanders put forward a few years ago. While a nod to the left, Mr. Bidens move was hardly a display of progressive boldness: Mrs. Clinton offered a similar proposal in 2016 after her primary fight with Mr. Sanders, and the proposal Mr. Biden endorsed is more limited than what Mr. Sanders is advocating in the 2020 campaign.

For Vice President Biden its about a lack of consistency, Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan and a Sanders supporter, said in a recent interview. Personal engagement has to be coupled with the embrace of bold policy, she said.

Some activists say the personal outreach could be improved, too.

Weve heard from them some but not nearly as much as wed like to, said Maria Urbina, the national political director at Indivisible, a major grass-roots progressive organization. I think theyve done a handful of outreach but there are some pretty substantive conversations wed love to have.

Still, if he is the nominee, she said, We will do everything we can to get him elected.

Mr. Biden is undeniably more moderate than Mr. Sanders, who is a democratic socialist. But Mr. Bidens allies argue that the former vice president does embrace relatively bold policy  if at a more incremental pace, and on a less sweeping scale, than Mr. Sanders does. Their focus now is on promoting some of those proposals, from gun control to combating climate change, and on learning more about what supporters of other current and former candidates need to hear from Mr. Biden.

No. 1 is making it clear that we have great respect for Senator Sanders and Senator Warren, said Mayor Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, a Biden endorser. It is important we recognize and understand why young people, many young people, have been driven to that message.

Internally, the Biden campaign has staff working on outreach to students, young professionals and young elected officials. Many of those officials are then engaging in their own progressive outreach in their cities and states, sounding out local liberal activists, for example, or talking with their fellow elected leaders.

Behind the scenes, a number of Mr. Bidens congressional allies have also been contacting officials who supported Ms. Warren in particular, both in Congress and around the country.
By Gayatri Suroyo

JAKARTA, March 16 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday the authorities were not now considering imposing a lockdown to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, as the leader, his wife and a number of ministers awaited the results of tests for the virus.

The world's fourth most populous country has reported a spike in cases with the number of confirmed infections hitting 134, while five people have died.

Jakarta and several other provinces and cities have already announced school closures starting this week, and civil servants and some companies are asking staff to work from home.

Widodo told a televised briefing at the presidential palace in Bogor that "up to now we are not considering anything in the direction of lockdown".

He said measures to tackle the virus would be calibrated to ensure they did not "exacerbate the economic impact that can harden the people's lives".

At a separate press conference in the capital Jakarta, three patients who had recovered from the coronavirus were presented to reporters as evidence that the disease passes. Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto gave them a tumbler of a herbal drink which he said had been concocted by the president to help them stay healthy.

The rupiah currency dropped 1% on Monday, while the stock index plunged more than 4%, extending falls amid capital outflows on concerns over the impact of the outbreak.

Some neighbouring countries have been taking far more aggressive steps, including the Philippines, which has put half the population on lockdown.

On Saturday, Indonesian Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi was confirmed to be suffering from COVID-19 after attending a cabinet meeting last week led by Widodo.

Widodo and his wife, as well as some ministers, have been tested for the virus as a precaution.

Several ministers have said they had tested negative but, when questioned about his result, the president told reporters to ask his doctor.

Asked how mainly Muslim Indonesia would manage during the holy month of Ramadan starting in late April if the outbreak peaked then, Widodo said the state procurement agency had been told to ensure stocks of basic needs and private hospitals could also assist state hospitals.

Story continues

Indonesia confirmed 17 new coronavirus cases on Monday, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said, with 14 in the capital Jakarta, where most have been clustered.

Indonesia's central bank said in a statement that banknotes and coins would be disinfected before redistribution as a precaution against the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Indonesia confirmed its first cases of the virus on March 2, while some countries in the region had reported scores of cases far earlier, raising concerns among medical experts about infections either not being reported or going undetected. (Writing by Ed Davies)
Washington, March 17 : American fast-food giant, McDonalds is set to replace its famous Happy Meal toys with non-plastic versions from next year as it tries to reduce its environmental impact, a media report said on Tuesday.

The business said that from 2021 Happy Meals will come with a soft toy, a book, or a paper-based toy, the London-based Metro newspaper reported.

The fast-food giant hopes the effort will save more than 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic at its UK business from 2021, which would be its biggest single reduction to date.

The company will start trialling the new toys from May, when parents and children will be offered to swap their plastic toys for a book or paper toy when they buy a meal.

This will let customers choose to opt out of the plastic toys in every outlet.

The company has in the past committed to reducing emissions by 36 per cent by the end of the decade, and to use recycled or renewable materials in all its packaging by 2025, the Metro newspaper said in its report.

The company has removed the lids from its McFlurry ice creams, saving 385 tonnes of plastic, replaced its salad boxes with ones that can be recycled as paper, and rolled-out paper straws last year.
In the town of Rasht, a funeral procession for a doctor who died of coronavirus. In Qeshm, protesters block a checkpoint because they fear letting in clerics coming from an infected area. And in a cemetery in Qom, a burial is taking place. The man filming provides commentary. Qom is the city where Irans first coronavirus cases appeared. Though authorities expressed little concern for days, and now, it appears workers are digging trenches for mass graves. Iran says at least 237 people have died. Its one of the highest death tolls outside of China. How did this happen? At key moments officials made serious missteps, and failed to take protective measures. On Feb. 19, the first coronavirus deaths are reported in Iran in the religious city of Qom. But victims likely contracted the virus weeks earlier, and in a city full of holy sites the visitors touch and kiss, that could have helped spread it. Irans health ministry did ask the city to close the shrines, but it was never enforced. So people continued to visit them. Two days after the deaths in Qom, Iran held nationwide parliamentary elections. But out at polling stations, there was little sign of a nation on the brink of an epidemic. No one was wearing gloves or masks, and there was lots of close contact. Officials tried in the days that followed to calm the public. But their efforts were undercut by bizarre appearances. Heres Irans deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, on state TV saying things were under control. But throughout the presser, he was sweating, coughing and dismissing common-sense prevention methods. Harirchi went on TV a second time that day, making jokes about proper coughing protocol. But the next day, Harirchi announced on social media that he, himself, had contracted the virus. This shocking turn of events put Irans mismanagement of the epidemic on international display. People in Iran are panicking. Well, now hes become part of the story because hes got the virus. President Hassan Rouhani then tried to pin the spreading virus on Irans enemies. It took officials nine days after the first coronavirus death to cancel Friday prayers, where large groups typically gather. Meanwhile, high-profile cases started appearing. At least 23 lawmakers now have the virus. A vice president announces that she, too, has the coronavirus  just days prior, here she is sitting near President Rouhani. Then on March 1, a close aide of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, dies of coronavirus. Shortly after, the government ordered all schools and universities to shut down, and Khamenei tries to rewrite history. Iran is finally putting tougher measures in place. But by letting the virus get out of hand, officials turned their country into an epicenter.
Greece takes COVID-19 preventative measures in migrant camps Individual and organization visits postponed by 14 days

(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, MARCH 17 - The Greek ministry of migration has adopted a series of containment measures in migrant camps across the country in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The ministry noted that visits by individuals and organisations to migrant camps would be postponed by at least 14 days.



Only staff will be allowed to enter the camps and asylum seekers will be allowed to leave only in the case of an emergency. All new arrivals will have their temperatures taken, it added.(ANSAmed).




Misbehaviour Cert: 12A, 1hr 46mins

Rating:

We live in seismic times for the womens movement, with the Times Up and #MeToo campaigns still running strongly on both sides of the Atlantic, and powerful, abusive men finally being held to account.

But we have lived through such tumultuous times before  50 years ago, in fact  as this new film starring Keira Knightley and Jessie Buckley does such an entertaining and yet thought-provoking job of reminding us.

It whisks us back to the Miss World contest of 1970, when a group of womens liberation protesters noisily interrupted the swimsuit parade, lascivious talk of 36-24-36 figures and a chauvinist comedy spot from the American comedian Bob Hope by yelling their disapproval, pelting the stage with flour bombs and firing water pistols filled with ink.

A group of womens liberation protesters noisily interrupted the swimsuit parade at the Miss World contest of 1970 (Above, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Suki Waterhouse and Clara Rosager)

Theres a sobering moment when you realise that the pistols are probably realistic enough to get them shot by armed police these days. But not back then  the women were eventually arrested, the stage swept, and a cowering Hope pushed back on by organisers Eric and Julia Morley.

The show, they insisted, must go on. It was eventually won by Miss Grenada, the first black winner, whose success has always been marred by the fact that the prime minister of her Caribbean island was one of the judges.

But thats another story although, with anti-apartheid protesters also targeting the contest, racism does get a good airing here, too.

The show, they insisted, must go on. It was eventually won by Miss Grenada, the first black winner, played here by Mbatha-Raw

Younger readers may struggle to imagine what a big thing Miss World was back then, or to understand that its now glaringly obvious sexism was very much a reflection of the everyday sexism of those times and therefore invisible.

But its very visible now  look out for the truly excruciating moment when the poor swimsuit-clad contestants are asked to turn around so the entire audience  no, the entire world  can assess their bottoms.

Like Military Wives, this is a female-led production perfect for these power-shifting times, although, unlike that film, it not only has a strong female cast and an excellent screenplay written by women  Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe  but a female director too, the double Bafta TV-winning Philippa Lowthorpe.

Like Military Wives, this is a female-led production perfect for these power-shifting times (Keira Knightley, Jessie Buckley and Ria Zmitrowicz, above)

She secures top-notch performances from a cast that, as well as Knightley, as mature student Sally Alexander, and Buckley, as the commune-dwelling activist Jo, also includes Keeley Hawes as Julia Morley (noticeably depicted here as a force for reforming good) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the surprise winner.

It seems slightly off-message to mention it but Rhys Ifans is a hoot as the cheerfully sexist Eric Morley.

IT'S A FACT The youngest Miss World was Puerto Rico's Wilnelia Merced, 18. She then became Bruce Forsyth's wife, until his death in 2017. Advertisement

Lowthorpe gets strong support from her hair, make-up and wardrobe departments but is less successful in instilling a convincing sense of place. A London gentlemans club is not just a poor stand-in for the Royal Albert Hall, where the event actually took place, it doesnt even look like a theatre.

Theres a poor sense of Oxford, too, where Sally was studying before she moved to London.

In a world still obsessed with Kim Kardashians bottom and Victorias Secret models, this is a picture that raises complex questions. While its obviously important that men should see this film, its perfect for a mother-and-daughter cinema outing, and given the fun Downton Abbey star Phyllis Logan has playing Sallys mother  a woman who thinks getting your husband to cook dinner is sexist  you might want to take a grandmother along, too.

Times have definitely changed; the question is  how much?

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

My Spy (12A)

Rating:

Theres no doubt this espionage comedy delivers some very funny, laugh- out-loud moments, and will only do good things for the post-wrestling career of Dave Bautista, still best known  as an actor, anyway  for his monosyllabic contributions to the Guardians Of The Galaxy films.

But theres also no doubt that this Peter Segal-directed picture  very much in the tradition of Melissa McCarthys Spy, Steve Carells Get Smart (which Segal also directed) and Dwayne Johnsons Central Intelligence  feels like a film that was made before it was ready, before anyone bravely chirped up and said: Hey, isnt this all a bit creepy?

Because, as the film does eventually acknowledge, it is a bit.

Dave Bautista plays JJ, a bungling CIA agent sent, by way of punishment, to Chicago, but his cover is quickly blown by a lonely but resourceful nine-year-old girl Sophie (Chloe Coleman)

Bautista plays JJ, a bungling CIA agent sent, by way of punishment, to Chicago on a low-grade surveillance operation to monitor the inevitably attractive widow of an arms-dealing baddie.

But when his cover is quickly blown by her lonely but resourceful nine-year- old daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman), who threatens to blackmail him with an incriminating video on her phone, he has little choice but to give in to her demands.

Like going ice-skating with her and to Take A Special Friend day at school. Oh, and training her to become a spy.

Yes, Bautista and Coleman develop a nice screen rapport, but the comic mis-steps keep coming. One of his surveillance cameras is in the womens bathroom and he threatens to kill the child (yes, I know, its a sort of joke) and suddenly were watching a precocious nine-year-old delivering lines about crack addicts.

And thats all before Sophie tries fixing him up with her mum. Who knows nothing about his true identity. Funny undoubtedly, but sort of tasteless too.

The Hunt (15)

Rating:

Following mass shootings in the United States last year, the release of this blood-spattered gorefest has already been postponed once. And as the body count rapidly rises courtesy of high-velocity bullets, sharpened spikes, landmines and grenades (and thats just the first 15 minutes), many will find themselves wondering why its being released at all.

Be warned, this is very violent and very unpleasant.

Based  very loosely  on Richard Connells already much plundered 1924 short story The Most Dangerous Game, the Hunger Games- style action see 12 strangers waking up in unfamiliar woodland, to discover not only that they have been gagged, but also that they are about to be hunted by a sneering, select band of the wealthy elite.

Twelve strangers wake up in unfamiliar woodland, to discover not only that they have been gagged, but also that they are about to be hunted (Emma Roberts, above)

Its clearly meant to make us laugh at times, and its obvious theres some sort of social satire afoot too, as we discover the victims are not always the nicest people.

But while Betty Gilpin impresses in the central role of Crystal, its a sobering surprise to find Hilary Swank gracing something quite so low-rent.
A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking quashing of his death penalty.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana dismissed Singh's plea claiming he was not in Delhi on the day of the incident.

The plea claimed that Singh was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, and was not present in the city on December 16, when the crime took place.

The public prosecutor told the court that Singh's plea is frivolous and a tactic to delay the scheduled hanging.

The plea also alleged that Singh was tortured inside the Tihar jail.

Meanwhile, the court asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to Singh's counsel.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:50:31|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Barham Salih on Tuesday called on the new prime minister-designate Adnan al-Zurfi to hold early elections and carry out comprehensive reforms to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

A statement by the Iraqi Presidency said that Salih asked al-Zurfi to form a new cabinet when he received the latter in his office in the Presidential Palace in central Baghdad.

Salih urged the prime minieter-designate to "hold early and fair elections, fulfill the aspirations of Iraqis and to meet the legitimate demands of peaceful demonstrators by carrying out the required reforms."

Salih also urged al-Zurfi to "preserve the sovereignty, stability and security of Iraq," according to the statement.

Meanwhile, the Special Representative of the United Nations secretary-general for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert welcomed in a tweet the designation of al-Zurfi to form a new government that would face "unprecedented security, political, economic and health crises."

Al-Zurfi's nomination came one day after the deadline of 15 days set by the Iraqi constitution for political blocs to submit a candidate for the post of prime minister-designate to Iraqi president.

Al-Zurfi is an Iraqi Shiite politician, who was born in the city of Kufa in Najaf province in 1966. He joined the Dawa Islamic Party in his early life and later he fled the country during the Saddam Hussein regime and returned after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

He served as the governor of Najaf province for several years after 2009, and withdrew from Dawa party to form al-Wafaa Coalition in 2013. He is now part of al-Nasr Coalition led by former prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

According to the Iraqi constitution, the prime minister-designate has 30 days to put together a cabinet and present it to the parliament for approval, as the parliament must approve the government program and each individual minister in separate absolute majority votes.
All evictions must be stopped, and phone, energy and finance companies must back off households trying to survive on reduced incomes during the coronavirus crisis, Tenants Victoria and a coalition of more than 30 community groups say.

And the chair of housing group Homelessness Australia, Jenny Smith, has also called for the federal government to immediately deliver emergency payments to casual workers who lose their income during the pandemic, to prevent a "tsunami of homelessness".

"Tens of thousands of Australian households have lost the wages they need to pay their rent because of the mass cancellation of events, and the requirement on growing numbers of people to self-isolate or quarantine," Ms Smith said.

More than 30 social services organisations around Australia have urged companies that provide essential services  energy, water, finance, phones and rental housing  to support people affected by the pandemic.
Coronavirus has been spreading like wildfire. A problematic disease that came from Wuhan in China has taken the world by shock with the sudden outbreak and everyone is taking the precautionary measure of staying home.

Twitter

Not just normal public, but even celebrities across the globe are extra careful and are not stepping out. The government is ensuring no one is affected and has closed all venues that encourage public gathering like cinema halls, gyms and other areas.





So in order to while away time, many celebrities are showing us how to make the most of staying in. Kareena Kapoor, who recently made a debut on Instagram, posted a video of her husband Saif Ali Khan enjoying reading a book.

Instagram/Kareena Kapoor

On the other hand, Kareena posted a picture of herself too Instagramming in candlelight setting. Now isn't this the best way to self-quarantine.





Some actors are even suggesting reading and Netflix but fitness enthusiast Shilpa Shetty is making sure we continue to be fit within the premises of our house. Showing us how without visiting a gym, one can work out, Shilpa uses the step up work out.

Not just her, actress Katrina and gym instructor Yasmin also teach a few moves while we all face the current lockdown.

Work from home has never been more meaningful and we have these B-towners to take complete inspiration from. So stop being a couch potato and get working.


US cloud-based service provider Salesforce.com Inc has hired Arundhati Bhattacharya, one of India's best-known former bankers, as its India chief executive officer, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Bhattacharya declined to comment, while Salesforce did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bhattacharya previously headed the State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, and was the first woman to lead the more than 200-year-old bank. She retired from SBI in 2017 after spending four decades in various roles.

"She is a hugely credible name who comes with a wealth of experience and will help Salesforce expand in India," said the source, who is aware of the new appointment.

Bhattacharya, 64, will be based in Mumbai and will join in April, the source added. She is currently chairman of SWIFT India, part of a global payments network.

Salesforce provides an array of cloud storage and digital services to clients in India, which it sees as a one of its fastest growing regions. In January, Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris met India's trade minister in New Delhi and briefed him on the company's growth plans.

Salesforce will create more than 500,000 jobs and $67 billion in new business revenues in India through 2024, according to a 2019 report by International Data Corporation. The Indian government has also partnered with the company to work towards skills development.
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Linkedin Patrick Galey (Agence France-Presse) Paris  Tue, March 17, 2020 14:02 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b3cb83 2 Environment air-pollution,pollution,health,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Air pollution from petrol and diesel vehicles is likely to increase mortality from the novel coronavirus in cities, public health experts told AFP Monday.

The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) warned that dirty air in urban areas that causes hypertension, diabetes and other respiratory illness could lead to a higher overall death toll from the virus currently sweeping the world.

Emissions from petrol and diesel engines were still at "dangerous" levels that could imperil the most vulnerable during this and future pandemics, said the European Respiratory Society (EPS), which is a member of the EPHA.

"Patients with chronic lung and heart conditions caused or worsened by long-term exposure to air pollution are less able to fight off lung infections and more likely to die," EPS member Sara De Matteis said.

"This is likely also the case for COVID-19," added de Matteis, who is also an associate professor in occupational and environmental medicine at Italy's Cagliari University.

The virus has so far infected more than 168,000 people and killed over 6,500 worldwide.

Several European nations have implemented unprecedented measures to prevent the spread of the disease and allow health systems to treat patients.

While there is currently no proven link between COVID-19 mortality and air pollution, one peer-reviewed study into the 2003 SARS outbreak showed that patients in regions with moderate air pollution levels were 84 percent more likely to die than those in regions with low air pollution.

COVID-19 is similar to SARS and can cause respiratory failure in severe cases.

Mortality data for COVID-19 is incomplete, but preliminary numbers show the majority of patients who die are elderly or have pre-existing chronic conditions such as heart or lung disease.

According to the European Environment Agency, air pollution leads to around 400,000 early deaths across the continent annually, despite European Union air quality directives.

One COVID-19 hotspot, northern Italy, has particularly high levels of PM10 -- microscopic particles of pollution due largely to road traffic.

The number of fatalities in Italy shot up by 368 to 1,809 on Sunday -- more than half of all the cases recorded outside China.

Read also: Heat may curb COVID-19 spread in Indonesia. But dont count on it, scientists say

'Clean up the streets'

A study published last week in the journal Cardiovascular Research said that air pollution shortens lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and leads to 8.8 million premature deaths annually.

The shutdown in northern Italy has in fact led to a significant reduction in nitrous oxide and small particulate matter in the air, according to satellite data.

EPHA Acting Secretary General Sascha Marschang said that governments must prioritize a reduction in polluting vehicles to avoid unnecessary deaths during future outbreaks.

"Governments should have tackled chronic air pollution long ago, but have prioritized the economy over health by going soft on the auto industry," he said.

"Science tells us that epidemics like COVID-19 will occur with increasing frequency," added.

"So cleaning up the streets is a basic investment for a healthier future."
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Airlines ask for a bailout  and they wont be alone

A week ago, major U.S. airlines said that they could absorb the costs of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, after travel bans around the world, theyve approached the government for help.

Theyre asking for over $50 billion, the WSJ reports. And carriers like Delta and American are also asking banks for billions in loans. Thats not including the $10 billion that U.S. airports reportedly want, or the unknown amount that Boeing is said to be negotiating for itself and its suppliers.

Were going to back the airlines 100 percent, President Trump said at a news conference yesterday. But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the assistance wouldnt be a bailout. If youre providing liquidity to good businesses that just need liquidity for three to six months, where youre taking collateral and you have security, thats not a bailout, he said.

The thing is  The five biggest U.S. carriers spent 96 percent of their free cash flow over the past decade on stock buybacks, according to Bloomberg.
Neither district will remain intact after the 2020 elections because the courts have invalidated them, finding that North Carolinas current congressional map resulted from partisan and racial gerrymandering.

In the next Congress, all of Guilford County will be included in a new 6th District configuration that also includes much of Forsyth County. Walker has decided not to seek re-election in the new district that political insiders believe leans strongly Democrat.

Summerfield businessman Lee Haywood won the Republican primary earlier this month in the newly formed 6th District. And Greensboro civic leader and former immigration lawyer Kathy Manning won the Democratic nomination.

Asked Monday what she thought of the Families First measure, Manning said that it was an important first step in helping people hardest hit by this public health crisis.

I am concerned that the bill doesnt go far enough to protect those who will be impacted by this crisis because it includes exemptions that leave large segments of employees without protection, she said, also citing such groups as small business owners who need assistance now and fear long administrative delays.
If you havent already stocked up on canned beans and rice, you might be tempted to rush to the nearest grocery store after six Bay Area counties announced a shelter in place order for all residents on Monday.

Theres no need to panic. Two Chronicle reporters visited more than a dozen stores  from giant chains to tiny immigrant-owned markets  in the East Bay and found plenty of food to go around.

Officials are asking residents to stay home as much as possible to slow the spread of the coronavirus in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The directive starts at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and lasts through at least April 7.

People will still be able to leave the house for food and household supplies  grocery stores are remaining open, as are some restaurants switching to takeout-only operations.

Major chain stores such as Safeway, Target and Whole Foods were buzzing with activity on Monday. Across the board, the emptiest aisles were for toilet paper, tissues, sanitizing wipes and bleach, but other essentials like baby formula and diapers were in stock.

You cant find toilet paper anywhere and it seems like thats all people are buying, Charles Jackson said while walking down an empty isle at Pak n Save in Emeryville. I dont even need it for whats happening  I just need some toilet paper. Its crazy.

At Trader Joes stores in El Cerrito and Berkeley, lines of 20 to 30 people patiently waited outside. The chain recently began allowing only 100 shoppers inside their stores at a time for social distancing.

That wasnt the case at Costco in Richmond, where the parking lot was swarming with so many cars it took 10 minutes to find parking. Despite the store being exceptionally crowded, staff were quickly restocking items.

Now Playing: As local government announces mandatory 'shelter in place' San Franciscans head to the store to stock up on supplies. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle

Some stores seem to be stubbornly out of a few select items, but it varied from place to place. A Safeway in Oakland was sold out of potatoes, onions, oatmeal and frozen chicken. A Lucky in El Cerrito was nearly out of rice, dried pasta and instant noodles. A Whole Foods in Berkeley was nearly out of tea, oatmeal and frozen bread. Many popular frozen meals, including pizzas and palak paneer, were nearly out at the Trader Joes, too.

While aisles for rice and instant ramen were empty at Oakland Korean grocer KP Asian Market, trucks were quickly pulling in on Monday with fresh supplies. The rows of boxes outside were filled to the brim as usual with squash, watermelon and sweet potatoes.

As Catherine Nguyen was putting groceries into her car, she said she expected more of a crowd but imagined the location would get busier as the day progressed.

I was able to get what I needed, she said while motioning toward her bags of produce, including onions and oranges. That might not be the case for people who come later.

The 99 Ranch Market in Richmond was surprisingly calm, with plenty of parking available and lines to pay only reaching about three people deep. When the last of the kimchi vanished, a worker was there to quickly replenish. Rice, noodles, tofu, dried seafood and preserved vegetables were all in stock.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

In fact, smaller immigrant-owned markets might be the least stressful way to fill up your pantry. Hosanna Oriental Food, a tiny Korean market in El Cerrito, was fully stocked across the board  including coveted packets of instant ramen that seemed to be sold out at many bigger stores.

Middle Eastern markets Oasis Food Market in Oakland and Middle East Market in Berkeley were both fully stocked as if it were any other day. Same with Mexican grocer Mi Tierra Foods in Berkeley.

Specialty food shops remain an option, too. Giovannis Italian Specialties in San Francisco, for example, is keeping up with demand for hundreds of pounds of fresh pasta daily. Owner Tony Gemignani ensured that pastas and sauces are made daily on-site, so there will always be new product.

Janelle Bitker and Justin Phillips are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com, jphillips@sfchronicle.com
Utica, N.Y. -- Oneida County has reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, expanding the reach of the virus deeper into Upstate New York.

County Executive Anthony Picente made the announcement at a hastily called press conference in Utica. Picente said the person returned from travel abroad on Thursday and has been in quarantine since Friday. He said the person showed symptoms after returning, and had limited contact with others before going into quarantine.

Picente declined to say where the person had traveled, whether the person was male or female, or what town the person lived in.

This is just coming through," he said. "When we can share more information, we will.

Picente said the county was awaiting results Monday of 34 coronavirus tests. He said he did not know how many of those had been completed yet. Picente said he would release more information at a 3 p.m. briefing.
Volvo Car India on Tuesday



announced work from home as a safety measure for its employees with immediate effect, considering the number of Coronavirus cases have risen to over 100 in the past few days across the country.

"Necessary IT infrastructure is in place to facilitate business continuity, with scheduled meetings managed via Microsoft Teams/ Skype", the Swedish luxury car company said in a statement.

All domestic and international travel was suspended as early as February, to limit the exposure of its employees to the virus, the company said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister V Muraleedharan, who visited a Kerala-based medical institute whose hospital later reported a coronavirus case, has placed himself under home quarantine as a precaution even as he tested negative for the infection.

The minister of state for external affairs had visited the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMT) in Thiruvananthapuram on March 14. A doctor from the institute's hospital, who returned from Spain, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

"Last Saturday, I had visited Research Div. of a Medical Institute, whose Hospital later reported a COVID-19 +ve case. As a measure of abundant precaution I am in home quarantine since then. Have tested negative for COVID-19," he tweeted.

"No to panic! Yes to precaution!" Muraleedharan said.

Sources had earlier said that Muraleedharan, a senior BJP leader from Kerala, has opted for self isolation at his Delhi residence.

SCTIMT director Dr Asha Kishore said reports that the minister had come in contact with the doctor, who tested positive for the coronavirus, were "completely wrong".

The infected doctor, who is from the radiology department, had no symptoms and was cleared by the coronavirus cell. He was placed under home quarantine from March 10 or March 11 onwards, she told PTI.

The meeting with the minister was on March 14. Only four officials met him and none of them had any contact with the doctor who tested positive, the SCTIMT director said.

"The minister came to a different building and at a different time, and only four people met him, and it was a holiday, and none of them had contact with the patient. This is all false news," she said.

"We have directly spoken to the minister and told him, and he knows. He has not gone to the hospital. The affected doctor was not diagnosed at that time and was under home quarantine," Kishore said.

Asked if the minister had sought any explanation from the institute, the director replied in the negative.

"We had informed the minister immediately when the patient was diagnosed as positive. The minister had no contact at all. He does not fall under any definition of contact. That was informed to him also," Kishore said.

At least 76 employees of the institute, including 20 to 25 doctors who were in direct contact with the affected doctor, have been placed under isolation.

The doctor is presently under observation at the isolation ward of the general hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

The deputy director of the institute, who had been to Spain on a personal visit, and had returned to the state on February 26, has also been quarantined following the Centre's notification of March 16, as per which those returning from COVID-19 hit nations should be put under 28 days isolation, the institute sources said.

Though there is no shut down at the institute, only emergency surgeries are being held. The radiology department has been disinfected according to protocol.

The doctor, who returned from Spain on March 1, came to the hospital the next day wearing gloves and a mask.

He reported to the institute's infection control team, who in turn informed DISHA, comprising trained social workers and counsellors, who answer questions about COVID-19 (coronavirus disease), was informed, the sources said.

Since Spain had not then been brought under the high-risk category and the doctor did not have any symptoms, he was asked by DISHA to wait for five more days and come to the institute.

The doctor came to the hospital on March 10 and there was indirect contact with two patients at the radiology department, the sources said on Monday.

On March 11, after Spain was declared a high-risk area, the doctor was asked by the medical superintendent to go on leave.

He developed symptoms on March 13 and tested positive for the virus. The doctor did not go for any surgery, OP or cath lab procedure while at the hospital, the sources said.

SCTIMST, an institution of national importance under the Department of Science and Technology, has the status of a university and offers research and training facilities.

It has three wings- a tertiary referral super specialty hospital, biomedical technology wing and the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TULSA, Okla.  David Stone snagged a cardboard box of .223-caliber ammunition from the shelf and slid it across the glass countertop, offering his go-to sales pitch: Welcome to the biggest selection of ammunition in all of Oklahoma.

Im not sure I can keep on saying that, Stone said, explaining that the supply of goods at Dongs Guns, Ammo and Reloading has been seriously depleted over the last few days. When I say sales have been booming, he said, its an understatement.

Gun sales are surging in many U.S. states, especially in those hit hardest by the coronavirus  California, New York and Washington. But theres also been an uptick in less-affected areas, with some first-time gun buyers fearing an unraveling of the social order and some gun owners worried that the government might use its emergency powers to restrict gun purchases.

Stones packed store shares a small strip of road with a church, a cemetery and another gun shop, and in recent days he has sold several firearms to truckers traveling along Interstate 44 here in Oklahoma. One trucker, who was headed to Arizona, bought $2,500 worth of firearms and ammunition, and another trucker, who was headed to Illinois, dropped $200 on ammunition alone.

In California, would-be customers formed a long line outside the Martin B. Retting gun shop in Culver City (Los Angeles County) over the weekend.

Politicians and anti-gun people have been telling us for the longest time that we dont need guns, said John Gore, 39, part of the crush of customers in recent days. But right now, a lot of people are truly scared, and they can make that decision themselves.

Ammo.com, an online retailer of ammunition, has also seen a recent increase in sales. According to the company, from Feb. 23 to March 4, transactions increased 68% compared with the 11 days before Feb. 23, a day when Italy reported a major outbreak of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Some gun control groups have raised concerns about children out of school for the next several weeks, which could result in more children and teens being killed in homes with unsecured guns.

The National Rifle Association and other Second Amendment advocates have been applauding the uptick in firearms sales.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

You dont need it, till you need it, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted recently.

According to various reports, the surge in gun sales started several weeks ago in states such as Washington and California, and included large numbers of Asian Americans, some fearful of anti-Asian backlash over the coronavirus.

At Laguna Guns & Accessories in Elk Grove (Sacramento County), the shops owner said he has seen a recent run on his inventory, with many Asian customers stopping into the store.

With 10 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and no deaths, Oklahoma  unlike California or Washington  hasnt experienced the hour-by-hour updates of the pandemics spread. Though Jay is skeptical of the risks, he said he was encouraged to see more people buying guns.

If this hysteria is helping the cause, then thats great, he said. Strap up.

Kurtis Lee and Anita Chabria are Los Angeles Times writers.
With more than 260,000 Chicago public school students eligible to receive free meals, the challenge is greater than it typically is over the summer or than it was during the teachers strike in the fall. In order to provide food to children while keeping them away from one another, the district has devised a grab-and-go plan in which families can pick up a three-day supply of meals for each child at their nearest school.
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I recently attended a cardiology conference where a dear friend of mine was presenting on the topic of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She discussed how fibrosis within the ventricle causes diastolic dysfunction, an inability of the myocardium to relax. My ears perked up. Just the week before, while on vacation, I personally experienced the inability to relax.

Though I was free to lounge around New Orleans while my husband attended the annual CHEST conference, I experienced diastolic dysfunction of life. I could not disconnect and disengage from my work.

Despite signing out to my partners, and putting my email on vacation mode with auto-replies for when I would return, I found myself frequently checking my inbox. What was that all about? Why, every two hours, did I feel the need to make certain that nothing exciting or catastrophic had happened in my clinic? Despite being frustrated at not being able to disengage, I proudly acknowledged that at least I had identified the problem. Now how was I going to tackle this twitch and begin to relax on my already short vacation?

Defining the twitch

Anthony Ongaro, in his blog Break the Twitch, defines twitch as an impulsive, unproductive response to discomfort. It might be checking your smartphone, buying something online or mindlessly scrolling through social media. It shows up in many ways, some of which might not seem problematic, but when they add up, day after day, thats when things get bad. The twitch phenomenon in medicine includes checking the inbox, grabbing the pager when you think it may have gone off, and even needing to complete notes in full, grammatically correct sentences before you leave at the end of the day. The twitch unnecessarily consumes our precious time and energy.

Inaction edema and learned hurry

At what point does efficiently completing your work morph into compulsive twitching? It is a slow, insidious process driven by having too much work to get done, day in and day out. We begin to feel like we can never surmount the work or unplug from it. Hence, we develop diastolic dysfunction in life, the inability to relax. What is the final outcome of diastolic dysfunction in life? Congestive failure! As things back up, we develop inaction edema: We get less and less done. Ultimately, we fail at what we are trying to accomplish. In addition, we continue to hurry, feeling rushed and pressured to do more. This too can spill over into our time away from work. I despise those crazy days off where I feel like I am living in 15-minute increments, running behind, keeping friends and family waiting, because I am trying to do too much in too little time. Author and pastor John Mark Comer, in his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, states: Hurry is violence on the soul.

How much has learned hurry wreaked havoc on our well-being, and what role does it play in our burn-out trauma?

So before hurry and the twitch create irreversible damage to you, your work and your life, become intentional about relaxing and recapturing diastolic health!

Here are a few steps to improve your diastolic function in life:

Step 1: Recognize that you have detrimental habits that bog you down and consume your time inefficiently. Take time to analyze your daily habits and critically evaluate where you spend more time than necessary. Make that your Twitch List.

Step 2: Methodically eliminate unnecessary twitches. Batch process your inbox time by checking it twice a day instead of hourly. Let your nurses know that this will be the new process. Skip a few punctuation marks in your notes instead of rereading and rewriting the note. Intentionally use point form in your comments. Copy and paste the repetitive items that crop up again and again in your notes. Get creative and take the time to develop smart phrases that work.

Step 3: Be intentional about unplugging when not at work. This is where I often fail. Resist the urge to pick up your smartphone and check work emails when you are off. Set boundaries and ask your staff and partners not to text or call you with questions that can wait until your return. Develop mindful habits, take a few minutes to breathe deeply, reflect on what you are grateful for, and literally stop to smell the flowers. All this will take time, patience, and practice. Consider holding your colleagues accountable for developing similar habits.

Step 4: Give yourself grace. Show yourself goodwill. For instance, a common habit when we fall behind in work is to start the should talk. I should be doing this. I should have gotten that done. I should try harder tomorrow. Should is a word that is self-defeating and serves to reinforce the idea that we are not accomplishing something. Instead, consider focusing on the moment, what you have recently accomplished, what you are trying to do right now, and just do it, one inbox message at a time, one note at a time.

Quite clearly, we all have times where we experience the diastolic dysfunction of life, the inability to relax, and unwind. Becoming intentional about identifying our negative habits, the twitches, is the beginning of developing healthy habits that will grow you, improve your focus, increase your creativity, and refresh your soul. Best wishes in breaking your twitches and improving your diastolic life function!

Susan MacLellan-Tobert is a pediatric cardiologist and can be reached at Healing Edge Coaching.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Donald Trump is now asking for $850 billion or more from Congress in phase three of an economic stimulus package to combat the unstable economy during the coronavirus outbreak.

A large portion of that massive figure is likely to be Donald Trump's desired payroll tax cut, which didn't make it into phase one or two due to opposition toward the measure in Congress from both sides of the aisle.

Lawmakers are concerned if they leave Washington D.C., they may not be coming back any time soon, so some are already pondering what needs to be done for phase three of an economic stimulus package before phase two has even made it through the Senate.

'I don't think we can assume that we can keep reconvening the Senate every week like we did this week,' Republican Senator Marco Rubio told Politico Monday. 'I don't think we can make that assumption.'

'With what might happen to airlines or travel schedules, with individual members having to go into quarantine or being exposed  I don't think we can operate as if we can just bring the Senate and House back whenever we want,' he continued.

Donald Trump wants $850 billion more in phase three of an economic stimulus package to combat uncertainty in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is heading back to Capitol Hill Tuesday to request Congress consider the next steps for the economic stimulus package before phase two has even made it through the Senate

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, isn't rushing phase two and has not asked unanimous consent to bring the bill to the floor sooner this week

Some lawmakers already shut down their D.C. offices or self-quarantined themselves in their home states.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is returning to Capitol Hill Tuesday asking for members of Congress to shift focus to another phase of the bill.

Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi engaged in several conversations this month to get phase two at a bipartisan point where Republicans and Democrats would be OK with passing the emergency legislation.

The House made the technical changes necessary to satisfy Republicans to pass phase two off to the Senate late Monday night, but it still isn't clear when the Senate will get around to voting on the coronavirus relief package.

The hundreds of billions being requested by the Trump administration would help bolster the economy as it faces uncertainty in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

The markets saw their worst week since the 1980s last week, dropping a few thousand points, with a few moments of reprieve as Trump and lawmakers promised bipartisan action to stimulate the economy.

Phase one of the economic stimulus package was passed quickly and in a bipartisan manner earlier this month and provided $8 billion in emergency funds  and the Joint Committee on Taxation said the paid leave provision in phase two cost $100 billion.

In asking for a new amount that nears $1 trillion, the Trump administration, according to Politico, isn't concerned with the price tag as long as there is swift action.

The number, Trump hopes, will also help calm the markets.

The markets experienced their worst week since the 1980s last week as investors faced uncertainty in the stagnating economy as people may face weeks without a paycheck as they take sick leave or their businesses shut down

The House began recess this week and will remain on leave until the Senate move to clear the package  which is expected to happen later this week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear the upper chamber is first focusing on renewing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act laws before moving onto the stimulus package.

Some have urged Republicans to reconsider, and ask unanimous consent to move the package to the Senate floor for a vote before FISA.

Thousands of businesses have been forced to close across the nation as coronavirus threats heighten.

The U.S. death toll from the virus surpassed 85 on Tuesday and there are now more than 4,500 confirmed cases.

Investors are concerned as business face struggles from a less active economy and individuals who work hourly or have to take off from work after contracting the virus are worried they won't receive paychecks during this time.

This is the main measure Congress is considering in the phase two bill  and language in the package attempts to address this struggle.

The paid sick leave measure only applies to government workers or those working for businesses with 500 or fewer employees.

It also gives only two weeks of paid sick leave  or one paycheck  and up to three months of paid family and medical leave, equal to two-thirds of their normal pay.
Just like other countries, Vietnam encourages its citizens to stay away from crowds as much as possible in this sensitive time of Covid-19 pandemic.

That has resulted in the widespread of several online applications in various fields.



Right after the decision of the Ministry of Education and Training to let students of all levels nationwide stay at home, many e-learning systems began to advertise their apps day after day. Leading technology firms like VNPT, FPT, and Viettel all reported a significant growth in user numbers for their e-learning platforms.

Take VNPT E-Learning by VNPT as an example. It has witnessed an increase of 4 times to reach 5 million, with the peak of 100,000 visitors simultaneously in one hour.

Similarly, ViettelStudy by Viettel gained 41 million visits in a month. It has been introduced in nearly 26,000 schools all over the country, with the database of 29,000 lessons of all levels.

Noticeably, service providers of these platforms all promise to run them free of charge during the Covid-19 outbreak in hope of avoiding the break in the teaching and learning process.

In the time when large meetings make people afraid, online conferences are whole-heartedly welcomed by leaders and employees of businesses as well as state organizations, especially those in the healthcare field. Taking advantage of this useful technology, doctors in several regions of the country, be it urban area or remote one, can exchange professional knowledge and experience to effectively fight against Covid-19.

Applications in the field of financial technology (Fintech) have also seen an impressive rise in subscriber quantity. These pieces of software are expected to help users minimize their real traveling or visits to public places like banks. They are a wonderful tool for the development of e-commerce and online shopping as well.

More importantly, the Ministry of Information and Communications commented that this is an excellent chance to promote the use of online public services in level 3 and level 4, while more new services are being researched to integrate into current systems. Particularly, at the moment, traffic law breakers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong City, Da Nang City, and Binh Thuan Province can now pay their fine online via the National Public Service Portal in a few minutes, receiving the results by post. SGGP

Vien Hong

Companies encourage people to stay safe at home by offering online transactions Companies in various sectors are seeking to help people limit physical contact with others, not use cash or leave home as the COVID-19 epidemic rages.
Turnout is a question ahead of every election. It would be an understatement to say it is a more challenging question than usual ahead of Tuesdays primaries, as voters head to the polls in Florida, Illinois and Arizona amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Although its hard to forecast the impact of coronavirus on turnout, there are a few hard facts that, on balance, suggest it might have less of an effect than one might expect in Florida and Arizona. But Illinois might be somewhat more vulnerable to a decline in turnout. (On Monday, Ohios governor postponed the states primary over health concerns.)

One factor is sure to blunt the effect of the coronavirus: early voting. Already, millions of voters in these states have cast their ballots either in person or by mail. Early voters are almost always older than the overall electorate, which tends to mitigate the possibility that such voters, who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus, wont match their typical share of the vote.
A Rappi delivery man picks up his delivery bag, from his bicycle, in Bogota

By Gabriela Mello

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The novel coronavirus outbreak is boosting grocery deliveries by web-based apps across Latin American countries, as schools suspend activities and more people work from home to contain a pandemic that has already infected more than 100,000 people around the world.

Colombian startup Rappi, which is backed by Japan's SoftBank and has around 200,000 delivery people in nine Latin American countries, has seen a 30% increase in deliveries in the first two months of 2020 compared with the last two months of 2019, it said in a statement.

"We noticed a significant increase in the number of supermarket orders, which we believe is a response from users concerned with uncertainties and quarantine measures being taken in different cities," Rappi said in a statement.

Considering only pharmacy orders, the startup has reported a 28% rise in deliveries in Colombia, its home-market, since mid-February, when the coronavirus pandemic started, Rappi said, adding that numbers in Brazil, its largest market in the region, are similar.

Brazilian app iFood, which specializes in delivering ready-to-eat meals in large cities, said it is too early to measure the impact of the coronavirus spread on its operations.

Uber EATS, the food delivery division of ride-hailing company Uber Technologies, also declined to provide figures on the pace of orders in Brazil, stressing it is "actively monitoring the coronavirus situation."

Meanwhile, preventive measures are being adopted to protect deliverymen and app users. IFood, for instance, created a 1 million-real ($200,272) fund to support employees in quarantine, besides testing contactless deliveries.

Uber EATS, in turn, will provide financial assistance for up to 14 days to drivers or delivery partners who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus or have been quarantined by health authorities.

(Reporting by Gabriela Mello; Additional reporting by Nelson Bocanegra in Bogota; Editing by Leslie Adler)
New Delhi: In the wake of the deadly novel Coronavirus outbreak, the Producers Guild of India has decided to set a relief fund for daily wage workers in order to make sure that they don't suffer during the lockdown period.

The Producers Guild on Tuesday announced that it would set up a relief fund for daily wage earners impacted by the complete shutdown of film, television and OTT productions owing to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of The Producers Guild of India in a statement said, "In the light of the complete shutdown of all production relation activity for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there is bound to be a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of daily wage earners in the industry. The Producers Guild of India has decided to set up a Relief Fund to help support those affected by the shutdown. We would encourage the entire fraternity to contribute to the fund to minimize the disruption in the lives of our valued colleagues and associates in this difficult time."

Several filmmakers have postponed their movie releases and others have halted shoots to avoid infections and stay safe from Coronavirus.

Coronavirus which first emerged in China's Wuhan city has now spread across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic, prompting the governments worldwide to take extraordinary measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Maharashtra Health Minister



Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said the exact cause behind the death of a 63-year-old man from Mumbai, who is suspected to have died of COVID-19, is being ascertained as the deceased was also suffering from various ailments.

Tope's statement came after it was widely reported this morning that a man from suburban Ghatkopar in Mumbai having a travel history to Dubai has become the first victim of novel coronavirus infection in Maharashtra.

"We are yet to ascertain whether the 63-year-old man who had returned from Dubai died due to COVID-19 infection or because of pre-existing ailments," Tope told reporters.

The minister said the man had returned to Mumbai on March 5, and was admitted to a private hospital after he complained of ill health.

"He was having difficulty in breathing, prompting Health officials to shift him to the civic-run Kasturba Hospital," the minister said.

The hospital is a nodal facility with dedicated staff for admitting suspected novel coronavirus patients.

"The man was responding well to medication but died around 7 am," Tope said.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Public Health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the "patient who was tested positive for Covid-19 had high blood pressure, pneumonia and inflammation of hearth muscles".

"Increased heart rate led to his death," it stated.

The 63-year-old was admitted in Kasturba Hospital on March 12, it added.

Earlier, confirming the death, BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi had said, "The patient had hypertension and severe pneumonia. Suddenly, his heart rate went very high before he died".

Pardeshi also added that it would be incorrect to say that the deceased died solely because of COVID-19 infection.

As on Monday, Maharashtra reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country at 39.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 late last night, taking the number of infected cases to 10 in Karnataka, Health Department officials said on Tuesday.

"We have got 2 more #COVID2019 cases in Karnataka taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10", Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu tweeted.

"Both are admitted in designated isolation hospital".

One is a 20-year-old woman who travelled from the UK and another was a 60-year-old "contact" of the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who became the countrys first Coronavirus casualty last week, officials said.

Earlier on Monday, a 32-year-old man who returned from the US via London earlier this month tested positive for Coronavirus, making it the eighth case in Karnataka.

He was on home quarantine, and has now been admitted in isolation facility.

"He has returned from US via London on 8th March 2020. (Same flight as Patient number-4 who was tested positive), officials said.

The Government on Monday decided to create "war-rooms" in state-run medical colleges-district hospitals in its fight against the COVID-19.

There are a total of 17 districts where there are government medical colleges attached with hospitals.

Such medical colleges-government hospitals would themselves act as "war-rooms" to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak, according to Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K.

"In each medical colleges-government hospitals, a separate 150-200 bed zone will be created (to deal with such cases)", he said after a meeting with Directors of Government-run medical colleges on Monday.

Health department officials said in the remaining 13 districts, the government would reach out to private medical colleges and hospitals to join hands to contain the spread of the virus.

Karnatakas 10 coronavirus positive cases include that of a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who died "due to co- morbidity and has also tested positive for COVID-19" last week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To the Editor:

New York has a vast and rich collection of national parks and sites that help preserve our nations history and cultural legacy, including many that honor the women who fought for equality and voting rights. However, New Yorks national parks that are dedicated to preserving some of our nations most notable women, such as the Womens Rights National Historical Park, the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, are in desperate need of support and additional funding. As an organization dedicated to preserving and honoring the legacy of Matilda Joslyn Gage  a 19th-century womens rights and Native American rights activist, and abolitionist  we have a concern for the places that preserve the history of our countrys suffragists.

The Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation is dedicated to celebrating and promoting Gages legacy and the continuing significance of her life, and is excited to celebrate Womens History Month and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. However, as we celebrate, we must ensure that national park sites, along with all the other sites designated to the legacy of our Founding Mothers, have the funding we need to adequately educate visitors and school groups. Our womens rights sites bring immense value to our communities and preserve the legacy and history of these women for future generations. When we celebrate such a historic moment in our nation, let us continue their everlasting power by ensuring these sites have the funding we need.

Sally Roesch Wagner

Executive Director

Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation Inc.

Fayetteville

How to submit letters and commentary to Syracuse.com
Amid the power crisis in Madhya Pradesh ensuing the exit of stalwart Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party, the floor test to decide the fate of the Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led Congress government is likely to be held on Tuesday as per the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon.

Earlier yesterday, Tandon had written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17 after the state Assembly was adjourned till March 26 by Speaker NP Prajapati, in view of coronavirus.

The Governor's directions came after a BJP MLA delegation led by former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor following the adjournment of Assembly.

"Conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don't have the majority in the state assembly," Tandon had stated.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will also hear the petition filed by BJP seeking an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr. DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by the former chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.

The BJP on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.

Meanwhile, Kamal Nath had met Governor Lalji Tandon after the direction to conduct floor test was issued by the latter and said that the BJP could bring in a no-confidence motion if they believed that the incumbent government lacked the majority.

"I met the Governor, we discussed current political issues. I thanked him for his address in Assembly today. I said we are ready for things within the Constitution, but we can't go outside its purview. BJP has brought in the no-confidence motion. As on today, we have the numbers," Kamal Nath told reporters here after the meeting.

"If someone says, that we (Congress) don't have the numbers, they can bring a no-confidence motion. Why should I give the floor test? What problem do the 16 MLAs (rebel Congress MLAs) have? They should come before you and put forth their opinion," he said.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has claimed that the Kamal Nath government lacks a majority and appealed to Governor Tandon to order a floor test.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

Kyrgyzstan has banned entry to all foreigners to safeguard against a coronavirus, Deputy Prime Minister Altynai Omurbekova said on Tuesday, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.

Kyrgyzstan has reported no virus cases on its soil, although all its neighbors, except one, have infections.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
America's Got Talent suspended filming this week due to the spread of the coronavirus and judge Sofia Vergara was spotted out following the announcement.

The 47-year-old star was seen holding on to a protective face mask as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

As the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to worsen, Hollywood has halted productions across the film and television spectrum.

Hollywood shuts down: Sofia Vergara was seen holding on to a protective face mask as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Tuesday after America's Got Talent suspended filming amid the coronavirus outbreak

Sofia seen holding what appeared to be an N95 face mask which, according to the FDA is a 'personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face.'

She was dressed down in ripped jeans, black sneakers and a distressed grey sweatshirt, with her purse slung over one shoulder.

Production of America's Got Talent has shut down this week after it had been slated to film without a live studio audience.

Sofia and fellow judge Howie Mandel were spotted arriving at the studio in the Pasadena neighborhood of Los Angeles on Saturday morning but later that day Page Six reported that production was suspended.

Staying safe:Sofia seen holding what appeared to be an N95 face mask which, according to the FDA is a 'personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face'

Before heading out to the studio for work, Mandel took to Instagram and showcased his comedic touch, in the wake of the fears surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak.

'Just came back from the store where my wife sent me out to buy toilet paper,' he began in a selfie video, adding, 'they were out of toilet paper.'

He then raised his hand to reveal a used piece of tissue and said, 'But thank god I found this on the sidewalk just outside of the store.'

Over the last number of days, the judges have been filming AGT without their colleague, Heidi Klum, who is currently home sick.

'I'm just not feeling good so that's why I've stayed home to not infect any other people,' the former top model said in a video filmed from her bed.

Shutting down: Production of America's Got Talent was suspended this week after it had been slated to film without a live studio audience; Sofia's Modern Family co-star Eric Stonestreet had been filling in for Heidi Klum

Abundance of caution: AGT is just the latest of many shows and movies to suspend production due to Coronavirus fears. NBC put production on hold for over 35 of its shows, including Chicago Fire, Law & Order Special Victims Unit and The Kelly Clarkson Show

'I hope it's just a cold, I would love to do the corona test but there just isn't one here. I've tried with two different doctors and just can't get one.'

Both Heidi and her husband Tom Kaulitz, who also fell ill, did manage to get coronavirus tests done. Tom has tested negative and Heidi's results are yet to be revealed.

AGT is just the latest of many shows and movies to suspend production due to Coronavirus fears.

NBC put production on hold for over 35 of its shows, including Chicago Fire, Law & Order Special Victims Unit and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Universal Pictures also pulled the plug on several movies as well, including Jurassic World: Dominion, Flint Strong and an untitled Billy Eichner project.




17 March 2020, 08:45 CET

On 17 March 2020, AMNS Luxembourg Holding S.A. (AMNS), the parent company of the AMNS India joint venture in partnership with Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC), entered into a $5.146 billion ten-year term loan agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and MUFG BANK, LTD. , SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION, MIZUHO BANK EUROPE N.V., and SUMITOMO MITSUI TRUST BANK, LIMITED (LONDON BRANCH). The proceeds of the loan will be used to refinance in full the amounts borrowed by AMNS in connection with the acquisition of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Limited (formerly known as Essar Steel India Limited), including the amounts borrowed under the $7 billion bridge term facilities agreement guaranteed by ArcelorMittal.

ENDS

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and an industrial footprint in 18 countries. Guided by a philosophy to produce safe, sustainable steel, we are the leading supplier of quality steel in the major global steel markets including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with world-class research and development and outstanding distribution networks.

Through our core values of sustainability, quality and leadership, we operate responsibly with respect to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, contractors and the communities in which we operate.

For us, steel is the fabric of life, as it is at the heart of the modern world from railways to cars and washing machines. We are actively researching and producing steel-based technologies and solutions that make many of the products and components people use in their everyday lives more energy efficient.

We are one of the worlds five largest producers of iron ore and metallurgical coal. With a geographically diversified portfolio of iron ore and coal assets, we are strategically positioned to serve our network of steel plants and the external global market. While our steel operations are important customers, our supply to the external market is increasing as we grow.

In 2019, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $70.6 billion and crude steel production of 89.8 million metric tonnes, while own iron ore production reached 57.1 million metric tonnes.

ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS).



For more information about ArcelorMittal please visit: http://corporate.arcelormittal.com/
Bellaire United Methodist Church / Bellaire United Methodist Church

The annual Blessing of the Animals event has been canceled at Bellaire United Methodist Church and Evelyns Park.

Due to ongoing concerns related to the current COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, the church will forgo the popular event.
As the UN, with US support, continues to press for the implementation of the Berlin process set into motion by the international conference on Libya that took place in the German capital on 19 January, two other initiatives to resolve the intractable Libyan conflict are taking shape. One is an African Union-sponsored reconciliation conference to be hosted in Addis Ababa this summer, announced by the Contact Group on Libya recently formed by Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso who chairs the AUs High-Level Committee on Libya. The other is a French attempt to mediate between the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez Al-Sarraj and the eastern based Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.



On Thursday, 12 March, the African Unions Contact Group on Libya met in Oyo in the Republic of Congo to discuss the situation in Libya and the progress made so far in the preparations for the planned Libyan reconciliation conference in Addis this summer. This was the second meeting of the Contact Group, which includes Egypt, South Africa, Congo, Chad, Algeria and Tunisia as well as the AU Commission and the AUs Silence the Guns initiative, since the Berlin conference. The first meeting took place took place in the Congolese capital Brazzaville on 30 January.



Thursdays meeting was chaired by President Denis Sassou Nguesso and was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, Algerian Prime Minister Abdel-Aziz Djerad, Sidki Sobhi as envoy of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui, the UN Secretary-Generals Chef du Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, UN Special Representative Hanna Tetteh, UN Deputy Special Representative for Libya Stephanie Williams and AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns Ramtane Lamamra. The latter is tipped to succeed Ghassan Salame as UN envoy to Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Salame tendered his resignation earlier this month citing health reasons.



The participants affirmed the importance of the AU-UN Framework Partnership for peace and security and commitment to the three tracks initiated under the Berlin process, according to a statement released by UNSMIL.



During the meeting, UN representatives took pains to assure African participants that the AU mission to Libya would be hosted by UNSMIL and that the AU would participate in all the meetings of the Libyan Forum. UN commitments in this regard are a response to African leaders demands to be included more centrally in the international drive to resolve the Libyan crisis. The AU also wants a say in the appointment of the next UN envoy to Libya, a demand ignored by Western powers in 2019 when they approved extending Salames tenure for a year.



Algerian Prime Minster Abdel-Aziz Djerad, at the meeting, said that his country was looking forward to working with the new UN envoy who he hoped would be appointed as soon as possible in order to sustain the current dynamism in the Libyan question and to preserve the gains that have been achieved so far. He also reiterated his countrys offer to host the national reconciliation conference to help Libyans find a solution to the crisis and lay the foundations for a new and stable state.



Stressing the central role Libyas neighbours should play in the process that aims to achieve political solutions to the Libyan crisis, Djerad called on the international community to include the AU in the meetings of the UN-sponsored Joint Military Committee formed to address the military track of the Berlin process. He also underscored his countrys determination to contribute to the success of the political track, the Libyan Forum, led by Libyans themselves in accordance with a national agenda, and urged the UN Security Council to assume its responsibility to restore peace and security in Libya by halting foreign interventions and ending the flow of arms to the conflicting parties.



The final communique of the AU Contact Group meeting made no reference to the Algerian offer to host the reconciliation meeting. It merely stated that the Contact Group decided to convene the Inter-Libyan National Reconciliation Conference, in July 2020, at the AU Headquarters, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in conformity with the decision of the AU Assembly adopted in 2018. The communique also reiterated the firm condemnation of foreign interference, the violation of the arms embargo, the presence, deployment and utilisation of foreign fighters on Libyan soil and it condemned unequivocally such continued interference motivated by national interests and looting of Libyan natural resources.



The planned reconciliation meeting may encounter some practical obstacles, not least being the question of funding, which participants discussed in the meeting. They indicated that they will turn to international technical and financial partners for help, and UN agencies in particular. The AU drive may also face rivalry and, perhaps, attempts to undermine it on the part of powers keen to push their own initiatives.



Also last week, France renewed its diplomatic drive to promote an end to the conflict in Libya. French President Emanuel Macron hosted LNA commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Paris on 9 March. After the meeting, a French presidency official announced that Haftar had assured Macron that he was committed to signing the ceasefire, but this commitment would cease if the militias do not respect it, according to Reuters. The French official was referring to the ceasefire agreement that the field marshal had refused to sign in Moscow in early January after a Russian-Turkish brokered truce went into effect in Libya.



The Tripoli based governments Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, is expected to meet with Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian next week to discuss ways to move forward in the settlement process which has stalled due to the resignation of Salame. Pariss latest drive may be a bid to seize the reins of this process which have passed through Russian-Turkish, and Italian and German hands.



The French strategy is to widen the emergent gap between Haftar and Moscow since Haftar refused to sign the ceasefire agreement in Moscow, according to a report in Le Monde on 10 March. His adversary in Tripoli, Al-Sarraj, did sign the agreement on 13 January in the hope of promoting a compromise solution to the crippling weeks-long oil facilities blockade.



The French strategy also focuses on this crucial dimension. The Elysee Palace is also pushing for a compromise on hydrocarbons, Le Monde writes. It would entail Haftar lifting the blockade of the oil terminals in Cyrenaica  immobilised by his forces since mid-January  in exchange for a more egalitarian distribution of oil revenues between Libyan regions without passing through the Central Bank of Tripoli. The article noted the need for that institution to be reformed in the long term.



According to Le Monde, Haftars forces continue to make slow advances on the ground even if he no longer has Russian support on the front line. Nevertheless, there have been reports that the UAE has delivered a shipment of airplane fuel to Benghazi. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) stated that it notified the UN of illegal imports of fuel in eastern Libya which, it said, constitute a violation of international and Libyan law. The arrival of that shipment of oil to Benghazi is a flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo on Libya and an infringement of NOCs exclusive internationally agreed on rights with respect to oil imports, the NOC statement said, adding: The actions of the UAE flagrantly conflict with its words.



Despite extreme hardships caused by illegal blockades on Libyas oil facilities, the NOC has been able to supply sufficient fuel to all parts of Libya, including the Eastern regions, to meet all civilian needs, including civil aviation. The only reason I can think of for additional fuel to be imported in this illegal and clandestine way is that it is intended for other purposes, said NOC chairman Mostafa Sanaalla.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Renowned Management Consultant and Executive Director of the Salt and Light Ministries, Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee has urged women to work collectively to change misperceptions.

According to Dr. Aryee, women can be perceived to be comfortable in lower ranks of the corporate world. This, she said, limits womens progression to leadership roles, hiding their rich creativity and innovative abilities  especially when many women have accepted this perception themselves.

She was speaking at Vivo Energy Ghanas International Womens Day event to celebrate and empower its female workforce to aspire to greater heights.

Speaking on the theme for the year, #EachforEqual, Dr. Aryee urged women to embrace collective individualism  developing themselves for the benefit of the whole.

Women are intelligent, focused, resilient and compassionate, qualities they can leverage to make a significant difference. In consciously empowering women, men must also be empowered in order to align with the current trends in recognition of equal rights and opportunities for all, she said.

The Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Ben Hassan Ouattara who spoke on Women in Leadership, recognised that there is no gender bias in leadership. Leadership effectiveness is based on the individual and not on sex. However, women may instinctively care more about their teams well-being and have a stronger desire to connect with them on a personal level, thereby making women more transformational leaders than transactional leaders. He therefore urged them to take advantage of their natural abilities to aim at top leadership roles.

A senior family physician of the Korle-Bu Polyclinic, Dr. Priscilla Vandyck-Sey, advised women to be more conscious of the pressures associated with the corporate world and undertake regular medical check-ups to ensure they are fit to deliver on their collective individualism agenda.

International Womens Day is celebrated annually on 8th March to showcase commitment to women's equality, launch new initiatives and action, celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness, highlight gender parity gains and more.

The day is celebrated and supported globally by industry, governments, educational institutions, community groups, professional associations, women's networks, charities, non-profit bodies and the media.
The proposed process stipulated that if at least 25 Evanston voters submit a request for a proposal, the city clerk would draft that proposal into ordinance form. The official summary of that proposed ordinance could then be introduced to the city council if at least 8% of the total votes cast for governor in Evanston in the previous gubernatorial election sign the petition. Based on 2018 election data, that would translate to roughly 2,800 signatures.
The Karni Sena, which protested against Bollywood film Padmaavat over historic facts last year, has now asked the producers of Prithviraj, an upcoming movie featuring Akshay Kumar, not to tamper with facts.

Members of the outfit, led by its national president Mahipal Singh Makrana, staged a stir at the shooting of the film in Jamwaramgarh village, near Jaipur, on Saturday and asked the director, Chandra Prakash, to stop the shooting.

Prakash assured them that there was no tampering with historic facts in the film's script. However, the Karni Sena demanded a written assurance.

Also read: Akshay Kumars Prithviraj gets its female lead, actor to star opposite former Miss World Manushi Chhillar

Akshay Kumar was not shooting when the Karni Sena members staged the protest on Saturday. "We held discussions with the director, Chandra Prakash, regarding the film's script today. We told him that no tampering with historic facts will be tolerated," Makrana said on Monday.

"Prithviraj Chauhan should not be portrayed as a lover in the film. The director has assured us that there is no such thing in the movie but we want a written assurance," he said. Produced by Yashraj Films, Prithviraj is based on the life of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Technavio has been monitoring the LNG carriers market and it is poised to grow by USD 3.04 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005561/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global LNG Carriers Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. DSME, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES and Nakilat are some of the major market participants. Although, the increase in demand for natural gas will offer immense growth opportunities, fluctuation in oil and gas prices will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Increase in demand for natural gas has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, fluctuation in oil and gas prices might hamper market growth.

LNG Carriers Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

LNG Carriers Market is segmented as below:

Containment Type

Membrane

Moss

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30144

LNG Carriers Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our LNG carriers market report covers the following areas:

LNG Carriers Market Size

LNG Carriers Market Trends

LNG Carriers Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increase in demand for cleaner fuels as one of the prime reasons driving the LNG carriers market growth during the next few years.

LNG Carriers Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the LNG carriers market, including some of the vendors such as DSME, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES and Nakilat. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the LNG carriers market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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LNG Carriers Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist LNG carriers market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the LNG carriers market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the LNG carriers market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of LNG carriers market vendors

Table of Content:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY CONTAINMENT TYPE

Market segmentation by containment type

Comparison by containment type

Membrane Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Moss Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by containment type

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Increase in demand for cleaner fuels

Development of efficient LNG carriers

Commoditization of LNG

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

DSME

Hyundai Heavy Industries?

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES

Nakilat

Samsung Heavy Industries?

Teekay LNG Partners

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 08:21 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0fcea 1 Editorial #Editorial,COVID-19,#coronavirus,coronavirus,coronavirus-prevention,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,social-distancing Free

After weeks of relying too much on our native good immunity and divine intervention, Indonesias method of handling the COVID-19 outbreak has begun to fall apart.

The World Health Organization sent President Joko Jokowi Widodo a letter on March 10, containing a diplomatic message; but coming from such an institution it surely conveyed an urgent point about Indonesias incompetence in handling the pandemic. One of the messages recommendations was that Indonesia declare a national emergency to handle the outbreak. Indonesia could decide on its own the technicalities of what a national emergency entailed.

Five days later, Jokowi finally responded and called on people to stay at home as part of the social distancing policy to contain the spread of COVID-19. His suggestion, unsurprisingly, did not go down very well the following day. People did not stay at home. In Jakarta, workers left home and took public transportation to work.

Later, he delivered a speech reprimanding Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for his attempt to force a lockdown by drastically reducing the Transjakarta bus rapid transit and MRT Jakarta services. It created a build-up at stations, utterly defeating the purpose of social distancing. Nonetheless, the idea of a partial or total lockdown for Jakarta is perhaps the best measure to control the spread.

Law No. 8/2018 on health quarantine gives Jokowi the legal basis to implement an area quarantine, meaning a city lockdown in the event of a health emergency that creates global concerns.

If Jokowi does not opt for even a limited lockdown, he should follow South Koreas lead by testing as many people as possible and quarantining those who test positive. He has to, very quickly, prepare as many test labs as possible especially in regions where possible community spread has occurred. The President must also order very serious contact tracing for the people who test positive.

In the past two months, however, the government has shown gross incompetence in this regard. Regarding a fatality in Cianjur, West Java, the patient was tested in a hospital in Bekasi; the hospital said the patient tested negative for the virus. Later, the patient went to Cianjur where he got sick again and died. He got tested and the result was negative. Later on Sunday, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil reported that he had in fact tested positive. His wife and child tested positive, too.

There has not been any clear explanation from the central government about the puzzling circumstances in Cianjur.

The government has also failed to instruct health agencies in the regions to trace the movement of hundreds of Indonesians who went to a large gathering in Kuala Lumpur, where a number of people were infected with the virus.

If the way Indonesia detects the virus and traces the movement of possible cases is not going to change, Jokowi should implement at least a partial lockdown of several areas, especially Greater Jakarta. If he chooses to do neither, there is the possibility of many avoidable deaths  for which President Jokowi will need to take responsibility.
For several days it has been warm and sunny in the Land of Enchantment. But a spring storm bringing rain, snow and cooler temperatures is on the way.

Wednesday will be our greatest concern for severe weather in southeast and east central New Mexico, said Daniel Porter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Albuquerque. That means a potential for large hail, damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes. It will likely be an evolving situation, so keep an eye on our latest forecasts.

The office posts storm updates at www.weather.gov/abq and on its social media pages.

Albuquerque has a 70% chance of rain on Wednesday, and could receive a quarter of an inch of rain by Thursday afternoon. High temperatures will drop to the low 50s on Thursday.

On Wednesday morning, snow will be relegated to elevations above 9,000 feet. But chances for snow in lower elevations at 5,000 feet will increase going into Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

That could mean travel impacts for western and northern New Mexico.

Travel conditions are available at nmroads.com. Slick roads are possible on Thursday across the western and central portions of the state.

Gusty winds of up to 50 miles an hour could affect cities and towns along the central mountain chain later in the week.

The weather will likely calm down for the majority of the weekend. Scattered rainstorms and snowfall will continue to affect the higher terrain of northern New Mexico.

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the NWS Albuquerque office has postponed its March 18 Facebook Live event about volunteering for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). Visit www.weather.gov/abq/cocorahs to learn more about how to record precipitation with a rain gauge.

The office has also postponed the March 25 SKYWARN spotter training sessions in Roswell.
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur has said that people should not panic on the issue of coronavirus and take precautions instead.

The MoS Finance also said that the Prime Minister has asked all the MPs to create awareness when they find time and on weekends.

"Need to take precaution and not panic," said Anurag Thakur.

The Government has already issued certain guidelines on the issue of spread of COVID-19, the government on Monday prohibited the entry of passengers from the European countries and Turkey as a precautionary measure from March 18 to 31. The government also announced to expand the minimum quarantine for people travelling to India from the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

He said the decision will come into effect from March 18 12:00 GMT, at the port of first departure.

He also said that the government has prohibited the entry of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the UK to India with effect from March 18.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 with Odisha reporting its first COVID-19 patient and new cases in Karnataka, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala.

The government has taken several steps to contain the virus, including suspension of all visas to India till April 15, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

--IANS

miz/dpb
DARBY  A multi-alarm fire seriously damaged two homes on the until block of Greenway Ave. shortly after 1 p.m. Monday. The homes, were safely evacuated as both Darby and Philadelphia firefighters arrived on the scene which is just beyond Darby creek, the border between the Borough and Philadelphia.

Firefighters from Darby, Yeadon and numerous Delaware County companies worked together with Philadelphia firefighters to control the blaze.

The Philadelphia firefighters had been called by residents who saw the blaze from the area of Woodland Ave.

As the flames consumed the home, firefighters were forced to retreat from the structure. The worst of the fire appeared to come from the rear of 6 Greenway.

Darby Fire Chief Vince Lanni worked with Battalion 7 to placed multiple master streams and landlines in service. The fire was under control in just under an hour.
The Supreme Court has asked the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh to give by Wednesday its response to former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test in the assembly.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud on Tuesday said it will issue notice to the state government and others, including the secretary of the legislative assembly, for tomorrow at 10.30 am.

Chouhan and nine other BJP lawmakers, including leader of opposition in the state assembly, moved the Supreme Court on Monday just after Speaker N P Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the house till March 26 without taking the floor test, apparently defying Governor Lalji Tandon's directions.

Appearing for the senior BJP leader and three-time chief minister, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said "the rationale in this case is that a floor test is required and usually the other side appears in such cases".

Taking note of the submission, the bench said, "We will have to issue a sought notice and keep it for tomorrow morning."



The bench then took note of the submission of senior advocate Maninder Singh appearing for 16 rebel Congress MLAs that they be also allowed to become parties to Chouhan's petition.

Singh said 22 Congress MLAs have resigned from the assembly and the resignations of six lawmakers have already been accepted.

He said the remaining 16 MLAs also want their resignations to be accepted.

The bench granted Chouhan the liberty to serve the copy of the petition to the state government, speaker and others through e-mail besides traditional modes of service notice.

On Saturday night, the Madhya Pradesh governor wrote to Nath asking him to seek a trust vote in the assembly soon after the governor's address on Monday, saying his government was in a minority.

After the speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators.

These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted.

The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus have rekindled a millennium-old debate within Christianity.

Should Eastern Orthodox priests use a shared spoon to distribute sacramental bread and wine to churchgoers?

The debate has resurfaced amid unprecedented coronavirus measures that are compelling religious institutions around the world to temporarily alter some traditional practices.

Those practices include worshipping in large gatherings, embracing other worshippers at church services in a sign of peace, kissing crosses and icons, or partaking in religious rituals like receiving the Eucharist -- the consumption of consecrated bread and wine in a memorial to Jesus Christ.

In Italy, where a nationwide lockdown to try to contain the raging coronavirus restricts people from leaving their homes, the Vatican has temporarily closed church events ahead of Roman Catholic Easter celebrations on April 12.

Some Roman Catholic churches in Italy are allowed to stay open for individual prayer. But all public masses have been forbidden during the lockdown to discourage crowds.

Italy has the most coronavirus infections in the world and the second-most deaths after China, with nearly 2,500 people succumbing to the disease as of March 17.

But the spread of the coronavirus has not swayed the Eastern Orthodox Church in Russia, where more than half of all Orthodox Christians live.

"I can tell you with certainty that we will neither close churches nor cancel services [due to the coronavirus]," Metropolitan Ilarion, head of the External Affairs Office of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church's leadership body, said on state-run Rossia-24 TV, Interfax reported on March 14.

Many Eastern Orthodox Church leaders, however, have agreed to measures aimed at protecting the faithful from catching or spreading the coronavirus.

Ukraines rival Orthodox churches have advised worshippers to disinfect icons and crosses before kissing them, or to temporarily avoid touching or kissing the holy relics, as is common practice.

But conservative Eastern Orthodox traditionalists from Tbilisi to Athens have argued against church closures or altering their centuries-old custom of sharing the bread and wine with a common communion spoon.

That has raised concerns among health officials ahead of Orthodox Easter celebrations scheduled to take place on April 19.

'Take This And Eat It' With A Spoon

The Eucharist is a core ritual of both Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic religious services.

Its a ceremony in which priests bless bread and wine, then share it with their congregations.

Believers consume the bread and wine as Jesus Christ did at the Last Supper -- the biblical account of the final meal Christ shared with his 12 disciples before his arrest and eventual crucifixion.

In most Roman Catholic masses, believers sip the sacramental wine from a common chalice.

Eastern Orthodox priests dip the holy bread into the chalice and use a sacramental spoon to pour wine-soaked bread crumbs into the mouths of the faithful.

Religious scholars note that the use of a sacramental spoon for communion was one of the divisive issues that led to the Great Schism of 1054 between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Historians say the spoon tradition emerged as a custom during the 7th century in Byzantium and had become the norm in Eastern churches by the 11th century.

Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, the Vaticans principle papal secretary at the time of the Great Schism, published a scathing criticism of the communion spoon in 1053.

In it, Humbert wrote that Christ had not told his disciples at the Last Supper to take this and eat it with a spoon.

Spreading The Disease?

Nearly 1,000 years later, those arguing against the shared spoon include alarmed doctors and health professionals who argue that the practice risks spreading the deadly coronavirus.

Although Russia and Georgia have imposed some measures against large crowds from gathering, neither state has banned religious gatherings -- leaving decisions about precautionary health measures up to church leaders.

The Russian Orthodox Church on March 12 called upon its believers to take precautions during religious ceremonies. Those precautions include disinfecting icons before kissing or touching them as well as the option of bringing their own cups to mass for receiving communion.

"We believe that no virus or disease can be transmitted through communion," said Metropolitan Ilarion, of the Moscow Patriarchate, on Rossia-24 on March 7.



"But if it comes to bans or recommendations [from the state] that we are obliged to follow, then in some cases single-use (disposable) spoons will be used," he added.

However, on March 15, RFE/RL documented a Russian Orthodox mass in Kazan in which many churchgoers chose to receive communion directly from the common sacramental spoon.

WATCH: Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Kazan Congregation Shares Communion Spoon

Georgias Orthodox Church has rejected calls to stop using the common spoon for communion.

Georgian church officials say -- much like Ilarion does -- that its not possible to become infected with the coronavirus because the spoon is dipped in holy wine.

Some argue the metaphysical properties of sacramental wine make it impossible to spread disease.

Eastern Orthodox priests from Russia, Belarus, and Georgia also have argued that sacramental wine contains strong alcohol in which diseases perish.

But most medical experts reject that premise.

They note that the very strongest fortified wine contains no more than 20 percent alcohol -- and that most wine contains around 12 percent alcohol.

The U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the ethyl alcohol found in hard liquor can destroy less aggressive viruses. But it says ethyl alcohol should be at a concentration of 60-80 percent in order to be potent against influenza.

Despite their arguments about metaphysical protections, the Georgian Patriarchate announced on March 14 that it has decided to disinfect the icons and crosses that worshippers kiss.

It also announced that it is temporarily allowing churchgoers the option of bringing their own drinking cups to mass to receive communion.

Georgian, Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian Orthodoxy United

But Georgian Orthodox priests continue to use the common spoon to ladle communion into the drinking cups of worshippers who choose that option.

Meanwhile, many Georgian worshippers also continue to insist on receiving the Eucharist directly from the sacramental spoon.

In Romania, the Orthodox Church announced exceptional measures against coronavirus on February 28 -- advising worshipers that they may exceptionally ask the priest to use their own spoon to receive communion rather than sharing the sacramental spoon according to custom.

The Federation of Hospital Doctor Unions in Greece -- home to one of the oldest and most influential branches of Orthodox Christianity -- has also weighed in on the spoon debate.

It warns that no exceptions should be made to state health warnings for religious, sacramental, or metaphysical reasons.

But the Church of Greeces governing body has rejected the doctors advice with arguments they have in common with other Eastern Orthodox traditionalists.

The Greek Orthodox Church says inserting a spoonful of sacramental wine into believers mouths during communion clearly cannot cause the spread of disease.

It calls communion an act of love that conquers fear, and has vowed to continue celebrating communion in the certainty that we commune with life and immortality.

Bulgarias Orthodox Church has also assured its followers that it is not possible to become infected with the coronavirus from drinking holy wine.

The sacred mysteries cannot be a vector of contagion or any disease, Orthodox Patriarch Neofit said in a March 11 letter to Bulgarian clerics and worshippers.

That letter has been condemned by critics in Bulgaria like Lubomir Alamanov, a Sofia-based public-relations consultant.

It is an absolutely unacceptable statement bordering on medieval dementia and [reflecting] sadness about feared financial losses, Alamanov wrote on Facebook.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarus, Bulgarian, Armenian, Romanian, Moldovan, and Balkan services
Police detain suspect in Cancun business extortions

Cancun, Q.R.  The Attorney General of the State of Quintana Roo reports that investigative police officers flagrantly apprehended Luis P for his probable participation in the crime of extortion against businessmen who own restaurants and bars in the municipality.

Through intelligence, Luis P was arrested in an operation led by elements of the Investigative Police. The accused was captured at the intersection of Xcaret avenues with Yaxchilan in Superblock 35 of Cancun.

According to the first investigations, Luis P appeared in establishments demanding cash payments. He is accused of threatening to harm employees and customers. He is believed a member of a criminal organization.

Police say at the time of his arrest, Luis P was carrying a cell phone (9982305488) through which he made extortion calls to his victims. Police say if any person received extortion calls from that phone number, they are encouraged to file a complaint.
Members of a House of Representatives panel were stunned on Monday when a Nigerian Air Force team told the House committee that it lacked the power to investigate the activities of NAF Holding and NAF property limited as they were not funded by public money.

The Force said the two subsidiaries were funded with contributions made by personnel of the Air Force and not by money appropriated by the National Assembly.

For this, it urged the House panel to back down on its probe, which began after a petition was filed by a company, Blue Boulevard Limited, and leave the matter to the court.

The force also said it was opposed to a probe team led by a House member declared wanted by the ICPC for alleged wrongdoing.

Background

The House, at a session in January, had mandated its committees on Airforce and Justice to investigate a petition written by Blue Boulevard. The company accused the military of breaching an agreement they had over a land NAF leased to them.

Both House committees, therefore, in February held an investigative hearing to probe the Air Force over the controversial building project, said to be worth 10 billion by Blue Boulevard Limited.

However, when the matter was heard Monday, the Air Force representatives told the panel that they had not been served with the petition, and appealed for a new date to enable them to receive the documents from the petitioner and respond to the issues raised.

Following the request, the chairman of the Committee on Air Force, Shehu Koko (APC, Kebbi), said the hearing would resume after both parties might had tendered the necessary documents to back their cases.

However, at the resumed hearing of the petition on Monday, the lawyer to NAF Property, Uche Duruibe, raised an objection to the continuation of the investigation and the chairmanship of the Committee by the Chairman of the House Committee on Air Force.

Air forces case

Mr Duruibe argued that the probe into the activities of the Force and its subsidiaries was not the job of the House but the court.

TheNation newspaper quoted Mr Duruibe to have said since the petition was not about fraud, but about a contractual agreement between two parties, it is out of the purview of the House to investigate and should have been done before the law court.

By investigating the Force, therefore, Mr Duruibe said the House was taking over the functions of the court. He asked the House to excuse itself from carrying on with the investigation.

Mr Duruibe also said his clients would not be guaranteed of justice if Shehu Koko (chairman, Air Force House Committee) is one of the panelists in the investigation, because the lawyer to Blue Boulevard who signed the petition hails from the same Kebbi State as the lawmaker.

In addition, Mr Duruibe said Mr Koko must excuse himself from the investigation if it must go on because he was being investigated by the ICPC for wrongdoing, saying having refused to honour the invitation from the ICPC, he should not be sitting on any investigation.

He also said that the letter from the House Committee on Airforce requesting the Chief of Air Staff to respond to the petition by the Blue Boulevard was written several days before the House resolution, a clear indication that the Air Force would not have a fair hearing.

Blue Boulevards case

On his part, counsel to Blue Boulevard, Junaidu Bello, described the action of the Air Force on his clients property as personality attack.

He added that, even though they are from the same state, he has no personal relationship with the chairman of the House Committee on Air Force.

On the power the National Assembly to investigate the matter, Mr Bello said what they sought was not judgement but an avenue to express their minds, and ensure that they checkmate the activities of the Air Force. The company has already secured a court judgment against the Air Force, he added.

Panels resolution

The Chairman, House Justice Committee, Ozurigbo Ugonna (APC, Imo), in his ruling said the House would proceed with its investigation because the committee was investigating a petition written to the House Speaker and not the chairman of the House Air Force Committee.

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He dismissed all the grounds of objections filed by the Air Force, saying the panels investigation was mandated by the resolution of the House plenary, which is independent of a court.

He further said that even though the anti-graft agency ICPC declared Mr Koko wanted, the commission has since discovered that the person being investigated by it was Salisu Koko, a former lawmaker, and has since written a letter of apology to the serving member.

On the contrary, spokesperson of the commission, Rashidat Okoduwa, told PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday morning that the commission never apologised to Mr Koko, and he was never mistaken for any Salisu Koko.

Nobody apologised to Shehu Koko. We are not investigating any Salisu Koko, Ms Okoduwa over the phone. The person we are investigating is Shehu Mohammed Koko. We even declared him wanted, and he since has honoured our invitation, she added, also contrary to Mr Duruibes claim that Mr Koko did not honour ICPCs invitation.
Two people from Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh have tested positive with coronavirus.

While one patient is identified as a resident of Sector 100 who returned from France. The second patient is a resident of Hyde Park in Sector 78. Both are now in isolation.

District's Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargav informed: "Surveillance system has already been started. Other patients too have been admitted to hospitals."

As of Tuesday morning, total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India stands at 125. There have been couple of deaths due to the virus, across India, so far.
Pulling questions from the J! Archive, Stacker has set out to test your knowledge of companies from around the world. From rental car companies to wholesale warehouses and tech giants, read on to see if you can guess the identity of these 25 companies.

This article was first published on theStacker.com
Lincoln, Neb. The Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center has achieved highest level status in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

The diagnostic center is part of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The center was dedicated in 2017 on East Campus and is recognized nationally for the expertise of its faculty and staff in diagnosing diseases in cattle and other livestock. The center also provides disease surveillance and diagnostic services to veterinarians, livestock producers, pet owners and researchers.

Numerous entities including the Nebraska Cattlemen, worked to support the financing for construction, and purchase of instrumentation that boosted the center to the top tier.

As a top-tier laboratory, the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center meets high-level criteria related to the ability to respond by performing testing in the event of a foreign animal disease or high-consequence disease outbreak.
This is an incredible failure by the federal government, and every day that they continue to abdicate their responsibilities is another day that we fall behind, he said. Ive requested and now Im demanding that the White House, the (Food and Drug Administration) and the CDC produce a rapid increase in test deployment nationwide, or get out of the way and allow us to obtain them elsewhere ourselves.
UMC spokeswoman Toya Carmichael said the hospital has set up a separate waiting room and isolation area for patients who show flu-like symptoms. The hospital has distributed extra protective equipment to its staff and has ordered more such equipment, Carmichael said. UMC is currently using an external lab to test for the virus but is in the process of ordering its own test kits, she added.
Tourists who used to go to China may consider India as a safer option, Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said on Monday and noted that the target is to double the number of foreign tourists in the next five years.

Replying to the debate on the demands for grants of Tourism ministry in Lok Sabha, Patel also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the brand ambassador of India's tourism, and the footfalls in Mahabalipuram had gone up 42 per cent after he visited the place when he hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"From the time I became the tourism minister, I see if there is any brand ambassador, it is the country's prime minister," he said.

He also referred to Modi's visit to Kedarnath.

Referring to the situation created by the spread of coronavirus, Patel said that it can be a matter of pride that "we brought Indian nationals from there" when people were afraid of going to the place.

"This faith will prove to be a blessing for India's tourism. We brought our nationals from Iran and when we give a guarantee to keep them safe, we give a guarantee that India is safe," he said.

The minister also said that those who used to go to China, they may perhaps consider India a safer nation.

"We are not seeing a gain in this but we should prepare from that point of view. For this, everyone has to work together," he said.

Patel said that tourism needs peace and while money has its role, more important is perception. "Tourists will go the place where there is peace," he added.

The minister also said that 10.89 million tourists came to the country in 2019 and India earned foreign exchange of Rs 2,10,981 crore. Domestic tourists numbered 1854.9 million, he said.

Patel said that India ranked 65th in 2014 and was now on 34th position. "We have made a big leap and our journey is to be number one in the next five years," he stated.

The minister also said that if a tourist place attracts more than one lakh tourists from a country whose residents are not comfortable with Hindi or English, the government will put signages in their language.

The House passed the demands for grants of the ministry by a voice vote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Tuesday, Kamal Haasan approached Madras High Court and filed a complaint against the cops who allegedly harassed him. The actor, in the complaint, mentioned that Chennai Police harassed him while questioning for three hours about the accident that happened on the Indian 2 sets without break.

In the plea, the 65-year-old actor stated that he didn't need to be at the 'accident site' for reconstruction as he is merely an actor and that the film is produced by Lyca Productions. "There is no precedent of a 'hero' being questioned," Kamal Haasan added.

Kamal Haasan's political party- Makkal Needhi Maiam had issued the statement asking Tamil Nadu government to stop harassing him through the police. The party also alleged that the state government was purposely doing it to secure good votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

For those who are unversed, Kamal Haasan was summoned by the Chennai Police on 3rd March in connection with the accident that took place at the shooting spot of Indian 2. A crane had crashed on the sets in which three assistant directors were killed and nine got injured.

Also Read : Indian 2 Accident: Kamal Haasan Records His Statement, Has A Discussion With Crime Branch Officials

Indian 2 is a sequel to the 1996 film, Indian which was directed by Shankar. The director is now coming up with part 2 of the film, which also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Siddharth, Rakul Preet and Priya Bhavani Shankar in key roles.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:18:48|Editor: Lu Hui

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SYDNEY, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in Australia have made the world's first detailed report of how the body's immune system responds to COVID-19, describing it as similar to that of seasonal influenza.

Scientists from the University of Melbourne's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity published their findings on Tuesday, which they hope will help with the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

To achieve their result, the team studied an otherwise healthy 40-year-old woman who was one of Australia's first cases of the virus, taking blood samples at four different times as her body fought the disease.

"We looked at the whole breadth of the immune response in this patient using the knowledge we have built over many years of looking at immune responses in patients hospitalised with influenza," one of the paper's authors, Dr Oanh Nguyen said.

"Three days after the patient was admitted, we saw large populations of several immune cells, which are often a tell-tale sign of recovery during seasonal influenza infection, so we predicted that the patient would recover in three days, which is what happened."

World-leading influenza immunology researcher and laboratory head at the Doherty Institute, Katherine Kedzierska said that because the team were able to dissect the immune response leading to successful recovery from COVID-19, they might also help to find an effective vaccine.

"This is an incredible step forward in understanding what drives recovery of the COVID-19. People can use our methods to understand the immune responses in larger COVID-19 cohorts, and also understand what's lacking in those who have fatal outcomes," Kedzierska said.

The team was hoping to expand their work nationally and internationally to understand why some people die from the COVID-19, and build further knowledge to assist in the rapid response of the disease.
Project Baseline, a new website to facilitate screening and testing of people potentially infected with the COVID-19 virus, became available on Sunday. Verily, a company owned by Google parent Alphabet, launched the site.

Access requires a Google login, and assistance currently is limited to residents in two counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In addition to administering the website, Verily, which focuses on health and life sciences, is working with state, local and federal authorities to establish testing sites in the Bay Area.

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai also announced the companies are partnering with the federal government on a COVID-19 education and prevention, and a local resources website, expected to go live late Monday.

The sites focus is on best practices for prevention, with links to authoritative information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as helpful tips and tools for individuals, teachers and businesses.

Privacy Concerns

Before Verilys testing site was 24 hours old, there were signs it already might be having traffic problems.

When I tested it [(Monday], after answering questions in a way that would qualify me in terms of geography and lack of initial symptoms, it said its not accepting any more applicants, said Michael Arrigo, an expert witness in healthcare who lives in the Bay Area.

It seems like its not allowing people to be screened in the counties where they could be screened, he told TechNewsWorld.

Google did not respond to our request to comment for this story.

The Verily website raises privacy concerns, Arrigo noted.

Its not clear to consumers that the information Verily is gathering is being given to entities not covered by HIPAA, he explained.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

HIPAA, the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects the privacy of healthcare information collected in the United States.

Verily is interested in capturing a lot of information, Arrigo continued, but there should be more information up front for the consumer.

At this point, the benefits of the site are unclear, he said, but one thing thats clear is theres tremendous benefit for Google in collecting data.

Google Responds to COVID-19

The new website launches were among a number of things Pichai said the Alphabet companies were doing in response to the spreading coronavirus, including the following:

Taking down thousands of dangerous or misleading videos about the virus on YouTube and removing false and harmful information on Google Maps, such as false reviews and bogus information about healthcare locations.

Blocking hundreds of thousands of ads attempting to exploit the pandemic, including a temporary ban on ads for medical masks and respirators.

Making a commitment of US$50 million through Google.org to the global COVID-19 response.

Matching up to $5 million in donations to the WHOs new COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Awarding a $500,000 grant to a team of researchers, epidemiologists and software developers at Boston Childrens Hospital working on HealthMap, a website that provides up-to-date trends of emerging public health threats and outbreaks.

Creating COVID-19 public service announcements through the $25 million Google Ad Grants crisis relief program.

Establishing a COVID-19 fund to provide paid sick leave to temporary staff and vendors who miss work because they have potential symptoms of the virus or are quarantined.

In this unprecedented moment, we feel a great responsibility to help, said Pichai. Well keep doing everything we can to deliver on our mission, and help people take care of themselves and their communities.

Free Team Software

While few high-tech companies can launch as large a response to the coronavirus as Google has, other companies have found ways to contribute to the cause. Cloudflare, for example, is making its Cloudflare for Teams product  which allows employees to collaborate from home  free to small businesses for six months.

Small businesses are responsible for the creation of two-thirds of net new jobs, noted Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince.

Unfortunately, they are much more vulnerable to even minor interruptions in their operations. Oftentimes their margins are so thin that any significant new expense or reduction in revenue can cause them to fail, he pointed out.

While the impact of the Coronavirus is being felt by businesses large and small, I am worried the impact on small businesses could be especially devastating, Prince added. Small businesses have always been there for us and we want to be there for them during this time of increased strain  .

In addition to offering its team software for free, Cloudflare has established an online business hub where small businesses can see technology services available to them for free or at a low cost.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Companies operating with an expanded work-at-home workforce should be cautious, said Marty Puranik, CEO of Atlantic.Net, a cloud hosting company in Orlando, Florida.

Bad actors will try to take advantage of your situation. Youre going to have a lot of new remote workers, so you need to have policies and procedures in place to make sure they dont fall for phishing scams and wire money where it isnt supposed to be sent, he warned.

The security industry should take the lead and educate people on remote worker security, Puranik told TechNewsWorld.

Zoom for Kids

Employees wont be the only folks hanging around the house during the pandemic. Theres also some 400 million students worldwide, many of them looking for something to do. Among the companies addressing the problem is Caribu, which is offering its video-calling app for free during the virus outbreak.

With the app, kids can create virtual playdates where they can read books from the Caribu library of popular titles, play games and color together on screen.

Kids are feeling the effects of the outbreak, but dont always understand why grandma cant come visit, why the special family spring break trip may have been canceled, or why theyre out of school for weeks, said Caribu CEO Max Tuchman.

Everything we do is about creating more meaningful connections, and thats what we think is most important right now  keeping families connected in the most engaging way, he continued.

Were like Zoom for kids, Tuchman added.

Taking the Lead

Technology companies have to take a leadership role in the battle against COVID-19, urged Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures, a venture capital firm in Minneapolis.

Its an ironic leadership position because governments message for the past year has been about breaking up Big Tech. Now we have an example of why its good to have Big Tech, he told TechNewsWorld.

Big Tech has some of the best AI talent in the world, and in these situations they can help with everything from understanding how these diseases are transmitted to working on vaccines, Munster added.

Big Tech has the potential to reach large numbers of people with information of substantial benefit to them, Julian Sanchez, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a public policy think tank in Washington, D.C., told TechNewsWorld. But it remains to be seen  because of all the misinformation weve seen circulating  whether theyll be a net positive force as this crisis unfolds.
JERSEYVILLE  Jersey Community School Districts food service partner is offering free sack breakfast/lunches through March 30.

Each bag will contain food for both breakfast and lunch. The meals will be available for pick up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Jersey High School and Grafton Elementary. Parents are asked to drive to the pick-up location, roll down their window, pick up the meal and leave the parking lot.

Superintendent Brad Tuttle said the district is committed to making sure students who rely on school meals will continue to have food while schools are closed. Any necessary adjustments to the meal policy will be announced, he said.

During the state-mandated school closure, district central office staff, building principals, one building secretary, building and grounds staff, technology support staff and 12-month staff will be the only employees with access to district facilities. All other employees are not required to, but can, access school district buildings.

We are committed to keeping students engaged in their learning during this statewide school closure, Tuttle said. All classroom teachers will send home lessons and activities for their students to work on. Teachers will continue to communicate with parents on a daily basis and continue to post information for their classes.

Tuttle said district families should make sure the contact information in their Skyward Family Access account is current. Specific e-Learning and alternative learning plans will vary based on grade level.

Districtwide, teachers will be available for parents or students 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday via email, Skyward messages or a communication app they have designated (DoJo, Bloomz, Remind App, Google Classroom). Principals will be available via email.

Parents, guardians and fifth through 12th grade students should check email often for messages from the district, schools, principals and teachers.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Hong Kong: Quarantine arrangements explained

(To watch the whole media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Quarantine facilities should be reserved for high-risk cases of COVID-19, while most travellers arriving in Hong Kong will be placed under 14-day home quarantine or medical surveillance.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks ahead of todays Executive Council meeting, noting that more people will require compulsory quarantine or medical surveillance.

I have said that we have very limited quarantine centres. Basically, now therere about maybe 1,600 (places) including the three blocks in Chun Yeung Estate. So with these very limited quarantine facilities, we have taken the view that they should be reserved for the high-risk cases.

So who are the high-risk cases? One is the close contacts of confirmed cases and - you dont know, I dont have a crystal ball - sometimes one confirmed case could give rise to 100 close-contact cases. So we have to reserve that capacity for the high-risk cases.

Secondly, from time to time, we have unforeseen incidents like this Tai Po Fu Heng Estate, Heng Tai House. It was an unforeseeable incident that suddenly we needed to evacuate (the residents) and put them into a quarantine centre because they were also high risk cases.

So from now on, I would say, the majority of arrivals in Hong Kong will be put under home quarantine or medical surveillance of some form.

While Mrs Lam emphasised that the Government will work to ensure people comply with quarantine rules, she called on those under home quarantine to exercise self-discipline.

We will do our best in terms of the monitoring, surveillance, telephone calls, WhatsApp location services and spot checks.

But at the end of the day, because of the large numbers involved, right now we already have over 20,000 active home quarantine cases, we are expecting more.

So I am appealing to individuals who are being put under home quarantine to have self-discipline, to observe the rules and requirements and protect themselves and their family members and ultimately, of course, protect Hong Kong from a major outbreak.

Mrs Lam explained that Hong Kong has been doing quite well with combating the virus in the last two months and should preserve the results that the city has made through joint efforts.

We will increase our staffing at various levels. I have asked for more civil servants, to be sort of enlisted, to join this anti-epidemic work both at the airport and in the various back offices to support the home quarantine work.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has taken photos of the fire explosion incident which happened at Abule Ado, state to the presidential Villa, Abuja to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the incident.

Read Also: Why Ban Keke, Okada Without An Alternative: Toyin Lawani Queries Sanwo-Olu

Making the announcement via his official Twitter handle on Monday, 16th March, he revealed that the plan is to provide relief and rebuild the affected area.

He wrote:

Today, I met with HE President @MBuhari to brief him on the unfortunate incident at Abule Ado.

The core plan is to provide relief, rebuild the affected areas and avoid future occurrence.
Bengaluru, March 17 : Swearing their allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who jumped ship from the Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last week, Madhya Pradesh's rebel Congress legislators on Tuesday said that they would stay put with their leader.

"As Scindia is our leader, we will always stay with him. He taught us a lot. I will always stay with him even if I have to jump into a well," rebel Congress MLA Imarti Devi told reporters here in Hindi.

Scindia, the 49-year-old Gwalior scion, resigned from the Congress on March 10, coinciding with the 75th birthday of his late father Madhavrao Scindia, and joined the BJP in New Delhi on March 11, severing his 18-year association with the grand old party.

The rebels, including six former ministers, have been staying in a resort on the city's outskirts for over a week now.

Alleging that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath never heard them even for 15 minutes after they were elected 15 months ago, party lawmaker Govind Singh Rajput said that he had not been able to take up development works in his constituency so far.

"Kamal Nath never heard us even for 15 minutes. Whom should we talk to for development in our constituency," Rajput asked.

Expressing unhappiness with the functioning of the Madhya Pradesh government, Rajput said that in every cabinet meeting, Kamal Nath would only talk about the development of Chindwara, his home constituency, as he was not bother about the other regions.

"Many legislators are unhappy with Kamal Nath and the way the government has been functioning. We do not even feel safe to go back to Bhopal. We will go if we are assured of safety by the central security forces," Rajput asserted.

Echoing similar feelings, party legislator Rajvardan Singh said that they (rebels) are 23 in total of which 22 are in Bengaluru since a week.

"We have submitted our resignations to the Assembly Speaker (Narmada Prasad Prajapati) and requested him to accept them. Though he summoned us to meet him last Friday (March 13), we could not go on that day for some reason," Singh said.

Reiterating their loyalty to Scindia, another rebel MLA, Tulsi Silawat, also sought the protection of central forces as they didn't trust the state police, which is under the control of Kamal Nath.

Asked if they would also follow Scindia and join the BJP, Silawat said they would discuss about their next move only after they return to Bhopal.

"We will think about it (to join BJP or not) later. We want the Speaker to first accept our resignations, as he has done in the case of six MLAs who were ministers," Silawat said.

Meanwhile, accusing the BJP of holding up the party's MLAs in captivity in Bengaluru for over a week, Madhya Pradesh Law Minister P.C. Sharma said that they (rebels) were hypnotised and forced to make scripted replies.

"Some of our legislators are under pressure. Why are they holding press conference at a resort in Bengaluru? What is stopping them from returning to Bhopal and telling the same to the local reporters? They are under captivity in the BJP-ruled Karnataka, which is hosting them," Sharma said in Bhopal.

Earlier in the day, Kamal Nath had said that trust vote would be undemocratic when over 20-22 ruling party legislators are held captive as hostages in Bengaluru by the BJP, which is desperate for power at any cost.

"Trust vote will be undemocratic as 22-24 of our MLAs are held captive by the BJP in Bengaluru since a week. They must be present in the Assembly if the floor test has to be held for test of strength," Kamal Nath said in his letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon.
The remains of a Florida girl who went missing in 2016 were found last week, authorities said, and her accused killer could face the death penalty.

Diana Alvarez was 9 years old when she vanished in the middle of the night from her home in San Carlos Park, about 18 miles south of Fort Myers on the state's Gulf Coast. The search for her ended Thursday when her body was found in Yeehaw Junction, about 140 miles away, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Following her disappearance in May 2016, the sheriff's office and assisting agencies twice searched areas of Yeehaw Junction in Osceola County after the phone of Jorge Guerrero, a friend of the family, pinged there around the time of Alvarez's disappearance.

Iamge: Diana Alvarez. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a news conference over the weekend that the department and partners spent "hundreds of hours" looking for her and "never stopped" searching for her body.

They were immediately alerted when workers came upon the body in Yeehaw Junction, and the remains were positively identified as Alvarez through dental records, Marceno said. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

"The monster that committed this horrendous crime is behind bars and will now be brought to justice for the murder of Diana Alvarez," Marceno said. "This does not bring Diana back, but I hope this helps bring closure to the family."

Guerrero, then 28, had made "admissions" that put him with Alvarez on the morning she went missing, according to NBC Miami. He also told investigators that he had a sexual relationship with the girl, NBC affiliate WBBH reported.

About a year after Alvarez'a disappearance, a jury found Guerrero guilty of federal charges of creation and possession of child pornography, and he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. A year after that, a grand jury indicted him on first-degree murder, even in the absence of a body.

Story continues

Guerrero was awaiting trial when Alvarez's body was found.

State Attorney Amira Fox said Saturday that her office would now seek the death penalty for Guerrero.

Alvarez's mother told WBBH that she was mourning all over again after her daughter's body was found.

"She meant everything to me," said Rita Hernandez.

"I have no words to describe the pain that I felt for four years," she added. "I dont wish this upon anybody."
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On Tuesday morning, the College of Aldermen in Luxembourg City published new measures given the current context of the coronavirus pandemic.

Playgrounds across the capital will be closed until further notice.

The Infobus on Place d'Armes will also close with immediate effect, while a number of the City's services which are open to the public will be adapted.

Citizens are encouraged to make use of online services where possible.

More details and up-to-date information can be found on the website www.pandemie.vdl.lu.

Watch today's statement from Xavier Bettel and Paulette Lenert + debate in Chamber
E mmanuel Macron has imposed a 15-day lockdown across France as he increased measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The French president ordered stringent restrictions on people's movement and said the army would be drafted in to help move the sick to hospitals.

France had already shut down restaurants and bars, closed schools and put ski resorts off limits.

But Mr Macron said measures unprecedented in peacetime were needed as the number of infected people doubled every three days and deaths spiralled higher.

The Covid-19 Outbreak France's "Biggest Health Crisis In A Century,"

In a sombre address to the nation, the president said that from Tuesday midday (11am UK time) people should stay at home unless it was to buy groceries, travel to work, exercise or for medical care.

Anyone flouting the restrictions would be punished, he said.

"I know what I am asking of you is unprecedented but circumstances demand it," Mr Macron said. "We're not up against another army or another nation. But the enemy is right there: invisible, elusive, but it is making progress."

He said tougher action was needed after too many people ignored earlier warnings and mingled in parks and on street corners over the weekend, risking their own health and the wellbeing of others.

In France the coronavirus has killed 148 people and infected more than 6,600.

It comes as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the nation must immediately avoid all "non-essential travel and contact" and move to whole-household isolation in the fight against coronavirus.

The death toll from coronavirus in the UK hit 55 on Monday.

Mr Johnson said groups particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 - those aged over 70 and those with pre-existing health condition - will be asked to stay at home "for around 12 weeks" by the weekend.

As he ramped up the UK's measures, he also urged people to avoid pubs, clubs and other social venues.

Key moments from Boris Johnson's Covid-19 briefing

Under Mr Macrons new measures, soldiers would help transport the sick to hospitals with spare capacity and a military hospital with 30 intensive care beds would be set up in the eastern region of Alsace, where one of the largest infection clusters has broken out.

Mr Macron said he was postponing the second round of local elections on Sunday. Because the government's sole focus needed to be fighting the pandemic, he said he was suspending his reform agenda, starting with his overhaul of the pension system.

The government would, when necessary, legislate by decree to fight the coronavirus, he said.
Actors Yul Brynner, left, Stuart Whitman and Joanne Woodward, on the set of "The Sound and the Fury" in Louisiana on Dec. 18, 1958. (Associated Press)

Stuart Whitman, the TV and film actor whose screen credits included roles between the 1950s and 2000, among them "The Comancheros" and "The Mark," has died.

Whitman died Monday at his home in Montecito after complications from skin cancer, his son told the New York Times. He was 92.

"Old Hollywood lost another one of its true stars," his son told TMZ. "Stuart Whitman was known for his rugged roles and handsome charm. We were proud of him for his TV, film roles and his Oscar nomination, but what we will really remember is his exuberant love of his family and friends."

The California native had more than 180 credits to his name between the early 1950s and 2000. But he was perhaps best known for his westerns alongside Hollywood heavyweight John Wayne, most notably in "The Comancheros," a 1961 film directed by "Casablanca" director Michael Curtiz.

Whitman earned a best actor Oscar nomination that same year for this starring role in the "The Mark," a controversial movie about a pedophile. He was cast in the 1965 aviation comedy "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" and played the leading character in the 1972 sci-fi horror flick "Night of the Lepus," a cult classic about mutated rabbits.

Stuart Whitman in 2001. (Alexander Sibaja / Getty Images)

On TV, Whitman was just as prolific.

In the mid 1950s, he played a recurring role as Sgt. Walters in the crime drama series "Highway Patrol," which featured budding actors including Clint Eastwood, Robert Conrad and Barbara Eden.

The following decade, Whitman starred as Marshal Jim Crown in the western TV series "Cimarron Strip." It premiered on CBS with much attention, as the western was enjoying its last heyday with the likes of The Big Valley, The High Chaparral" and others. And even though it only lasted one season, that was all it took to typecast its star.

I got stamped as a cowboy, Whitman told The Los Angeles Times in 1996.

Story continues

He was also known for playing Clark Kent's father in the series "Superboy" (1988-1992).

In 2000, Whitman retired after being featured in the TV movie "The President's Man," which starred Chuck Norris.

Whitmans decades-long career was steady, if bumpy. I was bankable for a while, he told The Times in 1991. Then I did a couple of shows that didnt make any money. Then I wasnt bankable.

But that never stopped him from working steadily. As an actor youve got to keep working. Youve got to do something to feed the family, put the kids through school, things like that.

Born Feb. 1, 1928, in San Francisco, Whitman once admitted that he was a juvenile troublemaker before he attended Hollywood High. I went to 26 different schools before" high school, he told told gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. "My parents married while in their teens and were always traveling around.

As a young adult, his uncle secretly trained him as a fighter and encouraged him to become a heavyweight boxer, but his father wanted his son to join his law firm. Whitman's heart wasn't in either.

He pursued acting instead shortly after serving in the Army Corps of Engineers and landed a small role in the 1958 American drama Ten North Frederick that launched his career.

"I've had to battle and say what is an actor? It's a fellow who plays someone else. But now I realize it's the image that makes a star," he told The Times in 1961. "John Wayne is a great example of a super actor. Gary Cooper is another one. My image? I think it's being free and easy and all man."
France could stop British travellers from entering the country if Britain fails to lockdown to battle the coronavirus, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said.

He said on Tuesday that if Britain did not take similar measures to France then "we would find it hard to accept on our territory British citizens who move freely in their own country and then come to France".

France began a lockdown on Tuesday set to last at least two weeks that prohibits all non-essential travelling.

Britain has yet to adopt such measures with schools remaining open and travel largely unrestricted.

"If we want to be coherent, we need all those who are inside the European zone to adopt methods and processes that are coherent to fight against the epidemic. Italy, France and Spain have chosen confinement," said Philippe.

The EU is imposing an entry ban to its territory for an initial period of 30 days but it is not due to affect citizens of former EU member Britain or non-EU members of the passport-free Schengen zone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  The Federal Reserve took a series of steps on Tuesday to prop up the American economy, saying first that it would begin buying up a type of debt that companies issue for short-term cash and then, later in the day, establishing a lending program meant to help the banks at the core of the financial system function smoothly.

Both were efforts to keep credit flowing to businesses and households.

Taking a page from its 2008 financial crisis playbook, the Fed said it would backstop the $1.13 trillion market for commercial paper, a key funding source used by companies to cover payroll and day-to-day operations. That market, used by firms like Pfizer, Royal Dominion and DuPont, has started to come under strain as businesses raced to fill up their coffers in the face of quarantines, shuttered shopping centers and empty restaurants.

Not long after, the Fed said it would roll out a new Primary Dealers Credit Facility, which will allow banks that are key conduits between the Fed, Treasury Department and the broader financial system to get the short-term loans they need to buy and hold securities including corporate bonds.

The facility will allow primary dealers to support smooth market functioning and facilitate the availability of credit to businesses and households, the Fed said of the new program.
Kanpur: A district court lawyer has been arrested on sedition charges for retweeting a video of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and calling him a 'terrorist'.

The man, Abdul Hannan, commented on a tweet by the government media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi on Saturday. The lawyer was arrested on Monday, an official said on Tuesday (March 17, 2020).

The tweet by Tripathi had a video of Adityanath's Vidhan Sabha speech supporting cane charge on people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Tripathi captioned the video: "Tum kagaz nahi dikhaoge, aur danga bhi failaoge, to hum lathi bhi chalvayenge, gharbaar bhi bikvayenge aur haan poster bhi lagvayenge (You will not show the papers and will also participate in riots, then we will cane charge, auction your houses and put up posters)."

Hannan retweeted Tripathi's post by calling Adityanath a terrorist.

In another tweet, Hannan announced that he would provide free legal help to protesters and requested all "constitution lovers" to follow him and share his tweet.

Ajay Seth, SHO of Kalyanpur police station, said, "We have registered an FIR against Abdul Hannan who has been arrested and sent to jail after being produced before the court."
A protester at left, is held back by Biden adviser Symone Sanders, wearing stripes, face unseen, and Jill Biden, second from right, as Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden stands, at right, during a primary election night rally, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Read more

WASHINGTON  Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who has been repeatedly accosted by protesters on the campaign trail, is receiving U.S. Secret Service protection beginning this week, the agency said.

Biden made the request earlier this month after a handful of testy interactions with protesters at recent campaign events, including one in which two protesters rushed a stage in Los Angeles and came within a few feet (meters) of Biden during a Super Tuesday victory speech. Bidens wife, Jill, and several staff members, including one trained security officer employed by the campaign, restrained the women and carried them from the stage. Neither the former vice president nor his wife was hurt.

The leading candidates in the 2012 and 2016 presidential contests had Secret Service protection by this point in those races. Neither Biden nor Democratic primary rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had requested protection until now. Sanders still has not made a request.

The Secret Service protects, by statute, the president and vice president and their families, as well as some other senior government officials. It is also authorized to provide protection to major party presidential candidates, an authority granted after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.

The process for assigning a security detail to a candidate generally requires that campaigns initiate the request for protection. The Secret Service does a threat assessment and consults with Department of Homeland Security officials and a congressional commission made up of the majority and minority leaders of both chambers, plus another member. The ultimate decision on whether to provide protection is made by DHS.

Earlier this month, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., said the House Homeland Security Committee had asked the Secret Service to provide protection to all remaining major presidential candidates.

Richmond, one of Bidens campaign co-chairmen, said members of Congress were very worried about the March 3 episode, when the protesters rushed the stage at the Biden speech in California.

At an event in New Hampshire, a man approached Biden from behind. When the man tried to interrupt Biden, Biden's wife put her arms around the man, turned him around and helped push him away.

Biden isnt the only candidate to have been accosted at a campaign event. Topless demonstrators crashed a Sanders rally in Nevada in February.
I ndias top tourist site the Taj Mahal is closing as efforts to control the spread of coronavirus in South Asia begin to ramp up.

Dozens of other protected monuments and museums have also been ordered to shut down, including the Ajanta and Ellora caves and religious sites such as the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai.

The financial hub of Mumbai has ordered offices providing non-essential services to function at 50 per cent staffing levels as efforts to control the spread of coronavirus in South Asia ramped up.

And Mumbai, a densely populated metropolis of 18 million, also authorised hospital and airport authorities to stamp the wrists of those who have been ordered to self-isolate with indelible ink reading "Home Quarantined" and displaying the date until which the person has been ordered to self-quarantine.

The moves, announced late on Monday, come just days after authorities in the city shut down schools, cinemas, malls, gyms and banned mass gatherings.

India's western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, has been the hardest hit in India with 39 confirmed coronavirus cases, or about a quarter of the 120 plus confirmed cases in the country.

India expanded its travel and visa restrictions on Monday, banning passengers travelling from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Authorities in India and the wider South Asian region have struggled to get travellers to self-isolate, or stay quarantined in medical facilities that many visitors view as poor and unhygienic.

At least 38 Afghans, who had recently returned from Iran and were being kept in isolation, escaped from a quarantine facility in western Afghanistan on Monday after breaking windows and attacking hospital staff.

At least one of them was confirmed to have the coronavirus.

Separately, in Navi Mumbai, a suburb of India's financial hub, local media reported that 11 people, who had been isolated after returning from Dubai, also fled the hospital, forcing police to launch a manhunt.
Photo: The Canadian Press

On a weekend when many Canadians were getting themselves ready to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer Teufel-Shatilla was figuring out how to help others do so.

Armed with hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, she and her family travelled through their Burlington, Ont., neighbourhood distributing homemade flyers offering their free services to the many seniors and other vulnerable residents in their community.

Teufel-Shatilla said she, her husband, and their blended family of seven kids over the age of 13 are ready and willing to pick up groceries, drop off medication, or otherwise ensure that those isolated during the increasingly serious outbreak have what they need to get through the crisis in comfort.

"If my mom wasn't local, or if I had somebody who was undergoing chemo or had suppressed immunity, I would hope that somebody would do that for somebody I love," Teufel-Shatilla said in a telephone interview.

Teufel-Shatilla said she felt it was important to try and inject a little positivity into lives that have otherwise been consumed by the increasingly bleak news related to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has all but brought everyday life to a halt as cases continue to mount.

The grim developments continued to pour in on Monday, with officials in British Columbia reporting an additional three deaths from the virus. The growing number of cases, which has eclipsed 400 nationwide, prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to close the Canadian border to all foreign nationals with the exception of U.S. citizens.

But amid the slew of disheartening headlines are scattered myriad posts from organizations and individuals trying to strike a more positive tone.

A Sobeys location in Edmonton garnered much praise when it briefly offered a dedicated, early-morning shopping hour reserved for seniors. Later posts indicated the approach had to be cancelled for reasons beyond the company's control, but also thanked community members for supporting the idea and offering free rides to shoppers who required support.

Toronto-based author Catherine Hernandez began hosting a virtual story time for young children kept at home due to school and daycare closures, with the readings streamed via her Facebook page.

And in Montreal, a Facebook page set up by a group of local teenagers began offering babysitting services to parents unable to stay home with their children.

Group co-founder Taowa Munene-Tardif, 17, said the group originally consisted of past and present students drawn from the same high school. As word spread, however, he said dozens of would-be volunteers have since joined in.

He said the students are all observing public health protocols in their interactions with local families, adding the teens are all keen to contribute during an unusually stressful time.

"We figured, 'well, we have time, why not do something positive,'" Munene-Tardif said.
Locals in regional Victoria have been left outraged over city residents who have been swarming into town to clear out supermarkets in a panic-buying frenzy.

Residents from Kilmore, Traralgon, Wallan and Ararat have slammed city 'vultures' for coming in by the 'busload' and emptying grocery store shelves as a potential coronavirus lockdown looms.

Another 23 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Victoria overnight, taking the state's total number of positive tests to 94.

The spike in cases comes as state officials declared a state of emergency to deal with the rapid spread of deadly virus that has killed five people in Australia and more than 6,500 worldwide.

Locals in regional Victoria have been left outraged over city residents who have been swarming into town to clear out supermarkets in a panic-buying frenzy. Pictured: General view outside a Woolworths in Sunbury as people wait outside on Tuesday

Coles announced further restrictions on eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen dessert on Monday

City folks are believed to be travelling into rural towns in Victoria and NSW and raiding supermarkets for sold out goods

Nervous shoppers are believed to be coming in from Melbourne and targeting stores for items that have been sold out in the city amid the panic-buying chaos.

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

Locals claim tourist have been coming in on buses, while some have been driving in, from as far as Mornington.

'It's happening all around here. It's in Seymour, Wallan,' Diane, from Kilmore, 60km north of Melbourne, told 3AW's Neil Mitchell on Tuesday.

'Someone came into our bakery yesterday and took every loaf of bread.'

Rhys, from Ararat, in Victoria's south-west, said he had noticed 'a lot of different people' who appeared to be from out of town shopping in the area in recent days.

'We've had a supermarket attendant say he had a busload come in the other day,' he told the radio station.

The shortage of supplies has sparked concerns for vulnerable residents of small towns such as the elderly or pregnant women, who are no longer able to find goods at their local shops.

'Buses of people have been coming in the last few days. People are coming from as far as Mornington,' Melissa Clark, from Woodend, which has a population of about 5,400 people, told the Herald Sun.

'We just need a break. We love having tourists here in Woodend - but not supermarket tourists.'

A zero tolerance sign was placed outside Woolworths in Sunbury (pictured) over concerns about staff wellbeing

Shelves are bare across multiple Australian supermarkets (pictured, left) as worried families stockpile toilet roll (right)

Coles grocery limits Eggs - two packs per person. Chilled pasta - two packs per person. Frozen vegetables- two packs per person. Frozen dessert - two packs per person. Mince includes Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken & Turkey - two packs per person. Flour - two packs per person. Dried rice - two packs per person. Paper towels/tissues - two packs per person. Hand sanitisers - two packs per person. Advertisement

Woolworths grocery limits Dry Pasta - 2 pack limit per shop. Flour - 2 pack limit per shop. Tissues - 2 pack limit per shop. Paper towel, serviettes and wipes - 1 pack limit per shop. Toilet paper - 1 pack limit per shop. Hand sanitiser - 2 unit limit per shop. Bulk rice (2kg+) - 1 pack limit per shop. Advertisement

Supermarket giants including Coles, Woolworths and Aldi have been forced to implement buying restrictions on certain items as customers have been stockpiling on toilet paper, hand sanitiser and pantry items in fear of a lockdown.

On Tuesday, Coles limited customers to two packs per person of eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen dessert.

Coles has already imposed limits on mince meat, toilet paper and hand sanitiser after shelves were left bare.

The company also announced they won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic buying.

Chief executive officer Steven Cain said staff were working 'as hard as possible' to ensure shelves were sufficiently stocked.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia soared to 450, with New South Wales, the country's worst-hit state, recording 39 new cases on Tuesday with a total of 210.

Tourist panic-shopping appears to be taking hold in NSW as well, with some residents in Mudgee, northwest of Sydney, complaining over the lack of supplies due to city folks travelling in to bulk-buy.

'People from Sydney [are] packing cars to the brims. Our supermarkets don't get enough supplies only enough for our population let alone hoarders. It's really sad and I think it needs to be policed from now,' one angry resident said on Facebook.

'Usually city folk hoard wine not milk!'
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. When life hands you the coronavirus, start looking at all the good that can come from it. In that regard, if you haven't already read Gordon Wysong's delightful article about the benefits that can flow to America from its brush with coronavirus ("The Coronavirus Will Save America"), you should. It will lift your spirits.

In keeping with Mr. Wysong's premise, here's one more beneficial change that might flow from the coronavirus interlude in America: it may weaken America's institutions of higher indoctrination, also known as America's colleges and universities.

It's common knowledge that American academia is staffed almost entirely with Democrats:

There are more than 10 professors affiliated with the Democratic Party for every faculty member who is a registered Republican, according to a new study. Mitchell Langbert, an associate professor of business management at Brooklyn College, reviewed the party affiliations of 8,688 tenure-track, Ph.D.-holding professors at 51 of the top 60 liberal arts colleges listed in U.S. News and World Report's 2017 rankings. Nearly 60 percent of all faculty members were registered as either a Republican or a Democrat, and of that sample, there were 10.4 times as many Democrats as Republicans. "The political registration of full-time, Ph.D.-holding professors in top-tier liberal arts colleges is overwhelmingly Democratic," Mr. Langbert wrote in an article published by the National Association of Scholars. "Indeed, faculty political affiliations at 39 percent of the colleges in my sample are Republican free  having zero Republicans."

This single-minded leftist staffing, which has gone on for decades now, has released into America all sorts of pernicious ideas. These ideas include hatred for America and her institutions, demands to end free speech, climate change madness, gender insanity, support for socialism, identity politics, racial segregation, an un-American anti-Semitism, and lots of ignorance. (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the poster child for the "un-educating" that goes on in academia.)

The best thing that could happen to America would be for these institutions to weaken. One of the ways is to withdraw all taxpayer funds from these institutions unless the funds go to hardcore science in the service of national defense or health. Another way is to end the Obama-era program that eliminated the old federal guaranteed loan program and funneled all loans through the Department of Education, which made student loans explode. Both these ideas require unlikely congressional action.

It turns out that there's another way for these institutions to weaken: have a mass panic about the coronavirus. Colleges across America are sending kids home. For most, the remainder of the semester will be through online education. Being at a remove from the campus ethos instantly dilutes the power of propaganda. If young people aren't surrounded all the time by mini-revolutionaries, there's less likelihood that the nice, feminine daughter you raised will turn into a howling, man-hating feminist.

Online education also means that colleges need less money because there aren't students on campus. The enormous administrative staffs that are primarily responsible for the increase in college costs become unnecessary.

It turns out that there's another, unexpected upside to the coronavirus, which is that the changes to academia will take foreign money, especially Chinese money, out of college campuses. At the Daily Caller, in an article that's behind the Patriots paywall, Marlo Safi explains that "U.S. Colleges May Suffer Billions in Revenue Loss Due to Coronavirus Travel Restrictions."

According to Safi, Trump's travel restrictions, if they continue into the next semester, will keep almost 370,000 Chinese students and around 700,000 other international students off of America's campuses. These students are all valuable because they pay full fare, with no discounts or scholarships.

The coronavirus may also force American campuses to cut their academic ties with China. The Confucius Institute is a Chinese government program that has a presence at myriad American colleges and universities. Although it's ostensibly meant just to promote Chinese language and culture, the Chinese government uses the Confucius Institute as a propaganda tool. We've also recently seen that embracing China too closely is literally unhealthy for the West.

Another example of problems from ties that are too close between China and academia is the case of Charles Lieber, a professor in Harvard's Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department. In January, Lieber was arrested for making hundreds of thousands of dollars stealing American research and technology and selling it to China. Harvard's close relationship with China, no doubt, made that easy to do.

This video from last September has a lot of good information about the reason why Chinese national students are flooding American colleges and universities:
Currently, South Korea has one of the highest in death tolls due to the pandemic coronavirus. As a result, many businesses and entrepreneurs have a hard time maintaining the market due to the slow economy.

On Monday, March 16, K-drama actor Hong Suk Chun took to his Instagram account to share with his followers his struggle in coping with the loss of revenue of his restaurant due to the pandemic. He mentioned that he operated the restaurant for 12 years and managing it was all he did. He continued that for almost two weeks until the restaurant closed due to the outbreak that hit the country. The rent took a toll on his bills and he is worried about it. He then considers to have the restaurant open for any exhibitor and all they need to do is to contact him. He thought it would be a good idea to help one another during these trying times.

If there are small businesses who want to display, or anybody who wants to use the place for video marketing, Hong Suk Chun said his restaurant is available. This way, he will be able to pay the rent. The actor expressed his need for funds while the people are not yet keen on dining outside.

On Instagram, the actor's original letter reads:

"I'll pay the rent. Please contact me if you have a pop-up store in the main area of Itaewon in Seoul and have items you want to introduce to customers. You can contact me via direct message.

"When the economy is poor like this, the answer is to gather ideas and passion to help each other. Let's have a new start. I will not sit still and be destroyed by COVID-19. Let's try to gain strength.

"Good luck to the city of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. To those who are self-employed, please gain strength. Small businesses, I hope all of you will gain strength. Everyone working to stop the outbreak, please hang in there. Let's keep our chin up, South Korea."

Hong Suk Chun is a famous restaurateur and a TV personality. He is one of the few actors who discussed and exposed his identity as gay. He came out in 2000, and it hit the industry by storm at the time because of the sensitive culture of South Korea. He currently owns many restaurants and buildings in Itaewon and other cities.

Last year, he also shared how the economy rose up in rentals and labor costs. He also opted to shut down a few of the restaurants he manages due to the pandemic.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has no jurisdiction to order a stay on the March 20 hanging of the Nirbhaya case convicts, former Supreme Court Judge B N Srikrishna said on Tuesday.

Three of the four convicts -- Vinay Sharma, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Singh -- have moved the ICJ seeking a stay on their "unlawful execution", alleging the probe leading to their conviction was "flawed" and they have been treated as "guinea pigs".

Reacting to the convicts' appeal, Justice Srikrishna said the ICJ can act only if there is a jurisdiction.

"Jurisdiction has to be agreed by the countries. I don't think ICJ can interfere in this case and stay the execution," he said.

He also pointed out that the ICJ was not the next court of appeal.

"For them (convicts), now the last court of appeal will be only god. Human rights commissions could intervene if there is a denial of natural justice.

"But in this case, the entire process of proper hearings right from the trial court, high court to the Supreme Court was carried out. Moreover, so many review petitions and curative petitions have been filed by all the convicts in the apex court," he said.

A former Chief Justice of India, who did not wanted to be named, too said the ICJ had no role to play in the Nirbhaya case because of the jurisdictional issue and India declining to be a party to the set-up.

The international judicial body could not take up and decide on the matters on which the Indian judiciary has already decided after a through trial and appeal procedures, he said.

The trio's petition said they and another convict Mukesh Singh had not yet exhausted all their legal remedies.

It is very important to state that "legal remedies/ cases are already pending for disposal before different courts/constitutional bodies in India on behalf of these death row convicts, but very unfortunately and surprisingly in India, Central Jail Tihar has planned and is going to hang them on March 20", their petition said.

It urged the ICJ to launch an "urgent investigation" into the possibility of false testimony by the sole eyewitness, the friend of the victim, in the case.

The petition claimed that the convicts have been treated as "guinea pigs" and have been falsely implicated in the case and it urged the ICJ to order urgent probe into the matter.

On March 5, a trial court had issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of the convicts.

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as Nirbhaya (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than halfway through an 80-year sentence for a rape he says he didnt commit, Ronnie Long has received what may be his last best chance for freedom: a hearing before the full Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

On Monday, the majority of the judges on the countrys second highest court voted to hear Longs arguments that his 44-year-old conviction in North Carolina should be thrown out.

While they cheered the decision, Longs attorneys said their client faces a more immediate threat: the coronavirus.

Jamie Lau, executive director of Dukes Wrongful Convictions Clinic, told the Observer on Monday that he fears the pandemic could delay Longs hearing indefinitely while also putting Long, a state inmate, at risk of contracting the disease.

On Tuesday, the appeals court announced that due to the spread of COVID-19 it was closing its offices in Richmond, Va., to the public and was postponing its docket this week and again in April.

Ronnie Long stands in a hallway at the Albemarle Correctional Institution. Long was convicted of rape in 1976 in Concord. Long says he is innocent, and on March 16, 2020, the 4th Circuit of Appeals gave him a new hearing.

Given that, the right thing for the State of North Carolina to do is for Gov. (Roy) Cooper and Attorney General (Josh) Stein to work together to overturn his conviction and send him home, Lau said in an email.

The circumstances of his incarceration make him vulnerable, and we hope that his health is protected so he can see the day that justice is finally achieved and he is free.

A spokeswoman for Stein, whose staff has defended Longs prosecution in the most recent hearings, said the attorney generals office cannot comment on an ongoing case.

Convicted by an all-white jury

Long, of Concord, has passed the midway point of the sentence handed down by the all-white Cabarrus County jury that convicted him of raping the wife of an executive at Cannon Mills, the signature industry of what was then a company town.

Long was 19 when he was arrested. He would be close to 100 if he lives long enough to finish his prison stay.

He has long argued his innocence. His decades of appeals have been bolstered by a growing mound of proof that police, state officials and Longs prosecutor withheld significant evidence from his lawyers at his trial.

Story continues

As recently as 2015  almost 40 years after the verdict  Longs attorneys learned of 43 fingerprints Concord police collected from the rape scene but never shared. None of the prints matched Longs, court documents show.

Judge blasts lies, errors in 1976 rape case, but Ronnie Long stays in prison for now

In January, a divided three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit refused to reopen Longs case.

The majority opinion  written by Judge Julius Richardson, a former South Carolina prosecutor  acknowledged that past state and local officials had conspired to corrupt Longs trial. But the ruling upheld earlier N.C. and federal court opinions that evidence kept secret from Long in 1976 would not have changed the jurys original verdict.

Richardsons conclusion drew a withering rebuke from appeals court colleague, Judge Stephanie Thacker, who homed in on the slow stubborn drip of undisclosed evidence that the state originally claimed did not exist.

Halfway through 80-year rape sentence, Concord man gets new shot at freedom

In this circumstances, (Long) must prevail, Thacker wrote. To hold otherwise would provide incentive for the state to lie, obfuscate and withhold evidence for a long enough period ... That, I cannot abide.

Thackers dissent, while unsuccessful, gave Longs attorneys an opening to appeal to the full Fourth Circuit. The court hears appeals from the Carolinas, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

Protesters march down Union Street in Concord during the trial of Ronnie Long in 1976.

Now, Long and his defense team await what may be Longs last stand in federal court.

It is incredibly heartbreaking knowing that Ronnie has spent nearly 44 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Lau said.

But this decision offers hope, and hope is what makes it possible for Ronnie to live through this nightmare each day, week, and year.

NC Courts stop evictions and foreclosures as part of coronavirus response

Courthouse weddings put on hold in Mecklenburg as officials try to slow coronavirus
A letter sent out to students, faculty and other members of the University of Michigan-Dearborn community confirmed that someone on the campus has a confirmed case of coronavirus.

What capacity the person on campus served in, wasnt released. It could have been a teacher, staff member or student.

UM-Dearborn officials are engaged in ongoing collaboration with our colleagues in Ann Arbor, Flint, Michigan Medicine and the universitys chief health officer, Dr. Preeti Malani, Chancellor Dominic Grasso said in an email.

According to the email, the individual who tested positive had been self-isolating and is receiving treatment. The Health Department is following protocol regarding those that may have come in contact with this person.
ST. LOUIS  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District will close all visitor centers, museums, beaches and project offices to the public beginning Tuesday, March 17.

Day use areas and boat ramps will remain open and available. USACE campgrounds currently open will honor active reservations through March 19. Anyone with reservations on or before March 19 can camp for the entirety of their reservation. First-come, first-serve campsites will not be available after March 19.
If Washington doesnt do something, all U.S. airlines are going under.

That was the message that industry lobby Airlines for America delivered on Monday, arguing that under the most likely scenario, all seven major U.S. passenger carriers would run out of money between July and December. The group asked for $50 billion in assistance from the federal government, divided evenly between grants (free money) and low-interest loans.

Thats a lot. For comparison, the feds spent $50 billion to bail out General Motors during the financial crisismost of which was repaid.

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It has been a little more than two years since American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told investors, in an instant business school cautionary tale, I dont think were ever going to lose money again. How time flies when a viral pandemic ravages the earth.

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Help is on the way, President Donald Trump said on Monday. The coronavirus outbreak and the sudden decline in air travel is not their fault, the president observed, they were having record seasons.

Fact check: true. Airlines are coming off a remarkable 10-year run. Deltas profits for each of the past five years, back from 2019 to 2015, were $4.8 billion, $3.9 billion, $3.2 billion, $4.2 billion, and $4.5 billion. Mergers have given the big four (Delta, United, American, and Southwest) about 80 percent of the U.S. market. With oil prices low and the economy humming along, it has been a great time to run an airline.

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So now that the lean times are hereadmittedly, a surprising turn of events for us allwhere did all that money go? Why are multibillion-dollar airlines held to a budgeting standard that, if it were adopted by a typical American household, would seem totally irresponsible? And why, if they blew through all that cash, should we help them now?

The last question is the easiest to answer: because we have no choice, if we want to maintain our national travel infrastructure.

The first questionwheres the money?is also not so complicated. Over the past decade, according to Bloomberg, U.S. airlines spent 96 percent of their cash profits on stock buybacks to enrich investors and their own executives, whose positions often come with stock holdings.*

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As for why airlines behave with relatively little foresight, thats more complicated.

Investors see little reason for airline companiesor any other companiesto have cash on hand. In 2017, analysts at McKinsey concluded that the 500 largest companies in the U.S. (excluding banks) had about 20 percent of their revenues in cash. That was too much, they thought. While companies do need to hold some cash to do business, they wrote, in the past weve found that companies can typically do with cash balances of less than 2 percent of revenues. (This cash is mostly held off shore, but thats another story.)

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By keeping cash in the bank, executives werent just depressing their own salaries. They were also making their companies look bad. They risked the ire of activist investors who saw cash as unproductive capital, workers who saw cash reserves as raises that hadnt been paid, and even savvy consumers, who would protest stingy service and aging equipment.

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And so at the end of a record decade in profits, according to Bloomberg, American had $7 billion on hand, United $4.9 billion, and Delta $2.9 billion.

Those rainy-day funds still sound like a lot of money, but theres another problem with airlines. Historically, they were considered a bad investment prone to bankruptcies. In 2007, Warren Buffett wrote, if a farsighted capitalist had been present at Kitty Hawk, he would have done his successors a huge favor by shooting Orville down.* (Even Buffett came around and bought stock in the big four in 2016.) Despite this recent merger-driven boomlet, they are low-margin, capital-intensive businesses.

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America wont let the airlines fail, and the people who run the airlines know it.

Low margins mean your savings dont get you far. At the rate its going now, Uniteds blockbuster 2019 profits will be spent down in less than 90 days. The company says its losing $1.5 billion a month.

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Capital-intensive means its hard to tighten your belt. You can save some money on fuel and food, but not on labor or rent. You still have to pay banks or leasing companies for your planes. You cant save those seats for later, or fly twice as many flights when business picks up again. There is no factory to shut down. Even if you ground flights, many costs are fixed.

Which brings us to the current pandemic-induced crisis, and the fifth reasonafter the unprecedented disruption, shareholder capitalism, low margins, and a capital-intensive businessthat airlines do not have enough money sitting around: moral hazard. America wont let the airlines fail, and the people who run the airlines know it.

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Nobody wants to bail out executives and shareholders who spent years lining their pockets as hundreds of thousands of owner-operated restaurants go out of business. But letting the planes go down would put nearly a million people out of work and deprive the country of nearly all its long-distance travel infrastructure.

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The mergers that helped the companies throw off such big profits have left us with corporations so fundamental to American life they are basically utilities. Let McDonalds go under and you still have Burger King. Let American Airlines shutter and Dallas will be as distant as Timbuktu.

The question for Congress, then, is not whether to save the airlinesbut how to redraw corporate governance to fix its bad incentives.

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After Sept. 11, Congress passed an airline bailout of grants and loans. It was designed to help airlines obtain insurance again, but it also included caps on CEO pay and golden parachutes for departing executives.

In a bigger bailout, the public can demand more significant oversight. We wont let this look like the bank bailout of 2008, nor can you compare the two, Sara Nelson, the president of the flight attendants union, said on Twitter. The airline industry didnt cause the pandemic and money should come with significant conditions to help workers and keep planes flying, not enrich shareholders or pad executive bonuses. Airlines must commit to maintaining payroll. It means no bonuses, no buybacks, & no breaking union contracts in bankruptcy. Companies should commit to pay a min $15 wage and board seats for workers.

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Its a good template for how Washington should approach the crisis: With an open mind toward fixing corporate Americas problems. In the New York Times, the antitrust advocate Tim Wu writes that we should force airlines to cap or abolish fees and take steps to undo industry consolidation. Over in Europe, Italy has announced it will nationalize Alitalia, and other European airlines will not be far behind.

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Whatever we decide to do with the airlines will be just an appetizer to the considerably more fraught negotiation thats just around the bend, over the future of death-plane producer Boeing, whose departing CEO Dennis Muilenburg walked away with more than $60 million earlier this year.

One thing is for sure: The central condition of any assistance has got to require airlines keep their profits in the bank for the next time this happens (as was required for automakers after the 2008 crashFord has $37 billion in reserve). This pandemic is a surprise. The next one wont be. If youre expected to keep your savings on hand, so should American, United, Southwest, and Delta.

For more on the economic impact of the coronavirus, listen to Tuesdays What Next.
Wife of Delhi Police Head Constable Ratan Lal on Tuesday meets officials at Ministry of Home Affairs regarding martyr status for her husband.

Ratan Lal was serving as Head Constable in Delhi Police and was shot while he was out in the field to control the violence in north-east Delhi's Gokalpuri on February 24.

Earlier on March 12, seven people were arrested in connection with the murder Lal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The World Bank on Monday announced a $60 million grant to help Kenya battle the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the World Bank, the funding will improve surveillance, laboratory services, isolation units, equipment, supplies and communication to help mitigate the virus in the East African nation. Kenya has confirmed four cases of the COVID-19 disease thus far.

Kenyas efforts to tackle the global pandemic have been hampered by nurses who have started a go-slow at a coronavirus isolation ward at the Mbagathi Hospital in the capital, Nairobi.

The nurses say there is a shortage of protective gear and they have not received adequate training on how to deal with patients.

The hospital has admitted 22 people who came into contact with the first confirmed case in Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta said his government was suspending travel from any country with reported COVID-19 cases.

Only Kenyan citizens, and any foreigners with valid residence permits will be allowed to come in, provided they proceed on self-quarantine, he told the nation in a televised address.

The ban would take effect within 48 hours and remain in place for at least 30 days, he said. Schools should close immediately and universities by the end of the week, he added. Citizens would be encouraged to make cashless transactions to cut the risk of handling contaminated money.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Tuesday ruled out curtailing the ongoing Assembly session, saying all legislators were screened for COVID-19 before entering the House. He also announced constituting a task force, headed by state Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, to closely monitor the preventive measures taken against the spread of COVID-19.

Detailing the initiatives taken up in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Palaniswami said there was no need for panic and assured his government was working in full swing to implement the preventive measures.

So far, one person from the state has tested positive for the virus, but has been cured and is set to be discharged soon. "The government is taking whatever precautionery measures are required," Palaniswami said, adding, reports suggested coronavirus is a 'dangerous disease.'

"In fact there are reports this virus has spread to 136 countries. It is because of that there is a fear about the disease," Palaniswami said.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar has been issuing detailed explanations on the initiatives taken up by the government in the Assembly, he pointed out.

"There is no need for panic. At the same time there is no necessity to postpone the assembly proceedings. All legislators are provided with adequate safety measures. We all enter the House only after being screened," he said.

He also expressed government support to legislators who would prefer a medical examination vis-a-vis coronavirus. The ongoing Assembly session is scheduled to go on till April 9.

Further, Palaniswami said that in order to monitor the preventive measures initiated by the government, a Chief Secretary-headed task force has been constituted.

The 18-member task force comprising officials of various departments would regularly meet under Shanmugam to ensure the government directives are promptly followed in controlling the spread of virus and also offer its guidance to the government, he said.
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A lone hyena has been pictured tearing an adult wildebeest to pieces after bringing the animal down with a swift and bloody attack in Kenya.

The gory but spectacular photo set shows a solitary hyena biting the hind legs of a fully-grown wildebeest before dragging it to the floor, savagely gnawing on its insides whilst the poor creature was still standing up.

The brutal pictures were captured by Norwegian wildlife photographer, Tom Dyring, 71, on a recent trip to the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

Pictured: This haunting image, photographed by Norwegian wildlife photographer, Tom Dyring, 71, in Kenya, shows a wildebeest letting out a bellow as it's grounded by a vicious hyena

The wildebeest tries to boot away the persistent hyena after it latched on to its hind leg with its teeth in Maasai Mara, Kenya

The wildebeest bucked but the determined lone hyena held fast. A solitary hyena weighs around 120lb, with the wildebeest usually weighing up to 600lb

The grisly encounter lasted for approximately 40 minutes and stunned veteran safari guides who had questioned whether a solitary hyena, which weighs around 120 pounds, could even takedown an adult wildebeest, which can weigh up to 600 pounds.

'We couldn't believe what we were seeing; a medium or rather small-sized spotted hyena had, for some reason, managed to grab a hold of one of the back legs of a full grown wildebeest - and was hanging on to it,' recalls Dyring, who was an architect before he became a professional photographer.

'The answer to the question 'Can a single hyena take down big prey like a wildebeest?' was going to be answered - and we had front row seats.

Remarkably, the wildebeest rallied for one last attempt to fight off its deadly attacker but its fate was already sealed. Spotted hyenas are famed scavengers and often dine on the leftovers of other predators

'It turns out the answer was a resounding 'yes'. The hyena tackles the wildebeest's leg and brought it down - the hyena immediately goes for the soft part of its prey. The hyena seemed to know what to do and I think it had done it before. The wildebeest managed to get back on its feet but that didn't stop the hyena tearing out its stomach as it stood there.

'Despite its wounds, the huge wildebeest manages to get free and fights for its life but is soon tackled to the floor again. The hyena then attacks the animal's other flank and you can see the wildebeest screaming.

'The wildebeest seemed resigned to its fate after that although it continues to look towards us and below - it must've taken around fifteen minutes to die.'

After tackling the wildebeest to the ground, the hyena managed to chew its way inside the wildebeest's soft flank, before the struggling animal got back to its feet somehow

A graphic image shows the hyena tearing flesh out of its prey's already open wound. The vicious predators are known to be skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope - though usually in a pack

But soon the hyena tackled its prey to the floor again, chewing a second hole through its other side and bringing the mighty beast down

Spotted hyenas are famed scavengers and often dine on the leftovers of other predators. But these hardy beasts are also skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope - though usually in a pack.

Voracious eaters, the hyena will gorge itself when the opportunity presents itself. Certain tribes - such as the Maasai - leave the bodies of their dead out for hyenas to strip bare.

Although certainly not for the faint-hearted, Dyring was impressed by the hyena's predatory instincts.

'It was not a very nice experience and my empathy with the wildebeest was strong,' admits the photographer.

The wildebeest eventually dies, after a bloody battle against a far smaller foe. Dyring said: 'The hyena is killing the only way it knows - and of course cannot feel compassion with the food. This is the reality for wild animals. Nature is totally unsentimental'

'However, 'empathy' is no winner in evolution, so it was a harsh reminder of simple rules of nature.

'The hyena is killing the only way it knows - and of course cannot feel compassion with the food. This is the reality for wild animals. Nature is totally unsentimental.

'It was an amazing sight to see, I would never have thought a hyena could manage to take down a fully grown wildebeest by itself.'
Technavio has been monitoring the artificial intelligence in energy market and it is poised to grow by USD 6.06 bn during 2020-2024. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005356/en/

Technavio has announced its latest research report titled Global Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will decrease during the forecast period. The demand for data integration and visual analytics will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Demand for data integration and visual analytics has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market is segmented as below:

Solutions

Software

Hardware

Services

End-user

Hospitals and Clinics

ASCs

Dialysis Centers

Others

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30051

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our artificial intelligence in energy market report covers the following areas:

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Size

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Trends

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions as one of the prime reasons driving the artificial intelligence in energy market growth during the next few years.

Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the artificial intelligence in energy market, including some of the vendors such as ABB, Alphabet, GENERAL ELECTRIC, IBM and Siemens. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the artificial intelligence in energy market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Artificial Intelligence in Energy Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist the growth of artificial intelligence in energy market during the next five years

Estimation of the artificial intelligence in energy market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the artificial intelligence in energy market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of vendors in artificial intelligence in energy market

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2020-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY SOLUTION

Market segmentation by solution

Comparison by solution

Software Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Hardware Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Services Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Market opportunity by solution

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas Market size and forecast 2020-2024

EMEA Market size and forecast 2020-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2020-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

ABB

Alphabet

GENERAL ELECTRIC

IBM

Siemens

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

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: The body of an unidentified



woman, aged between 25-30, was found under a culvert in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district on Tuesday, police said.

Some locals noticed the body in naked condition and alerted the police.

Based on preliminary investigation, police said it seems some unidentified people killed the woman by strangulation at some other place, dumped the body and hit the head with a boulder apparently to conceal her identity.

"Some local residents informed the police that the body of an unidentified woman with injury marks and without clothes was found in the culvert," the police said.

"Our teams reached the spot and took up investigation. A dog squad was also taken to the scene," they said.

CCTV footage was being verified, they said.

Teams were also verifying from nearby farmhouses and resorts if any woman checked out or if any woman was reported missing.

Asked if the woman was sexually assaulted, the police said it would be known only after a medical examination.

A case of murder has been registered, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Heres some unsettling news from the other global crisis.

Greenland and Antarctica have lost 6.4 trillion tons of ice in the past three decades; unabated, this rate of melting could cause flooding that affects hundreds of millions of people by the end of the century, NASA said in a statement.

Satellite observations showed that the regions are losing ice six times faster than they were in the 1990s, according to a new study.

If the current melting trend continues, the regions will be on track to match the worst-case scenario of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of an extra 17 centimetres of sea level rise by 2100.

Thats not a good news story, study lead author Andrew Shepherd from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, told the BBC.

Scientists said that the two ice sheets together lost 81 billion tons per year in the 1990s, compared with 475 billion tons of ice per year in the 2010s  a whopping sixfold increase.

Today, the ice sheets contribute about a third of all sea-level rise, whereas in the 1990s, their contribution was actually pretty small at about five per cent, Shepherd told the BBC. This has important implications for the future, for coastal flooding and erosion.

The resulting meltwater boosted global sea levels by 2 centimetres. Of this total sea-level rise, 60 per cent resulted from Greenlands ice loss and 40 per cent resulted from Antarcticas.

The findings were published by an international team of 89 polar scientists from 50 organizations, and are the most comprehensive assessment to date of the changing ice sheets, NASA said.

While its true that the seas have risen and fallen before, whats new is the enormity of coastal development around the world that will need to be protected, moved or abandoned due to sea-level rise from human-caused global warming.

Sea level has risen nearly 20 centimetres worldwide since 1880 but, unlike water in a bathtub, it doesnt rise evenly. In the past 100 years, it has climbed about 30 centimetres or more in some U.S. cities because of ocean currents and land subsidence.

Every centimetre of sea-level rise leads to coastal flooding and coastal erosion, disrupting peoples lives around the planet, Shepherd said.

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New York, March 17, 2020  The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed relief that Azerbaijani investigative reporter Afgan Mukhtarli was released from prison, and called for Azerbaijan authorities to release all other journalists held for their work.

Mukhtarli, a reporter who contributed to independent news outlets Meydan TV and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, was abducted in May 2017 in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, where he lived in exile with his family, and was illegally transported to Azerbaijan, according to CPJ research. Today, he was transported to a court in Baku, the capital, where a judge ordered his release and Mukhtarli was put on a flight to Germany, where his wife, Leyla Mustafayeva, lives in exile, according to Mustafayeva, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and news reports.

We are relieved that Afgan Mukhtarli is free and on his way to reunite with his family. But he should not have spent a single day in jail, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. Azerbaijani authorities should release all remaining journalists from jail and allow them to report freely and safely. Those involved in Mukhtarlis abduction from Georgia and unlawful imprisonment in Azerbaijan should be held responsible.

In 2018, Azerbaijani authorities sentenced Mukhtarli to six years in prison for allegedly smuggling contraband, according to CPJ research. Mustafayeva said neither she nor Mukhtarlis lawyer in Azerbaijan were informed about todays hearing that cut short his sentence and released him.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week staff of the Nature Foundation St. Maarten and members of IHE Delft Institute for Water Education visited several local high schools to give presentations about the importance of coral reefs and the threats and issues facing St. Maartens reef system. During the school visits the team introduced their Coral Competition and encouraged students to participate to come up with ideas to save St. Maartens coral reefs and win great prizes at the same time. The Nature Foundation is stimulating all students between 12 and 19 years old to participate in the creative competition and register their group before the 27th of March.

Students learned about how corals grow, what they need to survive, and the important role they play in our ecosystem from Dr. Erik de Ruijter van Steveninck. It was nice to see that many students were well aware of the status of coral reefs and showed interest in coming up with ideas to help save St. Maartens coral reefs, said Steveninick a senior lecturer of Aquatic and Marine Ecology for IHE.

The students also learned about the specific threats facing St. Maartens coral reefs from The Nature Foundations Educational Outreach Officer, Leslie Hickerson. Several of those that attended the presentations had already been introduced to some of the environmental issues on St. Maarten by their teachers and had a basic understanding of what needs to change. However, some of the statistics about the rapid decline in marine environments health and problems with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease were introduced for the first time.

Several students were eager to ask questions about what they could do to help or even volunteer with the Nature Foundation outside of school. It was very encouraging to see the students reaction to the information we were giving them. Not only were they attentive to the introduction of coral reef basics, but they also were inspired to help make changes in the way we treat our environment to ensure a brighter future for themselves and next generations, said Hickerson, Even during the presentations the students were engaged and asking questions about what could be done to help bring a strong coral system back.

An important part of the presentation was an introduction to the Student Competition: Save St. Maartens Coral Reefs by Nirajan Dhakal a lecturer in Water Supply Engineering from IHE. This truly unique opportunity has been launched by the Nature Foundation St. Maarten, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in an effort to mobilize St. Maartens youth into taking a greater role in protecting the marine environment of SXM.

The student competition is available to all students on the Dutch side of SXM between the ages of 12 and 19. Those wishing to participate should form groups of a maximum of 4 members that can be from a mixture of schools. In their groups the students should work together to come up with a way to help save and protect St. Maartens reefs. There is no limit to creativity for these projects which can consist of formal presentations, artwork, or any other method of raising awareness or limiting negative effects on our ecosystem. Student groups can register for the project before Friday the 27th of March 2020 by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their proposal name, their names and their contact details.

The only restriction for the project is that the budget for executing their idea should be maximum Euro 4000. The Nature Foundation has received a grant for that amount making it possible for the winning idea from the students to be implemented on St. Maarten utilizing both Nature Foundation staff members and students from the winning team. In addition to seeing their idea come to fruition on the island the first-place team will also receive a cash prize of 800 Euros. The second-place team will win 400 Euros and the third-place team will win 300 Euros.

The opportunities for students to take part in making their project proposals a reality is what truly makes this competition special. Rather than working on ideas and just thinking about what we could do, with this competition we will actually be able move forward and show the students that they can make a difference. Often people talk about what we should do, or what the government should do, but there is no action. Showing students at a young age that they can make a difference will teach the next generation to be proactive and help them to take pride in our environment and become part of protecting it, stated Hickerson.
Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain was on Monday arrested in connection with murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer, Ankit Sharma, during the recent violence in the national capital.

"He has been arrested," a Delhi Police official told a source.

The police have sought his custody for five days in connection with the case. He is also accused for involvement in instigating the violence.

The police had registered a criminal case against him on a complaint filed by deceased IB staffer's father. As per the post-mortem report, Sharma sustained 51 injuries and died due to haemorrhage.

Salman alias Haseen is also in police custody in connection with the murder. The police had, last week, told the court that he will soon be confronted with Hussain to unearth the conspiracy.

Hussain's brother, Shah Alam, was also arrested in connection with the riots and is currently in judicial custody.
Three inmates of a prison outside Dublin are reported to be in seclusion awaiting testing for Covid-19.

A further three prisoners are also thought to be in seclusion, although they have yet to show any symptoms.

The reports, coming from prison sources, have not been confirmed by the Irish Prison Service (IPS).

Authorities have stressed that testing, in and of itself, does not indicate that the coronavirus is present and that the criteria for triggering testing has been broadened widely.

The IPS said issues regarding Covid-19 are being directed by the Governments National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The IPS told the Irish Examiner that it was following the guidelines of the NPHET on the matter.

Last Friday, the IPS said that a case of Covid-19 in a prison setting would present significant challenges for prison management in terms of controlling the spread of the virus among staff and prisoners and the provision of appropriate medical treatment to affected persons.

It is thought that the local branch of the Prison Officers Association (POA) has held meetings with prison management.

A number of issues are believed to have been raised, including whether or not all protocols were followed in relation to the first suspected case. Staff also raised overcrowding issues, a number of practical hygiene issues, and the risk of any congregating by staff around clocking in and out.

It is thought that prison officers recognised that all known and advised steps had been taken to date and that the cleaning programme which had been implemented appeared to be working so far.

It is understood that the POA and the IPS have been in regular contact on this issue and that all other industrial relations matters have been put to one side while the serious threat is being dealt with.

Last Friday, the IPS brought in measures to reduce visitor access to prisoners in all jails.

The measures stipulate:

Visits will be restricted to one visit per prisoner per week;

A limit of two 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 1m;

Visits will be 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 IPS said these were pre-emptive measures to contain and decrease the potential spread of Covid-19.

The confirmation of a case of Covid-19 in a prison setting would present 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, it said.

The unique environment of a prison and the sheer numbers and diversity of people who pass through our prisons make vigilance around infection prevention and control absolutely necessary.
21 patients were directly and indirectly infected with COVID-19 on flight VN54 (March 2). Source: Vnexpress

The 58th patient is a 26-year-old woman living on Yen The Street, Dien Bien ward, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi. She is a student in France who arrived at Noi Bai International Airport yesterday (March 15). She tested positive for COVID-19 and has been quarantined and is undergoing treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases 2 (Dong Anh district).

Patient 59 is a 30-year-old woman living in Bo De ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi. She was a flight attendant on the flight departing from the UK to Vietnam on March 2. Many passengers travelling on this flight were diagnosed positive for COVID-19. She had contracted a cough and fever several days ago and subsequently tested positive yesterday (March 15).

The 60th is a 29-year-old Frenchman. He departed from Paris and arrived at Noi Bai International Airport on March 9 on a flight where several passengers were diagnosed with the epidemic. He travelled across numerous sightseeing spots in Hanoi and Ninh Binh province, returned to Hanoi on March 15, and has been quarantined.

These three patients tested positive for the novel coronavirus and are being isolated and undergoing treatment at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases 2 in Dong Anh district.

The 61st is a 42-year-old man living in Ninh Thuan province. This Vietnamese man travelled to Malaysia from February 27 and returned to Vietnam on March 4 on flight VJ826 landing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. On March 10, he started having a sore throat and fever but did not take any medicine. He went to Ninh Thuan general hospital to test and his test has just been confirmed as positive for COVID-19.

As a result, the COVID-19 epidemic has already spread to 13 provinces and cities, including Hanoi (14 patients), Vinh Phuc (11 patients, all cured last month), Binh Thuan (9), Ho Chi Minh City (8 patients, three cured last month), and Quang Ninh (5), with the remaining spread loosely across the country.

As of the end of March 16, as many as 61 patients have been infected by COVID-19 in Vietnam, 43 of whom are undergoing treatment and 16 were cured last month. Among these new patients, 17 are foreigners coming from Europe and the US, in addition to only one from South Korea. Besides, some patients are Vietnamese students returning from epidemic-stricken European countries.

Among these patients undergoing treatment, four tested negative for COVID-19 for the first time. However, the health of two patients, a 69-year-old British man and a 64-year-old Vietnamese woman is deteriorating and they are experiencing breathing difficulties.
Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday night a third person has died from the coronavirus in New Jersey.

The patient, a man in his 90s, was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center. Other information on the case was not immediately made public.

Our prayers are with his family during this difficult time, the governor said on Twitter.

Sad to announce our third death of an individual with #COVID19  a male in his 90s who was being treated at @HackensackUMC in Bergen County. Our prayers are with his family during this difficult time.  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 17, 2020

A woman in her 50s who lived in Freehold and a 69-year-old Little Ferry man have also died from the respiratory illness.

As of Monday, there were at least 178 cases of the coronavirus reported in the state. Bergen County has seen the most cases, with 61 people confirmed as infected.

The pandemic has led officials to close schools and businesses around New Jersey, and Murphy urged people to limit travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Weve got to break the back of this curve, weve got to flatten it, Murphy said during a live interview Monday night on CNN. While this may be painful, the alternative would be much more painful.

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NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has continued to dominate news headlines in recent weeks, following reports of his latest crackdown against leading royals and officials, his relationship with another regional leader has once again come to light.

More than 20 years his senior, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is often portrayed as a mentor for the less-experienced MBS, whom he backed even before he became the next in line for the Saudi throne in 2017.

The two men are de facto rulers of their countries and see eye-to-eye on a number of domestic and foreign adventures, including their aggressive policies towards political Islamist groups and their roles in regional conflicts such as the long-running Yemen war and the blockade on Qatar.

Their intersecting ambitions have brought the pair together on many occasions, although experts say MBZ remains the mastermind behind many policies and the more influential figure in the relationship.

In the major confrontations in the Arabian Peninsula, MBZ is in the drivers seat, said Willam Law, editor of the Arab Digest, describing the relationship as one where MBZ exploits the immaturity, the arrogance and the ambition of MBS to achieve his ends.

MBZ is happy to let MBS have centre stage while he is in the wings, watching, working and manipulating, he added.

MBS seems to look up to MBZs achievements as a model of success, while the latter plays an important role in supporting the younger crown prince.

The threat of political Islam

One of the key domestic policy issues that has united MBS and MBZ is their view on political Islam, especially in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, which left Gulf monarchies feeling that potential unrest may unseat them from power.

200312063351469

The Arab Spring  and its ramifications  is the single most important regional issue that has brought Saudi Arabia and the UAE together, Sami Hamdi, editor-in-chief of the International Interest periodical, said.

This marked the beginning of the close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which would subsequently lead to a coup in Egypt, the rise of [Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa] Haftar . and a blockade on Qatar, he added, referring to three key events that unfolded in the past decade.

As a means to rid themselves of potential rivals, both leaders launched fierce arrest campaigns  an approach their countries had previously followed in the 1990s to purge government departments of the Islamic al-Islah group in the UAE and the Sahwa Movement in Saudi Arabia.

More recently, fears of a revival of political Islam led to the UAEs crackdown on about 60 people in 2012, many of whom were members of al-Islah and were tried the following year on charges of seeking to seize power.

In Saudi Arabia, the crackdown on political opponents, including religious scholars, came later. Billing it as an initiative to fight corruption, MBS led a widening arrest campaign against royals and businesspeople in 2017. He then targeted prominent religious figures, such as Salman al-Awdah, in 2019, before reports emerged in recent weeks that he had again targeted senior members of the royal family and civil servants.

Law said: The recent purges by MBS  have the same objective as MBZs drive against political Islam: to consolidate power and eliminate potential challengers to their absolute rule.

According to Courtney Freer, an expert on Gulf states and research fellow at the London School of Economics Middle East Centre, Both MBS and MBZ hope to diminish the role of religion in politics and, in so doing, eliminate potential political rivals.

According to Hamdi, the focus on eliminating political Islamists has also brought both countries closer to the United States.

200311143707752

Both have sought to position themselves as indispensable allies to the US, and both have offered themselves as pioneers of liberalisation in the Arab world to galvanise support in the Western world.

They adopted the use of terminology that dominates Western discourse such as terrorism to deride opponents, and moderate Islam so that their policies are seen to be in alignment to the US most important priority in the region: de-radicalisation, he added.

But, in an attempt to eliminate potential rivals, MBS has also extended his crackdown against dozens of womens rights activists. He has also faced accusations of giving orders that led to the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul in 2018, allegations he denies.

MBZ, on the other hand, has been a lot more focused in his crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, according to observers.

Saudi journalists have suggested that MBZ is far more suspicious of and paranoid about the Muslim Brotherhood than is MBS, Freer said.

Law agreed: For MBZ  political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood is by far the biggest existential threat.

Regional conflicts

MBZs fear of political Islamists appears to have led the way in shaping the UAEs regional policies and approach towards conflicts in neighbouring countries  and inspiring MBS to do the same.

MBZ managed to convince MBS to isolate Qatar, accused of supporting Islamist groups, in exchange for granting him access to Washington, DC, elites, Freer told Al Jazeera.

The Qatar siege cemented the Emirati-Saudi relationship and, indeed, since that time the two countries have signed a series of new bilateral ties, demonstrating the growing importance of their relationship and their increasing alignment, she added.

On June 5, 2017, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with Egypt and Bahrain, imposed a blockade on Qatar and cut all ties with it, accusing it of funding terrorism and fomenting regional unrest  allegations Qatar has rejected.

181101131901710

In addition to the Qatar blockade, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to a lesser extent, have taken similar positions on the conflict in Libya, supporting Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). The UAE, which has supplied Haftar with advanced weapons, considers him a trusted partner capable of curbing the spread of political Islam in Libya.

Every foreign policy initiative that MBZ embarks on, from the Yemen war to support for the Libyan warlord Haftar  is driven by his belief that the Brotherhood and political Islam pose the greatest threat to the Gulf ruling families, Law said.

Since a Saudi-UAE-led military coalition intervened in 2015 to support Yemens internationally-recognised government led by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi following the takeover of the capital, Sanaa, by the Houthi rebels, the Yemen conflict has featured prominently in the two leaders relationship.

Both countries have also sought to use their proxies in Yemen to limit the role of Iran, which has long been accused of supplying the Houthis with weapons. Tehran says it supports the rebels diplomatically and politically but denies providing them with any military aid.

Iran figures largely in MBSs thinking if only because his ambition to be the regional leader is thwarted by Iran. For MBZ, Iran is not as big an issue, Freer said, adding that both countries approach towards Tehran was somewhat aligned.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have sought to present a united front in Yemen, but there are simmering divisions over the future of southern Yemen. These came to the fore when Hadis Saudi-backed government was removed from Aden in September 2019 by UAE-supported southern separatists.

Although both states consider Iranian influence in domestic politics within the Arabian Peninsula a grave danger, they [MBS and MBZ] have increasingly struggled to see eye to eye on Yemen, Freer said.

Hamdi, however, noted that the two had differing policies on Yemen, where Saudi Arabia prefers a united Yemen as opposed to the UAE which prefers a divided one, the personal relationship means that they have been able to work out their differences.

MBZ as a model

Analysts also point out that the younger crown prince has looked up to MBZ as a source of inspiration for a future Saudi Arabia. MBZ, in turn, has used this relationship to further his own interests in the region.

Domestically MBS has looked at what the UAE has achieved in the way of attracting foreign investment, business and tourism and with Vision 2030 would very much like to replicate the Emiratis success, Law said.

Since assuming the role of crown prince in 2017, MBS has launched a series of projects, which he says aim to diversity the countrys economy away from its dependency on oil as well as modernise and liberalise society. But his ongoing crackdown on royal family members, businessmen, and human rights and womens rights activists has raised scepticism about his objectives and widespread international concern.

In terms of foreign and regional policy, MBS has equally tried to follow in MBZs footsteps, analysts say but, unlike his role model, he has been less capable of avoiding grave mistakes. Despite both Gulf states involvement in Yemen, the war, which the United Nations considers the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, is consistently described as Saudi-led.

MBZ has a shrewd grasp of what the UAE  can achieve [and] has played a clever hand extending the UAEs reach, Law said.

MBS, on the other hand, has been quite inept  his lack of foreign policy expertise has led him into several blunders, not least of which is the Yemen war.


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OneWeb dedicates satellite launch to first spacewalker Alexei Leonov



March 17, 2020  A company launching a constellation of broadband satellites is paying tribute to the first "human satellite" 55 years after he walked in space.



OneWeb has dedicated its third satellite launch to cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who became the first person to leave his spacecraft and float in the vacuum of space on March 18, 1965. The launch of OneWeb's next batch of satellites on a Russian Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Saturday (March 21).



"We are proud to celebrate the pioneers and trailblazers like Alexei who inspire us and who continue to fuel our drive for success," OneWeb said in a statement.



OneWeb's "Launch #3 Spacewalker" mission patch bears Leonov's name and the date of his historic spacewalk. It depicts Leonov in his spacesuit, performing the first extravehicular activity (EVA) while floating at the end of an umbilical extending from his Voskhod spacecraft's airlock.



The circular patch also shows Earth set against the rising sun with rays extending out to the spacewalker.



"The light of the sun was very intense and I felt its warmth," Leonov said in an interview with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale on the 50th anniversary of his spacewalk in 2015.



Leonov died four years later in October 2019 at the age of 85.



The OneWeb 3 launch, conducted by Arianespace together with its partner Glavkosmos, will place OneWeb's 34 satellites into a near polar orbit of 289 miles (450 kilometers), after which they will be raised to their final orbit of 745 miles (1,200 kilometers).



The 34 satellites will bring OneWeb's constellation total to 74. The satellites were built by OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus.



The first six of OneWeb's satellites were launched in February 2019, followed by 34 more in February 2020. The previous two missions were not dedicated to a historic figure like Leonov. OneWeb plans an initial constellation of 650 satellites orbiting Earth on 12 different planes.



The 1:06 p.m. EDT (1706 GMT or 10:06 p.m. local) launch on Saturday will originate from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the same launch site (but different launchpad) where Leonov and his Voskhod 2 crewmate Pavel Belyayev lifted off in 1965.



OneWeb, which is working towards using its satellite constellation to offer broadband internet service, expects its first service demonstration by the end of the year. Commercial use is slated for the end of 2021, supporting the maritime, aviation, government and enterprise sectors.



"Our constellation will level the playing field and connect the communities, areas and industries that have until now been excluded from fast, reliable Internet access," Adrian Steckel, OneWeb's CEO, said in a statement after the company's first launch. "What we are undertaking here is a project of ambitious scale."



OneWeb has dedicated its third broadband satellite launch to the memory of the world's first spacewalker, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. The launch comes 55 years after Leonov's spacewalk. (OneWeb)





A Russian Soyuz rocket under preparation at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for the launch of OneWeb's next 34 satellites. (OneWeb)



 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
India has reported more than 100 positive cases for the COVID-19. Government is making all efforts to halt the spread of novel coronavirus making people aware of basic protection measures to take against the virus. Here are few pictures to show life in India at the time of coronavirus. (Image: AP)

Indians municipal workers fumigate an area as a precautionary measure against the spread of new coronavirus in Jammu, India. (Image: AP)

Children wearing face masks amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus, wait for their school bus at a village in Kannauj, India, unaware that schools are shut following late-night state government order. (Image: AP)

Workers make protective masks inside a workshop in Mumbai, India. (Image: Reuters)

An image formed by 25,000 soap bars is seen at a school in Chennai, India, during an awareness campaign about coronavirus pandemic. (Image: Reuters)

Security guards check bags and offers hand sanitizer to the visitors as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 in an almost empty shopping mall in Kolkata. (Image: AP)

A worker cleans an empty movie theatre after Delhi state government ordered the closure of theatres across the state amid coronavirus fears. (Image: Reuters)

A volunteer distributes hand sanitizer to visitors at government medical college hospital in Jammu, India. (Image: AP)

A security official checks the temperature of a visitor at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai, India. (Image: AP)

A worker disinfects the railings as a precaution against COVID-19 at a metro station in New Delhi, India. (Image: AP)

Doctor checks the temperature of passengers at a railway station in Jammu as a precautionary measure against the new virus. (Image: AP)

A member of a non-governmental organization puts a face mask on a man as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, at a traffic junction in Ahmedabad, India. (Image: Reuters)
Supermarket giants are introducing even harsher restrictions on the number of grocery items customers can purchase as they struggle to cope with a surge in demand due to coronavirus panic-buying.

Woolworths customers will only be able to purchase two items from any single category from most packaged products, with the exception of some fresh foods.

'There is now a per customer, per shop limit of 2 items from any single category on most packaged products across Woolworths supermarkets and Metro stores and online,' CEO Brad Banducci said in a statement on Wednesday.

'This means that you'll only be able to buy 2 products from any single category or section (such as coffee), regardless of the brand or variety.'

Items exempt from the policy include fresh food such as fruit and vegetables, seafood and meat (excluding mince) as well as deli items, bakery items, canned fish, and dairy items, which have largely not been subject to hoarding due to their short shelf lives.

Scroll down for full list of items

Supermarket giant Coles has added more essential items to its restricted purchasing list in an attempt to reduce panic buying and make sure everyone has access to products

Coles announced further restrictions on eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen desserts on Monday

One-pack limits are still in place for toilet paper, baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, paper towels, napkins and rice.

Panic buying sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of everyday goods.

The issue has caused stress and frustration amongst elderly shoppers, many of whom find it difficult to make frequent visits to supermarkets for essential goods. In many cases, particularly for toilet paper, the shelves are often bare.

'We've made this change to help our suppliers and teams make as many products available to you as possible. So please respect these limits and only buy what you need to help as many Australians as possible access the products they need,' the statement said.

'Our teams continue to work tirelessly under difficult circumstances, so please treat these dedicated people with the courtesy and respect they deserve.'

Meanwhile, Coles added chilled white milk, including plant-based non-dairy & goats milk, sugar, UHT long-life milk, canned tomatoes, and liquid soap to its list of restricted items on Wednesday.

Customers will be limited to two lots of each item.

It comes one day after the supermarket announced the same restrictions on eggs, chilled pasta, frozen vegetables and frozen desserts.

Coles had already introduced purchasing limits on mincemeat, toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

'As the situation around coronavirus continues to develop, we want to ensure you have the most up to date information on product availability,' Coles said in a statement on Sunday.

'The purchase of mince, pasta, flour, dry rice, paper towels, paper tissues and hand sanitisers is limited to 2 items per customer.'

Coles were forced to introduce a limit on mince purchases after shelves were stripped bare at the weekend

Coles has pleaded with customers to show respect and compassion when shopping for essentials and to support staff who are working hard to keep products on shelves

Supermarket giants Coles, Woolworths IGA and Aldi issued a joint statement on Wednesday asking shoppers to be 'considerate' while they shop as they work to accommodate customers during the crisis.

'Our suppliers and teams are doing everything possible to get as many products onto all our shelves as they can, often under very difficult circumstances,' the statement read.

'So we ask you to please be considerate in the way you shop.

'We understand your concerns, but if you buy only what you need and stick to the product limits, it helps everyone, especially the elderly and people with disability.'

Coles announced it won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic-buying.

Chief executive officer Steven Cain said staff were working 'as hard as possible' to ensure shelves were sufficiently stocked.

'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,' he said.

Coles, Woolworths IGA and Aldi issued a joint statement on Wednesday asking shoppers to be 'considerate' while they shop

A spokeswoman for Coles pleaded with customers to show 'respect and compassion' for its exhausted staff, with increasing reports of them being abused by frustrated customers.

'Coles team members and suppliers have been working as hard as possible delivering more products to stores every day and stocking shelves as quickly as possible,' a statement said.

'We ask for customers to continue to respect, show compassion and support our team members in stores and our Customer Care and Coles Online call centres, particularly if a product is unavailable or if the checkout queues are longer than normal.

'We have significantly increased the number of team members working in our stores to support this level of unprecedented demand and are actively recruiting for more than 5,000 more casual team members.

The supermarket has been making adjustments to operating procedures in an effort to keep up with the demand.

'We believe all Australians deserve the right to access their share of grocery items, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable,' Coles CEO Steven Cain said.

SUPERMARKET BUYING LIMITS COLES Two items per person Eggs Chilled pasta Frozen vegetables Frozen dessert Mince includes Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken & Turkey Flour Dried rice Paper towels/tissues Hand sanitisers Chilled milk Sugar UHT long-life milk Canned tomatoes Liquid soap WOOLWORTHS One-pack limit per customer, per shop Toilet paper Baby wipes Antibacterial wipes Paper towel Serviettes Rice (2kg and over) No-limits Fresh Fruit & Veg Meat (excluding mince) Deli Bakery Seafood Fresh Milk Canned Fish Drinks (ambient and chilled) Baby Food Yoghurts Easter confectionery & merchandise Wet Dog Food Wet Cat Food Two-pack limit per customer, per shop Every other category Advertisement




SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the number of coronavirus-related job listings surge, Checkster is opening up all of its services free of charge to government, health care and nonprofit employers battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizations eligible for free reference checking services include:

Healthcare organization needing to ramp up hiring

Biotech and testing organizations

Retailers opening up their parking lots and staffing to accommodate the drive-thru testing units

Government agencies working on setting up screening and testing zones

Nonprofits helping out those in need

Research organizations

Checkster's checking and onboarding tools are offered at no charge throughout the pandemic with no cap on the amount of free tools available.



"We are grateful that we can join other business leaders in supporting front-line workers during these tumultuous times," says Yves Lermusi, CEO and founder of Checkster. "As a community, it's important to step up and make our resources readily available in order to help healthcare organizations and researchers battling the spread of the virus."



To benefit from this program, please email [email protected] . To learn more about the tools, visit www.checkster.com .

ABOUT CHECKSTER

Using collective human intelligence, Checkster empowers talent and team leaders to make smarter, faster and more confident talent decisions and build high performing teams.

Media Contacts:

Beth Brody

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On Monday, San Francisco and five nearby counties announced they would order 6.7 million Bay Area residents to shelter in place. On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said New Yorkers should prepare for a similar order, with a decision to be made in the next 48 hours. Other areas of the country could consider similar restrictions as officials attempt to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. But what exactly does sheltering in place entail? And how is it different than the self-isolation that millions of Americans are already doing?

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Its just a bit more severe. Americans are already encouraged to practice social distancing, staying 6 feet apart from other people. Bars, restaurants, and most other public gathering places have been shut down in New York City and many cities and states across the country. The White House has recommended no gatherings of more than 10 people for at least the next 15 days. Those steps make for the foundation of the shelter-in-place order, which tightens the restrictions to basically all socializing and activities that cant be done in the homeand no gatherings at all, no matter how small.

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But it probably wont mean you cant go outside. Judging by how the Bay Area has implemented its version of shelter in place, youll still be allowed to go on runs or walk your dog, as long as you stay 6 feet apart from everyone else when doing so. But any other recreational activities, including just going over to a friends apartment, are prohibited outside the home. Under a shelter-in-place order, you can only go to someone elses home if they are in need of caretaking.

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Essential businesses are still allowed to remain open. That includes banks, pharmacies, veterinarians, hardware stores, gas stations, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, laundromats, and grocery stores. (People should not stock up on groceries, as theyll be allowed to shop at their regular pace.)

People with essential jobsworkers in one of the essential businesses mentioned above or employees of the local government, police department, post office, hospitals, jails, courts, sanitary departments, utility companies, etc.will still be able to travel to get to work. Public transportation will remain open, but again, people should only use it for essential reasons.

A shelter-in-place order sounds alarming, but its not a full quarantine. It is still mandatory, though; San Francisco has declared it a misdemeanor to not follow the order. According to de Blasio, New York police and fire departments would enforce a shelter-in-place order. But a federal quarantine is a more serious matter that can even carry jail time, and de Blasio made it clear that he did not think New York would ever be facing such an extreme measure.

A shelter-in-place order also wouldnt be considered a lockdown, like the one implemented by Italy, which bans people from leaving their homes at all without permission. Instead, both San Francisco and New York have emphasized that the order would be implemented with compassion, and that it was meant to be more of a guidance for residents new way of life and not a measure to lead to harsh crackdowns.
The number of confirmed cases in Pakistan sharply rose to 212 on Tuesday, amidst conflicting statements by authorities on the nation's first casualty due to the viral infection.

The Sindh province is the worst-hit with 172 cases, followed by 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 in Balochistan, 8 in Punjab, 5 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad, officials said.

According to Meeran Yousuf, media coordinator to the Sindh health minister, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 172 in Sindh province on Tuesday. Of the 172 patients, 134 are in Sukkar, 37 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad city.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting statements on the first death in Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid in a press conference in Lahore confirmed Pakistan's first casualty due to the novel

"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 km from Lahore, died here on Tuesday," he said.

In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre also confirmed the death.

According to the statement, the patient, who came from Muscat on March 15 and was tested positive, was admitted to Lahore's Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

However, later in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar rejected the statements.

The chief minister in a tweet said according to the test report, the person did not die of coronavirus.

In a statement, the Pakistan Army said all medical facilities of the armed forces were "operationalised and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic".

A central testing laboratory has already been set up at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Rawalpindi, it said, adding that COVID-19 help desks have been established at all military hospitals.

The army chief has "directed all commanders to take maximum necessary measures to assist civil administration".

As the country's already fragile economy came under more pressure due to the viral outbreak, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday announced to cut its policy rate by 75 basis points to 12.50 from 13.25 to tackle the economic challenges.

Among other things, Pakistan shut down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday hold a Cabinet meeting via video link, Special Assistant on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said.

Meanwhile, the opposition accused the government of failing to contain the spread of virus. It also alleged that the quarantine facilities for pilgrims who returned from Iran and kept at Taftan border point are poor.

"The government has failed to check the spread of coronavirus," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told reporters here.
This article was originally published on March 2, 2020 and last updated on April 3, 2020. 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.

As the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, confusion and misconceptions about what can protect you are becoming as contagious as the virus. We spoke to doctors and experts in infectious diseases about whether theres any truth to these common claims.

[The topics parents are talking about. Evidence-based guidance. Personal stories that matter. Sign up now to get NYT Parenting in your inbox every week.]

Purell can help protect you.

Maybe. Hand sanitizers with over 60 percent alcohol are effective in killing viruses like the coronavirus, Dr. William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center said. But no one knows for sure if they will work on the current virus. Gels like Purell may be easier for small children in particular, who may lack the coordination to do the full hand washing technique recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vigorously scrubbing both sides and between the fingers for at least 20 seconds. But washing hands is still crucial, and potentially more effective in protecting you, since it both removes germs and the dirt they cling to. You cant do it enough, said H. Cody Meissner, M.D., chief of the division of pediatric infectious disease at Tufts University School of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Antibacterial soap has no added benefit, Dr. Schaffner said. Just be thorough  and dont forget your thumbs!

Stock up on vitamin C.

No. You might be tempted to bulk order vitamin C or other supposedly immune-boosting supplements, but their effectiveness is a long-standing fallacy. Even in the cases of colds or flus, vitamin C hasnt shown a consistent benefit. If theres going to be an advantage, its going to be very modest, Dr. Schaffner said. That said, extra vitamin C wont do you any harm  unless youre just downing bottles of it, said Dr. Frank Esper, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Childrens hospital. In those cases excessive vitamin C can be damaging to the stomach and kidneys. There is no evidence that supplements like zinc, green tea and echinacea are beneficial to prevent coronavirus, said Dr. Mark J. Mulligan, M.D., division director of the infectious diseases and vaccine center at NYU Langone Medical Center. I do not recommend spending money on supplements for this purpose.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD recently announced the establishment of five subsidiaries, in a bid to speed up the sale of NEV-related core components.

The five companies share a same surname Fudi, quoting a verse from Book of Songs, the first anthology of ancient Chinese poetry. The name embodies the meaning of honesty, integrity, diligence and aspiration.

The five subsidiaries focus on different products and technologies. Of those, Fudi Battery Co.,Ltd, which was registered on May 5, 2019, is the inheritance of BYD Lithium Battery which was born in 1998. According to a press release, the predecessor specializes in developing such products as consumable 3C batteries, power batteries and energy storage batteries, and works on their cascade utilization. As for the new materials and new technologies, it has also completed the R&D of many technical projects involving fields like IT, automobile, new energy and light rail transit, and industrialized those fruits in practical scenarios.

The other four were all registered in late December. Fudi Vision Co.,Ltd focuses on developing automotive lighting and signaling systems. Before getting the new name, Fudi Technology Co.,Ltd has had 16-year experience in the R&D, production and sale of automobile electronics and chassis with its products covering PV, CV and rail transit fields.

As the company name shows, Fudi Power Co.,Ltd is dedicated to developing automotive powertrain and integral NEV solutions. Moreover, Fudi Mould Co.,Ltd has already worked on developing and manufacturing automotive moulds for nearly 20 years with worlds leading numerically-controlled machining facilities and professional welding lines for body-in-white and auto parts.
Many area residents are still reporting difficulty getting tested. One woman from Northern Virginia, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns, said her 20-year-old son has been sick with a fever and respiratory issues since this weekend. But he has been turned down for testing online, at the doctors and at urgent care because he had not traveled abroad or been exposed to someone known to have the virus.
AFP/Getty

Donald Trump encouraged Americans to self-isolate and enjoy their living room as the country battled to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 4,500 confirmed cases nationwide and at least 95 deaths.

The president told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday that his administration was considering providing US military assistance to states battling severe outbreaks of the new coronavirus, as New York and California announced major shutdowns for some of the largest cities in the country. His administration also said it was considering sending checks to all Americans in an effort to slow the economic downturn seen in recent days as the pandemic moved society to a screeching halt nationwide.

The House of Representatives meanwhile passed an emergency relief package late on Monday, which now moves on to the Senate, as the government seeks $850bn (704bn) to battle the disaster. The latest developments come as three states across the country hold their Democratic primaries, with several others delaying their votes due to the pandemic.

Defence Secretary Mark Esper also said on Tuesday that the Pentagon will provide civilian health authorities with five million respirator masks and 2,000 specialized ventilators to help in a national response to the pandemic.

Mr Esper told Pentagon reporters that the ventilators are designed for use by deployed troops and the military will need to train civilians on how to use them. He said some may have "single-use" limitations. And he said the first million respirator masks will be made available immediately.

US officials have talked about the shortage of ventilators to help treat patients with the virus.

Mr Esper stressed that although the Defence Department is prepared to help civilian authorities in any way possible, there are limitations to the assistance and trade-offs that must be considered. "We want to be the last resort", he said, adding that the first line of defense in fighting the virus should be state and local authorities.

The world is at war with a hidden enemy. WE WILL WIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020

Mr Esper also said he has asked the Navy to prepare its two hospital ships  the USNS Mercy in San Diego and the USNS Comfort in Norfolk, Virginia  for deployment. He said the Pentagon will also talk with state and local leaders to see if there is any need for field hospitals.

He said the field units could be used to take the pressure off local hospitals by locating them nearby and using them to perhaps treat trauma patients. Doing so, he said, could free up hospital rooms so they could be used for infectious patients.

The Pentagon has said its hospital ships and field units are designed mainly for treating combat casualties and have areas where multiple patients are together in one room. As a result, they aren't set up to handle patients who need isolation.

Mr Esper made clear that the Pentagon expects to be part of the COVID-19 fight for the long haul, even as it reports increasing numbers of military members being stricken by the disease. The Pentagon said that as of Tuesday morning, 36 military members had been confirmed as having the virus, up from 18 the day before. On Tuesday the Navy reported two sailors had tested positive for the virus  one aboard the USS Coronado and another aboard the USS Ralph Johnson.

Mr Esper said he is considering activating National Guard and Reserve units to help states with planning, logistics and medical support as needed.

"As we get requests in we will look at activating, if we need to, at the federal level or using the Reserves - whatever the case may be", he said.

Additional reporting by AP, See live updates as they came in below.

Read more

The dirty truth about washing your hands

What is the difference between Covid-19 and the common cold and flu?

Can face masks really protect you against coronavirus or flu?

The UK government's four stages of fighting coronavirus explained

What are symptoms of coronavirus  and where has it spread?
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Airports in Luzon will stop all outbound international flights starting Friday after the government gave a 72-hour window to all those who wish to leave the country after heightened measures were put in place to control the spread of COVID-19.

Under the guidelines crafted by the Inter-Agency Task Force and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, "Outbound passengers intending to depart Philippines from any of the international airports in Luzon shall be allowed to travel for a period of 72 hours from effectivity of the enhanced community quarantine."

The enhanced community quarantine over the entire island of Luzon took effect midnight Tuesday and is set to end on April 13. The air travel restrictions takes effect at 12 a.m. Friday.

International passengers on their way to the Philippines who were already in transit upon the effectivity of the order will be allowed entry into the country.

Following this announcement, the country's flag carrier Philippine Airlines said its international flight will operate only until midnight of March 20.

AirAsia said it is canceling international flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport from March 20 until April 14.

Budget airline Cebu Pacific also announced that all of its domestic and international flights will be cancelled from March 19 to April 14, in support of government regulations on COVID-19. The Gokongwei-led carrier added that it would still operate flights from Manila to Bangkok, Thailand; Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya in Japan; Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan; and Bali, Indonesia until Wednesday.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport  the country's main gateway, Clark International Airport, Subic Bay International Airport, and Bicol International Airport are all affected as they're located in Luzon.

The Philippine government imposed strict home quarantine and tightened travel restrictions over the biggest island in the country as the number of cases of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 rises to 142  with majority of the cases recorded in Luzon.

Who are allowed to travel?

Under the recommendation, all inbound Filipino citizen, including their foreign spouse and children; holders of Permanent Resident Visa; and holders of Diplomat visas will be allowed to enter the country despite the travel restrictions.

However, the Office for Transportation Security said they cannot be fetched by their loved ones from the airport as this is not considered essential travel. OTS Administrator Usec. Raul del Rosario said the Transportation Department is working to help bring them to their homes.

"Meron pang P2P buses sa NAIA. Pwede ring maghatid sa mga darating na OFW papunta sa kanilang bahay ang accredited transport providers but will need approval from IATF," he said in a media briefing on Tuesday.

[Translation: There are still point-to-point buses in NAIA. Accredited transport providers can also bring home the arriving OFWs, but this needs IATF's approval.]

Before the Duterte administration expanded the community quarantine, domestic flights were barred from flying in and out of NAIA.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said separately that all passengers, regardless of nationality, would be allowed to leave the Philippines within the 72-hour leeway unless their flights have been cancelled.
Photo: Glen Korstrom/Business in Vancouver Craig Richmond speaks to media on March 17 next to signs that warn travellers that the Canadian government is advising against any non-essential travel.

What happened: Vancouver Airport Authority CEO Craig Richmond said the current crisis is broader and deeper than 9-11 but vowed to keep his airport open Vancouver International Airport (YVR) no matter how devastating the COVID-19 virus gets.

Why this matters: It's a sign of stability that key infrastructure can be relied on to stay open.

"We have a core team at the airport that will never close, come hell or high water or COVID-19," Richmond said. "We will stay open and be ready to take off again when people start travelling,"

He called the current situation unprecedented. "I have been through a lot  9-11, SARS, all kinds of airline bankruptcies and near bankruptcies, and consolidations, and nothing has ever been like."

Business in Vancouver asked Richmond about the Vancouver Airport Authority's capacity to withstand the shock to the economy and hit to the amount of people who are willing to travel, particularly given a recent briefing by DBRS Morningstar that suggested that the current crisis could prompt Canadian airport authorities to test their credit ratings and financial liquidity.

"We have a very strong financial situation with a double A credit rating, with money in the bank, with the ability to increase our lines of credit, so no, we're no more worried than any other business person would be worried given what we're facing in the world economy today," he said. "It's going to be a bad month but we'll come out the other side of this. One of the things we have to do as an airport is be ready to grab the upside again because the tourism economy is so important to the province of British Columbia."

YVR is one of four Canadian airports that the Canadian government has mandated that most international flights will be funnelled into.

All flights, except those from within Canada, the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Saint Pierre and Miquelon will land at four airports: YVR, Calgary International Airport (YYC), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

Richmond said that all airlines flying to Canada will be required to conduct additional screening measures on passengers at the point of origin, and prevent all passengers who are symptomatic of COVID-19 from boarding flights.

Incoming passengers from all countries will face increased screening from Canada Border Services Agency officers, and customs kiosks will ask passengers if they have symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing or fever. The kiosks will also ask passengers if they are aware that they are asked to self-isolate for 14 days if they are arriving from any international location.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Purdue University will cancel its commencement ceremonies scheduled for May 15-17, according to the registrar's office.

The university announced the move the day after it decided to transition to online learning for the rest of the semester, following recommendations from the CDC amid the coronavirus outbreak.

A virtual ceremony will still take place and all diplomas will be mailed. The registrar's office is encouraging students to still pick up gowns and take pictures with family members. Gowns will be mailed to candidates and will include postage for its return.

Purdue's six commencement ceremonies were scheduled to be held at the Elliott Hall of Music. The venue holds a little more than 6,000 people.

"We will provide an opportunity, if you so choose, for you to take part in a future traditional ceremony, and I promise you we are hard at work to create a special, memorable and fun virtual experience for you and your families as an option for this May. I know you are disappointed. So are we," Purdue President Mitch Daniels wrote in a letter to graduates.

As of Tuesday, there were 30 people diagnosed with the virus in Indiana with two reported deaths. No cases have been reported in Tippecanoe County.

Purdue classes will resume online March 23 following spring break.
The Regional Medical Center is closing its doors to visitors, the Orangeburg Part-Time Players is postponing its upcoming show and other changes have been announced because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Regional Medical Center

The Regional Medical Center is temporarily suspending all visitations effective immediately for the safety of its staff and patients.

Patients and staff are asked to enter through the Dialysis Access Institute, patient registration and emergency department entrances, the hospital announced on its Facebook page Tuesday morning.

Patients with treatments are asked to contact their provider to determine whether the scheduled treatment will take place or be rescheduled.

Individuals with a dry cough, fever and shortness of breath are asked to contact their primary care provider about potential testing and self-quarantine.

Patients with these symptoms are not to enter the building.

Mamma Mia!

The Orangeburg Part-Time Players has postponed its production of "Mamma Mia!" because of concerns over the coronavirus.

The new dates for "Mamma Mia!" are tentatively June 25-28, which were the original dates for the season's second production, "Clue On Stage."

"Clue On Stage" will be moved to the 2021 season.

Tickets that have been purchased for "Mamma Mia!" will be honored for the new dates.

Season ticket holders will receive a credit for either of the JrOPTP productions scheduled for later this year -- "Elf Jr." this summer or "Babes in Toyland" in December -- or can choose to receive a credit on their season ticket purchase next year.

1890 ceremony

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for South Carolina State Universitys 1890 Research and Extension administration and community facility scheduled for March 27 has been postponed.

One Orangeburg County

The One Orangeburg County executive team decided to postpone any taskforce meetings as well as 1,000 town hall meetings.

World Grits Festival

The 2020 Worlds Grits Festival that was to be held in St. George on April 17-19 has been canceled due to the coronavirus. The festival will return in 2021.

Forestry Commission

The S.C. Forestry Commission is restricting access to all five of its state forest offices to the public, effective immediately.

While the forests will remain open to the public for horseback, ATV, motorcycle and bicycle riding, recreational permits for these activities, including for parking at Harbison State Forest, are now only accessible online. Forest visitors can obtain their recreational permits at https://ssl.sc.gov/scfcpermitsales/.

Permits are not required for hikers using the trails on any of the state forests, and hunting is still allowed on Forestry Commission lands in the Wildlife Management Area program.

The Forestry Commission is also:

 Canceling or postponing all facility reservations and scheduled events, and not accepting new reservations for any time in the near future.

 Closing all public facilities on the state forests (restrooms, meeting rooms, rental shelters, camping areas, cabins, rifle ranges).

 Suspending the collection of money in person or through its iron rangers.

The state forest offices, the agency's headquarters and its other satellite offices remain open for business at this time, but with limited public access.

These restrictions will stay in effect until further notice.

Job Corps

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that it is initiating a break for students at the 121 Job Corps centers located in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

There is no evidence of any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any Job Corps center at this time.

The spring break will occur through April 14, and center operators will provide students with either transportation home or alternate living arrangements (including housing and food) for any student without a current residence to which to return.

As with the traditional winter break, some staff may continue onsite for facilities maintenance or staff development and enrichment activities.

The spring break period may be extended beyond April 14.

Upon conclusion of the break, new and returning students will return to their Job Corps centers to continue education and training activities.

Social Security offices

All local Social Security offices will be temporarily closed to the public for in-person service.

If you need help from Social Security:

 Find the online services available www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

 If you cannot conduct your Social Security business online, please contact your local office by phone.

 If you already have an in-office appointment scheduled, the office will call you to handle your appointment over the phone instead. If you have a hearing scheduled, you will be contacted to discuss alternatives for continuing with your hearing, including offering a telephonic hearing.

The Social Security Administration call may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. government phone. Employees will not threaten you or ask for any form of payment.

If you cannot complete your Social Security business online, please call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

State Museum closing

The State Museum has made the decision to temporarily close to the public in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

All upcoming museum programs, events and rentals through Sunday, April 5, are also canceled.

Museum staff will remain on-site and will continue to update the operational status on its website at scmuseum.org.
Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are trading down in early U.S. trading Tuesday, but not in the panic-type fashion seen on Monday. The U.S. stock markets is trading both sides of unchanged as news reports are coming out that are positive on the efforts in finding a vaccine for the coronavirus and also on the treatment of the illness. At the same time reports Tuesday morning are saying the U.S. commercial paper market has seen liquidity dry up, which is very concerning to big corporations that rely on short-term funding. Reports say the Federal Reserve is set to act quickly on the matter and as soon as this morning. April gold futures were last down $12.50 an ounce at $1,474.30. May Comex silver prices were last down $0.481 at $12.335 an ounce.

The gold market in less than two weeks time has lost over $200 an ounce from its multi-year high above $1,700. The sharp sell off in gold highlights the sell what you can trader/investor mentality that continues to grip the global marketplace. Silver prices have careened to an 11-year low this week, with platinum and palladium also suffering sharp losses.

The steep price losses across the raw commodity spectrum, led by crude oil, are raising fears of price deflation setting in for the global economy, including some even mentioning a global economic depression as being possible.

Global stock markets were mixed in overnight trading. U.S. stock indexes are presently pointed toward near steady openings when the New York day session begins, following the record-setting losses scored on Monday and which drove the U.S. stock market deeper into bear market territory. Look for another volatile trading session in the U.S. markets.

The U.S. stock market hit its daily lows on Monday during President Trumps afternoon news conference, in which he painted a bleaker picture of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the U.S. economy. He said it could be August or later before things in the U.S. start to return to normal. Social distancing has dramatically increased and Trump recommended no public gatherings larger than 10 people for at least the next few weeks. Trump acknowledged the U.S. economy will likely slip into recession for at least a short while this year. Traders took note of Trumps more somber demeanor at his press conference, as he seemed more conciliatory and less fiery when asked pointed and even nit-picking gotcha questions by some reporters.

Its very likely many small retail businesses in the U.S., which do not have deep financial pockets, will not survive the social distancing safety measures that appear likely to remain in place for weeks to come, or longer. The U.S. government has promised aid to local main street merchants, but the likely cumbersome and slow process of receiving the federal government aid will be too late for many small businesses to stay afloat.

In overnight news, the closely watched German ZEW economic expectations index for March came in at -43.1 versus -15.7 in February and market expectations for a March reading of -30.0.

One positive note in this dire scenario laid out above is that North Americans appear to be taking the coronavirus outbreak much more seriously than many had initially reckoned. Pundits a couple weeks ago were saying North Americans could not be shut in like the Chinese were forced to do by their government. The dramatic shift in the psychology of North American citizens in just a weeks time is a testament to their resolve. Chinas economy and commerce are reported to be starting to recover after its citizens were shut in for a few weeks.

One more potential positive on this matter could be that a vaccine for the virus could come much sooner than health experts are now forecasting. This long-time market watcher/reporter covered the energy markets during the 1991 first Gulf War. When Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his army were driven out of Kuwait by coalition forces, Saddam set fire to most of the hundreds of Kuwaiti oil wells. The massive fires showed up as big black spots on satellite photos of the entire Middle East. Oil experts said it would be many months or even a couple years before all those fires could be extinguished. Coalition firefighters had all those fires put out in about a months time. Sometimes even experts can be well off the mark on their forecasting.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note sees its yield around 0.8% Monday, which is about the same as later Monday. The U.S. dollar index is solidly higher in early U.S. trading. Nymex crude oil prices are slightly up and trading around $29.00 a barrel.

U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday includes the weekly Goldman Sachs and Johnson Redbook retail sales reports, retail sales, industrial production and capacity utilization, the NAHB housing market index, manufacturing and trade inventories, and the Federal Reserves FOMC meeting begins.

Technically, the gold bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage amid the steep price downdraft. Bulls next upside price objective is to produce a close in April futures above solid resistance at $1,550.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,400.00. First resistance is seen at $1,500.00 and then at the overnight high of $1,519.30. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,465.60 and then at Mondays low of $1,450.90. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0

May silver futures bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage amid the big price downdraft. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $14.00 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $11.00. First resistance is seen at $13.00 and then at the overnight high of $13.23. Next support is seen at $12.00 and then at Mondays low of $11.77. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 1.0.
People arriving at Woodlands Checkpoint on 17 March, 2020. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (17 March) confirmed a new single-day high of 23 COVID-19 cases in Singapore, bringing the total to 266.

A previous single-day high of 17 cases was reported on Monday.

Of the 23 new cases, 17 are imported cases, while two are linked to previous cases. Four currently have no established links.

Separately, five other cases have been discharged from hospital, said the ministry. They are:

Case 122: 64-year-old Singaporean woman linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster Case 123: 47-year-old Singaporean man who had been in South Africa from 14 to 17 February; France from 22 to 24 February Case 131: 66-year-old Singaporean man linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster Case 171: 27-year-old Singaporean man who had been in France from 25 February to 1 March; Spain from 1 to 6 March Case 196: 73-year-old Singaporean woman linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster

In all, 114 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged. 14 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit, up from 13 on Monday.

The MOH also said that contact tracing is underway for 16 locally transmitted cases  of over 160 local transmissions  out of to establish any links to previous cases or travel history to affected countries or regions. Over 100 are imported.

17 IMPORTED CASES

Case 244: Singaporean man who was in Germany, Italy, Switzerland

The 53-year-old Singaporean man had been in Germany from 26 to 29 February, Italy from 29 February to 7 March, and Switzerland from 7 to 14 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). He is linked to Case 243.

He reported onset of symptoms on 7 March. He presented at the emergency department of Gleneagles Hospital on 15 March and was referred to NCID on the same day. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Monday afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at a home office at River Valley Road. He stays at Alexandra Road.

Story continues

Case 246: Canadian man who was in Japan

The 39-year-old man had been in Japan from 23 February to 7 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

He reported onset of symptoms on 9 March. He presented at the emergency department of the SGH on 15 March and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Monday afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, he had visited Singtel Comcentre at 31 Exeter Road. He stays in the Tanjong Pagar area.

Case 247: Singaporean man who was in UK, France

The 41-year-old man had been in the United Kingdom from 5 to 8 March, and again from 10 to 12 March, and France from 8 to 10 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

He reported onset of symptoms on Tuesday and had presented at NCID on the same day. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on the same afternoon. He stays at Tampines Avenue 8.

Case 249: Singapore PR who was in US

The 42-year-old man had been in the United States from 4 to 16 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 250: British man who was in UK, Austria

The 28-year-old man, who holds a Singapore work pass, had been in the United Kingdom and Austria from 29 February to 14 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 253: Singaporean man who was in Spain

The 24-year-old man had been in Spain from 12 February to 16 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 254: Female Singapore PR who was in France

The 43-year-old woman had been in France from 22 February to 13 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 255: Swedish man who was in Norway, Denmark, Sweden

The 44-year-old man, who holds a Singapore work pass, had been in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden from 1 to 9 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 257: French teen who was in UK

The 19-year-old boy, who holds a Singapore long-term pass, had been in the United Kingdom from 16 October last year to 14 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH).

Case 258: Male Indian national who was in Europe

The 47-year-old man had been in Europe from 9 February to 15 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 259: Singaporean woman who was in Philippines

The 30-year-old woman had been in the Philippines from 7 to 9 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 261: American man who was in US, France

The 30-year-old man, who holds a Singapore work pass, had been in the United States from 23 February to 9 March, and France from 9 to 15 March. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 262: Indonesian woman who was in UK

The 20-year-old woman had been in the United Kingdom from late January to 16 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Cases 263 & 266: Singaporean woman, man who were in Spain, Portugal

The 52-year-old woman (case 263) had been in Spain from 6 to 8 March and again from 9 to 14 March, and Portugal from 8 to 9 March. She is linked to case 266, a 63-year-old Singaporean man who had travelled to these countries at the same time.

The duo were confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and are currently warded in isolation rooms at NCID.

Case 264: Indonesian woman who came to Singapore

The 41-year-old woman had arrived in Singapore on Tuesday. She was confirmed to have COVID- 19 infection the next morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 265: Singaporean woman who was in UK

The 25-year-old woman who had been in the United Kingdom from 6 to 14 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

TWO LINKED TO PREVIOUS CASES

Case 251: 59-year-old Singaporean woman linked to 186

The Singaporean woman had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

She is a family member of case 186, a 64-year-old Singaporean man who also had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 12 March.

The man is linked to Case 166  both are linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster, the largest here with 47 cases.

Case 256: 32-year-old Filipina linked to 205

The woman, who holds a Singapore work pass, has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

She is linked to an imported case 205, a 30-year-old Filipina who had been in the Philippines from 27 February to 6 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 14 March.

(Cases 245, 248, 252 and 260)

FOUR CASES WITH NO ESTABLISHED LINKS

Case 245: 76-year-old Singaporean man

The man had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is currently warded in an isolation room at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

He reported onset of symptoms on 12 March, and was conveyed by ambulance to SGH on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Monday afternoon.

Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at Marina One West Tower at 9 Straits View. He stays at Boon Lay Drive.

Case 248: 23-year-old Malaysian woman who was in home country

The 23-year-old woman, who holds a Singapore work pass, had been in Malaysia from 12 to 13 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 252: 66-year-old Singaporean man who was in Malaysia

The man had been in Malaysia from 25 to 29 February. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

Case 260: 48-year-old female Singapore PR

The 48-year-old woman had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at Farrer Park Hospital.

Updates on cases 233-243: 6 imported

The ministry also provided updates on 11 of 17 cases announced on Monday.

Case 233 is an imported case involving a 61-year-old British man, who holds a Singapore long-term pass, and had been in the United Kingdom from 6 to 13 March.

He reported onset of symptoms on 15 March and had sought treatment at the emergency department of Parkway East Hospital on 15 March. He was referred to NCID on the same day. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. He stays at East Coast Road.

Case 234 is an 86-year-old Singaporean man who had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions.

He reported onset of symptoms on 28 February, and had sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic and Bukit Merah Polyclinic on 2, 9 and 14 March.

He presented at the emergency department of SGH on 14 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. He stays at Telok Blangah Heights.

Case 235 is a 31-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions and is linked to case 208.

She reported onset of symptoms on 11 March and had sought treatment at SGHs staff clinic on 13 and 14 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning.

Prior to hospital admission, she had gone to work as a medical social worker at SGH at Outram Road. She stays at Bukit Batok West Avenue 8.

Case 208 is a 26-year-old Singaporean woman who tested positive for the virus on Saturday morning and had no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. Both women are part of four cases linked to a cluster at the Church of Singapores Bukit Timah branch, which was announced on Monday.

Case 236 is a 30-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is a family member of case 219, a 30-year-old Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer, and is linked to cases 142 and 211.

As she had been identified as a contact of case 142, she was placed under quarantine since 9 March. She reported onset of symptoms on 10 March and was conveyed by ambulance to NCID on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. She stays at Bishan Street 22.

Case 142 is a 26-year-old Singaporean man who tested positive for the virus on 7 March, and is linked to two clusters: SAFRA Jurong and Boulder+. Case 211 is a 35-year-old Filipina who holds a Singapore long-term pass and confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 15 March. She is also linked to case 142 as well.

Case 237 is a 36-year-old Indonesian woman, who holds a Singapore work pass, with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is linked to case 225, a 63-year-old Singaporean man who is an imported case who had been in Indonesia from 3 to 7 March.

She reported onset of symptoms on 12 March and had sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic on 13 March. As she had been identified as a contact of case 225, she was referred by the MOH to NCID on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. She stays at Beach Road.

Case 238 is an imported case involving an 83-year-old female Belgium national who arrived in Singapore on 6 March.

She reported onset of symptoms on 14 March and had sought treatment at Raffles Hospital on 15 March. She was referred to NCID on 15 March and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. Prior to hospital admission, she mostly stayed in the Jalan Besar area.

Case 239 is an imported case involving a 28-year-old British man, who holds a Singapore work pass and had been in France from 7 to 14 March. He is linked to Case 241, also a 28-year-old British man, who holds a Singapore work pass and had been in France in the same period.

He reported onset of symptoms on 14 March and was referred to NCID upon arrival in Singapore. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. He stays at Cairnhill Rise.

Case 240 is an imported case involving a 27-year-old male Singapore PR who had been in Spain from 7 to 14 March and a family member of case 229, a 26-year-old female Singapore PR who had been in Spain from 14 February to 14 March.

He reported onset of symptoms on 14 March and had presented at NCID on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. He stays at Kim Keat Road.

Case 241 is an imported case involving a 28-year-old British man, who holds a Singapore work pass and had been in France from 7 to 14 March. He is linked to Case 239.

He reported onset of symptoms on 11 March while in France, and was referred to NCID upon arrival in Singapore on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. He stays in the Cairnhill Road area.

Case 242 is a 64-year-old Singaporean woman who had been in Malaysia on 7 and 8 March. She is linked to Case 166, a 55-year-old Singaporean woman linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster.

The 64-year-old woman reported onset of symptoms on 14 March. As she had been identified as a contact of case 166, she was issued a home quarantine order on 11 March.

She was conveyed to NCID on 15 March. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. She stays at Gangsa Road.

Case 243 is an imported case involving a 36-year-old Singaporean man who had been in Germany from 26 to 29 February, Italy from 29 February to 7 March, and Switzerland from 7 to 14 March. He is linked to Case 244.

He reported onset of symptoms on 11 March. He presented at NCID on 15 March, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Tuesday morning. Prior to hospital admission, he had gone to work at a home office at River Valley Road. He stays at Havelock Road.

Most remaining cases stable; over 2k currently quarantined

Most of the remaining 152 cases who are still hospitalised are stable or improving. 14 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

As of Tuesday noon, the MOH has identified 5,939 close contacts who have been quarantined. Of these, 2,062 are currently quarantined, and 3,877 have completed their quarantine.

The health ministry also reiterated its advice for Singaporeans to defer all non-essential travel abroad.

COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong on Tuesday made a plea to Singaporeans to cancel all upcoming travel plans, where possible.

Wong, who is also National Development Minister, said, It puts everyone at risk  you put yourself at risk, you put your family members and people around you at risk. We ask Singaporeans, residents to think through before you make any travel plans.

We are not locking our borders, shutting our borders, stopping people from travelling, but please encourage and urge people to defer all travel at this particular juncture."

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

Companies in Singapore hit by Malaysia lockdown to get $50 per night over 2 weeks for each affected workers lodging

Flow of goods, food supplies will continue during Malaysia lockdown: PM Lee

Temporary closure of Singapore mosques to be extended for 9 more days, real risk of large cluster: Muis
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Santa Cruz County Bank (OTC Pink: SCZC), with assets over $1 billion, is a top rated community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz County. Today the bank announced its Board of Directors' declaration of a quarterly cash dividend in the amount of $0.075 per share. The dividend is payable on April 10, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2020. This is the twenty-eighth consecutive quarterly cash dividend declared by the bank.

On October 18, 2019, Santa Cruz County Bank and Lighthouse Bank completed the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and Merger. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Santa Cruz County Bank reported $12.3 million in net income, an increase of 8%, compared to 2018. Return on average equity was 12.31% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The book value per share of Santa Cruz County Bank's common stock at December 31, 2019 was $39.25, compared to $27.98 as of December 31, 2018. Shareholders' equity grew to $151.1 million, an $82.6 million increase from $68.5 million the prior year.

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BANK

Santa Cruz County Bank was founded in 2004. It is a top-rated, locally-owned and operated, full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. The bank has seven branchesAptos, Capitola, Cupertino, Santa Cruz (2), Scotts Valley and Watsonville. Santa Cruz County Bank is distinguished from "big banks" by its relationship-based service, problem-solving focus, and direct access to decision makers. The bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley, and a top USDA lender in the state of California. As a full-service bank, Santa Cruz County Bank offers competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction lending, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment, and treasury management. True to its community roots, Santa Cruz County Bank has supported regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local not-for-profit organizations.

Santa Cruz County Bank stock is publicly traded on the OTC marketplace under the symbol SCZC. Stock purchase orders may be placed online, through a brokerage firm, or through Market Makers listed in the Investor Relations section of the bank's website. For more information about Santa Cruz County Bank, visit www.sccountybank.com.

NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL RATINGS AND AWARDS

Financial Management Consulting (FMC) Group: Santa Cruz County Bank has ranked in FMC's top ten banks in California for the past five years.

The Findley Reports, Inc.: The Bank has received the top ranking of Super Premier by Findley for nine consecutive years.

Bauer Financial Reports, Inc.: Santa Cruz County Bank is rated 5-star "Superior" based upon its financial performance.

American Banker Magazine: Santa Cruz County Bank ranked 12nd out of 601 institutions in American Banker Magazine's "Top Performing 200 Community Banks & Thrifts in the United States" based upon 3-year average return on equity. The Bank ranked 4th out of 26 California banks. The Bank has ranked in the Top 200 Community Banks in the United States for six consecutive years.

The Bank ranks 4th in the Silicon Valley for the number of SBA loans lent to Silicon Valley businesses for the SBA's 2019 fiscal year.

SOURCE Santa Cruz County Bank

Related Links

http://www.sccountybank.com


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:32:11|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Over 600 medical workers from 22 Beijing hospitals have been sent to a SARS treatment hospital that reopened Monday amid the capital's mounting pressure to handle imported coronavirus cases, local authorities said Tuesday.

From 5:00 p.m. to midnight on Monday, the hospital received 35 passengers waiting for health screenings from Beijing Capital International Airport, with one person traveling from the United Kingdom being confirmed, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

The Xiaotangshan hospital, located in the city's northern suburb, has more than 1,600 beds after renovation. It is used for receiving inbound passengers awaiting health screening as well as suspected and confirmed imported cases in mild conditions.

The hospital was formerly used to quarantine and treat SARS patients, but Beijing started to renovate the hospital on Jan. 30 as a precaution in the face of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Some 15,000 people worked on the renovation, which was completed on March 15. A total of 59,584 square meters have been added, and 22,483 square meters have been renovated, according to the commission.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been working on bailout plans for businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night advised Britons to avoid pubs and clubs in a bid to control the spread of the virus.

But venue owners have slammed the PM for not telling them to close, as they could then claim on their insurance to save their businesses.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been working on bailout plans for businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak. Cases of the coronavirus across the UK have now risen to more than 1,500

New Chancellor Sunak, who had just unveiled his budget less than a week ago, is poised to talk with the PM on the economic shocks caused by the virus, according to The Times.

He will discuss 'more help' for sectors including pubs, theatres, clubs and cinemas as they cope with the outbreak, the paper reported.

Those who own firms in sectors including hospitality and catering could see their livelihoods destroyed as businesses go bust.

Cases of the coronavirus across the UK have now risen to 1,543, with 55 deaths; but there is likely to be many more as tests are being carried out on patients in hospital.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night advised Britons to avoid pubs and clubs in a bid to control the spread of the virus. But venue owners have slammed the PM for not telling them to close

As he urged Britons to avoid unnecessary social contact and to start home working, the PM last night accepted that the situation was 'difficult'.

Mr Johnson said in the Government's nightly press conference: 'Clearly what we are announcing today is a very substantial change in the way that we want people to live their lives and I can't remember anything like it in my life time, I don't think there has really been anything like it in peacetime'.

In France, shops, restaurants and all 'non-indispensable' businesses have been forced to shut.

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed last night in a television address that 'no business will go bust' because of social distancing rules in the country.

He told the French people they would have to stay home unless they were shopping for food or going to a pharmacy, going to absolutely essential work, or exercising alone.

He announced a 273million (300 million euro) bailout package to help businesses in the country.

In Germany, they announced bars, clubs, and museums will be closed to slow the spread.
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From space, a pattern was spotted near the Martian North Pole. This "tiramisu" like patter is the Mars ice caps which can show evidence of climate change. This may indicate that Mars was once covered in water, which is now dry and desolate.

NASA wrote that "The Martian ice cap looks like cake and has layers that tell a tale. One that is climate change on Mars."

The imagery of a section of the north polar layered deposits (NPLD), does look like a piece of tiramisu cake. NLPD is composed of water-ice and dust particles that overlap one another. Over the layers of crust are seasonal carbon dioxide frost that appears built up over one another as the spacecraft took pictures, high in orbit.

Some other valid observations is these layers are complex enough to trap air pockets that have preserve gases of epochs ago that will be samples of older climates. Quoting NASA, "In the end, it's not always a piece of cake studying NPLD on Mars but, where there is cake, there is hope." The statement is emphasizing the importance of the find.

NASA discovered an unknow hole on the surface of Mars that could be clues to caves wherein life can survive even with the dryness of the Martian terrain.

This hole was found unexpectedly by examining the slopes of Mars' Pavonis Mons volcano, which is dusty too. These images were captured by the HiRISE instrument aboard on the robotic Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter craft, trapped in Martian orbit for now.

More analysis of the caves with estimations that the openings were 35 meters wide, with the shadow allowing modest deep of 20 meters across, near Mars ice caps.

Also read: Curiosity Rover Finds Possible Proof of Life in Mars



Mystery surrounds the circular crater. No one is sure how deep or large is the cavernous bottom.

If there is one place to spot any Martian life forms, these caves might be a form of a protected microhabitat. A good chance exists that it might have life indeed whether simple and complex.

Checking these pits will be the job of other more advanced spacecraft, robotic AI, or if possible human space explorers.

Scientists told NASA that Mars is losing water faster than expected. It might not be able to support life, once the planet's moisture reaches critical and alien life will become extinct.

A research said that there are detectable water vapors gathering in large amounts and more than expected proportions, at an altitude of higher than 80 km in the atmosphere of the Red planet.

Certain areas of the Martian atmosphere is reaching super-saturation, with vapor that is more than the expected amount that could exist. Presence of moisture are signs that water still exists and affects Martian seasons too.

With that, it can be concluded that Mars is more arid than it is estimated to be, with life not able to take root there.

The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique said Mars is losing moisture faster, compared to earlier theories and prior observations suggested before.

The water in the upper atmospheric limits of mars is observed which can be affected by sunlight with chemical reactions that separate water, creating hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that fly off into space.

This discovery make scientists think that billions of years ago, Mars was alive with water but it became dry and arid. Most of the planet is dead, but the Mars ice caps might hold clues to its past.

Related article: Scientists Still Trying to Find Life Existence in Mars

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Malaysia has recovered USD 322 million stolen from the scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, officials said Tuesday -- a fraction of the more than USD 4.5 billion US prosecutors say was looted.

Another USD 1.6 billion plundered from 1Malaysia Development Berhad has been identified and steps are being taken to recover the money, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's office said.

Former top officials at the state fund and their cronies allegedly stole billions from 1MDB and used the money to buy items ranging from a super yacht to artwork.

The massive fraud allegedly involved ex-prime minister Najib Razak and his inner circle.

The allegations contributed to Najib's shock 2018 election loss, and he has since been put on trial over the scandal. He denies any wrongdoing.

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who led a coalition that toppled Najib from power at the polls, had spearheaded efforts to recover the looted money.

But Mahathir abruptly resigned last month after his coalition collapsed amid a powerplay.

This paved the way for Muhyiddin to become prime minister with the support of Najib's United Malays National Organisation party, sparking concern his trials and others linked to the 1MDB scandal could be affected.

Malaysia has not given an estimate of how much money was stolen from 1MDB.

But the US Department of Justice, which is investigating the theft due to claims money was laundered through the American financial system, believes USD 4.5 billion was siphoned off.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:20:18|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's non-performing loans in the banking industry have increased due to impacts from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but the risks are under control, the country's banking regulator said Tuesday.

China's bad loans have steadily climbed amid the outbreak and will continue to rise in the coming months, said Xiao Yuanqi, chief risk officer of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, adding that the risks are controllable.

By the end of February, outstanding non-performing loans in the country's banking financial institutions excluding those in Hubei Province reached 3.3 trillion yuan (470.8 billion U.S. dollars), with the bad loan ratio standing at 2.08 percent, up 0.05 percentage points from a month ago, data showed.

Xiao said the impacts from COVID-19 are rather short-lived, as cash flows of companies will return to normal as business activities resume.

China has rolled out a string of measures to ease corporate burden, including tax and fee cuts as well as targeted monetary measures, all of which will help increase market liquidity and support companies to tide over the difficult period, Xiao said.


A substantial quantity of a substance suspected to be cocaine (to be confirmed through forensic analysis) was seized in a premises located in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot yesterday, along with encrypted communications devices, in the course of this search.

The estimated street value of the controlled substance that has been seized, is in the region of 350,000 (subject to confirmation, following forensic analysis).

The search was part of an ongoing intelligence-led investigation, targeting serious crime engaged in by an organised crime group (OCG), in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, personnel attached to the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and a Special Crime Task Force SCTF).

One person, a male aged 29, who was in the premises at the time it was entered, was arrested and conveyed to Clondalkin garda station, where he remains detained, pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

Following the seizure of controlled drugs, Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll, who heads the Garda Siochanas special crime operations said:

"The Garda Siochana is alert to the fact that particular criminals and organised crime groups may continue to operate while we are tackling issues associated with the existence of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) or may attempt to take advantage of its existence.

For this purpose, each of the bureaus within special crime operations is targeting particular criminals and OCGs who are known or suspected to engage in a wide range of criminal activity and will continue to do so until the virus no longer represents a problem within the communities we serve.
Action to stop coronavirus which limits civil liberties is acceptable but only in short term, human rights experts warn.

London, United Kingdom  As COVID-19 spreads, an increasing number of countries are declaring unprecedented border closures and restrictions on their citizens free movement, with European governments introducing measures unheard of in peacetime.

Nearly 200,000 people have contracted the infection worldwide. Of these, more than 7,000 have died, as nearly 80,000 recovered.

On Tuesday, European Union leaders agreed to close the blocs borders for 30 days. It would be down to European countries to implement the closure of their borders to citizens from third countries, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

All 445 million citizens and residents of the EU now live under some degree of movement restrictions.

On Tuesday, France became the latest European country after Italy and Spain to start a 15-day lockdown, deploying 100,000 police officers and setting up checkpoints across the country.

If they carry the proper paperwork, citizens are allowed to buy groceries and other necessities, and for health or work reasons, where this cannot be carried out from home.

But those found to be breaking the rules risk a 135-euro ($150) fine. France has reported more than 6,000 coronavirus cases and almost 150 deaths.

We need to ensure that when the emergency ends, states return to normal and do not continue to use these powers in ways they were not intended to do. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism

Italy, now the most affected country after China with more than 2,000 deaths concentrated in the northern regions, last week imposed a total lockdown, closing all bars and shops, with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies.

Schools, offices and all non-essential services have been shut down. If stopped by police, residents must provide a self-declaration form justifying a reason for being out and confirming they do not have the virus.

If found to be lying, they could face a 206-euro ($226) fine and up to three months in prison.

UN human rights experts called on states to tread carefully, warning against misusing emergency powers invoked.

The danger is that states, particularly non-democratic or less open societies, would use the opportunity given by the health emergency to crack down on particular minority groups, or individuals or groups that they see as highly problematic, Fionnuala Ni Aolain, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, told Al Jazeera.

We need to ensure that when the emergency ends, states return to normal and do not continue to use these powers in ways they were not intended to do, she said, adding that emergency powers introduced after 9/11 and still in place after 20 years constitute an undesirable precedent.

States might find, as we often see in the counterterrorism space, that extensive powers are very comfortable, and they give them a lot more leeway than they usually have. The key point is that leeway shouldnt be used indefinitely.

Spain declared a state of emergency on Saturday and imposed a nationwide lockdown for over two weeks to stop the virus spreading from its local epicentre in Madrid.

Spanish officials have already said that they expect to renew the measures. Nearly 500 people have died after contracting the virus in Spain, the second worst-affected European country.

The Spanish government deployed more than 1,000 army personnel in 14 cities to help police enforce the lockdown. According to Reuters, 199 people were fined and one person was arrested as of Monday for breaking the rules.

Italian police carry out checks after further restrictions amid the coronavirus emergency lockdown came into effect, in Rome [Angelo Carconi/EPA-EFE]

The general rule is that restrictions on rights, like were seeing right now, are legitimate and permissible, if theyre lawful, to meet a legitimate objective, and if they are imposed for the shortest amount of time and proportionate to the objective, Judith Sunderland, associate director at Human Rights Watchs Europe and Central Asia division, told Al Jazeera.

The big question is how governments mitigate the worst impact of these measures, particularly on the most vulnerable in our society.

UK-based rights group Liberty called for more transparency from the UK government, which critics have said is not acting drastically enough to contain the virus.

In recent days, however, the UK has stepped up its rhetoric and strongly urged more stringent social distancing measures and closures.

According to the Health Protection Coronavirus Regulations published by the government last month, failure to comply with self-isolation rules can be punished with a fine of up to 1,000 pounds ($1,200), and anyone who is suspected to be ill and found outside can be temporarily detained.

We need the government to offer solutions that build resilience, support vulnerable people and protect communities  criminalisation and over-policing must not be the go-to answer, said Libertys director, Martha Spurrier.

Any new guidance and legislation issued in the coming weeks and months must be proportionate and time-limited and must have fair and equal access to care at its heart.
A new directive by the state Department of Education waives the 180-day school requirement for all schools, with state officials noting that the statewide school closures will likely go on for weeks.

Due to changes in CDC guidance, in which they suggest that there may be long-term cancellations of classes ... we are planning to reduce your reporting requirements and eliminate individual district applications for 180-day waivers, reads a directive issued Monday by Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona.

Gov. Ned Lamonts order for a statewide closure of schools had set a March 31 end date, but left the door open to an extension. Allowing the days at home to count as school days gives districts a firm schedule to work with for figuring out an end date for the school year  no matter how long the closures last.

Until now, districts had to go until June 30 before the 180 days would be waived. Now all distance learning days will count as school days.

Cardona said the department focus now is on helping districts provide students with continuing educational opportunities. The department is calling on the states regional education service centers, such as Cooperative Education Services and Area Cooperative Education Services, to help school districts with resources and materials.

Districts are advised to start planning lessons providing students with these opportunities immediately.

Cardonas office said they are basically telling districts to switch from supplemental learning activities to more long-term instructional lessons.

On Tuesday, school superintendents were given an 18-page resource guide with links to a number of online learning platforms designed for students in Grades PK-12. Districts have the authority to devise designed their own plans and lessons. The expectations are the same as if students were in school.

It is not clear how the state will monitor whether the work being sent home is being done. The state says the expectation is that districts will continue to engage all students to the greatest extent possible, consistent with federal and state guidance.

The state has yet to give direction on spring standardized testing although it appears likely the school administered SAT will be postponed.

Some districts have already begun work. Others are still planning. All are expected to begin by Monday.

In Bridgeport, Acting Schools Superintendent Michael Testani has asked teachers to report to school on Thursday and Friday to copy grade level packets of materials for students who do not have internet access or devices at home. The plan is for parents without internet or device access at home to collect the packets on Monday.

For students with internet access, the same materials will be loaded to the district website on a distance learning portal according to the current plan.

In an email to the school board, Testani said the district has to consider every one of the 20,000 plus student in the district. The district has over 3,400 students that receive special education services and more than 4,100 English language learners.

They will be included in how we make decisions, Testani wrote.

Students with Individual Education Plans will have packets ready for pickup at the schools on Monday as well.

In order for distance learning to count as school days, teachers will have to be engaged with students and families using email and other methods of communication.

I know everyone is on edge but we need to be flexible and at the end of the day well do the best we can in a difficult uncharted situation, Bridgeport Education Association President Gary Peluchette said in an email to faculty.

In Ansonia, where the district has never had a one-to-one ratio of students to computers, Schools Superintendent Joseph DiBacco said the plan is to use packets of materials to start and then roll out a Chromebook and online platform as they get more direction from the state Department of Education.

We need to get a digital platform up and running in a few days, DiBacco said. I am interested to see what the state recommends as an acceptable online platform.

Stratford on Monday offered families that didnt have access to a computer an opportunity to visit certain schools in town to pick up a borrowed Chromebook.

Stratford students are being asked to use Google Classroom, where they get and complete online lessons from their teachers.

Schools and teachers collaborated but each has puts its own spin on this, according to Stratford Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson.

At Nichols School, for instance, fourth-grade classroom teachers collaborated to create a folder of work for students to complete. There is a daily schedule to follow. Breaks are encouraged.

A packet of worksheets were also sent home last week for students with no internet access. In that case, parents need to submit the packets for the child to earn credit. Specialists, including music and art teachers, are also posting activities to complete.

At Stratford Academy Johnson House, Principal Maureen DiDomenico, said in addition to lessons and assignments, daily messages of kindness are being posted. There will soon be a contest for students to write a school song and the schools reading specialist is posting daily Read Alouds  similar to what she would be doing in the classroom.

In Fairfield, where distance learning instruction officially began on Tuesday, online instruction was to begin at 9 a.m. for the high school, 10 a.m. for the middle school and 11 a.m. for elementary school students.

A message went out to Fairfield parents on the district website giving instructions for each grade level.

We are approaching this day as if it is the first day of school, Fairfield Schools Superintendent Michael Cummings said in his message to parents. On the first day of school, you get your books and materials, find your seat, navigate the halls, and figure out how to open your locker.

That has all become virtual.

Cummings warned there will be a learning curve  for everyone.

We are now learning all of this together, Cummings added. How to communicate, pace lessons, assess student learning needs and support social and emotional needs will all be a work in progress.

Sheltons Interim Superintendent Beth Smith said the districts Office of Teaching and Learning has put together district resources to support a Distance Learning Plan that will be ready to be communicated on Wednesday.

Some still worry about how equitable online learning from home will be between districts.

Bridgeport school board member Joseph Sokolovic said if the closure is long term, things will get worse for students who are already behind academically.

Many of our surrounding suburbs are able to implement distance learning, get private tutors and other options to minimize the impact on their childrens education, Sokolovic said. Bridgeport however does not have the luxury of Wi-fi in every home.

If the closure persists for the rest of the school year, Sokolovic also worries about grades, promotion, and graduation.

On social media on Monday, a number of local teachers starting putting the word out that they were available to help students and parents who get stuck.

Staff writer Brian Gioiele contributed to this report.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba, Chinese e-commerce company, has announced a donation of 1.1 million testing kits and six million masks...





Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba, Chinese e-commerce company, has announced a donation of 1.1 million testing kits and six million masks to fight coronavirus in Africa.





Twenty-seven African countries have recorded cases of COVID-19, the latest being Benin, Liberia, Somalia and Tanzania.





In a statement on Monday, Ma said the world cannot afford the consequences of a COVlD-19 pandemic in Africa.





We can take precautions now and get prepared ahead of time as Africa can benefit from the experience and lessons from other countries that were earlier hit hard by the virus, he said.





To combat the potential surging demand for medical supplies and equipment in Africa, Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation will donate to each one of the 54 African nations 20, 000 testing kits, 100,000 masks, and 1,000 medical use protective suits and face shields.





In addition, we will immediately start working with medical institutions in Africa to provide online training material for COVID-19 clinical treatment.





In total, 1.1 million testing kits, 6 million masks, and 60,000 medical use protective suits and face shields will be delivered to Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.





He said Abiy Ahmed Ali, prime minister of Ethiopia, has agreed to take the lead in managing the logistics and distribution of the supplies to the other African countries.





The renowned entrepreneur said the crisis is proving to be more difficult and longer lasting than was expected, and efforts must be made at preparing against it.





He said the past two months had shown that proactive measures would help in containing the virus.





Now it is as if we were all living in the same forest on fire. As members of the global community, it would be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts or fail to act. We need to take action now! he said.
According to police, the woman accused Sweeney of striking her in the face with a purse before the two struggled and both fell to the ground. When interviewed several days later, the woman said she was knocked backwards when Sweeney struck her with a purse and a bag and that she responded by grabbing Sweeney to slow her fall.
There is a widespread perception that the Democrat Party is the party the working class and the Republican Party is the party of big business. Even though Republicans on average received slightly more from corporate employees prior to 2002, the overall difference between both parties from 1990 to 2020 is statistically insignificant (Table 1). In fact, Democrat reliance on big labor gradually shifted toward big business following the involvement of solidly Democrat corporate giants in 2002, and from 2014 to 2020, Democrats consistently surpassed Republicans in corporate donations (Tables 1 & 2).

Based on data compiled by Open Secrets, Soros Fund Management, Fahr LLC (Tom Steyer), and Bloomberg LP ranked among the top ten for political contributions that gave over 90% to Democrats. In sharp contrast, the right-leaning Koch Industries made the top ten only in 2014. In nearly all other years, Koch ranked well below the top twenty.

Whether or not this trend is long-term, there is no denying that large corporations on average no longer lean right. But what does it mean to be "the party of big business"? Donations are not definitive evidence. What ultimately matters is what politicians do once they get elected.

Many liberals believe that big government is needed to "rein in" big business and that in the absence of federal intervention, corporations will "run roughshod" over the average American. Many liberals also believe that corporations are the main beneficiaries of laissez-faire economics and that free-market conservatives who want to scale back regulations are somehow "in the pocket" of big business.

In reality, the opposite is true: big business and big government go hand in hand because government meddling in the economy encourages rent-seeking by businesses that can afford to pay for the lobbyists. This crony capitalism grew exponentially as a result of New Deal regulations that squeezed out competitors during the 1930s. Establishment politicians and well connected corporations are beneficiaries of the myth that big government and big business are adversaries because it hides their unholy alliance.

In all fairness, neither party has had a monopoly on the dispensation of corporate welfare: the TARP funds that propped up financial institutions deemed "too big to fail" during the Great Recession were released by the Bush administration. In addition, establishment Republicans are no better than Democrats at stemming the flow of illegal immigration because big businesses reap the benefits of this cheap labor without incurring any of the social costs.

If both parties are playing this game, what is the basis for labeling the Democrat party "the party of big business"? What policies from Republicans support small business?

Free-market conservatism benefits small businesses because the government does not pick the winners and losers by means of subsidies, tax breaks, and cumbersome regulations. You will not see policies like these coming from Washington in a major way because proposals for shrinking the federal government rarely see the light of day in Congress.

Based on data collected by Gallup and Thumbtack, red states far outscore blue states in small business friendliness (Table 3). This may be why less affluent Americans are fleeing states that score abysmally like California, Illinois, New York, and Hawaii. This might also be why small businessowners are more likely to vote Republican.

The Trump administration has been good for businesses of all sizes mainly due to the unprecedented rate at which it scaled back stifling regulations. This may be why some of the president's highest approval ratings now come from small businesses.

Donald Trump set himself apart from the ruling class when he latched onto the third-rail issue of illegal immigration and called out the corporate darling Jeb Bush (AKA "Low Energy Jeb") for his lack of grassroots support. This may explain in part why Bain Capital, the firm co-founded by Mitt Romney, switched teams and contributed solidly Democrat in 2018. In 2012, Democrats accused Bain Capital of destroying jobs by systematically dismantling the companies it bought off. Times have changed...

Small businesses generate well over half of all new jobs. Most importantly, many are family-owned, have strong ties to their communities, and provide upward mobility for millions of Americans who never attended college. The Democrats' undermining of this quintessentially American institution is shameful and disqualifies it as the "party of the working class." Contributions from big labor do not count toward "labor-friendliness" because mega-unions care more about recruitment than about the welfare of working Americans. This is why the SEIU supports blanket amnesty for illegal aliens.

Democrats fed up with the corporate status quo are now choosing their own anti-establishment candidate, not realizing that socialism is just a more impoverished version of the crony capitalism they are rejecting. Many Sanders-supporters are also morally shallow because they want to harness the power of the state to muscle in on the wealth of Americans who borrowed responsibly and worked hard to pay their bills.

After the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin said, "This Constitution ... is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism ... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government." If Democrats implement the dystopian policies of California on a national level, their corporate allies will do fine. It is small businessowners and working-class Americans with nowhere to flee who have the most to lose. Be careful what you wish for.

To view the tables below, click the links.

Table 1: Top contributors to Democrats and Republicans as compiled by Open Secrets.

*The red lettering highlights a funding advantage for Republicans. The blue lettering highlights a funding disadvantage for Republicans.

**Based on a T-test, the difference is insignificant at P = 0.46

Table 2: Top ten contributors to Democrats and Republicans by category (union, corporate, and ideological) as compiled by Open Secrets:

*In 2008 Goldman Sachs donated 74% to Democrats. All other groups in this column donated between 40 and 69% to both parties. This column does not differentiate between giving equally to both parties and giving 7079% to Democrats or Republicans.

**This number includes the "City of New York." Although it is officially listed as "other" by Open Secrets (not corporate, union, or ideological), I was personally informed by someone from the organization that Michael Bloomberg was the main source of this funding.

Table 3: Small business scores states scored by Thumbtack ranked according to their Democratic advantage by Gallup:

*GPA scores are based on the following numerical equivalents: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0, A+ = 4.3, A- = 3.7, etc.

** Not scored.

***Mean GPA  standard error. Based on a T-test, the difference is significant at P = 0.00001.

Image: OccupyFightsForeclosures via Flickr.
Concerns about the spread of coronavirus have prompted school closing, shuttered some non-essential businesses, and caused many to telework.

Its also put the phrase social distancing into our collective minds, but what exactly does that mean, and how does one practice it?

We asked an expert a few questions on the topic.

Dr. Jeff Martin is a Professor and the Chief of the Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services Research in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, so he knows a thing or two about viruses and pandemics, and believes that social distancing will be the key to slowing down the spread of coronavirus.

"Social distancing now is one of the greatest calls for altruism, Martin said for a story published on UCSFs website.

People arent asked to do this to protect themselves, its really to protect those who are most susceptible.

Kids are home from classes and the weather forecast is calling for warmer temperatures, which means many might be wondering about whether or not a trip to the playground is OK. Similarly, is it safe to take an elderly friend, family member, or neighbor some dinner?

The key to social distancing is to limit the number of new contacts you have, Martin 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.

PennLive sent Martin a series of questions on the topic, and you can read his responses below:

Can I have a friend over?

Dr. Jeff Martin: It would be better if you interacted with that friend online.

Can I go to a playground?

JM: Yes, but you should keep your distance from others (6 feet) and avoid touching the equipment. This may be impossible for young children so other activities (small groups) would be better.

Can I stand in a line in the grocery store?

JM: Yes, but keep your distance from those in line. This is not hard to do.

Can I take food to my neighbors? Even if theyre elderly?

JM: It would be best if you left food at their doorstep.

Can I have my parents over for dinner?

JM: "If they are older, it would be best if you interacted with them by phone or online."

Can I go to a non-crowded restaurant (Note that Pennsylvania restaurants are currently only open for take out or delivery)?

JM: Yes, but limit your interactions to your party and avoid touching doorknobs or railings. Your party should be limited to those you are already interacting with (say, your nuclear family).

More PennLive coronavirus coverage:
.@PrinceWilkins and his dance partner Lily are in a bit of a pickle after his dad @RichardWilkins tested positive for #coronavirus. We thought we'd check in on them to see what they're up to in self-isolation. #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/AKuaT1XLlt  Studio 10 (@Studio10au) March 17, 2020

Christian Wilkins and dancer Lily Cornish, currently performing on Dancing with the Stars, have gone into self-isolation.

Both are taking precautions following Wilkins father Richard Wilkins testing positive to COVID-19.

They told Studio 10 today they were still rehearsing, despite the limited room space, and expect to be cleared.

When asked how it might impact the show if their result was positive, Wilkins said, I would assume all the other contestants would need to be tested, and if they are being tested then they need to go into self-isolation.

Both indicated they feel fine with no symptoms.

Thank god we like each other! Wilkins joked.

Yesterday Angela Bishop told Studio 10 she too was self-isolating after meeting with Richard Wilkins over the past week.

In New York City Scott Tweedie is also residing in his apartment due to local concerns.

Coronavirus Health Information Hotline: 1800 020 080.
The Oregon Zoo on Monday joined the long list of places that will close temporarily while most of the U.S. self-quarantines to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The zoo, which is operated by the Metro regional government body, announced that it would close Tuesday, and stay closed until at least April 8. The closure follows recommendations from state and local public health officials to close large gathering areas.

The zoo announced it would shut down within hours of Gov. Kate Brown limiting crowds to 25 people.

But unlike many other popular gathering spaces in the Portland area, such as the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and all of Multnomah Countys public libraries, the zoo remained open on Saturday. Attendance was low because of the weather, said zoo spokesperson Hova Najarian, and the zoo closed early that day due to snow. The zoo was closed Sunday because of icy conditions.

Najarian said the zoos decision to close for coronavirus concerns was based on guidance from state and local health authorities.

Previously we had closed indoor and high-traffic areas, based on recommendations from Dr. Jennifer Vines, the tri-county health officer, Najarian said. "But following todays new guidelines and the governors message, it was clear that the best thing we could do would be to close completely as a temporary measure in order to help flatten the curve.

The phrase refers to an intervention tactic that can help spread out the number of cases over time, in order to limit a surge of coronavirus cases all at once, which would overburden the health system. By practicing social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, people can help slow the spread of the virus.

In a statement, zoo director Dr. Don Moore said the animals were doing well, and that animal-care teams and other essential employees would continue to report for work. Other employees will work from home if possible, he said.

Moore said the zoo would reopen as soon as public health authorities recommend it.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
As part of measures to provide financial support to brilliant but needy Ghanaian students who have the desire to be trained as medical doctors, a 7-member Board of Trustees has been sworn into office to manage an Endowment Fund to be officially launched on the 26th of March, 2020 at the Family Health Medical School.



The newly sworn-in Family Health Medical School Board of Trustees members for the Endowment Fund comprise, Mr. Alhassan Andani  Chairman (Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank); Dr. Peter Yeboah  Member (Executive Director, CHAG); Rear Admiral Geoffrey Biekro (Rtd)  Member (Former Chief of Naval Staff); Dr. Alex Aboagye  Member (Retired UN Civil Servant); Mrs. Merene Benyah  Member (Legal Practitioner/Consultant).



Others are, Rev. (Dr.) Joyce Aryee  Member (Executive Director, Salt & Light Ministries); and Mr. Kwaku Glymin  Member (Retired Public Servant). Ms. Adjoa Adubea Koram (Assistant Registrar, FHMS) is the Trustees Secretary.



Members of the Board of Trustees were sworn into office by an Appeal Court Judge, Justice Dotse Ofoe.



Also at the ceremony was, the Medical Director for Family Health Hospital, Dr. Susu Kwawukume and Mrs. Reeta Auguste, the Ambassador for Family Health University College Medical School.



In a welcome address, the President of Family Health University College, Professor Enyonam Yao Kwawukume disclosed that, the selection of the Trustee members was based mainly on integrity because they would be managing the affairs of the Fund.



He averred that the request for the Fund would only be granted by the Trustees and not any other persons.



Prof. Kwawukume however, appealed to the general public to contribute towards the Fund, so that the brilliant but needy students who want to become future doctors to assist the nation can also achieve their dreams.



Disclosing the main motives behind the Funds establishment, the Registrar of Family Health Medical School, Mrs. Rita Kaine explained that, the cost of training medical doctors is high and capital intensive, and that it reflects in the fee charged at the Family Health Medical School.



She said the fee has become prohibitive for many brilliant but needy students to access such bold private initiative.



According to her some students enthusiastically enrolled on the programme, and were able to gather funds to pay off their fee for the first year, only to default in subsequent year, and eventually abandoned the programme.



She revealed that to mitigate this challenge, Management in its bid to give back to society as part of its social responsibility, have waived off Hostel accommodation fee for the affected students.



The school, she mentioned, has also secured scholarships for some students; solicited for sponsorship from certain individual philanthropists; and now established the Family Health Medical School Endowment Fund.



The purpose of the Endowment Fund among others is to provide financial support to brilliant but needy Ghanaian students who have the desire to be trained as medical doctors, through periodic distribution of gifts, grants and donations to defray their tuition fees and other related cost from the Fund.



The Fund, which will ensure the continued and growing enrolment of a diverse group of undergraduates from low income background within the country, will help the University to realize its objective of making medical training accessible to more Ghanaian citizens.



The Fund shall constitute gifts, grants, donations, and bequests, as may be given by a corporate body, a group of persons, or an individual. Any person may contribute, or devise money, or other personal, or real property to the Fund.



The Family Health Medical School, Ghanas Premier Private Medical School, has come far since its inception in 2014 to compliment governments efforts by providing excellent healthcare training to Ghanaian citizens to serve the nation.

Source: [email protected]









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A medical professional, supported by New York Army National Guard members, collects swabs to test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in New Rochelle, N.Y., on March 15, 2020. (Senior Airman Sean Madden/U.S. Air National Guard/Handout via Reuters)

There Are No Approved Products to Prevent, Treat, or Cure New Coronavirus: FDA Head

The federal government hasnt approved any products for preventing, treating, or curing the Wuhan coronavirus.

The virus, which started in China last year, causes a disease called COVID-19 that can kill some patients, primarily those who are older or have underlying health conditions.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn stated in a warning on March 17: Presently there are no FDA-approved products to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19. However, bad actors are hawking products online and in stores that claim to do just that. Be wary of these scams and talk to your doctor before using any such product.

People who suspect fraud can report their suspicions to the agency.

The number of COVID-19 cases have been rising quickly in the United States in recent days, topping 5,700 on March 17. Ninety-seven people have died from the disease, including 48 in Washington state, 12 in New York, and 11 in California.

Because of the spread of the virus, people understandably want to find the best ways to protect themselves and their loved ones, Hahn wrote in an op-ed. Unscrupulous people are trying to take advantage of the concerns to market products online and in stores that allegedly prevent, treat, or cure the illness.

Consumers should be wary of anyone making these claims and instead talk with a licensed health care professional before taking or using any such product, Hahn wrote.

Taking matters into your own hands by purchasing and using unproven products without consulting your doctor puts you and others at risk for serious health consequences.

The products range from herbal products and ayurvedic medicines to protective masks and hand sanitizers.

Commuters in the metro amid the coronavirus pandemic in Washington on March 16, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The FDA plans to take action against bogus products, but some might evade notice, Hahn said.

COVID-19 has no known vaccine or proven treatment, though some existing drugs have shown promise in limited health care settings.

Multiple trials analyzing drugs or drug candidates are underway or slated to start soon in the United States. One is looking at Kevzara, typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis; another is seeing if remdesivir can prove effective.

The treatments could be ready in months, executives told President Donald Trump on March 2.

Vaccines are further away because of the rigorous testing required. The first patients in a coronavirus vaccine trial received doses on March 16.

The virus causes symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. People feeling ill are asked to stay home and contact their doctor or health care provider.

Experts recommend preventative techniques, including avoiding crowds, staying away from sick people, frequently washing hands with soap and water, and regularly cleaning objects and surfaces.

As the virus has spread in the United States, many states have announced measures to try to stem further spread. Those include shutting down schools, closing bars, and banning gatherings of a certain number of people.
Authorities on Monday imposed section 144 of the CrPC in Nagpur to check the spread of novel (Covid-19).

Police said the measure, banning assembly of people, has been taken to contain the spread of the disease and for safety of members of the public.

Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Kadam, in his order, said the is spreading internationally and also in India and some positive cases of the disease have been detected in Nagpur too.



It has become necessary to restrict gathering of people in large numbers at one place in view to contain the spreading of and for the safety of people and public health, he said.

"With a view to remove fear among people, for safety of people and health of the public and for their peace and safety," section 144 of the CrPC is being imposed in the city," Kadam said.

"Through this order, all social, political, cultural, religious, sports,trade exhibitions and camps,tourism, meeting, rallies,protests and other programmes have been restricted," he said.
PHILIPSBURG:---- On March 16, 2020, the Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC Silveria Jacobs, along with key ESF coordinators held a meeting with the Prefet of Saint Martin and St. Barths Sylvie Feucher, President Daniel Gibbs, 1st Vice-President Valerie Damaseau and 4th Vice-President Steven Patrick. The meeting was held to ensure that both governments are updated on the actions being taken by the other. These measures are being taken to guarantee that our internal borders can remain open and the safety and security of our people remain a top priority.

After the meeting with our northern counterparts, an emergency meeting was held with the full EOC. In this meeting, the EOC deliberated and drew the conclusion that stakeholder consultations needed to take place before more far-reaching decisions could be made. ESF coordinators will provide advice on school closures and other relevant restrictions to Prime Minister Jacobs tomorrow. The announcement will be made via the media to the general public on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

During the meeting, it was brought to the attention of the EOC that several residents including students currently in the Netherlands are experiencing some challenges to board the empty flights to return home to repatriate Dutch nationals. Prime Minister Jacobs contacted the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) to facilitate KLM allowing St. Maartens residents to repatriate.

Students in the Netherlands, who are not written in on St. Maarten, may not be able to travel back home during this period as they do not fall under the exceptions of the travel restrictions posted on Saturday, March 14, 2020, which will go into effect as of 11:59 PM on Monday, March 16, 2020. While it was the intention for residents to be allowed entry to St. Maarten, KLM has limited that possibility. BZK is doing its best to facilitate the return of residents to the Dutch Caribbean who is trying to return home.
UTICA, N.Y. - With businesses mandated to close across New York State at 8 p.m. on Monday, in an attempt to control the spread of coronavirus, local fitness centers such as Upstate Empire Fitness are facing uncharted territory.

Normally a 24-hour operation, Upstate Empire Fitness enters a time of no operation leaving owners, employees and members looking to fill the void.

"This is a big part of people's routine and have clients who are competitive athletes as well and that has been shut down for them," said Alyssa Devins, who owns Upstate Empire Fitness along with her husband Brian. "So that's frustrating to put your heart and soul into something and have it kind of squashed."

It has some members feeling lost among the sudden uncertainty.

"You're talking for most of us two hours of our day that are now empty and we have to try to fill it in," said gym member and Utica resident Mike Lackey. "It's time with family, or if people have kids, then obviously that's very important and you want to spend time with them."

Despite the difficulty of going from always open to indefinitely closed, Devins and her husband have adopted a positive attitude towards the situation, committed to using the time to continue pushing their business forward.

"We've got to find a silver lining in all this we can't just sit at home twiddling our thumbs and just wait," said Devins. "So my husband and I will be in here cleaning all of the equipment, we've already got some more sanitizing stuff in, we are actually going to take advantage and do some rearranging, which being a 24 hour gym and having people in here all of the time makes it difficult. We have some painting projects we want to do, so we'll stay busy and make it better for when everybody comes back."

Upstate Empire Fitness will be providing workout programs, at-home classes, nutrition tips and more on its website throughout the closure.

However, it's not only the workout routines that will be disrupted during this time.

"We work and we pretty much just hang out here, our friend group is basically out of this gym," said Lackey. "So without coming here we probably won't see each other as much."

Still, Devins said a positive attitude is the best approach as there will still be plenty of opportunities to keep fit throughout this stretch.

"Rest and recovery are also really important for health or even important for muscle building so take advantage of the rest time," she said. "The weather is turning so let's get outside, let's be active outside, our kids are home let's be active with them and set a good example for them."
Im responding to Mohammed Khakus March 10 letter. I disagree with his statement, (Bernie) Sanders is an exceptional candidate pushing for a major revamp of American foreign policy.

First, Sanders bid for president represents a socialistic governmental disaster, which has never worked globally under a dictator-controlled government. Neither will this exist in America. Our nation is a capitalist republic, of, by, and for the people, who will never accept socialism.

Second, the people will not accept reduction of monetary support for the Pentagon, because military strength is the key to defend against rogue nations, which attempt to disrupt current unsettled relationships.

Third, we are a Judeo-Christian nation. Christians in America will not allow abandonment of support to Israel. Our nation took on the responsibility since 1947 to support and defend Israel.

Philip H. Beach Sr.

Bethlehem Township, Pa.
SPRINGFIELD - Rep. Richard E. Neal and Baystate Health President and CEO Mark Keroack plan to conduct a telephone call-in informational session on Wednesday for people interested in learning more about protecting themselves from the spread of COVID-19.

The session is planned for noon and is accessible by calling 866 383-2731.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions, but people will still have to call the number to listen in even if they do not plan to ask questions. The session is not being broadcast over television or the radio.

Neal and Keroack will each give updates on the fight against COVID-19 from their different perspectives.

Neal, as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has been working on legislation to aid workers and families affected by COVID-19, including portions of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act that allowed for emergency paid leave, the stabilization of the unemployment insurance system, and free coronavirus testing, as well as improved protection for health workers at the frontlines of the emergency.

Keroack oversees all services at Baystate Health and Health New England. In recent days, he has been the principal spokesman as Baystate Medical Center has assumed a larger role as coronavirus cases have emerged in Western Massachusetts.

At the state of the week, Baystate Medical Center was treating around 25 people suspected of having the virus, and on Monday began construction of a rapid response triage is being constructed outside the Emergency Department. When completed, it will be able to handle 30 and 40 patients.
Coronavirus could lead to 250,000 deaths in UK, top experts warn

The coronavirus outbreak will lead to the deaths of about 250,000 people in the UK unless more draconian measures are introduced, scientists have warned.

The Imperial College Covid-19 response team, which has been advising ministers, said that even with the new "social distancing" plans the health system will be "overwhelmed many times over.

It said the only "viable strategy" is a Chinese-style policy of "suppression" involving the social distancing of the entire population.

The stark warning came after Boris Johnson unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures to try to control the spread of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel.

Anyone living in a household with somebody who has the symptoms of a persistent cough or fever were told to isolate themselves for 14 days.

Europe in lockdown as France and Germany impose stringent new virus measures

Countries across Europe have imposed stringent new measures to limit social contact as they try to stem the spread of Covid-19.

French President Emmanuel Macron last night announced similar curbs imposed by Spain and Italy - a 15-day lockdown.

He also said the European Unions external borders would be closed to travellers for 30 days from today.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel is forcing non-grocery shops and venues to close and has banned religious services.

She also told people to cancel any domestic or foreign holiday travel.

Caroline Flack's boyfriend pays tribute month after her suicide

Caroline Flacks boyfriend Lewis Burton has paid tribute to the former Love Island host one month after she took her own life.

Flack, who died aged 40, was laid to rest on March 10 in a private ceremony attended by friends and relatives.

Burton said in an emotional tribute: I never thought that one day I will never be able to see or speak to you again.

McDonald's to ditch plastic Happy Meal toys in environmental drive

McDonald's has vowed to replace its famous Happy Meal toys with non-plastic versions from next year as it tries to reduce its environmental impact.

The fast food giant said that from 2021 Happy Meals will come with a soft toy, a book, or a paper-based toy.

It hopes the effort will save more than 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic at its UK business from 2021, which would be its biggest single reduction to date.

Mammoth bone circles help explain how man survived Ice Age

Mysterious bone circles made from the remains of dozens of mammoths have helped shed light on how ancient communities survived Europe's Ice Age.

Around 70 of these structures are known to exist in Ukraine and the west Russian Plains.

The bones at one site are more than 20,000 years old, new analysis suggests, making it the oldest such circular structure built by humans discovered in the region.

Researchers say the bones were most likely sourced from animal graveyards, and the circle was then hidden by sediment and is now one foot below current surface level.

On this day...

1649: Oliver Cromwell abolished the office of King and declared England a Commonwealth.

1776: British troops were forced by George Washington to evacuate Boston.

1845: Elastic bands were patented by Stephen Perry at a firm of vulcanised rubber manufacturers in England.

1921: The first birth control clinic was set up in London by Dr Marie Stopes.

1945: The Americans defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Iwo Jima.

1973: The Queen opened the new London Bridge.

1978: The oil tanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground on the coast of Brittany, broke in half and spilled 220,000 tons of crude oil.

1983: Michael Dickinson, 33, achieved a unique record as trainer of the first five horses home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

1989: Paul Channon, Transport Secretary, pushed the button which began the machine to bore the Channel Tunnel through chalk beneath the sea at Dover.
A reporter for CBS News has claimed that a White House official referred to coronavirus as the 'Kung Flu' right to her face.

Weijia Jiang, who was born in China and raised in West Virginia, shared the unsettling encounter on Twitter Tuesday morning, hours after President Donald Trump came under fire for repeatedly calling COVID-19 the 'Chinese Virus'.

'This morning a White House official referred to #Coronavirus as the "Kung-Flu" to my face. Makes me wonder what they're calling it behind my back,' Jiang tweeted.

Dozens of social media users expressed outrage over the comment, charging that Trump is responsible for racist rhetoric surrounding coronavirus.

Weijia Jiang, a correspondent for CBS News, claims that a White House official referred to coronavirus as the 'Kung Flu' right to her face on Tuesday morning

Jiang, who was born in China and raised in West Virginia, shared the unsettling encounter on Twitter Tuesday morning, hours after President Donald Trump came under fire for repeatedly calling COVID-19 the 'Chinese Virus'

'I am so sorry that you have to suffer from this kind of horrible racism when you are simply doing your job,' NBC legal contributor Katie Phang wrote in response to Jiang's tweet.

'Clearly, Trump has set the tone for this kind of crap.'

MSNBC host Joy Reid tweeted: 'This is hideous. And it's why it's impossible to take this administration seriously or have any confidence whatsoever in them.'

Director and activist Ava DuVernay also chimed in, writing: 'I'm sorry you have to deal with their nastiness. Thanks for your reporting. Their sophomoric attempts to rename and deflect responsibility for a lack of preparation/effective response won't work if we don't let it.'

Bernice King, a famed American minister and the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, commented: 'Racism is petty. It seeks to cultivate bigotry and prejudice and exert power even in times when human beings most need each other.

'"Kung-Flu", "China Virus" - This rhetoric isn't harmless, especially with hate crimes against our Asian global family members already on the rise.'

Dozens of social media users expressed outrage over the comment, charging that Trump is responsible for racist rhetoric surrounding coronavirus within his administration

Federal officials and others have sought to reduce racist stigma surrounding COVID-19 by warning against referring to the strain in a way that links it with China, where the outbreak began in December.

Several critics called for Jiang to reveal the name of the official who made the comment, but she has refused to do so.

The White House has not returned requests for comment about her accusations.

Jiang was credited with pressuring Trump into agreeing to get tested for coronavirus last week after she asked if he was being 'selfish' by refusing to do so even after he came in contact with at least three people who later tested positive.

Jiang has been credited with pressuring Trump into agreeing to get tested for coronavirus. During a press conference on Friday (pictured), Jiang asked Trump if he was being 'selfish' by refusing to get tested even after he came in contact with at least three people who later tested positive. The next morning Trump revealed that he had taken a test that came back negative

The novel coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China (pictured) in late December and has since spread to over 100 countries

As of midday Tuesday more than 5,200 coronavirus have been confirmed in the US and 94 people have died

Trump, facing fierce criticism over his handling of the pandemic, and his allies have sought to cast the coronavirus as a disease brought by foreigners.

While COVID-19 - the disease caused by the virus - has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries.

As of midday Tuesday, more than 5,200 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 and 94 have died.

Trump drew the ire of Chinese officials on Monday when he referred to COVID-19 as the 'Chinese coronavirus' in a tweet.

'The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!' he wrote.

Beijing responded early on Tuesday by demanding that 'the US side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations'.

Trump then doubled down, tweeting Tuesday morning about New York's governor Andrew Cuomo - who has demanded the military are activated to build hospitals - that: 'Cuomo wants 'all states to be treated the same.'

'But all states aren't the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all.'

Defending the term to reporters, Trump said: 'It's accurate because that's where it originated.'

Trump drew the ire of Chinese officials on Monday when he referred to COVID-19 as the 'Chinese coronavirus' in a tweet

The president repeated the offensive moniker for coronavirus in another tweet on Tuesday

The tweet-for-tat came one day after Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, accused China of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the US military.

Contrasting conspiracy theories, that it was created by China as a tool for biological warfare, have been aired in pro-Trump circles in the US.

And Pompeo himself has called it the 'Wuhan virus' in a series of media appearances, as have fervently pro-Trump Republicans including Oklahoma Sen Tom Cotton and Arizona Rep Paul Gosar, who then had to go into self-quarantine over fears he was infected with it.

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatization by connecting the novel coronavirus with China.

He did not name President Trump specifically, but was referring to President Trump's tweet, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.

'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' Geng said at a daily news briefing.

He stressed that the coronavirus outbreak had occurred in multiple places around the world and the urgent task was for the international community to join forces to curb the pandemic.

'The United States should mind its own business first, and then make constructive contributions to the international counter-epidemic collaboration and the maintenance of the global public health safety,' Geng continued.

Trump's tweet-for-tat with Beijing came one day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured) accused China of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the US military

Anti-US sentiment is also growing in China as people on the country's Twitter-like Weibo has shown an outpouring of anger towards President Trump.

One person said: 'Trump is the virus of the world'.

Another typical comment accused: 'American virus!'

A petition urging President Trump to apologize over his comment has appeared on the White House's website.

The post read: 'President Trump owes all Chinese apologies for naming COVID19 'the Chinese Virus' in his latest twitter, especially under the circumstances where the origin of COVID-19 is not scientifically definite yet. Not only is his twitter defiance against science, but also cause hostages among Chinese and the other races.'

The request would need 100,000 signatures to secure a response from the White House. As of writing, 25,716 people have signed.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman



Nidhi Yojana (PMKSNY) has been implemented successfully across the country, barring West Bengal as the eastern state did not join the scheme, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said the PM-KISAN scheme has been successfully implemented across the country.

"So far, as on March 11, 2020, financial benefit under the scheme has been released to 8,69,79,391 beneficiaries. However, these exclude about 69 lakh farmers of West Bengal as the government of West Bengal has not yet decided to join the scheme," he said during Question Hour.

The minister said the entire responsibility of identification of eligible beneficiary farmer families and uploading their correct details on the PM-KISAN portal rests with State/UT governments concerned.

State governments have been continuously requested and vigorously pursued for expeditious registration and uploading of data of beneficiaries, in mission mode and by organising camps.

Meeting is held weekly through video conferencing with state governments and other stakeholders concerned so as to remove any handicaps coming in the way of smooth and seamless implementation of the scheme, he said.

Choudhary said the target of the government is to achieve 100 per cent saturation by enrolling every eligible farmer family of the country.

To achieve this, States and UTs have been asked to conduct various saturation drives, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The rare white stork that vanished from the British countryside over 400 years ago has been successfully reintroduced in West Sussex.

The rare birds  once a common sight in Britain until around the end of the Civil War in the 1600s  have now returned to the Knepp Estate of Horsham, West Sussex.

This reintroduction follows a successful breeding programme by the White Stork Project at Cotswold Wildlife Park, in Burford, West Oxfordshire.

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The rare white stork that vanished from the British countryside over 400 years ago has been successfully reintroduced in West Sussex. Pictured, two white storks

Native to the British Isles, the birds  which build huge nests in tall trees and towers  are often believed to symbolise rebirth.

Storks were reportedly the centre of attention in medieval banquet  and are famously found in folklore carrying newborn babies to their parent's in a swaddle hung from their beaks.

The last known breeding nest of storks in the UK, however, was recorded as being in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh in 1416.

The White Stork Project  a partnership between private landowners and nature conservation charities  aims to restore a population of at least 250 storks to the south of England by the year 2030.

Looking over the next five years, the project has a three-step release programme planned at the Knepp Estate  the first stage of which has seen storks being introduced from Poland.

'For centuries, the stork has been used as a symbol of rebirth and renewal, and we hope its return to Britain will help kick-start a movement for the wider restoration of nature,' said Knepp Estate co-owner Isabella Tree.

'For centuries, the stork has been used as a symbol of rebirth and renewal, and we hope its return to Britain will help kick-start a movement for the wider restoration of nature,' said Knepp Estate co-owner Isabella Tree

'It's a real privilege to watch and follow the behaviours of these charismatic birds  particularly the nesting,' said Lucy Groves, Project Officer for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, one of the projects' partners.

'I am excited to work with the local community as I believe these beautiful birds will really capture the public's imagination and hopefully become a positive symbol that there is hope for the natural world.'

'These birds were injured in the wild and couldn't be release,' Ms Groves explained of the storks from Poland.

'They act like a magnet for any [others] that might be passing over.'

'It's a real privilege to watch and follow the behaviours of these charismatic birds  particularly the nesting,' said Lucy Groves, Project Officer for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, one of the projects' partners

The second phase of the release scheme will be to introduce other birds who will, over time, grow to think of Sussex as be their main home.

Finally, the project will introduce young juveniles to the reserve  these are expected to become the migrant population who fly abroad to breed.

'They are really faithful to the areas where they hatch and where they breed,' said Ms Groves.

'The same instincts that drove them south will drive them back north.'

Storks  once a common sight in Britain until around the end of the Civil War in the 1600s  have now returned to the Knepp Estate of Horsham, West Sussex. This reintroduction follows a successful breeding programme by the White Stork Project at Cotswold Wildlife Park, in Burford, West Oxfordshire

Conservationists believe that it was a combination of habitat loss, over-hunting and persecution that contributed to the stork's decline in the UK.

In the English Civil War, the birds were known to be persecuted for being associated with rebellion.

Although there have been many sightings of white storks migrating across South East England in recent years, conservationists determined that the species would need a helping hand to re-establish a breeding population in Britain.

In the next few weeks, storks will migrate across the Sahara to West Africa, flying at an altitude of 16,000 feet (4.88 kilometres) above sea level.
New York has reported an additional 432 cases since yesterday, and Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned the peak of the coronavirus pandemic could reach the state in 45 days.

The governor held his daily press conference in Albany to update residents about the spread of Covid-19 across the state. New York now has a total of 1,374 confirmed cases as testing has ramped up in private labs.

To combat the rapid spread of the virus, New York state issued a ban of gathering with 50 people or more. Bars, gyms, restaurants, and other community spaces also closed in the state to encourage people to practice social distancing. Takeout and delivery is currently only available at restaurants.

The governor now says efforts need to be turned towards supporting the healthcare system as Covid-19 cases are only expected to rise, with a peak anticipated in 45 days.

"Our primary goal right now is to slow the spread of this virus so that the wave of new infections doesn't crash our healthcare system, and everyone agrees social distancing is the best way to do that," Mr Cuomo said.

"This is not a war that can be won alone, which is why New York is partnering with our neighbouring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents 'state shopping' where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa," he added.

Similar rules were mandated in both Connecticut and New Jersey.

Mr Cuomo warned on Monday that there are not enough hospital beds to accommodate the number of people who might get infected.

"When we're going to have a real problem is when cases hit their apex and descend on the healthcare system and we will not have enough hospital beds," he said.

New York state currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds. At the virus' peak, an estimated 55,000 to 110,000 patients could be hospitalised and 18,600 to 37,200 could need an ICU bed in state alone, according to experts. Out of the 1,374 current cases in New York, 264 of the people are hospitalised from the virus. Twelve people have died in the state.

The president said on Tuesday he was working with New York to help increase the number of hospital beds across the state. This comes after the governor urged Mr Trump to employ the Army Corps of Engineers to build field hospitals in the state.

"We think we can have quite a few units up very rapidly," Mr Trump said, stating the Army Corps was just waiting for his go-ahead. A few sites are being considered to build field hospitals, the president added.

Mr Cuomo also said on Tuesday he was not considering a shelter-in-place order for New York state after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed he would consider the option.

"We hear New York City is going to quarantine itself - that is not true," he said. "We have no interest whatsoever - and no plan whatsoever - to quarantine any city."

When Mr de Blasio appeared on CNN Tuesday morning, he said he was "absolutely considering" the order.

"We're absolutely considering that," de Blasio said. "We're going to look at all other options, but it could get to that for sure for the whole country."

San Francisco announced its shelter-in-place order on Monday across the entire Bay Area, which impacted 7 million residents. This order denies residents from leaving their apartments for unnecessary travel unless they're getting food, medicine, or exercise.

For now, New York City and New York state are avoiding making a similar mandate.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) recommends to Romanian citizens working in France and Germany to contact the employer and the local authorities first, if they have problems with their labor contracts.

Thus, shows a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent on Tuesday to AGERPRES, the persons who have an ongoing employment contract are advised to contact their employer to inform about the decisions made by the latter in the context of the measures announced by the French and German authorities.

Persons for whom the contractual period has expired or, as the case may be, whose contract ceased before the deadline or was terminated, but who have not fully recovered the rights related to the labor relations must address the local authorities and the territorial labor inspectorates before leaving the territory of the respective country to signal problematic issues and to claim the rights that are due to them.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, again, calls on Romanian citizens living or residing abroad to strictly respect the recommendations of the authorities of the respective states and stresses that traveling to Romania is not recommended.

"These trips may be affected by the restrictions imposed by the transit states and may be an additional factor in the spread of the coronavirus infection, thus endangering the safety of those at home," points out the ministry.
UW in the News

State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage:

All of UWs classes will be moved online for the remainder of the spring semester as part of an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, The Casper Star-Tribune and Laramie Boomerang reported. UW Acting President Neil Theobald said UWs residence halls will close after spring break to nearly all students and that staff have the option to work remotely off-campus. The Houston Chronicle published a similar article.

Wyoming Public Radio noted that the Associated Students of UW voted last week to create a $75,000 fund to help students through hard times as the university takes measures to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak.

UW wife and husband economists Linda Thunstrom and Jason Shogren were interviewed about the novel coronavirus social effects in a New York Times article titled, Some Ask a Taboo Question: Is America Overreacting to Coronavirus?

The Chronicle of Higher Education noted that Ed Seidel, vice president for economic development and innovation in the University of Illinois System, will be UWs new president in July.

Despite the sharp turn in events last week when oil prices plunged worldwide, UW economist Charles Mason said, in a CS-T interview, that Wyoming producers should not panic. He said there is a tempered recovery within sight, with oil prices likely rising again within a few weeks.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle published a similar article and interviewed another UW economist, Rob Godby. He said there are no answers on how long the price war in the Middle East could last.

The Wyoming Legislature did not agree on tens of millions of dollars in construction funding by the close of business last week, compromising numerous construction projects around the state, including UWs requests for a College of Law expansion, a new pool and improvements to War Memorial Stadium, reported The CS-T.

Atlas Obscura interviewed UWs Jerrod Merkle, zoology and physiology assistant professor, about the social makeup of bison. The article focused on the addition of young bison to a buffalo herd in Golden State Park in San Francisco.

UW professors Brian Toelle and Maohong Fan recently received a provisional patent for a method using cryogenic transport to help the oil and gas industry reduce emissions. Laramie Live published UWs release on the announcement.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reported that the draft of Wyomings Chronic Wasting Disease Management Plan will be presented at its meeting later this week. Jessica Western, from UWs Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, a facilitator throughout the process, will be among presenters at the meeting.

UW economist Rob Godby spoke with The CS-T about the announcement of planned layoffs at the Buckskin Coal Mine, located near Gillette in the Powder River Basin.

The CS-T reported that UW has canceled summer study-abroad trips to China and South Korea because of coronavirus outbreaks in those two countries. The measures are among preparations undertaken by the university. K2 Radio also broadcast a similar story.

UW law Professor Michael Duff discussed in a Bloomberg article how gig-economy companies are fighting to keep their contractor-based labor model from being legislated away. The companies want to keep their independent workforce in exchange for a pledge to invest more in a safety net for workers.

The Good Mule Project, a UW program that focuses on community activism and change, held a dinner program last week to discuss civil discourse and the concept of hate, reported Wyoming Public Radio.

The Las Cruces Sun News interviewed Wyoming native and UW graduate Tyler Julian, who recently was nominated for a Pushcart Prize for his poem, Wyoming, from his collection of poetry, titled Wyoming: The next question to ask (to answer). He is now a New Mexico State University graduate student.

Ten local students were among the 101 Wyoming high school recipients of the Trustees Scholars Award, UWs top academic scholarship, reported Wind River Radio Network. County 10 and The Powell Tribune also published UWs release announcing local scholarship recipients.
While the world comes to grips with the spread of Covid-19, the impacts are beginning to filter down to townships on the Coast, particularly dining and travel businesses.

Destination Orewa Beach manager Hellen Wilkins says hospitality businesses, especially Asian and ethnic themed cafes and restaurants, are among the first to feel the effects in Orewa.

Customers across the board, both European and Asian, have reduced their eating out habits  its definitely not just one demographic, Hellen says.

Also, Orewa is bordered by two or three suburbs with significant Asian populations so the impact of travel restrictions means less friends and family visiting this area. This is likely to result in a relative drop in spend by these families especially as Chinese New Year was in the initial stages of the virus.

For both these reasons, we anticipate there will be a drop in the Orewa retail spend  especially in hospitality  in the January to March quarter, and possibly beyond.

As major airlines such as Air New Zealand and Qantas cut services, local travel agents are recording a fall in new travel enquiries.

You Travel Orewa director Kiri Martin says despite the drop, customers are still booking holidays to carefully considered destinations.

There have been some cruise cancellations to high risk areas and a slow down in new enquiries, but most people are taking a wait and see approach or delaying travel to a later date, she says. Flexible booking/payment conditions are giving customers more peace of mind.

Kiri says that for anyone who has booked for the Olympics, it is a matter of wait and see.

She says staff hours are not being affected at this stage.

House of Travel says customers directly affected by Covid-19 related cancellations, or those travelling to destinations with increased travel advisory warnings, are tending not to cancel their plans. Instead, they are delaying their travel.

For credible, independent information about the risk and safety of travel during the coronavirus outbreak, travel agents recommend visiting these websites: who.int and safetravel.govt.nz.

Business Whangaparaoa secretary Sarah Carr says it is hard to measure the impact on the peninsula at this early stage, as the area does not have a large number of importers or exporters.

However, if it continues to spread, causing further travel restrictions, this may have an impact, she says.

This is the type of situation where having one road in and out may not be a disadvantage!

Silverdale Area Business Association chair Theo Simeonidis says Covid-19 is already negatively affecting Silverdale businesses.

There are three ways that were seeing impacts, he says.

Firstly, grocery stores are running out of stock for various products such as long-life milk. Secondly, because a lot of products imported into New Zealand come from China, there has been a lull in imports, which may negatively impact the supply chain for product-based businesses. Finally, its likely that as the number of confirmed cases in New Zealand rises, and the fact were heading into cold and flu season, we will see extended absences from work as people self-quarantine.

Theo says that while these impacts arent unique to Silverdale, they could put some strain on local businesses.

Hellen Wilkins says the current uncertainties underline the importance of the community supporting local businesses.

They need us for their livelihood and we need them for the serviceability and continuity of our day-to-day life. Until the Ministry of Health advises otherwise, everyone should continue life as normal, follow the suggested hygiene protocols and stay home if you feel unwell. But, if you feel well, head out and support our local businesses especially those in the hospitality sector as they are suffering the most.

Army Bay Covid-19 quarantine over for now

The lifting of the Covid-19 quarantine for the second group to be housed at the Army Bay Defence Force base in Whangaparaoa this month, and the removal of the caravans from the site, signal the end of this particular use for the facility. The 14-day quarantine period for the six New Zealanders repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship ended on March 5. The Ministry of Health advise that all six left the Whangaparaoa Reception Centre (Defence Force base), with no symptoms of coronavirus. The first group to be quarantined there consisted of 157 people evacuated from Wuhan in China. After their 14-day isolation, they left the centre last month. The Ministry of Health says that there are no immediate plans to reuse this centre for quarantine purposes. The final job was to have the 75 campervans that were brought onsite to house people while in isolation thoroughly cleaned and then driven away, a Ministry spokesperson says.
Joe Biden scored decisive victories in all three major Democratic primaries Tuesday, earning him a nearly insurmountable lead over rival Bernie Sanders in their race for the party's presidential nomination. As the United States grappled with combating the spreading coronavirus pandemic, voters handed the former vice president victory in delegate-rich Florida, as well as Illinois and Arizona. The command performance speaks to the eagerness of many Democrats to coalesce around a moderate flag bearer, to challenge Republican President Donald Trump, after several other candidates dropped out of the contest in recent weeks and endorsed Biden. In Florida, the 77-year-old won 62 percent to 23 percent against Sanders, a 78-year-old self-described "democratic socialist" senator from Vermont. Biden was ahead by 23 percentage points in Illinois, with 89 percent of precincts reporting. And in Arizona, where polls closed last, Biden was coasting to a third definitive win -- and his 19th victory in the last 24 contests. "Our campaign has had a very good night," Biden said in televised remarks from his home in Delaware. "We've moved closer to securing the Democratic Party's nomination for president, and we're doing it by building a broad coalition that we need to win in November." By all accounts it is an astonishing reversal of fortune for Biden, whose campaign was left for dead just one month ago after poor showings in early voting states. But following a string of victories in high-profile contests starting with South Carolina in late February, and continuing into his show of strength Tuesday, Biden now has a commanding lead in the all-important race for the delegates needed to become the nominee. Political analyst David Axelrod concluded that Sanders was a mortally wounded candidate. "No Dem has ever come back from anything like this deficit," tweeted Axelrod, chief strategist for Barack Obama's two successful presidential campaigns. "The race for the nomination is over. That is the reality @BernieSanders faces." On Tuesday Biden's delegate count stood at 1,147 compared to Sanders's 861, according to a New York Times rolling tally. A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination and face Trump in the November election. Biden has long said that Americans want pragmatic results, not the political "revolution" advocated by Sanders. But he reached out on Tuesday by appealing to Sanders supporters. "To young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you," Biden said. Biden said he and Sanders "share a common vision" to expand health insurance, address economic inequality and fight climate change. Sanders delivered a 20-minute speech online Tuesday. But he did not mention the primaries, focusing instead on his recommendations for addressing the coronavirus pandemic, including injecting $2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths and "avoid an economic catastrophe." A fourth state, Ohio, was scheduled to vote Tuesday, but it postponed its elections until June on orders of Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who told voters to stay home during the escalating public health emergency. - Hurdles - The United States officially has more than 6,300 coronavirus cases, although that is believed to be a fraction of the real number, which has been depressed by delays in testing. Election authorities had braced for disruptions and the Trump administration urged Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Despite hurdles, the states managed to successfully host their primaries. In Florida, Gabriela Carrilho, a 51-year-old who works in marketing, donned gloves before casting her ballot at a nearly deserted elementary school in Miami Beach. "I think if you don't participate, then things never change," she said. She and others said they felt safe voting. "There was hand sanitizer at every single station," said 29-year-old Matt Don. "They kept a safe distance from me. Everybody in there is keeping safe." In Illinois, Chicago election commissioners scrambled to find substitute voting judges after hundreds informed the county clerk's office they wouldn't show up. Americans are staying home from work or school by the millions as the country implements emergency measures against a worsening health crisis. Maryland on Tuesday became the latest state to delay voting, pushing its primary from April 28 to June 2. Kentucky and Louisiana have postponed their elections to June, while Georgia is delaying from next week until May. As the US grappled with combating the spreading coronavirus pandemic, voters handed Joe Biden victory in delegate-rich Florida, as well as Illinois and Arizona Map showing the 3 US states voting in Democratic presidential primaries on March 17, with states and delegates won by Biden and Sanders so far. Despite hurdles, the states managed to successfully host their primaries In an online speech Bernie Sanders did not mention the primaries, focusing instead on his recommendations for addressing the coronavirus pandemic Election workers hand out "election delayed" signs to put up at polling stations in Dayton, Ohio -- the state's governor says the primary will be held at a later date
In a move sure to result in punishing layoffs, Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close and banned gatherings of 10 or more people as the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin surpassed 70 people.

Evers also amended an earlier order to shut down public and private schools, extending the closure beyond the original April 6 to last indefinitely.

Evers order on businesses and mass gatherings, which took effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, comes the same day a Madison restaurant group announced it had furloughed about 750 employees in response to tightening government restrictions aimed at curbing the outbreak. The order ends sit-down service at bars and restaurants statewide but allows for takeout or carryout orders, typically a small percentage of a restaurants revenue.

Hotels, grocery stores, job centers, courts, long-term care facilities and the state Legislature are exempt from the order.

We believe that this step will take us a long way down the road, Evers said. It is an evolving process. We will continue to evaluate whether this is sufficient.

Evers acknowledged a shutdown will put an enormous strain on businesses and employees across the state but said the order is necessary to mitigate the spread of the respiratory disease and noted efforts are being put in place to help those harmed by the order.

Beyond the health concerns, we know that the outbreak of COVID-19 is causing considerable uncertainty for workers and businesses, Evers said.

As of Tuesday, the state reported 72 positive cases of COVID-19, including 19 in Dane County. Even more concerning, Dane, Milwaukee and Kenosha counties have reported cases of community spread  when individuals become infected and its not known how or where they were exposed.

People with cough, fever and shortness of breath or who have traveled to places with widespread COVID-19 or been exposed to people with the disease should contact their doctors about getting tested. Health officials asked people to call ahead so clinics and hospitals can be prepared.

Businesses react to shutdown

Tuesdays announcement forced mass cancellations of government and business meetings and conferences, and prompted Madisons malls to close. Even before the announcement, many bars and restaurants were already preparing to close.

Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co. closed its four Madison-area locations until further notice on Monday, while Working Draft Beer Co., 1129 E. Wilson St., closed its kitchen and taproom operations Sunday evening.

These are the toughest decisions weve had to make as owners, Working Drafts ownership group wrote on its Facebook page. We know many local businesses like ours face intensely frightening decisions and realities. We just appreciate your continued support and patronage and look forward to getting back to normal operations as soon as possible.

Some of the brewpubs that are closing are doing so after recently opening or making major upgrades. Vintage Brewing Co., with four locations, opened its $7 million Sauk City location in 2016. The 26,000-square-foot facility includes an event space that can host 250 people and a 30-barrel brewhouse designed to brew 8,000 barrels of beer a year.

We look forward to a return to normalcy and thank you in advance for your understanding with this unprecedented challenge, the company posted on its Facebook page.

Union Corners Brewery opened in June a $1.2 million brewpub at East Washington Avenue and Milwaukee Street, while Full Mile Beer Co. & Kitchen in Sun Prairie opened a $2 million, 7,100-square-foot brewpub a block off Main Street in 2018. Octopi Brewing Co. in Waunakee completed a $10 million expansion of its brewery, which will remain open, although its kitchen and tasting room are closed.

As they try to weather the blow, many restaurants will continue delivery, takeout and curbside services, said Kristine Hillmer, CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

We urge state and federal governments to do all they can to help our restaurateurs and the thousands of employees they support, Hillmer said in a statement.

Also on Tuesday, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. said it was working with the states Small Business Association office to unlock federal disaster loans for businesses impacted by the outbreak.

WEDC is in regular communication with businesses of every size and type across the state as they face this emergency, WEDC Secretary Missy Hughes said in a statement. We are committed to ensuring that businesses get the assistance they need so they can weather this difficult period.

The WEDC Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a $5 million grant program to assist with payroll expenses including paid leave and rent.

The grants, which would be capped at $20,000, will be available to businesses that are unable to secure loans from conventional lenders and borrow from the states 23 community-development financial institutions.

Hughes admitted the grant program is a drop in the bucket in assisting the states more than 92,000 small businesses but said WEDC is considering future efforts to aid businesses, including a possible request for an infusion of funding from the state Legislature.

Unemployment insurance

To assist those unable to work while many businesses shut down statewide, Evers called on the Legislature to repeal Wisconsins one-week waiting period for unemployment compensation insurance. He said additional legislation to be discussed Wednesday would aim to waive requirements that recipients look for work and make other modifications to speed unemployment benefits to those unable to work during the crisis.

Its incredibly important that the much-needed unemployment insurance funds make it to affected workers quickly, Evers said.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he has been in talks with Evers and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, on holding an extraordinary session to address the crisis. Specific legislation has not been determined at this time, but he added it will depend on how much federal assistance the state receives and where those dollars can be spent.

I think if the overall idea is we know theres going to be a slowdown here, if theres anything we can do to weather the storm, make sure that businesses dont just close up and go away, Fitzgerald said. And  we know a lot of families that are living paycheck to paycheck are going to be directly affected.

Fitzgerald added that businesses, child care providers, schools and people on unemployment all will be discussed.

The Legislature is kind of trying to figure out what are the issues that we will be facing as a result of the pandemic and then we will work with the administration and work with the Assembly to kind of formulate a list, Fitzgerald said.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said the outbreak also has highlighted the need for affordable health care and preventive health services.

We should strengthen family medical leave and expand paid sick-leave options so workers who may be contagious dont feel pressured to go to work sick, Shilling said in an email. Wisconsin workers deserve to have protections in place to prevent a greater spread of disease and keep our communities safe and healthy.

Fitzgerald also said one option would be to give a blanket appropriation to the Legislatures budget committee to take emergency action.

Another question is how much the coronavirus, paired with a national economic slowdown, could affect the state budget  which was projected to have $452 million in extra tax revenue earlier this year. Legislative Republicans had wanted to use it by passing a $250 million income tax cut, but Evers vetoed it and called for more spending on K-12 education. A recession would likely erase the surplus.

Thats definitely on our minds, Fitzgerald said. Hindsight is 20-20, but that projection could change dramatically, and as a result of that, things could be a lot tighter than where we thought they were.

Photos: A look at how the novel coronavirus is affecting Wisconsin

The novel coronavirus, which can cause COVID-19, is affecting all corners of Wisconsin. Heres a look at some of the fallout  in photos.
[March 17, 2020] Dover to Acquire Em-tec GmbH, a Leading Designer and Manufacturer of Flow Measurement Devices

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover (NYSE: DOV) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Em-tec GmbH ("Em-tec"), a leading designer and manufacturer of flow measurement devices that serve a wide array of medical and biopharmaceutical applications. Following the close of the transaction, Em-tec will become part of the PSG business unit within Dover's Pumps & Process Solutions segment. Em-tec is headquartered in Finning, Germany, and has a 30-year history of producing innovative flow measurement equipment used in connection with cardiac, vascular and transplant surgery, dialysis and "life support" procedures, automated bioprocess monitoring, and laboratory and industrial processes where flexible tubing is used. Em-tec has pioneered non-invasive flow measurement using the ultrasound transit-time principle and its devices have demonstrated the ability to deliver superior measurement results relative to competing offerings. The addition of Em-tec further expands Dover's reach into biopharma and other hygienic applications and enhances its portfolio of flow control technologies with flow rate sensors. "We are excited to bring together Em-tec's flow measurement devices and PSG's Quattroflow pump technology to expand our offering to our customers in biopharma and medical applications," said Richard J. Tobin, Dover's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This transaction is another step in advancing Dover's strategy of enhancing the quality of our portfolio with attractive bolt-on acquisitions that offer profitable growth runway and create value for our shareholders." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenue of over $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, specialty systems, consumable supplies, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Fueling Solutions, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 60 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at www.dovercorporation.com. About PSG: PSG is a global pump and dispensing solution expert and leading manufacturer of pumps, systems and related flow-control technology for the safe and efficient transfer of critical and valuable fluids and materials. Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA, PSG is comprised of several world-class brands, including Abaque, All-Flo, Almatec, Blackmer, Ebsray, EnviroGear, Griswold, Hydro Systems, Mouvex, Neptune, Quattroflow and Wilden. PSG products are manufactured on three continents  North America, Europe and Asia  in state-of-the-art facilities that practice lean manufacturing and are ISO-certified. PSG is part of the Pumps & Process Solutions segment of Dover Corporation. For additional information on PSG, please visit www.psgdover.com. PSG: Where Innovation Flows. About Em-tec GmbH: German-based Em-tec GmbH has been developing and manufacturing products at its location in Finning for the medical and bioprocessing industry for over thirty years. With core competences in the field of non-invasive flow measurement using the ultrasound transit time principle, the Company offers systems and components for medical and non-medical uses. Em-tec offers medical devices under its own brand and as an OEM supplier and important partner to medical technology companies. Em-tec's quality management system is certified according to ISO 13485 and also meets the requirements of the 21 CFR 820 (GMP, US-FDA). For additional information on Em-tec, please visit www.em-tec.com. Em-tec: Passion for Flow. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. All statements in this document other than statements of historical fact are statements that are, or could be deemed, "forward-looking" statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous important risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, general economic conditions and conditions in the particular markets in which we operate, changes in customer demand and capital spending, competitive factors and pricing pressures, our ability to develop and launch new products in a cost-effective manner, and our ability to realize synergies from newly acquired businesses. For details on the risks and uncertainties that could cause our results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that may be contained herein, we refer you to the documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. These documents are available from the SEC, and on our website, www.dovercorporation.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.







Investor Contact: Media Contact: Andrey Galiuk Adrian Sakowicz Vice President  Corporate Development Vice President  Communications and Investor Relations (630) 743-5039 (630) 743-5131 [email protected] [email protected]



View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dover-to-acquire-em-tec-gmbh-a-leading-designer-and-manufacturer-of-flow-measurement-devices-301025715.html SOURCE Dover

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An 58-year-old Indonesian



man tested positive for coronavirus here on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in Telangana to five.

The five include a 24-year-old techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery.

"Even till this moment, no Telangana resident has tested positive for coronavirus on Telangana soil. Those who came from foreign countries, who came after being infected, they tested positive.

No case has been identified here," state Health minister E Rajender told reporters here.

According to him, the second positive case is a woman who came from Italy and the third a man from Netherlands.

The fourth person, who tested positive, arrived from Scotland and the fifth patient from Indonesia.

Telangana started thermal screening much earlier at the international airport here and more than 66,000 people have been screened, the minister said.

The state government is tracing scores of people who came in contact with the five coronavirus positive people, he said, adding six labs have been readied in the state to test for the virus, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Photo : CDC on Unsplash) Disinfect the entire house, especially "high-touch" areas to avoid coronavirus infection. (Photo : Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash) The EPA has expanded its list of approved disinfectants against the coronavirus.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released an expanded list of EPA-registered and approved disinfectants that are qualified to be used against the SARS-CoV-2, otherwise known as the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

EPA Expands List of Approved Disinfectants Against Coronavirus

In a press release by the EPA, they have mentioned that there are an additional 200 products, including 40 new ones, that went through the agency's expedited review process.

EPA also mentioned that the products in their expanded list were not necessarily tested against the SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.

Nevertheless, these products have been tested and have been proven effective against much more harder-to-kill viruses, as well as other coronaviruses that are closely related to the novel coronavirus.

Andrew Wheeler, the EPA administrator, said that it's crucial for everyone to find helpful information when it comes to choosing a surface disinfectant, especially amid the pandemic.

"With this expanded list, EPA is making sure Americans have greater access to as many effective and approved surface disinfectant products as possible and that they have the information at their fingertips to use them effectively," he added.

Easier Access to the List and More Information

The EPA has also made their list more accessible to anyone.

Now, they have updated their website and made it easier for users to sort, search, and print the list so they can bring it with them to the grocery store the next time they go out.

It is also viewable via mobile.

Additionally, the EPA has now included each of the product's active ingredients, as well as other information such as how long the surface needs to be wet to work much more effectively against coronavirus and other viruses.

The expanded list can be found HERE.

ALSO READ: How the Coronavirus Pandemic Brought Something Deadlier

Avoid Hoarding and Ensure Safety at Home

Based on a recent report by the Business Insider, many of the EPA-approved disinfectants on the list are currently sold out even online. However, manufacturers are already working on restocking them.

With that, the government and the people are asking everyone to avoid hoarding to ensure everyone can have access to disinfectants and keep their homes safe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages people to disinfect their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to CNET, disinfecting "high-touch" areas and objects is a must. It includes doorknobs, light switches, smartphones, remote controls, tables, and more.

Wiping them quickly with disinfectant wipes, followed by a disinfectant spray, especially a bleached-based disinfectant, can be powerful against any germs, bacteria, and viruses that linger on any surface.

Additionally, everyone is encouraged to wash their hands regularly for 20 seconds with warm water and high-quality soap.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 Vaccine Still on Phase 1 and Might Take 18 Months From Now to Create Says Global Health Official

COVID-19 Pandemic Continues

As of writing, there are over 190,000 confirmed cases around the world--China having the most cases--and over 7,500 deaths. A total of 80,800 recovered patients who are discharged from the hospital.

There is no cure for COVID-19 yet, but the world is racing to find one and testing out experimental drugs and vaccines to see their effect on the virus. However, it is believed that it may take 18 months before a cure is found and finally sent out to the public.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Former Vice President Joe Biden's mid-debate promise to pick a female running mate, should he win the Democratic presidential nomination, was scorned by some conservative women: "Biden has done a disservice to his future running mate by emphasizing her gender rather than her accomplishments," Washington Examiner columnist Kaylee McGhee wrote. "Now, whomever he chooses, whether it's Amy Klobuchar, Stacey Abrams, or Sally Yates, will be seen as the most inclusive option, rather than the most accomplished."

Right after Sunday night's debate, New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz tweeted: "How do other women not see that 'I'll pick a woman for my VP' is an insult to all of us? Saying you'll choose 'a woman' instead of naming a specific woman is wildly patronizing."

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump's 2016 women's vote whisperer, took a more nuanced view when I emailed her: "It is unwise for Biden to have set such an intractable marker," she wrote. "It feels part contrived, part consolation prize given the high number of women who actually ran against him for President in the primaries."

But to some degree, her point undermines the conservative trope that the most qualified person, versus the most qualified woman, should be on the ticket. There's simply no doubt that there are plenty of women qualified to be vice president. This year, six of them ran for the top job, a historic field, including five sitting members of Congress. "The idea that picking the best qualified person is at odds with picking a woman, if ever true, is not in 2020," says Martha Coakley, former Massachusetts attorney general. "Women have the experience, savvy and smarts to be a great VP and by extension, the President. Witness the Democratic Primary."

Biden wants to capture the energy of female voters - something previous major-party female vice-presidential nominees didn't: In 1984, according to Gallup, the Walter Mondale-Geraldine Ferraro ticket lost women by 10 points; in 2008, the John McCain-Sarah Palin ticket lost women by 14 points. Far from patronizing women, he hopes his ticket will succeed where others failed, in a political era where old memes are being turned on their head.

And he isn't the first to make a similar pledge: Ronald Reagan in 1980 promised to appoint the first woman to the Supreme Court, and in 1981 he indeed made Sandra Day O'Connor the first female justice. Bill Clinton in 1992 vowed to form an administration that "looks like America," and mostly did. French President Emmanuel Macron has drawn notice for the diversity of his cabinet. Similarly, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed a cabinet that "looks like Canada," evenly split between men and women.

The principle of reflecting a diverse electorate has held true for American administrations, Republican or Democratic, for decades, according to Karen Beckwith, chair of Case Western Reserve University's political science department and a co-author of "Cabinets, Ministers, & Gender." "Since 1985, every initial U.S. cabinet has included at least one woman, and there has not been an all-white cabinet since 1975," she says. For a position like vice president, choosing a diverse candidate is especially important as "there are no agreed, specific criteria that 'qualify' a vice presidential candidate on the basis of 'merit.'"

What qualifies anyone to be a vice president is hazy, and somewhat subjective. Ferraro, a New York congresswoman and member of House leadership, was criticized when she ran for lacking sufficient experience. Mondale was accused of trying to hoodwink women into voting for the Democratic ticket, which lost 49 states - winning only Mondale's home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia. "We'll never know: would he have lost by more votes with a man on a ticket?" says Debbie Walsh, head of Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. "Did she help or hurt him? Or did it not matter?"

Vice presidents tend to be chosen as a way of balancing out the weaknesses of the (thus far) men at the top of the ticket. Younger, less experienced candidates often go for veeps with perceived gravitas: witness Barack Obama and Biden, or George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Older candidates sometimes go for youth and energy: think John Kerry choosing John Edwards in 2004, or McCain plucking then-little-known Palin almost out of thin air.

But in McCain's case, Palin ended up hurting him. She provided his campaign an initial jolt, but by the end of the race, many voters worried that she was unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. "Age was one of the things that hurt McCain with Palin," Walsh says. "And for Biden, part of the calculus also has to do with age, that someone is in the wings about whom people are excited - and who is qualified - and may run in 2024."

"Qualified," here, is key. Unlike with Palin, who was a last-minute pick, made in part out of desperation, Biden's team has plenty of time to vet his shortlist, and the would-be veeps thus far are well-qualified by any conventional measure - all governors, legislators and, in the case of Yates, a former deputy U.S. attorney general. All present pros and cons, but none have a surprise factor of being relatively obscure, like Palin, or unused to the prime-time spotlight. "It's insulting and inaccurate to suggest that there are no 'meritorious' women in the U.S. qualified to be vice president," says Beckwith.

Plus, Trump's election - from non-office-holding reality-TV star to president - turned the meaning of "qualification" on its head. In that context, it will be harder, in this election, for the criticisms faced by Ferraro and Palin to stick. And in terms of electoral appeal, "the truth is a woman beat Trump by three million votes" in the popular vote count, says Karen Finney, who worked for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and in 2018 for former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, reported to be on Biden's shortlist and one of the several black women favored by key Biden supporter, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the highest-ranking black member of Congress. The discussion, says Finney, "should start from the premise that in 2020 of course there are many women who are more than qualified."

But if Ferraro didn't bring the women's vote in 1984, nor Palin in 2008, why does Biden believe picking a woman this time around might help him? The push by women's rights activists to get front-runner Biden, or his primary opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to pick a female running mate, feels very much like the atmosphere in 1984, Walsh says. "How can this be that at the end of the day, with such a diverse field, that you'd end up with two elderly white men vying for the Democratic nomination? And again in the general election, two elderly white men?" Walsh says. This time, the VP pick isn't about picking up swing votes, she says, but about turning out voters who might otherwise stay home. "Choosing between Trump and Biden - it's not going to be the VP candidate that does it, but will it energize folks who otherwise wouldn't show."

In terms of generating enthusiasm among the female electorate, then, an eventual female running mate might be singularly qualified.

If Biden picks former rival, Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar, it's about turning out the Rust Belt vote, which she convincingly did for Biden already: her endorsement helped propel him to a convincing win in the Minnesota primary earlier this month. Abrams or another former primary rival, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, both could further boost the African American vote for Biden. And a third former rival, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, could help turn out a more progressive segment of the Democratic base - not to mention that the broad theme of her candidacy, of having "a plan for that," a detailed policy prescription for nearly every big issue, on top of being a senator, law professor and best-selling author on the topic of personal finance, is, resume-wise, the very definition of qualified.

"We've yet to elect a woman so it's far harder for most of us to envision women as leaders," notes Cynthia Terrell, founder of the advocacy group RepresentWomen. Contrary to his critics, he's not doing women a "disservice" or playing, in overused parlance, "identity politics." By committing now to running with a woman, he's putting down a marker for parity, turning discussion of the Democratic ticket to a weighing only of the contenders' qualifications.

For years, Conway criticized fellow Republicans' unwillingness to directly appeal to women. When she and Trump were said to be playing identity politics in 2016 by nakedly appealing to female voters, conspicuously involving his daughters in his campaign, launching a women's agenda and talking up his wife as a successful entrepreneur, Conway reacted the way she always has, telling me at the time: "It's not a minority when you make up the majority of the electorate" - slightly over half the electorate is female, so why shouldn't a major party ticket include a woman? - "it's called appealing to the majority, which is common sense."

- - -

Newton-Small is the founder of MemoryWell and a former Time magazine correspondent. She is the author of "Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works."
Baghdad [Iraq], Mar 17 (ANI): Iraqi President Barham Salih appointed Adnan al-Zurfi as the country's new prime minister-designate in an effort to resolve a months-long political crisis.



Al-Zurfi has 30 days to form his cabinet which would then go for a vote of confidence in Iraq's fractious Parliament. The 54-year-old is a former governor of the holy Shia city of Najaf and heads the Nasr parliamentary grouping of former Prime Minister Haider-al Abadi, Al Jazeera reported.

Al-Zurfi will succeed interim Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who quit in December following a widespread mass demonstrations against the government that many Iraqis see as corrupt, failing to provide them with basic services, and obliged to neighbouring Iran.

Al Zurfi's appointment came two weeks after Former Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew his candidacy for the post, accusing political parties of obstructing him.

Al-Zurfi was a former official of the US-run authorities that took over Iraq after the 2003 US invasion that deposed former ruler Saddam Hussein. (ANI)


The original song referenced the big news stories from the first 40 years of Joel's life that included the Korean War, hydrogen bomb, space race, Woodstock, Beatlemania, Watergate and many more.

It was first tweeted by The Simpsons writer, Matt Warburton, who said, "Today was like if 'We Didn't Start the Fire' was a day."

Others responded to his tweet, suggesting alternate lyrics to the classic hit song like, "Schools close, Tom Hanks, trouble in the big banks / No vaccine, quarantine, no more toilet paper seen / Travel ban, Weinstein, panic COVID-19, NBA, gone away, what else do I have to say?"

Another responded, "Lotsa snot, crashing stock, Tom Hanks,ships cant dock. Trump says well all be fine,face masks on the airlines. No panic in Iran, Safer in Afghanistan."

Read more below:
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday the spread of coronavirus 'is worse than 9/11' for the airline industry.

United, Delta and Virgin have already drastically slashed their flight schedule, taking other cost-cutting measures, and storing their large aircraft which will be out of use.

The airlines have also requested a bailout package from the government, ranging between $45 billion to $65 billion.

Industry group, Airlines for America, has estimated that the nation's seven largest airlines will run out of money completely between June and the end of the year.

Mnuchin said Tuesday: 'This is worse than 9/11. For the airline industry they are almost ground to a halt.' Airspace in the US and Canada was forced to close for two days in the wake of the terror attack which killed more than 3,000 people.

The White House was asking Congress on Tuesday to approve a sweeping emergency stimulus package to help businesses and taxpayers cope with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. It's the most far-reaching economic rescue package since the Great Recession of 2008.

Mnuchin planned to outline the roughly $850 billion package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House, Tuesday

Passengers reunite with family members in the International arrivals zone at Dulles airport outside Washington on March 13

A gate area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is crowded with travelers awaiting Delta flight 1420 to Atlanta, Saturday

Travelers are currently allowed to travel domestically in the US. The president placed a ban on most Europeans entering the United States last week.

Mnuchin added: 'The president wants to make sure that although we dont want people to travel unless its critical, we want to maintain for critical travel the right to have domestic travel.'

In addition to the airline industry, airports are requesting $10 billion in assistance as it forecasts losses of nearly $9 billion as the demand for travel slows.

Many of the airlines' wide-body passenger planes will be put into storage while demand is low. Flight Radar images show several Delta wide-body aircraft making their way to Arizona and Alabama where they will be mothballed.

The aircraft, which include A330, A350, 767 and 777s, will be stored at Marana in Arizona, and Birmingham, Alabama.

United CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby sent a letter to the airline's 100,000 employees, which was made public on Sunday, announcing that flight routes will be slashed 50 per cent in April in May.

'We also now expect these deep cuts to extend into the summer travel period,' the memo read.

United also is cutting its corporate officers' salaries by 50 per cent, citing 'the severity of the situation.'

Mnuchin said Tuesday President Donald Trump wants the government to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks in an effort to curb the economic cost of the coronavirus outbreak.

'The president has instructed me we have to do this now,' he said at the White House briefing. He didn't give details except to say the amount should be significant and millionaires would not get it.

Flight Radar images show several Delta wide-body aircraft making their way to Arizona and Alabama where they will be mothballed as demand for travel slows

United Airlines will be slashing its flight schedule 50 per cent in April and May amid the coronavirus outbreak

The letter revealed that in the first two weeks of March - usually United's busiest month - there were more than one million fewer customers on board flights than the same period last year. The airline is projecting that revenue for the month will be $1.5billion lower than in March 2019.

'When medical experts say that our health and safety depends on people staying home and practicing social distancing, it's nearly impossible to run a business whose shared purpose is 'Connecting people. Uniting the world,' Munoz and Kirby wrote to their staff.

The airline said it was working night and day to keep as much pay as possible flowing to employees, even if the situation worsens and 'demand temporarily plummets to zero.'

As of Monday morning, there were more than 174,786 cases of the novel coronavirus around the world and 6,705 deaths. In the US, there were 4,061 confirmed cases and 70 fatalities.

Along with slashing flights and executives' salaries, United management on Sunday opened talks with the airline's unions about lowering payroll expense 'in a way that minimizes what we know will be painful for all of us,' according to the letter.

Over the next months, Delta will be slashing its flight schedules 40 per cent, making it largest capacity reduction in the airline's 95-year history

Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced that he will forgo his base salary for the next six months

A separate letter from United's pilots union leadership to it members said that the airline is 'doing all it can to avoid furloughs,' as CNN reported.

United is not alone as it struggles to stay afloat in the face of a plummeting demand amid the global health crisis.

Low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle said Monday it is cancelling 85 per cent of its fights and temporarily laying off 90 per cent of its staff - 7,300 people.

'What our industry is now facing is unprecedented and critical as we are approaching a scenario where most of our airplanes will be temporarily grounded,' Norwegian Air Shuttle chief executive Jacob Schram said in a statement.

'Several governments in Europe have already said that they will do everything they can to ensure that their airlines can continue to fly when society returns to normalcy.'

Shares in the company were down almost 19 per cent on Monday, down 85 per cent from the start of the year.

The UK-based Virgin Atlantic said it would ground 75 per cent of its fleet by March 26 and by up to 85 per cent at points in April, as it cancelled more flights due to coronavirus.

Virgin, which is 51 per cent owned by billionaire Richard Branson's group and 49 per cent owned by Delta Air Lines, also announced it will also ask staff to take eight weeks unpaid leave over the next three months to try to cut costs but avoid layoffs.

These latest moves come just days after Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced that he will forgo his base salary for the next six months, reported 11Alive.

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will also ask staff to take eight weeks unpaid leave over the next three months

According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Bastian's 2018 base salary was about $900,000. Most of his $15million annual compensation package comes from stock awards and options.

In a letter to employees made public on Friday, Bastain said that the speed of the passenger demand drop-off is 'unlike anything we've seen  and we've seen a lot in our business.'

Over the next months, Delta will be slashing its flight routes 40 per cent, making it largest capacity reduction in the airline's 95-year history.

JetBlue, which pulled its first-quarter and 2020 earnings forecast, said it was adjusting schedules between March and early May and was considering more flight cancellations.

The carrier was considering voluntary time-off programs for employees, delaying some hiring and increasing the frequency with which it cleans aircraft.

Top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday warned Americans that the coronavirus outbreak could get worse before it gets better, but said he did not expect the United States to restrict domestic travel in the near future.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC News' 'This Week' program he was confident the U.S. government was doing everything needed to contain the outbreak and avert a worst-case scenario.

Low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle said Monday it is cancelling 85 per cent of its fights and temporarily laying off 90 per cent of its staff - 7,300 people

United, American Airlines Group and Delta Air Lines - the three largest US airlines - confirmed Friday they are in talks with the Trump Administration about potential assistance amid a dramatic drop-off in air travel demand due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House and lawmakers view the situation with increasing alarm, with an administration official saying on Saturday they want Congress to provide assistance to airlines and other industries badly harmed by the travel demand collapse.

So far there has been no talk of a full bailout like that of the auto-industry in 2009.

While no specific proposal is currently being written, a senior House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee aide said it backs tax relief talks but Republicans are 'considering federal loans for the purchase of jet fuel, and possibly other operational expenses.'
Robyn Brown, Kody Browns fourth and youngest wife on TLCs Sister Wives, has always seemed to keep any problems she might have had with her husband under wraps. But on the 2020 season, Robyn and Kodys marriage has started to crumble under the strain of moving from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona.

During a trip to Chicago with her three sister wives (Meri, Janelle, and Christine Brown) to visit Meris daughter Mariah Brown and her fiancee, Audrey Kriss, Robyn let it all hang out when it came to her marital struggles with Kody.

On the Mar. 15 episode of Sister Wives, Growing Up Gay and Religious, the 41-year-old mom of five said that things had gotten so bad between them that they were fighting every single day about whether to buy or rent a home.

Robyn, Meri, Kody, Christine, and Janelle Brown | Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Robyn admitted her marriage to Kody was struggling

As Robyn and her sister wives sat down to lunch during their weekend trip to Chicago, she began to describe her issues with Kody. The main conflict, of course, was that Kody insisted they put on offer on a house within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Robyn wanted to wait for a rental home, so the Brown familys move to Coyote Pass (their land in Arizona) wouldnt be delayed.

Hes pushing buying like crazy? Kodys third wife, Christine wondered.

Robyn agreed and said she was desperate. Im just starting to get desperate, because I really just dont want to buy, she lamented. If we buy a house, then it will delay everything we have planned for the propertyI just want to scream every time I think about it.

Kodys fourth wife confessed that this was no small marital problem or tiny squabble. This is something that were fighting about every single day, the Sister Wives star admitted.

The other sister wives said it was unlike Robyn to be so open about her problems with Kody

According to Robyns sister wives, this kind of openness about arguments with Kody was out of character for her.

Kody and Robyn arent doing super great, Christine told Sister Wives producers, adding that she could tell the issue ran deeper than just deciding between renting and buying.

Kodys second wife, Janelle, agreed. The Sister Wives star explained that Robyn was usually private about her marriage to Kody, so the fact that she was openly complaining must mean they were truly struggling. This must be a big issue, because generally you would never see this, she said, and Robyn would never talk about it.

Robyn even went so far as to say she didnt want to be in Flagstaff at all. I just want to be back in Vegas, in my home, she told her sister wives. This doesnt feel like my homeKody has basically told me hes taking the kids and I to go see houses. I hope they hate them.

Kodys fourth wife was frustrated by her childrens panic and fear over their housing situation

By the end of the weekend with Mariah and Audrey, Robyn was even more worried about what would happen when she got back.

Her 17-year-old daughter, Aurora Brownwho had experienced a number of panic attacks since they moved to Flagstaff, especially when Robyn and Kody foughtwas feeling the strain of their uncertain housing situation. I got texts from Aurora and she was having a panic attack, and I was sitting there kind of having to talk her through it, Robyn explained.

On the last day of the sister wives trip, Robyn apologized to Mariah for being such a party pooper. I just have so much pressure with finding a rental, she complained. I have kids melting down at home. They need me. She even joked that, at the womens axe throwing activity in Chicago, she wanted to start throwing that axe in places [she] shouldnt have.

Robyn headed home with her sister wives with more distress than ever about both her marriage and her overall feelings of security. I just feel so unsafe right now with the house, the unsettled Sister Wives star confessed, and not knowing where Im going to live next, and having so many arguments with Kody about whether or not to buy.
Formula 1 factories remain open amid the global coronavirus crisis.

With Ferrari's Maranello headquarters located inside the Italian 'red zone', both the road car facility and the F1 factory have been shut down for now.

But chief F1 rivals Mercedes and Red Bull are still operational in the UK.

"We can currently continue to work in England," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko confirmed to Auto Bild.

"I assume that all the teams based in England will continue to go at full throttle except McLaren," he added.

A Mercedes spokesman also confirmed that its Brackley and Brixworth factories are still operating.

"We adhere to the guidelines of the British government," the spokesman told Speed Week. "We have had no (coronavirus) cases at either Brixworth or Brackley."

(GMM)
Thailand's poverty rate has been rising in recent years despite steady, if slow, overall economic growth, a new World Bank report says, widening the gap between rich and poor in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy.

"Taking the Pulse of Poverty and Inequality in Thailand," launched last week, says the country's poverty rate jumped from 7.2% to 9.8% between 2015 and 2018, adding nearly 2 million new people to the ranks of the poor. Inequality, as measured by household consumption, also spiked in 2016 for the first time in four years and has eased little since.

Analysts see a direct link between those figures and the results of last year's general elections, Thailand's first since a 2014 military coup led by then-General Prayut Chan-ocha, now the country's prime minister.

Pheu Thai, a party tied to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won the second most votes and the largest share of seats in the popularly elected House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Assembly, with strong support from some of the country's poorest provinces in the North and Northeast.

A junta-appointed Senate and Election Commission finally tipped the contest to form a majority government in Prayut's favor, but the numbers echoed the lasting disaffection of the country's poor.

"Plummeting incomes were clearly a major factor in the opposition's strong showing in the 2019 general election. That is why Pheu Thai did so well  especially given that rural farmers and also urban households continue to be attracted by the populism of Thaksin," said Paul Chambers, a political analyst and lecturer at Thailands Naresuan University.

Thaksin was first elected prime minister in 2001, after the shock of the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, and reelected four years later only to be kicked out of office by a military coup in 2006. The telecoms tycoon now lives abroad, avoiding a 2008 corruption conviction that he disputes. However, the subsidies, cash transfers and other populist policies he pushed have left him and his proxies with a loyal following among the farmers of Thailand's rural North and Northeast, who feel left behind by an urban elite cloistered mostly in the capital, Bangkok.

"That is partly why Thaksin was able to rise in the early 2000s, because of grievances over this disproportionate allocation of resources," said Harrison Cheng, an associate director with consulting firm Control Risks who follows Thailand.

He said the concentration of wealth and power in Bangkok has continued under Prayut.

The World Bank report backs him up. It shows poverty hovering steadily at about 2% between 2015 and 2018 in Bangkok while rising everywhere else, nowhere more so than in the strife-torn South. Riven by a Muslim insurgency, the South became the country's poorest region in 2017, only just edging out the Northeast with a poverty rate of about 12%. The South again topped the Northeast in 2018 with a poverty rate just over 14%.

The report ascribes the latest rises in poverty and inequality to droughts, slow economic growth and falling incomes among both rural farmers and urban businesses.

The bank says Thailand has now seen four such spikes since 2000, more than any of the other nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries.

The report's author, Judy Yang, attributes that, at least in part, to slow wage growth during the period, slower than in any of the bloc's other large economies.

"If you are a household, what really pulls you out of poverty is getting a better-paying job, getting more income, getting labor market income," she said.

What also sets Thailand apart is its political turmoil. The coup-prone country has seen four swings between military and civilian rule since 2006, governments cut short by controversial court orders and several rounds of mass protests, some of them deadly.

The World Bank said many of Thailand's poverty spikes coincided with regional or global financial crises or with drought but added that periods of political instability also tend to depress consumption and investment, which can drive incomes down and poverty rates up.

Cheng, of Control Risks, said his conversations with clients confirm that Thailand's volatile politics have kept many potential investors at bay, holding the economy back.

"A lot of the investors are staying away and taking a wait-and-see approach for a long, long time now," he said.

"If they are not in Thailand already, they will be thinking very seriously about whether they should do so because what if there's a change in government again? What if there are massive street protests like in 2013, 2014? Are you going to repeat the 2010 Bangkok standoff between the Red Shirts and the military?" he added, referring to Thaksin supporters by their color-coded apparel of choice.

Cheng said the constant and sudden turnover in governments has also fostered a habit of short-term policy prescriptions on poverty and inequality that have done more to soothe the symptoms than cure the causes.

Chambers and Cheng agreed that if the latest bout of bad numbers gets worse, Prayut's problems will also be increased by swelling ranks of not just the poor but also of disenchanted voters.

The World Bank report proffers poverty and inequality figures only up to 2018 but adds that "trends beyond this year are not optimistic, given continued low economic growth rates and stagnant wages."

Another severe drought devastated farmers last year as the country's gross domestic product growth rank sank to 2.4%, its lowest since 2014. GDP forecasts for 2020 are even worse, owing much to the novel corona virus outbreak, which has hit the country's important tourism sector hard.

To counter those blows, Prayut's government has ramped up and introduced new social welfare programs for the poorest households and last week approved a stimulus package expected to pump some $12.6 billion into the economy.

The World Bank recommends that authorities continue to strengthen the country's safety net and create better jobs for low-income earners in the short term. In the longer term, it says giving all children equal access to health and education opportunities would be the best way to make future generations more prosperous and more equal.
Belgians must stay at home from midday on Wednesday until at least April 5 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes has said.

The only residents allowed out will be those needing medical attention, getting exercise or working in some businesses deemed essential, such as food markets and pharmacies, she said on Tuesday.

The tougher restrictions in Belgium follow similar measures in neighbouring France, as Europe grapples with the global outbreak that has killed more than 7,800 people.

Wilmes made her announcement just after taking part in a videoconference with the other 26 European Union leaders, during which they agreed to more fully coordinate further measures.

"Citizens are asked to stay at home in order to avoid most contacts, except for going to the doctor, to shop for food, the post office, a bank, pharmacy, petrol station or to help someone in need," she said.

Belgians can head outside for fresh air and brief exercise, but only alone or with someone they already live with, she added. Restaurants and bars have already been closed, but take-away deliveries continue.

While supermarkets will remain open, shoppers should only be admitted if there is enough space for one person per 10 square metres, and they must not stay for more than 30 minutes.

Companies that can send employees to work from home should do so, and those that cannot should "scrupulously respect the rules of social distancing" in the workplace and on public transport, Wilmes said.

Businesses could be fined if they break the new rules, she warned.

Foreign travel that is not "indispensable" is banned until at least April 5.

Belgium, a country of 11.4 million people, has recorded 1,243 cases of the novel coronavirus strain, and 10 deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CHICO, Calif. - The Butte County Public Health Department will be receiving a boost of $250,000 from the North Valley Community Foundation's (NVCF) operating funds to purchase lab equipment for coronavirus testing and to hire extra help for community outreach.

The donation will be used as seed money for a new "Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Response Fund" that will be used to assist local non-profit organizations and agencies. The fund has been set up to allow individuals, businesses and philanthropic organizations to help organizations on the front lines prepare, rapidly respond to and deploy resources for coronavirus response in Butte, Glenn, Tehama and Colusa counties.

David Little, executive vice president for the North Valley Community Foundation, said Monday that particular attention will be focused on food security and health care for senior citizens, children and people experiencing homelessness.

Little said foundation staff reached out to Butte County Public Health last week and asked how the foundation could help. The county, he said, requested the lab equipment.

COVID-19 Questions? CLICK HERE

As of this time Butte County has no lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19. While labs in Butte County currently arent able to run COVID-19 testing, Public Health has worked with local health care providers to help them collect and send specimens out of the area for testing.

Equipping the Public Health lab with COVID-19 testing capabilities will expedite lab turnaround times for Butte County, said Danette York, director for Butte County Public Health. She said timely testing and diagnosis is vital to addressing and responding to this crisis. We are grateful to NVCF for this timely and generous donation," York said.

The NVCF wants people to know that the $250,000 grant comes from their operating fund, not from Camp Fire or Butte Strong donations.

We have seen firsthand how our communities can selflessly and wholeheartedly respond to a crisis, said Alexa Benson-Valavanis, president and CEO of NVCF. Although no one could have fathomed another crisis arriving so soon, we have no doubt our communities will make it through the COVID-19 pandemic by coming together. We have committed the first $250,000 to launch this fund from our own operating dollars.

CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

NVCF has a history of setting up funds to respond to disasters and other emergencies locally, nationally and internationally.

For more information on the Coronavirus Rapid Response Fund CLICK HERE.
The toilet paper and paper towel aisle at Ralphs in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

California Grocers Urge Shoppers Not to Hoard on CCP Virus Fears

MENIFEE, Calif.Because of concern about the spread of the CCP virus, shoppers have stripped grocery store shelves of basic food staples and disinfectant as California food retailers struggle to keep pace with the sudden, sharp spike in demand.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mishandling allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

The list of scarce items that began with toilet paper and bottled water, now includes hand sanitizer, bleach, anti-bacterial soaps, meat, eggs, milk, bread, spaghetti, pasta sauce, and some canned foods.

Still grocery store chain executives at Ralphs and Stater Bros. are reassuring customers they dont need to hoard food. They say the problem is not supply, but rather the sudden demand that has caused a bottleneck in distribution.

Ralphs Director of Corporate Affairs John Votava said the company is urging shoppers to take what they need, but to leave some behind for their neighbors.

There is no food shortage, Votava told The Epoch Times. Our transportation and logistics are working to get caught up with the demand thats taking place in the stores. The thing is, we get the orders into the stores, our stores stock up the shelves, and the product disappears almost instantaneously just because of the panic buying or overbuying.

An empty deli meats counter at Stater Bros. in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

A shortage of milk at Stater Bros. in Menifee, Calif., on March 15, 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

We are getting regular deliveries. Actually, we have stepped it up a little bit to where we have a little over 400 loads that are leaving our distribution centers every day to cover 320 Ralphs and Food 4 Less locations. So some locations may be getting double loads each day, he said.

I was at our distribution center today in Paramount, Votava said on March 16. The warehouse is stocked, and were working feverishly to get product out to the stores. Its just disappearing as quickly as we can get it on the shelves.

In Los Angeles on March 16, Mayor Eric Garcetti attended the Ralphs warehouse in Paramount for a Facebook live event.

There is no reason to make a run on the supermarkets, Garcetti said. Supply chains are completely uninterrupted, and theres no shortage of food.  Hoarding is hurting our community, so please dont do that.

Calm Is Key

Stater Bros. CEO Pete Van Helden told The Epoch Times that unwarranted fears of a food shortage have created an artificially high demand, and the best remedy is for shoppers to calm down.

We havent been able to handle the surge thats been created by panic-buying and hoarding. Thats whats causing the problem. We just hope everyone can relax a little bit and get back to normal shopping habits, and that will help all of us recover much sooner, Van Helden said.

We wont have a supply problem. Well get all the products back in  but as long as people are hoarding and surge-buying, its very hard for the supply chain to handle that upswing.

Bottled water is in short supply at Ralphs store in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

The toilet paper and paper towel aisle at Ralphs in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

Most suppliers are doing pretty well, but not so when it comes to toilet paper and water suppliers, he said.

They are not keeping upnot even close, Van Helden said. Manufacturers have geared up, and theyre running 24/7 to get caught up.

Restaurant Restrictions

Van Helden said that Californias state-mandated occupancy restrictions on restaurants, along with bar and winery closures, could add tremendous strain on grocery stores.

Im really concerned about the restaurant situation. Thats where people get half their calories today. If I cant go to a restaurant, what is my option? I go to the grocery store. Thats a big shift. All that consumption then moves to us and were already over capacity, he said.

Were really in a very fragile situation here. We just cant take much more stress, so we have to be very careful about shutting down food supply, or it could cause a panic we havent even seen yet.

Cool Heads Prevail

So far, there havent been any reports of fights or looting in any Stater Bros. locations, said Van Helden, adding that stores will remain open as long as an air of civility continues.

Weve had no breakouts, no fights. Ive had no concerns about safety yet. But if the panic gets much higher, thats what worries me. As a CEO, I have to think of those things, and all I can tell you is were only going to have stores open as long as they are safe, and they are at the moment, he said.

For the most part, customers have taken things in stride. Theyve been terrific. Theyve been very understanding and patient with us, said Van Helden, who also gave kudos to the Stater Bros. staff for their hard work.

We have a lot of great employees who are happy to help out and work long days, he said. They still have smiles on their faces, and I think that helps the customer relax as well.

Toilet Paper Predicament

When asked why toilet paper, in particular, is in such short supply, Votava said the warehouses are well supplied, but local stores cant keep up with the extraordinary demand.

I was hoping you could tell me, Votava said. I dont know, honestly. Its beyond me. I can tell you firsthand that in the distribution center I was in today, I saw pallets of that stuff. So, we have it, and once we get it to the stores, it goes on the shelves and, poof! Its gone. Thats the situation that were up against. Its panic buying.

Toilet paper was sold out at Stater Bros. in Menifee, Calif. on March 15, 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

The toilet paper problem is widespread throughout the country and beyond.

When a shipment of toilet paper comes in, its a bit of a frenzy, but everybody has been pretty patient. We do have limits [per customer] on paper and water and things like that. People have been really good about accepting the limits, Van Helden said.

Limited Purchases

Besides regulating the amount of toilet paper customers can buy, Ralphs has limited purchases to two items per customer for products such as milk, eggs, bread, beef, poultry, and pork.

Packages of meat limited to two items per customer at Ralphs in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

A customer shops the bottled water aisle in the Stater Bros. in Menifee, Calif., on March 15. 2020. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

We urge people to take what they need and to leave some behind for their neighbor, he said.

Employee Overtime and Hiring

Many Ralphs employees have been working overtime, but Votava said the company is doing its best to maintain regular work schedules and still keep up with the increased demands.

We are in the process of trying to hire another 200 to 250 associates to join our team and give us some extra hands to help stock the shelves, he said. These are immediate positions that we can get people into pretty quickly.

Stater Bros. is also hiring temporary workers, said Van Helden. But, in the meantime, employees are working a lot of overtime hours.

We have no choice. Were a very manual business, he said. The product moves through the system largely through manual process, so all of this increased demand just increases the number of hours. So yeah, weve got employees who are working long days and seven days.

I want to be clear were not forcing anyone to work. Were all proud of our team because theyre all volunteering and theyre chipping in. Weve got the whole executive staff out working in stores.

Reduced Store Hours

Both Ralphs and Stater Bros. have reduced store hours to allow more time for cleaning, sanitizing, and restocking.

Ralphs locations are now open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. compared to the previous stores hours of 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. at most stores, Votava said.

Stater Bros. new store hours are 8 a.m. till 9 p.m. every day at all 169 stores. Before the shopping surge, hours were 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Feeding The Hungry

On Monday, Kroger Co., Ralphss parent company, said it will commit $3 million for hunger-relief to communities disproportionately affected by the CCP virus outbreak.

Our most urgent mission is to be here for our customers when they need us most, and our store, warehouse, distribution, food production and office associates are working around the clock to keep our stores open for our customers, said Keith Dailey, Krogers group vice president of corporate affairs, in a media release.

Were also mindful that the coronavirus pandemic may result in more of our neighbors struggling with food insecurity during this challenging timeand we want to help.

Krogers Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundations donation will be equally distributed between the its nonprofit partners, Feeding America and No Kid Hungry. The money will support local food banks nationwide and fund initiatives that ensure children, whose schools may be closed, still have access to nutritious meals.

Stater Bros. Charities, a sister company, also donates generously to food banks and organizations, Van Helden said.

Weve been focused on taking care of our customers, but on an ongoing basis we do give millions of dollars to food organizations, he said.

Sanitary Safety Precautions

To protect workers and customers, both grocery store chains say they are abiding by Center for Disease Control regulations.

What we are doing is putting hand sanitizers at all the check stands and we are providing [employees] with anti-bacterial wipes, too, to wipe down their keyboards, conveyor belts, and then sanitizing the self-checkout location touchscreens and pin pads at the registers as well, Votava said.

Those are the measures were taking for our associates to keep their workspace clean, but also for our customers.

Paid Sick Time

If an associate is feeling ill, we obviously do not want them to come to work, and we just announced yesterday that we are extending our paid sick leave as well, Votava said. So that will give our associates two weeks of paid time off.

Whats Next?

When asked what will happen when people feel they are stocked up enough and the demand bubble either bursts or gradually subsides, Votava said its anybodys guess.

Ive never been through anything like this before, so to be honest, I dont have an answer for that one, he said. Its going to be kind of a wait-and-see game I would think.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday participated in the birth centenary celebrations of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, via video conferencing. PM Modi was scheduled to visit Bangladesh for the celebrations but in view of the Coronavirus pandemic, his visit was cancelled. In his address via video conference, the Prime Minister stated that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur-Rahman was one of the great personalities of the last century and his whole life is a big inspiration for all of us.

In his address on Tuesday, PM Modi said, "today I am pleased to see the people of Bangladesh work day-night to make their country like Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream 'Sonar Bangla'. An oppressive, tyrannical regime, a system that negates democratic values, had done injustice to Bangla land, destroyed its people, and we all know this well. In order to bring out Bangladesh from the devastation that took place during that period, the Genocide, he (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) had dedicated his moment to build a positive and progressive society."

READ | 'PM Modi Appreciated Positive Campaign By Media Against COVID-19,' Says Pralhad Joshi

India-Bangladesh have created a 'Shonali' chapter

Furthermore, he added, "With the inspiration of Bangabandhu and under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the way Bangladesh is moving ahead with inclusive and development-oriented policies is very much appreciated. I am also happy that in the last 5-6 years, India and Bangladesh have also created a 'shonali' chapter of mutual relations, giving new direction, new dimensions to their partnership. This is a growing faith in both of us, due to which we have been able to resolve the peace issues related to the land-bound land maritime boundary that has been going on for decades, peacefully."

READ | PM Modi Has Instructed Partymen To Avoid Street Protests Till April 15: BJP's Manoj Tiwari

The Prime Minister also reflected upon the increasing Indo-Bangladesh ties. PM Modi stated that Bangladesh is India's largest trading partner and the largest development partner in South Asia. "The intimate relations between India and Bangladesh are built on the strong foundations of this shared heritage. This legacy of ours, our intimate relationship, the path shown by Bangabandhu, is the strong foundation of partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries in this decade," said PM Modi.

READ | Coronavirus: 'Suspend Breath Analyser Test For ATC Officers', Writes ATC Guild To PM Modi

READ | PM Modi Backs Continuation Of Parliament; Expresses Regret Over MPs Seeking Curtailment
Anna Wintour rebuked President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus crisis and threw her weight behind his Democratic rival Joe Biden.

The Vogue editor-in-chief waded into the outbreak debate as she announced on Monday that the New York's Met Gala would be postponed over the pandemic.

Wintour also used a lengthy post on Vogue's website to endorse former vice president Biden - who is battling progressive Bernie Sanders for the Democrat nomination for president - as her choice candidate to take on Trump in the November election.

The Vogue editor criticized the Trump administration for 'unforgivably' slow testing and treatment mobilization in response the the spreading contagion.

This year's Met Gala was themed 'About Time: Fashion and Duration' and set to open on the first Monday in May.

But the star-studded Gala - known as 'fashion's biggest night out' - was postponed 'indefinitely' in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The end of an era: Anna Wintour has postponed this year's Met Gala 'indefinitely' in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on coronavirus in the briefing room of the White House in Washington on Monday

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaking during a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington on Sunday

The head of the fashion magazine's American edition said in a post on Vogue's website: 'Due to the unavoidable and responsible decision by the Metropolitan Museum to close its doors, ''About Time'', and the opening night gala, will be postponed to a later date.'

Wintour slammed Trump's 'chaotic implementation of travel bans' and 'dishonesty with the American people'.

She wrote of the crisis, before roundly admonishing Trump: 'Like everyone else, I have been experiencing this COVID-19 crisis as a series of hurtling developments, where one never knows quite what each new day will bring.

'I, like so many of us, have been appalled by how he has responded to the pandemic - the optimistic and fact-free assurances that all will be fine, the chaotic implementation of travel bans and claims about a ''foreign virus'', the narcissistic ease with which he has passed blame to others, his dishonesty with the American people, and worst of all, his shocking lack of empathy and compassion for those who are suffering and fearful,' she said.

Wintour went on to praise 77-year-old Biden's vow to choose a woman as a running mate should the front-runner win his party's nomination.

She added: 'I have been impressed with the wider field of Democratic candidates this primary season, but after Biden's decisive victories on Super Tuesday, I, like so many Americans, made up my mind to rally behind the vice president.'

British-born Wintour - who has helmed American Vogue for more than three decades - developed a longstanding relationship with Barack Obama during his White House tenure, holding high-rolling fundraisers for the Democratic former president.

She also had a heavy hand in Hillary Clinton's ultimately failed election bid in 2016, raising money for the former secretary of state as well as launching a voter registration drive.

According to Vogue, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the glitzy event is held every year, the May 4 gala is one of a number of events that have been called off in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

Iconic: The 70-year-old, pictured at the event in 1994 (left) and 1996 (right), has hosted the event since 1995, but attended for many years before that

The news comes just days after the museum announced it would close its doors 'until further notice' after two of its employees were found to be suffering from symptoms associated with the disease.

This is the first time that the event - for which tickets can cost up to $35,000 a person - has been called off in the 22 years that Wintour has chaired it, a job that she took on back in 1995 when she made her debut as the hostess of the star-studded party.

Since then, the event has become a must-attend for Hollywood's most prominent and glamorous stars, with A-listers going above and beyond to embrace each year's fashion-focused theme, while also showcasing their own style credentials on the red carpet.

Disappointment: Meghan Markle was rumored to be attending this year's event with British Vogue editor Edward Enninful

Indeed, over the years, the outfits that have made their way up the famous steps to the museum have become all the more bizarre and over-the-top, with stars like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jared Leto, and Rihanna pulling out all the stops to make a lasting impression.

While last year's theme - Camp: Notes on Fashion - saw Katy turning up dressed as a chandelier, while Gaga did a full costume change in front of photographers, this year's theme, About Time: Fashion and Duration, was set to be even more flamboyant.

And not only that, it was reported earlier this month that Meghan Markle was set to make her Met Gala debut at this year's event, with sources revealing to The Sun that the former royal was planning to attend alongside her close friend, British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.

The source said Meghan was expected to adopt a 'glamorous androgynous' look for the prestigious fashion bash, adding: 'The Met Gala is for the Who's Who of showbusiness.

'Naturally Meghan was one of the first names on the guest list, and Edward's team are excited that the two will go together.

'Meghan is keen to step out occasionally without Harry so that she can establish herself once more in Hollywood.'

Now it seems Meghan may well have missed her opportunity, with the Met putting a hold on the event for the foreseeable future, having already closed its doors to the public 'until further notice'.

Missing out: It was announced in November that Meryl Streep (pictured in September 2019) would co-chair the 2020 Met Gala. This would have been her first time attending the event

Iconic: Streep, 70, never attending a Met Gala comes as a shock given her previous role in The Devil Wears Prada where the character hosted her own version of the event

Joining the stars: Other co-chairs for the event included actress Emma Stone (left), Louis Vuitton's Nicolas Ghesquiere (middle), and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (right)

According to Vogue.com, an email sent out to staff members on Monday afternoon stated that any and all 'programs and events' due to be held by or at the Met through May 15 had been 'canceled or postponed', 'in deference' to CDC guidance that all gatherings of more than 50 people should be called off.

This year's Met Gala was also due to be the first time actress Meryl was going to attend; despite portraying a character based on Wintour in the popular movie The Devil Wears Prada, the Oscar winner had never actually been a guest at the star-studded party.

Her debut as a co-chair would have also been her first time attending the party - which was due to celebrate an exhibition around the theme, About Time: Fashion and Duration, which would have featured 160 pieces of women's fashion from the last 150 years.

When speaking to The New York Times, Andrew Bolton, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, explained the inspiration behind the new exhibit and theme.

'I wanted to do an exhibition focused on the collection, but not a traditional masterworks exhibition,' he said. 'Something that connects to the zeitgeist, and what people are talking about now.'

The show, which was set to be designed by Es Devlin, who created the sets for Beyonce's Formation tour, aimed to create a timeline of women's fashion starting from the 1870s up until now.

Star-studded: The event is widely viewed as being the hottest ticket in town for Hollywood A-listers like the Kardashians (pictured)

Wacky: Celebrity attendees at the Met Gala always push the boundaries when it comes to their fashion choices, with Jared Leto (left) and Lady Gaga (right) making quite a statement in 2019

Lit up: Katy Perry arrived on the red carpet at last year's event dressed like a chandelier

About 70 per cent of pieces featured during the exhibit were set to come from the museum's current collection. The other 30 per cent would have come from outside donors.

Bolton and his team picked the theme on the heels of last gala's Camp: Notes of Fashion theme, which proved to be a huge success for the museum.

Although attendance at the event has reportedly waned over the last couple of years, the event is still widely viewed as being the hottest - and most expensive - ticket in the industry, with a single chair said to be priced at a whopping $35,000, while tables can run anywhere from $200,000 to $300,000.

Although the inner workings of the Met Gala have always been kept tightly under wraps, Wintour offered intrigued fashion fans a slight insight into the behind-the-scenes planning back in 2016 when she allowed documentary filmmakers to follow the process for the movie The First Monday in May.

In the documentary, viewers were given the chance to see just how much control Wintour has over every aspect of the event, from the guest list to the table arrangements to the performances.

The Vogue Editor-in-Chief is also known for implementing a strict list of rules at the event - although they are not always followed by attendees, particularly when it comes to the alleged social media ban, which is usually flouted by almost every single star in attendance.

Some celebrities have even decided not to attend; Gwyneth Paltrow dubbed it 'un-fun,' 'crowded,' and 'boiling,' while Amy Schumer called the ball 'punishment.'
Some of the UKs rail services could be axed due to the coronavirus outbreak after the number train passengers fell by a fifth over the past week, according to the transport secretary.

Grant Shapps said he would meet rail companies this week to discuss how they manage the big drop off in users, suggesting they could be allowed to run less trains frequently to prevent so many ghost carriages.

The railways have definitely seen a big drop off ... last week by about 18-20 per cent in the number of passengers, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

Asked if the companies could be freed from some of their franchise obligations, Mr Shapps suggested it was possible timetables could change to allow for reduced services.

Its quite clear its an exceptional international moment in time, an international crisis, and we need to be flexible  Ill be driven by, amongst other things, the demand. Theres no more point in running ghost trains any more than there is running ghost planes.

The cabinet minister added: Were working with them all to see what it is we need to sustain them. Obviously people still need to be able to travel, to an extent. Some of [the planning] is about how many trains are put on at any one time.

Earlier in March, the government estimated one-fifth of the population may be off sick from work at the peak of the virus, but Mr Shapps figures appears to suggest one-fifth of regular trains commuters are already working from home.

Mr Shapps is also holding a crisis meeting with airlines companies this week. He claimed there were lots of different options available to help the aviation industry.

He told Sky News: We want to make sure that companies and individuals and organisations who are in a good state  not those that are going to fail anyway  are able to continue.

Asked if a bailout of airlines was on the table, Mr Shapps said: There are lots of different options here, including some other things that people have been looking for, for example HMRC offer a time to pay.

Easyjet is the latest airline to ask for state aid to support carriers whose sales have effectively fallen to zero.

Chief executive Johan Lundgren, said: European aviation faces a precarious future and it is clear that coordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives and is able to continue to operate when the crisis is over.

Flight schedules have been slashed by British Airways parent company IAG and easyJet due to coronavirus.

IAG revealed that its capacity for April and May would be cut by at least 75 per cent compared with the same period in 2019. EasyJet said it has made further significant cancellations and warned that the majority of its planes could be grounded in the future.
Coronavirus, already upending the schooling of millions of U.S. students, is poised to wreak widespread havoc on spring testing, a disruption that will affect dozens of important decisions, from teacher evaluation and 3rd grade promotion to the way schools measure and report their progress to the public. The virus has also thrown college-admissions testing into disarray in hundreds of cities.

Required by federal law, states annual assessments in math and English/language artsand periodic testing in sciencetypically take place between March and May. But with schools closing for several weeksor indefinitely those plans are suddenly in question.

States are scrambling to figure out what to do. Assessment officials are calling one another, and organizations that advise them on testing, to think through their options.

Were getting hammered with calls from states about how to handle testing in the wake of school closures, said Chris Domaleski, the associate director of the Center for Assessment, which advises and supports states on their assessment programs. Theyre wrestling with some very tough choices.

See Also: Coronavirus and Schools

Calls from states about testing were rolling in to the Council of Chief State School Officers at the rate of one per hour last Friday, officials there said. Before they jump in and do something, states want to know what other states are doing, said Scott Norton, CCSSOs deputy executive director of programs.

Normally, states are not permitted to cancel statewide summative testing, since its required by federal law. But on March 12, the U.S. Department of Education said it would consider one-year waivers of that requirementand the requirement that states test 95 percent of their studentsgiven the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus.

That could open up an important option for states. Within hours, many states were discussing the possibility of seeking a waiver so they could skip testing.

Toni Konz Tatman, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Education, said the state will explore the use of all of the federal waivers made available by the U.S. Department of Education, since the governor there decided to halt in-person classes starting March 16.

In a video announcement, Ohio State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria said that the state was still figuring out what to do about testing, and was considering all its options, including applying for a waiver, but for the time being, it planned to extend the spring testing window by three weeks.

Washington state decided to cancel its tests, since schools statewide will be shuttered for at least six weeks, said education department spokeswoman Katy Payne.

It is important to us that any time in school during the rest of the school year be spent on instructional time, rather than testing, she said in an email. The state is considering the possibility of a waiver, and will seek one if necessary. States are required to seek federal permission to be excused from federal testing requirements.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that he would cancel the states STAAR tests, which were to begin in April. Georgia announced later in the day that it would suspend its state testing until further notice, and South Carolina said its seeking a federal waiver to suspend testing as well. Nebraska delayed state tests that were scheduled to start this week.

Difficult Questions

California is not planning to cancel its Smarter Balanced tests, education department spokesman Scott Roark said. But districts may choose to move them later into the spring, since their allowable testing window lasts until July 15.

Whether states proceed with their tests or win waivers to skip them, though, theyll be grappling with layers of difficult questions that will echo into 2021, experts said. Each scenario they might choose comes with a unique set of problems.

Even if schools reopen after a month of a statewide closure, there could be enough time to administer tests, but many would argue it would not be fair to test students on their knowledge when theyve missed so much instruction, said Scott Marion, the executive director of the Center for Assessment.

Many states and districts plan to move to online learning, but serious questions remain about how effective it will be, and how much children will learn. A recent survey by EdWeek found that 4 in 10 school systems are not prepared to offer online learning to all students.

States that skip testing entirely will face the difficult task of how to calculateand report to the public and federal officialsgrowth in student achievement, since they wont be able to compare 2021 to 2020, Domaleski said. Theyll also be missing key data on which decisions are made, from big-picture instructional shifts to students high school graduation.

Even thornier questions will arise in states where only some schools or districts shut down, experts said. If tests are administered statewide once all schools reopen, some children will be sitting down to exams with far more instructional hours under their belts than others, said Domaleski.

Even when no schools shut down, the high absenteeism rate and other changes in school routines related to the coronavirus could distort test results, Norton said. Does it get to be so disruptive that the results arent reliable? he asked.

These questions will have to be resolved by states, likely through policy changes, Norton said. For instance, a state that relies on 3rd grade reading scores for decisions about 4th grade promotion, or uses test scores in teacher evaluations, might have to suspend those practices temporarily.

College-Admissions Testing

The impact of the coronavirus is being felt in college-admissions testing, too.

The College Board cancelled the March 14 SAT at 1,761 testing centers in the U.S. It had scheduled March 28 as a makeup date, but it later nixed that too. Students may reschedule or request refunds. The College Board cancelled its May 2 SAT test date nationwide, saying it will schedule more dates in the future. With Advanced Placement tests looming in May, the College Board also announced that it is finalizing a streamlined version of the college-credit exam that students can take at home.

By Friday, ACT had cancelled its April 4 exam at 99 test centers. But by Monday morning, it cancelled the exam date altogether, and was notifying students that they could take the test on its June 13 date instead.

The SAT and ACT are also used for accountability by many states, so they are now involved in states decisions to continue or suspend statewide testing.

Twenty-five states currently use the ACT college-entrance exam in their accountability systems as a college-readiness indicator. Seven of those also use it for their statewide achievement test. ACT spokesman Ed Colby said some states have already concluded testing, but the company is working with the others as they figure out whether to make any changes in their testing schedules.

Ten states use the SAT for their statewide achievement test, but the College Board referred a question about any changes in test schedule to the states themselves.
It threatened to disappear under the viral haze of COVID-19, but February 29 saw representatives from the US and Taliban, loftily acknowledged as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, sign the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan. After two decades of conflict, the agreement sets in motion the process that should see American troops leave Afghanistan within 14 months. Initially, 8,600 troops will leave over a 135-day period; the balance is set to do so after 9 months.

The Doha ceremony was attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar, a person said by former CIA Operations Officer Douglas London to be of little influence or authority serving as convenient window dressing. The ink from the US side for the signature was supplied by US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. Conspicuously absent, and much in recognition of the failings of that institution, was the NATO-backed Afghan government. Nor was the Taliban present in the joint US-Afghan declaration. The results of that say much about the sheer will power, not to mention staying power, of Taliban negotiators. It was they who insisted not to be part of any instrument acknowledging the legitimacy of the Afghan government.

In sum, both instruments lay out various steps for the Taliban, US and Afghan government to take. The Taliban are to prevent their territory from hosting groups or individuals who might threaten the US and their allies; the US is to draft a timeline for the withdrawal of all US and coalition forces; the Afghan regime and the Taliban are to commence peace talks at the conclusion of the withdrawal, with the parties ultimately developing the basis for a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire.

Having stolen the show, the Taliban has merely promised to engage in talks with the Afghan government about a lasting peace; cunningly, even brashly, they have refused to specifically renounce resorting to violence in achieving their aims. It will be hard to refute the claim that they have their opponents on the run and intend keeping it that way.

The deal will be another etching on the long list of agreements made in the cemetery of imperial failure. Afghan resistance can rightly claim the scalps of many, including Britain and the Soviet Union. Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has approved the release of 1,500 Taliban prisoners in exchange of 1,000 government troops. The decree signed by Ghani noted that the prisoners will be released within 15 days with 100 prisoners walking out of Afghan jails everyday. The US-Taliban agreement intends for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

The joint US-Afghan declaration, for its part, has the Afghan government promising to participate in a US-facilitated discussion with Taliban representatives on confidence building measures, to include determining the feasibility of releasing significant numbers of prisoners on both sides.

On March 10, the UN Security Council gave the US-sponsored resolution supporting the deal their unanimous blessing, deeming it one of the significant steps towards ending the war and promising to provide sustained support in negotiations to achieve peace. It also spoke of the willingness of multiple countries to facilitate or convene intra-Afghan negotiations in order to achieve political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire.

But this vote of confidence does not detract from the possibility that the US will still maintain a presence, or that conflict will continue. The US-Afghan joint declaration, for instance, takes the position that the withdrawal of US forces will eventuate on the Talibans fulfilment of its commitments.

Those barracking for some continuing US footprint are many, though the years have taken their toll. Paul D. Miller, formerly of the National Security Staff for both President George W. Bush and Barack Obama, sees inadequacies and threats in the brokered deal. Tear up the agreement, he urges in Lawfare; al-Qaeda is likely to return in force and find a place of, if not hospitality then certainly sanctuary. President Trump and his successor should scrap the deal and increase military pressure until the Taliban publicly denounces al-Qaeda and agreed to verifiably sever links with the group. US commitments were clear, specific and measurable; those of the Taliban, lacking in detail, means of enforcement and verification.

Millers view that the US remain is based on a certain contempt for the US public and, it must be said, the armed forces. To maintain the imperium, you need to ignore the former, at least to a certain extent, and use the latter. The troop presence is not large, expensive or costly in terms of casualties. There is no mass anti-war movement. The American people are not sick of the war: They are hardly even paying attention to it.

London concurs on most points. He sees the Taliban with the same conviction that took US forces to Afghanistan in the first place. The agreement naively relieves the Taliban from renouncing [ties to terrorist groups] or expelling them outright.

Others nurse the maybes and the tormenting hypotheticals. Lawrence J. Korb, who in 2010 was engaged in negotiating efforts on ending the war in Afghanistan, rued the lost chances of the Bush administration in 2002 to annihilate the Taliban. It compounded the problem by simultaneously expanding its objective from defeating the Taliban in Afghanistan to nation-building. This train of thought is persistent in US strategic thinking: insurgents are somehow foreign and not indigenous, lacking local support; they can be culled, restrained or eliminated altogether.

There is little doubt that the resilient, seemingly indestructible Taliban will take greater heart in the entire process than the cheerleaders for empire. They have resumed operations against their enemy with enthusiasm. The unpopular central government is negotiating from a position of profound weakness.

Even Korb, despite lamenting lost opportunities, felt that it was no longer a conflict the US should contend with. Just as America did not make it out better than France in Vietnam, it is time for its officials to realize that America will not make it out any better than the British or Soviets in Afghanistan  no matter how long it tries to stay.

Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected]
BRISTOL, Tenn.  The Bristol Tennessee Police Department is adopting precautions to ensure officer safety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a BTPD press release states.

Officers will not enter private homes unless it is necessary and will strive to maintain 6 feet of social distancing. Additionally, to help determine how calls will be handled, dispatchers will start asking questions related to sickness and COVID-19 exposure risk.

Emergency calls will still be handled as emergencies, but nonemergency calls may have a delayed response, and the responding officers may wear a medical gown, gloves, a mask and eye protection, the news release states.
Photo credit: Patrick van Katwijk - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

King Harald V and Queen Sonja have announced that they are in home quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The royals' decision is also in accordance with the Norwegian government's new measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

They are currently showing no symptoms of coronavirus.

King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway are currently in quarantine after their visit to Jordan.

The Royal Palace made the announcement last Thursday after the Norwegian government mandated a 14-day quarantine for anyone returning from another country in an effort to stem the rise of COVID-19 cases. Harald and Sonja are not experiencing any symptoms of the new coronavirus.

"We find ourselves in a situation that is unreal, alien and frightening for all of us," Harald said in an address, according to Life in Norway. "We do not recognize our everyday life or the world around us. And yet we are only standing at the beginning of something we do not fully know the consequences of."

"Uncertainty makes us vulnerable," he continued. "The seriousness makes us anxious. The new everyday life can give us a feeling of powerlessness. Norway is affected along with the rest of the world. Now our most important task is to try to slow down the dramatic development, by following the orders given by the authorities.

"We can be grateful that we have political leaders and professional authorities with the courage and knowledge to deal with the situation with honesty and realism. Norway is known as a society based on trust."

Other royal families are also taking safety precautions. Last week, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Duchess Camilla announced that they would cancel upcoming royal travel engagements due to growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

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New Delhi: In Nirbhaya rape and murder case, a Delhi court on Tuesday (March 17) dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four convicts, seeking quashing of his death penalty, while convicts` counsel AP Singh also approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the death sentence.

Singh approached the apex court with a second curative petition on behalf of Pawan claiming "juvenility", besides knocking on the doors of the NHRC for a stay on the executions.

Meanwhile Akshay today filed a second mercy petition to the jail authorities addressed to the President of India, Tihar Jail official told ANI.

Earlier in the day, AP Singh also sought compensation for the minor son of another of the accused, Ram Singh, who had died while in custody during the trial. Notably, Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in the Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The Delhi court today dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, seeking quashing of his death penalty and asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to his counsel.

Expressing anguish over the "callous" manner in which the application was moved, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana said an advocate should not resort to all kinds of "schemes and stratagems" to procure relief for his client in a case.

The court said that advocate M L Sharma, appearing for Singh, has not only made a false averment before the court but has also miserably failed to discharge his duties as a counsel to bring all the facts for effective dispensation of justice.

The court said, "Unfortunately, some mischievous brains have been projecting and consciously nurturing a misplaced notion that there is a premium over dishonesty and mendacity in this country. This court is of the considered opinion that authorities involved in the dispensation of justice are duty-bound to dispel such ill-founded notion. It would be axiomatic to observe that time is a very precious judicial entity and is required to be very sagaciously spent."

During the hearing, the special public prosecutor, appearing for police, opposed the plea and said it was not only frivolous and devoid of any merits, but a mischievous endeavour to stall execution of death sentence scheduled for March 20.

On Monday, another convict Mukesh also moved the Supreme Court seeking restoration of legal remedies alleging that his earlier counsel misled and forced him to sign the papers. The apex court had refused to entertain his plea.

Even though convicts have almost exhausted all the legal and constitutional remedies available, they are leaving no stone unturned for a last-minute reprieve from the finality of the death sentence, which is scheduled for 5:30 am on March 20.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants for March 20 at 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who is known to be 'Nirbhaya', was gang-raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. Nirbhaya died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in the Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.

The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.

(With Agency Inputs)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a news conference at the White House on Tuesday. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

The Pentagon said Tuesday it has mobilized 1,500 National Guard troops to help fight the coronavirus epidemic, but the top federal official for infectious diseases warned that it's too soon to know whether a raft of strict restrictions on normal American life is slowing the infection rate.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it may take "several weeks and maybe longer" before it's clear whether the closure of schools and businesses and other widespread disruptions to the U.S. society and economy are "having an effect" on the deadly COVID-19 disease caused by the virus.

Appearing at a White House briefing with members of the coronavirus task force, Fauci hesitated to say when he expected coronavirus cases to peak, although he suggested 45 days "is not unreasonable."

President Trump said he is considering ordering the Army Corps of Engineers to build temporary hospitals in New York and California if cases continue to surge and civilian facilities are overwhelmed.

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a news conference that more than 1,500 members of the National Guard have been activated in 18 states to staff drive-through testing facilities and emergency operations centers, as well as to sanitize public areas and transport healthcare workers.

The Navy is preparing the Comfort and the Mercy, its two hospital ships, for potential deployments along the East and West coasts to ease the strain on civilian hospitals dealing with patients stricken by COVID-19, Esper said. Each ship has a 1,000-bed capacity, but it takes a week or more to mobilize active-duty and reserve personnel for the vessels.

Although the military could erect field hospitals in addition to the hospital ships, those facilities are optimized for trauma cases, not for infectious patients, officials said.

"What I dont want to do is take reservists from a hospital where they are needed just to put them on a ship to take them somewhere else where theyre needed, Esper said.

Story continues

Mercy is based at Naval Base San Diego, while Comfort is at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

Esper said the Pentagon would also provide 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 specialized ventilators to federal health authorities to help respond to the coronavirus.

As confirmed U.S. coronavirus infections soared past 5,000, the White House has been rattled by new research that suggests hundreds of thousands Americans may die before a vaccine is found, even with mitigating measures.

The study, from the Imperial College in London, said restrictions on daily life, including closing schools and quarantining sick people, could be needed for more than a year before a vaccine is ready,

President Trump listens during a meeting about the coronavirus with tourism industry executives on Tuesday. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

Saying "we will win," Trump offered an upbeat message to Americans battling what he calls an "invisible enemy" as the economy grinds to a halt, the stock market nosedives and a recession appears inevitable.

"We are going to come out stronger than ever before," he said during a meeting with travel industry executives.

The Trump administration wants to send direct cash payments to Americans in the next two weeks to help them cope with the economic effects of the coronavirus, according to Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, part of a massive economic stimulus package taking shape between Congress and the White House.

The total cost could be around $1 trillion, Mnuchin told reporters on Capitol Hill after meeting with Republican senators, making it one of the largest federal emergency fiscal packages ever assembled. Aid would go to shell-shocked industries, such as airlines, as well as families struggling to pay bills as jobs disappear.




The Rolling Stones are the latest band to postpone tour dates due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Stones announced Tuesday afternoon that its No Filter tour is on hold, including a June 6 concert at New Era Field in Buffalo. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group was scheduled to play 15 shows in North America between May 8 and July 9.

Were hugely disappointed to have to postpone the tour," Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood said in a joint statement. We are sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to it as much as we were, but the health and safety of everyone has to take priority. We will all get through this together - and well see you all very soon.

AEG Presents/Concerts West said ticket-holders should hang on to their tickets and wait for later information. When shows are postponed, typically tickets are honored for rescheduled dates and/or refunds are offered.

The Rolling Stones, who last played Buffalo in 2015, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their 1969 album, Let It Bleed, featuring the title track and Honky Tonk Women. The British rockers have released 30 studio albums, featuring hits like (I Cant Get No) Satisfaction, Wild Horses, Paint It Black, Street Fighting Man, Sympathy for the Devil and You Cant Always Get What You Want.

AEG, Live Nation suspend all concert tours through March due to coronavirus

Live Nation loses $1.8 billion in one day as coronavirus disrupts concert industry
Europeans appear to be developing an MDMA habit according to a new study that analyzed wastewater for drug metabolites and biomarkers.

The study, conducted by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), found that there was six times more MDMA residue in wastewater samples collected in 2019 compared to 2011.

The samples came from five cities the EMCDDA had taken samples from since beginning its wastewater analysis project in 2011, including Barcelona, Castellon, Milan, Oslo, and Zagreb.

An analysis of wastewater across five key European cities found the presence of urinary biomarkers for the drug had increased six times between 2011 and 2019

The findings were part of a larger report from the EMCDDA on the presence of urinary biomarkers and urinary metabolites in wastewater across Europe.

In all, the team tested wastewater samples from 68 European cities in 23 countries, looking for urinary biomarkers or urinary metabolites for cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, amphetamine, and methamphetamine found in European wastewater.

The team found that the countries with the highest levels of drug use were mostly in western Europe, according to a report on the study in Newsweek.

The countries with the overall highest concentration of urinary biomarkers for MDMA were Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Cocaine use appeared to be highest in the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The team gathered data from Barcelona, Castellon, Zagreb, Milan, and Oslo and found MDMA usage had steadily increased between 2011 and 2019

Drug use appeared to be most popular in western Europe based on analysis of the wastewater samples from 68 European cities

The team also looked at methamphetamine use in seven cities for which they had data from 2011 to 2019, including Oslo, Antwerp, Santiago, Paris, Milan, Zagreb, and Castellon.

They found that meth use appeared to be declining slightly, dropping from 45mg per 1,000 residents per day in 2011 to 35mg per 1,000 residents per day in 2019.

Predictably, concentrations of the drug biomarkers tended to surge on weekends and drop again on weekdays across Europe. usage surged on weekends and dropped significantly on weekdays.

Unlike MDMA usage, it appears methamphetamine use is losing its appeal in many European cities, with a steady decline in biomarkers in the wastewater of seven key cities between 2011 and 2019

Predictably, the team found that the presence of drug biomarkers across every city and country surged during weekends and declined again during weekdays

The EMCDDA believe their data could be a useful tool for better understanding drug use across Europe.

'By delivering almost real-time data on drug use patterns, both geographically and over time, this novel approach can offer a valuable snapshot of drug use in key cities in Europe and an insight into emerging changes in behavior,' EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel said in a statement.

'It is also showing promise in new areas, such as identifying, and estimating the use of, new psychoactive substances and assessing the outcome of interventions targeting drug supply.'

'As a method, wastewater analysis has moved from being an experimental technique to being an important addition in our epidemiological toolkit.'
In another extraordinary move, Mr. Mnuchin said Mr. Trump instructed him to allow for the deferment of income tax payments, interest free and penalty free, for 90 days. People can defer up to $1 million and corporations can defer up to $10 million.

The Treasury secretary said that would temporarily inject $300 billion into the economy, cushioning the blow of lost wages and customers.

The aggressive series of actions came on a day when much of the country seemed to grind to a halt, with daily rituals like commuting and dining out replaced by hunkering down at home. The death toll from the novel coronavirus rose to 100 in the United States, with 5,600 cases confirmed and, with the first case reported in West Virginia, the disease present in all 50 states.

In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned residents to prepare for the possibility of a shelter in place order within the next 48 hours. Officials in North Carolinas Outer Banks set up checkpoints to turn away visitors. Beach groups of more than 10 were banned in Florida after photographs showed packed Gulf Coast beaches this week during spring break.

To help ease the growing strain of the virus on the United States medical system, the Pentagon said it was making available 2,000 ventilators for hospitals, a number that would most likely fall far short of the expected need.

Urgent measures that until recently would have been unthinkable are also being put in place around the world. In the European Union, leaders voted on Tuesday to close off at least 26 countries to nearly all visitors from the rest of the world for at least 30 days

After the briefing at the White House by Mr. Trump and his coronavirus task force, Mr. Mnuchin went to Capitol Hill. There, he told Republican senators at their weekly lunch that the Trump administration wanted Congress to infuse about $1 trillion in additional stimulus to prop up the economy. While Mr. Trump had previously signaled that he wanted the payroll tax to be the centerpiece of that effort, it faced bipartisan opposition in Congress, and Mr. Mnuchin said time was of the essence.
Irish fishermen vow to keep fresh stock in supermarkets

by Caroline O'Doherty

Fishermen have vowed to row in behind the effort to keep fresh produce on the shelves during the coronavirus crisis by diverting to Ireland catches normally destined for mainland Europe.



They've asked Marine Minister Michael Creed to help them ensure the necessary processing capacity and transport certainty to keep the supply line flowing.



Patrick Murphy, chief executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, had talks with the minister at the weekend and meetings with industry representatives in the region are to take place today.



"We want to play our part in getting good fresh food into the shops and we have an opportunity to do that now with a bit of co-ordination and support," he said.



"Ordinarily the boats would be going out together and coming in together and filling a line of trucks for Europe.



"The markets in Europe are curtailed now but we can operate to suit the Irish market if we all work together in a co-ordinated way."



Fishermen have been hit badly with the succession of storms in recent months but with the forecast improving, crew are preparing to head out to sea again. Most fish caught in Irish waters is exported while Ireland imports more than 300m worth of seafood each year.



"We can freeze and store a lot of it but we should be able to bring it in fresh to the people of Ireland as and when they want it," Mr Murphy said.

 Independent.ie

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Linkedin Agustinus Hari (The Jakarta Post) Manado, North Sulawesi  Tue, March 17, 2020 18:32 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b590bc 1 National North-Sulawesi,North-Sulawesi-governor,COVID-19,mass-prayer,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia Free

North Sulawesi governor Olly Dondokambey asked residents of the province to pray together on Tuesday, with each person conducting their prayer in private, in an effort to ward off the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

I am asking all of us to pray in unison at 12 p.m. We shall all ask the Lord to end the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world, Indonesia and North Sulawesi, Olly said in Manado on Tuesday.

The governor asked residents to pray individually, or at least in small groups, in their respective homes or offices.

Olly also suggested that residents mark the time of the prayer by ringing church bells, hitting the beduk (a large animal-skin drum)  an Indonesian way of announcing Islamic prayer times  or by using any other tools for religious activities.

The governor asked residents to keep calm and not panic, advising them to maintain their immunity by practicing a healthy lifestyle.

Do not hesitate to go to healthcare services when you feel ill. For now, let us all minimize our activities that involve being in a crowd. Avoid the crowds, he added.

The Minahasa Injili Masehi Church (GMIM) has called on its congregation to reduce gatherings that involve many people, except for routine worship.

Direct contact among the churchgoers within the fellowships and ministries must be conducted in the safest way possible without reducing the value of respect [within the church], said GMIMs Synod Council chairman, Pastor Hein Arina.

The bishop of Manado Diocese, Benedictus Estephanus Rolly Untu, has urged residents to maintain their spiritual life without neglecting the social distancing policy to prevent the further spread of the disease.

If you are feeling ill, especially with symptoms similar to coronavirus, you better pray from home, he added.

The bishop said churches would continue providing holy water in containers that would be cleaned regularly and thoroughly.

For those who are comfortable receiving [the holy water], they may. But for those who are not, they are permitted not to receive it, the bishop said.

He went on to say that greetings would occur without direct physical contact. Instead, churchgoers would use namaste greetings, which would prevent them from touching others, he added.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia had reported 172 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which nine have recovered and five have died. At least eight provinces have confirmed cases, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Central Java, Banten and North Sulawesi.

Although North Sulawesi has recorded only one case so far, the province is one of the preferred tourist destinations in Indonesia, especially for visitors from China, whose city Wuhan was where the coronavirus outbreak was first identified. The pandemic has now killed more than 7,100 people worldwide.

According to the North Sulawesi Statistics Agency, 10,442 tourists from China visited the province in September of last year, 87.9 percent of the total foreign tourists visiting the province. North Sulawesi offers a distinct and sometimes controversial cuisine, including paniki (bat stew), as part of its attractions. (asp)
English Icelandic

The 2020 Annual General Meeting of Arion Bank was held today, Tuesday 17 March, at the Bank's headquarters in Borgartun, Reykjavik. The agenda of the meeting contained typical AGM business and the Bank's annual financial statement was approved. The Banks remuneration policy was also approved, as were changes to the rules of procedure of the Nomination Committee and changes to the Bank's articles of association. It was also decided that Deloitte ehf. would continue to serve as the Banks auditors.

The following people were re-elected to the Board of Directors in accordance with a proposal by the Nomination Committee: Brynjolfur Bjarnason, Herdis Drofn Fjeldsted, Gunnar Sturluson, Liv Fiksdahl, Paul Richard Horner, Renier Lemmens and Steinunn Kristin orardottir. Brynjolfur Bjarnason was re-elected as Chairman and Herdis Drofn Fjeldsted was re-elected as Vice Chairman. Olafur Orn Svansson, Sigurbjorg Asta Jonsdottir and rostur Rikharsson were re-elected as Alternate Directors. Julius orfinnsson was elected as a new member of the Nomination Committee and Sam Taylor was re-elected to the Nomination Committee. Changes were approved to the salaries of members of the Board of Directors and Nomination Committee and they will receive a pay increase of 3% from the previous year.

The Boards proposal on dividends was postponed for two months at the request of shareholders controlling more than one third of the Banks share capital. This postponement is line with the request made by the Central Bank of Iceland that financial institutions reconsider their proposed dividend payments in light of the economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19.

The Board of Directors was also authorized to approve a share option plan and to enter into share option agreements with employees of Arion Bank, whereby they will be able to buy shares of up to ISK 600,000 market value every year for the next five years. The Board of Directors was also authorized until the 2022 AGM to issue warrants for up to 54,000,000 new shares in the company. The Board of Directors is furthermore authorized for five years to increase share capital in relation to the exercise of the warrants.

The meeting agreed to reduce the Banks share capital by ISK 84,000,000 at nominal value by cancelling own shares, reducing the total from ISK 1,814,000,000 to ISK 1,730,000,000 at nominal value. The Boards authorization to purchase up to 10% of the Banks share capital was renewed.

Further information on the results of the AGM can be seen on the Banks website .

The report of the Board of Directors for 2019

Brynjolfur Bjarnason, Chairman of the Board of Directors, presented the report of the Board. The following is an excerpt from his report:

At times like this, we who work in the financial sector are reminded of the vital role of banks. They support job creation, economic growth and a diverse economy. In the current circumstances banks need to reach out to their customers  households and companies. Arion Bank has announced measures to help households through potential difficulties caused by Covid-19 and in the case of companies, we will do what it takes to help those companies which have enjoyed good business relationships with the Bank but are now experiencing temporary problems. As a society, we benefit from the fact that the financial system has been developed in recent years to cope with shocks. Arion Bank is no exception. The Bank is strongly capitalized and is ready to provide support to its customers.

Numerous changes have occurred in the last decade to the regulatory framework within which financial institutions operate. These changes are to a great extent based on European Union directives and their adoption into Icelandic law. When adopted into Icelandic law, the authorities added several restrictive provisions applicable only to Iceland due to the circumstances which existed at the time - and we feel the benefits of many of these today. However, in this country extremely high taxes are imposed on financial institutions, far in excess of the norm in Europe. We are talking here about a financial sector tax, a special financial sector tax and a bank levy. Despite proposals to reduce the bank levy, it will nevertheless remain many times higher than comparable taxes in Europe. These special taxes are not calculated on revenue or earnings but on costs and are imposed on funding and salary expenses, for example.

The simple fact of the matter is that special Icelandic taxes increase the operating expenses of Icelandic banks and undermine their ability to compete with other lenders. As a direct consequence of government policy, lending rates offered by Icelandic banks are made more expensive, which in turn has a detrimental impact on economic growth and job creation  making it more difficult for banks to support their customers. Various government measures over the last decade have impeded the lending capacity of the Icelandic banks and reduced their ability to support value creation and the business sector. Therefore the authorities need to  not least when Icelandic companies have their backs to the wall  review their policies and consider the role of the banks in supporting a diverse business sector, prosperity and quality of life in Iceland.

It would be beneficial if Icelandic banks were able to cooperate more closely on infrastructure such as IT, defences against money laundering and operating ATMs without it having a negative impact on healthy competition between the banks. Its very wasteful for a small nation like Iceland to maintain a triple system  a triple infrastructure. We need to create an atmosphere where shared infrastructure is looked on positively and not negatively. Systemically important companies should work together on developing infrastructure for the benefit of everyone, with the approval of the competition authorities and without running the risk of incurring censure and fines.

Brynjolfur concluded his speech by thanking Hoskuldur H. Olafsson, who had been CEO for nine years, members of the management team and other employees who moved on during the year for their efforts and important contribution to the Bank over the past few years. He also thanked the employees of Arion Bank, the management and board of directors for the excellent cooperation and wished everyone the best in these unusual times.

The annual financial statements for 2019

Benedikt Gislason, CEO, began his address by discussing the state of the economy in Iceland and the approaching recession due to the Covid-19 virus. Benedikt believes the impact could be substantial in Iceland due to the importance of tourism. He stressed, however, that the Icelandic economy, and not least the financial system, was in a good position to deal with the situation. Benedikt noted that the Central Bank of Iceland had currency reserves of ISK 800 billion and had a range of tools at its disposal to support the economy. The Icelandic financial system is stronger than ever as it has been built up over the past decade to withstand shocks such as this. The capital ratios of the banks are in excess of 20%, which are very high and liquidity positions are well above the required minimums. Furthermore, debt levels of households, companies and the government are low in historical terms and the Icelandic treasury ran a surplus over the last few years. Benedikt also discussed in detail the Banks loan portfolio, collateral position, tourism's share in the Bank's credit risk and the development of the portfolio over the last few years.

Benedikt described the financial results and operations of Arion Bank for 2019 and said that the year had in many ways been characterized by changes to the senior management and the Banks organization. Benedikt said that the positive impact of the changes were felt in the Q4 results, both on the revenue and costs sides. Earnings from continuing operations amounted to ISK 14 billion in 2019 and return on equity was 7.2%. Companies held for sale, however, had a negative impact on annual earnings which only amounted to ISK 1.1 billion. The Banks balance sheet shrank during the year in line with new lending focuses, where there is a greater emphasis on profitability rather than growth. Benedikt made specific mention of the importance of asset management to the business, and Arion Banks Asset Management division and the subsidiary Stefnir remain market leaders in Iceland with assets under management of ISK 1,013 billion at year end. 2019 was a positive year and returns on assets were generally good. Benedikt also mentioned that the Bank advised Marel when the company was listed on Euronext Amsterdam and also managed a successful stock offering for TM. For the fourth year in a row Arion Bank was in first place in equity trading volume on Nasdaq Iceland.

In December the Board of Directors adopted an ambitious environment and climate policy and targets for the next few years. The policy is recognition of the vital role played by financial institutions in combatting climate change through their loans and investment and underlines that the Bank wishes to help Iceland meets its obligations under the Paris Agreement and other domestic and international climate agreements.

Benedikt went on to discuss the importance of digital and contactless solutions, not least today when society is battling the spread of Covid-19. He said that digital solutions represent a vital component of the Bank's service offering and future vision.

For further information on the Annual General Meeting of Arion Bank please visit the Banks website or contact Theodor Fridbertsson, head of Arion Banks Investor Relations, at theodor.fridbertsson@arionbanki.is , tel. +354 444 6760, or Haraldur Guni Eisson, head of Arion Banks corporate communications, at haraldur.eidsson@arionbanki.is , s: +354 856 7108.

Attachments
Beijing, March 17 : Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus took to its official Weibo account to tease something new which is coming on March 18 and now CEO Pete Lau has shared that it will be the unveiling of a new brand logo.

On the first look, the new logo is almost identical to the original one, but this time the company is changing the brand's colour from Red to Black which is evident from the new logo that now has Black colour, 9To5Google reported on Monday.

Also, the typeface for the number "1" has also been changed and now the company is also adding its "OnePlus" branding below the logo.

This new logo will be the one OnePlus uses on its 2020 products such as the upcoming OnePlus 8 series.

OnePlus is reportedly planning to launch its upcoming 'OnePlus 8' flagship series on April 15 and recently Hollywood superstar Robert Downey Jr was photographed holding it.

Additionally, the company's CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that the upcoming series of phones will indeed all be 5G-ready.

Putting together all the rumours and speculations, the likely specs sheet could include an obvious Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip and Android 10 bits.

A OnePlus 8 Pro prototype was recently spotted, hinting at dual punch-hole display and a curved display like the OnePlus 7 Pro.

The back panel of the device shows off the quad-camera setup with three lenses along with an LED flash arranged in a vertical strip and a fourth camera placed alongside it.

The leaked images also show that the back panel of the phone comes with a gradient finish.
ODG by MCG is the leader in medical treatment & return to work guidelines We are thrilled to have Patrick on board to assist with our continuous support of ODG states along with legislators, regulators, and stakeholders considering implementation of evidence-based guidelines and drug formularies for their systems. - Phil LeFevre, Managing Director at ODG by MCG

ODG, an MCG Health company, announces Patrick F. Robinson, workers compensation attorney and judge, and a former Regional Director for the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), has joined ODG as Vice President of Government Affairs. Along with his public policy experience with WCRI and as a former Director of the Louisiana Office of Workers Compensation, Robinson has over 25 years of experience as an attorney, successfully representing business owners, employers, and insurers.

After graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University as a Distinguished Military Graduate, Robinsons career began with his service as an infantry officer with the U.S. Army at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He received his law degree from Louisiana State University in 1994. Robinson worked as a lawyer and workers compensation judge before being appointed by the Governor of Louisiana as the Director of the Louisiana Office of Workers Compensation. After leaving government service in 2015, he became regional director for WCRI, working with stakeholders across the country to improve workers compensation systems.

Most recently, Robinson was a partner with the law firm of Allen & Gooch before joining ODG/MCG as Vice President and Director of Government Affairs.

As VP of Government Affairs for ODG, Patrick will be responsible for continuing to support and grow the ODG footprint for treatment and drug formulary adoptions in workers compensation. With about a dozen ODG mandates starting with Ohio in 2003 followed by North Dakota in 2005, Texas in 2007, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and most recently in Kentucky, Indiana, Montana, Tennessee, and Arizona, the success of ODG in workers compensation has helped regulators and legislators create system savings in several cases of more than 50% due to improved outcomes and reduced friction.

Regulators will appreciate Patricks extensive, multi-faceted experience and understanding of workers compensation public policy as both a litigator and a former policy-maker, said Phil LeFevre, Managing Director at ODG by MCG. We are thrilled to have Patrick on board to assist with our continuous support of ODG states along with legislators, regulators, and stakeholders considering implementation of evidence-based guidelines and drug formularies for their systems.

I have seen first-hand the results of ODG, including dramatic reduction in treatment delay, lost-time, medical costs, and workers compensation premiums, as well as monumental strides in reduction of opioid abuse, commented Robinson. It is not surprising that ODG has more successful adoptions and mandates than any other guideline. I am very excited to join the ODG team to help support those implementations and assist other states looking to adopt and implement evidence-based guidelines and formularies.

About ODG

ODG, an MCG Health company, provides unbiased, evidence-based guidelines that unite payers, providers, and employers in the effort to confidently and effectively return employees to health. The clinical guidelines and analytical tools within ODG are designed to improve and benchmark return-to-work performance, facilitate quality care while limiting inappropriate utilization, assess claim risk for interventional triage, and set reserves based on industry data. For more information visit http://www.mcg.com/odg.

About MCG Health

MCG, part of the Hearst Health network, helps healthcare organizations implement informed care strategies that proactively and efficiently move people toward health. MCGs transparent assessment of the latest research and scholarly articles, along with our own data analysis, gives patients, providers, and payers the vetted information they need to feel confident in every care decision, in every moment. For more information visit http://www.mcg.com or follow our Twitter handle at @MCG_Health.
While Hagerty Consulting is working on strategies to handle the pandemic for communities around the nation, Hagerty said he is not involved in those efforts. Instead, he is focused on his job as mayor of Evanston.
DeWines precedent matters. In less than eight months, national elections will determine the next White House occupant. Nobody knows how long this health crisis will endure, but under no circumstances can the American people allow the incumbent president to defy the courts and assume powers to alter the election schedule. The potential for abuse under President Donald Trump is simply too high.

The St. Louis County Election Board requested postponement of the April 7 election to Aug. 4, but a three-judge appeals court correctly ruled that no legislative authority existed to authorize such a move. Of course poll workers and voters safety must be a priority. But preserving democracy must also figure in the equation.

Local governing councils and boards are faced with serious challenges because of limitations on the number of people who may attend meetings. Missouris Sunshine Law nevertheless requires public access. Its the governing bodies obligation to abide by the law, especially when major decisions on ordinances, spending decisions and, say, the hiring of a new police chief are on the table. The Legislature is currently debating a bill to curtail Sunshine Law protections, which justifiably has met with strong objections from transparency advocates.
Andrew Brown and Gregory Yee of The Post and Courier contributed to this report. Reach David Wren at 843-937-5550 or on Twitter at @David_Wren_
Ivanka Trump is facing fierce backlash online for her 'obtuse' suggestion that people should have fun indoor campouts while at home with their kids as parents across the country struggle with childcare and layoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The first daughter, who is working from home, took to Twitter and Instagram on Tuesday to post throwback photos of the indoor campout she had with her daughter Arabella and son Joseph when they were much younger.

'Staying home today with kids? Plan a living room camp out!' Ivanka, 38, wrote. 'Throw a bedsheet over some taped together brooms or a rolling rack to create a tent. Plan a menu together and pack sandwiches, salads ... whatever you enjoy.

Looking back: Ivanka Trump took to social media on Tuesday to post throwback photos of the indoor campout she had with her children Arabella and Joseph when they were much younger

Suggestions: In her caption, the 38-year-old first daughter urged parents to share fun ways to spend time with their children while quarantined amid the coronavirus pandemic

Wrong time: Ivanka's playful photos come at a time when working parents are scrambling to find childcare as schools and childcare centers around the country close

'(Smores optional, but recommended!),' she added, referring to a photo of a young Arabella enjoying the beloved camping treat.

'This is a tried and true activity that will also bring your family together for a meal! Share your family friendly ideas below with #TogetherApart! Were in this together! #SocialDistancingWorks.'

Ivanka's playful photos come at a time when working parents are scrambling to find childcare as schools and childcare centers around the country close.

Major companies have begun laying off employees worldwide and a fifth of U.S. workers say that they have already lost wages due to the crisis.

Parents who are worried about how they will make ends meet in the coming weeks and months didn't take too kindly to Ivanka making light of the situation.

'Pretty out [of] touch,' one person wrote. 'Real world parents are juggling work maybe going to work sick bc they don't have paid leave or laid off. Juggling child care from school closures & struggling to afford groceries & pay rent.'

Backlash: Critics blasted Ivanka for her 'obtuse' and 'out of touch' message

'So while everyone scrambles to figure out daycare, bills and toilet paper, you get to play mommy,' someone else griped. 'Can you possibly be any more obtuse?'

'Keep your stupid hashtag. You're a senior WH advisor, not a lifestyle guru. Please focus on your policy work; we're in a pandemic, FFS. Look it up,' another added.

Others took the opportunity to remind Ivanka of her father's controversial policies.

'Neat Ivanka! You should definitely come to Puerto Rico,' one person wrote 'Weve been playing a lot of camping out since the earthquakes. Your father threatened to veto the House aid bill. But no worries, its all fun and games!'

'Awh, so cute while your father totally screws the country with his hubris and incompetence!' another wrote.

'Father in charge of the country & working for him with no qualifications? Dont let him fire the pandemic response team in 2018 Dont let him gut the CDC, NIH, and HHS Dont let him refuse tests offered in FEBRUARY so your husband can profit off them,' someone else commented.

Many critics also shared photos of migrant children in cages after being separated from their parents at the border as part of Trump's immigration policies.

'This is adorable but wouldn't it be even more fun with chain-link fences and a concrete floor and flimsy foil blankets? And who needs s'mores when you get a cup of water every single day? #TogetherApart,' one person tweeted sarcastically.

Hitting back: Others took the opportunity to remind Ivanka of her father's controversial policies while sharing photos of the tents in Puerto Rico and migrant children in cages

Ivanka is continuing to self-isolate after coming into contact with an Australian official who tested positive for the disease.

The first daughter met with Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Attorney General Bill Barr on March 5 as part of a meeting between officials from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US.

Dutton later tested positive for coronavirus.

The next day, Ivanka attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with her father and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose aide Fabio Wajngarte tested positive.

Her husband, fellow White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, was also at the dinner.

The first daughter has not been spotted leaving her home since it was announced on Friday that she was working from her Washington, D.C residence.

It's unclear if her three children  Arabella, eight, Joseph, six, and Theodore, three  are spending their days off from school at home with her.

Jared, however, worked at the White House on Tuesday, a senior administration official confirmed to DailyMail.com.

'As many as people as needed are in the office,' the official said.
Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew informed staff and students across Ulster University, that it continues at pace in its work to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health and wellbeing of staff and students remains the universitys primary focus and with that in mind, a number of decisions have been taken.

Campuses will continue to operate for as long as possible, however, necessary adjustments are being made to enable location flexibility for all our staff and students with the digital solutions and platforms required to deliver their work and study remotely.

UU is focussed on the continued education of its students, no matter how this situation develops.

Remote study with lectures online

Prof Bartholomew explained: From Wednesday 18 March, face to face lectures will be suspended and material will be made available online over the remainder of the semester.

There will be a transition phase for other forms of teaching including block delivery / executive education, laboratories, tutorials, small groups, field trips and seminars.

Course Directors and module co-ordinators will provide updated information and you are encouraged to visit your relevant Blackboard module areas regularly. If you have not already done so, you should now download the Blackboard App.

The Library will remain open next week as a student study space. This is a rapidly changing situation so please check the COVID-19 website for the latest information.

No disadvantage at the point of assessment

Assessments may need to be adjusted in the light of these and other changes. We are taking steps to ensure that students whose studies may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are not disadvantaged at the point of assessment.

Priority will be given to our final year students to ensure that their award decisions are not delayed and as far as practicable, steps will be taken to protect student progression in a timely manner.

Consideration is being given to Semester 2 assessments and any potential scope for revision, however no change is planned to semester dates for students at this stage. Any module changes whether in terms of content, assessment or delivery will be communicated to students as soon as possible.

If the delivery of a module or the content contained in an assessment are affected by the move online, this will be taken into account, where appropriate, when the work is marked.

International Student Community

We are also very aware of the particular difficulties being faced by our international student community here at Ulster and the growing level of concern over access to international flights and the continuation of studies.

With this in mind, we wish to advise that international students who feel the need to return home should feel free do so. If you have or plan to return home, you are advised to make contact with your Course Director to advise them of your plans, and to carefully review our detailed, online FAQs which describe the implications of your departure on your Tier 4 Visa and/or your attendance record.

It is vital that you advise us of your personal circumstances and plans, so that we can continue to support both your continued study, and the terms of your sponsored status.

I appreciate this is an anxious time for many staff and students, not least because of the differing approaches being adopted across countries in respect of the response to COVID-19. However, I can reassure you that we are closely monitoring this fast-moving situation in line with official UK and Public Health Agency (NI) guidance and will respond immediately if the advice being offered changes at any point.

We will continue to update advice and guidance at www.ulster.ac.uk/coronavirus and you can also stay fully informed of the latest official advice from the Public Health Agency (NI) and World Health Organization (www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus).

I ask all my colleagues will remain calm and focussed as we continue to deliver the teaching and research for which we are known, however this situation may develop. I know that our creative community of staff and students across Ulster University will find inventive ways to support each other, their families, local and global communities throughout this challenging time.
A 21-year-old man was arrested



for allegedly killing his wife and destroying the evidence in Vasai town of Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Tuesday.

The Valiv police arrested Kamal Prem Thapa from Nepali Chawl in Pelhar area and booked him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, said Dr Ashwini Patil, deputy superintendent of police (Vasai division).

The accused, who was employed as a cook in a hotel, frequently quarrelled with his 20-year-old wife, an official said.

On the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, the accused allegedly killed his wife and hanged her body from a tree in his neighbour's farm, he said.

The victim's body has been sent for post-mortem and the police is probing to ascertain the motive behind the killing, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Bloomberg) -- At least five workers at Amazon.com Inc. warehouses in Europe have contracted the coronavirus, a sobering development for a company already struggling to deal with a spike in orders for food and household essentials from customers hunkering down at home.

Cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, have appeared at Amazon warehouses in Spain and Italy, two countries hard hit by the spreading disease. In both nations, the company has opted to keep the three facilities open, prompting criticism from unions that Amazon is putting sales ahead of worker safety; on Monday workers at Amazons main Italian logistics hub in Castel San Giovanni called for a strike.

Meanwhile in the U.S. the worlds largest online retailer is struggling to recruit enough people to pick, pack and deliver the surge in ordersand on Monday announced plans to hire 100,000 workers and raise pay in the U.S. and Canada by $2 an hour through April. (The Wall Street Journal reported the hiring binge earlier.)

Amazon is caught in an uncomfortable vise: On one hand, the company is providing a lifelinesome would even say an essential serviceto shoppers who would rather not brave their local supermarket or big-box store. On the other, keeping operations going risks the health and lives of the lowest-paid members of Amazons workforce, the warehouse workers and drivers who are unable to work from home like their corporate colleagues.

Amazon has to consider closing facilities and slowing the pace of deliveries to protect workers as well as its public image, said Alex Colvin, Dean of Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor Relations. If a worker in an Amazon facility delivering groceries to people gets sick with Covid-19, that could really shake public confidence, he said.

Those risks are already becoming clear. Late last month, an employee at the Castel San Giovanni facility tested positive for coronavirus, according to three people familiar with the matter. A second worker tested positive in the following days, said the people, who asked not to be named because the information isnt public.

Story continues

Marco Alquati, general secretary for the union Fisascat Cisl of Parma and Piacenza, said his organization had asked Amazon to close the building for two days for cleaning. The company rejected the request as well as providing health masks for workers, so we called for a strike, he said on Monday in a phone interview. Absenteeism at the facility has hit 30% in recent weeks because of virus fears, the people said.

In Spain, three employees at two warehousesin Barcelona and near Madridtested positive for Covid-19, a local union representative told Bloomberg. The company told employees that the facilities would remain open, over the objection of labor groups. The cases were reported earlier by news site La Informacion.

We are giving our support to the employees that are currently in quarantine, Amazon said in an emailed statement in response to the Spain crisis. The security and safety of our employees is our main concern and we are following the directives of the local and international health authorities, and we have applied a series of preventative health measures in our centers across the world.

The company has offered two weeks of sick pay to workers diagnosed with the disease or placed in quarantine, and says warehouse employees can take unpaid time off through the end of the month without risk of termination. Amazon has also set up a $25 million fund to compensate staff and contractors facing hardships because of the pandemic.

Amazon has hundreds of warehouses, sortation centers and other logistics facilities across the U.S. Logistics consultants and former Amazon employees familiar with the network estimate that Amazon could weather the temporary closure of a building or two by automatically rerouting orders to other locations. The company uses a version of that plan when warehouses are overwhelmed with orders during the peak holiday shopping season, diverting them from the overburdened facility to others nearby until the backlog clears. Amazon has also used the system keep operations running during natural disasters such as flooding and tornadoes.

But several facilities going offline at once would be unprecedented, and could severely hamper Amazons ability to route orders around the U.S., the people say. In European countries where Amazon has fewer depots, the impact of a single closure in response to a coronavirus outbreak would be greater.

The coronavirus also comes at a time of year when Amazon is typically sheddingnot addingworkers. In January, the company cut ties with the tens of thousands of temporary staff it had brought on in the run-up to the holiday season, leaving warehouses staffed for a period of relative calm, not a viral epidemic that caused a surge in demand for goods from canned food to toilet paper.

You dont design operations for this kind of thing, they just hit you, said Marc Wulfraat, a logistics consultant who closely tracks Amazons network. Theres definitely an unplanned spike happening. And the only way to handle that unplanned spike is more manpower.

Far from shutting down, there are signs the company is frantically trying to hire more workers. Job listings in Amazons logistics and operations unit have more than tripled this month. Amazon has told delivery companies to be ready to shoulder an extended rise in demand. And the company is offering overtime and bonus pay in cities across the U.S. to entice people to deliver groceries. All told, Amazon plans to hire an additional 100,000 full-time and temporary staffers in the U.S., Dave Clark, Amazons logistics chief, said in a blog post on Monday. We are seeing a significant increase in demand, which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year.

An Amazon delivery company in Texas recently told its drivers they should expect to have to work additional shifts over the next six weeks since many shoppers are ordering from Amazon rather than going to stores. Amazons own job postings point to a massive recruitment drive: The company on Monday had some 4,300 open positions in its fulfillment, transportation and logistics groups. A month ago, those units were seeking about 1,200 workers. One Amazon manager on the West Coast took to social media on Sunday to suggest service workers laid off because of government closures of stores and restaurants apply for those jobs.

Even as the company tries to hire more people, members of Amazons existing workforce are having second thoughts about reporting for work. One warehouse worker in the Midwest said she was taking advantage of Amazons offer of unpaid time off during the pandemic to care for kids whose schools had closed. Some of her friends at the facility were in the same situation. Others, she said, were spooked by reports of coronavirus cases in the county where the fulfillment center was located.

Amazon, the worker said, had posted signs reminding employees to wash their hands and set up extra hand sanitizer stations, but hadnt taken steps such as screening employees on their way in or discouraging people from congregating in break rooms or the sometimes long lines to enter or exit the facility.

The vast majority of our employees around the world continue to come to work and serve the people in their communities in a way that very few candelivering critical supplies directly to the doorsteps of people who need them, the company said in an emailed statement. We are going to great lengths to keep the buildings extremely clean and help employees practice important precautions such as social distancing and other measures. Those who dont want to come to work are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options and we support them in doing so.

In Western Europe, trade unions are pressuring Amazon to curtail its activities to protect workers. Julien Vincent, a representative with the CFDT union who works at an Amazon warehouse in Montelimar, in the south of France, said the union had asked Amazon to cut the number of workers at its facilities. For now they havent done anything, Vincent said. Things are continuing like things were normal.

Alain Jeault, a representative of the CGT trade union, said Amazon added hundreds of temporary workers on Monday alone. Unless I am mistaken, the government has said that only what is vital to the survival of the nation should be left open. I didnt think that selling a CD, a book, a pair of shoes was so vital that it would put thousands of people in danger.

Amazon units that do deliver essential items have been strained by the jump in demand.

Customers in major cities like Seattle, Los Angeles and New York have reported in the last two weeks that the Prime Now fast delivery program, which is designed to deliver orders in as little as one hour, has repeatedly showed no open delivery slots, an indication the company wasnt able to entice enough drivers to keep up with demand. On Sunday, the company acknowledged a technical glitch that disrupted deliveries for Whole Foods and Prime Now service.

On-demand workers who take shifts to pick items at Whole Foods Market stores in dozens of stores were offered an extra $5 an hour if they worked on Monday, according to an email the company sent to its gig economy workers. Amazon also raised the weekly cap on hours for such workersoften set between 20 and 30 hours a weekto 60 hours.

The bonus and overtime pay wasnt enough for one occasional Whole Foods picker in the Denver area, who cancelled a shift on Sunday out of concern that the company wasnt doing enough to protect workers jostling for produce in aisles crowded with customers.

They claim to care about their workers yet clearly not enough to rein in two-hour delivery expectations of the customers, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Not enough to tell them to stay home, as the epidemiologists are urging.

Whole Foods in a news release on Friday said the company had stepped up in-store sanitation protocols, including cleaning of workstations, and had relaxed rules around calling in sick.

Amazon also has little control over its delivery drivers, since many of them are independent contractors in their own vehicles or employees of separate delivery services working under contract with Amazon. Amazon issued advisories to Amazon Flex drivers, who make deliveries in their own vehicles, asking them to stay home if they've had a fever and to avoid personal contact like handshakes and hugs.

Some drivers have limited contact with customers if they are simply dropping packages off on doorsteps. But Amazon Flex drivers who deliver groceries and delivery drivers who bring packages to businesses and office buildings often interact with customers directly and come in close contact. Those drivers are monitoring coronavirus cases in their communities and assessing their risk from working on a day-to-day basis.

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Beds, ventilators and masks soon could all be in short supply in US hospitals rocked by the novel coronavirus, with doctors worrying they may have to start choosing which patients to treat. "You have seen empty shelves in grocery stores," and the stress created by the lack of toilet paper, said Thomas Tsai, a surgeon and assistant professor at Harvard's School of Public Health. "Imagine that same panic if hospitals became empty of protecting gears for physicians, and ventilators. That's the mental image I think about" if the crisis deepens, the hospital doctor told AFP. "A lot depends on what will happen in the next few days, in the next few weeks." There are 4,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the official name for the virus, in the United States, and 73 deaths, numbers which no doubt are far from their peak. But the leading global economic power has only one million hospital beds, which works out to 2.8 beds per 1,000 inhabitants -- far less than other countries that have been severely affected by the pandemic (12.3 beds in South Korea, 4.3 in China, 3.2 in Italy), according to numbers from the OECD. As for intensive care unit (ICU) beds, there are fewer than 100,000 beds, the vast majority of which are already occupied, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA). The Health Department estimated that the US would need at least 200,000 ICU beds for a moderate crisis and up to 2.9 million for an acute one, since about five percent of COVID-19 patients require intensive care hospitalization. - 'Nightmare' - Intensive patients also often require ventilators to help them breath, but the US has only 160,000 such machines, another vastly insufficient number. According to US media reports, President Donald Trump on Monday urged state governors to buy their own medical equipment to fight the coronavirus, instead of counting on the federal government. Under these conditions, some medical professionals are afraid they will soon have to make chilling decisions. In an essay titled "The nightmare of rationing healthcare," published in The Washington Post, doctor Thomas Kirsch recalls waking up with a start, 10 years after a mission in Haiti where he had to decide which patients to give priority treatment. Health professionals will be under "moral stress" if it falls on "their personal shoulder to allocate beds or ventilators," said Nancy Kass, the deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. She called on authorities to implement guidelines in advance so as not to leave doctors alone in the face of such harrowing choices. - The army - "We still have an opportunity to prevent the worst-case scenario," said Tsai. "If we are serious about social distancing, we have an opportunity to flatten the curve," the oncology surgeon said, referring to the isolation measures taken over the past week. To free up resources, hospitals are seeking to minimize patient visits with remote diagnoses, but above all to postpone any non-urgent medical interventions. "I have spent the morning calling upon my patients letting them know, if their operation could wait a couple of months, let's postpone," said Tsai, for whom these efforts could result in a 25 percent increase in bed capacity. Others are considering employing the army. "Without immediate action, the imminent failure of hospital systems is all but certain," said New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday in an open letter to Trump. "Our best hope is to utilize the Army Corps of Engineers to leverage its expertise, equipment and people power to retrofit and equip existing facilities -- like military bases or college dormitories -- to serve as temporary medical centers. Then we can designate existing hospital beds for the acutely ill," Cuomo urged. In the same vein, Joe Biden, the frontrunner to become the Democratic presidential nominee, called on soldiers to build field hospitals. Trump has yet to respond. Meanwhile, multiple hospitals in states ranging from California, to Florida, to North Carolina, have begun setting up tents outside their entrances to conduct initial screenings before patients enter the building. Medical personnel take samples at a "drive-thru" coronavirus testing lab set up by local community centre in West Palm Beach, north of Miami There are only one million hospital beds in the US, or 2.8 beds per 1,000 inhabitants -- far too few in the case of an acute coronavirus crisis Multiple hospitals have begun setting up tents outside their entrances to conduct initial screenings before patients enter the building President Donald Trump urged state governors to buy their own medical equipment to fight the coronavirus, instead of counting on the federal government, according to media reports
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) questions Kelly Craft, President Trump's nominee to be Representative to the United Nations, during her nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, on June 19, 2019. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)

Chinese Regime Should Stop Spreading Coronavirus Disinformation, US Senators Say

Four Republican senators have called on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to stop spreading disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus outbreak and join the international community to combat the global pandemic.

The false information being spread by CCP officials, as well as medical professionals linked to the CCP and state-controlled media outlets, is irresponsible and dangerous to global public health, Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said a March 16 joint statement.

Last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian promoted the conspiracy theory that the virus originated in the United States and was brought by the U.S. Army to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the first infection cases emerged.

When did patient zero begin in [sic] US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? Zhao wrote in a series of tweets, adding that the United States owe [sic] us an explanation. The post was shared by a number of Chinese embassy accounts, including those in Chad, Pakistan, and Cameroon.

The senators said that reliable information, whether from the U.S. government, health experts, or other channels, is crucial to protect the public from the virus threat.

Citizensnot just in the United States, but around the worlddeserve clear and accurate information as we face this pandemic together, they said.

In another one of Zhaos tweets, also promoted by other Chinese ambassadors, he asked his followers to read and retweet an article, titled Chinas Coronavirus: A Shocking Update. Did The Virus Originate in the US? found on the Global Research website.

While Zhao said the article is very important to each and every one of us, fact-checkers have flagged Global Research as a conspiracy theory website.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a call with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi over the outlandish rumors from the Chinese regime. On March 13, the State Department also summoned the Chinese ambassador to the United States over Zhaos tweet.

Chinese authorities initially pointed to a live animal and seafood market in Wuhan as a likely origin of the outbreak. Over the past few weeks, however, Chinese officials and state media have been trying to cast the impression that the virus didnt originate from China.

Such shifting of the Chinese narrative is a sign that Beijing is trying to avoid responsibility for the outbreak, a state department spokesperson previously said.

Zhang Wenhong, a prominent infectious disease expert from Shanghai, also disagreed with the idea that the virus was imported from outside of China.

If thats the case, patients would have emerged in several Chinese cities around the same time, rather than first appearing in Wuhan, Zhang told state-run China Daily in a February interview. Those comments were later removed from the interview.

The U.S. senators also noted that the Chinese regime silenced doctors and journalists during the onset of the outbreak to cover up the gravity of the situation, and that it took multiple weeks before the World Health Organization was allowed to enter China.

These missteps contributed to the serious situation that the entire globe faces today, they said.

The CCPs disinformation shows that the party will always prioritize its own reputation over the good of the international community. That is not global leadership.
A award-winning health expert has urged Australian officials to stop dicking around and close schools amid the ever-growing coronavirus crisis.

During an interview with ABCs News Breakfast, the host of the networks Health Report Dr Norman Swan disagreed with the governments decision to keep classrooms open.

I have a personal view on this - there is no time to waste.

And my feeling is that to be blunt, we're dicking around and we've just got to shut stuff around now.

Dr Swans comments come just hours before nine Melbourne private schools decided to close their campuses on Monday afternoon.

Which schools have closed because of coronavirus

Private schools across Victoria such as Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah College, Carey Baptist Grammar School, Loreto Mandeville Hall and Ballarat Grammar are closing their doors.

Other Melbourne schools that have announced closures include; Caulfield Grammar School, St Leonards College in Brighton east, Melbourne Girls Grammar School, Lauriston Girls School, as well as its Junior and Senior Schools, and Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, according to Nine News.

Medical staff explain protection knowledge for coronavirus and COVID-19 disease to students in China. Source: AAP

In a letter to parents, the publication reported Caulfield Grammar School announced it will suspend classes from Friday and resume on April 20.

The students at St Leonard's and Melbourne Girls Grammar will begin online classes tomorrow.

To ensure the continued health and wellbeing of our College community and to facilitate the ongoing educational development of our students, we will be transitioning to our online learning model effective tomorrow at 10.00am, St Leonards staff wrote on Facebook on Monday.

You asked, and @normanswan answers your #coronavirus questions. Topics covered:



- Should schools shut?

- Do you self-isolate if your partner is asked to?

- Pregnancy

- What are the testing limitation



(1/2) pic.twitter.com/rCshsr05Cy  News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) March 15, 2020

This will mean that students will not attend the College and they will commence an online approach that will start from 10.00am tomorrow and operate according to the normal timetable. Our usual start time of 8.30am will apply from Wednesday onwards.

Story continues

One woman responded, applauding the schools decision.

Proud of the leadership and prompt decision making taken by the school. Well done! she said.

The Association of Independent Schools of NSW said some of its schools will start teaching students remotely.

There are about 500 private schools across the state, with some to teach students online from this week while others will set tasks and assignments via email, chief executive Dr Geoff Newcombe said in a statement on Monday.

St Christopher's Catholic Primary School in Panania in Sydney's southwest closed on Monday after a person who attended an event hosted by the school tested positive the disease.

Sydney Catholic Schools executive director Tony Farley said the professional development event was held on March 12 and the infected person was not a teacher at the Panania primary school or any other Sydney Catholic school.

The school will undergo a thorough "hygiene sweep" on Monday and will reopen on Tuesday.

Last week in NSW, two year 10 students from St Patrick's Marist College in Dundas and a year 7 pupil from Willoughby Girls High School were confirmed to have coronavirus.

The fathers of the two St Patrick's students are both Defence staff and had previously tested positive for the infection.

NSW authorities are now investigating a coronavirus cluster centred around Ryde Hospital, the Australian Defence Force and Dorothy Henderson Lodge.

St Patrick's Marist College and Willoughby Girls High School was closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

In South Australia, Sacred Heart College, south of Adelaides CBD, is due to reopen on Tuesday after a year 11 student tested positive last week.

The Willoughby Girls High School is pictured in Sydney on March 9. Willoughby Girls High School was closed after a 12-year-old year 7 pupil was confirmed as having coronavirus.

Scotch College's campuses at Mitcham and Torrens Park will be closed for deep cleaning on Tuesday following the positive test result. They will likely reopen on Wednesday morning.

Calls for all schools to close

The governments decision to keep classrooms open has drawn some harsh criticism.

Dr Swan told ABCs News Breakfast there is a loss of control each day that goes by.

They cancelled the Grand Prix at the last minute and we have to shut down schools. A lot of parents are worried, he said.

If you look at Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, to a lesser extent China, I don't think China, but they succeeded in controlling the epidemic without closing schools. The data is corrupted by the fact that schools were on holiday in many of those places for the Chinese new year, and therefore, it is really hard to ascertain whether they really benefited from leaving the schools open.

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said schools would be closed at some point for a period of time due to the virus.

She said she has written to the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklianadvising her it would be inappropriate for state parliament to sit next week.

Former Member of Parliament Emma Husar took to Twitter to make her thoughts known.

In the absence of any meaningful leadership my kids are home from school.

You are the leaders in your own houses, lives and families. Make your decisions embrace your power.

When could schools shut?

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Monday said rolling school closures was "likely to be the new norm, but PM Scott Morrison said on Sunday schools would remain open for the time being.

However, he warned all options are on the table to help tackle the spread of the coronavirus, which may include school closures in the future and even a complete lockdown of the country similar to Italy, France and Spain.

"Everything is up for consideration," Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy told ABC television's Insiders Program on Sunday.

Some schools may be forced to close due to coronavirus. Source: Getty Images (file pic)

Schools from Monday are adopting social distancing measures, including cancelling assemblies, excursions and travel, as well as some events and conferences in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton argued the decision not to close schools was based on how the disease presented in children, and to avoid the risk of health and emergency workers being pulled out of service to look after their children.

"For children under nine years of age, it is an extremely mild disease, and there are virtually no reports of deaths for those below 20, it's a tiny percentage," Mr Sutton said.

"My kids are in primary school and in child care and I'm very happy for them to be there."

Mr Hazzard has issued an order under the Public Health Act 2010 to force the immediate cancellation of public events with more than 500 people.

Individuals who fail to comply could face up to six months in prison, a fine of up to $11,000, or both, he said on Monday.

All passengers arriving from overseas must now self-isolate for 14 days. Pictured is man returning to Sydney earlier this year. Source: Getty

How schools are preparing for closures?

With more than 340 coronavirus cases confirmed nationally, it has been reported that some schools are providing parents with information about how to use online resources so that their children dont miss any lessons in the event of a closure.

The NSW Department of Education listed a series of helpful tips for parents about the best way to home school.

Teachers are asked to check in on parents by phone or email and set up learning tools online using Google or Microsoft applications.

School closures may make things worse, experts say

Minister of Education Dan Tehan told the ABC on Monday that the advice from medical experts is that not having students at school could actually lead to a greater risk of the virus spreading.

Longer closures may result in more students congregating outside of school [eg other students' homes, shopping malls], which will increase risk to older adults or those with ," the Centres for Disease Control warns.

with AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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The penalty stands in respect of domestic Man-Made Fibre turnover.

Grasim Industries in a regulatory filing announced that the Competition Commission of India has passed an order under section 4 of the Competition Act 2002 imposing a penalty of Rs 301.61 crore on the company.

The penalty imposed is in respect of its domestic Man-Made Fibre turnover. The company further said that it is yet to receive the order of CCI and assured it has sufficient grounds for an appeal.

Shares of Grasim Industries were trading 2.94% lower at Rs 559.60. The stock has declined 24.1% in last one month in line with 24.6% fall in Nifty 50 index.

Grasim Industries is a leading manufacturer in cement, viscose staple fibre and chemicals.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While Gov. Kate Brown ordered Oregonians to avoid groups of more than 25 as part of the states latest effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Oregon Department of Education on Tuesday reinforced her message that day cares are exempt from that mandate.

Oregon has a little more than 4,000 licensed providers.

The education department advisies day care providers to take care of their own health during this time, particularly if they fall within the most vulnerable demographics for coronavirus. Those older than 60 have comprised the majority of fatalities across the globe.

The education departments Early Learning Division also reiterated that it is working to give providers more flexibility, including raising the number of children older than infants that each adult can care for.

Early Learning Division spokeswoman said those who are older than 60 or have underlying medical conditions that would make them susceptible to coronavirus, such as autoimmune disorders, should contact their licensing specialist.

We would also say if youre not comfortable being open, they can close their facility if they like, she said.

The education department has also said public schools are scheduled to resume classes April 1 but that officials are revisiting those guidelines over the next week.
The Gurgaon administration on Tuesday advised all multinational companies, IT firms, industries and corporate offices here to allow their staff to work from home till March 31 amid coronavirus outbreak.

The advisory comes even as a 29-year-old woman, who works in an IT firm here, on Tuesday tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the first such case in the Millennium city.

"In compliance of the Haryana Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 dated March 11 notified under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, all MNC, IT firms, industries, BPOs, corporate offices situated in Gurugram are advised to allow their officer/employees to work from their home till March 31, 2020 with immediate effect to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in larger public interest, the administration said in a statement.

Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon Amit Khatri told PTI that it is only an advisory and "not any directive or order".

The Haryana government has already ordered closure of schools, colleges and universities, cinemas, gyms, clubs, night clubs till March 31 as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Till Tuesday evening, 137 people in the country had tested positive for the coronavirus while three people lost their lives, according to Union Health Ministry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Married at First Sight star Connie Crayden has confirmed she has split with her TV groom, Jonethen Musulin, after unfollowing him on Instagram.

Speaking on Hobarts Hit100.9 on Tuesday, Connie, 27, slammed her on-screen partner and said the last straw came over the weekend when he didn't attend her birthday celebrations.

'I can't play pretend. I can't live a double life...' she began.

'I can't pretend anymore': Married At First Sight's Connie Crayden (pictured) told Hobarts Hit100.9 that her relationship with Jonethen Musulin is over and she's had enough playing a 'double life' on Tuesday

'It was my birthday this weekend. He was in Melbourne for the whole weekend. He said he would be there for me for my birthday.'

The retail assistant said while she did expect her other MAFS stars not to show, she was disappointed Jonethen didn't.

'After the event was done they said they would come meet me for a drink,' she explained.

It's over! Speaking on Hobarts Hit100.9 on Tuesday, Connie, 27, slammed her on-screen partner and said that she had her last straw with him over the weekend when he didn't show up to her birthday celebrations

'But they didn't bother. That was my last straw, especially with Jonethen. I did half-expect it but everything we've been through together, I thought he would be there.'

'I thought they could take one hour off that D-Grade life and have a drink with a mate,' she concluded.

It comes after Jonethen was pictured getting cosy with Instagram model Montana Lowrey over the weekend while Connie celebrated her birthday without him on Saturday in the same city.

Not even friends? The long-haired hunk was then nowhere to be seen as Connie, 28, celebrated her birthday at Melbourne's Rice Paper Scissors on Saturday night without him

Busy! On Friday, Jonethen, 27, went out for drinks with Instagram model Montana Lowrey (right), who shared a dimly-lit picture inside a cocktail bar of them together (left)

Meanwhile, Jonethen recently claimed producers were 'desperate' to keep him on the social experiment after he announced he wanted to quit.

Speaking to New Idea on Monday, he said he was persuaded to write 'stay' in the latest commitment ceremony with 'wife' Connie Crayden, despite expressing his desire to leave.

He told the publication that he was offered a secret agreement with producers, which allowed him to travel home to take care of his sick father, who had suffered a stroke and also stay on the experiment.
By Paul Edwards



March 16, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Nothing is certain but death. Taxes used to be, too, but recent legislation proved theyre not, if you have enough money. So, it cant be said with total confidence that Joe Biden will be the Democrats nominee to scrum with Trump, but after the last massacre its just fact that Bernie, the White Knight of Social Justice, has taken a wicked punt in the political toolbag.



What is clear is that, though a great many of the young and educated, and a sizable but diverse and scattered collection of the beset and beleaguered Thinking Class, approved and ebulliently endorsed Bernies core principles, their actual numbers in the scale of national politics were not nearly as great as their euphoria led them--and a terrified Dem Politburo--to believe. The raw truth is that, regardless of his ability to draw adoring crowds in tens of thousands to arenas and stadiums, his many committed dont cut it when compared to the great mass of mainstream Democrat voters.



How else to account for Biden, in state after state, wiping the floor with Bernie, the Giant-killer, who ate Hillarys lunch and had to be kneecapped by the DNC Mafia in 16 to stop him? Of course, we had Marie Antoinette Syndrome back then, with Madame more hated and dreaded by great numbers of voters than that nightmare psycho in No Country For Old Men.



Is it that pathetic likability thing again, then? That warm and generous propensity of the American electorate to embrace some odious sod theyd like to have a beer with, despite his being an imbecile and a sociopath?

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Well, partly, yes. Hillary, for what shes worth, swore nobody liked him or wanted to work with him. Bernie, in spite of his age, is not a Santa figure, not a holly, jolly old Burl Ives hologram. He wouldnt appear beaming from a Norman Rockwell print. Hes got crust; sober sincerity; little humor and a load of gravitas, none of which infantile America--addled with toon bunnies, ninja turtles, and cuddly bears selling shit--can love. He wants you to think, and act on your self-interest, and you dont want to do that, most of you.



After generations of skewed, bent political indoctrination, and relentless propagandizing by the poisonous, amoral Capitalist schlockmeisters who own this country and the world, most Democrats have accepted the fact that others--smarter, richer, higher up--should make their key decisions.



The hold of that induced ignorance and cognitive paralysis is greatest on those subjected to it longest: the over-60s, retired, and aged, who matured before cracks yawned in The Empires catechism during Watergate to show the sleazy thugs blighting American lives behind the official bullshit curtain. These are the political Walking Dead, The Impenetrables, Old Believers who carry in their DNA the incurable virus of pre-Vietnam Exceptionalism, and who will go to their graves rigid with mummified Democrat orthodoxy.



Then theres the mass of middle-aged Democrat faithful, that slow-witted, moderate, mushy center, native home of Mr. Jones who, as Grace Slick sang, knew something was happening but didnt know what it was. These are the passive ones--American Good Germans--who have punched in, consumed, and looked away as the US War Machine blew up and bled the backward, baffled Muslim world in its lust for oil, gas and brute hegemony. They are uneasy with suppressed guilt, fearful of any real aspirations, and they yearn for the safety of braindead serfdom under lullabying masters.



Then, bafflingly, comes the bulk of black Democrats, a category truly hard to fathom. Of course, its clear that black misleadership in Congress is just a whoring toy of the DNC. They hold their Uncle Tom forts by piously bullshitting their own abused people while betraying them, complicit with the likes of Biden, whose Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act fueled the lethal racism of our black stalag system. The notion that blacks have a true friend in the Senator from MBNA, the very cartoon of a phony, smarmy, jive honky liberal, is sadly mistaken but, pathetically, the hustled line up time and again to be crassly sold this evil, cynical screw job. As with organized Labor, Dems feel no obligation to black Americans. They count them a captive race who demand no reward for slavish loyalty.



For these sets of stagnant souls, the wonder is that the roaring wildfire of damning fact lit by the courage of Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden, that incinerated the camouflage of this utterly corrupt, incorrigibly vicious Empire has sparked no fury in their calcified hearts.



And so the grotesque Marche Slave winds on its lugubrious, pathetic way toward the funeral pyre of its own making, while the Dem engineers of this self-immolation bask in idiot bliss. They truly believe theyve won; that in eliminating Sanders and his sane, humane goals, and annointing the vacuous, amoral, cognitively impaired charlatan, Biden, theyll flush the detested Sick Beast from his lair and control the National Security State alone again. Its a deep collective delusion founded on balked egos, impotent fury, and wilful blindness to all that the time requires.



But, then, when were Democrats ever proactive for what American people needed? Even in the halcyon days of FDR, that humane conservative--for such he truly was--had to urge Berle, Ickes and Tugwell to make me do it before pushing his great socio-economic measures through Congress for the sustaining benefit of working Americans that made him a political giant.



In this perilous hour for the country, for Democrats to pawn off on their bedrock faithful--indoctrinated, automatistic, and hoodwinked as they are--a mediocre, ditzy, blithering, old Cold Warrior as the gladiator who will face and take out The Beast is bald lunacy and surefire political seppuku.



But, lets say, for a moment, its not. Suppose, miraculously, Trump is beaten by the sad sack who will bring a cream pie to a knife fight. What then results? With The Beast defeated and Biden installed, will our hopes for a sane, peaceful, just country be realized? Not bloody likely.



The Democratic Party has become the mouthpiece of the War Machine, promoter of the sick disasters, Iraq and Afghanistan, of bogus R2P scams, of Color Revolutions for regime change, and Mock Wars, ravaging small, poor nations without means of defense. Its the voice of irrational fury and provocation against its pet alibi for political fraud at home--Russia--and the other most militarily potent country on earth, China. Not just the War Party, its the supporter and abettor of the Capitalist criminal financial syndicate that has shackled Americans in debt, stolen their resources and prospects, and enforced the greatest economic inequality in the history of the nation.



Thats what youll get more of, if he wins. But he wont, and itll be Trump Chapter II. The Party--clearly shown up for the tool of privilege its always been--will lose its big donors and its sad drones and sink into irrelevance, and well face The Beast empowered... with no opposition at all.



Meanwhile, the Black Swan of Coronavirus shrouds our future in darkness.

Paul Edwards is a writer and film-maker in Montana. He can be reached at: hgmnude@bresnan.net




Nigerian soldiers (file photo)

Six soldiers have died after being ambushed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents around Banki Junction in Borno state.

According to TheCable, two sergeants, two lance corporals and two privates were killed in the attack.

The incident happened Sunday morning when about two companies of soldiers from the armys 151 task force battalion in the area were on a rescue patrol.

There were about 70 soldiers who were sent on that mission, a source said.

We had information that some people were being held captives by the insurgents, and that was why the soldiers were mobilised to carry out a rescue patrol.

The soldiers ran into ambush a few kilometres that they took off, and six of them were killed.

We later sent in a reinforcement to clear the area and recover their bodies.

Sagir Musa, armys spokesperson, was not reachable to comment on the attack.

In the past months, soldiers have been targeted by the insurgents who lay ambush on their path.

Months ago, an army commander and 20 soldiers were ambushed on their way from Borogozo in Yobe state.
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Tuesday, March 17, and the Bay Area is now in the strictest coronavirus measure in the U.S.  and were answering your questions. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

Six Bay Area counties announced a shelter in place order for all residents on Monday  the strictest measure of its kind yet in the country  directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks as public health officials desperately try to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus across the region.

The directive begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties  a combined population of more than 6.7 million. It is to stay in place until at least April 7.

People will still be able to leave the house for food and household supplies  grocery stores are remaining open, as are some restaurants switching to takeout-only operations.

Theres a lot of questions about what this means for day to day life in the Bay Area. Weve answered some of those questions with what we know right now  broken up by category.

 Why is this happening?

 Essential and not: Whats open and whats closed

 Where to seek financial help.

 Your food and grocery questions answered.

 What older people and their loved ones need to know.

 Whats happening with transit.

 What to know about getting medical treatment.

 How you can help Bay Area nonprofits that provide aid.

 What we know at the moment about how fast COVID-19 mutates, how deadly it is and the early work on a vaccine.

 How do we talk to kids about this?

In other virus developments

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Picked-over grocery store shelves dont tell the full story: Despite the rush, the supply chain for food products like fruits, vegetables and meat has not yet been disrupted  even if its taking some stores longer to re-stock the shelves. Two Chronicle reporters went more than a dozen stores in the East Bay to see what shelves looked like.

Measures in Sacramento: California lawmakers set aside up to $1.1 billion Monday for health care needs, homeless services and school cleaning to help the state deal with crushing costs being brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

The two-bill package passed both houses of the Legislature unanimously only a few hours after it was introduced, a reflection of how pressing both Democrats and Republicans have come to see the situation.

From Otis R. Taylor Jr: Many who experience chronic homelessness also have chronic health problems. And because theyre homeless, social distancing isnt something thats easily done when you live clustered on sidewalks or crammed into shelters.

Out of work? Some industries like delivery services and grocery stores are hiring.

Retail closing up shop: The mass closure is a sudden, devastating blow to a retail sector that was already struggling, particularly in San Francisco, owners say.

12 more hours until bedtime: Bay Area teachers, parents fret over how to teach with coronavirus closures.

From the Culture desk: San Franciscans respond with offers of grocery runs, money, support.

Whats happening with testing? The Chronicle has heard from a number of Bay Area residents expressing frustration about delays, red tape and conflicting information on whether, where and how they can get tested. Weve built a list of Bay Area locations where testing is available, with the caveat that providers still have limited amounts of tests.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The Kids Are Home: Now What? On the latest Fifth & Mission podcast, Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper asks reporter and former teacher Steve Rubenstein for suggestions about what to do with kids who are home because of school closures. Then she turns to a real expert  her 7-year-old.

Around the Bay

 Nia Wilson murder trial: John Lee Cowell ruled sane at time of attack, faces life in prison.

 Odd veepstakes: Kamala Harris tops the vice-presidential list. Here are some other possibles.

 Plus rib fracture: Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier hospitalized with pneumonia  he tested negative for the coronavirus.

 Cases pending: Some California courts shut down, others delay proceedings in response to the coronavirus.

Recipes from The Chronicle

Craig Lee / Special to The Chronicle

Were going to be home for a while, and probably cooking for ourselves more.

First up: Tara Duggan has collected six recipes from The Chronicles archive of items you can cook from your pantry.

Read more.

Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact Brown at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com.
R Rajashekar Rao By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In the wake of outbreak of deadly coronavirus, the Telangana High Court on Monday decided to have court proceedings only for three days in a week until further orders, as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of the virus.

One division bench and four single judge benches will conduct court proceedings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Court will take up only urgent matters such as bail petitions, stay applications, extension of stay and other cases emanating from any impugned order passed after February 15 this year.

ALSO READ | Coronavirus scare: Calcutta HC, subordinate courts to hear only urgent matters from March 17

A Full Court meeting, chaired by Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, took stock of the prevailing situation in the country, particularly in Telangana State, in view of spread of Coronavirus and took various decisions.

Apart from High Court judges, State Advocate General BS Prasad, Bar Council chairman A Narasimha Reddy, Telangana High Court Advocates Association president T Surya Karan Reddy and a team of government doctors attended the meeting.

ALSO READ | Coronavirus scare: Thermal screening of lawyers, litigants, journalists at Supreme Court

The Chief Justice later had a video conference with all the unit heads of district courts and gave instructions for taking steps to reduce footfalls in the courts and not to insist upon presence of the accused and so on.

According to Surya Karan Reddy, thermal screening of all the persons attending the court, including the judges, will be done at the entrance.

The State was requested to provide one thermal screening machine so as to enable screening of the litigants, counsels and the Judges. No advocates, whose matters are not listed, and no litigant will be permitted to attend the court until further orders.

After the Full Court meeting, CJ Chauhan informed the counsels, who are present in the first court hall, about the reasons for taking such a decision for the next three weeks, the situation in Telangana and in the entire country.

There are some confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Hyderabad and let us not get more cases. I want only 100 people to be in the Court on the three working days, the CJ said.

The decisions included that the HC will take up only urgent matters, including the cases where the stay is about to expire between March 17 and 31, will permit advocates whose cases are listed to enter the court campus.

Other advocates who do not have cases are asked to refrain from coming to the court campus. Stay will be extended automatically by the Court, hence the presence of the advocate and party concerned is dispensed with. Since March 25 happens to be a public holiday in view of Ugadi, the Court will function March 23, 26 and 27.

In a circular issued by HC Registrar General A Venkateswara Reddy, all the unit heads should ensure establishment of temporary medical dispensaries in the court complexes.

It is learnt that CJI SA Bobde had held a video conference with all the Chief Justices of all HCs for taking precautionary measures in view of the prevailing situation.
WASHINGTON  The most elemental act of American democracy  voting  will be tested Tuesday as four states set to hold presidential primaries confront the impact of a global pandemic that has turned everyday life upside-down.

Leaders sent conflicting signals about how to approach the next steps amid the coronavirus outbreak. As health officials warned against gatherings of greater than 10 people, President Donald Trump said elections should proceed.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the states health director would declare a health emergency and order the polls closed for fears of exposing volunteer poll workers  many of them elderly  to the virus. Elections officials in Arizona, Illinois and Florida said they were moving forward with plans to vote.

The rapidly shifting developments amounted to a kind of chaos rarely seen in an election season. And it may not end soon as some states that have presidential contests in the coming weeks have already moved to postpone them and others were being pressed to follow.

These are unusual restrictions, Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said of recommended federal limits to try and control the spread of the virus. Her group is urging the delay of that states 2020 presidential primary from April 28 to June 23, when congressional and legislative primaries are already scheduled.

Normally, we do not support postponing elections, but these are extraordinary circumstances, Lerner said.

Campaigns spent Monday sifting through data and talking to contacts on the ground to assess the impact of the coronavirus on turnout in places that will hold elections Tuesday. Former Vice President Joe Biden is moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination, but could face a setback if the older voters who tend to support him dont show up. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, cant afford to lose support from young voters who have been his most loyal supporters.

The tumult has left the campaign in a state of suspended animation. In-person rallies have been replaced with sometimes-awkward virtual events.

Sanders, the last Democrat standing between Biden and the nomination, isnt planning to drop out. Although his campaign looked to have nowhere to go after a big loss last week in Michigan, top advisers now see no downside to staying in the race as they assess how the coming days and weeks unfold.

On Monday night, Sanders staged a virtual rally featuring himself, rocker Neil Young and activist actress Daryl Hannah. He also released a video criticizing Biden for suggesting as a senator that hed be willing to cut Social Security benefits  a line of attack he employed frequently during Sundays debate.

I dont have to tell anybody that we are living in a very unprecedented and strange moment in the history of our country, Sanders said, urging supporters that it may be time to rethink our value system, rethink many of the systems we operate under.

Sanders team had expected Biden to do well in all four states that were set to vote on Tuesday. But the Vermont senator has also cast some doubt about the entire process, saying no one should risk being infected while voting and noting that its important to make sure that everybody who wants to vote has the right to vote, and that may not be the case now.

Still, Sanders faces an increasingly tough path to the nomination. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded and, if Biden has another big night Tuesday, he will pad an already large and perhaps insurmountable lead. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally, meaning hed need to win more than 57% of those yet to be allocated to clinch the Democratic nomination.

Bidens campaign is trying not to look presumptuous about its prospects at this sensitive moment. Still, the former vice president is making moves to rally more voters to his campaign, including his announcement during the debate that he would choose a woman as a running mate.

Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana congressman and one of Bidens campaign co-chairs, said the former vice president has started the process of looking at people seriously.

Biden appeared to keep his focus Monday on winning the nomination, as he encouraged voters in a telephone town hall to participate in Tuesday primaries but to do so safely. Joining him was former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who served during President Barack Obamas second term. Murthy encouraged voters at high risk of contracting coronavirus to vote by mail or use curbside voting, if available, but he also explained precautions elections officials are planning in the Tuesday primary states.

The call came three days after Bidens initial effort at remote campaigning was marred by technical difficulties, a testament to the challenge of balancing what amounts to a national shut-in with the demands of a presidential campaign. I appreciate everyone bearing with us as we figure out all the logistics of campaigning in a new way here, Biden said Monday night.

The coming weeks will present additional uncertainties. After Tuesday, the campaign had been set to shift to Georgia next week, but officials there have already postponed their Democratic primary until May 19. That means voting isnt scheduled again anywhere until March 29 in Puerto Rico  and island officials are also seeking a delay.

The first week in April, meanwhile, would have featured Louisiana, but its decision to delay the primary until May leaves only primaries in far-flung Alaska and Hawaii and caucuses in Wyoming through April 4. That could leave the campaign in further limbo, perhaps prolonging a primary race that might otherwise have been wrapped up.

Voting rights groups have advocated for upcoming elections to be postponed, or for states holding them as scheduled to adopt more lenient vote-by-mail and absentee ballot rules so that people dont have to choose between showing up at a polling place and putting their health at risk.

Mustafa Tameez, a Democratic strategist with ties to many of the partys top donors, noted that Americans voted during World War I and World War II. More recent voting during crisis came on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when balloting was already underway but was suspended for two weeks in New Yorks mayoral primary because of the terrorist attacks.

There should be no circumstance in which we say, because of a crisis  regardless of the crisis  that we stop our electoral government, Tameez said.

___

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Seth Borenstein in Washington and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Common Cause is seeking to move the New York primary to June 23, not June 3.

___

Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.
As protests continue to erupt in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and across the world in outrage against the horrific shooting of Jacob Bla Read more
The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has issued directives to all its undergraduate, MBA, first-year MTech/MDes/MS students to vacate the hostels by March 19 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, a senior official of the institute said.

A task force on Monday recommended a gradual reduction of students in the hostels to avoid a scenario in which a large number of students would have to be evacuated amid a shortage of transport facilities, said Manindra Agrawal, deputy director, IIT-Kanpur.

Only PhD, second year MTech/MDes/MS and fifth-year dual degree students, who are already on campus, are permitted to stay on in the hostels after March 19.

For postgraduate students away from the campus, special leave will be provided.

In case any PhD, second year MTech/MDes/MS and fifth year Dual Degree student wishes to leave the campus, special leave will be provided for the same.

In addition, the following protocols are also being adopted: All bookings for social functions in CC-I (community centre-1) and Aashiana that involve visitors from outside are being cancelled until further notice.

A quarantine facility is being set up on the second floor of community centre-II (CC-II). Hence, no functions can be held in CC-II until further notice.

Specialist OPD being run at the health centre is being suspended from tomorrow until further notice. Elderly people and children should go to the health centre only if it is essential, said Manindra Agrawal, deputy director, IIT Kanpur. For postgraduate students away from the campus, special leave will be provided.
Help India!

Yusuf Ansari, TwoCircles.net

An old adage goes To hide one lie. Several other lies must be produced. This is exactly what the Delhi Police is now resorting to. The student protest at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 15 that was met with police violence and lathi charge inside the campus and library has now taken a sudden turn as police refuses to accept the truth and continues producing a new reason daily to justify their brutality on peacefully protesting students. The latest they have come up with is, police had to enter the campus to save the innocent students.

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In exactly these words, Delhi police has given justification for entering the campus and unleashing toughness on students in an Action Taken Report to the Metropolitan Magistrate.

The documented statement of police reads as To control violence and maintain law and order situation, police was forced to enter the campus. Inside the university, the police detained 52 students as per Section 65 of Indian Penal Code while trying to handle violenceIn order to save the innocent students from the ongoing violence inside the campus, police was required to enter the university.

The court had given the same reply in a petition filed by the students while registering an FIR against police brutality. Lawyer Asghar Khan had filed the petiotion seeking report on racial abuses on students, other than physical attacks. The petition also demanded inquiry into breaking tear gas shells inside the library on students who were not involved in protests and were simply reading inside the room.

This white lie of the police, however, stands no chance in front of the shocking CCTV footage that clearly shows police mishandling students, lathi charging them, damaging library property, and even breaking CCTVs. Surprisingly, the police had initially denied having entered the library but this latest statement of trying to protect students is shameless. None of the video footages taken on December 15 show even one police officer trying to protect or save the innocent students inside the campus. Rather they were busy pelting stones and exerting maximum force on peaceful protestors, even those who hadnt participated in the protests and were going about their daily routine inside the university.

This incident is closely connected with the violence that sprung out of control in the national Capital on December 15 during the anti CAA protests. The student protestors were also accused of burning three buses on the streets during the day as a result of which police says it took action to enter the campus. Jamia students have denied all allegations of inciting or participating in these violent incidents that day. Despite the denials, police did not stop from wreaking havoc inside the university.

Chief Proctor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Waseem Ahmed Khan had immediately issued a statement that Delhi Police entered the campus that evening without any official permission and not only thrashed students but also paraded them outside the gates like criminals. Vice Chancellor Najma Akhter had subsequently sought query into police violence inside the university.

In the statement of Action Taken Report, police has also said that a mob of violent protestors were on a breaking spree inside the campus and they had broken lights by using petrol bombs due to which police had to resort to lathi charge to control the violence. Since there was no electricity, police had to evacuate the students by force and they were merely doing their duty by emptying library of the readers. This is just another lie in its series of changing statements the police has been making since Day 1.

All the faces are clearly visible in the CCTV footage obtained from that day but neither the police has recognized any violent protestor nor has it registered an FIR against those it claims of inciting violence. This is because, no one from the violent mob was a student of Jamia, as police has already said in a previous statement.

After two days of the violence, on December 17, police had claimed as having arrested 10 people in relation to the incident. What is shocking is, none of these are students. All of the arrested in fact, have past criminal records. These were men from around Okhla and Jamia but none of them were students or in any way linked to the university.

The CCTV footage from December 15 was released in social media very recently by the Jamia Coordination Committee. Jamia Administration, amid all of this, has been continuously demanding action against police brutality. VC Najma Akhter has said despite available records and proofs, court has neither talked about FIRs nor shown any action in punishing those responsible. Delhi Police maintains that complaints and petitions lodged by students are of general nature and they are being looked after by the court. However, what is easily understandable from the above is, police is tampering with proofs and statements hence hindering the judicial process of inquiry.
French English

PRESS RELEASE



UPDATE CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 ON KLEPIERRE'S ACTIVITIES IN EUROPE

Paris, March 17, 2020

In a press release dated March 12, 2020, Klepierre provided an initial update concerning the impact of the Covid-19 on its activities in Italy. This has since expanded to several Continental European countries, leading their governments to take further health measures that impact the whole Groups activities.

As of today, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic have ordered the closure, for some weeks, of all shops except those selling bare necessities, including grocery and small food stores, and pharmacies. Other countries, including Portugal, Norway and Denmark, have decided to place restrictions on the opening hours of certain stores.

At this stage, it is too early to assess the impact of these measures on the contractual obligations of the Groups tenants. Klepierre has active discussions with them regarding the challenges presented by Covid-19 and has already initiated stringent cost cuts in order to pass on service charge savings to them. In addition, the Group is actively reducing non-essential capital expenditures and non-staff operating expenses.

Despite this challenging environment and the current difficulty in estimating the impact on Klepierres full-year earnings, the Group reaffirms it has a solid balance sheet and sufficient committed revolving credit facilities to cover its liquidity needs.

Klepierre will continue to monitor the state of affairs and provides updates as the situation warrants.





Investor relations contacts media contacts Hubert dAillieres, Group Head of IR and financial communication

+33 (0)1 40 67 51 37  hubert.daillieres@klepierre.com

Mengxing Zhang, IR Officer

+33 (0)1 40 67 53 05  mengxing.zhang@klepierre.com

Paul Logerot, IR Officer

+33 (0)1 40 67 53 02  paul.logerot@klepierre.com Helene Salmon, Group Head of Corporate

& Internal Communications

+33 (0)1 40 67 55 16  helene.salmon@klepierre.com







Delphine Granier, Taddeo

+33 (0)6 33 05 48 50  teamklepierre@taddeo.fr

ABOUT KLEPIERRE

Klepierre is the European leader in shopping malls, combining property development and asset management skills. The companys portfolio is valued at 23.7 billion at December 31, 2019 and comprises large shopping centers in 12 countries in Continental Europe which together host 1.1 billion visits per year. Klepierre holds a controlling stake in Steen & Strm (56.1%), Scandinavias number one shopping center owner and manager. Klepierre is a French REIT (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris and is included in the CAC Next 20, EPRA Euro Zone and GPR 250 indexes. It is also included in ethical indexes, such as DJSI World and Europe, FTSE4Good, STOXX Global ESG Leaders, Euronext Vigeo France 20 and World 120, and figures in CDPs A-list. These distinctions underscore the Groups commitment to a proactive sustainable development policy and its global leadership in the fight against climate change.

For more information, please visit the newsroom on our website: www.klepierre.com

This press release is available on the Klepierre website: www.klepierre.com

Attachment
Few jobs require more interaction with the public than police officers. But what do cops do when everyone is being urged to social distance?

Police chiefs are asking their officers to remain vigilant, but to prioritize their interactions with the public. And in some cases, that can mean letting minor infractions  like tinted windows or a broken taillight  go.

What were doing is reminding (officers) there are certain violations that are mandatory, explained Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante. Almost all of Title 39 (the code for motor vehicle and traffic violations) is discretionary. If you see someone acting in a dangerous manner, do what you need to do. Any minor issues, were not putting our focus on that.

Police chiefs around the state are implementing certain protocols to limit exposure to the public, especially when it comes to medical calls. Some departments have scaled back the number of officers who respond to non-emergency calls, or have limited access to police headquarters. Authorities in Summit are taking police reports by phone until further notice.

In Ocean Township, Monmouth County, an officer is currently in self-isolation after an 83-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus, police Chief Steven R. Peters said Sunday. In Manchester Township, Ocean County, a police officer and some local EMTs are in self-quarantine after responding to a first-aid call for a 72-year-old resident, who later tested positive for the virus, Mayor Kenneth Palmer and Chief Lisa Parker announced Friday.

But having law enforcement prioritize can be a delicate balance.

In South Brunswick, the police department is canceling its routine traffic details  like using a cell phone while driving  to limit public interactions, police Chief Raymond J. Hayducka said.

I dont tell them not to do their jobs, he said, but I want to focus on priorities.

Hayducka said that his officers are also trying to avoid physically arresting people if possible. An accused shoplifter, for example, will be given a summons with a note instructing them to get processed at police headquarters at a later date.

We did have a scenario where a person was caught shoplifting twice in the same day, he said. We deemed it appropriate to make an arrest and have that person processed.

In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal issued guidelines for law enforcement to meet the challenges amid the coronavirus outbreak. Officers and prosecutors should consider delaying the filing of criminal charges in cases that dont impact public safety, Grewal said.

In some of New Jerseys largest cities, police are suspending certain parking violations that dont pose a public-safety risk. Newark, for example, will only enforce parking violations like blocking a fire hydrant or a crosswalk. All other infractions, including alternate side parking for street cleaning, will be suspended until March 31, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Gov. Phil Murphy, in a press conference Monday, urged New Jersey residents to stay off the roads from the hours of 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. He also ordered the shutdown of certain businesses  like bars, clubs and casinos  until further notice.

That should cut down on the foot traffic in cities like Hoboken, where Ferrante said the nightlife scene on Saturday was insane.

He said the police department received 114 police calls from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thats a 50% increase from a typical Saturday in the spring.

We had non-essential calls that backlogged two hours, he said. We want nobody on the streets. That doesnt mean were going to impose martial law and start arresting people. But well go up to people and say, please, go inside.

Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said his officers will be interacting with the public like they normally do when handing out tickets, though theyve been instructed to limit unnecessary contact. That could mean directing someones attention to the documents rather than communicating face-to-face.

Im okay with minor violation being overlooked, he said.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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MICHIGAN -- People all over the United States will start to receive their census forms in the mail in mid-March, which will impact how federal government operates for the coming decade.

The census takes place every 10 years and has profound impacts in the U.S., such as redrawing congressional districts based on population increases or decreases, and determining how to allocate hundreds of billions in federal funding for programs such as school grants and highway construction.

Some of the questions asked include how many people are living or staying at this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2020, were there any additional people staying here, is the dwelling a house apartment or mobile home, and what are the person's name, age, sex, and race?

Starting on March 12 and going through March 20, U.S. households will receive official Census Bureau mail with information on how to respond either online, by mail, or by phone.

April 1 is regarded as Census Day, as that is the date every household in the country is supposed to identify how many people are living in the home as of that date.

From May through July, census takers will visit homes that have not responded to the census to make sure everyone is counted.

In December, the Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the president and Congress, with the Bureau sending redistricting counts to the states by March 31, 2021. Those will then be used to redraw legislative districts.

One person should respond from each household. They must be at least 15 years old, should live at the home or place of residence themselves, and know general information about each person living there.

People who should be counted for a residence as of April 1, 2020 include young children, foster children, roommates, and any family members or friends living with you, even temporarily.

In the 2010 census, Huron County had a reported population of 33,118, but the most recent census estimate, from July 2018, shows the county's population has declined to 31,166.

More information about the census can be found at www.2020census.gov.
BLOOMINGTON  About one in three Central Illinoisans were walking around Tuesday with "I voted" stickers with some voters staying away because of concerns over the new coronavirus and others having voted early.

"It was actually not a bad turnout when you think of all the stressful news that was out there," McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael said. She said the nearly 30 percent turnout in McLean County was comparable to other presidential primary elections.

Former Vice President Joe Biden won the Illinois primary with 986,341 votes, or 50 percent of the ballots cast. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had 893,249, or 45 percent. Officials said the coronavirus pandemic caused problems in Illinois, including polling places that didnt open and lower than usual voter turnout in some areas after state officials declined to postpone the election. Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered schools, restaurants and bars closed due to the virus but said "we have to elect leaders, even in less than ideal circumstances.

DeWitt County Clerk Dana Smith said she thought turnout in Tuesday's primary election was "very good given the issue (coronavirus) at hand" and Logan County Clerk Theresa Moore said turnout "seems to be pretty decent for a primary."

In DeWitt County, 31.9 percent of registered voters cast ballots. In Logan County, voter turnout was 31.3 percent. In Livingston County, voter turnout was 24 percent.

In McLean County  combining numbers from the Bloomington Election Commission and the McLean County Clerk's office, which oversees elections in the county outside Bloomington  30,691 of 109,093 voters cast ballots, for a turnout of 28 percent.

That includes a voter turnout of 27.9 percent in Bloomington and 28.3 percent in McLean County outside Bloomington.

Bloomington Election Commission Executive Director Paul Shannon said "I think some people are scared to go to the polls" because of the spread of COVID-19.

But another reason voting was mixed on Tuesday was because more people than usual took advantage of early voting, Shannon and Michael said.

Woodford County Clerk Dawn Kupfer said turnout was "better than I expected it to be. We've been hopping today."

Regarding COVID-19, Kupfer said, "Everybody is more conscious of sanitizing their hands and the (voting) booths and keeping their distance from each other."

Pamela Lawson voted at Normal Township Hall even though her son, a firefighter, gave her a hard time for going out.

"I'll come to vote no matter what," she said.

Matt Seniff, also voting at Normal Township Hall, wasn't concerned about coronavirus. "I'm retired so it's not hard to stay away from people."

While there were concerns about election judges backing off because of coronavirus concerns, all polling places opened, Shannon and Michael said.

In McLean County, voting was especially heavy in the LeRoy and Gridley areas, where tax referendums for schools were on the ballot.

Michael's office had hand sanitizer at each polling place.

Shannon repeated that while Clorox wipes were used by election judges to clean non-electrical equipment and alcohol swabs and towels were being used to clean electrical equipment, his office did not have hand sanitizer at polling places.

Cyndie Andrews of Clinton said she was voting "But I'm taking lots of precautions, such as my own pen and/or pencil to use."

Contact Paul Swiech at 309-820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech. Kevin Barlow, Sierra Henry and Lenore Sobota contributed to this report.

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Scientists are speculating that the Falkland Islands could experience a major tsunami in the future. They think that an ancient tsunami occurred from seafloor slope failures located at the British Overseas Territory's southern side in the recent past. Computer models showed how underwater landslides could have sent waves that are at least ten metres in height to crash on to the coastline.

The ancient tsunami seems to happen only once in roughly a million years. Uisdean Nicholson, a geologist from the Heriot-Watt university, said that more research is needed to understand how such an event occurs and to comprehend the time scales.

The landslides were found to occur on a steeply inclined terrain at the edge of Burdwood Bank seafloor's raised region. The scientists collected seismic data that showed repeated sediment failure, wherein silt, sand, and mud tumbled downslope into deeper waters. For significant events to occur, 100 km3 of material needs to be moved, which is roughly the size of Edinburgh.

The scientists estimate the age of the sediments and calculate the frequency of slope failures from exploratory drilling. Scientific expeditions and oil companies were involved in the investigation, including the University College London and the BGS or British Geological Survey. They discovered that three to four "Edinburgh-sized" slope slides have occurred within the past three million years.

Certain earthquakes that cause tsunamis have been found to trigger ocean tsunamis by either depressing down or pushing up the water column above ruptures on the seafloor. In addition, sudden slumping of the sediment in landslides underwater also create the same effect. The biggest tsunami or worst tsunami that modern mankind can experience could come from these conditions. Scientists can gauge tsunami locations from such conditions. A search for "tsunami Wikipedia" can generate a lot of information, such as a list of tsunamis in history.

The September 2018 tsunami is a good example. This occurred in Sulawesi, Indonesia. It was caused by an earthquake that triggered submarine slope failures, which then caused waves that are two metres high to crash into Palu City. In 1998, another submarine landslide triggered a 15 metre-high tsunami in Papua New Guinea; the resulting tsunami death toll was 2,200.

Tsunamis that are induced by landslides under the water can be very big; however, they quickly fall off with distance. The Falklands are around 150 kilometers from the Burdwood Bank. Nonetheless, the computer modelling showed how larger slope failures may cause 10-metre tsunamis at Port Stanley, the capital, and 40-metre tsunamis on the southern shoreline.

Dave Tappin, professor at the BGS, reiterated that ancient tsunamis should not alarm the people. Their team studies both modern events, such as the most recent tsunami 2019, as well as prehistoric ones, to better understand how tsunamis are generated as well as predict future hazards.

Burdwood Bank is a particularly prolific "landslide factory." It is speculated that this may be due to the SAF or Sub-Antarctic Front, which is the northernmost jet or branch of the ACC or Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The latter is the most powerful water movement known on Earth. The locations where the SAF skirts the Burwood Bank can accelerate in some places, making it highly erosive. The SAF picks up sediment from one location then dumps it elsewhere. The accumulation site is called the Burdwood Drift, which is a high and steep slope.

The emplaced sand and silt have been found to be accumulating again, although current data does not allow predictions of when the next slide could happen. Internal instabilities may eventually activate a slide, as well as shaking from an earthquake. It is worth noting that the bank is close to some tectonic plate boundaries.

A future direction of research may involve digging on some areas in the Falklands in order to determine the presence of ancient tsunami deposits.
Boris Johnson has been accused of 'playing Russian Roulette' with school children across the UK after he stopped short of closing schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A petition launched by worried parents and teachers has reached nearly 640,000 signatures and many parents have warned they will pull their children out of the education system.

Social media users started the #Covid19Walkout trend yesterday, encouraging students and school pupils to stay at home and one school in Derbyshire.

Last night the Prime Minister urged residents across the UK to implement social distancing and also advised a ban on mass gatherings.

But the government says it is keeping the situation in schools under review, with fears closing them would mean key workers in the NHS would have to drop their duties to look after children, and have limited benefits in reducing the spread.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty insisted last night that evidence suggested children tend to be less badly affected than adults.

Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday evening at a press conference) has been accused of 'playing Russian Roulette' with school children across the UK

A petition launched by worried parents has reached nearly 640,000 signatures

Teaching union urges Boris Johnson to close schools for 'at least some time' A teaching union has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding schools are closed 'at least for some time and at least in some areas'. The letter from Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, said that they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'. It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college. 'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated. 'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.' Advertisement

So far there have been 55 deaths in the UK because of the virus and 1,543 confirmed cases.

Prof Neil Ferguson, a scientist at Imperial College who has been advising the government on coronavirus, said closing schools and universities could stymie the spread of the coronavirus but warned of uncertainties and negative impacts of such a move on the NHS.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'From a purely epidemiological perspective, we think with a lot of uncertainty that closing schools and universities would further reduce transmission.

'I have to say we don't fully understand whether children are transmitting this virus in the same way they transmit other viruses but, assuming that, it would have an impact.

'It would also have a number of negative impacts, particularly on health system capacity - a lot of nurses, a lot of doctors have school-aged children.

'So what's currently happening is there's a very thorough review of what a likelihood of school closure would be.'

But Chris Keates, acting general secretary of teachers' union the NASUWT said the lack of 'clear and definitive' direction from the government over what schools should do has 'created a rising sense of panic'.

She said: 'The NASUWT has to date been advising our members in the context of the advice issued by governments and administrations and public health bodies across the UK.

'However, the lack of clear information with regard to the steps to protect teachers, headteachers and other staff working in schools in the context of commentators constantly referring to the threats posed by children carrying Covid-19 is causing chaos and confusion and placing intolerable pressure on all staff in schools and their families.'

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, wrote to the PM saying they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to 'stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier'.

It added: 'We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college.

'This will make the running of schools all the more complicated.

'Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.'

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Ian Robinson chief executive of Oak Partnership Trust in South West England which runs four schools said they are facing a number of issues.

'I can't criticise the government at the moment but I do feel the message isn't clear enough for schools and where it is becoming clearer for other organisations. We are still playing catch up in schools, we have within our trust a special school which has a large number of children with medical conditions and we have children on education healthcare plans also with medical conditions and they are at increased risk to the coronavirus.

'Schools are like a petri dish as soon as one child comes in with the coronavirus - our kids are great at a washing their hands they are really good but as soon as they wash their hands their hands are next to their face, they are holding hands with each other, they will hold hands with adults, I walked into school the other day and as soon as I walked in a child took my hand and led me to their work'.

He said he then went to wash his hands but as soon as he came out another child held his hand.

'The challenge for schools is massive, we have got lots of vulnerable children and adults that will be affected by that very quickly'.

Many parents have hit back at the advise with some claiming schools are like a 'covid pit'.

People across the UK hit back at Boris Johnson this morning as they claimed he was 'playing Russian Roulette with the lives of children across the UK

One said: 'Boris is now playing Russian Roulette with the children of the UK, saying if he closes the schools to protect the children the adults will then have to stay at home to care for them & wont be able to get to work, looks like Boris is just about to lose any respect he had'.

This is while one expert this morning said on BBC Radio 4 that classes are like 'petri dishes for the deadly bug'.

Another parent added: 'Most of my partners' kids' teachers are off and self isolating (as she is - support staff at the same school). I've just dropped them off in a potential Covid pit because to not do so would be illegal'.

One said children being 'crammed' inside school rooms and canteens would not help stop the spread of the virus.

This is while some said that keeping schools open during the crucial early phase was a 'poor decision by the UK'.

Another said people should 'spare a thought for primary school teachers in the front line surrounded by hoardes of bio-hazards'.

It emerged today that one school in Derbyshire had closed due to the concerns around the virus.

This is while a school in Stretford said it was not 'operationally possible to run the school'.

The school will close its doors today and will remained closed until April 14. In a letter she said: 'We find ourselves in this situation because we cannot follow all of the government's advice AND keep our children and our Stretford families safe.

Some highlighted what teachers would be going through while another said this could be a 'poor decision from the UK government

'The staff members who have symptoms are not being tested. They won't be tested because, thankfully, they are not seriously ill. I do not know if one, none or all have the virus.

'This is not acceptable. Staff who work in sectors which are not being advised to work from home should be tested.

'This would have allowed me to either keep the school open or to be able to identify who, if anyone, is at risk.

'Even if we double up classes to accommodate staff absence, we cannot operate at this staffing level. I also do not feel comfortable grouping pupils into even bigger groups which increases the risk of spreading the virus.'

Mr Robinson added: 'The idea of not going having to go mass gatherings for other people doesn't seem to apply to schools at the moment.

'The three criteria that was talked about in the briefing yesterday, we have staff that are within two of those criteria, staff with underlying health conditions and staff that are pregnant.

'At this moment in time they are still being expected to go into school which is a mass gathering.

'One of our headteachers, from last week we were told seven days in isolation, one of his children has a high temperature so was self-isolated from Monday. By the end of Monday when we were still in a meeting to discuss the rest of the week it had become 14 days and all family members, so already today I am facing the challenge of one of our schools not having a head teacher'.
By PTI

UNITED NATIONS: A UN staff member in New York has tested positive for coronavirus, a top official here has said, stressing that the case will not have a "critical impact" on the work of the organisation due to "strong risk mitigation measures" undertaken at the global body.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at the daily press briefing on Monday that the staff member, who has tested positive for COVID-19, "is well and has not had any contact with any other UN personnel since before the onset of symptoms".

"... we are part of New York City. New York City is now in a phase of community transmission, and I think UN staff, as we said, are New Yorkers, so...it's to be expected that, eventually, one of our staff would be impacted," Dujarric said.

As of March 16, 463 New York City residents have tested positive for the virus.

Dujarric stressed that "we do not expect this or any other infections amongst UN personnel in New York to have a critical impact on our business because of the very strong risk mitigation measures we've been taking for more than a week now, including reducing greatly our footprint".

He said that the medical director has briefed the Secretary-General on the situation, adding that the "staffer's not been in contact with any UN colleagues".

As part of measures at UN Headquarters to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Guterres has directed that all staff will be required to telecommute unless their physical presence in the workplace is needed to carry out essential services.

The reduced staffing level, in effect from this week till April 12, would be reappraised after three weeks.

Guterres has said that the aim of such a measure is twofold - to reduce the physical presence at the UN headquarters, while continuing to deliver on the mandates.

ALSO READ | Coronavirus vaccine research not for sale, says German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas: Report

"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," Guterres has said, adding that the organisation "remains open for business", but "our work will be done from different locations, using different technologies".

The 39-storey UN Secretariat Building houses the Security Council, Trusteeship Council, Economic and Social Council, several UN agencies as well as media offices for foreign reporters.

Dujarric said that the number of people entering the building has fallen since the time measures were put in place to reduce footprint in the wake of the spread of coronavirus in the city.

On March 4, the day before the first measures were put in place, over 11,000 people had entered the building and this fell to 5,393 by March 11.

On Monday, the number stood at 918, including about 300 delegates.

"I don't expect the number to go up to more than maybe 1,500 by the end of the day, because these are in-and-outs".

Last week, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines had informed the UN Medical Services that one of its delegates has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

The delegate was last in 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.
The Dodge County Public Health Department and Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam have opened drive-thru coronavirus testing site. The standalone center is for Dodge County residents only.

Abby Sauer, Dodge County public health officer, said as of noon Tuesday, there have been no positive test results for COVID-19 in Dodge County.

While we do not have positive test results, at this time, we are closely monitoring the situation and remain focused in our efforts to prevent the spread of infection in the community, she said. The number of confirmed cases in Wisconsin should remind all of us about the importance of social distancing and maintaining good hygiene to prevent the spread of disease.

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Anyone who feels they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, fever and shortness of breath should call (877) 998-0022. A medical professional will conduct a screening over-the-phone to determine if a COVID-19 test is appropriate. If deemed necessary, the individual will be directed to the drive-thru site for a free test.

The countys public health unit and the medical center ask that those who have not been screened over-the-phone to not enter the drive-thru line, as their presence will slow down the testing process.
After delaying for weeks taking any effective action to prevent the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus, Australias federal, state and territory governments are activating draconian emergency laws.

These contain powers only previously used in wartime, such arbitrarily detaining, imprisoning or imposing massive fines on people, to be imposed now in the name of protecting public health.

While anxious people are being denied coronavirus tests, hospitals report shortages of vital facilities, and public schools and universities are being kept open, governments and the corporate media are using the worsening health crisis to create a wartime atmosphere, with police-state conditions.

Governments unveiled the states of emergency as a result of last weekends first meeting of a previously unheard-of bipartisan national cabinet, comprised of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his state and territory counterparts, both Labor Party and Liberal-National Coalition. A senior government source told the Australian: We are now effectively on a war footing.

The extraordinary measures are being officially justified as essential to shield the population from a catastrophe, but they establish precedents, and an atmosphere, for the wider imposition of such powers. Police powers are being bolstered, displayed and trialled amid rising anger over the indifferent and contemptuous government response to the pandemic, on top of the summer bushfire calamity.

Since Sunday, emergencies have been declared in South Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, and the governments in the other states triggered similar legislation, permitting police to fine or imprison people who defy bans on gatherings or quarantine orders, such as self-isolation.

In Victoria, Labor Party Premier Daniel Andrews declared a public health emergency for at least four weeks under the states Public Health and Wellbeing Act of 2008. By that legislation, governments have far-reaching powers to impose a state of emergency arising out of any circumstances causing a serious risk to public health.

Andrews said fines of up to $20,000 could be imposed on anyone refusing to comply with a public health order issued under the legislation and warned of spot checks by police on people placed under 14-day self-isolation orders.

The laws, never used before, give emergency powers to police and other authorised officers to detain people, restrict peoples movements, ban access to designated areas and give any other direction that is considered reasonably necessary to protect public health.

In addition, public health risk powers hand authorised officers broad powers to close premises, search premises and seize anything without a warrant. People, can be directed to take any other action deemed necessary to reduce a risk to public health.

According to a statement from Andrewss Department of Premier and Cabinet, entire suburbs, businesses or professions could be quarantined if deemed necessary.

Last week, Andrews warned people to expect extreme measures, saying: We will need to ask Victorians things we have never asked them before.

Similar measures have been activated in each state and territory. New South Wales (NSW) Liberal-National Premier Gladys Berejiklian told a media conference: Whilst the chief medical officer can issue notices, police can enforce that and there are penalties in place for people who dont respect what weve done, through the Public Health Act.

Section 70 of the NSW Public Health Act, introduced in 2010, created an offence not to comply with a public health order, and section 71 says police may arrest a person who contravenes a public health order.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard declared: Individuals who fail to comply could face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to $11,000 or both, plus additional penalties for each day the offence continues.

These public health emergency measures are additional to the emergency powers invoked by state governments during the months-long bushfire disaster.

The state of emergency legislation activated by the NSW and Victorian governments during the fires allowed state premiers and/or police chiefs to override any law, including supposed human rights protections, issue whatever orders and directives they deemed necessary, and arrest anyone who failed to comply.

Those powers can be utilised to suppress popular unrest and outlaw strikes. The Victorian Emergency Management Acts definition of emergency specifically includes a hi-jack, siege or riot and a disruption to an essential service. The government can proclaim any service to be essential.

The federal Coalition government, backed by Labor, has already exploited the bushfire disaster to push for national powers to declare states of emergencypowers currently confined to the statesand mobilise the military.

That call seeks to strengthen the powers of the police-military apparatus to suppress the discontent brewing over ever-widening social inequality and the decades-long assault on working class living standards, working conditions and social services.

Emergency powers cannot alter the appalling lack of public medical, hospital and other basic civilian resources laid bare by the bushfires and now the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, they would allow the federal government to impose virtual martial law, with sweeping authority to call out the armed forces.

Prime Minister Morrisons proposed national emergency declarations would place immense power in the hands of the prime minister and the military, intelligence and police chiefs. This would be on top of the expanded powers that the Coalition pushed through parliament in 2018, backed by the Labor Party, to rapidly call out the armed forces to deal with domestic violencethat is, civil unrest.

In part, the latest emergency measures are desperate acts of political damage control. They are an attempt to head off the developing outrage over the official response to the Covid-19 catastrophe and whitewash the responsibilities of all the governments involved.

These measures also are intended to divert attention from the root causes of the unprecedented global crisisthe capitalist systems subordination of every aspect of life, including public health, to the dictates of corporate profit and the interests of each national-based ruling class.

At the same time, the resort to emergency powers signals an increasingly authoritarian reaction, to boost the powers and resources of the police, military and intelligence agencies to deal with rising political discontent and acclimatise public opinion to martial law conditions.
Behold the Beauty

Cast in silver, Medusa screams out on the pistol butt of a beautiful, 19th-century, walnut and rosewood flintlock pistol. Herculess victory over an Amazon makes an appearance on an oval medallion on the trigger guard, and a sea nymph feeding a sea leopard is featured on the engraved sheet-silver inlay that runs along the stock.

Many of the ornamental motifs on this flintlock pistol are taken from ancient Rome. Here, a nereid (sea nymph) feeds a sea leopard; 18001801, by gunmaker Samuel Brunn and silversmith Michael Barnett. British, London. Purchased through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and gift of George D. Pratt, by exchange, 1992. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The lock and barrel are made of blued steel. In bluing, the gunmaker puts the steel through a chemical process that turns it blue-black and protects the gun from wear and rust; it also reduces glare from the steel when the pistol is shot.

Detail of the flintlock pistols blued steel barrel with gold inlay, 18001801, by gunmaker Samuel Brunn and silversmith Michael Barnett. Purchased through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and gift of George D. Pratt, by exchange, 1992. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Detail of the flintlock pistols blued steel lock and barrel engraved and gold-inlaid with trophies of arms and foliage; 18001801, by gunmaker Samuel Brunn and silversmith Michael Barnet. British, London. Purchased through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and gift of George D. Pratt, by exchange, 1992. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The blued steels gold inlay depicts foliage and trophies of arms. Depicting trophies of arms, symbolizing military prowess and victory, is a tradition that dates back to ancient Greece and Rome when warriors honored the gods by piling up the arms and armor of those theyd just conquered.

The neoclassical pistol is one of a pair considered to be the most highly decorated of any known English pistols, according to The Metropolitan Museum of Art website. The Prince of Wales reputedly commissioned Samuel Brunn, a London gunmaker and sword cutler, to make the pistols. A sword cutler is the craftsman who assembles all the parts of a sword.

Pair of flintlock pistols, 18001801, by gunmaker Samuel Brunn and silversmith Michael Barnett. Purchased through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and gift of George D. Pratt, by exchange, 1992. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The pistols combine French and British design elements. The mount designs, made by London sword-hilt maker and silversmith Michael Barnett, were inspired by British firearms, and the stock decoration was influenced by French Empire firearms.

London Gunmaking

Brunns business card shows the Prince of Waless crest, which is inscribed on the bottom with Ich DienGerman for I serve. And serve Brunn did: Brunn received commissions from the prince and his friends. And even after the prince became King George IV, Brunn continued to make guns for him.

Trade card of sword cutler and gunmaker Samuel Brunn, 17971803, by an unknown artist. Engraving; 4 3/4 inches by 3 1/16 inches. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Brunns clients included those in the navy and army, and his central workshop location at Charing Cross in London would have been ideal for serving these customers, being so close to Buckingham Palace and the government departments at Whitehall.

Brunn was one of a small group of London gunmakers who set up workshops in London around 1780. These gunmakers mainly focused on enhancing accuracy, handling and speed, according to The Met. The results were exquisite, elegant pistols with pared-down decorations that are simply British by design.

The Art of London Firearms

John Byck, assistant curator in the department of arms and armor at The Met, brings the work of these gunmakers to the fore in the exhibition The Art of London Firearms, the first American exhibition on the subject.

The exhibition tells the story of London pistols and the London gunmakers who made almost unparalleled contributions to firearm manufacturing. Of the 14 mid-18th and early-19th-century pistols on display, some are being exhibited for the first time, and others are rarely shown.

The exhibition The Art of London Firearms runs until May 17. To find out more about the exhibition and to check on temporary closures due to the coronavirus, please visit MetMuseum.org
Hero of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Vitali Balasanyan and former Artsakh Minister State and leader of the Free Homeland Party, Arayik Harutyunyan, stand out amid other presidential candidates in Artsakh. Political scientist Eduard Saribekyan told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"Based on the course of the election campaign, the results of the polls and the assessment of the analysts, it can be concluded that the main battle is fought is between them," the analyst added.

According to him, the other candidates secure a general backdrop and attempt to convey some messages to their voters.

"Such a situation is specific to all states where democratic processes, including elections, are taking place," Saribekyan said.

The political scientist added that if there is no force majeure, this picture will not change much.

Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Artsakh on March 31.

Aside from Balasanyan and Harutyunyan, Ruslan Israyelyan (Independence Generation party), Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian, Sergey Amiryan, leader of Conservative Party of Artsakh Davit Babayan, Davit Ishkhanyan (Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party), Artsakh parliament speaker Ashot Ghoulyan, Kristina Balayan, Hayk Khanumyan (National Renaissance party), Vahan Badasyan (United Armenia party), Bella Lalayan, Melsik Poghosyan, and Ashot Dadayan are also running for president.
T he brother of the Manchester Arena bomber delayed his murder trial by demanding fresh bottled mineral water and claiming he felt unwell.

Hashem Abedi, 22, was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on Tuesday after plotting with his older brother Salman to detonate a homemade explosive packed with shrapnel at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017.

The extremist brothers bought huge amounts of chemicals online for their bomb and met with a convicted ISIS terrorist as they plotted the atrocity.

Salman, 22, was the one who carried out the attack, blowing himself up in the foyer of the arena as concertgoers  including many young children  streamed for the exits and to meet their parents.

The 22-year-old was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on Tuesday / PA Wire/PA Images

Hashem was in Libya with his family when the bomb went off, but was today convicted of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder, and a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions.

It can now be reported that during his trial, he demanded fresh mineral water in jail and repeatedly delayed his trial because he claimed he felt unwell, suffered flashbacks and was exhausted.

As families of the victims looked on, lawyers for the 22-year-old bomb plotter even called a halt to proceedings on the second day of the prosecution opening so they could raise his demands for bottled water in private.

Hashem Abedi on trial at the Old Bailey / PA Wire/PA Images

The judge, Mr Justice Baker, was told Abedi refused to drink tap water at Belmarsh Prison, causing him to become severely dehydrated.

Weeks later, jurors were sent home again barely a minute into their working day after being told simply that the defendant, who had opted to stay in his cell rather than face the court during part of the previous week, was "feeling unwell".

His counsel, Stephen Kamlish QC, told the judge on March 3: "The reason he's not here is because he is unwell."

The scene close to the Manchester Arena after the terror attack / PA

He added: "The prison have ordered a psychologist or psychiatrist to see him today.

"He says this morning he made an effort, left his cell, came down to the search area and just cannot carry on. He did try, he's feeling exhausted.

"Over the last two weeks or so he's been telling us this and we have been having discussions with him carrying on ... But he says the point has come where he feels he cannot come in."

Mr Kamlish added: "He's been having flashbacks, hardly any sleep and he's just reached the point where he's just overwhelmed by it all."

Manchester Arena Terror Attack: Victims 1 /21 Manchester Arena Terror Attack: Victims Nell Jones, 14, who died in the Manchester attack PA Jane Tweddle, 50 of Blackpool, was also killed 'Inseperable couple' Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19 Scottish teenager Eilidh MacLeod, 14, was confirmed to have been killed in the blast PA Michelle Kiss died in the blast. Her family have said they are "absolutely devastated" PA Saffie-Rose Roussos eight, from Lancashire, had been at the concert with her mother and sister when she was killed in the blast Wendy Fawell died in the attack Collect Olivia Campbell, 15, is also confirmed among the dead after a desperate search to find her Ariana Grande superfan Georgina Callander, 18, was one of the first victims to be named Lisa Lees and Alison Howe were killed while waiting in the foyer to collect their children Facebook Kelly Brewster died shielding her niece from the blast John Atkinson, 26, was also killed in the suicide blast Polish couple Angelika and Marcin Klis are confirmed among the dead in the Manchester attack Credit: Family photograph Victim: Martyn Hett has been confirmed as one of those killed in the attack Confirmed dead: 14-year-old Sorrell Leczowski Facebook Victim: Elaine McIver, an off-duty police officer Greater Manchester Police

Before the second day opened, Mr Kamlish said Abedi was dehydrated due to a lack of bottled water.

His barrister said: "The only problem is he has not been drinking in prison. If My Lord was to say: 'Bottled water be provided'?"

The judge said it was "essential" the situation did not occur again and that bottled water was provided.

Hashem, who was extradited from Libya to face justice in the wake of the devastating attack, denied any knowledge of his brothers plot, suggesting he too had been conned by Salman into believing the bomb parts were simply for household use.

But when the time came to explain himself, Hashem refused to give evidence at his trial, he stopped attending court, and sacked his legal team.

He was absent from the dock today as the verdicts were delivered.
Denver, CO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- mindSpark Learning, a Denver-based national nonprofit dedicated to empowering educators with industry-oriented professional learning experiences, announced today it has partnered with Girls Who Code (GWC) to bring free computer science (CS) learning resources to 3rd-5th and 6th-12th grade girls across the country.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that computing occupations make up 67% of all projected new jobs in STEM fields. While the opportunity is there, GWC found that less than a quarter of computing jobs are held by women and that number is estimated to decline to 22% in the next seven years. In order to reduce gender disparity in CS fields, mindSpark Learning, like Girls Who Code, strongly believes its imperative to introduce coding and CS to girls at an early age and continue to provide CS resources through high school.

As a national partner, mindSpark Learning will share GWC resources with its network of schools across the country, assist districts and schools implementing Girls Who Code clubs and connect with the GWC network to share its professional learning opportunities to a broader audience. The partnership enables mindSpark Learning to work with the renowned Girls Who Code staff to impact educators and students with computer science training and most up-to-date resources.

At mindSpark Learning, dismantling the STEM gender bias and creating equity among schools, communities and industry are passions of ours. Our team is dedicated to bringing the latest professional development to school districts across the country to better equip educators for teaching the future workforce, said mindSpark Learning CEO Kellie Lauth. We are thrilled to partner with Girls who Code in order to make computer science resources and support more accessible for schools that are working to empower their female students."

We are thrilled to formalize our partnership with mindSpark Learning and make strides together to close the gender gap in technology, said Ellie Canter, Girls Who Code Regional Partnership Coordinator for Colorado. By working with mindSpark Learning, we will reach thousands of educators across the country who are growing a diverse pipeline of young women equipped with the computing skills needed to reshape the tech sector.

This latest partnership compliments mindSpark Learnings computer science professional development offerings and STEMpath, its educators STEM certification program. To learn more about how mindSpark Learning supports computer science, please visit https://www.mymindsparklearning.org/computer-science. Additionally, STEMpath and Spring 2020 registration details can be found at www.mymindsparklearning.org/stempath.

About mindSpark Learning

mindSpark Learning, a Denver-based national nonprofit founded as Share Fair Nation in 2007 and rebranded in 2017, is the catalyst and intermediary between education and industry. It empowers educators with industry-oriented professional learning experiences, resulting in more students prepared for the modern workforce. It does so by leading programs and services designed to help schools understand workforce development, participate in work-based learning experiences, foster career literacy and directly connect students to mentors and authentic opportunities at a young age. Its core areas of focus are critical to todays education landscape and include problem-based learning (PBL) STEM, EdTech, Social-emotional learning (SEL) and Equity-centered Design Thinking. These lay the foundation for skills that are inherently necessary for career success.

mindSpark Learning is re-engineering education by incorporating the voice of community leaders in a variety of fields - from education, to industry, to government. To date, mindSpark Learning has impacted more than 15,401 educators in 1,041 schools across 41 states. For more information, please visit www.mymindsparklearning.org.





About Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code is an international nonprofit seeking to inspire, educate, and equip girls with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities. Girls Who Code has served over 185,000 students across the U.S. and Canada since launching in 2012. Our alumni major in Computer Science and related fields at a rate 15 times higher than the national average. Half of the girls we have served are from historically underrepresented groups.

Our Girls Who Code Clubs are FREE programs for 3-5th and 6-12th grade girls to join our sisterhood of supportive peers and role models, and use computer science to change the world. For more information, please visit www.girlswhocode.com.

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Students in some places have hiked for hours and braved the cold to listen to online classes on mountaintops, the only places they can get a decent cell signal, according to Chinese news reports. One high schooler in Sichuan Province was found doing homework under a rocky outcropping. Two little girls in Hubei Province set up a makeshift classroom on a wooded hillside.

For children of the millions of migrant laborers who work far from home to keep Chinas cities cleaned and fed, another problem is a lack of supervision. These left-behind children, as they are called in China, are raised mostly by their grandparents, who are often illiterate and cannot help with homework even when it is not delivered via smartphone app.

Wang Dexue, an elementary school principal in hilly Yunnan Province, said that in some classes, half the students cannot participate in online lessons because their families lack the necessary hardware.

For households that can connect, parents are not always invested in helping their children with remote learning, Mr. Wang said. His teachers are still figuring out how to teach with video apps. Teaching progresses much more slowly sometimes, Mr. Wang said.

The virus has come at a delicate moment for Chinas efforts to help its least fortunate. This is the year the Communist Party has vowed to eradicate extreme poverty. The countrys top leader, Xi Jinping, has held fast to that goal despite the public health emergency. But raising peoples incomes above the level of deprivation was never going to be as tough as providing them with better educational opportunities.
San Antonians seeking to help out during the coronavirus outbreak heeded the call to donate blood Tuesday.

The city and South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are holding a three-day blood drive at the Alamodome, which has enough floor space to allow for social distancing.

In addition, appointments are required as part of the safety measure being implemented.

Officials have stressed that neither blood donors nor patients are at risk of contracting the virus by giving or receiving blood.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

On Saturday, the center issued a call for donations, warning that blood supplies were nearing critically low levels.

Cancellations of blood drives over fears about the virus have meant 1,600 fewer units of blood are available to the center.

To meet normal demand, the center needs to collect more than 400 units daily, according to Elizabeth Waltman, the centers chief operating officer. It provides blood to more than 100 hospitals in 48 counties.

In addition, 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.

The blood drive runs through Thursday. To make an appointment, go to www.SouthTexasBlood.org/Give-Now or call 210-731-5590.
Once upon a time, Jennifer Rubin was an intelligent woman. Things started to go downhill when she went to work for the Washington Post, but what really flipped the switch in her brain was seeing Donald Trump become president. Not only did she lose perspective, but she also lost intelligence, self-restraint, and decency. Her latest flight of NeverTrump nastiness has her speculation about possible Republican deaths during a time of coronavirus. Her speculation not only reveals an even further degradation of mind and soul, but she's got things entirely bass-ackwards wrong  and a couple of maps prove it.

Maybe the seeds of Rubin's decay were always there, considering that she attended U.C. Berkeley both as an undergraduate and at law school. Her downslide might also have come from spending twenty years in Hollywood working as a labor and employment lawyer.

Or perhaps the problem was when she moved with her family to Virginia and started writing for The Weekly Standard and Commentary magazine. Her work there was excellent during the Bush and Obama years, when these magazines were conservative stalwarts. As you may recall, though, both magazines went all in for NeverTrumpism, which eventually killed The Weekly Standard.

By the time The Weekly Standard died, Rubin had already moved on to the Washington Post, ostensibly as a "conservative" commentator. At that point, the years at Berkeley, in Hollywood, and at two cocktail partycircuit "conservative" magazines had already started to catch up with her. By the time Donald Trump came along, the term "conservative" when attached to her name was a misnomer. As with Bill Kristol, her hatred for Trump caused a seismic shift in her political ideology. Rubin's fanatical hatred for Trump is such that she'd rather embrace a hard-left platform (for there's little real difference between Bernie's agenda and Biden's other than the speed of change) than see Trump in the White House.

One can be wrong but not evil. The coronavirus, though, has brought had the true nastiness that underlies Rubin's character:

Jennifer Rubin says that more Republicans will die of coronavirus than Democrats because President Trump and right-wing media have downplayed the threat pic.twitter.com/wmzMMPc3qZ  Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 15, 2020

What's ironic about Rubin's mean-spirited conclusion that Republicans will die is that the disease's spread belies it. Remember that the coronavirus is a disease of proximity, and the Democrat Party is essentially an urban party, where people are jammed cheek by jowl into the same places. It's also a party that facilitates homelessness and enables filth and drug use, encourages reusable shopping bags that are disease vectors; and wants to pack people into densely populated high rise buildings and public transportation. With that in mind, you'll notice a similarity between the two maps below.

The first map is a screenshot from the New York Times's coronavirus page. It shows reported cases, with the larger circles identifying higher numbers of cases:

The second map is a screenshot of a Time 2016 election map showing the proportional winners vote total in each county:

The two maps look remarkably similar.

Republicans are not blind to the fact that the coronavirus is a nasty disease that must be respected. However, they know a few other things, too:

They know that the Democrats and their media hacks are using the coronavirus to destroy Trump's presidency, in contrast to their placidity about the H1N1 problem during Obama's presidency, when many more people took ill and died. They know that the Democrats are trying to use emergency legislation to push through their political agenda. And they know that, living as they do in more wide open spaces, they're less at risk than people packed into filthy Democrat-run cities.

What this means is that Republicans, unlike Democrats, are not running around like Chicken Little, screaming that we're all going to die. They believe in American strength, modern science, and the power of the free market. They know that those countries hardest hit  China, Italy, and Iran  have socialized medicine, aged populations, bad pollution, and widespread cigarette smoking.

And being decent people, rather than gloating that people in Trump-hating cities appear to be most at risk, they know that we Americans are in this together and wish them well in this time of fear and sickness.
Running your own business, or being involved in senior management, is an exciting opportunity.

Of course, there are always some risks involved, not least of which is the potential for a claim against the company, or you personally as a director or senior manager. Without protection, your personal or family assets, for example your home, your shares and investment properties, may be vulnerable.

Asset planning as business strategy

When a business is set up, or a person moves up the ladder into senior management, it is easy to be consumed by the day-to-day tasks.

Our time may be taken up with building a business strategy, planning, and getting products or services to market. Part of any business strategy should also be considering how to protect your personal assets and mitigate any risk of loss to those assets.

Trusts as asset protection

One of the tools used to help protect personal assets is a Trust. While a Trust is not a foolproof means of protection, a well-managed Trust can offer some strong protection for those in business, particularly when combined with other liability limitation measures.

When you establish a Trust, rather than owning assets in your personal name, you are setting up a separate entity to hold and manage your assets.

The trustees maintain the assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the Trust, which usually includes you. You can still be involved in the management of the assets by appointing yourself as a trustee, so you are not losing control.

Even if you have been in business for some time, its never too late to set up a Trust, but it is important to note that, for it to be effective, it must be well run.

Changes to Trust law

You may already have a Trust. If you do, make sure you take the time to review it, as the New Zealand Government is about to make significant changes to Trust legislation, which will become effective from January 2021.

As we are still in the transition period, there is no certainty as to how the changes will affect Trusts on a day to day basis, however the changes do reinforce the need for transparency and diligence in managing your Trust.

In this regard mandatory and default duties for trustees will be set out in the new Act, and it is important you become familiar with these and comply with them.

Trustees will also have a duty to notify beneficiaries of basic trust information, and of the fact that they are a beneficiary.

You may therefore want to consider who the beneficiaries of your Trust are, whether they are still appropriate, and whether you are comfortable that they may be receiving information that you would prefer to keep private.
Sometime in late November the Chinese Communist Party apparat was aware that the ingredients of some sort of an epidemic were brewing in Wuhan. Soon after, it was also clear to them that a new type of coronavirus was on the loose, a threat they might have taken more seriously given the similar Chinese origins of the prior toxic SARS coronavirus and the resources of a Level 4 virology lab nearby.

Yet the government initially hid all that knowledge from its own people in particular and in general from the world at large. Translated into American terms, that disingenuousness ensured that over 10,000 Chinese nationals and foreigners living in China flew every day on direct flights into the United States (Washington and California especially) from late November to the beginning of February, until the Trump travel ban of January 31.

All this laxity was also known to the Communist apparat in Beijing, which must have been amused when Trump was roundly damned by his liberal critics as a xenophobe and racist for finally daring to stop the influx on January 31  the first major leader to enact such a total ban.

Yet, no thanks to the Chinese, America, so far, has been comparatively lucky  despite the grave risks of damaging a multi-trillion-dollar economy with the strictest quarantining, isolation policies, and social distancing in its history. Half the country lives in the interior away from ports of entry on the coasts. Medical care, sanitation, hygiene, and meat markets operate on different premises than in China, the supposed fated global hegemon. Transparency in a consensual society together with a free-market economy is encouraging tens of millions of citizens to work in tandem and independently to figure out creative ways to ameliorate the epidemic, politically, medically, socially, and economically. The result is that as of mid-March, the U.S., the worlds foremost immigration destination and among the most visited of nations, had suffered fewer virus fatalities than some European countries a fifth or sixth of its population size.

Story continues

No doubt when mass testing begins, the figures of known cases will soar, and fatalities will rise. Yet while we know pretty well the number of Americans who have died from the virus, we have in truth little idea of how many now carry it or how many have recovered from it, without knowing what sickened them or even whether they were ostensibly sick at all. In other words, the rate of new cases identified by testing may exceed the rate of new deaths, apprising us of a more precise  and perhaps lower  degree of viral toxicity.

Whereas annual flu toxicity is adjudicated by modeling case numbers, and by sophisticated and learned guesses at the number of likely infections, so far the death rate of the coronavirus is calibrated a bit differently  apparently predicated both on known deaths and known cases. When we make facile comparisons between the flu and coronaviruses, they may prove valid, but for now its still wise to remember that annual flu cases could be fewer than what is guessed at through modeling each year, and corona infections may be higher than the current known numbers of confirmed positives. The former reality might mean that the flu is at times a little more lethal than we think and the corona virus a little less deadly. That is not to suggest that most strains of flu are as lethal as the coronavirus, only that for the vast majority of Americans the current U.S. COVID-19 case-to-fatality ratio of 2 percent may eventually prove less, and influenzas commonly cited 0.01 lethality rate may prove higher. In any case, 9899 percent of Americans may well recover from the coronavirus  a rate that is not typical of most of historys plagues.

The realities are paradoxical: If the coronavirus infects as many Americans as an average flu strain, then ten times more Americans could die  mostly over the age of 65  even as the vast majority of all Americans will not. Statistics change hourly, but the CDC as of the afternoon of March 16 reports that there are currently 3,437 cases of known coronavirus infections and 68 deaths attributed to the virus, or about two deaths per 100 infected  the majority of them again likely over 65.

To the degree that we are suffering death and economic hurt from COVID-19, we can also attribute the toll to the Chinese Communist Party. Had it just called in the international medical community in late November, instituted early quarantines, and allowed its own citizens to use email and social media to apprise and warn others of the new disease, then the world and the U.S. would probably not have found themselves in the current panic. The reasons China did not act more responsibly may be inherent in communist governments, or they may involve more Byzantine causes left to be disclosed.

Add in the proximity of a Level 4 virology lab nearby Ground Zero of COVID-19, which fueled Internet conspiracy theories; the weird rumors about quite strange animals such as snakes and pangolins birthing the infection in primeval open meat markets stocked with live animals in filthy conditions in cages; and pirated videos of supposed patients dropping comatose in crowded hospital hallways. With all of that, we had the ingredients of a Hollywood zombie movie, adding to the frenzy.

Plus, 2020 is an election year  echoing how the 1976 swine flu was politicized. The Left and its media appendages saw COVID-19 as able to do what John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, and Andrew McCabe, the Mueller team, and impeachment could not: destroy the hated Trump presidency.

China will rue what it begat.

That is, it will come to appreciate fully that the supposed efficiency, ruthlessness, and autocracy of the Communist Party  what had so impressed foolish American journalists who once marveled at Beijings ability to enact by fiat liberal pet projects such as high-speed rail and solar industries  were Chinas worst enemies, ensuring that the virus would spread and that Chinas international reputation would be ruined.

The coronavirus could be the straw that breaks the proverbial back of the Chinese camel, stooped under the recent weight of a trade war with the U.S., the revelation of 1 million Uighurs in reeducation camps, the crackdown on Hong Kong democracy protesters, and news of the sprawling Chinese internal-surveillance apparat. The world is now both terrified and put off by China, and such anathemas will only harm its already suspect and misbegotten Silk Road neocolonial schemes.

Here in the U.S., COVID-19 will create bipartisan pressure to adopt policies of keeping key U.S. industries  such as medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and military applied high-tech  in America. Americans will not again wish to outsource the vast majority of their chemotherapy-drug, antibiotic, and heart-medicine production to a government that cannot be trusted and that sees such globalized output as a weapon to be used in extremis.

Although we cannot see it now, spin-off effects from the panic and frenzy will eventually fuel more economic recovery. Oil prices are nearing record modern lows, ensuring cheap gas for spring and summer American drivers. Cheap mortgages and car loans likewise will spur buying, as will relief once the virus wanes and splurging ensue.

It will be salutary for Americans to once again appreciate the value of muscular labor, as those who grow food, transport it, and provide us energy and sanitation while protecting us from danger, foreign and domestic, have allowed millions of Americans to stay home, sequestered and quarantined but safe with plenty of food, water, and uninterrupted sanitation and public safety. In these days of crisis, we should not forget that millions of often unmentioned Americans have made us the worlds greatest energy and most diverse food producer  a singular position that China, with over four times our population, envies.

Before the outbreak, China was trying to game its trade war in terms of how best to hurt the hated Trump administration. Ironically, its abhorrence only strengthened the U.S. in ways no one in the pre-COVID-19 days could have imagined.

Call it paradox, irony, karma, or even tragedy, but China emerges from its deceit about the coronavirus outbreak in its weakest position since its Westernization began under Deng Xiaoping. And the U.S., after some rocky months ahead, if it stays calm, will likely reemerge in its strongest state in memory vis-a-vis its rivals.

More from National Review
The Pfizer world headquarters in Midtown Manhattan on July 29, 2019 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Pharma giant Pfizer and BioNTech, based in Mainz, Germany have announced that they will start working together on development of a vaccine against the coronavirus.

This is a global pandemic, which requires a global effort, Ugur Sahin, co-founder and chief executive of BioNTech said in a statement. In joining forces with our partner Pfizer, we believe we can accelerate our effort to bring a Covid-19 vaccine to people around the world who need it.

We are proud that our ongoing, successful relationship with BioNTech gives our companies the resiliency to mobilize our collective resources with extraordinary speed in the face of this worldwide challenge, Mikael Dolsten, Pfizers chief scientific officer and president of global R&D, said in his statement.

Pfizer and BioNTech already partner with each other on the development of flu vaccines. The Covid-19 vaccine development will take place in both companies research labs in the US and Germany, based on BioNTech's mRNA-based drug development platform.

Read more: Coronavirus: Merkel announces sweeping shutdown in Germany

They said they are aiming to begin testing a possible vaccine on humans as soon as late April.

The two firms have signed an agreement on vaccine distribution outside of China  BioNTech already has a cooperation agreement with Fosun Pharma in China  and said they will firm up financial and manufacturing terms soon.

The news of the cooperation comes a day after a German newspaper reported that the Trump administration had offered a large sum of money to German medical company CureVac to lure it to the United States and secure exclusive rights to the vaccine it is working on for the US.

Read more: Berlin furious at US attempt to strike exclusive deal with German vaccine firm

German foreign minister Heiko Maas said: German researchers are leaders in the development of medicines and vaccines, in global collaborations; we cannot allow others to exclusively acquire their research results.

Story continues

CureVac issued a statement saying it rejects allegations about offers for acquisition of the company or its technology. A US official told AFP news agency that the report was wildly overplayed and that the US government was approaching many different companies about potential vaccines.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Finance UK
A Delhi court Tuesday extended by seven days the police custody of a couple arrested from south Delhi's Jamia Nagar for allegedly instigating anti-CAA protests in the National Capital and having links to the Islamic State's Khorasan module.

New Delhi: A Delhi court Tuesday extended by seven days the police custody of a couple arrested from south Delhi's Jamia Nagar on 8 March for allegedly instigating anti-CAA protests in the National Capital and having links to the Islamic State's Khorasan module.

During an in-camera proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana sent Jahanjeb Sami (36) and his wife Hina Bashir Beg (39) to police remand for custodial interrogation, said a lawyer privy to the matter.

The court also sent co-accused Abdul Bashit, who was in judicial custody in another case, to police custody for seven days after he was arrested on Tuesday in the case related to the protests, said the lawyer.

During the hearing, the police sought 10-day remand for the three on the ground that custody was required to unearth the entire conspiracy, he said.

The police told the court that Bashit's name cropped up during interrogation of Sami and his wife and hence he was arrested in the case today.

The couple hailed from Srinagar and was residing in Jamia Nagar in Delhi, police had earlier said.

Promoting the Islamic State's ideology of hatred, they were inciting Muslims to take up violent struggle against the state, it claimed.

The couple was also involved in instigating protests against the amended citizenship law, it said.

Interrogation has revealed that they had created several anonymous accounts on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, to promote the ideology of the banned Islamic State, it said.

They were also circulating material against the government for enacting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the officer said.

Four mobile phones, one laptop, one external hard disc, and incriminating material were seized from their house, police had said.
In this final part of this three-part investigation, Damilola Banjo explores how court clerks, prison wardens and other officials extort hapless victims, many of whom are wrongly accused of a crime. Read the first part here and the second part here.

At most points in the Nigerian justice system, there is a corrupt government official ripping innocent Nigerians off and doing it so brazenly. The prison wardens, like the police and the judicial officers, also weave an illegal extortion racket around the inmates they were employed to protect. The illegal operation is so blatant it is carried out in the full sight of the Lady Justice, within the premises of the court.

Every court has a holding cell where inmates produced from prison custody are held. At the Ogba, Ojo and Ikorodu magistrate courts, the holding cells have no toilet and sanitation facilities  and this is particularly bad for women. The absence of cross ventilation locks up body odours that create stench perceived from miles away.

If you can no longer hold your urine, you have to relieve yourself in the cell. The other inmates understand because they too will do the same, Chizoba Okoli said while narrating his experience in Ojo holding cell.

The wardens are not bothered about these filthy cells because they profit from the inhumane conditions these inmates are subjected to. For many newly arraigned suspects, staying in the holding cell while their bail conditions are being perfected is unimaginable.

I cannot stay in the cell, Chukuemeka said. Apart from the scary people locked in that cell, the smell from the cell alone is unbearable.

Chukwuemeka is one of those who can afford to pay his way through the corrupt legal system. He paid N5,000 to the wardens to stay out of the holding cell. He and others who could pay for the fresh air sat on a long bench away from the filth and stench of the holding cell in Ogba Magistrate Court.

N3,000 to visit detainees

This form of extortion is just one way the prison wardens fleece the suspects and their family members. Requesting to see the inmate is another way. Relatives are forced to bribe the wardens before they are allowed access to the inmates.

Mr Olosande was brought to court on May 6, 2019. He had been in prison, having been unable to perfect his bail conditions. His wife said she visited him at the Kirikiri prison once. The elaborate pockets of extortion at the prison discouraged her. The court was her only means to see him and update him on the difficulties in getting him out of prison. But the prison warden would not allow any such interaction.

She approached one of the wardens to allow her see her husband.

If you want to see him it is N1000, if you want him to come out and sit here, youll pay N3000. Gabriel, one of the wardens at Ogba Magistrate court gleefully said.

Gabriel was later given N1,500 for Mr Olosande to be allowed out of the holding cell he shared with over 30 other inmates.

This extortion is a practice across all the holding cells in the magistrate court. At Ikorodu and Ojo Magistrate court, some prison wardens were seen extorting relatives who wanted to see their relations.

N5,000 to sign Release Order

The secretary of magistrate Fashola had informed the family of Mr Olosande that the wardens would demand some money before they acknowledge receipt of the release order. This was just as she took her own share of N2,000.

You will take the document to the wardens downstairs. They will request some money from you, she explained, showing that the racket was an open secret within the court. I am not sure how much, but it should be between N3,000 and N5,000.

It was almost the close of business when the release order was presented to warden Gabriel. He refused to receive it.

N5,000 is the least I can collect from you, he charged. If you dont have it, take it to the prison yourself and see if you wont pay more. As he named his price, he then walked away from the wife who was pleading with N3,000.

He refused to receive the order, despite pleas from the family members, until he was given N5,000. He would also collect an additional N500 as the transportation fee for Mr Olosande.

Inside Kirikiri Prison

The Nigeria prisons are overcrowded; available data has shown. According to the statistics provided on the website of the Nigerian Correctional Service on January 20, 2020, 70 per cent (50,856) of the 72,987 inmates in the centres are awaiting trial.

Thousands of young people rounded up in random raids by the Nigeria Police Force remain in detention partly because they are unable to cough out the illegal fees required to perfect bail conditions.

Ganiyu Bankola, 22, said he was raided by policemen from Idimu Police Station, and transferred into the custody Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), where he was detained for about four months. Unable to pay the bail fees being demanded by his IPO, identified simply as Supro Banti, he was charged to court in January 2019.

The young man was granted bail but again, could not meet his bail terms; then, he has no relatives to stand surety and could not afford to hire a professional surety nor pay the prosecutor.

As at May 2019, he was still held at the Kirikiri Medium Prison, uncertain if he would ever make it out from prison.

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Please, help me out of this place, I dont have anyone, Mr Bankola pleaded with this reporter during an undercover visit to the prison.

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There are several hapless others, like Mr Bankola, languishing in Nigerian prisons. Young male adults rounded up from their homes overpopulate the prison. Consequently, the facilities are overstretched and inmates have to struggle, and in most cases, pay to access the most basic amenities.

When you get into the Kirikiri prison, you be asked to pay if you will like to stay in a comfortable spot, Mr Olosande said while narrating his experience in the prison. When I got there, I was asked to pay N20,000 but I could not afford that. I paid N10,000

The N10,000 afforded Mr Babjide a spot beside the cell marshal, the most senior inmate in his cell.

Abandoned and Forgotten

A good number of inmates in Kirikiri prison do not have contact with any of their family members. They were arrested, arraigned and thrown in jail, oddly cut off from families and loved ones. This was the case with Daniel Johnson, a 26-year-old hairstylist, who has remained in prison since June 2018 when he was arrested.

We have not seen him in a long time, his grandmother told this reporter. He does not live here anymore and he does not visit often. We did not know he is in prison.

Mr Johnson is an orphan. He lost his parents when he was only a child. His only immediate relative is his teenage sister who lived with their grandmother at Alakuko in Sango area of Lagos state.

For a year, neither the police nor the prison service contacted his grandmother. Until this reporter contacted the family in mid-May, 2019, none of his relations knew he was in prison.

Mr Johnson was arrested on June 19, 2018, he said. He was on his way from a clients home where he rendered home service.

I was raided at night when I was coming from where I went to barb hair for my client [haircut], he recalled. I did not steal anything. I am a barber.

When Mr Johnson got to Kirirkiri prison, his dreadlocks were shaved off. He gave the home address of his relative but no one paid him any attention. He had no legal representation in court too.

I am here all alone, the downcast young man said.

Mr Johnsons version of how he got to prison differs from the states. The Commissioner of Police charged him for stealing. He allegedly stole some items from the dormitory of Girls Grammar School in Ogolonto. A staff of the school, identified simply as Kamala, claimed that he caught him and handed him over to the schools security.

According to Kamala, when he gave testimony to the Ikorodu Magistrate Court, Mr Johnson allegedly stole mattress, a gas cylinder and burner from the school premises.

He had placed the items on the fence and was going to run away when I caught him, Kamala told the magistrate.

The prosecutor, Mary, said there is a confessional statement wherein Mr Johnson confirmed Kamalas story. The statement was presented before the court. But Mr Johnson denied writing any statement. He said he was only made to sign a piece of paper. Unfortunately, Johnson cannot adequately defend himself. He could not afford a lawyer. When the pro bono lawyers from the Nigeria Bar Association took up his case, he had already spent about a year in prison.

Children in Adult Prisons

17-year-old Emmanuel Iroakazi had spent one week at the Kirikiri prison when he met with this reporter. Like Mr Bankola, he was randomly arrested during a raid on his way home.

I hawk bottled water, he disclosed. I was coming home, I did not know police were raiding at Maza Maza [an area in Lagos]. They arrested me and threw away my bowl.

Emmanuel was eventually arraigned before a magistrate court at Orege. He was granted bail but like many other teenagers raided on the street or in Lagos traffic where they hawk water to survive, Emmanuel could not meet his bail conditions. N50,000 and a surety in like sum were the conditions imposed by the magistrate.

I dont have money and nobody will stand as surety for me, the 17-year old boy said. They brought me to court because I dont have money. They released the other people they arrested me with when they paid for bail.

These kids are many in Nigerian prisons. Homeless kids who were picked on the street or arrested for hawking on restricted roads.

Afeez Buhari, 15, said he was raided but charged to court for stealing. Afeez had been in prison for six months. Neither his parents nor any of his relatives knew he was arrested. He was arrested alongside Daniel, who he described as his casemate.

When this reporter called Daniel, he dropped the call the moment he realized it concerned his court case.

We are not pleased with the bad reputation, said Lagos Chief Registrar

This reporter approached the Lagos State judiciary with evidence of extortion gathered during the investigation. The Lagos State Chief Registrar, Taiwo Olatokun, condemned the conduct of the clerk at Justice Fasholas courtroom during a sit-down session with her alongside the Deputy Chief Registrar and the Director of Public Affairs.

Ms Olatokun promised that the matter would be forwarded to the Personnel Management Board (PMB Discipline) for investigation.

She said the leadership is also bothered about the reputation of the judiciary and encourage Nigerians to report officials caught enriching themselves unlawfully.

Police Keep mum

This reporter also reached out to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Bala Elkana, but the messages and calls to his known number when unanswered.

Messages sent to his WhatsApp messenger on January 17, 2020, got no replies.

On two different occasions, this reporter went to his offices at Oduduwa Way in Ikeja GRA and the Command headquarters, the junior officers met said he was not available.

We will investigate, Says Nigerian Correctional Service

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Services, Francis Enobore, said the mentioned officers will be investigated.

We cannot deny that there will be some unscrupulous people in the service that are acting outside the law and this is the same in every organisation. However, what is important and should be of paramount importance is whether the institution concerned condone such behaviour or whether they have the capacity to address such error, he said.

Mr Enobore assured that indicted officers would be dealt with if found guilty.
A small gang of pupils spilled out into the schoolyard shortly after three o'clock.

Some linked arms, laughing and chatting, others walked in clusters before drifting off separately into waiting cars.

Yesterday was a normal school day in Newry High School, and as teachers and pupils made their way home, there was little to suggest anything out of the ordinary.

"It's a normal school day," school receptionist Cathy said yesterday.

"We are taking our advice of the public health agency, that's all we are being told at the moment."

As countries across the world battle a pandemic, chief medical officers in Northern Ireland and England, and the UK's Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) all advised against closing schools. A similar approach has applied to bars and restaurants, which for the most part in Newry yesterday, remained open.

There has been no directive to ban mass gatherings and by all accounts, the message coming from the top is 'business as usual'.

Meanwhile, a short 14-minute drive across the Border, schools and childcare facilities in nearby Dundalk were closed.

Bars were closed as well as most restaurants. Streets and playgrounds deserted.

Two jurisdictions, with two opposing views on how to deal with one of the biggest societal challenges of our time and a sense of growing fear over how one will affect the other.

Speaking on RTE radio yesterday morning, public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally said the UK position on how to deal with the virus was the "one threat to how things are being handled in the south".

In Newry, a thriving city just eight kilometres from the Border, there is a sense of growing anger over the lack of action from the UK authorities.

Ciaran Mackin, principal of St Patrick's Primary School, said many parents "voted with their feet" last Thursday when schools in the Republic closed.

"They just came and took their kids home," he said.

"Word had trickled through about what was being done across the Border and they were citing the advice being given by the health authorities there.

"I couldn't argue with that because 10 minutes across the Border the schools were being closed."

Mr Mackin, who has been a principal for more than 30 years, said his own school was closed yesterday and today for the St Patrick's Day break, and that he would be making a "difficult decision" about what would happen tomorrow.

Several schools in the Newry area have already told parents and pupils that they will close for the week.

"In the absence of proper leadership people are just doing their own thing," he said.

"I'm very conscious of the fact that 387 people died in Italy on Sunday.

"We live four to five miles from the Border and in some incidences, schools are a mile apart in two different jurisdictions.

"That makes it very difficult to police any decision unless we have a uniform approach."

Declan Murray, principal of St Joseph's Secondary school on the Armagh road in Newry, said some of his 22 staff members had informed him that they had taken a personal decision to self-isolate.

"I have no direction on what to do," he said.

"I really don't know how that's going to play out. At what point of staff absenteeism can I not function anymore?

"The conflicting advice between the North and the South has caused a lot of anxiety.

"We are based in Newry, we have staff who cross the Border, we have people who cross the Border to come to school. It's just a complete disaster," he said.

In Newry, panic-buyers have targeted the same products as those being hoarded here, mainly hand sanitiser, toilet roll and pasta.

Some of the other mass-buy products include baby formula and nappies.

Michael Nugent, a local businessman who runs Nugelato, an Italian ice-cream parlour in the town, said there was a palpable sense of panic in the community.

"The atmosphere is fairly tense," he said.

"We have absolutely no guidance or instruction. It's a case of carry on regardless, as if we are not facing an impending catastrophe.

"Yet we see that the Republic has taken measures to support businesses and with regard to employees there is at least some sort of an idea about how people are going to get paid."

Mr Nugent, who owns three other Nugelato outlets across Northern Ireland, said that he has taken matters into his own hands in terms of protecting his staff and customers by implementing a take-out only policy.

"We just can't run the risk of having large crowds in the stores," he said.

"It just seems beyond reason that one part of the country is on virtual lockdown and we are carrying on regardless. It's just reckless."
As the Yes Bank probe gathers momentum, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now summoned all the large borrowers who were given loans by the Rana Kapoor-led management.

An ED official related to the probe told IANS: "The agency has summoned all the top borrowers of the Yes Bank from March 17 to March 21."

The official said the Wadhawanas of the Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL) will be summoned on Tuesday, former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and Essel Group's Subhash Chandra on March 18, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani and Peter Kerkar of Cox & Kings on March 19, Sameer Gehlot of IndiaBulls on March 20 and Avantha Realty promoter Gautam Thapar on March 21.

The Essel Group through a statement confirmed that the ED has requested Subhash Chandra's presence on March 18, 2020, to make a statement on the information which is already available with them.

"Chandra will certainly be present to make the statement and will be more than happy to extend any support or co-operation requested by ED. The Group wishes to clarify that most of the credit facilities were availed for its infrastructure business and there is no debt on ZEEL, ZMCL, etc.," it said.

The Essel Group further said that the group also wishes to cite that all credit facilities availed were "fully secured".

"The Group has never made any transactions with Rana Kapoor or his family or for that matter any private entities controlled by them," it added.

Earlier in the day, ED has summoned Anil Ambani for questioning on Monday. "But as he cited his health issues and asked for a fresh date, the ED asked him to appear before it on Thursday," an ED source said.

The ED official said that the agency has summoned the borrowers as part of its probe to investigate the stressed loans sanctioned during the tenure of Rana Kapoor.

IANS was first to report on Monday morning that the ED was all set to summon all the top borrowers of the bank for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe into the Yes Bank case.

Among the largest borrowers are Ambani from whom information, including loan details, terms and conditions and side agreements have been sought ahead of his appearance.

The official said that in the coming days, the ED is also set to summon entities like Vodafone Idea, IL&FS, CG Power among others.

The official said that besides the top bosses of these groups, the ED has also summoned other officials for questioning along with the documents related to the financial transactions.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said: "The exposure of Yes Bank to some of the very stressed corporates has been before 2014. These are public domain names and I am not violating any customer privacy... Anil Ambani (Group), Essel Group, DHFL, IL&FS (and) Vodafone are some of the very stressed corporates to whom Yes Bank has been exposed."

Reliance Group said last week that it had no direct or indirect exposure to the Kapoor family.

"The entire exposure to Yes Bank is fully secured and is transacted in the ordinary course of business, and we are committed to honour our repayments to Yes Bank," said the company.

Sources close to developments revealed that many top businessmen and industrialists who had exposure to Yes Bank will be called for questioning namely bosses of Essel Group, Vodafone Idea, DHFL Group, Omkar Realtors, IL & FS Radius Developers, Jet Airways, Cox & Kings, CG Power, and McLeod Russel, et al.

It is believed that GMR and GVK Group also may have exposure to the bank.The ED official further added that most of the big borrowers have defaulted and the loans have turned into bad debts.

"The management and promoters will be examined and questioned in the coming weeks," said the official.

The CBI and ED began a probe into short-term debentures of the DHFL in which Yes Bank invested Rs 3,700 crore from April to June 2018.

The probe is part of another investigation pertaining to Yes Bank's purchase of debentures from DHFL against which the company was granted loans totalling Rs 600 crore against a collateral security of around Rs 40 crore only.

The loan amount later turned into non-performing asset. It was alleged that DHFL's promoter Kapil Wadhawan simultaneously paid kickbacks totalling Rs 600 crore to the Kapoors in the form of a loan of a similar amount to DoIT Urban Ventures, a venture owned by Rana Kapoor's daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor.

It was also alleged that Yes Bank did not initiate action to recover the loans extended to DHFL. The ED arrested Rana Kapoor on March 8 morning after several hours of questioning and he was been sent to ED custody till March 20.

One of Rana Kapoor's daughters was stopped from boarding a flight to London by Immigration Department officials at Mumbai airport.

The CBI on Friday registered a fresh case against Rana Kapoor, his wife Bindu Kapoor and Avantha Realty Promoter Gautam Thapar in a fresh case involving the crisis-hit bank.
Investors who take an interest in Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (NYSE:ARGO) should definitely note that insider Samuel Liss recently paid US$33.43 per share to buy US$248k worth of the stock. That certainly has us anticipating the best, especially since they thusly increased their own holding by 608%, potentially signalling some real optimism.

Check out our latest analysis for Argo Group International Holdings

Argo Group International Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent purchase by Samuel Liss is the biggest insider purchase of Argo Group International Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$32.61 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$423k for 12.41k shares. On the other hand they divested 1210 shares, for US$88k. Overall, Argo Group International Holdings insiders were net buyers last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

NYSE:ARGO Recent Insider Trading, March 17th 2020

Argo Group International Holdings is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Argo Group International Holdings insiders own 3.5% of the company, worth about US$39m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

Story continues

So What Do The Argo Group International Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Argo Group International Holdings insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Argo Group International Holdings you should know about.

Of course Argo Group International Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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.
An Italian restaurant in inner Brisbane has been robbed amid the coronavirus crisis.

Teneriffe restaurant Beccofino was broken into on Monday night and stripped bare of its cheese, salami, pasta and alcohol.

Co-owner Cordel Khoury said $3000 worth of goods had to be replaced.

A security camera still from footage of "two grubs" who broke into Italian restaurant Beccofino at Teneriffe and stole cheese, salami, other meats, pasta and alcohol. Credit:Instagram

"It's pretty disappointing and gutting it's come to this," he said.
Beer and wine wont be completely disappearing from Pennsylvania store shelves after Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced Monday that it will close all of its Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores across the state effective 9 p.m. Tuesday and end all online sales as of 5 oclock Monday afternoon.

But thats not expected to affect the availability of wine at major supermarket chains and convenience stores across the state as long as the PLCBs distribution centers can continue to support direct-deliveries to high-volume retailers selling wine. Expect the same to be true for the supply of beer, which also can continue to be purchased to-go from restaurants.

The PLCB also is informing licensees that public health officials are encouraging all restaurants and bars, including social clubs and non-essential retailers, to close in an effort to mitigate the COVID-19 public health crisis. Businesses are being asked to voluntarily comply with this request in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading further by eliminating social gatherings and public interaction and encouraging social distancing for at least the next two weeks.

The Wolf administration is relying on businesses to act now before the governor or the Secretary of Health finds it necessary to compel closures under the law for the interest of public health, including section 7301 of the Emergency Management Services Code.

Still, how many of those other businesses such as beer distributors will obey todays announcement is uncertain. While certainly falling under the category of nonessential businesses under the Wolf order, they still have the right to remain open, something both Gene Barr, president of Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and the states House Republicans stressed late Monday afternoon.

That leaves hard liquor as the one item that will be more difficult to find for at least a few weeks, which could add to the lines Tuesday at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores around the state.

Heres a letter the PLCB sent to its licensees today:

"As business operations across Pennsylvania are impacted by efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the PLCB is instituting limited special allowances for licensees.

"Given Governor Wolfs and public health officials recent advice that all nonessential retailers and bars and restaurants across Pennsylvania close for at least the next two weeks, the requirement to place a license in safekeeping when a licensee is not operational for 14 days is suspended indefinitely, as are safekeeping deadlines and related penalties.

"Given operational disruptions that significantly limit the PLCBs capacity to timely process renewal and validation applications, the PLCB is extending operating authority for all licensees whose license may expire before normal PLCB operations may resume, and all related penalties will be waived. However, again, licensees are strongly encouraged to heed public health officials request to cease nonessential operations, limit group gatherings and practice social distancing.

"In light of the direction that bars and restaurants suspend dine-in service for at least the next two weeks, the PLCB will temporarily adopt lenient measures to enable licensees in those counties to continue selling beer and wine for off-premises consumption.

"Retail licensees  including restaurants, bars, hotels, eating places, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc.  may continue selling beer to go, even in the absence of restaurant operations, and those with wine expanded permits may also continue selling wine to go. There is no change to quantity limits or requirements regarding how sales are to be made. To be clear:

Quantity limits of 192 ounces of beer and three liters of wine per transaction still apply.

Sales for wine must still be transacted by RAMP-trained employees according to standard identification requirements at registers previously designated for alcohol sales.

No special provisions for delivery or curbside service are allowed.

"Additionally, producers including breweries, wineries and distilleries must indefinitely suspend all dine-in service, but they may continue selling their own products for off-premises consumption.

"Clubs and catering clubs must cease all on-premises consumption.

"No other special exceptions or allowances are available at this time.

"Additionally, Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores across Pennsylvania will close effective Tuesday, March 17 at 9 p.m., per the notice below. At this point, there is no interruption to service through the Licensee Delivery Program, so long as our distribution centers can continue to support operations. LDP participants will be notified directly of any changes to the program.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in these unprecedented times, and we wish you, your families and your community health and safety.

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.
San Francisco and five surrounding counties concurred in an unprecedented order to shelter in place for the next three weeks as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, a testament to the need for aggressive, informed and unified action to counter the rapidly escalating threat of the new coronavirus. Mayor London Breed and her counterparts around the region thereby showed the leadership this crisis calls for and spoke to the public trust, cooperation and calm required to ensure that the order is effective.

The Bay Area as a region is coming together, Breed said Monday of the directives issued for her city as well as Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, the strictest such action nationwide. We cant do it alone. We have to work together.

The order that more than 6.7 million residents remain at home to the extent possible recognizes that the virus is spreading in the Bay Area, as evidenced by a quickly growing number of confirmed cases that no doubt understates the true extent of the contagion. With no existing immunity to the virus, little to no symptoms in many of the infected and a fatality rate that appears to be much higher than that of influenza especially among the elderly and infirm, cases could rise so rapidly as to overwhelm hospitals and other resources. So-called social distancing measures limiting interpersonal contact stand the best chance of slowing the spread of the virus and enabling the health care system to handle the most severe disease.

The director of San Franciscos Department of Public Health, Dr. Grant Colfax, rightly emphasized that the measures are grounded in data, science and facts.

He added, I know todays order is a radical step. It has to be.

At the same time, San Francisco officials wisely urged residents not to let the inevitable anxiety of the moment guide their behavior. This is not a time to panic, Breed said, emphasizing that essential city services such as garbage collection would continue and that grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other needed businesses would be allowed to stay open, including restaurants for takeout and delivery.

Colfax noted that San Franciscans should not rush anywhere, particularly not to emergency rooms or urgent care clinics if they dont need medical attention.

Please be patient and kind to one another, he said.

Local officials here and in a few other cities and counties, along with governors of hard-hit states, have been on the nations vanguard in ordering appropriately severe responses to the pandemic that began in Wuhan, China, and has spread to every populated continent.

The latest Bay Area orders followed school closures in San Francisco and beyond and went further than Gov. Gavin Newsoms advisory the day before that bars should close, restaurants should reduce capacity and senior citizens should isolate themselves. The White House on Monday also urged older Americans to stay home, discouraged dining out and counseled avoiding gatherings of more than 10  a step foreshadowed by Bay Area and then California officials last week.

Its likely that more of the state and nation will move in the Bay Areas direction and that all of us should therefore be as careful as possible to avoid contact beyond our households, particularly with the most vulnerable. That will mean severe economic disruption, which in itself will require a more aggressive emergency response than has been mounted so far. But the lives at stake justify those consequences and require our cooperation.

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.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday the first coronavirus death in Illinois as voters went to the polls and on the first day the states kindergarten through high school students were kept out of classes.

Pritzker said announcing the death of an Illinois resident due to the coronavirus outbreak was something he has been dreading since the crisis began. He said the victim was a Chicago woman in her 60s who had an underlying health condition and had extended contact with another infected person. The governor added the woman was not a nursing home patient.
Asian shares erased early gains to follow a plunge in Wall Street as markets suffered their worst sessions in years.

Asian shares fell on Tuesday in a topsy-turvy session following one of Wall Streets biggest one-day routs in history as headlines about the coronavirus outbreak and its global economic effect whiplashed investor sentiment.

The Philippines became the first country to shut its financial markets and stopped trading until further notice, according to the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Bankers Association of the Philippines, after financial markets cratered on Monday.

The S&P 500 had fallen 12 percent in the last trading session, its biggest drop since Black Monday 30 years ago, as a series of emergency central bank rate cuts globally only added to the recent sense of investor panic.

While some markets such as United States stock futures bounced in Asian trade after the significant plunge, there were no convincing reasons for a sustained rally.

MSCIs broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gave up early gains to trade 0.5 percent lower. Japans Nikkei stock index fell 0.06 percent and South Koreas KOSPI was off 2.16 percent. Australian shares were up 2.73 percent although this followed a plunge of almost 10 percent on Monday.

The move in US stock futures prompted some buying of battered down sharers and lifted dollar/yen, said Junichi Ishikawa, senior FX strategist at IG Securities in Tokyo.

The focus is shifting to the fiscal response to the virus. Were locked in a pattern where markets bounce and then resume falling.

In the Philippines, the stock exchange was closed indefinitely while currency and bond trading was suspended.

The Philippine Stock Exchange said trade was suspended until further notice to ensure the safety of employees and traders, amid a broader national lockdown.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon cited the lockdown as the reason for the suspension of fixed income trade. Currency trading is to resume on March 18.

The virus has infected at least 140 people in the Philippines and killed a dozen. The pandemic comes as Philippine equities have tumbled more than 30 percent this year as stocks around the world plunged on fears of a global recession.

President Rodrigo Duterte previously widened a month-long lockdown of the Manila region to cover the countrys main Luzon island, home to at least 57 million people.

More declines

Some $2.69 trillion in market value was wiped from the S&P 500 on Monday as it suffered its third-largest daily percentage decline on record. Over the past 18 days, the benchmark index has lost $8.28 trillion.

US stock futures rose by their daily limit in Asian trading, also driven in part by hopes for big US fiscal spending. This lifted some Asian bourses into positive territory, but the gains did not last.

Gold, which is normally bought as a safe-haven, extended declines on Tuesday as some investors chose to sell whatever they could to keep their money in cash.

Oil futures rebounded in Asia, but downside risks remain due to an expected slump in global energy demand and Saudi Arabias plans to increase crude output to expand its market share.

The US Federal Reserve stunned investors with another emergency rate cut on Sunday, prompting other central banks to ease policy in the biggest coordinated response since the global financial crisis more than 10 years ago.

Investors, however, are worried that central banks may have spent all their ammunition and that more draconian restrictions on personal movement are necessary to contain the global coronavirus outbreak.

The Group of Seven finance ministers are likely to hold a call on Tuesday night, which has fuelled speculation that a coordinated fiscal response could be in the works.

Traders are looking ahead to data due later on Tuesday, which is forecast to show German investor sentiment tumbled in March.

The US will also release retail sales and industrial production for February, which is unlikely to reflect the effects of the coronavirus.

Some investors say markets will not settle unless the US government announces a big fiscal spending package to match the Feds bold actions to slash rates and keep credit markets functioning.

Others say liquidity in some financial markets is starting to fall because there is such a high degree of uncertainty, meaning even some traditional safe-havens may not be that safe.

Spot gold fell 1.12 percent to $1,497.60 per ounce.

In the currency market, the Swiss franc, another safe haven, weakened by 0.3 percent to 0.9369 per US dollar as traders pondered policymakers next moves.

The US dollar rose 0.7 percent to at 106.67 yen, recovering slightly from a 2 percent decline from the previous session as the Feds rate rippled through financial markets.

US crude ticked up 3.87 percent to $29.81 a barrel. Brent crude also rose 2.53 percent to $30.81 per barrel, but these gains are likely to be temporary.

Saudi Aramco reiterated on Monday plans to boost output to record levels. Top global oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia started a price war after failing to agree on a plan to curb supply.

The coming flood of supply from Saudi Arabia and other producers could result in the largest surplus of crude in history, said global information provider IHS Markit.
Amid the rapid global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a couple of Chinese experts gathered Monday for a video press briefing to share with the world the lessons from battling the epidemic.

Members of a national medical team sent to the hard-hit city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, from Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) Hospital underlined early-stage action to counter the disease.

Prevention and control primary



Preventing and controlling is the most important thing in the battle, as treatment is only secondary, while prevention and control have primary effects, said Du Bin, medical ICU director of the hospital.

"You must have plans, and failure to prepare is preparedness for failure," he noted, saying that even now, with fewer newly reported cases in Wuhan, they should stay alert.

When asked about specific measures of prevention and control, Du simply stressed "test, test and test."

"Apart from testing, I have no idea how you can identify suspected cases and how to quarantine close contacts," he said, adding that the turning point of the epidemic outbreak in Wuhan only came when all suspected patients and close contacts were isolated.

Better care for medical staff



Yan Xiaowei, an internal medicine expert with the PUMC Hospital, highlighted the importance of taking good care of medical workers as it is the precondition for offering good care to patients and protecting their colleagues and family members.

Further public education on prevention such as washing hands and wearing face masks should also be carried out, without which COVID-19 would overwhelm the healthcare facilities, Yan said.

His words were echoed by Wu Dong, associate professor of gastroenterology at PUMC Hospital, who asked the public to take their necessary actions seriously, change their behaviors and be responsible.

Moreover, Wu said that he knew first-hand that the environment in the ICU could be very stressful during the epidemic, and losing patients could easily damage the morale of the ICU staff.

"Rest and relaxing are very important, and you need to take very good care of yourselves," Wu told his overseas counterparts.

Humanity and love



"Although this is a chance for my colleagues and me to share our experience with the international community, the Chinese approach to control the epidemic may not be the only one," Du said.

For instance, they were learning from the experience of countries like Singapore and Japan, he continued, as with different numbers of cases and community support systems, countries can adopt different approaches that achieve similar success in controlling the epidemic.

"It is an opportunity for us to learn from each other, just like what is true with traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine," Du said. "The beauty of the world lies in diversity, not identity."

Wu said his motive for joining the battle against COVID-19 on the front line was not just about professionalism or responsibility, but also about love.

"Human beings are mortal, but love is not, and I love my daughter, my patients, my country and mankind," he said.

"As humans, we're all in this together, and we will get through this together," Wu said.
The coronavirus outbreak is impacting the global supply chain of goods and the government should immediately extend support to the apparel sector to promote shipments, apparel exporters body AEPC said on Tuesday.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) ChairmanA Sakthivel said many members of the council are facing serious concerns in terms of working capital, inventory pile up, postponement of orders, credit rating and export realisations.

He requested "immediate intervention to maintain the viability of apparel exporters in the country".

Recognizing the volatilities in the global apparel markets and order postponements/ cancellations, he said the sector needs full support offinancial institutions.

We believe the current situation in the sector is extremely grave which warrants urgent remedies. In absence of such relief measures, NPAs may increase, impacting the sector's overall credit ratings, he added.

Sakthivel said the apparel trade which is deeply integrated with the global value chain has been impacted by the disruption in both imports and exports.

Uncertainties are developing over timely deliveries of imports of raw materials and, on the demand side, communications are being received from buyers on postponement of shipments, he said.

Anticipating the imminent adverse impact on export realisations and working capital for the industry, mainly the MSMEs who are finding it difficult to even pay the wages, he suggestednine steps as part of the immediate relief.

The measures include faster clearance of banking and packing credit, extension of packing credit period from 270 days to 360 days, extension of bill realisation period by RBI from nine months to one year, and delay in declaring companies accounts as NPAs.

Other suggestions are RBI exempting exporters from caution listing for at least a year, enhancing existing limits for advances of exporters by 25 per cent, increase in collateral free lending up to Rs 2 crore by banks, and extending the enhanced 5 per cent Interest Equalisation Scheme to all apparel exporters.

The interest subsidy scheme may kindly be extended for a period of 2 years up to March 31, 2022, he said.

Sakthivel also wrote similar letters to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and chiefs of public and private sector banks on behalf of more than 8,000 apparel exporters in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Scripps Research's analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses found no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered

The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that emerged in the city of Wuhan, China, last year and has since caused a large scale COVID-19 epidemic and spread to more than 70 other countries is the product of natural evolution, according to findings published today in the journal Nature Medicine.

The analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses found no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.

"By comparing the available genome sequence data for known coronavirus strains, we can firmly determine that SARS-CoV-2 originated through natural processes," said Kristian Andersen, PhD, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research and corresponding author on the paper.

In addition to Andersen, authors on the paper, "The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2," include Robert F. Garry, of Tulane University; Edward Holmes, of the University of Sydney; Andrew Rambaut, of University of Edinburgh; W. Ian Lipkin, of Columbia University.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging widely in severity. The first known severe illness caused by a coronavirus emerged with the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in China. A second outbreak of severe illness began in 2012 in Saudi Arabia with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

On December 31 of last year, Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2. As of February 20, 2020, nearly 167,500 COVID-19 cases have been documented, although many more mild cases have likely gone undiagnosed. The virus has killed over 6,600 people.

Shortly after the epidemic began, Chinese scientists sequenced the genome of SARS-CoV-2 and made the data available to researchers worldwide. The resulting genomic sequence data has shown that Chinese authorities rapidly detected the epidemic and that the number of COVID-19 cases have been increasing because of human to human transmission after a single introduction into the human population. Andersen and collaborators at several other research institutions used this sequencing data to explore the origins and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by focusing in on several tell-tale features of the virus.

The scientists analyzed the genetic template for spike proteins, armatures on the outside of the virus that it uses to grab and penetrate the outer walls of human and animal cells. More specifically, they focused on two important features of the spike protein: the receptor-binding domain (RBD), a kind of grappling hook that grips onto host cells, and the cleavage site, a molecular can opener that allows the virus to crack open and enter host cells.

Evidence for natural evolution

The scientists found that the RBD portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins had evolved to effectively target a molecular feature on the outside of human cells called ACE2, a receptor involved in regulating blood pressure. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was so effective at binding the human cells, in fact, that the scientists concluded it was the result of natural selection and not the product of genetic engineering.

This evidence for natural evolution was supported by data on SARS-CoV-2's backbone - its overall molecular structure. If someone were seeking to engineer a new coronavirus as a pathogen, they would have constructed it from the backbone of a virus known to cause illness. But the scientists found that the SARS-CoV-2 backbone differed substantially from those of already known coronaviruses and mostly resembled related viruses found in bats and pangolins.

"These two features of the virus, the mutations in the RBD portion of the spike protein and its distinct backbone, rules out laboratory manipulation as a potential origin for SARS-CoV-2" said Andersen.

Josie Golding, PhD, epidemics lead at UK-based Wellcome Trust, said the findings by Andersen and his colleagues are "crucially important to bring an evidence-based view to the rumors that have been circulating about the origins of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19."

"They conclude that the virus is the product of natural evolution," Goulding adds, "ending any speculation about deliberate genetic engineering."

Possible origins of the virus

Based on their genomic sequencing analysis, Andersen and his collaborators concluded that the most likely origins for SARS-CoV-2 followed one of two possible scenarios.

In one scenario, the virus evolved to its current pathogenic state through natural selection in a non-human host and then jumped to humans. This is how previous coronavirus outbreaks have emerged, with humans contracting the virus after direct exposure to civets (SARS) and camels (MERS). The researchers proposed bats as the most likely reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 as it is very similar to a bat coronavirus. There are no documented cases of direct bat-human transmission, however, suggesting that an intermediate host was likely involved between bats and humans.

In this scenario, both of the distinctive features of SARS-CoV-2's spike protein--the RBD portion that binds to cells and the cleavage site that opens the virus up--would have evolved to their current state prior to entering humans. In this case, the current epidemic would probably have emerged rapidly as soon as humans were infected, as the virus would have already evolved the features that make it pathogenic and able to spread between people.

In the other proposed scenario, a non-pathogenic version of the virus jumped from an animal host into humans and then evolved to its current pathogenic state within the human population. For instance, some coronaviruses from pangolins, armadillo-like mammals found in Asia and Africa, have an RBD structure very similar to that of SARS-CoV-2. A coronavirus from a pangolin could possibly have been transmitted to a human, either directly or through an intermediary host such as civets or ferrets.

Then the other distinct spike protein characteristic of SARS-CoV-2, the cleavage site, could have evolved within a human host, possibly via limited undetected circulation in the human population prior to the beginning of the epidemic. The researchers found that the SARS-CoV-2 cleavage site, appears similar to the cleavage sites of strains of bird flu that has been shown to transmit easily between people. SARS-CoV-2 could have evolved such a virulent cleavage site in human cells and soon kicked off the current epidemic, as the coronavirus would possibly have become far more capable of spreading between people.

Study co-author Andrew Rambaut cautioned that it is difficult if not impossible to know at this point which of the scenarios is most likely. If the SARS-CoV-2 entered humans in its current pathogenic form from an animal source, it raises the probability of future outbreaks, as the illness-causing strain of the virus could still be circulating in the animal population and might once again jump into humans. The chances are lower of a non-pathogenic coronavirus entering the human population and then evolving properties similar to SARS-CoV-2.

###

Funding for the research was provided by the US National Institutes of Health, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Wellcome Trust, the European Research Council, and an ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship.
The coronavirus crisis, its now clear, is the biggest challenge to our collective health and economic well-being in decades. The response must be just as far-reaching.

The toll on health is just starting, with some 440 confirmed and presumed cases across the country and four deaths. The experts warn us those numbers are bound to soar as the disease spreads and more people are tested. It cant be stopped, only slowed.

The economic toll is already apparent. With the Ford governments decision to declare a state of emergency on Tuesday, restaurants, bars, theatres, all schools  just about everywhere that people gather  must close in Canadas biggest province. Others will surely follow.

Even before coronavirus, the economy was stalling. Now its a given that it will tip into recession, maybe something worse.

Political leaders  along with all the rest of us  will be judged on how they rose to this unprecedented challenge.

Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet did the right thing by declaring an emergency, and sending a clear message that no expense will be spared to safeguard the health of Ontarians and support them through this crisis.

Ford hasnt always seemed like a steady leader; far from it. But this time, at least, he struck just the right tone. And at just the right time.

Provinces and cities must throw themselves into this fight. But theres only so much they can do. Its up to the federal government to rally the entire country to meet a challenge that is national, indeed international.

Ottawa has by far the greatest financial resources to confront the economic fallout from the coronavirus, and Canadians expect it to use them. Leaders can expect to be faulted for not doing enough to deal with this crisis; we strongly doubt they will be faulted for doing too much.

On Wednesday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went so far as to say his government is even looking at measures contained in the Emergencies Act to see if it should be used to protect Canadians.

Even considering this is an extraordinary step. The Emergencies Act, after all, is the successor law to the War Measures Act that was used to suspend civil liberties during the October Crisis of 1970. No one is suggesting anything along those lines, but it speaks volumes about the seriousness of coronavirus that it should be under consideration.

More specifically, the government plans to announce emergency economic measures on Wednesday to start dealing with the impact of the crisis. And here it should certainly be bold.

Economists expect the package to amount to at least 1 per cent of GDP, which would be on the order of $25 billion. It may well be more: Trudeau has stressed that Canada is in better financial shape than other G7 nations, giving it considerable fiscal firepower to tackle a genuine emergency, which this surely is.

However big it is, federal aid should focus first on bolstering the ability of the health care system to fight back. More money for coronavirus testing, research, equipment and beds to deal with a surge of patients.

It should also focus on those most vulnerable to losing jobs and income in the coming days: workers who cant rely on stable employers to support them through a downturn.

This crisis is shining a bright light on something our society has been tip-toeing around for years  the soaring number of workers with so-called precarious jobs. Gig workers surviving from contract to contract; temps doing work once performed by staff employees; many others with low wages and few benefits.

Traditional ways of supporting workers in tough times, such as Employment Insurance, dont cover these people. So any useful aid package must address that, and its encouraging that the government says it intends to bring Parliament back to make some much-needed legislative changes.

But that will be just a first step. Labour standards, mostly set by the provinces, have deteriorated badly in recent years. This crisis is a wake-up call to address the lack of such elementary supports as guaranteed sick days. Much more must be done along these lines.

Many businesses, both large and small, will need help through this crisis, if only to avoid massive layoffs.

In that regard, memories are still fresh from the bailouts that followed the 2008-09 great recession.

There will be a compelling argument this time around as well to support industries, such as airlines and tourism, that stand to be devastated by the current shutdown.

But we mustnt forget the lessons of a dozen years ago: conditions must be attached to any bailout packages that ensure workers dont get shafted in the process. Canadians are willing to support ambitious measures to support the economy  but fairness and equal sacrifice must be the watchword.

Eventually this crisis, too, will pass. But the steps we take now, including the debt our governments take on to get the country through a difficult time, should be taken with an eye to what kind of economy we want once the dust clears.

Immediate steps are needed, no doubt. But they should be crafted in such a way that they serve long-term ends.
N azanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released from prison in Iran for two weeks.

The British-Iranian mother is among thousands of prisoners temporarily freed from jail by the government in Tehran because of the coronavirus outbreak, her husband said.

Richard Radcliffe said unlike other prisoners given temporary release, his wife has to wear an ankle tag which her parents had to hire from the authorities, and her movements will be restricted to 300 metres from her parents home.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of espionage charges - which she and the UK denied  and sent to Iranian prison for five years in 2016.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella, before her arrest in 2016 / PA

Speaking about her release she said: "I am so happy to be out. Even with the ankle tag, I am so happy.

"Being out is so much better than being in  if you knew what hell this place is. It is mental. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming home.

Gabriella sat on her father's lap. / Reuters

Mr Radcliffe said his feelings have been a "mix" and while he is pleased for his family he fears the situation is a "new drawn-out game of chess.

He added: The issue now is to make it permanent and bring Nazanin home. It is one feeling to walk out of prison. It is completely different to walk back in. No one should be asked to go and be a hostage again. So we are watching carefully.

Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, Tulip Siddiq also confirmed the news on social media.

Taking to Twitter she said: "Some good news in the darkness of coronavirus.

"My constituent Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released from prison for two weeks. I'm both pleased and relieved that she'll be with family rather than in jail at this time of terrible chaos and uncertainty in Iran."

Following the announcemenrt, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: I am relieved that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today temporarily released into the care of her family in Iran.

Richard at a protest outside the Iranian embassy in 2019 / AFP/Getty Images

We urge the regime to ensure she receives any necessary medical care.

While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK.

Responding to the news, Kate Allen, Amnesty International UKs Director, said: The immediate priority is that Nazanin gets proper medical care, including a full coronavirus check-up.

Beyond the immediate health concerns, lets not lose sight of where we are - Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, convicted after a deeply unfair trial who should never have been behind bars at all.
China on Tuesday moved to strip the press passes of American reporters at the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post, as Beijing faces accusations of covering up the extent of the coronavirus health crisis.

Journalists from the three outlets whose press credentials are set to expire in 2020 will be required to return their press passes within ten days rather than having them renewed.

They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the Peoples Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released Tuesday.

The decision is ostensibly retaliation for what the Chinese government called outrageous treatment of Chinese journalists by the U.S. and the designation of five Chinese media agencies as foreign missions, essentially state-backed propaganda arms of Chinas Communist Party.

In recent years, the U.S. government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the U.S., purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression, read a statement from a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson.

China will request written information from those three American newspapers as well as Voice of America and Time magazine about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China. The country also said it will take reciprocal measures against American journalists in response to discriminatory restrictions China says the U.S. has imposed on Chinese journalists regarding visa, administrative review, and reporting.

The Wall Street Journal slammed the move in a statement, Editor in Chief Matt Murray, calling it an unprecedented attack on freedom of the press that comes at a time of unparalleled global crisis.

Trusted news reporting from and about China has never been more important, Murray said. We oppose government interference with a free press anywhere in the world. Our commitment to reporting fully and deeply on China is unchanged.

Story continues

The Washington Post likewise condemned any action by China to expel U.S. reporters.

The Chinese governments decision is particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, when clear and reliable information about the international response to covid-19 [coronavirus] is essential, Executive Editor Martin Baron said in a statement. Severely limiting the flow of that information, which China now seeks to do, only aggravates the situation.

Shani George, director of communications at the Washington Post, said in an email that the newspaper is not yet sure whether it will affect everyone we have there.

The New York Times denounced the decision as well, calling it especially irresponsible during the coronavirus pandemic and saying they remain committed to covering China, where the paper said it has more journalists than anywhere else outside the United States.

Executive Editor Dean Baquet urged the U.S. and China to move quickly to resolve this dispute, as the health and safety of people around the world depend on impartial reporting about its two largest economies, both of them now battling a common epidemic.

It is a grave mistake for China to move backwards and cut itself off from several of the worlds top news organizations, Baquet said.

Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, blasted Chinas decision, saying it shows that Chinese president Xi Jinping is terrified of a free and independent press because he doesnt want to be challenged when his government regularly spews insane propaganda.

Chairman Xi can expel all the real journalists he wants, but he cant change the fact that his coronavirus cover-up killed thousands of his own people and put the world at risk, Sasse said.

The coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China and has spread across the globe, infecting over 190,000 people and killing over 7,000. The U.S. currently has over 5,000 confirmed cases and at least 93 people have died.

China has attempted to pin blame for the virus on the U.S., a Chinese diplomat promoting a conspiracy theory that the U.S. military brought the virus to China.

More from National Review
Its getting tougher for refiners to make money on gasoline as demand plunges, signaling more dark days ahead for oil markets.

The U.S. benchmark crude tumbled to a four-year low Monday while gasoline futures in New York plummeted 23% to the weakest level since 2005. The meltdown extended to jet fuel and diesel as the coronavirus outbreak restricts peoples movement globally and shuts down swathes of the worlds economy. Oil-refiners margins had been cushioned by nosediving crude costs, but that will be almost impossible to sustain if end-user demand keeps collapsing.

Fuel is getting crushed, said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at Price Futures Group Inc. The demand destruction we feared is already taking place.

With airlines cutting the number of flights daily and a growing number of European countries in lockdown, oil markets are heading for an unprecedented glut. People are driving far less, hitting demand for gasoline and diesel. All the while, Saudi Arabia and Russia are planning to boost crude production as they engage in a price war for market share.

Its a double whammy, said Scott Bauer, chief executive officer of Prosper Trading Academy in Chicago. We havent seen the worst of it yet. Theres further downside for the oil market but its anyones guess how deep this goes. Theres not an expert in the world that could have predicted this.

The spectacular plunge in crude prices hasnt deterred state-run Saudi Aramco from pumping historic levels of oil. The company plans to produce at its maximum capacity of 12 million barrels a day in April, Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser told investors, adding, I doubt if May will be any different.

West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery fell 9.6% to settle at $28.70 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for May settlement fell $3.80, or 11%, to $30.05 a barrel, putting its premium over WTI at $1.05 a barrel.

Nymex gasoline ended the session at 68.99 cents a gallon, almost at parity with WTI after briefly dipping below the U.S. benchmark for the first time since 2009. As recently as March 10, Nymex gasoline futures traded at a premium of almost $18 a barrel to WTI. Diesel and jet fuel prices in New York fell to their lowest intraday levels since early 2016.
On the Monday that everything seemed to come apart, which was just eight days ago now but feels like forever, a friend in Toronto wrote what I still think is one of the best darkly comic tweets about the whole situation: looking at the news, he reached for a quote from the movie Apollo 13, a scene after an explosion crippled the titular vessel.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On the Monday that everything seemed to come apart, which was just eight days ago now but feels like forever, a friend in Toronto wrote what I still think is one of the best darkly comic tweets about the whole situation: looking at the news, he reached for a quote from the movie Apollo 13, a scene after an explosion crippled the titular vessel.

"What do we got on the spacecraft thats good?"

Thats the long and short of it really: 2020 started as a slog through hard news, and now it seems like everything is broken. The pandemic is surging, forcing the cancellation of just about everything. The economy is teetering on the edge. Global politics are a mess.

Oh yeah, and theres climate change, lest we forget thats still happening.

But to slip into cynicism at this juncture would be fatal, and also tragically near-sighted. Because there are still many things on this spacecraft we call Earth that are good, still many parts of the machine that are still sound and ready to continue their mission. Every single one of them starts with people.

To slip into cynicism at this juncture would be fatal, and also tragically nearsighted. Because there are still many things on this spacecraft we call Earth that are good, still many parts of the machine that are still sound and ready to continue their mission

In Italy, locked down and in crisis with police patrolling the streets, residents cluster on balconies to sing folk tunes and bang tambourines. In Seville, on the same day that Spain issues a total quarantine, a fitness instructor leads a class from a rooftop, shouting encouragement to participants doing jumping jacks at their windows.

Across Spain, minutes after the quarantine order was announced, citizens went to their windows and issued a loud ovation for all the health-care workers on the front lines of the crisis. Starting at 10 p.m. they clapped, and cheered, crying out "viva los medicos," long live the doctors. Their gratitude reverberated through near-empty streets.

Other flames of spirit have been quieter, more intimate. On Monday, one Toronto resident, Seher Shafiq, tweeted about how she made a care package of toilet paper and butter tarts for an elderly neighbour, and left it at his front door; he replied with a note, saying that the thought alone makes his "life really worthwhile."

Our neighbour is quite elderly w/ mobility issues. Lives alone.



We left him some toilet paper & butter tarts at his door. Didn't wanna see him, cuz, #SocialDistancing.



He wrote is this note back which literally says us thinking about him "makes his life really worthwhile".



1/2 pic.twitter.com/FeseqMYE96  Seher Shafiq (@seher_shafiq) March 16, 2020

Across the world, there have been a thousand tiny acts of care and resilience like this already, or a million, and the world is only at the beginning of this journey. It will take many more to get through; acts small and large, charitable and entertaining, acts that mobilize people to give joy and support in whatever way they can.

It will take more than a village: it will take a world, a total commitment. Governments must act fast to smooth the turbulence; Canada could sure use a decisive move to mandate paid sick leave right now. Meanwhile, as the last week so vividly showed, the public expects the private sector to do its part to support workers, too.

But as Canada hunkers down to try and slow the upward spiral of infection, we may well find that the most effective short-term safety nets are the ones we string up together. As I wrote last week, people are the main first responders to each other; other institutions may be wealthier and more powerful, but they cannot be as granular.

A man applauds from his window in support of the medical staff in Madrid, Spain on March 15, 2020. Across Spain, minutes after the quarantine order was announced, citizens went to their windows and issued a loud ovation for all the health-care workers on the front lines of the crisis. (Paul White / Canadian Press AP)

So here are some ideas for things we can do, right now, to tie the safety net a little tighter.

Consider starting a private Facebook group for neighbours, whether in your building or on your street. (You can drop notes in mailboxes letting folks know where they can join in.) Make that a hub to check in with each other, where you can offer or ask for support as you need it  such as with sourcing diapers or an emergency roll of TP.

That group will also be a good place to offer babysitting, if you or someone in your family is able to offer babysitting. There will be many responsible teens with free time on their hands next week, while many families are scrambling to find safe care for their kids while they work. Helping ease that stress could mean the world.

Lets help make sure that everyone can keep their pantry full and their bills paid, where we can.

Make a list of all the most vulnerable people you know, particularly seniors, folks with disabilities or people who are immunocompromised. Ask if they need anything, give them your number. Offer to do their grocery shopping or pick up their essentials. If you know of any elderly folks near you, leave that care package at their door.

Donate money, if you can afford it, especially to non-profits such as food banks that serve immediate need. The coming economic fallout from this crisis may well prove to do the most lasting damage to the greatest number of people. Many are already out of work, and it will almost certainly get worse before this is over.

So lets help make sure that everyone can keep their pantry full and their bills paid, where we can.

As the mission of social distancing and staying home, where possible, drags on, many people will find themselves suffering from the isolation. It can be lonely. The time must be filled not only by productive activity, but also chances to connect with others in fun: organize an online book club or a live movie-watching group via text.

Above all, think of where your own skills lie, and how you can contribute them to others. The Earth, and the society we have built on it, is a little dented right now, a little under the weather. Its easy to see the news and conclude that theres not much left on it thats any good; but thats not true. We do have all that we need to get through.

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.

Above all, think of where your own skills lie, and how you can contribute them to others.

Watching these strange days unfold I, too, kept reaching for a quote from the movie Apollo 13. Not the scene where NASA leaders were assessing the damage to the spacecraft, but one from near the climax, as the astronauts prepared to make a slightly shallow and perilous re-entry into the Earths atmosphere.

In that scene, two men in the NASA control room turn to each other and predict, gloomily, that what could happen in the next minutes could be the greatest disaster the institution had ever seen, when the fictional version of legendary flight controller Gene Kranz turns to them, and uttered a line that has echoed in my mind all week.

"With all due respect sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour."

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
As of Monday, there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the Lynchburg area. Currently, 51 people have tested positive in Virginia, with two deaths reported from the virus.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Centra officials said no one has tested positive for COVID-19 in the 9,000-square-mile Centra footprint, aside from one case in Prince Edward County that was confirmed Thursday.

Centra Chief Medical Officer Chris Thomson said some patients were tested at Lynchburg General Hospital and came back negative. The results of other tests are pending.

What can we do now, what actions can we take now, to ultimately flatten the curve and allow us to get by over the next couple weeks, next couple months? Thomson said. He said they are making decisions now  such as limiting visitors and canceling non-essential procedures  that may seem drastic but will allow Centra to extend its resources for months to come.

On Friday, Centra announced it would provide free COVID-19 lab testing to all patients being tested at any Centra facility or Centra testing site.

Thomson said Centra has done less than 10 tests on in-patients, and could not provide the amount of tests implemented at out-patient sites.

Late last week, Centra developed its first two drive-thru testing locations at Centra Urgent Care in Forest and in Southside by the Medical Center. Thomson said they have two more sites set to go live in Gretna and Bedford as demand increases. Centra officials said they prefer people call the hotline number at (434) 200-1225 for screening prior to visiting a drive-thru facility.

Drive-thru testing centers are rolling out across the country, to expedite the testing process and limit contact between patients and health care workers that could accelerate the spread of the virus.

If it is determined the patient should be tested, a staff member would come out to the car wearing the appropriate protective gear, and take swabs from the patients nose and mouth.

You are going to see people that look like they are in spacesuits come out to collect specimens. The process has been really well orchestrated, Thomson said. The test itself is not really the determining factor in exactly how someone is treated or whether someone is quarantined, watched and isolated from others. It really is the story. Its the story of contacts, its the story of travel, and they ultimately dictate that treatment.

Thomson said availability of testing is not a concern at this point. Currently, it takes three to five days to receive results.

Andy Mueller, president and CEO of Centra, said Centra is prepared to combat the virus and take necessary precautions for many months. He said it is a fairly contagious virus, but the biggest challenge is the mortality rate, the specifics of which are still unknown.

The challenge with it is that it carries a mortality rate, a likelihood of killing you, that is probably somewhere within seven times greater than the flu. And the flu is a pretty lethal disease, Mueller said.

He said everyone plays a role in helping prevent the spread of disease through actions as simple as washing your hands, social distancing and using common sense.

We are at war with this virus, Mueller said. We dont have bullets, we dont have antibiotics. What we do have is the ability to prevent it from spreading from one person to the other.

Sarah Honosky covers Appomattox and Campbell counties at The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5556.

Sarah Honosky covers Appomattox and Campbell counties at The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5556.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 14:18:37|Editor: ZD

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UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) on Monday strongly condemned Sunday's armed militant attack against the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which resulted in the death of one peacekeeper.

Armed rebel fighters known as the anti-Balaka, under the command of Dimitri Ayoloma, on Sunday launched the attack in the city of Grimari. One Burundian peacekeeper was killed while attempting to stop the attack.

Noting that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may "constitute a war crime" under international law, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the Central African Republic authorities to spare no efforts to identify the perpetrators of the attack so that they can be swiftly brought to justice.

Members of the UN Security Council extended their deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of the victim, Burundi and the MINUSCA, and condemned in the strongest terms all attacks, provocations and incitement to violence against the MINUSCA by armed groups and other perpetrators.

Head of the MINUSCA Mankeur Ndiaye also expressed his condolences to the peacekeeper and Burundi, calling the attack a "heinous act."

"This crime must not go unpunished," tweeted UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
Petit retour tres rapide pour informer que laest toujours maintenue par les organisateurs. Les preparatifs de cet enorme salon europeen du jeu video devant se tenir a Cologne du 25 au 29 aout se poursuivent, mais la situation actuelle est bien entendu suivie avec soin.Pour le(premiere semaine de juin a Taipei), aucune decision n'a encore ete prise.
Kolkata, March 17 : The first confirmed novel coronavirus case was detected in West Bengal on Tuesday, as a youth who returned from the UK recently tested positive.

The youth, who came back from the UK on March 15, was admitted to the state's referral hospital for infectious diseases ID Hospital, Beliaghata, on Tuesday morning.

His sample, sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), was found to be positive in the evening.

Soon after receiving the test report, the hospital and state health department officials transferred him to a special isolation ward earmarked for confirmed Corona virus cases.

His parents and driver were also being brought to the ID hospital for quarantine. According to health department officials, their samples would be sent to NICED on Tuesday night itself.

According to sources, the youth, who studies in England, had attended a birthday party there in which a number of invitees later developed the deadly disease.

The youth apparently did not have any symptoms of Novel Corona virus.

However, when the health department officials learnt that a number of people who attended the party, including his girlfriend, had got the disease, they asked him to get admitted on Monday.

However, his patients took him to hospital only on Tuesday.
Fr Giovanni Tulino, PIME missionary, talks about his story. His living room is a kindergarten in the morning, an oratory in the afternoon, and a chapel on Sunday.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews)  Ta Khmau is a city about 10 kilometres south of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Its Catholic community includes two priests, five Christians and eight catechumens.

Fr Giovanni Tulino (pictured), a 41-year-old priest with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), has spent almost six years in the country. For him, this is a land of primal evangelisation. There are people here who have never really heard about Jesus, he told AsiaNews.

Two years ag, Mgr Olivier Michel Marie Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, sent him to this place to support the local pastor, a French priest with the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris (MEP), who has been in the country for 20 years.

In places like these, a missionary becomes part of a story written by others before him; he is called to continue building on their foundations, Fr Tulino explained.

Ta Khmau is a new pastoral area, founded only five years ago. "It was an intuition of the bishop. This is Phnom Penhs first large suburb which, through new roads and urban sprawl, has effectively incorporated it.

Many residents of the capital are moving to Ta Khmau, because living is cheaper; moreover, there is still land and there are factories. For this reason, Mgr Schmitthaeusler saw it as a place of evangelisation.

The first to arrive was my confrere, Fr Mario Ghezzi, when there was still no Church presence. Mario bought a house and started the first missionary activities.

Although Ta Khmaus Catholic community is tiny, Fr Tulino daily schedule is always full. In our house, we run a small day care centre for local children, all from Buddhist families who go to work in the morning. Without this service, parents would not know where to leave them.

In the afternoon, the living room is turned into an oratory and welcomes other local kids, who can also enjoy themselves on our plot of land (the only open space in the area).

The gate is always open, from 6 am to 6 pm. Two months ago, we started a medical mission in Ta Khmau for the surrounding villages. We believe that education and health are the keys to enter people's hearts.

The first person Fr Mario baptised at the mission was a man who came from out of town, and is now back in his village. Last year, Fr Tulino celebrated five adult baptisms, including three who are not originally from Ta Khmau. The two women, mother and daughter, are the first two local Christians.

The mother works with us. For me, her testimony of faith is something very positive. She cant read or write and is ill. Her husband left her with three children to support. Fr Mario helped her by hiring her as a cleaner and helping her with medical treatment. Captivated by my confreres selfless help, she asked to be a catechumen three years ago.

Before she was baptised, it is customary for catechumens to change their name and choose a Christian one. When I asked her what she wanted to be called, she replied: 'I would like my name to be Mary, because she was the first servant of the Lord. I would like to be the first servant of this community.

These words deeply affected me and made me think of the passage in the Gospel where Jesus thanks the Father saying although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike (Mt 11:25).

"Together with Maria and the rest of the small group that was baptised last year, and thanks to the support of some Christians from other communities, we are trying to build the local Church understood primarily as a family.

On Sundays, in addition to meeting for Mass, we are involved in catechumenate activities. This year, we will not celebrate baptisms at Easter. The catechism lasts on average three to four years and at present eight people have undertaken it; four are in the first year, the others in the second.

The work I am called to do is exciting, but there are moments of frustration and misunderstanding. For us missionaries, in places like Ta Khmau, it is necessary to be patient.

Lastly, I will not see the fruits of my labour, Fr Tulino said. Whoever comes after me will not see them either; perhaps the third or fourth generations of priests who will come to care for this community will see them.

As I say every morning, this is not yet the time for sowing, it is the time to prepare the ground. (PF)
A new Twitter trend earned the ire of people as netizens created a morbid nickname for COVID-19 calling it "Boomer Remover."

The term "Boomer" refers to the Baby Boomer generation whose ages are approximately between 56 to 74. "Boomer Remover" which stemmed from the high morbidity and mortality rate of COVID-19 among older people, particularly those who are over 60 appeared in more than 65,000 tweets last Friday.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, information and data point out of the danger the virus posts particularly to the elderly. In Italy, more than 1,000 people have already died from the virus and in an analysis done in the first 105 deaths within the country on March 4, the average age of those who died was at 81 years old.

Meanwhile, in Hubei Province, China where the virus first emerged, the country's Center for Disease Control found out that COVID-19 is more fatal for more than one percent of people who were infected at the age of 50-59 and the mortality rate shots up in higher age groups. Amongst people between 60-69 the mortality rate is at 4.6 percent and for victims aging 70-79 the mortality rate is nearly ten percent.

Read Also: Fake Coronavirus Test Kits: Vials Blocked in LAX, Stanford 'Self-Test' Kits Bogus

In the United States, the age groups with the highest mortality rate after being infected with COVID-19 falls into the "Baby Boomers" generation. The Boomers are composed of a large demographic, the term was used since it was dubbed from the "boom" of births post-World War II.

How the "Boomer Remover" began

Referring to COVID-19 as "Boomer Remover" started back at the end of February and was mildly noticed due to the only handful of social media mentions. For example, early in March a comedian named Toby Muresianu jokingly urged the use of the nickname in place of "Wuhan Virus", the nickname for coronavirus which refers to the city where it first emerged.

However, by March 12, the use of the nickname "Boomer Remover" for COVID-19 became widespread and by Friday, March 14, it became one of the top trending topics in Twitter in the US.

Millennials and Gen Z: dying from depression, homelessness, nonliving wages, mass shootings, poor healthcare, etc



Boomers: Walk it off, snowflakes.



Millennials and Gen Z: *calls coronavirus Boomer Remover*



Boomers: NOW LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE SHITS HOW DARE YOU PEOPLE ARE DYING  miiya  a real-life anime (@PearlteaRizzy) March 13, 2020

I have been informed by a relative who is a middle school teacher that students are now referring to coronavirus as the boomer remover  B. W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) March 12, 2020

The novel coronavirus has taken the lives of more than 6,500 people worldwide. The World Health Organization has already announced that it has become a pandemic. Despite the seriousness of the situations, there are still people, especially in social media who seem to be unaware of the gravity of the situation.

People were outraged with the use of the term calling it insensitive during a time of tragedy. With many people already dying, especially within the Baby Boomer age group, the morbid nickname is not helping the morale of those who are infected, thus, adding to the fear and panic that the virus already brought.

The sick jokes also appealed to some as part of the negative effects of social media to the millennials and Gen Z. Hence, the nickname "Boomer Remover" for a worldwide pandemic has become the target of social media strife.

Related news: Trump Said Google CEO Apologized to Him, While Google Launches COVID-19 Screening Site

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) is seeking advisors for its two high-speed monorail projects - the 53-km-long New Administrative Capital line and 42-km-long 6th of October City line in Cairo.



The NAT had recently launched an international tender seeking advisory firms to submit their technical and financial bids.



The winning group will be responsible for delivering the consulting services for both the monorail lines, said the statement from NAT.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian government said it had secured funding worth 2.7 million ($3.1 million) from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for two of its key railway projects - modernisation of Tanta-Damietta rail line and the renewal of Cairo Metro Line 2.



The funding will also support the feasibility study including an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the project aimed at improving railways safety, availability and reliability of a vital rail corridor through the Nile Delta.



A co-operation agreement was signed by Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC) with the EIB for a 1.5 million grant for Tanta  El Mansoura  Damietta railway project.



As per the deal, EIB will fund the modernisation works for the 118-km line which includes track-doubling works for 65 km between El Mansoura and Damietta, the installation of new signalling systems on the whole line and railway stations improvement.



In addition, a freight yard and a freight link to Damietta port are expected to be constructed under the project, it stated.



The line is part of a railway corridor linking Cairo to one of the major Egyptian Mediterranean ports, Damietta, and contributes to the improvement of the Egyptian railway network.



Flavia Palanza, EIB Director of Operations for Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood, said: "With this new loan, the Egyptian government intends to push ahead with the upgrading and expansion of its railway infrastructure."



Ivan Surkos, Ambassador of the EU to Egypt, said: "The EU is largely supporting the government of Egypt in expanding its transport infrastructure through a number of projects such as Phase Three of the third Cairo Metro line or the Alexandria Raml Tram."



"The current upgrade of Tanta - El Mansoura  Damietta railway goes in line of the EU policy which aims at improving living standards of millions of Egyptian commuters using this important artery through the implementation of an enhanced quality and safe transport system," he added.



The second EIB agreement worth 1.2 million was signed with Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) under which a feasibility study will be conducted for the renewal of Cairo second metro line.



The study will define and describe the upgrade and renewal of the Line 2 systems, including infrastructure and rolling stock, necessary to meet the capacity and passenger demands of the coming years. It will also support the extension of the life expectancy of the system for 25 more years, said the statement from EIB.



The advisory services will mobilise consultants to do a survey of the current state of all systems and structures of line 2 of the Cairo metro network, and then prepare a functional design and tender documentation to allow the National Tunnel Authority to start procurement of the works, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
The UN Security Council's Chinese presidency cancelled the body's two final meetings scheduled this week due to the coronavirus crisis, diplomatic sources said.



After the earlier cancellation of the meeting planned for March 17, the Security Council was planning to discuss the situation of Darfur in Sudan on March 18, and address multilateralism on March 19.



It was not possible Monday to confirm the cancellations with the Chinese mission to the United Nations, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council. Diplomats from other countries however confirmed the decision, the AP reported.



UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that a positive Covid-19 case had been identified among staff at the UN secretariat, after a Philippines diplomat was reported infected last week.
The head of British Beer and Pub Association sought the government's action to prevent massive job losses and permanent pub closures.

London: The United Kingdom's popular Pub culture and industry could soon be a thing of the past, if the government headed by Boris Johnson fails on "immediate and decisive" actions.

Emma McClarkin, the association's CEO is reported as saying in a letter, "The UK pub and brewing industry is tonight facing an existential crisis as a direct result of the guidance issued by the government today. Thousands of pubs and hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost in the very short term unless a proactive package creating cash and liquidity is provided immediately to the industry."

"Forced pub closures without a meaningful support package will have a catastrophic financial and social impact," said the letter published in The Metro newspaper on Tuesday.

As on Tuesday morning, the UK reported 55 deaths and 1,500 coronavirus infections. With no vaccine in place, the message passed by administrators to citizens is to self-quarantine and start working from home. At a press conference in Downing Street on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised people to start working from home "where they possibly can".

The message was loud, clear and chilling for the pub industry - "You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues," added Johnson.

UK's brewing and pub industry appears underrated if one goes by the statistics collected by British Beer and Pub Association. The association's data suggests that 35 million barrels were sold in 2004. This number has come down to a moderate 27 million barrels in 2018. A signficant number of barrels are exported to countries such as the US and even Germany.

Brewing and Pubbing is at least a 11.1 billion pound (direct 58.3%, indirect 27.2%, Induced 14.5%) industry.

Here's some more statistics of UK's Brewing industry.

1. Direct Employment : 894,817

2. Total Pubs: 48,349

3. Breweries: 1,888

4. Tax revenue: Drinking 5 pints a week results into 141 pounds in beer tax for the year.

5. Tax: 12.7 billion pounds

6. Investment: 2 billion pounds

The damp industry outlook not only affects UK's brewing industry, but will also significantly affect real estate prospects across markets. "I cannot emphasize strongly enough how critical it is that action is taken now. Failure to do so will destroy the industry," adds McClarkin, the CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association.

Until recently, pub, restaurant and theatre industry leaders were concerned because the government had not ordered them to close business. But the fears have only magnified on Monday. Caroline Norbury, chief executive of the Creative Industries Federation, called the advisory a "crippling blow". UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said that it left the industry in "limbo with no recourse to insurance".

An extraordinary lock-down and no-gatherings policy has dented the chances of any cheers moment and increased the threat-perception among beer brewers.

Disclaimer: AP Image of a customer drinking beer. The image is used only for representational purposes.
SS Rajamouli's magnum opus RRR has been a hot topic of discussion lately. While the makers have completed almost 90 per cent of the film, they are yet to shoot with Alia Bhatt who is cast opposite Ram Charan in the period action-drama. The Highway actress was supposed to join the cast in Pune this month but the schedule has now been postponed because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

This has left SS Rajamouli worried as Alia has several projects in her kitty at the moment. And with the Pune schedule gone for a toss, the filmmaker isn't sure if the B-town beauty will be available for shooting once the work resumes from next month onwards. According to a report in tollywood.net, Rajamouli is in touch with Alia's manager and has been constantly asking if her dates will be available for the Pune schedule as and when it kickstarts.

Since Alia is expected to resume shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi post Summer, SS Rajamouli is worried that the 27-year-old actress may just quit the project citing date issues at the end moment. Hence, he wants to wrap up Alia's part as soon as they are allowed to start shooting again.

Though the Coronavirus situation has gotten worse, let's just hope things work out between Rajamouli and Alia Bhatt eventually because we really want to see how the filmmaker will present Alia in his ambitious project which is supposed to arrive in the cinema halls next year on January 8.

Apart from Ram Charan and Alia, RRR also features Jr NTR in the lead along with Ajay Devgn and Olivia Morris. Produced by DVV Danayya, the movie will mark Devgn and Alia's debut in the Telugu film industry.

ALSO READ

RRR: Why Are Alia Bhatt Fans Upset With The Makers?
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Just before Donald Trump took office in 2017, officials in the Obama White House warned Trumps team about the need to plan for the very type of pandemic that is now wreaking havoc around the globe.

According to Politico, In a tabletop exercise days before an untested new president took power, officials briefed the incoming administration on a scenario remarkably like the one he faces now.

The report noted that two-thirds of Trump officials who were briefed on the matter are no longer in the administration, which is likely one reason why the president has managed this current crisis so badly.

More from Politico:

The briefing was intended to hammer home a new, terrifying reality facing the Trump administration, and the incoming presidents responsibility to protect Americans amid a crisis. But unlike the coronavirus pandemic currently ravaging the globe, this 2017 crisis didnt really happen  it was among a handful of scenarios presented to Trumps top aides as part of a legally required transition exercise with members of the outgoing administration of Barack Obama.  POLITICO obtained documents from the meeting and spoke with more than a dozen attendees to help provide the most detailed reconstruction of the closed-door session yet. It was perhaps the most concrete and visible transition exercise that dealt with the possibility of pandemics, and top officials from both sides  whether they wanted to be there or not  were forced to confront a whole-of-government response to a crisis. The Trump team was told it could face specific challenges, such as shortages of ventilators, anti-viral drugs and other medical essentials, and that having a coordinated, unified national response was paramount  warnings that seem eerily prescient given the ongoing coronavirus crisis. But roughly two-thirds of the Trump representatives in that room are no longer serving in the administration. That extraordinary turnover in the months and years that followed is likely one reason his administration has struggled to handle the very real pandemic it faces now, former Obama administration officials said.

MSNBCs Chris Hayes explained that the Trump teams failure to absorb this information from the Obama White House is par for the course for this administration.

The Trump administration was briefed about the need to plan for a global pandemic just before they took office in 2017. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/aIWmES1cEc  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 17, 2020

The revelation makes Trumps coronavirus response look even more disastrous

The fact that Donald Trumps transition team was briefed on the growing threat of global pandemics just before taking office makes the presidents coronavirus response look that much more disastrous.

Not only did the Trump team fail to heed those warnings from the Obama administration, but they proceeded to close down the White House pandemic office a year later.

It should come as no surprise then that the federal government has failed  since day one  to adequately respond to this global health emergency. Theyve been asleep at the wheel all along.

Donald Trump has nobody to blame but himself for his disastrous mismanagement of this pandemic.

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Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas took their newborn son Roman Ravello home for the first time as they left the hospital on Monday, four days after announcing his arrival.

In the paid-for post promoting a car seat brand, the new mother, 28, held hands with her actor fiance, 35, as they doted on their baby boy.

The former TOWIE star explained her 'surreal' first days as a parent as she wrote: 'This was one of the most surreal moments of my life that I will cherish forever. When we left hospital to head home with our new baby.'

Tender moments: Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas took their newborn son Roman Ravello home for the first time as they left the hospital on Monday in a paid-for post

Lucy continued to detail her baby's first journey home as she added: 'On our way home Ive never seen Ryan drive so slowly & sensibly in my life I sat in the back watching my beautiful boy One of the most important things to buy for your baby is a safe & reputable car seat.

'It was so important to us. After lots of research & recommendations from mummy friends I decided to get the Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro i-Size infant carrier.

'Roman is one of over 50 million babies brought home in a @maxicosi_eu car seat! I chose it because of its top level safety standards.

'As the baby grows you can remove the inlay so Im hoping hell be in it for many months to come because I never want him to grow #maxicosi #pebblepro #ad.' [sic]

Bundle of joy: The new mother, 28, and her actor fiance, 35, welcomed their first son together on Thursday (pictured)

Candid: The former TOWIE star explained her 'surreal' first days as a parent, while promoting a car seat brand

Some of Lucy's social media followers expressed their 'disappointment' at the TV star for sharing her experience through an advertisement, while others defended her decision.

One penned: 'I dont ever comment on things but I thought it was such a shame that such a milestone moment was only posted for the #ad. You havent posted much since baby arrived, but when you have its been for the ads and the [money].'

Another agreed: 'Lovely photo @lucymeck1 but what a shame it's an add . I know you need to earn money but this is such a special time.'

A third shared: 'Jesus wept Instagram has gone Savage! Congratulations on your new baby, but sad that the going home post is now an advertisement opportunity too.

'This would have been amazing if it wasn't an ad': Some of Lucy's followers expressed their 'disappointment' at the TV star for sharing her experience through an advert

'Using taking your newborn home as a way of making money. Cant believe these celebrities who pretend there sharing pics of special moments but there it is...... #ad.'

Others added: 'This is such a special moment, and its quite sad you felt the need to turn it into an ad. Congratulations all the same.'

Throwing support behind Lucy, one fan commented: 'Christ! Give them woman a break.

'Shes promoting a product she believes in and making money for her family. What is wrong is when people are not prepared to work and expect everyone else to pay for their children. [sic]

'So what if she's promoting it?' Other social media users defended her decision

Another shared: 'So what she's promoting it so what she's probably got it for free . In a world you can be anything -be kind Their 2 happy besotted people in love with their Baby boy. spread the love not the hate. We all need that right now.' [sic]

A third agreed: 'Congratulations to you both its the best thing ever being a parent - ignore the negative comments  if youve got nothing nice to say dont say anything at all #bekind #topoftheworldnewmum xx.' [sic]

Others added: 'Who cares if shes getting paid for it or not you lot would if yous had the chance , Jesus Christ such jealous people , the worlds a scary place right now and your all sitting at home giving ANOTHER person a hard time on social media... people never learn!! [sic]

Baby joy: Late last week, Lucy announced Roman's birth on Instagram

'A mum of a few days and already being lambasted , honestly. I doubt Lucy would post about something if she didnt believe in it.

'All the people having a dig because she has put an ad on need to give their heads a shake she is a working mummy and if she has been paid and given the seat free in exchange for an Instagram post good on her...

'at least she is providing for her family I couldnt even function to brush my hair for weeks after Id had my first child so for her to be have to working already I take my hat off to her @lucymeck1 your baby is beautiful congratulations.' [sic]

Congratulations: Within minutes, a host of Lucy's famous pals flooded her comments section with congratulatory messages, including some of her former TOWIE co-stars

Late last week, Lucy announced Roman's birth on Instagram, where she shared a snapshot of her bundle of joy's hand and the lower half of his face as she simply shared his full name alongside a blue heart emoji.

Within minutes, a host of Lucy's famous pals flooded her comments section with congratulatory messages, including some of her former TOWIE co-stars.

'Thought you had gone a bit quiet,' wrote Sam Faiers. 'Huge congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby boy...  lots of love. Xxxx.'

Sam's sister Billie Faiers responded to the post with the message: 'Congratulations darling... lots of love to you all at this very special time.'

'Ahhhhhh congratulations,' said Kate Ferdinand, while Ferne McCann simply penned: 'Congrats darling.'

The fitness guru announced her pregnancy in August, after Ryan proposed during a trip to Italy's Amalfi Coast in June. The soap star is already dad to Scarlett, 11, with his ex Tina O'Brien.

The couple met on Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls in early 2017. They brushed off split rumours in December 2018 after Lucy was pictured looking cosy with a man in a Dubai nightclub, believed to be her friend and business associate Adam Rossiter.

At the time, Ryan was said to be 'in pieces' over the pictures but the couple quickly moved on after Lucy explained it was her pal.

Congratulations! Lucy took to Instagram on the evening of her 28th birthday to announce that she is expecting her first child with Ryan and debuted her blossoming baby bump

Doting dad: Ryan also raises daughter Scarlett with his ex-girlfriend and former Coronation Street co-star Tina O'Brien, 35, who he was in a relationship with for six years

Lucy took to Instagram on the evening of her 28th birthday to announce she was expecting her first child with Ryan and debuted her blossoming baby bump in a figure-hugging red dress.

The ex Corrie star gifted Lucy a baby grow, which they held up for the snap as they revealed that they are set to welcome their first baby together following two years of dating.

Alongside the heartwarming shot, the reality star wrote: Best birthday present 'I've ever had. Love you @ryanthomas84,' with a baby emoji and a heart emoji included in the caption.

Brunette beauty Lucy opened up about her pregnancy journey and said she was starting to 'embrace' her new body.

Over the moon: The couple confirmed they were expecting a baby boy with another sweet Instagram post in September

She wrote: 'Although trying to keep this under wraps especially whilst on holiday really wasnt easy, Im now over 12 weeks and Im starting to fall in love with & embrace my new, ever changing... ever expanding body.

'Im in awe of what my body is doing, creating another human! Yes 1 human I was worried with how big I got very quickly it was twins haha!

'For the first time I feel content in myself and how I view my body. It feels like as soon as I became pregnant my priorities changed and I must admit this is definitely for the better.'

Lucy went through her pregnancy with her best friend Lydia Bright, who recently gave birth to a baby girl.

Throwback: The couple met on Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls in early 2017 and confirmed their romance in July after months of speculation (Pictured on the show in 2017)

Lydia previously revealed she found out she was pregnancy days before she was due to start filming Celebrity Hunted with Lucy and rang her to tell the news.

In an episode of The Brights podcast, Lydia said: 'I'll never forget the day we both found out we were pregnant.

'Basically, we were both due to start filming on Celebrity Hunted, I thought it would be a good idea to do a pregnancy test a couple of days before because I was off birth control and it came back positive to my shock.

'Because I fell pregnant very quickly, I gave Lucy a call, and she guessed that I was pregnant.

It's a BOY! The former TOWIE star took to Instagram to share a sweet video of the moment she and Ryan, 35, discovered the sex of the baby in September

'So she ran out and got a pregnancy test and called me 6 hours later and said she was pregnant as well. I mean, it's crazy. You couldn't write it.'

She also told Closer: 'We've said they might end up dating in the future! We've also said they could be husband and wife one day  but then we're so close we thought that might be quite weird because they'll probably end up growing up like cousins.'

Both Lucy and Lydia shot to fame in 2010 with their starring roles in TOWIE, which led to their reality careers.
What now? Germanicus Julius Caesar, governor of Tres Galliae and Germania, might have wondered such as he opened the dispatch. It was mid-September in ad 14. A month earlier hed received in similar fashion the dark and momentous news that Imperator Caesar Divi filius Augustus, first man of the Roman empire, was dead. The same dispatch communicated that Tiberius, Germanicus uncle, had assumed the throne. That came as no surprise, for while Augustus had not legally designated Tiberius as his political successor, he had adopted him as a son and given him a share of imperial power and responsibility. To maintain political stability Augustus had also required Tiberius to adopt Germanicus, whose father had died, as his eldest son and heir. Put plainly, the earlier dispatch from Rome had informed Germanicus he stood next in line to the most powerful leader in the Western world.

Since then little had changed in the northern provinces. Germanicus retained his posts under Tiberius, who followed Augustus final instructions to maintain rather than seek to expand the frontiers. In addition to his administrative responsibilities Germanicus was in overall command of eight legions on the Rhine River. His force was subdivided into two provincial commandsone in Germania Inferior, bordering the North Sea, the other in Germania Superior, bordering the Alps. Across the river was Germania Magna. Laced with rivers and swamps, it was an untamed and unconquered region, whose dark, forbidding forests had swallowed whole legions.

The frontier had been quiet of late, but Germanicus remained watchful for incursions from across the river. He had been in Gallia Belgica, overseeing the completion of a census to assess property taxes, when he received the second dispatch from Rome. He likely worried it carried news the Germanic tribes had risen and were threatening an invasion. But the news was even worse: The Roman army of the Rhine had mutinied.

When Germanicus became governor in ad 13, the Rhine marked the boundary of Roman territorial ambitions in the north. But it had not always been that way.

Nearly seven decades earlier Julius Caesar had been the first Roman commander to cross the Rhine under arms, as a show of force to deter Germanic raids into Gaul. For the past quarter-century Augustus had spent much blood and treasure trying to subdue Germania and stabilize the frontiers, employing Tiberius and his younger brother, Drusus, as field commanders. Beginning in 12 bc Drusus had systematically subdued Germania Magna in a series of annual campaigns, pushing Roman control to the Elbe River in four years. At the completion of that campaign in 9 bc he died from injuries suffered after a bad fall from a horse. As a posthumous battle honor the Senate awarded Drusus the hereditary agnomen Germanicus (German), a name evocative of his military achievements in the region. The weighty legacy it bore passed to his then 6-year-old son.

As a young man Germanicus would prove worthy of the title, rapidly climbing the political ladder and securing military honors for helping Tiberius quell an uprising in Illyricum. As Germanicus returned to Rome in ad 9 to receive a triumphal insignia, the 24-year-old no doubt took pride that, as a legacy of his father, the surrender and resettlement of the German tribes had set the stage for the formation of a new province in Germania Magna. Then disaster struck. That September in the Teutoburg Forest of central Germania Magna a tribal coalition ambushed and wiped out three legions and their auxiliary cohorts under provincial governor Publius Quinctilius Varus. A cornered Varus had fallen on his own sword.

Tiberius immediately set off to assume command, taking Germanicus and some recently demobilized Balkan detachments with him. Even with forced marches it took weeks to reach the virtually unmanned fortresses on the Rhine. Only two reserve legions remained to hold the line. After establishing guard details to intercept any Germans trying to cross the river and leaving Germanicus in command, Tiberius returned to Rome to consult with Augustus. On arrival he found Rome full of foreboding. A fear of barbarians gripped the city. Augustus had expelled the resident Gauls and Germans from Rome, including his own personal bodyguard, the Germani corporis custodes, and those serving with the Praetorian cohorts. Forced conscriptions had raised new units to be sent north to defend Italy. While the populace feared a Germanic invasion, none came. The frontier posts held. But the Varus disaster effectively ended Roman hopes of conquest in Germania Magna and reset the frontier along the Rhine.

But Rome did not regard the river as an impassible barrier. In ad 11 Tiberius and Germanicus crossed into Germania and overran portions of it. Their invasion was more of a demonstration than a serious attempt at reoccupation, however. Fearing another ambush and disaster, they did not venture very far, nor did they fight any battles. After making the point they could still enter the region and march about at will, the Romans went home.

After a term as consul, Germanicus was appointed governor of the Gallic provinces and what was left of Germania. The post was a complex one, centered on encouraging the economic and political development of Gaul by promoting regional capitals; supervising trade, taxation and army contracts; and ensuring the security of the mint in Colonia Copia (present-day Lyon), which struck the coins that supported markets in trade goods and paid the army. Germanicus also remained wary of the threat of invasion. To that end he commanded eight legionsrepresenting a full third of the empires legionary manpowerconsisting of I Germanica, II Augusta, V Alaudae, XIII Gemina, XIV Gemina, XVI Gallica, XX Valeria Victrix and XXI Rapax, in addition to auxiliary cohorts.

Life in the Roman legions was not easy. Beyond open battle with the enemy, it entailed long marches with heavy packs, drill, guard duty, patrols, equipment maintenance, construction of camps, fortifications, roads and bridges, and many other duties and laborsall the while subject to strict military discipline. Mutiny had occurred often enough, but several features of the mutiny with which Germanicus dealt merit special mention.



Germanicus marriage to Agrippina, a granddaughter of Augustus, facilitated his rapid climb up Romes political ladder. (National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution)

First, it was not isolated. Weeks prior the troops in Pannonia had mutinied and for many of the same reasons. They had attempted to kill their commander, Junius Blaesus, and threatened to march on Rome if their demands were not met. That crisis was dispelled through diplomacy with relatively little violence. The mutiny in Germania would see far more bloodshed. Second, the nature of the demands made were driven, in large part, by disappointed hopes and failed promises. Third, as in Pannonia, the mutiny coincided with the death of Augustus and shift of power to Tiberius, the disaffected legions believing it the moment of greatest opportunity.

The account given by historian Cassius Dio (c. 155235) of the Pannonian mutiny is succinct in its description of the mutineers grievances: Their demands were, in brief, that their term of service should be limited to 16 years, that they should be paid a denarius per day, and that they should receive their prizes then and there in the camp; and they threatened, in case they did not obtain these demands, to cause the province to revolt and then to march upon Rome. Germanicus would confront similar demands in Germania. They were neither localized nor improvised. In fact, their roots stretched back to the very beginning of the reign of Augustus.

Following his decisive victory at the 31 bc Battle of Actium and the close of the last civil war of the Roman republic, Augustus had reorganized the army, reducing the number of legions from 60 to 28 and dismissing 300,000 men from active service. Such a massive force had been expensive and inefficient, and he instituted reforms to professionalize the army and make it less menacing to the political stability of Rome.

The late republic had been plagued by the challenge of client armies, whose loyalty was to individual generals rather than to the Senate or Rome. Such armies had been wielded against rivals and to intimidate the Senate into granting their commanders political power. To combat these dangers, army salaries would now be paid directly by the emperor, ensuring loyalty to Augustus rather than to generals. Successful generals had also provided retirement grants of money and land for their veterans. That obligation was taken over by the state to further channel loyalty toward the emperor. Augustus established the right to retire with gratuity after 16 years as a ranker and a further four as a veteran. Retirees were to be paid bonuses drawn from a special treasury, aerarium militare, established to finance these payments and pension plans. In practice, however, many were forced to continue their service despite this reform, shaping the complaints of the mutinies in ad 14.

The two subcommands on the Rhine under Germanicus authority were the army of Germania Superior, commanded by Gaius Silius, and that of Germania Inferior, under A. Caecina Severus. Mutiny flared in the legions of the latter, with Legions V Alaudae and XXI Rapax taking the initiative, then bringing I Germanica and XX Valeria Victrix over to their cause. The legions under Silius remained on the sidelines, adopting a wait-and-see attitude. While Caecina stood by helplessly, his troops attacked their company commanders and dumped their broken bodies into the Rhine. On hearing of the outbreak, Germanicus marched directly to the source of the trouble.

On arrival he was met outside the camp by seemingly remorseful men. But when he entered their lines, they assailed him with complaints, some forcing his outstretched hand into their mouths to reveal toothless gums and otherwise displaying the ravages of old age. Germanicus tried to restore order by directing them to form up in their respective units and display their standards. He then spoke reverently of the memory of Augustus, the victories of Tiberius and the tranquility of the empire. These sentiments they received in silence, but when he began to speak of the mutiny, asking what had become military discipline, he was met with a roar of protest. They stripped their tunics to show their scars received in battle and by floggings administered by their own commanders. They complained of scanty pay and strenuous duty. The greatest outcry came from soldiers who had served in 30 or more campaigns. When would they be released from crushing service? Where were the legacies left them by Augustus?



Angered by the mutineers refusal to listen to reason, Germanicus draws his gladius and threatens to kill himself. (Rijksmuseum)

In a final gamble the mutineers sought to bind Germanicus to their cause by appealing to his self-interest: They would make him emperor. As in Pannonia, the legions of Germania sought to exploit the political instability that accompanied a transition of authority. According to the historian Tacitus (c. 56120), that is precisely what Tiberius most fearedthat Germanicus would prefer the possession to the expectation of the empire. But both he and the rebellious legions of the Rhine misjudged their man. Germanicus was loyal to Tiberius and would hear no more. Jumping down from the rostrum, he shouted that death was preferable to disloyalty, dramatically drew his gladius and threatened to plunge it into his own chest. The reaction was mixed. Some soldiers seized his arm to prevent the deed, while others encouraged him to strike, offering him their own sharper swords to aid him. Amid the tumult loyal officers ushered Germanicus into a tent.

What was to be done? Neither rhetorical appeal nor a show of authority had been sufficient to suppress the mutiny. It was known certain agitators were organizing a deputation to sway the army of Germania Superior, and it was rumored the rebels were planning to plunder the Gallic provinces. Further, the Germanic tribes had gotten wind of the mutiny and waited only for the legions to abandon the Rhine to launch an invasion. Yet both severity and leniency carried their attendant dangers. To use auxiliaries against the rebellious regulars would likely prompt civil war. But to give way was to surrender authority in the face of insurrection. Either amounted to a dangerous weakening of the frontier and a threat to the stability of the empire.

In haste Germanicus decided to issue a promise in Tiberius name: full discharge for those who had served in at least 20 campaigns; men who had served in 16 or more released from all duties but defense of the frontier; and the legacies to be paid and doubled when the troops had reported to their winter camps. This offer was both less and more than Augustus original policy. The troops demanded the discharges be arranged at once, and the two instigating legions, V and XXI, demanded immediate payment of all they were due. By pooling his own traveling funds with those of his staff, Germanicus managed to pay the entire sum. The legions duly withdrew to winter quarters. The immediate crisis past, Germanicus proceeded to Germania Superior. The legions stationed there took an oath of loyalty to Tiberius with relative composure. They had not demanded discharges or payments, though both were conceded.

The trouble in Germania was not over, however. Apprised of the situation, Tiberius had sent a senatorial commission to investigate the matter. Germanicus had since encamped at Ara Ubiorum with Legions I and XX, along with the men who had been discharged but not yet demobilized. Believing the purpose of the deputation was to nullify the concessions they had won, the troops again rioted. Focusing their ire on chief envoy Lucius Munatius Plancus, they would have killed the former consul had he not fled and sought refuge in a tent holding Legion Is sacrosanct eagles and standards, whose bearer shielded Plancus from further violence. Germanicus managed to extricate the delegates from danger and send them away under the protection of auxiliary cavalry, while he, though a Caesar, remained a virtual prisoner in his own camp.

A combination of spectacle, rhetoric, inducements to shame and repentance brought the mutinous legions back to the path of duty and loyalty. The spectacle involved the departure from the tumultuous camp of Germanicus pregnant wife, Agrippina, and toddler son, Gaius, whom the adoring soldiers had nicknamed Caligula (Little Boot). A granddaughter of Augustus, Agrippina was strong-willed and had scorned her husbands suggestion to flee, but Germanicus ultimately persuaded her to take their son and unborn child to safety. As they left amid a tearful entourage without an honor escort to seek refuge with foreigners, Germanicus announced that the guilt of the legions would not find increase in the murder of the great-grandson of Augustus and the daughter-in-law of Tiberius. That was almost too much for the rebels to bear, but Germanicus didnt stop there, refusing to call them either soldiers or citizens and rhetorically shaming them with allusions to violations of duty, gratitude and honor. He urged them to shake off the contagion of guilt. Their resolve broke. The rank and file begged him to punish the guilty few and forgive those led astray.



In the wake of the mutinies Germanicus campaigned across the Rhine with his legions. Among the captives displayed during the generals subsequent triumph in Rome were Arminius wife, Thusnelda, and infant son. (Pinakotheken)

A bloodbath of repentance followed, though Germanicus did not lift a hand in it. Of their own accord his men arrested the ringleaders and led them onto a platform. If the crowd shouted, Guilty! the accused was thrown down and butchered by his fellows. Germanicus did not intervene, for the crime was expiated in the carnage for which he would not bear the stigma.

But Legions V and XXI, the instigators and greatest offenders of the mutiny, took no part in the display of penance. In winter camp some 60 miles away, they remained defiant. Germanicus resolved to lead troops down the Rhine to compel their loyalty. Seeking to salvage what he could from the situation, he sent a letter to Caecina, saying he was coming in strength, and if by the time he arrived the agitators had not been punished, he would destroy them all. Caecina read the letter privately to those he could trust, and they in turn identified soldiers on whom they could rely. At a fixed hour the cohorts set upon the ringleaders. Seizing weapons, the mutineers fought back, and the blood of both the loyal and guilty soon stained the tents in camp. When Germanicus arrived, he had the bodies cremated, hoping any lingering ill will would also be consumed by the flames.

Germanicus planned one more exercise to mend the torn fidelity of the Rhine legionsthey must draw their swords in service of the emperor and turn them on the enemies of Rome. He himself would lead them across the Rhine to shed German blood. Taking 12,000 regular troops, eight cavalry divisions and 26 auxiliary cohorts divided into four columns, Germanicus had them ravage and burn the countryside for 50 miles around, destroying towns, temples and everything that drew breath. While the legions caught their first victims unawares, by the time they began their return march, neighboring tribes had mobilized and occupied the woods flanking their line of march. With the Roman column strung out, and tribesmen haunting the forested defiles, Germanicus must have feared his legions, like those of Varus, might be lost. When the tribesmen launched a determined attack against the Roman rear guard, Germanicus rode to the spot and urged the men of XX Valeria Victrix to turn their disgrace into glory. Their fiery counterattack smashed the Germans, driving them into open country. Meanwhile, the vanguard had emerged from the trees and established a fortified camp. The Germans dispersed, and the rest of the march was without incident.

A short time later the men were again settled in the winter camps. Who knows what thoughts passed through their minds as they stared into the campfires or across the river at the snow-swept forest? Did they speak of the past, or did they let those bad memories swirl away with the dark, flowing water of the Rhine? MH

A frequent contributor to Military History, Justin D. Lyons is an associate professor of history and government at Ohios Cedarville University. For further reading he recommends Germanicus: The Magnificent Life and Mysterious Death of Romes Most Popular General, by Lindsay Powell; Roman History, by Cassius Dio; The Annals of Imperial Rome, by Tacitus; and Rome at War: Caesar and His Legacy, by Kate Gilliver, Adrian Goldsworthy and Michael Whitby.
James Jordan has shared a sobering post about the difficulties of juggling a newborn with caring for his critically-ill father amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star's father Alan was admitted to hospital last week after suffering a stroke, one month after James welcomed his first child with wife Ola Jordan.

The TV personality, 41, confessed he was struggling to cope during what had been the 'most stressful time of my life'.

Struggle: James Jordan shared a sobering post about the difficulties of juggling a newborn with caring for his critically-ill father and the global coronavirus pandemic (pictured last January)

Taking to Twitter on Monday, James wrote: 'Trying to juggle a new born with wife who is still recovering, my dad in hospital and the coronavirus.

'I would like to think I'm a strong person but I'm going to admit it's the most stressful time of my life.

'I'm still thinking of all of you! We must all stay safe AND #BeKind'.

Over the weekend, James updated his concern followers about what was going on with his father.

New parents: James and his wife Ola Jordan had welcomed their first child together just one month earlier

Taking to Twitter on Monday, James wrote: 'I would like to think I'm a strong person but I'm going to admit it's the most stressful time of my life'

He wrote: 'Thank you for all your amazing messages and prayers. So much love in the world at this scary difficult time. I will be forever grateful.

'My dad is slowly getting better everyday. Now we just need to find out what is wrong with his brain.'

Last Thursday, James revealed his father had been rushed to hospital.

'Dad is doing much better': Over the weekend, James updated his concern followers about what was going on with his father

He wrote: 'Hi guys I've been in hospital since 7.30 this morning where my hero and dad was rushed in after having a stroke and seizures.

'Sitting with him now and I'm asking if you could all say a little prayer for him. I'm not ready to lose him. #LoveMyDad'.

James' wife Ola replied to the post with a number of red heart emojis.

Later in the day, James updated fans as he said their 'prayers had worked' and his father was making progress.

Devastating: The former Strictly pro took to Twitter to share his heartache, asking fans to pray for his dad (pictured with wife Ola in September)

James tweeted: 'Well that was the longest day of my life.

'Stayed with my dad until they told me I had to go which broke my heart to leave him alone Your prayers are working as he is stable now....

'I'm praying tomorrow I see a big improvement Thank you for your prayers #ILoveMyDaddy'.

Family: James updated fans on his father's progress after revealing he had been rushed into hospital

James was born in Gillingham, Kent and grew up in the Medway area. His mum Sharon worked in a bank, while his father Alan worked as a site manager for a power station.

Last month, Ola, 37, and James become parents for the first time after the former Strictly Come Dancing star gave birth to a baby girl.

The professional dancer and her husband of almost 17 years announced the happy news via Instagram.

The new mother shared a sweet snap holding her little one's hand, and gushed in the caption: 'She's here and she is perfect.'

James also took to Instagram to share a snap of their baby girl, as he held onto her feet and said: 'I'm the happiest man in the world.'

Parents: Last month, Ola, 37, and James become parents for the first time after the former Strictly Come Dancing star gave birth to a baby girl (pictured in 2020)

Sweet: The professional dancer and her husband of almost 17 years announced the happy news via Instagram

The couple, who have been together for 20 years, announced they were expecting their first child in September 2019 after a painful three-year battle with infertility.

The television personality pair underwent IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and Ola fell pregnant during their first round.

Prior to conceiving, Ola said: 'I would love to be a mum with all my heart and I just thought it would happen naturally.

Bundle of joy: The couple announced they were expecting a baby girl in December, and said their little one was 'dancing' in Ola's 12-week scan

'I guess I just thought like most women that I could choose when the time was right for me.'

James added: 'We had some tests and it looks like IVF will be our best chance of conceiving.'

The TV personalities previously admitted the stress of going through three years of trying to have a baby has made them 'stronger' than ever.

Speaking during an appearing on Loose Women in January, James said: 'My parents didn't even know it took us three years [to conceive], it made them teary. You don't want to worry them.'

Ola said: 'We used to laugh it off, but after a while, you think, 'How much can you practice?'

'People guessed [that there was an issue] it was our fault because we kept saying that we wanted to have babies, so people kept asking.'

James continued: 'We've been with each other for 20 years. We have a strong relationship. It was upsetting. I broke down in front of everyone when I was on Dancing On Ice when they brought it up.'
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  App-based food delivery services GrabFood and FoodPanda have resumed operations on Tuesday afternoon after going offline hours into the enhanced quarantine in Luzon.

On Tuesday morning, the two companies said they will suspend operations due to the quarantine restrictions, but they went back to business hours later.

Grab Philippines said it decided to resume the operations of GrabFood and its parcel delivery service GrabExpress after a careful assessment of the situation. It said the services are operating with a "skeletal delivery fleet."

"The decision was made to support the food establishments that will continue to operate and maintain continuous flow of goods to serve the essential needs of Filipinos during these trying times," it said in a statement.

LIVE UPDATES: Luzon under 'enhanced community quarantine'

Grab's ride services remain suspended in line with travel restrictions under the enhanced community quarantine.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday placed the entire island of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine. Under this, mass public transportation services were suspended, while land, air and sea travel was restricted.

The movement of people in mainland Luzon is also severely restricted in an effort to contain COVID-19 infections. All people in Luzon will only be allowed to leave their homes to access basic necessities.
The online warning system for citizens will be launched, Russian PM says

Open source

The Russian government decided to shuit down the border traffic with Belaurs in the view of the spreading Chinese coronavirus. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said so as quoted by TASS news agency.

"We'll keep on doing everything to protect our country from this new threat, acting in advance, taking comprehensive measures to avoid, first of all, the massive spread of coronavirus", he claimed.

Mishustin added that the online warning system for citizens will be launched; it will feature regular updates on the situation with coronavirus. The Premier also charged the Federal Customs Service with creating a green corridor for the first necessity goods; he also insisted on lifting restrictions for the transport of trading networks in cities.

The head of the Russian government also asked the Parliament to pass the law on supplies of receipt-free medications that are ordered online.

Russia's restriction of railroad connection with Ukraine and Moldova will take effect on March 17. Previously, the Ukrainian Cabinet also imposed similar restriction that will last from March 17 till April 3.
In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, Krishna District Collector A. Md. Imtiyaz reviewed the preparedness taken by officials at Gannavaram airport for screening.

The District Collector supervised the medical camp set up at the airport.

Speaking to media persons, Imtiyaz informed that precautionary measures have been taken at the airport to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"Medical tests are being held for the passengers coming from outside India," he said.

Imtiyaz further said that a special medical officer has been appointed at the airport and added that people of Krishna district need not panic about the spread of coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- Polycarp Igathe said he had left a part of his heart with equity Bank since he knew it had great potential to transform Africa

- He re-joined the bank just seven months after leaving it and joining Vivo Energy

-The corporate guru further thanked the bank's management for giving him another chance to resume his role

Former Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe has re-joined Equity Banks as chief commercial officer just days after resigning from Vivo Energy

Igathe will resume working at the financial giant barely seven months after quitting the same bank to join his recent employer, Vivo energy.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus in Kenya: Safaricom announces M-Pesa transactions below KSh 1,000 is free

Polycarp Igathe joined Equity Bank as the chief commercial officer. Photo: Polycarp Igathe.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Patrick Cutrone: Wolves forward tests positive for coronavirus

According to the Star, the corporate mogul said he had re-joined Equity Bank to continue what he started further stating he had left a part of his heart at the bank.

"I left a part of my heart with Equity Bank because I saw the potential it had to transform Africa," he said.

READ ALSO: Askofu David Oginde asema janga la corona ni thibitisho kuwa Mungu ni Mkuu

He said he had decided to resume his role at the bank and further thanked the management for giving him another chance.

Equity Bank Managing Director James Mwangi also welcomed the corporate guru to his company saying the bank endeavours in creating lasting relationships with the staff and customers.

"Once a member of Equity, always a member. Polycarp will champion the commercial role subject to approval by the Central Bank of Kenya," said Mwangi.

Igathe has quite a history of resigning his roles; in 2018 he quit from the position of deputy governor months after taking office citing frosty relationships between him and his boss, Governor Mike Sonko.

Polycarp Igathe (r) resigned from the position of deputy governor in January 2018. Photo: Mike Sonko.

Source: Facebook

The duo won in the August 2017 General Election with over 800,000 votes.

"Without fear, favour or ill will I step down to avoid abusing or betraying my oath of office to Kenyans, Nairobians and my family. Thank you for the encouraging support given to me so far," he said in his statement.

Vivo Energy replaced Polycarp Igathe with Omar Benson to serve as company's vice president in charge of sales and marketing in Africa.

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.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Coronavirus is not Trumps fault, as hes told us repeatedly. Its a Chinese hoax, designed it to weaken America. Later, the Democrats infected Blue states to embarrass him  and yeah, blame Europe.

Then its superflu. He disapproved of letting the cruise ship passengers disembark  it would jimmy the numbers. His response has been perfect. Never mind that experts leaving havent been replaced, that our CDC and other agencies have been shorted, that the first test was flawed. Leaving vacancies until you need them is good business.

Its the economy, stupid! Donnys eco-guru Larry Kudlow says we should look for the silver lining. Folk will stay home and spend their money here. We need another tax cut. Eight years ago we cut the FICA tax, to great applause. The plan is  GOP Social Security haters must love this!  to eliminate the worker portion of FICA deductions. This money funds my benefit checks!

Health care: One fellow was billed $1,400 for testing, and he had insurance  a fly-by-night cheapo, the GOP alternative to the ACA.

Wanna get money to folk who will spend it? Raise the minimum wage. Theyll necessarily spend it rather than parking it in their IRAs.

Thomas C. Watson, Bridge City

Watch out for Hillary

Democrats, I feel you are being set up. The majority of Americans dont want the socialism Bernie Sanders is offering. Joe Biden doesnt know where he is most of the time or what office he is running for. What is your other option? The most corrupt female who ever walked this planet, Hillary Clinton.

She is too lazy to get out and campaign. She doesnt care enough about you to earn your vote. She wants you to just hand her the nomination. She will slither in at the last minute through any crack she can find.

You owe her nothing. She will undo all the good in this country that has been done in the last three years. You dont have to like Donald Trump to appreciate all he has done to improve this country.

Millions of you have jobs because of him. You will lose those jobs with a Democrat in the White House. Your taxes will go back up, businesses will close and move back overseas because of regulations being put back on them. You will be homeless and walking without your jobs.

Of course, I could be wrong about Hillary worming her way in, but I put nothing past her.

Candy Hartzog, Beaumont

Tax cuts benefit the rich

The Trump-Republican corporate tax cut was 40%, from a 35% tax rate to 21%. Orange County Texas has about $10 billion or more in industrial property and an unknown amount of product and plastic pellets exported to China from these petrochemical plants, also two paper mills, two port facilities, a power plant, etc.

Orange County does not have a hospital. With corporate tax cuts, they cant afford luxuries. The county tried to raise new taxes on the back of the citizens for a hospital district, that failed. China built a new hospital in a few weeks for its coronavirus patients. The former Orange County hospital is empty, abandoned with no plan or hope of opening, ever.

What do we do now? What else, cut payroll taxes  thats Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and unemployment insurance. Gotta cut back on luxuries.

Hal J. Ridley Jr., Bridge City
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 02:02:13|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Monday decided to close all airports, sea ports and border crossings.

"The committee, in its first meeting today, decided shutting all airports, sea ports and border crossings, excluding flights carrying humanitarian and technical support as well as scheduled air cargo flights," Mohamed al-Faki Suleiman, a spokesman for Sudan's Sovereign Council, was quoted in the statement.

These measures are precautionary to prevent the virus infection and outbreak, he added.

On Friday, Sudan's health ministry announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. Enditem
Auckland Council held a one-on-one drop-in session at the Warkworth Town Hall to get feedback for a review on Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) and residents took their chance to air their gripes.

Council is undertaking a wide-ranging review of its seven Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs), with the aim of ensuring Aucklanders are getting value for money.

So many turned up to the March 5 meeting that facilitators had to set out chairs and organise people into groups to ensure everyone was heard.

A common theme was that CCOs did not understand the diverse needs of the Rodney District.

Many members of the crowd agreed that Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) was superfluous to the Rodney District and ought not to be paid for in local rates.

However, former Rodney mayor Penny Webster said ATEED had sent junkets to the area to promote tourism.

Rodney Local Board member Tim Holgate said Auckland Transport needed to fund local buses instead of funding them by way of a targeted rate.

Warkworths John Blackey said there was a lack of accountability among CCOs.

Talking to a CCO is like pressing a marshmallow. You push it in and then it returns to the same shape, Mr Blackey said.

Another complaint was that Panuku Development had too much sway over selling property owned by the council.

The CCO roadshow did not include any venues on the Hibiscus Coast.

The seven CCOs are Auckland Tourism Events Economic Development (ATEED), Auckland Transport (AT), Watercare, Auckland Council Investments Limited (ACIL), Auckland Council Property Limited (ACPL), Waterfront Auckland, and Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA).
Speaking alongside other senior officials, Deputy Chief Information Officer Essye Miller said the department has seen more than a 200 percent increase in access to the departments IT help desk over the past week as thousands of employees transition to remote work. Miller instructed personnel who are teleworking to avoid using streaming services such as Pandora and said YouTube would no longer be available. She also urged employees to avoid lapses in digital security, advising them, for example, to avoid using nongovernment chat platforms while the Pentagon seeks to roll out sanctioned ways for employees to communicate. The department is also seeking to acquire more devices to enable remote access to the Pentagons network.
Facebook / Town of New Fairfield Parks and Recreation

It wasnt the aroma of hot pizza that drew Jeriyah Smith, 10, and her grandmother into the empty Columbus School in Bridgeport on Monday around noontime.

Rather, it was the schools two security guards, shouting out the cafeteria door that there was a free hot lunch for the taking.

Not only pizza, but wrapped lunch meat and soy butter sandwiches, fresh fruit, milk and juice. All to go.

Bridgeport is one of several school districts providing grab-and-go meals to ensure that students who rely on free or reduced-priced meals do not go hungry during the statewide coronavirus shutdown.

State officials said Monday that a total of 89 school districts have been approved by the state to serve meals at more than 353 sites.

While Bridgeports meal program began last Friday, some school districts are launching theirs this week.

On day two of the districts shutdown, seven breakfasts and a dozen lunches were served at Columbus in Bridgeports Hollow neighborhood.

A district-wide count from the 20 city schools open for the grab-and-go meals was 60 for breakfast and 160 for lunch.

I anticipate that we will provide a healthy meal to more kids as the month goes on, Acting Schools Superintendent Michael Testani said.

For now, we cook as we need to, said Nichola Hall, assistant director for the Thomas E. Carroll Nutrition Center.

Virgina Garcia, a cafeteria worker in the district for 19 years, normally works at Beardsley School.

Today, she was the staff at what has been dubbed an Emergency Food Service Site.

On a normal day, Columbus serves more than 500 school lunches.

In Ansonia, Schools Superintendent Joseph DiBacco said by 1 p.m., 72 meals had been passed out at Ansonia Middle School. The center was to hand out meals through 6 p.m. Combined, Ansonias four schools handed out 841 lunches, according to DiBacco. By Wednesday, Ansonia will also be handing out breakfasts.

In Stratford, 87 meals were handed out at five distributition sites on Monday.

It went really well, Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick said.

Trumbull will begin serving grab-and-go breakfast and lunch on Tuesday.

This is offered to all household members aged 18 and younger, as long as one child in the household is enrolled in any Trumbull Public School, said Jonathon Budd, assistant superintendent in the district.

Families can go to the front entrance of Trumbull High school from 10 a.m. to noon to receive a lunch and breakfast for the following morning.

Meanwhile, Shelton schools are joining forces with Whitsons Food Service to keep children fed while the schools are closed.

Interim Superintendent Beth Smith alerted parents online that beginning Wednesday the district will be offering bagged breakfast and lunch free of charge for all students 18 and younger enrolled in the Shelton public schools and Holy Trinity Catholic Academy.

Smith said parents can pick up breakfast and lunch between 9 a.m. and noon in the Shelton High School bus loop.

During this time, the high schools Meadow Street gates will be closed in order to keep the flow of traffic on Meadow Street moving, said Smith. All participants may enter and exit the high school grounds via the North Constitution Boulevard entrance.

Smith asked parents to continue to check the district website and Facebook page on a regular basis for updates.

Milford Public Schools are limiting their meal pickup days to Tuesdays and Thursdays. The school district is providing three days of meals to go for enrolled students. These meals can be picked up at Jonathan Law High School from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and East Shore Middle School from 10 to 11 a.m.

In Bridgeport, the 20 sites are opened from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the morning and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch. The program is open to all district students.

Participating schools are Barnum, Batalla, Black Rock, Blackham, Bryant, Claytor, Columbus, Cross, Curiale, Hall, Hallen, Harding, Hooker, Johnson, Marin, Park City Magnet, Read, Roosevelt, Tisdale and Winthrop.

We are open tomorrow for breakfast, Garcia called out to Brisa Mendez, a Columbus sixth grader and her brother, Matthew, a third grader, as they walked away with the meals they were handed.

Staff writer Brian Gioiele contributed to this report.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
The avalanche of coronavirus infections in the current pandemic has been accompanied by a similar avalanche of information, making it hard to sift reliable news from the noise.

Among the most crucial questions is: how deadly is the SARS-CoV-2 virus?

First things first: contrary to some reports, there is no evidence the virus has evolved a new, deadlier strain since it emerged in late 2019. Of course, all viruses evolve, and SARS-CoV-2 is no exception, but reports of an aggressive new strain have now been retracted.

SARS-CoV-2 seems to be mutating (undergoing genetic changes) at a similar rate to other coronaviruses, such as the 2002 SARS virus and the virus that caused Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in 2012.

This is less than half the rate at which influenza viruses typically mutate, which itself is slow enough to allow the production of annual flu vaccines.

So how deadly is it?

This question is much more relevant, but less straightforward to answer.

Reports of the virus's lethality vary by an order of magnitude. While most people manage to recover from COVID-19, a significant proportion succumb to direct viral damage, pneumonia and sepsis.

On March 3 the World Health Organization stated the death rate was 3.4%. Other widely quoted estimates have put the figure at 3% or 5%. But other sources have estimated it at well under 1%.

Evolutionary rates for three coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. Higher values indicate viruses that accumulate mutations faster; error bar around SARS-CoV-2 indicates current uncertainty. Credit: Taiaroa et al. 2020 / Sebastian Duchene (Univ. Melbourne)

One reason for these discrepancies is that they often use two different ways to calculate the death rate.

The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is the number of deaths divided by the number of known infections. This figure can be greatly biased upwards or downwards due to sampling.

Imagine the virus infects 100 people; 70 are asymptomatic and unaware of their infection, while 30 fall sick and are diagnosed, and 1 of these 30 people dies.

In this example the true death rate is 1% (1/100), but the CFR is 3.3% (1/30).

This bias is often strongest during an outbreak's early stages, when many mild cases are missed and the number of confirmed cases is still low.

For this reason, some epidemiologists now think the initially reported death rates are severe overestimates.

There is a second measure we can use here, which corresponds more closely to most people's idea of "deadliness". The Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) is the number of deaths divided by the true number of infections (including both confirmed and undiagnosed cases). This statistic is harder to calculate, as it requires estimating the number of undetected infections.

Case Fatality Rate is the number of deaths divided by the number of known cases. Infection Fatality rate is the number of deaths divided by all infections (known cases plus unknown instances). Credit: Michael Lee (Flinders Univ. & SA Museum)

One estimate of the IFR for COVID-19 puts this figure at 1%, and some new data suggests this is credible.

As testing becomes more rigorous, the discrepancy between the two measures (CFR and IFR) gets smaller. This may be happening in South Korea, where exhaustive testing has detected many mild infections and pushed the estimated death rate down to 0.65%.

Similarly, the stricken cruise ship Diamond Princess is illuminating because the rigorous quarantine meant nearly all COVID-19 cases (even asymptomatic ones) were identified. There were 7 deaths among more than 600 infections, giving an IFR of about 1.2%. This is higher than in South Korea, but perhaps expectedly so, given that one-third of the ship's passengers were aged over 70.

Still not 'just a flu'

Even a 1% death rate is extremely disturbing. Newly released projections suggest 20-60% of Australians could contract the coronavirus, which would translate to 50,000-150,000 deaths.

Projected death rates (global, and by country) from COVID-19. Based on CFR data from March 13, 2020. Credit: worldometers.info / populationpyramid.net (Michael Lee, Flinders Univ. & SA Museum)

By comparison, an estimated 35 million Americans caught the flu last year, with 34,000 deaths: less than 0.1%. The coronavirus is much deadlier than seasonal flu, particularly for older people, and there is no vaccine.

Because the virus hits old people hardest, countries with ageing populations will be more severely affected. Based purely on demographics, the projected death rate in Italy is seven times the rate in Niger; Australia is worse than the global average. Of course, the eventual death rates will also depend on countries' health systems and containment responses.

This age-selective mortality of COVID-19 should be explicitly considered in plans to combat it. In Australia, 11% of the population are over 70 and are predicted to account for 63% of deaths. Insulating a relatively small proportion of elderly people will halve deaths and is potentially more practical than total lockdown of entire populations. We need to urgently focus on the best way to achieve this. At the time of writing, the UK is seriously discussing this strategy.

Australians over 70 are likely to account for 63% of coronavirus fatalities. Based on CFR data from March 13, 2020. Credit: worldometers.info / populationpyramid.net (Michael Lee, Flinders Univ. & SA Museum)

There is a disturbing flipside to the fatality rate being lower than initially reported: each death implies a much greater number of circulating infections. Most COVID-19 deaths occur at least two weeks after infection. So a single death today means that around 100 people were already infected two weeks ago, and that number has likely increased exponentially to several hundred by today.

The implication is stark. We cannot wait until multiple people die in a COVID-19 cluster before enforcing extreme containment measures. By then the outbreak will already be extremely large and challenging to manage.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
By Easton Sanders Mar. 16, 2020 | 06:27 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY





Following Governor Andy Beshear's State of Emergency announcement regarding his order to close restaurants and bars, aside from takeout and delivery, due to COVID-19 concerns, McCracken County Judge Executive, Craig Clymer, and City of Paducah Mayor, Brandi Harless, both declared a local State of Emergency for the city and county.







According to Clymer, the city and county are working closely together to address COVID-19, with the local state of emergency helping them take what they believe are appropriate measures.







He said, "What that does, it gives the city and county some powers to do certain things that we may need to do separate from the state."







Clymer says he has been in communication with Emergency Management Director of McCracken County, Jerome Mansfield, who is going to take the lead on notifying local restaurants and bars of Beshear's request. Clymer says he hopes local restaurants and bars will cooperate with the order, but says if they do not, they have plans in place to enforce it.







"We understand that there will be a negative economic impact for the bars and restaurants." Clymer continued, "We don't like to see that, but the welfare of the citizens certainly takes first priority."







It was also announced that the state will be providing medical supplies for each county, and will be setting up CPOD's, allowing individuals to drive up and be tested for COVID-19, and receive medical supplies.







Clymer said, "These are all preventative measures at this point, at least in our particular area, but we feel like it's necessary to take these preemptive measures rather than be sorry that we did not, and have to react to a much more serious condition."







Harless echoed Clymer's statements.







"We still have an opportunity here to be very preventative in our measures. We do know that testing will become more available over the next couple of weeks and we will start to see more people in our region become tested and we want to be prepared for that."







Harless says if you want to deliver food or supplies to someone, drop it at their door step, call and let them know, then say goodbye on your way to the car.







"We want to make sure that we don't overexpose people unnecessarily, and that we're taking this very seriously as a community."







Harless finished by encouraging everyone to call and check on family members, church members, and anyone in the community that might be vulnerable.







During the press conference, Clymer also touched on the executive order that was implemented in an effort to limit who can enter the courthouse. Under the executive order, anyone that fits within the following criteria should not enter.







1. Anyone that has visited China, Iran, South Korea, or any other high-risk countries identified by the CDC in the previous 14 days.







2. Those who have been in close contact with someone who has been in any of those countries within the previous 14 days.







3. Anyone who has traveled domestically within any state where COVID-19 has sustained widespread community transmission.







4. Anyone that has been asked to self-quarantine by a doctor, hospital, or health agency.







5. Anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.







6. Those with a fever, cough, or shortness of breath.





You can see the full executive order at the link below.



At a joint press conference Monday afternoon, local leaders declared a State of Emergency.

On the Net:
Coronavirus hits a critical year for nature and the climate

by Fermin Koop

March 17,2020 | Source: Dialogo Chino

This years packed agenda of negotiations on climate change, biodiversity and the global ocean was supposed to address the fortunes of a living world in a critical condition. But the coronavirus pandemic is forcing drastic changes to the schedule.



The Covid-19 virus, which has infected more than 170,000 people, has hit hardest China and European countries, where several key meetings for achieving new environmental commitments have already been cancelled or postponed. More are in doubt.



The consequences seriously concern activists and experts, who have warned of the critical urgency of action to protect the planet.



The coronavirus generates the same level of uncertainty as the changes brought about by the crisis in climate and biodiversity. We are entering unknown territory, said Tom Burke, co-founder of the environmental group E3G.



The UN body that oversees international climate negotiations, the UNFCC, has cancelled or postponed all meetings in March and April, both at its headquarters in Bonn, Germany, and worldwide.



African Climate Week, due to take place from 9 March in Uganda, has been called off. Patricia Espinosa, the UNFCCCs executive secretary, said in a statement that the evolution of the pandemic will be monitored and the status of upcoming events judged accordingly.



UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: Our task has been made more difficult as many summits have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. But as we work to contain it, we must use every opportunity we have to build the climate action agenda.



In June, dozens of delegates from around the world are scheduled to meet in Bonn to advance climate discussions. This now looks to be in jeopardy: the German government has called for the cancellation of all events involving more than 1,000 people.



The biggest question mark hangs over the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) on climate change, scheduled for November in Glasgow, Scotland. This summit is central to advancing the climate agenda after COP25 talks in Madrid failed.



To have a successful COP26, you have to  guide the negotiation to a good result. If all the countries are concentrating on other problems such as coronavirus, thats unlikely to be achieved, said Enrique Maurtua Konstantinidis, senior climate advisor at Argentinas Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN).



COP25 was meant to resolve key points for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including the creation of an international carbon market and getting rich countries from the Global North to help finance the poorer Global South to deal with climate change. All these key stumbling blocks are now on the Glasgow agenda.



COP26 would see signatories to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change present new commitments, known as NDCs, which are meant to raise their ambition, a critical step in curbing global emissions.



Isabel Cavelier, director of Colombian NGO Vision en Transforma said the relationship between coronavirus and climate will change over the short and longer term.



Its positive because it leads to the reduction of emissions due to less economic activity. But at the same time, it is negative because it will lead countries to prioritise indiscriminate economic growth over climate action," she said.



This year was also supposed to deliver new global targets for protecting biodiversity. In October, the city of Kunming in southwestern China is scheduled to host COP15, the 15th conference of the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the most important biodiversity conference in a decade. Any new agreement on protecting nature is due to be adopted in Kunming.



Although China has yet to decide on the fate of COP15, a preparatory meeting in February was moved to Italy before the European country went into coronavirus lockdown. Fewer delegates participated in a shortened meeting in Rome.

Theme(s): Others.
Reporters ask questions as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) walks to the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 16, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Senate Approves 77-Day Extension of FISA Courts Surveillance Powers

The Senate on March 16 agreed to a 77-day extension of a set of FBI surveillance tools under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that had expired March 15, to allow lawmakers time for further negotiations on necessary reforms to the powerful domestic eavesdropping program that saw wiretapping of individuals in the Trump campaign.

The measure, which extends and updates domestic surveillance rules under FISA, is retroactive to March 14. It must still pass the Senate and requires the signature of President Donald Trump before it can become law.

The Senate had been scheduled to hold an initial procedural vote on March 16 on a bill passed in the House of Representatives last week that would have reauthorized and reformed some of the program.

Instead, senators, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), unanimously agreed on the temporary extension to allow further consideration for amendments to the House bill.

The role of the FISA Court has become a subject of controversy.

President Donald Trumps supporters have called for FISA reforms after the Justice Departments Inspector General Michael Horowitz in December 2019 issued a report that faulted the FBI for at least 17 significant errors and omissions in applications submitted to the FISA court when it sought to wiretap Trumps former campaign adviser Carter Page as part of its investigation into alleged contacts between Trumps campaign and Russiaa narrative that has since been discounted by the Mueller report.

Trump, who has said that surveillance tools covered by the legislation were improperly used against his 2016 campaign, has demanded tighter controls on authorities allowed under the law.

Backers of the program consider it an essential tool for intelligence agencies efforts to fight terrorism.

The bill passed in the House was written with Attorney General William Barr, considered one of Trumps strongest defenders. But it failed to pass opposition in the Senate without votes on the amendments.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is expected to push for a Senate vote on a proposal to block FISA warrants from being used against Americans. Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is expected to propose an amendment that would strengthen legal protections for targets of surveillance, The Hill reported.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, on March 16 pushed for an amendment that would put an end to web browser surveillance and one that would establish independent oversight of the FISA process.

Under this agreement, the Senate will have an opportunity to debate whether the government can conduct digital tracking of Americans without a warrant, Wyden said, according to Fox News. Everyone who was concerned about the government collecting their library records, or seeing who you called, should be terrified that the government can grab your Internet browsing history without a warrant.

Barr voiced his support on March 11 for the passage of the House bill, reauthorizing the FISA.

Read More AG Barr Endorses House FISA Reauthorization Bill

It is of the utmost important that the Departments attorneys and investigators always work in a manner consistent with the highest professional standards, and this overall package will help ensure the integrity of the FISA process and protect against future abuses going forward, Barr said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
by Brad Camara | Buccaneers Correspondent | Tue, Mar 17th 6:07pm EDT

The Chargers believe they are out of the running for quarterback Tom Brady, per NFL Media Jim Trotter. (Jim Trotter on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact:

The Chargers were one of the few franchises linked to Brady, but the team believes they are out on Brady. It was reported earlier that Brady could sign with the Buccaneers as early as Wednesday, but its pure speculation at this point. Brady is weighing out his options and will look to make a decision soon. It was reported that family considerations are a huge part of Bradys decision, more than scheme or personnel.
Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Balram Bhargava said on Tuesday that India is in stage two of coronavirus outbreak.

We already know that we are in stage 2. We are not in stage 3, clearly as of now. There are four stages. Third stage is community transmission which we hope we shouldnt have. It would depend on how strongly we close our international borders, in terms of which government has taken very proactive steps. But cant say that community transmission wont happen, Bhargava said while addressing a press conference in New Delhi.

Tracking Coronavirus Outbreak: Live Updates

Among the different stages of the spread of the virus, stage two is when there is local transmission from imported cases (stage 1) to one or more close contacts.

Also Watch: Impressed with Indian govts efforts to fight coronavirus: WHO representative

Stage three is community transmission, as is happening in Iran, Korea, US and many parts of Europe, with then last stage being an epidemic, which devastated China.

All asymptomatic patients who have taken international flights in past 14 days should get tested if they develop symptoms, said Bhargava.

The virus has spread to more than 150 countries and 13 states in India, where it has shot up from three cases on February 2 to 137 on March 17.

With several instances of at-risk travellers and their contacts evading screening, refusing to stay home quarantined for two weeks, or slipping out of isolation wards across the country, the threat of community transmission of Sars-Cov-2, the viruses that causes Covid-19, is likely to happen sooner than later.

Community transmission is said to occur when Covid-19 is diagnosed in someone who has not travelled to a country with an ongoing outbreak and has not been near a confirmed case or their close contacts.

We are in the process of engaging private NABL accredited laboratories for carrying out testing of Covid-19 cases. We have 72 functional ICMR laboratories in govt sector for testing; 49 more will be active by month end, said Bhargava.

We appeal to all private laboratories to offer Covid-19 diagnosis free of cost, he added.

It is far more difficult to contain because anyone and everyone could be infected or infecting others, as is happening in Italy, Iran and South Korea, which would mean everyone with fever and cough will need to be home quarantined for Covid-19.

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[March 17, 2020] DefinedLogic is thrilled to announce a partnership with the All Stars Project of New Jersey.

RED BANK, N.J., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- An organization founded in 1981, the All Stars Project (ASP) is a national nonprofit that uses a performance-based approach to help inner-city youth and their families create success in their lives.? Focused on youth, ages 16-21, that grow up in underprivileged communities, ASP's afterschool development program gives them the opportunit to learn about the business world. By providing them with mentorship programs, networking opportunities, internships, resume-building workshops, and, most importantly, access to the resources they deserve, ASP sets its participants up for future achievement.



We had the pleasure of meeting the people behind the All Star Project Development School for Youth along with some of the graduates of their unique program. The kids are amazing and so is what's been built for them. As partners we look forward to taking on interns from the program and growing the NJ All Stars brand in our industry. We hope to make an impact on their professional development and together, make an impact in New Jersey.

We urge you to take some time to look into how the NJ All Stars program is helping redefine the lives of children. We at DefinedLogic truly believe that involvement in philanthropy will not just positively affect our community, but also make our own work better. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/definedlogic-is-thrilled-to-announce-a-partnership-with-the-all-stars-project-of-new-jersey-301025579.html SOURCE DefinedLogic

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 12:57 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b317af 1 National Malaysia,Indonesia,COVID-19,Jhor-Qudamak-Islamic-gathering,coronavirus Free

Three Indonesian citizens who participated in a mass prayer during 2020 Jhor Qudamak, a mass Islamic gathering, in Malaysia have tested positive for COVID-19.

Foreign Ministry acting spokesman Teuku Faizasyah confirmed that three individuals had taken part in the grand tabligh (religious) gathering.

All three have been hospitalized in Malaysia, Faizasyah said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

Malaysia reported 190 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, up from 12 on Friday, with the new cases said to be linked to the gathering.

Read also: COVID-19: North Sumatra traces residents who attended virus-stricken religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur

The country has traced around 5,000 of the 14,500 Malaysians who attended the event.

The Malaysian Health Ministry said it would place the event participants and their closest contacts in quarantine for 14 days.

The event was held at the Sri Petaling Jamek Mosque from Feb. 27 to March 1 and was attended by 16,000 people from various countries, Reuters reported.

The mass gathering was attended by 700 participants from Indonesia, 200 from the Philippines and 95 from Singapore, Channel News Asia reported. Singapore said it was currently tracking its citizens linked to the event.

Meanwhile, in Brunei, at least 38 of the 40 COVID-19 cases in the country have been linked to the event. (syk)
US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence meet with hotel and tourism executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House about the effect of the novel coronavirus, March 17, 2020.

Washington and Beijing escalated their war of words over the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, with China voicing "strong anger" after repeated comments by U.S. President Donald Trump referring to the pathogen as "the Chinese virus."

Trump had said via his Twitter account Tuesday morning that "Some [U.S. states] are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all."

He had earlier referred to "the Chinese Virus" in a tweet on Monday in which he promised government support to industries affected by the pandemic, including airlines.

China, which has been at pains to emphasize that the origins of the coronavirus remain unconfirmed, said it was "strongly indignant" about the phrasing of the U.S. president's tweet.

"Some politicians in the U.S. associated the coronavirus with China, and smeared China," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

"China expresses its strong anger and opposition to that. We call on the U.S. to stop finger pointing at China," Geng said, calling on Washington to "immediately stop its unjustified accusations against China."

Trump later defended his comments at a news conference.

"It did come from China, so I think it's very accurate," he said, adding that he used the expression to hit back at China's disinformation campaign blaming the U.S. military for the virus.

"China was putting out information which was false," he said.

"I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody."

'Racist and xenophobic names'

State-run news agency Xinhua weighed in, saying in a commentary that using "racist and xenophobic names to cast blame for the outbreak on other countries can only reveal politicians' irresponsibility and incompetence which will intensify virus fears."

The renewed spat came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by phone with Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi, objecting strongly to attempts by Chinese officials to "shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States."

"The Secretary stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat," Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

Trump's comments were also criticized inside the U.S. by New York city mayor Bill de Blasio.

"Our Asian-American communities -- people YOU serve -- are already suffering. They don't need you fueling more bigotry," de Blasio tweeted.

Chinese health officials initially said they had traced the newly detected coronavirus to the now-shuttered Huanan Seafood Market in the central city of Wuhan, where the epidemic first emerged in December.

But the ruling Chinese Communist Party's propaganda machine has ordered officials to start questioning the narrative that the virus came from China.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted last week that "patient zero" in the global pandemic may have come from the United States.

"It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation," Zhao wrote.

'Wuhan virus'

Pompeo has meanwhile repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as the "Wuhan virus" in spite of advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) not to stigmatize particular locations.

According to Xinhua's account of the phone call between Yang and Pompeo, Yang warned the U.S. that "any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail."

"Some US politicians have frequently slandered China and its anti-epidemic efforts and stigmatised the country, which has enraged the Chinese people," the agency quoted Yang as saying.

Beijing has launched an overseas propaganda offensive in recent weeks, questioning whether the coronavirus originated in the country.

The diplomatic and media campaign has two main aims: to play down the cover-up of the emerging coronavirus outbreak by party chiefs in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and to push forward the narrative that the virus may not have originated in China at all, according to an expose published by the Catholic French language newspaper La Croix.

Chinese ambassadors around the world have been ordered to publicly question the idea that the coronavirus originated in Wuhan, the paper said.

Chinese government censors, usually quick to delete accounts sending out information about the epidemic not previously approved by the ruling party, appear to be turning a blind eye to growing conspiracy theories that the virus originated in the United States and was covered up by the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, officials are now putting out the line that the epidemic at home is under control, and that China stands ready to lend a hand to foreign countries more recently hit by the epidemic, suggesting that less authoritarian regimes than its own may not be able to implement the same draconian lockdowns that left tens of millions of Chinese people confined to their homes for nearly two months in a bid to halt the disease's advance.

Political analysts have told RFA that the ruling party's Central Propaganda Department is behind a number of recent international statements from Chinese diplomats on the coronavirus.

Reported by Fong Tak-ho and Pan Jiaqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Sen. Bob Casey and some 30 other Democratic Senate colleagues are putting pressure on the Trump administration to provide clear information and guidance on how the nations nursing homes and their residents are being protected from the coronavirus pandemic.

Casey, a ranking member on the Special Committee on Aging, on Tuesday pressed the Coronavirus Task Force on their preparedness and response plans for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

In letters to the Trump administration, the lawmakers pressed federal officials for transparency regarding the safety of people living in nursing homes and their ability to continue to receive critical services, including delivered meals and home care.

Seniors, particularly those in nursing homes, and individuals with disabilities are at a greater risk during this pandemic, Casey said. Its essential that the Administration outline its plans to protect these Americans.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, however, for older adults and people with existing health problems, the pathogen can cause severe illness, including pneumonia, and lead to death.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located. Please note that the pins mark the exact geographic location when available. If said location is not available, it marks the center of the county.



Across the globe, the elderly demographic has exhibited the lethal mortality rate. In the U.S. the Life Care Center in outside of Seattle, has been dramatically hit by the virus. At the onset of the outbreak, the long-term care facility was home to 120 senior residents; now fewer than 50 residents remain. The rest have perished from the coronavirus.

Federal authorities have directed states to suspend nearly all nursing home inspections and oversight, including those relating to infection control and abuse and neglect.

Casey and fellow lawmakers requested information on steps that are being taken to protect nursing home residents, staff and their families.

Read more: Nursing homes tell relatives to stay away

Lawmakers also urged the Trump administration to outline its plans for ensuring that older adults who receive services in their homes and communities through their local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and other community organizations will remain safe from the virus.

Signatories of the letter to the Trump administration include: Senators Kamala Harris, Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders, Richard Blumenthal, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker and Joe Manchin.

Letters regarding nursing homes can be read here; home and community based services here; and accessible information for people with disabilities here.

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 00:57:53|Editor: mingmei

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Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2020 shows 115kV Tonpheung transformer substation in Laos. A major electricity transmission line of northern Lao grid, built by Pinggao Group Co., Ltd. under State Grid Corporation of China, has been handed over to the Lao operator, the state-run Electricite du Laos, Xinhua was informed on Monday. The project mainly includes a transmission line from Huayxay, capital of northern Bokeo province, to Tonpheung District, and a newly-built Tonpheung transformer substation and the expanded Huayxay substation. (Pinggao Group/Handout via Xinhua)

VIENTIANE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A major electricity transmission line of northern Lao grid, built by Pinggao Group Co., Ltd. under State Grid Corporation of China, has been handed over to the Lao operator, the state-run Electricite du Laos, Xinhua was informed on Monday.

The Pinggao Group representative office in Laos told Xinhua on Monday that the project, some 350 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, was handed over to the Lao side on March 13 with its first power transmission successfully concluded on the same day.

The project mainly includes a transmission line from Huayxay, capital of northern Bokeo province, to Tonpheung District, and a newly-built Tonpheung transformer substation and the expanded Huayxay substation.

The project is important for developing local economy and for expanding Laos' power exportation.

In order to ensure the steady and safe implementation of the project, Pinggao Group thoroughly planned and promoted the project execution safely and effectively.
The Dubliner gets new look to tap into Irish whiskey growth

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey is unveiling a new look to tap into a potential 8.2 million opportunity for Irish whiskey, according to majority owner Quintessential Brands.

The brand owner hopes the relaunch will help attract new Gen Z and millennial customers into the category.

The new look bottle, which will launch in Sainsburys stores nationwide this month, eschews traditional packaging in favour of a bold, contemporary design that puts the focus squarely on the brands provenance.

The brands name is also featured in large bold text across the front of the bottle, highlighting the pride the brand has in being the Irish whiskey brand to bear the name of its home city of Dublin, the company said.

Russell Kirkham, marketing director for Quintessential Brands UK, said: Irish Whiskey is one of the most dynamic categories in the UK currently, enjoying significant growth in the last year especially, but we believe theres a great deal more growth yet to be unlocked by appealing to Gen Z and millennial consumers with The Dubliners distinct Bourbon Cask finish  especially those who have bought into American whiskey in recent years.

The Dubliner offers outstanding quality and with its eye-catching new look, the Dubliner is the complete package and really stands out on shelf. We are excited to see how the new look is received by UK shoppers and while this year wont be your usual St Patricks Day, we do hope they will join us in raising a glass to Ireland. Heres hoping we are all back celebrating together next year.

The Dubliner Bourbon Cask will be on promotion in Sainsburys for 20, down from 30, from March 4 to March 24. This will be supported by in-store and online media. The new Dubliner Irish Whiskey bottle will roll out later this year to customers in all channels in the UK.

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey is part of the Dublin Liberties Distillerys portfolio of Irish whiskeys, majority owned by Quintessential Brands.

Irish whiskey expert and master distiller, Darryl McNally, leads the team at The Dublin Liberties Distillery, which opened in February 2019.

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GPs on the coronavirus frontline are being supplied with face masks that expired four years ago, it has emerged.

Boxes of masks handed out to multiple GP surgeries by NHS England are printed with an expiry date of 2016.

But in an apparent attempt to conceal the issue, stickers showing a later expiry date of 2021 have been placed on top.

GPs suggested it was an apparent attempt to 'hide' the original date and admitted they were worried about the quality of equipment being provided.

Materials in face masks that filter and trap germs can perish over time, making them less effective. The straps may also deteriorate in strength, but the mask should always be tightly fitted to the face.

The Department of Health and Social Care denied the masks are unsafe, and claimed they have been relabelled after passing 'stringent tests'.

The chilling revelation raises fears the NHS is ill-prepared for the epidemic with a lack of resources, including oxygen ventilators in hospitals.

Almost 2,000 cases of the coronavirus have already been recorded in the UK but the number of infected people is expected to spiral out of control.

GPs are being supplied with expired face masks that have concealed 'best before' stickers to fight coronavirus. Pictured, the date 2016 expiry date on this mask has been covered by one which says 2021. It is not clear how this has happened

WHERE HAVE GPS RECEIVED EXPIRED FACE MASKS? Pulse Magazine reported the following places had received expired face masks: - Berkshire - Buckinghamshire - Oxfordshire - Bath and North East Somerset - Bristol - Kent - Lincolnshire - Merseyside - South Cumbria - West Yorkshire - North-East Yorkshire - Nottinghamshire - West Midlands - County Durham - Cambridgeshire - London - Newcastle - Manchester - Hampshire - Devon - Glasgow Advertisement

A West country-based GP, who discovered the concealed best before sticker, said doctors and nurses on the front line were not being given appropriate protective equipment (PPE).

They said: 'We in primary care are worried about the poor quality of PPE (personal protective equipment) supplied to us. Face masks up to four years out of date and the flimsiest of plastic aprons.

'We don't know who coming into the surgery might have COVID-19 so it is vital that we have the right equipment to protect us so we can carry on working to help patients throughout this crisis.'

Dr Matt Mayer, chief executive of the local medical committees for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, told Pulse Magazine that practices all over the area had been reporting inadequate PPE.

'To now find that it is not just out of date, but that the expired date has apparently been deliberately concealed is staggering,' he said.

'We demand a full investigation into this matter immediately by the Department of Health and expect criminal charges to be brought if this is found to have been deliberate.'

As well as face masks, doctors on the frontline need single-use plastic aprons which can be disposed of between patients.

They should also be supplied with protective eyewear because it is possible for the coronavirus germs to enter via the eyes.

Eye and face protection is critical to protect healthcare workers from contamination whenever there is a risk of splashing or aerosols of blood or body fluids - such as from a sneeze.

GPs are using cooking aprons to see coronavirus patients because they don't have the correct protective equipment, it has been claimed. They are supposed to use disposable plastic aprons which prevent the spread of germs

Disposable plastic aprons should be worn when dealing with suspected coronavirus patients because close contact can lead to clothing becoming contaminated with germs. Single-use aprons reduce the risk of contaminating other people (stock of a correct apron)

GPs have slammed officials for not providing enough PPE kits because it puts both them and patients at risk of the killer disease.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Every piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplied to GPs in England is safe to use and will effectively protect staff if used correctly.

GPS ARE USING COOKING APRONS TO SEE ILL PATIENTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT GPs are using cooking aprons to see ill patients because they don't have the correct protective equipment, it was revealed last week. Faye Kirkland, a GP and reporter, told BBC Radio that some doctors were having to resort to cooking aprons. She said: 'I've heard of GPs... seeing patients and trying to use catering aprons to protect themselves because they haven't got the correct equipment.' Disposable plastic aprons should be worn when dealing with suspected coronavirus patients because close contact can lead to clothing being contaminated. Single-use aprons cut the risk of contaminating other people. Therefore, a standard cloth cooking apron does not offer the same protection. Without correct equipment, including face masks and protective eyewear, doctors are vulnerable themselves to catching the life-threatening infection. Dr Kirkland said personal protective equipment (PPE) was not being shared among surgeries, leaving some in desperate need. Advertisement

'NHS Supply Chain and Public Health England have worked with manufacturers and independent testing houses to formally test certain products, to see if it is possible to extend their life via accelerated age testing.

'The products that pass these stringent tests are subject to relabelling with a new shelf-life as appropriate and can continue to be used. All that are not up to standard will be destroyed.'

Last week it was revealed GPs are using cooking aprons to see ill patients because they don't have the correct protective equipment.

Faye Kirkland, a GP and reporter, told BBC Radio that some doctors were having to resort to cooking aprons.

She said: 'I've heard of GPs... seeing patients and trying to use catering aprons to protect themselves because they haven't got the correct equipment.'

Disposable plastic aprons should be worn when dealing with suspected coronavirus patients because close contact can lead to clothing being contaminated.

Single-use aprons cut the risk of contaminating other people. Therefore, a standard cloth cooking apron does not offer the same protection.

Without correct equipment, including face masks and protective eyewear, doctors are vulnerable themselves to catching the life-threatening infection.

Dr Kirkland said personal protective equipment (PPE) was not being shared among surgeries, leaving some in desperate need.

NHS England claimed it had informed all GP surgeries in England that 'hundreds' of protective kits would be sent out.

Health chiefs announced an initial stock for each practice included 400 aprons, 300 pairs of examination gloves and 300 face masks.

And larger surgeries would receive repeat deliveries to ensure they have sufficient amounts, NHS England said.
As cases jump and deaths surge, the national health system is struggling with a lack of space, resources and staff.

Names marked with an asterisk have been changed to protect identities.

Rome, Italy  As the number of coronavirus cases and deaths surge in Italy, doctors and nurses under increasing pressure are calling out for help while medical supplies run out rapidly.

On Tuesday, Italys Department of Civil Protection said the death toll had risen in the past 24 hours by 345 to 2,503, an increase of 16 percent, as cases jumped to 31,506.

Italy, the European epicentre of the infection, is the worst-affected country after China, where the virus originated and where more than 3,200 have died.

We see new patients arriving daily. Our emergency room had 30 people queueing yesterday, waiting to see if they were positive, Lucia Mondella*, a 50-year-old nurse, told Al Jazeera.

Mondella works at a small hospital near Brescia, a city in the northern Italian region of Lombardy where the virus has taken hold strongly.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, she has been doing eight or nine shifts a week.

Medical workers in protective suits take an elderly coronavirus patient on a stretcher into an ambulance in the emergency room of the Gemelli Hospital, in Rome, Italy, on March 16, 2020 [Policlinico Gemelli/Handout via Reuters]

There are currently almost 900 patients in intensive care in Lombardy, where more than 16,200 have been infected since the start of the outbreak.

I dont know how long we can hold up. If we dont receive some backup, itll be hard, Mondella said.

On March 9, Italys health minister ordered a 50 percent expansion of intensive care units nationwide, saying more beds were needed in infectious disease wards.

Lombardys capacity has grown by 70 percent  1,038 beds are now earmarked to treat COVID-19 patients.

Our hospitals have converted operating theatres [and] coronary units aimed at those who suffered strokes, and put backup ventilators to work, Giulio Gallera, health and welfare regional minister in Lombardy, told reporters.

The regional government split hospitals into two categories: one group for infected patients, the others to deal with all other emergencies.

President of Lombardy Attilio Fontana has also presented a plan to transform an entire pavilion of Milans old Expo 2015 fair into an intensive therapy ward.

If realised, the project would provide 500 more beds.

I am amazed by how we are still holding up, Mario Rossi*, a 28-year-old nurse, told Al Jazeera.

Rossi works in the emergency room at one of Milans major hospitals, dealing with infected patients who, after a long recovery in intensive care, need a tracheostomy.

In the last three weeks, I have seen my hospital keeping up by continuously adjusting its wards, but our ventilators are still not enough.

An emergency decree presented by the government on Monday allocated 3.5 billion euros ($3.9bn) towards the health system  for the expansion of intensive care wards, the acquisition of new mechanical ventilation systems and protective gear, and the recruitment of 5,000 new doctors, 15,000 nurses and medical staff, including those who are still enrolled in medical schools.

Cemetery workers and funeral agency workers in protective masks transport the coffin of a person who died from coronavirus to a burial site in Bergamo, Italy [Flavio Lo Scalzo/Reuters]

Meanwhile, officials in the regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Campania, Puglia and Sicily have issued local calls for health professionals.

As of Monday, 2,200 doctors and nurses applied to newly created positions in Lombardy and so far, about half have been considered.

All the specialising doctors at the University of Brescia are enrolling into the local hospitals, said Gallera. However, there is a significant [gap] between those who answered and those who really accepted being dispatched.

On Tuesday, he told local media: Yesterday, we had almost no free beds in intensive care. I almost started crying after I received news that 30 ventilators were dispatched here.

To face the shortage of qualified health workers, Lombardy is in the process of recruiting staff from abroad.

Cuba, China and Venezuela have provided lists of doctors who would be available to start working immediately.

Mario Rossi confirmed that his hospital has received a new team of anaesthetists.

But we were already understaffed at the beginning, and with the influx of the last four days, we still lack both workforces as well as spaces.

Carlo Palermo, general secretary of the LAnaao Assomed doctors union, said young professionals should be offered long-term work for sustainability in the National Health Service (SSN), which is understaffed even when not dealing with a crisis.

They are offering mostly freelance, single-use contracts. The regions enroll them in a highly critical situation, and then, when they are not useful, they get dumped, Palermo told Al Jazeera.

According to the union, by 2025, hospitals will lack 16,700 medical experts.

We now have roughly 15,000 specialists who are currently working on precarious contracts, Palermo said, If I were a young doctor, I would be attracted by [the prospect of] permanent employment.

But even if there are enough staff, supplies are running out  specifically protective gear and life-support machines.

The Civil Protection Department estimates that amid the coronavirus outbreak, 90 million masks are needed each month.

Italy does not produce masks, and with the pandemic spreading, some of Italys closest neighbours have been reluctant to export supplies they may need soon.

We have closed contracts for over 55 million. As of March 14, we have already distributed five million masks, but we have also realised that we never received 20 million of them, said Angelo Borrelli, the departments head, told reporters on Sunday.

At the moment, there is a complete shutdown from producers in countries such as India, Romania and Russia.

Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana said: Since the problem is not only Italian anymore, any producer tends to keep what is needed in their own country.

Unlike countries in Europe, China and Cuba, however, have stepped in to help Italy in its time of need.

With the lack of resources becoming a critical challenge, a new and sudden outbreak could still tear the health system down.

If the whole Milan had a sudden outburst of contagions like the nearby city of Bergamo, we would have already collapsed, said Rossi, the nurse in Milan.

For now, as they attempt to boost the health service, both doctors and politicians keep on repeating the mantra: Stay at home as much as you can.
Shweta Bachchan celebrated her 46th birthday on Tuesday. The writer- entrepreneur took to Instagram to thank her fans for the birthday wishes along with a family picture.

Sharing a picture from her time with daughter Navya Naveli and son Agastya, Shweta wrote, No Cabin Fever here!!! ( thank you for all the birthday love ). All three seem to be enjoying some quality family time on the occasion.

Praising Agastya for applying a filter to the picture, Abhishek Bachchan wrote, Maggies editing skills.

The actor posted a rare family picture from their childhood on Instagram to wish Shweta. He wrote, Happy Birthday Shwetdi! Have the best year. Evidence that youve been trying to be a fashionista since childhood... The dress!!! Wow!!! Love you. @shwetabachchan. The picture shows Jaya Bachchan sitting with Abhishek on her lap while Amitabh Bachchan is holding Shweta in his arms. She is dressed in a colourful frock paired with red sandals and white socks. Shweta replied to Abhishek in the comments section, Love you Numpsey.

During the day, Amitabh had also thanked his fans on her behalf. He wrote, T 3472 - To all that send their wishes for Shweta on her birthday .. my most grateful thanks and gratitude .. All is well so far .. be safe , be in precaution and care ..

T 3472 - To all that send their wishes for Shweta on her birthday .. my most grateful thanks and gratitude .. 

All is well so far .. be safe , be in precaution and care ..  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 17, 2020

Also read: Happy birthday Shweta Bachchan: Here are her best pics with dad Amitabh Bachchan, sis-in-law Aishwarya Rai

Shweta recently launched her luxury collection and had arrived in a denim jacket with Amitabhs picture on the sleeve. The veteran actor had shared several pictures from the launch even on Twitter and wrote, progeny pride .. moist eyes, ever to se achievement of kids .. love you Mama.

Shweta also launched her first book titled Paradise Towers in 2018. She is married to businessman Nikhil Nanda, son of late Ritu Nanda (daughter of veteran actor Raj Kapoor). She is often spotted joining the Bachchans for festivals and parties.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Toronto health officials announced that the coronavirus is spreading locally on Monday, pleading for everyone to stay home who can  social distancing measures that research shows can massively diminish the spread of COVID-19, if adopted early enough and if followed by nearly everyone.

The citys medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said Toronto Public Health is investigating three people who tested positive for COVID-19 and who had not recently travelled outside Canada or had close contact with someone who had. The city has 96 active cases overall.

De Villa urged dine-in restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and movie theatres to close, and asked all other businesses to help staff work from home. She told residents to limit gatherings.

If you can stay home, do, de Villa said at a City Hall news conference Monday.

I am calling on our city to rise to this challenge to reduce the spread of this virus. We know that these measures that Im recommending today work, based on the experiences of other jurisdictions.

De Villa added: I cannot overemphasize how important this is, particularly at this critical time.

Research from other coronavirus-slammed countries strongly suggests that population-wide, early adoption of widespread social distancing, including workplace closures, is necessary to avert dramatic increases in the numbers of COVID-19 patients, hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and deaths. Keeping some parts of society home and not others is insufficient.

Travel restrictions, like the ones Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented Monday, are less effective in blunting the rise of new cases. Trudeau also urged Canadians to stay home.

China, where the outbreak was first detected in December, implemented dramatic measures in late January to slow the spread of the disease. A modelling analysis of those interventions by researchers at the University of Southampton in the U.K. showed that without intense social distancing and aggressive case detection and isolation, Chinas COVID-19 case count would have been 67 times higher  more than 5 million sick people, rather than the 81,000 reported so far. Chinas travel restrictions were less effective than the combination of social distancing and aggressive detection.

Theres diminishing returns if you reduce contacts in certain parts of the population but not others, said Nick Ruktanonchai, one of the lead researchers on a pre-print study that modelled the effects of Chinas response.

Their research also showed that the timing of these interventions has a major impact. If China had waited one week later, the number of cases would have tripled to 243,000. Waiting two weeks saw cases balloon by sevenfold, to more than half a million.

If the country had implemented these measures one week earlier, its approximately 81,000 cases could have been reduced by two-thirds, to 26,700.

What we definitely, decidedly found is that earlier is better, said Ruktanonchai.

The paper, published on the medical pre-print server MedRxiv, has not been peer-reviewed, like much research on COVID-19, which is being disseminated as quickly as possible given the scale of the pandemic. More than 7,100 people have died worldwide, and some countries, like Italy, have seen hospitals in affected regions functionally collapse by a deluge of critically ill patients.

Other pre-print studies have made similar discoveries. Japans decision to voluntarily cancel events was only effective in reducing the infectiousness of COVID-19 by 35 per cent, with cases continuing to spread. On the other hand, researchers in Hong Kong found the outbreak was effectively brought under control through containment, social distancing, and people changing their behaviours.

The U.K. study supports outbreak modelling by Ontario researchers that suggests half-measures are insufficient to contain the spread of the outbreak. That research, led by scientists at the Universities of Toronto and Guelph, predicted that unless nearly all Canadians dramatically reduce social contacts, critically ill patients will overwhelm the capacity of intensive care units.

U.S. jurisdictions began imposing severe limits on the public as well. Six counties in California ordered residents not to leave their houses for three weeks except to meet essential needs. The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut ordered many non-essential businesses to close. The ability to detect and contain the illness in the U.S. remains severely hampered by a lack of testing.

It remains to be seen whether the urging of Canadas, Ontarios and Torontos medical officers of health will be enough to prompt widespread-enough social distancing, or whether the measures have come early enough in the outbreak.

De Villa said Monday more widespread closures or stricter enforcement would depend on how the situation unfolds.

The next thing that needs to happen will depend on how the disease and the outbreak evolves.
The Philippine Stock Exchange will suspend trading starting Tuesday, March 17, until further notice, following the central governments decision to imposes home quarantine measures on the entirety of Luzon.

On Monday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addressed the nation on the spread of COVID-19  the disease caused by coronavirus  and placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine until April 12.

Since the quarantine announcement, the president and CEO of the Philippine Stock Exchange, Ramon Monzon, declared that all trading activities at the exchange would be suspended starting March 17 in order to ensure the safety of employees and traders.

This is in connection with President Rodrigo Dutertes announcement placing the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine, Monzon said in a letter addressed to the investing public and trading participants.

Please be advised that there will be no trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. and no clearing and settlement at the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines starting tomorrow, March 17, 2020 until further notice to ensure the safety of employees and traders in light of the escalating cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), he said.
Owners Jae C. Kim and her daughter Jenny Kim pose for a portrait at Kim's Clothing store in the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pa. on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The store is closing after being open for 40 years. Read more

Kims Clothing in Germantown is a destination for menswear  with panache. Square-toed Stacy Adams dress shoes and studded Giorgio Brutini loafers are displayed on a silver rack, and suits, of any and every color, hang from the shops white walls.

But after 40 years of business, owner Jae Choon Kim and her daughter, Jenny Kim, are closing their doors. Since my father died, [in 2018], its been hard trying to run the business, Jenny said. I have a health condition and my mother is getting older, we cant keep the store open every day like our customers are used to.

Jae, now 82, opened their first store on 131 Chelten Ave. in 1979 with her late husband, Byung Chul Kim, after moving to the U.S. from South Korea five years earlier. Having worked in clothing retail in South Korea, Jae was familiar with how to run the business, but language barriers and building credit to secure business loans were challenges during the early years.

Its not an easy process as immigrants to come in and start a business, Jae said. America is a country where you have to have credit history, or [the banks] wont give you anything.

By 1988, Jae and her husband saved enough money to move into a bigger location, a couple of blocks down, where the store has been since: 154 W Chelten Ave. Jenny, now 55, said her mom knew their customers taste and how to sell. With Coogi-inspired sweaters, pastel-colored linen suits, closed-toe sandals, and Kangol hats, Kims has been an oasis for folks of a particular age who are looking for a little soul in their attire.

A lot of our customers have grown up with us.  Their style has changed over the years, Jenny said over a murmur of Can You Stand the Rain by New Edition.

For decades, Jenny and her mother kept the store overflowing with inventory by attending trunk shows in New York and Las Vegas, and placing orders. Mr. Kim handled back of house duties, such as organizing racks and ordering supplies. Jenny did a bit of everything.

John C. Peterson, 53, said hes shopped at Kims since he was a teenager when his mother would purchase his Easter suits because, at Kims, everything matched. And for the past five years, Peterson has worked in the store as a shop associate.

Peterson was real sad when he found out the store would soon be closing for good. [Mr. Kim] will be truly missed and the store will be truly missed, he said.

Of the many reasons Jenny believes that the business has lasted so long, a strong work ethic and deep relationships with the members of the community are among the top. Its become one big family, she said.

We have a lot of customers from Africa that buy up a lot of things, Jenny said. We also have a lot of pastors that buy suits.

Jae remembers a day in the late 80s when a man walked into the store on a winter day. He didnt have on much to protect from the cold, so Jae, at no cost, offered him a pair of shoes, socks, a jacket, and gloves. She said she never learned his name, but will never forget his face. Hes doing really well now and still buys clothes.

Jesse Speaks, 65 of Germantown, has bought all my suiting from Kims for the last 15 years, he said, attired in a mustard, double-breasted suit, punctuated with a black fedora. I like the way they treat me and they give good deals.

One time, I didnt have that much cash, Speaks said. He needed a suit for an event, "and they came through for me. The news of Kims closing shocked him, but he understands why the store has to shut down. He doesnt know where hell buy his suits now.

In the time that Kims has been open, Jae said shes only taken vacation twice, and she works six days a week  Monday through Saturday, reserving Sundays for church. Above all, shes tired. And Jenny doesnt have the bandwidth to run the store alone.

With her free time in the upcoming months, Jae plans to become more devoted to her church and spiritual practices, as well as partake in community volunteering in Montgomery County, where she lives.

The store will remain open until most of the inventory is sold, and according to Jenny, the family will donate the rest. Right now, customers can enjoy sales up to 75% off as they bid their final farewell to Kims.

Im so proud of my parents. There were days where they couldnt take off. It was very difficult, Jenny said. It was never about making a lot of money, it was about helping people out.

After news of the coronavirus closing nonessential businesses, Kims will be closed until further notice.
New Delhi: Hangman Pawan Jallad on Tuesday (March 17, 2020) reported to Tihar Jail administration, three days ahead of the scheduled date of execution of Nirbhaya rape and murder case convicts, officials said.

According to a senior prison official, Pawan reached the Tihar Jail on Tuesday. A dummy execution will take place a day prior to the execution.

On March 5, a trial court here issued fresh warrants for March 20 at 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of convicts Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case.

The jail authorities had written to the families after the issuance of the fresh death warrant. Their death sentence was deferred thrice.

Mukesh, Pawan, and Vinay have had their last face-to-face meetings with their respective families.

However, Akshay's family has not had a face-to-face meeting with him. A face-to-face meeting is facilitated so that convicts can not only interact with their families members but they can also have physical contact like hugging.

According to the Tihar Prison manual, "It would be mandatory for prison authorities to facilitate and allow a final meeting between the prisoners and his family and friends prior to the execution."

Officials said the authorities have written to the family of Akshay Kumar Singh about the date for a final meeting before the scheduled date of execution.

Akshay's wife had last met him in February. He, however, talks to his wife over the phone and said his family is likely to visit him in a day or two.

The Health check-up of the convicts is being done once in a day. They are also being counselled on a regular basis.
At Villanova, students are called to ignite change around the world, using their talents to serve the greater good. For Sabrina Verleysen 18 CLAS, her passion led her to Indonesia where she became a teacher and advocate for womens literacy.

Verleysen received a Fulbright award in 2018-19, spending her year as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Indonesia. She fully immersed herself in a religiously centered community of predominantly female students. During her time in a Muslim Madrasah, Verleysen saw an opportunity to make education more accessible to a rural and under-resourced population while also promoting cross-cultural dialogue.

I applied to the Fulbright ETA fellowship in Indonesia to gain a deeper understanding of the role of women in a conservative Muslim community, Verleysen explained. By being placed at a Muslim Madrasah with predominantly female students in rural Java, I was fully immersed in a community that is religiously centered. More than anything, I found that Islam and Catholicism are extremely similar and my experience living in my community helped me rediscover my own faith in a profound and incredible way.


Lawyers for the city of Portland urged a judge Monday to throw out claims in a lawsuit that allege police used excessive force indiscriminately against anti-fascist protesters in an August 2018 protest while protecting Patriot Prayer demonstrators.

That the city somehow condones or sympathizes with fascists is simply an outrageous claim that should be properly stricken, Deputy City Attorney Michael Jeter argued in a hearing conducted by phone before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman.

It unnecessarily impugns the character of the city and its officers. Its scandalous and has no business being in the lawsuit.

In October, three protesters who said they were assaulted by Portland police during the Aug. 4, 2018, demonstration downtown against Patriot Prayer filed a federal civil rights suit against the city and police. One of the protesters said a police flash-bang grenade struck the back of his head and penetrated his helmet and his skull.

The protesters contend that the city has a practice of using militarized force, including the firing of aerial distraction devices, against left-wing or counter-fascist protesters to punish them for their political speech while not using force against right-wing protesters, such as the Proud Boys or Patriot Prayer.

Attorney Juan Chavez, representing two of the plaintiffs, Aaron Anthony Cantu and Tracy Molina, said police used force against counter-protesters with little provocation.

Cantu said he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a flash-bang grenade when police fired into a passive crowd.

Molina was holding a sign that read, Hey Racists Stop Making Your Ignorance Our Problem Grow Up or Go Home and was trying to get on the sidewalk near Southwest Columbia and First Avenue when police were trying to disperse the counter-protesters, according to the suit.

Co-plaintiff James Mattox says police fired a rubber-tipped projectile as he was moving away from officers, waving his anarchist shield, flipping off the officers and shouting profanities, the suit says.

He was hit first in his upper thigh, picked up the projectile, held it in the air and shouted, Look you missed! according to the suit. He was then shot again, in the right arm, the suit says.

Jeter said the plaintiffs claims are too broad, unclear, lack specific facts and should be thrown out or they should be ordered to file an amended complaint.

The suit alleges that conservative leader Joey Gibson of Patriot Prayer exploited the protests and that the city had a history of coordinating with Gibson and his right-wing supporters to organize Portland Police Bureau for security at Patriot Prayers events.

Attorney James Buchal, who represents Gibson in a separate civil case in Multnomah County Circuit Court, urged the court on behalf of the National Police Association to allow the Delaware-based, nonprofit group that supports law enforcement to file a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Portland police.

NPA believes that its briefing will benefit the Court by providing a broader perspective concerning the critical issues relating to police use of force during public unrest, Buchal wrote.

The NPA considers this case to be of special significance in that the use of less than lethal force is a crucial but often misunderstood tool used by police departments to combat dangerous public disorder, wrote Ed Hutchison, president of the National Police Association, in a signed declaration filed in court. The NPA advocates the use of force by police when public safety is jeopardized by anti-police organizations such as Antifa and their sympathizers.

But attorneys from both sides of the case said the National Police Associations involvement isnt needed or warranted.

We objected to them joining this case as an amicus, said Deputy City Attorney Robert T. Yamachika. Someone is offering the city help, but were probably good without it.

Buchal is representing Gibson in a civil case in state court filed by Abram Goldman-Armstrong, owner of Cider Riot, who has accused Gibson and others of vandalizing or conspiring to vandalize the cidery, intentionally interfering with its ability to make money and sparking a May 1 melee outside the bar.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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Travelers from France go through special screening at Incheon International Airport, Monday. / Yonhap



By Kim Se-jeong



Korea is expanding its special screening at airports and ports to all overseas travelers starting from Thursday, in an effort to contain COVID-19 which is spreading in Korea and around the world, the government said Tuesday.



Currently, travelers, both Koreans and non-Koreans, arriving from China, Japan and all European countries are subject to special screening at entry points.



"Given that the new coronavirus pandemic is spreading all over the world and that more people coming from abroad show symptoms or are infected, Korea will expand a special screening procedure to all entrants," Kim Gang-lip, the vice health minister, said during a press conference held in Sejong, Tuesday.



Kim said six recent coronavirus cases involved people with records of traveling abroad. "We feel an increasing need for stricter border control."



According to the government, as of March 15, a total of 44 coronavirus patients had a record of traveling outside  16 visiting Europe, 14 China and 14 other Asian countries.



"A country like Peru completely sealed the country up which we consider too drastic for Korea. The best option for us would be screening all who arrive in Korea," Kim said.



The special screening consists of checking people's body temperature and filling out a personal health survey before leaving the airport or port. Also, people must share their local contact information  phone number and address  and download a smartphone application through which users have to report their daily health condition to the quarantine authorities.



The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Tuesday Korea reported 84 new cases of COVID-19 infection on Monday, putting the total number of cases at 8,320 with 81 fatalities.



Among the new cases was a 62-year-old woman from Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, who visited her son in the U.S. last month. She returned home on March 2 and symptoms didn't appear until Sunday, the KCDC said.



In Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday, Governor Lee Jae-myeong banned all in-person church gatherings, following an outbreak out in a non-denominational church located in Seongnam in the same province involving 50 people.



"The local government allowed the church gatherings because churches promised to implement personal hygiene rules strictly on their members. But, it failed to do so, and they are also subject to the ban," the governor wrote on his Facebook account.



The River of Grace Church reported 50 confirmed cases, up three from the previous count, including the church's pastor and his wife. The figure includes members' acquaintances and families.



The church members testified to having salt water sprayed on them when they arrived at the church for the service on March 1 and 8 as a preventive measure, indicating a challenge in disseminating accurate information on the virus to the general public.



Small cluster infections have led the coronavirus outbreak in Korea. The authorities said more than 80 percent of new coronavirus infections reported in Korea occurred through small group infections.



Earlier last week, Seoul saw a case where a large number of an insurance company's call center employees were infected.


Older people have enjoyed dedicated shopping sessions at some supermarkets.

Pensioners were able to shop at Iceland and Lidl stores before general admittance to the public.

The moves come amid reports of panic buying leaving shelves empty of essentials such as toilet rolls amid concern over the impact of Covid-19.

At the Kennedy Centre in west Belfast, the local Iceland store opened its doors only for older people at 8am.

Kennedy Centre manager John Jones said it had been a chink of light in difficult times.

It went very, very well, people were very respectful of it, there were no issues with people trying to get into the store that didnt need it. It was a superb morning and it is going to continue on for the foreseeable future, he said.

Its a tough experience (coronavirus), it is unprecedented and for us were taking a chink of light in the bit of darkness that there is at the moment.

Older shoppers enter the branch of Iceland in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast, for an early dedicated shopping session (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Jones said the staff at the store came up with the idea themselves and it quickly went viral.

Its an initiative that the staff on the floor and the manager of that particular Iceland came up with themselves, he said.

I was asked by one of the Iceland workers would I mind putting a post up on our Facebook and our Twitter, and it went viral on Sunday evening.

He added that a number of other stores at the Kennedy Centre were considering similar initiatives.

Iceland Ireland is opening 27 stores between 8am and 9am to customers who are over 65.

We know that many of you are worried about the impact of Covid-19, particularly for vulnerable people and the elderly.



We wanted to let you know about the action we have taken. pic.twitter.com/ttvguHPF98  Iceland Foods  (@IcelandFoods) March 16, 2020

It added: The supermarket retailer will continue to operate as normal as possible over the coming days and weeks while following government guidelines, and ask their other customers where possible to respect this hour and help to give time to this customer group so they can shop in comfort and safety.

Lidl stores in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also offered dedicated shopping sessions for the elderly.

Starting on Tuesday, they will run from 9am to 11am every day and include prioritised queuing and additional assistance.

A Lidl statement said: The retailer asks that the public respect this time period to allow more vulnerable customers to pick up the food and supplies they need.

Managing director for Ireland and Northern Ireland JP Scally said: Were confident in our robust and agile supply chain, and all of our stores are continuing to receive daily deliveries as planned.

Shoppers waiting at the Iceland store in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast, to open early for a dedicated shopping session for older people (Liam McBurney/PA)

However, we have seen stronger customer numbers in recent days and as members of the public its our responsibility to look after the more vulnerable in society in these challenging times.

Meanwhile, Tesco Ireland is to offer over 65s and family carers a dedicated shopping time at its 151 stores in the Irish Republic.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting from Wednesday March 18, these customers will have dedicated access to all Tesco stores up to 9am. Tesco stores open at 7am or 8am, every morning, depending on location.

Kari Daniels, chief executive, Tesco Ireland, said: While these customers can obviously shop with us at any time, we hope that offering this dedicated time will give these customers some peace of mind during their shopping trip with us.
Pipeline

17 March 2020

The 246-key LQ by Wyndham Greenlane Auckland, located on the Great South Road in the city's Ellerslie district, will be conveniently located between Auckland Airport and Auckland CBD, appealing to both leisure and corporate travellers alike. Guests will be a short drive from leading attractions such as Ellerslie Racecourse, Mt Smart Stadium, and a range of high end shopping precincts. This hotel is scheduled to welcome guests in mid-2022.

LQ by Wyndham Greenlane Auckland will feature a mix of accommodation for short and extended stays, and facilities including fitness centres and "grab & go" cafes.
The late Leroy Phillips was co-author with investigative reporter Mark Curriden of the award-winning novel, Contempt of Court, written about the 1906 hanging of Ed Johnson on the Walnut Street Bridge. He was also recognized as one of the finest criminal defense lawyers in the Hamilton County area during his career.

A liberal Democrat he ran unsuccessfully against General Sessions Judge Russell Hinson for the new position of Criminal Court, Division III in 1974. He was viciously attacked by the editorial staff of the Chattanooga News-Free Press because of his membership in the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and his stance on the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and the opening of the Young Jaycees meeting with prayer.

After an overwhelming defeat, his law partner, the late Crawford Bean, is rumored to have said sarcastically in a humorous manner. Look at your loss in a positive way, Leroy. You got more votes than any other Communist has ever received in Hamilton County!

It has not been mentioned that Leroy was one of the defense counsel who represented one of the Ku Klux Klan members who shot five African American women on 9th Street (Martin Luther King Blvd.) that has recently been mentioned and publicized prominently. Does this mean that Leroy Phillips was a Klan supporter or advocate in support of their violent segregationist beliefs? Of Course not! He was exercising his willingness and belief in support of the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitutions provision that provided for the right of effective assistance of counsel for the accused of criminal offenses.

Rarely do attorneys representing serial killers, sex offenders, child abusers and other individuals in our criminal justice system share anything in common with those they represent. The public, unfortunately, often do not believe that lawyers take such cases for the firm belief in the Sixth Amendment because of media reporting or possibly some relationship with victims in a case.

Whether Leroy Phillips would have been a good judge is lost to history. However, his high adherence to the principle that all individuals are entitled to have qualified legal counsel is not!

* * *

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
Theres a fiscal lesson to be taken from those community-minded grocery store managers who are setting aside sanitized shopping carts just for the elderly.

Even as panicky customers were lining up all weekend for supplies, those stores decided to prioritize the vulnerable, the people who are the most at risk of being whacked hard by the coronavirus.

As Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau rush to put together a massive rescue package to help Canadians through the coming months, they should adopt the same priority as the grocers: target the most vulnerable first.

Its almost impossible to figure out what the entire aid package should look like.

On the economic front, we know its really, really bad but no one has any idea how exactly how bad it will be or for how long. There is no predictable bottom to this.

Just a month ago, economists were looking at some mediocre growth in the Canadian economy this year. Last week, they tossed those forecasts and began projecting a mild recession for Canada as countries around the world reeled under pressure from measures to slow the virus. And this week, theyre shredding them again, looking at such deep contractions in the next few months that they want to invent a new word to describe what were seeing.

We need a new economic vocabulary that goes beyond the R word to (appropriately) capture depth, duration and breadth, says Beata Caranci, chief economist at TD Bank.

The downturn will be sharp, and its duration dependent on the spread of the virus.

At CIBC, chief economist Avery Shenfeld sees the economy shrinking at a three per cent pace this spring, but he readily admits to making that number up.

Theres too many pieces of the economy that are actually being shut down, he says. The second quarter is going to be a deep negative.

There is no way to quantify exactly what is happening, and even defining the worst-case scenario is proving difficult. Entire sectors of the economy are paralyzed  hospitality, travel, airlines, retail. And those that are still functioning are getting side-swiped, especially oil and gas. Recovery will come, economists say, but its hard to imagine what it will look like.

But its easy to figure out who will be in need of help most urgently  lots of it, and right away.

Part-timers, temporary workers, the self-employed, the working poor  they are in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods. The cooks and cleaners and cafeteria workers, the musicians and entertainers, the cashiers  the people who are often on the front lines of service industries that suddenly have no customers.

The federal government will need to deliver money to those workers quickly so that they arent forced to compromise their personal health by staying at work, says the Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Yussuff is one of many experts urging Morneau to use existing programs to funnel money directly into the hands of the precariously employed and those not covered by Employment Insurance benefits.

Topping up the Canada Child Benefit or bolstering GST rebates could work, as would writing cheques for a range of workers so they can pay the rent.

The government also needs to make sure their employers survive, says Shenfeld. When the pandemic recedes, a rebound will be so much harder if small businesses have shut their doors permanently. A smart stimulus package will target them as well, he says.

When Morneau and Trudeau roll out their stimulus package, the markets and the public will be focused on the big number  how much the package is estimated to be worth overall. And theres no doubt, it will be larger than life.

But more important than the amount is the design  getting the money quickly to those who need it most. The innovative grocery stores are showing the way.
What a difference a few months can make.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang gained national attention primarily as a result of his proposal to give all American citizens over the age of 18 a $1,000 universal basic income payment, what he called the "Freedom Dividend."

Although Yang dropped out of the race for the White House in early February, his idea is picking up steam thanks to coronavirus.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a surge in interest and sense of urgency for the idea of distributing some sort of UBI payment to Americans who have lost income as a result of the coronavirus.

"You're going to have many, many Americans have their income reduced or wiped out in the days to come," Yang told Rolling Stone on Monday. "We already had record levels of financial precariousness before the crisis: Almost half of Americans said they couldn't afford an unexpected $400 bill, and 78% are living paycheck to paycheck. So what do you do?"

You give them cash, according to a growing chorus of lawmakers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in politicians from opposite sides of the aisle  Democratic U.S. Representative for New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Senator from Utah, Mitt Romney, for example  coming to the same idea: Cash is going to be essential in helping Americans through this time.

The idea of giving cash to Americans has received support from the Trump administration too, though it is not clear what form the payment would take.

"Americans need cash now," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said during a White House press briefing on the administration's latest efforts on Tuesday. "I mean now in the next two weeks," he clarified.

"The president has instructed me that we have to do this now," Mnuchin said Tuesday, according to CNBC.

The White House has given the public few details so far, but Mnuchin said the money would go to those who need it most.

"We don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks," Mnuchin said.

On Monday, Romney laid out a series of proposals he would be advocating for as the Senate considers Congressional action to respond to the coronavirus. One of those proposals was to "immediately" send all American adults over the age of one-time check of $1,000 cash payment.

"The check will help fill the gaps for Americans that may not quickly navigate different government options," the written statement from Romney's office said.

TWEET

Americans are facing a "liquidity shock" Ocasio-Cortez said, meaning they face shortage of cash they can access. While some are able to work from home, many Americans are not able to complete their job remotely. For example, in New York City, Mayor Bill DeBlasio has banned people from going to bars and eating in restaurants, putting service industry workers who depend on tips out of work.

"Whether it's UBI, mortgage/rent/loan suspensions, or other means, if we do not act quickly many people will go hungry, be driven out of their homes, or confront other extreme harms," Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter on Monday.

TWEET

She added a dose of caution, too. "These proposals should be handled with care and consideration, particularly with respect to macroeconomic effects. But they should be considered nevertheless," Ocasio-Cortex said on Twitter on Monday.

Thursday, the U.S. Representative for Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard announced that she introduced a bill, H.Res.897, to provide an emergency non-taxable Universal Basic Payment of $1,000 per month to all adult Americans "until COVID-19 no longer presents a public health emergency," she said in a statement announcing the proposal.

TWEET

"We must act swiftly to provide a temporary universal basic payment of $1,000 per month to every American adult to help them weather the storm created by this crisis. Taking care of all Americans will stimulate our economy during this downturn," Gabbard said in a written statement.

Ultimately, all of these proposals will need to be adopted by both houses before they can be turned into law. Currently, the Senate is still in discussions.

"We are continuing urgent talks on further legislation," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday.

The House passed an update to its original coronavirus relief bill which includes some amount of paid sick leave coverage, access to coronavirus testing and increased access to food assistance programs.

McConnell indicated the Senate would push back against what the House has put forth, however. "Senate Republicans are convinced that the House's non-comprehensive bill can only be the beginning of our efforts to support our health system, assist individual Americans and families, and stabilize the U.S. economy," McConnell said Tuesday.

See also:

Why wealth inequality is driving Democrats in the 2020 election

Bernie Sanders: 'If you're a multimillionaire ... you're going to get through' the coronavirus pandemic

Andrew Yang, AOC, Harvard professor: Free cash payments would help during coronavirus pandemic
(Reuters) - Chinas JD.com Inc (JD.O) said on Tuesday it would buy back up to $2 billion of its shares, after the e-commerce company estimated a growth in sales in the current quarter that has been ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak.

JD said it expects to fund the buyback, to take place over the next 24 months, with existing cash.

Last week, SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) said it was repurchasing up to $4.8 billion of its shares after their recent slump.

Shares of JD were up nearly 6% in premarket trading.

The companys announcement comes at a time when the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused economic damage and disrupted supply chains.

Despite the virus outbreak, JD.com, earlier this month, forecast revenue to rise by at least 10% in the first quarter as consumers stuck at home turned online for most of their shopping needs.

JD had earlier announced buybacks of $1 billion each in 2015 and 2018, respectively.
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 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.

___

Associated Press Writers Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Cannabis Alabama Mississippi Kentucky Drugs
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 13:42 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b36cee 1 National mudik,exodus,Idul-Fitri,COVID-19,scientists,Indonesian-Young-Scientist-Forum,Bogor-Agricultural-University Free

A member of Indonesian Young Scientists Forum (IYSF) has lauded President Joko Jokowi Wibowo for imposing a social distancing policy to stem the spread of COVID-19, but has urged the government to take a stricter stance by canceling mudik (exodus) this year.

Mudik is the annual exodus that occurs during the Ramadan-Idul Fitri holiday season, when people head to their hometowns across the country to celebrate Idul Fitri with their families. At least 1.2 million cars left Jakarta for mudik 2019, headed primarily to provinces on Java and Sumatra.

IYSF member Berry Juliandi from IPB University said that the social distancing policy showed the governments openness to suggestions from scientists.

The policy implements distance learning for all schools and universities, restricts public gatherings and advises everyone to stay at home and avoid all but urgent travel as the government increased its prevention measures against the outbreak in Indonesia, which is home to about 270 million people. .

One thing left off the discussion table, however, was whether or not to scrap mudik, Berry noted.

"We are talking about halting the tradition of mudik this year," he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Berry, said that mudik would increase the risk of a nationwide outbreak, considering that homebound travelers could potentially carry the virus across provincial borders and the country's many islands.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the country has 17,508 islands "of which about 6,000 are inhabited".

As regards congregational prayers during Ramadan and Idul Fitri, Berry said that the IYSF recommended the government to take up the matter with Islamic leaders.

"Even if there are no lockdowns in the near future, we are calling for a halt to the mudik tradition this year," he stressed.

People will find it difficult to minimize direct contact during the mass seasonal travel, while mudik will pose an unprecedented challenge for the government to keep track of the mobility of its 270 million citizens, never mind detecting COVID-19 cases or tracing their transmission routes. (trn)
A mad dash for emergency visas and flights was witnessed on Tuesday as Indians in the UK began racing against time before the 1200 GMT deadline for India's from Britain and Europe kicks in on Wednesday, as part of measures to tackle the pandemic.

India on Monday banned the entry of passengers from Europe, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31 to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

The in London was inundated with calls and messages on social media from Indians seeking clarifications on the latest travel advisory and also support for emergency visas.

If you are travelling before the deadline of 1200hrs GMT on 18th March there should not be any problem, the said in response to a flurry of queries on social media.

The cut-off date and time is for the port of departure, it clarified.

People caught up in the chaos range from Indian nationals on tourist as well as student visas set to expire within days or weeks, those on student visas just keen to be back home with loved ones and also those desperate to travel due to a family emergency.

The Chinese students I spoke to said that the Chinese Embassy spoke to the UK immigration for them to get their student visas extended. Can't the do the same, questioned one student on Twitter.

Can you please help us students stuck here in London? Some of us are STILL healthy and we don't want to contract this disease which is an inevitability if we are left here, added another.

The National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU-UK), a representative body for Indian students in the UK, is working with the authorities to try and calm some of the unrest within the student community and called on them not to panic.

There is significant unrest amongst Indian students since the last few weeks. There have been a range of queries mostly centred around wanting to travel back to India and concerns about the impact on their studies and being able to travel back to the UK.

One student also contacted us having developed some potential symptoms, NISAU UK chair Sanam Arora said.

The Indian High Commission has set out procedures for emergency visas, which include necessary supporting documents such as a certificate from a doctor or hospital to be submitted along with the application.

However, with airlines not allowed to board passengers to India from Wednesday until March 31, hundreds of Indian passport holders as well as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) face remaining in lockdown in the UK, which has reported 55 deaths from COVID-19.

The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its travel advisory for India to advise against all but essential travel to India.

The advisory notes: The government of India has announced that passengers from the UK (and the EU and Turkey) will be prohibited from entering India.

Airlines will not permit passengers from those countries to board planes from 1200 GMT on 18 March 2020. The restrictions are due to be in place until at least 31 March 2020. This does not affect British nationals already in India who should follow the advice of local authorities.

It was followed by UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announcing in the House of Commons on Tuesday that all Britons are now being advised against all non-essential travel for an initial period of 30 days.

The UK Home Office has, meanwhile, eased rules around campus absences of students on Tier 4 visas and called on universities and employers to consider exceptional circumstances for those on other types work visas.

Its guidance notes: Some Tier 4 students or Tier 2/5 employees may be prevented from attending their studies or employment due to illness, the need to serve a period of quarantine or the inability to travel due to travel restrictions caused by

Sponsors do not need to report student or employee absences related to coronavirus which they have authorised.

The Home Office said it recognises the current situation is exceptional and will not take any compliance action against students or employees who are unable to attend their studies or work due to the coronavirus outbreak, or against sponsors which authorise absences and continue to sponsor students or employees despite absences for this reason.
michael barbaro

I am now disinfecting this microphone for the governor. And the windscreen. Because thats how we roll these days.

lynsea garrison

Yep.

michael barbaro

I travel everywhere now with Lysol wipes.

lynsea garrison

Yeah. Do you want to disinfect this? Since you maybe, depending on our sitting arrangement, might be holding that.

michael barbaro

Yep.

lynsea garrison

OK.

michael barbaro

OK, lets go.

speaker

Were just going to hold on one second.

michael barbaro

Oh, were going to hold 

lynsea garrison

Oh, sure.

andrew cuomo

Look at you!

michael barbaro

How are you?

speaker

Hey, Michael!

andrew cuomo

Ageless.

michael barbaro

Are we allowed to shake hands?

lisa tobin

No.

andrew cuomo

Oh, youre right, youre right, youre right.

speaker

Absolutely not allowed.

michael barbaro

Ritual is very hard. Governor, this is Lynsea Garrison, Lisa Tobin, Governor Cuomo.

andrew cuomo

[LAUGHS]

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[music]

archived recording 1 Tonight, a scramble to contain the spread of the coronavirus in New York. In New York City tonight, about 1,000 people are now under self-quarantine. archived recording 2 Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency this weekend to help fund the medical response to the outbreak.

michael barbaro

As one of the earliest states with confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and with the most confirmed cases so far, New York State has begun to aggressively move to control its spread.

archived recording Governor Cuomo signing an executive order closing all schools statewide for the next two weeks. Now this means 

michael barbaro

Taking a series of increasingly drastic steps over the past few days.

archived recording 1 In New York, Governor Cuomo is advising nonessential businesses to close each night at 8 p.m. archived recording 2 Mayor de Blasio warned New York City residents to be prepared for a possible shelter-in-place order in the next 48 hours. Governor Cuomo shifts his emphasis to the health care system 

michael barbaro

Today: A conversation with Governor Andrew Cuomo. Its Wednesday, March 18. So I want to thank you for letting us 

andrew cuomo

Im just examining 

michael barbaro

Examining the microphone? Thats a windscreen. Itll keep your 

andrew cuomo

Keep the wind down.

michael barbaro

The wind down.

andrew cuomo

Because its windy.

michael barbaro

So Governor, I want to thank you for letting us in in the middle of an extraordinary crisis, and tell you how much we appreciate it. I want to start this conversation by asking you where New York is in this pandemic? Its Tuesday afternoon, around 3 oclock. How many New Yorkers do we understand have the coronavirus at this point?

andrew cuomo

We have, right now, over 1,000 cases. Its a little misleading, because were talking about these tests as if its taking a random sample, right? But its not. The test results are purely symbolic of how many tests youre taking. We are now taking more tests than most states, and were finding more positives, which would make sense, also. Because we are the dense state, and this is a function of density at the end of the day. Youre getting on a subway train, youre getting on a bus, youre in a crowded restaurant, youre in a crowded office space. And this transfers in the crowds. So that it would be here first is not surprising. That it would communicate most easily here is not surprising. And that we would have the sophisticated health system that would detect it here first is not surprising.

michael barbaro

So if these are the front lines of this epidemic, and Ive heard you describe this as a kind of war that were in right now, what stage of the war are we at in a place like New York?

andrew cuomo

We are seeing the enemy on the horizon, and they are approaching very quickly, and we dont have our defenses in place.

michael barbaro

We dont.

andrew cuomo

We dont. Testing was the first level of defense, right? The testing was slow nationwide. Were now ramping up in this state because the federal government, I think, made a wise decision. We were the first to ask for it. I asked the president for it directly. Basically said, decentralize the testing, leave it to the states. We have 200 laboratories in this state. I said, decentralize it, let the states do it.

michael barbaro

But you werent allowed at first.

andrew cuomo

Right. The federal government was controlling it, and you were running all the national tests through the C.D.C., which was then sending them to Atlanta. So were now ramping up on testing, thats why our numbers are high. But testing is no longer going to keep the genie in the bottle, right? The genie is out of the bottle now. Where this all comes down to is, when they talk about flattening the curve, flattening the curve, theyre trying to slow the advance of the enemy until we can get enough of our defenses in place. What are the defenses? A health care system that can handle the injured, to torture the metaphor. And were not there. If you look at the speed, the increase in the rate, the spike in the increase of the number of cases, were looking at a possibility of an apex being about 45 days away.

michael barbaro

The peak of this pandemic here?

andrew cuomo

The peak. Thats one projection  45 days. Needing 110,000 hospital beds. In this state, you have 50,000 hospital beds. Needing 37,000 intensive care unit beds, and having 3,000 I.C.U. beds.

michael barbaro

Needing 37,000, having three.

andrew cuomo

Yes.

michael barbaro

Thats a pretty extraordinary gap.

andrew cuomo

Yes. Because the injured here are going to be predominantly senior citizens, compromised immune systems, underlying illness. And those people need I.C.U.s. When they come into the hospital, they dont need a normal bed and moderate health care. They need an I.C.U.

michael barbaro

So I want to talk about your leadership in this war, to similarly torture the metaphor. The work youve done in the last few days to flatten the curve. Because youve made some extraordinary decisions in the past 72 hours or so. Efforts to essentially start shutting down systematically elements of our life here in New York. So help me understand the information that youve been receiving, the calculations that youve been weighing, and the very real trade-offs that you understood would have to be made.

andrew cuomo

Im watching the increase in cases. And you take one measure, and you see what the effect was. You take another measure, and you see what the effect was. And nothing was having an effect. Nothing we were doing.

michael barbaro

What steps did you take that were not effective?

andrew cuomo

The testing was supposed to be step one. That was supposed to slow the spread. That didnt work. OK, the enemy keeps coming. You start moderate social distancing. Businesses, voluntary basis, work from home. That didnt make any difference. The numbers have kept going up regardless of everything we did. When you keep seeing those numbers increase, your efforts have to become more and more dramatic. Yesterday, we went to the point of closing bars, restaurants, gyms and schools, with the precaution of providing child care for essential workers, especially nurses, health care workers. The next level of efforts to control density, control the spread, would be to start closing  mandatory closing  of businesses.

michael barbaro

Let me focus in on that decision. Bars, restaurants. Because that is billions of dollars in lost revenue. Its tens of thousands of people out of work. On my way here, I got a text from a friend who said he had just laid off 90 employees. And he was crying the whole time he had to do it. So lets talk about how you made that decision because of the impact that that is immediately going to have  its a huge part of the economy in the state. And so how did you get to that decision?

andrew cuomo

Michael, you are past the point of monetizing these decisions.

michael barbaro

What do you mean?

andrew cuomo

You are at a point of deciding how many people are going to live, how many people are going to die? Thats where you are. Closing restaurants reduces the spread of the disease. The disease transfers very quickly, not just in the cough and the droplets, et cetera. There are some studies that say that disease can live  the virus can live up to two or three days on a surface.

michael barbaro

Like a table at a restaurant.

andrew cuomo

Just think about that. Like a table in a restaurant, like a sink, like a handrail, in a bus. Two or three days. Its why this virus is so vicious. And we know the trajectory right now overwhelms the hospital system. Three or four-fold. Its not even close. People will die because they cant get the health care service they need.

michael barbaro

So youre reducing the number of people who die because they cant get into a hospital bed, for every restaurant you close and every transmission you prevent in closing that restaurant.

andrew cuomo

Yes.

michael barbaro

Thats the thing. Its just pure numbers.

andrew cuomo

Yes. And its not even just New York. The whole nation is past the point of, lets try to save money, right? You look at the Dow Jones market, you look at all the businesses that are closing. This is now a national phenomenon that this economy is going to be very badly hurt. The recovery of this economy is going to be an economic feat never seen before. Youre going to have to go back to the Great Depression to come up with a revival plan for the economy like were seeing now. Youre going to see mortgage foreclosures, youre going to see bankruptcies, youre going to see massive unemployment claims all across the board.

michael barbaro

I dont see you sugarcoating this at all.

andrew cuomo

No. This is going to be  our state finances are decimated, right? How does the state work? A state is just a percentage of every other business.

michael barbaro

Right.

andrew cuomo

Those businesses are all closed. Or their revenues have been cut by 50, 60, 70 percent. But I think the good thing, as a nation, is we said, so what? So what? What value on a human life? If I can save here 5,000 lives, 10,000 lives, I dont care what it costs, Michael. Thats what Im going to do.

michael barbaro

I wonder what you want to say to somebody who has just lost their job, because there are now a lot of them, who may not be able to pay their rent, who may not be able to pay their mortgage, who may lose their housing, and who are really scared because of these economic consequences. What do you want them to hear you say?

andrew cuomo

I would say first, I hope no one in your family, or no one you know, dies because of this. Because thats what were trying to accomplish. I hope no one in your family dies. Second, we all understand the economic consequences. Its not just you, it is everyone. And by the way, take solace in that fact. Because maybe if it was just you, you could be forgotten and left on the side of the road. Its not just you. Its everyone, and its everywhere. The Italians have an old saying that the rich man is the man who has health, right? If you have your health, you can figure anything else out. And its true. Well figure out the economy. I went through 9/11. Oh, downtown Manhattan is devastated, we have to rebuild, how do we do this? Were alive, first of all. And if we are alive, well figure out the rest. Well figure out the money. Its making sure we live through this.

[music]

michael barbaro

Well be right back. Governor, I want to understand how youre thinking about something else, which is hospitals, supplies and readiness. Youve started to signal that theres a major shortage of I.C.U. units. What about respirators? What does the picture start to look like in a couple of weeks, and are we ready for it?

andrew cuomo

We are not ready for it, certainly, today. The picture looks like you have tens of thousands of people coming to the hospital. These are respiratory illnesses. They cant breathe. They need an I.C.U. bed with a ventilator. OK, buy more ventilators. OK, you cant.

michael barbaro

You cant.

andrew cuomo

Because the entire world is trying to buy ventilators.

michael barbaro

So youve tried to buy ventilators?

andrew cuomo

We try every which way to buy ventilators. Were trying to go to China, which is now over it, trying to buy their ventilators.

michael barbaro

Wow.

andrew cuomo

I mean, it is a global competition to buy ventilators. The federal government has an emergency medical stockpile. I reached out to the president. Federal cooperation is everything, Michael, because its whatever the federal government has in that stockpile is going to be our main access.

michael barbaro

Did you ask to tap into the stockpile?

andrew cuomo

Yes.

michael barbaro

Then what did the president say?

andrew cuomo

Yes.

michael barbaro

If I can ask.

andrew cuomo

He has said he will be very helpful. Were looking at the Army Corps of Engineers to try to build additional hospital beds, convert dormitories, et cetera. Because youre overwhelming the capacity of the health care system by two or three times. You need backup staff, backup nurses, backup doctors, more space, more equipment, more gloves, more food, more everything.

michael barbaro

Is there a version where hospitals can handle this influx? Or is it just a matter of how short they fall?

andrew cuomo

There is no way they can handle this.

michael barbaro

So then, do you accept that some incredibly difficult decisions are going to have to be made inside hospitals in the coming days? Decisions of who lives and who dies, who gets a bed, who doesnt, who gets a respirator, who doesnt get a respirator. Who to prioritize. Is that something doctors should be deciding, or is that something government should be playing a role in?

andrew cuomo

It will be a question of triage. Remember, most of these people will have serious underlying conditions already. And in some ways, it will become self-selecting, depending on how ill you were when you came in.

michael barbaro

Right, but when the decision has to be made, do I put the 85-year-old with underlying conditions in the I.C.U., who might have a 50-50 chance, or do I put a 45-year-old in the I.C.U. whos come in with respiratory problems who has a 60 percent chance? We just talked to a doctor in Italy who had to make these choices. Do you want to be the one issuing protocols? Do you want the president to be issuing those protocols? Who should be guiding those kind of awful decisions?

andrew cuomo

Well, I pray we dont get there. But if we get there, it should be a medical decision, unless God intervenes and God makes the determination first.

michael barbaro

What is the ideal role of the federal government right now, in your mind?

andrew cuomo

Right now, crank up the Army Corps of Engineers, which does have building capacity. Add to hospital capacity in the states that need it  New York would be at the top of the list. Thats what they do, right? They build the infrastructure for war. They go into a country where nothing exists, they cut down trees, they build roads, they build camps. Because the states dont have the capacity or the resources. I dont have a workforce. Mobilized FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has tremendous potential when it works well, right? FEMA did Hurricane Katrina, which was FEMA not doing a good job. FEMA can be extraordinarily good when its staffed and funded. So we need them fully deployed here.

michael barbaro

And are they doing that?

andrew cuomo

The president has now  I believe yesterday, the presidents tone was 100 percent serious. He showed more sobriety on this issue than he has shown. I spoke with him twice today already. I know he has his team working. I was on the phone with him late last night, early this morning. So I believe he is fully committed, and he understands the role and he understands the severity. And that is good news.

michael barbaro

Let me ask you directly, what do you think of President Trumps leadership in this moment? It began with some skepticism about the severity of the situation. It has changed, like you just signaled. Is the president your partner here?

andrew cuomo

Yeah. Let me say this. I have had a tumultuous relationship with this president. I have opposed many of his policies, vociferously. You could probably say there has been no governor in the country who has been as aggressive in his opposition to the president as I have. Both ideologically and practically. And I probably have sued the president more than any governor in the United States. So having said that, I said to the president again this morning, look, forget everything. Forget Democrats, forget Republicans. Were Americans, and that always came first. And thats where we are. I put out my hand in partnership. I need your help. Im grateful for your help. Ill be a committed partner. Lets get this done. Lets save lives.

michael barbaro

Did he say anything to make you feel like that was to be reciprocated?

andrew cuomo

Yes. Yes. He said  yes, exactly. This country has gotten itself into this hyperpartisan hype. This ideological intensity. And I understand why. It has been for me too, in truth. But then something happens and it changes your whole perspective. Right? You can be fighting in your family, with your siblings, and Im not going to go to your birthday party, and Im not going  and then the parent dies, and you say to each other, what have we been doing? What a waste of time.

michael barbaro

You think were at a moment that may transcend?

andrew cuomo

Youre talking about Americans dying here. Thats what youre talking about. Americans dying. Forget everything else. Life is as life and death, and that changes your perspective. We can have the arguments another day. It also changes, by the way, your perspective on government. Think about this. When was the last time this country actually needed government? Needed it. Needed it to be competent and qualified and needed leaders to be real leaders. Not celebrity leaders, not good-looking, handsome, charismatic leaders. I like this one. This ones sexy. This ones funny. Its a totally different lens. No, this thing called government is very serious. This is serious business. You have to know what youre doing, you have to know how to mobilize  what is this Army Corps of Engineers, and FEMA, and how do you build a hospital in 45 days, and how do you do triage, and how do you make all these things happen in state local relations, and passing emergency appropriations, and how do you get emergency funding for purchasing, and emergency orders? Wow, I didnt even know government did that.

michael barbaro

Right. This is what government is actually for.

andrew cuomo

Yes.

michael barbaro

And every so often, we have a moment that demonstrates why government exists.

andrew cuomo

Yes. And it doesnt matter until it matters.

michael barbaro

Right. Is there more coming, Governor? What kind of measures should your constituents  should all New Yorkers, and maybe even people beyond New York  be getting ready to take on? As we walked into this room, we got word, for example, that it looks like New York is going to essentially order a shelter-in-place condition, which means, basically, you cant leave your house. What more is coming?

andrew cuomo

Yes. That is not going to happen, shelter in place. For New York City, or any city or county to take an emergency action, the state has to approve it. And I wouldnt approve shelter in place. That scares people, right? Quarantine in place, you cant leave your home. The fear, the panic, is a bigger problem than the virus.

michael barbaro

It is?

andrew cuomo

Yes. And I shut that down immediately. The density control measures would be more  were going to close businesses.

michael barbaro

Youre going to potentially close all businesses?

andrew cuomo

Potentially. Potentially. Italy took the most drastic density control, that only essential businesses  grocery stores, first responders, pharmacies, et cetera. But I am against quarantines, you must stay in your home. You can come out of your house, just dont be in a crowded situation, dont cause more density, dont sneeze in someones face within 6 feet.

michael barbaro

Right.

andrew cuomo

Go walk in the park. I mean that as a nice thing. Thats a positive suggestion, you go walk in the park.

michael barbaro

No, I try to take an evening walk. I appreciate that.

andrew cuomo

The old neighborhood, they used to say, go take a walk in the park. That was a bad thing.

michael barbaro

In Queens.

andrew cuomo

In Queens.

michael barbaro

If were at a moment where its too late to look back and say, if only we had done this, if only we had done that, and instead, were at a moment where, even if the government steps up in every way we want it to, everyone now has to do their part as well. Whats your message to them?

andrew cuomo

First of all, welcome to life. If I had only done this, if I had only done this, if I had only done this. Thats life, my brother. Thats all of us. I forget that. Youre here, now. What do you do now? And thats all that matters. The enemy has not advanced to a point where they are in the foxhole, right? We still have some time.

michael barbaro

Not much.

andrew cuomo

Not much. But what we do between now and then matters gravely. Do everything you can. Do everything you can to flatten that curve. Yes, your friend who owns the restaurant, Im sure is very angry at me.

michael barbaro

Mm hmm.

andrew cuomo

But you know what? I did it because I believe it was necessary to save lives. Were going to have to take more actions like that to reduce the density and flatten the curve. Do everything you can to build more hospital beds in 45 days. Well, its impossible. Yeah, well, Im going to try my damnedest to show you its not impossible. Do everything that you can humanly possibly do. Extend your imagination in a way you never thought. Extend your ambition beyond yourself. Because its not about you, its about us. Its about the collective. Its about society. Dont expose yourself to other people. Dont indulge yourself. Yeah, I know you really want to go out and go shopping and then  yeah, I know you do. But dont think of just yourself. Save as many lives as you can.

[music]

andrew cuomo

Be responsible, be civic-minded, be kind, be considerate, think of one another. Yes, were going to have an inconvenient period for a few months. We are. Deal with it. And deal with it gracefully. And deal with it with kindness and intelligence.

michael barbaro

Governor, I really appreciate your time. Thank you for having us in.

andrew cuomo

Thank you.

michael barbaro

And good luck getting through all this.

andrew cuomo

Thank you.

michael barbaro

Were going to walk in this office, but keep our space.

lisa tobin

Can I just ask a quick question? If it says New York City tells 8 million people to be prepared to shelter in place, that is not going to happen?

andrew cuomo

No.

lisa tobin

But its playing on the television right now.

andrew cuomo

Yeah, I know. I know.

lisa tobin

What are you going to do?

andrew cuomo

Yeah, I dont know anyone at CNN. Yeah. But see how scary that is?

michael barbaro

Your brother is an anchor on CNN.

andrew cuomo

That was a joke. Bada boom. Bada boom.

michael barbaro

Bada boom.

andrew cuomo

I normally hold up a little sign, saying joke coming.

lisa tobin

No, but  Im sorry to interrupt, but in all seriousness, if thats on CNN 

speaker

We already put a statement out that said that we were not considering it.

lisa tobin

OK.

speaker

So itll be clarified, hopefully in the next five minutes.

lisa tobin

OK.

andrew cuomo

But thats why the fear, why the panic? Because you watch things like that all day. And everybody  somebody says something, and then its on the screen right away. Oh my god, Im going to be locked in my home. I better go to the store and buy stuff. And now the stores 

michael barbaro

Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. On Tuesday, dozens of countries moved to close their borders, to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

archived recording (ursula von der leyen) The less travel, the more we can contain the virus. Therefore, I propose to the heads of state and government to introduce temporary restriction on nonessential travel to the European Union.

michael barbaro

The European Union voted to shut off at least 26 of its nations to nearly all outside visitors for at least 30 days and perhaps longer. While Russia will bar entry to most foreigners, starting today. In the United States, where thousands of businesses have stopped operating over the past few days, the Trump administration said it was racing to stimulate the economy, to stave off a deep recession.

archived recording (steve mnuchin) Were looking at sending checks to Americans immediately. And what weve heard from hardworking Americans, many companies have now shut down, whether its bars or restaurants. Americans need cash now, and the president wants to get cash now.

michael barbaro

During a news conference, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin outlined a plan under negotiation with Congress for direct payments to Americans.

archived recording (steve mnuchin) And I mean now, in the next two weeks. archived recording How much? archived recording (steve mnuchin) Theres some numbers out there. They may be a little bit bigger than whats in the press.

michael barbaro

Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, West Virginia became the 50th state to report an infection. And Joe Biden won all three primaries on Tuesday  in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, dashing Bernie Sanderss hope of a comeback and solidifying Bidens lead.

archived recording (joe biden) Now, its the moments like these when we realize that we need to put politics aside and work together as Americans.

michael barbaro

On Tuesday night, Biden devoted much of his victory speech to the pandemic.

archived recording (joe biden) The coronavirus doesnt care if youre a Democrat or Republican. It will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender or your zip code. It will touch people in positions of power, as well as the most vulnerable people in our society. Were all in this together. This is a moment for each of us.

[music]

michael barbaro
Sydney Catholic Schools have defied government advice and the stance of most public and private schools by calling for school buildings to be shut "as a matter of urgency" and lessons to be held online.

A few private schools are also breaking ranks with the majority of independent principals by moving all their lessons online. Pymble Ladies College will send its girls home from Thursday, although will still offer supervision on campus.

Catholic schools may soon stop teaching in classrooms and move to online learning as the coronavirus crisis escalates.

State and federal health authorities are warning that closing schools prematurely might do more harm than good, as it will force 15 per cent of the workforce home to look after children, may spread the virus, and could lead to a shutdown of six months.

So far in NSW, schools have presented a united front about adhering to government advice. But Sydney Catholic Schools, one of the major dioceses operating under Catholic Schools NSW, on Tuesday became the first school system in the country to publicly question that stance.
With COVID-19 spreading at an unprecedented rate globally, people are trying their best to contain this novel coronavirus. And now, Chinas richest business tycoon Jack Ma has donated one million face masks along with 500,000 test kits to the US. He revealed this to the world through his first tweet on his Twitter account.

Twitter: Jack Ma

The Alibaba co-founder said in a statement shared by twitter handle of the Jack Ma Foundation, Drawing from my own countrys experience, speedy and accurate testing and accurate personal 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!

Reuters

He further added, this crisis presents a huge challenge to all humankind in a globalised world. The pandemic we face today can no longer be resolved by any individual country. Rather, we need to combat the virus by working hand-in-hand. At this moment we cant beat this virus unless we eliminate boundaries to resources and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons.

Jack Ma has also revealed that he will be donating each of the 54 African nations 20,000 testing kits with 100,000 face masks as well as 1000 medical hazmat suits with face shields.

The 55-year old billionaire has already donated millions of masks and test kids in countries like Japan, South Kora, Europe and Iran as the number of cases kept rising in these places. In January, he pledged Rs 100 crores for helping scientists develop vaccines for COVID-19.



Reuters

Another billionaire that is leaving no stones unturned to fight the spreading of COVID-19 is Bill Gates. He pledged $100 million to help in efforts containing the novel coronavirus.



He also funded 15,000 medicinal molecules to be shipped to a leading laboratory in Belgium to test and be a potential cure to the novel coronavirus. Recently, he donated Rs 37 crores for at-home testing kits for COVID-19 for people in Washington.


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Two more COVID-19 patients died in the country, while 45 new cases are confirmed, the Health department said Tuesday.

This brings the death toll from the virus to 14, while the total number of infections has risen to 187.

The new fatalities were Filipino males and hypertensive. One of them, a 76-year-old man, also had Type 2 diabetes.

The man was admitted at the Adventist Medical Center in Manila on March 9 and was tested positive for COVID-19 on March 15.

The other fatality, a 67-year-old man, tested positive for the disease on the same day and died at the Lung Center of the Philippines.

The Department of Health also reported that a fourth patient has recovered from the highly contagious disease.

In its 4 p.m. bulletin, the DOH said a 31-year-old Filipino man from Negros Oriental  one of the Filipinos evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan  will soon be discharged.

The patient had tested negative for COVID-19 twice, according to the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in Pampanga, the referral facility for the evacuees who were quarantined at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Worldwide, COVID-19 has killed more than 7,100 people, mostly in China, since the outbreak began in Wuhan City in December last year. Over 182,000 people have been infected, according to the Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 global tracker.

According to the World Health Organization, the most commonly reported symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. The WHO said eight in ten, or around 80 percent, of infected patients experience "mild illness" and eventually recover from COVID-19. Some 14 percent experience severe illness while 5 percent were critically ill, the WHO said.

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 exhibit virus symptoms.
A woman has provoked the ire of social media for an alleged "coronavirus challenge" video.

Ava Louise, a twice-Dr. Phil guest, the famous U.S. TV psychologist, has been trending nowadays for a bizarre stunt that is getting her infamous during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

With 19,000 TikTok followers and about 150,000 Instagram followers. Louise took to Twitter and posted the video on March 14.

With love and seating emojis, she tweeted, "Please RT this so people can know how to properly be sanitary on the airplane."

The video of the alleged challenge was initially shared on TikTok.

TikTok is a video sharing platform often hitting the headlines for its dangerous challenges among young people. The users often come up with death-defying stunts that persuade others to emulate in order to gain views and followers.

Louise, a 22-year-old social media influencer from Miami, has been condemned after uploading footage of herself licking a toilet seat in her coronavirus challenge.

She was inside an airplane's bathroom when attempting to kick off the TikTok trend.

Netizens immediately called her antics during the deadly outbreak, including American political commentator Meghan McCain, the daughter of late senator John McCain. She demanded the social media star be arrested.

COVID-19 is responsible for 68 fatalities and at least 3,700 positive cases in the U.S. alone.

The labeled stunt "coronavirus challenge" is seemingly not a successful social media challenge as others are not participating in.

Also Read: Pork, Other Food Supplies Delivered from Garbage Truck! Wuhan Residents Enraged

She reportedly did the stunt because she did not want the coronavirus to get more attention than her. This prompted disgust on Twitter that she would do such a thing just for the attention.

"The whites are at it again," said a user. Another said sarcastically that it was a classy act.

The original TikTok version has been removed, but the 6-second video can be found on her Twitter profile.

While health experts have requested the public to maintain personal hygiene to prevent the transmission of the virus, the woman from New Jersey did exactly the opposite.

McCain wrote in her retweet, "Put her a-- in jail!"

One user reacted similarly, tweeting she should be arrested for encouraging people to contract the disease.

A user suggested for Twitter to flag the site of the tweeter and put her in the "Time Out Chair" for a while.

Louise poster on Instagram that her antics have caused her account to be suspended from TikTok.

The influencer confirmed that she did the coronavirus challenge for "clout" and that her actions were no worse than "eating a dude's a--."

According to her, she cannot contract the coronavirus. "Just like the gays, rich blonde b-- are IMMUNE."

"OK so now that you're all on my page -- racism is bad," Louise tweeted. "Gay people are good. Transphobia is grosser than me licking a toilet. Good day."

She uploaded another video explaining the reason behind her licking the toilet seat. "I licked the f--king toilet seat and started the alleged Coronavirus challenge. Well, guess what, I don't regret it. I am not sorry. I will never apologise for what I have done. You are also f--king stupid."

Related Article: Experimental Drug Helped U.S. Coronavirus Patient

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The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has shot up by 13,903 in one day, according to the World Health Organisation, with 167,511 people around the world infected with Covid-19 as of 16 March.

As the deadly outbreak continues to spread, countries around the world are closing their borders and entering lockdown.

The FCO has extended its list of countries to avoid as new travel restrictions mean it's getting harder to get in and out of countries.

The Independent has compiled a list of the travel bans in place but for the latest, follow our coverage here...
Residents and experts say Southeast chord project to ease traffic ignores grave concerns over environmental hazards.

Moscow, Russia  As soon as they heard about the plans for a new road in south Moscow, a small group of residents and scientists tried to oppose them, organising in relative obscurity.

The project had been launched in late 2018 by Moscows transports and construction departments, and there was little information to the public except that the aim was to build a portion of a new expressway in a populous area of the Moskvorechye district.

But there was one serious problem. The planned road was to pass only 50 metres (164 feet) away from some 60,000 tonnes of radioactive waste, buried in a wooded hill.

Concerns inevitably arose among the few people who discovered more about the plan. Some even dubbed it Moscows Chernobyl, after the smash TV series.

Through whistle-blowing, they managed to raise awareness and, after a year of silence, authorities started to pay attention.

We still hope to get construction in that area cancelled, thats our ultimate goal, Sergey Vlasov, a representative of the neighbouring Pechatny district council, told Al Jazeera.

Local residents and activists set up a mobile headquarters to their struggle  a van, next to the polluted hill [Julian Colling/Al Jazeera]

The multi-lane road would cut through Vlasovs district and 10 others.

The 30km (19-mile) Southeast chord is part of a plan for new ring roads around Moscow, designed to ease up the capitals notorious traffic by connecting large avenues that go from the city centre to the outskirts.

Authorities appeared to not consider the toxic obstacle, later arguing that 50 meters was a big enough distance for it to be safe.

With high rises and Soviet-style housing projects, the affected area is home to tens of thousands of people and close to the Kolomenskoye Park, a former royal estate and popular attraction.

Im afraid of the situation, Im scared for our health, said pensioner Lydia Victorovna, a local resident.

To add to the environmental hazard, the hill containing radioactive waste also borders Moscows landmark river, the Moskva.

The waste is courtesy of the adjacent Polymetals plant, which was in the 1940s and 50s running tests with thorium and uranium. It has been buried and left there ever since, unattended and essentially forgotten.

This amount of nuclear waste buried in inner Moscow without anyone caring is already a big problem in itself, said physicist Andrey Ozharovsky.

An atom specialist and former researcher at Moscows top nuclear Kurchatov Institute, Ozharovsky embraced the cause early, tipped off by a resident.

Along with Vlasov, Greenpeace and a number of locals, he started taking tours, Geiger counter in hand, showing visitors the levels of radiation in the forest.

The counter I have here is very basic and yet, it reads soil radiation levels (10 microsieverts per hour) already 12 times higher than normal. More sensitive counters have read up to 60 microsieverts per hour in some holes.

A Geiger counter used by physician Andrey Ojarovsky to measure the radiation on the Moskvorechye hill [Julian Colling/Al Jazeera]

He said ground work, carving up an unstable hill, could expose waste and free up radioactive particles  or even cause a landslide towards the Moskva River downhill.

You wouldnt want excavators here, warned Ozharovsky. Thats the main thing. We dont want toxic dust up in air and into peoples lungs.

But opinions vary on the degree of potential peril.

Official bodies such as the Ministry of Emergency Situations and specialists from Moscow State University concluded the hill was toxic while not immediately dangerous.

TekhnoTerra, an independent firm commissioned by Greenpeace to analyse ore samples, certified radiation levels five times higher than the radioactive waste threshold.

But TekhnoTerras head, Vladimir Reshetov, also told Al Jazeera that right now, the danger for people is very low and would remain low even in the case of construction work  if the authorities take the right precautionary measures.

Its like keeping a can of mercury in your basement: its safe until its not any more.

Even if the potential threat is difficult to establish, the decision to build a major road there is puzzling to some.

Locals believe the situation illustrates a lack of consideration from Russias ruling class in general.

Nobody cares about us, said Ekaterina Afonkina, who lives a few blocks from Moskvorechye railway station. We tried in all of 2019 to open a dialogue with governing bodies.

Vlasov added: They basically decided to greenlight first, and tell the public second.

The people high up dont care about this land or ecology. They live outside of Moscow anyway.

Activist Sergey Vlasov and scientist Andrey Ojarovsky, in the Moskorechye hill, in front of the Polymetals plant [Julian Colling/Al Jazeera]

In a written reply to Al Jazeeras request for comment, Moscow citys construction department said that they conducted an in-depth environmental survey and did not find traces of pollution in the soil where the road is to be built.

But no such information was made available to the public and people were not consulted beforehand.

The protest comes against the backdrop of a growing number movements across Russia over environmental or urban planning issues.

Konstantin Fomin, an energy specialist at Greenpeace Russia, said the citys leaders are taking the wrong approach.

We need to develop public transportation, car-sharing, green mobility, not yet another large highway.

Residents tried to raise awareness by organising a grassroots campaign through social media.

After an initial meeting of about 100 people, Russian media started reporting on the story, which is critical for a movement to gather pace in the country.

On February 8, the biggest rally to date took place at the foot of a neighbourhood housing block, with hundreds in attendance.

Last week, the Moskvorechye activists also took part in a large Eco Protest march in Moscow, which was well attended despite fears around the coronavirus.

Local activists set up a permanent headquarters van on a small square close to the woods, where people share ideas, drink tea and organise. A large radiation counter is running around the clock.

Their efforts finally paid off.

Moscows powerful mayor and builder in chief, Sergey Sobyanin himself, stepped in. He explained on his website the necessity for the new road, while publicly acknowledging for the first time the very existence of the radioactive materials.

He now promises to clean up the hill and get rid of the waste before resuming construction, no matter the costs.

Ozharovsky described Sobyanins words as a good first step, but not a victory.

Vlasov said: We also have a tough time believing them. Theyre pledging to spend 80 million rubles ($1.1m) for this, a lot less than what would be needed.

Looking ahead, the activists say they will keep mobilising until the site is thoroughly investigated and cleared of all radioactive waste, or until the construction is re-routed somewhere else.
Important Considerations

Evolving Situation

(TNS)  Telecommuting for work has historically had ebbs and flows: Now human resource experts are expecting another surge in interest as employers in Connecticut and nationwide look to cope with the coronavirus.Telecommuting on a regular basis a regular basis grew by 115 percent in the past decade, according to Virginia-based Society for Human Resource Management. But even as the practice was growing across the board, some of the best known companies in this country were backing away from it.Starting in 2013, six companies, Best Buy, Yahoo, IBM, Honeywell, Bank of America and Aetna, either ended telecommuting for employees or scaled back the practice, according to SHRM research.But now, Jeff Kagan, a Georgia-based telecommunications analyst, says he expects telecommuting to accelerate as companies grapple with the virus.With the advances that have been made in software, theres really no reason not, Kagan said.About 4.6 percent of all workers in Connecticut are full-time telecommuters, according to the web site Flexjobs. The state ranks 24th out of 50 states in terms percentage of telecommuters.Mark Soycher, human resource council for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, said with software offerings such as WebEx and GoToMeeting, people working from a remote location can largely do anything they would be able to do if they were in their office.Since the coronavirus began spreading in the United States, Soycher said CBIA members that dont already have some form of telecommuting in place have been contacting him.My view is that we have been here before, when there have been power outages, tornadoes and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), he said. A lot of companies have embraced this work arrangement as a regular practice while some others have drifted into it more carefully.Soycher is quick to point out that telecommuting is not suitable for all jobs or all managers.For employees, you need to be someone who is very focused, he said. Managers need an education as well: Some of them think if they cant reach out and touch someone, then how will they know the employees is working.Officials at companies need to review telecommuting protocols to determine whether or not they are comfortable having employees do their work during off-hours.I think a lot of companies with millennial workers have embraced telecommuting, Soycher said. Millennials are more comfortable working at all different hours.Companies thinking about starting telecommuting programs have other considerations, he said.It does require some structure, Soycher said. There has got to an understanding about productivity. And there are issues regarding IT security and privacy of data.Employers need to be respectful of the health of workers who are telecommuting, he said.If they are home because they are ill, we might not expect them to be doing work, Soycher said.Kagan said one potential down side to telecommuting is the lack of face time with colleagues and your managers.Some people worry they wont get promote if they telecommute on a regular basis, he said.In some cases, necessity is the mother of invention when it comes to telecommuting.Jamison Scott, executive director of the New Haven Manufacturers Association and executive vice president of his familys business, Woodbridge-based Air Handling Systems, said the closing of area schools for an extended period has forced company officials to quickly determine which of the jobs at the company can be done from home and those that can not.As a manufacturer, you still got to have people on the factory floor, he said. But what were dealing with, along with a lot of other small manufacturers, is that somebody has to be at home with the kids.Large employers like Orange-based Avangrid and Eversource Energy have offered some of their employees the ability to telecommute for many years.But neither company could provide an estimate or range of how many employees it has telecommuting right now or whether there had been a surge in that activity.Avangrid, whose energy companies in Connecticut include The United Illuminating Co., Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Gas, has just under 1,700 employees in the state.Ed Crowder, an Avangrid spokesman, said company officials are closely monitoring developments regarding the spread of COVID-19.This is a rapidly evolving situation, and as circumstances evolve, we will take additional measures if necessary, following guidance from local, state and federal public health authorities, Crowder said, when asked about the company's employee telecommuting plans going forward.Because our companies provide critically important energy services to homes, businesses and communities, we routinely prepare for a wide range of emergency scenarios, and we hold regular drills to ensure we are able to maintain critical functions under adverse conditions, Crowder said. Many of our employees are already equipped to work remotely, and have experience doing so during storms and other emergencies.Mitch Gross, a spokesman with Eversource Energy, said that as a regulated utility, the company develops and updates business continuity plans and pandemic plans on an annual basis to prepare for emergency response.Since the emergence of COVID-19, weve reviewed and are updating our pandemic plan to specifically address the unique issues and potential threats that this situation presents, which includes an evaluation of options for employees to telecommute if necessary and when possible, keeping in mind that a large majority of our work requires employees to be in the field in order to reliably deliver electricity and gas,  Gross said.While this is a constantly evolving situation, we will continue to focus on protecting the health and safety of our customers, employees and communities and ensuring that we continue to reliably provide our essential service, he said.
Sam Faiers and her boyfriend Paul Knightley will weigh up the pros and cons of homeschooling their son Paul Jr. on Wednesday's upcoming edition of The Mummy Diaries.

In an exclusive clip obtained by MailOnline, the reality star, 29, admits she's considering teaching her four-year-old at their Hertfordshire house, after seeking advice from YouTuber Ella Grimwade.

Poking fun at her partner's wild holidays, the former TOWIE personality demands her property developer boyfriend to ditch his frequent Las Vegas trips so the parents can have more time to educate their son, while Paul quipped: 'No more date nights for you too then!'

Alternative option: Sam Faiers and her boyfriend Paul Knightley will weigh up the pros and cons of homeschooling their son Paul Jr. on Wednesday's edition of The Mummy Diaries

Sam - who also shares daughter Rosie, two, with Paul - met up with online influencer and mother-of-six, Ella, and her husband Tim to discuss the advantages of home-schooling.

Sharing her experience with the alternative educational route, the social media personality explained: 'You can help shape your child the way that you believe is right. They're with you the whole time. I used to cry when my mum went to school.'

After disagreeing with Paul on whether to send their eldest child to nursery, the blonde beauty said: 'See my Paul has never gone to nursery and people say to me "Oh Paul and Sam, they will home school there kids".

'We are looking into schools but it is an option. One time I put him into a playgroup and he'd go it stinks!

'We need to explore that': The reality star, 29, admits she's considering teaching her four-year-old at their Hertfordshire house (Paul pictured with Paul Jr.)

'She made it all sound so easy and so nice': The former TOWIE personality sought advice from YouTuber Ella Grimwade, who is a mother to six children

'Little Paul loves being at home, I can barely get him out the front door for anything so he would probably be like "yes, this is perfect for me". I am looking into it.'

Praising Ella's advice, Sam added: 'She made it all sound so easy and so nice, I definitely need to explore that.'

Following her discussion, the TV star approached Paul, who admitted he's open to the option.

Sam highlighted the backlash she could face for taking the homeschooling route as she explained: 'Could you imagine if me and you said we're homeschooling?

'You can help shape your child the way you believe is right': The social media personality shared her experience with the alternative educational route

Open mind: 'Little Paul loves being at home, I can barely get him out the front door for anything', Sam explained

'We would get slated like you cannot believe! Do you think it's the kind of thing we should do- could it be an option for us?'

Sharing his thoughts, the Essex native said: 'I wouldn't mind if it was an option. We get to mold the children and they're around you rather than being around strangers all the time or being around kids that can influence them.'

Sam revealed the couple would need to hire tutors to follow UK's education curriculum as she said: 'Well we obviously don't have the education to do that.

'You'd get tutors or you could do it and you could get a book of whatever and it would have to be completed that term. Ella said it's all very laidback, you could get up and do what you got to do.'

'What do you think about it?' Following her discussion, the TV star approached Paul, who admitted he's open to the option

Insisting Paul needs to leave his lads' trips firmly behind him, she joked: 'No more Vegas trips then for you! You can't go to Vegas if you home school.'

Defending his holidays, Sam's man insisted the rules should apply to all as he said: 'What difference would that make? No more date nights for you, no more Venice for you, no Gondalas!'

'You don't even like the Gondalas so I'm not going to be going back on them again!', the TV star hit back while referencing their recent Italian getaway.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline last month, Sam revealed Paul Jr. will start school this September, while Rosie will join pre-school.

Sharing his thoughts: 'I wouldn't mind if it was an option. We get to mold the children', Essex native Paul said

She revealed that the family are moving from their home in Hertfordshire and relocating to a new property in Surrey, where they have got their little boy into their first choice school.

The former glamour model admitted that it has been a stressful process and they viewed seven schools before making their decision.

She said: 'We are moving to Surrey in a couple of months and little Paul starts school in September. So we've got like a really big change, obviously we have both lived pretty much forever in Essex.

Making compromises: Insisting Paul needs to leave his lads' trips firmly behind him, she said: 'No more Vegas trips then for you! (pictured with his friends in Cannes back in July 2017)

'No more Venice trips of Gondolas for you!' Defending his holidays, Sam's man insisted the rules should apply to all (the couple pictured in Italy back in September)

'We've done three and a bit years in Hertfordshire, which has been great but yeah now we are off to Surrey.'

She added: 'I do think there's something about Surrey, I like the little towns, the villages, the schools and we have got little Paul into a school we both love.

'We viewed quite a few, like six or seven schools, and the one we both loved the most he got accepted a place just under two weeks ago. We are really happy about it.'
Australian researchers are still at least a year away from a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said today.

'I spoke yesterday with both the University of Queensland and the Doherty Institute. Progress is being made. We still think that a vaccine is in the 12-to-18 months range but it may be earlier,' he told Nine's Today show.

But Mr Hunt said there had been an 'exceptionally important' breakthrough by the two research teams with regards to treatment.

Australian researchers are still at least a year away from a vaccine for the novel coronavirus , federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says

'This is the thing which is extremely prospective, being able to minimise the effects, particularly on the elderly, particularly on the vulnerable, and that is something which gives me real and enormous hope.'

On Tuesday, researchers at Melbourne's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection announced the immune responses from one of Australia's first coronavirus patients has been mapped, which could lead to a vaccine.

Research fellow Oanh Nguyen said it was the first time broad immune responses to COVID-19 had been reported.

'Three days after the patient was admitted, we saw large populations of several immune cells, which are often a tell-tale sign of recovery during seasonal influenza infection, so we predicted that the patient would recover in three days, which is what happened,' Dr Nguyen said.

By dissecting the immune response, the researchers might now be able to find an effective vaccine.

Meanwhile, Mr Hunt defended the testing procedure, saying authorities were focused on making sure people at risk and matching the criteria were tested, rather than broader testing.

Sydney and other major cities have been much quieter than usual after the outbreak of the coronavirus

He said 81,000 tests - one of the highest rates in the world - had been conducted with about a 0.5 per cent positive rate.

A further 97,000 test kits have been ordered. Half of those tests arrived in Australia overnight and will be distributed on Wednesday.

'What we are doing is making sure that we actually have one of the highest testing rates in the world,' he said, adding they want to make sure testing is focused on those people who are most likely to be at risk.

He said that included people who had travelled overseas, been in contact with somebody who has been diagnosed, and if the person has symptoms.
New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern has warned travellers they face being deported if they refuse to self-isolate in accordance with the countrys latest coronavirus restrictions.

The government announced on Saturday anyone entering New Zealand from abroad would be required to self-isolate for 14 days, excluding people from the Pacific Islands.

Ms Ardern said during a press conference on Monday: I consider this really a warning to those who choose to come to New Zealand. We are a country that takes our roles and responsibility of being hospitable very, very seriously but in return we ask that visitors reciprocate.

We will look after you if you look after us. If you come here and have no intention of following our requirements to self-isolate, then frankly, you are not welcome and you should leave before you are deported.

Immigration authorities took two travellers into quarantine just hours later for failing to comply with the new requirements, reported TVNZ.

Stephen Vaughan, from Immigration New Zealand, said the travellers behaviour was completely irresponsible and they are now liable for deportation.

He was quoted as saying: If they fail to depart after quarantine, they will be arrested and detained under the Immigration Act. Being deported has serious consequences.

It means individuals will be banned from returning to New Zealand for a period of time and they may also find it difficult to travel to other countries.

Mr Vaughn added the requirements will help save lives and that the country is going hard to do whatever it can to protect citizens from coronavirus.

New Zealand has just 12 confirmed cases of the disease so far and no deaths.

Gatherings of 500 people or more have also been banned to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Ms Ardern also warned that the economic impact of the virus, which has infected over 183,000 people globally, could be greater than the global financial crisis.

The government announced on Tuesday it would spend billions of dollars, the equivalent to 4 percent of GDP, in supporting companies hard-hit by coronavirus.
Pangilinan to LGUs, other agencies: Buy food items for relief ops from local farmers

The order placing Luzon, including Metro Manila, under enhanced community quarantine in an effort to contain COVID-19 should be complemented by intensified delivery of goods and services especially to poor families in need of food, clean water, medicine and other essential supplies.

This should not be hard with adequate produce of rice, vegetables, and other agricultural products by Filipino farmers. Otherwise they will go to waste and rot away due to the lockdown.

The Sagip Saka Law mandates all government entities to directly purchase agricultural and fisheries products from local farmers and fisherfolk enterprises.

For supplies for its feeding programs such as rice, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products, local government units, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and other concerned agencies, may directly deal with farmers and fisherfolk, eliminating middlemen who usually pad prices.
WESTON  Travel down a lengthy Belgium block-lined circular driveway at the end of a dead end street in Lower Weston to discover a contemporary house that resembles a modern sculpture at 29 Sachem Road.

This striking structure rises out of its lightly wooded, secluded property of 2 acres, appearing at first glance to be at least two separate buildings  one comprising an exterior of A-grade to tongue and groove horizontal cedar wood and the other large, gray squares of Hardie board siding and aluminum channels.

Both sections are completely integrated, and both have sharply angled rooflines jutting into the sky. This architecturally appealing residence features an attached two-car garage with unusual looking doors, one of which has small stacked window panes. This image is replicated in the extra-wide swiveling front door at the long covered front porch, which opens into the spacious two-story foyer.

The house was built in 1974, but easily lives like a more modern home with its open floor plan within 4,702 square feet of living and entertaining spaces, on three finished floors. Throughout the house, there is pegged hardwood flooring and a wealth of windows that provide an abundance of natural light, as well as attractive views of the homes surroundings.

In the living room on the main level, there is a vaulted ceiling, interior balcony, a floor-to-ceiling wall of stone containing a fireplace, track lighting, and sliding doors to a long balcony/deck. It has sitting, al fresco dining and grilling areas, and can be accessed from several rooms including the chefs kitchen.

This eat-in kitchen features a large two-tiered center island, matching Thermador Professional appliances, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, and to sets of sliding doors, one to the balcony/deck and one to an area with a hot tub. There is a pot-filler above the four-burner range top with a griddle and a warming drawer by the double wall ovens. The dining room also has sliders to the balcony.

The main level also offers an office with built-in bookshelves and a wet bar area with a sink and glass shelving, and a bedroom with a full bathroom that contains safety features: Grab bars in the shower and by the toilet. The office could be another bedroom if necessary and would share this Jack-and-Jill-style bath. Four of the homes five bedrooms have wall-to-wall carpeting.

From the foyer there is a floating staircase to the second floor, where there are three bedrooms including the master suite. A bridge crosses over the first floor looking down into the foyer and living room, and leads into a separate wing containing the master suite. It features a large walk-in closet with organizers and a marble bath with a jetted tub and shower.

The bath for one of the other bedrooms is almost as large and luxurious as the master bath. It features marble flooring, a vanity with a granite counter, and a combination tub and shower. The third bedroom on this level is also en suite and has a ladder to a secret loft space.

More Information ABOUT THIS HOUSE STYLE: Contemporary ADDRESS: 29 Sachem Road, Weston PRICE: $874,900 ROOMS: 12 FEATURES: Two-acre level and sloping property, rear lot, located at the end of a dead end road, state-of-the-art sauna, cedar and Hardie board exterior, pegged hardwood flooring; home theater with projector, 106-inch screen and eight seats; large balcony/deck, fenced vegetable garden, increased insulation, just minutes from the Merritt Parkway; easy walk to the Norfield Grange, Weston Historical Society, and Keene Park; close to the centers of Weston and Westport, public schools, Weston Public Library, and Peter's Weston Market; cedar closet, two fireplaces, skylights, attached two-car garage, circular driveway, zoned central air conditioning, oil heat, 50-gallon water heater tank, private well, full basement, attic, Westport beach rights, five bedrooms, five full and one half baths SCHOOLS: Hurlbutt Elementary, Weston Middle, Weston High ASSESSMENT: $555,290 MILL RATE: 32.37 mills TAXES: $17,975 See More Collapse

On the finished lower level, there is a host of amenities including a spacious family room with a fireplace set in a wall of floor-to-ceiling stone, a wet bar with a granite counter, built-in seating area, and sliding doors to a slate patio and the yard; a home theater with a projector, 106-inch screen and eight seats; a full bath, a state-of-the-art sauna, and a sizable cedar closet and other storage space. The laundry room has a utility sink.

For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Jimmy Benincaso of Keller Williams Prestige Properties at 203-274-0879 or jimben@kw.com.
NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Global Bancassurance Market 2020-2024 The analyst has been monitoring the global bancassurance market 2020-2024 and it is poised to grow by USD 430.80 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period. Our reports on global bancassurance market 2020-2024 provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by increase in the number of hnwis. In addition, growing digitization and strategy is anticipated to boost the growth of the global bancassurance market 2020-2024 as well. Market Segmentation The global bancassurance market 2020-2024 is segmented as below: Product:  Life Bancassurance  Non-life Bancassurance Geographic Segmentation:  APAC  Europe  MEA  North America  South America Key Trends for global bancassurance market 2020-2024 growth This study identifies growing digitization and strategy as the prime reasons driving the global bancassurance market 2020-2024 growth during the next few years. Prominent vendors in global bancassurance market 2020-2024 We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the global bancassurance market 2020-2024, including some of the vendors such as American Express Co., Banco Santander SA and Barclays Bank Plc . The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p01941965/?utm_source=PRN



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Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan and Somya Mathur

The March 14 ICMR declaration, of India being in stage 2 of the coronavirus outbreak and a 30-day window to halt the beginning to community transmission, has led to an increase in economic anxiety all over the country. With the number of Covid-19 cases in India growing, people representing economic and business diaspora are number crunching to know the potential share of economic fallout from the contagion effects that has rippled all over the globe.

On March 12, the carnage was felt in the stock markets with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Covid-19 a pandemic. This eroded away Rs. 11.4 trillion of investors wealth. The domestic benchmark indices were hit by over 8 percent low with BSE Sensex nosediving 2,919 points and Nifty plunging by 898 points. On Friday, March 13, trading was halted for over 45 minutes due to the markets hitting the lower circuit.

The mayhem was created by blowing away of hot money of fretted Foreign Institutional Investors, which keep the stock market pumped up. The investors weak sentiments were aggravated by disrupted supply chains, the YES Bank saga and the RBI moratorium, the reducing oil prices and rupee depreciation, etc.

The tremors of the pandemic-shaken economy have been felt across multiple sectors.

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 biggest hit is the aviation, tourism and hospitality industry with India in a quarantine state with international travel restrictions and visa suspensions. There has been a 20 percent reduction in domestic travel and about 75 percent reduction in the international travel bookings and reduced airfares, according to news reports. The most crippling blow would be to the tourism industry, which could be as high as 80-100 percent. The hotel occupancy rates have also come down from 70 percent to 20 percent. There has also been a decline of 30-35 percent in the restaurant business.

The sales of the poultry sector has also come down by 80 percent due to lack of demand which is hit by fears that the virus spreads through poultry consumption. The poultry industry is losing a business of approximately Rs 1,500-2000 crore daily, as also admitted by the Union Minister Giriraj Singh. The insurance sector has taken a hit as well  with 30-40 percent increasing inquiries on general health insurance and reduction in business travel insurance.

The disruption of global supply chains has impacted a number of industries in India. The automotive sector is one of them which was already glooming with recession over the past few months. The supplies of auto component parts have been disrupted. China accounts for 27 percent of Indias automotive part imports and it is two to three times higher in the case of the electric vehicle segment. The shipments via sea have been suspended, and hence the Indian OEMs are unable to produce beyond the inventory already lying with them or relying on shipment of auto components via air, though the air route is expensive.

The positive side is that it has also led companies to look within and source more parts locally, which has given a boost to the local auto components industry. As per the Fitch solutions, there will be contraction of automobile production by 8.3 percent in 2020 on account of Covid-19. On the demand side, there has been a curb for automobiles as customers are avoiding visiting showrooms and deferring vehicle purchases.

The consumer durables sector has also been adversely affected by supply disruptions from China and Europe as India imports 45 percent of completely built-in units from China, in addition to their components. Hence, their prices are likely to increase by 3-5 percent. Ninety-percent of mobile parts are imported from China and assembled in India. Hence the smartphone sales may fall by 10-15 percent in January-March quarter. The FMCG sector would be hit by weak demand in lieu of closure of malls and consumers deferring their purchases apart from the health and personal hygiene segment, which would be outshining.

The textiles and garment factories in China have halted their operations, which has adversely affected the export of fabric, yarn and other raw materials from India which will be reduced further by 50 percent. India gets 70 percent of the active pharma ingredients for their medicines from China and accounts for about 40 percent of the US generic drugs has halted exports for many of the drugs. With supply disruptions from China and interruptions in its supplies to US would force to increase the prices.

Considering all these sectoral losses and global supply chain disruptions as discussed in other studies by McKinsey and ADB, in our analysis using a global supply chain economic model, we estimate Indias ongoing GDP losses to be around $5-10 billion (0.15-0.35 percent of GDP). However, if we also account for potential reductions in investments, they could well be over $100 billion.
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By RUSS BYNUM

Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga.  A mining company seeking to dig for minerals near the vast wildlife refuge in the Okefenokee Swamp has reworked its plan to substantially shrink the mine's initial footprint in an environmentally sensitive area near the Georgia-Florida line.

The Army Corps of Engineers made public Friday a new permit application submitted by Twin Pine Minerals of Alabama, which withdrew its original proposal last month. The company wants to mine for titanium dioxide less than 3 miles from the swamp's edge.





. . .
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In an attempt to increase clinical surveillance and make use of community-based early alerts to prevent COVID transmissions in local communities, both private and corporate hospitals have been asked to report all admissions of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) to the State Health Department.

Speaking to Express, Dr G Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health, said, We will ask each hospital to submit the number of SARI cases, so that we can immediately track if there is a spike in such cases in a specific locality.

This is being done as most of the symptoms of SARI are similar to that of Coronavirus. Therefore, if there is a sudden and unprecedented spike in the number of SARI cases from a specific or multiple areas, the cause and the probability of COVID can be investigated, thereby reducing the chance of a community-based spread of the virus.

Stating that surveillance would be taken up in hospitals where majority of patients get admitted for severe respiratory problems identical to those seen in COVID-19, the government said all teaching hospitals, district hospitals, area and corporate and other private hospitals were being identified as sentinel sites for surveillance.

The hospitals must report the number of admissions due to pneumonia and respiratory infections every day and also the number of deaths due to such infections.

The authorities have also issued broad criteria to identify the cases. Patients should be above 15 years of age, with fever, respiratory symptoms, severe cough, shortness of breath and hospitalisation.

If patients have all the above four conditions, such cases should be immediately reported to the State Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme (IDSP) teams on WhatsApp - 90597-46612 or mail to idsp@telangana.gov.in.

The authorities said the list of such patients should be maintained by all the hospitals and should be shared as and when asked to.

Do not gather in large numbers, farmers told

Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy directed the officials on Monday to ensure that a large number of farmers do not gather at agricultural market committees for the sale of their produce.

The Minister said posters should be displayed at all market yards about preventive measures to be taken to avoid contracting Coronavirus.

The markets should be kept clean and the officials should take the necessary help from local municipal officials, the Minister said

Osmania too might start COVID tests

Osmania Medical College would start testing samples collected from suspected patients of COVID-19 from Tuesday, if they receive a green signal from the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Dr Shashikala, OMC Principal, told Express, If we work in two shifts, close to 100 samples can be tested in a day.

However, at present, we plan to function in a single shift. Each shift will have one research scientist, two technicians, two associate professors and two professors. We have already tested samples as per NIV guidelines for standardisation

No huge crowds, cops tell function hall owners

The city police have served notices to managements and owners of function halls asking them to take precautionary measures and not allow huge crowds at marriage functions.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said communities have been co-operating with the police.

Yesterday, most establishments remained closed as directed by the government. Gathering for marriage function must not exceed 200, he said
Police personnel have been going to small streets and lanes in Bhiwandi since Saturday to spread awareness about Covid-19. Wearing masks and carrying megaphones, they make announcements about the dos and donts and the preventive measures one should take. The police also stressed on avoiding crowded places in the city and to not go out unnecessarily.

Teams from all six police stations in Bhiwandi have been reaching out to residents living in slums and far-flung areas.

We need to educate people on how to take care of themselves. We have been making continuous announcements. This is a traditional as well as effective way of making sure the message reaches the people, said Rajkumar Shinde, deputy commissioner of police, Bhiwandi.

Around 150 police personnel from Bhiwandi have already covered places such as Vanjarpatti naka, state transport bus stand, Shivaji Chowk, Sahyognagar, Gayatrinagar, Kesarbaug naka, Gauripada, Sutar Ali, Vitthalnagar, Dhamankar naka, Bhandhari compound, Divanshah mosque, Sathenagar, Kasheli, Kalher, Rahnaal, Ramchandra Nagar and Ajmernagar.

We have been wearing masks while on duty. We ourselves need to practise good hygiene to be able to tell others. We also explained to them individually and convinced them to use masks, said an officer from Nizampura police station, who did not wish to be named.

Kalyan traffic police also took to streets to make announcements about coronavirus.

We started making announcements while monitoring traffic in the city. We tell people about the disease even though they know. We should tell them about the alarming situation and how it is going to worsen if each person does not take preventive steps, said Sukhdev Patil, senior traffic police inspector, Kalyan.

3 who tested positive in Navi Mumbai came from Philippines

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) said 52 people have been home-quarantined in the city and that not a single city resident has tested positive for coronavirusThe three people who tested positive are foreigners Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, The three who have tested positive are from the Philippines who had come to the country on a 40-day visa. On March 12, they came to Vashi. The next day, one of them showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus and was referred to Kasturba Hospital immediately and tested positive.

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Suspension of grain exports over quarantine may lead to bankruptcies, expert suggests

16:40, 17.03.20 3799

He believes compensation would be a fair option.
UP RERA also asked erring developers to give details of properties that can be auctioned

With the coronavirus outbreak causing major disruptions, the Uttar Pradesh RERA and MahaRERA on March 17 said they have decided to adjourn the hearing of all complaints until March 31.

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, UP RERA has decided to adjourn the hearing of all complaints listed between March 18 to March 31, 2020, both at the Lucknow headquarters and the NCR regional offices," UP RERA said in a public notice.

Rescheduled dates would be communicated soon, it said.

Homebuyers and real estate developers wanting to list urgent matters may write to Secretary, UP RERA, at contactuprera@up-rera.in, it said

UP RERA will again review the situation at the end of the month before deciding to resume the court, it said.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

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MahaRERA also said in a public notice that all cases before it and the adjudicating officer shall be adjourned until March 31.

RERA Bihar has also decided to postpone all hearings of cases scheduled from March 16 to March 31, 2020, it said in a public notice on its website.

"Haryana RERA has also decided to postpone the hearing of all cases from March 18 until March 31, 2020, Dilbag Singh Sihag, member HRERA, Panchkula told Moneycontrol.

The project/agent registration process is completely online. MahaRERA staff is allowed to work from home till further orders, the notice said.

Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) came into effect from May 1, 2017, and Maharashtra was the first state to implement it by setting up MahaRera. Midwifed by two governments  UPA II and the NDA II  between 2009 and 2016, the legislation was necessitated by the growing misery of tens of thousands of harried homebuyers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 22:45:41|Editor: huaxia

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A few tourists are seen in Istanbul, Turkey, March 17, 2020. The Turkish tourism industry is seeking urgent recovery remedies as the sector has been suffering from the outbreak of COVID-19. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish tourism industry is seeking urgent recovery remedies as the sector has been suffering from the outbreak of COVID-19.

"Since the start of the crisis, we are trying to draw a road map to get out of this difficult period in cooperation with the tourism sector institutions and state authorities," Firuz Baglikaya, head of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, said at a live broadcast on social media on Tuesday.

Describing the loss of travel agencies as almost irrecoverable, Baglikaya said they had called for more support and incentives from the government.

"We asked government officials to exempt travel agencies from their annual wages and allow their employees to work from home during the period," he noted.

Earlier in the day, Baglikaya and several other tourism representatives met with Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul, over possible measures to be taken in the largest Turkish city.

"We are aware that tourism has been badly hit by the outbreak," Imamoglu told reporters after the meeting, noting the latest information about the tourism figures was "considerably striking and upsetting."

The Turkish government has been taking strong precautions to contain the outbreak, as the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached 47 in the country on Monday.

The government has decided to close bars and nightclubs, cinemas, restaurants and coffee shops as part of the efforts to combat the virus, dealing a heavy blow to tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Appointment

17 March 2020

DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, spanning 28 acres within the heart of International Drive, proudly promotes Natalie Cohee to executive chef, selecting the culinary leader with more than 12 years of experience in the DoubleTree Orlando kitchens to lead the team. Tenured executive chef Alberto Correa - Chef Cohee's mentor - is promoted to director of culinary experiences. In their new roles, the duo expands offerings for groups using the 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space and leisure guests enjoying the multiple dining options at DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld.

A leader of the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld culinary team since 2007, Chef Cohee has developed an expertise in banquets and catering in her time with the resort. She expertly blends Caribbean flavors and adds an Asian twist, with a uniquely modern approach to grilling, smoking and roasting, resulting in memorable and tempting dishes. Her creativity is evident on restaurant and catering menus with dishes like Sweet Citrus Glaze Salmon, Guava BBQ Chicken Flatbread and Lobster Empanadas. Growing up in the industry as the daughter of restaurant owners, Chef Cohee knew she wanted to pursue a career as a chef from a young age. She spent countless hours in the kitchens of Paco's Cantina and Calypso, creating flavorful concoctions and learning to recreate dishes. Chef Cohee graduated top of her class at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale, Ariz., and she started her career with a coveted externship at Latitudes Restaurant at the well-known Hilton Sunset Key. Prior to joining the team at DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, Chef Cohee served as the executive sous chef at the Sheraton in Key Largo and as a chef on private yachts sailing through the Caribbean, where her she developed a strong appreciation for local cooking styles and finessed her talents working with fresh seafood.
Photo: The Canadian Press Spanish police check vehicles entering the country at the Behobie pass between France and Spain.

Tens of millions of people hunkered down in government-ordered isolation Tuesday as borders slammed shut, schools and businesses closed and increasingly drastic restrictions on movement took effect. Others were scrambling to get home, caught up in widespread travel restrictions that aimed to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

From Southeast Asia to Europe to the Americas, people found their lives upended by lockdowns and social distancing.

Shoppers in Malaysia stood in long lines to stock up at picked-over supermarkets. Commuters in the Philippines waited in huge traffic jams at checkpoints set up to take their temperatures before entering the capital of Manila. Seven counties around San Francisco issued a sweeping shelter-in-place mandate, ordering millions to stay at home and go outside only for food, medicine and essential outings.

Spain, now the fourth-most infected country, saw infections rise Tuesday by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178 and virus-related deaths jump by almost 200 to 491. Only China, Italy and Iran had more infections.

With the number of cases worldwide topping 183,000, a surge of patients in Madrid's hospitals has fueled worries across Europe of what lies ahead. Pleas went out to send masks and ventilators to places like Italy and Spain that are struggling with soaring caseloads.

There is no easy or quick way out of this extremely difficult situation, Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said in the first televised speech by a Dutch leader since 1973.

Iran state TV warned the virus could kill millions in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps on travelling, ignoring health guidance. World Health Organization officials have said the number of cases there  nearly 15,000 with 853 deaths  have been sharply underreported.

Airlines across the world have slashed flights due to a plunge in demand but also because many countries have been barring foreign arrivals.

Turkey planned to evacuate 3,614 citizens stranded in nine European countries after flights were suspended, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday.

Germany launched a 50 million-euro ($56-million) effort to bring home thousands of tourists stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe, including up to 5,000 in Morocco alone.

Even if we will do everything humanly possible, we cannot in every case provide a solution within 24 hours, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned.

Italy reported another jump in infections, up to 27,980. With 2,158 deaths, Italy now accounts for well over a quarter of the global death toll.

Some bright spots emerged. Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected late last year and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case Tuesday.
IndiGo announced on Tuesday that as aviation regulator DGCA has restricted international traffic from Turkey and Malaysia, it will be cancelling its flights on Delhi-Istanbul route and Chennai-Kuala Lumpur route from March 18 to March 31.

"These are purely temporary and precautionary measures. We understand that these measures will cause inconvenience to our customers and we will be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers," the airline stated in a press release.

The airline has already cancelled flights between Bangalore-Kuala Lumpur until March 31, 2020 and Delhi-Kuala Lumpur until April 30, 2020.

More than 7,100 people have died globally till now due to COVID-19. Many countries across the world have partially or completely sealed their borders, causing major airlines across the world to ground most of their planes.

Image Source: PTI
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, March 18 2020

A member of the Indonesian Young Scientists Forum (IYSF) has lauded President Joko Jokowi Wibowo for imposing a social distancing policy to stem the spread of COVID-19, but has urged the government to take a stricter stance by canceling mudik (exodus) this year.

Mudik is the annual exodus that occurs during the Ramadan-Idul Fitri holiday season, when people head to their hometowns across the country to celebrate Idul Fitri with their families. At least 1.2 million cars left Jakarta for mudik 2019, headed primarily to provinces on Java and Sumatra.

IYSF member Berry Juliandi from Bogor Agricultural University said that the social distancing policy showed the governments openness to suggestions from scientists.

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Danielle Outlaw, new Philadelphia Police Commissioner, talks with reporters at the Philadelphia Police Department in February. Read more

One day after Philadelphia courts closed until April 1 to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw notified commanders Tuesday that police will be delaying arrests for nonviolent crimes, including drug offenses, theft, and prostitution.

 Update: Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw released a statement clarifying her remarks.

The announcement came in an internal memo outlining protections including social distancing during roll call and emphasizing the importance of the publics safety, as well as the safety of officers. A boldfaced, yellow-highlighted paragraph notes that if an officer believes that releasing the offender would pose a threat to public safety, the officer will notify a supervisor," who would decide whether the suspect should be held.

The Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement supporting the decision, which covers all narcotics offenses, thefts, burglary, vandalism, prostitution, stolen cars, economic crimes, such as bad checks and fraud, and any existing bench warrants.

The directive was released to keep officers safe during this public-health crisis," said FOP Lodge 5 president John McNesby. Meanwhile, violent offenders will be arrested and processed with the guidance of a police supervisor.

The news came as a relief to advocates who have worried that, in light of court closures, those held pretrial could be incarcerated indefinitely  and that jail populations could quickly balloon as a result. They say those already in jail or prison  including elderly and medically vulnerable people  will be at high risk for infection once the virus begins spreading into the jails.

Thats already been a reality in Delaware County, where two prison staffers have tested positive for the coronavirus and have self-quarantined; 11 prisoners also were quarantined, but none have shown symptoms.

On Tuesday morning, the citys two nonprofit bail funds posted bail for about 40 people, some held on bails as low as $4,000.

Sam Merkt, 29, arrived at the Stout Center for Criminal Justice in Philadelphia wearing rubber gloves and a homemade cotton face mask Tuesday morning, with a stack of freshly cut checks in her backpack. Merkt was chosen to venture out during the pandemic via a harm reduction approach" because she is young, healthy, and lives alone.

Since reentry services are mostly shut down due to the virus, she said, volunteers were meeting those released outside the jails with transit passes and gift cards.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office would respond to the pandemic by seeking to release most of those charged with nonviolent offenses or misdemeanors without requiring them to post bail. He also had urged the police to exercise discretion in charging to avoid jail overcrowding, particularly given fears that crowded jails will be unable to separate prisoners as needed to stop the spread of the virus.

Krasner indicated his office might seek to detain some defendants so a judge could consider additional conditions of release, such as electronic monitoring for house arrest. Court spokespersons did not respond to questions about how many monitors remain available, if any.

Over the weekend, Philadelphia police were still arresting people for charges like drug possession and retail theft, despite these growing concerns.

Marcquita Coleman, 31, said she was relieved to learn that her spouse, who has been struggling with addiction, would be released through the Philadelphia Bail Funds intervention. She had been arrested on March 11 and held on $30,000 bail.

She really needs help, Coleman said. She shouldnt have bought drugs, but my biggest concern was her safety in there. ... I need her out of that prison, especially while this virus is going on."

Officials in Philadelphia and Delaware and Montgomery Counties have already begun working to release some people early from prison, including by filing early parole petitions  though as of Tuesday, around 50 petitions jointly filed by Philadelphia prosecutors and defenders the previous week still awaited judges signatures. Philadelphia public defenders are filing emergency motions to release nonviolent offenders who are medically vulnerable. And Delaware County is looking to parole some prisoners early and delay others sentences, said County Council Chairman Brian Zidek.

We really are looking at whatever active measures we could take to reduce the prison population, Zidek said.

Jails and prisons across the state have eliminated visits. Philadelphia became one of the last to do so Tuesday morning.

The state prisons are also waiving co-pays. Pennsylvania Prison Society executive director Claire Shubik-Richards said its critically important that jails do the same. Her organization has sent surveys to all Pennsylvania prisons and jails asking about how theyre adapting.

Are they going to be able to test [for COVID-19]? Will they have enough tests? Shubik-Richards said. Thats a troubling issue.

On Monday, the ACLU, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, and Families Against Mandatory Minimums sent letters to every jail, prison, and immigration detention center in Pennsylvania urging precautions. The state Department of Corrections has declined to release its pandemic-response policy, citing security concerns.

In the letter, the advocates asked that each prisons plan describe how it will house those who become exposed to the virus. They added: This should not result in prolonged, widespread lock-downs.

Staff writer Vinny Vella contributed to this article.
A plume of warm air is set to move up the eastern seaboard and Appalachian Mountains in North America, just in time for the official start of spring on March 20.

It has been a warm month so far across parts of the United States, with temperatures averaging about 4C (8 Fahrenheit) above normal in the Washington, DC area, and New York City nearly 5C (9F) above the average.

Temperatures are set to rise significantly before a series of storms moving up from the southern plains to the northeast US and southeast Canada.

Although it is unlikely the heat will become an official heatwave, temperatures could break records as the thermometer hits the high 20s Celsius in some areas.

AccuWeather forecasters are predicting Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC could reach 29C (84F) and above on Friday. The record for that day was set in 1945 at 28.3C (83 F).

Atlanta, Georgia, is another city expected to heat up, with temperatures reaching the high 20s C (mid 80s F). The record for this Thursday is 29.4C (85F), set in 1982.

However, the heat comes at a cost, with some heavy rain and strong storms arriving at the same time.

Hail and damaging wind gusts will be the biggest threat as the storms develop.

The storms will move quickly through the southern plains, the southeast and run up the eastern seaboard.

However, once the storms pass, the temperatures are set to take a significant dive throughout the upcoming weekend.

Atlanta is forecast to fall well below the March average of 18C (64F) to a chilly 12C (54F). Washington, DC is expected to cool off to 9C (48F), which is well below its 13C (55F) March average and will feel extremely cool after the thermometer hits a potential 29C (84F) on Friday.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Azerbaijan continues to take measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Trend on March 17.

The situation with coronavirus spread in the country and possible scenarios for its development, as well as various measures were discussed at the meeting held on March 17 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

The citizens evacuated from Italy, Turkey, Hungary and neighboring countries will be on quarantine, Asadov said. During the meeting, it was emphasized that a decision was made to temporarily suspend the mutual visits of Azerbaijani and Russian citizens from 00:00 (GMT+4) on March 18 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The charter flights will be organized for citizens wishing to return to Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, it was also stressed that vehicles and passengers registered in other cities and districts of Azerbaijan, with the exception of special vehicles, including ambulance vehicles, emergency vehicles, rescue vehicles, as well as freight vehicles are restricted to enter Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron district from 00:00 March 19 through March 29.
Eight Ukrainian citizens infected with Covid-19 coronavirus are treated abroad, 748 Ukrainians have been isolated.

"Eight Ukrainian citizens receive treatment abroad: two people  in Germany, two  in Italy and two  in Poland, one person  in Moldova and one  in the UAE," Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba announced such data as of 23:30 on March 16 on his Twitter account.

According to the minister, five citizens of Ukraine recovered after coronavirus treatment.

A total of 748 citizens of Ukraine were isolated, in particular, 712 people - in Egypt (in two hotels), 16 people  in Japan, 16 people  in Brazil, three people  in Moldova, one person  in the Russian Federation.

One Ukrainian citizen died of coronavirus in Italy on March 13.

A total of 294 Ukrainian citizens were evacuated: 45 people  from China on 25 February, 37 people  from the Grand Princess cruise ship on March 12 and 16, 123 people  from Italy on March 15, 15 people  from Greece and 74 people  from Lebanon on March 16.

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India's central government imposed a ban on the sale and advertisement of vaping products in 2019

An Asian alliance of tobacco harm reduction advocacy organizations has urged India' Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to bring up the rights of smokers who want to switch to safer alternatives during the Ninth Session of Parties (COP9) of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) which will be held in November 2020.

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) also asked India's health minister to question the restrictive policy of WHO that tolerates the use of combustible cigarettes, while discouraging the use of 95-percent less harmful smoke-free Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).

CAPHRA sent separate letters this month to Asian health ministers who will lead the preparation of their countries' position on ENDS, preparatory to the COP9 of WHO-FCTC.

There are 181 parties to the WHO-FCTC - a global treaty that seeks to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.

CAPHRA said tobacco use causes a million deaths per year in the Asia Pacific region, with smoke as the main culprit. It said, however, that e-cigarettes provide smokers with an option to get away from smoking and could hasten the demise of the cigarette.

CAPHRA said that as the FCTC has a mandate to pursue harm reduction as a core tobacco control policy, it has failed to acknowledge or implement this policy over the last 18 years. It has effectively deprived smokers of an effective way out of smoking, according to the coalition.

CAPHRA also noted that the successive FCTC-COPs had refused to consider the overwhelming scientific evidence proving ENDS to be a much less harmful alternative to smoking and an extraordinarily effective smoking cessation strategy that has worked for millions of smokers in developed countries.

It is a violation of the human rights of all smokers and current users of safer nicotine products, to ban or restrict access to these products and it goes against the mandate of the WHO FCTC Article 1 that clearly outlines a two-pronged approach to the global tobacco crisis that includes a harm reduction approach, CAPHRA said.

The coalition, therefore, asked Asian health ministers to bring to FCTC-COP9 discussion the consumers' rights to choose less harmful products as a way to protect themselves from smoke.

India's central government imposed a ban on the sale and advertisement of vaping products in 2019 and threatened penalties of up to three years in prison. While the use and possession of vaping devices are exempt from the ban, this is not clarified at various levels of the government.

CAPHRA said that with appropriate regulations, India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has an opportunity to help millions of smokers switch to safer alternatives such as smoke-free e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco and snus.

Nicotine is not the enemy, it is smoke, and tar and the other by-products of combustion. Yet this government continues to permit the sale and use of the obviously most dangerous nicotine product (smoking cigarettes) alongside certain alternative nicotine products while refusing to acknowledge the benefits of allowing smokers to switch to other novel nicotine products that are now known to be both far safer and also more effective in aiding smokers to stop using combustible tobacco, CAPHRA said.

As consumers and voters, we ask you to consider allowing citizens of this country to choose non-pharmaceutical, non-combustible interventions that provide users with the nicotine they enjoy without the smoke and tar, such as ENDS (popularly known as 'e-cigarettes' or 'vaping'), which have been chosen and used by millions of consumers worldwide to easily, effectively and permanently switch from smoking combustible tobacco, it said.

CAPHRA also asked India's delegates to COP9 to deplore the policy of FCTC to make its sessions closed-door, unaccountable and unreported. It said such sessions represented only the vested interests of some groups whose actions have thus far impeded the rights of citizens and voters to choose for themselves to switch to safer alternatives to deadly smoking.

Delegates to COP9 should be representing the rights and aspirations of the citizens whose taxes are paying for their attendance, who expect them to speak on their behalf, acknowledge the science underpinning the harm reduction benefits of ENDS, and maintain democratic principles, the coalition said.

Consumers and voters have the right to make choices that help them avoid adverse health outcomes and smokers have the right to access less harmful nicotine products as alternatives to smoking. We ask you to take into account of this right when making your submission to COP9, CAPHRA said.
The brother of the Manchester bomber has been found guilty of mass murder committed during an Ariana Grande concert three years ago.

Hashem Abedi, now 22, denied being a part of his older brother Salmans plans to build a suicide bomb and detonate it in the packed Manchester Arena foyer in May 2017.

But a jury found him guilty on Tuesday of 22 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder covering all of the injured victims, and of conspiring with Salman Abedi to cause explosions.

Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi. (PA)

Judge Jeremy Bake, said Abedi would not be sentenced until a later date so that victims families could plan to attend the Old Bailey, and said victim impact statements would also be collected.

The judge said Abedi would be handed a life sentence. He added: The result of all of that is that a sentencing date is a little way off.

Court sketch of Hashem Abedi, younger brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, in the dock at the Old Bailey in London accused of mass murder (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Jurors were told during his six-week trial at the Old Bailey in London how Salmans body was ripped apart when he triggered the blast, which killed victims including children in Britains deadliest attack since the 7 July bombings in 2005.

At the time, Hashem was in Libya with his family, but prosecutor Duncan Penny said at the opening of the trial: The prosecutions case is that this defendant is just as guilty of the murder of the 22 people killed as was his brother.

He is equally guilty of the attempted murder of many others and in doing so he was guilty of agreeing with his brother to cause an explosion or explosions of a nature likely to endanger life.

Pieces of shrapnel, including a novelty money tin, collected from the scene of the Manchester Arena terror attack. (PA/Greater Manchester Police)

Sections of wire, allegedly used in the homemade device, recovered from the scene of the Manchester Arena terror attack. (PA/Greater Manchester Police)

Max Hill, the director of public prosecutions, said: Hashem Abedi encouraged and helped his brother knowing that Salman Abedi planned to commit an atrocity. He has blood on his hands even if he didnt detonate the bomb.

The prosecution said Hashem and Salman duped friends and associates into helping buy components for the homemade explosive TATP.

They are alleged to have stockpiled and transported the components for the bomb, including kilograms of screws and nails to use as shrapnel in the blast, using different addresses and vehicles in 2017.

Story continues

The prosecution told the jury that Hashem would ask his employer for empty tin cans under the guise of selling them for scrap, while intending to use them as part of the bomb.

The scene close to the Manchester Arena after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert (PA)

Jurors were shown CCTV images of Salman carrying out reconnaissance on the arena and the final moments before he detonated the homemade device, including a still of him standing in the crowded foyer just moments before the blast.

A piece of metal found at the scene of the blast was linked to a vegetable oil tin with Hashems fingerprints on it and his DNA was found on several items recovered from a car said to have been used to store explosive chemicals and shrapnel ahead of the blast, the court heard.

Hashem, who said he is a practising Muslim and does not hold extremist views, denied the charges against him but did not provide evidence in his own defence.

Defence barrister Stephen Kamlish told the judge his client was aware that the jury could draw inferences from his failure to give evidence.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: The Manchester Arena bombing was a vile and vicious attack that targeted innocent young people and children.

I want to thank the police and everyone involved in securing todays conviction, which is a welcome result and provides justice for the victims and their families.

My thoughts continue to be with everyone affected by the attack, and in particular the victims who witnessed and suffered unimaginable horrors.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Okene charged Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and other relations not to mourn the death of their mother but to celebrate her in death for living a life worthy of emulation.

Mr Buhari, who gave the charge at the third day Fidau prayer of Mrs Hawawu Bello, mother of the governor, described the deceased as a mother who lived a fulfilled life.

The President whose condolence message was read by his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, said that the vacuum created by the death of Mrs Bello would be difficult to fill but urged the children to seek solace in Almighty Allah.

He described her as a pillar of support for the governor in the past four years, urging the governor and other children to always remember their late mother in their daily prayers.

 The late Hajia Hawawu Bello will be remembered for her fervent support and encouragement to governor Bello in the last four years, the President said.

With the Chief of Staff at the event were the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Special Duty, George Akume, Minister of State for FCT, Ramatu Tijani, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

In his response, Mr Bello thanked Mr Buhari for commiserating with him over the death of his mother.

He paid a glowing tribute to his mother for bringing him up properly after the death of his father when he was just four months old.

He said his strive for justice, equity, fairness, unity and peaceful co-existence since assumption of office was being driven by encouragement from his late mother.

The governor promised that he would continue to ensure the security and safety of lives and property across the state in addition to delivering on his electoral promise to the people.

The Chief Imam of Ebiraland, Salihu Abere, described Mrs Bello as a pious woman who lived for all irrespective of religion and tribe.

Mr Abere enjoined Muslims to emulate her life of service to God and humanity, saying death could come at any time.

Death is a must for all human beings whether you like it or not. The way you worship God, the way you relate to your fellow human beings on earth will be your saving grace in the hereafter, he admonished.

Present at the event were dignitaries from all walks of life including the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Ado Ibrahim, members of state and national assemblies, the Chairman of the council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Adeiza Momoh Jimoh, Commissioners and other political appointees.

(NAN)
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan sharply rose to 212 on Tuesday, amidst conflicting statements by authorities on the nation's first casualty due to the viral infection.

IMAGE: A worker checks a man's temperature following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease at a railway station in Peshawar, Pakistan. Photograph: Fayaz Aziz/Reuters

The Sindh province is the worst-hit with 172 cases, followed by 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 in Balochistan, 8 in Punjab, 5 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad, officials said.

According to Meeran Yousuf, media coordinator to the Sindh health minister, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 172 in Sindh province on Tuesday. Of the 172 patients, 134 are in Sukkar, 37 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad city.



Meanwhile, there were conflicting statements on the first coronavirus death in Pakistan.



Earlier in the day, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid in a press conference in Lahore confirmed Pakistan's first casualty due to the novel coronavirus.



"One COVID-19 patient who was brought from Hafizabad, some 150 km from Lahore, died on Tuesday," he said.



In a statement, the National Command and Control Centre also confirmed the death.



According to the statement, the patient, who came from Muscat on March 15 and was tested positive, was admitted to Lahore's Mayo Hospital where he died on Tuesday.



However, later in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar rejected the statements.



The chief minister in a tweet said according to the test report, the person did not die of coronavirus.



In a statement, the Pakistan army said all medical facilities of the armed forces were "operationalised and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic".



A central testing laboratory has already been set up at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Rawalpindi, it said, adding that COVID-19 help desks have been established at all military hospitals.



The army chief has "directed all commanders to take maximum necessary measures to assist civil

administration".



As the country's already fragile economy came under more pressure due to the viral outbreak, the State Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday announced to cut its policy rate by 75 basis points to 12.50 from 13.25 to tackle the economic challenges.



Among other things, Pakistan shut down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.



Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday held a Cabinet meeting via video link, Special Assistant on

Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said.



Meanwhile, the opposition accused the government of failing to contain the spread of virus. It also alleged that the quarantine facilities for pilgrims who returned from Iran and kept at Taftan border

point are poor.



"The government has failed to check the spread of coronavirus," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told reporters.
In an effort to ensure the novel coronavirus does not sweep through its jails, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is releasing certain inmates and citing and releasing people rather than arresting them.

"Our population within our jail is a vulnerable population just by virtue of who they are and where they're located," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a press conference Monday. "So we're protecting that population from potential exposure." So far, there are no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the jail system.

Villanueva said deputies across the county have been directed to cite and release anyone whose total bail would be less than $50,000; because of this, arrests have dropped from a daily average of 300 to 60. Inmates with less than 30 days left to serve have also been released, dropping the county's jail population by more than 600, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Civil rights advocates and health officials say that even in the best of circumstances, jails aren't able to provide adequate medical care for all inmates, and a coronavirus outbreak could lead to bedlam. "Nobody should be detained for not paying a parking fee or because they are poor and can't make bail," Chris Beyrer, a Johns Hopkins University epidemiology professor, told the Times. "We need to be releasing these people yesterday."

More stories from theweek.com

The conservatives who would sacrifice the elderly to save the economy

About half of France's coronavirus patients in intensive care are under 65, health official says

Tucker Carlson says he had a 'moral obligation' to personally speak to Trump about coronavirus


A cruise with thousands of Australians on board is stranded in the Pacific Ocean after guests were prevented from disembarking due to the coronavirus.

The Norwegian Jewel set sail from Sydney to Tahiti on February, with passengers being denied entry into the country on Sunday under incoming traveller restrictions due to the disease.

The 294-metre cruise liner was also knocked back from docking in Fiji and New Zealand and is now sailing to American Samoa to refuel.

Passengers will remain aboard during refuelling, before heading to Hawaii where they hope to be allowed to get off the ship.

Most of the nearly 2,500 passengers are Australian, with no cases of coronavirus on the ship.

Nearly 2,500 passengers are stranded on the Norwegian Jewel (pictured) in the Pacific Ocean after being denied entry to Tahiti, Fiji and New Zealand

Glenn and Debbie Wicks are among the nearly 2,500 passengers on board, with no cases of coronavirus on the ship

Kieran Wicks' parents Glenn and Debbie are on the boat along with his aunt, and he told Daily Mail Australia they were anxious of where they were going to end up, but in good spirits.

'No one is concerned, everyone has been speaking to people on board and they've got a month's worth of food,' Mr Wicks said.

'They have no cases of the infection and no respiratory illness on board.'

The Norwegian jewel is scheduled to leave Pago Pago in American Samoa tomorrow morning and arrive in Honolulu at noon on March 22, with Norwegian Cruise Line officials confident they will be able to get in.

Mr Wicks said passengers were having issues with medical supplies and exorbitant doctor fees aboard the ship.

He said his aunt was charged US$150 for a consultation and had been rationing her thyroid medication to avoid paying $9 per tablet.

The Norwegian Jewel has offered a full refund to passengers on the ship, with Mr Wicks saying they are doing everything they can to help passengers disembark.

'They have really come to the party,' he said. 'They're doing what they can but they keep getting turned away.'

A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson was confident passengers would be able to leave the boat on arrival in Hawaii

Mr Wicks said the Australian government should step in to help the Australians trapped on board make their way back home.

'They're in a foreign county that wasn't their original destination, they have no cases of the disease and no one at risk on board, the government should be chartering a plane to fly them home,' he said.

Hawaiian Airlines on Monday suspended all flights to Australia and New Zealand.

Hawaii has ten confirmed cases of coronavirus and had their first local transmission of the disease on Tuesday.

Travellers coming from overseas are forced to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival in Australia.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are in contact with the Norwegian Jewel and will give assistance to Australian passengers on the vessel.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned international cruise ship arrivals for 30 days, while P&O and Carnival Cruises suspended all operations for a month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The response mirrors Viking Cruises who closed last week until May 1, after both businesses were criticised for continuing to operate.

Holiday makers who had plans with P&O and Carnival Cruises will be contacted by their respective company for further details.

The Australian government has urged passengers to reconsider international cruise trips after the Diamond Princess was forced to quarantine in Japan for two weeks in February as the virus ran rampant on board.
President Donald Trump was left fuming after he announced Google was creating a website to help with information about the coronavirus only to catch the company off guard with his pronouncement.

The mix up came after White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and his team - including Hope Hicks, the former communications director who returned to the administration to work for Kushner - got involved in the coronavirus response efforts.

But the White House denied a report the president's fury was directed at Kushner.

'I know the president appreciates the tremendous effort he's put into this,' a senior administration official close to Kushner told DailyMail.com of work being done by the president's son-in-law. 'The president asked Jared to get involved in and he has been doing so.'

President Donald Trump was left fuming after he announced Google was creating a website on coronavirus only to discover it was not

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner has gotten involved with leading the coronavirus response effort

Kushner's whole team is working on the coronavirus response, including Hope Hicks, the former communications director who returned to the White House

The official said Kushner's entire team is working on the coronavirus response and helping Vice President Mike Pence and his office coordinate with the various federal agencies.

The website that the president announced on Friday was part of the administration's efforts to calm fears about the outbreak as officials pushed for additional testing sites and more social distancing to contain the spread.

But Trump was left red faced when it was revealed Google wasn't working on such a site - although its subsidiary Verily was working on one for the Bay Area of California.

'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,' Verily said in a statement after Trump's declaration.

The president complained to his aides the coverage was terrible after the promised national website Google failed to appear, The New York Times reported.

On Saturday, however, Google announced it was partnering with the federal government to launch a national wide website.

'Google is partnering with the US Government in developing a nationwide website that includes information about COVID-19 symptoms, risk and testing information,' the company said in a statement.

Trump on Sunday slammed the media for its earlier reports Google wasn't working on the site.

'I want to thank the people at Google and Google Communications because, as you know, they substantiated what I said on Friday,' he said Sunday in the White House briefing room. 'The head of Google, who's a great gentleman, called us and he apologized. I don't know where the press got their fake news, but they got it someplace.'

He then held up a copy of Google's statement about the national website.

'This is from Google. They put out a release. And you guys can figure it out yourselves,' he said. 'But it would be great if we could really give the news correctly. It would be so, so wonderful.'

The ups-and-downs of the Trump administration's response to the outbreak took a smoother turn on Monday when the president unveiled a set of guidelines to stem the spread, including not eating out in restaurants, shuttering schools and social gatherings under 10 people.

Kushner was involved with those guidelines too, a senior administration official told DailyMail.com.

The guidelines and increased communication effort came after the president's Oval Office address last Wednesday failed to calm public fears.

President Trump has had an up-and-down response to the coronavirus

Hope Hicks and Jared Kushner are working with Vice President Mike Pence's office to aid in coordination with various federal agencies on the coronavirus response

It, too, contained a major error. The president, when he announced a 30-day ban on travel to Europe, initially said cargo would be included. Aides quickly corrected that and Trump himself sent out a tweet clarifying the ban applied to people only. And the Department of Homeland Security was tasked with explaining where the ban applied and to whom.

Trump offered a more serious tone on Monday and put the U.S. on a 15-day lockdown to help end the spread of the disease.

'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room.

And he also gave himself high marks when it came to handling the disease.

'Id rate it a 10,' the president said.
Operator Petronas has evacuated its employees from an oilfield in Iraq in an effort to protect them from the spreading coronavirus, which has forced Iraq to suspend production at the 95,000-bpd oilfield, Iraqi oilfield officials told Reuters on Tuesday.

Malaysias Petronas, the operator of the Gharraf oilfield in southern Iraq, has pulled out workers from the site, but it hadnt consulted with local officials in Gharraf, the oilfield officials told Reuters.

So the Iraqi oilfield officials were forced to halt production since they were not given the heads-up that Petronas employees would be evacuated, the officials said, adding they were working to resume the production process on Wednesday.

The coronavirus outbreak is already upending the way companies including oil companies  work, as they try to protect employees in the global pandemic. Large oil companies in the United States have asked their office employees to work from home and instituted health checks for those who cannot work from home. Exxon, BP, Kinder Morgan, and Shell were among the companies that asked their office staff to start working from home as of Monday and introduced health checks for workers at production sites.

For Iraq, OPECs second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia, the coronavirus outbreak is not only a health hazard for employees working at oilfield sites, but a serious financial trouble.

Iraq, which relies on oil revenues for 95 percent of its budgetary income, is one of the least diversified economies in the Middle East.

The oil price crash will likely force heavily oil-dependent Iraq to suspend new infrastructure and energy projects. The OPEC producer may also have to resort to international borrowing to make sure it can pay salaries to public servants after oil prices collapsed to half the price Baghdad had planned to budget this year, Iraqi lawmakers and officials told Reuters last week.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Press Release

Outside trading hours - Regulated information* - Public disclosure of inside information

Brussels, 17 March 2020, 7.15 a.m. CET

Koenraad Debackere succeeds Thomas Leysen as Chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Group

Mr Thomas Leysen announced on 21 June 2019 that he wished to end his mandates as Chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Group, KBC Bank and KBC Insurance at the General Meeting of 7 May 2020. He's held those mandates since 2011.

The Board of Directors of KBC Group decided, unanimously and after careful consideration, and on the proposal of the nomination committee, to nominate Koenraad Debackere as successor to Thomas Leysen as Chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Group, KBC Bank and KBC Insurance.

Koenraad Debackere is currently a non-executive director of KBC Group and KBC Insurance. The Board of Directors will propose to the General Meeting of 7 May 2020 that he be granted the status of independent director. The Board of Directors will then appoint him as Chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Group, KBC Bank and KBC Insurance later this year when he will hand over his functions as managing director of the KU Leuven. In the meantime, and as of 7 May 2020, Philippe Vlerick, as vice-chairman of the KBC Group Board of Directors, will temporarily take over the chairmanship.

The appointment of Koenraad Debackere as non-executive director and chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Group NV has been submitted to and approved by the National Bank of Belgium and the European Central Bank.

Thomas Leysen assumed the chairmanship of KBC Group in 2011 in the aftermath of the financial crisis and from that position guided the development of the KBC Group as an important and sustainable bank-insurer and asset manager in Belgium, Ireland and Central Europe. In recent years he has combined this position with the chairmanship of Umicore, Mediahuis and the King Baudouin Foundation.

Philippe Vlerick, Vice-Chairman of the KBC Group Boardof Directors thanks Thomas Leysen: "We are very grateful to Thomas Leysen for the decisive way in which he has chaired the Board of Directors of our group over the past 9 years. As a sparring partner of our CEO and the members of the Executive Committee, he was able to help shape KBC Group's strategic transformation, focusing on both the digitisation and sustainability of our group and its activities. Thomas was able to ensure the involvement of the Board of Directors in this transformation in an expert and balanced manner. Thomas Leysen has clearly contributed to a positive repositioning of KBC Group as a bank/insurer and reference in the different markets where the group is active and this to the great satisfaction and benefit of all stakeholders".



Thomas Leysen explained his decision as follows: "I am delighted to be able to pass on the torch to Koenraad Debackere. I am confident that the full Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and all stakeholders of KBC Group will feel supported by him. Thanks to his broad technological background and his many years of experience in innovation management, he is the right person to assist KBC in the digital transformation process that will determine KBC and the financial sector as a whole in the coming years. Koen is already familiar with KBC Group from his tenure as a non-executive director. Through his professional achievements, his broad knowledge of the economy and society, his international network and his personal charisma, he will also be able to provide valuable new insights, help shape KBC Group's long-term strategy and support the organisation on its way to profitable sustainable growth with a positive role in society".

Koenraad Debackere (1961 in Ghent, Belgium) studied at the University of Ghent (Belgium) and MIT (Cambridge, USA). He obtained master and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering (M.Sc.) and Management Science & Business Administration (M.Sc. & Ph.D.).

He is a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of KU Leuven. He has also held guest positions at various European universities and is currently managing director and board member of KU Leuven. He has held directorships at various technology companies, as well as at the investment funds Gemma Frisius Fonds NV, Essenscia Innovation Fund NV and LRM NV.

Koenraad Debackere is a non-executive director of KBC Group NV and KBC Verzekeringen.

For more information, please contact:

Viviane Huybrecht, General Manager, Corporate Communication/Spokesperson, KBC Group

Tel +32 2 429 85 45 - E-mail: pressofficekbc@kbc.be

* This news item contains information that is subject to the transparency regulations for listed companies.





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KBC press releases are available at www.kbc.com (http://www.kbc.com/) or can be obtained by sending an e-mail to pressofficekbc@kbc.be (mailto:pressofficekbc@kbc.be)



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Chris Palermo / For Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  A petition has calling for Gov. Ned Lamont to allow bars to sell bottled alcohol after a region-wide shutdown was ordered to help slow the progression of COVID-19 is rapidly gaining momentum.

The Change.org petition, started by Casey Fitzpatrick, co-founder of queer performance space and bar Troupe429, had garnered over 1,100 signatures by Tuesday evening, many from bartenders and sales representatives who sell liquor and have lost their source of income. And the support is growing.
WEST OLIVE, MI  The Ottawa County woman who tested positive for coronavirus came into close contact" with about 50 people before she was admitted to Holland Hospital on March 9, officials said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Ottawa County Department of Health officials have since contacted those people and have told them to self-quarantine and notify their doctor if they show signs of coronavirus. The woman who tested positive for the virus is middle-aged and did not have a history of travel, said Health Officer Lisa Stefanovsky.

This is important because it indicates a possible exposure from an undiagnosed person within the community, she said. We believe there is virus in the community and an unknown number of people may be infected with or without symptoms and not diagnosed by a health care provider.

The health department says six-feet is considered to be close contact with a coronavirus patient.

Holland Hospital announced Tuesday that the woman was discharged from the hospital Monday, March 16, and is being monitored by the Ottawa County Department of Public Health.

County officials on Tuesday did not release a list of spots with the community the coronavirus patient visited before she was hospitalized. The county decided not to do so because coronavirus is not as infectious as other known agents for which we would routinely publish that information, said Derel Glashower, senior epidemiologist at the county.

But like I said, this situation is evolving quickly so our process may change just based on the number of contacts, and what weve learned and know about COVID 19," he said.

At this point, county officials say they are unsure from whom the coronavirus patient contracted the virus. Officials say they are staying in touch with the 50 people who came into contact with the coronavirus patient. For some of those people, the health department is contacting them on a daily basis, depending on the nature of their contact with the coronavirus patient.

County health officials said they are unsure how many of the 50 people have been tested for coronavirus.

Now for some of those people, well be monitoring them, like we said, if theyre the real close personal contacts, Stefanovsky said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 65 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan. Five of those are in Kent County, and one is in Ottawa County.

Stefanovsky said theres been a slight shortage of coronavirus test kits in the community. Because of that, some doctors have told patients who show some but not all signs of the illness to self-quarantine and treat themselves as if they have coronavirus.

This is an absolute precautionary measure just in case they have it," she said. It doesnt mean they do, but we want people to make sure that if they have any symptoms consistent with it that theyre not wandering around in the public and potentially spreading the virus.

Looking forward, Stefanovsky said she thinks Ottawa County can get through the coronavirus outbreak if people who are feeling sick stay home and avoid large crowds.

If we do social distancing and we dont congregate, this is going to flatten that curve, and thats really what were trying to do here," she said.

Related: Ottawa Countys first coronavirus patient out of the hospital

PREVENTION TIPS

Read more:

Grand Rapids increases city managers spending power during coronavirus 'crisis

Grand Valley to close residence halls, postpone commencement ceremonies due to coronavirus

Coronavirus pandemic puts West Michigan bars, restaurants in uncharted waters
Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon on Monday gave the Kamal Nath state government an ultimatum demanding that it prove its majority in a floor test on Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh governor Lalji Tandon on Monday gave the Kamal Nath state government an ultimatum demanding that it prove its majority in a floor test on Tuesday.

The letter further added that failure to conduct the floor test on Tuesday will be considered as the lack of majority for the Congress-led government. "Conduct the floor test on 17 March, otherwise it will be considered that you actually don't have the majority in the state Assembly," the letter was quoted by ANI as saying.

While the first day of the state budget session was adjourned till 26 March on Monday in view of the coronavirus outbreak, the BJP, led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan moved the Supreme Court demanding that the government prove its majority within 48 hours.

According to a report by NDTV, many Congress MLAs entered the House wearing masks, the protective gear against the COVID-19 infection.

However, Chouhan said, "Even corona won't save Kamal Nath's government. He has clearly lost his majority, so he avoided a trust vote today.

The Assemblys session was to witness the chief minister seeking a trust vote, a week after 22 MLAs loyal to now BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned. The session began after an exchange of letters between Tandon and Nath.

Nath said in his letter that it would be undemocratic to hold a floor test in the absence of the missing Congress MLAs, whom he alleged were being held captive. He also wrote that the Governor's directive to hold a floor test was out of the purview of his Constitutional rights and that

it "does not lie within the domain of the Governor to interfere with the functions of the Speaker".

Meanwhile, Tandon told the chief minister that prima facie he was convinced that the Congress government was in minority and to protect democratic principles, Nath must win the trust of the House immediately.

While Speaker NP Prajapati accepted the resignations of six rebel MLAs on Saturday, 16 other rebel MLAs requested him to accept their resignations, stating they cannot be present in person before him due to the "poor" law and order situation in the state.

The remaining MLAs of the Congress were brought to the Assembly in a bus after they returned from a resort in Jaipur where they were taken last week in an attempt to avoid more defections.

After the six resignations were accepted, the strength of the 230-member House came down to 222 after accounting for the two vacancies caused by the death of members. The BJP has 107 members and Congress 108.

The Kamal Nath government was formed with the support of one Samajwadi Party MLA, four Independents and two BSP lawmakers.
GREENWICH  Just hours after Connecticut joined New York and New Jersey in ruling that bars and restaurants can serve food only by takeout or delivery, Greenwich human services leaders shared plans to ensure that residents in need are receiving enough food.

The spread of the coronavirus is causing widespread uncertainty, with all schools and most businesses closed. Grocery store shelves are often bare, as residents try to keep their homes stocked with food.

Gaby Rattner, executive director at Community Centers Inc.  which helps clients overcome educational, social and economic barriers  was among the human services leaders and food rescue organizations ramping up efforts to assist those experiencing food insecurity.

One group of kids in need are the 100 elementary schoolers who regularly received snacks while attending CCIs afterschool Homework Club on Mondays through Thursdays. With the club and school shut down, it cuts off meals and snacks to these children, who receive free and reduced-price lunches at school.

But partnership is continuing, with Neighbor to Neighbor still providing the snacks to CCI workers, who are delivering four days worth of snacks to the childrens homes once a week. On Monday morning, CCI workers had made deliveries to the homes of the 100 students, who attend Julian Curtiss, Hamilton Avenue School, New Lebanon School and the International School at Dundee.

Until Neighbor to Neighbor enabled us to provide (students) with this food after school, we were basically scrounging to try to get them snacks when we could, Rattner said. These students rely on the food given during homework help, and weve focused on continuing the efforts as the outbreak continues.

The children can also pick up bagged breakfasts and lunches at different spots around town, so they wont miss those meals.

By Monday afternoon, CCI workers were gearing up to receive a food shipment from Norwalk-based Food Rescue US, which uses volunteers to pick up food from individuals, stores and restaurants and deliver the items to human services agencies.

In Greenwich, 6 percent of the residents experience food insecurity and in Fairfield County, the number is 12 percent of the population, according to a UConn study.

Aux Delices, which has a Greenwich location, is donating all of its extra food to CCI, said Danielle Blaine, Fairfield County site director for Food Rescue US.

Food Rescue also receives donations from Whole Foods, Kings Food Market, Upper Crust Bagel, Sound Beach Pizza, Something Natural Bakery and ReNapoli. The donations are usually distributed to CCI, Kids in Crisis and the Boys & Girls Club Greenwich.

Food Rescue leaders say theyre receiving more calls from businesses that are closing or reducing hours and want extra food diverted to organizations in need.

People are reaching out constantly, just looking for some way to make sure this food doesnt go to waste, said Jennifer Guhl, marketing and development manager for Food Rescue.

We dont truly know what the overall impact is going to be, she said. Were just kind of taking it day by day ... in terms of how we can help.

CCI leaders are reaching out to older adult clients  another group that is vulnerable to food insecurity. Many cant drive or live on a limited income. Agency leaders drive many seniors to supermarkets or out to dinner during the week.

But under rules to reduce large gatherings, CCI is finding new ways to address seniors needs. It has engaged in a partnership with Top Chef Meals, which is offering prepared food to older adult clients for $6 per meal. Meals on Wheels is also adding CCI clients to their food distribution list, said Rattner.

Theres no minimizing how awful (the coronavirus outbreak) is, but it really shows you what a really incredible place we live in that theres such a strong collaborative unified problem-solving response, she said. People (are) calling all the time to say, How can I volunteer ... and thats just really incredible to me and makes me really proud.

The Greenwich Senior Center, which is also closed, is offering clients transportation to Shop Rite. To get a seat on the van, individuals should call the organizations main number at 203-977-5151 and speak to Deana Salerno.

Supermarketing for Seniors, a program through Jewish Family Services, is also offering free supermarket shopping and food delivery to people age 60 and older, said senior center leader Lori Contadino.

Leaders at Abilis, an agency supporting people with disabilities, has always had a pandemic plan in place, and it was activated on Wednesday, March 11, President and CEO Amy Montimurro said.

We have suspended all events and activities, she said. We are prepared with food and supplies.

Agency leaders say they are worried about financially struggling individuals and families.

First of all, theyre going to be affected more acutely, economically, Rattner said. Businesses are going to close, people are going to be furloughed, people are going to have to stay home from jobs that only pay them if they come to work. Thats going to be challenging.

Students from low-income families, who often struggle in school, may regress even further, as schools remained closed, Rattner said.

And I think all of us are feeling stress and anxiety and if you already have a great deal of that in your daily life, this is worse, she said.

Every system we have is going to be challenged by this, and for people whose lives are already challenging, its going to be harder, she said.

Food Rescue US is seeking more volunteers to deliver food during the coronavirus outbreak. Volunteers are not required to enter businesses or homes. Volunteers can drop off food in neutral zones.

For information on how to volunteer with Food Rescue US, email Danielle Blaine at danielle@foodrescue.us.

tatiana.flowers@thehour.com
Oil prices remain in freefall and as the spread of the coronavirus triggers further panic in the markets, and this is in turn is squeezing U.S. shale companies.

At the time of writing Monday, Brent crude was down more than 8% and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was falling 5.23% to $29.97.

Analyst: Shale Production To Decline

Bjarne Schieldrop, the chief commodities analyst at SEB, said he expects U.S. shale oil production to decline by 1 million barrels a daily in the next 12 months.

Supply and demand are going in opposite directions in a way we have hardly seen before, with OPEC increasing production strongly at the same time as global demand takes a deep dive. The inventory build will be large in the short term and depress the market in the medium term."

Demand is declining sharply due to the unfolding coronavirus crisis, the analyst said.

Oil demand in China indicatively declined by 30% in February 2020 but China dealt with the outbreak aggressively and swiftly with less than 0.01% of the population becoming infected."

Although the Chinese economy is now rebounding, SEB said it expects oil global demand to decline further in the second quarter of 2020 to as low as 95.2m bl/day before rebounding in the second half of 2020.

OPEC Price War

At a March 6 Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting, Russia refused to sign up to additional cuts proposed by OPEC oil producers. Saudi Arabia decided to increase its oil production and launched an oil price war.

OPEC has been unable to find common ground, with all producers switching from production cuts to increases. Non-OPEC supply is set to increase 0.6m bl/day from Q1 2020 to Q2 2020, Schieldrop said.

OPECs production is set to increase from 27.9m bl/day in February 2020 to at least 30.5m bl/day in the second quarter, the analyst said.

A last-minute deal between Russia and OPEC before the expiry of the current cuts at the end of March is very unlikely, in Schieldrop's view.

Story continues

Russia has probably firmly decided that now is the time to pull away the rug from under the feet of the shale oil producers, so now is the time for the second shale oil reset."

Related Link:

Plunge In Oil Prices, Coronavirus Sell-Off Signal Recession, Analyst Says

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Baghdad, March 17 : The US army is pulling out of the al-Qaim and two other key military bases in Iraq in the coming weeks, it was reported.

The decision to leave three of its eight bases in Iraq was a sign the US is looking to dramatically reduce its footprint in the country, the BBC said in a report on Monday.

A ceremony will take place this week at al-Qaim, where the US will formally hand over equipment to the Iraqi army to help it ensure security in the area.

It will end any US presence along the Iraqi side of the border with Syria.

The base is built on the ruins of one of Iraq's oldest train stations, near a tiny town of the same name along the Euphrates river.

The area was the first place in Iraq to fall into the hands of the Islamic State group (IS) in 2014 and one of the last taken back by Iraqi forces in November 2017.

After the victory against the IS in the area, Iranian-backed militia groups took control of both sides of the border.

Although Iraqi security forces have also had a presence around al-Qaim, it was now mainly under the control of one of those militia groups, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) or the Hashd Shaab.

A senior US defence official told the BBC that the proximity of Kataib Hezbollah, another Iraqi paramilitary group, to the base was "a key factor within the calculation of the decision to move forces elsewhere".

At least 25 rocket attacks, unleashing more than 160 individual rockets, have hit US bases in Iraq since October 2019.

Last week, two attacks on the Taji base killed three coalition members, and severely wounded two members of the Iraqi security forces.

The official number of US troops in Iraq has been estimated at up to 5,200.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Fisheries Commission (FC) has advised the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) to impress upon their members to register their canoes before January 2021.

According to the Commission, no unregistered canoe would be allowed to register after the stipulated time period.

The move is to help streamline operations in the fishing industry.

Madam Rebecca Sackey-Mensah, an officer with the Marine Fisheries Management Division in Accra, said this when she addressed canoe owners and other stakeholders in the fishing industry.

This was part of the Western Regional Fisher to Fisher dialogue held at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta-West municipality.

The meeting, which had earlier taken place in Sekondi and Axim, was under the auspices of the GNCFC and the Fisheries Commission; and funded by USAID.

Madam Sackey-Mensah warned canoe fishers that with effect from 1 January 2021, no unregistered canoe would be allowed to go to sea.

She said 15,000 canoes have so far been registered nation-wide with 3,600 out of 4562 registered in the Western Region.

She urged Chief Fishermen in the Western Region to ensure that their members provided accurate data to be able to access their cards.

She said the card would deal with issues affecting the supply and acquisition of pre-mix fuel and cautioned that those who have not registered their cards would not be supplied with pre-mix fuel.

Madam Sackey-Mensah also urged canoe owners to furnish the Chief fishermen with vital information to complete their cards.

Nana Emmanuel Odwire, the Western Regional Chairman of the GNCFC, advised Canoe owners to register with the council to fight the common cause.

He asked the Council to take contributions and raise funds to organize programmes instead of relying on Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) alone for sponsorship.

Prof Godfrey Baidoo-Tsibu, the Western Regional Director of Fisheries, called on fishermen to use the approved processes to catch their stocks.

He said the Commission received reports of two serious cases of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) two weeks ago which resulted in the death of one and the amputation of one arm of the other.

---GNA
Convergence on Idlib fighting but on refugees a number of clarifications by the Europeans from Turkeys president.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday discussed the war in Syrias rebel enclave of Idlib, with the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as the refugee crisis it has largely caused.

The four-party video conference that involved French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came after Turkey decided last month to reopen its border for refugees trying to reach Europe.

The move sparked tensions with Brussels and with neighbouring Greece, when thousands of migrants and refugees massed on the Turkish-Greek border.

Humanitarian assistance for Idlib and the refugee issue were on the agenda, according to the Turkish presidency, along with other issues such as fighting in Libya.

Erdogans decision to open the gates for refugees heading to Europe came after more than 50 Turkish troops were killed by Syrian government fire in its northwestern province of Idlib in February.

200316135110613

Turkey is home to about four million refugees  mostly Syrians  and is demanding more assistance from the European Union amid fears of another influx from Idlib, where the Syrian government launched an offensive backed by Russian airpower.

Ankara hopes for progress on a new migrant deal with Brussels by the next scheduled EU summit on March 26.

Macrons office said there was a convergence of views on the situation in Idlib and the need to step up humanitarian aid to civilians during the conference that lasted about an hour.

But on the migrant issue, NATO and EU relations, a number of clarifications have been requested by Europeans from Erdogan in order to achieve clearer and peaceful relations, the Elysee said.

Turkish soldiers

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday the United States believes Russia has killed dozens of Turkish military personnel in the course of its military operations in Syria.

He added Washington continued to offer support to its NATO ally Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference at US State Department, Pompeo did not specify where or during which incident the Turkish soldiers were killed.

Last month, an air raid that Ankara said was carried out by the Syrian government forces killed at least 34 Turkish soldiers.
John MacArthur decries division in evangelicalism, calls for unity on sound doctrine

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The evangelical church today can hardly be defined by joy; theres so much fighting, discord and animosity in churches today, that its a far cry from what God desired, said pastor John MacArthur.

The influential pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in California was speaking to a large group of church leaders last week at the Shepherds Conference, where he called the issue of unity one of the many concerns he has.

Not only are individual churches very often divided, cantankerous, full of factions, animosity and anger but it seems to me that the entire evangelical church is like that  fragmented, split up, hostile, even angry, he said. This is a far cry from what our Lord desired when He said the world would know us by our love.

Division in the church is nothing new, MacArthur acknowledged, as the Apostle Paul addresses it in the New Testament. Paul tried to point believers toward unity for the sake of joy.

Its an obvious thing to say the church should be the most joyful assembly of human beings on the planet, right? MacArthur posed. Because our eternity is settled.

But that isnt the case, he lamented.

I dont know if I were an unbeliever looking at the evangelical church today, that I would conclude that its marked by joy, he said.

Do I need to say the church is divided? Do I need to say churches and the Church is dysfunctional, that it is morbidly and internally hostile to itself in so many cases? he posed.

Do we need to say that evangelical Christianity is fractured into all kinds of identity groups that are all demanding their moment in the sun and that everybody pay attention to them and give them what they think they deserve? Do I need to remind you that there are more victim categories than there are victims, and everybodys been abused and everybodys been offended? And the price you pay for that is no joy.

How do churches get to a place of joy as Paul spoke about in Philippians 1? Through unity, MacArthur stressed.

The only way to achieve unity is to be of one mind, he pointed out. That means, it is not inclusive.

It is exclusive, he said.

It excludes those who are enemies of the cross  namely, those who propagate and hold to doctrinal error and those in sin, the pastor explained.

And those of one mind  the redeemed  must strive together for the faith of the Gospel, he added, citing Paul.

All the bickering and all the backbiting and all the internal fighting stops when the real enemy shows up, he said.

When you look at evangelicalism fighting itself, you know its very superficial, they dont know where the real enemy is. The church is not engaged in fighting for the faith of the Gospel  well just fight each other.

He called it ridiculous for so-called Christians to be sinfully battling other Christians with their little petty offenses when there is a raging enemy attacking the Bible, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and holiness.

Only when Christians wake up and realize they are in a battle for the truth and against demonic ideologies, will the infighting stop, he said.

MacArthur went on to stress that in order to stand in unity and strive together for the truth, Christians must be very clear with their doctrine.

You cannot unify a church on any other foundation than agreement on sound doctrine, he emphasized.

It is the battle against Satan and his foes and all of his corruption that draws the clear lines about what side youre on, he said. Passive, cowardly, kind of feminized church leaders, pastors in churches that dont fight, dont know where the line is drawn  they dont know what team people are on.

He added, When people say they hate what we say when we talk from the Word of God, they dont like what the Bible says about their particular sin or behavior, turn up the volume, turn it up so loud that they cant get away from it. They need to know whose team theyre on and so do your people.

MacArthur called on Christians to also suffer together if they want to be in unity.

Summarizing the Apostle Pauls words, MacArthur said, Somethings wrong with you if youre not suffering the same level of conflict that Im suffering, youre not going to get off with less; youre preaching the same message, youre living the same truth.

Take the suffering.

He also called on believers to love and cherish one another and move in one direction to advance the Gospel.

Unity cant be achieved unless there are gratitude and humility, he further noted. And that all comes down to how one's relationship with Christ is.

"Does it mean anything to you that Christ has taken up residence in your life?" he asked. "The whole Trinity has taken up residence in your life. And theyve come full of love that pours out all encouragement, all tender care, all communion,  all compassionate mercy. The only response should be grateful love, right?

"Youve taken the Trinity and all that the Trinity  can pour into your life and you know that the desire of the Trinity is that the church display its unity in joy," he continued. "And you're claiming your square inch of space and you're going to fight?"

Do nothing from selfishness, he quoted Paul. Do nothing that advances you.

If you think you have a right to demand everything you want and expect everybody to give you everything that you want, youre doing the devils work in the church, he said.

In the end, MacArthur pointed to Jesus Christ as the one who set the standard for humility  where He humbled Himself even to the point of death. And God exalted Him.

Simply, Christians must act like Christ, MacArthur exhorted.

Unity that produces joy in the church is only possible if you are the least important person in your life.

The Shepherds' Conference is held annually and aims to challenge men in church leadership  in their commitment to biblical ministry and to find encouragement together as servants of the chief Shepherd. This years theme was 2020 Vision: Doctrinal Clarity for a Confused Generation.
An Australian doctor insists pregnant women are not more vulnerable to the coronavirus after a warning was issued in the UK telling expectant mothers to avoid all social contact.

Pregnant women in the UK have been told to stay at home for three months after the Government added them to the list of most 'at risk' people.

However, Australian medical expert Dr Ric Gordon rubbished the claims and said the 12-week isolation was not necessary.

Pregnant women in the UK have been told to stay at home for three months after the Government added them to the list of most 'at risk' people (stock image)

'The current guidelines through our own college suggests women are not more susceptible when they're pregnant to this particular virus,' he told the Today Show on Tuesday.

'They should go about their normal self-isolating procedures of not getting too close to people, washing hands and if they get sick report the symptoms as quickly as possible.'

Dr Gordon said there is no clinical evidence that suggests the virus can be passed onto an unborn baby.

'We can reassure pregnant women it is very unlikely this particular virus will affect their babies,' he said.

'There doesn't seem to be an increase in miscarriage rate and there doesn't seem - the data is small - there is no evidence to suggest the virus will affect their baby unless they contract the virus after the baby is born.'

'The baby is susceptible to viruses as we all are after it's born.'

Australian medical expert Doctor Ric Gordon rubbished the claims and said the 12-week isolation was not necessary

While there have been a couple of reports of premature delivery in women who have had the coronavirus, Dr Gordon said it is unclear whether that was a decision made by doctors or if the virus caused premature labour.

Australians have been told to prepare for 150,000 coronavirus deaths in a worst-case scenario - amid warnings the country is making the same mistake that forced Italy into complete lockdown.

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

Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said on Monday anywhere between 20 and 60 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus.

'It's something in that range,' he said.

'This is an infectious disease ... The death rate is about one per cent, so you can do the maths.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison introduced a string of measures this week in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, including demanding all international arrivals self-isolate for 14 days and banning all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people.

The crisis has changed the way Australians live - and Mr Morrison has no doubt it will continue to do so for months to come.

'This will be a difficult six months. It could be longer. It could be sooner than that,' he told ABC radio on Monday.

Events across the nation have been altered or cancelled all together in an attempt to slow the spread of the deadly respiratory infection.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show, Vivid Lights festival and Anzac Day parades are all iconic fixtures which will no longer be celebrated in 2020 as a result of the virus.
It's easy to match the overall market return by buying an index fund. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. That downside risk was realized by Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials Limited (HKG:2116) shareholders over the last year, as the share price declined 45%. That falls noticeably short of the market return of around -15%. Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials hasn't been listed for long, so although we're wary of recent listings that perform poorly, it may still prove itself with time. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 13% in the last 90 days. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 11% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.

Check out our latest analysis for Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During the unfortunate twelve months during which the Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials share price fell, it actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 12%. It's quite possible that growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past.

It's fair to say that the share price does not seem to be reflecting the EPS growth. But we might find some different metrics explain the share price movements better.

On the other hand, we're certainly perturbed by the 5.7% decline in Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials's revenue. Many investors see falling revenue as a likely precursor to lower earnings, so this could well explain the weak share price.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Story continues

SEHK:2116 Income Statement, March 17th 2020

We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials shareholders are down 43% for the year (even including dividends) , even worse than the market loss of 15%. That's disappointing, but it's worth keeping in mind that the market-wide selling wouldn't have helped. With the stock down 13% over the last three months, the market doesn't seem to believe that the company has solved all its problems. Basically, most investors should be wary of buying into a poor-performing stock, unless the business itself has clearly improved. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Jiangsu Innovative Ecological New Materials (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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.
BJP has kidnapped our MLAs, fresh plea by Madhya Pradesh Congress in SC

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Madhya Pradesh Congress legislature party has moved the Supreme Court accusing the BJP of kidnapping its MLAs.

In its petition, the Congress has alleged that the BJP had kidnapped and kept in captivity 16 of its MLAs. The petition also sought the release of these MLAs immediately.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had adjourned hearing on a plea while issuing notice to Kamal Nath. The plea had sought a directive to the Madhya Pradesh to hold the floor test.

MP floor test: SC adjourns hearing for tomorrow, 16 rebels want resignations accepted

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

The side appearing for the Kamal Nath government did not show up at Supreme Court today, following which the Supreme Court issued notices. The matter has been listed for hearing at 10.30 am tomorrow. Meanwhile 16 MLAs too have moved the court seeking a directive that their resignations are accepted. The Bench said in view of the urgency of the case, notice is required to be answered by the Kamal Nath government by 10.30 am on Wednesday.

The matter is being heard by a Bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta. The petition says that 22 Congress MLAs supporting the government had resigned on account of dissatisfaction. The resignations of six MLAs have already been accepted by the Speaker. This has reduced the Congress led government to a minority, the petition also stated.

The government has no moral or legal right to remain in power even for a single day. All attempts are being made by the Chief Minister to convert his minority government into a majority by giving all possible threats, the petition also stated.

I am pained.. Kamal Nath in fresh letter to Governor

Horse trading is at its peak and hence it is essential that a floor test is conducted as directed by the Governor. The floor test is necessary as it would make it absolutely clear as to whether the Chief Minister enjoys a majority on the floor of the house, the petition also stated. Any deferment of the floor test will further encourage horse trading the petition filed by former MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others also said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 15:44 [IST]
ORLANDO, Fla. - A South Florida couple with a popular YouTube channel have been sentenced to federal prison for stealing Social Security and federal tax funds.

Billy Altidor, 29, received two years, and Evanie Louis, 28, received one year and a day during a Monday hearing in Orlando federal court, according to court records. They must also pay nearly $94,000 in restitution. They pleaded guilty last July to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Louis, Altidor and others used stolen personal information to access the Social Security Administrations website to direct benefit payments to accounts controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators accessed or attempted to access the online accounts belonging to more than 1,400 individuals, without the victims knowledge or authorization.

The conspirators also used stolen personal information to file false tax returns and directed the fraudulently obtained tax refunds into accounts they controlled, investigators said. They also used stolen identities to activate debit cards and bank accounts to receive the fraudulent tax refunds.

The Wellington, Florida, couples YouTube channel, BEAM Squad, has more than 1.4 million subscribers. Wellington is west of West Palm Beach.
Rutgers University sent most of its students home last week over mounting concerns about exposure to coronavirus.

But some faculty and university employees  unable, or not permitted to work remotely  question whether the state university is doing enough to protect them from potential exposure, after a medical student tested positive this week for coronavirus.

Many departments are having people come to work, said Christine OConnell, president of the Union of Rutgers Administrators-American Federation of Teachers. This is a huge place and a lot of it is very top down and small departments have a lot of authority.

At the same time Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, the division at Rutgers that includes the medical, dental, pharmacy and other health-related schools, cannot cancel clinical instruction.

Two people in the Rutgers community have so far been hit with the coronavirus.

On Monday, university officials disclosed that a Rutgers University medical student had tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier, the university said a biomedical engineering professor also had been exposed to the virus at a private party in Princeton, and tested positive for the virus days later.

With the viral outbreak spreading like wildfire around the world, Rutgers cancelled classes just before spring break and said it would move all instruction online for the rest of the spring semester when classes resume on March 23, with the exception of clinical instruction, for the remainder of the spring semester. It also canceled commencement on Tuesday.

But the university itself is not actually closed.

The university remains open and operating with many employees telecommuting where possible, said Rutgers spokeswoman Dory Devlin.

OConnell, though, said not everyone has been given the choice to work from home. She said decisions whether about telecommuting are being made inconsistently, and many of requests are being denied.

My greater concern is that Rutgers has directed staff to continue to come to work, putting staff members and their families at risk, said OConnell. We have thousands of people who are being directed to report to work.

Emails obtained by NJ Advance Media show several Rutgers employees requesting to work from home but being denied. One employee in University Procurement Services emailed their supervisor on Monday requesting to work from home, saying it was feasible to do their work remotely. The request was denied.

...this is not sitting well with me, the employee wrote in a follow up email after their request was denied. I have all I need to keep the University operational, from a safe space, but that request has been denied.

In a university-wide email on Tuesday, Rutgers President Robert Barchi said we are working aggressively to support academic continuity, research continuity, telecommuting, and leave flexibility for issues related to COVID-19. Further guidance in all these areas will be provided over the course of this week as we prepare a sustained effort to protect our community while remaining committed to our mission as a public university.

The latest coronavirus case disclosed on Monday involved a Rutgers medical student who had been at the Kessler Teaching Laboratories in New Brunswick and Woodys Cafe on the universitys Busch Campus on March 11, a day before becoming symptomatic, according to an email that went out to medical school students, staff and faculty. The notice said the individual was exposed to hot spot areas of Teaneck and New York.

The individuals with whom the student had close contact are being identified and notified, the university told students and staff. The student is quarantined at home with mild symptoms.

Diomedes Tsitouras, executive director of the American Association of University Professors Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey, which represents 1,500 faculty at the medical schools, dental, and the nursing and public health schools at Rutgers and Rowan Universities, said a lot of faculty members are now questioning whether it is necessary to continue in-person instruction.

Some other schools have remained open for clinical education, but people are having second thoughts about it, he said.

It is a complicated situation.

Many faculty members work at University Hospital in Newark and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick are expected to continue working. At the same time, ongoing research requires lab workers to continue staffing facilities because there are live experiments that cannot just be abandoned.

You would have to shut down research, said Tsitouras.

The university said classroom schedules at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences have been moved online.

However, clinical instruction and rotations for medical and other clinical schools require in-person experiential learning and cannot be conducted online, explained Devlin. Accrediting organizations normally do not permit substitute clinical teaching methods and without them our medical and other clinical students cannot be granted degrees or licenses.

She said Rutgers was confident that the highest standards of health hygiene and protection are being imposed in these clinical settings for our students and all of the health care professionals who are providing essential medical services. However, to the degree we are permitted by our accrediting bodies, we have been and will continue to limit clinical rotations, as well.

OConnell said the university should immediately shut down operations.

At this point this is pandemic they have no control over it, the union leader said. Were all working in the dark at this point.

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A Met Police officer who was cleared of using unlawful force after hitting a teenager with his baton has been asked to "reflect" on the incident by the police watchdog. 

Detective Constable Kevin Rowley was cleared of beating a 17-year-old while performing a stop and search in Romford but faced proceedings from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

A video of the incident went viral on social media in April last year, which appeared to show the complainant Tyrell Vassell, now 18, shouting you cant do this and Im a child.

The IOPC said Dc Rowley will be subject to learning concerning the account he made following the incident.

Plain-clothes police officer making an arrest in Romford / Bradley Hughes

The watchdog said under new regulations, the Met Police officer will undertake the reflective practice review process and work with his supervisor to reflect on what happened.

Regional director Sal Naseem said: Where officers come and give full and frank accounts, this can help speed up the process for everyone.

If Dc Rowley had told us what he told the court, this matter could have been concluded much earlier, which is regrettable.

Wed encourage the Metropolitan Police Service to also consider any learning from this.

A trial at Hendon Magistrates Court on January 23 heard that Dc Rowley and a colleague stopped two youths on Heath Park Road in Romford, east London.

The officers said they could smell cannabis and Dc Rowley arrested the complainant when he refused to comply with the stop and search.

Dc Rowley used his metal baton to strike the teenager around five times on the thigh after handcuffing him, the court heard.

Following a review of mobile phone footage from the incident, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) referred the matter to the IOPC in April 2019.

In September, it was then referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which decided to charge Dc Rowley with assault.
In a major verdict, the Supreme Court Tuesday paved the way for granting permanent commission to women officers in Indian Navy, saying a level playing field ensures that women have the opportunity to overcome "histories of discrimination".

The battle for gender equality is about confronting the battles of the mind and history is replete with examples where women have been denied their just entitlements under law and the right to fair and equal treatment in the workplace, the top court said.

The verdict comes exactly a month after the top court had opened the doors for similarly-placed women officers in the Army.

"A hundred and one excuses are no answer to the constitutional entitlement to dignity, which attaches to every individual irrespective of gender, to fair and equal conditions of work and to a level playing field," the top court said, giving three months to the Centre to work out the modalities.

It said the Centre's contention that certain sea-going duties are ill-suited to women officers is premised on sex stereotypes that male officers are more suited to certain duties by virtue of the physiological characteristics and to accept it would be to "approve the socially ascribed gender roles which a commitment to equal worth and dignity of every individual belies".

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi quashed the prospective effect of the Centre's controversial September 2008 policy, which restricted the grant of permanent commission to certain categories only.

"The stipulation in the policy letter dated September 6, 2008, making it prospective and restricting its application to specified cadres/branches of the Indian Navy shall not be enforced," the top court said, while setting aside the implementation guidelines issued on December 3, 2008.

"The statutory bar on the engagement or enrolment of women in the Indian Navy has been lifted to the extent envisaged in the notifications issued by the Union Government on October 9, 1991 and November 6, 1998 under Section 9(2) of the Navy Act of 1957," it held.

The 1991 notification envisaged that the restriction on the appointment or enrolment of women was lifted for specified cadres/branches of the Navy, while the 1998 notification made women eligible for appointment as officers in all the branches of the Indian Navy.

The top court said that all the Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in the education, law and logistics cadres of Navy, who are presently in service shall be considered for the grant of permanent commissions (PCs).

"The right to be considered for the grant of PCs arises from the policy letter dated February 25, 1999 read with Regulation 203 of Chapter IX Part III of the 1963 Regulations. SSC women officers in the batch of cases before the High Court and the Armed Force Tribunal (AFT), who are presently in service shall be considered for the grant of PCs on the basis of the vacancy position as...on the date of judgments of the Delhi High Court and the AFT or as it presently stands, whichever is higher," it ruled.

The top court said that the period of service after which women SSC officers shall be entitled to submit applications for the grant of PCs shall be the same as their male counterparts.

"A level playing field ensures that women have the opportunity to overcome their histories of discrimination with the surest of responses based on their competence, ability and performance," it said, adding that in the context of the Armed Forces, specious reasons have been advanced by decision makers and administrators, which range from physiology, motherhood and physical attributes to the male dominated hierarchies.

Referring to the verdict of February 17, in which PC was granted to women officers in Indian Army, the bench said it was held that there was a need to change mind set if equality for women is to be achieved in the Armed Forces.

It rejected the submissions of Centre that certain avenues such as sea-sailing duties are ill-suited for women officers as there is no return to the base, unlike in the Army and the Air Force.

The top court also termed as "illusory and without any foundation", the argument that in vessels of a Russian origin which are deployed by the Indian Navy, no provision has been made for women as sailors and there are no bathrooms to accommodate them.

"Women officers have worked shoulder to shoulder with their men counterparts in every walk of service. The supposed explanations based on duties at sea or Russian vessels are devices adopted to justify an action which is not germane to the proper discharge of duties and the maintenance of discipline among members of the Armed Forces," the bench said.

It said that these submissions which have been made by the Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for Centre are plainly contrary to the policy letter of February 25, 1999 issued by the MoD to the Chief of the Naval Staff.

"The policy letter emphatically stipulates that women officers of all branches/ cadres could be directed to serve on board ships both during training and subsequent employment in accordance with the exigencies of service. In the face of this communication, it is impossible to countenance a submission that women cannot sail alongside men sailors," the bench said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York City food pantries and soup kitchens had already been seeing increasing demand for food assistance before the new coronavirus outbreak, with about 1 in 8 New Yorkers unable to afford enough food, according to Hunger Free America. Now, the pandemic is expected to exacerbate those needs, especially among elderly individual encouraged to stay home, children who are out of school or people losing jobs.

Its going to take a hunger crisis and make it far worse, said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America.

The city has sought to address rising hunger despite closing down public schools and senior centers. Anyone who is 18 years old or younger will be able to go to any public school building to get free breakfast and lunch for now. And senior citizens who normally get food at senior centers  which have largely stopped their usual programming  can still pick up their meals there or get it delivered to their home.

Though Berg praised the city for taking initiative to continue providing school meals, he cautioned that it wouldnt fully account for students ongoing needs.

If the whole reason for closing schools is you want social distancing and dont want large crowds of people together, parents may not be thrilled to send their kids to school to pick up food, he said, arguing that a more coordinated effort with greater federal funding would be needed.

Charities providing food assistance are continuing their services, though they now have fewer volunteers and face many uncertainties about the future. About 70% of the New York Common Pantrys labor is provided by volunteers, who have been coming in to help less often. The nonprofit has relied on a partnership with FreshDirect to provide pre-prepared to-go meals, prepared by the companys staff, to speed up their services and reduce crowding in their facilities.

Karen Pearl, president and CEO of Gods Love We Deliver, a nonprofit that delivers homemade meals to New Yorkers with serious illnesses, has also struggled with declining numbers of volunteer groups coming in.

We have some of our regular volunteers who come as individuals.  They are doing, you know, not just their regular shifts, but a second shift, sometimes a third shift, sometimes even more, she said. We're putting all of that together at great expense.

Demand has varied in recent weeks. The New York Common Pantry saw a 27% increase in services about two weeks ago, though that demand dropped off the week after.

I'm not sure why, said Judy Secon, senior director of programs and operations at the New York Common Pantry. I think it may be now people are scared to go out and get anything and go anywhere. We're kind of like looking at this day by day and seeing where numbers are going.

Citymeals On Wheels, which provides homebound elderly New Yorkers home-delivered meals, has significantly ramped up its services in light of the coronavirus. Right before Superstorm Sandy hit New York in 2012 and in the two weeks after, the organization gave out 64,000 emergency meals. In comparison, it currently expects to deliver nearly 150,000 emergency meals by March 17, which is possible since Citymeals typically buys a years worth of food at a time.

I don't think there are very many of us who fully anticipated what could be coming our way, said Beth Shapiro, executive director of the organization.

For Berg, who heads Hunger Free America, local efforts likely wont be enough without the passage of a federal bill helping people affected by the coronavirus.

One pending bill  which has already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives  includes about $1 billion allocated for food security programs. One provision would expand access to food stamps for all parents with children who access free or reduced-price lunch at their public schools if those schools are closed for an extended period of time. This expansion would also be open to everyone regardless of immigration status, even if they are undocumented.

The legislation would also provide additional funding for food banks to access food and for food assistance programs targeted toward low-income pregnant women or mothers with young children who lose their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak.

But recent reporting indicates that the legislation is facing delays as the White House pushes for changes to the bill, which has yet to reach the U.S. Senate, and one representative has threatened to hold the bill up.

The federal government also has a program that provides more flexibility for low-income people to access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the aftermath of a natural disaster, though Berg said it was unclear how it would apply to the coronavirus outbreak.

Some federal obstacles for expanding food assistance have been avoided for now. A federal judge has blocked a rule change  which was set to take effect on April 1  that would have kicked more than 50,000 people in New York City off food stamps.

But for those who have been involved in fighting hunger in New York for years, the latest health crisis only emphasizes how fragile the citys approach to hunger has been.

What this whole pandemic is uncovering is really how weak the safety net is, Pearl said. Even in New York City, which is a pretty progressive place. But the safety net is really weak. And if all of a sudden, lots and lots of seniors need food, there really isn't a good way to meet that need.
New Delhi, March 17 : Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed the BJP members to avoid any protest on road till April 15, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said on Tuesday outside Parliament.

"The Prime Minister has instructed party and around the country and in places where we are in opposition we will avoid protests on road and will convey our views in small groups or through video conferencing," Manoj Tiwari said.

He added that the Prime Minister also thanked people working in airports and hospital for their efforts in containing the deadly virus.

"We will now proceed to distribute masks and sanitizers among the general public," Tiwari added.

The government on Tuesday suggested closure of all schools, colleges, universities, gymnasiums, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres till March 31. Many states, including Maharashtra, have already closed educational institutions.

With 12 new cases of novel coronavirus infections reported in India on Tuesday, the number of COVID-19 patients in India climbed to 126, up from 114 a day earlier, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Ministry said that the infected patients included 104 Indians and 22 foreigners.
The Indian government plans to bring out a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of sector: Giriraj

March 17,2020 | Source: Business Insider

The government plans to bring out a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of the sector which is growing at an annual rate of 8 per cent, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said in Rajya Sabha. The government will take care of the interest of traditional fishermen while framing the policy, Singh, the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said while replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour. "Government of India envisages to bring out a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of the fisheries sector," the minister said, adding that the sector is growing at a rate of 8 per cent annually. The policy would focus on bringing new technology and ways to deal with threat from cyclones as part of the overall objective to improve income of fishermen, Singh said. The proposed policy would incorporate the provisions of the existing National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017. It would have provisions for sub-sectors of inland fisheries, aquaculture, mariculture including elements of post-harvest.



"Given the cross-cutting nature of various fisheries sub-sectors, it is considered that an integrated National Fisheries Policy would better serve the public interest rather than individual sub-sector wise policies," Singh said. The minister said allocation of fund to boost the sector would depend on sectoral needs and priorities. Singh highlighted that the government has allocated Rs 560 crore for continuation of Blue Revolution scheme during 2020-21 fiscal for undertaking various ongoing fisheries development programmes.



The government had created the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) during 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs 7,522.48 crore spread over a period of five years. The fund provides finance at concessional rates to states and its entities, including private sector, for development of fisheries infrastructure facilities in marine and inland fisheries sectors. Moreover, the government in Union Budget for 2019-20 announced a new scheme called Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for the sector. The ministry has formulated PMSSY scheme which envisages a total investment of about Rs 20,050 crore, which includes central, states and beneficiary shares over a period of five years, with effect from 2020-21.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo presides over a meeting with senior military leaders at the Ministry of National Defense complex in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Feb. 28. Jeong held another meeting, Tuesday, following a series of intrusions by civilians onto its bases, which put the military under fire for its poor surveillance protocols and lax discipline regarding security. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense



By Jung Da-min



The military has come under fire for poor surveillance protocols and lax discipline regarding security, following a series of intrusions by civilians onto its bases.



Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo held an emergency meeting with senior military leaders over the matter, Tuesday, to discuss the causes of the intrusions and countermeasures. The intrusions this year have taken place despite the military's earlier promise to ensure sufficient surveillance after a North Korean fishing boat carrying four sailors was found in Samcheok Port in Gangwon Province last June without being detected.



"We are truly sorry for causing concern over the military's security operations in the recent series of events when the country is under a serious situation with the spread of COVID-19," said Kim Joon, a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), during a press briefing, Tuesday.



The latest case took place Monday when a 57-year-old man, surnamed Kim, dug under the fence surrounding the Capital Defense Command's air defense base located in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, and broke into it at around 11:46 a.m., according to the JCS.



The man was not caught by the military until a guard watching surveillance camera footage saw him at around 12:40 p.m.



Military officials checked video footage from the cameras to figure out how and when the man broke into the base. Kim said he was picking wild herbs and was drunk when caught by the military, according to the JSC.



He was referred sent to the police after the military dismissed the possibility of espionage.



"The military takes the situation seriously and will seek measures to prevent the recurrence of such an event after thoroughly investigating the unit command structure and taking follow-up actions," the JCS said in a statement.



The JCS said Monday there had been another case of an intrusion by a 73-year-old man at the Jinhae Naval Base Command in South Gyeongsang Province.



The man entered the base through the front gate without being checked at around noon Jan. 3, as one guard was answering a phone and another two were checking vehicles entering the base.



He wandered around the base for about an hour-and-a-half before he being caught by a guard there and handed over to the police. He was later found to have a mental illness, according to the Navy.



Additionally, two civilians recently entered a naval base on Jeju Island. On March 7, four activists who had long opposed the construction of the base cut the barbed-wire fence surrounding it, and two of them went into the base at around 2:16 p.m. According to the JCS, new closed circuit cameras that replaced older ones in October and December last year were incompatible with the existing surveillance system, and so it did not pick up the intruders.



But military analysts point out the problem was not just with defective equipment. Upon finding damage to the fence, a guard reported the situation to his supervisor but the intruders wandered inside the base for nearly two hours before armed naval troops arrived at the scene at around 4:03 p.m.


Should school districts that have closed to help stem the coronavirus outbreak offer child care for certain students, particularly those whose parents are health-care professionals?



Its a question that many superintendents and policymakers are grappling with now, as tens of thousands of schools have closed their doors for at least several weeks. Theres a public-health concern to leaving even just a few school buildings open, although some preliminary research suggests that theres also a significant cost to leaving health-care workers without child care.

Los Angeles Unified, the nations second-largest school district, had planned to open 40 family resource centers to provide meals and child care, but called off the idea on Monday due to health and safety concerns. Superintendent Austin Beutner had initially pitched the idea as a safe place for students to go to have a warm meal, engage with their peers, and pursue their different studies. Visitors were to have their temperature checked before entering the centers.

But on Monday, Beutner wrote in a letter to families that state and local health and public safety officials could not assure the safety of children or staff. Although many thousands of employees had signed up to work at the centers, Beutner said, the plan was just too risky.

I cannot ask anyone to work at one of the centers, or open them to children, unless we can be assured of their safety, Beutner wrote. (The district will still operate 60 centers where each student can pick up two meals daily.)

A few days beforehand, California Gov. Gavin Newsom told school districts to arrange for child care to the extent practicable.

In New York City, child careespecially for the children of essential personnelwas one of the major reasons why Mayor Bill de Blasio delayed closing the nations largest school district . Now that schools are closed through at least April 20, the city will open 100 regional enrichment centers on March 23 for the children of first responders, health-care workers, transit workers, and our most vulnerable student populations.

City officials said there would be at least one adult and 12 students per room to maintain social distancing. The sites will provide food and remote learning.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is keeping some schools open to provide child care for health-care workers. The centers will be sanitized nightly, and a health-care professional will assess students before they enter the facility to make sure theyre not exhibiting any symptoms, the district has said . Two district administrators and a police officer will also be present at each center as well.

See also: Superintendents on Hot Seat in Executing School Closures

In a new paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, researchers from Colorado State and Yale Universities used Census data to estimate that 15 percent of health-care providers would be in need of child care during a school closure. That could prevent them from going into work during a time when the health-care system is strained with thousands of patients reporting systems of the virus, also known as COVID-19.

"[It] is unclear if the potential contagion prevention from school closures justifies the potential loss of health-care workers from the standpoint of reducing cumulative mortality, wrote authors Jude Bayham and Eli P. Fenichel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidance that said in areas with substantial community spread of the coronavirus, school closures need to last a minimum of four to eight weeks to serve as a larger community mitigation strategy. While many school districts initially closed for two or three weeks, some officials have said they could see the closures extending through the end of the school year .

However, if health-care workers have to stay home to take care of children, then school closures could lead to a greater number of deaths than they prevent, the paper says.

Research has found that closing U.S. schools during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic did decrease mortality rates . Even so, the CDC guidance cited risks associated with closing schools, including that there could be more transmission of illness to especially vulnerable older populations if children of working parents are put in the care of grandparents or other elders.

Bayham and Fenichel acknowledged that theres still a lot of unknowns, including how much a reduction in the health-care labor force would decrease the probability of COVID-19 patient survival. But they urge state and district leaders to consider these concerns.

Minimizing the impact of the COVID-19 and saving lives requires clear thinking and weighing tradeoffs, the authors wrote. There will likely be cases when closing schools is sensible. However, policymakers and the health-care experts advising them need to understand that closing schools may have severe knock-on effects on the health-care system and that there is substantial uncertainty about the effectiveness of school closures for preventing infection beyond school children and on the impact of reduction in the health-care workforce on patient survival.

Image: In this March 7 file photo, a swing sits empty on a playground outside Achievement First charter school in Providence, R.I. The school closed due to a coronavirus scare. David Goldman/AP
They have just returned from a romantic Maldives getaway.

And Kerry Katona and her boyfriend Ryan Mahoney looked more loved up than ever as they strolled barefoot along the beach together during their trip.

The TV personality, 39, showcased her sensational frame in a white bikini, which she appeared to be adjusting while sauntering across the sandy shoreline.

She's back: Kerry Katona, 39, and her beau Ryan Mahoney have just returned home following a romantic getaway to the Maldives

The mother-of-five put on a busty display in the tiny two-piece, which consisted of a white halter-neck top and a pair of matching bikini bottoms.

Kerry opted for a fresh-faced natural look as she went make-up free and swept her blonde tresses up into a messy bun, leaving strands to frame her face.

Meanwhile, Kerry's beau Ryan showcased his muscular torso in a pair of pink shorts as he walked beside her while holding her hand.

Cute: Kerry and her boyfriend Ryan looked more loved up than ever as they strolled barefoot along the beach together during their trip

Wow! The mother-of-five put on a busty display in the tiny two-piece, which consisted of a white halter-neck top and a pair of matching bikini bottoms

Au natural: Kerry opted for a fresh-faced natural look as she went make-up free and swept her blonde tresses up into a messy bun, leaving strands to frame her face.

Beach babe: Kerry looked sensational as she showcased her sizzling physique on the trip

Kerry's getaway didn't come without concern however, as she recently admitted she was fraught with anxiety over travelling home amid the coronavirus crisis.

The former Atomic Kitten star feared the global outbreak would leave her stranded in the Maldives away from her children at home due to travel disruption.

The reality personality admitted on Monday's Loose Women that she was left panicked and tearful at the thought of not getting home to her children Lilly-Sue, 17, Heidi, 13, Maxwell 11, Dylan-Jorge, five and Molly, 18 - the latter appearing alongside her mother on the weekday chat show.

Hunky: Meanwhile, Kerry's beau Ryan showcased his muscular torso in a pair of pink shorts as he walked beside her while holding her hand

Fun: Kerry and Ryan took a trip out to sea on a glass bottom canoe

What a delight! The couple will have had a chance to check out the fish underneath

Walking: Kerry's scanty two-piece showcased her range of inkings

'Honestly, I had a bit of a panic attack the last three days [about getting home], got really anxious,' Kerry recounted.

'As much as I complain, you know what it's like being a mum, the kids are driving me crazy, I want a bit of a break, the last three days I started getting really bad anxiety.

'We had a mix up with the plane and I burst into tears and said "I just want to go home" and Ryan's going, "Look where you are" and I'm going "I know, I just want to get home to the kids!"

'And within five minutes, they were doing my head in.'

Hand-in-hand: The couple walked hand-in-hand across the beach

Woah mama! Kerry put on a busty display in the white two-piece

Hot couple: Ryan also showed off his selection of tattoos in his swimwear

Molly - who moved in with her paternal grandparents in Ireland when she was 16 and sparked rumours of a rift with her mother because of this - was sure to assert that she and Kerry's relationship is a happy one.

When Saira Khan asked Molly how she deals with her mum being a big character and larger than life, Molly said: 'I think we're very similar. We're very much the same person in a lot of ways.'

Kerry then added they have a similar sense of humour.

Hello! Kerry offered a wave as she paddled out to sea in the canoe

This way! Ryan guided the vessel out to sea while Kerry sat crossed-legged it in

Here we go! The couple could be seen rowing with their oars

'We think we're dead funny. But we're the only ones who think we're funny,' the star said.

Molly explained she and her mum have a different relationship since she moved to Ireland.

'[When I was younger] I was like "Go away mum", but I think since I moved out of the house, I'm always onto her, she's the first person I go to for anything,' Molly said.

Sexy! Kerry was keen to flaunt her frame as she sauntered along the shore

Easy does it! Kerry looked deep in concentration as she guided the canoe
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:38:24|Editor: huaxia

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GUANGZHOU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangdong Province plans to set up 100 bases of nature education by 2023, according to the provincial forestry bureau.

A total of 40 provincial-level bases of nature education are expected to be established this year, the bureau said in a statement.

The province will integrate natural resources including nature reserves, nature and urban parks and science-popularization museums in the next three years for nature education activities for primary and secondary school students. At least one nature education base is expected to be built in every prefecture-level cities of the province.

Since 2018, more than 13,000 nature education activities have been held in Guangdong.
Coronavirus Diaries is a series of dispatches exploring how the coronavirus is affecting peoples lives. For the latest public health information, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website. For Slates coronavirus coverage, click here.

As a New York City psychotherapist in private practice, Im intimately acquainted with anxiety. In any given week, I encounter it in the forms of generalized anxiety, panic disorder, trauma-related worry, and specific phobias ranging from agoraphobia to emetophobia (fear of vomiting) to sarmassophobia (fear of dating and relationships).

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As of late, the inescapable coronavirus has snuck its way into the mix, including for those not previously identified as having anxiety. This unique situationa potential worst-case scenario that can be conceptualized as the ultimate exposure therapyrequires me to take a dynamic approach, in terms of both my clients well-being and my own.

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To date, clients have expressed a wide range of responses to the pandemic. Some feel vaguely preoccupied and overwhelmed; others report excessive worry and nightmares; others still fear the worst-case scenario entailing contamination, succumbing to sickness, and even a slow, grisly death in the grip of the disease. While the details of COVID-19 may be novel, the themes of isolation and existential dread my clients face are not.

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I keep thinking about the coronavirus as exposure therapy, something that is rarely my first-line approach but has its place in the catalog of modern psychotherapy. Simply put, its a behavior therapy in which you are exposed to the very thing you fear the most think poop, cockroaches, and the likeuntil it feels nonthreatening. Its reserved for clients who feel particularly plagued or even debilitated by their fears and seek immediate (or at least quicker) results. Its abrupt, intense, downright uncomfortable and sometimes even gross, much like COVID-19 itself. I find myself wondering: Is there any way for us to think of the coronavirus in similar terms?

To be clear: I dont mean that people who are anxious about it should expose themselves to the virus. But there is some utility in seeing this object of anxietyone that exacerbates existing fears about illness, confinement, and even deathas something that could also help us adapt, depending on how we respond to it.

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That is, of course, easier said than done. In a recent session, Jason, a 26-year-old man from the Bronx with generalized anxiety, shared with me about the insulating nature of 21st- century life for millennials and how the coronavirus exacerbates it. (Client material has been shared with explicit client knowledge and permission. Names and identifying information have been changed to protect privacy.)

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Another client, Luis, a Puerto Rican retiree with anxiety related to his traumatic history and a recently diagnosed health condition, spoke similarly of his experience as a Lyft driver during the COVID-19 era. He loved the flexibility and income of the gig, but chiefly valued the sense of purpose and connectedness he derived from his job. As he had done with me for months prior to the pandemic, he waxed poetic about driving, emphasizing the relationships he formed with riders over the course of their trips together. They shared stories, laughs, and above all, a human bond, no matter how fleeting or superficial. This daily fulfillment contrasted sharply with his feelings about his previous career working in a Queens hospital. All of these connections uplifted him and allayed much of his stress and panicsomething that he prescribed to himself. But because he has an autoimmune condition, he cant continue to drive. He felt not only financially burdened by being forced to abandon his job but psychologically bereftsuddenly hed been rendered impotent, and his meaningful human bonds abruptly broken.

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Anxiety has been part of the human experience from the dawn of time, essential to the survival of our species and motivating us to evolve and thrive. In truth, anxiety is an adaptive response, a natural emotion that prepares us for danger and enables us to cope well under stress.

Ive been going through an exposure of my own as day-to-day circumstances shift. At a moments notice, Ive had to upend my business and transform my traditional face-to-face practice into a digital operation, all while maintaining equanimity for those who depend on me. Ive retooled the practice overnight (for instance, getting my clients onto HIPAA-complaint video chatting software, making sure contact numbers are current, sliding my scale down for clients whove just taken a huge financial hit, and juggling work and child care as my family self-quarantines), as Ive worried that my clients might feel overwhelmed and jump ship. Much to my pleasant surprise, all of my clients save one are onboard with the changes; most have even thanked me. As we adjust appointment times and switch session formats to continue meeting, we adapt, bond, and strengthen our therapeutic alliance, known to be the biggest contributor to a successful therapeutic relationship, both in terms of its quality and outcome.

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Im also motivated by the notion that people need a guidepost for accepting uncertainty and tolerating worry, particularly in moments of heightened fear and unpredictability. American psychologist Marsha Linehan, known for developing dialectical behavior therapy, has coined the term distress tolerance, which broadly comprises a set of thoughts and techniques to be used when a situation is difficult or impossible to change. At this moment in time, the virus is still new, sometimes frightening, and certainly unpredictable. The best we can hope for is to accept that and the heap of uncertainty that comes with it and prepare accordingly, be it at work, home, or out in the world.

All this might sound a little like what Anna Freud called intellectualization, a cardinal defense mechanism, and Im OK with that. We all have our defenses for a reason (again, think of anxiety as adaptive!), so Im allowing mine to mobilize. Im noticing and accepting them, and thus, moving forward with my own responses to the virus, be they professional or personal. Generally, our stuckness is what leads to some kind of psychopathologyimpairing anxiety or otherwiseso if we can find ways to enable movement for ourselves and others, were on the right track.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Huawei actively supports Uzbekistan's healthcare sector by providing thermal imaging cameras, walkie-talkies and body cameras, Trend reports citing the Uzbek media.

Huawei, with the support and coordination of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications of Uzbekistan, and the Agency for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare under the Ministry of Health, has held a series of meetings to discuss the use of ICT to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Uzbekistan.

Based on the agreements, two thermal imaging cameras installed in the arrival hall of Tashkent International Airport were provided by Huawei for free. Also, to support operational communication with the Agency headquarters, trunk communication radios and body cameras will be provided, which will allow to increase the efficiency of specialists' response on the spot and improve control over the situation.

Further plans include the transfer and installation of videoconferencing systems to remotely connect with Chinese clinics to share experiences and find the best solution to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

"Huawei is committed to actively supporting the health sector in the context of the pandemic. And in China's experience, we can see how ICT has helped millions to stay connected, order food, receive online consultation, monitor and analyze the data collected. We don't belittle in any way the heroism and rejection of doctors and all medical staff, but it is the ICT that is supposed to facilitate the work, ensure smooth data exchange and help resolve the situation as soon as possible," said Liu Jiasing, Director of Huawei Uzbekistan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

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 7,000. Over 182,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 79,000 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.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Sixty years have passed since American Roslyn Pope came home from Europe to the southern United States. At the time, parts of the South still enforced segregation of the races. Blacks were required to live separately from whites.

Concerned about injustice and angry, Pope sat down and wrote a document that became An Appeal for Human Rights. It was published on March 9, 1960. It announced the formation of the Atlanta Student Movement, whose campaign of civil disobedience helped end racist laws and policies across the South.

After all this time, Roslyn Pope is still deeply worried that the rights she and others fought for are slowly disappearing.

We have to be careful. Its not as if we can rest and think that all is well, she told The Associated Press last week.

The Appeal quickly became a civil rights call to action after it appeared as a full-page advertisement in Atlantas newspapers. It was denounced by Georgias then governor, Ernest Vandiver. However, Popes Appeal was celebrated in many other areas. The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times reprinted it. It also was entered into the Congressional Record, the official record of the U.S. Congress

The idea was to explain why black students would not listen to their parents, professors and police who urged them to end segregation through the political system. The students decided to take action.

The Appeal denounced the racist laws that controlled education, jobs, housing, voting and law enforcement.

It called on all people of good will to work to end segregation.

We do not intend to waitfor those rights which are already legally and morally ours to be meted out to us one at a time, it said.

The time has come for the people of Atlanta and Georgia to take a good look at what is really happening in this country, and to stop believing those who tell us that everything is fine and equal, it said.

The students persuaded Atlantas black families to boycott segregated stores and theaters. It told them to repeatedly seek service in places where black people were not permitted.

After many acts of nonviolent protest, hundreds of students were arrested throughout that spring and summer.

Pope wrote the Atlanta Student Movements Appeal as a 21-year-old student body president at Spelman College.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Pope said she did not know how it felt to be free until she was 20, when she spent a year in Europe on a Merrill scholarship.

There wereno places I couldnt go, no programs I couldnt take advantage of, no limits to my existence. I could eat where I wanted  I couldnt do that in Atlanta, she said. I felt like the shackles had been taken off me.

When she returned to the United States, I was so miserable. I just didnt know how I was going to stand it, she said.

Pope said she was drinking coffee with Julian Bond, who would later become a leader of the civil rights movement, when they learned about a sit-in in North Carolina. During the protest, black students would enter an all-white restaurant and refuse to leave.

Why arent we doing that? Bond and Pope asked themselves.

We decided to start a movement, Pope recalled.

College officials asked Pope, Bond and other students to write a public document explaining their decision to act. Pope wrote it herself, while Julian Bond used a typewriter to put her words to paper.

Their campaign of boycotts and sit-ins forced white leaders to desegregate stores, theaters and schools.

Pope went on to teach religion, music and English literature to college students in New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. She also has two daughters.

Racism, Pope said, is such obvious evil. And it seems to me that people dont try to hide it so much anymore.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

segregation  n. the practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other

intend  v. to plan or want to do (something)

mete  v. to give (something) to the people who you decide should get it

scholarship  n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education

shackle  n. chains

miserable  adj. very unhappy

typewriter  n. a machine that prints letters or figures on a sheet of paper when a person pushes its keys

obvious  adj. very clear for all to see
- A popular Enugu based native doctor, Simon Odo, also known as Onu Uwa, blames bad wives for the untimely deaths of many men in Nigeria

- The native doctor states that only few deaths of men in the country are not caused by bad wives

- Odo who has 58 wives says he cannot stomach insolence and unruly behaviours from women

- Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

A popular Enugu based native doctor, Simon Odo, also known as Onu Uwa, has said most men in Nigeria die because of pressure from bad wives.

The native doctor told Vanguard in an interview at his country home, Aji, in Igbo-Eze north local government area of Enugu state that only few deaths recorded by men in the country are not caused by bad wives.

Simon Odo says only few deaths recorded by men in the country are not caused by bad wives

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Australian scientists reportedly developed vaccine for disease

If there are 20 dead men in Nigeria for instance, only five of them died naturally. The other 15 were caused by heartbreaks and bad attitudes from their wives," he said

Odo who has 58 wives said he cannot stomach insolence and unruly behaviours from women folks, adding that he marries a new wife anytime he was let down by the attitude of his wives.

I marry anytime any of my new wives insult me. I cannot stand a woman insulting me, he said.

In another news, fresh details available to Legit.ng stated that a man, who is described as his parents' only son, and his wife, said to be an only daughter, were killed in the explosion that rocked a part of Lagos on Sunday, March 15.

The couple, according to their neighbours, got married two years ago. Ganiyu Olayiwola, who is the head of the federal fire service in Lagos state, confirmed that four people died in the incident that shook some parts of the state.

READ ALSO: Berla Mundi dresses like a 'dipo' girl in latest photos

Photographs available to Legit.ng showed rescuers and government officials at the scene evacuating the remains of the couple amid tears and wailing by neighbours.

This medium also obtained photographs of the wreckage of houses and vehicles affected by the explosion, whose cause is yet to be revealed by the authorities.

For those who escaped unhurt, many lost their belongings with some said to be left with nothing other than the clothes they wore at the time of the incident.

Ghana News Today: Accra Beautification Project causes Ako-Adjei Interchange to sparkle | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Prices of hand sanitizers go up in Ghana; Criss Waddle & Nana Aba react

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
On a cold winter day, a family spotted a stray mama dog curled up with her 3-week-old puppies alone in a snowdrift barely surviving the freezing temperatures in northwestern Minnesota. The concerned family then drove the mama dog and her litter of six puppies to Red Lake Rosies Rescue shelter, where they were cared for and have since found forever homes.

The staff at Red Lake Rosies Rescue, an animal rescue organization located on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northwestern Minnesota that has rescued over 10,000 animals, named the mama dog Snowbelle. They couldnt believe how Snowbelle and her litter of puppies had survived the harsh weather conditions.

According to shelter staff, the puppies were very hungry as Snowbelle had stopped producing milk.

However, not long after, the mama dog and her puppies were nursed back to health. After a few days of warm shelter and good food Snowbelle started producing lots of milk for her babies, the shelter wrote in a Facebook post from February 2020.

Since Snowbelles heartwarming story was posted on the rescue organizations Facebook page, it received 1,200 likes and nearly 500 shares. Hundreds of people took to the comments section to express their admiration for the brave mama dog and for the rescue shelter that took them in.

One commentator wrote, Bless you for all you do. And bless the family who stopped and brought these dogs out of the cold.

While another commented: Unbelievable that both the kindness of man and the cruelty of man cross paths. That poor Momma dog and her puppies were so fortunate to have been found.

Snowbelle had her litter of 6 puppies in a snowdrift this winter. A concerned family drove her and her babies to the Red    Red Lake Rosie's Rescue     

The courageous mama dog, now named Asha, was spayed and then taken to Pet Projects, a rescue in Nerstrand, Minnesota.

Alluding to Ashas condition, Nancy Bruley, founder of Pet Projects, told The Dodo, We dont really know anything about her past.

She was very, very thin and in tough shape, so she had been scrounging on her own for a while, she further added.

According to Bruley, Asha was extremely shy and didnt know how to walk on a leash. However, after six weeks, the timid mama dog transformed and gained weight.

Shes really blossomed, Bruley said. She walks well on the leash now and is much more confident. She jumps and puts her paws up on me. Shes definitely more outgoing than when she came in.

Fortunately, just like her puppies that were being adopted, Asha too found her forever home.

Sherry Lichstinn, who opened her heart and home to Asha, wrote on Feb. 23 in the comments section on Facebook, Shes going to be filled with love, hugs, kisses, spoiling and more food and warmth to never go hungry or cold ever again.!!!!!!

Asha has also made a black labrador her close companion.

Shes got such a personality, Lichstinn wrote early this March, updating all those who have followed Ashas story. She has learned to eat treats instead of hiding them. She has learned what a bone is.

From freezing alone with her litter of six puppies in the harsh winter to thriving in her forever home, Asha has indeed come a long way.
On Monday, March 16, Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Charles Dupre ruled to extend school closures and suspend district operations through Friday, April 10, warning campuses could be closed even longer.

In an updated posted to the district website Saturday, March 14, Dupre said the district was planning ahead for the possibility of a long-term closure.

I also want to assure you that FBISD is planning as if our schools will be closed for the long-term. Although we are hoping to reopen in two weeks, we understand the reality that it might be three weeks, four weeks, or even longer, Dupre said. I understand this raises many questions, including how we will handle graduation for our seniors, what will happen with STAAR/End of Course testing and AP testing, etc. Today, we just dont know. As the picture becomes more clear, we will provide timely updates based on local decision-making and updates from the Texas Education Agency. No matter what, we are dedicated to serving our students to the best of our ability should it become necessary to close our schools for an extended time.

Fort Bend ISD trustees discussed school closures during a special meeting held Friday, March 13, and praised Dupre and Fort Bend ISD staff for their work. Dupre referenced the meeting discussions in his March 14 update.

As I discussed with the Board of Trustees during their emergency meeting on Friday, all of us must manage our expectations. We are eager to get back to normal, but this crisis might disrupt our lives for many more months. If we begin educating FBISD students online, our entire team will do our best to support our students continued learning, but it will be a very different experience and, honestly, they will not experience the same growth they would achieve by being in the classroom with their teachers each day.

Fort Bend ISD was among several school districts to announce plans to shutter through April 10, including Houston ISD. Related: Houston, olher school district to remain closed through at least April 10

Currently, the last day of school for Fort Bend ISD students is scheduled Thursday, May 28.

knix@hcnonline.com
The fourth Cairo Cinema Days kicked off on 11 March with Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alalas You Will Die At Twenty. The annual event, run by Zawya arthouse cinema since 2017, is dedicated to showcasing the latest award-winning and critically-acclaimed films from the Arab world. This year there are fewer films on the programme and they are all being screened at Zawyas main venue, Karim Cinema, with no screenings at the Zamalek Cinema as in previous years. There are also no special sections for classic Arab films or retrospectives.

On a more positive note, the new round maintains the tradition of a quality programme including 15 narrative and documentary films  many of them award-winning  from Sudan, Palestine, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. These include two Sudanese debuts that won dozens of prestigious regional and international awards in 2019.

Amjad Abu Alalas You Will Die At Twenty won the Luigi De Laurentiis Award from Venice, the best screenplay award from Carthage and the best narrative film award from El Gouna, among many others. It follows the internal journey of Muzamel, a young man who is cursed by the prophecy of a dervish when he is born now approaching the age at which he was told he would die.

Suhaib Gasmelbaris Talking About Trees premiered at the Berlinale where it won the Berlinale Glashutte Original Documentary Award, the festivals top award for a documentary, and the Panorama Audience Award in the documentary category, as well as the best documentary award at El Gouna, among many others. It documents the attempts of three of Sudans pioneering filmmakers to revive an old cinema under a repressive Islamist regime where glimpses of the history and the future of the Sudanese film industry can be seen.

Another interesting debut is 1982 by the Lebanese filmmaker Oualid Mouaness, a narrative feature dealing with the filmmaker childhood and his thoughts about the 1982 Israeli invasion. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won its NETPAC Award. It also won the FIPRESCI (International Critics Prize) from El Gouna Film Festival in 2019, among many other awards.

All This Victory, Lebanese filmmaker Ahmed Ghosseins debut, is another film about war, though set at a different time: during a 24-hour ceasefire in July 2006. It explores the deepest inner conflicts of a group of people trapped in a village house. It won the Audience Award of the Critics Week at Venice and was in the Official Competition selection of Cairo International Film Festival in 2019.

The programme also includes two films widely acclaimed as among the best ever dealing with womens issues. Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzanis debut Adam, a narrative film, was in the official selection of Canness Un Certain Regard and won many awards including El Gounas bronze star. It was also Moroccos official selection for the Academy Awards, although it did not make the short list. Through following the intersecting destinies of two mothers who belong to different social classes, the film discusses the social and cultural burdens carried by Arab women regardless of their position on the social ladder.

Tunisian filmmaker Hinde Boujemaas debut Nouras Dream focuses on a wife and mother torn between social boundaries and emotional desires in a conservative and judgmental context. It won the IPRESCI Prize from the Torino Film Festival and its star, the celebrated Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, won best actress awards at Carthage and El Gouna.

Though made by a man, the Algerian filmmaker Hassen Ferhanis documentary 143 Sahara Street is a beautiful piece of art that depicts the past, present and future dreams of Malika, a woman who lives and works in isolation in the middle of the Sahara serving tea to truck drivers who pass her small kiosk. Through long conversations with these random customers, her life story is revealed. It is a sad story, but she lives up to its challenge. The film won the Best Emerging Director (Filmmakers of the Present) at Locarno, the Prize of the City of Torino for Best International Documentary at Torino, and the silver star for best documentary at El Gouna.

Another interesting selection from Tunisia is A Son by Mehdi Barsaoui, which won the Salah Abu Seif Award for Best Artistic Contribution at Cairo and the Venice Horizons Award for Best Actor at Venice. The narrative film explores the challenges faced by Tunisian families regarding the organ transplant laws and the danger of the expansion of the organ traffickers in the region, tackling cultural and social issues of honour, social image, and fatherhood at the same time.

The Cairo Cinema Days programme also includes a gem by the renowned Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman, It Must Be Heaven, which marks his return to the scene after 10 years of absence. Screened out of competition at the Cairo International Film Festival, the film won the FIPRESCI Award and a Special Mention at Cannes. It is another episode in Suleimans series of biographical films, in which he plays the lead. In a journey from Palestine to Paris and onto New York, he humorously explores his disillusion with escaping an occupied country as he grapples with identity, nationality and belonging. Can anywhere be called home?

For Sama, the Emmy Award-winning Syrian filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Wattss debut feature documentary is another highlight. significant selection on the list of The Cairo Cinema Days this year. It won the BAFTAs best documentary award and was the Documentary Feature Nomination for the Academy Awards. Through an epic journey in 96 minutes the film explores the female experience of war focusing on the challenges faced by the filmmaker and lead as she attempts to secure the future of her daughter Sama against the backdrop of escalating unrest in Aleppo.

Two other films in the programme are notable for their unconventional narrative style. The Algerian filmmaker Amin Sidi-Boumedines Abou Leila, an alternative account of the 1990s civil war, poses the question of reality and illusion, forcing the audience to question all that they take for granted. Abou Leila was the official selection of the Critics Week at both Cannes and Cairo International Film Festival, and won the Best Actor Award at Carthage.

Likewise Tunisian filmmaker Alaa Eddine Slims Tlamess, screened in the Directors Fortnight section at Cannes, is a nonlinear journey from reality into fantasy on a quest for the origin of evil. A young solider in the middle of the desert sick of his life pattern decides to take a weeks leave and go home, but instead he begins to explore nowhere.

In Mansourah, You Separated Us is a documentary film by Dorothee Myriam Kellou which is also about Algeria yet in a different era, during the French occupation. In the village of Mansourah, Dorothee Myriam, the director, with her father Malek meets to collect the historical memory of a certain day when 2,350,000 people were forced to leave their homes and gather in camps. Saying the unsaid is one of the strongest qualities of the film, which was in the Official Selection of the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam.

The Unknown Saint by Moroccan filmmaker Ala Eddine Aljem is a crime comedy in which, before his arrest, a thief buries his booty, disguising it as a modest tomb  only to realise it has become a shrine for the so called Unknown Saint on his release.

Saudi filmmaker Abdulmohsen Aldahbaans Last Visit depicts the conflict between generations in a conservative village where the relationship between son, father and grandfather is explored during a journey to seek a cure for the fathers illness. It was the in the East of West Competition at Karlovy Vary and won the Marrakech Jury Prize.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana has gone into a 14-day quarantine after he came in contact with a suspected coronavirus patient during his visit at Doon Hospital yesterday.

"Uttarakhand Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana will remain in quarantine for 14 days at his house. The step has been taken after he met a suspected coronavirus patient in the isolation ward of Doon Hospital on Monday," informed Ashish Kumar, Dehradun District Magistrate.

A total of 126 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Joe Bidens confirmation of the biggest open secret in politics  that he would pick a woman as his running mate  was just the start of a thorny selection process that touches not only on gender but race, geography, experience and personal chemistry.

The array of choices in play, according to Biden advisers and allies, reflects the competing forces bearing down on Biden as he looks to the general election. Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren are top names. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto are also in the mix.

Theres a powerful current of thought in Democratic circles that Biden needs to choose a black woman after African American electorate indisputably revived his campaign in South Carolina and the South. But it's by no means a certainty.

I think its necessary for it to be a woman and I prefer an African-American woman. Thats my preference, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn told POLITICO in an interview. Clyburns endorsement of Biden before South Carolinas Feb. 29 primary was a transformative moment for the Biden campaign.

Clyburn said Bidens pick for a running mate is one of the most important decisions hell make. Bidens age  he'll be 78 on InaugurationDay 2021, the oldest person to take the oath of office of the presidency if he wins  only heightens the importance. While Clyburn has publicly discussed possible running mates, he said he hasnt made recommendations personally to Biden.

Heres the thing, when you choose a running mate, you have to choose based upon compatibility. You have to choose based upon what I would like to call competency. A lot of vetting is going to take place. A lot of polling is going to take place, Clyburn said. And Im certain he will choose what he thinks is best to complement his candidacy for the presidency and capable of becoming president, if the situation called for it.

Biden has been dogged by questions about his age and his failure to attract younger voters, putting pressure on his campaign to balance his ticket with a fresh face. Geography, too, is a consideration. The imperative to win back the Rust Belt, said Biden advisers, will be one major factor in the decision.

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That could give an edge to Klobuchar, who demonstrated she can win in the purple state of Minnesota and stumped aggressively for Biden in Michigan as well as in her home state. Klobuchars swift exit from the race and endorsement of Biden ahead of Super Tuesday helped him consolidate moderate support at a pivotal point in the primary. Klobuchar, like Harris, is also a strong debater, Clyburn pointed out.

Whitmer likewise checks the Midwestern box. The Michigan governor stepped up to provide a critical endorsement just before the Michigan primary. Biden went on to win every county in the state in a victory that devastated Sanders campaign. Michigan, too, is considered ground zero in the fall fight against Trump.

Several Biden advisers noted the golden rule of choosing a vice presidential candidate: First, do no harm. To that end, ensuring that their choice has no skeletons is critical. Our campaign will run a rigorous vetting process, one of the advisers said.

Aides insist Bidens decision to announce his intentions to name a woman on the debate stage was his own and not part of a larger strategy.

Its something he thought about a lot recently, and he decided he wanted to make a big commitment on a big stage, said Biden adviser Symone Sanders. Vice President Biden also doubled down on nominating a black woman for the Supreme Court. So both of these are enormous commitments to diversity and, frankly, to progress.

A road map for the campaigns thoughts can be found in a 16-page report, Selecting a Vice President: Advice for Presidential Candidates, which was issued in 2016 by the Bipartisan Policy Center. One of Bidens top advisors, Anita Dunn, was part of the centers working group that produced the study.

Among its recommendations: Campaigns should begin the core vetting and selecting process at least eight weeks before the convention. And presidential candidates should spend meaningful time personally getting to know each potential running mate.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a primary election night rally, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Eastern Market in Detroit. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Warren, the policy wonk of the group, had a frosty relationship with Biden over economics in the past. But Biden has taken steps to make amends. The two spoke over the phone twice since she dropped out, according to a source familiar with the conversations. And in a major policy shift, Biden announced he would back Warrens bankruptcy reform plan.

Plus, Warren's progressive and feminist bona fides are hard to ignore, said a Biden adviser.

Theres a lot of pressure to pick Elizabeth, the adviser said.

Of the three senators who ran against Biden, Harris name has consistently risen to the top of the speculative VP short list because of their affinity for one another and because she is the only black woman to run in the crowded primary.

Harris supporters and African American political groups say Biden owes a political debt to black voters that could be repaid by picking her.

The sentiment from black women throughout the South is really clear: We put in all this work and you should put a black woman on the ticket. And many of them are saying Harris name, said Bakari Sellers, a former chairman of Harris campaign and an influential South Carolina Democrat and political commentator.

They have a lot of respect for each other and theyve been talking, Sellers said. But ultimately, its his choice.

Weighing against Harris is some potentially ill will from the first debate in June, when she ambushed Biden over his record on working with segregationists and school busing.

If Kamala helps us win, everyone will welcome her, said a Biden staffer. But the question is whether shell help us win.

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., walks to the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, during a break in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. (AP Photo/ Jacquelyn Martin)

Before Biden even announced, there was buzz about former Georgia state legislator and 2018 gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams joining his ticket. But Abrams bristled at the notion at the time, which Biden advisers thought was poor form.

Still, Democrats believe Abrams could help put her home state in play and juice African-American turnout in swing states. That includes neighboring Florida, where recent polling indicates Trump is making unexpected inroads with black voters.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, was an early endorser of Bidens and has frequently vouched for him in the South, especially among African American women.

As for Florida, one of Bidens most recent endorsers, Rep. Val Demings, is often mentioned in the same breath as Abrams and Bottoms. A former police chief, Demings is a relative unknown but hails from Orlando, the heart of the crucial I-4 corridor, the fulcrum on which the largest swing state swings.

When asked last week about her interest in running with Biden, Demings did nothing to tamp down the speculation.

I love being a member of Congress, Demings told a local station, WFTV-9. But if asked, I would consider it an honor.


A security guard wearing a face mask at the Imperial Palace as it reopens to the public in Shenyang, China, on March 17, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing Lashes Out After Trump Refers to Novel Coronavirus as Chinese Virus

After President Donald Trump called the novel coronavirus the Chinese virus in a Twitter post, the Chinese regime lashed out at the United States.

On March 16, Trump posted: The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

The following day, at a daily press conference on the coronavirus outbreak response held at the White House, Trump explained his choice of words.

China was putting out information that was false, [saying] that our military gave this [coronavirus] to them, Trump said. Rather than having an argument, I had to call it where it came from. Its a very accurate term.

Chinese media outlets first promoted the U.S. origin narrative in late February, after Chinas top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said that there was a possibility the coronavirus didnt originate from China.

Then, on March 12, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry, alleged in a Twitter post that the U.S. military spread the virus to China.

Asked by a journalist his thoughts on Beijings claim that Trump was stigmatizing China by referring to the virus as the Chinese virus, Trump replied, Our military did not give it [the coronavirus] to anybody. I think saying our military gave it to them [China] creates a stigma.

Trumps tweet angered the Chinese regime.

On March 17, Geng Shuang, spokesman for Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry, said at a daily press briefing that connecting the coronavirus with China is stigmatizing China.

Geng said: We urge the United States to correct their mistake as soon as possible, and stop blaming China without evidence.

Geng asked the United States to take care of its own business, without elaborating.

Chinese state media recently criticized U.S. officials for referring to the virus as the Wuhan or Chinese virus.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. national security adviser Robert C.OBrien  insisted on calling the novel coronavirus Wuhan Virus or Chinese virus.  The virus became their weapon against China, state-run media Xinhua stated in a March 15 editorial.

Both officials have used the term Wuhan coronavirus.

Xinhua called U.S. politicians prideful, prejudiced, and ignorant. It also mentioned a study published in The Lancet medical journal, in which more than a dozen legal scholars from around the world called out Chinese authorities for violating the International Health Regulations in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Xinhua called the study full of fear, rumor-mongering, racism, and xenophobia.

The argument about using the term Wuhan or Chinese virus has been raised since January.

During the beginning stages of the outbreak, Chinese media in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other regions called the virus Wuhan pneumonia, because the disease first broke out in Wuhan.

On Feb. 13, the Chinese Communist Partys mouthpiece Peoples Daily criticized Taiwan for using the term to stigmatize China.
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Manganese X Energy Corp. (TSXV: MN) (FSE: 9SC2) (TRADEGATE: 9SC2) (OTC Pink: SNCGF) ("Manganese" or the "Company") today announced its intention to complete a spin-out of its Lac Aux Bouleaux Graphite Property (the "LAB Graphite Property"), located in the Province of Quebec, into a separate, yet-to-be-formed publicly-traded company ("Pubco"). The spin-out transaction (the "Transaction"), which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020, is intended to enable the Company to maximize its focus and provide it with the flexibility to meet its unique business needs and further its development strategy.

"Separating the LAB Graphite Property to create an independent publicly traded company will bring greater value to shareholders, enable faster, efficient decision making, and enable the new company to devote much needed focus on the development of the LAB Graphite Property, which is a fairly advanced exploration project," said Dr. Luisa Moreno, proposed Chief Executive Officer of Pubco.

The Transaction

The Transaction is expected to be completed by way of a statutory plan of arrangement (the "Plan of Arrangement") under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). Pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement, shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") will exchange their existing common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") for the same number of existing shares of the Company (having identical terms) plus a number of common shares in the capital of Pubco (each, a "Pubco Share"), likely on a fractional basis as compared to the Company's shares. As of the date hereof, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors") have not determined the number of Pubco Shares to be issued to each Shareholder under the Plan of Arrangement. The Transaction is not expected to result in any change in a Shareholder's holdings in the Company and, upon completion of the Transaction as proposed, the Shareholders will have ownership of the securities of both the Company and Pubco. It is anticipated that the Transaction will be completed on a tax free basis.

Anticipated Offering of Pubco equity by Pubco:

In connection with the Transaction, Pubco is expected to complete a private placement of subscription receipts ("Subscription Receipts") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $750,000, at an anticipated price of $0.05 per Subscription Receipt (the "Private Placement"). Subject to applicable laws, the Subscription Receipts are expected to be converted (without further payment by Subscribers) into units (the "Units") comprised of one (1) common share, and one-half of one (1/2) common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each whole Warrant exercisable into one (1) common share at an anticipated exercise price of $0.08 per share. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to fund, among other things, an initial exploration program plus the general working capital of Pubco and potential future acquisitions. Subject to applicable laws, in connection with the Private Placement, the Company may also pay a finder's fee to one or more eligible finders. Further details on the Private Placement, will be provided in due course, once available, by way of press release.

The Transaction will result in the creation of Pubco as an independent public company, which will initially be focused on the exploration of the LAB Graphite Property for graphite, with the potential for acquisition and exploration of other precious metals projects moving forward. Pubco is expected to have the ability to source its own funding independent of the Company. Upon closing of the Transaction, it is expected that Dr. Luisa Moreno and Mr. Jay Richardson, will serve as, respectively, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Pubco.

Completion of the Transaction remains subject to (i) the receipt of tax and legal advice for the Company and Pubco, (ii) the approval of the Plan of Arrangement by (A) the Shareholders (which the Company intends to seek at an annual, general and special meeting of Shareholders (the "Shareholders' Meeting"), the date for which has not yet been determined by the Board of Directors), and (B) the British Columbia Supreme Court, and (iii) the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including, among other things, the receipt of other requisite regulatory approvals (including, where required, the approval of applicable Canadian securities regulators and the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

The Company intends to list the Pubco Shares on the TSXV. However, as of the date hereof, the Company has not submitted to the TSXV any application for listing the Pubco Shares (a "Listing Application"). In the event that the Company submits a Listing Application, the listing of the Pubco Shares will be subject to satisfying all of the initial listing requirements of the TSXV, and as such, there can be no guarantee that the Pubco Shares will be successfully listed on the TSXV.

The Company intends to provide further details of the Transaction, including the date for the Shareholders' Meeting, the number of Pubco Shares to be issued to the Shareholders, and details pertaining to the board of directors and management of Pubco, at a later date. Readers are cautioned that the final details of the Transaction are still be to be determined and that there can be no certainty that the Transaction will be completed on the terms currently proposed, or at all.

LAB Graphite Property and NI 43-101 Technical Report

The Company engaged Hinterland Geoscience and Geomatics ("HGG") to prepare an update to the technical report (the "Technical Report") in respect of the LAB Graphite Property. Martin Ethier, P. Geo., the principal author of the Technical Report (the "Principal Author"), is a "qualified person" for the purposes of NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and is considered independent of the Company within the meaning of NI 43-101. The updated Technical Report, dated as of February 18, 2020, includes exploration work carried out in 2019. A copy of the updated Technical Report is available on both the Company's website, and the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

The following summary of the LAB Graphite Property is derived from the updated Technical Report and is qualified in its entirety by the Technical Report:

The LAB Graphite Property is comprised of fourteen readily accessible mineral claims within 150 km of both Montreal and Ottawa in one contiguous block, totalling 738.12 hectares of land near the town of Mont-Laurier in the southern part of the Province of Quebec.

The LAB Graphite Property lies within a geological environment in a region within which graphite is commonly found and has been commercially mined from a number of deposits located between Mont-Laurier, in the north, and the Ottawa River, in the south.

Resource estimation work conducted on the LAB Graphite Property in the early 1980s resulted in an historical (not conforming to the requirements of National Instrument 43-101) resource of 1,320,847 tons at 9% graphitic carbon.

Based, in part on the recently completed study of the LAB Graphite Property conducted by the Principal Author, the Technical Report notes the large upside potential of the property for further graphite exploration and, further, highlights that the property has good road access, with water and electricity available on site, to facilitate year-round exploration and mining activities (other than geological mapping and surface sampling).

Recently completed tests of the LAB Graphite Property produced three distinctly sized graphite concentrates, with the combined concentrates having overall graphite recovery rates of between 89.6% and 96.2% at grades of 91% to 88.3% graphitic carbon. More than 50% of the total graphite in these tests was recovered in the "jumbo" and "large" flake concentrates, both of which are targeted for premium market prices.

About Manganese X Energy

The Company's mission is to acquire and advance high potential manganese mining prospects located in North America with the intent of supplying value added materials to the lithium ion battery and other alternative energy industries. In addition, Manganese X Energy is striving to achieve new methodologies emanating from technologies for environmentally geographically ethical and friendly green/zero emissions, while processing manganese at a lower competitive cost.

For more information, visit the website at www.manganesexenergycorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Martin Kepman

CEO and Director

martin@kepman.com

1-514-802-1814

Cautionary Notes: General and Forward-Looking Statements

Neither 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.

This news release is not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any securities of the Company or, following the proposed spin-out, of Pubco, and may not be relied upon in connection with the purchase or sale of any such security.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Forward-looking information includes information including statements with respect to the future exploration performance of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates and analyses that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the date the forward-looking information is provided, are inherently subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information may include, but are not limited to, risks generally associated with the Company's business, as described in the Company's public filings on SEDAR, which readers are encouraged to review in detail prior to any transaction involving the securities of the Company. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date.

Cautionary Notes: Historical Resources

A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. The Company is not treating historical estimate as a current mineral resource or reserve. The historical resources were calculated by block models using different cut-off grades, and a specific gravity of 2.76. The Company believes that the historic estimate is relevant to an appraisal of the merits of the property and forms a reliable basis upon which to develop future exploration programs. The Company will need to conduct further exploration which will include drill testing the project, and there is no guarantee that the results obtained will reflect the historical estimate. The historical estimates should not be relied on.

We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53508
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.
Exclusive: India plans to top up strategic tanks with cheap Saudi, UAE oil - sources FILE PHOTO: A Saudi man stands in front of a screen of stock prices at ANB Bank in Riyadh

By Nidhi Verma

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India plans to take advantage of low prices for oil from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to top up its strategic petroleum reserves (SPR), two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Global oil prices have fallen around 40% in March as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has destroyed demand, while supplies are growing following Moscow's refusal to back deeper output cuts at a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its OPEC+ allies.

Leading OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi have said they will increase output while cutting prices, giving big consumers the chance to fill up at discounted prices.

"It is an opportune time for us and for them (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Saudi Aramco) to finalize the deals and fill the SPRs...If there is any delay, we might fill the SPRs on our own," said an official familiar with the matter, asking not to be named.

A second source, who also requested anonymity, said the oil ministry has written to the finance ministry to release about 48-to-50 billion rupees ($673.7 million) to buy oil in 8-9 very large crude carriers for filling the storage.

Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) and India's oil and finance ministry had no immediate comment, while ADNOC and Saudi Aramco declined to comment.

India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, imports about 80% of its oil needs and has built strategic storage at three locations in southern India to store up to 36.87 million barrels of oil or about 5 million tonnes to protect against supply disruption.

ISPRL, a company charged with building of strategic storage, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the UAE's national oil company ADNOC for the lease of half of its 2.5 million tonnes Padur facility.

Last year it signed an MoU with Saudi Aramco for the lease of a quarter of Padur SPR.

The leases allow the national oil companies to store their oil, some of which will cater for India's strategic needs, while they can sell the rest to Indian refiners.

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Padur has four compartments that hold about 4.6 million barrels each. The ISPRL has received 1 VLCC with Arab Mix to fill one compartment and will get a second VLCC in April, a third source said.

The ISPRL has already leased half of the 1.5 million tonnes capacity in Mangalore storage to ADNOC, which has stored about 5.5 million barrels of Das oil in the cavern, while ISPRL has retained the remainder.

"This is the right time to fill the SPRs before prices start moving up," a third source said.

India has also filled its 1.03 million tonnes Vizag facility with Basra oil from another OPEC producer Iraq.

While India is primarily taking advantage of low prices as a consumer nation, U.S. President Donald Trump aimed to help U.S. energy producers struggling to cope with the price fall by announcing he would take advantage of low prices to fill up the nation's emergency reserve.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; editing by Barbara Lewis)
For that to happen, there must be a federal, state or county directive on the virus requiring city action and action must be needed before the next regular city council meeting. To proceed, Morley will have to provide a statement under oath declaring that those requirements have been met and declaring that a state of emergency exists for the city.
Massachusetts officials say they arent satisfied with the current coronavirus testing levels, but that they expect that to change soon as commercial labs help bolster the states efforts to test for the disease.

Health Secretary Marylou Sudders said the state is working on designating the Broad Institute as a state reference lab and partnering with two commercial labs  Thermo Fisher and PerkinElmer  to provide the institute with supplies and hundreds of test kits a day.

The institute would supplement work done by the state laboratory, which now has the capacity to process up to 400 test kits a day. The state laboratory has conducted at least 1,367 tests as of Tuesday, up 275 from a day earlier.

The command center has prioritized increasing testing capacity, said Sudders, who is also director of the state command center. Were working all avenues to rapidly increase the testing capacity in the face of emerging issues.

The state Department of Public Health said there are 218 coronavirus cases in Massachusetts as of Tuesday afternoon. DPH Commissioner Monica Bharel said the state would no longer distinguish between presumptive positive cases and confirmed cases, deeming all positives as confirmed cases.

Thermo Fisher got the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday to deploy its coronavirus tests. Representatives of the medical-device maker say they have 1.5 million of their own tests available and that their tests can be processed within hours.

State officials plan to supply the Broad Institute with Thermo Fisher tests, Sudders said.

If were successful, the Broad Institute would be able to test almost 1,000 kits per day, Sudders said Tuesday.

She said PerkinElmers CEO offered to supply the state laboratory with a testing machine and supplies with additional capacity for almost 1,000 tests per day.

Were matchmaking between local, academic medical centers, many of whom have machine capacity, but various supply shortages and testing supplies, including the local companies, Thermo Fisher and PerkinElmer, Sudders said.

A Thermo Fisher spokesman confirmed the company is working with the health secretary to expand testing capacity in the state.

The Broad Institute confirmed it is working with local hospitals and state officials to process tests. Stacey Gabriel, senior director of the Genomics Platform at Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, said the institute plans to be processing tests by early next week.

Once operational, Broad Institute expects to be able to process samples collected in hospitals and other clinical settings, Gabriel said in a statement. We expect to be able to process more than 1,000 tests a day, and should be able to increase the capacity quickly with additional improvements.

Gov. Charlie Baker and other officials across the country expressed concerns over a sluggish rollout of test kits as community transmissions started to pop up in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has struggled with faulty test kits and blowback over its own rules on who could be tested and which entities could conduct the testing.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced last week that Massachusetts can test an additional 5,000 more people in the state after Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp received federal approval to test for the virus in their facilities. The tests can take 24 to 48 hours to process. Their approval meant the state laboratory could improve its testing capacity from 200 tests per day to 400 tests per day starting this week.

When asked about how the Broad Institute testing would be paid for, Sudders said it is too early to explain how it would be funded but that state officials are meeting with the companies later Tuesday.

Later today we will have a more formal meeting to figure out what things they need for us to make sure that they can come online, and they believe that they can come online very well," Sudder said. I cant answer specifically your funding question at this moment, like how will pay for the kits.

Gov. Charlie Baker said he believes the testing rollout will become less of an issue as commercial labs produce and process test kits, but he wants to see more.

From my point of view, Id like to see us test way more than wed test up until now," Baker said, adding that the state command center is doing scenario planning now with health care officials to prepare for testing requirements and severe cases. The other thing I would say with respect to this is the command center is doing scenario planning now with the health care community over what they think the ultimate requirement and demand with respect to dealing with the most difficult cases is going to look like.

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Officials say the suspension will last until protocols are created that ensure the health of deported asylum seekers.

Guatemala City  Guatemala will temporarily stop receiving Hondurans and Salvadorans returned from the United States under the asylum cooperation agreement due to the coronavirus pandemic, Guatemalas foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

As of today, all flights under [the Asylum Cooperation Agreement] are suspended, Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo said, referring to an agreement between Guatemala and the US.

Guatemala will also stop receiving Guatemalans deported from the US until the Central American country and the US establish protocols to guarantee the health of migrants and asylum seekers before they are deported, officials said.

Tuesdays decision was made after meetings between Guatemalas Foreign Ministry, the ambassadors from the US, ambassadors from the region, and representatives from both state agencies and organisations from civil society that work with those deported from Mexico and the US.





The move came after President Alejandro Giammattei announced on Monday the suspension of all flights, a ban on all foreigners from entering the country and the closure of the countrys borders for 15 days in an effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The country had already banned the entry of citizens of European countries, Iran, China, North and South Korea, the US and Canada.

More than 900 Honduran and Salvadoran asylum seekers have been sent to Guatemala under the so-called safe third country agreement, which was signed in July 2019. The agreement allowed US immigration authorities to require asylum seekers who first cross through Guatemala to apply for asylum there instead of being eligible to apply in the US.

On Monday, one deportation flight chartered by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency arrived in Guatemala. On board were 56 Guatemalans and 17 Salvadorans.

US officials did not immediately comment on the suspensions.

Migrant shelters close to deportees

In advance of Mondays announcement, the Catholic Churchs Migrant Shelters in Guatemala City announced that it was temporarily suspending services to migrants and asylum seekers deported from the US and Mexico due to the growing crisis created by the pandemic.

We cannot put at risk the lives of the people, Father Mauro Verzeletti, the director of the Guatemala City Migrant Shelter, told Al Jazeera.

The Migrant Shelter has given Hondurans and Salvadorans a place to stay and medical attention after being returned from the US as part of the asylum agreement.

We are thankful at this moment there will not be the deportations of Hondurans and Salvadorans to Guatemala, said Father Juan Carbajal, the director of the Pastoral of Human Mobility, the national coordinator of migrant shelters in the country.

We hope that this [suspension] will continue for a long time, he told Al Jazeera. As we have said since the beginning, Guatemala does not have the conditions or preparation to receive these people. We hope they end these types of deportations.

More than 184,000 people have been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. More than 7,500 people have died. More than 80,000 people have recovered, according to John Hopkins University.

One person has died from the virus in Guatemala. President Giammattei announced on Monday that there were six active cases of coronavirus in the country. Another 300 people are under observation.
Facebook has admitted it may make more mistakes and take longer to remove inaccurate and offensive posts on its website due to its staff working remotely.

The social media giant has sent its global content reviewers home until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak. This includes Dublin-based staff.

The step was taken to keep our people safe, the company said in a lengthy post on its website.

In recent years, Facebook has invested heavily in machine-learning and its content review teams to aid in its response to misinformation and fake news.

As a result of Covid-19, we are working with our partners this week to send our global content reviewers home until further notice for their health and safety, while taking other steps to maintain the safety and security of our platform, a company spokesperson said.

To ensure users see accurate and helpful information on the coronavirus outbreak, Facebook has given free ads to bodies like the World Health Organisation and the HSE, while searching for coronavirus on Facebook or Instagram will redirect users to pages run by the health authorities.

Review teams are still required to monitor potentially harmful posts, though, with concerns raised that reducing this work may increase the level of misinformation shared on social media.

In recent days, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been among those criticising the sharing of misinformation on social media platforms.

We believe the investments weve made over the past three years have prepared us for this situation, Facebook said.

With fewer people available for human review well continue to prioritise imminent harm and increase our reliance on proactive detection in other areas to remove violating content.

"We dont expect this to impact people using our platform in any noticeable way. That said, there may be some limitations to this approach and we may see some longer response times and make more mistakes as a result.

Meanwhile, transport staff are to be given hand sanitisers and cleaning regimes will be increased across the bus and train fleet to stop the spread of the virus.

Union officials representing bus and rail workers had criticised the lack of protections for their members, who are still dealing daily with the general public.

But, following a crunch meeting with transport chiefs, it has been confirmed that a suite of measures will be implemented immediately to protect staff.

This includes issuing personal hand sanitisers to staff and an increase in cleaning regimes, with a focus on surfaces used frequently, such as handrails, ticket machines and card readers, as well as drivers cabins.

Irish Rail is to designate seats for social distancing, while cleaning and disinfecting of train carriages is to be increased too. There will also be a reduction in the use of train hosts, facilitated by the expected drop in customer numbers.

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Casinos have joined the airline industry in asking Congress for emergency financial help as Las Vegas and other tourist destinations take a severe financial hit from the coronavirus outbreak.

The requested aid for the casino companies, raised by lobbyists in recent days, could come in the form of a comprehensive bailout package, similar to what lawmakers may provide to airlines, cruise companies and the hospitality industry. Other possibilities include direct cash payments, deferred taxes, or special bankruptcy protections, said two people with knowledge of the conversations, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

RELATED: Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods to close for at least 2 weeks

One person said that on a strategy call Monday with members of the American Gaming Association, which represents the industry, a representative of Wynn Resorts raised the possibility of the industry seeking cash payments. Wynn Resorts was previously run by one of President Donald Trump's biggest political donors, Steve Wynn, though he resigned from his post in 2018. A Wynn Resorts representative did not respond to requests for comment.

The American Gaming Association issued a statement to The Washington Post on Monday, saying that with the $260 billion industry at a "near standstill," additional funds are needed to support casino companies and their employees.

"As state governments close casinos as a part of the urgent public health response to COVID-19, elected leaders should move just as urgently to support the workers and businesses who will bear the brunt of those effects," said the AGA, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "Our immediate priorities are actions that provide liquidity to allow us to support employees."

The casino industry has been battered by shutdowns related to the coronavirus, with an increasing number of states demanding that all casinos, restaurants and bars close immediately to minimize person-to-person contact and reduce crowds.

Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Maryland have been shut down. Wynn Resorts announced that it would close the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore properties, while MGM Resorts International said it would close all Las Vegas casino operations Monday, followed by closing the hotels Tuesday.

Some casinos in Las Vegas and across the country continue to operate despite recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people reduce in-person contact and that events of 50 or more people be canceled.

The Trump administration has already moved to help the oil and gas industry by announcing plans to buy oil for the strategic petroleum reserve to buttress companies hit by a downturn in energy prices. Officials have also said the administration will push for special financial relief for the airline, cruise, and hospitality industries, which have been also hit hard by coronavirus.

A bipartisan package approved Friday by the House of Representatives and supported by Trump did not include bailouts for these companies, but assistance for specific industries, particularly the airlines, is expected in a third congressional package. Lawmakers have started to work on that package this week, according to congressional aides involved in deliberations, as the Senate takes up the legislation approved by the House.

The gambling industry supports 1.8 million jobs, according to the association, which could argue that thousands of low-wage workers would suffer if the companies aren't bolstered by the federal government. But extending financial aid to casinos may provoke more political opposition than efforts to support airlines or other travel industries, particularly as federal lawmakers face scrutiny over whether they are picking winners and losers in an economy broadly affected by the pandemic.

Casinos could also receive additional scrutiny given the close personal and professional ties that Trump, himself a former casino developer and owner, has to the industry. Wynn, a top GOP donor, has known Trump for years and was vice chairman of his inaugural committee. After Trump entered the White House, Wynn was named chairman of Republican Nation Committee's finance committee, before stepping down after sexual harassment allegations.

A spokesman for Wynn did not immediately return a request for comment.

Trump still owns a hotel with casino magnate Phil Ruffin, the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. Although the hotel does not have a casino, Trump's company operates the property and it relies heavily on Las Vegas tourism for business.

Trump administration officials have sought to compare their efforts to the targeted help offered to the airline industry after it was hammered by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, testifying to lawmakers this month, denied that the financial assistance being considered amounted to a "bailout." Among the ideas floated include deferring federal taxes for certain industries and providing zero- or low-interest loans to certain firms.

"This is not a bailout," Muchin told lawmakers. "This is considering providing certain things for certain industries."

- - -

The Washington Post's Beth Reinhard contributed to this report.
A young mother-of-two broke down in tears at a pharmacy in Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday after discovering that coronavirus hoarders had bought all of the Children's Panadol Baby Drops.

Sara Tumino, who won the 2018 season of The Block with her husband, Hayden Vale, visited three chemists in her suburb and found nothing but empty shelves in the baby medicine section.

She documented the ordeal on Instagram, telling her followers: 'This is becoming an absolute joke and I don't normally do this but I'm here at Chemist Warehouse and there is absolutely no Baby Panadol left.'

'Enough is enough': Young mother Sara Tumino broke down in tears at a pharmacy in Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday after discovering that coronavirus hoarders had bought all of the Children's Panadol Baby Drops

She explained that her infant son, Lawson, was teething and had a fever and she couldn't do anything to help with the symptoms.

Sara blamed panic buyers for the situation, saying: 'Honestly, you people are going mad and it's impairing everyone else's day to day life. Enough is enough.'

After returning home, she began crying and admitted she was 'defeated'.

Remember them? Sara won the 2018 season of The Block with her husband, Hayden Vale

'This is becoming an absolute joke': Sara visited three chemists in her suburb and found nothing but empty shelves in the baby medicine section (pictured)

'This is the face of a mother that's literally just been defeated because I can't get any Baby Panadol for Lawson's fever,' she wept.

'All I want is just Panadol to help his little fever and I can't even get that and it's all because of this stupid virus and because those people... all they're doing is just hoarding and their kids aren't even sick. Like, what's the point when there are other kids that are sick?

'It's affecting everyone else [and] there's older people, too. It just makes me want to scream. It's hoarding, that's who I'm annoyed at. Because they can't let anyone else live their lives.'

Emotional: After returning home, she began crying and admitted she was 'defeated'

'Then this happened': Sara also shared this photo of a man wearing a face mask stocking up on pharmacy items at Chemist Warehouse

Fortunately, there was a happy ending to the story when Sara 'went to one final chemist in Bondi' and found the last bottle of Panadol for toddlers.

She is giving her baby a reduced dose to help with his teething symptoms.

'I can't believe how crazy this world has gotten. All those people that have got other ailments, that need medication and that can't get their hands on it, I really feel you,' she concluded.

Phew! There was a happy ending to the story when Sara 'went to one final chemist in Bondi' and found the last bottle of Panadol for toddlers, which she is giving to her baby in a reduced dose. Pictured with Hayden and their children, Lawson and Harlow, earlier this year

Pandemic: Coronavirus cases in Australia surged to 455 on Tuesday - almost doubling in just two days - sparking fears tens of thousands could be infected within weeks

Coronavirus cases in Australia surged to 455 on Tuesday - almost doubling in just two days - sparking fears tens of thousands could be infected within weeks.

As shelves continue to be stripped bare by panic buyers, fights and unruly behaviour in supermarkets have become commonplace across the country.

Coles and Woolworths have introduced buying limits for basic food items, including pasta, rice, mince, flour and hand sanitiser.

COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December and has since spread to more than 180,000 people worldwide, and killed at least 7,176 people.

It was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11.
The European Union will impose an entry ban on travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days to battle the spread of the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

Member states "agreed to impose an entry ban" into the bloc, with only nationals of EFTA countries and Britain exempt from the restriction, said Merkel, adding that the bloc was taking "coordinated action to bring back stranded travellers".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will issue the Red Outbound Travel Alert to the rest of the world except the Mainland, Macau and Taiwan as soon as today.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam made the announcement ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning, noting the significant increase in imported COVID-19 cases.

The important point is - if I can share this statistic with you - all the confirmed cases, especially those so-called imported cases, all those who have a travel history during the incubation period or their close contacts, up till now they are all Hong Kong residents.

The past week saw an increase of 57 confirmed coronavirus cases of which 90% were either imported, involved patients with a travel history during the incubation period, or those who had close contact with people returning from abroad.

On entry restrictions for visitors to Hong Kong, Mrs Lam said the Government had acted early and implemented on January 27 an entry ban on those coming in from Hubei Province.

Throughout the process of this anti-epidemic work, we have to base our decisions on science, on the actual situation on the ground and other implications."

The Chief Executive ruled out banning entry for all people except Hong Kong residents.

It is a bit too drastic to go into that sort of total banning because we have to understand that there are always some very genuine and compassionate cases on an exceptional basis that despite a 14-day quarantine they need to come to Hong Kong.

While we are still in the epidemic situation, we have to allow the city to continue, business to resume, otherwise we may have more problems on the economic front.
[March 17, 2020] FourKites Expands Leadership Team in Response to Unprecedented Market Momentum

CHICAGO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FourKites , the #1 supply chain visibility platform, today has announced several new leaders to its management team to fully capitalize on unprecedented demand from shippers, brokers, 3PLs and carriers for the companys market-leading platform. Steve Rotter joins as Chief Marketing Officer; Frank Iannotti steps in as Chief Revenue Officer; Christine Schoeff joins as Senior Vice President, Human Resources; and Glenn Koepke takes over as Vice President of Network Enablement.

With the worlds largest and fastest-growing network of shippers, a rapidly expanding portfolio of innovative solutions, and a team that has nearly quadrupled in size over the last two years, FourKites enters 2020 in a position of incredible strength, said FourKites CEO Mathew Elenjickal. Im thrilled to welcome Steve, Frank, Christine and Glenn to our team, and Im confident that their proven leadership abilities will ensure even greater success during a time of tremendous growth. An award winning CMO and recognized as one of the top-100 influencers in marketing, Rotter has held executive leadership positions with multiple hyper-growth software companies. His past roles include leading marketing for Brightcove, which IPOd in 2012, and Q-Link which was acquired by Adobe and most recently chief marketing officer at tech unicorn OutSystems. As an industry pioneer, FourKites has everything needed to be the next billion dollar brand - a hot market, great technology and world class customers getting real value, said Rotter.



Iannotti, who will lead FourKites global sales organization, brings more than 20 years of global sales management. His track record includes successful building and leading high-performance teams at enterprise giants such as Procore Technologies, No. 6 on Forbes Coud 100 list, NetSuite, Salesforce, SAP and PeopleSoft. Im thrilled to join the organization that created and continues to define the exciting - and relatively young - supply chain visibility category, said Iannotti. I look forward to helping FourKites fully capitalize on the growth opportunity ahead with a best-in-class sales organization.



Schoeff brings over 20 years of executive talent leadership experience with transformational market leaders including Vibes, TicketNow, Millward Brown/Kantar and Prudential. She is also Co-Chair of Women Influence Chicago, the Illinois Technology Associations board with a mission to develop and elevate women in tech. Im excited to join FourKites team that is so clearly passionate about culture and customer results, said Schoeff. I look forward to helping ensure we continue to nurture this special culture, drive global growth and bring even more of the industrys top talent onboard. Schoeff will lead the strategy and execution of FourKites global HR and Talent programs. Koepke comes to FourKites with 16 years in the logistics services industry, having led teams in operations, supply chain engineering, operational excellence and solution design to help complex global shippers transform their business into cutting-edge supply chains. I am thrilled to be part of a transformational company, where FourKiters are so passionate about solving age-old industry challenges," said Koepke. I look forward to working with my team to ensure that the FourKites network - which includes more shippers than any other visibility network on the planet, by many multiples - will continue to outpace the competition and serve as the industrys best source for insights that can improve supply chain operations. Koepke will lead FourKites Network Enablement strategy, with a focus on facilitating and scaling the companys supply chain visibility network and solutions.

Just six years ago, FourKites created the category of real-time visibility , enabling shippers to improve on-time delivery and orchestrate their supply chains based on actionable data and predictive intelligence. With a network that now includes more than 400 of the worlds top shippers, including 18 of the top-20 food and beverage companies and nine of the top-10 CPG companies, FourKites tracks more than 600,000 shipments every day. About FourKites

FourKites is the largest predictive supply chain visibility platform, delivering real-time visibility and predictive analytics for the broadest network of Global 1000 companies and third-party logistics firms. Using a proprietary algorithm to calculate shipment arrival times, FourKites enables customers to lower operating costs, improve on-time performance and strengthen end-customer relationships. With a network that spans millions of GPS/ELD devices, FourKites covers all modes, including truckload, LTL, ocean, rail, intermodal and parcel. The platform is optimized for mobile and equipped with market-leading end-to-end security.



To learn more, visit https://www.fourkites.com . Media Contact:

Marianna Vyridi

Big Valley Marketing for FourKites

(650) 468-3263

[email protected]

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We are trying to sacrifice and grow in faith in this season of Lent. To have the Grace of our Lord completely cut off from the faithful, its just devastating, Carr said, adding she was not entirely surprised by the action. After Pope Francis suspended services at the Vatican, Carr said she had a sinking horrible feeling the church in the U.S. would not be far behind.
Some mourners are being asked to stay away from funerals in Co Kildare churches due to HSE guidelines about mass gatherings to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 / coronavirus.

Death notices are providing links to webcams of churches where the funerals are taking place as well as to online books of condolences.

Grieving families are also asking relatives and friends not to shake hands.

One death notice said: "Due to HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings, a Private Funeral will take place.

"Those who would have liked to attend the Funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of the page."

Another death notice said: "Due to Covid 19 Virus we as a family are adhering to Government advice and restrictions regarding public indoor gatherings to less than a 100 people a private family funeral will take place."

In addition, another death notice said it was limiting mass attendees to 100 people maximum and "asking people to refrain from shaking hands."

The Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, has pleaded with people not to attend funerals unless they are immediate family or very close friends of the deceased as the country battles the spread of coronavirus.

Speaking on RTE's News at One, Bishop Leahy said that on Friday and Saturday he had seen large crowds of people attending funerals, and shaking hands.

He said: "It is going to be well nigh-on impossible to keep social distancing going in this situation, and we might well be contributing to the spread of the virus."

There are other ways people can express their condolences to the family of the deceased, he said, such as emails, texts or message apps.

He suggested that families, when writing the death notice of their loved one, include in the notice that the funeral is private, clearly stating 'family only'.

Public attendance at mass was cancelled around the country last weekend as many parishes streamed services online instead.

Weddings, funerals and baptisms can continue as long as there are fewer than 100 people in the church, in accordance with government guidelines, while churches remain open for private prayer.
business Gold price fall continues for sixth straight day, at Rs 39,886 per 10 gram The broader trend on Comex could be $1,468-1,520 and on domestic front prices could hover in the range of Rs 38,000-40,000, said Damani.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 12:02:25|Editor: Liu

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CANBERRA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Government has flagged a second major stimulus package to help the economy cope with the outbreak of coronavirus.

Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison returned to Canberra on Monday night ahead of a meeting with his cabinet on Tuesday and discussions with state and territory leaders on Tuesday night.

He and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have already announced a 17.6 billion Australian dollar (10.7 billion U.S. dollar) stimulus package aimed at saving jobs but Mathias Cormann, the minister for finance, on Tuesday morning said that further measures would be necessary.

Parliament is set to resume on March 23 when the government will legislate economic stimulus with the support of the Opposition Labor Party.

The hospitality and tourism industries are expected to be hit hardest on account of social distancing measures and travel bans put in place by the government.

Tourism and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, who spoke to Morrison about stimulus twice on Monday, said that the government was looking at "unprecedented circumstances and therefore we're considering everything necessary to try to get as many businesses through this as possible."

Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, told reporters on Monday that according to government modelling between 20 and 60 percent of the population may become infected with COVID-19.

The government has previously advised against non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people in an attempt to impede the spread of the virus.

Schools remain open. Morrison said in a video posted on social media on Monday night that closing schools at this time could potentially worsen the situation, but he added that they could be closed "in the coming weeks."

Cormann confirmed that Tuesday's meetings would also consider scaling-up social distancing after U.S. President Donald Trump recommended that Americans avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.
Stepping up measures to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, the government has so far prevented 29,058 crew and passengers on board 829 ships from disembarking on Indian shores and arranged for safe transport of EXIM cargo, a Shipping Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Apart from restricting cargo handling and scanning passengers and crew, the government has prohibited entry of any international cruise ship, crew or passengers with a travel history to coronavirus-hit countries post February 1, 2020, to its major ports till March 31.

Till March 17, a total of 29,058 crew and passengers on board 829 vessels arrived on Indian shores from China or travel history to impacted countries.

"They have not been allowed to disembark as a precautionary measure to contain any possible spread of the virus. They were allowed to anchor at designated places, but no shore passes were issued to such crew and passengers post January 26," the official told PTI.

Of 829 ships, 523 had arrived at India's 12 major ports while the remaining arrived at minor ports under the control of the state governments.

As per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), all passengers and crew aboard the vessels are being scanned, and all necessary facilities are being extended to them, the official said.

All required protocols are being followed and help is being provided in case of fever or sickness, the official added.

India has 12 major ports -- Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (earlier Ennore), V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) -- which handled 699.04 MT of cargo during 2018-19.

There are about 200 non-major ports under the control of states.

The government had last month directed all 12 major ports to immediately put in place screening, detection and quarantine system for disembarking seafarers and cruise passengers as a preventive measure against the coronavirus outbreak.

Directions had also been issued to ports to procure N-95 masks as well as thermal scanners to screen passengers, besides obtaining self-declaration from arriving crew/passengers.

To prevent the spread of the deadly virus, the Ministry of Shipping had said it will allow only such international cruise ships which had intimated their call to ports by January 1, 2020.

"Only those international cruise ships which had planned and intimated their call to an Indian Port not later than 1st January, 2020 will be allowed to call on such port," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Assemblies of God Church, Ghana has suspended all church activities within the next four weeks.

The church says the decision is in line with the directive of President Akufo-Addo.

The leadership of the Church announced this in a release signed by Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Church, saying the suspension also covers all weekly meetings.

All our schools, including the Bible Schools, University, second cycle and basic are to be closed immediately, until further notice. The only exception is the BECE and WASSCE students who are to be prepared to write their examinations as directed by the State, the release stated.

President Akufo-Addo addressed the nation Sunday night on key precautionary steps the Government had taken in the interest of all, to help minimize and possibly kick the novel Coronavirus out of the country.

This includes a ban on all social gatherings and church activities in the next four weeks.

The Church, therefore, said all local, district and regional gatherings, including funerals, have been suspended until further notice, except in private funerals where the number was less than 25, as directed by the State.

It said within the four weeks, the Assemblies of God Church, with the necessary know-how and technology, should consider using social media to reach its members with sermons and prayer sessions.

The Church is also encouraging a great deal of hygiene from all pastors and members of its denominations and organisations.

Besides, I call on all pastors and members to give themselves to prayer within these four weeks, trusting that our God will heal our land of this virus and other diseases, Rev Frimpong-Manso said.

For the Scriptures declare: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chron. 7:14).

The General Superintendent encouraged all members to cooperate with the health professionals and state agencies as they work around the clock to find a solution to the pandemic.

---GNA
A group of Sudanese refugees arrive at an emergency transit centre in Timisoara, Romania, in December 2018. Recently evacuated from Libya, they were awaiting emergency resettlement.  UNHCR/Ioana Epure

As countries drastically reduce entry into their territories owing to the COVID-19 global health crisis, and restrictions around international air travel are introduced, travel arrangements for resettling refugees are currently subject to severe disruptions. Some States have also placed a hold on resettlement arrivals given their public health situation, which impacts on their capacity to receive newly resettled refugees.

Refugee families are being directly impacted by these quickly evolving regulations in the course of their travel, with some experiencing extensive delays while others have been stranded or separated from family members.

In addition, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the International Organization for Migration, are concerned that international travel could increase the exposure of refugees to the virus.

As a result, IOM and UNHCR are taking steps to suspend resettlement departures for refugees. This is a temporary measure that will be in place only for as long as it remains essential.

As resettlement remains a life-saving tool for many refugees, UNHCR and IOM are appealing to States, and working in close coordination with them, to ensure that movements can continue for the most critical emergency cases wherever possible. The suspension will begin to take effect within the next few days as the two agencies attempt to bring those refugees who have already cleared all formalities to their intended destinations.

Resettlement provides a vital lifeline for particularly vulnerable refugees, and IOM and UNHCR will continue their work in refugee-hosting countries, in collaboration with all relevant partners, to ensure that the processing of cases for resettlement continues. We will also remain in close contact with refugees themselves and all of the agencies that work to support the use of resettlement as a critical protection measure.

Both agencies look forward to resuming full resettlement travel as soon as prudence and logistics permit.

ENDS

Media contacts:

For UNHCR:

For IOM:
Davina McCall has asked those amongst her social media followers who have tested positive for coronavirus to shed light on their experiences and symptoms.

The presenter, 52, took to Twitter and penned: 'Me and @matthewdmarsden were wondering if anyone has had and got through the coronavirus on here? Could you please tell us how it was?'

And many who have tested positive for coronavirus were quick to take to the comments section to shed further light on the illness - including BBC Radio4 broadcaster Emma Freud.

'Seems to be so different for each. Husband seems to have it, fever, aches, no appetite and cough but not horrific,' wrote one, while Emma Freud added: '3 days of persistent dry cough, tight chest (felt like I was a heavy smoker), fever and worst headache of my life. Then all went. Codeine helped. And 100 cups of hot herb tea.'

Davina McCall took to Twitter and asked those who have gone through coronavirus to discuss their experiences. Pictured, on This Morning on 9 March

Amongst the comments included a response from broadcaster Emma Freud, who revealed she had a persistent dry cough for three days and a tight chest (pictured)

Davina told how she was keen to hear stories of those who have come out of the other end as she finds it 'comforting to know.'

One wrote: 'Im on day 5 of self isolation. Day 1 - shivers and very mild cough. Day 2 - fever, high temp (39), mild cough, fatigue. Day 3 - as day 2 but aching all over, cough now frequent. Day 4 - as day 3 but temp wont come down with paracetamol alone. Day 5 - temp gone, everything else still.'

Another who was on day three told how fortunately their symptoms were mild and explained: 'Fever then few days later sore throat, headache, muscle pain, dry cough, breathless, also loss of appetite.'

'End of day 3 appetite is returning, some symptoms fading left feeling breathless.'

People told how their symptoms ranged from a sore throat and headache to muscle pain and breathlessness (pictured)

A third told how she was just getting over in while her husband is currently in the thick of it.

'Were both mid 30s, fit & healthy,' she continued. 'The cough is horrendous and the shivers are unreal but it does pass! It would be easier to deal with if we didnt have 2 daughters under 4 in tow, the youngest with chicken pox!'

The TV and radio host went on to offer messages of support to those of her 2.7 million-strong followers who were experiencing anxiety due to the coronavirus epidemic.

She encouraged: 'We will get through this together' - before sharing a picture of a meme which read: 'You can't calm the storm...so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.'

And many told how they were appreciative of the Twitter thread as they hadn't heard much from those who had actually experienced it.

'I've hardly seen any reports on what happens to people when they contract Coronovirus... unfortunately I have first hand experience of it as my wife is currently hit hard by it and I mean absolutely floored by it,' wrote one, while a second enthused:

'Great tweet, its good to know peoples symptoms . Im so afraid that the UK arent testing and we have no idea how many are infected. Im scared and cant sleep.. I may be being dramatic but its really worrying me.'
Tens of millions of people hunkered down in government-ordered isolation on Tuesday as borders slammed shut, schools and businesses closed and increasingly drastic restrictions on movement took effect. Others were scrambling to get home, caught up in widespread travel restrictions that aimed to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

From Southeast Asia to Europe to the Americas, people found their lives upended by lockdowns and social distancing.

Shoppers in Malaysia stood in long lines to stock up at picked-over supermarkets. Commuters in the Philippines waited in huge traffic jams at checkpoints set up to take their temperatures before entering the capital of Manila.

Spain, now the fourth-most infected country, saw infections rise on Tuesday by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178 and virus-related deaths jump by almost 200 to 491. Only China, Italy and Iran had more infections.

With the number of cases worldwide topping 183,000, a surge of patients in Madrid's hospitals has fuelled worries across Europe of what lies ahead. Pleas went out to send masks and ventilators to places like Italy and Spain that are struggling with soaring caseloads.

"There is no easy or quick way out of this extremely difficult situation," Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said in the first televised speech by a Dutch leader since 1973.

Iran state TV warned the virus could kill "millions" in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps on travelling, ignoring health guidance. World Health Organization officials have said the number of cases there - nearly 15,000 with 853 deaths - have been sharply underreported.

Airlines across the world have slashed flights due to a plunge in demand but also because many countries have been barring foreign arrivals.

Turkey planned to evacuate 3,614 citizens stranded in nine European countries after flights were suspended, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Germany launched a 50 million-euro effort to bring home thousands of tourists stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe, including up to 5,000 in Morocco alone.

"Even if we will do everything humanly possible, we cannot in every case provide a solution within 24 hours," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned.

In Lithuania, trucks seeking to enter Poland backed up in a line 60 kilometers long after Poland closed its border to foreigners due to the new coronavirus. German police organized a convoy to help stranded citizens from Baltic states get back home by ferry after the Poland closure.

Italy reported another jump in infections, up to 27,980. With 2,158 deaths, Italy now accounts for well over a quarter of the global death toll.

The cascade of event cancellations continued, with Thailand calling off its water festival in April and the Kentucky Derby reportedly prepared to delay the famous US horse race for the first time since World War II. India shut down the Taj Mahal.

Some bright spots emerged. Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus was first detected late last year and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case on Tuesday.

The virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but severe illness is more likely in the elderly and people with existing health problems. COVID-19 has killed over 7,100 people so far but more than 79,000 have recovered.

The economic toll from the crisis to both companies and individuals was only escalating. Shares reversed early losses in Asia on Tuesday after the US stock market plunged to its worst day in more than three decades.

A senior South Korean health official, Kwon Jun-wook, urged people to take the virus seriously.

"In a similar way to how the September 11 attacks completely changed people's perception about security, quarantine authorities like us believe the daily lives of all the people around the world will be changed because of COVID-19, Kwon told reporters Tuesday. "From now on, if you are sick, you should voluntarily rest to prevent a spread to others."



Malaysia banned foreign travel and is allowing only essential services to stay open. France allowed people to leave home only to buy food, go to work, or do essential tasks. French President Emmanuel Macron said the restrictions were tightened because people hadn't complied with earlier guidelines and we are at war.

The first confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Somalia, which has one of Africa's weakest health systems.

As the pandemic expanded across Europe, the Mideast and the Americas, China and South Korea were trying to hold their hard-fought gains. China is quarantining new arrivals, who in recent days have accounted for an increasing number of cases, and South Korea will increase screenings of all overseas arrivals starting Thursday.

In the US, officials urged older Americans and those with chronic health conditions to stay home, and recommended all group gatherings be capped at 10 people.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to eliminate unnecessary contact with others, working from home where possible and avoiding bars, restaurants, theaters and other venues. Schools remained opened for the time being.

Some scientists, and many worried Britons, have said the government should have taken tough action sooner.

Britain's dramatic escalation of social restrictions to fight COVID-19 was sparked by new scientific evidence suggesting that 250,000 people in the UK and more than 1 million in the US might die if the country did not suppress the spread of the new coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:27:21|Editor: xuxin

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Afghan security force members prepare to burn seized drugs in Jawzjan province, Afghanistan, March 16, 2020. Police in the northern Jawzjan province set on fire 35 tons of illicit drugs including heroin and hashish on Monday, provincial police chief Abdul Wahid Wajdan said Tuesday. (Photo by Mohammad Jan Aria/Xinhua)

SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Police in the northern Jawzjan province set on fire 35 tons of illicit drugs including heroin and hashish on Monday, provincial police chief Abdul Wahid Wajdan said Tuesday.

The drugs had been seized over the past one year, the official told Xinhua, adding that 47 people have been arrested on charge of involvement in drug smuggling.

Wajdan also noted that police would spare no efforts to bring to zero the poppy cultivation and drug production in the relatively restive province.
TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kilo Goldmines Ltd. (Kilo or the Company) (TSX VENTURE: KGL) announced that, subject to regulatory approval, Mr. Donat Madilo and Mr. Michael Cooper were elected to the board of directors of the Company at the annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company held on Monday, March 16, 2019 (the Meeting). They join Mr. James Mustard on the board who was also re-elected at the Meeting. Mr. David Netherway and Mr. Loudon Owen, long standing directors of the Company, did not stand for re-election at the Meeting and the Company wishes to thank them for their contributions while in office.



Mr. Madilo is currently Chief Financial Officer of Loncor Resources Inc., a junior mining and exploration company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and has over 30 years of experience in accounting, administration and finance. Mr. Madilo most recently was Senior Vice President, Commercial & DRC Affairs of Banro Corporation and was previously Chief Financial Officer of Banro Corporation. Mr. Madilo holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Institut Superieur de Commerce de Kinshasa, a B.Sc. (Licence) in Applied Economics from University of Kinshasa and a Masters of Science in Accounting (Honours) from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Mr. Cooper has worked in the Canadian capital markets for the past 25 years, as an analyst and investor, writing research reports and helping raise private placement capital. He has worked with and for some of Canadas leading boutique exempt market dealers. With a focus on public and private technology companies and mineral exploration companies, he has been active in M&A negotiations and financing work. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a BA (Economics) and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

At the Meeting shareholders also approved a change of name of the Company to KGL Resources Ltd. or other name approved by the directors and applicable regulatory authorities, and a consolidation of the common shares of the Company on the basis of a ratio of one (1) post-consolidated common share for up to every twenty (20) pre-consolidated common shares, with the timing and actual consolidation ratio to be determined by the directors.

About Kilo

Kilo Goldmines Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol 'KGL' and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol '02K'. Kilo holds a 20% interest in a bid for mining rights to four iron ore concessions located in the Bamyan province of Afghanistan.

Neither 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.




ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The largest Hardees franchise operator in the United States, Boddie-Noell Enterprises, announced today it will go to drive-thru service only and suspend dining-in service at all of its 340-plus restaurant locations as a precaution against potential coronavirus concerns.



The company will also modify its operating hours to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at all 346 Hardees restaurants it owns and operates in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and eastern Kentucky. Boddie-Noell does not operate all Hardees locations in any of the four states and other franchisees may not have taken these steps taken by Boddie-Noell.

The safety of our employees and our guests is our top priority. Weve made this decision to go to drive-thru service only out of an abundance of caution and to assure our customers we take their safety and health seriously during this uncertain time, said Mike Boddie, president of Boddie-Noell Enterprises. Its also to address any concerns our employees might have as we continue to put in place the best health and safety practices that we can.

The company said it will maintain the drive thru-only service as long as it remains advisable or public health authorities ask restaurants to do so. It also is reducing operating hours to provide employees more time to maintain enhanced cleaning, sanitation and health measures.

Boddie-Noell already has put in place enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices at all of its Hardee's locations. The company also provided additional training for employees to monitor their own health and take immediate steps if they have any health or illness concerns.

Were going to be as proactive as we possibly can to ensure that our restaurants meet or exceed health and safety requirements and to take additional measures that our customers would expect of us as members of hundreds of local communities at this time, said Boddie.

About Boddie-Noell Enterprises

Boddie-Noell is proud to have been a Hardees franchise operator for 58 years. Family-owned, Boddie-Noell is the largest Hardees franchisee in the United States with 346 restaurant locations in four states. The company is based in Rocky Mount, N.C. For more information, visit www.bneinc.com .
We have more than 40 health club establishments, many of which accommodate customers with less than 50 people, she said. We felt it was prudent to help minimize the spread of the virus to impose this order for all health club facilities where people are congregating, and where equipment may or may not be cleaned to the level that is killing the virus.
Germany has reportedly initiated an emergency plan to evacuate thousands of stranded citizens from overseas on the chartered planes. The government has struck deal with the air-carriers to repatriate citizens from particularly from Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the Maldives, and Egypt.

Germanys Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas said, as per a German media agency report, that there was a particular urgency in Morocco, where between 4,000 and 5,000 Germans are stranded. He said that the government has allocated 50 million for repatriation procedures. The containment measures to the evacuees would apply, like health screening at the airport, he, however, refrained from commenting in regards to the mandatory quarantine.

Heiko described the scenario as likely to the extraordinary Berlin airlift program that flew supplies into a cut-off West Berlin during the Cold War, Germany's state media reported. It further quoted him saying that the tourists should remain patient as the government won't be able to offer a 24 hour-solution in every case.

Read: A Somber Trump Urges Americans To Follow Virus Guidelines

Read: Donald Trump Says Coronavirus Outbreak Could End By July In US

Formal warning issued

According to the media reports, Morocco had suspended all commercial flights to and from Germany this past week and halted operation of ferries, therefore, leaving the stretch known as the Spanish exclave of Ceuta as the only means to travel. That has left several tourists stranded. Heiko further added saying that a formal warning has been issued that prohibited citizens to leave the country. The authorities, in which case, must ensure the safe evacuation of those abroad to downsize the impact of the malignant pandemic.

"Travel warning: From now on we have decided to warn against all unnecessary tourist trips abroad. Hence the urgent request: Stay at home. You will help yourself and others! This travel warning for tourist travel applies worldwide," Maas wrote on Twitter.

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, urged all Germans for social distancing at homeland and abroad, as she announced sweeping curbs to stem the contagion of COVID-19. Robert Koch Institute newly assessed the threat level of the coronavirus in Germany as "high" according to the reports.

Read: Germany Gives Investigators More Tools Against Child Porn

Read: Germany Hosts Libya Summit In Bid To Curb Military Meddling
Photo: Paul Sableman/Flickr

Missed the most recent top news in Sacramento? Read on for everything you need to know.

Substitute teacher dies from coronavirus

A temporary volunteer and substitute teacher who worked at Sutterville Elementary School in February and tested positive for coronavirus died on Sunday, according to a statement released by the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee.

Second positive case at senior facility where first Sacramento County coronavirus casualty lived

An Elk Grove senior assisted living facility that was home to the first coronavirus casualty in Sacramento County has announced a second confirmed positive case of COVID-19.

Read the full story on CBS13 CBS Sacramento.

County ends jail visitation

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has canceled all social visits with inmates at its jails as a precautionary measure, the agency announced Monday.

Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee.

State legislature still meeting despite outbreak

The Capitol was closed to the public over the weekend, and lawmakers have canceled all committee hearings, which is where they are most likely to interact with lobbyists and advocates in close quarters. But the legislative sessions continue.

Read the full story on San Mateo Daily Journal.

Mayor urges Sacramento bar closures, restaurants to move to delivery and pickup only

Mayor Darrel Steinberg urged businesses to follow guidelines laid out by the governor, but he also asked restaurants to go further by moving to home delivery and curbside pickup only.

Read the full story on ABC10.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Tow members of Lori Vallow's defense team removed quit on Friday on the same day the judge removed himself for the case. She is being held on a $1 million bond

Cult mom Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman facing multiple charges regarding the disappearance of her two children, is maintaining her innocence days after two of her three defense attorneys quit and the judge was removed from the case.

Edwina Elcox and Brian Webb stepped down from Vallow's legal team on Friday with no explanation for their departure yet given.

The judge also removed himself from the case Friday after a motion was filed asking him to do so by the defense team.

Vallow's sole remaining attorney Mark Means released a statement on Monday in which she continued to claim her innocence in the disappearance of her children, Tylee, 17, and JJ, seven, who have not been seen in almost six months.

Earlier this month, Vallow, 46, was extradited to Idaho from Hawaii, where she and her new husband Chad Daybell fled last Fall while dodging police questioning about the children.

She is being held on a $1 million bail.

'As with any citizen of our Country, Mrs. Daybell is entitled to all the privileges and rights that accompany our cornerstone belief of innocents, until proven beyond a reasonable doubt otherwise,' Means' statement read.

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Joshua Vallow, left, and Tylee Ryan, right, who have not been seen since September

Lori Vallow Daybell, front, second right, and her defense team, Mark Means, center left, with Edwina Elcox, right, and Brian Webb, left, who both quit on Friday with no reason given

Judge Farren Eddins no longer presides over the case after removing himself on Friday

'It is this innocence that Mrs. Daybell assertively maintains regarding all charges.'

'Furthermore, Mrs. Daybell is guaranteed access to a fair and impartial judicial process. There is no room in the process for conjecture, innuendos, and or speculation to alter this Constitutionally guaranteed process,' it added.

The statement came after the judge on the case Judge Farren Eddins removed himself on Friday in the same court hearing in which it was first reported that Vallow's attornies Webb and Elcox were to remove themselves from the case.

Means filed a motion last week calling for Eddins removal but a reason was not given. Eddins approved the motion and a new magistrate judge will now be appointed.

Lori Vallow faces five counts in the case of her missing children: two felony counts of desertion and non-support of dependent children, and one misdemeanor count each of resisting and obstructing an officer, solicitation of a crime and contempt.

Her kids, Tylee, 17, and JJ, seven, have not been seen since September and there are grave concerns for their welfare.

The alarm was first raised by JJ's grandmother. She has been begging Vallow for answers on JJ's whereabouts for months but she has refused to tell his grandmother where he is.

The FBI released this photo of the family at Yellowstone National Park on September 8 and has asked anyone with information about that day to come forward

Chad Daybell, husband of cult Mum Lori Vallow, is seen leaving the Kauai Community Correctional Center. The couple fled to Hawaii and married on a beach on November

The FBI in Salt Lake City has made a public plea for information about a trip Vallow took with the kids to Yellowstone before they vanished.

They are asking that anyone who was in the park on September 8 last year and has photos of the children or family to submit them to the authorities

Authorities began searching for the children in late November after Lori and her new husband Chad Daybell fled their home in Idaho when police began asking questions about where the children were.

The case expanded as police opened investigations into a string of suspicious deaths linked to the couple.

It began in July 2019, when Vallow's brother, Alex Cox, shot her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, dead in her home in Arizona.

At the time, they told police that he acted in self-defense.

In October, Daybell's wife of 23 years, Tammy, died mysteriously.

He married Lori two weeks later in Hawaii after the children also went missing.

All Daybell has said of the kids is that they are 'safe'.

Then, in December, Vallow's brother Alex Cox died in mysterious circumstances.

Tammy's body has now being exhumed for further testing. Authorities have not yet revealed the results of those tests.

The FBI is now reportedly looking into yet another death linked to Vallow in the wake of her children's disappearance.

Joseph Ryan, Lori's third husband, died of an apparent heart attack in 2018 - 14 years after the couple divorced in 2004.

Two years later, Joseph's death is getting a second look from investigators as they search for his and Lori's daughter Tylee, and JJ, who she adopted with her next husband.

Lori's estranged husband Charles Vallow (left) was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox in Arizona on July 11 . Chad's wife Tammy (inset) died in October. Cox (right) died in December

Larry Woodcock, from left, Kay Woodcock, JJ's paternal grandparents, and Brandon Boudreaux attend the hearing for Lori Vallow Daybell on Friday, March 6

The timeline of the mysterious deaths and disappearance in Vallow's immediate family

The extended families of Tylee and JJ are pleading with her to tell them where the kids are.

Rexburg police questioned Daybell and Vallow about the missing children in late November, and when detectives returned the next day for a follow-up interview, the couple had left town.

In December, Idaho authorities asked police in Hawaii for help finding the couple.

On January 26, Kauai police served a search warrant on a vehicle and condo the couple were renting in the resort town of Princeville.

Vallow reportedly believes she is 'a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000 at Christ's second coming in July 2020,' according to divorce documents Charles Vallow filed before his death.

She and Chad Daybell were involved in a group that promotes preparing for the biblical end times.

Vallow's preliminary hearing will be held in Madison County Courthouse on May 7 and 8.
Photo: The CW

According to Deadline, Amanda Smith, a comedian and production assistant for the CWs Batwoman, suffered serious injuries resulting in spinal damage while working on the shows set in Vancouver on March 11. Smiths friend and colleague Tyler Mazzucco told the Vancouver Sun that Smith had been struck in the head by the bucket of a lowering boom lift, the sound of which, he said, she couldnt hear over the noise of traffic passing on the Georgia Viaduct. She was literally just sitting there and it came down on top of her, he said. Smith, having sustained burst vertebrae, was then rushed to Vancouver General Hospital for emergency spinal surgery.

Mazzucco, along with several others, started a GoFundMe to help pay for Smiths medical fees, which will include physical therapy and rehab, as she is currently paralyzed from the waist down. The Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia confirmed to Deadline that it is investigating the incident.

A valued member of the Batwoman production team was recently injured during the preparation of a filming location in Vancouver, a rep for Warner Bros. TV said in a statement. Our thoughts are with her for a speedy recovery. We are working closely with WorkSafeBC to provide any and all requested information. We continue to work to protect the health and safety of all our crews, casts, and employees.

This is not, however, the first serious injury to happen on the set of Batwoman. The shows star, Ruby Rose, also required emergency surgery after damaging her spine while shooting a stunt this past September. Meanwhile, production was suspended on the shows first season on March 13 owing to growing concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
With the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic affecting low-income families across the globe, star couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donated USD one million to two hunger relief funds.

The actors announced their contributions that will be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada through their social media.

"COVID-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low-income families. Ryan & I are donating $1 million to be split between @feedingamerica and @foodbankscanada .1f you can give, these orgs need our help," read a statement by Lively.

"Though we must be distancing ourselves to protect those who don't have the opportunity to self-quarantine, we can stay connected. Remember the lonely and isolated. Facetime, Skype, make a video. Remember the love that can travel through all this," she added.

The 'Gossip Girl' actor further asked people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

"Communities are stepping up-- shopping for the elderly, making lunches for children. We can all do something for one another, even if that's simply staying home," read the statement.

The 32-year old actor ended the statement with a sweet banter with husband Ryan and said, "Sending so much love. Now can someone please tell Ryan that "emotional distancing" from his mother in law is not a thing. Nothing can save him."

Globally, the virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 167,500 people and killed 6600 others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A&E consultants have warned the demands on emergency departments in the coming weeks will be enormous and said hospitals are braced for an onslaught of sick patients.

Spokeswoman, Dr Emily O Conor, a consultant in Connolly Hospital Dublin, said patients with respiratory symptoms attending Irelands emergency departments can be expected to increase rapidly over the coming days and weeks.

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With our nursing colleagues we will endeavour to assess and treat according to clinical need; identify those who can go home, those who need to stay in hospital and, alongside our Intensive Care colleagues, those who need critical care support," she said.

Other patients needing emergency care will continue to attend emergency departments and while we will aim to care for everyone, the experience of colleagues in other countries and public health predictions indicate that demands on emergency departments will be enormous .

We will have to use the available resources in a way that ensures the best outcomes for the greatest number of patients,  said Dr OConor who is President of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine.

She said those working in hospitals have come together to develop contingency plans to best manage the expected onslaught of sick patients infected with CoVid19 and their impact on the healthcare system.

She said the past week has seen a massive reduction in the number of admitted patients waiting in the departments for inpatient beds (inpatient boarders) manifested in reductions in the trolley count.

This confirms what can be done if the political and management system prioritises doing it.

Over the past week there has been significant work done by many to create the hospital capacity for the large numbers of patients that will need care over the coming months.

The emergency consultants have long flagged the lack of bed capacity, infrastructure and staffing in public emergency departments in Ireland and, even before this pandemic, delivering care in Ireland has often required heroic efforts, she added.

The coming months will stretch us further and the public need to bear with us as we try to provide the best possible care in very trying circumstances.

We need to ensure they are supported as well as possible with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, adequate staffing numbers and bed capacity on an on-going basis.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Trend:

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on additional measures to improve the efficiency of public administration, Trend reports.

The decree says that for the electronic control of the situation on the implementation of decrees, orders and instructions of the Azerbaijan's president, a new information system is being created at the Presidential Administration.

The performance efficiency of local executive bodies will be evaluated by the main performance indicators in accordance with progressive world practice.

The Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan has been entrusted to develop, with the involvement of an international consulting company, and submit to the President of Azerbaijan the proposals within six months on the following:

- Creation and application of a mechanism for evaluating the efficiency of local executive bodies' activities;

- The operating procedure of an effective information system for electronic monitoring of the situation on the implementation of decrees, orders and instructions of the Azerbaijans president.

The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to analyze the situation of compliance with executive discipline by state bodies and structures and to inform the President of Azerbaijan twice a year about cases of violation of executive discipline committed by the state bodies and structures.
- Kenyan rapper King Kaka has sent a beautiful message to his wife as she celebrates turning a year older

- The Dudaing hitmaker gushed over his wife calling her Mali Safi, which is Swahili slang for a good thing

- The family rise has been on a high with Nana Owiti snatching an opportunity as a show host on TV

Celebrated Kenyan rapper King Kaka born Kennedy Ombima has sent a beautiful message to his wife on her birthday.

The Wajinga Nyinyi hitmaker showered praise on wife, Nana Owiti, calling her the pillar of their relationship.

READ ALSO: You can never be perfect for a man who's not ready - Zari Hassan

READ ALSO: Brenda Wairimu says losing parents, relationship struggles contributed to her acting success

In the lovely message on Instagram, he gushed over his wife calling her Mali Safi, which is Swahili slang for a good thing.

He thanked her for sticking around 'the vision' and not giving up on him when he was just a struggling artiste.

"Mali Safi. Thanks for sticking around the vision, the servant before I became king. Thanks for being the pillar, thanks for handling my rib. Happy birthday my queen," he wrote.

READ ALSO: Lulu Hassan's hubby Rashid Abdalla celebrates beautiful mum's birthday, prays for people who lost their mothers

READ ALSO: Corona: Jinsi Mkenya alivyoambukizwa kwenye safari yake

The family is having a great moment with life with the newfound fame that came with the release of the rapper's hard-hitting song, Wajinga Nyinyi.

A few weeks back, Nana Owiti also hit the jackpot with a new job at Red Cross Kenya owned Switch TV.

News about the impressive feat was first shared online by Nanah through her Instagram account as she alerted her fans and followers to catch up with her on her show.

The riveting lass is a co-host on the Chat Spot Show alongside Kush Tracey, Joyce Maina, and Mwikali Mary.

The role was celebrated by her hubby, who could not help but tease and gush over her on end.

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.

My father blamed me for the death of my sister | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Humans' fascination with dinosaurs goes back at least 2,000 years to Chinese writings describing what were thought to be massive dragon bones. In the 17th century, an English museum curator discovered a large thigh bone he posited was from a human giant. The first scientific designation of a group of animals called dinosaurs came about in the 1840s. 1993's blockbuster Jurassic Park drove our 20th-century obsession with dinosaurs into overdrive. And with each new fossil discovery and dinosaur movie release, our intrigue with these prehistoric predatorssome of which could eat a human within minutesonly grows.

Every U.S. state has searched its soil for dinosaur fossils, but some states have more old dinosaur bones than others. Anyone lucky enough to stumble on dinosaur fossils is likely to strike pay dirt: Some investors are willing to pay more than $2 million a pop for mostly intact skeletons (much to the chagrin of paleontologists and fellow scientists everywhere). To determine which states have the most dinosaur fossils, Stacker consulted the Paleobiology Database (PBDB), a nonprofit public resource that brings together fossil records from research institutions around the world. Data is current as of February 2020. We pulled all records labeled "Dinosauria" (the dinosaur clade) and sorted them by state.
Count the gilded dome on Beacon Hill the latest government building thats closed to the public in Massachusetts following the spread of the coronavirus.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo said the State House would stop accepting visitors unless a legislator particularly requests to admit a person for a meeting.

One of the things that the Senate president and I had discussed earlier was the fact that we are closing the necessity of outside non-personnel to come into the State House. In particular, were talking about tours, said DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat.

The state Department of Public Health reported at least 197 total cases, including 15 hospitalizations, of the coronavirus. Massachusetts has seen no deaths at this point.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo says that the Massachusetts State House is closed to the public.

The decision comes after schools closed, state courts closed, police stations limited visits from the public and the MBTA announced reduced schedules for public transit.

We saw it very difficult with the disinfecting the State House in the evening only to have lots of people and tours come to the State House during the day, reinfecting a lot of it, said Senate President Karen Spilka. In order to keep the health and wellness of the employees, our staff and all of the people that are here ... we feel that is the best thing.

State House activity started winding down last week as concerns about community spread grew. DeLeo announced on Thursday he would order all legislators to limit the number of staffers in the building and start working from home.

A DeLeo aide announced the House was canceling all public events for the foreseeable future and that DeLeo would create the working group to evaluate committee hearings, formal legislative sessions and other operations, the State House News Service reported last week.

Lawmakers within a newly formed working group responding to the coronavirus have held multiple meetings since last week.

Major bills on transportation, health care and the fiscal 2021 budget have been eclipsed by the pandemic, months before the end of the legislative session. Spilka and DeLeo said their focus is on addressing the coronavirus but that they are continuing to discuss what progress they plan to make on the budget, which is due by July 1.

In terms of a timeframe of whether well be on time or well be delayed somewhat or whatever it may be, I think thats yet to be decided, DeLeo said.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, filed several bills in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including legislation to make unemployment benefits more accessible to workers who were quarantined because they contracted the illness or had to care for an infected family member.

Like any legislation, those proposals are referred to committees and must be reviewed in public hearings.

DeLeo said he will request people to submit written testimony instead of attending a public hearing in-person.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are adjusting to working from home.

Rep. Mindy Domb, an Amherst Democrat, posted a YouTube video Sunday from her home, reviewing steps lawmakers and state officials took to respond to the spread of the coronavirus.

What can you do? If you think that youre sick, call your doctor. Do not go to the emergency room. Do not go to the doctors office," Domb said as she sat in front of her bookcase. "We are trying to keep the waiting rooms of both hospitals, clinics and doctors offices empty so that people do not get sick and that vulnerable populations do not get infected.

A week ago, Sen. Cindy Friedman had plans to speak at multiple large events, participate in a joint caucus, attend a town committee meeting in person  an agenda that put her in front of hundreds of people across the state.

Starting Friday, shes started a new routine: signing on at home to join a 8 a.m. conference call and continue her work over the phone until 7 p.m.

I dont mind it. The problem is you really do learn and get much more information when youre in front of someone talking, said Friedman, an Arlington Democrat.

Related Content:
Today Air Lease Corporation ("ALC") (NYSE: AL) announced long-term lease placements for two used Airbus A330-200 aircraft with Nordwind Airlines. Previously on long-term lease from ALC to Vietnam Airlines, these aircraft will deliver to Moscow-based Nordwind Airlines in the Spring.

"ALC is pleased to announce this A330-200 lease placement with our long-time customer, Nordwind Airlines," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. "These two A330-200s will complement Nordwind's current fleet operations on the airline's long-haul network to Southeast Asia, Africa, Turkey and the Caribbean."

On lease from ALC to Vietnam Airlines since 2011, these two used A330-200s were replaced with two new Boeing 787-10 aircraft delivered to Vietnam Airlines from ALC's order book with Boeing in the past few weeks.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL)

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. ALC routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the "Investors" section of ALC's website at www.airleasecorp.com. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult the ALC website regularly for important information about ALC. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, ALC's website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

About Nordwind

Nordwind Airlines, LLC is a Russian leisure airline established in 2008. The company is headquartered in Moscow, and its main hub is at Sheremetyevo International Airport. Nordwind Airlines primarily operates service between airports in Russia and holiday destinations around the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. The airline's worldwide network includes more than 200 destinations and 75 cities in 17 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005781/en/

Contacts:

Investors:

Mary Liz DePalma

Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations

Email: investors@airleasecorp.com

Jason Arnold

Assistant Vice President, Finance

Email: investors@airleasecorp.com

Media:

Laura Woeste

Senior Manager, Media and Investor Relations

Email: press@airleasecorp.com

Ashley Arnold

Manager, Media and Investor Relations

Email: press@airleasecorp.com
Rome: Italy will rush 10,000 student doctors into service, scrapping their final exams, in an effort to help the struggling health service cope with the coronavirus which claimed another 345 lives.

The death toll rose to 2503 over the past 24 hours, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the total number of confirmed cases increased to 31,506 from a previous 27,980 - the largest number outside China.

Sergio Cattaneo, head of anesthesiology at Brescia Ospedali Civili hospital, where there has been an outbreak of coronavirus. Credit:AP

Italy, the second hardest-hit nation after China in the world's coronavirus pandemic, has announced a new figures that show it has one-third of the world's total deaths from the new virus.

The crisis has pushed hospitals to breaking point at the epicentre of the contagion in northern Italy and left other regions scrambling to strengthen their own health systems as the number of infected rises nationwide.
After the Federal Reserve fired nearly all of its bullets Sunday in a bid to rescue the teetering U.S. economy from the devastating effects of the coronavirus, investors promptly replied, Next!

Markets plunged again Monday after the Feds decision to cut its key interest rate to zero, among other historic moves, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting nearly 3,000 points, or 13%. And so hopes of at least minimizing a recession that almost certainly has already begun now rest with Congress.

The Fed can open the economys lending spigots wider, but it cant aid airlines, retailers or restaurants whose revenue has fallen off a cliff as customers fearful of the coronavirus hunker down at home. Nor can it shore up the employees of those businesses who have lost their jobs or are toiling sharply reduced hours.

Only Congress can hand cold hard cash to consumers and businesses to tide them over until the outbreak starts easing, perhaps in a couple of months.

We need a very large package that provides cash to households and particularly, small businesses, says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moodys Analytics.

Wanted: $600B stimulus

Zandi says the virus will ultimately cost the economy $600 billion and shave 3 percentage points of gross domestic product, causing a contraction in output during the first half of the year. As a result, he says a stimulus of at least that size is needed to limit the damage and keep the economy afloat.

The House late Friday passed a bill that helps Americans affected by the pandemic, expanding paid sick leave and unemployment benefits and increasing the share of Medicaid funding that the federal government sends to states.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow

White House senior economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Monday those and other measures proposed by President Donald Trump  such as deferring federal student loan interest  will cost $400 billion and said the administration is prepared to double that to $800 billion.

Yet some economists question whether the administrations proposed measures will be most effective at jolting a slumbering economy. For example, Kudlow said the White House wants to temporally cut payroll taxes for working Americans.

Story continues

The payroll tax holiday is a serious proposal, a very serious proposal, Kudlow told reporters, though Republicans and Democrats in Congress have reacted coolly to the idea.

Jay Shambaugh, director of the Brookings Institutions Hamilton Project, says a payroll tax cut wouldnt help the unemployed and would give more money to high-income households who need it less since its based on a percentage of income. It also would dribble out over time as workers get their paychecks.

Plus, Zandi says, its peanuts, maybe 30, 40 or 50 dollars per paycheck.

$1,000 check for every worker

Instead both Shambaugh and Zandi suggest the government should send $1,000 checks to all workers who pay payroll taxes at a cost of $155 billion. Low-income employees, who spend more of their paychecks, would benefit most. And it would help Americans who are still working but at reduced hours.

To be sure, Americans are spending much less since they're going out less or not at all. But Shambaugh says, They'll use it to make rent payments, buy food. Its not going to make them go on a shopping spree.

Says Zandi, Theyll spend it, no doubt about it, on things like medical supplies. "They'll buy online."

Kudlow also said the administration is considering providing financial aid to battered airlines.

We dont see the airlines failing, but if they get into a cash crunch, we're going to try to help them. He said he didnt like the term bailout, referring to it as a short-term liquidity problem.

Cancel payroll taxes

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday advocated canceling all payroll taxes employers pay from March to May at a cost of $300 billion.

The funds would be used by employers to pay employees so they dont have to lay off workers, chamber Executive Vice President Neil Bradley said on a conference call with reporters.

Zandi and Shambaugh, however, say airlines and other large companies have the cash and lines of credit to weather the current turmoil. A stimulus, they say, would be better directed to small businesses.

Zandi recommends a rebate to small firms that would reimburse them for the payroll tax payments theyve made so far this year. Those ordered by state or local governments to temporarily shut down would receive twice what theyve paid so far.

Small business also should be able to put off paying taxes until September.

Moodys also recommends:

 Sending a $1,000 check to Social Security recipients as well as workers.

Paying Americans for all diagnosis and care related to the virus.

 Allowing homeowners receiving unemployment insurance to also receive forbearance on their mortgage payments.

While Moodys proposals would cost $600 billion, they would result in an $825 billion boost to the economy. That wouldnt prevent a recession, Zandi says, but it would lead to a swift and strong recovery.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: What kind of stimulus is needed to rescue the economy?
Child safety officers and police were warned toddler Mason Jet Lee was in danger of being physically harmed months before he died.

The 21-month-year-old was struck in the abdomen by his mother's boyfriend, William O'Sullivan, in June 2016 and died from sepsis.

Mason Lee was hospitalised with injuries his veteran doctor described as the worst he had seen in his 45-year career.

Children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told officers in March 2016 that O'Sullivan was hanging around "all the time".

They also raised concerns for Mason, saying they would save him if he got hurt, the Brisbane Coroners Court heard on Tuesday.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Here are some stocks that are in the news today:

IOC: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) said that it has raised Rs 2,995 crore through a privately placed debenture issue to fund its capital expenditure requirements.

Grasim Industries: CCI imposes penalty of Rs 301.61 crore on in respect of its domestic Man-Made Fibre turnover

KEC International: The company completed the acquisition of 100 percent shareholding of its step-down subsidiary KEC International (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. from KEC Global Mauritius, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.

CSB Bank: Board approved the proposal to amend a few clauses in the Articles of Association of the bank. Also, it approved the proposal to merge 19 branches of the bank with the nearest branches of the bank.

Maruti Suzuki India: The company introduced the BS6 S-CNG variant of the multi-purpose van, Eeco.

Future Consumer: The company announced that the payment of principal amount has been made on secured redeemable Non- Convertible Debentures (NCDs) having a face value of Rs 1,00,000.

SBI to hold 48.21% stake in the bank after infusing Rs 6,050cr, HDFC 7.97% stake after infusing Rs 1k crMoody's upgrades ratings; outlook changed to positive

Approved appointment of Prashant Kumar as CEO & MD and Sunil Mehta as non-executive chairman of the bank

Bajaj Finserv: Shareholders approved up to 24% FPI investment in the company.

Bodal Chemicals: Trion Chemicals became a 100% subsidiary of the company.

Frontline Corp: Company received confirmation of extension (1 year) for working with Coco- Cola Beverage.

Sadbhav Engg: Arm SIPL got Rs 457.7 cr towards 2nd Tranche for stake sale in 7 projects to Indlnfravit Trust.

Future Lifestyle Fashions - CRISIL reaffirmed A1+ rating on the commercial papers of the company

City Union Bank inaugurated six new branches of the bank

HDFC Bank executed agreement for selling 19,650 equity shares in Softcell Technologies at Rs 43.55 per equity share

Mphasis appoints Manish Dugar as the chief financial officer effective May 15, 2020.

Kotak Mahindra Bank: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve dividend on preference shares.

Adani Enterprises: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Graphite India: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Kirloskar Industries: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Shilp Gravures: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

RBL Bank: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Muthoot Finance: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Mastek: The board will meet on March 17 to consider and approve the interim dividend.

Issued fresh summons w.r.t to loans given by Yes BankAsked DHFL promoters Wadhawans to appear on March 17Naresh Goyal, Jet Airways & Subhash Chandra, Essel Grp to appear on March 18ADAG's Anil Ambani & Peter Kerkar of Cox and Kings asked to appear on March 19Gautam Thapar of Avantha Group asked to Appear on March 21
Scale Computing, a market leader in edge computing, virtualization and hyperconverged solutions, today announced that it has been honored with an 2020 XCellence Award for the XCellence in Solutions Track Presentation category at the XChange conference, hosted by The Channel Company in San Antonio, Texas.

Scale Computing was selected for this award by leading solution providers attending the XChange conference in appreciation of its innovative products, services and partner programs. The XCellence in Solutions Track Presentation'' award recognizes Scale Computings dedication to helping solution providers future-proof their business.

XChange draws the IT channels elite technology vendors  vendors that are devoted to providing forward-thinking technology solutions and business strategies to help solution providers be the most profitable today and, in the future, said Bill Jones, senior vice president and general manager, events, The Channel Company. Through their products, programs and services, these vendors have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to helping solution providers capitalize on market trends and the ever-changing needs of their customers to achieve lasting success. We congratulate Scale Computing and thank all the recipients of 2020 XCellence Awards for their valuable contributions to todays digitally driven channel.

The XCellence Award win continues Scale Computings winning momentum including Best Midmarket Solution: Hardware, Best Boardroom: Premier'' and Best in Show: Premier'' categories at The Channel Companys 2019 Midsize Enterprise Summit: Spring and Fall Conferences. Scale Computing was additionally awarded an XCellence Award in the Technology Solution category at the 2019 NexGen Conference.

This years presentation from Scott Mann, director of the North American Channel at Scale Computing, offered insight to attendees on how to expand from a centralized data center to the edge with hyperconverged infrastructure. The session also focused on Scale Computings newest edge offering the HE150 and its edge-to-core platform concept, describing how the evolving data center benefits hardware manufacturers with smaller form factor systems.

The edge computing market is rapidly maturing and presents plenty of opportunities across various industries and organizations of all sizes, said Mann. With next generation infrastructure, we are able to expand the data center conversation beyond just the four walls of the production data center to the regional and small branch offices and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). It was great to showcase how the HE150 offers the channel community a competitive advantage by being able to handle multiple workloads under a single management console with centralized upgrade management, zero-touch deployments and custom orchestration.

The Channel Companys XChange March conference, held this year in San Antonio, Texas, from March 1-3, provides attendees with empowering insight, actionable business strategies and unmatched peer connections. Attendees learn from industry leaders, who present the latest technologies, programs and business models that are enabling solution providers to realize lasting success.

For more information on Scale Computings HE150, please visit our product page.

About Scale Computing

Scale Computing is a leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions. Scale Computing HC3 software eliminates the need for traditional virtualization software, disaster recovery software, servers, and shared storage, replacing these with a fully integrated, highly available system for running applications. Using patented HyperCore technology, the HC3 self-healing platform automatically identifies, mitigates, and corrects infrastructure problems in real-time, enabling applications to achieve maximum uptime. When ease-of-use, high availability, and TCO matter, Scale Computing HC3 is the ideal infrastructure platform. Read what our customers have to say on Gartner Peer Insights, Spiceworks, TechValidate, and TrustRadius.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelco.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

The Channel Company logo is a trademark of The Channel Company, LLC (registration pending). All rights reserved.
A local immigration group is demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) release all immigrants in detention and cease all enforcement activities in New Jersey as the threat of coronavirus intensifies.

Make the Road New Jersey, an immigration rights organization, made the request Sunday after it was announced that an employee at the privately-run Elizabeth detention center is self-quarantined and being tested for coronavirus after the employee showed symptoms of the disease.

Detention is inhumane and unsafe, and ICE is ill-equipped to provide adequate care and ensure the safety of detainees, Deya Aldana said in a statement. Detainees must be released for their safety.

Farrin Anello, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union New Jersey, said the civil rights organization is also urging detention facilities in New Jersey to release immigration detainees.

There are around 2,000 currently detained in New Jersey.

This is a time to protect everyones health and take the pandemic seriously, Anello said. That means it is time to release people and reduce the population in our jails and prisons.

Make the Road New Jersey is also calling on ICE to halt all enforcement activities in New Jersey, including raids that have been happening around the country and other immigration enforcement operations.

No one should fear deportation when they go to the hospital or seek medical care, Aldana said in the statement. (On an information page on their website about coronavirus, ICE wrote that it does not conduct operations at medical facilities, except under extraordinary circumstances.)

ICE officials did not immediately return requests for comment Monday seeking the status of the employee and if it has any intention of complying with the groups demand.

The call to action from the immigration rights organization comes amid widespread precautions being taken nationally to slow down the transmission rate of coronavirus. Experts have warned that closed-quarters environments, like correctional facilities, could be devastated if staff or inmates contract the disease.

As of March 13, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in ICE detention facilities, according to ICE.

We think the best way to combat this issue is self-isolation, Aldana said in a phone interview, adding there is no way to practice self-isolation in New Jerseys detention centers.

In addition to the Elizabeth detention center, ICE has contracts with county jails in Bergen, Essex and Hudson County to hold individuals awaiting immigration proceedings, often for deportation hearings. The centers have come under scrutiny recently for their subpar living conditions.

After touring the Elizabeth facility last year, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone called the living conditions stark.

They dont have separate dormitories, he said. They have a cot and theyre all together.

A federal report conducted last year of four immigration facilities around the country  including the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark  found a number of egregious violations of detention standards at the facilities, including rotting food, decrepit bathrooms and a lack of outdoor space, according to the federal report.

The Department of Justice recently postponed non-detained immigrants immigration hearings through April 10 in major U.S. cities, including Newark and New York City. But a number of of immigrant rights and progressive groups are calling on the federal government to do more in order to protect currently detained immigrants and those living in the country illegally.

A coalition of immigration groups wrote to President Donald Trump last week, urging him to suspend all immigration enforcement activities, provide free COVID-19 testing to immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, and to guarantee healthcare and safe conditions for those currently detained.

Our communities are in danger because of this administrations failed response to this public health crisis," said Cristina Jimenez, the executive director of United We Dream Action. We cannot allow attacks on immigrants and people of color to continue from Trump and his deportation force of ICE and (Customs and Border Patrol).

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Colorado Springs City Council deadlocked Monday over the appointment of Stephannie Fortune to fill Councilman Richard Skorman's seat on the board. Who among the 7 finalists should be appointed?

You voted:
A sample taken from a person tested for the new coronavirus is seen at a drive-through station at Caroll Hospital's parking garage in Westminster, Maryland, on March 16, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

2 New Coronavirus Tests Approved by FDA

The Food and Drug Administration approved two new coronavirus tests this week, among the first that are designed by commercial laboratories.

One test is made by Hologic and the other is made by the Laboratory Corporation of America, known as LabCorp.

LabCorp announced its test last week, saying it would be available for doctors and other healthcare providers anywhere in the country to order. Those doctors and others in the healthcare industry then submit the specimen to LabCorp, which returns test results in 3 to 4 days.

By expanding access to testing in the U.S., and preparing to support the development of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 through our Covance Drug Development business, we are delivering on LabCorps mission to improve health and improve lives, Adam Schechter, president and CEO of LabCorp, said in a statement.

Hologics test, meanwhile, will be for use on the companys Panther Fusion system, of which at least 1,000 are in labs across the United States.

A laboratory technician uses Hologics new coronavirus test in a file photo. (Hologic via Business Wire)

Through the automated system, test results are available in less than three hours and up to 1,150 tests can be processed in a 24-hour period.

As one of the largest molecular diagnostic companies in the world, Hologic can make a huge difference in the coronavirus pandemic with our scientific expertise and fully automated, high-throughput testing system, said Stephen MacMillan, CEO of Hologic, in a statement.

Hologic received support from the Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. It expects to produce nearly 600,000 tests a month starting in April.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved both tests by issuing Emergency Use Authorizations, a way to sidestep the normal regulatory process in favor of a more rapid approach.

More than 100 test developers have sought guidance from the administration with the development of tests they plan on bringing through the rapid process, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement.

The FDA previously approved a test manufactured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a test created by a New York lab for the state, and tests created by Roche Molecular Systems and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Roches, the first commercially distributed test to get emergency approval, was approved last week.

Cars line up to enter a coronavirus drive-through test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, California, on March 16, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The test provides results in just three-and-a-half hours. Running tests concurrently, its best system can analyze 4,128 results in 24 hours, the company said in an email to The Epoch Times.

Thermo Fishers test is meant for use in high-complexity labs in the United States.

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. 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, CEO Marc Casper said in a statement.

The company expects to produce 2 million tests a week soon and scale production up to 5 million tests per week in April. Thermo Fisher already has 1.5 million tests available to ship.

Testing in the United States was delayed for weeks due to the lack of tests and an issue with the CDC-produced test. Those kits only worked well for a few thousand tests a day, Admiral Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health, told reporters at the White House on Monday night.

Were now moving into a phase that the big commercial laboratories with high-throughput screening have availability, he said.

Nearly 2 million tests produced by commercial labs will be inserted into the ecosystem this week, Giroir said.
[March 17, 2020] Free telemedicine solution by CompuGroup Medical

PHOENIX, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people to stay home and avoid public gatherings, CompuGroup Medical US (CGM) offers its CGM ELVI Telemedicine service free to medical providers. Looking for ways to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and protect the health of practice staff and the public, medical providers are expressing an increased demand for telemedicine. CGM ELVI Telemedicine allows providers to collect patient information; share images, vitals, and findings; provide care from anywhere at any time; initiate treatments and therapies rapidly; offer continuous care to immobile patients; and reduce the workload of practice staffall without the risk of spreading infection. "CGM is one of the leading eHealth companies in the world," said Benedikt Brueckle, Chief Executive Officer, CompuGroup Medical US. "We are committed to using our position to help the medical community contain the coronavirus, and that's why we decied to offer a free, six-month subscription to CGM ELVI."



In its community mitigation guidelines to prevent pandemic influenza, the CDC outlined the importance of flattening the curve, or reducing the number of cases and related demands on hospital and infrastructure while slowing the acceleration of the number of cases. "The response to this program has been inspiring," Brueckle said.

Last week, the United States enacted an emergency spending package that includes $500 million to allow Medicare providers to extend telemedicine services to seniors, regardless of where they live. "It is our hope that the funding from Congress and our offer to provide six months of CGM ELVI electronic videoconferencing at no charge will combine to greatly improve the American response to and containment of COVID-19," Brueckle said. About CompuGroup Medical CompuGroup Medical is one of the leading eHealth companies in the world. With a revenue base, according to preliminary figures, of EUR 757 million in 2019, its software products are designed to support all medical and organizational activities in doctors' offices, pharmacies, laboratories, and hospitals. Its information services for all parties involved in the healthcare system and its web-based personal health records contribute towards safer and more efficient healthcare. CompuGroup Medical's services are based on a unique customer base of more than 1 million users, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, lab technicians, and other health professionals in inpatient and outpatient facilities. With locations in 18 countries and products in 56 countries worldwide, CompuGroup Medical is the eHealth company representing one of the highest coverage among eHealth service providers. More than 5,600 highly qualified employees support customers with innovative solutions for the steadily growing demands of the healthcare system. For more information regarding CompuGroup Medical, visit cgm.com/us. CompuGroup Medical

Media Contact: Dan Doll

(855) 270-6700 x 1024

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/free-telemedicine-solution-by-compugroup-medical-301025600.html SOURCE CompuGroup Medical

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All Bay Area counties, followed by the state of California, have announced shelter-in-place orders restricting many forms of nonessential activities. Grocery stores, restaurants and other food retailers are deemed essential, though the new orders will change the way we feed ourselves and our families.

Q: Can I buy groceries?

A: Yes. The shelter-in-place orders make an exception for grocery shopping, which is considered an essential activity. Every grocery store has a different set of rules for shoppers; heres a breakdown of various Bay Area stores policies.

Q: Is there a meat shortage?

A: Not exactly. Theres plenty of meat, and were not in danger of running out, experts say. Some meat processing plants have had to close for coronavirus-related reasons, which means its taking longer than usual for pork chops, steaks and other products to reach the grocery store shelves.

Q: What resources are available if Im having trouble getting food?

A: If youre a youth or student, there may be school meal kits available for you. Seniors and people with disabilities may be eligible to receive community meals, and many grocery stores offer senior-only hours. New rules have made it easier to apply for CalFresh (formerly known as food stamps), and now for the first time, CalFresh recipients can purchase groceries online from Amazon and Walmart. Dont forget about food banks, which serve anyone in need throughout the Bay Area. San Francisco residents can consult the San Francisco Food Resource Map on www.sf.gov.

Q: Can I bring my own reusable bags to the grocery store?

A: For the moment, no. Six Bay Area counties are now requiring grocery stores to ban reusable bags to curb the spread of the virus. Stores will have to offer plastic and paper shopping bags while the shelter-in-place order remains in effect, and some stores are waiving bag fees.

Q: Are grocery stores totally out of food?

A: No. Some larger grocery stores are running out of certain items like toilet paper, instant noodles and rice, but many smaller neighborhood stores and ethnic grocers in particular are often fully stocked. In some cases, popular brands of certain products like cereal are sold out, but there are usually alternatives available.

Q: What kinds of foods should I buy?

A: Its good to buy a mixture of nonperishable items like canned beans or rice and fresh produce since its healthy and not in short supply. Look for fruits and vegetables that will last more than a few days in your kitchen, like potatoes, cabbages, onions, apples, carrots, squash and beets. Frozen produce, like spinach or peas, are a great way to get a little bit of color into that pasta sauce or curry from your pantry. Dont forget cooking basics like vegetable oil. You can find 25 recipes that you can make from a well-stocked pantry at www.sfchronicle.com/food.

Q: Should I buy extra food in case stores run out?

A: Panic buying can lead to shortages of essential items like baby formula. Politicians like Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., have urged the public not to hoard food so that the needy in particular dont face shortages.

Q: Can I contract the coronavirus through food?

A: There is currently no evidence that the coronavirus has been transmitted through food, according to the CDC. But its still a good idea to wash your hands before preparing or eating food, and to wash produce as you normally would. .

Q: Are grocery stores limiting the number of customers who can enter at once?

A: Yes. Many Bay Area grocery stores have been limiting the number of customers allowed in the store at a time, though some stores have imposed no such limitations. The orders require stores to create and post a plan to enforce social distancing, maintaining a 6-foot separation between shoppers, including in checkout lines.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Q: Can I get grocery delivery?

A: Yes, many grocery stores offer delivery, but there are delays on popular delivery services like Amazon Fresh and Instacart. You can find a full list of Bay Area grocers offering delivery on SFChronicle.com.

Q: Are restaurants serving food?

A: Yes. The shelter-in-place order allows restaurants to continue operating for takeout and delivery only. Many do so via third-party apps like DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates and Uber Eats, while others offer takeout or delivery through their websites or via text message. On March 16, the California Department of Public Health said that restaurants throughout the state should be closed for in-restaurant seated dining.

You can find a list of Bay Area restaurants offering takeout or delivery on SFChronicle.com. You can also get wine delivered from wine shops and wineries, and you can even get craft cocktails delivered, thanks to temporarily relaxed regulations from the states Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Q: What kind of restaurants are open?

A: Bars were ordered to close, while restaurants, bakeries and cafes that offer food to go may remain open, though some have chosen to close temporarily. Many restaurants have been forced to lay off many of their employees.

Q: Are there shortages of fresh food like milk and eggs?

A: As of yet, there are no shortages of fresh food in the Bay Area. The farms and food manufacturers that provide grocery stores with food are not experiencing any disruptions. It is taking some stores longer to restock their shelves with items like dairy, but the supply is not in danger of running out. People may be buying more food than normal, but theres no reason to believe that theyre eating more.

Esther Mobley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley
Police in Armenia are investigating allegations by a young man who claims to have been attacked for his joke on social media about a woman blamed for spreading the new coronavirus in a western Armenian town.

Sergey Sargsyan, who owns a shop in Yerevan, alleged on Tuesday that the attackers were relatives of the woman who is known to have come from Italy and organized a family occasion attended by dozens of guests before testing positive for the coronavirus. The party took place in Echmiadzin, the town that currently accounts for more than half of Armenias confirmed coronavirus cases,

The woman and scores of other people suspected of having been affected due to their contacts with her are currently under quarantine.

In a video posted on March 15 Sargsyan joked that the woman whom he called the Echmiadzin Lady has solved the problem of traffic congestion in Yerevan.

The young man hinted at the fact that many Armenians, including drivers, decided to stay indoors after the number of coronavirus cases began to spike in the country on the heels of reports about the notorious Echmiadzin engagement party.

The video went viral shortly and the man claims that four hours after posting it he was attacked outside his store in Yerevan. In a Facebook post Sargsyan wriote: Three unknown persons wearing masks approached me in front of the Say Cheese store and asked me whether I was the author of the video. Without any explanations they knocked me to the ground and began to kick and hit me. Seeing all that, my wife and members of the store personnel tried to intervene to stop the attack, but they were assailed, too. After 60 seconds of beating the unknown persons fled.

Sargsyan said he managed to remember the license plate of the car of the attackers and immediately contacted the police, reporting the crime. The operative information obtained by the police revealed that the persons were relatives of the Echmiadzin Lady, the young man added.

The Armenian police confirmed to RFE/RLs Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) on Tuesday that they had received a crime report concerning the case. Investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the case, the press service of the police said, without elaborating.

Armenian authorities do not disclose the names of the persons who have been placed under quarantine. Under the state-of-emergency rule introduced for 30 days on March 16 media are not to report names or other sensitive information related to coronavirus patients.

In several public statements made before the state of emergency was introduced Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian acknowledged that the increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia was due to one patient in Echmiadzin who, he said, had neglected recommendations from authorities after arriving from Italy and participated in her sons engagement party. Thirty-eight of the 64 coronavirus cases confirmed in Armenia as of March 17 afternoon are linked to the woman.

In the wake of the spread of the infection some social media users in Armenia have openly blamed the woman for the situation.

Since late March 15, authorities have dramatically limited the number of exits from Echmiadzin, a town with a population of some 45,000 people situated about 20 kilometers to the west of Yerevan, designating the community as a coronavirus hotbed.

Traffic congestion has been reported in the towns streets leading to the exit points where medical screenings have been conducted on drivers and passengers, with those having fever or exhibiting other coronavirus-like symptoms turned away and asked to isolate themselves from public.

Relatives of the Echmiadzin woman or their representatives have not yet reacted to accusations of assault and beating.

Earlier this week Armenias Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan called unacceptable any statements degrading the dignity of the coronavirus-affected woman from Echmiadzin.
Zimbabwe's vice president Constantino Chiwenga was flown at the weekend to China for medical checks, an official said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba told AFP Chiwenga, a former army general who led President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rise to power following a brief military takeover in 2017, "flew back to China for his medical checkup".

Chiwenga spent four months undergoing treatment in China last year and returned home in November.

Charamba said Chiwenga had suffered from fatigue in recent days explaining his absence from a function attended by top government officials at Mnangagwa's farm.

"He was feeling a bit indisposed but he was quite cheerful when he left for China on Sunday," he said.

Chiwenga, 64, was admitted in a South African hospital last year for a constricted oesophagus. He was later transferred to India when his condition deteriorated before being airlifted to China in July for further medical tests.

His return to China comes as the Asian nation is battling to contain the coronavirus which surfaced there last December and became a pandemic.

Mnangagwa last week ordered a ban on foreign trips by government officials to avoid importing the pathogen.

Zimbabwe has not reported any cases of COVID-19 but a British tourist who recently visited Zimbabwe tested positive after he left the country, according to Health Minister Obadiah Moyo.

The country's health system is in a state of disrepair with shortages of critical machinery and drugs and often short-staffed.

Those who can afford often seek medical treatment abroad especially neighbouring South Africa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Since her 2-year-old son began coughing, Lurvin Perdomo is making sure he is kept hydrated by drinking plenty of hot tea and aguita con limon, or the lemonade and herb infusions that families in her native Honduras use as home remedies for respiratory illnesses.

Anxious about the novel coronavirus pandemic and her family's ability to deal with it if they get infected, the Houston woman is doing what she can to protect her familys health. But she may be getting bad information.

If five days go by and my son doesn't get better, I don't know what I should do next, Perdomo said, adding that family and friends in her native country say doctors there are recommending the wait. I heard we should wait five days, but we don't have a way to pay for a doctor.

Local health officials say people should seek doctors advice when they have symptoms that are out of the ordinary from regular flu, like shortness of breath and dry cough.

Its that kind of potential misinformation that advocacy groups like FIEL say is dangerous, especially for immigrants. Organizers say while some government officials are reaching out to these populations, many dont realize that immigrants need more information beyond tips for avoiding infection, and arent getting it.

"Immigrants are the most vulnerable people during emergencies like this one, (and) they have characteristics that should be taken into account, said Alain Cisneros, spokesperson of FIEL Houston. Those vulnerabilities include having a lack of information and a lack of access to services. They also include being uninsured and working unstable, low paid and multiple jobs that compromise their ability to skip work to take care of ailing relatives or themselves.

More than 1.5 million foreign-born residents live in the Greater Houston Area, not counting Puerto Ricans and people born abroad from American parents, according to Census Bureau estimates from 2017. The majority are of Latin American origin, followed by those from Asia, Africa and Europe. Almost a million are not naturalized citizens, a population that tends to have lower income and socio-economic status compared to American born and naturalized citizens.

Local and area health authorities are issuing regular updates about the coronavirus, or COVID-19, but some acknowledge that reaching immigrant communities is a challenge.

"We understand that (the coronavirus) is creating confusion and worries, especially for communities that don't know how to traditionally navigate the public health system and not-for-profit agencies very well," said Porfirio Villareal, spokesperson of the Houston Health Department.

Villarreal insisted that immigrants can call a hotline created for residents who speak Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and other languages besides English. He said individuals can ask anything related to the virus, including where to go if they feel sick and don't have a doctor or insurance, by calling (832) 383-4220.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

Cisneros and other immigrant organizations, meanwhile, are urging local authorities to create targeted messages and take certain measures to address specific needs to help people like Perdomo. He also suggested that agencies in the city ramp up educational initiatives and participate in townhalls via Facebook and other social media outlets.

"Many of these families cannot afford the luxury of staying home; many don't have health insurance, so they tend to go to the emergency room only when it's a matter of life or death," said Cisneros.

That is a principal concern of Perdomo, whose husband, an independent plumber, is the primary household provider.

"What will we do if my husband gets sick and cannot work?" she said. "How would we pay the rent, the food No, it cannot happen!"

Perdomo said her fears heightened when she recently went to the Fiesta supermarket on Hillcroft Avenue and Bellaire Boulevard, the closest from her residence, and couldn't find any cleaning product to keep her home disinfected.

"Nothing, not even Clorox. They didn't have drinking water either; the shelves were getting emptied; they have only a few canned foods," Perdomo said. She found water at a gas station, selling at three times the usual price. "How am I supposed to keep up with that and feed my family?"

Staff at that Fiesta Mart confirmed Perdomo's account and said they are seeing long lines of people waiting outside the store before they open at 7 a.m. Short supplies are affecting residents citywide, but low-income families, many of whom are immigrants in the city, have a lower buying power to stock and a higher risk of running out of essential products.

Access to food could become a critical issue for many immigrants who do not have transportation to go to food banks, according to FIEL. They say mobile services and clinics could prove essential for vulnerable communities as the pandemic progresses.

FIEL and other immigrant organizations are receiving calls, visits and messages from people asking questions about the virus and complaining about a lack of information.

People are getting information from everywhere in Spanish, in English, on social media, and many times it isnt in line with official information that local governments are saying on their websites, said Cisneros.

The Center of Central American Resources in Houston, another immigrant advocacy group, is also dealing with growing community concerns.

"People come asking what they should do (regarding) the virus and what's going to happen with them and their families if they get sick, particularly the population that doesn't have immigration protection and insurance," said Teodoro Aguiluz, executive director.

"We understand that coronavirus doesn't discriminate between people who have or don't have insurance or between the rich and the poor," Aguiluz said. But he said those conditions do affect how some communities are more vulnerable than others to confront and limit the spread of a pandemic.

"There is fear and lack of information; we are telling them the general information we are getting, you know, wash your hands, don't touch your face, drink water with lemon," said Aguiluz. For some, he said, thats not good enough. It alone doesn't seem to calm them very much."

Cisneros applauded Mayor Sylvester Turner's recent announcement that the city will not disconnect the water supply of customers who fall behind with their bills during this crisis. FIEL wants other service providers, including electricity and gas providers, to follow suit. They are also seeking protections against evictions.

Helpful actions

U.S Rep. Sylvia Garcia addressed many immigrant concerns, from healthcare to potential job loss, at tele-townhalls in both English and Spanish.

She said a bill called Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which passed by the House Saturday, specifically focused on helping affected households. It headed to the Senate Monday and President Donald Trump already expressed his support on Twitter.

The bill provides free COVID-19 testing for patients and sick leave funding to qualifying employers for workers affected by personal or a family members quarantine.

The multi-billion package would also expand unemployment benefits and strengthen food security by temporarily extending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for people affected by the virus who wouldn't typically qualify for the program.

"We are fighting in Congress to back you up with help, but we all have to do our part as much as we can," said Garcia, the highest ranked political Latino leader in Houston. "This is not a time to worry about rich or poor or whether you're Latino or black. Everybody is impacted across the board."

olivia.tallet@chron.com

Twitter.com/oliviaptallet
Sacramento, CA  California law requires a bill to be posted publicly for 72 hours prior to a vote, but Governor Gavin Newsom is asking that the rule be waived for legislation related to the COVID-19 response.

The constitution allows the law to be waived by the Legislature at the request of the Governor. A similar action was taken in response to the Camp fire.

Newsoms formal request is written below:

March 16, 2020

To the Members of the California State Senate and the California State Assembly:

Our state, our nation, and our world are facing a challenge unprecedented in modern times. The COVID-19 pandemic compels us all to find new ways of coming together, even as we must also seek out new ways of staying apart.

Recognizing the magnitude of this moment, on March 4, 2020, I proclaimed a state of emergency in California. In so doing, I found that the conditions set forth in Government Code, section 8558(b), had been met. Moreover, I hereby find that the declared state of emergency constitutes a state of emergency within the meaning of Article XIII B, section 3, subdivision (c), paragraph (2) of the California Constitution.

The California Constitution generally providesin Article IV, section 8, subdivision (b), paragraph (2)that no bill may be passed or ultimately become a statute unless it has been printed, distributed to the members, and published on the Internet, in its final form, for at least 72 hours before the vote. The Constitution further provides, however, that this 72-hour notice period may be waived if the Governor submits to the Legislature a written statement that dispensing with this notice period for that bill is necessary to address a state of emergency . . . that has been declared by the Governor within the meaning of Article XIII B, section 3, subdivision (c), paragraph (2).

Today I write to you to state the obvious: we must rise to the challenge facing our state with every tool at our disposal and without a second of delay. We cannot hesitate to meet this moment.

Accordingly, I submit to you this written statement that, to address the state of emergency I have declared, it is necessary to dispense with the 72-hour notice period set forth in Article IV, section 8, subdivision (b), paragraph (2) of the California Constitution, as to the following legislation:

AB 89

AB 117

SB 89

SB 117

In addition to addressing the state of emergency I proclaimed in connection with COVID-19 on March 4, 2020, this legislation also addresses the 2018 Camp Fire, for which a state of emergency was proclaimed on November 8, 2018.

I look forward to working with you in the weeks, days and hours ahead as we conduct the urgent business of our state.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom
A pedestrian has died after a hit-and-run in Cork in the early hours of the morning.

It happened shortly at 1.50am on the N25 near Cobh Cross, Tullagreine, Carrigtwohill.
Dozens of cafeteria staffers were hard at work inside the Rose M. Lopez Elementary School kitchens Monday morning, making sandwiches and packing fresh fruit and milk.

But instead of arranging everything on trays and handing them to students, workers were bundling up meals-to-go in shopping bags, as students began the uncharted task of remote learning.

More than half of all New Jersey schools have already made the switch to remote learning as the coronavirus ramps up across the state, and all schools will go remote on Wednesday, following an order from Gov. Phil Murphy.

With that comes the need to distribute school breakfasts and lunches to students who would otherwise go without.

Kids are hungry here and a lot of families have food insecurity so it was really important for us to put something together quickly, Carmen Southward, Perth Amboys district director of operations, said.

More than 500,000 students rely on school lunches across New Jersey. The concern is higher in low-income districts, where missing a school lunch or breakfast means being hungry that day, experts said.

Staff from the school and surrounding schools pack the meals. The city of Perth Amboy is distributing food to those in need at Rose M. Lopez Elementary School where it is giving out grab and go bags with pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and a sandwich for dinner at the school in Perth Amboy, N.J. March, 16, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Monday was the first day Perth Amboy students were not reporting to classes in a district where over 90% of students receive free or reduced lunch, and all students get free breakfast.

Officials were mindful of schools roles in staving off food insecurity. Perth Amboy is providing a full days worth of meals. Each student will get a breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the meals meet the USDA and state nutrition standards, Southward said.

Pick-up was available Monday morning at three school sites between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., but district officials said they were willing to make changes on distribution based on the first few days. Delivery for select families who can not make it to pick-up points, and setting pick-up points off school grounds, are both options Perth Amboy is considering, Southward said.

Other districts, like Leonia, have established home delivery options, while Mainland Regional High School distributed meals out of a school bus in a shopping center parking lot. In Somers Point, the district was packing up five days worth of breakfasts and lunches to make available for pick-up every week during the extended closure.

In Perth Amboy, about 1,500 lunches were prepped for pick-up, and leftovers would be held for distribution on Tuesday. The amount prepped would be adjusted as demand became clearer, Southward said.

Staff from the school and surrounding schools make sandwiches. The city of Perth Amboy is distributing food to those in need at Rose M. Lopez Elementary School where it is giving out grab and go bags with pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and a sandwich for dinner at the school in Perth Amboy, N.J. March, 16, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

At the Rose M. Lopez Elementary School, sandwiches were assembled in the kitchen before being sent out to the cafeteria for packaging. Food service staffers ran boxes full of food from the second-floor cafeteria down to two freezer chests plugged-in in the lobby, while a different set of workers distributed the baggies from folding tables in a parking lot.

Spirits were high in the cafeteria and kitchen, as the cafeteria staff talked and packed shopping bags with lunches.

Its a fun thing, packing lunch for kids who are going to pick it up, make them happy, its a fun thing, Southward said.

This type of project is unprecedented for the district, Michael Lobrace, the districts assistant business administrator, said.

The school couldnt provide meals during the last long-term closure following Superstorm Sandy because of the lack of power up the supply chain, meaning todays efforts were uncharted waters, Lobrace said. Perth Amboy planned on continuing the bagged meal program for as long as the situation allowed.

Carmen Southward, Director of Operations checks n a family as the city of Perth Amboy is distributing food to those in need at Rose M. Lopez Elementary School where it is giving out grab and go bags with pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and a sandwich for dinner at the school in Perth Amboy, N.J. March, 16, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

On Monday, students were getting breakfast break packages with cereal, juice and crackers, two milks, two pieces of fruit, and two sandwiches. None of the meals need to be cooked, and shelf-stable foods were picked so leftovers dont go bad, Southward said.

Students can expect different options daily like they would during a regular school day, Southward said.

The program will go beyond the school. A notice sent home to parents said any child living in the district, not just students, were eligible for the bagged meals. The letter was available in English and Spanish.

There was a steady stream of parents and a few young students in the first hours of pick-up. Parents gave their students name which was checked off a list before receiving their bags.

Look at this! We got bags! one girl said to her sister, looking through the knot at the top into their meals for the day. Another girl ran up to principal Edwin Nieves and gave him a big hug.

Despite the smiles, the threat of coronavirus hung over the distribution. Two folding tables were set up to create distance between employees and families, and all staffers wore plastic gloves. Faculty joked about staying six feet away and not touching each other.

The city of Perth Amboy is distributing food to those in need at Rose M. Lopez Elementary School where it is giving out grab and go bags with pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and a sandwich for dinner at the school in Perth Amboy, N.J. March, 16, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon is already helping combat the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and is considering ways to do more.

But the military faces limits. Its health care system is geared more toward handling combat casualties than infectious diseases. And there are logistical and legal concerns about expanding the militarys role in civilian affairs, such as tasking it with enforcing quarantines. Defense officials also want to be careful not to do anything to weaken its ability to defend the nation.

A look at the militarys role in the crisis:

WHAT THE MILITARY IS DOING

At the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Pentagon has made housing available at four military bases for some passengers taken from the Grand Princess cruise ship, which was hit with a cluster of coronavirus cases. It also has made available housing at other bases for people entering the U.S. at certain civilian airports and needing monitoring.

At those bases, the people being given housing are cared for by civilian agencies, not the military.

FILE - This Feb. 2, 2020, file photo provided by the Department of Defense shows empty lodging facilities at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The Pentagon is already helping combat the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and is considering ways to do more. But the military faces limits. Its health care system is geared more toward handling combat casualties than infectious diseases. And there are logistical and legal concerns about expanding the military's role in civilian affairs, such as tasking it with enforcing quarantines. Defense officials also want to be careful not to do anything to weaken its ability to defend the nation. (Todd Holly/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday he is making 5 million respiratory masks available to Health and Human Services, including 1 million to be provided immediately. The Pentagon also will provide to civilian agencies as many as 2,000 special-purpose military ventilators, he said.

Also, Army scientists are researching and testing vaccines for the coronavirus, in coordination with civilian agencies. Esper visited Fort Detrick, Md., on Tuesday where the research is under way.

The most extensive role for the military thus far is by the National Guard, which is being called up by governors in several states to provide a range of support. More than 1,600 National Guard members have been called up so far. Some are helping at state emergency operations centers; others are providing transportation for civilian health care providers; and some are collecting and delivering test samples.

U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for defending the U.S. homeland, said in a statement Monday that any Defense Department assistance to the coronavirus crisis "would be secondary to our primary mission to defend the United States. A range of planning efforts cover scenarios which include aiding in the establishment of medical treatment sites, providing shelter for displaced persons, assisting with food transportation, and numerous other logistical efforts."

WHAT THE MILITARY IS CONSIDERING

There are many ways the military could assist in the COVID-19 crisis, but few decisions have been made. Air Force Brig Gen. Paul Friedrichs, the top doctor for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Monday that defense officials are trying to identify "what's within the realm of the possible," while also spelling out what the trade-offs for that would be.

For example, Friedrichs said, if large numbers of National Guard members were mobilized for medical assistance, they would be taken away from their civilian jobs, which in some cases are in health services already engaged in fighting COVID-19.

The military could deploy mobile hospitals, but they generally are designed to deal with combat casualties, not infectious disease.

The military also operates 36 fixed hospitals inside the United States; they could be used for the COVID-19 emergency, but in most cases they are relatively small. They exist to support active-duty military members, their families and some military retirees.

Some have questioned why the military cannot contribute to the civilian stockpile of ventilators, which might be in short supply in the weeks ahead. Jonathan Hoffman, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, declined to say how many ventilators the Pentagon has in stock. Asked why, he replied, "Because the number deals with our deployable medical capability, which is a number that we're not prepared to give out."

The Pentagon also has two hospital ships, the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy. They can be equipped to perform surgeries and provide other medical services, but the medical professionals who would be called on to staff the ships are currently performing those roles at domestic military hospitals and clinics or at private medical facilities. Esper said he has ordered the Navy to prepare the ships for deployment, although the Comfort is in maintenance.

Esper also said he is considering activating National Guard and Reserve units for federal duty to help states with planning, logistics and medical support "as needed." Such a move would need approval by President Donald Trump.

WHAT THE MILITARY COULD DO IN AN EXTREME EMERGENCY

The Defense Department has a detailed pandemic response plan that lays out the myriad of things the military can do if requested, including a last-resort role in helping to impose quarantines and border restrictions.

The military could be called on to help establish "mass casualty" treatment sites, provide shelter for displaced persons, and help provide postal, power, water and sewer services, food deliveries and mortuary tasks. Troops also could provide logistics, communications and other support for law enforcement and the National Guard. Drafted and overhauled several times in recent years, the militarys plan is closely guarded and officials decline to discuss details publicly.

Officials, however, say that there is a broad assumption that local law enforcement, border control officers and the National Guard under the governors command would be the first line of defense to stem the spread of any virus through travel restrictions at the borders and along state lines or outbreak areas.

The plan assumes that intelligence oversight laws and the Posse Comitatus Act would remain in effect. Under that Civil War-era act, federal troops are prohibited from performing domestic law enforcement actions such as making arrests, seizing property or searching people. In extreme cases, however, the president can invoke the Insurrection Act, also from the Civil War period, which allows the use of active-duty or National Guard troops for law enforcement.

Under the militarys pandemic plan, the key goals are to defend the country, maintain the force and provide whatever support is needed to protect the national infrastructure and ensure that the government continues to function.

NATURE OF THE THREAT

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.

___

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.
President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Washington. Read more

After President Donald Trump called the novel coronavirus the Chinese Virus in a tweet Monday, an evangelical leader responded by calling the label unacceptable, warning that it instigates blame, racism, and hatred against Asians.

On Monday, Trump tweeted his confidence in American industries before calling the spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19, the Chinese Virus.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

In a reply, Eugene Cho, a former pastor of a Seattle church who was just tapped to begin leading a large Christian nonprofit called Bread for the World in July, suggested that calling the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" could be dangerous. Cho said in an interview Monday that he was not speaking on behalf of the Washington-based hunger and poverty-fighting organization and is still living in Seattle, one of the epicenters of the outbreaks in the United States.

"Mr. President: This is not acceptable," he wrote in his tweet. "Calling it the "Chinese virus" only instigates blame, racism, and hatred against Asians - here and abroad. We need leadership that speaks clearly against racism; Leadership that brings the nation and world together. Not further divides."

Cho, who was born in Korea and immigrated to the United States when he was 6, said he knows three people who have been assaulted in the past couple weeks, incidents he believes are tied to the spread of the coronavirus.

"I can't speak for all Asians," he said. "I know for myself and my family, we're not just contending with a health crisis . . . there might be backlash verbal and physical."

He said there's a growing sentiment that Americans' fear is intensifying into anger, not just toward those who are of Chinese descent but toward anyone who is Asian. There's already an undercurrent of animosity, he said, toward people of Chinese descent, which has been exacerbated by recent trade wars.

"I'm not here to call President Trump a racist. I don't know him. I know some will say I'm being a coward," he said. "[The tweet was] certainly racialized and very unfortunate."

Cho, who once led a popular church in Seattle and was ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church, said he didn't want to add to chaos but felt he had to address the tweet.

"I pray for him and President Pence," he said. "We want them to succeed, we need them to succeed. I say this not because I'm eager to pick a bone, but because we want to be able to speak calm and peace into a chaotic situation."

He said that in speaking out, he's trying to strike a balance of being pastoral - someone who can provide comfort, peace and affirmation, with being prophetic, someone who's willing to challenge someone and cause disruption.

"As an outsider from D.C., wanting to work with legislative for vulnerable, hungry and poor, we don't have to be jerks, we don't have to be demonizing," he said. "My concern is that our politics informs our theology instead of our theology informing our politics."

Republican lawmakers have repeatedly referred to the disease, which originated in China, with terms such as the "Wuhan Virus," "Chinese Coronavirus" and "foreign virus." In February, the World Health Organization warned against using "harmful stereotypes."

America has a history of identifying immigrants with a disease. For example, during a cholera outbreak in the 19th century, many blamed the Irish, and many became suspicious of people who were Chinese during plague epidemics in San Francisco.

Cho joins the ranks of few evangelical leaders who have spoken out against Trump's actions recently, since many pastors and institutional leaders are afraid of losing their jobs or congregations if they denounce him. In December, Christianity Today magazine published an editorial calling for him to be removed from office after his impeachment.

In the weeks after, Trump tried to shore up his evangelical base with outreach to different evangelical groups. Since news of the coronavirus has spread, Trump has turned his focus to business leaders and medical experts.

Trump called for a day of prayer on Sunday. On Monday, he recommended that people do not gather in groups more than 10 people. The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that groups of 50 people or more do not meet for the next eight weeks, meaning many churches, synagogues and mosques will likely cancel in-person services around the holidays of Passover, Easter and Ramadan.
An MP apologised today for telling a constituent to 'get a life' when she was questioned about the level of statutory sick pay available to coronavirus sufferers.

Pauline Latham, the Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire, said she was 'in a state of distress' at the time she sent the message on Saturday.

She said she was responding to a tweet which 'pushed me over the edge' but was 'very sorry I reacted so hastily'.

Pauline Latham, the Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire, said she was 'in a state of distress' at the time she sent the message on Saturday

The Conservative MP was asked by Twitter user MHughes 'is 94 a week SSP  enough to live on? How could you manage on it?' Ms Latham responded: 'Get a life.'

The Conservative MP was asked by Twitter user MHughes 'is 94 a week SSP  enough to live on? How could you manage on it?'

Ms Latham responded: 'Get a life.'

But in a subsequent post, the MP said: 'I must apologise for the tweet to a constituent over the weekend.

'At the time, I was in Spain in a state of distress having just visited my brother who is suffering from acute dementia.

'Very sadly, we could not bring him home to the UK because of coronavirus.

The Tory MP later said: 'I must apologise for the tweet to a constituent over the weekend'

'At this time of stress, I received a Tweet from what I perceived to be a keyboard warrior and it pushed me over the edge. I am very sorry I reacted so hastily.'

The Government has come under pressure over the level of financial support available to workers who contract coronavirus or are required to self-isolate.

The current level of statutory sick pay is 94.25 a week.

Scientists have said the UK had 'no time to lose' in changing tactics in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed.

The Imperial College Covid-19 response team - which is one of several scientific teams advising ministers - published a paper showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread.

The stark warning came after Boris Johnson yesterday unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures to try to control the spread of the infection. They were announced as the death toll of people with coronavirus in the UK reached 55.

In a No 10 press conference, the Prime Minister called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel, while those who live with somebody who is ill should stay home for 14 days.
Take a look at some of the biggest movers in the premarket:

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN)  The biotech company said it aims to have a potential drug for COVID-19 ready for clinical trials by early summer, earlier than previously expected. The drug is designed to both treat and prevent COVID-19.

Pfizer (PFE), BioNTech (BNTX)  The drugmakers signed an agreement to co-develop and distribute BioNTech's potential coronavirus vaccine aimed at preventing COVID-19 infection. Germany-based BioNTech's vaccine is expected to enter clinical testing by the end of April.

Boeing (BA)  Boeing debt ratings were downgraded by Standard & Poor's by one notch to BBB from A-, with the rating agency saying the jet maker's cash flow for the next two years will be much weaker than originally expected. Separately, the company said it is in talks with White House officials and congressional leaders for short-term financial assistance.

Amazon.com (AMZN)  Amazon said it would hire 100,000 workers to deal with a crush of new orders, resulting from a significant jump in the number of people remaining at home amid the virus outbreak.

PepsiCo (PEP)  The beverage and snack giant was upgraded to "outperform" from "in line" at Evercore, which said PepsiCo is underappreciated as a defensive investment play compared to the rest of the consumer staples group.

Zoom Video Communications (ZM)  The video communications platform company was named a "buy" in new coverage at Needham, which thinks Zoom's "Meetings" product is exceptionally easy to use, and that its use will accelerate due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Nordstrom (JWN)  The retailer is closing its stores in the U.S. and Canada for two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, and withdrew its fiscal 2020 forecast. It will provide pay and benefits to employees during that period. Another retailer  Canada Goose (GOOS)  also announced it is closing all retail stores in North America and Europe until at least March 31.

Exxon Mobil (XOM)  Exxon said it would make "significant" cuts to planned spending due to the significant drop in oil prices amid the virus outbreak. The oil giant's shares are now at a 17-year low.

McDonald's (MCD)  McDonald's said it would close dine-in areas at many of its U.S. stores, shifting to takeout and delivery as many U.S. cities order restaurants and bars to be closed. Chains like Starbucks (SBUX) and Shake Shack (SHAK) announced similar moves.

HD Supply (HDS)  The industrial distributor reported quarterly earnings of 64 cents per share, beating the consensus estimate of 55 cents a share. Revenue was also above forecasts and the company said it would take steps to help its customers navigate difficulties caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Michaels (MIK)  The arts and crafts retailer beat estimates by a penny a share, with quarterly profit of $1.26 per share. Revenue was essentially in line with forecasts. Same-store sales were down 2.4%, less than the 2.6% drop that was forecast by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.

Wells Fargo (WFC)  Wells Fargo clawed back $15 million in compensation from former CEO Timothy Sloan, who left the bank last year. A Securities and Exchange Commission filing said the decision was made by the board to take back money granted to him in early 2019, and that Sloan left with no severance.

Comcast (CMCSA)  The company's Universal Pictures unit is making movies available to rent at home while they are still in theaters, as many movie theaters close and more people stay at home amid the virus outbreak. Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.

Tesla (TSLA)  Tesla said it delivered its first Model Y SUV, although the automaker did not specify who received the first car.

Procter & Gamble (PG)  Procter & Gamble was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Deutsche Bank, which called the consumer products giant an attractive defensive play in the current market environment and that it will outperform investor expectations over the next 12 months.

Chesapeake Energy (CHK)  Chesapeake has hired debt restructuring advisers as it struggles to deal with a rout in energy prices, according to a Reuters report.
When Justice Rangnath Mishra, the former Chief Justice of India (CJI), was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1998 on a Congress ticket, most observers saw in it an open case of quid pro quo.

CJI Mishra had famously headed a Commission to inquire into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which had claimed an estimated 3,000 lives. The Commissions findings were  from the benefit of hindsight today  calumnious. It simply found no one guilty. Mishras next stop, after he superannuated office, was a Rajya Sabha membership on a Congress ticket.

Deja vu nomination

The appointment of yet another former CJI, Ranjan Gogoi, on Monday has set off a similar chain of reactions. Four months after retiring as CJI, Justice Gogoi was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha by the President of India for his outstanding contribution to the field of law.

Gogois comparison with Mishra is inevitable. He had headed the five-member Constitution bench that delivered the momentous and unanimous judgment deciding the 70-year-old litigation of the disputed Babri Masjid land in Ayodhya in favour of Hindus. Justice Gogoi also headed the bench, which put SCs stamp of approval on the Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France. It would be instructive to remember that Rafale was pretty much in the headlines then and the apex court observations did much to douse the fire that surrounded the purchase of the jet fighters.

The story of Justice Bahrul Islam, who joined the Congress in 1956 and held several party posts till 1972, is even more astonishing. In April 1962, the Congress elected him to the Rajya Sabha and after unsuccessfully contesting an election in Assam, he was re-elected to the Upper House and aligned with Indira Gandhi after the Congress split. In 1972, Islam quit the Rajya Sabha and was made a judge of the Gauhati High Court. He retired in 1980, but nine months later, he was elevated to the Supreme Court. Six weeks before he retired again and a month after giving a clean chit to the then Bihar chief minister Jagannth Mishra in a corruption case, Islam quit as SC judge and filed nomination as a Congress candidate in Assam, an election that never took place because of the ongoing agitation in that state. The Congress then elected Islam for a record third term in 1983 from the Rajya Sabha!

A long history

To be sure though, the lure of post-retirement postings has plagued Indias constitutional courts for many decades, irrespective of the government or party in power. The question is not whether a pre-retirement ruling had led to securing a post-retirement government job, but whether a sitting judge who is exposed to the lure of potential future career prospects could be publicly perceived as acting fairly and impartially. Judges are but fallible human beings and personal biases can never be ruled out in decision-making.

Take the case of the appointment of Justice Sunil Gaur as the chairperson of the Prevention of Money Laundering Appellate (PMLA) Tribunal in August 2019, as an archetypal example. It brought back into the spotlight questions of constitutional significance facing the independence and credibility of Indias higher judiciary.

Gaur retired as a judge of the Delhi High Court on August 22, soon after he rejected former finance minister P Chidambaram's plea for interim protection from arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the INX Media case.

At stake is the context in which the judgment was handed down. First, Gaur gave his order two days before he superannuated. Second, the INX Media case is politically sensitive and the fact that the Solicitor-General of India appeared to argue the case on behalf of the CBI is symbolic of the importance that the government attached to it. Third, Gaur's appointment was cleared within days of his retirement, which appeared to be too much of a coincidence.

Post-retirement lure is, perhaps, as old the Indian republic itself. Most judges, from Justice MC Chagla in 1958 to prominent judges in this decade, have accepted or discussed post-retirement jobs with successive governments.

The issue of judges being influenced by potential post-retirement career prospects also came up in the Constituent Assembly Debates (June 7, 1949). Professor KT Shah, Rajendra Prasads rival in the first Presidential Election of Independent India, moved an amendment to introduce a new Article (Article 193-A) in the Constitution calling for a complete prohibition on judges accepting government jobs post-retirement. The logic for the amendment, Shah believed, is "so simple and the principle underlying it is so clear that there could be no difference of opinion unless you desire your judiciary to be subservient or in any way influenced by the executive".

Interestingly, there is nothing in the Indian Constitution that prevents the government from offering and, judges from accepting, post-retirement jobs. To include such provisions, the Constitution would have to be amended to provide for a total restriction on judges of constitutional courts from accepting post-retirement government jobs. Articles 148 and 319 of the Constitution already contain such restrictions for the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Chairperson of UPSC, respectively.

There are some legal issues as well. Several legislations require that former Supreme Court judges head tribunals and commissions. The logical question to ask, therefore, is whether it is time to rework some of these legislations and explore the possibility of appointing experts from outside the judiciary.

In May 1997, the Supreme Court of India in its Full Court adopted a 16-point charter entitled Restatement of Values of Judicial Life. The document needs to be revisited to provide for detailed principles and guidance for judges to follow, including a resolution that it would be unethical and immoral for judges to discuss post-retirement career prospects until retirement.

Ranjit Bhushan is an independent journalist and former Nehru Fellow at Jamia Millia University. In a career spanning more than three decades, he has worked with Outlook, The Times of India, The Indian Express, the Press Trust of India, Associated Press, Financial Chronicle, and DNA.
Ohio, which moved its primary to June from today, was on track to vote for Biden by a wide margin, polling shows. Georgia and Louisiana, which also pushed back their primaries after originally being scheduled to vote in the next few weeks, might have voted for Biden by 50-point margins. Together, these contests were poised to give Biden a truly insurmountable delegate lead. He could have been on track to win an outright majority of delegates  and clinch the nomination  by the end of April.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic could be even more devastating for the airline industry than the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Airline CEOs have held talks with lawmakers as they mull how to address the plunge in world travel as countries close their borders to stop the global outbreak.

"This is worse than 9/11 for the airline industry -- they're ground to a halt," Mnuchin told a White House conference, with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at his side.

Pence meanwhile urged construction companies to donate any inventory of N95 face masks to local hospitals as they are "perfectly acceptable for health care workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at the State Department, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Washington. Read more

BEIJING  China announced that it will revoke the media credentials of all American journalists at three major U.S. news organizations, in effect expelling them from the country, in response to new U.S. restrictions on Chinese state-controlled media.

The foreign ministry said early Wednesday that American citizens working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post with credentials expiring before the end of the year must surrender their press cards within 10 days.

It is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat actions by the two governments as the Trump administration takes a more confrontational stance in dealing with China than his predecessors. The two countries remained enmeshed in a trade war despite a recent truce and have traded angry words over the coronavirus pandemic that emerged in China and has spread worldwide.

The move comes after the Trump administration designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions and restricted the number of Chinese who could work for them in a de facto expulsion of about one-third of their Chinese staff.

China described its steps as necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S."

The American journalists will likely have to leave China because their visas are tied to their press credentials. They won't be allowed to work in not only mainland China but also the semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macao, the foreign ministry said in a release posted after midnight on its website.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disputed the comparison between the U.S. and Chinese actions, telling reporters in Washington that they enjoy press freedoms that don't exist in China.

The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely," he said. They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. Weve identified these as foreign missions under American law. These arent apples to apples, and I regret Chinas decision today to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct free press operations."

The U.S. announced earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas. It cited increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China.

The Chinese outlets, which employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the U.S., include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, or CGTN, the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV.

By designating the five Chinese media companies as foreign missions, the U.S. government required them to register their properties and employees in the United States. The State Department said that was to recognize they are effectively controlled by the Chinese government.

Soon after, China revoked the credentials of three Wall Street Journal journalists, saying it was in response to a headline on an opinion piece in the newspaper that it considered derogatory. The U.S. then announced the visa limit for the five Chinese media outlets.

In its announcement Wednesday, China said five U.S. outlets  the three newspapers, Voice of America and Time  would be required to declare information in writing about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China.

It also said China will take reciprocal measures against American journalists generally on visas, administrative review and reporting, without providing details.

Associated Press diplomatic writer Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C., contributed to this story.
Brampton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) (CSE: SNA.CN) ("Star" or the "Company") announces that the Order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dated January 17, 2020, ordering Star to hold an Annual General and Special Meeting of shareholders (the "AGM"), has been varied.

(Please see Press Releases January 22, 2020 and February 12, 2020),

The Company has now been permitted by the Court to hold its next Annual General and Special Meeting on or before June 10, 2020.

Mr. Peter Clausi, Interim CEO said:

"The Board of Directors and senior management of Star are excited to have the opportunity to meet with shareholders and to lay out our vision for the future of the Company. It is regrettable that documentation issues have delayed the preparation of the required audited financial statements. However, I am confident that this problem will be rectified shortly."

"At Star, along with the rest of the World, we are doing our best to keep our families, our staff, our business partners and our community as safe as possible during the current unprecedented pandemic. Aside from the core precautions such as social distancing and hand washing, we are actively investigating the possibility of holding the AGM on a virtual (electronic) or hybrid basis. Briefly, this involves holding the meeting virtually, with no in-person interaction between the Board, Management and the shareholders, or, on a hybrid basis, with some limited in-person contact. While the Board and Management would prefer to have the chance to meet with shareholders in person, the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic may mitigate against large gatherings."

About Star Navigation:

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS , the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. and of the STAR-ISAMM / STAR-LSAMM Systems. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator.

Star's M.M.I. Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. These displays are found on aircraft and simulators, from C-130 aircraft, to Sikorsky and Agusta Westland helicopters, as examples.

Stars' subsidiary, Star-Isoneo Inc., is a specialised software firm, developing complex solutions in engineering, simulation and development for Canadian customers. Star-Isoneo works closely with Star in the development of the Company's MEDEVAC (STAR-ISAMM and STAR-LSAMM ) applications of the patented STAR-A.D.S. technology, and on its current R&D program with Bombardier.

Certain statements contained in this Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "expected", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management or board are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Star's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many other factors could cause Star's actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

Please visit www.star-navigation.com or contact Mr. Peter Clausi, Interim CEO at 1 416 890 1232 or peter.clausi@star-navigation.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53532
Pipeline

17 March 2020

Nestled next to the scenic Kawarau River, not far from Queenstown Airport, the 87-key LQ by Wyndham Remarkables Park, set to open its doors in late 2020, will be a great base for visitors who want to immerse themselves in nature. As New Zealand's adventure tourism capital, Queenstown is the perfect place to enjoy adrenalin-fuelled activities such as white-water rafting and bungee jumping from the Kawarau Bridge - the site of the world's first commercial bungee jump.

LQ by Wyndham Remarkables Park will feature a mix of accommodation for short and extended stays, and facilities including fitness centres and "grab & go" cafes.
Guwahati/Agartala: Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who was on Monday nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Ram Nath Kovind, said on Tuesday that "his presence in the Parliament would be an opportunity to underscore the viewpoint of the judiciary before the legislature and vice-versa".

Gogoi, who retired in November last year after presiding over the Supreme Court for around 13 months, told the media in Guwahati: "Probably I would go to Delhi tomorrow (Wednesday). Let me first take oath (in the Rajya Sabha), after that I would speak in detail why I accepted this offer."

A resident of Guwahati's Zoo Narengi Road, Gogoi said during his brief interaction with the media at his residence: "I (have) accepted it (the offer to be a member of the Upper House) since I am confident that the legislature and the judiciary must at some point of time work together for nation-building. My presence in the Parliament would be an opportunity to underline the views of the judiciary before the lawmakers and vice- versa."

Gogoi, who headed the five-judge bench which delivered a landmark judgement in the 70-year-old Ayodhya title dispute case before he retired from the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), was among the four sitting top court judges who had held a first-of-its-kind press conference in January 2018 when Dipak Misra was the CJI.

These judges, then in office, had alleged "selective assignment of cases to preferred judges" and "sensitive cases were being allotted to junior judges" by Justice Dipak Misra.

Leaders of the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) separately reacted to the nomination of Gogoi as a Rajya Sabha member. Citing news reports, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the government's move, saying, "Justice Lokur rightly summarises it... 'Has the last bastion fallen'?"

"Did Prime Minister Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and ex-Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabham," Surjewala tweeted.

"The recent development taking place involving the highest judiciary and the senior judicial officials is very unfortunate. We have to wait for a certain period of time to see when he (Gogoi) becomes a (Central) minister. The people of India are now expressing their doubts over the judgements passed by the courts. His ((Gogoi's) acts were condemned across the nation," CPI-M politburo member and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik sarkar said in Agartala on Tuesday.

Gogoi became a judge in the Gauhati High Court in 2001 before being transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010. He was appointed Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2011 before being elevated to the Supreme Court on April 23, 2012. He was appointed the 46th Chief Justice of India on October 3, 2018.





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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During Sunday's Democrat debate, Biden endorsed Putin's longtime anti-fracking stance that Putin has been promoting in the U.S. and elsewhere in the West. Putin's stance against fracking is grounded in self-interest. Russia's largest exports are oil and natural gas. American fracking has dramatically weakened the market for Russian oil and natural gas and thus the Russian economy.

American frackers have strengthened the president's hand in the Middle East to the point where the president has withdrawn forces from Syria and other locations and left the Russians, Syrians, Saudis, Iranians, Turks, and others to fight among themselves in a giant quagmire. The Saudis have started economic warfare against the Russians and Iranians by increasing production. This will further hurt the Russian and Iranian economies and militaries.

Putin has figured out that Biden would be a better president from the Russian perspective than Trump, and in 2020, he will be supporting Biden for president.

Throughout his first term as president, Trump has been maneuvering to reduce U.S. dependence on China economically and bring back manufacturing jobs to the U.S. This has manifested itself in trade negotiations and tariffs. Biden, on the other hand, has been consistently friendly with the Chinese on trade. We are also curious if Hunter Biden is still managing a portfolio for the Chinese government.

Trump has been tough on China to the point where the Chinese government accusing the U.S. military of starting the Wuhan coronavirus. Xi will be engaged in a U.S.-based propaganda campaign to undermine Trump and support Biden for the rest of 2020.

Obama-Biden negotiated the Iranian nuclear deal greatly favored by the Iranian mullahs. Trump backed out of the deal and imposed strict economic sanctions against the Iranian regime, followed by the killing of the head of the IRGC, a significant player in the regime. Then the IRGC shot down a Ukrainian airliner, and now Iran is enduring one of the worst outbreaks of Wuhan coronavirus. Several senior officials in the Iranian regime have become sick, and some have died. Trump's first term has not been good for the Iranian regime. The regime would like nothing better than to go back to the good old days of Obama-Biden.

Expect various forms of foreign interference into the 2020 U.S. elections from Russia, China, and Iran.
The Trump administration will ask Congress for an economic stimulus package as large as $850bn to battle the coronavirus amid a national shutdown, one day after Donald Trump warned a recession could be imminent.

A source with knowledge of the administration's thinking confirmed Tuesday morning the White House will ask for a massive economic aid package, but said the final size has yet to be determined. "That is the rage though," the source said of the $850bn figure.

Among other items, the package is expected to include a payroll tax cut and assistance for the US airline industry. The crux of the proposal is to inject cash into the American economy as consumer spending and other key facets of economic life grind to a halt.

More follows
The Kashmir issue figured in the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi here on Tuesday during which the Chinese side "underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation" in the region.

"Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues," said a joint statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

"The Chinese side underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation and reiterated that the Kashmir issue was a dispute left from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation," it said.

India has categorically told the international community that its move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status was an internal matter. India maintains Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party has any role in it.

China and Pakistan "reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism" in all its forms and manifestations, the joint statement said.

"China recognised measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism financing and appreciated the resolve with which Pakistan implemented the Action Plan of FATF (Financial Action Task Force)," it said.

The FATF, which supervises effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering and terror financing, in its last month's meeting in Paris kept Pakistan under grey list asking Islamabad to take further measures to implement its action plan failing which it could be blacklisted in the next meeting.

The two leaders also discussed the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

A CPEC Authority was established to oversee the expeditious implementation of the CPEC projects. Both sides maintained that the new phase of high-quality development of CPEC will promote industrialization and socio-economic development in Pakistan, it said.

India opposes the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the meeting, Xi showered praise on Pakistan for sending medical supplies to China to deal with the coronavirus outbreak which shows two countries are "good friends and brothers".

"China is deeply grateful for Pakistan's support. Facts have proved once again that China and Pakistan are true friends who share weal and woe and good brothers who share each other's joys and sorrows. The special friendship is a historical choice, and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples," state-run Xinhua new agency quoted Xi as saying.

"At present, the Chinese government and Chinese people are working hard to score an all-around victory against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)," Xi told Alvi.

"I pay a lot of attention to the growth of China-Pakistan relations and is prepared to work with Pakistani leadership to make our relationship a shining example for building of a community with shared future for mankind," Pakistan's state-run APP agency quoted Xi as saying.

This will deliver greater benefits to our people and contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.

The coronavirus epidemic is currently erupting at different places around the world. Countries should work together to fight the epidemic, Xi said.

"China is willing to make more contributions to preventing the spread of the epidemic worldwide, and will continue to provide support and assistance to Pakistan," Xi said.

As Xi, Alvi met the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan surged to 236, raising alarm about the possible sharp increase.

Pakistan did not evacuate its over 1,000 nationals from the virus hit Hubei province in China despite their desperate pleas apprehending the spread of the virus in the country.

On his part, Alvi praised Xi's leadership in handling the coronavirus outbreak, which killed 3,226 people in China, mostly in its epicentre Wuhan.

Xi and Alvi witnessed signing of various agreements and MoUs, the joint statement said, but gave no details.

Alvi, who arrived on Monday on a two-day visit, earlier met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman who tested positive for the coronavirus and gave a false name and Newark address to doctors at East Orange General Hospital has been found, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said.

The woman was found about two hours after Baraka made a stern plea for her to come forward. It was not immediately clear where the woman lived.

Because you gave a false name - because you gave a false address - you put yourself and many, many people at risk, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a video address earlier Tuesday. Not only just in the City of Newark, but all of the surrounding cities in this state as well.

UPDATE: We have located the woman that was reported to have tested positive for Coronavirus. Thank you everyone for your vigilance. If you have any questions please tune into the Virtual Town Hall tonight at 7pm.  Ras J. Baraka (@rasjbaraka) March 17, 2020

Local health officials responded to the Newark address the woman provided but did not find her, Baraka said. No one else there knew the woman either, city officials said.

The woman went to the hospital on March 14, city officials said.

Baraka originally said city officials were considering legal action to force East Orange General Hospital to provide as much information as possible about the woman so the city could find her. Shortly after the mayors address, the city said it received the hospital surveillance video it was seeking and would no longer need a court order.

East Orange General Hospital has been working closely with the Newark Department of Health, Newark Police Department, East Orange Department of Health, and East Orange Police Department, the hospital said in a statement. "We have already provided them with all information requested. Patient privacy laws constrain us from providing further comment to the public about a specific patient or case.

On Sunday, Newark officials said there was one male resident in his 50s who tested positive for coronavirus and was self-quarantined at home. The local health department was investigating a second person who tested positive for COVID-19 to determine if he or she was a Newark resident.

There were at least 20 positive cases of coronavirus in Essex County of Tuesday afternoon, according to the state Department of Health tracker. Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo said on Sunday those cases were in Montclair, Nutley, Maplewood, Bloomfield, Millburn and Newark.

Only Bergen County has more cases in New Jersey. Two of the three deaths from coronavirus in New Jersey were Bergen County residents, officials said.

The mayor and the citys health department director will hold a virtual town hall about coronavirus in Newark tonight at 7 p.m. on Facebook. Residents can call into the town hall at (855)-756-7520 Ext. 56949.

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha about six detention centres in Assam with a capacity of 3,331 persons

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha about six detention centres in Assam with a capacity of 3,331 persons.

"There are six detention centres in Assam having a capacity of 3,331 persons. The detention centre in Tezpur has a capacity of 797 persons, Silchar (479), Dibrugarh (680), Jorhat (670), Kokrajhar (335) and Goalpara (370)," said the Home Ministry in a reply to Nusrat Jahan Ruhi, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP.

The TMC lawmaker had asked the Home Ministry about detention centres in Assam and their capacity.

Responding to a question on new detention centres which are yet to be constructed and made operational in Assam, the Ministry said a detention centre at Matia, Goalpara with a capacity of 3,000 is under construction.

Nusrat asked the Home Ministry about the number of people died in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) detention camps in the North-Eastern states especially in Assam during the last one year.

"There is no NRC detention camp/centre in the state of Assam. 10 inmates of the six detention centres in Assam, where declared foreigners/convicted foreigners are kept, died in different hospitals from 1 March, 2019, to 29 February, 2020," the Home Ministry said.

"During the said time frame, three teams of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have visited detention centres in Assam and have interacted with declared foreign nationals," it added.
Fred in Florida: A hyperlink, or simply a link, is a portion of text, an icon or a graphic within a document, and it may appear bold or a different color, usually blue. When you click on the hyperlink, it will typically open another browser window on your computer and take you to a new document or website, presumably to a subject that is referenced in the initial document.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire on Tuesday announced that there is a third confirmed case of coronavirus in the country.

According to the minister, the new case is a Nigerian National who recently returned from the UK, self-isolated and contacted the National Centre For Disease Control(NCDC) when she developed symptoms.

Reacting to the report, Nigerians have taken to social media to beg the federal government to impose a travel ban on non-Nigerian travellers to prevent the spread of the disease.

Read Also: Coronavirus: Louis Vuitton To Commence Production Of Hand Sanitizers

See some reactions below

A sensible country by now would have suspended all flights coming into the country! But no, Nigeria is covering all incoming flights with the Power of In Sha Allah and blood of Jesus. #CoronaVirusNigeria  B h a d o o s k y (@BhadmusAkeem) March 17, 2020

https://twitter.com/EbituPromise/status/1239867897356353537?s=19

https://twitter.com/Ukashat__Moyi/status/1239850601539874816?s=19
Paula Amend saw fewer customers than usual at Paulas Place in downtown Portage Tuesday prior to a statewide closure of taverns and restaurants for all but carryout and delivery orders.

And even before the closure she expressed reservations about restrictions on businesses being the right response. Amend said she agrees with the states decision to close public schools, but disagrees with the limits placed on businesses.

Its a personal choice, Amend said of the people who want to eat at her restaurant. But in schools, you have children who are not in the habit of washing their hands and they touch everything. Theyre germ factories.

Waitress Jeana Walter at Portage Cafe said the ban isnt affecting her daily life other than the extra cleaning and her daily conversations with patrons.

Everybody is talking about it, Walter said. Its all over the place. Everybody is keeping their hands clean.

Walter also said she believes the public and government reaction to the virus seemingly outweighs the severity of the outbreak but were nevertheless concerned about whats happening.
By PTI

BEIJING: The Kashmir issue figured in the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi here on Tuesday during which the Chinese side "underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation" in the region.

"Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues," said a joint statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

"The Chinese side underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation and reiterated that the Kashmir issue was a dispute left from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation," it said.

India has categorically told the international community that its move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status was an internal matter. India maintains Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party has any role in it.

China and Pakistan "reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism" in all its forms and manifestations, the joint statement said. "China recognised measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism financing and appreciated the resolve with which Pakistan implemented the Action Plan of FATF (Financial Action Task Force)," it said.

The FATF, which supervises effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering and terror financing, in its last month's meeting in Paris kept Pakistan under grey list asking Islamabad to take further measures to implement its action plan failing which it could be blacklisted in the next meeting.

The two leaders also discussed the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A CPEC Authority was established to oversee the expeditious implementation of the CPEC projects.

It said that both sides maintained that the new phase of high-quality development of CPEC will promote industrialization and socio-economic development in Pakistan. India opposes the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the meeting, Xi showered praise on Pakistan for sending medical supplies to China to deal with the coronavirus outbreak which shows two countries are "good friends and brothers". "China is deeply grateful for Pakistan's support. Facts have proved once again that China and Pakistan are true friends who share weal and woe and good brothers who share each other's joys and sorrows. The special friendship is a historical choice, and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples," state-run Xinhua new agency quoted Xi as saying.

"At present, the Chinese government and Chinese people are working hard to score an all-around victory against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)," Xi told Alvi. "I pay a lot of attention to the growth of China-Pakistan relations and is prepared to work with Pakistani leadership to make our relationship a shining example for building of a community with shared future for mankind. This will deliver greater benefits to our people and contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and beyond," Pakistan's state-run APP news agency quoted Xi as saying.

"The coronavirus epidemic is currently erupting at different places around the world. Countries should work together to fight the epidemic. China is willing to make more contributions to preventing the spread of the epidemic worldwide, and will continue to provide support and assistance to Pakistan," Xi said.

As Xi, Alvi met the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan surged to 236, raising alarm about the possible sharp increase. Pakistan did not evacuate its over 1,000 nationals from the virus hit Hubei province in China despite their desperate pleas apprehending the spread of the virus in the country.

On his part, Alvi praised Xi's leadership in handling the coronavirus outbreak, which killed 3,226 people in China, mostly in its epicentre Wuhan. Xi and Alvi witnessed signing of various agreements and MoUs, the joint statement said, but gave no details.

Alvi, who arrived on Monday on a two-day visit, earlier met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Inflammation in the brain may be more widely implicated in dementias than was previously thought, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The researchers say it offers hope for potential new treatments for several types of dementia.

Inflammation is usually the body's response to injury and stress - such as the redness and swelling that accompanies an injury or infection. However, inflammation in the brain - known as neuroinflammation - has been recognised and linked to many disorders including depression, psychosis and multiple sclerosis. It has also recently been linked to the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

In a study published today in the journal Brain, a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge set out to examine whether neuroinflammation also occurs in other forms of dementia, which would imply that it is common to many neurodegenerative diseases.

The team recruited 31 patients with three different types of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). FTD is a family of different conditions resulting from the build-up of several abnormal 'junk' proteins in the brain.

Patients underwent brain scans to detect inflammation and the junk proteins. Two Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans each used an injection with a chemical 'dye', which lights up special molecules that reveal either the brain's inflammatory cells or the junk proteins.

In the first scan, the dye lit up the cells causing neuroinflammation. These indicate ongoing damage to the brain cells and their connections. In the second scan, the dye binds to the different types of 'junk' proteins found in FTD.

The researchers showed that across the brain, and in all three types of FTD, the more inflammation in each part of the brain, the more harmful build-up of the junk proteins there is. To prove the dyes were picking up the inflammation and harmful proteins, they went on to analyse under the microscope 12 brains donated after death to the Cambridge Brain Bank.

"We predicted the link between inflammation in the brain and the build-up of damaging proteins, but even we were surprised by how tightly these two problems mapped on to each other," said Dr Thomas Cope from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Cambridge.

Dr Richard Bevan Jones added, "There may be a vicious circle where cell damage triggers inflammation, which in turn leads to further cell damage."

The team stress that further research is needed to translate this knowledge of inflammation in dementia into testable treatments. But, this new study shows that neuroinflammation is a significant factor in more types of dementia than was previously thought.

"It is an important discovery that all three types of frontotemporal dementia have inflammation, linked to the build-up of harmful abnormal proteins in different parts of the brain. The illnesses are in other ways very different from each other, but we have found a role for inflammation in all of them," says Professor James Rowe from the Cambridge Centre for Frontotemporal Dementia.

"This, together with the fact that it is known to play a role in Alzheimer's, suggests that inflammation is part of many other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. This offers hope that immune-based treatments might help slow or prevent these conditions."

###

The research was supported by Wellcome, the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Association of British Neurologists, Patrick Berthoud Charitable Trust, and the Lundbeck Foundation.

Reference

Bevan-Jones, WR & Cope, TE et al. Neuroinflammation and protein aggregation co-localize across the frontotemporal dementia spectrum. Brain; 17 Mar 2020; DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa033
Most businesses would not be covered by their insurance even if the government did order them to close their doors, insurers clarified today.

Following the Prime Minister's advice to the public yesterday to stay away from pubs, restaurants, clubs and theatres, concerns were raised that firms would not be able to claim on their business interruption insurance without a government order to close.

But today, the Association of British Insurers trade body released a statement saying that even if these businesses were ordered to close their doors, insurers were still unlikely to pay out.

It said most policies do not include this in business interruption cover and so a government order to shut would not have made a difference.

Most businesses will not be covered by their insurance if the government orders them to close

The ABI statement read: 'Irrespective of whether or not the Government orders closure of a business, the vast majority of firms won't have purchased cover that will enable them to claim on their insurance to compensate for their business being closed by coronavirus.

Standard business interruption cover  the type the majority of businesses purchase  does not include forced closure by the authorities

'Standard business interruption cover  the type the majority of businesses purchase  does not include forced closure by the authorities as it is intended to respond to physical damage at the property which results in the business being unable to continue to trade.

'A small minority of typically larger firms might have purchased an extension to their cover for closure due to any infectious disease.

'In this instance an enforced closure could help them make the claim, but this will depend on the precise nature of the cover they have purchased so they should check with their insurer or broker to see if they are covered.'

The statement comes as businesses anxiously await an announcement on help for those affected by coronavirus and the lockdown.

There is immense pressure on the Government to come up with some form of huge scheme to tide firms over until people are told that they no longer need to stay at home and practice social distancing.

This could potentially involve a state-backed business interruption insurance scheme, with all firms able to claim.

The insurance industry statement published by the ABI today on business interruption cover

In the recent Budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a 'coronavirus business interruption loans scheme', with banks to offer loans of up to 1.2million to small and medium-sized businesses.

Sunak said: 'The government will offer a generous guarantee on those loans, covering up to 80 per cent of losses, with no fees, so that banks can lend with confidence.

'This will unlock up to 1billion of attractive working capital loans to support small businesses, with more as needed.'

Some businesses have complained they are too big to benefit from the rates holiday, or 3,00 grants, while freelancers and the self-employed say they are having work cancelled without a safety net.
With the outbreak of coronavirus



expected to further hit the economy, a demand to compensate workers losing jobs due to the slowdown and waiver of interest on loans of small borrowers was raised in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The issue of impact of slowing economy on sectors such as automobiles and IT was raised through Zero Hour mentions in the House.

Jose K Mani of the KC-M said outbreak of coronavirus pandemic has added to economic woes.

Sales and production have halved, leaving no money with people to pay back loans taken on premise of an economic boom, he said, adding the government should waive off interest on loans upto Rs 10 lakh for a six-month period beginning January 2020.

M Shanmugam of the DMK said auto companies such as Ashok Leyland and TVS Motors have announced layoffs due to the economic slowdown.

While the government has been sympathetic to industry and has waived off their loans, the common man has not been given any benefit, he said demanding a compensation scheme to make up for loss of wages to workers hit by the economic slowdown.

Viplove Thakur of the Congress said tourism and hotel industry in Himachal Pradesh has been adversely hit by the outbreak of coronavirus.

Cancellation of bookings has led to a situation where hoteliers are on the verge of defaulting on loan repayments, she said demanding a special package for states dependent on tourism.

Manas Ranjan Bhunia (TMC) alleged that faulty socio- economic survey has deprived many a needy of benefits of government schemes and demanded a fresh survey.

Amar Patnaik (BJD) raised the issue of inadequate spending on healthcare, saying the government's allocation for the health sector was 1 per cent of the GDP in 2015 and is 1.3 per cent in 2020-21 budget.

At this pace the target of 2.5 per cent of GDP on health by 2025 is unlikely to be achieved, he said demanding raising of spending on primary and secondary health centres.

While K Ravindra Kumar (TDP) demanded central government support for metro rail projects in Amravati and Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, Vinay Dinu Tendulkar (BJP) demanded legalising traditional bull fight in Goa, known as 'Dhirio' in Konkani, on lines of similar moves in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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(Kitco News) - Mining giant Vale said this week that the company is placing its Voiseys Bay nickel mine in Labrador on care and maintenance for the next four weeks due to the global COVID-19 virus outbreak.

The company said this is a precaution to help protect the health and well-being of Nunatsiavut and Innu indigenous communities in Labrador, as well as its own staff due to the fly-in nature of the remote mine.

Although none of our employees has tested positive for coronavirus at any of Vale's global operations, Vale has taken this preventive action because of the unique remoteness of that area, with fly-in and fly-out operations, with higher exposure to travel, the company said in a prepared statement Monday. Vale will work together with the communities and authorities to ensure our operations do not act as a catalyst to inadvertently introduce the virus in these communities.

The Long Harbour Processing Plant continues to operate, so nickel and cobalt production should not be affected, given the availability of stockpiled concentrates that should last past the four-week shutdown period, Vale said. However, copper concentrate production will be reduced.

The decision also impacts Voisey's Bay mine expansion project currently underway to transition to underground operations, Vale said.
Accoding to PCI, here too there was failure to find out why this happened. Insisting that media questioning was called for on the pre-violence preparation by Delhi Police, PCI says, country-made guns were allegedly used in the communal violence, as were petrol bombs, which were being prepared in full view of the police in some instances.How did the media in the nations capital acquit itself in its presentation of the horrific communal violence in the northeast corner of Delhi which, officially, has already claimed more than 50 lives (and the count of the dead could rise as bodies are fished out of a stinking sewerage canal that covers a large part of the affected area)?At the first level, the answer is straightforward- our photographers and our reporters, from both television and print, showed exemplary courage in discharging their professional responsibility.In the line of duty, on February 25, a large number were admitted to hospital. One of them, a television journalist, had a gunshot injury. Many had been hit by stones hurled by rival mobs. Another television reporter had been hit and punched in the face by communal fanatics and had teeth missing.A joint statement of the Press Cub of India (PCI) and the Indian Womens Press Corps (IWPC) on February 25 had noted that the police were either absent or have not come to help. This was a noteworthy feature, made noteworthy by the fact of overt police inaction, especially on February 24 and 25, when the violence had turned full-blown and was at its peak.In fact, media accounts have hinted at police personnel aiding a section of the producers of communal violence. This aspect needs to be examined in depth by an impartial probe, whose terms of reference ought to go beyond capturing specific events and delve into underlying- and surrounding - social and political causes if basic truths are to be unearthed for future guidance on police administration, policing responsibilities, and state orientation.The PCI-IWPC joint statement had noted, Shockingly, mobs were checking religious credentials of journalists. The published account of a Times of India photographer, Anindyo Chattopadhyay, speaks of male journalists being made to lower their trousers to check religious identity. This again was a new feature.Chattopadhyay is a member of the PCI Managing Committee and his insights were useful in the preparation of this report, besides those of a clutch of reporters and photographers who helpfully gave us a sense of the atmosphere and the time-line as the trouble spread across a corner of Delhi.



The violence commenced on February 23, raged on through February 24 and 25, and simmered and eventually petered out by February 26, although there was tension and anxiety in the air even on March 7 when the PCI president, Anand K Sahay, visited some of the worst affected area with colleagues to get a feel of the geography and social make-up of the communal battleground areas, and a sense of the public mood.

It became evident that while there were numerous examples of ordinary Hindus and Muslims protecting one another and each others religious places during the troubles, and some large-hearted Sikhs rescuing tens of Muslims from difficult areas as the flames of communal passion leapt, a sense of mistrust and disquiet remains, arising from fear of the State.

Sandeep, a Hindu resident of Janata Colony, a predominantly Muslim locality by the Peeli Mitti Road (near the Jaffrabad Metro Station), informed us that there were five temples in the by-lanes of this area and all were safe. Some of his Muslim friends said their area was untouched by violence but a palpable sense of fear of the future remains.

In Mahalaxmi Enclave, right next to Shiv Vihar where Muslim residents suffered incalculable harm, Rajpal Singh Sain, who is a non-Brahmin keeper and priest of the Jwalaji temple, informed us that the temple also drew Muslim devotees. They are from among the 20-odd Muslim houses of the locality. He said a Muslim mosque nearby and the Hindu temples of the area were quite safe.

On the main road just outside these by-lanes, at the Shiv Vihar tiraha or tri-junction, stand two large-sized parking spaces full of charred vehicles, a reminder of dangerous gangs at work unhindered by the forces of the state, underlining the unquiet times the nations capital is passing through.

*** One of Britains most famous foreign correspondents renowned for his professional integrity, James Cameron, who was active in the years after the second world war and had reported out of New Delhi, once famously said, I dont let facts come in the way of the truth!

This important journalist was known to peel through layers of facts to arrive at the truth. It is in this respect that the shortcomings of the media as an institution are visible in dealing with the turbulent times since December 2019, including the recent communal violence which caught international attention since the picture that came through was that a particular religious minority had been consciously targeted. Some of these, it is widely alleged, were acting upfront in the India-Pakistan battle zones -- with devastating effect. These appeared to be ideologically-oriented mobs, not all-and-sundry mobs. Some loot- and- carry was apparently involved in both instances. But in 2020, it appears that one of the mob objectives was to economically cripple the minority locations that were hit. Shops, godowns, and small manufactories were particularly targeted.The violence commenced on February 23, raged on through February 24 and 25, and simmered and eventually petered out by February 26, although there was tension and anxiety in the air even on March 7 when the PCI president, Anand K Sahay, visited some of the worst affected area with colleagues to get a feel of the geography and social make-up of the communal battleground areas, and a sense of the public mood.It became evident that while there were numerous examples of ordinary Hindus and Muslims protecting one another and each others religious places during the troubles, and some large-hearted Sikhs rescuing tens of Muslims from difficult areas as the flames of communal passion leapt, a sense of mistrust and disquiet remains, arising from fear of the State.Sandeep, a Hindu resident of Janata Colony, a predominantly Muslim locality by the Peeli Mitti Road (near the Jaffrabad Metro Station), informed us that there were five temples in the by-lanes of this area and all were safe. Some of his Muslim friends said their area was untouched by violence but a palpable sense of fear of the future remains.In Mahalaxmi Enclave, right next to Shiv Vihar where Muslim residents suffered incalculable harm, Rajpal Singh Sain, who is a non-Brahmin keeper and priest of the Jwalaji temple, informed us that the temple also drew Muslim devotees. They are from among the 20-odd Muslim houses of the locality. He said a Muslim mosque nearby and the Hindu temples of the area were quite safe.On the main road just outside these by-lanes, at the Shiv Vihar tiraha or tri-junction, stand two large-sized parking spaces full of charred vehicles, a reminder of dangerous gangs at work unhindered by the forces of the state, underlining the unquiet times the nations capital is passing through.One of Britains most famous foreign correspondents renowned for his professional integrity, James Cameron, who was active in the years after the second world war and had reported out of New Delhi, once famously said, I dont let facts come in the way of the truth!This important journalist was known to peel through layers of facts to arrive at the truth. It is in this respect that the shortcomings of the media as an institution are visible in dealing with the turbulent times since December 2019, including the recent communal violence which caught international attention since the picture that came through was that a particular religious minority had been consciously targeted.

Kapil Mishra Intrepid reporters and photographers/ videographers went out in the midst of violence, risking their life and limb. They brought back telling stories and visuals. And yet, our understanding of the troubled times Delhi has passed through appears seriously grossly inadequate. There are too many unexplained or under-explained aspects of the big story, too many gaps, which needed to be filled or looked into.

Some can be enumerated as follows:

1. The area engulfed by communal violence is actually quite small -- about six kilometres square: roughly three kilometres in length from the Jafrabad Metro Station (just up from the Seelampur Metro) on the Yamuna Vihar Road to no more than two km in width, taking in areas of intense destruction in places such as Bhajanpura, Khajuri Khas, Mutafabad, Gokulpuri, Chand Bagh and Shiv Vihar.

In a tense communal situation this should have been easy enough to effectively patrol and control by a purposeful police force with a no-nonsense leadership. And this is exactly what happened once National Security Advisor was made to intervene. The trouble petered out as shoot-at-sight orders were passed.

Could this not have been done on the very first day, February 23, or latest by the following morning before the matter escalated and northeast Delhi came in the grip of communal violence of such magnitude that would bring shame to the country?

The mystery is why this was not done. To uncover the facts was beyond the experience and competence of the city reporters who were despatched on assignment to northeast Delhi. If journalists who routinely cover national affairs- in this case the ruling party and the Union home ministry- had been pressed into service, a fuller picture is likely to have emerged.

2. On the whole, in time sequence, it appears that the start of the communal trouble is traceable to a short speech at Maujpur Chauraha, about 300 or 400 metres from the Jafrabad Metro station where the previous day women against CAA had commenced a protest sit-in, made by a prominent Delhi-level local BJP leader, Kapil Mishra, on the afternoon of February 23 at about 3pm.

He said pointedly that the police must clear the anti-CAA protesters by the time visiting US President Donald Trump departed, namely within 72 hours. If not, Mishra said he would employ his own methods to do so, and in that event would not listen to the police.

Media has not sought to try and understand what gave BJP's Kapil Mishra confidence or sense of authority to issue ultimatum to police A police DCP stood next to Mishra as this provocation was being uttered. An alert officer might have thought to place the politician under restraint for threatening trouble and threatening not to heed the police. This could have been interrogated by the media at the national political level.

Further, the violence kicked off shortly after the BJP leaders speech, rendering Mishras so-called grace period of 72 hours as a smoke screen to lull all concerned. Was the police really fooled? Or, did it pretend to be fooled? At any rate, the force deployment on the ground was extremely thin, going by eye-witness accounts as well as accounts of journalists-reporters and photographers- present at the spot.

The media have not sought to go into the reasons why the organised communalists got into action almost straightaway instead of waiting for the time supposedly given to the police to clear the place of anti-CAA women protesters. It has also not sought to try and understand what gave Mishra the confidence or sense of authority to issue an ultimatum to the police.

3. Local residents of northeast Delhi, as well as journalists who covered the three days of the nightmarish violence, suggest that, for many days prior, truckloads or wagonloads of bricks and stones had been ferried to different locations of the area, as though they were being taken for construction purposes. Did the local police stations have no clue? Have they at least now been able to find out who was ordering these potential missiles?

Delhi has been a tinderbox situation since the passing of the CAA last December, the erupting of protests against this law, the police inaction in JNU, police hyper-action in the case of Jamia, and the volatile communal speeches made by top leaders of the ruling party in the course of the Delhi Assembly election campaign.

Given such a backdrop, the police was expected to keep a sharp eye out for any signs of potential communal trouble. The stocking of bricks and stones falls in this category. Media questioning is called for on the pre-violence preparation by Delhi Police. Intrepid reporters and photographers/ videographers went out in the midst of violence, risking their life and limb. They brought back telling stories and visuals. And yet, our understanding of the troubled times Delhi has passed through appears seriously grossly inadequate. There are too many unexplained or under-explained aspects of the big story, too many gaps, which needed to be filled or looked into.1. The area engulfed by communal violence is actually quite small -- about six kilometres square: roughly three kilometres in length from the Jafrabad Metro Station (just up from the Seelampur Metro) on the Yamuna Vihar Road to no more than two km in width, taking in areas of intense destruction in places such as Bhajanpura, Khajuri Khas, Mutafabad, Gokulpuri, Chand Bagh and Shiv Vihar.In a tense communal situation this should have been easy enough to effectively patrol and control by a purposeful police force with a no-nonsense leadership. And this is exactly what happened once National Security Advisor was made to intervene. The trouble petered out as shoot-at-sight orders were passed.Could this not have been done on the very first day, February 23, or latest by the following morning before the matter escalated and northeast Delhi came in the grip of communal violence of such magnitude that would bring shame to the country?The mystery is why this was not done. To uncover the facts was beyond the experience and competence of the city reporters who were despatched on assignment to northeast Delhi. If journalists who routinely cover national affairs- in this case the ruling party and the Union home ministry- had been pressed into service, a fuller picture is likely to have emerged.2. On the whole, in time sequence, it appears that the start of the communal trouble is traceable to a short speech at Maujpur Chauraha, about 300 or 400 metres from the Jafrabad Metro station where the previous day women against CAA had commenced a protest sit-in, made by a prominent Delhi-level local BJP leader, Kapil Mishra, on the afternoon of February 23 at about 3pm.He said pointedly that the police must clear the anti-CAA protesters by the time visiting US President Donald Trump departed, namely within 72 hours. If not, Mishra said he would employ his own methods to do so, and in that event would not listen to the police.A police DCP stood next to Mishra as this provocation was being uttered. An alert officer might have thought to place the politician under restraint for threatening trouble and threatening not to heed the police. This could have been interrogated by the media at the national political level.Further, the violence kicked off shortly after the BJP leaders speech, rendering Mishras so-called grace period of 72 hours as a smoke screen to lull all concerned. Was the police really fooled? Or, did it pretend to be fooled? At any rate, the force deployment on the ground was extremely thin, going by eye-witness accounts as well as accounts of journalists-reporters and photographers- present at the spot.The media have not sought to go into the reasons why the organised communalists got into action almost straightaway instead of waiting for the time supposedly given to the police to clear the place of anti-CAA women protesters. It has also not sought to try and understand what gave Mishra the confidence or sense of authority to issue an ultimatum to the police.3. Local residents of northeast Delhi, as well as journalists who covered the three days of the nightmarish violence, suggest that, for many days prior, truckloads or wagonloads of bricks and stones had been ferried to different locations of the area, as though they were being taken for construction purposes. Did the local police stations have no clue? Have they at least now been able to find out who was ordering these potential missiles?Delhi has been a tinderbox situation since the passing of the CAA last December, the erupting of protests against this law, the police inaction in JNU, police hyper-action in the case of Jamia, and the volatile communal speeches made by top leaders of the ruling party in the course of the Delhi Assembly election campaign.Given such a backdrop, the police was expected to keep a sharp eye out for any signs of potential communal trouble. The stocking of bricks and stones falls in this category. Media questioning is called for on the pre-violence preparation by Delhi Police.

The person with pistol in hand



For a day and a half, television stations friendly to the government showed a young man, purportedly a Muslim now in custody, running about with a pistol in hand but not doing very much with it. Details of his profile and his links are yet to emerge.

Is he a gangster, a political worker of some kind, or a supposed agent of a foreign or Indian Islamist outfit? This is the direction in which the media have been sent by the police and some sections of the media are happy to give full play to police versions without any investigation on their part.

Similar is the case of the deceased Ankit Sharma, variously described as a driver employed by the Intelligence Bureau and an IB officer in some initial media reports. So, who was he? Was he killed by those who knew him for reasons of personal enmity? Was he targeted because he worked for the IB?

This narrative is being sought to be developed in government-friendly media sections to suggest that the killing of a minor IB employee in the slums was a threat to national security. An impartial probe also needs to look into the allegation that this individual was also involved in stone-throwing. So little is known of his background and actions on those fateful days. A fuller media investigation can help us understand the situation better.

Surprisingly enough, the death of a policeman on duty -- whether in stone-pelting or on account of a bullet fired is still not clear -- is also sought to be given a national security colour, and is being linked with the IB employees murder to build a national security under assault narrative. How valid is this approach? Media can contribute to our understanding of the terrible events by exploring the foundations or such a narrative and its foundational basis.

5. The provenance of BJP leader Mishra, whose speech is seen as the starting point of the India-Pakistan troubles, is known. What about the Muslim mobs in the few places that they struck? Did they have a leadership, or were they plain hotheads -- reacting with extreme violence on occasion -- once they perceived themselves to be surrounded by mobs of another denomination and, as the allegation frequently goes, aided by the guardians of law and order? This is a point that needs independent investigation, preferably a media investigation.

An AAP counsellor -- a Muslim individual -- has been picked up by the police. His name is being bandied about in a section of the media as the riot-maker in-chief. This individual may have well played a negative role, but so far there is only the police version to go by. Independent media work is needed for greater clarity and greater credibility, especially since no prominent non-Muslims are presumed to be under investigation so far.

6. The scale of the destruction and the scale of the urgently needed relief appears very extensive, and may be beyond the capacities of the Kejriwal government in Delhi. Perhaps the Centre needs to step in, also to deal with insurance.

Usually in such situations, it is seen that the numbers of the insured are too few. This had been seen to be the case with the lakhs of victims of the Kashmir floods of September 2014. Media detailing of this aspect can lend credibility to victims claims.

7. There is confused rendering of account of the part played by Chandra Shekhar Azads Bhim Army, if any, in first hand descriptions by photographers and reporters who were on the ground in the Jafrabad, Maujpur, Kabir Nagar area on February 23, when troubles began. It will help political clarity of the events if responsible media analysis undertook this exercise.

The PCI is not an NGO, a political organisation, or a news media outlet. It does not possess the resources of independent investigation. But we are concerned with the well-being of our media, and have sought to be flag issues concerning journalism and journalists. It is in this report that this document has been prepared.

4. Country-made guns -- apparently pistols chiefly -- were also used in the communal violence, as were petrol bombs, which, according to allegations of eyewitnesses, were being prepared in full view of the police in some instances. The police are yet to be queried by the media about this.For a day and a half, television stations friendly to the government showed a young man, purportedly a Muslim now in custody, running about with a pistol in hand but not doing very much with it. Details of his profile and his links are yet to emerge.Is he a gangster, a political worker of some kind, or a supposed agent of a foreign or Indian Islamist outfit? This is the direction in which the media have been sent by the police and some sections of the media are happy to give full play to police versions without any investigation on their part.Similar is the case of the deceased Ankit Sharma, variously described as a driver employed by the Intelligence Bureau and an IB officer in some initial media reports. So, who was he? Was he killed by those who knew him for reasons of personal enmity? Was he targeted because he worked for the IB?This narrative is being sought to be developed in government-friendly media sections to suggest that the killing of a minor IB employee in the slums was a threat to national security. An impartial probe also needs to look into the allegation that this individual was also involved in stone-throwing. So little is known of his background and actions on those fateful days. A fuller media investigation can help us understand the situation better.Surprisingly enough, the death of a policeman on duty -- whether in stone-pelting or on account of a bullet fired is still not clear -- is also sought to be given a national security colour, and is being linked with the IB employees murder to build a national security under assault narrative. How valid is this approach? Media can contribute to our understanding of the terrible events by exploring the foundations or such a narrative and its foundational basis.5. The provenance of BJP leader Mishra, whose speech is seen as the starting point of the India-Pakistan troubles, is known. What about the Muslim mobs in the few places that they struck? Did they have a leadership, or were they plain hotheads -- reacting with extreme violence on occasion -- once they perceived themselves to be surrounded by mobs of another denomination and, as the allegation frequently goes, aided by the guardians of law and order? This is a point that needs independent investigation, preferably a media investigation.An AAP counsellor -- a Muslim individual -- has been picked up by the police. His name is being bandied about in a section of the media as the riot-maker in-chief. This individual may have well played a negative role, but so far there is only the police version to go by. Independent media work is needed for greater clarity and greater credibility, especially since no prominent non-Muslims are presumed to be under investigation so far.6. The scale of the destruction and the scale of the urgently needed relief appears very extensive, and may be beyond the capacities of the Kejriwal government in Delhi. Perhaps the Centre needs to step in, also to deal with insurance.Usually in such situations, it is seen that the numbers of the insured are too few. This had been seen to be the case with the lakhs of victims of the Kashmir floods of September 2014. Media detailing of this aspect can lend credibility to victims claims.7. There is confused rendering of account of the part played by Chandra Shekhar Azads Bhim Army, if any, in first hand descriptions by photographers and reporters who were on the ground in the Jafrabad, Maujpur, Kabir Nagar area on February 23, when troubles began. It will help political clarity of the events if responsible media analysis undertook this exercise.The PCI is not an NGO, a political organisation, or a news media outlet. It does not possess the resources of independent investigation. But we are concerned with the well-being of our media, and have sought to be flag issues concerning journalism and journalists. It is in this report that this document has been prepared.

In the 1984 riots in which innocent Sikhs had been targeted, the police had been found wanting. Police personnel had encouraged rampaging mobs in some instances. The senior police leadership had remained quiescent, as in February 2020. However, reporters and photographers had not been threatened and no particular bravery was called for on their part.Was this in part due to the fact that the mobs in 1984 were amorphous in nature, though local figures linked to the then ruling party directed mob actions in their areas, while in contrast, the communal violence of 2020 appeared to be triggered- as widely reported and commented on -- in the wake of provocative public comments of an influential ruling party personality who, just weeks earlier, had created an India-Pakistan binary -- a deplorable construct aimed a demeaning Indias largest religious minority- in the context of the Delhi Assembly election?More, the ruling national party of today is able to intervene to further its political and ideological ends through a host of civil society outfits and networks that frontload the religious factor and frequently engage in uncivil conduct?
By West Kentucky Star Mar. 16, 2020 | 04:00 PM | PADUCAH

She said, "AQS is working diligently with the City of Paducah and other agencies on a solution for the 2020 Paducah AQS QuiltWeek. We appreciate your patience during these difficult circumstances. We promise to keep the public informed with additional updates as soon as possible."



Last week the organization cancelled the Lancaster Downtown, PA Quilt Show which was scheduled for this coming weekend. Now they are working with officials and focusing on what to do concerning Paducah AQS QuiltWeek.

Bonnie Browning, American Quilter's Society (AQS) Executive Show Director, let WestKyStar know they are seriously addressing the decision concerning their Paducah event which is presently set for about six weeks from now.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is suspending all operations, including construction, except critical and emergency work as coronavirus concerns continue to spread throughout Pennsylvania.

According to a statement from PennDOT sent Monday evening, all drivers license centers and photo license centers will be closed for two weeks beginning Tuesday. Because of the closures, the following expiration dates will be extended:

Driver licenses, photo ID cards and learners permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020.

Vehicle registrations, safety inspections and emissions inspections scheduled to expire from March 16 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020.

Persons with Disabilities Parking Placards scheduled to expire from March 16 through March 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended until April 30, 2020.

These closures and extensions are in addition to closures previously reported in counties under quarantine.

District and county maintenance offices are closed and construction projects are suspended statewide until further notice, PennDOT said. PennDOT crews will be available to perform critical functions and emergency maintenance as needed.

PennDOT rest areas and welcome centers statewide will be closed effective 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Adjustments to public transportation and rail services have also been made, but PennDOT suggests checking with Amtrak for updated information.

Public transportation and rail services have also been adjusted. Please check local transit agencies and Amtraks website for up-to-date information.

Read more on PennLive:

For full coronavirus coverage, click here.

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.
I ts the news that every ticket-holder was dreading  Glastonbury has been cancelled.

The Worthy Farm festival was gearing up to host its 50th anniversary edition this June, with Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar among the acts set to perform.

However, due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the festival has been called off, with 2020 now resigned to being an enforced fallow year, according to co-organisers Emily and Michael Eavis.

More than 200,000 people were set to descend on the city in a field for the festival, and 135,000 of them had already paid their 50 deposit, with plans to transfer the full balance in the first week of April.

Many are now wondering where this leaves them with regards to refunds, as well as tickets for the 2021 edition.

This is everything you need to know.

Why was Glastonbury 2020 cancelled?

In a statement posted on Wednesday morning, organisers said: "We very much hope that the situation in the UK will have improved enormously by the end of June.

But even if it has, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on the farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields."

It means that Worthy Farm will stay empty this summer, much like it did in 2018, when the organisers enacted a fallow year in order for the surrounding environment to recover.

Glastonbury 2019 from above - In pictures 1 /32 Glastonbury 2019 from above - In pictures PA Rex Features PA EPA PA PA PA AFP/Getty Images PA EPA PA James McCauley PA REUTERS PA PA PA AFP/Getty Images PA PA PA PA PA PA

Can I get a refund on my deposit?

Yes. Organisers have confirmed that anyone who requires a refund on their 50 deposit will be able to contact See Tickets in the coming days in order to secure that.

Will my deposit still be valid for buying tickets in 2021?

Its notoriously difficult to get tickets for Glastonbury, with the initial batch selling out entirely in little over half an hour last year.

However, anyone who had already paid their 50 deposit for 2020 will be automatically guaranteed the chance to buy a ticket in 2021, unless they want a refund now.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The global subdermal contraceptive implants market size is expected to reach USD 969.2 million by 2026, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., registering a 3.2% CAGR over the forecast period. Introduction of several modern contraceptives in the market, growing awareness about various birth control methods, and high per capita income are some of the key factors driving the market for subdermal implants for birth control.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2014, approximately 20 million women needed publicly funded contraceptive services. According to CDC, in 2017, nearly 46.9 million women in the U.S. were using at least one method of contraception. Subdermal implant is a long-term birth control option for women. Subdermal implants for contraception are in the form of polymer capsules or rods placed under the skin. The progestational hormone is released at a slow and stable rate, providing effective contraception for 1-5 years.

Publicly funded family planning services help women avoid or plan pregnancies. In 2012, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) revised the cost associated with Medicaid payment policy for immediate postpartum insertion of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC). Under this new reimbursement policy, providers are allowed to bill for the insertion procedure and the cost of an IUD or an implant, in addition to the Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) by using J-codes with a family planning modifier.

Implants are the most widely used contraceptive methods by women in sub-Saharan Africa owing to public-private partnerships between manufacturers, donors, governments, and international agencies, which helps lower commodity cost and increase product availability. Contraceptive usage has increased in South Africa, Malawi, and Rwanda. According to PLOS.org, in Malawi, the use of the Long-acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) method reached 10.21% in urban areas in 2016 and 9.66% in rural areas. In 2012, an initiative called Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) was launched to give 120 million women access to modern contraceptive methods by 2020.

Further key findings from the report suggest:

North America held the maximum share in the market for subdermal implants for contraception in 2018. This can be attributed to growing number of unwanted pregnancies, increased government initiatives in favor of contraception, and rising unmet needs

Strong economic growth in countries such as China, India, and Singapore, increasing awareness about contraceptives and STIs, and rising disposable income are expected to boost the Asia Pacific market in the coming years

Rapid population growth is a major concern in sub-Saharan African countries; the regions population growth is projected to account for more than half of the global population growth by 2050. This could have a positive impact on the uptake of subdermal implants for birth control

Some of the key subdermal contraceptive implants market players are Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Merck & Co., Inc.; and Bayer AG. In February 2018, Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and DKT International entered into an agreement to market Levoplant at a reduced price of USD 6.90 per unit in 69 countries.

Grand View Research has segmented the global subdermal contraceptive implants market based on region:

Subdermal Contraceptive Implants Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe U.K. Germany France Spain Italy

Asia Pacific China Japan India

Latin America Brazil Mexico

MEA South Africa



Access full research report on global subdermal contraceptive implants market:

www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/subdermal-contraceptive-implants-market
No one in Canada, including the precariously employed, should be left homeless or destitute because of COVID-19. We must ensure that workers have the ability to stop working if they are ill, in their own interest, and in the interest of public health.

Federal and provincial governments have announced unprecedented support so that businesses are not financially crippled because of the impacts of COVID-19. Fewer announcements have been made with regard to support for workers. Much more needs to be done.

Federally, the one-week waiting period to access Employment Insurance (EI) has been waived for those who are ill or in quarantine, however, claimants must be eligible for EI, which currently requires 600 hours of paid employment in the past 52 weeks. Those who have not accumulated 600 hours of paid employment will not be eligible. Nor will the self-employed, unless they have registered for EI special benefits for self-employed people and waited the necessary 12 months.

No one anticipated COVID-19. But that doesnt mean governments cant act now to safeguard workers.

Statistics Canada estimates that between 27 per cent and 45 per cent of all Canadian workers do not have full-time stable jobs. This does not include low-wage earners with full time-stable jobs who still live from paycheck to paycheck. The precariously employed include: the solo self-employed, such as those working in the gig economy, like Uber drivers; those on temporary contracts, working on call or for temporary employment agencies; and part-time workers, including the involuntary part-time.

In many provinces, full-time low-wage earners are also in situations of employment precarity where employers may lay them off at will or where non-unionized workers can be fired for being absent for more than three days, even if they are absent because of illness. Labour legislation does not discourage employers from requiring sick notes to justify absences. Bill 148 in Ontario had curtailed employers right to require sick notes, but that provision was repealed by the Ford governments Making Ontario Open for Business Bill 47.

Anyone can be at risk of contracting COVID-19 at work, but workers in certain sectors, such as health care, but also those working with the public, are particularly at risk. Occupational Health and Safety legislation requires that employers protect workers from hazards, and workers have the right to refuse hazardous work.

Health and safety regulators and public health officials are mandated to proactively provide guidance to workers on the front lines to protect their health and safety and that of others.

If workers do become ill out of and in the course of their employment, workers compensation is provided, although the scope of coverage varies. Workers compensation benefits are payable to workers who fall ill because of their work regardless of the number of hours or days theyve worked for the employer, unlike Employment Insurance benefits.

If workers are not ill or in quarantine but are laid off because of a reduction in demand for their employers services, they may be eligible for Employment Insurance if they have accumulated enough hours to be eligible.

Lots of workers will be falling through the cracks of a very uneven social safety net in Canada, primarily provincially regulated with regard to labour legislation, and federally regulated with regard to Employment Insurance.

It is highly likely some workers will not be able to pay their rent or feed their families if the current crisis is to go on for weeks or even months. Our governments need to take action immediately.

The federal and provincial governments should work together to ensure the following measures: all workers who are absent because of illness or in quarantine should be guaranteed economic support while they are away, regardless of their contractual status. They should not be required to produce sick notes by their employers and they should be protected from reprisals if they are absent for health reasons.

Provinces should enact temporary prohibition of evictions for non-payment of rent, and foreclosures for non-payment of mortgages during the same period should be prohibited by federal and provincial legislation.
Ice Age hunter-gatherers, foraging the bone-chilling, unforgiving steppes of what today is Russia, somehow completed a remarkable construction project: a 40-foot-wide, circular structure made from the skulls, skeletons and tusks of more than 60 woolly mammoths. The reason remains a mystery to archaeologists.

The sheer number of bones that our Paleolithic ancestors had sourced from somewhere and brought to this particular location to build this monument is really quite staggering, said Alexander Pryor, an archaeologist at the University of Exeter in England. It does boggle my mind.

Alexander Dudin, a researcher from the Kostenki Museum-Preserve, and a team of scientists began excavating the 25,000-year-old mammoth-bone circle in 2014 at a site called Kostenki 11, which is 300 miles south of Moscow. It is the third structure uncovered at the site. The discovery was published Monday in the journal Antiquity.

Archaeologists have unearthed about 70 mammoth-bone structures across Eastern Europe. But this one is the oldest on the Russian plain thought to be made by modern humans. Most of the previously identified structures were small, leading researchers to conclude they were most likely used as winter dwellings on a nearly treeless landscape.
But this solidarity seems to be bound by borders. As multiple European countries impose travel restrictions and close their gates, it becomes ever clearer where practical European neighborliness ends. The tough truth is that in this global emergency, while solidarity expands, the idea of we shrinks. My country, which takes some pride in being the European Unions indispensable nation and economic powerhouse, is no exception  as Berlins approach to ventilators, Europes most wanted machines, shows.

Now is not the time for closing in on ourselves. Europe must step up its efforts, and Germany should lead the way.

Compared with other European states, Germany is by far best equipped to deal with the outbreak. Not only does it have a good number of intensive care beds  around 28,000  it also possesses 25,000 ventilators, with 10,000 more on the way. France has only around 5,000 ventilators available. Italian hospitals, confronting the worlds most severe coronavirus situation, are already triaging patients, forced by a lack of resources to make excruciating decisions about whom to treat and when. As of Monday, the countrys fatality rate was around 11 percent, with 2,470 dead. In Germany, 13 patients have died.

So Germany has enough ventilators and can  by placing orders with domestic medical supply companies  produce more. And theres a shortage elsewhere. Wouldnt European solidarity mean Germany deliver at least some of the new ventilators to countries that currently need them most?

When I asked this question on Twitter, the quickest reaction came from those defending a narrow we. If a German dies because of this, how do you want to explain? one responded. Do you want to let our parents and grandparents die? another replied.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - SKRR Exploration Inc. (TSXV: SKRR) ("SKRR" or the "Company") announces that in light of public health advice in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and of policies introduced at the planned venue for the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting ("AGSM") as a result, the board of directors of the Company has determined that it is no longer practical to hold the AGSM at the venue previously notified. The AGSM will still proceed on the notified date and time of 2:00 PM on March 23, 2020, but it will instead be held at the 605 - 815 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2E6. All other details relating to the AGSM remain unchanged from those notified in the Company's notice of AGSM and accompanying management information circular dated February 18, 2020.

Sherman Dahl, President and CEO of SKRR, commented, "the health and safety of our contractors and local communities is of highest importance and we have begun discussions designed to reinforce procedures to mitigate the risks associated with Covid-19. SKRR remains focused on uncovering the immense opportunities in Saskatchewan."

About SKRR Exploration Inc.: SKRR is a Canadian-based precious metal explorer with properties in Saskatchewan - one of the world's highest ranked mining jurisdictions. The primary exploration focus is on the Trans-Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan in search of world class precious metal deposits. The Trans-Hudson Orogen - although extremely well known in geological terms has been significantly under-explored in Saskatchewan. SKRR is committed to all stakeholders including shareholders, all its partners and the environment in which it operates.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Sherman Dahl

President & CEO

Tel: 250-558-8340

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 news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements that constitute "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities law, including without limitation, SKRR's upcoming AGSM, work programs and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, among other things. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather conditions, failure to maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain community acceptance, increase in costs, litigation, existing global health and pandemic concerns and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53539
According to the current analysis of Reports and Data, the Global Molecular Diagnostics Market was valued at USD 8.28 Billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 14.94 Billion by the year 2027, at a CAGR of 8.2%. The increasing efficiency of clinical trials, growing incidence of infectious and neurological diseases, and technological advancements in molecular pathology are major driving factors being the growth of the market. The increasing government aid for research and the establishment of advanced testing facilities is also supporting the growth of the market.

Request free sample Copy of this research report to Understand the structure of the complete report@ https://www.reportsanddata.com/sample-enquiry-form/945

The developing economies of India and China face some challenges in the form of the lack of a well-built procedural system for approvals, which hinders the growth of the molecular diagnostics market. Moreover, a shortage of skilled medical professionals is also limiting the growth of the market in many countries.

Further key findings from the report suggest-

The Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics market is witnessing a booming growth as fungicidal therapies are being increasingly developed. Moreover, the development of specific assays and reagents has also contributed to the growth of the market.

Based on product and service type, the reagents and kits segment held the largest share in the market in the base year 2019. The increasing ease of usage and widening applicability of reagents and kits is boosting market growth.

Based on technology, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) segment held the largest share in the global Molecular Diagnostics market. The penetration of technological advancements in medical science, along with the growing automation of PCR instruments, contributes to this share.

In Situ Hybridization is also a high growth registering technology because of the rising number of cancer cases and the resultant need for early diagnosis. Ongoing research and greater targeted funding are pushing the growth of this technology forward.

By application, infectious diseases form the largest segment as they make the maximum usage of Molecular Diagnostics for diagnosis and therapeutic purposes. The incidence of infectious diseases has been increasing, and government support is strong to eradicate their spread.

The oncology segment, by application, is expected to register the highest CAGR during the period of forecast. The colorectal cancer molecular diagnostics, in particular, has been registering an impressive rate of growth during the forecast period.

The instruments segment is expected to register a high CAGR during the forecast period. The demand for instruments is mainly driven by testing laboratories and clinics.

Based on end-user, hospitals and academic laboratories hold the largest share in the Molecular Diagnostics market. Strong research-driven growth and increasing prevalence of diseases, especially in the geriatric population, contribute to this share.

By region, North America is the most developed region due to the impressive growth in medical science and the presence of highly skilled medical personnel. The high research funding also goes a long way in maintaining the fast pace of advancement in the field.

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For the purpose of this report, Reports and Data has segmented the Molecular Diagnostics market on the basis of product and service, technology, application, end-use, and region:

Product and Service (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Reagents and Kits

Instruments

Services and Software

Technology (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology (INAAT)

DNA Sequencing & Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)

in Situ Hybridization

DNA Microarray

Other Technologies

Application (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Infectious Diseases Hepatitis HIV CT/NG HAIS HPV Tuberculosis Influenza Other Infectious Diseases

Oncology Breast Cancer Colorectal Cancer Lung Cancer Prostate Cancer Other Cancers

Genetic Tests

Others

End-Use (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Hospital and Academic Laboratories

Reference Laboratories

Others

Regional Outlook (Revenue in USD Million; 20172027)

North America S. Canada

Europe Germany France K. Spain Italy Rest of the Europe

Asia Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East and Africa

Latin America Brazil



To identify the key trends in the industry, click on the link below: https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/global-molecular-diagnostics-market

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Retailers, auto manufacturers and companies from the travel, tourism and restaurant industries are among those seeking help from a new, massive relief bill Congress is expected to work on this week.



By ALAN FRAM

Associated Press

WASHINGTON  The nation's largest business organization asked the Trump administration and Congress on Monday to act rapidly to help companies have access to cash and avert a potentially devastating hit to the economy as the coronavirus pandemic forced closures and quarantines that threatened to choke off commerce worldwide.

In a letter to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for legislation including a three-month cancellation of the taxes companies pay to support Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance.





. . .
Before June 2018, finding cattle that were potentially exposed to diseases was time-consuming and complicated, requiring a patchwork of information from auction houses, feedlots, producers and meatpacking plants.

Thats when Kansas spearheaded U.S. CattleTrace, filling a void when it comes to tracing deadly diseases in live cattle and possibly opening up new global markets for beef. Nine other states have signed onto the pilot program, which has distributed 65,000 ultra high-frequency tags that are scanned just like your online purchases.

But theres a catch  CattleTrace is voluntary. Some ranchers say the program is just not worth their time or the possible invasion of privacy. And with more than 12 million cattle in feedlots across the U.S., one of the programs officials even acknowledges that if a major tragedy strikes, it might not be effective because the program isnt mandatory.

Cassie Kniebel, the program manager for U.S. CattleTrace, told the Kansas News Service its something that we hope works for the industry and in the industry because its producer-driven.

So its not a government program, she said.

CattleTrace did start out with some government money, $500,000 in federal funds, and the same from the state of Kansas and private funding. It now exists as a nonprofit that wants to be the national disease traceability system, but it doesnt expect to be implemented 100%.

Kansas is one of the leading states for meatpacking and feedlots, so a lot of cattle from other states come here.

Were at a huge risk if theres a disease outbreak because we have a lot of cattle moving into the state, Kniebel said.

Kansas also is soon to be the home to the nations top animal disease research facility, which will be located in Manhattan and is replacing Plum Island in New York.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that animals traveling between states have an identification tag and a veterinarian certificate, but the rule exempts animals under 18 months. Plus, cattle tags vary: low frequency, high frequency, metal clips, ear or back tags. CattleTrace wants to use one type of tag  ultra high frequency tag  to streamline data collection.

Think of it like when you have a chip for the toll booth going on the interstate and these are high frequency identification tags, CattleTrace board member Mark Gardiner said. They can be scanned at the speed of commerce.

So far, the CattleTrace database has captured 300,000 scans from ultra high frequency tags at auction markets, feedlots or meatpacking plants. It keeps tabs on an animals tag number, the date and time the tag was read, and the GPS coordinates of the animal. Once a cow is slaughtered, its tag is retired.

Nine other states are involved with CattleTrace  Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, Florida, Washington and Oregon  though Kansas has the most tagged animals.

Only state animal health officials may make requests for information from the database, which is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Kniebel said the design is intentional.

The information is controlled kind of by the board of directors, so that access, that data privacy, is top of mind for producers, Kniebel said.

Belvidere, South Dakota, rancher Kenny Fox already uses metal-clip ear tags for his calf-cow operation. The tags are free through the National Uniform Eartagging System, the U.S. Department of Agricultures animal disease tracing system for cattle over 18 months.

Hes worried about whos controlling and securing CattleTraces database.

Even if there isnt a disease outbreak, who gets to count the numbers of cattle? Who gets to keep that data secure? Fox said. Other unscrupulous people might hack into the system and use those numbers of cattle against us for marketing purposes or, you know, many other things.

CattleTrace is most worried about a few highly contagious diseases: brucellosis, tuberculosis, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (aka BSE or Mad Cow Disease), rabies, and foot and mouth disease. The latter hasnt been seen in the U.S. since 1929, but if it happened today, it would shut down the cattle industry.

When its something like hoof and mouth, everything will stop movement  in fact they call it a stop-movement order and no cattle can move, said Ron Gill, an extension livestock specialist and associate department head of Texas A&M Universitys animal science department.

And if theyre on the highway, theyll actually pull them to the side and make them stop and unload them somewhere, he added. So yeah, itll be ugly when that happens.

Any of those diseases could prompt a disease trace request from CattleTrace, according to Justin Smith, Kansas Animal Health Commissioner at the state Department of Agriculture. He offered an example of what kind of drastic measures would need to be taken if there was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

If we find that theres a herd that we can point back to . and they are an infected herd . more than likely we will have to indemnify and euthanize and dispose of those animals in a humane way, he said. So they would be destroyed.

If experts suspected a disease outbreak was afoot, Smith said hed request information from CattleTrace, and the board of directors would have to approve his request. After that, hed review data from every facility the animal was scanned at, and call those places to find out when the animal arrived and who brought the animal in.

This makes it easy to eliminate someones cattle from a disease investigation, he said.

I dont have to require surveillance testing. I dont have to put quarantines on your facilities. I dont have to put movement restrictions on your facilities. Smith said. You can go about your business, because through traceability, I was able to prove that your cattle are not subjected to this disease.

Gardiner, whos also a rancher in Ashland, Kansas, knows disease traceability progress has been slow.

Quite frankly, we in the United States have not done a good enough job of doing this, he said.

But hes hopeful that there are enough incentives for cattle producers to join  new markets.

I can send my cattle and sell my cattle to the European Union or to China to markets that I cant have if I dont have this documentation, Gardiner said.

Plus, Gill said, CattleTrace weeds out sick cattle, which may help keep grocery stores stocked with beef  regardless of how prices may fluctuate during a disease outbreak.

That is the entire premise behind it is to try to show that we can show where did these (cattle) come from (and) get the rest of the cattle back in the market quicker, Gill said.

But Fox is still skeptical, calling the ear tags an extra expense. Hed rather see more federal money being spent on zoonotic disease prevention at the countrys international borders and ports.

We do not bring cattle or pigs in from countries that have foot and mouth disease, Fox said. We require that the meat be cooked at a certain temperature that prevents the disease from coming in here.

Gardiner understands the arguments for and against a disease tracing system. He also knows that because participation isnt mandatory, things might not go smoothly: It wouldnt work in the event of a tragedy as far as we might not be able to trace back where that animal came from.

CattleTrace wants to incorporate 68% of U.S. cattle into its database, a far cry from the 0.1% it has. The nonprofits funding runs out in June. Kniebel said it plans to continue and has support from the cattle industry, but if funding doesnt come through, the nonprofit would dissolve.

It would be difficult to start again at ground zero and take another few years potentially to get something else going  at least an industry-driven initiative, she said.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics InsurTech USA Tech Agribusiness Kansas
DELPHI, Ind.(WLFI)- With schools in the area implementing e-learning days many children who rely on school lunches to eat may not know where their next meal is coming from. Delphi community school workers are making sure students in their district have lunch and breakfast available.

"We are trying to be as normal as possible we want to offer lunches and breakfast to those children in our community 18 and younger," said Bill Shidler the Principal at Delphi community elementary school.

The lunches are what students would be eating if the school was in session like normal.

"Everyone is having to adjust for a short period of time hopefully so this is kind of a new normal that hopefully will go away soon," added Shidler.

Normalcy is what some students have told those handing out the food, they are missing the most.

"We had a person come by that their daughter just really wanted a school lunch, said Alisha Pitty a kitchen worker at Delphi middle school. They didn't necessarily need the lunch but she wanted some normalcy. Kids are so used to structure and missing a school lunch is a big deal to kids right now."

Part of that normalcy faculty members are providing, is embracing the holiday.

"Trying to keep up morale with my leprechaun-looking hat or Vikings hat I guess just trying to keep the St. Patrick's Day spirit alive," added Pitty.

All while fulfilling a need in the community.

"We know it's a need and we want to address a need of our community, a need of our learning community and we want to do the right thing," added Shidler.

"It's good for people to feel like they have somewhere that they can get food from it helps parents feel a little bit more comfortable than they know at least where that meal is going to come from," said Pitty.

The meals will be available for pick-up from 10 to 12 through Thursday at both Delphi Community High School and Camden Early Childhood Center. The district says they have plans to continue the service through spring break. they say those details will be released at a later date.
Maryland becomes the fifth US state to announce that it is postponing its primary election because of coronavirus.

The new coronavirus hampered efforts by voters in the United States to get to the polls in some states on Tuesday as the global pandemic left the Democratic presidential primary consumed with uncertainty.

Leaders in Ohio called off their primary just hours before polls were set to open, citing the need to combat the virus. Voting moved forward in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, but challenges emerged as some poll workers did not show up and those who did, tried to create distance among voters to comply with new health guidelines limiting large gatherings.

Also on Tuesday, Maryland became the fifth state to announce that it would postpone its primary election. The vote, originally scheduled for late April, will now take place in at the end of June.

In Florida, the Palm Beach County elections department said many workers failed to show up in at least five locations. The county had 800 volunteers back out as of Monday, with just 100 new volunteers offering to take their place.

In Illinois, Cook County Clerk Karen A Yarbrough encouraged poll workers to mark space on the floor at polling sites to keep voters a safe distance apart and avoid spreading the virus.

The Clerk's Office encourages #ElectionDay pollworkers to #MarkTheFloor in 6 foot increments with their blue painter's tape to remind voters to practice social distancing. It is our job to ensure the safety of those around us while we carry out our civic duty today. pic.twitter.com/QXmBCskCQH  Karen A. Yarbrough (@cookcountyclerk) March 17, 2020

Yarbrough said shortly after the polls opened, however, she had heard of no problems at the countys polling sites and expected things to go well on Tuesday.

On a call with reporters later in the morning, however, election officials in Chicago said turnout in that city was extremely low  about a fourth of what they would normally expect.

Not since New York City postponed its mayoral primary on the day of the September 11, 2001, attacks has an election been disrupted in such a high-profile, far-reaching way. That was especially true in Ohio, where Governor Mike DeWine initially asked a court to delay the vote. When a judge refused to do so, the states health director declared a health emergency that prevented the polls from opening.

The decision was a reminder that the most elemental act of American democracy  voting  will be severely tested Tuesday as several states hold presidential primaries while also confronting the effect of a global pandemic. The contests are playing out as the virus effect is becoming more tangible with schools closing across the country, workers staying home and restaurants and bars shuttering.

In the run-up to the election, campaigns spent Monday sifting through data and talking to contacts on the ground to assess the effect of the coronavirus on turnout. Former Vice President Joe Biden is moving closer to securing the Democratic presidential nomination but could face a setback if the older voters who tend to support him do not show up. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, cannot afford to lose support from young voters who have been his most loyal supporters.

The tumult has left the campaign in a state of suspended animation. In-person rallies have been replaced with sometimes-awkward virtual events.

Sanders, the last Democrat standing between Biden and the nomination, is not planning to drop out. His campaign looked to have nowhere to go after a big loss last week in Michigan, and another blow landed on Monday night when Biden was declared the winner of the primary in Washington state, giving him victories in five out of six states that voted March 10. Yet Sanderss top advisers see no downside to staying in the race as they assess how the coming days and weeks unfold.

Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden at a debate in Washington, DC [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

I dont have to tell anybody that we are living in a very unprecedented and strange moment in the history of our country, Sanders said during a virtual rally on Monday, urging supporters that it may be time to rethink our value system, rethink many of the systems we operate under.

Still, Sanders faces an increasingly tough path to the nomination. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded and, if Biden has another big night on Tuesday, he will pad an already large and perhaps insurmountable lead. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally, meaning he would need to win more than 57 percent of those yet to be allocated to clinch the Democratic nomination.

Bidens campaign is trying not to look presumptuous about its prospects at this sensitive moment. Still, the former vice president is making moves to rally more voters to his campaign, including his announcement during the debate that he would choose a woman as a running mate.

Biden appeared to keep his focus on Monday on winning the nomination, as he encouraged voters in a telephone town hall to participate in Tuesday primaries but to do so safely.

Joining him was former Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy, who served during President Barack Obamas second term. Murthy encouraged voters at high risk of contracting coronavirus to vote by mail or use curbside voting, if available, but he also explained precautions elections officials are planning in the Tuesday primary states.

The coming weeks will present additional uncertainties. After Tuesday, the campaign had been set to shift to Georgia next week, but officials there have already postponed their Democratic primary until May 19. That means voting is not scheduled again anywhere until March 29 in Puerto Rico  and island officials are also seeking a delay.

The first week in April, meanwhile, would have featured Louisiana, but its decision to delay the primary until June 20 leaves only primaries in far-flung Alaska and Hawaii and caucuses in Wyoming through April 4.

Voting rights groups have advocated for upcoming elections to be postponed, or for states holding them as scheduled to adopt more lenient vote-by-mail and absentee ballot rules so that people do not have to choose between showing up at a polling place and putting their health at risk.

But Mustafa Tameez, a Democratic strategist with ties to many of the partys top donors, noted that Americans voted during World War I and World War II.

There should be no circumstance in which we say, because of a crisis  regardless of the crisis  that we stop our electoral government, Tameez said.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus epidemic today:

"Worst ahead"

Bars, restaurants, theatres and movie houses in New York and Los Angeles are shutting down as the full scale of the coronavirus epidemic dawns on U.S. authorities. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was ordering restaurants, bars and cafes to sell food only on a take-out or delivery basis. Similar measures are taking effect in Los Angeles.

While President Donald Trump remains studiously optimistic about the outcome, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, says the coming days are critical.

"The worst is yet ahead for us," Fauci said, a warning he has issued frequently in the past week. "It is how we respond to that challenge that is going to determine what the ultimate end point is going to be."

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

Losing faith?

After the Fed's second emergency rate cut in a fortnight, Wall Street's opening later on Monday could look pretty ugly if the usual advance indicators are anything to go by. S&P 500 futures are already strongly down, suggesting that a 15-minute cutout put in place to prevent another 1987 "Black Monday"-style crash may be triggered.

What does all this mean? For sure, financial markets have been underwhelmed by the collective policy response of world governments so far, and there remain huge concerns about the fate of key sectors such as the airline industry.

Equally, it is raising major questions about the ability of central banks - the guardians of the value of money - to do anything about an economic hit on this scale.

"When the investor community loses faith in the Fed, that's when the market gets very dangerous," said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist, Jonestrading, Stamford, Connecticut.

The spread

Europe is now clearly the epicentre of the outbreak: There are almost 170,000 cases of coronavirus globally and 6,509 reported deaths. In the past 24 hours, deaths and cases outside China surpassed the number inside China for the first time.

Spain has joined Italy in measures that amount to a partial lockdown of movement, and a growing number of countries in Europe's "Schengen" border-free zone have started to impose restrictions on travel. France's Emmanuel Macron is due to make an announcement later today, amid speculation that he will ask the country to accept greater levels of confinement.
Retailers hold up in face of coronavirus

Three in five UK drinks retailers fear their businesses will be materially impacted by consumers staying indoors due to coronavirus fears.

Social distancing has become the buzz phrase du jour as governments around the world encourage people to work from home and avoid large gatherings. Handshakes and double cheek kisses are out. Hand sanitisers and face masks are now in. Shelves have been stripped of toilet paper.

Almost every industry has been battered, and the drinks trade is no different. Major events such as Prowein, Vinitaly and the Raw Wine Fair in London have been cancelled or postponed as authorities scramble to contain the virus. Covid-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, but it has since spread to almost every country in the world. There have been more than 110,000 cases globally and the death toll has now exceeded 4,000.

The number of UK cases continues to spiral, causing people to spend much more time at home. A household survey by Retail

Economics found that 15% of Brits are avoiding public transport, while 23% are avoiding contact with other people. A quarter of British retailers have also reported supply chain disruptions.

We polled hundreds of drinks retailers this week to gauge the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Sixty per cent said they are braced for a negative impact on sales. One of our shops sees a lot of business from tourists, which we are expecting to reduce, says Theo Sloot at Oxford Wine Co. Then there is the knock-on effect to our wholesale business from people being less inclined to go to restaurants.

Clive Stanton at Eton Vintners in Windsor says the streets are empty, while David Perry at Shaftesbury Wines says he fears a lockdown.

This could be seriously catastrophic for retail if theres a lockdown, says Erik Laan at The Vineking in Surrey.

Half of the retailers we surveyed said they would ramp up their focus on ecommerce and home deliveries as a result of the virus. We hope people will take advantage of home delivery, sit at home with a good bottle of wine and wait it all out, says Adam Vincent at Dike & Son in Stalbridge, Dorset.

Andrew Lundy, managing director of Vino in Edinburgh, says: With fewer people on the premises and home delivery this should be better for business.

Jonathan Williamson at Wines of Interest in Ipswich says: If people panic they will avoid places where customers gather. Pubs, restaurants etc may all feel the draught. Well do whatever we can to continue to offer quality wines and service. If the answer turns out to be ecommerce, so be it.

ASSESSING THE SITUATION

Matthew Hennings, of Hennings Wine in West Sussex, says an impact on business is a distinct possibility. We will assess the situation and make sure we make it as easy as possible for our customers to deal with us, he says.

Kelvyn and Ruth Guest, of Guest Wines in North Shields, are in the process of setting up a new website. While this has not been done because of the virus, it may become an important feature if the situation with the virus worsens, they say.

But Rupert Pritchett at Taurus Wines in Surrey warns: I suspect couriers will have as many issues as we do. Our vans will be delivering though, even if the staff have to wear hazmat suits. Another issue for buyers is sourcing interesting wines, spirits and beers when major tastings and fairs are being scrapped and international travel is difficult. So far 23.7% of UK drinks retailers say the coronavirus outbreak has impacted their ability to source exciting drinks. A further 44.6% say they fear it will eventually have an impact on their drinks buying.

We tend to attend more niche wine fairs and that may impact on our ability to source new wines, says Louise Wishart at Ellis Wines. We will have to research and request samples if unable to travel.

The team at Ake & Humphris in Yorkshire has cancelled a buying trip to Italy over coronavirus- related travel restrictions. That is a common theme among wine buyers. I will minimise business travel abroad to avoid possible contact with coronavirus, says Tariq Mahmood at Wine Raks in Aberdeen.

We asked retailers for their strategies when it comes to sourcing interesting wines, spirits and beers amid travel restrictions. Many said they will request more samples, while Skype meetings are becoming increasingly prevalent and a greater reliance on importers and agencies seems inevitable.

Sloot at Oxford Wine Co says: I have already conducted six of the many meetings I had arranged for Prowein this year over email and by requesting sample stock to be sent to the UK.

Williamson at Wines of Interest says: We have a great network of suppliers in the UK and travel little because of this. Nish Kotecha at Manchester- based importer Myliko Wines says: More tastings in house for sure, yet more emails and virtual meetings  not ideal. Tim Johnson at The Grape Variety in Chipstead, Surrey, believes Skype meetings should be used more anyway.

I will, for the time being, completely rely on importers, says Liam Burke at Vintner & Mason in Waltham Abbey. Lundy at Vino says: We made a strategic choice with Brexit to use agencies so this shouldnt affect us any more than anyone else. He also advocates selling cheap vodka as a more cost- effective hand sanitiser.

Getting samples is obviously the main way of combatting this issue, says Andrew Johnson at Scottish retailer Woodwinters.

Wholesalers are developing increasingly innovative and environmentally friendly packaging to send out samples, so they can fit through letterboxes with ease. Producers and suppliers are using Skype and other apps to conduct virtual tastings that were scheduled to take place at events such as Prowein.

Portuguese producers are taking part in a virtual trade event on March 16-17, during which they will present the wines they planned to pour at Prowein. Organised by online wine retailer Adegga, the event will consist of a series of interviews with dozens of wine producers, hosted by Andre Ribeirinho as a Portuguese wine correspondent, and it will also include some guest speakers. UK retailers can stream the event to learn more about the wines.

Related articles:
A dog runs down the middle of an empty Geary Boulevard in San Francisco, California. Seven San Francisco Bay Area counties have ordered residents to shelter in place in an effort to reduce social interaction and slow the spread of COVID-19. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Hair stylists canceled clients. Gardeners and construction crews showed up to work. A dog grooming business deemed itself essential and kept its door open. Some liquor stores closed. Others didn't.

All the time, cases of the coronavirus kept creeping upward.

During the first day of a "shelter-in-place" order in seven Bay Area counties Tuesday, compliance was generally strong but uneven in places, with some businesses uncertain whether they required to close.

The order issued Monday requires residents to stay home until at least April 7. They may leave their homes only for essential needs, such as visiting grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors and relatives. Officials say the order seeks to prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming the healthcare system of a region where 7 million people live.

All nonessential businesses were ordered to close.

San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine said the order will likely be modified to clarify whether some businesses, such as lawn care, home construction and autism support, are affected.

"My gardener called this morning and asked if he could work," said Pine.

Because gardeners and small construction crews generally work outside, they are unlikely going to pose a health risk, he said.

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed announced a declaration that would waive some civil service and charter rules for hiring health workers, including nurses.

Typically, the city's hiring process for nurses takes six months or more, she said. The change will allow the city to hire them "on the spot."

Breed told a news conference that San Franciscos streets were fairly empty Tuesday with fewer bikes and cars, but more people out walking enjoying the outdoors.

So far its been OK, she said, ````but this is day one, and we have three weeks to go and maybe even longer. And it is important that people understand we probably need to be prepared for the long run.

Freeways throughout the Bay Area bore only light traffic. Parking spaces were abundant at commercial centers.

Story continues

At Crissy Field in San Francisco, only a few joggers, dog walkers and families took advantage of the clear sunny day to go to the beach. A lonely heron stood in a field with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

A lone heron enjoys the view at Chrissy Field in San Francisco on Tuesday. (Susanne Rust / Los Angeles Times)

Diyar Borak, a rug store owner from Mill Valley, was standing on the pier, fishing rod bent in a tight, almost half circle. "It could be a halibut," he said to a curious onlooker. "I got one here a few days ago." He counted only six other fishermen, a fraction of those who normally show up.

As he talked, the line broke on his rod. "Oh, well. maybe it was the big one," he said with a shrug. "I just hope whatever it was, the lure isn't stuck in its mouth. We don't need anyone or anything else getting sick right now."

In the East Bay city of Walnut Creek, the normally bustling downtown was mostly deserted Tuesday as were shopping districts in Oakland and the South Bay.

Palo Alto's University Avenue was a ghost town. All nonessential shops were closed, and restaurants were empty. The only visible lunch eaters were two sitting outside a Pizza My Heart.

Businesses and residents are subject to citation for violating the order, but elected officials said law enforcement was much more likely to issue warnings than citations.

Still, the threat of a sanction proved effective in some cases.

Janine Hedlund, 37, a hair stylist who works on one client at a time at her shop in Lafayette, texted clients Tuesday that she was canceling their appointments.

What if somebody sees me doing hair and then call the police on me?" she said. "I want to abide by the rules.

If Palo Alto police see a group of 20 construction workers huddled together, they plan to issue a gentle reminder, not a citation, said Mayor Adrian Fine. The San Francisco Police Department tweeted overnight that it would visit bars and nightclubs to ensure they were shut down.

Businesses that deemed themselves essential included Menlo Park's Abbey Flooring, which reduced hours. Bow Wow Meow, a high-end pet product and grooming shop also had its doors open.

"We provide pet products and services that people need," said Amy Bearg, an executive assistant at the shop's anchor store in San Francisco, describing services such as anal gland expression and hot spot shaving. "For some animals, these services are essential," she said.

No region statewide has been hit harder by the coronavirus than the San Francisco Bay Area. As of Tuesday evening , authorities had reported 356 cases and six deaths in the counties where shelter-in-places orders were issued Monday  Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara, as well as the neighboring county of Santa Cruz.

Overnight, the number of cases in Santa Clara County rose to 155 from 138, San Mateo County rose to 64 from 42 and in San Francisco, rose to 43 from 40. Five of the deaths were in Santa Clara County, all people who were in their 50s or older. One death was in San Mateo County.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, city health authorities ordered cannabis dispensaries closed on Tuesday morning. One of them, the Apothecarium, announced on its website that its three San Francisco dispensaries were closed until April 7, "or until further notice."

Later, the city reversed itself, stating in a tweet that cannabis "is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents."

Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, Contra Costa County deputy health officer, said an association of Bay Area health officers held telephone conferences throughout the weekend to draft the order.

He said each county communicated with its city leaders. In Contra Costa County, some of the mayors were concerned about the orders impact on the economy, but eventually agreed it was appropriate.

We felt strongly that viruses cross borders, people cross borders and public health mitigation measures must also cross borders to be effective, Radhakrishna said.

Without mentioning names, he predicted that other counties will follow suit as more cases develop.

Solano and Napa have both issued advisories, but not orders as aggressive as the other Bay Area counties. Sonoma, Monterey and San Benito counties, as well as the city of Palm Springs in Riverside County, issued their own shelter-in-place orders modeled on the Bay Area order Tuesday.

"It is hard to convince your political leaders to really shut things down if you dont have any cases yet, Radhakrishna said. We wanted to start with counties that were ready to come on board with this level of shelter in place. Early action is essential to flatten the curve.

He said the counties decided that BART trains should continue to run because they carry many essential workers.

San Mateo Supervisor Pine confessed he was "scared as to whether we can prevent an Italy-like situation despite our best efforts."

"Ideally, we should have done this two weeks ago," he said, but he was not sure anybody was ready for it then.
CITY HALL -- New York City will begin ramping up its capacity to respond to the coronavirus outbreak in the coming weeks by creating more hospital beds in retrofitted facilities and hospitals and launch drive-thru testing sites.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier on Monday that Staten Island would be the first of the five boroughs to receive a drive-thru testing site.

Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters at a press conference at City Hall Monday that drive-thru test sites would open in all five boroughs, but neither he nor Cuomo could provide details on exactly when and where the sites would open.

But de Blasio said the drive-thru test sites would be reserved for serious cases only and not for everyone.

These facilities will be for priority testing not for anyone, not for whoever walks up, de Blasio said of the drive-thru test sites.

It is clear we need to test on a priority basis the folks in greatest need, he continued. We have to protect our healthcare professionals, there are specific categories that we need to focus on. Testing will be based on priority and reservation and we will have details on that soon as theyre up and running.

The mayor said Monday that the city would convert four facilities on Roosevelt Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx to make way for more hospital beds. He said the new facilities would allow the city to create somewhere between 1,200-1,300 beds in the coming weeks.

Additionally, the city will discharge more patients on an expedited basis, cancel elective surgeries and build more hospital bed capacity within current hospital buildings, which the mayor said would make way for another 7,000 new usable beds.

This will be a race against time to create these facilities to get them up and running, to find the personnel and the equipment we need, he said. We have no choice but to expand rapidly and be ready for anything.

A CITY CURFEW?

Asked Monday if the city was on the verge of a curfew, the mayor insisted he has not made any such decision.

We are not at the point of a curfew, we are not at the point of road restrictions or shelter in place, de Blasio said on NY1 Monday evening.

The mayor also signed an executive order directing bars, restaurants, cafes to switch to take-out and delivery services, postpone all elective surgeries, suspend City Council hearings and visits to inmates in Department of Corrections facilities as well as cancel the special election for the Queens Borough President race.

The announcement of the new measures came as the number of coronavirus cases climbed to 950 across the state on Monday. The mayor told reporters there are currently 463 confirmed cases throughout New York City, which include 19 cases on Staten Island.

Earlier on Monday, Cuomo and de Blasio called on the federal government to quickly give states the resources they need to respond to the coronavirus outbreak or risk dire consequences.

Cuomo said New York State currently has just 3,000 ICU beds to respond to the outbreak and about 80% of those beds are already occupied.

Cuomo warned that the states hospitals are a "disaster waiting to happen and said he planned to announce new actions to respond to the outbreak later on Monday.

Meanwhile, de Blasio urged the federal government to put the country on a full war footing to have the resources to respond to the virus.

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Haiti - News : Zapping...





Restrictions on official travel

Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe recalls that "All travel by government officials must be authorized by the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister".



The army alongside the PNH ?

New Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe said recently during an interview on the radio of the capital, that he would hope to have the services of the Haitian Army to fight insecurity alongside the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and that he would support the PNH with more materials in the fight against banditry and crime.



Chancellor Joseph and the Ambassador of France...

New Chancellor Claude Joseph met with French Ambassador to Haiti Jose Gomez. On the agenda of the two men dil was discussed in particular the democratic process, French investments in Haiti and the holding of the next elections...



A Franco-Haitian elected mayor in France

The Franco-Haitian Dieunor Excellent was elected mayor of Villetaneuse (small town of more than 13,000 inhabitants, in the Ile-de-France region) in the first round of the municipal elections which took place on Sunday, March 15, 2020.



USAID supports 34,500 students...

Through its implementing partners (American Institutes for Research, UNICEF and University of Notre Dame), the American Agency for International Development (USAID - Haiti) supports approximately 34,500 students and 1,020 teachers in 416 schools in 7 departments of Haiti, for a total amount of $35 million.



Towards the reconstruction of the Ecole Normale Superieure

Monday, Fritz Deshommes, the Rector of the State University of Haiti (UEH), accompanied by the leaders of the Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS), participated in a working session with Claude Joseph, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Ambassador accredited to Haiti, Mitsuaki Mizuno, around the reconstruction of the ENS.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Centre vs State: Why the battle for Delhi could be far from over

Citizenship law does not violate any fundamental right, Centre tells SC

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Centre Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 does not violate any fundamental right.

The central government, in its 129-page affidavit in response to the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of CAA, termed the legislation legal and asserted that there was no question of it violating constitutional morality.

It also said CAA does not confer any arbitrary and unguided powers on the executive as the citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh would be granted in a manner as specified under the law governing grant of citizenship.

The affidavit has been filed by B C Joshi, Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

The Supreme Court on December 18 last year had decided to examine the constitutional validity of the CAA but had refused to stay its operation.

Muslim outfits to defer citizenship law protests in wake of coronavirus

The newly amended law seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), one of the petitioners out of over 100 pleas which has challenged the CAA, has said in its plea that it violates the fundamental Right to Equality and intends to grant citizenship to a section of illegal immigrants by making an exclusion on the basis of religion.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 15:03 [IST]
Cairo is an amazing city. It has magic  I myself cannot be away from this city for a long time. It is not because I am an Egyptian. In Cairo there are great things that I miss when I am away.



I want those who are keen on discovering this amazing city, to go to Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah Street in Islamic Cairo to take a walk there and look at the great monuments. They should look at the architecture of the houses, the people, the shops, and visit the Museum of Textiles, the Mosque of Qalawun, and at the end of the day walk through the iconic Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar.



Farouk Hosni, the former minister of culture, and I spent years working to make this Street a great one. We were able to stop the car traffic and make it friendly to pedestrians.



Almost every Friday, I now go to this place wearing jeans and sneakers, not only to walk around its magnificent monuments but also to smell the aroma of Islamic history. I like to visit the Mosque of Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah, considered to be one of the most important and largest mosques in Egypt.



Nearby is the newly restored Darb Al-Asfar where a number of traditional houses are on display, such as the houses of Mustafa Ghaafer and the Beit Al-Khurazati. These houses have been restored and are now used for musical performances and other purposes. The house of Mustafa Ghaafer, for example, is now used as a technological centre where young people are taught how to use computers.



If I continue to walk down this distinguished Street, I see the house of Al-Akmar, dating from the Fatimid period. I enter the Ottoman Mosque of Al-Selehdar, which has recently been restored. There is also the sabil (water fountain) of Abdel-Rahman Kathuda, a powerful man who was once an official like the mayor and also served as the minister of interior. This sabil was used to provide water to those who were thirsty and who wanted to visit a kuttab (Quranic school) and hear the Quran recited. Next to it, there was a house for orphans.



I also like to see the beautiful palaces dating to the Mameluke period, which return us to a period of magic and conspiracies. I continue along the Street until I reach the Al-Ghoury Complex and watch the ancient dance of the dervishes, an art form which is over 500 years old. After that, I like to go to the Khan Al-Khalili and have lunch at the Naguib Mahfouz coffeeshop, named after the Nobel Prize-winning author, and enjoy delicious and authentic food.



After this inspiring tour, I go to the Nile Hilton and sit at the Abu Ali cafe. I smoke my shisha (water pipe), which I enjoy immensely. During this time, I begin to write my bi-weekly column for Al-Ahram or write my archaeological memoirs. This resulted in the publication of my book Secrets from the Sand: My Search for Egypts Past by Harry Abrams in New York. Many sections of this were written in the Abu Ali cafe.



On Fridays, I also like to go to the Cairo Museum and visit my favourite statues. One of the nearest to my heart is a unique statuette of Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid. I also love to see the great statue of Khafre, which I like to view in profile so that I can see the hawk behind him embracing him and flying with him to the sky. The artist of this masterpiece was so skilled that I feel that I can see the royal blood flowing beneath the kings skin.



I was particularly proud of the Hidden Treasures exhibition that the museum put on in the basement on the west side of the museum as one approaches the main entrance. This was a unique collection, beautifully exhibited, and including most of the statues that I had found in my career. Perniankhu, the dwarf whose tomb I discovered to the west of the Great Pyramid, was there, as were the four statues of Inty Sedu found in the tombs of the Pyramid builders to the southeast of the Giza Plateau. From the Bahariya Oasis to the southwest of Cairo, site of the famous Valley of the Golden Mummies, there was a statue of the god Bes, protector of the household, and two gilded children, a brother and a sister.



If you are an enthusiast keen on discovering the gems of Cairo, then you should also go to the house of Gayer Anderson located near the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Islamic Cairo. The house is named after an Englishman who chose to live in Egypt after he retired. The house is also called Beit Al-Kritliya and is a perfect example of Islamic architecture in Cairo. It is really two houses connected together by a high bridge.



Cairo is a unique place, where people often stay up until 3am eating, walking, or drinking. My favourite restaurant is the Kebab at the Sheraton Gezira run by my friend Ibrahim Fahmy who was the manager of the Essex House in New York and has now come back to town with his beautiful wife Ann. Ibrahim is a professional and unique hotel manager, and he has made this restaurant one of a kind. In the summer, you can eat outside by the Nile, and in the winter you eat inside still overlooking the Nile. Another favourite spot of mine, especially for lunch, is Christo, a fish restaurant where you can eat delicious food and look out at the Pyramids.



The best Italian restaurant in Cairo is La Trattoria in Zamalek. This is a small, peaceful place which serves delicious Italian food. The son of Omar Sharif, Tarek, who was seven years old when he appeared in the film Dr Zhivago with his father, once owned this restaurant, and I have fond memories of dining with Omar here. They even put up a photograph of Omar and me, so be sure to find it. These are my favourite restaurants in Cairo, and I encourage people to go to enjoy them.



Cairo will witness great archaeological events later this year. The first will be of the 20 royal mummies that will leave the Cairo Museum in Tahrir for their new home in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. Each mummy will be shown next to statues of the king, as well as updated information on the results of DNA and CT-scan testing. This parade of the mummies will be shown live to the outside world.



The second event is that all of the Tutankhamun artifacts, such as the golden mask, the chapels, the throne, and others will be taken out of the Cairo Museum and exhibited in the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The dismantling of the artifacts from the Cairo Museum, the transfer of the objects, and the display of this priceless collection will be shown live to the world. The boat of Khufu, presently located inside a museum south of the Great Pyramid, will also be transported to be shown in the GEM. Experts are now studying how best to move the boat  in one piece or in fragments?



The most important piece of news is that 2020 will witness the exhibition of the mummies in the NMEC and the grand opening of the GEM, the most important cultural project in the world.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Israel has ordered its citizens to stay inside unless absolutely necessary as the country fights to contain the growing novel coronavirus outbreak with more than 300 confirmed cases.

There should be no leaving home except for situations that would obligate it, the countrys Health Ministry said in a statement March 17.

Under the new directive, parks, pools and beaches are largely off-limits. Shopping for food is only permitted if there are no delivery options, and exercise is only allowed outdoors for 10 minutes if there are no other people nearby.

The sweeping new measures aimed at stemming the spread of the coronavirus include further restrictions on Palestinian day laborers entering Israel. With some exceptions, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said in a morning announcement March 17 that only Palestinians who work in the essential sectors of health care, agriculture and construction would be allowed entry.

Additionally, those Palestinians who do enter Israel for work will not be permitted to commute back into the West Bank for the next few months. Employers are expected to provide lodging during this period.

Public transportation will no longer operate during the evenings and on weekends.

At least 324 people in Israel are infected with the coronavirus, five of them in serious condition, the countrys Health Ministry said March 17. Another 41 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the West Bank.

On Sunday, Israels government approved emergency regulations that would enable the Shin Bet to perform mass surveillance of phones belonging to Israelis who contracted COVID-19.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was tested for the coronavirus, previously announced the closure of all schools and universities until at least after the Jewish holiday of Passover, which concludes April 16.

In addition, all citizens returning to the country from abroad are required to quarantine at home for 14 days. Foreign arrivals will need to prove they have somewhere to self-quarantine in order to be allowed into the country.

Muslim authorities have shut Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock until further notice, and the chief rabbi of the Western Wall has urged Jewish worshippers not to kiss the wall.
Among the businesses being hit due to the coronavirus outbreak in India is the multi-crore restaurant industry, as footfall dipped at most joints, and several others prepared to shut down.

In the last two weeks, popular hangout places, which would otherwise be at full capacity, especially during weekends and ladies nights, have experienced a steep fall in their customer base, with people avoiding crowded places and choosing to stay at home.

According to the National Restaurant Association of India, in-restaurant dining has witnessed "an approximate business drop of 30-35 per cent".

"There has been a definite impact of the epidemic in the overall food service business, with various segments being impacted in varying degrees.

"In-restaurant dining is also seeing a big impact...with the restaurants located within mall premises recording a sharper drop," Anurag Katriar, President of NRAI, told PTI.

The COVID-19 outbreak which has been declared a pandemic by the WHO has infected at least 126 people in India, and claimed three lives. Globally, more than 1,50,000 people have tested positive for the deadly virus.

Delhi-based Vineet Khunger, who used to go out to dine or party at least twice or thrice a week, has now restricted himself within the four walls of his house.

"I'm pretty paranoid about it, considering it's ridiculously contagious and you wouldn't even know you have it for the first few days.

"I'm barely stepping out in the evening these days - best to play it safe till it blows over. I'm avoiding malls, any large gatherings, and even cramped, tightly-packed restaurants and pubs," said the 39-year-old interior firm designer.

To reassure people like Khunger, several restaurants in Delhi, and outside have adopted the precautionary measures in accordance with the WHO guidelines and made sanitiser facilities available for both the staff as well as the customers. Kampai, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in Aerocity, has stepped up its hygiene regime.

"Footfall has definitely dipped and business has suffered. But we are assuring our customers of all the hygiene practices we are following in order for them to feel safe while dining with us.

"Japanese cuisine on its own comes with very high levels of discipline in the kitchen and restaurant floor. Additionally, our team works with masks, gloves and constantly sanitises," said Avantika Sinha Bahl, Founder & Director of Kampai.

She added that the furniture at the restaurant is also disinfected regularly using alcohol-based disinfectants, and guests are asked to sanitise before entering the dining space.

Following a strict precautionary routine of sanitising facilities, and thermal screening both his staff and customers for nearly two weeks, F&B entrepreneur Priyank Sukhija has decided to shut all his properties across the country starting March 18 till March 31.

Sukhija, who owns restaurant chains including Lord Of The Drinks, Caf Jalwa, Tamasha, Lazeez Affaire, RPM, and Flying Saucer, said in the current situation, he had "to think about our staff and patrons more than our business".

"In the wake of coronavirus we can't deny the fact that restaurants are places where social distancing can't be practised.

"At midnight today we are shutting down all our restaurants till 31st March across the country and we will be back with a bang once the virus goes. We also urge the government to take similar steps for those who are open so that we can fight this out before it goes out of our hands. Be safe and see you all very soon," Sukhija said.

World Bank employee Sayan Kundu who has been working from home for the last two weeks, said he has cancelled all plans to meet people outside in the several upcoming weeks.

"I was never a regular party hopper but I do like to meet work people as well as friends for dinner and drinks. I have completely avoided that. And this being spring, the frequency of going out would have been higher.

"But now, I am practising social distancing from everyone apart from close friends whose travel history I am aware of," the 30-year-old consultant economist said.

Last week was disappointing for Spice Market - Kitchen & Bar in Saket, with an "exceptionally slow" Sunday. The footfall was reduced by at least 40-45 per cent, said restaurant owner Sumit Gulati.

"There's definitely been a hit, especially in the last week. The Sunday and the following Monday were exceptionally slow," he said.

Besides following the usual precautions like wearing masks and using sanitisers, the restaurant now does an end of the day cleaning every single day.

According to Katriar, the industry might be headed towards a shutdown, if the "situation doesn't improve immediately".

"Food Service Industry works on a fairly high proportion of fixed operating costs and therefore such sharp drop in revenues in going to cause severe losses for the businesses.

"If the situation doesn't improve immediately, we reckon that this will lead to business shutdown and job losses within the sector," said the NRAI president.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MONTREAL, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- During the COVID-19 outbreak, Tactio Care can help hospitals preserve bed capacity for the high-risk patients with the use of a comprehensive COVID-19 Program designed for medium-risk patients that are provided care at home through Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). Among the new core features of the program are remote-monitoring capabilities, such as COVID-19 symptoms questionnaire, body temperature tracker, respiratory rate tracker, clinical alerting and secured messaging.

Learn more about our COVID-19 Program and features designed for your patients.

RISK STRATIFICATION STRATEGY REQUIRED TO MANAGE HOSPITAL BED CAPACITY

Patients receiving a positive COVID-19 test are stratified in three risk levels, Low, Medium and High.

Low-Risk patients can usually be sent home and quarantined with the recommendation for self-care and instructed to call back if their condition or symptoms worsen.





can usually be sent home and quarantined with the recommendation for self-care and instructed to call back if their condition or symptoms worsen. Medium-Risk patients are also sent home and self- quarantined to permit the hospital to preserve bed capacity for high-risk patients. This is where Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) really comes into play , as it allows the monitoring of these Medium-Risk patients symptoms in their home environment by collecting their health symptoms and measurements and guiding their treatment by exchanging:

are also sent home and self- quarantined to permit the hospital to preserve bed capacity for high-risk patients. , as it allows the monitoring of these Medium-Risk patients symptoms in their home environment by collecting their health symptoms and measurements and guiding their treatment by exchanging: Secured Text Messages,



Documents or Photos,



Web Links,



Video Calls .

. High-Risk patients are hospitalized for continuous monitoring/care in acute or ICU beds.

HOW THEY BUILT THE TACTIO COVID-19 PROGRAM

By mid-February, given the rapid escalation of case numbers in Europe, Tactio Health set up an Emergency Task Force (ETF) to track, prepare and respond to this unprecedented health crisis. They were able to quickly learn from their many clients in Europe how to prepare for the possible global pandemic and its effects on the USA. Their working group, comprised of programmers, engineers and physicians, has worked to develop an effective care plan that allows remote tracking of low-risk and medium-risk patients.

WHY IT MATTERS

Facilitating communication between quarantined people and healthcare providers, patients infected with COVID-19 are being monitored with the Tactio Care RPM platform in the safety of their homes. Tactio Care remote-monitoring technology and analytics are providing healthcare professionals involved in the COVID-19 program with clinical-decision support to help early identification and day-to-day monitoring of any physiological changes that could indicate deterioration and in order to enable earlier interventions for better outcomes.

''In the current crisis, we are proud to service and support our client's requests worldwide with their need for RPM technology. Indeed, our Tactio Care platform can help preserve hospital bed capacity for the High-Risk patients with the addition of a comprehensive COVID-19 Program for all Medium-Risk patients in quarantine that can be provided care outside of clinical settings,'' says Michel Nadeau, P.Eng., CEO of Tactio Health Group.

The COVID-19 Program was developed according to the latest information available from official health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Health Canada, in addition to interactive reviews with the clinicians that they service and their medical board.

As a leader in digital health solutions, Tactio Health has taken actions to support their valued customers and patients. Reach out to [email protected] for the next steps for your healthcare organization to use their COVID-19 Care Plan in your protocols. It is available today in English, French and Spanish as a Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) in Canada and the USA and later this week in Europe in English, French, Spanish and Swedish.

ABOUT TACTIO

Remote Patient Monitoring Made Simple and Rewarding - For you and your patients. Tactio Health is the world's best and most accessible connected care experience for patients in the comfort of their home. Combining remote patient monitoring software, connected medical devices, and expert care coordination, we have served, since 2009, more than 4.5 million patients in 135 countries and recorded over 1 billion vitals with our senior-friendly platform. As a trusted partner to help providers - small and large - we are committed to help you broaden value-based healthcare at home, improve your patient outcomes, and generate vital new revenues between visits.

SALES CONTACT

TACTIO HEALTH GROUP

Martin Leclerc, Director of Sales

[email protected]

PRESS CONTACT

TACTIO HEALTH GROUP

Michel Nadeau, CEO

[email protected]

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Tactio COVID-19 Program Ready

Learn more about our COVID-19 Program and features designed for your patients.

Related Links

Tactio Health Website

SOURCE Tactio Health
Islamabad, March 17 : Three Pakistani opposition parties have jointly filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the arrest of Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, the editor-in-chief of the Jang Geo Media Group.

The IHC will take up the petition which was filed on Monday by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), on Wednesday, reports Dawn news.

The plea was signed by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal of the PML-N and some lawmakers of the JUI-F and JI.

The parties have alleged that the arrest on March 12 for illegal possession of a piece of land, was in violation of constitutional guarantees of fundamental rights and the law laid down by superior courts.

The petition claimed that before Rehman's arrest, the incumbent government had warned the Geo TV's management over its criticism and urged it to hold friendly programmes.

"There is no legal basis for issuing the arrest warrant as the accused is not a fugitive nor a terrorist nor a wanted criminal," says the petition.

The plea added it appeared that the arrest was an attempt to curb free media in the country and that it was seen in the light of show-cause notices issued to some channels by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on behalf of National Accountability Bureau.
Nine News has suspended its regional news bulletins in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland on Southern Cross.

A Nine spokesperson told TV Tonight, The national health crisis has forced us to take urgent action to consolidate all our News and Current Affairs teams.

We are still supplying a nightly regional service  brief news and weather updates. However, until the health crisis passes, the 6pm metro bulletins of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne will be broadcast statewide. And we still have reporters, producers and camera operators in regional Australia, continue to gather local news.

Nine will produce a local update for 7pm weeknights and a weather update for 8pm weeknights.

Darwin will receive the Queensland news bulletin.
Publishers Weekly is maintaining a list of canceled events, impacted book industry functions and policies, and more on this list as a resource for navigating the new coronavirus and its impact on the industry. Please email our news team with updates or questions.

PW is also maintaining several additional list: one of publication dates changed due to the pandemic, one of children's publishingrelated updates, one of special offers and discounts offered during the outbreak will also be maintained separately, and one of bookstores that have turned to crowdfunding to stay alive. Elsewhere, Poets & Writers is keeping a running list of postponed and canceled writing retreats and contests, the Washington Post is maintaining a virtual literary event calendar, the AAP is keeping a Covid-19 Resource Center for publishers, the IBPA is keeping its own Covid-19 Resource Center for independent book publishers, and the Authors Guild is maintaining a guide to economic relief for writers.

The following are quick-links to the homepages of various industry organizations working to respond to Covid-19: American Booksellers Association  American Library Association  Association of American Publishers  Authors Guild  Authors League Fund  Book Industry Charitable Foundation  Book Industry Study Group  The Book Manufacturers Institute's bookmanufacturers.org  Community of Literary Magazines and Presses  Independent Book Publisher Association  Independent Publishing Caucus  PEN America  Poets & Writers  PubWest

Please note: Benefits.gov is maintaining a list of resources for all those who have lost jobs during the crisis, and AFL-CIO is maintaining its own page cataloguing federal and state resources for workers. While the open enrollment window is closed, losing one's job is a circumstance that allows for emergency American Care Act enrollment.

2021

February 1

Taipei Book Fair Forced to Go Virtual: A last-minute outbreak of Covid-19 cases at a local hospital effectively derailed the planned in-person segment of the 2021 Taipei International Book Fair, which ran from January 26 to 31 as a virtual event.

Paris Is Losing Its Bouquinistes: Many booksellers in Paris who sell books along the Seine, called bouquinistes, may permanently shutter their businesses due to the pandemic.

January 25

Texas Bookseller Talks Shop: John Dillman, owner of Kaboom Books in Houston, discusses coping with the pandemic and the future of book sales.

Waterstones CEO Wants Tax Break to Stay: James Daunt said that if the U.K. government cannot extend the property tax break from 2020, stores may have to close.

January 21

Black Bookstore in Oklahoma May Close: Nappy Roots Bookstore, a Black-owned bookstore in Oklahoma City that has been open for two and a half years, is asking for donations to stay open.

Toronto Loses a Bookstore: Parentbooks, a bookstore catering to autistic children, is closing after 35 years in business.

135-Year-Old Store in Paris Is Closing: The Left Bank's Gilbert Jeune bookstore, founded in 1886, is closing, upsetting many in the city.

January 15

Indiana Bookstore Struggles to Stay Open: Caveat Emptor, a used bookstore in Bloomington, open for nearly 50 years, is fighting for survival.

January 14

Upstate New York Store Persists: Queen City Books in Buffalo continues to sell comics and has lasted more than 50 years in business.

Scottish Bookstores Deemed Essential: Bookstores in the country will be allowed to continue curbside delivery during the current lockdown.

Illinois Store Is Raising $250,000: The Book Table in Oak Park has launched a GoFundMe campaign to make ends meet and has already garnered $138,000.

January 13

Holiday Toy Drive Becomes Pandemic Book Drive: In large part due to the pandemic, the office of California Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris tweaked an annual holiday tradition: instead of sponsoring a toy drive in California's 74th Assembly District as the office usually does, it organized a book drive.

How a New York City Store Persists: The Corner Bookstore in New York City carries on after more than 40 years in business, supported by its community.

Dutch Bookstores Want to Reopen: Bookstores in the Netherlands are asking the government to allow them to reopen.

The Bookseller of Kabul Carries On: Despite the pandemic and political strife, Shah M. Book Co. in Afghanistan has launched a successful international online business.

January 11

New Report Offers Post-Pandemic Outlook for Book Business: In a free 50-page report released this week, three veteran publishing and digital media consultants offer a postmortem on 2020 and a glimpse at what the future holds for publishers, booksellers, libraries and readers.

Poetry Slams Help Arizona Store Survive: The owner of Lawn Gnome Publishing, a small bookstore in Phoenix, says every day "feels like a fight."

Indie Stores in Ontario Survive 2020: Despite challenges, independent bookstores in Hamilton made it through last year with the help of dedicated bookworms.

January 7

Florida Loses a Bookstore: Bayou City Books in Niceville is closing after 34 years in business.

Michigan Bookstore Helped by GoFundMe: The Curious Book Shop in East Lansing raised $28,000 in digital donations, helping them weather the pandemic.

California Stores Hand Deliver Orders: Bookstores in the Bay Area are once again selling books online and delivering them in person.

January 6

How Two Massachusetts Stores Fight On: The 'Harvard Crimson' looks at how Harvard Book Store and Raven Used Books are coping with the pandemic.

British Columbia Loses a Bookstore: Grizzly Books & Serendipity Shop in Revelstoke, B.C., is closing after more than 20 years in business.

U.K. Indies Focus on Home Deliveries: The lockdown in the U.K. has forced bookstores to again move to curbside pickup, though many are moving to local home deliveries.

Waterstones Says No to Curbside Pickup: The major U.K. bookseller is opting out of the service during this round of lockdown.

2020

December 31

2020 in the Book Biz Was a Year Unlike Any Other: The combination of the pandemic and demands for social justice led to widespread changes in publishing in 2020.

December 22

Many Bookstores Still Raising Cash on GoFundMe: A number of bookstores across the United States are still relying on GoFundMe to keep afloat during a catastrophic year.

December 21

Working from Home Took Hold in 2020: A PW workplace survey found that nearly all responding publishing employees were given the option to work from home this yearand most of those workers are still doing just that.

December 17

Making Children's Books in the Covid-19 Era: As with so many in the publishing industry, children's book art and design professionals have had to reevaluate their workflow in these unpredictable times. Here, staffers reflected on some of the challenges and surprises of shifting to working remotely.

December 16

Chicagoland Store Delays New Opening: Bookends & Beginnings in Evanston planned to open a new storefront in November, but has been stymied by Covid-19 restrictions.

Slow Deliveries Plague Canadian Stores: Canadian bookstores are feeling the strain of shifting to shipping as delivery services are overwhelmed.

December 8

Powell's Closes Home and Garden Store: Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., has permanently closed its home and garden store.

Grants Keep California Store Alive: LibroMobile, founded three years ago in Santa Ana, closed its storefront this year, but has survived because of grants and online sales.

December 3

Booksellers See Subdued In-Store Holiday Sales, Online Eruption: Booksellers reported a significant drop in customer traffic and a commensurate drop in sales, but online orders were way up, forcing bookstores to adapt. Barack Obama's memoir and Jeff Kinney's latest were the most popular titles over the Thanksgiving weekend at stores surveyed by 'PW.'

U.K. Allows Bookstores to Reopen: Bookstores in the U.K. have reopened after lockdown and are hoping for robust holiday sales.

Chicago Says Goodbye to a Bookstore: The 'Chicago Tribune' offers a tribute to City Lit, a bookstore that closed this week after 8 years in business.

December 1

Florida Loses a Bookstore: Hawsey's Book Index in Pensacola is closing after 53 years in business.

Singapore Bookseller Goes Digital: The owner of BooksActually, which closed earlier this year, reflects on turning to online bookselling.

November 30

Washington Loses a Bookstore: Tri-City Bible Bookstore in Richland is closing this December after nearly 80 years in business.

Kiwi Stores Face Supply Chain Issues: Booksellers in New Zealand are having trouble getting enough books to stock up for the holiday shopping season.

November 23

Scholastic Book Fairs Revamps with New Options in Pandemic Era: Scholastic Book Fairs has charted a new course by offering a series of redesigned book fair options to meet customers needs during Covid-19 restrictions.

Guadalajara Goes Digital: The Guadalajara International Book Fair, the world's second largest book fair, is offering a virtual program with more than 300 events, including four days of professional panels and 120 book readings and launches by authors from 38 different countries.

Canadian CEOs Ask for Bookstores to Be Labeled Essential: Heather Reisman, CEO of Indigo Books & Music, and Kristin Cochrane, the CEO of Penguin Random House Canada, wrote a letter asking the Ontario government to allow bookstores to remain open during the new lockdown.

Lockdown Hurts Manitoba Store's Finances: The owner of Winnipeg's Whodunit Mystery Bookstore says the current lockdown may cost him 25% of his annual revenue.

November 20

Virginia Loses a Bookstore: Mermaid Books in Williamsburgh is closing, citing sales losses due to the pandemic as the reason.

November 17

Poets House, Hammered by Pandemic, Suspends Operations: Poets House, the poetry library in lower Manhattan founded in 1986, has suspended operations indefinitely, due to budgetary issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, Lee Briccetti, the executive director of Poets House for more than 30 years, will retire in 2021.

North Carolina Store Closes Due to Covid: Park Road Books in Charlotte has closed temporarily due to an employee testing positive for Covid-19.

November 16

Texas Loses a Bookstore: River Oaks Bookstore in Houston is closing at the end of the year after 47 years in business.

Rhode Island Stores Need More Sales: Riffraff in Providence is among the Rhode Island bookstores looking for a strong holiday season to finish the year.

November 13

South Carolina Stores Fight to Survive: Several booksellers in Columbia discuss the negative impact of the pandemic on their businesses.

November 11

B&N CEO Says Holiday Is Make or Break: James Daunt of Waterstones and B&N warms of bookstore closures if there are not sufficient holiday sales.

November 10

Manhattan's Strand Faces More Scrutiny: Tensions are high at the Strand Book Store, which has yet to rehire many laid off staff despite recent appeal to the public.

U.K. BA Asks for Books to Be Essential: The Booksellers Association has called for the U.K. government to deem booksellers essential workers.

November 3

Michigan Is Losing a Bookstore: The Book Nook in Munroe is closing after 50 years in business.

France Halts Supermarket Book Sales: At the behest of booksellers, France has told its supermarkets not to sell books during the new lockdown.

The Crusade to Save U.S. Indies: A columnist at the 'Los Angeles Daily News' says we need to do much more to save our bookstores.

November 2

Struggles at the Strand: Employees at NYC's beloved 93-year-old bookselling institution say its owner's attempts to save the business are making it harder than ever to run the store.

France Considers Opening Bookstores: France is considering allowing bookstores to open during its current lockdown, which started on Friday.

October 30

With Virus Resurgent, PRH Extends Open License for Online Readings Through March 2021: With the Covid-19 pandemic resurgent around the globe, Penguin Random House this week announced that it is extending its Open License for online story time and read-aloud videos through March 31, 2021. The program was first announced in March of 2020 to encourage digital read-aloud sessions for libraries and schools closed by the novel coronavirus outbreak

Massachusetts Bookstore Needs Help: Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge said it needed help and asked asked for sales. Customers responded.

Country's Oldest Kids' Store Is at Risk: Once Upon a Time children's bookstore in Glendale, in suburban Los Angeles, is fighting for survival.

October 29

Beloved Paris Bookstore Is at Risk: Sales at Shakespeare & Co. in Paris are down 80% for the year and the store is asking customers to buy more books.

French Bookstores Ask to Be Essential: French booksellers are asking the government to let them stay open during the new period of lockdown.

Bargain Book Chain to Shutter: Bradley's Book Outlet, with eight locations in Pennsylvania and Indiana, is closing all stores by the end of the year.

October 28

Experts Say Covid Will Change Book Shopping Patterns Forever: Speakers on a panel organized by the Book Manufacturers Institute agreed that the Covid-19 experience will likely permanently change the way consumers shop for books and that all aspects of publishing will need to adapt to the new landscape.

October 26

NYC's Strand Book Store Asks for Help: Nancy Bass Wyden, owner of Strand Book Store, with two locations in Manhattan, posted an open letter on social media Friday asking for help from the local community, saying sales are down 70% and that the need for more support has become urgent.

How Bookstores Are Coping: 'Vox' takes a long look at how several indie bookstores around the country are facing challenges from Covid-19.

October 23

After Digital Conferences, Booksellers See Hybrid Future: Following the recent slate of virtual regional bookseller conferences, both organizers and participants anticipate that in-person gatherings will make a return someday and will be part of a hybrid model that includes enhanced virtual programming.

Post-Pandemic Comics: IDWs New Publisher Looks Ahead: PW talks with newly appointed executives, IDW publisher Nachie Marsham and IDW v-p of sales Blake Kobashigawa, about adapting to a comics and graphic novel marketplace that has been reshaped by the pandemic.

U.K. Booksellers See Silver Lining: Booksellers in the U.K. are optimistic about book sales, which have spiked despite new coronavirus restrictions.

October 22

Sales as L.A. Bookstore Are Down 80%: The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles is suffering a huge decline in sales, but remains optimistic.

Utah Bookstore Is Scraping By: Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City is facing one of the most difficult periods in its 91 years in business.

October 21

Chicagoland Stores Fight to Survive: Powell's Books and Seminary Co-op Bookstore in Chicago continue to struggle amidst the pandemic.

Pandemic Is Impacting California Stores: A quartet of bookstores in Pasadena are saying sales must improve dramatically if they are to remain in business.

October 20

Frankfurt's Boos Says Physical Fairs Cannot Be Replaced: Though the all-virtual Frankfurt Book Fair was well-received, Frankfurt director Juergen Boos is all the more convinced that in-person, face-to-face book fairs are essential to the health of the industry and cannot be replaced.

Scottish Authors Get More Financial Relief: The Society of Authors and Creative Scotland are distributing a further 600,000 ($775,000) in grants to help authors in Scotland enduring economic hardship due to the pandemic.

October 19

Wales Is Closing Bookstores Due to Covid: All bookstores in Wales will be closed for at least two weeks as part of an effort to thwart rising cases of infection.

California Store Reopens After Update: Underground Books in Sacramento has expanded, remodeled, and reopened.

October 15

Frankfurt Participants See Silver Linings: The news out of the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair, which has been entirely virtual, has largely been positive, with publishers and other industry players discussing how they have coped with the challenges caused by the pandemic.

The Plight of the Local Bookstore: Independent booksellers are desperate for customers to return, the New York Times reportsand not just for an online reading.

October 13

Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Ride Out the Pandemic: The Mountains & Plains Indie Booksellers Association held its annual membership meeting virtually during its online regional trade show and learned that, despite the pandemic, the organization remains on solid ground. Virtual events are planned for the spring, but MPIBA hopes to have a 2021 live in-person show.

Los Angeles Bookstore Pivots: LA Libreria, a specialty Spanish-language bookstore, has had to find new ways to connect with customers during the pandemic.

How a Small New York Bookstore Survives: Avoid the Day bookstore in Rockaway, Queens opened earlier this year and found customers in the midst of the pandemic.

Heyday Books Harvest Celebration Goes Digital: Berkeley, Calif.based Heyday Books will hold its fall program, Heyday Harvest, virtually this year on October 25.

October 9

Los Angeles Bookstores Face Cash Crunch: Several Los Angeles Bookstores are facing financial shortfalls and turning to crowdfunding to raise cash.

New York City Kids' Store is Moving: Books of Wonder on 18th Street in Manhattan is moving to a new location a block away at 42 West 17th St. The move will be completed this month.

Chicago is Losing an Indie Store: City Lit Books in Logan Square is closing in December as a result of lost sales from the pandemic.

Las Vegas Bookstore to Close: Amber Unicorn Books in Las Vegas is closing after 39 years in business.

October 5

Bookselling Activism During the Pandemic: At its fall show, Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association members discussed how to keep activism front and center at bookstoreseven as the Covid-19 crisis limits physical interaction and community events.

Pandemic Could Close Paris Booksellers: The Covid-19 crisis is threatening Paris's famed Seine-side booksellers, "les bouquinistes," who have been around since the 1500s.

October 2

Massachusetts City's Bookstore Turnover: The Sea Howl Bookstore has opened in Orleans, while the Booksmith has closed.

Kentucky Loses a Bookstore: Books on Main in Hopkinsville is closing permanently. It had been open since 2015.

October 1

HMH Reorganization Will Cut 525 Jobs As Houghton Mifflin Harcourt shifts more of its education publishing business to the creation of digital products, the company said it has implemented a restructuring program that will cut its workforce by 22% in order to save between $95 million to $100 million annually. HMH Books & Media is not affected by the restructuring.

Connecticut Loses a Bookstore: That Book Store in Wethersfield is closing permanently. It had been open since 2018.

September 29

Vroman's in Pasadena Needs More Sales: The 126-year-old California bookstore says sales are down 40% for the year, and that they need a strong fall and holiday season to survive.

Colorado Loses a Bookstore: The Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe has closed in Boulder. It had been open for 10 years.

Southern Festival of Books 2020 Goes Virtual: This year, Tennessee's biggest literary festival will move its 11-day show, which starts on October 1, online.

September 28

Bookstores Need More than Hope. They Need Sales. And Soon: Despite expanding their services during the most challenging time for retailers in recent memory, booksellers enter the holiday season worried about forces beyond their control.

IBPA Will Hold Virtual Conference in 2021: The Independent Book Publishers Association has announced that the IBPA Publishing University 2021 will be a virtual event next April.

September 25

Club, Fair Declines Plague Scholastic: Cost cuts improved Scholastic's bottom line in the first quarter, but sales at book fairs and book clubs tumbled in the period, and are expected to remain low in the current quarter.

Manhattan Culinary Store Raises Cash: Kitchen Arts & Letters raised $101,000 on GoFundMe to stay open after stars rallied to the cause.

September 24

Artist Relief Distributes $13.5 Million in Pandemic Grants: Artists Relief, a funding initiative created to assist artists suffering under the pandemic, has distributed more than $13.5 million in emergency grants to more than 2,700 individuals since it was launched in April.

Our Civic Duty to Shop at Bookstores: An editorial at SFGate argues that people have a societal responsibility to buy from bookstores and namechecks several in San Francisco.

September 23

September 21

Women Authors Cope with the Pandemic: Nearly six months into the pandemic, increased time spent at home has led to unique challenges for women. PW reached out to authors who are also mothers to learn how the coronavirus has affected their work

Frankfurt 2020: A Virtual Experiment: With the physical fair canceled, the international event is creating new online opportunities for publishers.

Waterstones Sheds Main Office Staff: The U.K. bookseller has eliminated 16 jobs in its main office, citing a "challenging trading climate."

September 16

Bookstore Sales Fell 24.6% in July: Bookstore sales dropped 24.6% in July compared to a year ago, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The July results were an improvement over steeper sales drops in recent months, but sales through the first seven months of 2020 were down 31.6%.

2020 TBF Digital Lineup: The full lineup for the 2020 Texas Book Festival Weekend has been announced, and includes Matthew McConaughey, David Chang, Kevin Kwan, Sigrid Nunez, Isabel Wilkerson, Julia Alvarez, Michael J. Sandel, and Ibi Zoboi.

September 15

Literary Arts Emergency Fund Donates $3.5 Million: The fund, jointly launched in response to Covid-19 by the Academy of American Poets, the Community of Literary Magazine & Presses, and the National Book Foundation, will benefit 292 nonprofit literary arts organizations, magazines, and presses.

Licensing Leadership Summit Goes Digital: The Licensing Leadership Summit, which was rescheduled to be held at Hilton New York Midtown on November 5 and 6, is going virtual on October 28 and 29.

Portland Book Festival's Virtual Lineup: This years festival will take place online from November 5 to 21, and the lineup has just been announced.

September 14

Fall Regionals 2020: The Virtual Edition: This years bookseller shows are moving online, but still have plenty of author events, education, and exhibits. Plus, ABA CEO Allison Hill shares an urgent message with publishers.

Graywolf Takes Literary Salon Virtual: Graywolf Press is moving its annual Literary Salon online this year due to the pandemic. While the event is free, donations are appreciated.

September 8

Frankfurt Cancels Physical Fair, Goes All Virtual: The Frankfurt Book Fair has canceled its physical, in-person fair and will proceed as an entirely virtual, online-only event. It will take place, as scheduled, October 12-18.

Indie Publishers Ride the Pandemic Roller Coaster: A PW survey of six independent publishers scattered across the country found mixed results about how business has gone so far this year.

Booker Dinner Canceled: Literary London's flagship event, the formal dinner at Guildhall in the City at which the Booker Prize is presented, has been canceled over fears of the coronavirus, reports BookBrunch. The presentation will be held at a smaller, lower-key event at on November 17.

How Seattle Stores Are Coping with Covid: Booksellers in Seattle are finding ways to sell books in the midst of the pandemic, but many are facing diminished sales.

California Volunteer Store Struggles: Cafe con Libros in Pomona is a volunteer-run community store that is facing a shortfall of workers to run the store.

September 4

Bookstore Opens in Upstate New York: Odyssey Bookstore in Ithaca is one of a number of bookstores around the U.S. that first opened its doors during the pandemic.

California Indie Is Raising Cash: DIESEL: A Bookstore, with two locations in California, is asking for $40,000 on GoFundMe for working capital.

September 3

BMI Fall Conference Goes Virtual: The Book Manufacturers Institute has made the move to virtual for its 2020 Fall Annual Conference, which will take place the last two weeks of October and be held over a number of days featuring 1-hour sessions and other networking functions.

September 2

Beijing Book Fair Makes Virtual Pivot: The 27th edition of the Beijing International Book Fair, which would have taken place at the China International Exhibition Center from August 26 to August 30, kicked off its virtual version last week. Meanwhile, data shows that the Chinese book market is showing improvement since plunging when the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Canadian Book Sales Recover from Covid-19 Dip: The last eight weeks of book sales in Canada have been better than the corresponding period in 2019 and the market is slowly making up for sales lost earlier in the year due to the Covid-19 crisis, says BookNet Canada's CEO Noah Genner.

Changing Jobs in the Age of Covid-19: Starting a new job under the cloud of the pandemic is inarguably difficult. To get a handle on just how tricky it can be, we checked in with a number of recent hires in the children's publishing world, who spoke about the challenges of learning the ropes of a new position while working remotely.

Ann Patchett Discusses Indie Struggles: The owner of Nashville's Parnassus Books describes the challenges facing the store during the pandemic.

Working to Survive the Pandemic: Bob and Angel Dobrow, co-owners of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, Minn., write candidly about the challenges they face.

August 28

Printers Confirm: Capacity for Trade Titles Tight: During a Book Manufacturers Institutes webinar on August 26, representatives from across the book manufacturing spectrum confirmed something that has been widely discussed in publishing circles for many weeks: printing capacity for trade books is tight.

Bucks County Announces Digital Lineup: The Bucks County Book Festival has announced its lineup for its virtual fair on September 25-26, featuring keynote speaker Ibram X. Kendi.

Waterstones Closes Another Branch: The U.K. chain is not renewing the lease on its store in Lancaster on King Street.

August 27

Stores Making Covid-19 Independent Bookstore Day Adjustments: Independent Bookstore Day is going to be a quite different celebration of books and authors this year. While some bookstores are organizing hybrid festivities, at least one is holding a completely virtual celebration.

New Mexico Bookstore Reaches Milestone: Amy's Bookcase in Farmington is celebrating 40 years in business.

August 26

B&N Closing Baltimore Power Plant Store: Barnes & Noble is closing its store in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, which is located in a former power plant.

August 25

Virtual Exhibitors, Agents at Frankfurt to Have Multiple Platforms: Virtual exhibitors, including literary agents and rights representatives, will be able to participate in the upcoming fair and promote themselves through a variety of means, including the fair's online catalog, webinars, and its new digital rights platform.

August 24

August 21

August 20

Taiwan's Estlite to Close Three Stores: Taiwanese chain Estlite is closing three more stores, after closing six earlier this year.

Boston Store Needs Help: The New England Mobile Book Fair is in search of a new location and falling short of raising $75,000 it needs to move.

August 18

Texas Loses a Bookstore: Wolfmueller's Books in Kerrville is closing permanently. It opened as a standalone bookstore in 2004.

India's Bookstores Adapt to the Pandemic: Bookstores across India are coming up with new ways of selling books in order to survive.

August 14

June Bookstore Sales Fell 35%: June bookstore sales were $384 million, a decline of 35.3% from June 2019, according to results from the U.S. Census Bureau. As severe as the June decline was, it represented an improvement of nearly 30% over May sales.

Oklahoma Stores Are Doing Fine: Bookstores in Tulsa have seen surprisingly strong sales since the start of the pandemic.

August 13

European E-book, Audiobook Sales See Pandemic Pop: E-book and audiobook sales have been robust throughout the period that saw many bricks-and-mortar bookstores shut down across Europe as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, according to a new report from Bookwire.

Windham-Campbell Prizes Festival Canceled: The event, planned for this September, will be replaced with a virtual keynote address by Samuel R. Delany, and later in the fall, the Yale Review will collaborate in presenting a special issue devoted to the 2020 prize recipients.

Massachusetts Store Seeks New Home: The New England Mobile Book Fair is raising $75,000 to pay to relocate by August 31.

Massachusetts Store to Stay Open: The Bookstore in Lenox has raised nearly $80,000 on GoFundMe to remain in business.

August 12

New York Comic Con 2020 Canceled, Switches to Virtual Event: ReedPop, organizer of New York Comic Con, scheduled to be held October 8-11 at the Javits Convention Center, has canceled the annual in-person 2020 event and plans to partner with YouTube to produce an all-digital version of the giant pop culture convention.

Decatur Book Festival Goes Virtual: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival, presented by Emory University, has announced that the event will be free and completely virtual this year, and will be held September 4-October 4.

Virginia Bookstore to Remain Open: The Book Exchange of Midlothian has a new owner and will not close.

Virginia Stores Share Pandemic Struggles: A trio of indie bookstores in Richmond are working hard to stay afloat during the Covid-19 crisis.

August 11

Arizona Loses a Bookstore: The Literate Lizard bookstore in Sedona is closing permanently.

August 10

August 7

ALA Cancels 2021 Midwinter Meeting, Announces Virtual Conference: "Though we very much hoped to be able to meet in person in Indianapolis, the health and safety of conference attendees, ALA members and staff, exhibitors, and other stakeholders are the priority," said Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., ALA president, in announcing the move.

Georgia Loses a Bookstore: Normal Books, a bargain bookstore in Athens, has closed permanently.

Carolina Store Hosts Online Book Chats: Bookmarks in Winston-Salem is holding virtual "show-and-tell" events for customers to discuss books.

August 6

Yale Publishing Course Postponed: The Yale Publishing Course Leadership Strategies in Book Publishing session for 2020 has been postponed. The program will resume in the summer of 2021.

Florida Store in a Fight for Survival: Brant's Used Books in Sarasota is struggling to stay in business during the pandemic.

U.K. Loses Another Waterstones: Waterstones is closing its branch in Milton Keynes after a rent dispute.

August 5

August 4

PRH Won't Return to Offices Until 'It's Safe and Practical': Following a survey of its workforce gauging employee experience with working remotely and reaction to the prospect of returning to its Manhattan offices, Penguin Random House US has confirmed that it will not return to its offices "until sometime next year."

Washington State Loses a Bookstore: Shakespeare & Co. Coffee and Used Books in Chehalis has permanently closed.

U.K. Sales Bolstered by Staycationers: Britons staying at home through their summer holidays have bolster sales at indie bookshops.

African Chain Uses Uber to Deliver Books: South African bookstore chain Exclusive Books has adapted to the pandemic and set up a delivery service through Uber Eats.

August 3

July 31

AAP Pegs 2019 Sales Growth at 1.1%: Final estimates from the AAP found a 1.1% increase in total industry sales in 2019 over 2018. Sales were estimated to be $25.93 billion. The increase was led by a 20.4% jump in sales in the PreK-12 category, where sales were $4.07 billion. In the trade category, sales inched ahead 0.4%, to $16.23 billion.

Amazon Online Sales Soared in Q2: Online sales at Amazon jumped 48% in the second quarter of 2020 over the comparable period in 2019, to $45.9 billion. Total revenue rose 40% and operating income skyrocketed 87%.

June Rebound Eases Declines at Lagardere Publishing: Revenue in the first six months of 2020 fell 7% at Lagardere Publishing compared to the same period in 2019, helped by a 20% jump in June sales. Hachette Book Group had the best performance in the period, with sales falling 1%.

Brooklyn Book Fest Goes Virtual for 2020: The 15th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival, which will take place September 28-October 5 this year, will be held entirely virtually due to pandemic-related restrictions on public gatherings. Brooklyn-born playwright Lynn Nottage will be honored with this years Best of Brooklyn Award.

Stephenie Meyer to Embark on Pandemic Book Tour: When it comes to promoting her fifth novel in the Twilight Saga, 'Midnight Sun,' during Covid-19, Stephenie Meyer has found a creative way to connect safely with her fans. In celebration of the book, which releases on August 4, she will hold a socially distanced in-person appearance (at a drive-in theater) and three virtual events.

July 30

California Loses a Children's Bookstore: Charlie's Corner, a children's bookstore in San Francisco, has closed permanently after five years in business.

How the Pandemic Changes Bookselling: The former owner of Fact and Fiction bookstore in Delhi explains why bookselling has changed forever.

July 29

Waterstones Culls Staff, Delays Openings: Waterstones has laid off staff at its head office and will delay reopening several stores due to poor sales prospects.

Romanian Online Store Orders Pop: Libris.ro has seen a 27% increase in the number of books ordered in the first seven months of 2020 over 2019.

French Booksellers See Sales Pop: After reopening, the French booksellers report a sales gain of 29% between May and July, but are still down 14% for the year.

July 28

Italy's Book Sales Bounce Back: The recent return of book buyers to stores in Italy has helped the overall Italian book business bounce back. After showing a year-over-year revenue loss of 20% through April 18, that loss is down to 11% as of July 11.

Powell's Closes Portland Airport Stores: Powell's Books has closed its two stores in the Portland, Ore., airport permanently after 30 years in business there.

Utah Store Needs Cash to Stay Open: Ken Sanders Rare Books in Salt Lake City is raising $250,000 on GoFundMe to remain in business.

Hong Kong Bookstore Closes: Swidon Book Company in Hong Kong is closing its retail store after 50 years to focus on online bookselling.

U.K. Considers New Online Tax: The U.K. is considering levying a new tax on online stores to protect retail stores.

July 27

July 23

Revenue Tumbled 71% in First Half of 2020 at Reed Exhibitions: Revenue at Reed Exhibitions, whose businesses include BookExpo, fell to 201 million, from 684 million in the first six months of 2019, and the group had an adjusted operating loss of 117 million compared to a profit of 231 million a year ago.

Europe's Pandemic Sales Slide Quantified: A report by the Federation of European Publishers aims to quantify the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on European publishers, citing a significant plunge in bookstore sales and commensurate lost revenue for publishers.

Books In Bloom Goes Online: The festival, now in its fourth year, will be held free online and will run for six weeks, from July 16 to August 20.

Florida Loses a Bookstore: Books-A-Million is closing its Jacksonville Beach store after 25 years in business at that location.

July 22

New Festival of Licensing To Connect Global Licensors and Licensees Virtually: As trade shows across all industries look for ways to stay relevant during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global Licensing Group, organizer of Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, has canceled the live version of its London-based Brand Licensing Europe trade show, scheduled for October. Instead, it is launching a global, month-long, virtual Festival of Licensing from October 6-29, 2020.

July 20

July 17

July 16

July 15

Vermont Bookstore Is for Sale: Bridgeside Books in Waterbury has been put on the market.

Michigan Store Plans Sales Under Tents: Totem Books in Flint has reopened and is planning to hold outdoor book sales under tents.

U.K. Bookstores Prep for Facemasks: Booksellers in the U.K. are embracing the government demand that all customers wear masks as of July 24.

July 14

Strand Book Store Union Denounces New Layoffs: The Strand Book Stores union forcefully denounced the firing of twelve booksellers who were only recently rehired after mass layoffs during the first weeks of the new coronavirus outbreak in March.

Hong Kong Book Fair Postponed: Hong Kong will suspend its annual book fair and other events amid a third wave of Covid-19 infections in China.

Phoenix Inclusive Bookstore to Close: Enchanted Chapters, built to cater to people with autism and other disabilities, is closing after 10 months in business.

Oklahoma Store Raises Cash with Music: Best of Books in Edmond is planning a series of virtual musical events as fundraisers to help the store through the pandemic.

U.K. BA Chief Says Bookstores Need Help: The head of the Booksellers Association argues that the survival of bookstores is essential, but that they will need help.

July 13

July 10

2020 National Book Awards Ceremony Will Be Virtual: This year's National Book Awards ceremony, which is typically a glittery black tie ball at Cipriani Wall Street in lower Manhattan, will instead be a virtual event, hosted online on November 18.

U.K.'s Gardners to Reopen Warehouse: Gardners will reopen the Bertrams warehouse in Norwich, which was closed due to bankruptcy.

July 9

Heartland Summer: Buying Frontlist During a Pandemic: Paying close attention to market trends is key to buying new books in a pandemic, speakers at a conference co-hosted by The Midwest Indie Booksellers Association and Great Lakes Indie Booksellers Association said.

Coronavirus Shutters Longtime NYC Children's Bookstore: Bank Street Bookstore, a Manhattan mainstay of children's bookselling, has announced that the store will close in August after half a century in operation.

July 8

Missouri Loses a Bookstore: The Student Book Exchange in Springfield is closing after 56 years in business.

Sharjah Book Fair Confirms Plans to Go Ahead: The Sharjah International Book Fair, scheduled for November 4-14, said all booth space has sold out and the fair will go ahead as planned, albeit with new health and safety protocols.

PubWest 2020 to Be Held Online: The conference, which will still take place February 4-6, 2021, will be fully digital.

July 7

July 6

How an Ontario Store Copes with Corona: The owners of the Bookshelf in Guelph discuss how they are dealing with the pandemic.

July 2

Massachusetts Bookstore to Close: Booksmith Musicsmith in Orleans is closing after more than 25 years in business.

July 1

June 30

Sale of Book-themed Masks to Benefit Binc: The American Booksellers Association and Out of Print have collaborated on a new line of book-themed face masks. The masks go on sale July 6 with a portion of each sale is being donated to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation.

Upstate New York Store for Kids Adapts: Children's bookstore Treehouse Reading and Arts Center in New York Mills is adjusting to the new normal.

Many Malaysian Bookstores May Close: The future and fate of many Malaysian independent bookstores is uncertain.

June 29

Small Presses Cope During Covid-19, Part II: Just like the companies in the New York City and Minneapolis publishing hubs, independent presses in other parts of the country said that sales are starting to rebound after two months of declines, a 'PW' survey has found.

Ohio Store Thrives Despite Pandemic: Browse Awhile Books in Tipp City has long focused on online sales, which has helped it cope with the coronavirus shutdown.

Canada Needs Its Bookstores: The publisher of Cormorant Books argues that Canada cannot afford to lose any more bookstores.

June 26

Southern Festival of Books Goes Online: The 32nd annual Southern Festival of Books will take place online and free of charge from Oct. 111.

Maine Loses a Bookstore: Dooryard Books in Rockland is closing at the end of July and the owner is giving away all remaining stock for free.

June 25

B&N Makes Headquarter Layoffs: Even as its stores reopen, Barnes & Noble has laid off a number of employees at its headquarters, including some book buyers.

Texas Loses a Bookstore: Phoenix Bookstore in Laredo is closing permanently after six months in business.

June 24

TBF to Host Virtual Fest in Fall: The Texas Book Festival will take place entirely online this year, featuring two full weeks of free virtual programming Oct. 31Nov. 15.

B&N Closes Upper East Side Store: Barnes & Noble plans to close its 12-year-old Manhattan location on the Upper East Side. 64 booksellers will be laid off.

Two Tahoe Bookstores to Reopen: Word After Word in Truckee, Calif., and Cuppa Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., are both opening for in-store customers in the popular resort region.

June 23

46-Year-Old Berkeley Bookstore Closes: University Press Books, a Berkeley, Calif., mainstay, has closed after 46 years in business.

Midtown Reader Debuts Bookmobile: Tallahassee, Tenn.-based Midtown Reader has debuted an electric smart car bookmobile for book deliveries.

Indigo Closing 20 Smaller Stores: Indigo Books & Music CEO Heather Reisman said "seismic" losses have led the company to shutter 20 of its small-format Coles locations.

June 22

Indie Publishers Cope with Covid-19: A survey 'PW' conducted with small-sized publishers found no plan for immediate return to offices and a trend of strong backlist sales.

PNBA Switches to Virtual Trade Show: The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association has canceled its annual in-person trade show and will instead host a virtual event, to be held during the original dates of September 30-October 2.

June 19

Frankfurt Still a Go: The Frankfurter Buchmesse sent out a release this week assuring those planning to attend this years Frankfurt Book Fair that the event will go ahead.



June 18

Rona Jaffe Foundation Cancels Awards Ceremony: The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Awards celebration in September has been canceled due to ongoing coronavirus concerns. The 2020 award winners will be announced online this fall.

San Francisco's City Lights Reopens: City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco reopened this week after raising $365,000 in a single day.

San Diego Loses a Bookstore: Run for Cover Bookstore is closing on July 1.

June 17

Author Elin Hilderbrand to Hold Four In-Store Events: Over the next two week, four bookstores  two in Delaware and one each in New Jersey and California  will host author Elin HIlderbrand for in-person book signings. All events will follow strict safety and health protocols set by her publisher, Little, Brown, and the stores themselves.

B&N Closes Manhattan Store: Barnes & Noble has permanently closed its store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan after 12 years in that location.

Customers Return to London Bookstores: Readers returned to bookstores in London as they reopened this week.

June 16

April Bookstore Sales Tumbled 65.3%: Bookstore sales plunged 65.3% in April compared to April 2019, tumbling to $219 million. April is expected to be the worst month for bricks-and-mortar stores, and advance sales released by the U.S. Census Bureau showed improvement in total retail sales for the month.

Six Publishers Plan Indie Shindig: The new program is aimed at promoting new books to independent booksellers in the absence of the numerous trade shows that have been postponed because of the coronavirus.

U.K. Bookstores Have Strong First Day: U.K. bookstores were allowed to reopen on Monday and reported robust sales.

B&N Opens New Store in Florida: The new Barnes & Noble store in Sarasota has implemented the company's pandemic safety protocols.

June 15

June 12

June 11

June 10

June 9

Michigan Bookstore Raises Cash: The Bookman in Grand Haven is raising $40,000 on GoFundMe to pay for expenses.

Maine Loses an Independent Bookstore: Nubble Books in Biddeford, which had been open for ten years, is closing permanently.

June 8

June 5

Amazon Sued Over Warehouses: The e-tailer has been sued over its warehouse policies after a New York worker brought the coronavirus home, resulting in her cousin's death.

Amazon Reverses Ban On Coronavirus Book: The e-commerce giant had blocked the sale of the book by a former New York Times reporter and conservative-media commentator over concerns that its content violated company guidelines.

June 4

Connecticut Stores Welcome Customers: Connecticut bookstores are pleased to see customers return again.

Waterstones CEO Is Confident of Future: Waterstones CEO James Daunt told publishers the chain will emerge transformed from the coronavirus crisis.

June 3

Hachette, Bloomsbury Won't Travel to Frankfurt: Hachette Livre and Bloomsbury Publishing are the latest publishers to announce they won't be sending employees to the Frankfurt Book Fair this year.

The Pleasure of Browsing Is Paramount: An essay in the Bookseller says that serendipity is what will keep bookstores alive.

Colorado Store Greets Customers Again: Boulder Bookstore reopened yesterday to customers and delivered a list of articles to contextualize the protests.

June 2

California Loses a Children's Bookstore: A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe in Irvine has closed permanently.

Blackwell's to Close Five U.K. Stores: Blackwell's is closing five bookstores at universities across the U.K. due to the pandemic.

Digital Hay Festival Attracts 500,000: Almost half a million people logged on to watch the first online Hay Festival.

June 1

S&S, Macmillan, HarperCollins Won't Send Staff to Frankfurt

S&S, Macmillan, and HarperCollins confirmed that they will not be sending U.S. staff to this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. All said they are open to participating in digital or virtual events.

S&S, Macmillan, and HarperCollins confirmed that they will not be sending U.S. staff to this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. All said they are open to participating in digital or virtual events. California Store Fights for Survival: Hicklebee's children's bookstore in San Jose is raising $300,000 on GoFundMe to stay in business.

May 29

Frankfurt Organizers Fine-Tune Upcoming Fair: The Frankfurt Book Fair will be limited to 20,000 fairgoers at any one time to ensure safety, said book fair director Juergen Boos. Meanwhile, German publishing giants Random House, Holtzbrinck, and Bonnier have announced that they won't exhibit, but will take part in some events.

Heartland Fall Forum's 2020 Show Is Postponed: Heartland Fall Forum, the joint trade show co-hosted by the Midwest Independent Booksellers and Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Associations has been postponed this fall, though there will be virtual events.

Chicagoland Loses a Bookstore: Anderson's Bookshops is closing its LaGrange location permanently.

Innovation is Saving Bookstores: Ann Patchett tells 'Axios' that bookstores are innovating to stay connected with readers.

Indigo Is Rolling Out Reopenings: The Canadian bookstore chain is beginning to reopen across Canada as provinces allow.

May 28

May 27

May 26

May 22

May 21

May 20

May 19

May 18

May 15

May 14

May 13

May 12

Booksellers Must Embrace Tech: An editorial in 'The Bookseller' argues that technology is what can save independent bookselling.

New York City Store Fights for Survival: Word Up in Washington Heights has raised $8,000 of its $75,000 goal on GoFundMe.

Ingenuity Will Save Indie Bookstores: A column at the Washington Post considers the many ways bookstores are trying to save themselves.

May 11

May 8

May 7

May 6

May 5

May 4

May 1

April 30

April 29

April 28

April 27

April 24

Artist Relief Reports First Round of Emergency Grants, Survey Results: More than 55,000 applicants applied to Artist Relief to receive the first round of 200, $5,000 emergency relief grants for artists in need due to the pandemic.

Publishing Organizations Urge Public to Support Bookstores: In a joint statement released to mark World Book Day, leaders of three organizations serving the publishing industry issued a cry to support the countrys booksellers as they fight to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse to Offer Author-Led Classes: Schools nationwide have struggled with the challenge of how best to open for online instruction, but for students who have internet access, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is offering four days of instruction from a unique set of teachers. From April 2730, MacKids Streaming Schoolhouse will provide classes for middle graders taught by children's authors.

April 23

April 22

April 21

April 20

April 17

April 16

April 15

April 14

April 13

April 10

April 9

What New Hampshire Stores Are Selling: Readers are purchasing books with dark themes, say booksellers in New Hampshire.

U.K. Indies Launch Virtual Events: Four bookstores across the U.K. are collaborating on virtual author events.

Survey of Independent Bookstores Shows Coronavirus Toll: We surveyed nearly three dozen bookstores with more than a thousand years of bookselling experience between them to find out how the new coronavirus outbreak has altered the work that they do.

April 8

April 7

2020 Pulitzer Prizes Postponed: The Pulitzer Prize Board has decided to postpone the 2020 award winners' announcement from April 20 to May 4.

European Publishers See 25% Drop in Revenue: The Federation of European Publishers said that the publishing sector across Europe has already seen a 25% drop in anticipated revenue for 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis.

NYPL, WNYC Launch Digital Book Club: The New York Public Library and WNYC are partnering to host a virtual book club. The first title is James McBride's Deacon King Kong.

April 6

April 3

April 2

April 1

March 31

March 30

March 27

March 26

March 25

March 24

March 23

March 20

March 19

March 18

March 17

March 16

March 14-15

Powell's Closes: Powells Books in Oregon has closed all of its stores through the end of March.

Yaddo Closes: The Saratoga Springs, New Yorkbased arts residency will close temporarily, and will update fellows and the public on further changes as they come.

Licensing Expo Rescheduled: Licensing Expo has been rescheduled to take place on August 1113 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Kettle Pond Canceled: The second annual Kettle Pond Writers' Conference has been canceled; a third will be held in June 2021.

TechForum Canceled: BookNet Canada's annual TechForum conference, scheduled for March 2325, has been canceled.

March 13

March 12

March 11

March 10

NBCC Award Ceremony Postponed: The National Book Critics Circle has canceled both its finalists reading, set for March 11, and its awards ceremony on March 12. The NBCC will still deliberate on March 12 to choose this year's winners.

New York Bookstores Weathering Coronavirus Outbreak

From New York City to Buffalo, booksellers said customers were undeterred thus far by the news that a growing number of New Yorkers had contracted the new coronavirus.

From New York City to Buffalo, booksellers said customers were undeterred thus far by the news that a growing number of New Yorkers had contracted the new coronavirus. Tucson Festival of Books Canceled: The 2020 Tucson Festival of Books has been canceled due to concerns about the new coronavirus.

March 9

ReedPop Postpones Emerald City Comic Con Over Virus Concerns: Concern over travel to pop culture conventions as well as delays in printing due to the new coronavirus are growing among comics publishers.

Early March

Reed Confirms BookExpo, BookCon to Proceed as Planned: Reed Exhibitions issued a statement confirming that BookExpo and BookCon will proceed as planned May 2731, 2020, at the Javits Center in New York City.

London Book Fair Canceled: Citing concerns about the potential spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, Reed Exhibitions has canceled this year's London Book Fair. Numerous major publishing conglomerates had already pulled out of the event.

Paris Book Fair Canceled, Brussels to Go Ahead: As a result of the spread of the new coronavirus, the Salon du Livre in Paris has been canceled. So far, the Foire du Livre de Bruxelles, which begins this Thursday, is slated to commence as planned.

This article has been updated with further information.
As six Bay Area counties ask residents to shelter in place to prevent spreading COVID-19, only essential businesses are staying open while all other businesses have been ordered to close.

Below is a rundown of what's allowed to stay open in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Basically, everything else has closed since the order went into effect Monday at midnight. The handy graphic above created by Contra Costa County Health Services offers an overview.
Russian MPs adopt bill on sanctions for violations at Constitution amendments voting

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:21 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  The State Duma passed a bill on punishment for violations during the All-Russia voting on amendments to the Constitution in a final third reading on Tuesday, according to a statement of the lower house of parliament.

Amendments are proposed to the Code on Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code of Russia.

The draft law envisages amendments to the criminal articles on falsification of electing documents, results of the poll and hindering a citizen from exercising his/her electoral rights and the work of election commissions and administrative articles on breaching of the media voting participation order, violation of rights of election commissions members and journalists, willful destruction of propaganda materials, illegal issuance or receipt of a ballot, violation of the vote tabulation procedure, failure to provide information on the vote results, interference in the election commissions work.

The document sets punishment from fines to up to 4 years in prison for the crimes.

According to one of the bills authors, Chairman of the State Duma Committee for State Building and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov, the initiative is aimed to ensure free expression of the will during the voting.

The All-Russian vote on the Constitution is scheduled for April 22. The date of the voting is to be a legal public holiday, it is to be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor is now officially under a local state of emergency amid the new coronavirus outbreak.

What does this mean?

Mayor Christopher Taylor, as the citys chief executive official in emergency times, has power to issue certain directives  for example, travel restrictions on local roads.

There are no definite plans for such measures yet, nor any other restrictions or use of city resources associated with the emergency declaration, Taylor said, but it does permit taking certain actions should they become necessary.

There are no current plans for curfew, he added. However, other jurisdictions farther along in the pandemic are restricting non-essential travel and limiting the times of travel, so this is something well obviously consider as the situation develops.

Police urge residents, students to abide by event ban on St. Patricks Day

The primary focus, Taylor said, is being able to establish swift, health-related regulations as needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 illness locally.

Were living through extraordinary times, he said.

The crowd and council members sit feet apart during an Ann Arbor City Council meeting where the council concurred with Mayor Christopher Taylors declaration of a local state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic Monday, March 16, 2020 at City Hall.Nicole Hester/Mlive.com

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, continues to increase  up to seven so far in Washtenaw County and 54 across Michigan.

Ann Arbors emergency declaration helps position the city for state and federal aid, officials said Monday night, March 16, as City Council voted 6-0 to concur with the mayors declaration.

Some local uses of resources may be reimbursable from federal or state government at a future date, the council resolution states, adding the city desires to rigorously pursue efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 for its residents and visitors in order to protect their health and safety.

United Way of Washtenaw launches coronavirus community relief fund

City Attorney Stephen Postema gave an overview of powers granted to the mayor.

Under city code, the mayor has authority to declare a state of emergency when theres a threat or occurrence of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property.

Such declarations expire within seven days unless council consents. Council voted to extend the declaration indefinitely, until council decides to discontinue it.

Council Member Ali Ramlawi, D-5th Ward, said he was taking a leap of faith and urged Taylor to keep council in the loop.

Postema said there are all sorts of benefits of having this in place, from state aid to powers the city may need.

It allows the city to hold emergency meetings and enact emergency ordinances in one vote, rather than the normal process of two readings at two meetings weeks apart, and there may be times when council wants to act swiftly, Postema said.

We dont know what will come, Postema said. We dont know what emergency council meetings youll have to do. We dont know what ordinances will have to be done by this, but thats the power by this declaration.

Ann Arbor ceases non-essential city operations through April 5

City code makes it unlawful for anyone to obstruct, hinder or delay emergency measures, rules and regulations. Violations are punishable by fines up to $500 and/or 90 days in jail.

While theres no plan locally to implement further restrictions on group gatherings at this time, Taylor advises residents to practice social distancing and stay home unless they have an essential need to go somewhere.

This means no parties, Taylor said, expressing hopes people will avoid partying on St. Patricks Day.

This means no non-essential gatherings of friends. This means remaining distant from people. Take precautions as if you yourself were infected.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has banned gatherings of 50 or more people, while the federal government has recommended no more than 10 people in one place.

The crowd sits feet apart during an Ann Arbor City Council meeting where the council concurred with Mayor Christopher Taylors declaration of a local state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic Monday, March 16, 2020 at City Hall.Nicole Hester/Mlive.com

Whitmer issued an executive order Monday to close many businesses such as gyms and theaters, and to prohibit dine-in service at bars and restaurants.

Forcing Ann Arbor bars and restaurants to switch to takeout and delivery only is an emergency action the city was preparing to take Monday if the state hadnt acted, Taylor said.

As for other measures the city may still consider, Ann Arbor officials are looking to county, state and federal officials for their public health expertise, while examining what other cities, states and nations are doing, Taylor said.

We know that swift action bears fruit, he said.

The United Way of Washtenaw County announced Tuesday its COVID-19 Community Relief Fund has grown to more than $150,000 with the support of the Song Family Foundation, individual donors and businesses.

The foundation encourages others to join in donating to ensure our neighbors, friends and nonprofit community have the resources they need moving forward, Linh Song, foundation co-founder and a City Council candidate, said in a statement.

The United Way, which now has a $1 million goal, says all funds raised will help nonprofits meet the needs of vulnerable populations, including those needing food, children, families facing loss of income due to business closures, those with health issues and those experiencing housing crises.

The city also is considering a $200,000 emergency appropriation to protect residents against evictions and homelessness during the outbreak.

Coronavirus is a bummer, so Ann Arbor library creates online Bummer Game

Taylor said he believes the community will draw strength from its fundamental values of equity, friendship and neighborliness.

We care for each other, and frankly I think were all going to get through this together, he said.

Ramlawi said unfortunately the hardest part is yet to come. He predicted the situation will continue well into fall, creating economic problems in addition to health concerns.

Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St., is closed to the public in Ann Arbor on Monday, March 16, 2020. Monday's city council meeting will also be closed to the public, but residents can follow along on a livestream available at the city's website.Jacob Hamilton/MLive.com

Tom Crawford, the citys interim city administrator, asked council Monday to be lenient with city staff on previous council directives unrelated to the outbreak and to push back deadlines 60 days.

One task that cant be pushed back, Crawford said, is the preparation of the annual city budget, which must be adopted by council in May, per the city charter.

Crawford told council hell follow through on delivering budget recommendations next month, but its an uncertain and volatile time and its not clear if the events unfolding now are going to have a short-term, a year or a long-term impact. That makes developing a budget challenging, he said.

He plans to put forward a baseline budget for 2020-21 to continue operations, but if economic conditions change, he said, there may need to be mid-year adjustments.

Some parking in downtown Ann Arbor now free amid coronavirus outbreak

Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, an environmental toxicologist who is running for council, urged city officials to look to lessons learned in other countries and set up field hospitals now.

This virus that is coming is extremely, extremely fast, she said. Before you know it, the capacity of the hospitals will be overrun by the number of people who will catch this, and we all know that the United States is quite ill-prepared for this virus.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS AND MLIVE:

Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Any and all options on the table as Michigan hospitals prepare for uptick in coronavirus cases

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans events and gatherings of more than 50 people amid coronavirus outbreak

Michigan Medicine adds 32 isolated beds, offers special sick time for employees

Where to pick up free lunches in Washtenaw County with schools shut down

Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti restaurants offer takeout amid state-ordered closures due to coronavirus

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 20:00:07

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HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / BTour Chain is pleased to announce that starting March 17, BTour token is listed on LA Token Exchange Platform after its successful completion of IEO. The LAToken Decentralized Exchange is a rapidly growing crypto exchange aiming to become a liquidity leader for new tokens. In March 2019 it entered the CoinmarketCap's top 20.BTour Chain is a project of GG56 Ltd., a company founded by the Former Prime Minister of South Korea, Han Seun-soo. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company has four branches in South Korea (Seoul), UAE (Dubai), China (Hangzhou) and Europe (Spain). As a global tourism big data platform, BTour Chain aims to build an Ecosystem of Tourism where BTour Chain leads the global tourism industry into a new paradigm. The project receives great support from international advisors, among them Subin Pinkayan, former Minister of Commerce of Thailand, H.E. Zulfiquar Z. Ghadiyali, CEO, ADIP, Office of H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Suh Nam Pyo, Former Head of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, Noeleen Heyzer, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, Kenzo Heroki, Former high ranking official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and many other high-ranking officials from more than thirteen countries.BTour Chain, using smart devices such as Cryptocurrency ATM /kiosk and PoS will collect information about tourists such as tourists' traffic flow, consumption patterns, etc. The collected data will then be analyzed using big data technology. This results in accurate and reliable data that can be distributed using blockchain technology to tourists and tour element suppliers (TES) for customized marketing. In this way, BTour Chain's blockchain technology will solve problems rooted in the current tourism industry such as lack of trust and high transaction costs accompanying cross border settlements and payments, fluctuations in the exchange rate, and convertibility issues in earning/using various reward points for tourists.The eco-system created by BTour Chain is not only business-driven. BTour Chain aims to donate a certain portion of its profits to promote its idea of Global Good. Tourists can also be able to donate through the BTour Chain Philanthropy system. Donations will be used by institutions and foundations to protect world heritage and help people in water-related disastrous environments.By the end of 2020, BTour Chain plans to start offering service coverage in more than ten countries in conjunction with the international advisory groups. Also, to discuss future cooperation with UNESCO and other international tourism-related organizations for philanthropic efforts, as well as to launch BTour Exchange platform.To find out more about BTour Chain, check the following links:Homepage: http://www.btour.io Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/btourglobal/ Telegram: https://t.me/btourofficialTwitter: https://twitter.com/btour9 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/btour-official/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzmhT8BxMO-M3rc6vovDwQ?view_as=subscriber Media DetailsCompany: GG56 Ltd.Name: TabassumEmail: info@ gg56.world Website: http://btour.io/ SOURCE: GG56 Ltd.
Union health and family welfare minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that reports about unhygienic quarantine centres for those suspected to be infected with the Covid-19 virus were an exception and not the rule.

The health minister was addressing the house during question hour. Ashok Bajpai of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved a motion to appreciate the efforts of doctors and paramedics for their effort to contain the Coronavirus. The house unanimously commended the efforts.

During the discussion, deputy leader of the Opposition and senior Congress politician Anand Sharma, while congratulating health care professionals, raised the issue of unhealthy and unhygienic conditions in certain quarantine centres. Sharma also suggested that the government set up a committee to monitor the situation in the quarantine facilities. The senior Congress leader also said that given the population density in India, the challenges faced by the country to contain the spread of the virus was huge.

It is possible that some facilities may have had issues with hygiene but such complaints are not frequent, Dr Harsh Vardhan told the house in his reply. The health minister told the house that while there may be reports of unsatisfactory conditions in the quarantine centres, the Centre had also received messages of appreciation from those under quarantine. Replying to Sharma, the health minister said that several quarantine facilities were otherwise not in use and have been created in an emergency. It is possible, that some facilities, may not be up to the mark.

Commending doctors, paramedics, airline crew members who have airlifted Indians stranded abroad, the health minister said that doctors, whether in the cities, primary health care centres or government hospitals, and airline crew must be commended for the service they were rendering. They have our appreciation, he said.

He also asked the members of the house to check the facilities in their areas and help the government improve the conditions, if required.

The health minister also told the house that the permission to use antiretroviral drugs to tackle the virus had been given in some cases by scientists. Antiretroviral drugs are used to combat HIV.
On Capitol Hill, the lawmakers charged with stanching the economic fallout signaled that a brokered stimulus deal might take longer than planned. The fate of a multibillion dollar emergency relief package that passed the House overwhelmingly early Saturday seemed uncertain as lawmakers and staff rushed to complete a package of technical changes to the legislation on Monday, even as more offices transitioned to working remotely and at least one lawmaker, Representative Ben Ray Lujan, Democrat of New Mexico, announced he would self-quarantine.

Shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, the House approved the legislation with its technical changes, using a procedural maneuver that allowed  without the entire chamber present  for the legislation to head to the Senate. Earlier in the day, Representative Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican with a knack for courting controversy, indicated that he might object to the effort on the grounds that the process was rushed, but ultimately agreed to allow the bill to pass.

It is unclear how quickly the legislation will move in the Senate.

Multiple Republican senators have voiced concerns with the package, particularly provisions that would establish paid sick leave and efforts to help businesses comply with that mandate. Senators and staff have discussed either amending or voting against the proposal, which was largely negotiated between Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary.

Mr. Trump, who announced his approval for the measure on Twitter late Friday night, appeared to endorse possible Senate changes, telling reporters on Monday, I think they may make it even better.

And beyond that, lawmakers were floating ideas for another, even larger economic stimulus package that both parties agreed would most likely be necessary.

Senate Republicans have opened discussions on a follow-on bill to buffer the economy against the coronavirus. The bill could include direct aid like loans or grants for industries such as the airlines. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called on Monday for Congress to approve loans and loan guarantees for large companies whose business has been disrupted by the virus.

Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said that any future legislation would help support families and bolster businesses and the health care system, indicating that he and his lieutenants would take a larger role in drafting another piece of legislation. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, proposed allocating at least $750 billion to provide, among other things, immediate loan payment forbearance, affordable testing and emergency child care funding.
Puma Energy Ghana has held a conference and awarded its retailers for hard work done.



The Managing Director of PUMA Energy Ghana, Mr. Henry Yaw Osei commending them, thanked all their dealers and retailers for contributing to the growth of the Puma Energy brand in Ghana and added that the event formed part of Puma Energys mandate to foster development opportunities and reward the exceptional performance of its employees and partners, who all contribute to its rapidly expanding business, bringing quality service to all Ghanaians.



Some of awards given included HSSEC site of the year, Non Fuel Station of the Year, Pump Attendant of the Year, Customer Service Site of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Financial Discipline Dealer of the Year, Social Spirit of the Year, Promising Site of the Year, Trail Blazing Awards, GM Special Award and the Overall Dealer of the Year.



He added that as a company, the safety of their employees and dealers is their priority hence before the awards ceremony, they have educated their dealers on corona virus and have deployed to all their outlets on their preparedness ensure that their market thrives.



Mr. John Yeboah, who is the Manager of the Abuakwa Makro Service Station was adjudged the Dealer of the year received a plaque, a citation and an amount of $5,000.00 as a reward for his hard work in an interview with Peace News expressed his gratitude to the Management of Puma Energy Ghana for the and promised to work harder to continually serve Ghanaians better.

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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The Motorola Edge is said to feature a 6.67-inch 'waterfall' display. It may have a 90Hz refresh rate as well. The Motorola Edge is tipped to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 chipset.

Motorola is gearing up to launch its 2020 flagship smartphone, the Motorola Edge+. The phone name was first revealed by tipster Evan Blass. Alleged live images of the device were leaked as well. It was spotted featuring a curved display with a punch-hole display. Now, a toned-down version of the flagship, the Motorola Edge has appeared online. It is seen to sport a vertical triple-camera array at the rear and a waterfall display on the front.

The latest development comes from XDA-Developers. The Motorola Edge is said to feature a 6.67-inch "waterfall" display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The single punch-hole cutout housing a 25MP selfie camera. Unlike the flagship, the Edge is tipped to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 chipset, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The phone is seen to have a triple camera array at the back. It is placed alongside the dual LED flash and laser auto-focus module. The phone is likely to sport a 64MP primary camera, a 16MP wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto sensor. It is rumored to pack a 4500mAh battery. Further, the phone is said to feature an under-display optical fingerprint sensor, dual speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

On the other hand, Motorola Edge+ is tipped to be powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset. It is said to come in 8GB and 12GB RAM variants. It may pack a 5170mAh battery. However, there is no word on fast charging yet. The phone was also spotted on Geekbench. It scored 4106 in the single-core test and recorded a score of 12823 in the multi-core test. The phones are likely to run Android 10.
Pepperandcompany.net scored 41 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 20 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the pepperandcompany homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if pepperandcompany has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the pepperandcompany homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the pepperandcompany homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the pepperandcompany homepage on Twitter + the total number of pepperandcompany followers (if pepperandcompany has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the pepperandcompany homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Pepper and Company DESCRIPTION Pepper & Company offers custom furniture and is a full retail shop. KEYWORDS Farm tables, buffets, cabinets, custom furniture, drapery, upholstered headboards OTHER KEYWORDS



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. The language of pepperandcompany.net as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for pepperandcompany.net by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
A Delhi court Tuesday extended by seven days the police custody of a couple arrested from south Delhi's Jamia Nagar on March 8 for allegedly instigating anti-CAA protests in the national capital and having links to the Islamic State's Khorasan module.

During an in-camera proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana sent Jahanjeb Sami (36) and his wife Hina Bashir Beg (39) to police remand for custodial interrogation, said a lawyer privy to the matter.

The court also sent co-accused Abdul Bashit, who was in judicial custody in another case, to police custody for seven days after he was arrested on Tuesday in the case related to the protests, said the lawyer.

During the hearing, the police sought 10-day remand for the three on the ground that custody was required to unearth the entire conspiracy, he said.

The police told the court that Bashit's name cropped up during interrogation of Sami and his wife and hence he was arrested in the case today.

The couple hailed from Srinagar and was residing in Jamia Nagar in Delhi, police had earlier said.

Promoting the Islamic State's ideology of hatred, they were inciting Muslims to take up violent struggle against the state, it claimed.

The couple was also involved in instigating protests against the amended citizenship law, it said.

Interrogation has revealed that they had created several anonymous accounts on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc to promote the ideology of the banned ISIS, it said.

They were also circulating material against the government for enacting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the officer said.

Four mobile phones, one laptop, one external hard disc and incriminating material was seized from their house, police had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MARYVILLE  Late Monday morning, Anderson Hospital announced new visitor restrictions in response to the COVID-19 virus.

Patients are now limited to one healthy visitor or support person throughout the hospital. The visitor or support person must be at least 18 years old and can accompany or visit a patient at one time for any reason or service.

This is an amended version of the modified visitor policy put into place for the womens obstetrics unit Monday  one support person only but no siblings, no grandparents and the support person must be the same person throughout the patients stay. The support person will be assigned an identification bracelet to wear during their stay.

In response to a citizens post on Facebook, a hospital social media representative said patients who lack a primary care physician can visit any of Andersons four ExpressCare locations  Bethalto, Collinsville, Glen Carbon and Troy  or another urgent care facility.

The social media contact also noted the hospitals emergency room is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week but citizens are strongly urged to phone ahead of wherever they choose to visit.

Mercy Hospitals in St. Louis County opened its first drive-through COVID-19 collection site Saturday in Chesterfield, where staff tested 52 patients and 31 more Sunday. Mercy officials said it was meant exclusively for patients who have a fever of at least 100.4 degrees (90 percent) and respiratory symptoms, including dry cough (70 percent) or shortness of breath and who either traveled to a high-risk area or had contact with a known COVID-19 patient.

Patients must call Mercy ahead of time to be pre-screened before arriving at the collection site.

As of Sunday, a post on the hospitals Facebook page said the testing is directed by the Madison County Health Department, which follows Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines. The hospitals media director did not further comment on the testings.

More Information Nurses demand child care services By Rebecca Anzel Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD - Nurses "on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic" are demanding officials at all levels of government to ensure child care services are provided. The Illinois Nurses Association, the industry's union, said in a statement Monday that the increase in cases of COVID-19 will fatigue the state's nurses. "As the coronavirus spreads, nurses will be called on to work more hours and extensive overtime and expose themselves to the virus," the association said in a news release. "... As schools are closed to stop the spread of this disease, nurses need child care to take care of their responsibilities at home, as they take care of patients on the frontline of this pandemic." The union is also urging nurses receive personal protective equipment as deemed appropriate by science. See More Collapse

Health Promotion Director Amy Yeager with the county health department referred questions about the testing back to the hospital.

For more coronavirus information, Anderson Hospital staff and Madison County officials encourage citizens to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at cdc.gov; and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) at DHP.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV or the IDPH COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-889-3931.

Reach Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735
SAN FRANCISCO  The double-length buses that snake through downtown San Francisco past the offices of Google and Facebook were empty. The teller at a Citibank in the city had seen three customers all morning, and the manager of a deserted sandwich shop a few blocks away decided to shut down for the rest of the week after selling only a handful of bagels.

The most ambitious experiment in America to stop the spread of the coronavirus  shelter-in-place orders for almost every resident  was underway for seven million people living around the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday. Another two million people were being asked to stay home under similar directives in the Sacramento and Monterey areas on Wednesday.

Silicon Valley was a sea of nearly empty office parking lots. Therapy and yoga classes continued  but online.

Across the notoriously congested Bay Area, traffic flowed like it was 3 a.m.

Sunday has more people than this, said Omar Tapea, who was closing down the sandwich shop in San Francisco for lack of customers.
Mysuru: While the rest of the world is fighting one virus, this city in Karnataka is battling two. The coronavirus has been threatening to break into Mysuru ever since three positive cases were identified across the border in Kerala in February.

But now, Mysuru is having to deal with a breakout of avian influenza or H5N1. With two dead bird testing positive for the virus yesterday, as many as 1000 domestic native chickens from households and 6000-6500 broiler birds at two poultry farms were culled on Tuesday.

Officers of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services took up the cull as a precautionary protocol to prevent a wider spread of bird flu.

All the 7500 chickens culled were within a 100 m radius of the residence of Mr Ramachandra of Metgalli locally. One of his domestic chicken that had died was confirmed for bird flu.

The chickens were killed by wringing their necks. They were all buried with all safety precautionary measures.

Meat sale within a 10 km radius from the epicentre of Mr Ramachandras residence has been banned. And from Monday night, authorities have been ensuring that no birds are transported from Mysuru to other places conducting thorough checks at checkposts.

The Department of Animal Husbandry has surveyed poultry farms and the domestic chicken in a 1 km radius of Mr Ramachandras residence, according to MCC officers.

The alert was sounded after 15 domestic chickens were found dead unsually at the residence of Mr Ramachandra. Three samples from the dead birds were sent for testing. Among them, one came back positive for bird flu.

Also six egrets were found dead near the crematorium in the Kumbar Koppal area here. So samples of all the six birds were sent for testing and one was positive of bird flu.

The samples were sent on 12 March and the reports from the Bhopal lab arrived on Monday, according to a deputy director in the Department of Animal Husbandry Dr Ajith Kumar.

Besides these birds, as many as 12 pond herons in Vidyaranyapuram, and 50 near the Hebbal lake were found dead as well but their reports were negative for bird flu, Dr Ajith Kumar said.

Deaths of chicken at poultry farms due to suspected bird flu have been reported from Kozhikode in Kerala, and border districts including Mysuru, Kodagu and Chamarajnagar have been on high alert for a week. The authorities are checking if chickens were transported from Kerala.

According to the Mysuru Hotel Owners Association official C Narayangowda, all hotels in Mysuru are being asked to stop sale of non-vegetarian food until further orders.

Due to the Covid-19 scare, sales of chicken in Mysuru had already fallen drastically in the past 15 days. And with a bird flu scare, sale have further dropped by more than 90 percent last week. While the wholesale rate of a one kg broiler bird used to be Rs 75, it has dropped to Rs 10-15, he said.

Due to the Covid-19 scare, the Mysuru Zoo, which houses 694 birds belonging to 77 species, has been closed for a week from Sunday. Also the Shukavana Bird Park of Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamys Avadhoota Datta Peetham Ashram, which houses over 2900 parrots belonging to 468 species, has also ben closed since the fourth of this month.
The speakers on the town hall panel included the leadership of Stanford Medicine: Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine; David Entwistle, Stanford Health Care president and CEO; and Paul King, Stanford Childrens Health president and CEO. Yvonne Maldonado, MD, a senior associate dean and professor of pediatric infectious diseases and of health research and policy, also joined the panel. The moderator was Andra Blomkalns, MD, professor and chair of the emergency medicine.

Let me express to you how proud we are of you and the great work that you do every day on behalf of our Stanford Medicine community, our community in our region, and the nation and the world, Minor said.

The panelists addressed questions from the Stanford Medicine community about COVID-19 and the virus that causes the disease. They described the health systems approach to identifying patients with the illness and ensuring that exposure is minimal for other patients and employees.

Diagnostic test, drive-through appointments

Stanford Health Care has set up a drive-through testing service, by appointment, for people with symptoms who have been referred by a primary care provider, Entwistle said.

The Food and Drug Administration-approved test was developed by a team led by Benjamin Pinsky, MD, PhD, associate professor of pathology and infectious diseases. It typically yields results within 24 hours. So far, it has been used to test hundreds of patients in the Bay Area, including at Stanford Health Care and other local health providers, Minor said. We hope to double that in the not-too-distant future, he added.

At-risk patients who arrive at Stanford Hospital are greeted by health care providers outfitted in protective gear, including masks, gowns and gloves, Blomkalns said. She added that a triage area has been set up outside the Marc and Laura Andreessen Emergency Department to quickly identify patients who may have the virus and then provide care for them away from highly-trafficked spaces.

Inside Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Stanford  both upgraded in the past two years  negative pressure rooms prevent the spread of airborne contaminants, Minor said. Were therefore prepared to protect our health care workforce from the spread of this virus, he said.

We have been working very hard

Maldonado, who specializes in infectious diseases, provided details and context about COVID-19, which was first identified in Wuhan, China, in January, as well as information about the national and global response to the pandemic.

We have been working very hard, not just at Stanford but around the country and around the world, to understand this epidemic, she said. We dont see any major surprises happening right now.

Maldonado said experts had predicted that cases would increase globally, but they do not believe the United States will experience a sudden spike. Instead, lower levels of disease are likely, differing by community. We have to really depend on our public health responses locally to be able to contain whats happening at the local level, she said.

The fatality rate for COVID-19 remains unclear because the epidemic is ongoing and the number of asymptomatic people is unknown, Maldonado said. However, she said, the rate is likely slightly higher than that of influenza.

Generally, people older than 60 are at the highest risk, and a diagnosis of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension or a respiratory condition makes them 2 to 5 times more vulnerable, she said.

Both the government and private sector are working on a vaccine, and the hope is that one will be available in the next year, Maldonado said. Additionally, an antiviral drug is being tested, and may be used for treatment for patients with cases that could be terminal.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include a cough, sore throat and fever as low as 100, progressing to shortness of breath in the most severe cases, Maldonado said.

She acknowledged a number of factors that remain unknown: whether the disease will taper off with warmer weather; whether it will return as a seasonal illness; and why children seem to be less susceptible to severe symptoms.

I am cautiously optimistic about the situation that we are facing right now, because I have a lot of faith in our population here, she said.

Guidance for employees

The leaders also provided guidance for employees on how to remain safe.

If you have fever or cough or any symptoms that you would suspect might be related to this virus, first of all, stay at home, King said. Second of all, wed ask you to seek out care from your personal physician, and to find out from that individual what is the best next step you should take in terms of caring for yourself.

Information technology teams are available to help employees with telecommuting, King said. He and Entwistle encouraged workers to speak with their supervisors about their needs for working remotely.

Minor said he was in close contact with other Stanford leaders and that the medical school would follow the universitys lead. Classes for pre-clinical students have been moved online, and guidelines are in place to protect medical students doing clinical rotations, he said. Laboratories continued to operate.

Minor encouraged the Stanford Medicine community to remain prudent in the face of the virus, and he and his colleagues praised the communitys determination and professionalism.

Its times like these that bring us together, King said, The only thing we know for sure, with 100% certainty, is that we dont know everything, and that what we do know will change in the next minute, in the next hour. The best thing that we can do is continue to lean on each other  to move forward in terms of having a smart response to this virus.

More information about the novel coronavirus can be found on Stanford Medicines COVID-19 webpage.
Student nurses on work placements across the country should be paid for helping to fight the coronavirus outbreak, according to a Fianna Fail TD in Kerry.

Norma Foley says she has been in contact with nurses on placement who say they are working the same hours as qualified staff but without pay.

Most colleges have deferred student placements but that is not the case for many trainee nurses.

Norma Foley says they should receive pay given the unique and dangerous nature of the current situation.

Medical staff across the country are working extremely hard and under pressurised situations during the on-going Covid-19 crisis.

"However, several student nurses have not had their placements suspended and are now working on the front line of this crisis.

Student placements in other disciplines in third level colleges have been suspended but this is not the case for many trainee nurses.

They are working in difficult situations without any pay and many have concerns about how they will pay their rents and bills.

"These trainees deserve to be paid like all other nurses during the Covid-19 period.

Medical staff on the front line are doing extraordinary work in hospitals across the country and they are to be commended for their dedication.

A recruitment drive is being launched today to bolster staff numbers in the HSE after it confirmed it expects up to 355 daily new cases from Sunday onwards.

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Three days before they are scheduled to be hanged, one of the convicts in the 2012 gangrape case has filed a petition in a Delhi court claiming he was not in the national capital on the day of the crime.

The petition has been moved by convict Mukesh Singhs lawyer ML Sharma seeking a stay on the execution scheduled for 5.30 am on March 20.

The court reserved its order on the petition. It is expected to pronounce the verdict later.

Also Watch | Delhi 2012 gangrape: Victims parents lawyer slams delay tactics by convicts

This comes a day after three of the four convicts approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a stay on the execution of their death sentence. The application before the ICJ has been filed by Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma.

The apex court had on Monday rejected the plea of Mukesh Singh, seeking restoration of all his legal remedies alleging that his earlier lawyers misled him.

The plea, filed through advocate ML Sharma, sought a CBI probe into alleged criminal conspiracy and fraud hatched by the Centre, the Delhi government and advocate Vrinda Grover, who is the amicus curiae in the case.

On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants - the fourth in the case - for March 20.

These men were convicted for gang-raping and savagely assaulting a 23-year-old woman paramedic student in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She succumbed to injuries on December 29 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore where she was taken for better medical treatment.

While one of the accused, Ram Singh had committed suicide in jail, a juvenile accused was released from a remand home after completion of his term.
The head of a hospital in the US state of Georgia has warned that supplies are running short after using five months worth of supplies in six days in the fight against coronavirus.

That comes amid growing concerns of equipment shortages in healthcare facilities across the US.

Phoebe Putney Health System CEO Scott Steiner told CNN that equipment at the healthcare providers flagship hospital in Albany, southwest Georgia, has been severely impacted by an increase in coronavirus cases.

The total number of recorded cases of Covid-19 in Georgia is now at 121. Of those, 65 patients are reported to be at the flagship Phoebe Putney hospital. At the same time, at least 115 others await test results.

According to the CNN report, Mr Putney believes that the Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia, has five more days worth of supplies despite being prepared with six months worth of equipment, such as protective gear, before the coronavirus epidemic.

We might have thought we were overprepared, said Mr Putney. But you just cant believe what we went through from a supply standpoint.

In comments reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (The AJC), the Phoebe Putney CEO said that the coronavirus outbreak cannot be compared to previous viruses such as SARS, swine flu, or Ebola.

He added: You can throw in SARS and H1N1 and Ebola. There was Hurricane Michael  that was a big deal. But the thing is, Hurricane Michael came and went, and then you kind of pick up the pieces. Were what, six days into this here. And it doesnt appear to be slowing. Is it only a matter of time till all others feel the same?

The healthcare provider has now turned to volunteers and donations, according to The AJC. That includes bleach supplied by chicken factories, and cardboard boxes provided by restaurants. Staff have also been identified who are able to sew masks if supplies run out.

On Monday, US Department of Health and Human Services officials confirmed to CNN that more supplies such as gloves, gowns and masks were needed whilst they worked on a solution to resolving a national shortage.

We have been transparent that more supplies are needed -- hence the request to Congress for additional funding so we could procure more and scale up production, an HHS spokesperson said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 11:33:06|Editor: Liu

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WELLINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Three new COVID-19 cases were reported in New Zealand on Tuesday, bringing the country's total number to 11.

Two of the new cases are in a Wellington family who recently returned from the United States, and the third case is a Dunedin man who had recently travelled to Germany, said the Ministry of Health's Director-General Ashley Bloomfield.

"All these cases are associated with overseas travel," Bloomfield said.

He said the two new Wellington cases are a man in his 30s and his father in his 70s. The son became unwell on the flight and his father was sick the following day. They have been quarantined and treated at home.
One person is dead and four more injured after a gunman opened fire on multiple people and police after a 'domestic incident'.

The shooter was arrested more than an hour after the incident, which unfolded on Cutler Drive in Wyong, on the New South Wales Central Coast.

At least five people were reportedly shot, including one fatally, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Among the injured are a woman who was shot in the back, 7News reported, and a police officer who was one of the first responders on the scene.

The officer was filmed being helped into the back of an ambulance as he limped and winced in pain, suffering from what appeared to be a severe leg wound.

He was reportedly injured as he attempted to retrieve a victim.

Police vans and cars were spotted at the bottom of Cutler Drive, in Wyong, on Tuesday

Cutler Drive was placed into lockdown on Tuesday night as dozens of police, firefighters and ambulance arrived on the scene.

Officers were called to a domestic incident about 6pm, when they were met with gunshots.

No shots had been fired since just before 7pm. The shooter was eventually arrested at 7.30pm, after a stand off which lasted more than an hour.

A spokeswoman for NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the shooter had been arrested, but stressed they are still urging people to avoid the area.

She said police do not believe there is an ongoing threat now that the shooter is in custody.

In footage taken near the address at the time, a bus was forced to reverse back down a street as police blocked all oncoming traffic.

Cutler Drive was placed into lockdown on Tuesday night as dozens of police, firefighters and ambulance arrived on the scene

One neighbour, dressed in a robe, told media he heard shots fired but knew nothing more of the unfolding situation.

'As far as I know they've got two on the ground down there... other than that all we hear is shots... Wyong mate.

'Probably a packet of toilet, sh*t paper.'

A sound similar to a gunshot was also recorded by a neighbour, who filmed emergency services as they responded to the incident.

One man who was nearby at the time of the incident said it 'sounded like a lot of gunshots'.

A spokesman for NSW Police confirmed an ongoing investigation is underway, and urged people to avoid the area
Federal officials have told doctors and health workers the nation's stockpile doesn't have enough basic medical equipment like masks and gowns to meet the expected crush of coronavirus cases.

The stark assessment, conveyed in a conference call Monday, comes as the Health Department has begun distributing supplies a national stockpile created for such health emergencies. But the administration is acknowledging the supply is 'finite' and sending the equipment out to priority areas and based on a population formula.

With a looming shortage of beds that public officials fear could fall well short of demand in an outbreak, the White House is even considering the use of hospital ships, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx said. The problem: the Navy only has two of them, and they can't get inland.

A nurse emerges from a tent with a kit to test for novel coronavirus COVID-19 at a drive through testing station for University of Washington Medical Center employees in Seattle, Washington, USA, 16 March 2020. The federal government is shipping equipment from a national stockpile to meet needs

'The president is considering all of the options. We're looking at hospital beds, ICU beds, informed by the data from Seattle and Santa Clara, and I just really want to thank the governors and the health commissioners from those states who are providing us the on-the-ground daily reports of hospital utilizations,' Birx told Fox News.

'There are multiple options in our reserve, including the V.A. Hospitals, Department of Defense medical treatment facilities and even hospital ships. There are a lot of things to consider and all of those things are on the table right now,' she said.

In New York state, 19 per cent of positive coronavirus cases are being hospitalized, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a televised briefing from Albany, in a state where cases continue to spike.

Adding to the need are infections that have been identified among medical professionals serving on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House is considering using hospital ships to meet demand, says coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx

Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, enters a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital to test patients who have symptoms of the coronavirus, Friday, March 13, 2020, in Lewiston, Maine. U.S. hospitals are setting up circus-like triage tents, calling doctors out of retirement, guarding their supplies of face masks and making plans to cancel elective surgery as they brace for an expected onslaught of coronavirus patients

In a Friday, March 13, 2020 file photo, Steve Moody, director of nursing at Central Maine Medical Center, mops the floor of a tent outside the emergency entrance to the hospital where patients are tested for of the coronavirus, in Lewiston, Maine

An auxiliary tent stands outside the entrance to the emergency department at EvergreenHealth Medical Center, where an emergency department doctor is reportedly in critical condition with coronavirus (COVID-19) according to local media, in Kirkland, Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020

'It is essential that the federal govt works with this state and that this state works with the federal government. We cannot do this on our own,' he said.

On Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar refused to say how many ventilators the government had and now many were projected to be needed, calling it a 'national security issue.' The following day, the administration announced recommendations that Americans not gather in groups of more than ten people and stick to their homes.

HHS officials communicated the information to medical professionals in a conference call Monday, CNN reported, and said the nation's stockpile was insufficient to meet needs. The representatives from the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Reponses said the government had not yet identified a solution.

Congress is trying to deal with the problem with new purchases, but it is not yet clear how quickly it will be possible to get equipment online.

According to a statement released by HHS Tuesday, 'Because of the finite supply of PPE in the commercial supply chain, delivery of products from the SNS is prioritized based on need.'

Equipment goes out to all 50 states, 8 territories, plus urban areas including Chicago, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

'The distribution is based on a pro-rata formula that is proportionate to the population size of each jurisdiction based on 2010 U.S. Census data. For areas facing high transmission rates, additional allocations are available,' according to the agency.
Tonight on Foreign Correspondent, Emma Alberici braves a no-mans land near Naples to report on a ruthless new crime group thats moving in on the local mafia.

When you enter the organisation, you cannot get out other than by death. Italys top mafia investigator

The mafia is one of Italys most famous international business brands, with an estimated annual turnover of $250 billion a year. But its market share is being challenged by a group of ruthless new players.

Foreign Correspondents Emma Alberici investigates the growing power of Nigerian organised crime in the birthplace of the Italian mafia.

The director of Italys anti-mafia agency says Nigerian crime is highly structures and dangerous:

It has many similar traits to Italian mafia  its oaths, its sense of belonging, the capacity to coerce, the code of silenceeven the local mafia fear them.

Specialists in trafficking humans for sexual slavery and drug running, the Nigerians are now being allowed to run their operations in return for giving the Italian mafia a cut.

A former prostitute, trafficked from Nigeria, tells us: Theres no pity. If you misbehaveor you cant continue anymore, they will bring their gun and shoot you.

We investigate the two main hubs for Nigerian organised crime in Italy.

North of Naples, Alberici visits Castel Volturno, an almost lawless coastal town, abandoned by the local Camorra Mafia and by the state. Here, the Nigerian Mafia is left alone to use this once Mafioso Riviera as a hub for its European operations.

In Sicily, the mafias birthplace, we go undercover to expose prostitution and drug houses and catch up with the man named by investigators as one of the Nigerian Mafias kingpins.

At a secret location, we speak to Roberto Saviano, one of the worlds most famous mafia whistle-blowers. He lost his freedom 13 years ago after revealing the sordid workings of the Camorra mafia in Naples.

Now living under permanent police guard, Saviano explains the role Nigerian organised crime plays in Italys homegrown mafia.

To stay silent, he says, is to be complicit.

Tuesday 17 March at 8pm on ABC.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has told a federal high court in Asaba, Delta state, that Anthony Okolie, who was detained for using the former phone line of President Muhammadu Buharis daughter, Hanan, threatened national security.

The DSS arrested Okolie, in Asaba in July 2019 and was held for 10 weeks by the agency.

Okolie, after his release, sued the DSS, MTN and Hanan Buhari for violating his fundamental human rights, and demanded compensation of N500 million.

At the resumed court session on Thursday, March 12, E. E Daubry, the DSS counsel, asked the court to uphold Okolies detention because the matter is not expected to be brought to court.

He said, The first family is being investigated and that is a national security issue and this representation and misrepresentation were made to people within and outside Nigeria and that warranted a long investigation, his phone had to be analysed. 

Read Also: Hanan Buhari: I Didnt Ask DSS To Arrest Man Using Phone Line I Previously Owned

And My Lord, the DSS in performing its responsibility can meet with other agencies because there are other strategic government agencies. My Lord, we have deposed to the fact that classified issues arose in the course of that investigation that made the DSS say no, we cannot go to court with this.

We cant take the applicant to court, cannot file charges. The law requires that if they are staying beyond 48 hours, there must be reasonable circumstances that warrant that. And in this case, we are saying the national security issues that underpin the investigations cannot be revealed to third parties. Now, my lord, if we file under the ACJA that we need an order to keep him in SSS custody, it will mean filing at the registry. Between the registry and when it will be convenient for my lord to hear the application, the information is divulged.

We urge this court to dismiss this suit with what I call leg-breaking cost.

However, Tope Akinyode, Okolies lawyer, prayed the court to dismiss the submissions of the DSS.

He said: The applicant was detained for a period of 10 weeks, 10 weeks my lord. I have read all the provisions of the constitution from the beginning to the end and I have never seen an allowance of such under the law. We ordinarily do not need to labour ourselves. it is a clear violation of the applicants human rights.

Akinyode added that MTN should have demanded a court order before disclosing details of his client to the DSS.

The matter has been adjourned till April 1 for judgment.
Napa Valley College President Ron Kraft had great news for St. Helena.

The college was in a position to entertain a long-term lease (20 plus years) for a portion or all of the Upper Valley Campus, Kraft told City Manager Mark Prestwich in an email on Dec. 19.

The timing couldnt have been better. In a remarkable coincidence, St. Helenas aging City Hall had sustained heavy smoke damage the night before as a result of a malfunctioning HVAC unit. City staff needed a new home right away.

Yet weeks later, both sides announced they were breaking off talks because the college wasnt willing to offer a lease of at least three to four years.

Internal emails and text messages released by the city and the college in response to the St. Helena Stars Public Records Act requests shed light on how the talks commenced and abruptly fell apart.

Kraft couldnt be reached for comment on this story. Prestwich declined to comment.

Krafts Dec. 19 email to Prestwich came two days after a meeting hosted by St. Helena Unified School District Superintendent Marylou Wilson. The so-called Monrovia Meetings offer a chance for regional organizations to compare notes on various issues.

Prestwich gave an update on St. Helenas City Hall situation, and Kraft gave an update on the Upper Valley Campus on College Avenue. Given the citys plans to replace City Hall, Dr. Kraft indicated it would be an interesting time to talk, Prestwich told the City Council in an email.

The next evening, St. Helenas City Hall was knocked out of commission. Kraft apparently hadnt heard the news when he emailed Prestwich with the outline of a deal: A long-term lease of 20-plus years, the use of some or all of the campus, at a cost of $2 per square foot, with the city paying for tenant improvements.

Kraft attached a space inventory, maps and an electrical site plan.

Prestwich asked how soon the building could be available. Kraft replied Monday before apologizing a few hours later for his brief flip first response and saying the deal could move forward this spring semester  with occupancy after your (tenant improvements) early summer or late spring.

Prestwich promised to be in touch and informed Kraft of the smoke damage that had occurred the night before.

Kraft said he was sorry to hear this. Perhaps the timing is right for our conversation and partnership.

A very synergistic partnership

Kraft, Prestwich, Mayor Geoff Ellsworth, Vice Mayor Paul Dohring and several city staff members talked on the phone and toured the campus on Dec. 27. Prestwich emailed the full council that afternoon and said the campus would be easily configurable for City Hall operations and allow the city to co-locate City Hall, Public Works and Parks staff in the same building.

Prestwich told the council there was interest on NVCs part to entertain a possible short-term lease (3-5 years). Its not clear whether the full council already knew about Krafts initial offer of a long-term lease. Three to five years would have at least given the city enough time to plan and build a permanent City Hall.

Hours later, Kraft briefed college trustees Rosaura Segura, Michael Baldini and Rafael Rios on the days events, saying the two sides had discussed in broad terms the citys possible leasing of a major portion of the UVC.

Kraft said the college could well retain the cooking school areas for events, cooking classes, wine bar/tasting operations, catering and training, etc. He called the deal a very synergistic partnership providing both the upper valley with continued college presence, a better (closer) connection with the city and the community, and highlight several of our high profile programs.

Likely a 3-5 lease with renewable periods if the partnership between us is good, Kraft told the trustees, telling them to expect a presentation at the Jan. 16 board meeting.

Rios replied on Dec. 30. He told Kraft the college should explore this option with the city given the drop-off in college programming, the potential to increase district income/reduce cost, and I think its a better option than selling the property.

Baldini replied the same day, thanking Kraft for his efforts and asking for further details about whether the city would cover maintenance, utilities and insurance costs.

We are their only option, Baldini wrote.

Kraft also updated the vacationing Robert Parker, the colleges assistant superintendent/vice president, administrative services. He said Prestwich wanted some term sheets (Or such) to present to the council later that week.

Its moving faster than our processes can handle but likely a 3-5 (4 year?) lease, a 2-2.70 sq ft, Kraft wrote. Theyd want 8k or so leaving the kitchen and big classroom open for our offerings. This plan would eliminate (Festival Napa Valley) but that is a longer shot  

Parker agreed that the city lease would be a better alternative than Festival Napa Valley and, as we discussed, a better option politically. He said the two sides would have to work out the details of who would pay for groundskeeping, utilities and maintenance.

We would also need to ensure that we have done everything we need to do (Board resolutions, etc.) to allow us to enter into an agreement with the city.

Opposition arises

On Dec. 31, Kraft briefed his entire board on the talks, saying he was concerned about the inefficient and ineffective use of resources at the campus, which cost close to $900,000 a year to staff and operate. He noted that the college had shut down the campus professional chef program due to a lack of enrollment.

Kraft called the city a politically/educationally/culturally important partner that could help the college alleviate some of its upkeep costs, redeploy assets to the main campus, and still maintain a level of education and training at the Upper Valley Campus.

Meanwhile, the news was going public. Prestwich informed the Star of the talks on Dec. 30. An article appeared on the Star website hours later and in the Napa Valley Register on Jan. 1.

Prestwich didnt tell the Star how much the college was going to charge, but he said the college was asking half as much as the asking price at the former St. Helena Catholic School.

On Jan. 2, Trustee Jeff Dodd told Kraft he was wary of proceeding so quickly without due diligence on long-term planning for how the Upper Valley Campus can better support our students.

I am also concerned about our fiduciary duties, he added. Market rate for office space in St. Helena is well over $4, so what St. Helena Catholic was asking for was fair and reasonable. But, the college (a superior space) would provide at least a 50% discount from fair market value.

If there was a more synergistic user that supported our students, I could appreciate such a heavy subsidy. But, I dont see how a city would better our students relative to any other entity that is outside of the education sector.

Grave concerns

Skepticism was also coming from outside the college. Diane Carey Woodruff, a former NVC president, wrote a long letter questioning whether the lease would undercut Napa Valley Colleges primary educational mission.

Bonnie Thoreen, a St. Helena resident and former dean of the UVC, said she had grave concerns about the ramifications of a lease. She said the campus has declined because of a lack of leadership and support, not because the need is no longer there.

The 3-5 year hiatus of the offerings will destroy what has been built over the past 20+ years, she told Kraft and college trustees.

On Jan. 5, Board President Rosaura Segura told Kraft she was getting slack from my St. Helena constituents and planning to meet with a few of them.

Most people in the upper valley are simply not reading the story, Kraft replied. Several old former employees have also weighed in and (created) more misinformation. Rumor control will be major when you return.

On Jan. 6, the City Council spoke in favor of a potential lease and entered closed session to discuss terms. Meanwhile, Kraft informed Prestwich of the almost hysterical level of concern from St. Helena residents, college folks, and former staff who have read the paper and oppose any lease.

On Jan. 7, Kraft told the Star that all scheduled classes and activities at the Upper Valley Campus would be moving ahead in the spring semester. He said a mostly unused portion of the campus could be available to the city for a lease of less than 36 months, but anything longer than that would be much more difficult for the board and me to lean into.

Kraft said there hadnt been any formal talks, and the college still planned to transform the Upper Valley Campus into an event and hospitality center.

The city as a neutral third party decided to move forward with an unsolicited conversation, Kraft told the Star. Theres no negotiation because theres not even an official inquiry yet. The city hasnt done anything except decide that they want to approach the college.

Kraft also downplayed the price Prestwich had alluded to, saying hed told Prestwich the college typically leases space from $2 a square foot up.

Whether we land on $2 or $3 or $4 or whatever  that would all be negotiation in the future, Kraft told the Star.

Robustly challenged

On Jan. 10, Kraft told Prestwich the publicity hasnt done the College much good.

I know for a fact that two likely three or more of our trustees are not wanting to move forward in a rushed fashion, Kraft wrote in a text message.

All in all what I had considered to be a synergistic use and potentially a wonderful plan as NVC developed our vision of the hospitality center, is being robustly challenged by a group of former college employees, a group of Saint Helena citizens, and some major politicos, Kraft wrote.

Any February possibility is now out, he told Prestwich. And the best we might do is March or April for a rental of no more than one or two years.

Prestwich replied that one to two years was too short given the costs to move and the fact that we have other options.

He suggested canceling a previously scheduled phone call and issuing a joint statement explaining why the talks were not moving ahead.

The resulting statement, released Jan. 15, said the two sides hadnt been able to reach an agreement about the term of the lease. Before it was released, the college changed the word negotiations to initial conversations.

With the college lease off the table, city staff have moved into a temporary City Hall at 1572 Railroad Ave., and they might stay there until a new City Hall is built.

At the Jan. 17 council meeting, Councilmember David Knudsen spoke hopefully of reviving talks with the college. Other councilmembers were less optimistic.

I dont get the sense that they really want us there, frankly, said Vice Mayor Paul Dohring.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- African Gold Group, Inc. (TSX-V: AGG) (AGG or the Company) is pleased to provide an update from the Company's Kobada Gold Project located in southern Mali, including additional high grade intercepts in the northern extension of the main shear zone.

Highlights Include (Table 1):

High grade intersections located outside of the known mineralization, highlight the expansion potential at Kobada

The Company is targeting to release an updated mineral resource statement in the coming weeks

Drill hole KB19_P2_22 returned 3.59g/t Au over 9.80 metres (m) including 30g/t over 1.10m

Drill hole KB19_P2_23 returned 5.33g/t Au over 3.20m, 21.60g/t Au over 1.0m, 15.70g/t Au over 1.2m and 11.00g/t Au over 1.04m

Drill hole KB19_P2_26 returned 1.64g/t Au over 2.16m and 6.20g/t over 1.40m

Drill hole KB19_P2_27 returned 3.63g/t Au over 1.0m

Yet again we have exceeded expectations by repeatedly intersecting grades above 30g/t, says Dr. Andreas Rompel, Vice President Exploration, and we have confirmed our interpretation that the mineralization extends further north. We are excited to further explore the mineralization of this northern extension of the yet open-ended Kobada shear zone.

The Kobada Gold Project is a fully licensed and permitted advanced development project located in the prolific Birimian Greenstone belt in Southern Mali. The Company is working towards delivering the definitive feasibility study (the DFS) in Q2 2020 as a part of the final process before commencement of construction.

Following on from the previously reported drill holes of the Phase 2 drilling program, the next batch of assay results received from SGS laboratory in Bamako continue to demonstrate the large extent of the mineralization along strike and down dip along the highly prolific and auriferous Kobada shear zone. Results from the Phase 2 drilling program will be incorporated into an updated mineral resource statement targeted to be released within the next few weeks.

To date, the Company has not discovered the northern end of mineralization. Furthermore, AGG intends to step away from the Kobada Shear to test the neighbouring and parallel striking Gosso Shear, which has been exposed by shallow artisanal mining.

Drill hole 22 is part of the Section Line 10 (Figure 2) and drill hole 23 is part of Section Line 11.

Figures 2 and 3 show that the drill holes are stepping out of the existing main shear zone testing the width of the mineralized zone and progressing further northwards.

The Company is targeting only oxides that extend to an average depth of 150m.

Figure 1: Kobada exploration targets with Phase 1 and Phase 2 section lines is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b1d124a-e399-409d-a292-93e72af6fb48

Mineralized Zone Includes BHID Ore Body From To Composite Length (m) Composite Grade (g/t) From To Includes (m) Includes (g/t) KB19_P2_22 Main Shear North 5.50 15.30 9.80 3.59 5.50 6.60 1.10 30.00 KB19_P2_23 Main Shear North 26.20 193.20 167.00 0.90 48.20 51.40 3.20 5.33 54.80 55.80 1.00 21.60 95.00 96.20 1.20 15.70 153.76 154.80 1.04 11.00 KB19_P2_26 Main Shear North 93.30 95.46 2.16 1.64 116.50 117.90 1.40 6.20 KB19_P2_27 Main Shear North 121.40 122.40 1.00 3.63

Table 1: Highlights



Figure 2: Section showing the drill holes KB19_P2_19, 20, 21 and 22 (blue) intersecting the mineralized Kobada Shear Zone (orange and red) is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b32ae74-5601-4a85-a457-d6a4db31bf57

Figure 3: Drill hole locations and section lines in the central, southern and northern part of the Kobada Main Shear Zone is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b1fd697-3df3-48c1-bbbd-177ef3005dd8

Closing of First Tranche of Private Placement



The Company is pleased to announce that it has closed its first tranche of a previously announced non-brokered private placement financing of common shares (the Offering) for gross proceeds of C$250,000.00 (the First Tranche).

Pursuant to the First Tranche, the Company issued 1,250,000 units of the Company (each a Unit and collectively, the Units) at a price of C$0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$250,000.00. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one half of a common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of C$0.25 per Common Share until March 17, 2022.

In connection with the closing of the First Tranche, the Company has paid aggregate finders fees of $12,500.00 in cash. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the First Tranche for the advancement of the Kobada Gold Project and for general corporate purposes.

The securities offered under the Offering have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed, prepared and approved by Dr. Andreas Rompel, PhD, Pr. Sci. Nat. (400274/04), FSAIMM, Vice President Exploration of AGG, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and by Mr. Uwe Engelmann (BSc (Zoo. & Bot.), BSc Hons (Geol.), Pr.Sci.Nat. No. 400058/08, MGSSA), a director of Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions.

About African Gold Group

African Gold Group is a Canadian listed exploration and development company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: AGG) with its focus on developing a gold platform in West Africa. Its principal asset is the Kobada Project in southern Mali. For more information regarding African Gold Group visit our website at www.africangoldgroup.com .

For further information please contact:

Daniyal Baizak

VP Corporate Development

(416) 861 2966

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, managements, the Companys development and exploration plans for the Kobada Gold Project, expectation of grade and resources at the Kobada Gold Project, the timeline for delivery of the DFS , completion of metallurgical testwork, progress of the Phase 2 drilling campaign and the updated resource-reserve model, expectations for mineralization and location of extensions at the Kobada Gold Project and expected mining methods at the Kobada Gold Project, the intended use of proceeds and other matters relating to the Offering and the closing of the First Tranche and other statements with respect to the future plans or intentions of the Company. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", aims, "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration activities; regulatory risks; risks inherent in foreign operations; and other risks of the mining industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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.

Table 2: Assay results from the main mineralized zone (reported length measured along the holes)

Mineralized Zone Includes BHID Ore Body From To Composite Length (m) Composite Grade (g/t) From To Includes (m) Includes (g/t) KB19_P2_22 Main Shear North 5.50 15.30 9.80 3.59 5.50 6.60 1.10 30.00 KB19_P2_23 Main Shear North 26.20 193.20 167.00 0.90 48.20 51.40 3.20 5.33 54.80 55.80 1.00 21.60 59.00 60.00 1.00 1.71 95.00 96.20 1.20 15.70 98.00 99.40 1.40 1.17 105.00 108.00 3.00 1.39 115.20 117.60 2.40 1.77 120.27 121.27 1.00 1.77 139.60 141.00 1.40 1.42 146.00 147.40 1.40 1.12 153.76 154.80 1.04 11.00 156.10 157.60 1.50 4.16 158.60 161.24 2.64 1.14 176.00 178.50 2.50 1.48 183.50 187.50 4.00 1.52 190.00 193.20 3.20 3.36 201.50 204.00 2.50 0.35 227.50 228.50 1.00 0.45 234.20 235.40 1.20 0.39 239.00 240.00 1.00 0.74 KB19_P2_26 Main Shear North 93.30 95.46 2.16 1.64 116.50 117.90 1.40 6.20 KB19_P2_27 Main Shear North 0.00 14.50 14.50 0.31 30.00 32.00 2.00 0.45 88.00 97.50 9.50 0.25 110.00 113.90 3.90 0.77 112.50 113.90 1.40 1.54 121.40 122.40 1.00 3.63 141.70 157.30 15.60 0.44 141.70 142.90 1.20 2.85 153.00 154.10 1.10 1.03 169.00 170.00 1.00 1.04 196.60 217.70 21.10 0.86 199.00 202.70 3.70 1.45 207.20 215.20 8.00 1.31

Cumulative Mineralization Widths

BHID Cumulative Mineralization Width (m) Mean Grade (g/t) KB19_P2_22 9.80 3.59 KB19_P2_23 172.70 0.88 KB19_P2_26 3.56 3.44

Significant Intersections (Above 1 g/t)
The Queensland coroner late last month brought down a 279-page report on the tragic incident at Dreamworld theme park on October 25, 2016 that resulted in the deaths of four people. The document is a scathing indictment of the parks operators Ardent Leisure and its board of management.

On the fatal day Roozbeh Araghi, 38, Luke Dorsett, 35, Kate Goodchild, 32, and Cindy Low, 42, were killed at the Gold Coast theme park when one of the two water pumps on the 30-year-old Thunder River Rapids ride (TRR) seriously malfunctioned. This produced a dramatic fall in the water level, causing two rafts to collide and flip over. Two children on the capsized raft were flung off and scrambled to safety but the four adults were crushed to death on the rides conveyor ramp. The ride was dismantled after the tragedy.

Categorically stating to a packed Brisbane Magistrates Court that Ardent Leisure was responsible for total and systemic safety failures that had produced the fatal incident, Coroner James McDougall declared that the company had a culpable culture from the board down.

McDougalls damning conclusions were based on the extensive evidence gathered in a nearly three-and-a-half year investigation. The coroner declared the tragedy was avoidable. He referred to a litany of safety failures on the TRR ride over the period of its 30 years of operation. McDougall noted that there had been no proper safety assessment of the ride by a qualified engineer since it opened in 1987, or of ad hoc modifications made during its lifetime.

McDougall said that managers of the theme park had ignored previous safety incidents associated with the TRR ride. I am satisfied that Dreamworld knew of their shortcomings but chose not to do anything about it, he stated. Clearly the risk of the rafts colliding was known to Dreamworld. The hazard and risks that caused the rafts to flip should have been identified by a qualified person. Unfortunately, Dreamworld never engaged such a person and the risks were never mitigated.

Evidence showed that the TRR ride had broken down five times in the seven days prior to the fatal incident. There were three serious faults on the day of the accident that should have led to the ride being immediately shut down.

This information caused McDougall to declare that he found it difficult to believe that safety action was not taken by the management. Those breakdowns, however, were not the exception but rather the rule in the history of the ride. It had experienced a string of serious incidents since its inception, including in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2014.

The systemic safety failures uncovered by the investigation included inadequate training for staff, poor emergency and safety procedures, and piecemeal engineering modifications undertaken without risk assessment.

Determined to maximise profits, senior management had reduced safety and maintenance jobs at Dreamworld to a bare minimum and had directed all staffoperators, maintenance workers and supervisors aliketo keep the rides going at all costs.

The tragedy, in other words, stemmed from the subordination of safety to the profit interests of the operators. An email summary of minutes from a March 2016 meeting showed that management had ordered immediate cutbacks on repairs and maintenance expenditure because Dreamworld was $125,000 over budget on a year-to-date basis.

McDougall also pointed to expert evidence that showed the very design and construction of the ride posed a significant risk to the health and safety of patrons. The ride, which was supposed to be a low risk experience catering for people as young as three years old, was designed to simulate white water rafting for six persons within each circular raft.

Under the conveyor belt, in a separate confined enclosure, were two water pumps designated north and south due to their positioning. While there were separate buttons to stop and start the pumps on the main control panel, there was no emergency stop for the south pump, or one that stopped both pumps simultaneously.

There was no formal water marker in the trough where rafts were loaded and unloaded. Rather, operators were required to measure the water level by reference to a scum mark on the wall of the trough, which was made from years of the ride operating, the coroner said. It is clear the failure of the south pump was to blame for the disaster, he stated.

Evidence given during the coronial inquiry included that of a young operator who said she was given only 90 minutes training before her first day running the ride. She stated that she did not know that the emergency button could quickly stop the conveyor belt.

McDougall noted a series of safety changes belatedly introduced by management after the deaths, including the audit and inspection of the amusement devices by qualified engineering firms. He remarked that though positive, they served to highlight how rudimentary and deficient the safety management practices in place at Dreamworld were prior to this tragedy.

McDougall concluded that, given the multiple systemic safety issues, it was simply a matter of time before a fatal incident occurred. He said that the risk that was posed would have been easily identifiable to a competent person, had one ever been commissioned to conduct risk or hazard assessments of the ride. He also declared he reasonably suspected Ardent had committed a workplace offence and confirmed he had referred his findings to the Queensland office of industrial relations to consider a prosecution.

However, even if such a prosecution were instigated and was successful, Ardent, a multi-million dollar company, could be fined no more than $3 millionthe maximum penalty that can be imposed for a serious Workplace Health and Safety breach in Queensland. Corporate manslaughter prosecutions cannot be brought against Ardent Leisure directors and management as the relevant laws are limited to culpability for employee deaths only.

Anxious to bring the issue to a close, Queensland Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the coroners findings would allow family members, and those affected by the tragedy, to finally find closure. Her real concern is not for the victims but to ensure that the states tourist trade is not further impacted.

For the year ending 25 June 2019, Ardents theme business, consisting of Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and SkyPoint, reported revenue of $67.1 million, up 0.5 percent on 2017-18.

In a statement last week, the CEO of the companys Theme Parks division John Osborne and Ardents chairman of the board Dr Gary Weiss, declared that safety was their number one priority. The new leadership team, they declared, is committed to continuing to improve and enhance safety systems and practices.

One issue that was not probed in the hearings was the role of the trade unions. As the WSWS noted in 2016, the Australian Workers Union (AWU) covered the Dreamworld site. A number of its staff were members. After the tragedy, the AWU claimed to have warned management about a number of safety issues. The union, however, had issued no public statements and had worked to ensure that the theme park operated as per normal despite the grave dangers.

This was a graphic expression of the function of all of the unions, as an industrial police force of governments and the employers committed to the defence of corporate profits, including through the suppression of anger and concern among workers over the gutting of safety measures.
A. American Samoa when I was two, but I've only heard about it. I don't have any memories from that trip, which is kind of heartbreaking, because it's the only South Pacific island I've been to and I'd love to go back. The first trip I really remember well was Wales. My parents were on sabbatical, so we lived there for a while when I was eight. I went to school there for a bit. They really didn't like Americans at the time, so the start was rocky. I got the feeding-the-sheep-in-the-rain chore. But for a girl from Hawaii, sheep were exotic and the Welsh countryside felt like Middle Earth. I guess over time, the kids just got used to me. Before long, I had sleepovers and friends and it broke my heart to leave. The village where we lived was small and felt medieval to me at that age. To do the shopping, you went to the butcher, then the baker and then probably the candlestick maker. I can't remember the name of the place, but it's got a real spot in my heart.
In January 2020, Ukraine exported goods for a total sum of $4.2 billion, exceeding imports over this month by $138.1 million, according to the State Statistics Service.

"In January 2020, exports of goods amounted to $4,156.7 million, or 102.3% compared to January 2019, imports made up $4,018.6 million, or 98.6%. The positive balance was $138.1 million (the negative balance was $15.9 million in January 2019), reads the report.

Foreign trade operations were carried out with partners from 197 countries.

Ukraine exported the largest volumes of goods to China (for almost $448.4 million; an increase of 178.7% from the relevant period in 2019), Turkey ($283.1 million; an increase of 38.9%) and Poland ($269.9 million; an increase of 1.5%).

Among the top exported goods were grains (for $952.4 million, up 21.9%), ferrous metals ($713.3 million, down 27.2%), fats and oils ($454.0 million, up 29.5%).

Over the reporting month, the largest amount of goods imported to Ukraine came from China (for about $650.4 million; up 5.6% from January 2019), the Russian Federation ($418.3 million; up 31.1%) and Germany ($395.7 million, up 16.1%).

The main commodity positions of Ukrainian imports included machinery and equipment (for $801.8 million, up 2.1%), mineral fuels, oil and products of its distillation (for $748.5 million, down 15.3%), chemical and related industries (for about $519.8 million, down 4.9%).

As Ukrinform reported, Ukrainian exports of goods totaled $50.06 billion in 2019, up 5.8% compared with 2018; Ukrainian imports reached $60.78 billion, up 6.3%.

iy
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A joint paper published in Nature Machine Intelligence, researchers from Intel Labs and Cornell University demonstrated the ability of Intels neuromorphic research chip, Loihi, to learn and recognize hazardous chemicals in the presence of significant noise and occlusion.

Nabil Imam, a senior research scientist in Intel Labs neuromorphic computing group, works with olfactory neurophysiologists at Cornell University. My friends at Cornell study the biological olfactory system in animals and measure the electrical activity in their brains as they smell odors, explains Imam, who has a doctorate in neuromorphic computing. On the basis of these circuit diagrams and electrical pulses, we derived a set of algorithms and configured them on neuromorphic silicon, specifically our Loihi test chip. Loihi is Intels neuromorphic computing chip that applies the principles of computation found in biological brains to computer architectures.

With researchers guidance, Loihi rapidly learned neural representations of 10 different odors.

If you pick up a grapefruit and take a whiff, that fruits molecules stimulate olfactory cells in your nose (the word olfactory originates from Latins olfactare, which means to smell). The cells in your nose immediately send signals to your brains olfactory system where electrical pulses within an interconnected group of neurons generate a smells sensation. Whether youre smelling a grapefruit, a rose or a noxious gas, networks of neurons in your brain create sensations specific to the object. Similarly, your senses of sight and sound, your recall of memory, your emotions, your decision-making each have individual neural networks that compute in particular ways.

Imam and team took a dataset consisting of the activity of 72 chemical sensors in response to 10 gaseous substances (odors) circulating within a wind tunnel. The sensors responses to the individual scents were transmitted to Loihi where silicon circuits mimicked the circuitry of the brain underlying the sense of smell. The chip rapidly learned neural representations of each of the 10 smells, including acetone, ammonia and methane, and identified them even in the presence of strong background interferents. Your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at home use sensors to detect odors but they cannot distinguish between them; they beep when they detect harmful molecules in the air but are unable to categorize them in intelligent ways.

Imam says the chemical-sensing community for years has looked for smart, reliable and fast-responding chemosensory processing systems, otherwise called electronic nose systems. He sees the potential of robots equipped with neuromorphic chips for environmental monitoring and hazardous materials detection, or for quality control chores in factories. They could be used for medical diagnoses where some diseases emit particular odors. Another example has neuromorphic-equipped robots better identifying hazardous substances in airport security lines.

My next step, Imam says, is to generalize this approach to a wider range of problems  from sensory scene analysis (understanding the relationships between objects you observe) to abstract problems like planning and decision-making. Understanding how the brains neural circuits solve these complex computational problems will provide important clues for designing efficient and robust machine intelligence.

However, there are challenges in olfactory sensing, Imam says. When you walk into a grocery, you might smell a strawberry, but its smell might be similar to that of a blueberry or a banana, which induce very similar neural activity patterns in the brain. Sometimes its even hard for humans to distinguish between one fruit from a blend of scents. Systems might get tripped up when they smell a strawberry from Italy and one from California, which might have different aromas, yet need to be grouped into a common category. These are challenges in olfactory signal recognition that were working on and that we hope to solve in the next couple of years before this becomes a product that can solve real-world problems beyond the experimental ones we have demonstrated in the lab, Imam says. His work, he contends, is a prime example of contemporary research taking place at the crossroads of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.






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San Francisco is going the way of Italy with its coronavirus safety measures -- the Mayor's instituting around-the-clock curfew, banning almost everyone from leaving their homes. Mayor London Breed announced what she calls a "defining moment" in U.S. response to the pandemic. Beginning at 12 AM, all residents within the city can only leave home for doctor's appointments or runs to the grocery store.
Technavio has been monitoring the plant-based protein products market and it is poised to grow by USD 5.67 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 9% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200316005584/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Plant Based Protein Products Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. The expanding global vegan population base will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Expanding global vegan population base has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Plant Based Protein Products Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Plant Based Protein Products Market is segmented as below:

Product

Soy Protein

Wheat Protein

Pea Protein

Others

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30182

Plant Based Protein Products Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our plant based protein products market report covers the following areas:

Plant Based Protein Products Market Size

Plant Based Protein Products Market Trends

Plant Based Protein Products Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increasing health consciousness as one of the prime reasons driving the plant-based protein products market growth during the next few years.

Plant Based Protein Products Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the plant based protein products market, including some of the vendors such as Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, DowDuPont, Kerry Group and Omega Protein Corporation. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the plant based protein products market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Plant Based Protein Products Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist plant-based protein products market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the plant-based protein products market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the plant-based protein products market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of plant-based protein products market vendors

Table of Content:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

Soy protein Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Wheat protein Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Pea protein Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Cargill

DowDuPont

Kerry Group

Omega Protein Corporation

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Canadians have been divided on the idea of closing off the border, suggests a new survey that has also found what the pollster calls a warning sign about xenophobia in this country amid the escalating COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey commissioned and released by the Association for Canadian Studies on Tuesday showed 49 per cent of respondents agreed Ottawa should shut down the border to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus  with women more likely than men to say that they were in favour of the move.

The poll of 1,479 Canadians across the country was conducted last week, just before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans Monday to bar anyone from entering Canada except Canadian citizens, permanent residents and Americans.

"It was conducted before the restrictions on international travel and border closing were introduced. Depending on the number of new cases in the coming days, we will see how the debates evolve about stricter measures with our neighbour (to the south)," Jack Jedwab, president of the association, told the Star.

The survey also revealed some Canadians' fear of people from Asia and Iran in the wake of the health crisis, a warning sign of heightened xenophobia in Canada, said Jedwab.

Almost a third of respondents said they were very worried or somewhat worried about coming into contact with Asians or Iranians due to the outbreak that first emerged in China in December and spread quickly to Korea and Japan, as well as to Iran.

"Canadians share a spectrum of fear, and their fear is going to magnify with the news, Jedwab said. We have to be mindful of the growing xenophobia in the country. It's a warning sign for all of us."

While both males and females were equally fearful of exposure to people with that heritage, respondents age 35 and above were more likely to be worried about interacting with Asians and Iranians than those between 18 and 34.

The survey was conducted via web panel by the firm Leger Marketing and has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Read more about:
China, South Korea, and Israel are using highly personalized location data to contain the spread of coronavirus. They're using sweeping surveillance powers to trace the precise movements of people infected with the virus and alert people of new cases near them.

But while these tools may be effective at curtailing the spread, they raise significant privacy concerns. Some privacy advocates are concerned that the rapid spread of the pandemic might prompt U.S. policymakers to consider ramping up their surveillance tactics, too.

They see parallels between the fear surrounding today's public health emergency and the mood following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, when lawmakers broadly expanded the federal government's surveillance powers to combat terrorism.

"Part of what scares me most as a civil rights attorney is that these moments of crisis are when norms can really be reshaped," said Albert Fox Cahn, the founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center.

"The lesson of 9/11, the lesson of so many other crises, is that it is very easy to roll back democracy and it is very hard to win it back," said Fox Cahn, a fellow at New York University law school. "So I am very concerned that we could go down that path because so many people are sincerely scared."

Other countries - where the norms and laws around surveillance are different from the United States - already proved more willing to forgo such concerns about individual rights. The New York Times reported yesterday that Israel moved to tap a secret database of cellphone data to trace the movements of people who contracted covid-19 and identify others who might have interacted with them. South Korea has been sending citizens cellphone alerts when a case of coronavirus is confirmed near them - often with very specific details about the infected person that could compromise their privacy. And China has enacted the most draconian measures, using its sophisticated facial recognition and data from mobile carriers to track down people who slipped lockdowns.

So far, U.S. policymakers are largely not talking about taking similar steps. Unlike in other countries that regularly use location data for other purposes - or can easily tap into state-run mobile carriers -- getting similar powers here would take an act of Congress or cooperation from private sector companies that hold that data, said Sara Collins, policy counsel at Washington-based nonprofit Public Knowledge.

Right now there's little political appetite for this in the U.S., Collins said, especially as public awareness of privacy and data security has been on the rise in the years since former Central Intelligence Agency employee Edward Snowden revealed the scope of secret government surveillance programs.

"With the variety of data breaches we've seen from corporate entities, with the Snowden leaks and just a higher and higher mistrust of government over the years, I just don't know if those same arguments are as persuasive as they were in 2001 or 2002," Collins said, though she acknowledged it's hard to predict how the government would respond as the outbreak intensifies.

Collins said there are serious risks to governments having access to data about people's movement because it can reveal so much about a person, ranging from their political affiliations to sexuality. "While it might be useful in a public health emergency, just having [location data] there seems to be a very dangerous recipe for a pretty pervasive surveillance state," Collins said.

The White House has so far largely relegated the effort to build tech to combat the coronavirus to the private sector. And the bungled efforts so far highlight the stark contrast between the U.S. response and the tech power other nations are dedicating to the coronavirus fight.

A relatively obscure subsidiary of the Google parent company Alphabet has become the front line of the U.S. fight against the pandemic, th Post reported Monday. The company, Verily, had been working on a disease screening pilot in California, but was then thrust into the public spotlight after President Donald Trump claimed during a news conference that Google had more than 1,700 engineers working on the response.

Verily suffered a wave of negative publicity about how the site - which Trump said would help people determine if they needed to be tested for the virus and direct them to a local testing facility - didn't live up to the hype. The website it released was actually in beta mode and operating in two Bay Area counties. It was only in English, required people to log in to their Google account and sign a form that gave Verily permission to share users' data with a range of partners.

"Despite the White House's insistence on relying on the private sector for solutions, Verily's effort shows that Silicon Valley has no easy answers to a global health crisis that threatens to overwhelm U.S. hospitals with patients in the coming weeks," the Post reported.

This is of course a far cry from the kind of detailed alerts that say, South Korea is sending, allowing people to understand exactly where people who got infected had been. The avalanche of information is "has led to some awkward moments and now there is as much fear of social stigma as of illness," the BBC reported.

"It's a really tricky situation because it's clear that location data tracking has a lot of potential in contact tracing and implementing effective quarantine measures," Fox Cahn said. But in the U.S., he added, "one thing I'm really concerned about is that we don't have a legal protections today to stop that data, whether it's collected by the [Center for Disease Control], state health officials or other entities from being used by other federal agencies such as law enforcement, and most concerning of all [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]."
KAMPALA  With 2.6 million people uprooted from their homes in Somalia, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has commended the Somalia government on its action to protect and help displaced families by ratifying the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africaalso known as the Kampala Convention.

We are encouraged by Somalias commitment to the rights of displaced Somalis, especially at a time when thousands of people are being uprooted by clashes and climatic shocks, said Juerg Eglin, ICRCs head of delegation for Somalia.

Somalia is the 30th state in Africa to ratify the document, the first-ever binding treaty dealing with internal displacement.

The ratification marks a very important step for the country in establishing a strong legal framework to help displaced Somalis.

The ICRC was involved in the drafting and negotiation process leading to the adoption of the Convention in 2009.

Since its adoption, we have provided technical advice to states on measures to translate the Convention into domestic legal frameworks and put it into action.

As part of its mandate to protect the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and violence, ICRCs work in Somalia particularly focuses on helping displaced people meet their most basic needs.

We remain available to provide legal expertise and support to Somalia where needed to translate the Convention into practical steps that make a difference in the lives of internally displaced people, said Eglin.

Related
Maines governor announced steps Sunday designed to protect businesses and workers as closures mount amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Janet Mills said she has submitted emergency legislation to temporarily expand eligibility for unemployment insurance. She also called on the federal Small Business Administration to provide support loans to small businesses to help them deal with losses, the governors office said.

Health officials announced Saturday that the third person to test presumptively positive for the virus in Maine was a woman in her 40s from Cumberland County who was in close contact with another person who tested positive.

Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is scheduled to hold a news briefing Monday morning.

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development has also been instructed to find more ways the state can help small businesses, Mills said. She said theres no question the virus has already harmed businesses and workers in the state.

It is my hope that these actions will not only help them weather this difficult time by providing critical capital and financial support, but also provide them an important sense of relief amid the uncertainty, Mills said.

Schools, Events Slow Down or Close

Schools have announced shutdowns varying in length from one day to several weeks. Some schools have canceled classes on Monday and plan to broaden the closure. Public and private schools all over Maine are working with parents to facilitate home learning.

Public events that typically herald the spring are also slowing down or getting canceled. Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is a beloved statewide event scheduled for March 21 and 22, but some sugarhouses are shutting down public-facing operations instead.

Augusta Civic Center has also canceled most large events.

Ski Resort Closures

Ski resorts all over the country announced closures and suspensions of operations over the weekend. The two largest in Maine  Sunday River and Sugarloaf  said they would cease operations at the end of the day Sunday.

Sunday River representatives said in a statement that the closure means all events scheduled for the remainder of the winter season at the resort have been canceled.

About the Virus

For most people, the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, results in 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, or death.

The vast majority of people recover. People 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.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Maine
As China continues to handle the fallout of the novel coronavirus that first originated in Wuhan in Hubei province in early-to-mid December, the Chinese Communist Party announced today that it would rescind the press credentials for certain journalists working at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, and would further demand operating details from those three organizations along with Time magazine and Voice of America.

In its statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said

[...] in response to the US slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the US, which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 notify the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four calendar days starting from today and hand back their press cards within ten calendar days. They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the People's Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Those journalists would be limited from working in China, including in Hong Kong, where mass protests last year fueled by a growing democracy and independence movement brought increasingly critical global attention onto the Beijing government.

China had previously kicked out three reporters from The Wall Street Journal in mid-February, for what it claimed was an insensitive headline in the newspapers opinion pages. The Journals opinion section operates outside of its newsroom.

Chinas suppression of external dissent is also being mirrored with regard to its own citizens. While there was a bit of an open window for discussion as the government attempted to moderate blowback over its response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, internet censors according to The New York Times are now once again clamping down hard on negative conversations and adding additional reinforcements to police online discussions:

Story continues

Little is known about the group, formally part of the Cybersecurity Defense Bureau, which has long policed hacking and online fraud. But occasional government releases offer clues. In 2016, the 50-million person region of Guangxi said it had almost 1,200 internet police officers. The goal was to have one internet police officer for every 10,000 people in the region, a sign of the forces ambitions.

The U.S. and China have been locked in a trade war over the past few years, but the looming global depression has placed ever more acute pressure on a relationship that has frayed since Chinas turn toward authoritarianism under President Xi Jinping and the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.

Last week, the U.S. State Department issued its annual human rights report, which particularly singled out China as among the worst offenders globally. In a paragraph that should win an award for semicolon usage, the department wrote that:
Russia will ban the entry of foreign citizens and stateless persons from March 18 to May 1 as part of the measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the country, its government announced on Monday.

Sputnik cited a statement by the Russian Cabinet's press service stating that the entry ban will not apply to truck drivers, crews of aircraft and ships, train crews, diplomats and consuls, permanent residents of the Russian Federation and a small number of other categories of foreign citizens.

The Cabinet earlier said that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin discussed on Monday with his counterparts of several Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations the situation around the spread of COVID-19 infection.

"Mikhail Mishustin informed the heads of government that in order to ensure the state security, protect public health and prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in accordance with Russian law and the provisions of applicable international treaties of the Russian Federation, the Russian government has made a decision to temporarily restrict the entry into the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons from 00:00 local time on March 18, 2020, until 00:00 local time on May 1, 2020," the press service said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini (L) explaining a point to media houses during the press conference while SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini looks on. (Pic: Sibusiso Zwane)

MANZINI - Stay at home! This is what teachers in the Kingdom of Eswatini were told by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) amid the spread of coronavirus, which is also known as COVID-19. According to the teachers union, their members should not go to work from today until further notice.



The teachers union made this statement during a press conference, which was held at SNAT Centre yesterday afternoon.

The union was represented by President Mbongwa Dlamini and Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini. They advised teachers in the Kingdom of Eswatini to invoke Section 18 (2) of the Occupational Health and Safety No.9 of 2001, which reads: An employee shall have a right to remove himself or herself from danger when such a worker has reasonable justification to believe there is imminent and serious risk to his/her safety and health.



Disappointed



The president said they took this decision because they were disappointed in the way government was responding to the issue of coronavirus. He said according to their analysis, government was failing to be proactive. He said this was because the virus was first detected in China and government knew that it would eventually spread into the kingdom, but it allegedly failed to prepare itself for the pandemic.

On the same note, the secretary general said as a teachers union, they drew their conclusion against the backdrop that the countrys health system was incapacitated to deal with the pandemic. He said it would be folly of them not to caution their members about same.



Again, he said before they were teachers, they were members of the society and mingled with their compatriots, day in and day out. He added that coronavirus thrived well in cold climates and that low temperatures amplified the pestilence.

This means as we are now moving towards the winter season, the pandemic will gain momentum, the secretary general said.

Once more, he said due to the shortage of safe drinking and running water in most rural communities where about 910 000 of the emaSwati live, the effects of this pandemic would be far-reaching. It is the poor people who will be hit hardest since 819 000 emaSwati live below the breadline, the secretary general said.



The teachers union president added that the issue of washing hands, which government had been emphasising, was not practical in some areas and schools in the country, especially in the rural areas where there was no running water.

There is also no money to buy the water because government has not released free primary education (FPE) grants, the president said.



He also said as a union, they wondered how schools would cope as government, through the Ministry of Health, emphasised that people should wash their hands at least every 15 minutes. He said according to their analysis, this meant that teachers could spend the whole day monitoring pupils as they queued at the taps to wash their hands. Our lives and that of our children depend on us. So, we cannot wait for government and that is why we are acting, the president said. He said by invoking the said section of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, they were trying to protect their lives as teachers, pupils and families.



On the same note, the president urged parents to protect themselves and their children by keeping them at home until further notice.

Do not expose yourselves and your children, the president said while mentioning that Section 18 (2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No.9 of 2001 did not apply only to teachers, but to all workers.



He said this Act gave workers a right to life more than employment. He said the Act also gave workers a responsibility to protect their lives. He said this was because it allowed them to remove themselves from a dangerous situation at work even if the employer had not said anything about it.



The president added that as a union, they would not negotiate a right, but would demand it. On that note, he assured teachers that no one would penalise them for removing themselves from work if they had seen something that posed serious risks to their safety and health.
Those in quarantine in government facilities will soon get some reading material to keep them company. One of these will be a collection of speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We regularly distribute the copies of these speeches to various dignitaries, as well as to schools and colleges on various occasions, said a source aware of the development.

The source said these could also be distributed at all the quarantine centres across the country. The number of people in quarantine in India to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by ...
NAPLES - The availability of fresh water is expected to drop by 15% over the next few decades, leading to severe problems for agriculture and other human uses in areas already suffering from water scarcity. The population of the area of the Mediterranean classified as ''water scarce'' could increase to over 250 million inhabitants over the next 20 years. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has warned of this ahead of World Water Day and underscored the need for regional dialogue on a common line to deal with the water scarcity. The day, which falls on March 22, will this year have as its theme 'Water and Climate Change', a challenge for all countries, UfM underscored, that must be dealt with together.

At the moment, there is often disagreement between those using aquifers and landowners or between countries themselves. Irrigation is the focus, since it accounts for between 50% and 90% of overall water demand in the Mediterranean basin.

Forecasts on climate change estimate that this figure will increase by 18% by the end of this century. For a common direction on the Water Agenda, it is essential to ensure that every Mediterranean country has the necessary technical, administrative and financial tools to support its population and economic activities. The UfM has held workshops on this issue in Italy, Lebanon, Spain, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, France, and Greece. Other workshops will be held this year in Tunisia and Jordan.

The regional initiative is being implemented to achieve one of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: to ensure water an hygiene for all.

This goal also includes the resume of waste waters. UfM will starting in June give support to initiatives in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Libya, Palestine, and Tunisia. Among the projects is an integrated program for the protection of Lake Bizerte in Tunisia from pollution and desalinisation facilities in the Gaza Strip, which will provide drinking water to two million Palestinians.
IndusInd Bank shares touched a high of Rs 707.45 in the morning session, but later pared gains to trade at Rs 668.80, up 0.7 percent from their previous close, at 11:42 am on NSE.

London-based Hinduja Group is reportedly keen to raise its stake in IndusInd Bank to 26 percent from the existing 15 percent and has sought the nod of the Reserve Bank of India in this regard, said a news report.

The move by Hinduja Group in the wake of the relaxation granted to Uday Kotak recently and IndusInd International Holding Ltd, the promoting entity, sent a letter to the central bank in this connection, said a report in The Economic Times.

The bank licensing norms of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) say that a private banks promoter needs to pare its holding to 40 percent within three years, 20 percent within 10 years and to 15 percent within 15 years. This has been relaxed for Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bandhan Bank, the report said.

We have just recently written to the RBI to increase shareholding from 15 percent to 26 percent. When I saw that Kotak Mahindra Bank has got a dispensation, we also thought of writing to them. Why not give us that dispensation as well? Lets see how they respond, Ashok Hinduja, Chairman of the Hinduja Group of Companies (India), was quoted as saying in the report.

Meanwhile, the shares of IndusInd Bank jumped 6.5 percent during the intraday trade on Tuesday after a media report said that the promoter Hinduja Group sought the RBI permission to raise its stake in the private lender.

IndusInd Bank shares touched a high of Rs 707.45 in the morning session, but later pared gains to trade at Rs 668.80, up 0.7 percent from their previous close, at 11:42 am on NSE. The stock closed at Rs 603.05, down 9.20 percent.

RBI recently allowed Uday Kotak, promoter of Kotak Mahindra Bank, to hold a 26 percent stake as long as the bank didnt raise capital from a share sale to outsiders or on a rights basis. However, Kotaks voting rights were restricted to 15 percent of the capital starting April 2020, reported News18.

Hinduja brothers had set up IndusInd Bank which got a banking licence in 1994.

IndusInd Bank had posted 32 percent rise in net profit to Rs 1,300.20 crore for December quarter, 2019-20.

The bank had registered a profit of Rs 985.03 crore in the year-ago period.

In February this year, ratings agency Moody's Investors Service revised down its outlook on Indusind Bank to 'negative' from 'stable' concerns over a further deterioration in asset quality.

The private sector bank's rating has been affirmed at the earlier one of 'Baa-3/P-3', the agency said in a note.

Baa3 denotes the lowest rating in investment grade on long-term corporate obligation which carries moderate risks.

-- With PTI inputs
An Indian national was among five persons arrested here on Tuesday for stockpiling over one million masks to sell them in black market, police said.

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted a frenzied buying of masks and hand sanitizers. The shortage due to the increased demand has prompted a growing black market in their sale.

According to police, they raided a godown of RDG International Suppliers at Milanchowk area in Kathmandu and recovered 10,00,800 masks to be sold in black market.

Five persons, including a 37-year-old resident of India's Rajasthan state, were arrested for stockpiling the masks.

The Indian national, identified as Subash Maheshwori, is one of the directors of the company.

The four other arrested are all Nepalese nationals. They are also the directors of the company, police said, adding that they have been identified as 30-year-old Tekram Shrestha, 34-year-old Sanjaya Regmi, 24-year-old Suraj Goyal and 26-year-old Ajim Baks Miya.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US announced earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would face restrictions.

China has said it will revoke the credentials of journalists at three American newspapers after the United States imposed restrictions on Chinese nationals working at their state-owned media in the US.

Beijing is demanding that US journalists working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post newspapers, whose credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020, hand back their press cards within 10 days, according to a statement.

It was not immediately clear how many journalists would be affected.

Beijing on Tuesday said the journalists would also not be allowed to continue working in the semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong or Macau.

The Chinese move follows the US decision to designate five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions, and restricted the number of Chinese nationals that could work for them.

Beijing said the steps were necessary and reciprocal countermeasures in response to what it called unreasonable oppression of Chinese media in the United States.

The US expulsion of Chinese journalists was an upgraded evidence of political oppression. For too long, the Chinese journalists have been unfairly treated under the discriminatory policies of the US. https://t.co/wVvTodyLxk  Hua Chunying  (@SpokespersonCHN) March 17, 2020

The US expulsion of Chinese journalists was an upgraded evidence of political oppression, tweeted Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for Chinas Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. For too long, the Chinese journalists have been unfairly treated under the discriminatory policies of the US.

Amnesty International said the move was likely to further stifle access to information at a crucial time in the COVID-19 pandemic.

This latest escalation of the tit-for-tat row between Beijing and Washington threatens to severely undercut the flow of accurate and independent information from China, said Joshua Rosenzweig, the head of Amnestys China team. At a time when the world needs to work together to combat the devastation wrought by the virus, the banishment of these journalists could potentially have grim public health consequences.

Designation as foreign missions

The US announcedearlier this month that the five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas, a de-facto expulsion of about one-third of their Chinese staff. It cited increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of US and other foreign journalists working in China.





The Chinese outlets, which employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the US, include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network (CGTN), the international operation of state broadcaster CCTV.

In February, China expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters over the newspapers coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Beijing to reconsider the move.

I regret Chinas decision today to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct the free press operations that, frankly, would be really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times, where more information, more transparency are what will save lives, Pompeo told reporters.

This is unfortunate, Pompeo said. I hope they will reconsider.

The Foreign Correspondents Clubs in both Beijing and Hong Kong expressed alarm at Chinas decision.

The FCCC noted that at least 13 journalists had been given visas of less than six months since the start of 2019, while three of those had been given one month visas since the start of this year. Resident visas are usually issued for a year.

By expelling journalists and keeping others in a state of visa uncertainty, China is overtly using its powers in an attempt to influence overseas news coverage, by punishing those who publish information authorities see as unfavorable and wish to keep quiet, the group said in a statement.

The FCCHK noted that under one country, two systems decisions about employment visas for foreign journalists were the responsibility of Hong Kongs Immigration Department.

If the system had changed it would be a serious erosion of the territorys governing framework, it added, urging the Hong Kong government to clarify the situation.

China has expelled nine correspondents since 2013, according to the FCCC. Its recent report into working conditions in the country found 82 percent of correspondents surveyed had experienced interference, harassment or violence while reporting.
Apple AAPL has reportedly been fined a record 1.1 billion by French anti-trust regulators  Autorite de la Concurrence  for engaging in anti-competitive practices.



Per The Guardian, the tech giant had agreements with two wholesalers, Tech Data and Ingram Micro, to align prices as well as limit wholesale competition for Apple products in France.



The regulators have alleged that Apple favored these two wholesalers and allocated more stock to them, while leaving others with insufficient inventory to meet customer demand. The two companies have also been ordered to pay 76 million and 63 million, respectively.



Apple stated that the decision will lead to disruptions for companies across all industries and is likely to appeal against it.



Apple Inc. Price and Consensus

Apple Inc. Price and Consensus

Apple Inc. price-consensus-chart | Apple Inc. Quote

Lawsuits Piling Up



Apple has faced several lawsuits in the past two years, with the recent being in March, this year when the company was ordered to pay a settlement of $500 million over intentionally inhibiting the performance of older iPhone models to preserve batteries.



The company also faced a lawsuit in June 2019, when two app developers sued Apple for alleged anticompetitive conduct and monopolization of the app store.



Recently, the U.S. supreme court rebuffed an appeal by Apple in a decade-long dispute where Nevada-based VirnetX  with less than $2 million in annual revenues  is fighting to collect royalties from Apple for secure communications technology used in the iPhone, iPad and Mac computers.



These lawsuits have revealed a chink in the tech-giants armor, with the companys ability to monitor and handle legal threats under scrutiny. Additionally, it exposes the company to more lawsuits in the future. The implication that Apple is involved in unethical business practices could also dampen investors optimism in the company.



Further, the constant payment of settlements might put a dent on Apples reserves in spite of its huge reserve of cash and cash and marketable securities ($207.06 billion as of Dec 28, 2019).



Coronavirus Hurts Apples Prospects



The lawsuit comes at a time when Apple is dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, the rapidly-spreading virus has severely impacted Apple iPhone sales, especially in China. Per China Academy of Information and Communications Technology data, quoted by Reuters, iPhone sales in China have plunged 61% year over year in February 2020.



The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted Apples supply chain as well. Notably, the companys iPhone assembling facilities were initially shut down outside Hubei (the epicenter of the coronavirus).



The company has also been slow to ramp up production back to normal levels, which is impacting global iPhone supply, per a BBC report. This is expected to hurt the top line in the upcoming quarters.



Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider



Currently, Apple carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



Few top-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Applied Materials, Inc. AMAT, Garmin Ltd. GRMN and Microsoft Corporation MSFT. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



The long-term earnings growth rate for Applied Materials, Garmin and Microsoft is currently pegged at 9.9%, 7.4% and 13.2%, respectively.



5 Stocks Set to Double



Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.



Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.



Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>



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Zacks Investment Research
By the time we reached the tiny village of Madisi in southwestern Malawi, one of the poorest countries in Africa, a cholera outbreak had struck on a Sunday with punishing force.

This is how I began my story: Splayed on dusty red clay, stricken villagers are curled up in fetal positions, immobile as the fallen fruit in the shade of a mango tree, which shields the sick from a searing midday sun.

The 110 beds at Madisi Hospital were already all full, with patients suffering from AIDS-related illnesses, malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis and other maladies. Nearly 100 more cholera patients arrived on this day, carried by relatives or shuffling on weakened legs until they collapsed in the dirt to wait.

Coronavirus live updates

Here are the latest cancellations and postponements.

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A few dozen of the newly arrived patients were carried into the hospitals overflowing waiting area and crowded hallways and lifted onto cholera beds, sheets of plywood propped up on bricks. A hubcap-sized hole was cut in the middle of the wood. A bucket sat under the hole. Another bucket rested on the cement floor next to the persons head to assist victims of the acute diarrheal disease usually spread by drinking water or eating food tainted by an infected person.

The Times Union sent photographer Steve Jacobs and myself to sub-Saharan Africa in the spring of 2003 to report on the HIV/AIDS crisis in the small and impoverished country of Malawi  which has deep ties to Albany and the Capital Region  while most newspapers sent their staff to report on the Iraq War. We told an important story that had been overlooked in our multi-media series, Fourth World/Our World: Lifelines at the Edge of Survival, an examination of the HIV/AIDS global pandemic, which has killed more than 37 million people since 1981, one of the deadliest in human history. The hardest-hit area remains sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the AIDS cases worldwide. In Malawi, AIDS fatalities cut average life expectancy to 37 years old in 2003, while annual health care spending in the country was $7 per person, all from foreign donations.

I learned valuable lessons in Madisi on that terrible day that might shed light on how to think about navigating the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. During three decades as a reporter I covered everyday disasters nearby and large-scale catastrophes afield  from Ground Zero on 9/11, New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Haiti after its massive earthquake and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Time and again, I observed quick and decisive action, heroic leadership, individual sacrifice for the common good, extraordinary resilience and the best of human nature during the darkest hours.

A central takeaway is this: first responders are ordinary people who perform extraordinarily brave and courageous acts under fire. I have seen them protect and rescue citizens at great personal risk to themselves. The same goes for doctors, nurses and EMTs on the front lines of calamity. They do the dangerous work and view their jobs as a calling. I consider them unsung heroes. We must trust them, support them and honor them. Emergency management leaders and public health and safety officials also do critical planning behind the scenes and warrant major acknowledgment for mitigating disasters once they occur. Journalists, too, deserve some credit as witnesses to history trained to head toward a trouble zone while others flee, in order to send out dispatches to keep the public informed.

Coronavirus live updates

Here are the latest cancellations and postponements.

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I arrived on the last train into Penn Station in Manhattan on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 to report a feature story and spent the next six days covering the World Trade Center terrorist attacks from Ground Zero. On day two, Jacobs managed to get himself on the single PATH train allowed to travel from New Jersey into Lower Manhattan. We covered the stories that others had bypassed in the rush for breaking news. We talked with a platoon of ironworkers who combed through the smoldering pile of Ground Zero, searching for survivors. We interviewed families desperately looking for missing loved ones. We spent time with exhausted first responders who found refuge in St. Pauls Chapel, where volunteers cooked them meals and pews became places to sleep. We spent time with people waiting in long lines to give blood and joined hundreds of mourners at a candlelight vigil in Union Square Park. Everyone pulled together.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

I worked with a lot of great photographers over the years at the Times Union. Nobody was better than Jacobs in a crisis. He was street-savvy, unflappable and put himself in position to capture the decisive moment. Jacobs and I had each others back. We developed an unspoken language of trust that kept us safe. We shared whatever we had: hand sanitizer, bottled water, granola, aspirin, vitamins, disinfectant wipes and a cold beer when we got lucky.

In Madisi, the outbreak of cholera in the village of 2,000 was caused by steady rains that seemed like a godsend for parched maize fields. But heavy runoff carried human waste from the fields, where farmers squat and defecate, and contaminated the stream that fed Madisis water-intake pipes. Its like theyre drinking poison being piped up from the river, a cholera consultant with UNICEF told me.

Suzi Stephens, a retired registered nurse from Indianapolis, and her husband, Dick, who established a hospital as part of the Malawi Project in nearby Lilongwe, rushed to Madisi with boxes of IV bags and antibiotics provided by American donors. UNICEF workers set up a temporary supply of clean water and re-routed the water-intake pipes to a pond on a nearby hillside. We helped unload an emergency shipment of medical supplies and food from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Volunteers began distributing food, water and antibiotics and nurses started IVs.

We saw one young girl, weak and malnourished, who died under the mango tree shortly after we arrived on Sunday afternoon. It turned out she was the only casualty. The emergency medical intervention worked. Two days later, we returned to Madisi and found half of the hospitals 110 beds were empty and most of the cholera patients had recovered. It felt like a miracle.

In this time of coronavirus, we need to locate small miracles, interludes of joy like when people in quarantine step out onto their balconies in Rome and Naples to sing together in an act of solidarity. Andra tutto bene, they sing. Everything will be fine.

I call Jacobs on each anniversary of 9/11. We talk of the heroes we met at Ground Zero, in Malawi and New Orleans.

Later, brotha, he says.

Later, brotha, I answer.

Until the fire next time.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
Schools launch plans for remote learning, childcare and takeout lunch

Hillandale Elementary School food service worker Tammy Elkins displays a decorated to-go lunch that parents can pick up for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Elkins and other cafeteria workers had given out 32 lunches by noon.

Forty-nine hours after they plunged into an all hands on deck planning process, Henderson County public school administrators on Monday rolled out a massive emergency plan to teach children remotely, run daycare centers at 13 schools and feed everyone who needs a meal.

The school system's action started within minutes of Gov. Roy Cooper's order at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon to shut down schools for two weeks in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Admitting that he had responded I dont know many more times than he responded with certainty to questions from teachers, Superintendent Bo Caldwell told the School Board in a special called meeting that the schools are moving ahead this week with a Learn from Home program and planning to fill holes in the safety net with home delivery of laptops and food if necessary.

Our goal is to keep people working right now, Caldwell said. Were going to go ahead and have a majority of our staff work from home. Thats what were working on right now is to keep them working but work from home. Were going to start talking to our principals tomorrow about making that transition. Everyones still going to be paid.

The school system currently is still paying all personnel except bus drivers and part-time tutors.

No one at the moment has an answer to the many questions, including what will happen if the General Assembly extends the school year by weeks or more, how teachers will be paid for work beyond the 215 days spelled out in their contracts, what will happen to state-mandated end-of-grade and end-of-course testing, when schools will hold commencement or whether they will hold the ceremonies at all. For now, the state-ordered shut down is for two weeks but no one knows whether that will be extended.

Ive not gotten any guidance, Caldwell said. If these days are going to be outside the 215 days they need to tell us to completely close because right now we are not.

He and Associate Superintendent John Bryant emphasized that the school feeding program will serve everyone who needs a meal, no questions asked. Beginning Tuesday, grab-and-go pickup meals will be available at no cost to children ages 2-18 at 12 school sites. On weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students can pick up in the vestibule of each schools main entrance at Atkinson, Clear Creek, Dana, Edneyville, Etowah, Fletcher, Glenn C. Marlow, Hillandale, Mills River, Sugarloaf, Upward elementary schools and Hendersonville Middle Scool. Bruce Drysdale and Hendersonville elementary schools are currently on break, and students in those districts can access the Hendersonville Middle feeding site.

Beginning Wednesday, March 18, the Meals On the Bus mobile feeding site will operate its traditional summer route, stopping at six neighborhoods on the following schedule:

 King Creek: 10:30-10:55 a.m.

 Dodd Meadows: 11:05-11:30 a.m.

 Shorty Collins: 11:40 a.m.-12:05 p.m.

 Leisure Lane: 12:15-12:35 p.m.

 Sugarloaf Apartments: 12:55-1:20 p.m.

 Conner Creek Mobile Home Park: 1:35-2 p.m.

If youre in need of a meal, you arrive at one of those sites and say Ive got three kids, you are going to get three meals. Those are relaxed guidelines (because both North Carolina and Henderson County have declared a state of emergency.) That is very different than it normally looks. The goal is to feed children and families in need so we are doing so starting tomorrow.

Families who lack transportation for their child to access these meals should contact their childs school so HCPS staff can deliver meals to their children.

Individuals who would prefer to drop off food items to our schools may do so during the listed grab-and-go meal times, and volunteers will deliver donations to partner sites. According to IAM and The Storehouse, the current food needs include canned fruit & vegetables, canned chicken, canned tuna, macaroni & cheese, ramen, oatmeal, cereal bars, fruit cups, rice, dry beans, soup, pastas, regular coffee, and instant tea.

The school system also has opened child care centers in the cafeterias of 11 elementary schools and will add the other two on next week. The centers currently are caring for the children of school employees. On Monday, Caldwell notified County Manager Steve Wyatt that the daycare centers will serve any front-line person that cant get to work because theres no school, including doctors and nurses, other medical personnel and first responders.

Once again, we are flying in an airplane and we are building it as it goes, Caldwell said. This issue is a struggle all the way around. As far as daycare, weve got to limit our staffing to our teachers then first responders, for EMS, for those people who have got to be at work to take care of other people.

This week principals are guiding teachers on the Learn from Home process. Jan King, assistant superintendent for instructional services, described the process. Some of our folks are very comfortable with it. For some of our folks this is going to be a huge transition for them, she said. Teachers will be available by email and through Google Chat/Meet during designated hours.
The U.S. government has dropped charges against a Pakistani man who was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to al Qaedaand released him from prison, according to court papers filed last week by the U.S. Attorneys office in Manhattan.

Uzair Paracha has returned to Pakistan, a person familiar with the matter said. The news of Paracha's release and return to his homeland was first reported by the New York Times.

Paracha was charged in 2003 with helping an al Qaeda operative illegally enter the U.S. Paracha, who had been living in Brooklyn, N.Y., was sentenced to 30 years in prison following his conviction in 2005.

Image: Uzair Paracha Charged With Attempting To Aid Al-Qaeda Associate Into The U.S. (Getty Images file)

Parachas attorney filed an appeal in 2008 citing exculpatory statements made by other individuals who claimed Paracha was unaware he had assisted an al Qaeda operative.

Paracha was granted a new trial in 2018 and one was scheduled for this March.

But last year prosecutors informed the judge that they had identified a large volume of classified material totaling thousands of documents, some of which might have to be made available to Parachas defense attorney, and asked that the new trial be adjourned to August 2020, the court papers say.

The judge in the case refused to delay the retrial, prosecutors say.

In the court papers filed last Friday dismissing the charges, prosecutors stated that Paracha served approximately 16 years of his sentence, consented to renounce his status as a lawful permanent resident in the U.S., agreed to be repatriated to Pakistan, and that the U.S. government risked diverting substantial resources from important national security and law enforcement functions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan declined comment. Paracha's defense lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
Donald Trump is back at it again with the racism!

As the Coronavirus, which now has an official, and scientific name, called 'COVID-19' is spreading to the rest of the world, US President Donald Trump is fighting back, but perhaps not the way you anticipated.

If you thought he'd be helping American residents with more tests, which the World Health Organization has strongly recommended, you're probably wrong.

Trump has decided to counter the virus with racism.

On Twitter, posting a tweet he called the COVID-19 a 'Chinese virus.'

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

The virus, which did originate at a seafood market in Wuhan in China, has traveled well beyond China limits, often brought back to America by residents who contracted it outside. Refered to sometimes as the 'Wuhan coronavirus' for identification, the virus has claimed over 4,000 lives so far.

However, viruses don't have nationalities. A place of origin is great for identification, but not when it comes with racist overtones, especially when the virus now has a very scientific name it is recognized by.

People, including doctors, didn't miss out on Trump's racism in the tweet.

Its called the Coronavirus and its now as American as apple pie so stop racist comments. Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 16, 2020

Most racist shit i heard all day.. "chinese virus" might as well call it "trump virus" https://t.co/eMF1T73WB9 Kenneth T (@killer621) March 17, 2020

If racist Trump insists on calling COVID19 the Chinese virus we should immediately and forever rename neurosyphilis Donald Trump virushe loves slapping his name on things, finally there would be one that actually fits Howard  (@HowardA_Esq) March 17, 2020

Donald Trump: coronavirus is a Chinese VirusEveryone: Donald Trump is an American Virus Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 17, 2020

Donald Trump: coronavirus is a Chinese VirusEveryone: Donald Trump is an American Virus Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 17, 2020

Donald Trump has always been a racist. Him calling coronavirus a Chinese virus is just more clear proof hes a racist. Republicans should remove him, hes an American virus. And hes making everyone sick, in general. Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 17, 2020

Its not the Chinese VirusIts the Trump Virus #TrumpVirus David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) March 17, 2020

There it is. Ive been deathly afraid of this exact moment where Trump turns to racism and xenophobia and calls COVID-19 the Chinese Virus. We are in deep trouble as a nation now that President of the United States makes the conscious decision to go down this dark path of hate. Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 16, 2020

The virus doesn't have a nationality Hussein (@leb_hussein) March 16, 2020

"Chinese virus." American jackass. John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) March 16, 2020

Chinese virus? You are indeed a racist, proved time and again. Chen Weihua (@chenweihua) March 16, 2020

Perhaps, this tweet sums up why we don't assign nationalities to viruses.

Someone on Twitter even pointed out that many of Trump's products are 'Made in China.'

If Trump is going to call the Coronavirus the Chinese Virus, he should also be calling his ties the Chinese Ties. pic.twitter.com/fAeWf58THr Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) March 17, 2020

Which reminds us, this isn't the first time Americans noticed how a bulk of Donald Trump's products are Made in China.

The United States currently has several hundred confirmed cases of Coronavirus. But the person helping with medical supplies for hospital staff isn't Trump, it's actually a Chinese national, Alibaba co-founder, Jack Ma.
The world health body, WHO, on Monday criticised the lack of urgency on the part of many countries in combating the ongoing Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

The Director-General, WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, at a briefing in Geneva said many countries are not taking testing, isolation and contact tracing (carefully monitoring people who are in close contact with someone who has been infected) seriously.

Instead, he said they are quick to place restrictions on social gatherings.

Mr Ghebreyesus acknowledged that cases of Covid-19 are rapidly escalating because many countries are putting the cart before the horse in their approach to tackling the virus.

He said most countries are quick in banning social engagement while they are not doing enough to conduct testing, isolation and contact tracing.

We have also seen a rapid escalation in social distancing measures, like closing schools and cancelling sporting events and other gatherings.

But, we have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing, isolation and contact tracing  which is the backbone of the response.

Social distancing measures can help to reduce transmission and enable health systems to cope, he said.

Testing

Mr Ghebreyesus emphasised that testing, isolation and contact tracing are the key ways countries can fight the scourge of the disease.

As I keep saying, all countries must take a comprehensive approach. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded. And we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected.

He said the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission. And to do that, you must test and isolate.

We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test every suspected case.

If they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in close contact with up to two days before they developed symptoms, and test those people too, he said.

He explained that more test kits are being produced to meet global demand.

WHO said it has shipped almost 1.5 million test kits to 120 countries and is working with companies to increase the availability of tests for those most in need.

The agency also advised that all confirmed cases, even mild cases, should be isolated in health facilities, to prevent transmission and provide adequate care.

Ban of gatherings

Since the global spread of COVID19, many countries have been banning social gatherings, closing schools and locking down communities or areas in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

READ ALSO:

Some of the countries which have taken such measures include; Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Malaysia, Thailand among others.

While the UN agency said it was a move that could reduce the spread of the virus, it, however, said much cannot be achieved until testing, isolation and contact tracing are implemented effectively.

There are been increasingly new numbers of cases across the world.

As of Tuesday, 8:10 GMT, about 183,065 confirmed cases have been reported in 162 countries with 7,175 deaths.

Meanwhile, while cases in China have been slowing down, cases are erratically increasing across countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Germany, UK, U.S. and Switzerland.

Currently, over 89,000 people infected are in mild condition and over 6,000 are in serious or critical condition.

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However, all is not bad news as over 87, 000 people have been treated and have recovered from the virus.
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A fourth batch of 53 Indians returned to India from Iran on Monday, taking the total number of people evacuated from the coronavirus-hit country to 389.

This comes a day after over 230 Indians were brought back from Iran to New Delhi and quarantined at the Indian Army Wellness Centre in Jaisalmer, the third batch to be evacuated from that country.

"Fourth batch of 53 Indians - 52 students and a teacher - has arrived from Tehran and Shiraz, Iran. With this, a total of 389 Indians have returned to India from Iran. Thank the efforts of the team @India_in_Iran and Iranian authorities," Jaishankar tweeted.

The Indians came in a Mahan Air flight that landed at the Delhi airport at around 3 am, officials said, adding that they were later taken to Jaisalmer in an Air India flight for being quarantined.

The first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims were brought back from Iran last Tuesday and the second group of 44 Indian pilgrim arrived from there on Friday.

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak and the government has been working to bring back Indians stranded there. Over 700 people have died from the disease in Iran and nearly 14,000 cases have been detected.

Jaishankar had told Rajya Sabha last week that the government was focusing on evacuating Indians stranded in Iran and Italy as these countries are facing an "extreme situation". P
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Private companies and businesses that do not render essential services but are continuing operations during the Luzon quarantine will be forcibly closed, the Department of Interior and Local Government warned Tuesday.

In an interview with CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya appealed to private firms to suspend their operations starting Tuesday and not allow their employees to go to work anymore, as the government tries to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19 through the enhanced community quarantine in the region.

'Wag na pong papasukin ang ating mga empleyado dahil kapag nag-ikot ang ating kapulisan nakitang nakabukas (Please do not let your employees go to work today because if authorities do the rounds and they chance upon your ongoing operations), we will force close those businesses maliban na lang po (except) if they are critical government structure, if they are pharmacies, if they are banks, hospitals, clinics, any thing related to medical and food production and processing. Kapag restaurant, sarado po iyan (Restaurants must be closed)," Malaya said.

"Let me clarify, 'yung essential workforce po ay part lang sa gobyerno iyan and not all government officers. Only the responders, the disaster, emergency units can do skeletal force. Everybody else, we should go home," he added.

Business process outsourcing firms may only be exempted if lodging will be provided to their employees, Malaya clarified.

"'Yung BPOs, they are only exempted if they can provide lodging in their companies, iyan lang ang exemption (that's the only exemption). It is now up to the BPO industry to make the necessary arrangements para hindi na bumyahe yung kanilang mga empleyado (so their employees do not have to travel anymore). We will allow them to operate so long as their employees are in one place only and may social distancing na iniimplement sa workplace," he said.

Local government units are already looking into providing vehicles for health workers, while certain responders in the disaster and emergency units of local government offices can still operate through a skeletal workforce, he added. Those who still need to work but have no means of transportation, will have to walk to their place of work.

"Health workers are exempted from this travel ban. LGUs are addressing transportation problems, pero 'yung iba maglalakad talaga (but the others have no choice but to walk)," he said

Malaya admitted the government is still struggling to address the "kinks" on the first day of the implementation of the enhanced quarantine, saying officials expect the situation to normalize in the next few days. He asked for the public's patience.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday placed the entire Luzon under the enhanced community quarantine. This means, people will only be allowed to go out of their homes to access basic necessities. Mass public transportation services will also be suspended, while land, air and sea travel is restricted. This includes transport network vehicle services like Grab, OWTO and Micab.

The country has so far recorded 142 cases of COVID-19, including 12 fatalities.
Govt Review London and Brussels Offices Under Virus Threat

The Government has taken the decision to temporarily close Gibraltar House in London in the face of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Gibraltar House in Brussels will remain open for the time being.

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia yesterday spoke to both the Director of the London office Dominique Searle and the Director of the Brussels office Daniel DAmato.

In London, in order to best keep the function of the office operative in the medium to longer term the decision has been taken to allow support staff to work from home on the basis of being available for essential activity in the office. Telephones will continue to be manned remotely on a rota basis during office hours.

This situation is being reviewed by the director and his deputy on a daily basis in particular if the need arises to support students in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, it has been decided that Gibraltar House in Brussels will remain open and is operating in line with advice issued by the Belgian Authorities.

However, the physical layout of the building and the fact that the Director resides in a flat within it makes it easier to keep open.

The Government will keep the situation in London and Brussels under review and act accordingly going forward.
In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, US auto major Ford has asked 10,000 employees in India, except those in business-critical roles, to work from home, a step which has also been taken up by Swedish luxury car maker Volvo.

A Ford India spokesperson said, in recent days, the company has concluded that the issue of coronavirus has taken on a different dimension.

The company is continuing to act in real-time to keep its "people safe and help limit the spread of the virus in communities where we live and work".

"Therefore, starting Monday March 16, we have instructed much of our India workforce (over 10,000 people) including Ford India and Global Business Services - except those in business-critical roles that cannot be done away from Ford facilities to work remotely until further notice," the spokesperson said.

He further said, "The action will additionally help reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus while maximising the health of our business. All necessary safety measures have been deployed at Ford locations as well as our dealerships to ensure minimum inconvenience to customers."



In a similar development, Volvo Car India, the wholly-owned arm of Swedish luxury car company Volvo, also announced work from home as a safety measure for its employees due to the rising number of coronavirus infections in India.

The company which has around 40 employees on its rolls in India said all of them have been asked to work from home with immediate effect while necessary IT infrastructure has been put in place to facilitate business continuity.

It, however, said access to the office remains open for any employee who prefers to work from office, after informing respective manager.

Enhanced sanitation measures have been taken to ensure hygiene at office premises.

The company had also suspended all domestic and international travel since February, to limit the exposure of our employees to the virus, it added.

Volvo Car India further said it is also working closely with dealers to ensure their facilities are hygienic.

"Guidelines to dealers include ensuring cars that visit workshops as well as dealer demo cars are properly cleaned before next use. In addition, all demo cars to mandatorily have hand sanitiser," it said.

On Sunday, Tata Motors had also announced work from home for its office-based employees at headquarter and regional offices.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc Tuesday began suspending shared rides on their ride-hailing platforms in the United States and Canada to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The pooled option, which allows riders to book trips at lower prices by sharing the car with up to three other passengers traveling in the same direction, has been disabled for users opening the apps.

Our goal is to help flatten the curve on community spread in the cities we serve, senior vice president Uber Rides and Platform Andrew Macdonald said in a statement.

A spokesman said similar steps outside the two countries would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Regular rides and the companys food delivery platform Uber Eats remain available, but Uber said it was in contact with local authorities to adjust operations as needed.

North America provides the bulk of Ubers revenue, but pooled rides make up only a small share of all bookings, data by U.S. cities showed.

Lyft, Ubers smaller competitor operating only in the United States and Canada, said in a statement on Tuesday that it was also suspending all shared rides.

The health and safety of the Lyft community is our top priority, and were dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19, the company said.

A larger share of Lyfts rides are shared compared to Ubers, but still make up less than a third of all trips, city data showed.

The new coronavirus that causes respiratory illness has spread quickly throughout the United States, killing more than 80 people and infecting more than 4,700.

The federal government has urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Some state and local authorities have closed bars, restaurants and other venues to try and slow the spread of the virus.

Beginning on Tuesday, Uber users in the U.S. and Canada will also see a message reminding them to consider if the ride they plan to book is essential and to travel only when necessary, images provided by Uber showed.

Riders are also being asked to consider the safety of their drivers by washing their hands before and after a ride, sitting in the back seat and rolling down the window to improve ventilation.

Uber has previously said it will compensate drivers and delivery people diagnosed with coronavirus or placed in quarantine by health officials for up to 14 days.
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 17, 2020  Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Oil & Gas Refining, including Murphy USA Inc. MUSA, Phillips 66 PSX, World Fuel Services Corp. INT and PBF Energy Inc. PBF.

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/816431/coronavirus-hits-oil-gas-refining-marketing-industry-demand

The Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining & Marketing industry consists of companies that are involved in selling refined petroleum products (including heating oil, gasoline, residual oil, etc.) and a plethora of non-energy materials (like asphalt, road salt, clay, and gypsum). Some of the companies also operate refined products terminals, storage facilities and transportation services. The primary activity of these firms involves buying crude/other feedstocks and processing them into a wide variety of refined products.

Lets take a look at the industrys three major themes:

Since the last Industry Outlook, U.S. inventory data has shown healthy supply build for gasoline and distillate inventories, signaling plenty of oil products in the market. Therefore, margins continue to remain depressed despite robust demand. Further, the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has weakened demand from the worlds largest energy consumers. In particular, with major cities under lock-down and travel restrictions in place, the consumption of jet fuel (a derivative of distillates) is set to drop substantially. This will not only affect refining profitability but also result in increased price volatility.

Oil prices fell below $30 a barrel last week for the first time in four years as tensions between Russia and Saudi Arabia combined with continued panic over the spreading coronavirus sent the commodity crashing. While realizations for gasoline and heating oil have gone down too, the rate of decline has been slower. This is because beaten down prices of refined products leads to higher demand. In other words, refining margins are likely to improve with a dip in prices for its raw material, i.e. crude oil.

The downstream refining and marketing companies tend to get a major portion of their cash flows from gasoline distribution and retail operations. These businesses are quite stable and defensive thanks to highly inelastic gasoline sales and demand. Consumption of gasoline is a necessity and remains resilient even during lean times as consumers would still need to drive and fill up the tank. In fact, the current low oil price environment influences people to drive and travel more, which boosts gasoline demand. Lower fuel expense also leaves consumers with a larger disposable income that they can utilize on retail store purchases.

Story continues

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Grim Outlook

The Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining & Marketing is a 13-stock group within the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #202, which places it in the bottom 20% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dim near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industrys position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are pessimistic on this groups earnings growth potential. As a proof of this, the industrys earnings estimate for 2020 have decreased 33.5% in the past year. Meanwhile, the same for 2021 have slumped 32.7% over the trailing 12-month period.

Despite the bleak near-term prospects of the industry, we will present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio. But its worth taking a look at the industrys shareholder returns and current valuation first.

Industry Lags Sector & S&P 500

The Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining & Marketing industry has lagged the broader Zacks Oil - Energy Sector as well as the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year.

The industry has declined 55.2% over this period compared with the S&P 500s loss of 5.2% and broader sectors decrease of 51.6%.

Industrys Current Valuation

Since oil and gas companies are debt laden, it makes sense to value them based on the EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value/ Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) ratio. This is because the valuation metric takes into account not just equity but also the level of debt. For capital-intensive companies, EV/EBITDA is a better valuation metric because it is not influenced by changing capital structures and ignores the effect of noncash expenses.

On the basis of the trailing 12-month enterprise value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA), the industry is currently trading at 5.06X, lower than the S&P 500s 10.05X. However, it is well above the sectors trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA of 3.63X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 16.47X, as low as 4.34X, with a median of 7.39X.

Bottom Line

The traditional fuels refining operation  where crude is turned into products ranging from gasoline and diesel to jet fuel and asphalt  is heavily dependent on commodity price fluctuations. A tepid oil price environment generally results in the strengthening of crack spreads (or the difference between the price of oil and refined products).

Therefore, given the current weakness in oil (the input for refiners), demand is expected to be strong due to low product prices. This, in turn, will bolster cash flow generation at the companies with downstream exposure.

However, the health scare and the resulting economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus have led to fears of lesser driving worldwide, translating into lower oil product demand. Consequently, the freed-up domestic barrels could find their way to the export market and weaken the fundamentals.

Despite the current downbeat mood in the industry, we are presenting four stocks with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) that investors may currently retain in their portfolio.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Murphy USA Inc.: This company is a leading independent retailer of motor fuel and convenience merchandise in the United States. Murphy USA has an expected earnings growth of 7.7% for this year.

Phillips 66: This diversified energy operator focuses on four main business segments - refining, marketing, chemicals and storage & transportation. Phillips 66 has an expected earnings growth of 7.3% for this year.

World Fuel Services Corp.: World Fuel Services is engaged in marketing and selling marine, aviation, and land fuel products, plus associated services. The downstream operator has an expected earnings growth of 2.5% for this year.

PBF Energy Inc.: PBF Energy provides end products that comprise heating oil, transportation fuels and lubricants among others. The company has an expected earnings growth of 338.9% for this year.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



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Like the landscapes Alderton showed at the gallery in 2015, his recent portraits are partly abstracted and rendered in vivid, unnaturalistic hues. The figures are framed by slabs of strong color, and the faces are often divided into a few blocks or bars of purple, green or brown. Features are sketched with stark black lines, with just glimmers of white at the edges of the eyes to illuminate an inner spark. The flattened, elongated heads, necks and torsos recall Modigliani, while the geometric shapes announce the influence of cubism.
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Iran has issued its most dire warning about coronavirus, suggesting 'millions' could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps ignoring health guidance.

A state television journalist who is also a medical doctor gave the warning after Shiite faithful pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had just been closed over fears of the virus.

The country said today it has temporarily freed around 85,000 prisoners including political detainees in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

It comes as deaths in the Islamic Republic spike by 135  a 13 per cent rise.

The coronavirus has killed 135 more people in Iran, which has raised the death toll to 988 amid 16,169 infections.

That's according to Iran Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, who gave the figure at a televised news conference today.

People gather outside the closed doors of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom last night

A group of worshippers pictured praying behind the closed doors of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom, Iran's holy city, after it was shut due to fears over coronavirus which has continued to spread through the country

A man kisses the door handle of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country

Iran closed four key Shiite pilgrimage sites across the Islamic republic yesterday, in line with measures to stop coronavirus

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said half of the prisoners who were released amid coronavirus were 'security-related prisoners'.

'Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak,' the spokesman said.

The United Nations has warned that inmates have already been infected in Iran's overcrowded and disease-ridden jails, and called for all political prisoners to be released.

The judiciary spokesman did not elaborate on when those released would have to return to prison.

Iran's COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst outside of China.

The regime has been widely criticised for its handling of the outbreak, including for its reluctance to shut down holy pilgrimage sites. Most cases across the Middle East have been linked to Iran, with many countries shutting down travel.

A woman prays outside the shuttered Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom as they are closed due to the virus

A cleric prays outside the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom on March 16. Iran's COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst outside of China

The United Nations has warned that inmates have already been infected in Iran's overcrowded prisons. Pictured above are two men wearing face masks in Qom today

A woman wears a face mask as she heads through the city of Qom in Iran today. The square behind her is almost empty

Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, urged Tehran earlier this month to free all its political prisoners.

Iran had already announced the release of 70,000 prisoners, but Rehman said only those serving sentences of less than five years had been freed.

Political prisoners and others charged with heavier sentences linked to their participation in protest marches remained in jail,' he said.

'A number of dual and foreign nationals are at real risk if they have not... got it [coronavirus], they are really fearful of the conditions,' Rehman said.

'This is also my worrying concern and therefore I have recommended to the state of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release all prisoners on temporary release,' he said.

People wear face masks today as they ride the Tehran metro. The United Nations has told Iran it should release all prisoners

Workers wearing protective clothes and face masks at a bank in Tehran today. They are believed to include hundreds arrested during or after anti-government protests in November

Rehman has described how overcrowded and unhygienic conditions were causing the spread of infectious diseases. Pictured above is the city of Qom this morning

Iran previously said it had 189,500 prisoners, according to the report Rehman submitted to the Human Rights Council in January.

They are believed to include hundreds arrested during or after anti-government protests in November.

In a February report, Rehman described how overcrowded and unhygienic conditions were causing the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis C.

Quoting inmates, he said prisoners even had to provide their own soap.

The United States has also urged Iran to release political prisoners, including Americans held on spying charges.

The Iranian regime has freed around 85,000 inmates including political prisoners to stop coronavirus, the government of Hassan Rouhani (pictured) said today

A mosque pictured in Qom. The Fatima Masumeh Shrine has been closed to visitors to prevent the spread of coronavirus

An empty classroom pictured in Tehran after schools were closed in a desperate bid to contain the virus

A man stares into an empty playground in the city of Qom today as schools remain closed due to the virus outbreak

'The United States will hold the Iranian regime directly responsible for any American deaths,' U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier in March.

In response, Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had similar concerns about several dozen Iranians held in U.S. prisons, mostly for violating sanctions.

'The state of America's prisons and their health situation are worrying ... we are ready to bring the jailed Iranians in America back to Iran,' spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

'American officials should pay serious attention to the health conditions of the Iranians who have been taken hostage in America. They have been imprisoned without any legal basis.'

Pompeo said that any nation offering aid to Tehran should seek a reciprocal humanitarian gesture of releasing prisoners.

Washington has long demanded that Iran release American citizens including father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi, Navy veteran Michael White and former FBI agent Robert Levinson.

Tehran denies it holds people on political grounds, and has mainly accused foreign prisoners of espionage.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been at a peak since the U.S. drone strike which killed top general Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.

There were also fears for British-Iranian prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after her husband Richard Ratcliffe said she was suffering from a 'strange cold'.

He described her as suffering from a continual cold sweat and as having feelings of nausea at her jail in Tehran.

A group campaigning for her release from custody on spying charges later said she was recovering but had not been properly tested.

Italian prisons have also seen jailhouse riots after inmates were told they could not see relatives over virus fears.
MOSCOW  Ukraine, like many countries, has closed schools and banned mass gatherings to combat the coronavirus. But unlike others, it has struggled to tamp down street protests, which persist over the war in the countrys separatist east.

At demonstrations over the weekend, several thousand people turned out in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, to protest what they perceive as a concession to Russia in talks to end the fighting. In so doing, they first defied a ban on gatherings of more than 200 people and then, as the prohibition was tightened, gatherings of more than 10 people.

[Analysis: Not just a crisis: Coronavirus is a test for putins security state.]

What the Ukrainian government is doing in terms of the national interest is more dangerous than the virus, Yulia Kovtun, a graphic designer, said of her decision to join an opposition rally on Saturday.
Governor updates states positive cases to four

Cancun, Q.R.  Governor Carlos Joaquin has addressed the state with an update confirming a total of four positive cases of coronavirus in Quintana Roo. The four cases were part of the states 43 suspected cases of which 21 came back negative, while 18 remain unknown. He says laboratory tests are still out on those 18 cases.

In his address, he explained In Quintana Roo, we are still in Phase 1 of the care models established by the World Health Organization, which is called viral import. This means that the virus cases we are detecting were caught out of state, while people were in one of the countries that were having outbreaks at the time.

This scenario still allows us to continue carrying out public activities, but with important prevention recommendations, he added.

We are strengthening epidemiological surveillance in ports, airports, bus terminals, and border bridges in Belize with more personnel from the international health area, who are reviewing those who arrive in the entity.

Also, we are making sure that at these entry points there are the essential cleaning and hygiene material so that all passengers can use them. We have already installed infrared thermal cameras for the detection of people who could enter the state with symptoms of some respiratory disease.

Although there are criticisms of this measure, which according to the World Health Organization has a reduced percentage of effectiveness, I have considered its use as one more measure to increase supervisory capacity. We will not skimp on technological and human resources for the protection of health.

We are also applying questionnaires to each of the passengers and visitors about their health status in order to have strategic information about the conditions that each one has and then be able to make decisions regarding their entry.

I want to comment that the secretaries of health and tourism will continue to update the information continuously and permanently.
Technavio has been monitoring the small signal transistor market and it is poised to grow by USD 118.13 mn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of about 3% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request the latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005348/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Small Signal Transistor Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentratation will accelerate during the forecast period. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Adoption of IoT has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Small Signal Transistor Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Small Signal Transistor Market is segmented as below:

Application

Industrial Applications

Automotive Applications

Communication

Consumer Electronics

Others

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30073

Small Signal Transistor Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our small signal transistor market report covers the following areas:

Small Signal Transistor Market Size

Small Signal Transistor Market Trends

Small Signal Transistor Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies implementation of automation in industries as one of the prime reasons driving the small signal transistor market growth during the next few years.

Small Signal Transistor Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the small signal transistor market, including some of the vendors such as Infineon Technologies, Maxim Integrated, NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics and STMicroelectronics. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the small signal transistor market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Small Signal Transistor Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist small signal transistor market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the small signal transistor market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the small signal transistor market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of small signal transistor market vendors

Table of Content

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Industrial applications Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Automotive applications Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Communication Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Consumer electronics Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: TRENDS

Implementation of automation in industries

Growing demand for FinFET technology

Increasing demand for enhanced communication network

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Infineon Technologies

Maxim Integrated

NXP Semiconductors

Renesas Electronics

STMicroelectronics

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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German foreign minister Heiko Mass on Tuesday advised citizens against any non-essential travelling and also asked them to stay at home. Mass on Tuesday announced that the country has kept aside 50 million euros to bring back German citizens stuck abroad. Mass said that Germany will do 'everything possible' to bring home thousands of citizens stuck due to coronavirus restrictions.

Read: Health Ministry To Allow Accredited Pvt Labs To Conduct Tests For Coronavirus

The coronavirus is spreading rapidly in many parts of the country, prompting the federal government to temporarily shut down its borders with Austria, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Denmark. Germany has so far recorded 7,272 cases of coronavirus, of which 67 patients have recovered fully. According to data acquired by worldometer, Germany has logged in 17 deaths since the virus first broke out in December last year. The total number of active cases in the country is above 7,188 of which two patients remain under critical condition. Germany is the biggest economy in the European Union and the rising coronavirus cases in the country are taking a huge toll on the country's financial standing.

Read: Coronavirus: Dubai Witnesses Vacant Tourist Spots, Empty Malls Amid Pandemic Scare

#Reisewarnung: Wir haben uns entschlossen, ab jetzt vor allen nicht notwendigen, touristischen Reisen in das Ausland zu warnen. Daher die dringende Bitte: Bleiben Sie zu Hause. Sie helfen damit sich und anderen! Diese Reisewarnung fur touristische Reisen gilt weltweit. #COVID19  Heiko Maas  (@HeikoMaas) March 17, 2020

Read: Shaniwar Wada Fort Temporarily Closed For Public To Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus

Coronavirus outbreak

The COVID-19 has claimed more than 7,100 lives across the world and has infected over 1,82,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China is the most affected country in the world as experts believe that the virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally. Italy, Iran and Spain are the most affected countries outside mainland China where a combined death toll stands at 3,353.

Read: Germany's Bavaria Announces 10 Billion Euros Funds Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Farnsworths concerns, though, were not trivial. Mies viewed the Farnsworth House as the embodiment of his aesthetic, at a cost to its practicality and habitability. One mistake, Beam suggests, was siting the elevated house too near the Fox River, where flooding remained a serious threat. The open-space floor plan allowed for flexibility, but little privacy. The uninsulated glass made the house, which lacked air conditioning, broiling in summer and expensive to heat in winter. The roof leaked, heating oil dirtied the windows, and the fireplace was nearly impossible to use.
A cyclist has died following a collision with a truck in Travancore this morning.

It is believed the driver of a truck travelling south-east along Mount Alexander Road turned left into Mooltan Street and struck a cyclist just before 6am.

A cyclist was hit and killed by a truck on the corner of Mooltan and Mount Alexander roads in Travancore on Wednesday. Credit:Jason South

The rider, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene.

The truck driver, a 40-year-old Gisborne man, is currently assisting police with their enquiries.
Inside the digital wonderland that is the multisensory

Art shows are commonplace in big cites, especially in cultural hubs like New York. But when its being held in a venue like the historic Chelsea Districts Artechouse NYC and bathed in Pantones 2020 Color of the Year, 19-4052 Classic Blue, its an event. Officially titled Submerge, this show plunges visitors into a full body experience that merges contemporary art, imagination, and cutting-edge technology.

Artechouse NYC

Unveiled in September 2019, Artechouse NYC is the citys original permanent museum of digital art. It occupies the historic Nabisco Biscuit Company building, a red brick building built in the 1890s that holds a coveted place on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1912, it became most famous for the origin of Oreo cookies, the best selling cookie brand in the United States.

Inside the mind-blowing blue world that is the

The remodel focused on the buildings basement, a 6000-square-foot boiler room that was transformed into the iconic Artechouse NYC. The rest of the building, owned by Googles parent company Alphabet, Inc., accommodates several Google NYC offices, a TV production studio, and a food corridor lined with shops and restaurants thats been popular with tourists and locals alike since its inception in 1997.

The Pantone Pairing

New York Fashion week, which ran from February 3rd to 12th, 2020, coincided perfectly with Artechouse NYCs Submerge exhibit. For the past 20 years, Pantones once-a-year color pick foresees the color inclination that will be dominant on runways as designers launch their new fashion assortments. 19-4052 Classic Blue is the 2020 choice, itself the deep, brilliant blue shade of oceans and skies. Naturally, this hue also prevails throughout the Submerge exhibit.

Inside the mind-blowing blue world that is the

Sandro, Artechouse founder and Chief Creative Officer, explains that at Artechouse we try to connect audiences to art in an entirely new way, stimulating minds, emotions, and imagination through multiple touchpoints. Just as musicians use notes to evoke feelings, we as artists use color to affect the psyche and elicit powerful emotions. Our collaboration with Pantone offered us an opportunity to utilize our state-of-the-art technology and design tools to push the possibilities and truly submerge people into color, creating an unprecedented multisensory exploration where one would not only visually take in the color but feel it all around them. We are thrilled to bring this exciting installation to a larger audience.

Story continues

The Submerge Experience

Visitors enter the vast museum through a low profile entrance on the bottom level at 439 W. 15th Street. Only 75 people are admitted in at a time. While guests wait, a staff member advises them to view a short video that clarifies what the experience will entail.

Inside the mind-blowing blue world that is the

Vibrant blue cocktails are being made at a bar on a balcony to further celebrate the Submerge theme. Digital art is projected on the walls and floor here, and on the buildings two lower stories, on an endless 30-minute loop. Theres no time limit on how long visitors can stay. Some stare, others sit on pillows, and a small portion even lay on the floor as the walls seem to undulate around them.

If the experience overwhelms people, theres a bright red exit sign at the opposite end of the room that makes for an easy way out through a little gift shop that leads directly into Chelsea Market. Most patrons find the experience peaceful and relaxing, with the atmosphere inspiring lots of photos and selfies.

Inside the mind-blowing blue world that is the

This is the third Artechouse in America devoted to exhibiting the works of groundbreaking digital artists. Founded in Washington, D.C. in June 2017, the company also has an exhibition space in Miami.
As the political tug-of-war in



Madhya Pradesh continued, Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati wrote a letter to Governor Lalji Tandon, urging him to ensure the return of "missing" MLAs, whose resignations he said, are under his consideration.

In the letter released to the media on Tuesday evening, Prajapati said doubts prevail whether these MLAs, who are currently in Bengaluru, resigned on their own volition.

Prajapati's missive is the latest edition in the "letter war" that is going on in the state between Tandon and Chief Minister Kamal Nath over the last few days.

The ruling Congress has claimed that some of its MLAs have been kept in "captivity" by the BJP in the Karnataka capital, a charge denied by the opposition party. In the wake of resignations, the BJP has asked the Nath government to seek a trust vote in the assembly.

In the letter, Prajapati stated, I request you, being a working head and guardian of the state, to take solid steps in a bid to ensure the return of missing MLAs and to address the doubts of family members and acquaintances (of these MLAs).

Prajapati said no family member was present when the resignations of these MLAs were submitted to him.

"But, these legislators posted several videos on social media. This has raised doubts if these resignation letters were written under pressure.

"If these resignations were submitted voluntarily, why no family member was present during the submission," he asked.

The speaker said the family members of some of these "missing" MLAs have expressed concern about their well-being.

Prajapati said he received the resignation letters of 16 Congress legislators by "other people" (other than their relatives or family members).

Prajapati said he had directed these MLAs to meet him in person, but they did not do so. They were also absent from the assembly whose budget session commenced on March 16.

"This is a matter of concern," he added.

After former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, 22 MLAs of the ruling party, also submitted their resignations, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of a collapse.

Of these, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs.

These 22 rebel Congress MLAs on Tuesday morning held a press conference in Bengaluru claiming they had voluntarily submitted their resignation letters.

The speakers letter came after the governor directed Nath two times since Saturday last to face trust vote in the house.

However, the chief minister, after meeting Tandon on Monday night, claimed his government enjoys majority and ruled out holding a floor test in the assembly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Illinois citizens: If you can vote, do. While the presidential nominating process has President Donald Trump on the GOP side and former Vice President Joe Biden leading on the Democratic side, this is your chance to weigh in on local, state and congressional races. Your taxes, your health care, your property values, your quality of life  theyre all on the ballot.
About two hours after six Bay Area counties announced shelter in place orders, Larry Taylor sauntered on 45th Street in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood.

Taylor, who is homeless, held a cigarette in his oil-stained hands, and he had T-shirts tied around his ankles to keep his feet warm.

I asked the 29-year-old Oakland native if he was concerned about the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

He looked at me like I was speaking another language.

The coronavirus, you know the outbreak thats touched all corners of the world? The pandemic that prompted Alameda County to direct everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks? Homeless people are exempt from the order but are encouraged to find shelter.

Taylor stared at me before smirking. He had no idea what I was talking about, because Alameda Countys outreach message hadnt reached him. I wonder: How many of the countys 8,000 homeless people are living in the dark?

If its a virus like that and you aint supposed to be outside, everyones supposed to be notified, Taylor said. This is my first time hearing about it.

He took a long drag of his cigarette.

Its like they just want us to catch it, get rid of the ones outside, he said. Viruses like this dont just come about, especially if its worldwide.

What is the virus even about? What happens?

Otis R. Taylor Jr.

Worst case scenario is death, I told him. Thats when two people unzipped their tents and poked their heads out. People whod been huddling, oblivious to social distancing, turned around.

This needs to sink in: People sleeping in tents and vehicles are some of the most vulnerable because they usually camp in cramped spaces where isolation isnt an option. Thats why they need to know theyre high risk.

But information, like housing, has been frustratingly elusive. The people Ive met in the last week arent anxiously refreshing websites or watching televised news conferences. On the street, information travels by word of mouth.

At Mondays previously-scheduled town hall on homelessness, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff addressed the threat facing Oaklands homeless residents.

Oakland has doubled the amount of hygiene and sanitation interventions that we are providing at our largest encampments, she said. We, in partnership with Alameda County, now have Porta Potties, handwashing stations and hand sanitizers at 40 different homeless encampments throughout the city.

At the encampment where Taylors lived since July, the water at the handwashing station was cold and it slowly trickled from the tap. At least there was soap. At an encampment on Martin Luther King Jr Way, one handwashing station was being used as a trash can. The soap was empty.

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.

Ive requested to go to a camp with an outreach team, because I want to know why homeless people arent getting the dire warnings they need from city and county officials.

As an empty BART train rumbled on the tracks over 45th Street, Brandon Dupart quizzed me about sheltering in place, nervously twisting a rag in his hands.

Its the lack of information, said Dupart, 30. Yeah, were homeless but were still people, too.

Taylor added, You cant tell the homeless they cant be outside, because where are we going to go?

I left Taylor and Dupart and drove around Oakland. When I pulled up next to where Heather Leonard held a cardboard sign on Castro Street, I asked her how she was preparing.

I heard theyre moving us to camps, she said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing  No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ  Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020

UK actor Idris Elba (Luther, Turn Up Charlie) told his followers on social media today he has tested positive for coronavirus, despite not showing any symptoms.

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19, he wrote on Twitter.

I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing. No panic.

Coronavirus Health Information Hotline: 1800 020 080.
One of the fashions glitzy-filled events of the year, the Met Gala, which was previously scheduled on May 4, 2020, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The move has been taken as a measure to combat the spread of the contagious virus and it is one among the cancelled and postponed cultural events around the world due to coronavirus.

Due to the unavoidable and responsible decision by the Metropolitan Museum to close its doors, About Time, and the opening night gala, will be postponed to a later date, wrote Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour.

Reported by CNN, the annual red carpet event, hosted by Conde Nasts Anna Wintour, is a celebrity-packed fundraiser for The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event has been held, without fail since 2005, on the first Monday in May.

Watch - Coronavirus: Katrnia Kaif, Priyanka Chopra advise fans to stay at home amid lockdown

On Friday the Metropolitan Museum announced it would be shutting its doors temporarily, causing speculation that the gala would not be held as planned. In a follow-up statement sent to CNN on Monday a spokesperson wrote: The Museum will remain closed through Saturday, April 4.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised over the weekend that there should not be any gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks. Many of the Hollywood events, concerts and programmes have been called off adhering to the advice.

Also read: Katrina Kaif shares complete workout videos to survive coronavirus lockdown, Arjun Kapoor counts on movies

However, the Zee Cine Awards were held in Mumbai on Friday. It was a star-studded gala with dance performances by Hrithik Roshan and Ranveer Singh. For the sake of caution, the general public was not allowed entry, and there was no red carpet either.

Meanwhile, the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards were cancelled because of the spreading coronavirus. The organisers said in a statement that the decision to call off the show was taken with due regard to growing concerns around the spread of COVID-19, while keeping the health and safety of fans and the general community. A fresh date and plans for hosting IIFA in Madhya Pradesh will be announced at the earliest, it added.

(With HT inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSXV:EPL) ("EPL" or "Eagle Plains") has purchased a 100% interest (less 2% NSR) in additional mineral tenures totaling 1,105ha from an unrelated third party which are contiguous with EPL's 8,000 ha, 100%-owned Pine Channel project located 43 km west of Stoney Rapids, Saskatchewan. Limited drilling has been completed in and around the property area by past operators which resulted in the successful delineation of mineralization to shallow depths. Potential to test for further continuity at depth is considered to be excellent. The recently-added claims cover two historical occurrences which reportedly contain visible gold and graded up to 255.7 g/t gold (Thompson Island) and 870 g/t gold (Old Cabin) over narrow intervals.

Eagle Plains initially acquired a 100% interest in the project in 2018 by staking and in 2019 completed a surface exploration program to evaluate and confirm the nature of mineralization previously documented at historical showings.

Property Geology and History

The Pine Channel property covers seventeen SMDI mineral occurrences of gold-bearing quartz veins in fractures hosted by graphitic schists and gneisses. The fracture zones vary from 0.1 - 2.0 m in width and typically are associated with arsenopyrite, tourmaline, jamesonite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite.

Highlights from historical work include:

Thompson Island (SMDI 1576): Zone 1 - 255.7g/t Au, 32.3 g/t Ag Zone 3 - 130.6 g/t Au, 18 g/t Ag Zone 2 - 87.1 g/t Au, 6849 g/t Ag

Old Cabin (SMDI 2176): 870 g/t Au and 21.1 g/t Au at the Ridge Zone

North Norite Bay (SMDI 2183): 407.96 g/t (14.39 oz/T) Au over 0.5 m (drill hole)

ELA (SMDI 1574): 39.96 g/t (1.41 oz/t) Au over 0.55 m (drill hole)

Holes G-1 and G-3 (SMDI 2329): 3.20 g/t Au over 1 m (drill hole)

Occurrence No. 6/Occurrence No. 8 (SMDI 1581): 90.6 g/t (3.20 oz/T) Au over 0.2 m (trench)

Cole Lake Ni-Cu (SMDI 1583): 0.45% Ni over 7.0 m (drill hole), 6.2 g/t Au, 0.01% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 3.0 m (trench)

King/Cole South (SMDI 2177): 31.93 g/t Ag, 1.55% Pb, 0.44% Zn over 0.28 m (drill hole)

The first documented work in the Pine Channel area was in 1914. GSC Canada Paper 49-27 by J.B. Mawdsley noted native gold-bearing quartz and tourmaline veins on Channel Island. The first recorded work on the property was in 1950 by Goldfields Uranium Mines. During 1980 Golden Rule Resources completed 246 line km of airborne electromagnetic ("EM") and magnetic surveys. Follow-up ground work located 11 significant occurrences. From 1985-1988 Colchis Resources completed VLF-EM geophysics, biogeochemical surveys, prospecting, soil sampling and trenching followed by shallow diamond drill testing of selected targets. Part of the property was covered by an airborne VTEM survey in 2013. Approximately 90 diamond drill holes have been completed on the property. Most of the holes were relatively shallow (~<100 m) using small diameter (AX) core, which is considered to be poorly suited to sampling the high grade, nuggety gold mineralization present in the Pine Channel area.

Twelve NQ drill holes were completed at the Ela in 1987, tracing the mineralized vein to a depth of 38 m with highlights including 24.52 g/t Au from 40.35 to 40.87 m in hole 87-07 and 5.27 g/t Au from 23.40-25.15 m in hole 87-11.

The above results were taken directly from the SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Pine Channel property area. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on proximate land are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the subject properties.

2019 Exploration Highlights:

Eagle Plains completed reconnaissance-scale exploration of the property in 2019 with the objective of confirming documented mineralization. During that program, a total of 25 rock samples were collected from various known occurrences and returned values ranging from 7 ppb Au up to a maximum of 77.5 g/t (2.73 oz/T) Au. Highlights of this work are reported below:

SAMPLE NUMBER DESCRIPTION Au g/t CDPCR013 2.39 kg composite of quartz / arsenopyrite float main trench area 13.6 CDPCR014 2.71 kg composite of quartz / arsenopyrite float main trench area 45.1 CDPCR015 1.3m cm chip across trench bottom; vuggy quartz with arsenopyrite 28.1 CDPCR016 25cm chip across trench bottom; vuggy quartz with arsenopyrite 7.4 DKPCR003 5.17 kg composite of quartz / arsenopyrite float north trench area 16.6 DKPCR004 4.9 kg composite of quartz / arsenopyrite float north trench area 13.4 DKPCR006 grab from 1m wide rusty quartz vein 22.2



Eagle Plains is planning to conduct systematic exploration of the property during the 2020 with the objective of identifying drill targets for further exploration and potential development of the property.

Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a Director of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Eagle Plains Resources

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Managements' current focus is to preserve its treasury while advancing its most promising exploration projects. In addition, Eagle Plains continues to seek out and secure high-quality, unencumbered projects through research, staking and strategic acquisitions. Since 2012, Eagle Plains has added to its portfolio a number of new projects exceeding 130,000 ha targeting mainly gold, uranium and base-metals in Saskatchewan, a highly-prospective mining jurisdiction which was recently recognized by the Fraser Institute as one of the top 3 jurisdictions in the world in terms of Investment Attractiveness. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.

Expenditures from 2011-2019 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $20M, most of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 30,000 m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim J. Termuende"

President and CEO

For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at

1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673)

Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at http://www.eagleplains.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/580964/Eagle-Plains-Increases-Pine-Channel-Gold-Project-Area-Acquires-High-Grade-Mineral-Occurrences
Anton Du Beke is not a man easily given to emotion. The original and most popular of all the Strictly Come Dancing professionals, he has spent the majority of his life gliding across polished floors smiling serenely despite dislocated toes, agonising back injuries and a horribly dysfunctional upbringing.

I cry all the time now, Anton Du Beke admits. Even if Im just thinking about my wife and my kids. I never expected this in my life. I never expected to be a father'

Thirty-odd years ago, Tony Beke  as he was called then  had two jobs, working in the early hours as a baker and in the afternoons selling second-hand furniture. With his jolly banter and impeccable manners, he was a favourite with his customers. They knew he danced (every penny he earned was spent on lessons and costumes) but they had no idea his father was a violent alcoholic who dominated the family home in Sevenoaks, Kent. The young Beke focused everything on the tough regime of capturing the perfect samba, waltz and tango where blood, sweat and tears were masked by wide smiles and the glittering facade of the ballroom.

But now, Du Beke tells me, he cant stop crying. I was crying this morning in my car listening to Alfie Boe, he says. Similarly, during an appearance on ITVs Loose Women to promote his new novel, Moonlight Over Mayfair, and a Dance Those Magical Movies tour with ballroom partner Erin Boag, Du Beke burst into tears mid-conversation. The reason is simple: he is happy. Du Beke, 53, is happily married to businesswoman Hannah Summers and they have two-year-old twins, George and Henrietta. For a man who has suffered every hardship in life with a smile, his reaction to this new-found contentment is to weep.

I cry all the time now, he admits. Even if Im just thinking about my wife and my kids. I never expected this in my life. I never expected to be a father. Im an old father and at times I do worry about that. Ill be taking them to school alongside other parents who are young enough to be my kids. But for me it happened at the right time because I met the right woman. Watching my mother play with my children is just the most marvellous feeling in the world. I am a family.

Du Beke had never wanted to have children but Hannah did. And so that changed it for me, he says. I want what Hannah wants.

But getting pregnant wasnt straightforward, as Hannah suffers from endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places. Its not always easy [with endometriosis] and Hannah knew we would have to go through IVF. I just got up and said, Right, lets do it, and started the whole thing going.

We had to go through a procedure before we even started. Some women have strong immune systems and they produce these killer cells to fight off what comes into their system so there was a treatment to deal with that. And then on top theres the IVF itself  the injections, the complications of it. You dont just walk into a clinic and walk out again. Everyone has different issues to deal with. Its a long process, its very tough and what women have to go through, what my wife went through He stops for a moment, then recovers himself.

Look, Im pretty tough, but to see what a woman will put herself through physically and emotionally is incredible. I felt humbled by it, I felt scared, I felt helpless because I could do nothing except be by her side. You have no control. I felt all that time I was holding dandelion fuzz in my hand and any minute it could either get crushed or fly away, but you have to try to hold on to that fuzz.

To think of how my wife handled it with such grace and dignity still makes me cry. I spoke to a woman at the hairdressers who went through IVF 14 times and I just could not believe where she got that strength.

Their first attempt with IVF proved successful. And if anything makes you realise how precious your kids are, your family is, it is to live with the idea that it may not become a reality, he says. And so that is why anything to do with my kids can make me cry.

Du Beke has been part of many different families. Aged ten, when he first started dancing, the Holton School of Dancing became his second home. His next, rather dysfunctional family, was the brutal world of dance competitions. You had to be like a piece of granite, he says. You had to know every single person in that world and you had to beat them. You all belonged but you could never be friends.

Since the advent of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, Du Beke has become part of the Strictly family. Me, Tess [Daly], Craig [Revel Horwood] and Bruno [Tonioli] are the only original members of the team left, he says. I dont know what I will do if any of them go.

The late Bruce Forsyth was like a father to him. I saw Du Beke shortly after Forsyth died in 2017 and he told me then: Bruce gave me confidence, he gave me support and he gave me a hell of a lot of laughs. Forsyth used to joke he was his son because they had the same chin. Du Beke was in the studio when he heard the news. It was the one day the dancing stopped, he said.

Du Beke takes his role on the show very seriously. He works incredibly hard and trains every day. Im older but I dont think it gets harder to stay in shape because Im so used to training, he says. If anything, I push myself more. I added gymnastics strengthening work to my training last year, and that was very tough but it pushed me further.

As well as Strictly and his dance show with Erin Boag, next month he embarks on a six-date national tour, An Audience With Anton Du Beke. His novel is his second book and a third is already under discussion. It is a romantic tale of love and dance set in Thirties Britain. Did he have any help writing it? I dont do the actual typing, but I come up with the ideas, the plot and the characters. So I dictate and another person puts it together. Then I read it and make changes as we go along.

He asks me what I think of the novel. I tell him its not as fascinating as his own life story. He laughs and begins to lightly tap-dance around the issue of his abusive father. I dont think Id want to go there, he says. I dont look back. I dont have any photos from my childhood, I dont like to define myself by being a product of how I grew up. Poor me, poor me. Ive never had therapy. Never wanted to, never needed to.

Its true to say there was some chaos in my home life and I wanted order and discipline, he says. I was focused. Dance gave me a different vision for everything.

He will admit the spectre of his Hungarian father, who walked out on the family when he was a teenager, does perhaps cast a shadow. His Spanish mother, Ascension, who had two jobs when he was growing up, is a big part of his life. She is often to be found in the audience at Strictly watching her son and more often at his family home playing with her grandchildren. She was the constant in my life, he says. She believed in me and gave me the work ethic I have today. I work hard because I want to provide for my kids but I also want to be with my kids so I drive a lot. I will do a show and drive home. I want to see them. I want to have breakfast with them, even if it means I cant get dressed properly because I would end up with marmalade prints all over my shirt.

If Im away, I do endless Facetime. Its a marvellous invention. I had no relationship with my dad but I want a relationship with my kids. I want to be a good dad and I want to be in their lives for as long as I can.

Anton Du Beke with wife Hannah Summers and their twins George and Henrietta earlier this year

As far as his Strictly family goes, Du Beke also wants to stay put, and has just been confirmed for the next season. This year he came close to winning the glitterball with EastEnders actress Emma Barton, only to have it snatched away in the finals by Oti Mabuse and Kelvin Fletcher. In the past he was tipped to take over from both Forsyth and former head judge, Len Goodman, but remains one of the pro dance team.

I never dreamed as a kid that my life would turn out this way. I have a family, Im on the best show on TV. Im just happy to be there and if they want to move me and put me anywhere Ill do it as long as Im on the show  just so long as they dont have me sweeping the floors. That, I dont think I could do.

Moonlight over Mayfair (Zaffre), is out now in paperback, priced 7.99. For tickets to An Audience With Anton Du Beke (April 26 to May 6) go to raymondgubbay.co.uk/antondubeke
[March 17, 2020] Mallory Safety and Supply Relies on Comcast Business for Industrial-Sized Upgrade

Comcast Business today announced that Mallory Safety and Supply LLC selected Comcast (News - Alert) Business internet solutions and software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) to overcome geographic challenges of expansion, facilitate team communication and meet customers' expanding technology needs to power advanced safety products, training and supply chain solutions. Following two 2018 acquisitions that expanded the company's operations to 24 locations spread over three time zones, Mallory needed to remove geographical barriers to team collaboration by implementing a reliable network infrastructure. With its Comcast Business fiber network, Mallory can now reliably accommodate high-bandwidth communications tools, allowing employees to collaborate using video, VoIP and chat, no matter where they are located. "The Mallory-Comcast partnership helps our team provide better, more holistic service to our customers to meet their needs, while also creating a company culture that allows everyone to be a part of the solution," said Brian Loy, Chief Information Officer for Mallory. "Comcast's reliably good product allows tasks like file storage, video conferencing and idea sharing to happen easily. Our internal communications have improved significantly with this rollout, making us a more efficient workplace." Implementing Comcast Business' network infrastructure has also helped Mallory's customers - organizations in industries such as energy exploration and refining, wind and solar power, heavy construction, defense and aviation, food and beverage production, commercial contracting, ship building and repair, telecommunications, and others. "While many companies in our industry are late adopters of technology, the successful ones have all been nimble enough to adapt their sysems to work with customers and manufacturers as the business landscape changes," Loy said. "Our stakeholders appreciate how quickly we can produce reports and data - all with the help of Comcast's reliable network."



"Because many organizations turn to Mallory to capitalize on safety information, operational technology, worker equipment, mobile connected devices, and data tracking and measurement, it's critical that Mallory has a dedicated connection with Internet capacity in place to increase the breadth and depth of its solutions and provide a scalable supply chain and safety competencies for its customers," said Mark Meyers, Enterprise Sales Director for Comcast Business. "As market demand increases and as Mallory continues to grow, its modernized technology infrastructure will allow the company to seamlessly deliver even better customer service and help sustain its market leadership." With its new network in place, the company's future technology upgrades include a web-enabled CRM package, migrating more applications to the cloud, and firming up the disaster recovery and cybersecurity plans.

For more information, please visit: https://business.comcast.com/portland. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter (News - Alert) @Comcast Business and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. About Mallory Safety and Supply Mallory Safety and Supply LLC is the largest independent safety distributor in the Western US, with approximately 350 employees, and 22 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Wisconsin. Mallory provides Industrial, Defense and Aviation, Municipalities, Oil and Gas, Responders, Ethanol, Wood and Pulp, Wind Energy, Telecom, Roofing and Construction and other industries with advanced safety solutions including: Safety Equipment, Staffing, Training, Vending, Turnaround, Mobile Training, Rental, Product Service and Support, Consulting, and other services. For more than 30-years, Mallory Safety has delivered a broad array of worker safety protection products, systems, and abrasives, cutting tools, clean room and construction supplies, to exceed customer expectations and deliver both safety expertise and full-solution vendor consolidation and supply chain efficiency for organizations. For more information, visit http://www.malloryco.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005005/en/

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Presenter and newsreader George Alagiah in the BBC World News studio, 01/07/2008 (Photo by Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images)

Coronavirus

George Alagiah has shared his upset about having to withdraw from the BBC newsroom amid the spread of coronavirus.

It comes as the 64-year-old continues to receive treatment for bowel cancer after being diagnosed in 2014.

"Absolutely gutted," he shared on Twitter on Tuesday. "After talking to colleagues and doctors Ive decided to stay away from the newsroom.

Im on a few weeks cancer treatment break at the moment but, on a balance of risks, we all decided I must heed the advice for those with underlying health issues."

Read more: Soaps to include handwashing reminders amid coronavirus outbreak

The newsreader was treated for stage-four bowel cancer in 2014 and returned to TV in 2015. However, three years later in 2018 he announced he would need further treatment.

Absolutely gutted. After talking to colleagues and doctors Ive decided to stay away from the newsroom. Im on a few weeks cancer treatment break at the moment but, on a balance of risks, we all decided I must heed the advice for those with underlying health issues.  George Alagiah (@BBCAlagiah) March 17, 2020

On Monday night, his agent Mary Greeham told Press Association that Alagiah was self-isolating.

Susanna Reid announced on Tuesday morning that she was self-isolating after one of her three sons exhibited symptoms.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

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She appeared on Good Morning Britain via video link to speak with colleagues Piers Morgan as well as Charlotte Hawkins, who was filling in for her.

Susanna Reid attending the TRIC Awards 2020 held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday March 10, 2020. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)

The mother-of-three shared: One of the boys, one of the children, has a persistent cough and that came on yesterday suddenly with these new drastic action measures, that changed yesterday afternoon, it meant if even one member of your household had either the persistent cough or a fever then you would all have to go into self-isolation for 14 days.

"So that means immediately, I thought, I cant go into work and work with you guys for 14 days."
The World Bank has committed up to Ksh8 billion to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic and desert locusts in Kenya.

In an announcement Monday, World Bank said the Kenyan government will receive Sh6.2 billion to respond to Covid-19.

COVID-19 Financing Facility will avail $50 million (Ksh 5.15 billion) while $10 million (Sh1.02 billion) was sourced from the Contingency Emergency Response component of Transforming Health Systems for Universal Care Project.

The US$60 million funding will enhance surveillance, laboratory services, isolation units, equipment, supplies, and communication to help mitigate coronavirus in Kenya, World Bank Kenya announced on Twitter.

The funds will be used to mobilize response capacity, strengthen multi-sector platforms and help in monitoring and evaluation of prevention and preparedness.

They will also be used towards enhancing disease detection capacities and mobilizing surge response capacity through trained and well-equipped frontline health workers.

World Bank also announced that it had activated the disbursement of $14 million (Ksh 1.4 billion) for desert locust control.

The funds are sourced from the Contingency Emergency Response Component of Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project
In a country gripped by anxiety after falling victim to a pandemic that was unheard of only a few weeks ago and whose spread calls into question our ability to avert the collapse of the healthcare system, the big political news story came in while reporters and the general public were watching the COVID-19 public health crisis unfold.

On a Sunday evening marked by the pandemic and the newly-declared state of emergency, Spains King Felipe put out a statement a firewall of sorts with which he aimed to distance himself from his father, the former King Juan Carlos. King Felipe announced that he will be taking away his fathers allowance and he will renounce the inheritance that the King Emeritus intended to leave him and had been amassed by illegal means.

I would like to emphasise that King Felipe intends to renounce his shady cash inheritance, but not the crown which put him at the apex of the State. The King of Spain claims not to know that he is the second beneficiary of a 65m fund in the name of his father which his Saudi cousins set up for him in a tax haven.

The crowns virus has been spreading since 2015, when a conversation was leaked between Juan Carlos last lover and Jose Luis Villarejo, a former police commissioner gone rogue who used to do dirty work for some in the Spanish banking sector.

King Felipes throne is wobbling. In his communique he admits that he was informed of the facts he claimed no knowledge of by a British law firm on 5 March 2019. He kept it under wraps for nearly one year. Does the Spanish monarchy need a full year to pen a statement intended to muddy the waters?
Bill provides for administrative liability for unauthorized abandonment of place of observation

The Committee on National Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance recommends that the Verkhovna Rada adopt draft law No. 3219 in general, aimed at preventing the onset and spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The press service of the Verkhovna Rada reports.

"The committee decided to recommend the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the ninth convocation to urgently include draft law No. 3219 on the agenda and, based on the results of the first reading of the draft law, adopt it as a basis and as a whole," - the statement said.

The bill provides:

- simplification of the procurement of goods, works and services necessary for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus, but with mandatory reporting in the Prozoro system;

- 100% advance payment of goods, works and services purchased to prevent or combat coronavirus;

- exemption from entry fees and VAT for medicines or medical supplies purchased to prevent or combat coronavirus, but with mandatory reporting in the Prozoro system;

- the possibility, under quarantine, of working at home for public servants and employees of local self-government bodies and providing, with their consent, leave;

- a ban on the cancellation of a certificate of registration of an internally displaced person for the period of quarantine and within 30 days after its cancellation;

- Granting the right to owners to change the working hours of bodies, institutions and enterprises, in particular, for the reception and servicing of individuals and legal entities with the obligatory informing of the population about this through websites and other communication tools;

- extension of terms for obtaining and providing administrative services;

- a ban on the conduct by state bodies of supervision and control of planned activities in the field of economic activity during the implementation of activities related to the prevention and control of coronavirus

- the establishment of additional premiums in the amount of 150-200% for medical workers who work with people with COVID-19;

- administrative responsibility for the unauthorized abandonment of the place of observation.

Also at the meeting, it was decided to postpone the Committees hearings on the topic: Ways to overcome tuberculosis in Ukraine in the context of medical reform, scheduled for March 18, 2020, to the second quarter of this year

As we reported before, Seven Ukrainians are infected with coronavirus outside Ukraine

Only seven citizens are infected. The members of crew return from Grand Princess, if I'm not mistaken, there are 35 of them. Hundreds of the Ukrainian citizens are quarantined; in Egypt  in hotels, in Brazil  there is a group consisting of 14 people and in other countries, Kuleba said.
A woman wearing face mask walks past empty shelf of tissue papers at a supermarket in Hong Kong, Feb. 6, 2020.(AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

The fast-spreading Coronavirus has panicked shoppers who are braving long lines and crowded parking lots to stock up on groceries and other essential items.

People are rushing to stock up essentials on the back of the Coronavirus pandemic as they feel that the government may intensify measures to fight against COVID-19.

For instance, a leading retailer's outlet on Mumbai's Peddar Road had long queues on the morning of March 17. In demand are essentials such as pulses and cooking oil.

I went to two stores but at both the places I was not able to find cooking oil and lentils and most of the shelves are empty, said a customer from Mumbai.

This development comes after the Maharashtra government urged people to stay indoors, shutting down malls and restaurants. Companies are also allowing work from home for employees to contain the spread of COVID-19.

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

When Moneycontrol reached out to Future Group which owns Big Bazaar, their executive said, We have gauged the demand and we are well stocked up to replenish the empty shelves. We do not see any shortfall in grocery.

Online demand surge

Not only offline stores, online grocery stores such as Bigbasket and Grofers are also seeing a rise in demand for staples and packaged food items.

Our supply chains have not faced issues so far, and we are working closely with our manufacturers to make products on our platform available to our customers, at the right prices, said Albinder Dhindsa, Co-Founder & CEO, Grofers.

In an e-mailed response to Moneycontrols query on the shortage of essentials, Bigbasket said, Although we faced some disruption in the last 3 days, we have taken corrective action and have geared up for supplies to meet the increased demand. Increased demand is in essentials such as staples, atta & dal, fruits and vegetables we are in control because the predominant share is from our private label products. We are not facing shortages in FMCG branded products except in the case of sanitisers. In effect, supply will not be an issue.

With the general populace in metros on high alert for social distancing, the online stores have reported an increase in sales as compared to walk-in stores.

More than one hundred people in India have already been reportedly tested positive for the deadly disease and both State and Central governments are urging people to stay indoors as much possible to avoid the risk of contracting the disease.

The Novel Coronavirus has killed more than 6,000 people globally, including three in India.
REDDING, Calif. - The Redding Rancheria Community Funds hosted its annual "A Year to Remember" Dinner on Saturday, March 7.

This year's theme was "Glow" and all the money raised will go toward local community projects.

Past events have helped support various organizations like arts/culture, education, environment, health, and social services in both Shasta and Trinity Counties.

"The event has helped to raise money for all of the organizations we grant. Last year we granted 71 organizations," said CEO Tracy Edwards. "We're excited to host everyone tonight and honor those organizations."

Since the beginning of the fund in 2002, they have raised approximately $3.4 million dollars.
Its possible public health officials disclosed more details publicly than with the other cases to help those whod been in contact with her stay safe, while not causing panic among a large number of people, Shanti said. The Department of Public Health did not respond to request for comment about why it revealed more details about that case than others.
John Rutledge, president and CEO, American Physician Partners American Physician Partners is excited to partner with Lutheran Health Network to launch our footprint in Indiana. We look forward to working collaboratively with them to provide excellence in emergency medicine to the greater Fort Wayne community.

Officials with American Physician Partners (APP), a leader in emergency medicine and hospital medicine management services, are pleased to announce the companys expansion into Indiana with the start of seven newly awarded emergency department management contracts.

Through a relationship with Lutheran Health Network (LHN), APP assumed the emergency department staffing and management services for the following Indiana facilities effective March 1, 2020:



Bluffton Regional Medical Center (Bluffton)

Dukes Memorial Hospital (Peru)

Dupont Hospital (Fort Wayne)

Kosciusko Community Hospital (Warsaw)

Lutheran Hospital & Lutheran Childrens Hospital (Fort Wayne)

Lutheran ER Statewood (Fort Wayne)

St. Joseph Hospital (Fort Wayne)

LHNs emergency network includes Level II adult and pediatric trauma centers, a separate pediatric emergency department staffed with pediatric emergency specialists, Level I Chest Pain Center accreditation, Cardiac Cath Lab accreditation, Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center accreditation, and a Regional Burn Center. In its promotion of excellence in emergency medicine, LHN is committed to providing an exceptional patient experience, a higher level of care, and the shortest wait times throughout Northeast Indiana.

American Physician Partners is excited to partner with Lutheran Health Network to launch our footprint in Indiana, said John Rutledge, president & CEO, American Physician Partners. We look forward to working collaboratively with Lutheran Health Network to provide excellence in patient care to the greater Fort Wayne community.

About American Physician Partners

Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, American Physician Partners was founded in 2015 to provide a better alternative to hospitals for their clinical outsourcing needs. Since its inception, the company has grown to more than 150 care sites and has become a recognized leader in the provision of exceptional emergency medicine and hospital medicine management services to hospitals and healthcare systems nationwide. APP has earned its 100 percent client retention rate by remaining true to its purpose of exceeding the expectations of its patients, providers and hospital partners. Learn more at http://www.appartners.com.
The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.

In continuation of the travel advisory issued on March 11 and March 16, the following additional advisory has been issued.

"Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect," it said.

No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 1500 hours Indian Standard Time (IST). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure, according to the advisory.

This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.

With cases swelling in the country, the government banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31 on Monday.
A 70-year-old man, who was brutally beaten up for alleged theft, succumbed to injuries at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur, police said on Tuesday.

Madan Lal, who belonged to scheduled tribe community, died on Monday after he was attacked by a group of men with sticks on March 4 in Rajasthan's Sikar, they said.

The FIR regarding the incident was registered at Neem Ka Thana police station on March 8.

The man was accused of theft and was beaten. He has died. Five accused who were involved in the case have already been arrested, said Sikar Superintendent of Police Gagandeep Singla.

A video in which one of the accused is seen hitting the man with a stick went viral on social media and was also tweeted by Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena on Sunday.

The lawmaker had alleged that the accused attempted to insert a stick in the victim's private parts which led to his death.

Meena demanded strict punishment for the attackers and a compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job for Lal's family.

The MP had also alleged that police delayed the registration of FIR and pressured the family to settle the matter with Lal's attackers.

The Rajya Sabha member had demanded an FIR be lodged against the accused police personnel and those found guilty be suspended.

Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal had also condemned the incident saying such acts have no place in a civilised society.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Here is a list of Bay Area locations where coronavirus testing is available and who can get it. Many sites require a doctors order.

See an interactive map of Bay Area COVID-19 testing sites that dont require a doctors referral here, including information on if it is appointment-only and has drive-through testing.

Though testing capacity is rising, tests are still limited and are being prioritized for the sickest and highest-risk patients. The amount of time it takes to get results back varies. The test entails taking a sample from a patient, which can be uncomfortable because a swab goes up the nose or down the throat. Before you seek out a test, read our detailed FAQ on SFChronicle.com on whether you should get tested.

Following the protests spurred from the death of George Floyd, theres concern that people who congregated in protest could have spread the virus among each other. Because of that a free, pop-up testing location at the Cathedral of St. Mary at 1111 Gough St. in San Francisco opened June 6 for anyone to get swabbed for COVID-19, including those who have gathered in mass demonstrations recently  even if they are showing no symptoms of infection. The city is directing anyone who wants a test at the mobile site to sign up at www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19.

Alameda County has created a COVID-19 Testing Task Force to develop and implement a coordinated testing program and has shared a list of testing locations through the East Bay county. Find the locations, times and other details at www.acphd.org.

Now Playing: As Bay Area deals with the Coronavirus there are fewer people out in the city and in the streets making the Bay Area look and sound different as the population practices social distancing. Video: SFGATE

 Brown & Toland Physicians is doing drive-through testing by appointment at the CPMC Pacific Heights campus in San Francisco. Sutter is providing the space and Brown & Toland staff are collecting the samples and notifying patients of the results. Testing is for Brown & Toland and Sutter health care workers and patients who are symptomatic. Patients must first consult with their primary care physician, who must then refer them for testing. Samples are sent to LabCorp and results can take three to five days. The site is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 Carbon Health, a San Francisco operator of primary care and urgent care clinics, is doing testing at its urgent care locations in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. There are nine locations in the Bay Area. Anyone showing symptoms or at-risk for exposure, including essential workers, can get a test, which must be ordered by a Carbon Health provider. Results can be as fast as same-day or up to five days, depending on the lab company.

For locations and hours, go to https://carbonhealth.com/locations.

 CityTestSF, a collaboration between the city of San Francisco, local tech companies and medical providers has two sites. Both are by appointment only. To schedule appointments, see www.sf.gov/citytestsf.

One site, at Piers 30-32, is a drive-through site run by Carbon Health and Color Genomics and serves essential workers with symptoms. A doctors note is not needed.

A second, at 600 7th St., is a drive-through site operated by One Medical and Verily. It is open to any San Francisco resident experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Visit www.projectbaseline.com/COVID19 to learn more.

 John Muir Health is doing testing at four urgent care centers in the Bay Area: Berkeley, Brentwood, Pleasanton and Walnut Creek. Patients should call their primary care physician first, and if they dont have one they should call an urgent care center. Patients must have an order from a John Muir Health-affiliated doctor to get a test. Once approved, each patient will receive an appointment at one of the urgent care centers, ideally the one closest to them. Testing is also available for high-risk patients at John Muirs Concord and Walnut Creek emergency departments if they meet screening criteria and have respiratory symptoms. Results take four to five days.

 Kaiser Permanente has drive-through testing at its San Francisco Medical Center on Geary Boulevard and other locations, but it declined to specify where because patients have to be referred by their doctor. After being referred, the patient will receive a time and location for drive-through testing. You must be a Kaiser member. In Northern California, results take 24 hours or less.

 Forward, a network of primary care centers headquartered in San Francisco, is offering testing for its members at its locations in Northern and Southern California, New York and Washington, D.C. Its Northern California clinic is in San Franciscos Financial District. Patients are encouraged to first use the remote assessment feature in the Forward app so a care team can assess who may have the virus. Those whose remote assessment indicates they are most in need are scheduled for testing. It is available for Forward members only, but the company expects to expand the service to non-Forward members later this week. Results come back in 36 to 48 hours.

 Cal State East Bay is doing free testing, giving priority to first responders, health care workers and people who meet certain criteria, including symptoms of fever and shortness of breath and recent travel. Testing is provided by the city of Hayward, which originally opened the site at Hayward Fire Station 7. Results come back in as little as six hours, or in most cases the next day. Call 510-293-8617 for more information.

 North East Medical Services is conducting drive-through testing at four sites: 211 Eastmoor Ave., Daly City, weekdays from 3 to 4 p.m.; 1870 Lundy Ave., San Jose, 2 to 3 p.m.; 1450 Noriega St., San Francisco, 2 to 3 p.m.; 735 Vallejo St., San Francisco, 3 to 4 p.m. Testing is limited to North East Medical Services patients who are symptomatic and by appointment only by calling 415-391-9686, (650) 550-3923 or (408) 573-9686. Tests are processed by Quest, and results can take several days.

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.

 One Medical, the San Francisco-based chain of primary care centers, is doing testing for its members who meet testing criteria in San Francisco, the East Bay, South Bay and North Bay. Patients must first be assessed by a virtual care team. One Medical is no longer requiring that patients show COVID-19 symptoms; asymptomatic people who have been in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus or are concerned about interacting with a high-risk individual can now get tested. If they are found to be a good candidate for testing, a doctor must approve the order before giving the patient a location and time to have a sample collected. Results come back in two to three days. Members of the general public can get tested by calling 888-ONE-MED1 to sign up for a free trial membership.

 Stanford Medicine has drive-through testing for patients who have been referred by a physician. The patient makes an appointment to go to the drive-through test at Stanford Express Cares Hoover Pavilion location in Palo Alto, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Patients are notified of results within 24 hours.

 Sutter Health is conducting drive-through testing in some locations. Only patients with a doctors order can get tested. Patients experiencing symptoms must schedule a video visit or call their doctor to receive guidance and see if they meet the criteria for testing. People with mild or moderate symptoms are asked to stay home to reduce further exposure.

 UCSF is testing hospitalized patients, emergency department patients and other patients who have passed a screening for symptoms. Patients who are not hospitalized should speak to their doctor first. A doctors order is required. Only UCSF employees and UCSF patients are being tested right now due to limited testing supplies.

 Verily, the life sciences arm of Google, is conducting tests in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Sacramento counties and Lake Elsinore (Riverside County). The initiative, called Project Baseline, requires people to go through an online screening before getting tested; the physician network PWNHealth approves testing and provides post-test consults. Nurses and other health care personnel from the health tech company Hawthorne Effect and Elligo, a research firm, do the specimen collection. Tests are processed by Quest, and results can take several days.

Two new coronavirus testing sites will open May 18 in East Palo Alto and Daly City on a rotating schedule at the San Mateo County Event Center on Mondays and Tuesdays, at the old Serramonte High School campus in Daly City on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at the YMCA in East Palo Alto on Fridays and Saturdays. Testing will be free and available to anyone who has made an appointment in advance, county officials said.

 Dignity Health-GoHealth Urgent Care is conducting tests for anyone even if you dont have insurance at five centers in Mill Valley, the Castro, Piedmont (Oakland), San Bruno and Redwood City. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Schedule a virtual screening process before coming in to be tested. The centers follow CDC testing guidelines, which prioritize people with symptoms or in at-risk populations including those over the age of 65 or with underlying conditions. Results are delivered on site in less than 15 minutes.

Staff writer Mallory Moench contributed to this report.

Catherine Ho and Mallory Moench are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho, @MalloryMoench
The nomination of Dinesh Bajaj, an Independent candidate supported by the ruling TMC for the Rajya Sabha polls in West Bengal, was cancelled on Tuesday, paving the way for the election of all five nominees of major political parties unopposed.

Bajaj's nomination was cancelled by the returning officer as his affidavit was self-attested and not notarized.

With his nomination being cancelled, four TMC candidates and the joint nominee of the Congress-CPI(M) combine are set to sail through.

Polling for five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal is scheduled for March 26.

TMC has fielded its former Lok Sabha MPs, Arpita Ghosh, Dinesh Trivedi, Subrata Bakshi and Mausam Noor, a former three time Congress MP who had switched over to TMC in 2019, for the four RS seats.

The CPI(M), with the support of the Congress, had fielded Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya for the fifth seat.

"With Bajaj's nomination being cancelled, there will be no contest. All the five candidates will win uncontested," said a senior TMC leader.

Bajaj is a former TMC MLA.

Though the current strength of parties in the state assembly entails 49 first preference votes for a candidate for a straightforward win, the absence of a sixth person in the fray will ensure that all those in the electoral arena win.

According to TMC sources, the party had fielded Bajaj as an Independent candidate to scuttle the chances of arch rival CPI(M) winning a seat and to thwart the BJP, which has only seven MLAs, from fielding a candidate.

Both Bajaj and Noor's nominations were under the scanner. Noor had not mantioned her middle name-Benazir-in the affidavit, while Bajaj had self-attested his nomination papers and not got them notarized.

The 294-member House at present has 207 MLAs who had won the 2016 polls on TMC tickets. Over 24 MLAs of the Congress and CPI(M) later switched over to the TMC and the BJP.

Also, around 10 MLAs of the TMC are either not in touch with the party or have crossed over to the BJP, according to party sources. None of them has, however, been disqualified under the anti-defection law.

Bhattacharya, a former Kolkata mayor, had filed his nomination papers on Thursday. He had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from Jadavpur seat, which the TMC won.

While Noor lost from the Malda North seat in last year's Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh had unsuccessfully contested from Balurghat and Dinesh Trivedi, a former railway minister, has lost from Barrackpore. Bakshi did not contest from Kolkata South, the seat he had won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Physicians describe the standardized procedure of surgical anesthesia for patients with COVID-19 infection requiring emergency surgery to minimize the risk of virus spread and reduce lung injury in a Letter to the Editor published in Surgical Infections, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publishers.

Xianjie Wen and Yiqun Li, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, and the Second People's Hospital of Foshan City, China, coauthored the letter entitled "Anesthesia Procedure of Emergency Operation for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19." The authors discuss the need for a negative pressure operating room, protection for the anesthesiologists, and special requirements for the anesthetic equipment, appliances, and drugs used. They describe the induction of anesthesia and the mechanical ventilation strategy during anesthesia maintenance to reduce ventilator-related lung injury.

Avoiding airborne droplets from infected patients that are being ventilated is important to avoid transmission of these infections to OR personnel and other patients receiving care in the OR." Donald E. Fry, MD, Surgical Infections Editor-in-Chief, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
A flight was grounded Monday at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport over coronavirus concerns.

The Seattle-bound flight was held from taking off after a passenger received word they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus.

The passenger alerted a flight attendant, who consulted Stat MD, a dedicated on-call organization for airlines consulted by crew when medical concerns arise in the airport or on the aircraft.

"Customers on Delta flight 2503 returned to the JFK terminal Monday after a customer shared they may have been previously exposed to coronavirus, and our aviation medical consultants recommended the customer be evaluated," said Delta in a statement sent by spokesperson Kate Modolo.

"We continue to follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials and the aircraft is in the process of being cleaned. The safety and health of our customers and crew remain our top priority."

The flight is scheduled to continue Monday evening after the aircraft is cleaned.

Last week, JetBlue banned a passenger who knowingly boarded a flight from JFK to Palm Beach after testing positive for coronavirus.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and officials of the Florida Department of Health met the JetBlue plane when it arrived. The flight's 109 passengers and crew of five stayed on board for at least two hours before deplaning.

'One of the craziest things I've seen': Chaos at U.S. airports as new coronavirus screening begins

Delta Air Lines says one of its flights returned to the terminal after a passenger told the crew they had been exposed to someone with coronavirus.

The JetBlue passengers, including the one with the illness, were told to quarantine themselves for 14 days. The JetBlue plane and a Palm Beach concourse at its airport were subsequently scrubbed down.

JFK is one of the 13 major airports designated as an entry point for Americans returning from international travel.

Many U.S. travelers flying back from Europe this weekend were greeted with snaking lines and hours-long waits at major airports as expanded coronavirus screenings required by the government's new European travel restrictions took effect.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Delta flight grounded at JFK over COVID-19 concerns
Chattanooga Track Club president, Jason Liggins, has released the following statement as it pertains to COVID-19 and club activities.



During these uncertain times, the Chattanooga Track Club, like many organizations across the nation, is faced with making tough decisions about upcoming races. The safety of our members, participants, and volunteers continue to be of the utmost importance. CTC prides itself on being able to put on high-quality, safe events. We have been closely working with city officials and the local health department to make the most informed decisions.

With the guidance of local health officials, we have decided to suspend our activities occurring during the month of April. The Chickamauga Chase scheduled for April 12, 2020, has been postponed. We are working on scheduling a new date for the race in August or early September of this year. Those that have already signed up for the race will be deferred to the new date for the race.

Also, the Chattanooga Track Club has decided to cancel the Market Street Mile. Those that have already signed up will be deferred to the 2021 race date. Thank you to those who have entered the race, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

The club is still deciding the best method to move forward with the 50th Anniversary Race Series. As we are better able to understand the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we will communicate changes to our members. The Chattanooga Track Club will continue to take under consideration guidelines provided by national, regional, and local health officials in determining the execution of its events. Once again, your safety is our top priority, and all decisions will be made accordingly.



Thanks for your understanding and continued support of the Chattanooga Track Club. We, as a community, will get through this together. Please take all precautions to remain healthy and safe.
The Carnival Fantasy cruise ship arrived at the Alabama Cruise Terminal Monday morning carrying more than 1,600 passengers who spent four days on a vacation that could be the last of its kind for a long time.

The cruise ship is anchored in downtown Mobile until at least April 10, when Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line claims it will resume cruising. Two other cruise ships are parked in Gulfport, Mississippi, and the companys fleet of massive ships are idling at terminals in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina and beyond.

In Mobile, the cruise line is docked with 900 crew members on board, according to Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. He said there is also a potential that another cruise ship could dock within the Port of Mobile.

In consultation with government officials, crew from Carnival Cruise Line will remain on board during our pause in operations, said Vance Gullicksen, spokesman with Carnival Cruise Line. He said there could be exceptions as some crew members could return home depending on how the company managers onboard staffing. No one on board of the Carnival Fantasy tested positive to COVID-19.

Cruise industry insiders wonder how quickly that all ships could get cranked up again. More than that, they wonder how quickly the companies themselves can recover from a month of terrible public relations, and whether regular cruise patrons will have the discretionary dollars to fork out for tickets.

I think everyone should be concerned, said Stimpson, referring to both the cruise industry and airlines.

At least one analyst believes it could be six months to a year before cruising gets back on its feet. Its such unknown territory for us, said Christopher Muller, senior professor at Boston Universitys school of hospitality administration. This is going to have enormous impact and a lot of it will depend on how the U.S government restores the economy.

Great uncertainty

The crisis is taking a massive toll on the cruising industry, with shares of cruise company stocks selling at all-time lows in recent days. Carnivals stock was priced at $14.57 a share on Monday, representing a nearly 80% drop from the $71.61 the stock sold for about 14 months ago.

Carnival announced Monday it was borrowing $3 billion to offset the financial hit that coronavirus was having on its business.

The cruising industry is coming off a month of negative headlines and TV reports about stranded ships filled with fearful tourists. The Diamond Princess saw nearly 700 people contract the virus on board while quarantined in Japan last month. The Grand Princess cruise ship had 21 passengers on board contract the virus (the number is now at 28) before it was able to dock earlier this month in Oakland. Both cruise ships are operated by Carnival.

And long before social distancing recommendations became the norm last week, the U.S. Department of State was warning people against traveling on a cruise ship. Top U.S. health officials also warned people, especially the elderly, to avoid them. The ships have been referred to as floating petri dishes for contracting a virus.

Stewart Chiron, a longtime cruise industry expert who is known as the Cruise Guy, said he believes the negative commentary is coming from people who are uninformed or who have never been on a cruise before. He said the industry has survived and thrived beyond other health scares before: H1N1, the Zika virus, Ebola, etc.

The cruise industry has faced enormous head winds over the years, said Chiron. I dont think there will be a need for consolidation, but in some way, shape or form, the cruise industry will be able to push forward and come out of this. With people who have gone on cruises, the confidence levels are high.

Said John Thomas, associate professor of hospitality law at Florida International University near Miami, There is great uncertainty in the cruise industry due to the coronavirus events. There will be adjustments of markets and cruise ship ports and destinations.

Back to normal

Mobile officials are confident that Carnival will continue sailing from the cruise terminal in the years ahead. The city and the company signed a 3-year agreement  the first multi-year agreement between the two sides  in October. The Carnival Fascination is set to replace the similarly-sized Fantasy in January 2022.

But memories are still fresh in Mobile over being jilted by the cruise industry in 2011, when Carnival pulled the Elation cruise ship out of the city, blaming high fuel costs of sailing out of the northern Gulf of Mexico and an inability to raise ticket prices on Mobile customers.

For the five years in which the city was without a cruise ship until the company decided to move the Carnival Fantasy to the Port City. That meant from 2011 to 2016, the city was on the hook for the cruise terminals construction debt at a hefty $1.8 million annually. The debt isnt expected to be paid off until 2030.

Cruising produces a financial boon for Mobile. According to the city, approximately $6.1 million was generated in gross revenues during the last fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30. The money was generated from wharfage and parking fees. Without a cruise ship, the terminal is utilized for hosting weddings and other banquets in order to receive a small revenue bump.

Dave Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile, said while the city cant control the unknowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can prove to Carnival some important statistics: Cruises out of Mobile are often 100% filled, and hotels are packed with tourists.

He said the Carnival Fantasys only most recent sailings during the international concerns over cruising during the coronavirus scare, have been less than 100%. Even so, the last cruise out of Mobile occurring Thursday, saw a ship that was 81% filled.

I think cruising from Mobile -- when restrictions are lifted and fear subsides  will be back to normal very, very quickly, said Clark.

Clark and Steve Cape, a Mobile-based travel agent, believe cruising out of Mobile could be more attractive to cruisers because the city is considered a drive-to or drive-in market. Close to 95% of the people who cruise out of Mobile drive to the city and park their vehicles before cruising.

Mobiles cruises are also considered cheaper and shorter in duration than cruises that occur on larger ships docked in Florida and elsewhere.

Cape and other industry insiders also believe that once cruising is restarted, bargains will be had.

Once the crisis is over, believe me, there will be no better time to get a deal on a cruise, said Cape.

It will be back

Muller, a Boston University, said cruise liners will be offering deep discounts to lure the passengers back on board.

And Thomas, at Florida International University, said he believes U.S. ports could see a surge of interest once the crisis ends if federal lawmakers loosen restrictions on cruising between American ports.

Since American travelers may be more reluctant to travel to foreign countries, future cruises from American ports may actually become more popular, in my opinion, said Thomas.

He added, U.S. law requires all foreign flag ships to go to a foreign destination before returning to a U.S. port. There may be pressure to amend that law to allow more travel between U.S. ports for cruise ships, since (almost) all oceangoing cruise ships are foreign flagged. This would make Mobile a more attractive port.

The Carnival Fantasys foreign excursions are to Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula.

Mobile City Council President Levon Manzie said hes hopeful Stimpson and other city officials will work with Carnival to ensure that cruising continues out of Mobile once the coronavirus scare has subsided.

The city has invested in its relationship with Carnival before. Last April, the City Council OKd an incentive-laden consulting contract with Port Advisors led by Roger Blum, who served as vice president of cruise programming with Carnival from 2001-2010.

Five months later, the city announced the multi-year agreement with Carnival.

I hope the administration will work closely with Carnival to come up with a plan so once weve gotten past this horrendous virus and there is a level of normalcy, our citizens and tourists know that Mobile will be open and our cruise terminal will be open, Manzie said.

Chiron, the Cruise Guy, said its going to take patience, but that cruising will be back.

Its going to take some time to get these things back in order, said Chiron, the Cruise Guy. This industry will be back, whether it needs incentives or assistance just like any industry will be needing. It will be back. There are hundreds of thousands of people around the country who depend on this industry for its livelihood.

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.

This story was updated at 3:22 p.m. on March 17, 2020, to include comments from Vance Gullicksen with Carnival Cruise Line.
MANHATTAN -- A shelter in place measure for New York City residents similar to San Francisco is an option thats on the table to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday morning.

But while the mayor continues to mull tougher restrictions on New Yorkers to tackle the coronavirus, Speaker Corey Johnson thinks the city should move in the same direction as San Francisco.

As of midnight, San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties enacted a shelter in place measure for all residents ordering them to stay inside their homes as much as they can until April 7.

For the next three weeks, the new measures will restrict Bay area residents from having friends over at home and hosting dinner parties, getting their hair cut, going to church or on vacation, going to gym or public pool, or having their nannies come over to care for their children, Business Insider reported.

I think thats where we need to go, I really feel like we need to order people to stay in their homes, the social distancing measures I think were enacted too slowly, and we have seen this curve, its no longer a curve, it's going to be as the governor said, a wave or a tsunami, and I think were going to end up there anyway. Johnson said on The Brian Lehrer Show Tuesday when he asked about the San Francisco policy.

Johnson said he agreed that New Yorkers should not have friends or nannies come over to their homes while the city grapples with the virus.

As of Tuesday, 1,374 New Yorkers tested positive for the virus with 644 in New York City. In total, about 4,000 tests have been conducted statewide with 1,000 occurring in the five boroughs. Late Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said there were 19 cases on Staten Island.

But the mayor had a less definitive position on San Franciscos latest guidelines, noting that all options are still being considered in the citys response to the coronavirus.

Thats absolutely on the table, the mayor said on Pix11 Tuesday morning when asked if he was considering shelter in place measures like the Bay Area.

The balance we have to strike here and its a very tricky one and were all in unchartered territory together, were concerned about all the basics of human life, we have to make sure that people have some kind of livelihood or if not work, they have some kind of direct support, he continued. They still have to pay for food and rent and medicine and all the basics.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that while he is also considering further restrictions on movement similar to San Francisco, all decisions will be made statewide, ideally in coordination with New Jersey and Connecticut, in an effort to limit people shifting to areas the rules arent in place.

He asked for the general public to focus any anger they might have over the decision at him saying he takes full responsibility for the decisions being made, and that hes doing what he feels is needed.

I dont feel good about that. I feel very bad about that, Cuomo said. My judgment is -- do whatever is necessary to contain this virus -- and then we will manage the consequences afterwards.

However, Cuomo said Tuesday that, while he is also considering further restrictions on movement, that all decisions will be made statewide, ideally in coordination with New Jersey and Connecticut, in an effort to limit people shifting to areas the rules arent in place.

On Monday evening, all casinos, gyms, movie theaters, bars and restaurants were ordered to close in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

A day earlier, de Blasio announced that starting Tuesday, bars and restaurants would be restricted to take-out and delivery service only all nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues would have to close down.

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The unprecedented shutdown of schools in dozens of states in an effort to stem the coronavirus has put local superintendents on the hot seat as they seek to execute the closure orders and recommendations of their governors.

In some states, superintendents are struggling to figure out whether theyll have to make up the days at the end of the school yearan expensive and logistically fraught endeavoror if the missed days will be waived by the legislature, the governor, the state board of education, or the states department of education.

And in some states with wide local discretion, that could factor into how long superintendents will keep schools closed and whether or not teachers will have to set up online learning classrooms for their students.

Those decisions are most fraught in states where governors have only strongly urged or recommended that school districts close such as in California, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas.

Similarly, as a debate at the Georgia state capitol swirled over what powers Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has to issue emergency orders in the case of a virus outbreak, elected state Superintendent Richard Woods decided Monday to suspend state testing and excuse any missed days school districts issue.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, on Monday left decisions up to local superintendents and said districts can close for up to 20 days this school year without having to make up that classroom time.

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, the Associated Press reported. If we start to see community spread, then were going to get more and more involved.

Who Makes the Call?

Districts in most states are under strict laws to provide a mandated number of hours and days of classroom time. Those mandates can be waived or curtailed by state agencies in the case of weather emergencies such as a blizzard or a tornado thats wiped out school infrastructure. But few states have policies on the books that hash out who can make those decisions in an instance like a nationwide disease outbreak.

In Iowa and in Kansas, state leaders on Monday were meeting to consider whether or not to mandate school closures (and which agency that mandate should come from) and then again who would be responsible to determine how school districts should make up those days.

Superintendents in both states in the last few days have been talking via email, webinars, Skype, Zoom, and sometimes in person, with school board members, professional associations, state representatives, and state education officials to better understand what their options are.

See Also: Coronavirus and Schools

Because those states had mild winters, many districts had at least a weeks worth of snow days built into their school calendars that they could now cash in on without interrupting the school year.

In Kansas, the states department of education on Friday told districts that any missed days will have to be made up by June 30; that the district can submit a proposal for the department of education to count e-learning as seat time; or that the district can petition the state board of education or the commissioner of education to waive the states mandated hours.

The Kansas legislature is expected to consider a bill this week that would expand the state board of educations powers to waive missed school days to include circumstances such as a health emergency.

Any decision the state makes could have legal repercussions for years to come, said Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

Weve never even contemplated something like this, Tallman said.

The majority of districts in the state were closed on Monday, either for spring break or because of coronavirus, and some local superintendents were extending those spring breaks for another week or even indefinitely.

Extending the school year into June to make up lost days would cause all sorts of financial and logistical hurdles for school districts, including asking teachers to skip summer certification courses and figuring out whether or not the district can afford to keep hourly workers employed for an extra month, Tallman said. Many schools in the state lack air conditioning, making classes that stretch into the summer excruciating.

Iowa Reversal

In Iowa, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds at 5 p.m. Sunday recommended that school districts stay open, and then just three hours later at 8 p.m., after the states health department notified her of community outbreaks of the coronavirus, recommended that districts close for the next four weeks.

Because it was just a recommendation, and the state had not clarified whether or not districts will have to make up the missed days, some districts stayed open Monday while many others closed.

Its pretty fluid here right now, said Roark Horn, the executive director of the School Administrators of Iowa. Weve never really been here before. Is it the governor, the health department, the department of education or the legislature that should make these sorts of decisions?

On Monday afternoon, the governor said the state would consider legislation allowing her to waive the mandatory number of school days, and that would inform her decision on whether to mandate school closures.

Joel Pedersen, the superintendent of Cardinal community school district in Eldon, Iowa, said he was on a Zoom chat on Sunday night with more than 40 other superintendents in his corner of the state trying to determine what the best course forward should be.

We all had the same questions, and so were hoping we can learn from each other and share with each other what we were thinking about, Pederson said. Its nice to have a group of support thats all going through the same thing. Even though its a difficult and stressful situation, were here to support each other.

He talked to his local health department, read recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the states health department, and then listened to Reynolds Facebook live press conference before determining last night to close his school district for the next month.

Now he has to figure out whether his district needs to make up the missed days.

Everything is just moving so quickly that all we can do is to stay focused, stay calm and try to do the best we can for kiddos, Pederson said.

On the other side of the state, Lynn Johnson, the interim superintendent of Harlan Community Schools, told parents Sunday that, despite the governors recommendations, school would remain open Monday, but then would close for the next four weeks. The local health department in her town had yet to discover a coronavirus case, she said.

I felt it was prudent to keep school open [on Monday] to give parents time to plan for child care and to give kids learning materials and equipment to use when school is out, she said.

Johnson said Monday morning that the majority of her 1,500 students attended class, but it was virtually impossible to follow several health departments recommendations to keep group gatherings under 50 people.

Its actually pretty normal, Johnson said of the atmosphere in the schools on Monday.
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.
PARIS  Xavier Denamur is used to bustling between the five popular bistros he owns in the Marais neighborhood of central Paris, managing a team of nearly 70 waiters and chefs and keeping tabs on the phalanx of patrons who crowd his tables, elbow-to-elbow, year round.

But on Monday, Mr. Denamur, 57, was scrambling to deal with a situation that he said resembled wartime conditions: overseeing the abrupt closure of his businesses as President Emmanuel Macron prepared to move France to a quarantine. It was soon official: The quarantine will start at noon Tuesday.

By midnight, Mr. Denamur would have to empty his refrigerators of almost 20,000 worth of chevre cheese, boeuf bourguignon, pate and other delicacies that would spoil by the time any quarantine ended, and would now have to be given away.

We knew there would probably be a shutdown, but I didnt think things would happen so fast, he said, pressing two cellphones to his ears as he and a handful of employees hurried to empty refrigerators and wipe the bistros down before shuttering indefinitely.
The move to online services also provided some unexpected benefits for many congregants.

It was good to see people interacting with one another, Chandler said. People were responding to each other in ways that they wouldnt have been able to do in person during the service. At one point, we counted as many as 286 on Facebook Live. Of course, we would have liked to have been together, but our people made the best of a bad situation.

Not all area churches were affected by the executive order, which only applied to gatherings of more than 100 people. Some smaller churches canceled services voluntarily, but others decided to remain open. Faith Freewill Baptist Church on Jamestown Road in Morganton held both morning and evening services on Sunday, despite the crisis, according to Pastor Rocky Reece.

Its always important for people to gather together and pray, but its especially important in times like these, Reece said.
HARTFORD  The 68 confirmed cases of COVID-19, announced Tuesday, likely translate to at least 6,800 Connecticut residents infected, the states top epidemiologist said, as Gov. Ned Lamont pushed ahead with measures to control and ease the pandemic.

Were just at the beginning of this, said Dr. Matthew Cartter, of the state Department of Public Health. We know that for every person who tests positive for flu theres probably 100 others out there who are sick with the flu who never get tested, he said.

Right now, if we have 68 positives, you should assume that theres at least 100 people out there who have COVID-19 for every single positive.

That may be a lowball estimate, he said.

Cartter believes the states roughly 9,000 hospital beds should be enough to handle the viral eruption, which Lamont and the regions governors are trying to mitigate with historic efforts at social distancing to slow the spread. But if that number proves inadequate, Lamont said dorms and hotels would be converted before the state calls for federal aid to build emergency hospital space, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has asked.

During a late afternoon news conference at the governors mansion in Hartford, under a dramatic sky, Lamont painted a grim picture of the first wave of an insidious virus sweeping north and east from its foothold in southwestern Connecticut.

Its accelerating through the state, starting maybe in Westchester County [N.Y.], Lamont said. Fairfield County is where the bulk of the incidents are. And now Litchfield County, Hartford and New Haven. Southeast Connecticut is thankfully the last to have an incident there, but we know thats coming.

Testing has been hindered not by an unavailability of testing kits, state officials said, but by a shortage of materials such as swabs, masks and protective clothing in doctors offices.

During a call with reporters on Tuesday, Ajay Kumar, chief medical officer for Hartford HealthCare, which began drive-thru testing several days ago, acknowledged basic supply shortages but said overall the program is working as intended. Hartford HealthCare operates Hartford Hospital, St. Vincents Hospital in Bridgeport and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington.

We are still living in short-supply world, Kumar said. For the moment, the Hartford testing program is focused on those who most need a test, such as patients who show severe symptoms of coronavirus or have a strong exposure history. He agreed supply shortages pose a problem.

Any of those items can create a bottleneck, Kumar said. This will create a challenge over the next several weeks.

Economic effects of the pandemic

More than 30,000 people filed unemployment claims between Friday and the end of business Tuesday, hitting the state with an economic body blow and adding further stress to a populace whose daily lives have changed drastically in just a few days. A typical whole week sees about 3,000 claims at a time of low jobless numbers, which was the case in Connecticut and other states until last week.

Lamont and David Lehman, his economic chief, said the state will expand unemployment compensation to include independent contractors, though they didnt give details. Lehman described several state and federal lending and loan-relief programs and said business tax filing deadlines will be pushed back.

Lamont announced no further closures or restrictions. Asked about possible calls for residents to shelter in place in their homes, he said, the answer to that is not yet, he said, adding, the people of Connecticut understand what were doing and theyve stepped up.

But with only 26 positive tests among the 248 tests completed at the state laboratory, the worst of the infection rate is in the states future. Thats still a very low percentage, Cartter said. It wont be long before we see 40 to 50 percent of those testing positive..

He said testing is important but its only one tool. Its our individual actions that are going to make the difference here, Cartter said. The vast majority of people who get this illness will not get very sick. They might think they have a mild cold; be a little achy, not quite normal and be better in a few days. They dont need to be tested. The test also isnt useful for people who are not sick.

Lamont and other state officials promised that people who get sick will be able to obtain financial assistance and maintain their health insurance coverage. He expects Congress to soon act on relief that could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the state, including two weeks of paid sick leave.

If the federal government doesnt get that right, Connecticut will get that right, Lamont said. I want you to be able to count on that.

The governor asked state residents to support local restaurants by ordering take-out, to keep them open at a time when 160,000 jobs have been threatened by Mondays closure of sit-down food service, as well as recreational facilities, schools and movie theaters. I come out of small business and I know folks are terrified, the governor said during the 34-minute news conference.

Lamont stressed the need to deal with any possible further closures, such as shopping malls, on a regional basis with governors from surrounding states like the massive shutdowns ordered Monday. Its something were looking at, Lamont told reporters. I think the people of Connecticut understand the scope of what were confronting, Lamont said.

The operators of the Connecticut Post mall in Milford announced Tuesday that the mall would close temporarily, effective on Thursday, because of the health risk. The mall operators said it would reopen when health authorities have reduced social cautions and it is safe for shoppers.

Attorney General William Tong said Tuesday that 71 allegations of illegal price gouging have been filed with his office.

In addition, state Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez on Tuesday asked state banks and credit union to help small business and consumers. He suggested loosening credit terms for new loans, waiving overdraft and late fees, allowing more money market withdrawals, and deferring some payments. The commissioners also asked lending institutions to also work with loan servicers and collection agencies to help ease consumer stress.

Other events in the fast-breaking public health crisis, included the cancellation of the University of Connecticut spring commencement exercises in May.

Bill Cummings and Dan Haar, columnist and associate editor, contributed to this report.
The Maharashtra government on Monday postponed school, college examinations and ordered the closure of all educational institutions across the state till further orders as the number of coronavirus cases in the state mounted to 39.

Next 15-20 days are most important for the state. We will have to take all the precautions. It has been observed that the rise of the cases in the second week and the third week of the outbreak is very high and hence the state government does not want to take any chances, said chief minister Uddhav Thackeray after holding a review meeting.

With several people complaining of poor quarantine facilities, the authorities in Mumbai have organised them at four hotels for those who want to pay. The hotels will charge the patients for staying there. But the rates will be half of the regular charges.

Thackeray appealed to the people to observe self-discipline and avoid crowded places and travel unless absolutely required. We have not decided to shut public transport, restaurants, and hotels yet. We are expecting people to do their bit to prevent the spread.

He added they will ask religious heads to not allow gathering like processions at temples, mosques and other such places.

Health minister Rajesh Tope said the state was in stage two of the outbreak when people infected abroad were passing the infection to others. We are taking measures to contain stage three which may see a sudden spike in the number of infected persons if the community transmission starts, he said.

Authorities in Mumbai said they will ask private establishments in the city to work with half of their workforce and let their employees work from home on a rotational basis to avoid overcrowding of public transport.

The government has also decided to put marks on the hands of people, who have been asked to undergo self-quarantine so that they are prevented from mixing with others.

Several popular religious places such as Mumbais Siddhivinayak Temple announced the closure of the shrine to the devotees. National parks have been shut.

The state government has also restricted the entry of visitors to the state secretariat.

So far, the state government has isolated 794 people. Of them, 717 have tested negative. As many as 108 people are still is isolation wards and 621 have been home quarantined.

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Pinal Airpark has become a top flight destination, as Delta Airlines and other carriers park some of their airplanes in the desert outside Tucson to wait out the coronavirus slowdown.

Ten Delta jetliners landed at the regional airpark between 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday and another 13 aircraft from the Atlanta-based airline were scheduled to arrive at the storage and maintenance facility by 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to the air traffic website FlightAware.

The airpark 30 miles northwest of Tucson usually sees no more than a single takeoff or landing in a day, said Jim Petty, airport manager for Pinal County.

I would call this very unusual, he said. Its not that we cant handle the extra activity; its just that it doesnt happen everyday.

Marana Airport is also bracing for an influx of smaller commercial aircraft, as carriers worldwide cancel flights and move aircraft into storage during the pandemic.

Its been years since weve seen the wholesale grounding of flights like this, said Marana Airport Manager Steve Miller. The last time anything like this happened was 9/11, he said.
The Metropolitan Opera is streaming past performances nightly, attracting such large audiences that on opening night of its new virtual season, even before the curtain went up on Carmen, the site crashed. Photo: Ken Howard/The Metropolitan Opera

The worlds of opera and classical music have had plenty of experience preparing for the day when their public would vanish, though they did think it would happen more gradually. To forestall the end-time, many organizations jumped into streaming years ago, unearthing archived recordings and old radio and TV broadcasts, and pushing out those, as well as live performances, over the internet. There are few forms of cultural expression less suited to phones and earbuds, which compress big drama, vast stages, and deep orchestral sound into a pair of narrow runnels, but if you can bump the picture to a more generous screen and the sound to decent speakers, you can approximate something of the live experience. What chicory was to coffee during World War II, livestreaming is to live performance.

Classical music is simultaneously global and intensely local, which is why artists are almost continually on tour. The worldwide closure of concert halls means that, for a while, nobody will be going anywhere, but all of us can hear music from all over the world, much of it for free. Thanks to its superb Digital Concert Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic is now your neighborhood orchestra. At the same time, audiences barricaded at home all over the world are suddenly open to stumbling on specialized and local organizations, such as the New York Festival of Song, which streamed and posted last Sundays concert from the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah. Rarely has a program called The Art of Pleasure felt more essential.

The Metropolitan Opera is streaming past performances nightly, attracting such large audiences that on opening night of its new virtual season, even before the curtain went up on Carmen, the site crashed. The company has a copious and well-curated archive of live performances, so a week at the virtual Met is a week without duds or off nights. Im looking forward to the March 22 stream of Tchaikovskys Eugene Onegin. That memorable 2007 performance, conducted by Valery Gergiev, with Renee Fleming near her peak and the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the title role, was one of the first that the Met broadcast to movie theaters, leading the charge beyond the buildings walls.

We have the companys foresight to thank for the fact that so many other organizations, large and small, are primed to go online. The Bavarian State Opera, for example, has a robust streaming platform that is currently showing two-week runs of its repertoire, including tenor Jonas Kaufmann at his peak in Verdis Il Trovatore, from 2013. OperaVision, a clearinghouse for streaming opera from all over Europe, has suddenly become an emergency resource, assembling an online Mozart festival out of productions like the Glyndebourne Festivals production of Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction From the Seraglio).

Even amid calamities and emergencies, audiences and artists need each other. Directives to limit the size of gatherings mean that orchestras in many places cant rehearse or perform, even for an empty house. That places the burden of keeping music alive on individual performers. I think of the Cellist of Sarajevo, Vedran Smailovic, who in the Bosnian War of the 1990s braved sniper fire and artillery to play amid the ruins of his city. Today, even that noble gesture is quickly becoming impossible. Instead, the pandemic has launched an impromptu worldwide piano festival. Some, like Igor Levit, are taking to Twitter, streaming private recitals from their homes. Jeremy Denk, the artist-in-residence at WNYCs Greene Space, will lead listeners through Bachs Well-Tempered Clavier on April 7. Jonathan Biss, an old hand at this game since hes been playing and teaching Beethoven via Coursera for years, will play the last three sonatas at the vacant 92nd Street Y on March 26, for an online audience that may be many times larger than the hall couldve held.

Its not all piano, though. On Sunday, March 22, countertenor Iestyn Davies and lutenist Thomas Dunford will perform songs and arias by Dowland, Purcell, and Handel from Wigmore Hall in London, a taste of Englishness that may console Anglophiles who suddenly find the U.K. out of reach.
The Arunachal Pradesh government on Tuesday stopped issuing temporary and provisional Inner Line Permit (ILP) as part of its measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Commissioner (home, political and border affairs), Kaling Tayeng, in a directive, asked officials to temporarily suspend the issuance of ILPs till further orders.

He, however, clarified that the process for renewal of existing ILPs will continue.

ILP is a mandatory official document issued by the government allowing inward travel of domestic visitors.

Last week, the government had stopped issuing Protected Area Permit to check entry of foreign tourists.

On Monday, it announced the closure of all educational institutes, cinema halls and weekly markets till April 5.

Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, however, clarified that board exams would be held as per schedule.

Kumar also directed shopping malls to disinfect their stores and food courts from time to time.

He asked people to avoid mass gatherings, sporting events and public meetings, while directing all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure strict compliance of the order.

Arunachal Pradesh has not registered any novel coronavirus case so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Murchison Minerals Ltd. ("Murchison" or the "Company") (TSXV:MUR) is pleased to announce it has acquired, by map designation, an additional 3,100 hectares (31 km2) of mineral claims at its Haut Plateau de la Manicouagan ("HPM") project in northern Quebec, effectively consolidating a 100% interest over 58.3 km2 of contiguous mineral claims.

This expanded property holding covers the prospective geological unit that hosts significant nickel/copper/cobalt mineralization identified by a total of 32 diamond drill holes (6,479 metres) completed in 2001/2002 and 2008.

To date, only a small portion of the HPM property has been evaluated. Previous exploration has been primarily focussed on two areas of Ni-Cu-Co mineralization (PYC & Barre de Fer) which were originally discovered by Falconbridge Nickel. Past diamond drilling at PYC (1 hole) and Barre de Fer (25 holes) has confirmed the Ni-Cu-Co mineralization continues at depth. Generally, mineralization occurs as massive sulfide breccia and as disseminated (5-15% sulfides) to net-textured sulfide in norite intrusion (Barre de Fer area) and in granulitic gabbro (PYC area).

The nickel, copper and cobalt mineralization at the Barre de Fer has been traced by diamond drilling for approximately 300 metres along strike and to a depth of about 280 metres. The mineralization remains open at depth and along strike. The wide interval of disseminated sulfide may have substantial tonnage potential and warrant assessment for high volume, low cost open pit mining potential.

Diamond drilling at Barre de Fer has substantiated the presence of multiple zones of brittle fracture hosted Ni-Cu-Co bearing massive sulphide breccia vein-type mineralization that coincides with an airborne EM conductor. The best result occurs in hole HPM 08-03 where a 43.2 metre intersection returned 1.74% Ni, 0.90% Cu and 0.1% Co. Five hundred metres of the 800 metre long conductor, remain untested.

Past prospecting on the PYC claim group identified a mineralized zone over a strike length of 1,200 metres which returned grab samples containing up to 0.76% Ni, 0.93% Cu and 1,415 ppm Co. Notably, only one drill hole, #151-03 was ever completed on the PYC and intersected 15.3 metres of 0.28% Ni, 0.14% Cu and 0.06% Co within a broad interval of disseminated Ni-Cu-Co mineralization hosted by granulitic gabbro. The single diamond drill hole has not adequately tested the zone's potential to host massive Ni-Cu deposits. Additional drilling is warranted.

Ground prospecting undertaken in 2009 in the vicinity of the Barre de Fer prospect led to the discovery of several new Ni-Cu-Co showings (including the Syrah, Muscat and Pinot). At the Syrah showing, breccia-vein style, semi-massive to massive sulphide (pyrrhotite +/- chalcopyrite) mineralization has been observed over a 65 metre by 15 metre area within the Gabbro Est Intrusive. Grab samples have returned values up to 0.50% Ni, 0.43% CU and 1,137 ppm Co.

Figure 1: Claim map showing the new claims and mineral showings

Magmatic Ni-Cu-Co mineralization is the principal exploration target at the HPM project. Worldwide, the most important magmatic deposits occur almost exclusively at the base of their associated mafic and ultramafic igneous bodies which implies that the magmas involved were saturated in sulphide and carrying excess sulphide at the time of their emplacement. Magmatic deposits are the dominant source of nickel and are variably important by-product sources of copper, cobalt, platinum group elements and gold.

Prior to 2002, the exploration work was completed by Falconbridge Ltd. Murchison Minerals optioned the property in 2007 and completed 17 drill holes in 2008.The Manicouagan Intrusive Complex is comprised of extensive areas of mafic and ultramafic rock displaying repeated pulses of mafic magma that have intruded sulphide-bearing metasedimentary rocks. The massive sulphide breccia veins at HPM are similar in character to the vein-type footwall deposits found at Sudbury and at Voisey's Bay. At Sudbury, these veins are hosted by footwall breccias or enclosing gneisses up to 2 km from the contact and may be connected to massive ore bodies at the base of the Sudbury Igneous Complex. The sulphides have intruded along incompetencies produced by the brittle fractures in the wallrock of the intrusive complex.

A 615 line-kilometre AeroTEM II MAG & EM survey flown in 2008 only partially covers the current claim package. Limited historical prospecting and sampling successfully identified a number of mineralized surface showings coincident with airborne anomalies. High potential for new discoveries exists given the numerous priority airborne EM targets identified in an area which has remained largely un-explored since 2009.

Figure 2: Priority airborne anomalies identified by Falconbridge Nickel
A 40-year old tourist from Thailand, quarantined at a government hospital here, tested negative for coronavirus but died hours later early Tuesday due to "kidney failure", officials said.

The man was a diabetic and been undergoing dialysis at the Government Medical College Hospital since his admission three days ago and died due to renal failure, hospital Dean Dr Asokan told reporters.

The patient's blood and sputum samples sent to Chennai earlier for testing returned negative for coronavirus on Monday night, he said.

According to officials, the man was part of seven-member team which had come to the country for pilgrimage earlier this month and visited various spots, including places of worship.

As the team was to leave for Chennai, he was found with symptoms of coronavirus during screening at the airport here on Sunday and admitted in the isolation ward of the hospital.

Meanwhile, two women -- a 58-year old estate worker from nearby Valparai and 22-year old from Pollachi -- have been admitted to the hospital with suspected symptoms of coronavirus.

The estate worker had gone to Kollam in Kerala and returned two days ago while the other had a travel history to Hyderabad and been suffering from throat pain and fever since Monday.

Doctors at the government hospital in Pollachi referred them to the hospital here.

The blood samples and swab of both the women have been sent to Chennai for testing, hospital sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Light snowfall hit Massachusetts on Tuesday but is expected to transition to rain across the state by late morning.

Precipitation moved into the commonwealth around 4 a.m. Light accumulations started in Western Massachusetts but will spread to the rest of the interior by mid morning. Snowfall is expected to change over to rainfall before 11 a.m.

Less than inch of snow should fall in most communities in the interior of the state. Southeastern Massachusetts should receive no snowfall.

Temperatures along the coast should be mild enough to keep precipitation as rain. Southerly flow will bring milder temperatures later this morning and afternoon, so expect the precipitation to become rain showers all areas, the National Weather Service said.

A wintry mix is expected Wednesday night, changing over to all rain by Thursday. Warmer temperatures will follow Friday, with intermittent showers forecast.

Three inches of snow may fall Wednesday across the Berkshires and Worcester Hills.

Meanwhile for the coastal plain the most we would expect is a wintry mix before changing to rain, the National Weather Service said.
Chinese nationals overseas are rushing back home, concerned with the global spread of COVID-19 but flight reductions and exorbitant prices are hampering their plans, official media reported.

The coronavirus has shown signs of gradually abating in China including in the epicentre Wuhan where only one confirmed case was reported on Monday. The virus, which has claimed 7,100 lives worldwide, was first reported in Wuhan in December last year.

Since Sunday, Chinese students abroad have complained on microblogging website Sina Weibo that their flights to China were cancelled, demanding an explanation from Air China.

"We've paid a lot, but the problem is no flights," a Weibo user wrote, state-run Global Times reported.

A high school student in the UK, Zhu, on Thursday found out that his London-Beijing had been cancelled.

The panic-driven travel rush has spiked the prices of international tickets, the report said.

Hilbert Xiao, a Cambridge University student, told the Global Times that he spent 20,000 yuan (USD 2,856), seven times the normal price, to return to Shanghai on Monday by plane from London via Osaka in Japan after the previous flight he booked with a stopover in Singapore was cancelled.

A business jet service company said all 40 seats on a flight from London to Shanghai with ticket prices starting at 180,000 yuan (USD 25,632), with a stopover at Geneva, was quickly booked after the itinerary was released by a few employees on their social media friend circles.

Demand would outnumber provisions if flight promotion is done publicly, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

In the US, all American airlines have halted flights to China which has resulted in limited options for Chinese immigrants to return home.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday that 21 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 13 deaths were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday.

Of the deaths, 12 were in worst-hit Hubei province and its capital Wuhan one in Shaanxi province, it said.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,881 by the end of Monday. This includes 3,226 people who died of the disease, 8,976 patients who were still being treated, 68,679 others discharged after recovery, the NHC said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Sunday afternoon, Eleanor Dolan celebrated her 17th birthday in Minnesota with 20 of her closest friends. They listened to pop music and traded jokes. When the group broke out into Happy Birthday to You, Eleanor pulled a slice of cookie cheesecake close in front of her and pretended to blow out the toothpick she had substituted for a candle on top.

Then, she blew lightly on her computer screen. Miles away, her friends extinguished candles atop baked goods in front of them. The party was taking place over Zoom, a video calling app. Eleanors father briefly popped into her screen to take a photo.

Teenagers have jokingly referred to themselves as Zoomers online for years; now the name is literal. Overnight, Zoom has become a primary social platform for millions of people, a lot of them high school and college students, as those institutions move to online learning.

Zoom Video Communications is a videoconferencing company in San Jose, Calif., that has been thrust into the spotlight over the past week. On Monday morning, its iOS app became the top free download in Apples App Store.
Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 (11:23 am) - Score 50,188

A decision by Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal) means that, as part of their response to the new Coronavirus (COVID-19), Sky UK (ISP Sky Broadband) will join Comcast in the USA, and a variety of on-demand services, to release new films at the same time as they become available in the cinema.

Normally there tends to be a wait of at least 3 months (90 days) before new cinema releases become available on broadband-based video streaming platforms, although there are of course exceptions for those movies that are created or purchased by the streaming companies themselves (e.g. Netflix and The Irishman).

Unfortunately the rapidly increasing spread of COVID-19 has caused a dramatic drop in people choosing to visit the cinema and some venues have already closed. Likewise a number of major movie releases have also been delayed (e.g. James Bond) until later in the year.

In response Universal Pictures, which is uniquely positioned as part of the Comcast Corp-owned NBCUniversal (not all such companies could do this), have come up with a different approach. The studio plans to make its movies available at home on the same day as they are released in cinemas worldwide.

The new approach will start with DreamWorks Animation film Trolls World Tour (due to open in the USA on 10th April 2020). Recently released films including The Hunt, The Invisible Man and Emma will also be available from Sky, Comcast and on a variety of on-demand services. Mind you none of this will come cheap (i.e. $19.99 for a 48-hour rental period), but its nevertheless a bold move for the industry.

Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal, said: Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception. Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable. We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible.

The plan is to kick all this off as soon as Friday (20th March 2020). We understand that Sky UK will shortly be announcing how they will implement the new approach and what it will cost, although at this stage its unclear what other UK video streaming platforms might be able to implement it. We will update again once Sky has made their announcement.

UPDATE 2:23pm

Sky have just confirmed that they will partner with NBCUniversal to make a range of movies available to rent at home through their Sky Store, on the same day as the global premieres. This will begin with DreamWorks Animations Trolls World Tour on 6th April. The other aforementioned movies will also be available from this Friday and priced at 15.99 for a 48-hour rental.
<! Zubby Michael >

Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael has lashed out at the organisers of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, AMVCA, describing the award as fake, political and a joke.

The 7th AMVCA award was held last Saturday.

Reacting to the award, a bitter Michael took to his Instagram page to rubbish the award.

He wrote: Some things are unchangeable, for example, can you change your biological father? That award was a joke and highly political. Ndi ala ndi ala. We know we are great without the fake awards. Do you know the meaning of viewers choice?

I am sure most of the organisers are Yoruba, they did not even recognise the pillar or Nollywood; the original owner of living in bondage was not mentioned, but the new living in bondage won 8 awards.

Our dead heroes like Sam Loco, and others were not mentioned. Award without people that made it, Mama G, Aki and Paw Paw, Pete Edochie, Kanayo O Kanayo.

Michael is known for his role in Three Windows, Royal Storm and Professional Lady.His first appearance was in the movie, titled, Missing Rib but known for The Three Widows where he played the lead role.

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after_article responsive (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

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Dozens of Australian doctors and dentists are stuck aboard a cruise ship off Chile that has been refused harbour due to fears over the coronavirus pandemic.

The healthcare workers, who were attending a conference hosted by Unconventional Conventions, are among 107 Australians aboard the Roald Amundsen cruise, owned by Hurtigruten.

Passengers were due to disembark at the Chilean port of Punta Arenas on Monday after a 16-day Antarctica expedition.

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases on the ship.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hurtigruten said the Chilean government had "closed its ports to cruise vessels until September 30", in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HONOLULU - To date, Hawaii has recorded 10 positive cases of the new coronavirus. Officials have closed schools and facilities and postponed events to prevent the disease from spreading widely in the community and overwhelming the healthcare system.

Heres a roundup of updates related to the new coronavirus in Hawaii:

USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL

The National Park Service said the Pearl Harbor National Memorial has closed temporarily following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health officials.

The site includes the USS Arizona Memorial, which honours the 1,177 Marines and sailors killed when their battleship sank during the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. The memorial normally receives about 1.8 million visitors each year.

EVICTIONS SUSPENDED

The state Department of Public Safety said its suspending evictions statewide in response to the governors emergency proclamation for the coronavirus and as the judiciary limits court proceedings.

The department said the temporary hold on evictions is effective immediately.

DRIVERS LICENSES EXTENDED

Honolulu is extending the expiration dates on drivers licenses and state identification cards issued on Oahu by 90 days.

The city says it will also allow drivers aged 72 and older to renew their two-year licenses by mail. Only those licenses and IDs expiring in March, April, May and June will be affected.

Department of Customer Services Director Sheri Kajiwara said the move is intended to minimize the publics need to visit a service centre. The mail-in provision is aimed at protecting the elderly.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES SUSPENDS MORE FLIGHTS

Hawaiian Airlines said Tuesday it would suspend service between Honolulu and Sapporo, Japan beginning April 2 through July 18. The airline said it was acting in response to declining travel demand. It said it aims to resume service in the summer.

Hawaiian continues to fly between Honolulu and Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, Japan. The airline has reduced its overall capacity amid declining demand.
Teachers sort out textbooks and presents for would-be first graders at a classroom in Pajang Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. The Ministry of Education announced that it was delaying the start of the new school year for the third time in a moves to prevent possible COVID-19 infection clusters at schools. /Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



The ministry of Education (MOE) ordered all kindergartens, and elementary, middle and high schools to delay the start of their new school year with the spring semester by two more weeks, Tuesday, amid lingering concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The spring semester is now scheduled to begin April 6 as the ministry previously ordered schools to postpone its start by three weeks.



The move comes amid lingering concerns over the highly contagious coronavirus spreading among young children, who have more vulnerable immune systems, especially in schools where many of them come into close contact with each other.



The government has reported two-digit increases in new infections per day since Sunday after nearly three weeks of registering more than 100 confirmed cases daily, but the government is still on high alert for smaller infection clusters nationwide. There were 8,320 COVID-19 infections in Korea as of Monday, with 81 fatalities.











Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae speaks during a press briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday. /Yonhap
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 14:09:07|Editor: Liu

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SYDNEY, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases rose to over 375 in Australia on Tuesday, with further measures introduced to help the nation's battered economy endure ongoing major disruptions.

The worst affected State of New South Wales (NSW) reportedly had over 200 confirmed cases on Monday, as well as it's biggest daily jump with 39 new cases.

Liberal National Senator Susan McDonald and Andrew Bragg became the second and third federal politicians to contract the virus, with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton also testing positive last week.

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also chosen to isolate herself as a precautionary measure after she embraced Canadian First Lady Sophie Trudeau at an event in London prior to her testing positive.

This week the government introduced a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period on all overseas arrivals in the country, including citizens, as well as a ban on gatherings of over 500 people.

Already a number of high profile festivals, concerts and sporting events scheduled for the coming months have been cancelled, likely costing the economy billions of dollars.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has confirmed the government is discussing scaling up the nation's response, with a second round of stimulus measures expected, on top of 17.6 billion Australian dollars (10.7 billion U.S. dollars) already promised.

The Australian share market has fallen over 30 percent since hitting record highs last month, and suffered it's single-day biggest losses since the 1987 market crash on Monday.

NSW State Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed a 2.3 billion Australian dollars (1.4 billion U.S. dollars) stimulus package aimed at supporting the health system and providing tax relief to complement the federal government's commitment.

"Our approach in relation to dollars in NSW will be first and foremost to save lives. I don't ever want to look back and think we should have done more," Berejiklian told reporters.

The national carrier Qantas on Tuesday slashed its international flight schedule by 90 percent and domestic services by 60 percent.

While the details of the changes are still being worked out by the company, they said that customers with affected bookings will be eligible for a flight credit for use at a later date.
Were going to do the very best we can to provide instruction through videos, but at some point in time FAA guidelines dictate that our students have to meet those guidelines for those objectives, Rodgers said. Weve been in communication with the FAA over the week and this morning.

Theyve approved our plan to adjust the method of delivery, to provide online delivery of things we can provide. But once this is over, our students will have to come back in and do the hands-on activities to meet the objectives set forth in the FAA curriculum.

Rodgers said essential staff at the college will be working remotely. When they have to be on campus, they will stagger their shifts to prevent too many people from being in a congested area.

Some will be doing payroll, some accounts payable, accounts receivable, so there will not be large numbers gathering in one particular spot, he said. But students will not be on campus until further notice  at least through April 3.
Published on 2020/03/16 | Source

Ten million hit-maker Yeon Sang-ho is successful in drama too. He made it possible for "The Cursed" to come out with a second season "The Cursed Season 2" and be made into a movie "The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey".

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The final episode of the tvN drama "The Cursed" broadcasts on the 17th. "The Cursed" is about a teenage girl who has the ability to bring death by using Chinese characters, names, photos, and belongings, and a just social issues reporter, fighting against the massive evil hidden behind an IT conglomerate. It drew great attention even before it was made, as it is director Yeon Sang-ho's first written drama.

Yeon Sang-ho has had great success with animations and numerous films until he recorded 10 million viewers with the film "Train to Busan". He's the first director in Korea to have succeeded in a zombie film, so it's true that expectations for the Korean occult thriller "The Cursed" were high.

"The Cursed" had an interesting subject matter to begin with. Yeon Sang-ho created his own worldview by combining the meaning of "The Cursed" and 'the method' as a way to curse people. In particular, the setting of a teenage girl with cursing abilities against giant evil was also a point that differentiated the drama from the typical ones.

As Yeon Sang-ho's was confident about his work, viewers showed an enthusiastic response to the drama. Writer Yeon promised at the premiere of the series, "If the drama goes well it could become a movie or come back as season 2. There's a lot to say with this subject and worldview. I wish more people will want to know more and ask for it. I'll go on with season 2 if the viewing rate reaches 3%".

"The Cursed" reached double its goal and resulted in 6.1% (Nielsen Korea). Now there is a positive look for the second season of "The Cursed" and Yeon Sang-ho hinted that the film will deal with the after story of "The Cursed". Existing characters as well as new characters will appear and he's preparing to make the movie different from the drama.

The final episode of "The Cursed" will be on the 17th at 9:30PM.

___________

"The Cursed" is directed by Kim Yong-wan, written by Yeon Sang-ho, and features Uhm Ji-won, Jung Ji-so, Sung Dong-il, Jo Min-soo, Jung Moon-sung, Kim Do-yoon-I. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/02/10~Now airing, Mon, Tue 21:30 on tvN.
L.A. Superior Court Closures Extended, Except for Time-Sensitive Hearings

Los Angeles Superior Court facilities were completely closed today for a three-day period due to the coronavirus pandemic, and courts presiding jurist announced that most court functions will remain on hold until April 16, except for time-sensitive, essential matters.

This order will allow us to comply with social distancing and to prevent the spread of the virus within our community, Presiding Judge Kevin

C. Brazile said in a statement. The court will reopen Friday only for emergency and essential matters to protect the most vulnerable in our

communities.

The court previously put on hold all new criminal and civil jury trials for 30 days.

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Under a revised order issued by Brazile on Tuesday, all courtrooms will remain closed from Friday until April 16 for judicial business, with the

exception of 31 time-sensitive, essential functions.

The listing of essential functions includes matters such as civil and family court restraining orders; arraignments; search warrants; criminal

preliminary hearings; bail review hearings; mental competency hearings; criminal sentencings; grand jury indictments; juvenile restraining orders;

emergency conservatorship hearings; emergency orders relating to the health and safety of a child; traffic arraignments; and emergency guardianship hearings.

The list also includes criminal jury trials in cases in which a defendant has not consented to a delay beyond required time limits, which have

also been adjusted due to the coronavirus concerns.

The order includes an array of legal time-limit extensions as they apply to various legal matters.
With the number of worldwide COVID-19 cases approaching 200,000, Sen. Ed Markey on Tuesday urged the Department of Homeland Security to stop needless deportations and to release immigrant detainees who pose no public safety threat.

In a statement, Markey described crowded U.S. immigration centers as a public health disaster waiting to happen, saying that Immigration and Custom Enforcement had a history of medical neglect and substandard care. DHS, he said, has the authority to release non-citizens from detention while they await court proceedings, and noted that several immigration, legal and government employee groups had pushed for the closure of public courts to help prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

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The senator also argued that deportations pose a serious risk for the spread of COVID-19, particularly given that time in detention and grueling travel may weaken immune defenses and exacerbate the risk of infection

Accelerating the spread of this disease is not in our national interest, Markey wrote in a letter to Executive Office for Immigration Review. It is our responsibility to halt measures and policies that jeopardize our global health and prolong this crisis. Accordingly, needless deportations must stop.

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The coronavirus pandemic is expected to force airlines into following unexpectedly strict limits on their carbon emissions into the future, potentially helping the fight against climate change, experts have said.

In 2016 a UN deal between 192 countries agreed to hold net carbon emissions from international flights at 2020 levels, with any future growth having to be offset elsewhere.

The plan  widely regarded by environmental scientists to as too weak stop catastrophic climate change  used 2020 emissions as a benchmark to give the aviation industry time to grow, with the expectation that emissions would be higher than in the previous years.

But the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically reduced flights worldwide, flat-lining the industry, and is expected to mean that 2020 aviation emissions are unusually low  meaning airlines will have to stay within a tighter limit than they had expected.

One possible benefit for this virus, if you can see any light in this particular tragedy, is that their baseline is 2020, and at the moment aviation is, as we know, kind of flat-lining, Katherine Kramer, global head of climate change policy at Christian Aid, told MPs.

Speaking at a hearing of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee alongside other experts on climate policy, Ms Kramer said airlines would now likely be held to a very low baseline.

Aviation is a major contributor to climate change: in 2018, domestic and international flights emitted around 895 million tonnes of CO2, accounting for 2.4 per cent of worldwide energy-related CO2 emissions.

Planes also emit nitrogen oxides and soot, which are thought to more than double the climate impact of flying compared to just measuring its CO2 emissions. Aviation is also growing quickly and emissions have increased by 26 per cent since 2013 alone.

But the Covid-19 outbreak has seen thousands of flights around the world cancelled and airlines announce that they are at risk of going bust because of lack of customers. British airlines have asked Boris Johnson for a 7.5bn bailout to prevent a wipeout.

The framework that governs aviation emissions, agreed at the United Nations, is called Corsia  short for Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.

International aviation is governed by the UNs International Civil Aviation Organisation and is excluded from the national pledges in the Paris Agreement.

It establishes a trading scheme whereby airlines flying between signatory countries will have to individually buy emissions offsets from other parts of the economy if they increase their emissions  effectively providing funds for green projects. Such projects could include tree planting, green energy, or energy efficiency improvements.

Katherine Kramer, global lead on climate change for Christian Aid (UK parliament)

Ms Kramer, who previously worked on the scheme, said there were still problems with how strict the scheme was and that the quality controls are not what we would want to see with regards to what counts as a carbon offset.

Climate scientists say simply offsetting aviation  or other parts of the economy  will not be enough to halt catastrophic climate change and that aviation must directly reduce its emissions too. Airlines note that there are provisions in Corisa for abnormal emissions in 2020, so there may be loopholes.

Ms Kramer added: I have to say when I first heard what their target was, keeping emissions effectively at 2020 levels ... I was really quite appalled.

Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Show all 20 1 /20 Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Top: Nabi Younes market, Mosul Bottom: Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Grand Mosque, Mecca Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Nabi Younes market, Mosul Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Basra Grand Mosque, Iraq Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Charles Bridge, Prague Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Taj Mahal hotel, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Dubai Mall, UAE Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Gateway of India, Mumbai Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Beirut March, Lebanon Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Cairo University, Egypt Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Victoria Memorial, India Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Amman Citadel, Jordan Reuters Before and after photos show impact of coronavirus around the world Sidon, Lebanon Reuters

Because theyve had since 1997 and the Kyoto protocol to try and get their act together on climate change and done absolutely nothing for around 20 years.

She described Corsia overall as pretty bad as a target.

A spokesperson for Airlines UK, the lobbying organisation representing Britains aviation industry, said: This year UK aviation made a world-first commitment to become net zero carbon by 2050. International action, initially through Corsia, is integral to our decarbonisation plans.

It is much too early to say what the impact of Covid-19 will be on Corsia, and we will continue to look at how the situation evolves over time.

A source at one airline said: It is too early to know at this stage as it depends how long the recovery will be and what the emission levels will be in 2021. There is provision within the Corisa design to take account of abnormal level of emissions for 2020.
Many bass fishing fans might wonder what happened to all those fish that were hauled in the livewells of the Bassmaster Classic anglers all the way from Lake Guntersville to BJCC in Birmingham for the Classic weigh-ins last week.

According to David Rainer of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ACDNR) nearly all of them wound up back where they came from thanks to the efforts of ACDNR biologists and hatchery workers.

After Bassmaster Tournament Director Trip Weldon weighed the fish in front of all the fans, he handed a basket through a trap door in the stage floor to a runner, who hurriedly transported the fish to large holding tanks on WFF vehicles.

WFF Hatchery Supervisor Brian Rinehard, who oversees all three hatcheries in the state (Eastaboga, Marion and Carbon Hill), teamed up with Gene Gilliland, B.A.S.S. Conservation Director, to determine how many tanker trucks would be needed during the Classic to transport the bass from the arena.

Gene gave me an estimate of how big and how many fish they expected to be weighed in each day of the Classic, Rinehard said. We made sure we had trucks to easily handle that capacity.

The trucks went to Eastaboga and were filled with spring water and a specific amount of salt to ease the stress on the fish. The tanks are equipped with oxygen diffusers to keep the water at the desired saturation level. The trucks then traveled to BJCC, where they were staged to receive the weighed fish.

We keep up with how many pounds of bass are on the truck at one time, Rinehard said Saturday. When we reach a certain limit, we switch to another truck. We can safely handle fish on two pounds per gallon of water. For one of our 600-gallon tanks, we could hold as many as 1,200 pounds of fish. The first days total was 600 pounds of fish. We were prepared to handle a lot more fish if needed.

Once each weigh-in was over, the hatchery truck headed to the Eastaboga Hatchery.

When we get the fish to Eastaboga, we temper the fish. We transition them from the temperature of the tank to the spring water at the hatchery, Rinehard said. We had the temperature of the tanks cooled to match the temperature at Lake Guntersville. When we got back to the hatchery, we had to raise the temperature.

We have 1,500-gallon raceways with spring water and oxygen to slowly raise the temperature. You dont want to shock the fish with a temperature change. It causes too much stress, so we raise it slowly. Then we watch their swimming habits. When you confine bass, they start jumping, trying to get out, so we have covers on the holding tanks so they wont be disturbed. We keep them as quiet as we can to calm them down.

The bass, both from Lake Guntersville and Lay Lake, were held at Eastaboga until Monday morning, when the WFF hatchery trucks were filled with water and loaded with bass to be transported back to the lake of origin.

The fish wont all go to one boat ramp, Rinehard said. We will transport the fish to different state boat ramps around the lakes. We spread the fish out as best we can.

Rinehard said holding the Classic and other large tournaments in the early spring makes it a lot easier for fisheries managers to return healthy fish to the lakes compared to tournaments held during the heat of the summer.

Heat puts a lot of stress on the fish, he said. You can handle a lot more fish and heavier fish when the water is cold, and Guntersville is world-renowned for its large fish, especially in the springtime.

Livewells on bass boats are a lot better than they used to be. But handling the fish still causes stress. When we get them in our tanks, we limit the stress by giving them a lot more space, and were running oxygen.

As it turns out, the effort to care for the fish was well worth it. Rinehard said 520 bass that weighed 1,662 pounds from the Classic were successfully returned to Lake Guntersville on Monday. Another 88 bass were returned to Lay Lake from the Classic College competition there. Only five fish did not survive, according to Rinehard.
Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump wants the government to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks in an effort to curb the economic cost of the coronavirus pandemic, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday.

The president has instructed me we have to do this now, he said at the White House briefing. He didn't give details except to say the amount should be significant and millionaires would not get it. The proposal requires approval from Congress.

"We want to make sure Americans get money in their pockets quickly," Mnuchin said. The stock market rose during the briefing after a savage drop Monday.

The White House on Tuesday was asking Congress to approve a massive emergency rescue package to help businesses as well as taxpayers cope with the economic crisis that is paired with the pandemic.

Mnuchin planned to outline that roughly $850 billion package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, opening the Senate on Tuesday morning, promised swift action.

The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm," McConnell said.

Bigger than the 2008 bank bailout or the 2009 recovery act, the White House proposal aims to provide a massive tax cut for wage-earners, $50 billion for the airline industry and relief for small businesses.

Two people familiar with the request described it to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

Congress was being asked to approve the most far-reaching economic rescue package since the Great Recession of 2008.

There's great spirit among lawmakers, President Donald Trump said at the White House briefing as he outlined several elements of the rescue plan. I can say that for Republicans and Democrats.
Overseas investment by domestic firms stood at USD 2.37 billion in February 2020, as per RBI data. In the year-ago same period, companies in India invested USD 2.36 billion. In January 2020, domestic companies invested USD 2.23 billion in their foreign firms (joint ventures/wholly-owned units).

Of the total investments in February this year, USD 1.16 billion was in the form of loans, USD 670.17 million was by way of issuance of guarantee while the rest USD 538.70 million was invested through equity, according to the data on Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) for last month.

Among the major investors, Bharti Airtel infused USD 978.92 million in a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mauritius, Tata Steel invested USD 162.19 million in a subsidiary in Singapore and Tata International pumped USD 112.99 million into a wholly-owned arm in Singapore.

Calleis Infrastructure invested USD 81.12 million in a wholly-owned subsidiary in the UK.
C riminal trials due to last longer than three days will be put on hold as part of ongoing efforts to delay the spread of Covid-19.

It comes after barristers demanded a halt to trials in England and Wales to stop the "Russian roulette" with the health of staff, jurors and the public.

Despite this pressure, the government had said courts and tribunals would continue to operate at this stage of the coronavirus outbreak.

But on Tuesday night the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales confirmed that all trials longer than three days set to start before the end of April would now be postponed.

These cases will be kept under review as as will the decision to not halt proceedings that last less than three days, an official statement read.

Lord Burnett said steps are being taken to enable as many hearings as possible to continue with some or all participants attending via video-link, telephone or online.

"We must take every effort to maintain the functioning court system in support of the administration of justice and rule of law," the statement added.

Amanda Pinto QC, chairwoman of the Bar Council, had called on the government to temporarily end jury trials during the Covid-19 outbreak.

"Barristers up and down the country are telling us that jurors are having to drop out of cases because they are self-isolating or, worse, coming to court when they should not, and thereby putting everyone's health at risk," she told the BBC.

"Being in a jury trial should not be a game of Russian roulette with the participants' health."

The Lord Chief Justice said trials in the Crown Court have been presented with particular problems amid the virus outbreak.

"Trials in the Crown Court present particular problems in a fast-developing situation because they require the presence in court of many different participants," Lord Burnett added.
The meeting was aimed to discuss the latest developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue

The precautionary measures taken by Egypt to contain the coronavirus have led parliament's foreign affairs committee to postpone its meeting to discuss the possibility of Egypt boycotting companies participating in the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The secretary-general of the House of Representatives Mahmoud Fawzy said in a statement that upon the orders of parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal, the House's main halls and rooms will be sterilised in order to prevent any viral infiltration.

"This will include the main hall of plenary meetings and rooms of the House's 25 committees," said Fawzi, adding that upon Abdel-Aal's orders, the army will participate in sterilising and sanitising the House's main building.

Fawzi also said that half the staff at the House will go on leave for two weeks starting Tuesday. The House staff will be required to leave on 12 o'clock.

Parliament is scheduled to hold plenary meetings on 29 March.

On Monday, Karim Darwish, head of the foreign affairs committee, said the committee would hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to discuss the necessity of Egypt taking measures against contracting companies participating in the building of the GERD.

"This is part of Egypt's current efforts aimed at safeguarding its water security and preserving Egypt's rights to the Nile water," said Darwish, adding that "MPs who asked for holding this urgent meeting recommend that the government take measures against international contracting companies participating in the building of the GERD."

"These companies have interests and contracts in Egypt," said Darwish, adding that "we recommend the government suspend all contracts with these companies and stop any deals with them in the future."

Egypt initialled an agreement on the GERD during Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry's visit to Washington last month and after four months of negotiations. Ethiopia refused to attend the Washington meetings on 27 and 28 February, saying it would first need to make national consultations before it signs the agreement.

On 28 February, US Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement that the four-month talks resulted in an agreement that addresses all issues on the GERD in a balanced and equitable manner, taking into account the interests of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

"We appreciate the readiness of the government of Egypt to sign the agreement and its initialling of the agreement is evidence of its commitment, and we recognise that Ethiopia continues its national consultations, and look forward to it concluding its process as soon as possible," said Mnuchin, adding that the "filling of GERD should not take place without an agreement, and the US reaffirms its commitment to remaining engaged with the three countries until they sign the final agreement."

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After Hurricane Sandy almost destroyed her business four years ago, the owner of a South Beach restaurant hopes it will survive another hit -- the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

I want to survive,'' said Tea Chernyasky, the owner of Chinar on the Island, on Monday night, nearly 24 hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that restaurants in New York City will be limited to delivery and takeout options only. "It will hurt that 15 years will go down the drain in one day.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Chernyasky added that she started seeing a decrease in the number of customers coming into the restaurant and more people cancelling reservations even before de Blasio announced the executive order.

"Today we didnt even get a phone call," she said.

But Chernyasky and her husband, Oleg, came up with a plan.

Starting tomorrow, they will offer a lunch menu, which they didnt have before, priced at $10 for adults and $6 for children.

[Hopefully that will help] being that a lot of kids will be home from school, many parents will still have to work and many seniors will be home, said Oleg, who helps his wife at the restaurant.

Chinar on the Island will also offer many other deals. Those who order five meals will pay for four. There will be a 20% discount on regular menu items. A new family dinner menu is being offered and customers will be able to pre-order their meals for the week and pick a delivery time for them, Oleg explained.

There wont be a limit to how many items customers can pre-order, he added.

The employees delivering food will follow a strict sanitary protocol that will include disinfecting their cars after each delivery, and washing their hands before and after every delivery.

The new menus and deals are posted on the restaurants Facebook and Instagram pages. To make a reservation, customers are asked to call the location directly at (718) 390-5305.

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The general manager at McGraths Pub in downtown Harrisburg recently called a friend working with a homeless shelter to pose a question: Is it possible to donate thousands of dollars worth of fresh food?

Its not that Adam Sturges had a surplus of grub. Its that his restaurant  like many others throughout Pennsylvania  will soon be without customers.

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered a shutdown of non-essential businesses Monday as a measure to combat the spread of coronavirus, following the lead of other governors across the country. Wolf said he had no plans to enforce the measures through steps such as calling out the National Guard, but said people should abide by the shutdown to both protect themselves and others.

That has left Sturges, who runs McGraths and owns a nearby speakeasy, to face concerns much more pressing than the need to unload extra food he ordered weeks earlier in anticipation of a St. Patricks Day rush.

Like other members of his industry, Sturges now wonders whether his businesses can remain afloat if they close for an extended period of time.

The bills arent going to stop coming in just because our doors arent open, Sturges said. Unfortunately, it would probably only take a couple of weeks to bankrupt a small business with no income coming in.

Experts said Monday that small businesses are expected to absorb an especially large blow as health officials and government leaders take measures to promote social distancing in the face of a pandemic.

Some businesses can transition to a takeout-only model or find other ways to adapt while consumers are prohibited from gathering in public spaces. For others, like bars and nightclubs and sit-down restaurants, the path forward is more hazy.

Gene Barr, the President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said his organization will be aggressive in thinking of ways to navigate small businesses through the impending challenges.

Were going to need to be inventive, Barr said. Were all going through uncharted territory here.

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.



Sturges said hes met with his bank to try to extend lines of credit in hopes of mitigating the financial ramifications of a shutdown. Robin Burtner, the director of the Small Business Development Center at Shippensburg University, said local and state agencies are working on plans to offer disaster loans to small businesses, but details have not been finalized.

The Pa. chamber of business and industry will aim to help owners connect with the appropriate resources as soon as possible, Barr said.

Still, as a small business owner and operator, Sturges isnt expecting to rely on a bailout.

Im not sure and my bankers arent sure how thats going to work, he said. My fear with federal relief is it might be too little too late.

Thats why companies that can make adjustments to stay open are forging ahead.

It wasnt business as usual for St. Thomas Roasters on Monday morning, but there was still business.

The family-owned coffee shop in Harrisburg closed its doors to patrons and opened a takeout window. Geoff Smith, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, said he spent the morning handing out to-go coffees and filling online orders.

Its a matter of making the best of things, Smith said.

Smith and his wife and co-owner, Pam, worked at the shop Monday and told nearly all of their 18 employees to stay home until further notice. While Smith said he expects revenue to decrease in coming weeks, he was hopeful that his coffee shops connection to the community would keep sales from spiraling.

Michelle Haring, the co-owner of Cupboard Maker Books in Enola, worked the counter of her store Monday morning. She said she planned to keep her doors open as long as possible, pointing out that the size of her store allowed customers to browse while remaining at least six feet apart.

Haring said if she needed to close her store, she would continue selling books online and could deliver books to customers who called and drove into the stores parking lot.

The more significant worry for Haring and Smith relates to their employees. Haring said Cupboard Maker Books has seven or eight part-time workers.

I know my employees situations and everybody will be OK for two weeks, if we have to close for two weeks, Haring said. At the two-week point, its going to get scary.

Sturges said hes considering making care packages for his employees at McGraths and his speakeasy, because Im not exactly sure what all of them are going to do if were shutdown for a couple weeks.

The Shippensburg Small Business Development Center has recommended that most businesses begin limiting their hours and potentially cutting payrolling, Burtner said. That could lead to layoffs.

Reducing payroll makes the most sense, Burtner said. I know thats tough, but the payroll will kill you if you dont make enough sales.

Barr said hell do all he can to promote avenues for relief for small business owners. Hes recommending the state delay the April deadline for businesses to file their quarterly taxes, which would afford extra time for owners to identify financial solutions.

Many local residents have shown a willingness to support small businesses in their community, Burtner said. She and Haring suggested thoughtful shoppers could buy gift cards to restaurants or other establishments with the intention of using them at a later date. And Burtner said its paramount for businesses to communicate effectively with customers via social media over the next few weeks.

Sturges said he wouldnt encourage anyone to buy gift cards because he thinks its important for customers to take care of their families and neighbors first. They can contribute to rebuilding the economy once businesses reopen, he said.

Different owners are adopting different approaches this week as they brace for the possibility of weeks or months of business restrictions and declining sales. The common threads are uncertainty and hope.

Haring sold a $4.24 book to a customer Monday morning, made change out of a $10 bill and thought about what the future could hold if shed have to halt those types of transactions for several weeks.

Nobody knows whats going to happen, she said. Im just keeping my fingers crossed.

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HOUSTON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA USA is offering special assistance to consumer and small business customers impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including penalty-free withdrawals from applicable CDs, ATM fee refunds, and payment deferrals, extensions and waivers on existing loans and lines of credit, among other offers.

The assistance comes as the COVID-19 outbreak continues across the U.S., with ripple effects that are financially impacting small businesses and consumers. The bank is making these offers available to affected customers across its U.S. footprint throughout the next month, and may extend assistance based on how the crisis unfolds.

"We understand that this pandemic has put many of our customers in a position of uncertainty, and we are working to take some of that burden off of them," said BBVA USA President and CEO Javier Rodriguez Soler. "We know that this is a fluid situation, and will closely monitor any developments that could continue to negatively impact customers across our entire footprint. We are people serving people and it's our responsibility to help our clients in this time of need. We encourage them to contact us with questions or concerns they may have related to this unprecedented situation."

The special assistance package BBVA USA has rolled out includes:

Deferred and extension payments on existing consumer and small business loans and credit cards

Waived and refunded ATM fees

Penalty-free CD withdrawals, for CDs opened prior to March 1

Special offers are currently available and are presently slated to end on April 17. The COVID-19 situation will be continuously monitored to determine if extensions or further action is needed beyond the current end date. The bank is also continuing to work on ways to further assist on customers' financial needs.

All accounts are subject to approval, which may include credit approval. BBVA USA is a Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. BBVA and BBVA Compass are trade names of BBVA USA, a member of the BBVA Group.

For questions on accounts and to speak with a telephone banking agent, customers can contact 844-BBVA-USA. For questions about loan deferrals and extensions, customers can contact 844-222-3862. BBVA USA representatives will be available 8AM - 6PM CST, Monday through Friday.

In addition, BBVA USA's branch network is currently operating under normal business hours. The bank is also encouraging customers to utilize BBVA's award-winning mobile app to deposit checks, transfer funds, make bill payments or send domestic or international wires, among other functionalities.

The bank continues to work with its critical response teams, suppliers and vendors, to avoid interruption to bank operations and to continue providing service to its customers.

For more BBVA news visit, www.bbva.com and the U.S. Newsroom .

Additional news updates can be found via Twitter and Instagram .

For more financial information about BBVA in the U.S., visit bbvausa.investorroom.com .

About BBVA

BBVA Group

BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. It is also the leading shareholder in Turkey's Garanti BBVA. Its purpose is to bring the age of opportunities to everyone, based on our customers' real needs: provide the best solutions, helping them make the best financial decisions, through an easy and convenient experience. The institution rests in solid values: Customer comes first, we think big and we are one team. Its responsible banking model aspires to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable society.

BBVA USA

In the U.S., BBVA is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 641 branches, including 330 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 63 in Arizona, 61 in California, 44 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 17 in New Mexico. The bank ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (6th). In the U.S., BBVA has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and ranked 8th nationally in terms of dollar volume of SBA loans originated in fiscal year 2018.

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From Popular Mechanics

For nearly 20 years, the United States Air Force has been focused on anti-terror operations in uncontested airspace. Now, as America transitions its focus away from the War on Terror toward potential near-peer conflicts, the U.S. is looking to pull a page out of its own World War II playbook by building inexpensive combat aircraft that can overwhelm advanced enemy air defenses through sheer numbers.



The Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie, an unmanned and experimental combat aerial vehicle, is tough to spot on radar and could be directly linked to the F-35 through an encrypted data connection to serve as a wingman under the pilots control. But even with these pros, its the cost of the Valkyrie, not its capabilities, that could change Americas aerial warfighting strategy.

Photo credit:  Thiago Isvamsinsk via Flickr

While theres no question the U.S. boasts the largest air force in the world in terms of total military aircraft, the makeup and size of that force has shifted dramatically since the final days of World War II. At that time, the U.S. boasted some 300,000 combat aircraft. Today, the nation has only around 13,400, spread out across its various military branches.

The reason for this change is the steady progress of technology, which has dramatically increased the combat capabilities and the cost of each aircraft in service today. These parallel developments in aviation production have resulted not only in a leaner, more capable Air Force, but a change in combat strategy altogether. Gone is the World War II mindset that called for superiority through volume. On todays battlefield, its technology, not numbers, that makes the biggest difference.

But the capability gap offered by technology alone is difficult to maintain. As near-peer level opponents like China and Russia field more advanced air defense systems, Americas aircraft face the possibility of a more contested battle space than ever before. With American fighters costing upward of $80 million each, regardless of whether or not they possess stealth capabilities, each and every loss would be truly felt in a large-scale conflict. Thats why the strategic scales may be tipping back toward a force reliant on a high volume of aircraft, rather than the amount of tech that can be crammed into each one. And thats where the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie could really shine.

Story continues

Photo credit:  Boeing

The Valkyrie has an internal weapon payload capacity of at least two small-diameter bombs and boasts a flight range of more than 2,000 miles, but more importantly, the Department of Defense (DoD) has a plan to connect these unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) to F-35s and the new F-15EXs via encrypted data links to serve as support dronesan initiative known as the Skyborg program. These links, coupled with on-board artificial intelligence, will allow pilots of manned aircraft to control their drone wingmen, even sending them out ahead to relay sensor information back to the pilot.

That means the Valkyries would be able to engage ground targets on behalf of a manned fighter and potentially even sacrifice themselves to protect manned aircraft from inbound missiles.

We can take risks with some systems to keep others safer, Will Roper, Ph.D., assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics, told Defense News reporter Valerie Insinna last year.

Currently, combat aircraft rely on their own sensor suites to identify targets and potential threats, but with the Skyborg Program, unmanned aircraft could fly ahead to spot targets and relay data back to pilots. That would allow fighters to engage threats from further distances or avoid them all together.

In the future, we can separate them out, put sensors ahead of shooters, put our manned systems behind the unmanned. Theres a whole playbook, Roper told Defense News.

All that capability comes with the tiny price tag (for jet-powered combat aircraft) of around $2 million per plane. Considering Raytheons single-use Tomahawk cruise missiles ring in at an estimated $1.4 million each and combat drones like the RQ-4 Global Hawk cost over $120 million apiece, $2 million for a reusable combat aircraft like the Valkyries is a steal.



The Valkyries low price tag lands it squarely within the DoDs attritable aircraft conceptplanes that are so cheap to replace that commanders can take greater risks with them without fearing their loss as much as they would a manned platform or even a high-dollar drone. As Kratos points out, the Valkyrie also offers open architecture that allows them to modify the aircraft to suit different mission requirements with different payload options. This dramatically increases the number of mission types these drones can support, including air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.



A shift toward producing a large number of these attritable platforms could offer a huge boost in Americas air power capabilities by returning to overwhelming force through volume. Thats important, because despite how advanced air defense systems have become, they still have a limited magazine. By using drone swarms, the U.S. hopes to overwhelm defensive systems, which is a big part of why the Air Force is emphasizing the attritable part of its drone program.



"Swarming allows you to build large numbers of low-cost expendable agents that can be used to overwhelm an adversary," Paul Scharre, from the Center for a New American Security think tank, told BBC News Thomas McMullan last year. "This reverses the long trend of rising aircraft costs and reducing quantities.

Unlike in the days of World War II, however, the value of all those aircraft can be bolstered further by the advanced data collection and leveraging capabilities of flying supercomputers like Lockheed Martins F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Photo credit:  Lockheed Martin Aeronautics/Angel DelCueto

A decision on whether the Pentagon wants to move forward with mass production of the Valkyrie is expected to come as soon as 2021. (Since its a new platform thats still in testing, theres always the chance that new problems will emerge.) But regardless of that decision, it looks as though the future of air superiority will likely look an awful lot like this new Kratos drone.

As air defenses continue to mature, stealth wont be enough to dominate the airspace above a battle, and thats where old fashioned arithmetic may be the only route to victory. By sending more low-cost and unmanned aircraft at a target than the surrounding defenses can effectively engage, Skyborg drones can assure victory even when stealth cant get the job done.

With both Russia and China reportedly developing their own wingman drones, the wars of the future may well be won through overwhelming air defense systems with swarms of armed UCAVs taking their cues from nearby human pilots.



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London, March 17 : Hollywood actor Idris Elba announced that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, the star of "Luther" and "The Wire", said: "This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus.

The 47-year-old actor said he has been isolated since finding out that he was exposed to the virus.

Elba, who also posted a video featuring his wife Sabrina Dhowre, said she has not been tested and was "doing OK".

The Golden Globe winning actor said he got tested after finding out on Friday (March 13) that he had been in contact with someone who had the virus.

"This is serious. Now is the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands," he said in the video.

Elba told fans to remain "really vigilant".

"Transparency is probably the best thing for this right now. If you're feeling ill, or you feel like you should be tested, or if you've be en exposed, do something about it." The actor was one of the attendees of the Wembley Arena We Day event on March 4 alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who was also tested positive for the virus last week.

Wendell Pierce, who starred alongside Elba in "The Wire", sent a get well soon message on Twitter.

He said: "The entire cast of 'The Wire' wishes our brother Idris Elba to get well soon as he fights this virus. Take care and best of health." Elba joins a list of actors who have tested positive for the virus recently, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kristofer Hivju of "Game of Thrones" and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, said Variety in a report.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, March 17 : Public sector oil refiners BPCL, and IOC plan to increase spot buying of oil from the market to take advantage of the low global crude prices and boost their margins.

A source in the Indian Oil Corporation said that spot purchases in the next financial year may be higher and it could go up well over the usual purchases (30 per cent level) under that route if low crude prices maintain over next few months.

Oil refiners usually buy crude in 70:30 ratio of term cargoes vis-a-vis spot deliveries. This also depends on inventory position with the company and demand projections in the market. However, with global crude oil prices falling almost 50 per from early January levels and dropping more than 35 per cent in last 8 days to just about $30 a barrel now, oilcos are looking to make the most of situation to reduce their cost and boost gross refining margins (GRM).

According to ICICI Securities, the recent plunge in oil prices has boosted OMCs' GRM by $1.9-3.0/bbl to $5.1-5.9/bbl on March 13 from $2.9-3.3/bbl on March 5. This could go up well above $6 barrel in FY21 if demand conditions do not worsen on Covid-19 outbreak.

"It's not just higher spot buying of crude, Indian companies would also seek higher discount on crude under deliveries from next month under term contract. Saudi Aramco has already indicated to this possibility," said the source quoted earlier.

On its part, Bharat Petroleum Corporation has reportedly bought two million barrels of extra Saudi oil for loading in April. It is also exploring buying additional oil from the United Arab Emirates.

IOC is also listing the option and take a call on extra oil buying later this month.

After the fallout of OPEC-Russia talks on production cut early this month, Saudi Arabia has said that it would increase production that would go a high level of 12.3 million barrels of oil per day. It has also offered discounts to buyers in various continents ranging from $5-8 a barrel. Together with Covid-19 outbreak, these have resulted in a big oil price crash.

This bodes well for India that imports over 83 per cent of oil needs. Not only are oil refiners looking to boost their profits and margins, lower crude price could also sharply bring down India's oil import bill and have positive impact on country's current account deficit (CAD). Lower oil prices would also help to keep petrol and diesel prices under check.

(Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in)


Many were saddened when Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were tested positive for coronavirus, but in a recent article, he grabbed the attention of fans for the wrong reasons.

The Castaway actor who was being treated at the Gold Coast University Hospital along with his wife, thanked his carers through a Twitter post on Sunday.

He captioned the post: 'Thanks to the Helpers. Let's take care of ourselves and each other. Hanx'

The photo accompanying the 63-year-old actor's tribute, features his breakfast, a tube of Vegemite, and a kangaroo toy nearby.

Said Twitter post gained strong reaction from fans not because of the heartfelt message but because of the very thick spread of Vegemite Tom applied to his toast.

Thanks to the Helpers. Let's take care of ourselves and each other. Hanx pic.twitter.com/09gCdvzGcO March 15, 2020

Vegamite, a yeast sandwich spread, is a household staple in Australia, but a general rule in applying this is that consumers use just a thin smattering across a buttered bread. Vegemite is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract which is a by-product of beer manufacturing. It also includes various vegetable and spice additives.

If you're curious how Vegemite tastes like, imagine beef bouillon. The taste is described as salty, slightly bitter, and malty while its texture is smooth and sticky, much like peanut butter.

Everyone in the comment section couldn't help but point out to the thick Vegemite, gently mocking the actor for his over-application of the spread despite his current medical condition.

One person Tweeted: 'That's enough Vegemite to kill a horse. Hanx don't play. #usesparingly'.

Another added: 'Tom, I mean this with all the respect and love in the world, but that is too much Vegemite.'

Another tweet reads: 'That Vegemite is so thick I am SHAKING' while another added: 'Mate, what's going on with that Vegemite ratio?'

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okay you need to scrape around 60% of that vegemite off, otherwise it's gonna be nasty and hurt your mouth friend.  Amy Thunig (@AmyThunig) March 15, 2020

Perhaps he found the cure for the Coronavirus?  Socialist Banana (@ExpatBanana) March 15, 2020

Some fans however supported the move, saying the spread may be therapeutic and consoling the actor that a lot of Vegemite is best - and in fact is the 'professional level' amount.

On March 11, Tom and Rita announced their positive diagnosis, identifying the symptoms that led to them being tested.

'We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too,' Tom captioned on his Instagram post.

Since then, the couple have been active in sharing updates on their health, as well as the activities they've been doing to get through these trying times.

Married since 1988, Tom and Rita share two sons together, Chester and Truman.

The Toy Story actor also has a son and daughter, Colin and Elizabeth, from his first marriage to Samantha Lewes.

As of this writing, there are more than 182,000 confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide with more than 7,125 deaths. Despite the mortality rate, it is also worthy to note that more than 78,000 have recovered from the deadly disease.

In Australia, as of this writing, there are more than 300 reported cases of coronavirus, including five deaths.

In times like this, the humor people find in social media, such as Tom Hank's use of Vegemite, is indeed a stress-reliever.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 02:15:14|Editor: ZD

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at a press conference inside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, on March 16, 2020. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged the people, especially residents of the hardest-hit London, to avoid "non-essential contact" in fighting the spread of novel coronavirus, which he said is "very disruptive." Boris Johnson gave his first daily televised update on coronavirus after chairing a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee to coordinate the government's ongoing response to coronavirus. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

LONDON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged the people, especially residents of the hardest-hit London, to avoid "non-essential contact" in fighting the spread of novel coronavirus, which he said is "very disruptive."

The statement came as the prime minister was giving his first daily televised update on coronavirus after chairing a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee to coordinate the government's ongoing response to coronavirus.

"Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel," the prime minister said.

"Anyone who lives with someone who has a cough or a temperature should stay at home for 14 days. People should start working from home where they possible can," Johnson said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister also asked people to "avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues."

From Tuesday, the British government will no longer be "supporting" mass gatherings using emergency workers, he said.

Groups particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks by the weekend, he said.

The prime minister made the plea just hours after British health officials confirmed a total of 1,543 people have tested positive for the virus in the country since the outbreak. Concerns are rising as Britain is taking less stringent measures than other European countries.

London is a few weeks ahead in terms of the virus curve than other places, meaning transmission is happening more rapidly, Johnson said.

For this reason, those in the capital city need to be "especially cautious," he said.

The government recognises that the "very draconian" measures he has outlined will be "asking a lot" from the everyone, added Johnson, who was the former London mayor.

London is at the center of the escalating coronavirus outbreak in Britain, according to the latest official figures.

Hospitals in the capital are braced for a wave of cases within weeks as a sharp rise in the number of deaths -- to 53 by Monday in Britain according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock -- suggested it is a fast-developing situation.

All of the top 12 areas with the highest number of COVID-19 cases are in the capital or in commuter-belt counties, according to official figures.

As of Sunday, out of 1,099 confirmed cases in England, 407 were in the London NHS region.

With the capital being hardest hit, Mayor Sadiq Khan also appealed to Londoners to look after the elderly and people with underlying health conditions who are most in danger.

"Our priority must always be to look out for the older and more vulnerable people in our communities who may be most at risk," the mayor said ahead of a visit to Croydon to reassure Londoners about the capital's response to COVID-19.
Prince Ferdinand of Leiningen and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia have welcomed a daughter, it has been announced.

Princess Viktoria Luise, 37, gave birth to a 'healthy' baby girl named Alexandra on 29 February. It is the couple's first child together.

Ferdinand, 37, is the son of Prince Andreas of Leiningen and Princess Alexandra of Hanover, while his wife is the only daughter of late Prince Friedrich Wilhem of Prusia and his second wife, Ehrengard von Reden.

It's a girl! Prince Ferdinand of Leiningen and Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia have welcomed a baby girl, it has been announced. Pictured, the couple at their September 2017 wedding

Royal relatives: Ferdinand, 37, is the son of Prince Andreas of Leiningen and Princess Alexandra of Hanover. His aunt is Princess Caroline of Monaco, pictured in November 2019

The couple are both descendants of Britain's Queen Victoria, making them third cousins.

They named their daughter Alexandra after her paternal grandmother, Princess Alexandra of Hanover.

Alexandra's sister is Prince Ernst August of Hanover, who is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco.

Ferdinand and Viktoria Luise followed a European royal tradition of marrying in two separate ceremonies in 2017.

The couple first tied the knot in a civil service in April 2017 before celebrating with a more lavish religious ceremony in the small Bavarian town of Amorbach in September that year. Pictured, the couple pose for a photo following their religious ceremony in 2017

The couple first tied the knot in a civil service in April 2017 before celebrating with a more lavish religious ceremony in the small Bavarian town of Amorbach in September that year.

Viktoria Luise wore a dazzling off-the shoulder lace gown with a full skirt and a diamond-studded antique tiara.

The Prussian Meander Kokoshnik diadem was commissioned in 1905 for Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and was also worn by Princess Sophie of Isenburg on her 2011 wedding day.

The groom looked dapper in black morning suit, blue waistcoat with a matching pocket square and pale green tie.
Researchers at the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center and their colleagues have found that "natural killer" white blood cells could guard against the cascade of cellular changes that lead to Parkinson's disease and help stop its progression.

Natural killer (NK) cells are white blood cells that can kill tumors without being "told" from the body to do so. NK cells provide the first line of defense against invasion or a virus and are equipped with activating receptors that can sense cellular stress and identify cells that have been altered due to infection.

"Right now there's no available therapy to modify or stop the progression of Parkinson's," said lead author Jae-Kyung "Jamise" Lee, assistant professor in UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine. "This would be the first NK study to show the possibility of actually stopping the disease."

Appearing in the current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new study highlights that NK cells act not only as efficient scavengers that attack an intruder but may be critical for regulating and restraining inflammation of brain tissue and protein clumping--hallmarks of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders. The report also found that NK cell depletion in a mouse model significantly exaggerated the disease condition. This led to the discovery that, without NK cells, the nervous system was left vulnerable to attack.

"We believe that NK cells exert protection by their ability to reduce inflammation in the brain and clear proteins that misfold and create toxic clumps," Lee said. "In their absence, proteins were left unchecked, and we saw a substantial decrease in viral resistant cells, confirming that NK cells are a major source of signaling proteins that boost the immune system response."

Thirty years ago, when research into immunotherapies got started, a logical first step in developing such therapies--to fight cancer, for example--was to train the immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells. Today, this idea has successfully moved from lab to clinic: New immunotherapies for melanoma, lung cancer and kidney cancer were recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Lee is quick to caution that her Parkinson's work was done in animal models, but she is optimistic about future immunotherapy discoveries. She cited recent human trials that tested immunotherapies against an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma, indicating that NK cells contribute to elimination of tumor cells and release messages in support of defense of the immune system.

Parkinson's is no longer considered a brain-specific disease, and researchers increasingly recognize a functional connection between the immune system and central nervous system. Lee's team found that, in conditions of chronic inflammation such as Parkinson's, the blood-brain barrier becomes disrupted, allowing immune cells to channel into the brain.

"Understanding how the periphery signals for NKs to patrol for infectious agents, even in the absence of disease, could lead to breakthrough treatments for Parkinson's disease," Lee said.

Collaborating with Lee on this study is Levi Wood, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Mechanical Engineering. The initial partnership between the researchers began with seed funding from the Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (REM) network, a joint collaboration between Emory University, Georgia Tech and UGA. As a REM awardee, Lee leveraged her seed funding into significant support from other groups, including the largest funder of Parkinson's disease in the world, the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

UGA's co-director for REM is Steven Stice, who also is director of the RBC.

"REM's support for high-risk research has provided Dr. Lee the opportunity to rapidly produce some surprising discoveries with tangible results, leveraging the capabilities of a world-renowned, private-sector partner," said Stice, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "We are proud to continue to support early-career faculty with bold ideas and big impacts that are solving problems that save lives."

Initially, the researchers have focused on the neuroprotective effects of NK cells. The next step is to study how NK cell functions are impaired by aging.

"Our preliminary data suggest that the number and function of NK cells are decreased in aged animals, and display impaired ability to perform their normal functions," Lee said. "We would like to look deeper at age-related changes associated with NK cell biology and the wider implications for the health and well-being of older adults."

In January, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that UGA will launch a professorship in honor of former Sen. Johnny Isakson to help develop treatments for Parkinson's--the same disease that forced the senator to retire from public service. In 2017, Isakson received the Fox Foundation's Parkinson's Advocacy Award for his work to improve the lives of people living with the disease and for his advocacy in funding new treatments.

"We are excited to be part of UGA's community research interest in Parkinson's and their continued commitment to search for better treatments and a cure," said Lee.

###
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16)  President Rodrigo Duterte is set to once again face the nation on Monday afternoon on the Philippine government's response to the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 threat.

His spokesperson said the televised address will happen after his meeting with the government's Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said a total lockdown on Metro Manila will be recommended to Duterte during the meeting.

He said he, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, and other task force members share the sentiment that a total lockdown must be enforced over Metro Manila. He said the recommendation will be evaluated and will be up for Duterte's approval.

"Si Secretary Ano, iyan din ang nirerekomenda. Iyan din ang nirerekomenda ko. This is a matter of national survival, this is a matter of life or death... Sa aking pananaw kailangan nang i-resrtrict ang movement otherwise kakalat ito nang kakalat. Maraming sumusuporta," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: That is Secretary Ano's recommendation. Mine, too. This is a matter of national survival, this is a matter of life or death... In my opinion, we need to restrict movement otherwise the virus will spread. Many support this recommendation.]

The Interior Department said it has long been pushing for a total lockdown on Metro Manila, but Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said they were overruled by the majority who just wanted to implement community quarantine, where the movement of people in and out of Metro Manila is limited, with only those traveling for work, medical treatment or emergencies being permitted.

Related: DILG to recommend Metro Manila lockdown as officials review COVID-19 quarantine protocols

Panelo said a total lockdown will be far from the currently imposed community quarantine wherein scores of people uwere still allowed to enter and exit the region for work. He likened it to the national lockdown situation in Macau.

"We really have to assess kung effective ang ganitong uri ng very hindi strict na implementasyon," the spokesman said.

Under the total lockdown, people are prohibited from moving out of their houses, all establishments will be closed and work, even in the private sector, will be suspended in Metro Manila where over 12 million people live.

On Monday, the first working day of the metro-wide quarantine, many commuters did not follow the ordered social distancing in public utility vehicles out of desperation just to be able to get a ride to their work.

Panelo added they will recommend to housing all patients who tested postive in one area and the persons under monitoring will be placed in a separate area so the virus will be isolated.

Duterte last addressed the public on Friday when he announced the imposition of community quarantine on Metro Manila.

In the country, 140 have been infected with the virus and 12 have died because of it. Two have recovered, while the rest are admitted at various hospitals in the country.
OTTAWAThe federal government is making an emotional plea to Canadians to voluntarily comply with advice meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, even as it examines more stringent measures to address the crisis  including potentially declaring a national emergency.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Patty Hajdu again urged Canadians to stay home if possible, to wash their hands, to avoid shaking hands and to keep a healthy distance from one another while in public.

She also acknowledged the immense strain the situation is putting on people across the country.

Im very impressed by Canadians coming together in this crisis, but I am not surprised  we will get through this hard time together, Hajdu said before a cabinet meeting on the pandemic.

So my last appeal is to make sure that youre kind to one another. Check in with vulnerable people by phone, Hajdu said, her voice momentarily wavering. Think of ways you can help to make sure we get through this together. There are lonely people. There are frightened people. And it doesnt take a lot to reach out to them.

It was a moment that acknowledged the social costs of the pandemic  the isolation and anxiety of another day indoors  and courage shown by those who are continuing to work to provide essential services during the outbreak.

But with the public health emergency just beginning, and the economic crisis deepening, the government is preparing a suite of measures aimed at easing more immediate concerns.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that MPs would be asked to return to Ottawa to pass emergency economic measures to support individual Canadians and their employers during the crisis. The measures under consideration include:

Support through Employment Insurance (EI) for those who qualify;

Direct financial support for Canadians who dont qualify for EI;

Money to businesses to keep employees on the payroll, even if they stay home;

Helping businesses get access to credit and loans;

Help with mortgage payments;

Funnelling cash through the Canada Child Benefit and the GST credit for low-income Canadians.

Were looking at giving more flexibility for people to make payments and for businesses to have more liquidity during this time, Trudeau said.

Ottawa will also give Canadians an extra month to file their taxes, the Star confirmed Tuesday, with the new filing deadline expected to be June 1. That follows a move by the Quebec government to do the same for provincial tax returns.

As we worked to harmonize our measures with our provincial partners, Canadians can expect more of the same measures in tomorrows federal announcement, wrote Janick Cormier, the director of communications for Revenue Minister Dianne Lebouthillier.

Both the Conservatives and New Democrats signalled their willingness to get back to Ottawa to discuss the Liberal governments proposals, with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh saying his party is willing to do whatever it takes to get support to workers, small business owners, and parents as soon as possible.

But Trudeau and his cabinet also began discussions Tuesday about the possibility of invoking the Emergency Act, which grants the federal government exceptional powers rarely used outside of wartime.

Invoking a national emergency would allow the federal government a range of powers, including limiting travel, requisitioning private property for temporary hospitals or emergency shelters, and controlling the flow of goods.

A state of emergency isnt necessarily something in itself. It is a way of enacting measures that otherwise would not be enacted, Trudeau told reporters outside Rideau Cottage, where he is self-isolating after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for COVID-19.

We are looking at the Emergency Act to look at what those measures are that it would make available, and whether there are other ways without having to bring in a state of emergency, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that declaring a state of emergency is a last resort.

We began a discussion of it today. And we are also very aware  that it could never be invoked without consultations with the provinces, Freeland said.

Read more about:
Former Congressman Richard Hanna passed away on Sunday, March 15, after a private battle with cancer.

Hanna served as the U.S. representative of the 22nd Congressional district from 2011-2017.

Congressman Anthony Brindisi released the following statement on the passing of Congressman Richard Hanna:

I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Richard Hanna, a personal friend and professional mentor. The Congressman was a giant of upstate New York, a public servant who talked the talk and walked the walk in his bipartisan service to this community. He put people before politics, our hometown above all else, and he led with true heart. Our community is better for his service and he will be dearly missed. Erica and I send our deepest condolences to Richards wife, Kim, their children, and the entire Hanna family during this difficult time.

Former Congresswoman Claudia Tenney said, "I am saddened to hear of Richards passing. Richard was a successful businessman and true public servant who endeavored to always give back to our community. My prayers are with Kim and the entire Hanna family tonight."

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said, "Eleanor and I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Congressman Richard Hanna. Richard was a dear friend who I was proud to work with before, during and after his time in office. He was a tremendous leader whose voice would be beyond valuable during these trying times. My condolences go out to his wife Kim and their children."

From Senator Chuck Schumer: Congressman Hanna represented the people of his district with great integrity. He worked across the aisle to get things done, and he really cared. We collaborated time and again on projects big and small. His focus was always on the people, never the politics. We need more of that in Congress. My heartfelt condolences go out to the community, his friends and entire family,

He leaves behind his wife, Kim, children Emerson and Grace, as well as other family and friends.

A memorial service and celebration of life are planned for the spring.
Workers in the paint shop at Fiat Chryslers Warren Truck Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit downed their tools Monday morning as demands grow among North American autoworkers to close the factories and stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The job action by 17 paint shop workers follows a similar work stoppage by Canadian Fiat Chrysler workers last Thursday across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario, after a coworker came in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 and went into self-quarantine.

Warren Truck workers

Company officials announced that paint shop operations at the Warren Truck, which employs 2,613 workers on two shifts, had resumed by Monday afternoon and that production in the plant was not affected. The United Auto Workers union has not commented on the walkout and remains committed to keeping the plants running despite the threat to workers and their families.

The actions are the first sign that the wave of wildcat strikes that began in Italy against continuing production during the pandemic is beginning to reach the United States. After initially forcing workers to stay on the job in spite of a nationwide lockdown, Fiat Chrysler and other employers in Italy were forced to suspend operations due to the strike wave last week. As in the United States, measures banning large gatherings exempted workplaces where remote work is not feasible.

The wave also reached Spain yesterday, when 5,000 workers at the Vitoria Mercedes-Benz plant in the Basque Country, the companys second-largest van plant in the world, downed their tools and walked out. Production at the plant had continued for nearly a week after the Basque Country was placed on government lockdown on March 10. According to Twitter posts, one worker at the plant had already tested positive for the virus and twenty more were in quarantine. Videos of the walkout were viewed tens of thousands of times on Twitter.

After initially announcing that production would only be suspended for a few days, on Monday Fiat Chrysler announced that its six Italian plants, plus one in Serbia and one in Poland, would remain closed until March 27. In making the announcement, the company cited not the imminent health crisis, but market conditions. French automaker Groupe PSA, Fiat Chrysler's pending merger partner, said its plants in Madrid, Spain, and Mulhouse in the east of France would close on Monday and the rest of its European operation by Thursday at the latest.

Ford said Monday that it would extend a previously planned three-day shutdown this week at its Valencia, Spain, plant to the entire week and then reassess the situation before resuming production, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company said that three cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed within a 24-hour period.

All the corporate people are working from home, one Warren Truck worker told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter. What about our families?

A lot of other people think the industry should be shut down now. The workers are blaming the union, saying we dont have representation. Our understanding is they shut down in Europe. Why dont they do that here?

Were living in extreme fear, another Warren Truck worker said. I went to the union and asked them if all the businesses are closing and more than 50 people are not supposed to be coming together, why arent we closed when we have 2,000 people? They have no answer.

Somebody in there is going to infect everybody. If they close the plant, people wouldnt have to come in sick. Instead they want us to tell on people if they seem sick. Theyre telling us to use hand sanitizers and wash our hands, but there are bathrooms in there with just cold water or without any running water at all.

All they care about is the trucks, and they arent even being shipped. This is capitalism at its best. We should walk out or sit down. I asked the supervisors arent they afraid for themselves? They said, As long as you come to work, we have to come to work. They are waiting for us to take action.

The UAW is complicit in what can only be described as the criminal endangerment of autoworkers and their families. Governors in industrial states like Michigan and Ohio have already directed gyms, theaters, dine-in restaurants and schools to close to limit the spread of the deadly virus.

Despite the first worker being tested positive for COVID-19 at a Fiat Chrysler plant in Kokomo, Indiana last week and reports of many other potential cases in Detroit and other cities, production continues in the auto factories, including in southeast Michigan, which, with 115,000 employees, is still the largest concentration of auto production in the US.

The contempt of the auto executives towards the lives of workers was summed up by Ford CEO Jim Hackett, who in a letter to employees last Friday said that the company would shut down a facility for 24 hours if a worker there was diagnosed. But once a worker tests positive it is already too late! The disease can incubate for up to two weeks before someone shows symptoms and meanwhile can be spread over workplaces, tools, components of vehicles coming down the assembly line, turnstiles, lunchrooms and common areas.

Workers are already voting with their feet by refusing to come to work over the last several days, including over 500 workers at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit on Saturday. The companies, with the full backing of the UAW, have been filling in with temporary part-time employees who can be fired if they fail to schedule time off weeks in advance.

The joint UAW-corporate task force

Facing widespread opposition on the shop floor, the UAW and the auto companies have set up a joint task force, made up of the corporate CEOs of GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, the UAW president and three vice presidents. Union officials are deliberately concealing the dangers facing workers, falsely claiming that the corporations are following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Only one guideline is driving the corporations and the UAW: maintain production in order to boost profits and shareholder returns.

If action is to be taken to protect workers and their families, then workers must take the initiative themselves. Workers should elect rank-and-file factory committees, organized independently of the corrupt UAW, to demand and fight for the immediate shutdown of the auto plants and all nonessential production. At the same time, these committees must demand full compensation for any lost wages and the abolition of all copays, premiums and deductibles to guarantee the highest-quality health care to all workers.

This should be combined with the demands for immediate and free testing, a massive allocation of resources to public health needs, instead of propping up the stock market, and equal access to health care and all social services. All workers who are laid off due to the pandemic must be made whole.

With stock markets around the world crashing, signs of another global economic meltdown and parts supplies from China drying up due to the pandemic, the US-based auto companies are scrambling to pump out every ounce of profit they can before being forced to close the US plants. Whatever vehicles can be sent to the car dealer showroomseven if they are emptycan be booked as sales in automakers quarterly reports in hopes of holding off a further selloff of their stocks.

During the stock selloff on Monday, Fiat Chrysler shares fell almost 22 percent by closing, while General Motors Co. was down 15 percent and Ford dropped 11 percent. According to the Center for Automotive Research, if people did not buy any vehicles for just one week, the companies could lose $7.3 billion in revenue.

An autoworker at a GM plant in the Detroit area told the WSWS: The Big 3 and the UAW need to stop playing and do the right thing and shut these plants and warehouses down! The governor of Michigan has said no congregations of 50 people or more; the president of the United States has put that limit at 10. The attorney general said today violations will be considered criminal. How do the Big 3 and the UAW Task Force know better than the government and get away with this? You cant tell me our jobs are essential functions! Its greed in its purest form. No regard for health and safety!
As Boeing and other US aviation companies angle for billions in assistance, airlines and airport operators globally are suspending dividends, selling airplanes and flying cargo on passenger jets amid plunging demand caused by the pandemic.

Boeing Co confirmed it is in talks with senior White House officials and congressional leaders about short-term assistance for the entire US aviation sector, including suppliers, airlines and airports.

US airlines and cargo carriers have said they are seeking at least $58 billion in loans and grants along with additional tax changes, while airports have sought $10 billion (8.17 billion pounds).

European airlines have also stepped up calls for emergency government aid, as Airports Council International Europe said that passenger traffic across the region fell by an average of 54 percent last week and that the situation would worsen as borders closed.

Airbus SE said it would pause production and assembly at its French and Spanish sites for the next four days to put in place strict health and safety provisions.

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

"It's now fair to call this the single biggest shock that global aviation has ever experienced," Qantas Airways Ltd Chief Executive Alan Joyce said in a memo to the airline's 30,000 staff on March 17.

Joyce has worked in the industry for more than 30 years, including during the 9/11 attacks, and led Qantas through the global financial crisis in 2008-2009.

The Australian carrier announced plans to cut international capacity by 90 percent and domestic capacity by 60 percent until at least the end of May, grounding the equivalent of 150 planes in response to new travel restrictions.

"Our goal is to protect as many jobs as possible and to make sure we remain strong enough to ride this out," Joyce told staff in the memo seen by Reuters.

New Zealand's Auckland International Airport Ltd said it would scrap its interim dividend on top of cost-cutting measures that include a hiring freeze and a halt to discretionary spending.

Air New Zealand Ltd announced on March 16 that it would cut capacity to Australia by 80 percent from March 30 to June 30 after both countries said over the weekend that all travellers would need to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.

Australian airports are set to lose more than A$500 million (248.85 million pounds) in take-off and landing fees this year as capacity plunges, the Australian Airports Association said.

RAISING CASH

Qantas last week told analysts it was looking to raise a few hundred million dollars by refinancing some of its aircraft.

Simon Birmingham, Australia's Minister for Tourism said on March 17 that neither Qantas nor smaller rival Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd have asked for a bailout but the government had not ruled out providing assistance.

"They believe they are viable and have strong cash positions... but we want to make sure we maintain that confidence in the airlines," Birmingham told reporters.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said on March 16 it had agreed a $703.8 million deal with lessor BOC Aviation Ltd to sell and lease back six Boeing Co 777-300ER airplanes to raise much-needed cash.

The carrier, one of the earliest and hardest hit by the outbreak due to its proximity to mainland China, said its full-service airlines, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, had made an unaudited loss of HK$2 billion (210.31 million pounds) in the month of February alone.

Cathay Pacific will cut up to 90 percent of its capacity in April, up from an earlier plan of 65 percent announced alongside its annual results last week.

"If we do not see a relaxation of travel restrictions in the near future, we expect the same arrangement will have to continue into May," Cathay Pacific Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said in a statement.

Japan's ANA Holdings Inc said it would cut 2,630 more international flights serving 58 routes across its network between March 29 and April 24.

CARGO BRIGHT SPOT

The only bright spot for airlines is the cargo market, where rates are surging as a result of the loss of capacity in the belly of passenger aircraft as those flights are cut.

Cathay Pacific and Korean Air Lines Co Ltd are both flying some planes without passengers to transport cargo due to high demand.

Qantas said it would use some domestic passenger aircraft for freight-only flights to replace lost capacity from regular scheduled services and its fleet of freighters would continue to be fully utilised.

Freight Investor Services on March 16 reported a surge in prices across all Asia-Pacific routes. "2020 is fast becoming year of the freighter," it told clients.

Singapore Airlines Ltd reported a higher cargo load factor in February than the prior year, but said on the passenger side, market conditions had continued to deteriorate in March.
Hong Kong: Travel advice for HK students: CHP

(To watch the whole media briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Centre for Health Protection today offered important travel advice to students planning to return to Hong Kong amid the global spread of COVID-19.

The centres Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan explained at a press briefing that students with any virus symptoms should stay where they are and consult with medical experts there.

We understand a lot of students are returning to Hong Kong because of the situation overseas, especially in the United States and United Kingdom.

In theory, I think those who have symptoms should seek medical advice at the local health authority instead of going back to Hong Kong because this may pose risks to other people who are travelling together on the flight.

Dr Chuang emphasised that even if students have no symptoms, they must take precautionary measures during their travels to avoid the risk of infection.

For those without symptoms, it depends on their situation. If they are advised by the school or their parents want them to come back to Hong Kong, I think they can, but they have to take good personal and environmental hygiene measures, especially during their stay in the airport as well as on the flight.

Especially when they are visiting the toilets and visiting common facilities, they have to wash their hands carefully after using such facilities.

This story has been published on: 2020-03-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Photo: Mohammad N Islam

The Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia is calling on the government to prevent a complete collapse of the visitor economy due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The group says losses to the tourism sector already amount of hundreds of millions of dollars and will soon represent billions unless senior governments provide some form of financial relief to help businesses survive.

TIABC says the entire sector is reeling at a time when most tourism providers would be typically gearing up for the busy summer season.

Hotels throughout BC are experiencing cancellations of up to 80 per cent of business on the books. Massive layoffs will continue this week including part-time, full-time and management level positions, said Ingrid Jarrett, CEO, BC Hotel Association.

Its critically important that we have government support for a recovery plan to ensure that our small and medium size businesses, who are all experiencing extreme hardship, are able to survive.

TIABC is asking the provincial and federal governments to establish an emergency tourism contingency fund to mitigate the crisis. It also calling for other measures to help businesses, such as temporarily suspending land tenure fees and employer health taxes, as well as providing loan payment relief.

Tourism is worth $19 billion in B.C. and employs 330,000 people.
SALEM, Ohio  Since the COVID-19 virus was first found in Ohio, March 9, and in Pennsylvania, March 6, the situation has evolved rapidly.

States have closed schools, banned mass gatherings, shut down bars, restaurants or other non-essential businesses and taken other measures to slow the spread of the disease.

Pennsylvania and Ohio, along with other states, are testing and updating the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, regularly. West Virginia is also testing for COVID-19, but did not have any positive cases, as of March 16.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State and federal agencies are offering guidance to U.S. residents on how to seek medical care if they suspect they may be infected.

Recommendations

If you are mildly ill, the CDC recommends that you stay home, except to get medical care, and stay away from other people in your home as much as possible.

If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and believe you have been exposed, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. Be sure to call ahead before visiting a healthcare providers office so the office can take steps to prevent other people from being exposed or infected.

Emergency warning signs for COVID-19 in adults include difficulty with breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in chest, new confusion or inability to arouse or bluish lips or face.

If you have these symptoms, the CDC says you should seek medical attention immediately. Consult your doctor on any other severe or concerning symptoms. If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, tell the dispatcher that you may have COVID-19 and put on a face mask before emergency responders arrive, if possible.

Ohio

Ohioans who are hospitalized and show symptoms of COVID-19  and have had close contact with another confirmed COVID-19 patient; or have a travel history from an affected area with widespread or sustained community spread; or who dont have an alternative diagnosis  will have samples sent to the departments state lab for testing, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohioans who show symptoms and may have been exposed but are not hospitalized should contact their primary care physician or an urgent care. If that doctor believes a test is necessary, they will send samples to private labs for testing.

If you think you have symptoms, you need to let your doctor know  before you come in, said Breann Almos, of the Ohio Department of Health. And follow their instructions.

Ohioans with questions on COVID-19 should call 833-427-5634.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is advising people with mild symptoms to stay home and to call their healthcare provider if symptoms worsen.

Citizens with severe symptoms, including a fever over 100 degrees, shortness of breath and a cough, should call their healthcare provider, or their local or state department of health if they do not have a provider. The Pennsylvania Department of Health can be reached at 877-724-3258.

Pennsylvanias State Public Health lab is prioritizing testing for people who are severely sick for unknown reasons, people who have been in contact with known COVID-19 cases, health care providers and people in congregate care settings.

Doctors can also have patients tested through commercial labs if they believe it is necessary.

West Virginia

The West Virginia Department of Health advises people who develop symptoms and think they have been exposed to COVID-19 to call their healthcare provider, emergency room or local health department before seeking care. Patients who go to a healthcare providers office should put on a face mask before entering.

The West Virginia Department of Health can be reached at 800-887-4304.

Prevention

The CDC recommends washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Those who are sick should stay home, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and immediately wash their hands, wear a face mask and clean and disinfect commonly-touched surfaces daily.
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A sharp plunge in the global crude oil prices is expected to augur well for domestic tyre manufacturers as one of the key raw materials for tyre-making is derived from crude.

Brent Crude oil prices have plunged more than 50 percent so far in 2020 to a fresh 4-year low amid fears of an economic recession due to coronavirus outbreak.

In normal circumstances, a fall in global crude oil prices is positive for sectors like tyre, paint and aviation and even the domestic economy in general as India is one of the largest importers of crude oil in the world.

A fall in crude simply means strong margin tailwinds for tyre-makers and margins are big levers for the earnings growth of domestic tyre companies as they do not pass on the full impact of increase or decrease in raw material prices in the replacement market.

Tailwind likely to continue

The tailwind for tyre sector is expected to continue as long as the coronavirus issue does not come under control. Brokerages point out that the sharp decline in crude prices will further dent crude derivative prices, some of which had already reached 4-year lows in February 2020.

"Crude derivatives constitute nearly 30 percent of sales for domestic tyre companies, and therefore a sharp decline in crude prices would buoy their margins," said brokerage firm Equirus Securities in a report on March 16.

The brokerage firm underscored that tyre companies had reported strong FY17 margins due to a sharp decline in raw materials.

Before slump in crude last week, some crude derivatives  styrene, butadiene and carbon black feed oil  had already gone to FY17 levels. With a further correction in crude prices, crude derivatives will decline even more and there will be a gradual margin gain over Q1FY21 and Q2FY21, Equirus Securities said.

Stock market expert SP Tulsian of sptulsian.com expressed similar views in a recent interview with CNBC-TV18.

"If you take a call on the falling crude, that will be seen positive for all the tyre-makers as the synthetic rubber prices are falling. Taking that into account, I have a positive view of the tyre stocks," Tulsian had said.

While crude prices touch new lows, there are no triggers for natural and synthetic rubber prices to go up as well.

Equirus highlighted that synthetic rubber, which is nearly 10 percent of sales, is mainly made of compounds, styrene and butadiene. Prices of both these compounds were already at a four-year low before a slump in crude prices this week; these can decline further going ahead.

Prices of carbon black fuel oil  a key raw material for making carbon black  declined 37 percent year-on-year (YoY) in Q3FY20 and can correct further going ahead. Other rubber chemical prices should also decline with crude prices, Equirus pointed out.

Moreover, as per the brokerage, global benchmark natural rubber prices have seen a nearly 5 percent correction over average prices of Q3FY20. Global demand is expected to remain muted with the impact of Coronavirus; hence, there are no upside triggers for natural rubber prices.

Equirus has a 'buy' call on Apollo Tyres, with a target price of Rs 197 and has a 'long' call on Balkrishna Industries, with a target price of Rs 1,329.

CEAT and MRF also have 'long' calls from Equirus with a target price of Rs 983 and Rs 70,857, respectively.

But some challenges persist

Tulsian of sptulsian.com added that that the rise in tyre stocks has to be linked with the revival in the auto cycle.

The auto sector is marred with challenges that were aggravated by the outbreak of coronavirus. A lot will depend on the auto sector for the tyre-makers to reap the benefits of plunging crude oil prices.

Sameer Kalra, Founder of Target Investing said CV sales are low and now BS-VI overhang is there. Besides, lower capacity utilisation at fleet operators impacts aftermarket sales of tyres.

Kalra has a negative view on the sector.

During FY20, volume growth for tyre companies was negative-to-flat due to a sharp decline in original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Brokerage Equirus point out that with trucks being the industrys largest segment, and dependent on the economy, aftermarket volume growth is also impacted.

"With the economy expected to remain sluggish, we believe volume growth for the industry will remain muted. However, a sharp decline in crude prices gives the government some room to revive growth through investment; however, we will have to wait and watch how the government intervenes in this scenario," Equirus said.

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.
Representative image

The Board of Airlines Representatives in India (BALR) has sought a 30 percent reduction in aeronautical charges for the next six months as a temporary relief to the industry, which is facing the brunt of "recessionary situation," due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a representation to Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola last week, the foreign airlines body said that the new coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak is adversely impacting the airline industry, and it is under tremendous pressure to survive this storm.

Aeronautical charges include those related to route and terminal navigation services.

On Monday, Air India Pilot Unions too had urged the government to provide the national carrier financial assistance on similar grounds.

"The current situation is causing a lot of concern due to flight cancellations and travel restrictions imposed by various countries, and it is becoming difficult to sustain flight operations, thereby affecting the load factors of all airlines," the body said.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Moreover, the passenger numbers have declined considerably, which has badly affected the cash flow of the airlines, it said.

"We would, therefore, like to appeal to your office to offer relief measures to the airlines, by means of 30 percent reduction in aeronautical charges for a period of six months," the airlines representatives said.

These charges, if reviewed onwards, will assist the airlines in continuing the existing operations at lower seat tractors, it added.

"The DGCA has, in fact, appealed to the airlines to refund to passengers, without deducting cancellation charges. The airlines are in the brunt of a recessionary situation with decrease private demand," the representation added.

BALR represents 36 international airlines, including Air France-KLM, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Air India as well as Vistara from India.
Doctors have made a terrifying prediction more than 12,000 Australians could be infected with coronavirus within weeks in an outbreak even worse than in Italy.

At least 3,500 medical professionals and experts have signed an open letter pleading with the Australian government to take a tougher stance against COVID-19.

In the letter, intensive care specialist Greg Kelly aligned the nation's demographic and health care system closer to Italy rather than China.

He said the current rate of infection in Australia alone suggests at least 12,000 people could catch the deadly respiratory virus by April.

A family wearing face masks at Town Hall, in Sydney's CBD on March 17 as more COVID-19 cases in Australia are identified

This graphic shows the rapid rate coronavirus has spread in Australia since the first case was identified in late January

Globally, there are more than 182,000 cases of COVID-19 throughout 162 nations, including 452 in Australia.

'On current growth rates the 370 cases in Australia today will be 750 on Friday, 1,500 on Tuesday next week, 3,000 next Saturday, 6000 on the 1st of April and 12,000 by the 4th of April,' the letter reads.

Australia's current healthcare system would be 'in a worse position than Italy is currently in' should the predictions come to fruition, the letter says.

More than 27,000 people have caught the virus in Italy and medics are currently struggling to keep up with the amount of critically sick people, describing situations on the ground as similar to a war zone.

So far, 2,158 people have died from complications relating to COVID-19 in the country, and that number is predicted to rise as doctors struggle with limited resources.

The healthcare system in Italy has crumbled to the point where doctors are being forced to choose between which patients to treat based on a number of factors - including determining who is more likely to survive the outbreak.

Mr Kelly fears Australians could be faced with a similar fate if the virus continues to spread.

Intensive care specialist Greg Kelly (pictured) penned the open letter urging authorities to do more to fight coronavirus

Poll Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes No Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes 860 votes

No 2944 votes Now share your opinion





'With access to intensive care the death rate from COVID-19 is likely less than 1 per cent, but in an overwhelmed system without access to intensive care the death rate approaches 4 per cent,' Mr Kelly explained.

Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said on Monday anywhere between 20 and 60 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus.

Mr Kelly, along with the almost 4,000 signatories, asked the government to follow the measures taken by China, South Korea and Singapore to prevent further carnage in Australia.

They applaud the government for the recent implementation ofthe social distancing policies but say they need to be pushed even further and be strictly enforced.

The letter calls for an immediate and mandatory national lockdown, as well as further resources deployed to hospitals to help them fight the inevitable surge in cases in coming weeks.

Mr Kelly described the virus as 'predictable' and said international evidence proves cases double every three to five days within a country until strict lockdown orders are imposed.

Cases of coronavirus in Australia are predicted to skyrocket

150,000 AUSTRALIANS COULD DIE FROM CORONAVIRUS Australians have been told to prepare for 150,000 coronavirus deaths in a worst-case scenario - amid warnings the country is making the same mistake that forced Italy into complete lockdown. Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said on Monday anywhere between 20 and 60 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus. 'It's something in that range,' he said. 'This is an infectious disease... The death rate is about one per cent, so you can do the maths.' If 20 per cent of Australia's population of 24million were to become infected then 4.8million people would have the illness. Assuming a death rate of one per cent, that would result in 50,000 people being killed. If 40 per cent of people caught the coronavirus, that would leave 9.6million people ill and could kill 100,000. A worst-case scenario - a 60 per cent infection rate - would result in 15million people with the virus and could cause 150,000 people to die. 'People over the age of 60 are more susceptible to this disease. We are finding, particularly in the much older age groups, 80 and above, the death rate is actually quite high,' Mr Kelly said. Advertisement

From the time of lockdown, the disease will take roughly two weeks to show signs of slowing down based on the time it takes for symptoms to show in most cases.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has introduced further policies to help slow the spread of coronavirus on home soil, but admits there is no way to stop it entirely.

Some of the policies include mandatory self isolation for anybody arriving in the country from an international destination for 14 days, and prohibiting all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people for the foreseeable future.

Mr Morrison said the changes to Australian's way of life may seem drastic to some, but are preventative measures to help keep the nation's most vulnerable as safe as possible.

The measures could be in place until September, and possibly longer, depending on the course of the virus.

Pictured: People waiting outside Royal Melbourne Hospital to be tested for coronavirus

In an example of the changing dynamic of Australia's current landscape, My Kitchen Rules judge, Colin Fassnidge , said bars, clubs and restaurants could be forced to go on a month-long hiatus from Sunday.

The celebrity chef owns two restaurants in Sydney, 4Fourteen in Surry Hills and the Banksia Hotel near the city's airport, and is shutting both of them from today.

It comes as a prominent publican told Daily Mail Australia bars across the city are preparing to shut down within the next two weeks.

The dramatic move could see Australian cities resembling ghost towns by the end of the week, in similar scenes to those already in place across Europe and America.

'Its more or less going to be Sunday or a few days after. Im a bit worried today, so well see what happens,' he said.

'Just support us, get takeaway.'

Australians should prepare for an epidemic greater than what has been experienced in Italy as coronavirus numbers continue to grow
Two students from Darjeeling Hills studying at premier institutes in Kolkata allegedly faced racial taunts liked to coronavirus in separate incidents on city streets.

IMAGE: People walk past the Indian Museum which has been closed as a precautionary measure due to the outbreak of coronavirus in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

The abusers probably mistook the students with mongoloid features for nationals of China from where novel coronavirus had spread worldwide.



The two, a woman and a man, narrated their ordeal in social media, but did not lodge a formal complaint to police.



One of them, a 21-year old woman who is pursuing Masters degree at the Presidency University, shared a video on WhatsApp on Monday, in which she was seen confronting two men who had allegedly uttered 'coronavirus' pointing at her on a central Kolkata street.



"I have clearly heard you saying 'coronavirus esechhe' (see, coronavirus has come here) pointing at us three times as we were passing by," the woman, who was accompanied by a man from her native place, was heard telling two middle-aged men who tried to put up a defence.



One of the men said he was discussing coronavirus deaths with his friend and did not taunt her.



When the woman refused to buy his logic and insisted that he had taunted her, the other man asked her not to make a fuss and quietly leave the spot.



Ffter they threatened to take appropriate action against the men, they apologised, the woman said.



"We are pretty sure these two men purposely called us coronavirus as they look at people with mongoloid features in this way. However, since they apologised, we did not take any follow-up action. But it is

necessary to share our experience in social media to debunk racist prejudices," she told reporters on Tuesday.



The second incident involved a male student of the Jadavpur University, who claimed that when he was waiting for an autorickshaw, a transgender woman asked her companion to move away from him, saying "coronavirus esechhe".



"They looked at me with disgust, made some sound as if I was some vile thing, covered their mouths with their dupattas. They did it for the next couple of minutes until they got a taxi. I couldn't speak up," he narrated on Facebook.



He said he generally confronts people whenever he faces racial slur on streets, but "this time I was scared as there were four of them... I felt humiliated".



The student said he is not demonising the members of the transgender community or Bengali speaking population but "the problem is the mentality of racist people".



Kolkata Police sources said no complaint has been lodged by any of the two students.

JU Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das said, "If such a thing has happened, we condemn it. We are all working towards raising awareness among the general public."
This week's highlights:

Doctor sings 'Rise Up' on piano to honor health care workers Woman runs marathon in backyard to support COVID-19 workers 'Black Fairy Godmother' using Instagram to raise funds First responders, health care professionals get free groceriesHospital staff cheer as doctor is discharged after beating COVID-19Hospital staff writes inspiring messages of hope Students get a surprise from a caravan of teachers

As the novel coronavirus affects the globe, kindness and uplifting moments are coming to light as we prioritize the health and safety of ourselves and our families.

Here are up-to-date, inspiring stories amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Doctor performs moving rendition of Andra Days Rise Up

A doctor at NYU Winthrop Hospital is inspiring many with his rendition of Andra Days "Rise Up."

As a tribute to his colleagues on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Collin Brathwaite performed a moving rendition of the inspirational song on the piano.

Watch his performance here.

This woman ran a marathon in her backyard to raise money for COVID-19 workers

Anna Harding, 34, has run 8 marathons in her life, but her latest is one for the books. She ran almost 2,000 back-and-forth laps in her mom's backyard just outside of London to raise money for the World Health Organizations COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Harding calculated that if she ran the out-and-back length of the backyard (which is 10.7 meters or 70.2 feet) that shed be able to complete the marathon in just over 1,971 laps.

Harding said it was the hardest marathon to date because not only was the scenery boring, but also that she had to slow her pace dramatically each time she turned around, which was every ten steps.

It took her just over 6 hours to cross the finish line  which was aptly made from a strip of precious toilet paper  a much slower pace than her personal best which she completed in Amsterdam at just under 4 hours.

Story continues

Harding said the best part about the marathon was finishing. What kept her going on this epic feat was thinking about all the front line workers who put their lives at risk. She hopes her marathon encourages others to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"That message of stay at home probably couldnt be any clearer than stay at home and run in your backyard," Harding told "GMA."

'Black Fairy Godmother' using Instagram to raise funds and supplies for people in need

A single mom in New Jersey using Instagram to raise funds and supplies for people in need.

Simone Gordon, known on Instagram as "Black Fairy Godmother," is a community organizer who helps people at their most vulnerable. She's helped people of color, domestic abuse victims, and members of the LGBTQ+ community when they're most vulnerable especially now while folks are stuck home and unemployed. She's received support from "Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert, among others.

Gordon, 33, opens up about her inspiring work, and two women tell ABC News how she changed their lives.

First responders and health care professionals surprised with free groceries at checkout

First responders and health care professionals were surprised with free groceries at the checkout at Winn-Dixie and other super markets in seven states.

Southeastern Grocers, which owns all BI-LO, Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores, surprised community heroes at the checkout to honor those working on the front lines.

"Your groceries are on Winn-Dixie tonight. Thanks for everything you do," the health care workers were told. "Thanks for being on the front line."

The company said it was inspired by the recent generosity of filmmaker Tyler Perry, who partnered with Winn-Dixie to purchase all the groceries for seniors and other high-risk customers at all 29 Louisiana locations on April 8.

"Southeastern Grocers is dedicated to being there for the community when they need us the most, and we believe there is no better time than now to show acts of kindness," Anthony Hucker, CEO of Southeastern Grocers, wrote in a statement. "[Tyler Perry] spoke out about the importance of positivity during this time and how even small acts of kindness can spread hope and unite communities."

Husband serenades wife through nursing home window

For the past year, John Kline has visited his wife, Ann, every day at her nursing home, John Knox Manor, in Montgomery, Alabama.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, however, the nursing home implemented a no-visitor's policy. That hasn't stopped John Kline from visiting his wife of 45 years and has serenaded her everyday through her window.

"Through a Pane -- not a Pain," he wrote on Facebook.

Ann Kline, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease 17 years ago, sings along when her husband visits her.

Despite being apart, John Kline stays positive and says he and his wife are blessed by the support of all the caregivers at the nursing home.

"All the caregivers are so compassionate and theyre taking precautions to protect residents from the virus," he said.

Hospital staff writes inspiring messages of hope for COVID-19 patients

Hospitals across the country are going through tough times right now, but at Ellis Medicine Hospital in New York, health care workers are lifting the spirits of staff and patients with messages of hope.

Alicia Hottois, an employee at Ellis Medicine, started the hospitals "Be Positive" campaign by encouraging coworkers to write positive messages on whiteboards for the staff and COVID-19 patients.

Some of the messages that are shared include "Focus on the step in front of you, not the whole staircase" and "Be a rainbow in someone elses cloud."

In addition to writing positive messages, the hospital staff has sent patients get-well cards and packages.

"Even though loved ones cant be at their bedside, we will be," Hottois told "Good Morning America."

Hospital staff dance together to de-stress

As many hospital workers experience long hours and hard days amid the coronavirus pandemic, some are dancing to de-stress.

At Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, employees came together and line-danced to the Cupid Shuffle.

Husband holds sign for wife who has to go to chemo alone because of coronavirus

When Albert Conner, a father of three, found out that he would not be able to attend his wife Kelly Conner's chemotherapy appointment because of hospital restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, he showed his support in a different way.

Albert Conner, 44, held a sign outside MD Anderson Cancer Center in Sugar Land, Texas, that read, "I can't be with you but i'm here." It also said "love you" and included a thank you to staff working inside the hospital's walls.

"I didnt feel right not being a part of it because I had promised her that I would be there every step of the way and I felt like I would be breaking my word," said Albert Conner, who had been to every doctor's appointment, every test and every chemotherapy appointment with his wife since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in January. "I just got a poster board and our kids and I colored it."

Kelly Conner, 40, thought her husband was at home in Missouri City, Texas, because she had just driven herself to the hospital after telling him she would be fine to go alone. Then, she received a text from him saying he was outside in the parking lot.

"As soon as he texted me, I just kind of lifted up in my chair a little bit to peer out the window and he was just right there," she said. "It immediately brought tears to my eyes and I felt a love for him right then in that moment, that he would do that for me."

"This [coronavirus pandemic] is inspiring people to come up with creative ways to continue to show their love and support for family," said Kelly Conner.

Read the full story here.

Hospital staff cheer as doctor is discharged after beating COVID-19

Cebu Doctors University Hospital celebrated as 69-year-old Dr. Estrella Huang was discharged after having spent two weeks as a patient at the Philippines hospital.

'We miss you guys too': Kids get a surprise visit from a caravan of teachers

A group of teachers in Santa Clara, California, teamed up to bring a little joy to their students and their families.

The teachers formed a caravan and drove by their students' homes to say hello. Students waved and cheered as teachers honked from their cars in a sweet moment of solidarity.

Newspaper delivery man brings groceries to seniors

Greg Dailey has been a newspaper delivery man in Mercer County, New Jersey, for the past 25 years, but since the novel coronavirus shutdowns began, hes volunteered his time to deliver groceries, too.

The idea struck Dailey two weeks ago when he was delivering a newspaper to 88-year-old Phyllis Ross, who asked if he could drop off her newspaper closer to her garage to limit the amount of time she was outside.

Dailey wondered how Ross, along with other seniors, were going to get groceries, so he called to ask if she needed anything. "We were absolutely floored," Ross said. "At my age, Im afraid to go into a store."

His efforts snowballed from there, and before long, he found himself delivering to homes outside his usual route.

"Its one of the most rewarding things Ive ever done in my life," Dailey said. "You can just feel the energy from folks when they open the door." Dailey and his family plan to continue delivering groceries to their community as long as necessary.

Read the full story here.

Grandma plays 'Miss Mary Mack' with her grandkids while social distancing

Bernadette Harris, a healthcare provider at Virginia Hospital Center, found the best way to play with her grandkids during COVID-19 shutdown.

Harris stopped by to play a game of "Miss Mary Mack" through the glass door of their house.

Nurses share powerful moment of prayer from hospital roof

Photos of nurses at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, joining together in open arms and bowed heads for a moment of prayer in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is tugging at heartstrings.

PHOTO: A group of nurses at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville pray together on the hospitals helipad. (Courtesy Angela Gleaves)

Sarah Kremer, Angela Gleaves, Beth Tiesler, Tanya Dixon and McKenzie Gibson came together for a prayer session on the hospitals roof -- asking for strength, protection and wisdom for everyone taking care of patients around the globe.

"I felt compelled to ask my friends to join me in prayer due to the fear and anxiety were all feeling every day at work," said Kremer, who explained she chose the roof for the gathering in an effort to "lay a cover of peace over the entire medical center."

The nurses had only 10 minutes to spare before rushing back to the battleground beneath them.

"We want everyone to be comforted in knowing God is always with us no matter what," Gleaves said. "Our motto right now is faith over fear."

Math teacher visits student's front porch for homework help

A South Dakota teacher is getting praise for going above and beyond to help a student with her math homework.

When sixth-grade math teacher Chris Waba saw that his student, Rylee Anderson, was still struggling with a problem even after an email exchange, he grabbed a whiteboard and headed to her house.

"We had really tried to work through it digitally, but you can just tell when you need to do something else," Waba told "GMA."

PHOTO: Chris Waba, a middle school math teacher, helps student Rylee Anderson, 12, with her homework in Madison, South Dakota. (Courtesy Josh Anderson)

Waba, who lives near Rylee, spent 15 minutes going through the problem with her through a glass door while she stood safely inside.

"[Rylee] was shocked when he came over," said her dad, Josh Anderson. "She was happy to get it done and over with because she was very frustrated."

Waba, who misses being in the classroom, shrugged off the praise after the moment went viral. "There are thousands and thousands of teachers going the extra mile for their kids," he said.

Read the full story here.

Woman 'bakes it forward' for hospital staff and you can too

To thank hospital staff who are working around the clock in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, New York City chef Tracy Wilk is "baking it forward."

Wilk, who is a professional chef and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, was furloughed from her job and decided to help medical workers with the extra time she had on her hands.

"A lot of those health care workers have been working overtime. Ive done those days before in the kitchen," Wilk said. "A cookie isnt going to change it but its going to help workers on the front lines and those little bits of joy are what makes the day better."

PHOTO: New York Chef Tracy Wilk bakes items for hospital workers on the front lines of the coronavirus epidemic. Sprinkle cookies are one of her top baked goods that she sends their way. (Courtesy Tracy Wilk)

She reached out in a Facebook group with several health care workers from NYU asking if they could accept cookies, and their immediate response was a resounding yes. After dropping off her first batch of baked goods, she was inspired to have others bake too for health care workers in their area. Wilk came up with the hashtag #BakeItForward to get others to participate. (Pro tip: Make sure to check if your hospital is accepting food donations before you bake!)

Read the full story and get her delicious recipes here.

Health care workers cheered on by their communities

Health care professionals from Spain to Canada are getting a standing ovation. Cities across the globe have been applauding hardworking health care workers. Listen and join in!

Grandfather and granddaughter have socially distant dance-off

Kira Neely, 6, is used to seeing her grandfather, 80-year-old Marvin Neely, every single day.

The pair live across the street from each other in Nashville, Tennessee, and play together, take walks together and do activities together at Kira's school, according to her mom Sherrie Neely.

So when the two families began to stay at home earlier this month as a precaution against the novel coronavirus pandemic, they had to get creative to be able to spend time together.

Last week, Kira had the idea to do a dance-off with her grandfather, Marvin Neely, with each of them standing across the street from each other, safely 6 feet apart.

"My dad of course immediately embraced it," Sherrie Neely told "Good Morning America."

Read the full story here.

Baby meets namesake great-grandma through car window

A 98-year-old met her 15th great-grandchild through a car window this month, during the novel coronavirus crisis.

Ross and Maggie Oberschlake, parents of 6-week-old Emma, brought their daughter to a parking lot in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to greet grandma Janina for the first time.

Baby Emma's middle name is Jane, which is the English translation of Janina. Janina came to America from Poland in 1974. She has five children, eight grandchildren and her 16th great-grandchild is on the way.

PHOTO: Ross and Maggie Oberschlake, parents of 6-week-old Emma, brought their daughter to a parking lot in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to greet grandma Janina for the first time. (Ross Oberschlake)

Janina is currently self-isolating during the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak. Janina does go to dialysis 3-4 times per week, which are the only times she goes outside.

"[My grandmother] already loves Emma deeply and hasn't met her for more than that one minute," Maggie Oberschlake told "GMA."

The bittersweet meeting was shared by news outlets across the county.

"It has been amazing seeing all of this love everywhere from people," Oberschlake said.

Nonprofit charity mobilizes on Facebook to get PPE to hospitals

When professional contractors Gina and Vincent Centauro of Rescuing Families Inc. -- a nonprofit charity that remodels homes for the disabled on Long Island, New York -- had to stop their business due to the coronavirus, they realized that they had a supply of N95 masks that many needed.

So Vincent, Gina and Ginas brother Michael started posting a picture of the masks to Facebook to spread the word, and within hours they had more than 1,300 shares and thousands of requests, including one from the head of the emergency room in a Dallas hospital who was looking for masks for all of his staff.

After donating their supply of masks, they started reaching out to other contractors to help them donate their supplies.

Since they started mobilizing, theyve been able to send supplies to nurses, doctors and police officers all across the country.

85-year-old man comforts wife with Alzheimers from window

Despite the coronavirus lockdown, Robert Barber, 85, found a way to visit his wife, Lauren, 80, at a memory care center in Albany, New York.

Every single day since the memory care center started implementing visitor restrictions, Robert has visited Lauren, who has dementia, from her window at the facility.

Their granddaughter, Alicia, posted their sweet interaction in a TikTok video, which has since gone viral.

The couple is seen exchanging "I love yous," and Lauren sobs as Robert explains to her that they cant be together because of the coronavirus.

Theyve been married for more than 60 years.

New Yorkers cheer for medical heroes

For the past few days on social media, New Yorkers have been sharing videos taken from their windows and rooftops of people all across the city celebrating essential workers as a way of saying thank you.

New Yorkers cheer their heroes: the nurses, doctors, hospital staff, et al. Thank you!!! pic.twitter.com/oWAD26I9fp  Patrick Rizzo (@prizzotweet) March 27, 2020

At 7 p.m. each day, New York residents across the five boroughs fill the empty streets with the sound of applause and cheers to thank doctors, nurses, police, grocery and restaurant staffers, delivery people, and other essential workers fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.

While New York has become the center of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued to remind New Yorkers of their strength on Sunday.

"We have made it through far greater things. We are going to be OK," he said. "We are strong. We have endurance, and we have stability. We know what we are doing."

For the past few nights, New Yorkers have been celebrating healthcare and essential workers that are keeping the city going, with a cheer at 7:00 pm. Tonight's edition on an overcast evening on the Upper East Side. pic.twitter.com/lJsziGlCxw  Bradley Kane (@WinoBradNY) March 29, 2020

Messages of encouragement left for hospital workers in sidewalk chalk

With many health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, a medical center in New Jersey lifted the spirits of those helping patients with sweet messages of encouragement.

At Morristown Memorial Hospital, health care workers were surprised with several messages on the pavement in front of the medical centers entrance doors.

For staff starting their shifts, one message read, "If you are just arriving, thank you for what you are about to do!"

And for staff leaving the hospital, another message read, "If you are leaving, thank you for what you did."

Senior citizens light up the night to thank medical workers

Senior citizens living in an Orlando high rise thanked medical staff caring for patients at Orlando Health by flashing their lights on and off in their apartments.

At 9 p.m. on Friday, lights flickered from residents apartments at Westminster Towers to show their appreciation for health care workers at Orlando Regional Medical Center who are on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.

Since the south side of the building faces the medical facility, health care workers were able to see the light show, which was captured on video by workers at Orlando Health.

California teen organizes #TikTokProm

When San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California, canceled its prom due to concerns over the coronavirus, student Natalie Reese, 17, didnt want her prom dress to go to waste.

So, she got dolled up in her pink prom dress and surprised her family in their living room. Reese documented the moment of getting ready for "prom" in a video that went viral on #TikTok and included a snippet of her and her father sharing a dance.

But Reese didnt want prom to end there -- she and wanted to keep prom alive in an even bigger way with a virtual prom that anybody could take part in, with the hashtag #TikTokProm.

The online party was held on March 28 -- the same date that her high school prom was supposed to happen -- and her entire family took part in the affair.

5-year-old gives her take on how to stay calm during the coronavirus shutdown

A little girl is uplifting the internet with calming words amid the novel coronavirus crisis.

Taytum Bauman recently recorded a video for her pretend YouTube channel, speaking to her young "followers" about how to handle the pandemic.

"I know you're very scared but it's OK," Taytum, 5, can be heard saying in the footage.

"Take deep breaths ... just stay away from your grandparents because if you give it to them, it's going to make them really sick. You have to be really calm, OK?" she said.

Mom Rachelle Ellis shared the video on Facebook, where it was viewed more than 18,000 times.

"I did not expect it, many people were sharing," Ellis of Beverly, Ohio, told "Good Morning America."

"She knows the situation is real and serious ... but [in the video], she still kind of makes you laugh too."

Mystery mom leaves free lunches out every day 'for anyone who needs it'

In Severna Park, Maryland, a mystery resident has left bagged lunches outside a busy roundabout for "anyone who needs it" every day at 11 a.m.

A sign left with the bagged meal reads: "For anyone who needs it: I will be leaving some healthy sack lunches on this table for you if you are hungry and need to eat. Made with love by a neighborhood mom in a clean and sanitized kitchen. I will leave this table up from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m."

PHOTO: In Severna Park, Maryland, a mystery resident has been leaving bagged lunches outside a busy roundabout for 'anyone who needs it' every day at 11 a.m. (Nic Kipke)

Kimberly Gussow, a local parent, said she grabbed a bag for her 7-year-old son and found inside a ham sandwich, fruit snacks, an orange and an apple.

"This makes me embrace my community even more. I'm proud to live here," Gussow said. "Its great to show our kids that there is good in our world. Its not just about ourselves, it needs to be about others too."

7-year-old surprised with birthday parade outside of her home

A Maryland family didn't let social distancing get in the way of celebrating their daughters birthday over the weekend.

Scraping plans for a big birthday bash with friends and family, Piper Franklin's friends and teammates decorated their parents' cars with balloons, signs and streamers, and drove by her home singing happy birthday and waving and honking.

"It was really special," her mom Amand Hunt Franklin said. "She had no idea and was so happy when she saw our friends screaming and honking."

Read the full story here.

Families raise thousands for school janitors on cleaning sprees amid COVID-19 crisis

While schools are closed across the country, custodial staff are doing their part to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus with deep cleanings lasting several days.

To show their gratitude, parents have been raising thousands to pay these janitors overtime.

Brooke Thomas, a mom of four from Williston, Vermont, said her kids' schools shut down after a staff member was potentially exposed to coronavirus.

"They're in a potentially contaminated area, making sure the school is safe for our kids," Thomas said.

PHOTO: Lyall Smith (left) and John Baggs (right), both custodians at Williston schools in Williston, Vermont, have been cleaning and sanitizing doorknobs, carpets, floors, lockers and cubbies amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Lyall Smith)

For precautionary measures, janitors did a two-day, thorough cleaning of both Allen Brook School and Williston Central.

Thomas chimed in on her local Facebook group, commenting on the hard work these men and women show in the schools. She then launched a Facebook fundraiser hoping to raise $200.

After four days the amount reached $7,450, which was split among eight custodians.

Lyall Smith, head of facilities and management at Williston schools, told "GMA" his staff is extremely thankful.

"All my people were really thrilled that they took the time to thank us for what we're up to," Smith said, adding that he and his colleagues have been cleaning and sanitizing doorknobs, carpets, floors, lockers and cubbies.

Couple gets a special 50th wedding anniversary surprise amid coronavirus

Dan and Janice Kauffmans 50th wedding anniversary dinner may have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, but that didnt stop their family from finding a way to celebrate.

The Ohio couples family showed up on their front lawn to send them their love. Watch the full moment above.

Their son-in-law Chuck Simpson told "GMA" that Janice and Dan are outstanding parents, and grandparents.

Happy anniversary to these two lovebirds!

Student acapella groups' conference call performances are pitch perfect

With the coronavirus putting a pause on many school activities, school choirs all over the country are relying on technology to stay in sync.

In California, choir members from Chino Valley Unified School District sang a snippet of an acapella version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on video, and the school districts director of communications, Imee Perius, edited it all together.

Two other groups followed suit, including students from the Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory, who formed a 74-member virtual orchestra to perform a remake of Burt Bacharach's 1960s classic song "What the World Needs Now is Love."

An acapella group from Vanderbilt University, the Melodores, shared footage of themselves harmonizing to Justin Timberlakes "Pusher Love Girl." "We can still create and connect online," said Melodores member Jacob Friedman. "Its remarkable and Im forever grateful for it."

Dog brightens day of seniors living under quarantine

Tonka the Great Dane is spreading joy at the Cedar Pointe Health and Wellness Suites in Texas.

PHOTO: Courtney Leigh takes her Great Dane Tonka to visit residents of Cedar Pointe Health & Wellness Suites on March 17, 2020, in Cedar Pointe, Texas. (Courtesy Courtney Leigh)

His owner, Courtney Leigh, stood outside the windows with the pooch waiting for the residents to see. Then, theyd walk over and say hello to through the windows, as the facility is under quarantine amid coronavirus.

"They were smiling from ear to ear. Some reached out to touch the window," Leigh told ABC News. "Of all the therapy visits, probably the most meaningful was this window visit. It seemed much more special with what's going on right now."

Read the full story here.

Kids spread love with rainbow art scavenger hunts

With many schools across the nation closed due to social distancing measures, kids are getting crafty with their time indoors.

The Facebook page "Rainbows over Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Beyond" has 27,000 members and counting, with families hoping to extend joy around several communities.

PHOTO: Violet, 4, sits in front of her Long Island home beside a rainbow flower created to spread hope amid the coronavirus crisis. (Allyson Uttendorfer)

Katherine Schilling, Nicole Sapienza and Danielle Arcuri, all of whom are from Long Island, New York, launched the group after seeing people hanging rainbow art in Italy amid the pandemic.

The idea is to hang handmade rainbow art in a place where other children can point them out while getting fresh air.

PHOTO: Nicole Savitsky, 12 and her mom, Liz DeSimone Savitsly, are getting crafty during their time indoors as the coronavirus pandemic affects the globe. (Liz DeSimone Savitsly )

"Some are saying it's the rainbow at the end of the storm," Sapienza, a mom of three, told "Good Morning America."

Schilling, mom to John, 16, and Sarah, 13, said the goal is to encourage more projects to keep children busy and hunting.

Read the full story here.

Free little library turns into free food pantry where neighbors leave essentials

Ashley Hamer of Chicago shared how her neighborhood is supporting due to coronavirus, converting their local shared library for free swaps into a little free pantry.

Seen in my Chicago neighborhood. Sign says "To help our neighbors affected by the COVID-19 crisis, this Little Free Library is converted to a Little Free Pantry. Take what you need and if you can, please donate what you can spare!" pic.twitter.com/HtrUHNv9BG  Ashley Hamer (@smashleyhamer) March 18, 2020

From toilet paper to canned goods, neighbors are leaving basics for those in need.

"To help our neighbors affected by the COVID-19 crisis, this Little Free Library is converted to a Little Free Pantry," the sign reads. "Take what you need and if you can, please donate what you can spare!"

Watch the full story here.

'Everything Will Be OK' signs spread cheer in Georgia town

With art galleries closed in Dunwoody, Georgia, due to the coronavirus, residents are supporting their local artists with a simple message: "Everything Will Be OK."

The message, which was originally coined in a 2009 mural by local artist Jason Kofke, has been spread through signs on lawns and windows, each sold for $20 to support local artists out of a job.

PHOTO: 'Everything Will Be OK' signs pop up to spread cheer around a Georgia town. (Spruill Center for the Arts)

Dunwoody resident Alan Mothner, who is also the CEO of the Spruill Center for the Arts, thought of the idea along with Heyward Wescott, who owns a local graphic design company.

"Its kind of known as the unofficial motto of the city of Dunwoody," said Mothner.

Since Sunday, theyve received more than 600 orders for signs and have raised at least $14,500 for local artists in just 24 hours, Mothner said.

Read the full story here.

Family surprises 92-year-old grandfather with birthday parade

Alfred Vecolis family usually celebrates his birthday with big family get-togethers, but this year, due to the coronavirus, they had to ditch his 92nd birthday party celebration and instead opted for a parade.

Vecolis family and friends decorated their cars with balloons and banners and drove them up and down Vecolis street Sunday, honking and waving.

PHOTO: Alfred Vecoli of Pawtucket, R.I., is treated to a parade of cars filled with family members in honor of his 92nd birthday, March 22, 2020. (WLNE)

Then everyone left their cars and sang "Happy Birthday" outside Vecolis home, from a safe distance.

"Hes the link to our family and we all do this for him," said Marianna Salois, Vecolis 13-year-old great-granddaughter.

Read the full story here.

Kindergarten teacher visits each of her students amid coronavirus

When school temporarily closed due to concerns over the coronavirus, one kindergarten teacher wanted to make sure her students were coping from the sudden change away from the classroom.

Like many instructors, Jean Witt, a kindergarten teacher at Aspen Creek school in Broomfield, Colorado, worried about her young students. So, she gathered some supplies like books and crayons from her classrooms and delivered them to each of her students.

"I wanted to see my precious students and tell them how much I love them," she said.

VIDEO: This kindergarten teacher drops off supplies and a little bit of love as well (ABCNews.com)

While she said learning will continue online, Witt said she misses her classroom and the little voices that fill it.

"They need a classroom community and their daily school routine. Suddenly losing a teacher is a loss," Witt said.

Read the full story here.

300 laptops donated to community college students in Los Angeles

Thanks to the Los Angeles Community College District, hundreds of students now have laptops they can use while they continue their studies remotely.

On Sunday, LACCD distributed 300 laptops to students who pre-registered for them online. Students were able to drive to the pickup location and stay in their vehicles while volunteers from the LACCD Board of Trustees delivered a laptop to their cars.

According to their website, LACCD hopes to make additional distributions soon in their efforts to help students learn at home.

Over 100,000 join DJ for virtual dance party on Instagram live

With so many Americans social distancing at home, DJ D-Nice, who has nearly 700,000 Instagram followers, hosted a virtual party as he spun music from his home Friday and Saturday nights.

Dubbed "#ClubQuarantine," the virtual livestreams on Instagram live attracted more than 100,000 users who were all collectively listening to music and dancing in their homes.

Tons of celebrities tuned in too, including Oprah, Michelle Obama, Drake, America Ferrara, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Lenny Kravitz, Will Smith and Kim Kardashian.

Oprah tweeted, "Best party of 1 and 100k I ever been to! Thanks @djdnice #ClubQuarantine."

Best party of 1 and 100k I ever been to! Thanks @djdnice #ClubQuarantine  Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) March 22, 2020

Filmmaker Ava Duvernay added: "Thank you for tonight's party, truly epic, you brought so many together while save at home."

Virtual tip jars helping workers in one of hardest-hit industries

"Virtual tip jars" are popping up to provide financial support for service workers who have been economically devastated as bars and restaurant shutter.

As of Tuesday, March 17, all restaurants and bars in the city of Phoenix are closed to the public. In that spirit, we've started a fund for all the bartenders who are not getting tips right now. Thanks @jwolf722, @royherreraphx @ClueHeywood for joininghttps://t.co/y7lOIRQjAk  Niles Parker Harris (@NilesHarris) March 20, 2020

Sam Schutte, an entrepreneur and the CEO of Unstoppable Software, created a virtual tip jar to pay the people whose restaurants and bars he frequented.

He said his virtual tip jar is a low-tech online spreadsheet, containing service workers' names and where they were employed along with their PayPal or Venmo information so you can directly pay them.

"It just breaks my heart to see all these hardworking people that we depend on to take care of us and provide quality service and now they're facing this apocalypse," Schutte told ABC News.

As of Tuesday, March 17, all restaurants and bars in the city of Phoenix are closed to the public. In that spirit, we've started a fund for all the bartenders who are not getting tips right now. Thanks @jwolf722, @royherreraphx @ClueHeywood for joininghttps://t.co/y7lOIRQjAk  Niles Parker Harris (@NilesHarris) March 20, 2020

"If people want to still support them and thank them for the service they've provided it's a way to connect the dots  otherwise how can you find someone else's Venmo information? Venmo and PayPal are also pretty secure."

Bride and florist donate flowers after postponing wedding due to COVID-19

When a bride's big day was canceled because of coronavirus concerns, she and her florist teamed up to create a silver lining..

Keali Lay, 28, and her fiance Jeff Scheider, 31, were set to marry March 21 in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The cake, flowers and DJ were ready to go, but after President Donald Trump encouraged no gatherings larger than 10 people, the venue cancelled the ceremony.

Lay called her vendors including her florist, Angela Mandigo, to inform her the wedding would be postponed.

PHOTO: Keali Lay and Jeff Scheider donated their wedding flowers after their ceremony was canceled due to coronavirus. (Courtesy Keali Lay | Angela Mandigo)

Mandigo suggested that Lay donate the flowers to people in the community who may need cheering up.

The flowers were given to several different people including a woman who wanted to uplift the spirits of the people in her office who were working throughout the coronavirus concerns.

"It makes me feel a little better that this horrible thing has happened, [but] that something happy is coming out of it," Lay said.

Read the full story here.

Yale student leads 2,700 making prescription and grocery runs amid COVID-19 crisis

Family friends Liam Elkind, 20, a junior at Yale University and Simone Policano, 25, an actor, producer and Yale graduate, have come together in their city of New York, braving pharmacies and grocery stores to the old and at-risk.

In just days, their new organization, Invisible Hands Deliver, has 2,700 volunteers.

PHOTO: Liam Elkind, 20, delivers medication to a woman. He started the organization, Invisible Hands Deliver, which has 2,700 volunteers. (Liam Elkind)

"In this time where we are stuck in our homes, it's amazing to see young people wanting to help," Policano told "Good Morning America."

Elkind and Policano launched a website where people can request medicine, food and supplies that will be shopped for and dropped off for free.

PHOTO: Family friends Liam Elkind, 20, and Simone Policano, 25, have come together in their city of New York, braving pharmacies and grocery stores to the old and at-risk. Their organization, Invisible Hands Deliver, has 2,700 volunteers. (Wyatt Hill )

Volunteers are asked to follow several safety guidelines including CDC-approved safety precautions.

Wyatt Hill, 18, a New York resident, has volunteered to deliver groceries, medication and flowers.

"I delivered to a woman yesterday, and it was her birthday. Just the smile on her face when I arrived made my day," Hill told "GMA."

Gov. Cuomo in touch with Christian Siriano to sew masks

With a severe shortage of masks, fashion designer Christian Siriano is offering his services to those on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

"If we need masks my team can make them!" Siriano wrote on Instagram, adding that he tweeted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with the idea. "I have sewers and pattern makers ready to help working from home we just need all the information on how to help."

PHOTO: Christian Siriano at Gotham Hall on June 25, 2019 in New York City. (Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Image)

Cuomo tweeted Friday that he's in touch with Siriano about the handmade masks.

"Appreciate his help so much," Cuomo wrote. "Who's next? Let's do this together, NY!"

The federal government has said up to a billion protective masks might be needed over the next six months.

Like Siriano, volunteers are offering a solution to the staff at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia, by sewing handmade, washable masks which help protect healthcare workers from contracting infectious diseases.

Couple leaves $9,400 tip at restaurant to help staff during COVID-19

Staff at a Houston restaurant received a massive $9,400 tip from a pair of customers hoping to do their part amid the coronavirus crisis.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, stopped by Irmas Southwest restaurant March 16 after hearing all dine-in service across the county would be closed until further notice.

PHOTO: An anonymous couple left a $9,400 tip at Irma's Southwest Restaurant to help staff during coronavirus. (Courtesy Irma's Southwest Restaurant)

After their meal, the generous tipsters signed their check with a note to "hold tip to pay your guys over the next few weeks."

"Our staff was truly amazed and in awe of the gesture," said Louis Galvin, owner of Irmas Southwest. "It was so unexpected and I know it will be a big help for our employees."

The costumers left $1,900 in cash and an additional $7,500 on a credit card. The bill for their meal was $90.12.

Galvin said the $9,400 hull will be split evenly among his 30 employees which amounts to a roughly $300 pay day for each person.

Teacher writes 100 letters to students after school closes for the year

A middle school teacher found a way to let her students know that even though she wont be seeing them every day in class, she is thinking about them.

Victoria Bay, 29, teaches sixth grade Social Studies at Andover Central Middle School in Andover, Kansas. This week, the school district made the call to close for the remainder of the school year due to coronavirus concerns.

PHOTO: Teacher Victoria Bay wrote 100 letters to her students after their school year came to an end. (Courtesy Victoria Bay)

When Bay realized she wouldnt be giving her students proper goodbyes, she wanted to do something special.

She typed a generic letter for all 100 students and added a handwritten, personalized note to each. She sent them two days after news broke that the school year was over.

"I wanted them to know that I instantly thought of them in that moment that [school] was canceled and Im so thankful for the memories that we created together," Bay said.

4-year-old wished happy birthday during car parade

A little boy named Isaac got a cute surprise in California on Thursday as he and his family stood outside to watch a parade of residents and even staff from the elementary school drive by to share a happy "hello" with cooped-up neighbors during the pandemic.

Families and the principal at Valencia Valley Elementary School -- calling themselves "the Quarantined Cruisers" -- had organized the car parade to spread some joy in the community.

When they drove by Isaac's home, however, some of them -- and their children -- yelled out "happy birthday" to Isaac. According to Isaac's mother, Tammy, some of the families knew that this coming Sunday would be his fifth birthday and that his party had been canceled.

PHOTO: birthday boy gets car parade amid pandemic (Tammy)

"What's happening? They're having a parade!" she can be heard saying to her children, including Isaac. "Look! Isn't that so cool?"

In cars decorated with signs and balloons, the cars all drove by Isaac's home, honking and cheering loudly, as he stood and waved.

"Happy birthday Isaac!" one girl could be heard yelling out as her family's car drove by.

Grandma gets 95th birthday surprise from safe distance

A 95-year-old received a surprise birthday visit from family during the global coronavirus crisis.

On March 18, Kathleen "Katie" Byrne of Syracuse, New York, was greeted at a safe distance by loved ones singing "Happy Birthday."

Her granddaughter, Sara Byrne shared video of the moment on Instagram where it was viewed by thousands.

"We were just giving her well wishes, letting her know we were thinking about her," Sara told "GMA."

PHOTO: On March 18, Kathleen 'Katie' Byrne of Syracuse, New York, was greeted at a safe distance by loved ones singing 'Happy Birthday' during the coronavirus crisis. (Sara Byrne )

Katie Byrne has seven sons, 22 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. Her 95th birthday party was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis and has been keeping a safe distance from others.

Health officials and several states have recommended older adults stay home as the outbreak continues.

Garbage man does route in middle of the night to help city run

While the coronavirus has shut down the entire city of San Francisco, one sanitation worker said theres no reason to be down in the dumps.

Aaron Meier, who starts his route early every morning, took to Twitter last week to share his message of hope to everyone and how important his job is to provide basic services to help fight the spread of the disease.

"I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work," he wrote. "Its gonna be ok  well get through this."

Right now though, right now I am feeling an extra sense of pride and purpose as I do my work. I see the people, my people, of my city, peeking out their windows at me. Theyre scared, were scared. Scared but resilient.

2/3  Jester D (@JustMeTurtle) March 14, 2020

Us garbagemen are gonna keep collecting the garbage, doctors and nurses are gonna keep doctoring and nurse-ering. Its gonna be ok, were gonna make it be ok. I love my city. I love my country. I love my planet Earth. Be good to each other and well get through this.   Jester D (@JustMeTurtle) March 14, 2020

Because of social distancing, it means he has to start work earlier in the morning and keep more space between him and other people. His message of hope was liked by more than half a million people.

"Sometimes its hard to keep my legs movin and I just wanna stop," Meier told "GMA." "But I have a route to do, and if I quit somebody else is gonna have to come do it.  It started feeling more important to me, like I needed to help the people of my city."

Shortage of masks has volunteers sewing a supply for health care heroes

With a severe shortage of masks, volunteers are offering a solution to health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The staff at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia, has about three-and-a-half days of masks left. More than 3,000 a day are being used and discarded.

The answer: a handmade, washable prototype mask which health care workers could place over disposable, N95 masks.

"It's something I enjoy doing and it's something I felt like I could do for the community," said Belinda Wright, a volunteer who helps sew the reusable masks.

Scott Steiner, CEO of Phoebe Putney, told ABC News the lack of N95 masks are a concern as they help protect doctors and nurses from contracting infectious diseases.

"We've got more than 50 people making these right now," Steiner said. "We think we can make 200,000 of them."

2020 grads host #Coronamencement ceremonies

As many universities closed last week due to the coronavirus, many seniors across the country scrambled to make graduation ceremonies happen.

From the University of Maine to the University of Michigan, seniors celebrated their accomplishments with an impromptu affair and shared photos of it all on social media with the hashtag "Coronamencement."

At Wellesley College, where senior events are a tradition, students spent the entire Saturday coming together and doing it all in one day.

PHOTO: Wellesley students celebrate 'coronamencement.' (Courtesy Sandra Riano)

"We crammed an entire senior week into those few hours and doing as much as we could to appreciate the time that we had together," said Claudia Lamprecht, a senior at Wellesley.

Lamprecht said that their "senior week" was complete with all of the Wellesley traditions, red decorations to signify their 2020 class and a commencement ceremony, which was put together by four students.

"College is only four years, but the friendships that you make are going to be lifelong," said Lamprecht. "What were experiencing right now, I know for a fact that these will be friends for life."

Property owner tells restaurants to pay employees, not rent during coronavirus pandemic

Young Investment Company, based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, wont collect rent from its restaurant tenants amid coronavirus, instead, asking them to "pay your employees and take care of your family."

"Stay strong. We will get through this together!" according to a message from the company's Facebook page posted Tuesday.

PHOTO: Roots Restaurant in Jonesboro, Ark., is one of five restaurants in the city that have had their April rents waived by their property owner, Young Investments. (KAIT)

Young Investment Company owns property that houses Eleanors Pizzeria, Roots, City Wok, Main Street Coffee and The Parsonage.

"Mr. Young doing that for us this month ... that money goes straight to the employees," John Myers, co-owner and chef at The Parsonage, told ABC Jonesboro affiliate KAIT.

Girl Scouts set up digital cookie booth to donate boxes to hospital workers

Three Virginia Beach-based Girl Scouts have found a touching way to put a smile on the faces of medical workers who are helping those in need during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

With 600 boxes of cookies left and in-person sale suspended, sisters Sylvie, 14, Julia, 9, and Piper, 6, came up with an idea to launch an online Girl Scout cookie booth with the cookies sold going to medical first responders.

Their mother, Kacey Farrell, said teenage daughter Sylvie, shot and directed a video of her younger sisters introducing their online Girl Scout cookie booth, which has been shared on social media. Support has come in from family, friends and all over the world.

PHOTO: Virginia Beach-based girl scouts create a virtual cookie booth to donate cookies to local hospitals. (Courtesy Kacey Farrell)

"With everything going on right now, it seems like our doctors and nurses are going to be hit so hard," Farrell said. "Girl Scout cookies are a small way to say thank you, but it felt like an easy opportunity to let our frontline responders know how grateful and supportive we are."

New York City restaurant gives free food to the community

At Miss Ada, a New York City restaurant, staff there are working hard to feed the community amid the coronavirus pandemic.

When too many ingredients were bought for the week before restaurants were told to close, staff there didnt want them to go to waste and collectively decided to pay it forward by feeding people in the community.

"Its been good," said sous-chef, Ben Sanderson. "Tons of people that we know from the neighborhood and people we dont have been coming in and weve been able to talk to them and give them good food."

While they havent been charging people for meals, Sanderson says that all donations received as well as money spent toward gift cards through the end of March will be given to staff. So far, theyve raised $4,000.

"A lot of peoples lives are up in the air, but I think this has been good because it gives people a chance to come in and do something fun and positive," Sanderson said.

Stores create 'elderly-only' hours

Grocery stores across the country have adjusted operating hours amid the coronavirus outbreak in an effort to mitigate risks for elderly or immunocompromised customers.

Companies including Target, Whole Foods, Stop and Shop, have all announced designated times, usually first thing in the morning, to ensure that shoppers susceptible to COVID-19 can get what they need. Read the full story here.

PHOTO: A man shops for groceries during special hours open to seniors only at a supermarket in Seattle, March 18, 2020. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

Siblings send handmade cards to nursing home residents who aren't receiving visitors amid crisis

A group of siblings are turning their downtime into an opportunity to show kindness by sending handmade cards to seniors who are quarantined in assisted living facilities amid the coronavirus crisis.

While schools are closed, Madilyn, 10, Olivia, 9, Cameron, 7 and Jack France, 4, have been busy at work drawing pictures and writing well wishes to people in nursing homes around Massachusetts.

Their cousins Annabelle, 10 and Danika, 8 are also helping with the cause.

PHOTO: While schools are closed during the coronavirus crisis, Madilyn, 10, Olivia, 9, Cameron, 7 and Jack France, 4, have been busy at work drawing pictures and writing well wishes to people in nursing homes around Massachusetts. (Vanessa France)

PHOTO: A group of siblings are turning their downtime into an opportunity to show kindness by sending handmade cards to seniors who are quarantined in assisted living facilities amid the coronavirus crisis. (Vanessa France)

"I explained to them, 'These people in nursing homes are nervous to get this virus themselves.' Being able to draw those pictures and write those letters, it's the least we can do and it makes us feel good too," mom Vanessa France told "Good Morning America."

France, a hospice care worker, said her kids have mailed letters to dozens of homes locally.

"As long as we have more paper, we'll keep doing them," she said.

People put up Christmas lights to spread cheer amid coronavirus pandemic

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to escalate, people are finding a creative way to stay positive: digging out their Christmas lights.

It might seem strange to see social media callouts for yuletide decorations halfway through March, but Twitter users are urging others to put lights up outside their homes as a sign of hope in this particularly dark time for so many.

My mom thinks people should start putting up Christmas lights in their windows to remind each other that there is still life & light while we #StayTheFHome. I think shes on to something.#DoingMyPartCO #CoronavirusUSA #LightsForLife pic.twitter.com/XHxDyORAcS  Michael  (@quickbear) March 16, 2020

A friend just shared that an elderly neighbor came to her house and asked her husband to turn on the Christmas lights because there's so much darkness and scariness now. So, there are bright dancing Christmas lights now on in their neighborhood. #coronakindness  Lisa St. Regis (@LisaStRegis) March 15, 2020

With school, work and virtually all public events canceled for an indefinite period, Mike Griffin and Lane Grindle thought putting lights up could be a safe social distancing activity to do with the kids.

My youngest son was bored today and said, "can we put Christmas lights on our tree outside to cheer us up?" Great idea buddy. Lights are on tonight as a sign of hope and the sweet mind of my 10 year old. #Rhodeisland #hope #lovemysons #Christmas #Cumberland pic.twitter.com/qhVjeuLc02  Mike Griffin (@rhodyknowsbest) March 16, 2020

What if we all put our Christmas lights back up? Then we could get in the car and drive around and look at them. That seems like a fair social distancing activity.  Lane Grindle (@lanegrindle) March 15, 2020

The hashtag "lightsforlife" has since gained traction online- with more and more users sharing pictures and videos of their decorations going up.

There are dark times ahead, but I can still put love & light out into the world. Some folks have mentioned putting up Christmas lights to cheer up people in quarantine, in isolation, or just to remind the world theres still light & hope. Heres my contribution#LightsForLife pic.twitter.com/S8Mx8bQ28I  Sarah Bang (@DrBang_Wx) March 18, 2020

#LightsForLife My living room fairy light wall  pic.twitter.com/QdoBxteWwR  Rudi the Reader   (@penru_tondi) March 17, 2020

Georgia volunteers help get supplies for endangered seniors

Right when theyre needed most, volunteers and organizations are doing their part to help limit the elderlys potential exposure to COVID-19.

Southern Grace Hospice, located just outside Atlanta, has seen a surge in community members offering up their time to get seniors the supplies they need.

"We want to make sure all our seniors are food secure for at least two weeks," said Yasna Grainger, community liaison for Southern Grace Hospice.

PHOTO: volunteers step up to help get supplies for endangered seniors in midst of the novel coronavirus outbreak. (Courtesy Southern Grace Hospice)

That help is coming in the form of parents, teachers and teens stopping by to drop off food, water and disinfecting supplies.

"Our patients really appreciate the community stepping up," Grainger said. "Please keep the donations coming."

#BetterTogether brings hope for parents and educators on Twitter

As parents juggle working from home and helping kids with schoolwork now that schools are closed, #BetterTogether is uniting parents and educators on social media and helping many get through this time.

As an educator I must say that I'm really enjoying this partnership between teachers and parents! So many parents asking for homework and teaching strategies to make sure learning continues. Let's keep it going!  #BetterTogether #COVID19  April Young  (@MsYoung_Teaches) March 18, 2020

Reading + classical music = continuing their education; it just looks a bit different! #BetterTogether  pic.twitter.com/GADBZF7u8C  Lyn (@Lyn_Mizanin) March 16, 2020

My kitchen island has become my classroom space for the next couple weeks. Lets do this!  #bettertogether pic.twitter.com/u6TPMjHrbS  Jaime Giordano (@jaime_giordano) March 16, 2020

Since the hashtag started online, many parents have shared photos and videos of working remotely with their kids and educators have also shared advice and tips for parents about how to navigate through online work.

Man wishes wife happy anniversary outside her nursing home

When a nursing home in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, prevented people from visiting due to the coronavirus, Bob Shellard, 90, knew he had to do something special for his wife, Nancy, 88, who was a patient there, on their wedding anniversary.

So, Shellard spent three days making a sign for his wife out of red felt and glitter to make a heart, and wrote in the middle, "I've loved you 67 years and I still do. Happy Anniversary."

PHOTO: Man holds sign for his wife outside of nursing home for their 67th anniversary after they ban visitors due to coronavirus (Courtesy Laura Mikolajczak)

On the big day, Shellard stood outside the nursing home with his daughter, Laura, to surprise his wife, and when she saw, she smiled from ear to ear, blew kisses and told the staff she "felt like a queen."

"I tell my dad that she may not remember that we've been there, but it's the feeling we leave her with," Laura said. "It stays with her for the day."

Chef serves up meals to families in need in his community

A Virginia chef is stepping up as COVID-19 school closures and work reductions find many kids and their families missing out on free hot meals.

During the pandemic, David Gaus of Arlington, is reducing operations at Bayou Bakery. But with his extra time, Gaus is feeding community members in need.

"The one thing I know how to do right now is cook so it's like, 'What can I do?' If I can make a big pot of beans and feed some people, that's kind of at its core of what this is."

Gaus kicked off his initiative March 17. So far he's served 70 lunches with beans, rice and fresh fruit.

"The main reason for getting this started was literally to take care of my team and their kids," Gaus said. "They're part of this effected issue with the schools closing."

Gaus partnered with local community organizations like Real Food for Kids to plan and raise funds to fuel his operation.

"We need all the positive energy that we can [get] right now, so it's been amazing," Gaus told "GMA."

"When there's a crisis, people drop what they're doing and they just want to help," he said.

Art teacher streams live classes to kids who are quarantined

An elementary art teacher is bringing creative fun/a> to young students who are out of school during the coronavirus outbreak.

"I want to engage kids while they're sitting at home," Cassie Stephens, a teacher at Johnson Elementary School in Franklin, Tennessee, told "Good Morning America." "I want them to experience art for normalcy. We are all scared, and confused."

Over 30,000 tuned in Monday as Stephens demonstrated a robot art project for children via Instagram and Facebook Live.

Stephens has been teaching art for 21 years. When she learned Franklin Special School District would be closed until April 6, she found a way to make art classes accessible virtually.

"My email is flooded with thanks yous and kids holding up their art, and that means the world to me," Stephens said.

'COVID-19 messengers' help others with errands

Over 200 people have signed up on Instagram to help run errands for those who can't leave their home due to coronavirus.

Emmalyn Sullivan, 26, from New York City, started the Instagram page called "Covid19_messengers" to enlist volunteers who are willing to run simple errands to help out those who can't leave their homes. Since she started the account four days ago, hundreds have signed up.

"I'm the kind of person that can't not help," Sullivan told "GMA." "I can't see a problem and not fix it, but this is such a hopeless, helpless situation. How are you supposed to attack an invisible thing that is affecting everyone?"

She added, "We've been live for three days and the amount that has been accomplished, the amount of help we've been able to provide -- I'm in awe."

The music plays on as opera houses and concert halls turn to streaming

The Metropolitan Opera's free nightly opera streams began on Monday evening with "Carmen" and became overloaded with "unprecedented demand." It was so popular that the traffic prevented some from participating online.

2/ We are doing everything we can to increase capacity and will provide specific instruction later today for how best to access upcoming streams. Please bear with us and stay healthy and safe.  Metropolitan Opera (@MetOpera) March 17, 2020

The online stream of Bizet's "Carmen," which was conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2010, is just the first of many "Nightly Met Opera Streams" during the Met Opera's coronavirus closure, where they'll be streaming a different opera for free through their Met Opera on Demand service, which is reachable through their homepage.

"We'd like to provide some grand opera solace to opera lovers in these extraordinarily difficult times," said Met General Manager Peter Gelb.

Other musical halls across globe like the Berlin State Opera and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, began streaming their performances too. Meanwhile, Met orchestra musicians are streaming their own performances at home.

#MusicConnectsUS  Raise your hand if you're ready for The @metopera #LIVEinHD broadcast of Carmen? Can't wait? Here's a little preview of some melodies you might hear. Yoon Kwon Costello performs selections from Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy. (Full performance on our website) pic.twitter.com/TCIliExOux  METOrchMusicians (@METOrchestra) March 16, 2020

Up next tonight, the Met will be streaming "La Boheme," "Il Trovatore" comes Wednesday night, and on Thursday, "La Traviata."

Family sings 'Happy Birthday' to 100-year-old outside window during coronavirus crisis

A Massachusetts family sang "Happy Birthday" to their 100-year-old loved one outside a nursing home window Sunday.

Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by a crowd of familiar faces to celebrate her becoming a centenarian while she's in quarantine.

PHOTO: Millie Erickson, a resident of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, was greeted by family to celebrate her becoming a centenarian on March 15. Her son, Gary Erickson said she is in quarantine as the coronavirus outbreak effects the globe. (WCVB)

PHOTO: Family gathers outside Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, where Millie Erickson, a resident, is celebrating her 100th birthday. Millie is in quarantine for safety amid the coronavirus outbreak. (WCVB)

The CDC says older adults are at higher risk for COVID-19, and health officials in several states have recommended the elderly stay home as the crisis continues.

"It was really nice that they let us do that," Gary Erickson told ABC affiliate WCVB-TV in Boston. "She doesn't usually cry, but she did."

Read the full story here.

Water, internet utilities pledge to maintain service if customers can't pay

Hundreds of local water companies and telephone and internet providers are promising to maintain service to customers who may not be able to pay all their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

One hundred and thirteen local water systems and utilities serving 75 million Americans will not shut off water service to customers who can't pay their bills during the coronavirus crisis, according to data collected by the advocacy group Food and Water Watch.

The Federal Communications Commission also says 185 broadband and telephone providers have pledged to keep service available to customers who may not be able to pay bills during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Those providers, many of which are in rural areas, have also promised to make Wi-Fi hotspots available to anyone who needs them.

Teachers raise money for students on free and reduced lunch as schools close over coronavirus

Three teachers at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia decided they wanted to help the thousands of students who rely on free and reduced meals at school amid possible school closures over the coronivarus pandemic.

Laurie Vena, a chemistry teacher at Yorktown High, brainstormed with physics teachers Aaron Schuetz and Deborah Waldron.

Together the trio launched a GoFundMe account with the goal of raising enough money to give $100 grocery gift cards to each of the approximately 8,300 Arlington Public Schools students who receive free or reduced lunches.

PHOTO: Visitors cross Harbor Blvd. as they leave Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., March 12, 2020. (Jeff Gritchen/Orange County Register/SCNG via Zuma Press via Newscom)

Just two days after launching effort, the teachers have raised just over $37,000 of their $830,000 goal.

"This is what we want our community to be so we need to show our kids that this is who we are," Vena told "Good Morning America."

Arlington Public Schools, which has more than 28,000 students in total, announced school closures March 16.

Josh Gad aka 'Frozen's' Olaf reads to kids on Twitter amid coronavirus quarantine

During the nationwide quarantine, "Frozen" actor Josh Gad has been reading to fans on Twitter -- be they young or old -- each night since March 13.

"Since we're all stuck at home right now I figured we would have a little fun together," Gad said.

Gad, also known as the voice of the beloved character "Olaf," has read "Olivia Goes to Venice" by Ian Falconer, "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt and "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein.

"I'll try to provide at least 10 minutes of day care to you and your families a night while we're going through this unprecedented global event," said Gad, a father of two.

"I love you all. I'm hoping you're all healthy and safe, wherever you are, and hopefully I will see you all very soon. Take care."

Chick-Fil-A delivers more than 350 free meals to hospital workers

A Chick-Fil-A in Vancouver brightened the day of hospital workers at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center when they recently treated them to a free meal.

On March 14, Sable Phillippi was working a busy nursing shift and taking care of patients when around lunchtime, an announcement was made over the hospital's PA system that Chick-Fil-A would be providing free meals to show their appreciation.

Phillippi, 33, was shocked when she saw Chick-Fil-A staff bring in bags and boxes of hot food.

"There was just bag after bag and box after box," she told "GMA." "It's still helping me through the rest of my week."

Phillippi took to Instagram to thank the fast food restaurant for its act of kindness.

"I think as caregivers, we love helping people and we love taking care of people especially in critical times of need," Philippi said. "And we kind of forget to sometimes take care of ourselves, so this is something that I'll remember when I look back at this time."

Mom Tina, who shared Phillippi's post on Twitter, said she's grateful to Chick-Fil-A for taking care of her daughter.

She told "GMA," "It meant so much to everyone there and I just started crying. It's been such a stressful and emotional time."

Disneyland Resort to donate excess food during closure due to coronavirus

Disneyland closed its doors starting March 14 as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths rose in the United States.

That same day, Disneyland Resort announced it'll donate all excess food to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County during the closure.

PHOTO: Deborah Waldron, left, and Laurie Vena, teachers at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia, are raising money for students. (WJLA)

In a blog post Disney Parks wrote, "[W]hile closely following food safety guidelines, excess inventory of dairy, fruit, vegetables, packaged goods and banquet meals is being donated."

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."6

Amid coronavirus, good news is happening: Doctor sings moving rendition of 'Rise Up' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Global Healthcare Consulting Services Market is poised to escalate furthered heights by 2024, registering 10.4% CAGR throughout the forecast period (2019-2024). Factors such as the increasing globalization, rising demand for healthcare products, and the addition of new features in the healthcare industry create enormous market demand.

Global healthcare consulting services market has been witnessing a constant rise in its revenues as well as size. Factors such as advantages that these services offer in the effective management of daily operations in healthcare companies drive the market growth, predominantly. Healthcare consulting service companies support and advise healthcare and pharma companies on strategies and proper management of various daily activities, ranging from operations, accounting, and finance to sales, marketing, and insurance.

In addition to streamlining various functions, the adoption of healthcare consulting services also ensures the reduction of a considerable amount of operational costs and time required for the management, and simplified processes. Over recent years, the burgeoning healthcare sector is witnessing a spurting rise in the numbers of care facilities, which, in turn, acts as a major driving force accelerating the growth of the market on a global platform.

Furthermore, increasing competition in the healthcare sector is fostering the growth of the market, encouraging major companies to focus on the improvement of their business strategies, product designing, development, and marketing. On the other hand, the availability of a large number of similar technologies and services alongside the lack of expertise in differentiating mapped services & solutions and low product differentiation are acting as growth impeders for the market.

Request Free Sample Copy: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/7860

Nevertheless, the high demand for improved care services and operations would support the growth of the market throughout the assessment period, acting as a key driving force.

Healthcare Consulting Services Market Segmentations

The analysis has been segmented into three major dynamics.

By Type of Service, the Healthcare Consulting Services Market is segmented into IT & Digital Consulting, and other services.

By Component, the Healthcare Consulting Services Market is segmented into Solutions, Services, and others.

By Application, the Healthcare Consulting Services Market is segmented into Financial, Operations Management, and Population Health, among others.

By End-User, the Healthcare Consulting Services Market is segmented into Hospitals & Clinics and Life Science Companies, among others.

By Regions, the Healthcare Consulting Services Market is segmented into Europe, Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Rest-of-the-World.

Healthcare Consulting Services Market Regional Analysis

North America leads the global healthcare consulting services market. The largest market attributes to the huge presence of increasing healthcare companies and intensifying competition in the healthcare industry. Besides, factors such as the transition in the healthcare sector towards value-based care delivery and rising preference for hiring consulting service provider for new strategies and solutions act as major tailwinds for the regional market growth. Additionally, high per capita healthcare expenditures, along with the rising R&D investments for the development of new technologies, are pushing the growth in the regional market.

Europe takes the second-leading position in the global healthcare consulting services market due to the increasing technological advances. Growing uptake of advanced healthcare IT and digital consulting technologies for operations management drive the market growth in the region. Also, the rising adoption of software solutions in quadrupling numbers of life science companies creates a substantial market demand in this region. Furthermore, governments financial support for the healthcare sector, huge patient population, and increasing numbers of hospitals & healthcare infrastructures boost the growth of the regional market.

The Asia Pacific region has emerged as one of the lucrative market for healthcare consulting services globally. The market is predominantly driven by the continually rising population that demands quality care and increasing numbers of healthcare facilities. Besides, increasing initiatives taken by public & private sectors fuel the regional market growth. Highly populated countries like China and India account for major contributors to the APAC healthcare consulting services market. Moreover, increasing demand to improve operation management in the growing numbers of healthcare facilities influences the growth of the regional market.

Healthcare Consulting Services Market Competitive Dynamics

Fiercely competitive, the healthcare consulting services market appears highly fragmented due to the presence of many large & small-scale players. These players invest substantially to form strategic partnerships and collaborations to gain a larger competitive advantage. They also invest in driving RD activities and in meeting their expansion plans. Through R&D, they drive technology launch, and to expand their global footprints, they acquire promising companies from emerging regions.

Healthcare Consulting Services Market Major Players:

Players driving the global healthcare consulting services market include Accenture Consulting (US), Cognizant (US), McKinsey and Company (US), Deloitte Consulting (US), Bain and Company (US), Ernst and Young (UK), Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (US), KPMG (Switzerland), Huron Consulting (US), The Boston Consulting Group (US), and PWC (UK), among others.

Healthcare Consulting Services Industry/ Innovation/ Related News

DXC Technology (the US), a leading global provider of B2B IT services, announced the selling deed for its US Local Health and Human Services Business to a local private-equity firm Veritas Capital. The deal worth USD 5.0 BN aligns with the companys strategy. However, DXC plans to retain its healthcare business that includes servicing customers from life sciences firms.

Veritas Capital, as a private equity firm, has extensive experience acquiring and optimizing businesses in the government IT services market. The transaction is likely to close in December 2020. The after-tax proceeds from the sale will be used to pay down debt.

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By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan has a stable food balance and the food market situation in the country is satisfactory,Managing Director of Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications of Azerbaijan (CAERC) Vusal Gasimli told local media on March 17.

Explaining the current situation in the countrys food market, Vusal Gasimli emphasized that according to the reports of reputable international organizations, Azerbaijan's food security index has substantially increased in recent years. In this regards, it is enough to have a look at the Global Food Security Index prepared by The Economist Group.

According to this report, Azerbaijan has experienced a consecutive increase in the gross food security index of the country in the last seven years, Gasimli noted.

This growth was 12.7 percentage points over the past seven years, and Azerbaijan leads the list for this indicator.

It should be noted that in other countries, this indicator was 6-7% most. In 2019, Azerbaijan ranked 53rd in this report, going up more than three steps. Azerbaijan is currently place in the first ten among Asian and Pacific countries in terms of food security. Our country also outstripped several past republics of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in this rating, Gasimli added.

Azerbaijan has continuously improved his position in the Global Food Security Index, he said.

The annual product balance in Azerbaijan is compiled based on the following product types: wheat, other cereals, grain legumes, flour, bread and bakery products, rice, potato, onion, vegetables, melons, fruit and berries, meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, plant oils, butter, tea and etc, Gasimli noted.

In Azerbaijan, self-sufficiency for cereals (paddy not included) reaches 70 per cent and our stocks in this area has been 1-1,2 million tonnes in the previous years. As usual, since the beginning of the year, the residuals on cereals are more than 40% of the products used for food production. In 2019, self-sufficiency level for potato has been 87.9 per cent, Gasimli said.

The expert added that in Azerbaijan, residuals on potato is always higher than 70% of the products consumed as food. The self-sufficiency level for vegetables is 112 per cent, melons 100,8 per cent, fruit and berries 123,1 per cent, meat and meat products is 82,5 per cent, eggs is 101,8 per cent, milk and dairy products 86,2 per cent, salt is 111,4 per cent, bread and bakery products is 100 per cent.

We have sufficient stocks for all kinds of food products. Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov also said there is no difficulty in importing goods, including food products. In addition, the state also has food stocks that can provide livelihoods for any force majeure, Gasimli concluded.

--

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
[March 17, 2020] Empower CEO Murphy Delivers Message to Customers in Wake of Covid-19 Outbreak

Empower Retirement CEO Edmund F. Murphy today released the following message to the company's clients following the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005652/en/ Edmund F. Murphy III (Photo: Business Wire) Empower, the nation's second largest retirement services provider by plan participants,1 serves the retirement needs of approximately 9.4 million Americans through 39,000 retirement plans. "We are living and working in unprecedented times. Details about Covid-19 (coronavirus) from around the world are unfolding every hour. I wanted to share with you some details about how Empower Retirement is responding and how we are continuing to serve you. The team at Empower Retirement realizes that in this time of crisis, it is critical that we make it possible for you to continue to focus on your employees and your operations. We want you to know that you can count on us to be there to support you and keep our focus on your workplace retirement plans and IRAs. Empower's leadership team is meeting continuously to assess and respond to the crisis as it evolves. We are adjusting our operations to maintain continuity and to support the safety and health of our employees so they can serve you. In addition, we are operating in accordance with guidance from federal and local government and public health authorities across the country. We have put in place many actions focused on mitigating the spread of the virus. In addition, we have deloyed extensive technologies for our employees to use to communicate with you and your employees.



Global markets are reacting and volatility is unprecedented. We cannot predict how long this cycle will last, but history tells us that the markets will eventually stabilize and begin to recover. Empower was built with times like this in mind. We know retirement investors. We understand their needs and have built systems, designed processes and hired professionals who know how to serve them.

Our call volumes and web traffic are at extraordinary levels. Our customer care representatives are working extended shifts and making heroic efforts to serve every caller with the care they deserve. Teams from across the organization are joining forces to help customers who want reassurances. The good news is that, for the most part, retirement investors have not given over to emotional selling. Retirement plan participants and IRA customers are calling to inquire about their portfolio more than anything else. Empower technology teams continue aggressive monitoring of our systems to accommodate the increased web traffic. Even in these periods of unprecedented volatility, our volumes are not outside our handling capacity. Empower recognizes that we are in a fluid and unique global situation. As conditions change we will continue to monitor the need to continue or adjust these changes in partnership with those we serve. Please reach out to your Empower representative team with any questions and concerns. We have been prepared at every level and will continue to be responsive and proactive across our sales, service and advisory teams." About Empower Retirement Headquartered in metro Denver, Empower Retirement administers $673 billion in assets2 for approximately 9.4 million retirement plan participants, as of Dec. 31, 2019. It is the nation's second-largest retirement plan record keeper by total participants, according to Pensions & Investments, March 31, 2019. Empower serves all segments of the employer-sponsored retirement plan market: government 457 plans; small, midsize and large corporate 401 (k) clients; non-profit 403 (b) entities; private-label recordkeeping clients; and Individual Retirement Account customers. For more news and thought leadership, please visit Empower-Retirement or follow us @EmpowerToday. 1Information refers to all retirement business of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York, marketed under Empower Retirement brand. Ranking based on total participant accounts as of March 31, 2019. Source (News - Alert), Pensions & Investments, 2019 Defined Contribution Survey Rankings as of March 31, 2019. 2As of December 31, 2019. Information refers to the business of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, including Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York. Of the total $686.5B assets under administration, $19.6B represents the AUA of GWL&A of NY. AUA do not reflect the financial stability or strength of a company. GWL&A assets total $48.8B and liabilities total $47.3B. GWL&A of NY assets total $1.6B and liabilities total $1.5B. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005652/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 09:23:15|Editor: ZD

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BRAZZAVILLE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Republic of the Congo on Monday toughened the measures to combat the coronavirus, including the suspension from March 19 of all flights from COVID-19 high-risk countries.

"The presentation of a negative COVID-19 test result, carried out by an approved institution, now accompanies any visa application for entry into the territory of the Republic of the Congo," said a statement issued here by Prime Minister Clement Mouamba.

The prime minister also announced the establishment of a fund to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to intensify controls at check points of entry by mobilizing additional health and security teams at land borders.

In addition, he suggested the postponement of non-essential travel to countries where the disease is rife, delay of all official missions abroad until further notice and the strengthening of hygiene measures in public places and private companies.

The Republic of the Congo confirmed the first case of coronavirus on March 14 in Brazzaville.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her government will create a Rs 200 crore fund to tackle the coronavirus outbreak and ordered closure of all cinema halls, stadiums and auditoriums till March 31 as a precautionary measure. She also extended the closure of all educational institutions till April 15.

Banerjee said the state government would invoke the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 so that action could be taken against those who do not follow the safety precautions suggested by the authorities to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"We have decided to create a fund of Rs 200 crore to tackle this crisis. We also decided to offer Rs 5 lakh insurance to 10 lakh people involved in health hazard areas. They include doctors, nurses and personnel of the Army, the CRPF and the CISF," the chief minister said.

She held a high-level meeting to review the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak. The meeting was attended by government officials and those from railways and chambers of commerce.

"Around 3.24 lakh people have been screened in Bengal and we are keeping a close watch on 5,590 of them. A total of 59 people were tested for coronavirus and 58 tested negative. We are waiting for the test result of one person," Banerjee told reporters after the meeting.

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

A call centre set up by the state government in this context has received 5,000 calls so far, she said.

As a precautionary measure, the government has also decided to extend the closure of all educational institutes, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres, till April 15, she added.

The state government had on Saturday ordered educational institutions to remain shut till March 30.

"Hostels will also be closed so that students can go home," Banerjee said.

About invoking the Epidemic Diseases Act, the chief minister said, "We were not implementing this Act thinking that people will understand the situation if they are requested to follow our advice."

"However, 10 suspected patients kept at an isolation ward of a hospital (in North 24 Parganas district) today expressed their unwillingness to stay there. So, we are implementing the Act so that people cooperate with the government if it decides to treat them," she said.

She, however, added that her government will not be imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Penal Code (CrPC).

Banerjee also asked private hospitals not to refuse any patient approaching them with symptoms of coronavirus.

On management at West Bengal's international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, she said, "We are working together with the central government on this. Most of the borders have been sealed."

Asking the media to play a responsible role, Banerjee said the government has nothing to hide.

On whether rallies will be disallowed in the city, Banerjee said the advisory of the central government issued in this context will be followed.

She appealed to all shrines not to allow large gatherings.

"I'm grateful that the Belur Math has decided to stop allowing large gatherings inside the premises.... I appeal to all the authorities of all temples, gurdwaras, mosques, churches to not to allow large gatherings," she said.

Banerjee said she cancelled her administrative tour to Bolpur owing to the coronavirus situation.
Sweeping new federal recommendations announced on Monday for Americans to sharply limit their activities appeared to draw on a dire scientific report warning that, without action by the government and individuals to slow the spread of coronavirus and suppress new cases, 2.2 million people in the United States could die.

To curb the epidemic, there would need to be drastic restrictions on work, school and social gatherings for periods of time until a vaccine was available, which could take 18 months, according to the report, compiled by British researchers. They cautioned that such steps carried enormous costs that could also affect peoples health, but concluded they were the only viable strategy at the current time.

That is because different steps, intended to drive down transmission by isolating patients, quarantining those in contact with them and keeping the most vulnerable apart from others for three months, could only cut the predicted death toll by half, the new report said.

The White House guidelines urged Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. That is a more restrictive stance than recommendations released on Sunday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said that gatherings should be limited to 50.
Pub owners across Northern Ireland have said there are more important things than money as many close their doors for St Patrick's Day and beyond amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The voluntary closures come after the Irish Government requested that bars in the Republic close until March 29. There are currently no plans to do the same in the UK.

Pedro Donald, owner of The Sunflower in Belfast city centre and The American Bar in the docks, has taken the decision to close both pubs indefinitely.

"It was a big decision but people's health and wellbeing is obviously more important than money," he said.

"My staff are all off and they will get paid the full whack because it's not fair that they lose out.

"My only hope now is that, in turn, I get my help from the government, the banks and the landlords. If everybody plays their part then we will all get through this."

Also in Belfast the Ormeau Road's Hatfield House, Rose & Crown and The Errigle Inn are all closing today.

In Co Armagh a number of bars in Lurgan have decided to pull the shutters down despite St Patrick's Day being one of the most financially important days of the year.

Proprietor of The Cellar Bar in the town Lesa McCann discussed the decision with her 86-year-old father Patrick and 80-year-old mother Anne before deciding to close for the day.

Ms McCann's elderly parents both live above the pub, increasing her concerns over the spread of Covid-19.

"At the minute I'm the only one allowed to go up and down the stairs but even at that I find that I am putting them at risk by going up and down," she explained.

"We have always had a very high hygiene practice within the business but we have really upped it.

"Hopefully the bars in the surrounding Co Armagh and further afield will take it on board and go with this as well because of our elderly people, our infirm people and our sick people - I myself have asthma.

"Even though everyone loves St Patrick's Day and it's one of our best days out, it's just one day. It's a day that I know pub owners rely on to get them through the next few months."

Ms McCann, like many publicans, has the added problem of what to do with the extra food and drink brought in for St Patrick's Day.

While a number of the drink suppliers will take kegs of beer back, Ms McCann hopes that instead of throwing out the food, she can supply it to her more elderly customers.

"What I'm hoping to do, if we do have to close, is try and make meals for some of our elderly customers and send them down to them," she added.

"This is people's lives at stake but we just need help from the government and local councils. The whole country needs to work together. The south is doing it and the north needs to help it.

"It's not just about saving a pound, it's about saving lives."

Paul McConaghy from Thomas McConaghy and Sons, which owns Lurgan's Courthouse Bar, Ashburn Hotel, Beehive Bar and The Woodville Arms, felt the government should have made the decision to close the pubs rather than owners making the difficult decision themselves.

"This shouldn't be laid at any sort of business person's feet," he said.

"The Government should have stepped up and said that it's time to act.

"In this business we're all very responsible people and if that's what the government had told us to do, I firmly believe everybody would have done it."

Admitting that closing the doors of the four bars on what is one of the busiest days of the year is a "huge financial blow", Mr McConaghy said that it isn't simply about the money.

"When you see people taking this decision without direction from the government or local bodies, I think a lot of pubs need to be commended for taking that action," he said.

"We plan to open again on Wednesday morning but we are monitoring the situation and the senior management will be meeting to discuss the best way forward from here."

The Blind Cobbler in Omagh has also closed temporarily in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in Co Tyrone.

Father and daughter owners Andrew and Laura Shortt agreed that for the sake of the safety of their staff, families, customers and the wider community, profit must be put to one side.

"It's a really tough decision for us, but in our hearts we know it's the right one and we'll come out the other side knowing that we did the right thing," said Ms Shortt.

The pair added they will continue to pay their staff and will review the situation on a daily basis.
Australias black summer is about to be followed by the bitterest of winters. After fire and flood the fourth horseman of the apocalypse has arrived on his pale horse to unleash pestilence and death.

When the curse of this year finally lifts we will have time to reflect on what was worse, the disease or the cure. And like all great shocks, the tectonic plates of politics will shift in ways we cannot predict.

Because what is being proposed by our committee of medical experts to slow the progress of the coronavirus is akin to an aggressive form of chemotherapy, killing healthy cells in the hunt for sick ones.

The Great Shuttering of 2020 will slow the progress of the disease and it will also crash the economy, despite ever more desperate moves by the Morrison government to save it.
Hero Electronix on Tuesday said its group company Tessolve has acquired UK-based chip design services provider Test & Verification Solutions (T&VS) for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition will bolster Tessolve's chip design capabilities, and take its overall employee strength to over 2,000 engineers, Hero Electronix CEO Nikhil Rajpal told PTI.

He added that the transaction will firmly cement Tessolve's position as an end-to-end provider of semiconductor engineering services, and help it reach the USD 100 million revenue by March 2021.

"The addition of T&VS talent and technologies will enable us to provide more integrated and optimised chip design solutions. Design verification and validation is an important phase in the design and production cycle of every semiconductor product and accelerates taking products to market," he said.

Founded in 2008 by Mike Bartley, T&VS is a provider of Design Verificationsolutions to semiconductor companies and offerings solutions for Design for Test (DFT) and Embedded Softwarewith its over 400-people team across multiple markets including the UK, India (Chennai), Japan, the US and Singapore.

While Rajpal declined to comment on the deal size, he said T&VS has annual revenues of about USD 10 million.

"Tessolve has been growing at a strong pace and we expect to close this fiscal at about USD 70 million. With this acquisition and the strong momentum, we are hopeful of crossing the USD 100 million milestone by March 2021," he said.

T&VS is the fifth acquisition by Tessolve in the past four years.

Tessolve acquired TES DST in July 2016, Spectrum Integrated and Test lab business of Lynxemi Pte in August 2017, and Analog design business of Analog Semiconductors in November 2017.

"These strategic acquisitions have put Tessolve in a unique position to offer a comprehensive spectrum of services to semiconductor companies. The latest acquisition adds a strong team and capability depth in a critical area like chip design and expands Tessolve's presence into the UK and Japan markets," he added.

Rajpal said this is the largest acquisition by Tessolve till date and a critical addition in building Tessolve into the largest semiconductor engineering services player in the world.

"We are extremely delighted and proud to be part of the Hero Electronix and Tessolve family. Tessolve has a global footprint with deep relationships and the most extensive capabilities in semiconductor engineering. It is a unique opportunity for the entire team at T&VS to integrate and aspire for larger opportunities both individually and collectively as a team," Mike Bartley, CEO and Founder of T&VS, said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 17, 2020] Trip.com Chairman James Liang : How Mobile Apps Could Help to Contain Epidemics

SHANGHAI, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- James Liang is an economist and entrepreneur. Trip.com Group Ltd. is one of the world's largest OTAs. The following are his thoughts on current events, their effects on the travel industry, and how technology can help alleviate some of these issues. These opinions are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Trip.com Group Ltd. as a whole: Countries and regions all over the world have elevated their response to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, imposing travel bans and cancelling events, bringing the economy to a standstill. In China, however, where the first lockdowns were implemented in late January at an estimated economic cost of around RMB 100 billion per day, the virus has been effectively contained, businesses have resumed operation, and life is returning to normal. In early February, when China implemented blanket bans on travelers, I argued for a more precise means of identifying at-risk persons for infection who had travelled to affected areas, like Wuhan. Mobile phones have an important role to play -- they are an integral part of peoples' lives, and we take them literally everywhere we go. Telecommunications operators thus have the best grasp on where a person has travelled to, at what time, and for how long. While keeping this important data secure and private, operators could work with governments and leading mobile Internet companies across the world to develop an electronic 'passport', and provide more precise epidemic prevention guidelines. With the 'passport' generated by this app, governments could, in a fluid and timely fashion, set travel, isolation and preventative regulations (like, the requirement to wear a mask)with view to the developing situation in each region.



Today, China has managed to both effectively contain the virus and allow citizens to move freely throughout the country, using a mobile app to generate a 'Health Code'. The code, which any mobile phone user can easily obtain, allows individuals to voluntarily declare their movements, at a crucial moment in the fight against the epidemic, which would ordinarily demand stricter measures, like lockdowns and travel bans. The alternative is not only draconian, but ineffective. For example, currently, a British national who has travelled to Italy (and is therefore at risk of infection) may be allowed to enter Singapore, while an Italian national who has resided in the United Kingdom for years (and is thus a low risk case) would be denied entry. Furthermore, someone who travelled to Italy 10 days ago, but has been in the UK since would be required to quarantine for another 14 days upon arriving in a third country. A smart 'passport' would accurately identify material risk in both of these cases, and alleviate the traveler who had been in Italy 10 days ago of the additional and unnecessary 14 day burden, shortening the required isolation period to 4 days.

As has been demonstrated domestically, Chinese citizens are more than willing to declare, in the form of a 'health code', their travel history in return for freedom of movement and convenience. If governments and telecommunications providers around the globe worked together to make this data available to citizens, travelers could voluntarily offer proof of their movements in exchange for privileges that may otherwise be restricted as a precautionary measure. With sufficient technological support, restrictions could be tightened and eased in real-time, avoiding unnecessary barriers to economic activity while effectively containing the outbreak. Telecommunications providers possess the data to deduce our movements, and make this possible. While this data should be used sparingly and with consent, many citizens would be willing to make such a declaration, in the same way some countries require itineraries and return tickets for entry. For example, Singapore Telecom could develop a mobile app to allow its users to voluntarily and conveniently declare their recent travel history when entering a destination country. When the alternative is prolonged blanket restrictions on travel and the real risk of economic recession, offering citizens the option to declare their movements in exchange for freedom of movement could be an effective way to balance control of the outbreak with the pressing need to resume normal economic and social activity. At this stage in the global fight against the epidemic, it is critical to minimize the negative impact on the economy. A smart app that helps precisely identify high-risk persons could have an important role. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tripcom-chairman-james-liang--how-mobile-apps-could-help-to-contain-epidemics-301025378.html SOURCE Trip.com Group Ltd.

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Former Congress President on Tuesday slammed the Lok Sabha Speaker for not allowing the Tamil Nadu parliamentarians to raise the issue of Tamil language and described it as an "absolute insult" to people of Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to reporters in premises here, said, "Yesterday I asked a question about the 50 largest wilful defaulters. Procedure is if you ask a question then you are allowed a supplementary question."

The Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad said that he understands that the Lok Sabha Speaker does not want him to speak in the House. "I am an MP and I have certain rights that he can't take away. But today the entire Tamil people wanted to ask the question over Tamil language. He snatched the rights of the MPs during the debate on language," he said.

"Tamil, which has a history and which is in their DNA, Speaker did not allow them to ask questions. Its an attack on their language, their rights. This is unacceptable and is absolute insult to the Tamil people," he said.

The Congress leader further said that the Lok Sabha House is for all and a discussion should take place. "And now a days there are no discussions, no one is allowed to ask questions. It is now one way traffic and it has become a loudspeaker," he said.
TAIPEI, March 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan reported six new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, all imported and marking the biggest daily rise in infections, in people who had returned to the island from countries including Spain and Japan, bringing its total tally to 59.

The government is working on tracking down all the people who had contact with the new cases, it said in a statement.

The other countries those infected had travelled to were Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Thailand, while two of the patients had transited in Dubai, the government added.

While Taiwan has won plaudits from international experts for its early prevention measures to stop the spread of the virus, it has now stepped up measures to stop cases being brought back to the island from other countries.

On Saturday the island said it would begin requiring a 14-day quarantine for all people arriving from Europe's Schengen border-free travel zone as well as Britain and Ireland.

Taiwan has only reported one death from the virus, while 20 have recovered and been released from hospital. The other cases are all in stable condition.

Taiwan's health minister has advised people not to travel at all and to stay in Taiwan. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
New Delhi, March 17 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed permanent commission to serving women officers in Indian Navy in all eligible branches and directed the Centre to comply with its order within three months.

The top court said that there can't be any discrimination citing physiological conditions, etc. The order will enable women officers for eligible permanent commission in ATC & Logistics too, apart from Education.

The apex court said that women can sail with same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination. The court observed that performance at work and dedication are the only answer to stereotypes within the Navy. The bench said injustice cannot be meted out to women officers in Navy and upheld the Delhi High Court judgement.

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said gender discrimination cannot be permitted with woman officers in Navy after statutory bar was lifted by Centre to allow their entry in the force through policy decision in 1991 and 1998.

In the mirror image of his judgment granting permanent commission to women officers in non-combat posts, Justice Chandrachud said equality has to be hallmark of armed forces and women can't be deprived of permanent commission in Navy.
Dexter Gordon, 32, owns Dexter's Cleaning in Melbourne

A cleaning company boss has donated more than 8,000 rolls of toilet paper to disabled and elderly people who can't get supplies due to coronavirus panic buying.

As Australians continue to ransack toilet paper aisles at supermarkets all over the county, the owner of Dexter's Cleaning in Melbourne decided to donate $5,000 worth of rolls to people in need.

Dexter Gordon, 32, told Daily Mail Australia he heard about the call for toilet rolls as part of a coronavirus care package for the elderly and disabled through local radio station Fox FM.

'I heard the presenters were looking for companies to donate to people who are struggling, so I sent them my remaining stock,' he said.

Presenters Fifi Box and Byron Cook gushed about Mr Gordon's generosity on social media.

'Look at all the toilet rolls!' they wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the piles of toilet paper Mr Gordon donated.

Mr Gordon heard about the call for toilet rolls as part of a coronavirus care package for the elderly and disabled through local radio station Fox FM

Presenters Fifi Box and Byron Cook gushed about Mr Gordon's generosity on social media

'Thanks so much Dexter's Cleaning.'

While Mr Gordon never sold toilet paper on his website before COVID-19 panic-buying set in, he described loo roll hoarding as 'manic' and decided to make it a part of his business to help others.

'I'm getting another order in tomorrow and as a result started an online store so that people can help look after those around them,' he said.

Listeners can nominate someone in need to receive a care package through the radio website.

Listeners can nominate someone in need to receive a care package through the radio website

It comes as Woolworths announced it would dedicate an hour for disabled and elderly shoppers to shop before its stores were opened to the general public.

But the initiative was blasted as a PR stunt on Tuesday after hundreds of pensioners gathered outside stores around the country for the 7am-8am window, only to find empty shelves once inside.

The toilet paper crisis has caused Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi to crackdown, with all supermarket giants imposing a one-pack per shop restriction.

Supermarkets have also imposed limits on dry pasta, flour, rice, paper towels, tissues and hand sanitiser.
Vijayawada, March 17 : Jail authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Tuesday suspended prisoners' interviews with their family members to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among jail inmates.

The order will come into effect from Wednesday and will remain in force till the situation improves, said Ahsan Reza, Director General of Prisoners and Correctional Services, Andhra Pradesh.

"In view of the prevailing situation all over the country due to spread of Covid-19, the Prisons Department of Andhra Pradesh is forced to suspend interviews/mulaqat with prisoners lodged in all the prisons of Andhra Pradesh with effect from March 18 till situation improves, to prevent the spread of this virus among our inmates," he said.

As a relief to prisoners, they may be allowed to speak to their families four times a week with telephone facility if there be any need, the official said.

Meanwhile, Telangana has also cancelled prisoners' interviews/mulaqats with visitors in all jails in the state.

Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Telangana, Rajiv Trivedi said it was precautionary measure to reduce movement and exposure of prisoners to ensure social distancing and for maintaining proper hygienic condition and safety of prisoners.

He requested family members, relatives and friends of prison inmates not to come to jail to meet them in person. They may avail telephone facility and E-mulaqats to talk with inmates until the lift of these restrictions, he said.

Telangana has reported five Covid-19 positive cases while Andhra Pradesh has one case.
Egypt will suspend international flights to and from the country from 19 till 31 March at all airports nationwide as well as reduce the presence of public sector employees to stem the spread of the coronavirus, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Monday.

"The decisions taken by the government to fight the virus have economic repercussions, but the states priority is to protect citizens," Madbouly said in a press conference held at the cabinet in Cairo to discuss the countrys anti-virus measures.

Madbouly also said that recent flight suspensions have resulted in financial losses for Egyptian airlines exceeding EGP 2.25 billion.

The PM added that all hotels and tourist attractions in the country will be sterilised over the next two weeks.

Madbouly said that the government is in the process of issuing a decision within hours to reduce the number of public servants at their workplaces as a precautionary measure.

The PM also called on citizens to be responsible and not underestimate this "global crisis."

"Our main aim is to safeguard the health of Egyptian citizens," he said, urging people to stay home.

"The increase in coronavirus cases has prompted us to take these measures to limit the spread of the virus," he said, adding that "we have two weeks, may God keep Egypt safe."

The prime minister also assured citizens that there is no shortage of food supplies or goods, describing the recent increased demand for goods as unjustified.

"Any attempts to hoard commodities and create crises in the market will be dealt with firmly," he added.

Cairo Governor Khaled Abd El-Aal decided to ban serving shisha [hookah] in all the cafes of the capital.

In a statement on Monday, Cairo governorate warned that any cafe or public place that will not adhere to this decision will be shut down immediately and legal measures will be taken against it.

On Saturday, Egypt suspended study in schools and universities nationwide for 15 days and major public gatherings have been banned.

To date, Egypt has recorded 150 coronavirus cases, with three deaths.

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Due to the rapid outbreak of COVID-19, and the suspension of flights with a number of countries, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) has urged Emiratis abroad to return to their homeland, as part of the precautionary measures taken by the country to ensure the safety of its citizens.

In a statement today, MoFAIC called on Emirati students and nationals receiving medical treatment overseas to communicate with UAE embassies in respective host countries for coordination in this respect, said a Wam news agency report.

The ministry urged UAE nationals to coordinate with the nearest UAE diplomatic missions overseas or with MoFAICs call centre on: 80044444.

Emiratis abroad are also urged to register in Tawajudi through the ministry's website and mobile application.

In other developments related to COVID-19 response, the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments have decided to temporarily suspend prayers in all places of worship across the nation, effective March 16 9 pm for a period of four weeks out of concern for public safety.

* The Ministry of Health and Prevention and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority have urged the public to temporarily delay all wedding receptions and social activities in all wedding venues, including halls in hotels and at home, effective March 18 for a period of four weeks.

In case delay is not possible for compelling considerations, all precautionary measures must be strictly applied during wedding receptions by holding them in dedicated venues, with invitations to be confined to immediate family members. Distance between any two attendees must not be less than two metres, with all other hygiene protocols to be taken strictly into consideration, including avoiding handshakes, hugs, or kissing, all while using disposable tissues to ensure people's safety.

* The UAE announced that it sent two aid planes carrying critical medical supplies to Iran to support the latters efforts to combat the COVID-19 disease. The two aid aircraft, which took off from Abu Dhabi on Monday, contained over 32 metric tonnes of supplies, including boxes filled with thousands of pairs of gloves, surgical masks, and protective equipment.

The flight is the second humanitarian delivery facilitated by the UAE to Iran in recent days.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:18:56|Editor: xuxin

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WINDHOEK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's President Hage Geingob on Tuesday declared a state of emergency with effect from March 17 after the country registered two positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Addressing the media, Geingob said the safety of the people comes first.

"With effect from 17 March 2020, state of emergency exists in Namibia because of COVID-19, "Geingob said.

The country has also suspended inbound and outbound travel to and from Qatar, Ethiopia and Germany for 30 days.

They have also banned all large gatherings and closed all schools for 30 days.
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Linkedin Kelly Macnamara (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Tue, March 17, 2020 07:45 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0d540 2 World health-protection,medical-practitioners,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,France Free

Fearful health workers across France sounded an alarm Monday over a lack of protective gear as hospitals, with hundreds of coronavirus patients in critical care, braced for an onslaught of new cases.

With more than 5,000 people officially recorded as infected in the country and some 400 in serious condition, France is scrambling to slow the spread of COVID-19 by implementing travel restrictions, closing non-essential retail businesses and limiting people's movements.

But there are fears that hospitals could become overwhelmed.

"We feel like we are going to the front, a little like we are infantry," said a nurse from the Edouard-Herriot hospital in Lyon, requesting anonymity, who said there was a lack of screening for even the healthcare workers most likely to be exposed.

"We are told that we are heroes but we are firstly professionals and above all we want to be protected."

Mustapha Soussi, doctor in charge of emergencies at the hospital in La Mure in the Hautes-Alpes region, said one practitioner had threatened not to come into work.

"Staff are worried about the lack of masks, we fear possible infection because we are in the front line," he said.

Concerns over masks, hand sanitizer and gloves were particularly acute among community health providers. "We have zero equipment," said Kaouther ben Amor, a home nurse in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille and a mother of a little girl.

She and her colleagues provide in-home care to some 30 patients.

"I had to beg for masks at the pharmacy," she said, adding that she was able to buy only 10.

She shared them with a colleague who could not get any because the pharmacies are out of stock and now has to wear the same mask for her entire working day, from 5:30am to midday, and then 3pm to 8pm.

"We are afraid for our patients, for us," she told AFP. "We are crying out for help because we lack resources."

"But of course, we continue to treat our patients because it is crucial for them -- we must take care of them!"

Luc Lavaud, a general practitioner in Saint-Georges-de-Mons in the central Puy-de-Dome region said he planned to provide masks and hand sanitizer for anyone arriving at his office with a cough.

But he said the plan would only work for so long.

"I have 50 masks left. And after that?"

'Who will go in our place?'

Also on Monday, the countrys National Order of Nurses called for emergency measures to provide protective equipment like masks, eye protectors and gloves to a wide range of health workers, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists and midwives.

"Health professionals must not become vectors of contamination," it said in a statement.

The nursing group also called for special measures, like shared childcare arrangements, to help boost the nursing workforce.

Even with protective equipment, some health workers said they were fearful of the virus.

Amarylis, a 39-year-old emergency nurse at the hospital in the southeastern city of Valence said she had just discovered that a 90-year-old patient she had been in contact with over the weekend had tested positive.

In her department a colleague has already contracted the disease. Amarylis worries about how to protect her family and has decided not to see her children for 15 days as a precaution.

But her fears are not enough to dissuade her from going to work. "If we dont go, who will go in our place?"

Eva Defix, a 36-years-old emergency nurse at the Puy-en-Velay hospital in southern France, said she was "a little afraid" because the best countermeasure against the new coronavirus is isolation.

"We bathe in it permanently, 12 hours in a row," said the mother of two daughters, three and six. "That inevitably generates anxiety."

Her husband is looking after the children, although she says shared childcare at the hospital and at schools is being offered.

Which is good because she expects to work overtime.

Bianca Fazi, an emergency doctor at Ajaccio hospital in Corsica and member of the French islands executive health council, said emergency doctors are likely to be the least afraid, even though they know the risks.

"I'm pretty fatalistic," she said, but she added that the health system would likely have to carry the strain for a prolonged period.

"The epidemic promises to be long."
The Senegalese team, which helped the WHO through the regions Ebola epidemic from 2014 to 2016, was one of the first two labs on the continent to be able to identify the coronavirus, fielding samples from other countries. (Forty-three of Africas 54 nations now have diagnostic tools.)
[March 17, 2020] Humana Foundation Donates $500,000 in Support of Coronavirus Pandemic Relief and Recovery Efforts

The Humana Foundation, philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), announced today it will provide $500,000 in support of coronavirus (COVID-19) relief and recovery efforts, partnering with three organizations to help those affected by the pandemic. "The coronavirus outbreak is creating unprecedented health and economic challenges for people across the country," said Bruce D. Broussard, Chairman of the Board of The Humana Foundation. "Our goal with this relief aid is to support those who are particularly vulnerable by providing access to nutritious food, utility assistance and COVID-19 screenings, ultimately bolstering recovery efforts." To address urgent and immediate needs, The Humana Foundation will donate $450,000 to Feeding America's COVID-19 response fund. Of that total, $325,000 will support communities most in need of food and nutritional support as identified by Feeding America, along with Humana's Bold Goal communities including Kentucky, Florida and Louisiana where the company is working to create more Healthy Days and greater health equity for all. Additionally, $125,000 will support those affected by the virus financially, including SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) application outreach, support for Medicaid members and utility assistance. "Individuals who were already struggling with food insecurity and financial need are particularly exposed right now as usinesses reduce shifts or close altogether in response to quarantine and social distancing efforts," said Walter D. Woods, CEO of The Humana Foundation. "Lost wages translate to an increased reliance on food banks which is why our support of Feeding America is so critical."



The Foundation will allocate an additional $50,000 to a collaborative partnership with the Community Foundation of Louisville and Norton Healthcare Foundation, helping reduce the virus spread and treat those affected by it in the greater Louisville area. The funds will be used to expand a care center for those requiring acute care, add additional telemedicine capabilities across the region, and create more places for residents to receive COVID-19 screening tests, including a mobile location. About The Humana Foundation

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation's leading health and well-being companies. Located in Louisville, Ky., the Foundation seeks to co-create communities where leadership, culture, and systems work to improve and sustain positive health outcomes. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org. Humana and The Humana Foundation are dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Our goal is to ensure that every business decision we make reflects our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our members, our employees, the communities we serve, and our planet. About Humana Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools - such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions - combine to produce a simplified experience with the goal of making health care easier to navigate and more effective. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's website at humana.com, including copies of: Annual reports to stockholders

Securities and Exchange Commission filings

Most recent investor conference presentations

Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls

Calendar of events

Corporate Governance information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005531/en/

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By Jamie Freed and Tim Hepher

SYDNEY/PARIS (Reuters) - Boeing and other U.S. aviation companies are seeking billions of dollars in aid as they battle to survive a plunge in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, while Airbus is pausing production at two sites to bolster health and safety measures.

The rapid spread of the virus across the world has battered airlines as governments have introduced travel restrictions and consumers have stopped making bookings, calling into question the survival of several companies.

To preserve cash, airlines are cutting flights, laying off staff, suspending dividends, selling planes and flying cargo on empty passenger jets.

"It's now fair to call this the single biggest shock that global aviation has ever experienced," Qantas Airways Ltd <QAN.AX> CEO Alan Joyce said in a memo to the airline's 30,000 staff on Tuesday that was seen by Reuters.

Boeing Co <BA.N> on Monday said it was in talks with senior White House officials and congressional leaders about short-term assistance for the entire U.S. aviation sector.

U.S. airlines and cargo carriers have said they are seeking at least $58 billion in loans and grants along with additional tax changes, while airports are seeking $10 billion.

European airlines have also stepped up calls for emergency government aid. Passenger traffic across the region slumped by more than half on average last week, and the situation will worsen as borders closed, trade body Airports Council International Europe said.

Industry consultancy Tourism Economics forecast international travel will slump at least 10.5% this year, the biggest year-on-year drop.

Planemaker Airbus SE <AIR.PA> said on Tuesday it would pause production and assembly at its French and Spanish sites for the next four days to put in place strict health and safety provisions.

British infrastructure and aviation group Stobart <STOB.L> said it likely needed additional liquidity because of the disruption to its business, especially at London Southend Airport.

Story continues

Airbus shares were down more than 7% at 0930 GMT after heavy losses on Monday. Boeing shares closed down 24% on Monday.

In Asia, Qantas, which is looking to raise a few hundred million dollars by refinancing some aircraft, said on Tuesday it planned to cut international capacity by 90% and domestic capacity by 60% until at least the end of May.

"Our goal is to protect as many jobs as possible and to make sure we remain strong enough to ride this out," Joyce told staff in the memo seen by Reuters.

New Zealand's Auckland International Airport <AIA.NZ> said on Monday it would scrap its interim dividend after freezing hiring and halting discretionary spending.

Air New Zealand <AIR.NZ> said it would cut capacity to Australia by 80% from March 30 to June 30 after both countries said over the weekend that all travellers would need to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.

Australian airports are set to lose more than A$500 million (248.18 million pounds) in take-off and landing fees, the Australian Airports Association said.

Avinor, a state-owned Norwegian company, said on Tuesday the number of passengers travelling from the country's airports fell 40% in the week ending March 15 from the same period a year earlier.

The only bright spot for airlines is the cargo market, where rates are surging as a result of the loss of capacity in the belly of passenger aircraft as those flights are cut. Airlines are flying some planes without passengers to transport cargo due to high demand.

RAISING CASH

Simon Birmingham, Australia's minister for tourism, said on Tuesday that neither Qantas nor smaller rival Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd <VAH.AX> had asked for a bailout, but that the government had not ruled out providing assistance.

"They believe they are viable and have strong cash positions ... but we want to make sure we maintain that confidence in the airlines," Birmingham told reporters.

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways <0293.HK> said on Monday it had agreed a $703.8 million deal with lessor BOC Aviation <2588.HK> to sell and lease back six Boeing 777-300ER airplanes to raise cash.

The carrier, one of the earliest and hardest hit by the outbreak due to its proximity to mainland China where the virus originated, said its full-service airlines, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, had made an unaudited loss of HK$2 billion (212.8 million pounds) in February alone.

Cathay Pacific plans to cut up to 90% of its capacity in April.

"If we do not see a relaxation of travel restrictions in the near future, we expect the same arrangement will have to continue into May," Cathay Pacific Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said in a statement.

Japan's ANA Holdings <9202.T> said it would cut 2,630 more international flights serving 58 routes between March 29 and April 24.

Philippines' Cebu Pacific <CEB.PS> said it would cancel all flights from March 19 to April 14 after stringent quarantine orders.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed and Tim Hepher; additional reporting by Colin Packham in Sydney, David Shepardson in Washington, Sayantani Ghosh in Singapore; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Gerry Doyle and Mark Potter)
Georgian textile companies have expressed their readiness to start producing face masks to fill in for the deficit caused by fears of the coronavirus.



Adjara Textile said that "as a highly socially responsible company" it will donate an amount of face masks freely to Georgia and its citizens.



The company Movi also expressed its support in the process of producing face masks.



Pharmaceutical company Smart Pharma said it would give cheesecloth freely to the country to help it produce face masks, Agenda.ge reported.



As of now Georgia has 33 confirmed cases of Covid-19. In total 637 people are under quarantine in Georgia and 54 others remain in hospitals under the observation of doctors.
As the pandemic of coronavirus infections spreads across the U.S., one figure has become a minor obsession among public health experts and journalists covering the outbreak: the number of mechanical ventilators available to treat patients who are unable to breathe on their own.

A report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month put the figure at 160,000, far short of the 740,000 that might be needed in an epidemic on the scale of the 1918 Spanish flu. (The future course of the coronavirus outbreak is still unclear.) So at President Trumps press briefing Monday afternoon, one question he faced was how many ventilators U.S. hospitals have.

Trump didnt know, and none of the members of the coronavirus response team with him stepped up to answer.

We have quite a few, the president said. It may not be enough, but if its not enough we will have it by the time we need it.

The forecast demand for ventilators, respirators and other crucial supplies has been a source of concern for health care providers as hospitals and local health departments prepare for an influx of COVID-19 patients. On conference call with governors earlier in the day, Trump advised the state executives: Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment  try getting it yourselves.

President Trump, joined by members of the coronavirus task force, speaks at a briefing at the White House Monday. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

One of the highest points of anxiety for our staff is that they wont have the supplies not only to keep themselves safe but to keep their other patients safe when it comes to isolation, said Eileen Searle, the biothreats clinical operations program manager at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Searle told Yahoo News Monday that, while senior hospital officials have been aggressively taking steps to prepare for a surge of patients related to COVID-19, the potential for shortages of personal protective equipment, such as respirators, masks and isolation gowns, presents a serious concern as nationwide cases of the virus continue to grow.

Were all competing for a small pool of those resources, Searle said. Unfortunately, this situation is highlighting how vulnerable our health care system is to disruptions in the supply chain.

Story continues

Searle told Yahoo News that Mass General first began making preparations for a coronavirus outbreak in the United States in January, starting with activating the hospitals incident command system, which allows us to streamline decision making and communication processes focusing on a specific incident. They also increased training for staff on the appropriate use of personal protective equipment and began identifying where we would place suspected and confirmed COVID patients if we exceed capacity.

Since then, Searle said, the hospital has taken additional measures, including canceling all elective procedures starting this week at the request of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. It has also begun encouraging staff who do not provide direct care to work from home, to facilitate social distancing.

Searle said that Massachusetts General is licensed for just over 1,000 beds, and is usually at almost 100 percent occupancy. Right now, she said, occupancy is slightly below normal and is expected to be reduced over the next few days, as a result of canceling elective procedures. Though the hospital will not comment publicly on how many confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases it is currently treating, Searle said, Like everywhere else, we are preparing for an expected increase in patients.

There have been 197 COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Massachusetts, none of them fatal, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Boston hospitals, including Massachusetts General Hospital, are training workers and readying rooms and beds in preparation for the likelihood of the spread of the coronavirus, including the possibility of a sudden spike in sick patients. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Searle said that under routine operations, the hospital is equipped with 150 ventilators and ICU beds, as well as critical care staff such as respiratory specialists necessary to care for 150 patients requiring high-level intensive care.

The coronavirus preparation process has involved conversations about how to allocate certain equipment in the event that the demand from patients outgrows supply.

Resource allocation is not something were used to talking about here in the United States, but we do allocate resources every day, Searle said, noting that ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machines, which function as a kind of heart-lung bypass device, are a very scarce resource, not many facilities can offer it.

Even facilities like ours that do have ECMO capability, we want to make sure we target these capabilities to people who will benefit from them.

Clinical coordinator Kaylen Smith demonstrates how to don the protective gear that must be worn when dealing with patients with an infectious disease as Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston prepares for a possible surge in coronavirus patients. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

In Italy, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, some hospitals reportedly resorted to triage in allocating ICU beds and scarce equipment, reserving them for younger, stronger patients with a better chance of recovering.

Looking at how coronavirus epidemics have been playing out in other countries, Searle said hospital officials have begun consulting a variety of doctors, nurses, even community board members, to develop clear and consistent, evidence-based standards for allocating resources that can be applied to this specific situation.

Searle said theyre also looking to the CDC for more guidance on crisis standards of care as well as dealing with a limited supply of personal protective gear. In the meantime, she said, the hospital has been giving health care providers instructions on how to reuse certain equipment when appropriate.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Napas only Bay Area airporter, Evans Airport Shuttle, has temporarily halted service, said business president Richard Marino.

Due to the Covid19 pandemic and restricted travel, we have been experiencing a lack of ridership, said a statement from the company. Service is suspended until March 31, company said.

Marino said that Evans airporter normally runs 16 trips daily  six to the Oakland airport and nine to the San Francisco airport. For now, that number is zero.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed and hope (things) gets back to normal as soon as possible, said Marino.

Marino noted that many of the Evans drivers live out of Napa County, such as Marin County. That county is now facing a shelter-in-place order, which means drivers cant get to work and his workforce is limited, noted Marino.

There are some alternative options for those that must get to an airport, he said.

Limited individual charter service will be available by advanced reservation with adequate notice, said Marino. Small private vehicles are being offered at a discounted rate to provide alternate options door-to-door as low as $225 per car. Larger groups are available as well, he said.

Hes hoping to get back to a normal schedule as soon as possible.

Weve got a lot of pieces were trying to figure out here.

For details, visit evanstransporation.com

Editors note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to all online readers. If youd like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/.

You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
New Delhi: Maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared permanent commission for women in the Navy and asked the Centre to complete the modalities within three months.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said there cannot be 101 excuses for not granting gender equality in the armed forces and a level playing field is needed.

Denying permanent commission to women officers who have served the nation would result in a serious miscarriage of justice, it said.

The bench, also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi, rejected the Centre's stand that sea sailing duties cannot be granted to SSC (Short Service Commission) women officers in the Navy because its Russian vessels do not have washrooms for them.

Such arguments, the court said, are contrary to the Centre's policy of 1991 and 1998 which lifted the statutory bar on the induction of women officers in the Navy.

The bench quashed the prospective effect of the policy barring women officers inducted before 2008 from being granted permanent commission in the Navy. It also granted pension benefits to women officers who have retired and were not granted permanent commission.

It said there cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre to allow entry of women.

"Once statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting permanent commission," the court said.

It said that there is enough documentary evidence to suggest women officers in the Navy have brought accolades to the force.
Sugars Search for Stella: a colorfully illustrated story about animals who live high on a hill at a magical place called Overlook Farm. One of the animals is named Sugar, a beautiful dark-brown-and-white horse, who has lived at the farm most of her life. Sugar is thirty-five years old and very wise, so she looks out for all her friends. There is always something exciting going on at the farm. In Sugars first adventure, her friend Stella, the mule is missing. Very worried, Sugar and some farmyard friends go searching for her, but they find much more than they bargained for!

Sugars Search for Stella is the creation of published author Linda Wright who lives at Overlook Farm where she and her family provide a permanent home for farm animals in need of care. They also participate in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and return animals to their natural habitat right on the farm. Wright shares, All of the animals in our stories are based on real-life animals who have called Overlook Farm home. Besides promoting positive messages of teamwork and acceptance in our stories, we hope to highlight the need for animal rescue and kindness towards all animals.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Linda Wrights new book is a simple and entertaining childrens story filled with delightful illustrations that will invite their imaginations into the colorful world of Overlook Farm to experience wholesome fun while learning about subtle life lessons.

View a synopsis of Sugars Search for Stella on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Sugars Search for Stella at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Sugars Search for Stella, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Rada postpones vote on land reform, awaiting guarantees from IMF  media

16:20, 17.03.20 3086

Starting today, March 17, the Verkhovna Rada will continue considering amendments to land reform.
Swearing allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP after quitting the Congress, Madhya Pradesh's rebel Congress legislators have said they would stay put with their leader.

"As Scindia is our leader, we will always stay with him. He taught us a lot. I will always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well," rebel MLA Imarti Devi told reporters here.

The rebels, including six former ministers, having been staying in a resort on the city outskirts for over a week.

Alleging that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath never heard them even for 15 minutes after they were elected around 15 months ago, party lawmaker Govind Singh Rajput said he had not been able to take up development in his constituency so far.

"Kamal Nath never heard us even for 15 minutes. Whom should we talk for development in our constituency?" lamented Rajput.
A date that started on an online dating app ended with a man shot several times Monday night in north Houston.

A man and woman agreed to meet up at an apartment in the 1300 block of Greens Parkway yesterday, according to police. Once there, the two began to argue around 10:30 p.m.
Looking out to sea one sunny day in Carna, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, my uncle Micheal Breathnac quipped in Gaelic that Boston was the "next parish"  because so many had emigrated there. Our house stands in the area known as the Gaelteacht (Irish land). The language is still spoken here as once it echoed over all of Ireland.

Many people don't know that Gaelic/Irish is a distinctive language and culture from that of England. They think being Irish is speaking English with a funny accent or brogue (an Irish word for shoe).

The Irish are a Celtic people. Julius Caesar fought them in his Gallic Wars. Descendants of the Celts still inhabit Ireland, Scotland, the Hebrides, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man and Galicia in Spain.

Like my parents, Donald Trump's mother Mary Anne MacLeod was first taught English in school, she being a native Gaelic speaker, born on isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, and emigrated to New York. She named the home President Trump grew up in New York, "Tara," the ancient seat of Irish kings. And Donald (Domhnall), pronounced "Doonal," in Irish means "world leader," which the president has proven to be!

With a Scottish mother and a wife born in Slovenia, Donald Trump is very close to the American immigrant experience.

Firsthand accounts of the early immigrant experience in America are few. Hungarian immigrant and historian John Lukacs wrote of the trauma of immigration  "superficially speaking the Americanization of immigrants was often surprisingly easy; but the psychic process was much more complex and difficult, than people  including writers and historians  have been accustomed to believe."

George Santayana, a Spanish immigrant, admired "the unkempt polygot people that turn to the new world with the pathetic but manly purpose of beginning life on a new principle."

Walking the Carna road when returning to graduate school at Trinity College, Dublin, years ago, I was conscious of a sadness rising as I pondered the difficulties of members of my family and all those who had walked this same path of immigrating to America, leaving the old world and old ways behind.

Along the road, people greeted me with "hi" till I answered in the native tongue. After I had gone by, I could hear them whispering in Irish  "nil strainseir"  that I was not a stranger. Yet I always felt myself to be a kind of stranger, wandering between two worlds.

Being Irish, I believe, is a kind of exile of never belonging. Few people realize we have a native Irish language. Irish culture has also suffered from distortions of well-meaning nationalism at home and a sentimental pantomime of her culture abroad exhibited on St. Patrick's Day.

Today, Ireland is in a kind of exile from itself, its faith, tradition, and its sovereignty subsumed under the confederation of an utterly secular E.U. Ireland, which was once responsible for spreading the Christian faith throughout Europe, now belongs to a union that fails to mention Christianity in its founding constitution.

Sadly, modern man has closed himself off from the eternal dimension of reality. He has camped down on Earth and forgotten heaven. He lives without faith, or art, or history, or poetry.

The poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh wrote, "[P]oetry is of the earth where the Holy Ghost is manifest. The purpose of art is to project man imaginatively into the Other World to discover in clay the symbols, the Divine pattern."

What afflicts Ireland is the same disease affecting Western Europe. T.S. Eliot summed it up very well. "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."

William Butler Yeats, the Anglo-Irish poet, urged Ireland to remember, to resist the "filthy modern tide." My father too cautioned us with a recitation from Virgil's Ecologues to "[f]eed your cows as before, breed your bulls and keep the old ways." I'm proud to declare myself an unreconstructed Irishman and Catholic. On my saint's day, I joyfully attend Mass.

Longing souls  those of poets, priests, and artists  know that seeking the eternal is an essential part of man's being and will continue to strive to find that crossroad where time, place, and eternity meet

Exile leads one to an understanding that man is a wanderer  homo viator. St. Patrick, who converted Ireland to Christianity, understood mankind to be on a journey. He knew our homecomings without home point to another parish to a country beyond time  a realm we all hold passports to.

Patrick J. Walsh is a writer in Quincy, Massachusetts. He was attache and chief secretary for the U.S. embassy in Dublin during the Reagan administration and currently serves on President Trump's National Catholic Advisory Committee.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:42:34|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that it has suspended voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan after the country temporarily closed border with Afghanistan over COVID-19.

The voluntary repatriation program resumed on March 2 after a three-month winter break. A total of 28 individuals have so far returned to Afghanistan this month, according to the UN refugee agency.

Pakistan hosts more than 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees who hold proof of registration cards and some 4.4 million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan under the UNHCR-facilitated voluntary repatriation operation since 2002, the UN refugee agency said.

Pakistan closed its border points -- Torkham in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chaman in southwestern Balochistan this week as the country stepped up measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"Following the closure of the Torkham and Chaman official border-crossing points with Afghanistan, the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been suspended. This is due to precautionary measures taken by the government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," a UNHCR's statement said.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has already surpassed 100 on Monday, according to officials.
ALBANY  Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday said he has no intention to quarantine any cities, including New York City, as he continued delivering his message that the state's available hospital beds will fall short if the federal government doesn't intervene.

The governor's remarks came as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday told residents there to be prepared for a "shelter-in-place" order, similar to ones in place in parts of California.

Cuomo countered that the governor is the only person with the authority to order a quarantine, which would require people to stay indoors except for trips to pharmacies, grocery stores or other to retrieve other necessities. Grocery stores will remain open and stocked, officials said, and some are providing exclusive shopping hours for elderly.

"All you would do is move people out of one place to another," Cuomo said of a shelter-in-place, or quarantine, order. "There are people who would just panic at the thought of being quarantined."

The governor clarified that quarantine rumors have sparked confusion about the situation in New Rochelle, Westchester County, a hotspot for the coronvirus, where the governor last week ordered a one-mile "containment zone" which consisted of closing schools and other large gathering places. Cuomo said a containment is not a mass quarantine and that residents can travel in and out of the area.

Cuomo said the state is shifting its healthcare strategy, including eliminating red tape to allow new medical professionals to begin working sooner, as he anticipates a "wave" of COVID-19 cases that could "crash" the healthcare system and overwhelm hospitals. The number of coronavirus cases is expected to peak in about 45 days, during late April or early May.

In New York, 1,374 people have tested positive for coronavirus, including 432 since Monday, and 12 have died. More than 10,000 people have been tested. Cuomo said the fatalities have been people who are older and had underlying serious health problems  a segment of the population he expects will require the additional hospital beds. More than 80 percent of those who are diagnosed with the flu-like illness "self-resolve" at home, he has said.

New York has 53,000 hospital beds, including 3,000 intensive care unit beds. The hospitalization rate for people afflicted with COVID-19, the illness caused by novel coronavirus, is increasing 15 to 19 percent. Most of those needing hospitalization are older individuals with underlying health issues, ranging from emphysema to cancer.

"We're trying to determine what is the apex of that curve, what is the consequence, so we can match it to the capacity of the healthcare system," Cuomo said. "The expected peak is around 45 days ... (when) they are expecting as many as 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds will be needed. That, my friends, is the problem."

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New York, New Jersey and Connecticut on Monday ordered all bars, restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and casinos to close and remain shuttered until further notice.

Bars and restaurants can remain open for takeout and delivery, and were granted a waiver for carry-out alcohol.

Cuomo said his office has received the most complaints about the closure of bars.

"If you were upset by what we have done, be upset at me," Cuomo said. "I made these decisions. These were all state-ordered rules, its not the local elected. ... I know businesses will be hurt by this, I dont feel good about that.  My judgment is do whatever is necessary to contain this virus and then we will manage the consequences afterward."

Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced the regional approach to combating the virus in response to what they characterized as a lack of strong federal action.

"Whatever we do, we will do statewide," Cuomo said, adding he is not considering a shelter-in-place directive like the one in place in multiple counties in California. "Ideally, whatever we do, we will do regionally with the other states."

In addition to the closures, gatherings of 50 people or more were barred effective at 8 p.m. Monday, on the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cuomo also said that all schools in the state are ordered to close Wednesday, but must develop plans for remote education, child care and meals for those in need.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Village elections that were to be held on Wednesday have been postponed until April 28, the date of the state's presidential primary. Cuomo said he has not given any consideration to moving the primary date.

The governor directed nonessential state employees statewide to work from home starting Tuesday. He directed local governments to reduce their overall workforce by 50 percent and allow nonessential employees to work from home.

President Donald Trump and Cuomo spoke by phone Tuesday to discuss New York's response to the coronavirus, as it is currently the state with the worst outbreak in the nation. Trump and Cuomo had traded barbs on Twitter and through the media but on Tuesday struck a friendlier tone.

Trump called the call "great" during a White House press conference Tuesday.

"My conversation with Andrew Cuomo was a very, very productive one," he said.

Cuomo has called on Trump to deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to help build or retrofit temporary medical facilities in order to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Trump said Tuesday the Army Corps of Engineers will be working on expanding hospital capacity in some areas and the Department of Defense is examining deploying mobile army surgical hospitals (MASH hospitals) to serve civilians.

"He knows our situation in New York and I believe him when he says he is fully committed to doing everything he can," Cuomo said.

The state is checking with medical schools, and reaching out to retired medical personnel, to increase the number of healthcare workers that may be needed should the virus continue spreading as expected.

Cuomo is also asking all local governments to immediately identify buildings that could be converted into temporary facilities. New York City should find space for 5,000 additional beds, he said. Westchester should find space for 2,000, and Nassau and Suffolk counties should find space for 1,000 each.

The fiscal fallout for the state is dismal. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli estimated on Tuesday that the most optimistic revenue scenario puts New York $4 billion behind initial projections included in the governors executive budget. But, given deteriorating conditions and the potential likelihood of a deep recession in the coming fiscal year, New York could be $7 billion below original estimates.

Stock market volatility and the unknown trajectory of the illness make it difficult to make solid revenue forecasts, DiNapoli said. Cuomo still intends to hit the state's April 1 budget deadline, and lawmakers are working toward an expedited financial plan.

"We did our revenue estimate before any of this," Cuomo said. "If the revenues are below that, we have to have a built-in mechanism to adjust the expenditures ... so you don't have to come back every 24 hours to re-adjust the budget when the revenues shift."

Staff writers Emilie Munson and Cayla Harris contributed to this report.
Gogoi had headed a Supreme Court bench which monitored the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam.

Taking a swipe at the government for the nomination of former CJI Gogoi to the Upper House in Parliament, senior Congress leader compared former CJI Gogoi to former justice HR Khanna in a subtle tweet.

Justice H R Khanna remembered for : 1) his integrity

2)standing up to govt.

3) upholding rule of law Ranjan Gogoi for lapping up a Rajya Sabha nomination for 1) being saved by govt.

2) standing in line with it

3) compromising his own and the integrity of the institution  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) March 17, 2020

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday nominated former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha. Gogoi served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from 3 October, 2018, to 17 November, 2019. On 9 November, 2019, the five-judge bench headed by him had delivered the verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya dispute case.

He also headed a Supreme Court bench which monitored the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam. On 12 January, 2018, Justice Gogoi  along with Justices J Chelameswar, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph  had called a press conference and said the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things had taken place. Unless this institution is preserved, "democracy will not survive in this country," the four judges had said. A day later, Gogoi had said that "there is no crisis" in the Supreme Court.

Opposition leaders allege 'quid pro quo'

Shortly after the announcement was made, some Opposition leaders expressed their disenchantment with the decision. All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said 

Is it quid pro quo? How will people have faith in the Independence of Judges ? Many Questions pic.twitter.com/IQkAx4ofSf  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 16, 2020

Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said, "I hope ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi would have the good sense to say 'NO' to the offer of Rajya Sabha seat to him. Otherwise, he will cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary."

According to a DNA report, in 2017, the Aam Aadmi Party had requested former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur to fight the Rajya Sabha elections from Delhi on behalf of the party but was turned down by the legal luminary.

With inputs from ANI
Barr: Prioritize Investigations of Fraudsters Looking to Take Advantage of Coronavirus Pandemic

Attorney General William Barr has instructed U.S. attorneys nationwide to prioritize prosecutions and investigations of scammers, fraudsters, and cybercriminals who are seeking to take advantage of the public panic over the coronavirus outbreak.

Barr issued a directive on March 16 urging federal prosecutors to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic.

The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic, and this sort of conduct cannot be tolerated, Barr said in the memo.

He cited reports of individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, online and also engaging in other forms of fraud such as sending out phishing emails posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He also said there were also reports of malware being installed onto mobile applications designed to track the spread of the virus.

Barr said the Justice Departments (DOJ) critical mission must continue during the outbreak and that he will ensure that the departments law enforcement functions will continue to operate effectively during this period.

It is vital that we work together to safeguard our justice system and thus the safety and security of our nation, he wrote.

Last week, the DOJ cautioned that individuals and companies who fix prices or rig bids on items such as sterile gloves, protective masks, and other personal protective equipment could face criminal prosecution. It also warned against allocating consumers of public health products among competitors.

The Department of Justice stands ready to make sure that bad actors do not take advantage of emergency response efforts, healthcare providers, or the American people during this crucial time, Barr said in a statement at the time. I am committed to ensuring that the departments resources are available to combat any wrongdoing and protect the public.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), price-fixing is an agreement among competitors to raise, lower, or stabilize prices or competitive terms of any product or service. This conduct is illegal because it restricts competition and often results in higher prices.

The departments Procurement Collusion Strike Force, which was formed as a national response to combat antitrust crimes, is also on high alert for collusive behavior in the sale of the health products across the country.

State attorneys general across the country are also paying close attention to individuals and businesses who are engaging in unfair business practices such as price gouging and fraudulent conduct during this crisis.

New York, for example, has already taken action against companies that are fraudulently marketing treatments for the virus. New York Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to two companies on March 11 ordering them to immediately stop selling colloidal silver products marketed as a cure for coronavirus. There are currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccine to prevent the disease or treatment to cure the illness.

As of Tuesday, there were 97 deaths in the United States from the virus and over 5,800 cases identified in the country, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University. The virus has spread to over 100 countries and territories and infected at least 196,106 people as of March 17.
German Aldana, who has paralysis, participates in experimental trials of what are called brain-computer interfaces. Scientists are trying to read the brain-cell activity connected to his thoughts about physical movement and use that to trigger actions - either from a computer cursor, a keypad or assistive devices. Read more

At age 16, German Aldana was riding in the backseat of a car driven by a friend when another car headed straight for them. To avoid a collision, his friend swerved and hit a concrete pole. The others werent seriously injured, but Aldana, unbuckled, was tossed around enough to snap his spine just below his neck. For the next five years, he could move only his neck, and his arms a little.

Right after he turned 21 and met the criteria, Aldana signed up for a research project at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, near his home.

Researchers with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis carefully opened Aldanas skull and, at the surface of the brain, implanted electrodes. Then, in the lab, they trained a computer to interpret the pattern of signals from those electrodes as he imagines opening and closing his hand. The computer then transfers the signal to a prosthetic on Aldanas forearm, which then stimulates the appropriate muscles to cause his hand to close. The entire process takes 400 milliseconds from thought to grasp.

A year after his surgery, Aldana can grab simple objects, like a block. He can bring a spoon to his mouth, feeding himself for the first time in six years. He can grasp a pen and scratch out some legible letters. He has begun experimenting with a treadmill that moves his limbs, allowing him to take steps forward or stop as he thinks about clenching or unclenching the fingers of his right hand.

But only in the lab. Researchers had permission to test it only in their facility, but theyre now applying for federal permission to extend their study. The hope is that by the end of this year, Aldana will be able to bring his device home  improving his ability to feed himself and open doors, restoring some measure of independence.

Aldana is one of a small number of people with paralysis nationwide who are participating in experimental trials of what are called brain-computer interfaces. Although people like Aldana can no longer move their limbs at will, they still can think about moving them. Scientists are trying to read the brain-cell activity connected to those thoughts and use that to trigger actions  either from a computer cursor, a keypad, or assistive devices  like Aldanas prosthetic.

Brain-computer interfaces today are about where the personal computer was in the early 1980s, said A. Bolu Ajiboye, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. In the not-too-distant future, he said, Theyre going to get exponentially better.

Through efforts like these and others, conditions are slowly changing for the 12,000 to 13,000 people a year who suffer a spinal cord injury, said David Putrino, director of the Abilities Research Center at Mount Sinai Health System in New York.

Long told all the things they would never do again, patients, with the help of technologies like brain-computer interfaces, are now able to imagine resuming many activities, said Putrino, a physical therapist with a Ph.D. in neuroscience.

"People are waking up to this new and wonderful world where there are all these new technologies we can use to trick the nervous system into getting a little bit more out of the body when an injury has occurred," he said.

Researchers are exploring three ways to capture brain signals that can then be used to restore some movement: One approach measures EEG brain waves from outside the brain; the Miami approach embeds electrodes just inside the skull; and a third places them inside the brain, close enough to pick up the activity of individual neurons.

Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, Ajiboye said. And all of the devices will have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration before they can be used outside of a research setting, so they are years from being publicly available.

All three approaches share three big challenges, said Jennifer Collinger, a biomedical engineer and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh:

 Making the technology more robust so people can do more of the activities they want and gain more independence.

 Shrinking the systems without losing effectiveness, to make them more portable and less intrusive.

 Bringing the technology out of the lab to make it more useful and usable in everyday life.

The real hope of these technologies is that theyll provide true independence, said Leigh Hochberg, a professor of engineering at Brown and a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who also works for the Providence VA Medical Center.

Ultimately, the technology should be small enough to fit in someone's pocket, he said, rather than requiring racks of neural signaling processing hardware.

Right after his implant surgery, Aldana said, it took a lot of concentration to control his hand movements, but now all he has to do is imagine.

"I think of squeezing and it closes and stays closed until I'm ready to let go," he said. "It opens quickly, closes faster. It's more accurate."

Aldana said he decided a couple of days after his accident that Im going to try my hardest to get as well as I could. Being in the trial is part of that commitment to himself and to others like him, whom he hopes he is helping by participating in the research.

"I'm doing it for me, but also to help other people," he said. "I saw a lot of people [with similar injuries] who were basically giving up. That wasn't me."
Failure to comply with the rules set by the authorities concerning the coronavirus outbreak will constitute a misdemeanour and be punishable with a fine of up to 500,000 forints (EUR 1,500), the head of the emergency centre set up by the operative board coordinating the epidemic response said.

Legislation on the emergency measures aimed at combatting the outbreak is already being drafted, Tibor Lakatos told a press conference, adding that the rules would be enforced by the police.



The government has also instructed the human resources ministry to keep a record of Hungarys full-time medical students so that if necessary, they could be called on to help manage the health crisis, he said.



It will also authorise the police force to manage health data necessary for carrying out its duties, Lakatos added. Concerning police monitoring of residents compliance with home quarantine regulations, he said so far 40 people had been caught breaking the rules.



As regards Mondays Denial-of-Service attack against the government information website for disseminating information on the coronavirus outbreak, Lakatos said the source of and intent behind the attack was under investigation.



Asked why Hungarys mobile container hospital was being built in Kiskunhalas, he said the southern Hungarian town was relatively close to the capital, where most of the infections have been identified, adding that it was also the area where the right infrastructure conditions for such a facility were in place.



MTI Photo: Varga Gyorgy
Property owners affected by the tornadoes earlier this month now face two options: rebuild or bulldoze.

The storms damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses throughout Middle Tennessee. And historic buildings will require extra care.

Just hours after a tornado tore through East Nashville, architectural historian Robbie Jones stood outside his office in Five Points. The 125-year-old building was in shambles. Jones couldnt believe what he was seeing.

We all cried, and then we rolled up our sleeves and got to work because we had to get our offices, what we could, salvaged, out, before the building  it was actually collapsing while we were salvaging things, the roofs were caving in, Jones says.

A week later, Jones and I are standing on the front lawn of his crumbling office building on South 11th Street, soaking in the scene.

Most of the street is blocked off by utility trucks, as crews work to replace downed electric poles. Windows are boarded up, roofs covered with blue tarp. Piles of rubble spill from the outer walls of collapsing homes.

The steeple from the church, two doors down, landed on top of our building upside-down and demolished an entire section of the building, Jones says. So, while the front looks OK, when you go inside and go to the rear, its just, its in shambles.

Jones doesnt know if the structure can be repaired. He says preservationists might have to remove historic relics that survived  mantles, doors, trim  piece by piece.

And he says historic buildings like this give East Nashville its character.

Four squares, bungalows and Victorians cropped up around the streetcar suburb in the mid-nineteenth century, Jones says, with the hope that the area would be compact and walkable. And that, he says, is why the community is so strong. Because its been that way for a century-and-a-half.

This tornado seemed to hit  strike the historic neighborhoods the hardest, Jones says. And thats the most heartbreaking for us that love historic buildings, neighborhoods, and do this for a living, because so many of those were demolished and damaged beyond repair.

But Fred Zahn, from the Metropolitan Historical Commission, says some older buildings actually fared better than newer ones, because of higher construction standards at the time they were built.

Thats the upside of these historic buildings, is that they are almost infinitely reparable, because their bones are so good, Zahn says.

Still, that only goes for buildings with bones left to save. Zahn says preservationists have to be realistic.

Were not going to require a person to spend an onerous amount of money putting back something thats largely gone, he says.

But he adds that the commission strives to save historic structures whenever the damage is minor enough that it can be repaired. Thats because historic buildings are a finite resource, Zahn says.

You cant just go out and build something historic, he says. One of the things that most cities pride themselves on is a sense of identity and what makes them special. And the more of that you lose  either to some type of tragedy or natural disaster, or to development  the more of that historic fabric you lose, you cant help but lose a certain degree of identity.

Robbie Jones, the historian, hopes any rebuilding that happens honors the historic nature of the citys oldest neighborhoods. The last thing he wants is for developers to swoop in and demolish buildings that could be saved, just to make way for tall skinnies and Airbnbs.

No one is anti-development. We just want it to be done correctly and make sure the neighbors are, their opinions are brought to the table, because we actually live here. Were the ones who helped save the neighborhood, he says.

David Paine is also worried about post-tornado redevelopment across the river in Germantown. Hes a real estate agent with multiple listings in historic buildings in the neighborhood, and also served on the Metro Historic Commission for seven years.

When you lose structures, and something new gets built in, theres always the risk that what you lost was better than what you get, Paine says.

He worries that redevelopment after the tornado will speed up gentrification in the neighborhood. Thats what happened in East Nashville in the late 90s.

I hope that what is done and re-done in Germantown can be done with care for the architectural fabric and care for the human beings that live there, he says.

Paine says hes shocked by the randomness of the tornado. Some of his favorite buildings survived completely unscathed. Others, like those that housed the Geist restaurant and Music City Cleaners, along Jefferson Street, were damaged, perhaps beyond the point of repair.

The thing that really is very difficult to accept is the irreplaceable Victorian structures that are destroyed, he says. The corner store, the corner of Jefferson and 7th, is in complete ruin. And that was, sort of, a neighborhood entry point that was, sort of, a marker for the beginning of Germantown, and its gone.

Two blocks away, on the corner of 7th Avenue and Monroe Street, the Catholic Church of the Assumption is still assessing the damage to its property. Piles of blown-off bricks are stacked beside the scaffolded wall. Many of the stained-glass windows are shattered.

Laura Cooper is the churchs office manager. She watched the tornado pass through on the weather radar and knew the congregation must have been hit.

We really havent had time to process whats happened to us, Cooper says. Weve been so busy dealing with covering the roof, securing the building, acting in crisis mode.

Cooper is still waiting for all the estimates from the insurance company. She says replacing the stained-glass windows, alone, will cost more than $600,000.

We ask people to pray. Pray for the structure of the building, pray for the knowledge of the people who are doing the work, making the decisions for the dioceses of Nashville, the other churches, the other people that have been affected. The people that have lost their lives, she says. I mean, theres still so much to be thankful for. But, you know, I think everybody in the area needs prayer.

Cooper doesnt know if the Catholic dioceses will decide its worth spending the money to rebuild. But for now, theyre using makeshift spaces to keep holding mass and baptizing babies. Anything to make this moment feel a bit more normal.

Some other notable historic buildings damaged in the tornadoes:

The Catholic Church of the Assumption (1859, 1227 7th Ave. N., Germantown)

Tennessee State Prison (1898)

Geist, John, and Sons, Blacksmith Shop and House (1900, 309-311 Jefferson St., Germantown)

Dodson Chapel United Methodist Church (1903, 4107 Dodson Chapel Rd., Hermitage)

East End United Methodist Church (1905, 1212 Holly St., East End)

Third Baptist Church/Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church (1906, 908 Monroe St., Buena Vista)

Music City Cleaners/TheLab Nashville (1910, 624 Jefferson St., Germantown)

Temore Willis Home (1910, 1006 Monroe St., Buena Vista)

The Church at Lockeland Springs (1910, 1601 Holly St., Lockeland Springs)

Holly Street Fire Hall (1914, 1600 Holly St., Lockeland Springs)

North Branch Library (1915, 1001 Monroe St., Buena Vista)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Tennessee
Some of Australia's biggest resources companies are expected to jostle for gas-drilling rights in Victoria after the state government overturned a long-held moratorium on conventional onshore exploration.

The Andrews government's announcement on Tuesday - three months before a decision was due - was welcomed by gas producers, unions and heavy gas users, such as manufacturers, who had called for the years-long moratorium to be abolished.

Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes announcing the government will lift its moratorium on conventional onshore gas alongside Premier Daniel Andrews. Credit:Joe Armao

Environmental groups remain fiercely opposed, arguing onshore drilling will drive up greenhouse gas emissions and threaten state ecosystems.

The decision will allow exploration and drilling for gas to commence from the middle of next year.
New Delhi, March 17 : Amid the social distancing chants during the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the great Indian community -- known to be social animals that love to throw parties for every single occasion -- is caged at homes, unable to grasp the new reality around them.

No outings, no late night parties, no birthday dinners and, above all, no movies at cinema halls while dealing with both work and kids at home - this curfew-like atmosphere is unprecedented for many due to a global health crisis.

Experts, however, say that this is just another phase in life that would soon go away and people should live in the moment and enjoy some "me-time".

"Even as physical distancing is encouraged, it's important to stay emotionally connected to loved ones - use social media, cell phones and video calls to keep in touch with friends and family," said Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health and Behaviour sciences, Fortis Healthcare.

People who are self-isolated at home, they need to maintain a regular routine -- this involves a regular sleep-awake pattern, eating balanced meals and physical exercise.

"Create a list of tasks you want to achieve every day and maintain work-life boundaries by designating a specific time and space to work. Listen to music, watch movies or read a book; use this time meaningfully to engage in activities or hobbies you have wanted to," Parikh told IANS.

Panic is bigger threat that the actual one so stick to reliable sources of information and restrict how much you consume news to a maximum of 1-2 times a day.

"There is a line between caution and panic, one that we must not cross. It's important to check facts and be mindful of the information we ourselves read and forward on social media. Also promote stories of strength and positivity in these times of distress," Parikh emphasized.

According to Dr Manish Jain, Consultant, Psychiatry, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, There is so much panic because people apprehend the worst-case scenario.

"They need to understand facts and clear myths related to COVID-19. More they'll be aware of facts, less there will be panic," said Jain.

The need of the hour is altruism and social responsibility.

"Don't hoard excessive supplies, support others in times of distress, maintain hygiene practices and observe physical distancing, not just for your own safety but that of others as well," Jain told IANS.

With the rising incidence of Covid-19 in the country, it's natural for people to be concerned about their own health and safety as well as of their loved ones.

Till the time you are home, do indoor productive and pleasurable activities such as reading, learn something new such as guitar, socialise with family -- while safety and cleanliness on top of your mind.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Drawing from the firestorm of virus infections in Wuhan, China, most public health experts concluded that transmission is largely through aerosol droplets, and thus the best way to slow the spread is to keep people away from those who could cough out the virus, and to avoid picking it up from touched surfaces. This social distancing, plus rigorous testing, as carried out in South Korea to identify and isolate the sick, seems to help flatten the curve of infections over time  making it into a mound rather than a spike. The flattened curve could pay huge benefits because it would prevent the overwhelming of hospitals and health-care services, a nightmare scenario that has occurred in Milan and northern Italy.
Hibiscus Coast Zonta Club president Janet Hope.

The way in which women make connections in the community came through strongly at a ceremony held in Orewa on March 6 to mark International Womens Day, which is also Zonta International Rose Day.

The rose ceremony is held annually by Hibiscus Coast Zonta Club, which presents yellow Zonta roses to women who make a difference in the local community.

This years recipients are Suzanne Booth, executive director of HBC Youth Centre, Helen Harford of Quilts for Hospice, Anita Hinton, founder of I Got Your Backpack, Cherylle Wood of Bright Bears childcare centre in Whangaparaoa and Love Soup director Julie King.

Receiving her rose, Anita Hinton thanked Zonta, which had, it turned out, helped support her in the past, when she was in need. Zonta Hibiscus Coast works with Hestia Womens Refuge  including donating buckets of cleaning products. Anita, herself a survivor of domestic violence, once received one of those buckets.

That was where I started my journey to help others, Anita told the group. Receiving the bucket, and other support from Hestia, gave me the idea that someone had my back.

Love Soups Julie King could not be at the ceremony, but the Youth Centres Suzanne Booth already knows her well, as the centre is one of the recipients of food rescued by Love Soup. The Youth Centre then distributes the food through its network.

A further connection was made between Zonta Hibiscus Coast president Janet Hope, who has worked with hospice, and recipient Helen Harford, who makes quilts to donate to hospice with her group.

And finally, there was the fact that Cherylle Wood of Bright Bears was recognised with a Zonta rose after the organisation spotted a story about the work Cherylle does in the community, in Hibiscus Matters.
As many as 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) in last five years, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, however, said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise.

A total of 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been granted Long Term Visa (LTV) from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 after their arrival in India, he said replying to a written question.

The minister said the government has extended various facilities to such people living in India on LTV.

These include grant of LTV for a period of five years at a time, allowing their children to take admission in schools, colleges, universities, technical/professional institutions without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration, permitting them to engage in employment in private sector, purchase of dwelling unit and accommodation for carrying out self employment, opening of bank accounts, issuance of driving license, PAN card and Aadhaar number, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SAN DIEGO - A federal judge Tuesday sentenced former California Republican Rep. Duncan to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty for stealing his campaign funds and spending the money on everything from outings with friends to his daughters birthday party.

The ex-Marines defence attorneys had asked for home confinement, citing his military service including fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his nearly six terms in Congress. Hunter resigned from Congress in January after representing one of Southern Californias last solidly Republican districts.

Prosecutors submitted 87 pages of details to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan ahead of Tuesdays sentencing that showed a corrupt congressman who intentionally and repeatedly stole from his campaign funds for a decade.

Whelan also sentenced him to three years of supervised release.

The funds bankrolled private school tuition for his children, his wifes shopping sprees, weekend trips with his mistress and drinking parties in Washington.

A broke and debt-saddled Hunter also cavalierly spent campaign money on small things, such as a tin of chewing tobacco, and a copy of the book, Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid, according to prosecutors.

And after he was caught, he ran for reelection and tried to convince voters in the district east of San Diego that as a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, he was the victim of a political witch hunt by left-leaning prosecutors trying to drive him out of office in Democratic California.

A year after winning a sixth term, Hunter pleaded guilty to a single corruption charge. He and his wife, who served as his campaign manager, each faces up to five years in jail.

Prosecutors said a 14-month prison sentence is needed to punish a lawmaker who misled his constituents and whose wrongdoing has now left the 50th congressional district without a representative. Hunter resigned from Congress in January. A Democrat and Republican are headed to a November runoff for his seat.

As we now know, Hunter lied to the people about his guilt. Not once, but countless times. In doing so, he conned voters into electing a soon-to-be-convict, prosecutors wrote in their arguments for the prison term.

The Hunters were accused in a 60-count indictment of stealing more than $250,000 in campaign contributions and trying to hide it on financial disclosure records, listing some personal expenses as contributions to wounded warriors.

Each pleaded guilty to a single count in separate plea agreements last year.

Defence attorneys say he deserves 11 months in home confinement because of his military and public service. They said he saved thousands of San Diego jobs on the chopping block and helped craft laws to better the lives of veterans.

His parents wrote a letter pointing out his bravery in signing up for the Marine Corps the day after the Sept. 11 attacks, and a Democratic colleague, San Diego Rep. Juan Vargas, penned that Mr. Hunter needs special counselling and treatment after fighting our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hunter is not the first congressmen accused of the illegal use of campaign money. Prosecutors compared Hunters case to that of former Illinois Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., who got 30 months for stealing $750,000 in campaign funds.

Hunters defence lawyers compare him to former California Rep. Jay Kim, who was spared prison time in 1998 and sentenced to two months home confinement after he admitted to taking more than $250,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

Hunters conviction ended his familys political dynasty in the 50th congressional district. Hunter won the seat after his father. Hunter L. Duncan, represented the area of suburbs and farm towns for 28 years before retiring.
Technavio has been monitoring the silicon on insulator (SOI) market and it is poised to grow by USD 1.28 bn during 2019-2023. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005485/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire).

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. The need for low-power solutions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Need for low-power solutions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market is segmented as below:

Product

RF-SOI

FD-SOI

PD-SOI

Others

Geographic Segmentation

Americas

APAC

EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30277

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our silicon on insulator (SOI) market report covers the following areas:

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market Size

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market Trends

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies ongoing investments in new fabs as one of the prime reasons driving the silicon on insulator (SOI) market growth during the next few years.

Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the silicon on insulator (SOI) market, including some of the vendors such as GlobalWafers, Shanghai Simgui Technology, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Soitec and SUMCO. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the silicon on insulator (SOI) market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist silicon on insulator (SOI) market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the silicon on insulator (SOI) market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the silicon on insulator (SOI) market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of silicon on insulator (SOI) market vendors

Table of Content

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

RF-SOI Market size and forecast 2018-2023

FD-SOI Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PD-SOI Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

PART 08: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 12: MARKET TRENDS

PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

PART 15: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

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Srinagar, March 17 : Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) President Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to restore high speed mobile internet, as part of preventive measures against the spread of coronavirus in Jammu & Kashmir.

In a statement here, Bukhari observed that restoration of 4G mobile internet services in J&K would enable people especially the students to remain engaged inside their homes, thereby effectively containing the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Bukhari said that since all the educational institutes are closed in J&K the students have been left with no option but to remain idle in their homes which has a telling impact on their future.

He said that as COVID-19 spreads at an alarming rate, the public health officials have called for minimal public gatherings "which is pushing many activities online. The issue is particularly severe for schools, where the risk of spreading the disease is high. As many J&K schools have shifted to online lesson plans, home restricted students are running into the limitations of mobile internet services, which leave most of them unable to connect to their new online classrooms or download lesson plans," Bukhari remarked.

He said that since all schools, colleges and universities are closed as a result of coronavirus outbreak, millions of students are missing classes, creating an "unparalleled" education disruption in the region.

"Earlier our students missed classes due to disruptions created by August 5, 2019 decision on Article 370 and now the novel coronavirus outbreak has posed a serious challenge to our children to cope with their counterparts in the country who enjoy all other educational facilities including high speed mobile internet," Bukhari said, while demanding immediate restoration of 4G mobile internet services in J&K.

Similarly, he said that the business community and a large section of the people who are working in the private sector are unable to do their businesses.

Bukhari expressed hope that the restoration of high speed mobile internet will go a long way in easing the situation not only for the home confined students but for the business community and those working in the private sector.

"The tourism trade has also taken a big hit in absence of high speed mobile internet services while businesses including tour and travel operators, chartered accounts, call centres, fresh start-ups and entrepreneurs have also suffered hugely," he said, while urging the Home Minister to order restoration of 4G mobile internet services.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 07:50:07|Editor: huaxia

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Palestinian teacher Jihad Abu Sharar, 38, is seen inside her house teaching a lesson via webcam to her students to comply with the new measures against the spread of novel coronavirus, in Dura town, near the West Bank city of Hebron, on March 16, 2020. The West Bank has been under a state of emergency since March 5, after the outbreak of the deadly virus in the city of Bethlehem. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua)
ESPANOLA  A New Mexico school district has agreed to pay $475,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of a boy who was punched by a music teacher.

A copy of the settlement says New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority agreed to make the payout on behalf of Tony E. Quintana Sombrillo Elementary School in December.

The school is part of Espanola Public Schools.

The boys parents filed the suit in November 2017, two months after former teacher John Andrew Valdez pleaded guilty to three counts of battery. He agreed to complete 18 months of probation as part of the plea agreement, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

Prosecutors say Valdez struck the 9-year-old boy and two other children.

About $180,000 was paid to the childs attorney, according to the agreement, and about $294,600 was placed in a trust for the boy.

The boy and his family  who were identified only by their initials  said in the complaint that Valdez screamed at the boy and punched him three times with a closed fist, dislocating his shoulder.

Defendant Valdez then kicked another male student in the shin and grabbed a third male students hair, pulling that student to the ground, according to the complaint. Valdez shouted at the students that they were stupid and to shut up,  the lawsuit says.

The family also named the elementary schools former principal in the complaint, saying the children reported the attack to him, but he didnt call police or contact parents.

When the student arrived home from school that afternoon, the complaint says, he had blood on his clothes, threw up, and was acting strangely and was unable to walk. His parents took him to the hospital and medical staff made a report to police.

Valdez was fired a short time later and agreed to a two-year suspension of his teaching license, according to the complaint.

Valdez had taught in various New Mexico schools since at least 1996, when he was a music teacher at Pojoaque High School, according to the lawsuit.

State police investigated Valdez in 2008 after a woman told police he had pulled her shirt up and ran his hand up her thigh after she refused to have sex with him, the complaint says. Valdez claimed the contact was consensual, the complaint says, and no charges were filed.
This Sunday (22 March) in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui  the Anglican Church in Hong Kong  and Macau. The Archbishop of Hong Kong and Bishop of Hong Kong Island, Archbishop Paul Kwong, introduces his province and sets out items for prayer.

In this season of Lent, everyone in Hong Kong is concerned about the new Corona virus, COVID-19. It began in Wuhan, China at the end of December and by late January we saw our first cases in Hong Kong and Macau. As of this writing, it has spread all over the world, with very serious outbreaks in Korea, Iran and Italy, as well as China. We pray for all of those who are suffering from the virus, and we pray especially for the frontline medical workers.

The number of confirmed cases of the virus in Hong Kong and Macau is still low. This is due to the effective social distancing promoted by the Hong Kong government to contain the outbreak. As a result, government offices and many businesses encouraged people to work from home, although this policy is now ending. Our schools are closed until after Easter.

Our churches stay open, but we have not met for public worship since mid-February. Many priests, church staff, teachers and social service workers are working from home, but priests continue to make pastoral visits. We ask for your prayers for the people of Hong Kong, and for the economic hardships we are experiencing due to the decline of business and industry. Small locally owned shops and businesses have been especially hard hit.

Our churches have been contributing funds and resources to help alleviate virus-related problems in mainland China. We are in regular contact with the China Christian Council and government agencies coordinating anti-virus programs. Many of us maintain contact with friends and colleagues in the Chinese Church, sharing our concerns and getting a better picture of what is happening on the ground.

Our Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Social Welfare Council, which has hundreds of service units in Hong Kong and Macau has been appealing for surgical masks and epidemic prevention supplies for the under privileged groups in our community, the elderly, deprived families and people with disabilities. Individuals, churches, charities and social enterprises have generously responded to this Act of Love  Five Loaves and Two Fishes appeal.

Online services in our churches are often drawing in more worshippers than previously attended in person. Theological and religious education continues online, and sometimes in individual tutorials or in small group settings. We notice simple acts of kindness and grace: a priest praying with a daughter whose father is still in Wuhan; a woman offering an extra mask to a street cleaner who doesnt have one; students starting an online prayer group to pray for their fellow students on the mainland.

The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui continues to participate in regional and international activities, often through teleconferencing, sometimes in person. We are strengthened through our connection with the Anglican Communion, and to learn that people in other churches are praying for us. And in spite of all the challenges we face, we are thankful to God that we are called to mission in this place and at this time.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Gov. Mike DeWine opened the door Tuesday to the possibility that the postponed March 17 primary election could be conducted by mail  something that a handful of other states have done for years.

DeWine, asked during his daily coronavirus briefing if he would consider a mail-in election, said his focus in suggesting a June 2 primary was to provide enough time for Democrats, Republicans and independents to exercise their right to vote.

We put forward an idea.  but we are open to discussion, the governor said.

At least 21 states have provisions to allow elections to be conducted entirely by mail, according to the National Conference for State Legislatures.

Many states defer to local officials, and some limit the types of elections that can be done by mail only.

But four states  Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington  conduct their elections by mail statewide, the NCSL reports in a state-by-state summary.

The Oregon way

Oregon, for example, boasts of having what it calls the most convenient voting system in the country.

Registered voters in Oregon receive their ballots two to three weeks before elections, and can return them by mail or place them in drop boxes across the state.

Mail-only voting states rank high for voter participation  Colorado second in 2018 at 63% turnout, Oregon fifth at 61.% and Washington seventh at 58.9%, data compiled by nonprofitvote.org showed. (Hawaii is launching mail elections this year, with all voters receiving ballots about 18 days ahead of time.)

Ohio ranked 29th for turnout at 50.9%.

Ohios current mail-in system

In Ohio, all voters do have the option of voting by mail or in advance in-person at a county board of elections office. But doing so by mail requires filling out a ballot request form or providing the same information requested on the form, mailing it in, waiting for the ballot, and then sending the completed ballot back to election officials.

During the last two presidential elections, the process was streamlined a bit. Every active Ohio voter automatically received an application to request an absentee ballot if they so desired.

We prefer for the Secretary of State to mail out absentee ballot requests for every eligible voter for every election," said Jen Miller, executive director of the Ohio League of Women Voters. "Changes to our system are certainly on the table because this crisis has shown that Ohio law is not compatible with 21st century challenges.

How many vote absentee?

Absentee voting in Ohio primaries historically is a much smaller share of the total vote than in general elections.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

Until 2006, Ohio voters had to have a reason to vote absentee, such as being ill or out of town on election day.

The law was changed beginning with the 2006 primary to permit absentee voting by anyone.

Typically, about 30% of the votes are cast absentee in general elections, far less-so for primaries.

Potential advantages include voter convenience and cost savings, the National Conference for State Legislatures outlined in a summary. A Pew Charitable Trust study found cost savings of about 40% in Colorado.

Potential disadvantages noted by the NCSL included breaking tradition, and possible coercion by family members or others when voting is not done in a private voting booth.

Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, said she favored making mail-in voting easier, but did have some concerns, including the privacy issue and how frequently ballots would be rejected because of signature issues.

Read previous stories

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Here are the new rules for voting in Ohios delayed primary election -- at least, for now

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A: This year we are fundraising for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. We have regular fundraisers and we had a Super Bowl fundraiser and Pizza Madness. We (plan to) have a food truck at the school in April and other regular fundraisers. Ive always liked how it connects the entire school and how everyone comes together to help a family in the community, which was the driving force behind our fundraiser.
Maybe it's a feature of the kind of company I keep online, but I was struck on Sunday morning when I opened social media by the number of priests who were offering live-streamed Masses for all those affected by Covid-19. Some were solitarily preaching to a webcam in big barracks of churches. Others had made a makeshift altar of their kitchen table, the only adornments in the background the odd 'to do' lists pinned by magnets to a refrigerator.

Most of the priests - many of them elderly - were alone, others had been joined by a brave soul to answer the responses.

It was a Sunday like no other and, strangely, the ancient faith seemed to be refreshingly alive. Social media gets a bad rap, and that's because quite often the worst of humanity is on display there.

But Sunday showed us it can also be a forum for the best in humanity. Many people spoke of the sense of solidarity they felt as the Facebook counter went up and more and more people were joining in. Others, conscious of people who are self-isolating, took the opportunity to use the comment section to offer to pick up groceries or prescriptions for people who may need them.

Our backs really are up against the wall with the coronavirus: no one quite knows where things are going and the uncertainty about the future is palpable. Even the most optimistic models project many, many Irish people are likely to be infected.

It's a worrying time. But it's also a time when we can show creativity about looking out for one another. Social media has shown that it can actually build community and it showed how the Church can still be a faithful gathering even if we're all huddled around laptops in different parts of the country.

The thing about religion is that it is always at its best when helping people in a vulnerable situation. The less that the Church cares about itself and its own importance and prestige, the more authentically Christian it is.

There's a huge opportunity for the Church in this crisis to be a place where people find hope and consolation in confusing times. It was this that distinguished Catholicism in the past. For me, one of the most affecting paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland is the moving image 'Mass in a Connemara Cabin'. In the painting, a young priest celebrates the Station Mass at a kitchen table in Penal times to allow Catholics to come together during a period of religious persecution.

In tough times and when there are few answers, many people feel a need for spirituality and look to the deeper questions about life and meaning.

Today is a St Patrick's Day like no other. Many of us have long since forgotten the vulnerable young man who brought compassion and humility to our island in barbarous times.

We've become used to seeing the feast day as a celebration of 'brand Ireland'. Success is measured now more by the number of monuments illuminated in green than a focus on the message of faith that Patrick brought.

And yet, his basic message - that we should love one another as God loves us - is more relevant than ever when people are in need of compassion and a helping hand.

A crisis is a time when people are really tested: do we give into the temptation to xenophobia and cross the road when we see people whom we perceive to be from the worst-affected areas?

Can we resist panic-buying more than we need so that everyone can have enough? Are there people in our community who we can help in a time of need?

CS Lewis, the Belfast-born writer, said that the key thing about prayer is that it doesn't change God, it changes us. I find myself praying and reflecting more these days. I suspect that I am not alone. The spread of Covid-19 has made us all reflect on the fact that we are mortal. The fragility of the markets and the real life consequences for people and livelihoods have also been brought into sharper focus by the current situation.

A cynic might say that no crisis should go to waste. But there is a genuine opportunity for the Church to be a balm for people who are anxious and unsure of where to turn. It's no time for finger-wagging or self-righteousness, but there's truth in the saying that there are no atheists in foxholes.

This year our national feast day - stripped of the green beer and 'plastic Paddy' paraphernalia - can be a moment to think back to the original appeal that our ancestors found in the message that the slave-turned-missionary brought to our land and transformed it forever. It's a faith that continues to inspire millions of us with the paradox that you really only find your true meaning in life when you live for others.

Whether it is our own families or those in our community who are most in need, this is a moment to show what we're made of. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find strength and support in the simplicity of a hastily arranged Facebook Mass, whether in a quiet church or at a kitchen table. Pope Francis has said he dreams of the day when the Church will resemble a field hospital. Never has the image been more timely.

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig oraibh.

Michael Kelly is editor of 'The Irish Catholic' newspaper
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, much of the US tech workforce is currently working from home. While Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Google were among the first to ask employees to work from home earlier this month, right now almost everyone is expected to work from home when possibleand at some companies its not a suggestion, its a mandate. While the transition to remote work is certainly bringing some bumps in the road for some, current tech workforces are already familiar with the work and the processes  so, for the most part its been small scale adjustments. But what happens when your whole team is remote, and you need to still hire and onboard new talent?

Tech companies cannot afford to let the new remote work protocols interfere with their hiring needs. While some companies have already announced hiring freezes for full-time employees, the tech industry has not yet experienced the same initial impact as travel and hospitality. In the near term, companies will inevitably have team members out sick in the coming weeks, organizations are already demanding more technology solutions to fuel their own remote workforces, and market uncertainty will most likely lead to more demand for contract workers. These factors will further exacerbate the pains of keeping an active, qualified tech team. Yes, talent needs will ebb and flow in the coming weeks and months, but regardless of how they change, remote working shouldnt be the reason for the disruption.

The coronavirus aside, long gone are the days when meeting face-to-face before making an offer was necessary. The pace of hiring talent has quickened. When it comes to hiring, the most effective tech companies make fast decisions, often that same day. Introduce the current working environment, and in-person interviews and hiring are now an even greater challenge. There are steps companies can take to overcome these hurdles. Following are three things companies need to do to keep securing tech talent, even when offices are closed:

1. Eliminate face-to-face interviews

Use phone and video to interview candidates; they are easier and more efficient than in-person interviews. Apps like Skype, WebEx and Workplace by Facebooks BlueJeans allow you to easily conduct video interviews. Collabedit allows real-time screen sharing windows for coding and other technical questions that need to be asked and skills tested.

If your office is open, Id still recommend phone and video interviews over in-person. One of our recruiters shared a recent story of an engineer contractor candidate who did well on a video interview. As a next step, the company requested a 90-minute in-person, onsite interview. The engineer passed on the opportunity. He was still wrapping up his current assignment and couldnt make the time. The company lost the qualified talent because of the interview process itself.

2. Shorten your interview cycle

Ive seen too many companies still want to conduct three or four rounds of interviews. Dragging out the hiring process frustrates both candidate and employer, causing the talent to lose interest and the company to lose the candidate.

For contract employees, companies should be able to assess whether they want to make an offer after just one interview. Understandably, you may want more than one interview with potential full-time employees. But keep in mind the longer you extend the hiring process, the less chance you have in a successful hire. Other companies competing for that same talent are cutting their interview cycle time and making offers quickly. We have clients who hire contractors the same day as the interview.

Dont be afraid to make the offer after one interview. IT unemployment is lower than the national average, making top talent even scarcer. Most of our contractors are interviewing more than once a day, so our top clients make hiring decisions within 24 hours.

If you realize after one interview its not a good fit, move on. You cant afford to waffle. If someone is not a match or doesnt have the skills, dont force it. The average job fill rate is greatly impacted by slow decision making. For our clients who act quickly, fill rate is 80% or higher. One of our tech clients has close to a 100% fill rate. The companys secret? After a 30-minute phone screen, he calls immediately with feedback, and either decides or moves on.

3. Onboard remotely

Each day more and more companies are temporarily transitioning their teams to remote work, so chances are your new hires will work remotely, too. So, what does that mean for onboarding?

Onboarding can absolutely be done remotely. Paperwork that previously may have been done on Day 1 in the office can be securely emailed through DocuSign or other e-signature platforms. Laptops and other devices can be mailed to the new hires home. Video conferencing can be used for one-on-one onboarding meetings, as well as introducing new hires to the team. Some tech companies are already conducting big video conference classes for orientations.

Coronavirus is undoubtedly impacting the way we do business right now. While we navigate the changes and take precautions, leveraging technology and making quick decisions can help us maintain some of our best practices in securing the hard-to-find tech talent we all know we need.
COLUMBIA  The chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a halt to evictions statewide, a decision advocates had stressed was critical to protect vulnerable residents during the coronavirus outbreak.

The move came in the wake of The Post and Courier's reporting on Monday proceedings in which two families were ordered from their homes. Those eviction orders will now be postponed following the mandate, according to an area lawmaker.

The order from Chief Justice Donald Beatty postpones eviction court proceedings until May 1. It allows for exceptions in cases of emergency actions involving threats to property or health. Other states hit hard by the virus  including New York, Massachusetts and Kentucky  have issued similar stays.

The order came a day after Beatty postponed South Carolinas jury trials, but stopped short of a complete moratorium on minor criminal and civil cases in municipal and magistrate courts, including evictions.

Amid the delay, Lexington County Magistrate Rebecca Adams on Monday ordered two families out of their homes within 10 days, The Post and Courier reported.

The evicted included: A father of four and his pregnant wife, and a single mother who complained of a cough. Evictions for both families were filed by Gleneagle Apartments in Columbia.

After Beattys order was handed down Tuesday, Adams indicated the court would no longer force the two families from their homes. The judge had not yet issued formal ejection orders, and Adams told Sen. Katrina Shealy that those orders will now be postponed, said Shealy, a Lexington Republican.

Adams didnt return email or phone messages left by The Post and Courier. Gleneagles assistant property manager, Clark Gray, didnt return a message left at his office.

Still, advocates who have been pressing for a statewide halt on evictions praised Beattys decision Tuesday.

Were really thrilled, said Sue Berkowitz, director of S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

She and others stressed the need to keep people, including low-income tenants, in their homes during the deadly pandemic. Putting people out on the streets places them and others at greater risk of infection, they contend.

That kind of a pause on evictions, even for six weeks, is going to be huge, Berkowitz said.

South Carolinas urban areas are home to some of the highest eviction rates in the nation, according to a Princeton University analysis of 2016 data.

Among large cities in that study, North Charleston ranked first. Columbia came in seventh.

Magistrates handle all the states evictions, in addition to minor criminal matters such as petty theft or public drunkenness. Municipal court judges preside over similar offenses.

But on Monday, there seemed to be little continuity across the state in how judges responded to the virus outbreak.

Some magistrates shut down their courtrooms altogether. But in Lexington, Adams presided over a stack of evictions.

One involved Tammy Thompson, a 46-year-old single mother who complained of a cough. She owed Gleneagle apartments more than $6,000 in rent and late fees. Adams ordered her and her 6-year-old son out of their home within nine days.

I dont know how I can help you, Adams told Thompson.

Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, a Charleston Democrat, commended Beatty for taking action after The Post and Courier reported on the proceedings.

Once that came out  taking a look at what happened in Lexington and taking a look at whats happening nationally, he felt compelled to act, Pendarvis said.
Chronic exposure to microplastic fibers causes aneurysms, erosion of surface layers and other serious damage to fish gills, and increases egg production in female fish, a sign that chemicals in the fibers may be acting as endocrine disruptors, a new study by U.S. and Chinese scientists finds.

The minuscule fibers, which are made of polyester, polypropylene and other types of plastics, are shed or washed off of synthetic textiles used in clothing and other consumer and industrial products. Once shed, they enter wastewater and accumulate in oceans, rivers and lakes worldwide, accounting for more than 90% of microplastic pollution in some areas.

Past field studies have shown that many fish eat large quantities of the fibers every day but have protective mechanisms within the gut that seem to be preventing damage. But when you extend your study down to the tissue and cellular levels, as we did, harmful changes are observed." David E. Hinton, Nicholas Distinguished Professor of Environmental Quality at Duke University

"In addition to the fibers that fish eat, hundreds or thousands of microfibers also pass through their gills each day, and we find that this is where much of the damage occurs," said Melissa Chernick, a researcher in Hinton's lab at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.

The team published its peer-reviewed findings March 9 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE.

Fish exposed to high levels of microfibers in their tank water for 21 days exhibited aneurysms, fused membranes and increased mucus production in their gills as well as significant changes to the epithelial cells lining their gills and other effects.

"There were severe changes, and a lot of them. And each change can affect respiration," Chernick said. "If you're a fish in the wild with gill damage and you're in a low-oxygen environment or being chased by a predator, you're in trouble. The same goes if you're competing with other fish for food. Just having these damages would cause you to be less competitive."

Though the gut itself seems to be protected from similar damage, the new study finds that when microplastic fibers are in the gut, they may release chemical coatings that are taken up into the fish's bloodstream.

The researchers are still working to identify these chemicals and determine their impacts, but one troubling effect has already been observed. Female fish exposed to fibers containing polypropylene produced more eggs over time, suggesting that chemicals that may be leaching from the microfibers are acting as endocrine disruptors.

Worldwide, nearly six million tons of synthetic fibers such as polyester or polypropylene were produced in 2016. These textiles shed microfibers during washing or regular use. A single garment can shed nearly 2,000 microfibers per wash, Chernick noted, and because wastewater treatment plants aren't equipped to remove the fibers, they escape into downstream surface waters and accumulate in the environment. They can also enter the environment through sewage release, stormwater runoff or atmospheric deposition.

"Even if they are released miles from the ocean, they can work their way down there. So they affect both freshwater and marine organisms," Hinton said.

Hinton and Chernick conducted the new study with Lingling Hu of Zhejiang University of Technology in China, and Lee Ferguson and Anne Lewis of Duke. Ferguson is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, ecotoxicology and environmental health. Lewis is a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering.

To conduct the research, they placed 27 breeding pairs of healthy Japanese medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) in water tanks with high levels of suspended microplastic fibers. They monitored fish weights, egg production, and ingestion and egestion of fibers - how much fiber went in, how much was excreted out - weekly. After 21 days, they examined the fish's tissues to see what changes, if any, had occurred. Tank water was changed weekly and stored for chemical analysis, to determine what dyes or additives had been released.

"Microplastic pollution is an environmental threat that poses increasing risks for species and ecosystems worldwide," Chernick said. "Until now, most studies have focused primarily on looking for the presence of plastics in animals, without identifying what the effects on various tissues might be. But that's exactly where our study suggests the science needs to go."

Primary support for the study came from the China Scholarship Council, with additional funding from the Duke Compact for Open Access Publishing Equity Fund. Sample preparation and imaging for scanning electron microscopy was performed at the Duke University Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility, a member of the North Carolina Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network which is supported by the National Science Foundation as part of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure.
A British Airways captain suffering from coronavirus unwittingly flew a plane filled with passengers to Saint Lucia and is now in isolation on the Caribbean island.

Another member of the crew who showed symptoms of the killer virus is now in self-isolation and awaiting a test result.

The captain, who has not been named, had piloted a British Airways 777 jet flight from Gatwick last Tuesday.

A British Airways captain suffering from coronavirus unwittingly flew a plane filled with passengers to Saint Lucia and is now is isolation on the Caribbean island after showing a high temperature in a random test (File image)

A source at the St Lucia Health Department said the BA captain, who is aged 53, tested positive for the virus (File image of Hewanorra International Airport, St Lucia)

After BA 2159 landed the crew were given temperature test by health officials as they walked through passport control at Vieux Fort airport.

The captain and a member of the flight crew exhibited a high temperature and were not allowed to board the bus with other members of the crew taking them to the terminal.

Instead, they were taken to hospital for tests and placed in self isolation a precaution

A source at the St Lucia Health Department said the BA captain, who is aged 53, tested positive for the virus.

He lives in France and commutes to Heathrow for his long haul flights.

He was only the second person to have contracted Covid-19 on the island and will remain in self-isolation.

A spokesman for the St Lucia Health Department said: A man from France who travels widely has tested positive. He is now in a medical facility.

Passengers on the nine-hour flight are not thought to have come into the contact with the pilot.

A BA source said: 'The captain was not showing any signs of the virus when the flight took off but developed them during the flight.

'Other crew were on a bus waiting to take them to the terminal when they noticed their captain was not with them. Another member of the cabin crew failed to get the bus and the crew were told they were unwell and undergoing tests as they were showing the symptoms of coronavirus.'

The co-pilot of the BA flight is understood to have been placed in self isolation but other crew members have been told they only need to self isolate if they start to show symptoms.

The pilot is now in isolation on the Caribbean island of St Lucia (pictured) after showing a high temperature in a random test

All flights to the Caribbean island will be halted from Tuesday 17th as the St Lucian Government attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

A spokesman for the St Lucia Department of Health said: On Saturday, March 14, 2020, Saint Lucia recorded its second case of COVID-19.

The patient is a 53-year-old male with active travel history, with France being his last port of departure.

The patient arrived in Saint Lucia on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 in the company of colleagues. He entered into our health care system on Friday, March 13, 2020, and based on the patients travel history and symptoms, health professionals suspected COVID-19.

He was placed in isolation at a medical facility and a sample was collected on the same day and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency CARPHA where laboratory tests confirmed a positive result.

The patient and his care team have been informed of the results.

He was placed in isolation at a medical facility and a sample was collected on the same day and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency CARPHA where laboratory tests confirmed a positive result.

The patient and his care team have been informed of the results.

To date, this now brings the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Saint Lucia to two. The first case was diagnosed one day prior, on Friday, March 13, 2020.

A team has been dispatched to conduct contact tracing and the quarantine of contacts of the patient. This is being done to ensure that all persons who have been in contact with this individual is assessed and managed as per protocol.

A spokesman for British Airways said they do not comment on individual cases.
Small business doesnt mean small-in-size when it comes to the commercial insurance market.

Direct written premiums ranged between $99 billion and $103 billion in 2013, up from $91 billion in 2011, according to McKinsey & Co. Small business insurance accounts for more than one-third of the U.S. commercial lines insurance market and is the fastest growing commercial segment when the economy is expanding, according to McKinseys Small Commercial Insurance report.

Small commercial is also a very fragmented segment of the property/casualty insurance market, ripe for expansion by carriers and agent partners dedicated to the space. The small commercial insurance market is divided among many carriers, with the largest accounting for only 6% of total premiums, according to the McKinsey report. Market share is particularly fragmented at the smaller end of the market (businesses with one to 29 employees). However, the largest carriers are moving quickly to secure their positions.

Jeff Kroeger, executive vice president of strategy and development at Insureon, an online independent marketplace for small businesses, says carriers and independent agents have an incredible opportunity to gain market share in the small commercial space.

Kroeger, who joined Insureon in December 2018 from The Hartford, said the carrier, which is the largest writer of small commercial in the industry thats not a direct writer. So, if the market is roughly $100 billion in size, then just look at the opportunity from a market share perspective. Thats why this space is so attractive, Kroeger says.

As the small commercial market shows increasing promise for growth, it also continues to reinvent how it operates, experts say. To find success in this space, agents and their carrier partners need to keep up with what small business owners want most.

Small businesses today are shopping in different ways and will pursue carriers that adapt to their needs, Brian Smith, The Hartfords vice president, small commercial product management, told Insurance Journal. He believes the small business market will continue to grow throughout 2020 and beyond and the needs of small business customers will continue to evolve along with that growth.

In the end, as a carrier or an agent you have to know the small business owner better than anybody and you have to offer them the products that fit them and the service that suits them, Smith said.

Micro Market

One area of the small business market gaining attention is the micro small business world  small commercial accounts generally $2,500 or less in premium, says Amir Farid, chief operating officer of small business, at Westfield Insurance.

Westfield sees the micro small business market delivering bigger opportunity going forward, he says. The micro market, which Farid says has been underserved, has consistently accounted for 55% or above of the small business market firms.

While the small business insurance market share has remained fairly consistent among insurers serving the space, Farid says thats changing. Farid says small business premium growth outpaces the overall commercial market and he believes that trend will continue to expand.

Now you are starting to see a lot of movement where large insurers are being drawn to the small business market in response to the competitive pressures that they are feeling in the more traditional segments, he said.

Along with increased competition, Farid sees a small commercial insurance market thats evolving.

There is a lot of chaos in the fragmented small business market, he said. We believe [it] presents an opportunity for Westfield to provide a very simplified, educational, intuitive and digital customer experience.

To gain market share, especially from direct and captive carrier channels, independent agency carriers need to take the friction out of the transaction, he says.

Transformation

Insureons Kroeger says the small business market has experienced incredible shifts and transformation when it comes to risk classification.

The gig economy is changing the traditional way of thinking about, what is a retailer these days? How many people actually have a physical location to insure versus [selling products or services] online, and how do you actually account for that to insure? he said. For the insurers, and its also the obligation of the distributor, but for the insurer to get the classification right is to prove the actuarys right and the models right as far as profitability goes.

Jim Williamson, division president, Chubb Small Business, agrees.

The small business insurance market has evolved quickly over the last several years, Williamson told Insurance Journal. Improved access to data, technology, and an expanding small business economy are key drivers of the evolution, attracting many carriers to the small commercial segment while also creating opportunities for agencies to grow their firms, Williamson added.

In his opinion, high touch models, or those markets that cannot satisfy all the growing product needs of small businesses, such as cyber, D&O, and professional liability, are struggling to gain adoption.

And refreshed versions of older products are not the answer that small businesses need, he said.

To manage this, independent agents need to partner with a carrier who can provide solutions for their local markets, provide cost-efficient service options through a carrier service center, and leverage data to reduce the number of questions needed to obtain a quote, Williamson says.

But its more than just efficiency in quoting, Kroeger said. Small business owners, like everyday consumers, want to do more themselves.

This is this sneaky thing thats happening in the small business space, and where the nationals and some of the forward-thinking super regionals will advance themselves, according to Kroeger.

The product set in small commercial is great, a BOP, he said. Carriers can spend a lot of money and time creating suites of endorsements, but its really about whats wrapped around the product, adding value for the customer and small business, he said.

Small businesses want what everyone else wants  service. And, Kroeger says, small businesses want to be able to self-service 24/7.

For example, consider the small business owner who plows snow. Lets say it snowed in the middle of the night and I need to plow driveways at a mall. I need a certificate (of insurance). Well, my insurance agencys closed, my carriers service centers closed. What am I to do in that situation? Well, if I have an app, or even if I can use a desktop, to get online and generate that certificate, Im pretty sure I will want to stay with that carrier, even if theres a small premium increase. That digital capability gives that insurance market a competitive edge, according to Kroeger. The more that you can service the policy online, the better.

Thats why the small business insurance segment will continue to see investments to the customer experience, according to Williamson. He predicts heightened investments in:

Digital capabilities including third-party data and more sophisticated pricing models;

Continued improvements in customer experience, including apps and self-service tools; and

Customizable coverage options allowing the agent or customer to choose certain coverages and limits based on a small business unique needs.

Marketing

Enhanced digital capabilities around service is not the only tech-driven area receiving a boost for small business insurance. How agents and carriers reach potential customers is also changing.

Digital marketing is the future. Its very different than it has been in the past, says Cathy Allocco, Nationwides vice president of small commercial sales and distribution.

Allocco says Nationwide partners with agents through a co-op program that allows agents to really lead with the agencys brand and then just highlight their partnership with Nationwide. But I think the bigger issue is that consumers and agencies really want value added services, she said.

Most small businesses want to do easy, simple transactions on their time, when they have the time to do it. But when it comes to the more complex things that might impact either their rate or their coverages, thats when they really want the agency, she said.

Technology is driving the small commercial space, but its not just about technology. Its about expertise, Allocco says. What are the needs of small business customers? What are their demands, where are their gaps?

Small business consumers want to know that their agents and carriers understand their business. The agency needs to be able to show the customer that they understand exactly what they do and exactly what their needs are, Allocco added.

Like Allocco, Chubbs Williamson also believes marketing to small businesses is all about demonstrating that the agency and carrier understand their unique business needs and how to protect them in the event of a loss. A small business owners primary focus is their business, not their insurance. They expect their agent and carrier to provide them with an insurance solution that will protect them, their employees and, effectively, their livelihood, he said.

To help agencies target businesses in their communities, Chubb uses data and analytics and works with agencies to develop campaigns, partners with local associations, and identifies growth opportunities.

The Hartfords Smith says delivering on promises to agents and customers is critical, too. Trust is crucial and its the best brand association you can have, he said. The Hartford is a trusted brand and the independent agents are trusted in their communities. After that, nothing beats word of mouth for our agents.

Small business owners trust other small business owners, and they often ask each other where to go for insurance, Smith said.

Providing useful content helps, too. It can help quite a bit to have access to content that helps small business owners actually run their small businesses. The Hartford makes available information helpful to small business owners through its Small Biz Ahead blog. We make that content available for our agents to share on their social properties, he said. When you can demonstrate that you want to help small business owners be successful, it helps them see you as a trusted advisor, as a consultant.

Williamson says there is always room for improvement when it comes to carrier-agency coordination on marketing to small businesses. Especially in analytics to identify the best small business targets and developing effective marketing campaigns, whether that is traditional direct mail, digital, or a combination, he said.

Going Forward

From a macroeconomic standpoint, no one can predict the future stability of the small business market, but going forward, those looking to find success will need to adapt to change, Insureons Kroeger said.

The emerging workforce does not look like my folks who just retired, he said. The BOP was created in the 80s and its probably due for an update.  Theres just going to be sweeping changes within the space because again you have this $100 billion addressable market.

Middle market never makes any company money, he added. I dont care what anyone says. It just sounds really good because its got a big premium. But if you want a real annuity and profit center, it is in small [commercial] and I think youre going to have more and more entrance into the space.

That alone will be a challenge.

Its a significant challenge for brokers because youre going to have so many companies with so many great offerings, but you still only get paid on your direct effective rate and your contingent commission. How do you actually deliver all of these great products, but still maximize your own profit center? It will be a challenge for brokers. At least brokers who care.

These days you have to meet your customers where they are, said The Hartfords Smith. As a carrier, there are multiple ways that customers want to have access to your product. Even so, Smith pointed out that a recent survey by The Hartford found that 73% of small business owners stated that they shop with an agent or broker. That local expertise is a requirement for most small businesses, he said. You have to do it all to position your agents to be successful.

Agents will continue to play a major role in Westfields small business strategy, Farid said.

Our strategy is to unify the experience and remove the friction from the transaction, he said. But  we are [also] enabling this capability that allows us as a carrier to partner with our agents so we can collectively unlock the potential in the marketplace, he said.

Topics Carriers Agencies Commercial Lines Business Insurance Market
Its kind of hard to respond, except to keep saying over and over and over again what the truth is as you recall it. And Ive been consistent with that for 15 years. I was a single man. I dated a single woman on the job for about six months. It was not the proper or fitting thing to do. We ended the dating relationship then. There was someone else who apparently felt that they should have received an increase or a promotion and thought, in their own way: Oh, the only way thats going to happen is if I date him. This is my conjecture here. But, you know, just the mention or the taint of it puts someone on the defensive. Probably for the rest of your life.
Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that Russia both the systemic and non-systemic opposition, but in parliament, there should be no place for "pandemonium or shows," but "serious political activity.

"I'm saying so not as Russia's current president, but as an ordinary Russian citizen," the head of state told TASS in an interview for the project entitled "20 Questions with Vladimir Putin".

The parliament "is the right place for discussions," Putin said, thus making an allusion to a controversial remark from the State Dumas speaker in 2003-2011 Boris Gryzlov. "It is not a place for brawls, free-for-alls, or for publicity stunts," he added.

He harked back to the 1990s, when "it was a total mess, not a parliament."

The president disagreed with assumptions that Russias opposition political parties were "tame." "We have four parliamentary parties. Quite often they have their own vision," he recalled, mentioning the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and its leader Gennady Zyuganov as an example.
Tickets for canceled services can be refunded within a month

Starting from 12:00 on March 18, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) temporarily suspends the carriage of passengers by rail in all types of domestic traffic (suburban, urban, regional and distant). This was stated by Ukraine's Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy on his Telegram channel.

On March 17, trains will operate the last services according to the departure schedule.

The company will reimburse passengers for the full cost of travel documents for all services that were canceled due to quarantine - without additional fees.

Freight rail transportation remains to be active.

As we reported earlier, starting at midnight on March 17, Ukraine blocked all types of traffic across the state border as part of measures to combat the Covid-2019 epidemic.

"From 00:00 March 17, 2020, all international scheduled services - air, rail and bus are canceled in Ukraine. The National Security and Defense Council recommends Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling abroad and those who are outside the country now  return home," the statement says.

The restrictions will remain in force until April 3, unless otherwise is decided in the fight against the coronavirus by the authorities.
It takes about five minutes to vote. What the CDC has consistently said is that social distancing means not being in close proximity to folks for longer than 10 minutes. So, I think we are practicing to the letter the CDC guidance in the way we will be carrying out this election. I dont have any concerns about that, she said.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Amazon announced plans to create 100,000 new full- and part-time jobs in its fulfillment centers and delivery operations in the United States to tackle a surge in orders from residents fearful of venturing out to stores or those living in areas where non-essential businesses have been told to close.

Amazon operates two fulfillment centers in the Lehigh Valley. The first opened in Breinigsville followed by its newest one in Palmer Township.It is one of the Valleys biggest private employers.

In response to the surge in orders, the company says it will invest more than $350 million globally to boost pay by $2 an hour in the United States through April, with similar bumps in the U.K. and European Union. The companys currently pay rate in the U.S. is at least $15 an hour.

On its jobs website, the company currently lists pay of $17 an hour and the opportunity to start within seven days. No resume or prior work experience is required, according to the site.

Thirteen new cases of the novel coronavirus Pennsylvania total to 76, according to figures released by the state health department as of midday Monday. Gov. Tom Wolf Monday night ordered the shutdown of all non-essential businesses statewide in an effort to combat the spread of the virus.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Mumbai, March 17 : US-based cloud computing major Salesforce on Tuesday announced that former State Bank of India Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya will join the company on April 20 as it its India CEO.

One of India's most well-known bankers, Bhattacharya will also serve as the chairperson of Salesforce India to lead the company's growth and expansion across the markets.

Salesforce, headquartered in San Francisco, has been scaling rapidly in India.

A highly experienced business leader and finance authority, Bhattacharya was previously listed as the 25th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

In her role as the chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India, Bhattacharya will report to Ulrik Nehammer, General Manager, APAC, and will oversee the growth strategy of the company and play an integral role in defining Salesforce's relationship with the ecosystem of customers, partners and the community.

"Salesforce is a company with an impressive track record in supporting the digital transformation of its customers with world class technology, and there is an incredible opportunity for future growth in India," said Bhattacharya.

"Salesforce has also shown that it is guided by a core set of values and a mission to do good in the world and I could not be more excited to join the Salesforce team to ensure that we capture this tremendous opportunity and contribute to India's development and growth story in a meaningful way," she added.

Salesforce enables companies to take advantage of powerful technologies such as "Cloud, mobile, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain" to deliver personalised, connected experiences to their customers.

Leading Indian companies such as CEAT, redBus, and Franklin Templeton, use Salesforce to connect with their customers in a whole new way.

Salesforce has invested significantly in India over many years, adding more jobs, expanding its office space and partner ecosystem to support its growing customer base.

In 2016, the company opened a new centre of excellence in Hyderabad and expects to add 3,000 jobs across the region over the next three years, making India a leading global talent and innovation hub for the company.

"Arundhati is an incredible business leader and we are delighted to welcome her to Salesforce as chairperson and CEO India," Gavin Patterson, President and CEO, Salesforce International, said in a statement.

"India is an important growth market for Salesforce and world-class innovation and talent hub and Arundhati's leadership will guide our next phase of growth, customer success and investment in the region," Patterson added.

Salesforce and its ecosystem of customers and partners in India is expected to create over $67 billion in business revenues and 548,400 new direct jobs by 2024, according to a research by IDC.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:39:15|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- An education supervising office under China's Ministry of Education has issued a circular, urging the implementation of measures and policies to boost the income of teachers in compulsory education schools.

A round of inspection and guidance work will be launched to check local work progress in meeting a previously set goal scheduled to be achieved by the end of the year, which promised that the average salaries of teachers in compulsory education schools shall be no lower than the average salaries of civil servants in the same region, according to the circular.

Both local self-checks and national inspection will be carried out, and regions with serious problems will be held accountable, the circular said.

China's nine-year free compulsory education system covers primary school and junior middle school.
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Linkedin Lim Ruey Yan (The Straits Times/Asia News Network)  Tue, March 17, 2020 09:47 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b1c8f0 2 Entertainment Olga-Kurylenko,James-Bond,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko has become the latest celebrity to be infected with the coronavirus.

The French actress-model disclosed on Instagram on Sunday that she is currently quarantined at home after she tested positive for the virus.

The Ukranian-born actress wrote, "I've actually been ill for almost a week now. Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms."

She urged fans to take care of themselves and to take the coronavirus outbreak seriously.

Kurylenko, 40, played Bond girl Camille Montes opposite Daniel Craig in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008) and acted alongside actor Tom Cruise in the 2013 movie, Oblivion.

She has also appeared in Johnny English Strikes Again (2018), playing a Russian spy and the love interest of the protagonist Johnny English, who is played by Mr Bean (1990 to 1995) actor Rowan Atkinson.

Kurylenko joined a growing list of famous personalities who have been infected with the virus.

Last week, Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson became the highest-profile patients when they announced they had tested positive for the virus while in Australia.

English Premier League club Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta, Universal Music Group chief executive officer Lucian Grainge and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire are among the other famous names to be infected by the coronavirus.

The World Health Organization has declared the Covid-19 outbreak a global pandemic as it has spread to more than 130 countries and killed more than 6,000 people.

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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
This story was originally published by ProPublica.

The Trump administration has yet to issue clear guidance to federal employees nationwide on whether they can work at home as the coronavirus pandemic escalates.

The result has been an ad hoc mix of policies that varies by agency and has left many workers across the country with conflicting instructions about when and how they should report to their offices and if they can telework. The civilian federal workforce consists of about 2 million people, not counting the United States Postal Service, with about 15% based in the Washington, D.C., area.

On Sunday night, the White House issued new, stronger guidance for federal employees in the Washington region, asking agencies to offer maximum telework flexibilities to all eligible employees and use all existing authorities to offer telework to other employees. Still, the new guidance leaves many details to be determined by individual agency heads, and it does not apply to the vast majority of federal workers.

The White House issued guidance to federal agencies Saturday recommending only mission-critical travel by federal workers. The guidance left it up to individual agencies to determine what meets that threshold.

Public health experts are unified in their message: Americans need to stay at home as much as possible to slow the spread of the disease and lessen the burden on the countrys health care system. At a White House press briefing Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the administrations coronavirus task force, said that officials had no higher priority than protecting the health of Americans, but he did not mention federal workers. Earlier on Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pleaded with Americans to hunker down.

On Sunday evening, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended an eight-week pause in holding mass gatherings of more than 50 people.

Most of the federal workforce is still subject to White House guidance issued on Thursday, encouraging agencies to maximize telework flexibilities for workers at higher risk of coronavirus complications, including older adults and people with some serious chronic health conditions and special populations like pregnant women. The White House also encouraged agencies to consider extending telework in response to community spread of the virus and local school closures.

Interviews with more than a half-dozen federal employees show frustration with the gap between what public health experts are recommending and the policies set by top administration officials. Federal employees are complaining that leaders at their agencies have not instituted broad policies to encourage healthy people to work from home to avoid contracting the virus and passing it to more vulnerable family, friends, or strangers.

President Donald Trump declared a national emergency last week to unleash federal funds to combat the coronavirus, though he has repeatedly shrugged off the threat posed by the pandemic.

The Office of Personnel Management and a spokeswoman for Pence did not respond to requests for comment on the gaps in guidance or on whether the government is tracking how many federal employees have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, tested presumptive positive or self-quarantining after showing symptoms.

At the Department of Justice  which has over 100,000 employees  employees received messages on Wednesday and Friday alerting them to an unnamed employee with coronavirus symptoms and another who tested presumptive positive, according to internal emails seen by ProPublica. Several DOJ officials said they were frustrated with what they viewed as an inadequate response by their superiors.

In the case of the employee who exhibited symptoms, DOJ responded by sanitizing the building where the person worked, and it said staff who work in the area could return to the office by 8:30 a.m. the next day, Thursday. The email said supervisors can consider individual telework requests.

People are just beside themselves, said one DOJ official, who, like others, requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Their approach was just to clean a couple floors and they thought that somehow addressed the problem.

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Late on Sunday, following the White Houses new guidance for Washington workers, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen sent a memo to department heads, seen by ProPublica, directing them to move to a posture of maximum telework in the Washington region until further notice.

A letter sent on Friday from a DOJ gender equality group to Attorney General William Barr and OPM Director Dale Cabaniss said DOJ and other agencies had until that point allowed telework only when an employee was at a high risk of infection, even if their family members had serious underlying health issues. It urged senior leaders to immediately permit unrestricted telework for those who qualify and to allow contractors to telework as much as possible.

Your response to this outbreak signals to federal workers that the spread of the disease, our health, and the health of our families are not priorities, the letter said.

In one DOJ staff meeting on Thursday, career lawyers asked their boss, a Trump political appointee, why there had been no guidance on telework for at-risk populations or parents of children affected by school closures. The meeting details were shared with ProPublica by a second DOJ official who attended.

A lot of people expressed frustrations, the official said. But the Trump appointee had no answers and merely repeated that he would take their concerns to higher-ups and that he had no authority to do anything, the official said.

One DOJ senior manager told his employees last week that his division could not discuss official coronavirus response policies without permission from the agencys top levels, the DOJ official told ProPublica. Individual managers were left to make their own decisions on employee telework.

One contractor who works in a DOJ building said he has received no guidance from any level of the department, except for hand-washing advisories in bathrooms and generic coronavirus information sheets posted by elevators.

Three State Department employees said in interviews this weekend there is no overall remote working policy, although they have received some guidance about limiting travel and other practices. In that vacuum, bureaus have determined who can telework individually.

In one office, approximately half the staff was told to work from home in the coming week, an official said. In another State Department bureau, a meeting attendee came down with fever and a sore throat and others were given the option of teleworking with manager approval. Overall, employees felt that information was being siloed, one official said.

A State Department spokesperson said the agency has authorized managers to implement telework and other flexible arrangements as appropriate, and said some sections have already begun rotational and telework schedules.

At the Interior Department, employees at the Bureau of Land Management were told in a Friday email from acting director William Perry Pendley to be telework ready, but an official said they have not received blanket telework approval. The Interior Department issued an employee guide on Wednesday, restating department policies on leave and telework. It acknowledges that the coronavirus pandemic would justify lifting certain telework restrictions but did not say if those restrictions had been lifted or not.

As a result, one Interior Department official told ProPublica, managers within the agency have adopted ad hoc responses  with some work travel still on the schedule in the coming days.

A Department of Interior spokesperson said the agency is following guidance from OPM and the CDC, as well as local, state and federal authorities.

Were handling situations on a case-by-case basis and are adjusting our employee guidance accordingly as the guidance of leading authorities is updated, the spokesperson said.

Mike Spies and Kirsten Berg contributed reporting.
India said on Monday it will temporarily bar the entry of travellers from Turkey and 32 countries in Europe, including Spain, Italy and France, from March 18 as part of measures to ensure zero movement from regions at high risk of Coronavirus infections.

A fresh travel advisory issued by the health ministry also said passengers coming from or transiting through Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine. The advisory said both measures will remain in force till March 31 and be reviewed subsequently.

Travel of passengers from the member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18th March 2020, the advisory said.

No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure, it added.

The 27 members of the EU include Italy, Spain and France, which have so far recorded more than 31,000 COVID-19 infections and nearly 1,700 deaths. The European Free Trade Association includes Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

People familiar with developments said the travel restrictions for European countries were aimed at preventing the return of Indian nationals. Authorities have called on Indians to remain where they are as part of measures to ensure COVID-19 doesnt spread.

However, the government has not yet restricted the entry of passengers coming from or transiting through the United States,which has so far reported 71 deaths and over 4,000 cases.

Indians are currently being evacuated only from the worst-affected countries such as Italy and Iran, where there is no option but to return, and only after they test negative for the Coronavirus, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. We are not advising evacuation. On the contrary, we are telling people to remain where they are because that is probably the safest course of action, said a person. The people also noted that those wishing to come back from Europe had a window till March 18, when the new advisory takes effect.

Every day at least, at least 10 to 15 flights travel between Europe and India at New Delhi airport and approximately around 8,000 to 12,000 passengers travel between these countries.

Soon after the health ministrys advisory, the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued a circular directing airlines to strictly implement the order.

DGCA chief Arun Kumar said: All scheduled Indian and foreign airlines engaged in international air transportation to/from India, therefore, are directed to scrupulously follow the advisory and not carry any passenger in violation thereof.

The health ministrys advisory also said the 14-day mandatory quarantine for passengers coming from the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020 at the port of first departure.

Earlier, passengers arriving from only seven countries  China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany  had to undergo quarantine from March 13 onwards.

The new order came a day after HT reported that in order to avoid quarantine, a number of passengers travelling from these seven countries were allegedly taking detours and hiding details of the countries they had travelled from.

Some 15 to 20 such passengers, caught hiding their travel details at Delhi airport on March 13, were sent to quarantine facilities. Two of them had come from Spain, while five travelled from Frankfurt in Germany.

Because it was noticed that a majority of passengers who tried to hide their travel details had arrived via the UAE, Oman, Qatar or Kuwait, these countries were brought under mandatory quarantine so that no person suspected of being exposed to Coronavirus escapes the quarantine, said an immigration officer who didnt wish to be named.

Passengers who have to undergo mandatory quarantine have been divided by the Airport Health Organization (APHO) into categories on the basis of severity of their symptoms.

Category A comprises high-risk passengers requiring mandatory segregation and isolation who are directly sent to hospitals, and those in category B pose a moderate risk and need to be shifted to dedicated state government quarantine facilities.

Those in category C are a low risk and have to be kept in home quarantine while being monitored. Last week, arrangements were made at Delhi airport to completely isolate passengers from China, including Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia. Their baggage belts, immigration counters, customs clearance areas and pick and drop points outside the international arrival terminal were segregated from those for other passengers.
Second in an ongoing Series

There are few things more dangerous than a mixture of power, arrogance, and incompetence.

 Journalist Bob Herbert

Based on Americas woefully inadequate response thus far to the coronavirus pandemic, that statement perfectly describes why we remain so far behind the eight-ball.

As stated in Part One in this columns pandemic series, all facets are interrelated. In this installment, we will look at how the governments incompetence has directly resulted in the unfettered spread of the COVID-19 (C19). The objective in focusing on mistakes is so that lessons can be learned.

But first, a word on criticism. Some readers (disproportionately Donald Trump supporters), have taken issue with my social media postings and prior columns that have strongly criticized our governments incompetence. Their reactions fall into three categories: the president is doing a magnificent job (and is performing better than President Obama did); corona is wildly overhyped (even a hoax) by Democrats and the fake media; and now isnt the time to criticize the president  it is dangerous and inappropriate.

Answers: No, he hasnt; Barack Obama is not the president, so he is irrelevant; the conspiracy of all conspiracies, perpetuated by the likes of Sean Hannity et al, is so preposterous that it will not be addressed; and now is precisely the time to criticize.

Not only does constructive criticism call out egregious decisions, but, if loud enough, it leads to changed behaviors and better policies. And, unlike mundane tax proposals or omnibus spending bills, the difference between good and bad decisions with C19 affects life and death. Therefore, it is our collective duty, and indeed obligation, to put politics aside and call out mistakes.

Lets be honest: if we wait until this pandemic subsides before talking about errors, it will be too late. People will resume normal life, and the window for true lessons learned will be lost, setting ourselves up for history repeating itself.

Following are just a few mind-blowing policy decisions. Above all, it proves that no matter how many academic degrees or titles experts have, they dont automatically equate to competence and common sense.

Independence Hall: How can the birthplace of liberty, a magnet for American and international tourists, still be open? And how can the federal government declare a national emergency, yet still put millions at risk by refusing to close it? What purpose does it serve, except to make the federal government look idiotic? The irony is that of course it will close  its managers just dont know it yet. How do such people still have jobs?

Delaware County: How can a county with more people than Wyoming not have a Health Department? Its a disgrace that Delco is one of Americas most populous counties without one. No words.

President Trump: During the presidents press conference last Friday, he did virtually everything wrong. Consider the protocol breaches: he shook hands with everyone; the podium was filled with people packed tightly together  in blatant violation of the CDCs rule of 6-foot social distancing; the president, who had direct contact with two corona-infected people, was standing literally inches from the vice president; and the press were on top of one another.

Making the sin mortal was that the nations top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was in attendance with the president!

And that is exactly the problem: Americans are receiving mixed messages, and worse, outright false information. When that occurs, along with the presidents still-at-times complacent attitude, the most important weapon in fighting a pandemic is lost: credibility.

But it got worse: President Trump refused to answer a single tough question (calling them nasty,) and took no responsibility for dismantling the pandemic task force in 2018, and failing to upgrade the CDCs testing protocols for a pandemic. Instead, despite being in office for more than three years, he blamed the prior administration. But taking the cake was the presidents response as to why he wasnt emulating Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott after being in contact with two known corona cases: because he felt fine and didnt have symptoms. Yet that is entirely the point of self-quarantine! An infected person can exhibit no symptoms for 14 days, but be contagious from Day One. How can the government expect people to act responsibly, when the president himself disregards the very protocols his own administration advocates?

Remember that less than three weeks ago, when America had 15 cases, the president stated,  the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero  thats a pretty good job weve done.

Testing: Every press conference has become the same. Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence claim tests are available for all Americans, yet doctors on the front lines have emphatically been stating the opposite. It remains unfathomable that, almost three months after the corona outbreak began, the United States still lags behind virtually every other country in testing. Unfathomably, the administration could have used a test from WHO, but didnt. And it refused to allow hospitals and private labs to develop their own tests.

There is now a pervasive mentality that, since cases are relatively low, its not so bad. Wrong. The reason for that fallacy is obvious: real numbers cant be quantified if tests arent being widely administered.

Trump Administration: The incompetency list would fill volumes, so here are several of the most incomprehensible: the travel ban with China was enacted weeks late, and the two-day advance notice gave possibly infected Chinese nationals time to enter America; the State Department placed both healthy and corona-infected Americans together on the same plane; the Department of HHS sent a team to Wuhan, epicenter of the hot zone, to retrieve Americans, but provided neither training nor protective equipment; travelers entering America from hot zone proximities were not being tested upon arrival, nor having temperatures taken, nor even questioned  and this author was one of them; and the administration was long overdue in declaring a national emergency. That impotence left the feds far behind the lead of states, private companies and colleges, which enacted sound isolation/mitigation strategies.

Even more infuriating was the governments response to its mask shortage, after revealing it had less than 10 percent of the 300 million necessary for health care workers. The administration got caught with its pants down, so it tried shaming those buying masks. The surgeon general excoriated Americans, claiming masks werent effective  but in the next breath, claimed our health care workers needed them. So which is it?

Put another way: theres a riot in your neighborhood, and the police respond without guns because the they forgot to buy them. The chief then scolds anyone buying weapons, arguing that the police needed them. Sorry, but the safety of Americans should never be jeopardized because of their governments complacency. And yes, people do need masks, not just for venturing out when necessary, but to protect sick people, and their caretakers, at home.

Airline ban: What is the point of banning flights from Europe if you exclude the UK and Ireland? In case the president didnt know, one could take the Chunnel to England and fly from there. Yes, the ban has now been extended to all of Europe, but the initial incompetence demonstrates an alarming lack of virus awareness.

And, by the way, why was England recommending, instead of mandating, quarantines for those who recently arrived from the Italian hot zone?

Mayor Jim Kenney: Governor Wolfs handling of corona is commendable (except waiting too long to shut down all schools). But its no surprise that Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney initially was running in the other direction. He was telling people to shop, eat and visit parks, stating, go out and have dinner and tip your wait staff, because theyre struggling right now  we may be healthier (if we isolate), but the economy will be in the tank, and we cant have that.

If hes trying to emulate the mayor of Amity in Jaws, hes succeeding. But when people die because of his incompetent leadership, how many will consider those deaths an acceptable loss  because waiters got their tips?

Ignorance is bliss, and incompetence is dreadful. But its a crying, and dying, shame when people die because of them.
On a rare occasion you discover powerful, strategic symmetry in a relationship that it is simply compelling enough to combine forces to create better, more meaningful solutions for our clients, - Nathan Biggs

OpsCompass Inc. announced today that it will expand its product portfolio and client support systems with the acquisition of House of Brick Technologies. The move significantly expands the Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) leaders ability to address the growing demand for securely moving critical enterprise workloads to the cloud. OpsCompass recently received funding for this acquisition and additional market expansion.

It is an honor to bring together House of Bricks remarkable experience on behalf of clients and our key partner network. For more than 20 years, I have respected the knowledge and skills they provide in support of their enterprise clients around the world, said OpsCompass CEO, Manny Quevedo. Their expertise in cloud technology, virtual machine migration, database and systems licensing, and critical workload analysis is unparalleled. More importantly, their recent work in developing powerful new SaaS tools for this market, brings a distinctive competitive advantage to our product roadmap.

The acquisition was completed in February, and full integration is expected to be complete within 90 days. OpsCompass will add House of Bricks specialized AWS, VMware, Microsoft, and Oracle SaaS intellectual property to their existing monitoring toolset within six months. The companies collaborated previously on a series of software designs, and expect common product engineering and management to come together very quickly. The acquisition also allows OpsCompass to expand direct CSPM delivery capabilities and enhanced partner support system across the U.S. and western Europe by mid-2020.

On a rare occasion you discover powerful, strategic symmetry in a relationship that it is simply compelling enough to combine forces to create better, more meaningful solutions for our clients, added Nathan Biggs, senior vice president and OpsCompass board member. My time as CEO of House of Brick was very satisfying, but knowing that we will be delivering world-class SaaS solutions and professional services to clients is exciting, especially for our employees and partners.

The House of Brick brand will be maintained for the professional and managed services division of OpsCompass, Inc. and all SaaS products will be branded as OpsCompass capabilities. Nathan Biggs will continue to lead the House of Brick team as senior vice president of the division, as well as assuming other strategic roles for the combined company.

To learn more about OpsCompass and House of Brick Technologies, visit http://houseofbrick.com/hob-joins-opscompass/.

About OpsCompass

OpsCompass, is a leader in Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) offering enterprise SaaS product that drives operational control, visibility, and security in and across cloud platforms including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Office 365, and Google Cloud. Purpose-built for the cloud, OpsCompass replaces legacy controls that were not designed for contemporary, API-driven, cloud infrastructure. To learn more, visit http://www.opscompass.com.

About House of Brick Technologies

Established in 1998, House of Brick Technologies is a leader in optimizing business critical systems, with a focus on Oracle, Microsoft, AWS, and VMware-based workloads. Their offerings include cloud and virtualized architecture optimization, high availability and disaster recovery strategies, application re-platforming and data migration, and license compliance consulting. House of Brick has saved their clients billions of dollars while improving their license compliance, disaster recoverability, and critical system performance. To learn more, visit http://www.houseofbrick.com.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina ETV (SCETV) today announced a plan in partnership with the S.C. Department of Education (SCDE) to broadcast streamlined, curriculum-based programming for the states pre-K through 12th grade students in response to mandatory school closures due to the coronavirus.

SCETV is the state's only public educational broadcasting network with 11 television stations and eight radio stations throughout South Carolina. With an estimated 800,000 students enrolled in more than 1,250 schools in 81 public school districts across the state, this partnership between SCETV and SCDE recognizes the importance of continuing the educational experience by providing access to free educational resources to those students at home during this difficult, unprecedented time.

Utilizing the power of television, content broadcasted will be specifically targeted to children enrolled in pre-K through the 12th grade. That content will align with current state and federal standards so that programming is flexible enough to serve as both supplemental and fundamental, based on timing and need.

SCETV currently provides free national and local content to classrooms via online services Knowitall.org, LearningWhy and PBS Learning Media, as well as teacher training and re-certification in face-to-face and online settings. This partnership is indicative of the states priority to provide unrestricted access to education for early learners and secondary students.

Beginning Tuesday, March 24, SCETV will modify regularly scheduled programming for three days each week to offer specific pre-K  12 resources during the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The three days selected may vary from week to week. Program modifications will take place throughout the duration of school closures and will address a wide variety of content areas. Educators and parents will have access to supplemental lesson plans and curriculum materials to facilitate meaningful use of the content.

Additionally, starting March 18, SCETV will provide virtual professional development opportunities for educators, giving them an opportunity to learn more about the free educational resources and broadcast programming available. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions about content-specific resources that may be helpful to them during this time.

Visit www.scetv.org/athomelearning for more information about the modified broadcast schedule, available online resources and virtual professional development opportunities.

This collaboration between SCETV and SCDE showcases the power and effectiveness of Team South Carolinas ability to come together to meet the needs of our citizens, no matter the circumstances. By providing our parents, students and educators with these resources, well be able to mitigate the amount of lost instruction time, minimizing the impact that COVID-19 will have on this school year. -S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster

SCETV was established more than six decades ago to be a resource to educators throughout the state. This partnership doesnt just fulfill a critical need during an unprecedented time, it represents the very core focus of our agency. By leveraging already approved childrens content, weve been able to seamlessly respond to needs outlined by SCDE, which I believe can serve as a template for public media moving forward. SCETV President and CEO Anthony Padgett

SCETVs ability to deliver curriculum-based programming into the homes of nearly 800,000 students impacted by statewide school closures will support the efforts of South Carolina educators to reduce the loss of instruction time. I appreciate the strong partnership of our agencies that has made this possible for the students, parents and educators of our state. S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman

Five fast facts

 SCETV is partnering with SCDE to broadcast curriculum-based programming for the states pre-K through 12th grade students in response to mandatory school closures due to the coronavirus.

 This partnership between SCETV and SCDE recognizes the importance of continuing the educational experience by providing access to free educational resources to students at home during this difficult, unprecedented time.

 Beginning Tuesday, March 24, SCETV will modify regularly scheduled programming for three days each week to offer specific pre-K  12 resources during the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

 Additionally, starting March 18, SCETV will provide virtual professional development opportunities for educators, giving them an opportunity to learn more about the free educational resources and broadcast programming available.

 Information about the modified broadcast schedule, available online resources and virtual professional development opportunities can be found at www.scetv.org/athomelearning.

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In the lead-up to the March 15 anniversary of the Christchurch fascist terrorist attack on two mosques, in which 51 people died, New Zealand cabinet minister Shane Jones effectively launched his campaign for the countrys September election by seeking to stoke anti-immigrant racism.

In a television interview on February 29, the self-described retail politician from the anti-immigrant NZ First Party blamed Indian students for ruining New Zealand universities, arguing the doors were far too far open to migrants from New Delhi. He called for a national population policy, declaring that only NZ First would cut the current unfettered immigration levels. NZ First is a coalition partner in Jacinda Arderns Labour Party-led government.

A flood of criticism followed, including from the governments Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon, who labelled Jones comments racist and irresponsible. Jones doubled down. He told Newstalk ZB on March 6 that as a 60-year-old generational style politician, with a Maori lineage that goes back a thousand years, he was not going to accept the Indian radicals shutting me down.

After a weeks silence, apart from advising Jones his language and facts were wrong, Prime Minister Ardern finally rebuked him, suggesting that if he was a Labour MP, he would face demotion. She urged voters to condemn Jones comments and to act on their values when it comes to election time.

In fact, Jones is free to flaunt his anti-immigrant bigotry because he is protected by Labour. Ardern has not sacked Jones from cabinet because she has no substantial policy differences with NZ First, to which she gave key ministerial positions despite the party only gaining 7.2 percent of the vote at the 2017 election.

The Labour-NZ First-Greens government has systematically slashed immigration. Temporary work and student visas have increased, exploiting immigrant workers and fee-paying foreign students, but approvals for permanent residency have reduced from around 45,000 annually to 35,000.

Jones xenophobic outbursts began last November after the Indian community denounced the class-based immigration restrictions. New rules blocked thousands of parents from joining their adult children, with only the wealthiest allowed residency. Jones provocatively declared that Indian families had no right to bring the whole village to NZ and, if they didnt like it, they should catch the next flight home.

Joness rhetoric echoes the extreme-right positions in Christchurch shooter Brenton Tarrants fascist manifesto The Great Replacement, which incited right-wing violence around the globe. NZs chief censor suppressed the manifesto in order to prevent any discussion of its similarity with the anti-immigrant xenophobia promoted by politicians in NZ and internationally, and the fascist gunmans sympathy with the military and state agencies.

Jones claimed last November that he spoke for battalions of ordinary Kiwis who were highly anxious about population growth. In the last five years half-a-million people had been added to the population, he told Radio NZ, while the birth rate is actually lower than the post-war boom. Joness fixation with birth rates and scare-mongering over legions of immigrants were entirely in line with the fascist conceptions advanced by Tarrant.

Jones has indicated that in September he intends to stand in the Northland electorate, which has a predominantly poor, largely Maori population. Interviewed by Maori broadcaster Te Ao on March 2, Jones tailored his pitch to appeal to racial identity politics, aimed at dividing Maori workers from their class brothers and sisters. Putting forward his own version of the great replacement theory, Jones described immigration as a threat to our identity and status because it shrinks our percentage as Maori and Im deeply opposed to that.

Jones further derided the Indian business community who, he claimed, got here through a very soft route. This speaks to the prejudices of the Maori business elite who are hostile to any competition from foreign businesses. This layer is often represented by the Maori nationalist Maori Party and Mana Party which defend the capitalist profit system, and the position of wealthy tribal businesses within it.

The same week Jones promoted his anti-immigrant agenda, a member of the fascist group Action Zealandia was arrested over a new terror threat made against the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, one of the targets in the 2019 atrocity. This followed a revelation by the NZ Defence Force that a soldier linked to the same group had been arrested and charged with unlawfully disclosing military information.

All the establishment parties are guilty of emboldening such far-right groups by encouraging xenophobia and racism. As far back as 2005 NZ First leader Winston Peters told an audience that moderate Muslims worked hand in glove with extremists and Christianity was under direct threat from radical Islam.

The Labour Party and the Greens are not exempt. Jones, currently minister for infrastructure in the coalition, began his political career as a Labour Party MP and served as a minister in the Helen Clark-led Labour government. Throughout Labours time in opposition, it allied with NZ First, the Mana Party and others in scapegoating foreigners, especially Chinese immigrants, for the housing crisis, low wages and other social problems.

While Jones and NZ First posture as friends of ordinary Kiwis, the party is bankrolled by some of the countrys richest and most influential business figures. NZ Firsts principal funding mechanism, the NZ First Foundation, is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office over its handling of donations, particularly its failure to disclose donors identities.

NZ Firsts donors have included billionaire Graeme Hart, the countrys wealthiest person, with his family the owner of Hubbards, Hansells and Greggs food brands; the Van Den Brink family; and companies and individuals involved in the fishing and horse racing industries.

Alongside the business elite, a particularly filthy role is being played by the trade union-funded Daily Blog. After years of strident anti-Chinese propaganda, the sites editor Martyn Bradbury used this summers Australian bushfire disaster and the coronavirus pandemic to demand a major increase in military spending to turn New Zealand into a fortress against immigrants. Bradbury last year praised Jones as a political genius, declaring that there is an enormous, legitimate grievance with many in New Zealand at the level of immigration.

Such policies have no support among the broad population. Jones salvos, however, are a sign of the extreme right-wing, nationalist agenda on which the coming election will be contested. Throughout the world, the bourgeoisie is reviving authoritarian forms of rule and fascism as weapons against workers and young people, who are seeking to fight back against social inequality, the climate crisis, and the criminally neglectful response to coronavirus.
NATSEC Asia 2020

NATSEC (National Security  covering law enforcement, citizen security, border security, critical infrastructure security & cyber security) will take place from 20 - 23 April 2020 at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. With more than 30 years experience in Defence and Homeland Security showcase, this event will bring some of the most advanced technologies, systems, hardware and electronic warfare that the market has to offer.

Playing a key role as the Asia Pacific Defence and Security hub for the world defence and security industries for business sourcing activities, this event will serve as a pivotal platform bringing together various major players in the defence and security industry and government agencies for strategic alliances, business collaborations and successful networking.

Over the years since it was established in 1988, NATSEC has evolved to become a crucial voice in addressing various security concerns including areas like counter-terrorism, cyber security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations as well as battlefield healthcare and critical assets protection, among others.

NATSEC Asia 2020 is fully supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence and the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs respectively. NATSEC Asia 2020 will build on the resounding success of NATSEC Asia 2018 which raised the bar in terms of exhibitors, International Pavilions, VIP delegations and visitors.

Over 1,500 companies from the global defence and security sector from more than 60 countries and regions are expected, as well as 33 International Pavilions, some 350 VIP delegations from over 45 countries and more than 50,000 visitors from 70 countries/regions.

NATSEC Asia 2020 is open to government Defence and Security personnel, Defence and Security industry professionals and executives as well as the military, police and enforcement agencies personnel only.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 10:01:02

AB Industrivarden (publ) will hold its Annual General Meeting at 2 p.m. on April 24, 2020, at Grand Hotel, Vintertradgarden (entrance at the corner of Stallgatan/Blasieholmsgatan), in Stockholm. Registration opens at 1 p.m.



Right to attend and notification

Those who on April 18, 2020, are registered as shareholders in the shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB and who have notified the Company of their intention to attend the Annual General Meeting by no later than April 20, 2020, have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Notification may be made by post to AB Industrivarden, AGM 2020, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden; by phone at +46-8-402 92 86; or by the digital form on Industrivardens website www.industrivarden.net. Upon notification, shareholders must provide their name, personal identity number or corporate identity number, address and phone number, and number of assistants (maximum two), if any.

Proxies, certificates of incorporation and other authorization documents must be on hand at the Annual General Meeting, and to facilitate entry to the meeting, they should be submitted to the Company no later than April 20, 2020. Any proxies must be shown in original and may not be older than one year unless a longer validity period (maximum five years) is stated in the proxy. The Company provides proxy forms on its website www.industrivarden.net.

Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in order to be entitled to attend the meeting, in addition to the above notification to attend the meeting, request that their nominee re-register their shares in their own name, so that the shareholder is registered in the shareholder register as per the record day. Such registration may be temporary.

Please note that since the record date April 18, 2020 is a Saturday, shareholders who wish to attend the Annual General Meeting must be registered directly in the share register on Friday April 17, 2020. Shareholders wishing to register their shares in their own name should therefore notify the trustee well in advance of April 17, 2020.

For information on Industrivardens processing of personal data in relation to the Annual General Meeting 2020, see the privacy notice on the companys website www.industrivarden.net.

Information about measures due to the new coronavirus

As a precautionary measure to decrease any risk of the new coronavirus, the company has decided that no beverages and food will be offered, that there will be no company presentations from portfolio companies, that customary presentations will be minimized and that some restrictions will be made as to the attendance of non-shareholders. In light of the recent government instructions Industrivarden would like to encourage all shareholders to carefully consider whether to attend the meeting in person, but instead use its right to vote via proxy. Industrivarden is carefully monitoring the development and will if necessary update the information.

The Boards proposed agenda

1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting

2. Election of a chairman to preside over the Annual General Meeting

3. Drawing-up and approval of the register of voters

4. Approval of the agenda

5. Election of persons to check the minutes

6. Decision as to whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened

7. Presentation of:

a. the annual report and audit report, and of the consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group

b. the auditors statement on whether the guidelines for executive compensation, which have applied since the previous Annual General Meeting, have been followed

c. the Boards proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal

8. Address by the CEO

9. Decisions concerning:

a. adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, and the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Balance Sheet

b. distribution of the Companys earnings as shown in the adopted Balance Sheet

c. the record date, in the event the Annual General Meeting resolves to distribute earnings

d. discharge from liability to the Company of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO

10. Decision on the number of directors

11. Decision regarding directors fees for each of the Company directors

12. Election of Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board

The Nomination Committees proposal:

a. Par Boman (re-election)

b. Christian Caspar (re-election)

c. Marika Fredriksson (new election)

d. Bengt Kjell (re-election)

e. Fredrik Lundberg (re-election)

f. Annika Lundius (re-election)

g. Lars Pettersson (re-election)

h. Helena Stjernholm (re-election)

i. Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board (re-election)

13. Decision on the number of auditors

14. Decision on the auditors fees

15. Election of auditor

16. Decision on guidelines for executive compensation

17. Decision on a long-term share savings program

18. Resolution on proposal from shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson that the Annual General Meeting resolves

a. to insert a second paragraph in the Articles of Association ( 5) with the following content: All shares shall carry equal rights.

b. that  6 shall cease to apply except from (Sw: m.u.a.) Mom.2.

c. to delegate to the Board of Directors to work for abolishment in the Swedish Companies Act of the possibility of having so-called voting power differences, primarily by contacting the Government of Sweden, and

d. to delegate to the Board of Directors to prepare a proposal regarding representation on the Board of Directors and the Nomination Committee for the small and medium-sized shareholders, to be referred to the 2021 Annual General Meeting or any prior Extraordinary General Meeting. The mandate shall also include to work for a change of the national legal framework accordingly, primarily by contacting the Government of Sweden.

19. Closing of the Annual General Meeting

The Boards other proposals

Dividend and record date

The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of SEK 6.00 per share.

April 28, 2020 has been proposed as the record date for payment of the dividend. Provided that the Annual General Meeting votes in favor of this proposal, dividends are expected to be sent out via Euroclear Sweden AB on May 4, 2020.

Guidelines for compensation of senior executives

These guidelines pertain to Industrivardens CEO and other members of the Executive Management. The guidelines are to be applied for compensation agreed upon, and changes made to already agreed upon compensation, after the guidelines have been adopted by the 2020 AGM. Compensation decided by the AGM is not covered.

Compared with the guidelines decided upon by the 2019 AGM, the proposal below has been updated to meet the requirements arising out of implementation of the EUs Shareholder Rights Directive.

The guidelines promotion of the Companys business mission, long-term interests and sustainability

The Companys business mission is to be a long-term asset manager and active owner of listed Nordic companies. The mission, objectives and strategy are presented in more detail on Industrivardens website www.industrivarden.net.

Successful and sustainable execution of the Companys mission, objectives and strategy for capitalizing on the Companys long-term interests requires that the Company can recruit and retain qualified employees. The guidelines contribute to this by ensuring that senior executives can be offered a going-rate, competitive total compensation package that is commensurate with their responsibilities and authority.

Types of compensation, etc.

Compensation shall be in line with the going rate in the market and competitive and be related to individual performance as well as the Companys development. Compensation may consist of the following components: fixed cash salary, short-term variable cash compensation, pension benefits and other benefits.

Short-term variable cash compensation may amount to a maximum of 50% of the executives fixed annual cash salary. The compensation shall be coupled to fulfillment of individual criteria that are set yearly and that are evaluated according to the executives work contribution and performance. The criteria may be financial or nonfinancial, or they may consist of individually adapted quantitative or qualitative goals. The criteria shall be formulated so that they have a clear coupling to value creation for the Company and promote the Companys business mission and sustainable execution of the Companys long-term interests.

Fulfillment of criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation shall be measured during a period of one year. The Compensation Committee is responsible for assessing the extent to which the criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation to the CEO is fulfilled. The Board thereafter sets the CEOs compensation. The CEO is responsible for assessing the fulfillment of criteria for payment of short-term variable cash compensation for other senior executives. Short-term variable cash compensation shall not be pensionable.

The Board shall have the opportunity pursuant to law or agreement, with the restrictions that may arise out of such, to fully or partly rescind variable cash compensation paid out on incorrect grounds.

Pension benefits, including disability insurance, (Sw. sjukforsakring) shall be defined contribution solutions to the extent that the executive is not covered by a defined benefit pension under compulsory collective contract provisions, and shall entitle the executive to receive a pension from 60 or 65 years of age, depending on the position. For the CEO and other senior executives, premiums and other costs related to defined contribution pensions may amount to a combined maximum of 40% of the fixed annual cash salary, depending on the position.

Other benefits may include, among other things, life insurance, health insurance (Sw. sjukvardsforsakring), a car benefit and a wellness benefit. For the CEO, such benefits may amount to a maximum of one (1)% of fixed annual cash salary, and for other senior executives they may amount to four (4)% of fixed annual cash salary, depending on the position.

In addition to the above, the general meeting of shareholders may  independently from these guidelines  decide on e.g., share-based and share price-related compensation. Since 2012 the Company has established share-based incentive programs approved by general meetings, of which the 20172019 programs are currently in effect. The programs cover all employees and require a personal shareholding and holding period of three (3) years. The outcome is based on performance targets that are related to the long-term growth in Industrivardens share price. Approved share-based incentive programs are presented in more detail on Industrivardens website www.industrivarden.net.

For notice of termination served by the Company, the notice period may be a maximum of two (2) years. Fixed cash salary paid during the notice period and severance pay may together not exceed an amount corresponding to two (2) years fixed cash salary. For notice given by the executive, the notice period may be a maximum of six (6) months, without any right to severance pay.

Additionally, compensation may be payable for any non-compete obligation. Such payment shall compensate for possible loss of income and shall only be paid to the extent the former executive lacks entitlement to severance pay. Compensation shall amount to a maximum of 60% of fixed cash salary at the time notice was served, unless other terms apply under stipulations of a compulsory collective agreement. It shall be paid during the time the noncompete obligation applies, which shall be a maximum of 12 months after the end of employment.

Decision-making process for setting, revising and implementing the guidelines

The Compensation Committees duties include conducting preparatory work for board decisions on proposed guidelines for compensation of senior executives. The Board shall draw up a recommendation for new guidelines at least every fourth year and present the recommendation for decision by the Annual General Meeting. The guidelines apply until new guidelines have been adopted by a general meeting. The Compensation Committee shall also monitor and evaluate variable compensation programs for members of the Executive Management, application of guidelines for compensation of senior executives and applicable compensation structures and compensation levels in the Company.

In the preparatory work for the Boards recommendation on these compensation guidelines, salary and terms of employment for the Companys other employees have been taken into account, whereby information on the employees total compensation, the components of their compensation and the increase in their compensation and rate of growth over time have made up part of the Compensation Committees and Boards decision-making documentation in evaluating the fairness of the guidelines and the limitations that arise out of these.

The Compensation Committees members are independent in relation to the Company and Executive Management. In the Boards handling of and decisions on compensation-related matters, the CEO and other members of the Executive Management are not present to the extent they are the subject of the matters at hand.

Departures from the guidelines

The Board may decide to temporarily depart from the guidelines entirely or partly if in an individual case there are special reasons for doing so and a departure is necessary for safeguarding the Companys long-term interests or to ensure the Companys financial soundness. The Compensation Committees duties include conducting preparatory work for the Boards decisions on compensation matters, which includes decisions to depart from the guidelines.

Long-term share savings program

Background

Since 2012 the Annual General Meetings have resolved on the implementation of long-term share saving programs for employees of the Company. The terms of the share savings program (the Program) now proposed by the Board of Directors to the 2020 Annual General Meeting follow the same basic structure as the Program adopted by the 2019 Annual General Meeting, but have been adjusted with the purpose to (i) increase the element of performance targets in the Program, and (ii) achieve a greater differentiation and expanded scope for outcome in grants of shares among the different categories of participants in the Program.

The Program entails that the employee after three years receives so-called performance shares, provided that certain conditions are fulfilled and that the employee has invested a portion of his or her base salary in Industrivarden shares and that the employee has not given notice or has not been served notice of termination at the time the shares were granted.

The purpose of the Program is to encourage Industrivardens employees to increase their shareholdings and thereby further emphasize long-term shareholder value. The share savings program is deemed to increase Industrivardens prospects for retaining and recruiting competent employees as well as the employees interest and involvement in Industrivardens business and development. The performance conditions, which are based on the total return for Industrivarden shares during the term of the Program, are deemed to further enhance the participants long-term commitment and the mutual interests between Industrivardens shareholders and employees. The Program is intended to be annually recurring and constitute the form of long-term variable salary.

The Board of Directors thus proposes that the 2020 Annual General Meeting resolve to implement a long-term share savings program for in total no more than 20 employees of Industrivarden.

The Board of Directors proposal for resolution

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve to implement the Program based on the terms and conditions set out below.

a. The Program is open to the CEO and a maximum of 4 other members of Industrivardens management (CEO and Management respectively), to a maximum of 6 key persons employed by Industrivarden (Key Persons), and to other permanent employees of Industrivarden (Employees), however in total a maximum of 20 permanent employees of Industrivarden.

b. Provided that the CEO, Management, Key Persons and Employees (as applicable) have made an own investment in Class C shares in Industrivarden (Savings Shares) during the Acquisition Period (defined in item c below), from a designated third party at the end of the Lock-in Period (defined in point d below), such participant is under the terms of the Program offered the opportunity to be granted shares free of charge, as follows:

(i) Provided that the total return for the Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds 10 percent, all program participants may be granted 0.5 Class C shares in Industrivarden (Performance Share) per Savings Share,

(ii) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX during the same period of time, the CEO and Management may be granted 1 additional Performance Share, Key Persons may be granted 0.5 additional Performance Share, and Employees may be granted 0.5 additional Performance Share, per Savings Share,

(iii) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX by 2 percentage points during the same period of time, the CEO and Management may be granted 1.5 additional Performance Shares and Key Persons may be granted an additional 1 Performance Share per Savings Share, and

(iv) Provided that the average annual total return for Industrivarden Class C shares during the Lock-in Period is equal to or exceeds SIXRX by 3 percentage points during the same period of time, the CEO may be granted 1 additional Performance Share per Savings share.

In total, the Program thus entails that the CEO may be granted 4 Performance Shares per Savings Share, that Management may be granted 3 Performance Shares per Savings Share, that Key Persons may be granted 2 Performance Shares per Savings Share, and that Employees may be granted 1 Performance Share per Savings Share.

c. The maximum number of Savings Shares that each program participant may acquire is limited in such way that Savings Shares may be acquired for an amount corresponding to a maximum of 10 percent of the participants gross annual base salary for 2020. Acquisition of Savings Shares shall take place during the period from July 20, 2020, until October 30, 2020, however with a right for the Board of Directors to extend the period in certain circumstances (the Acquisition Period).

d. Grants of Performance Shares are expected to take place shortly after publication of Industrivardens third quarter interim report for 2023. The time from the last day of the Acquisition Period to the date of publication of Industrivardens third quarter interim report for 2023 is defined as the Lock-in Period.

e. In order for a program participant to be granted Performance Shares it is required that, with certain specific exemptions, the participant has not been given notice or has not been served notice of termination of employment in Industrivarden during the Lock-in Period and that the participant, throughout the Lock-in Period, has retained the Savings Shares. Saving Shares disposed of prior to the expiration of the Lock-in Period will therefore not entitle to any grants of Performance Shares. Should a program participant retire during the Lock-in Period, the entitlement to receive allotment of Performance Shares shall be reduced in proportion to the time remaining in the Lock-in Period.

f. The Program shall comprise a maximum of 55,000 Class C shares in Industrivarden. Should Savings Shares be acquired at a share price such that the total number of Performance Shares exceeds 55,000, the number of Performance Shares that may be transferred to the program participants will be proportionally reduced.

g. The Board of Directors shall be authorized to establish the detailed terms and conditions for the Program.

h. In the event significant changes occur in Industrivarden or the market, or in the event the costs for the Program significantly exceed the estimated costs, and this, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, results in a situation where the conditions for grants of Performance Shares under the Program become unreasonable, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make adjustments to the Program, including, among other things, a decision to reduce the grant of Performance Shares or to not grant any Performance Shares at all.

i. The number of Performance Shares shall be subject to recalculation as a result of intervening bonus issues, splits, rights issues and/or other similar company events.

Drafting of the proposal

The proposal regarding the Program to the 2020 Annual General Meeting has been decided on by the Board of Directors following preparation by the Compensation Committee.

Hedging, etc.

To hedge the financial exposure that the Program is expected to have, the Board of Directors intends to enter into a share swap agreement with a third party on behalf of Industrivarden, at market terms, whereby the third party in its own name shall be entitled to acquire and transfer Class C shares in Industrivarden to the program participants.

As proposed the Program may comprise a maximum of 55,000 Class C shares in Industrivarden, representing approximately 0.01 percent of all outstanding shares in Industrivarden and approximately 0.03 percent of all outstanding Class C shares in Industrivarden.

In accordance with the scope of the Program as described above, the cost upon full grant is estimated to approximately SEK 12 million, under the assumption all employees participate in the Program and that all program participants acquire the maximum number of Savings Shares.

The Program is expected to have only marginal effect on Industrivardens and the Industrivarden Groups key ratios.

Majority requirements

The Annual General Meetings resolution in accordance with the above requires a majority of more than half of the votes cast.

Nominating Committees proposals

The Nominating Committee has consisted of Fredrik Lundberg, (Chairman of the Board of AB Industrivarden), Bo Damberg (the Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation and others), Mats Guldbrand (L E Lundbergforetagen), Mikael Schmidt (SCA pension foundations and others), and Stefan Nilsson (Handelsbanken Pension Foundation and others). Mats Guldbrand has served as Nominating Committee chair.

Aktiebolaget Industrivardens Nominating Committee proposes the following.

AGM Chairman

Attorney Sven Unger.

Number of directors

Eight directors and no deputy directors.

Directors fees

Chairman of the Board: SEK 2,120,000 (SEK 2,060,000).

Vice Chairman (in the event such is appointed): SEK 1,280,000 (SEK 1,240,000).

Each of the other non-executive directors: SEK 640,000 (SEK 620,000).

No separate fee is to be paid for committee work.

Board of Directors

Re-election of Par Boman, Christian Caspar, Bengt Kjell, Fredrik Lundberg, Annika Lundius, Lars Pettersson and Helena Stjernholm, and new election of Marika Fredriksson, as directors. Nina Linander has declined re-election.

Re-election of Fredrik Lundberg as Chairman of the Board.

Information about the proposed directors can be found on Industrivardens website www.industrivarden.net.

Number of auditors

One chartered accounting firm.

Auditor

The Nominating Committee proposes, in accordance with the Audit Committees recommendation, re-election of the accounting firm Deloitte AB for the period until the end of the 2021 Annual General Meeting. Deloitte AB has notified that if the firm is elected, it will appoint Authorized Public Accountant Hans Waren as chief auditor.

Auditors fee

Fee in accordance with approved invoice.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is of the opinion that there is no reason to amend the resolution regarding the Nominating Committee that was made at the 2011 Annual General Meeting, and which applies until further notice.

Proposals from shareholders

The complete proposals under item 18 on the agenda are set out in the agenda.

Majority requirements

A resolution by the General Meeting to amend the Articles of Association in accordance with items 18 a and b are valid if all shareholders represented at the meeting vote in favor of the proposal and those shareholders represent at least nine-tenths of all shares in the Company, alternatively if shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the votes cast as well as the shares represented at the meeting vote in favor of the proposal and holders of half of all shares of Class A and nine-tenths of the shares of Class A represented at the meeting agree to the amendments.

Other information relating to the Annual General Meeting

Documents

Accounting records, audit reports and auditors statements, and the Boards proposed distribution of earnings and statement in support of such proposal, will be on hand for the shareholders at the Company three weeks before the Annual General Meeting. These documents will also then be posted on the Companys website, www.industrivarden.net, and will be sent to shareholders at their postal address upon request. The documents will also be available at the Annual General Meeting.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

The total number of shares in AB Industrivarden is 435,209,877, of which 268,183,340 are Class A shares and, 167,026,537 are Class C shares. Each Class A share carries one vote and each Class C share carries one-tenth of a vote. The total number of votes is 284,885,993. This data pertains to the conditions at the time this notice was issued.

Disclosures at the Annual General Meeting

The shareholders have the right to certain disclosures at the Annual General Meeting: The Board of Directors and CEO shall, if requested by any shareholder, and if the Board believes that it can be done without causing material harm to the Company, provide disclosures on conditions that could affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, conditions that could have an effect on the assessment of the Companys or a subsidiarys financial situation or the Companys relations with another Group company. A shareholder who wishes to submit questions in advance can do so by post: AB Industrivarden, the Board of Directors, Box 5403, SE-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden, or by e-mail: legal@industrivarden.se.

Stockholm in March 2020

AB Industrivarden (publ)

The Board of Directors

The information herein was submitted for publication at 10 a.m. (CET) on March 17, 2020.

Attachment
Sonoma County is planning to join seven other counties in the Bay Area Tuesday that issued shelter-in-place orders to residents to restrict the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Interim Public Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said the order is still being drafted but it will take effect Wednesday shortly after midnight.
Emma Walmsley has been the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline plc (LON:GSK) since 2017. This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at other big companies. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO.

See our latest analysis for GlaxoSmithKline

How Does Emma Walmsley's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

At the time of writing, our data says that GlaxoSmithKline plc has a market cap of UK70b, and reported total annual CEO compensation of UK8.4m for the year to December 2019. That's a notable increase of 42% on last year. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at UK1.1m. Importantly, there may be performance hurdles relating to the non-salary component of the total compensation. We took a group of companies with market capitalizations over UK6.5b, and calculated the median CEO total compensation to be UK4.6m. (We took a wide range because the CEOs of massive companies tend to be paid similar amounts - even though some are quite a bit bigger than others).

As you can see, Emma Walmsley is paid more than the median CEO pay at large companies, in the same market. However, this does not necessarily mean GlaxoSmithKline plc is paying too much. We can get a better idea of how generous the pay is by looking at the performance of the underlying business.

The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at GlaxoSmithKline has changed from year to year.

LSE:GSK CEO Compensation, March 17th 2020

Is GlaxoSmithKline plc Growing?

Over the last three years GlaxoSmithKline plc has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 47% per year (using a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 9.5% over the last year.

Story continues

This shows that the company has improved itself over the last few years. Good news for shareholders. It's good to see a bit of revenue growth, as this suggests the business is able to grow sustainably. Shareholders might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts.

Has GlaxoSmithKline plc Been A Good Investment?

Since shareholders would have lost about 2.9% over three years, some GlaxoSmithKline plc shareholders would surely be feeling negative emotions. So shareholders would probably think the company shouldn't be too generous with CEO compensation.

In Summary...

We compared total CEO remuneration at GlaxoSmithKline plc with the amount paid at other large companies. Our data suggests that it pays above the median CEO pay within that group.

Importantly, though, the company has impressed with its earnings per share growth, over three years. However, the returns to investors are far less impressive, over the same period. So shareholders might not feel great about the fact that CEO pay increased on last year. While EPS is positive, we'd say shareholders would want better returns before the CEO is paid much more. Looking into other areas, we've picked out 4 warning signs for GlaxoSmithKline that investors should think about before committing capital to this stock.

Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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.
TULSA, Okla.  David Stone snagged a cardboard box of .223-caliber ammunition from the shelf and slid it across the glass countertop, offering his go-to sales pitch: Welcome to the biggest selection of ammunition in all of Oklahoma.

Im not sure I can keep on saying that, Stone said, explaining that the supply of goods at Dongs Guns, Ammo and Reloading has been seriously depleted over the last few days. When I say sales have been booming, he said, its an understatement.

Gun sales are surging in many U.S. states, especially in those hit hardest by the coronavirus  California, New York and Washington. But theres also been an uptick in less-affected areas, with some first-time gun buyers fearing an unraveling of the social order and some gun owners worried that the government might use its emergency powers to restrict gun purchases.

Stones packed store shares a small strip of road with a church, a cemetery and another gun shop, and in recent days he has sold several firearms to truckers traveling along Interstate 44 here in Oklahoma. One trucker, who was headed to Arizona, bought $2,500 worth of firearms and ammunition, and another trucker, who was headed to Illinois, dropped $200 on ammunition alone.

In California, would-be customers formed a long line outside the Martin B. Retting gun shop in Culver City (Los Angeles County) over the weekend.

Politicians and anti-gun people have been telling us for the longest time that we dont need guns, said John Gore, 39, part of the crush of customers in recent days. But right now, a lot of people are truly scared, and they can make that decision themselves.

Ammo.com, an online retailer of ammunition, has also seen a recent increase in sales. According to the company, from Feb. 23 to March 4, transactions increased 68% compared with the 11 days before Feb. 23, a day when Italy reported a major outbreak of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Some gun control groups have raised concerns about children out of school for the next several weeks, which could result in more children and teens being killed in homes with unsecured guns.

The National Rifle Association and other Second Amendment advocates have been applauding the uptick in firearms sales.

You dont need it, till you need it, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted recently.

According to various reports, the surge in gun sales started several weeks ago in states such as Washington and California, and included large numbers of Asian Americans, some fearful of anti-Asian backlash over the coronavirus.

At Laguna Guns & Accessories in Elk Grove (Sacramento County), the shops owner said he has seen a recent run on his inventory, with many Asian customers stopping into the store.

With 10 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and no deaths, Oklahoma  unlike California or Washington  hasnt experienced the hour-by-hour updates of the pandemics spread. Though Jay is skeptical of the risks, he said he was encouraged to see more people buying guns.

If this hysteria is helping the cause, then thats great, he said. Strap up.

Kurtis Lee and Anita Chabria are Los Angeles Times writers.
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

LATEST, March 17, 10:30 p.m. Marin County's case count increased to 15.

San Jose State University reported its first case of coronavirus on Tuesday. The patient is an off-campus student who is in isolation at home.

March 17, 4:55 p.m., Santa Clara County announced its fifth death related to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon. The man, who was in his 50s, had been hospitalized on March 9.

March 17, 4:45 p.m., U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin issued a warning to Republicans Tuesday, noting that unemployment in the United States could rise as high as 20% due to impacts from the coronavirus.

As Bloomberg reported, Mnuchin told the senators he suspects the negative economic impact from the coronavirus outbreak could have a worse outcome for U.S. workers than the 2008 financial crisis.

March 17, 4:32 p.m., San Francisco Mayor London Breed has issued a moratorium on evictions for the city's small and medium-sized businesses. According to a press release on the mayor's website, this ban applies to businesses with less than $25 million in annual gross profits.

"We are taking action to make sure that our small businesses are not displaced as a result of the economic impact caused by coronavirus," she stated. "We will continue to push for more immediate state and federal support in addition to the programs weve introduced locally, because this pandemic is having major widespread economic impacts on almost every business and resident in our city.

Part of the effort includes deferring small business taxes and licensing fees, and the launching of Give2SF.org, which gathers donations to be distributed to local small businesses and workers impacted by coronavirus.

March 17, 3:17 p.m., Sonoma County is expected to follow suit with six other Bay Area counties in ordering a shelter in place as soon as Tuesday night at midnight, the Press Democrat reported Tuesday afternoon. The county's interim public health officer, Dr. Sundari Mase is reportedly hoping to issue the official order "as soon as possible."

Sonoma County has six confirmed cases of COVID-19 thus far  far fewer than most other local counties  and health officials hope that going through with the order will help curb new ones.

"If we put [the order] in place now, we are way ahead of the game," Dr. Mase told the Press Democrat. "We could prevent cases. I think its something we need to consider."

Dr. Mase, who was placed in the interim public health officer position just a week ago, will further clarify her remarks in an online town hall meeting on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Separately, the County tweeted they would be scaling back and offering only essential services to residents beginning Wednesday.

March 17, 2:30 p.m., Alameda County reported nine new cases Tuesday, bringing the county's new total to 27. Contra Costa County also reported five additional cases, reaching a total 39 cases. No additional information was disclosed.

March 17, 2:00 p.m., Santa Clara County confirmed 17 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total to 155. "We expect numbers to grow and urge everyone to follow Public Health recommendations," the county stated. No further information was given.

March 17, 10:40 a.m. In San Mateo County, the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 increased from 41 to 64 Tuesday, with 23 new cases reported.

San Francisco's count also increased Tuesday with three new infected individuals. The county total is 43. See a rundown of all the cases in the Bay Area below.

March 17, 7:14 a.m. UCSF emergency room doctor Rosny Daniel tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday and has shared his story on Medium.

He wrote that he initially felt "slightly sick" with a mild cough on Thursday evening. On Friday, he still had that pre-sick feeling with muscle soreness and an elevated temperature.

"I didnt know if I was really going to get sick or not, but I didnt want to risk getting others sick so I asked around and was able to get out of my shift," Daniel wrote. "I contacted my leadership team and was instructed to go get tested."

On Saturday morning, he learned he had tested positive. "Physically, I feel fine," he wrote. "Mild muscle soreness and headaches mostly. I havent had any more fevers since waking up a little sweaty Friday morning. My breathing is fine. No nausea, vomiting, diarrhea."

Daniel said he's anxious because he's type 1 diabetic, as well as asthmatic, and he knows "this disease can get a lot worse very fast."

If you've been in denial about the COVID-19 situation, on Monday the situation became real for many as six Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter in place. The new declarations issued by Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties impact nearly 7 million people.

Starting at midnight on Monday evening, residents of these counties were ordered stay home for the next three weeks, except for essential needs such as getting food, picking up medicine, seeing a doctor, caring for a family member or friend, or for work reasons. Read this story with frequently asked questions about the order.

The case count in the Bay Area climbed Monday. The number of cases increased to 40 in San Francisco County, 18 in Alameda, nine in Solano and 138 in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara also reported two more deaths, bringing the county's total to four.

Both individuals were men; one was in his 80s and another was in his 50s. It is not known if either of the two had underlying health conditions.

Where cases have been confirmed in the Bay Area:





ALAMEDA COUNTY: 27 confirmed cases

Fore more information on Alameda County cases, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 39 confirmed cases

Fore more information on Contra Costa County cases, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 15 confirmed cases

Fore more information on Marin County cases, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 0 residents, 2 patients treated in Napa, then transferred out of county

For more information on Napa County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 43 confirmed cases

For more information on San Francisco County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 64 confirmed cases, 1 death

For more information on San Mateo County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 155 confirmed cases, 5 deaths

Fore more information on Santa Clara County cases, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 8 confirmed cases

For more information on Solano County cases, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 6 confirmed cases

For more information on Sonoma County cases, visit the public health department website.

In California, 11 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported:

The first death occurred in Placer County on March 4. The Placer County Health Department said the deceased is an elderly resident of the county with underlying health conditions. The patient tested presumptively positive on Tuesday, March 3 at a California lab and was likely exposed on a Princess cruise ship that traveled from San Francisco to Mexico, Feb. 11 to 21, health officials said. The patient was under treatment in isolation at Kaiser Permanente Roseville.

The second California death, the first in the Bay Area, was reported in Santa Clara County in March 9. A woman in her 60s passed away at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View Monday, the first death tied to the novel coronavirus in the Bay Area. The woman was hospitalized for several weeks, Santa Clara County health officials said.

Sacramento County announced on March 10 that a woman in her 90s in an assisted-living facility died from corornavirus. This was the first death in the county and the third in California. Health officials said the patient had an underlying health condition and "died of complications" related to the pneumonia-like virus.

Los Angeles County announced the fourth death on March 11: a woman who had traveled extensively (including a layover in South Korea) and who was visiting Los Angeles from out of town.

A fifth death was reported on March 13, though officials did not disclose where it occurred.

Santa Clara County reported its second coronavirus-related death and sixth in the state on March 13. The patient who passed away was an adult woman in her 80s, officials said.

San Mateo County reported its first coronavirus death on March 15. The age of the individual has not been released.

Santa Clara County reported two new coronavirus deaths on March 17, bringing the county's total to four and the state total to nine. Both individuals were men; one was in his 80s and another was in his 50s. It is not known if either of the two had underlying health conditions.

Riverside County reported two deaths associated with COVID-19 on Match 17.

The death of a 72-year-old man from Sunnyvale was previously thought to be linked to COVID-19, but test results confirmed the man did not have the virus.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
MEDINA, Ohio

Criminal damaging, Carlton Road

Police responded to several reports of damaged mailboxes between 8:15 a.m. and 5:03 p.m. March 16 on Carlton and Egypt roads. Reports indicated that the mailboxes were damaged by either a bat or blunt object. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

Trespassing, Kempton Oval

Police responded to a report of a person changing locks on a residence. The caller also asked police for information about protection orders.

Animal bite, Palker Road

A resident reported being bitten by her neighbors dog at 4:36 p.m. March 14. There was no further information at the time of the report.

Theft, Harding Street

Management at a bar reported that a man left without paying his tab at 12:47 a.m. March 15.

Theft, N. Court Street

Management at a Sunoco gas station reported two $2.32 cans of Milwaukees Best beer stolen at 6:24 p.m. March 15. The suspect was located and cited for theft and trespassing.

Read more news from the Medina Sun.
Actor Arti Singh, who was one of the finalists on Bigg Boss 13, has wished ex-boyfriend Ayaz Khan on his wedding anniversary. Arti had broken up with Ayaz after three years of relationship. He is now married to Jannat.

Arti posted an adorable picture of Ayaz and his wife Jannat on Instagram and wrote, Happy anniversary mere Doston .... @ayazkhan701 @jannatkhan1618.! May god bless you both and keeps both of you always happy. Love you both so so much!. Ayaz replied to her saying, Thank u my pagli dost.

She shared another post with a pool picture of Ayaz and his wife, Happy anniversary sirjiii and madam. She also posted a picture of the couple dressed in ethnic wear and wrote, Happy anniversary to my paglait... love you both. Itna sara likha darwaza chhup gaya now only u both can be seen. (I wrote so much that the text hid the door, now only you can be seen in the picture).

Arti Singh again wished Ayaz Khan and his wife Jannat on their wedding anniversary on her Instagram stories.

Talking about their breakup, Arti had earlier told Times of India in an interview, Its strange that it took us three years to realise that we are two different people, who arent on the same page on many issues. We tried to salvage the relationship, but it wasnt meant to be. Some friendships shouldnt graduate to love or marriage. Having said that, we continue to be best friends and are there for each other. Its unfortunate that we couldnt become life partners.

Also read: Sunny Leones family is masked amid coronavirus outbreak: A new era! So sad that my kids have to now live like this

Arti is now single and looking to settle down. The actor had made headlines when she opened up about a rape attempt on her during her childhood. Her brother Krushna Abhishek had, however, played down her claim. She had said in his defence in an interview to Hindustan Times, My brother and my mother are upset because I am yet to get married. He did not say it didnt happen, he said that I said a bit too much in flow. He was of the view that I should have spoken only 3 lines, what was the need for 10 lines. This is a normal reaction of a brother.

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People around the world are finding ways to amuse themselves as they self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic - and these social media photos prove that high society is no different.

Aristocrats, heiresses and society models around the world have taken to Instagram to show how they're keeping themselves busy while staying put at home.

Budding fashion designer Talita von Furstenberg, granddaughter of designer Diane, is holed up in a cosy cottage doing puzzles, while Zoe de Givenchy, a close friend of Princess Eugenie, is finding herself in the same position as many parents as she tries to keep her children focused while they're being taught at home.

Elsewhere, model and DJ Lady Mary Charteris, daughter of James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March and Catherine Ingrid Guinness, tried her hand at baking.

Here, a closer look at how the society movers and shakers are spending their time now that parties and fashion shows are no longer an option...

INDIA HICKS

Letting loose! India Hicks, 52, daughter of the Queen's bridesmaid Lady Pamela Hicks and granddaughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, is spending time at home in the Bahamas, where she tried her hand at TikTok dances (pictured) - much to daughter Domino's embarrassment

India Hicks, 52, daughter of the Queen's bridesmaid Lady Pamela Hicks and granddaughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, is spending time at home in the Bahamas, where she lives with her partner David Flint Wood and their children.

Posting on Instagram, she told how she had been dabbling in TikTok - much to the embarrassment of her 12-year-old daughter, Domino.

TikTok is rapidly growing in popularity among high profile parents who want to join in on their children's fun. Famous mothers including Jessica Alba and Courtney Cox have also shared their own TikTok videos.

EMMA WEYMOUTH

Fresh air: Emma, Viscountess Weymouth, is the wife of Ceawlin, Viscount Weymouth, shared a video from her walk through the 1,000 acres of parkland at the family's Longleat estate

Emma, Viscountess Weymouth, is the wife of Ceawlin, Viscount Weymouth. Now best known as a contestant on last year's Strictly Come Dancing, Emma is also a model, philanthropist and contributing editor at British Vogue (editor-in-chief Edward Enninful is a close friend).

Unlike many families, the Weymouths don't have to worry about getting on top of each other during this period of self-isolation as they have the run of the sprawling Longleat estate, near Warminster in Wiltshire.

A fitness fanatic, Emma has shared photos of her home workouts on Instagram, as well as breathtaking photos and videos from her strolls through Longleat's 1,000 acres of landscaped parkland.

Emma, who is mother to sons John, five, and Henry, four, also shared advice on how to keep children busy at home.

LADY MARY CHARTERIS

Baking up a storm! Lady Mary Charteris shared her recipe for courgette and quinoa bread as she self-isolates in the UK

Lady Mary Charteris is the daughter of James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March and Catherine Ingrid Guinness, of the Guinness dynasty.

The effortlessly stylish 32-year-old modelled for the likes of Tatler, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Love, and is now best known as a vocalist and keyboardist in electronic rock band The Big Pink.

While Lady Mary and her husband Robbie Furze own a property in LA, it is thought they are in self-isolation in the UK.

Her family estate is Stanway House, in Gloucestershire, although she also spends a significant amount of time in London.

Lady Mary, a close friend of Rita Ora and Cara Delevingne, posted yesterday that she had baked a loaf of delicious courgette quinoa bread in isolation - and thoughtfully shared the recipe with followers in case they wanted to give it a try themselves.

TALITA VON FURSTENBERG

Simple pleasures: Talita von Furstenburg, granddaughter of celebrated fashion designer Diane, has swapped fashion front rows for nights in the fire in a woodland cottage

Talita von Furstenburg, granddaughter of celebrated fashion designer Diane, is most often seen gallivanting around the world with her society pals, including her cousin Princess Olympia of Greece.

But for now Talita, 20, is keeping a low profile 'in the woods', although it is not known where in the world she is.

Talented Talita shared an Instagram Story revealing how she has swapped the glitzy party circuit for doing a jigsaw puzzle in front of a roaring fire in her country retreat.

ZOE de GIVENCHY

Home school: Dubbed one of LA's 'power players' by Tatler magazine, Zoe de Givenchy is a close friend Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank. She revealed how children Ines, left, and Louis, right, are learning from home while their school is closed due to coronavirus

Dubbed one of LA's 'power players' by Tatler magazine, Zoe de Givenchy is a close friend Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

Mrs de Givenchy is understood to have met the royal couple while living in London, where she also met her husband, senior JP Morgan banker Olivier de Givenchy.

The couple now live in Los Angeles with daughter Ines and son Louis, who served as a page boy at Eugenie and Jack's Windsor Castle wedding in October 2018.

Like parents around the world, Zoe has found herself at home with the children while their schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Taking to Instagram, Zoe showed how Louis was being taught remotely by his teachers while Ines was in a makeshift 'pre-school' in the room next door.
RECORD: John Concannon is the man behind a string of high-profile marketing campaigns such as The Gathering and Ireland 2016. Photo: David Conachy

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has brought back a leading communications guru to manage the Governments public information campaign on the Coronavirus crisis.

John Concannon, the marketing expert behind the Wild Atlantic Way, took up a new role of Vice-President: Development of NUI Galway last year.

But he also worked on the Governments crisis communications for the Beast from the East and Storm Emma weather crisis in 2018.

It is understood his new role will involve coordinating the Government communications across a range of departments and agencies for the current Covid-19 crisis.

Mr Concannon worked on The Gathering and the 1916 commemorations, along with various tourism initiatives.

In recent years, he also worked as head of the Government's controversial Strategic Communications Unit and was Assistant Secretary General in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in the role of Director General of 'Global Ireland', the plan to double Ireland's international footprint by 2025, which includes the campaign to win a seat on the UN Security Council.

After taking up his NUI Galway role, he also remained on in a part-time capacity working on the UN Security Council job.

Mr Concannon is a widely respected businessman who was tasked with leading the Government's strategy on the Easter Rising commemorations, Ireland 2016, followed by 'Creative Ireland', the initiative aimed at giving more access to young people in the areas of music, drama, art and coding.

Previously, he was Director of Market Development for Failte Ireland, where he drove the 'Discover Ireland' Programme, The Gathering and the Wild Atlantic Way.

Mr Concannon has also worked in the private sector in management roles in Unilever and returned to Galway as CEO of Ireland West Tourism in 2004. He has served as chairman of Cope Galway and of the Galway Age Friendly Initiative and is currently a Board Member of Connacht Rugby.

From Galway, he is a graduate of NUI Galway.

A Government spokesman said: As part of the Governments communications response to Covid-19 and the escalating nature of the situation, John Concannon has been enlisted to specifically coordinate public information communications across Government and its agencies.

"John is currently Vice President at NUIG and also has responsibilities in the Department of Foreign Affairs. He has extensive experience in various Government departments including Foreign Affairs, Culture, Tourism, and the Department of the Taoiseach, and has worked on major large-scale initiatives like the 1916 Centenary programme.

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The draft of the amended environmental protection law clearly describes the types of projects subject to EIA (environment impact assessment) based on project scale, characteristics and impact on the environment.

With the view of minimizing the burden of administrative procedures on investors, and creating favorable conditions for projects while still ensuring strict and effective management, the draft law clearly defines the role of EIA and other environmental management tools in the stages of investment consideration and project implementation.





The law compilers classify investment projects into four categories. First, projects needing an EIA, but not an environment license. Second, projects which have to have both an EIA and an environment license. Third, projects which dont have to have an EIA, but have to have an environment license. Fourth, projects which dont have to follow the procedures on environment.



The new feature in the draft law is that projects with little impact on the environment (Categories 3 and 4) will not have to have an EIA. The General Directorate of Environment, the compiler of the amended law, said this would help ease investment costs and create favorable conditions for the implementation of projects.

Changing the view that EIA is an almighty tool which helps monitor all projects, the draft law re-defines the role of EIA as just a forecasting tool which only has significance in the period of project building.

Changing the view that EIA is an almighty tool which helps monitor all projects, the draft law re-defines the role of EIA as just a forecasting tool which only has significance in the period of project building.

EIA is essentially a tool to analyze and predict environmental impacts to help serve the decision-making process of authorities.



Therefore, EIA needs to be implemented when the ideas about the project implementation form. However, what happens in reality showed that EIA in Vietnam still cannot fulfill its task of forecasting.



The benefits of EIA are immense. If investors do not spend certain amounts of money on EIA when designing projects to anticipate the negative impact of the projects on the environment, it will be very costly to fix the problems that arise.



Therefore, the provisions related to EIA and the procedures to implement an EIA need to be designed in a very careful way.



The draft of the amended law also sets strict regulations on mandatory consultations with the community, information exposure and project implementation monitoring.



Nguyen Xuan Hai, director of the Department of EIA Examination, said the amended law will show clearly the content and the way to expose information about EIAs.



Regarding the EIA approval, Hai said, if investment projects are not in the national top secret group, EIA will be approved by MONRE or provincial authorities.

Mai Nguyen

How are funds from environmental taxes and fees spent? Every attempt to raise environmental taxes and fees encounters opposition from the public because they don't know how the money is spent.
Alcoholics Anonymous, the worldwide fellowship of sobriety seekers, is the most effective path to abstinence, according to a comprehensive analysis conducted by a Stanford School of Medicine researcher and his collaborators.

After evaluating 35 studies -- involving the work of 145 scientists and the outcomes of 10,080 participants -- Keith Humphreys, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and his fellow investigators determined that AA was nearly always found to be more effective than psychotherapy in achieving abstinence. In addition, most studies showed that AA participation lowered health care costs.

AA works because it's based on social interaction, Humphreys said, noting that members give one another emotional support as well as practical tips to refrain from drinking. "If you want to change your behavior, find some other people who are trying to make the same change," he said.

The review will be published March 11 in Cochrane Database of Systematic Review. Cochrane requires its authors to undertake a rigorous process that ensures the studies represented in its summaries are high-quality and the review of evidence is unbiased.

"Cochrane Reviews are the gold standard in medicine for integration of all the research about a particular intervention," Humphreys said. "We wanted to do this work through Cochrane because of its rigor and reputation."

The other co-authors are a researcher from Harvard Medical School and a researcher from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

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Though well-known, AA faces skepticism

Although AA is well-known and used by millions around the world, mental health professionals are sometimes skeptical of its effectiveness, Humphreys said. Psychologists and psychiatrists, trained to provide cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy to treat patients with alcohol-use disorder, can have a hard time admitting that the lay people who run AA groups do a better job of keeping people on the wagon.

Early in his career, Humphreys said, he dismissed AA, thinking, "How dare these people do things that I have all these degrees to do?"

Humphreys noted that counseling can be designed to facilitate engagement with AA -- what he described as "an extended, warm handoff into the fellowship." For the review article, Humphreys and his colleagues evaluated both AA and 12-step facilitation counseling.

AA began in 1935 when two men in Akron, Ohio, were searching for a way to stay sober; they found it by forming a support group. They later developed the 12 steps, the first being accepting one's inability to control drinking; the last, helping others sustain sobriety by becoming a sponsor of a new member. The AA model -- open to all and free -- has spread around the globe, and now boasts over 2 million members in 180 nations and more than 118,000 groups.

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Though the fellowship has been around for more than eight decades, researchers have only recently developed good methods to randomize trial participants and measure its effectiveness, Humphreys said.

For the Cochrane review, the researchers found 57 studies on AA; of those, 35 passed their rigorous criteria for quality. The studies used various methods to measure AA's effectiveness on alcohol use disorder: the length of time participants abstained from alcohol; the amount they reduced their drinking, if they continued drinking; the consequences of their drinking; and health care costs.

AA shines

Most of the studies that measured abstinence found AA was significantly better than other interventions or no intervention. In one study, it was found to be 60% more effective. None of the studies found AA to be less effective.

In the studies that measured outcomes other than complete abstinence, AA was found to be at least as effective. For the studies that considered costs, most showed significant savings associated with AA participation: One found that AA and 12-step facilitation counseling reduced mental health costs by $10,000 per person.

The researchers looked only at studies of AA; they excluded Narcotics Anonymous and organizations focused on addiction to other substances. While it was beyond the scope of their study, Humphreys said the AA review is "certainly suggestive that these methods work for people who use heroin or cocaine."

Humphreys noted that the findings were consistent whether the study participants were young, elderly, male, female, veterans or civilians; the studies in the review were also conducted in five different countries. "It absolutely does work," he said of AA's method.

He added that he feels validated in giving advice to so many patients to try AA: "That was really good advice, and that continues to be good advice," he said.
What happens to a rising city with contentious elections, deep racial fault lines, 24 candidates for two US senate seats, a host of local races and a newspaper too inadequate to help voters navigate it all?

While Macon-Bibb County might seem like your average Southern midsized city, it is different in the grandiosity of its architecture and in personality, a blue county amidst a sea of red. While the rest of the nation is enthralled with the presidential election, Macon-Bibb and the rest of the state dont seem to be paying much attention. They are more focused on local and statewide politics. By the time the states Democratic primary is held on March 24, Georgia may not have much sway in the Democrats choice for presidential nominee, and Trump has already been declared the winner in the Republican primary. There is more concern, even trepidation, about the coronavirus threat to the upcoming International Cherry Blossom Festival, March 27 through April 5, that features 350,000 Yoshino Cherry Trees and attracts visitors from all over the world.

Tale of two Senate races

Georgia, due to the retirement of Senator Johnny Isakson for health reasons, has to choose two senators this year. While Senator David Perdue is the incumbent Republican, winning six years ago by beating Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn in a $24 million race, it is the other Senate seat thats drawing the most attention and angst in Georgias Republican circles.

In January 2020, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, appointed Kelly Loeffler, an Atlanta financial services executive and owner of the local WNBA franchise, to fill the Isakson seat. President Trump implored Kemp to appoint his top ally in the House, Representative Doug Collins, from Georgias Ninth District and Collins openly lobbied for the seat. Twenty-three days after Loeffler was sworn in on January 6, Collins announced he was challenging her, forcing state and national Republicans to choose sides. Now dueling attack ads are seen back-to-back-to-back in all the states major markets. Loeffler has pledged to spend $20 million of her own money to keep the seat. Its already a nasty race and each day it gets nastier.

Loeffler and Collins face off in a jungle primary, and they wont be alone  there are four other Republicans who have qualified for the race. A jungle primary is a no-holds-barred election featuring candidates of all political parties. Reverend Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same church where Martin Luther King senior and junior held the pulpit, is the most notable Democrat, but there are six other Democrats and seven more candidates who qualify as either Libertarian, Green Party or Independent. The jungle primary will be held November 3, the same day voters go to the polls to elect the next president. If none of the twenty candidates reach the fifty percent-plus-one mark, a runoff will be held January 5, 2021. And thats just to fill the unexpired two years of Isaksons term. The winner will have to run again in 2022.

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PREVIOUSLY: Whats vexing Macon?

Not to be left out of the fun, there are three Democrats seeking to unseat Senator Perdue: former Columbus Mayor, Teresa Tomlinson; 2018 lieutenant governor nominee, Sarah Riggs Amico; and former congressional candidate, Jon Ossoff. In the 2017 special election for Georgias Sixth District, Ossoff lost in the most expensive House race in history to former Representative Karen Handel, who subsequently lost to Representative Lucy McBath in the 2018 midterms.

For all its importance, this election season finds the local newspaper, The Telegraph, unable to invest in much coverage. Though a new regional executive editor, responsible for The Telegraph, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer and Mississippis Biloxi Sun Herald and a new senior editor have been named, its hard to say what impact they can have. There are too many local races for the newspapers meager staff to follow. The new appointments were made on February 5. Eight days later, McClatchy, owner of The Telegraph and 29 other newspapers, filed for bankruptcy. It is a stunning turn of events for the 193-year-old newspaper, founded just three years after the establishment of Macon.

Local elections top of mind

What is on almost everyones mind are local nonpartisan elections to be held May 19. Not only will a new mayor be selected for the first time in twelve years, but eight of nine seats of the Macon-Bibb County Commission are contested, plus five of six board of education seats.

Retirement, seeking higher office or term limits are responsible for the vacancies. The May 19 election is also primary day for the partisan offices for sheriff and district attorney. Needless to say, interest in the local elections is high drama.

One of the reasons for the high turnover in elected officials is consolidation. While the mayor was always limited to two four-year terms, former council persons and commissioners are, for the first time, limited to three four-year terms. While none have reached that threshold, age and infirmities have taken their toll. Seven of the commissioners are in their late sixties or seventies. But there are other factors that make this election season like none other.

The race for mayor has three white candidates and two African Americansall men. The tension in the contest, once again, turns to race. The leading African-American candidate has run an effective campaign, although the white candidates have outraised him by hundreds of thousands of dollars. African Americans have a distinct registered voter advantage of more than 12,000 votesif they go to the polls. If no candidate reaches the fifty percent-plus-one threshold a runoff will be held July 21.

The race has the potential to get testy, particularly between the leading African-American candidate, Cliffard Whitby, and Lester Miller, a school board chair. There is bad blood between the two that has the potential to divide the county along its already deep racial fault lines.

A look back

When Mayor Robert Reichert assumed office in 2008, no one knew he would be the last mayor of Macon before consolidation of city and county governments. Consolidation was a process that began as early as 1923 when a grand jury decided that having two governments was inefficient. But voters saw it differently and turned down referendums to merge the governments in 1929, 1933, 1946, 1960, 1972 and 1976. Aside from the referendums, there were also two government-approved study committees in 1983 and 1999. Finally, in early 2012, a measure to consolidate the governments passed the Georgia General Assembly and was approved by voters in July of that year. It helped that both Reichert and County Commission Chairman Sam Hart endorsed the idea and worked for its passage.

Reichert, elected as a Democrat, inherited a city with budget issues. The previous mayor had to, on several occasions, take out tax anticipation notes to make ends meet until property taxes flowed in again. And then came consolidation and an edict in the legislation that required the new government to cut its budget by twenty percent within five years. Reichert had to eventually offer early retirements and use other devices to keep Macon-Bibb from taking on more water. The county has made a dramatic turnaround, from having a negative fund balance to a $13 million surplus. An almost vacant downtown has morphed into an area that Reichert said, has come to life, a Phoenix has risen from the ashes of decades of disinvestment and businesses moving out.

But there was no Phoenix rising at The Telegraph. In 2006, The Telegraph employed about 320 full- and part-time employees. The signs of distress by 2007 were also being felt in the rest of the newspaper industry. At The Telegraph, circulation was approximately 67,500 daily and 89,500 on Sundays, down from more than 100,000 in the early 1990s. In 2009, printing was outsourcedfirst to The Telegraphs sister paper in Columbus, at a cost of almost sixty jobs, and later to the printing presses of the Savannah Morning News, 165 miles southeast, where papers are trucked back to Macon Sunday through Friday. By 2018, the circulation numbers were bleak19,169 daily and 23,716 Sunday. The Telegraph stopped printing its Saturday edition this year. Layoffs, buyouts and retirements, became the order of the day. The Great Recession and the papers lack of digital prowess hit The Telegraph hard.

Advertising and shopping were migrating away from brick and mortar locations and into the digital realm. The Telegraph, once an advertising juggernaut that could demand high rates for its printed pages, was being assaulted from all sidestelevision and digitaland it was slow to realize its new place in the world. Digital subscriptions were woefully low. And a push by corporate to accelerate movement to digital in a market that loved its printed product was not well received. A former vice president of news for McClatchy admitted that the transformation for some markets, including Macon, was too aggressive.

Now, with pivotal elections on the horizon, The Telegraphs position as a hearty, trusted media voice has never been weaker. Where will the citizens of Macon-Bibb County get the information needed to make informed decisions come May 19? Can other outlets fill the gap? Some are trying.

MORE YEAR OF FEAR: Are Democrats an endangered species in Caroline County?

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Charles Richardson has lived in Macon, Georgia, since 1982. His journalism experience spans newspapers, radio and television. He is the recipient of Knight-Ridder fellowships at Duke University and the University of Maryland, College Park. He was the editorial page editor at The Macon Telegraph, from which he retired in 2018.
France announced a total lock down today except to go to work, food/drugs, and the hospital. Spain went into lock down over the weekend. See International Updates. In Britain the Prime Minister is encouraging people to stay home, but did not go as far as closing restaurants and pubs. I expect that will come later--after it gets worse. The same for the United States. The President is encouraging people to social distance for 13 days, but no mandates.While here in Washington State the governor shut down restaurants, bars, etc. except for drive through pick-ups. Millennials you can still avoid cooking! My worst-case situation developed today. This Washington State closure also impacts Happy Donuts in Puyallup. What will I do?I'm thinking the entire nation should have been told to go into self-isolation (I don't like this word, since it confuses people with those who are actually sick--and should be in isolation).Note, in China, if a family member was found to be infected with the virus they were removed from the home. Women, men and children were all separated out to different locations where they could be monitored and provided more medical interventions if required.
Albany, N.Y.  New York may not be done with business closings yet.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today the state could order further shutdowns on a wider range of companies if the spread of coronavirus in the state does not slow.

On Monday, the state ordered all gyms, casinos and movie theaters to close at 8 p.m. Restaurants are no longer allowed to offer dine-in service, but takeout can continue.

The businesses are closed indefinitely. The state also barred any gatherings of 50 or more people.

NY closing gyms, restaurant dining rooms, movie theaters, more

Any new closures would aim to further cut down on interactions among people to slow the spread of the virus. Cuomo noted that eventually only pharmacies and grocery stores were left open amid the coronavirus lockdown in Italy.

"We're not there yet, but I am telling you we have to get down that rate of spread," Cuomo said.

The governor has said repeatedly in recent days that New York does not have enough hospital beds to meet the influx of patients expected when the virus peaks. The state is taking steps to add more beds.

Coronavirus to peak in NY in 45 days; Thousands more hospital beds needed, Cuomo says

Cuomo wants any future business closings to happen in conjunction with neighboring states. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut acted together on Monday's shutdowns.

The governor didnt identify any specific types of businesses that would be in line for closures next.

Quarantines

Cuomo played down the possibility of mandatory quarantines that would require people in a given area to stay in their homes. Such actions could potentially cause more harm than good, as people would flee to other areas as soon as a quarantine is announced, creating more chances for the virus to spread, he said.

He noted there are plenty of actions the state can take to slow the virus before limiting anyone's mobility.

Later in the day, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told residents to prepare for a shelter-in-place order, according to The New York Times.

Day care

Most day care centers in the state remain open, said Jim Malatras, a longtime Cuomo aide and president of the State University of New York Empire State College. They're limiting density by spreading out kids across more rooms, he said.

The state is also working on plans to quickly open new day care centers if needed, potentially at hospitals and SUNY schools. Some of those will be meant to ensure that health care workers and first responders have access to child care so they can continue to do their jobs.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

List of CNY schools closing

A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State

How fast is coronavirus growing in New York?

Here are the latest closings of events

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
An Australian doctor has revealed the reasons why the coronavirus is so contagious and explained what you should be doing to stay health and lessen the pandemic's impact.

Dr Andrew Rochford spoke to Sydney's Nova 96.9 radio breakfast duo, Fitzy and Wippa, about the biggest myths surrounding the deadly virus.

Even though new cases are emerging each day, Dr Rochford said for the majority of the population COVID-19 is simply a 'mild disease', though everyone should be wary of their personal hygiene and avoid panicking.

Dr Andrew Rochford (pictured) spoke to Sydney's Nova 96.9 radio's Fitzy and Wippa to explain the biggest myths about the deadly coronavirus and what everyone should be cautious of

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

Why is coronavirus so contagious and why is there so much hype?

As the coronavirus is passed on quickly from one person to another, Dr Andrew Rochford said Australia's health systems are trying to 'buy time' to decrease the spread.

'Let's just put it in perspective with things that have occurred: the USA shut down anything coming in from Europe, it's shut down all its major professional events. The reasons why that is happening is that they are trying to "flatten the curve" [of the spread] - they are trying to make sure the health system isn't overcome,' he explained.

'We need to buy time for the virus to slow down and for vaccinations and other forms of treatment and therapies to catch up because ultimately this happens a lot.'

He said the main reason why this particular virus is spreading so quickly is because 'none of us have been exposed to it' before.

Dr Rochford said health systems are trying to 'buy time' to decrease the spread of the virus

Should pregnant women be concerned?

While few cases have surfaced affecting pregnant women and infants, Dr Rochford said it's important to be wary of everyone in the general public, as most carriers might be unaware they possess the virus.

'In more than 80 per cent of cases it is, in fact, a very mild disease. So there is a high likelihood that there's a lot of people out there that don't even know they have it,' he said.

This is quite alarming as newborn babies are at risk of contracting the virus because their immune systems haven't fully developed.

'Newborn babies have an immune system that is still trying to develop itself so common sense would suggest that they going to be more risk and also with pregnant women there can be some issues with their immune systems,' Dr Rochford explained.

'They're saying that children weren't getting [the virus] but they're saying now that kids can catch it but again, with children it's a mild disease.'

According to the Harvard Medical School, little is known about the impact of coronavirus on pregnant women.

'At this point, experts think that pregnant women are just as likely, or possibly more likely, than the general public to develop symptoms if infected with the new coronavirus,' they advised.

'Current information suggests symptoms are likely to be mild to moderate, as is true for women (and men) in this age range who are not pregnant.'

There does not appear to be any increased risk of miscarriage or other complications such as fetal malformations for pregnant women who are infected with COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

'Newborn babies have an immune system that is still trying to develop itself so common sense would suggest that they going to be more risk and also with pregnant women there can be some issues with their immune systems,' Dr Rochford explained

Should I get tested just in case?

Prior to panicking, consider and understand the difference between the virus and a common cold.

'Here's where we can help the health system, everyone who has symptoms of a cold does not need to go to a hospital. That is the moment when we do start to overwhelm the system,' he explained.

Dr Rochford also said if you have travelled to a certain area or country that is known to contain the virus or potentially exposed to someone who has it, only then should you go get checked.

Prior to panicking, consider and understand the difference between the virus and a common cold

Should more be done in addition to cancelling events with more than 500 people?

After the Australian government banned non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people, some are questioning if this is enough to stop or decrease the spread.

Dr Rochford explained a term known as 'flattening the curve' when it comes to an epidemic.

He said: 'An epidemic has a curve, so basically what that means is: if you can imagine a graph, on one side is a number of cases going up and on the bottom is the amount of time, so basically the curve goes out very quickly when a whole bunch of people get that virus at the same time, like Italy'.

He continued to describe how with the coronavirus, at a certain point in the 'curve' the health system becomes stressed and overwhelmed with a too many cases and insufficient supplies to cope with the demand  leading to an increase in the death rate.

'The idea of cancelling events, not shaking hands, washing our hands, trying to get a bit of a social distance is that you flatten the curve  so that the upswing, the number of cases in a short period of time, is less,' he said.

'The idea of cancelling events, not shaking hands, washing our hands, trying to get a bit of a social distance is that you flatten the curve  so that the upswing, the number of cases in a short period of time, is less,' he said

What is Australia's next step?

'We have some things on our side; we are an island, we were very quick to slow down the movement in to the country,' Dr Rochford pointed out.

One essential step the public can do is to 'not panic' and the next step for Australia is ultimately 'containment and mitigation'.

'Containment is, let's identify as many people as we can who have had exposure, make sure they're positive and isolate them to make sure they don't spread to other people,' he said.

'Mitigation is when we start looking at "what are those things we can do to stop mass spread": social events, sporting events, each and every one of us taking responsibility for washing our hands and distancing ourselves from each other.'
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Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara  Tue, March 17, 2020 12:22 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b2ef14 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak-in-Indonesia,West-Nusa-Tenggara,NTB,Lombok,Gili-Trawangan,Gili-islands Free

The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) administration has restricted access to its popular tourist destinations, the three Gili islands off Lombok, for 14 days over concerns of a nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.

The restriction was implemented as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded nationally topped 100, raising concerns over an escalated health crisis, particularly in popular destinations such as Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air, known for their pristine white sandy beaches and underwater scenery.

However, administration officials have denied that the province was in full lockdown mode, as tourists who wish to leave Gili Trawangan are still able to do so by boat.

Read also: Stay home, President says

We have received reports of tourists panicking and rushing to leave Gili Trawangan because of the prevalent misinformation about the restriction of all access to NTB. Its untrue; theres no lockdown, NTB's Communications and Information Agency head, I Gede Putu Aryadi, said on Monday.

He reiterated that the administration had only agreed to temporarily restrict access to Gili Trawangan, particularly via speedboats from the neighboring resort island of Bali. Other points of entry, such as the Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok and Lembar Port in West Lombok, remain operational, he added.

We restricted access to the Gili islands because Bali has reported positive COVID-19 cases. The restriction is specifically meant for speedboat arrivals from Bali. Boats are still allowed to depart from Gili, so tourists may leave without panicking, he said.

Ahsanul Khalik, the head of the provinces COVID-19 relief task force, said his team had called on the North Lombok administration, as well as business owners on the Gili Islands, to provide accurate information regarding the current situation to prevent any panic among the public and tourists in the region.

Read also: COVID-19: Not all hand sanitizers work against it  heres what you should use

The task force, along with the health agency and other stakeholders, would disinfect a number of major public spaces on the Gilis during the 14-day restriction, Ahsanul said.

Tourists who are visiting Gili should continue enjoying their trip without having to panic. Theres no need to leave Lombok; we only restricted access for 14 days, he said.

Indonesia has announced 17 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 134 with five fatalities as of Monday afternoon. (rfa)
PHILIPSBURG:--- Local authorities have informed Social & Health Insurances SZV that on March 2, 2020, the Department of Justice of United States in collaboration with the United States Secret Service have charged 11 persons for money laundering and wire fraud schemes, in connection to the international phishing scam in which SZV and other organizations were targeted. According to U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman, nine of the defendants are in custody, and all 11 face serious federal charges. The suspect that targeted SZV is a U.S. citizen residing in New York. He has been arrested and charged. In March 2019, SZV was targeted by the international phishing scam that resulted in a wire transfer of USD$500.000, - to an account in the United States. SZV immediately reported this to local and international authorities. The investigation revealed that several companies around the world were targeted by a money-laundering ring of 11 members and a total amount of 5 million dollars was embezzled. All suspects reside in the United States of America and 9 of them are in custody. None of the suspects are linked to Sint Maarten. As a good corporate citizen, SZV warned local businesses and institutions to be on the lookout for what was an ongoing trend at the time. The scam took place via e-mail correspondence, where the scammers posed as a company insider that requested and approved financial transactions. The scam was of such a sophisticated nature that protocol was not breached. At present, SZV is pending the formalization of the proceedings. Together with legal counsel and law enforcement, the next steps will be determined. Excerpts of March 2, 2020 press release and case details published on www.justice.gov: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/11-members-money-laundering-ring-charged FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: The threat of cyber-enabled fraud has long been publicized, and many people assume they know enough to avoid being victimized by this type of crime. The truth is, however, fraudsters are often very skilled at targeting their victims and masking their behavior in a way that often goes undetected until its too late. Todays charges are yet another reminder to the public to exercise due diligence in both personal and professional online settings as we work together to defeat cybercrime worldwide. CBP Director of New York Field Operations Troy Miller said: This case exemplifies the collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud to have collaborated with our fellow law enforcement partners during this investigation leading to todays arrests.
When Gov. Phil Murphy announced unprecedented restrictions aimed at lessening the coronavirus spread, a Republican mayor in northwestern New Jersey found himself reluctantly in agreement.

Jefferson Mayor Eric Wilsusens support for governmental mandates offers a contrast with Republicans such as Assemblyman Parker Space, who on Saturday said residents should decide how to protect themselves and their families.

I think, overall, to reduce the spread  obviously, do I like it, no  it is necessary, Wilsusen said of Murphys suggestion for an 8 p.m. curfew and an order, effective Monday night, limiting bars and restaurants to serving only take-out food.

Although his message to residents just a few days ago could have been interpreted differently. Wilsusen on Monday clarified a letter to residents, posted to the townships website Friday, that questioned the unwarranted panic and hysteria surrounding the coronavirus.

Wilsusen was a 30-year police officer in Jefferson, retiring as deputy police chief, and also served as the townships emergency management coordinator. He recounted in his letter grappling with prior virus outbreaks, including the H1N1 flu, avian flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

Though only two in the U.S. contracted Ebola in 2014, and both survived, he noted the initial concern of widespread deaths.

We didnt do any of this quarantining and stuff, Wilsusen told NJ Advance Media.

Thats my only question. Why is this one so much different, Wilsusen said, reiterating his support for the precautions that are being taken, and musing whether more should have been done during prior pandemics.

Jefferson  home to 21,000 and covering 39 square miles in Morris County  has a business district that includes a long corridor along Route 15.

Yes, it is going to hurt small businesses and people working, Wilsusen said of Murphys restrictions, acknowledging that he was hearing from those in Jefferson about their frustrations.

But the town is also taking precautions on the local level. Starting Wednesday, anyone needing something from workers at the municipal building will be required to make an appointment, Wilsusen said.

Officials began on Monday restricting visitors to the building lobby to where employees would be summoned depending on their reason for visiting.

Wilsusen said such moves are preferable to closing down the building altogether.

We dont want to close down the building. People still need services, building permits, septic permits, inspections to sell their house. Youve got to try to keep government going, Wilsusen said.

Wednesdays council meeting is still on, but Wilsusen said those who show up will notice some changes.

Workers on Monday removed some seats from the meeting room, in order to facilitate social distancing, among the key recommendations aimed at slowing the coronavirus spread.

Any pandemic, any virus, youve got to take it seriously and I certainly am, Wilsusen said.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Egypt has joined the growing list of African countries to impose a travel ban on foreign nationals to curb the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.

The Egyptian state media reported on Monday that it will suspend all flights in Egyptian airports starting on Thursday 19th of March to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Ban Public Gatherings For 40 Days  Buharis Campaign Director Tells FG

Most of the countries in the Middle East have partially or fully suspended flights over the past week.

The Egyptian government has already suspended schools and universities for two weeks, according to state media.

Egypt is the latest African country to take these measures to safeguard its citizens.
Malaysiakini journalist Kow Gah Chie has been targeted in an online hate campaign after publishing a story on the countrys new environment minister and his defence for logging in Kelantan. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) to urge Facebook to take immediate action to end the harassment of Kow Gah Chie on its platform.

The attacks on the Malaysiakini journalist began on March 12, after publication of a video on KiniTV a day earlier of a doorstop interview with the incoming environment minister, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. In the video, Tuan Ibrahim, who is also the deputy president of Islamist Party PAS, was asked by reporters to respond on the criticisms of logging activities in Kelantan, a state governed by PAS. He went on to say logging was legal because Kelantan had ISO certification and accused opposition politicians for the negative perception of logging in the region.

The online onslaught of hate against Kow accused Malaysiakini of fabricating the story and directed personal and racist posts at Kow calling her a pig, with threats of physical harm. By March 14, the posts were shared more than 2,900 times and garnered more than 2,200 comments.

Malaysiakini reported the posts to Facebook but said no action was taken. Malaysiakini said it had been trying to contact Facebook directly since March 13.

The NUJM said: The NUJ calls on the government and respective authority to take swift action against those responsible for posting the threats and racist remarks against Kow. Sooner or later more and more such incidences will occur not only against journalists but also between races in Malaysia if it is not curbed immediately.

The IFJ said: Online hate is a serious human rights abuse. The IFJ calls on Facebook to immediately act on this matter and to investigate the perpetrators of these hate crimes on its platform that create a dangerous environment for journalist in Malaysia.
Bahrain announced on Tuesday a financial package of 4.3 billion Bahraini dinar ($11.39 billion) to combat the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

The measures include covering electricity and water payments for individuals and companies for three months starting in April, the finance ministry said in a tweet.

Bahrain will also double the size of the liquidity fund to reach 200 million dinars ($530 million). The central bank will also raise the lending capacity of banks by 3.7 billion dinars ($9.80 billion) to postpone installments or additional financing for clients, the ministry said.

The package also exempts tourist facilities from paying taxes for three months as of April as well, the ministry added.

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A health worker checks the temperature of a passenger as a preventive measure in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, at the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, on March 13, 2020. (Pedro Pardo / AFP via Getty Images)

Amid mounting global dread about coronavirus, the 12 young airline passengers apparently stirred scrutiny because of their facial attire  they all donned protective masks.

According to Mexican authorities, that was the origin of suspicions that led President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador on Monday to air an incendiary accusation: Twelve travelers with COVID-19 were about to board an Avianca jet Monday afternoon from Mexico City to San Salvador.

I ask all the people who are thinking of boarding that flight, DONT DO IT, tweeted Bukele, who denounced Mexican officials as irresponsible for allowing the dozen confirmed positive individuals to travel freely.

Those who board the flight are putting their families lives at grave risk, the Salvadoran president wrote. The crew is also at risk.  These patients should be isolated, not circulating in the airport.

Provocative  but absolutely false, said Hugo Lopez-Gatell, Mexicos deputy health secretary.

The episode, he said, was a lamentable example of misinformation and rumor trumping facts as worldwide panic mounts about the virus.

Completely distorted, Lopez-Gatell said of the Salvadoran presidents account.

None of the travelers were suffering from COVID-19, according to an exhaustive and careful medical inspection of the 12, Lopez-Gatell told reporters in Mexico City late Monday.

The 12 Salvadorans arrived Monday morning at Mexico Citys airport from Chicago, intending to transfer to an Avianca flight to San Salvador, according to Mexican officials. They all wore protective masks.

Avianca canceled the connecting flight to San Salvador after the Salvadoran presidents Twitter warnings and thanked Bukele for alerting us about the patients with COVID-19 intending to board the flight.

The social media-savvy Salvadoran president  with 1.4 million Twitter followers  never offered proof of his Twitter assertions that the 12 were confirmed cases of COVID-19. The allegation apparently blind-sided Mexican officials and sent medical authorities scrambling to examine the 12 at Mexico City's airport.

Story continues

In a testy exchange with Marcelo Ebrard, the Mexican foreign secretary, Bukele cast doubt on Mexicos denials.

Its impossible that in 1 hour to have examined 12 people for COVID-19 when  you would have had to wait 7 hours for results, Bukele wrote.

Mexican authorities insisted that Bukeles characterization of the 12 as confirmed cases was baseless.

They never had ... any reason to be tested for COVID, which makes it impossible to speak of confirmed cases, said the Mexican deputy health minister.

The Salvadoran president offered to send a special plane to Mexico City to transport the 12 back to El Salvador.

These young people are Salvadorans, they are our responsibility, Bukele wrote. What I cannot allow is that they board along with 200 other passengers and crew.

He ordered the closing of the San Salvador airport Monday to passenger aircraft. Bukele later reopened the facility, a hub for flights throughout the region, though all flights from Mexico remained suspended, he said.

The 12 travelers apparently remained in Mexico City on Monday night. It was unclear when or how they would be able to continue their trip home to El Salvador.

Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez contributed to this report.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

Trend:

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden has appealed to compatriots in connection with the wide spread of COVlD-19 infection, Trend reports on March 17.

Given the situation, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Sweden has opened a round-the-clock hotline for Azerbaijani citizens living and temporarily staying in this country - hotline (+ 46 76 201 69 57), which will work around the clock 7 days a week in order to quickly respond to requests from Azerbaijani citizens living, studying or temporarily staying in Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Due to the epidemiological situation, the the embassys consular section operates with limitations, so that compatriots could contact urgent consular issues at [email protected]

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 7,000. Over 182,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 79,000 people have reportedly recovered.

Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.
By now, social distancing along with basic hygiene methods such as coughing into your elbow, hand-washing for at least 20 seconds and avoiding touching your face should be second nature for all of us.

These measures are necessary to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, but on their own, they cannot hope to stem the tide against COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. For that to happen, the head of the World Health Organization had a message for the globe Monday: test, test, test.

You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Test every suspected case. If they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in contact with two days before they developed symptoms and test those people, too.

Thats strong advice, but it has been impossible to follow here in the United States. Access to testing is slowly increasing here, but so far, this most basic tool used by public health authorities to identify and fight a disease has been badly botched by the federal government, putting everyone at heightened risk.

Even as the outbreak grew throughout the country, people with symptoms that match those of COVID-19  fever, cough, shortness of breath  were told they could not be tested due to a series of failures that led to the testing shortfall.

For reasons that are still unclear, the U.S. declined to use WHOs coronavirus test, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deciding to develop its own. That in-house test proved to be faulty and it took time to develop a new one. In the meantime, bureaucratic red tape kept academic labs from developing their own test.

Initial CDC guidelines restricted who could be tested to those who traveled to an infected region or were in contact with someone who tested positive. Those procedures made sense when there was a limited number of tests available, but they remained intractable even as it became obvious that the virus was no longer a foreign threat and that thousands of undetected cases likely were already roaming free.

To compound the outrage when he visited the CDC on March 7, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that anyone who needed a test could get one. They couldnt. Last Wednesday, when he spoke to the country and said testing capabilities were expanding rapidly, they still werent.

Things appear to be getting better, finally. The federal government, along with state officials and private partners, has begun to make testing more widely available.

Already, between Friday and Monday, the number of coronavirus tests performed in the U.S. doubled, from 20,000 to about 41,000. Thats not nearly enough. Compare our numbers with South Korea, where almost 250,000 people have been tested in a population about one-sixth the size of the U.S. But its a strong start.

In Texas, 200 people have been tested and another 300 are in the process, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday afternoon at a news conference in San Antonio. Mobile testing facilities will allow testing of 10,000 people per week as soon as this week, he added.

Austin, Dallas and San Antonio have begun performing drive-thru testing, which allows people to be tested without leaving their vehicles, limiting exposure. Houston is set to start by midweek at sites in the city and the county, with those most at risk, including health care workers and first responders, getting tested first, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Just because more testing will become available doesn't mean everyone should get a test immediately. You should still contact your health care provider or health facility to discuss symptoms and medical history.

To be tested at a public health lab in Texas, you must still meet the states requirements, which include having symptoms and being part of an at-risk group, such as health care workers, those exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or older adults and those with underlying health issues.

There are more than 4,460 cases in the U.S., at least 84 of them in Texas, according to Johns Hopkins University. With the increase in testing, the number of known cases will grow. But dont panic, its just a more accurate picture of who has the virus than officials have yet been able to see  an important step in figuring out where to focus our resources most effectively to keep people safe.
Jyotiraditya Scindias defection to the BJP was a business decision. Once he lost the Lok Sabha election in May last year to his secretary, who had joined the BJP, Scindia would have known he would be following suit to protect his investment in politics at the present juncture.

This is a straightforward transactional view of politics. The taint of ideology does not colour the consideration in such matters for those who insist on a bang for their buck, quite in contrast to the likes of a Mani Shankar Aiyar or a Shashi Tharoor, for instance, although these two individuals may be far apart in their worldview.

It remains to be seen if many in the Congress will emulate Scindias example. Their decision may be guided by the answer to the following questions: Can the BJP place them in a more advantageous position? How many more can be sent to the Rajya Sabha? How many can be made Union ministers? Are they so influential at the mass level that the BJP will be tempted?

Scindia is a maharaja, at least to his hangers-on. Even then, see how pathetic things got to be. Among the points of negotiation he successfully worked out with the BJP was apparently the assurance that in New Delhi he would be given the same government bungalow which was once allotted to his late father.

The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior was humoured in a matter so petty because he brought with him the promise of the destabilisation of a Congress government in a major state. How many potential deserters are in a position to set the wheels of Operation Kamal in motion?

This is a point worth pondering because in pro-Scindia circles the point has been sought to be made that the male heir of the Gwalior line has belled the cat in the Congress (whose enervated leadership appears to have developed severe cramps and currently seems incapable of performing even the most basic of functions expected of it). But isnt this one hell of an inappropriate metaphor?

If Scindia were to have belled the cat, he would have shown the gumption to requisition a meeting of the Congress Working Committee by roping in like-minded individuals and pressing for a change in leadership. He did no such thing. He cut and ran, he plotted only to supplicate. He promised the BJP a state government, and in return all he wanted was a Rajya Sabha seat and a government job (and, yes, that bungalow). How long will such a maharaja be respected in the BJP is a minor point of speculation.

No solace for Congress

Nevertheless, it would be foolish of the Congress to draw solace from the unravelling of a supposedly high-worth individual. This party needs to introspect deeply, and be purposive in action at the same time. This is a tough ask. But it is a matter of survival.

The Congress was not without life even after its second crushing defeat in last years parliamentary elections. While there was enough to criticise it about, there was also enough in politics going for it  to begin with, the consolation-giving thought that the massive victory of its main opponent was in no small part a consequence of EVM-related skullduggery, or communal polarisation on account of Pulwama (which some still insist was stagemanaged) and the subsequent Balakot airstrike against Pakistan that mobilised the nation in the ruling partys favour.

And then life seemed to ebb out of the Congress leadership. As party president, Rahul Gandhi had energised the mood in the party by putting up a terrific show in the Assembly elections in Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. His critics within the party and outside it were silenced. The emphatic Lok Sabha defeat did not entirely change the scenario.

Gandhi did the honourable thing by resigning, taking constructive responsibility for the defeat. This raised his stock as no one thought a dynast would quit. The common belief is that they think they are entitled to occupy the top slot. The Congress leaders problem was that he did not follow up on his resignation plan by ensuring an orderly change of guard. Worse, he mysteriously chose to isolate himself, exactly as the Congress opponents may have wanted.

In the post-Rahul resignation phase, the Congress performed with credit in Haryana and Maharastra, but the partys central leadership can take little credit for this. The fight came from individuals at the state level who made their own choices, the most important of which was not to buckle. But this is not an automatic given in every situation, not in a state like Bihar, for one, with Assembly polls coming up and the Congress not being a key player.

The Congress today is a genuinely weakened entity on account of its leadership woes. It had fight in it before the Lok Sabha polls, and was not without verve even after the Lok Sabha defeat. Today there is some poignancy in the Congress tragic situation. This lies in the fact that the Narendra Modi government that it opposes appears genuinely stuck in a chakravyuh  a trap of its own making on the political battlefield. Indias economy, domestic politics, external relations are all badly stuck, but the so-called principal Opposition party cant call the governments bluff. It cant mobilise people through sustained mass action. Comments laced with venom and clever tweets do not equal political activity.

There is no escaping at least a procedural Working Committee election and anointing a new full-time president or working president, no matter who, even if it will be Mr Gandhi all over again. And this particular Congress leader cannot take refuge in his statement that he wont come around unless the party unites on his understanding of what the BJP is.

Let a leader come forward whose actions are such that unite the rank and file on the critical issues  starting with the economy. And the Congress ought to offer solutions that are a palpable alternative to the mess that has been created, and not be content with picking holes.
NASA's ambitious plans to build a base on the surface of the moon will likely be delayed.

According to NASA's Dough Loverro, who oversees the agency's human exploration programs, several aspects of the project's technical design and multi-phase rollout need to be revised.

One of the first changes will affect NASA's touted Lunar Gateway, a space station planned to orbit the moon and to be used as a staging point for the subsequent construction of a base on the moon's surface.

NASA's ambitious plans for a lunar base will be delayed by at least a year after unexpected technical complications with the Lunar Gateway, a space station planned to orbit the moon and used as a staging area for construction materials

NASA had targeted a completion window for the Lunar Gateway in 2024, and promised construction on the lunar base would begin no later than 2025, but according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the Lunar Gateway is being reworked.

NASA says it will still have a space station in orbit around the moon in 2024, but it won't initially be as capable as originally planned, likely delaying the completion date for the lunar base.

The Gateway was also to be a launching point for NASA's later mission to Mars, planned for sometime in the 2030s, as well as a resource for commercial space travel companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin.

The aggressive timeline for the lunar gateway was originally set by the White House, which insisted NASA speed up its initial timeline for the project, which originally had the Lunar Gateway completed in 2028 instead of 2024.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration was eager to have a milestone event ready to coincide with what could be the end of Donald Trump's second term as president, should he win re-election in 2020.

The lunar gateway was also intended to be used as a hub for future space travel, including NASA's planned mission to Mars in the 2030s, and as a resource made available to commercial space companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin

With the new timeline, a 'slimmed-down' version of the Lunar Gateway is still on track to be in orbit around the moon by 2024, but it's still unclear how limited it will be compared to the original vision.

'We are looking at alternatives to make sure we can achieve sustainability as soon as possible,' Loverro said.

Loverro suggested NASA will instead make its top priority the development of a new family of rockets capable of completing a roundtrip mission to the moon in 2024, with a target cost of $2billion per launch.
DALI (Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries) was founded in 1983 to create loudspeakers with outstanding performance and natural sound at competitive prices. Since then, the company has upheld that mandate with many wonderful-sounding speakers, including the recently reviewed Rubicon 6.

Now, DALI has entered the headphone arena with its IO-4 and IO-6 models. When I tried on the IO-6 at CES 2020, I was impressed with what I heard, so I requested a review sample. After more extended listening, Im even more impressed than I was in Vegas. (Editors note: In case you find our font confusing, DALIs IO branding is eye-oh, not one-zero.)

DALI You can feel the solid build quality just by holding the IO-6 in your hands.

Features

The IO-4 and IO-6 are both Bluetooth-enabled wireless headphones available in two colors: Iron Black and Caramel White. Their over-ear, closed-back design uses replaceable memory-foam earpads covered with synthetic leather, which are quite comfortable and form an effective seal around the ears. This provides passive noise isolation at mid and high frequencies, but it cant do much to block low-frequency ambient noise.

This review is part of TechHives coverage of the best headphones where youll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyers guide to the features you should consider when shopping.

Thats where active noise cancellation (ANC) on the IO-6 comes in. (The IO-4 does not include ANC.) Like virtually all other headphones with this feature, ANC reduces the level of low-frequency ambient sound using phase cancellation, which lets you hear more detail in the music at lower volumes. That extra bit of electronics also adds five grams to the weight (325 vs. 320 grams or 11.5 vs. 11.3 ounces), which is still on the light side.

The IO-6 also offers a Transparency mode that mixes external ambient sound into the headphone audio, so you dont miss an approaching siren or a flight attendants instructions. In this mode, low frequencies are not phase cancelled.

DALI DALI applied its speaker expertise to the IO-6.

Both models employ a custom-designed, 50mm, free-edge paper-fiber cone driver with a neodymium magnet in a cavity designed like a small speaker cabinet. The frequency response extends from 10Hz to 20kHz with a maximum sound-pressure level of 100dBA. For wireless communications, they implement Bluetooth 5.0 and support the AAC, aptX, and aptX HD codecs.

Like most wireless headphones these days, the IO models can also serve as the input and output for phone calls thanks to the onboard microphones. A feature called CVC (Clear Voice Capture) filters out background noise to ensure the users voice is heard loud and clear at the other end of the call.

The electronics are powered by a high-capacity, 1100mAh lithium-ion battery. It provides up to 30 hours of use in the IO-6 and an amazing 60 hours in the IO-4. Connections include a USB-C port at the bottom of the right earcup for charging the battery and listening to music via USB as well as a 3.5mm analog-audio input at the bottom of the left earcup.

DALI The controls are located at the bottom of the right earcup, and they are easy to find by feel.

Aside from ANC, the only other difference between the two models is the included storage. The IO-6 comes with stiff-sided travel case, while the IO-4 comes with a drawstring bag. Those two differences add $100 to the cost of the IO-6 ($499) compared with the IO-4 ($399).

User interface

The main operational controls are touch-sensitive areas on the outside of the right earcup, though these are not capacitive; they actually move slightly, providing a bit of tactile feedback. Tap the central DALI logo once to play, pause, and answer or hang up a phone call; twice to skip to the next track; and three times to skip to the previous track. Tapping the upper part of the outer ring increases the volume, while tapping the lower part decreases the volume.

In addition, there are two physical controls located along the bottom of the right earcup, and they are well separated, making them easy to find by feel. A slider turns the power on and off and initiates Bluetooth pairing, while a pushbutton cycles through the ANC modes (On, Transparent, Off). Two LEDs near the power/pairing slider indicate Bluetooth and charging status.

Even better, the IO-6 provides audible confirmation of many actions. When you turn the power on, a pleasant male voice informs you of the battery levela novel touch that I really appreciate. Likewise, when you power down, put the headphones into pairing mode, or activate ANC or Transparency mode, the same voice confirms the action.

DALI The IO-6 comes with a stiff-sided, slim travel case.

Performance

The DALI IO-6 feels very solid and well-built. Also, the earpads are quite comfortable, though they do clamp on my head pretty tightly; I assume thats to make a good seal. At first, I thought the round earpads might not be large enough to encompass my ears, but they fit just fine.

I listened to various tracks from the Tidal Masters library on the IO-6, starting with Youve Got to be Carefully Taught from James Taylors album American Standard. It was gorgeous! The guitars, viola, and James voice all sounded rich, warm, clear, and natural. It was so good, I kept listening to the next track, God Bless the Child, which also sounded fantastic.

Next up was Pat Methenys America Undefined from his album From This Place. All instruments in the large ensemble were clearly delineated with a rich, natural sound, and Methenys guitar was a joy to behold. During this track, I listened to the IO-6 with ANC on and off. The tonal balance was much the same in both cases, though the level was a bit higher with ANC off.

DALI The driver is a custom-designed, 50mm, free-edge paper-fiber cone.

Im a big classical-music fan, so I listened to the opening of Mahlers Symphony No. 8, Symphony of a Thousand, as recorded during a live performance by the Munich Philharmonic under the direction of Valery Gergiev. As the title suggests, this piece calls for a very large orchestra and chorus. It also includes an organ part, which is featured in the opening along with some big brass, all of which sounded spectacularsmooth, rich, and very clear, with super-deep bass from the organ.

Deep bass was also on tap in the Olympic Fanfare and Theme as performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel in a live performance recorded at Walt Disney Hall for the album Celebrating John Williams. Ive heard many concerts in that hall, and this recording is an excellent representation of that experience. On the IO-6, it sounded rich, smooth, and sonorous with exceptional bass from the tuba and organ.

For a bit of country, I cued up Crazy Love from Lady Antebellums Ocean. The vocals were beautifully rendered with sparkling guitars, clean drums, and rich fiddle. Listening with ANC on and off, the tonal balance was much the same either way, but the level was slightly lower with ANC on.

Turning to a more electronic track, I checked out Chemical from Becks album Hyperspace. The expansive sonic washes were adroitly rendered without overpowering the guitar and vocals, and the deep bass was quite impressive.

Finally, I listened to when the partys over from Billie Eilishs album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Im not a big fan of Eilishs voice; in particular, her breath support is weak, but her pitch and range are very good, and I find her musical ideas quite interesting. Listening to this track on the IO-6, her voice was up front with excellent intelligibility (unlike her live performances Ive seen on TV), and the deep synth bass, piano, and background vocals all sounded great.

As usual with ANC headphones, I took the IO-6 for a spin in my car around the neighborhood to test its noise cancellation. ANC worked extremely well, greatly reducing road noise and the sound of rain on the roof while the music sounded as good as it did in my home.

DALI The IO-6s round earcups are larger than you might think.

Comparison with the PSB M4U 8

Of the ANC headphones Ive reviewed for TechHive, the PSB M4U 8 is the most appropriate to compare with the DALI IO-6. They have a similar list price and functionality, including the ability to be used as wired headphones if the power is off.

Mentioned in this article PSB Speakers M4U 8 headphones MSRP $399.00 See it

Each track sounded superb on both headphones. Overall, the DALI sounded slightly more laid back and warmer, while the PSB had a bit brighter and sharper tonality with a tad more immediacy. As I noted in my review of the M4U 8, it sounded a bit bloated in the bass with ANC on, whereas the IO-6 had a virtually identical tonal balance with ANC on or off, though the level was slightly lower with ANC on.

One more point of difference: The M4U 8 was a bit more difficult to seat well on my head. The ovoid shape of its earcups is less forgiving of placement than the IO-6s round earcups. Granted, the PSB has plenty of room inside the earcups once they are placed correctly, but it took a bit of fiddling to get them in the right position.

Which one you will prefer comes down to personal taste. If you prefer a warmer, rounder sound, I recommend the IO-6. But if you lean toward a brighter, more forward tonality, the M4U 8 fills that bill. Also, keep in mind that the M4U 8 is $100 less than the IO-6 while still offering ANC (albeit a bit bloated when activated).

Bottom line

The DALI IO-6 is an exceptional wireless ANC headphone. Its well made, comfortable to wear, and easy to operate. Most importantly, it sounds superb on a wide variety of music. Its tonal balance is on the warm, rich, sumptuous sidewhich I loveand activating ANC does not change the tonality much at all.

Speaking of ANC, its highly effective in the IO-6. My only wish here would be the ability to engage ANC without turning on Bluetooth, which would extend the battery life. But its no big deal in this case, since the battery lasts up to 30 hours, which is longer than most.

At $499, the DALI IO-6 is pretty expensive, but its well worth every penny. If you can handle the premium price, you cant go wrong with this premium headphone.
Two cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Cork - one in UCC and one in a small primary school.

University College Cork (UCC) has confirmed a case of coronavirus has been identified in a person who visited its Western Gateway Building in recent days.

Students were informed via email that a case was identified in an individual who visited the computer science building on the Western Road.

Contact tracing is underway, the university confirmed in a statement.

"Any one deemed to have had close contact with the individual is being contacted directly by HSE Public Health," the statement said.

"The HSE has expressly advised that anyone who needs to be contacted by the HSE Public Health will be contacted directly, and you do not need to make contact with that department.

"HSE Public Health will have appropriate public health advice for those in close contact with the confirmed case.

"We understand that our students and staff will have concerns and further information is available from the HSE website."

UCC, along with all other universities, colleges and third level institutions, shut its doors last week following a government directive.

This week, UCC President Patrick O'Shea was among the signatories of a letter sent to all third level students in the country imploring them to maintain social distancing to help slow the spread of the virus.

In its statement, the university added that it "is a time of challenge and uncertainty, and we will work together to protect the safety of our community".

"Stay in touch, stay apart and stay at home," they added.

Separately, a small primary school on the north side of Cork city has confirmed it has been notified of a positive case of Covid-19 within its school community.

The 80-student St Luke's National School has reached out to all members of the school community to ask them to self-isolate and to monitor their symptoms.

A statement signed by Stephen Spillane, chairman of the school's board of management, confirmed the case.

"All members of the school community are asked to do the following: self Isolate and refrain from visiting the elderly and those with underlying conditions, contact your own GP to arrange for testing, monitor symptoms and follow all advice from the HSE and other agencies," Mr Spillane said.

Local councillor Oliver Moran said it "is a difficult time for parents and children".

"I know myself as the father of a young son how hard it is especially on children to be kept in-doors and away from grandparents and friends.

"What's impressive is the strength of community. The support that there is on social media between neighbours for ideas for things to do.

"As well as the official guidance from the HSE and city council  which is paramount  that community support is really important to help people get through," he said.

"It's a very small school, so in practice everyone has been in contact with everyone else.

"What's important is to follow HSE advice, which is the same regardless of whether it is a student, staff member, or anyone else."

This article was amended to correct an earlier image.

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(Alliance News) - Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC on Tuesday announced the re-appointment to the board of Yasmin Jetha, effective from the start of April.

Jetha joined the RBS board in June 2017, but then stepped down in the spring of 2018 to serve as a director of the lender's ringed-fence businesses. However, she is now re-joining the RBS board as well as staying on those boards.

RBS also said Non-Executive Director Alison Davis will be stepping down on March 31.

Chair Howard Davies said: "Alison Davis has served on our board for almost nine years, and I would like to thank her for the valuable contribution she has made during that time. Alison's broad skills, experience and knowledge have greatly benefitted the organisation, particularly in relation to technology and innovation, and she leaves RBS with our best wishes for the future.

"I am delighted Yasmin has agreed to re-join the RBS board at this time. Yasmin has played a significant role in ensuring the effectiveness of our ring-fencing governance structures. She brings a wealth of retail banking and customer experience to the boardroom, as well as valuable technology and innovation insights and a strong financial services background."

RBS shares ended 4.2% higher on Tuesday in London at a price of 131.75 pence each.

By George Collard; georgecollard@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has dominated the headlines for weeks, with no end in sight.

There has been plenty of finger pointing between different levels of government and second-guessing the administrations response. Some of our most sacred economic and cultural institutions have suffered irreparable harm, and people are increasingly concerned about the health of loved ones and disruption to their lives.

After we emerge from the virus and the panic, we need to have a productive conversation about the national fault lines that the pandemic is exposing, including haphazard pandemic response, hospital capacity issues, vulnerabilities in the medical supply chain and a lack of access to health care in states such as Texas.

It is remarkable that despite a sclerotic federal response, leaders in local government, the private sector, universities and school districts throughout the United States have displayed incredible leadership, including here in San Antonio. In particular, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Director Dawn Emerick, a recent hire, deserves credit for her poise in addressing the crisis.

Former Vice President Joe Biden said that COVID-19 does not discriminate on the basis of socioeconomic status. But the economic aftershock will affect our most vulnerable populations to a far greater degree than others. For many, the outbreak and economic ripple effect will mean disruption. In a city rife with poverty and socioeconomic segregation, there are many for whom it will mean devastation.

Workers in the service industry, which rarely offers paid sick leave to employees, face a Hobsons choice if they are found to be symptomatic: work through an infection or stay home (as advised) and lose your income. The concern for possible lost wages is tantamount to the concern for contracting the virus. This is a fact of life for more than 350,000 San Antonio area workers who do not have paid sick leave. The lack of equity in paid sick leave benefits is astounding. While 93 percent of workers in the top tenth of earners have paid sick leave, 30 percent of workers in the bottom tenth of earners have paid sick leave.

The U.S. Surgeon General has joined a growing chorus of voices asking employers to provide employees with maximum flexibility. State Rep. Diego Bernal, a Democrat, introduced a bill that would have provided paid sick leave in the last legislative session, and it did not even get a committee vote.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, after explicitly stating his opposition to paid sick leave, has requested people work from home if they think they may be sick. Major Texas cities have become battlefields in the policy debate about whether sick leave should be a component of the social safety net. Ordinances with broad and strong popular support continue to be struck down by courts.

The United States needs durable and widely available paid sick leave laws. If the federal government continues to fail to act, the Texas Legislature should follow the lead of Bernal, Texas Organizing Project, MOVE Texas and countless Texas city councils that have adopted strong paid sick leave laws.

Students and workers are being told to work remotely, which highlights an appalling lack of equitable broadband infrastructure in the United States. A recent report found 18 percent of school children do not have access to broadband in their homes and 19 percent do not have computer access at home. In San Antonio, its been estimated 25 percent of households lack internet access.

Broadband access is a bigger issue in San Antonio because of its high degree of socioeconomic segregation.

The community is rallying around different initiatives to address the issue. San Antonio Independent School District announced it will be distributing mobile phones with data plans to 6,000 students. The San Antonio Housing Authority is working with the federal government to increase access and literacy. BiblioTech, the Bexar County all-digital library, has mobile hot-spots available for patrons to check out. The city of San Antonios Office of Innovation is laying the groundwork to tackle the digital divide by studying the problem in depth.

With a socioeconomic divide in the spotlight amid a growing crisis, we must address crucial fault lines in our community that accelerate inequity.

T.J. Mayes is a San Antonio-based attorney and community volunteer.
[March 17, 2020] UBS Announces Mandatory Redemption of ETRACS Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETN Due October 16, 2042 and ETRACS Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETN Series B Due October 16, 2042

UBS Investment Bank today announced that all outstanding notes of the Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETN due October 16, 2042 (Ticker: MORL) (the "Series A Securities") and the Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETN Series B due October 16, 2042 (Ticker: MRRL) (the "Series B Securities", and together with the Series A Securities, "the Securities") will be mandatorily redeemed in accordance with the terms of the respective Securities as a result of the occurrence of an Acceleration Upon Minimum Indicative Value on March 16, 2020 (the "Acceleration Date"), triggered as a result of the respective indicative values of the Securities being less than $5.00 on the Acceleration Date. As disclosed in more detail in the pricing supplements and product supplements relating to the respective Securities, all outstanding notes will be automatically accelerated and redeemed and holders will be entitled to receive the "Acceleration Amount" calculated in accordance with the terms of the respective Securities. The "Acceleration Measurement Period" for determining the Acceleration Amount for the respective Securities will be the five Trading Days from and including the Acceleration Date. Payment of the Acceleration Amounts will be made on the Acceleration Settlement Date, which is expected to be March 25, 2020. For more information regarding the mandatory redemption, including how the Acceleration Amounts will be determined, see the pricing supplement and product supplement relating to each of the Securities. The pricing supplement and product supplement for the Securities can be accessed on EDGAR, the SEC (News - Alert) website, at www.sec.gov. For the Series A Securities, the pricing supplement is also available here and the product supplement is also available here. For the Series B Securities, the pricing supplement is also available here and the product supplement is also available here. Investors who purchase the Securities at any time prior to delisting for an amount that is greater than the applicable Acceleration Amount that they will receive on the Acceleration Settlement Date (including paying any premium to such Acceleration Amounts, once these amounts have been determined) will suffer a loss on their investment. Furthermore, investors who sell the Securities at any time prior to delisting for an amount that is less than the applicable Acceleration Amount they would have received on the Acceleration Settlement Date (including selling at any discount to such Acceleration Amounts, once these amount have been determined) will also suffer a loss. In either case, such losses could be significant. Investors will not receive any other compensation or amount for the loss of the investment opportunity of holding the Securities.



The Series A Securities are one of the series of UBS AG ETRACS Series A ETNs subject to the ongoing voluntary exchange offers commenced by UBS AG on December 9, 2019 pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-234705). As a result of the mandatory redemption of the Series A Securities and Series B Securities described above, the exchange offer with respect to the Series A Securities will be terminated effective as of March 16, 2020 and holders of Series A Securities will no longer be able to participate in the exchange offer with respect to such securities. Series A Securities validly tendered between 5:00 p.m., New York City time on March 3, 2020 and 5:00p.m., New York City time on March 16, 2020 will be promptly returned to holders and will not be exchanged for Series B Securities. Holders of such Series A Securities will receive the Acceleration Amount on the Acceleration Date, as described above. The exchange offers with respect to the other UBS AG ETRACS Series A ETNs remain open in accordance with the terms described in the Prospectus dated December 9, 2019 (the "Exchange Offers Prospectus"). The Exchange Offers Prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in relation to the exchange offers can be accessed on EDGAR, the SEC website, at www.sec.gov. It is also available here.

About ETRACS

ETRACS ETNs are senior unsecured notes issued by UBS AG, are traded on NYSE Arca (News - Alert), and can be bought and sold through a broker or financial advisor. An investment in ETRACS ETNs is subject to a number of risks, including the risk of loss of some or all of the investor's principal, and is subject to the creditworthiness of UBS AG. Investors are not guaranteed any coupon or distribution amount under the ETNs. We urge you to read the more detailed explanation of risks described under "Risk Factors" in the applicable product supplement and pricing supplement for the ETRACS ETN. UBS AG has filed registration statements (including prospectuses and supplements thereto) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offerings of securities to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the relevant prospectuses, along with the applicable product and pricing supplement to understand fully the terms of the securities and other considerations that are important in making a decision about investing in the ETRACS. The applicable offering documents for each ETRACS may be obtained by clicking on the links above. You may also get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. The securities related to the offerings are not deposit liabilities and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, Switzerland or any other jurisdiction. About UBS

UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS's strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by Asset Management and the Investment Bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook. UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in more than 50 regions and locations, with about 31% of its employees working in the Americas, 32% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 18% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs over 67,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This material is issued by UBS AG and/or any of its subsidiaries and/or any of its affiliates ("UBS"). Products and services mentioned in this material may not be available for residents of certain jurisdictions. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Please consult the restrictions relating to the product or service in question for further information. Activities with respect to US securities are conducted through UBS Securities LLC, a US broker/dealer. Member of SIPC (http://www.sipc.org/). ETRACS ETNs are sold only in conjunction with the relevant offering materials. UBS has filed registration statements (including prospectuses, as supplemented by the applicable product supplement and pricing supplement, for the offerings of the ETRACS ETNs) with the SEC for the offerings to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read these documents and any other documents that UBS has filed with the SEC for more complete information about UBS and the offerings to which this communication relates. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, you can request the applicable product supplement and pricing supplement, by calling toll-free (+1-877-387 2275). In the US, securities underwriting, trading and brokerage activities and M&A advisor activities are provided by UBS Securities LLC, a registered broker/dealer that is a wholly owned subsidiary of UBS AG, a member of the New York Stock Exchange and other principal exchanges, and a member of SIPC. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a registered broker/dealer and affiliate of UBS Securities LLC. UBS specifically prohibits the redistribution or reproduction of this material in whole or in part without the prior written permission of UBS and UBS accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.  UBS 2020. The key symbol, UBS and ETRACS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. Other marks may be trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005427/en/

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Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  Landing on deserted airports aboard near-empty planes, airline workers feel the trepidation in the air as the world faces this centurys biggest crisis: the novel coronavirus pandemic.

As COVID-19 cases breach the 181,500 mark globally, countries are going into lockdown. On March 16, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Luzon on enhanced community quarantine, suspending all forms of mass transport. With similar measures in many other countries, the transportation sector  especially the billion-dollar airline industry  is severely taking a hit.

Heading for descent

The airline industry has been a contributor to economic growth and globalization. In December 2019, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) expected a net profit of USD 25.9 billion for the global airline industry in 2019.

However, the airline industry is actually one of the most volatile sectors. Commanding a low profit margin, it is also extremely susceptible to fluctuations in politics and socioeconomics.

According to IATAs economics report released in January 2020, history shows that the SARS epidemic in 2003 has been the most serious epidemic that ever made an impact on traffic volumes in the recent period. Overall in 2003, the loss of confidence and fears of global spread impacted both business and leisure travel to, from and within the region, resulting in Asia-Pacific airlines losing... $6 billion of revenues.

In the past, the airline industry has proven resilient to shocks, including pandemics, the report added. Even in the outbreak of SARS, monthly international passenger traffic returned to its pre-crisis level within nine months.

On how the industry could bounce back from the COVID-19 epidemic: While there are risks that this outbreak could cause a sizeable disruption, history indicates that any effect on air transport would be temporary.

Still, at this period, airlines stand to lose billions in sales, and cost-cutting measures are being put in place to temper the losses of a global industry that, according to IATA, employed 2.90 million people at the end of 2019. According to a recent CNN report that quoted consultancy CAPA Centre for Aviation, most airlines around the world may face bankruptcy by May, in what it calls the worst aviation crisis in history.

Landing on losses

The main threat to our companys operations is the multiple travel bans, said Philip*, a pilot who works at an international airline. More so now that there is a ban on domestic travel as well. Airline overhead costs are very high. Even when the aircraft is not ying, the company still has to pay for parking space, maintenance, lease, salaries, and many others.

In order to minimize these losses, his company has put in place a few cost-cutting measures: pay cuts for top management positions, no pay raises, and the imposition of limits on non-essential company meetings, outings, as well as duty travel. Additionally, there have been talks about employees taking leaves without pay in order to further mitigate losses.

Its a far cry from the lifestyle that airline employees are accustomed to. Aside from having a competitive salary with travel allowance, Philip, who typically flies for 70 hours a month, is entitled to a 90 percent discount on an unlimited number of ights  a benefit that is extended to his immediate family members.

This is on top of the free roundtrip tickets to any destination of their choosing, which employees are free to distribute to anyone.

For the longest time, working on a plane has always been considered a dream job. Back when flights were limited to the moneyed, in the era before budget airfares, few had the privilege of seeing the world  much less get paid for it. Moreover, pilots consistently placed on highest-paid job lists.

Today, Philip himself is possibly facing a reduced monthly income as a consequence of the reduced ying time. However, he says, his company has promised to continue to pay them their basic pay and allowances.

Time to climb

Yet despite the impact on their livelihood, airline employees, according to Philip, are making sacrifices in their individual capacities to help the airlines.

I can really see the camaraderie among the employees of the company, he says. According to him, his colleagues have been volunteering to go on unpaid leaves to help airlines mitigate cost as flights become fewer. Other employees, meanwhile, opt to work on their days off to ensure that all flights are manned. These sacrifices, of course, come with the proper safeguards to protect consumer-facing workers from transmission of the disease. We understand that in order for the company to survive this crisis, he said, we all have to make sacrices.

Meanwhile, Ana*, who has been in the industry for 30 years, was one of 27 who were hired out of 5,000 aspirants when she applied. Like many graduates of my time, she recounts, I rushed to hunt for a job and flipped the papers for opportunities. One of the many I applied to was an airline, which remains to be the only airline I have ever worked for.

I cant really say that I chose to be a flight attendant as I never dreamed to be one, she reflects, I like to say that I was chosen.

This confidence empowered Ana to serve for three decades, continuing to serve despite numerous hiccups along the way, such as the slump that the airline industry finds itself in today.

As chief purser, Ana helms her own team of chosen ones: flight attendants who continue to be in service during a crisis, and not without their own worries. Following the huge cut on the airline flights, all employees were asked, but not required, to take a three-week unpaid leave, she added. Most of us in my company rely solely on our salaries. We get extra earnings from our outport allowances, especially, on long lay-overs. Most of my younger colleagues now are on an hourly pay salary scheme, meaning, if they don't fly much, they'll get less. Hence, the pay cut from three weeks unpaid leave is a huge loss of income.

Preparing again for takeoff

But having been with the company for a long time, Ana is confident that the airline industry can bounce back.

I have witnessed how resolutely it bounced back from SARS and then again from the Asian Crisis, and I am confident that it will weather this COVID-19 pandemic just as well, she said. As for when, that I can not tell. But I am hopeful, especially for my younger colleagues.

After all, air travel is already a part of a day-to-day life, she said. Just like public buses and trains, airplanes are a necessity, and not merely a luxury.

But then if the inevitable happens Uuwi nalang ako sa probinsya at magtatanim ng mais. Pwede rin mag-alaga na lang doon ng hayop.

Until the dust settles on the COVID-19 pandemic, the job security and dreams of millions of airline workers remain up in the air. And as much as the most powerful leaders try to do the best they can, so are employees continuing to respond to their calling even if it costs them more than what they are paid for, even if they dont get acknowledged  all so that the industry, and the economy, could take off again.

[The] bottomline is, Ana says, we should all endeavor to rise above this pandemic.

*names were changed upon request
With some renters in Connecticut facing the double whammy of lost wages due to the coronavirus crisis coupled with rent checks coming due in a few weeks, a state judge issued a stay on any eviction actions for the coming 10 days.

On Monday, the governor of California gave municipalities explicit power to prohibit apartment owners and other landlords from evicting tenants, as San Francisco became the first major city to issue a shelter in place order limiting people from leaving their properties save for essential needs during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

Gov. Gavin Newsoms executive order extends through the end of May, and also limits banks from initiating foreclosure proceedings on any homeowners behind on their mortgages. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a similar order on Tuesday, without setting an expiration date.

Under Connecticut law, tenants can file a response in court to any eviction notice, creating a mandated mediation process as an initial step in advance of any trial on the eviction attempt. On Monday, the State of Connecticuts Judicial Branch limited any legal motions and hearings before judges to priority 1 business functions through March 27, in the words of Judge Patrick L. Carroll III, chief court administrator. That list is comprised of criminal, juvenile detention and major family probate matters.

On Tuesday, Judge James W. Abrams issued an immediate stay of any pending evictions through the same date, in his role as Connecticuts chief administrative judge for civil matters.

The office of Gov. Ned Lamont did not indicate immediately on Tuesday whether the governor would issue any executive order along the lines of Newsoms to dissuade landlords from attempting any unilateral actions in April or beyond.

The Connecticut Department of Housing is instructing any residents who find themselves in a housing emergency to call the states 211 information line for assistance.

In advance of the 2008 collapse of the mortgage market during the tenure of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the Connecticut General Assembly introduced a circuit breaker on foreclosures, requiring banks to negotiate with borrowers on repayment plans under the oversight of court-appointed mediators. Bankers and housing advocates credited the law with helping to keep more people in their homes during the subsequent recession.

On Tuesday, the parent company of Waterbury-based Webster Bank issued a 90-day moratorium on any foreclosure actions among several measures intended to reduce pressure on borrowers, including options for payment deferrals on other kinds of personal and small business loans.

On Tuesday, President Trump indicated that an emergency spending bill eyed at potentially $1 trillion would likely include checks to help people meet immediate living expenses, with the possibility of additional measures through the deferment of taxes coming due.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Alternate Health Corp., (CSE: AHG) (OTCQB: AHGIF) ("Alternate Health" or the "Company"), an international leader in CBD product development and distribution, announced today that the Company has signed an exclusive sales agreement with Interadigm Shd. Bhd. ("Interadigm") to market the Company's online CBD education program throughout Malaysia, with ongoing negotiations to expand into clinical trials and CBD product distribution.

"As we have seen from the excitement created after Thailand's recent removal of CBD from its controlled substances list, the CBD industry is beginning to heat up in Southeast Asia," says Howard Mann, CEO of Alternate Health. "With its prosperous economy and business-friendly policies, we are excited to work with both Malaysian healthcare companies and government agencies as the industry develops."

Alternate Health's agreement with Interadigm is the first step of the Company's strategy in Malaysia. Beyond education, Alternate Health is actively negotiating with national healthcare companies and government agencies to develop new business opportunities in CBD product distribution throughout Malaysia. As a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Company expects developments in Malaysia's regulations to be influential for the industry across the region.

"Local government is currently reviewing changes to laws and regulations surrounding hemp and medical cannabinoids, and Alternate Health is well positioned to offer management and oversight," says Howard Mann. "We see Malaysia as an excellent base to begin our expansion throughout the ASEAN region."

About Interadigm

Headquartered in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, Interadigm is the country's leading provider of corporate training programs. Interadigm develops programs on a wide variety of topics for global clients in industries ranging from industrial chemicals and petroleum to technology and higher education. Interadigm will act as Alternate Health's exclusive sales and marketing agent throughout Malaysia, with the option to expand to other countries in the region.

Interadigm will offer Alternate Health's CBD Education program through the Company's subsidiary Alternate Medical Media ("AMM"). AMM has two online certification programs teaching the latest scientific research on CBD and the endocannabinoid system. Consisting of 10 interactive modules, the program was adapted from Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses.

Resignation of Director

The Company would also like to announce that Dr. Michael Murphy has tendered his resignation from Alternate Health's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Murphy has decided to focus on his private medical practice in San Antonio, Texas.

"Alternate Health would like to thank Dr. Murphy for his years of service to the Company and wish him well in the future," says Howard Mann. "We recognize that Dr. Murphy has made significant personal financial contributions while stabilizing the Company, especially as the industry has recently struggled."

Update on Private Placement

Alternate Health would also like to provide a correction with respect to the non-brokered private placement previously announced in a press release on February 19, 2020. The company will issue 13,599,216 units at a price of CAD $0.15 (USD $0.11) per unit for aggregate proceeds of CAD $2,039,882. Each unit is comprised of one common share and one share purchase warrant at an exercise price of CAD $0.30 for an 18-month term.

About Alternate Health

An international leader in the hemp-derived CBD industry, Alternate Health manufactures, packages and distributes pharmaceutical grade products across the United States. Through Alternate Health's subsidiary, Blaine Labs, the Company has 24 years of experience in FDA-registered, cGMP production and distribution, with over 50 product SKUs available from major retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, CVS and Walgreens. For more information about Alternate Health Corp., visit www.alternatehealth.com.

Investor Contact

Scott Holtby | Investor Relations

Jim Tykoliz | Company Director

1.416.607.5757 | invest@alternatehealth.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. Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, including with respect to the closing of the letter of intent, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53524
Battling with the novel coronavirus pandemic, India on Monday announced heading for a nationwide lockdown with a group of ministers proposing closure of all educational establishments (schools and universities included) and almost every type of public place till March 31 besides asking the private sector to encourage its employees to work from home.

While people have been advised to skip non-essential travel, the agencies running buses, trains and aeroplanes would have to maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring regular and proper disinfection of surfaces.

Follow updates of coronavirus cases in India here

All ASI-protected monuments and central museums across India to be shut till March 31 in view of COVID-19, Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said.

With Europe hit hard by the rampaging virus, aviation companies have been asked not to pick up any passengers from any of the European Union countries as well as UK and Turkey between March 18 and March 31, closing the doors on those who want to travel or return to India. This means even the home-bound Indians would have to stay put where they are.

READ: Maharashtra govt to tag people under self-quarantine

Further, on the travel front, passengers coming from or transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait would have to face a minimum period of 14 days compulsory quarantine at the port of entry, starting from March 18.

The lock-down decisions were taken by the Group of Ministers headed by the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. The objective for such extensive containment measures is to arrest the novel coronavirus 2019 within a cluster, preventing their entry into a winder community.

With four new cases, the total number of positive cases in India rises to 114 in the central database. But health officials said the next two weeks were vital to check the extent of the spread.

Track live updates on the coronavirus here

The GoM has suggested that school boards may explore the possibility of postponing the examinations but ongoing examinations are to be conducted only after maintaining a physical distance of one meter between two students.

Gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres are proposed to be shut till March 31. Students are advised to stay at home.

Restaurants are told to follow hand washing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces. They also have to ensure physical distancing of a minimum one metre between tables. If possible open-air seating arrangements can be made.

At each level, local authorities will have a dialogue with organisers of sporting competitions involving large gatherings and advise them to postpone such events. Similarly, religious leaders too would be told to regulate the mass gathering and to ensure no overcrowding.

The authorities would also reach out to traders to regulate hours at vegetable markets, bus depots, rail stations and post offices where essential services are provided.

Whenever feasible, the meetings in the government and private sector, are to be held via video conferencing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the centenary celebration of Bangabandhi Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka through video conferencing.
[March 17, 2020] HEI Health releases free tool that helps hospitals and their work-from-home RCM staff

PHOENIX, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, HEI Health is releasing their proprietary in-house software application, CollabApp, free to hospitals and healthcare facilities to help them be more productive if hourly revenue cycle workers are sent home for the next few months or longer. With the current crisis, it is easy for hourly workers to feel alone or get distracted, to be afraid for coworkers, or worry if they will have a job to return to. CollabApp software helps hospitals manage their entire hourly revenue cycle workforce remotely, keeping them profitable and productive, while mimicking the office environment. Workers can see each other, chat, and feel less alone while working. They can also help each other with their work if there are questions. Most online team collaboration software is not designed for continuous online collaboration. Meetings must be scheduled and "time out." And the number of "seats" are either limited or can become expensive depending on the application. What is CollabApp? CollabApp is a team collaboration working environment that allows managers and employees to see one another and work remotely while being able to ask questions, seek help, share documents and stay connected to their workplace and coworkers continuously. This helps create a "normalcy" that existed when they were working together in the office. And makes managing employees easier. CollabApp is easy to deploy, and easy to use by anyone familiar with popular, online social media apps. CollabApp can easily be added to a hospital emergency business continuity plan in a hurry. It is also quick and easy for managers and employees to learn and begin using immediately.

It is also tiered so that, for a fee, it can seamlessly be used as part of a larger suite of performance-enhancing and scoring tools. More at: https://www.heihealth.com/how-to-manage-revenue-cycle-at-home-due-to-coronavirus/



Try out CollabApp with your Revenue Cycle Hourly Workforce Have your C-Suite or I.T. staff contact HEI at: [email protected]

Go to: https://www.heihealth.com/work-from-home-solutions/ Set up a meeting to better determine if CollabApp might help you manage your employees remotely: https://calendly.com/marj-green HEI Health.

Helping important decisionmakers make important decisions that:

Help their employees

Better serve their patients, and

Protect the larger community at risk. HEI Health has been creating and managing virtual teams, supporting and getting top performance from remote hospital revenue cycle workers, for over fifteen years. To feature a story about HEI Health, or to set up an interview with Marj Green or Mischa Dick, contact: Mark Sequeira, Marketing Manager

HEI Health

Since 2004

8686 N. Central Ave. Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85020

[email protected]

(623)208-7280 Social media:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/heihealth/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mischa-dick-37426111/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjorie-green/

https://twitter.com/HEIHealth View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hei-health-releases-free-tool-that-helps-hospitals-and-their-work-from-home-rcm-staff-301025708.html SOURCE HEI Health

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Having a baby means having to learn how to put diapers on them. In the early times, our ancestors used improvised cloth diapers or newborns to wear to catch urine and bowel. And then a few decades ago, disposable diapers were invented to make parents' lives easier.

Environmentalists do not approve of the use of diapers as they add to the tons of garbage that the world is now having encountering. Since diapers are made of synthetic or non-biodegradable materials that help protect babies from wetness, it takes thousands of years for them to be eliminated from our andfills, thus, if possible, it would be better to use other substitutes. The is where cloth diapers come into the picture.

What are cloth diapers?

Cloth diapers are nappies made of cloth and may be washed and reused. During the old times, they used cloth that has to be tapered by safety pins.

Nowadays, there are different types of nappies that parents could use, but which one is the best?

Choosing which type of diaper to use all comes down to preference. See below for the list.

Types of Cloth Diapers

Cloth Diapers All-in-one (AIO) . This one is slightly easier to use since the soaker (or the insert) is attached to the shell. The cons is that they take more time to dry than others.

All-in-two diapers. This is the same as the AIO diaper but the difference is that this one also includes a removable insert that will benefit those heavy wetters.

Prefold cloth diapers. These are big rectangular cotton diapers that are designed to fit the bottoms of babies. The outer covering is waterproof.

Fitted cloth diapers. Much like disposable diapers, the fitted cloth diapers work in such a way that they prevent leakage, have leg gussets, and are very absorbent. This is good to use for overnights.

Pocket cloth diapers. This one is composed of the outer covering, which is also known as the "shell" that is water and leak-proof and has a pocket where soakers are inserted. The soakers absorb the pee and poo.

Hybrid cloth diapers. An all-in-two diaper plus either a reusable or disposable insert is what a hybrid diaper is made of. The difference of the disposable insert used here versus the disposable diaper is that here the materials used are compostable and biodegradable as compared to the disposable diapers.

Insert Types

After choosing what type of cloth diapers to buy, you also have to choose what type of materials that make up the inserts.

Available types of inserts are made of either microfiber, bamboo, or hemp. All 3 are highly absorbent, but hemp would be the most absorbent despite being also the thinnest.

How to Cloth Diapers Work

Cloth diapers are worn just like disposables. Most cloth diapers can be taped in either velcro or snappy type.

When to Change

Ideally, disposable diapers are to be changed every 2-3 hours. The same goes for cloth diapers. Unless when your baby poops, then it is time for a change.

How to Clean Cloth Diapers

Immediately after defecating, flush the contents in the bowl using a bidet or any sprayer just like how adults do and then prewash the soaker to prevent staining and then fold it and then place it in a tub or any container with a cover. At the end of every cycle, say 3 to 6 days depending on the number of diapers you have. If it contains only urine, then you may just rinse and then load them in the same tub.

Stripping the Cloth Diaper

Inserts and shells are washed separately. Once in a while, the users strip the cloth diapers by submerging the inserts in warm water overnight to kill the bacteria or any smell that is lingering. Do not include shells as this may damage their waterproof covering.

Another note is to avoid using scented detergents or those with bleach and fabric softener as their residue might irritate the baby's skin. Many detergents now that are made for babies are on sale; though a bit pricey, it saves yourself from having to cure any skin irritation on your baby's bum.

Also, do not use creams or ointments as they may decrease the absorbency of the soakers, defeating their purpose.

How Many to Buy

The decision on how many diapers to buy depends on how often you plan to do the laundry. If, for example, your baby uses 8 diapers a day, and you plan to wash once every 3 days, then multiply 8 by 3, you get 24. However, just to be sure, it is better to have additional stocks for a day just in case the diapers won't dry in time, so you might have to buy 32 pieces of cloth diapers for your little one.


The celebration of Saint Patrick's Day is on Tuesday, March 17 for this year. What are the major parts of its celebration? Let us find out in the following parts of the text what makes this day special.





Origins of the Celebration of Saint Patrick's Day

This holiday was initially started as a form of a feast day for Christians. It was primarily celebrated to commemorate the story of Saint Patrick. Also, it is a way of remembering and appreciating his efforts of spreading Christianity in the different parts of Ireland.

Currently, this day is a celebration of everything Irish. In modern times, Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated with lively parades, 5K runs or similar events, and other enjoyable activities. One famous feature of the celebration is that everyone is encouraged to wear green.

When is Saint Patrick's Day Celebrated?

The Official Saint Patrick's Day celebration is every March 17. However, its celebration is often not limited on a sole day. I may also be celebrated on a different date.

It is celebrated on March 17 because it was believed that it was the date of death of Saint Patrick. The saint died in the late 5th century.

During the years when Saint Patrick's Day falls on a part of the Holy Week or a Sunday, the Almanac does not move its celebration at considers it as a secular holiday. However, for churches, they move the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day to a different one. Other cities opt to change their date of celebration for Saint Patrick's Day.

Check these out:

Saint Patrick: Is he Real or Fictional?

Saint Patrick is the apostle of Ireland. Also, he is the patron saint of the country. He is praised for his success at spreading Christianity in the different parts of Ireland. This had led to a day of celebration of the story of his name and life.

Saint Patrick is not fictional. He is a real person. However, different legends surfaced over the years. This had resulted in some fictional stories about his life. One probable fictional story about his life is his deed of driving snakes out of Ireland. This is supported by the claim that snakes were not native in the country.

Regardless of some fictional stories about his life, his significant deeds were enough to earn him a day of celebration for his life's work.

Finding God

Saint Patrick was born in Britain. Britain was part of the Roman Empire during the time of his birth. He was born as Maewyn Succat in the later part of the 4th century. He was born into a Christian family. However, Maewyn spent his childhood as an atheist.

His faith changed when he turned 16 and was kidnapped by Irish pirates. The pirates forced him to work as a shepherd. After six years of being a slave, he was able to escape. He walked roughly 200 miles in Irish land. Finally, he was able to convince a ship to bring him back to Britain. His escape and return to his home had led him to believe that it was God's help as to why he was able to return.
The family couldnt get her out of Germany, and my mother carried this with her for her whole life, said Katharine Wild, Max and Martha Liebermanns great-granddaughter. This kind of family tragedy gets passed along to the children, and I am no exception.

The portrait of Martha Liebermann is on a Gestapo list of objects seized from her apartment after her death, according to Jutta von Falkenhausen, a lawyer who represents the Liebermann heirs. Georg Schafer purchased it in 1955 from a Munich dealer. The Liebermann family first tried to recover it more than 10 years ago.

I am trying to carry on what my mother and sister were doing and continue that work, Ms. Wild says. What I would like the people in Schweinfurt to know is: We have an opportunity. We could settle this matter.

Two other works in the museum are being sought by the heirs of Therese Clara Kirstein, a German Jew who committed suicide in 1939 after her escape to the United States was blocked. The heirs believe the works, a drawing by Adolph Menzel and a Liebermann study, were sold under duress shortly before her death or, more likely, confiscated and sold shortly after.

We want to have the provenance reports for those two works, said David Rowland, a New York lawyer representing one of the Kirstein heirs, and we would like the foundation to apply the Washington Principles. Weve been asking for that for a long time.

Lawsuits to recover Nazi-looted art generally fail in Germany because of statutes of limitations and other rules that favor good-faith buyers of stolen items. Claimants trying to recover stolen property are reliant on the good will of the private collectors who possess it. Some private collectors do choose to abide by the Washington Principles. One notable example is the family-owned company Dr. Oetker, a maker of baking product and food products, which has so far given back seven works to the heirs of collectors who had been persecuted by the Nazis.
A woman has shared the 'most embarrassing moment of her life' involving nudity at a sauna as a tonic to cheer people up in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Writer Anbara Salam, who grew up in London and now lives in Oxford, took to Twitter to share her hilarious tale of woe, which happened 10 years ago.

Yesterday she recounted how, while on holiday in Germany with an ex-boyfriend, she visited a spa with a sauna which required guests to be naked.

Explaining that she speaks no German, Anbara told how she stripped off and grabbed a small towel before going through an unmarked door - which unbeknownst to her led to the fire escape.

Anbara Salam has shared the 'most embarrassing moment of her life' involving nudity at a sauna as a tonic to cheer people up in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic

The writer, who grew up in London and now lives in Oxford, took to Twitter to share her hilarious tale of woe, which happened 10 years ago

The door then shut behind her, leaving her trapped there 'in the nip'.

Her situation went from bad to worse when she was finally discovered by a spa employee, and led out of the building, along the street and back through a busy reception to return to the changing room - all while still desperately trying to cover her modesty with a small towel.

Her series of tweets went viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of likes, while many Twitter users branded her a 'hero' for giving them a good laugh.

Beginning her story, Anbara wrote: 'As a public service in these stressful times I'd like to offer, as a palate cleanser, the most embarrassing moment of my life. 10ish years ago, my ex-bf and I visited a spa in Germany.

'It's swimsuits in the pool but you have to be naked in the sauna. Btw I speak no German.'

Anbara's series of tweets, which explain how she came to be stuck naked on the fire escape, went viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of likes

She went on to explain how she and her boyfriend agreed to meet in the cafe - but when she tried to enter the sauna, she took the wrong door and ended up trapped on the fire escape.

'It's two storeys, dark, grim, noisy because of huge fans,' she recalled.

'I bang on the fire escape door until I actually hurt myself. Nothing. Yell for help. Nothing. Fully crying, I run downstairs, trying to work out which part of me I should cover with the lil towel - my face? A single buttock?

'Bang on the second floor doors for 10 mins. Yell some more. Nothing. On the ground floor there's an unlocked door. Jackpot! But no, it's a terrifying machine room with massive fans and pumps and "electrocution" symbols on everything.

'Friends, there's nothing quite like running, naked and crying, around an industrial machine room.'

Anbara recalled how a spa employee met her at the lift but didn't bring her a towel to help her situation

Becoming desperate, Anbara spotted a service lift and ran into it and pressed all the buttons in 'sheer panic' while 'covering each boob in turn'.

Once in there she spotted a security camera, and admitted to feeling torn about wanting someone to find her but not wanting anyone to see her in this state.

After a few rides up and down there was a German loudspeaker announcement.

'I just *know* it's about me,' Anbara wrote. 'Like "the naked girl in the fire escape lift please stop mashing the buttons" or whatever, but I can't understand it, so just cry louder and gesture at the camera.'

When the lift doors finally opened, Anbara told how a spa employee was waiting for her with no towel and led her out of the building, around the corner and back through a busy reception area.

Eventually, after being asked for ID and having to surrender her lobster to make it back through the turnstiles, Anbara is reunited with her boyfriend - who apparently 'had the audacity to be grumpy because he'd been waiting for an hour'

'I now have an out of body experience,' she went on. 'A shame black out. I have reached my max. I go fully through embarrassment and out the other side. Time slows down. I can hear the music of the spheres.

'I stop crying, drop the washcloth, shoulders back, head high, follow him along the street, past people parking their cars, standing in line with their families. People say things, point. I cannot hear them. I am transcendent with shame. Untouchable.

'Reception is BUSY. So busy he has to yell at people to make way so I can get through the crowd. The guy explains (I'm guessing) the situ to the receptionist. This takes actual minutes. An old lady gives me her pool float. It is shaped like a lobster. The claws rest on my boobs.'

Many Twitter users thanked Anbara for sharing her experience and for making them laugh during this difficult time

Eventually, after being asked for ID and having to surrender her lobster to make it back through the turnstiles, Anbara is reunited with her boyfriend - who apparently 'had the audacity to be grumpy because he'd been waiting for an hour'.

Many Twitter users thanked Anbara for sharing her experience, with one writing: 'Thank you so much for making me laugh. Its been a sad day as Im not able to go to my darling brothers wedding this Sat and my brother in law is ill. Your toe-curling experience was side-splittingly funny , not for you at the time but thanks for sharing.'

Another commented: 'God bless you for sharing one of the greatest embarrassment stories I have ever heard. Do you still cringe thinking about it?'

And one quipped: 'You cant make that up ..Hilarious! Thanks.'

Published author Anbara, who was a runner-up in the 2019 Berlin Writing Prize for her book Circus Freak, has a new book - Belladonna - due out this summer.
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ALL shows at the Kenton Theatre in Henley have been cancelled until the end of April in a bid to halt the spread of Coronavirus.

Trustees of the New Street venue took the decision in the wake of Government guidelines which advises the public to avoid gatherings and crowded places.

A statement published by the theatre on Twitter said: In line with Government guidelines, all shows at the Kenton Theatre have been cancelled until the end of April.

The situation will be under constant review and any developments will be posted on the website. We shall be in contact with ticketholders as soon as possible.

It added: We thank patrons for their continued support for the theatre and hope to return to normal business as soon as possible.

The decision comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson today (Monday) said everyone in the UK should avoid non-essential travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus.

The country's death toll has hit 55. More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus but the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000.

Mr Johnson, who is a former Henley MP, said people should work from home where possible as part of a range of stringent new measures.

Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice particularly important, he said.

People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Several dozen Ferris State University faculty and students are being told to self-quarantine after they were possibly exposed to the coronavirus at a conference on infectious diseases earlier this month.

The potential exposure happened March 7 during the Great Lakes Infectious Disease Conference at the universitys College of Pharmacy facility on Medical Mile in Grand Rapids, Ferris State University President David L. Eisler announced Monday, March 16.

One of the attendees, a Kent County resident, began showing coronavirus symptoms several days after the conference and ultimately tested positive for it on March 15. Eisler said the university was notified of the positive test by the Kent County Health Department on March 16.

University officials Monday evening notified about 10 faculty members and 30 students who attended the conference of the possible exposure. The email advised the attendees to self-quarantine through March 21, which is 14 days after the possible exposure.

Officials also notified non-university attendees. Eisler did not say how many non-university attendees there were.

This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on one of our campuses, and I felt it was imperative to inform you of this information, Eisler said in a statement. The university is working closely with the Kent County Health Department and following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local health guidance in responding to this information.

State officials said Monday, March 16, there are 54 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state. Of those, five are residents of Kent County.

The university did not provide further details on the person who attended the conference and later tested positive for coronavirus.

Kent County Health Department officials announced Sunday that a male resident in his 20s with no travel history had tested positive for coronavirus. They later found out that night another male resident, this one in his 40s, also tested positive.

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.

Read more:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

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Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home
Although West Australian universities remain open for business as usual amid the declared state of emergency, most of them are putting social distancing measures in place including taking all learning online.

Curtin University has led the charge, by moving all lectures online from Friday. Credit:Curtin University

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise in WA, some of the states major universities are moving away from face-to-face learning to help combat the spread of the disease.

Curtin University has led the charge, by moving all lectures online from Friday.

In a statement released on Monday evening, Curtins Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said while the uni was very much open for business, the uni had made the decision following government and medical advice.
Warning: This story contains graphic content.

Kalen Schlatter is a predator who stalked and isolated a young woman because he was determined to have sex with her, a Crown prosecutor told a Toronto jury Tuesday in a courthouse now otherwise shut down for 11 weeks to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Kalen Schlatter sexually assaulted and strangled to death Tess Richey because he wanted sex, prosecutor Bev Richards said.

Tess Richey was murdered because she said no.

Schlatter, 23, has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of 22-year-old Richey on Nov. 25, 2017. He testified last week that she initiated a kiss with him and led him into the laneway between two houses on Church Street, north of Dundonald Street, where they consensually made out in a stairwell after she told him she couldnt have sex because she was on her period. Security videos show them going into the laneway holding hands at 4:14 a.m. and Schlatter leaving alone at 5 a.m. No one else is seen entering the alley, and Richeys body was found at the bottom of the stairwell.

Schlatter testified that Richey was alive and on her phone when he left her. In closing arguments Monday, his defence said another man climbed over a fence into the backyard of one of the houses and then over a tall wooden gate to reach the laneway seconds or minutes after Schlatter left.

That other man had a fantasy that Richey wanted to have sex with him after she briefly spoke to him while on the street, the defence said, and when she rejected him, he killed her

On Tuesday, the Crown described Schlatters account as preposterous and said the suggestion that another man could have vaulted two six-foot fences in the dark without being heard or detected by cameras was ridiculous.

Richey did not want to have sex with Schlatter  the security videos from that night show no affection between them  and she made three attempts to go home, the Crown said.

Richey appeared to move to get a cab twice after leaving the Crews and Tangos bar with her friend Ryley Simard, Richards said.

After Simard left around 4 a.m., Richeys Uber records show she ordered an Uberpool home at 4:02 a.m. At the same time, Richey is seen on security video walking to the corner of Church and Dundonald streets alone, with Schlatter trailing behind her. She then sat at the corner, near where the Uber would have picked her up.

Schlatter claimed he followed Richey because she seemed upset and that she wanted him to stay and discuss her recent breakup. He said she asked to kiss him. They stood up, kissed, and she led him to the laneway, he said.

The Crown said the video actually shows Schlatter approaching Richey and waving his arm as if to say goodbye. She suggested this is because Richey told him she was going home. But Schlatter was not prepared to give up and saw this as his last chance to have sex that night, she said.

Richey has no interest whatsoever in Kalen Schlatter. Indeed, she has the opposite interest, Richards said. She wants to leave him, she wants to go home.

Richards said we will never know why Richey walked up the street into the laneway with Schlatter. Perhaps he told her it was a shortcut to the spot on Dundonald where her Uber would pick her up  but that doesnt matter, she said, because Richey clearly wanted to go home and she did not suddenly decide to have sex with Schlatter in a stairwell.

Richey constantly used her phone, according to her cell records and her sisters testimony, but the records show she did not answer two calls at 4:15 a.m. and 4:16 a.m., minutes after she entered the laneway with Schlatter instead of going to her Uber.

The assault had already begun, Richards said. There is no indication that Richey made any calls or texts after 5 a.m. when Schlatter claims he leaves her alive and on her phone, Richards said.

Tess Richeys cellphone is silent because Tess has been silenced, she said.

Richards said Schlatters predatory behaviour can be seen on security footage outside Crews and Tangos after the bar closed. The video shows him trying to pursue two women, and in one instance a male friend of one of the women appears to step between them, Richards said.

She said this is similar to an account of his approach to picking up women, which two undercover officers said they heard after they were placed next to him in police holding cells soon after his arrest.

Richards suggested that Schlatter lied to the officers that he had been making out with Richey in the club because he wanted to bolster the impression that they had a consensual sexual encounter. But he did not know then that the police would find security footage that showed they had never interacted in the club.

Richards said the jury could rely on the evidence of the undercover officers even though their operation was not audio-recorded because police ran out of time to get a warrant before Schlatter was arrested. Much of the testimony was corroborated by Schlatter himself, she said.

She acknowledged the testimony of a former cellmate, who said Schlatter confessed to strangling Richey with a scarf and jerking off on her body, should be approached with caution.

The Crown cannot choose its witnesses, she said. And (he) is a particularly unsavoury witness.

However, she told the jury, the witness has not and will not receive any consideration for his testimony.

The defence has argued there are many ways the man could benefit from his co-operation, including in the form of preferential treatment from police, judges, and jail staff that doesnt involve explicit Crown intervention.

Schlatter is inclined to talk and talk a lot to those he is in custody with, Richards said.

She told the jury that the informant gave police information they did not already know, such as that Schlatter took a cab, then an Uber home. He said Schlatter told him police did not seize the green jacket he was wearing that night because it was in a laundry hamper, which the Crown said is corroborated by photos of a green piece of clothing in a hamper in the basement of Schlatters home. Schlatter denied this and said he told his cellmate the jacket was hanging in his closet.

Richards also said it would make sense that Schlatter would seek help in creating an alibi with his cellmate, a career criminal with a long history of lying and cheating.

Notably, the cellmate testified that Schlatter suggested an alternate suspect theory involving someone coming over the back fence, Richards said.

Richards rejected the possibility that the man seen wandering around in the Church-Wellesley area that night after Richey said something to him could have been the killer.

The man came forward to police in early December after he read that Richeys death was being investigated as an accident because he thought hed seen something suspicious that night, she said. It was his information about seeing Richey at the hot dog stand with two people that gave police grounds for a warrant to seize security footage and got them to interview the owner of the hot dog stand, she said.

He was trying to help police not hide his crime, Richards said. Those are not the actions of the killer.

He also had no visible injuries from a struggle and his DNA was not found on Richeys clothing or body, Richards said.

Richards said Richey had bruising on her wrists and hands and a significant injury on her forehead. These are injuries consistent with a struggle and being restrained, she said.

If Tess Richey does not want to do something, she wont do it, Richards said Richeys sister testified.

Schlatter sexually assaulted Tess Richey and brutally strangled her to death because she fought back, Richards said. Because she tried to defend herself from a predator.

The judge is expected to charge the jury with instructions on the law on Friday, after which they would begin deliberations.
A man was found shot and seriously wounded in the front yard of a Dolomite home Monday night.

Birminghams West Precinct officers responded shortly after 9 p.m. to the 1400 block of Jackson Street. Police officials on the scene said they arrived to find an adult black male unresponsive on the ground, said Sgt. Adam McConnell.

The victim had been shot at least once in the torso area and rushed to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center. His injuries are life-threatening. Police said they didnt know if the victim lived in the area where he was shot.

Birminghams West Precinct officers responded shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2020, to the 1400 block of Jackson Street where a man had been shot.

Shortly after officers got on the scene, someone fired multiple rounds nearby. Officers scoured the area but did not find out who did so.

No one was injured in that gunfire and McConnell said they determined the two incidents were not linked.

As of 10:15 p.m., the crime scene remained active and no arrests had yet been made.
The coronavirus crisis has prompted Britain and the EU to cancel Brexit trade talks which were due to take place this week.

The two sides had already ruled out face-to-face discussions because of the outbreak.

But they had been exploring the possibility of using video conferencing to allow the second round of negotiations to go ahead in some form.

However, Downing Street announced this afternoon that the showdown had been postponed.

Today's decision and the worsening spread of the deadly disease will inevitably prompt questions about whether the Brexit 'standstill' transition period will have to be extended.

Number 10 remains adamant that the talks can still be successfully concluded by the end of the year and has repeatedly ruled out prolonging transition.

Brexit trade talks were due to take place in London this week but they have now been cancelled because of coronavirus

Dominic Raab today defied a Labour call to postpone plans to sever economic ties with Brussels in nine months time because of the coronavirus and its impact on Britain

A government spokesman said this afternoon that the 'transition period ends on 31 December 2020' and the deadline is 'enshrined in UK law'.

However, the Telegraph reported that the government is now increasingly resigned to the fact that an extension will ultimately have to be agreed.

The announcement that talks had been cancelled comes after Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons that coronavirus would not stop the two sides hammering out a trade deal inside the next nine months.

Senior figures in the EU, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, said before the coronavirus outbreak that there was not enough time for a deal to be agreed.

The outbreak has piled even more pressure on the UK to agree to a transition extension.

Confirming talks had been postponed, a UK government spokesman said: 'In light of the latest guidance on coronavirus, we will not formally be convening negotiating work strands tomorrow in the way we did in the previous round.

'We expect to share a draft FTA [Free Trade Agreement] alongside the draft legal texts of a number of the standalone agreements in the near future still, as planned.

'Both sides remain fully committed to the negotiations and we remain in regular contact with the European Commission to consider alternative ways to continue discussions, including looking at the possibility of video conferencing or conference calls, and exploring flexibility in the structure for the coming weeks.

'The transition period ends on 31 December 2020. This is enshrined in UK law.'

Mr Raab was today urged by opposition MPs to delay negotiations and to seek an extension.

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock had asked the Foreign Secretary: 'Rather than trying to fight this war on two fronts and stretching government bandwidth to breaking point, surely the time is now coming to request an extension to the transition period?

'It's better to do that than putting ideology ahead of the safety of the British people.'

But Mr Raab replied: 'As far as I am aware the negotiations can still proceed, given all of the logistical arrangements that we put in place.

Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock had asked the Foreign Secretary: 'Rather than trying to fight this war on two fronts and stretching government bandwidth to breaking point, surely the time is now coming to request an extension to the transition period?

'We are confident that we can get this done.

'And actually I don't think delaying Brexit negotiations would give anyone the certainty that they need on either side of the channel.'

Face-to-face talks between the two sides were due to take place in London this week. The first round was held in Brussels.

But the coronavirus pandemic promoted the proposed sit down to be cancelled as the EU and UK considered other methods to allow negotiations to be conducted remotely.

Critics have questioned the feasibility of conducting complex trade talks over a video link.
Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret and Pink announced Tuesday that they will close all stores temporarily. The stores are owned by L Brands. All three stores also have locations at SouthPointe Pavilions.

The Buckle, which has stores at both Gateway and SouthPointe, also announced it was closing stores through the end of the month. The Kearney-based retailer said it would continue to pay all its employees.

Another tenant at Gateway, American Eagle, said it will close all stores through at least March 27. Granite City said it was closing its dining room and reducing hours to 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Lululemon, which opened its first permanent Lincoln store last fall, also said it will close all its stores until March 27.

Several stores that have locations at Nebraska Crossing Outlets in Gretna also announced closings, including Nike, Under Armour and Ralph Lauren.

It's not just retail businesses that are trying to limit contact. First National Bank of Omaha said on its website that starting Tuesday all in-person customer contact will be by appointment only. The bank encouraged people to do all normal banking activity through either ATMs, drive-thru windows or online.
If there was a silver lining to Oregon Gov.Kate Browns Monday order closing the states bars and dining rooms, it was this: Those same restaurants and bars were still allowed to offer takeout and delivery.

Major Portland restaurant groups including ChefStable (XLB, Lardo, Grassa) and Submarine Hospitality (Ava Genes, Tusk) either pivoted to more delivery service, or set up special takeout menus available for curbside pickup. Online delivery services offered to have drivers leave food outside peoples doors, then made that the default.

The mind started to wander  sure, we might be stuck at home, but wouldnt an order of brisket jungle curry from Portlands reigning Restaurant of the Year, Eem, help the days go by?

But by Tuesday, several restaurants had reconsidered their initial to-go plans, electing to shut temporarily instead.

James Beard Award-winning chef Naomi Pomeroy said she had already been working over the weekend on a takeout plan for Beast, her fine-dining restaurant in Northeast Portlands Concordia neighborhood, going so far as to redesign Beasts website, plan and price out a streamlined menu and announce the takeout plans on the Instagram account of sister cocktail lounge Expatriate.

But after doing some real basic math, Pomeroy realized they would need at least 75 customers to call each day to cover the restaurants costs, more business than they would do a regular day. Meanwhile, friends who run delivery-focused restaurants told her their business had yet to budge. And Pomeroy was already concerned about the possibility of spreading the novel coronavirus inadvertently.

Pomeroy, who describes herself as the least germaphobic person in the world, wonders whether the state could pivot again and declare takeout food no longer safe.

Were not getting tested, Pomeroy said. If I have people working in my restaurant, do I even know if theyre sick or not? We can clean, scrub, bleach, do all that cool stuff, but I know theres no way to stop this completely. And if you read the news coming out of Italy, theyre like, Dear God, quarantine yourself immediately. I just want to discourage people from being out. If the government wont tell us what to do, lets tell ourselves.

One of the things that weve been talking about is, How safe is takeout? Pomeroy said. My daughter asked me to go to McDonalds the other day. And I watched this young kid putting the French fries into the bag, rolling the bag up and passing it to me, and I had to have discipline about not eating the fries, to wait until I got home before touching the outside of the bag.

Eem, North Portlands Texas barbecue meets Thai flavors sensation, initially advertised takeout, briefly considered starting local delivery, then chose to close altogether, at least temporarily.

Its more than profit," Eem co-owner Eric Nelson said. "If this crushes Eem, and we dont come back from this, well figure something out. But if people keep getting sick, and our grandparents start dying because we had to sell some ribs? We just felt it was our social responsibility to give the staff some time, and ourselves as well.

Nelson says he and co-owners Matt Vicedomini and Earl Ninsom will reevaluate takeout and delivery options in two weeks, after employees have had a chance to stay at home and isolate.

Screen Door, the popular East Burnside brunch spot known for its fried chicken and waffles, looked to be a prime candidate for takeout success, given usual lines snaking up Northeast 24th Avenue each weekend. But after testing out a to-go model Monday  typically one of the restaurants busiest days, with lots of restaurant industry and hairdressers  co-owner Nicole Mouton quickly realized it wouldnt work. The restaurant sold about a dozen orders per hour, not nearly enough to support the restaurants approximately 100 employees.

It was just a fraction of what we would normally do, Mouton said of Monday mornings sales. And then right in the middle of all that, Trump said they were recommending gatherings of 10 people or fewer, and we had more than that in our restaurant just to make takeout happen. It just felt wrong to keep trying if we were putting our own employees at risk.

When Peter Cho and Sun Young Park announced Monday they would close Han Oak, their modern Korean restaurant in Northeast Portland, the couple knew pickup and delivery wouldnt happen right away.

For now, the couple and their two young sons, all healthy, are sheltering in their new Eastmoreland home, and asking employees to stay as well, hoping to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Its hard because everybodys pivoting to takeout and delivery, but you could get into a lot of trouble, Cho said. What if somebody is incubating the disease without symptoms? What are you going to do, send meals home to families with a false sense of security?

After a week or two, they hope to bring back a few employees and start a curbside family meal pickup and delivery service, with frozen dumplings, ready-to-eat meals and  perhaps  coffee, tea and alcohol sales.

People are going to need their caffeine and alcohol replenished, said Park.

Nelson said he was frustrated Tuesday seeing President Trump meet with the heads of Americas fast-food chains, and is concerned that a restaurant industry bailout would skip over the small businesses that make Portlands food scene thrive. And hes heard from Eems laid-off employees that Oregons unemployment website is no longer working and phone wait times are extending for hours as thousands seek to apply for their benefits.

Hopefully, on a state level well be able to get some kind of bailout package for the small restaurants, Nelson said. And before that, get unemployment figured out immediately.

Along with many other Oregon restaurants, Eem is opening its doors to staff today to give away what remains of its perishable food.

I believe the restaurant industry in Portland will come back, Nelson said. If fast food takes over, well just come back the way we did before, when Gabe (Rucker) opened Le Pigeon, maybe with lower prices, something. Were going to come back from all of this.

The end is not here.

-- Michael Russell

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Pune police has appealed to owners



of shops, eateries and bars in Maharashtra's second largest city to down shutters as a social distancing measure to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.

As on Tuesday, Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad have 16 Covid-19 patients.

While police, in the morning, issued orders to shops and other establishments to down shutters, an official later in the day clarified that it was not a compulsion but an appeal.

"We are approaching eateries, restaurants and shops with large footfalls and asking them to remain closed voluntarily. In view of the current situation, social distancing is an essential tool to contain further spread of the virus," said Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve.

He added that should these establishments remain open, then it was imperative for them to adhere to guidelines and protocol in place to combat the spread of the virus.

He admitted that police personnel in some parts of Pune issued notices for closure of establishments earlier on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Pune Restaurant and Hoteliers Association said restaurants and bars in their fold will voluntarily remain closed between March 18 and 20.

Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram had, on Monday, asked private firms to allow their employees to work from home.

Trusts overseeing the Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai Ganpati Temple, Mahalaxmi Temple, Kasba Ganpati, Shirdi Saibaba Temple among others decided to close their portals till further notice.

Pune Retailers Traders Association has decided to keep shops closed for three days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Karni Sena is back in news! After staging protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor over historic facts in 2017, the organization has now targeted Akshay Kumar's upcoming historical film Prithviraj.

The members of the outfit, led by its national president Mahipal Singh Makrana, staged a protest and disrupted the film's shooting in Jamwaramgarh village in Jaipur, on Saturday. Asking the director, Chandraprakash Dwivedi to halt the shoot, they demanded a script read.

When Dwivedi assured them that there was no tampering with historic facts in the script, the members of Karni Sena demanded a written assurance about the same.

Akshay Kumar was not shooting when the Karni Sena members staged the protest on Saturday.

Makrana told PTI, "We held discussions with the director, Chandraprakash, regarding the film's script today. We told him that no tampering with historic facts will be tolerated."

He further added, "Prithviraj Chauhan should not be portrayed as a lover in the film. The director has assured us that there is no such thing in the movie but we want a written assurance."

Akshay Kumar had announced Prithiviraj last year on his birthday and called it as one of the biggest and ambitious film of his career. The superstar essays the role of Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan in the film.

Prithviraj marks the Bollywood debut of Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who essays the role of Princess Sanyogita. Produced by Yash Raj Films, the historical drama is slated to hit the theatrical screens on Diwali 2020.

Manushi Chhillar On Playing 'Sanyogita' In Prithviraj: It Is A Dream Role For Me

Coronavirus Outbreak: Karan Johar's Takht, Akshay Kumar's Prithviraj & Other Film Shoots Affected
For the first time since her arrival in the US, Phuong Mai found Chinatown in Philadelphia deserted.

It feels like everybody has simply disappeared, she told Viet Nam News. This has never happened before.

On Friday the 13th, after US President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a national emergency, local supermarkets started witnessing a surge in panic buying, with shoppers attempting to stockpile toilet paper, canned goods and sanitiser, according to Mai.

All the shelves were empty while long queues of people remained waiting in long queues outside to shop up on necessities, she said.

Asian-Americans seem calmer as they had already stocked rice, hand sanitiser, dry noodles, egg and other goods two weeks ago when soaring infections of the novel coronavirus were reported in Europe and South Korea, added Mai.

Surprisingly, Mai said it was rare to spot native people covering their faces these days.

Her younger sister, a university student in Ohio State, plans to return to Viet Nam this week during her school closure.

The university asked students to leave the campus and shift to remote education so my sister thinks it is better to go back to Viet Nam, she said.

Nguyen uc Tai, head of the Boston Vietnamese Student Association, told the Vietnam News Agency that since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the States, they had worked closely with the Vietnamese community and the Viet Nam Embassy to the US to update members with the latest information and create digestible infographics on Facebook for Vietnamese students to equip themselves with COVID-19 preventative measures.

According to the Institute for International Education, there were more than 24,000 overseas Vietnamese students enrolled at American schools within the Greater Boston Area, where the most prestigious colleges are located.

The disease outbreak has cast a shadow over Vietnamese businesses in Washington DC's metropolitan area and California State.

Eden Centre, a popular Vietnamese-American strip mall in Virginia State, is going through a slow period.

To demonstrate solidarity, the community has established a hotline to provide free healthcare advice for those who have symptoms of COVID-19, as well as push back fake news of Vietnamese people infected with the virus.

Ghen Co Vy  a viral hand washing song  is also being popularised among the community and at several schools in Washington DC.

Parents appreciate the action, saying it might help Vietnamese-American students overcome discrimination towards Asian children sparked by the virus outbreak.

As of Monday, the US had confirmed more than 3,700 infected cases with nearly 70 deaths, mostly in Washington State. No cases of Vietnamese infections had been reported.

Several stores at the Vietnamese Sapa Market in the Czech Republics capital Prague were suspended from Saturday by local authorities in response to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 in European countries.

Vietnamese communities at shopping centres and markets in have also encouraged members to home-quarantine after travelling to infected areas including China, South Korea, Italy and Iran, and halted all mass gatherings.

School closures are another problem facing Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic as children have been asked to stay at home and need adults to look after them.

Nearly 300 cases of COVID-19 infections have been reported in Czech so far.

Meanwhile, 5,000 bottles of hand sanitiser valued at 19.5 million won (VN400 million) had been handed out to Vietnamese students in South Koreas epicentre Daegu and neighbouring localities by a local cosmetic brand, according to the Vietnamese Students Association in Korea

Tran Thien Quang, the association's head, said they were trying to connect benefactors with students in need to help them overcome the hard time and be able to continue their studies in South Korea.

According to South Koreas National Institute for International Education, Viet Nam is the countrys second largest sender of overseas students. The two epicentres, Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk Province, host more than 3,500 Vietnamese students.  VNS

Vietnam Airlines keeps carrying Vietnamese back from Europe Vietnam Airlines said on March 16 that it has created the most favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens in Europe who want to return home amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19.
The heroics of St. Patrick are not appreciated as much as they should be. He is the first person in history to publicly condemn slavery, and one of the first leaders to champion the cause of equal rights.

There is much to celebrate on March 17. Fortunately, his writings, though slim, are eye-opening accounts of his life: Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession reveal much about the man. Along with other sources, they paint a picture of his saintliness.

Patrick was born in Britain in the 4th century to wealthy parents. It is likely that he was baptized, though growing up he did not share his family's faith. He was an atheist.

When he was 15, he committed what he said was a grave sin, never saying exactly what it was; it appears it was a sexual encounter with a young girl. No matter, it would haunt him throughout his life.

At age 15 or 16 (the accounts vary), Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish barbarians. They had come to plunder his family's estate, and took him away in chains to Ireland. While a slave, he converted to Christianity, praying incessantly at all hours of the day. After six years, he escaped, and made his way back home.

His family thought he was dead, and with good reason: no one taken by Irish raiders had managed to escape and return. St. Patrick biographer Philip Freeman describes how his family received him, stating "it was as if a ghost had returned from the dead."

After he returned home, he had a vision while sleeping. He felt called to return to Ireland. This seemed bizarre: this is where he was brutalized as a slave. But he knew what Jesus had commanded us to do, "Love thy enemy." He was convinced that God was calling him to become a missionary to Ireland. So he acted on it, despite the reservations of family and friends.

Patrick became a priest, practiced celibacy, and was eventually named a bishop. Contrary to what many believe, he did not introduce Christianity to Ireland, nor was he Ireland's first bishop. But he did more to bring the Gospel to Ireland than anyone, converting legions of pagans, especially in the northern parts of the island.

His missionary work in Ireland has been duly noted, but his strong defense of human rights has not been given its due.

No public person before him had denounced slavery, widespread though it was. Jesus was agnostic on the subject, Aristotle thought it was a natural way of life, and neither master nor slave saw anything fundamentally wrong with it. Patrick did.

Though he did not invoke natural law specifically, he was instinctively drawn to it. He taught that all men were created equal in the eyes of God, and that the inherent dignity of everyone must be respected.

Patrick did more than preachhe lashed out at the British dictator, Coroticus, harshly rebuking him for his mistreatment of the Irish. In fact, Patrick found his Irish converts to be more civilized than Coroticus and his band of thugs.

Patrick was way ahead of his time in the pursuit of human rights. Not only were men of every social status entitled to equal rights, so were women. In his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, he scolds "the tyrant Coroticusa man who has no respect for God or his priests." More important, he made a startling plea: "They must also free Christian women and captives." His reasoning showed the power of his faith when he said, "Remember, Christ died and was crucified for these people."

He did not mince words. "So, Coroticus, you and your wicked servants, where do you think you will end up? You have treated baptized Christian women like prizes to be handed out, all for the sake of the here and nowthis brief, fleeting world."

What makes this all the more dramatic is the way the pagan world thought about women: the idea that women were equal to men was totally foreign to them. But the women understood what Patrick was saying, and gravitated to him in large numbers. The Christian tenet that all humans possess equal dignity had taken root.

Did the Irish save civilization, as Thomas Cahill maintains? Freeman thinks not"it had never been lost." But everyone agrees that had it not been for St. Patrick, and the monasteries that followed, much of what we know about the ancient world would not exist.

Indeed, it is difficult to fathom how classical Greek and Roman literature would have survived had it not been for the Irish monks who attracted students from many parts of Europe. They are responsible for preserving the great works of antiquity. And all of them are indebted to St. Patrick.

It is believed that he died on March 17, sometime during the second half of the fifth century. That is his feast day, the source of many celebrations in his honor. His impact extends beyond the Irish and the Catholic Churchhuman rights are a global issuemaking him a very special person in world history.
Several express trains, including 12262 Howrah-Mumbai-Howrah Duronto Express, were cancelled owing to poor patronisation over the Coronavirus outbreak, the South Eastern Railway said here Tuesday.

The Howrah-Mumbai CSTM Duronto Express will not run on March 24 and 31, while the 12261 Mumbai CSTM-Howrah Duronto Express will remain cancelled on March 25 and April 1, an SER spokesman said.

As a few passengers booked for travel due to the coronavirus outbreak, several other trains were also cancelled.

The 12847/12848 Howrah-Digha-Howrah Super AC Express will remain cancelled from March 20 to March 31, the spokesman said.

The 82841 Santragachi-MGR Chennai Central Suvidha Special will not depart on March 20 and March 27, while the 82842 MGR Chennai Central-Santragachi Suvidha Special will remain cancelled on March 21 and 28, the official said.

The 08403 Puri-Santragachi Special will remain cancelled on March 20 and 27, while 08404 Santragachi Special will not run on March 21 and 28, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boston police have arrested six men accused of holding a man at knifepoint and gunpoint then robbing him of his wallet and backpack Monday evening.

Police responded to a call Monday around 8:46 p.m. for an armed robbery in progress in the area of Lexington Street in East Boston.

Officers spoke to the victim at the scene, who said he was approached by eight to 10 Hispanic males." He told police that four of them pulled out knives and held them to parts of his body, while a fifth held a gun to his head, police said.

The suspects took his wallet and backpack before they ran and went inside a house in the area of 310 Saratoga Street, police said. While officers were still talking to the victim, a group of men were leaving a nearby residence and quickly identified as the suspects, police said.

One of the men ran, but was caught after a brief chase. The other five suspects were taken into custody.

Police searched for the remaining suspects, but couldnt find them. Officers found two knives and the victims wallet and backpack, police said.

The suspects arrested were identified as: Elmer Roberto-Rodriguez, 18, of Chelsea; Daniel Gonzalez Ramirez, 19, of Chelsea; Reymundo Hernesto Bonilla, 21, of East Boston; a 16-year-old male from East Boston; a 15-year-old male from Chelsea; and a 16-year-old male from Lynn. All of the suspects are expected to be arraigned in East Boston District Court on armed robbery charges.
Four activists, including noted environmentalist Ouch Leng, were released by the Kratie Provincial Court Monday afternoon, after being detained last week as they investigated illegal logging operations in the Prey Land protected forest.

The Kratie Provincial Court questioned the four environmental activists on Sunday after Sambor district police arrested them when they were investigating illegal logging inside the Think Biotech land concession in the Prey Lang protected area. They were released Monday afternoon without being charged, though are still under investigation.

The four activists are Ouch Leng, head of the Cambodian Human Rights Task Force and the 2016 Goldman Environmental Prize winner; Khem Soky and Srey Thei, from the Prey Lang Community Network (PLCN); and Men Mat, who was physically assaulted by company workers while inside the Think Biotech compound on March 13.

Following his release, Ouch Leng said they had signed an agreement with the court to halt their investigations till they submitted documents relating to the registration of their NGOs.

This was confirmed by a copy of the agreements seen by VOA Khmer, with the document saying the prosecutor can take action if they break the understanding.

Despite the bureaucratic hurdle ahead of him, Ouch Leng said he will continue his environmental activism, pointing to his detention as the reason why his NGO had to continue its work.

Thats why I have to carry on the investigation work in 2020. And while were investigation, they conspire to crack down on us, he said.

On Sunday, VOA Khmer reported that the four environmentalists were being questioned for two charges in the Criminal Code, relating to breaking and entering into dwelling and theft, as well as Ouch Leng being questioned about his NGOs registration status.

One of the four, Men Mat, was beaten on the head said Ouch Leng and while the court accept the companys lawsuit they have not taken any actions against the security guards who beat up his team member.

Soeung Senkarona, an investigator with rights group Adhoc, said the detentions were a serious act of intimidation to environmentalists, who were trying to highlight the serious issue of illegal logging. But instead of acting on this evidence, he said, the authorities were instead detaining the activists.

[Authorities] have received a lot of answers and photographic evidence from environmentalist groups, who risk their life to find the evidence, he said. Thus, they should take actions against the criminals involved in illegal loggings instead.

VOA Khmer could not reach Kratie Provincial Court officials and representatives for Think Biotech. Neth Pheaktra, a Ministry of Environment spokesman, declined to comment on the issue.

A recent Prey Lang Community Network report pointed to the potential illegal logging of luxury wood within the Think Biotech concession, with another firm, Angkor Plywood responsible for processing the timber.

Also, last month, local authorities prevented civil society groups and activists from conducting a tree blessing ceremony in the Prey Lang protected forest, after claiming that the Prey Lang Community Network, which has conducted the event for years, was not registered with the Interior Ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 10:26:59|Editor: ZD

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KIEV, March 17 (Xinhua) -- First two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, the National News Agency of Ukraine (Ukrinform) reported on Monday.

The two cases have brought the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine to seven, including one death from the northern Zhytomyr province, according to Ukrinform.

On Thursday, the government has introduced a three-week quarantine in educational institutions among other measures to contain the spread of the virus.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday addressed Ukrainians on the prevention of COVID-19, and urged the government to suspend non-essential businesses from Tuesday, such as shopping centers, restaurants, cafes and recreational facilities.
The ministry urges all citizens of Luxembourg to return from their trips abroad as soon as possible.

In a communication to press on Monday afternoon, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs urged all citizens of Luxembourg to come back as soon as possible.

Luxair are currently organising repatriation flights to bring back home all passengers of Luxair Tours, in particular from Tunisia, Morocco, Madeira, Malaga, Egypt, Ras Al Khaimah, Faro, Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

The airline announced a reduced flight schedule, cancelling up to 60% of all flights.

Latest international and national coronavirus updates here
Russia's highest court has endorsed a move to let Vladimir Putin stay in power beyond his current term as president, ignoring an open letter from several hundred prominent Russians who decried the plan as an "anti-constitutional coup".

In January, Mr Putin floated constitutional amendments which would overhaul the political system, potentially giving him several options for staying in charge in another role when his fourth term in office ends in 2024.

He is currently barred from seeking re-election, but last week Valentina Tereshkova, a prominent member of the Russian parliament, shocked the nation by suggesting Mr Putin should be allowed to run again after the constitutional overhaul.

The amendment in question cancels out all Mr Putin's previous terms in office and it breezed through parliament last week before being endorsed by the Constitutional Court yesterday.

After less than three days of deliberations, Russia's highest court delivered a ruling, conceding that the amendment favours the incumbent, but also citing "risks posed to the state and society" if it were not passed as a justification for approving the measure.

The court added that it would be up to voters to decide who to support, and that it does not automatically extend Mr Putin's 20-year rule to 36 years.

Some 500 prominent Russians, including best-selling authors and eminent scientists, had signed an open letter expressing concern about the long-term implications of the constitutional change.

They argued that "our country is on the brink of a deep constitutional crisis".

In the letter, published on the website of opposition- leaning Ekho Moskvy radio station, they said: "We are conscious of this historic moment, and we're calling on all Russians who care to do all in their power to restore the rule of law and constitutional order."

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said that Mr Putin knows of the letter, but receives "an enormous number of letters" in his support. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
The UK abruptly changed its coronavirus strategy Monday after new data suggested its existing approach would result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

A report by world-leading scientists at Imperial College London said the UK government realized only "in the last few days" that its existing strategy was not workable.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had come under heavy criticism for a plan designed only to mitigate the virus' spread in the UK rather than attempting to suppress it.

The government's new "suppression" strategy involves telling people to work at home and limit all nonessential human contact over the coming months.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a news conference in London on Thursday addressing the government's response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

REUTERS/Simon Dawson/Pool

The UK abruptly changed its strategy to cope with the novel coronavirus Monday after realizing only "in the last few days" that its existing approach would probably result in the deaths of up to 250,000 people, according to a report by a team of disease experts who have advised the government on its scientific approach.

The report, from Imperial College's COVID-19 response team, said the UK had initially adopted a "mitigation" strategy, by which it would slow but not necessarily stop the spread of the disease.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday was forced to abandon that strategy and adopt more draconian measures meant to supress the disease.

The shift came after new data on the spread of COVID-19 in Italy suggested that merely attempting to mitigate the disease would "likely result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems (most notably intensive care units) being overwhelmed many times over."

"Perhaps our most significant conclusion is that mitigation is unlikely to be feasible without emergency surge capacity limits of the UK and US healthcare systems being exceeded many times over," the report said.

"In the most effective mitigation strategy examined, which leads to a single, relatively short epidemic (case isolation, household quarantine and social distancing of the elderly), the surge limits for both general ward and ICU [intensive care unit] beds would be exceeded by at least 8-fold under the more optimistic scenario for critical care requirements that we examined.

Story continues

"In addition, even if all patients were able to be treated, we predict there would still be in the order of 250,000 deaths in GB, and 1.1-1.2 million in the US."

The mitigation strategy focused on measures such as asking people with coronavirus symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days and for elderly people to avoid social contact.

But the scientists at Imperial said new data from Italy  where the coronavirus outbreak is believed to have taken hold one or two weeks earlier than in the UK  showed that demand for intensive-care units among those being hospitalized was much higher than initially believed.

This prompted the scientists to conclude that Britain had nowhere near the capacity to cope with an outbreak on that level.

"We therefore conclude that epidemic suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time," the report said. "The social and economic effects of the measures which are needed to achieve this policy goal will be profound."

The move to a suppression strategy, which Johnson announced at a press conference, means people are being told to work at home and limit all nonessential human contact over the coming months.

It came as the coronavirus death toll in the UK rose to 53, with 1,543 confirmed cases.

"Now is the time for everyone to stop nonessential contact with others and to stop all nonessential travel," Johnson said.

"We need people to start working from home where they can and you should avoid pubs, clubs and other venues."

Johnson said anyone living in a household where another person had experienced symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate for 14 days.

Business Insider
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Eldar Janashvili  Trend:

The situation is satisfactory on the Azerbaijani food market, Vusal Gasimli, executive director of the Azerbaijani Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, said.

The annual food balance on some types of products is prepared in Azerbaijan, namely, wheat, other cereals, cereal beans, flour, bakery and other flour products, rice, potatoes, onions, vegetables, melons and gourds, fruits and berries, meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, vegetable oil, butter, tea, etc... Gasimli added, Trend reports on March 17 referring to the Center.

"An analysis of the food balance shows that the self-sufficiency level for cereals reaches 70 percent and our reserves in this sphere recently have amounted to 1-1.2 million tons, the executive director said. As a rule, the balance from the beginning of the year reaches more than 40 percent of the ingredients which are used for food production."

The level of self-sufficiency with potatoes in 2019 amounted to 87.8 percent while the balance of potatoes from the beginning of the year reaches more than 70 percent, Gasimli said. The level of self-sufficiency with vegetables is 112 percent, with melons - 100.8 percent, with fruit and berries - 123.1 percent, with meat and meat products - 82.5 percent, with eggs - 101.8 percent, with milk and dairy products - 86.2 percent, with salt - 111.4 percent and with bakery and flour products - 100 percent.

"In other words, as Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov stressed Azerbaijan has enough food and there are no problems with the delivery in the country," the executive director said. Moreover, Azerbaijan also has food reserves. In case of any force majeure situation, population will be covered."

In accordance with the reports of authoritative international structures, the food security indicator has greatly grown in Azerbaijan recently, Gasimli said. In this regard, one may see the Global Food Security Index, developed by The Economist Group. In accordance with this analysis, over the past seven years, a consistent increase has been observed in the total food security index of Azerbaijan, which amounted to 12.7 percent.

"In other countries, this indicator was 6-7 percent at best, Gasimli said. This means that Azerbaijan is far ahead of other countries in this indicator, being the world leader in terms of growth. Our country ranked 53rd in this report in 2019, rising by three more steps. Presently, Azerbaijan is one of the top ten countries in Asia and the Pacific in terms of ensuring food security.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @eldarjanashvili
The newest edition of Tamir Kobrins The Farang, the Gora, and the Gwai Lo (published by AuthorHouse) takes readers further on a journey around the world and instills in them important lessons to achieving success.

Kobrin, who has managed hotels across the globe, shares leadership and management lessons while highlighting all that the hospitality industry has to offer. In todays world, where cultures and people get the opportunity to interact through the globalization of expatriate work, Kobrin captures not only the unique senses and feeling of each destination that he has experienced, but also provides in-depth insight into the nuances that enable a foreigner to manage effectively in a foreign country. As he narrates his personal journey as a hotelier, Kobrin hopes readers will be able to translate his tips into effective leadership and successfully integrate it into a new location.

[I want readers to] be inspired to travel, explore and be good ambassadors and cultivators of good leadership, compassionate leadership that bridges cultures and people from around the world, Kobrin says.

The Farang, the Gora, and the Gwai Lo is an expats guide offering effective leadership lessons with emphasis on cultural awareness, diverse workforces and the art of success by appreciating local sense and sensibility. The book will appeal to hoteliers, expatriates and business leaders operating internationally as well as managers for multinational companies aspiring to work abroad.

To purchase a copy, visit https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/807894-the-farang-the-gora-and-the-gwai-lo.

The Farang, the Gora, and the Gwai Lo

By Tamir Kobrin

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 180 pages | ISBN 9781728342597

E-Book | 180 pages | ISBN 9781728342580

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Tamir Kobrin, an internationally well-traveled hotelier who has lived and worked in over 12 countries and five continents, shares his experiences of living and working in foreign countries as an expat, managing people of diverse cultural backgrounds. Kobrin shares his experiences of leadership and managing luxury hotels, as well as the sights and sounds of the destinations, the cuisine, and the experiences that depict a sense of place and time to enable the reader the insight into what it takes to travel and work in foreign destinations.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121.
The fees for fast interbank fund transfers will be cut for the second time this year to promote cashless payments amid the rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) announced on March 16.

A payment transaction conducted via QR code. Vietnam is promoting cashless payments as a measure to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo vietnamnet.vn)

Specifically, NAPAS will reduce interbank fund transfer fees by half, from currently 1,800 VND to 900 VND, for transactions of sums worth from 500,001 VND (about 21 USD) to 2 million VND each, starting from March 25 to the end of December 31.

This move will enable local banks to cut the fees for interbank fund transfer for customers, NAPAS said.

The State Bank of Vietnam has asked commercial banks and branches of foreign banks to reduce the fees for interbank fund transfers by at least 900 VND per transaction and encouraged to offer bigger reductions.

The central bank has also allowed the National Credit Information Centre of Vietnam (CIC) to reduce the fees on local banks for using credit information, from March 1 to the end of this year.

On February 25, NAPAS cut the fee for electronic switching from 1,800 VND to 500 VND per transaction for sums worth 500,000 VND or less.

To date, 39 out of 45 member banks of NAPAS cut fees for customers by 90 percent and even some offered zero charges for fast interbank fund transfers, following the NAPASs move in February.

Promoting cashless payment was highlighted as one of important measures to remove difficulties for business and production amid the outbreak of the COVID-19.

A survey by IDG Vietnam, a member of the International Data Group, in 2019 revealed that cash payments still account for 79 percent in Vietnam.

Under the cashless payment development project for 2016-20, Vietnam targeted that cash would account for 10 percent of the total money in circulation by the end of 2020.

Recently, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the central bank to submit a pilot project about mobile money./. VNA

SBV removes foreign ownership limit in payment firms The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has announced it would remove regulations limiting foreign ownership in local intermediary payment firms from its draft Decree No 101.
Nirbhaya convicts left no stone unturned to escape gallows, failed to get relief

Squirmed for a bit before going still: The final moments of Nirbhayas killers

Tihar jail readies for Nirbhaya death row convicts

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 17: Seven years after the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013, the Tihar jail in Delhi is under the spotlight for yet another high-profile execution.

While Afzal Guru's hanging was a guarded act, the execution of four death row convicts in the sensational Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, slated for March 20, has been a much-discussed affair.

Afzal Guru, a medical college dropout and resident of Sopore in north Kashmir, was executed at 8 am on February 9, 2013 and buried on the prison premises.

His mercy plea was rejected on February 3, 2013 by then President Pranab Mukherjee.

The first hanging date fixed for him was October 20, 2006, according to the book 'Black Warrant' written by former Tihar jail law officer Sunil Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury.

Since Guru's wife Tabassum filed a mercy plea with then President APJ Abdul Kalam, his hanging could not take place. Kalam and even his successor Pratibha Patil did not take a decision on his hanging, even though Patil pardoned 34 other convicts, the book said.

Nirbhaya case: Delhi Court reserves order on the plea of Mukesh Singh seeking to quash death penalty

As part of the ritual before hanging, the jail authorities practice a dummy execution with sandbags according to the prisoner's weight.

The ropes used in the hanging are called 'Manila Ropes', which are especially brought from Buxar jail in Bihar.

On March 5 this year, a trial court had issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of the convicts - Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) in the Nirbhaya case.

This is the fourth death warrant against the convicts. The earlier three warrants were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.
Shelves previously filled with pasta and canned food are seen empty at a Trader Joe's grocery store in Encinitas, Calif., on March 12, 2020. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Iowa Governor Issues State of Public Health Disaster, Closes Businesses

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday issued a state of public health disaster and closed numerous businesses across the state amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Starting at 12 p.m. all restaurants and bars will be shut down to the public, although food served by drive-through, carry-out, or delivery will still be available, according to Reynoldss office. The move will extend to March 31.

The measure will shut down fitness centers, theaters, casinos, senior citizen centers, and other adult care facilities.

I have issued a State of Public Health Disaster Emergency. These are unprecedented times and the state of Iowa will do whatever is necessary to address this public health disaster. Read more here: https://t.co/gPL80DqAWo  Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) March 17, 2020

These are unprecedented times and the state of Iowa will do whatever is necessary to address this public health disaster, Reynolds said in a news release. I have authorized all available state resources, supplies, equipment, and materials to combat the spread of COVID-19. The actions taken today are necessary to protect the health and safety of all Iowans and are critical to mitigating the spread of the virus.

A number of other states have implemented similar measures in recent days as the number of cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the Wuhan coronavirus, continues to escalate in the United States.

On Monday, President Donald Trump posted guidelines for Americans that included calling on people to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people.

If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus, Trump told reporters in the White House briefing room on Monday. Were going to have a big celebration altogether.
Mizoram's apex students' body -- the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) -- has slammed the state government for its "inaction" in resolving the long-pending border dispute with Assam.

The MZP also warned the authorities that it would construct a resting shed at Zophai area along the Mizoram- Assam border "if the neighbouring state continues to violate the status quo".

Speaking to reporters at a press conference here, MZP president B Vanlaltana said there had been "inaction on the part of the state government to resolve the long-standing dispute".

The MZP president blamed a Masjid committee in Assam for allegedly constructing a mosque near Bairabi town despite an order to maintain status quo along the disputed land.

"We have asked the committee to immediately stop the construction. If they continue with it, we will strike back by building a resting shed at Zophai area," he said.

Vanlaltana claimed that a joint committee constituted by both the state governments in March 2018 had identified more than "100 illegal structures being constructed by Assam, within the 509-sq mile stretch of the Inner-Line Reserve Forest along the Mizoram-Assam border".

The students' body also said it has submitted "important documents" related to the border issue to the state government.

Officials of the Mizoram Home Department said the state government is making all possible efforts to resolve the border dispute.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Olainfarm group's indicative consolidated sales in February reached EUR 11 million, which is a decline by 4% compared to February last year. Latvia's share in total revenue was 30%, Belarus' was 21% and Russia's was 20%. Sales increased in Latvia by 4%, in Belarus by 36%, in Central Asia and in Caucasian countries by 100% and 43%, respectively. In the EU countries sales rose by 10%. At the same time, in Russia there was a drop by 30% and in Other countries by 22%. In March the Group started cooperation with one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in Ukraine, which will allow to reach substantial results in the long-term.



Taking into account the announcement by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 that Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic, the Latvian government has, on March 12, declared a state of emergency, thereby limiting and seeking to reduce the spread of the virus by reduction of direct contact between people. Olainfarm has strict procedures in place to prevent the spread of the virus in order to protect employees and to continue production.

JSC Olainfarm has sufficient inventory of raw materials and excipients in place to secure manufacturing process and is on a regular base in contact with companies delivering raw materials and excipients from outside Latvia for future manufacturing needs. JSC Olainfarm conducts daily health monitoring of employees to guarantee the production planning of the products and have put precautionary measures in place regarding health and transport of the employees. Group is also on a daily base in contact with the distributors and partners abroad to secure product flow in their markets.

During the first two months of 2020, Olainfarm group's indicative consolidated sales amounted to EUR 18.5 million. It is by 22% less than in 2019 due to additional volumes sent to Russia in amount of EUR 6 million in the second half of 2019 when wholesalers anticipated introduction of serialization requirements and it has been taken into consideration in the forecasts for 2020. At the beginning of this year Latvia's market has the largest share of revenues (36%), Belarus' share was (23%) and Russia's share was 12%. The fastest increase in revenue during the two-month period was in the Central Asian and Caucasian regions where the sales were 76% and 88% more than a year ago, in Latvia revenue increased by 2% but in Belarus by 9%. At the same time sales declined in Russia (-63%), in the EU countries (-6%) and in Other countries (-8%).

"February results show a positive trend, with sales in Russia picking up, we expect the results of the first quarter to be on in line with budget for 2020. Olainfarm is ready for the challenges related to Covid-19 restrictions worldwide, we have sufficient raw materials for the coming months so that the restrictions related to the spread of coronavirus do not affect the availability of the company's raw materials. To ensure long-term competitiveness, we are investing significantly in the planning of clinical trials in order to start one Phase 1 and three Phase 3 clinical trials this year and early 2021needed to remain compliant with our core products to regulatory requirements, while continuing to providing customers with top-quality formulations," said Jeroen Weites, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Olainfarm.

February 2020, consolidated results Sales, mil. EUR Share in total sales Compared to February 2019 Latvia 3.294 30% 4% Belarus 2.316 21% 36% Russia 2.225 20% -30% Central Asia 1.107 10% 100% EU countries 1.088 10% 95% Other countries 0.742 7% -22% Caucasian countries 0.176 2% 43% Ukraine 0.005 0% -100% Total 10.953 100% -4%

Two months 2020, consolidated sales Sales, mil. EUR Share in total sales Changes to two months 2019 Latvia 6.674 36% 2% Belarus 4.297 23% 9% Russia 2.275 12% -63% Central Asia 1.908 10% 76% EU countries 1.856 10% -6% Other countries 1.118 6% -8% Caucasian countries 0.378 2% 88% Ukraine 0.006 0% -100% Total 18.512 100% -22%

The Central Asian region includes Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Turkmenistan.

The EU country region includes all of the European Union member states except for Latvia;

Other countries include all of the countries in the world, which are not included in any other groups;

The Caucasian countries are Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Unconsolidated sales in February and two months

According to the preliminary unconsolidated figures, JSC Olainfarm sales reached EUR 8 million in February 2020 which represents a decrease by 8% compared to February, 2019. Sales of products in February improved in Belarus by 40%, in Central Asian countries by 126%, in the EU countries by 93%, in the Caucasian countries by 72% and in Latvia by 3%. Sales in February declined in Russia by 32% and in Other countries by 31%. As announced before there were additional sales to Russia in the second half of 2019 due to anticipated regulatory requirements on serialization scheduled for 2020.

During the first two months of this year JSC Olainfarm preliminary revenue declined by 31% and was EUR 12.9 million. The largest sales outlet was Belarus where the revenue climbed up by 7% compared to the two-month period a year ago, in Latvia sales were flat, in Central Asia there was an increase by 84% and in Caucasian countries by 46%. At the same time revenue declined in Russia by 69% and in the EU countries by 10%.

February 2020, unconsolidated sales Sales, mil. EUR Share in total sales Compared to February 2019 Belarus 1.999 25% 40% Russia 1.871 23% -32% Latvia 1.443 18% 3% Central Asia 0.946 12% 126% EU countries 0.936 12% 93% Other countries 0.651 8% -31% Caucasian countries 0.176 2% 72% Ukraine 0 0% -100% Total 8.022 100% -8%

Two months 2020, unconsolidated sales Sales, mil. EUR Share in total sales Changes to two months 2019 Belarus 3.584 28% 7% Latvia 3.038 23% 0% Russia 1.74 13% -69% Central Asia 1.721 13% 84% EU countries 1.562 12% -10% Other countries 1.02 8% -9% Caucasian countries 0.264 2% 46% Ukraine 0.002 0% -100% Total 12.931 100% -31%

Results of subsidiaries in February and two months

The pharmacy chain Latvijas Aptieka sales reached EUR 2.2 million in February 2020, which represents a 2% increase compared to February, 2019. 68 pharmacies were operating during this period. Silvanols sales reached EUR 0.5 million in February 2020, representing a decrease by 15% versus February, 2019. The combined sales of Tonus Elast and Elast Medical in February 2020 were EUR 0.8 million, which is 11% more than this time last year. Olainmed and Diamed Medical Center sales reached EUR 0.3 million, while the Belarusian subsidiary NPK Biotest reached EUR 0.31 million in sales in February, which is 11% higher than in February of last year.

During the first two month period of 2020, Latvijas Aptieka sales amounted to EUR 4.6 million, demonstrating a 2% increase in comparison to the same time period last year. Sales of SIA Silvanols reached EUR 0.9 million which is 16% less than last year. The combined sales of Tonus Elast and Elast Medical during the first two months of this year totaled up to EUR 1.3 million, which is an increase by 6%. Medical Center Diamed and Olainmed revenue was EUR 0.6 million during the first two months of this year and the Belarusian company NPK Biotest sales were worth EUR 0.6 million, improving the result of last year by 8%.

February 2020 Two months 2020 Sales markets of Olainfarm 30 36 Sales markets of the Group 34 41 Number of pharmacies 68 Sales of Latvijas aptieka, mil. EUR 2.164 4.55 Sales of Tonus Elast and Elast Medikl, mil. EUR 0.784 1.304 Sales of Silvanols, mil. EUR 0.495 0.896 Sales of Medical centers, mil. EUR 0.293 0.596 Sales of NPK Biotest, mil. EUR 0.312 0.593

According to the JSC Olainfarm 2020 budget, unconsolidated sales are planned to reach EUR 97.3 million in 2020, while consolidated sales are expected at EUR 135.5 million. According to these preliminary sales figures, in the first two months of 2020, 13% of annual target for unconsolidated sales and 14% of annual target for consolidated sales have been reached.

JSC Olainfarm has reviewed announcement procedure of monthly revenue data. In April this year sales data for March is planned to be released, afterwards revenue data will be disclosed on quarterly basis, starting from the second quarter sales figures.

JSC Olainfarm is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Latvia with more than 45 years of experience in production of medication and chemical and pharmaceutical products. A basic principle of the company's operations is to produce reliable and effective top -quality products for Latvia and the rest of the world. Products made by the Group are being exported to more than 60 countries of the world, including the Baltics, Russia, other CIS, Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.
The Congress on Tuesday accused the government of making a serious assault on the basic structure of the Constitution by nominating former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha, saying the act subsumes the independence of the judiciary.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi also said the action has hit the faith and belief that people had in judiciary.

The Congress leader also used the remarks made by late BJP leader Arun Jaitley to attack the government saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have at least paid heed to the words of their own leader before nominating the former CJI.

"The Congress finds the nomination of a retired chief justice to the Rajya Sabha as one of the most serious, unprecedented and unpardonable assaults on the basic structure of the Constitution, which subsumes independence of judiciary as held by Supreme Court judgments," Singhvi told reporters.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also asked whether Modi considered the advice of his late law minister before nominating Gogoi.

"Did PM Modi consider the advice of his former colleague and Law Minister and Finance Minister, Late Sh. Arun Jaitley before recommending Ex-CJI, Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha," he asked on Twitter.

"Justice Lokur rightly summarises it -: 'Has the last bastion fallen?'," Surjewala said in another tweet.

Singhvi said that Modi could have adhered to Jaitley's advice in this regard and he also highlighted and shared the 2012 remarks of the minister on having a cooling off period for judges to head tribunals.

He said that Modi, Union minister Amit Shah should have listened to Jaitley's remarks if they were bot listening to the Congress.

"Did he not speak and write against post retirement largesse to judges? Do u remember," he said.

"...Courts function on faith trust perception and faith. Each has taken a bad beating today," he said.

The Congress leader said our judiciary thrives, strengthens, works and prospers on perception, on faith, on belief, but "all of these pillars on which the judiciary stands have taken a beating yesterday".

"These pillars matter more than the reality and actuality and when this is shaken in the minds of the public, the institution is decimated," he noted.

Singhvi also sought to dispel "propaganda by the BJP" that the Congress governments in the past have also nominated former CJIs to the Rajya Sabha.

He cited the case of Ranganath Mishra saying the former chief justice was appointed six years after his retirement, while M Hidayatullah was appointed as chairman of the Rajya Sabha and vice president, nine years after his retirement as chief justice of India.

He claimed that the dirty tricks department of the ruling party gives completely inapplicable and misleading examples whose only objective is to "derail, divert and digress, to mislead you, to fool you and to think that the people of this country eat grass and are ready to be fooled".

Singhvi said it was not about Justice Gogoi, whom he considered one of the brightest judges, but was about the principled stand.

"That principle is that our Constitution is based on a separation of power, in particular a separation between the judiciary on the one side and the executive and legislature on the other. This is a pillar of our constitutional jurisprudence."



"I leave it to you to judge that are you not putting a question mark on the most dynamic and vibrant institutional pillar of Indian democracy? You - the government - are responsible - it is an institutional issue, not a person-based issue," he said.

Raising the issue of cooling off period, as pointed out by Jaitley, Singhvi asked whether a period of four months in Gogoi's case was not an invitation to the public to put a question mark on the faith and a complete 'aastha' and 'vishwas' in the judiciary, which is the most important pillar of our democracy.

Quoting Jaitley, he said, "Pre-retirement judgments are influenced by a desire for a post-retirement job...".

"For two years after retirement, there should be a gap because otherwise the government can directly or indirectly influence the courts and the dream to have an independent, impartial and fair judiciary in the country would never actualise," Singhvi said quoting Jaitley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin Fiachra Gibbons (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Tue, March 17, 2020 08:06 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0e165 2 Food Italy,France,bread,food,Adriano-Farano,baguette Free

Adriano Farano is on a mission to teach the French how to make great bread again.

The Italian admits that this takes quite some courage, and no little "cheek".

"I want to get back to true French bread," declared Farano, claiming that it has been robbed of its taste and goodness by intensive agriculture and the country's big millers.

And the baguette -- that quintessential icon of Frenchness -- is the symbol of all that has gone wrong, he said

"It's the worst bread possible... a modern, industrial invention made with white flour that has completely lost its nutrients.

"It has a glycemic index of 90 out of 100!" despaired the passionate advocate of "real" bread.

"You drink Coca-Cola, you eat a baguette, it's the same thing," the serial dotcom entrepreneur told AFP.

The country that brought the world the sourdough with which Californian hipsters' now make their avocado toast, badly needs to get back to its wholesome, wholegrain roots, Farano argued.

So far, the French are taking it on the chin.

In fact, the Parisien newspaper has hailed Farano's bread -- made with an ancient strain of durum wheat and a 133-year-old sourdough levain -- as "incredible".

Read also: Macron wants French baguette to get UNESCO heritage status

Modern bread is 'bad'

It listed it among the 20 best rustic breads to be found in the French capital even before his Pane Vivo bakery (the name means "living bread)" had officially opened this week.

France's boulangeries may offer an array of temptations "like nothing else in the world", Farano admitted, but the industry "has completely forgotten about health".

Farano became obsessed with slow bread and sourdough after selling his last Silicon Valley startup to the video platform Plex.

With his youngest son born just as Donald Trump was elected to the White House in 2016, "I wanted to give him something good to eat, something that is both good for the palette and also for the body. In sourdough bread I found that."

The problem was that "all the bread from the bakery comes from modern wheats which are very bad for your health and worse for the planet", guzzling up vast quantities of water and fertilizers.

Farano also began to look hard at gluten -- the much-demonized protein in wheat -- before discovering that the problem was not "gluten itself, but the quality of it".

New hybrids wheats have sent yields rocketing seven-fold in a century, "but the gluten in modern varieties is extremely hard to digest," he said.

"The gluten residues scrape the wall of the gut and the problems start when it gets into the bloodstream."

Which is why he turned to ancient wheat. Farano chanced upon Russello, a very old variety of durum grown in Sicily that seemed to defy his preconceptions, being both high in protein and easy to digest.

He had the France's national food laboratory test the bread he made from it against similar sourdoughs from some of the French capital's most chi-chi boulangeries.

Read also: How to prolong the shelf life of bread

Sourdough we can digest

The result shocked even him. While his bread had "zero gluten residues, 9 to 10 percent of the bread proteins did not break down in these supposedly very good sourdough breads."

Even though his own Russello is organic, Farano believes that "organic is a scam" if the flour comes from modern wheats.

While he is a radical, Farano is far from alone in wanting to make French bread rise again.

A "neo-boulangerie" movement inspired by the likes of levain guru Thomas Teffri-Chambelland is reaching back to a time when the French ate rustic breads like the famous "six livres" (six pounds), which weighed in at nearly three kilos.

But wheat is only one part of the problem, Farano argued. The rest lies with the milling, Farano argued, ("it should be with stone") and the yeast used.

Even some of the bakers hailed for reviving sourdough bread in France use some brewer's yeast for speed and consistency, Farano claimed, whose own starter began life in the heel of Italy in 1887.

"Alcoholic fermentation will always dominate," Farano said. Pure sourdough lactic fermentation is slow but essential "for real bread. In one gram of sourdough there is a billion bacteria and 100 million yeast cells. It's a miracle," Farano thrilled.

"Bread is the only food which becomes the flesh of the God for some religions. Yet we have destroyed it. As a civilization, we need to take this back."
By Morgan Matzen



Mar. 15  A South Dakota woman who is on a visa to teach English in a private elementary school in Busan, South Korea, is unable to work because her school is closed over concerns with the coronavirus.



Tatum Dean, who is from Mitchell, S.D. and graduated from the University of South Dakota in December 2018, moved to Busan in June last year. Her E-2 visa lasts as long as she has a job at her school Chungdahm, but she's on a one-year contract to teach.



South Korea is the site of the second-largest coronavirus outbreak. The CDC has advised a Level 3 warning level for South Korea since February 24 for people to avoid any nonessential travel to and from the country.



The worst impact is in Daegu  about an hour-long bus ride from Busan  where the virus spread rapidly throughout the city after a 61-year-old woman exhibiting symptoms of the virus went to her Sunday church service at the Shincheonji Church of Jesus building in mid-February.



After that service, health officials diagnosed the anonymous woman as South Korea's 31st coronavirus patient, and declared her Patient Zero for all Shincheonji-linked cases. As of March 1, health officials in the country trace three-fifths of the country's then-3,736 cases to the woman.



Dean said many South Koreans consider the church to be a cult, and there were many memes circulating about the woman who is considered a "super-spreader" of the virus.



"Daegu is a bit more shut down than we are currently," Dean said. "A week or so after that is when it hit Busan. Cases were right in my area, right around my work. Right around my house was one of the bigger areas to be infected, also because of a church."



Dean said many teachers in South Korea are unable to work right now. Because she works at a private school, though, she still receives 70 percent of her paycheck every week to pay rent and other bills.



"Some teachers are in the predicament of possibly just going home (to the U.S.) because they're not sure how long they're going to not be paid," Dean said, noting that schools that make their own decision to close still have to pay their teachers, whereas if the government tells a school to close, they don't have to pay their teachers at all.



Dean was able to record videos of the lessons she needs to teach and disperse them to students online. She's not sure when they'll go back to school, but knows her students will be caught up on the class because they have an online system. Other schools aren't as lucky, as the government has shut down public schools until March 23.



"For kids in smaller academies that don't have those online systems, they're going to be playing catch-up," she said. "People are saying that there might not be a summer vacation this year. In public schools, they might have to work through the summer vacation."



Dean said she wouldn't be surprised if her school didn't open for a few more weeks.



"If for some reason they opened and a kid got infected, that looks really bad for the company for not listening to the government," she said.



The South Korean government has issued citizens to stay in as much as possible, and that the best option is for employees to work at home, if possible.



Schools are mostly closed; flights don't enter or exit the country; airlines have shut down; churches and other religious centers avoid hosting services; restaurants are closed.



Dean said she and her roommate, a woman from North Carolina in a similar situation to her, got groceries on Monday last week and stayed in for most of the week. By the weekend, they couldn't handle the cabin fever.



"We were like, 'we can't be inside anymore,'" she said. "I went to my Korean class, and we went to a cafe and walked around. I think people are still getting outside to do things; it's definitely a lot less."



Dean said she and her friends and roommates have gotten a little stir crazy staying home all day for the last few weeks, but they know it's their best bet to avoid bigger areas like movie theaters, bowling alleys and other recreational activities.



Hand sanitizing stations can be found at most any building one enters, even on buses and in subway stations, Dean said. Wearing masks outside the home is common courtesy at this point, Dean said, regardless of if someone is infected. Masks only prevent spread of the infection, not whether someone will catch it.



"You will definitely get a dirty look if you are not wearing them out in public," Dean said of surgical masks in South Korea. But the shortage of masks is wreaking havoc, as wait lines of more than an hour are piling up in pharmacies and convenience stores to purchase more masks.



Hospitals take every patient's temperature. Dean said when she goes into work each day, they take her temperature when she arrives, and before she leaves for the day. The cutoff is 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (37.5 degrees Celsius); anything more than that is a red flag to health officials.



Dean noticed that on some buses, she will usually be the only passenger as more and more people stay home.

"On the weekend, it's like a ghost town (when I go) walking around," she said. "No one is really out. You still see cars, but no one is out walking around."



Some locations have a much higher risk of infection, such as public transportation, PC cafes (coffee shops with computers patrons can access for free), airports and train stations. Dean said people will spray buses down with cleaning chemicals in HAZMAT suits every night, for example, if they know the bus is potentially infected with the virus.

Dean said many small businesses are closing, or at risk of closing. Banks in Korea allow some businesses to pay half their rent so they don't go under, she said.



"No one wants to go into a restaurant. Delivery services are very busy," she said. "Grocery stores aren't depleted of anything other than cleaning products."



Dean said she relies on an online food delivery service called 'Coupang,' which is similar to Amazon, to bring food to her door each morning when she can't go to the grocery store.



"There are times when you go on there and everything is sold out, or they're not selling anything because they have to restock," she said, noting that people have to make payments online instead of using cash, which could further spread the virus.



"Some things are really affected, and other things are life as normal," she said. (Rapid City Journal, S.D./Tribune News)


Veteran actress Shabana Azmi met with a road accident a few months back. Photos of her after the accident on the Mumbai-Pune highway were circulated on the internet. Shabana says that those photos were kept away from her while she was in the hospital, and she saw them when she was on her way to recovery. Her family, however, was upset with the pictures being circulated.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Shabana said, "My family was upset. It was kept away from me for the longest time as I didn't have my cellphone. When I saw it, I was on my way to recovery. At that moment, I was just really grateful to those who helped me and the hospital staff."

Choosing to look at the positive side of things, she added, "If you compare those graphic images to the outpouring of love and concern that came my way from my audience, it overwhelmed me so completely that nothing else mattered."

Shabana was injured after her car rammed into a truck when she was on heading towards Pune. She was immediately rushed to the MGM Hospital in Panvel, Mumbai, and was eventually shifted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital. Her husband Javed Akhtar too was travelling with her but was in another car when the accident occurred.

Many members of the Hindi film fraternity such as Boney Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Anil Kapoor and others visited her in the hospital.

In terms of work, Shabana will next be seen in Sheer Qorma, a short film on an LGBT romance co-starring Divya Dutta and Swara Bhaskar and is directed by Faraz Arif Ansari.

ALSO READ: Shabana Azmi Rushed To Hospital After Being Injured In Car Accident On Mumbai-Pune Expressway

ALSO READ: Shabana Azmi Says She Won't Celebrate Holi This Year; Shares Pictures From Her 2019 Holi Party
A Woolworths staff member, 37, has been stabbed in a supermarket carpark on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

The worker was collecting trolleys at Rosebud West when an unknown man approached him and assaulted him about 12.55pm.

Police and paramedics were called. The man was airlifted to Melbourne's The Alfred Hospital suffering upper body injuries.

Police said it was a 'random incident' and 'there is nothing to suggest' it was a panic-buying fracas.

A Woolworths staff member was stabbed in the supermarket carpark at Rosebud West, on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, on Tuesday afternoon (stock image)

A witness told Radio 3AW the store was taped off by police, with three cars and two ambulances on the scene.

'We saw everyone running in there. It is quite scary.'

Police are searching for the attacker, who is believed to be aged in his late 30s to early 40s.

The store - which has security guards- has been closed.

John Di Tirro, the general manager of Woolworths Victoria said: 'There is no place for violence like this anywhere in our community.

'Our thoughts are with our team member and his loved ones at this difficult time and we'll be offering them our full support.

'We've reported the matter to the police and stand ready to assist them in any way we can.'

The toilet paper aisle at a Woolworths supermarket in the same suburb earlier this week, amid nationwide panic buying

The supermarket incident comes amid a spate of panic buying across Australia in response to the escalating outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Since the second wave of coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in India, which was reported on mostly those returning from European countries and a group of 16 Italians visiting the country tested positive for the infection, it is a tough time for foreigners in the country.

While most of them have already left India, due to the outbreak across the world, which has forced several countries to ban or restrict entry inside their borders, some are still struggling to leave. For them, it is nothing worse than a nightmare.

BCCL/ FILE

Last week, following reports that hotels are denying rooms for tourists from Italy, South Korea, and Iran with valid visas due to fear of coronavirus, the Union tourism ministry stepped in and asked four state governments to ensure no discrimination against foreign travellers.

However, for many, the struggle continues. In Kerala, which is one of the worst affected states, and also attracts a lot of tourists from across the world there is a growing panic. This was triggered after a British man, who was under observation in a resort in Kerala's Munnar after he showed symptoms of Covid-19 fled from there and managed to board a flight to Dubai on Sunday. But just before the flight was about to take off he, along with all the other passengers were offloaded. While the UK man had tested positive, twenty Dubai-bound passengers were also detained for examination.

BCCL

There was also another scare in Thiruvananthapuram after an Italian tourist tested positive for Covid-19. There were reports that he along with another Italian tourist had visited several tourist places and that they had fled a quarantine facility. The second sample of the Italian man has reportedly found out to be negative. However, as the news spread other foreign nationals have faced difficulties.

An Italian man who was in Vagamon was reportedly denied rooms by several resorts and he was forced to spend the night at a local crematorium. He has since left the city on a local bus and the authorities have not been able to trace him. In a similar case, a group of French tourists who were tested negative for Covid-19 said they were left hungry after they lost their wallet.

They reportedly went around asking for food and help but were turned away by locals. Only after the police was informed about their presence, the French national got some help. The French Embassy has also contacted them and they will be repatriated soon.




We human beings have a tendency to things that support what we believe. Embracing and giving credence to those stories tends both to deepen our convictions and to prompt us to share them with others of like mind - In many ways, misinformation has a built-in advantage over the truth.





by Zulkifli Nazim





The plot had all the elements of a big-budget thriller: Put an untested gene therapy technology in the hands of unscrupulous scientists. Make them soldiers of a greedy pharmaceutical company. Then give them the protection of a secretive and authoritarian government that will stop at nothing to achieve world domination.













Popular rumours of this calibre, circulated briefly on several social media platforms before Twitter shut down the ZeroHedge account for violating its rules against deceptive activity that misleads others. But by then, it had been posted, shared or commented upon more than 9,000 times, according to the Digital Forensic Research Lab.





This is a time when humans are more interconnected than at any point in history. Misinformation is a worrisome consequence of any emerging epidemic because it is intertwined with conspiracy theories and those who believe them.





And then there are the false claims about governments and celebrities and racial unrest - countries was covering up virus deaths, and the illness was spiraling out of control and the like. None of it was true.





Stamping out falsehoods about the coronavirus will require much more than blocking a Twitter account. Indeed, thanks to the way we are wired to process information about new and mysterious threats, it may be all but impossible, experts say.





Most of us are primed to give some credence to fibs we see or hear - the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true; And once we have done so, were loath to update our beliefs, even when offered alternatives that are true. In fact, efforts aimed at debunking false information can wind up reinforcing them instead. That presents a serious challenge to the public health officials and the government working to persuade panicked members of the public to remain calm.





It is very glaring indeed that some of the untruths about the coronavirus appear motivated by commercial interest. Others seem driven by ethnic suspicion and xenophobia - A fear of foreigners or strangers.





First, there were conspiratorial whispers on social media that the coronavirus had been cooked up as a bio-weapon in a secret government lab in China to kill Uighur Muslims, or by the United States to destroy the Chinese economy. The problem with conspiracy theories is that they often seem to have some whiff of truth, which makes them just plausible enough to be credible.





As the coronavirus spreads across the world, so too has misinformation about it, despite an aggressive effort by social media companies to prevent its dissemination. Facebook, Google and Twitter said they were removing misinformation about the coronavirus as fast as they could find it, and were working with the World Health Organization and other government organizations to ensure that people got accurate information.





Surge of virus misinformation has stumped every social media. The posts include- Secret labs. Magic cures. Government plots, etc. Despite efforts by social media companies to stop it, false information about the coronavirus is proliferating around the world.





A search by The New York Times also found dozens of videos, photographs and written posts on each of the social media platforms that appeared to have slipped through the cracks. The posts were not limited to English but in many languages as they could muster, reflecting the trajectory of the virus, as it has traveled around the world.





Security researchers have even found that hackers were setting up threadbare websites that claimed to have information about the coronavirus. The sites were actually digital traps, aimed at stealing personal data or breaking into the devices of people who landed on them.





The spread of false and malicious content about the coronavirus has been a stark reminder of the uphill battle fought by researchers and internet companies. Even when the companies are determined to protect the truth, they are often outgunned and outwitted by the internets liars and thieves.





We human beings have a tendency to things that support what we believe. Embracing and giving credence to those stories tends both to deepen our convictions and to prompt us to share them with others of like mind - In many ways, misinformation has a built-in advantage over the truth. These strong emotional responses can alter our judgments and lead us to make different decisions





A person doesnt have to believe every aspect of a conspiracy theory to keep it going. If just one component of the story jibes with ones beliefs  a suspicion of China, say, or a conviction that drug companies would do anything for money  that could be enough to make that individual to want to share the story, and perhaps suggest some further plot twist.





The more tropes that can be woven into a conspiracy theory, the more chances it has to gain a following. The resulting multiverse of believers makes it hard to destroy these conspiracy theories, because of continued repetition and repetition is often conflated with validity.





Correcting misinformation may work briefly, but the passage of time can taint our memories. Sometimes, all we take away from the correction is that theres bogus information out there, so we are skeptical when presented with facts that are true.





Sometimes the effort to correct misinformation involves repeating the lie. That repetition seems to establish it in our memories more firmly than the truth, causing us to recall it better and believe it more. Psychologists call this the illusory truth effect. The illusory truth effect is the tendency to believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure. The effect rages like a wild-fire, out of control, whether or not they are inclined toward believing conspiracy theories.





The truth doesnt change, but new falsehoods spring up every day. These are common short-term reactions to a sensational act of conspiracy-mongering.





Throughout this whole disastrous epidemic debacle, people have really liked conspiracy theories  Our concern is Why is it that during epidemics people dont choose to believe accurate scientific information?





The proliferation of false and misleading stories about the coronavirus have contributed to a diminished trust among people in anything they read about the crisis; which includes true and well-sourced information, Experts are of the opinion that instead of just correcting false information, it is much more effective to replace it.





With the coronavirus still taking its greatest toll peoples willingness to believe untruths about the virus has not reached crisis proportions. But if viral transmission begins, the tide of misinformation will keep on rising, unabated; and our confidence in what we know to be true  and in what were told is accurate  will be put to the test.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were the first celebrities to have a confirmed case and kept us updated on their recovery journey on Twitter and Instagram

Instagram / @tomhanks
Chris Okafor, founder of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry, says he didnt pay the sum of N400,000 to Bose Olasunkanmi, a Nigerian woman to stage a miracle.

The pastor said the money was only to empower Olusukanmi to start a new life.

A few months ago, Olasukunmi had become a social media sensation after video clips emerge where she was allegedly used for fake miracles by some pastors.

Later, reports emerged that the 44-year-old woman confessing to being used for the miracles because of poverty.

Denying the claim, the pastor through his counsel, Monday Ubani, told journalists in Lagos that Olasunkanmi attended the televised miracle session like everyone else and received her healing during the programme like other people.

The recent story in a national daily and online platforms that the sum of N400,000 was paid to her for a fake miracle is not true, he said.

The lady in question came to church like every other person and the said programme through which she was healed was shown on a live television and there was nothing to hide because it was not only the woman that was healed.

Read Also: Police Arrest Woman Used By Pastors To Perform Fake Miracles In Lagos

The church is not new, its been in existence over 10 years and the members who keep increasing have experienced the touch of God one way or the other. So there was no issue of arranging any miracle to anybody.

My client sent his ministers to look for the woman to ask why she was deceiving pastors. When she was asked, she said its poverty that caused it because she is a widow.

Upon hearing that, the man of God who is a very compassionate person gave her the sum of N400,000 to empower her instead of going from one church to the other faking miracles. The money given to her was not to procure fake miracle but to empower her to stop going from one church to the other.
Katalon and their new partnership program We are excited about the benefits this partnership program will offer our customers. These initial partners are well-positioned to help users get the most out of Katalon and I am excited for the continued development of this program. Vu Lam, Katalon CEO

Katalon is proud to announce the launch of a new partnership program and two initial service partners, KMS Technology and KMS Solutions. The new program will leverage these partnerships to offer implementation and training services for Katalons award-winning test automation platform.

Since its launch in 2015, Katalon has experienced exponential growth with thousands of worldwide users. Their platform Katalon Studio has been recognized by Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice in 2019 and is trusted by over 65,000+ companies worldwide.

This rapid growth has illuminated a need for additional professional services to maximize customers success using the platform. This new partnership kicks off implementation, training, and strategic consulting services now offered through the KMS Consulting Group and KMS Solutions.

KMS Technology based out of Atlanta, GA, is a leading provider of technology consulting, software development, quality assurance, and consulting services. KMS Solutions, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam provides technology consulting and package software implementation services to the Asia region.

Both companies will offer services that accelerate Katalon implementation and test automation ROI. KMS Consulting Group will provide dedicated consulting services worldwide and KMS Solutions will provide the same in Asia.

According to Katalon CEO, Vu Lam, We are excited about the benefits this partnership program will offer our customers. These initial partners are well-positioned to help users get the most out of Katalon and I am excited for the continued development of this program.

Katalon plans to open the partnership program to other service providers in the future.

For more information on taking advantage of this new program or to inquire about becoming a future partner, please click here.

ABOUT KATALON

Katalon LLC is a software company that offers test automation solutions and professional services to help address the sharp demand for automated testing in Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. Katalon Studioa Katalon productrevolutionizes the use of open-source test automation frameworks such as Selenium and Appium by eliminating their technical complexities to allow testers to efficiently set up, create, run, report and manage automated tests. Katalon Studio is made available to the test automation community and can be downloaded from http://www.katalon.com

ABOUT KMS TECHNOLOGY

KMS Technology is a leading provider of offshore software development, testing services, and consulting. Based out of Atlanta, GA with offices in California and Vietnam, KMS works to accelerate the delivery of innovative software solutions through our customer-centric approach to allow organizations faster speed to market while staying focused on their core business.

KMS also builds and successfully launches its own software companies through its internal incubator, UpStar Labs. Most notable companies include QASymphony, Kobiton, and Katalon. For more information on KMS Consultings Katalon Services, please click here.

ABOUT KMS SOLUTIONS

Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, KMS Solutions works closely with the best software companies across the globe to bring the most advanced and innovative technologies to the Asia region. The focus is to help organizations achieve their business goals through world-class fit-for-purpose solutions and proven industry best practices. KMS Solutions success is ultimately measured by the positive impact that it makes on the clients business.

For more information on KMS Solutions Katalon Services, please click here.
Dr Michael Ryan was at home in his kitchen in Galway one day, and his phone rang, the caller identified himself as Bill Gates.

Thinking it was a wind-up he hung up.

But it was Bill Gates.

That call began a professional relationship that saw the vaccination of 37 million children, this saving countless numbers from paralysis and death.

Dr Mike Ryan (55) is the Executive Director of the World Health Organisations (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme.

His daily briefings of the current coronavirus pandemic has won him admirers all over the world.

His wisely counselled governments last week.

Read More

Be fast, have no regrets. You must be the first mover. The virus will always get you if you dont move quickly, Dr Ryan said.

If you need to be right before you move, you will never win.

He has been at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for nearly 25 years.

He grew up in Charlestown in Mayo.

His dad was a publican and following his death in the 1970s when Michael was around eight, the family moved down the road about three miles to Curry, Co Sligo.

But both counties want to claim him.

Councillor Gerry Murray grew up with the Ryan brothers in Charlestownhe describes them as sound, easy-going, lovely lads.

They would all be decent and would still have a connection to the area. Michael came back here to a talk a few years ago on the likelihood of a pandemic.

His mother lives nearby, shes a lovely woman.

Theyve all done very well for themselves, but they wouldnt be the kind to shout about it.

Mike is a very approachable fella. You should give him a ring.

We did put a request to the World Health Organisation (WHO) but havent heard back yet.

Dr Ryan studied medicine in NUI Galway and later trained as a surgeon specialising in orthopaedics and trauma.

He married fellow doctor Maura Connolly, and they live in Galway city with their two teenage sons.

It was during a 12-week humanitarian trip to Iraq in 1990 that he was severely injured when the car he was travelling in was run off the road by a military convoy.

He broke his back in three places, which led to the end of his surgical career.

His brother Coley Ryan, a well-known and successful publican and restaurateur in Massachusetts said the accident changed the direction of his life. He trained in Ireland he only got into public health because he was involved in an accident in the Iraq war.

He had his back broken in several places and unfortunately he wasnt able to continue with his surgery. So that was 1990.

He then went to work in public health and studied epidemiology, he said.

Coley said he is accustomed to seeing his brother on TV but is conscious of his role during the current crisis is very high profile.

He lectures in some of the Universities here (in America), and I would always attend those. So Im used to seeing him on TV and reading about him. But this is obviously high profile, and he is under a lot of pressure. He is the right guy to deal with it, though.

He has been talking about this for a long, long, long time about the chances of something like this happening.

We havent had a worldwide pandemic since 1968 and then back to 1918.

He said the new coronavirus has caught them by surprise to a degree,.

But in all honestly they have been trying to prepare people for it for a number of years.

Bill Gates, who Michael also works for has been warning the world. Unfortunately, people, it doesnt matter how much we prepare it still wouldnt be enough.

It depends on what we do now.

On the question of whether Mayo or Sligo can claim Dr Ryan, Coley said the answer isnt clear cut.

Here is the deal he spent the first 10 years of his life in Charlestown Co Mayo, then we moved to Curry county Sligo.

So hes from both places. And proud to be.

Michael has a lot of stories over the years. He would have a lot of encounters with famous people.

A lot of these philanthropists they want to do their best and Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would definitely be like that.

He said they have been very helpful with polio.

Michael took a two-year sabbatical and led Bill Gatess attack on polio which had an outbreak due to the wars in Afghanistan and Syria. So they vaccinated 37 million children.

All I can tell you is Im very proud of him. Were all proud of him, and were all behind him.

He has always been a humanitarian. He never got into medicine for the money, thats for sure.

Its a vocation, and he has followed that principle all the way.

He said his brother has lived most of his life in and out of Africa fighting diseases like Ebola.

He always worked in the field. He just came back to Geneva in the last number of years.

He worked in the field for polio in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Lebanon.

Anything you could write about him would be positive because he is one of those people.




KC COVID-19 Health Check

Coronavirus in Kansas City: The latest resources and how to keep your family safe Here you can get the latest information on the coronavirus, or COVID-19, in Kansas City and resources to be prepared and keep your family safe.CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASESKansas: 11, 1 deathMissouri: 9FULL LISTSList of local schools, universities closed or shifting to online classesList of large event cancellations, postponements SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?Have you traveled outside the U.S.

Kansas City Q & A

FAQ: What You Need To Know As The Coronavirus Hits The Kansas City Metro The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus being diagnosed in Kansas and Missouri is going up, and one elderly man in Wyandotte County has died from the disease. It's likely that more people have COVID-19 than have been tested in either state, and if you're not practicing social distancing yet, you should.

Kansas City Service Industry Fights For Survival Amid Coronavirus Shut Down

Kansas City metro restaurants prepare for challenge of no customers thanks to COVID-19 KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - A move by metro governments to close dining in local restaurants and bars will have a big impact on the people who work inside those businesses and count on tips to pay their bills. After 12:01 a.m.

Last Days Of Westport

Amid dire warnings of coronavirus, some head to Kansas City bars ahead of shutdown Westports typically bustling streets were mostly empty late Monday as Kansas City braced for a dramatic ban on gatherings in response to the new coronavirus.

Prez Trump Champions Coronavirus Economic Stimulus

White House eyes massive $850B stimulus package next, as Senate moves on latest coronavirus bill White House officials and congressional lawmakers are signaling they will attempt to push through a third coronavirus spending package worth hundreds of billions of dollars even as the Senate works to move along the more modest second relief bill that focuses on leave for workers and expedited testing for the disease officially known as COVID-19.

Pandemic Survey Seyz?!?!

Poll: Most Americans don't trust Trump on coronavirus information Few Americans trust President Donald Trump when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey, and less than half of respondents believe the federal government is taking sufficient steps to combat the public health crisis.

Coronavirus Sickens Economy

Coronavirus restrictions pit businesses against city officials A clash between the mayor of Washington, D.C., and a restaurant group over the city's ban on large gatherings is highlighting the tensions between government officials and businesses as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts life across the country. When D.C.

Embattled Prez Trump White House Transmits Talking Points

White House Privately Backchannels Its Coronavirus Messaging to Conservative Social-Media Influencers As the coronavirus has worsened, members of the task force President Donald Trump has assigned to combat the pandemic have reached out to prominent conservative social media "influencers" and right-wing TV and radio stars to offer them private briefings and information sessions with Vice President Mike Pence and other top administration officials, The Daily Beast has learned.

Economic Health Debate Ensues

Tucker Carlson: Shutting Down Economy Poses 'Its Own Kind Of Public Health Risk' Fox News host Tucker Carlson struck a balanced approach between epidemiologists who would argue for shutting everything down to fight the coronavirus pandemic and those concerned that an economic recession and even depression could pose "its own kind of public health risk."

Toilet Training For Scarcity

Toilet paper makers: 'What we are dealing with here is uncharted' Companies that make toilet paper are stunned and scrambling to adjust to the sudden spike in demand triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.

Kansas City Y Closed For Now

YMCA of Greater Kansas City closes all centers because of COVID-19 outbreak The YMCA of Greater Kansas City announced all centers will temporarily close at 3 p.m.

Pandemic Lesson Plan

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Orchestrates Metro School Closings To Stem Coronavirus Most Kansas City area schools will close until at least April 3 in line with a nationwide shutdown aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus. Kenny Southwick, who heads a coalition of districts in the metro area, said schools would remain closed until Mayor Quinton Lucas lifts his state of emergency.

Kansas City, Kansas COVID-19 Checkup After Fatality

Official: 85 negative results, 25 pending in COVID-19 tests from KCK care facility The director of health for Wyandotte County, Kansas, said testing is underway for other patients and staff members linked to the KCK nursing home where a man reportedly contracted COVID-19.A man in his 70s died at a hospital last week after seeking help for cardiac issues.

Another Metro Suburban School District Shuts Down

Lee's Summit R-7 Schools announce they will be closed through April 3 LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (KCTV) - Lee's Summit R-7 Schools announced Tuesday they will be closed starting March 23, 2020. Lee's Summit Schools posted a tweet stating R-7 schools will close from Monday, March 23, 2020 through Friday, April 3, 2020.

Cass Copes With COVID-19

Cass County reports presumptive-positive case of COVID-19 The Cass County Health Department announced Monday that it has a presumptive-positive case of COVID-19 in the county.Health officials said the case is in Drexel and the patient is currently in home isolation.

BBQ Offers Safer Options

Joe's Kansas City offering curbside delivery to encourage social distancing during COVID-19 outbreak A Kansas City BBQ institution is making changes because of COVID-19.Joe's Kansas City announced Monday that all three locations will be offering curbside pickup. The moves will allow folks craving a Z-Man to get their fix while still practicing social distancing. "Just call in your order," Joe's said in a post on social media.

New Rules For Hosptials

HCA Midwest Health to control visitor access KANSAS CITY , Mo. - HCA Midwest Health will restrict access at its facilities to protect patients, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. The new rules begin Tuesday, according to a news release from the company. HCA Midwest Health will restrict all non-essential visitors.

Old School Locked Down

Senior center closed over COVID-19 concerns plans to continue serving meals KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Don Bosco Center for Seniors plans to continue serving hot meals to clients despite closing their building over COVID-19 concerns. The center, located at 580 Campbell St. in Kansas City, Missouri, closed on Monday, March 16. The closure means clients won't be able to socialize and eat meals inside.

KCMO Shut Down Compilation

FULL LIST: Schools, universities cancel face-to-face classes due to coronavirus concerns Local school districts and universities have canceled face-to-face classes or started spring break early due to coronavirus concerns.This is a running list and will be updated. Baker University: Baker is on spring break from March 16-20.

Local Mental Health Check

What you can do to stay mentally healthy during the coronavirus pandemic KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Fears about the coronavirus pandemic are taking a toll on some people's mental health, but if you're struggling, there is help available. Monica Kurz is the director of the Kansas Suicide Prevention Resource Center. She says they have seen an increase of calls due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kansas City Suffers Doggie Style Shut Down As Well

Wayside Waifs closes animal shelter temporarily Wayside Waifs announced Monday that it will close the animal shelter temporarily in an effort to keep people and pets healthy and safe and slow the transmission of COVID-19, the disease that causes the coronavirus.Services being suspended include pet adoption services, volunteer services, Pet Food Pantry and no public or onsite education classes, tours or visits.Wayside Waifs said it will post updates to its website and social media.

As always, to start we want to direct readers tothat features numbers to call and a roundup of the situation from the perspective of 12th & Oak.More importantly . . .Here arerelevant local & national Coronavirus news links we want to share today . . .Developing . . .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor access to courtrooms or adjacent hallways at the courthouse in Oswego and in Parsons, when the Labette County Judicial Center is open, is being restricted. The administrative order applies to all Kansas district courts.

In the order the court writes that it recognizes the public and press have a First Amendment right to attend court proceedings. The court takes seriously its responsibility to administer the law and balance the rights of litigants, the public and the courts ability to protect the integrity and safety of proceedings, the order reads.

With these concerns in mind, and except for criminal jury trials, the public will not be permitted entry to the courtroom or adjacent hallways except that any person requesting such access may contact the division judge where proceedings are scheduled and apply for permission to attend. Each judge shall give due consideration to such requests and make a timely response. The court will allow media access to these areas without special restriction.

All persons are subject to inquiry at the point of entry about their recent/current health condition to include recent travel or other risk factors. Court security may restrict people from entering the courtrooms or adjacent hallways for this questioning to determine if allowing entry creates a risk to the health or well-being to others in the courthouse.

Signs also tell defendants with cold and flu symptoms or the coronavirus to contact their attorney first to reschedule court. If a defendant does not have an attorney, he or she is to call the court clerk at 620-795-4533.

The Kansas Supreme Court has also issued restrictions to its sessions and to the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high court also canceled March oral arguments.

Visits to the Judicial Center, 301 W. 10th Ave., Topeka, are restricted to judicial branch judges and employees and members of the public who have court business that cannot be conducted remotely online or via mail service with the Kansas Supreme Court, Kansas Court of Appeals, the clerk of the appellate courts, the appellate reporters office, the Kansas Judicial Council and the Office of Judicial Administration.

This restriction also applies to the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program and the Disciplinary Administrators offices, which are in other locations.

There will be no events or tours in the Judicial Center and the Supreme Court Law Library will not receive visitors.

People entering the Judicial Center or offices of the Disciplinary Administrator or the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program may be asked screening questions consistent with public health guidelines. Admission may be denied.

The Supreme Court encourages using the judicial branch website at www.kscourts.org and other online tools to complete court business in lieu of visiting these locations.

Judicial branch judges and employees will be required to self-quarantine and not report to work for 14 days if they or someone with whom they live or share close contact has traveled or will travel after March 1 to any international location, to high-risk areas in the United States with known widespread community transmission identified by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, or on a cruise ship.

Self-quarantined workers will be required to work from home or receive administrative leave, depending on the nature of their jobs.

Judicial branch workforce travel for meetings, conferences, trainings, or similar events is discontinued. All in-person trainings provided or organized by the judicial branch are canceled. Where possible, the judicial branch workforce will use digital options for meetings, trainings, or similar work tasks.

Justice Caleb Stegall has entered a period of self-quarantine until March 27.

Stegalls action is pursuant to the Supreme Courts administrative order issued Monday that outlines judicial branch self-quarantine procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several of Stegalls family members just returned from traveling in areas covered by the order.

Stegall will participate fully in all court activities by remote conferencing and will continue to perform all other duties, including serving as departmental justice for two judicial departments. Those departments include the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 21st, 23rd, and 28th judicial districts.
Alfonso Sanchez, 38, was convicted of killing two people in Warminster in 2008 and sentenced to death. Read more

Alfonso Sanchez was sentenced to death in 2008 for killing two people during a drug feud. But three years ago he got a reprieve when a county judge ordered a retrial because prosecutors had withheld relevant DNA evidence.

After more legal wrangling, including a failed appeal to Superior Court to try to get the case thrown out, Sanchez was given a new court date: March 23.

But the 38-year-old will have to wait longer, after Bucks County President Judge Wallace H. Bateman this week suspended all jury trials through April 14 amid concern about the coronavirus.

Sanchezs case was already complicated given the arrangements that had to be made with witnesses who have moved to other parts of the country, according to Sanchezs attorney, Niels Eriksen.

Court administrators have not set a new date, but it likely wont be until early summer.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus slowed Philly courts to a halt  but not before some reported for jury duty

We got a strong indication that it was being continued last week because witnesses needed to make airline arrangements and be flown in, Eriksen said Tuesday. The court was proactive in advising us early that it was being continued.

Deputy District Attorney Antonetta Stancu, the lead prosecutor in the case, declined to comment on the pending trial.

In October 2007, prosecutors say, Sanchez shot Lisa Marie Diaz, 27, and Mendez Thomas Jr., 22, in the head at point-blank range because Diaz owed him money for cocaine. Sanchez, then 25, went on the run after the killing, but police caught him days later.

Steven Miranda, who accompanied Sanchez to Thomas apartment in the Bucks Landing complex in Warminster, was convicted of two counts of homicide and sentenced to two consecutive life terms, according to court records.

At Sanchezs trial, his lawyer contended that Miranda, Diazs boyfriend, was the shooter. The jury was unpersuaded and found Sanchez guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. County Judge Alan M. Rubenstein then sentenced him to death, and Gov. Tom Corbett signed Sanchezs execution warrant in 2015.

His lawyers appealed the conviction to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict. In a further appeal in federal court, Sanchezs attorney contended that the trial prosecutor had improperly attacked Sanchezs credibility and presented facts he knew to be false.

While reviewing the case for the appeal, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub discovered that in 2008, prosecutors had failed to turn over key lab reports of DNA testing, including one that showed that DNA evidence found under Diazs fingernails matched Mirandas.

While prosecutors acknowledge that the DNA evidence should have been turned over to defense lawyers, they maintain that Sanchez pulled the trigger.

Across the region, criminal trials and other court proceedings have been delayed because of worry about the global pandemic. As with Bucks County, Philadelphia court officials have suspended all new civil and criminal trials for at least two weeks.

 READ MORE: Immigration courts are still operating despite the spread of coronavirus: It is indefensible

That news hit hard for Msgr. William J. Lynn, the former secretary for clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Lynns retrial on a child-endangerment charge related to his handling of allegations of sexual abuse by priests had been scheduled to begin Monday.

When Common Pleas Court Judge Gwendolyn N. Bright announced that she was postponing the proceedings until next January amid concern about the virus because there are no jurors, Lynns lawyer Thomas Bergstrom protested.

My client was charged in 2011, he said. If we go forward with this date, hell have been dealing with this for nearly a decade."

Staff writer Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this article.
New Delhi, March 17 : Women protesting at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) feel that the CAA is a bigger threat than the novel coronavirus outbreak.

More than 500 women were sitting close to each other despite the coronavirus threat and advisory of the Delhi government. Neither is there any facility to wash hands nor have they covered their mouths with masks.

The women at Shaheen Bagh said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure their healthcare.

Sofia, a woman protester, said: "We have to fight the coronavirus as well as the CAA. The CAA and the NRC are more dangerous than the coronavirus so we will continue our fight. We won't withdraw the protest amid fear of getting infected." "Mohalla clinics have been opened by the Delhi government at various places. If the government is so worried about our health, they should open a mohalla clinic near the protest site," said Rukhsat another woman protesting here.

Noorjahan, a 54-year-old woman, said: "If the government is worried about us then why don't they withdraw the Act. If they withdraw the CAA today, we will end the protest but till the government doesn't take it back we will continue to protest even if we get infected by the coronavirus." The women protesters said they were ready for all sacrifices. We faced a lot of problems during the protest. We faced the winter chill and now we will face the scorching summer. The coronavirus threat also can't stop us. Till the government doesn't listen to our demand we will continue to fight, the women added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Up to 1 million workers in pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels face losing their jobs after Boris Johnson urged Britons not to go out in a bid to halt coronavirus.

Britains 120bn hospitality industry immediately hit back, saying pubs and bars were now in limbo without government support and with no ability to claim insurance for a huge decline in trade.

The prime minister announced new measures on Friday urging people to avoid all non-essential social contact, but pub owners warned the sector faces an existential threat unless the government urgently steps in with financial support.

The Unite union estimates that up to a third of the UKs 3.2 million hospitality jobs are under threat as people stay home during the pandemic. Unite called on the government to pay the wages of workers who would otherwise be laid off.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, described Mr Johnsons announcement as catastrophic.

The government has effectively shut the hospitality industry without any support, and this announcement will lead to thousands of businesses closing their doors for good, and hundreds of thousands of job losses.

Over the past few weeks, the industry has suffered unprecedented drops in visits and many business are already on their knees. This latest advice leaves the industry in limbo, with no recourse to insurance.

It emerged earlier this month that many pubs would not be covered by their insurance policies for loss of trade caused by coronavirus.

The Association of British Insurers warned that only a small number of pubs are likely to have cover for what are known as notifiable diseases  a group of infections that must be reported to the government.

Standard business insurance policies are designed and priced to cover standard risks and are therefore unlikely to provide cover for the effects of global pandemics like Covid-19, the ABI said in a statement.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said pubs were already feeling the devastating effects of Covid-19.

The very existence of thousands of pubs and a lot more jobs is now at risk, she said.

The government needs to give clear instructions and detail on the support package to rescue the sector and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Urgent measures to support cash flows and enable cost reductions is an absolute necessity.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to outline further support for businesses at a coronavirus-related press conference with the prime minister on Tuesday, a UK treasury source has said.

That will be a test of the chancellor's vow in his Budget speech to do "whatever it takes" to support families and businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

The package will need to be several times bigger than the 12bn he unveiled less than a week ago with the airline, rail and retail industries among those calling for immediate financial support.

French president Emanuel Macron unveiled a plan to guarantee 300bn of loans and suspension of the to support businesses through the disruption.

A failure by Mr Sunak to act similarly decisively would risk making many of Britains lowest paid and most financially insecure workers unemployed.

Hospitality staff receive worse pay than workers in any other sector at 10.70 an hour on average. Thats less than a quarter of the best-paid sector  financial services at 45 per hour.

A report published last year for the government body that oversees employment rights found that restaurant staff frequently work long hours for low pay, often on zero-hours contracts that give no security of income.

Dave Turnbull, regional organiser for the Unite union, told The Independent that many hospitality workers had already seen their hours cut before the governments latest coronavirus guidance.

Were saying to the industry it needs to take a long-term view and we think the government also needs to step in and set up a scheme for workers, he said.

He pointed to the example of Denmark, where the government announced a deal with employers on Sunday that will see the state pay 75 per cent of the wages of staff at risk of redundancy during the outbreak for the next three months.

Action needs to be starting now, Mr Turnbull said. We cant wait until the crisis hits us and we are fast approaching that crisis.

He called on employers to hold off making redundancies and to consider options such as annualised hours where staff are paid for hours now which they then work later in the year when trade picks up again.

That may not be an option for many employers who do not have enough cash to pay staff if custom dwindles to almost nothing.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
Kelly-Weeder said patients cared for within the public health care system are required to seek help in specific community clinics that are often understaffed. Patients typically queue up hours before the clinics open and may have to return again the next day if health care providers are not able to see them.

Its a perfect time to introduce the NP role into both the public and private health care sectors, explained Kelly-Weeder, a family nurse practitioner and associate professor in the Connell Shcool. The first NPs in the U.S. were prepared to take care of individuals who were not able to access care. Loretta Ford was a public health nurse who saw that young children were not getting the care they needed. They were not being immunized or getting preventative care. In response, she developed, along with pediatrician Dr. Henry Silver, the first NP program, training registered nurses to provide primary care to pediatric patients.

Today, the majority of NPs in the U.S. are educated as primary care providers and are managing care for individuals with acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan.

Currently in Chile, nurses earn a bachelors degree in nursing (a five-year program) but while graduate programs are available, none of them involve post-baccalaureate advanced practice nursing.

Last month, Kelly-Weeder made her fifth visit to Chile, where she taught an intensive session of her course The Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse to Chilean nurses who work in a variety of health care settings. She will teach the remainder of this course online for the 17 students. Since 2018, Kelly-Weeder has taught the course three times to approximately 75 students.

Leyan attended Kelly-Weeders class two years ago and expressed interest in furthering her education and becoming a nurse practitioner. With financial support from PUC, its hospital, and the Connell School, Leyan enrolled in the Connell School and earned a masters degree in 2019. She passed a national certification exam and returned to Chile as a family nurse practitioner.

A second nurse from Chile who Kelly-Weeder also taught, Magdalena Correa Duque, is currently enrolled in the Connell Schools family nurse practitioner program and is expected to graduate in 2021.
According to the current analysis of Reports and Data, the global In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Control Market was valued at USD 959.26 Million in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 1.28 Billion by the year 2027, at a CAGR of 4.3%.

IVD quality controls are tests used to authenticate the consistency of the IVD testing system to confirm the precision of test findings and assess the influence of factors such as environmental conditions and the operators performance on test results. Key recent developments: in June 2019, Illumina, Inc. announced the launch of VeriSeq NIPT Solution v2, a CE-IVD; next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approach to noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), delivers the most comprehensive view of the fetal genome compared to other CE-IVD NIPT products.

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Factors such as the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the launch of new clinical laboratories, stringent mandates, as well as the rising need for early diagnostics by patients drive the growth of the In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Control market. Increasing incidence of public-private laboratories which are undergoing laboratory accreditation procedure even boosts up the growth of this particular market. For instance: In August 2018, Abbott Laboratories introduced Alinity, its state-of-the-art, harmonized family of systems for clinical diagnostics, to the US market indicating high demand for the systems advanced capabilities and potential to provide savings and increased efficiencies for labs, clinicians, and hospitals.

Further key findings from the report suggest:

The American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) states that more than 7.5 billion lab tests are performed in the U.S. annually, and 80% of clinical decisions are taken after lab testing.

In December 2018, BioMerieux announced its culture bottles BACT/ALERT BPA and BPN received a 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for quality control testing of leukocyte-reduced apheresis platelet (LRAP) units with the BACT/ALERT VIRTUO fully automated blood culture system.

In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Control Market is the fastest-growing segment at a CAGR of 3% in the Asia Pacific owing to the rising incidence of IVD tests in developing countries such as India and China due to upsurge in several clinical laboratories, global awareness among patients

FDA is encouraging convergence of regulatory systems for medical devices, which is anticipated to boost trade while protecting public health through regulatory means

Data Management Solutions segment is accounted to be the second-leading segment which is valued at USD 155.6 million because it gives access to LIS and easy for managing test results of patients and even popular due to dependable laboratory outcomes

Europe is the second-largest region with a CAGR of 4.0% due to acceptance of point of care diagnostics across Europe especially in regions in the UK, Denmark, Poland, and Slovenia

Home Care segment is the fastest growing at a CAGR of 5.3% because they are providing PoC instruments which give ease of convenience for the patient who requires everyday testing and further reduces hospital visits

Immunochemistry segment has dominated the market in 2019 with a market share over 30% and is expected to continue the same during the forecasted period due to the demand for high sensitivity test and even rise in infectious and chronic diseases

North America is expected to account for the 44% of the global In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Control Market million owing to the presence of many diagnostic laboratories and even production of technologically advanced multianalyte controls

Some of the key players are Agilent Diagnostics, Abbott Diagnostics, Becton, Dickson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., and ThermoFisher Scientific.

Japan was the major shareholder in the Asia-Pacific market in 2015, with around half of the market share.

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For the purpose of the study, this Reports and Data has segmented the Global In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Control Market on the basis of product type, manufacturer type, design, application, end-user, and region:

Product Type (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Quality Controls Whole Blood-based Controls Serum-based Controls Plasma-based Controls Urine-based Controls Other IVD Quality Controls

Data Management Solutions

Quality Assurance Services

Manufacturer Type (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Instrument Manufacturer Controls

Independent Manufacturer Controls Third-party Controls Instrument Specific Manufacturer Controls



Application (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Clinical Chemistry

Immunochemistry

Haematology

Molecular Diagnostics

Coagulation/Haemostasis

Microbiology

Others

End-User (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Hospitals

Clinical Laboratories

Home Care

Others

Regional Outlook: (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

North America S. Canada

Europe Germany K. Spain France Italy Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia Rest of Asia-Pacific

Latin America Brazil Mexico

Middle East and Africa

To identify the key trends in the industry, click on the link below: https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/in-vitro-diagnostics-ivd-quality-control-market

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NAIROBI  The bad blood between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto has caused anxiety in the county, Kenyas clergyman said on Monday.

The Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina of the Anglican Church of Kenya was quoted by the Star newspaper as noting that poor leadership had given Jubilee and the opposition politicians the leeway to purport to speak for Uhuru.

We are concerned as a church that the state of the nation is not good at all, Wainaina, who is the provost of the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, told the Star.

He, however, said the hard-hitting letter he on Sunday addressed to Uhuru is not the official position of the ACK. He wrote the piece after reflecting on the political developments in the country and interaction with people.

He told the media that the views were his as the provost.

My office is allowed to reflect on such things. So those are my thoughts and were not sanctioned by the church leadership, he was quoted as saying..

The letter posted on the churchs website, also seen by this reporter noted that the relationship between Uhuru and Ruto is not as close and healthy as was the case in 2013.

He warned that the failing UhuRuto marriage has a direct implication on the future generations since our senior-most leaders are teaching our youths to be disloyal.

It is with much reflection on the state of this country that I have found the strength to write to you. Like children in a troubled marriage, Kenyans are worried and apprehensive about your government and your relationship with your deputy, he said.

Your vision and promises made Kenyans believe in you and your presidency. The chemistry between you and your deputy redefined our leadership  kneeling for prayers during your inauguration, addressing the nation together, dressed in similar fashion was unprecedented.

In a veiled hitting of President Uhuru, he said the country is slowly burning in all aspects that moulds our national fibre.

He noted that the current political climate is not conducive.

We have one government but currently, we are operating like a failed state. Your election as President depended on the support of William Ruto and versa since. You were voted as a duo. You, therefore, both have a symbiotic relationship.

He also questioned Uhurus silence even as his ministers openly disrespect Ruto.

It is said when you see the dog barking, the owner is around. Where do they find such arrogance? When does the Deputy President say something to the effect that unless you kill me, I will not be afraid, where does that leave the nation? We can tell that your government is split down the middle.

Wainaina also noted that although the handshake was welcome, it has left Jubilee in total confusion.

For instance, he said Ruto is seeking public sympathy because Uhuru has abandoned him to the jaws of the opposition.

He noted that if indeed the DP is corrupt as being alleged by the opposition and a section of anti-Ruto politicians, then the rule of law should be followed to remove him from office.

The altercations between the two sides are not good for the nation. It is the high time you rose to the occasion and offered political guidance. Find it in you the need to find time to sort out your issues with your deputy. This washing of the dirty linen in public is not good for the nation, he said.

Wainaina also said the Building Bridges Initiative has become a political tool rather than an opportunity to dialogue.

He raised concerns that there has been no civic education on the BBI, acknowledging that politicians with vested interest have hijacked it.

What Kenyans are looking for is an affordable government that can be held accountable; an imperial president that the current constitution has created is a danger to the nation. We call for an issue-based referendum after a stakeholders conference that will come up with the questions, he said.

He, however, said the church will not support a yes or no referendum.

He said Uhuru has scored poorly in ensuring that he provides visionary leadership that is kept alive with the citizenry.

Wainaina warned the President that if he does not change his style of leadership, he might not have a legacy to leave behind when his second and last term ends in 2022.

The [Big Four] agenda has been swallowed by the BBI noise. Its paramount therefore to move with speed and reclaim the nation back to the vision, he said.

We call for an independent audit on the government loans to ascertain their legality. We suspect that Kenya is paying fictitious loans to enrich people in government. Please dont leave Kenyans poorer than you found them, he added.

Related
A major Swedish pension fund announced that it will "no longer invest in fossil fuels."

Forsta AP-fonden (AP1), which is one of five pension funds in the country's national income pension system, outlined the reasons for its decision in a statement issued Monday.

The Stockholm-based fund explained that the move toward a low-carbon economy less reliant on fossil fuels represented "a substantial uncertainty for companies involved in coal, oil and natural gas activities."

It added that "continued investments related to these activities can increase the financial risk exposure of the fund" and said its decision was one measure being taken to manage the fund's "climate risk exposure."

As of December 31 2019, AP1 had 366 billion Swedish krona (around $36.82 billion) of assets under management.

On Monday, the fund's chairman, Urban Hansson Brusewitz, described divesting from fossil fuels as "an efficient way for the fund to manage the financial risk associated with a transition in line with the Paris agreement."

He went on to state that AP1 had "decided to develop a roadmap and measurable targets towards reaching a carbon neutral portfolio by 2050." This week's announcement comes after AP1 decided to stop investing in firms involved with oil sands and thermal coal in late 2018. The newly-announced decision to divest from all fossil fuels was taken by the fund's board of directors in December 2019.

The last few years have seen a number of organizations, groups and governments take decisions to move away from fossil fuels.

In January 2020, Germany's federal government and the four German states where lignite  or brown coal  is mined agreed to "a way forward" for the phase out of coal-fired power stations in the country.

In an announcement at the time, the federal government said it would provide 40 billion euros (around $43.87 billion) to the federal states affected by the transition.

Last November, the European Investment Bank announced it would stop financing for fossil fuel energy projects "from the end of 2021." In 2017, a coalition of 40 Catholic institutions announced a decision to pull their money from  or block future investment in  fossil fuels. At the time, the Global Catholic Climate Movement called it the "largest joint announcement of divestment by Catholic organizations to date."
The Royal Family have come together to share Instagram posts to celebrate St Patrick's Day today/

Official accounts belonging to the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge all marked the occasion, offering followers a moment of normality in otherwise extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Royal Family account shared a photo of the Queen inspecting the Irish Guards, of which she is Commander-in-Chief, at Windsor Castle in 2009. The Clarence House account posted an image of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall on a 2014 visit to Northern Ireland.

The Royal Family account shared a photo of the Queen inspecting the Irish Guards, of which she is Commander-in-Chief, at Windsor Castle in 2009, pictured

The Clarence House account posted an image of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall on a 2014 visit to Northern Ireland

Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have marked St Patrick's Day with an Instagram post celebrating the work of the Irish Guards.

Prince William, 37, who has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2011, praised the troops for their 'loyalty and grit' on a 'tough operations'.

William and Kate, 38, traditionally celebrate St Patrick's Day with a parade in London but the event has been cancelled this year because the majority of the regiment are on deployment overseas.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have marked St Patrick's Day with an Instagram post celebrating the work of the Irish guards. Pictured, one of the images shared on social media

Prince William, 37, who has been Colonel of the Irish Guards since 2011, praised the troops for their 'loyalty and grit' on a 'tough operations'. Pictured, one of the troops currently overseas

William and Kate, 38, traditionally celebrate St Patrick's Day with a parade in London but the event has been cancelled this year because the majority of the regiment are on deployment overseas. Pictured above, the Instagram caption shared today to mark the occasion

To highlight the troops' work, the royal couple shared a series of photos showing how they will be spending the day on duty in Iraq and South Sudan.

The caption reads: 'Number 1 Company is currently deployed in South Sudan for four months on Operation Trenton, providing security to the Royal Engineers undertaking construction projects as part of the mission there, including teaching basic skills that empower the locals and will help them continue to improve their lives long after the deployment finishes.

'Meanwhile in Iraq the remainder (and vast majority of the Battalion) of the Micks are deployed on Operation Shader. They are currently on a six-month tour focused on training security forces across multiple locations in Iraq and further north in the Kurdish Region.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, London, in 2019. The event is not taking place this year as troops are on deployment

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared this snap of Irish Guards troops currently serving overseas to mark St Patrick's Day today. They wanted to highlight the work of the regiment

This photo shows members of the regiment hard at work, in either Iraq or South Sudan

Troops pose for photos with a group of youngsters, believed to be in South Sudan. It was one of a number of images shared on the official Kensington Palace Instagram account today

'A truly diverse Regiment, the Irish Guards draws from soldiers all over the British Isles, Ireland and across the Commonwealth. As the Regiments motto challenges, "Quis Separabit  Who Shall Separate Us?"'

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge typically mark St Patrick's Day with an event at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, London, where Kate hands out shamrocks to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards.

However the couple are keeping a low profile as the royal family reacts to the worsening coronavirus crisis.

Several royal engagements have been cancelled or postponed, including several scheduled to be carried out by the Queen, 93.

The Earl of Wessex became the latest member of the royal family to cancel his engagements.
'The facilities here are neat and clean; proper hygiene is maintained.'

'This is better than what we had expected in India.'

Pranav Vairale, a student who flew back from Milan on March 15, after being stranded at the airport, staying at a gurdwara, hotel and accommodation provided by the Indian consulate, shares his COVID-19 ordeal with Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.

Pranav reveals the reason why he was stranded, how Air India allowed 83 passengers to fly back on March 10 without any COVID-19 certificates, the reason why they were not allowed to fly on March 10, the tests he and 220 others had to undergo at Milan airport and when they landed in Delhi and shares how he is spending his time in quarantine at a BSF camp near Gurugram.

Situation in Milan, Italy, when you left

The Politecnico de Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan), Lecco campus, is about 40 kilometres from Milan Malpensa airport or about 30-40 minutes by train from Milan central station.

When I left, Lecco was not under lockdown. But some towns nearby were under lockdown.

We had booked the flight for March 10 from Milan to New Delhi. So at Lecco station as we were boarding the train for Milan, we were asked to submit a self-declaration form in Italian to the (local) police. Only after that were we allowed to board the train.

After reaching the Milan central station, we had to take a shuttle bus to Malpensa airport. While exiting the station, we had to give another declaration form. But when we showed them the flight ticket and our passports, they didn't ask for any declaration because we were leaving Italy.

Then we took the shuttle bus and went to Milan airport at around 1.30 pm in the afternoon, local time. At the airport, we waited till 5 pm because nobody had any clarity (if we were allowed to board the Air India flight to Delhi).

The Air India staff had not come and nobody told us that we needed certificates that said we had tested negative for Coronavirus.

The reason why we were stranded

The Government of India had issued an advisory on March 5 that we needed (those who were travelling from Italy to India) a COVID-19 negative certificate to fly to India.

Practically speaking, it is not possible to get a COVID-19 negative certificate in five days because the test itself takes minimum of 14 days to come to a conclusion if a person is COVID-19 negative or positive.

One gets a COVID-19 certificate only after failing the test twice.

It was not possible to get that (certificate). When we came to the airport, even the Air India staff were clueless regarding what exactly was the government (of India) asking for.

A few of us went to a few hospitals and laboratories a couple of days before leaving Milan and boarding our flight to get this certificate or at least to test us. But the local health authorities said they were only considering cases which were really severe.

Those showing no symptoms of COVID-19 were not allowed to even enter the hospital. They requested us to stay away from these laboratories and hospitals and did not give any certificate or test us.

This was the story of every Indian, or people of Indian origin, who were at the airport that day.

Strangely, some 83 Indians out of the 300 people of Indian origin who were at the airport were allowed to board the flight on March 10 after normal health check-ups from their family doctors. Those 83 who boarded the flight to Delhi did not have COVID-19 negative certificates.

After that, the rest of us stayed at the airport for the night. We made a few videos and plans regarding whom to call to get out of Milan.

We were like planning regarding whom to call. We talked to the Indian consulate officials and they advised Air India staff to let us fly. But Air India (staff) were not willing to do that.

So they left most of us; out of 300 passengers only 83, who had normal health check-ups, were allowed to board the flight to Delhi.

What happened next?

All of us students planned what to do next; we organised a meeting to decide what to do and what not to do. Whoever was able to go back to their home in Milan left.

Those who came from Lecco and surrounding places knew very well that if they went back they would be locked down in their respective towns because there were talks of locking down those areas.

We were at the airport till 6 pm on March 11.

We were allowed to stay in a gurdwara near Malpensa, which was seven kilometres from the airport, for that night. They were willing to host us, but the local police did not permit the gurdwara to let us stay.

Then the eight of us were without homes. Since we didn't know anybody in Milan we had to keep moving from one place to another.

Luckily, an office bearer of the gurdwara knew of a hotel which would take care of eight of us and he took us there. We stayed there on March 12.

The next day, on March 13, after we gave several interviews to local and Indian news channels, we were accommodated by the Indian consulate at Milan. It was a nice flat meant for consulate staffers, I think.

We stayed there for two days and on March 14 we left that place and came to the airport.

We were allowed to board the flight on March 14.

Precautions while flying back to India

We were all advised to wear masks, wear gloves, and use hand sanitisers regularly.

At the (Malpensa) airport, they checked our temperature using a thermal device that was put near our forehead after which we were allowed to board the flight.

When we landed at Delhi airport, we were deplaned where the flight halted in the bay and all our luggage was also emptied at the same place. The airport officials guided us with our emigration formalities.

Then we were told to get into army buses and all of us were taken to a BSF camp near Chhawla in Gurugram. It is on the border of Delhi and Haryana.

Tests after landing in India

As soon as we came out of the flight, health officials at the airport did our thermal screening. Once completed, we were allowed to do our immigration formalities.

We were thoroughly screened and tested for coronavirus after we had our food on March 15 when we landed in Delhi.

They took saliva samples and swabs from our nasal passage and sent it for testing. We are likely to get our preliminary reports within two or three days.

After that, even if we test negative, we will be quarantined for 14 more days.

After 14 days, we will be tested once again for coronavirus and once we clear that test we will be discharged.

Life inside the BSF quarantine facility

All the 220 people who flew from Milan have been quarantined here and have gone through similar tests. All of us have been quarantined in the same five-six storeyed building.

We are allowed to move around freely and mix with others who were on the same flight. But we have been asked to follow lots of precautions.

We have been asked to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres to two metres; we obviously meet each other during meals or when we freshen up around the bathrooms.

The students, for their personal safety, are following all the precautions. We maintain a distance of at least 1.5 to 2 metres when we meet. All the time we are wearing our masks and gloves and using sanitisers.

The facilities over here are really good. They have given an individual bed for everyone, different towels, soaps, blankets, and medicines, and individual storage places where we keep our belongings.

Most of us are students and as for me I am attending virtual classes. I am studying for a master's in civil engineering from the Politecnico de Milano, Lecco campus, and they have arranged for online classes for students so that they don't miss out on their studies.

The best part is none of us who are at this camp are showing COVID-19 symptoms like fever, dry cough or backaches and body aches.

We are regularly in touch with our parents. My parents were worried about my health when I was in Italy, but after I landed in India they are less worried.

We would not have been able to take these many precautions if we were quarantined at home. The facilities here are neat and clean; proper hygiene is maintained.

This is better than what we had expected in India.
[March 17, 2020] Pokket? poised to protect Justice & Human Services staff and clients with secure remote collaboration during COVID-19

Government agencies can now launch Acivilate's PokketSM app within days for confidential engagement of vulnerable citizens as prolonged work at home becomes necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pokket allows government agencies to secure the health and well-being of its staff and citizens by minimizing the need for face-to-face contact, allowing all parties to collaborate and check-in via their smartphone. Uses for the app include curfew check-in for those on probation and parole, continuity of care for at-risk children, or self-isolation for social services clients under quarantine. "PokketSM, designed for health and human services agencies and clients, has successfully supported departments of correction since 2017, long before the COVID-19 crisis put staff and clients at risk," said Louise Wasilewski, CEO of Acivilate. "The PokketSM mobile web-app is a case management tool your clients can use so they are accountable and continue to receive the support needed during this challenging time. We stand ready to meet states' needs." With Acivilate's support, three steps get agencies up and running in days, instead of months: Step 1: Share staff and client contact information with Acivilate to rapidly activate remote collaboration.

Step 2: Train staff, in an hour, with user-friendly videos and tutorials on YouTube (News - Alert).

Step 3: Launch staff and then clients onto the Pokket app to support a sustained period of remote engagement. Clients can also learn to use Pokket from short videos. Acivilate will be hands-on through preparation, training and deployment to ensur that the launch is successful for all involved. The PokketSM app is an adaptable and reliable technology partner in this time of crisis.



About Acivilate Acivilate, Inc. created PokketSM, a leading web-based human services and criminal justice collaboration platform connecting justice agencies and human services providers with vulnerable and returning citizens to help break the cycle of re-incarceration and poverty. By supporting agencies in improving outcomes through information-sharing, service coordination and rehabilitation planning, along with empowering vulnerable individuals to transition towards self-management, Acivilate transforms second chances. The PokketSM app is currently in use by justice agencies in Georgia, Utah and North Carolina to manage the rehabilitation process and reduce recidivism. Acivilate is a Delaware C Corporation based in Atlanta.

About Pokket SM PokketSM is designed for security and privacy to meet the needs of criminal justice and health and human services agencies. With its recently secured SOC-2 Type 2 audit, PokketSM provides enhanced safety and security for staff and clients during the COVID-19 pandemic in AWS GovCloud. The app also automatically maintains an audit record, protecting your staff from liability claims with real-time documentation of interactions. These PokketSM critical functions empower your staff and citizens to stay safe and connected: SMS text reminders: Send clients automatic reminders for appointments and discrete or recurring tasks via cellphone, including links to virtual meetings. Message alerts stay private. Broadcast messaging: Share critical information with large or targeted groups of clients on their cellphones so they can be sure who the information is coming from. Private messaging: With one-to-one two-way messaging, case managers advise and encourage high risk, worried or sick clients - from the safety of their own home. Selfie check-ins: Verify justice-involved clients are complying with curfew without jeopardizing team members' safety. Also validates self-reported isolation. File sharing: Securely exchange confidential documents with clients. Work queues: Set up backstops so team members work off a common queue of client message requests. Copy and paste into your system; no need to change your workflows. Case plans: Assign clients action items, and see clients check them off when complete. Dashboard: Using the login dashboard, show clients what to do today and tomorrow. Electronic referrals: Manage referrals to services without the client having to attend and complete a clipboard. Eligibility, ruleout, and narrative intake questions are supported. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005579/en/

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A restaurant in the heart of the New Orleans tourism district filed a lawsuit on Monday asking a state judge to declare that its business-interruption policy will cover its damages if it is ordered to close by civil authorities in response to the coronavirus.

Although it was not yet clear on Monday whether an emergency order by Gov. John Edwards would force the closure of the Oceana Grill, attorney John W. Houghtaling II said it would be irresponsible not to get in front of the issue and protect his clients rights. He said insurance agents around the country  possibly being coaxed by insurers  have been irresponsibly telling business owners that their business-interruption policies wont cover shutdowns caused by coronavirus.

I cant imagine how defense counsel are going to walk into court and say that coronavirus does not cause damage to property, or contaminate property, said Houghtaling, who is majority owner of Gautheir Murphy & Houghtaling in Metairie, Louisiana. Ive talked to restaurant owners from here to New York City and they all being told the exact same thing by their agents.

A Dallas attorney who represents insurance carriers said the lawsuit is premature.

The normal process is for the policyholder to file a claim, let the insurance company evaluate the coverages under the policy, and then determined whether coverage exists, said Steven J. Badger, a partner with Zelle LLP.

The Oceana Grill serves up Cajon fare in a sprawling space that seats 500 at the corner of Conti and Bourbon Streets in the French Quarter. Normally the restaurant is packed even on weekdays, Houghtaling said, but the coronavirus has thinned the hordes of tourists who usually prowl Bourbon Street.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Monday ordered all restaurants in the city to limit operations to delivery only. That follows an order by the governor on Friday that barred any congregations of more than 250 people.

Houghtaling argues in a petition filed with the Orleans Parish Civil District Court that any damages caused by a shutdown are a real physical loss that is covered by Oceanas business interruption policy with Lloyds of London syndicates. The policy does not have an exclusion for viruses or pandemics, the suit says.

In a telephone interview, Houghtaling said his client could have self-insured for a business interruption, but chose to set aside a portion of its earnings to buy insurance coverage. He said he became concerned that Lloyds would deny coverage after reading a column posted online last week by Zelle attorney Shannon OMalley that asserted coronavirus shutdowns do not cause direct physical loss or damage to property and would not be covered. Zelle often represents Lloyds in coverage disputes.

Houghtaling argues that coronavirus lives on surfaces for as long as 28 days, particularly in humid areas at temperatures below 84 degrees. It is clear that contamination of the insured premises by the coronavirus would be a direct physical loss needing remediation to clean the sources of the establishment, the petition says.

Lawyers do no agree on the facts any more than they do on principles. Zelles OMalley said in her column that the virus lives for only two hours to nine days on surfaces. A study by the National Institute of Health concluded the virus can live on surfaces for up to three days.

Any business interruption claims may be denied because government shutdowns are usually ordered as a precaution, not because of known contamination, if Zelle attorneys are to be believed. Coverage can also be limited by the duration of any contamination.

In some ISO forms, the period of restoration has a waiting period, such as 72 hours, before coverage begins. And the period lasts only as long as it should take to repair the physical loss or damage using due diligence and dispatch, OMalley wrote in her column. If the physical damage is the particles of virus on surfaces of a building, how long should it reasonably take to use soap and water, or bleach, to clean those surfaces?

Badger said his colleague OMalleys column was one of the better analyses hes seen. He said he agreed with her that insurance policies provide coverage only if there is a direct physical loss.

Whether there is coverage for business losses arising out of civil authority orders is dependent on policy language, he said in an email. Insurers will have to consider the reasons behind the civil authority order, including whether they are reactive to property damage or pro-active to avoid future damage or injury, and the breadth of those orders.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 17 : Even as no fresh corona positive case was reported on Tuesday in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said a committee of experts will be appointed to advise the state government on how to go forward.

"The good news is that there has been no fresh positive cases and the total number of positive cases remains at 24. Today 17,743 people are under observation in homes, while 268 of them are in hospitals. An expert committee is needed so that the government can take advise from experts," said Vijayan.

"We have now decided to seek the help of medical students in our state who will launch a campaign under the guidance of the Indian Medical Association. Special care is required for all those who are above 60 years," said Vijayan.

He said the State Level Bankers Committee has decided to take steps to see how best they can come to the relief of all those who have taken loans.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, who had visited the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) on Saturday and attended a meeting there, had to home-quarantine himslef in Delhi after a doctor in the institute turned corona positive. There are 76 more officials who are now under isolation.

He wrote in his Facebook that as a matter of abundant caution, even though he has tested negative, he is remaining in self-isolation at his official residence in Delhi.

In a related development, Additional Director General of police B. Sandhya held an awareness class for auto-rickshaw drivers on how to tackle the spread of coronavirus in the state capital city.

Several Kerala students appeared on TV channels live from the Kuala Lumpur airport after reaching there from Philippines and were told that all the flights to India had been cancelled.

"We are unfortunately stuck at the airport, after reaching from Philippines. Now we cannot go back as they have banned entry and we can't reach our home country also as we are now told the flight that we booked has been cancelled. Someone please help us," said a girl student.

Back home in Kerala, the Congress-led opposition has repeatedly demanded keeping state-owned liquor and beer outlets shut to avoid crowding. However, Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan said the department has come out with a new advisory that no more than 30 people should stand in queue at a time and all of them should maintain a safe distance from one another.

The department has supplied masks and sanitizers to its counter staff and will be opening more counters to avoid queues.
The Unity Group is greatly disturbed that the Tennessee Department of Education remains steadfast in its stance that TN Ready will continue to be administered during this academic year. We would hope that the Department would strongly take into consideration that this is a time of national crisis, and many systems in the state have elected to close school as a safeguard measure which serves to help alleviate unnecessarily exposing students to the Coronavirus and other seasonal ailments. This is a practical and prudent measure.

Reasons to suspend TN Ready on this year are many. First, the U. S. Department of Education has announced it would strongly consider all waiver request.

Secondly, there are many who have concerns over high stakes testing. We are concerned that NCLB ushered in an era where teachers are forced to teach towards the test, and not to the abilities, capabilities, and creative ingenuity that is within all students.

Likewise, during the last five years, public confidence in the ability to administer the test has been greatly shaken. There have been multiple test vendors, measurement errors, the exposure that many schools lack the technological infrastructure to administer the test digitally because of the lack of computers and other forms of technology, and appropriate accommodations and modifications that takes into account the diverse needs of all learners. Quite simply put, TN Ready was not ready for half a decade. In fact, many parents have simply chosen to "Opt- Out."

The constraints placed on teachers is another concern. There will not be sufficient time to adequately administer the test and maintain other mandates that are required by law. If we can relieve the stress of this test on schools then why don't we? It must be remembered, many of the questionable testing practices that have surfaced in places like Atlanta were in large measure due to the stress placed on schools to reach often unobtainable benchmarks.

Finally, we have questions on who designs the test. Do these companies that devise test develop questions from a diverse perspective? Are the test culturally relevant and responsive? Do they take into account how students are prepared to take a test? Are the formats designed to take into account the diverse needs of all learners.

In closing, standardized test should be used as a means to review the growth rate of students, but all too often they are used punitively as a way to punish schools and teachers. In education, student- centered approaches that favor hands-on instruction that is project, problem and personalized based. They should be used to build up the capacity of schools, and be used as a guide in curriculum development, the necessary modifications and accommodations in student learning and development, and be used to increase the self esteem, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation to extrinsically demonstrate how they have grown, learned and achieved. For these reasons, the Unity Group joins like- minded organizations in calling for the Tennessee Department of Education to suspend TN Ready for this academic year, and dedicate itself to more productive avenues that will support school systems and students as they seek ways to deal with the growing national and global crisis that is the Coronavirus.

Unity Group of Chattanooga

Sherman E. Matthews Jr., Chairman

Eric Atkins, Cooresponding Secretary
The TRS government in Telangana has not made any official communication to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on the resolution adopted by the Assembly on Monday opposing CAA, NPR and NRC, said sources close to her.

There was also no prior official intimation to her about the plan to move such a resolution, they said.

The government, however, had agreed to delete some anti-CAA wordings in her recent address to the Assembly when she had objected to them, they said.

The Governor had clearly told the state government that such laws enacted by parliament cannot be criticised or opposed in the state Assembly.

"Despite that if they continued to pass such a resolution after supporting (by TRS) CAA in parliament then there could be some political compulsions due to the pressure exerted by the alliance party AIMIM," said a source.

Telangana chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhara Roa while speaking in the Assembly on the resolution had said CAA and NPR/NRC are methods being used to "tinker with the inclusive and non-religious nature of the citizenship".

"For the first time in India, the CAA introduced a religious test to acquire Indian citizenship while also providing for an accelerated path for non-Muslims of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

There have been protests across India against enactment of CAA and the proposed implementation of NPR and NRC," he had said.

With Monday's development, Telangana has joined non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states like West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Puducherry and Bihar which have also passed resolutions against the NRC/NPR.

Fifty-eight year old Tamilisai Soundararajan, who took charge as the Governor on Sept.9, 2019, was the Tamil Nadu BJP unit president till her appointment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Long Thanh airport will be located around 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City Photo: Le Toan

Sluggishness, however, continues to overshadow the project, creating an urge for concrete solutions in order to speed it up.

There will be no delay in site clearance for the Long Thanh International Airport project, stated the governments latest request for relevant agencies working on the key national project which has strategic importance to the development of the southern economic hub.

The government made the move as site clearance was being seen as sluggish, dragging out the development process of the $16 billion venture.

Procedures such as the evaluation of land price, the scheme for compensation, and development of a resettlement area for 700 households affected by the project remain stagnant. Moreover, just over VND1 trillion ($43.47 million) has been disbursed so far, a mere 10 per cent of the plan.

The authorities of the southern province of Dong Nai where the airport will be built noted, We are working with relevant agencies to hasten the work so as to complete the evaluation of land price for compensation for 138 households in early April, while the scheme for compensation for the remainder will be submitted to the government for approval within the first quarter.

With the schedule to kick off work on the resettlement area in September at the earliest, the plan to hand over cleared land for Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) in October looks to be infeasible.

Despite the slowdown, Long Thanh is set to become a profitable project for domestic and international private financiers. Especially, with ACV officially selected as the investor of the scheme, the door is opening for potential ventures to join services, maintenance and repair, catering services, hangars, and airport hotels.

A representative of ACV said that bidding will be offered soon to facilitate domestic and international private investors to compete.

ACV will have to arrange nearly $5 billion for the first phase of the project, which will have an annual capacity of 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo. Economists have raised doubts about the capacity of ACV to raise funding, signalling a high possibility of slow development and a rise in capital costs, although the giant already operates 22 airports.

The corporation plans to raise funding to ensure project development on schedule, with construction beginning in 2021 and completed in 2025.

Do Tat Binh, deputy general director of ACV said, Capital for the project is not insufficient. We are waiting for cleared land to make the next steps.

Thus far, major names from South Korea, Japan, China, and the US are queuing up, including Lotte Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. and Japans Taisei Corporation. Elsewhere, Swedish giants such as Ulf Rudebark, SEK, SAAB, Ericsson, Asix Communications, and Volvo have shown interest in both Long Thanh and the Vietnamese aviation sector as a whole.

Hanoi General Export Import JSC and Hong Kong United Investors Holding have already submitted their proposals to the prime minister for approval.
Large quantities of such products had been exported to countries with major outbreaks of the coronavirus, creating a shortage in the domestic market

Egypts minister of trade and industry issued two decrees on Tuesday banning the export of infection prevention supplies, including face masks and alcoholic materials, for three months as of publishing the decrees in the official gazette.

According to the ministrys statement, the decision aims to ensure the supply of these products as part of the governments measures to protect people from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak.

The decrees were issued after coordination with the health ministry and manufacturing companies, the statement said, adding that large quantities of such products had been exported to countries with major outbreaks of the virus, creating a shortage in the domestic market.

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Donald Trump has raised hackles again after referring to coronavirus as the Chinese virus, further exacerbating tensions between the US and China over the disease.

After giving an address on Monday in which the US president acknowledged the US economy may be heading for a recession, he posted on Twitter: The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese virus.

We will be stronger than ever before! he added.

State-run newspaper Global Times responded to Trumps tweet and said: What a president! By labelling the Covid-19 Chinese virus, Trump tries to hide his administrations lack of prevention & control measures against the coronavirus.

He passes the buck to China, trying to prove that he is NOT responsible for the current situation the US is facing.

Another state-run agency, Xinhua, also responded to the US presidents tweet in an op-ed that accused the US of a sloppy response to the coronavirus outbreak and of slandering Chinas anti-epidemic efforts.

With the Chinese peoples arduous efforts, China has seen important progress in containing the disease and provided the world precious time to enhance the preparedness, Xinhua wrote.

The so-called political elite in Washington, however, are not using the time well. Ever since the outbreak, they have been more interested in spreading disinformation and slandering Chinas anti-epidemic efforts instead of caring about how to prepare its own country better to protect people from the disease.

Using racist and xenophobic names to cast blame for the outbreak on other countries can only reveal politicians irresponsibility and incompetence which will intensify virus fears.

Chinas foreign ministry told Reuters Trumps tweet smears China and added they are very angry and strongly oppose it.

The Trump administration has deployed similar language when referring to coronavirus before. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo referred to the disease as the Wuhan coronavirus earlier this month.

Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi told Pompeo on Monday that attempts by US politicians to undermine Chinas efforts to control the outbreak would only lead to retaliation.

While the US tries to get the spread of the virus under control, China reported on Tuesday it had more imported cases than new local ones for the fourth day consecutively.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

The National Health Commission said mainland China had 21 new confirmed cases, out of which 20 were infected travellers arriving from abroad and just one was locally transmitted in Wuhan.

China sought to emphasise its role in curbing the global spread of the disease, and has repeatedly said the world should learn and use Chinas principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment.

The US side should immediately correct its wrongful behaviours and stop smearing China and making groundless accusations against it before it is too late, added Xinhua.

Additional reporting by agencies
What a different St Patrick's Day we will all have today!

No parades, no big community events, no drowning the shamrock in your local pub....

If you're chasing leprechauns today, remember to stay a safe distance away from fellow walkers or families out enjoying the fresh air!

Here are some myths and folklore around St Patrick (above, Picture: PIXABAY):

1. Much of what is known about St Patrick's life has been interwoven with folklore and legend. Historians generally believe that St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Britain (not Ireland, possibly Wales. Others state he was a Gaul) near the end of the 4th century. At age 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold as a slave to a Celtic priest in Northern Ireland. After toiling for six years as a shepherd, he escaped back to Britain. He eventually returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary.

2. Among the legends associated with St Patrick is that he stood atop an Irish hillside and banished snakes from Irelandprompting all serpents to slither away into the sea. In fact, research suggests snakes never occupied the Emerald Isle in the first place. There are no signs of snakes in the countrys fossil record. And water has surrounded Ireland since the last glacial period. Before that, the region was covered in ice and would have been too cold for the reptiles.

3. The red-haired, green-clothed Leprechaun is commonly associated with St Patricks Day. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is lobaircin, meaning small-bodied fellow. Belief in leprechauns likely stems from Celtic belief in fairies tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies.

4. The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, has been associated with Ireland for centuries. It was called the seamroy by the Celts and was considered a sacred plant that symbolized the arrival of spring. According to legend, St Patrick used the plant as a visual guide when explaining the Holy Trinity. By the 17th century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism.

5. While people in Ireland had marked the birthday of St Patrick since the 1600s, the tradition of a St Patricks Day parade began in America and actually predates the foundation of the United States. Records show that a St Patricks Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St Augustine, Florida.

The parade, and a St Patricks Day celebration a year earlier were organized by the Spanish Colony's Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in 1737 and in New York City on March 17. Enthusiasm for the St. Patricks Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities only grew from there. This year (2020), parades throughout the country, including in New York City and Boston were canceled or postponed for the first time in decades due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

6. The meal that became a St Patricks Day staple across the countrycorned beef and cabbagewas an American innovation. While ham and cabbage were eaten in Ireland, corned beef offered a cheaper substitute for impoverished immigrants. Irish-Americans living in the slums of lower Manhattan in the late 19th century and early 20th, purchased leftover corned beef from ships returning from the tea trade in China. The Irish would boil the beef three timesthe last time with cabbageto remove some of the brine.
A new study by the company, titled 'Medical Foods Market: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2026' , has listed out the key points being considered by companies and governing bodies involved in the medical foods market to stay sustainably profitable in the long run.

The North America medical foods market is a prominent market on a global level, with the adoption of medical foods comparatively high in the. Health practitioners present here prescribe medical foods over other routine foods to overcome diseases at a much faster pace.

The market in Asia Pacific, which includes China, is expected to grow over the forecast period for medical foods, as most of the suited healthcare facilities for medical foods are operating in this region by setting up manufacturing units.

This step provides quality products with affordable working labor that cuts operating expenses. With a rise in the population in Asia Pacific, it becomes a sure-shot opportunity space. However, increasing price and other therapeutic alternatives present in such developing regions are countering the growth of the medical foods market in this region.

To Remain Ahead Of Your Competitors, Request for a Sample Here @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/26854

This report finds that, the medical foods market is not just for global manufacturers. There are minor companies present who focus on the improvement of medical foods, such as Targeted Medical Pharma. Companies like them show clear light for other interested players to get involved in the medical foods market, though it is a highly consolidated market with bigger companies occupying a majority of the share.

A diverse product range and a progressive marketing technique can help in establishing a mark in the medical foods industry. The U.S. is a frontrunner in the medical foods industry, since people in this region understand the entirety of medical foods. In most developing countries, the main barrier for medical foods is the lack of understanding such a concept, which leads to less adoption of medical foods.

The growing medical foods industry is most certainly taken as an emerging market, where growth is because of new medical food manufacturers getting involved in the market. In most parts of the world, it is still a concept everyone is just trailing around. This industrys aspects are not well positioned in most parts of the world, due to socio-economic differences.

For example  ORS is available in most parts of the world with provided schemes from world health bodies such as WHO. But this is not the case with other medical food categories due to many reasons that are better classified by manufacturers and government officials.

The medical foods industry comprises de?ned food products that are manufactured to act for a particular disease indication. They meet the nutritional de?ciencies observed after a speci?c disease. This report helps in studying the market requirements designed for medical foods, and other dynamics going forward in the industry.

For Critical Insights On The Medical Foods Market, Request For Customization Here @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/request-customization/26854

For medical foods, nutritionally complete products are stated as complete formulation products, which consist of sufficient amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in their composition with suitable pharmaceutical compounds.

This segment is more dominant than nutritionally incomplete formula and oral rehydration products. The adoption rate for complete formulation products as medical foods is more evident than other options. A number of medical foods present are also more nutritionally complete products, and this count will only grow.

Metabolic disorder was the prime application of medical foods, which has changed over a period, with recent products also suitable for different health indications such as cancer, depression, and Alzheimers disease. Though the number of medical foods available for metabolic disorder is still high in number. This is more because patients with such disorders only depend on medical foods for complete nutritional benefits.
The Embassy of the Republic of Ghana, USA, wishes to inform the general public that due to the increase and rapid spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) both in the United States of America and globally, it has become necessary to take precautionary measures to protect its clients.

In this regard, the Consular Department will suspend both mailed and in-person services for the issuance of Ghanaian visas and passports effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

All mails received prior to the effective date will be processed and dispatched to applicants.

The Embassy in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is also suspending all official travels and public engagements.

For regular updates, please visit our website at www.ghanaembassydc . org and our social media pages including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For emergency consular assistance, please contact:

Email:

[email protected]

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BAGHDAD  At least three rockets struck Baghdads fortified Green Zone near the American Embassy late Tuesday, a day after an attack on a training base south of Baghdad where U.S.-led coalition troops and NATO trainers were present, Iraqi security officials said. It was the fourth such attack in the span of a week.

At least three rockets struck the Green Zone, the seat of Iraqs government and home to several foreign embassies, two Iraqi security officials said. Myles Caggins, spokesman for the coalition, said the rockets fell at least 1.2 miles from the embassy.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The previous evening, rockets hit the Basmaya base near the Iraqi capital, an Iraqi army statement said. The projectiles landed in an area that includes agricultural land and a factory, according to the statement. No more details were provided.

A Spanish contingent of the coalition and NATO trainers are present at the Basmaya site. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from the coalition and no militant group claimed responsibility for the assault.

Last Wednesday, a barrage of over two dozen rockets struck Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, killing three coalition servicemen, including two Americans. A British serviceman was also killed. It was the deadliest to target U.S. troops in Iraq since a late December rocket attack on an Iraqi base, which killed a U.S. contractor and set in motion a series of attacks that brought Iraq to the brink of war.

Wednesdays barrage was followed by another attack, on Saturday at the same site, which wounded five soldiers  three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers.

The first attack prompted American air strikes Friday against what U.S. officials said were mainly weapons facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group believed to be responsible for the attack.

However, Iraqs military said those air strikes 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, signaling another cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out in Iraq.

Samya Kullab is an Associated Press writer.
China has reported just one domestic case of coronavirus today but found 20 more cases imported from abroad, threatening to spoil its progress.

The single case in Wuhan will boost China's view that it has 'basically curbed' the spread of the pathogen which emerged in the city last December.

But the country is now concerned about an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day.

In a reversal of roles, Beijing is now requiring almost all international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels.

Clean-up: A volunteer wearing a protective suit and face mask operates a remote-controlled disinfection robot in a residential area of Wuhan, which recorded only one new case today

China also reported 13 new deaths today, raising its toll to 3,226.

The country has recorded 80,881 total cases, but fewer than 9,000 people remain infected.

As recently as last month, 99 per cent of worldwide cases were in China but the figure is now only 45 per cent.

Nine of the 20 new imported cases were in Beijing and three in Shanghai, raising the total number of confirmed infections from abroad to 143, according to the National Health Commission.

The country's progress stands in stark contrast with the growing crisis in other countries, with most of Europe grinding to a halt over virus fears.

The number of deaths worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 181,500 cases in 145 countries.

Wuhan and its 11million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei province going under lockdown in the following days.

Authorities tightened restrictions in the city even further on February 11, confining people to their homes as health workers faced a daily deluge of well over 1,000 cases - a move officials say was critical in containing the virus.

Medical staff cheer themselves up before going into an intensive care ward at the Red Cross Hospital in Wuhan yesterday, with the crisis easing in China

Other cities across the country also ordered people to stay indoors, and no new domestic infections have been detected outside Hubei for several days in a row with restrictions starting to be loosened.

People who live alone, minors, the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying conditions are allowed to confine themselves at home.

A Beijing medical adviser last week boasted that the world could bring the outbreak under control if it emulates China's measures.

Epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan urged countries to 'get mobilised' and 'intervene on a national scale' to halt a crisis which is now spiralling outside China.

Zhong, who is credited with helping to combat the SARS outbreak in 2003, warned that the current crisis would 'last longer' if countries 'do not treat the infectiousness and harmfulness seriously'.

China is now focusing on restarting factories and businesses hit by the containment policies, including the hard-hit airline industry.

Chinese airlines reported total losses of 20.96 billion yuan ($3billion) in February while the total number of airline passengers fell 84.5 per cent year-on-year.

Local governments must do their utmost to ensure people return to work as soon as possible, the official China Daily said in an editorial.

Many businesses are still facing labour shortages and supply-chain disruptions, it said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland is in the beginning stages of the coronavirus epidemic, MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros says in a new video.

The more the community follows public health recommendations, including social distancing, the smaller impact COVID-19 will have, Boutros said.

Related: See a video from Boutros to the community

Its critical. We cannot overwhelm the healthcare system," Boutros said. "If we do the spread of infection will become uncontrolled.

Boutros reiterates recommendations to protect you and your family from the disease and the differences between the coronavirus and the flu. Once the number of new cases begins to decline, Boutros said, experts will have a better idea of when the pandemic will end.

Stay home, social distance as much as possible, wash your hands, dont touch your face and be kind to each other.
LUCKNOW Fear of Covid-19 has hit university hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations in Lucknow. In the past few days, several students have left these places, while many who had been out for the Holi vacation havent returned.

Vinay Singh, a BSc second year student in Habibullah Hostel at LU, got a call from his father in Sitapur on Tuesday. My father sounded very worried about cornonavirus spread and asked me return home for a few days, Singh said, as he sat behind two other friends on a scooter outside the gate of the hostel for their journey to Sitapur.

Jaan hai to jahan hai aap sabne padha hi hoga. Kuchh din ke liye jaan bachane jaa rahe hain (The world matters only when you are alive. You must have read about it. We are returning home for a few days to save our lives), said Vinays friend Deepak as he revved the up the scooters engine.

Many rooms remain locked inside the hostel. Some are of students who hadnt returned after Holi, while others left the hostel recently.

Those who have stayed back, limit themselves to their rooms, taking precautions to avoid infection.

I have bought a hand sanitiser and a liquid handwash . I wash my hands regularly and spend most of the time inside my room, said Tushar Kumar of Varanasi who lives in Mahmoodabad Hostel of LU.

The university suspended all educational activities, including examinations, as per the directives of the state government.

But for now, hostels are not being vacated. DurgeshSrivastav, LU spokesman, said: We are keeping a watch and acting as per the directives issued by the government.

Hostels in other universities, including (BBAU) Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University and research institutes, have also been vacated by inmates.

Students living in PG accommodations are also home bound. Mohd Nooruddin, a NEET aspirant from Gorakhpur, vacated his room in Narhi on Tuesday.

My parents are worried about the infection, so I decided to leave the PG accommodation. The NEET exam is scheduled in May and students are worried that Covid-19 outbreak would affect their preparations.

One Kalyan Singh from Siddharthnagar, who lives in a hostel in Narhi, said: I have to leave for my village tomorrow. My preparation will be affected because we dont get round-the-clock electricity at home.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 16:47:34|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- An mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 is expected to enter clinical trials in mid-April, a health official in Shanghai was quoted by Tuesday's Science and Technology Daily as saying.

Virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines have produced specific antibodies in mouse immune experiments, Yi Chengdong, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, told a press conference Monday. The vaccine toxicity studies have been carried out on primate animals, according to the report.

VLP vaccines are multiprotein structures that mimic the organization and conformation of viruses but lack the viral genome, potentially yielding effective, safer and affordable vaccine candidates.

Meanwhile, three novel coronavirus test products have been approved and clinically applied in Shanghai, said Zhang Quan, director of Shanghai's science and technology commission.

"As of March 15, more than 80,000 test reagents from Shanghai had been exported to 22 countries including Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia," Zhang was quoted by the paper as saying.
The 13th annual Chili Cha Cha raised nearly $45,000 for the Sacred Heart/Divine Child St. Vincent de Paul Conference and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen.

The fruit, cheese, and crackers banquet table was donated by the Hughes family. A memorial picture of Art Hughes honored him at the banquet table this year. For years, the Hughes family has donated this table.

The events grand total of fundraising amounted to $44,635.14. Food allocation for Chef Alison was $500 and the fund split between the Capuchins and the St. Vincent de Paul Conference was a resounding $22,065.

The additional funds raised were mostly from grants provided by seven local family foundations, which raised about $14,000.

Last year the event raised just under $30,000, making this years totals about 50 percent higher than ever before.

The open bar included donations from Vincentian Joe Charnleys choice of fine wines by Carmela, as well as unique, delicious craft beer of Downey Brewery donated by Fran Helner, the chairperson of Chili Cha Cha and lead committee member Ann Konchal. Tom Helner volunteered as a bartender.

Toe-tapping music set the tone with a band called Swing City Big Band. Guests danced to the music with scores of compliments about the band.

A silent auction and sale of vintage glassware from the historic Pool restaurant at Fair Lane mansion earned additional monies.

Some of the related events included the Top Hat Collection at Sacred Heart Church, and Dress Down Day at Sacred Heart Elementary School among others.

The top hat tradition goes back more than 150 years.

In early March, Fran Helner presented checks to Brother Jerry Johnson, director of Detroits Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Pamela Szpytman, President of Sacred Heart/Divine Child SVdP.

We have so many needy neighbors and this will help ease their economic challenges,Szpytman said. We cant thank everyone enough for their volunteering, the Top Hat, and outstanding donations from the Silver Spoons and Good Samaritans. In addition, let me extend our thankfulness to tremendous family foundations who shared their blessings and gave us unbelievable grants.

Johnson was also pleased with the fundraising efforts.

We are overwhelmed with gratitude, and need this badly, he said. You have our many, many thanks.

Back in the 1800s, in Paris, France, a small group of young Sorbonne students gathered together under the direction of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, to celebrate fellowship, spirituality, and performing acts of charity with the needy.

The simple act of Victorian men upholding their top hats on street corners, is initially, the first solicitation of money in order to advance their mission with the poor. Historically, the impact is phenomenal as there are SVdP Conferences all over the world.
MUMBAI: Amid growing concerns over fast-spreading Coronavirus cases, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had order private companies to implement the work from home for its employees.

Addressing a press conference, Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but he asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces. Maharashtra has so far reported one death and 39 confirmed novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases.

The government has also decided to postpone all ongoing exams in the state, Thackeray told reporters at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.

The next 15 to 20 days are important for the state as far as containment of the coronavirus spread is concerned and people should be extra vigilant on this aspect, he said.

There should be no crowding at religious sites in view of the novel coronavirus threat, though worship there may continue, he said.

The infection had not spread in the first two weeks, but there has been a significant rise in the third and fourth week. "The first coronavirus case was found in the state a week back so this is the start of the second week and hence we need to be extremely careful, said Thackeray.

Highlighting that the coronavirus is spreading in multiples in various parts of the world, he said in New York and Iran only two people were infected by the virus in the first week.

However, New York had 613 cases by the third week, while Iran reported 12,500 cases in the fifth week, he said.

There should be no crowding at religious sites in view of the novel coronavirus threat, the chief minister said.

"The coronavirus has spread all over the world. There is hardly any country in the world that is not yet under the coronavirus threat. This is a global challenge now, said Thackeray.

According to the Chief Minister, his government has not made any decision to stop rail and bus services and shut hotels through malls have been shut down. Whatever we are doing is in the interest of citizens. I am sure people will observe self-restraint. It is not correct to make rules for everything, he said and pleaded with people to avoid unnecessary travel.

The entire government machinery is well prepared, but I appeal citizens not to panic, he said. The Maharashtra CM said there should be uniformity in the steps taken to disinfect trains and buses in the state.

He said the government will also paint a suburban and an outstation train with instructions on how to prevent and fight the deadly viral infection. Meanwhile, BMC - Mumbai civic body - has already asked private and public sector companies to encourage their employees to work from home.

A circular issued by the municipal commissioner also said non-essential service provider companies should work with 50 per cent staff capacity, making their staff work in rotation.

Steps are being taken to reduce the crowds in public transport in Mumbai, it said.
(Bloomberg) -- An Israeli technology company, which has gained notoriety for the spyware it sells, has developed a new product it says has the ability to track the spread of the coronavirus.

NSO Group Ltd.s product analyzes huge volumes of data to map peoples movements to identify who theyve come in contact with, which can then be used to stop the spread of infection, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Global Curbs Tighten; Mnuchin Seeks $850 Billion: Virus Update

About a dozen countries are testing the NSO technology, the person familiar said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a private matter. The software takes two weeks of mobile-phone tracking information from the infected person -- the incubation time of the virus -- then matches with location data collected by national mobile phone companies that pinpoints citizens who were in the patients vicinity for more than 15 minutes and are vulnerable to contagion, the person said.

NSOs new product is being tested just as Israel approves the use of a tracking technology developed to combat terrorism to retrace the movements of coronavirus patients and people theyve encountered. The step has proved controversial, with critics saying it constitutes an invasion of Israeli citizens privacy.

NSO itself has a history fraught with privacy and human rights controversy. Its spyware has been suspected of helping Saudi Arabia spy on murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an accusation the company has denied. Speculation its software may have been used to hack the phone of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos was also denied by the company. WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit against NSO, alleging that it violated the messaging platforms terms of service by using it as a delivery mechanism for its spyware.

Why You Dont Need to Be Bezos to Worry About Spyware: QuickTake

Civilian Product

The data analysis tool is the companys first civilian product.Unlike NSOs better-known Pegasus spyware, the big-data software doesnt track mobile phones or conduct surveillance, the person said. Its a civilian product sold to national health ministries and doesnt need special export permission from Israels Ministry of Defense, the person said.

Story continues

Should the software determine a possible case of contagion, a text message is sent to the SIM number, without revealing the owners identity to authorities, the person familiar said. Only when citizens test positive for the virus -- and give permission -- can officials correlate their SIM cards with their identities, the person said.

An NSO spokesman confirmed that the company developed a new data-analysis product with the ability to map the spread of the epidemic and help contain it. He declined further comment.

NSO has said it sells its surveillance technology to law enforcement and intelligence agencies to help catch criminals and terrorists. It can tap into a phones microphone and camera, view email and messages and collect location data on the user.

Surveillance Democracy?

On Monday, the Israeli government authorized the countrys Shin Bet internal security agency to deploy a similar technology to track the virus among its citizens, which was originally developed to monitor the movement of militants.

Critics raised concerns about putting such technology in governments hands.

We can use any technology to fight this horrible disease, said Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, head of the democracy in the information age program at the Israel Democracy Institute research center. The question is, who will do it? And who will supervise it? And who will promise that after this is over, we wont become a surveillance democracy?

In Taiwan, Singapore and all of Europe, governments hired private companies that send the data they collect to health ministries, Altshuler noted.

Nowhere have they involved the secret services, she said.

The disease, which originated in China late last year, has spread to 141 countries and regions, infecting more than 180,000 people, killing more than 7,000 and sending economies cratering. Israel has 304 confirmed cases, with no deaths.

Israels Internal Security Agency to Track Coronavirus Patients

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the technology will greatly assist us in locating patients and thereby stop the spread of the virus and stressed strict oversight of the tools to ensure they would not be abused.

(Updates with background in fourth paragraph)

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  A Chinese company has abandoned its plan to build a massive paper mill in southwestern Arkansas that had already been delayed by trade tensions.

Sun Paper told Gov. Asa Hutchinson and economic development officials in a letter dated Sunday that it would not move forward with its plan to build a mill in Arkadelphia, about 60 miles southwest of Little Rock. The company cited continued political friction and economic instability, and the coronavirus outbreak as reasons for walking away from the project.





. . .
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 11:41:05|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Shi Xiaomeng

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization said on Monday that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside China has exceeded that inside China, sounding an alarm bell for the international community that the major battleground in this fight against the pandemic has shifted.

As the transition takes place, nations across the globe should realize that a more broadly coordinated drive to contain and end the outbreak brooks no delay. Hesitation and disaccord would lead to chaos and severer consequences.

The first priority is to take swift and decisive action.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Beijing has adopted the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough-going measures unseen in human history to treat those infected and curb the further spread of the virus. As a result, China has largely put the outbreak under control, with many of its provinces except the epicenter Hubei being nearly clear of new infections.

Already, many hard-hit countries, notably those in Europe, the current epicenter of the global pandemic, have set their measures in motion: Italy and Spain have placed lockdowns nationwide; Greece has suspended classes; Germany has tightened its border control; France has closed restaurants, cafes and cinemas.

These social distancing measures, according to China's painful experience and sacrifice, can work over time. But to win this global war on a previously unknown virus requires everyone's combined efforts. No one is strong enough to do this alone.

China, from the onset of the outbreak, has been working closely with other governments and international organizations to share critical information and throttle the epidemic.

Having largely contained the disease's spread at home, China is now helping others cope with this unprecedented microbe challenge. A worldwide victory means no country should be left behind.

China has sent medical professionals to Italy, Iraq and Iran along with badly needed materials like test kits, masks, protective suits and goggles. Its experience in containing the epidemic will prove valuable too.

And as governments have begun to ratchet up their containment efforts, they should bear in mind that acts of isolationism or protectionism can not help them save the day in this age of globalization. They need to better coordinate their policies and actions across the borders.

Apart from bolstering cooperation in prevention and control, the international community must come together to develop effective treatment, preventive drugs and vaccines. The world has done this before when China, the United States, Mexico and Australia pooled their efforts into the development of drugs and vaccines during the H1N1 influenza in 2010. It can do it again.

There's been one unfortunate lesson from the past few weeks: Those who failed to take early action against the disease have witnessed it wreak havoc across their nations.

Still, policy-makers in some countries are hesitating; some are simply trying to take a let-it-go approach; yet others are taking advantage of the dire situation to smear certain nations for self gain, and even using racist language to sow the seed of hatred.

They risk putting not only the lives and health of their citizens on the line, but those of others across the world as well.

Now that the global fight against the disease enters a new and perhaps the most critical stage, the human race needs more than ever to join their hands in the face of this shared global challenge. That is where humanity's best possible hope lies now.
The head of Syrias White Helmets rescue force has been making the rounds in Washington over the last week to spotlight the dire humanitarian crisis in Idlib  and the need to ensure aid makes its way to some million displaced people in the embattled province. White Helmets chief Raed Saleh capped his week in Washington off by meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun on Monday to discuss Idlib.

Deputy Secretary Biegun commended the Syria Civil Defense and its courageous team of first responders, known as the White Helmets, for providing life-saving assistance to the victims of aerial bombardments and mortar attacks on homes, schools and hospitals perpetrated by the [Bashar al-Assad] regime and its allies, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

Ortagus noted the meeting's participants agreed that the international community must continue to ensure the protection of civilians, religious and ethnic minorities and other innocent victims of the Assad regimes brutality.

Saleh also met with US Syria envoy James Jeffrey and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Levant Affairs Joel Rayburn. He also stopped by an exhibition at the Turkish Embassy of photographs of White Helmets rescue operations.

Why it matters: The United Nations has stopped using two key border crossings to deliver humanitarian aid into Syria from Iraq and Jordan after Russia and China blocked their reauthorization last year  a point Saleh hammered home while addressing the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The other two border crossings from Turkey remain open.

Jeffrey announced earlier this month that the United States has authorized $100 million in assistance to help displaced Syrians in Idlib. President Donald Trump authorized $4.5 million in aid to the White Helmets last year.

Whats next: Syrian advocacy groups are also calling on the Trump administration to hasten the implementation of sanctions on Damascus. The administration is legally required to implement the sanctions by June per a law the president signed last year. That law also requires the administration to brief Congress on measures to protect Syrian civilians by the end of the week.

Know more: Congressional correspondent Bryant Harris has the full report on the Syria sanctions set to go into effect. And be sure to read Khaled al-Khatebs report on how the new joint Russian-Turkish patrols in Idlib have divided the Syrian opposition.
A look at todays biggest headlines.

Live updates: Coronavirus deaths pass 6,000 worldwide  CNN The Peoples Bank of China on Monday pumped 100 billion yuan ($14.3 billion) into the financial system by offering one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) loans to banks. On Friday, the central bank announced it would cut the amount of cash banks need to hold as reserves by 50 basis points, injecting around 550 billion yuan ($78.6 billion) into the economy.

More coronavirus cases outside mainland China than inside For the first time since the novel coronavirus was first identified last year, there are now more reported cases outside of mainland China than inside, marking a new milestone in the evolution of the global pandemic.

Millions across the US wake up to massive shutdowns to curb spread of coronavirus The end of a weekend spent indoors, away from neighbors, friends, and communities of worship, will not bring relief to Americans Monday as they face a slew of new restrictions designed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Multiple cruise ships are left stranded as coronavirus cases increase (CNN)  Several cruise ships are stranded at sea, some with confirmed coronavirus cases on board, as the pandemic expands around the globe. Some ships have been denied port, leaving them to anchor off the coast of a country. Other cruises have docked with quarantined passengers aboard.

Airbnb further expands its coronavirus response, hosts complain, Vrbo makes no change (CNN)  As coronavirus spreads across the globe, the vacation rental company Airbnb expanded its extenuating circumstances policy yesterday, allowing almost all travelers to cancel their reservations penalty-free. Now, most travelers who booked with the company will qualify for penalty-free refunds for bookings, and thousands of travelers are canceling their reservations and choosing to stay home.

Luxury perfume makers Dior and Givenchy will produce free hand sanitizer for French health authorities With the reported cases of novel coronavirus in France nearing 4,500 with 91 deaths, some of the countrys most famous luxury brands are switching from perfume to hand sanitizer.

Infected people without symptoms might be driving the spread of coronavirus more than we realized New studies in several countries and a large coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts bring into question reassuring assertions by US officials about the way the novel virus spreads.

Pope Francis gives his blessing to an eerily empty St. Peters Square St. Peters Square at the Vatican is normally swarming with visitors hoping to see Pope Francis deliver his Sunday remarks. But for the second Sunday this month, the square stood eerily empty as Italy remains on lockdown due to the novel coronavirus.

Worried about coronavirus? If your loved one is over 60, read this There are specific precautions older adults should take to protect their health. We spoke to two geriatricians and pulled guidance from the CDC to assemble what you need to know about the virus and how to stay safe.

Coronavirus updates: Borders close; rates cut; four Chinese cases  BBC News New York City mayor Bill de Blasio says all bars, restaurants, and other venues must close from Tuesday. Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago, he said. We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbours.

The mystery of Ethiopias kidnapped students We are grieving. I cant stop thinking about her. The entire family cant eat, a visibly pained Mare Abebe told the BBC. She is worried about Belaynesh Mekonnen, a first-year economics student at Ethiopias Dembi Dolo University, who was kidnapped last December, along with 17 of her colleagues.

Death sentence for killer of 19 disabled people A Japanese man has been sentenced to death for a stabbing rampage in 2016 which resulted in the death of 19 disabled people at a care home. Satoshi Uematsu said people with disabilities who were unable to communicate well had no human rights, said broadcaster Kyodo.

Biden wants woman VP and other debate takeaways Nine months after 20 Democratic candidates gathered for the first debate of the 2020 primary season, it has come down to two candidates  Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Given the circumstances, one might expect a sombre mood with respectful disagreements.

Airlines slash more flights as coronavirus hits Travel restrictions and a slump in demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have forced airlines to cut staff and slash more flights. On Monday, British Airways-owner IAG said it had cancelled 75% of flights over the coming months.

It may be easier to get coronavirus than we thought First, the obligatory caveat: Theres still so much we dont know about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease that results from the virus. New genetic developments are coming everyday  so fast that even the CDC cant keep up.

Chilling Italian obituary pages show the rising dead from coronavirus European journalist David Carretta posted a grim video Saturday morning thats getting a lot of attention on Twitter. It shows the stark comparison between obituary pages in an Italian newspaper on Feb. 9 versus March 13. As Carrettas contrast depicts, the daily paper LEco di Bergamo had a page and a half of obituaries on Feb.

Americans are hitting bars and bragging about not social distancing The nations top infectious disease researchers have repeatedly warned, if not begged, Americans to practice social distancing as the contagious coronavirus spreads through the population. Thats because, due to a woeful lack of testing in the nation, no one knows how many Americans are infected  and the resulting respiratory disease (COVID-19) is than the flu.
Washington DC [USA], Mar 17 (ANI): Turkish Health Ministry remained in denial of the existing cases of coronavirus in the country despite evidence showing confirmed cases having travel history to Turkey, as authorities silenced whistleblowers and used media to push the narrative of the country managing to keep the disease at bay, an American international affairs magazine has claimed.



As per an article by Michael Rubin in The National Interest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought to downplay the reports of coronavirus under the fear of the collapse of country's tourism industry -- a move that gambled the lives of 80 million Turks amid the outbreak of coronavirus which has killed more than 6600 people globally.

Turkey's crucial tourism sector saw its revenues grow to USD 30 billion in 2018. Erdogan had promised that the country would host as many as 50 million tourists, raising that said figure by at least 20 percent. Adding to it the factor that the country has invested approximately USD 12 billion in a new Istanbul airport, expected to be the world's largest.

Late on Monday (local time), Turkey reported 29 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of those infected in the country to 47.

The report further cited a Turkish doctor claiming that "60 percent of Turks may now be infected from the virus and that Erdogan is retarding testing" so as to prevent the scale of the catastrophe from becoming known.

Globally, the coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 167,500 people and killed 6600 others. (ANI)


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 20)  A number of conglomerates and other retail brands have committed to pay workers' salaries in full even if business operations have shut, as the government sought to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Big companies have stepped up especially after President Rodrigo Duterte's call last Monday for businesses to be compassionate towards their employees, who may have nothing left to fend for their families during the month-long shutdown in Luzon.

All residents have been placed under strict home quarantine, while workers have limited options to get to their jobs with public transportation suspended. Exempted from the travel restrictions are those working in critical sectors like healthcare, banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, and the media.

Here's a list of businesses and their pledges to their employees:

Ayala Group

Ayala Corporation was among the first to reveal its 2.4-billion emergency response package for the pandemic, which provides for wages, bonuses, leave conversions, and loan deferments for its employees and extended workforce.

The aid is targeted mostly for their no work, no pay personnel, which include service providers, construction workers, security agencies, and retail workers. For them, a salary continuance budget of 600 million has been earmarked, while its subsidiary Globe Telecom also set aside 270 million for support staff.

Jollibee Group

Jollibee Foods Corporation unveiled a 1 billion support package for its employees for financial aid during the quarantine period. All work teams across brands, commissaries, and logistics centers would receive financial assistance, including special hires senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

The emergency fund would allot for the workers' full month salary plus their 13th month pay by April 30. The group earlier pledged a 100 million in-kind donation to supply food frontline workers.

McDonald's Philippines

Golden Arches Development Corporation, the parent company of McDonald's in the country, unveiled a 500-million response fund for employees and communities most affected by the Luzon shutdown.

Only a few McDonald's branches have remained open for takeout and delivery transactions under the stricter quarantine protocol. The fund will cover full salaries for restaurant crew and managers even if they cannot come to work, premium payment for those who go on duty, and special kits composed of face masks, alcohol, and vitamins for employees who will man the stores.

The money will also cover food donations to health workers, local government representatives, volunteers, and the poor, according to company chairman George Yang.

MVP Group

All employees of businesses run by Manny Pangilinan would be receiving their full pay and continued benefits, while leave credits would not be used during the one-month quarantine. Work-from-home arrangements have been identified, while employees would also received vitamin tablets.

Pangilinan's moneymaking firms PLDT, Smart, and Meralco would also be getting their full 13th month pay in advance, in a bid to help families cope with the costs of this work stoppage.

SM Group

The country's biggest mall chain SM said all of its employees will get their regular pay while frontliners, security guards and janitors will get emergency financial aid worth 5,000. All employees would have their leave credits intact, while those who continue to report for duty will receive premiums.

The Sy family earlier announced a 100-million donation to help government hospitals in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, mainly for medical frontliners and testing kits.

San Miguel Corporation

San Miguel President Ramon Ang assured as early as Monday that all workers would conitnue to get paid even if operations have been temporarily halted.

Aboitiz Group

The Aboitiz Group announced Friday that it has set aside 900 million in aid to its more than 11,000 workers, which involves the early release of their end-March salary as well as 13th and even 14th month benefits.

The conglomerate also pledged to cover any medical expenses incurred by a team member due to COVID-19.

Udenna Group

The empire owned by businessman Dennis Uy has pledged to release half of employees' 13th month pay plus a portion of their yearend bonus this early to support them at this time of need.

Cebu Landmasters

The Soberano-owned Cebu Landmasters Inc. has also offered to release the 14th month pay of workers early to support workers, while most employees would go under flexible work arrangement as quarantine protocols are being tightened in Visayas and Mindanao, where they operate.

Belo Medical Group

Cosmetic surgeon Dra. Vicki Belo announced earlier this week that she will give full salary and benefits to company employees despite the work suspension, and will be releasing their 13th month pay ahead of schedule to help them out.

Vice Cosmetics

TV host Vice Ganda, who owns a cosmetics line, also announced that her more than 400 employees will be getting their 13th month pay early, loans would be deferred, while cash assistance will be extended to them.

On Friday, the Budget Department announced that all job order and contractual workers in government will be receiving complete salaries for the month even if they could not report to work. Those who are forced to come in as part of an agency's skeletal workforce may get additional pay.

Mall rentals waived

Rental fees in Ayala Malls would be waived from March 16 to April 14, which would translate to about 1.4 billion. The group said this should allow tenants to "provide the much-needed financial support for their employees during this period."

Those leasing spaces in Megaworld Lifestyle Malls will also get a reprieve, with the company waiving rental fees until April 12. Among their popular properties are Eastwood City, Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig, and Lucky Chinatown in Manila.

Robinsons Land will also remove fees for tenants forced by the quarantine protocol to close.

Tenant fees in SM malls would also be waived from March 16 to April 14, with the group hoping that business owners will extend support to their own employees in this time of need.
Gov. Greg Abbott acknowledged on Tuesday that he has the authority to postpone May 26 runoff elections or conduct them exclusively via mail-in ballots in response to the coronavirus.

Everythings on the table, Abbott told reporters when asked about expanding vote-by-mail.

On Monday, Hearst Newspapers reported that state officials have been kicking around the idea. Currently, Texas allows limited use of vote-by-mail.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said because of how low the turnout is, he thinks Texas could easily do an all-mail election to keep people from having to stand in line to vote.

Abbott, however, is not certain he can order the May 2 municipal elections around the state to make similar changes because those are local elections.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

It may only be the municipalities have the power to make that decision, and so theres that legal issue that we are making a determination on, Abbott said. That said, if I dont have the legal authority, we may provide suggested guidelines.

Texas is one of the few states that still requires voters to explain why they need to submit an absentee ballot, at least for voters younger than 65. At least 34 states already allow voters to cast ballots by mail. Four states  Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington  conduct elections completely by mail.

In Texas, however, voters who want to cast absentee ballots must check a box to show they are over 65, sick or disabled, away from the county for the duration of voting, or in jail but still eligible to vote.

Already, voting advocacy groups are calling on all states to adopt mail-in voting to make sure voters can cast ballots without risking additional community spread of the coronavirus.

The Texas Civil Rights Project has sent a letter to the Texas Secretary of State arguing that everyone in Texasa already qualifies to vote by mail because they have the risk of being sick.

Texans should not be asked to choose between their physical well-being and their fundamental right to vote, said Beth Stevens, legal director of the nonprofit groups Voting Rights Program. The Secretary of State should act quickly within her authority to issue guidance to counties, so they can prepare for the logistics of more mail-in-ballot applications. Theres a lot of uncertainty, but luckily, the Texas Legislature gave us this process in the election code and we can rely on it now.
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Tue, March 17, 2020

Suparman, a worker at a coffee machine factory, parked his motorcycle at the parking lot of Panbill Mall located in the Panbil Industrial Zone on Batam Island in the province of Riau Islands on Thursday morning.

He was eager to get back to work at the factory after having been sent home for five days. The factory had closed four of its 12 assembly lines because of a lack of raw materials, most of which are imported from China.

We were sent home for five days because there was nothing to do. But we got called today to start working again as the factory reopened the assembly line, Suparman told The Jakarta Post.

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As students across Houston hunker down in their homes to help stop the spread of coronavirus, teachers like cellist Lisa Vosdoganes are on the lookout for ways to keep kids connected. For Vosdoganes, the best way was a "quarantine flash mob" of students playing musical instruments in their yards.

At 10 a.m., students from HISD's Parker Elementary School emerged from their homes with violins, guitars, cellos and other instruments to join others from Vosdoganes' Suzuki strings magnet program at the school.
Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: The Delhi Police said that to prevent the spread of coronavirus, they appeal to the general public to 'not assemble at any place for protest, dharna, rally, entertainment or any other purpose, whether in close space or outside' till 31 March.

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The borders of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen area will be closed for a period of 30 days starting from 17 March due to the spread of the coronavirus, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday. The French President also said that the travel on the territory of France will be seriously restricted for at least 15 days starting on Tuesday. "Street meetings and family reunions are no longer permitted," Macron stressed, adding that France was in a state of "sanitary war".

US President Donald Trump said that the country's economy "may be" heading towards recession, even as the worldwide cases of the deadly coronavirus, which originated in China last year, continued to surge. "It may be. I think there is tremendous pent up demand in terms of the stock market and economy. Once we are done with it, you are gonna see a tremendous surge," the US President said during a press conference. US stocks suffered one of their biggest one-day losses ever on Monday, as Wall Street's Dow index closed down about 3,000 points over fears of a looming recession, Sputnik reported. This comes even as the US Federal Reserve has announced it would cut its target interest rate to near zero as part of the emergency action to support the US economy from the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

The pair are now resting at a rented home in Australia and remain under quarantine in the house, the US magazines report said, citing a representative of the actor.

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have left a hospital in Australias Queensland state five days after testing positive for the coronavirus, People magazine reported on Monday.

Two more people were tested positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka, taking the number of confirmed cases in the state to 10. The two infected include a 20-year-old woman from Bengaluru with travel history to UK and a 60-year-old man who is a contact of the person who died due to the virus in Kalabauragi. Both have been admitted to the designated isolation hospital.

The number of confirmed cases in India rose to 125, according to the Ministry of Health and family Welfare; Among those tested positive, 103 are Indians and 22 are foreigners. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number cases, with the number at 36.

The mother has also been tested positive for the virus but the results came in after she had given birth. Authorities are not sure whether the child was infected in the womb or after it was born. The duo are being treated at separate hospitals with the mother being moved to a special hospital and the child is still at the first hospital.

A newborn baby in London has become the youngest person to contract the novel coronavirus. The child's mother was rushed to a hospital days before she gave birth as she was suspected to have pneumonia, which is one of the symptoms of the virus.

Twelve of the new figures were imported infections, exceeding the number of domestic transmissions for a third day. The World Health Organization says Europe has become the pandemic's current epicentre.

Mainland China reported a drop in new coronavirus cases on Sunday, but major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai continued to wrestle with cases of infections from travellers arriving from abroad. China had 16 new infections on Sunday, the National Health Commission said on Monday, down from 20 the previous day, taking the mainland's tally to 80,860.

Two persons tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. While one case has been reported from Sector 78, the other has been detected in Sector 100. One person had a travel history to France. Both have been admitted to a designated isolation hospital

In a bid to protect police personnel from novel coronavirus infection, Maharashtra Highway Police has suspended breath-analyser tests needed to check drunk driving, a senior officer has said. "Outbreak of coronavirus has been reported in the state. To contain the spread of the virus, the police personnel need to take precautionary measures accordingly. "Hence, Traffic Police personnel in all police units should not conduct breath-analyser tests for alcohol consumption by motorists," stated the circular.

Maharashtra is also the state with the highest number of infections in India, with 39 confirmed cases so far.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has called for an urgent meeting on the novel coronavirus and the state's preparedness in dealing with it. He is meeting leaders from the corporate and health sector. The report comes after Maharashtra reported its first casualty due COVID-19, the patient was a 64-year-old man who passed away in Mumbai today.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan is in self quarantine after he attended a meeting in a medical institute in Trivandrum on 14 March. A doctor there who returned from Spain, tested positive for COVID 19 on 15 March.

All national camps, except for those where athletes are preparing for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, were postponed. Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said the academic training at the National Centre of Excellence and Sports Auhtority of India Training Centres will also be suspended.

Garcia has become the fifth and youngest victim of the illness in the region.

"We want to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends and close friends of our coach Francisco Garcia who has left us, unfortunately. Now, what do we do without you, Francis?" the club, which played in La Liga 2, said.

A 21-year-old youth football coach has died in Malaga after contracting COVID-19, his club said. Francisco Garcia, a youth team coach of Spanish league second division side Atletico Portada Alta, was found to be suffering from leukemia after being rushed to a local hospital with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The death report of the man who passed away while being treated for COVID-19 at Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital showed that he suffered from high blood rpessure, pneumonia, inflammation of heart muscles and increased heart rate.

China this week relaxed travel restrictions in Hubei, sending thousands of workers back to long-shuttered factories. Most of the world's 78,000 recovered patients are in China.

China on Tuesday reported 21 new cases of the virus, 20 of them imported. Just one new case was confirmed in Wuhan, the Hubei provincial capital where the illness was first detected in late December. The update raised China's totals to 80,881 cases and 3,226 deaths.

Amid panic in the country, the health ministry issues guidelines and strategies pertaining to COVID-19. Streamlining the process into steps, the guidelines required people to self-solate for 14 days if they travelled in the last 14 days or if they came in contact with a person who tested positive. If symptoms show or persist after 14 days, the ministry helpline 011-23978046 should be contacted.

After his return to Delhi on 25 February from Italy, the man said he had organised a small get-together at a luxury hotel in south Delhi on 28 February, the same night he got a fever. "I got a bit worried and went to RML Hospital after that tested positive there. Soon I was sent to Safdarjung Hospital isolation facility. I had access to my phone in the room, so I could connect to my family through video calling. I also read books and watched videos on Netflix, and so I wasn't feeling disconnected during the 14-day isolation at the hospital," he said.

He underscored that if people with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 stay at home, they would be harming their own family members.

The 45-year-old man (name withheld), in an interaction with PTI, said, "I was living in a separate room, and it had an AC and all the good facilities, and windows to allow sunshine," he said. "It wasn't like a 'kaal kothari' (dark chamber) as stereotyped in many movies. And, doctors took good care of me. I would appeal to all those who have symptoms to not stay at home, but visit doctors pronto," the businessman said.

A businessman who was the first person to test positive for the novel coronavirus in Delhi and quarantined 14 days, said that people having symptoms of the deadly disease should not be scared and visit doctors immediately.

MoS External Affairs V Muraleedharan has tested negative for COVID-19. He had imposed self-quarantine after he reportedly come into contact with the doctor from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram who had tested positive for coronavirus on March 15. The minister had earlier attended a meeting in which the doctor too was present.

The Delhi High Court allowed an urgent hearing on a petition seeking evacuation of Indian students in Iran at the earliest to India and to ensure safety of Indian students studying there.

"Entry of public at large in places of religious worship shall be stopped till further orders. Rituals as per established practice will be performed and if possible webcasting of the same may be done by management," the notification was quoted as saying.

The Himachal Pradesh department of health and family welfare on Tuesday shut places of religious worship for the public in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The Tamil Nadu government said that no visitors or family members will be allowed to meet jailed people in prisons across the state for two weeks, in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. Monitoring rooms have been set up inside the prisons to screen all new prisoners to the jail.

The Central Railways has increased the price of platform tickets in the Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, and Bhusawal divisions from Rs 10 to Rs 50, the public relations officer (PRO) was quoted as saying by ANI on Tuesday. The move is with the aim to curb crowding on stations as authorities doubled down on efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus in the state.

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to shut government offices for seven days due to the spread of coronavirus in the country, CNN-News18 reported.

An Indian Railways official on Tuesday said that the price of platform tickets has been increased to Rs 50 at about 250 stations in six divisions, Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, till further orders, to ensure crowd control.

"It is now time for all of us, individual scientists, institution leaders and groups of institutions to get together and contribute to containing, mitigating, and pushing back this pandemic."

K VijayRaghavan, the principal scientific advisor to the Centre, detailing a "top-down" approach being adopted by various agencies of the government to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, said , "...the seriousness of COVID-19 requires that we, as scientists, proactively work together to ensure synergy, develop implementable solutions that health-workers, communities need.

He added, "We have already placed orders for 1 million probes, reagents and primers are unlimited. We have also requested WHO to provide us 1 million probes."

"There are four stages. The third stage is community transmission which we hope we don't have. It would depend on how strongly we close our international borders, in terms of which government has taken very proactive steps. But can't say that community transmission won't happen," he said.

Dr Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) told the press on Tuesday that the panel can't rule out the possibility of community transmission of the novel coronavirus in India, as cases rose to 137 countrywide.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday said that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India rose to 137, with Delhi reporting eight cases, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha reporting one case each, Haryana reporting 15 cases, Karnataka reporting 11 cases, Kerala reporting 26 cases, Maharashtra reporting 39 cases, Telangana reporting five cases, union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh reporting three and six cases respectively, and Uttar Pradesh reporting 15 cases.

The state government said that two people having travel history with the US tested positive in Mumbai and Pune, taking the total cases in the state to 41.

Maharashtra, one of the worst-hit states by the spread of the novel coronavirus in India, on Tuesday reported two new cases of the flu-like disease that has claimed more than 5,000 lives worldwide.

Economists were quoted as saying by CNN that the global recession exaberated by the global coronavirus pandemic is bearing down on the world and is no longer just a threat. With businesses like restuarants, shops, airlines putting a stop on operations across the world, the report said that economic data released by China "showed that the country was pummeled by the coronavirus outbreak in January and February. The world's second biggest economy looks unlikely to recover any time soon."

"GoAir is forced to take certain measures  we are temporarily suspending all our international operations, starting 17th March 2020 until 15th April 2020. GoAir has also initiated a short term and temporary rotational leave without pay program that will not only help the company counter the short term reduction in capacity, but will also ensure that a cross section of our employees stay away from the workplace to ensure business continuity. Knowing that this will put a financial burden on the affected employees and having studied what companies have done in other countries to help guide our plans, this decision was not taken lightly," the statement read.

The GoAir airlines has suspended its international operations on Monday in view of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

Additionally, a 20-year-old woman, a resident of Bengaluru, who returned from the UK, has also tested positive for the virus.

The 63-year-old doctor had treated the elderly man who died "due to co-morbidity and also tested positive for COVID-19." He is under strict home quarantine, the department said.

Three people, including a doctor who had treated the country's first coronavirus victim, have tested positive for the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka to ten, PTI reported. The family doctor of the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who died last week was among the infected, the Health and Family Welfare Department said in an update on Tuesday.

"Trains and buses are essential services so we are not stopping them as of now but if people don't listen to our advice and don't avoid unnecessary travel, then we will think about that too. Next 15-20 days are very crucial for us," he said.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, speaking to the media after a meeting with authorities over measures taken to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state after the first death was reported on Tuesday, said that public transport will not be shut in the state. He also said that government office will not be shut.

ANI on Monday reported that two people who were in quarantine at the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) camp in Delhi's Chhawla tested positive for coronavirus and have been shifted to Safdarjung hospital. The report said that they had come from Italy with a batch of 216 other people on 15 March.

India Today also quoted him as saying that the patients include 26 men and 14 women.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that out of the 40 people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the state so far, one patient is in a critical condition.

The staff had left the office and then at home showed symptoms and were confirmed with COVID-19, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told journalists, referring to the official name of the disease caused by the virus. We do therefore have two confirmed cases.

A World Health Organization official was quoted by Reuters as saying that two staff members have been confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus which has claimed more than 5,000 lives worldwide.

A task force headed by the Tamil Nadu chief secretary has been constituted by the government to curn the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state has so far reported one case of the flu-like disease.

The Western Railway on Tuesday cancelled 35 trips of 10 trains due to "low occupany" as people are adhering to the social distancing advisory by the government in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday suspended all international traffic into the country in a bid to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, reports said. Sri Lanka has 29 confirmed coronavirus cases so far.

The state tourism handle tweeted: "The Taj Mahal will temporarily shut it doors for the greater good of humanity until the crisis of Covid-19 is over. The symbol of love will be out of bounds for all tourists. Will be reopening soon. After all, love is not what we show, it is also how much we care."

The Uttar Pradesh government said that the Taj Mahal will be temporarily shut for the "greater good of humanity" in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Mumbai Police on Tuesday ordered the closure of orchestra/dance bars, discotheques, pubs, live bands and DJ performances in the city till 31 March in view of coronavirus threat, PTI reported.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday held a meeting with officers of concerned agencies to take stock of the preparedness to monitor and control the spread of coronavirus in Parliament House Complex.

"The Indians who are in Iran are being very well looked after by our mission. The ambassador is giving a lot of attention to them. Every care is being taken by the Mission, in coordination and cooperation by the government of Iran," MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi told reporters.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that rumours of more than 250 Indians having tested positive for the coronavirus in Iran were not confirmed. The MEA also said thatthey are being "very well" looked after.

The Karnataka government on Tuesday banned all official and private tour plans of officials in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

"Any no objection certificate or permission in respect of such gatherings will not be issued. It is also decided that no license/permission will be issued for public entertainment activities," the said.

The Delhi Police said that to prevent the spread of coronavirus, they appeal to the general public to "not assemble at any place for protest, dharna, rally, entertainment or any other purpose, whether in close space or outside" till 31 March.

Over 3,600 medical staffers belonging to 41 medical teams from across China have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, the provincial capital and the epicentre of the outbreak, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

With mixed feelings of containing the dreaded COVID-19 but sad over deaths of thousands of people, the first batch of medical assistance teams started leaving Hubei province early on Tuesday as the epidemic outbreak in the hard-hit province has been subdued, PTI reported.

China began the withdrawal of thousands of doctors and other medical staff from Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, after the province reported just one confirmed case.

Wilson, a singer-songwriter, had given concerts in Sydney and Brisbane before testing positive for COVID-19 and Australian authorities have been tracking the couple's contacts to identify any other people who may have been infected.

The multiple Oscar-winning actor was on the Gold Coast near Brisbane to film an Elvis Presley biopic directed by Australian Baz Luhrmann when he and Wilson, both 63, came down with the disease.

Tom Hanks has been released from the Australian hospital where he was in isolation since testing positive for the coronavirus last week, but his wife Rita Wilson remains hospitalised, health officials said Tuesday.

India Today reported that according to a list of names, at least 24 out of 850 Indian pilgrims in Iran tested positive for the coronavirus disease.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday extended the closure of schools and colleges till 1 April in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

A state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful the previous night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had just been closed over fears of the virus.

Iran issued its most dire warning yet on Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting "millions" could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps travelling and ignoring health guidance, AP reported.

Three more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Ladakh, making the total cases in the union territory six. Officials announced a slew of prohibitory orders in the Kargil district as a preventive measure.

"We have been 100 percent transparent, important for community to know the protocols; dont want to test a person just for the sake of it. People who need testing will be tested," Aggarwal said.

Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said that the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has strongly appealed that private laboratories should offer COVID-19 diagnosis at no cost.

She tweeted: "I want to take a moment to thank the medical staff, doctors, nurses and first responders who are working tirelessly to help keep our country healthy and safe. Consider taking advantage of time working from home to connect with your loved ones via email or FaceTime, spend time w family, or work on your well-being by reading a book or spending time on a hobby."

US first lady Melania Trump on Tuesday thanked doctors and officials for "working tirelessly to help keep our country healthy and safe" amid coronavirus pandemic.

S Jaishankar, External Affairs minister on Tuesday said, "Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students & other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur Airport. We have now approved Air Asia flights for you to Delhi and Visakhapatnam."

Sir Patrick Vallance said, "Avoid crowded spaces, avoid gatherings, dont got to the club where you normally go to, reduce travel, try to avoid unnecessary travel, dont [do] your usual things in terms of going to the shops unless you absolutely have to."

The UK's chief scientific advisor on Tuesday said that healthy people over the age of 70 should avoid crowded places and social events, including famuily lunches on Sundays, CNN reported.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, addressing rumours that coronavirus was also spreading through birds like chicken, he said, "It is good to be vegetarian, however, coronavirus has not spread due to the consumption of chicken. People have stopped eating chicken, but it is only a rumour that COVID-19 is spreading due to it.

Here is the full list of testing centres in India, as released by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

The Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Tuesday banned the entry of all foreign tourists as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus, reports said.

"All staff to wear a facemask and hand gloves, head gear etc while dealing with food production and services to passengers, staff be advised to wash their hands with soap frequently, avoid contact with people having cough or cold, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, hand gloves to be changed frequently and disposed off in closed dustbin," the guidelines stated.

Railways has cancelled 85 trains as precaution against the spread of coronavirus and due to low occupancy, PTI reported. The report said that central railways cancelled 23 trains, south central railways cancelled 29 trains, western railways cancelled 10 trains, south eastern railways cancelled 9 trains, east coast and northern railways cancelled five trains each, and north western railways cancelled four trains.

US president Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the US government is starting the process of increasing the capacity of hospitals in New York to accommodate people infected by the novel coronavirus.

"It will pop," he was quoted as saying by CNN, and he added that the administration was working to provide relief to affected industries and small businesses to ensure the country emerges from the crisis with (a) prosperous and growing economy.

US president Donald Trump, addressing the media over the measures being taken by his government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday said that the economy will recover soon after the COVID-19 outbreak is suppressed.

Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital on Tuesday said that all leaves of its officials were cancelled, except for medical leave, in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in India.

India Today quoted Indian Army sources as saying that an Army jawan from Ladakh scouts has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. "The jawan's father has travel history to Iran and he is being treated while his family including sister and wife have been put in quarantine," the report said.

A man in Kolkata with travel history with the UK has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, reports said. His parents have also been kept in quarantine. The Indian Express reported that the patient has been admitted to the Beleghata ID Hospital.

"According to CNN Healths tally of US cases that are detected and tested through US public health systems, there are 5,069 cases in 49 states, the District of Columbia and US territories. That brings the total number of coronavirus cases to 5,139. In total, 97 people have died. West Virginia remains the only state not reporting any cases," the report said.

The United States has reported more than 5,000 cases of the novel coronavirus infection on Tuesday, CNN reported quoting state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

India Today reported that madrasas in Uttar Pradesh will continue to be shut till 2 April in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The state has reported 15 cases of the COVID infection.

The Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Tuesday banned the entry of all foreign tourists as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus, reports said.

"All staff to wear a facemask and hand gloves, head gear etc while dealing with food production and services to passengers, staff be advised to wash their hands with soap frequently, avoid contact with people having cough or cold, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, hand gloves to be changed frequently and disposed off in closed dustbin," the guidelines stated.

Railways has cancelled 85 trains as precaution against the spread of coronavirus and due to low occupancy, PTI reported. The report said that central railways cancelled 23 trains, south central railways cancelled 29 trains, western railways cancelled 10 trains, south eastern railways cancelled 9 trains, east coast and northern railways cancelled five trains each, and north western railways cancelled four trains.

US president Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the US government is starting the process of increasing the capacity of hospitals in New York to accommodate people infected by the novel coronavirus.

"It will pop," he was quoted as saying by CNN, and he added that the administration was working to provide relief to affected industries and small businesses to ensure the country emerges from the crisis with (a) prosperous and growing economy.

US president Donald Trump, addressing the media over the measures being taken by his government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday said that the economy will recover soon after the COVID-19 outbreak is suppressed.

Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital on Tuesday said that all leaves of its officials were cancelled, except for medical leave, in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in India.

India Today quoted Indian Army sources as saying that an Army jawan from Ladakh scouts has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. "The jawan's father has travel history to Iran and he is being treated while his family including sister and wife have been put in quarantine," the report said.

A man in Kolkata with travel history with the UK has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, reports said. His parents have also been kept in quarantine. The Indian Express reported that the patient has been admitted to the Beleghata ID Hospital.

"According to CNN Healths tally of US cases that are detected and tested through US public health systems, there are 5,069 cases in 49 states, the District of Columbia and US territories. That brings the total number of coronavirus cases to 5,139. In total, 97 people have died. West Virginia remains the only state not reporting any cases," the report said.

The United States has reported more than 5,000 cases of the novel coronavirus infection on Tuesday, CNN reported quoting state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"599 people who came in contact with COVID 19 cases identified and kept in home isolation as they are asymptomatic. 5 symptomatic samples tested and found negative on 17 March," the bulletin said.

"57 beds in isolation ward with ICU/ventilator kept ready at Govt Medical Colleges and Hospitals for confirmed COVID 19 cases. 14, 421 people surveyed across Assam.

"Separate isolation wards and quarantine facilities have been set up in all districts (1125 beds for isolation in govt institutions).

"347 travellers from COVID-19-affected countries have been identified, and 151 passengers have completed the observation period for 28 days and remaining 198 are under home isolation. 24 samples collected, so far and two samples sent to NIV Pune  22 found negative, two results awaited.

"Till date, 1,870 passengers have been screened at six airports of Assam  Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Silchar, Lakhimpur and Tezpur. 11,569 people screened at different places of Assam.

A bulletin released by the Assam health department on Tuesday gave figures on the state's measures to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus. Assam has not reported a case of COVID-19 as yet, while the total cases in the country have reached 137.

India Today reported that madrasas in Uttar Pradesh will continue to be shut till 2 April in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The state has reported 15 cases of the COVID infection.

Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: The Delhi Police said that to prevent the spread of coronavirus, they appeal to the general public to "not assemble at any place for protest, dharna, rally, entertainment or any other purpose, whether in close space or outside" till 31 March.

"Any no objection certificate or permission in respect of such gatherings will not be issued. It is also decided that no license/permission will be issued for public entertainment activities," the said.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that rumours of more than 250 Indians having tested positive for the coronavirus in Iran were not confirmed. The MEA also said thatthey are being "very well" looked after.

"The Indians who are in Iran are being very well looked after by our mission. The ambassador is giving a lot of attention to them. Every care is being taken by the Mission, in coordination and cooperation by the government of Iran," MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi told reporters.

A World Health Organization official was quoted by Reuters as saying that two staff members have been confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus which has claimed more than 5,000 lives worldwide.

The staff had left the office and then at home showed symptoms and were confirmed with COVID-19, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told journalists, referring to the official name of the disease caused by the virus. We do therefore have two confirmed cases.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, speaking to the media after a meeting with authorities over measures taken to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state after the first death was reported on Tuesday, said that public transport will not be shut in the state. He also said that government office will not be shut.

"Trains and buses are essential services so we are not stopping them as of now but if people don't listen to our advice and don't avoid unnecessary travel, then we will think about that too. Next 15-20 days are very crucial for us," he said.

Maharashtra, one of the worst-hit states by the spread of the novel coronavirus in India, on Tuesday reported two new cases of the flu-like disease that has claimed more than 5,000 lives worldwide.

The state government said that two people having travel history with the US tested positive in Mumbai and Pune, taking the total cases in the state to 41.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday said that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India rose to 137, with Delhi reporting eight cases, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha reporting one case each, Haryana reporting 15 cases, Karnataka reporting 11 cases, Kerala reporting 26 cases, Maharashtra reporting 39 cases, Telangana reporting five cases, union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh reporting three and six cases respectively, and Uttar Pradesh reporting 15 cases.

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to shut government offices for seven days due to the spread of coronavirus in the country, CNN-News18 reported.

The Central Railways has increased the price of platform tickets in the Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, and Bhusawal divisions from Rs 10 to Rs 50, the public relations officer (PRO) was quoted as saying by ANI on Tuesday. The move is with the aim to curb crowding on stations as authorities doubled down on efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan is in self quarantine after he attended a meeting in a medical institute in Trivandrum on 14 March. A doctor there who returned from Spain, tested positive for COVID 19 on 15 March.

The number of coronavirus cases touched 114 in the country on Monday after fresh cases were reported from several states, including Odisha. The Central government recommended implementing social distancing measures such as closing down of all educational institutions, gymnasiums, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres till 31 March.

The Centre also imposed fresh travel restrictions, prohibiting entry of passengers from the EU countries and the UK from 18 March and called for compulsory quarantine for a minimum of 14 days for passengers coming from or transiting through the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait.

The Union health ministry said fresh coronavirus cases were also reported from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala.

Maharashtra tally rises to 39

A Maharashtra government official said six patients were detected for the novel coronavirus infection, taking the state tally to 39. The Union ministry did not immediately add the Maharashtra cases to its national count, covering 15 states and Union Territories. Kerala officials also maintained the total tally was 24 as against 23 given by the Union ministry. Late in the evening, Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka reported one case each.

The tally of 114 includes 17 foreigners, said the health ministry. While two people died, 13 people were discharged after they recovered from the infection. With the four new patients, Odisha has a count of one, Ladakh four and Jammu and Kashmir three, according to the ministry.

Giving details of the Odisha case, an official in Bhubaneswar said a researcher who recently returned from Italy tested positive for the coronavirus. The 33-year-old patient, who reached Delhi from Italy on 6 March and travelled to Bhubaneswar by train on 12 March, is being treated at the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. The man consulted a doctor on 13 March, complaining of fever and headache, and was admitted to the hospital's isolation ward the next day.

The Karnataka health department said that a 32-year-old man, who returned from the US via London earlier this month, tested positive for coronavirus making it the eighth case in Karnataka.He was on home quarantine, and is now admitted to an isolation facility.

The number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir rose to three, with Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu and Kashmir saying that a patient with a travel history to Saudi Arabia tested positive, reported ANI.

Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu & Kashmir: One more case, with travel history to Saudi Arabia, confirmed positive. Had reported high viral load earlier. Total 3 positive cases now in the union territory. #Coronavirus (file pic) pic.twitter.com/y1tcFSBbjG  ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2020

"His condition is stable and he is not showing any other complications," the state government's chief spokesperson on coronavirus cases Subroto Bagchi told reporters. As he travelled by train from Delhi to Bhubaneswar, the state government has launched a "contact tracing exercise", Bagchi said. His family members have also been quarantined and kept under observation.

Among those who tested positive in Maharashtra was a 51-year-old woman from Yavatmal, one of 40 people who had returned from Dubai, an official said, adding she was the mother of an IT professional who tested positive for the infection in Pune earlier. The number of Covid-19 patients in Yavatmal now stands at three, he said. Another person who tested positive on Monday is a citizen of the Philippines currently residing in Navi Mumbai, the state government said.

Centre tightens travel restrictions

With the positive cases of COVID-19 showing an increase, the government after a meeting of a group of ministers (GoM) proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till 31 March, the health ministry officials told reporters. "Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18 March, 2020," said Lav Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the ministry.

"No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18 March, 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," he said adding that both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till 31 March, 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently.

On 11 March, India suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till 15 April to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The GoM held their 7th meeting on Monday and after detailed deliberations social distancing measures as a preventive strategy has been proposed for implementation, Aggarwal said, adding that these interventions are proposed to be in force till 31 March. The key measures proposed include closure of all educational institutions  schools, colleges and universities  gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres, he said. Students should be advised to stay at home and online education should be promoted, Aggarwal said.

"Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes should maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring proper disinfection of services," he said.

Later in the evening, Union culture minister Prahlad Patal said all ASI-protected monuments and central museums across the country will also be shut till 31 March, .

As many states virtually shut down to stem the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in fighting the virus. He said there was a coordinated response to the outbreak, showing the strong spirit of the nation in such situations. In a series of tweets with the hashtag 'India Fights Corona', Modi said the encouragement from people highlighting the steps being taken to combat the virus is boosting the morale of all the "remarkable people" at the forefront of the fight.

Responsible citizens can add great strength to the fight against COVID-19. I am sure our citizens will not do any thing that puts the lives of others in danger. #IndiaFightsCorona https://t.co/HVkdLKPpkS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2020

States initiate social distancing measures

Authorities in Maharashtra, which has registered the highest number of positive cases in India, have decided to close some prominent tourist and religious attractions as a precautionary measure. The world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, the popular Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and the Tuljabhawani temple in Osmanabad district will remain closed in view of the coronavirus situation in the state, officials said. Entry restrictions to Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai which sees thousands of visitors daily, will also be in force, Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

In Pune, where seven cases have been reported, the police invoked a Section of Maharashtra Police Act and imposed restrictions on tour operators to arrange trips within and outside India. In neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad, which has nine coronavirus patients, similar restrictions were imposed on tour operators under sub-section 1 of Section 144 of CRPC. The trust of Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai Ganapati temple decided to close its portals from 17 March till further notice. The Pune Retail Traders Association has decided to observe closure of the shops for three days.

Many thousands of students across the country were restricted to their homes and employees worked from home as administrations all over put into effect plans to contain the spread of the contagious disease with flu-like symptoms.

Gyms, cinema halls, swimming pools and other places were closed in many states. Adding to its restrictions, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said no religious, social, cultural and political gathering of over 50 people would be allowed in Delhi till 31 March. Meanwhile, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said neither foreign nor domestic tourists will be allowed to enter into the state, and announced shutting down of educational institutes till 15 April .

Signalling its serious intent to contain the infection, police in Kochi registered a case against 79 people for organising a mass reception for a popular reality show contestant on his arrival at the Cochin International Airport despite restrictions on such gatherings in view of the coronavirus threat.

Meanwhile, both West Bengal and Jharkhand announced a Rs 200 crores fund in the respective states to tackle the spread of the virus. The West Bengal election commission also postponed the civic body polls "till further notice".

The Supreme Court, where lawyers, litigants and others were thermal screened, took suo motu cognisance of overcrowding and infrastructure of prisons across the country. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and LN Rao issued a notice to the Director General, Prison, and chief secretary of all states and union territories seeking their response by 20 March on steps taken for prevention of COVID-19.

Efforts were also on to bring back Indians stranded abroad. An Air India flight with 53 Indians evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran landed in New Delhi and the passengers were flown to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan where they have been quarantined at the Army Wellness Centre.

Fourth batch of 53 Indians - 52 students and a teacher - has arrived from Tehran and Shiraz, #Iran.

With this, a total of 389 Indians have returned to India from Iran.

Thank the efforts of the team @India_in_Iran and Iranian authorities.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 15, 2020

WHO advises countries to adopt comprehensive approach, step up testing

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak with over 14,000 cases detected and over 700 people dead. The number of cases in Pakistan , too rose sharply on Monday, with 83 new cases reported.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that more cases and death due to the diseases were reported in the rest of the world than in China. He also expressed concern over the spread of the disease to lower income countries and about the impact it could have among populations with high HIV prevalence or malnourished children. He also said social distancing measure like closing of schools, cancelling sports events and gatherings was not enough and urged all countries to adopt a "comprehensive approach".

"Once again, our key message is: test, test, test. This is a serious disease. Although the evidence we have suggests that those over 60 are at highest risk, young people, including children, have died," he said.

With inputs from agencies
New York, March 17 : Older adults who are not vitamin D deficient have a better chance of walking after hip fracture surgery, say researchers suggesting that, taking 800 international units (IU), equivalent to 20 micrograms of the vitamin daily may prevent deficiency.

Vitamin D is important for bone health, and people get it through some foods, exposure to the sun and vitamin pills.

"This matters because vitamin D deficiency and malnutrition are common disorders in elderly patients with hip fractures and often occur together since both are complications of poor nutrition," said study senior author Sue Shapses, Professor at the Rutger University in US.

A broken hip - among the most serious fall injuries - is hard to recover from, with many people unable to live on their own afterward.

In the US, more than 300,000 people 65 or older are hospitalized for hip fractures annually and falling causes more than 95 percent of these type of fractures.

Women fall more frequently than men, experiencing three-quarters of hip fractures, and the number of fractures is likely to rise as the population ages, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition said that regaining mobility after a hip fracture is important for full recovery and to reduce the risk of death. But vitamin D deficiency is associated with reduced mobility after surgery to repair a hip fracture.

The multi-site study of patients 65 or older in the US and Canada examined the influence of vitamin D levels in blood serum and nutrition on mobility.

The study focused on death rate or inability to walk 10 feet (or across a room) without someone's help after surgery.

The findings showed that vitamin D levels greater than 12 nanograms per milliliter (12 parts per billion) in blood serum are associated with a higher rate of walking at 30 and 60 days after hip fracture surgery.

While poor nutrition is associated with reduced mobility 30 days after surgery, that factor was not statistically significant.

Still, in patients with high levels of parathyroid hormone, which leads to high levels of calcium in blood, mobility was reduced if their nutritional status was poor.

According to the researchers, previous studies have shown that taking 800 IU of vitamin D a day can prevent falling and fractures.
New Zealand on Tuesday said it would pump NZ$12.1 billion ($7.31 billion), or 4% of gross domestic product, into the economy to slow a contraction expected from business disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The package was larger than that implemented in response to the global financial crisis and bigger as a proportion of GDP than those announced by countries like Australia and Singapore, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in a news conference.

"We don't know what the full impact on New Zealand's economy will be, however, we do know it will cost us jobs and have a significant impact on business," Robertson said.

He said initial Treasury department forecasts showed the economy was expected to fall 1% by the first quarter of 2021 if the package is implemented, a slower contraction than the 3% forecast without the support.

The stimulus will also substantially increase debt, Robertson said, with core government debt now expected to exceed current New Zealand's target of 15-25% of GDP.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned the economic impact of the coronavirus could be greater than the global financial crisis as the country banned all big public gatherings and imposed mandatory self-isolation for visitors.

New Zealand's central bank cut rates by 75 basis points following an unscheduled meeting on Monday. The package included an initial NZ$500 million boost for health services, NZ$5.1 billion in wage subsidy support and NZ$2.8 billion in income support.

The package also included NZ$2.8 billion in business tax changes to free up cash flow, including a provisional tax threshold lift, the reinstatement of building depreciation and writing off interest on the late payment of tax.

A NZ$600 million initial support was also set aside for the aviation sector. In a speech to parliament, Robertson later said a recession was "almost certain" in New Zealand. "We will have an extended period of deficits and our debt as a country will have to substantially increase," he told lawmakers.

Also read: Coronavirus scare: COVID-19 infected man attended jam packed rock concert in New Zealand's Auckland

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: NZ, Australia tighten border controls
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The UK's coronavirus death and infection toll jumped again today as health chiefs revealed 71 Britons have now died and almost 2,000 have been struck down across the home nations.

NHS England confirmed 14 more deaths and revealed a 45-year-old had become Britain's youngest victim of the outbreak so far  MailOnline understands the patient was a man from Kettering, Northamptonshire. Wales and Scotland each recorded another fatality, taking the day's total to 16.

Officials recorded the biggest daily spike in cases yet, with 407 patients diagnosed in the past 24 hours  meaning 1,950 Britons have now caught the life-threatening virus that has left the UK engulfed in fear.

It comes after the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, today admitted there are likely to be around 55,000 cases of coronavirus currently in the UK, calling the staggering figure a 'reasonable ballpark'.

The estimate was based on a model of one death per 1,000 patients, which means the true number of infected people could now be as high as 70,000  and many people could have no idea they've got the illness. A study published in a scientific journal this week suggested that 86 per cent of infected patients in China were unaware.

Last week the government estimated the number of cases was likely to be between 5,000 and 10,000 but the numbers are expected to have soared since. A total of 50,442 people have now been tested, with 48,492 of those tests coming back negative.

The massive difference between officials' on-record estimates and the number of cases confirmed by the Department of Health is likely to prompt further scrutiny of the government's testing regime  the World Health Organization urged countries worldwide to 'test, test, test' but in the UK only hospital patients are being tested.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday stepped up the country's response to the outbreak and urged people not to go out or to visit others unless they had to. He had been warned that the original strategy of trying to slow down an outbreak could lead to 260,000 people dying  new efforts could cut this to below 20,000.

It came as the government stepped up its efforts to persuade manufacturing companies to help build ventilators for the NHS amid concerns about how long it could take to get production lines up and running.

Sir Patrick Vallance told the Health Select Committee today that there could be as many as 55,000 cases of coronavirus in the UK

The government is stepping up its efforts to persuade manufacturers to help build ventilators for the NHS. Today's ventilators include a computer-electronic control system with valves, regulators, filters, oxygen and exhalation sensors, flow meters.

A person is pictured wearing what appears to be a military grade gas mask at London Bridge Station as people across the UK batten down the hatches to protect themselves from illness

As the UK's situation continues to escalate, the following are some of today's biggest developments:

UK citizens were told to avoid all non-essential travel anywhere in the world as the Government tried to battle the coronavirus pandemic;

All major mobile networks in the UK went down as millions of British workers started to logon to work from home due to the escalating crisis;

The Queen will base herself at Windsor Castle early and is likely to stay there beyond the Easter period as she follows Government guidance;

Iceland, Lidl and Nationwide opened up early for pensioners amid confusion over Mr Johnson's official advice to the over-70s to 'stay inside';

Mr Johnson was accused of 'sacrificing' pubs, restaurants and cinemas amid claims his refusal to order a shutdown means they cannot claim insurance;

Parents attacked the PM for 'playing Russian Roulette' with school children across the UK after he stopped short of closing schools;

The Archbishop of Canterbury announced that public worship is 'suspended until further notice' amid fears over coronavirus;

Leading medics warned Number 10's call to ramp up the production of ventilators is 'pointless' without more staff and extra equipment;

London Tubes and trains may run a 'scaled down' service on weekdays from as early as this week, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan warned;

A four-year-old girl with coronavirus symptoms became seriously ill after taking ibuprofen as the NHS withdrew its advice for patients to take it;

Russian state media blamed Britain for the global coronavirus pandemic, saying it was created as a tool for the benefit of the UK;

UEFA officially decided to postpone the Euros until the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic decimating the football calendar;

Israel banned residents from leaving their homes for 'non-essential' reasons and announced it plans to track coronavirus sufferers' phones during the outbreak;

The WHO revealed two members of staff are infected with coronavirus as the body called for all European countries to take the 'boldest actions' they can.

Of the 1,950 confirmed cases in the UK, some 1,557 are in England, 136 are in Wales, 195 are in Scotland and 62 are in Northern Ireland.

Sir Patrick also said the government's tough new social distancing measures announced by Boris Johnson yesterday could result in new case numbers falling inside a month.

He told MPs: 'We should start to see the rates come down in two or three weeks' time.'

The Prime Minister has told the nation that all non-essential travel and social contact should cease for the forseeable future.

Over-70s and people with pre-existing serious medical conditions such as asthma or heart disease are being told to follow the social distancing measures as closely as possible to minimise their risk of infection.

Sir Patrick said keeping the number of coronavirus deaths in the UK at '20,000 and below' would be a 'good outcome' but still 'horrible'.

'That is the hope that we can get it down to that,' he said. 'To put that into perspective every year in seasonal flu the number of deaths is thought to be about 8,000.

'So if we can get this down to numbers 20,000 and below that is a good outcome in terms of where we would hope to get to in this outbreak.

86% OF PATIENTS 'MAY BE UNAWARE THEY HAVE THE INFECTION' A big issue with trying to stop the spread of the coronavirus is that many people get such mild symptoms they don't realise they've got the infection, and they can still spread it to others during this time. A study led by Columbia University in New York and published in the journal Science yesterday suggests that as many as 86 per cent  seven out of eight  do not get diagnosed or realise they're sick during an outbreak's early days. The researchers said that, before China sent Wuhan and the surrounding cities went into lockdown, there were seven undiagnosed patients walking around for every one person who actually knew they had the virus. They did their study by looking at data showing how people travelled around the city and the contagiousness of the infection, to work out who could have been infected and where and when. They found that around half as many cases of the coronavirus were transmitted from people who didn't know they were ill. Comprehensive testing would be the only way to try and stop this happening, said Columbia Universitys Jeffrey Shaman, one of the authors of the study. He said: 'Its the undocumented infections which are driving the spread of the outbreak,' GeekWire reported. Advertisement

'But I mean it is still horrible. That is still an enormous number of deaths and it is an enormous pressure on the health service.'

Sir Patrick also revealed that coronavirus testing will be rolled out to key workers including NHS staff in the coming weeks as the government bolsters its testing capacity.

That will enable the government and the health service to determine whether staff can continue to work.

Sir Patrick told the committee: 'The next group of people that I know PHE [Public Health England] and I checked with the CMO [Chief Medical Officer] to make sure this is exactly where they want to go, is to try and get to key workers and make sure they are tested and obviously healthcare workers would be absolutely there.

'As the capacity ramps up that is where you would go next to make sure you can do that and I think that is the plan.'

Sir Patrick said there needed to be a 'big increase' in the amount of testing overall and that was something he was 'pushing for very hard'.

He set out his hopes that a simple community test will soon be developed to allow people to find out quickly if they have the disease.

A big issue with trying to stop the spread of the coronavirus is that many people get such mild symptoms they don't realise they've got the infection, and they can still spread it to others during this time.

A study led by Columbia University in New York and published in the journal Science yesterday suggests that as many as 86 per cent  seven out of eight  do not get diagnosed or realise they're sick during an outbreak's early days.

The researchers said that, before China sent Wuhan and the surrounding cities went into lockdown, there were seven undiagnosed patients walking around for every one person who actually knew they had the virus.

They did their study by looking at data showing how people travelled around the city and the contagiousness of the infection, to work out who could have been infected and where and when.

They found that around half as many cases of the coronavirus were transmitted from people who didn't know they were ill. Comprehensive testing would be the only way to try and stop this happening, said Columbia Universitys Jeffrey Shaman, one of the authors of the study.

He said: 'Its the undocumented infections which are driving the spread of the outbreak,' GeekWire reported.

London Waterloo was bereft of commuters this morning after official advice told people to work from home if they could

A woman is pictured leaving Iceland in Belfast this morning  the store opened an hour early for elderly people only so they could do their shopping before the shelves were cleared by panic buyers

UK CITIZENS TOLD NOT TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTRY UNLESS IT'S NECESSARY UK citizens were told to avoid all non-essential travel anywhere in the world today as the Government tried to battle the coronaviris pandemic. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britons should avoid travel 'globally' under new travel advice from the Foreign Office. The new rules will initially be in place for 30 days but will be 'subject to ongoing revision' he told the House of Commons. 'Based on the fast-changing international circumstances today I am announcing changes to FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) travel advice,' he told MPs. 'UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries. 'The FCO will always consider the safety and the security of British nationals so with immediate effect I've taken the decision to advise British nationals against non-essential travel globally for an initial period of 30 days and of course subject to ongoing review.' He said that the government was speaking to tour operators, insurance operators and airlines over a move that is likely to grind holiday and business travel to a virtual standstill, threatening jobs and business viability. The shift comes after EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced outlined plans for a 30-day ban on all non-essential inflows to the bloc. Advertisement

Sir Patrick's comments came as the UK increased its efforts to build the ventilators the NHS needs to cope with coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday the NHS currently has 5,000 artificial respirators but will need 'many times more than that' in the weeks and months ahead.

The government is enlisting the likes of Dyson and JCB to help in the national effort but there are concerns about how long it could take large manufacturers to convert their production lines.

The firms may need to overhaul their entire supply chain and have to hastily re-train their staff to make and check the critical life-support devices.

Reports suggest that British companies may soon be ordered rather than asked to manufacture ventilators.

Dyson, Rolls Royce, JCB, Honda, Philips and Unipart are among those who have either been confirmed to be involved with the manufacturing effort or have registered their interest.

In response to how Dyson would build ventilators, a spokesman told MailOnline: 'Using our expertise and resources we are working with other companies to see if we can provide a rapid solution.'

Rolls Royce, meanwhile, told MailOnline: 'We understand that the government is exploring ways in which businesses can help deal with the outbreak of COVID-19.

'As they shape their plans, we are keen to do whatever we can to help the government and the country at this time and will look to provide any practical help we can.'

A spokesperson from logistics company Unipart also confirmed to MailOnline that it had been approached by the government.

'We're pleased to be involved in such an important project and doing everything we can to help,' they said.

A report by leading scientists who are advising the Government said people may need to keep up the drastic lifestyle changes announced yesterday well into 2021.

The Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team predicted that 260,000 people could have died if the Government hadn't changed tack yesterday and tightened its rules.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty (centre) and Health Secretary Matt Hancock (right) were in Downing Street for Cabinet today, along with Department of Health permanent secretary Chris Wormald (left)

Waterloo station in London was unusually quiet today as the country adapted to the new reality of combating the disease

WHAT IS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ADVICE? Avoid social contact

Work from home if possible

Avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues

If someone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus (cough, fever or unusual shortness of breath), everyone in the home self-isolate for 14 days

If isolating, only go outside for exercise, and do it away from other people

Ask for help with daily necessities like food and medical supplies

If that is not possible - for example if you live in a remote area - you should limit social contact as much as possible

Vulnerable groups should self-isolate for 12 weeks from this weekend even if they have no symptoms  This includes people aged 70 and over and other adults who would normally be advised to have the flu vaccination, including people with chronic diseases such as chronic heart disease or chronic kidney disease, and pregnant women. A full list is here

All unnecessary visits to friends and relatives in care homes should end

Continue to take your children to school unless they or someone else in your home has symptoms of the coronavirus (cough, fever or unusual shortness of breath)

Londoners need to socially distance and work from home even more than the rest of the UK because the disease is more widespread there

Mass gatherings should not happen  they will no longer receive emergency services' protection if they do go ahead Advertisement

British officials only realised the danger 'in the last few days', the report said, after receiving new information about how the situation in Italy has spiralled out of control and overwhelmed hospitals.

Around 2,200 people have now died there and there have been 28,000 confirmed infections, although the true toll is likely considerably higher.

Italy's crisis has inspired a dramatic ramp-up of UK policy and Mr Johnson announced a move to war-footing to try and stop the outbreak.

The switch-up was an admission that officials' original plans to control and slow the outbreak  to 'flatten the curve'  had been too optimistic and the scientists' paper showed the Government was on course for a disaster.

Officials are urging manufacturers to help out by building intensive care ventilators if they can to plug an NHS shortfall in critical beds.

But data in the Imperial College report suggests that hospitals will be overwhelmed regardless of what measures the Government takes, and a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases is unavoidable.

Some experts have suggested the government will have to pump an unprecedented 450billion into the economy to avoid mass destruction of businesses and workers being sent into poverty.

Imperial College's bombshell report was produced by a crack team of virus, disease and public health experts at the prestigious London university.

One of the lead authors, Professor Neil Ferguson said he and his colleagues had been working 'seven days a week for the past two months' to advise the Government and put information about the coronavirus into the public domain.

They have concluded the virus can't be stopped.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night advised Britons to avoid pubs and clubs in a bid to control the spread of the virus. But venue owners have slammed the PM for not telling them to close

Borough Market was all-but deserted today as the UK went into lockdown in response to the coronavirus threat

Professor Ferguson said his team had been 'refining' predictions for the course of the epidemic since their 'worst case' estimate of 250,000 deaths.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS SHOW THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF UK'S CORONAVIRUS CRISIS The Government's Department of Health releases updated statistics every day at around 2pm, showing the number of people confirmed to have coronavirus and the number of test results that have been received in the past 24 hours. But because of a change in the way officials are tracking the outbreak, these numbers only represent a small proportion of the real epidemic spreading across the UK. Only people who are seriously ill and need hospital care, or who are already in hospital when they show signs of the coronavirus, are now being tested. People who become ill after travelling, or think they have the coronavirus because they have the symptoms, will not be tested unless they need hospital care. Most patients will just self-isolate at home until they are no longer ill. An announcement by the Government last week sheds some light on the true scale of Britain's epidemic. On Thursday, March 12, when the official number of cases was just 596, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the true figure was probably between 5,000 and 10,000. The upper estimate suggests each confirmed case is worth 16.8 undiagnosed patients. The official number of patients is now 1,543  multiply that by 16.8 and the potential real case toll is 25,889. Advertisement

'No country in the world this far has seen an epidemic that large [250,000 deaths], this is an early extrapolation of an early epidemic that was suppressed in China,' he said.

'But we have no reason to believe that's not what would happen if we frankly did nothing, and even if we did all we could to slow, not reverse, the spread, we'd still be looking at a very large number of deaths and the health system being overwhelmed.'

He added: 'Initially when we came up with these kid of estimates they were viewed as what's called the reasonable worst case.

'But as information has been gathered in recent weeks, from particularly Italy but other countries, it has become increasingly clear that actually this is not the reasonable worst case  it is the most likely scenario.

'The second piece of information which I think was critical is NHS planners going away and seeing how much could they surge health system capacity, particularly in critical care. Whilst they are planning a major expansion of that  cancelling elective surgery, building new beds, getting new ventilators  it just isn't enough to fill the gap.

'So we are left with no option but to adopt this more draconian strategy.'

If no action at all had been taken against the coronavirus it would have claimed 510,000 lives, the team's report said.

Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread  allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down  with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms this number would be roughly halved to 260,000.

Other points in the Imperial College report, titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, included:

Lockdown measures could be brought back if the virus resurfaces after this epidemic is over

The coronavirus outbreak is worse than anything the world has seen since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic

It was 'highly likely' people would have started social distancing by themselves out of fear or responsibility, even if the Government hadn't told them to

Dramatic measures to suppress an outbreak carry 'enormous social and economic costs which may themselves have significant impact on health and well-being'

Virus transmission happens evenly  one third of cases are caught in the home, one third at work or school, and one third elsewhere in the community

People are thought to be infectious from 12 hours before symptoms start, or from four days after catching the infection if someone doesn't get symptoms

Patients who do get symptoms are thought to be 50 per cent more infectious than those who don't

People are thought to develop at least short-term immunity after catching the virus, meaning they can't catch it again

Approximately 4.4 per cent of patients need hospital care. 30 per cent of those need intensive care, and 50 per cent of intensive care patients can be expected to die, according to data from China

The average length of a hospital stay for a coronavirus patient is 10 days  eight days for those who recover quickly; 16 days for those who need intensive care
Serbia bans migrants from leaving centers due to COVID-19 About 6,000 refugees in country

(ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MARCH 17 - The Serbian government, as part of COVID-19 containment measures, on Tuesday banned undocumented migrants from leaving reception facilities where they are hosted across the country. The government noted that it will be possible to leave only for exceptional or justified reasons, such as a medical examination. Surveillance and the presence of security forces around the centers has been stepped up. Around 6,000 migrants are currently in Serbia, most of which hosted in reception centers. On Sunday evening, President Aleksandar Vucic declared a state of emergency in the country, where as of Monday there 57 recorded cases of COVID-19. (ANSAmed).




Mozyr Oil Refinery in Belarus has launched the processing of the first batch of Azerbaijani oil, spokesman for the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim Aleksandr Tishchenko said.

"Oil delivered by the first tanker to Odessa reached Mozyr Oil Refinery via the oil pipeline. The plant has began processing it," he said, adding that the second tanker with Azerbaijani oil arrived at the Ukrainian Port of Odessa on March 15.

Belarusian oil refineries are expected to get a total of about 1 million tonnes of oil from various sources in March, with 250 thousand tonnes of oil from Azerbaijan.

Economic expert Rovshan Ibrahimov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that Belarus bought Azerbaijani oil at full market price, without discounts. "At the same time, the Azeri Light costs are hogher than Urals - its of better quality. If Belarus wants to continue buying Azerbaijani oil, SOCAR has enough volumes to continue these deliveries," he said .

"At the same time, the question of price still arises. Yes, Belarus is considering the possibility of constant diversification of supplies, but Azerbaijani oil cannot be an alternative to Russian oil in terms of price level. So far, given the general decline in oil prices due to coronavirus, falling demand and the collapse of the OPEC deal, Belarus is ok with Azeri Light prices. But there are no guarantees that this cooperation will continue after prices recover," Rovshan Ibrahimov drew attention, adding that the supply route only increases the price of Azerbaijani oil imports for Belarus.

Major Russian oil companies stopped shipping oil to Belarus on 1 January due to the absence of an agreement on prices. First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Dmitry Krutoi said that Belarus believes it is economically inadvisable and pointless to pay the same amounts of premiums to Russian companies. On 11 March, Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Rumas said that Belarus had presented new oil acquisition proposals to Russia, BelTA recalls.
A probe into debt-laden Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd (CDEL) is likely to reveal that at least Rs 2,000 crore ($270 million) is missing from the company's accounts, according to a Bloomberg report. The investigation, which was initiated by the company's board after the death of founder V.G. Siddhartha, is likely to be tabled before it by early April.

Prepared by former CBI official Ashok Kumar Malhotra, the draft report, running more than a hundred pages, could give details of how funds worth up to Rs 2,000 crore went missing from the account books.

The month-long investigation examined the financial transactions of CDEL, which runs a chain of Cafe Coffee Day restaurants in India, and its dealings with some of the private entities of Sidhhartha over the last few years, the report said.

A source close to the matter told Bloomberg that the report is in its final stage and the precise details could change before its release. The missing funds could total more than Rs 2,500 crore, one person said.

"The investigation report is still a work in progress, and not finalised," a spokesman for the company was quoted as saying. "The board of directors and the company are unaware of its content at this point of time. Hence it would be premature to speculate on the investigation findings."

Commenting on the media report, CDEL, in a filing to exchanges, said that its board has not received the said investigation report and is unaware of the contents published in various news portals/papers.

"The investigation is still on and it will take some more time due to coverage of as many as 48 subsidiaries," CDEL said in filing to exchanges on Tuesday.

The company, however, confirmed that it had appointed former CBI DIG Ashok Kumar Malhotra, assisted by a team of legal professionals under M. R. Venkatesh from Agastya Legal LLP, to investigate the circumstances leading to statements made in the letter of former Chairman late VG Siddhartha dated July 27, 2019 and to scrutinise the books of accounts of the CDEL and its subsidiaries.

The sudden death of the 59-year-old founder last year stunned India's business community. In his last letter to CCD board, Siddhartha had said that he had "given up" in the face of pressure from one of the private equity partners to buy back shares. "I fought for a long time but today I gave up as I could not take any more pressure from one of the private equity partners forcing me to buy back shares, a transaction I had partially completed six months ago by borrowing a large sum of money from a friend. Tremendous pressure from other lenders led to me succumbing to the situation," Siddhartha wrote in his alleged last letter.

Siddhartha also talked about "harassment from the previous DG income tax" where he was blocked from selling his Mindtree shares earlier this year. "This was very unfair and has led to a serious liquidity crunch," he wrote.

By Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: VG Siddhartha missing: Full text of letter sent by CCD founder to board of directors, employees

Also Read: Decoding VG Siddhartha's letter: Which private equity partner forced CCD founder to buy back shares?
BAY CITY, MI  Bay County is officially in a state of emergency amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Bay County Executive Jim Barcia on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17, announced the declaration of a local state of emergency for the county. He made the declaration during the Bay County Board of Commissioners meeting held within the gymnasium of the Bay County Community Center at 800 John F. Kennedy Drive in Bay City.

The declaration comes a few days after the countys first presumptive positive test for a case of coronavirus, that man being a Bay County resident and physician at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw.

Such a declaration lasts seven days, but the board voted to extend it until its next meeting on April 14.

We know there are more, Barcia said. Additional people have been tested. We dont know what the results of those tests are. This will make Bay County eligible for all the resources made available to our municipal government from federal and state governments in Lansing and Washington. All this does is declare what we have  a state of emergency.

Barcia said it typically takes eight days for results to come in on the coronavirus tests.

We are concerned for everyones health and safety during this coronavirus disease pandemic, Barcia continued. Much has changed in just a short period of time. We are going to be taking all necessary steps to help stop the spread of this disease in our community while continuing to provide the services that are needed.

He added that as of Tuesday morning, offices within the Bay County Building are closed to the public.

However, services will still be provided to the public as our workers will still be reporting, Barcia said.

Bay County Health Department Director Joel R. Strasz said his agencys staff have been working with peers in Saginaw and Midland counties as well as with personnel at Covenant HealthCare.

We have contacted nearly two dozen individuals associated with this case, said Strasz, referring to the presumptive positive Bay County case. In some cases, some individuals have self-quarantined for the 14-day process.

He added about 30 people have been tested, those tests having been submitted to state and private labs.

At least seven have come back negative and were waiting to hear on the remaining tests, Strasz said. An estimated 15 people have been admitted to inpatient hospitals with symptoms similar to those of coronavirus, he continued.

The state can process about 150 tests per day and that is being ramped up, Strasz said.

Both Barcia and Strasz said that as Bay County has the highest percentage of residents 60 or older, it is imperative for all citizens to do their part in flattening the curve, or stymieing the contagions spread.

We must protect all Bay County residents, but especially the most vulnerable, Strasz said.

As of Tuesday, there are 65 people in Michigan who have tested presumptive positive for coronavirus, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

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.

Related:

Where to find takeout food at Bay City-area restaurants during coronavirus closure

Where to find takeout food at Saginaw-area restaurants during coronavirus lockdown

Michigans governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus stops St. Pats Day parties, but Bay Citys Irish pubs have corned beef takeout

6 ways Michigan residents can help local businesses during coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus closures devastating for Michigans bars, restaurants ordered to shut down before St. Patricks Day

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 05:38:31|Editor: ZD

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, March 16, 2020. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday that she had informed the G7 that she proposed to the heads of state and government to introduce a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU). (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

BRUSSELS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that she had proposed a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union (EU), as a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

After a teleconference with leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries, von der Leyen said, together with the President of the European Council Charles Michel, that "we informed today our G7 partners that we propose to introduce a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the European Union."

"There will be exemptions, for example for EU citizens coming back home, for healthcare workers, like doctors and nurses, but also scientists working on the solution of this health crisis," she said, adding "that should be in place for an initial period of 30 days."

The proposal is expected to be discussed by leaders of EU member states during a video conference on Tuesday.
The same misconstruing of language applies to other aspects of the current pandemic as well. Stone says that a school that announces it will be closed for one or two days should be clear about why its closing. The assumption is going to be that there are students who either have the virus or have come in contact with someone with the virus but the reality may be that the school wants to give teachers a day or two to come up with a strategy they might have to use in an e-learning situation if students are forced to stay off campus. Or the school may want to give the facility an intense cleaning before allowing students back in, she says. Both scenarios are very different from someone at school has coronavirus, which will be the assumption unless schools  and businesses, for that matter  are clear about their intentions.
As our government completes three years in power in Uttar Pradesh (UP) today, it is time to look at the numerous challenges we faced and how the government overcame them.

One challenge was to bring the marginalised and poor into the mainstream. The other was to tackle the problems of illegal mining and illegal slaughter houses, essential to preserve our natural habitat. There was also, of course, the other major issue of reforming law and order. On a larger canvas, we needed to change the work culture in the state. For this, we scrapped needless holidays and kick-started a more robust work ethos. One major focus of my government was to change the madrasa system and upgrade education for Muslim students.

When global investment came into the state, we promoted infrastructure development, initiating projects such as the Poorvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway and Ganga Expressway. Air connectivity is high on our priority, and our government is working on 12 new airports. The Jewar International Airport has the potential to generate a substantial number of jobs and afford UP global recognition. Improved connectivity and better law and order have resulted in an 18.6% increase in investor interest in the state.

One of my most difficult tasks was dealing with agrarian distress. And we have succeeded in helping farmers to a great extent. The state has waived pending dues of more than Rs 92,000 crore. Two-thirds of the states population is engaged in agriculture. Working on the target set by the prime minister of doubling farmers income by 2022, the state government has implemented several schemes such as providing soil health cards to more than 40 million farmers. Thousands of farmers have been provided 40 to 90% subsidy for purchasing agricultural machinery.

Under the Namami Gange project, the Sisamau sewer in Kanpur, from which 140 million litres of sewage was discharged into the Ganga daily, has been closed. The far-reaching result of the work done by the state government for water conservation in the Ganga and its tributaries will soon fructify.

Since Independence, UP has had only 12 medical colleges. We have set up seven new medical colleges and have got approval for 13 more. We are also setting up All India Institutes of Medical Sciences in Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli.

Thanks to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the number of encephalitis infections has decreased by 56% and the death rate by 90%. People have started visiting government hospitals again.

No society can progress without education. Through Operation Kayakalp, basic facilities such as providing boundary walls, toilets, drinking water, and electrification have been undertaken in 92,000 primary schools. In these schools, 45,383 teachers have been recruited and the recruitment of 69,000 teachers is in its last phase. Similarly, 55 new government inter-colleges have also been approved in the secondary education sector.

The Vantangia, Kol, Musahar and Tharu tribes, which have been marginalised for centuries, were brought into the mainstream when we extended all public welfare schemes to their villages.

Under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana, more than one lakh poor girls were given Rs 51,000 each. Our anti-Romeo squads have prevented the harassment of women. As a result of the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao and the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, among other schemes, the sex ratio has improved significantly in various districts.

In order to improve law and order, we have set up 41 new police stations, 13 new checkposts and recruited 1.37 lakh police personnel. By adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and corruption, the police system has been streamlined. While dacoity cases decreased by 59.7% in 2019 as compared to 2016, there was a decrease of 47.09% in murder cases in the same period.

In opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, some anti-social elements unsuccessfully tried to disturb the peace, but they failed. After identifying the miscreants, the damages done to public property were recovered from them  an effort which has gained support across the country.

Owing to efficient planning, per capita income has been increasing in the state. The per capita income in 2014-15 was Rs 42,267, it is currently Rs 70,419.

It is a matter of personal satisfaction for me that Uttar Pradesh became the first state to implement the skill development policy, state health policy and declare human-wildlife conflict a disaster. It also bagged nine awards under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, seven under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, two under the Rurban Mission, one under the Livelihood Mission, one under the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and one under the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

Within three years, maternal mortality declined by 30%. Fourteen state organisations were honoured in the cleanliness survey and UP got the Nari Shakti Puraskar for setting up a One Stop Centre for womens empowerment.

These are just some of the steps we have taken. The next two years, I am sure, will see greater progress in the state. The foundations for a new Uttar Pradesh have been laid.

Yogi Adityanath is chief minister, Uttar Pradesh. This piece is a translation of the CMs piece, written for HTs sister publication, Hindustan

The views expressed are personal
Conference call Thursday March 19 at 11:00am EDT

Acquisition adds immediate, profitable, gold production to Company

Property encompasses over 272,000 hectares and is located within the highly prolific Deseado Massif region, Santa Cruz Province, home to several multi-million ounce deposits including Cerro Vanguardia (Anglo Gold Ashanti) Cerro Negro (Newmont GoldCorp) and Cerro Morro (Yamana)

Projected gold production of over 50,000 ounces per year at an AISC of less than $1,000/oz over at least 7-years

Significant potential for operational improvements expected to deliver increased production and free cash flow

Exploration to extend mine life is viewed as highly prospective, with a number of brownfield prospects already identified and drilled

First step in Cerrado's goal of becoming an intermediate producer

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - CERRADO GOLD ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Compania Invesora En Minas S.A. and Compania Invesora Argentina Para La Exportacion SA ("Sellers") to acquire Minera Don Nicolas S.A. ("MDN") and its namesake operating mine and surrounding properties in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Under the terms of the agreement Cerrado paid the Sellers an initial payment of US$15 million at closing, with future payments of $10 million in 24 months, $10 million in 48 months and US$10 million in 60 months from closing. The Sellers are also entitled to a performance bonus based upon an increase in reserves in the future.

Mark Brennan, Co-Chairman & CEO commented: "The acquisition of Minera Don Nicolas marks a major step forward for Cerrado Gold as it adds a strong operating asset with significant upside potential that will complement our ongoing exploration work at our Monte do Carmo operations in Brazil. MDN has one of the largest land positions in Santa Cruz Province (272,000 h/a), with many unexploited greenfield and brownfield opportunities that have seen positive results from drilling. Current production has been limited to open pit operations, where most mines in the region have evolved from open pit to underground. There is also a potential opportunity for heap leach operations as the initial mine gold resource grade of approx. 5.19 grams per tonne, provides ample room for heap leach production from existing low grade stockpiles that don't pass cut-off grade to the mill."

He added, "MDN shall contribute substantial free cash flow that will enable Cerrado to expand its operations in Argentina as well as accelerate the development of our Monte do Carmo operations in Brazil. These two assets have the capability to thrust Cerrado to an intermediate producer status in a fairly modest time frame."

Transaction Highlights

Adds a producing, high quality asset producing free cash flow - Don Nicolas is targeted to produce 50,000 ounces per year with upside from exploration to extend the mine life

Excellent infrastructure - Newly built processing plant in operation for two years, well-established camp with its own power facilities

Cerrado's management experience to enhance operations - New operational procedures are expected to deliver significant operational improvement, higher production and lower unit costs

Enhances Cerrado's existing mineral Resources & Reserves - Transaction adds to Cerrado's Mineral Resources & Reserve base in Brazil.

Non-dilutive financing of acquisition to complement Cerrado's existing project - Cash flows leveraged from Don Nicolas can advance Brazilian Monte do Carmo exploration.

Favorable acquisition timing - Gold price has appreciated over 20% in the past year, significantly improving the confidence in base case expectations.

Minera Don Nicolas Overview

Minera Don Nicolas is located 1,625km south west of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Deseado Massif region in the mining friendly province of Santa Cruz. The project consists of numerous exploration concessions totaling 272,598 hectares. The largest regional centre is Comodoro Rivadavia, 220km away by paved highway, which provides logistical and other support for the operations.

MDN is situated within the world renowned Deseado Massif where the underlying geology of the region is dominated by rhyolitic and andesitic volcanic and tuffaceous volcaniclastic lithologies of Middle to Upper Jurassic age (130 to 170 ma). It is crisscrossed by numerous extensive fault and fracture zones which served as conduits for hydrothermal activity during periods of Jurassic volcanism. The result of this activity is a widespread network of shallow level mineralized "epithermal" fissure veins, breccias, and stock-work systems, many of which carry potentially economic gold and silver mineralization. The Deseado Massif region is host to several multi-million ounce epithermal gold and silver deposits including Cerro Vanguardia (Anglo Gold Ashanti), Cerro Negro (Newmont GoldCorp), Cerro Morro (Yamana).

In February 2012, a Full Feasibility Technical Report was published in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101").

Construction of the facilities was completed in 2017 and has been ramping up to full capacity during 2018 and 2019. Current mining operations are conducted in two areas; the high grade La Paloma deposit and the Martinetas deposits, which are approximately 30km apart. Ore is processed through a 1,000 tpd CIL plant located near the Martinetas pit. The project currently supports 325 employees and contractors on a fly-in fly-out basis. Don Nicolas has strong regional backing having signed agreements with the two neighboring communities and has received strong support from the government of Santa Cruz.

Cerrado undertook a fundamental review of the MDN resource database and based upon reinterpretation, Cerrado estimates that the operation currently hosts a non 43-101 compliant resource of approximately 2.97 million tonnes at 4.62g/t which includes initial mine plan gold resources of 2.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 5.19 g/t . Cerrado sees numerous target areas that can be expected to be quickly added to the resource inventory with only modest exploration efforts. We note current resources are restricted to open pit mining methods as previous operators focused on open pit targets only. That said, many known ore zones continue and remain open at depth, similar to the other mines in the region offering significant exploration potential for underground operations in the future.

Minera Don Nicolas will continue to operate under the same organizational structure as it has been under the Sellers, with Veronica Nohara as acting Managing Director. Cerrado expects little change to the work force, trades or suppliers at this time; the objective is to continue to have an Argentinian Mine, operated by Argentinians for the benefit of Argentinians and stakeholders in Cerrado.

Upon taking ownership Cerrado plans to introduce new operational strategies at MDN, which are expected to add significant improvement with limited additional capital, in the overall operation within a relatively short period of time. The Company's initial focus will be on enhanced grade control activities to increase the head grade delivered to the mill, sustaining the mill throughput rate at its design capacity of 1,000 tpd and recommence exploration efforts that have been on hold for the better part of three years.

Cerrado believes the exploration potential of the property remains highly prospective to increase the mine life from both additional open pit and underground potential. In addition, Cerrado will also investigate the potential to increase production via the processing of the significant amounts of low-grade stockpiles via heap leaching in the future as is seen at nearby operations.

On the Corporate front, Cerrado continues to seek a path forward to become a reporting issuer and a public company, maintaining its commitment to provide liquidity to its current shareholders. During the going public process, Cerrado is expecting to see a strong operational turnaround at MDN while also looking to increase resources at its Monte Do Carmo operations.

Conference Call Details:

Date of Call: Thursday, March 19th, 2020

Time of Call: 11:00am EDT

Conference ID: 1993547 #

Dial-In Numbers:

North American Toll-Free: 1-877-385-4099

International: 1-416-883-0133





For further information please contact:

Mark Brennan

CEO and Co-Chairman

+1 647 796 0023

www.cerradogold.com

Suppliers, trade and business partners please contact:

Veronica Nohara

Managing Director

Minera Don Nicolas S.A.

Tel.: +54 91138987197

veronica.nohara@mdnicolas.com.ar

About Cerrado Gold

Cerrado Gold is a private gold production and exploration company with gold production derived from its 100% owned Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. The company is also undertaking exploration at its 100% owned Monte Do Carmo project located in Tocantins, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado Gold please visit our website at www.cerradogold.com

Notice regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which include completion of the proposed acquisition of MDN and related financing, deadlines, regulatory approvals and other matters.

Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Cerrado and the Sellers. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory or other approvals, the continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that the proposed acquisition of MDN will be completed or, if completed, will be successful.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado and the Sellers disclaim any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, Cerrado and the Sellers undertake no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. The securities described herein may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53514
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Lok Sabha had become a loudspeaker of the government and said it was an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu that members from the southern state were not allowed to ask questions on the regional language issue in the lower house.

His remarks came after opposition members, including from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) walked out of the Lok Sabha claiming they were not allowed to ask a supplementary question related to the official language during Question Hour.

Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament that he had not been allowed to ask a supplementary on Monday on a question on the 50 biggest wilful defaulters and it happened to opposition members on a question related to the Tamil language.

Now it is OK for the speaker to hurt me, I understand he doesnt want me to speak. I am an MP and have certain rights. He can take those away. But today the entire Tamil people wanted to ask a supplementary about the Tamil language, he said.

This is not about one person, this is not about Rahul Gandhi, this is about the people of Tamil Nadu and their language and even they were not allowed to ask that question, this is absolutely an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu. It is unacceptable, the Congress leader said.

The people of Tamil Nadu have every right to defend their language, to believe in their language and to speak in their language, he added.

The former Congress president alleged that speaker Om Birla took away the rights of the people of Tamil Nadu by not allowing the supplementary question on their language.

The people of Tamil Nadu and their language have been attacked, he claimed. This is a House that belongs to all states, all languages. There should be a discussion here, but no discussion is happening these days. Nobody can ask a question. There is one-way traffic and it (Lok Sabha) has become a loudspeaker, Gandhi alleged.

Later, in a tweet, Gandhi said the people of Tamil Nadu were disrespected when the Lok Sabha speaker refused to allow the supplementary question on the Tamil language.

I strongly protest this injustice done to the Tamil people and the disregard for established practises and traditions of Parliament, he said.

Some opposition members stood up in protest when minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai was replying to a question related to the official language.

As the speaker took up the next question during Question Hour, DMK leader TR Baalu protested and demanded that they be allowed to ask supplementary questions.

Amid the din, Gandhi intervened and said it was an issue close to the heart of the people of Tamil Nadu and that a supplementary should be allowed.

With the speaker continuing with the next question, members from various opposition parties, including the DMK, Congress and NCP walked out from the House.

Earlier in the Lok Sabha, the speaker said it was not right to raise questions on decisions of the chair outside the House. The remarks came a day after Gandhi said he was not allowed to ask supplementary questions in the Lok Sabha.

Birla has always been emphasising in the House that questions as well as answers should be kept short so that more issues can be taken up during Question Hour.

On Tuesday, some members, including from the Congress, wanted to ask supplementary questions.

If one question takes around 15-20 minutes... and then saying supplementary questions are not being allowed after 12 (noon) is not good, the speaker said.

Birla also said that raising questions against the decision of the chair outside the House was not right.
KYIV - Maksym Melnichenko flew through the first stage of tests to weed out the corrupt and incompetent from Ukraine's notorious prosecution service. He answered 100 computer questions in 100 minutes to pass with flying colors. Two weeks later, he passed stage two, an IQ test, scoring a 116.

Then came stage three: the interview. Ninety minutes of questions on his overseas trips and the property of his wife, mother and parents-in-law was enough to raise "reasonable doubt" about his integrity, the investigating commission said. Melnichenko, like hundreds of other prosecutors, was sacked.

Anti-corruption activists call it the most sweeping change of the prosecution system in Ukraine's history. To Melnichenko, 37, a father of three young children, and to hundreds of other prosecutors appealing their firings in court (where judges are also known for corruption), it's a travesty.

Now anti-corruption activists see a different travesty: The dismissal of Ruslan Ryaboshapka, the prosecutor general who instigated the anti-corruption drive, replaced Tuesday by Iryna Venediktova, a former adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky and lawmaker from his party.

Ryaboshapka was fired by parliament on March 5 after six months on the job. He was pushed out by a faction in Zelensky's Servant of the People Party that anti-corruption crusaders and political analysts say is close to the powerful oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky. Kolomoisky and the lawmakers deny any links.

Zelensky is a former comedian who played the president on the television show "Servant of the People" before winning the office in April. The show was aired by Kolomoisky's network.

Zelensky said Ryaboshapka had failed to produce results. But the sacking shocked observers. His attack on corruption in the prosecution service was seen by good-governance advocates as a seismic change. Yet here was the populist president - a man whose broad-based political support gave him the best chance in decades of modernizing Ukraine's ossified and corrupt political and law enforcement institutions - abruptly veering away from a crucial update of the prosecution service toward . . . what, exactly?

Ryaboshapka's firing came just after Zelensky removed the young reformist Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk and most of his government, after less than a year on the job.

"Shame is the only word I can use to describe what has happened in parliament," the journalist Kristina Berdynskykh tweeted. "Zelensky has made a sharp turn in what is obviously the wrong direction."

Daria Kaleniuk, head of Ukraine's Anti-corruption Action Center, said the moves send the message that Zelensky "can fire a person who takes a risk, for doing the right things, and blame this person for inefficiency."

"It feels that his agenda is being built by either very noncompetent forces, or very pro-oligarch and pro-Russian forces," Kaleniuk told The Washington Post. "I think that it's just a matter of time, when pro-Russian forces and pro-oligarch forces fully hijack the president."

A spokeswoman for Zelensky did not respond to questions about the criticism of Ryaboshapka's dismissal. Spokeswoman Iiulia Mendel sent an excerpt from a Zelensky address on March 4, in which he said he did not influence the work of prosecutors and called for them to work more quickly and prosecute more people.

"For how long should Ukrainian society expect the results in the most resonant cases?" he asked. "We promised citizens a victory over corruption. Now it's not even a draw."

Ryaboshapka's replacement, approved by the parliament Tuesday, disappointed anti-corruption advocates. Kaleniuk called Venediktova, head of the State Bureau of Investigations, "completely unsuitable," predicting in a Facebook post that she would do whatever Zelensky wanted.

"Those who always say yes, will simply bring both the president and the country to a deep, deep bottom," she said.

Zelensky told parliament Tuesday that Venediktova's professionalism and integrity would ensure an end to corruption and see important cases prosecuted.

Venediktova, a former adviser to Zelensky, told parliament she would comply with the law and ensure the prosecution service met international standards.

"I promise not to sell criminal cases, not to sabotage them and not to reinstate werewolf prosecutors," she said. "We need justice like air, and we will restore it," she said.

She rejected accusations that she was appointed to initiate political prosecutions: "There is no political persecution in Ukraine, but a thief must be in jail."

Zelensky boasted to President Donald Trump last year that Ryaboshapka would be "100% my person" in the telephone call that raised controversy for both leaders.

The July 25 conversation, in which Trump asked Zelensky to launch investigations into his potential election opponent Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, led to his impeachment. (He was acquitted by the Senate).

Trump's pressure came at a delicate time for Ukraine, with Ryaboshapka and others working to shake the country free from decades of corrupt, incompetent governance. Zelensky's claim that Ryaboshapka was 100% his man was damaging in a nation where the prosecution service has long been used as a Soviet-style political tool to jail political rivals.

Ryaboshapka, knowing powerful opponents were circling, moved quickly to reshape the service. One of the first things he did was to fire two deputies and the chief prosecutors in 17 of Ukraine's regions.

As Trump pressured Zelensky, Ryaboshapka said publicly that he saw no evidence of criminality by Hunter Biden. He launched audits of at least 15 investigations into the Ukrainian gas company Burisma in the era before Hunter Biden joined the board.

Viktor Chumak, Ryaboshapka's deputy and, until Tuesday, his interim successor, called his former boss "the most successful prosecutor in the history of Ukraine."

"You understand, before the arrival of Ryaboshapka, the prosecutor's office was an instrument of repression and pressure," Chumak said in an interview before Venediktova was appointed. "And it was an instrument of political games. It was an instrument of pressure on political opponents.

"The one who broke that system was Ryaboshapka. Everything began to be done according to the law."

Chumak blamed Ryaboshapka's firing on "politicians," "oligarchs" and "regional figures who were in power for a long time and have long-term corrupt ties with local law enforcement bodies."

"Ryaboshapka was unsuitable because he did not carry out any political demands."

In 2015, Vice President Joe Biden and European partners were pushing Ukraine to address corruption. They called on Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko to dismiss General Prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was seen by Western diplomats as resisting reform. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, says Biden sought Shokin's dismissal to protect Burisma and Hunter Biden.

"I don't know what Biden said to Poroshenko," Chumak said. "But Shokin's firing was a very correct move for the country, not for Biden."

Oleksandr Lemenov, founder of the civil society group State Watch, has called Ryaboshapka "the father of the anti-corruption strategy in Ukraine." Lemenov is a member of the commission examining and interviewing prosecutors.

"For six months, Ryaboshapka refused to use the prosecutor's office for political purposes," Lemenov said. The main problem, he said, was Zelensky's closeness to powerful oligarchs. Trying to complete the reforms now was "like giving birth in a third month of pregnancy."

"It seems [Zelensky] lost his ability to see the truth," Lemenov said. "It took nine months for Zelensky to lose our trust."

Ryaboshapka's efforts began at the top, in the prosecutor general's office in Kyiv.

More than half of the prosecutors in the capital - 729 out of 1,339 - were dismissed. Among regional prosecutors, 780 of 3,161 have failed before the interview stage.

"It's the most serious reform of the prosecutor's office in the history of Ukraine," Chumak said. "If only we had had just half a year more, those reforms would have been irreversible."

Venediktova said Tuesday that it was important to continue the effort. But she also expressed concern about staffing problems caused by the dismissals of so many prosecutors.

Melnichenko, the dismissed prosecutor, is now seeking work as an advocate. He says his experience - passing two computer tests but then failing interviews by humans based on "reasonable doubt" of his integrity - flips the usual legal standard of innocent until proved guilty.

"When a computer system passes you and then totally biased people fail you for some imaginary reasons and fire you, that system will be demolished in court," he said. "Practically everyone who didn't make it has appealed to the courts."

He said the interviewers were supposed to be flawless individuals with unquestioned authority and integrity. But he said some had been involved in shady property deals or taking money to appear on Russian television or had been sued.

Kaleniuk, the anti-corruption activist, said the corruption cleanup was not perfect. But she saw the dismissals of Ryaboshapka, Honsharuk and others as a stunning reversal of Ukraine's hopes for change.

Chumak had planned to fight as long as he could to continue Ryaboshapka's work. On Tuesday, he posted his resignation letter to Zelensky online.

"To all those who believed in us and supported us," he wrote, "I want to say thank you once more from our team."

- - -

Natalie Gryvnyak contributed to this report.
As a GP in a family of doctors  my brother is an anaesthetist, my son an anaesthetist and my sister a pathologist  I am faced with inquiries hour upon hour about the pandemic: what to do, how to cope, when to self-isolate.

What no one asks is how do we protect our doctors and nurses from developing Covid-19 themselves?

Medical staff clean their hands every few minutes, but the fact is, if a patient is coughing infected particles into the air, very little can be done to protect them from those.

What no one asks is how do we protect our doctors and nurses from developing Covid-19 themselves? (Stock image)

Such particles can be breathed in through the nose, enter through the mouth as we speak and, most insidiously, gain entry through the conjunctiva, the wet surface of the front of the eye. Handwashing and the use of masks can only do so much.

Furthermore, catching it is about exposure to viral load  the more your system has to deal with, the more likely you are to succumb to this highly contagious virus.

NHS England has decided not to test staff  partly because there's a test shortage and partly because, while a positive result may confirm the diagnosis, a negative result does not exclude it: the sensitivity of the test is only about 70 per cent  but if a doctor, nurse or other healthcare worker falls ill, they must go home and self-isolate.

Dr Martin Scurr (pictured) is a GP who is faced with inquiries hour upon hour about the pandemic

Helpfully, the symptoms of fever, aches, and a dry cough are all too evident.

The worry for the NHS is that staff numbers will inevitably be depleted; already the intensive care unit at one major North-West London hospital is reportedly down 20 nurses, and that pattern is set to continue.

I'm afraid there is no way around this. My view is that our task as health professionals is to stand up and be counted until we fall.

We must rally to the cause: colleagues not usually engaged in the treatment of infectious disease or respiratory illness are starting to be trained in them.

We also need to confront the frightening possibility that we may reach a point where intensive care treatment may be declined for those judged too ill or frail, as their recovery prospects are poor.

Making such a judgment is one of the hardest decisions any doctor is likely to have to take.

Medical staff clean their hands every few minutes, but the fact is, if a patient is coughing infected particles into the air, very little can be done to protect them from those. (Stock image)

This is an extraordinary time, requiring extraordinary measures. Doctors will be making decisions based not on personal whim, but on sensible, balanced research. Trust in that.

As to myself: I'm not yet over 70, but this weekend I decided to remove my mother, who, at 91, most definitely is, from her home in London. We have isolated ourselves in rural Norfolk, where I am keeping an eye on her as well as a neighbour aged 93.

I'm doing this not as a doctor, but because it is the right thing to do. Extending a helping hand is not only the remit of over-stretched medical staff. It is up to us all.
On March 15, the Donetsk edition of the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda conducted a radio interview with Igor Girkin, alias Strelkov, the former commander of Russian-led forces in Ukraines Donbas region. Girkin, who reportedly was once a colonel in Russias Federal Security Service, is on trial in absentia in the Netherlands on charges of causing the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. There are three other defendants: two Russians and a Ukrainian.

One of the interviewers brought up the trial and a social media post often incorrectly attributed to Girkin, in which he allegedly bragged about the downing of a Ukrainian military aircraft that was later found to be MH17. The Russian state news agency TASS still carries an article from that day describing the downing of a Ukrainian military An-26, without any correction (no Ukrainian military aircraft were lost that day).

In the interview, Girkin denied writing any social media post about the downing of an aircraft the day MH17 went down. However, the social media post about the downing of a military plane came from a group which promoted statements by the Russian-led forces in Donbas. Moreover, a Twitter account for the insurgents self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic also reported the downing of a Ukrainian An-26 military aircraft.

The words Girkin chose in denying responsibility deserve attention. Referring to Russian-led local forces in Donbas as the militia, he told Komsomolskaya Pravda: The militia did not bring down the Boeing (MH17), and added that the militia had no means with which to bring the airliner down while he was in Ukraine.

The interviewer then asked: So there werent any Russian Buks (Buk M1 surface-to-air missile systems) there?

I repeat once again: The militia didnt shoot down the Boeing, Girkin replied. I can answer only for the militia.

The fact that Girkin, now in Russia, seemed to dodge any mention of Russian Buks is noteworthy for where he drew the line. Russia has denied any involvement in the war in Ukraine even though investigators with the international Joint Investigative Team (JIT) believe the Buk M1 system used in the shootdown belonged to Russias 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.

The open-source investigative organization Bellingcat, which has traced movements of the Buk, has said Russian crew members may have accompanied the surface-to-air missile system into Ukraine and worked with local collaborators.

Girkin gave a similar denial in an interview with BBC correspondent Steve Rosenberg on March 10. Asked whether he knew who shot down the plane, Girkin responded: Let me repeat once again, the rebels didnt shoot down the Boeing. I have nothing more to say. Rosenberg then asked Girkin if the airliner was shot down by Russian soldiers, to which Girkin responded by abruptly ending the interview.

Girkins denials appear designed to absolve the force he commanded of responsibility while protecting Russias story line. In a 2014 interview, Girkin claimed responsibility for starting the war in Donbas.

Igor Girkin assisted in the annexation of Crimea in March 2014. Later that spring, in Donbas, he briefly served as Defense Minister for the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic. In the trial currently underway in the Netherlands, he and three other suspects -- Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian national Leonid Kharchenko -- are charged with causing the downing of MH17 and the deaths of its 298 passengers and crew. All four are believed to be in Russia, which does not extradite its citizens.
An 'obsessed' husband who throttled his estranged wife in an attack she likened to being in a horror movie has been jailed for a year.

Sergey Alvin, 49, left the mother of his children, Olga, convinced she was going to die when he pinned her down on the bed at their family home in north London.

Mrs Alvin arrived home to find the Russian national sprawled out across the marital bed despite having filed a restraining order against him months earlier.

He broke into the house and launched the 'nasty' assault in a drunken rage after she refused to hand him the keys to the tenancy.

Sergey Alvin, pictured, has been jailed for a year after he throttled his estranged wife in an attack that was 'like something out of a horror movie'

The victim managed to break free by kneeing him in the groin and hailing down a stranger's car in the road outside.

Police were called to the scene and found her shaking in terror so violently that her teeth had begun chatter, with bruising around her neck and face.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said: 'The defendant was convicted before the North London Magistrates' Court on February 6 this year after a trial of two counts, one of common assault and one of breach of a restraining order.

'The victim of the common assault was his wife Olga Alvin. It is thought to be many many years of marriage.

'They are estranged as a result of the breakdown in their relationship which Mrs Alvin describes as one characterised by domestic violence.

'On December 16 last year Mrs Alvin returned to her address to find the defendant lying on the bed inside.

'There was an angry argument during which the defendant demanded that she transfer the tenancy into his name, demanding that he should therefore stay and she should leave, and during the course of this row, he pushed her back onto the bed and held her down on the bed.

'She managed to phone the police. They arrived while Mr Alvin was still at the premises and they escorted him away from the premises because she explained to them that there was a restraining order in place and he was prohibited from being there.

'A few minutes later the defendant came back and it is then that the assault is committed. From the outset it was apparent to Mrs Alvin that the defendant was drunk.

'So it was that in a terrible temper he returned to the address when police escorted him away.

'He was grabbing her round the neck, strangling her, and putting his hand repeatedly over her mouth.

'He had during the earlier argument threatened to kill Mrs Alvin's parents. They are in the Ukraine, as I understand it, so not a threat likely to be carried out, but sets the tone for the argument.

The Old Bailey, pictured, heard how the victim could 'feel the air leaving her' as the attacker forced her to the floor

'He grabbed hold with a very strong grip he was as she says raging with anger and drunk as well.

'She has a door that she thought would be secure against him but he was able to push his way in. The door was not up to the job of keeping him out.'

Mrs Alvin said in a statement read to the court she could 'feel the air leaving her' as the attacker forced her to the floor.

'She says 'I could feel his grip so tight around my throat and in such panic. I could feel the air leaving me as he squeezed harder and harder and forced me to the floor,' the prosecutor read.

'I could see him now on top and he was choking me and I thought to myself, one second longer I'm going to pass out'.'

'In a later statement she says she thinks she did fleetingly pass out.

'He kept replacing his hand over her mouth and in panic she raised her leg and managed to knee him in the groin.

'That caused him to let go of her and she managed to run outside and got into a stranger's passing car to escape him.

'She waited with this other member of the public for the police to return. This is all at about half past 12 in the middle of the day.

'She waited for police to return and indeed they did and found her in a terrible state, shaking, panicking and frightened. One describes her teeth as chattering, she was also visibly injured to the neck with what is described as reddening to the neck, clear finger marks and scratches.

'She was in fear for her life while she was being strangled, and strangling is a particular red flag in the context of domestic violence because of the correlation between strangling and homicide in a domestic context.'

The couple, pictured together, were married for 25 years before Mrs Alvin left in 2019, the court was told

The court heard Alvin has a history of domestic violence towards partners.

A restraining order was made after he turned up at the victim's house last summer, demanding an explanation as to why she left him.

'On the first occasion he tricked his way into the property and restrained his wife on her bed, on the second he forced his way into the property with a tool in his hand causing his sister-in-law and niece considerable fear although in fact his wife was not present.

'The defendant is a Russian national but has been here for some years.

'Mrs Alvin said throughout the attack she was terrified she might die especially because for a moment she says she lost consciousness.

'I couldn't breathe it felt like I was a movie, like I was in a horror film. He has already shown he does not respect the restraining order. The attack has shown me he is of very serious risk to me.'

'The following day she was unable to concentrate at work, replaying the assault over and over in her head and worrying what would happen to [her children] if she had been killed.

'She says she had to move after the first assault the previous summer but is still paying rent on the flat they lived in together [so] has been financially affected.

'Here we have a nasty assault committed in breach of a restraining order.

Alvin appeared at the Old Bailey dressed in a grey prison tracksuit and represented himself.

He blamed his wife for 'refusing to cooperate' and argued that the situation had been exaggerated beyond reality.

Alvin, pictured, was convicted of assault by beating and breaching a restraining order after the attack in north London in December

Speaking through a Russian translator, the attacker said: 'Everything that's been mentioned is exaggerated, it does not reflect reality. I would like to explain step by step how everything happened.

'We are married for 25 years and in May 2019 she left, decided to live with her sister and abandon her family and told us she would not come back to us ever again.

'I demanded her to speak with me and give me an explanation why she decided to walk out and she refused to cooperate and didn't give me any explanation. Unfortunately it got out of hand, I grabbed her and told her 'go home with me'. She decided not to and then she escaped and told me 'no' and I left.

'I explained that she had to show a degree of commitment.

'Most likely her lawyer told her the easiest way to get rid of me was to stop paying rent and that would provoke a chain reaction and I'd be evicted.'

Judge Rebecca Poulet QC, sentencing, said: 'Having seen the marks on your wife's neck and read her impact statement I don't feel I can accept everything you've said. But I will bear in mind that she had come to your address [before].

'The other matters I'll bear in mind in your favour are that you've been a good father to your children.

'You have not been represented today. I listened very carefully to what you did say.

'There is at it appears to me a history of serious conduct by you but today I must sentence you for two offences.

'She was absolutely terrified and she thought you were going to kill her. I've seen the marks on her neck and on her face.

'She was frightened of you in the earlier episode where you had threatened to kill her parents.

'In the course of the assault you forced her down onto the floor. She fought you off and kneed you in the groin and so frightened was she that she got into a passing car with a stranger driving.

'I have in mind the undoubted sadness but also obsession that you felt at the time but I must protect your wife and also punish you for this conduct.'

Alvin, of no fixed address, denied but was convicted of assault by beating and breaching a restraining order.

He was sentenced to one year imprisonment.
The effects of the coronavirus outbreak have impacted virtually every industry, and fashion is no exception. Between store closures and major event cancellations, the effects are felt by everyone from small businesses to large luxury retailers alike.

With infection rates continuing to grow in different parts of the world, a number of brands and designers are implementing several initiatives to help those at risk. See, below, for more ways fashion is contributing to COVID-19 relief.

DKNY released a line of $25 black and white unisex Essential Tees on DKNY.com with 100% of net proceeds benefitting the NYC Mayor's Covid-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Bulgari made a contribution to the of Rome's Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani, which is undergoing research to stop the spread of COVID-19. They also pledged to manufacture hundreds of thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer, which will be distributed to Italian medical facilities within the next two months.

Giorgio Armani donated 1.25 million euros to several hospitals and institutions in Italy that are involved in battling COVID-19 in Italy. The brand also switched all of its production plants from product production to manufacturing single-use medical overalls for healthcare workers in Italy.

Gucci's CEO Marco Bizzarri made a personal donation of 100,000 euros to a variety of hospitals in Italy, particularly those in the heavily affected Emilia-Romagna region.

Cartier's parent company Richemont pledged about $1.4 million earlier this year to the Wuhan Red Cross.

Sergio Rossi contributed more than $100,000 to the Fatebenefratelli and Luigi Sacco hospitals in Milan.

Silvia Venturini Fendi announced that the Carla Fendi Foundation donated 100,000 euros to the intensive care department of the Presidio Sanitario Columbus hospital in Rome.

Renzo Rosso, president of OTB Group (which owns Diesel, Maison Margiela and Marni), asked followers via his Only The Brave Foundation Instagram account to contribute to the foundation so that they can help small centers in need.

Moncler is donating 10 million euros to support the construction of a hospital with over 400 intensive care units in Milan.

The Elaine Gold LaunchPad has donated $250,000 to A Common Thread, and will match any additional donation of up to $250,000, for a total donation of $500,000.

UNIQLO, under their parent company, Fast Retailing, pledged to produce 10 million protective masks, which will be distributed to medical facilities around the world, beginning in early April.

Self Portrait is donating 10% of all sales made in the next 30 days to the National Emergencies Trust. They have also released a free downloadable coloring book for families and children to enjoy while social distancing at home.

Phillip Lim and Prabal Gurung have teamed up with Phenomenal Women to create the campaign "Phenomenally Asian", which raises awareness about the emerging racism against the Asian community due to misconceptions surrounding the virus.

Saks has used their window displays on Fifth Avenue to relay a message of gratitude to the organizations and individuals who are on the frontlines of battling the pandemic. They have also donated $600,000 to multiple organizations that are fighting the virus and supporting those affected by it.

Valentino is donating over $1.1 million through their charity foundation in support of the Columbus Covid 2 Hospital in Rome.

Hickey Freeman is using its facility in Rochester, N.Y. to make protective masks for medical workers in local hospitals.

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group has donated over $3.3 million to the Civil Protection in Italy. Additionally, the luxury fashion house has dedicated parts of its production facilities in Italy and Switzerland to the manufacturing of masks and protective suits for healthcare workers.

Wolford has joined the Global Anti Virus Relief Scheme Initiative by allocating their production resources and fabric technologies to the production of masks.

Mansur Gavriel is donating 10% of every Bucket Bag purchase to Global Giving's Coronavirus Relief Fund, which supports healthcare professionals and communities affected by the pandemic.

Tanya Taylor has started production on 5,000 non-medical grade masks that will be sent to New York City hospitals. They are accepting donations so that they can produce an additional 5,000 masks.

DROMe has been producing 100-150 masks per day for hospitals in Italy and will continue to do so as long as needed.

Vera Bradley is working with their global supply chain to source medical-grade face masks for healthcare workers, as well as producing cotton masks for general protection in their Fort Wayne, Indiana facility. General medical wear and accessories are now available on VeraBradley.com at a discounted rate for healthcare professionals.

Anine Bing is producing 10,000 masks to be donated to foundations in need that are fighting the pandemic.

Ryland Life will be donating 25% of online sales to food banks, shelters, and charities through April 3.

Cuts Clothing has donated over $25,000 to Direct Relief, and will continue to donate 5% of all their sales through April to Direct Relief.

OTB Group is donating 10% of their April online sales from Diesel, Maison Margiela, and Marni to the OTB Foundation for the distribution of protection kits and tools for medical staff and patients.

AG Jeans is donating $1 million to the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund.

The Kate Spade New York Foundation will be donating $100,000 to Crisis Text Line, which provides mental health support to doctors and nurses. The foundation is committing an additional $100,000 to ten existing grantees.

Tod's Group Chairman Diego Della Valle and his family are contributing over $5 million to support the families of health workers who lost their lives in the fight against Covid-19. Anyone wishing to contribute can access the fund via an account opened by Italy's Protezione Civile: IBAN IT66 J030 6905 0201 0000 0066 432.

KAIMIN is partnering with the New York City Economic Development Cooperation, the Department of Health, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to produce hundreds of thousands of medical gowns for New York's first responders and medical workers.

Chinatown Market has partnered with Marshmello on their Make a T-Shirt Live series. Proceeds from the collaboration will benefit Feeding America's COVID-19 Response Fund.

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation has made a commitment of $750,000 to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO, and $250,000 to The New York Community Trust's NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund.

Roxanne Assoulin has created five new "Remind Yourself Bracelets" with 10% of the proceeds being donated to the COVID-19 Direct Relief Fund.

MOSCOT is supporting medical professionals on the front line with eyeglasses that offer an additional layer of protection against airborne particles or fluid-borne pathogens from patients.

Current / Elliot, Joie, Equipment and The Collected Group are donating masks to the medical community in New York City.

Fabletics has teamed up with Demi Lovato for a new collection with $5 from every purchase being donated to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO.

Mango has donated 2 million face masks to the Spanish Ministry of Health.
At the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) overlooking the Ain Al-Sira Lake in Fustat in Cairo this week, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, and Ghaith Fariz, director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science, along with more than 20 foreign ambassadors, cultural attaches and heads of archaeological institutes in Egypt and Egyptologists met to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the completion of the International Safeguarding Campaign to save and relocate the Nubia Temples in March 1980.



This celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the completion of the biggest archaeological and international campaign in the history of the world and the history of UNESCO highlights the strong partnership between Egypt and UNESCO, El-Enany said during his speech at the event.

Egyptian archaeologists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) had repeated the experience of UNESCOs rescue of the Abu Simbel Temples, as they had succeeded in transporting the beautifully painted tomb of a priest named Tutu, discovered last year in a remote area in the Sohag governorate, and reinstalling it at the Antiquities Museum in the New Administrative Capital, El-Enany said.They had also succeeded in transporting, restoring, and reassembling and re-erecting obelisks to decorate squares and other areas in Egypt. Over the last 18 months, the SCA had re-erected seven obelisks, including two in the San Al-Haggar archaeological site in Zagazig, two at the New Administrative Capital, one at New Alamein City, one in Cairos Tahrir Square, and the last at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Pyramids Plateau in Giza.The International Campaign that saved the Temples of Nubia during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s is remembered as an unprecedented engineering achievement. In 1954, the decision to build the Aswan High Dam was made, leading to the creation of a huge artificial lake covering the Upper Nile Valley from Aswan in Egypt to the Dal Cataract in Sudan.The Safeguarding Campaign was launched by UNESCO to all its member states to help to rescue the Nubia Temples threatened by the building of the new High Dam. The appeal resulted in the excavation and recording of hundreds of sites, the recovery of thousands of objects, and the salvage and relocation of a number of important temples to higher ground, the most famous of them being the temple complexes of Abu Simbel and Philae.The campaign ended as a complete and spectacular success. On 10 March 1980, UNESCO announced that the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia had been successfully completed. Overall, the project had cost more than $80 million, about half of which was paid for by Egypt.Egypt was also generous in the expression of its gratitude towards the countries that had lent a hand in saving the Nubian cultural heritage. Every nation that had provided financial support received at least a sculpture or other artefact as a gift. The four countries that had been the biggest contributors  the United States, Spain, Holland, and Italy  received the rescued Dendur, Debod, Taffa, and Ellesiya Temples, respectively.THE ABU SIMBEL TEMPLES: The two Abu Simbel Temples were built by the Pharaoh Ramses II (1279-1213 BCE) to demonstrate his political clout and divine backing to the ancient Nubians.On each side of the main temple, carved into a sandstone cliff overlooking the Niles second cataract, sits a pair of colossal statues of Ramses. Though the statues have been damaged in earthquakes since their construction, they remain an awe-inspiring sight. The Temple is aligned to face the east, and above the entrance sits a niche with a representation of Re-hur-akhty, an aspect of the sun god.Time has taken its toll on both temples, and in the sixth century BCE sand had already covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. The Temple was forgotten until 1813, when the Swiss orientalist Jean-Louis Burckhardt found the top frieze of the main Temple and talked about his discovery with Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni who travelled to the site but was unable to dig out an entry. He then returned to the site in 1817 and succeeded to enter the complex.The protection of the Temples at Abu Simbel, cut in the living rock, presented considerable technical difficulties as the Aswan High Dam was constructed. Several projects were considered, but the one that was finally chosen consisted of dismantling the temples faades and the walls of their rooms by cutting them into large blocks, removing these, and rebuilding both temples inside concrete dome-shaped structures in a simulated environment.

A cofferdam had to be built while the dismantling operation was in progress because of the already rising water of Lake Nasser behind the dam. The whole huge operation was successfully completed, and the re-sited Temples were reopened officially on 22 October 1968.This was a task requiring considerable international engineering resources, when the High Dam caused Lake Nasser to rise and inundate the area. For this reason, the sun now strikes the temple a day later than Ramses had originally planned, though the event itself is no less stunning.THE PHILAE TEMPLES: These are ancient Egypts centre for the cult of the goddess Isis, venerated from the ancient Egyptian era through the Graeco-Roman and Byzantine periods, with each ruler making his own additions to the stones at Philae.The temples were transferred block by block from their original place on Philae Island to Agilika Island 12km south of Aswan during the International Campaign.The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently started a cooperation scheme with the private sector to develop visitor facilities at local archaeological sites, among them the Philae Temples. In collaboration with the National Bank of Egypt, the ministry has completed the development of the Philae Temples site according to UNESCO standards. The work includes upgrading the Nile dock and the entrance gate and the installation of security kiosks and signs.OTHER NUBIA TEMPLES: Other Nubia Temples affected by the International Campaign include Qasr Ibrim, the only surviving Nubian site that was not moved. It remained in situ on the east bank of Lake Nasser.The Dakka Temple dedicated to the god Thoth was moved to New Sebua. The original construction began around 220 BCE and was continued by several Ptolemaic kings and the emperors Augustus and Tiberius during the Roman period.The Derr Temple is now located at New Amada. It was built by Ramses II for the sun god Re and had statues of Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramses II, and Re-Horakhty as at Abu Simbel. However, during the Coptic period it was converted into a church, and much of its decoration was destroyed.The Kalabsha Temple is the largest free-standing temple in Nubia. It was built during the late Ptolemaic period and dedicated to the deities Horus-Mandulis, Isis, and Osiris. Neighbouring it was the kiosk of Qertassi.The Amada Temple was moved as a single unit to New Amada. It is the oldest of the Nubia Temples, dating from the New Kingdom. It was built originally by kings Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep II, with additions by Tuthmosis IV. Kings Seti I and Ramses II restored it and made minor additions.The Al-Sebua Temple was originally located a few km east of its present location at New Sebua. It was built by king Ramses II and is well known for its court decorated with human-headed sphinxes with the face of the king wearing the double crown of upper and lower Egypt. Thee second court has falcon-headed sphinxes.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Politicians have criticised a decision to remove students from university accommodation with 24 hours notice.

Trinity College in Dublin took the decision yesterday that all students must leave campus accommodation, Trinity Halls, and other linked private student accommodation in an effort to tackle the coronavirus.

The letter said it was one of the most difficult decisions to date.

Its understood a number of people involved with the institution, both staff and students, have been infected with the virus.

A letter was sent via email yesterday from the administration that all students should vacate with all their belongings by Tuesday evening by 7pm unless they meet certain criteria.

Overseas students have until Wednesday at 5pm.

The criteria for staying includes, if a family member at home is self-isolating, if the student is subject to visa restrictions or the student would be at risk of homelessness.

Those staying in Trinity Hall will be refunded on their rent, those in other linked accommodations will be supported in their efforts to claw back payments.

The letter caused widespread shock and criticism from students who noted that many would not be able to organise parents or other family to travel across the country to help them move all their belongings at such short notice, or organise flights and luggage transfer for those living overseas.

The Labour Party have described the move as worrying, with Education spokesperson, Aodhan O Riordain saying the decision is questionable.

The decision by Trinity College Dublin to give students less than 48 hours notice to leave their student accommodation is questionable at best, Mr O Riordain said.

Many students who remain in Trinity-owned accommodation are international students. They have already paid high tuition fees on top of their accommodation fees.

We are in the middle of a very troubling health situation coupled with the worst housing crisis the State, it is unacceptable to expect students to find accommodation at such short notice.

Likewise, Sinn Fein Housing Spokesman Eoin O Broin said he would be contacting the university to discuss the issue.

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With Nana Patekars NGO suing Tanushree Dutta for defamation, the actress  who is rightly considered the pioneer of the #MeToo movement in Bollywood  finds herself being pushed financially and emotionally into a corner by forces much more powerful than her.

Interestingly, she was slapped with the case on the same day when Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual offences.

Its ironic that not only am I fighting for justice alone, with no sign of redress for my personal losses but to be inundated with legal threats for speaking out against harassment and corruption is another level of anarchy in India, she says about the coincidence, adding that it has been a challenging experience.

Its been very hard on me emotionally, psychologically, and financially these 12 years, after the mob violence on the sets of Horn OK Please in 2008 instigated by Nana Patekar and his goons. I had gone into severe depression post that episode for many years, she recalls about the ordeal.

Tanushree rues that the film fraternity has not been helping her in the matter. Instead of getting justice, I have further been pushed and forced into legal hassles by these people while everyone else watches the drama. I will remember this for sure and make a report of it. I feel like I have been let down by many people and I will return the favour when I rise to power again  and I will, she asserts.
Entered Jamia Milia University to rescue trapped innocent students, says Delhi police

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Delhi Police told a court that it was constrained to enter the Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) on December 15 last year to contain the violence and rescue innocent students trapped inside as "rioters" had entered the campus during anti-CAA protests and pelted stones at police personnel and public from inside.

The submissions were made in the Action Taken Report (ATR) filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Rajat Goyal during the hearing of a plea seeking registration of FIR against alleged police attack on students on the campus during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The court has put up the matter for further hearing on April 7.

The police said as it was not possible to distinguish between the trapped students and rioters, who were found to be having petrol bombs earlier, all were asked to be evacuated with their "hands up".

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Delhi violence: Teachers of Jamia Millia Islamia to contribute one-day salary to victims

The ATR said: "With a view to contain the violence and maintain law and order, the police was constrained to enter the campus. The police personnel could successfully contain the violent activity by temporarily apprehending 52 persons under the Delhi Police Act. During the incident in Jamia a large number of police officials and public persons got injured.

"The action was required to be taken in light of the ongoing violence from within the varsity campus and to rescue the innocent students trapped inside and to ensure normalcy. As it was not possible for the police to distinguish between the trapped students and rioters who were found to be having petrol bombs earlier, all were asked to be evacuated with their 'hands up' since this exercise was undertaken as it was already dark in the late evening."

The police further submitted that the rioters had destroyed/damaged the lights within the varsity campus and, therefore, it was difficult to distinguish between the innocent students and rioters.

No student has been arrested so far in the case, it said.

Jamia violence: Students record statement before Delhi Police

The police said that on December 15, 2019 it received an input that some students of the university along with alumni and other persons would assemble in large numbers at the campus for protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The police claimed that local leaders and politicians were instigating the protestors and were raising extremely provocative and inciting slogans and the mob was armed with lathis, stones, tube lights and petrol bombs.

The ATR said: "From the conduct of the mob and provocative slogans beng shouted by the mob, it was clear that the intention of the mob was not to stage a peaceful protest but was to indulge in some violent activity. the deployment of the anti-riot staff and equipment was done as per the standard protocol/ operating procedures of the Delhi police in similar situations when there is apprehension of breach of law and order."

The unruly mob which was slowly retreating back, instead of dispersing, strategically went inside JMI and by using the varsity campus as cover started pelting stones, tube-lights and other objects resulting in grievous injuries to police personnel and public persons while raising extremely provocative slogans, police alleged.

The report further said: "The mob was incessantly pelting bricks, bottled, stones, petrol bombs etc on the police present on the spot due to which several police personnel sustained grievous injuries. Tear gas shells and moderate force were used to disperse and push back this unlawful assembly by various teams.

"This unlawful assembly in different groups entered inside the university from both sides of the university roads and now stones were being pelted from three sides. It was clear that some miscreants have also entered in the university complex. Considering the heavy stones, glass bottles and tube-lights pelting from the inside the campus, the police had to reach outside the campus, so as to avoid any untoward incident."

Jamia violence: Delhi Police serves notices on 10 students, asks to appear for questioning

The police claimed that they tried to control the violent mob by using loudspeaker and requested them not to take law in their hands but they did not pay any heed to the warning/lawful directions of police and kept on damaging the public property.

The complaint, filed by the Registrar of JMI University, claimed that police officials had "illegally" entered the campus on December 15, 2019 when the students were protesting peacefully against the newly amended law and attacked students with tear gas shells, lathi charge and open firing.

The plea, filed through advocates Asghar Khan and Tariq Nasir, also sought registration of FIR against relevant provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The petition further claimed that despite repeated complaints to the police by the varsity administration to lodge an FIR against the alleged police attack, no action has been taken till date.

"The students of the University were mercilessly beaten, hurled abuses, racial and derogatory comments were herald, tear gas shells were fired, lathi charge was done. That some of the police officials without any just cause broke open the main library gate and also the doors and windows of the library building and fired tear gas shells on peaceful studying students even inside the library," it alleged.

It added the police also allegedly detained several students at various police stations.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As coronavirus (COVID-19) cases once again jumped in New York City  with over 800 cases now confirmed throughout the five boroughs  Congressman Max Rose, alongside other state representatives, is calling on President Donald Trump to deploy a Naval hospital ship to the city to meet rising healthcare demands.

We write to ask that you immediately ready the naval hospital ship USNS Comfort, currently being refitted in Norfolk, VA for deployment to New York City in support of our citys fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, wrote the representatives, who also include Reps. Nydia Velazquez of Brooklyn, Jose Serrano of The Bronx and Tom Suozzi of Long Island.

The USNS Comort, like other Naval hospital ships, contains 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, 1,000 hospital beds, laboratory facilities and an oxygen-producing plant.

New York is more at risk from coronavirus than any other state. New York has had 950 diagnosed cases of coronavirus, with seven fatalities. And as our nations most populous city and financial hub, New York City is most at risk for a severe outbreak of coronavirus of any place in America," the letter said. "With a population of over 8 million, it is clear that our efforts to contain and treat coronavirus must focus around New York City. Our hospital systems have raised the alarm that we are in danger in the near future of overwhelming their capacity for treatment beds.

We need the full force of government working together to combat the coronavirus, particularly here in New York City where were in the heart of the storm," Rose said in a statement. "We need thousands of new beds and deploying the Navys floating hospital would be a huge help.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday afternoon that 814 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New York City, with 36 cases confirmed on Staten Island.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo previously said that approximately 19% of New Yorks coronavirus cases have required hospitalization, and that the state expects the peak percentage to be between 15% and 19%.

He said the states hospital system is not ready for the virus peak, which is expected in around 45 days and expected to require between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds. Currently, the hospital bed capacity is about 53,000.

Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton has received two emergency medical tents and plans on utilizing at least one immediately as it treats patients with the coronavirus, the Advance/SiLive reported.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Deploying the USNS Comfort to New York City is an appropriate step given the severity of this crisis and the ships expertise dealing with national emergencies," the joint-letter continued.

The Comfort contains 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, 1,000 hospital beds, laboratory facilities, and an oxygen-producing plant. Comfort has deployed to crisis zones around the world, including Puerto Rico in 2017 and most recently to Central and South America, the representatives wrote. "The Comfort has treated more than 550,000 disaster victims to date and has the opportunity to help many more if deployed to New York City.

Rose, Velazquez, Serrano and Suozzi recommended the hospital facilities aboard the USNS Comfort be used to treat non-coronavirus patients, thus reducing the capacity of hospitals ashore, adding that Naval personnel can also supply and assist operations onshore while using the ship as a clean operating base for relief services.

New York City has always been proud to host the Navy during Fleet Week, and many of our constituents are Navy personnel and veterans themselves, the letter said. The sight of Navy hospital ships in New York harbor, ready to assist our own frontline healthcare providers, will be a welcome one indeed. As always, we are confident that the Navy will rise to the occasion when called upon by our nation, and we thank you in advance for your assistance.
BLACKROCK ENERGY AND RESOURCES INCOME TRUST PLC

(LEI:54930040ALEAVPMMDC31)

Announcement re c hanges to portfolio management team and management fees

The Board of BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust plc (the "Company") is pleased to announce the following:

As set out in the annual report, the Board recognises that the sectors in which the Company invests are undergoing structural changes, with a shift in the energy sector away from carbon-based energy supplies towards alternative and renewable sources. Within the parameters of the Company's existing investment policy, the Board's intention is to increase the focus on exposure to stocks that benefit from this energy transition, such that these will represent a greater proportion of the stocks held within the portfolio in the medium term, subject to market conditions.

Given this, BlackRock's energy specialist Mark Hume will be replacing Olivia Markham as portfolio manager to work alongside Tom Holl. Mark has 10 years of experience directly managing energy stocks and is co-manager of BlackRock's all-cap Energy strategy. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2017, Mark was an energy portfolio manager at Colonial First State Investments Ltd. He had previously worked at Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc, Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Wood Mackenzie as a senior equities analyst covering large-cap energy stocks. Mark holds a MEng in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, and a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh.

The Board is also pleased to have agreed a reduction in management fees with effect from 17thMarch 2020. The management fee payable by the Company to BlackRock Fund Managers Ltd (the "Manager") will be reduced to 80bps on gross assets per annum (previously 95bps per annum on the first 250 million of gross assets and 90bps per annum thereafter). In addition, the Company's Ongoing Charges, as set out and defined in its annual report (and for avoidance of doubt including the management fee), will be capped at 125 bps per annum of net assets.

For further information, please contact:

Melissa Gallagher, Managing Director, Investment Companies, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited

Tel: 020 7743 3893

Neil Morgan, Winterflood

Tel: 020 3100 0000

Press enquiries:

Lansons Communications

Email: BlackRockInvestmentTrusts@lansons.com

Tel: 020 7490 8828
The temperature theory formulated by health experts regarding the deadly coronavirus that warmer weather would stem the COVID-19 has been put to rest by a dramatic surge in the virus infections in Southeast Asia in recent days. Earlier, a relatively lower number of cases in the Southeast Asian countries were cited as possible evidence that hotter weather was suppressing the virus and gave hope to Europe and the United States as they were heading into the spring season.

However, countries from Indonesia to Thailand to Malaysia and the Philippines have recorded their highest rate of infections as the testing programs have ramped up in the wake of advice given by the World Health Organisation. A professor at Singapores Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy has reportedly said that the temperature theory doesnt really hold up. The professor further added that people in Europe hope that warm weather will kill the virus but said, I doubt this will be the reality.

Read - Amid Coronavirus Scare, Elderly Man Greets Wife On Anniversary From Outside Window

Read - Thailand To Shut All Schools, Universities To Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus

Test, test, test

The recent revelation by the Southeast Asian countries came as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said on March 16 that the best way to combat the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus for all countries is to ramp up their testing programs. The WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a conference in Geneva that the simple message he has for all countries is test, test, test. He further added that the countries will remain unsuccessful to tackle the pandemic if they fail to test all suspected cases and remain blindfolded.

WHO chief said, But the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission. And to do that, you must test and isolate. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.

He added, "And we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected. We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test every suspected case.

Read - France Announces 15-day Lockdown To Contain Coronavirus Outbreak

Read - Hong Kong To Quarantine Arrivals From All Foreign Countries Amid Coronavirus Scare
Advertisement

They originally moved in together in February 2019, just nine months after she split from her former fiance John Noble.

And Vicky Pattison and her boyfriend Ercan Ramadan have shared snaps of their new lavish London apartment together.

The former Geordie Shore star, 32, took to Instagram on Tuesday to post several updates of their moving in process and luxury abode.

Exciting! Vicky Pattison and her boyfriend Ercan Ramadan have shared snaps of their new lavish London apartment together

Vicky revealed that she had enlisted the help of celebrity home organisers, Style Sisters, to unpack their belongings and turn their new apartment into a stylish home.

The reality star's new flat boasts the likes of a luxury walk-in wardrobe, designer clothes, a personalised neon sign and a huge modern kitchen.

Sharing a photograph of her dining area, the reality star penned: 'So lovely to have my beautiful dining room back... Thankyou @stylesisters for all your hard work this weekend!!!

Lavish: The former Geordie Shore star, 32, took to Instagram on Tuesday to post several updates of their moving in process and luxury abode (Vicky's dining area pictured)

Be our guest! Vicky showed off her new dining area, which has a clean and modern theme to it with a large white table and six geometric patterned silver chairs

'My entire apartment was designed by the incredibly talented and super wonderful @hesellicdesign.'

In the photo, Vicky showed off her new dining area, which has a clean and modern theme to it with a large white table and six geometric patterned silver chairs.

Adding some lavish touches to the space, the table is decorated with matching white plates, cutlery, Champagne flutes and a silver centre-piece with a large reed diffuser in the middle.

In the background, a personalised neon sign can be seen, which says 'you're the gin to my tonic', an industrial silver lamp and matching blinds to her dining chairs.

Moving in: The kitchen follows the theme with a marble island and counter tops complete with dark wood cupboard units, although the reality star made sure she kept things real, as she showed her 4.6 million followers the remaining suitcases and bin bags that still need to be sorted

Chill time: The sitting room has gone for a beige and white colour scheme with a huge lavish L-shape sofa taking centre-stage and a luxury fluffy rug

The kitchen follows the theme with a marble island and counter tops complete with dark wood cupboard units.

While the sitting room has gone for a beige and white colour scheme with a huge lavish L-shape sofa taking centre-stage and a luxury flurry rug.

Other details in the lounge included a glass and mirror coffee table, flat screen wall television, shelving units and a desk area to work from home.

The reality star's bedroom follows the lavish theme with a brown leather headboard and crisp white bedding embellished with silver detailing.

Glamorous: The reality star's bedroom follows the lavish theme with a brown leather headboard and crisp white bedding embellished with silver detailing

Meanwhile, Vicky, who spends a large amount of her time attending celebrity events, has a state-of-the-art walk-in wardrobe in order to get glammed up.

The area, which was organised by the Style Sisters, has everything the reality star could need with her designer shoes and handbags coordinated on two different bookshelves.

While Vicky's clothes have been organised onto different rails and named drawers in order to make her day-to-day life easier.

And it's not just Vicky's wardrobe that has been given an organised makeover and Ercan has also had his clothes coordinated into different areas.

Showing off their new walk-in wardrobe space, Vicky gushed that she was 'so happy' with her beau adding: 'I'm happy!'

Getting ready in style: Meanwhile, Vicky, who spends a large amount of her time attending celebrity events, has a state-of-the-art walk-in wardrobe in order to get glammed up

Goals! The area, which was organised by the Style Sisters, has everything the reality star could need with her designer shoes and handbags coordinated on two different bookshelves

Matching: And it's not just Vicky's wardrobe that has been given an organised makeover and Ercan has also had his clothes coordinated into different areas

Although the reality star made sure she kept things real, as she showed her 4.6 million followers the remaining suitcases and bin bags that still need to be sorted.

It comes after Vicky revealed she has now qualified as a personal trainer along with her boyfriend Ercan earlier this month.

The former Geordie Shore star took to Instagram to announce that she had passed her level 2 Ldn Muscle exam, in Canary Wharf.

Vicky has had a busy year so far. She has become an aunt, a weight loss brand ambassador and has moved into a new lavish penthouse flat in London with Ercan, 26.

The reality star - who was crowned the queen of the jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015 - has now given herself the opportunity to pursue a different line of work.

New changes: It comes after Vicky revealed she has now qualified as a personal trainer along with her boyfriend Ercan earlier this month

She shared an image of herself and Ercan after gaining their qualifications with the caption: 'WE PASSED!!!!!! You are officially looking at two level 2 qualified personal trainers peopleeeee!!!!

'Honestly so proud of us right now - we've had a pretty full on month with work, also bouncing from one place to the next, being between homes essentially and moving house - however we still managed to get our heads down when we could, study, practice and PASS!!!

'So happy! Thank you so much to the lovely team at @ldn_muscle for pushing us and believing in us when we even doubted ourselves!!

'Myself and @ercan_ram are Really grateful lads!!!  Well, no rest for the blessed... next stop... LEVEL 3!!! Eeekkkkk wish us luck!!! [sic]'

The career change comes after the reality star signed up as an ambassador for WW, formerly Weight Watchers.
On Monday morning, about 25 teachers gathered in the otherwise empty lunchroom at Moores Mill Intermediate School in Madison County.

The halls at the school were quiet, the classrooms dark. The teachers werent supposed to be working. It was the first day that all Alabama public schools were shuttered in an effort to keep coronavirus at bay.

But in the sunny cafeteria, voices echoed as teachers and counselors  now working as community volunteers  loaded lunchroom tables with plastic sacks of shelf-stable snacks.

As schools close across the state and the country, students who relied on schools to provide breakfast and lunch each day are cut off from that safety net.

Some school districts are working to make food available for students, but nonprofits are also stepping in to provide food for students and families for the next few weeks. Maybe longer.

Read more: Alabama schools offer meals to students

The Moores Mill teachers gathered Monday to deliver bags of food that were donated by the community, packed by a local church and organized by the county-wide nonprofit Lunches of Love program.

The teachers are volunteering their time, said Jenda Hillis, a teacher at the school who also works with Lunches of Love. They dont have to do this, but they care about their kids.

Elsewhere around the state, nonprofits like the United Way are working to increase food supply services to low-income families. The United Way operates a 211 call center to connect families with resources they need. Anyone can dial 211 to be connected to food or other assistance.

The Alabama Food Bank Association said food banks around the state are working with partner groups to gather extra food in anticipation of a waiver from the USDA to allow schools to provide meals or food packs to students in a non-congregate way during the outbreak.

Lunches of Love, which launched a decade ago, already delivers weekly food bags each Friday to about 1,100 students in 30 schools across Madison County and surrounding areas. Those bags are designed to feed students over a weekend.

When the word came that schools would be closing, they partnered with a local food donation effort on Facebook to organize and collate donations from locals in the community who were eager to help students who needed meals.

A few hours after the group created a Facebook event organizing food dropoff locations and a bag-packing schedule, the event ballooned to 1,000 members and more food than we could imagine, said Zach Beamon, director of operations at Mission Firefly, a religious nonprofit that operates the Lunches of Love program. Its been crazy these last two days.

Beamon said when he arrived at one of the bag-packing events on Sunday, he expected to see three or four volunteers.

There were literally 50 or 60 people there and I didnt know any of them, he said. It has been truly amazing.

The food is being collated into bags designed to last a student the first three weeks of the school shutdown. The bags are organized by school, and then delivered to students who were previously receiving weekend food bags.

But because schools shut down so abruptly, there wasnt time to get the bags to the students this week. So teams of volunteers are driving out to students homes to deliver the bags personally.

I cant speak highly enough of the schools and teachers in Madison County, said Zach Beamon, director of operations at Mission Firefly, a religious nonprofit that operates the Lunches of Love program. They have jumped on board and created teams to deliver food to families. Its been really neat to watch everybody work together for kids.

Teachers gather at Moores Mill Intermediate School in Madison County on March 16, 2020, to organize and deliver food bags to students. After Alabama schools closed in response to the coronavirus outbreak, community volunteers are stepping in to make sure they get meals. (Anna Claire Vollers / avollers@al.com)

On Monday morning, sixth grade math teachers Katie Arnold and Andrea Perry were loading bags into the back of Perrys SUV outside Moores Mill Intermediate School. They cracked math jokes about the most efficient way to pack the bags into the trunk.

I think its important that we understand theres a need in our community, said Perry. I cant imagine if you are struggling financially as a family, and then a service you need is cut off.

Lunches of Love will continue to collect food donations through the middle of the week, and has listed current donation and volunteer needs in its Facebook group.

Here are our live updates on the public health crisis in Alabama. You can find all of our coronavirus stories here.
Taiwan, a nation of 23 million, lies only 81 miles off the coast of China. About 2.71 million visitors fly from the mainland to the island each year.

But while Chinas coronavirus death toll stands at more than 3,100, Taiwan has had only 49 confirmed cases and just one death as of Friday. Thats despite early predictions that it would have the second-highest "importation risk" of any country.

So how come the outbreak that erupted in Wuhan, China, and spread around the globe has barely touched Chinas neighbor? According to a Stanford Health Policy analysis published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Taiwan learned from the failures of its response to the 2003 SARS outbreak.

Preparing for the next epidemic, the country established a centralized disaster management center to focus on large-outbreak response and to direct communications among central, regional and local authorities.

Taiwan began restricting flights on Dec. 31, when the first news of an unknown virus in Wuhan broke. Within a few weeks, Dr. Jason Wang, a pediatrician and director of the Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention at Stanford, started monitoring the governments responses to the Wuhan outbreak. Wang was scheduled to teach a course in Taipei and wanted to make sure it would be safe to travel there.

Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center was activated on Jan. 20, and between then and Feb. 24, it took 124 actions based on assessments gathered from the countrys integration of big data and technology. They included:

Border control from the air and sea, including travel restrictions and cruise ship bans

Case identification (using new data and technology), patients 14-day travel history integrated into the National Health Insurance Administration and Immigration Agency database

Quarantine of suspicious cases and electronic monitoring of quarantined individuals via government-issued cell phones

Proactive case finding

Resource allocation (assessing and managing capacity), such as setting up test sites and taking over production of surgical and N95 masks (more than 10 million per day)

Reassurance and education of the public while fighting misinformation; investigated rumors that started a toilet paper panic and prosecuted a man for claiming cyanide wards off coronavirus

Negotiation with other countries and regions

Formulation of policies toward schools and childcare

Relief to businesses

In contrast to Taiwans speedy emergency medical mobilization, which undoubtedly limited coronavirus cases and saved lives, countries such as Italy, Iran, France and the United States have been slow to act as the pandemic spreads.

Physicians and other health experts have admitted that the U.S. system for testing for the virus has been a failure.

"Taiwan's ability to contain the #COVID19 outbreak is a tribute to our unity & resilience. It also speaks to the collaboration between our government, people, & the many private businesses that have ramped up production to protect public health & make the impossible possible," President Tsai Ing Wen said in a statement on Twitter.

You can read more about this story here.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

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MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
Companies, workshops dispel forced labor rumors: joint survey

A naan chef stands in front of a mud brick oven at a village naan cooperative at Keping county, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in December 2019.Photo: Shan Jie/GT

Recently, US lawmakers and an Australian think tank have been sparing no effort on hyping up the so-called forced labor conspiracy in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and pushing for a bill to limit US imports from Xinjiang.



To refute these rumors, the Global Times visited more than 70 companies and private workshops in four prefectures in southern Xinjiang and found that accusations of forced labor in China are totally false. The smear campaign launched by these anti-China forces could further undermine the livelihoods of the Uygurs and some other residents in Xinjiang who are currently living in poverty.



Experts said that US politicians' efforts in pushing sanctions on China over so-called forced labor in Xinjiang aims to contain China in the backdrop of the US-initiated trade war with China, and they also want to promote a decoupling of trade ties between China and the US to thwart possible restrictions in future strategic confrontations.



Following a report in late February from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), which claimed China is forcing at least 80,000 people from ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang to work in factories, on March 11, the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) released a report stating that forced labor inside and outside of Xinjiang's vocational education and training centers is "systematic repression" of minority groups.



Echoing the two reports, many US lawmakers and politicians are pushing a bill in the last week to implement stringent limits on imports from Xinjiang.



However, Global Times reporters conducted a research into more than 70 companies, cooperatives and private workshops in Kashi, Hotan, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture and Aksu in southern Xinjiang and had conversations with many residents in the region to collect information on the current employment situation. No evidence of forced labor has been found throughout the joint research project, and employees' rights and interests have been protected in accordance with laws and regulations.



The Global Times had contacted companies, including Foxconn, Apple and Volkswagen Group, which had been implicated in "forced labor" reports by Western media. They denied forced labor practices occurring in their companies and Uyghur employees have expressed hope to extend their contracts.



The Global Times also found that the World Uyghur Congress, a US-backed regime change network seeking the fall of China, and its global offshoots have played a significant role in hyping the "forced labor" narrative in the media. Members of these organizations have been busy lobbying US politicians to impose sanctions on China.



Rushan Abbas, head of the Campaign for Uyghurs affiliated to the WUC who also worked for several US intelligence agencies, disclosed on her Twitter account that she participated in the panel of the CEEC.



At a press conference on Monday, Eljan Anayti, spokesperson of the Xinjiang regional government, rejected the report issued by ASPI as a smear campaign against Xinjiang and said the report was full of unfounded claims and fabricated stories.



Eljan also noted that ASPI has long been receiving funds from the US government and US-based arms dealers, and it deliberately smears, vilifies and demonizes China for its investors' benefits.



The ASPI's intentional interpretation of the cross-provincial employments of people's own free wills as "forced labor" is a most absurd tale. Eljan asked, "So can we take it for granted that the people in Australia and America are forced to labor and find jobs in different state and region within the country?"



Unfounded accusations



All companies contacted by the Global Times stated that there was no forced labor occurring in their factories and that the jobs financially help Uygur workers and their families.



"At no time has Foxconn ever had employees in its workforce anywhere who haven't voluntarily joined our firm. Any allegations to the contrary are categorically false," Foxconn Technology Group, a major supplier for Apple Inc, said in a statement sent to the Global Times.



It added that all workers at Foxconn are recruited openly, compensated fairly and compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.



When asked to comment on the report on Thursday, an Apple spokesperson referred to a statement previously given to the US media: "Apple is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in our supply chain is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We have not seen this report but we work closely with all our suppliers to ensure our high standards are upheld." Apple also said that the company interviews numerous employees during annual assessments in their ethnic languages without managers present to ensure the workers receive training and are aware of proper channels to voice concerns.



German carmaker Volkswagen Group also denied "any human rights violations" at a plant in Urumqi for its China joint venture SAIC Volkswagen, to which employees come from "a number of different ethnic backgrounds."

Workers inspect walnuts produced by a nut company in Wushi county, in the Aksu region of Xinjiang. Photo: Shan Jie/GT

"We are convinced that availability of jobs for all ethnic minorities will improve the social environment in the Urumqi region," the company said in a statement sent to the Global Times.



Yidong Electronics Technology Co, which was also accused of working with suppliers that use forced Uyghur labor, said that it has conducted investigations within its factories.



"Findings of the investigation show that neither local organizations nor [the supplier] has ever forced workers to do anything against their will," the company said in a statement, adding that the supplier employed 100 Uygur workers.



"Such accusations against [the supplier] is extremely irresponsible," the company said.



After getting consent from its employees, Yidong Electronics Technology Co showed the Global Times various workers' contracts, screenshots of payment slips and photos of employees joining in team-building exercises, including seeing movies, going for picnics and participating in art performances.



During the coronavirus epidemic, the company asked all employees to go into quarantine. In a screenshot from a group conversation among employees, an employee named Guli was asked whether she would go back to Xinjiang when her contract expires, and she said that many people want to extend their contracts and they don't want to leave.





Employment transfers alleviating poverty



What is "forced labor"? According to the International Labor Organization, forced labor refers to all involuntary work or service exacted under the menace of a penalty or against one's own will.



According to the survey in Xinjiang, the Global Times found that residents in the region, especially in southern Xinjiang which has long been poverty stricken, have a strong desire to be employed to bring themselves out of poverty.



Due to the harsh natural conditions, monotonous industries, lack of arable farming land and poor vocational skills of locals, many places, especially in southern Xinjiang, have been plagued by poverty. Transferring surplus labor in villages has been a focus for southern Xinjiang authorities to help with local poverty alleviation work.



According to data obtained from the Xinjiang authorities, southern Xinjiang has transferred 151,000 surplus labor from poverty-stricken families with 14,700 working in inland provinces. They mainly work in garment factories, electronics, food and catering services. The average monthly salary is above 3,500 yuan ($500) and many are paid 6,000 to 7,000 yuan a month.

Two seamstresses are working in a traditional handcraft workshop at Hami, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

Experts from Xinjiang said transferring employees to other more dynamic cities in China meet Xinjiang residents' demands - some of them want to broaden their horizons and learn more vocational skills; some see more job opportunities and better salaries.



Officials in Xinjiang said that local governments provide services for transferring labor, and local residents voluntarily sign up for these. It is not a compulsory measure. Although various places have differing minimum salaries due to the level of economic development, workers' rights and interests have been protected, including daily shifts of no more than eight hours, insurance and paid monthly salaries.



To sanction China



The smear campaign by US politicians and media outlets has already undermined and could further undermine the livelihood of Uygurs and other residents in Xinjiang who are currently living in poverty, said a manager of a Xinjiang-based textile company who only gave his surname as Zhang.



After a Wall Street Journal report last year claiming that his company had used forced labor, it has lost all orders from the US and Europe, Zhang told the Global Times on Thursday.



"The Americans are terrible There are no more export orders from the US and Europe in all of Xinjiang," he said.



Zhang said that his company hires 1,700 employees, of whom 99 percent are from ethnic minorities and are compensated well above the minimum wage in Xinjiang, enjoy social security and other benefits. The company plans to lift nearly 600 ethnic minority families out of poverty this year alone.



In response to a joint statement issued by five US trade associations on their concerns over the "forced labor" issue in Xinjiang last week, experts said that it does not represent the views of all member companies and using business to interfere with China's domestic affairs may affect these companies' business in China.



"Usually, associations need to represent the entrepreneurs to lobby the government for certain interests, like lowering tariffs. But the US trade associations have been abducted by a certain small group of people regardless of its members' interests and the actual facts in Xinjiang. Many US companies will also be affected by the statement," Lu Zhenwang, founder of Shanghai Wanqing Commerce Consulting, told the Global Times.



"If these trade associations really care about the truth or workers' rights in Xinjiang, they could conduct surveys in factories in Xinjiang and other places in China and they will easily find such accusations against China are fabricated. I went to many factories in Xinjiang where workers of ethnic groups are living a life that is no different to others around the world," Tian Yun, vice director of the Beijing Economic Operation Association, told the Global Times.



"Using businesses to interfere with China's domestic affairs is not an unusual move for the US and it will use these tactics again and again in the future," Tian said. "One of their aims is to decouple trade ties between China and the US."



Chinese companies should make preparations in advance - including shifting to domestic markets and developing new markets, Tian suggested.



"It is well known that poverty alleviation and eliminating hunger are primary targets for the UN's millennium project. The main reason for Donald Trump winning the US election in 2016 was his promise of increasing employment," Gu Liyan, a research fellow from the Xinjiang Development and Research Center, told the Global Times.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - West Red Lake Gold Mines Inc. (CSE: RLG) (OTCQB: RLGMF) (FSE: HYK) ("West Red Lake Gold" or the "Company") announces that it completed a non-brokered private placement of common share units and flow-through share units for aggregated gross proceeds of $842,000.

The Company issued 1,420,000 flow-through units (the "Flow-Through Units") at a price of $0.075 per Flow-Through Unit for aggregated gross proceeds of $106,500. Each Flow-Through Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company issued on a "flow- through" basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) and one half of one common share purchase warrant. Each full warrant issued in connection with the Flow-Through Units entitles its holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per share for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance.

The Company issued 14,710,000 common share units (the "Common Share Units") at a price of $0.05 per Common Share Unit for aggregated gross proceeds of $735,500. Each Common Share Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant issued in connection with the Common Share Units entitles its holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company at $0.10 per share for a period of 30 months from the date of issuance.

In connection with the financing, the Company paid finders' fees to eligible persons in the form of $48,935 in cash and issued 880,000 broker warrants to purchase Common Share Units at $0.05 for a period of 12 months.

Gross proceeds from the Flow-Through Units will be used by the Company for exploration expenditures on its 3100 hectare West Red Lake Project property, which contains three former gold mines and is located in the prolific Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario.

Net proceeds from the Common Share Units will be used for exploration on the Company's gold exploration property and for general working capital purposes.

The Company announces that it has issued 2,067,602 common shares at a deemed price of $0.075 per share for $155,070 of services to the Company by several service providers.

The Company also announces that options have been granted to consultants and directors of the Company to purchase, in aggregate, 2,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per common share for a period of 60 months.

West Red Lake Gold Mines is a Toronto-based minerals exploration company focused on gold exploration and development in the prolific Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada. The Red Lake Gold District is host to some of the richest gold deposits in the world and has produced 30 million ounces of gold from high grade zones. The Company has assembled a significant property position totalling 3100 hectares in west Red Lake (the "West Red Lake Project") which contains three former gold mines. The Mount Jamie Mine and Red Summit Mine properties are 100% owned by the Company and the Rowan Mine property is held in a 60%-owned joint venture with Red Lake Gold Mines, which operates three mines and two mills located 20 km east of the Company property. The West Red Lake Project property covers a 12 kilometer strike length along the Pipestone Bay St Paul Deformation Zone and the Company plans to continue to explore the property both along strike and to depth.

For more information, please contact: John Kontak, President Phone: 416-203-9181 Email: jkontak@rlgold.ca or visit our website: www.westredlakegold.com















The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward looking statements". When used in this document, the words "anticipated", "expect", "estimated", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements or information. These statements are based on current expectations of management, however, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. West Red Lake Gold does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward- looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date hereof, except as required by securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53537
A 67-year-old woman has tested



positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of cases in Karnataka to 11, officials said on Tuesday.

The woman, a resident of the city, had returned from Dubai via Goa last week.

Three other people, including a doctor who had treated the country's first coronavirus fatality, tested positive for the infection on Monday.

A health department media bulletin said "67-year-old female who is a resident of Bangalore returned from Dubai via Goa on March 9. She is a known case of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

She has been in strict home quarantine since coming to Bangalore."



The woman was admitted to the hospital on March 16.

According to the bulletin, 21 high risk contacts including five family members have been identified and they are under strict home quarantine.

Officials said till date 11 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.

The ten patients were in isolation wards and are stable, they added.

The family doctor of the 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who died last week was among the infected, the department had said in an update earlier on Tuesday.

The 63-year-old doctor had treated the elderly man who died "due to co-morbidity and also tested positive for COVID-19."



He (doctor) was under strict home quarantine, the department said, adding that "He is now admitted in an solation facility in Kalaburagi and stable.

According to the bulletin, 50 primary contacts have been traced including seven family members.All are asymptomatic and under home quarantine.

A 20-year-old woman, a resident of Bengaluru who returned from the UK, has also tested positive for the virus.

She has been admitted to a designated isolation facility and is stable, the bulletin said.

"Her five primary contacts have been identified and are under strict home quarantine," it said.

Earlier on Monday, a 32-year-old man, a software engineer who arrived from the US via London earlier this month, tested positive.

He was on the same flight as another person who was later confirmed to be infected.

He was under home quarantine, and has now been admitted to an isolation facility and is stable, it added.

According to officials, total samples collected for testing is 943, and on Tuesday alone 48 were collected.

A total of 766 samples have reported negative, including 71 on Tuesday alone.

Medical education minister K Sudhakar said "social distancing is the only solution to ensure that we contain this virus."



Speaking to reporters here, he said taking note of the spread of virus at air-conditioned places officials held a meeting with the restaurant association and have come to an understanding to switch off the AC at restaurants, and to maintain one metre distance between two chairs.

The minister also appealed to patients to go to hospitals where there is heavy rush only in cases of emergency and if it cannot be avoided.

Sudhakar said non-essential medical services like dental service should be closed across the state, until further orders.

"This is an advisory," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 21:41:03|Editor: xuxin

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HELSINKI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA), a major Finnish think tank for economic, policy and social studies, predicted on Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause a decline of up to 5 percent in Finland's gross domestic product (GDP).

The insitute gave a decline range of 1 percent to 5 percent, but regarded 5 percent as the most likely.

The least decline would materialize, if the pandemic in Europe could be put into control in March-April. It would also require coordinated recovery measures in the EU, according to the ETLA.

In the worst scenario, the Finnish economy would shrink by 10 percent during Q2, but would get back to growth thereafter, according to ETLA. The experiences in China so far formed an underlying key component in the ETLA prognosis.

Aki Kangasharju, the CEO of ETLA, told the media on Tuesday that Europe and Finland are unlikely to resort to as tough virus-blocking measures as China did. Kangasharju, thus, predicted that the crisis in Europe will take longer than in China. "The economy will not be hit that strongly, but the impact of the virus on the economy will be longer."

Kangasharju noted that outside observers hold the view that growth of the economy in China has already restarted this month, despite the decline in January and February. In his initial comment on the Chinese figures on Monday, Kangasharju concluded that China is recovering fast now.

Kangasharju said on Tuesday that the development in Europe would reflect the progress China has made. "We expect a V format shock, where also our production would begin during Q3 of 2020."

Kangasharju said that even though the shock on Finnish economy now will match the size of the 2008 financial crisis, ETLA does not expect a rerun.

"The corona crisis began outside the economic branch and the health care system has good possibilities of halting the spread of the virus," he said, adding "The financial system is in better condition than 10 years ago and there are fewer unpredictable factors".
I saw all this organizing happening, and I was waiting for something to pop up in the D.C. area, said Morris, who plans to finish the semester in an off-campus apartment. American is doing as best they can with the situation. But I think its going to be comforting for folks to know that this is here, just in case.
Fox News hosts are social distancing despite repeated attempts to downplay or mock events surrounding Covid-19.

On air on Tuesday morning, the hosts of Fox and Friends, Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade confirmed they were social distancing, with the camera showing each in a separate area of the studio presenting the show.

Usually we sit 18 inches apart, but this morning Ainsley is in what we refer to as the fishbowl area, Brian is there at the big plastic desk and Im here on the curvy couch all by myself. We are doing exactly the same thing people all across America are trying to do and that is stay away from each other, said Mr Doocy.

The announcement comes days after prominent hosts Jillian Mele, Rob Schmitt, Kurt Knutsson and Todd Piro mocked reactions to coronavirus.

At the beginning of their show on Friday they made fun of social distancing by touching elbows, with Ms Mele jokingly asking did you wipe down your phone Todd?

On their show on Tuesday, Ms Mele and Mr Schmitt practised social distancing with Ms Mele at the desk and Mr Schmitt standing up by the big screen, in a big shift from their position at the end of last week.

On Friday Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that social distancing was likely to be encouraged more strongly as the pandemic continued.

If we continue to get cases like this, particularly at the community level, there will be what we call mitigation, where we have to essentially do social distancing, keep people out of crowded places, take a look at seriousness, do you really need to travel, and I think its particularly important among the most vulnerable, said Dr Fauci.

Fox Business anchor and host of Trish Regan Primetime, Trish Regan was widely criticised for her remarks last week, where she claimed the reaction to coronavirus was an attempt to impeach the president.

Her show has now been put on hiatus, with Fox Business explaining in a statement that the decision was based on wanting long form programming during primetime.

In the US 4,461 cases of the disease and 85 deaths have been recorded so far.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.
Trinamool Congress members in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday staged a walkout in protest against some remarks made by Minister of State of Railways Suresh Angadi.

Soon after Railways Minister Piyush Goyal responded to a discussion on working of the Ministry of Railways, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien lodged his protest against the remarks made by the junior minister.

Earlier speaking during the discussion, Angadi said, "I have been to West Bengal, it is very unfortunate that there are encroachments on both sides of the (railway) tracks by unauthorised persons whether national...or from other states, other countries, we don't know."



"There is no response from the state government to (request to) clear the tracks," he said.

Angadi added the railways network has been impacted the most in the state due to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

O'Brien opposed the minister describing the people of his state in a particular way.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was in the Chair, said the issue would be examined, and added that "nothing will go on record".

Amid protests by Opposition members, the Trinamool Congress MPs staged a walkout.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AMHERST  An associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been invited by the White House Coronavirus Task Force to participate in a coronavirus modeling webinar Wednesday.

The professor, Nicholas Reich, teaches in the universitys School of Public Health and Health Sciences and directs the university based Flu Forecasting Center of Excellence.

The four-hour, virtual gathering Wednesday will include 20 of the worlds leading infectious disease and pandemic forecasting modelers. The group includes researchers at Harvard, Johns Hopkins and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. as well as experts from institutions in England, Hong Kong, South Africa and the Netherlands.

This webinar is designed to highlight for the task force what modeling can tell us regarding the potential effects of mitigation measures on the coronavirus outbreak," said said Dr. Charles Vitek, the task force coordinator. The unprecedented speed and impact of the nCoV-19 epidemic requires the best-informed public health decision-making we can produce.

Reich is co-author of a new study on COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study calculates the diseases median incubation period at just over five days, and found that 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection. The incubation period refers to the time between exposure to the virus and the appearance of the first symptoms. The studys lead author is UMass Amherst biostatistics doctoral alumnus Stephen Lauer.

To estimate the incubation period of COVID-19, the researchers examined 181 confirmed cases where it was possible to identify when the patient was exposed and when they first experienced symptoms. They concluded that the current period of active monitoring recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [14 days] is well supported by the evidence, according to a statement from UMass.

Reich, who also heads a flu forecasting collaborative, and postdoctoral researcher Thomas McAndrew have been conducting weekly surveys of more than 20 infectious disease modeling researchers about the potential trajectory of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S.

Last fall, Reich received a grant of up to $3 million over the next five years from the CDC to operate the flu center, one of two in the nation.

Related content:
Chinas COVID-19 outbreak has seen Beijings demand for natural gas stutter, after years of breakneck expansion. In February, Chinas natural gas demand was estimated to have fallen 17 percent year-on-year, and while there were some subsequent indications of recovery for liquefied natural gas (LNG), if the COVID-19 outbreak risks a more lasting impact on natural gas markets, the impact could be far reaching.

This is particularly true for Central Asia, which provides some 17 percent of Chinese natural gas as 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Chinas 2019 natural gas imports came from the regions three main players, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, Foreign Policy Research Institute writes. If the sudden decline protracts into a demand downturn, it could send shockwaves through the economies of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistanall of which supply Beijing with billons of cubic meters of natural gas annually. How Beijing treats its Central Asian gas suppliers during the next few weeks and months may prove revealing about its long-term strategy in the region.

Chinese gas demand falling off a cliff-edge simply has not been a major consideration in the region thus far. Total imports rose 9.6 percent in 2019, and before the COVID-19 outbreak, growth in Beijings natural demand for 2020 was forecast at 8.6 percent by China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC)figures that were seen as relatively poor given the wanton expansion of Chinese demand over the last 15years. Consumption in 2018 was more than four times 2006 levels.

Yet, with COVID-19 having resulted in a major economic slowdown, clearly visible through evidence such as cratering pollution even if Beijings official economic statistics are not as revealing, Beijings gas demand has taken a hit.

The first clear signs of this came when Reuters reported on March 5 that PetroChina suspended some natural gas imports, issuing force majeure suppliers to unspecified piped natural gas suppliers. A force majeure declaration, known occasionally as an act-of-god-clause, allows contracts to be broken or amended under certain extenuating circumstances outside the control of the parties to the relevant contract. Any such declaration risks legal disputes over whether its triggering was justified, but these are long and drawn-out processes that will give Central Asian states little comfort.

Effects on Central Asian states

Beijing and its Central Asian partners have never publicly detailed their natural gas contractsand the pricing mechanisms remain unclear. However, Chinas burgeoning demand for the export has arguably done more to tie the region economically to Beijing than any other development. However, the level of dependency of the Central Asian states on Chinese gas varies heavily.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is by far the most dependent. Almost all of Turkmenistans gas exports now go to China, shipping some 30 bcm annuallyin gas supplied predominantly by Turkmengaz but also by CNPCs Bagtyarlyk concession, the sole foreign firm operating onshore in Turkmenistan. This marks nearly a complete reversal from the situation ten years prior, when the first branch of the China-Central Asia gas pipeline openedin 2019, Ashgabat was contracted to deliver just 4bcm of gas to Russia, down from nearly 50bcm before a major dispute between the pair in 2010.

Although Ashgabat has moved away from Russia over the last decade, it still considers Russia a strategic partner. Turkmenistan is rumored to have requested its assistance guarding the Afghan frontier last year. This makes for a delicate Turkmen balancing act between Russia and China, who are allies given their oft-overlapping interests elsewhere even if they occasionally compete in Central Asia. As Turkmenistans economic dependency on China is near absoluteand the extremely mismanaged economy has already been on the verge of floundering in recent yearsChina is likely to prioritize these supplies. If it were to cut them off, then the ensuing crisis in Turkmenistan would risk a standoff with Russia. Moscow has been happy to see Turkmenistan drift into Chinas economic orbit, to the point of dependency, but would likely be unhappy to have to clean up the mess itself if there was an economic crisis. It also would not want to see Ashgabats economic dependency turn into a political one.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is less exposed. The country sold just a third of what Turkmenistan did, 10bcm, to China in 2019. It is unlikely to ship significantly more in the medium term even if growth does pick up again. The three lines of the aforementioned China-Central Asia pipeline have been operating at full capacity since late 2018. Meanwhile, Chinese-Uzbek trade has been expanding rapidly in other sectors, such as construction, technology, power, and manufacturing, as well as petrochemicals.

This means that Uzbekistans economic relationship with Beijing is more diversified than Turkmenistans, potentially limiting the impact of a potential Chinese gas demand shock. A Chinese slowdown could also affect investment, which has grown rapidly as part of the opening up of the Uzbek economy, where Beijing is the single largest foreign investor.

Nonetheless, Uzbekistan has signaled it does not wish to tie its fortunes entirely to the regions two dominant players, though Russia is unsurprisingly the second largest investor. President Shavkat Mirziyoyevs January decision not to seek full membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), but instead only pursue observer status, likely chafed in Moscow. Mirziyoyevs reforms have opened Uzbekistans market to a wider area of partners, somewhat reducing Tashkents dependency on its main foreign investors. In other words, Beijing is likely to see Uzbek gas imports as somewhat more expendable than those from Turkmenistan. For its part, Uzbekistan may prefer to prioritize the direct investment aspect of the relationship.

Kazakhstan

The same applies to Kazakhstan, whose state pipeline company KazTransGas (KTG) received a force majeure declaration from Beijing on March 6. On March 11, Kazakh Energy Minister Nurlan Nogyev said that gas supplies had fallen 20 to 25 percent at the request of China.

Kazakhstan may be particularly at risk of being impacted by the crisis, though it has not yet reported any COVID-19 cases. A decrease in gas sales to China alone will not be enough to do so, but it also has a relatively high fiscal break-even price for oil sales, $57 per barrel. It is likely to allow its currency, the tenge, to fall and settle above 400-to-the-dollar to mitigate the impact. If oil prices remain depressed for a long period following the March 6 collapse of the OPEC+ cartel, which precipitated them tumbling to below $35 (and as of the time of writing below $30), then Kazakhstan may face real difficulties.

The government has also faced its first regular youth protest movement over the last year, precipitated by the state-managed handover of the presidency from Nursultan Nazarbayev to Kassym-Jomart Tokayevthough the former retains the real power. Weakening the currency could escalate these sentiments. Unlike Russia, which has liquid reserves and low debts (the Russian Finance Ministry has declared it can handle such low oil prices for some time), the Kazakh sovereign wealth fund, Samruk Kazyna, is more of a holding company of illiquid assets that will be difficult to deploy to address budget shortfalls. Finally, its banking sector remains highly troubled, something even Tokayev has admitted.

Although Kazakhstan has become a lynchpin of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, its government debts are relatively low, including to China. The current crisis could enable Beijing to step in and offer such loans, pursuing a strategy more akin to that which it has pursued in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

An uncertain future

Should the COVID-19 economic crisis protract, how China balances cuts to natural gas imports across Central Asia, Russia, and other sources will prove a key signal to the region. Cutting more Central Asian gas would risk signaling to the regions decision makers that Beijing has little concern for their economic wellbeing. China and Russia have both profited from their blossoming ties in recent years, and predictions that geopolitical factors could strain this have come and gone. An economic crisis would provide another major test and could signal to the region whether Russia and China are able to become long-term allies in Central Asia or jostle for pole position.

Central Asian gas is, as of 2020, far more important to Beijing than Russian gas. The Power of Siberia Pipeline, China and Russias flagship joint project, came online in December 2019; it was set to deliver just 5bcm before rising to 38bcm by 2025. Russian business daily Kommersant reported on March 10 that the pipeline was taken offline for repairs less than three months after it had begun pumping gas. Kommersant did note that the Gazprom-CPNC contract for the pipeline does include a take-or-pay clause meaning that Beijing will have to pay for at least 85 percent of the gas. If Beijing does further halt Russian gas imports, then Moscow may well seek to trigger this clause. However, given the relatively small amount of gas it is set to ship this year, Moscow could well refrain from doing so as it would be hard to justify the potential the damage it would risk to the Russian-Chinese relationship.

It is unclear whether Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistans contracts have similar take-or-pay clauses. However, even if they do, they are unlikely to be worth much given the political and economic imbalance between the three and Beijing. Turkmenistan was never compensated by Gazprom after demanding payment under a take-or-pay clause in 2010, its relative geopolitical and economic weakness giving it little choice but to give up on the claim. Today, it is Beijing that holds all the cards should such disputes break out between China and its piped natural gas suppliers. Central Asian gas exporters can only hope that Beijing will value their bilateral relationships over its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports if the crisis continues.
It might have marked a moment of unity for the Democratic Party, at a moment of national crisis for the nation.

But Sunday nights Democratic debate showcased deep philosophical divisions between the last two remaining major candidates  complete with some reminders that both happen to be men in their late 70s, at a moment of particular concern for the health of older Americans.

While the campaign  like almost everything in life  is subsumed by worries and fallout from coronavirus, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders tangled over issues large and small, suggesting that the party will have to wait to come together.

People are looking for results, not a revolution, Biden said, taking on a famous Sanders catchphrase. We have problems we have to solve now. Now. What's the revolution going to do? Disrupt everything in the meantime?

MORE: 5 takeaways from the first head-to-head debate of the 2020 race

Sanders countered: You need to take on Wall Street, you need to take on the drug companies and the insurance companies and the fossil fuel industry. You don't take campaign contributions from them.

Sanders may have little mathematical chance to catch Biden in terms of the delegate race. Both men sharply condemned President Donald Trumps leadership during the coronavirus crisis in particular, and both reiterated promises to support whoever wins the Democratic nomination.

But while Sanders suggested he might have been less aggressive at this debate, he kept up a long series of policy attacks aimed at Biden. Both men reached back decades to frame their critiques -- often on areas that were covered extensively at previous debates.

PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden (L) and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speak about the coronavirus crisis on a live broadcast during the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Sanders criticized Biden for votes and positions on Social Security, the minimum wage, same-sex marriage, bankruptcy reform, trade deals, climate change, the Iraq war, immigration and abortion rights, among other areas.

I want you just to be straight with the American people, Sanders told Biden about his past openness to cuts to entitlement programs.

Story continues

Biden brought up Sanders votes against gun-control measures and praise for authoritarian regimes. He repeatedly touted his experience in the Obama-Biden administration, and he accused Sanders of distorting portions of his record.

Asked how he would appeal to Sanders supporters to join his cause as the nominee, Biden responded: Hes making it hard for me right now.

Sunday nights debate was the 11th of the race and the first featuring only two candidates. It was also easily the strangest to watch: Biden and Sanders greeted each other with an elbow bump and stood at podiums six feet away, in a cozy CNN studio in Washington and no live audience.

Both detailed the steps they are personally taking to avoid infection, including frequent hand-washing and abandoning retail- and rally-style campaigning.

Both nodded to who they are not. For the first time, Biden flat-out committed to naming a woman as his vice-presidential running mate, and Sanders said it would be his very strong tendency to do the same.

MORE: Biden commits to female running mate, touts electability in heads-up debate with Sanders

Both stumbled at times. Biden at one point referred to the current crisis over SARS. Sanders talked about the current crisis over Ebola and caught himself: You got Ebola on my head here right now.

The closest Biden and Sanders came to agreement was in criticizing the way Trump has led during this moment of crisis. They both called on the administration to step up testing and emergency responses, and to make sure that individuals arent forced to carry extra health care expenses.

First thing we have got to do, whether or not Im president, is to shut this president up right now, Sanders said.

Even from there, though, their takes quickly diverged. Sanders used the coronavirus as part of his rallying cry for universal, Medicare-for-All health care.

The dysfunctionality of the current health care system is obviously apparent, Sanders said. This crisis is only making a bad situation worse.

With all due respect to Medicare for All, you have a single-payer system in Italy, Biden countered. It doesnt work there.

PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders debate during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN's Washington studios in Washington, March 15, 2020. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Nothing that happened Sunday changes the stubborn delegate math that comes back into play Tuesday. Four more big states hold primaries, with Biden widely expected to add to a lead that Sanders is extremely unlikely to make up through the balance of the voting schedule.

This debate also seems unlikely to recapture the national attention, at a moment where Americans are worried about their lives, their livelihoods and everyday routines.

But if Biden is moving toward locking down the nomination, this isnt the kind of debate he wanted to have.

This is a national emergency. I dont want to get this into a back-and-forth in terms of our politics here, Biden said at one point.

Sanders is intent on keeping that back-and-forth alive. He remains cognizant of the movement he continues to lead -- and the stakes Democrats see in defeating Trump.

I know your heart is in the right place, Sanders said, in an exchange about climate change, but this requires dramatic, bold action.

Biden, Sanders intensify fights even as coronavirus dominates debate: ANALYSIS originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Mumbai, March 17 : A 64-year-old COVID-19 patient died here on Tuesday, making him the first such victim in Maharashtra and Indias third reported death due to coronavirus.

The man was under treatment at the state-run Kasturba Hospital in south central Mumbai for the past few days.

Health and government officials concerned declined to share further details.

There are another 38 coronavirus positive patients admitted in hospitals across the state.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Director for Communications at the Anglican Communion Office, Gavin Drake, outlines new prayer resources on the official Anglican Communion website.

Bakers bake bread  it is what they do. This sentence is something that I have used frequently to explain why Christians praying isnt necessarily a news story. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Special prayers at times of crisis or in response to a tragedy will often make headlines; but in those cases it is the crisis or tragedy that is the news. The prayers are a side-story.

Later this month the Anglican Communion will come together to pray in an initiative that may well make headlines around the world. I am talking about the fifth Sunday in Lent  a day that the Anglican Communion have been called upon to set aside as part of a season of Prayer for Repentance. There will be more about that on the Anglican Communion News Service next week, but in summary, it is a day proposed by the Archbishops / Primates Task Group, set up following the Primates Meeting in January 2016.

Their call to prayer was endorsed by the Primates at their meeting in Jordan in January and a range of resources to help you pray on the day can be found on the Anglican Communions prayer resource webpage.

Prayer is popular amongst Anglicans. The page for the Anglican Cycle of Prayer is by far the most popular page on the Anglican Communion Website. Through the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, Anglicans around the world join together in praying for the same dioceses. Each day, from Monday to Saturday, a handful of dioceses are listed for prayer. On Sundays, the prayer focus tends to be on a province, an extra provincial area, or some other united prayer.

Previously, the Anglican Cycle of Prayer page was linked to our database and would automatically update with the name of the bishops of the diocese being prayed for. But for the past two years this linkage hasnt worked. We are in the process of sourcing a new database and hope to restore this link by the end of the year.

This year, we were late in publishing the full Cycle of Prayer. But the full listing for 2020 is now online. And work is already underway to prepare a full three-year cycle of prayer, which will revert back to praying for a single diocese each day, praying from Abu in Nigeria to Zululand in Southern Africa over the course of three years.

We will also develop a simple widget or code which can be used by provinces, dioceses, parishes and other Anglicans to display that days entry in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer on their own websites.

There is a tendency amongst non-believers to look upon prayer as a form of spiritual home shopping  you place your order and wait for God to deliver. But this is to misunderstand prayer, which is a form of worship itself; a conversation with God. Christians will have many different experiences of prayer. Some are used to reciting written prayers or liturgy while others are more comfortable with extemporary prayers and others prefer to pray through silence.

Prayer should underpin all that we do. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has as one of his priorities the renewal of prayer and religious life. He has invited a group from the ecumenical Roman Catholic order Chemin Neuf to live at Lambeth Palace to share in the daily life of prayer and he has begun a new monastic movement, the Community of St Anselm, to provide space for young people from around the world to spend a year in Gods time praying at Lambeth Palace.

Members from both communities created a praying presence at recent Primates Meeting; and they will be in Canterbury in July and August to do the same during the Lambeth Conference. When Anglicans gather, as the bishops will for the Lambeth Conference, it is important that they are uplifted by the prayers of the global Anglican Communion.

Praying for the Lambeth Conference has already begun. Its organisers have created a prayer journey  a collection of prayers  to help the Communion do just that. You can find out more on the Lambeth Conference website.

Every weekday, services are held in the chapel at the Anglican Communion Office in London at which ACO staff pray for the dioceses and provinces of our Communion. As you pray, please remember my colleagues and me; and pray for us as we pray for you.
QUEENS, N.Y. -- A devoted FDNY fire marshal died from complications developed after contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to published reports.

John Knox, 84, of Queens, passed out and was taken to the hospital on Feb. 26. Family members initially thought he had the flu, but he later tested positive for coronavirus on March 9, according to the New York Post.

Our sympathies and prayers go out to the Knox family during this especially difficult time, following the tragic loss of their beloved husband, father and grandfather, FDNY Firefighters Association President Gerard Fitzgerald told the Post.

The retired fire marshal previously served in the the U.S. Marine Corps., the NYPD and the FDNY, for a total of 34 years, according to the Post.

Knox suffered from obstructive pulmonary disease and reduced lung function after responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Daily News previously reported.
The Supreme Court has announced a list of measures that the court will be taking to help practice social distancing in the judiciary. The apex court will now give lawyers the option of arguing their cases through video conferencing.

The SC will also provide 24x7 e-filing facilities and the court proceedings will be broadcasted through smart TVs into the press room inside the court complex, reported The Economic Times. All these measures have been taken to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The apex court is also planning to order every person who wishes to enter the court to submit a self-declaration document containing their recent travel history and health status. Only after submitting this would they be allowed to enter the apex court, wrote the SC in a release issued on Monday.

These announcements were made after a high-level meeting between Chief Justice of India S.A Bobde and senior judges of the court including Justices Arun Mishra, U.U Lalit, D.Y Chandrachud and L Nageshwara Rao.

The apex court has also decided to take several steps to introduce thermal sensors for all visitors to the court and ensure proper sanitation. The court will also deploy volunteers to enforce social distancing within the complex, the daily reported.

The apex court is moving towards a proposed shift to digitisation which will be led by an e-committee chaired by Justice Chandrachud. The top court wants to make all processes and proceedings paperless and e-filing facilities to be made available for all workers of the court.

Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: IIT-Kanpur asks students to vacate campus hostels by March 19

Also Read: Coronavirus: Domino's switches to contactless delivery; here's how it works
She wanted to know why, Markgraf says. Shes a memory care patient so shes not understanding the true why. We told her it was a virus worse than the flu. She just looked stunned. She said, So Im not going to see my family at all? We told her wed be in touch with her. She said, Do I have a say in this? And we said, No, none of us do. 
BEIRUT A Lebanese military judge Tuesday appealed a verdict by the military tribunal that ordered the release of a Lebanese-American held since September on charges of working for an Israeli-backed militia two decades ago, state-run National News Agency said.

Judge Ghassan Khoury asked the Military Court of Appeals to strike down an earlier ruling in favor of Amer Fakhoury and issue an arrest warrant against him. He asked that Fakhoury be put on trial again on charges of kidnapping, torturing and detaining Lebanese citizens as well as "killing and attempting to kill others," according to NNA.

On Monday, Fakhoury was ordered released because more than 10 years had passed since he allegedly tortured prisoners at a jail run by the so-called South Lebanon Army militia.

Image: Amer Fakhoury (John Huff / Foster's Daily Democrat via AP file)

Some local media reported that Fakhoury was released but there was no official confirmation.

Later on Tuesday, a judge of urgent matters in the southern town of Nabatiyeh issued a ruling preventing Fakhoury from leaving Lebanon for two months. Judge Ahmad Mezher's decision came after a request filed by former inmates.

Fakhoury, 57, is a former SLA member who became a U.S. citizen last year, and is now a restaurant owner in Dover, New Hampshire. His case has been closely followed in his home state of New Hampshire, where U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and other officials have called for imposing sanctions on Lebanon to pressure Beirut to release him.

Tuesday's appeal came after an outcry in Lebanon over the verdict that ordered him released, including harsh criticism from by the powerful Hezbollah group that said the verdict to release Fakhoury came after "American pressures and threats."

"This is a sad day for Lebanon and justice," Hezbollah said in a statement adding that the reputation of Lebanon's judiciary was at stake.

Riots also broke out in one of the country's main prisons by detainees who demanded to be freed following the verdict against Fakhoury.

Story continues

Fakhoury has not been attending questioning sessions in Lebanon over the past few months after being hospitalized with stage 4 lymphoma cancer.

Over the weekend, the Fakhoury family placed a sign on their restaurant's door saying they anticipate reopening by early or mid-April, Seacoastonline.comreported.

Fakhoury has been jailed since Sept. 12 after returning to Lebanon on vacation to visit family. Lebanon's intelligence service said he confessed during questioning to being a warden at Khiam Prison, which was run by the SLA during Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon.

Human rights groups have described the prison as a center for torture.

Fakhoury's family and lawyer, however, say he had no direct contact with inmates and was never involved in any interrogation or torture.

Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israels creation in 1948. Lebanon bans its citizens from traveling to Israel or having contact with Israelis.

Fakhoury's lawyer and family say he fled Lebanon in 2001 through Israel and eventually to the United States because of death threats he and many other SLA members received after Israel ended its occupation of Lebanon in 2000.

In February, Fakhoury was charged by a military judge with the murder and torture of inmates at Khiam Prison.

Hundreds of former Lebanese members of the SLA militia had fled to Israel, fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences.
The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Tuesday deferred the upcoming to local bodies in the state till further orders as a precautionary measure to check the spread of coronavirus.

State Election Commissioner UPS Madan said the government had requested that the be postponed in view of coronavirus infection.

The election commission also stayed the poll-related process.

"As per a Bombay High Court order dated August 10, 2005, the SEC has powers to postpone in view of natural calamity or a sudden situation. Accordingly, the SEC has stayed the process of ward delimitation, voter list (updation) and other activities related to elections from today (Tuesday) onwards," Madan said.

He said voting for 1570 gram panchayats was scheduled to be held on March 31. The nomination process was completed for this election.

He said the process of finalising voter lists for the elections to Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai municipal corporations and for by-elections to one seat each in Nashik, Dhule, Parbhani and Thane municipal corporations, is also stayed.

Madan said the process for delimitation of wards in the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation, and municipal councils/nagar panchayats of Ambernath, Kulgaon-Badlapur, Wadi, Rajgurunagar, Bhadgaon, Varangaon, Kaij, Bhokar, and Movad has been stayed as well.

The process was also stayed for Bhandara and Gondia zilla parishads and in 15 panchayat samitis under their jurisdiction, besides in 12,000 gram panchayats.
A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a double murder after two women were found stabbed to death in neighbouring houses.

Detectives described the incident in Birmingham as domestic-related and said they believed the suspect and the victims were known to each other.

The first woman, aged 43, was found with stab injuries after officers were called to house in the Mosely area of the city at 11am on Monday.

She was pronounced dead at the scene in Belle Walk from stab injuries.

A second woman, aged 52, was found seriously injured in the house next door and died shortly after arriving at hospital.

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West Midlands Police said they had launched a double murder inquiry.

The tragic events of this morning appear to be domestic related as its thought the suspect and the two victims are known to each other, said Detective Inspector Nick Barnes.

Weve closed the area while forensic examinations are carried out and weve got specially trained officers supporting the families at this devastating time.

Two women have lost their lives and were doing all we can to understand the circumstances of this tragedy.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said two ambulances, an advanced paramedic in a critical care car and the West Midlands CARE Team were sent to the scene.

On arrival, crews found one woman who was sadly confirmed deceased on scene, the WMAS said in a statement.

A second woman sustained serious injuries and was in a critical condition. She was given advanced life support before being taken by land ambulance on blue lights to hospital.

Sadly, despite the best efforts, nothing could be done to save her, and she was confirmed dead at hospital a short time later.
There are many children among tourists who were not allowed to check in on their flight.

A total of 105 Ukrainian citizens are stranded in the city of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka after Boryspil International Airport near Kyiv, as they claim, has refused to accept their plane, and therefore, the air carrier did not allow them to board a flight with a leg in Dubai.

Passengers say their tour operator earlier confirmed that the flight would go as scheduled, according to the Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda.

However, later Ukrainians were denied check-in on their FlyDubai flight.

A representative of FlyDubai explained it was Ukraine officials who had refused to accept the flight. At the same time, the carrier says they are ready to bring passengers to Ukraine.

Read alsoUkraine suspends regular passenger traffic with the rest of the world

It is noted that there are many children in the group.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 17, Ukraine suspended regular passenger traffic with the rest of the world.

The unprecedented restriction will be in place until at least April 3, pending a national quarantine to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Another patient has recently visited one of the resorts in France

One of the coronavirus patients in Kyiv contacted a woman who had earlier died of a coronavirus in Radomyshl, Zhytomyr region. Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko has informed about it, Korrespondent reports.

It is worth noting that two more cases were reported in Ukraine yesterday, on March 16.

"One of the patients is a young student from Kyiv who was in contact with a sick woman who died from a coronavirus in Zhytomyr region. The boy was visiting her with the woman's granddaughter. He is being treated at the Oleksandrivska Hospital of the capital," Klitschko added.

The second case is a woman who has recently visited one of the resorts in France. She is currently self-isolated, under the supervision of doctors and receives treatment at home.

As we reported earlier, on March 13, the first death of a person infected with a coronavirus was recorded in Ukraine.

The 71-year-old woman was hospitalized on March 12, with a laboratory-confirmed case of Covid-2019.

According to the Ministry of Health, the woman was in the group of risk.
As more people choose to stay home amid the coronavirus spread in New Jersey, day care workers say parents continue to drop their children off by the dozens.

They blame Gov. Phil Murphy for allowing day cares to stay open while schools across the state shutter, but also the large corporations operating the centers that have not called for closures.

We feel theyre not taking the safety of the staff seriously, a woman who works at one of The Learning Experience locations in New Jersey told NJ Advance Media. A lot of the teachers here feel a frustration.

The Learning Experience did not return a request for comment via email.

The several day care workers who spoke to NJ Advance Media expressed worries about lost wages should they choose to stay home, and also said they did not want to be named because they feared retaliation for speaking.

At a press conference Monday, Murphy said he was not closing day care centers because some essential workers needed the help.

For the moment, we think the burden on particularly first responders and health care workers, when you add to that shuttering of every school in the state, we need to be smart about this, the governor said of his decision not to close day care centers during a news conference in Trenton on Monday.

Murphy did not address day care during a Tuesday press conference.

Some day care workers said they feel like a forgotten part of the workforce. Deemed essential because they care for the children of doctors, nurses, police officers and first responders, a few day care workers said the majority of the parents still using their centers do not work in those fields.

The woman who works at The Learning Experience said the day care has around 100 children enrolled, and had 38 show up Monday. On Tuesday, parents dropped off 31 children.

As COVID-19 first began to spread, it largely left children untouched. But officials said Monday a 5-year-old New Jersey boy had tested positive for coronavirus along with his parents.

At franchises of The Learning Experience, only children, staff and first responders or those working with agencies like Child Protective Services were allowed past the lobby as of Tuesday morning, according to an email sent to parents. The company directed parents to drop off and pick up children in the lobby areas.

The company also said it would increase cleaning efforts throughout the day, but would not close unless directed to by the state, or if a child or employee at the center was diagnosed with COVID-19.

At this point, its late already, the employee said of the new drop off policy. Parents have been walking in and out of this building.

A woman who works for a family-owned day care said their numbers dropped from around 120 last week to just under 40 Tuesday, but those include around 10 new school-age children whose parents have dropped them off after their regular schools closed.

Were dodging coughs and sneezes like crazy, the woman said. We have kids that are coming from schools that are sanctioned to be closed. If theyre not allowed to be in school, why should they be here?"

KinderCare, another national day care chain with branches in New Jersey, updated guidance on its website Monday.

Anyone who is sick or traveled abroad to a designated area of concern must not come to the facilities for 14 days, the site says. The same applies for those who have close contact with anyone in those categories.

Whenever they can, our teachers will meet you at the classroom entryway for pick-up and drop-off, the site read. And if you are in the classroom, were asking for your help to keep your visit as brief as possible, not join in activities, and be careful not to touch too many surfaces in the room. KinderCare did not return an email request for comment.

A woman who works at a still-open day care told her employer Monday she no longer felt safe coming in and would pull her daughter from the center, too. She said she hopes that will not jeopardize her job, and has some sick and vacation paid time off to get here through a short time of not working.

She also noted that the responsibility to clean the day cares, as well as serve as a nurse, falls to the teachers. Theyre little kids. Were still working on catching their coughs and all that stuff, she said. When you have something come into day care, it spreads like wildfire.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors separately with Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and the Economic Advisory Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, the governor described his visit to the State House as private.

Mr Diri, who was sworn in as governor of Bayelsa following a Supreme Court verdict that ousted the governor-elect of the State, David Lyon and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo, said he met the president officially for the first time since his assumption of office on February 14.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili, held that Mr Lyons deputy, Degi-Eremieoyo, presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr Diri said: Since I resumed as Governor of Bayelsa State, precisely on February 14, I have not come to see the father of the nation.

Today I just did that to come and see the father of our country and to work with the Federal Government of Nigeria in ensuring peace and stability in my state and ensuring the development of my state. That is what informed my visit to Mr President today.

Mr President received me as one of his sons, as a governor of a state and he received me very warmly, I am very satisfied with the reception.

As I said earlier, Mr. President received me as one of his sons, as a state governor and the reception was very warm.

READ ALSO:

He went ahead to advise that he was happy that I came and that he was happy with the way I have started. He went on to say he has read about all the statements that I have made and the security so far in Bayelsa.

The governor also quoted Mr Buhari as having promised to partner with the Bayelsa State Government in ensuring peaceful atmosphere to boost socio-economic activities in the state.

He (Buhari) promised as one of his sons, a state like Bayelsa that is critical to the security and peace in the Niger Delta, he was prepared to also work with me, he added.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the outcome of the meeting between Mr Buhari and members of the Economic Advisory Council was being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

(NAN)
SYDNEY, Australia  The actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have been released from an Australian hospital and will remain in self-isolation after being treated for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, their son said in a video statement on Monday.

Theyre still self-quarantined obviously, but theyre feeling a lot better so thats a relief, their son Chet Hanks said in a video posted on Instagram.

Mr. Hanks and his wife, Ms. Wilson, both 63, said they tested positive for the coronavirus last Wednesday. Mr. Hanks was in Australia filming a movie about the life of Elvis Presley.

Mr. Hanks, known for star-making turns in films like Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump, is the most prominent celebrity known to have contracted the virus.
FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- A civilian employee at Fort Drum has tested positive for COVID-19, the first confirmed case of coronavirus at the sprawling Army base in Jefferson County, Fort Drum officials said Tuesday.

The employee works part-time at the Fort Drum Education Center three days per week but lives in the Albany area, Army officials said.

The center provides higher education for adults. Its open to soldiers from Fort Drums 10th Mountain Division and their family members.

The Fort Drum Medical Command is investigating to find out how many soldiers and family members were potentially exposed to the infected employee, Army officials said.

The employee most recently worked at the education center on Wednesday through Friday of last week.

The employee received confirmation of the positive diagnosis for COVID-19 today, said Julie Halpin, a spokeswoman for Fort Drum.

Halpin said the employee is in Albany, but she did not know if the person had to be hospitalized or seek medical treatment.

Any Fort Drum personnel or family members who might have come into contact with the infected worker will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days, the Army said.

The education center is closed for cleaning and will not re-open until officials declare it safe for occupancy.

Last week, Fort Drum placed 40 soldiers returning from a nine-month deployment to South Korea under a mandatory two-week quarantine. Soldiers from the 59th Chemical Company will be monitored by health officials while living in previously empty barracks.

Fort Drum has also restricted the movement of its personnel to within an 80-mile radius of the post north of Watertown during the coronavirus pandemic.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

 List of CNY schools closing

 A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State

 How fast is coronavirus growing in New York?

 Here are the latest closings of events

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Massachusetts officials are weighing whether to push back the tax filing deadline after the federal government said they would extend it for 90 days, Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday.

Baker said there were discussions on whether to change the state filing deadline due to the disruption caused in the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic that has infected more than 190,000 people worldwide and 5,700 in the U.S.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a news conference Tuesday that the April 15 payment deadline would be pushed to July 15 for taxpayers who owe $1 million or less. Corporate filers would get the same amount of time to pay up to $10 million in taxes owed.

At least 197 people have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday night, according to the state Department of Public Health. Commissioner Monica Bharel said all presumptive positive cases would now be considered confirmed cases.

Baker said Tuesday afternoon that he acknowledged how gathering restrictions and other provisions in response to the coronavirus pandemic would hurt businesses across Massachusetts.

Its crucial we bring every resource to bear to address the economic disruption caused by COVID-19, including those available from the federal government, Baker told reporters. I was glad to see the feds talking earlier today about a major recovery package.

The White House proposed a $850 billion stimulus package to support businesses and taxpayers, including a provision to give cash directly to Americans.

Baker filed multiple bills on Monday responding to the pandemic, but there has been no action on the legislation yet.

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Investors in Australian software unicorn Canva are hopeful extreme turbulence in sharemarkets won't derail the company's hopes for public listing as newly published financial accounts indicate the graphic design platform continues to boom.

Canva's annual financial report published by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission on Tuesday shows the company recorded $86.3 million in revenue for its Australian entity in 2018, a 118 per cent increase on the previous year.

Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins has overseen the company's soaring revenue. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Canva was valued at US$3.2 billion ($5.23 billion) last year when it received a new injection of funding and the company has continued to grow with 20 million active monthly users. Canva has not publicly declared plans for an IPO but its eventual listing would be the most eagerly anticipated float of an Austalian tech business since Atlassian.

Software stocks have been hit hard in the broader market collapse triggered by coronavirus fears. AirTree Ventures partner Craig Blair, who has backed Canva in multiple funding rounds, said that while "times are very uncertain" Canva remains well positioned.
The U.S. Supreme Court postponed a two-week argument session that had been set to start next week, making a highly unusual calendar change as the coronavirus outbreak spreads across the country.

Its the first time in decades, and perhaps a century, that the court has cancelled a courtroom session because of a public-health scare.

The court had been set to hear arguments in 11 cases during the weeks of March 23 and March 30. Those cases include an $8 billion copyright clash between Alphabet Inc.s Google and Oracle Corp., set for argument March 24.

The court was also planning March 31 arguments on President Donald Trumps challenge to subpoenas for his financial information issued by three House committees and a New York grand jury. Trump is trying to block his banks and accounting firm from turning over the records.

The court said in a statement it will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances.

The move follows similar steps by courts around the country, as judges delayed trials and modified argument procedures to avoid or limit in-person sessions.

The Supreme Court said other business will proceed as scheduled. The justices will hold their planned private conference this Friday, though some justices may participate by telephone. The court said it will issue a list of orders in pending cases as scheduled next Monday.

Two of the courts nine members are in their 80s -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who turned 87 Sunday, and Justice Stephen Breyer, 81. Four others are 65 or older: Justice Clarence Thomas, 71; Justice Samuel Alito, 69; Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 65; and Chief Justice John Roberts, 65. Elderly people are at increased risk of dying should they contract the coronavirus.

Spanish Flu

The Supreme Court has long been loath to change its public schedule. The court postponed cases for several weeks during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic and shortened its argument calendars in 1793 and 1798 because of yellow fever outbreaks. In 2001, the justices held arguments for a week at a federal appeals court in Washington after anthrax was discovered in a Supreme Court mail facility.

The court building closed to the general public last week but remains open for official business. The court said Monday it is expanding remote working capabilities to reduce the number of employees in the building, consistent with public health guidance.

In addition to the now-postponed March sitting, the court has one more two-week argument session on its calendar, currently set to start April 20. That session includes a case that could affect the 2020 presidential election, a fight over faithless electors who refuse to cast their Electoral College votes for the candidate who won their states balloting.

The court in April is also planning to consider the Trump administrations bid to give employers and universities the broad right to claim a religious or moral exemption from the Obamacare requirement that they offer free birth control through their health-care plans.

Chicago and New York

The Supreme Courts statement made no mention of plans for opinions. The court normally announces opinions from the bench but may now need to change that practice.

The justices are working on rulings in already-argued cases involving LGBT job discrimination, the Puerto Rico oversight board, the DACA deferred-deportation program, New York City gun-transportation rules, abortion restrictions and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The nine-month term typically ends in late June, though the court could extend the term into July or beyond if needed.

Elsewhere, Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, is delaying almost all cases for 30 days starting Tuesday, according to a statement from the chief judge.

The New York state court system on Sunday was ordered to postpone all non-essential functions as of 5 p.m. Monday, although all ongoing trials will continue to their conclusions.

The states top court, the seven-judge Court of Appeals in Albany, is still scheduled to hear arguments for cases in its March term starting Tuesday, although some of them could be conducted remotely, according to spokesman Gary Spencer.

Grand Juries

Federal courts in Maryland, Virginia and Texas became the latest to postpone trials in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The federal district court in Alexandria, Virginia, postponed all criminal and civil jury trials until April 17. Its Maryland counterpart delayed all new jury trials until April 24 and also suspended ongoing matters until March 27, unless judges overseeing individual cases ordered otherwise.

Massachusetts and Connecticut federal courts took similar action last week. The federal court in San Antonio, Texas, put off all new trials until May 1. In a concession, however, to the districts extremely large criminal caseload, the court said it would continue grand jury proceedings that issue charges.

Cook County is likewise carrying on with grand juries as normal. New York said currently seated grand juries would continue, but new ones would not be convened.

The California Supreme Court suspended in-person oral arguments. Although arguments will continue to be held in the courts San Francisco courtroom, lawyers will now appear through electronic means.

The U.S. International Trade Commission, which hears a variety of cross-border tariff and intellectual property disputes, has postponed all hearings for 60 days.
(Natural News) An Italian journalist is warning Britons to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic as one of the countrys top doctors warns Covid-19 is apocalyptic.

(Article by Jack Wright republished from DailyMail.co.uk)

The stark pleas to ban mass gatherings, avoid contact with others, and self-isolate in the UK and US come as 60million Italians are forced to endure a 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 Italys 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.

Our country has universal healthcare, so patients arent 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 didnt have to come to this. We of course couldnt 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, its generally too late to act.

When everybodys health is at stake, true freedom is to follow instructions, he said.

Read more at: DailyMail.co.uk
Justin Trudeau was late. He is often late to press availabilities, and it would be too easy to make hay of it during this coronavirus pandemic, during the most consequential times of his government and his life. You can be behind schedule to that press conference, if you are making the right calls. Its the decisions themselves that cant be too late.

And then Trudeau closed Canadas border, but not to Americans, not yet. There were other measures, which included a hopeful fix to the troubled implementation of border screening in the past days, calling on asymptomatic Canadians to come home while they can, and essentially deputizing airlines to do medical screening and deny symptomatic potential COVID-19 patients, as though they were drunks trying to board the plane. Air Canada will need thermometers.

But the border was the big move, and a half-measure. It was not enough. Or at least, it didnt feel like it.

Americas testing gap, among other things, has produced a potential coronavirus monster, and closing all the borders but the big one is a sort of Maginot Line. Trudeau talked about the complications, both economic and cultural, of our border with the United States, and that is true, even before you accept that Canada is strapped to the back of an increasingly erratic, irrational, dangerous beast.

Even if you exempt essential commercial transport and keep supply lines intact  Canada imports 48 per cent of its medical devices from the U.S., and ventilator supply will be among the biggest questions in the country at some point  so many Canadians work in America, and vice-versa. It is not something to be shut like a door.

But Canada needs to get there, or close enough, while truck drivers and cross-border workers still get through. Public health officials say most cases are travel-related, though Ontario, Alberta, and are starting to see community spread, which is the wildfire; epidemiologists will tell you that, with COVID-19, by the time you have patients in the ICU the virus has been in the community for between two weeks and a month. You dont get intensive-care sick right away with this thing. It takes time.

There have been patients in intensive care in B.C. and Alberta, and there are patients hospitalized in Ontario. If there is a data lag between modelling and actual data points, we are in it now.

So can the federal government count on suggested self-isolation for all visitors after this weekends spotty, ragged information-and-screening mess at the airports? Maybe. But Washington state is Americas near future: a medical system nearly overrun already.

So B.C. is Canadas near future. Vancouver followed Quebec on Monday in all but closing all non-essential public spaces. The city also shut down bars and restaurants for St Patricks Day. B.C.s health minister, Adrian Dix, said the provinces strong view and message to American visitors was, Dont come ... we understand that people are being asked to self-isolate. But better than self-isolate for visitors is not to come. His chief health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, stood behind him. Right now, those jobs all carry a weight.

If ever there was an appetite for the bold in a country that is not bold, it is now. People made fun of the Wayne Gretzky analogy as if that is the only way this country can really communicate. But you really do want to get to where the puck will be. And we know where that will be.

Germany stopped yesterday. Spain and Italy are already in lockdown, and Italy is seeing progress in some places. Even the U.S., run by a president who claimed the virus was under control on Sunday  on Sunday  decided higher-level measures had to be taken, and recommended that every American stay home for two weeks, before the effects of this virus crush the health care system to powder.

It may be too late to avoid that. But at least the U.S. will try.

Canada, meanwhile, is not a bold country very often, but the appetite is there. Trudeaus public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, says the window to flatten the curve of infection and save our own vulnerable health care system is narrow. That now is the time.

And then Trudeau half-closed the border, or less. Not enough, right?

But all this is incredibly complex and Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland, the deputy PM, hinted it could change. A federal fiscal package is expected as early as Tuesday, and that can be judged on its apparent merits. Social distancing regulation belongs to the provinces until the feds take it, and may not require a one-size-fits-all solution yet. Ontario hasnt ordered the closure of public spaces because there isnt enough hard evidence the coronavirus is in the community, yet. It is good that the federal and provincial governments are following science, and public health.

But the Gretzky analogy should apply here, too: Get to where the virus will be. Its St. Patricks Day on Tuesday, and Ontario is just one place that needs to be closer to Toronto, which still isnt all the way to closures. Ontario is about where Boris Johnsons United Kingdom is, and the U.K. just yesterday changed course on a plan that would have needlessly killed some quarter-million Britons. Thats the new lowest bar.

We need to take a breath. This government hasnt been perfect, but our infection rate stayed low for a long time as Italy and Spain and France raced away. We have spiking infection cases, but a lower number as we reach the radical forks in the road.

Now, get to where the puck is going. Within days Canada needs a border with fewer holes, and a society that is forced to order in, work at home, sit on its keister and rediscover ways to connect with loved ones without worrying that they will lose their job, that an eviction will come, that their business will fail. Thats where we need to be.

This is moving so fast, and Trudeaus government has already made mistakes. But they need to get there as soon as possible, in that ever-awkward, age-old Canadian dance between federalism and the provinces. Everyone wants to be Wayne Gretzky, but one of the rules of Canada and the world is that nobody can. But we can try.

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An Indian-origin public transportation employee here has pleaded guilty to obstructing a federal investigation into bid rigging and fraud in connection with contracts awarded by the city's transportation authority for subway repairs in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

Paresh Patel, 59 of New Jersey, a former manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has surrendered to federal authorities in February.

He pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman said.

According to allegations made in the Information as well as Patel's admissions in court, in order to manage necessary subway rehabilitation work following Superstorm Sandy in 2013, the MTA awarded construction management contracts for managers to oversee post-Sandy subway projects.

With a view to prevent self-dealing and the appearance of corruption, the MTA maintains rules that required that MTA employees are barred from participating in the selection, award, or administration of a contract if the employee, his or her family member, or an organisation that employs the employee or one of the employee's family members has a financial interest in any of the companies that propose or bid on, or are awarded, such a contract.

Patel was a programme manager at the MTA and was responsible for awarding contracts and exercising oversight of Superstorm Sandy-related subway repairs. In June 2014, he and another MTA employee set up an engineering consulting firm named 'Satkirti Consulting Engineering'.

Since MTA rules prohibited them from having an interest in such a company, Patel and the other employee registered Satkirti in the names of their children, and then transferred the ownership to a friend of Patel who played no substantive role in the management of Satkirti.

In February 2015, Satkirti was awarded a contract as a subcontractor on the Joralemon Tube subway rehabilitation project, which project Patel would oversee in his role at the MTA.

Although the technical employees of Satkirti who sought and carried out the subcontract were Patel's friend, who had no background or qualifications in engineering, and a second individual who Patel recruited from a pizzeria owned by Patel, he directed the operations of Satkirti and its employees while concealing his involvement with the company. Among other things, Patel created a company email account for Satkirti, and instructed Satkirti's employees about what to write in emails.

In the spring of 2016, federal officials launched an investigation into the contract that was awarded to Satkirti. They served subpoenas and conducted interviews with individuals involved in Satkirti, many of whom made false statements about their and Patel's involvement in the company.

Patel took numerous steps when he learnt that his conduct was being investigated, including deleting an email account, asking others to destroy evidence, and encouraging others to lie to authorities to obstruct the investigation. Over the course of the federal investigation, at the request of Patel, several individuals questioned by investigators also concealed and lied about his involvement in Satkirti.

"In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Paresh Patel set up a company so that he and his family could profit from the work that was being done to repair our subways. When Patel learned he was under investigation, he destroyed evidence and asked others to lie to federal and local investigators. Efforts to obstruct investigations into corruption at the MTA undermine the public's faith in the nation's largest public transportation system and threaten the ability of our Government to ensure that justice is done, Berman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
H igh School Musical stars Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale have blessed the world with a TikTok duet made in self-isolation.

Tisdale kicked off the reunion by posting a TikTok of herself dancing to Were All in This Together this morning - complete with the films original choreography - with the caption: My work out while on Self Quarantine. I cant believe I remembered it.

Vanessa Hudgens later shared a clip of her, side-by-side with Tisdales clip - though Hudgens wasnt as committed to the choreography, instead pouring herself a glass of red wine as she shimmied along to the iconic track.

Well. Its come to this. Lol @ashleytisdale maybe I start getting into tik tok? she wrote on Instagram.

Celebrities: they really are just like us! That is: also running out of ways to entertain ourselves while self-isolating.

Maybe well see more stars sign up for TikTok - and, like in Hudgens case, welcome us in for a virtual glass of wine, complete with mood lighting provided by a gorgeous red candle.

Celebrities reacting to coronavirus - In pictures 1 /34 Celebrities reacting to coronavirus - In pictures Gigi Hadid with boyfriend Zayn Malik and sister Bella during her quarantined 25th birthday celebration Instagram / @gigihadid Joe Jonas and Sophia Turner have turned their isolation boredom into hilarious TikTok content TikTok Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Gigi Hadid celebrated her 25th birthday with family while in quarantine Instagram / @gigihadid Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have been able to enjoy time with their kids Instagram / @chrissyteigen Katy Perry recorded herself for American Idol in a life sized hand sanitizer bottle Instagram / @katyperry Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were the first celebrities to have a confirmed case and kept us updated on their recovery journey on Twitter and Instagram Instagram / @tomhanks Demi Moore and Bruce Willis in matching pajamas with their daughter and her boyfriend Instagram / @buuski Kaia Gerber adopted a puppy to keep her company Instagram / @kaiagerber Helena Christensen has been having her son take glam Instagram photos for her Instagram Brooklyn Beckham in quarantine with his girlfriend Nicola Peltz Instagram Matthew McConaughey played virtual bingo with seniors The Enclave at Round Rock Senior Living/Facebook Kim Kardashian on a flight wearing a face mask and gloves @kimkardashian Naomi Campbell preparing for a flight @naomi Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a facemask during a plane ride @gwynethpaltrow Bella Hadid wearing a face mask on a plane @bellahadid Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas @sophiet Sebastian Stan on a plane in protective gear @sebastianstan Naomi Campbell preparing for a flight @naomi Nicole Scherzinger with Thom Evans @nicolescherzinger Idris Elba announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for coronavirus @idriselba Robbie Williams greets fans with elbow bumps Getty Images Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Joe Jonas and Sophia Turner have turned their isolation boredom into hilarious TikTok content TikTok Katy Perry has taken to dressing up in outlandish costumes Instagram / @katyperry

Could this be the start of a new High School Musical TikTok challenge? Were not complaining if so. Your move, Zac Efron.

Hudgens and Tisdale's collaboration was a lot more wholesome than the trap that Katy Perry, Madonna and Cheryl Cole fell prey to this week, when Twitter users shared doctored videos with fake audio that made it seem as though Italians in isolation were singing their songs from their apartment balconies.
Typically, dispensaries are only allowed to distribute marijuana products inside a limited access area, as deemed by the state. But until March 30, dispensary workers will be allowed to go outside to medical patients cars or adjacent public walkways to take their order. They then must take the cash inside, get the product and bring it back out to the patient.
S abrina Elba has said while she hasn't yet been tested for coronavirus, she assumes that she will "probably" test positive after her husband's diagnosis.

After Idris revealed he has Covid-19, Sabrina posted an Instagram story offering an update on the couples' progress.

She wrote: "We are ok! We are both in quarantine with no symptoms.

"Its safe to assume Ill probably test positive for but theyre [sic] arent enough tests at the moment. I will keep you all updated."

Instagram

The Canadian model added: Overwhelmed by all the loving messages, thank you."

Sabrina also posted a photo from Global Citizen calling upon people to donate, to help with funds during the coronavirus crisis.

In his post, Idris revealed he has been "isolated" since finding out he had the virus.

"Stay home people and be pragmatic," he told fans. "I will keep you updated on how I'm doing."

Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic and has claimed the lives of 7,180 people with 183,736 global cases.

Last week, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson revealed that they had tested positive in Australia.

The couple have now left hospital and thanked fans their support as they recovered from the virus.
Questions on citizenship and issues arising out of it fall outside the scope of judicial review, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday as it defended the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), maintaining it was necessary to address religious prosecution in three neighbouring countries and that it does not violate the right to equality.

In a 129-page affidavit defending the law that has triggered widespread protests, the Centre presented a point-to-point rebuttal to the arguments of over 150 petitioners who have petitioned the court against the CAA, calling it discriminatory.

It is submitted that such decisions are the result of Parliamentary legislative policy based upon the executive  foreign policy decision making for which the constitutional courts may not have the requisite expertise to examine the parameters based upon which such legislative policy is enacted, the affidavit said.

The CAA was passed in December to fast-track the citizenship process for non-Muslims, including Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains, who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014. Opponents of the law insist it is discriminatory and unconstitutional as it leaves out Muslims and links citizenship to faith in a secular country.

Critics say it could result in the expulsion or detentions of Muslims unable to provide the documentation if the law is seen in the context of a proposed pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC). A process carried out in Assam to detect undocumented immigrants led to the exclusion of around two million people from the NRC in 2019. The government has maintained it has no immediate plans for implementing a countrywide NRC.

In the affidavit, the Centre called preparation for the NRC a necessary exercise for any sovereign country for identification of citizens from non-citizens. It added that legal provisions regarding the NRC can be found in Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, which mandates the government to compulsorily register citizens and issue them national identity cards. It also empowers the Centre to maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens.

The affidavit cited the provisions and said it was the Centres responsibility to identify/detect illegal migrants and thereafter, follow the due process of the law.

The Supreme Court agreed to examine the CAAs constitutional validity on December 18 but refused to stay its operation.

The Centre submitted that the existing system for obtaining Indian citizenship by a citizen of any country is untouched by the CAA and it remains the same. The CAA is a specific amendment which seeks to tackle a specific problem prevalent in the specified countries i.e. persecution on the ground of religion in light of the undisputable theocratic constitutional position in the specified countries, the affidavit said.

The CAA only ensures that communities, which are religious minorities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and whose natural place of return would be India in case of displacement, are granted citizenship, it added.

The history clearly depicts that persecuted minorities in the said three countries were left without any rights and the said historical injustice is sought to be remedied by the amendment without taking away or whittling down the right of any other person, the affidavit said.

The petitioners have cited the religious segregation that the CAA entails and said it was without any reasonable differentiation and violates the right to equality under the Constitutions Article 14.

The Centre argued that India being a secular country, with a large population of people belonging to the classified communities residing as Indian citizens, it is the sole rational and feasible place to seek shelter for the communities whose citizenship process has been fast-tracked

It submitted classification by the CAA based on religion will not fall foul of the right to equality.

The Centre contended the CAA was merely a classification for relaxations in qualifications of otherwise settled principles of citizenship. The regime concerning the deportation of persons who may be classified as Illegal migrants is governed by other statutes and not the CAA, it added.

The CAA does not result in expulsion, deportation or refoulement of any person who may be classified as illegal migrant, it said.

The petitioners include Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra, the Congresss Jairam Ramesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeens Asaduddin Owaisi, various non-government organisations, and the Indian Union Muslim League, among others.
Thirty new coronavirus cases have been detected, bringing the total to 196

Egypt has reported two new deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the total death toll in the country to six, a Tuesday statement by the health ministry read.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed also said 30 new coronavirus cases have been detected, bringing the total to 196.

The two reported deaths were of a 78-year-old Italian woman and a 70-year-old Egyptian man, he said. Both died at the designated isolation hospital where Egypt is quarantining coronavirus patients.

Preventive measures were underway for the deceased Egyptian mans family and those believed to be in contact with him.

Megahed did not provide details about the nationalities of the 30 new cases.

He said that the number of those cleared of the disease had risen to 26 in total, as of Tuesday.

They are part of a total of 34 confirmed cases who have now received negative lab results.

The announcement comes one day after 300 families were placed under quarantine in the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliya, after a number of coronavirus cases and a second fatality were confirmed in the area on Monday.

Egypt has upped its preventive measures to combat the spread of the virus, suspending international flights from 19 to 31 March.

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Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has taken precautionary measures and issued advisories in public interest keeping in mind the health and safety aspects of its commuters due to the coronavirus threat, officials said here on Tuesday.

They said measures have been undertaken for sanitation and personal hygiene of passengers at all the Metro stations from the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport to Munshi Pulia.

The initiatives taken by the Metro staff include the periodic announcements inside the trains and at the stations through public announcement system, they said, adding that the corporation is spreading awareness through video messages and posters.

The ticket counters, TVM machines, customer care centres, entry and exit gates, hand railings inside trains and at the Metro staircase are being cleaned and sanitised constantly at regular intervals.

Station controllers, customer relation assistants and security personnel are wearing masks and gloves while dealing with commuters.

There is already a provision for tissue papers and sanitisers for passengers at all washrooms, the officials said, adding that a special emphasis is being laid on mopping and cleanliness.

Kumar Keshav, MD of the corporation, has urged all commuters to comply with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Medical workers in protective suits push an isolation stretcher in front of the Columbus Clinic, where patients suffering from COVID-19 were moved from Spallanzani Hospital in Rome, Italy, on March 16, 2020. (Remo Casilli/Reuters)

Italy Coronavirus Deaths Exceed 2,000, Jumping 19 Percent in 24 Hours

Italy reported a further 349 coronavirus deaths on Monday, bringing the countrys total to 2,158, an increase of 19.3 percent. It came after the country reported 368 deaths on Sundayits largest spike in one day so far.

The youngest victims from Mondays death toll included two individuals with underlying health conditions aged 39, while the oldest was 95, The Guardian reported.

The total number of cases in Italy, which continues to be the worst-affected nation outside of China, rose to 27,980 from a previous 24,747, up 13 percent. The figure indicated the slowest rate of increase in confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus since the contagion first came to light in Italy on Feb. 21.

Lets hope it is the start of a trend reversal. I am saying it in a whisper, this could be the start of a trend reversal, said Attilio Fontana, the governor of Italys worst affected region, Lombardy.

The Civil Protection Agency, however, said on Monday it had not yet received data from the southern region of Puglia and the northern province of Trento.

Of those originally infected, 2,749 had fully recovered compared to 2,335 the day before. Some 1,851 people were in intensive care against a previous 1,672.

Fontana said on Sunday that as numbers have continued to grow, the heavily hit region is close to running out of intensive care beds.

A woman places an Italian flag that reads everything will be alright on her apartment balcony as part of a flashmob organized to raise morale during Italys coronavirus crisis, in Milan, Italy, on March 16, 2020. (Daniele Mascolo/Reuters)

The country has been on lockdown over the pandemic since March 9. Around 60 million residents have been told to stay at home and most businesses have been closed. All schools, sporting events, and other venues have been shut down.

Italys prime minister Giuseppe Conte stressed that masks and other medical equipment are desperately needed to combat the coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year before it spread to every continent other than Antarctica.

The export of masks, suits, and face shields from Germany and France has been unblocked, Conte said.

According to Marco Resta, deputy head of Policlinico San Donatos Intensive Care Unit, around half of those with COVID-19the disease caused by the novel coronaviruswho are accepted into intensive care units in the country are dying, compared with a usual mortality rate of 12 to 16 percent in such units nationwide.

The average age of those killed by COVID-19 is 80.3, with the majority diagnosed with underlying health conditions, Silvio Brusaferro, the president of Italys Higher Institute of Health, said last week.

Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.
The Japanese government intends to allocate Iran 2.5 billion yen (about $ 23.5 million) to help in a fight against coronavirus, said FM Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday.

According to him, the spread of the virus causes great concern to the entire international community, RIA Novosti reported referring to NHK.

The Japanese FM also noted that there may be a need for technological cooperation in Iran, as well as material security for medical workers, hospitals, quarantine bases, and other places.

The WHO said on Monday 11 that coronavirus has now become a pandemic.

According to the latest WHO data, over 167 thousand people have already been infected in the world, and the death toll has reached over 6.6 thousand.
The Odisha government on Tuesday extended the period of all regulations in force over the Covid-19 threat from March 31 to April 15, prompting panic-buying of essential items across the state.

Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the decision was taken as part of his government's efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.

"The regulation will be in force till 15th April which may be extended based on the situation. Appeal everyone to comply with the regulation and be part of Odisha's efforts in protecting the people of the state from #COVID19," the chief minister tweeted.

The government had on March 13 ordered the closure of all educational institutes, cinema halls, swimming pools and gymnasiums over the coronavirus threat.

Officials said people were hoarding essential items, as administration in several districts has asked shopping malls and retail stores to down shutters.

Sudhansu Sarangi, Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, however, appealed to people to refrain from panic-buying as small shops and grocery stores will remain open.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC have come into force in several districts of the state, including Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Angul and parts of Khurda and Puri, to prevent mass gathering of people, the officials said.

Tourists have been discouraged from visiting popular destinations, with several shrines, including Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, restricting entry of visitors, they added.

All companies, including IT firms, have been asked to adopt special safeguards.

According to a notification issued to IT companies by the Commissionerate of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, employees who have been to a foreign country will have to be quarantined for 14 days, during which they may work from home or avail leave as per company policies.

Also, if any employee has family members who have recently travelled to a foreign destination, he or she would have to submit a declaration and stay home for 14 days.

The notification will come into effect from March 17, 2020, Sarangi said, adding that any firm failing to comply with the orders shall be liable for prosecution under section 100 of Odisha Urban Police Act.

The first confirmed case of novel coronavirus was reported in Odisha on Monday after a researcher who recently returned from Italy tested positive for it. The 33-year-old is being treated at Capital Hospital here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A South Korean church has been struck down with coronavirus after 46 members including the pastor and his wife were infected with the virus.

According to local reports, they were infected after an official failed to wipe a saltwater spray bottle they sprayed inside their mouths as they thought it would help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Surveillance footage from the River of Grace Community Church in Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul, shows a church official sticking the spray bottle deep into the mouth of one follower after another, during a prayer gathering attended by 100 followers on March 1 and March 8.



Its been confirmed that they put the nozzle of the spray bottle inside the mouth of a follower who was later confirmed as a patient, before they did likewise for other followers as well, without disinfecting the sprayer, said Lee Hee-young, co-chief of the Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Response team,

This made it inevitable for the virus to spread, he said. They did so out of the false belief that saltwater kills the virus.

The church has since been closed and all its believers who attended the prayer sessions are being tested.

The churchs pastor, identified as Kim, has apologized for the mass infection of his church members.

I feel deeply sorry about what has happened. I will take all the blame and responsibility, Kim told Yonhap News Agency, indicating his intention to retire after the ongoing crisis is over.

This comes a month after more than half of 4,000 coronavirus cases in South Korea was linked to Shincheonji cult, a secretive church

South Koreas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 74 new cases on Monday, bringing its total tally to 8,236.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18)  Overseas Filipino workers and foreign nationals are now allowed to leave the country anytime within the duration of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Executive Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a press briefing of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Tuesday night that OFWs and foreigners are now permitted to fly out of the country. He added that Filipino tourists are not allowed to leave the country.

Dahil ayaw natin bigyan ng pressure silang lahat dahil mas mahirap para sa kanila, in-open up na natin. Wala na yong 72 hours, Nograles said.

[Translation: Because we do not want them to be pressured and have a hard time, we already opened it up. The 72-hour window is disregarded.]

The government previously gave a 72-hour window to all outbound international flights, which was supposedly only until Friday.

However, Nograles said that the IATF reevaluated their decision hence the new advice. This is in consideration of the OFWs who need to go back to their employers abroad, according to him.

Inbound international passengers are also allowed entry, subject to strict immigration and quarantine protocols.

Apart from Luzon being under an enhanced community quarantine, President Rodrigo Duterte has also placed the entire country under a state of calamity Tuesday amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

According to the Health Department, four more hospitals will start testing for COVID-19 starting this week and more testing kits are coming.
Americans may be slightly down during the current Wuhan China coronavirus madness reaction, but we are certainly not out. While businesses of all sizes and workers of all backgrounds and economic levels will suffer from the restrictive laws on what are normally personal and private legal activities that will allegedly combat the spread of the disease, American ingenuity and independence continue providing the essentials of life. And jobs. Well, for some. And depending on the definition of essentials. As the New York Post reports:

The coronavirus is proving healthy for some city businesses... there are still a few enterprises that have not only survived, but thrived. Online booze-delivery services, car-rental firms and local bodegas are among the lucky ones, workers said Monday. "Friday, March 13, was Drizly's largest day ever in sales, beating out New Year's Eve and Halloween, which are usually our most popular days,'' a rep for the alcohol-delivery service told The Post. At Minibar Delivery, a rep said, "Thursday was 80 percent higher than the previous Thursday,'' and Sunday was 57 percent more than a week earlier. "Friday, March 13, was Drizly's largest day ever in sales, beating out New Year's Eve and Halloween, which are usually our most popular days,'' a rep for the alcohol-delivery service told The Post. At Minibar Delivery, a rep said, "Thursday was 80 percent higher than the previous Thursday,'' and Sunday was 57 percent more than a week earlier. (snip) The company said New York City orders helped drive its coronavirus gains, followed by Houston and DC. The virus also is creating a boon for the local car-rental business  with more New Yorkers looking to either get out of town to dodge the crowds or take advantage of school being out and hitting the road with the kids to see family, employees said. (snip) Matthew Walters, the 39-year-old owner of the Douglaston Deli on the Douglaston Parkway in Queens, said he's seen a boost in his bottom line since the spread of the coronavirus, too. "I'm not going to lie, sales are way up. Like when a snowstorm hits,'' Walters said of business.

And late Monday afternoon Amazon announced:

Amazon ramps hiring, opening 100,000 new roles to support people relying on Amazon's service in this stressful time Company will invest over $350 million globally to increase pay by $2/hour in the U.S., 2/hr in the UK, and approximately 2/hr in many EU countries for employees and partners who are in fulfillment centers, transportation operations, stores or those making deliveries so that others can remain at home.

Naturally, the illness itself has spurred job creation and not just in the medical field as Business Insider reports.

The growing spread of coronavirus has caused a surge in demand for certain jobs, as US companies look for ways to address the outbreak and the anxiety around it. Job-posting site Glassdoor recently published an Economic Research report about how workers are reacting to coronavirus. Daniel Zhao, a Glassdoor senior economist and data scientist, wrote in the report that the company has noticed an increase in job postings for researchers and healthcare professionals specifically asking for people who can help with coronavirus-related communications, research, or medical assistance. (snip) In Washington, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently posted several positions for their newly formed COVID-19 Response team. The positions include program manager and associate strategy officer that will last until the end of December.

And not all the Wuhan China coronavirus-created jobs require highly skilled workers. ZipRecruiter has jobs for people with basic cleaning knowledge.

Coronavirus causing a 75% spike in demand for new hires in this sector Job openings for cleaners are shooting through the roof as the U.S. mobilizes to contain the coronavirus, but hiring is likely to plunge in industries suffering most from the interruptions in daily life. The online jobs marketplace ZipRecruiter says help-wanted ads for cleaners are on track to surge 75% in March compared to a year earlier. By contrast, they were just 24% higher in January.

And, as this is a year that numerically ends in 0 (zero), it is required by law that the U.S. conduct a census  which means there is a need for Census workers ZipRecuiter added. Or maybe not.

What might help keep the labor market stabile is temporary employment for the U.S. Census. The government is aiming to hire 500,000 people to canvass the country in the next few months for the once-in-a-decade Census taking. "This might pull in some people who temporarily lose work due to the virus," Pollack said. That is, assuming the government proceeds as planned with the Census. Sending 500,000 people around the county to survey tens of millions of Americans is not an ideal strategy amid a nationwide effort to suppress an epidemic.

No! Of course, these jobs won't replace the many that are lost or temporarily eliminated or aid the businesses and their employees who will truly suffer financially from the drastic government-imposed measures. The negative economic repercussions will affect all segments of American society in multiple aspects of life for quite a while. But there is some bit of relief.
PITTSBURGH, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor from Tuscaloosa, Ala., has developed the E-Z ACCESS PILLOWCASE, a new type of pillowcase that is simple to attach and remove.

"I've struggled with stuffing my pillows into their pillowcases. In addition to myself, I want to help everyday citizens and workers with putting on pillowcases. I prayed about my idea and came up with a solution to this problem," said the inventor. The E-Z ACCESS PILLOWCASE saves individuals time and effort while inserting and removing pillows from their pillowcases. It eliminates the frustration associated with conventional methods of attaching a pillowcase. It may even encourage individuals to remove and wash their linens more frequently. This convenient and easy-to-use pillowcase offers an eye-catching and novel design. It is producible in a wide range of patterns, colors, thread counts, sizes, shapes, and lengths.

The original design was submitted to the Birmingham sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-BRK-2728, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

Related Links

http://www.inventhelp.com


A legendary piano teacher has revealed she was 'hurt' to be asked to retire from running the world-renowned competition she founded  despite being 95 at the time.

Dame Fanny Waterman, now 99, ran the Leeds International Piano Competition for more than 50 years before stepping down five years ago, saying at the time she felt 'ready... to hand over the reins'.

But now Dame Fanny, pictured, has told the BBC the decision was 'misguided'. She said: 'I didn't think it was the right time. I wanted to be there for ever.'

Dame Fanny Waterman, now 99, ran the Leeds International Piano Competition for more than 50 years before stepping down five years ago, saying at the time she felt 'ready... to hand over the reins'

She said the 'powers that be' wanted a change. Dame Fanny said she 'had many, many years more to give of my own passion, my own knowledge and everything'.

She said the 'powers that be' wanted a change. Dame Fanny said she 'had many, many years more to give of my own passion, my own knowledge and everything'

Her series of teaching books, Me and My Piano, sold more than two million copies and has never been out of print.

The Leeds competition had planned a special day of events to mark her 100th birthday on March 22, but it has now been changed to a private gathering due to the coronavirus outbreak.
MUNICH (dpa-AFX) - Wacker Chemie AG (WKCMY.PK, WKCMF.PK) said, for 2020, the company expects to increase sales by a low-single-digit percentage. EBITDA is likely to decline from 2019. Adjusted for non-recurring effect, EBITDA is likely to decline by a mid-single-digit percentage. Fiscal 2020 net result is anticipated to rise significantly. The company noted that its fiscal 2020 forecast does not include the economic impact of a possible coronavirus pandemic. During the first two months of the current year, Group sales were somewhat lower from prior year. This is partly due to restrictions in China on shipping products to customers, the company said. For the first quarter, WACKER forecasts sales of some 1.2 billion euros. The Group expects EBITDA to be substantially above last year's level. 'From today's perspective, 2020 is going to be another very challenging year. In our polysilicon business, we still face strong competition and price pressure. Trade conflicts and geopolitical crises harbor downside risks,' said CEO Rudolf Staudigl. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
A civil servant accused of making and possessing indecent photographs of children has had the matter sent to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment

A civil servant accused of making and possessing indecent photographs of children has had the matter sent to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment. Geoffrey Cooper (54), of Drumachose Mews in Limavady, faces a total of 31 charges.

He was in the dock at Coleraine Magistrates' Court yesterday for a Preliminary Enquiry - the legal step to send a case to the Crown Court. He faces 15 charges of making indecent photos; 15 of possessing indecent photos; and one charge of distributing or showing an indecent photo of a child.

The charges relate to dates from 2013 to 2016.

The defendant, who was wearing a suit, shirt and tie, confirmed he understood the charges and he had no objections to the holding of the Preliminary Enquiry.

A prosecutor submitted that on the basis of the papers before the court there was a case to answer and a defence barrister said he had no contrary submissions.

Deputy District Judge Brian Archer agreed there was a case to answer. The case was adjourned to Antrim Crown Court on April 21 and the defendant was released on continuing bail.
The restaurant and nightlife industries were also shut to customers last night. And with that, a city whose lifeblood was its thousands of bars and eateries  from steakhouses to neighborhood bars  was bereft of them.

[Get the latest news and updates on the coronavirus in the New York region.]

Under Mayor de Blasios order, restaurants are allowed to serve only takeout meals or deliveries, and yesterday the city announced that bars could sell cocktails for delivery.

Storefronts were shuttered, businesses were left reeling and workers were furloughed. The sudden flood of laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits swamped New York States Labor Department, trying to replace some of their lost income.

Within hours, frustrated applicants were complaining on social media about not being able to apply online. Some said the states system was crashing throughout the day.
Residents of Block Island, Rhode Island, were treated to the dramatic sight of a roll cloud stretching along the shoreline on March 13.

Among those there to witness the sight was local man Steven Miller, who was at the port at Old Harbor, on the east side of the island, waiting for his wife and son to arrive home on a Block Island Ferry.

His son, a sophomore at Boston College, was arriving home after the institution had closed due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to Storyful, Miller said, The cloud loomed high over the Victorian-style buildings in Old Harbor, and we could see it rolling as it swept along. It somehow seemed to go along with the apprehension we all felt at the prospect of business closing and needing to stay at home because of the virus.

He continued, As it was a physical manifestation of approaching danger. Ill never forget the sight, and the awe I felt at the power and beauty of creation. Credit: Steven Miller via Storyful
Delhi Police told a court on Monday that it was forced to enter Jamia Millia Islamia in December last year, where students were protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), to contain violence and maintain law and order.

In an action taken report (ATR) to metropolitan magistrate Rajat Goyal, the Delhi Police crime branch said local leaders and politicians had instigated the protesters following which some former students and others gathered at the campus, raising provocative slogans. They said it got difficult to distinguish between rioters and students and all of them had to be evacuated.
Press Trust of India

A team led by an Indian-origin scientist has developed a camera that does not require focusing, by using a single lens about one-thousandth of an inch thick.

The advance could enable thinner smartphone cameras, improved and smaller cameras for biomedical imaging such as endoscopy, and more compact cameras for automobiles, the researchers said.

The technology, described in the journal Optica, offers considerable benefits over traditional cameras such as the ones in most smartphones, which require multiple lenses to form high-quality, in-focus images.

"Our flat lenses can drastically reduce the weight, complexity and cost of cameras and other imaging systems, while increasing their functionality," said research team leader Rajesh Menon from the University of Utah in the US.

Menon and colleagues noted that the flat lens can maintain focus for objects that are about six metres apart from each other.

Flat lenses use nanostructures patterned on a flat surface rather than bulky glass or plastic to achieve the important optical properties that control the way light travels.

"This new lens could have many interesting applications outside photography such as creating highly efficient illumination for LIDAR that is critical for many autonomous systems, including self-driving cars," said Menon.

The researchers said the design approach they used could be expanded to create optical components with any number of properties such as extreme bandwidth, easier manufacturability or lower cost.

Conventional cameras, whether used in smartphones or for microscopy, require focusing to ensure that the details of an object are sharp, the researchers said.

If there are multiple objects at different distances from the camera, each object must be focused separately, they said.

"The new lens eliminates the need for focusing and allows any camera to keep all the objects in focus simultaneously," said Menon.

"Conventional cameras also use multiple lenses to keep different colors of light in focus simultaneously.

"Since our design is very general, we can also use it to create a single flat lens that focuses all colours of light, drastically simplifying cameras even further," he said.

To focus light, traditional lenses transform parallel light waves into spherical waves that converge into a focal spot. The researchers realised that waves with other shapes could produce a similar effect, vastly increasing the number of possible lens designs.

"In stark contrast to what is taught in optics textbooks, our research has shown that there is more than one way that light transmission is affected by an ideal lens -- a concept known as pupil function," said Menon.

"This opened essentially infinite possibilities for the lens pupil function, and we searched through these possibilities for one that achieved an extreme depth of focus, he said.

After choosing the best lens design for depth of focus, the researchers used nanofabrication techniques to make a prototype lens.

Experiments confirmed that the new lens performed as expected and achieved a depth of focus several orders of magnitude larger than that of an equivalent conventional lens.

They plan to extend the lens to larger numerical apertures and to use it with the full visible light spectrum.

Work to ensure that the lenses could be mass manufactured is also needed before they could be commercialised, the researchers said.
Clearwater Beach in Florida was packed with visitors, mostly students, despite the advice from Pres. Trump and CDC to avoid mass gatherings and practice social distancing.

Pres. Trump's administration is trying its best to slow down the spread of coronavirus pandemic that continues to swell in the United States. However, it seems that some are not taking this global health issue seriously.

Despite the warnings given by Pres. Trump and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, many crowds still came at the beach even though some beaches on the east coast were closed because of COVID-19.

It appears that many are not heeding to follow the advice by avoiding mass gatherings and practice social-distancing to help the government in slowing down the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Many crowds gathered last weekend despite the warnings given.

It was also observed that many of the sun worshippers were seen lying on the sun and are not practicing social distancing while others were seen wading in the surf. Many visitors in the Clearwater Beach in Florida were seen roaming and appeared not practicing social distancing.

In the United States alone, there have been more than 4,500 cases of persons who were tested positive for coronavirus and a death toll of 79 deaths that continues to spike according to a recently published article. It is the main reason why Pres. Trump strict guidelines about social distancing and mass gatherings. Recently, it was reported that five counties in the Bay Area are now implementing a "Stay at Home" policy to help the government mitigate the virus.

Meanwhile, some cities and states have responded to the call of the President. Some closed the schools, restaurants, and venues for large crowds were temporarily closed until the virus is contained. Through this, they can help the government to combat the coronavirus epidemic.

However, despite the effort of the government, hundreds of college students went to the beach and defied the order of the police officers to stop partying. It seems that they are not taking the problem seriously. Instead of staying at home, they took advantage of this time by going to crowded places where there is a greater risk to be infected with the virus.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared that the spring break is over following the declaration of the state of emergency. This means that beaches in Miami were supposed to be closed from 4:30 in the afternoon on Saturday until March 19. But, visitors and students continued their beach celebration during the weekend.

The number of infected persons in the state of Florida is very alarming. There are around 149 cases of persons who have COVID-19 and this is expected to increase. Most of the patients are teens in their early twenties. While four people already died because of the virus.

Despite the warnings from the CDC, many college students came to the beach on Sunday. It is not a surprise anymore if the number of cases of persons who are positive for coronavirus will spike. They have been told and warned and yet they don't care any of the warnings give at all.

Read related articles:

San Francisco Mayor Orders Residents to Stay at Home for 3 Weeks!

President Trump Announces Strict Guidelines to Combat COVID-19

The Battle for Life Between Italy's Old and Young
In Hong Kong, bankers have learned to win stock offerings by video chat, and Morgan Stanley is hosting a virtual meeting for a thousand-plus attendees. At Swiss giant UBS, wealth management executives have realised trips to see clients weren't as crucial as thought. In California, an investor in hedge funds said he's pleasantly surprised by how much faster he can confer with them remotely.

Virtual finance may far outlast the coronavirus.

Wall Street may never be the same. Credit:AP

Around the world, there are early signs that some of the emergency measures Wall Street is rolling out to keep employees safe in a pandemic will become a lasting practice in an industry that's long mythologised the handshake. That's likely to hearten working parents who've struggled to persuade managers to let them log in from home, as well as many younger recruits at ease doing things digitally.

Much of the positive reception comes from Asia, where the virus began wreaking havoc months ago, forcing bankers indoors. They predict colleagues in other countries will embrace the changes too, starting with sales and trading, as the disease spreads and the industry gets more comfortable with using video chats and related technology.
Nigerian Christian teen escapes captors weeks after abduction, forced conversion to Islam

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A Nigerian Christian girl who was abducted in January and forced to convert to Islam has finally been reunited with her family in the countrys northcentral Kaduna state.

The Hausa Christians Foundation told the independent daily newspaper Vanguard that Sadiya Amos has escaped from her captors and returned to her family in the Kubau Council Area after being held hostage for more than a month.

Last month, the Anglican Church and Hausa Christian community in Kubau raised concern over Amos abduction and alleged forced marriage to one of her captors.

According to an earlier report from The Guardian, Amos went missing on the night of Jan. 5.

Amos father, Amos Chindo, was forced to go to Sharia court on Jan. 7, where he was threatened by a lawyer claiming to be an advocate for Sadiya and a Sharia court judge. Both accused Chindo of preventing his daughter from converting to Islam.

The judge and lawyer were accused of forging a birth certificate in which Sadiyas age was raised from under 17 to 19. Additionally, the lawyer and judge refused to give Chindo access to his daughter or tell him about her whereabouts.

The trial was adjourned until Jan. 14.

According to a statement from the HCF, Amos and her parents attend the church where the Anglican Bishop of Ikara Diocese, Yusuf Ishaya Janfalan, presides.

According to Vanguard, Janfalan delegated priests to attend Amos court hearing on Jan. 14 and call for the Sharia court to acknowledge that both parents are Christians and not subject to Sharia law.

[T]he judge didnt listen to them or even give them the chance to speak and never even listen to Sadiyas parents, the HCF statement reads. Instead, the Sharia judge went ahead to read his predetermined judgment and closed the case without the Sadiya in court.

HCF said that the organization did its best to try to secure Amos' release after the courts decision but had no luck. At a protest in January, Janfalan and leaders from the Hausa Christians Foundation called on the government for an immediate intervention to secure Amos' release.

While doing our best to rescue her, we reached a point where we could not do anything due to financial constraint, the HCF statement explains. While praying to God for open doors to speed up her freedom, the Power of our God went ahead and completed the work all to His glory.

Sadiya Amos told HCF that she was kept in a room for more than a month and forced to convert to Islam. She said that guards were posted outside her door so that she would not escape.

But one day, the guards fell asleep and left the door open. Amos said that allowed her to escape and return to her parents.

The case of abducting Christian girls and their forceful conversion to Islam as well as forcing them into marriage has become a watershed issue in Northern Nigeria, the HCF statement reads. The Hausa Christians Foundation in less than three years has rescued 12 of these girls out of the over 30 cases that were reported to us from across Northern Nigeria, especially the Hausa Land.

It is unclear as to who Amos captors are. However, kidnappings of hundreds of young girls in Nigeria have been carried out by different actors in recent years. Those actors include the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram, its splinter group the Islamic State West Africa Province and radical Fulani herdsmen.

Last October, six Christian schoolgirls and two staff members were abducted from a Christian-run high school in Kaduna city by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

In 2014, over 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram in the town of Chibok in Borno state. Over 112 remain missing.

In 2018, 110 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a government school in Dapchi. Although nearly all were released, Christian teen Leah Sharibu was not because she reportedly refused to deny her faith in Christ. After two years, family members and advocates are still calling for her freedom.

The moment these girls are abducted, they are subjected to all manners of evil just to take control of their minds, HCF warns. Once they took hold of their minds, these girls will only do everything they are asked to do.

"While the parents fight for the release of their daughters, these abductors continue to sexually abuse these girls, hypnotized their food, drinks, clothes, where they sleep, perpetually evoke evil spirit upon them to the point that these girls completely lost their minds and never think of going back to their home.

HCF warned that it only takes about one or two weeks for a Christian girl to be abducted and married off.

She will be sexually abused even before the marriage to make the parents give up on her when she becomes pregnant, HCF stresses.

Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List ranks Nigeria as the 12th-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.
Authorities around the globe have cancelled concerts and sporting events due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Mexico City went ahead with one of the most important music festivals in the country over the weekend.

Vive Latino took place on 14 and 15 March. Some acts backed out, but tens of thousands of music fans flocked on Saturday to the first day of the festival. Organisers said more than 70,000 tickets had been sold for each of the festival's two days.

At the entrance, the usual security checks for such events had a new component: Each person entering was checked for fever and a strong smell of antibacterial gel permeated in the air.

But once past that, the dynamics of the festival were not much changed. People walked excitedly towards the various stages and crowded together for the performances.

Guns N' Roses performed as planned on Saturday.

The band shared a teaser advertising its performance ahead of time on social media. Many responded to the video asking them to cancel the gig, urging them to "be a part of the solution".

Fan footage shows the Guns N' Roses on stage on Saturday performing a rare live rendition of "So Fine"  their first since 1993.

Mexico's health ministry reported more coronavirus cases on Sunday, urging people to maintain a "healthy distance" to avoid infection, even as the president held rallies in the country, shaking hands with and hugging dozens of people.

In contrast to the United States and much of Central America, Mexico has not imposed significant travel curbs to fight coronavirus, opting for a less intrusive approach.

Still, on Saturday, officials at the health ministry began ramping up measures aimed at containment, setting out an initiative known as "Sana Distancia" (Healthy Distance) to encourage the public to avoid infecting each other.

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

The health ministry said the Sana Distancia program would take effect for four weeks starting on 23 March as the government brought forward Easter holidays to close schools early.

"It's social distancing, it's about distance to keep us healthy," Ricardo Cortes, a health ministry official said in a Sunday evening news conference that announced Mexico's tally of coronavirus infections had risen to 53 from 41 a day earlier.

Additional reporting by agencies
- Dafton Mwitiki went missing on Wednesday, March 11, shortly after calling his wife at 10.30pm

- His car was found two days later dumped in Juja along Kimbo-Kiganjo road

- Police initiated investigations and records indicated he was at Galana road before his phone went off

- Statement from a boda boda operator and security guard at his Galana office indicated the businessman left the office in his vehicle

Detectives investigating disappearance of businessman Dafton Mwitiki say he may have been abducted after he left his Galana Plaza office in Nairobi on Wednesday, March 11.

Using GPS and phone records, sleuths from the Serious Crimes and Investigations Unit managed to trace the businessman's movements to Galana road before his phone went off at around 10.45pm.

READ ALSO: Uhuru mourns Chief Inspector of police Pius Kipserem who died in grisly road accident

Dafton Mwitiki went missing on Wednesday, March 11, at around 10.45pm after leaving his office. Photo: The Standard

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mount Kenya university suspends learning, asks students to use online learning platform

In a report by Citizen TV, Mwitiki is said to have communicated with his wife on the same day at 10:30pm informing her that he was on his way home before the phone went off.

The police said several people have recorded statements including a security guard and a bodaboda rider who saw the businessman's vehicle leaving the premises.

However, police say they could not understand why someone may have wanted to abduct the tycoon given he had never reported nor told his family members about his life being in danger.

Mwitiki's black Land Rover Discovery car was found dumped in Juja, Kiambu county, along the Kimbo-Kiganjo road on Friday, March 13. Photo: Daily Nation

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Man burns down 3 prosperity gospel churches for not helping him out of poverty

The detectives are now looking into CCTV cameras from the police surveillance system to track his vehicle on the day of his disappearance.

His family members have appealed to anyone who might know of his whereabouts to surrender information to the police.

"Whoever knows any information about Dafton, kindly volunteer this information to the police," said Christopher Nzioki, Dafton's uncle.

Mwitiki's black Land Rover Discovery car was found dumped in Juja, Kiambu county, along the Kimbo-Kiganjo road on Friday, March 13.

Dafton Mwitiki (left) with former Starehe MP aspirant Steve Mbogo during the DuitD2 attack in Nairobi. Photo: Steve Mbogo

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Lucky to be alive: Nairobi woman almost dies while trying to hop onto moving train

He became known to many during the Dusit attack, when he and his politician friend Steve Mbogo showed up at the scene of crime carrying sophisticated guns.

The matter caught attention of the public with many questioning how they managed to own such guns.

However, little known to Mwitiki is a prominent and active member of the National Gun Owners Association (NGOA) and manages a tours and travels company based in Nairobi.

He is skilled in precision shooting which involves using projectile weapons to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than-usual ranges.

In 2019, he represented Kenya in the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) shooting competition in South Africa.

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
Officials are close to a 'game-changing' test to reveal if a patient has ever had the coronavirus  but health chiefs are still yet to trial a 10-minute tool that could help fight the pandemic.

The World Health Organization yesterday criticised Number 10, which controversially decided only patients in hospital will be tested for the deadly infection, and said the growing crisis won't be stopped unless governments find every infected patient.

Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS are testing a 'number of' different gadgets  but this does not include one that analyses the blood for the virus and can give results in a matter of minutes.

SureScreen Diagnostics have said health chiefs haven't yet even trialled their tool, despite discussions. It claims it is around 98 per cent accurate and could be used at home to curb the spread of the deadly illness.

It has already been used by private firms on more than 180,000 people globally, in countries including Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

In the meantime, the Government has paid 1million for thousands of testing kits. But it is understood they are for hospital use only  even though NHS facilities across the UK are already swamped amid fears the pressure will only worsen.

And England's chief medical officer yesterday revealed PHE is working on its own blood test which identifies who has already recovered from the disease. This allegedly will allow them to estimate how many people have been widely affected.

Officials are close to a 'game-changing' test to reveal if a patient has ever had the coronavirus. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has defended the Government's testing regime, which has faced criticism

Public Health England (PHE) admitted it was testing a 'number of' different gadgets  but MailOnline understands this does not include one that analyses the blood for the virus and can give results in a matter of minutes. Pictured, a similar gadget

Public Health England cautions members of the public against using such tests amid fears they are unreliable, saying there is 'little information on the accuracy of the tests'

Professor Chris Whitty has defended the Government's testing regime, which has faced criticism for only reaching a fraction of sick people.

The plan is to only test the most vulnerable people while telling anyone else with mild symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days.

Professor Whitty said there was 'complete surveillance' testing in intensive care, hospitals were also testing patients with pneumonia and GPs were testing in the community.

'We do intend to continue to scale up testing,' he said, adding efforts were already 'substantial' with 44,000 tests conducted so far.

A test 'rapidly' being developed by PHE will find out whether people have previously had the disease.

It would be 'transformational ' for scientific research to show what proportion of people can get the disease without any symptoms, Professor Whitty said.

With the help of recovered patients, PHE confirmed they are developing a blood test which looks antibodies produced by the body when fighting an infection.

From this, they can see if a person has previously had COVID-19. This, PHE said, 'allows us to refine our estimates of how many people in the population will be affected'.

PHE have previously said there is not sufficient understanding of how the body responds to the coronavirus, and therefore measuring antibodies in the blood may not be accurate.

The Government has come under increasing pressure to test more people, as its current strategy is to focus on the vulnerable and not people with mild symptoms.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) took a swipe at No 10 for failing to screen more people in order to get a grip on the pandemic.

Director general Tedros Adhanom said: 'We have a simple message for all countries Test, test, test. Test every suspected case.

'You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.'

Laboratory tests are undertaken across 12 sites in UK. It is feared they are inundated with tests, which is why there have been restrictions on who can get one.

Almost 2,000 cases have been officially recorded in the UK. But it is feared as many as 50,000 are suffering the disease behind closed doors.

PHE said laboratories would soon be able to conduct 10,000 tests per day compared compared to the rough 4,000 at the moment.

It is understood PHE have concerns over the accuracy of commercial tests which don't compare to the gold standard.

A spokesperson said rapid tests emerging on the market need 'to go through a validation process'.

They added that the are working with other companies to expand testing capacities, but would not confirm with who.

A spokesperson told MailOnline yesterday PHE is 'evaluating a number of commercial products for diagnosing COVID-19 infection'.

PHE's strategy to only test a fraction of all suspected cases  those who are vulnerable or in hospital - was blasted by the WHO yesterday, which bluntly warned: 'You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.' Pictured, director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Director of Derby-based SureScreen Diagnostics David Campbell said: 'We really think it could make a big difference to infection, which is why it is so so frustrating it hasn't been taken up'

One British firm called for trials to be conducted on their 10-minute test, believing it could revolutionise screening in the UK.

Who is being tested for coronavirus? This is the official government guidance on coronavirus testing: People who are in the community with a fever or cough do not usually need testing. Instead, tests will primarily be given to: A ll patients in critical care for pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or flu like illness All other patients requiring admission to hospital for pneumonia, ARDS or flu like illness Where an outbreak has occurred in a residential or care setting, for example long-term care facility or prisons All other individuals with a high temperature or new, continuous cough should stay at home for 7 days. People do not need to call NHS 111 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. Source: NHS Advertisement

SureScreen Diagnostics', a private firm based in Derby, said its test can allegedly determine with 98 per cent certainty if a person is infected.

It was 'validated' using patients in China at the beginning of the outbreak, and is now exported across the world to places including in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman.

But moving the test forward in the UK hasn't happened because communication with the Government has been 'difficult', according to company director David Campbell.

The company director said it was 'frustrating' knowing that their rapid blood test could reach '10 times more people' than the current capacity.

He told MailOnline: 'We have engaged with them but have found it very difficult.

'What we have said is we would like to do a trail to run alongside the lab test - because they are adamant on using them - to prove that it works very well and is accurate. But we haven't got any further with that.

'They don't seem to be very focused on testing. It's quite different to what a lot of other countries are doing.

'We really think it could make a big difference to infection, which is why it is so so frustrating it hasn't been taken up.

SureScreen, which uses a finger prick of blood, can allegedly detect COVID-19 in people who aren't showing symptoms.

This is important because the 'incubation period'  where symptoms are not present  is around between one and fourteen days, in which time the person may be contagious and spreading the disease. However, it's not clear if this is the case.

It looks for two antibodies in the blood called IgG and IgM, which signal that the body is fighting the coronavirus infection.

Currently coronavirus is tested using a cheek swab which is sent off for analysis at a PHE lab, a process that takes between 24 and 48 hours.

SureScreen's test can give results within minutes compared to days, meaning it could be used by GPs.

Mr Campbell said the test costs 5, a fraction of laboratory tests which are setting PHE back 25 per person.

'Some of the tests are over 100,' he claimed.

The test can also be done by individuals themselves - but so far, PHE have cautioned against using DIY home testing kits amid fears they are unreliable, saying there is 'little information on the accuracy of the tests'.

Mr Campbell said: 'We've heard from some people who are waiting up to nine days for results.

'I think [SureScreen's test] could be transformative for screening. You could be screening more than 10 times the people.

'You've then got data of exactly where it is, and understand how the virus is spreading. Currently it's like a finger in the air.'

The Government arm have made steps to ensure there are alternative tests available for hospital patients in case they run out.

Yesterday it secured thousands of coronavirus tests from Surrey-based Novacyt in a 3.7million deal.

The first 1million order will stock eight hospitals for planned weeks. However, it will not be rolled out for use on the public.

A spokesperson said the order was to 'manage the supply chain' should we 'run short of key materials for our test'.

Various scientists across the world have been racing to develop tests which can be read within minutes for a shot at curbing the epidemic.

Researchers at Northumbria University in Newcastle have created a breath test that helps rapidly identify patients with coronavirus.

They say the technology could be used to rapidly screen people in airports. And it could also be used in GP surgeries, pharmacies or ambulances.

The Northumbria team's test collects breath samples which can be tested separately for biological information - known as biomarkers

These biomarkers, which include DNA, RNA, proteins and fat molecules, can spot diseases of the lung and other parts of the body.

People simply breath into the device, which is similar to a breathalyser used by the police.

Dr Sterghios Moschos, associate professor at Northumbria University, said: 'Our ambition is to reduce the need for bloodletting for diagnosis in its broadest sense.'

Meanwhile, another British company, called Mologic, is working to develop a cheap ten-minute test to help fight the ongoing pandemic in Africa.

A total of 1million from the UK government's coronavirus prevention and research funding package has been awarded to the firm.

It is hoped that in around three months time the company would be able to develop a 10-minute test and sell it for less than $1 USD.
As Torontos Superior Court of Justice prepared for an almost total shutdown for 11 weeks starting Tuesday, jurors in two near-finished murder trials sat side-by-side in their jury boxes and chose to continue onto a verdict.

One was the jury who will decide, after a six week-trial, whether Kalen Schlatter sexually assaulted and strangled Tess Richey on Nov. 25, 2017. The jury was given the option to start deliberations a day earlier than planned, but chose to continue with the original plan to be sequestered on Friday.

Also Monday, jurors in a sexual assault trial that began Friday indicated they too wanted to continue, but the judge decided instead to postpone. The jurors sat spaced out in the public gallery of the courtroom as the judge ordered that the trial be adjourned until June 1, 2020, in part because people vulnerable to COVID-19 are involved, and over the length of time the trial would take to complete. Eleven of the jurors agreed to return at that time to continue the trial.

The two murder trials are the only Toronto cases excluded from the order to postpone all trials in the Superior Court until June. They were exempted in part because they are in the closing arguments stage and because it may be difficult to reconvene months from now.

We live in challenging times. With the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus a public health crisis is looming on the horizon, Superior Court Justice Michael Dambrot told the jurors at Schlatters trial Monday afternoon as about 30 people  including Richeys family and friends, Schlatters family, media and members of the public  were in the public gallery.

Dambrot noted that public officials have urged everyone to take reasonable steps to slow the spread of the virus.

As safety measures, he told the jurors the courthouse will be almost entirely closed Tuesday, greatly reducing the number of people in the building, adding that they would have the use of a larger courtroom for deliberations, taxis for transport to and from court, and lunch would be ordered in.

We do not want anyone to feel they are being asked to put their health at risk in order to serve as members of the jury," he said, before giving the jury time to decide whether to proceed. You are engaged in important work and we not only want you to be safe, we want to you to feel safe.

As the trial resumed Monday afternoon, Schlatters lawyer Lydia Riva told the jury that the evidence showed her client was innocent and that another man killed Richey that night.

This was a tragic homicide. Do not compound the tragedy by having an innocent 21-year-old convicted of a crime he did not commit, Riva said.

The Crown will make their closing arguments Tuesday. It has alleged Schlatter, now 23, sexually assaulted and killed 22-year-old Richey after she refused to have sex with him and left her body at the bottom of a stairwell in a laneway off Church Street.

Security cameras show Schlatter and Richey going into the laneway at 4:14 a.m. on Nov. 25, 2017; Schlatter can be seen leaving alone at 5 a.m.

Schlatter left in a calm and nonchalant manner Richey was still alive and he had committed no crime, the defence argued Monday. Instead, another man killed her seconds or minutes later, perhaps vaulting over a fence into the backyard of the house next door and over a tall wooden gate into the laneway, she said. That would not have been captured on the motion-sensitive security cameras, she said.

Riva argued the Crowns motive did not make sense. Mr. Schlatter did not struggle with rejection. Nor is there is any evidence he would have any difficulty finding a sexual partner if he wanted one, she said.

She said the DNA evidence, including Schlatters semen found on Richeys pants and his saliva on her bra, suggests Schlatter had a consensual sexual encounter with Richey, during which he ejaculated in his pants. The conversation they had about her not wanting to have sex because she was on her period is evidence that their encounter was consensual because they talked about it, Riva said.

Riva said Schlatters testimony that Richey asked to kiss him and led him into the laneway where they fooled around in a stairwell should be believed. Richey was ambivalent about going home, choosing not to get into a taxi and then not getting the Uber home she had ordered, Riva said.

Richey was sad and heartbroken after a breakup, Riva said.

It is not hard to believe that a young person would have a meaningless sexual encounter after a breakup. This is when a person feels irrational, unloved or unappealing and seeks validation or affection. she said. It is understandable.

Riva told the jury to observe Schlatters body language towards Richey as seen on the security videos from the night, which show Richey, her friend Ryley Simard and Schlatter walking on Church Street and Dundonald Street. His appearance is neither aggressive or inappropriate, she said.

A woman who ended up speaking to Richey on Dundonald Street for about 20 minutes testified that Schlatter seemed like a harmless kid.

He seemed that way because that is what he is, Riva said.

Riva told the jury to reject the testimony of Schlatters cellmate in jail, who said Schlatter confessed to choking Richey with a scarf and ejaculating on her.

The man, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, is a sociopath and pathological liar who sees Schlatter as a get-out-of-jail free card, Riva said.

Calling him to testify is an act of desperation on the part of the Crown, she said.

RELATED STORIES Free Digital Access Coronavirus forces suspension of Ontario Superior Court, Schlatter trial and other urgent cases expected to continue

She said his account of Schlatter stealing $60 from Richey is based on the polices initial theory of the case presented to Schlatter in his post-arrest interrogation. In fact, Riva said, more accurate ATM records show Richey took out the $60 before she went to Crews and Tangos with her friend and she would have spent the money there. There is also no evidence that Schlatter or Richey wore a scarf that night, she said.

Riva challenged the credibility and reliability of the undercover officer who testified that Schlatter said he was upset when Richey did not want to have sex.

She questioned why police did not obtain a judicial authorization for an audio-recording of the undercover operation where two officers posed as recently arrested men in police cells with Schlatter, even though hed been under surveillance for weeks and police carefully chose when to arrest him.

A police officer has testified that Schlatter was arrested for public safety reasons and that there was no time to complete the authorization.

Riva also questioned why the two undercover officers chosen to speak to Schlatter, who had to then remember everything he said and make rough notes three hours later, were on their first ever assignment.

As hard as it might to be to accept, and uncomfortable as it might be and make us feel, the criminal justice system can get it wrong, she said.

Riva suggested Schlatter was an easy target and easy to fool for undercover officers as a young man who had never been to jail before. As the last person to be seen with Richey on video he is easy to blame by the police but the video doesnt tell the whole story, Riva argued.

Kalen Schlatter did not do this, she said. He did not kill Tess Richey.
- Derrick Kyei is a graduate from the University of Georgia Bulldog in the United States

- The proud young man graduated with BSc. honours in Computer Science late 2019

- Derrick Kyei celebrated his accomplishment with graduation photos on social media

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Derrick Kyei earned a BSc. in Computer Science after years of hard work to attain this feat from the University of Georgia Bulldog.

In late December 2019, the Ghanaian graduate posted awe-inspiring images after he completed university following years of rigorous studies.

Derrick Kyei is one of thousands of students who had their academic pursuit materialized with the intent of fulfilling their dreams.

After completing senior high school, Kyei decided to further his tertiary education at the University of Georgia Bulldog where he studied BSc. in Computer Science.

READ ALSO: Ghanaians drop more photos in past is not the present challenge after Nana Ama dumped Sammy

Derrick Kyei finally graduated university with BSc. honours in Computer Science and he excitedly shared images from his graduation ceremony on social media.

''Graduated a Georgia Bulldog. Earned my B.S. in Computer Science. Will be starting my tech career with one of the worlds top 10 Fortune 500 companies. All praise and gratitude goes to you first Yeshua. Ghanafuo y w krom,'' the fresh graduate at the time captioned his photos flaunting the Ghana flag, a sash and school bag made with kente.

The images which accompanied the post had the young graduate in his stylish suit and he erupted congratulatory messages from friends and loved ones in the thread.

''Congratulations bro but you got to tell me where you got that backpack,''@A_Dadzie_8 wrote.

@A_Jei1 blisffuly said: ''Congratulations you are perfect....friends.''

In other stories, YEN.com.gh previously reported that the world is not in ordinary times in the wake of coronavirus and this has pushed many Ghanaian trotro drivers and mates to take precautions to protect themselves.

Ghanas President Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated this clearly during his address to the nation on Sunday March 15, 2020, when he outlined enhanced measures against the further spread of the deadly disease.

As part of the measures, the president placed an immediate ban on all public gatherings including conferences, funerals, political rallies, religious gatherings and related activities as part of measures against the spread of the pandemic in the country.

READ ALSO: Ghanaians drop more photos in past is not the present challenge after Nana Ama dumped Sammy

Faces of Ghana: A Mysterious Voice Speaks to Me When I'm Working - Engineer Explains #Yencomgh

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Flaunting a government order, Lebanons banks say they are closing until the end of the month.

Beirut, Lebanon  Lebanons finance minister urged prosecutors to take action against the countrys banks after they defied a government order to maintain necessary functions by announcing that they would close until March 29, citing coronavirus.

Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni called on prosecutors to act quickly in light of the Association of Banks [in Lebanons] hasty decision to close without paying attention to peoples interests, even to a minimum standard.

Lebanons cabinet announced a state of medical emergency on Sunday, closing all non-essential businesses and ordering a general mobilization, to support the effort to fight the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected 109 people in Lebanon, killing three.

But banks, along with supermarkets and pharmacies, were ordered to continue providing basic services to the Lebanese people.

A senior banking source told Al Jazeera that the decision to close until March 29 had been based on a request by the local union of bank employees to reduce employee-customer contact as a precautionary measure to manage the risk of coronavirus infection.

Nizar Saghieh, a lawyer and founder of progressive NGO Legal Agenda, described the decision as the latest act of defiance by a banking sector that has acted with impunity as Lebanon battles a deepening economic crisis.

Its like they are trying to tell the state that no one can force them to do anything, Saghieh told Al Jazeera. They can be asked to do something, and if they dont want to, they simply dont.

Brewing Standoff

Mondays announced bank closures is the latest salvo in a continuing standoff between Lebanons new government and the once-respected pillar of the countrys economy.

The trouble began for banks mid-last year as an acute dollar shortage in Lebanon hammered the value of the Lebanese pound on parallel markets. The local currency has been formally pegged to the US dollar since 1997 and was used interchangeably with dollars.

Confidence in the countrys financial sector sank even further after banks closed their doors for two weeks during an unprecedented anti-establishment uprising in October. When they reopened in November, many institutions embarked on a series of what have been increasingly harsh informal capital controls restricting US dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad.

Informal capital controls, implemented at the discretion of banks without legislation, are legally suspect. But banks argue such restrictions are necessary to prevent a total collapse of the sector as it is left to fend for itself while politicians avoid implementing politically toxic but necessary formal capital controls.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab recently said the government would move to formalise the relationship between banks and depositors.

With anger rising over the ever-changing discretionary measures, Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim froze the assets of 20 Lebanese banks and their chairmen and boards of directors in early March as part of an investigation into informal capital controls.

But that decision was quickly overruled by Judge Ghassan Oueidat after banks said the measures would force them to close.

Rather than investigate the banks for their allegedly illegal activities, a number of judges, including Ibrahim and Oueidat met with the Association of Lebanese Banks and agreed to a seven-point memorandum that would ease restrictions on the withdrawal of local currency and transfers abroad. It did nothing, however, to address the main points of contention with depositors  namely, the sharp limits on US dollar withdrawals.

After all the humiliation people have been subject to, whether by capital controls or waiting in long lines or restricting transfers of money, the judges meet with bankers and issue the minutes of a meeting, rather than the contents of an investigation. Can you imagine this? Saghieh said.

Trouble in Paradise

Banks and the countrys politicians have long enjoyed a cosy relationship, with more than 40 percent of banks assets owned by politicians, their families, and close associates, according to a 2015 study by Jad Chaaban, a professor of economics at the American University of Beirut.

Those same politicians appoint the countrys judiciary, Saghieh said, which he believes explains the reluctance of the judiciary to go after the banks.

However, the deep economic crisis in the country, which led the countrys cabinet to announce Lebanons first-ever debt default earlier this month, is opening fault lines in the relationship.

Prime Minister Diab has said the government was looking to restructure the banking sector and has repeatedly promised to protect small deposits, an indication to some that large deposits may be subject to a haircut as a way of dealing with the apparent insolvency of many banks.

There is a tug-of-war between the government and the banks today, Saghieh said. I dont know how far the government is willing to go with this, nor exactly what its goals are, but its clear there is a confrontation.
Military roadblocks, curfews: Latin America tightens coronavirus controls Stranded Ecuadorian tourists, wearing face masks, are pictured while waiting for a new flight after Ecuador's government closed its borders due to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City

By Marco Aquino, Daniela Desantis and Nelson Renteria

LIMA/ASUNCION/SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - Countries around Latin America tightened restrictions on Monday to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, with Peru putting military personnel on the streets, Costa Rica and Colombia closing their borders and other countries ordering curfews.

While the region has yet to be hit as hard as Asia or Europe, Latin American governments have moved aggressively to contain the virus that has shut down cities and international transport hubs and battered its financial markets.

Still, not all are moving at the same tempo. A diplomatic tiff erupted when El Salvador's president accused Mexico of allowing people with the virus to board a flight due to leave Mexico City for San Salvador. Mexico denied it.

In Colombia, authorities have overcome frosty relations with Venezuela to start sharing information about the coronavirus with their neighbor, but said that did not amount to politically recognizing the government of Nicolas Maduro.

Colombian President Ivan Duque also said the country would close its maritime, land and river borders from Tuesday to prevent the spread of the highly contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory disease, with plans to keep them shut until May 30.

Duque's move was followed by tougher measures from Maduro, who ordered the widening of a social quarantine across the whole of Venezuela, starting on Tuesday, after the total number of cases in the country doubled to 33.

The coronavirus has been slower to reach Latin America than much of the world. Globally, over 174,100 people have been infected and nearly 6,700 have died.

In Peru, President Martin Vizcarra said leaders from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil spoke via conference call on Monday to analyze the situation and coordinate actions against the pandemic.

"We have agreed that together we are going to join forces," he told reporters at the government palace, adding countries would look to coordinate demand for medical supplies and to calculate the economic impact on the region.

Story continues

In Chile, at least six passengers from a cruise ship named the Silver Explorer were being treated in hospitals in Patagonia after they tested positive for coronavirus, the government said.

In Lima, masked military personnel blocked major roads, while police restricted the movement of people, as the country rolled out a state of enforced "social isolation".

Peru has suspended constitutional rights such as free movement and assembly, although the government has said it will guarantee the operation of supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, basic services and the transportation of merchandise.

In nearby Paraguay, which has eight cases of the virus so far, the government said it would enforce a curfew from 8 p.m. daily to restrict crowds.

Certain people, including those doing vital work, delivering food or transportation could continue to move around, Paraguay's interior minister, Euclides Acevedo, told a news conference.

Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno said the Andean country would begin a curfew on Tuesday evening and shut down most normal activities with exceptions for health, safety, banking, and food production and distribution.

Panama's government said it had now reported 69 cases of the coronavirus infection, up from 55 on Sunday.

MIXED REACTIONS

Responses to the virus have varied greatly across Latin America, home to some 640 million people. Some countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have sought to minimize public disruptions. Others such as El Salvador have gone to considerable lengths to keep the virus out.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Twitter he had information an Avianca flight from Mexico was due to take off with 12 coronavirus patients on board.

Avianca canceled the flight. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said later authorities checked the passengers and found no evidence of the virus. Meanwhile, recorded infections in Mexico rose to 82 from 53 a day earlier.

Venezuela entered the first day of a quarantine on Monday, imposed by President Nicolas Maduro to stop the virus. But many across the economically struggling country went out anyway, saying they could not afford not to work.

Chile cut interest rates to aid growth, while LATAM Airlines Group, South America's largest carrier, cut 90% of international flights because of weak demand.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said his country, which had 155 confirmed coronavirus cases, would close its borders to foreigners starting on Wednesday.

Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado declared a state of emergency that included shutting borders, and ordered educational authorities to close study centers for a month.

Guatemala suspended all flights and banned foreigners from entering the country for two weeks, while El Salvador and Honduras were in a state of near lockdown.

Honduras suspended various constitutional rights for a week, including freedoms of movement, speech and assembly, and imposed a nationwide curfew for the seven-day period.

Fast-food chain McDonald's Corp said on Twitter it was shutting its stores in Guatemala and El Salvador until further notice, appending a message in Spanish: "Stay at home."

(Reporting by Marco Aquino in Lima, Daniela Desantis in Asuncion, Nelson Renteria in San Salvador, Dave Sherwood and Aislinn Laing in Santiago, Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City, Frank Jack Daniel and Dave Graham in Mexico City, Gustavo Palencia in Tegucigalpa, Alvaro Murillo in San Jose, Elida Moreno in Panama City and Oliver Griffin in Bogota; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Peter Cooney and Lincoln Feast.)
Bali has been placed into coronavirus 'alert status' and the Gili Islands have been closed to tourists for two weeks in an attempt to stop the spread of the illness.

Schools in Bali have been closed with locals advised to stay home, minimise travel and not to attend mass gatherings for two weeks due to the alert status being declared on Monday.

There were no cases of coronavirus on the Gili Islands, but the Indonesian government has restricted access to prevent the virus from reaching the idyllic destination.

Normally more than 3,000 tourists visit the Gili Islands daily, and those already on the island will be allowed to stay for the duration of their booking.

Indonesia have closed off the idyllic Gili Islands (pictured) for travellers coming from Bali for two weeks

However many have left early to avoid getting the risk of getting stuck on the island.

'The hotel arranged everything for me because I heard they cancelled all the fast boats for safety reasons for fourteen days so this is why I go a day early,' Belgium backpacker Debbie told 9News.

Locals are able to remain on the island, where a mass disinfection was being planned.

Bali's only confirmed case of coronavirus was British woman Kimberley Finlayson, who had passed away.

However, only 73 people have been tested for the disease in Bali and just 1,138 across Indonesia, leading authorities to believe there may be many more unconfirmed cases.

All test samples taken in Bali must be sent to Jakarta to be examined with screening equipment.

Another woman has her body temperature tested. The Gili Islands have no confirmed cases of the disease

Governor of Bali Wayan Koster said he has been asking the Indonesian government to give them equipment to check test results but was yet to receive anything.

Mr Koster had restricted entertainment and events on the island to reduce any further spreading of the disease.

Anyone traveling into Indonesia from a country that has evidence of local transmission of coronavirus must self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

From 'alert status' Bali can upgrade to 'emergency' which will close Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Australians were urged to reconsider all international travel regardless of the destination unless it is essential.
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Linkedin Doina Chiacu and Guy Faulconbridge (Reuters) Washington, United States/London, United Kingdom  Tue, March 17, 2020 08:02 666 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b0d742 2 World WHO,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Bars, restaurants, cinemas and schools were shutting down from New York and Los Angeles to Paris and Dubai in a worldwide effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, as financial markets tumbled despite emergency action by global central banks.

Germans were asked to cancel all vacations as Canada, Chile and other countries closed their borders to visitors. Peru deployed masked military personnel to block major roads while Ireland launched a campaign to recruit more healthcare workers. Airlines slashed flights, shed jobs and asked governments for billions of dollars in loans and grants.

In contrast to much of the world, Mexico and Brazil still held large political rallies and the United Kingdom kept its schools open.

Global markets reeled on Monday, with US stock indexes plunging more than 12% as the Federal Reserve's second emergency rate cut to near zero stoked fears of a coronavirus-driven recession.

EU finance ministers were planning a coordinated economic response to the virus, which the European Commission says could push the European Union into recession.

A White House adviser said the United States could pump $800 billion or more into the economy to minimize damage.

The World Health Organization (WHO) called on all countries on Monday to ramp up their testing programs as the best way to slow the advance of the pandemic.

"We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva. "All countries should be able to test all suspected cases. They cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded."

Getting worse in Italy

In Italy, another 349 people died on Monday, taking the total to 2,158, with nearly 28,000 cases, after 368 deaths were reported on Sunday, a daily toll more dire than even China was reporting at the peak of the outbreak.

"Many children think it is scary," Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference dedicated to answering children's questions about the pandemic.

"It is OK to be scared when so many things happen at the same time," Solberg said.

Several countries banned mass gatherings such as sports, cultural and religious events to combat the fast-spreading respiratory disease that has infected nearly 179,000 people globally and killed more than 7,000.

Just a month ago, financial markets were hitting record highs on the assumption the outbreak would largely be contained in China. There have now been more cases and more deaths outside mainland China than inside.

US states pleaded with the Trump administration on Monday to coordinate a national response to the outbreak, saying patchwork measures enacted by state and local authorities were insufficient to confront the coast-to-coast emergency that has killed at least 74 Americans.

A few hours later, President Donald Trump issued national guidelines that included avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people and the closing of bars and restaurants.

Many states had already taken those steps and were implementing even more stringent measures such as curfews. San Francisco will urge residents to shelter in place for three weeks starting on Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Spain and France, where cases and fatalities have begun surging at a pace just days behind that of Italy, imposed severe lockdowns over the weekend.

The Middle East business and travel hub of Dubai said it was closing all bars and lounges until the end of March. Thailand plans to close schools, bars, movie theatres and popular cockfighting arenas.

"The worst is yet ahead for us," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious diseases expert in the United States, a warning echoed by officials in Switzerland, where 14 have died.

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told daily Corriere della Sera that the outbreak was still getting worse, though the governor of Lombardy, the northern region that has suffered the worst, said he saw the first signs of a slowdown.

Britain has asked manufacturers including Ford Motor Co , Honda and Rolls Royce to help make health equipment, including ventilators to cope with the outbreak, and will look at using hotels as hospitals.

The International Olympic Committee will hold talks with heads of international sports organizations on Tuesday, a source close to a federation briefed on the issue said, amid doubts the Tokyo 2020 Olympics set to start on July 24 can proceed.
Coronavirus is officially a pandemic, and Americans are adopting "social distancing" to prevent a surge in potential illnesses and death.

So, what if you run a fever or experience shortness of breath? Should that send you running to an emergency room?

Not necessarily, since most coronavirus cases are mild and there's no need to panic, experts note.

The first thing to do is match your symptoms to those experienced by COVID-19 patients, said Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Fever, a dry cough and shortness of breath are the three most common symptoms, Jaquis said.

Headaches, body aches, sore throat and fatigue sometimes occur but are more often associated with the flu, medical experts say. A runny nose rarely occurs with COVID-19, and sneezing is not a symptom of the virus.

Next, assess the severity of your symptoms. Don't just rush to the hospital.

If you can still breathe reasonably well or your fever responds to over-the-counter remedies like acetaminophen (Tylenol), you should call your family doctor to discuss your best options for care, experts say.

According to Dr. Aimee Moulin, an emergency medicine physician with the University of California, Davis, "If your symptoms are mild, you can reach out to your primary care physician, and if you feel like you can manage at home, folks are advised to self-quarantine."

Don't just head to your doctor's office before calling first. Set up an appointment so they can meet you in the parking lot, give you a face mask, and bring you into the office by a route that will expose the fewest people to illness.

"The official suggestion is that face masks don't protect you from others," Jaquis said. "They protect others from you."

If possible, your doctor will test you for the coronavirus. The Trump administration announced a package of initiatives on Friday to increase the number of testing kits and to provide drive-through testing sites in the parking lots of retailerslike Walmart, Walgreens and CVSin hard-hit areas around the country. At these testing sites, people will be able to drive up and get throat and nose swabs that will then be sent to labs for testing.

And in a press briefing late Monday, officials said those and other efforts are bearing fruit.

Adm. Brett Giroir, who is leading the Department of Health and Human Services' efforts in coordinating coronavirus testing, said that a rollout of test kits has entered "a new phase," as commercial labs with highly efficient, automated systems ramp up their services.

Giroir said 1 million tests are now available, 2 million more should come on stream over the next week, and 5 million more a week later.

People who don't have a primary care doctor should reach out to their local health department for guidance on their symptoms and testing, Jaquis said. Local public health officials also should be able to tell you about other options for testing in your area.

The current turnaround time for a COVID-19 test is two days, Moulin said.

At this point, people who don't have symptoms are not being tested, she added.

People who are sick enough to need to go to the hospitalfor example, they cannot readily draw breath or feel like they are going to pass outshould either call 911 or visit their closest emergency department, ACEP recommends.

Those in high-risk groupsseniors and people with compromised immune systemsalso should consider heading to the emergency department, Moulin said.

"Those are the people we are advising to visit their emergency department if they need to," Moulin said.

There is no cure for coronavirus. People who are sick at home should monitor their symptoms, get rest and stay hydrated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The best way to fight coronavirus is to never get infected in the first place. According to experts, that's best done by frequent hand washing, avoiding people who are sick, and "social distancing," or avoiding large groups. On Monday, an update to new White House guidelines urged that all Americans avoid gatherings of 10 or more people for the next 15 days.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about COVID-19

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UK Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward has recently made a clip in Vietnamese language, thanking Vietnam for its support for British citizens and tourists amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

browser not support iframe.

In the clip, he said that the embassy has provided support for many British visitors who have been affected by new quarantine measures in Vietnam.

He expressed his gratitude for doctors andnurses and Government officials for their support for British visitors who also said they feel grateful.



The diplomat affirmed that the embassy willcontinue working closely with the Vietnamese Government in the fight against the COVID-19 and aid those in need during these exceptional times.

By March 17 morning, Vietnam recorded 61infection cases, including 18 foreigners./.VNA

Foreigners to bear costs of Covid-19 treatment in Vietnam: PM Ideas suggest that Vietnam should not offer free treatment for foreigners as it will cause financial burden.
A respiratory health specialist recently described how the novel coronavirus affects the lungs of a COVID-19-afflicted patient by examining the X-Ray images of deceased patients.

In a recent article, respiratory physician John Wilson said that unlike typical pneumonia which affects only a small portion of the lungs, COVID-19 affects all of the lungs.

In the X-ray images of a 44-year-old Chinese man who succumbed to COVID-19 released by the Radiological Society of North America, it can be seen how coronavirus destroys one's respiratory system, particularly the lungs, through an abnormality called "ground glass opacity."

The scans of the coronavirus victim show white patches in the lower corners of his lungs which indicates the abnormality as air spaces are partially filled.

The X-ray images also show how the fluid that filled the spaces in the man's lungs became more noticeable as time went by-a phenomenon that is also evident in patients who suffered from SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome).

Researchers have also seen the same abnormality in the scans of another COVID-19 patient, a 54-year-old woman who traveled to Wuhan, China in January. The patient was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and tested positive for COVID-19 after suffering from flu-like symptoms like fever, cough, fatigue, and chest congestion for a week. Her scans also show white patches, with the left upper lobe of her lung showing a reversed halo sign.

Wilson further explained that almost all of the serious consequences of COVID-19 feature pneumonia.

COVID-19 patients can be placed into four broad categories, the largest of which include those who develop extreme flu-like symptoms.

The respiratory health expert explained that once a person afflicted with COVID-19 develops a cough and fever, that's an indication that the infection has already reached the respiratory tree, the air passages that conduct air between the lungs and the outside.

"The lining of the respiratory tree becomes injured, causing inflammation," said Wilson.

"This, in turn, irritates the nerves in the lining of the airway. Just a speck of dust can stimulate a cough. But if this gets worse, it goes past just the lining of the airway and goes to the gas exchange units, which are at the end of the air passages. If they become infected, they respond by pouring out inflammatory material into the air sacks that are at the bottom of our lungs," he added.

Also read:

COVID-19: What Are the Symptoms and Should I See a Doctor?

Important Facts You Should Know About the Global Pandemic Coronavirus

Facts About 'Favilavir': The First Approved Coronavirus Drug

According to Wilson, if the air sacks develops inflammation, inflammatory material will outpour into the lungs, and will cause pneumonia.

Once the inflammatory material fills the lungs, the lungs loses its ability to get sufficient oxygen to the bloodstream, therefore lowering the body's ability to absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

"That's the usual cause of death with severe pneumonia," he explained.

As of this writing, there is no cure and vaccine against coronavirus but scientists are fast-tracking research to end the crisis caused by the pandemic.

As such, tests such as X-Rays can provide them a clearer insight on the coronavirus.
The Illinois Liquor Control Act of 1934, which became law after Prohibition was repealed, created a three-tier system of producers, distributors and retailers. It requires that any alcohol shipped to the state must go through a distributor and be sold by a retailer with a physical location in the state.
Every second crime remains unsolved in Russia  Putin

 RIA Novosti, Sergey Guneyev

16:00 17/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Nearly one in two crimes in the Russian Federation remains unsolved, according to President Vladimir Putin.

Moreover, he said at the extended meeting of the Prosecutor Generals Office on Tuesday that last year, for the first time since 2016, the number of crimes increased in the country.

There is a negative tendency concerning the rate of IT related crimes, the President added. Thus, he ordered the prosecutors to draft measures to decrease the number of such crimes.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:34:23|Editor: xuxin

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WINDHOEK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's long-term investor, the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) said it will not make any rushed investment decisions in light of the COVID-19 which has had an effect on global financial markets.

In order to control the effect of market fluctuations such as currency movements during these volatile times, the GIPF board has proactively taken protective measures such as currency hedges, GIPF CEO, David Nuyoma said Tuesday.

"We continue monitoring the markets and will take any other necessary mitigating actions as and when it becomes necessary. The diversified nature of our investments and income streams in terms of asset allocation is another risk-mitigating measure the Fund has in place," he said.

Above all, the Fund has a liability-driven strategy that comprises a robust Asset Liability Modeling process, he added.

According to Nujoma, adequate assets and risk reserves totaling some around 1.7 billion U.S. dollars (25.9 billion Namibia dollars) have been put aside to ensure that the liabilities are not understated and that the Fund can pay the promised benefits as they fall due.

"These reserves provide the necessary cushion in times such as these," he concluded.

The GIPF is a statutory pension fund that was created by the Namibian government to provide pension and other related benefits to civil servants as well as employees of some institutions established by Acts of Parliament.
A foreign disinformation campaign aimed to sow fear in the United States over the novel coronavirus is currently underway, according to a new report.

Three unnamed U.S. officials told The Associated Press that they began confronting on March 15 what they called a deliberate effort by a foreign entity to ignite fears of a nationwide quarantine. Federal agencies, such as the National Security Council, addressed such claims on March 15, saying they were false.

Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE, the council stated on its official Twitter account on March 15. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgovhas and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19.

The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. The U.S. officials didnt name the foreign entity they believe to be responsible, according to AP.

At a March 16 coronavirus task force press briefing, President Donald Trump acknowledged that there could be some foreign groups that are playing games but said it didnt matter as he wasnt implementing a nationwide lockdown.

The State Department recently summoned Chinas ambassador to the United States after a top Beijing official suggested that the U.S. military was responsible for introducing the deadly coronavirus to the Chinese city of Wuhan, ground zero of the pandemic.

A State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times in a previous email that they have seen 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.

The spokesperson was referring to a 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 wrote.

Alyssa Farah, press secretary for the Department of Defense, said Chinas propaganda push on the origin of the virus was a ridiculous claim.

As a global crisis, COVID-19 [should] be an area of cooperation between nations, she wrote in a March 13 Twitter post. Instead, the Communist Party of China has chosen to promulgate false & absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members.

States and municipalities have banned large public gatherings, closed schools, bars, and restaurants, and advised people to exercise social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

The nations top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said on March 14 that Americans should aim to severely curtail leaving their homes, but he didnt indicate the government would order a nationwide quarantine. He was specifically questioned on whether hed like to see a national lockdown.

I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing, said Fauci, a member of the White House task force on combating the spread of coronavirus. He heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

Meanwhile, on March 16, national security officials said there had been a cyber incident involving the computer networks of the Department of Health and Human Services, but the networks were operating normally. They didnt detail the scope of the incident.

HHS and federal government cybersecurity professionals are continuously monitoring and taking appropriate actions to secure our federal networks, according to NSC spokesman John Ullyot.

Although the officials didnt name a specific entity responsible for the disinformation campaign, U.S. intelligence officials have repeatedly cautioned that Russia, China, Iran, and other countries are engaged in ongoing efforts to influence U.S. policy and voters in elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
A dog from Florida, missing for more than two months, has been found 1,400 miles away in Michigan.

Kris Gibson discovered Simba standing at her fence in Mount Morris Township, north of Flint.

She lured him with a snack and took him to an animal clinic, which confirmed the dog's identity through his microchip.

'Usually when I find dogs, they never ever have a chip. I was pretty shocked,' Gibson told MLive.com about the discovery she made on March 5.

A dog from Miami, Florida, missing for more than two months, has been found 1,400 miles away in Michigan

Kris Gibson discovered Simba standing at her fence in Mount Morris Township on March 5

'They are thousand-dollar dogs,' Kassidy Gruno, a veterinary assistant at Mayfair Animal Hospital, said. 'The cheapest one around here was $1,800'

'The staff at Mayfair contacted the owner who didnt understand her and hung up, Gibson explained in a Facebook post.

'The wonderful staff at Mayfair Animal Hospital went a step further and contacted the shelter that microchipped Simba as well as the microchip company.'

Kassidy Gruno, a veterinary assistant at Mayfair Animal Hospital, believes the Miami dog, a Canary mastiff, might have been abducted with the intent of selling him.

The owner of the pooch, whose breed is otherwise known as a Presa Canario in its native Canary Islands, Spain, said Simba was in the yard before he went missing.

A vet believes the Canary mastiff might have been abducted with the intent of selling him. The dog is seen traveling with Gibson (left and right)

'They are thousand-dollar dogs,' Gruno said. 'The cheapest one around here was $1,800.'

Just 11 days ago Gibson shared that despite getting in contact with the owners via text, nobody knew 'how he got up here or how we are going to get him back home'.

But as of last Thursday Gibson was making arrangements to return Simba to Florida.

Non-profit organization Pilots N Paws arranged to fly the pet back home.

Gibson is working with a non-profit to return Simba to Miami via plane, she said on Facebook

Gibson was pictured taking the dog on a walk Sunday. She and the vet have hailed the benefits of microchipping

Images shared on social media Sunday showed Gibson still bonding with Simba on a walk.

'For such a big guy he is a bit of a chicken,' she captions pictures. 'He didnt last long on this walk, he was way more interested in leaning on me for pets and scratches.'

'I always advocate for chipping,' Gibson added. 'I used to volunteer in rescue groups, and I would say 90 per cent of the dogs that come in arent micro chipped, or they dont register them.'

Mayfair Animal Hospital posted on Facebook: 'The Mayfair team is so glad for Simba and his family. Microchipping your pets is fast, easy, and lasts for their entire lifetime!'
A member of the Senate education committee is objecting to the creation of federal vouchers for teachers professional development .

In a March 16 letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said the plan violates both the spirit and intent of the Education Innovation and Research program, and that it also runs counter to definitions of professional development included in the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The U.S. Department of Education said earlier this month that it will use money in the $190 million program to create teacher PD vouchers, based on a proposal U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made public just over a year ago. The departments position is that although the fiscal 2020 spending bill passed by the House last year prohibited using that money on the vouchers, the final spending bill for this fiscal year signed by President Donald Trump did not include this prohibition.

In comments explaining the idea from a year ago, DeVos said that in traditional PD teachers have very little freedom to explore subject areas that interest them and little to no say in the experience, although some education groups have said theyre wary of the idea.

But Bennet, who helped to create the Education Innovation and Research program and is the former superintendent of Denver schools, argued that the vouchers DeVos department is now working on disregards the authorized use and design of the innovation program in the name of an ill-conceived voucher plan. ESSA, he says, makes it clear that such professional development must be sustained (not stand-alone, 1-day, or short term workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven.

There is no evidence to suggest that giving teachers vouchers for one-off workshops will improve their practice or the outcomes of the students they teach, Bennet wrote in his letter to DeVos. He urged her to pull the plug on developing the vouchers.

The department has not released information about how much money (total or per person) would be available for these PD vouchers or how they would be distributed.

Read the full letter from Bennet below:

Photo: U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, D-Colo., greets voters before U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a 2018 rally with young voters on the campus of the University of Colorado. (David Zalubowski/AP)

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
On the morning of March 10, Father Andrea Vena erected the statue of the Madonna on a three-wheeled car and set off to serve his community. This was the day before the Italian government ordered a harsher national lockdown, and some people in Father Venas parish of Bibione were out buying groceries at the farmers market before it closed.

Standing next to the statue, Father Vena grabbed the microphone and recited his prayers through a loudspeaker, stopping every now and then to sprinkle holy water on passers-by and distribute images of saints known as santini. His prayers were addressed mainly to the elderly, the sick and tour operators, among the most affected by this outbreak. Every year we have millions of tourists, with just 2,500 inhabitants, he says of his seaside village not far from Venice. Tourism is everything for our economy.

Father Vena is one of the many Italian priests who accepted Pope Francis invitation to go and reach out to people in need, even at a time when the general imperative is to stay at home. Doctors and nurses stay close to the sick and priests must have the same courage, Father Vena says. Wearing a mask and latex gloves, this week he plans to bring the Eucharist to the homes of those who wish to receive it.

As Italy remains on lockdown until at least April 3, priests across this overwhelmingly Catholic country are being forced to look for alternative ways to minister to their flocks. Even the public mass, the most solemn rite in the churchs liturgy, has been banned along with other public gatherings. Instead, many priests are turning to the virtual world to bring people closer to God.

Father Andrea Vena offers the Madonna's blessing on his three-wheeled vehicle on March 10 in Bibione, Italy

A proliferation of prayer chains are being organized on WhatsApp or websitessuch as the new Corona(Anti)Virus for 24-hour rosary recitationand in addition many priests are now streaming masses on YouTube channels or Facebook. One priest of a small town in Brianza, one of the areas most affected by the new coronavirus, even asked his worshippers to email him selfies or other pictures of themselves, so that he could print them out, stick them on the pews and not feel alone in his church while conducting a mass. He got hundreds of images and ran out of toner for his printer.

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We are witnessing a new form of popular devotion that might recall the times of the great revolutions in the Church, says Father Paolo Benanti, a Franciscan and professor of Ethics of Technology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome. He compared the movement to the Mendicant orders in the 13th century from which the Dominicans and the Franciscans emerged. Only today the space for change is not the piazzas, but the whole digital sphere.`

Although the Vatican has not made any specific recommendation about online worship, Pope Francis on Sunday thanked the priests who are demonstrating great creativity to remain close to their communities during the emergency. He did so during his weekly Angelus service, which itself was livestreamed on the Vaticans website.

Father Andrea, who offers the Madonnas blessing on his three-wheeled vehicle, also celebrates mass live on Facebook, as well as on a local television channel. He says it has helped keep his community engaged with the church, and each other. Last Sundays mass was followed by more than 6,000 people, yesterdays already by more than 2,000 he says. Right now, without the social media, wed be much more isolated, he adds.

Father Luca Peyron does not think much of this. He is the author of the book Incarnazione digitale (Digital Incarnation) and professor of Theology of Innovation at the Catholic University of Milan and the University of Turin. I believe that broadcasting the mass on social media is a mistake, he says. There has not yet been a deep common reflection on the relationship between spirituality and the virtual world, and now many people are improvising, but there is a risk of never going back, he explains.

I meet Father Luca on Saturday in his church in Turin, which remains open for those who want to pray or confess  at a safe distance, of course. He is far from a Luddite  his Lenten sermon that Friday evening was broadcast by the YouTube channel of a parish in Legnano, a municipality close to Milan, one of the areas most affected by the new coronavirus.

But while sermons are one thing, the holy mass is another, Father Luca says. The risk of the virtual world is that instead of using technology, a person may identify with it and feel like God, rather than getting closer to God. His fear is that, like those working from home who develop a taste for it, worshippers will begin to demand more and more masses online because it is convenient.

Since 1954, Italian public television has been broadcasting the Sunday morning mass for those who cannot leave their homes due to illness or age. Father Luca insists this must remain the exception. Now that public masses are forbidden, its better to pray with your relatives at home rather than follow them online, he says.

Even so, many in Italy find solace in the rituals of the mass even when they are following it on a computer screen or cellphone. Chiara Canonici, who usually works in the bookshop of the Salesian congregation in Turin, says she has been following the mass via Facebook for the past two weeks. Even though the content remains available online, I follow it live. I consider it an appointment that I must keep on time, she explains.

About ten minutes before it begins, she sits on the carpet in her home and logs in, beginning to prepare herself spiritually. Obviously its not the same thing and I feel a bit lonely, but on Facebook you can see the names of those who join in Simone is connected, Letizia is connected, she says. It makes me feel a bit like when in the church I turn around and see familiar faces among the pews.
Covid-19 is now making a huge difference to the way we live in Northern Ireland, but what has been the impact upon people from here living abroad? Those who have moved overseas tell Leona ONeill about surviving lockdowns and cancelled trips to see loved ones back home.

Lurgan-born Louise Harra is a professor of physics at ETH-Zurich and director of the Physical Meteorological Observatory in Davos (PMOD) in Switzerland, where they build instruments for spacecraft and for ground measurements.

Louise, who lives in Davos with husband Daniel, says: In Switzerland as a whole there are over 2,000 confirmed cases and 13 people have died. Within Davos itself there are two cases that have been confirmed.

Of course, there is fear in the community at the moment, like everywhere in the world now.

Davos has a number of research institutes, but is best known as a ski resort and for the World Economic Forum. The ski resorts are closed, shops closed except for food outlets, and hotels are closing down. We moved all our teaching to online, and the university is now closed. In my own institute most staff are home-officing. We stopped travelling with work a few weeks ago.

In my family we have cancelled travel plans. We planned to visit family in Northern Ireland and England in the next few weeks. We are not using public transport, and social events are all cancelled. Were following the guidelines and trying to plan for the future.

The communication from our government has been very good. Attendance at public events stopped weeks ago. All schools are closed now. Whether or not this was a fast-enough response isnt clear yet.

Louise says that her preparations are from week to week.

There is a lot we can do through home office, but keeping people motivated in the longer term may be difficult with little social contact, she says.

We are trying new technologies to keep in contact for work and social aspects. We are lucky in that much of our work can be carried out through remote meetings and at home. In many workplaces this isnt the case.

United States

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There are over 4,000 cases in the United States. Derry man Cathal Breslin lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his American-born wife Sabrina and their children Drostan and Cian. He flew back home from Ireland on Thursday as President Trumps travel ban was announced.

Getting back to America was really chaotic because we flew right after the Trump European ban was announced, he says.

So, Dublin Airport was full of Americans in panic mode trying to leave as soon as possible.

Some people had paid over $10,000 to suddenly leave on the same day, and you know when that starts to happen, your main concern is that the airline might kick you off the flight to make more profits.

When we arrived back schools were all completely closed, people are scrambling to find items in empty stores, and its just a very tense environment.

There is no toilet paper anywhere and no cleaning supplies of any kind. There are long queues outside grocery stores and they have finally limited the numbers of certain things that people can buy.

I have been put under a self-quarantine by my workplace Arizona State University, because the CDC say that anyone who has been to UK or Ireland must now also avoid any public place.

Australia

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There are just over 300 cases in Australia. Derry-born father-of-two Dee Quigley lives in Mandurah, near Perth, with his daughter Caoirse (15). He is a case manager at Out Of Home Care.

There are more cases every day, he says. It looks like it is definitely in the community now. We had information given into our office that a colleague may have had contact with someone who had secondary contact at the airport.

There are virus tents set up at all hospitals and schools are set to close soon. The St Patricks Day parade was cancelled. I personally told my daughter to make her way home from her studies today ahead of any education department decision.

The government here has been very proactive in taking advice from the leading experts in their fields and positioning itself the best it can

Panic-buying has certainly become an issue here. I can sense that people are very afraid and wary of whats to come. The government has announced two stimulus packages to support the economy. Anyone who is entitled to it, for example low-income families and people who are recipients of support from the government, will receive $750 dollars. Businesses will receive other incentives to support them.

Dee says that the precautions he and his family have taken include self-isolation, no social interactions, focusing on hand hygiene and trying to keep an eye on the news for any advice.

He says the Australian Government have been working hard on the issue as have scientists and researchers who have said they may be close to a cure.

The government here has been very proactive in taking advice from the leading experts in their fields and positioning itself the best it can, he says. They are worried, Im sure  they have families and relatives also.

Of recent news that scientists in his country had made a breakthrough in the search for a vaccine, Dee says: It honestly doesnt surprise me that a potential cure is near in Australia. Some of the worlds greatest minds live here, they recently developed a cure for hepatitis C, which is now freely available to anyone who suffered from it.

Austria

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There are over 1,000 cases in Austria. Glengormley-born Neil Walsh is a UN diplomat and lives with his wife and four children in Vienna.

The coronavirus situation is developing at pace, he says. Were on home lockdown and are not allowed to leave the house unless its to buy food or seek medical treatment. Were trying to get into a routine with us and the kids, keep some sort of education going and continue to work in and around that.

In Austria the cases are growing and one part of the country is in 24/7 curfew. Schools, universities, kindergartens, shops with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies, and almost everything else is shut or restricted to only cover those workers who are critical: health, law enforcement, energy, refuse, etc.

There is fear in the community. The streets are deserted. Its rare in Austria for government to have to intervene so strongly, and unless people start to follow the strict social distancing regime they will likely have to enforce this in the same way as other EU countries.

It isnt going to be easy, and I can see divorce lawyers and midwives growing their business

Neil says that his family are on lockdown.

Were staying inside and weve made sure the kids understand why this is happening and are playing their part, he says.

Im on post-bowel cancer steroid treatment so am in the immunosuppressed category. This, combined with permanent lung damage caused by pulmonary embolisms, means that I really want to avoid catching this.

Our Chancellor Sebastien Kurz is taking a robust, science-based approach and communicating it well to the public. Most people are complying.

For work, weve got our business continuity plan up and running, at home weve got a schedule in place to try and keep some element of normality, and make the weekends seem like weekends.

It isnt going to be easy, and I can see divorce lawyers and midwives growing their business, but weve got to all play our role in #FlatteningTheCurve. This is killing people, so we all have to minimise the risks where we can and help society to continue.

Canada

Canada has almost 400 cases. Londonderry man Trevor Peoples is an ironworker, living in Nanaimo, British Columbia, with his wife Melissa and their children Shea and Georgia.

There are not many cases here yet, he says. Schools and daycares are all open at the moment. In the next province over, Alberta, all schools and daycares have been locked down.

There is fear in the community, but everyone is trying to be sensible here as much as they can by staying home as much as possible. There are lots of elderly people here as a lot of people retire to Vancouver Island for the good climate.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is supposed to be getting a bit more proactive. Local governments are dealing with everything separately but seem decent at getting information to people. Canada is so big and every province is dealing with it differently, so we dont have all the same measures.

At the moment we are thinking of alternative ways of making money if jobs go. Weve been cutting firewood, growing our own vegetables and whatever it takes to keep us going. We were thinking of opening up rooms at home for rent maybe.

Spain

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East Belfast man Gareth Murray lives in the small Spanish pueblo of Finestrat in the Alicante region with his wife Maria and sons David and Nico. Spain has almost 10,000 cases.

Spain is in a declared state of emergency, he says. All schools, parks, restaurants and pubs are closed. Supermarkets remain open, as do other smaller outlets and businesses.

Already the internet portal for distance learning for our son David has crashed, but his PlayStation has been put away and I have given him some French and English study to do.

People have been gathering on their balconies at 8pm and clapping in appreciation of the health service workers

There are no reported coronavirus cases in the village, but like everywhere else, tests are only being carried out on hospital patients and by arrangement when means-tested after you call a helpline number if you are showing symptoms. Apparently the helpline number is constantly engaged.

There does seem to be a general understanding by the population that the lockdown is for the greater good. There is unity and little opposition to the government actions. People have been gathering on their balconies at 8pm and clapping in appreciation of the health service workers.

I have two neighbours who work in the local Villajoyosa hospital who have not been able to arrange childcare since the school closures and are unable to go to work.

There has been televised debate on the UK measures and the general consensus is that while that may be good for the UK, Spain was already past that stage. No one is suggesting that Boris Johnson is anything other than sincere in his approach to the crisis. There has been some criticism of the EU, with one commenter asking where are they?  wondering why there isnt a unified EU approach to the crisis.

Gareth say that his family are taking all the advice to help keep safe.

As a family we are following the instructions: washing hands, keeping social contact to a minimum, he says.

The biggest worry concerns Maria, who works in the hospitality industry, which is already making people redundant.

As someone who has an unconventional commute between Belfast and Spain, it looks as if Ill be here for some time as airlines will eventually ground flights once theyre satisfied that most tourists have been repatriated.

I read a tweet by one elected representative in Northern Ireland who suggested going for a walk to clear your head and cope with the mental stress.

Well, I did that the other night when putting the rubbish out in the communal bins only for an armed policia to instruct me to return home quickly. Lockdown means lockdown, only leaving your home for essential things.

Czech Republic

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Derry-born Damien Taylor is living in the Czech Republic, which has over 200 cases. The English teacher lives in Prague with his partner Hanicka and their sons Martin and Lukas.

Czechs usually go to Italy for spring break, so we always knew we would get it bad here, he says.

Most people are really afraid; a friend of mine locked herself in her bathroom. The biggest fear here is avoiding the elderly.

We have two children who are now not allowed out in this beautiful weather.

Czech healthcare is very good, and seems to be coping. There are no food shortages, there is plenty to go around. No one is panic-buying.

There are a few villages here which have been isolated. We seem to be about two weeks ahead of Northern Ireland. From tomorrow all people here have to wear face masks if they go out.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 23:31:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China will do its best to provide support and assistance to help Spain combat the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday evening.

Pointing out the recent intensifying and spreading trend of the epidemic in Spain, Xi extended sincere sympathies to the Spanish government and people on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

Xi stressed that through the hard work of the whole country, China's prevention and control measures have achieved positive results, and China has come out of the most difficult and arduous stage.

Noting that the epidemic is now breaking out in many countries and places, Xi said that China is willing to carry out international cooperation with other countries and provide assistance within its capacity.

He expressed hope that the international community will work together to turn the crisis into an opportunity, and withstand the impact of the epidemic with concrete actions of openness and cooperation, so as to jointly safeguard international health security.

Xi stressed that China supports the measures taken by the Spanish government to fight the epidemic, understands the severe situation Spain is facing, and is ready to meet Spain's urgent needs by doing its utmost to provide support and assistance, and share its experience in COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment, so as to contribute to the health and well-beings of the two peoples as well as the global public health security.

After the epidemic, the two sides should step up exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of fields, Xi said, adding that China is willing to continue to expand imports of high-quality and featured products from Spain.

"Sunshine always comes after the rain," Xi said, expressing belief that the friendship between China and Spain will be stronger and the bilateral ties will have a brighter future after the test of jointly fighting the epidemic.

For his part, Sanchez said that Spain and China have always been supporting and helping each other, which has been fully embodied in their joint efforts to combat the epidemic.

Noting that the current epidemic situation in Spain is severe, Sanchez said the Spanish people are deeply grateful for China's timely offering of urgently-needed medical supplies, which has fully demonstrated China's friendly feelings towards the Spanish people.

The Spanish government will do its utmost to protect the health and safety of Chinese citizens residing in Spain, the prime minister said.

The epidemic is a common challenge facing the international community, and countries should work together to tackle it, he said, adding that Spain appreciates China's openness in promoting international cooperation and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields.

He also expressed belief that after the epidemic, the Spain-China ties will further develop, and wished the great Chinese people healthy and safe.
Supply chains for food exports to the world must be protected, writes Joe Gill

Over the course of this week, Ireland will move to prioritise key elements of the economy as it battles Covid-19.

Food, medicine, power and security will form the central pillars in managing society and the economy as we step up efforts to stem the spread of this virus.

Relative to the size of its population Ireland is a superpower in food production. We consume no more than 10% of what we produce and have the capacity to feed up to 30 million people.

The range of food in which Ireland excels may not include almond-flavoured soya milk but it does master in key protein and nutrition products.

Fresh milk produced from grass-fed cows forms the source for fresh milk, butter, cheese and yoghurt. The Irish meat industry delivers high-quality safe meat.

These are the cornerstones of a food industry that will play a major part in the national effort over coming weeks.

Alongside serving the Irish economy this food industry will also play a key role in supporting the population of the UK. Britain is no more than 60% self-sufficient in food and her people could encounter material supply chain issues from continental Europe and further afield over the next number of weeks.

In that context, Irelands position is of strategic value, an irony that hopefully will not be lost on those who were so dismissive of Ireland in the Brexit debates.

For now, we must co-operate and help ensure production, distribution and supply lines are kept open for the emergency that is now unfolding. Sea ferries will be a critical component in the national response.

Ferries can deliver large loads of freight and cargo even if they are not able to carry passengers and cars. We are fortunate that one of the financially strong ferry companies runs between Ireland the UK and France.

Keeping the crews on these ferries safe, and ensuring ports on either side are kept open, are the tasks which both Government and company executives must now undertake. Aviation plays a role in bringing this virus to heel by grounding the commercial fleet.

This is now underway and we should assume that for the next two or three months flights will only be operated as an emergency supply line operated under strict crewing and health conditions. That means the large number of daily flights connecting the Irish economy with the UK, US and the rest of the world will virtually stop.

It will only change when the World Health Organisation deems it safe to do so. Bringing society and the economy back to normal is dependent on progress in medicine. A treatment that can be approved for elderly patients of Covid-19 will be a key step.

There is an enormous global effort underway in the pharmaceutical industry to find first effective treatments and afterwards a vaccine.

Although these are dark days the combined effort of private and public health bodies are already well advanced with advanced trails in a number of countries. News on these initiatives over coming weeks could be critical for the entire crisis and the morale of the worlds population.

When a battery of effective drugs are approved you can expect a global emergency production programme to make and distribute these across the globe.

It is at that point that a coalition of central banks, governments and large private companies can initiate a re-boot of the economy.

That will require short-term tax breaks, vouchers, massive amounts of financial liquidity and monster sales from many corporations.

All of that, however, is dependent on the delivery of effective drugs, something Irish scientists are deeply involved in currently.

Ireland must now lockdown to address this crisis and leverage the civic spirit that runs down the spine of our society.

That community effort is key to bringing life back to normal.

- Joe Gill is director of origination and corporate broking with Goodbody Stockbrokers. His views are personal.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

Coronavirus: Not everyone needs to wear a mask says fresh health ministry guidelines

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 17: Coronavirus has claimed its 3rd life in India. In the wake this highly contagious infection, the government has taken drastic measures such as imposing travel bans and issuing several advisories.

Now the health ministry has issued a fresh set of guidelines on wearing the masks. The guideline says that not all need to wear a mask.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Wear a mask if:

You have symptoms (cough, fever or difficulty in breathing)

You are caring for COVID-19 suspect or confirmed patient

You are a health worker attending to patients with respiratory symptoms

How to wear the mask:

Unfold the pleats of the mask, make sure they are facing down

Change the mask after six hours or soon as it becomes wet

Place the mask over your nose, mouth, chin and ensure that there are no gaps on either side of the mask. Adjust to fit.

Never reuse disposable masks. Dispose the masks in closed bins after disinfecting them.

Avoid touching the mask while using it

Do not touch the potentially contaminated outer surface of the mask while removing it

Do not leave the mask hanging from the neck

After removal of the mask, clean your hands with soap and water or use alcohol based hand run disinfectant
Former Chief Justice of India on Tuesday said that he will speak in detail to the media why he accepted the nomination to the Rajya Sabha.

"I'll go to Delhi probably tomorrow. Let me first take the oath then I will speak in detail to the media that why I accepted this and why I am going to Rajya Sabha," former CJI Gogoi told reporters here.

President Ram Nath Kovind had on Monday nominated Gogoi to the Upper House of the Parliament, a decision which is being largely criticized by the Opposition parties.

On November 9, 2019, the five-judge bench headed by him had delivered the verdict in the long-pending Ayodhya dispute case.

Gogoi served as the 46th Chief Justice of India from October 3, 2018, to November 17, 2019. Before leaving the office, Gogoi had said that the issue of pendency of cases in Indian courts is used extensively to "pull down the institution".
TALLAHASSEE, FL The Florida Dept. Of Education has issued the following statement concerning the Coronavirus outbreak and its effects on schools across the state.



Additional recommendations for schools and districts during spring break include:

Canceling all extracurricular activities.

Developing or perfecting the district or school instructional continuity plans.

Deep cleaning each school.

Keeping students healthy and safe is my number one priority, and that is why we are recommending that districts follow the CDCs guidance for Florida, said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. We are continuing to monitor COVID-19, and I encourage all Floridians to remain informed and take the necessary precautions that have been issued by the CDC.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the Florida Department of Healths website www.floridahealth.gov and the Florida Department of Education website www.fldoe.org/em-response.

For more information on the CDCs recommendations specific to Florida, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/FL_Community_Mitigation.pdf."
(TNS)  With a return to normal classroom learning in doubt for New Mexico's students this spring, the future of digital learning has arrived for educators.Schools will close for three weeks starting Monday to slow the spread of COVID-19, per an executive order from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. After that, class may restart remotely in early April.Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said while decisions regarding technology purchases and training are in the hands of local superintendents and school boards, his department is taking stock of laptop and tablet inventory in each district.Stewart, along with educators and lawmakers, also expressed concern over distance learning's potential to leave some students behind in a state with large disparities in technology and Internet infrastructure and availability."We know there are vast inequities around who does have access to hardware, broadband and the software and who doesn't," Stewart said at a news conference Friday morning at the Roundhouse. "What we don't want to do in making any of these decisions is exacerbate the opportunity gaps that exist between those who have access to those devices and those who don't. We do not recommend that districts move forward with online learning if it's going to leave some students out of the educational process."After Lujan Grisham announced the three-week closure Thursday evening, Santa Fe Public Schools staff scrambled to prepare laptops and tablets for students to take home Friday. Tom Ryan, chief information and strategy officer, said the district has enough laptops for every third through 12th grade student and tablets for kindergarten through second grade students."We could technically run every class in an online environment," Ryan said. "The challenge we need to face now is not everyone has been trained."Ryan said the district is in the process of contacting students absent Friday about receiving their devices. Superintendent Veronica Garcia said about 10 percent of students lack Internet access at home, so the district is also preparing to set up hot spots. Comcast announced Thursday that new customers can receive 60 days of free Internet.Stewart said school employees will be paid over the next three weeks as if there were no closure and no instructional days will need to be added onto the end of the year. Garcia said she hopes to negotiate with the teachers union for staff to return to work a week from Monday, when classes were originally scheduled to restart after spring break, and begin preparing to deliver digital instruction before the end of the three-week closure. Even if teachers aren't available during the closure, Garcia said the district would publish learning materials online for parents to download."We want our students to stay busy and not fall behind," Garcia said. "We're not geared to be online schools, so it might be a little choppy at first, but we don't want them to regress."Garcia said distance learning would not require students to sit in front of their computer for the entirety of normal school hours and instead would likely feature set times for teachers to explain concepts over video conference before emailing assignments.While some speech and language therapy may take place online, Garcia said special-education students whose individualized education program cannot be fulfilled remotely will receive compensatory school days at the end of the year."When we talk about equity in distance learning, we have to talk about special education," Garcia said. "Any instructional time for special-education students will be made up."Outside of Santa Fe Public Schools, which has around 13,000 students, smaller school districts have far less technological capacity. Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools Superintendent Martin Madrid said his district of around 650 students does not have enough laptops for every student to take home, and Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, said distance learning will lay bare the state's urban-rural divide."You might ask, 'Why don't we send the kids home with iPads so they can continue learning?' " Lente said. "This situation exemplifies in the realest of ways the discrepancy between tribal and rural lands and those in urban populations. For a lot of our kids, learning will end."During this year's legislative session, Lente noted that there is only one state-certified library on tribal land in New Mexico while sponsoring a bill that would have divided $16 million between pueblo and tribal governments to support libraries and Internet infrastructure. The bill passed the House Education Committee but did not receive any other hearings."I don't want to make anything political about this criss that we're in," Lente said. "But I hope there is a realization here about how many people I represent in rural and tribal New Mexico who are at a huge disadvantage."On Friday afternoon, Sen. Bill Soules, D-Las Cruces, gave out his cellphone number and provided links to practice tests for his Advanced Placement psychology students at Onate High School. Soules said he is not necessarily worried about AP students during the extended closure."In general, distance learning is effective for students who are motivated and incredibly ineffective for unmotivated students, who need a teacher there to guide them," Soules said. "This will expand what happens every single summer  the affluent kids will keep pace or even move ahead while the other ones slide back a little bit."It's not their fault. They just don't have the same access as other students to opportunities to move forward."
However, the ASEAN manufacturing supply chain will face difficulties if India refuses to participate in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) expected to be signed this month.

India can fill market void

At the preparatory session meeting of senior economic officials of ASEAN countries and the recent international guests (SEOM), one of the important topics covered were how to take necessary action to ensure that the supply chain for production within the group continues to run smoothly. Specifically with the complicated Covid-19 pandemic situation, ASEAN needs to take joint action to maintain the supply chain, and facilitate the supply of raw materials for businesses, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Chinese economy is currently paralyzed, which has caused the global and regional production chains to be disrupted. China is the main trading partner of ten Southeast Asian countries, whereas ASEAN is the second largest trading partner of China, after the EU. Therefore, China's growth and any disruption affects all ASEAN countries. A report by the ASEAN + 3 Macroeconomic Research Office (ARMO) suggests that in 2020 China's GDP could fall by 0.5%, while ASEAN countries could lose about 0.2%.

Ensuring the supply for the production chain is an urgent issue for all the economies of ASEAN countries. Therefore, the RCEP agreement is realized with all sixteen participating economies, including the presence of India, which is expected by many ASEAN countries as India can surely fill the manufacturing void left by China. RCEP is a large trade agreement, with continuous impact on regional and global trading systems, accounting for 29% of the world's GDP, on par with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and bigger than the European Union (EU). RCEP will bring different countries together, from developing economies in Southeast Asia, to global powers, such as Japan, South Korea and China.

In all this, India has a great advantage in becoming a global manufacturing hub for regions connecting with the supply production chains. This is becoming more and more evident, as India's Make in India policy which started in 2014 has already achieved remarkable results. It is no coincidence that in recent years diplomatic relations between the United States and India have become increasingly warmer. Americans have seen the promising potential of India to replace Chinas role as a key supplier of goods. This second most populous country in the world with 1.3 billion people also has a workforce of hundreds of millions of people, that are much younger compared to China, where the population has passed the "golden age" already.

Therefore, an open, highly binding economic agreement on commitments like RCEP will surely bring greater benefits to all parties, and offset the supply of raw materials for the ASEAN production chain, which is seeing a serious shortage from instability in the traditional Chinese market. If RCEP is realized with ASEAN, India will reduce tariffs by 80% on goods, of which 65% will be reduced immediately and the remaining 15% will be reduced in the following ten years.

This will create an opportunity to promote India-ASEAN bilateral trade more strongly than the India-ASEAN Agreement signed in 2010. In addition, RCEP will also break down high tariff barriers, which is one of the reasons that trade turnover among ASEAN countries accounts for only a quarter of the total trade turnover of this bloc.

India unwilling to join RCEP

Even so, India thinks that RCEP is not attractive enough and could be a negative factor for the Indian economy. In November 2019, India announced its withdrawal from negotiations and intention of joining RCEP. In India's view, RCEP is an opportunity for this country to improve trade relations with ASEAN countries. The 2010 India-ASEAN Agreement was signed to enhance India's exports, and to strengthen trade links with Southeast Asia under New Delhi's "Act East" policy.

However, the Indian Parliament report shows that India's trade deficit with ASEAN countries has doubled in a short period, from USD 5 bn in 2010 to nearly USD 10 bn in 2017. This is what India, with a "market protection" mindset, is concerned about. During negotiations over the past five years, when other RCEP members wanted a 92% reduction in commodity taxes, India insisted on an 86% reduction.

Another equally important aspect that has led India to withdraw from the RCEP is a growing concern about the trade deficit from China. At a time of great difficulty due to the trade war with the US, China wanted to tap more potential markets like India, and RCEP is a great opportunity. Two-way trade between India and China reached USD 95.5 bn in 2018, but China's trade surplus with India was USD 53 bn. This is the main reason why India refused to participate in RCEP, and is a hindrance to negotiations because India wants to keep some measures to protect the economy from China, but China does not give in.

India's failure to join RCEP shows that India is increasingly focused on protecting its domestic production and has set a priority goal of addressing trade deficits with other countries. Many experts predict that in the near future, it will be difficult for India to sign more FTAs and will also review the FTAs signed with ASEAN, Korea or Japan due to the increasing trade deficit.

Translated by Francis

Luu Thuy
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Revellers last night ignored government advice to stay at home and partied at pubs and clubs as they remained open, even after the chancellor promised they will be provided with billions of pounds to bail them out during the coronavirus pandemic.

As businesses reeled from the effect of consumers being told to stay at home and avoid social contact, Rishi Sunak unveiled a number of measures to keep businesses afloat and workers in jobs.

The windfall support offered by Mr Sunak did not stop some revellers in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton heading out to bars and clubs on Tuesday night.

In one clip circulating on social media, partygoers clutching drinks can be heard singing 'f*** coronavirus' to the sound of Seven Nation Army by alternative band The White Stripes.

And in another video, people can be spotted clutching drinks and dancing, seemingly oblivious to the Prime Minister's advice to the country on Monday urging people to stop 'non-essential' contact with others.

The chancellor's intervention came after concerns the government's advice for the public to no longer frequent pubs, clubs, restaurants and the theatre would decimate the hospitality industry.

As part of a package of measures, Mr Sunak announced he would give every single retail and entertainment venue  no matter what their size  one year off paying business rates. And he said the 700,000 smallest businesses, who do not pay rates, would get 10,000 in cash.

He guaranteed contracts would be honoured by insurance companies. It had been suggested insurance firms might not compensate adequately protected pubs and restaurants for their losses.

Mr Sunak said the intervention would also help shops, music venues and theatres. Separately, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced changes to planning rules to allow struggling restaurants and bars to operate as takeaways.

But last night hospitality firms gave the measures a mixed welcome, with the British Beer and Pub Association saying the Chancellor's announcements did not go far enough.

St Patrick's Day drinkers look worse for wear in Newcastle after a night out on the town despite government advice to avoid social gathering

Revellers in Newcastle city centre for St Patrick's Day celebrations as they flouted government advice to stay at home to slow the spread of coronavirus

People flocked to bars in Britain and Ireland to celebrate St Patrick's day, with Seamus O'Donnells in Bristol (pictured) full to the rafters

There were crowds packed into Seamus O'Donnells in Bristol as many people flouted government advice to stay at home

Four men in Irish fancy dress walk along a street in Leeds as thousands poured into the city's pubs to mark the annual event

Guinness drinkers neck their foaming pints as they take to the streets despite the looming threat of the coronavirus to the country. Pictured: Seamus O'Donnells in Bristol on Tuesday night

It appeared to be business as usual for many St Patrick's Day revellers in Newcastle last night, who defied official advice to stay at home

Revellers out on the streets in St Patrick's Day in Leeds where pubs stayed open despite venues being closed down in Ireland itself

Crowds were also out celebrating St Patrick's Day at Seamus O'Donnells, an Irish pub in Bristol, as the hospitality industry braced itself for a difficult period

Punters are seen dancing joyfully in a packed pub in Selly Oak, Birmingham, on Tuesday night, going against government warnings

Revellers on a night out to celebrate St Patrick's Day last night in Leeds (left) and Birmingham (right) despite advice to stay at home

There was very little social distancing on display in Newcastle last night as revellers marked St Patrick's Day in riotous style

People laugh and smile and ignore the threat of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping across Britain, having killed 71 already

Revellers walk down a cobbled street in Newcastle while droves of others queue outside a club in the city on Tuesday night

Two women clutch their bottles of prosecco as they walk down the street in Leeds during their night out, flouting the government's advice to the public to keep away from bars and clubs

Friends wrap a Republic of Ireland flag around their backs as they pose for a picture during their night out in Birmingham Broad Street

Two women perch on a doorstep on Tuesday night as one crosses her arms and another plays on her phone

The sight of revellers out for St Patrick's Day - pictured are ones in Newcastle - will spark concern that people are ignoring the government's advice to avoid social contact

There were large queues outside Newcastle city centre bars as revellers marked St Patrick's Day mid the coronavirus pandemic

Boris Johnson, on the advice of his scientific advisers, has urged Britons to avoid all non-essential social contact. Pictured: Revellers in Leeds

One woman smiles as she holds her half-drank pint of Guinness, while the other clutches a 5 note and stands at the bar in a Bristol pub

Two women walk down the street in Newcastle city centre last night (left) as others ignore social distancing advice and hug each other (right)

Medical professionals have warned that social contact could help spread the virus and infect vulnerable people. Pictured are revellers in Bristol

In many European countries all bars and clubs have been shut, but many are still open in the UK for now because no full shutdown has been enforced and these revellers in Leeds were seen enjoying themselves

Seamus O'Donnells in Bristol is swelled with punters who litter the streets and neck their pints as they celebrate St Patrick's Day

As businesses reeled from the effect of consumers being told to stay at home and avoid social contact Mr Sunak (left) unveiled a package of measures to keep businesses afloat

Cash will only last a couple of weeks, landlord claims Landlord Ashley McCarthy last night welcomed the Government's injection of cash but questioned the interest payable on loans. Mr McCarthy, 39, who runs Ye Old Sun Inn in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, said the measures may keep his business afloat for the time being. But he warned that even the promised cash grants of up to 25,000 would only support many businesses for a matter of 'weeks'. Mr McCarthy, 39, who runs Ye Old Sun Inn in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, said the measures may keep his business afloat for the time being 'I would have been happier if the loans were interest-free,' he said. 'But I do understand the Government's position in terms of 'where is the money coming from?' 'There are still going to be many businesses who don't want to overstretch themselves and take on another debt that they can't repay. 'Even with these measures we are going to struggle. 25,000 will last us a couple of weeks then it's gone. We spend 12,000 per month on wages. We are still unclear where we stand with staff pay and whether we should still be trading.' Mr McCarthy, pictured, who said his business will not be covered by insurance in the event of an enforced lockdown, vowed to remain open and continue trading. He is now offering takeaway meals for the locals who rely on the establishment as their 'community hub'. Tim Martin, founder of pub chain Wetherspoon, echoed concerns over loans. He said he welcomed 'what sounds like a wholehearted attempt to help business and the country', but added: 'It's very expensive and loans will have to be paid back.' Advertisement

Chief executive Emma McClarkin said the Government must implement pub-specific measures within 24 hours to prevent 'irreversible closures and job losses'.

She said: 'We recognise as a sector that we are in unprecedented times and are prepared to play our part, but whilst we welcome the measures outlined today, they do not deal with the immediate cash flow and liquidity problems our industry faces.

'Without an urgent cash injection our sector will need to reduce its biggest cost, labour.'

Gerry Ford, the founder and chief executive of Caffe Nero, which has 800 stores in the UK and around 6,500 employees, said it is 'a good start' but 'there needs to be more'.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality. said: 'The Chancellor has clearly been listening and these extra measures represent proper progress on last week's Budget.

'The focus now has to be on making sure that hospitality businesses can draw down the support loans and other funds while they still have businesses to operate, such are the levels of urgency for most businesses.

'Cashflow is the key focus for companies endeavouring to survive. We only hope that this can be enough.'

The Chancellor said the grants would come on top of his plan to allow all business to access a 330billion Government-backed loan scheme.

The plans, announced in Downing Street yesterday, are designed to help businesses with their cash flow and fixed costs.

Mr Sunak said: 'For those businesses which do have a policy that covers pandemics, the Government's action is sufficient and will allow businesses to make an insurance claim against their policy. But many of those businesses don't have insurance  so we will go further.'

But Nik Antona, national chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale, said Mr Sunak 'did not go far enough'.

'Making loans to businesses with no money coming in and multiple overheads to meet through a period of no, or low trading, is simply kicking the can down the road,' he said.

Mr Sunak also said Government advice to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres was sufficient for businesses to claim on their insurance when they have cover for pandemics.

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'We are going to change planning permission so that pubs and restaurants will be able to turn into takeaways or delivery straight away.

Revellers enjoying a night out in Leeds for St Patrick's Day yesterday despite official advice to stay at home and avoid social contact

Different emotions were on display among revellers in Leeds last night, where thousands decided to enjoy a night out despite the coronavirus pandemic

The scenes in Leeds last night contrasted with the situation in Ireland, where pubs were closed as part of measures to fight the disease

A number of people were spotted in pubs and restaurants on the outskirts of London ignoring the recommendations from the government to stay at home

Bars and nightclubs in Liverpool were still busy despite Boris Johnson on Monday asking people to stay at home

These women in Leeds were enjoying themselves last night despite being advised to avoid all social contact due to the pandemic

A number of people can be seen enjoying St Patrick's Day festivities at a bar in Southampton, flouting the rules from the government

A few people are seen outside a pub after UK government updated its coronavirus guidance yesterday and advised public social distancing

Streets are seen nearly empty after UK government updated its coronavirus guidance, but some people are still heading to pubs and restaurants

Just let us stay open! The man behind an award-winning country inn yesterday called on Boris Johnson to clarify whether Britain's pubs are 'bloody open or not'. Charles Bowman, landlord of The Inn at Whitewell near Clitheroe, Lancashire, praised the financial injection but warned it may not work in practice. Charles Bowman, landlord of The Inn at Whitewell near Clitheroe, Lancashire, praised the financial injection but warned it may not work in practice The Inn employs 54 full-time members of staff and 35 part-time. Mr Bowman, pictured above, said he would prefer for pubs to remain open so he can retain staff, and warned of continued dire consequences following the Government's advice for the public to avoid all unnecessary social contact. 'The financial support is obviously welcome though I'm not sure how it will work practically,' he said. 'But what Boris hasn't made clear is what we need to do next. Either the pubs are bloody open or they're not. I don't think they should close personally, my priority is always my staff and I want to keep them in employment for as long as possible.' Advertisement

'That will serve two purposes - it will (also) help to get food to people who might be staying at home.'

The spokesman said it would be a temporary measure that was 'straightforward but will make a real difference'.

British Chambers of Commerce director general Dr Adam Marshall said: 'These measures could be a lifeline for many businesses across the UK who are now experiencing wholesale disruption as a result of the pandemic.

'The key to the success of these measures is whether they get cash to businesses on the front line, fast.

'Companies need practical details, at great speed, for these interventions to have the desired impact, and to reassure firms across the UK.'

And Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, congratulated the Chancellor 'for listening carefully to the concerns of retailers', saying he had delivered 'a big, bold package of measures that will be a huge cashflow boost and will improve confidence for those affected'.

She added: 'Business rates are a huge burden for retailers at the best of times. The business rates holiday, together with the announcement of a loan package, represent a vital shot in the arm for a sector facing enormous uncertainty.

'We still need to see the details and make sure that retailers can access cash with the minimum of delay, but it is a welcome and necessary first step to protect jobs.

'The Chancellor has said he will do whatever is necessary to support business and he has shown that he can respond to the changing need of retailers.

'While these are the right decisions today, the Government may have to take further steps as the full effects of the situation unfold.'

An empty cafe in West End in London on Tuesday evening. It comes after Rishi Sunak unveiled a number of measures to keep businesses afloat and workers in jobs

Britons were yesterday told to avoid all non-essential travel and contact with others. Pictured: A Pret cafe at Waterloo station

High-profile figures including chefs Simon Rimmer, Aldo Zilli and Raymond Blanc had joined calls for the position to be made clear. Food critic Jay Rayner tweeted that Mr Johnson's actions were 'staggeringly reckless'.

Blanc claimed the hospitality industry is being 'sacrificed' and 'battered', accusing Mr Johnson of a lack of clear direction, while Rimmer said it will not take long for his sites to go out of business.

Rishi Sunak unveils business support measures worth hundreds of billions of pounds Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a raft of measures designed to prop up an economy teetering under the pressure of coronavirus. They included: Government-backed loan guarantees worth 330billion - equivalent to 15 per cent of GDP

Treasury prepared to increase this with 'as much capacity as required'

This money in two forms: a new lending facility for large firms with Banks of England;

And for SMEs an extension of the Business Interruption Loan Scheme announced last week from 1.2million to 5million

Additionally there will be a 12-month business rate holiday for all firms in retail, leisure and hospitality sectors

Cash grants of up to 25,000 per business for small businesses with a ratable value below 51,000

Cash grants for 700,000 of the smallest businesses increased from 3,000 to 10,000

A three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners

A pledge to sit down with trade unions and business groups to discuss job protection Advertisement

He tweeted: 'We have no insurance claims to protect us as it's not an enforced closure. It won't take long for us to go out of business permanently.'

Blanc said businesses across the spectrum from 'humble bistros' to Michelin star establishments have been left 'in... no man's land'.

Rayner said: 'Let me add my voice to the justifiably outraged clamour of those furious at the govt for insisting hospitality and entertainment industries shut down without legally mandating them to do so, meaning they can't claim insurance. Staggeringly reckless.'

Another industry figure said a lack of clear financial help was effectively condemning the industry to death, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged the Government to follow the example of other countries by providing a clear financial aid package.

However, an ABI spokesman said: 'Irrespective of whether or not the Government order closure of a business, the vast majority of firms won't have purchased cover that will enable them to claim on their insurance to compensate for their business being closed by the Coronavirus.

'Standard business interruption cover - the type the majority of businesses purchase - does not include forced closure by authorities.'

At Waterloo Station, shops including a Pret, Costa, McDonald's and a Bagel Factory were serving queuing customers this morning.

Today, independent traders on London's Southbank market told how they fear going to wall after the government urged everyone to stay at home.

Nina Mainente, manager of the Big Melt cafe, told MailOnline: 'We will keep going for as long as we can but really I don't think we will able to survive.

'Already people are staying away. We launched a new menu the other day and it has made very little difference. There just aren't enough customers. No one knows what is going to happen. We are just playing it by ear.'

A deserted West End in London, Britain, as a theatre and restaurant both sit empty on Tuesday evening

Fishmonger Jed Hall at Borough Market in London today with his produce during the coronavirus crisis

Cheesemonger Matthew Cookson at Borough Market in London today as the capital's traders face declining footfall

An empty restaurant the West End in London on Tuesday. The chancellor's funding package followed pressure on the government after restaurant takings were said to have plunged by up to 66 per cent last night, and high-profile figures including chefs Simon Rimmer, Aldo Zilli and Raymond Blanc called for action

Melodie Yahiaoui of the Alpine Deli stall at Borough Market in London amid the ongoing crisis caused by coronavirus

Sarra Darragi, owner of the Fitology Kitchen bar and restaurant, said: 'We are all going to go bust. Today is going to be dire. We are all really worried.

'We only manage to survive through the winter if we have a busy summer. And now that's not going to happen.'

In Borough Market stallholders told how they were already experiencing a dramatic fall in trade.

Most insurance wouldn't pay pubs, restaurants or theatres even if the Government ordered them to close their doors, insurers say Most businesses would not be covered by their insurance even if the government did order them to close their doors, insurers clarified today. Following the Prime Minister's advice to the public yesterday to stay away from pubs, restaurants, clubs and theatres, concerns were raised that firms would not be able to claim on their business interruption insurance without a government order to close. But today, the Association of British Insurers trade body released a statement saying that even if these businesses were ordered to close their doors, insurers were still unlikely to pay out. It said most policies do not include this in business interruption cover and so a government order to shut would not have made a difference. The ABI statement read: 'Irrespective of whether or not the Government orders closure of a business, the vast majority of firms won't have purchased cover that will enable them to claim on their insurance to compensate for their business being closed by coronavirus. 'Standard business interruption cover  the type the majority of businesses purchase  does not include forced closure by the authorities as it is intended to respond to physical damage at the property which results in the business being unable to continue to trade. 'A small minority of typically larger firms might have purchased an extension to their cover for closure due to any infectious disease. 'In this instance an enforced closure could help them make the claim, but this will depend on the precise nature of the cover they have purchased so they should check with their insurer or broker to see if they are covered.' The statement comes as businesses anxiously await an announcement on help for those affected by coronavirus and the lockdown. There is immense pressure on the Government to come up with some form of huge scheme to tide firms over until people are told that they no longer need to stay at home and practice social distancing. This could potentially involve a state-backed business interruption insurance scheme, with all firms able to claim. In the recent Budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a ' coronavirus business interruption loans scheme ', with banks to offer loans of up to 1.2million to small and medium-sized businesses. Sunak said: 'The government will offer a generous guarantee on those loans, covering up to 80 per cent of losses, with no fees, so that banks can lend with confidence. 'This will unlock up to 1billion of attractive working capital loans to support small businesses, with more as needed.' Some businesses have complained they are too big to benefit from the rates holiday, or 3,00 grants, while freelancers and the self-employed say they are having work cancelled without a safety net. Advertisement

Melodie Yahiaoui, of Alpine Deli cured meats stall, said: 'There are no tourists and a lot of the offices around here have told their staff to work from home. There is not a lot of trade but we must keep calm and carry on.'

Fishmonger Jed Hall of Shellseekers, said: 'It's already very quiet and it's going to get worse. The government said it will help small businesses but who knows how that's going to work.'

Cheesemonger Matthew Cookson added: 'The government has said people can still go out to buy food so let's hope they keep coming.

'There's only me and two cheesemakers so there's not a complicated supply chain. There is every reason why we will survive.'

Sara Farahat, general manager of the Prince of Teck pub in Earls Court, West London, stood behind the bar pulling a half pint of Guinness for herself today as two customers sat in a corner on what is usually one of the busiest days of the year.

She told MailOnline: 'It's St Patrick's Day and just look around, there's nobody in here; that tells you the state of our business at the moment. On average it's down by at least 50 per cent not more. People are not coming out because they're scared and who can blame them?

'We're also a very popular pub with football fans and because all games have been cancelled, we've lost that custom as well. This situation is a disaster and it's only going to get worse. I'm not going to shut unless there's a mandatory closure, which I hope happens because at least that way we could claim it on insurance.'

Ms Farahat, 26, added: 'At the moment the entire hospitality industry has been hung out to dry by the government. Advising people not to go out to eat or drink but then not to help us is a terrible thing to do.'

Addressing the nation at 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: 'Taken together, on top of the unlimited lending capacity I have already announced, this is a package of tax cuts and grants, in this financial year, worth more than 20billion.'

The lockdown announced by Boris Johnson last night has sparked panic among businesses and fears millions could be made unemployed, while the self-employed and those in the 'gig' economy could also struggle to work.

Venue owners have vented fury at the PM for not formally ordering them to close, saying that means they cannot claim on insurance.

However Mr Sunak sought to allay that fear, saying: 'Following the changed medical advice yesterday, there are concerns about the impact on pubs, clubs, theatres and other hospitality, leisure and retail venues.

'Let me confirm that, for those businesses which do have a policy that covers pandemics, the government's action is sufficient and will allow businesses to make an insurance claim against their policy.'

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, said that it was likely the Chancellor would have to 'come back with more'.

'The biggest injection will come through guaranteed loans to businesses,;' he said.

'These will be welcome. It is worth noting though that as loans that need to be paid back, the long term value and viability of businesses taking up the loans will be reduced.

'This could still leave some which would otherwise have been viable for the long run no longer viable without refinancing.

'The long run costs of these loans for the public finances is highly uncertain.'

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Government measures to support the economy through the coronavirus outbreak did not go far enough.

'People are being laid off today and losing their incomes. We are disappointed that this package does not address their concerns,' he said.

'The further announcements laid out by the Chancellor lack the certainty required amidst growing public anxiety, and still do not go far enough in protecting workers, renters and those who are losing their jobs, or in fully supporting businesses at the scale necessary.

'In particular, the Chancellor's claim that new forms of employment support will be developed does not appreciate the urgency and gravity of the situation.

Even though many trains were quieter than usual this morning, the Central Line on the London Underground appeared as busy as ever

'Workers and businesses need to know now that they will be supported, not in a few days' time.'

The huge intervention comes after the US put forward its own $850billion plan to weather the storm ravaging the globe. offering to delay tax bills, bolster sick pay and supply emergency food.

Every American could also be handed a $1,000 cheque to help keep the economy moving.

Yesterday, the PM warned that the coronavirus was now in a phase of rapid spread across the UK, with London seeing a particular surge, and it was time to take radical action to stop the NHS being swamped.

But unlike New York - where all bars and restaurants have been compelled to close by 8pm local time tonight - Mr Johnson said he would rely on businesses and Britons to follow guidance.

The PM told a Downing Street press conference: 'If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities.

'If that is not possible, you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.'

'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and stop all non-essential travel. We need people to start working from home where they possible can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.'

At the Eastern Star Chinese takeaway in Earls Court, owner Goh Han revealed that business had actually picked up following the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in China.

A largely empty carriage on a commuter train between Maidenhead and London's Paddington Station this morning

He said: 'At first, we were very badly hit, and business was down by around 90 per cent. We are still struggling but I'd say we were down by about 50 per cent now.

'Chinese food as a whole has been very badly hit but it's all down to ignorance. China is more than 5,000 miles away, we only use locally sourced ingredients so what happens in that country has got nothing to do with us.'

Mr Han, 60 added: 'If the government wants a lockdown then they should do it properly because that way, at least we could get some financial assistance from our insurance. At the moment, there is only scare mongering and conflicting advice and that's not helping us.'

Across the capital in Ealing, West London, Anna Ka, who runs the Sowo Cafe had already contacted her insurance company about business interruption payments because of the devastating impact coronavirus has had on her Polish eatery.

Ms Ka, 35, estimates that the number of customers has fallen by 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

She said: 'The insurance company told me that I would not be entitled to anything because the government has not enforced a compulsory closure and also because coronavirus is not on their official list of viruses covered by our insurance.

'The way we are being treated is disgraceful; the government has to do something. I employ 40 staff, we still have to pay them, maintain overheads and remain open. Our livelihoods are at stake and we are not being given the necessary help. It would be better for the entire hospitality industry if we were forced to close.'

For one savvy businessman however, coronavirus has been an unexpected marketing opportunity.

Aish Al Shokairy, who runs a vegan fast food kiosk in Ealing, West London, has been proclaiming to customers that the best way to boost their immune system to help fight off coronavirus is to sample his fare.

Mr Al Shokairy said: 'As people walk by, I tell them about the benefits of vegan food because it's the best thing you can eat at the moment if you want to protect yourself. Business is down but not that badly for me because I think people are looking for all kinds of ways to protect themselves from coronavirus.

A sparsely-filled carriage on an Underground train in west London this morning, after workers were advised not to come into their offices

'We are in an awful situation, people are scared, and the government could be doing a lot more; that includes helping financially and promoting vegan food.'

In a special plea to the capital, Mr Johnson said people there were at the highest risk. 'It looks as though London is now a few weeks ahead... it's important that Londoners now pay special attention to what we are saying about avoiding all non-essential contact.'

The move came after ministers were warned the death toll from the virus could hit 260,000 unless dramatic measures were taken immediately.

But some businesses reacted angrily today and said that only being advised to close rather than being forced would mean they could not claim insurance.

Nik Antona, from the Campaign for Real Ale, said: 'The lack of decisive instruction from the Government leaves pubs in a limbo where customers will abandon them, but they'll be unable to claim insurance or other support to help them survive.

'The Government has not defined how long people should stay away from pubs, but be in no doubt, within a short time many pubs and breweries will close and never reopen to serve their communities.'

Another industry source told MailOnline many insurance companies were already refusing to pay out to pubs, shops and cafes forced to close on the Continent and even if they did the money could come too late to avert mass closures.

However, industry group UK Hospitality said most insurance policies would not cover forced closure anyway.

'A lot of businesses cannot claim anyway as some insurance providers are classing it a force majeure,' a spokesman said.

Commuters on a London train - one wearing a mask - go about their daily business this morning amid calls to stay at home

'The minority that do have cover will have too long to wait for any pay-out. By the time businesses see their money it could be weeks too late.

'Even if the Government changes its position and forces venues to close, businesses could be long gone by the time claims are sorted. We need immediate help to make sure venues don't go under. The Government must start subsiding wages, otherwise there will be widespread job losses.'

One dentist also contacted MailOnline to complain about the lack of advice coming from government for their sector.

'There is lots of information and guidance for doctors but none of any substance for dentists,' she said.

'We are at the highest risk of all healthcare professionals to catch the virus due tour working in such close proximity to patients.

'We are expected dot be open as usual but cannot buy any protective kit and have not received a promised pack from the NHS. There are a lot of anxious dental staff in UK at the moment.'

Businessmen, accountants and engineers were among the few passengers arriving at Waterloo station this morning in what is usually the rush hour.

Craft beer bar owner says PM has 'thrown small businesses under the bus' By KIRK SADLER, co-owner of Tilt, a bar in Birmingham serving craft beers Kirk Sadler, 34, of Birmingham, is the co-owner of Tilt, a bar serving craft beers We've been going four-and-a-half years. We've seen it progressively slow down over the last three to four weeks. Boris Johnson has thrown small business owners under the bus due to what he said last night. We can't claim on our insurance as he refuses to close down businesses. We can't pay the bills. By the end of this month, I'm due to pay Birmingham City Council 6,500 in rent and service charges. Unless they step up and give us some relief we are struggling. It wouldn't even save us. We are based on turnover. It's always evolving and rolling. We can't continue much longer. You need the money through the door week by week to pay the following week. If you don't have that you have to make a hard decision. We've been advised to close on Monday unless we have a good weekend or Johnson gets a backbone. Me and my staff will have to take unpaid leave. Yesterday it was dead. Monday's we usually take 700, but yesterday we struggled to get past 150. We had one person past 5pm yesterday. Tilt is a bar serving craft beers in Birmingham (file picture) I commute from Tamworth. The train usually is standing room, but there were only six people there today. I would say 99 per cent of our trade is workers. If they can't get into work, we have no customers. The weekends are done as well and families are self-isolating. If I get it I get it. I can't afford to close. I have to carry on. I have to try and keep it going. I feel angry at Boris Johnson. He needs to step up as other countries have. He only cares about the elite and wealthy. Until he says, 'don't trade' we are stuffed. We don't have people through the doors. At the end of the day, having nice beer or coffee is going to be the least of peoples worries. You can't blame them. We have to self preserve. Advertisement

They told how they would pick up laptops and attend meetings to coordinate working from home.

While key workers explained why they had to come into town.

Businessman Ivan Bell, 56, from Hastings, told MailOnline: 'I run a packaging design company and I've come in to organize how we are going to work from home.

'I have offices in London, New York and San Francisco.

'We have already shut the office down in California and today I will be shutting down the offices in London and New York.'

Accountant Sharon Da Costa, 50, from north London, told MailOnline: 'Today is my last day. Half of the office is already working from home and I'm just getting everything I need so I can do the same.'

Public Relations worker Emma Smith added: 'I've come in for a meeting to work out how we are going to work from home.'

Marketing Executive Helen Jones, 51, from Staines, said: 'This is my last day. I'm collecting my laptop so that I can work from home.

'Some of us left the office before the government announcement urging people to stay at home last night.'

Structural engineer Richard Whitehead, 48, from Fleet, Hants, said: 'We are working at the moment but I'm sure everything will soon grind to a halt.

'We are already having meetings by conference call so that people can work from home.'

Hannah Milbourn, 23, from Public Health England, explained: 'I can't work from home. I'm part of the team who is organizing the response to the Coronavirus and issues the guidance on how best to tackle. It.'

A university lecturer told how he was obliged to come to work until the institution closed down.

He added: 'As long as the students are coming I will be coming to work. We will put all lecturers online from tomorrow. But if the students are there I should be as well.'

University pay-roll manager Jenny Fitzgerald added: 'I'm the person who makes sure everyone gets paid. So I have to come in.'

Cases of the coronavirus across the UK have now risen to 1,543, with 55 deaths, but there is likely to be many more as tests are being carried out on patients in hospital.

In France, shops, restaurants and all 'non-indispensable' businesses have been forced to shut.

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed last night in a television address that 'no business will go bust' because of social distancing rules in the country.

He told the French people they would have to stay home unless they were shopping for food or going to a pharmacy, going to absolutely essential work, or exercising alone.

In Germany, they announced bars, clubs, and museums will be closed to slow the spread.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell tweeted: 'We need unequivocal statement from Chancellor today that people's incomes will be protected businesses will be fully supported to prevent any going out of business as result of the virus, and it has to be on a scale sufficient to meet this crisis. No small measures. Get it right.'

Are you a business owner who is worried about the shutdown? Contact rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk
Gandhinagar, March 17 : With most Congress MLAs missing Gujarat Assembly's Budget session to stay put in Jaipur owing to fears of horse-trading, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Tuesday urged Speaker Rajendra Trivedi to get these lawmakers screened when they arrive here for Rajya Sabha voting on March 26.

His BJP colleague and Surat MLA Purnesh Modi demanded that on return, these lawmakers should be quarantined for 14 days and even barred from the Rajya Sabha voting.

The opposition Congress in Gujarat has shifted most of its legislators to neighbouring Rajasthan, where the party is in power. The party has let only a handful of its legislators to remain present in the ongoing Budget session. Even they too were absent on Tuesday, a day after staging a walkout.

Even in the absence of Congress members, the House discussed proposals from the urban development and general administration departments.

The Deputy Chief Minister said in the House: "We have brought back people from affected countries like China, Japan, and Iran etc. But they (Congress MLAs) have gone from a safe place to an affected area. The Rajasthan government will be responsible if anything happens to them. Now that they have gone, we will have to get them tested on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border on their return." "It is my responsibility to maintain their good health," added Patel.

He then urged the Speaker to get these Congress MLAs tested when they arrive in Gujarat Assembly for the Rajya Sabha voting.

During the discussion, Purnesh Modi said: "Despite no coronavirus positive case in Gujarat, Congress MLAs have left for Jaipur, where positive cases have been reported. If they get infected, how will they return for the Rajya Sabha elections? "Congress MLAs returning to Gujarat from coronavirus-affected areas of Rajasthan should be quarantined for 14 days. If they violate these guidelines and arrive directly in the Gujarat Assembly on March 26, who will be responsible?" The BJP legislator demanded that these Assembly members be barred from participating in the Rajya Sabha elections.
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration says individuals and businesses will be allowed to delay paying their 2019 tax bills for 90 days past the usual April 15 deadline. The extension announced Tuesday is an effort to inject up to $300 billion into the economy at a time when the coronavirus appears on the verge of causing a recession.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said individuals will be able to delay paying up to $1 million in payments. Corporations will be able to defer payment on up to $10 million.

Taxpayers will still have to file their tax returns by the April 15 deadline. But they wont have to pay their tax bill for 90 additional days. During that time, individuals and corporations will not be subject to interest or penalty payments.

All you have to do is file your taxes, Mnuchin said.

The Treasury secretary said President Donald Trump had approved the final details of the program, including its expansion to include the potential of allowing taxpayers to keep $300 billion in the economy for now. Last week, Mnuchin had estimated that deferred payments would amount to $200 billion.

Mnuchin had said the delay would apply to all but the super rich but did not spell out how the payment delay will work. The IRS has yet to release specific guidelines for the program.

The IRS is using authority under Trumps national emergency declaration to take the step of approving the 90-day payment delay. Mnuchin encouraged taxpayers to keep filing their returns because many of them will be receiving refunds that they will be able to use to pay bills during the economic downturn.

As of Feb. 21, the IRS had issued more than37.4 million refunds averaging $3,125.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Analytics, said that the tax delay program was only a stop-gap program but that it should help cushion the economy during a period of severe stress.

Individuals and small businesses need cash right now, Zandi said. Anything that delays them having to send a check to the IRS will allow them to pay for their groceries and make mortgage payments and pay other bills.

Under normal filing procedures, taxpayers must pay their obligations by April 15, although they can get a six-month extension to file the full return.

Mnuchin, who spoke to reporters at the White House, said that as part of a stimulus plan being negotiated with Congress, the administration is considering ways to send checks to Americans to help alleviate the impact of job losses from layoffs at restaurants and the tourism industry.

Americans need cash now, and the president wants to give cash now and I mean now in the next two weeks, Mnuchin said.

___

AP White House reporter Darlene Superville and AP Business Writer Sarah Sell contributed to this report.
Regulatory News:

CARMAT (Paris:ALCAR) (FR0010907956, ALCAR), the designer and developer of the world's most advanced total artificial heart, aiming to provide a therapeutic alternative for people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, notifies its shareholders and the financial community as a whole of the procedures for participating in and voting at its Annual Shareholders' Meeting within the context of the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic.

Following the measures announced by the French government aimed at minimizing the impact of the epidemic, the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of CARMAT, initially due to take place at the Business Center Edouard VII in the 9th arrondissement of Paris at 10 am on Monday March 30, 2020, can no longer take place in person.

This Shareholders' Meeting will therefore now be held as a web conference at the same time, 10 am on March 30 (only in French). You will receive a link to log in to the conference via a separate release as soon as possible.

You will be able to follow the management presentation thanks to this web conference and ask any questions you may have via the web platform during the Q&A session, but online voting will not be possible during this conference.

Therefore, if you are a CARMAT shareholder and wish to vote on the resolutions, you are invited to:

either send a proxy to the Company

or vote by correspondence

by using the voting form available on the CARMAT website, in accordance with the terms indicated in the Notice of Meeting published in the BALO official journal on February 24, 2020.

We apologize for these changes, which are due to factors beyond our control.

All the documents pertaining to this Shareholders' Meeting are available on request from the Company, and can also be found on its website: go to Investors Documentation Regulated Information and choose Shareholders' Meeting.

About CARMAT: the world's most advanced total artificial heart project

A credible response to end-stage heart failure: CARMAT aims to eventually provide a response to a major public health issue associated with heart disease, the world's leading cause of death: chronic and acute heart failure. By pursuing the development of its total artificial heart, composed of the implantable bioprosthesis and its portable external power supply system to which it is connected, CARMAT intends to overcome the well-known shortfall in heart transplants for the tens of thousands of people suffering from irreversible end-stage heart failure, the most seriously affected of the 20 million patients with this progressive disease in Europe and the United States.

The result of combining two types of unique expertise: the medical expertise of Professor Carpentier, known throughout the world for inventing Carpentier-Edwards heart valves, which are the most used in the world, and the technological expertise of Airbus Group, world aerospace leader.

The first physiological artificial heart: given its size, the use of highly biocompatible materials, its unique self-regulation system and its pulsatile nature, the CARMAT total artificial heart could, assuming the clinical trials are successful, potentially save the lives of thousands of patients each year with no risk of rejection and with a good quality of life.

A project leader acknowledged at a European level: with the backing of the European Commission, CARMAT has been granted the largest subsidy ever given to an SME by Bpifrance; a total of 33 million.

Strongly committed, prestigious founders and shareholders: Matra Defense SAS (subsidiary of the Airbus Group), Professor Alain Carpentier, the Centre Chirurgical Marie Lannelongue, Truffle Capital, a leading European venture capital firm, ALIAD (Air Liquide's venture capital investor), CorNovum (an investment holding company held 50-50 by Bpifrance and the French State), the family offices of Pierre Bastid (Lohas), of Dr. Antonino Ligresti (Sante Holdings S.R.L.), of the Gaspard family (Corely Belgium SPRL and Bratya SPRL) and of M. Pierre-Edouard Sterin (BAD 21 SPRL), Groupe Therabel as well as the thousands of institutional and individual shareholders who have placed their trust in CARMAT.

For more information: www.carmatsa.com

Name: CARMAT

ISIN code: FR0010907956

Ticker: ALCAR

DISCLAIMER

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to, shares in CARMAT ("the Company") in any country. This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to the Company's objectives. Such forward-looking statements are based solely on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company's management and involve risk and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, whether the Company will be successful in implementing its strategies, whether there will be continued growth in the relevant market and demand for the Company's products, new products or technological developments introduced by competitors, and risks associated with managing growth. The Company's objectives as mentioned in this press release may not be achieved for any of these reasons or due to other risks and uncertainties.

No guarantee can be given as to any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements, which are subject to inherent risks, including those described in the Universal registration document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers on March 13, 2020 under number D.20-0126 as well as changes in economic conditions, the financial markets or the markets in which CARMAT operates. In particular, no guarantee can be given concerning the Company's ability to finalize the development, validation and industrialization of the prosthesis and the equipment required for its use, to manufacture the prostheses, satisfy the requirements of the ANSM, enroll patients, obtain satisfactory clinical results, perform the clinical trials and tests required for CE marking and to obtain the CE mark. CARMAT products are currently exclusively used within the framework of clinical trials.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005622/en/

Contacts:

CARMAT

Stephane Piat

Chief Executive Officer

Pascale d'Arbonneau

Chief Financial Officer

Tel.: +33 1 39 45 64 50

contact@carmatsas.com

Alize RP

Press Relations

Caroline Carmagnol

Tel.: +33 6 64 18 99 59

carmat@alizerp.com

NewCap

Investor Relations Strategic Communication

Dusan Oresansky

Alexia Faure

Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94

carmat@newcap.eu
RuPaul and his husband appear to permit fracking on their rural Wyoming ranch, according to comments by the TV star which have provoked the ire of environmental campaigners.

In an NPR interview last week, RuPaul Charles, 59, discussed his Emmy-winning show, RuPauls Drag Race, and the lesser-known side of his business empire, which has contributed to the iconic drag queens estimated $60 million fortune.

Charles and husband, rancher Georges LeBar, 47, live on 60,000 acres stretching across Wyoming and South Dakota.

Thats like a national park, NPR host Terry Gross remarked.

Charles replied: Well, a modern ranch, 21st century ranch, is really land management. It is  you lease the mineral rights to oil companies. And you sell water to oil companies. And then you lease the grazing rights to different ranchers. So its land management. Yeah.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 17, 2020 - 20:56 | All, Coronavirus, Japan

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has decided to suspend operations at its factories in Portugal and France for around two weeks in response to the governments' policies to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The world's second-largest carmaker by sales said the plant in France, which produced 249,000 Yaris compact cars in 2018, will be halted from Wednesday to March 31.

At the Portugal plant, which manufactured around 2,000 Land Cruiser sport utility vehicles, Toyota has suspended operations for two weeks from Monday.

The suspension in Europe comes as Toyota recently brought its four vehicle factories in China back on line after temporary halts due to the China-originated, pneumonia-causing virus.

In China, the world's largest auto market, Toyota saw sales fall 70.1 percent in February from a year earlier.

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Football: JFA chief tests positive for coronavirus
New Delhi With delays in procuring diagnostic and drug raw material from China because of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Wuhan last year, India has turned to Europe for the probes needed for testing for the deadly infection.

India ordered one million probes from Germany, which is expected to reach by Wednesday.For Reverse Transcript-Polymerase Chain Reaction assays  which is the test for Covid-19 -- primers, probes and positive and negative controls are needed.

Primers we are producing indigenously, and theres unlimited supply of it. Positive control is with in in the form of virus sequence and probe we have to procure, said Dr Balram Bhargava, director general, Indian Council of Medical Research.

In preparation for possible community transmission of Covid-19, the ICMR added nine more labs to its lab network to increase the testing capacity from 6,500 to 12,000 tests a day, by the end of the week.

India has a capacity to test 300,000 samples, and it is in the process of procuring one million testing probes from Germany. The government has also placed a request with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for an additional one million probes. All government labs doing tests are given 250 testing kits per day, and the number can be increased if the need arises.

Apart from the 72 ICMR laboratories, 49 government laboratories in government medical colleges, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Defence Research and Development, and Department of Biotechnology will also be authorised to test for Covid-19 samples.

Two lab sites that can do about 1,400 rapid tests in a day in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) will be made functional by the end of this week.

ICMR is engaging with private sector labs to test while ensuring appropriate safeguards. Also, these labs will have to procure the testing material on their own, and the government will only provide the virus sequence. ICMR appeals to them to perform tests at no cost. Many have said they are trying to procure the probes and asked for a week or so, said Dr Bhargava.

ICMR will provide only positive control (virus structure) to the private labs, and they will to procure the rest of the testing material on their own, said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare.

It should be at no cost since they have offered help in the service of nation. The idea is to avoid indiscriminate testing but at the same time not miss people who need to be tested, said Bhargava.

Private labs will test only people referred by a qualified medical professional. They will have to follow ICMRs standard operating procedure that includes notification of all positive cases to their local integrated disease surveillance programme units on a real-time basis.

The ICMR reiterated there was no community transmission yet, and India was still at stage II of the Covid-19 outbreak, meaning localised transmission that was largely travel-related. Some experts have said that inadequate testing means that there is no clear data to show that India is not at the community transmission level, where infection spreads between people who have neither been abroad nor been in contact with people who have tested positive.

We hope that community transmission doesnt happen but it cannot be predicted, so we have to stay prepared. The technical committee that takes a call on the testing criteria has met twice so far, said Bhargava.

Indian drug regulator also approved Roches test for evaluation in India. If the ICMR validates the test, it can be sold in India.

Roche Diagnostics India has been accorded the test licence for cobas SARS CoV-2 diagnostic test by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and allows us to import select quantities of the cobas SARS Cov-2 diagnostic test for product performance evaluation. Following successful completion of the evaluation, a decision from the authorities will enable us to commercialise the kits in India, said Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India Private Limited.

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RAPID CITY, S.D., March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) today announced that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic it has activated its corporate response team to focus efforts on its highest priority, the health and safety of employees, customers, business partners and the communities it serves.

The company also activated its business continuity plan and has taken steps to ensure that Black Hills continues to serve customers the safe, essential energy they need and expect. The continuity plan provides necessary resources to keep operations and facilities safe and secure and support ongoing energy delivery. To date, the company has not experienced any significant impacts on the delivery of energy to its 1.3 million utility customers.

Our highest priority is the safety and health of our employees, customers and communities, said Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp. We are doing our part to minimize the spread of the virus while also providing help to our customers that face hardship from COVID-19.

To support customers that may be impacted from COVID-19, Black Hills is temporarily suspending nonpayment disconnections for its customers. The company is also reminding customers that face financial hardship that there are various assistance options and programs available to help them. Customers can visit www.blackhillsenergy.com for more information.

The company continues to work closely with local health, public safety and government officials to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the impact of service to customers. Some of the actions the company has taken include:

Implement protocols for our field operations personnel to continue to safely and effectively interact with our customers.



Ask all employees to work from home to the extent possible.



Require sick employees to stay home.



Quarantine employees with the COVID-19 virus or if they were traveling to at-risk areas.



Limit travel to mission critical purposes.



Postpone all on-site consultants and large group gatherings.



Encourage all employees to practice social distancing.



Encourage the use of electronic communication whenever possible.



Provide paid leave in situations where either an employee tests positive for COVID-19 or is put under quarantine.

Black Hills will continue to monitor and adjust as necessary to the ongoing pandemic. The company is committed to doing its part to reduce the spread of the virus and taking actions to support the health and safety of it employees, customers and communities.

Black Hills Corporation

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) is a customer-focused, growth-oriented utility company with a tradition of improving life with energy and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, the company serves 1.28 million natural gas and electric utility customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Investor Relations

Jerome E. Nichols

605-721-1171

jerome.nichols@blackhillscorp.com

24-Hour Media Relations Line

888-242-3969
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has rippled across the globe, spanning 155 countries with infections. The virus has touched all continents, except Antarctica, making it a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has now infected more than 196,000 worldwide, while more than 7,800 have succumbed to the viral infection.

One of the most concerning issues since the emergence of the COVID-19, which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been whether those who have recovered from it can contract it again for the second time. Will those who have recovered have the immunity against the deadly virus?

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (purple), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

There are reports of patients testing positive for the coronavirus for a second time around in South Korea, China, and Japan. These countries were the first to experience the wrath of the novel coronavirus.

China was the epicenter of the outbreak since January since it is where the virus originated. It virus was first reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, when several patients manifested pneumonia-like illnesses. Most of the cases were linked to a seafood market in the city, where wild animal trade was common.

Reinfection reports

China, Japan, and South Korea have reported patients who tested positive twice with the coronavirus, sparking concern of its potential spread even if people have already recovered.

In China, the origin of the virus, there had been more than 100 cases of patients who were discharged and recovered, but then tested positive again for the second time. In one case, a man in China had died due to COVID-19 after he was discharged from the hospital. Particularly in Guangdong province, health authorities reported 14 percent of people who recovered in the area had reinfection.

Japan also reported reinfection in a patient who has recovered from the novel coronavirus disease. Japanese health officials said a woman who was declared virus-free had tested positive again. Now, scientists are left baffled about these cases.

Professor Mark Harris, a virology expert at Leeds University, said that reinfection is unlikely, but there is some evidence from previous studies for persistent infections of animal coronaviruses.

Sir Patrick Wallace, the UK governments chief scientific adviser, and Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical adviser, reassured the public that those who had the infection would develop some immunity, and it is a rare occurrence that a person can contract the infection again.

Health experts believe positive retests are more likely to be errors in testing, rather than reinfection. Further, some experts agree that reinfection is an unlikely explanation for patients who gets a positive result a second time. They note that testing error could be the culprit, or doctors have released the patients too early, making them positive during a retest.

Shed high levels of coronavirus

People who are infected and harbor the virus shed high levels of the pathogen, but most are likely not infectious once recovery begins.

A new study in Germany cites that early on in the infection of patients, they emit high levels of the coronavirus, which helps explain its rapid and efficient way of spread across the globe. Many countries experience the vast spread of the virus, where most are through local transmission. Each day, thousands of new cases are being reported in Europe, the new epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The study, published on a preprint server, which is not yet peer-reviewed by health experts, sheds light on how virulent the virus is, infection thousands of people. So far, the virus has infected 196,640 people and killed 7,894 patients.

The study found that people with mild infections can still get positive results by throat swabs for days and even weeks after their illness. Those who are only mildly sick are likely not infectious by approximately ten days after the onset of symptoms.

This is a very important contribution to understanding both the natural history of Covid-19 clinical disease as well as the public health implications of viral shedding, Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, said.
More than 1,700 people are stranded on a cruise and a cargo ship off the coast of South Africa's Cape Town over fears that some of them are infected with coronavirus, the ports authority have said.

Transnet, South Africa's maritime authority, on Tuesday said it "held off port limits" two ships after a crew member onboard one of the vessels "began to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19".

The crew member had been on a flight from Istanbul, Turkey on March 9, with six other people who went onto board cruise liner AIDAmira that sailed to neighbouring Namibia.

"This is the first suspected case of COVID-19 in a South African sea port," said Transnet.

The crew member flew into South Africa from Turkey and boarded a cargo ship, the MV Corona, on March 11 in Cape Town.

However, he quickly developed symptoms associated with coronavirus and the freighter on which he was working as a crew member returned to Cape Town on March 16.

He has been placed in isolation onboard the cargo vessel MV Corona, along with another crew member he was with on the flight from Turkey.

Authorities later established that six other persons who flew on the same flight from Turkey had boarded a German luxury liner, MV AIDAmira, in Cape Town for a cruise to Namibia.

The six passengers are currently asymptomatic and none of the passengers or crew members on the cruise ship have shown any symptoms.

The cruise-liner spokesman confirmed to AFP that "six guests with possible contact are being checked." "We have arranged flights accordingly in order to bring all our about 1,300 guests home quickly...(but) we are lacking clearance from the local authorities," he said.

The cruise liner left Cape Town on March 10 and visited L?deritz and Walvis Bay in Namibia before returning to Cape Town on Monday.

Last month, the cruise ship Diamond Princess was quarantined off the coast of Japan when some passengers tested positive for COVID-19.

South Africa has so far recorded 62 positive cases, most of them imported from Europe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A federal high court in Abuja has ordered Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, to produce for prosecution, the army officers who allege...





A federal high court in Abuja has ordered Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, to produce for prosecution, the army officers who allegedly facilitated the escape of Hamisu Bala, a suspected kidnap kingpin better known as Wadume.





Binta Nyako, a judge, gave the order following an application filed by the police in the case involving the attack on some of their men on August 6, 2019 in Taraba state.





The police charged Wadume with 16 counts of terrorism, murder and kidnapping after officers from the intelligence response team of the inspector-general of police had him over his involvement in kidnappings.





However, some soldiers attached to battalion 93, Takum, led by Tijani Balarabe, an army captain, were said to have set Wadume free and subsequently killed some of the officers who arrested him.





Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured.





But Simon Lough, prosecution counsel, told the court that the Nigerian Army had refused to release the suspected officers for prosecution despite a request by the police who is prosecuting them.





2015, gives the court powers to compel any suspect who is standing trial to appear in court. While urging the court to grant the order for their release, the police counsel said section 87 and 159 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA),2015, gives the court powers to compel any suspect who is standing trial to appear in court.





He asked that the 2nd  11th defendants be released to face trial.





Wadume and some other suspects were brought to court for arraignment. However, the defendants could not take their plea due to the absence of the officers whose names are joined in the charge sheet.





Apart from Tijjani Balarabe, other officers are David Isaiah, a staff sergeant; Ibrahim Mohammed, a sergeant; Bartholomew Obanye, a corporal; Mohammed Nura, a private; Okorozie Gideon, a lance corporal; Markus Michael and Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra, both lance corporals; Abdullahi Adamu, a staff sergeant and Ebele Emmanuel, a staff sergeant.




As Americans nationwide confront the measures necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19, the pleasure products industry is taking its own precautions.

In a matter of the past few days, many manufacturers have banned travel for salespeople, and some adult retailers are temporarily closing their doors and/or limiting their hours.

While social distancing and self-quarantining measures will be in place for the next several weeks at least, what longer-term effect the pandemic will have on makers of pleasure products is still uncertain.

Long before Americans began sheltering in place, COVID-19 crippled China. In an effort to control the fast-spreading coronavirus in its early days, Chinese authorities ordered the closure of factories throughout the mainland, including those that manufacture parts and pieces of pleasure products. While it took more than a month, as the spread of the virus slowed, factories slowly began to reopen, but the shutdown of one of the largest economies in the world paralyzed global supply chains, which in turn affected various industries worldwide.

The factory closures spurred mega-corporations such as Apple and Hasbro to announce delays and possibly even shortages of new iPhones and Baby Yoda dolls. And the disruption also affected the pleasure products industry.

From simple travel delaysmany in the industry traditionally visit Chinese factories and suppliers in February each yearto concerns about shortages in the future, theres no denying the pandemic has had an impact on individuals and companies.

My flight on [American Airlines] has been pushed three times, Dean Elliott, founder and CEO of Sliquid, Ride BodyWorx and Mad Toto, told AVN earlier this month. I was slated to be there [at the end of February]. My flight was pushed until mid-March, then again to early April and now its right after Cinco de Mayo!

Elliott said his plans were to source bondage items for some home party clients, and noted the factory had only partially reopened by Feb. 24, and hoped its employees would return from mandatory lockdown in their home cities by the end of the month.

Many have been stuck there from the Chinese New Year holiday nearly a month ago, he said.

Each year, many in China travel to spend time with family during the Lunar New Year. This year, the holiday fell on Feb. 25, which coincided with the initial spread of the coronavirus. Factory closures and travel restrictions combined with quarantines to keep people inside.

According to a report in Forbes magazine, by the end of February and start of March, government officials in China were pledging tax cuts and other aid in an effort to encourage factories to reopen. According to IndustryWeek, several Chinese provinces began relaxing regulations to allow factories to reopen. Many did, but with much lower staffing levels, which made them still unable to meet productions schedules and demands. And that could translate into problems for the pleasure products industry.

The amount of units of any product will be limited, and more than likely a bit more expensive to produce, Elliott said. Lower MOQ [minimum order quantities] equals higher prices, because these factories need to make enough to keep their doors open. Couple that with Trumps Chinese trade war tariffs and voila, your $50 vibe is now selling for $60.

Elliott and his companies are not alone in being affected by the situation, and many are preparing for possible problems down the road.

Casey Murphy, of sibling companies Rock Candy Toys and Bedroom Products, said their production schedule did experience a brief delay because of a factory closure, but is now back on schedule.

This would have a larger detrimental impact on us if we hadn't been ahead of the production schedule curve, or if we had a factory visit to China scheduled, Murphy said. Luckily any travel restrictions will not affect our current production; we are thankful for that!

Andy Greenpresident of Xgen Products, a distributor that also owns several brands, including Bodywand, Zolo and The Rabbit Companysaid while he does not often travel to China, he is keeping an eye on the situation.

There are a few delays in restarting after Chinese New Year pertaining to corona. First, not all of the workers have come back as of yet. Due to transportation regulations and testing it is taking a little bit longer than usual, he said. Secondly, the government is making every factory get approved before they start back up into production. The issue here will be the delay in having officials come to each and every place to sign off that they are good to go.

That being said, we probably keep more safety stock than most, Green continued. I have about six to seven months of stock here, while others that I know of run at three months. Our fill rate hovers around 92 percent to 95 percent on any given day, and we have not seen any fall off from that yet. We will be good for another few months with zero interruptions. If this gets drawn out past that we may start to see some outages, but so would everyone else at that point. And not just in our industrythat would be everything. Then it could get really scary, but lets hope it doesnt get to that breaking point.

Even as factories reopen in China, theres no guarantee they will all remain open. The IndustryWeek report noted various agencies from the Chinese government are sending representative to conduct spot checks, including checking body temperatures of employees, disinfecting factories and ensuring employees sit at least 1 meter away from one another during lunch.

If a factory is forced to close down a second time, it could be enough to run small operations out of business completely, the story warned.

What lies ahead for other manufacturers in our industry and outside is unknown, and there could be an even bigger fallout than we have yet to see, said Murphy of Rock Candy Toys and Bedroom Products. Now is the time to take action instead of when it's too late; exploring alternative manufacturing solutionsi.e., outsourcing in Mexico, for example. I imagine its going to get worse before it gets better, and time is of the essence. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, as far as the domino effect that trickles down to the consumer: product pricing, etc. Retailers may see product that has been sitting on a shelf for quite some time fly off the shelf depending on supply and demand if best-selling manufacturers start to disappear.

Photo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Not even a first-over journey could derail P L Jills winning streak, as she survived the tough trip to capture Mondays $36,000 Preferred Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Mario Baillargeon got away third in the early going with P L Jill, who was sent off as the even-money favourite in the eight-horse affair. Big Rich powered to the lead and led the field through first-half fractions of :27.4 and :56.3.

P L Jill came first over heading towards the final turn, and she was almost on even terms with Big Rich at the three-quarter pole in 1:25.1. P L Jill used a :28.1 closing panel to draw clear in the lane, however, and she marched home to win by two lengths over Big Rich in 1:53.3. R First Class, a stablemate to the winner, was third.

Ben Baillargeon trains the seven-year-old daughter of Kadabra-Fridays Gem for owner/breeder Prince Lee Acres and co-owners Jill Coleman and Alan Christensen. The victory improved her 2020 record to 5-1-1 from nine attempts. The 29-time winner saw her bankroll climb to $631,693 with the win.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results  Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Spring is on its way and new plants will soon pop from the ground. As you can surmise from that comment, we both live in a cold weather state. Michigan is our home and the winters can be brutal. Spring is also synonymous with a rebirth of sorts. Government technology professionals are also finding themselves in a time of rebirth, but this rebirth is focused on the bits and the bytes. And while governments struggle with many infrastructure modernization efforts from roads, to bridges, to underground pipes, aging technical infrastructure and applications must be added to the list.If governments are struggling to fund necessary physical improvements, how are they going to find the funds to rejuvenate back-end improvements like technology? They must prepare a strong business case that can be communicated to multiple stakeholders. The assumption here is that you must make something very complicated, very simple. This assumption is correct to a point, depending on who is sitting across the table from you. We both hail from southeast Michigan, which is the home of the domestic auto industry. So buckle up: here comes a car analogy.You have mustered up the ability to buy a brand-new car  we just love our new cars. Over the years, you perform preventative maintenance and baby your car as much as possible. But, as with any asset, the car ages and the maintenance expenses begin to rise. Eventually, you must decide when that car needs to be replaced. In other words, when does the cost of ownership rise so much that you are better off buying a new car? We have all had this experience whether it is a house, a car or anything we buy. Government is not immune to this. You bought this new innovative technology platform, hardware and software only to watch it age over time. This technology is now a debt that must be paid; in other words, you are now suffering from technical debt.Technical debt is a way of describing older technologies that cost more to maintain, thus creating a debt that cannot be ignored on your financial balance sheet. Technologies were originally put in place to enable government to provide services for their citizens. Over time, governments have seen their funding dwindle, their staffing numbers decline, and the need for services rise. Implementing technologies was the only way to ensure services for the masses could be provided. Those technologies are now old and the bill for replacements can be steep. The good news here is that governments will find ways to get this done.What can governments do? First, they can strategically plan over time to replace aging technologies by smoothing out the timelines and the funding. Capital plans will have to include changing out the old while sacrificing some future new development. This will create wiggle room for the funding of replacements. The shift from owning to consuming technologies also provides an opportunity to lower the technical debt while enhancing capabilities at the same time. The shift to consuming technologies as-a-service will take care of some current needs and many future needs, especially when it comes to replacing infrastructure down the road.The Center for Digital Government's* Digital States and Counties Surveys have an entire section on Connected Infrastructure to help quantify the efforts of governments as they replace aging technologies. Both of these surveys are out and ready for you to complete. We encourage you to use the surveys as a tool to help quantify what needs to be done and help influence your leadership to provide the funding. Dont worry city folks, your survey will come out later this year. The modernization of technology, or managing your technical debt, is high on our priority list and we are sure it is on yours as well. Lets work together to solve the problem.Government Technology's
AUSTIN, Texas  Thousands of asylum seekers crammed in border towns near the Texas-Mexico border awaiting U.S. immigration hearings are at risk of dying from coronavirus because of poor health access and unsafe conditions, advocates say.

In Matamoros, where about 2,000 migrants live in a sprawling outdoor camp where they sleep in tents and share portable bathrooms and sinks, health advocates warned that the coronavirus could spread rampantly. The camp is across the Rio Grande from Brownsville.

Last week, Global Response Management, the nonprofit that operates the only health clinic in the camp, launched plans to erect a two-tent, 20-bed field hospital in the camp to house coronavirus patients if and when the virus arrives, said Helen Perry, the group's executive director.

Coronavirus updates: US fears possible recession; death toll rises; Election Day

"We are very concerned," she said. "You have a vulnerable, displaced community in poor living conditions without access to health care, where food is communal and housing is communal. It's a recipe for explosive infection and transmission."

Migrants in the camp are part of the U.S. government's Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP, program, also known as Remain in Mexico, where asylum seekers to the U.S. are placed in seven Mexican border towns, from Matamoros to Tijuana, to await their court hearings.

Elvia Nunez, 36, fled Honduras with her two teenage daughters after a gunmen killed her husband in front of her family. After crossing the border illegally in south Texas in August, U.S. border officials flew her to San Diego, then sent her to Tijuana, Mexico, under the "Remain in Mexico" policy.

More than 60,000 immigrants have gone through the program since it launched in January 2019. In a recent court filing, a Customs and Border Protection official said about 25,000 migrants are in the program.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review, or EOIR, which oversees the migrants' court hearings, announced Sunday that it was postponing all non-detained immigration hearings through April 10. It's unclear whether migrants waiting in Mexico classify as "detained," but their hearings went on as scheduled Monday.

The unions representing immigration judges, agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and immigration attorneys released a statement Monday calling for the temporary closure of all 68 immigration courts across the U.S. to protect immigration judges, attorneys and the ICE agents overseeing the courts.

Story continues

"Failing to take this action now will exacerbate a once in a century public health crisis," the release read.

Even if EOIR cancels hearings for migrants in Mexico, the agency would struggle to notify the thousands of migrants in the program, many of whom travel frequently between shelters or to other Mexican cities to avoid falling prey to criminal gangs and cartels that operate in the border towns, said Elissa Steglich, co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, who offers legal advice to migrants in the program.

Cubans are pictured waiting outside of the Centro de Attention Integral de Migrantes office to register for their numbers to cross into the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua State, on May 20, 2019.

"How will the courts provide notices?" she said. "There is no feasible way for the courts to notify MPP migrants of postponed hearings."

Taylor Levy, an El Paso-based immigration attorney, spent Monday morning explaining to migrants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, that their court hearings probably will be postponed because of coronavirus concerns. Many of her clients had been waiting months for their hearing and a chance to exit the program that has kept them in some of the most dangerous cities in Mexico.

"It's heartbreaking," she said.

Many of the shelters in Juarez have standing water on the floor, no soap in the bathrooms and muddy courtyards  ideal environments for the coronavirus to take hold, Levy said. About 1,500 migrants are living in shelters around Juarez, she said.

"My biggest concern is that people are going to start dying," Levy said. "The conditions are abysmal here."

At the Matamoros camp, where migrants have been living in squalid, outdoor conditions for months, volunteers have been educating migrants on the virus and installing new outdoor sinks where they can wash their hands.

Cindy Candia said her group, Angry Tias and Abuelas, has been stockpiling boxes of hand sanitizers and bleach for the migrants along with the usual supply of rice and beans. They've postponed any group meetings at the camp and are stressing to everyone the importance of washing their hands.

"We are taking precautions," she said. "Hopefully, nothing happens."

In this Aug. 30, 2019, file photo, migrants, many who were returned to Mexico under the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico," program wait in line to get a meal in an encampment near the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros.

Perry, the health care director, is less optimistic. After a meeting with local Mexican health officials, she learned that Matamoros has only 40 critical-care beds and 10 ventilators for a city of 450,000.

Even if there was greater capacity, the migrants in the camps, most of whom are from Central America, may not have access to them, she said. Since they began operations there in October, Perry and her group of volunteers have sent nearly 100 migrants to local hospitals for ailments ranging from heart attacks to ruptured appendixes. Only one was admitted, and the rest were turned away, she said.

The group, which relies mostly on private donations, has raised about $350,000 of the $500,000 needed to open the field hospital, she said.

About half of the cases they see at the camp are respiratory-related, including pneumonia and influenza, Perry said. There are also currently 60 pregnant women in the camp. A coronavirus outbreak would be devastating and impossible to control, she said.

"Ultimately, theres only so much you can do when 2,500 people are living in a space the size of two football fields," Perry said.

To donate to Global Response Management, click here.

Jervis is an Austin-based correspondent for USA TODAY. Follow him on Twitter at: @MrRJervis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US border could be hit hard by coronavirus as migrants wait in Mexico
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked BJP MPs on Tuesday to spread awareness about the coronavirus and made it clear that the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament will not be curtailed as lawmakers should be seen to be doing their work at a time when the country is staring at a health scare.

In his address at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi made a strong pitch for Parliament to carry out its business as per its schedule and took a swipe at those making calls, including writing letters, for the session to be aborted due to coronavirus, sources said. What will happen if ...
Idris Elba has suggested that he may have caught coronavirus from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie, 44, after the two met shortly before they both tested positive for COVID-19.

The actor, 47, revealed in a video shared to Twitter on Tuesday night that he was exposed to the deadly disease on 4 March, the same day he posed with Sophie at the We Day UK charity event, in Wembley.

Idris said: 'It's hard to say when I got the disease or when I contracted COVID-19, it's hard to say when. I will say that I know I've been exposed to it from March 4.

New video: Idris Elba has suggested that he may have caught coronavirus from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's wife Sophie, 44, after the two met shortly before they both tested positive for COVID-19

'That's when the person that came up positive, that was the time I got in contact with that person.

'So essentially, I could have been positive from March 4, but it's hard to say when I contracted someone with corona, you can contract it at anytime but my known exposure was March 4.'

Idris met Trudeau's wife Sophie, who has also been tested positive for COVID-19, on 4 March at a We Day UK charity event, in Wembley.

Posing for photos together at the event, the pair were in close proximity to each other, as well as other celebrities such as Lewis Hamilton, and attendees.

Interaction: The actor, 47, revealed in a video shared to Twitter on Tuesday night that he was exposed to the deadly disease on 4 March, the same day he posed with Sophie at the We Day UK charity event, in Wembley (pictured on March 4, at We Day UK event)

The actor also added in the video: 'On Friday, last week, I was told that someone I had been in contact with had tested positive.

'I am on location about to start filming. The news breaks that this person, who is also in the public eye, has tested positive.'

Idris then addressed backlash as to why he was tested for COVID-19 after he had 'no symptoms' and 'felt ok'.

He also explained why his wife Sabrina has stayed by his side after fans criticised the model for putting herself at risk of exposure.

Idris said he was on location and about to start filming, he added: 'It was definitely something I had to do as I was about to start filming and be around a lot of people.

Brave: Idris also addressed backlash as to why his wife Sabrina has stayed by his side after fans criticised the model for putting herself at risk of exposure (pictured on Monday's video)

'My job made me test immediately, I had to test anyway, as it meant I was putting a lot of people at risk if I had been exposed. We were lucky to get a test very quickly because of the shortages of the test.

'It was the best thing to do, I was going to be around a lot of people starting this film.'

Idris went on to reveal that wife Sabrina, who has stayed by his side since he was diagnosed, has been tested for coronavirus and is 'nervous' about the results.

The actor also insisted that the model 'wanted to be by my side' and support him throughout the disease diagnosis.

He said: 'Sabrina's good too. Sabrina today finally managed to get a test, and we're thankful for that. Generally, Sabrina's fine. Nervous of course. Worried.

Sensible: Idris, who suffers from asthma, also spoke about how he is feeling good, revealing that he still has no symptoms but is taking his temperature twice-a-day as a precaution

'Just for clarification, Sabrina wanted to be by my side. I love her even more for it and I would do the same for her. When something like this is going on in the world, love is all you can get, who am I to turn down my wife's support?

'We presumed if I had it, she would have it too. As much as I want her to be safe, we calculated that risk and decided to be together. Hope you guys can understand that.

'I love Sabrina for standing by me and being in that video, it was the most important moment for me.'

Idris added that his wife woke up this morning 'a little bit sad' over the backlash, he said: 'Shes doing okay. Were very lucky we managed to get her a test this morning. She woke up this morning a little bit sad as I did.

'Yesterday was a lot for us. My wife isnt used to the public eye as I am and yesterday we were the biggest story in the world. It was weird because people were criticising her for being beside me and that was bananas.'

Inspired: Idris revealed he was inspired to share his coronavirus story after fellow actor Tom Hanks also shared that he tested positive for COVID-19 (pictured with wife Rita, who has also tested positive for the disease)

Idris also spoke about how he is feeling good, revealing that he still has no symptoms but is taking his temperature twice-a-day as a precaution.

Although the star admitted that he is worried as he suffers from asthma, he added: 'I have asthma, so I sort of fit into the high category of most at risk.

'I have a respiratory issue and I have had asthma all my life. Catching corona was definitely not on my bucket list at all but even my asthma is OK.

'Of course I'm worried. I'm worried about having the virus, I'm worried about having asthma and how that could make things really complicated for me really quickly.'

Idris revealed he was inspired to share his coronavirus story after fellow actor Tom Hanks also shared that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Appearance: At the We Day UK charity event, Idris had been at the event to discuss social issues with 12,000 schoolchildren and teachers

At the We Day UK charity event, Idris had been at the event to discuss social issues with 12,000 schoolchildren and teachers, while Sophie has been working alongside the charity.

Taking to Instagram to share a picture of the two of them together, she gushed: 'My heart is full after spending time working with my own family and the WE family. Our message in London: Show yourself love and offer that same love to the world.'

Sophie announced she tested positive for the virus last week and had gone into self quarantine, while Idris revealed on Monday that he had coronavirus.

At the charity event, Idris discussed how to combat rising knife crime, as he said of his own experience growing up in London: 'Happy is my normal. Yes, there was crime. Yes, there was poverty. Yes, there were gangs.

'Some of the people I grew up with, people I saw around the neighbourhood, went down the wrong path, ended up doing the wrong thing.

'I was different. I was lucky, maybe. I wanted different things. I was an only child by immigrant parents from Sierra Leone, West Africa.

'And they worked hard for what they had. This way of life taught me the importance of independence and relying on myself for my own success.'

On stage: Sophie has been working alongside the charity, and discussed this during her appearance at the event (pictured on 4 March at the event)

Idris continued: 'You are all capable of making an impact so speak out about what matters  whether that is fighting against knife crime, global hunger, housing, education, sexism, combating racism.

'We all need to be conscious about the world we live in because it is our responsibility to make things better together.'

This comes after Idris was praised by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation for his 'brave and powerful message' after confirming he has coronavirus.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend the actor for speaking about COVID-19, telling him to 'take care and stay strong'.

Idris revealed on Monday he had been tested positive for coronavirus and that he and his wife Sabrina, 29, have gone into self isolation.

Dr Tedros wrote: 'Take care and stay strong, @idriselba! I admire your brave and powerful message to the world. We're all in this together. Solidarity will beat the #coronavirus. #COVID19.'

Idris said in his video message he 'feels ok' and has no symptoms but has decided to self-isolate following his exposure to COVID-19.

Idris shared the video with the caption: 'This morning I tested positive for Covid 19.

Stay strong: Inspiring: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend Idris' for his bravery for speaking about COVID-19

'I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus.

'Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I'm doing. No panic.'

Idris confirmed at the time that wife Sabrina had not yet been tested but said that she also 'feels ok' at the moment.

The Luther star added he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus, before quarantining himself and getting tested 'immediately'.

He received the news of his results on Monday.

'Look, this is serious,' he continued. 'Now is the time to start thinking about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that there are people out there who aren't showing symptoms, and that can easily spread it.

'So now is the time to be really vigilant about washing your hands, and keeping your distance.'

The pair have also told their families and colleagues. Idris finished the clip by saying 'stay positive and don't freak out'.

Fans were quick to share their best wishes with the star, praising him for using his platform to encourage people to take more precautions.

Actress Ava DuVernay wrote: 'Thank you, @idriselba, for using your platform to educate and inform. No symptoms, but positive.'

But others were quick to point out that his wife Sabrina should have separated herself, as she had not yet been tested for the virus.

Another follower commented: 'If you are positive, and Sabrina has not been tested then why are you anywhere near her?'

The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia.

The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results on Instagram urging the public to 'take care'.

Hanks revealed they had experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.

Before their diagnosis, the couple had visited crowded Australian hotspots including Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House - raising fears that others were infected.

The opera house have been trying to track down 207 people who could have come into contact with the couple at a concert.

And on Sunday night, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko announced she had tested positive for the now-widespread virus.

The 40-year-old, who played Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace, said she was diagnosed after feeling 'ill for almost a week' with fever and fatigue.

She is now facing days in isolation and posted a picture of her locked window on Instagram last night as she revealed she was 'locked up at home'.

The Soviet-born actress added: 'Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms. Take care of yourself and do take this seriously!'

Star fever: Bond girl Olga Kurylenko - who starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (pictured 2008) - has tested positive for coronavirus
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom want to tie the knot. But like a lot of other couples during this time, it is unclear whether they will actually be able to or not. As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, large events are being canceled and President Donald Trump recommended that people not gather in groups larger than 10. So, what does that mean for Perry and Blooms wedding?

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Katy Perry and Orlando Blooms engagement

Bloom proposed to Perry on Valentines Day in 2019.

We went to dinner and I thought we were going to go see some art after dinner, but we pulled up to a helicopter, she said of the proposal on Jimmy Kimmel Live! But it was really sweet.

Actually, the funny part is we had champagne in the helicopter and the box was in his pocket and he had written down everything he wanted to say in a note, she said.

He was going to pull it out while Im reading it, so Im reading it but Im hearing the champagne is like broken, the bottles everywhere. Im still looking at the note but hes pulling out this box thats too big for his coat pocket and it rips his coat pocket and his elbow goes into the champagne.

He did so well.

What was the wedding supposed to be like?

Perry and Bloom had everything for their wedding set to go before the coronavirus outbreak intensified.

It was all set for Japan with 150 guests. Katy was actually really excited about walking down the aisle pregnant, a source close to the couple told People. They were both so elated that all the wedding details were finally coming together, but they are hitting pause because of coronavirus.

Are Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom postponing their wedding?

Bloom and Perry are so excited about the upcoming nuptials that they dont want to reschedule the wedding. Instead, they are looking to change their plans in another way.

Katy doesnt want to postpone her wedding, but its something that is looking more and more likely by the day, a source told HollywoodLife.

Its unfortunate, but shes taking it in stride, another person said. Shes told friends that they might just do something private at home and then have the big celebration in Japan when this all calms down.

Bloom also alluded to the wedding possibly being postponed in an interview with the Times.

But Im not joking when I say that coronavirus might have a play in whether we put things on ice, because were going to be traveling and we dont want anyone to feel uncomfortable, he said.

And because they care the most about having those close to them at the wedding, they will probably postpone it until the country is not in a state of social distancing.

Orlando and I are united with our approach, she recently told Stellar Magazine. Its not about the party. Its about the coming together of people who will hold us accountable when things get really hard. Those are just the facts when youre with someone who challenges you to be your best self.






The College Station school board is expected to name Mike Martindale as the districts new superintendent during a school board meeting Tuesday.

Martindale was named the interim superintendent in January following the resignation of former superintendent Clark Ealy. Martindale, who has served as the districts chief financial officer and deputy superintendent since 2016, was named the lone finalist for the job last month.
on Tuesday defended calling the spreading rapidly across the world the "Chinese Virus" and said that he is pushing back against the false narrative of China that the US military did this.

"Well, China was putting out information which was false that our military did this to them. That was false. And rather than having an argument, I said I had to call it where it came from. It did come from China," the President told reporters at a White House news conference.

"So I think it's a very accurate term. I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody," Trump said.

An hour later, he started his meeting with CEOs of the hotel and tourism industry by using the term "China Virus".

Trump refuted the notion that his using of the phrase created a stigma against the Chinese. "I don't think so. I think saying that our military did to them creates a stigma," he asserted.

During the news conference, Trump said he took the right decision by imposing a travel ban on China.

He replied in the negative when asked about disruption in the supply chain given that many precursors for pharmaceuticals come from China.

"No, I don't see that at all and I think China has every incentive to make sure that things work well. China wants to make sure that things work very well," Trump said.

The said he did not expect China not honouring its trade deal commitment of buying things from the US as a result of the

"Well they need our product very badly... We have a good relationship with China. We have a signed agreement. They're going to be buying and they have been buying a lot of product," he said.

Right now, he said, China has been sending the US everything it needs. "But we are looking at some alternatives," he added.

The US and China have sparred over the origin of the virus for days, with a Chinese official promoting conspiracy theories claiming it was brought to China by the US army and Beijing accusing American officials of stigmatizing an entire nation.

In his original tweet on Monday, Trump described US airlines and other industries being "particularly affected by the Chinese Virus".

On Tuesday, he tweeted that some US states were "being hit hard by the Chinese Virus".

Trump's allies had previously referred to the pandemic as the "Chinese coronavirus", but Beijing said it was "strongly indignant" over the phrase, which it called "a kind of stigmatization".

The US should "immediately stop its unjustified accusations against China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing.

A commentary by the official Xinhua news agency said using "racist and xenophobic names to cast blame for the outbreak on other countries can only reveal politicians' irresponsibility and incompetence which will intensify virus fears."



The war of words reignited diplomatic tensions between the two countries, which have tussled over trade and other disputes since Trump took office.

Trump's comments were also criticized inside the US, with warnings it could incite a backlash against the Asian-American community.

"Our Asian-American communities -- people YOU serve -- are already suffering. They don't need you fuelling more bigotry," tweeted New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose state is one of the hardest-hit by the virus in the country.

The World Health Organization said more cases and deaths had been reported in the rest of the world than in China.

The new was first detected late last year, with China's own health officials initially saying its source was a live animal market in the central city of Wuhan, whose government had initially tried to cover up the outbreak.

But China has sought to distance itself from the virus, saying the origin is still unknown, while seeking global goodwill by offering aid to countries facing serious outbreaks.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a phone call he initiated with top Chinese official Yang Jiechi, voiced anger that Beijing has used official channels "to shift blame for Covid-19 to the US", the State Department said.

Pompeo "stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumours, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat", the department added.

The State Department on Friday summoned Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai to denounce Beijing's promotion of a conspiracy theory that had gained wide attention on social media.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested on Twitter last week that "patient zero" in the global pandemic may have come from the US.

"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.

Pompeo himself has sought to link China to the global pandemic, repeatedly referring to the "Wuhan virus" despite advice from health professionals that such geographic labels can be stigmatizing.

Yang issued a "stern warning to the US that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail", Xinhua said in its summary of the call with Pompeo.

The key Chinese foreign policy leader "noted that some US politicians have frequently slandered China and its anti-epidemic efforts and stigmatized the country, which has enraged the Chinese people", Xinhua said.

Yang called on the US side to "correct its wrongful behaviour".

Trump is under fire over his handling of the pandemic, and his backers have sought to cast the coronavirus as a disease brought by foreigners.

While Covid-19 has largely come under control in China, it has killed more than 7,000 people around the world and severely disrupted daily life in Western countries.
As New Yorks governor put out an all-points bulletin on Monday for unused facilities like college dormitories that can be repurposed as overflow hospital space to treat those afflicted with coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont indicated he has considered the possibility  as well as the idea of requisitioning hotels as broached last week by his California counterpart.

On Saturday, Lamont took an initial step toward expanding the states available supply of medical space, issuing an executive order that relaxes the certificate of need process through which the Connecticut Office of Health Care Access approves new health facilities.

While commentators nationally have eyed the U.S. Army as a possible source of emergency medical facilities with field tents and other equipment, last week California Gov. Gavin Newsom asserted his states right to commandeer hotels for use as quarantine or treatment centers in the event of any further spike in cases.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo floated a similar idea Monday during a conference call.

Speaking in Hartford on Tuesday afternoon, Lamont cited hotels and college dorms as possibilities to accommodate any surge in patients, as well as any units of unused residential real estate as temporary facilities for care.

He added he has discussed the possibility of coordinating with Cuomo to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build medical facilities for any overflow from hospitals.

In addition to a ready supply of rooms offering a measure of isolation for quarantine purposes, many hotels have advantages over dorms for key needs like comfortable beds, lighting and TVs; private bathrooms; lobbies to control access; commercial kitchens that could serve patients and workers; laundry facilities equipped to handle large loads; conference rooms for administrative space; loading bays for trucks making deliveries; and ample parking.

The hotel option would be complicated by the fact that many are independently owned that are flagged under the biggest chains like Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group and Wyndham Worldwide.

But that would also create efficiencies in speeding the consolidation of any remaining bookings at specific locations in order to clear out lodgings in case they are needed.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported Marriott plans to begin placing tens of thousands of workers globally on unpaid furloughs due to plummeting bookings.

Connecticut hospitals had nearly 9,000 beds as of 2018, according to the state Department of Public Health. According to the hospitality market research firm STR, the state entered this year with 370 active, full-service hotels which totaled 39,000 rooms in the aggregate  with many of those rooms having two beds apiece.

March and April are typically among the slowest months of the year for hotel operators in Connecticut, with occupancies picking up in May with the arrival of college graduations and remaining busy into the summer and autumn.

Connecticut hotel occupancies were 58 percent in March 2019, producing room revenue of $79.1 million according to an STR survey of a majority of hoteliers statewide.

Newsom did not state immediately whether he envisions hotel operators getting compensated for the use of their facilities, through insurance or any funds freed up by the state or federal government.

If so, that could help lodgings owners recoup at least some of the revenue they are losing as officials warn people to cease business and leisure travel and ride out the coronavirus crisis at home.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
The novel coronavirus has hit the Today show, forcing Al Roker and others to stay home from the NBC morning show.

Today show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb announced Monday morning that an employee on the programs third hour has tested positive for COVID-19. The Daily Beast reports all members of the third hour, hosted by Seinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer with Roker and Craig Melvin, have been told to work from home for the time being.

Last night, we found out a colleague of ours on the third hour of Today tested positive for coronavirus. Out of an abundance of caution, Craig and Al have taken the day off to trace their contacts, Guthrie said. Both are fine right now. They feel great. But caution is the order of the day.

We learned late last night a colleague on the 3rd hour of TODAY tested positive for COVID-19.



Out of an abundance of caution, Craig and Al are taking the morning off while we map that colleagues close contacts. pic.twitter.com/aVHJpMU1Fj  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 16, 2020

According to the Daily Beast, NBC News president Noah Oppenheim informed staff Sunday that the unnamed employee was receiving medical care for mild symptoms and wished them a speedy recovery. The network is working to identify everyone who had close contact with the individual, and they will be required to self-isolate.

As you know, we have been preparing for this possibility and are taking all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of our teams, which includes multiple deep cleanings of our offices, control room, and Studio 1A, Oppenheim said in a memo.

We want to continue to assure you that your health and safety are our top priority, and remind you that NBCUniversals experienced team of medical professionals and crisis-management experts is in constant communication with authorities, and are continuously assessing the best and safest practices for all of us.

The Today show is broadcasting without a studio audience as the CDC has encouraged social distancing and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has banned large gatherings.

We will get through this, all of us, Roker said in a Facebook video on Saturday. So just hang in there ... and take it one day at a time.
At 1 a.m. on March 14, Armen Abrahamian addressed his fellow Armenians in a video livestream from Echmiadzin, a city that was locked down soon after multiple coronavirus cases were discovered there on March 11. Imagine this was a war -- anyone who sold bullets for profit would be acting unacceptably. Its the same situation with the [coronavirus pandemic]. Its absolutely wrong to make masks and sell them for profit. He then called for help: He needed volunteers, materials, and somewhere to work.

A few days before the video was made, Armen was in the hospital as his wife underwent a medical procedure. He was shocked to see the staff hurrying through the halls without face masks. A nurse told him masks had become virtually impossible to buy amid fears over the spread of the coronavirus.

Armen, who runs a hair salon in Echmiadzin, decided to do something to help. He bought 100 meters of the surgical fabric used to cover hospital beds, as much elastic as he could get, and a sterilizer. Then his family and neighbors began stitching together homemade face masks.

Medical experts say surgical masks without a tight seal on the face such as the ones the Echmiadzin volunteers are producing will do little to protect the wearer from the coronavirus. But the masks -- designed for surgeons to prevent saliva from landing on patients -- do limit the spread of viruses from people already infected. In a pandemic such as the coronavirus, where some patients are known to carry and spread the disease before showing any or only mild symptoms, such masks can help to limit the contagion.

RFE/RL spoke to Armens brother, Khatchatur, who has helped make and distribute the masks to a hospital and stores throughout Echmiadzin. Khatchatur says people cant believe it when they are told the coveted masks are free. As well as delivering them to medical facilities and shops, he has also handed out dozens of masks to traffic police manning the roadblocks around Echmiadzin who he says are on the front line of the crisis as they interact with the public.

Khatchatur, who works as a taxi driver, says most pharmacies in Armenia ran out of face masks days ago, and that some people were selling them for 1,000 Armenian drams ($2) each -- more than 50 times their usual price. He estimates the volunteers have made and handed out around 4,000 masks free of charge in the first four days the operation was running. Since Armens video was released, the team of volunteers has been flooded with offers of help, and there are now some 45 people working on the project. Armen says the team has enough materials and they have been able to move out of his family dining room and into a workshop offered to them. They were also given an extra sewing machine. The only things he says the team still need is another sterilizing machine and more people with the ability to sew.
DANBURY - With their car windows rolled up and their doctors test orders pressed against the glass, residents who suspect they have the coronavirus drove up to a newly opened mobile testing center at Danbury Hospital on Monday.

The drive-thru testing for the respiratory virus known as COVID-19 is Danburys answer to mobile testing sites in coronavirus hotspots such as New Rochelle, N.Y., and testing spots that opened in parking lots last week in Greenwich, Stamford and Stratford.

Were already underway with people driving up to our collection site, said Andrea Rynn, director of public and government relations for Nuvance Health, the network that operates seven hospitals in New York and Connecticut, including Danbury and Norwalk hospitals. We established this mobile collection site to reduce and contain possible exposure across our communities, and at our medical practices.

Danburys site is on hospital grounds and is run by hospital staff, unlike the parking lot testing sites run by Murphy Medical Associates that caused consternation last week among neighboring gold coast merchants, who worried about contracting the coronavirus.

SIGN UP: Get the latest Connecticut coronavirus news delivered directly to your inbox.

In Danbury, only patients whose doctors have ordered a coronavirus test may enter the hospitals drive-thru site, where a healthcare worker swabs the inside of a patients nose to collect a sample, according to the centers protocol.

This was set up by Nuvance and Danbury Hospital in close collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Health, the Danbury Health Department and Danbury-area first responders, Rynn said. We hope to set up additional sites (in the Nuvance network) as resources permit it.

The hospitals drive-thru testing site is the latest change in daily life thats affecting work, school and leisure here and across the globe as leaders try to out-maneuver a highly contagious virus that has not been known to infect people before.

Most people who catch COVID-19 have moderate symptoms. The elderly and people with existing health problems can suffer severe illness and sometimes death. As of Monday, 170,000 people had been infected worldwide, the Associated Press reported. More than 75,000 people have recovered, and 6,500 people have died.

Closer to home, two dozen Connecticut residents have confirmed cases of COVID-19. However, a state epidemiologist said that by the time spring is over, as much as 70 percent of Connecticuts population could be infected.

Danbury Hospitals drive-thru testing center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

People who think they have symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough, fever and shortness of breath may call the COVID-19 Community Hotline at 888-667-9262, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People without symptoms who want to learn more about the pandemic are encouraged to visit the hospitals COVID-19 question-and-answer page, which is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Rynn said the hospital is doing its best to be proactive in an unprecedented public health crisis.

We are monitoring many indicators from around the metropolitan New York area, looking at the number of cases surrounding us to help us understand how this might migrate, while trying to be as nimble as possible to ensure everyones safety and still be able to take care of people with heart attacks and other health needs, Rynn said.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2020 -- Advance Market Analytics released a new market study on Global Modular Kitchen 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 Global Modular Kitchen Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are Bulthaup (Germany), Grandeur (India), Binova (Italy), Godrej Interio (India), BENTWOOD LUXURY KITCHENS (United States), COPENHAGEN JOINERY (Denmark), KUCHE+CUCINA (United States), NOBILIA KITCHENS (Germany), SCHIFFINI (Italy), Hacker Kitchen (Germany), HEATHER HUNGELING DESIGN (United States), Kohler (United States) and Tiara Kitchens (India).



Understand focused approach and business strategies that competitors are keeping to reach target audience, Get one step closer to leaders and high growth emerging players of Modular Kitchen Market. Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/10610-2012-market-2023-global-modular-kitchen



Modular is a word that is very well-used these days. The word 'Modular' means such a layout that can be broken into a different set of 'modules' that can be easily repeated, copied, or set up. A modular kitchen has its own benefit over the traditional kitchens. These types of kitchen increase space management, efficiency, storage, usability and also give the kitchen an artistic view. Modular kitchens are very easy to keep up with, remodel, install, or repurpose. The best part about modular kitchens is that they are designed by the personal needs and requirements, which makes these functions integrated with the layout selected. Hence modular kitchens are a much smarter and efficient option over traditional or conventional kitchens.This growth is primarily driven by Growing awareness about Modular Kitchens and Increase in the spending on commercials regarding practical, manageable, stylish and technical kitchen spaces.



Market Drivers

- Growing awareness about Modular Kitchens

- Increase in the spending on commercials regarding practical, manageable, stylish and technical kitchen spaces



Market Trend

- The Rise in Disposable Income

- Increase in the Trend of Having the Kitchen Space to a Minimum and Also Maintaining Optimum Efficiency



Restraints

- High Costs, High Maintenance, and Delicacy Regarding the Modular Kitchens



Opportunities

The Rapid Expansion of the Construction Sector and Growing Global Smart City Initiatives Attracting Huge Technology Investments



Challenges

The Fluctuating Costs of Raw Materials And Labours and Ventilation, Electric Fixtures and Safety Concerns While Installation of Modular Kitchen



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 the report Bulthaup (Germany), Grandeur (India), Binova (Italy), Godrej Interio (India), BENTWOOD LUXURY KITCHENS (United States), COPENHAGEN JOINERY (Denmark), KUCHE+CUCINA (United States), NOBILIA KITCHENS (Germany), SCHIFFINI (Italy), Hacker Kitchen (Germany), HEATHER HUNGELING DESIGN (United States), Kohler (United States) and Tiara Kitchens (India)"

** 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.



3) Can we get more level of segmentation to meet our market intelligence objective?

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.



Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/10610-2012-market-2023-global-modular-kitchen



To comprehend Global Modular Kitchen market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Global Modular Kitchen 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.



Buy Full Copy Global Modular Kitchen Report 2018 @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=10610



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 Modular Kitchen, by Market Segmentation and Geography (value, volume**) (2013-2018) ------ USD1400

Global Modular Kitchen

Type (Straight Layout, Parallel Layout, L-Shaped Layout, U-Shaped Layout, Peninsula Layout, Island Layout), Application (Commercial, Residential), Material (Plywood, Medium Density Fiber, High-Density Fiber, Marine Ply, Others), Cabinet Type (Base Cabinets, Wall or Overhead Cabinets, Tall Cabinets)

Global Modular Kitchen 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: Global Modular Kitchen - 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: Global Modular Kitchen, 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



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Opinion Article

17 March 2020

We are following a strategy of continuing the conversation with our hotel clients as much as possible to reassure them that we are doing what we can to keep a steady hand on the COVID-19 situation. At a high level this relies on us keeping informed, and these are the steps that we are following:

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Keeping up to date with developments on travel restrictions and lockdowns in each country and the projected timelines for their release through Government foreign travel advisory sites and sites such as IATA to keep track of airline travel restrictions.

Adjusting geo strategies accordingly and proactively advising on how strategies are changing, even with hotels that at present are not seeing a significant drop as of yet.

Keeping a keen eye on future business to evaluate what business is dropping out and keeping track of this to ensure that when the opportunity arises we are ready to put in place strategies to replace that business where possible. This means re-evaluating high level strategies as well as managing tactical demand influences in the immediate future.

Releasing restrictions to allow guests greater flexibility in the event they are obliged to cancel and to support re-bookings, maintain good relations with customers and replace lost business through encouraging any potential future bookings. The timeline on this is difficult to interpret since projections from different governments differ depending upon the extent of the virus spread, so understanding geographical source markets is critical.

Offering alternate dates for prepaid transient leisure is an option, but in many cases guests simply don't know when this will be possible. We are aware that confidence in travelling is likely to be low for some time; my thoughts are that we will be managing the critical impact in Europe through to June/July, for US guests this may be longer, and other regions yet to be affected longer still.

Where group cancellations are received, keeping track of these to ensure that any sales resource available follows up chases for re-booking especially in cases where groups have postponed without yet offering re-book dates.

Where borders are closed off this is anticipated to be (relatively) short-lived, at present most governments are talking weeks, in this case the only recourse is to look for national travel of which there is a limited amount. At the peak of the virus, if there is also a lockdown keeping people in their houses this also affects national business and tourists, most countries are allowing tourists out, but not in, which limits the impact of overstays, and during lockdown, there is limited to no opportunity for business.

We are aware that hotels are struggling with processing the sheer volume of cancellations of prepaid bookings where channels are offering this, and cash flow is going to be an issue particularly where hotels have taken the decision to be lenient on pre-paid restrictions. To overcome this, we are aiming at this time to encourage forward strategies that support positive cash flow for hotels in the future and avoid deep discounting (short and long term) in an attempt to stimulate non-existent demand.

We are also aware that some hotels may be requisitioned as hospitals, and there may be a requirement to support those hotels in taking on out-bookings from existing reservations in those hotels, unlikely but something worth considering.

Overall, we are avoiding potential complacency - simply because there is no travel we don't stop thinking, or believe there is nothing to do. Markets are swiftly changing and it's likely that the same speed will be applied to lifting restrictions as applying them, so again we need to be aware of this so we can continue to observe opportunities to support hotels, and be efficient at changing strategies.

Whilst we are keeping sight of overall revenue objectives for each hotel and evaluating the impact of strategies applied now on the long term, we are also preparing for some significant long-term market corrections in the travel sector. Many companies have taken huge steps to provide business online during this scenario, and its likely that such changes, particularly those that create efficiencies, will be kept on afterwards. This means less travel.

Overall, we aim to keep positive, supportive for our hotels, communicate effectively and consistently and of course, keep calm...
Delhi University said on Monday that teachers had the option of working from home as a precautionary measure to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The move to allow teachers to work from home came a few days after some academic council members wrote to the vice chancellor, urging him to ensure the same.

Last week, the university had announced that classes were suspended till March 31.

The teachers have the option to work from their homes, the DU said. The teachers may use this period to complete their pending research work and publish it. Libraries will also be closed for students until March 31. The members, who had written the earlier letter, welcomed the move, but said it addressed their concerns in a selective way.

The largest number of guest teachers have been appointed in the 2019-20 academic session, they said. The university must not overlook their interests. They demanded that the university must devise a way to protect the salaries of hundreds of guest teachers employed across colleges, departments, among others.

The members also suggested extending the semester session by a fortnight to make up for the teaching time lost due to this temporary cessation of regular classroom teaching.
Human-subject research in the age of coronavirus

Too close!: Some forms of human-person research, such as electroencephalogram (EEG) studies (above), are impossible to conduct while maintaining recommended social-distancing protocols. File photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

The COVID-19 closings will have a substantial effect on human-subjects research at the university.

Jennifer Stevens is an associate professor in William & Marys Department of Psychological Sciences and chairs the universitys Protection of Human Subjects Committee (PHSC). She said she expects a number of changes in human-subjects research.

Honestly, I dont think people have had much of a chance to think about the long-term effects, she said. But for now: All on-campus, in-person lab experiments are suspended until the campus opens up to public use.

The William & Mary campus has been closed to the general public at least through March 22. Further, researchers are to delay face-to-face interaction with research subjects until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Virginia Department of Health relax their recommendations on social distancing.

The new rules are part of revised guidelines for the study of human subjects that were released on March 13 by Cynthia Corbett, manager of research compliance. The new guidelines call for the suspension of all research involving vulnerable populations, a group that includes, but is not limited to pregnant women, prisoners and children.

A wide range of departments at William & Mary conduct research using human subjects. Psychological sciences is a big one, but also government, sociology, anthropology, economics, Stevens said. Kinesiology and health sciences is big as well.

She explained that some human-subject research is survey-oriented and therefore does not involve direct person-to-person contact. But plenty of research at William & Mary requires close human interaction in the lab. Stevens gave the example of neurological studies that use the electroencephalogram (EEG).

"With EEG, a cap is placed tightly onto a person's scalp," she explained. And there are electrodes. Gel goes on the electrodes to make sure theres good contact. We ask people to brush or comb their hair and it can abrade the skin. It makes a good connection, but that's a significant exposure.

Hygiene protocol for EEG experiments is followed rigorously, she pointed out. EEG caps are cleaned and soaked in disinfectant, even when no pandemic is brewing. EEG work and similar experiments are now prohibited. Even if more stringent protocol were adopted, conducting such research requires interpersonal contact at levels far beyond even the most conservative social-distancing COVID-19 guidelines.

Stevens noted that there are a number of courses that incorporate human-subject research. She said the best option is for researchers to consider pivoting to online work, self-studies or diary studies.

Thesis students are probably feeling the most stressed, wondering how to accomplish their research goals, she said. My advice so far has been to focus on the data collection to date.

The new guidelines state that changes in research protocol procedure during the COVID-19 emergency must be approved by the PHSC before implementation. Researchers that are foreseeing significant delays due to COVID-19 should follow PHSC procedure to clone/resubmit for successive-year approval.
Laura Ashley has gone into administration after rescue talks with its lenders were derailed by the coronavirus outbreak.

The fashion and homeware chain, which employs 2,700 people, has been struggling to secure extra funding to stay afloat after US bank Wells Fargo threatened to pull the plug last month.

The virus has had an immediate and significant impact on trading, and ongoing developments indicate that this will be a sustained national situation, Laura Ashley said.

Laura Ashleys Malaysian owner entered talks with Wells Fargo last month to seek a funding lifeline that would allow the struggling retailer to continue trading.

MUI Asia, which owns the majority of Laura Ashleys shares, had said it was discussing arrangements with the bank.

Laura Ashley said sales had jumped 24 per cent in recent weeks but revised cash flow forecasts and increased uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic meant it will not be able to secure the funds it needs in time.

Many retailers had already been in difficulty before the government announced draconian social distancing measures on Monday in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Boris Johnson advised people against visiting pubs, bars, restaurants and similar venues and to avoid non-essential social contact.

The hospitality industry warned of hundreds of thousands of job losses unless the government steps in with financial support to make up for plummeting trade.

Moments after Laura Ashley said it was calling in the administrators, cinema chains announced they would close screens across the UK.

Companies including Cineworld, Odeon and Picturehouse said all screenings from Wednesday 18 March would be cancelled until further notice.

The turmoil engulfing thousands of British businesses underlines the scale of the task facing chancellor Rishi Sunak when he unveils plans later today to prop up the economy.

French president Emmanuel Macron announced the government would back 300bn of loans to businesses.

On Sunday, the Danish government offered to pay 75 per cent of employees salaries for firms that would otherwise make redundancies because of the coronavirus.

For three months the state will pay wages up to a maximum of 23,000 Danish crowns (2,805) per month.

If theres a big drop in activity, and production is halted, we understand the need to send home employees. But we ask you: dont fire them, prime minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Q. Can I receive unemployment benefits while getting a severance package, a pension and Social Security?

 Planning ahead

A. Whether or not you qualify for unemployment benefits depends on the specifics of your case.

Before we get to the details, note that changes could be coming in the short term because of coronavirus. The government of New Jersey is considering options to expand unemployment benefits.

But until that happens, here are the current rules.

Want more personal finance news? Enter your email address to be the first to know:

For starters, to have a valid unemployment claim in New Jersey, the claimant must have covered employment for at least 20 base weeks and the amount needs to have exceeded a base amount which is indexed each year, said Jody DAgostini, a certified financial planner with AXA Advisors/The Falcon Financial Group in Morristown.

The State of New Jersey does not consider severance pay to be income and therefore you would be able to receive unemployment insurance, DAgostini said. This is only possible if the severance does not extend the employment relationship in any way. You cannot remain on the active payroll.

Unemployment benefits can be reduced if you are collecting a pension depending upon who contributed to the pension, she said.

It could be reduced by up to 100% if your employer contributed the entire amount. It may be reduced by 50% if both you and your employer contributed towards your pension. And if you contributed the entire amount towards your pension, there would be no reduction in your unemployment benefit, DAgostini said.

In New Jersey, you can collect your full unemployment benefits even if you are collecting Social Security, she said. Social Security does not count unemployment benefits as earnings.

Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.

Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter.
Workers wearing protective gears disinfect as a precaution against the new coronavirus at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. AP



South Korea said Tuesday it will be postponing the new school year for another two weeks as it fights COVID-19 group infections that have occurred at churches, hospitals and even Zumba classes.

Under the measure, the new school year at kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools nationwide will begin on April 6, five weeks later than in normal years, according to the education ministry.

Child care centers, which provide care for toddlers and children up to 7 years old, will also close for another two weeks and open April 6, the health ministry said.

"The government judges that while the COVID-19 (outbreak) has entered a downtrend, it is early to let down our guard. It aims to again encourage people to actively take part in 'social distancing' with the school year postponement," the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry also cited feedback from experts and health authorities that raised concerns over infections at schools spilling over to households and other areas of society. It will take at least two to three weeks to see whether schools can safely open, they said.

Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, however, left room for another rescheduling.

"In the worst case scenario, we may have to again postpone the beginning of the new school year, but (the schedule) may also move forward when the situation gets better."

This is the third time the government has postponed the school year as part of anti-virus measures. It was first postponed by a week to March 9, then by two weeks to March 23 on concerns of children contracting the new coronavirus at schools.

The government said it will have to further review the idea of delaying the national college entrance exam. The exam, a key event in high schools here, usually takes place in November.

The latest measure comes amid growing concerns over group transmissions, which account for around 80 percent of all infections reported in South Korea.

While some parents have opposed the rescheduling, citing lack of child care programs and confusion in academic schedules, more parents are calling for further closure until the virus risk passes.

The ministry said it plans to distribute updated guidelines on school quarantine measures and ensure a safe school environment, such as increasing the distance between desks in classrooms, staggering lunch hours and making hand sanitizer and masks available.

To prevent a learning vacuum, the ministry said it plans to expand online classes and provide computers and other hardware to create a stable online education environment for all students.

For parents who cannot look after their children, the ministry said it will continue to provide emergency child care programs at kindergartens and elementary schools until 7 p.m. on weekdays.

The government also urged private-sector education institutions to take part in the anti-virus fight, saying the it will push for other measures if the current situation continues.

Despite concerns over group transmissions among students, many cram schools are still running due to financial reasons or demand among some parents.

Major institutions in Seoul resumed classes on Monday, while the city education office's data showed that more than 80 percent of the cram schools in the affluent Gangnam area are in operation.

South Korea has so far reported 8,320 cases, with the number of new cases falling below 100 for three straight days. (Yonhap)
Russia has claimed that militant group present around the M4 highway are preparing to launch a counter-offensive against the Syrian Arab Army writes Al-Masdar.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday that militant groups in the de-escalation zone in Idleb have rearmed and are preparing to launch counter-attacks against the Syrian Arab Army, stressing the need to eliminate and hold them accountable.

The ministry said in a statement today quoted by Russia Today, Large armed formations belonging to various terrorist organizations, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Deen, who continue to use the ideological principles and the terrorist methods of al-Qaeda, are gathering in the Idleb region.

Despite this warning, however, the militant groups have refrained from launching any major attacks as of yet.

A source from the Syrian Arab Army told Al-Masdar on Monday that the militant groups are still present south of the M4 highway (Aleppo-Lattakia), but there has not been any major attacks as of yet.

The Russian military has given Turkey more time to force these militants to leave their positions south of the M4 highway; however, if they refuse to leave, the Syrian army will resume their offensive.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The statement said that U.S. citizens working for The Post, the Times and the Wall Street Journal, whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020, must hand back their press cards. They will not be able to go to Hong Kong or Macao as a base for work, it said.
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.
Efforts are being made to bring down the infant mortality rate to 23 per 1,000 live births by 2025, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, while some Opposition members accused the government of "playing politics" over data on newborn deaths.

Refuting the Opposition charge, Vardhan said the central government does not look at data of states and that there is no politics on the issue.

Opposition members, including Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleged that the government is "doing politics" while using data pertaining to infant deaths in states. He was joined by some Samajwadi Party members from Uttar Pradesh.

Singh's charge came after Vinay Sahasrabuddhe of the BJP asked the minister whether the higher mortality rate in Delhi is due to the negligence of the state government or not.

Replying to supplementary questions, Vardhan said, "We are trying to ensure and bring the target of infant mortality down to the levels of sustainable development goals." "We are trying to bring it down to 23 by the year 2025.... We are trying our best. Four states have already achieved targets, much below the targets set for the year 2030," he said.

In his written reply, Vardhan said, "No confirmed reports of deaths of children due to shortage of life-saving oxygen, medicines and treatment facilities in government hospitals has been received by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) from the States/UTs."



The communication from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding improving the quality of care in public hospitals are sent to all the States/ Union Territories urging them to follow standard operational guidelines, treatment protocols and ensure availability of functioning equipments and commodities, adequate and trained service providers, he said.

Besides this, report on incidence of cluster of child deaths at public health facilities are given the highest priority by the central government and reviewed jointly by central and state experts, he noted.

"The findings and recommendations are then shared with the concerned State for taking appropriate action. States/UTs are also requested to ensure that gaps identified in the facilities are addressed on priority and approvals sought under National Health Mission (NHM), as necessary," the minister said in his written reply.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Tim Reid and Joshua Schneyer

March 16 (Reuters) - Lori Spencer had an uneasy feeling after dropping her 81-year-old mother off at the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland, Washington on Feb. 26. She felt even worse the next day, when her mother, Judie Shape, threw an uncharacteristic tantrum - begging to leave the facility.

What the family didnt know at the time: The home was already dealing with the initial signs of what would soon become the deadliest coronavirus outbreak in the United States. A week before, on Feb. 19, the facility had sent out a patient with respiratory problems for testing, followed by a second patient on Feb. 24. Life Care officials have said they initially suspected flu.

Three days after Shape arrived at the home, Life Care announced that one of the tests had come back positive for coronavirus.

By then it was too late, Spencer said. We couldnt move her. She was suddenly a prisoner there.

Shape wouldnt be tested for 11 more days, as Spencer and her family waited in anguish. Amid a severe shortage of tests nationally - and at Life Care - the home initially tested only those showing symptoms. (For a WIDER IMAGE photo essay, click https://reut.rs/2we9MbQ )

The Kirkland home's deadly outbreak illustrates how fast coronavirus can spread through an elderly care facility. Facilities nationwide have struggled with overwhelmed staff and a national scarcity of testing kits, thrusting families into heart-wrenching dilemmas over how to protect elderly loved ones in need of full-time care or rehabilitation.

King County, Washington officials reported on Sunday that 29 deaths from coronavirus had been linked to the home. The home, as of Friday, confirmed 13 deaths from coronavirus and said it was awaiting test results on 11 more people who died.

Nations around the world are grappling with how to protect older people from the virus. In South Korea, there were two deaths and dozens of people infected at a nursing home in a province with a major outbreak. Nursing homes have also been a major source of concern in Europe, the new epicenter of the global crisis as the number of new cases declines in China, where the elderly are more commonly cared for at home.

In northern Italy, the virus has cut a swathe through the older population, including in some care homes but also in densely populated apartment buildings where many elderly people live. In the United Kingdom, some care homes have begun to bar visitors as the government says it may soon order the elderly to stay indoors. In Spain, where the virus is taking off sharply, the first cluster of infections were focused on Madrid nursing homes.

Story continues

In the United States, infection control failures have long been a serious problem across the nursing home industry, which houses about 1.7 million senior citizens. Federal health data shows patients in nursing homes experience between 1.6 and 3.8 million serious infections every year, resulting in up to 380,000 deaths.

On Friday, a Trump administration official called on nursing homes nationally to restrict all visitors, with the exception of some end of life situations. President Donald Trump vowed to ramp up the distribution of test kits - for the first time acknowledging the severe shortage.

Richard Mollott, executive director of The Long Term Care Community Coalition in New York, said the coronavirus epidemic has made nursing home residents sitting ducks.

They can be very dangerous places to live, he said. The industry already has a poor track record of keeping people safe.

Life Care Center in Kirkland was cited for a violation of infection control regulations after a federal inspection in April 2019. Such violations are common in the industry, said Charlene Harrington, an expert in elderly care at the University of California, San Francisco. The disease-control failures stem in part from chronic short-staffing at most facilities, Harrington said, noting that cutting back on staff is one way the industry has boosted profits.

National enforcement of nursing home standards has been pathetic, said Harrington, who has testified in Congress on elder care and written extensively on the regulation of nursing homes.

The American Health Care Association, an eldercare industry group, called such criticism unhelpful in a pandemic. The organization acknowledged challenges in infection-control at nursing homes, in part because of government underfunding and nationwide shortages of caregivers.

"There is always more we can do to improve infection control," an issue in all health-care settings, said the organization's Chief Medical Officer, David Gifford, in a statement. "This pandemic is demonstrating that as a nation we all have to improve how we work to prevent infections, including in nursing homes."

Cleveland, Tennessee-based Life Care Centers of America Inc, which operates the Kirkland home, is among the largest players in U.S. nursing home care, with more than 200 senior-living centers in 28 states. The company said last week that it would take stringent infection-control measures at all its facilities to guard against coronavirus.

Leigh Atherton, a company spokeswoman, declined to answer detailed questions from Reuters about the companys response to the Kirkland outbreak. In earlier press briefings, another spokesperson, Tim Killian, described an overwhelmed staff acting heroically in the face of a ferocious outbreak. By March 7, more than one third of the 180 staffers were out of action with suspected coronavirus symptoms.

This is an acute care facility that is accustomed to treating patients with infectious diseases, Killian said that day. But really we are dealing with an unprecedented level of outbreak here, with a virus we know little about.

The staff response was initially limited, by a lack of test kits, he said, even as the center saw patients with no symptoms start to display acute symptoms within an hour, requiring hospitalization.

Weve had patients die relatively quickly under those circumstances, Killian said.

As of Sunday, the World Health Organization reported that most than 150,000 cases of coronavirus had been confirmed worldwide, with more than 5,700 deaths. The United States had reported more than 3,800 cases and 69 deaths as of Monday.

WAITING ON TESTING

Spencer knew little of the disease threat at nursing homes when she arrived at Life Care with her mother. But the day her mother begged to leave - two days before the home confirmed the outbreak - Spencer drove to the facility with the intention of removing her. A nurse calmed them down, assuring them that a broken bedside buzzer to summon staff had been repaired. When no one responded to the buzzer for two hours on the mother's first night there, she had eventually been forced to bang on her tray table to get the attention of a staffer to help her to the bathroom.

Spencer broke into tears when the nurse said he was worried about her, too, and asked how long both women had been dealing with hospital stress before arriving at Life Care.

Spencer had another quandary: Her mother had just had blood clot surgery and was suffering from a severe stomach infection. She could not walk, and couldnt return to her full-time retirement community nearby until she was mobile. She came to Life Care for rehabilitation.

But I will live forever with that tantrum, Spencer said, because I meant to take her home that day.

Confusion reigned at the facility after it first told families on Feb. 29 about the outbreak, Spencer said. Officials said the facility was in lockdown - no visitors allowed. In what has become a heartbreaking daily ritual for many families with relatives at the center, Spencer would stand outside the window of her mothers room, able to see her but not touch her, trying her best to provide comfort over the phone.

Life Care never prohibited residents from leaving the home, Killian said in a March 12 briefing. But it became impossible for many families to move a relative. Hospitals would only accept those with acute symptoms, while other facilities would not accept patients from a facility with an outbreak. Many of Life Cares residents were too sick to be cared for at home.

Theres nowhere else for these patients to go, Killian said.

Spencer couldnt take her mother back to the retirement home where she had lived before her surgery. They needed a test showing she didnt have the virus - but there was no testing, Spencer said. It was massively confusing, and poorly managed.

Shape was finally tested for coronavirus on March 8. The first batch of test kits  45 in total, still not enough  had arrived at the facility three days earlier.

On March 10, before getting the test results, Shape woke up feeling ill, like the beginnings of a severe head cold. She had a runny nose and chills.

Later that day, Spencer called the nurses station for a full medical report. She asked about the coronavirus test - and found out the results had already come in, but no one had called her.

Shapes test had come back positive: She had contracted Covid-19.

WHEN DID THEY KNOW?

Spencers guilt and fear about her mothers condition is mixed with suspicion that Life Care knew a powerful virus was sweeping through the facility when she placed her mother there on Feb. 26 - but failed to warn her.

Life Care Center officials said they had no inkling of a coronavirus outbreak until they were informed just after midnight on Feb. 29 of the first positive coronavirus test.

We had no medical reason to suspect COVID-19 at the time, Life Cares Killian said in a press briefing. Earlier in February we started to have respiratory illness symptoms showing up in our facility. Thats common for our facility ... We see between three and seven deaths in a normal month.

Hours after the first test confirmed coronavirus, nearly all the families of about 120 residents inside had been informed of the positive result. Since Feb. 19, Life Care has said, 66 residents have been transferred to hospitals.

By March 13, according to Life Care, 44 residents still lived there. Twenty-six have coronavirus, including Judie Shape, with tests on another nine either pending or incomplete.

Spencer continues to talk to her mother several times a day by phone, usually looking at her through the window of her room. Shape isnt sleeping much. She tries to remain upbeat. Her coronavirus symptoms so far have been less severe than many others of her age and medical condition, giving her and her family hope.

The mother struggled with isolation and loneliness before her hospital and nursing home stays. She has grown more fearful - and angry - watching the TV news on coronavirus while cooped up in her room.

My mom is isolated, at the end of her life, Spencer said. She doesnt deserve this.

(Reporting by Tim Reid and Joshua Schneyer Editing by Brian Thevenot)
Kendriya vidyalayas in the capital and several have decided to announce annual results online rather than holding parent-teacher meetings for the purpose.

"Parents will be given results this year through email and WhatsApp. Any discussion or query about their ward's performance can be pursued with teachers telephonically or after the schools reopen," a senior Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) official said.

Several in Delhi and the Capital Region (NCR) are also resorting to alternative measures than PTMs for announcing results.



Mount Carmel school in Dwarka has sent advisory to parents that results will be issued online.

"I will get to access my wards result online as this will also help in reducing human contact which is an advisable thing to do considering the crisis," a parent said.

Amity International Schools in Delhi-NCR have already announced their results online.

"We have announced results of the annual examination online. There were no PTMs conducted as these were not advisable at the moment," Amity Group Spokesperson Savita Mehta said.

Vandana International School in Dwarka conducted PTMs for announcement of results but in a phased-wise manner.

"PTM was conducted for one class on a particular day and was spread across the school to ensure there is maximum distancing. Only one parent was allowed to go inside at a time to ensure there is no crowding," a parent said.

Schools in Delhi and NCR are closed till March 31 in view of though exams are being conducted.

The government has taken a number of steps to detect and prevent the spread of coronavirus, which is showing an upward trend in the country and has claimed three lives and infected 137 people so far.
The race to find a coronavirus vaccine has taken on a new urgency. Even after the current crisis abates  and that might not be for many months  scientists know we will be living with Covid-19 for many years.

Preventing people getting infected in the first place is the only long-term solution. So about 35 companies and institutions worldwide are working flat out to develop a vaccine.

Currently out in front is Moderna, a Boston-based biotech company (backed by UK investment) which on Monday began human trials with the mRNA-1273 vaccine on volunteers in Seattle, the worst-hit U.S. city. It was developed in just 42 days with U.S. government help.

A passenger wears a face mask and a protective suit in Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport, as Britons have been advised against non-essential travel amid the coronavirus outbreak

But others are right behind and yesterday it was announced that a British vaccine will begin testing in the UK from next month. Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, said there had been remarkable progress, although an approved vaccine was likely to be at least a year away.

Probably only three or four years ago, the standard answer would have been it takes 20 years to make a vaccine, he said. Now theres a vaccine in the UK that may go into the clinic for first testing in April.

Another leading contender is a German vaccine developer, CureVac, which has been forced to deny reports that the Trump administration offered funding in return for giving the U.S. exclusive rights to its vaccine.

Following talks with the company, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday that CureVac  which has been promised 80 million of EU funding on top of 44 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will have a vaccine available this year.

What exactly is a vaccine?

A vaccine works by priming the bodys immune system to recognise and fight pathogens  micro-organisms, including bacteria and viruses, that cause disease. Essentially, the vaccine tricks the body into thinking it is under attack.

Typically with vaccines, a dead or weakened (attenuated) live form of the virus  the antigen  is grown inside living cells in a lab, then introduced into the body, usually via an injection.

The immune system recognises the virus (antigen) as hostile and makes proteins called antibodies to fight it off.

If the vaccinated person is then infected by the full-blown virus, the immune system instantly recognises and attacks it.

Vaccines are one of the great success stories of modern medicine. But developing them has historically been tedious and often unsuccessful.

A genetic short cut

In the past, scientists had to accumulate large amounts of the virus before they could start developing a vaccine. But genetic technology means we no longer have to wait.

On January 10, scientists in China cloned the new coronavirus that originated in Wuhan and published online a map of its genetic material  all 30,000 biochemical letters of its genetic code.

Other scientists around the world were able to grow their own synthetic version of the virus using the code in the lab, and start scrutinising it, looking for potential weaknesses.

And instead of the virus having to be painstakingly produced in a laboratory, its lab-manufactured genetic code can in theory be injected into the body, thus triggering an immune response.

Moderna and its partner, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have identified a section of the genetic code that, incorporated into a vaccine, is most likely to provoke the immune system.

Covid-19 crown of thorns

The coronavirus is named after the crown-like spikes (corona is Latin for crown) protruding from its surface, which grab human cells.

Once bound to the cell, the spikes uncoil, puncturing the cell wall so the virus can enter.

In the cell, the virus releases a fragment of genetic material called RNA (ribonucleic acid). The infected cell responds by making proteins that thwart the immune systems attempts to attack it and, as the infection progresses, the cell machinery is hijacked to start making copies of the virus.

Researchers of coronavirus  there are several strains that infect humans  target the protein molecules that make up the spike.

Breakthroughs

Conventional vaccines have limited effect against viruses such as Ebola and Zika, and possibly Covid-19, that mutate rapidly. New forms of the flu vaccine are developed for each flu season for this reason.

To tackle this, scientists have developed a new approach called platform technologies. It leads to the production of a basic vaccine which can be swiftly tweaked to combat the genetic information from any newly emerged virus.

Moment anti-virus jabs went on trial Just a sharp scratch. Jennifer Haller is one of the first people to receive an experimental vaccine for the deadly coronavirus. The patients taking part in the study, at Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle, say the shots were no more painful than an ordinary winter flu vaccine. They will be checked for side-effects and have their blood tested regularly. Jennifer, 43, said: We all feel so helpless in the face of Covid-19. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something. Advertisement

U.S.-based biotech company Novavax is developing a new vaccine by tweaking those developed for two earlier coronaviruses  namely Sars, which raged through China in 2002-04, and Mers, which originated in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

Another groundbreaking approach  one at the heart of both the Moderna and CureVac Covid-19 vaccines  is to develop a vaccine from genetic information contained in what is known as the viruses messenger RNA (mRNA).

RNA vaccines have several potential benefits, say proponents: they are safer, as they dont contain live virus; they work more quickly; and they are faster to produce in the laboratory.

However, such vaccines have yet to be officially approved for use on humans.

The clock is ticking

In 2002, when another strain of coronavirus emerged in China, it took 20 months for U.S. health officials to start human testing for a vaccine. Moderna needed six weeks  a record  to get to the same stage.

The response has been swift in part because of the extraordinary nature of the threat  Moderna has bypassed some of the usual protocols. For instance, there have been no tests on animals and regulators have not insisted that Moderna proves the vaccine is safe before trialling it in humans.

Trials of Modernas mRNA-1273 vaccine, which started on Monday, will involve 45 healthy, young volunteers who will be monitored closely for a year. But even if the trials are successful and side-effects are minimal, most experts believe a vaccine wont be widely available for up to 18 months.

That, however, hasnt stopped President Trump promising that a Covid-19 vaccine will be ready before the presidential election in November.

Money talks

The first company to manufacture a vaccine could make billions of dollars. Indeed, Modernas share price has already gone through the roof.

But vaccine research is a hit-and-miss affair. Research companies spend huge sums  sometimes hundreds of millions of pounds  creating a vaccine, only for a specific virus to completely disappear or mutate so that it is unaffected by the vaccine.

Modernas vaccine research was funded by the Oslo-based Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), a three-year-old partnership of governments (including the UK), industry and charities set up after the emergence of Sars, Mers, Ebola and Zika led to the deaths of thousands and showed that a new approach was vital to protect world health.

Cepi is sponsoring three other Covid-19 vaccine projects and is about to fund another four, including one at Oxford University. It will cost at least 1.6 billion to develop a vaccine over the next 12 to 18 months.

Join the queue

Even when a vaccine is created, limited production means not everyone will be able to get it.

In a flu pandemic, Britain puts healthcare staff and social workers at the front of the queue, then those at high medical risk, such as children and pregnant women.

With Covid-19, the elderly, who are most vulnerable, are likely to be first in line.

Analysts have estimated that, if successful, Modernas vaccine could cost as much as 477 per person. Chief executive Stephane Bancel insists public health and getting a vaccine as fast as we can safely is the focus.
Kathmandu, Nepal: A group of Nepali teenagers sat cross-legged at Bagmati Boarding School  palms up, eyes closed, sinking into the floor with each breath.

An instructor began walking the students through meditation and vigorous physical exercises, culminating in a series of head and shoulder stands.

Children take part in a yoga class at Mount Genius English School, in Kathmandu. Credit:Rebecca Conway/The New York Times

"Yoga has really helped me care for myself," said Abhiyan Bhatta, 15, who said he struggled with knee problems for years before enrolling in yoga lessons at the school in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. "I have healed my pain."

That was an elective class, but yoga will soon be more than an extracurricular activity in Nepal. Next month, when the new academic term begins, this small Himalayan country will become the first in the world to make it a required subject nationwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 05:40:31|Editor: zh

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Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows a closed restaurant in downtown Tunis, Tunisia. Tunisian President Kais Saied declared on Tuesday evening a curfew across Tunisia as part of the preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus in the country. (Xinhua)

TUNIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied declared on Tuesday evening a curfew across Tunisia as part of the preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

"The curfew will take effect from March 18, and will be carried out from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.," Saied said in his speech broadcast in the state television channel Watanya.

According to the president, the return to normal situation should take place within a maximum of 15 days, depending on the epidemiological situation both in Tunisia and abroad.

Tunisia announces 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 till Tuesday.
A second Bergen County school has told its students and staff to self-quarantine after a member of the Edgewater School District tested positive for coronavirus, the district announced Monday evening.

All students and staff of George Washington School in Edgewater, home to students in Pre-K through 2nd grade, were advised to self-quarantine through March 29. The school is part of the Edgewater School District.

And all Eleanor Van Gelder School students who ride bus #2 in the morning or afternoon, as well as all Eleanor Van Gelder (EVG) School students who ride the EVG late bus due to participation in clubs or chorus or band, were also advised to self-quarantine themselves for the same amount of time.

This means that you should remain in your homes, and monitor yourself for any symptoms, according to a statement from the schools superintendent and towns mayor. If you are feeling unwell, you should contact your physician. If you have questions about COVID-19, you may contact Mrs. Patricia Dalton, Edgewater Public Health Nurse at 201-943-1700 x 6004/6005 patricia@edgewaternj.org or call NJ COVID-19 & Poison Center Public Hotline at 1-800-962-1253 or 1-800-222-1222 or visit www.cdc.gov or www.nj.gov/health."

The news comes one day after an elementary school in the Leonia School District told students there to begin self-quarantining after an employee at the Anna C. Scott School tested positive for the coronavirus, Mayor Judah Zeigler said in an alert on Sunday. All students and staff were advised to self-quarantine through March 27.

All of New Jerseys schools  public and private, and including colleges  will close their doors to students Wednesday as the coronavirus continued to spread with 178 positive tests and 3 deaths as of Wednesday evening, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday.

Bergen County, which had 61 cases of the disease as of Monday and two of the states three deaths, remained the county hit hardest by the coronavirus and COVID-19.

The third death, announced late Wednesday, was a man in his 90s, who was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center.

A woman in her 50s who lived in Freehold and a 69-year-old Little Ferry man have also died from the respiratory illness.

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The Karnataka government on Tuesday said the Centre was making all efforts for the safe return of Indians, including those from the state, stranded in Italy that is severely hit by the coronovirus outbreak.

The External Affairs Ministry is already on the job in this regard, deputy chief minister C N Ashwath Narayan said in the Legislative Assembly.

The Centre was taking all required measures, he said.

Those Indians who were stranded in Milan airport were brought back after tests were conducted.

"For those at Rome tests and screening have been done and based on report they (authorities) will take a decision on whether they need to be taken to isolation or not," he added.

Earlier, raising the issue, Congress legislator Priyank Kharge said in Italy, which has seen a large number of cases and is under shutdown, nearly 400 people from Karnataka were stranded there, and sought Chief Minister's intervention by speaking to the External Affairs Ministry.

Stating that he had spoken to office bearers of a Kannada organisation in Italy, the former minister said, on March 14, 220 people were airlifted by the central government to the country, but there are still thousands of Indians there who had gone for jobs along with family besides several students.

Noting that there are about 400 Kanndigas (people from Karnataka) stranded in Italy without any facility and of them 150 are students, Kharge said unlike earlier, the Embassy is now seeking a coronavirus negative certificate, without which they are not allowed to board the flight.

As there is fear of complete lockdown of air service, if they do not give the certificate by tomorrow, they will not be able to travel back to India soon.

Situation is worse as people are facing shortage of money for basic facilities," he said, adding that the chief minister and state government will have to intervene immediately and speak to the union external affairs minister and try to provide help to those stranded.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation recently issued a circular stipulating that people "travelling from or having visited Italy or South Korea" and desirous of entering India "need to obtain certificates of having tested negative for COVID-19" from the designated laboratories authorised by the health authorities of those countries.

Stranded passengers are pointing this as the reason for them not being able to travel to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gardai are setting up a full-time public order unit to patrol at risk locations and to ensure the maintenance of law and order.

The unit will be comprised of 100 Gardai, sergeants and inspectors, working a two-rota system of 12-hour shifts.

The force hopes to have them deployed by tomorrow afternoon.

Criminologist, Dr Matt Bowden, says states have undertaken extra measures before to safeguard public order.

"It's not completely without historical precedent, societies have had to deal with outbreaks of viruses and diseases, Black Deaths and plagues and various other things.

It's hardly surprising that the State power takes extraordinary measures to deal with potential problems that might arise.

Meanwhile, health professionals are urging people to stay at home as they celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Dr Jack Lambert, the head of the national isolation unit at the Mater Hospital has issued a call to the public not to have parties today for St Patricks Day.

Just by being in the same room as someone who has the virus, but is asymptomatic, would increase the spread of the virus, he warned.

It could be done as simply as using a door handle that has been touched by an infected person.

There could be hundreds more people who are infected but have not been tested, he said.

Everyone who has any kind of a cough should be tested and go into self isolation to prevent onward spread, he urged.

Dr Lambert paid tribute to health care workers, but warned that in other countries it had been found that high percentages of health care workers had been tested positive for the virus which put vulnerable patients at risk.

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Two students from Darjeeling Hills studying at premier institutes here allegedly faced racial taunts liked to coronavirus in separate incidents on city streets.

The abusers probably mistook the students with mongoloid features for nationals of China from where novel coronavirus had spread worldwide.

The two, a woman and a man, narrated their ordeal in social media and did not lodge a formal complaint to police.

One of them, a 21-year old woman who is pursuing Masters degree at the Presidency University, shared a video on WhatsApp on Monday, in which she was seen confronting two men who had allegedly uttered 'coronavirus' pointing at her on a central Kolkata street.

"I have clearly heard you saying 'coronavirus esechhe' (see, coronavirus has come here) pointing at us three times as we were passing by," the woman, who was accompanied by a man from her native place, was heard telling two middle-aged men who tried to put up a defence.

One of the men said he was discussing coronavirus deaths with his friend and did not taunt her.

When the woman refused to buy his logic and insisted that he had taunted her, the other man asked her not to make a fuss and quietly leave the spot.

After they threatened to take appropriate action against the men, they apologised, the woman said.

"We are pretty sure these two men purposely called us coronavirus as they look at people with mongoloid features in this way. However, since they apologised, we did not take any follow-up action. But it is necessary to share our experience in social media to debunk racist prejudices," she told reporters on Tuesday.

The second incident involved a male student of the Jadavpur University, who claimed that when he was waiting for an autorickshaw, a transgender woman asked her companion to move away from him, saying "coronavirus esechhe".

"They looked at me with disgust, made some sound as if I was some vile thing, covered their mouths with their dupattas. They did it for the next couple of minutes until they got a taxi. I couldn't speak up," he narrated on Facebook.

He said he generally confronts people whenever he faces racial slur on streets, but "this time I was scared as there were four of them... I felt humiliated".

The student said he is not demonising the members of the transgender community or Bengali speaking population but "the problem is the mentality of racist people".

Kolkata Police sources said no complaint has been lodged by any of the two students.

JU Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das told PTI, "If such a thing has happened, we condemn it. We are all working towards raising awareness among the general public.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAGHDAD - At least three rockets struck Baghdads fortified Green Zone near the American Embassy late Tuesday, a day after an attack on a training base south of Baghdad where U.S.-led coalition troops and NATO trainers were present, Iraqi security officials said. It was the fourth such attack in the span of a week.

At least three rockets struck the Green Zone, the seat of Iraqs government and home to several foreign embassies, two Iraqi security officials said. Myles Caggins, spokesman for the coalition, said the rockets fell at least 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from the embassy.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The previous evening, rockets hit the Basmaya base near the Iraqi capital, an Iraqi army statement said. The projectiles landed in an area that includes agricultural land and a factory, according to the statement. No more details were provided.

A Spanish contingent of the coalition and NATO trainers are present at the Basmaya site. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from the coalition and no militant group claimed responsibility for the assault.

Last Wednesday, a barrage of over two dozen rockets struck Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, killing three coalition servicemen, including two Americans. A British serviceman was also killed. It was the deadliest to target U.S. troops in Iraq since a late December rocket attack on an Iraqi base, which killed a U.S. contractor and set in motion a series of attacks that brought Iraq to the brink of war.

Wednesdays barrage was followed by another attack, on Saturday at the same site, which wounded five soldiers  three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers.

The first attack 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 for the attack.

However, Iraqs 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, signalling another cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Washington and Tehran that could play out in Iraq.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

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The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine arranges special flights and trains to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland.

"We will return citizens from the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. We now discuss the organization of special transportation to return our citizens, including by rail," Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Kryklii said at a briefing on March 17, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He added that special flights will also be organized for the evacuation of citizens from mentioned countries.

Ukraine's ambassador to Poland Andriy Deshchytsia said earlier that nearly two thousand Ukrainians were waiting for the evacuation from Poland. According to him, Ukrainian diplomats are in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland on the organization of the so-called sanitary corridor.

Since March 16, the entry of foreigners into Ukraine has been restricted. The operation of about a hundred border crossing points was suspended, the restrictions were introduced at the entry-exit checkpoint in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine and on the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.

In addition, the Government of Ukraine temporarily restricted passenger transport services in the territory of Ukraine to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

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In a leaked document, Tik Tok was found instructing moderators to prevent "poor" users with video shots in slums or dilapidated housing to be promoted in the For You section on the popular social media app. The moderators were also asked not to promote videos of people with ugly facial looks according to a report by The Intercept. A spokesperson of the social media app confirmed to the publication that these guidelines were indeed in place as they were an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying and are no longer used.

The guidelines were provisions for the moderators to limit the exposure, or at times, ban accounts of undesirable users that included people who were deemed physically unattractive. The internal memo also described undesirable users in great detail that included attributes such as being chubby, obese, too thin, abnormal body shapes, having a beer belly, too many wrinkles or have medical issues such as dwarfism. Users that would fit any of these categories would not have their content featured in the For You section of the app where videos can get enormous numbers due to the application's algorithms. The document classifies videos by users who quality with the above traits were not worthy to be recommended to new users.

In the same document, moderators were also asked to suppress videos by users that were shot in slums or rural fields. It also included content that was shot in messy houses, rooms with cracked walls or in old and disreputable decorations. Previous leaks have also shown that the company discriminated against disabled, overweight and users from the LBGTQ community.

 Intercept

TikTok has been under scrutiny before as the social media app has been found to be censoring pro-democracy posts in Hong Kong as the company is owned by Chinas ByteDance. The social media application has banned users in the past for posting content about the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, or any other posts that do not adhere to the political agenda of Chinas current ruling party.

If you are interested in more details about Tik Toks practices and guidelines for moderators, you can read the full report by The Intercept here.

Source: The Intercept
Republican State Sen. Tom Killion said Tuesday that he intends to introduce a bill in the very near future to provide zero-interest loans to Pennsylvania small businesses affected by the COVID-19 shutdown.

As we see the current public health emergency unfold with COVID-19, we must act to provide resources for all of the residents of the commonwealth including our employers, Killion (R., Chester and Delaware) wrote in a memo to fellow senators, several of whom have signed on as co-sponsors.

The proposed legislation would direct all state revenue from casino table games in the commonwealth to a fund within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for the creation of a zero-interest small-business economic injury loan program. The proposed legislation seeks to generate $125 million in relief for Pennsylvania small businesses, according to the senator.

COVID-19 is an unprecedented public health emergency, said Killion, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Senates Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee. However, the economic ramifications of this emergency are already being felt, and as policymakers, we must do all in our power to limit those negative effects and provide relief to Pennsylvanias small-business owners.

While Pennsylvanias nonessential small businesses comply with the governor-ordered shutdown, Killion said, The bureaucratic steps to get a loan at the federal level are immense. If we can get this legislation across the finish line it would be a little quicker, and in addition to the SBA loans available in the future."

The zero-interest loans would be made through the Department of Community and Economic Development, Killion said in an interview.

Small Business Administration loans are also going to be made available through DCED; however, thats a much slower process, as the state agency must get data from businesses showing that theyve been hurt economically by the coronavirus.

The DCED then turns over that data to the Small Business Administration through the governors office. Then, the governor requests the approval for SBA disaster loan, said Pennsylvania Emergency Management spokeswoman Ruth Miller said.

The DCED can be reached at 833-722-6778, by email (ra-dcedcs@pa.gov) or its website (https://dced.pa.gov/contact-us/). Businesses are advised to contact the agency with their situation immediately.

The Department of Community and Economic Development issued a statement on Monday: The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program will make funds available to impacted businesses. As part of the process to access those funds, the governor, DCED and PEMA are currently working with local partners and the Small Business Administration to identify businesses economically affected by COVID-19."

Senators who have signed on as co-sponsors for Killions proposed legislation include Ryan Aument, Lisa Baker, Michele Brooks, Wayne Langerholc, Judy Ward and Judy Schwank. All but Schwank are Republicans.

Theres no bill number yet. Its always a challenge to speculate about legislative time frames, but were hopeful this will be a priority when the Senate returns to session," said Killions spokesman John Kelemen.

Separately, Chester County also asked local businesses to take a survey assessing the impact the coronavirus has had so far: the website address: www.surveymonkey.com/r/chescoimpact. The survey is titled Chester County Business Impact Assessment for COVID-19.
With book tours, festivals, conferences, and other literary events being canceled around the world due to COVID-19 concerns, the tech-friendly west coast literary community has begun creating digital events to keep authors and readers connected during the coming weeks of social distancing and quarantine.

I have at least a half-dozen friends whose stories of canceled events have filled my various feeds, said Santa Monica-based novelist Mark Sarvas who started the Decameron Reading Series to help authors with canceled book tours. You spend years on getting a book right and it's a slog to find an audience in the best of times. Now it feels like bibliocide. It's heartbreaking to any author, whether it's your book or not.

The series will begin with author Sarah Watson and her book, Most Likely (Poppy/Little Brown) on Friday, March 20. Future authors in the series will include Marie Mutsuki Mockett and Andrew Altschul. Sarvas will use the teleconferencing tool Zoom to host the series. I have a Zoom pro license I use for my private writing workshops, so I thought I'd put it good use, said Sarvas. Participating authors can work with an indie bookstore of their choice to sell books.

Numerous panel discussions and industry events have also been canceled, sending publishing professionals searching for online alternatives. When the London Book Fair was canceled in early March, FutureProof Content Strategy founder Charlotte Abbott scrambled to find a digital venue for the Its 2020, Do You Know What Rights You Hold? panel discussion shed organized for the now-canceled fair.

Abbott connected with Book Industry Study Groups executive director Brian OLeary, who agreed to host the panel discussion as part of the BISGs ongoing webinar series. For those looking to reschedule live events in online venues, the first task is to find online partners with loyal communities that are aligned with yours, said Abbott, who knew her panelists included two BISG committee members, consultant Kris Kliemann and Penguin Random House director of permissions Jeffery Corrick. Ideally, your event will help your online partner engage their community, while extending your reach to a receptive audience, she said.

Mule Design Studio, a strategic design consultancy in San Francisco, launched the Quarantine Book Club last week. Using Zoom, the book club will feature new authors each week and give readers a chance to talk to authors without touching anyone. With six authors lined up already, organizer Mike Monteiro said that theyve sold around 350 tickets for $5 apiece through Eventbrite for the series.

The series will launch with Canadian author Arjun Basu. I think a lot of companies are going to use Zoom as more and more people are asked to work from home, he said. I hope we inspire other writers. I see book tours being canceled and postponed almost every day now. This is one way to maintain the community.

Were trying to be really careful about who we put on here, said Monteiro, who has already received more than 50 pitches from authors. We want a mix of people youve heard of, to generate excitement, and people from underrepresented groups. Monteiro co-founded Mule Design with his wife, Erika Hall, who will discuss her own book next week, Just Enough Research (A Book Apart, 2019).
Particularly in the wake of announcements about  to choose some prominent examples  the coronavirus-driven withdrawal of missionaries from certain areas, the closing of the Conference Center to the public for the approaching annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the suspension of classroom teaching at Brigham Young University, and the temporary cancellation of all Church meetings, Ive been seeing a raft of genuinely juvenile comments by embittered and disaffected former believers.

They pretend, at least, to be puzzled at the lack of faith that Church leaders are demonstrating by following best epidemiological practices. And, anyway, cant the Churchs purportedly magical priesthood power simply put an end to COVID-19? Couldnt Church leaders just say a prayer over our meetings that would keep the virus out? Heck, couldnt they cure it worldwide?

I have a difficult time imagining that they ever really imagined such things when they were believers as they now mockingly ascribe to the faithful Latter-day Saints among whom they were once numbered. Did they never know a Latter-day Saint physician before their apostasies? A Latter-day Saint dentist? A Latter-day Saint nurse? A Latter-day Saint physical therapist? A Latter-day Saint optician? A Latter-day Saint counselor or psychologist? (Such folks arent exactly rarities. Ive known them most or all of my life. At least one example of each lives in my local neighborhood ward.)

Have any reputable Latter-day Saints or Latter-day Saint leaders seriously contended that medicine, dentistry, and health care are unnecessary, on the grounds that priesthood blessings will take care of everything? Have any reputable Latter-day Saints or Latter-day Saint leaders counseled the Saints to ignore modern medicine and to take no scientific counsel for maintaining their health?

(I realize, of course, that Brigham Young and certain other early Church leaders were critical of the medicine of the first several decades of the nineteenth century. But their complaints were not without merit in the days of leeching and quack elixirs, before such things as Louis Pasteurs germ theory and the antiseptic procedures of Joseph Lister and Ignaz Semmelweis entered into general medical practice. Their criticisms arent relevant to my point, which is about modern medical science  something that, it can be argued, only really arose in the latter part of the nineteenth century.)

Do these critics really, seriously, imagine that Russell M. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., the current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  a man who, prior to his call to the apostleship, had a highly successful and influential career as a heart surgeon, disdains medical science? That he (or, for that matter, his fellow apostle and fellow former professor of medicine, Elder Dale G. Renlund, M.D.) believes that people should ignore medical advice and dispense with medical precautions but rely solely on prayer?

Were the critics ever taught in the Church that we should take no reasonable actions or precautions on our own, but simply wait for the Lord to do everything on our behalf without our lifting a finger?

They mock the Church for behaving with prudence and caution.

But guess who would be the first to attack the Church if it failed to take reasonable precautions against the spread of the coronavirus. Go ahead. Try to guess.
In its fight against coronavirus, India needs to amp up its diagnostic and testing mechanism.

In a bid to bolster the coronavirus testing and diagnosis framework in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is scaling up testing capacity further and has placed an order for one million testing reagents from Germany. Nine more laboratories for testing and sample collection are being added to the network.

As of Monday, authorities said they had tested barely 9,000 people despite having at least 300,000 kits, putting India in the bottom rung of countries.

South Korea on the other hand, despite being the fourth-worst coronavirus-hit country in the world, has managed to keep its rate of fatalities low. So far, the country has reported over 8,000 cases and only over 70 deaths, part of this could possibly be owing to its rapid and mass testing strategy.

Also Watch l Coronavirus | How deadly, how to identify, how to prevent: Dr Trehan answers

According to latest reports, South Korea has been able to conduct a large number of diagnostic tests at a fast pace - an average of over 20,000 tests in a day. This is helping authorities in detecting coronavirus patients at an early stage and treat them to recovery. The country has over 500 testing labs.

For India to efficiently tackle the coronavirus challenge, experts say the government needs to expand its testing criteria to control the surge in numbers. Aggressive testing is also important to give authorities and the people a realistic idea of the infection at a time when many patients are fleeing quarantine centres and suppressing symptoms.

India has a total of 125 positive coronavirus cases with three deaths. 13 patients have successfully recovered. The virus has infected over 150,000 people across the globe and has claimed over 6,000 lives worldwide.
China banned all American nationals working in the country for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, as part of an escalating media war with the United States that follows restrictions placed by the Trump administration on Chinese media companies operating in the U.S., its foreign ministry announced Tuesday.

"The U.S. government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the U.S., purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression," the ministry said in a statement, published in English.

China's foreign affairs spokesman Geng Shuang answers a question during a briefing in Beijing on November 28, 2019.

China instructed U.S. journalists whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 to notify the foreign ministry in Beijing within four calendar days, beginning on Tuesday. It asked them to hand over their press cards within ten days.

In early March, the Trump administration ordered several Chinese media organizations to dismiss dozens of U.S.-based Chinese nationals as part of what U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described as "our goal" of "reciprocity." Pompeo said that the move was part of "long-overdue" efforts by Washington to achieve a "level playing field" following years of harassment by China of American and western journalists.

Reacting to Tuesday's announcement Pompeo said that Chinas actions were misguided and served only to highlight the lack of press freedoms inside China.

"The Chinese will tell you that they want  people to know more about the country, and yet they continue to take actions like the one you see today, where they deny the world the capacity to know what's really going on inside of their country," he said.

As part of its new demands, China asked the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, as well as the Voice of America and Time magazine, to provide the Chinese government with detailed information about their operations.

Story continues

The U.S. move in March came in the wake of a decision in late February by authorities in Beijing to revoke the press credentials and order the expulsion of three Wall Street Journal reporters in retaliation for a headline on an opinion column about the coronavirus outbreak that China said was racist. That Feb. 3 column was written by Walter Russell Mead, a professor at Bard College. It argued that "Chinese authorities are still trying to conceal the true scale of the problem" of the virus that has now sickened more than 170,000 people and killed more than 7,000 worldwide. "Chinas initial response to the crisis was less than impressive," Mead wrote, an assessment that China has now accepted.

Tit-for-tat: China expels Wall Street Journal reporters over 'racist' headline on coronavirus op-ed

China's move in February, in turn, came a day after the Trump administration said it would begin treating five major Chinese state-run media entities with U.S. operations  Xinhua, CGTN, China Radio, China Daily and Hai Tian Development  as foreign embassies. These media companies are now required to register their employees and U.S. property with the U.S. State Department. A similar U.S. Justice Department measure is in place for some Russian state-backed media working in the U.S. such as Russia Today, an English-language TV network.

The top editors of the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and the New York Times spoke out against the expulsions.

"We unequivocally condemn any action by China to expel U.S. reporters," said Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron, after Tuesday's action by China.

"The Chinese government's decision is particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, when clear and reliable information about the international response to covid-19 is essential," he said in a tweet.

In a statement, Wall Street Journal Editor in Chief Matt Murray called the expulsion an "unprecedented attack on freedom of the press."

"Our commitment to reporting fully and deeply on China is unchanged," he said.

New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet called the expulsion "especially irresponsible" when the free flow of information about coronavirus was necessary.

"It is a grave mistake for China to move backwards and cut itself off from several of the world's top news organizations," he said in a statement.

All three news organizations were at the forefront of reporting on the coronavirus outbreak in China at a time when the government tried to suppress information about the pandemic.

Fact check: Coronavirus originated in China, not elsewhere, researchers and studies say

Tensions between Beijing and Washington have fluctuated since President Donald Trump took office. The world's two largest economies have been locked for months in difficult trade talks that have precipitated on-and-off trade tariffs, and each side has accused the other of espionage. Many international outlets are inaccessible from China, which operates what is known informally as the "Great Firewall of China."

More: These countries are doing the best and worst jobs fighting coronavirus

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: China moves to expel more American journalists
However, the definition of occupational illnesses/diseases varies from state to state. Another consideration is if patient zero in a non-healthcare workplace spreads it to other employees  depending on the jurisdiction, coworkers could file a claim if they caught the disease from that one infected individual.

Taking the above excerpts into account, claims for airborne diseases such as COVID-19 are layered and complex, the whitepaper concluded. The ability to assess where the exposure took place is difficult, and as the disease spreads the exposure outside of employment, the burden of proof is placed on the employee.

The whitepaper also had something to say about general liability claims filed by customers against employers, whose infected employees exposed clients to the coronavirus.

Generally speaking, a general liability claim filed by a customer, client or supplier would be difficult to prove, the paper said. A key element in determining liability would be if an employee knew they were sick with COVID-19 when knowingly coming into contact with other individuals.

Crawford & Company also listed some strategies on how employers can address the infection risk among employees.

Aside from the whitepaper, Crawford & Company revealed that Terry Hunt has announced his retirement from his role as US president of global technical services, effective May 15, 2020. Hunt has spent 27 years at Crawford, and has held numerous senior positions since joining in 1990.
Over 10 years ago, taxpayers forked over $36 billion in an effort to promote the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). As of 2017, 85.9% of office-based physicians used EHRs, which seemed to promise an exciting future.

This future would be one in which health information would no longer be collected, managed, and shared on paper, but instead, electronically. It promised to remove from patients the burden of having to reconstruct from memory a lifetime of medical information in a moment of crisis.

However, in August 2017, that future could not have been further away for my family. After returning to D.C. after a trip with my husband and two children, I received the call that every wife and mother dreads. Mom, Dad passed out, I heard my daughter say before handing the phone to the paramedics. They peppered me with questions about medications, medical history, recent visits to the doctor, and more. I had virtually no answers and no idea how to get them. I found myself juggling conversations, looking for travel arrangements, and comforting my children, all while trying to track down doctors and records.

When he collapsed, he happened to fall at the feet of an off-duty nurse, who administered CPR for several minutes until one of Philadelphia International Airports defibrillators could be brought to the scene. Miraculously, he was revived after six shocks to his chest, surviving a serious medical condition with a survival rate of under 1%.

Call it blind chance or divine intervention, but it combined with good Samaritans and modern medicine to save my husbands life. As I had already learned the hard way from this harrowing experience, medical record technology had not kept up with the advances that saved my husbands life.

When we were close to discharge, I asked for his records. We would soon be returning to our doctor in Indiana, and I knew that every element of his treatment  test results, information from hospital equipment, drugs administered  could be used to inform his treatment going forward. They handed me five sheets of paper and a CD-ROM containing information about just one of the procedures he underwent. I was floored. Where was all the information they had been collecting?

A few days later, it struck me how my own situation echoed the sentiments I had heard on a recent nationwide listening tour: the future we were sold 10 years ago was still a long way off. Americans like myself were encountering barriers to accessing essential health information. While the original taxpayer investment drove the adoption of EHRs, different systems remained unable to communicate with one another.

So under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began working with the White House Office of American Innovation to implement a vision in which our medical data flow seamlessly from every interaction we have in the health-care system.

The implementation of that vision has had many phases, but recently, we unveiled the most transformative one yet: a major final rule that requires that all health plans doing business in Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the federal exchanges share health data with their patients. In effect, it enables innovative app developers to deliver patient data directly to a patients phone, so they can easily share it.

At a time when the coronavirus situation brings trepidation, the need for the sort of coordination of care could not be clearer. In a crisis like the one my family went through, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Seema Verma is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
ALTON  Area food establishments are shifting their focus to delivery and curbside service following Gov. J.B. Pritzkers order that all Illinois bars and restaurants remain closed to indoor dining through March 30.

While this is a new and uncertain territory for some businesses, many say they are willing to give it a try and figure out how to make it work.

Were all in this together, said Terri Beaubien, owner of State Street Market at 208 State St. We have so many wonderful restaurants in Alton. We just want them all to still be here at the end of this.

Not only is Beaubien preparing to offer delivery and curbside pickup, the restaurants chef is coming up with creative ways to use what they have for gourmet dishes, customized orders, family meals and prepared frozen dishes that can be heated up at home. Wine will continue to be available for purchase as well.

We are desperately trying to do all we can, she said. We will continue to serve fresh as long as people are still supporting us. Were also flexible and will accommodate customers as much as possible.

She said she appreciates the communitys support and understands people also need to do what they feel is best for their families at this time. For those wanting to support local eateries without making purchases, she suggests customers write and submit reviews for the places they love.

We all need great reviews, she said. Just try to think outside of the box.

Michael Diaz, general manager of Decaros at 602 E. 3rd St., in Alton, said he plans to offer curbside service and delivery with payment of all orders taken over the phone. Curbside service is expected to be the fastest method for orders; delivery will require a minimum purchase of $25 and an additional fee of $3.

More Information Spread the word The Telegraph wants to help support local businesses during COVID-19 concerns. If you know of a restaurant, bar or other business offering deliveries, curb-size service or other special help during the coronavirus challenge, please email us at news@thetelegraph.com. Or contact Jeanie Stephens at jeanie.stephens@thetelegraph.com. We will offer a list of those businesses online at thetelegraph.com and, as space permits, frequently list those businesses in the newspaper. See More Collapse

The customer support has just been amazing since the first day, said Diaz. Were extremely grateful for all of the support.

To place orders at either business, customers can call State Street Market at 618-462-8800 or Decaros at 618-433-9999.

Orders from Brown Bag Bistro at 318 E Broadway will be available at the restaurants pickup window on the left side of the building. Orders from Maevas Coffee at 1320 Milton Road will be available in the hallway just outside of the shop.

Other Alton businesses remaining open for delivery and/or curbside service include:

 Tonys Steakhouse and Bar, 102 W 9th St. (Curbside) 618-364-8613

 Epicurean Fare, 4 E. Broadway. (Carryout) 618-433-9989

 Old Bakery Beer Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd. (Curbside and Delivery) 618-463-1470

 Germania Brew Haus, 617 E. Broadway. (Carryout) 314-667-4751

 Macs Downtown, 315 Belle St. (Curbside and Delivery) 618-465-1006

 Town Club Bar and Grill, 2400 E. Broadway. (Carryout and Curbside) 618-462-5431

 My Just Desserts, 31 E. Broadway. (Carryout and Curbside) 618-462-5881

 Alton Sports Tap, 3812 College Ave. (Cubside and Delivery) 618-465-2539

 Johnsons Corner, 2000 State St. (Curbside and Delivery) 618-465-5640

 Cookie Factory Bakery & Cafe, 202 Alton Square (Curbside and Pick-up) 618-462-5731

 Great Rivers Tap & Grill, 3559 College Ave., (Carryout and Curbside) 618-462-1220

Locally owned restaurants also remain open in other nearby communities, including Bakers and Hale in Godfrey, Joes Pizza and Pasta in Godfrey, Carvers in Godfrey, Genos 140 Club in Bethalto, High Flyers Grille in Bethalto, JJ Thermos Bar and Grill in East Alton and Charcoal House in Jerseyville.
New York: Amid lockdown in several countries and growing concerns over Coronavirus outbreak, the first human trial of a vaccine for the novel Coronavirus has begun in the United States. According to reports, this is the first phase of the clinical trial of an investigational vaccine designed to protect against the coronavirus disease, which has claimed the lives of over 7,000 people globally.

The trial, which is being supported by a global coalition founded by India and Norway, began at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle as the first participant received the investigational vaccine.

"I'm pleased to report today that a vaccine candidate has begun the phase one clinical trial. This is one of the fastest vaccine development launches in history. Not even close. We're also racing to develop antiviral therapies and other treatments," US President Donald Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Monday.

The private company, Moderna, which developed the vaccine, said that it had been injected to the first volunteer in Phase I of the trial. Forty-five volunteers are participating in the trial. Called mRNA-1273, it has to go through two more phases of trials to check for side effects and for efficacy before it can be deployed for mass vaccinations and the process can take at least a year.

Moderna added that it was already preparing for Phase II trials of the vaccine, which could start in a few months. Trump said efforts to develop medications to treat the disease were also moving fast.

"We`re also racing to develop antiviral therapies and other treatments. And we`ve had some promising results -- early results, but promising -- to reduce the severity and the duration of the symptoms," he said.

Anthony Fauci, the administration`s leading scientist dealing with the coronavirus crisis, said that he had expected it would take two to three months before the vaccine could be ready for trial, but it was ready in 65 days. "I believe (this) is the record."

The 45 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 "will be followed for one year - both for safety and whether it induces the kind of response that we predict would be protective", he said. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institute of Health (NIH), which is collaborating with Moderna in developing the vaccine.

In the first phase, Fauci said that the volunteers will be given "two injections: one at zero-day - first one; then 28 (after) days, there will be three separate doses: 25 milligrams, 100 milligrams, 250 milligrams".

Moderna said it "continues to prepare for rapid acceleration of its manufacturing capabilities that could allow for the future manufacture of millions of doses should mRNA-1273 prove to be safe and effective". The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) supported the manufacturing of the vaccine candidate for the Phase 1 clinical trial.

Conceived in 2015, CEPI was founded in Davos in 2017 by the governments of Norway and India, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the World Economic Forum.

According to its website, CEPI so far has secured USD 760 million toward its USD 1 billion funding target, with multi-year funding from Norway, the UK, Germany, Japan, Canada, Ethiopia, Australia, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome.

The number of deaths due to coronavirus has passed 7,000 worldwide. More than 175,530 cases have been recorded in 145 countries.
Company controlled by an ally of Russian President Putin was accused of pumping disinformation into social media.

The US Justice Department on Monday abruptly dropped its criminal case against a company controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which allegedly funded the campaign to meddle in the United States 2016 elections.

Just weeks before the trial was to begin, the Justice Department announced it was withdrawing the eight-count indictment of Concord Management and Consulting, a company owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Concord, which funds the St Petersburg-based troll factory the Internet Research Agency, was part of an indictment against 13 Russian individuals and three companies  one of the major outcomes of Special Counsel Robert Muellers 22-month investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 vote.

The Internet Research Agency, Mueller charged, actively pumped disinformation, memes and fake news into social media through false accounts to influence US voters and tilt the election four years ago to help President Donald Trump.





Like Mueller, US intelligence chiefs concluded that the Concord-run operation was one half of a sweeping campaign overseen by Putin  the other half was hacking by Russian intelligence  to help Trump and hurt his rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In a filing in Washington federal district court, the Justice Department said that Concords tactics of trying to use US law and court procedures to prise out classified intelligence related to the evidence against it was a threat to national security.

The government has concluded that further proceedings as to Concord, a Russian company with no presence in the United States and no exposure to meaningful punishment in the event of conviction, promotes neither the interests of justice nor the nations security, it said.

Laywers representing Concord Management and Consulting LLC, walk out of federal court in Washington, after pleading not guilty on behalf of the company in May 2018. [File: Andrew Harnik/AP]

Concord was the only one of three Russian companies and 25 Russian individuals charged by Mueller to be brought to trial.

The rest are considered out of reach of US law, but the charges against them  including Prigozhin  remain in place.

The Justice Department said recent rules changes regarding evidence based on classified US intelligence made it harder to proceed in the case without exposing secrets.
Serbias army troops were being deployed to the countrys borders and streets of the capital, Belgrade on Monday, to reinforce a nationwide state of emergency that has been introduced in an effort to try stop the virus outbreak. Serbias Defence Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the soldiers will guard hospitals treating patients infected by the virus, border checkpoints, airports and train stations where bigger crowds are expected.

The government on Monday detailed the restrictive measures that were being introduced via an emergency law, such as the closure of Serbias borders for foreigners and the introduction of self-isolation for returning Serbian citizens to up to 28 days depending which country they visited.

The measures also include voluntary isolation for all citizens except for visits to the shops and pharmacies, walking pets and throwing rubbish. People older than 70 were told not to leave their homes till further notice.

Serbias Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that if people continue to ignore the self-isolation orders, as they appeared to be doing in Belgrade on Monday, the government will introduce a police-enforced curfew.

Serbia on Monday confirmed 3 cases of the new virus, bringing the countrys total to 55.
As coronavirus cases continued to rise Sunday, the New Jersey Department of Health held a conference call with officials from every county, advising them how to set up their own COVID-19 testing sites.

It sounds like a great option in a state where coronavirus cases are multiplying  the total was 267 Tuesday afternoon  and the number one question from the thousands calling the states COVID-19 hotline is: How do I get tested?

Except for one major problem: The counties dont actually have any test kits to use at these potential sites.

Its extremely frustrating, Camden County Freeholder Louis Cappelli Jr. said Tuesday. Weve heard now for the last couple weeks from the president that testing kits are available for everyone. Thats simply not true.

Cappelli said the state Department of Health (DOH) which relies on the federal government to provide the test kits, told county officials they hoped to get more by the end of the week. The state is doing its best, he said, but he doesnt trust that the feds can provide a sufficient number of tests soon enough.

Taking matters into their own hands, county officials are now working to buy their own test kits from a private company, Cappelli said.

He declined to name the company since the deal hasnt been finalized, but said the test is already being produced and works just the same as the version the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is distributing to states.

We cannot fight this virus to the full extent we need to until we have these testing kits. We dont know how many are sick. We need data to proceed, he said.

Camden County has three confirmed cases as of Tuesday afternoon.

Its a move he feels is necessary given the problematic roll-out of coronavirus testing across the country.

The Washington Post reported Monday that while private companies all over the world have been producing coronavirus tests since January  more than a million of which were distributed to countries by the World Health Organization  the CDC would not allow private tests to be used in the U.S. until the end of February.

The CDC also spent most of the month of February trying to address a problem with the tests it did distribute to states, after many yielded inconclusive results, the Post reported.

Private companies like LabCorp and Quest can now perform tests if New Jersey doctors order them and collect the nasal swab, but the state lab is still relying on the federal government to provide its tests.

Cappelli said the county would ultimately like to set up three testing centers if it can get enough tests, though the only site selected so far is the Camden County College campus in Blackwood. Patients who have coronavirus symptoms and a doctors order for a test would be able to drive up, get swabbed and be on their way without exposing others, he said.

New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said the state is still trying to trace all the contacts of anyone infected with the virus, but last week she said that some people may not need to be tested at all if they are not high-risk and have mild and moderate symptoms.

Currently, the decision about who gets a state test is based on CDC guidelines, which suggest prioritizing testing for high-risk people or those who have traveled to certain countries or had contact with a suspected case. Private labs arent technically bound by those guidelines, but they rely on medical facilities  where staff are following DOH guidelines  to provide the swabs.

Cappelli said he believes everyone with symptoms and a doctors order should be able to be tested if the tests come through. If we have to prioritize tests well rely on our health experts, but I hope we wont have to, he said.

The test costs about $60 each, Cappelli said, but the county will cover the bill if insurance companies wont. He declined to say what the total cost to the county could be, but the county is seeking an initial delivery of 6,000 as early as Monday.

Well buy as many tests as we can, he said.

So far, the states only drive-through testing facilities are at Riverside Medical Group and Hudson Regional Hospital, both in Secaucus, and at Immediate Care, an urgent care center in Marlboro. All offer testing by appointment only following a health screening via phone. The tests at Riverside are only for existing patients.

There are plans  but no firm timeline  for FEMA to help the state set up testing facilities at Bergen County College and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, Gov. Phil Murphy said at a press conference Monday.

Dr. Iyad Baker, the CEO of Riverside Medical Group, told NJ Advance Media that the center was testing about 20 patients a day but could do more if it could access more tests.

"That is not unique to New Jersey, thats a national issue which our labs are working on, he said.

Cappelli said hes heard the same from his brother who is a physician.

Hes told them, Quarantine at home and dont go anywhere, I cant get you tested, Cappelli said.

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Some people have to take the buses and trains, said Dr. Emily Landon, epidemiologist for the University of Chicago Department of Medicine, speaking on a Facebook question-and-answer session about the virus. Those who dont need to take the bus or train shouldnt use it, so people who need to take it to their essential jobs can take it. ... Its time for us all to realize how much were really connected."
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Newly-appointed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Monday said that there are no differences among Congress leaders in the state, and they will work together to bring the party back to power.

Speaking to mediapersons after meeting former minister MB Patil, who was said to be in the race for the KPCC post, Shivakumar said that 99% of leaders, including MB Patil, had suggested my name for the KPCC post. There are no differences among us.

Shivakumar, who met many senior Congress leaders in the past three days, and held his first meeting with three working presidents on Monday, said they have decided to strengthen the party from the ground level, and take everyone in the party into confidence. It is not the power, but the responsibility given to us. It is an opportunity to strengthen the party and we need to energize our workers, he said.

The KPCC chief said they will give greater emphasis to quality and quantity, and not talk about any particular caste. We will give priority to all communities, and give more importance to discipline. Those loyal to the party will be given party positions, he said, adding that after the ongoing legislative session concludes, they will visit New Delhi to meet party leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress is currently battling to save its government in Madhya Pradesh, even as its rebel MLAs are staying at a resort in Bengaluru. Shivakumar, however, hopes his party government in Madhya Pradesh survives the crisis. The Kamal Nath government is hanging by a thread after resignations by 21 MLAs loyal to Jyothiraditya Scindia, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP. On Monday, Nath was asked to prove his majority, but the MP Assembly Speaker adjourned proceedings till March 26, citing the corona scare. However, the governor countered it, and asked Nath to prove his majority on Tuesday.

Shivakumar, however, said there is a lot of discontent among the party MLAs staying at the resort in Bengaluru, and they cannot be misguided.
Royal fans have praised an unseen photograph of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her family after it was shared online.

The image shows Victoria, 42, posing with her husband Prince Daniel, 46, and their children, Estelle, eight, and Oscar, four, in what appears to be a formal photo shoot.

It is not known where or when the photos were taken, although the set-up suggests it might have been Haga Palace, the family's official residence on the outskirts of Stockholm.

Happy family! Royal fans have praised an unseen photograph of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her family after it was shared online. The image, pictured, shows Victoria, 42, posing with her husband Prince Daniel, 46, and their children, Estelle, eight, and Oscar, four

Ray of light: Royal supporters were grateful to have the uplifting image at a difficult time

The photo was shared by several social media fan accounts, including the Crown Princess Victoria Facebook page and the royal.addicted Instagram account. Some said it 'lightened the mood' as the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic.

Royal supporters were delighted with the new content and praised the 'beautiful' royal family.

One posted: 'At times like this a new picture is lovely. Lightening the mood.'

Another wrote: 'What a lovely photo of princess Victoria and Husband and children very nice photo.' A third added: 'Beautiful Royal family.'

Staying strong: Crown Princess Victoria has continued to carry out royal duties despite the coronavirus situation. Pictured, during her Victoria names day celebration last week

Praise: Royal supporters took to the comments on social media to share their delight

Crown Princess Victoria, daughter of reigning monarch King Carl XVI Gustaf, has been continuing with her royal duties despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The princess and her husband both attended a meeting to learn more about COVID-19 yesterday and met with representatives of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR).

Last week Victoria marked Name Day, a national holiday in her honour, with a pared back ceremony.

Low key: Last week Victoria marked Name Day, a national holiday in her honour, with a pared back ceremony. Pictured, Victoria with Daniel (left) at the ceremony

According to Swedish tradition, various names are associated with certain dates, and Crown Princess Victoria's is celebrated on 12th March.

Festivities usually include a military parade in the Inner Courtyard of Stockholm's Royal Palace, which attracts thousands of wellwishers, but this year's ceremony was called off amid the coronavirus outbreak - with 600 confirmed cases in Sweden.

It is expected the royal's agenda will continue to make adjustments when attending and hosting engagements due to the coronavirus.
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Boeing Co., the largest private sector employer in Charleston County, announced Monday that all employees who are able to work from home will do so indefinitely due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

The company did not specify what portion of its 7,000 employees in North Charleston will be telecommuting.

Production at the facility off International Blvd., where the company builds its 787 Dreamliner jet, continues, so workers whose jobs require them to be physically present at the plant will continue to report for work in person.

The new policy applies to all Boeing sites, some of which were already starting to ask employees to telecommute prior to the announcement.

Employees at Boeing's North Charleston facility had not been asked to work from home until Monday.

In a statement, the company said it had "enhanced cleaning procedures" in work areas and common spaces. Employees who are able to will work from home are asked to do so "until further notice," according to the statement.

Last week, a Boeing employee who works in Everett, Wash. tested positive for the novel strain of the coronavirus. Coworkers who were in close contact with that individual were asked to self-quarantine and self-monitor.

The company has not reported any other instances of employees testing positive for the virus since then.

In an effort to cut costs as the COVID-19 pandemic ripples through the airline industry, Boeing is also limiting overtime, cutting down on business travel and temporarily freezing hiring.

The cash-preserving measures were announced to employees in an internal memo last Wednesday. By the end of that day, Boeing shares had plummeted 18 percent.

In the memo, CEO David Calhoun described 2020 as a year that will be as challenging "as any in the recent past."
Human rights groups have decried increasing use of penal code in trying free speech cases.

A Moroccan court on Tuesday handed a four-month suspended sentence and a $50 fine to Moroccan journalist and rights activist Omar Radi on charges of insulting a judge on Twitter, in a case that outraged advocates of free speech in the country.

Radi, 33, tweeted last April that the judge was working under orders when he gave heavy sentences to leaders of protests that took place in northern Morocco in late 2016 and early 2017 over the countrys social and economic woes.

I was expecting to be acquitted as I am not guilty and was only expressing my own opinion, Radi told Reuters News Agency after the verdict. He said he will appeal the verdict.

Local rights groups have decried the increasing use of the penal code in trying free speech cases instead of the more lenient publishing code, which has had no provision for imprisonment since a reform in 2016.

He should never have been put on trial in the first place or sentenced for expressing peaceful views on social media. This sentence reinforces the message that anyone in Morocco who stands up for human rights will be punished, said Amnesty International in a statement.

The prosecutor said Radis tweet was directed at the judge in person and not the judiciary. Radi and his lawyers denied that.

Radi was released on bail on December 31 after spending five days in prison. His case triggered a wave of solidarity by human rights activists and groups including Moroccos Freedom Now, Human Rights Watch and others which all demanded his immediate release.

Moroccan courts have in recent months sentenced a dozen individuals to prison terms of up to four years on charges that include insulting constitutional institutions or public servants and inciting protests, according to rights activists.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is an information security standard designed to create an additional level of protection for card issuers by ensuring that merchants meet minimum levels of security when they store, process, and transmit cardholder data. To minimize interoperability problems among the existing standards, the combined effort made by the principal credit card organizations resulted in the release of version 1.0 of PCI DSS in December 2004. PCI DSS has been implemented and followed across the globe.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has responsibility for the oversight of credit card processing as it falls under the need for consumer protections and oversight. While there is not necessarily a regulatory mandate for PCI compliance, it is regarded as mandatory through court precedent.

In general, PCI compliance is a core component of any credit card companys security protocol. It is generally mandated by credit card companies and discussed in credit card network agreements.

The PCI Standards Council is responsible for the development of the standards for PCI compliance. These standards apply for merchant processing and have also been expanded to outline requirements for encrypted internet transactions. Other key entities that are also associated with standard-setting in the credit card industry include The Card Association Network and the National Automated Clearing House (NACHA).

Fines for non-compliance can go up to $100,000 per month and potentially $90 for each customer affected by a data breach.

In other words, if your organization takes credit cards, not complying with PCI could be very expensive. It is worth pointing out the cost of the fines could be a small part of the overall cost of a breach. There are legal costs, class action suits, lost productivity, lost customers and companies can quickly be put out of business as news of a breach get out and customers defect.

Enter PCI Pal.

The company helps your business take credit card payments securely.

Darren Gil, the Chief Revenue Officer PCI Pal

In an exclusive interview with Darren Gil, the Chief Revenue Officer, he said, The aim of the company is to be the trusted partner to allow customers to deliver a secure payment solution.

He said the United States is many months behind much of the rest of the world in terms of handling payments securely. Often, contact center agents in the U.S. will write down credit card numbers for later input  a big no-no, especially when it comes to the EUs GDPR regulations.

The companys technology allows a customer to enter their credit card information via phone without the agent being able to get access to the information.

On a related note  he mentioned that many contact centers have years of recordings on file and contained within are credit card numbers. Companies realize the security issues and liability but PCI Pal does not remove this information. This presents a quandary for the companies who need the calls recorded for compliance and legal reasons but dont want the credit card information for similar reasons.

We asked Darren about the British Airways hack  we reported last July the airline was fined $229 for leaking information on 500,000 customers. In this case, the company was breached through their chatbot app and then the hackers gained access to the customer database.

Darren said they recommend companies not store credit card information. PCI Pal can take this data and pass it to the payment gateway without the need to archive the information which could be stolen at a later time. We suggest you fully descope, he exclaimed.

This past January, the company launched its omnichannel solution allowing for secure payment options for digital engagement channels including Webchat, social media, email, SMS and more.

James Barham, CEO, PCI Pal

As we see the increased adoption of digital channels within organizations, including both our partners and direct customers, we believe that now is the time to introduce our digital payment offering supplementing our existing Agent Assist and IVR solutions, said James Barham, CEO, PCI Pal. The market is experiencing a shift towards digital engagement and as such we are creating the opportunity for our partners and customers to leverage payments within these newer sales and service channels. As with all our solutions, PCI Pal Digital has been developed in-house and is available to organizations globally through our true-cloud platform.

Darren said they also have a solution that allows the secure transmission of account numbers and social security numbers  this is being used in EMEA at the moment.

They are also working on an ASR solution to take payments and are creating a solution for a pizza franchise allowing them to take credit card information via chat through a web form.

PCI Pal helps reduce risk for companies that take credit card information. By using industry best-practices and not storing credit card information, companies take on less risk of a breach and potentially having the information used as leverage to collect a ransom or just be released. By reducing the risk of a breach, they also reduce the risk of fines, legal costs and loss of customers due to hackers getting into their systems.

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Border Force officers have detained and tested 25 migrants for Covid-19 after intercepting their boats off the coast of Kent in two separate incidents today.

Officers first intercepted a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which was carrying a group of 16 men who presented themselves as Iranian nationals, at around 4.30am today.

In the second incident, at around 8.30am, a Border Force vessel intercepted a RHIB which was carrying a group of nine men who also presented themselves as Iranian nationals.

All the mirgrants were tested for the coronavirus and handed over to immigration officials to be interviewed at the Port of Dover in Kent.

Border Force officers have tested 25 migrants for Covid-19 after intercepting a 'number of small vessels' off the coast of Kent this morning. Pictured: Officers bring the men who are thought to be migrants to the shore

A number of suspected migrants were taken ashore in 6C temperatures at Dover and met by officials in yellow vests

A Home Office Spokesman said: 'In line with Public Health England guidance, Border Force and all operational staff have the relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available to them.

'They were taken on board the cutters and brought to Dover where they received further medical assessment, which will include looking for the symptoms of coronavirus.'

Their cases will now be dealt with according to the immigration rules.

Earlier today, officers met a 'number of small vessels' in the Channel and took the passengers to the Port of Dover.

Pictures showed about four people in a dingy wearing life jackets, before they are lined up on a jetty and wrapped in orange jackets.

It comes as a charity warned thousands of migrants living in desperate conditions on the French coastline are at high risk from coronavirus.

Up to 1,000 refugees are living in Calais alone, with many seeking to try the dangerous crossing despite repeated safety warnings.

Officers met a 'number of small vessels' in the Channel this morning and took the passengers to the Port of Dover (pictured)

The UK Border Force intercepted the group of migrants off the coast of Kent (pictured this morning)

Pictures show about four people in a dingy wearing life jackets, before they are lined up on a jetty and wrapped in orange jackets (pictured)

Border Force has been dealing with 'a number of ongoing small boat incidents' off the coast of Kent, the Home Office said.

A number of suspected migrants were taken ashore in 6C temperatures at Dover and met by officials in yellow vests.

It is understood the Border Force cutter Seeker has also been active off the UK coast.

The continued crossings - usually in unsafe inflatable dinghies - come despite the treacherous waters of the English Channel and the escalating Covid-19 outbreak.

Clare Moseley, founder of Care4Calais, said there are no known cases of Covid-19 at the makeshift camps on the northern coast of France, but it is only a matter of time.

She said: 'They can't have showers. They can't wash their hands. They can't self-isolate. So all the things we are being told to do, they can't do.

Charity Care4Calais warned thousands of migrants living in desperate conditions on the French coastline (pictured, Calais) are at high risk from coronavirus

This picture shows care packages and donations delivered to migrant camps in the French city run by charity Care4Calais

'They are often sleep-deprived so that puts your health at a low ebb already.'

Fears over Covid-19 have led to a sharp drop in volunteers for the charity, with just three on shift on Tuesday, compared with usual levels of up to 30.

Between 700 and 1,000 migrants are living across three sites in Calais where the charity helps, with 3,000 believed to be living across the whole of the northern French coastline.

A lockdown in France could mean the warehouse Care4Calais uses to store food and aid supplies is shut down.

The charity is in urgent meetings with lawyers to try to find a resolution.

A lockdown in France could mean the warehouse Care4Calais uses to store food and aid supplies is shut down. Left: Care4Calais workers putting together care packages delivered to migrant camps in Calais. Right: A soap station at a migrant camp in the French city

Asked about the risk of coronavirus in migrant camps, Ms Moseley said: 'We are not aware of any cases currently but it can't be much longer, can it?

'They have been through so much they are scared of everything and now this is another thing.

'They do not understand why the world doesn't care about them.'

She called for people to donate money so the charity can continue to source vital aid supplies like hand sanitiser, many of which will cost more as they will increasingly need to be bought from supermarkets rather than wholesalers.

For more information, and to donate, visit care4calais.org/

The latest migrant activity comes after 16 men were intercepted by French authorities five nautical miles off Dunkirk.

The men, one of whom had severe hypothermia, were taken to Calais.
Digital devices are everywhere in schools these days. They are used to complete assignments, conduct research, play educational games, and generally enhance teaching and learning. In an increasing number of schools, every student has access to at least one digital device during the school day. Oftentimes, they can take those devices home after school. That proliferation of school-issued devices can open schools up to all kinds of cybersecurity problems.

Education Week asked K-12 technology leaders in districts with 1-to-1 computing environments to offer tips on minimizing those cybersecurity risks. Heres what they suggested:

1. Invest in the right products.

Its impossible to protect school districts from the wide range of security threats without outside helpbut not all available products are created equal.

Anti-virus and endpoint security are two basic products that help improve cybersecurity. Chris Sette, the IT manager for the Meriden public schools in Connecticut, recommends splurging for a product that utilizes machine learning that actually analyzes whats happening on the machine and makes a determination that there is something out of the ordinary. Settes team checks outputs from those tools every day.

Tools that offer transparency for parents as well are especially worthwhile, according to Bryan Weinert, who runs the 1-to-1 program at Leyden High School District 212 in Illinois.

The district uses Securely to offer parents a portal they can access to see their childrens activity outside the school day. The tool also offers the option to allow parents to see students activity during the school day, but the district opted out of that feature. If a parent is concerned about what theyre using Chromebook at home for, now weve provided parents a way to look as well, Weinert said.

2. Make hackers work for it.

Maintaining strong lines of communication between teachers and parents is importantbut there are ways to accomplish that goal without putting cybersecurity at risk. Last summer, the Meriden districts tech team scoured district and school websites, as well as other sites hosted by the district, to remove all email addresses for staff members and replace them with contact forms.

Weinerts district has installed content filters that allow his team to monitor all activity on the devices students receive through the 1-to-1 program. Parents and students have been informed that they should have no expectation of privacy on those devices, he said.

Were not actively monitoringthat would be multiple peoples full-time jobs, Weinert said. If theres ever anything that does come up, our deans, disciplinarians, principals have the ability to go in and look at whats going on.

3. Communicate constantly with teachers and set them up for success.

Settes team emails teachers any time theres a chance theyre receiving a spam message cleverly disguised to look legitimate.

Melissa Tebbenkamp, the director of instructional technology for Raytown Quality schools in Missouri, says a high priority in her district is ensuring that teachers and students devices dont have administrative privileges unlocked. Theres not a single user in my district, not a single technician, not myself, not my superintendent, not my students that are local machine administrators. Their accounts dont have permission to install programs. [The district has one special account that has the power to make those changes.]

Why not? Many cyberattacks require some sort of download or the ability to edit the devices internal registry. If the user account that its executing under doesnt have the permissions to do that, then that virus or that malware or that trojan cant go anywhere, she said.

4. Start teaching cyber hygiene in kindergarten.

Meriden students start getting lessons on online safety, and warnings about indiscriminately sharing information in kindergarten. Those lessons continue throughout elementary and middle school, so that by the time they reach 6th grade and are taking devices home, we have created a culture of internet safety, Barbara Haeffner, the director of teaching and innovation for the Meriden public schools in Connecticut, said.

5. Never assume that what youre doing is enough.

Districts that stop at simply installing a firewall arent likely to see all their problems solved. Having a broken lock on a door is really not gonna help you that much, said Sette.

District leaders emphasized consulting state laws around data privacy. In Connecticut, for example, each school district is required to get a data-privacy agreement from a vendor partner, whether its paying for the vendors product or getting it for free. The district has procedures in place for teachers asking students to sign up for accounts or interface with products that fall under the law, Haeffner said.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Clear to partly cloudy. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 27F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 27F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
U.S. cattle futures plunged on Monday to their lowest in nearly a decade, with traders citing uncertainty about what the coronavirus pandemic will mean for long-term demand.

Hog futures also were sharply lower, sinking to their lowest since October 2018.

All fed cattle contracts and most hog contracts settled down the daily 4.5 cent trading limit. The fed cattle contracts will trade with expanded limits of 6.75 cents on Tuesday, CME Group said.

The concerns are about restaurant demand and future overall demand, said Rich Nelson, chief strategist for commodity broker Allendale in Illinois. Much of the trade still thinks the worst is in front of us.

The most-active CME May fed cattle futures contract settled down 4.5 cents at 109.975 cents per lb. Fed cattle contracts hit new lows across the board.

CME June live cattle futures were down 4.5 cents at 85.25 cents per lb. Live cattle contracts also hit new lows across the board.

On a continuous basis, the front-month live cattle contract hit its lowest since July 2010 and front-month fed cattle hit its lowest since October 2010.

U.S. under pressure to keep slaughterhouses open during virus outbreak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to reassure meat producers it will keep slaughterhouses staffed with federal inspectors as fears about potential shutdowns due to the new coronavirus hammer livestock prices and fuel concerns about food supplies, meat industry groups said on Monday.

Livestock markets have been hit hard as the spread of the virus threatens workers that companies rely on to process and inspect meat.

Prices for cattle and hogs could fall further if coronavirus cases force companies like Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) or WH Groups (0288.HK) Smithfield Foods to close slaughterhouses. Shutdowns would remove markets for farmers to sell their animals and could temporarily tighten meat supplies.

The USDA said it would use its authority and all administrative means and flexibilities to address staffing considerations during the outbreak.

Agency officials told the National Cattlemens Beef Association that the USDA will ensure it has replacement inspectors ready to staff slaughterhouses if necessary, said Colin Woodall, chief executive of the trade group. Farmers and industry groups said there were no confirmed shutdowns.

We need to make sure that were keeping the beef flowing, Woodall said.

American shoppers have picked grocery store shelves clean on products ranging from beef and chicken to disinfectants due to the outbreak.

Poultry producer Sanderson Farms said it can process more chickens for retail customers if needed and that none of its employees or farmers have reported cases of the virus. The USDA said an agency employee tested positive.

The United States Cattlemens Association has asked whether the agency could ease staffing requirements for meat inspectors to avoid supply disruptions if coronavirus threatens operations, said Jess Peterson, senior policy adviser for the trade group. The association wants meat to be produced safely, he said.

Were just looking for flexibility so that nothing gets shut down, Peterson said.

April live cattle futures LCJ0 have tumbled 14% this month on concerns about the virus shutting slaughterhouses and causing an economic slowdown that could reduce beef demand. Boxed beef prices rose on Monday and Friday while futures sank.

The USDA is examining the markets for possible anticompetitive behavior, said Peterson, who said he spoke with USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach.

The agency in August launched a separate investigation into widening prices between cattle and beef after a fire at a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in Kansas shut the plant.

Farmers said coronavirus has the potential to wreak even more havoc if it shuts multiple slaughterhouses.

Thats my worst nightmare, said Peterson, a rancher in Montana.
Public Masses will be canceled for Roman Catholics across the Archdiocese of Portland, including services on Easter Sunday, due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Oregon.

The Archdiocese of Portland made the call Monday, following Oregon Gov. Kate Browns announcement that she plans to ban all group gatherings of more than 25 people for the next month. Brown also encouraged Oregonians to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.

In light of this, it becomes impossible for us to manage a schedule of Masses in the parishes and missions of the Archdiocese, Archbishop Alexander Sample said in the announcement. I am dispensing all of the faithful from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation for the same period of time.

Services will be canceled through April 14, the archbishop announced. With Easter this year falling on April 12, that means there will be no public Masses for Easter or Holy Week, when the church honors the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I am sorry beyond words to have to make this decision, Sample said. It is very painful for me to do so. In the midst of this we must remember that the Holy Eucharist remains the source and summit of the Christian life.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: FULL COVERAGE

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Taking more stringent steps in the wake of the coronavirus scare, the Punjab government on Tuesday orderedthe closure of all malls, shopping complexes and 'kisan mandis' in the state till March 31.

It has also decided to restrict the gathering at marriage palaces to 50 people only.

Aseven-member group of ministers (GoM), formed by the Punjab government to review the situation on a daily basis, announced these steps in view ofan advisory received from the Government of India.

"In view of the advisory received from Government of India for checking the spread of COVID-19, the GoM today took more stringent steps to prohibit public gatherings," a government statement said here.

Last week, the state government hadordered the closure of cinema halls and banned public gatherings, including cultural events, till further orders.

The GoM, which met under the chairmanship of Local bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra, issued directions to close all shopping complexes, malls and museums, the government statement said.

However, chemist and grocery shops in malls have been exempted from the shutdown.

All weekly 'kisan mandis' (farmer markets) in the state have been closed in a bid to restrict public gathering at one place.

The GoM, however, allowed the sale of vegetables through 'rehriwalas' (street hawkers) for the convenience of the public.

Besides, an advisory has been issued to all religious institutions, dera (sect) heads to postpone their religious congregations till March 31.

Directions have been issued to the deputy commissioners to ensure that the gathering at any function in marriage palaces must not increase beyond 50 people, the statement said.

Likewise, the DCs will also ensure that all restaurants, hotels, dhabas and food courts in their respective areas are maintaining the hand-washing protocol and proper cleanliness.

The GoM also told the School Education Department and administrative bodies of private educational institutes to postpone examinations.

"In case there is a dire need of conducting the examinations, the particular institute and school will inform the district administration and ensure that one metre distance is maintained between two students," it said.

The GoM reviewed the present situation in the state and took stock of the availability of prescribed medicines and the deployment of medical and para medical staff.

In Punjab, a total of 110 samples had been tested so far and one was found positive while the results of nine are awaited.

A total of 2,321 patients have been under home isolation. More than 93,000 passengers, including at Chandigarh and Amritsar airports, have been screened for coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Older Queenslanders are going hungry because supermarket shelves have been raided by coronavirus panic-buyers, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.

Ms Palaszczuk, whose 95-year-old grandmother lives in aged care, has urged people to stop stockpiling groceries they do not need.

Empty toilet paper shelves at Coles supermarket. Credit:AAP/Kelly Barnes

"There are many elderly people in our community who are now not getting food," she said.

"We need to love thy neighbour, we need to make sure that we are ensuring that the elderly, people with a disability, are having the ability to get the food that they need.
Abdi Nur was my first Somali source on Ilhan Omar in August 2016. He contacted me after my post Her back pages had roiled Omars campaign for state legislative office. Wary of each other the first time around, we agreed to meet in a public place in downtown Minneapolis.

Two weeks ago we published Abdi Nurs plea for help. In that post I reported: The Ilhan Omar-inspired reign of terror continues in Minneapolis. Today my friend Abdi Osman Nur pleads for help as the news blackout continues. I am posting this [plea for help] at Abdis request on the understanding that the video [seeking his death] is dangerous to my LIFE,' as he explained in the Facebook post we published. (Abdi had sent me his Facebook post with the request that we get the word out and I had confirmed its accuracy with another Somali source.)

The Daily Mails Martin Gould now follows on my report with this: EXCLUSIVE: Somali man who confirmed that Ilhan Omar married her brother says he is living in fear after a friend of the congresswoman posted a threatening YouTube video urging Somali-Americans to attack him. Its a good report, but its obviously not exclusive, let alone EXCLUSIVE. We had the heart of it two weeks ago.

Gould now adds that YouTube has removed the threatening video. Gould reports that YouTube took it down after the Daily Mail asked why it was still up. Gould states that it was removed a week ago (March 10).

Here are Goulds bullet points:

 Wheelchair-bound Abdihakim Osman came forward last month to confirm to DailyMail.com that Ilhan Omar married her own brother

 A woman close to Omar has posted a YouTube video packed with degrading insults about Osman

 Malyun Ali pressed members of her Somali-American clan to go after him

 Why are you not protecting us from this nasty man who is composed only of a head and a stomach, she said

 Osman has a big bell, small udder, pillar-like head, she added, and mocked his disability which was caused by contracting polio as a child in Somalia

 Why dont you stop this crippled dog?, she asked

 Osman has made a complaint to the Minneapolis police

Goulds current story adds much in the way of confirmation and detail to the threats on Abdia life. It also goes back over the well trod ground of Omars fraudulent marriage to her brother along with photographs and videos. Weve been on the story since 2016 and been joined by Preya Samsundar and David Steinberg along the way. I dont think the Daily Mail has yet claimed that story as an EXCLUSIVE, it was the first to report with story with Abdi identified as a source. With Abdis help, I have met with four additional Somali sources who have confirmed the story in the past year. They have all asked for anonymity in the face of the reign of terror that Abdi defies.

By contrast with the Daily Mail, by the way, I think we have Abdis name right. Its Abdihakim Osman Nur. When I first met him back in 2016 he showed me his Minnesota id. card. He has become a good friend since then.

Im glad Abdis story has pierced the silence of the Minnesota media. The Daily Mail is the most widely read English-language news site in the world.

The Star Tribune is well aware of Abdis plight, yet the news has bypassed the Star Tribune. For some reason  you be the judge  it has not seen fit to report his story over the past two weeks. Its customary silence in re Omar obtains.

I will give the Star Tribune this much. If it ever gets around to the story, the Star Tribune wont claim it as an EXCLUSIVE.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday informed Lok Sabha about six detention centres in Assam with a capacity of 3,331 persons.

"There are six detention centres in Assam having a capacity of 3,331 persons. The detention centre in Tezpur has a capacity of 797 persons, Silchar (479), Dibrugarh (680), Jorhat (670), Kokrajhar (335) and Goalpara (370)," said the Home Ministry in a reply to Nusrat Jahan Ruhi, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP.

The TMC lawmaker had asked the Home Ministry about detention centres in Assam and their capacity.

Responding to a question on new detention centres which are yet to be constructed and made operational in Assam, the Ministry said a detention centre at Matia, Goalpara with a capacity of 3,000 is under construction.

Nusrat asked the Home Ministry about the number of people died in the Register of Citizens (NRC) detention camps in the North-Eastern states especially in Assam during the last one year.

"There is no NRC detention camp/center in the state of Assam. 10 inmates of the six detention centers in Assam, where declared foreigners/convicted foreigners are kept, died in different hospitals from March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020," the Home Ministry said.

"During the said time frame, three teams of Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have visited detention centers in Assam and have interacted with declared foreign nationals," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
mapodile | E+ | Getty Images

With the World Health Organization declaring coronavirus a global pandemic, full-time employees at companies across the country are transitioning to a remote working environment with relative ease. But there are 57 million freelancers in the U.S. who do not have the same resources or protections, and they are already feeling the squeeze on their wallets. This includes independent contractors, gig workers, project-based workers and temporary or part-time hires. These individuals are at the heart of the American economy, making up 35% of the working population and driving $1 trillion in income. However, as events are canceled, group gatherings limited and travel curtailed, the self-employed are beginning to feel the financial impact. Although some companies are responding to a wave of pressure by contract workers  Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Amazon have committed to pay hourly workers regular wages despite a decreased need for services during the coronavirus outbreak  many who are self-employed are balking that these measures are not enough. Fortunately, there are measures they can take to protect themselves and minimize the impact of unforeseen circumstances such as coronavirus.

1. Strengthen cancellation, rescheduling policies in contracts

Unlike the traditional workforce, the self-employed don't have a human resources department to call on when they don't get paid. To combat the financial loss that may be incurred when clients cancel, legal experts stress the importance of clearly defined cancellation and rescheduling policies in business owners' contracts. According to attorney Paige Griffith of The Legal Paige, the industry standard for which clients can cancel or reschedule and forfeit only the retainer is generally 30 days prior to the event. However, there are clauses that can protect freelancers when they cannot perform services less than 30 days prior due to an unforeseeable and unavoidable event. They should consider adding the following legal clauses to strengthen their existing contracts and protect their businesses: Force Majeure clause: French for "superior force ," this clause excuses you from performing the services outlined in the contract due to an unforeseen, unavoidable or impossible event, which includes epidemics and pandemics.

," this clause excuses you from performing the services outlined in the contract due to an unforeseen, unavoidable or impossible event, which includes epidemics and pandemics. Safe Working Environment clause: Reserves the right to discontinue service in the event that an unsafe condition arises such as an area being affected by a communicable disease.

Failure of Company to Perform Services clause: Clarifies the procedure should you not be able to perform your services.

2. Prepare a crisis communication plan to manage expectations

By setting clear expectations with current and prospective clients that acknowledge and address the issues at hand, client and customer relationships can be maintained in the face of uncertainty. To put clients at ease during a crisis and improve your chance of rescheduling services after, freelancers must show empathy toward their customers. A great way to do this is simply to reach out and schedule a call to discuss their concerns. Being proactive increases the likelihood of reaching a solution that benefits both parties. For prospective customers, showing proactive communication demonstrates preparedness for both COVID-19 and other unexpected events that could occur. To prepare for a similarly critical issue in the future, freelancers can pre-create resources such as an FAQ page on their website and an email template, along with social media posts or blogs that detail their business' approach to the situation. Doing this in advance will allow business owners to react swiftly in a crisis and preempt any questions from their clients.

3. Leverage national financial aid

At this critical time in the fight against the coronavirus, the U.S. government announced that affected companies will be given an additional $50 billion in low-interest loans. In addition, the Treasury Department is deferring tax payments without interest or penalties for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted. Those who are self-employed get paid sick leave in the form of a tax credit. Across America, various cities are offering financial aid to specifically help small businesses. Cities like New York will offer no-interest loans to small businesses with fewer than 100 employees that show a reduction in sales since the coronavirus outbreak. Certain cities are also providing grants of up to $6,000 for businesses with fewer than five employees. Freelancers can access this information and see if they qualify through their city's Small Business Administration office.

4. Enforce retainer payments

Even if a client chooses to cancel with 30 days' notice, freelancers are still entitled to any retainer payments that were initially stated as "nonrefundable retainer." As such, it's important to pay close attention to the detail of phrasing in contracts. For example, for some states it is required to give back deposits if services have not been rendered, so the word "deposit" will most likely require you to refund the amount. Check the rules in your state and construct phrasing accordingly.

Even if a client chooses to cancel with 30 days' notice, freelancers are still entitled to any retainer payments that were initially stated as 'nonrefundable retainer.'

5. Account for backup help in your contract
TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (12,360.40, down 1,355.93 points.)

Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B) Industrials. Down 17 cents, or 21.8 per cent to $0.61 on 22.6 million shares.

Canadian Natural Resources. (TSX:CNQ). Energy. Down $5.41, or 27.25 per cent, to $14.44 on 18.3 million shares.

Kinross Gold Corp. (TSX:K). Materials. Up 83 cents, or 17.26 per cent to $5.64 on 15.7 million shares.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down $3.47, or 15.37 per cent, to $19 on 13.2 million shares.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Financials. Down $6, or 9.82 per cent, to $55.11 on 11.8 million shares.

Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Energy. Down 69 cents, or 16.59 per cent, to $3.47 on 11.7 million shares.

Companies in the news:

Air Canada (TSX:AC). Down $7.14 or 28.1 per cent to $18.23. Air Canada is halving its seat capacity in the second quarter and withdrawing its earnings forecast for 2020 and 2021 amid a severe drop in traffic due to the novel coronavirus. Chief executive Calin Rovinescu said Monday that COVID-19 is presenting the airline industry with unprecedented challenges, adding he is confident Air Canada can weather the storm of cancellations and border closures. The countrys largest airline has now suspended or postponed 18 transatlantic routes as Canada announced Monday an entry ban on most non-residents, with U.S. citizens excepted.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB). Down eight cents or 7.5 per cent to 99 cents. Aurora Cannabis Inc. says founder and former chief executive Terry Booth has sold nearly 12.2 million shares in the company into the open market. The company says the sale is in connection with a restructuring of the company earlier this year that saw the elimination of 500 jobs and Booths retirement from the company. Aurora announced Booths departure from the company in February. According to a regulatory filing ahead of the companys annual meeting last year, Booth held 15.2 million shares, nearly 2.2 million options and 305,000 restricted share units at June 30, 2019.

Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSX:CPG). Down 28 cents, or 20.7 per cent to $1.07. More Calgary-based oil and gas producers are cutting spending plans as crude prices fall further and financial analysts lower their stock ratings. Producers Crescent Point Energy Corp., Enerplus Corp., Vermilion Energy Inc. and NuVista Energy Ltd. all announced cuts in their 2020 capital budgets on Monday, adding to a list that includes Husky Energy Inc., Cenovus Energy Inc. and ARC Resources Ltd. Oil producers have been trimming spending and focusing on cost cutting for years after crude prices fell dramatically in 2015 and 2016.

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX:QSR). Down $13.07 or 20.7 per cent to $50.01. Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. says it is asking Canadian restaurant owners to provide take-out, drive-thru and delivery only in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The company said Monday it is closing all dining room seating at Tim Hortons effective Tuesday and will continue the closures until further notice. The change comes as governments across the country urge Canadians to engage in social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

MTY Food Group Inc. (TSX:MTY). Soqn $13.20 or 36.3 per cent to $23.20. MTY Food Group Inc. says it will postpone the collection of royalties from franchisees for four weeks as its stock plummeted amid decreased demand triggered by COVID-19. The owner of brands including Thai Express and Tutti Frutti says the postponement will support franchisees as traffic declines. CEO Eric Lefebvre says the deferred royalties amount to between $15 million and $18 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2020.
A doctors' body on Tuesday urged the people of Kashmir to avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals to prevent the transmission of coronavirus that has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

In a statement, the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) said hospitals remain abuzz with hundreds of patients and their attendants. Therefore, people should not visit these places unnecessarily.

"We know this may cause challenges particularly for families having patients in hospitals, but we can collectively play a role in curtailing the spread of this virus," DAK president Suhail Naik said.

He said people should cooperate with medicos to safeguard the lives of patients.

"It is a fact that our hospitals are epicentre of communicable diseases. Therefore, it is advised to visit hospitals only in extenuating circumstances," he added.

The association said it appreciates the steps taken by the administration like closure of educational institutions and other public places saying more needs to be done to contain the spread of the virus.

The association recommended that only one attendant should accompany a sick person to the hospital.

"Please do not come to hospitals for deworming, appetite and tonics," the association said while appealing people not to bring children unnecessarily to hospitals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 17, 2020] GIS Market in North America| Use of GIS in Capacity and Urban Planning to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the GIS market in North America and it is poised to grow by USD 2.3 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 10% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005234/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled GIS Market in North America 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. The use of GIS in capacity and urban planning will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Use of GIS in capacity and urban planning has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. GIS Market in North America 2019-2023: Segmentation GIS Market in North America is segmented as below: End-user Military

Utilities

Government

Telecommunication

Others Component Software

Data

Services Geographic Segmentation Canada

The Us To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30193 GIS Market in North America 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by he way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our GIS market in North America report covers the following areas:



GIS Market Size in North America

GIS Market Trends in North America

GIS Market Industry Analysis in North America This study identifies adoption of GIS by enterprises to improve communication and customer services as one of the prime reasons driving the GIS market growth in North America during the next few years. GIS Market In North America 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the GIS market in North America, including some of the vendors such as Alphabet, Autodesk (News - Alert), Esri, Maxar Technologies and Pitney Bowes. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the GIS market in North America are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform GIS Market in North America 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist GIS market growth in North America during the next five years

Estimation of the GIS market size in North America and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the GIS market in North America

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of GIS market vendors in North America Table of Content: PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER Market segmentation by end-user

Comparison by end-user

Government - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Military - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Utilities - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Telecommunication - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Others - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

US - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Canada - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 09: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY COMPONENT Market segmentation by component

Comparison by component

Software - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Data - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Services - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by component PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers

Market challenges PART 12: MARKET TRENDS Increasing use of GIS solutions in Big Data Analytics

Increased use of GIS to enhance business process efficiency

Emergence of smart cities PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview

Landscape disruption PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Alphabet

Autodesk

Esri

Maxar Technologies

Pitney Bowes PART 15: APPENDIX Research methodology

List of abbreviations PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005234/en/

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Nigerias Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Monday paid a condolence visit to the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, at his country home in Okene to commiserate with the family over the demise of their mother, Hauwau Bello.

Mr Lawan, while condoling with the governor, said the familys matriarch lived a very fruitful life which was reflected in the quality of children she produced.

He said her legacies of peace and unity would continue to be sustained.

He said prayers should always be offered for the repose of the soul of the late matriarch, noting that there was nothing as good as praying for the souls of the departed.

Mr Lawan pointed out that as leaders, it was also important to in such moments to pray for the country, adding that the current challenges the country was faced with could be surmounted through prayers.

The Senate President said Nigerians deserved to be thanked for their continued understanding and support, promising that the legislative arm would continue to work with the state government in ensuring the security of lives and properties.

Mr Lawan commended Governor Bello for his efforts in the sustenance of peace and security for the people of the state.

He said while he was on his way to Okene, he shared the story of the level of insecurity that Okene was known for before the coming of Mr Bello, noting that the achievements of the governor in the area of peace remained unparalleled.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan commiserate with Yahaya Bello over the demise of his mother, Hauwau Bello [PHOTO CREDIT: @DrAhmadLawan]

He said the state has excellent representation at the Senate chamber as the three senators from Kogi, according to him, have shown unity and have also worked with the National Assemblys leadership towards securing beneficial ends for their state.

In his response, the governor, on behalf of the family, thanked the Senate President for finding time out of his tight schedule to identify with him at the moment of grief.

He described the passage of his mother as more of celebration, having lived a well-spent life.

The governor also expressed appreciation to the leadership of the National Assembly for its show of love and friendship.

He said their mother lived a virtuous and pious life and that she was someone who loved not just her children but every child.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan commiserate with Yahaya Bello over the demise of his mother, Hauwau Bello [PHOTO CREDIT: @DrAhmadLawan]

Governor Bello pointed out that as the mothers last child, his coming into this world through his mother was miraculous, noting that she gave birth to him when she was very old, at a time nobody expected her to give birth anymore. He said his mothers prayers while he was growing up was that he would someday be a leader not only in the state but even in the North at large.

The governor noted that his strive and agenda for unity and peaceful co-existence amongst all tribes in the state were being driven by the charge and instructions of his mother when he became governor in his first term.

He narrated that before her demise, she charged him to ensure the safety of lives and properties of the people of the state.

This charge from her mother, Bello pointed out was as a result of her experience at the hands of kidnappers in 2014 where she was kept in a cave for 93 days.

Governor Bello promised that he would continue to ensure the security and safety of the people and their properties are guaranteed within the best of his abilities.

He expressed confidence in the competence of those charged with the duties of security in the state.
Wendy Grace has seen too much not to be very worried.

The Butte hospitalist and family-practice physician now practices at St. James Healthcare, where she is vice president of the medical staff, and the Southwest Montana Community Health Center.

But for six years, she worked at USAMRIID, The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, in Maryland, earning a master's in biotechnology at Johns Hopkins during that time, before getting her medical degree at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland.

During that time, she worked on on vaccine development for filoviruses like the hemorrhagic fevers Marburg and Ebola. She worked on developing rapid diagnostic tools for SARS and other viruses, and was sent on global assignments deploying diagnostics for other diseases including influenza.

Many of her friends and former co-workers are involved in the coronavirus fight, including friends working on the White House disaster response.

She's speaking out as a concerned citizen, because she knows what she's seeing now.

"Here's some math to tell you why I'm so concerned," she said.

"In the world of viruses, we're concerned about two numbers: the average number of people one person can infect, known as R-zero, and the doubling time, or how long it takes for confirmed cases of the virus to double.

"Right now in the United States, the R-zero number is 2.4 and the doubling time is four days. As of about 10 minutes ago, we had 4,100 confirmed cases in the country."

She said it's hard for many people to think exponentially. "We're used to 1,2,3," she said. "As an example, if we had 500 cases, with a doubling time of 4 days, that means that in 44 days we would have one million cases"  if nothing is done to 'flatten the curve,' to slow the rate of infection by limiting interpersonal contact.

She's also worried that the number of confirmed cases is artificially low because so little testing has been done to date.

That's why she's in favor of measures, like those implemented Monday, to close bars, restaurants, and other gathering points for a time.

She said that conservatively, 50 to 60 percent of the population could ultimately be infected. The key, she says, is to slow down that rate of infection through such measures, as well as social distancing and sanitizing.

"If we can shift the rate of infection so the rate of people getting sick grows more gradually, then we can appropriately use our resources to treat people," she said.

Grace just canceled a long-planned vacation. "I'm Face-timing the girlfriends I was going to go with," she said with a rueful smile. "I just got my parents to cancel the cruise that was their lifelong dream. This stuff is hard."

She said that one of the difficult aspects of COVID-19 is that people without symptoms who don't know they're infected can spread the virus.

She says without extreme measures, healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed. She said hospitals all over the country are going to need more equipment, like ventilators, to treat seriously ill patients. But if the correct public health steps are taken, she said, hospitals will have a fighting chance to stay on top of the cases.

Grace, who has practiced here for five years, says she's particularly worried about Butte, because "we have an older population with a lot of existing respiratory disease."

She said the next few weeks will tell the tale.

"We have to step up, self-isolate, take care of our family, our neighbors, and our friends," she said.

But that's not all bad, she added.

"It's a time of quietness, reflection, and family. It can be like Christmas but you don't have to buy all the stuff," she said.
The Bengaluru Department of Health and Family Welfare Services on Tuesday said a new positive case of coronavirus has been reported in the city who has a travel history to Dubai.

According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, till date, 11 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka state, including one death.

The 11th patient who tested positive for COVID-19 today is a 67-year-old female, a resident of Bengaluru who returned from Dubai via Goa on March 9.

"She is a known case of chronic kidney disease. She was in strict home quarantine since March 9," said the department.

On Monday, she was admitted to the isolation hospital. 21 high-risk contacts identified, including 5 members of her family and are under strict home quarantine.

A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe has emerged as the new epicentre of the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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SEATTLE  An apartment building at 910 N. 95th St. sold for almost $2.5 million, according to King County records.

The sellers were two local investors who acquired the land in 1992 for $127,000, then developed it.





. . .
For nearly a month now, Mukesh Ambani, chairman of India's largest firm Reliance Industries has been chairing a meeting every second to third day to take stock of the impact of coronavirus on its half a million employees and business.

RIL's business has been affected by coronavirus outbreak as well as the crash in crude price. The company has lost Rs 4.4 lakh crore market value over the last three and a half months, a fall of 44 per cent since it crossed the market capitalisation of Rs 10 lakh crore in November last year. Brent and WTI crude prices have fallen nearly 35 per cent in about a week after Saudi Arabia and Russia started the price war.

"He is worried about the employees who are frequent business travellers, besides those who work abroad. The group is taking advice from a team of doctors and setting the health standards across its offices. The digital team has already put forth precautionary campaigns," a Reliance spokesperson told BusinessToday.In.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus Live Updates: New COVID-19 cases take number to 147 in India

Major precautions have been taken at Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai and its refining and petchem complex in Jamnagar. The production unit in Patalganga and the retail outlets are also following standard sanitation and hygiene processes.

"We have a medical helpline for the families to contact in case of medical emergencies. We have doctors in our campuses," said the executive.

WORK FROM HOME

Reliance Industries has empowered division heads to offer work from home, especially to women employees. The idea is to ensure most employees do not have to travel to work and get exposed to public spaces. Fourteen per cent of Reliance's managerial strength comprises of women.

Employees who work in remote areas are connected through the digital platform of Jio and Microsoft Teams. Besides, HR platform 'Employee Xperience Platform' (EmpXP) addresses general queries of employees, including topics related to health and emergency, in an intuitive and personalised manner. The platform is augmented by AI based 'Employee Virtual Assistant' and 'AI based learning recommendations'.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 62 test centres for COVID-19

GLOBAL OPERATIONS

RIL has about 5 lakh employees, mostly in India. Some of them are also at its offices in the US since it has investments in shale gas, besides trade relations. It procures crude largely from Middle East and sells the finished products in Asian and European markets. Coronavirus is rapidly spreading in these countries, while India has also seen a steady rise in cases.

Analysts expect the fall in crude prices to reduce the crude procurement costs of RIL, but they estimate the gains will be offset by inventory losses, which the refining company earlier bought at higher costs. The general softness in demand in India will also restrict the gains. RIL is also in the business of exploration and production (E&P), especially in KG Basin. The price fall will affect the prospects of E&P business, which is already struggling.

RIL has made an investment of nearly Rs 5.4 lakh crore over the last five years to build Reliance Jio and expand petrochemical production capacity. Jio has recruited nearly 1.3 lakh people in the last few years. The market has crashed just when the company was aiming to become debt free by March 2021. RIL has also been planning to sell stakes in Reliance Retail and Jio to strategic investors before launching their initial public offerings (IPOs).

ALSO READ: Coronavirus, crude price war threaten BPCL stake sale
B BC Breakfast's Dan Walker has said that he feels that he shouldve spoken out in support of his co-host Naga Munchetty after she was reprimanded over comments she made about racism on air.

Munchetty discussed comments made by Donald Trump where he told a female Democrats to go back to their own countries in a live episode that aired last year.

She was then criticised for breaching the BBC editorial guidelines. The BBC Director General Lord Tony Hall later reviewed and reversed this ruling.

Walker told the Radio Times that the BBC should have given a more robust defence of their presenters.

Naga Munchetty told her BBC co-host 'as a woman of colour' she had been told to 'go back where I've come from'

He added: We do think it could have been dealt with very differently.

It was the right decision to overturn the original finding, but it didnt need to get that far.

Both of us felt we sailed near the line but we didnt cross it.

Munchettys comments were made during the July 17 broadcast where she told Walker: Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.

Naga Munchetty was rebuked by the BBC (file image) / Ian West/PA

Adding: Im not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean.

Walker also described criticism of the US president as telling.

Speaking to the magazine, Walker defended the pairs discussion during the programme, saying: Breakfast isnt the 10 oclock news.

We are there to share a bit of ourselves, and maybe we shared a bit too much.

At the time it felt a very natural conversation.

Dan Walker sparked a war of words after sharing the widely seen Love Island statistic / PA Archive/PA Images

We knew in that moment that it was different to the sort of things we usually talk about.

But I dont regret it, and I dont think Naga does either.

He added that these comments are the first time he has spoken about the incident out of respect for Naga.

He said: I asked her at the time if she wanted me to speak about it. She was at the centre of this storm.

I felt I should have said something in support of her, but she didnt want any more attention.

He added that following the incident, he wrote to Lord Hall saying: If Naga is guilty, then Im guilty.

Read the full interview in the Radio Times.
Protect Yourself From Scammers

Scammers May Step It Up

Advantages To Filing Later

What Will It Mean For The Economy

(TNS)  During his Oval Office address last week to address the nations coronavirus concerns, President Donald Trump said the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will extend the April 15, 2020 federal income tax filing deadline.The IRS has not yet announced a new date, and its not yet clear if the new deadline will apply to all taxpayers.Tax experts expect the new date to be somewhere between June 15 and October 15.But is waiting to file your taxes a good idea?But first, will New Jersey change its deadline?New Jersey typically mirrors the IRS when it comes to filing extensions, said Treasury spokeswoman Jennifer Sciortino.We are monitoring their actions closely right now, as well as the circumstances evolving in New Jersey, she said.If you have the option to delay filing your return, it might be in your best interest to file anyway.Gail Rosen, a Martinsville-based certified public accountant, said she thinks extending the deadline is a good idea, but shes still telling her clients to continue to act like the deadline wont move.Even if they have time to pay their taxes, it is important to know where you stand for 2019 and what you should be doing for 2020, Rosen said.Its a common IRS scam for fraudsters to file a fake tax return in someone elses name and Social Security number. They create a return that will yield a healthy refund.If a scammer files in your name before you do, youre going to have big problems. Not only will you have to prove your identity, if youre due a refund, it could take a very long time before the mess is cleaned up and you get your money.There are other reasons the IRS could reject your return if you delay filing too long, said Bernie Kiely, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Kiely Capital Management in Morristown.For example, if youre divorce and youre supposed to claim a deduction for a child, but if your ex files first and takes the deduction, the return could be rejected.It could also happen if you claim your child, but the child later files his or her own return.In either case, the person who files first wins, Kiely said. The second return will be electronically rejected.If someone uses your Social Security number either intentionally or by accident and they file before you, your return will be rejected.But Jonathan Donenfeld, a certified public accountant with JLD Tax & Accounting in Jersey City, said rushing your return is a bad idea.The most important thing is for it to be done correctly, Donenfled said. We see people rush to file and they end up not having all of their documents.Those worried about identity theft can take extra steps with the IRS to protect their returns.Scammers historically take advantage of news events to try to trick consumers.Expect coronavirus scammers to be no different. A move to the filing deadline will be a new opportunity for the bad guys.The likelihood of this always increases when scammers feel they can prey on peoples emotions or in this case, their fears, said Howard Hook, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with EKS Associates in Princeton. People need to know the method used by the IRS to communicate with taxpayers has not changed because of this.The IRS will never call you about your tax situation. Instead, it would start a conversation with a letter.But that wont stop the scammers from giving it a try.Expect callers to tell you theyre the IRS, and youre in trouble because you didnt file your taxes on time, or that you owe money (and they want you to pay via gift card) otherwise there will be a warrant for your arrest.If anyone calls and says they work for the IRS, even if the Caller ID says the call is coming from Washington, D.C. or the agency, just hang up.The IRS only will call you if you are under audit or your account is in collections and you would have received a series of letters first, Donenfeld said. If you are unsure you should contact a tax resolution specialist and they can check your account for you to make sure you don't have IRS issues.Or you can contact the IRS yourself.Right now, until the IRS announces a new filing deadline, you can still get an extension to file your return.But that doesnt give you an extension to pay any taxes you owe.If you don't pay by April 15, interest and penalties start accruing, Donenfeld said. The IRS would have to waive those penalties to make it worth while to wait.If youre feeling a financial crunch because you dont have paid sick time that will help if you need to stay home because of coronavirus, delaying paying your tax bill might be tempting.A delay in paying taxes would help if you owe the IRS and give you one less bill to worry about  for now.But someone who owes say $500 in taxes should not now go out and spend that money just because there is a delay in filing for one month, Hook said. That is not a stimulus as far as I am concerned. It may help for people who may be out of work or paid hourly who have seen their wages go down.But if youre due a refund, why let the government get an interest-free loan for longer than necessary?We are finding that most of our clients adjusted their withholding and as a result, their 2019 taxes have more refunds than last year, Rosen said. Another incentive to file earlier for 2020.New Jerseys fiscal health is always a hot topic of conversation around the state.So will it be harder for the state to get its tax revenue on delay?The Treasury Department said its projecting 23% of annual gross income tax receipts will come in April. For context, In April of 2019 the gross income tax collected $3.627 billion, or 23% of the annual total, Treasurys Sciortino said.The state has dealt with filing extensions in the past and our team of professionals will adjust accordingly, if needed, she said. This is yet another reason why we have been focusing on building a healthier surplus than the state was typically accustomed to for many years.Not everyone filing tax returns will owe money, though.It is important to remember that there will be taxpayers who are getting refunds who may delay filing as well due to concerns over going out or just not wanting to deal with taxes, Hook said.That could mean relief for the state and federal governments not having to pay refunds out sooner.Taxpayers can check the Division of Taxations website for updates on whether the filing deadline is changed.
Crawford & Company, a provider of claims management and outsourcing products to carriers, brokers and corporates, announced that Terry Hunt will retire from his role as U.S. President of Global Technical Services, effective May 15, 2020.

Crawford is in the process of appointing a successor and will make an announcement on this in the near future.

During his 27 year Crawford career, Hunt has held numerous senior positions. He joined the company in 1990 as a general adjuster in Sacramento, Calif. Over the next 10 years he was promoted to supervising general adjuster, West Coast property manager and to a global sales role. In 2000, he was appointed VP Western Region managing director of Crawford U.S. and 12 years later, he was named CEO of Crawford GTS U.S. He briefly departed the company before rejoining Crawford in 2017 as the U.S. president of GTS.

According Andrew Bart, global president, Crawford Global Technical Services, under Hunts leadership, GTS has expanded its growth, service capabilities and has almost doubled the U.S. GTS adjuster team.

I am fully confident that Global Technical Services in the U.S. is well positioned for the future and will continue to capitalize on these strengths under our succession plan, Hunt said.

Based in Atlanta, Crawford & Co. is a publicly listed independent provider of claims management and outsourcing products to carriers, brokers, and corporates with a global network serving clients in more than 70 countries.

Topics USA
Cybereason excels at helping enterprises future-proof their businesses from sophisticated cyberthreats and automates the work previously done by security analysts. This approach enables security teams to spend more time on material threats, said Lior Div, CEO & Co-founder, Cybereason.

Cybereason, creators of the leading Cyber Defense Platform, today announced its results in NSS Labs, Inc.s Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) Test for its award-winning platform. Cybereason received a AAA rating in the Resistance to Evasion category by detecting and blocking 100 percent of the malware and exploits when subjected to 49 evasion techniques used by NSS Labs during the test.

According to the NSS Labs 2020 AEP product rating report It is imperative that endpoint protection correctly handles evasions. If an endpoint protection platform fails to detect a single form of evasion, an attack can bypass protection. Our engineers verified that Cybereasons endpoint protection was capable of detecting and blocking malware when subjected to numerous evasion techniques.

According to the results from the 2020 NSS Labs AEP report, the Cyber Defense Platform is comprehensive and has robust management capabilities. It produces low false positive results, has excellent resistance to evasion, excellent malware protection and strong exploit protection.

In addition, Cybereason received NSS Labs AA rating, or near perfect scores in several additional categories, including:

Malware Delivered over Emails:

The Cyber Defense Platform blocked 99.9 percent of the 1,531 malicious emails sent during the test. Crime actors have turned to social engineering to successfully breach enterprises through spear phishing, hijacked email accounts and other deception techniques.

Malware Delivered over HTTP:

The Cyber Defense Platform blocked 98.3 percent of 424 attacks using websites to deliver malware. Hackers oftentimes hijack widely used websites to carry out malware attacks.

Tuning and False Positives:

The Cyber Defense Platform was tested against a varied sample of legitimate application traffic that might be identified as false positives. Cybereason flagged less than 1 percent of the 645 samples, that included but wasnt limited to the following file formats, exe, jar, pdf, doc, docx, zip and xls.

Drive by Exploits:

The Cyber Defense Platform blocked 98 percent of the 256 drive-by exploits. A popular infection technique used by criminal actors is to exploit a user that visits a particular website and installs the exploit onto the users computer.

Achieving industry excellence for a complete endpoint protection platform is our main goal and we achieved that validation with our overall AA product rating in the NSS Labs independent test. Cybereason excels at helping enterprises around the globe future-proof their businesses from sophisticated cyberthreats and automates the work previously done by security analysts. This approach enables security teams to spend more time on material threats and intrusions that impact enterprises today, said Lior Div, CEO & Co-founder, Cybereason.

In 2019, Cybereason outperformed every competitor as a result of the MITRE ATT&CK Evaluations. The companys Cyber Defense Platform demonstrated best-in-class automated threat detection, including total coverage across all MITRE ATT&CK phases, the most real-time alerts and correlation of malicious activity.

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About Cybereason

Cybereason, creators of the leading Cyber Defense Platform, gives the advantage back to the defender through a completely new approach to cybersecurity. Cybereason offers endpoint prevention, detection and response and active monitoring. The solution delivers multi-layered endpoint prevention by leveraging signature and signatureless techniques to prevent known and unknown threats in conjunction with behavioral and deception techniques to prevent ransomware and fileless attacks. Cybereason is privately held and is headquartered in Boston, with offices in London, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Asia-Pacific and continental Europe.

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A day after shuttering schools and restricting businesses in New Jersey to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday morning the state could take a few steps to increase space for patients  including using makeshift hospitals and converted dorms.

Appearing live on NBCs Today," Murphy was asked about New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construct makeshift hospitals. Murphy said New Jersey could potentially" make a similar request down the road.

The governor said the state is first considering re-opening unused wings at four hospitals to help care for patients and then full hospitals that have been closed.

Is the Army Corps potentially down the road? Absolutely, Murphy said. "Were going to take this in phases.

Murphy said the states National Guard, which he has deployed to help respond to the pandemic, could play a multitude of roles helping with these efforts, including building facilities.

"Do you think there needs to be hospitals constructed from the ground up?" @savannahguthrie asks New Jersey @GovMurphy pic.twitter.com/6NRjD1wPFc  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 17, 2020

New Jerseys ability to test for the virus is also improving, Murphy said. He announced Monday the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help set up two new testing sites in the state  at Bergen County Community College in Paramus and at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Its unclear how soon they will be up and running.

Each day, the testing reality is better," Murphy said. Im not sure all the red tape has been lifted because you have to do this right ... but were getting to a much broader, higher scale reality sooner rather than later in New Jersey.

We will have a meaningfully stronger regime by the end of this week, he added.

"Each day, the testing reality is better. ... I'm not sure all the red tape has been lifted because you have to do this right ... but we're getting to a much broader, higher scale reality sooner rather than later in New Jersey." -@GovMurphy pic.twitter.com/4lb3Mgid2l  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 17, 2020

New Jersey has seen at least 178 coronavirus cases since the outbreak began, after 80 new cases were announced Monday  an 82 percent jump.

The state has seen three deaths. The most recent, a Bergen County man in his 90s, was announced by Murphy late Monday.

Murphy ordered the closure of all movie theaters, casinos, gyms, and more in the state, and restaurants from now on can offer only takeout or delivery. He also closed all schools starting Wednesday and is strongly encouraging people not to travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

This is no time to panic, the governor said on TV. Its also no time for business as usual.

Murphy also said the state will ultimately need a lot of money from the federal government to put our economy back on its feet.

We will do everything we can within our power at the state level, he said during a separate interview on Fox 5s Good Day New York. But its a toll we need our federal partners to help us with.

"Our No. 1 objectives are personal protective equipment for our health care first responders, boots on the ground. The good news from that call yesterday: FEMA will help us stand up some drive-thru testing, which we desperately need." -New Jersey @GovMurphy pic.twitter.com/jg8JFBbRSX  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 17, 2020

During another appearance, on WPIX 11s Morning News, Murphy was asked if New Jersey actually needs to do more to stem the virus  such as a lockdown of highly affected areas.

We are about as aggressive as any state in America right now, the governor said. "Basically, e are screaming at people: Stay home. We reserve the right to revisit all of this.

Murphy, who often champions his Irish heritage, was seen on TV wearing a green pocket square and leprechaun pin on his jacket in honor of St. Patricks Day.

He said at a news conference Monday that residents have to sacrifice bars and parades this holiday.

There will be another St. Patricks Day next year, Murphy said. Sitting this one out could be the difference for you or someone you love making it to then.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

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Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed the level of preparedness to contain the spread of coronavirus in states bordering Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

"Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla reviewed the level of preparedness to contain Corona Virus Threat, with States bordering Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar," a release of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Bhalla held a video conference with Chief Secretaries/Additional Chief Secretaries and DsGP/Additional DsGP of States viz., Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, besides Secretary Border Management and DsG of BSF, SSB and Assam Rifles.

"The Union Home Secretary urged all the concerned officials to ensure that round the clock deployment of doctors, with requisite testing kits and other medical supplies, be done so that hundred percent screening is done without fail," read the release.

"The States informed that regular screening is being done by doctors at various transit points and the community in border areas has been sensitized in respect of precautions to be taken to avoid getting infected by the virus, through gram sabhas," the release said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India is 137.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man who had returned from China



was on Tuesday admitted to the isolation ward of a government hospital here in Maharashtra for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, an official said.

Addressing a press conference here, district collector Ravindra Biwnade said the man was admitted to the isolation ward of the District Government Hospital as a precautionary measure.

He had returned from China where the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) originated in December, Biwnade said.

The man is a resident of a village under Ghanswangi tehsil of Jalna district, the collector said.

Earlier, three coronavirus suspects were admitted to the hospital, one of whom tested negative for the viral infection, while the medical reports of the other two are awaited, he said.

The collector said five people, who had come here from Thailand, have been quarantined at their homes and their swabs sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for examination.

Forty-three people who had come in contact with them have also been quarantined at their homes, Biwnade said.

He said the district administration is geared up to tackle any situation arising out of the coronavirus threat.

Biwnade said 217 sub-health centers and teams consisting of doctors, nurses and health workers are ready to tackle the spread of the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
gettyimagesbank



By Lee Kyung-min



Korea needs to reestablish currency swap lines with the U.S. and Japan in a preemptive measure to help cushion virus-induced uncertainties in the foreign exchange market, economists said Tuesday.



While the finance ministry is maintaining a "wait-and-see" stance saying there is no urgency, economists believe the government should be fully prepared against a worst-case scenario to prevent rapid deterioration of the financial market.



The fear of foreign capital outflow has been reduced following a 1 percent "big cut" by the U.S. Federal Reserve, but the further spread of the new coronavirus compounded by a slower-than-expected recovery of growth of the Chinese economy could devastate Korea, according to an economist.



"The risk is delayed, not neutralized," Seoul National University economist Kim So-young said.



"If foreign investors see even an inkling of signs they consider enough to trigger possible full-scale disruption in the economy, there will be no stopping them moving out of the country."



In 2008, amid the full-blown global financial crisis, Korea managed to avoid market dislocation thanks in large part to a $30 billion (37.2 trillion won) currency swap deal with the U.S.



The deal helped stabilize the local foreign exchange market that saw the Korean won plummeting at nearly 1,500 won against the U.S. dollar, but the deal ended in February 2010.






COWTOWN LOCK DOWN!!!

Restaurants, bars, theaters in entire Kansas City metro to close for 15 days KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - The governments that make up the core of the Kansas City metro announced that they are working to close all bars, restaurants and movie theaters after midnight Monday to try and halt the spread of COVID-19.

Outside In . . .

KCMO, Jackson County, Johnson County, KCK and Wyandotte County close bars and restaurants by: Makenzie Koch Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Bars, restaurants and more in the immediate metro are being asked to close, with some minor exceptions, for the next 15 days. Leaders in Kansas City, Missouri; Jackson County; Johnson County, Kansas and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas have agreed to the closures.

KANSAS CITY CANCELED!!!

FULL LIST: Large event closures in Kansas City area TESTED POSITIVE IN JOHNSON COUNTY. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. BIANCA: NO CLASSES, NO ACTIVITIES IN JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT LEAST UNTIL APRIL 5 IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS. KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS INVESTIGATING AFTER A WOMAN IN HER 50'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLLEGE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, MARKING THE FIRST CASE OF LOCAL TRANSMISSION IN JOHNSON COUNTY.

There is an exception for delivery, pickup and drive-thru services.

Here's a look at the new normal and a very importantto consider tonight . . .Local news followup after the jump . . .Bright side as always . . .Developing . . .
When it comes to surgeries, humans are better than robots: Study

How is Kerala going to end manual scavenging? Answer to age-old malpractice is robot

Soon, Humanoid robots to help combat COVID-19 in India

Robots may become heroes in war on COVID-19

Coronavirus: Robots in Kerala dispensing sanitisers, advices people how to prevent

India

oi-Mousumi Dash

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 17: An unique step taken in Kerala to curb the pandemic disease COVID-19 the world dealing with now. A video posted by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shows robots dispensing sanitisers in a building in Kerala.

These robots were also seen giving advise to people on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Kerala has been taking proactive measures in the face of the outbreak; even distributing food to students at home who would not be able to avail mid day meals.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 125 on Tuesday including 17 foreign nationals, the Union health ministry said. One new case has been reported from Ladakh, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, each.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 17th, 2020

Disgusting video shows woman licking flight toilet seat in 'coronavirus challenge on TikTok

Meanwhile, Italy reported 349 more deaths in a single day, taking their total death toll to over 2,000, AFP news agency reported.

The first human trial to evaluate a candidate vaccine against coronavirus has begun in Seattle, US health officials said.

The Coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak has caused over 182,438 total worldwide cases and with a death toll of 7,157 as of March 17 morning.

China has the highest number of fatalities at 3,213, followed by Italy with 2,158 deaths and almost 28,000 cases.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 10:40 [IST]
New Delhi,(India), Mar 17,(ANI): Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Tuesday indicated that the Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar, which is considered as one of the holiest places of Sikhs, is likely to impose a ban on pilgrims' visit in view of coronavirus scare, which has claimed three lives in the country so far.

Speaking to ANI, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar, Aujla said the concerned authority of the Golden Temple is planning to prevent large gatherings. "Retreat at Wagah is already closed and now, the concerned authorities of the Golden Temple are planning to curtail the crowd at the Golden Temple as this virus spreads through person to person contact. We are totally unaware about the way virus is coming and persons who may be carrying the deadly virus. Therefore, precautions are the only way to deal with coronavirus, and the situation may worsen in the coming days, which may force us to quarantine ourselves in the house like many foreign countries," Aujla said.

Stressing on the need of taking all precautionary measures to stop the spread of deadly coronavirus, the Congress legislator said he will write a letter to the Golden Temple authority in this regard and urged them to prevent people's entry in view of coronavirus.

"I am going to write a letter to Golden Temple authority for stopping devotees due to coronavirus. The virus is not related to any religion," he said.

Restrictions on the entry of devotees are already in place in prominent temples like Mahakal Temple in Ujjain and Sidhivinayak and Shirdi in Maharashtra.

He further emphasised on the way the hotel and tourism industries are being badly affected due to coronavirus and requested the government to provide some relaxation to the hotel owners and tourism industry to pay their loans.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fatima Masumeh Shrine Madrasat





March 17, 2020

COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak  World StatisticsEmail

Coronavirus Cases: 195,874 Closed Cases: 89,606

Deaths: 7,923

Recovered: 81,683

Currently Infected Patients 106,268

in Mild Condition 99,268

Serious or Critical 7,029



Iran

Coronavirus Cases: 16,169 Closed Cases: 6,377

Deaths: 988

Recovered: 5,389

Currently Infected Patients 9,792

in Mild Condition 9,792

Serious or Critical 0







The Coronavirus, COVID-19, is hitting Iran, especially hard. Close to 9 out of 10 of the over 18,000 cases confirmed across the Middle East are Iranian.

Iran state-run TV, issued a nightmarish warning today regarding the coronavirus pandemic spreading like a wild forest fire in the country. They are warning that millions could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps refusing to self-quarantine and continues to travel and ignore health guidance thats being recommended by Iranian health officials.

Angry crowds of hardline Shiite faithful, numbering in the thousands the night before the broadcast pushed their way into the courtyards of two major Islamic shrines that had just been closed over fears of the virus.

Their faith is so strong that it is causing them to willingly expose themselves to those among them that are infected with the virus. These actions put millions of Iranian lives in danger.

The Irony is while the coronavirus sweeps through the Middle East, the Iranian government and its authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed much like President Trump and his Kakistocracy had been doing for weeks.

Now like the Trump Administration officials in Iran are now becoming convinced to implement new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but unlike an increasing number of state and local authorities here in the United States - have hesitated to impose a mandatory quarantine.

The failure to take mandatory draconian actions has resulted in a death toll in Iran to soar to 13% among those infected as of today. Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus has killed 135 more people Tuesday and raised the number of deaths to 988 while there are now over 16,000 cases of coronavirus.

Jordan, on the other hand, is likely to order a nationwide shutdown of businesses and government offices over the pandemic and is reportedly considering banning gatherings drawing more than ten people.

Most people infected, an estimated 80%, by the coronavirus, only experience mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks. People with no visible symptoms can spread the virus to the 20% that are seriously impacted by this highly contagious virus.

The Iranian state TV journalist and physician, Dr. Afruz Eslami, during his broadcast segment, cited a study by Tehrans prestigious Sharif University of Technology that outlined three scenarios that this pandemic could result.

Dr. Afruz Eslami said that if people begin to cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over. She then suggested a second likelihood of assuming people offer medium cooperation; there will be as many as 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths. But if people continue to ignore her and the Iranian governments guidance, the Iran health system, which is already-strained, could collapse. Dr. Eslami then explained that if the medical facilities collapse and cant keep up with the number of cases, she expects 4 million cases of infection, and as many as 3.5 million people will die.

Dr. Eslami did not elaborate on the metrics used in the Sharif University of Technology study. The fact that the Iranian government is allowing its tightly controlled state television to have access to the imminent danger of the virus represents a dramatic change in the governments approach. The government has been denying the severity of the crisis.

Irans Shiite clergy have challenged the effort to close both the Mashhads Imam Reza shrine and Qoms Fatima Masumeh shrine. One Shiite cleric shouted at the shrine in Mashhad, according to online video.

We are here to say that Tehran is damn wrong to do that!

Others joined the cleric in chanting:

The health minister is damn wrong to do that; the president is damn wrong to do that!

Police possibly exposing themselves to the virus dispersed the crowds according to state media reported. Religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary were then employed by the Iranian government to call the demonstration an insult to the shrine and urged the faithful to rely on wisdom and patience amid the closure.

The Iranian shrines are an important part of Shiite religious practice. Pilgrims from all over the Mideast flock to these shrines and have likely contributed to the spread of the coronavirus across the middle-east. Saudi Arabia has already closed off Islams holiest sites, no doubt saving people from becoming ill or dying from the pandemic.

Americans should realize that Trump Administrations internationally imposed sanctions against Iran is preventing food and critical medicine from being imported into Iran. As the number of those infected and deaths increase, this will only serve to feed hostilities in the region.





Iran is Building a Massive Grave for Coronavirus Victims - Washington Post








As Erdogan continues to threaten the European Union with a fresh wave of migrants, Damascus is urging Europe to act sensibly and restore relations with Bashar al-Assad writes Al-Watan.

Even as the world is preoccupied with how to confront the threat of the coronavirus spending and states of emergency are declared in most countries in the world, Europe has declared a state of emergency of another kindthat is, one to determine how to confront the hostile threats and strategic blackmail by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He announced that he would allow displaced Syrian people to pour into Europe, while citing the renewal of military operations in Syria in violation of the agreement that had previously been signed between the European Union and Turkeya move Europe considers a direct threat to its security.

Recently, he was invited to an emergency meeting in Brussels, either in person or via Skype, away from the media and attended by ambassadors and dignitaries with weight in European Union policies, as well as the heads of military and social research centers. They were to discuss the risks posed by the Turkish regimes tumultuous policies towards Europe and develop recommendations that would help Europe avoid this imminent danger.

The attendees agreed to the description of the risks and to taking seriously the recommendations that were developed.

In the description of the risks, the attendees agreed to describe the refugee issue as Turkish political pressure being used against the European Unionespecially given that Turkey is considered a safe country and is receiving the necessary assistance to preserve the lives of refugees where they are. Here the question arises: How can Erdogan express his concern for the security of civilians in Idleb city and its environs while he himself gives orders to throw displaced Syrians into the seas and force them to face death by drowning, in what looks like an act of premeditated murder?

Given that, there appears to be a new Turkish policy towards the European Union based on strategic political, economic and even security blackmail against Europe. The issue of European money is no longer a priority for Ankara.

In the recommendations, the emergency Brussels meeting called for a shift in European policy towards the Syrian crisis and asked France and Germany to directly discuss means for a political settlement with Syriaspecifically with President Bashar al-Assad, and not with Erdogans Turkey. The recommendations emphasized that the main source of threat to Europes securitysocially and even economicallyis Erdogans own policies and irrational and irresponsible actions, which are a form of blackmailing Europes security and society.

The recommendations also called on France and Germanyas representatives of the political, economic and security weight of Europeto try to open the door for direct dialogue with Damascus, publicly and officially, in order to make way for increased security cooperation that preserves Syrian rights and recognizes the serious and effective role of the Syrian state in combating terrorism.

Europe should take the initiative to turn towards Damascus, and take a different course from the American-Turkish track, taking into account the recent shifts on the field, building on them and considering them to be progressive strategic changes as a result of the Syrian leaderships determination to fight the fight against terrorism until the end, starting with the liberation of the countryside of Damascus and Ghouta and extending to Palmyra and Maarat al-Numan, up to Saraqeb and Idlebs environs, with the turn coming to liberate east of the Euphrates.

What the Syrian state is doing is in the interests of the European Unions security and in the interest of strengthening regional security. Syria and Europe face a common threat because Syria is fighting terrorism on behalf of the Arab people, but also for the sake of Europe and in the interest of global security. The issue is a matter of strategic vision and European leaders are supposed to look at the reality of the situation impartially. Behaving differently towards Syria and heading to Damascus is more secure for Europe and less costly than relying on Erdogan, with his skillful extortion.

The Europeans have realized that Erdogan is not the right person to solve the migrant crisis because he himself is the problem. He will be the cause of the waves of Syrian immigrants towards Europe, and there are many questions about him using displaced Syrians as a devastating weapon, directed towards Europe, with the intention of getting the most money possible from European countries to help its faltering economy.

European countries must stand firm. Continuing to appease Erdogan, with his illegal policy that is devoid of humanity, will make Europe hostage to strategic extortion, the use of which Erdogan has mastered in financial and security terms, armed with the card of displaced people. Or it can turn towards Damascusafter that proved to be the most secure option.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
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Naming a disease after its place of origin is as old as the hills. Spanish flu. Asian flu. Ebola virus. Zika virus. German measles. West Nile virus. Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Don't even get into how many nationalities have been named by other nationalities to describe syphilis.

But somehow, China should be exempt, despite their failure to contain the virus, at least according to the Chicoms, who have much to be red-faced about and it's not just communism. They're attempting to shut thewhole term down as 'racist.'

Which brought them this tweet from President Trump:

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

The press lapped it up as a controversy to broadcast:

President Donald Trump drew backlash Monday night after posting a tweet using the phrase "Chinese Virus." After giving an address Monday afternoon in which he said the country may be headed toward recession and urged social distancing, he later tweeted his confidence in and support for various sectors while including the offensive remark. "The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!" he wrote

The Chicoms certainly are putting out stuff like this.

Racism is not the right tool to cover your own incompetence pic.twitter.com/LmGDyPsULt  China Xinhua News (@XHNews) March 17, 2020

And circumstantially, Twitterers who use the term say they are being greeted by an army of Chinese bots:

There are Chinese bot armies on Twitter.



Twitter is banned in China and somehow my tweets are inundated with responses from China.



They are spreading Chinese propaganda and Twitter and @Jack should take action against it.



It is the Chinese. #ChineseVirus.  Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) March 17, 2020

Turns out nobody is exempted from #CCP's attacks. Now it's the turn for "patriotic" overseas Chinese, who have just flown back to their dear "motherland" to seek a safe haven during this terrible #CoronavirusOutbreak #COVID2019 #Coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic #ChineseVirus pic.twitter.com/Dja1l2w8O4  Jennifer Zeng  (@jenniferatntd) March 17, 2020

Since the CCP has unleashed its bots on Twitter, lets have some fun.#ChineseVirus #ChinaVirus pic.twitter.com/J3qaEuxYLa  flamminwassabi WUHAN VIRUS (@FFemininity) March 17, 2020

There's some kind of information war going on. The Chicoms don't like the term 'Chinese virus' because it calls attention to their own incompetence and failures in the spread of the pandemic.

Instead of taking measures such as the U.S. is doing to lock the region down, something they did with brutality and way too late, they first locked down doctors who were sounding the alarm. They also let five million people exit the central Wuhan city without screening, spreading the virus around the country and beyond. They destroyed evidence of its origins in a wet market, making it difficult for researchers to track how it spread. They had a government infectious diseases lab set up right next to the market, leading to some reports of an infected worker getting out and about in the wet market and infecting everyone. There also was the consumption of vermin and exotic animals in that wet market that other researchers have pinned as unsafe. Either way, China's satraps made a lot of decisions that made Chinese virus happen.

And for the Chicoms of all people to complain about 'racism' -- knowing that that will hit all the right buttons with the left and draw it to rally it to its side -- is particularly ridiculous. China is the most racist country out there, putting millions of Central Asian Uighurs in prison-like conditions ... on racial grounds alone.

Trump had to have known something was going on with the trolls and the propaganda networks, and decided to counter it in a way they never expect it to be countered -- by flinging it in their faces. His tweet about the 'Chinese virus' serves to make such a designation famous and known, repeated everywhere, something the Chicoms are desperate to avoid. Something tells us this tweet was quite intentionally done.

Yet rest assured, the left comes running out of the woodwork, joining with the Chicoms in the call to political correctness. Leftists such as fussy-librarian-doppleganger, Elizabeth Warren, couldn't help themselves.

I've said it once & I'll say it again loud enough for the @WhiteHouse, @FoxNews, & everyone else to hear: coronavirus does not discriminate. Bigotry against people of Asian descent is unacceptable, un-American, & harmful to our COVID-19 response efforts.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 17, 2020

Notice that she confuses 'Chinese' with 'Chinese-Americans,' (many of whom have fled that hellhole for good reason) which is a kind of racism in itself

She's acting exactly as the Chicoms want her to act, though. They know how the left acts, that's why they've got their bots out yelling 'racism,' expecting whitey to slink away in shame. Trump though, seems to immune to this game and much to their surprise, Trump knows how to deal with them - by throwing it right in their faces.

Image credit: Twitter screen shot
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has moved to cut the number of prisoners in its jails by more than 600 over concerns about the coronavirus.

Despite there being are no confirmed cases of the virus in the jails, 21 inmates have been quarantined at Men's Central Jail, five are in quarantine at Twin Towers Correctional Facility and a further nine at the Correctional Treatment Center.

'All of them are receiving the necessary level of care,' Villanueva said at a news conference Monday.

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said his agency reduced the number of inmates in its jails by more than 600 amid concerns over the coronavirus

'I've used my authority that I have to reduce that population,' he continued.

Villanueva ended up releasing inmates who had less than 30 days of jail time left to run on their sentence.

Meanwhile, arrests across the county have dropped from an average of 300 a day to just 60.

Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California urged the Sheriff's Department to speed up the release of the inmates.

'People in jails are highly vulnerable to outbreaks of contagious illnesses. They are housed in close quarters and are often in poor health,' the union said.

There's no confirmed cases of the virus in the LA jails but 35 inmates are quarantined (file)

'Restrictive responses, such as lockdowns, would worsen the conditions for those inside, putting their health and safety at risk,' the ACLU wrote. 'The only meaningful way to keep people inside and outside of the jails safe from COVID-19 is to decrease the total number of people who are incarcerated.'

Over the last two weeks, deputies begun screening new inmates at its intake centers.

Before coming into the building, inmates are asked if they left the country recently or have been in contact with anyone who has. They are also asked whether they have a fever or any other coronavirus symptoms.

Depending on the answers, the inmate would either be processed in the jail or sent to a medical center.

Across the country in New York, the Legal Aid Society has demanded an immediate moratorium on arrests, as well as release of people detained pretrial.

The Legal Aid Society also said it had received reports from clients within the jails that they lacked basic sanitation measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The LA sheriff's department had reduced the jail population through the early release of inmates who had less than 30 days of jail time left to serve

Some said they did not have access to soap or hand sanitizer in their housing units.

The groups' attorney-in-charge of its criminal-defense practice, said putting the cost of cleaning products on inmates 'is both callous and reckless.'

Legal Aid Society's Tina Luongo said: 'City Hall must place an immediate moratorium on arrests, and for the hundreds of clients we have languishing in DOC custody pretrial or because of a parole violation, we call for their immediate release.'

'These facilities are literal breeding grounds for infectious disease such as COVID-19. The continued incarceration of our clients during this health crisis could very well carry a death sentence.'

'Public-health authorities are unanimous: We must clean communal areas with disinfectants, and thoroughly and frequently wash our hands with soap and water to slow transmission of this virus,' Luongo said.

Asked about the jails at his Sunday press briefing, Mayor Bill de Blasio said: 'The folks in our jails are in our jails right now with a lot of specific precautions. There's definitely distancing initiatives going on. Very careful checks on health care. We'll have more to say on that. That's one of the areas that's going to come up next on the agenda, but I'm very concerned about it. But that doesn't mean we don't need a functioning jail system.'
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Franklin County judge on Monday night denied an effort backed by Gov. Mike DeWine to move Ohios primary election until June, after state officials said it would be dangerous to proceed with Tuesdays election in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Latest update: Citing health emergency, Ohio officials to order polls closed on Election Day, despite judges ruling

Judge Richard A. Frye, a Democrat, ruled on the case filed by two Franklin County residents. He said he was uncomfortable making an 11th-hour decision to delay the election, especially since state officials couldnt say June would be any safer, and since many voters had expected the election would be on Tuesday.

DeWine and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose jointly released a statement at 9 p.m. Monday that didnt say whether they were going to appeal. And it didnt provide clarity on the status of the election. Officials in the DeWine administration indicated Monday evening more information will be coming.

The only thing more important than a free and fair election is the health and safety of Ohioans," the statement said. "The Ohio Department of Health and the CDC have advised against anyone gathering in groups larger than 50 people, which will occur if the election goes forward. Additionally, Ohioans over 65 and those with certain health conditions have been advised to limit their nonessential contact with others, affecting their ability to vote or serve as poll workers. Logistically, under these extraordinary circumstances, it simply isnt possible to hold an election tomorrow that will be considered legitimate by Ohioans. They mustnt be forced to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights.

In denying the request earlier in the evening, Frye said: There are too many factors to balance in this unchartered territory to say that we ought to take this away from the legislature and elected statewide officials, and throw it to a Common Pleas court judge in Columbus 12 hours before the election."

The state could conceivably appeal the decision. As of 9:30 p.m., no appeal as a result of Fryes order had been filed with the Ohio Supreme Court, a court spokeswoman said.

Mondays developments threaten to plunge the March 17 election into chaos. Just hours before, DeWine and LaRose said in-person voting on Tuesday might be dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations. And at some point Monday, state officials erroneously told county elections workers that the judge had ruled in the states favor. County boards then told their poll workers to not report the following morning. After it became clear what had happened later Monday night, county boards contacted workers again, saying the election was back on.

And some media outlets, local and national, initially put out erroneous reports saying that the judge had ruled in favor of delaying the election, further adding to the widespread confusion among voters and government officials alike.

Two Franklin County voters, Jill Reardon and Judy Brockman, filed the lawsuit Monday evening, seeking to delay the election. Both women are over 65 with medical issues, and said in court filings they were afraid to show up at the polls on Tuesday because they didnt want to risk their health.

The lawsuit was somewhat of a legal maneuver with backing from DeWine and other state officials.

DeWine told reporters Monday afternoon he didnt have the authority to move the election, even in an emergency. But he said he would recommend it be delayed until June 2, allowing people time to cast votes by mail. Attorney General Dave Yost, the states legal counsel, said he wouldnt oppose the lawsuit.

Is it a perfect decision? No, absolutely it is not. Buts the best we believe of the alternatives," DeWine told reporters Monday afternoon, before the judges decision. ... And it doesnt force people to choose between their health and their constitutional rights.

Bridget Coontz, an assistant Ohio attorney general, made a similar argument in the courtroom before Frye.

These times are anything but normal, Coontz said. The General Assembly has no authority to remedy a constitutional violation. If this election goes forward tomorrow, it cant then turn around and grant any relief or give anything to the voters who will miss out on the opportunity to vote.

Among those arguing against the states request was longtime GOP elections attorney Don Brey, who was representing Rep. Jason Stephens, a Republican appointed to the Ohio House last year.

Brey argued against moving the election, saying it would harm candidates who have spent money telling voters the election was March 17. He made an analogy that moving the election at the request of the governor the night before the election would be like President Donald Trump asking a federal judge to delay the general election in November.

My understanding is that members of the General Assembly are available on four hours notice. Instead, we have this litigation in front of the court right now. The precedent is a terrible precedent. Think about it, Brey said.

Before making his decision, Judge Frye said he hesitated to change state law that was enacted by the General Assembly.

As of tonight, the governor has not called an emergency session of the legislature," Frye said.

Nor have the leaders of the Ohio House and Senate, he added.

Frye said that an unknown number of ballots from early voting and absentee voting had been turned in. It was unclear what election security measures would be taken if he were to delay the election. That also made it difficult for him to allow the election to be postponed.

The notion that we postponed the primary... pre-supposes that the medical situation in America will get any better. We have no evidence that is the case, he said. And it could be quite the contrary, to my limited understanding. The doctors giving briefings in the national media suggest it could be months before we get to the point where there is stability.

Zach West, an attorney representing the Ohio Democratic Party, also argued in the courtroom Monday evening. He said the party didnt oppose moving the election, but said June was too late. He asked instead for the judge to set an April 28 election.

This story will be updated.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- The Lafayette School Corporation is ready to deep clean.

All 13 schools are off for at least the next three weeks amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

LSC Superintendent Les Huddle said this time is crucial to kill any germs that could be in the schools.

He said the custodial staff will be tremendous help.

"We have literally three weeks without staff and students," said Huddle.

Staff and students are not allowed in Lafayette schools for the time being.

"So our maintenance crew will be going through buildings, do what we call deep cleaning," said Huddle.

Deep cleaning is more than just a normal cleaning.

There are different products and different disinfectants made to kill germs like Coronavirus, which will lower the risk of it spreading.

Huddle said the 13 schools in the corporation have had to deep clean before.

For example if a student may have contracted measles or mumps.

"Our maintenance crew and custodians are trained on this like on how to do some deep cleaning," said Huddle.

The deep cleaning does not include fumigation.

Huddle said companies supplying the machine are sold out.

He said that's no big deal since he has allowed his custodial staff to work overtime to get the job done.

"It's not brand new to us," said Huddle. "It's just we will be doing it on a more massive scale. This deep clean is not a one time event. It is ongoing."

It will be ongoing through the next three weeks and even when students return.

Huddle said any place that somebody could touch will be cleaned.

This involves disinfecting anything that could be a health hazard.

"The deep clean we are talking about now is not removing all the desks and taking the dust and dirt out of the room," said Huddle. "This is a deep clean for potential health infections."

Huddle said the deep cleaning is starting as soon as possible.

He said he is working with the other school corporations as well.

News 18 will follow up and see if we can see how a deep clean looks and works.
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The 108 MP sensors have barely hit the market, yet Samsung is rumored to already be working on improved versions with even more pixels. Korean insider sources report that smartphone OEMs like Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo are looking to include more sophisticated cameras in their upcoming flagship models, and have asked Samsung to develop 200 MP sensors. Due to current production limitations that lead to poor yields, Samsung is apparently unable to deliver the 200 MP sensors in the time-frame desired by the Chinese OEMs and will instead supply 150 MP sensors by Q4 2020.



Since these new sensors are specifically designed for handheld devices, Samsung will continue to implement its proprietary nonacell technology that allows for better image quality in low light conditions. To help prevent possible brightness problems, the upcoming sensors will also get a wider effective area of 1 inch. The pixel binning factor will be maintained at 1:9 so the final resolution will be close to 16 MP.



Xiaomi is rumored to be the first to implement the 150 MP sensors on a few flagships in late 2020, while OPPO and Vivo may wait a bit longer so they can combine the new sensors with the power of the upcoming Snapdragon 875 SoC in early 2021. Even though Samsung is the company producing the sensors, it usually does not come up with early implementations. However, this year, we may actually see the new 150 MP sensors up and running on the Note 20 phablets, even before Xiaomis flagships that are supposed to launch in November. Provided that the coronavirus does not further mess with the launch schedules, that is.
The makers of Zoflora disinfectant loved by Mrs Hinch and her millions of followers have revealed how the cleaning product could help kill coronavirus at home.

Its bacteria-killing power and heavenly smells make the disinfectant a firm favourite in UK households, especially after being continually endorsed by the likes of Instagram cleaning sensation Sophie Hinchliffe, 30, from Essex.

A Zoflora spokesperson told The Mirror that despite the spray not being tested on the COVID-19 strain, it could kill the virus, revealing: 'The science suggests that Zoflora would be effective against this strain, as it is against other similar viruses within the standard five minutes contact time.'

The popular cleaning product, which starts from just 1 per bottle, can be bought at high-street supermarkets as well as online retailers.

The makers of Zoflora disinfectant, popularised by Mrs Hinch aka Sophie Hinchliffe, 30, from Essex, have revealed how it could be effective against coronavirus (pictured, Sophie while appearing on This Morning in April last year)

The spokesperson revealed: 'Like all other disinfectant products, we have been unable to test efficacy against the specific COVID-19 strain of Coronavirus.'

But they added that science suggested the disinfectant could be effective against the COVID-19.

Zoflora can be bought in a number of supermarkets and online retailers including Amazon, Tesco, Wilko, Ocado and Asda, with prices ranging from 1 to 4 for individual bottles.

Huddersfield-based Thornton and Ross LTD, who make the disinfectant, also added that the spray had been proven to kill almost all germs.

The disinfectant spray, which has become a household favourite in recent years, can cost as little as 1 per bottle, and can be bought at high-street supermarkets (pictured)

A spokesperson for the pharmaceutical manufacturers said that whilst they were unable to test Zoflora on COVID-19 coronavirus, the spray had been tested against an proven to kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria and viruses.

Mrs Hinch popularised the spray after gathering millions of followers by posting pictures of her spotless home and cleaning routines on Instagram.

The former hairdresser is beloved by fans for providing step-by-step cleaning instructions and revealing her hero products, including Zoflora.

The spray comes in 22 different fragrances with Mountain Air, Linen Fresh and Springtime being her favourites.

The product was popularised by Instagram sensation Mrs Hinch, who regularly shares snaps of her home and cleaning routine online (pictured, with husband Jamie)

The influencer dilutes the concentrated mixture with water and uses it to mop her floors daily, as well as sprinkling it on kitchen roll and placing it at the bottom of the kitchen bin for a lasting fresh scent.

While Zoflora's primary use is as a disinfectant, its famed for the divine scent it can fill a space with, too.

The brand's own website states it can be diluted and used as an air freshener spray, poured undiluted down sinks and even used on rugs, patios and artificial grass to eliminate odours.
By Akbar Mammadov

SOCAR Marine, daughter company of the Azerbaijani State Oil Company (SOCAR), operating in Turkey became the leader of the marine fuel market in 2019, SOCARs press service said on March 17.

Thus, SOCAR Marine secured 25% of the market shares, with a record sale of 600,000 tonnes of fuel in 2019.

SOCAR MARINE, has been operating in the international marine fuel sector since 2013.

It should be noted that SOCAR is the greatest direct foreign investor in Turkey, and the companys brand SOCAR MARINE is also growing rapidly in parallel to Turkeys investments.

Commenting on SOCAR Marines leadership position in the market in 2019, the companys director Director of Marine Sales Zeki Tarakchi said: Today aside from Turkeys Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea regions, we carry out fuelling activities in all international seaports from Gibraltar to Singapore, from Rotterdam to Southern Africa helps to strength SOCAR MARINE brand in the international scale. The strong position that we have achieved allows the company to start the activity in the maritime sector of the domestic market from 2020. In this context, we believe that our services and competitive approach can meet the needs of maritime companies, tourism ships and fishermen involved in domestic freight and passenger transportation. 

--

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Gujarat government on



Tuesday banned entry of tourists at the Statue of Unity in Narmada district till March 25 and also directed hotels and restaurants to avoid hosting large functions in view of the coronavirus threat.

The Statue of Unity at Kevadia, a towering memorial dedicated to Sardar Patel, has emerged as a major tourist attraction ever since it was inaugurated on October 31, 2018.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said efforts of his government and cooperation from people have helped in keeping the deadly infection away from Gujarat so far.

Gujarat has not reported a single positive case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) so far.

"Due to the state government's efforts and people's cooperation, no case of the coronavirus has been recorded in Gujarat.

"The disease has spread rapidly across the world and is found is small numbers in India too," he said in a video message released on social media.

The Chief Minister urged citizens to be vigilant so that disease does not spread in Gujarat.

People of Gujarat have migrated to many countries and regularly travel across the world for business, he said, adding guidelines issued by the Central government and World Health Organisation in regard to the coronavirus should be strictly followed.

Rupani said the government has taken a slew of steps to prevent spread of the deadly disease in Gujarat.

These measures include screening travellers coming from abroad at airports, closing schools, colleges, cinema halls, public places and tourist spots, he said.

Rupani advised people above 60 years of age and those who suffer from medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or any other ailment, to practice self-quarantine.

"The fatality rate of this disease in around 2 per cent and the state is prepared to treat patients so nobody should panic," he said.

Meanwhile, addressing the media on Tuesday, principal secretary (health and family welfare) Jayanti Ravi said the district administration of Narmada has decided not to allow tourists at the Statue of Unity till March 25 as part of steps to avoid crowding.

Over 29 lakh tourists visited the Statue of Unity, located near the Sardar Sarovar Dam, since it was inaugurated and this generated a revenue of Rs 82.51 crore, the government had told the Assembly in December last year. The tourist figure was from November 1, 2018 to November 16, 2019.

The government has also asked private doctors and government medical colleges to intensify surveillance to track cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) as they could be patients of COVID-19, she said.

"We spoke to several top doctors, experts of the Indian Medical Association as well as deans and superintendents of government medical colleges, and asked them to intensify surveillance of SARI cases because they might be cases of COVID-19," Ravi said.

Hotels and restaurants have been asked not to host large functions, she said, adding a massive drive has been launched to clean and disinfect state transport buses.

Health secretaries of neighbouring and other states have been contacted and asked to prevent inter-state movement of people, the senior bureaucrat said.

Private organisations have been told to allow employees to work from home wherever possible, she said.

"The situation is reasonably under control. There is no need for panic. We are fully prepared in the event of positive cases coming up," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hunter was initially charged alongside his wife, Margaret, though she pleaded guilty last year and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors  a devastating blow to her husbands defense. She is scheduled to be sentenced April 7, if the proceeding is not delayed over coronavirus fears. Prosecutors said in court Tuesday that they had been willing to delay Duncan D. Hunters sentencing due to the public health crisis, though he preferred to move forward.
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Military and judicial officials were among the 298 people arrested over allegations of bribery and embezzlement.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has voiced concern over the arrest of about 300 government officials in Saudi Arabia on corruption allegations, warning of possible unfair legal proceedings in an opaque judicial system.

Military and judicial officials were among the 298 people arrested over allegations of bribery and embezzlement amounting to 379 million Saudi riyals ($101m), the state anti-corruption watchdog Nazaha said.

The fight against corruption is no excuse for flagrant due process violations and preventing people from mounting an adequate defence, Michael Page, HRWs deputy Middle East director, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Given their track record of abuse, the Saudi authorities should make fundamental reforms to the justice system to ensure that the accused will not be railroaded in unfair legal proceedings.

Nazaha said the arrests came after it investigated 674 state employees, but it neither named any of the suspects nor stated when its inquiry took place.

It was the latest government crackdown on what officials describe as endemic corruption in the kingdom.





A campaign against corruption launched in 2017 saw hundreds of elite princes, ministers and businessmen held at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in the capital Riyadh.

Many were held for weeks, but most were released after agreeing to significant financial settlements. Authorities said they recovered more than 400 billion Saudi riyals ($107bn).

The anti-corruption sweep led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been labelled by many critics as a shakedown and a power grab.

The latest surge of arrests coincides with a royal purge this month that saw the detention of Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and the monarchs nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who was previously crown prince.

Sources said they were arrested for allegedly plotting a palace coup to unseat the crown prince, heir to the Saudi throne.

But another source close to the Saudi royal court said the detentions were a messaging exercise to crush any opposition to the crown prince before his succession to the Arab worlds most powerful throne.
Betty Sue Logan, 86, of Waldorf, Maryland passed away on March 10, 2020. She was born on July 31, 1933 in High Point, NC to the late Frank Pennington and Nellie Price/Thomas. Betty married Bob Logan Sr. on May 20, 1950 and stayed at home raising their children while her husband was overseas in the Air Force. Later in life, she worked as a real estate agent supporting many real estate companies throughout Charles County, for 25 years, where she was respected and loved by her co-workers as a valued employee and beloved friend.



Betty was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to many who are grateful she was in their lives. She will be greatly missed! Her greatest joy was her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was so proud of them and loved them dearly. Her favorite way to spend her time was gatherings with family and friends including socializing with the Red Hat Society.



Betty was a member of the First Baptist Church of Waldorf and led her life in faith. She loved spending time in Myrtle Beach, cruising and with her dogs Christie, Bootsie and Molly. She enjoyed cross-stitching and crocheting.



In addition to her parents, Betty was predeceased by her husband Bobby Ray Logan Sr., her son Bobby Ray Logan Jr. and her brothers, Horace Pennington, Roland Pennington, and Darrell Pennington. She is survived by her children Cynthia Stone (Ed), David Logan (Wendy), daughter-in-law Lorraine Logan, 9 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.



A private family service will be held. Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks for donations to the Hospice of Charles County http://www.hospiceofcharlescounty.org/. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A., Charlotte Hall, MD.


Berlin, March 18 : Automobile major Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand will gradually suspend production at its European plants from Thursday for two weeks due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

According to the auto major, the move will impact plants operated by Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand for two weeks.

The Volkswagen Group comprises of twelve brands from seven European countries including Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, SKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN.

Initially, production facilities in Wolfsburg, Emden, Dresden, Osnabruck, Zwickau (all Germany), Bratislava in Slovakia, Pamplona in Spain and Palmela in Portugal will be affected by the move.

Besides, the auto major's component plants at Brunswick, Chemnitz, Hanover, Kassel, Salzgitter and Sitech will also be impacted.

The company said that the move is in response to the impending rapid decline in demand on the automotive markets.

"Risks in connection with suppliers' supply chains are also increasing. This is due to the significantly accelerated rate of infection by coronavirus and the resulting measures taken by the authorities," the auto major said in a statement.

"Initially, the factories are therefore expected to remain closed for two weeks. For the affected German sites, the measures are to apply from the end of the late shift on Thursday." Ralf Brandstatter, Chief Operation Officer of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, said: "The spread of coronavirus in Europe is increasingly having an adverse impact on the demand situation." "At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to supply our plants with outsourced parts. For this reason, we have decided to run production down in a coordinated way from the end of the late shift on Thursday. We are convinced that this will also be in the interests of our employees who are becoming increasingly concerned about the spread of corona."
ATLANTA, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power remains committed to providing customers continued safe and reliable service, while offering updates on additional energy assistance programs and providing the latest scam avoidance tips as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The company announced last week that it would temporarily suspend residential disconnections beginning Saturday, March 14, 2020, for 30 days, and will reevaluate the decision and time frame as the situation develops. Georgia Power highly encourages all customers to continue to make payments and practice energy efficiency to avoid large balance due amounts when the suspension ends.

Assistance when you need it

Georgia Power partners with nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations to offer assistance programs to those in need. Programs include:

Georgia Power's Senior Citizen Discount  Georgia Power customers 65 years of age or older who meet the income requirements for eligibility can receive up to $24 a month off their bill.

 Georgia Power customers 65 years of age or older who meet the income requirements for eligibility can receive up to a month off their bill. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)  Georgia Power supports the Division of Family & Children Services to help qualifying, low-income households pay their home energy bills.

Georgia Power supports the Division of Family & Children Services to help qualifying, low-income households pay their home energy bills. The Salvation Army's Project SHARE: Established in partnership with The Salvation Army, Georgia Power customers can provide assistance to residents in the same community for expenses, such as utility bills, housing, food and medical necessities.

Georgia Power has also developed public service announcements (PSAs) to highlight the various assistance and energy efficiency programs available to customers. The PSAs encourage customers to explore www.GeorgiaPower.com/EnergyAssistance to find the best solutions for their individual need. The PSAs can be viewed on the company's YouTube channel.

Customer Scam Warnings

Additionally, Georgia Power is urging customers to be aware of scammers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers should beware of phone calls demanding payment via phone. Georgia Power will never ask for a credit card or pre-paid debit card number over the phone. If a customer receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from Georgia Power and demanding payment to avoid disconnection, they should hang up and contact the company's customer service line at 888-660-5890. Georgia Power works with law enforcement agencies throughout the state to identify and prosecute criminals who pose as Georgia Power employees in order to defraud customers. Additional information about frequent scams and how the company works to protect customers is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Scams.

Georgia Power Employee Safety

Georgia Power has been closely monitoring the potential threat posed by COVID-19 since January. Proactive actions have been taken to both prevent the spread of the illness and protect the safety and health of employees, including:

Implementing telecommuting for those who can perform their duties remotely

Cancelling facility tours and external meetings

Increasing cleaning frequency at company locations

Aggressively sanitizing work areas

Cancelling all non-essential business travel  both domestic and international

Asking employees to self-identify, if they have or plan to travel internationally

Using technology for meetings

The company regularly provides information and updates on the virus to employees, including prevention recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, and is following the latest developments and updates from public health officials and medical professionals.

Vogtle 3 & 4 and COVID-19

Georgia Power remains focused on protecting the safety and health of workers at the Vogtle 3&4 site, and the company's implementation of comprehensive plans have helped us take every action to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic. Our proactive steps employ aggressive worker distancing strategies, including expanding our onsite medical clinic, adjusting break schedules and setting up mobile facilities to add more distance between individuals onsite. We continue to draw on the expertise of medical professionals and consult the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as we encourage the workforce to more closely monitor their health and report concerns. We have also taken immediate precautionary steps to identify and notify workers who were located in close proximity to the individuals being tested and have sent those team members home while we await test results.

Additional proactive action steps by the company to support distancing and hygiene initiatives include:

Adding portable bathrooms and washing stations, adjusting break schedules and setting up additional space with overflow tents.

Closing our onsite cafeteria

Suspending onsite mass transit trams and shuttle busses.

Limiting one person per transaction for tools and materials pickup

Pre-staging certain tools and materials ready for pickup.

Disinfecting tools prior to check-in

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power

Related Links

http://www.georgiapower.com


Coronavirus panic is spreading around Australia as the number of confirmed cases soars past 400.

But Chris Hemsworth looked like he didn't have a care in world on Monday as he took his three children to the beach in Byron Bay.

The Thor: Ragnarok star, 36, found an isolated spot and flew a colourful kite while his kids watched on in amazement.

Free as a bird! Chris Hemsworth looked like he didn't have a care in world on Monday as he took his three children to the beach in Byron Bay

Chris and his wife, Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, share three children: daughter India Rose, seven, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, five.

Despite widespread fears and panic buying from coast to coast, Chris appears to be keeping level-headed.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison encouraged 'social distancing' across the nation to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Family life: Chris and his wife, Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, share three children: daughter India Rose, seven, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, five. Pictured with their dog Sunny

Up, up and away! Chris held the multi-coloured kite as his children gathered around to watch it take flight in the breeze

Keeping spirits high: Despite widespread fears and panic buying from coast to coast, Chris appears to be keeping level-headed amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Chris held the multi-coloured kite as his children gathered around to watch it take flight in the breeze.

The kite soared high into the air, as the Marvel Universe star gripped the handle to avoid it flying away.

Elsewhere, he was seen hugging his children and watching them play on the sand.

Cute! Elsewhere, he was seen hugging his children and watching them play on the sand

Laid-back lifestyle: Chris and Elsa moved to Australia in 2014 in pursuit of a quieter life

Chris and Elsa relocated to Australia from LA in 2014 in pursuit of a quieter life.

Earlier this year, Chris revealed he would be taking a break from the spotlight for 'six to eight months' to focus on his family.

He often visits beaches in Byron Bay, where he teaches his children how to surf.

Keeping cosy: Chris wore a grey sweater and boardshorts during the outing

Living like a local: Chris often visits beaches in the area, where he teaches his kids how to surf

In January, after six years of living in Byron Bay, Elsa told Vogue Australia she felt 'privileged' to enjoy such a beautiful life.

The Hemsworths moved into a $20million mega-mansion just before Christmas.

The couple had spent two years renovating the property, which they had previously bought for $7million in 2014.

Family man: In January, Chris revealed he would be taking a break from the spotlight for 'six to eight months' to focus on his family

Home, sweet home! The Hemsworths moved into a $20million mansion just before Christmas

Globally there have been more than 181,000 cases of coronavirus, with the death toll already surpassing 7,000.

In Australia, the first reported case of COVID-19 occurred in January.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 450 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including five deaths.
No one is asking people to join, to get under the stretcher, and not have a say in the direction of the stretcher, said Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's interim prime minister, on March 15, using a familiar military term for jointly shouldering a load. He was referring to his invitation to opposition leaders to join an emergency unity government, under his leadership, to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Benny Gantz, Amir Peretz and Avigdor Liberman, chairs, respectively of the Blue and White, Labor and Yisrael Beitenu, received invitations, but Knesset member Ayman Odeh and his colleagues from the Arab Joint List were left off the list of invitees compiled by the man who is a lead defendant under criminal indictment for corruption.

Even in the fight against an epidemic that is afflicting all people, regardless of religion, race or nationality, Israels Arab citizens are not deemed fit by Netanyahu to carry the nationalist stretcher. They should simply be grateful that Arab doctors and nurses are being allowed to carry the stretchers of Jewish coronavirus patients.

Meanwhile, as Israel's leadership has kept itself busy excluding and inciting against the states 21% Arab minority, average citizens have displayed solidarity with their Arab neighbors. Poll results published March 15 showed that a majority of those surveyed (63%) believe Israel should help the Palestinians fend off the COVID-19 epidemic. The survey, conducted by Hebrew Universitys Truman Institute for Peace by the Dialogue polling agency among a representative sampling of Jews and Arabs, points to a significant gap between younger Israelis, aged 18-24, and those 65 and older. While 80% of the older cohort supports assisting the neighbors, only 47% of the young display similar generosity.

These young people have clear role models. Even now, Netanyahu and his henchmen, chief among them Culture Minister Miri Regev, continue to fuel the fires of incitement against the politicians representing Arab voters, plus some 20,000 Jewish ones, calling them terror supporters. This is how the elected representative accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust seeks to stabilize the State of Israel after having broken all records for cynicism in riding the virus in his attempted flight from prosecution. Right after the March election, he was the one who implored his political rivals to shed all the cynicism, all the doubts, and join together. The world champion of political spin promised that an emergency unity government was not a question of spin.

The man who has dragged Israel into three elections in less than a year expects people to believe his calls for a unity government, ostensibly because of the epidemic, when he says it is not a question of political whims. This is the same politician who called early elections in December 2014 because of proposed legislation that, he claimed, threatened to damage his home court newspaper, Israel Today. In those days, he also shuttled between world capitals to save Israel from a Persian potentate who threatens to destroy us, as he claimed before a joint session of Congress in March 2015, warning against the nuclear deal with Iran. Although he called Iran an existential threat, Netanyahu led the struggle against the nuclear agreement to contain it after dismantling his government partnership with the centrist Yesh Atid and Hatnua. He did not regard the threat of an Iranian nuke as reason for a unity government.

Now, Netanyahu has promised Gantz and his friends that if they get under the stretcher they will have a say. Their main say, however, if not their only one, is to refuse to join a government led by an indicted criminal. If Netanyahu were to display national responsibility (as he expects Gantz to do) and relinquish his post to someone else from his party, all the obstacles to a coalition between the Likud and the center-left bloc would come tumbling down. A broad-based government would be formed immediately, ministerial positions would be generously apportioned, an emergency budget would be adopted by the Knesset, the siege of Gaza would remain in place, and the settlement enterprise would continue.

No one mentions the words peace, negotiations or occupation anymore. The Knesset sworn in on March 16 does not even have a narrow majority for the establishment of a Palestinian state or the dismantling of a single isolated West Bank settlement. Blue and Whites right-wing flank, Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel, is even refusing to join a government dependent on Knesset support from the Arab lawmakers of the Joint List. The only Zionist Knesset members for whom the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its resolution are a priority are the half dozen lawmakers of the Labor and Meretz parties, minus Orly Levy-Abekasis, who ran with them on a joint ticket but has since refused to support an Arab-backed government.

Documents recently unclassified by the State Archives reflect the gap between the original positions held by the Jewish and Palestinian mainstreams. The minutes of a January 1994 discussion about Israel handing control of Gaza and the West Bank town of Jericho to the Palestinian Authority illustrate this gap. According to the document, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, You are giving them a lousy thing. You would not have agreed [to accept it]. Rabin responded, Ben-Gurion would have agreed to accept the partition plan, adding, He [PLO leader Yasser Arafat] is getting a tremendous thing. He never dreamed.

The vast majority of Jewish Israelis do not recognize that in the partition plan advocated by the most moderate Palestinians, the border of their future state runs along the Green Line or that all the settlements Israel built to its east were erected on foreign land. The pervasive view in Israel paints the Palestinians as serial rejectionists who never miss an opportunity to miss generous opportunities, including President Donald Trumps recently unveiled West Bank annexation plan, the incongruously dubbed deal of the century.

While the spread of the coronavirus generates panic, Israelis have reacted with equanimity to the strengthening occupation virus verging on apartheid. While the coronavirus kills its victims, in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict people kill each other. At some point, a cure will presumably be developed for COVID-19 and perhaps even a vaccine against the virus that has declared war on humanity. On the other hand, there is no sign of a cure being found for the disease of the occupation. Instead of investing in efforts to boost Israels immune system against nationalist and religious zealotry, Israelis are submitting to leaders who undermine the immune system of their country's democracy.

Sadly, glad tidings for the people of Israel will not emerge from the 23rd Knesset. After Israelis get a taste of life under siege, albeit a light one, maybe they will start to understand what their Palestinian neighbors have been experiencing for years and realize that a cure must be found for that virus, too.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Employees of the local governments of Mandaluyong and Manila will be receiving financial bonuses, usually given later in the year, during work suspensions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos ordered the release of the 13th-month pay of its city hall workers, its public information office said on Twitter, Tuesday. However, it did not state when exactly the workers will get the bonus. The city has been under a state of calamity since Sunday, which triggered the release of funds to help residents cope with the COVID-19 crisis.

The 13th-month pay is equivalent to one-twelfth of an employee's basic salary within a calendar year, according to the Labor Department. Companies and agencies usually give the 13th-month pay in December.

On the other hand, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said he has crafted a resolution to release the midyear bonus of his staff. He said they also prepared an ordinance to earmark funds to compensate contractual workers. The midyear pay is equivalent to one month's worth basic salary to be given not earlier than May 15.

Moreno said this was an answer to the President's call to make provisions for employees to cope with the pandemic, including releasing their 13th month pay or at least half of their monthly salary.

"Hearing that, your city government immediately came up with a resolution authorizing the mayor to release the midyear bonus of our employees then we came up with another ordinance appropriating x number of millions for our [Job Order workers] and contractuals," he told CNN Philippines' Just the Facts.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday placed the entire Luzon mainland under an "enhanced community quarantine" following the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country. The new quarantine measure means stringent travel restrictions, no mass transportation and suspension of work except for health workers, skeletal forces in business outsourcing companies and export-oriented industries, accredited media workers, employees of supermarkets, banks and other establishments that provide basic commodities. The quarantine aims to restrict movement across Luzon to avoid the continuous spread of the virus.

"Maybe you can consider paying the 13th month pay or just paying them maski kalahati sa sweldo nila kung walang trabaho [half of their salary if they have no work] as a way of showing your solidarity with the Filipinos at this critical time," Duterte told companies in an address to the nation.

Work-from-home arrangements from the private sector were also encouraged.

The Labor Department said it has also set aside P2-billion-worth of financial assistance to workers displaced by travel restrictions to and from Metro Manila which has also been imposed in other provinces, towns and cities such as Cebu, Aklan and Aurora provinces.

The Health Department tallied 142 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, including 12 deaths. It has also reported the first recovered case involving a Filipino. Earlier, two Chinese nationals who initially tested positive while in the Philippines, also recovered from the disease and have since returned to China.
The upcoming festival season may just prove to be yet another dull event, say real estate experts. Festivals like Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Akshaya Tritiya and Navratri are considered auspicious for launching new projects and even investing in real estate. However, the momentum of new launches is likely to slow down by 15 percent to 20 percent due to the coronavirus pandemic, the general slow economy and the pressure on liquidity

The momentum in the housing market, which began to demonstrate some traction over the past few quarters, would likely slow down again in the first half of 2020. Footfalls and site visits, too, are down by 25 percent, they say.

Most real estate developers Moneycontrol spoke to said that they would choose to defer new launches and wait to see how the situation unfolded over the next few months and would instead focus on completing ongoing projects.

Some are planning a digital launch. Vijay Khetan Group was planning to launch a new project in Andheri East. Earlier there was to be a physical launch with channel partners and brokers. But now due to the Covid-19 situation, Vijay Khetan Group will be conducting a digital launch where it will accept requests from customers online. Customers will also be given time slots for site visits to avoid crowding, a company spokesperson said.

Homebuyers are expected to delay in making decisions with regard to house purchase, say experts. Also, they expect the growth in the housing market to trail the broader market recovery by a couple of quarters.

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

New project launches may see a dip of 15-20 percent dip this festive season, said Pankaj Kapoor, the managing director at Liases Foras Real Estate Rating & Research, adding that sales, however, were expected to see an uptick due to the lower base in 2019.

Going by the impact on the share market, new real estate launches are also likely to get curtained going forward. A house purchase is directly related to economic growth.

Since most people are not sure about their jobs, they may not decide to take on a liability of buying a house at this juncture, he said.

Sentiments are currently subdued due to business disruption, meltdown in global and Indian equity markets, liquidity issues in a turbulent and risk-averse financial market, supply chain disruption across sectors and more than anything else, the uncertainty around the duration of its social and economic impact.

In the current environment, developers are likely to focus on selling existing inventory rather than launching new projects. The only exceptions to this could be projects which are already in the soft-launch stage and have already seen a fair amount of marketing spend, said Aashish Agarwal, Senior Director & Head - Consulting Services at Colliers International India.

Needless to say, the impact of the corona virus is being felt across sectors and real estate will be no different. The government advisory to avoid much social activity is certainly going to impact site visits and thus housing sales. In addition, many developers have also postponed their new launches and will wait to see how the situation unfolds over the next month or more, said Anuj Puri, Chairman - Anarock Property Consultants.

The construction activity could also take a hit if the situation does not see a solution soon and goes beyond control. Given that developers always schedule project launches during the upcoming festivals  Gudi Padwa and Akshaya Tritiya - it will certainly remain muted in 2020.

All housing segments expected to be hit

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the general slow economy is expected to be felt across segments but the affordable housing segment is expected to be more resilient.

While both segments are end-user driven, mid-segment buyers will not be comfortable committing to large investments and liabilities in times of economic turmoil. Recovery in the mid-segment is likely only with improvement in the hiring outlook, which is tied to the uncertainty of the virus outbreak. However, the target buyer group of the affordable housing segment is less exposed to cyclical job volatility and usually comprises multiple-income households, said Agarwal.

With the added incentive of tax benefits, the activity in the affordable housing segment is likely to be relatively stable, though both volumes and velocity will be negatively impacted till the situation stabilizes, he said.

The real estate market is facing an oversupply situation. New launches definitely do not make sense at this point in time. Having said that, if affordable housing is available at an attractive price point, demand will continue to exist for the category given the government incentives that come with it, said Anckur Srivasttava of GenReal Advisers.

Footfalls down by 25 percent

Since the short-term impact has been on fewer people venturing out of their homes to visit construction sites or sign up for new house purchases, footfalls at real estate offices too have come down by 25-30 percent.

This is an expected outcome and is likely to have a short term impact. The number of homebuyers visiting sites or realtor offices has come down by 25-30 percent, said Gaurav Gupta, President - Credai Ghaziabad.

Also, instead of launching new projects, realtors are focusing on completing existing ones, he told Moneycontrol.

There is definitely a slowdown in terms of walk-ins. Homebuyers are also delaying negotiations. The overall sentiment is that of caution. They are pushing back decisions by two to three weeks. Most potential buyers are deferring their decisions, to visit the site office and to have face-to-face meetings, said Samantak Das, Executive Director and Head of Research, REIS, JLL.

Can we expect these deferred launches to happen during Diwali?

New launches planned during the auspicious period of the upcoming festivals in late March and April will certainly be deferred by developers across cities. They will wait and watch the situation - and if all is well, may re-consider launching these projects during Dussehra and Diwali, added Puri.
[March 17, 2020] KuCoin Announces the Establishment of KuGroup with Michael Gan Appointed as Chairman and Johnny Lyu Appointed as KuCoin Global CEO

VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 17, 2020, KuCoin (https://www.kucoin.com), an IDG-backed crypto exchange, announced today the establishment of KuGroup, and CEO Michael Gan has been appointed as the Chairman of KuGroup. Also, KuCoin co-founder Johnny Lyu has been appointed the position of CEO of KuCoin Global. With the expansion of KuCoin's services and ecosystem, the management team decided to adjust the company structure and establish KuGroup, which consists of three business groups, namely KuCoin Global, KuCloud, and the KuChain & KCS Business Group. As the Chairman of KuGroup, Michael Gan will oversee the global strategy of KuCoin Global and put more efforts on exploring the boundaries of blockchain technology with KuChain, a Public Chain powered by KuCoin, and how to integrate the group's businesses with the KCS ecosysem.



"When I was still at Alibaba, I had worked in the AI department of Ant Financial and observed how this cutting-edge technology has been applied to various industries," said Michael Gan. "As a growing number of countries such as India, Korea, and France open its door to blockchain and crypto, the mass adoption will be inevitable and KuChain as well as its ecosystem will largely contribute to this trend." Before joining KuCoin as co-founder, Johnny Lyu has accumulated abundant experience in the e-commerce, auto, and luxury industry. At KuCoin, Johnny used to lead the listing, business development and strategic investment team, and he is also the main contributor behind Spotlight, Pool-X, and KuCloud. With his new role as KuCoin Global CEO, Johnny will be mainly responsible for the day-to-day operations of KuCoin, KuMEX, Pool-X, as well as the expansion and prosperity of the KCS ecosystem.

Johnny Lyu commented, "KuCoin has proved its value in the crypto space by offering easy-to-use, secured and efficient financial services to users internationally. Over 65 billion transaction volume has been handled so far and we will continue our journey to make KuCoin the best place to trade. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding KuCoin, KuMEX, Pool-X, KCS, and KuChain that will be announced in the next few weeks." Founded in September 2017, KuCoin has grown into one of the most popular crypto exchanges, and it currently provides a series of financial services including fiat-to-crypto, crypto-to-crypto, futures, staking, borrowing, token launch and more to its 5 million users across 207 countries and regions around the world. One out of four crypto holders worldwide are with KuCoin. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kucoin-announces-the-establishment-of-kugroup-with-michael-gan-appointed-as-chairman-and-johnny-lyu-appointed-as-kucoin-global-ceo-301025361.html SOURCE KuCoin

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Hyderabad, March 17 : The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday dismissed a petition of Andhra Pradesh's senior police official A.B. Venkateswara Rao challenging his suspension.

The tribunal declined to set aside the state government's order suspending the Director General of Police-rank officer.

The tribunal, which had reserved its order on Rao's petition on March 7, pronounced the same on Tuesday.

The state government had last month suspended the officer for his alleged misconduct and irregularities in purchase of security equipments.

The officer was accused of endangered 'national security' by disclosing intelligence protocols to an Israeli defence manufacturing firm.

The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of 1989 batch was directed not to leave Vijayawada without obtaining the permission of the government.

According to a confidential report of the police department, Rao while working as Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) during the previous government, colluded with Israeli defence equipment manufacturer RT Inflatables Pvt. Ltd to illegally award critical Intelligence and surveillance contract to his son Chetan Sai Krishna, CEO, Akasam Advanced Systems Pvt. Ltd, primary bidder on behalf of RT Inflatables.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on March 7 confirmed his suspension on the request of the state government.

It requested the state government to issue the charge sheet against the officer by April 7, 2020.

Considered close to then chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Rao was removed as the intelligence chief after Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed office in May last year. He was since waiting for a posting.

Earlier, on the eve of the elections in April, the Election Commission had ordered the transfer of intelligence chief following a complaint filed by Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The then opposition party alleged that Chandrababu Naidu was using police officials to undermine the election process in the state.
18.03.2020 LISTEN

Some parents have advocated for the closure of public service institutions to enable workers keep an eye on their children as government temporarily closes down schools.

They argued that closing down schools, was not enough if parents would have to go to work only to contract the disease and go home to spread it to their children.

The public servant parents, who were randomly interviewed by the Ghana News Agency () in Bolgatanga, said critical observation of the school children clearly showed that they were more exposed, however, the preventive measures adopted by government would be more effective, if the parents stayed at home and guided their children.

Mrs Juliana Abilba, a mother of four at Fountain Gate International School (FGIS) in Bolgatanga, said even though the President took a bold decision to close down private and public schools, the directive was not preventive enough to stop the deadly virus from infecting families, especially children.

She said the normal practice was that parents sent their wards to school, and gave care time to teachers but as we speak now, we have to leave the children at home without anyone to care for them and we can't also take them to the office.

She therefore proposed that government should temporarily close down public institutions to protect the citizenry, especially families from contracting the disease.

Mr Henry Adivila, a businessman, who deals in pharmaceuticals, said he appreciated the President's directives however, they may not yield the desired results should the children be left at home and parents go to work to contract and spread the disease at home

He also proposed closure of all public institutions for a period of two weeks to reduce physical contacts as part of efforts to reduce infections of the coronavirus and keep citizens safe.

Mr Solomon Adongo Alemiya a banker, was worried that the insecurity in leaving children alone at home at these crucial moments of the spread of the disease and said extension of the temporary closure of public institutions was one key factor that could effectively minimise the spread of the disease.

He said that the bankers were exposed when rendering services.

As we directly deal with clients, we are even exposed more in spite of all the preventive measures being taken by the bank, because we still have to assist clients to fill forms, they stay with us all these while, they touch the tables other clients follow suit and many more come in a day, "he said.

According to Mr Alemiya, Government should extend the closure to all public institutions including; the banks and suggested that the banks should keep skeletal staff and ensure that ATMS were functioning to reduce human to human contact.

The Ghana News Agency sought public opinion to measure citizens' appreciation of the President's announcement of closure of schools and limitations to some social gatherings and how the directive was affecting the citizenry.

---GNA
A promotional picture from Laura Ashley's recent advertising campaign. (Laura Ashley)

Home furnishings and womens wear designer Laura Ashley (ALY.L) has called in administrators, blaming Covid-19 for its collapse.

Laura Ashley said in a statement on Tuesday it has appointed Robert Lewis and Zelf Hussain as administrators. The pair will try to sell the business as a going concern or break it up to sell the assets if a buyer cant be found. Laura Ashley warned investors they are unlikely to get any money given the level of debts.

Shares collapsed 90% to trade below a penny on the announcement.

The news puts thousands of jobs at risk. The company has over 150 stores across the UK and over 2,700 staff.

Laura Ashley said sales in the weeks leading up to 13 March rose by 24% but the Covid-19 outbreak has had an immediate and significant impact on trading.

A general view of the Laura Ashley store in the Brunel Retail Park in Reading, Berkshire. (PA)

Ongoing developments indicate that this will be a sustained national situation, management added.

Expected sales numbers were slashed as a result and this left the business short on cash. Laura Ashley had already been facing a funding crisis and was forced to negotiate with bank Wells Fargo for extra funding last month.

Read more: European stocks fall ahead of EU leaders call on coronavirus response

All available alternative options have been explored and therefore, in order to protect creditors, it is necessary to file a notice of intention to appoint administrators, Laura Ashley said in a statement.

Founded in 1953, Laura Ashley is known for its floral prints and home goods. The company has struggled in recent years as shopping has moved online. Last year Laura Ashleys sales fell by 3.5% and the company fell to a loss of 9.8m ($12m). Shares had fallen around 90% over the last 5 years.

The spread of novel coronavirus has caused huge economic disruption around the world. Earlier this month regional UK airline Flybe collapsed into administration and blamed coronavirus. Travelex owner, Finablr, on Tuesday also warned it was in danger of going bust.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Finance UK
The Gulf Property Show, Gulf Construction and Interiors Expo, the much-awaited trio of leading annual events in Bahrain, have been rescheduled to take place from October 5 to 7, 2020.

Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the organiser of the highly-anticipated shows that were due to take place in April, has been monitoring the situation on a daily basis since the outbreak of the new Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the GCC, said a statement.

Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), commenting on the rescheduled dates, said: At HCE, we are committed to deliver events of the highest quality. We also value the views and support of our exhibitors. The expectations from our three events are high and we do not want to compromise on the quality, experience and public safety at our events.

The welfare of visitors and exhibitors is our top priority. We are positive that given sufficient time available with the rescheduling of the events, things will return to normal. The new dates in October will give us enough time to create a value-added experience for all our stakeholders as we look to the ongoing evolution of our events, he said.

Gulf Property Show, Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo will take place at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, with the strategic support of Bahrains labour fund Tamkeen.

The three exhibitions take place alongside each other, thus ensuring the continued success of the biggest integrated business-to-business showcase for the construction, interiors and property sectors to be staged in the Northern GCC. - TradeArabia News Service
Resident Welfare Association (RWA) members and Delhi Police on Tuesday talked to the protesters at Shaheen Bagh, urging them to call off their protest in wake of coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed three lives in the country so far.

The protesters, who have been agitating since December 15 last year, have not agreed to the request yet.

Even after the Delhi government's announcement to restrict gathering of over 50 people till March 31 amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of protestors at Shaheen Bagh continued with their protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Register of Citizens and Population Register.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that any gathering -- religious, family, social, political or cultural -- of over 50 people would not be allowed in the capital till March-end.

According to the Health Ministry, the number of COVID-19 positive cases has gone up to 126 in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha there have been reports regarding presence of illegal immigrants in the country and that possibility of their staying in religious places may not be ruled out.

"There are reports regarding presence of illegal immigrants who have entered into country without valid travel documents. Some of them are illegally staying after expiry of their stay. Possibility of their staying in religious places may not be ruled out, said the Minister.

The minister gave out this information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

To another question in Lok Sabha the Minister said statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise.

"Statistics of foreigners arriving into India are not maintained community-wise. However 25,782 persons belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan granted Long Term Visa from 1 Jan 2015 to Dec 2019," Rai informed the Upper House on Tuesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The public and the entire Romanian society should understand that the first urgency is that banks don't fall, and after this urgency comes solidarity, National Bank of Romania (BNR) Strategy Consultant Adrian Vasilescu said on Tuesday.

"The action has to take into account urgencies. The public and the entire Romanian society should understand that the first urgency is that banks don't fall, that no bank should fall, no great number of banks should fall, because in crisis such catastrophes happen. Because, if banks fall, something much worse cannot be imagined, because after the banks fall all the economy goes down. So, after this urgency, comes solidarity. Solidarity, a moral essence word, in this case it wears the coat of pragmatism. Because it cannot be otherwise. In the bank - clients relation, pragmatism should come first, starting from the experience we have, the experience of the crisis in 2008 -2011," Vasilescu told Digi 24 private broadcaster.

According to him, in that period no bank "fell" in Romania, but 30 percent of those who had loans could not reimburse them.

Vasilescu draws attention that this solidarity should intervene, and the "risk should be shared between banks and clients." "If not, it would be worse," he argued.

Moreover, the BNR representative mentioned that, so far, the departments dealing with the monetary policy at the National Bank, including the strategy ones, are involved in a very serious analysis, in order to see what would the consequences be. For instance, how much a bank could postpone the payment of installments - one month, two - and then, what effects might occur if such postponements come from a bank of strategic importance or from a smaller bank and "doesn't produce ripple effects throughout the economy."

"All this should be known step by step. Such a measure cannot be taken without assessment, because it would be serious," Adrian Vasilescu underscored.

He explained that the decisions are made on short-term, depending on how the events unfold.

When asked about the exchange rate, Adrian Vasilescu mentioned that the depreciation takes place in the regional context and in the crisis context.

"Beyond the 11 economic indicators which are pressing the exchange rate, there is one above all: demand and offer. Currently, that exchange rate we see depends on how high the demand is and how high can the offer be to cover this demand," he underscored.
MIDDLETOWN  Those looking for their St. Patricks Day corned beef and cabbage can still get their fix from some area restaurants offering takeout during the coronavirus outbreak.

Some eateries that always offered special menus for the Irish holiday have chosen to close for at least the next two weeks during the COVID-19 scare, while others are serving pick-up items only.

In Middletown, Eli Cannons Tap Room and ORourkes Diner on Main Street, Celtic Cavern in Main Street Market, as well as Mad Murphys on South Main Street are not open for business. The latter marked St. Patricks Day Monday in anticipation of the state banning all inside dining at 8 p.m.

Celtic Cavern in Main Street Market closed Monday night and will not be doing takeout or delivery.

We are going to take the time to be with our families and do our part to flatten the curve, as the experts have requested all Americans to do. Know this, we will be here to raise a pint and make some food when this is over. Until then be smart, stay safe and we will see you on the other side of this, staff wrote on Facebook.

Ninos Restaurant and Bar is selling to-go orders for St. Patricks day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saybrook Road in Middletown.

Farrells Restaurant in Portland is hosting a St. Patricks Day drive-through beginning at 11 a.m. Limited delivery will be available. Staff offered a greeting to customers on its social media page: Everyone stay safe and support each other during this time. Slainte!

The Dublin in East Hampton is open Tuesday from 11:30 to 9 p.m., serving special takeout meals.

Meadow Meat in Middletown plans to stay open for as long as it is allowed and can obtain inventory items, according to its Facebook page. In order to help provide an even safer environment, we will limit the store to three customers at a time. Back office for order pickups will continue, however, customers can ring the office doorbell and service will be provided at the door.

Vegan eatery ION Restaurant on Main Street is marking Happy Socially Distanced St. Patricks Day, staff announced on the Facebook page. Tuesdays specials are lemongrass coconut curry soup, corned beef jackfruit with mashed potatoes and garlic greens, bangers and mash (sausage, mashed potatoes and garlic greens with Guinness gravy).

Not feeling the whole leaving the house thing? Delivery is available in Middletown at 860-346-9210.

The news out of NoRA Cupcake Co. on Main Street is grim: The bakery was forced to lay off its staff of 14 individuals, owner Carrie Carella announced Monday. It is now being owner-run.

We are not staying open out of stubbornness or negligence  all staff will be staying home and we will be owner operated for the time being in order to keep the lights on to have a job for the cake dealers to come back to, according to its Facebook page.

NoRA in Middletown is open with limited hours for takeout only from noon to 6 p.m., and New London is closed. Carella is also working determining on DoorDash order availability.
BEIJING  China announced that it will revoke the media credentials of all American journalists at three major U.S. news organizations, in effect expelling them from the country, in response to new U.S. restrictions on Chinese state-controlled media.

The foreign ministry said early Wednesday that American citizens working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post with credentials expiring before the end of the year must surrender their press cards within 10 days.

It is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat actions by the two governments as the Trump administration takes a more confrontational stance in dealing with China than his predecessors. The two countries remained enmeshed in a trade war despite a recent truce and have traded angry words over the coronavirus pandemic that emerged in China and has spread worldwide.

The move comes after the Trump administration designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions and restricted the number of Chinese who could work for them in a de facto expulsion of about one-third of their Chinese staff.

China described its steps as necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S.

The American journalists will likely have to leave China because their visas are tied to their press credentials. They wont be allowed to work in not only mainland China but also the semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macao, the foreign ministry said in a release posted after midnight on its website.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disputed the comparison between the U.S. and Chinese actions, telling reporters in Washington that they enjoy press freedoms that dont exist in China.

The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely, he said. They were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. Weve identified these as foreign missions under American law. These arent apples to apples, and I regret Chinas decision today to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct free press operations.

Editors of all three news organizations condemned the action.

The Chinese governments decision is particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, when clear and reliable information about the international response to covid-19 is essential, said Marty Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post. Severely limiting the flow of that information, which China now seeks to do, only aggravates the situation.

Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, called it a grave mistake for China to cut itself off from some of the worlds top news organizations and called on the Chinese and American governments to move quickly to resolve the dispute.

The health and safety of people around the world depend on impartial reporting about its two largest economies, both of them now battling a common epidemic, Baquet said.

Matt Murray, editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, called it an unprecedented attack on freedom of the press at a time of crisis and said the Journals commitment to reporting fully and deeply on China hasnt changed.

The U.S. announced earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas. It cited increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China.

The Chinese outlets, which employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the U.S., include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, or CGTN, the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV.

By designating the five Chinese media companies as foreign missions, the U.S. government required them to register their properties and employees in the United States. The State Department said that was to recognize they are effectively controlled by the Chinese government.

Soon after, China revoked the credentials of three Wall Street Journal journalists, saying it was in response to a headline on an opinion piece in the newspaper that it considered derogatory. The U.S. then announced the visa limit for the five Chinese media outlets.

In its announcement Wednesday, China said five U.S. outlets  the three newspapers, Voice of America and Time  would be required to declare information in writing about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China.

It also said China will take reciprocal measures against American journalists generally on visas, administrative review and reporting, without providing details.

___

Associated Press diplomatic writer Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C., and media writer David Bauder in New York contributed to this story.
Washington: The Trump administration is preparing to unleash a massive economic stimulus package in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including rapid cash transfers to most Americans, emergency business loans and a bailout for the airline industry.

The total cost of the coronavirus response is expected to be around US$1 trillion ($1.7 trillion), exceeding the cost of the economic recovery measures introduced following the global financial crisis of 2008.

"We're going big," President Donald Trump said in a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT).

"We dont want airlines going out of business or people losing their jobs and not having money to live."
As epidemiologists and leaders worldwide ask people to socially distance themselves to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, communities everywhere are finding small ways to support each other remotely.

And one heartwarming viral video shared on Monday shows how two kids in Columbus, Ohio, brought an orchestral concert to their 78-year-old neighbors doorstep as she self-isolated as a precaution. Taran Tien, 9, wore a suit and his sister, Calliope Tien, 6, wore bright pink for their big performance on Helena Schlams porch, sitting many feet away from their neighbor.

Taran and Calliope had spent the weekend playing cello via FaceTime for family and friends as an assignment from their cello instructor, in order to keep up with their practice amid COVID-19 social distancing, according to their mother, Rebecca Tien. Tien called her elderly neighbor, Helena Schlam, on Sunday, offering to pick up groceries, but then she had an even better idea: a private cello concert.

The neighbors planned the performance of music from the Suzuki Cello books for Monday at 12 p.m. for a very special reason. Schlam would FaceTime her grandchildren in Israel  who wont come for their typical springtime visit due to the pandemic  to perform for them, too. So my children were not only giving a concert for Helena, but also for her grandchildren in Israel, Tien said.

Tien said that while she and her husband both work remotely and their two kids are home from school, theyre looking for ways to make daily life more fun and exciting. Were just trying to rethink what it means to be home in a positive way: that we get to spend time together, that we get to learn things we dont always have time to do, she said.

Story continues

Rebecca Tien

But on a more personal level, Tien said it was important for her to be able to be there for Schlam right now. Tiens own mother underwent surgery in upstate New York on Tuesday morning, and because of coronavirus fears, she couldnt be with her. I didnt want to put her at risk and I was feeling sad that I couldnt travel, she said. So this felt like a way that I could connect to someone and help in a way that made me feel better about maybe feeling a little helpless that I couldnt go be with my mom today.

When another neighbor, Jackie Borchardt, shared a video of the performance on Twitter, Tien said she was overwhelmed by the positive responses from people all over the world. The video has more than 500,000 views as of Tuesday afternoon.

I do think theres a value in a story that moves people, said Tien, who works as a freelance photographer. It was just a private event to make one person happy, but I really do see the value of making lots of people happy. I feel like we need it right now.
An 8-year-old was among six people hospitalized after an alleged drunk driver caused a head-on collision on the East Side on Tuesday, according to the San Antonio Police Department.

The child was in the back seat of a Nissan Sentra traveling southbound on Interstate 35 near the Interstate 37 exit at around 3 a.m., when a Chevy truck going the wrong way up the exit ramp slammed head-on into the Sentra.
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Linkedin Michael Taylor (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Tue, March 17, 2020 18:02 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b55f77 2 People transgender,LGBTQ,LGBT-rights,same-sex-marriage,same-sex-relationships,Hong-Kong Free

A transgender pastor has vowed to officiate same-sex marriages in Hong Kong despite a legal challenge failing to provide assurances that he will not face arrest.

Marrz Balaoro was arrested in 2017 for holding ceremonies in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight (LGBTS) Christian Church which he founded in the global financial hub in 2014. Charges were eventually dropped.

The 62-year-old Filipino domestic helper, who moved to Hong Kong in 1981 and began living as a boy aged 12, filed a judicial review case with the High Court in May last year hoping to win the right to marry same-sex couples.

In its ruling earlier this month, the High Court rejected his application based on the right to freedom of worship, ruling it did not have the power to free him from the threat of prosecution but added that Balaoro had done nothing illegal.

"I can still do [same-sex marriages] and I will continue to do so," Balaoro told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding he had one ceremony planned for the first two weeks of April.

"The court said that I did nothing wrong or illegal - that is my assurance that I won't get arrested," Balaoro added.

Before his court challenge, Balaoro had conducted same-sex weddings in secret to avoid being arrested in Hong Kong which decriminalized homosexuality in 1991.

The legal bid was the latest in a series of challenges to laws that discriminate against LGBT+ people in the former British colony which last year upheld a ban on same-sex civil partnerships despite having a lively gay scene and Pride parade.

A victory in court would have allowed Balaoro to conduct same-sex marriages but they would not have had legal weight.

Other challenges, however, have resulted in gradual progress for LGBT+ people, including the right to obtain visas for dependents and spousal benefits for same-sex partners.

Earlier this month, a Hong Kong court ruled that married same-sex couples have the right to apply for public housing.

Balaoro said he and his lawyers decided against an appeal but he would now discuss with his church group whether to link up with other LGBT+ activists to lobby lawmakers into bringing about same-sex marriage changes through the legislature.

"I would love to express my willingness to help other local groups - so we can do lobbying together - but I'm not sure how soon that will happen," he said.
Three graduate students receive awards for their State Capitol poster presentations

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Dryden Baumfalk doctoral student in kinesiology, was Kansas State University's winner of the BioKansas Scholarship at the 17th Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Baumfalk studies the effect of moderate-intensity exercise on skeletal and cardiac muscle mass in prostate cancer patients. | Download this photo.





MANHATTAN  Three Kansas State University graduate students received statewide recognition for their Kansas-related research at the 17th Capitol Graduate Research Summit, Feb. 26, at the State Capitol in Topeka.

Dryden Baumfalk, Colby, doctoral student in human ecology specializing in kinesiology; Arvind Damodara Kannan, doctoral student in civil engineering, India; and Ashish Kumar, doctoral student in biochemistry, India, were the three Kansas State University winners at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Kannan was the Kansas State University winner and recipient of a $500 scholarship. Kumar and Baumfalk were selected as award recipients by BioKansas. Kumar received a $500 award sponsored by MO Valley PDA, and Baumfalk received a $100 award sponsored by Labcono. Both Kumar and Baumfalk received a $250 certificate for enrollment in a professional development workshop sponsored by BioKansas.



The Capitol Graduate Research Summit is a statewide event that features current research of graduate students at Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, the University of Kansas Medical Center, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University and Pittsburgh State University. Each university invited a university professor and an industry representative to judge the student poster presentations. The top presenters from each university received awards. Additionally, BioKansas judges selected one winner from each school whose research best aligns with the mission of BioKansas. BioKansas judges also selected four award recipients for research related to drug development.



Baumfalk's poster was "Effects of prostate cancer and exercise training on left ventricular function and cardiac and skeletal muscle mass." His adviser is Bradley Behnke, professor of kinesiology.

Baumfalk's research deals with prostate cancer and exercise. Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor diagnosis among men, and the incidence rate of prostate cancer in Kansas is higher than the national average. Baumfalk's research demonstrates the atrophic effects of prostate cancer on cardiac and skeletal muscle mass independent of anti-cancer treatments that can be mitigated with moderate-intensity exercise. These findings have notable implications for potentially improving therapeutic outcomes and quality of life for prostate cancer patients.

"The Capitol Graduate Research Summit was a unique experience to share my research among a diverse group of graduate students and attendees," Baumfalk said. "At times I was presenting to peers who had constructive questions and criticism, while at other times I was conversing with an audience seeing this type of scientific information for the first time. The differing styles required for properly disseminating my research to both audiences will be very valuable to my future presentations and personal growth as a graduate student."



Kannan's poster was "Beneficial recovery of ammonia from swine wastewater for reuse as a targeted slow-release fertilizer." His adviser is Prathap Parameswaran, assistant professor of civil engineering.



Kannan's research examines anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment of swine wastewater from animal feeding operations to extract valuable fertilizer macronutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The major goal of this work is to produce an ammonia-based soil fertilizer to enhance soil quality, prevent nitrate and phosphorus contamination in surface water and groundwater aquifers, and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions due to land application of agriculture waste biosolids. This could create a greener workforce in rural Kansas communities pivoted around nutrient product marketing, water and renewable energy  biogas  management, as well as reused water reallocation budgeting, without compromising cropland and food safety.



"I had the opportunity of interacting with people from a variety of backgrounds and learned a lot from them," Kannan said. "This includes legislators, industry representatives, the scientific community and anyone who was interested in learning more about the research we do at K-State. This was a two-way learning experience where I learned from legislators about their policy vision and provided them with insight on how they could incorporate my research findings to frame policies addressing environmental issues in Kansas."



Kumar's poster was "Fluorescence assays for detection, discrimination, and quantification of siderophores." His adviser is Phillip Klebba, university distinguished professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biophysics.



Kumar's research focuses on creating fluorescent sensors that detect, discriminate and quantify small molecules in the environment. His research demonstrated this technology by studying microbial iron chelators, called siderophores, that are secreted by bacterial pathogens to obtain iron in human and animal hosts. The sensors are useful for many purposes, including rapid identification of siderophores in clinical and food samples, and detection of specific infectious bacteria in blood, serum, tissues or foods.



"The Capitol Graduate Research Summit was a first of kind opportunity for me to present my research in front of a diverse group of students, professors and industry representatives from all over the state of Kansas, and especially state legislators who seemed so kind and interested to know about our research," Kumar said. "I would also thank K-State for giving me this wonderful opportunity."



To learn more about the Capitol Graduate Research Summit and who participated in the event visit the Capitol Graduate Research Summit website.





Arvind Damodara Kannan, a doctoral student in civil engineering at Kansas State University, received recognition for his research on development of fertilizer from swine wastewater at the 17th Capitol Graduate Research Summit. | Download this photo.





Ashish Kumar, doctoral student in biochemistry at Kansas State University, was selected for a drug development-related research award from BioKansas for his research on the use of fluorescent sensors that can be used to detect infectious bacteria in blood, tissues and food. | Download this photo.








BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey's export of electrical goods to China decreased by 36.3 percent to make up $25.6 million from January 2020 through February 2020, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish Trade Ministry on March 17.

In February 2020, Turkey's export of electrical goods to China also dropped to make up $7.6 million, which is 25.2 percent less compared to February 2019.

Turkey's export of electrical goods to world markets increased by 0.2 percent from January 2020 through February 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $1.6 billion.

During the reporting period, Turkey's export of electrical goods amounted to 5.7 percent of countrys total export.

In February 2020, Turkeys export of electrical goods to world markets reached $865.5 million, which is 2.6 percent less compared to February 2019.

Export of electrical goods from Turkey in February 2020 amounted to 5.9 percent of the country's total export.

Turkeys export of electrical goods amounted to $11.2 billion from February 2019 through February 2020.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
YPSILANTI, MI  Like other universities in Michigan, Eastern Michigan University has postponed spring commencement to a later date and encourages students who remain on campus to return home.

In an announcement Monday, March 16, EMU President James Smith said spring commencement, scheduled for April 25, is being postponed to a later date to be determined.

We understand that this is a disappointment for the students who worked hard to earn their degree as well as their families, but this action is necessary pursuant to the various government emergency directives and guidelines regarding large audiences as our entire nation seeks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the statement reads.

EMU is committed to re-scheduling commencement ceremonies at a later date, and all graduates and their families will be advised of those plans once theyre decided, according to the statement.

The university announced March 11 it suspended in-person lectures, seminars and classroom activity from March 12 through the end of the month.

Eastern Michigan University to move classes online as precaution against coronavirus spread

EMU also announced it is moving to a grab-and-go takeout format for campus dining, effective Monday evening. Campus dining at EMU is limited to the eateries, Homestyle @ Cluck and the market in the student center. More information can be found on the dining website.

The rec/IM center closed at 3 p.m. Monday, as did Halle Library. EMU is assessing whether the computer lab can remain open and will have an update soon.

While EMU said it is committed to resuming in-person classes April 1, it believes it may have to extend online classes. The announcement said there will be an update later this week regarding the matter.

A concerned EMU student has created a petition to make this semesters classes either pass/fail or credit/no credit. Similar petitions were also created at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

University of Michigan, Michigan State students petition for credit/no-credit classes

EMU students are also strongly encouraged to return home temporarily unless they are international students, are from far distances or have other special circumstances that require them to remain on campus.

Smith emphasized EMU discourages large gatherings, especially with St. Patricks Day on Tuesday, March 17, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

I emphasize, and both Michigans Governor and our health experts agree, this is not the time for those activities, Smith said in the announcement. Please refrain from such gatherings this year. Such interaction puts you in danger of contracting the disease and spreading it to others.

The full announcement can be viewed here.

Both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University have postponed commencement ceremonies and will hold online classes for the rest of the semester.

University of Michigan cancels spring commencements amid fight against coronavirus spread

MSU extends virtual classes through semester, postpones commencement due to coronavirus

Every public university in the state has suspended or canceled in-person classes and switched to online formats.

Michigan currently has 53 cases of coronavirus, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen 1,621 cases and 41 deaths.

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
An angry nonna has slammed the panic buying frenzy in a foul-mouthed tirade after finding Aldi's shelves empty.

The elderly woman was shopping at a Melbourne store on Sunday when she discovered that supplies had been stripped amid coronavirus fears.

Sensing she was not impressed, a man decided to interview her on camera to capture her opinion on the stockpiling craze sweeping the nation.

The nonna said 'the world is f***ed' after she discovered Aldi's shelves had been stripped bare during a shop on Sunday

'Hey nonna, what's wrong? You don't look happy,' he asks in the video.

'Because we've been here to Aldi to buy something and you can't find nothing here,' the grandmother says looking into the camera.

'All the shelves are empty,' the man adds.

'Yeah all the shelves.. The world is f***ed,' she mutters.

'What's wrong?' The man says, asking her to repeat herself.

'The world, it's f***ed,' she declares.

The man tells the nonna he agrees then offers her a hi-five.

The video has racked up almost 800 views since it was posted to YouTube on Monday.

Aldi joined Coles and Woolworths last week in imposing restrictions on toilet paper purchases

It comes as Woolworths announced it would dedicate an hour for disabled and elderly shoppers to shop before its stores were opened to the general public.

However, the initiative was blasted as a PR stunt on Tuesday after hundreds of pensioners gathered outside stores around the country for the 7am-8am window, only to find empty shelves once inside.

The toilet paper crisis has caused Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi to crackdown, with all supermarket giants imposing a one-pack per shop restriction.

Supermarkets have also imposed limits on dry pasta, flour, rice, paper towels, tissues and hand sanitiser.
Australian airlines will be handed a $715million bailout package to save them from collapse as thousands of travellers cancel their holidays amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The federal government introduced another round of economic stimulus measures on top of the $17.6billion package announced last week that will provide carriers relief from airport fees and other aviation industry charges.

The government will forgo fuel excise, air service charges and regional security fees.

The move is expected to create an upfront benefit of $159 million, with the government refunding charges paid since February 1.

Transport Minister Michael McCormack announced the move late Tuesday in response to an 'unprecedented and likely sustained period' of low aviation demand.

A family wearing face masks are seen arriving at Sydney airport on Monday (pictured) as all arrivals into the country are told to self-isolate

Melbourne airport sat empty on Friday afternoon (pictured) as thousands of tourists stayed away due to coronavirus fears

Qantas boss Alan Joyce announced a 90 per cent cut to international flights and a 60 per cent reduction to domestic flights (stock image)

'Our airlines run on tight budgets at the best of times and these past few weeks have been particularly tough,' Mr McCormack said.

'Providing this assistance not only helps our airlines but also the entire aviation industry, regional Australians in particular, and other industries such as tourism and trade.'

It comes as Qantas and Jetstar announced international and domestic flights would be slashed by 90 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively, in coming months as passengers bunker down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce described the coronavirus crisis as the 'single biggest shock' in the history of Australian aviation.

Virgin Australia is also starting to buckle in the midst of the health crisis suspending full-year earnings guidance on Friday and also flagged further reductions in its Los Angeles, Japan and trans-Tasman services.

In a letter to Mr McCormack on Monday, Regional Express Airlines (REX) requested financial assistance admitting the carrier could not 'survive the next six months of this global emergency if the forecast of worldwide health experts materialises.'

Australian airlines will be entitled to a $715million bailout package to save them from collapse as thousands of travellers cancel their holidays amid the coronavirus pandemic

Qantas and Jetstar employ an estimated 30,000 staff - however the The Total Group has vowed to manage this as much as possible through the use of paid and unpaid leave (stock)

But even as the COVID-19 outbreak worsens around the world, airlines are trying to reassure customers it is still safe to fly as strict hygiene practice are put in place.

WHAT AIRLINES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY CORONAVIRUS Qantas and Jetstar: Reduce domestic flights by 60 per cent and international flights by 90 percent until the end of May Virgin Australia: Reduce flights to New Zealand from March 22, 2020. A spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the airline is meeting daily to determine whether or not services would be reduced. Tiger Air: Anyone with an international or domestic booking with Virgin Australia or Tiger Air until June 30 can change their flight to a later date or destination with incurring a fee Air Asia: Offering online credit, redeemable within a year, for flights ticketed prior to March 7, for flight departure until April 30. Air New Zealand: Reduce long-haul flights by 85 per cent over the coming months. Rex: No cancelled any flights - however staff 'will have discretionary powers to prevent any persons who are visibly sick from travelling'. Emirates: Still operating daily services from Dubai to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Advertisement

Qantas released a video last week in which Medical Officer Russell Brown and Darsh Chapman tell passengers the risk of catching the disease on an aircraft is 'very low,' The Daily Telegraph reported.

'Understandably we're getting a lot of questions from our customers at the moment asking us one simple question in particular, and that is' 'Is it safe to fly?' they say in the video.

'The simple answer is yes.'

Meanwhile, union officials are seeking an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison as deeper coronavirus-related flight cuts threaten thousands of aviation jobs.

The Transport Workers Union renewed its plea for an audience with Mr Morrison on Tuesday after Sunday's request went unanswered.

Qantas said it's attempting to mitigate the impact on its 30,000-strong workforce, including through the use of paid and unpaid leave.

The states and territories have developed their own economic packages to lessen the economic blow from the spread of COVID-19, which is set to crush major industries and hurt workers.

Australians have been encouraged to practice social distancing, while non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned.

Most schools are already taking precautions, including cancelling excursions and assemblies.

But a number of private schools have independently taken the decision to move to online classes.

Chief medical officers haven't ruled out school closures but they're being cautious about the idea.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government's focus was on protecting vulnerable Australians.

'This is our fundamental national task,' he said in Melbourne.

'Because they are the ones who are most likely to have an impact from the coronavirus which could either be serious or could, of course, lead to a fatality.'
The co-worker had gone to the FBI after Lopez asked him for an electronic key that would shut off the bank's alarm system, authorities said. As part of the FBI investigation, the employee then provided the key to Lopez as well as a password to get the combination for the safe from the dispatcher.
Both the Crosby and the Huffman ISDs announced this evening that they were suspending all district operations through Friday, April 10.

Crosby ISD, which had been on spring break from March 7-March 15, originally announced on Thursday, March 12 that it would suspend all district activities until March 23. The latest update adds three weeks on top of that original extra week.

Related: Hidalgo orders bars to close, restricts restaurants to takeout for 15 days

The district will remain flexible as leaders plan for long-term delivery of instruction and continue to navigate the many details of this unprecedented situation, the letter from Crosby ISD superintendent Scott Davis reads.

Huffman ISD, which was already scheduled to be on spring break from March 15-March 22, announced on March 12 that all district activities were canceled that week.

Now, it too, has canceled all district activities for another three weeks.

Your child's teacher will be in contact with you next week with educational resources for your child to use during the time that school is closed. Huffman ISD will also be offering grab and go lunches at the Huffman Elementary School Cafeteria Starting Monday March 23 from 11:00 to 1:00, the letter from Huffman ISD states.

Related: HISD, other school districts to remain closed through at least April 10

Both letters mention that the extended cancellations are part of an effort to flatten the curve, a term referring to efforts to slow down the spread of the disease so as not to overwhelm the healthcare systems capacity.

The move is in line with several other neighboring districts, including Humble, Houston and Montgomery ISDs that are canceling school until April 10 to help the community practice social distancing.

Both districts ask people to continue to monitor their email and check the district website for further updates.

elliott.lapin@chron.com
The first shipment among 100,000 new coronavirus testing kits were due to arrive in Australia on Tuesday night, alleviating a nationwide shortage that caused health authorities to issue strict guidelines on who was eligible for testing.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration fast-tracked onto the market the tests, which are able to turn around results in three hours and free up resources in Australia's overloaded pathology laboratories. Unlike the existing tests, the kits arrived from the United States ready to go and do not have to be assembled in the laboratory.

People line up outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital for coronavirus testing earlier this month. Credit:AAP

Roche Australia's managing director Allison Ross said the kits had been tested in the market for about a month and were rushed out to meet doctor and laboratory demand.

"It normally takes around 18 months to make a test and, in this situation, we managed to do it in six weeks," Ms Ross said. "The global team had their fingers to the bone."
The first installment of the Athens Music Walk of Fame is set to have its first installment on Sept. 2.
Why the Remedy May Be Worse Than the Disease

Commentary

As of this writing, 6,400 people all over the world have died from the coronavirus. In the United States, 68 people have died.

Some perspective:

Chinese deaths (3,217) account for half of the worldwide total. If you add Italy (1,441) and Iran (724), two countries where many Chinese were allowed in until recently, that totals another 2,165. In other words, outside of China, Italy and Iranwith 5,382 deaths collectively1,018 people have died. There are 7.8 billion people in the world.

Regarding Italy, the Jerusalem Post of March 16 reported that according to Nobel Prize-winning chemist Michael Levitt, Italys higher death rate was likely due to the fact that elderly people make up a greater percentage of the population than they do in other countries such as China or France. As former CBS correspondent Sharyl Attkisson further explained: Italy has the oldest population in Europe and more elderly per capita than the United States. Most of the Italian deaths are in patients in their 80s and 90s. In addition, Italy has a great number of direct China contacts. Italy was the first to join Chinas silk road economic partnership project  (Italys) deaths are out of a population of 60 million people.

Regarding Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on March 11:

Iranian officials trace the origins of the countrys coronavirus epidemic to the holy city of Qom, home to  a number of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects built by scores of workers and technicians from China  (China has) turned into a very toxic bomb, said Sanam Vakil, deputy Middle East director at Chatham House, a think tank in London.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump announced a ban on flights from China on Jan. 31for which he was denounced by leading Democrats and throughout the left. The very next day, presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden declared, This is no time for Donald Trumps record of hysteria and xenophobiahysterical xenophobiaand fearmongering. On Feb. 2, the American Civil Liberties Union announced, These measures are extraordinary incursions on liberty and fly in the face of considerable evidence that travel bans and quarantines can do more harm than good.

The current consensus favors near total social isolation, or social distancing, as it is now called. The thinking is that we must shut down the Western world to prevent the exponential growth of the virus. If we dont, our hospital systems will be overwhelmed. Many thousands, maybe more, would die, as doctors have to make grisly triage decisions as to who gets care and who doesnt. This latter scenario is reported to have already happened in Italy.

Though there is no longer an exponential growth in the United States, they may otherwise be right.

Is this thinking correct? The truth is we dont know.

We have no idea how many people carry the COVID-19 coronavirus. Therefore, the rates of either critical illness or death are completely unknown. Perhaps millions of people have the virus and nothing serious develops, in which case we would have rates of death similar to (or even below) the flu virus. On the other hand, perhaps not many people carry the virus, but the rates of illness demanding intensive care and of death are much greater than those of the flu.

We can only be certain that shutting down virtually every part of society will result in a large number of people economically ruined, life savings depleted, decades of work building a restaurant or some other small business destroyed. As if that were not bad enough, the ancillary effects would include increased depression and divorce and other personal tragedies. The effects of closing schools for weeks or months will include family chaos, vast numbers of bored young people, health care providers who will have to stay home and more. Yet young people are the least likely people to become ill from the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this statement regarding closing schools:

Available modeling data indicate  that other mitigation efforts (e.g., handwashing, home isolation) have more impact on both spread of disease and health care measures. In other countries, those places who (sic) closed school (e.g., Hong Kong) have not had more success in reducing spread than those that did not (e.g., Singapore).

But the longer-term ripple effects are potentially far worse. Economic disasters rarely remain only economic disasters. To give a particularly dramatic example, the Nazis came to power because of economics more than any other single reason, including Germanys defeat in World War I, the Versailles Treaty or anti-Semitism. Nazi success at the polls was almost entirely related to the Weimar economy. Communist parties dont fare well in robust economies, but theyre very tempting when people are in dire economic straits. Only God knows what economic dislocation the shutting down of American and other Western economies will lead to. I am not predicting a Nazi or communist ascendancy, but economic and political disaster may be as likely, or even more likely, than a health disaster.

But here is a prediction: If the government can order society to cease functioning, from restaurants and other businesses to schools, due to a possible health disaster, it is highly likely that a Democratic president and Congress will similarly declare emergency and assert authoritarian rule in order to prevent what they consider the even greater existential threat to human life posed by global warming.

The dam has been broken. Maybe it was necessary. But when dams break, flooding follows.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
ANKARA, March 17 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan will hold a teleconference on Tuesday with German, French and British leaders to discuss Turkey's standoff with the European Union after it opened its borders to migrants trying to enter the bloc.

Tens of thousands of migrants tried to get into Greece, a European Union member state, after Turkey said on Feb. 28 it would no longer keep them on its territory as part of a 2016 deal with Brussels in return for EU aid.

Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrians, the world's largest refugee population, and fears that Syrian government forces could drive another 3 million across its borders from the rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib.

The European Union has called on Turkey to stop the migrants, from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa as well as Syria, trying to cross the border.

Greece has used tear gas and water cannon against the migrants, and both countries have sent troops or security forces to the border. Ankara has accused Greek forces of shooting dead four migrants at the border, a claim Athens strongly denies.

Erdogan, on a visit to Brussels last week, was told by EU leaders he must stop encouraging migrants to cross into Greece if Ankara wanted the bloc to provide further backing.

"The support that can be given to Turkey, what can be done following Erdogan's talks in Brussels and the evaluation of EU leaders will be handled (in the call)," a Turkish official told Reuters, adding they would also discuss the global coronavirus outbreak and fighting in Libya.

The talks were originally planned as a summit meeting in Istanbul. That was changed after the spread of coronavirus prompted all four countries to impose travel restrictions.

The four leaders will discuss updating the 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey under which the bloc pledged 6 billion euros ($6.8 million) in aid to finance projects for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

The summit will also discuss Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, where a nearly two-week old ceasefire struck by Russia and Turkey is broadly holding. Erdogan has repeatedly said the European Union and NATO have to support Turkey to protect civilians there. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun Writing by Ece Toksabay Editing by Dominic Evans)
Published on 2020/03/16 | Source

The new SBS drama "The King: Eternal Monarch" released pictures of Lee Min-ho as Lee Gon, the emperor of the Republic of Korea.

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Starting in April, "The King: Eternal Monarch" is a fantasy romance drama in which a deity has unleashed a demon unto the world of humans, and that demon has opened the door to a parallel world. Lee Gon and a detective named Jeong Tae-eul join hands to close the doors and to protect the lives of the people and the ones they love. It is written by Kim Eun-sook, a legendary writer known for her talent in rom-coms, and directed by Baek Sang-hoon and Jung Ji-hyun.

Lee Min-ho undergoes a transformation for the role of Lee Gon the emperor, which is something he's never done before. In the drama, Lee Gon is the perfect monarch with a beautiful appearance, dignified presence, quietness and someone who is good at literary and martial arts, but likes exact numbers more than ambiguous words because of his sensitivity and obsession. When Lee Min-ho chose to be in "The King: Eternal Monarch" 3 years ago, his synergy with writer Kim Eun-sook, with whom he's worked in "The Heirs", was expected to be tremendous.

Lee Min-ho's first appearance as Lee Gon was spotted. He looks unrivaled as an emperor, as his great height and broad shoulders give him the posture that he needs. The dim lights make him look mysterious wearing the royal emperor suit. Lee Min-ho's exclusive aura depicts the gentle and sensitive emperor Lee Gon.

Lee Min-ho is excited to be back with "The King: Eternal Monarch" after a long time. "I am so happy to work with Kim Eun-sook once again and it's very meaningful, since it's my second job with her. I hope everyone looks forward to the multi-dimensional story we have in our drama", the actor said.

Hwa and Dam Pictures, the production company, said, "Lee Min-ho is bringing life to the character of Lee Gon, which is pictured by Kim Eun-sook in her head. We think the casting couldn't get any better. We believe this character will become the second chapter of Lee Min-ho's life".

"The King: Eternal Monarch" will be broadcast every Friday and Saturday at 10PM.

___________

"The King: Eternal Monarch" is directed by Baek Sang-hoon, Jung Ji-hyun, written by Kim Eun-sook, and features Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Jung-jin. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/04~Upcoming, Fri, Sat 22:00 on SBS.
China reported another rise in new coronavirus cases on March 17 as infections from abroad outnumbered cases of local transmission for a fourth consecutive day, prompting some parts of the country to tighten monitoring of foreign travellers.

Mainland China had 21 new confirmed cases on March 16, the National Health Commission said, up from 16 a day earlier. Of the new cases, 20 involved infected travellers from abroad.

In contrast, mainland China only had one case of locally transmitted infection on March 16, in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province where the flu-like disease appeared in humans late last year.

The capital Beijing accounted for nine of the imported new cases even as it imposed tough restrictions to screen out and isolate infections coming from abroad.

Beijing Capital International Airport has cordoned off a special zone for all international flights, with all disembarking passengers required to submit to health checks.

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

Transit passengers were sent to their connecting flights, while non-transit passengers were shuttled to a nearby processing venue from which they were dispatched to designated places for compulsory 14-day quarantine.

Beijing also closed its new Daxing airport to international flights and redirected them to the older Capital International Airport in the northeast of the city, in order to contain any new infections in one facility.

In the central city of Wuhan officials said they would begin requiring overseas arrivals to undergo 14-day quarantine at a central location at the people's own cost, emulating Beijing.

Other cities in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, are doing the same, as is Anhui province.

Wuhan, a transport and industrial hub of 11 million people, is the epicentre of China's outbreak and the origin of the pandemic that has now infected more than 100,000 people beyond China's borders.

Officials in the city initially tried to cover up the outbreak when it began late last year, but Beijing has lately sought to emphasis the positive role China has played in controlling the global spread of the disease.

An editorial in the official China Daily said the rest of the world should learn from China and follow the principles of early detection, early quarantine and early treatment.

Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 16 that attempts by US politicians to denigrate China's efforts to curb the coronavirus would not succeed, and could lead to retaliation.

The tally of confirmed US cases has multiplied rapidly in recent days, exceeding 4,660. At least 87 people in the United States have died of the disease.

Around the world, there have been more than 7,160 deaths linked to coronavirus across 163 countries and territories, according to a Reuters tally based on official statements. China now accounts for less than half of those deaths.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

With the numbers of new infections dwindling in China, Xinhua news agency reported that a first batch of medical workers who had travelled to Hubei province to assist with the crisis had departed on March 17 morning.

The economic outlook was also brightening, with state planning officials saying China's economy would return to normal in the second quarter as factories reopened, businesses resumed trading and consumers started spending again.

"Over 90 percent of large-scale industrial companies in regions outside of Hubei have resumed production, and resumption rates for places including Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai are close to 100 percent," Meng Wei, spokeswoman of the state planner told a news briefing on March 17.

The number of railway loadings had returned to normal levels, and civil aviation, ports, and water transportation were all operating normally, she added.
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is slashing regulations governing test development in a bid to ramp up screening for the coronavirus amid nationwide frustration with the slow pace of the effort.

The unprecedented steps by the Food and Drug Administration could boost testing capacity at some U.S. labs, but also complicate efforts to assure the accuracy of tests and track who receives them.

More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of COVID-19 was detected, the U.S. still struggles to conduct mass screening and provide definitive figures on the number of people tested.

Late Monday, the FDA said state health departments could essentially begin self-regulating and approving tests developed by their government-run laboratories.

What were saying is that state departments of health can act as a surrogate for FDA and that the information doesnt need to come through FDA, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn told reporters on a call.

Regulators also said major test manufacturers could begin rolling out new tests without FDA pre-authorization and instead submit their applications up to 15 days after launch. Officials acknowledged the implicit trade-off of the approach, which potentially sacrifices the accuracy of unregulated tests to speed up access.

We believe this will be a surge to meet the demand that we expect to see, Hahn said.

For weeks, administration officials have talked about shipping millions of tests to U.S. labs. But its become clear those numbers have little bearing on the actual number of patients tested since most U.S. labs can process fewer than 100 samples per day. In the last week, the FDA approved the first coronavirus tests for high-volume laboratory systems, which are capable of processing thousands of results per day.

Efforts to tally U.S. testing figures have been stymied by the fragmented nature of the countrys health system, split between federal, state and local efforts and the private sector.

On Tuesday, members of Trumps coronavirus task force gave the most comprehensive figures on testing yet. They estimated that 59,000 people in the U.S. have been screened for the virus since January, split roughly between government and industry labs. But they acknowledged that those figures dont yet reflect numbers from hospitals, which should become available later this week, officials said.

Dr. Brett Giroir, the health official tasked with overseeing testing, said federal emergency personnel are working to set up nearly 50 drive-thru testing sites in 12 states this week.

Dont expect these to be 100% perfect the moment they come online, Giroir told reporters.

Countries in Europe and Asia have been using drive-thru testing for weeks to screen thousands of people. South Korea, a country one-sixth the size of the U.S. in population, has reportedly tested nearly 275,000 of its citizens.

The FDAs rush to waive testing requirements is a stark reversal from its initially cautious approach to approving tests for the virus. For almost all of February, the only FDA-authorized test was the one developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even after problems with the CDC test emerged, the FDA stuck to its traditional approach of requiring labs to submit detailed testing protocols and results before winning authorization. The agency finally reversed course late last month after an outcry from state and local labs frustrated by the lack of testing options. On Feb. 29, the FDA issued new guidelines that allowed public, academic and hospital labs to develop their own in-house tests without prior government review.

In retrospect, many experts say the FDA should have taken that step earlier.

If they fully appreciated the speed at which this would become an urgent clinical concern, they might have picked a different strategy from the beginning, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a former FDA official who is now a vice dean at Johns Hopkins University.

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 weeks to six weeks to recover.

The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 185,000 people and killed more than 7,300.

Public health experts said Tuesday it was difficult to gauge the overall impact of the FDAs latest regulatory changes. Outside of large states like California, New York and Washington, most states would not have the regulations or infrastructure to create and review their own tests, said a senior official for the group representing state health labs. Additionally, most state systems are already struggling to respond to the outbreak.

All their resources right now are committed to that response, said Eric Blank of the Association of Public Health Laboratories. They are very lukewarm about getting involved in this altogether.

Alta Charo, an ethicist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who previously served as a senior FDA adviser, said the benefits of faster testing could be outweighed by inaccurate tests that give a false sense of security and allow an infected person to continue mingling in the community.

Under the latest FDA guidance, private companies would still be required to submit their testing protocols to the FDA after launch, but federal review would be waived for state labs.

Even as regulators loosened their standards for state and commercial tests, new challenges emerged.

For more than a week, lab technicians have reported shortages of chemicals and supplies needed to run the tests. Health care providers are also seeing dwindling supplies of basic equipment needed to test patients, such as swabs and protective masks.

FDA officials said they are working to find new suppliers and alternative products. Last week, the agency set up a toll-free number for lab staff seeking help with supplies.

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Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AP_FDAwriter

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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 Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has passed the decision On approving the presidents proposal to appoint Iryna Venediktova to the post of Prosecutor General (No.3227).

A total of 269 MPs voted in favor of the relevant document, with at least 226 votes needed to make the decision, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"The decision has been approved," said Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov

As Ukrinform reported, on December 27, 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Roman Truba as director of the State Bureau of Investigations and appointed Iryna Venediktova as acting head of the Bureau.

Prior to that, Venediktova was an MP from the Servant of the People faction and chaired the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy. In the snap parliamentary elections on July 21, 2019, she ran third on the Servant of the People partys list

On March 5, the Verkhovna Rada passed a no-confidence motion against Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Riaboshapka.

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They acknowledge the fact that people have reached the highest level of anger and hatred for the regime, but while they can not and will not express this explicitly, they name this hatred the peoples distrust of the whole regime.

Referring to widespread poverty among the people and the impact of the coronavirus while increasing the discontent of the people, Jahan Sanat newspaper is concerned that the discontent will not leave the rulers and will continue in the future.

The conclusion of the writer of Jahan Sanat about the public discontent and mistrust is that Social discontent leads to political discontent that is more dangerous than social discontent. (Jahan Sanat, 14 March)

The Hamdeli daily has also acknowledged the fact that peoples social discontent against the regime has manifested itself in the political arena as a result of which the regime faces many internal gaps and splits and the golden opportunity is lost. (Hamdeli, 14 March)

Arman daily quoted the Agriculture Minister, Today there is a climate of distrust in the country, and this is just the opposite of the atmosphere that existed at the beginning of the revolution, and this is an alarming bell for the officials to solve this dilemma and the unusual reality. (Arman, 14 March)

Mohammad Ali Vakili, a member of the regimes parliament, from the so-called reformist faction, referred wrote about the regimes disgraceful record: If we have dislocated social order from the path of justice, there will be a social uprising. If we have dislocated justice and duty from its clear way, the Universe will revolt, and the day will be hard on us We have committed oppression beyond the ceiling of the Universe. Nothing, like cruelty, provokes the wrath of being. (Entekhab Daily, 14 March)

Peoples mistrust for the mullahs regime is such that the Etemad daily, another daily affiliated with Rouhanis faction, acknowledges that the regime has been facing mistrust since the beginning of the anti-monarchy revolution: Public confidence in our society has gradually weakened since the first months of the revolution. Note that trust is the product of a process. It is not created immediately and will not disappear immediately. Many promises have been made and heard but have not been fulfilled. All this damages the public trust in society.

The fact is that Khomeini, as the founder of this regime, was the first to betray the peoples trust.

That criminal was always talking about the people and the public rule until he came to power, then he betrayed the people with all his promises.

The peoples anger and resentment towards the regime is the result of the cruelty they have bestowed upon the people for the past 41 years and the regime is now reaping the consequences  a government that has never been honest with the people and has always betrayed their aspirations.

Read More:

Dozens of Detainees of the November Protests Have Died in Irans Prisons
HOUSTON, March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc. (Gulf Island or the Company) (GIFI) today announced that its Chairman of the Board of Directors (the Board), John Jack P. Laborde, will retire effective upon the expiration of his current director term in connection with the Companys 2020 annual meeting of shareholders (the 2020 annual meeting). With Mr. Labordes retirement and the anticipated expiration of the terms of two additional directors in connection with the 2020 annual meeting, the Board will be reduced to seven members upon conclusion of the 2020 annual meeting.



Mr. Laborde has served as a director of the Company for over 20 years and as Chairman of the Board since 2013. He also has served as a member of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee.

The Board unanimously elected Michael A. Flick as Chairman of the Board to succeed Mr. Laborde upon the conclusion of the 2020 annual meeting. Mr. Flick has been a Board member since 2007 and during his tenure has served, at various times, as the chairman of its Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Jack for his tireless commitment to the Company for over two decades. Jacks leadership, industry knowledge and guidance have been invaluable to Gulf Island and we have benefited from his service to the Company and our stakeholders, said Richard Heo, Gulf Islands President and CEO. We wish him the very best in the years ahead.

It has been my privilege to serve Gulf Island as a director since 1997 and I am very proud to have been part of its history, said Jack Laborde. I am also thankful for the experience of serving with my colleagues on the Board, whom I greatly admire and respect. I have tremendous confidence in Richard, Mike, the Board and the Companys leadership team, and I am confident that Gulf Islands best days are yet to come.

Story continues

The Board also unanimously approved a proposal to amend the Companys articles of incorporation to de-classify the Board that will be presented at the 2020 annual meeting. The Board currently has three classes, with members of each class being elected to three-year terms. The amendment to the articles of incorporation will provide that directors will be nominated for election for one-year terms beginning with the class of directors up for election at the 2020 annual meeting and, thereafter, as the term of each successor class expires. This phase-in approach allows each class of directors to complete the term for which they were previously elected by the shareholders. If the proposed amendment is approved by the shareholders, the Board will be fully de-classified, with all directors standing for annual election at the 2022 annual meeting of shareholders.

About Gulf Island

Gulf Island is a leading fabricator of complex steel structures, modules and marine vessels, and a provider of project management, hookup, commissioning, repair, maintenance and civil construction services. The Companys customers include U.S. and international energy producers; refining, petrochemical, LNG, industrial, power and marine operators; EPC companies; and certain agencies of the U.S. government. The Company operates and manages its business through two operating divisions: Fabrication & Services and Shipyard, with its corporate headquarters located in Houston, Texas and operating facilities located in Houma, Jennings and Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Company Information

Richard W. Heo

Chief Executive Officer

713.714.6100 Westley S. Stockton

Chief Financial Officer

713.714.6100



Cautionary Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are all statements other than statements of historical facts. The words anticipates, may, can, plans, believes, estimates, expects, projects, targets, intends, likely, will, should, to be, potential and any similar expressions are intended to identify those assertions as forward-looking statements.

We caution readers that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, projected or assumed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that can cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements include ability to secure new project awards, including fabrication projects for refining, petrochemical, LNG and industrial facilities and offshore wind developments, ability to improve project execution, the cyclical nature of the oil and gas industry, competition, consolidation of our customers, timing and award of new contracts, reliance on significant customers, financial ability and credit worthiness of our customers, nature of our contract terms, competitive pricing and cost overruns on our projects, adjustments to previously reported profits or losses under the percentage-of-completion method, weather conditions, changes in backlog estimates, suspension or termination of projects, ability to raise additional capital, ability to amend or obtain new debt financing or credit facilities on favorable terms, ability to remain in compliance with our covenants contained in our Credit Agreement, ability to generate sufficient cash flow, ability to sell certain assets, any future asset impairments, utilization of facilities or closure or consolidation of facilities, customer or subcontractor disputes, ability to resolve the dispute with a customer relating to the purported terminations of contracts to build two MPSVs, operating dangers and limits on insurance coverage, barriers to entry into new lines of business, ability to employ skilled workers, loss of key personnel, performance of subcontractors and dependence on suppliers, changes in trade policies of the U.S. and other countries, compliance with regulatory and environmental laws, lack of navigability of canals and rivers, shutdowns of the U.S. government, systems and information technology interruption or failure and data security breaches, performance of partners in any future joint ventures and other strategic alliances, shareholder activism, focus on environmental, social and governance factors by institutional investors and other factors described in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investors are cautioned that many of the assumptions upon which our forward-looking statements are based are likely to change after the forward-looking statements are made, which we cannot control. Further, we may make changes to our business plans that could affect our results. We caution investors that we do not intend to update forward-looking statements more frequently than quarterly notwithstanding any changes in our assumptions, changes in business plans, actual experience or other changes, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
David Suzuki used to tell the story of going to a dentists convention and being amused that everyone there looked at his teeth before looking into his eyes. It was a reminder that we all see the world through the filters of our professions.

The ranks of politicians are overrepresented by two occupations: lawyers and businesspeople. Unsurprisingly, the issues that obsess our governments are either legislative or commercial. Certainly, such leaders have shepherded us through war and calamity, creating robust judicial and economic systems.

But we live in new times with challenges previously unseen. Climate change is a looming existential threat. Awesome capabilities in computer science and artificial intelligence are re-imagining warfare, employment, privacy and human intimacy. And, of course, COVID-19 presents conceptual challenges that demand a deeper fluency in health and population sciences.

In short, its time for scientists to challenge for political leadership.

Leaders cognizant of epidemiology might have prioritized the hardening of Canadas pandemic plans, rather than allowing us to linger fifth in in the worlds preparedness rankings (according to the 2019 Global Health Security Index). They might have invested more in disease surveillance programs or addressed scalability in our health-care system.

Those same leaders could have helped to quash vaccine hesitancy, avoiding clusters of resurgent vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. These clusters flourished in large part due to leaders not fully digesting the likely results of large-scale vaccine avoidance.

The need for science fluency among political leaders is paramount for one simple reason. To quote chemist Mark Lautens, now, more than ever, facts matter more than rhetoric. The public demand for straight answers in the wake of COVID-19 is matched in consistency only by that same publics disdain for vagueness and message management.

Meanwhile, headway on combating climate change seems perpetually stalled by disingenuous misunderstanding and miscommunication of statistical data and the conflation of climate with weather. This is made possible because both legislators and the public often share an ignorance of the science at the heart of the issue.

But just as we should shun scientific illiteracy in our leaders, we must also beware the tendency to lionize scientists as priestly purveyors of singular truth. In the words of Maggie Koerth, science has never truly been separate from the political system that funds it and uses the tools it creates.

Even scientists are a politicized cadre with biases and blind spots. Science fluency does not magically impart fairness and objectivity. Rather, it removes the barrier of comprehension to rapid and decisive action on the time-sensitive issues of our technological age.

This centurys existential issues are not another modification to the Constitution or the renegotiation of yet another trade deal. Rather, our wealth, health and security will depend upon how we manage the varied products of our technological civilization. To weather this time of accelerating and unprecedented change, scientists will have to lead, and leaders will have to embrace science.
It's interesting to ponder the images or the word associations a brand can conjure up in your mind. If those associations are positive - Toyotas don't break, for example - then that's because of two things: intrinsic brand quality and excellent marketing communication.

I am the last person you would consider as a DIY guy. Till the day she died, my mother used to remind people, scathingly, that I couldnt even change an electrical plug. I could, but never bothered to let on  because I would have ended up doing that sort of maintenance work at home. (My father never did and my mother always said he was useless with his hands  but perhaps he and I had perfected chore avoidance.)However, if you say the name Ryobi to me, I will tell you it is a brand I trust. I dont know why  I dont even have a power drill in the house. I think my brother-in-law (he is good with his hands) does and I suppose, over the years Ive picked up from somewhere that their products are the equal, or better than, those produced by companies like Black and Decker.I was reminded of this  and my mothers own DIY efforts  when looking at agency Retroactives case study on their campaign for Ryobi power tools. The study focuses on a series of ads, media interactions and social media executions  which delivered not only massive awareness but actually translated into impressive, and sustained, sales results  featuring motorbike rider and Dakar Rally entrant Kirsten Landman.According to the agency, Ryobi decided to take a different tack when marketing its range of power tools and other products because research has shown that women have a huge influence in the purchase of DIY products.So, they chose to sponsor Landman, because her gritty, courageous life story fits perfectly with the brands tagline that it produces power tools that wont quit.The ad is simultaneously a great story of fortitude and a perfect positioning for a never-say-die brand. In her own words, Landman goes through all the times they told me I couldntShe couldnt ride an offroad bike. So she did. She couldnt race. So she did  and won. After a serious crash in an event in Botswana, they told her she would never race again. But she did. And she won.Then they told her shed never make it to the start of the gruelling Dakar Rally, widely regarded as the toughest offroad race in the world. But she did  and that in itself was a triumph.The ads also a message to young girls (and boys): live your dreams. Dont let anyone tell you you cant. Its the sort of positive message we need to see more of.Orchids to Ryobi and Retroactive  and the biggest one to Kirsten for dismantling stereotypes.I am indebted to Andrew Fraser, one of the people I follow on Twitter, for pointing out that, in this time of coronavirus, it is vital that communicators release accurate, appropriate information.He posted a pic of a graphic prepared by the health department of tips on staying safe and avoiding infection.He described it as an example of really poor government communications. I can only guess that it was created without oversight of medical professionals.Fraser pointed out that the advice about not sharing food and utensils, while useful in a general sense, did not relate to the Covid-19 virus and how it is transmitted.Covid-19 is a virus, not a bacterium. The Department of Health should know better than this, he said.However, the last piece of advice in the poster  to seek treatment after listing symptoms, which literally cover millions of different diseases without highlighting the likelihood of those symptoms for Covid-19  is dangerous, especially if you recommend contacting health professionals for any of them.That could, obviously, overload a system which is going to be under huge pressure when the cases start mounting.The biggest problem about coronavirus is the conflicting information which has been emerging  and even from medical professionals.Some have said it is unlikely to have much impact on the vast majority of the population while others have noted that when it hits its stride, hospitals will be overwhelmed and many will die.Fraser makes excellent points about the importance, in any field in which public communication is required: get the copy double-checked by experts.
Now available in Central New York: Curbside pick-up of booze.

Despite a statewide coronavirus-inspired shut down, beer, wine and liquor may be available from your favorite bar, restaurant or beverage tasting room.

But where they do offer it, youll have to take it out (or in some cases have it delivered). And you may need to buy at least a little food -- even if its just a bag of potato chips.

Bars and restaurants, plus brewery and winery tasting rooms, are busy trying to figure how theyre going to comply with the new rules issued Monday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The order shuts down on-premises drinking and dining to help contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

But Cuomos rule permits consumers to buy beer to go (which was already allowed) and includes a waiver that authorizes the sale of wine and liquor. This is intended to ease the loss of business due to the shut down.

Guidelines issued by the State Liquor Authority say any alcohol must be served in a sealed container, such as in bottles or cans, or in the closed containers called growlers and crowlers. Local open container laws must be followed and sales can only be made during regular permitted hours. Customers can buy mixed drinks to go, too, as long as the drink is sold with a lid.

And the guidelines say the transactions should be accompanied by the sale of food. Thats in keeping with existing law that requires any business that holds a license for on-premises alcohol sales to offer food, said SLA spokesman William Crowley.

So thats ramping up this week across the area.

At the Beer Belly Deli at 510 Westcott Street in Syracuse, customers were invited to stop by a grab some food and drink to go.

We will stay open for take out and delivery and will sell beer to go for as long as we can, owner Lauren Monforte said in a Facebook message. In a separate post, she added: Although your favorite bartenders wont be there to pour you a draft we will be collecting donations for them from their loyal regulars. Come in, buy a beer to go and a burger -- leave a tip and a note for your local bartender, server and cook working from home.

The Buried Acorn Brewing Co. got a jump on it Monday by starting Curbside Beer Parking at its tasting at 881 Van Rensselaer St. in the Inner Harbor area. You can order online, giving at least 15 minutes notice, and park out front and your beer will be brought out.

Buried Acorn is also contributing some proceeds from the to-go sales to servers, bartenders and other staff thrown out of work by the shut down, co-owner Tim Shore said.

Though their tasting rooms are closed, breweries, wineries and distilleries can still manufacture their products during the shutdown. But they may be cutting back to to lost on-premises sales.

I have 1,200 cases in my cooler and 5 full (brewing) tanks," Shore said. With most of his markets closed, he added, I think we have enough beer.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

 Coronavirus is here in Onondaga County; What does that mean?

 List of CNY schools closing

 A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State

 How fast is coronavirus growing in New York?

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
Dollar General will only allow seniors into its 16,000 stores during the first hour each day to help protect them against coronavirus and the effects of panic buying.

The discount retailer said the move will start Tuesday without specifying an age limit for the opening window, but asked younger shoppers to respect the move and plan around it.

It comes after Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop told all grocery stores to set aside two hours each morning for elderly, disabled and pregnant shoppers as part of New Jersey's rapidly increasing response to the outbreak.

Dollar General will only allow senior citizens inside its more than 16,000 stores for the first hour from Tuesday to combat coronavirus (pictured, a 62-year-old woman outside a Dollar General store in Pennsylvania wearing a mask)

More than 4,700 Americans have been confirmed with coronavirus - thought to be an under-estimate - while 93 have died of the disease

There are now more than 4,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US - though experts warn that is likely a drastic under-estimate - and 93 deaths.

Speaking about the move, Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said: 'We appreciate our customers' understanding of our decision and request they visit our stores later in the morning to allow at-risk populations the ability to purchase the items they need at affordable prices.'

COVID-19 symptoms are mild for most people but the illness can be severe in older people and those with existing health problems.

Dollar General said stores will also close an hour earlier than usual to allow staff more time to stock shelves, clean the premesis, and for their own wellbeing.

Stop and Shop, a chain of supermarkets in the northeastern US with some 400 stores, also announced Monday that stores will now open an hour earier than usual to allow seniors time to shop.

'Although we will not be requesting ID for entry, we ask that you please respect the purpose of the early opening  and do the right thing for your neighbors,' Stop & Shop said in a news release.

Panic buying has seen shop shelves stripped across the US as people stock up on essentials in case they are confined to their homes (pictured, a store in Indiana)

Elderly people and those with underlying health conditions are the most vulnerable to coronavirus, and have been asked to avoid confined spaces such as grocery stores

Woolworths and Coles, Australia's two largest grocery store chains, have also announced similar moves after coronavirus sparked panic buying in that country.

UK supermarket Iceland also said it was giving individual store managers a mandate to open early for a similar 'senior hour', if they believed it was warranted.

As the outbreak ramped up across the US, the White House urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people on Monday and called for bars, restaurants, and other public venues to close.

Trump refrained from ordering sweeping public quarantines, lockdowns or curfews for the time being, even as some state and local authorities independently imposed mandatory restrictions.

'We're recommending things,' Trump told a White House news conference in issuing new coronavirus guidelines.

'We haven't gone to that step yet' of ordering a lockdown. 'That could happen, but we haven't gone there yet.'

Trump also said he felt that postponements of primary elections, like those announced in Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana and Kentucky, were generally unnecessary.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said on Twitter his administration was ordering polls closed on Tuesday in defiance of a state court ruling to the contrary.
Multnomah County landlords temporarily wont be able to evict tenants who cant pay rent due to coronavirus.

County Chair Deborah Kafoury and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Tuesday that they have signed emergency orders that ban eviction of tenants who fall behind on rent due to coronavirus-related challenges.

They also announced the county will open hundreds of new shelter beds in public buildings and other spaces for people experiencing homelessness and Portlands economic development agency will provide $150,000 in grant to aid businesses in Portlands Jade District along Southeast 82nd Avenue, one of the citys largest concentrations of Asian Americans. They said city and county government meetings will be held virtually for the time being.

Under the temporary eviction moratoriums, tenants will have up to six months after the city and county state of emergencies end to repay any rent they owe, officials said. The citys declaration ends March 26 and the county on April 10. The moratoriums apply to people whose jobs are shut down, whose work hours are reduced, who miss work to provide child care due to school closures or who are unable to work because they or a relative are sick from the virus.

Tenants will have to provide letters of proof from their employer, school, doctor or other source to verify their hardship. They also have to notify their landlords on or before the day rent is due that they cant pay, officials said. No late fees can be charged and landlords who dont comply with the order could be sued and liable for civil damages as well as other sanctions.

Yes, everyone should pay their rent on time," Kafoury said. "But for people who are losing their wages due to COVID-19 and find themselves unable to pay rent, we want you to be able to stay in your home.

Kafoury said discussions are underway with the state courts and county sheriffs office to make changes that will keep people housed during this emergency. She did not elaborate on what those changes would be.

On Monday, Multnomah County Circuit Court suspended all eviction hearings and trials that were scheduled through March 27 and indicated they will be rescheduled for after March 30.

Wheeler called on Oregon legislators to increase rental assistance programs statewide. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday said she doesnt have any immediate plans to issue a statewide ban on evictions related to coronavirus.

Kafoury said the county will continue to offer motel vouchers for some people who are in shelters and hotels and motels will be banned from refusing occupancy to any of them. She also said some of the newly opened beds will provide space for people who show symptoms of coronavirus and allow them to recuperate.

Wheeler said the grant money for small businesses is being made available first to Portlands Jade District because the shopping and dining district, centered on Southeast 82nd Avenue and Division Street, is home to many Asian business owners, some of whom seen their revenue drop by as much as 60% amid the coronavirus crisis. There are plans to expand the aid to other businesses throughout the city in the future, Wheeler.

Affected business owners should call 503-823-4000 or email cityinfo@portlandoregon.gov for more information, he said.

Wheeler said a city task force was created Monday dedicated to coming up with ideas to help ailing small and large Portland employers and employees. A commercial eviction prevention strategy and other financial relief are also in the works and city officials plan to meet with bank authorities to see if aid can be provided for Portland landlords, Wheeler said.

The mayor said he was proud to hear stories from all over the city of people providing meals and other help to one another during the outbreak.

Were in this together. Youre not alone, Wheeler said. We will get through this and well get through it together.

On Monday, Home Forward, the Multnomah County housing authority, announced the same moratorium on evictions for its own buildings.

The moratorium doesnt go far enough, said Margot Black, co-chair of Portland Tenants United and candidate for City Council. She wants total rent forgiveness -- meaning that renters wouldnt have to pay back the rent they miss during the state of emergency.

When this recession or depression hits, were not going to be able to pay rent for a long time, Black said. Its not like when things get back to normal, whatever that normal looks like, we can carry a six month rent debt with us and figure out a payment plan.

Protesters interrupted Tuesday press conference to demand that same, including one person who threatened to cough on Wheeler.

In the week before the moratorium, the landlord lobbying group Multifamily NW sent a letter to state officials calling for financial assistance rather than an eviction ban. The assistance would be given to renters or landlords.

Deborah Imse, the groups executive director, also called on state leaders Tuesday to follow the local eviction moratorium with rental assistance to prevent rental property foreclosures.

Wheeler acknowledged that forgoing rent payments for six months could hurt some landlords. He said the city of Portland will be calling on banks and credit unions to extend loan repayment timelines in some circumstances.

Oregon has 51 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning. The states only death from the virus occurred Saturday when 70-year-old man died at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Two other people have died from the virus in Clark County, Washington.

Gov. Kate Brown on Monday banned gatherings statewide of more than 25 people for at least a month and ordered restaurants and bars to either close or exclusively serve takeout to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The news comes after Kafoury and Wheeler issued state of emergency declarations last week to allow the county and city to request state assistance and make other emergency provisions.

Both Multnomah County and Portland have announced they are keeping winter shelters open for people experiencing homelessness and providing motel vouchers for people experiencing symptoms. Portland has installed nearly two-dozen mobile hand-washing stations and toilets throughout the city, and the Portland Water Bureau has suspended disconnecting service for those who cant pay their water bills during the state of emergency.

Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly as well as several candidates for city council and renters and labor advocates had publicly called for an eviction moratorium before they were issued Tuesday. Portland joins cities that include Boston, San Francisco and Seattle that have also announced eviction moratoriums.

Eudaly in a statement said Tuesdays announcements were a vital and urgent step toward stabilizing our community amid an emergency. She said she believes more work needs to be done to protect impacted workers and the local economy including free COVID-19 testing for everyone, home mortgage forbearances, and financial support for all workers and affected small businesses.

This effort is going to require action at every level of government, Eudaly said. I know the work is underway on much of it.

Wheelers office said after Tuesdays news conference that the city council would plan to vote Wednesday to adopt a version of the countys eviction moratorium policy that would apply within Portland city limits.

The joint county-city adoption of a single policy will ensure that community members and landlords are clear about their rights and responsibilities during this event, a mayors office spokesperson said.

[Read the countys executive rule related to a moratorium on residential tenant evictions]

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
City council on Tuesday extended Houstons emergency health declaration, reflecting a warning by Mayor Sylvester Turner that the public health crisis fueled by the spread of COVID-19 will not go away anytime soon.

This is a crisis. I hope theres no one around this table thats questioning that, Turner told his colleagues during a spirited special meeting Tuesday. And its a crisis thats going to be with us for several weeks if not several months. And I hope no one is questioning that.

The measure gives the mayor power to suspend rules and regulations and to undergo additional health measures that prevent or control the spread of disease, such as quarantine or setting up emergency shelters. Similar orders have been issued after hurricanes.

Turner declared the emergency last week, after the regions first confirmed COVID-19 case of community spread, in which the virus was contracted locally rather than travel. The order was used to cancel the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Some council members took issue with the indefinite nature of the extension. Council member Greg Travis, who railed against Turners decision last week to cancel the Rodeo, proposed making it only a one-week extension and having weekly votes to extend it based on new developments.

Mike Knox, the only council member to support Travis motion, said there has been a lack of communication from the mayor to council members.

Others said the situation was too fluid to knee-cap the citys ability to respond.

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin cited Monday, when the city and Harris County ordered bars to close and restricted restaurants to take-out, as an example of how fluidly the situation has unfolded. He said the city was preparing an occupancy limit at those establishments until President Donald Trump issued guidance asking people to avoid groups of 10 or more.

You own a bar, what would you do? Martin said to Travis, who responded that he would have proceeded with the occupancy limit.

Later, Travis told his colleagues this was councils only opportunity to make its voice heard. He said he did not want to vest indefinite power in anyone.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

The emergency measure ultimately passed, 15-1, with Travis alone in opposition.

The county is considering a similar extension to its emergency declaration Tuesday.

Travis pointed out that council itself  a group of 16 people  was breaking the presidents guidance about groups of 10 or more people.

As one council member said to a colleague before the meeting: And were not six feet apart.

For much of the meeting, council member Jerry Davis sat in the last row of the audience, rather than his usual spot around the horseshoe-shaped council table.

Council member Abbie Kamin was the lone absence. The mayor said she is self-quarantining after contacting someone who had a direct encounter to a positive case.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, US auto major Ford has asked its 10,000 employees in India, except those in business-critical roles, to work from home, a step which has also been taken up by Swedish luxury car maker Volvo.

IMAGE: Security personnel use thermal screening devices on visitors in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, at the BSE Building in Mumbai. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad / PTI Photo.

A Ford India spokesperson said, in recent days, the company has concluded that the issue of coronavirus has taken on a different dimension.

The company is continuing to act in real-time to keep its "people safe and help limit the spread of the virus in communities where we live and work".

"Therefore, starting Monday March 16, we have instructed much of our India workforce (over 10,000 people) including Ford India and Global Business Services -- except those in business-critical roles that cannot be done away from Ford facilities -- to work remotely until further notice," the spokesperson said.

He further said, "The action will additionally help reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus while maximising the health of our business. All necessary safety measures have been deployed at Ford locations as well as our dealerships to ensure minimum inconvenience to customers."

In a similar development, Volvo Car India, the wholly-owned arm of Swedish luxury car company Volvo, also announced work from home as a safety measure for its employees due to the rising number of coronavirus infections in India.

The company, which has around 40 employees on its rolls in India, said all of them have been asked to work from home with immediate effect while necessary IT infrastructure has been put in place to facilitate business continuity.

It, however, said access to the office remains open for any employee who prefers to work from office, after informing their respective manager.

Enhanced sanitation measures have been taken to ensure hygiene at the office premises.

The company had also suspended all domestic and international travel since February to limit the exposure of our employees to the virus, it added.

Volvo Car India further said it is also working closely with dealers to ensure their facilities are hygienic.

"Guidelines to dealers include ensuring cars that visit workshops as well as dealer demo cars are properly cleaned before next use. In addition, all demo cars to mandatorily have hand sanitiser," it said.

On Sunday, Tata Motors had also announced work from home for its office-based employees at headquarter and regional offices.
TORONTO, March 17, 2020 /CNW/ - Park Lawn Corporation (TSX: PLC) ("PLC") announced today that it will release its year end financial results for 2019 on Monday, March 30, 2020. PLC will host a conference call at 9:30 am (EST) on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 to discuss its Q4 2019 financial results. Details of the conference call are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2020





Time: 9:30am EST





Dial-in Number: Local (647) 427-7450 | Toll Free (888) 231-8191 | Conference ID: 7286075

To ensure your participation, please join approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the conference call.

About Park Lawn Corporation

PLC provides goods and services associated with the disposition and memorialization of human remains. Products and services are sold on a pre-planned basis (pre-need) or at the time of a death (at-need). PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate businesses including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels, planning offices and a transfer service. PLC operates in five Canadian provinces and fifteen U.S. states.

SOURCE Park Lawn Corporation

For further information: Joseph Leeder, Chief Financial Officer & Director, (416) 231-1462

Related Links

https://www.parklawncorp.com/


Dr. Dadi Segal, Panaxia CEO: "This achievement joins a growing body of evidence demonstration the exceptional R&D capabilities of Panaxia as well as the highly successful partnership with Ultra Health with respect to product quality and regulatory compliance"

TEL AVIV, Israel and ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 7, 2020, Panaxia US, manufacturer of pharmaceutical cannabis products in the US, and its strategic partner Ultra Health, the largest authorized cultivator and distributor of medical cannabis products in the State of New Mexico, US, have passed the New Mexico NMED audit and were granted a first-of-its-kind license to manufacture and distribute hemp-based products in NM and the US in general. Under the new license, Panaxia US will manufacture sublingual tablets, oral tablets, sublingual drops, with future expansion plans to include inhalable products, ointments, and creams. The products will be manufactured at a facility operated by Panaxia US located in Bernalillo, New Mexico.

The license allows Panaxia US and Ultra Health to produce hemp products and distribute them throughout the US whereas until now products departing this facility were distributed locally only. The first products were manufactured earlier this month. The facility was designed by Panaxia US and is operated by it while Ultra Health supplies raw materials and distributes the products. With this new license, the companies will be able to jointly distribute their products throughout the US.

Dr. Dadi Segal, Panaxia CEO: "This achievement joins a growing body of evidence demonstrating the exceptional R&D capabilities of Panaxia US and the added value of the strategic partnership with Ultra Health with respect to the high quality of their medical cannabis products as well as regulatory compliance. We are proud for having successfully passed the audit. Our high-quality products comply with the most stringent regulation due to Panaxia's superb international R&D capabilities."

Duke Rodriguez, President and CEO of Ultra Health

"This may be the first US-Israeli joint venture specifically focused on the area of low-THC and high-CBD medicine being successfully exported from the United States and imported into Israel," said Duke Rodriguez, CEO, and President of Ultra Health. "I look forward to the continued success of the Ultra Health and Panaxia partnership that has proven to greatly enhance both entities' abilities to innovate the cannabis industry on a global scale."

About Ultra Health

Ultra Health is New Mexico's #1 Cannabis Company and the largest vertically integrated medical cannabis provider in the United States. The provider currently operates 20 dispensary locations statewide, with another 10 stores slated to open by the second quarter of 2020. Ultra Health provides unparalleled medical cannabis care by producing accurately dosed, smokeless cannabis products such as sublingual tablets, oils, pastilles, suppositories and more through its partnership with Israeli pharmaceutical group Panaxia. Ultra Health has been at the forefront of patient-rights issues and continues to fight for adequate supply and rural access in the New Mexico medical cannabis market.

About Panaxia Israel

Panaxia Israel (www.panaxia.co.il) is part of the pharmaceutical group of the Segal family, operating for over four decades, and manufacturing over 600 different pharmaceutical products, which it distributes in over 30 countries. Panaxia was founded by Dr. Dadi Segal, Dr.Eran Goldberg and Assi Rotbart, LL.b, and constitutes the Group's cannabis division. In addition, the sister-division of North America manufactures over 60 pharmaceutical products based on medical cannabis, including sublingual tablets, oral tablets, oils, inhalers, and more, intended to treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress, cancer, chronic pains, epilepsy, anorexia, burns, and many other medical conditions. Panaxia employs around 90 employees and all clinical experiments are conducted by the company.

For further info: Email - robyn@panaxiapharmaceutical.com/ Tel (305) 933-4646

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/822703/Panaxia_Pharmaceutical_Logo.jpg
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!)
Madhya Pradesh appears to be heading towards Presidents Rule unless the Supreme Court intervenes to diffuse the constitutional crisis emanating from direct confrontation between Governor Lalji Tandon and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati over holding floor test on the fate of beleaguered Kamal Nath government.

The crisis deepened on Monday as the speaker defied the governors directive for the floor test and instead adjourned the house till March 26, citing threat to MLAs from coronavirus pandemics.

Soon after the house adjournment which was preceded by barely a minute long Governors address and advice to the state government to adhere to the constitutional values, the BJP moved the Supreme Court. The court admitted its petition for hearing Tuesday. The same date has been fixed by the governor for floor test in his rather stern letter, his second in 24 hours, to the chief minister.

READ: The 'Congress-yukta' strategy: BJP dreams of making India 'Congress-Mukta Bharat'

The letter followed BJP MLAs meeting with the governor at the Raj Bhavan where former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan showed him a list of 106 party lawmakers. The governor assured the MLAs that their rights would not be transgressed and now it was his responsibility to save democracy in the state.

However, Chief Minister Kamal Nath appears inclined to defy the governors directive for floor test once again, on the grounds that the decision to adjourn the house was Speakers and he cannot interfere in it.

Congress MLAs met at the chief ministers residence before and after attending the Assembly, and discussed strategies to anyhow retrieve the government from existential troubles bedevilling it since March 9 when Jyotiraditya Scindias supporter 19 MLAs went incommunicado.

They were later traced to a Bengaluru resort. Three more MLAs joined them later and all sent their resignations to the speaker from their hideout through a former minister in the Shivraj Singh government.

Follow DH's live coverage of the Madhya Pradesh govt crisis here

On March 8 they shifted to another hotel in Bengaluru where they underwent a test for coronavirus and procured fitness certificates ahead of their planned return to Bhopal.

The deepening political crisis in the government is primarily due to the rebel MLAs continued stay in Bengaluru.

The chief minister has put as pre-condition return of the rebel MLAs for agreeing to the floor test.

The speaker had summoned them twice but they have stayed put in Bengaluru, sending, instead, recorded videos of their pledged support to Scindia.

The rebels defiance upset calculation of the Congress which flew its flock of 92 MLAs to Jaipur.

They are back in Bhopal but still staying together in a local five-star hotel. BJP too followed the resort politics by flying its MLAs to a Manesar resort in Haryana from where they returned on Sunday and flew back on Monday night.
The Justice Department is poised to drop charges against two Russian firms accuse by Robert Mueller of helping run a troll farm that interfered in the 2016 election.

Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering were among three companies run by Yevgeny Prigozhin - known as 'Putin's chef' - that were charged with spreading disinformation on social media during the election in an attempt to influence the result in Trump's favor.

But prosecutors say that there is almost no prospect of successfully punishing the two corporations since they have no presence on US soil, while the trial itself could expose 'sensitive law enforcement techiniques'.

Prosecutors do intend to push ahead with charges against the firm accused of directly running the troll farm - the Internet Research Agency - and against Prigozhin.

US prosecuors are moving to drop charges against two Russian firms linked to a 'troll farm' that Robert Mueller accused of interfering in the 2016 election

Prosecutors are pushing ahead with charges against the troll farm itself, and against Evgeny Prigozhin (left) - a man known as 'Putin's chef' who ran all three businesses

The case was one of the signature indictments from Mueller's two-year Russia investigation.

Together with a separate case against Russian government hackers accused of breaking into Democratic email accounts, it revealed a sweeping Russian effort to influence, or interfere in, the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Concord was the sole defendant in the case to enter an appearance in Washington's federal court and contest the allegations. The case had been set for trial next month, making the government's filing all the more abrupt.

Concord is controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy businessman known as 'Putin's chef' for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He has been hit with U.S. sanctions over Russian interference in the 2016 election and is charged alongside his company in the indictment brought by Mueller.

Mueller accused the Russian companies of running a disinformation campaign to help Trump win the presidency

The company, with the help of a high-powered law firm, filed a series of motions over the last two years, including to dismiss charges and to exclude certain evidence from the case.

In January 2019, prosecutors alleged that confidential material from the Russia investigation, which had been handed over to defense attorneys for Concord, was altered and disseminated as part of a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the special counsel's Russia investigation.

The files surfaced online in a link posted by a pro-Russia Twitter account. But the Justice Department stopped short of accusing Concord of leaking the material.

Still, prosecutors argued that the company's request to have sensitive new evidence sent to Russia 'unreasonably risks the national security interests of the United States.'

Some of the court appearances in the case have been unusually contentious, with the federal judge overseeing it chastising a lawyer for Concord, Eric Dubelier, for references in court filings to Looney Tunes and the 1978 raunchy comedy 'Animal House' to criticize the Mueller investigation.

'I'll say it plain and simply: Knock it off,' U.S District Judge Dabney Friedrich told Dubelier at a January 2019 court appearance.

Dubelier, who has referred to the case as involving a 'made up' crime, has made allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and even once accused the judge of bias. The judge rejected the allegation.

Robert Mueller charged a total of three Russian firms and 13 individuals of conspiring to interfere in the 2016 election

But with the case approaching trial, prosecutors said they had to weigh the risk of potentially exposing sensitive national security information against the benefits of continuing with the case against a company that likely wouldn't face any significant punishment in the U.S.

In the court filing on Monday, prosecutors said Concord had been 'eager and aggressive in using the judicial system to gather information about how the United States detects and prevents foreign election interference.'

'In short, Concord has demonstrated its intent to reap the benefits of the Court's jurisdiction while positioning itself to evade any real obligations or responsibility,' prosecutors wrote.

'It is no longer in the best interests of justice or the country's national security to continue this prosecution.'

Concord Catering did not have attorneys appear in court, but prosecutors said they would seek to drop charges against that company as well because it too was controlled by Prigozhin and 'based on the likelihood that its approach to litigation would be the same as Concord.'

Prosecutors vowed to continue to pursue their case against the 13 Russians who were named in Mueller's indictment, along with the troll farm that Concord was alleged to have funded, the Internet Research Agency.
Japan is providing assistance to upgrade the Indonesian coast guard. This will help Indonesia to deal with aggressive Chinese illegal fishing off the Indonesian coast. The first item of Japanese aid is the delivery of a used fisheries patrol ship, the Hakurei Maru. This is a 731 ton coast guard vessel was built in 1993 and for over two decades patrolled Japanese fishing grounds far offshore. Hakurei Maru has berths for up to 29 crew and passengers. It is a slow vessel and only armed with some heavy machine-guns. It can send boarding parties to suspect foreign ships but usually has to call in more heavily armed ships or aircraft to deal with troublesome, usually Chinese, intruders.

Japan has, since the 1990s, built a new class of larger (1,100 ton) vessels for fishery patrol. These new vessels carry a helicopter and more powerful sensors (radars and the like) as well as heavier armament. That means a 30mm autocannon in addition to the 12.7mm machine-guns found on older patrol vessels.

Japan will install several million dollars of upgrades to the Hakurei Maru before delivering it to Indonesia later in 2020. These upgrades will also be provided for other Indonesian fishing patrol ships in a $20 million dollar effort to improve the ability of Indonesian patrol vessels to spot and track trespassing Chinese fishing boats in any kind of weather conditions. With this improved detection ability, Indonesia will be able to send in small warships assigned to dealing with Chinese poachers. The Indonesian warships are needed because the poachers are often escorted by armed Chinese coast guard ships. This last occurred at the end of 2019 when dozens of Chinese fishing ships, escorted by Chinese coast guard vessels entered Indonesian waters to fish illegally. In response to this brazen invasion, Indonesia asked Japan for some help and the Japanese agreed.

Since about 2014 China and Indonesia have been unofficially, but very visibly, at war with each other over illegal fishing. China has been increasingly stealing fish (poaching) from offshore areas where the fishing rights belong to other countries. This poaching has been going on with increasing frequency since the 1990s. But now many of the victims have done the math and noted that the most frequent offenders are Chinese. These are either Chinese owned fishing ships or ships from other countries that register themselves as Chinese to gain a measure of immunity from being stopped or punished by the nations being plundered. But some nations are not just complaining, they are fighting back.

In the case of Indonesia the fighting back consists of shooting at poachers and, since 2014, destroying (via explosives or burning) about 200 poacher ships. Indonesia calculates that this poaching costs Indonesia over $2 billion a year and that Chinas worldwide poaching operation brings in over $20 billion a year. Since China does not officially admit it is organizing and controlling this, and the Indonesians are using large warships with orders to fire on any poacher caught and refusing to surrender, the Chinese are taking most of the losses off Indonesia. For a while, China sent warships to accompany flotillas (often ten or more ocean-going fishing ships) and protect the poachers if caught and keep the police or coast guard boats busy while the poachers escaped. But Indonesia responded by sending out warships (corvettes and frigates) with orders to fire on any foreign warships caught with the poachers. China stopped sending warships but the poachers kept on coming and Indonesia keeps capturing and prosecuting the crews. The poacher ships are often destroyed as media events, with local news being allowed to capture and broadcast videos of the fires and explosions.

The most frequent site for poaching off Indonesia is near the Natuna Islands. These are 3,000 kilometers from China and within the Indonesian EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). Waters 360 kilometers from land are considered the EEZ of the nation controlling the nearest land. The EEZ owner can control who fish there and extracts natural resources (mostly oil and gas) from the ocean floor. Chinese fishing boats illegally fishing near the Natunas is where most of the violence has occurred as Indonesia tries to defend its EEZ rights.

Since 2015 it has become public knowledge that Chinese commercial ships, particularly freighters and ocean-going fishing ships, are considered part of a military maritime reserve force and are expected to follow orders from navy or coast guard ships whenever called upon. The commercial ships are expected to collect intelligence and even risk damage and injuries by blocking the movement of foreign ships, including warships. In return, the Chinese navy and coast guard will come to the assistance of Chinese commercial ships in trouble with foreign navies or coast guards. But this arrangement does not always work out as it should when stealing fish is involved. And its not just Indonesia. On March 15th, 2016 an Argentinian coast guard ship sank a Chinese trawler that was illegally fishing in Argentinian waters. The coast guard rescued five of the crew, including the captain and arrested them. China complained but did nothing else. In fact, within weeks China publicly reaffirmed its growing economic and diplomatic ties with Argentina. Meanwhile, the owners of the lost fishing trawler will be quietly compensated by China.

This sort of illegal fishing is a worldwide problem, and Chinese trawlers are apparently the biggest offenders because these crimes are government organized and coordinated. In waters closer to China there will often be Chinese warships near areas where Chinese trawlers fish illegally. This sometimes becomes a problem as Chinese warships will often try to rescue Chinese trawlers seized for illegal fishing. This doesnt always work but it sets a scary precedent.

This has happened several times in Indonesian waters, even in areas where China does not dispute ownership. China justifies its armed intervention because the Chinese trawlers were in traditional Chinese fishing grounds. In the case of Argentina, the Chinese did nothing because most South American nations have illegal fishing problems and would unite in opposition to Chinese bullying. Any Chinese economic threats could backfire because Chinese firms are currently investing a lot of money in South America and dont want those investments threatened because of widespread local anger over Chinese poachers.

The trawlers involved in these incidents are formally called "freezer trawlers." These ships are up to 100 meters (320 feet) long and have facilities onboard to store hundreds of tons of frozen fish. These ships normally stay at sea months at a time and have crews of 14-30. The number of Chinese trawlers has expanded enormously since 1985 when there were only 13. Now there are over 2,400 of them operating worldwide. China helped with this expansion by subsidizing ocean-going fishing boats. Those subsidies have since been withdrawn but meanwhile, the number of larger (than 100 meter) freezer trawlers has grown and these are meant for use in far distant waters. The trawler sunk off Argentina was 66 meters long but was in the company of similar Chinese vessels, which picked up most (23) of the crew from the sunk trawler and fled the area.
As of March 17, the coronavirus epidemic in Iran had killed nearly a thousand people and infected over 16,000 others. For a theocracy like the Islamic Republic, closing down religious sites as a measure to slow transmission is a tough decision, leaving the authorities stuck between a rock and hard place.

Yet with the epidemic showing no sign of abating, the Iranian authorities chose to impose a lockdown on the key religious sites, among them the highly revered shrines of Hazrat Masoumeh and Imam Reza in the conservative cities of Qom and Mashhad, respectively.

The controversial decision triggered furious reactions from some hard-liners, who saw it as an unforgivable insult to the infallible household of Islams Prophet Muhammad. Videos quickly went viral from outside the two shrines, showing mobs breaking metal fences and storming the sites as they cursed those who ordered the closure. No one in the past 14 centuries has managed to close this door, not even during the Mongol Conquest.  We will continue to stay outside the shrine until it is reopened, said one of the protest leaders addressing the crowds.

Elsewhere at a sit-in, the protesters chanted slogans against President Hassan Rouhani and his health minister and expressed open defiance toward orders from the capital, suggesting that Mashhad would act on its own discretion and independently from the central government.

Otherwise, the government seems to enjoy a rare unanimous backing from the majority of the powerful clerical community in both cities after convincing them that the consequences of the epidemic are dire. It managed to once again seal the shrines before arresting over two dozen of the rogue elements.

The attacks drew condemnation from most of the Iranian clergy. The office for the management of the Iranian seminaries lamented the incidents as desecration of the holy sites at the hands of fundamentalists, while throwing its full weight behind the government's containment plans.

The pressure from the ultraconservatives came as both Qom and Mashhad witness an alarming coronavirus transmission rate that officials have warned could worsen if the shrines are not closed to pilgrims. The two cities reported over 90 new infections combined in the latest official daily report. Qom has been identified as the epicenter from which the virus spread nationwide. Mashhad is anticipating an influx of travelers in the coming days as the entire country ushers in the two-week national new year holiday.

The governments adamant refusal to impose a lockdown in the city has fueled concerns from locals and the citys mayor, who has warned of a looming human catastrophe if the city continues to receive guests. In the absence of national quarantine efforts, volunteers in many Iranian cities are now manning entry points in an attempt to block travelers.

Critics say the Iranian governments response to the coronavirus outbreak has been characterized by confusion, corruption and mismanagement. The authorities, however, dismiss the accusations, blaming the American sanctions as the main culprit. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the measures have impaired Irans ability to fight the virus, literally killing Iranians. Zarif urged the international community to act based on morality and join the growing global campaign to disregard US sanctions on Iran.
President Donald Trump Friday declared a national emergency in the wake of the coronavirus. Doing so opens up $50 billion of funding for states and U.S. territories to address the virus, waives several restrictions on hospitals, and more. In addition, Congress continues to work to reach an agreement on emergency funding and the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced disaster relief lending.

NAFCU is maintaining close communication with the Trump administration, Congress, and regulators to ensure they are aware of what credit unions are doing to support members during the outbreak and of how they can provide regulatory relief to the industry.

Trump said by declaring the national emergency, the goal is to stop the spread of the coronavirus and help Americans that have been infected by the virus or impacted by it.

In Congress, the House postponed its recess that was set to begin Friday to reach a deal on emergency funding to address paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing, food assistance, unemployment insurance, and more. The Senate was also set to leave for recess but is staying through the week to finalize an emergency package.
Donald Trump, amid experts' warnings of massive job losses during the coronavirus outbreak, is predicting the US economy will "pop" again soon if Americans take steps to stifle the disease and "win this war."

"It's going to pop," he said during a White House briefing. "One day, we're going to be standing up here, saying, 'We won.' I think we're going to win faster than people think." But then the suddenly stoic president added a caveat as the number of US cases approaches 5,000: "I hope."

The president stopped short of asking Americans to avoid hoarding food and critical supplies, but he did say his team is "trying to get people to buy less."

"Don't take everything, just buy what you need," he said.

Mr Trump, for the first time in his term, sidestepped when asked specifically about the US economy, which he previously has described as a reason he deserves a second term.

"We are looking to save the maximum number of lives," he said. "Everything else is going to come back. A life is not going to come back."

Deborah Brix, a senior State Department official helping direct the federal response, confirmed less than 60,000 Americans have been tested.

He also called on Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to finish work on a second virus aid package and then move quickly on an economic stimulus bill he is proposing that could be as large as $850bn, including a pay roll tax cut for hourly workers and help for the US airline industry

Notably, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the emerging massive stimulus package could not include a payroll tax holiday, but all sides are "considering" a provision to "send checks to Americans" soon; the payroll cut would bring money to them months down the road. Both Mr Mnuchin and Mr Trump made clear the idea needs the sign off of members of both political parties. Those payments likely would be larger than $1,000, an amount reported by several news outlets, he said.

"This is worse than 9/11," Mr Mnuchin said of the airline industry.

On that emerging stimulus deal, Mr Trump said all involved "want to go big, go solid" rather than "going back [to Congress] every day." A few moments earlier, Mr Mnuchin told reporters the White House wants to push a package through both chambers "very quickly."

After over a week of stock market losses, Mr Mnuchin made clear there is no plan to close US markets  but he left open the possibility of shortening the trading day.

More follows
Cade Turland was given a surgical mask on his nearly empty flight out from Milan last Tuesday

An Australian who escaped Italy before borders were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic has called on everyone to 'stay calm' after testing positive.

Cade Turland was given a surgical mask on his nearly empty flight out from Milan last Tuesday and was experiencing 'very mild symptoms'.

After boarding his flight from Dubai to Sydney, the 32-year-old developed a headache and mistook it for jetlag.

Not wanting to take any risks, Mr Turland decided to get tested for the deadly respiratory infection as soon as he got back to NSW.

On Saturday, his friend sent him a link to the NSW Health website confirming that someone his age had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

At 2pm he received a call from which confirmed he was the 110th person to test positive for the deadly virus.

Mr Turland has since isolated himself but says he has gone 'bonkers' and has desperately tried to keep himself occupied.

'I'm going bonkers, I'm walking around the house trying to find stuff to do. I just fixed the taps in the shower that have been broken for 10 years,' he told Daily Telegraph.

Mr Turland was tested for coronavirus and received a confirmation days after arriving back from Italy

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

'Now I've got the sniffles and a light cough when I first wake up but that's it. I'm shocked I've actually got it, but I was a bit naive so hopefully I can make people feel calmer about catching it and vigilant about not spreading it.'

In a desperate bid to keep himself occupied the entrepreneur took to Instagram to answer questions about coronavirus and the scenes that have taken over Italy.

'In Italy people were sick cruising around the streets. They weren't keeling over in the street coughing but you could tell people weren't well,' he said on Instagram.

He urged Australians to take heed and to self-isolate as it's 'just two weeks' and there's always something to do around the house.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday anyone arriving in Australia would be required to self-isolate for 14 days

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday anyone arriving in Australia would be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

'Up until now, that has been a voluntary arrangement,' he said. 'There has been no potential sanction that might apply against a person for not following that requirement.

'Once state authorities are in a position to give that its legal enforcement, then that will be a change.

'If your mate has been to Bali and they come back and they turn up to work, and they are sitting next to you, they will be committing an offence.

'It's a matter for state authorities as to what penalties they'll place on that.'

The total of Australians who tested positive for coronavirus has soared to 450 as of Tuesday.
A man with his face covered speaks on his mobile phone as he rides his cycle in an empty park along the banks of the river Ganges after the government tightened up measures for coronavirus prevention, in Kolkata

By Mayank Bhardwaj and Manoj Kumar

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has dropped at least three crucial policy initiatives, including lowering import taxes on vegetable oils, as the outbreak of the coronavirus hits government revenue collection, two sources said on Tuesday.

India's income tax revenues contracted 3.5% in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, which began in April 2019, and income from other taxes grew by a meagre 3.8%, the finance ministry told parliament on Monday.

The food ministry had proposed lowering import taxes on crude and refined vegetable oils, including palm oil, by 3-7% to keep a lid on domestic prices that leapt more than 11% after India restricted palm oil imports from Malaysia in January.

But the finance ministry rejected that proposal due to revenue concerns, the sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

India had been the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil for five years, but purchases ground to a halt after the January curbs, a retaliation for then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad's criticism of New Delhi's policy regarding its Muslim minority.

The finance ministry also shelved other proposal by the food ministry that would have raised the supply of highly subsidised rice and wheat to millions of people under the world's biggest food welfare programme, said the sources, who did not wish to be identified as they are not authorised to talk to media.

The food ministry had favoured raising the supply of subsidised rice and wheat to 7 kg a month from the current 5 kg for most beneficiaries -- a proposal that would have cost the government an extra 3 billion rupees ($40.4 million), they said.

In the next financial year, beginning in April, India plans to spend $15.5 billion to run its mammoth food welfare programme, which gives rice and wheat to 67% of India's 1.3 billion people at about 10% of the market price.

The finance ministry has also put off a plan by the food ministry to give vitamin-fortified rice to millions of poverty-stricken people. The rice fortification plan involved an expenditure of 5 trillion rupees, the sources said.

Faced with the prospect of lower revenues this year and in 2020-21, the finance ministry has asked other departments to avoid any new proposals and also curb non-essential expenditures, the sources said.

Story continues

A finance ministry spokesman declined to comment.

($1 = 74.24 rupees)

(Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj and Manoj Kumar; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, babies are still being born and Toronto labour room nurse Marianne Ryan, 38, is needed at work.

But her daycare is closed and she is scrambling to find appropriate care for her sons, aged eight and 10.

My kids are being watched by my parents who are over age 65 and at risk of the virus, Ryan said Monday. And they have to come on the TTC to watch my kids which is also a risk.

To make matters worse, Ryans stepmother also cares for her own ailing parents who are in their 90s, and thats a concern too, she added.

Ontarios chief medical officer of health Monday recommended all child-care programs in the province suspend operations as a precaution, a move many parents, early childhood educators and daycare operators welcomed to help slow the spread of the virus.

The decision follows all provinces except British Columbia and Manitoba, which have closed or are planning to close child-care programs along with public schools.

But Ontario still falls short of Quebec, where as of Monday the province is providing free emergency daycare for kids up to age 13 whose parents are employed in health or social services, emergency services, correctional facilities and child-care centres offering support.

Ontario has also yet to match Nova Scotia which is compensating operators, paying child-care staff, and ensuring parents dont have to pay fees while daycares are closed in that province.

Now that child care is closed in Ontario, we need to be organizing emergency child care for essential workers and figuring out how to pay staff, said Carolyn Ferns of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

The coalition, along with the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario, launched an online petition Friday urging the Ford government to close all child-care programs in the wake of a decision by school boards to shutter centres in schools.

More than 7,000 parents, early childhood educators and daycare operators signed the petition before Ontarios chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams recommended all child care provinces to close.

At Queens Park, Williams said he is assessing and reviewing how essential workers such as nurses and doctors will be able to cope on the home front without child care.

If it becomes an issue and we become aware of it, we would look at ideas and alternatives that would assist, especially to ensure that our essential staff can report to work and continue to serve our health system, he told reporters.

Williams said he could recommend measures to the government or rely on the provincial government to step forward with a policy direction. He did not recommend that all daycares close last week, knowing that essential workers would need them.

Thats why we initially kept them open, Williams said.

Martha Friendly of the Toronto-based Childcare Resource and Research Unit said child care has been a challenge across the country.

Different provinces have picked up different pieces, she said. But my impression is that they are all really scrambling.

Its not easy to provide emergency child care for essential workers, she added. For example, the list of essential workers I saw from Quebec doesnt seem extensive enough to me.

Friendly said she was pleased Williams ended the uncertainty in Ontario where child-care centres in schools were closed and many in the community were still operating.

But now that all child-care programs are shuttered, Ontario has to ensure programs survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Child-care centres will not be viable if parents dont pay fees, she said, adding that if centres arent there thats going to be a huge problem in an economic recovery situation.

NDP child-care critic Doly Begum spoke with Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Health Minister Christine Elliott Monday to express similar concerns.

It was a very constructive call and (Lecce) did say he would get back to me with answers, she said. So Im really hopeful that they do.
Businesses in one of Sydney's most popular spots for dining and drinking have seen a considerable downturn in patrons as coronavirus panic grips the city.

Just days after bars, restaurants and communal areas in Barangaroo were bustling with people, they resembled a ghost town during the lunch rush hour.

Pictures of identical areas in the popular precinct taken last Thursday and on Tuesday show just how much has changed, as people take severe measures to distance themselves and avoid the deadly virus.

One employee at busy lunchtime spot The Canteen said they were shocked by just how quickly foot traffic through the area had dropped off.

 Slide me  A long queue out the door of Belle's chicken restaurant in Barangaroo was gone this week, as coronavirus panic spreads

 Slide me  Some businesses were less affected than others on Tuesday, with the majority of tables at this eatery taken

 Slide me  Seats outside popular food court The Canteen were full last week, while on Tuesday many sat empty. 'You wonder what's to come over the next few weeks?' one employee told Daily Mail Australia

'It's crazy, last week we had a busy lunch period like normal and today was as close as it gets to dead quiet,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'I guess it kind of makes sense. With so many people working in the area, if there is anywhere you are going to catch it, it is going to be here, so I assume people have just fled and are working from home.

'You wonder what is going to come over the next few weeks?

'My concern is that when there isn't as much business you don't need as many employees, so you worry about the safety of your job, definitely.'

Where last week customers struggled to find a table to have lunch, there was no shortage of eating spots available on Tuesday.

Even the walkways around Darling Harbour - popular with tourists - were empty.

The changes come as the Chief Medical Officer urged people to be far more diligent with social distancing, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia rises above 450.

 Slide me  While many office workers enjoyed a lunchtime meal and drink last Thursday, just a few days on and the scene had dramatically changed

 Slide me  The communal grassed area outside Barangaroo House was a lot quieter amid the increasing concern about the spread of disease

 Slide me  The social distancing efforts were clearly evident along the walk way around Darling Harbour

 Slide me  Where last week customers fought to find a seat in the lanes around Barangaroo, there was no shortage of spare tables on Tuesday

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

'Thats keeping a distance of one-and-a-half metres if possible from people, not being in close contact, so not shaking hands,' Dr Brendan Murphy explained over the weekend.

'I would be very focused on hand washing, using hand sanitisers, all of those social distancing, good hygiene measures.

'We want everybody in the community to start practising those and to start thinking about how we will do social distancing in future.'

While the economic impact has already been severe on the stock market, it is small businesses and traders who are expected to be hit next.

There are fears millions of Australians could lose their jobs as the pandemic increases at a rapid rate.

There have been 450 cases and five deaths in Australia, close to the widely predicted one per cent fatality rate

The number of coronavirus cases rose gradually from late-January until mid-March, before a sudden increase over the past week

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the 'unprecedented' coronavirus crisis came at an 'incredibly difficult time' that could see almost eight per cent of workers out of a job.

'One in thirteen Australian jobs rely on the tourism and hospitality sector and those employers, those businesses and those jobs are all on the line right now,' he said.

'Ultimately, we're not going to be able to save every single business or every single job either.

'This is a terrible, terrible event that we're dealing with. It's something that has never been encountered before.'
Chrissy Teigen received heavy backlash for being insensitive amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, Chrissy posted a since-deleted tweet where she asked her followers to order their food through Goldbelly while everyone is required to stay home.

"This is not an ad but if you're holed up at home, ordering America's best food from Goldbelly is the way to go right now!" Teigen said. "Currently shipping clam chowder from Boston to myself."

The said company delivers food around the globe. The 34-year-old model went on and posted another tweet about how much she loves the company since they can do the delivery straight to the consumer's mouth.

However, a lot of Twitter users called her out for the very insensitive, indirect promotion as a lot of companies does not offer paid sick leaves for their drivers.

Fans Booed Chrissy!

Since it took her a while before she was able to delete the tweets, a lot of netizens saw her posts and immediately shared their concerns.

One fan said, "I love hollywood elites. While everyone is panicking and worried sick about what's going to happen these next few months she's out here suggesting people buy the most expensive soup on earth lmfao. Never change @chrissyteigen"

"I dont think it was intentionally meant to be insensitive Chrissy, but @ a time like this it came across that way and was definitely tone-deaf," another user wrote.

What made the "tone deaf" tweets even more infuriating was the fact that Chrissy posted them as local governments commanded temporary closures for restaurants and other establishments to limit the spread of coronavirus.

John Legend's wife tried to extinguish the fire online by tweeting, "correction: do NOT order soup."

Trevor Valle Called Her Out, Too

Even Paleontologist Trevor Valle saw the tweet and responded to Chrissy's updates, calling it truly shameful.

"It's about people being scared about not having enough resources, who can't do what you do ..." valle explained. "Isolated people using social media to connect, and if they see something like that, and then feel worse, because they can't."

In return, Chrissy blurted out once again that she only tweeted about a simple soup and that she cannot make everyone happy. She added that she was only helping small businesses by doing that online.

Meanwhile, Goldbelly announced that they are dedicated to give a helping hand to the small stores that are currently losing their sale due to the pandemic.

"All they have left now is their shipping business. Now is the time to support small business!" the company said in a tweet.

Valle and Chrissy exchanged more tweets afterward. The "Mammoths Unearthed" host even told Chrissy that she could help small businesses using other ways, like buying gift certificates or making a donation to cover the employees' daily wages.

In the end, Chrissy once again said that the tweets were posted innocently, and she did not mean to turn them into "tone deaf" remarks since she only likes the soup and wants to support the business.
Springfield Technical Community College has joined other community colleges in Western Massachusetts in extending its spring break because of coronavirus.

The extension of spring break will continue to provide valuable time for faculty, staff, and administrators to further contingency planning, STCC President John B. Cook said in a statement posted Monday night on the colleges website.

STCC and Holyoke Community College have extended this weeks break through Saturday, March 28, while Greenfield Community College has continued the break through Friday, March 27. In neighboring Enfield, Conn., Asnuntuck Community College will begin online-only classes on Monday, March 23.

The Holyoke campus is undergoing an extensive cleaning and disinfecting of all buildings by Complete Cleaning Company, Inc. As a result, all buildings will be closed on Tuesday, March 17, according to HCC President Christina Royal.

HCCs intention is to move 75% of its operations to remote environments within the next two days, with an ultimate goal of all possible offices working remotely by Monday, March 23, Royal said.

At Greenfield Community College, students enrolled in traditional face-to-face classes will be contacted by their faculty or department chair no later than March 30 about working remotely.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

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SAN FRANCISCO  Amazon quietly banned Adolf Hitler's manifesto Mein Kampf late last week, part of its accelerating efforts to remove Nazi and other hate-filled material from its bookstore, before quickly reversing itself.

The retailer, which controls the majority of the book market in the United States, is caught between two demands that cannot be reconciled. Amazon is under pressure to keep hate literature off its vast platform at a moment when extremist impulses seem on the rise. But the company does not want to be seen as the arbiter of what people are allowed to read, which is traditionally the hallmark of repressive regimes.

Booksellers that sell on Amazon say the retailer has no coherent philosophy about what it decides to prohibit, and seems largely guided by public complaints. Over the last 18 months, it has dropped books by Nazis, the Nation of Islam and the American neo-Nazis David Duke and George Lincoln Rockwell. But it has also allowed many equally offensive books to continue to be sold.

An Amazon spokeswoman said in a statement on Tuesday that the platform provides customers with access to a variety of viewpoints and noted that all retailers make decisions about what selection they choose to offer.
Both online and in-store shoppers have been struggling to buy essential items as panic buying sets in amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Retailers have faced a chaotic week as they quickly sold out of toilet paper, cleaning products, dried pasta and tinned food.

Supermarket websites and online grocers such as Ocado have also been hit by the surge in orders, with some supermarkets forced to ration certain items to ensure they are available to all customers.

On Monday, Morrisons said it was increasing the amount of food it makes at its manufacturing sites, increasing the volume of stock sent to stores and introducing temporary purchase limits on products with high demand.

The supermarket also said it would expand its home delivery service to cope with the surge in demand.

In Ireland, which has witnessed panic buying on a scale similar to the UK, Lidl said it would introduce prioritised queueing and assistance for elderly customers from 9am to 11am each day.

Similarly, Iceland said it would reserve the first two hours of Wednesday morning for elderly and vulnerable people to do their shopping.

Ocado said it has seen exceptionally high demand on its website, meaning delivery slots have sold out quicker than expected.

The online supermarket said that due to unusual demand, we have made the call to temporarily prioritise deliveries for existing registered customers. We will not be processing new customer bookings for the time being.

Ocado said it has seen exceptionally high demand (The Independent)

Other supermarkets have also seen delivery slots fill up rapidly, with some shoppers saying they had been unable to book home deliveries for over three weeks.

On Sunday, the UKs largest supermarkets wrote to customers calling on them to be considerate and stop stockpiling.

Some shoppers were unable to book home deliveries for weeks (The Independent)

The environment secretary, George Eustice, has held daily phone calls with supermarket chief executives to ensure customers will have the necessary supply of provisions.

A government spokesman said: We are in regular contact with the food industry to ensure it is well prepared to deal with a range of scenarios.

Retailers are continuing to monitor their supply chains and taking all the necessary steps to ensure consumers have the food and supplies they need.

Weve introduced new measures to make sure businesses can continue to keep food supply flowing, such as extending delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly.

Representatives of our leading supermarkets have provided reassurance there is plenty of stock available.

The coronavirus has infected 1,543 people in the UK and 55 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, the Department of Health said on Monday.

Additional reporting by agencies
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the state is moving hundreds of homeless individuals off the streets and into Oakland hotel rooms.

Governor Gavin Newsom told KCBS that state officials had secured 393 rooms for the homeless in two hotels near Oakland International Airport. The two hotels were not named.

Newsom said state officials were working to "get people out of encampments and into environments where we can address their growing anxiety and our growing concern about the health of some of our most vulnerable Californians."

Throughout California, 901 hotels are being considered to shelter homeless individuals.

ALSO: San Francisco ordered to shelter in place due to coronavirus

Without running water and other basic needs, the homeless population is among the most at-risk for infection. The city of Oakland has ramped up its efforts to support the homeless population by distributing small hand sanitizers, hygiene packets and informational handouts from the CDC. In addition, Oakland has also increased hygiene services to Oaklands Community Cabin and RV Safe Parking locations.

On Monday, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties announced shelter-in-place orders to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Under the mandatory order, residents are being told to stay at home except for essential services.

In San Francisco County, homeless individuals have been exempted from the shelter-in-place orders but are strongly urged to find shelter. On Monday, Mayor London Breed said in a press conference that San Francisco is working with the governors office to help the homeless population self-quarantine.

"Our goal is to provide some additional resources that were working on now," Breed said during the presser. "We do have locations just in case there is someone who is diagnosed and may not need hospital service, but may need to self-quarantine. It is something that were continuously working on and well provide more information about that when we have all the details."

California has more than 108,000 unsheltered homeless individuals throughout the state, according to a 2019 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That number counts for more than half of all unsheltered homeless people in the country.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

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Susana Guerrero is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com | Twitter: @SusyGuerrero3
Michigan officials released information on new confirmed cases of coronavirus COVID-19, raising the total number of people infected to 65 as of March 17.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released information on 12 new cases, including 10 men and two women. Coronavirus is being found in residents across the state, but Wayne County has the most cases of any Michigan county so far, with 17 total.

Counties of residency of people who tested positive for COVID-19. Map created by Scott Levin | slevin@mlive.com

The new cases include:

The city of Detroit - two men

Ingham County - one man

Jackson County - one woman

Leelanau County - one man

Macomb County - two men, one woman

Oakland County - two men

Otsego County - one man

Wayne County - one man

The number of cases in Michigan has continued to rise since the first test came back positive on March 10. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency two days later.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services started releasing daily updates on COVID-19 case numbers at 2 p.m. Get the latest information here.

The new information raises the number of cases in Detroit to eight, with nine more in Wayne County. There are also 16 cases in Oakland County and eight total cases in Macomb County.

Ingham County is reporting three coronavirus cases, instead of the two cases listed by the state. Ingham County officials confirmed their figure is up to date as of Tuesday, March 17.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Twenty-five people who have contracted coronavirus remain hospitalized, while 32 are not. The state lists eight patients as unknown. The cases are spread across age groups, with slightly more people between 60-69 affected, according to state data.

As of March 17, most of the cases are male. Only 42% of those who have tested positive are women.

Whitmer told Michigan residents to assume they have coronavirus as a way to help prevent its further spread in the state.

Whitmer ordered the closure of public schools, bars, restaurants, and other public venues, also banning meetings of 50 people or more to prevent community spread of coronavirus.

Even if you are young, even if you feel healthy and you dont have any symptoms right now, you can unknowingly be carrying this virus, she said during a Sunday press conference. Assume that you are and take this seriously. Its not just about protecting yourself  its about protecting everyone.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read MLives complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Figures are up to date as of March 17, 2020. (Source: Michigan.gov)

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.

Read more on MLive:

Michigan doctors offer their best tips for preventing coronavirus

Michigan coronavirus case count up to 53, including 1 child

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to order bars, restaurants to close dine-in services over coronavirus concerns

Coronavirus has Michigan pursuing temporary closure of casinos, governor says

Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here?

With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home
Apple is in trouble in France, as it has been fined 1.1 billion euros by antitrust regulators for participating in anti-competitive agreements with two wholesalers.

Reuters

According to LAutorite de la concurrence -- the body that looks after such cases, Apple used to favour some wholesalers and give them more stock when new products entered the market leaving others with limited stock that couldnt cope with the demand of the customers.

Isabelle de Silva, head of the French competition body said, Apple and its two wholesalers agreed to not compete against each other and prevent resellers from promoting competition between each other, thus sterilising the wholesale market for Apple products.

Apple was working in tandem with two wholesalers -- Tech Data and Ingram Micro -- limiting wholesale competition for its products, both were asked to pay 76 million euros and 63 million euros respectively.

Silva further stated, It is the heaviest sanction pronounced against an economic player, in this case, Apple, whose extraordinary size has been duly taken into account.

The watchdog also brought into account the complaint lodged by eBizcuss -- an Apple premium reseller in 2012, who had to shut its business due to Apples malpractices. This [behaviour from Apple] weakened certain companies, and in some cases, like that of reseller eBizcuss, contributed [to] them leaving the market. said the watchdog.

Reuters

According to the law, a company is not permitted to work with distribution partners to fix prices. It asks the company to treat its partners the same way it treats internal sales channels. This includes allowing them to determine on the choice and quantity of products they want to order from a particular wholesaler



This news comes at a time when Apple stores across the world (excluding China) are shut due to the spreading of COVID-19 to prevent people and its employees from getting infected.
HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS), which is in the software business, and is based in United States, saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$199 and falling to the lows of US$110. 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 HubSpot's current trading price of US$110 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 HubSpots 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 HubSpot

What's the opportunity in HubSpot?

According to my valuation model, HubSpot seems to be fairly priced at around 12% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy HubSpot today, youd be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $124.83, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that HubSpots 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 HubSpot?

NYSE:HUBS Past and Future Earnings, March 17th 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. 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 20% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for HubSpot. 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? It seems like the market has already priced in HUBSs positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value?

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on HUBS, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means its worth diving deeper into 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 HubSpot. You can find everything you need to know about HubSpot in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in HubSpot, 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.
While NASA has big plans to return humans to the moon in 2024 under its Artemis program, the agency is also thinking small by working to support the development of tiny robots and satellites.

NASA announced that it will collaborate with nine university teams to develop satellite technologies related to navigation, propulsion and the management of heat transfer in small machines. The agency did not specify the launch dates for the satellites, and not all of them will necessarily go to space. But the overall goal is to "help blaze the trail" for future crewed missions, NASA officials said in a statement .

"As we prepare for the next robotic and crewed missions to the Moon, we expect small spacecraft to help forge the path ahead by scouting terrain, prospecting for resources and establishing communications and navigation capabilities," Christopher Baker, program executive for the Small Spacecraft Technology Program, added in the statement. "Taking advantage of their small size and shorter development timelines, small spacecraft are increasingly capable as both rapid precursor missions and as cost-effective, in-space infrastructure."

Related: NASA's 'critical path' to the moon no longer requires a Lunar Gateway

The goal of the program is to mature nascent technologies for moon exploration, NASA said, especially to help astronauts on future crewed missions to the moon accomplish more than the Apollo crews were able to do with their available technologies in the 1960s and 1970s. NASA's longer-term goals are to build a "sustainable presence" on the moon and to test technologies there for an eventual Mars mission in the mid-2030s.

The program includes the following missions:

"Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture for Lunar Communications and Navigation" is a device designed to make communications easier and simpler (Arizona State University, in collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California).

"Flat Panel Phased Array Antennas with Two Simultaneous Steerable Beams Utilizing 5G Ka-Band Silicon RFICs for Tx/Rx Communications Between 6U Small Satellite and Lunar Surface, Gateway and Earth" will work to form a high-performance data communications network (San Diego State University in collaboration with NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland).

"High-precision Continuous-time PNT Compact Module for the LunaNet Small Spacecraft" will create a GPS-like system for the moon (University of California, Los Angeles, in collaboration with JPL).

"A Small Satellite Lunar Communications and Navigation System" will use a communications protocol similar to what cellphones use on Earth (University of Colorado, Boulder, in collaboration with JPL).

"On-Orbit Demonstration of Surface Feature-Based Navigation and Timing" will test terrain navigation using lunar craters (University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston).

"Variable Specific Impulse Electrospray Thrusters for SmallSat Propulsion" will use electrostatic charges and liquid droplets to generate thrust (University of California, Irvine, and California Polytechnic State University, in collaboration with JPL).

"Lunar Missions Enabled by Chemical-Electrospray Propulsion" will aim to test a propulsion system that can work using combustion or electrospray/ion propulsion (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in partnership with Froberg Aerospace LLC and Glenn and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland).

"3D Printed Hybrid Propulsion Solutions for SmallSat Lunar Landing and Sample Return" will test a 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor (Utah State University, in collaboration with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama).

"An Additively Manufactured Deployable Radiator with Oscillating Heat Pipes to Enable High-Power Lunar CubeSats" will use a 3D-printed deployable radiator that should transfer heat more efficiently than traditional technology (California State University and California Polytechnic State University, in collaboration with JPL).

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook .
Footage shows thousands of Burmese workers 'reverse migrating' back to their uninfected homeland amid the coronavirus pandemic. The immigrants labourers had all been working across northern Thailand for higher wages but as the pandemic worsens, with 177 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, they have downed tools and fled. Thousands of them were seen queuing this morning (March 17) in Tak province to cross the Thailand-Burma border back to the former British trading outpost, which so far has no declared cases of Covid-19. One of the labourers said his factory had closed because of the Covid-19 scare and he hoped to return when the situation improves. He said: "I will stay in my home town until the coronavirus situation is better and I will come back to Thailand looking for work again because the wage here is still much higher. "Most of us did not want to leave but the virus is spreading so quickly that the companies we work for are temporarily shut down and we have no work." He added that there still are many Burmese workers who are staying as their employers were still open. He said: "The rest of us who still have a job chose to stay despite the situation getting worse. They will continue to work until their firms are closed." Burmese officials have introduced measure to quarantine their citizens who are returning from high risk areas. The country has also imposed new rules banning and restricting travellers from China, South Korea and parts of Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, the British foreign office said last Sunday, warning against all but essential travel there.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State University, the largest public university in Ohio, is postponing spring commencement to protect against the coronavirus.

The university cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation of no large events being scheduled over the next eight weeks in a letter signed by President Michael Drake.

Officials will make a decision about when to hold graduation soon, but it would be premature to do so now, the letter reads.

Commencement is one of our most cherished traditions, and we remain fully committed to celebrating our graduates at an appropriate time. We sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.

Ohio State holds one commencement ceremony for all its graduates, including undergraduates, masters and doctoral students. Last spring, the university celebrated more than 12,000 graduates at Ohio Stadium.
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks to members of the media during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 17, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Senate Will Pass House Coronavirus Bill With No Changes: Majority Leader

The Senate will pass the coronavirus bill passed by the House of Representatives on Monday without changing anything in it, according to the top Republican in the upper chamber.

With regard to the bill that came over from the House, there was some discussion about whether to amend that with a bigger proposal, because we all know a bigger proposal is necessary, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said at a press conference in Washington.

But Ive decided were going to go on and vote as soon as the Senate can get permission to vote on the bill that came over from the House, send it down to the president for signature.

Asked about senators in the Republican majority who dont like certain parts of the bill, McConnell said: My counsel to them is to gag and vote for it anyway.

The great crisis requires extraordinary measures, McConnell said when asked why Republicans would vote for a package featuring things they might ordinarily disapprove of.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 13, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The House passed a revised bill that guarantees free testing for the new virus, which originated in China last year and causes a disease called COVID-19 that can prove deadly in some patients, primarily the elderly and those who have serious health conditions already.

This legislation is about testing, testing, testing, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said over the weekend. 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.

McConnell also vowed to keep the Senate in session until it passes a second bill that will include help for small businesses. That bill is being written and details cant be disclosed yet, the senator said, but promised on Twitter that the bill would include significant and bold new steps, above and beyond what the House passed, to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm.

Senators will meet with Trump administration officials to hammer out details for the new bill before entering into discussions with Democrats, who control the House, McConnell told reporters at the press conference.

President Donald Trump speaks as administration officials listen in the press briefing room at the White House in Washington on March 17, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Senate will not leave until weve processed yet another bill to address this emergency, McConnell said.

Congress passed an $8.3 billion package earlier this month that included money to bolster federal health agencies efforts to ramp up testing and develop a vaccine for the new virus. President Donald Trump signed the bill on March 6.

Trump said earlier Tuesday that Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, was working with Congress on a package to provide relief from the economic fallout of COVID-19.

The plan is said to be worth at least $850 billion, though administration officials declined to commit to a number.

Its going to be big, its going to be bold, and the level of enthusiasm to get something doneI dont think Ive ever seen anything quite like it, Trump said.
New Delhi, March 17 : A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved the order on an application moved by one of the convicts facing the gallows in Nirbhaya rape and murder case, Mukesh Singh, seeking quashing of death penalty on the ground that he was not in the national capital when the crime was committed.

Mukesh, through his counsel M.L. Sharma, filed an application claiming that he was arrested from Rajasthan and brought to Delhi on December 17, 2012, a day after the incident.

Sharma contended that the prosecution deliberately concealed the documentary evidence regarding picking Mukesh from Karoli in Rajasthan "just to falsely implicate him".

Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmad told the court that the application is frivolous and is a mere tactic to delay hanging.

He, along with three other convicts -- Vinay, Akshay, and Pawan, is scheduled to be executed on March 20 at 5:30 a.m. for raping and murdering a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, dubbed later as Nirbhaya, on December 16, 2012.

In the application, he also claimed of being tortured in the Tihar Jail where he is currently lodged.
Both sets of numbers shape local decisions about housing, public health and transportation, and help determine which communities receive crucial federal assistance. Advocates for the homeless say this is becoming increasingly consequential amid a nationwide housing crisis and as the coronavirus outbreak has closed schools and disrupted lives across the globe.

They said the diverging trends, however, risked sowing confusion about the extent of the problem and how it is tracked, undermining a meaningful response. They outlined a number of factors to explain the differences between the data sets, including misaligned definitions of homelessness, unique methodologies and the particular difficulty of finding homeless families.

Some officials said that each set of numbers serves a unique purpose and that the two should not be conflated. But in many cases, advocates said, officials and the news media pick one set of data to publicize local trends or to evaluate programs to address homelessness, which can present a misleading picture of the problem.

Is what were doing to address homelessness working or not working? said Barbara Duffield, the executive director of SchoolHouse Connection, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on youth homelessness. Were assessing public policy based on metrics that are telling very, very, very different stories.

Homelessness has been associated with people sleeping on sidewalks or park benches, but youth homelessness is typically less visible, Ms. Duffield said. Young people could be living with their families in cars or shelters, or moving from one friends couch to another.
A day ahead of lifting moratorium on Yes Bank, the lender's administrator Prashant Kumar addressed the media on Tuesday. Prashant Kumar said that the bank will be fully functional from Wednesday 6pm. He also assured Yes Bank depositors that there was no need to withdraw money in panic.

Addressing the media, Kumar said, "Complete normalcy will be restored at Yes Bank from 6 pm tomorrow, March 18. There is absolutely no issue on liquidity side from Yes Bank, all our ATMs are full of cash."

He said that entire inflow of NEFT, RTGS and IMPS services have been made available in the bank, adding that Yes Bank's team has started communicating with customers.

Earlier on Monday, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor had assured that Yes Bank depositors' money is safe. The RBI Governor had said the central bank would provide liquidity to support Yes Bank, if required.

On Monday, Prashant Kumar, in a letter to Yes Bank's customers, said that the lender has now emerged stronger and that it looks forward to achieving new milestones. Kumar said that the bank will be fully functional from Wednesday 6pm. "We invite you to any of our 1,132 branches across India from March 19, 2020, post commencement of banking hours to experience the full suite of our services," Kumar wrote.

Meanwhile, shares of Yes Bank extended gaining streak for the second consecutive session in otherwise weak market on Tuesday, rising as much as 73 per cent in intraday trade on the BSE. The stock jumped to Rs 64.15 apiece on the BSE compared to Monday's closing price of Rs 37.10 after opening higher with a gain of 10 per cent at Rs 40.80. The rally in Yes Bank stock was attributed to rating upgrade by Moody's Investors Services and assurance from the RBI Governor.

By Chitranjan Kumar
Workers in protective suits wait for people to be tested for Coronavirus (COVID-19) as they arrive by car at the state's first drive-through COVID-19 Mobile Testing Center at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, N.Y., March 13, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

New York Officials Predict Coronavirus Peak in 45 Days as Cases Surge

New York public health officials believe the peak of coronavirus cases in the state will happen in 45 days, with as many as 110,000 patients needing hospital beds and 37,200 requiring beds in intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals.

Officials made the announcement at a press conference on March 17 while reporting a surge in cases in the state to 1,374, with 432 new cases in the past 24 hours.

New York has the most cases in the country. The virus, which originated in China last year, has infected more than 5,700 people in the United States. It has killed dozens, including 12 in New York.

Officials are predicting a peak of cases 45 days from now, citing data from two modeling groups they asked to look at the curve, said Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State Department of Health commissioner. Officials also looked at what happened in other countries.

Right now, the curve and the apex is at a point that is unsustainable for our health care system, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, prompting efforts to reduce the spread of the virus and to boost hospital capacity.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to the media and tours a newly opened drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing center in New Rochelle, N.Y., on March 13, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

You dont have enough hospital beds to meet the needs statewide, Cuomo said.

The state currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds. If the hospitalization rate is between 15 to 19 percent in the state of 19.5 million people, then more beds are required.

Officials estimate the state will need up to 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and up to 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds.

The real problem is the ICU beds, because thats what people are going to need. Because theyre going to come in acutely ill, and theyre going to need to be intubated. And you cant do that without an ICU bed, and you cant do that without a ventilator.

One way to boost the number of beds is loosening rules that limit numbers under normal operating conditions.

A worker wears a face mask as he stands at the entrance to the Brooklyn Hospital Center emergency room in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on March 16, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Former state official Michael Dowling, under Cuomos direction, was scheduled to meet with hospital administrators later in the day to address the predicted surge in patients.

Whats the maximum number of people you can fit into your hospital? Dowling will ask, Cuomo said, before inquiring about what equipment and workers hospitals would need to boost capacity.

Extra workers could be drawn from medical students and retired workers, such as former doctors, who were asked to complete a survey on the state Department of Health website if interested in helping.

The other effort is setting up temporary hospital facilities, Cuomo said, with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters on March 16 that he wants to add about 8,200 hospital beds by converting buildings, including unused buildings owned by the city, into medical facilities.

We are going to need massive medical capacity on a scale we have never seen in New York City before, de Blasio said.

We are going to be constantly building out medical facilities and creating them where they have never existed before and retrofitting facilities that have nothing to do with health care.

We will turn them into hospitals as long as we can get the equipment and personnel. We will keep building our capacity to meet the demand, de Blasio said.
[March 17, 2020] Tech Nation: US Technology Continues to Lead the World but the UK Sees a 44% Increase in Total VC Investment

LONDON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Key findings: 81.9bn was invested into US tech companies in 2019 - leading the world for another year

Investment into US tech companies dropped by 20% from 2018

10 global cities alone raised 44% of the total emerging tech funding from 2015 to 2019 - 70% of those cities were in the US

The US attracted 56% of global AI investment in the last 5 years, with China in second place

in second place 2.54bn was invested into UK tech companies by US investors in 2019, accounting for 24% of all investment made into UK tech Tech Nation, the growth platform for technology leaders, reveals findings today on the UK and US tech sectors in its annual, Tech Nation 2020 Report. The US continues to lead the world in tech investment for another year. In 2019, 81.9bn was raised by US tech companies, followed by China at 32.2, and 10.1bn by UK tech companies. Investment into UK tech companies rose by 44% from 2018, however, investment dropped by 20% in the US from 2018, and in China investment dropped by 65%. The US leads the world in Fintech investment at $17.2bn in the US compared to $5.2bn in the UK - Fintech remains the UK's largest tech investment sector with a 100% rise from 2018. 44% of Europe's Fintech unicorns and companies valued between $250m and $800m are based in the UK. Emerging Technology The US accounts for the lion's share of global emerging tech investment, with over 75bn raised since 2015. 10 global cities alone raised 44% of the total emerging tech funding from 2015 to 2019 - 70% of those cities were in the US: San Francisco, New York, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Pittsburgh, San Jose. Beijing leads in Asia, coming in second in the world for emerging tech funding at 10bn (since 2015), and London leads Europe coming in fifth globally at 4bn (since 2015). London received almost a quarter of the total emerging tech investment made in Europe, with most of this investment being channeled into AI development. The US attracted 56% of all global investment into Artificial Intelligence in the last five years at 32bn, followed by China at 12bn and the UK at 3.2bn. In erms of deal count the US led, followed by the UK and China.



UK & US tech collaboration 4.9bn was invested into UK tech companies by US investors in 2019, accounting for 45% of all investment made into UK tech. 24% of investment was made by US investors, and 21% from Asian investors.

The US had 427 Venture Capital deals completed in 2019 from UK based investors. Index Ventures completed the most with 43 deals which included HealthTech company TruePill located in California which has raised over 27mn and is now an approved NHS online pharmacy in the UK. Tech Nation's Future Fifty 8.0 programme Tech Nation reveals today the 28 companies joining it's Future Fifty 8.0 programme. The Future Fifty is Europe's longest serving and most successful programme for late-stage tech business with 9 IPOs and 30 mergers and acquisitions. Successful applicants include Atom Bank, Babylon, Eigen Technologies, Elvie and BenevolentAI. Many of the companies that have joined the Future Fifty programme have operations in the US, 70%. However, scaling internationally remains one of the key challenges, including maintaining company culture. The US is the number one destination for Future Fifty companies growing internationally. Gerard Grech, Chief Executive, Tech Nation, commented: "The US continues to lead the world when it comes to VC investment into US tech companies. I am pleased to see the UK performing well, raising considerable amounts of tech investment in 2019, up 44% on 2018, and the sector continuing to transform the UK economy - with 2.9m people now employed in technology in the UK." "Furthermore, I'm pleased to announce the 28 new companies joining our Future Fifty 8.0 programme, the longest serving and most successful late-stage programme for tech companies. We hope to see these companies become household names in the US market, shining a light for some of the UK's key technology strengths, including Fintech and Healthtech." Mal Cowley, Co-founder & CEO, Partnerize, commented: "The tech community is very strong across Britain, and in the North East there are so many great companies changing the face of business and commerce. Our company headquartered in Newcastle has been able to build a global footprint by delivering an outstanding product that supports more than 300 brands around the world. From a strong commercial climate to a large pool of well-trained tech employees, our region is a great place to build an innovative global technology business." Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace, commented: "It is fantastic that the UK stands as one of the top 3 countries investing in AI globally. The lifeblood of brilliant technology companies is access to capital and great talent, and Britain has both of these ingredients. Darktrace is a fantastic example of Great British AI proving itself fundamental in solving one of the society's greatest challenges. Thousands of organizations around the world are using this technology to fight back on their behalf to protect their critical data and systems from crippling cyber-attacks." Dr Lewis Z. Liu, Co-founder & CEO, Eigen Technologies, commented: "There is real momentum right now in the European tech sector. From a global perspective I believe European tech as a whole has come of age in the last couple of quarters. We've seen the likes of Lakestar, Atomico, Balderton, and Northzone raise big funds, showing greater ambition than ever before. European tech, with London leading the way, is now starting to compete with the likes of Silicon Valley and Shenzhen." Baroness Joanna Shields, CEO, BenevolentAI commented: "Future Fifty was created to support high growth tech companies as they strive to scale up and become market leaders. BenevolentAI could not be more excited or proud to be part of the cohort in 2020. We are a great British business and we have an important and purposeful mission to push the boundaries of technology to understand the underlying cause of diseases and to use AI and machine learning to develop more effective medicines for patients. We are delighted to have Future Fifty by our side for the journey ahead." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134352/Total_funding_since_2015.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134353/Investment_2019_vs_country.jpg View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tech-nation-us-technology-continues-to-lead-the-world-but-the-uk-sees-a-44-increase-in-total-vc-investment-301024834.html SOURCE Tech Nation

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that the focus going forward in response to the coronavirus outbreak is how it will affect the states hospital system.

Cuomo said that right now 19% of New Yorks coronavirus cases have required hospitalization, and that the state expects the peak percentage to be between 15% and 19%.

He said the states hospital system is not ready for the virus peak, which is expected around 45 days and expected to require between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds. Currently, the hospital bed capacity is about 53,000.

We cannot accommodate the numbers -- that demand -- on the hospital system, Cuomo said.

To make up for the need, Cuomo has proposed emergency hospital construction in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, and taking steps to limit further community spread.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday in a pair of morning interviews that he is considering a shelter-in-place order for the city, like what City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has called for similar to what was put in place in San Francisco where people can only leave home for essentials.

All of that is on the table right now. Its being assessed daily and hourly, de Blasio said. And if I get to the point where I feel we have to take that step, we will. Well make those decisions rapidly over the coming days."

However, Cuomo said Tuesday that, while he is also considering further restrictions on movement, that all decisions will be made statewide, ideally in coordination with New Jersey and Connecticut, in an effort to limit people shifting to areas the rules arent in place.

He asked for the general public to focus any anger they might have over the decision at him saying he takes full responsibility for the decisions being made, and that hes doing what he feels is needed.

I dont feel good about that. I feel very bad about that, he said. My judgement is -- do whatever is necessary to contain this virus -- and then we will manage the consequences afterwards.

As of Tuesday, 1,374 New Yorkers have tested positive for the virus with 644 in New York City. In total, about 10,000 tests have been conducted statewide with 4,000 occurring in the five boroughs. Late Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said there were 19 cases on Staten Island.

Cuomo also appeared to put a social media back and forth with President Trump behind him at his Tuesday morning press conference.

I put my hand out in partnership. I want to work together -- 100%, Cuomo said. The president if offering to do the right thing and stepping up for New York.

On Monday, Cuomo had called on the federal government to do more, which drew the ire of the president on twitter.

Just had a very good tele-conference with Nations Governors, Trump said. Went very well. Cuomo of New York has to do more.

Cuomo responded in kind asking for the president to give him control of the Corps of Engineers to assist in his hospital construction efforts.

In addition to the emergency construction, Cuomo has also put policies in places to recruit retired medical professionals and nursing and doctoral students to ensure staffing levels arent overwhelmed.

An online survey has been put in place for retired healthcare professionals at https://health.ny.gov/assistance.

In the event that the novel coronavirus crisis worsens, we need the help of qualified retired health professionals and related professionals to supplement our hospital capacity on a temporary basis to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients including those that may need to be intubated, the survey reads.

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While the mainstream media have been running around yelling that the sky is falling and the left is criticizing Trump for not acting fast enough in curtailing the spread of the coronavirus, here's how it will end up helping Trump during his re-election campaign. It will validate the need to continue with his two biggest campaign issues from 2016: building a wall on the Mexican border and getting the United States off its dependency with China by re-balancing trade.

He's already succeeded more than anyone would have thought possible with both of these issues.

When the presidential campaign begins in earnest this coming fall, the coronavirus "crisis" will be long over with, so Trump will be able to raise it as an example of why the United States needs secure borders and to reduce our dependency on China, especially when it comes to prescription drugs that have been outsourced to China. The best example is the production of antibiotics. From "China's Lock on Drugs," published back in May of 2018:

China has exclusive manufacturing agreements for drugs for anesthesia, cancer and HIV/AIDS, along with other medicines that "we use every day, not only in hospitals but in our own medicine chests," Gibson says, adding that China is now the world's only source of antibiotics, including the main ingredient in vancomycin, a treatment of last resort that is used by patients who are suffering from infections that are resistant to other treatment.

The article goes on to say:

Multinational drug companies, many of them headquartered in the United States, began buying ingredients for critical drugs in China after the U.S.-China Fair Trade Agreement passed nearly two decades ago. State-owned Chinese companies, buoyed by heavy government subsidies, set their prices so low that they were able to undercut established manufacturers in the U.S. and elsewhere, prompting them to shut down their plants and move their operations to China, the authors say.

Just like the automotive industry moving so much of its manufacturing to Mexico, the manufacturers of prescription drugs have moved their production to China in the form of outsourcing. In the process, also just like the auto industry, the pharmaceutical industry has lost a large number of jobs, making China its key supplier.

With regard to Trump's issues on illegal immigration, the coronavirus crisis will demonstrate just how important it is to secure the country's borders. Trump has already succeeded in building a large part of the border wall with Mexico that he promised in 2016, despite the "resistance" of the Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media. So during the 2020 campaign, how will Joe Biden, assuming he's the Democrats' presidential nominee, be able to criticize Trump for his hard line on the border? And how will Biden square an open borders policy with the circle of American health care security? The easy answer is that he won't, and he will look like a fool if he tries.

The exact same argument can be made when it comes to the United States' relationship with China. Joe Biden simply will not be able to make a cogent argument as to why Trump has been wrong when it came to the making major changes in dealing with China and putting the interests of the United States first. Trump will be able to point to his efforts at changing the country's trade policy not just for the economic security of the United States, but for the safety and security of the health of every American.

A little known fact about the H1N1 "swine flu" epidemic that took place in 2009, Obama's first year as president, is that it originated in Mexico. It was a mystery for a long time as to where it started, and one has to wonder why it took so long to find out. It wasn't until seven years later, in 2016, that researchers were able to make a firm determination. From "2009 swine flu pandemic originated in Mexico, researchers discover":

The 2009 swine H1N1 flu pandemic  responsible for more than 17,000 deaths worldwide  originated in pigs from a very small region in central Mexico, a research team headed by investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is reporting. The scientists say their findings, published in the journal eLife, represent the first time that the origin of an influenza pandemic virus has been determined in such detail.

During the 2016 campaign, besides keeping out criminal elements and stopping the flow of drugs into the country, the argument was made by thenpresidential candidate Trump that illegals crossing into the United States were bringing diseases with them, such as tuberculosis, adding to his reason for building a border wall with Mexico. During this coming fall campaign, the argument for continuing to secure the southern border with Mexico will be that much more powerful and neutralize any counter-arguments that it's a racist and uncompassionate policy.

From the Southern Medical Association in 2015:

There's a growing health concern over illegal immigrants bringing infectious diseases into the United States. Approximately 500,000 legal immigrants and 80,000 refugees come to the United States each year, and an additional 700,000 illegal immigrants enter annually, and three-quarters of these illegal immigrants come from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

And from Walter Williams in 2018:

There is no way for us to know the incidence of tuberculosis and other diseases carried by those who are in our country illegally and hence not subject to medical examination.

This public health issue is ignored by all those Americans championing sanctuary cities. The issue is also ignored by Americans clamoring for open borders, and that includes many of my libertarian friends. By the way, in the late 19th century and early 20th century, when masses of European immigrants were trying to enter our country, those with dangerous diseases were turned back from Ellis Island. Americans hadn't "progressed" to the point of thinking anyone in the world has a legal right to live in America. Neither did they think it was cruel or racist to take measures to prevent our fellow Americans from catching diseases from foreigners.

In the final analysis, the coronavirus crisis will turn out to be a gigantic boost to Trump's campaign in ways that could never have been foreseen and utilized if it had never happened. This is not to say the crisis is a good thing; rather, it will be devastating for Joe Biden when he goes to campaign against Trump on the all-important and inter-related issues of border security, health, and jobs. Biden simply will not be able to present a message that will be coherent or credible to counteract Trump's ongoing and successful theme of always putting America first.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.
The son of an 88-year-old man who died after testing positive for coronavirus has revealed how he was not allowed to touch his father as he died in isolation.

Darrell Blakeley died in hospital in Manchester last Friday, with his son Jonathan only able to spend a few minutes with him after putting on protective equipment.

Jonathan, 54, has also described how he learned that his father's body was to be placed into an airtight container and immediately taken away upon his death.

He told ITV News: '(Coronavirus) is the cruellest disease that I could ever imagine. Not for the physical effects that are bad enough but for the mental anguish that goes with it.

Darrell Blakeley died in hospital in Manchester last Friday, with his son Jonathan (pictured together) only able to spend a few minutes with him after putting on protective equipment

'He became infected by going to a birthday party. With someone who unfortunately hadn't self-isolated coming back from northern Italy, a specified region

'I think I just mentioned it quietly to the nurse, that I think he might have had contact with someone whose had coronavirus that has been part of a part.

Lifelong church-goer Darrell Blakeley, 88, died in hospital in Manchester last Friday

'She immediately gowned up, put a mask on my father, put him in isolation and I didn't see him for another eight days.'

Speaking about visiting his father in hospital, Jonathan said: 'I had to wear hospital scrubs and a full-length gown, plastic apron, a tight-fitting face mask with a rubber seal, two pairs of gloves and then a plastic shield. And this was to see my own father.;

He added that he could not touch his father despite wearing a face mask, saying: 'it's just so difficult, because at the same time I had to remember not to touch my face, not to touch any part of my body, I held his hand and stroked his hair.'

Jonathan continued: 'I could only be with him for 15 minutes because after that time my mask was just full of tears and completely steamed up, it was so upsetting.'

'The final time I saw him was Friday probably four hours before his death and I was so shocked because he just couldn't breathe properly. His lungs were filling with fluid and rattling.

'I said what a lovely March day it is, with a lovely blue sky and he said ' I hope to be out in three days' to see that and I said yeah, we'll just have to see about that.'

Jonathan Blakeley (pictured), 54, has told ITV News how he learned that his father's body was to be placed into an airtight container and immediately taken away upon his death

Mr Blakeley was admitted to North Manchester General Hospital (file picture) on March 3 after being diagnosed with sepsis. He died aged 88 last Friday

'Each time I went in with the protective gear, it took longer to take it off then I had with my father. Because you had to take each piece off without contaminating yourself.

'Thoroughly washing your hands. I sang Happy Birthday twice and I had to reglove and reglove.

'He called my name twice before I left the room but I couldn't go back in because I'd degowned, and I'll never know what he said. I'll never know what he wanted me for.'

Boris Johnson has unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures to try to control the spread of coronavirus, as the death toll of people with the infection in Britain hit 55.

In a press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister called on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres and to avoid all non-essential contacts and travel.

It came after scientists warned 250,000 people will die in Britain as a result of the outbreak unless more draconian measures are adopted to protect the population.

Coronavirus: Who should stay at home and for how long? - Who will the new guidance affect? Most people in society have been asked to change their day-to-day lives in some way. It will particularly affect people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions. - What will it mean for the general population? Boris Johnson said: 'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.' The Prime Minister urged people to stay away from pubs, clubs, theatres and 'other such social venues'. Where possible, people should work from home. He added that mass gatherings would no longer be supported by emergency workers. - What is 'whole household isolation'? If one person in a house has symptoms, including a continuous cough or fever, the whole family should stay at home for 14 days. They should avoid even going to the shops to get essentials, the Prime Minister said. People should only go out for exercise and ensure they do not come into contact with people while doing so. - What about people who live alone? The period of self-isolation for people who live on their own remains at seven days. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said: 'If you are ill with symptoms of the new, persistent cough or fever you isolate for seven days. If you lived on your own, that's what you would do. Now what we're saying is if anybody in the household gets it, the whole household stays together isolated for 14 days. The reason for that is the other people may pick it up over five days or seven days and then they've got seven days to have it and get better.' Mr Johnson added: 'It's the difference between individual isolation and household isolation.' - What does it mean for vulnerable people? In coming days, everyone classed as vulnerable will be asked to ensure they are 'largely shielded from social contact' for around 12 weeks, or possibly longer. This includes people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions. - Which illnesses will this include? Government guidance says those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus should be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. This group includes adults under 70 who would qualify for a flu jab due to an underlying health condition. They include people with chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis; chronic heart disease, such as heart failure; chronic kidney disease; chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis; chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy; diabetes; problems with the spleen, such as sickle cell disease or if the spleen has been removed; a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and Aids, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy; or being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above). - What did the Prime Minister say about healthy older people? 'Many people, including millions of fit and active people over 70, may feel that there is something excessive about these measures, but I have to say that I believe they are overwhelmingly worth it to slow the spread of the disease, reduce the peak, to save life, minimise suffering and give our NHS the chance to cope,' Mr Johnson said. - Why pregnant women? Prof Whitty said that including pregnant women in this group was a 'precautionary measure' as experts are 'early in our understanding of this virus'. - What about children? Although older people are at a higher risk of being infected, children can still catch the illness, the World Health Organisation said. It added: 'While the vast majority have experienced mild disease, some have experienced severe or critical disease and some young adults and one child, that we are aware of, has died.' - Are schools staying open? Schools remain open at the moment. The Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said other measures may be necessary - including school closures - at some point. 'Those things need to be done at the right time,' he said. - How long will this go on for? Prof Whitty said measures to tackle the spread of the disease would need to be in place for a 'prolonged period'. 'This is going to go on for some time,' he said. 'We should not be under any illusions that 'if we just do this for a couple of weeks that is sufficient'. Advertisement

Jonathan also spoke about how his father's death has changed his perspective of coronavirus, saying: 'Before the crisis started happening, we've got a couple of friends who are doctors and they said I don't know what all the fuss is about. It's just like the flu.

'The flu kills far more people each year. And it leaves me feeling really sad because the difference with the flu, is that with COVID-19 it can go far more many days without people showing any signs of infection and mortality rate is far worse for people with underlying health problems'

'I think there's a danger that if you're young and healthy you can just shake it off and it's not a problem. And that's probably true, probably most of us will experience this with no ill effects.

'But you can carry it, and you can carry it to your nan, your gran, your parents, their friends and those people in the over seventies.

'They will be the ones who will suffer and pretty soon we will no longer have the ability to give the care to people that my father got. And that breaks my heart.'

'(My Dad) couldn't understand why people would go out into the population and mingle. It's really really serious.

'And only when you see the risks that the NHS team are going through every day and how seriously they take it - this is not something to mess around with.'

And speaking about his father's death, Jonathan said: 'It's almost like the times of the plague. The hospital were fabulous, they told me with great dignity that when he passes away his body is sealed into a container that is completely air tight.

'He is then removed from the hospital room. The hospital clear the corridors and he is taken to the morgue with a team with protective equipment.

'Normally a body would be taken to the funeral home and the family would see it lying in rest. I'll never see my father again, because he is forever sealed in that airtight container. And he'll be placed in a coffin and that will be sealed.

'And that will be taken to his funeral. And that completely changes the way that we would normally do things.'

Mr Blakeley's grieving relatives said rather than sending flowers or cards, they would like people to remember him by helping 'someone who is lonely or struggling during this time, who needs shopping, childcare or a chat'.

'Build something beautiful in Darrell's memory,' they added in a heartfelt post.

Mr Blakeley is thought to have contracted the virus after attending a restaurant at the same time as a group who had been on a ski trip to Northern Italy, the first part of Europe to see a major outbreak.

The lifelong church-goer died in hospital in Manchester last Friday after being kept in isolation, with even his son only able to spend a few minutes with him - and only after putting on protective equipment.

In a message on behalf of the family shared by St Michael's Church in Middleton, Greater Manchester, where he sang in the choir, they called for a 'wall of kindness' to be built in his memory.

'We invite you to forget flowers and cards,' they wrote.

Instead they asked well-wishers to carry out 'acts of kindness' in his memory which could then be posted and shared on social media.

Mr Blakeley was admitted to North Manchester General Hospital on March 3 after being diagnosed with sepsis.

'Because of his contact with the returnee from Italy he was placed in quarantine but tested negative for the virus,' his church said.

'On Tuesday March 10, still in isolation, he tested positive, became extremely poorly and died late last night (March 13).'

Writing on Facebook, Mr Blakeley's daughter-in-law Allie Crewe said it had been 'quite a difficult and tragic death'.

'Not being able to sit with him was very hard for us,' she added. 'He remained in quarantine in an air locked room.'

She added that hospital staff had been 'really super and tried to support us as much as possible, their kindness helped a lot'.

The church added: 'Darrell was a faithful man at St Michael's for over 50 years, he sang in the choir with a beautiful voice, described by so many as a gracious gentleman who is going to be sadly missed.

'Please hold Darrell's family in your prayers, they have had a traumatic time not being able to see Darrell and are hurting so much. Also pray for carers in our hospitals nursing those with the virus.

'At this time when we should not be physically wrapping our arms around each other let us ensure all those who self isolate are helped in any way they need - phone calls, shopping, etc, because where there is hope there is life.

'Let's not panic but keep hold of hope by caring not sharing.'
Now that we see front-line providers that are on ventilators, it is really driving it home, Dr. Anderson said.

Doctors, nurses and other staff members in a variety of hospital departments face new uncertainty. In intensive care units, for example, health care providers must have extended exposure to people who have contracted the virus. But they know in advance of the risk they face.

In emergency departments, the danger comes from the unknown.

Patients arrive with symptoms but no diagnosis, and staff members must sometimes tend to urgent needs, such as gaping wounds, before they have time to screen a patient for Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. At times, the protocols they must follow are changing every few hours.

Many of us have trained for disasters, like Ebola and hurricanes, said Dr. Adam Brown, the president of emergency medicine for Envision Healthcare, the largest provider of contract physicians to emergency rooms. This is different because of the scale and scope of the disease.
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We arrived at Pearson airport Saturday on an Air France flight from Paris, returning home from Rome. In Rome, every effort is being made to keep people at no less than a metre from each other. You line up one metre apart outside food markets. Stores and restaurants are closed.

Then we arrived here.

First, we were crowded together at customs to confirm our citizenship, then we were steered into this hall along with at least 1,000 others. For more than an hour, people were in long lines no more than one or two feet apart, winding through a maze that snaked us along so as to maximize interaction.

Is the ventilation designed to deal with this hour after hour? I doubt it. Are workers wearing proper protection? No, most I saw did not have a mask.

We could not have been put at a greater risk.

And what happens when we finally reached an agent? She was not prepared when I told her we were returning from Rome. She fumbled to find a form we had to fill out. Waited for us complete it, took it back, and said we can go. Nothing said about our health. Nothing about self-isolation. She said nothing.

Why wasnt the form given to us on the plane and submitted on arrival?

The real health threat we faced didnt happen in Rome; it happened at Toronto Pearson.
By Akbar Mammadov

Pilots of the Azerbaijani Air Forces have completed the training at the Asgar Khan Pakistan Air Force Academy (PAF) as part of the Pilot Training Program.

Addressing the graduation ceremony for the pilots, Pakistan's Air Vice-Marshal Hamid Rasheed Randhawa said that the development of cooperation including relations in the military-educational and other fields between the air forces of the two countries, contributes to strengthening the combat readiness of our armies.

Azerbaijans military attache, Colonel Mehman Novruzov, on behalf of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, expressed gratitude to the Pakistani side for the assistance provided to Azerbaijani officers as part of the Pilot Training Program.

Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Azerbaijans independence in 1991.

Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed an agreement on mutual military cooperation during the fifth meeting of the working group on military cooperation between the two countries in 2014.

Over the past decade, Pakistani military experts trained about hundred Azerbaijani military units.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Naval base at Kochi under



the Southern Naval Command is gearing up to provide quarantine facilities for Indian nationals being evacuated from coronavirus-hit countries in accordance with the Centre's directives, a defence spokesman said here on Tuesday.

He said suitable quarantine arrangements to accommodate 200Indian nationals from various countries is being prepared on a war-footing.

All necessary facilities for the quarantined personnel are being set up at the site, inside the naval base, the spokesman said in a communication.

The SNC is also actively coordinating with the Kerala state health officials and Ernakulam district administration to explore the feasibility of provisioning civil hotels/resorts for quarantining, he said.

Notwithstanding the same, all out efforts are in progress at the naval base to be ready for meeting the contingency when directed by the union government, the spokesman added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the day Nigeria recorded its third case of the rampaging coronavirus, doctors in Abuja, the nations capital, downed tools in protest over unpaid salaries.

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Abuja chapter, announced that they have commenced an indefinite strike on Tuesday morning, about an hour after another case of Covid-19 was confirmed in a woman that arrived Lagos via a British flight from London.

The doctors are protesting among others, the failure of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to make complete payment of their over two months basic salaries.

The union attributed the salary irregularities and shortfalls to the migration to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform by the FCTA.

President Muhammadu Buhari last October issued a directive for the implementation of the IPPIS for the payment of salaries of all federal government workers.

The president said any worker not on the platform will not receive a salary after October 31, a move strongly opposed by university lecturers.

Mustapha Ibrahim, the secretary of the resident doctors, explained how the shortfalls in the payment of salaries is affecting his life.

He said he last received his full pay in December.

It is as terrible as not having transport to come to work and provide services in the places the person is meant to be, he said shortly after Tuesdays press briefing that announced the strike.

I am leaving in a rented apartment and I have not paid my rent for this year. It has really been a challenge; the landlords have been on my neck at some point, I have to park my car because I dont have money to service it when it developed faults.

Mentally, if a health worker is not stable how do you expect him to take care of someone who is also ill.

Why we downed tools

Our members were thrown into serious financial distress following the non-payment of our salaries as at when due and we waited patiently after the end of year 2019 and the new year 2020 celebrations, till the third week of February, only for us to receive a paltry sum of money as January salary, Roland Aigbovo, the ARD president explained in a statement earlier.

The money received ranges from one-fifth to one-tenth of our salary with the exclusion of the newly employed members who have not been paid for 5-7 months.

Mr Aigbovo said after considering the emergency situation of the coronavirus, the doctors had issued a 14-day ultimatum and a seven-day extension which elapsed on Friday, March 13.

It will interest you to know that as of that Friday, March 13th, the FCTA began payment of February salaries with no third-party deductions like pensions, tax, NHF, associations dues, cooperative contributions and others like loan repayment.

READ ALSO:

Our new employed members were paid only one month out of 5-7 months and the house officers were paid two months without the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage and the arrears.

The official also listed several other demands of the association as follows:

1) Payment of skipping arrears.

2) Payment of 1st 28 days already approved by the FCT minister.

3) Improvement of security situation in hospitals.

4) Provision and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure in our various hospitals.

5) Payment of 2016, 2017, 2018 promotion arrears.

He said the doctors resolved that until their demands are met, the mass action will continue indefinitely.

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He noted that other health workers who are also affected by the salary shortfalls will join the mass action within 48 hours if their demands which are the same with ours are not met.

Coronavirus and Health workers

The spike in cases of coronavirus across the world has increased the demand for services of health workers, especially in countries severely affected.

Specialist doctors and medical equipment from China, the epicenter of the coronavirus, were recently sent to Italy to help tackle the sharp spike in people with the disease, which has overwhelmed medical facilities in Europes worst-hit nation.

Medical schools and departments at universities across Britain are also facing pressure to release staff and students to assist health workers across the nation in coping with the developing crisis. At least, 55 people have died with hundreds of people affected in the UK.

Fortunately, the spread has been relatively slow in Africa despite its weak health systems.

Nearly 400 cases have so far been recorded across the continent, in 27 countries. Four countries  Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, and Morocco  account for more than half of the cases in Africa.

In Nigerias capital where the doctors downed tools, no case of the dreaded disease has been recorded.

However, there have been suspected cases which turned out negative as it was in other parts of the country apart from Lagos and Ogun states where three cases have so far been confirmed.

The Abuja resident doctors said they deliberated extensively on the health threat posed by the coronavirus scare, their work conditions, and patient care before arriving at the difficult decision.

Asides Abuja, resident doctors in Gombe and Enugu had also downed tools similarly over payment issues within the month.
Who is the Ethiopian diplomat at the heart of the worlds battle to stop the spread of the new coronavirus?

As the new coronavirus continues to spread across the world, one public figure has become familiar to most people: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The Ethiopian in charge of the World Health Organization (WHO) has been leading the fight against the coronavirus, which he labelled last week a pandemic. For months now, he has been providing nearly daily updates on the latest information about the virus, issuing guidance and shaping the response of governments worldwide.

More:

Born in Asmara, Eritrea in 1965, the quietly spoken father-of-five is the first African to become director-general of the United Nationss health agency.

Tedros was elected to the post in May 2017 on a five-year-term promising to transform the agency, tackle emergencies and prioritise universal coverage.

He did not have to wait long to face his first test.

When he took over as WHO chief, the world was still reeling from a devastating Ebola outbreak which claimed more than 11,300 lives in West Africa. But another outbreak of the viral disease soon took hold; this time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

More than 2,200 people have died since the DRC declared an Ebola outbreak in August 2018, the tenth in its modern history. The last Ebola patient in the DRC was discharged from a medical facility earlier this month, bringing the nearly two-year outbreak closer to an end.

By that time, however, another outbreak had monopolised global attention: the SARS-CoV-2 virus that was first detected late last year in Wuhan, the capital of Chinas Hubei province. As of March 17, the virus has spread to some 150 countries, infecting more than 170,00 people and causing 7,019 deaths.

We have a simple message to all countries  test, test, test, Tedros told reporters in Geneva on Monday, describing the pandemic as the defining global health crisis of our time.





Tedros holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Community Health from the University of Nottingham in the UK and a Master of Science in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London.

Before taking charge of WHO, he had risen through the ranks of the Ethiopian government, first under Meles Zenawi and then Hailemariam Desalegn  leaders with questionable human rights records.

He held the ministry of health portfolio from 2005 to 2012, during which period he was praised for transforming Ethiopias health sector and making healthcare accessible to millions in Africas second most-populous nation.

But a leading global health expert, an adviser to a rival candidate for the WHOs top job, alleged that Tedros had covered up three cholera epidemics in the East African country, with his opponents claiming that he had discouraged media from covering the cases. Tedros denied the accusations, calling them a last-minute smear campaign ahead of the election for the new director-general.

From 2012 to 2016, Tedros held the foreign ministry portfolio.

During this time, rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and foreign officials accused the government in Addis Ababa of killing hundreds of protesters and displacing thousands more, as well as jailing and torturing political opponents and media workers.
Colbert poked fun at the awkwardness of work-from-home mandates, predicting the U.S. economy will see "a huge spike in the number of people finally cleaning their stoves." He held up the now familiar charts tracking the potential growth curve of the spread of the COVID-19 virus and urged viewers to adhere to social distancing guidelines to slow the rate of infection. But with so much time at home for stress baking, Colbert noted, holding up a pear tart, "I definitely will not be flattening my curves."
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Online guitar tutoring website TrueFire has apparently suffered a 'Magecart' style data breach incident that may have potentially led to the exposure of its customers' personal information and payment card information.is one of the popular guitar tutoring websites with over 1 million users, where wanna-be-guitarists pay online to access a massive library of over 900 courses and 40,000 video lessons.Though TrueFire hasn't yet publicly disclosed or acknowledged the breach, The Hacker News learned about the incident after a few affected customers posted online details of a notification they received from the company last week.The Hacker News also found a copy of the same ' Notice Of Data Breach ' uploaded recently to the website of Montana Department of Justice , specifically on a section where the government shares information on data breaches that also affect Montana residents.Confirming the breach, the notification reveals that an attacker gained unauthorized access to the company's web server somewhere around mid last year and stole payment information of customers that were entered into its website for over five months, between August 3, 2019, and January 14, 2020."While we do not store credit card information on our website, it appears that the unauthorized person gained access to the site and could have accessed the data of consumers who made payment card purchases while that data was being entered," the breach notification says."We cannot state with certainty that your data was specifically accessed; however, you should know that the information that was potentially subject to unauthorized access includes your name, address, payment card account number, card expiration date, and security code," the breach notification says.While the company didn't explain how the attackers managed to compromise its website or if they had injected a digital credit card skimmer on it, the scenario looks very similar to a Magecart style attack For those unaware, Magecart hackers typically compromise websites and secretly insert malicious JavaScript code into their checkout pages that silently captures payment information of customers making purchasing on the sites and then sends it to the attacker's remote server.The company discovered this security incident on January 10 and claimed to have now patched the web vulnerability that allowed attackers to compromise its website in the first place.Guitarists who made any online payment at the TrueFire website between last August and this January are advised to block the payment cards used on it and request a new one from their respective financial institution.Other customers are also advised to be vigilant and keep a close eye on their bank and payment card statements for any unusual activity.As a precaution, all users are also encouraged to change passwords for their TrueFire account and for any other online account where they use the same credentials.
The Internet and Mobile Association of India, which represents like Google, Facebook, and Whatsapp, has opposed proposal to fix a minimum price for phone calls and data services.

The industry body said that recent hike of rates by all three service providers prove that telecom service providers (TSPs) are responsive to market realities and there exists no evidence of market failure based on which any tariff regulation by way of floor price may be justified.

"The concept of having a floor price for telecom services is fraught with complications. The floor price will need to be based on the cost of the provision of service," the said in a statement.

It further said that as different TSPs have different cost structures and different cost of delivery of services, the selection of a representative cost is problematic.

"Contrary to certain suggestions, it would be impractical to choose the highest or second-highest cost in a market with barely 3 service providers of consequence," said.

At present, are free to decide on call and data rates but due to stiff competition they have sought regulatory intervention.

Mobile subscribers get access to 4G data at a price as low as Rs 3.5 per GB but if the floor price is fixed as demanded by telecom operators, the mobile internet prices will rise 5-10 times from the current level.

Debt-ridden Vodafone Idea has proposed that the minimum price of data should be fixed at Rs 35 per GB, Bharti Airtel has proposed minimum price of Rs 30 per GB for low data users and Reliance Jio wants it to be priced gradually to Rs 20 per GB.

said that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) should continue its present position of forbearance by not actively intervening in tariff fixation and let the market forces determine future pricing.

"Moreover, fixation of floor pricing will not address the key issues plaguing the telecom sector which is under huge financial burden severely affecting future investments. In order to correct this, regulators must identify and remove unfair cost advantages in the forms of spectrum fees, interconnection charges, etc," IAMAI said.
COLLINSVILLE  The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has announced guidance for cannabis dispensaries to continue business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Illinois Supply & Provisions at 1014 Eastport Plaza in Collinsville is a medical marijuana dispensary.

To help reduce contact between people, dispensaries in Illinois will be allowed to sell medical cannabis to patients and OAPP participants outside a limited access area until March 30, provided dispensaries follow certain guidelines.

The guidelines will permit the dispensary to sell medical cannabis on the dispensarys property, or on a public walkway or curb adjacent to the dispensary.

Medical cannabis patients will be able to continue to use their designated caregiver to purchase medicine for them. However, dispensaries may not deliver medical cannabis to a patient or caregivers home.

The rules do not apply to adult use cannabis sales. Those sales must still take place inside the limited access area. State officials said they knew of at least eight dispensaries that have voluntarily suspended adult use cannabis sales; others are implementing patient-only hours.

Our top priority is to minimize the risk of and protect as many people from exposure to COVID-19, said Toi Hutchinson, Senior Advisor for Cannabis Control to Gov. Pritzker. These steps prioritize that critical objective, while also ensuring medical patients have access to the medicine they need.

Dispensaries must also take steps to ensure consumers who come inside do not come within 6 ft. of one another. Such efforts include moving lines outside the dispensary, closing down some point-of-sale systems, distancing patient/caregiver lines within larger dispensaries and minimizing the time a patient/caregiver stands near agents.

Dispensaries must allow dispensary agents to wash their hand frequently throughout the day and provide an ample supply of disinfectant hand soap. Any surfaces patients are required to touch  such as ordering tablets or door handles  must be disinfected at least every 30 minutes. All other surfaces should be washed throughout the day, including disinfecting at least once per day all countertops, computer screens/keyboards, door handles, railings, and bathrooms.

Inspectors will monitor cameras inside dispensaries daily to ensure compliance with laws, rules and guidance.
In The Know by Yahoo

A non-binary resident in Pennsylvania has gone viral for a story in which they confronted a grocery store customer for being disrespectful.

Thomas Hudson, an Oklahoman native who currently lives in Pittsburgh and works as a youth engagement coordinator at LGBTQ+ nonprofit Hugh Wellness, took to Facebook on Feb. 25. to discuss the incident.

Today while grocery shopping someone was brave enough to ask me  Why are you wearing that youre confusing folks. Do you want to be a boy or a girl? Hudson recalled.

Taken aback, Hudson, who does not identify exclusively as masculine or feminine, said they responded in kind.

I laughed and simply replied Neither, I want to be comfortable and left the fuck alone. The source of your confusion is not my concern, nor my responsibility. I wore this today because I wanted to. If youd like to make a monthly donation to my wardrobe Id be happy to consider your opinion on my attire,' they said.

Unsurprisingly, the customer didnt agree to Hudsons request, so Hudson said he would continue to be queer AF, and unbothered.

The Pennsylvanian residents post has since gone viral  it has received over 56,000 reactions and nearly 300 comments.

Beards and skirts are my vibe, one person wrote. Keep slaying gorgeous!

Gorgeous, beaming with beauty and overflowing with what we need more of in this world, another commented. Rad, rad you.

The overwhelming response led Hudson to edit their post and ask the public to show Hugh Wellness support on Facebook by liking the nonprofits Facebook page.

Its amazing to have a workplace that encourages me to show up as my most authentic self, they wrote.

According to the Pennsylvania chapter of the ACLU, neither Pennsylvania law nor federal statutes prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Over 40 of the states local governments, however, have ordinances that do forbid such discrimination.

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The post Non-binary person slams grocery store customer for being rude appeared first on In The Know.
S usanna Reid has revealed she is self-isolating at home after a member of her household developed symptoms of coronavirus.

The Good Morning Britain host, who features on the show alongside Piers Morgan, will not be returning to the studio as she adopts the precautionary measure.

Reid, 49, said she is currently well but would be self-isolating for two weeks.

She wrote on Twitter: I am currently well but due to the new advice today I will be self-isolating for two weeks due to symptoms in my household.

Stay well everyone.

It comes after George Alagiah said he has made the "difficult decision" to withdraw from the BBC's newsroom amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The newsreader, 64, was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in April 2014 and continues to receive treatment.

Coronavirus: Advice for people self-isolating

Alagiah's agent Mary Greenham, from Newspresenters, said he will not be working from the newsroom after consulting with his doctors and editor.

He is self-isolating, Ms Greenham confirmed.

Alagiah said: "It's been a difficult decision. At a time like this I so wanted to play my part in the BBC Newsroom, working with my colleagues to report on this unprecedented crisis - especially as so many are turning to the BBC to make sense of what can seem a frightening and confusing situation.

"After talking to my doctors and my editor we all decided that, on a balance of risks, it was probably best that I withdraw from the newsroom."

The Government has advised people classed as "vulnerable" to ensure they are "largely shielded from social contact" for around 12 weeks, or possibly longer.

This includes people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions or undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy.
Air Force personnel who operate and secure the nation's strategic nuclear missile force are altering their work schedules to minimize risks posed by the coronavirus outbreak, officials said Tuesday.

Navy Adm. Charles "Chas" Richard, who commands all nuclear forces as head of U.S. Strategic Command, declined to provide specifics but told reporters at the Pentagon he is "taking prudent steps to make sure that our personnel will be available," during the COVID-19 crisis.

The 400 nuclear-armed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles that are deployed in missile fields in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska and North Dakota are considered the backbone of the nation's defense, along with nuclear-capable long-range bombers and nuclear-armed submarines.

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.
The basic problem this country is facing is the lack of the rule of law and this is, obviously, as a result of not applying the law equally to all citizens.





by Mass L. Usuf





Two recent incidents, both around the first week of March 2020, provide a comparative insight into how the concepts of the rule of law functions in contrast to extremist vigilantism that is prevailing in this country.





In the first incident, as reported in the national dailies, six persons had gone to a hotel in Periyamulla, Negombo and had attempted to consume alcohol inside the hotel premises. However, the hotel owner and his staff had objected to them consuming alcohol within the hotel premises. The six persons had attacked the hotel owner and his staff with sharp objects and had fled. The hotel owner and four of his employees had sustained serious injuries and had been admitted to the Negombo Hospital. A 36-year-old staff member died of his injuries.













Some facts incidental to this event and of relevance to the subject column are firstly, the hotel is a Muslim hotel. Muslims as a community do not generally consume alcoholic drinks and, secondly, this day happened to be a Poya day. A day on which all Buddhists reverentially observe sila (moral conduct). Thirdly, the person who died was a Muslim.





The hill capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy, was the scene of the second incident. This was in Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya. The story involves a six-year-old girl student. While playing she had fallen and fractured her arm. The helpless little girl had been crying in excruciating pain and had been assisted by her playmates to the classroom. This student had been told by a teacher to apply some medicine when she goes home. That was it. The teacher reportedly had left leaving this child to deal with her predicament. It really saddens to hear that this child had continued to be in class crying in pain until school was over.





When the mother came to fetch her from school, she saw her distraught daughter exhausted and howling in pain. In order to inquire what had happened she wanted to enter the school and was denied access by the female security guard. Later allegations of grabbing by the shirt, pushing and even assaulting was being thrown at each other by the concerned parties. All of which are matters for a court room adjudication.





Systemic failure





The basic problem this country is facing is the lack of the rule of law and this is, obviously, as a result of not applying the law equally to all citizens. With no disrespect to any one, it is very embarrassing and saddening to see the police officers in uniform being threatened and abused by monks in public. The sheepishness of the police officers in the face of such intimidation and obstruction of their police duties is a definite poor show. The reason being that they first pay obeisance to the monk who is violating the law. Then they start to negotiate a way out. However, if it was a normal citizen Perera they would deal with him differently.





This behaviour of the policemen has given the moral upper hand to the extremist elements. The first thing they do is to make sure that they have a monk who is participating in whatever activities they are engaged in. Alternatively, summon the presence of monks after an incident has taken place. This is an assurance for them that they will not be harmed by the police.





Gnanasara Descends





Those studying human behavioural patterns may find it interesting to analyse the following ethnic classification of events. For example, (1) a road accident involving two people both not Muslims is a normal occurrence not worthy of any extra attention. (2) If one of the parties is a Muslim, then it deserves all the extra attention one can muster irrespective of whether the Muslim was right or wrong. (3) If one of the parties is a Muslim and the Muslim is the victim, then there is no need of any extra attention.





In the Negombo incident one man was killed and several others seriously injured on a Poya day and, that too, for objecting to the assailants demanding to consume liquor on that sacred day. It was not a matter of much interest for Gnanasara Thero and his ilk to interfere. The reason being it fell into the third category of the above classification. All were Muslims and probably disposables. In contrast, the quarrel in the School in Kandy attracted the attention of Gnanasara thero. The female security guard and the Principal were all not Muslims. The reason for this, as per the above classification, is because it fell into the second category. As if an enlightened one is descending from the heavens hey presto Gnanasara thero is in the scene. The self-proclaimed saviour of the Sinhala race, the saviour of the Sasana, the saviour of Buddhism. This column will not venture to write about him as volumes have already been written about Gnanasara Thero and his credentials.





Ethnic Time Bomb





For the maestros in deception; the scheming misinterpreters; the fake protectors; the instigating masterminds, the irrational fear and ignorance of the people are the fuel to inflame an otherwise normal situation. The way a given situation is turned into a communal issue is clear evidence of the time bomb on which the Muslim community is sitting on. This also speaks a lot about the mental state of the extremist elements which unfortunately, is shared by some of the so called, monks.





These people submit to take refuge in the Enlightened Buddha. They submit to take refuge in the Noble Dhamma and sadly, they submit to take refuge in the Sangha, in this case, the Sangha who are misleading them away from the Buddha and the Dhamma. And, not taking refuge in the respected and honourable Sangha. One venerable thero recently asked me a question, the logic of which I never realised. The venerable said, how can a person wearing this sivura, go about in expensive vehicles, have a following of people to back him up etc. without being funded by whoever?





The Real Saviour





The present senior DIG for Central Province Mr. Roshan Fernando took immediate steps to avert what would have become the genesis of another Digana massacre, coincidentally in March 2018, in the hill capital. In that instance, the matter can be classed under the second classification above. It was a normal squabble which was not racially motivated. However, it was turned into a communal conflict with devastating consequences. The infamous Ampitiye Sumana Thero and Gnanasara Thero visited the funeral house prior to the destruction and killing that took place.





To know that there are Officers of the calibre of Mr. Roshan Fernando is like a silver lining in a dark cloud especially, when much of hopes have been lost. All senior officers in the Police must stand tall with confidence, fortitude and protect their dignity as Policemen. The juniors will automatically follow in the footsteps of their seniors. For us, we look forward to a proud and strong Police which will treat all equally and provide security for the citizens of this nation.





Inquiry





As part of President Gotabhayas promise to strengthen the safety, peace and security of every citizen, it would augur well if the President may direct the relevant authorities to hold an inquiry into the incident. The architects of twisting a normal incident into a racially motivated one should be brought to justice. An irresponsible misadventure which could have caused immense loss to the entire country. Such a swift inquiry would serve as a lesson for those who are hell bent in disrupting normal civilian life.





The End.
Vietnam has exported its homemade test kits for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to parts of Europe, with more countries having also placed their orders, according to the manufacturers.

The Vietnam Military Medical University and Viet A Corporation, which manufacture the test kits, said they have shipped 50 kits to Ukraine and 100 others to Finland for registration in the host countries before official exports can begin.

In addition, other countries including Cambodia, Nigeria, Poland, Australia, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Ireland have offered to purchase the Vietnam-made test kits.

Authorities in Hanoi also announced they had purchased 4,000 units of the test kit for local use and to send to Italy, the European country hardest hit by COVID-19 so far.

According to the manufacturers, a Vietnam-made COVID-19 test kit includes 50 tests, with each one being used for one person and results becoming available after two hours.

The made-in-Vietnam kit is priced at VND400,000-600,000 (US$17-26) per test.

The producers said they are capable of manufacturing 200 test kits, equal to 10,000 tests, a day.

More than 40 hospitals and centers for disease control in Vietnam have booked their slots for purchasing the test kits, while the kits have already been put into use at some medical units in the central city of Da Nang and the northern province of Bac Giang, as well as labs at Bach Mai Hospital and Hanoi Medical University in Hanoi, the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien-Hue Province, and Thai Nguyen National General Hospital in the namesake northern province.

Speaking during an online meeting fighting the disease on Monday, Ho Chi Minh City health director Nguyen Tan Binh said the city had prepared 3,000 test kits ready for mass testing.

According to Binh, the southern metropolis will have 10,000 COVID-19 test kits in stock by the end of this month, and 50,000 by June.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 182,500 people and killed more than 7,100 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 61 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26.

Forty-five cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
There were two major takeaways from the presentations given during Shellfish Focus Day at the Maine Fishermen's Forum, held March 5 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. The first is that climate change has shifted the industry and that further shifts can be expected. The second is that predator control -- more than just the European green crab -- has become a critical component of shellfish sustainability. The first day of the three-day event included a close look at the soft-shell clam industry -- critical to Lubec and the Cobscook community -- and featured speakers ranging from harvesters and wholesalers to regulators and academics. The goal was to help ensure the viability of both the market and those who earn a living by serving it.

Right from the start presenters concentrated on how each can learn from another, hammering home the thought that what works in Penobscot and Waldo counties will also work in Washington and Hancock counties. The packed room included many harvesters, wholesalers and other industry insiders.

Means of tracking down and identifying sources of contamination was first up. Speakers talked of using DNA testing to determine the origin of pollution; utilizing microbial tracking to find and fix pollution; and using computerized methods to pinpoint specific locations of contamination, allowing longterm monitoring. That was followed by a presentation showing how quahog and oyster cultivation can be done in the same space and an analysis of Washington County clam flat productivity. University of Maine at Machias' Dr. Brian Beal led the audience stepbystep through a experimental study of the efficacy of "brushing" as a method to improve harvest levels, concluding that rising water temperatures have robbed the historic technique of its usefulness by upping predator access. The process, often included in conservation efforts, is based on placing hemlock and other cuttings into mud flats to provide a shelter from current flow so juvenile clams have a better opportunity to settle.

One chart showed the rate at which various shellfish species purge themselves once exposed to toxins. Mussels headed the list as the fastest, with scallops at the bottom, requiring the most time once the water was cleared.

Towards the end of the morning's presentations, a list was displayed of all those who had applied for and been granted funding for local efforts intended to help promote sustainability through Maine Shellfish Restoration and Resilience Awards, funded in part by the Maine Community Foundation. High on the list were Lubec's Amanda Lyons and the Lubec Shellfish Committee, with a project aimed at "wildstock enhancement and protection." The top of the slide included a quotation composed by Lyons as part of her grant application, reading, "Each passing year, the struggles become problems and problems become uncertainty. With all the research, data, experience and personal opinion, it is easy to lose track of the purpose: wildstock enhancement and protection. No wildstock, no harvester; no harvester, no product for the buyer."

The afternoon session tackled the issue of emerging risks, starting with a talk on algal blooms with scarysounding scientific names. Biotoxins have been detected with increasing frequency, chiefly downstate, albeit infrequently at present. This was followed by a discussion of shellfish disease; the common element between the two was rising water temperatures.

Kowl Kanwit of the Maine Department of Marine Resources started her presentation on animal sources of contamination by observing, "Poop is my life." When her proclamation got a laugh from the audience, she added, "If you get poop in your mouth, you can get sick. Dog poop is powerful stuff." She also pointed out, "Canada geese do very well with human development," showing a slide illustrating that species' dramatic growth in recent years. The question of horses and cows was discussed, with several speakers stating that human and canine waste was far more potent than that of other species, including both domestic and wild.

The effect of just a few dog feces was again described, but so was the effectiveness of public education. One slide read, "Two or three days worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all watershed areas within 20 miles to swimming and shellfishing." Several examples were discussed of flats that had been reopened after prolonged closure -- the common thread was an effort to help the public understand that uncollected canine feces jeopardized the ability of some to make a living.

The day closed with a talk on how Gouldsboro works together with the Schoodic Institute to utilize research on clam flats as part of the local school's educational process, which includes an emphasis on "data literacy." Gouldsboro Shellfish Warden Mike Pinkham described a cost-saving seedgrowing process, partially operated by students, which included an overwintering phase with a 95% survival rate. A Gouldsboro student was quoted as saying, "If I could learn science like this every day, I'd be in."

Pinkham also spoke of an issue where conflicting interests create a potential problem. "Clammers don't want to report where they harvested," he said, "because they don't want everybody else to go there." But he observed, if a batch was suspected of causing illness, the whole area might be shut down if the specific source could not be identified.

Lewis Pinkham, chair of the DMR's Shellfish Advisory Council, gave the closing comments by providing an overview of that organization's efforts, in particular working with the DMR and the legislature toward water quality, resource management and public health. One part of its nearterm plan includes working with the Downeast Institute to build the Shellfish Resilience Lab. Pinkham showed listings of members -- four of whom currently hold commercial licenses, including Lubec's Amanda Lyons.
China on Tuesday said it will revoke the press credentials of American journalists working for the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post before the end of the month, weeks after President Donald Trump put a limit on the number of Chinese citizens working in the US for five state-controlled Chinese media outlets.

The late night announcement from the Chinese foreign ministry  and the latest round of escalation of US-China media war - added that these three US outlets as well as Time magazine and the Voice of America furnish detailed information about their operations in China including details of their staff members.

The retaliation comes after Beijing expelled three journalists from the WSJ in February for an opinion piece on the coronavirus epidemic they did not write.

In response to the US slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the US, which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 notify the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four calendar days starting from today and hand back their press cards within ten calendar days, the announcement said.

They will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in the Peoples Republic of China, including its Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, it added.

Also in response to the US designation of five Chinese media agencies as foreign missions, China demands, in the spirit of reciprocity, that the China-based branches of Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Time declare in written form information about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China. The statement added: in response to the discriminatory restrictions the US has imposed on Chinese journalists with regard to visa, administrative review and reporting, China will take reciprocal measures against American journalists.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Beijing to reconsider its effective expulsions of US journalists, saying that China benefits from free media.

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Holding there can't be "101 excuses" to deny women in the military equal rights, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the decks for granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy and asked the Centre to work out the modalities in three months.

In a landmark verdict for gender equality, the court held that a level playing field ensures that women have the opportunity to overcome "histories of discrimination", as it cited the achievements of women Navy officers, including those serving on-board the INS Jyoti warship.

The 64-page verdict by Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi comes exactly a month after the same bench had opened the doors for similarly-placed Short Service Commission(SSC) women officers in the Army.

"A hundred and one excuses are no answer to the constitutional entitlement to dignity, which attaches to every individual irrespective of gender, to fair and equal conditions of work and to a level playing field," the top court said.

Elated after the verdict, former naval officers who waged the legal battle for over a decade said they would now like to see a woman command a warship and serve in submarines.

Cdr (retd) Sumati Balooni, one of the petitioners in the case, said the "landmark" judgement will help bring in change in the mindset within the Navy.

"Now that the first step has been taken, the next feat would be to see women officers commanding a ship and serving in submarines in the near future. If women can command a spaceship then they can also command a ship," said Balooni, who had joined the Navy in 1993.

The court said it is plainly discriminatory to deprive serving women officers of the opportunity to work as equals with men on PCs (permanent commissions) in the Indian Navy.

"Furthermore, to contend that women officers are ill-suited to certain avocations which involve them being aboard ships is contrary to the equal worth of the women officers who dedicate their lives to serving in the cause of the nation."



The court said the battle for gender equality is about confronting the battles of the mind and history is replete with examples where women have been denied their just entitlements under law and the right to fair and equal treatment in the workplace



It said the Centre's contention that certain sea-going duties are ill-suited to women officers is premised on sex stereotypes that male officers are more suited to certain duties by virtue of the physiological characteristics and to accept it would be to "approve the socially ascribed gender roles which a commitment to equal worth and dignity of every individual belies".

The court rejected the submissions of the Centre that certain avenues such as sea-sailing duties are ill-suited for women officers as there is no return to the base, unlike in the Army and the Air Force.

It also termed as "illusory and without any foundation", the argument that in vessels of a Russian origin which are deployed by the Indian Navy, no provision has been made for women as sailors and there are no bathrooms to accommodate them.

"Women officers have worked shoulder to shoulder with their men counterparts in every walk of service. The supposed explanations based on duties at sea or Russian vessels are devices adopted to justify an action which is not germane to the proper discharge of duties and the maintenance of discipline among members of the Armed Forces."



The bench delivered the verdict as it quashed the prospective effect of the Centre's controversial September 2008 policy, which restricted the grant of permanent commission to certain categories only.

"The stipulation in the policy letter dated September 6, 2008, making it prospective and restricting its application to specified cadres/branches of the Indian Navy shall not be enforced," the court said, while setting aside the implementation guidelines issued on December 3, 2008.

"The statutory bar on the engagement or enrolment of women in the Indian Navy has been lifted to the extent envisaged in the notifications issued by the Union Government on October 9, 1991 and November 6, 1998 under Section 9(2) of the Navy Act of 1957," it held.

The 1991 notification envisaged that the restriction on the appointment or enrolment of women was lifted for specified cadres/branches of the Navy, while the 1998 notification made women eligible for appointment as officers in all the branches of the Indian Navy.

The top court said that all the SSC officers in the education, law and logistics cadres of Navy, who are presently in service shall be considered for the grant of permanent commissions (PCs).

It said the period of service after which women SSC officers shall be entitled to submit applications for the grant of PCs shall be the same as their male counterparts.

"A level playing field ensures that women have the opportunity to overcome their histories of discrimination with the surest of responses based on their competence, ability and performance," it said, adding that in the context of the Armed Forces, specious reasons have been advanced by decision makers and administrators, which range from physiology, motherhood and physical attributes to the male dominated hierarchies.

Referring to the verdict of February 17, in which permanent commission was granted to women officers in the Army, the bench said it was held that there was a need to change mind set if equality for women is to be achieved in the Armed Forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders continue to trade blows over who is more equipped to supposedly deliver a knockout punch to the firearms industry, the former vice president has zeroed in on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA)  the law preventing frivolous lawsuits that seek to blame members of the firearms industry for the criminal misuse of legal, lawfully sold, non-defective firearms.

Biden is swinging wide to do this, making wild and false claims. Before the debate in South Carolina, he told the states gun manufacturers, Im coming for you, and Im taking you down. He liked the tough talk enough that he reiterated from the debate stage, And I want to tell you, if Im elected . . . gun manufacturers, Im going to take you on and Im going to beat you.

Bidens end goal is ultimately to repeal the 2005 PLCAA. This law, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President George W. Bush, ended the politically driven lawsuits aimed at bankrupting the firearms industry. Biden and Sanders want to revive the tactic as they pursue the White House, and theyre using disproven and false claims to make their case.

The PLCAA stopped a series of public nuisance lawsuits by activist mayors in big cities against firearms manufacturers over the crimes committed by individuals. That law doesnt grant immunity, but it prevents others from shifting the blame from criminals to a manufacturer. The firearms manufacturer is no more liable for the crime committed by an individual than Home Depot would be if someone committed murder with a hammer. The PLCAA does nothing more than defend an industry that has been targeted by a series of baseless, politically motivated lawsuits.

Yet Biden still falsely claims that this gives firearms manufacturers blanket immunity. Both manufacturers and firearms retailers can be, and are, held responsible for harm caused by defective products, breach of contract, criminal misconduct, or other actions for which they are directly responsible, the same as any other product manufacturer.

Story continues

Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, underscored this when he wrote, in an op-ed for The Hill, Product liability and tort actions against manufacturers have uniformly and correctly been rejected by the courts. Guns are lawful products, and holding companies liable for later misuse of such products is absurd. You might as well sue an axe manufacturer for the Lizzy Borden murders.

Biden claims, as Hillary Clinton falsely tried to claim before him in 2016, that these protections are unique. In fact, manufacturers of medical devices, the airline industries, and even online service and content providers are protected from frivolous lawsuits when defamatory information is posted by others. Biden attacks the PLCAA knowing full well that individuals who commit crimes are responsible for them. His argument is just a facade for gun control that he cant achieve through legislation.

The sad part is that Biden chose to attack an industry that has grown 171 percent since 2008 and currently employs more than 312,000 Americans from all walks of life in communities across the nation. Hes coming after firearms manufacturers that paid $6.8 billion in total taxes and had a total economic impact of more than $52 billion.

Hes claiming that the men and women who work in the factories, those who produce the firearms not just for law-abiding Americans to exercise their rights but also for our U.S. Armed Forces and law-enforcement officials, are enemies of our society. He argues that hes the champion of the blue-collar worker, yet he wants to destroy a growing industry that provides over $15.7 billion in worker wages. He insists that he wants to restore America, but he mocks and denigrates the more than 100 million law-abiding Americans who own, carry, and use their guns frequently without incident.

Biden and the Democrats who endorse him all know that the PLCAA doesnt offer firearms manufacturers unique protections. The law that prevents them from driving politically motivated lawsuits is rock solid. Bidens anger is reflective of his frustration that the courts wont allow him to bankrupt an industry to prove his political bias against Second Amendment freedoms.

More from National Review
LHASA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The sounds of roaring machines in the valley farmlands of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, broke the peace of the plateau city, as the spring farming ceremony was held on Monday.

Apart from Lhasa, all agricultural areas below 4,000 meters above sea level in the region began their spring farming on Monday.

In Sherong Village, around 50 km away from Lhasa, villagers dedicated white hada scarves, a traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism, to agricultural machinery operators, who drove 60 cultivators into the farmland and tilled the earth, with women sowing highland barley seeds behind each machine.

Paldruk, one of the operators and a villager of Sherong was very excited. He got up early on Monday, dressed in traditional Tibetan clothes and decorated his cultivator carefully with yak skulls and hada scarves.

"For generations, yaks were used to plow the land. I didn't expect that we could use 'iron yaks' instead of real yaks in my generation. We decorated the facilities with real or wooden yak skulls to pass on traditional culture and recall old memories," the 48-year-old man said.

Paldruk owns over 2.7 hectares of land. He said the local government offers farmers fertilizer and seeds subsidies every year. "With the development of mechanization, we can save more time to make extra money."

Qoezhoen, a village official, said Sherong Village has around 307 hectares of farmland, which mainly plant highland barley, a crucial staple for Tibetans.

"With the construction of high-standard farmland and the popularization of agricultural machinery, more and more agricultural areas in Tibet have realized mechanization. In Sherong, there are 113 trucks, 58 loaders and 31 excavators," said Qoezhoen.

The spring farming ceremony in Gyaro Village, Doilungdeqen District in Lhasa started at 11:00 a.m. Monday. Different from previous years, villagers were required to have their temperatures checked before taking part in the ceremony, as part of the anti-epidemic efforts.

"The spring farming ceremony is a grand festival for us. All villagers, including some migrant workers, would return to the village to participate in the ceremony. But this year, only one person from one household is allowed to take part to avoid mass gatherings," said Wangdue, a 51-year-old villager.

He said that everybody volunteered to wear masks during the ceremony, and he feels everyone was as joyful as before.

After the villagers finished sowing seeds, they danced in a circle. Wangdue flung a handful of roasted highland barley flour up in the air and said: "May the weather be good this year and a good harvest in autumn."

Tibet plans to grow over 140,000 hectares of highland barley this year, with a total grain output of more than 1 million tonnes, according to the regional department of agriculture and rural affairs.
Ghana has recorded another case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) today, Tuesday, March 17.

This was published on Government's dedicated website to provide frequent update on the pandemic.

This brings to seven the number of victims/cases recorded within the last few weeks.

The government through the Information Ministry is yet to provide full details of the seventh victim.

Check below:
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont told CNBC on Tuesday he's concerned that the number of ventilators in the state wouldn't be enough to handle a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases.

"We have a long way to go there," Lamont said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "We do have some capacity there at this point, but I am worried. If we cannot flatten that curve, as they say, we could be overwhelmed."

Lamont said that is why social-distancing efforts are so critical. He said they are necessary to ensure a flattening of the curve  essentially trying to limit the surge of coronavirus cases.

Lamont on Monday announced a joint agreement with fellow Democratic governors of New York and New Jersey to limit density throughout the region, prohibiting crowds of 50 or more and closing restaurants and bars except for takeout and carryout orders.

The U.S. has more than 4,600 confirmed cases and 85 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Lamont declared a state of emergency a week ago, when Connecticut had four confirmed cases. As of Tuesday morning, the state had 41 confirmed cases and no deaths.

The governor said he was less worried about the number of hospital beds in Connecticut, saying the state could get creative to add capacity.

"I think we could commandeer a lot of beds. We have our universities down right now. We have hotels that aren't fully occupied, so that's a little less urgent to me in terms of my priorities," he said.

It gets more difficult to add ventilator capacity, he said, adding he's not counting on the federal government to supply the state with an appropriate amount.

"You don't just go to Amazon to get a ventilator," Lamont said. "I was on the phone for hours yesterday with hospitals, saying, 'This may be on us and we've got to take the lead on this. Where do you source this? What can I do to help?'"

During a video conference Monday, President Donald Trump reportedly told a group of governors they may have to obtain their own medical equipment that's in short supply as the nation faces an explosion of respiratory infections with the pandemic.

"Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment  try getting it yourselves," Trump told the governors, The New York Times reported, citing a recording of the conference call.
Today, 30 CEOs of Canadas largest corporations urged every leader in the country to immediately shift focus to the singular objective of slowing the pace of transmission of the coronavirus. By sharing four key actions their companies have committed to, and by encouraging other organizations to do the same, theyve reinforced the new normal for businesses today: helping to solve social problems.

Their action has reinforced a significant shift that was already underway. Corporate social responsibility has already become recognized for what it is: an exercise in feel-good optics rather than a meaningful commitment to change that moves the needle on important issues. Solving social problems such as the current transmission of the coronavirus means taking action and thats why the leadership shown by these Canadian CEOs is so important.

Beyond the important advice offered by Canadas business leaders today, heres how corporations can take action to help eradicate the transmission of the coronavirus and establish a more effective approach to social change in the future.

Empower employees. This means shifting from ineffectual (and, for the time being, inappropriate) volunteer activities in the community to developing new ideas to solve social problems that are based on their personal experiences and that leverage their professional skills. Today, this could mean moving quickly to establish a virtual task force of employees who can discuss their experiences of working remotely and develop new approaches that may be more effective. This approach will ensure that employees feel that their input is valued and that they are contributing to solving an important problem in a meaningful way.

Engage experts. When businesses commit to solving a social problem, theyre taking responsibility for peoples lives. This is serious business and most corporations dont have the internal knowledge to determine how to best allocate resources to make change in an effective and responsible way. For some businesses, slowing the pace of transmission of the coronavirus involves mandating employees to work remotely for a period of time. For others in industries such as agriculture and manufacturing this isnt as easy and they will need expert advice. The same thing goes for corporations who commit to solving other problems such as hunger or homelessness.

Encourage innovation. Necessity really is the mother of invention and thats the situation that corporations have found themselves in today. This is true of the coronavirus and of other social change imperatives that may be high priorities of employees, investors, customers and regulators. In essence, innovation involves developing a better approach to solving a problem thats faster and more cost effective than previous efforts. This is where diversity can really make a difference. Businesses should use the situation today to identify and engage a group of internal and external people who bring a diversity of age, culture, gender and identify to develop, and help implement, new ideas.

Entrench commitment. Beyond these important actions, businesses should not back away from their responsibility to employees, business partners, community stakeholders and charitable organizations. Success in business, and in life, depends on coping with the inevitable short-term setbacks and committing to playing the long game. Corporations that cave now will suffer later because the people that really matter wont trust them and theres nothing harder than rebuilding trust.

Its important for every business leader to read the open letter from Canadian CEOs and to take the action as theyve suggested. (An open letter from Canadian business leaders). This letter, from leaders such as Michael McCain from Maple Leaf Food, Brian Porter from Scotiabank, and Don Lindsay from Teck Resources, establishes the opportunity, and the imperative, for business to help solve social problems, starting with the coronavirus. Starting today, social change is the new normal for business.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17



Trend:

An exhibition of Turkmenistan's Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (TUIE) opened on March 17 in the exhibition hall of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, Trend reports with reference to "Turkmenportal" Information Portal.



The exhibition will last for two days. It coincides with the 12 anniversary of the creation of the TUIE, and it is also dedicated to the achievements of the private sector of the economy.



President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed to the participants at the opening of the event. He pointed the role of the private sector in diversifying national economy, innovative development of all sectors and regions of the country, creation of modern import-substituting industries, strengthening the export potential.

The head of state also said that this exhibition will be important in the development of the domestic business sector.

Leading companies in the domestic market that have proven themselves as competitive and young and actively promoting companies participate there. The exhibition will be attended by over 200 experts who are members of the TUIE.



There participated such local companies as: Ak penjere, Maksatly genish, Deryaplastik, Turkmenshohle, Rowshen ayakgap, Yelken, Aybolek, Awtoyoly, Abadan haly, Bereketli Hasar, Muhammet alkan, Ak toprak.

TUIE was founded in March 2008 in Ashgabat. It is a public organization that unites Industrialists and entrepreneurs who carry out business activities on the basis of private ownership. The TUIE is intended to express and protect the rights and legitimate interests of its members.
A glamorous mother-of-two spent more than $3,000 so she could look her best when she went in to the hospital for her Cesarean section.

Emma Ford, 34, donned false lashes, four-inch stilettos and a 'little black dress' - carrying her baby supplies in a $363 Michael Kors handbag - for the moment she walked into Brookwood Hospital in Alabama in January this year.

The Instagram influencer even visited a luxury health spa in the days leading up to her planned birth so she could feel calm when she and her husband Samuel, 34, welcomed their son Solomon Kenneth Ford.

Emma Ford, 34, donned false lashes, four-inch stilettos and a 'little black dress' - carrying her baby supplies in a 300 Michael Kors handbag - for the moment she walked into Brookwood Hospital in Alabama on January 6 (pictured)

Emma said: 'I love getting glammed up. I never go anywhere without makeup on and it was important to me - this time around - that I look and feel my best when having my baby.

'It's such a special moment and I wanted it to be perfect.'

Emma had her first born, Samuel, in November 2016 - but after a pregnancy riddled with minor issues, her health worsened.

Eight weeks after giving birth, she felt excruciating pain that turned out to be an ovarian torsion - a condition that occurs when one of the ovaries twists around the ligaments that keep it in place.

Emma loves looking glamorous and wanted to look her best to be in her best mindset ahead of the birth of her second child

Emma had her first born, Samuel (pictured), three, in November 2016. The family are pictured enjoying a feast to celebrate their new arrival

A week after strutting into hospital in her heels, she posted the incredible moment she met her baby for the first time (pictured) on Instagram, to the delight of her 34.7k followers

The fallopian tube and ovary had no blood supply, and the result was a sharp excruciating pain and Emma's ovary being removed.

Emma's total spend on delivery room glamour Bag - $400 Dress - $65 Heels - $150 Makeup - $150 Hair - $575 Hair installation - $175 Wash and style hair - $150 Babymoon - $1,200 Spa day - including waxing, facial and massage - $450 TOTAL = $3,315 Advertisement

She added: 'After my last pregnancy and birth was so horrific, I just wanted to enjoy this one. I wanted to make it more fun and to feel great.

'When I had my first son, the birth ended up creating a lot of health problems for me, and about eight weeks after, I had to lose my right ovary.

'When I was pregnant with Samuel, I suffered from a lot of minor health issues, that just made things generally harder along the way.'

She suffered from sciatica, severe acid reflux, heartburn and migraines during her first pregnancy four years ago.

She added: 'It constantly got me down. The birth was fairly smooth-sailing, but I was so worried, it being my first, that I couldn't relax and enjoy what should have been a beautiful thing.

'Then, about eight weeks after giving birth, I started feeling horrific pain in my lower stomach. I rushed straight to the hospital, terrified about what the pain could mean.

'The doctor told me I was suffering from ovarian torsion, which I had no clue about.'

Emma's husband Samuel greeted his second son Solomon for the first time just moments after the surgery

After her ovary was removed there was less chance of the couple falling pregnant again, due to a reduced egg supply.

So when they found out they were going to have a second child in April 2019 they were thrilled.

'This time around, we stayed calm, which was easy, considering we had planned everything to a T. I wanted to feel sexy and glamorous, and show other mothers that they can feel that way too,' she added.

'I had worked throughout the entire pregnancy so I wanted my birth to be relaxing, and all about me and my baby.'

Emma, who used to work in car insurance sales, juggles raising her two sons while continuing to dress up and doing her daily full glam makeup look. Pictured during her pregnancy

Emma and Samuel wanted to make sure the second pregnancy was enjoyable, so took a babymoon to Florida.

'I kept really fit and healthy all the way through, and dressed up even when I didn't feel like it,' Emma said.

'I basically continued as normal, taking trips and preparing fun things for my baby.

'We even took a mini babymoon to Florida so we could have some alone time as a couple before the chaos began.

The family pose together in their kitchen for an Instagram photograph. Their eldest Samuel balances on the counter top while Emma holds Solomon

And when it was time for her cesarean she tried to relax and enjoy the experience of becoming a mother to her second child.

Before heading into hospital she did her makeup perfectly; with a red lip, gold eye shadow, fake lashes and immaculate contouring.

The look was not complete without a perfectly curated outfit, finished off with some stiletto high heels and a matching handbag.

A week after strutting into hospital in her heels, she posted the incredible moment she met her baby for the first time on Instagram, to the delight of her 34,700 followers.

Samuel is a doting sibling as he cradles his baby brother just weeks after the birth

'When I woke up on the morning of my Caesarean, I was so excited and ready to meet my little room-mate of nine months,' she said.

'I wanted to look and feel my best, so I decided to do my hair and makeup. I really believe that when you feel good, you can't help but radiate positivity and life.

'The thought of the surgery was terrifying me, but I didn't want to look like it, so I chose a little black dress and a bright red lip, and completed the look with heels.'

She filmed the arrival of family members at the hospital, and her three-year-old son Samuel can be seen looking thrilled to join his parents.

'It was one of the best days of my life,' she said.

Emma, who used to work in car insurance sales, juggles raising her two sons while continuing to dress up and doing her daily full glam makeup look.
Regarding the story Oregon Appeals Court overturns de facto life sentence of Todd Davilla, (March 11): This decision is unfair and unjust. The Oregon Court of Appeals called the facts in this case merely procedural. That is outrageous. Facts matter, particularly in this case.

Davilla broke into the house of a complete stranger where he attempted to rape and then murdered the victim, Lisa Flormoe. He was 16 years old at the time. Lisa Flormoe was 22.

Justice for crime victims is under assault in Oregon. Our appellate courts have reversed Davillas sentence for murder six different times since he was first arrested in 1991. And they have also reversed dozens of other murder convictions and sentences in recent years.

These judges (all political appointees) work in concert with our current political leadership to radically reduce sentences for violent criminals. The Legislature abolished proportional punishment for violent juveniles by repealing (voter approved) Measure 11 for juveniles last year. They have also virtually eliminated the death penalty (voter approved) and true life sentences. And they are not done.

John Foote

Foote is Clackamas County district attorney
JUNEAU, Alaska - Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced Tuesday that a one-time political rival will help lead a new team tasked with looking at ways to aid Alaskas economy amid concerns with the new coronavirus, and the governor ordered all restaurants, bars and other places from serving food closed to dine-in service statewide for the remainder of the month,

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat whom Dunleavy defeated in the 2018 gubernatorial race, and former Gov. Sean Parnell, a Republican, will lead the so-called Alaska Economic Stabilization Team. Dunleavys office said former elected officials and economic leaders will also be involved.

Meanwhile, the state is suspending visitation at its Pioneer Homes; a company that provides air service to rural Alaska communities is changing its protocols; and a cruise line plans to dock an idled ship in Mexico rather than Alaska, as previously planned.

These are among the latest developments related to the new coronavirus.

The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people. But severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems. Six people have tested positive in Alaska, according to figures released Tuesday evening.

ECONOMIC TEAM

Dunleavys office said the new team will work with his administration on an economic plan as the state prepares for the impact of the virus. There are worries about the tourism, fishing and oil sectors, along with the service industry and other businesses.

The state, which has struggled with a longstanding deficit, relies on oil and earnings from the Alaska Permanent Fund to help pay for government. North Slope oil prices have fallen below $30 a barrel, and markets of late have been volatile.

Dunleavy spokesman Jeff Turner said Begich and Parnell are two recognized leaders in Alaska. They represent different ends of the political spectrum, and Dunleavy wanted the effort to be as bipartisan as possible, Turner said.

FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT CLOSURES

Dunleavy late Tuesday ordered all restaurants, bars, breweries and other places that serve food be closed for dine-in service from 5 p.m. Wednesday until 5 p.m. April 1. Dunleavys order came nearly 36 hours after Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz first instituted similar precautions in the states largest city.

Businesses can still offer drive-up or drive-thru services along with delivering food. Dunleavy also ordered all entertainmnet facilities closed to the public, including theatres, gyms, bowling alleys and bingo halls.

Dunleavy ordered anyone entering Alaska who had visited an area with widespread community spread of the virus, like China or Europe, within the last 14 days must stay home and avoid contact with other family members. The person must also not go to work or school for a 14-day period after returning to Alaska.

RESPONSE FUNDS

The Senates budget-writing committee has included in a spending measure $15 million for public health and emergency programs related to the new coronavirus.

The funding was requested by Dunleavys administration, which also proposed using $8.5 million in cruise ship funds to help communities visited by cruise ships guard against COVID-19. The Senate Finance Committee also accepted that request.

Dunleavys budget office said the $15 million could be used for things like temporary housing for individuals under quarantine or who need to be isolated and have no other options; medical and protective equipment; transportation to housing or for medical assistance; and personnel.

If the bill passes the full Senate, it would return to the House for consideration.

The Legislature previously approved about $4.1 million in state funds and authorized receipt of federal funds to help respond to the virus.

PIONEER HOME VISITATION

Visitors, including family members, will not be allowed at Alaskas Pioneer Homes for now, according to direct care supervisor Heidi Hamilton.

Plans will be made for residents to maintain contact with loved ones through other means, Hamilton said.

Hamilton, in a letter, said residents can leave the state-supported elder-care facilities, but its recommended they limit close contact with others and avoid crowds. Hamilton said residents will be screened for signs of illness and risk of exposure while out.

Its not clear how long the restrictions will remain in place, Hamilton said. While the decision is heartbreaking, its also necessary, she said.

The risk to the residents health is just too great to not take all possible precautions, Hamilton wrote.

FLIGHT SCREENINGS

RavnAir Group, which provides air service to many rural Alaska communities, said it will begin verbal risk screening of passengers and employees and implement new cleaning protocols for its aircraft.

The company, in a statement, said it is asking passengers if theyve come from a foreign country or a U.S. state experiencing an outbreak, if theyve been exposed to anyone who has or may have the virus, and if they have symptoms of a serious illness or COVID-19.

There also is a visual assessment for symptoms, the company said, adding that it turned away four people Tuesday using the protocol and directed them to medical facilities.

CRUISE SHIP

Holland America Line announced it will bring the Westerdam to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, instead of Juneau, Alaska. The company, in a statement, said the decision on where to dock the Westerdam was reassessed when it last week announced plans to halt operation of its ships for 30 days amid port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19.

Holland America planned to dock the ship in Juneau for a few weeks starting around the end of March.

The ship left the Philippines earlier this month with no passengers, and has about 700 crew or contract staff on board who tested negative for the COVID-19 virus in mid-February, the company said.
Net Profits Interest Royalty Includes the REN Property Extension on Barrick/Newmont's Goldstrike Mine

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2020) - Ely Gold Royalties Inc. (TSXV: ELY) (OTCQB: ELYGF) (FSE: A2JSL0) ("Ely Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding purchase agreement with a private party ("Seller") whereby Ely Gold will acquire a three and one half percent (3.5%) net profits interest on the Ren Property located in Elko, Nevada the ("REN NPI") for total proceeds of US$500,000 cash (the "Agreement"). The Agreement is expected to close on or before April 2, 2020 and is subject to certain closing requirements and due diligence by the Company. (the "Closing"). The REN Property is part of the joint venture between Barrick Gold Corporation and Newmont Corp forming Nevada Gold Mines.

The REN NPI

The Seller was granted the REN NPI pursuant to a Joint Venture Agreement entered into on April 23, 1991 between, between Seller, Rayrock Mines Inc., John S. Livermore and Corona Gold Inc. pertaining to the exploration and development of certain mining properties and leases covering the REN project located in Elko County, Nevada (the "REN Venture"). The leases in the REN Venture included the VEK/Andrus lease, 50% owned by VEK Associates, a company currently being acquired by Ely Gold. (see press release dated February 28, 2020). Livermore and Rayrock conveyed their interests in the REN Venture to Corona reserving the REN NPI in favor of the Seller. Corona merged with Homestake Mining Company in 1992 and Homestake was acquired by Barrick in 2001.

REN Property History - Currently Leased to Nevada Gold Mines

The REN Property consists of 86 contiguous unpatented lode mining claims covering 7.4 square kilometres of the Northern Carlin Trend (the "REN Property" or "REN"). REN is centered along the northern Carlin Trend and has gold mining operations surrounding the property. Uranez USA and Romarco Minerals entered the REN Venture in 1995. Cameco Gold acquired Uranez's interest in 1998 and Romarco withdrew in 1999 leaving Cameco as the sole partner with Homestake. The first deep, high-grade discovery hole (RU-24c) was drilled in 2000 and returned 42.7 meters of 34.6 gpt Au. (see figure 1). This led to an expansion of the surface drilling program, and during the period 1999-2003, a total of 65 drill holes amounting to 55,000 meters were completed. The drilling identified the JB Zone as the initial concentration of gold mineralization on the REN property. Cameco filed a National Instrument 43-101 compliant report that was filed on SEDAR, titled "Technical Report on the REN Property" on June 22, 2004, defining an initial inferred resource of 1.9 million tonnes at 14.7 gpt Au in what is known as the JB Zone. The Company is not treating this historical estimate as a current resource, a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historic estimate as a current resource. Cameco spun out its gold properties in 2004 in an IPO for Centerra Gold. Centerra continued definition drilling on the JB Zone until it sold its interest in the JV to Barrick in 2010 for $32.5 million. The REN Property was added to the joint venture between Barrick and Newmont Corp to form Nevada Gold Mines.

Within five kilometers of the REN Property, the Carlin Trend has produced or has an inventory of over 70 million ounces of gold. The Goldstrike and Meikle Mines are within two kilometers of the southern boundary of the property (see figure 1), the Bootstrap/South Arturo and the Dee mines wrap around the REN Property on the west and north. The REN Property is contiguous to the Banshee Mine property within the Goldstrike Complex. At the Meikle, Goldstrike and Deep Post deposits, the Post fault is considered a potential important control on high grade gold within the northern Carlin Trend. Only a small portion of the Post Fault, on the REN Property, has been explored. With its orientation on the Post Fault, REN has the potential to host a Meikle or Deep Post-like gold deposit within the Devonian-age Popovich limestone along the footwall of the Post Fault. The JB Zone is located at a depth from surface of 700 to 900 meters and is hosted in the same geological units as the gold deposits currently being mined at the Meikle and Banshee Mines immediately to the south of the REN property.

Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4181/53496_a6b535f8e4722bc4_001full.jpg

Trey Wasser, President & CEO of Ely Gold, stated, "Having completed our due diligence on the REN Property for the VEK Associates transaction announced earlier this month, we are very excited with the potential for further significant gold discovery in this prime Nevada location. The REN NPI will give us a second royalty interest and, as with all Ely Gold royalty purchases, offers excellent leverage to gold prices."

Qualified Person

Stephen Kenwood, P. Geo, is a director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Kenwood has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

About Ely Gold Royalties Inc.

Ely Gold Royalties Inc. is a Vancouver-based, junior royalty company with development assets focused in Nevada and Quebec. Its current portfolio includes 42 Deeded Royalties and 22 properties optioned to third parties. Ely Gold's royalty portfolio includes producing royalties, fully permitted mines and development projects that are at or near producing mines. The Company is actively seeking opportunities to purchase existing third-party royalties for its portfolio and all the Company's option properties are expected to produce royalties, if exercised. The royalty and option portfolios are currently generating significant revenue. Ely Gold is well positioned with its current portfolio of over 20 available properties to generate additional operating revenue through option and sale agreements. The Company has a proven track record of maximizing the value of its properties through claim consolidation and advancement using its extensive, proprietary data base. All portfolio properties are sold or optioned on a 100% basis, while the Company retains royalty interests. Management believes that due to the Company's ability to generate third-party royalty agreements, its successful strategy of organically creating royalties, its equity portfolio and its current low valuation, Ely Gold offers shareholders a low-risk leverage to the current price of gold and low-cost access to long-term mineral royalties.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Signed "Trey Wasser"

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

trey@elygoldinc.com

972-803-3087

Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer

jjobin@elygoldinc.com

647-964-0292

FORWARD-LOOKING CAUTIONS: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding its current assets, including future mineral production prospects and revenue gains, and Company acquisitions of additional royalty interests. These matters are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks of declining precious metals prices, failure of projects in which the Company has an interest may underperform current management forecasts, the Company may not be able to identify suitable new royalty acquisitions, and the political uncertainties and regulatory or legal disputes or changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effect.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53496
The outbreak of COVID 19 virus across the globe has affected the Malayalam film industry in a big way.

The theatres will remain closed till the end of March. The already released movies, some of which were having a good run until the fear of virus made the cinema halls empty, could make a comeback once the restrictions are withdrawn.

The coronavirus attack also affected the release of some big budget movies, like the Mohanlal starrer Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham.

These are the list of the big Malayalam movies that are expected to release, once the theatres open.

Text & Images: MOVIEBUZZ
The number of deaths globally has crossed 7,150 now. Of the 180,000 confirmed cases globally, almost 80,000 patients have reportedly recovered.

India reported its third coronavirus death today, March 17. The patient  a 64-year-old man  was being treated in Mumbais Kasturba hospital. Maharashtra has the maximum number of coronavirus patients in India, at 39. The first two deaths occurred in Karnataka and New Delhi, respectively.

The number of deaths globally has crossed 7,150 now. Of the 180,000 confirmed cases globally, almost 80,000 patients have reportedly recovered from the infection.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that there are more cases and deaths reported in the rest of the world compared to China, which is where the novel coronavirus originated.

Countries in the European Union, the current epicentre of the pandemic, plan on shutting their borders completely to contain the spread of the virus. This means travel from and to non-EU countries will be suspended. At the same time, France, Italy and Spain are in full lockdown - people have been advised not to leave their homes unless absolutely essential.

Flattening the curve

If youve been following all COVID-19 news, you may have come across the phrase flattening the curve. This refers to information shared by the US-based Centres for Disease Control, which compares two scenarios - a pandemic outbreak with interventions and one without any intervention.

With interventions like social distancing, better personal hygiene, school and university closures and sanitization of high-touch surfaces in public places, the spread of the virus can be controlled and managed in a better way. Without interventions, well see an exponential growth of cases in a small period - which means there wont be enough resources like hospital beds and ventilators for the sick. We already saw this happen in Italy earlier this month.

While it isnt certain that with interventions there will be fewer people infected eventually, the spread will be slower. This will make it easier to track patients, treat them in the best way possible and hopefully have them recover successfully.

Community transmission

The fear in India is community transmission. As of now, the cases confirmed in India are only the ones that were imported and people who were in close contact with them. Community transmission refers to when the infection starts showing up in people who have not travelled to any of the affected countries recently or come in contact with anyone who is known to be contagious.

All 52 ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) centres have started random testing of people who have flu-like symptoms by no travel history or exposure. The results are expected to come in on March 18, which is when well know in which direction India will be headed.

For more tips, read our article on Coronavirus.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.
Boris Johnsons father has said he will still go to the pub despite official government advice to avoid non-essential contact due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His comments came less than a day after his son, the prime minister, urged the British public to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Stanley Johnsons refusal to follow the warning was especially notable as the government said its advice was particularly important for people over the age of 70 and Mr Johnson is 79.

On ITVs This Morning, presenter Philip Schofield asked the prime minister's father if he would still go to the pub despite his sons advice.

Of course, Ill go to a pub if I need to go to a pub, Mr Johnson replied.

He [the prime minister] said we should avoid going to pubs, but if I had to go to a pub, Id go to a pub, he added, before receiving an incredulous response from the This Morning presenters.

The author and former politician then went on to say landlords who run pubs dont want people to be not in [them] at all.

The prime minister side-stepped questions on his father's attitude during a Downing Street press conference on Tuesday.

He said: "Of course the buck stops with me and I take full responsibility for all the actions this government is taking, all the decisions we are taking, difficult though many of them are, and all the advice we are giving to everybody.

"What I'd say to people to people thinking about this advice, the more we follow the advice of our scientific and medical advisers, the more closely we do what they tell us to do, the better our chances collectively of slowing the disease, of protecting the NHS and saving life."

The prime minister added: "Of course people care about pubs and they are right to care about pubs and restaurants, but that is why we are announcing the extraordinary package that Rishi has unveiled today."

It comes after the government unveiled unprecedented peacetime measures for its response to Covid-19 and called on the public to avoid all nonessential contact and travel.

Stanley Johnsons comments came as the pub industry voiced concern that the measures would result in mass job losses and permanent closures.

Speaking ahead of chancellor Rishi Sunak's announcement of a 330bn fund of loans for struggling businesses, Mr Johnson suggested on Tuesday that his sons government would produce a major financial package to support firms hurt by social distancing.

"The big picture is we are going to get on top of this, we're going to make sure that the National Health Services are not overwhelmed in terms of the people it has in intensive care, Mr Johnson said.

Look at what's already happened, the fact the prime minister made the speech he made yesterday has already had the effect of emptying the streets, emptying the pubs, emptying the theatres, and yes, the government will come through with a package of measures to compensate those people - I'm sure it will - this afternoon the chancellor will say something, so I think we're on the right track.

He also suggested the government could introduce measures similar to the kind announced by Emmanuel Macron, Frances president, to support citizens and businesses during the pandemic.

Mr Macron said on Tuesday that rents and utility bills would be suspended for small businesses to help them weather the negative economic impact of the measures.

Additional reporting by PA
Raelene Castle insists Rugby Australia will come out the other side of the coronavirus crisis intact despite being forced to suspend its broadcast rights process for the foreseeable future and flagging the possibility it may discuss its financial predicament with the government.

These are uncharted waters for rugby in Australia as the code prepares to be impacted in ways that we could never have imagined due to self-isolation protocols that have already resulted in Super Rugby being cancelled for the time being.

RA had hoped to field offers this week for the next five-year broadcast rights cycle but that deadline has been ditched due to the ongoing uncertainty facing potential bidders Optus and current rights holder Fox Sports.

As reported by the Herald this week, RA may have to wait six months to restart talks about a new broadcast deal depending on the profound economic impact COVID-19 has on companies.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

They may not agree on much, but Bernalillo Countys district attorney and the states public defenders are on the same page on one thing: Neither thinks the state judiciary has done enough to safeguard the health of court staff, lawyers, defendants and others in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter Monday morning to New Mexicos high court, Raul Torrez asked the justices to take decisive, blanket action on par with the governors declaration of an emergency given that social distancing is believed to be the most effective measure for slowing the spread of COVID-19.

The New Mexico District Attorneys Association and state Criminal Defense Lawyers Association also expressed concerns to the court on Monday.

The latest letters come a day after the Law Offices of the Public Defender reached out to the Supreme Court with its own set of proposals. Chief Public Defender Bennett Baur said that the virus could spread rapidly if it made its way into a jail, and he pointed out that many people who would not otherwise be in contact with one another flow in and out of courthouses each day.

Both Baur and Torrez have asked the state Supreme Court to postpone hearings in cases involving a defendant who is not in jail.

We agree that more drastic measures are needed to protect the public and we request that the New Mexico Supreme Court exercise its power as the governors co-equal to manage the judiciarys response during these extraordinary times, Torrez wrote, referencing LOPDs suggestion that jury trials and other nonessential hearings be vacated for 30 days.

In a statement Monday, Barry Massey, spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts, said the judiciary is reviewing recommendations from public health officials, local courts and people in the legal community regarding how best to keep courtrooms safe.

Some individual courthouses on Monday announced new plans intended to limit traffic inside their buildings. But Torrez wrote in his letter that local courts have limited power to respond to the emergency.

He has asked the justices to encourage lower courts to hold only constitutionally required hearings in cases where the defendant is in custody. He also proposed suspending a local rule that imposes tight deadlines in Bernalillo County cases, saying that complying with them will become increasingly difficult as the community  including witnesses  wrangles with coronavirus precautions, including self-quarantine and travel restrictions. Torrez additionally asks the court to waive deadlines for initiating felony cases for both in and out of custody defendants, and to support efforts to conduct as many hearings and pretrial interviews as possibly via video.

LOPD officials said on Monday that both sides have been making concessions in light of the crisis, and they agree with some of Torrezs ideas. They have agreed, for example, to push back some upcoming preliminary hearings in District Court by 30 days for defendants who are not in custody, to conduct some pretrial interviews over the phone, and to consider seeking an extension for interviews that must happen in person. They do not believe that should be mandated.

Still, they prefer to evaluate cases on an individual basis and oppose the suspension of the local rule that imposes deadlines, saying it already allows for accommodations under extraordinary circumstances.

Baur said it is vital that court practices go back to normal when the crisis is over.

We understand that there are going to be limits on this right now because this is an emergency, he said. But when it is done, we have to return to the real human aspect of this system.

Baur has requested a meeting of stakeholders to discuss a range of topics, including the possibility of releasing nonviolent defendants awaiting trial or serving a sentence, and of suspending arrests and detention for nonviolent offenses, failure to pay fines and technical violations of release and probation, among other items.

Dianna Luce, the president of the District Attorneys Association, voiced concerns about that proposal. She said she believes interfering with the ability to make arrests could raise a separation of powers issue. She is also opposed to the possibility of releasing defendants who are in custody, saying many people are quickly released under the current system.
The families of doctors and nurses on the who are on the front line of the fight against coronavirus have told of the heartbreaking sacrifices they are making.

New fathers are leaving their newborns at home with their mothers and moving into self-isolation to avoid infecting them in some cases.

In others, doctors are leaving the family homes and moving into their offices, setting up cot beds on the floor.

One New York nurse has sent her two young children to live with their grandparents for a month so she can work without worrying about infecting them.

Among those who shared her story was Dr. Rachel Patzer, epidemiologist and health services researcher; Director, Center for Health Services Research.

Her husband has moved into the garage apartment in their home, leaving her to care for their three-week-old and other young children, while he treats patients.

Rachel Patzer shared her family's decision for her husband to self-isolate while treating patients

Barack Obama was among those who praised Patzer for her family's sacrifices

'My spouse is a physician in the emergency dept, and is actively treating #coronavirus patients.

'We just made the difficult decision for him to isolate & move into our garage apartment for the foreseeable future as he continues to treat patients.

'We have a 3 week old newborn and 2 young kids and just cant risk it. It pains me to wonder how many weeks will go by that he wont get to hold our new baby or see our older kids.

'This is one example of the sacrifice that healthcare workers are making for our communities.

'As I attempt to home school my kids (alone) with a new baby who screams if she isnt held, I am worried about the health of my spouse and my family. This was not how I envisioned my maternity leave, but I know things could be worse,' she said.

She said it was 'difficult' to see photographs of people at restaurants and bars, socializing as normal.

'My husband and many other healthcare workers are risking their lives to treat more sick patients.

Tatiana Prowell shared a photograph of her husband's cot bed in his office where she said he'll be for a month

'Please, take this #pandemic seriously. I hope the projections of infections and serious cases are incorrect.

'If not, our healthcare system will be overloaded. And already we are seeing the strain. Please thank a healthcare worker for what they are doing and sacrificing,' she said.

Barack Obama retweeted her thread and said we owe a 'debt of gratitude' to her and other healthcare workers.

Tatiana Prowell responded to Dr. Patzer's remarks with a photograph of the cot bed her husband has set up in his office.

'My husband is on service treating pts w/ #COVID19 too.

'Heres where hes sleeping for the next month. Important for people to recognize how much healthcare workers are pouring their hearts into caring for pts & trying to keep their families safe,' she said.

Jessica Chan told Good Morning America on Tuesday that she and her husband Nicholas Liu made the decision to not only keep their two young daughters, Jessica, six, and Izzy, two, safe but to also protect his elderly parents.

She is preparing for an onslaught of work, with thousands expected to soon descend on the nation's hospitals in dire need of care.

'We were very afraid for their health and safety because I am a nurse and I will be exposed to a lot of patients.

'I could not risk getting them sick also because they will interact with their grandparents,' she said.

Nurse Jessica Chan kisses her oldest daughter, Jessica, goodbye before dropping her off at her grandparents for a month so that she can fight coronavirus in hospitals

Chan said she was worried about only getting the girls sick but could not risk them passing it on to their grandparents

She shared a photograph of herself kissing Jessica, her oldest daughter, goodbye before dropping them off.

Her husband, who works as a research analyst at Oxford University Press, added: 'It's kind of a hard scenario to anticipate.

He first shared the photograph on Facebook.

'We just sent my kids away to stay with my parents for a month. Juliette cried.

'With Jessica close to the front line, we cannot risk spread,' he said alongside the picture.

There are now more than 4,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 93 people have died.

Cities are preparing to go into lockdown, including New York City where bars, restaurants, movie theaters, casinos and gyms are closed.

Jessica Chan told Good Morning America on Tuesday that she and her husband Nicholas Liu made the decision to not only keep their two young daughters, Jessica and Izzy, safe but to also protect his elderly parents

America shuts down as coronavirus battle ramps up. White House warms crisis could stretch on for months. @whitjohnson reports. https://t.co/Qs3wPgQ9IB pic.twitter.com/D4m5VXGC4a  Good Morning America (@GMA) March 17, 2020

On Tuesday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was not ruling out a 'shelter in place' order to keep people in their homes.

The governor of New Jersey has implemented an 8pm curfew to keep people inside, San Francisco has issued a lockdown and residents in the Bay Area are being told to shelter in place too.

Trump said on Monday he was not considering a national shut down but said he issued guidelines that he wants people to follow for 15 days.

They include staying at home and avoiding food courts, bars and restaurants.

The New York shut-down had been planned for Tuesday morning at 9am.

Cuomo sped it up on Monday, saying the tri-state decided to take matters into their own hands after a lack of action from the White House.

New York City's bars and restaurants closed on Monday night aside from take-out and delivery orders

There are now more than 5,900 cases of coronavirus in the US and 100 people have died

He earlier pleaded with President Trump to order shut downs across the country, saying the 'patchwork quilt' approach of seeing some states taking more vigilant action than others 'is not working'.

There are more than 4,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 74 people have died.

After Cuomo's announcement, shift workers in bars and restaurants panicked and started asking how they would be able to pay their rent.

In Maryland, the city-wide shutdown will be in effect from 5pm Monday night. It applies to restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters.

There has been no firm answer yet on how to alleviate the financial burden of the crisis on individuals.

White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told DailyMail.com Monday said the administration 'might' get behind new proposals to give cash to American households in the neighborhood of $1,000 each per month.
The European Commission insisted Tuesday it would continue work on its green growth initiative despite at least one leader urging them to drop it while the bloc battles coronavirus.

The "European Green Deal" is the flagship climate and economic policy of commission chief Ursula von der Leyen's mandate, but it has already run into fire from some coal-hungry member states.

On Monday, populist Czech premier Andrej Babis said "Europe should forget about the Green Deal now and focus on the coronavirus instead."



But a European Commission spokeswoman, Vivian Loonela, told reporters that, while Brussels is following the epidemic "hour by hour" the Green Deal is still a parallel priority.

And, speaking on condition of anonymity, a European Commission official went further, insisting efforts would continue to enshrine the climate friendly growth plan in EU law.

"The climate crisis is still a reality, and necessitates our continued attention and efforts," the source said.

"This is one of the very reasons why we presented the climate law: to avoid that climate action, a generational task, is obfuscated by more pressing and immediate challenges.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Condemning the communal violence that gripped parts of the national capital last month as a consequence of protests against the new citizenship law, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury called for a court-monitored independent probe into it in a time-bound manner.

Addressing a press conference here, he referred to videos claiming that the police allegedly aided the violent attackers and said the perpetrators of the violence must be brought to book.

"The ghastly communal violence in Delhi is strongly condemned and a court-monitored, independent investigation into these crimes must be conducted in a time-bound fashion. The perpetrators of this violence must be severely punished under law.

"Video footage going viral on social media shows how the police aided and abetted the criminals who perpetrated such violent attacks. This must be thoroughly investigated by a time-bound judicial enquiry," Yechury said.

Speaking on the issues discussed in the party's politburo meeting, he said the the politburo strongly condemned the home minister's on the usage of face-recognition technology for identifying those responsible for the communal violence.

"The government itself has admitted before the courts that this technology had an accuracy rate of only two per cent in 2018, which dropped to a mere one per cent in 2019, unable to make even a gender distinction.

"This opens up possibilities for harassment and persecution of innocent people. Moreover, there is no legal framework or any judicial order to use such technology for such identification," the CPI(M) general secretary said.

He added that a relief panel of the CPI-M's Delhi State Committee was working to provide relief to those families who lost members in the communal violence, treat the injured and rehabilitate those whose houses were burnt and livelihoods snatched away.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also said peaceful protests will continue unless the government took some measures.

He alleged that the judiciary was being "pressured" by the executive and it must be set right.

"The judiciary in India is not only independent but has a very important role to safeguard the rule of law under our Constitution. Recent happenings of delays in the delivery of justice, midnight transfers of high court judges and the delay in taking up the challenges to the abrogation of Article 370 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) have not evoked confidence among people and are not in the spirit of their utmost expectations.

"There are criticisms from many quarters that the judiciary is being pressured by the executive and it is abdicating its responsibility. This is unfortunate and must be set right urgently," Yechury said.

He said the CPI(M) politburo welcomed that Srinagar MP and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was released after being under home detention for over seven months.

"However, the clampdown in Kashmir continues. The draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) was invoked against former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Thousands of people continue to be detained even after seven months.

Lakhs of livelihoods have been destructed. Normal day-to-day activities simply do not exist, Yechury said, adding that Jammu and Kashmir should be given full statehood with a special status, as it had under the Constitution before the abrogation of Article 370.
A Malaysian woman who blackmailed the parents of a dying baby with precious photos on their stolen phone has been jailed.

A judge told Siti Kamal her actions were 'reprehensible' and 'amoral' as he sentenced her to at least two years in prison.

She had previously been slammed for her 'extraordinary cruelty' after she tried to extort $1,000 from an anguished couple, whose baby was dying in Melbourne.

Kamal pretended she had found Dee Windross' lost phone, filled with photos of the woman's dying 11-month-old daughter Amiyah.

Kamal (pictured, right, with her own children) had contacted the couple as they spent their last precious moments with their dying daughter

She cruelly demanded $1,000 from Ms Windross and her husband Jay for the phone's return in April 2019.

Kamal's bid to extort money from the suffering couple was blasted by County Court of Victoria Judge Elizabeth Gaynor.

'That you should be so inspired in the first place by such suffering ... I find to be so reprehensible as to be amoral,' the judge said on Tuesday.

'The immorality of your actions must have been clear to you form the outset.'

Kamal was jailed for three years and must serve two before being eligible for release on parole.

A woman tried to exploit the couple's vulnerability by extorting $1,000 out of them while their daughter was dying

Melbourne couple Jay and Dee Windross' (pictured) 11-month-old daughter Amiyah had been fighting an 'undiagnosed neurological issue from the day she was born', and died in April

The couple had issued an urgent plea to trace their stolen phone in April 2019, as it contained special memories of their daughter Amiyah.

Little Amiyah died in April, days after a mobile phone containing irreplaceable family pictures was stolen from a Melbourne shopping centre.

'You've got a couple spending their last days with their dying child,' the judge told Kamal during a previous plea hearing.

'In a situation of almost indescribable anguish ... I can hardly think of a worse case (of blackmail).

'The extraordinary cruelty that this involved is a concern.'

Kamal, 24, pleaded guilty in July to blackmailing the couple in the hours before and after little Amiyah's death from an undiagnosed neurological condition.

Baby Amiyah (pictured) tragically died in April after succumbing to an undiagnosed neurological issue

She had contacted Mr and Ms Windross on WhatsApp after they made a desperate public plea for the return of the Samsung Galaxy S8 phone.

The cruel thief said she would only return the phone - and the precious pictures - if the grieving couple paid her.

Siti Kamal (pictured), 24, admitted to trying to blackmail $1,000 from the parents of the dying baby girl

In a cruel twist - it appears Kamal never even had the phone, and it still hasn't been returned.

Mr Windross said she continued to text him through the night while he had been trying to spend 'every emotional minute' with his child.

'It was a hoax. Not only was it a complete and utter waste of my time, it was interrupting my final moments with my dying daughter,' he wrote on Facebook.

The couple believe the phone was stolen from the toilets next to Target at Chadstone Shopping Centre in April.

'It's despicable. It's disgusting, Ms Windross said at the time.

'Why would anyone do that and she knew the position we were in. You could tell by the messages. How could you be so disgraceful?'

'The hours that we spent holding our daughter, this woman was sitting in her own house demanding money from us.

Ms Windross (pictured, left) left her phone in a toilet cubicle at Melbourne's Chadstone Shopping Centre on April 20, and her husband (right) made a desperate plea for its return

Kamal contacted the couple via WhatsApp after they made several desperate posts on social media to help them retrieve the phone. Her husband is pictured leaving court

Her barrister Rahmin De Krester acknowledged the woman would be handed a jail sentence but asked that be time already served in custody.

'I accept that this is a morally indefensible crime,' Mr De Krester said.

He asked Judge Gaynor to take into account Kamal's age, lack of criminal history, early guilty plea and problems with impulsivity.

She does not have a diagnosable disability or personality condition and the judge indicated she was preparing to hand down a longer jail sentence.

'The only conclusion the court is left with is this was a deliberate, albeit impulsive, decision to act in an extraordinarily cruel way,' Judge Gaynor said.

'These victims were chosen because of their vulnerability.

'To see an opportunity in the suffering of others is extraordinarily concerning.'
BR Udaya Kumar By

Express News Service

HASSAN: The European Taskforce formed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct research on developing a vaccine for Covid-19 has a Karnataka connection. Mahadesh Prasad, a young scientist from Arkalgud of Hassan district, is part of a research team of scientists formed by the taskforce. The EU Taskforce has formed 10 research teams to develop a vaccine for coronavirus.

Mahadesh Prasad has been carrying out research activities to find a vaccine for Covid-19 which has so far claimed thousands of lives across the world, sources said. Mahesh did his primary, secondary and high school education in Kannada medium and PU Science and B.Sc from government first grade colleges in Arkalgud and Hassan, respectively.

Later, he went to Mysuru where he completed M.Sc in Biochemistry at Manasagangothri. Prasad was a post-doctoral research student of Pennsylvania University for sometime and currently, he is serving as scientist in the department of virology and chemotherapy, University of Leuven, Belgium.

Mahadesh had returned to India for a brief period and served a couple of years here following a call given by Narendra Modi to Indian scientists to work in the country. Prasad bagged the young scientist award in 2016 for his outstanding achievements in research. He went to Linkoping in Sweden where he joined as research scientist at Post-doctoral Research Centre at the University Hospital.

The vice-chancellor of Linkoping has recommended Prasad to be part of the 10 research teams of the taskforce to find a vaccine for coronavirus following a call by the WHO. Mahadesh Prasad has been recognised as one of the topmost scientists in the world and heading a scientists team for one-and-half-months.

His brother Komal Prasad is also a scientist and part of a 20-scientists team researching on cancer. According to Mahadesh Prasad, the diseases like Covid-19 shouldnt enter countries like India where density of population is high compared to other countries.

We are hopeful of finding a remedy for Covid-19 and have succeeded in the first stage. We need a minimum of six months for accurate results. It will be recognised globally after a series of researches, he said.

Coronavirus cannot be cured by consuming garlic or any other herbal medicine. As per a global report, diseases like Covid-19 affect elderly people quickly. The need of the hour is to maintain hygiene and take precautionary measures, he added.
The wife of Akshay Kumar Singh alias Akshay Thakur, one of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case has sought a divorce so she does not have to live with the stigma of being the widow of a rapist.

The woman filed her divorce petition at Aurangabad family court of principal judge Ramlal Sharma on March 13. The case was taken up for hearing for admission on Tuesday. The hearing could not conclude and will resume on March 19, a day before the four convicts, including Thakur, are to be hanged.

My husband is innocent, but he has been found guilty in the rape case and is to be hanged by the court order. I dont want to lead my life as his widow and want divorce, her petition reads.

Her lawyer Mukesh Kumar Singh said it was the legal right of the affected woman under certain provisions, including instance of rape, of the Hindu Marriage Act.

As per law, if the husband of any woman is held guilty of rape, she can apply for divorce, he said.

Three other convicts in the case have now approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a stay on their hanging.

Out of the four convicts, Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay have had their last face-to-face meetings with their respective families. The authorities have written to the family of Thakur about the date for final meeting before the scheduled date of execution.

Aurangabad police said Thakur worked as a cleaner of the bus in which he and five others brutalised a 23-year-old paramedic intern he was arrested on December 21, 2012, from his village.

Thakurs elder brother Vinay Singh said, None from the family has gone to meet him, who is the youngest of three brothers. We have six bighas of land. We could not even afford a lawyer. Whatever is being done is by the government lawyer. We get updates on Akshay through TV or newspapers, he said.

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Press Release

March 17, 2020 Gatchalian to private sector: provide food to disadvantaged communities during Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine Now that the country is in the midst of a deadly public health crisis, it is a shared responsibility of both public and private sectors to ensure the survival of disadvantaged communities, including daily wage earners. This is Senator Win Gatchalian's clarion call to the private sector following the declaration of an "enhanced community quarantine" in Luzon over the coronavirus pandemic, which threatens the survival of daily wage earners and members of the poor and disadvantaged communities. The directives from the Palace calls for strict quarantine in all households, cessation of work, and regulation of food provision and essential health services. One concern that Gatchalian raised is the adequacy of food supply. While all local government units are expected to supply food to daily wage earners in their respective localities for the next 30 days, Gatchalian said that government resources will not be enough to feed these workers in the long term, especially in the case of a prolonged enhanced community quarantine. According to Gatchalian, this is where the private sector should step in, especially large companies, to complement efforts and resources by the government to ensure these workers' survival. "Ano ba ang mas gusto natin, tulungang mabigyan ng pagkain ang mga tao ngayon at iba pa nilang pangangailangan o mas madaming pasyente ang gagamutin natin in the next 6 months", asked Gatchalian. According to Gatchalian, existing partnerships between private firms and government agencies should be leveraged in achieving this goal such as the companies' programs on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Since these programs are already established, Gatchalian said that they provide readily available channels, including community partnerships, which will allow more efficient distribution of aid. "This is the best opportunity to relive the spirit of bayanihan. I urge the private sector, especially those large companies, to help provide food and other necessities to our fellow Filipinos", Gatchalian added. The lawmaker called on private firms to uphold workers' welfare by implementing more humanitarian policies. Aside from the implementation of policies like remote work scheme, Gatchalian also called for the suspension of the no-work, no-pay policy to help keep daily wage earners afloat while they are unable to render service. For those who are in the informal economy, Gatchalian eyes the provision of unemployment financial assistance. According to Gatchalian, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should identify potential beneficiaries of this financial assistance scheme. To date, COVID-19 has already infected 142 and killed 12 in the Philippines. Globally, data from the World Health Organization shows that the number of confirmed cases has exceeded the 150,000 mark.
Organizers with Housing Long Beach, a local advocacy group pushing for rent control and eviction protections, hangs up a sign in the courtyard of an apartment complex on Cedar Avenue during a movie night they helped put on with tenants on June 15, 2018 in Long Beach, Calif. Read more

As recently as 2016, few people would have listed evictions high on the list of Americas political and social problems, maybe not even in the Top 100. That started to change with the publication of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Evicted, by the Harvard sociologist Matthew Desmond, who chronicled a hidden crisis in low-income neighborhoods like the north side of Milwaukee, where he based his reporting.

Desmond chronicled cruel scenes like the eviction of one Latina woman and her three children and her look of someone realizing that her family would be homeless in a matter of hours. The book created momentum for action in other cities like Philadelphia, where one in every 14 renters faced an eviction notice in 2017. The city did enact a 2019 law that offered some protection for month-to-month tenants against some evictions, but the initial proposal was watered down after fierce opposition from landlords.

 READ MORE: Disaster socialism: Will coronavirus crisis finally change how Americans see the safety net? | Will Bunch

But today a hidden virus is accomplishing  at least for now  what political activism could not. From coast to coast, government officials and business leaders are racing to halt evictions, utility shutoffs and other punitive measures that typically target the poor. Thats a recognition that such devastating actions seem harsh right when the pandemic is beginning to cripple the economy, yet it seems to also beg the question of why throwing mothers and children out on the street wasnt seen as cruel in everyday America.

This public health emergency is becoming an economic emergency, not just for the most vulnerable but for huge swatches of the American people, Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym told me on Tuesday. Gym has sponsored a resolution calling for a city moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs, amid her concern that the Trump administration is more focused on bailouts for big businesses like oil companies or cruise lines.

People shouldnt lose or be forced out of their home because of the spread of COVID-19, Californias Gov. Gavin Newsom declared on Monday, in announcing an executive order halting foreclosures and evictions and seeking the same for utility shutoffs in Americas most populous state. Something similar is happening piecemeal in Philadelphia, where for now the municipal courts have stopped executing eviction orders for two weeks; the Philadelphia Housing Authority also suspended evictions, while Philadelphia Gas Works and the city water department halted shutoffs.

Its hard to adjust to so many changes in American life in just the last week since the coronavirus crisis deepened  the loss of sports, movie theaters and bars, the deserted streets and people working from home, if they can  but one of most remarkable things has been the temporary collapse of the sometimes suffocating web of rules and regulations, not to mention low crimes and misdemeanors, that have defined life for the poor and increasingly the working class.

In a groundbreaking piece published last weekend by Slate, writer Dan Kois focused on the rash of sudden policy changes in the face of the pandemic and whether many of the rules in our day-to-day life suddenly look ridiculous, or at least unnecessary. He focused, for example, on how the Transportation Security Administration suddenly relaxed its longstanding ban on carry-on liquids to let passengers travel with 12-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer  and yet no one is seriously worried about the plane getting blown up.

While noting some of the other post-coronavirus moves like the federal government waiving interest on student debt, or carriers like AT&T suddenly dropping their broadband data caps, Kois notes: All over America, the coronavirus is revealing, or at least reminding us, just how much of contemporary American life is bullshit, with power structures built on punishment and fear as opposed to our best interest. Whenever the government or a corporation benevolently withdraws some punitive threat because of the coronavirus, its a signal that there was never any good reason for that threat to exist in the first place.

The article is simply headlined: America is a sham. Thats a harsh judgement, and in a moment when citizens are seeking ways to come together and promote unity it may not be the message that some folks want to hear. But the question raised by the piece is a serious one: If a kinder, gentler America is really possible  in a moment of clarity when we can blame the struggles of marginalized people on outside forces  then can we keep that clarity, and look at ways to be less draconian, whenever this crisis has finally passed?

Were already seeing this debate in the criminal-justice system, where a slow-motion and sometimes bitterly opposed reform movement aimed at curbing mass incarceration has suddenly been turbo-charged by the need to not put potential inmates in crowded jails where coronavirus might spread more quickly.

A number of prosecutors offices and courts are looking closely at issues such as stopping misdemeanor arrests and when to impose bail. That includes Philadelphia, where the charging chief for reform-minded district attorney Larry Krasner said in a memo that prosecutors should only make specific bail requests in serious matters such as gun and domestic violence cases. The push is coming even though just days ago police unions and their allies in politics and the tabloid media in New York State were having a mass freak-out over mild, common-sense bail reforms.

Say this much for the coronavirus crisis: It has altered our predictably gridlocked political world to a place where many if not all things suddenly seem possible  even if enough distrust remains that nothing is guaranteed, either.

Consider the once radical notion of universal basic income, or UBI  a guaranteed check for all adults from the federal government. The idea of a monthly payout of $1,000, with no red tape or means testing, fueled the rise of formerly obscure ex-presidential candidate Andrew Yang but was poo-pooed by the serious pundits...before the pandemic. This week, Sen. Mitt Romney of 47-percent-are-moochers fame stunned the body politic by proposing the government send that $1,000 check, at least this month, and other leaders are also proposing people-centered bailouts that might actually pass muster with the Yang Gang.

 READ MORE: GOP, Fox News have waged war on science. With coronavirus, will their aging fans pay the price? | Will Bunch

Gym told me that one of her hopes for dealing with the crisis is that policymakers have learned from the mistakes of the 2008 economic crisis  when government quickly bailed out banks but did little for the average folks facing foreclosures  and construct packages that direct aid to the working people who need it most. If were not taking about economic security for everyday Americans, she said, then were not talking about economic security.

Regarding the punitive web of evictions, shutoffs and jail stints that have enveloped Americas needy, no one is suggesting that coronavirus means emptying the jails, or creating scenarios where Silicon Valley whiz kids can stiff their landlord knowing therell be no consequences. Civilization will always need rules. But at the same time  just as officials in cities such as New York largely ended stop-and-frisk and saw crime rates actually drop  I cant help but wonder if seeing that more humane policies on matters such as evicting tenants or turning off the heat didnt cause the sky to fall will bolster the case for permanent change.

Maybe all of America isnt a sham, but the nickel-and-diming of the nations poor has been a damn disgrace for decades. Its ironic that an invisible virus is suddenly forcing not just better-off folks but our tunnel-vision policymakers start to finally see the people who work two or three jobs cleaning hospital beds or driving an Uber or slinging burgers and who make our economy go, even as they struggle just to cover the rent. When this thing is finally over, imagine a world where the new normal is actually better than before.
China reported on Tuesday just one new domestic coronavirus infection but found 20 more cases imported from abroad, with more regions imposing quarantines on foreign arrivals in a bid to stem the disease being brought in from overseas. The single case in Wuhan will boost China's view that it has "basically curbed" the spread of a disease that is believed to have emerged in a live animal market in the central city in December. Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei province going under lockdown in the following days. Authorities tightened restrictions in the city even further on February 11, confining people to their homes as health workers faced a daily deluge of well over 1,000 cases -- a move officials say was critical in containing the virus. Other cities across the country enacted further measures to compel most people to stay indoors, and no new domestic infections have been detected outside Hubei for many days in a row. But the country is now concerned about an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into China every day. Beijing started on Monday to require almost all international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels. People who live alone, minors, the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying conditions are allowed to confine themselves at home. Shanghai extended its mandatory quarantine to travellers from 16 countries on Tuesday -- including the US, Australia and several European nations -- but said travellers may quarantine either at home or at a designated location. Nine of the 20 new imported cases were in Beijing and three in Shanghai, raising the total number of confirmed infections from abroad to 143, according to the National Health Commission. As well as Shanghai and Beijing, another seven provinces or municipalities announced that they would make international arrivals carry out a mandatory quarantine either at home or in central facilities. China also reported 13 deaths Tuesday, raising its toll to 3,226. The country has recorded 80,881 total cases, but fewer than 9,000 people remain infected. The country's progress stands in stark contrast with the growing crisis in other countries, with the World Health Organization saying there were now more deaths and cases outside China. The number of deaths worldwide has passed 7,000, with more than 181,500 cases in 145 countries.
On Tuesday, domestic Gold rates cooled in tandem with international benchmark and spot rates that sunk below $1500 per troy ounce mark. The London Bullion Market Association reported Gold at $1487.70 per troy ounce (31.1035 grams) on Monday. Spot Gold in international markets is trading range-bound in levels of $1482.34 - $1519.30.

Mumbai/Chennai: Gold rates across the country cooled off to a month-low even as investors reportedly made a scramble for holding cash to secure equity investments.

In Indian commodity markets, Gold futures on the MCX lost by 5 percentage points in the session on Monday. On Tuesday, the MCX Gold was bleeding with an intra-day loss of 1.44 percent or Rs 570 to trade at Rs 38,948 for April futures (at the time of writing this story).

Retail rates for 22 Karat and 24 Karat have cooled to a month low across several Indian cities. For instance, jewellers in Chennai quoted a price of Rs 3870 per gram (AM rates). The rates on 11 Feb'20 were reported at Rs 3869 per gram in Chennai.

Likewise, rates in Mumbai have cooled to Rs 3858.50 per gram. The last time rates hovered at this level in Maximum city were as early as January. These rates have been brought by Sify.com that tracks rates across major Indian cities. The rates in Indian cities differs owing to several factors. The retail rates are exclusive of charges such as making charges and 3% GST.

Rates for silver which is more or less similar across the country too witnessed a slump with retailers quoting Rs 36,640 - 39,000 per kilo.

With the spotlight on coronavirus, reports suggest a severe dent in Gold outlook with investors scurrying off to retain cash instruments. The scare of coronavirus has also dented jewelry business in India. With several states desisting citizens from travelling to control the pandemic Coronavirus, jewelry stores are witnessing lower footfalls. The situation is reported as grim until 31st March 2020. For instance, the locals in Pune city were reported as bulking on supplies on Monday preparing themselves for the harsh eventuality of shops selling non-essential stuff shutting down.

The festival of Gudi Padwa on March'25 is widely celebrated in Maharashtra and as Ughadi in Karnataka. A lower gold rate presents itself as an opportunity for many families to invest. But the bigger question is will the pandemic Coronavirus force buyers to stay indoors?

Also Read: Auspicious days or Shubh Muhurat for buying Gold in 2020

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World Health Organization officials are holding a press conference to update the public on the coronavirus outbreak in Europe.

On Wednesday, WHO officials declared COVID-19 a pandemic after the virus rapidly spread from Asia, where the virus was first detected, to people in the Middle East, Europe and North America. While several countries have been able to contain the virus, others have struggled to act quickly enough or drastically enough to do the same, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference Wednesday.

Tedros identified Europe as the new epicenter for the disease on Friday as more cases are now being reported in the region every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic. Italy has been hit especially hard, reporting the most cases outside China with at least 27,900 people infected, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 183,000 people and has killed at least 7,100, according to data from JHU.

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.
Some accuse the US president of trying to deflect critics from his slow response to the outbreak.

US President Donald Trump has been criticised for repeatedly referring to the coronavirus as the Chinese Virus, with critics saying he is fueling bigotry and putting Asian-American communities at risk.

The presidents new labelling of the virus came as China and the US traded blame over the origins of the virus, ignoring World Health Organization (WHO) warnings not to link the pathogen, which was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December, to a particular area or community to avoid discrimination or stigmatisation.

The virus, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has infected more than 173,000 worldwide and killed over 7,000, according to the WHO.

Early Tuesday, Trump tweeted: The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

He doubled down in a later tweet about how US states were being affected, saying: Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all.





Previously, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has referred to coronavirus as the Wuhan Virus.

Trumps most recent comments drew quick rebuke from Beijing, with foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, speaking to reporters, urging the US to correct its mistake and stop its groundless accusations against China.

The official Xinhua news agency also responded to Trumps words, writing in a commentary that using racist and xenophobic names to cast blame for the outbreak on other countries can only reveal politicians irresponsibility and incompetence which will intensify virus fears.

Meanwhile, Beijing, who has been accused of covering up the initial outbreak, has allowed disinformation surrounding the virus to spread in recent days, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian perpetuating one conspiracy theory in tweeting last week that it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan.

Spoke today with Director Yang Jiechi about disinformation and outlandish rumors that are being spread through official PRC channels.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) March 16, 2020

The US State Department on Monday said that Pompeo, in a call with the director of Chinas Office of Foreign Affairs, Yang Jiechi, had urged Beijing to stop the spread of disinformation and outlandish rumours.

Meanwhile, Yang issued a stern warning to the United States that any scheme to smear China will be doomed to fail, Xinhua reported in its summary of the call.

Fueling more bigotry

After weeks of trying to play down the risk posed by the coronavirus pandemic, President Trump struck a new, more urgent tone Monday as he delivered a sobering message to Americans grappling with a new reality that will dramatically alter their lives for months to come.

The shift was informed in part by a growing realisation within the West Wing that the coronavirus crisis is an existential threat to Trumps presidency, endangering his reelection and his legacy. Trump has told advisers that he now believes the virus will be a significant general-election issue and he took note of the clear-eyed, sombre tone used by his likely opponent, Joe Biden, in Sundays Democratic debate, The Associated Press reported.

While his tone shifted in front of the camera, he continued to go after critics on Twitter. Following his Chinese virus tweets, he was rebuked by many within the US, with some concerned that the words could harm Asian Americans.

New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio responded to Trump, tweeting: Our Asian-American communities  people YOU serve  are already suffering. They dont need you fueling more bigotry.

If youre looking for someone to pin this crisis on, try the guy who made up a phony Google website or promised testing kits that he STILL hasnt delivered. Our Asian-American communities  people YOU serve  are already suffering. They dont need you fueling more bigotry. https://t.co/jjcO7treC2  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 17, 2020

Meanwhile, Seattle-based pastor and author Eugene Cho said that calling it the Chinese virus only instigates blame, racism, and hatred against Asians  here and abroad.

We need leadership that speaks clearly against racism; Leadership that brings the nation and world together. Not further divides, he wrote.

Others accused Trump of using China to deflect criticism over his slow response to accepting the urgency of the outbreak and the lagging rate of testing in the US, for which Trump has categorically said he is not responsible.

To my Chinese-American friends, I'm so sorry that as our country reals under #COVID19, ppl responsible are trying to scapegoat the place your family came from by calling this a #ChineseVirus. I have a small sense of what its like. Nobody should face that. #WithYouToday   Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) March 17, 2020

Abdul El-Sayed, a public health doctor and author, wrote: To my Chinese-American friends, Im so sorry that as our country reals under #COVID19 , ppl responsible are trying to scapegoat the place your family came from by calling this a #ChineseVirus.
Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday he is asking President Donald Trump for federal help to build hospitals in New Jersey to handle the potential surge in coronavirus cases  and prevent the state from having to make the agonizing decisions that the world has seen in Northern Italy.

Earlier today, in response to a request from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, President Trump said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be ready, willing, and able to help stand up temporary hospitals, Murphy said at a briefing on the virus in Trenton.

To ensure our greater regional preparedness, I have sent a letter to President Trump making this request for New Jersey, as well, the governor added.

In his letter to Trump, Murphy said 55 percent of the states about 23,000 hospital beds across 71 hospitals are already occupied.

"This only appears to be a fraction of the capacity that will be needed as Coronavirus-19 spreads through the New Jersey population, Murphy wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by NJ Advance Media. Our Department of Health projects that just within the next two weeks, we may need an additional 2,000 citric care beds, with 10 percent of these beds needing ventilators.

Murphy added: "Should these projections materialize in the coming weeks and months, doctors and health care employees in New Jersey may be forced to make the agonizing decisions that the world has seen in Northern Italy  they will have no choice but to deny lifesaving care, including ventilators, to those in need of it.

In an interview with CNBC later in the day, Murphy said he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence shortly after his afternoon news conference.

We got no assurances, but our discussions with them over the past several weeks have been very constructive, Murphy said.

According to a Rutgers-Camden analysis, New Jersey lacks the number of hospital beds needed to accommodate the expected thousands of coronavirus patients who will need inpatient care.

The analysis estimated that in a worst-case scenario New Jersey could face a 300,000 hospital bed shortfall over the duration of the outbreak.

Earlier Tuesday, Murphy said officials are considering using makeshift hospitals and converted dorms for coronavirus patients.

State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said Tuesday the state is talking with CEOs about re-opening eight hospitals in New Jersey that have closed in recent years, as well as wings of other hospitals that have been closed. That may bring 185 additional rooms, she said.

We are belt-and-suspendering this, Murphy said. We are aggressively over here trying to beat the heck out of that curve to flatten it. But we also over here have to buy insurance policy of finding more capacity if for whatever reason our efforts to flatten that curve  which Im highly confident well be able to do  we have a backup plan."

If we re-open a hospital and we dont need it, it will be the best mistake we ever made," the governor added.

On Monday, officials announced the two sites to do coronavirus testing would open at Bergen County Community College in Paramus and at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.

Acting State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said supplies are expected to arrive in the state by Wednesday and the mobile sites could be set up in a matter of days. Murphy added he hopes at least one will be ready to go by this week.

Murphy also said he was deploying New Jerseys National Guard to assist in the states effort to combat the spread of the virus.

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NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson and Susan K. Livio contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

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WASHINGTON -- An academic-industrial team in Japan has connected three laboratories in a 100-kilometer region with an optical telecommunications fiber network stable enough to remotely interrogate optical atomic clocks. This type of fiber link is poised to expand the use of these extremely precise timekeepers by creating an infrastructure that could be used in a wide range of applications such as communication and navigation systems.

"The laser system used for optical clocks is extremely complex and thus not practical to build at multiple locations," said Tomoya Akatsuka, a member of the research team from telecommunications company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). "With our network scheme, a shared laser would enable an optical clock to operate remote clocks with much simpler laser systems."

In The Optical Society (OSA) journal Optics Express, researchers from NTT, the University of Tokyo, RIKEN, and NTT East Corporation (NTT East), all in Japan, report the new low-noise fiber link.

"Optical clocks and optical fiber links have reached the stage where they can be put into practical use," said Akatsuka. "Our system is compatible with existing optical communication systems and will help accelerate practical applications. For example, because optical clocks are sensitive to gravitational potential, linked clocks could be used for highly sensitive detection of early signs of earthquakes."

Dealing with noise

Because of optical clocks' extremely high precision, noise is a critical issue when linking optical clocks over a long fiber link. Even small vibrations or temperature variations can introduce noise into the network that skews the laser signal enough that it no longer reflects what originally came from the optical clock.

"Although optical clock networks that simply connect distant clocks have been demonstrated in Europe, our scheme is more challenging because operating remote clocks with the delivered light requires a more stable fiber link," said Akatsuka. "In addition, the country's urban environments tend to contribute more noise to fiber networks in Japan. To cope with that noise, we used a cascaded link that divides a long fiber into shorter spans connected by ultralow-noise laser repeater stations that incorporate planar lightwave circuits (PLCs)."

Optical interferometers fabricated on a small PLC chip were key for enabling a fiber link with extremely low noise. These interferometers were used in laser repeater stations that copy the optical phase of the received light to a repeater laser that is sent to a next station with fiber noise compensation. Applying noise compensation for each short span makes the laser signal less susceptible to noise and thus more stable.

"Optical interferometers fabricated on a PLC chip have an unprecedented stability and provide a compact, robust and ultralow-noise optical system," said Akatsuka. "This is very advantageous when constructing cascaded fiber links in noisy environments such as those found in Japan."

Connecting the laboratories

To demonstrate the system, the researchers sent laser light at a wavelength of 1397 nanometers through an optical fiber from RIKEN to the University of Tokyo and NTT. Using another fiber link, they measured a beat signal between the shared lasers at the University of Tokyo and NTT to evaluate the link stability for a 240-kilometer-long fiber loop. As expected, the results showed that the cascaded link was better than a non-cascaded link.

The laser's 1397-nanometer wavelength is twice that of the laser used to create the most stable type of optical clock known as a strontium optical lattice clock. This means that the fiber network could be used to operate many distant strontium optical lattice clocks via a shared laser.

The researchers are now preparing optical lattice clocks to demonstrate a clock network using this fiber link and are working to make electrical components of the system more practical.

###

This work was partly funded by JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research (JP16H06284) and by JST-Mirai Program (JPMJMI18A1), Japan.

Paper: T. Akatsuka, T. Goh, H. Imai, K. Oguri, A. Ishizawa, I. Ushijima, N. Ohmae, M. Takamoto, H. Katori, T. Hashimoto, H. Gotoh, T. Sogawa, Optical frequency distribution using laser repeater stations with planar lightwave circuits, Opt. Express, 28,7, 9186-9197 (2020).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.383526.

About Optics Express

Optics Express reports on scientific and technology innovations in all aspects of optics and photonics. The bi-weekly journal provides rapid publication of original, peer-reviewed papers. It is published by The Optical Society (OSA) and led by Editor-in-Chief James Leger of the University of Minnesota, USA. Optics Express is an open-access journal and is available at no cost to readers online at OSA Publishing.

About The Optical Society

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org.

Media Contact: mediarelations@osa.org
GUWAHATI: Activist Akhil Gogoi was granted bail on Tuesday by the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, three months after he was arrested for his alleged role in spearheading protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA.

The court granted bail to Gogoi, founder of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a farmers rights organisation, on a surety of 30,000 after the NIA failed to file charge sheet against him within 90 days and sought more time.

But Gogois lawyer, Santanu Borthakur, said he is unlikely to get out of prison soon as there are several other cases under the same charges, which were filed in December last year. pending against him in many places across Assam and could get arrested for them.

We were able to get bail for the NIA case and complete all formalities. But he had also been arrested in another case by the crime branch; we have moved bail for that. There are several other cases against him in Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Teok, Gaurisagar etc. for which he might be arrested once he comes out of jail on bail in the NIA case, Borthakur said.

Gogoi, who is also a Right to Information (RTI) activist, was arrested at Jorhat on December 12 last year for his role in spearheading the protests across several districts in Assam against the amended citizenship law, which seeks to fast-forward citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He was later handed over to the NIA and a court here sent him to 10 days custody of the agency on December 17. He was taken to New Delhi the same day for questioning.

The NIA had lodged a case under sections 120B, 124A, 153A, 153B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 and Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA) on December 12 last year. The charges pertain to criminal conspiracy, sedition, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc., assertions against national integrity, support to terrorist organization etc.Gogoi was brought back to Guwahati towards on December 25 and has been in judicial custody since then.

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Webinar connects Shanghai experts and overseas Chinese to combat COVID-19 pandemic

By:Lu Yukun | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-03-17 19:07

To support overseas Chinese in combating the novel coronavirus pandemic, a webinar was hosted on March 16th, to connect medical experts in Shanghai and overseas Chinese representatives in Italy, France, Malaysia, Australia and UAE. During the webinar the medical experts shared Chinas experienced solutions in the prevention and control of the pandemic.

The video conference room in Shanghai

The overseas Chinese representatives invited to the webinar included: Xu Yinhe, president of the Shanghai-Italy Chamber of Commerce; Wu Tianquan, president of Federation of Chinese Association Malaysia; Ren Limin, president of the Association of Chinese Residents in France; Bian Jun, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Shanghai in Sydney Australia; and Wang Chunlian, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Shanghai in Sydney Australia. Wang Jue, executive vice president of the Shanghai Chinese Overseas Friendship Association, delivered an opening speech, together with the overseas Chinese representatives.

Video connection between Shanghai medical experts and overseas Chinese

The four Shanghai experts that participated in this video communication were: Dr. Ge Junbo, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief of the Cardiology Department of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University; Dr. Wu Fan, vice dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University and chair of the Shanghai Preventive Medicine Association; Dr. Zhang Wenhong, leader of the Shanghai team of experts in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia cases and director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Shanghai Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University; and Qing Xie, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine.

The Shanghai medical experts present at the webinar

During the webinar, the overseas Chinese representatives focused on such questions as when the pandemic could end, what factors were behind the high fatality rates in certain countries and how to distinguish between mild and severe infection cases.

Dr. Zhang Wenhong predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic might last for a longer period and we should be prepared to continue to combat the novel coronavirus while resumption of work is already underway. Dr. Wu Fan argued that we should leverage the opportunity brought by the upcoming summer in the Northern Hemisphere to create a barrier conducive to herd immunity considering the effects of temperature and humidity on the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The Shanghai medical experts all agreed that COVID-19 infection can be cured if earlier diagnosis and treatment is in place. These words have boosted the confidence of overseas Chinese in the treatment of this disease.

Given the severe epidemic situation in Italy, which is among the countries with the oldest population in the world, during the second half of the webinar, the Shanghai medical experts also had a video conference with medical and health experts in Italy to talk about the epidemic situation. They exchanged and shared their experience and knowledge in prevention and control measures, medical treatments as well as the latest scientific research breakthroughs.

Nicola Petrosilli, Director of the Infectious Disease Division of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, and Dr. Pan Xiaolan, a doctor with the Department of Cardio-Cerebral-Vascular Diseases at San Camiro Hospital in Rome also participated in this discussion and they talked about such issues as clinical diagnosis and treatment and public health intervention.

During the event, the Shanghai Chinese Overseas Friendship Association and Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the organizers of the event in Shanghai, donated a batch of supplies (including N95 respirators, disposable medical masks, medical goggles and medical protective clothing) to the overseas Chinese communities through the overseas Chinese representatives and hope these supplies will be sent to the frontline of the battle against the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy.




British-Sierra Leonean actor Idris Elba says he has tested positive for coronavirus and is quarantining himself.



"It sucks... I'm doing OK," Elba said in a video shared to Twitter.



He said he took the test after realising he'd been exposed to an infected person:



"This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing  No panic" he shared on social media.



The actor, whose late father grew up in Sierra Leone and whose mother is from Ghana, said he has so far not displayed any symptoms.



He urged others to wash their hands regularly and maintain social distancing as preventative measures.



"We live in a divided world... but now is the time for thinking about each other... This is real," he added.



"Stay positive, and don't freak out."







Source: BBC









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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Three days before hanging, Nirbhaya convict Akshay files second mercy petition

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New Delhi, Mar 17: Nirbhaya gang rape and murder convict Akshay Kumar has filed a second mercy petition before President Ram Nath Kovind just three days before his scheduled hanging on March 20.

Officials at Tihar Jail, where the hanging is scheduled to take place, said Kumar filed the petition addressed to the President on Tuesday evening.

'This plea will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Delhi government,' they said.

However, the petition will not delay the execution, according to a senior jail official.

Earlier, the first petition of Kumar was quashed by the President.

Tihar jail readies for Nirbhaya death row convicts

On March 5 this year, a trial court had issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for the execution of the four convicts in the case -- Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).

This is the fourth death warrant against the convicts as the earlier three warrants were deferred pending the exhaustion of legal remedies by the convicts.

After the fresh death warrant was issued, the Tihar Jail authorities wrote to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh requesting for the service of hangman Pawan Jallad, a senior jail official said.

Pawan Jallad, a hangman from Meerut, reached the Tihar Jail on Tuesday.

A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (the fearless), was gang-raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. She died after a fortnight.

Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused.

Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began in the case.
In a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus across the state, the Kerala government has launched a mass hand washing campaign named 'break the chain'.

The campaign aims to educate people about the importance of public and personal hygiene.

Under this campaign, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government has installed water taps at public spots such as at the entry and exit gates of the railway stations with hand wash bottles.

It is also urging people to use hand sanitizers when they are outdoors. Sanitisers have also been made available in all offices.

On Monday, the Chief Minister informed media that three new cases of coronavirus had been reported in the state, taking the total to 24.

A total of 126 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More and more specialised IPs are taking shape in the southern areas

There are two reasons behind a potential investment expansion of Vietnam Japan Technology Park (Vie-Pan Techno Park), according to Ho Xuan Loc, representing the project developer Vietnam Japan Technology Park Co., Ltd. based in Ho Chi Minh City. The project is located in Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park.

First, Vie-Pan Techno Park covers 13ha of total space and 18 Japanese firms have already registered to lease ready-built factory space of over 3ha. Of the remaining area, two other Japanese firms have leased more than 8ha to build factories.

The remaining vacant space is tight while it is impossible to expand the park to surrounding areas as no more land bank is left.

Second, the second phase of Hiep Phuoc IP of over 597ha has now basically fulfilled infrastructure investment.

As this IP specifically caters to high-tech and environment-friendly industries, it appears as the top choice for Vie-Pan Techno Park's expansion plan.

Vie-Pan Techno Park was licensed in 2013 with more than $31 million of total investment capital.

This is the first IP and industrial cluster (IC) model in Ho Chi Minh City set to attract Japanese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the supporting industry. In fact, the model has made important contributions to courting leading global high-tech players to Ho Chi Minh City.

This also serves as a model to create similar projects in the future, helping to lure Japanese and other foreign investors to the city and Vietnam as a whole.

In Dong Nai province, according to Masahiko Makata, CEO of Long Duc Investment Co., Ltd., Long Duc IP has just been approved by the relevant management agency to expand its area by an additional 299ha in the second phase.

The IPs first phase was put in operation in 2013 on more than 282ha space and until present its, almost all of this space has been leased out.

Industry experts believe that the trend of building specialised IPs and ICs to meet businesses specific needs and to hail the anticipated rising wave of foreign investment into Vietnam will gain momentum in the time ahead.

As planned by Dong Nai management authorities, Long Hau IP aims to woo Japanese investors operating in mechanical, electric, electronic, high-grade materials, pharmaceuticals, school equipment, stationery, packaging, and interior decoration fittings, among others.

Also in Dong Nai province, local leaders recently decided to pilot two IC models catering mostly to agricultural processing projects.

Accordingly, the more than 77ha Long Giao IC in Cam My district will dedicate 50 per cent of its space to food and agricultural item processing, and Phu Tuc IC in Dinh Quan district envisages setting aside 60 per cent space for such projects.

Industry experts believe that the trend of building specialised IPs and ICs to meet businesses specific needs and to hail the anticipated rising wave of foreign investment into Vietnam will gain momentum in the time ahead.

For instance, in Binh Duong province Becamex IDC  one of Vietnams largest real estate and infrastructure developers  has just proposed expediting a project on establishing a science and technology industrial park to attract both leading players, SMEs, and startups in key industries of high added value.

Nguyen Viet Long, deputy general director of Becamex IDC, unveiled that they are pushing up plans for the project for submission to authorised management agencies.

Simultaneously, they have also taken the initiative to work with investors in high-tech manufacturing and infrastructure developers from the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Ly Kim Chi  chairwoman of the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City (FFA)  said that the FFA has proposed the city leaders to invest in an IP tailored for businesses in food and foodstuff processing.

This IP project would cover 100ha and be located in District 12 or Binh Chanh district.

This will help firms scale up production to supplement supply to domestic and export markets, and also helping to reduce the number of firms relocating to neighbouring provinces, said an FFA representative.
It has been announced that the 146th Kentucky Derby, which was scheduled for May 2, 2020, has now been rescheduled.

The 146th Kentucky Derby will now be raced on Saturday, September 5, 2020. The 146th Kentucky Oaks, which was scheduled for May 1, 2020, will now be raced on Friday, September 4, 2020. The dates are contingent upon final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. It is expected that the approval will be issued this week.

Throughout the rapid development of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority has been how to best protect the safety and health of our guests, team members and community, Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO, Bill Carstanjen has been quoted as saying. As the situation evolved, we steadily made all necessary operational adjustments to provide the safest experience and environment. The most recent developments have led us to make some very difficult, but we believe, necessary decisions and our hearts are with those who have been or continue to be affected by this pandemic.

Our team is united in our commitment to holding the very best Kentucky Derby ever and certainly the most unique in any of our lifetimes. While we are always respectful of the time-honoured traditions of the Kentucky Derby, our companys true legacy is one of resilience, the embracing of change and unshakeable resolve."

Churchill Downs also took the opportunity to provide a general update regarding what measures have been taken at the track in light of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

An excerpt from Churchills release on the situation appears below.

The safety and health of our guests, team members and participants remains our primary concern at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We are monitoring COVID-19 developments with steadfast vigilance in connection with resources provided by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control as well as public health officials and experts.

We encourage anyone planning to visit Churchill Downs Racetrack to follow the preventative actions outlined by the CDC and make informed decisions based on the official and most recent information provided. If you plan to attend a private event held at Churchill Downs, you should contact the organizer directly. All scheduled events will continue at the discretion of our clients.

In the best interest of our guests, employees and the community around us amid public health concerns regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, Churchill Downs Racetrack has made the difficult decision to voluntarily suspend simulcasting operations, effective Sunday, March 15 at midnight, for 14 days. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Churchill Downs Racetrack. We sincerely apologize for this abrupt notice and any inconvenience it may cause.

The Churchill release also states that in order to ensure the utmost safety of guests when they visit the property, the track has instituted a set of practices, which can be accessed here.

(With files from Churchill Downs)
PLEASE NOTE: Plans continue to change and adapt to community needs, weather conditions, and health-related concerns. As of 3/25/2020, the list below is no longer being updated. Check your school and district social media and official websites for the latest information.

Schools across Alabama are stepping up, implementing new ways to feed students who rely on schools for meals during the extended closures related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meals are available for all children, aged 18 and under. In nearly all cases, the child does not have to be enrolled in a public school in the district in order to receive a meal.

Most of these meal sites are drive-through. You must have the children with you in the car in order for school officials to give you meals.

Many schools are not serving meals during the time they were scheduled for spring break.

This list is organized by school district. The list will be updated regularly, but check the school districts website for the latest information.

Nonprofit organizations, faith-based communities and other grassroots efforts are underway to help feed children, and the United Ways 211 call center is available to connect families with resource.

Anyone can dial 211 to be connected to food or other assistance.

Alabaster City Schools - March 18 to March 20, times differ by location.

Buck Creek Park - lunch 11 a.m. to noon

First Baptist Church of Alabaster - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Alabaster - 11 a.m. to noon

Mount Olive Baptist - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m

Thompson Intermediate School - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Albertville City Schools - daily now through March 20, then March 23, March 25, March 27, March 30, April 1, and April 3. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Albertville Primary School/Albertville Elementary School

Andalusia City Schools - March 30, April 1, April 3, grab and go. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Andalusia Junior High

Johnson Park

Head Start

Old Cannon Station (River Falls Street)

Andalusia Schools Central Office

Arab City Schools - Asks families with children who need meals to register at this link. Two pickup days: Monday, March 23, and Monday, March 30. Children will receive meals for the week. Grab and go, drive-through, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Arab Primary School

Athens City Schools - Grab and go meals, through March 18, All Athens City schools, 10 a.m. to 12 noon;

March 19 through March 27, weekdays only, 10 a.m. to 12 noon

Athens Elementary School (Clinton St. Campus)

The Haven - 801 North Malone Street

Attalla City Schools - Grab and go, beginning March 19, Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dinner: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Etowah Middle School

Bessemer City Schools - March 16 through March 20, March 23 through March 27, March 30 through April 3. Grab and go meals, breakfast is 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., lunch is 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

Abrams Elementary

C.F. Hard Elementary

Jonesboro Elementary

Westhills Elementary

New Horizons Alternative School

All Bessemer City Housing Authority sites

Oasis of Praise Bessemer campus

Birmingham City Schools - weekdays starting March 19 through March 27, ALL schools (except Carver High School) offering grab and go from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to school sites, the district is providing meals at the following sites:

Central Park Recreation Center: 4700 Ter Q, Birmingham, AL 35208

East Pinson Valley: 3000 Jefferson State Pkwy, Birmingham, AL 35215

Ensley Park: 2800 Avenue K, Birmingham, AL 35218

Fountain Heights Park: 1101 15th Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35204

Harrison Park Recreation Center: 901 17th St SW, Birmingham, AL 35211

Hawkins Park Recreation Center: 8920 Roebuck Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35206

Henry Crumpton Recreation Center: 346 Gloria Rd SW, Birmingham, AL 35211

Hooper City Park Recreation Center: 3901 4th St W, Birmingham, AL 35207

Howze-Sanford Park Recreation Center: 320 Ave D, Birmingham, AL 35214

Martin Luther King Jr Park Recreation Center: 529 43rd St N, Birmingham, AL 35222

Inglenook Park: 4016 37th Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35217

McAlpine Park: 1115 Avenue F Birmingham, Alabama 35218

Memorial Park Recreation Center: 524 6th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205

North Birmingham Park Recreation Center: 3501 28th St N, Birmingham, AL 35207

Roosevelt Park: Bessemer, AL 35020

Sandusky Park: 305 Pratt Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35214

Wiggins Park: 3301 Jefferson Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35221

Willow Wood Park: 5312 Georgia Rd, Birmingham, AL 35212

Bullock County Schools - grab and go, lunch now 11 a.m. to 12 noon, breakfast starts March 23, will be served from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Bullock County High School cafeteria (back gate)

Cornerstone Community Center

Midway Nutrition Site

Butler County Schools - meals offered on these dates: March 19, March 30, April 2. Grab and go, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Butler County Board of Education building

Butler Chapel AME Zion Church

Church of the Living God Community Center, McKenzie

Coaches Corner, Georgiana

Dunbar Park Pavilion, Greenville

Georgiana School

Greenville Middle School

McKenzie Town Pavilion, 118 Main Street

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Greenville

Chickasaw City Schools - grab and go, weekdays now through April 3. Time differs based on location.

Chickasaw Elementary - 10 a.m to 12 noon

Chickasaw High School - 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Choctaw County Schools - March 19 through March 27 (doesnt specify if its only weekdays), grab and go, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Choctaw County Elementary School

Crenshaw County Schools - March 19, March 20, March 23 through March 27, grab and go, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Brantley High School

Dozier Town Hall

Faith Walk Church, Luverne

Highland Home School

Helicon Community Center

Honoraville Community Center

Luverne High School

Petrey Town Hall

Rutledge Community Center

Cullman City Schools - March 23, March 25. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

West Elementary School

Cullman County Schools - March 18, March 20, March 23, March 25, March 27. Time 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Fairview High School

Good Hope High School

Hanceville High School

Harmony School

Holly Pond High School

Vinemont High School

West Point High School

Dale County Schools - Grab and go, March 30 through April 3. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition to the schools listed below, this link takes you to a list of bus stops where meals will be available.

Ariton School

G.W. Long Elementary School

Midland City Elementary School

Newton Elementary School

Decatur City Schools - grab and go, now through March 27, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Austinville Elementary

Banks-Caddell

Benjamin Davis

Frances Nungester

Oak Park Elementary

West Decatur

Woodmeade Elementary

DeKalb County Schools - begins March 23, 10 a.m. to 12 noon

Collinsville Drugs

First Fidelity Bank, Ider

Fyffe Baptist Church

Geraldine Drugs

Henager City Hall

Kilpatrick Pharmacy

Mason Lodge, Commerce Street, Valley Head

Mentone Community Church

Rainsville City Hall

Ruhama First Baptist Church

Sylvania Baptist Church

Demopolis City Schools - grab and go, now through March 20, daily from March 23 through March 27, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

U.S. Jones Elementary

Westside Elementary

Dothan City Schools - Grab and go, March 18 to March 20, March 30 to April 3, Lunch: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Beverlye Intermediate

DCS Head Start

Jerry Lee Faine Elementary

Kelly Springs Elementary

Morris Slingluff Elementary

Selma Street Elementary

Elmore County Schools - March 23, March 25, March 27, March 30, April 1, April 3, grab and go, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Coosada Elementary School

Eclectic Middle School

Holtville High School

Redland Elementary School

Wetumpka Middle Schools

Enterprise City Schools - Beginning March 19, weekdays through March 27, times differ by location.

College Street Elementary - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Coppinville School of Opportunity - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Dixie Drive Apartments - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Endale Estates - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Faith Community Church - 11 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.

Pinedale Elementary - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Pleasant Grove Missionary Church - 11:40 a.m. to 12 noon

Rucker Blvd Elementary - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Westview Baptist Church - 11:40 a.m. to 12 noon

Eufaula City Schools - lunch weekdays now through April 3, dinner starting March 30, time differs by location.

Eufaula Early Learning Center/Central Office - 10:30 a.m. to noon

Eufaula Elementary School - 10:30 a.m. to noon

Eufaula High School dinner, starting March 30 - 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Fairfield City Schools - through March 20, then again starting March 30 through April 3, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

C.J. Donald Elementary

Glen Oaks Elementary

Robinson Elementary

Florence City Schools - weekdays, grab and go, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Church of the Highlands at the Shoals Marriott Conference Center

The Dream Center on Cloverdale Road

Florence Middle School

Harlan Elementary School

W.C. Handy School

Weeden Elementary School

Fort Payne City Schools - grab and go, weekdays through April 3. Times differ by location.

13th Street Apartments - 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Beason Gap Apartments - 1:15 p.m .to 1:30 p.m.

Cherokee Trailer Park/Deerfield Apartments - 12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Fischer Store - 12 noon to 12:30 p.m.

Five Points Bus Stop - 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Fort Payne Church of Christ - 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Fort Payne Middle School - 11 a.m. to 12 noon

Fort Payne Walking Park - 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Fort Payne Family Worship Center at Pine Hills 12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Green Acres Trailer Park - 12 noon to 12:30 p.m.

Hixon Pond Apartments - 12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Mountain Trace Apartments - 12 noon to 12:15 p.m.

Stewart Court Apartments - 11:30 a.m to 11:45 a.m.

Williams Avenue Elementary - 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

Wills Valley Elementary - 11 a.m. to 12 noon

Geneva County Schools - now through March 20, March 30 through April 3, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Geneva County High School

Samson High School

Slocomb High School

Gulf Shores City Schools - grab and go, weekdays, March 19 through April 3 (school site), March 23 through April 3 (neighborhood sites), times differ by location.

Gulf Shores High School - 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

St. Andrews by the Sea on Fort Morgan Road - 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Bodenhammer Recreation Center - 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Pelican Place, Craft Farms (west side of Cobb Theater) - 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

SportsPlex, County Road 6 - 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Homewood City Schools - grab and go, lunch 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Homewood Middle School

Hoover City Schools - grab and go, through March 20, lunch 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Green Valley Elementary

Huntsville City Schools - grab and go, drive through and walk-up, through March 27, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Chaffee Elementary

Dawson Elementary

Highlands Elementary

Lakewood Elementary

Lee High School

McDonnell Elementary

Morris Elementary/Middle

Sonnie Hereford Elementary

Jasper City Schools - weekdays, now through April 3. Grab and go, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jasper Civic Center (side of building that faces After Hours Clinic)

Jasper Housing Authority

Corner of Parkland Plaza behind Captain Ds

Jefferson County Schools - March 24, March 26, March 30, April 1 and April 3. Grab and go, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here for places in addition to the schools in Jefferson County listed below to pick up meals for students.

Brighton School

Clay-Chalkville High School

Erwin Intermediate

Fultondale High

McAdory High

West Jefferson Elementary

Lawrence County Schools - three pick up days (multiple days meals can be picked up), Wednesday, March 18, Monday, March 23, and Wednesday, March 25

East Lawrence Elementary

Hatton Elementary

Hazelwood Elementary

Moulton Elementary

Mt. Hope Elementary

Speake Elementary

Leeds City Schools - through March 20, grab and go, 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

Leeds Middle School

Limestone County Schools - March 19, 23, 25, 27, 30, April 1, 3. Grab and go, drive-through. Time is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Student does not have to be present to receive meals.

Ardmore High School

Clemens High School

East Limestone High School

Elkmont High School

Tanner High School

West Limestone High School

Macon County Schools - now through April 3, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Booker T. Washington High School

Chisholm Community Center

Cotton Valley Community Center

District 2 Community Center

Next to Langford Nutrition Center

Prairie Farms Center

Madison City Schools* - students only - through March 20, walk-up or drive-through service. Lunch - 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Triana area students pick up lunch at Town Municipal Building between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Rainbow

Horizon

James Clemens

Mill Creek

West Madison

More information on Madison City community locations here.

Madison County Schools - Grab and go, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m, every weekday through April 3, including during the scheduled spring break.

Harvest Elementary

Madison Cross Roads Elementary

Hazel Green Elementary

Madison County Elementary

New Hope Elementary

Riverton Elementary

Midfield City Schools - through March 20, again March 23 through March 27, March 30 through April 3, time differs by location, walk up or drive-through. In addition, Midfield City Schools will deliver meals on a school bus route, with details of where and at what time in this Facebook post.

Midfield Elementary - 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Rutledge Middle - 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

United Fellowship Community Baptist Church - 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Mobile County Schools - Mobile County is offering grab and go meals in 66 places with times differing by location. Click this link for details.

Montgomery County Schools - Beginning March 23, grab and go, Breakfast 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., lunch 11 a.m to 1 p.m.

Bellingrath Middle

Brewbaker Middle

Booker T. Washington Magnet High

Johnnie Carr Middle

Chisholm Elementary

Peter Crump Elementary

Dalraida Elementary

Dannelly Elementary

Floyd Middle Magnet

Martin Luther King Elementary

Pintlala Elementary

Southlawn Middle

Wares Ferry Road Elementary

Opelika City Schools - Beginning weekdays March 23, grab and go, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Carver Primary School

Opelika High School

Opp City Schools - Starting March 30 through April 3, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Carver Court (Mullins Apartments)

Cool Springs Trailer Park

Old Micolas Mill Pool Parking Lot

Opp Middle School

Opp Housing Authority Community Center

Opp Head Start Parking Lot

Rhea Avenue/Lunsford Trailer Park

Williams Road Apartments (Knots Landing)

Oxford City Schools - will be distribution donated food items, March 24, March 27, March 31, Friday April 3. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. or until all food items are handed out.

Oxford High School

Pelham City Schools - Beginning March 18 through March 20. Will also offer meals March 30 through April 3. Grab and go, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Pelham Park Middle School

Phenix City Schools - March 18 through March 20, March 30 through April 3. Meals will be served by school bus. Lunch 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Frederick Douglas Apartments

Hidden Hills Trace Apartments

Whispering Pines Apartments

Sumbry Hill Apartments

Spring Ridge Apartments

Riverview Apartments

Greenleaf Apartments

Steeplecrest Apartments

420 Martin Luther King Pkwy

Sanford Road Park

Brookwood Park Apartments

L.P. Stough

LIVE Garrett Wood Apts.

Edmond Estates Apartments

Piedmont City Schools - March 17, March 19, March 30, April 1, April 3. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Piedmont High School

Pike County Schools - March 19 to March 20, weekdays from March 23 through April 3, 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Goshen High School

Pike County Elementary

Roanoke City Schools - grab and go, now through March 20, then again March 30 through April 3, 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

Handley Middle School

Handley High School

Russellville City Schools - grab and go, through March 20, then again March 23 through March 27, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Russellville Elementary School

Sheffield City Schools - Mondays and Wednesdays through April 1, grab and go, times 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Sheffield Junior High School

LE Willson

Threadgill Primary

Shelby County Schools - *must be a student enrolled in Shelby County Schools, Grab and go, now through March 20, also March 30 through April 3. Lunch 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

Calera High School

Chelsea High School

Helena High School

Montevallo High School

Oak Mountain High School

Shelby County High School

Vincent Middle High School

Sylacauga City Schools - Beginning March 18 and continuing through spring break, 11 a.m. to noon

Nichols-Lawson Middle School

Pinecrest Elementary

Verlie Collins Community School

Tallapoosa County Schools - grab and go, weekdays, starting March 17

Dadeville Elementary - 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Horseshoe Bend - 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Reeltown High School - 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Tallassee City Schools - grab and go, starting March 30, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Career Tech Center, 301 Gilmer Avenue

Tallassee Community Library

Tallassee Senior Center/Carrville Park

Tarrant City Schools - Beginning March 18 through March 20. Also March 30 through April 3. Grab and go, times differ by location.

Good News Assembly of God in Robinwood - 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon

Lily Baptist Church - 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon

Springdale Baptist Church - 11:15 am. to 12 noon

Tarrant Intermediate School - 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Troy City Schools - March 19 and March 20, resuming March 30. Grab and go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Troy Elementary School

Tuscaloosa City Schools - starts March 23, every weekday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Alberta School of Performing Arts

Buddys Food Mart, Rice Mine Rd.

Central High School

Hay Court Apartments

Northridge Middle

Rosedale Apartments

Skyland Elementary

Southview Elementary

Westlawn Middle

Woodland Forrest Elementary

Tuscaloosa County Schools - starts March 23, each weekday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Brookwood Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Brown House - 12:35 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.

Chestnut Trace - 2:00 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.

Crescent East - 11:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Crestmont Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Faucett-Vestavia Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Flatwoods Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Green Village Community - 9:45 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.

Holt High - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Knoll Circle - 1:05 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.

Maxwell Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Northside High - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sipsey Valley Middle - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Taylorville Primary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Vance Elementary - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Vestavia Hills City Schools - starts now, full set of dates not provided, 11 a.m. to noon.

Vestavia Hills Elementary West

Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights

Walker County Schools - starts now, weekdays through April 3, time differs according to population. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for families with children with special needs, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. - elderly and all others in need of food

Carbon Hill Community Center

Cordova City Hall

Jasper Civic Center

Jasper Housing Authority

Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Curry

Nauvoo Town Hall

Oakman Senior Center

Parrish High School Gym

Raising Arrows, Jasper

Sumiton Church of God

Washington County Schools - click this link for more information, multiple locations throughout the county

Winston County Schools - begins March 30, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., days differ by location
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to register a second case against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor, his wife Bindu Kapoor and Avantha Realtys Gautam Thapar, in a sign that the agency is widening its investigation into money laundering allegations against the three.

The case, which was first registered by the CBI on March 13, pertains to the purchase of a prime property on Delhi's Amrita Shergill Marg.

With a fresh case on the deal, the ED will parallelly conduct its own investigations even as the CBI does its own.

The Kapoors are said to have made the deal through Bindus Bliss Abode Pvt Ltd, which is alleged to have acquired the property, owned by Thapar, for Rs 378 crore, much below the market price.

In return, Yes Bank, under Kapoor, allegedly relaxed existing loans of Thapars Avantha Group, and also extended new credit lines.

The CBIs First Information Report (FIR) further says that post the deal, the property was immediately mortgaged by Bliss Abode to India Bulls Housing Finance Ltd for a loan of Rs 685 crore.

The transaction will be in the focus on March 21, when Thapar has to appear for questioning by the ED.

The agency is already investigating the three for alleged money laundering in deals that include DHFLs Wadhawan brothers, RKW Developers, and Doit Urban Ventures Ltd, a company owned by daughters of the Kapoors.

Kapoor, who was arrested in the case, and the rest are accused of laundering Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending sizeable loans to big borrowers through the bank. The loans later turned non-performing assets.

Kapoor is in ED custody till March 20.

The investigation against the fallen promoter continues even as at Yes Bank, efforts are on to normalise operations. Bank customers can avail full banking services from March 19.

The real estate deals

Apart from the Amrita Shergill Marg property, transactions related to two other properties - worth about Rs 1,000 crore in all - are now being investigated by the agencies.

The other two properties are also in the key areas of the capital. These properties are also owned by Bliss Properties, which has assets at Chankaya Puri and Diplomatic Enclave, on the Sardar Patel Marg.

As Moneycontrol had earlier reported, the Kapoor family has been trying to sell these assets, and the ED suspects that the former Yes Bank promoter was planning to flee the country after liquidating his assets in India.

The ED is investigating these cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Directorate has summoned large borrowers of Yes Bank, and these included media baron Subhash Chandra, Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, Indiabulls group founder Sameer Gehlout and Cox and Kings India head Peter Kerkar.

On the other hand, the CBI has also been investigating these two cases. The difference here being that the Bureau is looking into the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On March 13, it had conducted searches at the houses and offices of the Kapoors and Thapar in Mumbai and Delhi/NCR.

As per sources, "the CBI has registered around half a dozen preliminary enquiries in this case including against Dewan Housing Finance Limited former promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan".
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MADISON  A student attending the Grove School, a boarding school in Madison, has tested positive for COVID-19, First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons announced in a release Tuesday evening.

The student, who is not a Connecticut resident, was isolated and sent to his home in the New York area at the onset of symptoms, according to Lyons.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:03:28|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that starting from Thursday, all people to Hong Kong from foreign countries and regions are required to undergo quarantine for 14 days or medical surveillance upon their arrival, in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

Hong Kong has recorded nearly 160 confirmed COVID-19 cases up to now. For the past two weeks, 50 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were imported ones out of all the 57 confirmed cases, Lam noted at a media session before the HKSAR Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.

The major task for Hong Kong now was to curb imported infections, Lam said, adding that if the government didn't impose tougher measures, the previous efforts to prevent the disease from spreading over the past two months could be wasted.

For the past week, the government had issued three travel alerts on multiple countries and regions such as Hokkaido in Japan, Europe's Schengen Area, Ireland, Britain and the United States, and expanded the travel alert to cover the rest of the world except the Chinese mainland, China's Macao and China's Taiwan, effective Tuesday.

According to the Department of Health of the HKSAR government, for those who undergo quarantine, they are required to stay at home or some fixed places; those who are put under medical surveillance can go out with face mask and are required to update their daily health conditions to the government.

Lam said that the HKSAR government had discussed with local airline Cathay Pacific to bring back Hong Kong overseas students in Britain and the United States. The government also offered Cathay Pacific 67,000 face masks to be distributed to Hong Kong residents from Britain and the United States.

Stressing that it will be a prolonged battle against COVID-19, Lam said that it was difficult for the HKSAR government to deal with it in a short time. And it will be impossible for schools to fully resume on April 20, and the government will continue not to organize any large-scale events.
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.

Sign up for our free text alerts about coronavirus in Central New York and get direct access to the latest developments, brought to you by syracuse.coms unparalleled team of reporters, visual journalists, editors and more, delivered right to your phone.

Hitting close to home: Coronavirus arrives in Onondaga County: Onondaga County registered its first two positive cases of the novel coronavirus Monday, prompting a medical investigation to trace its origins and a slate of emergency orders to slow the spread of the disease. Said County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta: "We all really need to be cognizant that its here in our community. Its not over there now. Its here.

SU goes online for semester: Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Monday that Syracuse University would not resume in-person classes for the rest of the semester, instead holding classes online.

Schools scramble to figure out how to feed students: Even though the schools are closed, districts are still required to feed children who are eligible for free and reduced meals. Thats nearly 30,000 students across Onondaga County. Heres a look at what some school districts are doing.

As bars close, regulars struggle with time away from friends: The closing of bars and restaurants will affect many, but the regulars at neighborhood bars will feel a special pain. They dont fear they wont get a drink during a government shutdown; they fear adjusting their routine and going without regular face-to-face interaction.

Stocks plunge on virus fears: The U.S. stock market plunged nearly 13% Monday for its worst day in more than three decades, as voices from Wall Street to the White House said the coronavirus is likely dragging the economy into a recession.

READ MORE:
BOSTON, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To assist healthcare organizations in their response to COVID-19, Orbita today announced its new Orbita COVID-19 Virtual Assistant, a turnkey chatbot that can be readily integrated into existing websites to improve access to coronavirus-specific question-answering and screening tools. Orbita is delivering this new solution at no cost to support the many organizations on healthcare's front lines who now face overwhelming challenges due to the unprecedented public health crisis of COVID-19.

Orbita's newest platform features provide enterprise-grade, end-to-end functionality to design, build, manage, and optimize AI-driven voice and chatbot applications

"We asked ourselves in recent weeks, 'What can we do to make a difference?,' and we quickly arrived at a logical decision for our company," said Orbita CEO Bill Rogers. "We're providing this COVID-19-specific chatbot free of charge to bring immediate support to organizations now scrambling to educate the public, provide rapid triage, and reduce infection risk, all within constraints of limited resources and rapidly changing circumstances."

According to Rogers, Orbita developed its COVID-19 Virtual Assistant to immediately meet the needs of two critically important populations: 1.) the general public - by automating COVID-19 question answering; 2.) symptomatic and at-risk patients - by automating the screening process with assessments and triaging to the appropriate place.

The Orbita COVID-19 Virtual Assistant is pre-packaged with conversationally formatted, question-and-answer and screening content from the CDC and other clinically vetted sources.

Because it is built on the Orbita platform, this COVID-19 chatbot can be quickly adapted to work seamlessly across mobile chatbots, smart speakers (e.g. Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.), SMS, and even analog phones via IVR. It can be integrated with existing visit scheduling and telemedicine services.

Rogers highlights that some organizations may want to embed custom content or content from third party sources and may also want to provide re-screening notifications or check-ins with at-risk patient populations.

"Our platform provides robust flexibility to adapt as this evolves, and we can't think of a better time to use this for the greater good," Rogers adds. "Orbita has a deep roster of healthcare and life sciences customers providing front-line care for both brick-and-mortar and virtual visits."

Additional information is available here.

About Orbita

Orbita provides award-winning voice and chat solutions for healthcare and life sciences sectors, and the most powerful conversational AI platform enabling entities to cost-effectively create and manage HIPAA-compliant virtual health assistants for the enterprise. Organizations tap the power of Orbita's market-proven technologies for consumer marketing, customer service, patient engagement, outcomes improvement and cost reduction initiatives. Customers include Mass General Brigham, Libertana Home Health, Mayo Clinic, Merck and University of Chicago Medicine. Partners included Amazon, Cognizant, Deloitte, Pariveda, and ServiceNow. Find us as orbita.ai, or contact us at [email protected]

Contact: Beth Strohbusch, Orbita SVP, 414-213-8818, [email protected]

SOURCE Orbita, Inc.

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Checkpoint: An Irish Army soldier at a Border checkpoint, set up to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, back in 2001. Photo: RollingNews.ie

A week ago, the housing crisis was still top of the country's news agenda, but within a week the coronavirus crisis has turned everything on its head. So much so that it's even possible you've forgotten that today is St Patrick's Day.

While the choice to attend parades or go to the pub has been taken out of our hands, livestock marts remain open and it's up to every individual to weigh up the risks associated for them and their families if they attend. The merits of the marts staying open must be weighed up against the risk posed to human health- that must come above any animal welfare concerns.

The marts closed in 2001 when Foot-and-Mouth Disease threatened our entire agri-food sector. With human lives at risk, this crisis is far more serious.

In the coming weeks, and possibly months, we will all have to evaluate everything we do in an effort to prevent the spread of this virus. Justifiably, much of the effort to date have been to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

However, as has been emphasised by our health experts, this does not give everyone else licence to take the threat posed by the virus any less seriously.

The macho mentality sometimes associated with farming will not get the job done. Such attitudes will only serve to heighten the risk for everyone.

When I spoke to Professor Sam McConkey, one of the country's leading experts in this area, on Sunday, I expected him to be opposed to the continued operation of marts across the country.

However, on the contrary, he emphasised the importance of farmers' role in society and how the production and supply of quality food was never more critical. He said that while farmers must take precautions like everyone else, the agri-food sector, including farmers, has a serious role to play in keeping society functioning.

Professor McConkey's view reflects the old saying that everyone needs a farmer three times a day.

This has never been more accurate. The role of those working in farming and the agri-food sector will be critical in helping the country cope with this crisis.

We need farming and the agri-food sector functioning as fully as possible now. We will all have to make difficult decisions to ensure this happens. And if that means shutting down the pubs or marts for a few weeks, it's a small price to pay for the greater good.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 01:11:34|Editor: huaxia

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ALGIERS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian government on Monday decided to temporarily suspend all flights to and from six African nations in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak, official media reported.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerrad instructed the public works and transport minister to temporarily suspend all flights with Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso as of Thursday, APS news agency said, quoting a statement by the prime minister's office statement.

Algeria has already stopped all flights and sea links with Europe, as well as Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

The Algerian health ministry on Sunday confirmed the death a fourth patient infected with coronavirus and the infection of 54 others. Enditem
Anambra State Government on Tuesday announced the closure of 12 private schools in the state for engaging in alleged irregularities, including examination malpractices.

The state Commissioner for Basic Education, Kate Omenugha, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Awka, the state capital on Tuesday.

Mrs Omenugha also said the schools did not have requisites for conducive teaching and learning; such requirements as facilities and qualified teachers.

She listed the schools as Jubilee Secondary School, Ihiala, Jonjay Comprehensive Secondary School, Ihiala, Redemption Model Secondary School Awada, Obosi, Higher Achievers Secondary School Uli and Spencer Secondary School, Uli.

Others are City High Secondary School, Ozubulu, Summit Comprehensive College, Obosi, Dominion Comprehensive Secondary School, Obosi and Keep Looking to Jesus Comprehensive Secondary School, Nnewi.

They also included Azia Comprehensive Secondary School, Azia, Star Light Secondary School, Ogbunike and Bilingual Secondary School, Abagana.

Mrs Omenugha, while stating the ministrys resolve to fish out more defaulting schools, said the state government might consider issuing operational licenses/certificates to private schools.

It is regrettable that some of these private schools engage in examination malpractices, otherwise known as Miracle Centres, she disclosed.

Narrating efforts by the ministry to get the private schools work harmoniously with the state government in developing the schools, Mrs Omenugha said some of them chose to distort the system.

The state Ministry of Education has done a lot toward getting private schools work together in order to achieve more for the state.

It is unheard of that private schools will embark on a strike without writing to the ministry.

We invited the groups to an emergency meeting on March 14, but two of the four groups declined the invitation and instead, resorted to industrial action.

Anambra State is the only state granting subvention to private schools. In the last administration, they were given N2.5 million for laboratories as well as buses.

The school owners not only threatened but embarked on strike, alleging, multiple taxation as reaction for their actions, the commissioner said.

She however, blamed private schools in the state for lacking unity, saying they always connived to shield unapproved private schools within their union as well as hiding their data from the education ministry.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some private primary and secondary schools in the state on March 16, commenced a three-day warning strike over alleged multiple taxation and extortion.

The Coalition of Private Schools in the state had in a statement accused revenue agents and the state Ministry of Basic Education of what it termed unfair treatment and extortion by the state government.

(NAN)
Islamabad [Pakistan], Mar 17 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that had Pakistan locked down its cities like Italy did, its population would have died of hunger.



Addressing the nation on Tuesday amid growing coronavirus cases in Pakistan, Prime Minister Khan said that the country needs to take strong actions to combat the pandemic.

Khan said, "If we would have locked down our cities as Italy did, our population would have suffered. On one side we would be battling the novel virus and on the other side we would have lost our population due to hunger."

"We were looking at best practices from different countries but countries like Italy showed delayed response to the virus and when cases spiked, they put the entire country under lockdown," he added.

Khan also questioned the United States and its approach to fight the spread of the virus, adding that the US also showed a delayed response despite having the best infrastructure in the world.

He said that Pakistan was emerging from a difficult year of economic slowdown and its textile industry had just begun to find its moorings when the coronavirus broke out.

He said that it inevitable for Pakistan to not see a spurt of cases despite various measures taken because the virus has been spreading globally.

He also warned the hoarders of essentials supplies, underlining that stringent action would be taken if an artificial shortage of goods is created and prices of these goods rise.

Prime Minister Khan remarked, "We have seen in the past how black market hoarders created a fake shortage of sugar and rice in the market. If this happens again during the coronavirus outbreak then the government will take stringent action against such hoarders."

He said that Pakistani President Arif Alvi is in China and when he comes back on Wednesday, we will learn the best practices exercised by China to contain the spread of the virus.

To battle the economic fallout of the virus Pakistan has formulated an economic committee to supervise the oil price, exports, and other economic parameters.

Meanwhile, the Sindh provincial government has announced a partial lockdown across the province. Restaurants, shopping malls, beaches and parks will remain closed for 15 days starting Wednesday. (ANI)


Iraqi President Barham Salih appointed Adnan al-Zurfi as the country's new prime minister-designate in an effort to resolve a months-long political crisis.

Al-Zurfi has 30 days to form his cabinet which would then go for a vote of confidence in Iraq's fractious Parliament. The 54-year-old is a former governor of the holy Shia city of Najaf and heads the Nasr parliamentary grouping of former Prime Minister Haider-al Abadi, Al Jazeera reported.

Al-Zurfi will succeed interim Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who quit in December following a widespread mass demonstrations against the government that many Iraqis see as corrupt, failing to provide them with basic services, and obliged to neighbouring Iran.

Al Zurfi's appointment came two weeks after Former Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew his candidacy for the post, accusing political parties of obstructing him.

Al-Zurfi was a former official of the US-run authorities that took over Iraq after the 2003 US invasion that deposed former ruler Saddam Hussein.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:23:02|Editor: huaxia

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Palestinian workers inspect tents for patients infected with COVID-19, in the village of Halhul, near the West Bank city of Hebron, on March 17, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has climbed to 41, as two new cases have been diagnosed, a Palestinian official said on Tuesday. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has climbed to 41, as two new cases have been diagnosed, a Palestinian official said on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Melhem, the Palestinian government's spokesman, said in a press statement published on the official Palestinian News Agency that two new cases were found in the West Bank.

"One case is of a Palestinian from the West Bank city of Nablus, who has just arrived from Germany, and the other case is for a Palestinian student from Ramallah," said Melhem.

"There are 37 cases in Bethlehem, two cases in Tulkarem, one case from Nablus and one from Ramallah," said Melhem, who stressed that the Palestinians should follow the instructions of the Palestinian Health Ministry.

On March 5, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a status of emergency for one month to contain the spread of the virus in Palestine.

The Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the Islamic Hamas movement, is still free of coronavirus cases, according to the health ministry in the besieged coastal enclave.
The first shots in the first vaccine trial for the new coronavirus were administered Monday as a small group of volunteers in Seattle will receive varying doses over the next several weeks to test the safety of the experimental vaccine.

Doctors at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle gave the first shots in the trial aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19.

"Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said in a statement. "This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal."

SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus that causes COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic last week. More than 183,400 cases globally have been reported, with more than 7,100 confirmed deaths, since the virus was first detected in late 2019 in China.

Coronavirus myths, debunked: A cattle vaccine, bioweapons and a $3,000 test

The trial is to include 45 healthy adults ages 18-55 and last for approximately 6 weeks as volunteers will receive two shots about a month apart.

Developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and at the biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., the experimental vaccine uses messenger RNA and "directs the bodys cells to express a virus protein that it is hoped will elicit a robust immune response," the institute said in a news release.

Scientists working on a vaccine for Middle East respiratory syndrome, caused by another coronavirus, were able to develop the COVID-19 experimental vaccine quickly once the genetic information for the new coronavirus became available.

What exactly is a virus? Is it alive?

Pharmacist Michael Witte holds a tray with a syringe containing a shot that will be used in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of the potential vaccine.

Coronaviruses are named for crown-like spikes on their surfaces, and the potential COVID-19 vaccine targets the spike, which allow the viruses to attack the human body.

Story continues

Dr. Lisa Jackson, who is leading the study with Kaiser Permanente, told the Associated Press that her team is "subdued" as the trial gets underway. The potential vaccine is one of many being developed around the globe, and it could still take more than a year for it to be widely available if it is proven safe.

Dr. Lisa Jackson, a senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, works in her office with an image of COVID-19 taped to her door on Sunday.

We dont know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. Thats why were doing a trial, Jackson told the Associated Press.

But, "going from not even knowing that this virus was out there  to have any vaccine" in testing in about two months is unprecedented, she added.

Social distancing: Its not about you, its about us

"We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something," Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle told the AP. She's one of the first people who will take part in the trial.

Jennifer Haller, left, smiles as the needle is withdrawn after she was given the first-stage safety study clinical trial of the potential vaccine.

"I'm feeling great," she added after getting the shot.

Jennifer Haller gets a kiss from her adopted foster dog, Meg, Monday, March 16, 2020, in her home in Seattle.

Other recipients of the first round of the vaccine were Neal Browning, 46, of Bothell, Washington. He told the AP his daughters were proud of him for being part of the trial.

Pharmacist Michael Witte, left, gives Neal Browning, right, the shot.

"Every parent wants their children to look up to them," he said. But he said he told them not to brag to friends. "It's other people, too. It's not just Dad out there."

Neal Browning, center, works a puzzle with his fiance Nichole Hoffman and their children in their home in Bothell, Wash., north of Seattle.

Rebecca Sirull, 25, said she joined the trial as "a way to contribute to the situation in a positive way."

Pharmacist Michael Witte, left, gives Rebecca Sirull, right, the shot.

"The main guidelines that we all have right now are to stay home and do nothing, which is sort of a hard message to hear when you want to help out," she said.

Rebecca Sirull holds a digital thermometer and a form used to keep a record of her vital signs over time.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus vaccine trial underway in Seattle: Photos of first shots
The Virginia Department of Elections is encouraging voters to use absentee ballots in the upcoming May municipal elections to protect their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Salem, Vinton and Radford will be holding elections May 5. Salem has three city council seats on the ballot. Vinton has two town council seats up for election, while Radford has two city council seats and two school board seats.

Boones Mill and Rocky Mount each have three town council seats on the ballot.

State law requires voters to provide a reason for voting absentee, but the Department of Elections has extended that to every voter because of the pandemic.

Voters can choose reason 2A My disability or illness on their absentee ballots. This designation does not require supplemental documentation. Voters should apply for an absentee ballot as soon as possible so they can be returned in time for Election Day, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

The deadline to vote absentee by mail is April 28.

The General Assembly passed a bill this session that will give citizens 45 days to vote early, and without an excuse, for the November election. Gov. Ralph Northam still has to sign the bill, which would go into effect July 1.

To apply for an absentee ballot or to register to vote, visit elections.virginia.gov.

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SPRINGFIELD  As a large white truck from MGM Springfield carrying bread, milk, celery, yogurt and other fresh produce pulled up to the Open Pantrys Emergency Food Pantry on Main Street, a few residents came by to grab boxes of food.

It is absolutely awesome. We are so appreciative for the extra food that we are getting," said Annie Rennix, director of food pantry services for the Open Pantry. Due to the coronavirus we suspended all donations from individuals including residents, churches and community members in order to limit the contact between individuals. We rely a lot on those donations, so we are low on food. This delivery of a huge assortment of food means a lot to us, and I know it will mean a lot to our residents.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously on March 14 to close MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park Casino for at least two weeks.

So, on Tuesday MGM Springfield donated 12,000 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and partner agencies like the Open Pantry.

The total donation works out to about 10,000 meals, said MGM Springfield spokesman Saverio Mancini. Our property is currently closed and we recognize theres a need in the community and we wanted to help, he said.

Springfield Ward 1 City Councilor Adam Gomez stopped by the emergency pantry to help unload the truck.

MGM was very proactive," he said. They stepped up to the plate and made sure this food didnt go to waste, but to people in the community who need it most.

Rennix said the pantry has put in place new measures to protect both staff and the clients picking up food every day.

We are limiting the amount of clients that we have in the intake area at one time, we are required to wear gloves, some of our more compromised staff are wearing face masks. We are doing the best we can to protect the staff as well as the clients, she said.

A staff member is periodically cleaning tables, chairs and doorknobs. Intake workers are not handling any paperwork or requiring clients to give them licenses or identification cards.

Rennix said the pantry serves 500-600 families a week. With schools being closed they are expecting more people coming to pick up fresh fruit and produce.

She credited corporate partners like MGM Springfield, Stop & Shop on Boston Road and Costco in West Springfield for helping them keep the shelves stocked during the coronavirus pandemic.

We do rely heavily on donations from churches and food drives from schools, so these larger donations are essential right now, she said.

Rennix estimates they will be able to give away most of the food within a week.

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PHILADELPHIA, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grabar Law Office is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of AVX Corporation (NYSE: AVX) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of Delaware state law in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Kyocera Corporation.

On February 21, 2020, AVX announced that it had entered into a merger agreement, in which Kyocera will acquire "all the outstanding shares of common stock of AVX not owned by Kyocera pursuant to an all-cash tender offer for $21.75 per share.

On March 2, 2020, AVX filed a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the S.E.C. that revealed that the AVX's Special Committee determined that the value of Kyocera's initial proposal was insufficient and that the Special Committee believed the appropriate purchase price should be in the range of $23.00 to $25.00 per Share.

If you are an AVX shareholder and believe the proposed buyout price is too low and want to learn more about your rights, and how you and other shareholders may benefit, contact [email protected] or call 267-507-6085. $AVX

SOURCE Grabar Law Office

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Sophia Bush was seen arriving at the supermarket wearing a pair of latex gloves to push her trolley amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The American actress, 37, put her safety first as she covered her hands while using the communal item to complete her food shop at a supermarket on Monday.

Sophia was later seen leaving the shop with her gloves still on as she pushed the trolley full of shopping back to her vehicle in the car park.

Outing: Sophia Bush was seen arriving at the supermarket wearing a pair of latex gloves to push her trolley amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

The One Tree Hill star kept her look low-key for the outing and sported a red hooded jacket with a pair of matching tracksuit bottoms.

She styled her ensemble with a pair of grey trainers while opting for a fresh-faced make-up free look with her hair styled in a loose, natural style.

So far the coronavirus strain known as COVID-19 has infected more than 4,200 in America and killed 74, after believing to have originated in China.

Natural: The American actress, 37, put her safety first as she covered her hands while using the communal item to complete her food shop at a supermarket on Monday

Self-isolation: Sophia has so far been very vocal about her concerns over the virus as she revealed she has decided to go into quarantine amid the crisis

Sophia has so far been very vocal about her concerns over the virus as she revealed she has decided to go into quarantine amid the crisis.

Sharing a picture of herself and a pal in her kitchen on Instagram, Sophia wrote: 'My isolation pod = me + @kevinogarrett. Thanks for being my while-I'm-in-Canada house sitter turned comrade in COVID quarantine, amigo.'

The star also encouraged people to work together as she shared a sweet quote which read, 'more we, less me!'

Casual: She styled her ensemble with a pair of grey trainers while opting for a fresh-faced make-up free look with her hair styled in a loose, natural style

Sophia rose to prominence as Brook Davis in One Tree Hill during its nine-season run from 2003 to 2012.

Last year, Sophia explained how she felt that the producers on the teen soap exploited her divorce with co-star Chad Michael Murray.

Chad starred in the first six seasons as Lucas Scott, who had an on-again, off-again relationship with Sophia's character.

The actors married in 2005 after meeting on set, subsequently breaking things off only a few months later before their divorce was finalised in 2006.

She said on Dax Shepard's podcast Armchair Expert: 'There was no space to self-reflect.

'There was like, "This is my integrity, this is my job, I will not falter for one second or one minute ever on this set. I will be the most f***ing professional person anyone has ever seen.'

Even after they divorced in real life, their characters often ended up romantically entwined.
Oregons largest business associations called on the state to enact broad, temporary tax cuts to help employers manage the coronavirus fallout, which already has triggered hundreds of restaurant closures and threatens scores of other businesses.

State economists issued an update to Oregons quarterly revenue forecast Tuesday, warning they now expect a recession  an event that seemed extremely unlikely just a few weeks ago.

It is likely that until the public health situation improves, or at least the fears subside as health policy plans are announced, the economic damage will continue to mount, they wrote.

With Gov. Kate Browns order Monday that restaurants and bars must close, except for takeout and delivery service, the number of layoffs statewide is surely already in the tens of thousands. Unemployment filings overwhelmed the Oregon Employment Departments website for parts of Monday and Tuesday.

People are really afraid right now. I have never heard this level of concern," said Sandra McDonough, CEO of Oregon Business & Industry, the states largest business organization. She said businesses are anxious for tools the enable them to keep operating and keep their workers on the job.

Brown indicated Monday she expects to call a special session of the Legislature to deal with the crisis but hasnt set a timetable for doing that.

The governor agrees with the business groups on shoring up unemployment insurance and taking other steps to protect workers and employers, according to Christian Gaston, workforce and labor policy advisor to Brown.

However, he said her office wants to protect employees affected by the downturn, too.

We need to have a broader conversation about the balance that we need to strike here between the need for critical, social safety net programs..and flexibility to ensure that businesses can remain open, Gaston said.

In addition to OBI, organizations that signed the letter include the states largest business organization, Oregon Business & Industry, the Portland Business Alliance, the Oregon Homebuilders Association and the Oregon Farm Bureau.

Among other steps, the business associations want Oregon to suspend its new, corporate activity tax that took effect at the start of the year. The tax aims to raise $1 billion for schools and early childhood education  money schools have already begun spending.

The businesses also want local governments to postpone consideration of other new taxes but didnt identify any proposals specifically. Regional government Metro plans to put a $250 million tax on Mays ballot to pay for homeless services. Other large taxes in the planning stages would pay for transportation improvements in the Portland area and would remodel Portland schools.

We are encouraging elected officials to work together with employers to build a plan that protects the future of jobs in our state and region, said Andrew Hoan, CEO of the Portland Business Alliance. The PBA endorsed the tax for homeless services Monday and Hoan said his organization is maintaining its support for that measure.

However, several other regional business groups said Monday they want the homeless tax measure pulled from the May ballot.

Other recommendations the business organizations made Tuesday include:

 Transferring last years corporate kicker tax rebate to the states unemployment insurance fund and making it easier and faster for workers to claim benefits.

 Suspending payroll taxes for small businesses.

 Create a tax credit for restaurants and hotels.

 Establish tax credits when businesses spend money to retain jobs or award time off.

 Extend tax filing deadlines.

 Offer low-interest and no-interest loans.

 Lift restrictions on manufacturing workers hours.

On Tuesday, McDonough said she had spoken with the governor and believed Brown is open to making changes.

She didnt reject anything out of hand. She knows businesses are hurting," McDonough said. What Im hearing is an openness to a discussion about all this.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699

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Pc Andrew Harper's body 'tumbled' in the road after he was dragged to death behind a car for a mile, a fellow officer at the scene told a jury.

The 28-year-old Thames Valley officer was responding to reports of a stolen quad bike in Berkshire last year when a strap trailing from the getaway Seat Toledo became lassoed around his leg and pulled him along country lanes.

Henry Long, 18, joined by two 17-year-olds who cannot be named, was driving the vehicle after the trio tried to steal the 10,000 Honda quad bike from a country home, the Old Bailey heard.

Long from Mortimer, Reading, and the two 17-year-olds all deny murdering the Thames Valley Police officer in August last year.

They all admit conspiring to steal a quad bike, and Long has admitted manslaughter, which the younger boys deny.

Yesterday, Constable Andy Kemp, a dog handler who was called to the scene told the jury he saw the Seat Toledo driving at speed near the A4.

Pc Andrew Harper's (left) body 'tumbled' in the road after he was dragged to death behind a car for a mile, fellow officer at the scene Andy Kemp (right, pictured arriving at the Old Bailey) told a jury

PC Harper had married his childhood sweetheart Lissie just one month before his death

He said: 'It was fast, very fast.' The dog handler added: 'From the way the car came across the junction, it came out very, very quickly, and there was something that was dragging from behind, and it made me think that they had stolen an ATM, a cash machine from somewhere.'

When he saw the officer's body in the road in Ufton Lane, he said: 'It appeared to be tumbling.'

The court heard that officers from Thames Valley and the Ministry of Defence Police went to the scene and tried to save Pc Harper.

In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Jonathan Polnay, Pc Nick Kluger, a Thames Valley firearms officer, described 'an immense sense of dread and an urgency' when he heard that an officer was down.

As he and fellow officers used a defibrillator to try to save Pc Harper, he said: 'I said something like 'Stay with me, buddy, the ambulance will be here soon and they'll sort you out'.'

He had a 'feeling of elation' when he saw a paramedic arrive, but this quickly disappeared when he saw the expression on the emergency worker's face, the court heard.

Paramedic Chris Darley said Pc Harper's injuries were 'incompatible with life'.

PC Andrew Harper (pictured next to his wife Lissie) died from multiple injuries when he became tangled in a crane strap attached to the boot of a SEAT Toledo on August 15 last year

Henry Long, 18, (pictured earlier this week) from Mortimer, Reading, and two 17-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murdering the Thames Valley Police officer in August last year

His statement read: 'I felt it was unfair to continue with CPR after what Pc Harper had been through.'

Mr Darley declared life extinct at the scene at 11.45pm.

Henry Long, 18, from Mortimer, Reading, and two 17-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murdering the Thames Valley Police officer in August last year.

They all admit conspiring to steal a quad bike, and Long has admitted manslaughter, which the younger boys deny.

The court heard that when Long and one of the 17-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of murder they remained 'quiet and calm'.

Pc Warren Mason found them in a caravan at the Four Houses Corner site in Ufton Nervet, fully dressed at around 12.50am.

A man attempting to get into a Seat car after it was stopped by Pc Andrew Harper and Pc Andrew Shaw who were responding to a burglary in progress near Stanford Dingley in Berkshire.

Lissie Harper, the wife of Andrew Harper, pictured being driven into the Old Bailey earlier this week

Another man present was shirtless and it appeared he had been in bed, the jury was told.

Mr Polnay read the officer's statement, which said: 'Long and (the 17-year-old) remained very quiet and calm. Long and (the 17-year-old) stepped out of the caravan to talk to me.'

He went on: 'I explained to them that a police officer had died and I was arresting them on suspicion of murder. Long and (the 17-year-old) remained calm and collected.'

The pair were arrested for a second time at 12.57am by Pc Simon Denton.

Jurors were shown footage from his body-worn video, in which Long can be heard saying: 'Does it look like I've done a murder? It's upsetting, he's calling me a murderer.'

The trial continues.
" " Gold miners from across the country traveled to California to strike it rich, though few really ever did. Library of Congress

You'd think that finding gold on your property would mean the end of all your troubles. But for John Sutter, it was just about the worst thing that could have happened. In the 19th century, Sutter was an entrepreneur and owner of a large tract of land in Coloma, California. He hired a carpenter named James Marshall to build a water wheel for a mill on his property. Then in 1848, Marshall discovered flakes of gold in the river.

Although the two men tried to keep the find a secret, they failed miserably. The news spread like a modern California wildfire. Especially after an enterprising gentleman named Sam Brannan paraded around carrying a vial of gold and announcing the whereabouts of the new discovery. He himself didn't go prospecting. He knew of a smarter way to make his fortune, as we shall see.

In just four years  by 1852  Sutter would be bankrupt, his property overrun and his livestock stolen by avaricious prospectors. It's hard to exaggerate the enormity of the gold rush's demographic impact on California. In a few short years, it transformed from a sparsely populated, newly acquired territory of the U.S. to a fully formed state with a thriving economy. Between 1848 and 1849, the influx of settlers exploded from just 400 to 90,000.

" " Boomtowns, like Placerville in El Dorado County, California, sprung up all over to support miners during the gold rush. Library of Congress

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History of the California Gold Rush

To accommodate the flood of '49ers (as these new, would-be gold miners were called), gold mining towns sprung up all over. Shops, saloons, brothels and other businesses set up in these towns to serve the '49ers and make money of their own. Chaos and disorder were common, as were gambling, prostitution and violence. San Francisco became the center of the booming new economy.

But seen from other angles, the gold rush was not a happy event. In particular, for the indigenous peoples who lived there, it was an unmitigated disaster. Thousands of new immigrants pushed the native populations off their land, depriving them of their hunting grounds. Violent confrontations broke out and the newcomers slaughtered as many as 16,000 of California's first peoples in what amounted to state-sanctioned genocide.

The vast majority of the early gold rush immigrants were men, or at least they appeared to be. In fact, there were numerous instances in which women dressed as men. "This phenomenon was so common in gold rush California that when a newspaper photographer advertised for a 'lad' to help him, he was compelled to specify that 'no young women in disguise need apply,'" Clare Sears, associate professor of sociology at San Francisco State University, says via email.

Meanwhile, the mining camps were populated almost exclusively by men, or at least by people dressed as men. At camp dances, this led to a cross-gender practice. "Several men became women for the night, wearing a sackcloth patch to indicate their new gender," Sears says.

" " Here miners are seen using hydraulic mining near French Corral, in Nevada County, California. Library of Congress

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Who Got Rich?

Many prospectors did well at first. There was a lot of gold to be found. There are estimates that over the course of the gold rush 1,750 pounds (793.7 kilograms) of the buttery metal were unearthed. But few people were able to hold on to their newfound wealth. Life in a boomtown was notoriously expensive and there were so many ways to lose what you'd found  alcohol, brothels and gambling being the chief enticements.

Still, there were a few characters who got rich and stayed that way. One of them was George Hearst, the father of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. By the time he died, George Hearst was worth $19 million, but interestingly he didn't prospect for gold when he arrived in California. Instead, he mined quartz. Building on his earnings, he went on to invest in silver mines across the country, amassing a vast fortune and ending up a U.S. Senator.

Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau probably didn't strike it rich, but he must have made enough to afford the exorbitant cost of living in gold-crazed California because he stuck it out there for years and ended up running a hotel. Charbonneau was an intriguing figure, in part because he was the son of the famous Sacagawea and a Frenchman named Toussaint Charbonneau. As a child, he accompanied his parents on the Lewis and Clark expedition, and after his mother's death he was adopted by Clark.

One of Charbonneau's fellow prospectors ended up running the hotel with him. The man's name was Jim Beckwourth, and his story is at least as colorful. Born a slave, Beckwourth was freed by his master, who was also his father, and headed west where he became a successful fur trapper. Living with the Crow Nation for years, he married several Crow women and was anointed a war chief. He was also credited with discovering the Beckwourth Pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and for helping to establish the Beckwourth Trail, which thousands followed on their way to California.

" " Quartz mining was also lucrative in California. This bird's-eye view shows mining facilities including Empire and Imperial at Gold Hill, Nevada. Library of Congress

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The Merchant Millionaires

The people who really made money on the California Gold Rush were merchants. Take Levi Strauss. When he heard news of the California Gold Rush, he headed to San Francisco where he established his wholesale dry goods business in 1853. Then in 1872, Strauss partnered with one of his customers, a Reno, Nevada, tailor named Jacob Davis, who was designing heavy cotton work pants hammered with rivets in the pocket corners to make them more durable. The company, "Levi Strauss & Co." couldn't sell enough of their "waist high overalls" to the miners, lumberjacks and farmers. And, well, you know the rest of the story.

And remember Sam Brannan from the beginning of our story  the one who basically kicked off the gold rush by paraded around with that vial of precious metal? Rather than staking a claim on the gold, Brannan bought up all the equipment that prospectors would need; then, when the rush began, re-sold the merchandise at a steep markup. His store made enormous profits, selling as much as $5,000 (about $155,000 in 2020 dollars) in goods per day to miners. He became California's first millionaire, perfectly illustrating the old maxim, "during a gold rush, sell shovels."

Now That's Interesting Among the many remarkable figures who roamed through California during the Gold Rush, Joaquin Murieta stands out, not for his prospecting so much as for his extra-legal activities. Murieta's exploits inspired the fictional character of Zorro.
Furious Australians have slammed a hoarder for stripping shelves clean of toilet paper, nappies and hand sanitiser to sell for inflated prices online.

The man took to Facebook on Tuesday afternoon to offer single rolls for $5 and 24-packs for $100 but was met with a furious response.

'Inbox me for toilet paper, Hand sanitiser, nappies, baby formula and antiseptic wipes. Lots of stock. Happy to express post, no pickups,' the man wrote.

Dozens of people hit back at the man - whose post came as COVID-19 cases surged and doctors warned Australia faced a worse coronavirus crisis than Italy.

At least 3,500 medical professionals and experts signed an open letter pleading with the Australian government to take a tougher stance against COVID-19.

Among them was intensive care specialist Greg Kelly, who made the terrifying prediction that at least 12,000 people could catch the deadly virus by April.

An Australian man has been savaged online for posting an image of a room full of toilet roll and paper towel telling people he is willing to sell them (pictured)

His post was immediately inundated with comments from angry social media users who were calling him names and slamming him for being 'selfish'

This graphic shows the rapid rate coronavirus has spread in Australia since the first case was identified in late January

As public anger at hoarders, panic-buyers and toilet paper profiteers boiled over, the Facebook seller was inundated with angry comments over the post.

'You're a piece of garbage,' one Facebook user wrote.

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

'No wonder the rest of us can't buy any. You're a selfish a******,' another added.

'Should be ashamed of yourself. Clearly you're not. Hopefully you'll realise that what you're doing is a disgrace knowing the elderly, the disabled and mums and children,' a third wrote.

Some claimed the man was simply trolling while others believed his post to be genuine but he was hiding his identity behind a fake profile.

'There are many names for people like you,' another angry social media user wrote.

Coronavirus cases in Australia surged to 452 on Tuesday, almost doubling in just two days, and sparking fears tens of thousands could be infected within weeks.

Dr Kelly predicted the number would rise to 750 by Friday, and 12,000 by April 4, meaning hundreds could die.

'With access to intensive care the death rate from COVID-19 is likely less than 1 per cent, but in an overwhelmed system without access to intensive care the death rate approaches 4 per cent,' Mr Kelly explained.

As shelves continue to be stripped bare in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis fights and unruly behaviour in supermarkets have become commonplace across the country.

On Monday Woolworths announced it will close supermarkets early this Wednesday so it can restock.

'We want to slow the panic down,' Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said.

'We understand that our customers' priority is to be prepared, but the vast majority of our food is grown or manufactured in Australia so there is not a concern with supply. What we have is a spike in demand.'

The post drew the ire of many users with some unable to find the words to accurately describe how they felt

As supermarket shelves continue to be stripped bare many users pointed towards people such as this man as the reason why

Cases of coronavirus in Australia are predicted to skyrocket

The supermarket also announced plans are underway to increase the supply of toilet paper, which is selling seven weeks' worth per day.

Poll Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes No Is Australia doing enough to prevent the spread of CORONAVIRUS? Yes 860 votes

No 2944 votes Now share your opinion





Meanwhile Coles also has limits imposed on the purchasing on items such as toilet paper, mince meat and hand sanitiser after shelves were left bare.

'As the situation around coronavirus continues to develop, we want to ensure you have the most up to date information on product availability,' Coles said in a statement on Sunday.

'The purchase of mince, pasta, flour, dry rice, paper towels, paper tissues and hand sanitisers is limited to 2 items per customer.'

Coles also announced they won't offer refunds on any additional items that were purchased as a result of panic buying.

Chief executive officer Steven Cain said staff were working 'as hard as possible' to ensure shelves were sufficiently stocked.

As shelves continue to be stripped bare in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis stories of fights and unruly behaviour in supermarkets have been making headlines

Paul Kelly, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said on Monday anywhere between 20 and 60 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus.

Mr Kelly, along with the letter's almost 4,000 signatories, asked the government to follow the measures taken by China, South Korea and Singapore to prevent further carnage in Australia.

They applaud the government for the recent implementation ofthe social distancing policies but say they need to be pushed even further and be strictly enforced.

The letter calls for an immediate and mandatory national lockdown, as well as further resources deployed to hospitals to help them fight the inevitable surge in cases in coming weeks.

Mr Kelly described the virus as 'predictable' and said international evidence proves cases double every three to five days within a country until strict lockdown orders are imposed.
We ask our community to prioritize their support of local businesses, to support each other, to be patient and to be kind to service providers, Barley said. At Solemn Oath we are committed to providing the community with a safe place to buy local beer. We love you all and will continue to serve you as long as we can.
Dr. Latania Logan, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Rush University Medical Center, said its best to explain to younger children that the coronavirus is something thats spread through germs, like a cold. Older ones might have read or seen more in the news, and it may be appropriate to elaborate that its a new virus that the public hasnt experienced before and is therefore not immune to it, she said. And those more at risk include older adults and those who have underlying health conditions.
The news that nine residents in the south-central province of Binh Thuan have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not seemed to hinder tourist activities at the provinces famous Mui Ne Beach, as many foreigners were still spotted kite surfing there on the weekend.

Endowed with a magnificent view, Mui Ne Beach is located in a wave-enabling strait landscape with decent wind speed, which places it in a top spot on every kite surfers to-do list in Vietnam.

On a fairly sunny day, the beach would welcome crowds of tourists flocking to jump on the thrilling bandwagon.

That sight has not faltered much after cases of COVID-19 infection were confirmed in Binh Thuan, where nine patients are now quarantined for treatment at a hospital some 25 kilometers away from the beach.

On Sunday, there was barely any halt to beach endeavors at Mui Ne.

From the early morning, the warm weather and lovely breezes attracted a keen number of tourists, the majority of whom were Russian nationals.

A Russian tourist gets ready for kite surfing at Mui Ne Beach in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Mui Ne welcomes a considerable number of Russian tourists every year, making up the majority of foreign visitors to Binh Thuan.

Despite a horde of new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Vietnam in the first half of March, Russian travelers were still spotted roaming the streets around Mui Ne Beach from Ham Tan Ward to Mui Ne Ward, both in the provincial capital city of Phan Thiet, on the weekend.

The epidemic is ongoing but none of the Russian tourists seem to bother. They still feast, swim, surf and then feast again. [Theyre] carefree and almost have no regard for wearing masks or using hand sanitizer, said the owner of a Russian-packed resort in Ham Tien Ward, also in Phan Thiet.

When asked whether they were worried about getting infected, they just grinned and responded that running out of vodka was even scarier to them than the novel coronavirus.

Russian travelers are seen on a street in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

On Saturday, Binh Thuan authorities announced that all bars, karaoke parlors, Internet cafes, gaming hubs, yoga centers, and gyms would be closed to prevent the spreading COVID-19.

Due to the mass closures, the main street in Mui Ne is stripped off its everyday sparks.

Nonetheless, some of the still-open locations are functioning well as the demand from Russian tourists remains consistent.

One resort owner in Ham Tien revealed that he still receives quite a few accommodation bookings from Russian visitors.

To perform their due diligence, most lodging owners only accept Russian visitors with proper medical clearance who travel with authorized tourism service providers, whereas solo travelers or tourists from other countries affected by COVID-19 would most likely be denied service.

A closure sign in English is seen outside a bar-cafe in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

First emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, the COVID-19-causing novel coronavirus has infected over 182,500 people and killed more than 7,100 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

The latest rises in contracted cases over the last few days saw climactic responses taken by world leaders, including total lockdowns, bans on mass gathering and public events as well as global travel restrictions.

Vietnam has announced 61 cases of COVID-19 infection, with 16 having fully recovered.

A still-open restaurant in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Binh Thuan is under national scrutiny as an emerging COVID-19 hotspot with nine cases diagnosed since March 10.

All nine cases have been traced back to the 34th patient, a Vietnamese woman returning from a U.S. trip that included transit time in South Korea and Qatar.

Vietnam has temporarily stopped allowing visitors from 26 countries in Europe's Schengen Area and the UK to enter the country for 30 days, starting on March 15.

Surfers challenge waves near a sea wall at Mui Ne Beach in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

A kite surfing instructor (R) demonstrates how to operate the kite at Mui Ne Beach in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Tourists go kite surfing at Mui Ne Beach in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

A restaurant is closed on a street in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Tourists crowd Mui Ne Beach in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam, March 15, 2020. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The chief executives and chairs of Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports and the Airport Operators Association (AOA) have warned that the coronavirus crisis may result in airports grinding to a halt within weeks without government support.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the directors say that 'traffic has fallen dramatically and is going down day by day'.

They continue: 'The impact on the hundreds of thousands of people, either employed by us directly or through the SMEs and supply chains that serve our customers, is massive, real and happening at speed.

The chief executives and chairs of Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports and the Airport Operators Association have warned that the coronavirus crisis may result in operations grinding to a halt without government support

'These jobs have instantly been put at very real risk. We may have to close passenger facilities and halt operations.'

The letter pleas for the government to make Britain's airports a top priority.

It says: 'The decisions that are taken now will dictate the speed of the economic recovery when it comes and we will need to be at the heart of it. The Secretary of State has said he will be meeting the airlines.

'We would ask he also urgently meets with us this week and that our needs are made an immediate priority for the "Economic and Business Response Committee" that the Chancellor is establishing today.'

The signatories of the letter are Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick, and Sir David Higgins, Chair of Gatwick; John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow, and Lord Paul Deighton, Chair of Heathrow; Charlie Cornish, CEO of Manchester Airport, and Sir Adrian Montague, Chair of Manchester Airport, and Karen Dee, CEO of AOA, and Ruby McGregor-Smith, Chair of AOA.

In a separate AOA statement, Ms Dee said it was essential that airport businesses remain operating and are able to 'weather this storm so that they can provide the connectivity which drives growth, employment and prosperity after the crisis has abated'.

She wrote: 'Governments across the world are supporting their national aviation industries, as many parts of the global travel industry have come to a halt. As some airlines call on the UK Government to act similarly, we are clear that airports will shut down in weeks unless urgent action is taken to support the industry.

'Due to the fixed costs of operating airports, the government will need to provide additional support.

'The government must step in to see airports across the four home nations through the current crisis, and make an unequivocal commitment to doing whatever it takes to sustain the UK aviation industry.'

The letter, signed by the directors of Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports as well as the CEO and Chair of the Airport Operators Association

Ms Dee released a list of things the Airport Operators Association, which represents over 50 of the UK's biggest airports, believes the government should be doing immediately.

These are - be prepared to provide/organise emergency financing as a measure of last resort; require banks to temporarily not enforce financial performance-based banking covenants; suspend business rates and other government and local government rates and taxes on airports; deferral of payments of all VAT, corporation tax and other taxes for the duration of global flight restrictions; share the employment cost of airport staff laid off throughout the crisis; suspend regulatory costs on airports where possible; indefinitely postpone major increases to those regulatory costs, such as the Next Generation Security Checkpoint and provide relief from airport policing costs.

She added: 'For the sake of the UK economy it is essential for the UK government to catch-up to its peers across the continent and provide support to the sector and the wider economy through financing, guarantees, grants and tax relief.

'Finally, to help kickstart aviation again once the pandemic is retreating, the government should suspend Air Passenger Duty for six months.'

Meanwhile, Airports Council International (ACI) for Europe has warned that airports across the continent are bracing themselves for a 'near-total collapse' of traffic, connectivity and revenues.

In a letter to EU transport ministers and the EU commission, ACI Europe president Jost Lammers said that passenger traffic at EU/EEA/Swiss and UK airports decreased on average by 54 per cent last week, down from 24 per cent the preceding week.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye, left, and the CEO of Gatwick, Stewart Wingate, right, who both signed the letter from UK airports addressed to the Prime Minister

HOW UK AIRPORTS WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP THEM Be prepared to provide/organise emergency financing as a measure of last resort. Require banks to temporarily not enforce financial performance-based banking covenants. Suspend business rates and other government and local government rates and taxes on airports. Deferral of payments of all VAT, corporation tax and other taxes for the duration of global flight restrictions. Share the employment cost of airport staff laid off throughout the crisis. Suspend regulatory costs on airports where possible. Indefinitely postpone major increases to those regulatory costs, such as the Next Generation Security Checkpoint. Provide relief from airport policing costs. Source: Airport Operators Association Advertisement

And now it estimates that these airports will collectively lose over 100 million passengers in the first quarter of this year, compared to a business as usual scenario.

He wrote: 'The situation keeps worsening. As more countries both in the EU and beyond are adopting travel and flight bans, the proposal for a ban on entry into the Schengen area and with most European countries likely to go into lock-downs similar to Italy, airlines are further accelerating drastic capacity cuts and route cancellations to limit their financial exposure. Some are even shutting down all operations.

'This means that Europes airports are now bracing for a near-total collapse of their traffic, connectivity and revenues. Indeed, the dramatic state of Italian airports gives an indication of what lies ahead for airports across the continent. Over the past days, passenger traffic at Italian airports went into a free-fall, decreasing by more than 90 per cent.

'For airports, falling passenger traffic immediately translates into lost aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues which they rely upon to operate, maintain and develop their facilities.

'For now, ACI Europes revised forecast shows Europes airports losing 2 billion in revenue just in the first quarter of the year (before even factoring in the ban on entry into the Schengen area). These losses will further deepen in the coming months.

'All European airports are currently rushing through extensive cost containment measures including unpaid leave for staff, temporary layoffs, corporate travel restrictions, ending consultancy and external contracts, closure of terminals where technically possible, reduction and suspension of investments.'

The warnings come amid 1,543 cases of coronavirus being diagnosed in the UK, with 55 deaths.
Just one day before I got on the plane to leave the U.S. for India, the very area I grew up in was in turmoil. Jamia Millia Islamia is a Muslim university just opposite the neighborhood where I once lived.

The university had been the site of a few peaceful protests, but on Dec. 15, police stormed the university and beat students  not all of whom were part of the demonstrations.

Because I had lived by the university for so many years, this incident prompted me to learn more about why the protests were happening. I explored the topic through Google, Twitter, conversations with a few family friends, and by speaking to staff and students from a popular English language school in this predominantly Muslim area. I learned that the protests were against the CAA, an act that allows some refugees from various nations bordering India to become Indian citizens, but only if they are of certain faiths.

The act excludes Muslims from the list. Many protestors claim this act is discrimination based on religion, which is a violation of Indias constitution.

In combination with the CAA, the NRC also serves to profile and discriminate against Muslims. Many from the poorer classes, some of whose families have lived in India for generations, are not registered properly with the Indian government due to lack of proper documentation (of births, marriages, etc.). This common problem for the poorer classes now becomes grounds for expulsion because, under the CAA, a non-registered Muslim has no pathway back to citizenship. The NRC requires documents that the poorer classes, who are some of the most vulnerable demographics in India, simply dont have access to.

I met up with an American couple in Kolkata who are in the process of starting an English school in a Muslim area of the city. This couple has welcomed a recently displaced Muslim family of six to stay in their home for a period of two months. The adult members of this Muslim family are extremely panicked regarding the NRC, because none of the dates on their official documents (births, marriage, date of entrance into India, etc.) match, and some of the names are misspelled as well. This family has lived in Kolkata for generations but are worried they will be excluded from the NRC due to the faulty documents.

The 2001 Indian census says that 65% of the country is illiterate. In this particular Muslim familys case, only the eldest daughter, 21, is educated enough to have the ability to read and review their official documents. But even she is hindered by a very complicated process that often involves bribes to get the documents properly filed.

Im not sure of the situations resolution, but my heart goes out to the family and I hope the NRC doesnt get implemented nationally any time soon.

I also was able to carry out the original focus of my proposal  to better understand human trafficking in India. I spent most of my time in New Delhi with one organization, but also travelled to Kolkata for a few days to visit two anti-trafficking organizations there.

I gained a lot of knowledge from the leaders of these organizations, but a few sobering facts have stuck with me especially:

Nearly 90% of rescued trafficking victims in India are re-trafficked, according to information one of the leaders received from Delhi Police.

If a minor accuses someone of sexual assault, the alleged abuser is guilty until proven innocent; however, many abusers still get away with the assault.

The current administration (under Prime Minister Modi) has stringent guidelines toward foreign-funded non-profits and has shut down many since coming into power.

All of these facts have a lot of nuance and are much more complicated than I could ever describe in this article. In fact, much more complicated than I could ever understand from studying the issues for just five weeks.
M el Brooks may have directed his most important film yet, as the Hollywood legend partnered up with his son Max to stress to others the importance of social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak.

The 93-year-old, whose best-known work includes The Producers and Blazing Saddles, stood behind a pane of glass while Max, 47, spoke directly to the camera about how the virus could spread.

If I get the coronavirus, Ill probably be okay, Max explained. But if I give it to [Mel], he could give it to Carl Reiner, who could give it to Dick Van Dyke, and before I know it, Ive wiped out a whole generation of comedic legends.

Max added that its not necessarily catching coronavirus that people should be concerned about, but how it can be so easily widespread.

Celebrities reacting to coronavirus - In pictures 1 /34 Celebrities reacting to coronavirus - In pictures Gigi Hadid with boyfriend Zayn Malik and sister Bella during her quarantined 25th birthday celebration Instagram / @gigihadid Joe Jonas and Sophia Turner have turned their isolation boredom into hilarious TikTok content TikTok Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Gigi Hadid celebrated her 25th birthday with family while in quarantine Instagram / @gigihadid Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have been able to enjoy time with their kids Instagram / @chrissyteigen Katy Perry recorded herself for American Idol in a life sized hand sanitizer bottle Instagram / @katyperry Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were the first celebrities to have a confirmed case and kept us updated on their recovery journey on Twitter and Instagram Instagram / @tomhanks Demi Moore and Bruce Willis in matching pajamas with their daughter and her boyfriend Instagram / @buuski Kaia Gerber adopted a puppy to keep her company Instagram / @kaiagerber Helena Christensen has been having her son take glam Instagram photos for her Instagram Brooklyn Beckham in quarantine with his girlfriend Nicola Peltz Instagram Matthew McConaughey played virtual bingo with seniors The Enclave at Round Rock Senior Living/Facebook Kim Kardashian on a flight wearing a face mask and gloves @kimkardashian Naomi Campbell preparing for a flight @naomi Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a facemask during a plane ride @gwynethpaltrow Bella Hadid wearing a face mask on a plane @bellahadid Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas @sophiet Sebastian Stan on a plane in protective gear @sebastianstan Naomi Campbell preparing for a flight @naomi Nicole Scherzinger with Thom Evans @nicolescherzinger Idris Elba announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for coronavirus @idriselba Robbie Williams greets fans with elbow bumps Getty Images Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Kylie Jenner and best friend Stassie have been very active on TikTok TikTok Joe Jonas and Sophia Turner have turned their isolation boredom into hilarious TikTok content TikTok Katy Perry has taken to dressing up in outlandish costumes Instagram / @katyperry

When it comes to coronavirus, I have to think about who I could infect, and so should you, he said. So practise social distancing, avoid crowds, wash your hands, keep six feet away from people, and if youve got the option to stay home, just stay home.

Do your part, dont be a spreader.

The Brooks family urged others to practice social distancing during the pandemic / @maxbrooksauthor

The video ended with a cheerful looking Mel waving to the camera.

The Covid-19 virus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, with 182,000 confirmed cases worldwide and over 7,100 deaths.

Actors Tom Hanks and Idris Elba, as well as James Bond star Olga Kurylenko, have all tested positive for the respiratory disease.

Yesterday saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson offer a sharp U-turn on his previous guidance, now urging Brits to work at home if they can and avoid pubs, clubs and theatres as he gave the first of his now daily addresses to the nation.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17)  Soon, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine will not be the only facility conducting clinical tests for coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

Health Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire told CNN Philippines on Tuesday that four more hospitals will start testing for COVID-19 this week.

They are the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Benguet, and San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

"Nabigyan na natin [sila] ng reagents (We have given them reagents)," Vergeire said. Reagents are the chemicals used to perform the tests, which the Department of Health earlier said were lacking in subnational laboratories, that's why they could not start with the testing.

READ: Four hospitals to begin trial of local test kits for coronavirus

"So this coming week, ito na po these coming days, mag-uumpisa na pong magtest ang mga hospital natin (our hospitals will start testing) and hopefully this will make things faster," Vergeire said.

The RITM on Monday disclosed there may be a delay in the release of results  from the current two days to three to five days, due to the high volume of samples sent to them and the limited number of personnel running the test.

Vergeire explained that the transportation of samples from the hospital to the RITM in Muntinlupa City also takes time.

More test kits are coming

When asked how many people have availed of testing at RITM, Vergeire said, "this can be thousands already since the start that we have responded to this situation."

The country confirmed its first coronavirus case in January  a 38-year-old female Chinese national who travelled to the Philippines from Wuhan  the Chinese city where the outbreak began in December 2019.

She is among three people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country. All in all, 187 COVID-19 cases have been recorded, with 12 deaths.

Vergeire said the RITM has used 80 percent of its original inventory of testing kits, but donations have been delivered and more are coming in.

"So there are some donations which are here already and there are some donations which are still about to arrive here in the country," Vergeire said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Monday night said the country is expecting up to 20,000 more test kits  including donations from South Korea, China, and the ones locally developed by scientists from the University of the Philippines.

Chinese billionaire and Alibaba cofounder Jack Ma also gave 50,000 test kits to Senator Manny Pacquiao's foundation, which will now be donated to the DOH.

Prioritizing the vulnerable

For now, the DOH is prioritizing the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions and those showing severe symptoms.

"Ang tinetest po natin ngayon are those who are highly vulnerable kahit ho mild at asymptomatic ang kanilang kaso (We test the highly vulnerable even if they have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic), if they are elderly, if they have underlying conditions, we test them," Vergeire said.

According to the World Health Organization, eight in 10 or around 80 percent of infected patients worldwide experience "mild illness" and eventually recover from COVID-19. Some 14 percent experience severe illness while 5 percent are critically ill, the WHO said.

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.
Photo: The Canadian Press Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance attends a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Latvian President Egils Levits in London on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. Vance says the Canadian military will take a hard look at how to respond to the skyrocketing number of requests for assistance as climate-related emergencies become bigger and more frequent. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The Canadian Army is cancelling one of its most important training exercises as military commanders seek to protect the Canadian Armed Forces from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision to cancel Exercise Maple Resolve is a turn for the Armed Forces, after chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance told The Canadian Press last week that training would continue as it was considered essential for ensuring the military can do its job.

Held each May at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, Maple Resolve is the Army's largest annual training exercise, involving thousands of soldiers from Canada as well as the United States, Britain, Australia and France.

The exercise also includes artillery, armoured vehicles and aircraft to simulate a large-scale military operation and is considered essential for ensuring the Army is ready to defend the country from attack or conduct a major overseas mission.

In an interview in December, Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre underscored the importance of the training exercise as he raised concerns about the growing number of times the military is being called out to help with disaster-relief efforts in Canada.

Yet Eyre announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he was pulling the plug on Maple Resolve this year because of COVID-19, writing: "While this may impact our higher-level warfighting ability short-term, it will protect the force and keep us poised to conduct operations."

Exercise Maple Resolve is only the latest military activity to be halted as the Royal Canadian Navy is also recalling two of its vessels from Africa, where they were supposed to have participated in two international exercises that have since been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Even before Maple Resolve was cancelled due to COVID-19, the military was preparing to take a hard look at how to respond to the skyrocketing number of requests for assistance with climate-related emergencies to prevent an impact on such exercises.

The military has seen a 1,000 per cent increase over the past four years in the number of calls for help with floods, snowstorms, fires and other emergencies, many of which occur in the spring and fall  the prime windows for military training.

The Armed Forces is happy to pitch in and assist provinces and communities struggling with emergencies given its mandate is to protect Canadians, Vance said in an interview with The Canadian Press last week.

"Where it really gets into crunch time is we're using the force for something that we dearly love to do ... but we're doing it at a time when the force should by rights be focused on the arena of warfare, which is what it's for, what it's designed for and that nobody else can do," he said.

The increased frequency and scope of requests for assistance also puts a heavy burden on individual troops, Vance said. In some cases, those troops may also be facing situation where their own homes and families are being affected.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the federal government was preparing to launch a major review of North America's defences against everything from traditional threats such as ballistic missiles to cyberattacks, misinformation campaigns and attacks on Canadian satellites.

Natural disasters will also figure in the discussion, Vance said, including whether government needed to boost the capabilities of the military, including the reserves, which often play a key role, or civil organizations that are also tasked with responding to emergencies.

"So we're going to look hard at this as part of this next tranche of planning."
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Traffic jams swelled along borders and some travelers appealed to their governments for help getting home Tuesday as countries in Europe and beyond imposed strict controls along their frontiers aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

Tens of millions around the world are already hunkered down in government-ordered isolation after many countries ordered stores, schools and businesses shut down to combat the pandemic.

The border closures stopped not only people but also much-needed goods.

Lorries queue in Kamenny Log on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border today after Lithuania closed its borders to foreign travellers yesterday amid the global pandemic

A general view of the bumper to bumper traffic today as vehicles try to cross into Singapore a day before Malaysia closes its borders

Several horses and wagons coming from Olivenza, Spain, are prevented from crossing the Ajuda Bridge to Portugal (Elvas) today by agents of National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Spanish Guardia Civil, in Elvas, Portugal

Lines of cars and trucks grew after Poland largely closed its border to foreigners. In Lithuania, trucks seeking to enter Poland backed up in a line 37 miles long, while similar traffic jams could be seen on the borders with Germany and the Czech Republic.

Lithuania was sending military airplanes and special trains to Germany to help hundreds of its citizens stranded at the crossing points with Poland.

'We are all desperate cold and sleepless here for a third day. We just want to go home' said Janina Stukiene, who was stuck on the border with husband and son. She said authorities were providing no food, accommodation or adequate sanitation.

To try to help citizens from Estonia and Lithuania get home following closure of the Polish border, German police organized a convoy of vehicles to a ferry port on one of its Baltic Sea islands.

Germany launched a 45.5million effort to bring home thousands stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe, including up to 5,000 in Morocco alone.

'Even if we will do everything humanly possible, we cannot in every case provide a solution within 24 hours,' Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned.

Airlines have slashed flights due to a plunge in demand but also because many countries have been barring foreign arrivals.

Cars line up at the Hungarian-Austrian border checkpoint in Hungary today. Both countries have closed their borders and will only allow their own citizens to enter. In Hungary the number of people infected with the Covid-19 virus has increased to 50, and one person has died

Members of the Spanish security forces stop a car from France at the border crossing between Spain and France, close to the town of Irun, Basque Country, northern Spain today

Trucks sit in a traffic jam near the Antwerp Port in Antwerp, Belgium today. Leaders across the EU are working on the task of trying to get goods, people and other supplies across borders that increasingly are closing amid the virus outbreak. 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

Turkey planned to evacuate 3,614 citizens stranded in nine European countries after flights were suspended, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Regional authorities in Spain's Balearic Islands effectively locked down the Mediterranean archipelago by restricting all but a handful of daily flights and incoming boats for returning island residents. Its president, Francisca Armengol, said on TV that the islands 'will basically remain closed.'

Spain, now the fourth-most infected country, saw the number of people with the virus rise by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178 and virus-related deaths jump by almost 200 to 491. Only China, Italy and Iran had more infections.

With the number of cases worldwide topping 185,000, a surge of patients in Madrid's hospitals has fueled worries in Europe and elsewhere of what lies ahead.

Several Spanish policemen control in the border crossing between Spain and France at Somport tunnel, close to the village of Canfranc, Huesca, northern Spain today. Spanish Home Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced a day earlier the closure of the Spanish borders due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The Spanish authorities are said to be only allowing the access of goods and Spanish citizens

A driver from France is banned from entering Spain by a Spanish policeman (centre) at Behobia border crossing between Spain and France, in the town of Irun, Basque Country, northern Spain today

Trucks are waiting for border control at the Valga-Valka border crossing point, Latvia today. The Estonian government has declared an emergency situation due to coronavirus hits and, as of 17 March, closed its borders. There are a exceptions for the international carriage of goods

The virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but severe illness is more likely in the elderly and people with existing health problems. COVID-19 has killed over 7,300 people so far but more than 80,000 have recovered.

Iran state TV warned that 'millions' could die in the Islamic Republic alone if the public keeps traveling and ignores health guidance. World Health Organization officials have said the number of cases there - nearly 15,000 with 853 deaths - have been sharply underreported.

In Italy, reported infection jumped to 27,980. With 2,158 deaths, Italy now accounts for well over a quarter of the global death toll.

Some bright spots emerged. Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected late last year and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case Tuesday.

The economic toll from the crisis to both companies and individuals was only escalating. Shares reversed early losses in Asia on Tuesday after the U.S. stock market plunged to its worst day in more than three decades. Huge parts of many economies have come to a standstill as businesses and travel shut down.

'It's shocking, in a way. I'm still in the throes of processing it. It means I need to find a way to support myself from home,' said Tyler Baldwin, a 29-year-old bartender in Seattle.

A senior South Korean health official, Kwon Jun-wook, urged people to take the virus seriously.

People walk across the Woodlands Causeway with their luggage, from Johor to Singapore, hours before Malaysia imposes a lockdown on travel due to the coronavirus outbreak in the early hours of this morning

Trucks queue to enter a crossing point at the border between Belarus and Lithuania, as Lithuania closed the borders for foreigners to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), near the village of Muravevka, Belarus today

Trucks queue to enter a crossing point at the border between Belarus and Lithuania, as Lithuania closed the borders for foreigners to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), near the village of Muravevka, Belarus today

'In a similar way to how the Sept. 11 attacks completely changed people's perception about security, quarantine authorities like us believe the daily lives of all the people around the world will be changed because of COVID-19,' Kwon said. 'From now on, if you are sick, you should voluntarily rest to prevent a spread to others.'

Malaysia banned foreign travel and is allowing only essential services to stay open. France allowed people to leave home only to buy food, go to work, or do essential tasks. French President Emmanuel Macron said the restrictions were tightened because people hadn't complied with earlier guidelines and 'we are at war.'

The first confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Somalia, which has one of Africa's weakest health systems.

Jack Ma, founder of the Chinese tech giant Alibaba, said his foundation will donate more than 1 million testing kits - that's 20,000 testing kits to each of Africa's 54 countries - as the coronavirus starts to spread on the continent.

Thirty African countries have confirmed cases but about a dozen lack testing capability.

'We cannot ... assume this continent of 1.3 billion people will blissfully escape the crisis,' Ma said.

Bloomberg Philanthropies also announced a 33million initiative to help vulnerable countries, notably in Africa.

Trucks are waiting for border control at the Valga-Valka border crossing point, Latvia today

Spanish National Police agents are seen on the Spanish side, at the border between France and Spain in La Jonquera, Catalonia, Spain today. Spain faces its third day of the 'state of alert', declared by Spanish central government, with the closure of borders amid the outbreak of coronavirus

Several horses and wagons coming from Olivenza, Spain, prevented from crossing the Ajuda Bridge to Portugal (Elvas) by agents of National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Spanish Guardia Civil, in Elvas, Portugal today. The control of the land borders between Portugal and Spain started from 11pm last night, and at the same time the air, rail and river connections between the two countries were also suspended

As the pandemic expanded in Europe, the Mideast and the Americas, China and South Korea were trying to hold their hard-fought gains. China is quarantining new arrivals, who in recent days have accounted for an increasing number of cases, and South Korea will increase screenings of all overseas arrivals starting Thursday.

Infections have continued to slow in South Korea's worst-hit city of Daegu. But there's concern over a steady rise of infections around Seoul, where new clusters have emerged.

In the U.S., officials urged older Americans and those with chronic health conditions to stay home, and recommended all group gatherings be capped at 10 people. Americans returning from abroad encountered chaotic airport health screenings that clearly broke all virus-fighting rules against crowds

School closings in 56 countries kept more than 516 million students home, the U.N. said. New York City joined those ranks Monday, closing a school system with 1.1 million students.

Some countries that had resisted more stringent measures snapped into action, too.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to eliminate unnecessary contact with others, working from home where possible and avoiding bars, restaurants, theaters and other venues. Schools remained opened for the time being.

Some scientists, and many worried Britons, have said the government should have taken tough action sooner.

Britain's dramatic escalation of social restrictions to fight the virus was sparked by new scientific evidence suggesting that 250,000 people in the U.K. and more than one million in the U.S. might die if the country did not suppress its spread.

Trucks queue to enter a crossing point at the border between Belarus and Lithuania, as Lithuania closed the borders for foreigners to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), near the village of Muravevka, Belarus today

The analysis, published by Imperial College London epidemiologists, drew on the latest data from China and Italy. It found that a strategy of 'mitigation' - slowing but not stopping the spread of the virus while protecting vulnerable groups like the elderly - would still lead to a huge number of cases that would overwhelm the health care system.

The researchers estimated as many as half of all cases were not identified and that 30 per cent of hospitalized patients would require critical care. They also suggested almost 81 per cent of the population in the U.S. and U.K. might be infected during the pandemic and said the drastic social restrictions might need to be in place for many months, until a vaccine is available that could help avoid a rebound in the virus' spread.

Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton who was not linked to the research, said the modelling estimates were credible and showed that Britain's aim now is simply 'lessening the impact of what will be a very bad outbreak.'
Pennridge to vote on one textbook; further review on other one
According to him, it is mostly about big loans

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announces Cabinets approval of a program of repayment holidays for small and medium businesses due to the coronavirus-caused quarantine, RBC reports.

"The government is working now. Although it is difficult for us, even though we are not France and our economy is not as strong as the economies of many European countries, they have to develop a program," Zelensky said.

According to him, it is mostly about big loans.

The National Bank of Ukraine and the Ministry of Finance are working on this program. Commercial banks are also expected to support this initiative.

As we reported earlier, the head of State Fiscal Service Maksym Nefodov urged citizens of Ukraine not to panic because of the export restrictions or possible shortage of imported goods in Ukraine.

"Some panic or cause for concern that Ukrainian exporters will not be able to export their products or that we will have a critical shortage of imports are untrue. All countries, our neighbors, as well as Ukraine, understand that international flows of goods and raw materials are extremely important both for a healthy economy and for the functioning of a socially responsible business, which not only pays taxes but also cares about its employees," Nefodov said.
Ukrainians who overstay their visas will be able to return from the United States to their homeland without any problems after the closure of borders, Ukrainian Ambassador to the USA Volodymyr Yelchenko has said.

We have already received such messages. People ask what they should do if their visa expires and they cant leave the country. The U.S. Department of State assured us that these people would not have any problems. This will not be considered as a breach of conditions of stay, given the exceptional circumstances, the ambassador said in comments to the Voice of America.

According to Yelchenko, visa overstayers will not be punished with fines or visa cancellation.

The ambassador added that it would take about one to two days to evacuate people from the country.

He recalled that about 250 people had already applied to the Ukrainian Embassy in the USA with a request for evacuation.

As Ukrinform reported, Ukraine decided to cancel all international scheduled flights from 00:00 on March 17, 2020 in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

ish
TAMPA  Yankees pitching prospect Denny Larrondo, 17, was identified as the teams minor leaguer who tested positive for the coronavirus over the weekend, two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NJ Advance Media on Monday.

Both people confirmed the information on the condition of anonymity. One person works within the organization and the other was outside of it but has ties in it.

LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES FROM NJ.COM

The website Pelota Cubana USA was the first to report the players identity.

The Yankees gave the right-handed Larrondo, of Cuba, a $550,000 signing bonus in 2018.

On Sunday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman declined to identify the player who contracted the virus, also known as COVID-19. A spokesman at the time cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act as the reason to not ID him. Cashman had only described the player as younger.

Larrondo began feeling symptoms of the virus  a fever and fatigue  on Friday morning, Cashman said. He told team officials, who then told him to stay away from the minor-league complex.

After Larrondo tested negative for the flu, he was tested for the coronavirus. The team learned of the positive coronavirus result either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

Cashman said the player was feeling better as of Sunday and that his symptoms has mostly dissipated, but that he was being kept under quarantine with many of the other Yankees minor leaguers out of fear the virus might spread. The Yankees have shut down their minor-league complex until March 26.

Last season, Larrondo went 2-5 with a 5.01 ERA in 12 games in the rookie Gulf Coast League, striking out 24 hitters and walking 21 in 32 1/3 innings. At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he turns 18 on May 31.

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Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
LOBAMBA  Is the Kings Birthday celebration going to take place? Are the Easter services going to be held?

Should parents continue to send children to school?



The above three, are just part of the litany of questions which were asked of the prime minister as MPs blasted Cabinet for what they termed its deafening silence in light of the declared world pandemic, the coronavirus, which is also known as COVID-19.

This happened yesterday afternoon in the House of Assembly after Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo moved a Motion of Privilege where he called on the Executive to come out clear on what direction the country was taking given the spread of the virus.



In his submission, Khumalo said Eswatini was surrounded by many countries in the region, particularly South Africa, which had already stated its position on the way forward.

For example, they have closed borders. I am not saying if they were wrong or right, but they are doing something, said Khumalo.



Silent



He said government could not remain silent and pretend as if nothing was happening, particularly with many events being postponed or cancelled.

Soon Good Friday will be upon us and we have Christians who travel in and out of the country, we cant be quiet about this, said Khumalo.



He continued: What is government saying about the Kings Birthday, Easter services, church services and funerals etcetera.

He said as MPs and government, no one could afford to sit back and be quiet especially since this was a matter of life and death.

Khumalo said government had to come out and state its position and whether it was perceived as right or wrong it had to be known.

He said emaSwati were worried, particularly about schools too.



The veteran MP stated that last Sunday he was in church and one of the church members started blasting that the country had no Parliament in light of the silence on this matter.

He said many people were worried and instead, emaSwati were now even quoting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa instead of the PM.



The PM needs to act as the country is looking to him, but sibindzile (we are quiet) when this thing has struck home, said Khumalo.

He wondered how many people had made contact with the infected person. He reiterated that the country was very worried.



Preparedness



In response, the PM said the entire country was concerned about the situation and said the Health minister had given updates. He said it was true that neighbouring countries and Africa as a whole had been monitoring the situation and making preparedness plans.



On Friday night, we got reports that a liSwati had tested positive, which was the first case and over the weekend, we met as Cabinet, said Dlamini. He said it would not take government long to make a statement, adding that they were busy consulting. He said soon, government would make the statements and asked for patience from the MPs. In vernacular he said Indlu ayisibeketelele.



He said during the next House sitting, which is expected to take place tomorrow, the full position of government would be made known as he would provide a comprehensive report.

The other questions asked were if government would suspend events where there were DJs, particularly in night clubs, as a lot of weird things happened there.



Meanwhile, Mp Khumalo said tourists had also come in their numbers to support the Marula Ceremony last month and it was fortunate that at that time the coronavirus was not that prevalent in their countries.
Along with the proliferation of coronavirus cases comes a rise in opportunism  much of it illegal  related to the outbreak.

Dothan police Chief Steve Parrish said his officers are paying close attention to those who might attempt to take advantage of residents while the coronavirus is hitting the United States.

Each officer knows the importance of making sure precautions are followed to combat the coronavirus, Parrish said. But we also have a job to do, and that is to protect and serve our citizens. We will not tolerate any coronavirus scams or price gouging. If any cases are reported, they will be investigated immediately, and those who break the law will be arrested.

According to police, there are reports of consumers across the United States purchasing large amounts of products and reselling them for a profit. U.S. federal agencies have also warned of companies selling fraudulent products claiming to treat or prevent coronavirus.

Headland police also are informing residents of potential scams, said Chief Mark Jones.
Samsung BioLogics' plant in Songdo, Incheon / Courtesy of Samsung BioLogics



By Baek Byung-yeul



Samsung Biologics said Tuesday that it is aiming to expand its presence in China and Taiwan after forging a partnership with Taiwan's APRINOIA Therapeutics, which has been working on developing an Alzheimer's drug.



The Samsung affiliate said it signed a contract development organization (CDO) deal with the Taiwanese biotech firm to jointly develop an anti-tau monoclonal antibody drug candidate, designed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.



CDO is an end-to-end biopharmaceutical project running drug development procedures from laboratory research to clinical trials.



"Samsung Biologics has reconfirmed its position as a global leading contract manufacturing organization (CMO), contract development organization (CDO) and contract research organization (CRO) partner," the company said in a statement.



"Samsung has developed a partnership with APRINOIA, which covers the full scope of the candidate product's development phase from cell line development, process development, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing to investigational new drug (IND) filing support."



Samsung Biologics has recently been injecting more resources to promote its CDO business, which is expected to grow 15 percent annually over the next few years.



With the demand for new biopharmaceuticals remaining solid, biotech companies have been increasingly outsourcing their product development and manufacturing to companies running contact-based businesses such as Samsung Biologics.



The company has carried out 48 CDO projects, helping venture companies in the biotechnology sector conduct drug development.



Headquartered in Taipei, APRINOIA is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics and PET imaging diagnostics for tau-protein-associated neurodegenerative diseases. The tau protein is known as one of the inducers of Alzheimer's disease.



"We're very excited about this opportunity to collaborate with APRINOIA, a biotech company with a distinguished global presence amidst the fast-growing bio landscape in Asia," Samsung Biologics CEO Kim Tae-han said in a statement.



"We look forward to demonstrating Samsung Biologics' unique capabilities, scale and integrated CDO and CMO services to our valued client in their pursuit of an Alzheimer's therapy," he added.



The new partnership will help the firm boost its profile in mainland China as well as Taiwan. The Samsung affiliate is in talks with more than 20 biotech companies for additional business agreements.



Established in 2011, Samsung Biologics has grown into one of the leading contract-based drug making companies. It also plans to open a research and development center for its CDO business in San Francisco in April and will seek further expansion in the United States and Europe.


This digital reconstruction of Pueblo Bonito during its peak occupation depicts the "tree of life," which was long believed to have grown in the plaza. Credit: University of Arizona

A majestic ponderosa pine, standing tall in what is widely thought to have been the "center of the world" for the Ancestral Puebloan people, may have more mundane origins than previously believed, according to research led by tree-ring experts at the University of Arizona.

A study published in the journal American Antiquity provides new data that calls into question the long-held view of the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito as the sole living tree in an otherwise treeless landscape, around which a regional metropolis in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon was built.

Combining various lines of evidence, the study is the first to apply a technique called dendroprovenance to a sample of the plaza tree that uses tree-ring growth patterns to trace the tree's origin. The data revealed that the tree did not grow where it was found, and is therefore unlikely to have played a role as significant as various authors have ascribed to it ever since it was discovered in 1924.

According to the study's first author, Christopher Guiterman, who is an assistant research scientist at the University of Arizona's Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, "the tree goes back all the way to the birth of tree-ring science  a supposedly living tree growing in 'downtown Chaco' during the height of its occupancy  which would make it the only tree of its kind that we know of in southwestern archaeology."

The largest of the buildings known as great houses in Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito is considered widely as the center of the Chaco world, which spanned the four corners region all the way to the edge of the Colorado Plateau. Pueblo Bonito's significance has been likened to Stonehenge in Great Britain and Machu Picchu in Peru. According to the National Park Service, the cultural thriving of the Chacoan people began in the mid 800s and lasted more than 300 years.

During that time, the occupants constructed massive stone buildings, or great houses, consisting of multiple stories that accommodated hundreds of rooms. By 1050, Chaco had become the ceremonial, administrative and economic center of the San Juan Basin and is thought to have served as a major hub connecting trading routes. Pueblo descendants consider Chaco a special gathering place where people shared ceremonies, traditions and knowledge.

During a 1924 dig at Pueblo Bonito, archeologists of the National Geographic Society excavated a 20-foot long pine log in the west courtyard of the monumental great house. The discovery itself was a sensation, Guiterman said.

"The likelihood of finding such a tree after lying undisturbed for 800-plus years seems unbelievable, but we know that is what happened because tree rings don't lie," he said.

The tree was reportedly found just beneath the present-day soil surface, lying on the last utilized pavement. Its "great, snag-like roots precluded the possibility of it ever having been moved," according to the description of expedition leader Neil Judd of the Smithsonian Institution.

The study's lead author, Christopher Guiterman, working in the collections of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. Credit: Chris Baisan

"It's important to recognize that these are only the stubs of roots, not the entire root system," said co-author Jeffrey Dean, UArizona professor emeritus of anthropology. "Lacking the root system, combined with the fact that the log was lying flat on top of the latest plaza surface, means that the plaza tree did not grow in the Pueblo Bonito Plaza."

Dendrochronological analyses initiated in 1928 by Andrew Ellicott Douglass, the founder of the University of Arizona Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, confirmed that the tree lived between 732 and 981, and likely longer, since its outermost wood had eroded away over time.

Guiterman said he had been vexed by the tree's origin story for a long time. Was it the lone remnant of a pine forest growing in Chaco Canyon, the only tree that didn't get cut down for some unknown reason? Or had it been lying there undisturbed all along, even during the peak of the Chacoan culture?

"You don't just find a 1,000-year-old piece of wood on the ground like that," said Guiterman, whose earlier research in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment revealed that the 25,000 trees used to build Pueblo Bonito did not grow nearby, but were transported from distant mountain ranges.

To find out where the plaza tree had come from, Guiterman and his co-authors assembled three lines of evidence, "not unlike building a legal case," as he put it. They scrutinized documentary records, including unpublished correspondence and reports from the early archeological expeditions, strontium isotope signatures from pine trees living in the Chaco Canyon area today and tree-ring patterns that allow scientists to pinpoint the source of the wood in question.

While winter precipitation patterns are fairly uniform across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, the summer rainstorms known as monsoons are much more local, Guiterman explained, and the resulting variation in tree-ring patterns allows researchers to match a wood sample to the area where it grew.

"We have this incredible database from 100-plus years of tree-ring science," said Guiterman, who has dated hundreds of trees. "Trees from the San Juan Mountains, the Jemez Mountains or the Chuska Mountains  they all have their own kind of flavor, their own peculiar signature."

Based on the combined analyses of the available evidence, Guiterman and his co-authors conclude that the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito did not grow in Pueblo Bonito or Chaco Canyon. Instead, it most likely was hauled in from the Chuska Mountain range 50 miles west of Chaco Canyon, probably along with many other ponderosa pine beams used in construction. The tree lived in the Chuska Mountains for more than 250 years.

"We will never know exactly when it died because its outer sapwood rings were lost to decay," the authors wrote, "but we estimate that it was living until the early 1100s. Following its death, by either natural causes or cutting, it was transported to Pueblo Bonito in the 12th century, where it was either abandoned or employed for some purpose (possibly as a standing pole). It could have toppled or been left standing to eventually collapse onto the plaza. Finally, it was buried by windblown sand over the centuries."

Sample of JPB-101A, a different ponderosa pine but from around the same time (995-1095) as the Pueblo Bonito plaza tree. Credit: Christopher Guiterman

Yet, even knowing the likely birthplace of Pueblo Bonito's Plaza Tree, the mystery of its purpose remains, Guiterman said.

"Why did the ancient Chacoans carry this tree there, and how?" he said. "We don't see any drag marks, so they must have treated these heavy beams with great care. How they did that is up for debate."

Various roles for the plaza tree of Pueblo Bonito have been brought forth. For example, it could have been used as a ceremonial pole or as a gnomonthe part of a sundial that casts a shadow. Or perhaps it was simply leftover lumber or cast aside as firewood.

According to Barbara Mills, a Regents Professor in the UArizona School of Anthropology who was not involved in the study, it is unlikely a conclusive answer will ever be found.

"Nobody knows what the tree was used for, and unless there were any further clues waiting to be uncovered, such as traces of pollen left behind on the log, we have no way of knowing," Mills said.

Pine trees are known to play roles in present-day Puebloan life. During the San Geronimo Festival held in Taos, New Mexico, for example, pine trees are brought in and used for ceremonial pole climbing or to hang bags with offerings.

"It is not uncommon to bring a pine tree into the plaza during ceremonies, and certain kinds of dancers or kachinas hold boughs of pine in their hands during their dances," Mills said, "but we don't know how far back those practices go. We rely on descendant oral tradition as much as we can, but we have to be careful to not over-extend our interpretations and use as many lines of evidence as we can."

The paper, "Convergence of Evidence Supports a Chuska Mountains origin for the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon," is co-authored by Christopher Baisan and Thomas Swetnam at the UArizona Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research; Jay Quade in the UArizona Department of Geosciences; and Nathan English at Central Queensland University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Explore further Unexpected wood source for Chaco Canyon great houses

More information: Christopher H. Guiterman et al. Convergence of Evidence Supports a Chuska Mountains Origin for the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, American Antiquity (2020). Journal information: American Antiquity Christopher H. Guiterman et al. Convergence of Evidence Supports a Chuska Mountains Origin for the Plaza Tree of Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon,(2020). DOI: 10.1017/aaq.2020.6
Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton wants visitors from outside of the county to stay away for at least two weeks.

People from outside of Cape May County have been traveling to their Shore homes, Thornton told NJ Advance Media Tuesday. Some have come from areas where patients have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

I have been in this business for a lot of years, Thornton said. I have been through hurricanes, snowstorms, and the H1N1 flu virus, but this is the worst situation I have ever been involved with.

The Freeholder Director said the additional people in the county had impacted the number of supplies at supermarkets and the number of people calling to have the water turned on in their second homes.

If the visitors were to bring coronavirus to Cape May County, Thronton said he doesnt want to place a strain on the medical system. The county only has one hospital, Cape Regional Medical Center. With one facility, Thornton said he is concerned for the senior citizen community who he says makes up 25% of the countys population.

Suddenly we are seeing these large numbers coming here that we plan for an our summer season, Thronton stated. "At this point in time, our county health department is really concerned about whats happening.

Cape May is one of the six remaining counties in the state that has not reported a case of coronavirus. Thornton said that there are 11 people in the county who are being tested for the virus, but he has not received any news that the test have come back positive.

We love our second homeowners, the freeholder said. Forty-eight percent of our county is made up of second homes, and theyre very important to us. We know their kids are out of school, but this is not the time to decide to have a vacation and go to the Shore. What they should do is stay home as much as possible, work for home, and protect their families and their kids."

This is not a vacation, he added. "This is a very serious national crisis.

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A Delhi court dismissed a petition filed by one of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape and murder convicts  Mukesh Singh  seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by one of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape and murder convicts  Mukesh Singh  seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana rejected the petition after hearing arguments from both sides and sent the matter to the Bar Council of India for appropriate sensitization, observing that the conduct of the counsel for the convict needs to be brought to notice.

The prosecution, during the hearing, had accused the defence of making a "mischievous attempt" to stall the execution of the death sentence scheduled for 20 March.

The court observed that some mischievous brains have been projecting and consciously nurturing a misplaced notion that there is a premium over dishonesty in this country. It said that the court is of the considered opinion that the authorities involved in the dispensation of justice are duty-bound to dispel such ill-founded notion.

"The learned members of the Bar appearing before the court are duty-bound to render full cooperation and assistance to the court to ensure that justice is delivered expeditiously to the litigants without any unnecessary delay," the court said. "In these circumstances, I deem it appropriate that the conduct of the counsel for the convict needs to be brought to the notice of the Bar Council of India for appropriate sensitization," the court added.

The court said that the duty cannot be extended to the extent of procuring relief to the client by resorting to all kinds of schemes and stratagems.

Advocate ML Sharma, appearing for Mukesh Singh, had claimed that the convict was arrested from Karoli in Rajasthan on 17 December, 2012, and that the prosecution has fraudulently withheld the documentation carried out by Delhi and Rajasthan police with respect to the apprehension.

This comes as the four convicts in the 2012 case  Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma  are scheduled to be hanged at 5:30 am on March 20.

The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of 16 December, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the national capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.
The devastation coronavirus will wreak on people's health and the economy could be the "toughest test in our lifetime", Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.

The number of recorded Queensland COVID-19 cases jumped up to 78 on Tuesday, with 10 new cases confirmed by Queensland Health.

The backbench of Queensland Parliament empty during Tuesdays question time. Credit:Lydia Lynch

Among the new cases were seven women - aged 28, 35, 50, 50, 59, 62 and 71 - and three men - aged 35, 60 and 64.

Six patients were being looked after by Brisbane Metro South authorities, while the other four cases were under the jurisdiction of doctors in the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Townsville and Brisbane Metro North regions.
T oday marks St Patrick's Day, when millions of people around the world celebrate all things Irish.

Held in honour of Ireland's patron saint, St Patrick's Day is a day synonymous with partying and Guinness-drinking.

While celebrations this year will be a bit more muted following the coronavirus outbreak, people of Irish heritage the world over can still enjoy the day.

Here's everything you need to know about St Patrick's Day.

PA

What date is St Patrick's Day 2020?

St Patrick's Day is always held on March 17, which is today!

It's not a bank holiday in the UK or a federal holiday in the US, but it is a public holiday in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Where does the celebration originate?

St Patrick's Day is also known as the Feast of St Patrick, and marks the date of the Irish patron saint's death.

The celebration traditionally commemorates St Patrick and the role he played in bringing Christianity to Ireland.

It is observed by religious branches including the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, and was made an official Christian feast day early in the 17th century before becoming an official Irish public holiday in 1903.

People celebrating in central London / REUTERS

St Patrick himself was a 5th century Christian missionary and priest. He is believed to have been born in Roman Britain before being kidnapped and sold into slavery in Gaelic Ireland.

During his time in Ireland, St Patrick claimed to have "found God". This drove him to return in later years with the intention of converting the Pagan population to Christianity.

After his traditionally held death on March 17, St Patrick became renowned as a legendary figure and Ireland's foremost saint.

How is St Patrick's Day celebrated in Ireland and worldwide?

These days, St Patrick's Day has grown to become a broader celebration of Irish heritage and culture.

Consumption of both food and drink has always been a big part of the day, as Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol were historically lifted so that revellers could wholeheartedly enjoy their celebrations.

Nowadays the festivities often include traditional Irish foods such as soda bread, as well as quintessential Irish tipples such as whiskey and Guinness.

A view of signage is seen during the countdown to St Patrick's Day with Guinness in New York City / Getty Images for Guinness

"Drowning the shamrock" in particular is an age old St Patrick's Day custom, and entails placing a shamrock at the bottom of the cup before filling it and finishing the drink as a toast to either the people present, Ireland, or St Patrick himself.

It is said that St Patrick used shamrocks as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity, so now not only are they a classic symbol of St Patrick's Day, but they are also used to represent Irish heritage more generally.

People often dress in the colour green (which also has a long association with Irish history) or wear shamrocks on St Patrick's Day. Common celebrations take the form of public parades and festivals, as well as Irish traditional music sessions (ceilithe).

Since 2010, famous landmarks worldwide have also been lit up green in honour of the day. The Sydney Opera House and the Auckland Sky Tower were the first to take part, and the trend has now spread to over 300 landmarks in 50 countries.

A man balances his hat during the annual New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 16, 2019 / AFP/Getty Images

Several American rivers are also dyed green, with the most famous example being the Chicago River. This tradition began in 1961 - but you have to be quick to see it as the river only stays green for around 5 hours.

How have celebrations been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak?

Unfortunately this year you'll have to wait a bit longer to see the famous green waters of Chicago's river, as they have recently announced plans to postpone their celebrations due to the global coronavirus outbreak.

Belfast also cancelled their parade, whilst Taoiseach Leo Varadkar similarly confirmed that all parades and festivals in the Republic of Ireland were not to go ahead.

Other major American St Patrick's Day parades, including those in Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA, have also been postponed.
One of Alabamas most prestigious chefs will temporarily close his restaurants in response to concerns about COVID-19.

Chef Frank Stitt will close Highlands Bar & Grill, Chez Fonfon and Bottega. The James Beard award-winning chef made the announcement on his social media accounts.

Pardis & I are temporarily closing our restaurants. The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to our community, and this is the best way to protect our staff, guests & help stop the spread of this virus. Our passion is welcoming you to our table but at this time, its not safe to do so.

Pardis & I are temporarily closing our restaurants. The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to our community, and this is the best way to protect our staff, guests & help stop the spread of this virus. Our passion is welcoming you to our table but at this time, its not safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/1OcKYyvzjs  Frank Stitt (@FrankStitt) March 17, 2020

Stitts announcement came hours after the Jefferson County Health Department prohibited bars, restaurants, and breweries in the county from allowing on-premise consumption until March 24th. Monday evening, Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson announced restrictions on restaurants, schools and nursing homes as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

Restaurants and bars in Jefferson County will still be allowed to serve carryout. Wilson also encouraged restaurants to offer online ordering and curbside pickup.

The ordinance went into effect Tuesday.

Since the Alabama Department of Public Health announced the states first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 13, restaurants in and around Birmingham began to amend their services to offer take out, delivery, and curbside service.

Before Wilsons announcement on Monday, some Jefferson County restaurants had already decided to suspend their dining rooms. Area seafood boil restaurant Seafood King closed all three of its locations on March 15. However, the majority of restaurants in the county, including Stitts, maintained regular hours.

Stitt is not the only James Beard honoree to temporarily shutter operations in the wake of the ordinance. Timothy Hontzas, executive chef and proprietor of Johnnys in Homewood and one of this years James Beard semifinalists for best chef South, also announced it would close. Atomic Bar and Lounge, once again nominated this year for outstanding bar program, has shut its doors to comply with the order and plans to reassess conditions on March 31.

So far, two James Beard award nominees and winners in the Birmingham area remain open. Chef Adam Evans, executive chef of Automatic Seafood and Oyster, an award semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant, made the decision to close the dining room before the ordinance on Monday and developed a special take-out menu. OvenBird and Hot & Hot Fish Club, helmed by chef Chris Hastings, who took home the 2012 James Beard award for Best Chef in America, will offer takeout and curbside service.
[March 16, 2020] The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz Announces Investigation on Behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Investors (NCLH)

The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces an investigation on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. ("Norwegian" or the Company") (NYSE: NCLH) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. p> On March 11, 2020, the Miami New Times published an article, titled "Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Lie About Coronavirus." According to the article, the leaked emails show Norwegian managers pressuring sales employees to lie to customers about the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-2019) to protect the Company against cancellations. One of the emails reportedly advises sales staff to tell customers, "Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $5.47 or over 26%, to close at $15.03 per share on March 11, 2020, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert): twitter.com/FRC_LAW.

If you purchased Norwegian securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. 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/20200316005922/en/

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GREATER LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Greater Lafayette restaurant and bar owners are switching their entire business model after Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb announced a statewide no dine-in requirement on Monday. His decision follows dozens of leaders across the world working to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

We kind of thought this might happen cause it's happening in other states and it usually just takes time to get to us, said Jerry OBryan, owner of Nine Irish Brothers.

Indiana bars and restaurants will not be allowed to have dine-in customers. Many Greater Lafayette businesses are now depending on delivery and carry-out services to keep them afloat.

That's how we're going to try to make up the revenue that we'll lose from not having people in here, said John Olakowski, Black Sparrow General Manager.

Black Sparrow in Lafayette has never offered delivery or carry-out. Now, Olakawoski is heavily depending on it during these uncertain times.

We can hopefully try to keep everyone working  that's our goal is to keep everyone working, said Olakowski.

Nine Irish Brothers owner agrees. O'Bryan said they will be adjusting to a carry-out and delivery only menu as well.

What we want and what's more important is that this thing gets gone, said OBryan. This coronavirus goes away and then everybody gets back to normalcy and Im sure thatll happen sooner or later, we hope sooner just like everybody else.

This no dine-in announcement fell around the pub's biggest day of the year, St. Patrick's Day. O'Bryan is choosing to stay positive.

Soon as this virus is over, we're going to have a St. Patty's Day, I don't care if it's May the third, I don't care if it's April the third, we're going to have another St. Patty's Day party and it will be bigger and better than ever, said OBryan.

Kirsten Serrano and her husband Paco own La Scala in Lafayette. Theyre offering carry-out and delivery but theyve also created a way for customers to pay it forward for people in need through their Community Comfort program.

They can call and donate money so that we will make meals for people in need, said Kirsten.My husband, he is La Scala and so we can't produce food if that kitchen is sick so we are doing everything in our power to reduce contact but improve what we can do for the community.

No one knows what lies ahead as the world works to combat COVID-19 but Kirsten said it's important everyone does their part to help however they can.

It's going to take all of us to get through this and La Scala really wants to be a part of the solution, said Kirsten.

People can donate funds by calling La Scala at (765) 420-817. This will help fund restaurants' efforts to give free meals to families in need. The owners have partnered with Hartford Hub, Lafayette Urban Ministry, Lafayette Transitional Housing Center, Mary Klinker Veteran Resource Center, River City Church, and Harvest Chapel. Theyre seeking more community partners.

La Scala has already raised more than 5-thousand dollars through the community comfort program. This will help feed at least 625 people.
Wellington Phoenix will fly to Sydney on Wednesday afternoon after receiving assurances from A-League bosses they will be able to train together while in self-isolation.

Wellington officials had agreed to play out the remainder of the season in Australia, which was the only way for the league to be completed under the coronavirus travel restrictions.

Wellington want assurances from the FFA before flying out to Australia. Credit:Getty Images

However, the Phoenix delayed their trans-Tasman flight amid concerns the team wouldnt be able to train during a mandatory 14-day isolation period following their arrival in Australia.

Late on Tuesday, the club confirmed they had received the necessary agreements to confirm their travel
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:35:04|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to provide Serbia with medical supplies and dispatch an expert team to support its fight against the COVID-19, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Tuesday.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Sunday only China can help Serbia at a time when the European Union restricted exports of medicine and medical equipment.

Noting China and Serbia are comprehensive strategic partners, and the two countries enjoy an impregnable and iron-clad friendship, Geng said sharing weal and woe and lending support to each other have always been the central theme of China-Serbia relations.

"We will never forget the government and people of Serbia, who have shown firm support to China in various ways at a special time when the Chinese people are fighting an all-out battle against the epidemic," Geng told a press briefing.

"Today, Serbia is also facing challenges from the epidemic; we will stand firmly and fight together with the Serbian people," he added.

Geng said that tiding over difficulties together during testing times has become a true portrayal of China and Serbia in building a community with a shared future.

"China would like to work with the international community, including Serbia, to overcome this epidemic and protect regional and global public health security," Geng said.
As different countries of the world pool resources to combat the coronavirus crisis, doctors in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Tuesday announced they were proceeding on an indefinite strike.

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Abuja chapter, announced their decision about an hour after the third case of Covid19 was confirmed in Nigerias commercial capital, Lagos.

The doctors said they deliberated extensively on the health threat posed by the coronavirus scare, their work conditions, and patient care before arriving at the difficult decision.

In a statement signed by its president, Roland Aigbovo, the association said the mass action followed the failure of the FCT administration to pay them their basic salaries for more than two months.

Mr Aigbovo said their members have been thrown into financial distress due to the nonpayment of their salaries and despite repeated warnings and ultimatum, nothing has been done by authorities.

He said there has been salary irregularities and shortfalls since the migration to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System by the FCTA.

Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Abuja chapterThe union leader said other health workers who are also affected by the salary shortfalls will join the mass action within 48 hours if their demands which are the same with ours are not met.

The Lagos State Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed the third case of coronavirus in Nigeria.

Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, broke the news to journalists at the government secretariat Tuesday morning.

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This is a new case independent of the index case of a 30 year-old Nigerian, female, who returned from the UK on 13th March, the commissioner said.

Mr Abayomi said the patient, who initially showed symptoms of the infection, observed self-Isolation, and thereafter tested positive.

Although Nigeria has so far recorded three cases of the virus, only two are active. The second case, linked to the index case, later tested negative.
This rather short write up intends questioning the exemptions on crowds granted by the President of the Republic of Ghana on the Free Senior High School students at the preparatory stage of their final examination. Like all well-meaning institutions of learning and policymakers in the educational sector, investment on students become waste when students results at the end of the period shows extreme failures. I will want to think that, this informed the Presidents exemptions of final year SHS students from the closure and isolation rules announced on Monday 15th March 2020 to ensure high success rate for the first batch of the free SHS.

It will be recalled that, in a state broadcast, the President directed universities and other sectors of the economy to avoid physical meetings and opt for working from home. A directive which has since witnessed the applause of many Ghanaians as a bold leadership step.

The exemption, however, has kept many wondering if the social space recommended by experts does not apply to students of the Senior High Schools?. Indeed, the President may have made the exemption on the famous reasoning that, the disease thrives in persons with weak immune systems; largely adults. If my assumption is right, the Presidents judgment could be a good one. My point of departure from his reasoning is the truth that the immune system is not a total guarantee for young persons to escape the infections of this deadly virus.

Having thought this way, I would want to reason as speculated that, the flagship programme that brought the ruling NPP to power is the free SHS, whose litmus test would be the first batch of its graduates who are currently being prepared for the examination; unfortunately being threatened not by opposition political parties but the Covid 19. Though the speculators may not be right, it is reasonable to think that, a massive failure of the students at the first test of this free SHS model is likely to affect the political gains of the ruling NPP, especially so when Ghana is getting into its Presidential and parliamentary elections this year. It is this reasoning that has triggered my putting pen to paper this day.

Perhaps wrong thinking by the speculators but it remains that, all have rights to their lines of thinking. On the strengths on this, I firmly think the students should staying at home. I believe that a regular challenge of the free SHS since its inception is the overcrowding of classrooms, dormitories and other facilities (see Awaah, 2019a; Awaah, 2019b; Awaah, 2019c). Crowding is the breeding ground for the Coronavirus disease thus the recommendations by experts to keep good social distances. A good social distance is an arm-length distance, a situation I envisage difficult to achieve for our SHS student overnight. There is the temptation to reason that since the first and second-year students will not be in school, there will be room for all. This assumption frightens me in the instance of dormitories and dining space where students are grouped to share food from pans.

I would rather we uphold our health and put our final year students on hold to check the spread of the disease, but a colleague just whispered to me  the elections. I dont agree with him, I think it is an emergency decision which, with the benefit of hind thinking can be reversed to protect the life of the ordinary Ghanaian.

There is no need for multiple folds of grade A certificates when the beneficiaries will not survive to put them to use. If I am asked as a citizen and not a spectator, a reversal of that particular directive is necessary for the shedding of fear of the ordinary Ghanaian.

References

Awaah, F. (2019). Worrying State of Ghanas Educational System: Causes and Cures. Modern Ghana.com. Available at https://www.modernghana.com/news/941508/worrying-state-of-ghanas-educational-system-caus.html

Awaah, F. (2019). The Price Of Free: A Case of Ghanas Free SHS Educational System. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Available online at https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/commentary/price-of-free-education-a-case-of-ghanas-free-senior-high-school-system/2019/

Awaah, F. (2019). Mitigating Admission Deficits Envisaged by the Free Senior High School Policy  A Case for Open Education. Ghanaian Times.
Attendance is down by between a third and almost half at some Victorian government schools this week, principals say, as anxious parents keep their children home.

State schools were issued new advice by the Department of Education and Training on Monday night, stating that the flood of precautionary absences should be approved and coded as parent choice, with the word COVID-19 included in the comments.

Yeshivah - Beth Rivkah Colleges principal Shimon Waronke addresses the media about the school's closure. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Independent schools also say parents have in effect forced many of them to stop face-to-face classes this week, with attendance rates plummeting almost 50 per cent on Monday.

Teachers are also anxious about being exposed to the deadly coronavirus, with some complaining that they are being employed as child minders in the middle of a health crisis.
The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Tuesday to consider granting permanent commission (PC) to women officers in Indian Navy within three months and it should be based on the Naval Ceremonial Regulations of 1963.

The Short Service Commission (SCC) officers of the Navy who are found suitable for the grant of PC shall be entitled to all consequential benefits including arrears of pay, promotions and retirement benefits as and when due, the top court said.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi said, the applications of the serving officers for the grant of PCs shall be considered on the basis of the norms contained in 1963 Regulations which include availability of vacancies in the stabilised cadre at the material time, determination of suitability and recommendation of the Chief of the Naval Staff.

"Their empanelment shall be based on inter se merit evaluated on the ACRs of the officers under consideration, subject to the availability of vacancies," the bench said.

The top court invoked its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution for directing as a one-time measures SSC officers in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) cadre of Navy, who were part of the litigation before the High Court in 2010, shall be entitled for pensionary benefits.

Senior advocate Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for several women officers, said that around 100 women officers both serving and retired will benefit from the verdict of the top court.

It said that once the policy decision of the union government was communicated on February 25, 1999, the authorities were bound to consider the claims of the SSC officers for the grant of PC in terms of Regulation 203 of the Naval Ceremonial Regulations of 1963.

"The naval authorities and the Union Government failed to do so, depriving them of the entitlement to be considered for the grant of PC. By the failure of the authorities to consider the SSC officers for PCs in terms of the policy communication of 25 February 1999, SSC officers lost out on the opportunity to be granted PCs and all the responsibilities and benefits attached to the grant of PC, including promotions and pensionable service," it said.

It said that the situation which has come to pass is due to the failure of the authorities to implement statutory notifications issued under Section 9(2) the policy statement of February 25, 1999 by which they were bound and as the decisions of the Delhi High Court and the AFT.

"These SSC officers cannot be left in the lurch and the injustice meted to them by lost years of service and the deprivation of retiral entitlements must be rectified," it said.

The top court said that to deny substantive relief to the SSC officers would result in a situation where a breach of duty on the part of the authorities to comply with binding legal norms would go unattended and "this would result in a serious miscarriage of justice to the SSC officers who have served the nation".

It said that all SSC women officers who were denied consideration for the grant of PCs on the ground that they were inducted prior to the issuance of the policy of 2008 and who are not presently in service shall be deemed, as a one-time measure, to have completed substantive pensionable service.

"Their pensionary benefits shall be computed and released on this basis. No arrears of salary shall be payable for the period after release from service," it said.

The bench said that as a one-time measure, all SSC women officers who were before the High Court and the AFT and who are not granted PCs shall be deemed to have completed substantive qualifying service for the grant of pension and shall be entitled to all consequential benefits.

The top court granted compensation of Rs 25 lakh each in addition to the pensionary benefits to Commander R Prasanna, Commander Puja Chhabra, Commander Saroj Kumar, Commander Sumita Balooni and Commander E Prasanna.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
If COVID-19 begins to circulate in Ontarios cramped and overcrowded jails, correctional staff say theyre worried they wont be able to stop it.

Were fearful that this will spread very fast and may become unmanageable, said Ryan Graham, president of OPSEU Local 234, which represents correctional staff at the Maplehurst and Vanier jails in Milton.

His comments follow several days of work refusals at correctional facilities across the province in the face of what Graham says has been the Ministry of the Solicitor Generals lack of action on concerns from staff about potential outbreaks.

Things are coming out very slowly from the ministry, Graham said.

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in an Ontario jail, the ministry has said. So far, three inmates have tested negative, while the results for two other inmates were still pending as of Monday afternoon. The ministry would not say where these inmates are housed, citing privacy reasons.

Graham said staff have been insisting that anyone coming into an institution  whether an inmate, staff member or lawyer  should first have their temperature checked. But, he said, the ministry has refused. Graham also expressed concern about the lack of space to isolate an inmate, if necessary, in a jail like Maplehurst.

We really, truly dont have an isolation area, he said. We would be basically locking (the jail) down, confining them to their cells.

On Friday evening, the province banned personal visits to Ontario jails, though lawyers are permitted to continue to meet their clients. (The province also banned personal visits to Ontario youth justice centres Monday.)

Ministry of the Solicitor General spokeswoman Kristy Denette said all visitors to Ontario jails are subject to screening procedures for respiratory illnesses, in line with health ministry guidelines.

Graham said the screening mainly involves asking people about their symptoms, noting that an inmate may be reluctant to say they have a fever for fear of being isolated, while a staff member may do the same for fear of missing work.

And even though in-person visits are now banned, the ministry said its current and much-criticized phone system will remain as is. Inmates can only place collect calls to land lines at a fee of about $1 a minute. Denette said the ministry is still working on completing the procurement process for a new inmate telephone system.

Denette confirmed that several correctional officers at the Toronto South Detention Centre briefly refused work last Thursday.

As per the resolution process, the ministry worked quickly with the Ministry of Labour to address the situation, she said. It was resolved quickly with minimal impact on inmates and court transport.

The following morning, one inmate testified from the prisoners box at College Park courthouse, saying he and others had been kept in the courthouse cells without access to food until about 8:30 p.m. He testified that he was told the guards werent letting anyone back into the South jail because of coronavirus, but he did eventually get taken back to the jail later Thursday evening.

Denette also confirmed there have been job actions at Maplehurst jail. Graham said he wasnt able to provide details about this, but criminal defence lawyers reported Monday that there had been delays in prisoner transport to and from court.

In a bid to reduce the number of people in the jails and slow possible transmission of the virus, the province also announced Friday that it was allowing inmates who only serve sentences on the weekend to do so at home. But criminal lawyers have said more needs to be done to reduce the number of inmates  many of whom are legally innocent and awaiting trial  going to jail if they dont pose a risk to public safety.

In light of the significant dangers posed by incarcerating inmates during a pandemic, the ministry needs to consider all possible forms of release, said Daniel Brown, vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers Association. Most people incarcerated in jail dont need to be there, especially at a time like this.

Criminal defence lawyers have said that one way to reduce numbers in the jails is for Crown attorneys to consent to the release of more accused persons on bail.

At College Park court in Toronto on Friday, a Crown attorney said the Crown was now revisiting its position on bail in several cases in which the accused does not pose a risk to public safety. The Ministry of the Attorney General has refused to confirm whether a directive that has gone out to all Crown attorneys, province-wide.

A similar state of confusion also played out in Ontarios courts Monday, a day after the Superior Court of Justice said it would suspend most of its operations as of Tuesday and the Ontario Court of Justice said it was severely limiting the number of people who appear in court each day.

In bail court and set-date court at Old City Hall justices of the peace heard that some inmates refused to come to court. Instead, they were seeking bail hearings and court appearances by audio and video  although the technical capacity to do this was still being worked out.

All out-of-custody criminal matters are postponed as a result of the courts near-total shutdown. Bail courts and other matters involving accused people in custody are expected to continue, although the court is attempting to do more by video and audio. Provincial offences courts are closed as well.

The shutdown has left court staff, interpreters and business-owners unsure about how they will be affected.

Sharon Hong, a cancer survivor who recovered five years ago, said she is unsure about whether she will close the small coffee shop she runs on the ground floor of the Old City Hall courthouse.

Hong said there were far fewer customers on Monday than usual at the typically packed downtown Toronto courthouse, and it is unclear what will happen with the rent she pays for the cafe space.

Even handing food and coffee to customers is unnerving now, she added. She said she is even afraid to wear a mask as a precaution for fear that people will think she is sick, and because of the racism she worries will be directed at her as an Asian woman.

I am scared, she said. I have never seen anything like this before.
MBABANE  Eswatini has declared a national emergency following the relentless spread of the coronavirus across the world.

It was at around 2:30pm yesterday that Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini informed the nation that he had been commanded by His Majesty King Mswati III to invoke Section 29 of the Disaster Management Act of 2006 to declare a national emergency.



Having assessed the magnitude and severity of the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic the world over, I have been commanded to declare a national emergency in the Kingdom of Eswatini with immediate effect for a period not exceeding two months, said Dlamini.



Declaration



The PM said as a result of the declaration, the King had further commanded government to cancel the celebration of His Majestys Birthday celebration, which was expected to take place on April 19, 2020 in Nhlangano.



The King will be turning 52 years old.

The budget set aside for the Kings Birthday celebration will be redirected to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, said Dlamini.

During the press briefing, Dlamini, who was surrounded by Cabinet ministers, said the King had further commanded that Good Friday and Easter services, which were expected to take place from April 10-12, 2020 be suspended. The premier said the King had also commanded that the Army Day, which was scheduled to take place on Friday, must also suspended.



Dlamini said the Kingdom of Eswatini, like the rest of the world, was confronted by a stubborn pandemic that threatened the health and wellbeing of the nation as it relentlessly spread across the globe at an alarming rate.



While Eswatini has one confirmed COVID-19 case at this moment, we are seized with the responsibility to protect our citizens from a scourge which knows no boundaries and continues to unfold in an unprecedented manner and speed, said Dlamini.

Worry

The premiers statement came a day after Members of Parliament (MPs) had expressed worry at governments silence, particularly because other countries like South Africa had pronounced themselves on the matter by declaring it a disaster.

The MPs questions have indeed been answered as they had questioned if events like the Kings Birthday celebration, Good Friday and Easter services and the closing of schools was going to take place in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

The premier said the Head of State had further commanded that government and Parliament were to ensure that sufficient funds were made available specifically for the fight against COVID-19.

Government is tasked to work in collaboration with regional administrators, chiefs, traditional authorities and all relevant sectors to upscale the preparedness and response plan in communities and that security forces will be part of the COVID-19 national emergency response, said Dlamini.

He further stated that a socio-economic analysis on the impact of this pandemic on business would be undertaken.
Idris Elba met with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau shortly before they both tested positive for coronavirus.

The actor, 47, posed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, 44, at the We Day UK charity event, which took place at the SSE Arena in Wembley less than two weeks ago.

Posing for photos together at the event the pair were in close proximity to each other, as well as other celebrities such as Lewis Hamilton, and attendees.

Interaction: Idris Elba met with Justin Trudeau's wife Sophie (far left) less than TWO WEEKS before they both tested positive for coronavirus (pictured on March 4, at We Day UK event)

Idris had been at the event to discuss social issues with 12,000 schoolchildren and teachers, while Sophie has been working alongside the charity.

Taking to Instagram to share a picture of the two of them together, she gushed: 'My heart is full after spending time working with my own family and the WE family. Our message in London: Show yourself love and offer that same love to the world.'

Sophie announced she tested positive for the virus last week and had gone into self quarantine, while Idris revealed on Monday that he had coronavirus.

At the charity event, Idris discussed how to combat rising knife crime, as he said of his own experience growing up in London: 'Happy is my normal. Yes, there was crime. Yes, there was poverty. Yes, there were gangs.

Appearance: Idris discussed social issues with 12,000 schoolchildren and teachers

On stage: Sophie has been working alongside the charity, and discussed this during her appearance at the event

Advice: At the event, Idris told attendees: 'Speak out about what matters  whether that is fighting against knife crime, global hunger, housing, education, sexism, combating racism'

'Some of the people I grew up with, people I saw around the neighbourhood, went down the wrong path, ended up doing the wrong thing.

'I was different. I was lucky, maybe. I wanted different things. I was an only child by immigrant parents from Sierra Leone, West Africa.

'And they worked hard for what they had. This way of life taught me the importance of independence and relying on myself for my own success.'

Idris continued: 'You are all capable of making an impact so speak out about what matters  whether that is fighting against knife crime, global hunger, housing, education, sexism, combating racism.

Brave: The Director General of the World Health Organisation has praised Idris Elba after the actor and his wife Sabrina posted a 'powerful message' confirming he has coronavirus

'We all need to be conscious about the world we live in because it is our responsibility to make things better together.'

This comes after Idris was praised by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation for his 'brave and powerful message' after confirming he has coronavirus.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend the actor for speaking about COVID-19, telling him to 'take care and stay strong'.

Idris revealed on Monday he had been tested positive for coronavirus and that he and his wife Sabrina Dhowre, 29, have gone into self isolation.

Dr Tedros wrote: 'Take care and stay strong, @idriselba! I admire your brave and powerful message to the world. We're all in this together. Solidarity will beat the #coronavirus. #COVID19.'

Idris said in his video message he 'feels ok' and has no symptoms but has decided to self-isolate following his exposure to COVID-19.

Idris shared the video with the caption: 'This morning I tested positive for Covid 19.

Inspiring: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 55, took to Twitter on Tuesday to commend Idris' for his bravery for speaking about COVID-19 (pictured last month)

Stay strong: Dr Tedros wrote: 'Take care and stay strong, @idriselba! I admire your brave and powerful message to the world. We're all in this together. Solidarity will beat the #coronavirus'

Isolating: Idris revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus via Twitter on Monday

'I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus.

'Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing. No panic.'

Idris confirmed wife Sabrina had not yet been tested but said that she also 'feels ok' at the moment.

Isolating: 'Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how Im doing. No panic,' Idris said

The Luther star added he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus, before quarantining himself and getting tested 'immediately'.

He received the news of his results this morning.

'Look, this is serious,' he continued. 'Now is the time to start thinking about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that there are people out there who aren't showing symptoms, and that can easily spread it.

Keep calm: The Luther star added he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus

Reassured: The pair have also told their families and colleagues. Idris finished the clip by saying 'stay positive and don't freak out' (pictured in December 2019)

'So now is the time to be really vigilant about washing your hands, and keeping your distance.'

The pair have also told their families and colleagues. Idris finished the clip by saying 'stay positive and don't freak out'.

Fans were quick to share their best wishes with the star, praising him for using his platform to encourage people to take more precautions.

Take action: 'Look, this is serious,' he continued. 'Now is the time to start thinking about social distancing, washing your hands'

Actress Ava DuVernay wrote: 'Thank you, @idriselba, for using your platform to educate and inform. No symptoms, but positive.'

But others were quick to point out that his wife Sabrina should have separated herself, as she had not yet been tested for the virus.

Another follower commented: 'If you are positive, and Sabrina has not been tested then why are you anywhere near her?'

The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia.

The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results on Instagram urging the public to 'take care'.

Hanks revealed they had experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.

Taken ill: The news comes a week after Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia

Before their diagnosis, the couple had visited crowded Australian hotspots including Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House - raising fears that others were infected.

The opera house have been trying to track down 207 people who could have come into contact with the couple at a concert on Saturday night.

And on Sunday night, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko announced she had tested positive for the now-widespread virus.

Star fever: Bond girl Olga Kurylenko - who starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (pictured 2008) - has tested positive for coronavirus

The 40-year-old, who played Camille Montes in 2008's Quantum of Solace, said she was diagnosed after feeling 'ill for almost a week' with fever and fatigue.

She is now facing days in isolation and posted a picture of her locked window on Instagram last night as she revealed she was 'locked up at home'.

The Soviet-born actress added: 'Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms. Take care of yourself and do take this seriously!'

Taken ill: The actress (pictured in a photo she shared with her social media followers) said she was taking paracetamol and eating garlic
The Great British Spring Clean has been postponed until September because of coronavirus.

The campaign, run by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by the Daily Mail, has already had 689,935 volunteers sign up to litter-picking events.

These will be put on hold because coronavirus has forced corporate partners and local authorities to change their priorities. The rearranged campaign will run from September 11 to 27 and organisers hope that everyone who has pledged to get involved will still do so.

From schoolchildren to pensioners, thousands have answered the call to spruce up streets, parks and beaches and it's hoped many more will continue to sign up and be part of the bid to make Britain a cleaner place to live.

The campaign, run by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by the Daily Mail, has already had 689,935 volunteers sign up to litter-picking events. Pictured: litter in Cuckmere Valley

Earlier this month the Mail updated its spring clean Q&A to reflect the spread of coronavirus and encouraged all who were getting involved to take extra hygiene steps. But the extent that the virus has spread makes it almost impossible to continue with pre-arranged litter-picks.

This year our campaign hit half a million volunteers just six weeks after its launch and has eclipsed last year's volunteer total of 563,163.

The boost in numbers has been helped by Lloyds, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover and McDonald's, which have pledged their thousands of staff to take part.

Girlguiding UK also promised an incredible 100,000 members to help tackle the blight of litter and the National Trust has sent reminders to over five million subscribers.

More than 100,000 children between nursery age and 18 years old were to join in. This weekend Network Rail also pledged 41,000 employees and 2million for clean-ups and prevention. Chief executive Andrew Haines said he was delighted to be backing the campaign.

He also highlighted the importance of keeping litter off the tracks to keep 'people safe and trains moving'.

More than 100,000 children between nursery age and 18 years old were to join in. Pictured is a school in Manchester helping out

Allison Ogden-Newton of Keep Britain Tidy said: 'Everyone here has been absolutely blown away by your support for this year's Great British Spring Clean.

'Everyone  volunteers, local authorities, charities and businesses  has shown tremendous commitment to the Great British Spring Clean and to each and every one of you we would like to say a huge big thank you.

'Our first priority has always been making sure everyone stays safe and so, having discussed it with all our partners, we have taken the decision to postpone this year's Great British Spring Clean until later in the year.

'So today I have the pleasure to announce the Great British September Clean will be launched on September 11 and run until the 27th, when we will be bringing communities back together to clean up our streets, parks and beaches.

'In the meantime, if you are out and about getting some fresh air and doing a litter-pick in line with our safety guidelines show us what you're doing on social media.

'Everything we do, whether it's on our own or with family, friends and neighbours makes a big difference in protecting the environment which can only look after us if we look after it.'
Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Mar. 16, 2020 | SPRINGFIELD

By The Associated Press Mar. 16, 2020 | 09:46 PM | SPRINGFIELD

The Illinois presidential primary will continue as scheduled on Tuesday, even amidst the coronavirus outbreak.



Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said, Were going to go ahead with it. But weve been extra careful at all of our polling places. Everybody is practicing good hygiene. And were making sure that its safe for people to come and vote. The schools are closed, so many people will be voting in schools. And there wont be big crowds.



Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.



Election officials stress safety and encourage voters to practice social distancing. But they acknowledge that a tsunami of calls have been coming from poll workers who are opting not to show up at polling places. In some places, they are asking healthy people to show up and serve as judges.



Arizona and Florida are also scheduled to vote Tuesday. Early voting his been underway for weeks, which may limit the crush at polling places. Some have worried that predominantly elderly poll workers and volunteers would be exposed to the disease amid crowds of voters.



Two other states that were scheduled to vote later have delayed their primaries, citing the virus. Georgia, which was scheduled for March 24, moved its contest to May 19. Louisiana, which was slated to vote April 4, will now cast ballots June 20.
Neuroglial cells or glial cells provide supporting functions to the nervous system. Early research viewed glial cells as the glue of the nervous system. However, scientists are now increasingly recognizing the pivotal role glial cells play in brain function and development.

Image Credit: Christopher Meade / Shutterstock.com

Glial cells are smaller than neurons but are greater in number than nerve cells in the brain. Glial cells do not have axon and dendrites. However, they come into play during neural development or recovery from neural injury and during modulation of synaptic action and propagation of nerve signals.

Glial cells are found in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). The important CNS glial cells are astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, radial glial cells, and ependymal cells. Schwann cells, enteric glial cells, and satellite glial cells are part of the PNS. Each type of glial cell is distinct in their origin, composition, morphology, and anatomy.

Astrocytes have a star-like appearance and are involved in neuronal signaling by maintaining the right chemical environment to regulate local blood flow and enhance oxygenation. They also play an important role in maintaining brain homeostasis by regulating the ion concentration. In addition, astrocytes play an important role in synapse formation and function.

Microglial cells participate not only in normal brain development but also in defense mechanisms, wherein the microglial cells migrate, release cytokines at the injury site, and also remove debris and dead cells by phagocytosis. Oligodendrocytes are responsible for producing the fatty substance, myelin, which acts as a protective sheath around axons thereby allowing faster travel of electrical impulses.

The radial glial progenitor cells are multipurpose cells involved in many areas of brain developments and are precursor cells for generating oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons. Ependymal cells are subtype of glial cells that form the epithelial lining of the brain ventricles and spinal cord. Like astrocytes, ependymal cells also maintain brain homeostasis and are involved in the development of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and the blood-retina barrier.

In the PNS, Schwann cells are also involved in myelination of neurons. The satellite cells are small cells that surround the neurons in the sensory ganglia in the autonomic nervous system and are involved in regulation of the exterior chemical environment. The enteric glial cells are majorly involved in regulation of the gastrointestinal system, and contribute significantly to the maintenance of the neuronal system.

Role of glial cells in diseases

A number of research studies are ongoing to understand the role of glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, and Huntingtons disease. Although different neurodegenerative diseases exhibit different symptoms, there are some underlying similarities such as the loss of neurons or myelin sheath in certain areas of the CNS, or the presence of protein aggregates either in the nuclei or in cytoplasm of the neurons.

Studies on transgenic mice that express a mutant gene associated with one of the diseases have demonstrated that glial cells play a pivotal role in disease pathogenesis. For example, mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD 1) is seen in familial ALS with the pathology of familial ALS revealing the presence of intraneuronal inclusion bodies, suggesting that astrocytes play a role in familial ALS.

Similarly, in multiple system atrophy (MSA), histopathology shows the presence of a crescent-shaped or round inclusion in the oligodendroglial cytoplasm of the brain. Studies have also demonstrated damage caused to radial glial cells in offspring due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

This damage leads to varied types of cognitive or behavioral disabilities that are classified collectively as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Delayed development of oligodendrocytes and microglial apoptosis in utero are some of the effects of alcohol exposure during pregnancy that can have abnormal effects on the CNS.

A study by Pochard et al. explored the role of enteric glial cells in inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. Abnormal phenotypes of enteric glial cells were noted in cases where these cells were damaged by bacterial invasion or due to exposure to pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 or IL-10. However, further research is ongoing to characterize the role of enteric glial cells in gut dysfunction.

Although psychopharmacology led to the development of psychotropic drugs, a number of these drugs have been unsuccessful largely due to incomplete understanding of the pathology of some psychiatric disorders. With the advent of improved in vivo techniques of brain imaging, immunocytochemistry, and microscopy, there has been a resurge in cerebral pathology research.

Scientists now acknowledge the role of glial pathology in psychiatric disorders. For example, in bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorders, glial cells such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia are affected. This was further confirmed by a study that demonstrated an approximately 40% loss of glial cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in patients with familial bipolar disorder.

Therapeutic targeting of glial cells: A new treatment avenue

Glial cells play an important role in maintaining synaptic homeostasis. However, any change in the expression of glial genes can lead to a number of disorders and diseases. Novel therapeutics involves targeting this change in gene expression during the onset of the disease or before the progression of symptoms.

For instance, a study by Giardini et al. has showed the effect of neural mobilization treatment in reducing pain sensitivity in rats with chronic constriction injury. Neural mobilization treatment helped alleviate pain in these rats by decreasing the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), glial fibrillary acidic protein, (GFAP) and other glial proteins.

Recent research has further validated the fact that sound understanding of the glial pathophysiology can help in finding an effective cellular or drug-based treatment option for many chronic diseases.

Further Reading
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Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath has said there is no need for trust vote as he enjoys a majority in the assembly after Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday issued a fresh deadline for a floor test.

Tandon said he will consider chief minister Kamal Naths government to be in a minority if he failed to seek a trust vote by Tuesday.

The new deadline came hours after Speaker NP Prajapati on Monday abruptly adjourned the assembly for the next 10 days citing health concerns over coronavirus.

Also Watch l Kamal Nath running away from floor test, says BJP; CM puts onus on speaker

The assembly would reconvene on March 26, the day lawmakers in the state have to vote for the Rajya Sabha elections, Prajapati said.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan rushed to the Supreme Court along with nine other BJP legislators within minutes to petition the top court demanding an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh.

The top court will hear the petition by BJP legislators on Tuesday.

Heres an explainer on a trust vote, floor test and no-confidence motion:

What is a trust vote or floor test?

A floor test is a constitutional mechanism used to determine if the incumbent government enjoys the support of the legislature.

A confidence motion or a vote of confidence or a trust vote is sought by the government in power on the floor of the House.

A trust vote or confidence motion has to be moved by an MLA or an MP, and the objective is to find out whether the chief minister has the trust or confidence of the House.

If Kamal Nath wins the trust vote, he will continue to be the chief minister. In this case, there cannot be another trust vote for six more months. And if he loses, the ball goes to Governor Lalji Tandons court.

The governor can invite the BJP to form the government. He can also choose to declare Presidents rule, and the state will go to elections in six months.

How does it take place?

The voting takes place in the Legislative Assembly or the Lok Sabha at the central level.

The chief minister has to prove they have the magic numberthe total number of seats required to form a government or stay in power. It is the half-way mark, plus one. In case of a tie, the speaker casts the deciding vote.

However, at times, a governments majority can be questioned and the governor can ask the chief minister to prove his majority in the House. The leader of the party claiming the majority has to move a vote of confidence.

In the absence of a clear majority, when there is more than one individual staking claim to form the government, the governor may call for a special session to see who has the majority to form the government.

The voting process can happen orally, with electronic gadgets or a ballot process.

In his letter to the chief minister ordering a trust vote last Saturday, the governor had directed that the division of votes during the floor test be conducted only by pressing the button or through the electronic voting system and by no other way.

However, Tandon issued new directives on Sunday after a delegation of BJP leaders urged him to direct the speaker to conduct the floor test by raising of hands.

They claimed that the electronic voting system is not in place in the assembly.

Tandon issued new directives in his letter on Sunday, saying the voting during the trust vote should be taken up only through the raising of hands and that no other method should be adopted.

Some legislators may be absent or choose not to vote and, in that case, the numbers are considered only on the basis of the MLAs were present to vote.

If some MLAs remain absent or abstain from voting, the majority is counted on the basis of those present and voting. This effectively reduces the strength of the House and in turn, brings down the majority-mark.

Numbers

The state plunged into a political crisis after Jyotiraditya Scindia, a senior Congress leader, resigned from the party last week to join the BJP. Scindias decision to leave the Congress was followed by the resignation of 22 party MLAs loyal to him.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon directed Kamal Nath to seek trust vote after the 22 legislators of the Congress party submitted their resignations last week.

The BJP claims the Congress, which had 114 MLAs in the House with an effective strength of 228, has been reduced to a minority government following the resignation of 22 of its legislators.

The opposition party has 107 legislators. There are two MLAs from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one from the Samajwadi Party (SP), and four Independents who support the Kamal Nath government.

Speaker NP Prajapati had accepted the resignations of six ministers on Saturday. With this, the strength of the House has come down to 222 and the majority mark is now 112. The resignations of 16 other MLAs have not been accepted so far.
To date, close to 180,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported worldwide with over 7,000 fatalities. After days of uneasy calm, Ghana has, rather sadly, recorded its first six cases of the deadly disease. As much as we hope that no more cases are recorded, the likelihood that this number will grow in the coming weeks is high. This has resulted in government putting in place measures aimed at checking the spread of the virus. Once our prisons are an extension of society, it is necessary for all actors in this fight, to as a matter of urgency, map out strategies to prevent the deadly virus from entering our facilities and prepare also for the worst.

Overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells

With an overcrowding rate hovering around fifty percent, most of our prisons present fertile grounds for the spread of diseases. The continuous admission of newly convicted persons and the competition for sleeping space in facilities result in prisoners bunching up on floors of cells, eliminating the opportunity to practice social distancing, thereby creating conditions for the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Our facilities have endured outbreaks of scabies, tuberculosis, hepatitis and in 2018, the H1N1 influenza. The outbreak at Ankaful Maximum Security Prison resulted in about 300 prisoners as well as about 100 officers and their dependents suffering from the H1N1 influenza.

Though protocols to prevent the spread of communicable diseases are activated whenever required, overcrowding renders the efforts somewhat counterproductive.

Most of Ghanas prisons are remnants of the colonial era such as forts, castles and armouries. Such facilities are not purpose-built and so do not offer environments that support healthy living. They are mostly not properly aerated and or illuminated allowing easy transmission of diseases. Despite attempts by the prison administration over the years to modify these structures and make them more habitable, outbreaks of communicable diseases over the years suggest that, there is the need to invest in building requisite structures to support the wellbeing of prisoners, prison staff and visitors.

Visits

Visits to prisoners form part of the services drive to encourage continuous family support to the incarcerated. Prisoners are allowed a visit every other week but enjoy unfettered access to lawyers and medical doctors according to prison regulations.

Prisoner visits by friends and families have become topical as there are increasing fears that visitors and or prison staff may pass on the disease to prisoners. Italy is the first country since the outbreak to ban face-to-face visits from friends and families of the incarcerated. The act led to unrest across the countrys prisons which resulted in over 12 deaths as prisoners rioted against the measure. Countries like Kuwait, Kenya, Jordan, Czech Republic, Philippines and a host of others have since followed suit. The measure by these countries probably is the result of Irans decision to release some 70,000 prisoners on furlough following some deaths associated with the outbreak.

How prepared are our prisons?

The prison system in Ghana has existing protocols in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These include screening of prisoners and all persons who enter prisons, provision of sanitizers and running water for use at the gate and vantage points inside prisons, wearing of face masks by prison staff and visitors, quarantining and referral of suspected cases to appropriate health facilities among others.

Despite the above efforts, the Service is undoubtedly challenged due to the negative effects of overcrowding in our prisons. Basic necessities like water and ablution facilities which support hygienic living are overly stretched. The Nsawam Medium Security Prison, for example, has about 3,500 prisoners sharing facilities originally meant for about 790 people.

Apart from the Nsawam Medium, Ankaful and Koforidua prisons which have relatively more resourced health facilities, most of our prisons operate near-empty infirmaries, incapacitating them from sufficiently catering for prisoners health needs. Some prisons lack infirmaries altogether and so depend on limited drugs kept in first aid boxes. It is obvious from the above picture that, most of Ghanas 44 prisons would be hard hit in the event of any deadly outbreak like the COVID-19.

Improving conditions

Prison conditions such as overcrowding, poor ventilation, poor nutrition and inaccessible healthcare are the major causes of diseases behind bars. A conscious effort should be made to improve on the deplorable state of our facilities. With the creation of new regions, it would be appropriate for government and corporate Ghana to invest in the construction of prisons in these new regions to help decongest the 44 existing facilities. This will help improve prison conditions to an extent and reduce the spread of communicable diseases in the process.

There is the need to look beyond the crimes committed by the incarcerated by accepting that prison health is public health. Effective communication and coordination should exist among all actors in the healthcare space to ensure that healthcare delivery in prisons is integrated into national health policies and addressed as a public health issue.

Infirmaries and clinics in our prisons should be considered in the disbursement of the $100m provided by government to enhance the countrys coronavirus preparedness and fight. Prison health facilities require expansion, materials and equipment to meet the needs of our over 15,000 prisoners as well as officers and visitors to our facilities.

It is necessary to note, as Anthony M. Kennedy, a former American Supreme Court Judge, rightly said, A prison that deprives prisoners of basic sustenance, including adequate medical care, is incompatible with the concept of human dignity and has no place in civilized society.

DSP. DANIEL MACHATOR

DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

GHANA PRISONS SERVICE

[email protected]
By Express News Service

NAGERCOIL/VIRUDHUNAGAR: Two persons who returned from Qatar and Australia were admitted to the isolation ward of Government Kanniyakumari Medical College and Hospital on Monday over suspicion of coronavirus infection.

The Qatar returnee arrived in the district on Sunday, and the Australia returnee reached the district, via Kochi in Kerala, on March 8, said sources. Samples have been taken from them and sent to Medical College in Tirunelveli for tests.

Similarly, a Srivilliputhur- based woman, who returned from Kerala, was admitted to Government Srivilliputhur Hospital with symptoms of fever and cough on Monday. According to sources, Sunantha (27), a professor working in Kollam reached Mamsapuram village via Kozhikode on Saturday night.

Upon arrival, the suspected patient approached Srivilliputhur hospital with complaints of fever, cough and cold. Since she returned from Kerala, we kept her in isolation ward, said hospital sources. Joint Director of Health Services Manoharan said that she does not have breathlessness or other major symptoms, but they have kept her under observation as a precautionary measure.
There is a widespread power outage in parts of Accra again.

The lights went off around 7 pm in some affected areas on Tuesday, March 17.

It is, however, unclear the reason for todays power cut in parts of the capital.

This is happening at a time Ghanaians are staying indoors following government's ban on public gatherings against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The country has been experiencing widespread power cuts for about a week now with intermittent power outages almost every other night.

Earlier this week, the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) blamed the blackouts on a performance test on a new regulating and metering gas station in Tema.

Some affected residents around the Lapaz New Market described the current power situation as shocking and frustrating.

Some of the residents also called on Government to as a matter of urgency release a load-shedding time-table to help them effectively plan and organize their lives.

We have been experiencing this blackout since last weekend, selling has become very difficult for us because we rely on our phone and when it goes off we struggle. Government should make public announcements on the issue, a resident said.

I work at Accra Newton and I must say it is frustrating to get home from work after a really long day and there is no light at home especially with all thats happening with the coronavirus, another resident told Citi News Caleb Kudah.

Mutawakilu slams government over recent dumsor

The Ranking Member on Parliament's Mines and Energy Committee, Adam Mutawakilu, had bemoaned the surge in erratic power supply also known as dumsor in recent times.

According to him, power cuts reveal the deep-seated challenges in the energy sector that ought to be tackled.

Addressing the media, the Damango MP called for the release of a load shedding timetable.

No gatherings mean that those who mostly go out for prayers at churches and mosques will now stay home. We expected that you as a concerned President will ensure that we will not experience dumsor but dumsor is at its peak for no apparent reason. Because we have enough installed capacity. He [the President] complains of excess capacity. This is the time we need excess capacity to come to play. Excess capacity is for situations like this where people stay more at home. If demand is increasing, you should be able to meet it. But the dumsor that we are facing is more of a disaster.

He further accused the National Petroleum Authority of colluding with the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to deprive Ghanaians of a proper reduction in fuel prices at the pumps.

Widespread dumsor hits parts of Ghana

Over the weekend the nation also witnessed a widespread power outage.

The affected regions included; Accra, Central, Northern, Eastern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Oti Regions.

---citinewsroom
In seeking to empower the vulnerable, and offer them the dignity of helping themselves out of poverty, African Enterprise Rwanda has successfully adopted the Self Help Group (SHG) approach. This well-recognised development tool, known to have compounding benefits, has been adapted for use amongst vulnerable Rwandan communities, and women in particular.

The SHG approach involves linking with local community leaders in order to facilitate the formation of groups. Capacity building is followed by training in various areas, such as agriculture, household and small business finance, nutrition, sexual health, as well as gender and childrens rights issues. SHGs also encourage the growth and diversification of income sources, and facilitate the pooling of personal finances in order to secure microloans.

For example, one SHG, a group of 20 mothers, started a simple savings scheme where each member contributed 25 cents per month. Within 2 years, their savings had accumulated to $900, and they were able to acquire a simple loan, equivalent to $ 4516. With this loan, the group has been able to start a fruit farming business. Their current yield has enabled them, not only to service the loan, but to enjoy great improvements in their individual livelihoods.

Upon a recent visit to Rwandas Twiyubake (Lets Build Ourselves) Program, of which AE is a partner, Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente expressed his appreciation for the significant benefits children are reaping from the program. He noted that, as women are empowered with farming skills, they are enabled to support their families and provide nutritious food for their children.

In Rwanda, SHGs have proven to provide a solid foundation for the delivery of a diverse range of programs. Their tremendous potential was recognised by senior leadership at AEs recent International Council, held in November last year. The SHG approach has thus been outlined as AEs primary strategic approach for our social action programs, not only in Rwanda, but also across Africa.

Our goal is to impact, both directly and indirectly, a total of 650 000 people through our SHG programs. In order to achieve this, 10 of our social action officers, who are at the forefront of our development programs in the various countries in which we work, will be attending training on the SHG approach in Kigali during the month of March.

Find out more about African Enterprise via https://africanenterprise.com.au
Honda says it would not have taken part in the Australian GP.

Ultimately, the race weekend was cancelled at the eleventh hour over the coronavirus crisis. But Red Bull's Dr Helmut and Christian Horner said the team was ready to race.

However, works engine partner Honda's F1 boss Masashi Yamamoto has revealed to the Japanese source As-Web that a conversation he had in Melbourne with Marko was "challenging".

"Honda is a big brand participating in F1, so from Honda's perspective it was a matter for Honda to think about," Yamamoto said.

"Ultimately, we decided to cancel before talking to them," he added, referring to Red Bull.

When asked to clarify if Honda's decision not to race had also been made before F1 and the FIA announced the news, he added: "Yes, just before we left for Japan, we considered the situation, judged that it was difficult, and decided to move."

(GMM)
A security operative with the national assemblys sergeant-at-arms reportedly beat up Lizzy Chirkpi, a journalist with Order Paper, on...





A security operative with the national assemblys sergeant-at-arms reportedly beat up Lizzy Chirkpi, a journalist with Order Paper, on Monday.





The operative, identified as Labaran Usman, was said to have kicked at the journalist several times after confronting her over where she parked her vehicle.





Umar Lawal, a member of the house of representatives who had attempted to intervene in the incident which occurred at the National Assembly Complex on Monday, was also said to have been shoved by Usman.







Operatives could not be immediately reached for comments, but the matter is being investigated by the office of the sergeant-at-arms.





Narrating her ordeal to journalists, Lizzy said she had parked her car behind the green chambers park when a vehicle began to honk behind her.





Then I noticed a man in black jean and T-shirt came to meet me. Immediately, he shouted at me hey, why did you park here? and I told him I was waiting for my colleague who went to the press centre to get a camera.





Just as I was trying to explain he interrupted, no, no madam. I said you cant park here, this is not a car park, she said





And then as I insisted that I would not move my car, not until the person Im waiting for comes, he went and started deflating my tyres.





I rushed out of the car to stop him but at that point, he started pushing and kicking because I stopped him from deflating the tyres. He kept pushing and kicking me, saying for questioning his authority, he must deflate the tyres.





She said the operative also attempted to remove her car keys but a male colleague attempted to stop him.





He continued to punch me and drag my shirt and at that point, the lawmaker (Umar Muda) who was watching from his car got out and came to my rescue but that did not deter Usman, she added.





He even pushed the lawmaker backward and started hauling insults on him.





While a complaint was later lodged at the office of the sergeant-at-arms, the house press corps also reported the matter to Mohammed Sani-Omolori, clerk of the national assembly.




SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of Womens History Month, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) is celebrating the extraordinary achievements of women who volunteer their time and expertise at the organization in support of the automotive industry. From participating in the creation of common standards and guidelines, to devising innovative solutions to industry-wide challenges, these women bring a diversity of valuable opinions and insights to the table.



In an industry where women have traditionally been underrepresented, AIAG is proud to have women constitute such a significant portion of their staff (47%), board of directors (29%), and industry volunteers (35%)  and they look forward to even greater gender diversity and inclusiveness in the organization and supply chain in the years to come.

As AIAG CEO J.Scot Sharland explains, Im reminded of a quote attributed to Leah Busque, founder of TaskRabbit: Ive never thought of myself as a female engineer, or founder or a woman in tech. I just think of myself as someone whos passionate. Sharland concludes: AIAG looks very much forward to working with and for the growing list of passionate automotive professionals who are driving the future growth of our industry and who happen to be women!

This month in particular, AIAG will be honoring the accomplishments of these women by donating to Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT)  an organization that exists to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking, bus and energy industries to combat human trafficking.

As the reality of human trafficking continues to make headlines around the world, automotive manufacturers and their supply chains are operating with heightened awareness. By supporting this worthy cause, the automotive industry can unite to stop the flow of human trafficking throughout the supply chain.

About AIAG: The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) is a unique not-for-profit organization where OEMs, suppliers, service providers, government entities, and individuals in academia have worked collaboratively for more than 38 years to drive down costs and complexity from the automotive supply chain. AIAG membership includes leading global manufacturers, parts suppliers, and service providers. Visit www.aiag.org for more information.

Contact:

Greg Creason

Marketing Director  AIAG

gcreason@aiag.org
On one hand, state officials are telling people to stay at home from restaurants and bars, and at the same time, theyre saying its OK to go to the polls. This kind of mixed messaging is the last thing people need at a time when so much confusion exists over the coronavirus that people arent sure exactly what to believe.
A WestJet airplane is shown at the St. John's International Airport on July 31, 2019.

WestJet is suspending all of its international and trans-border flights for 30 days to help control the spread of the COVID-19, starting on Sunday, March 22.

The move will also allow the airline to help bring Canadians home after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on citizens and permanent residents to return to the country during the coronavirus pandemic, said WestJet president and CEO Ed Sims.

In a statement posted early Tuesday, Sims said that the last commercially scheduled flights from international and trans-border destinations will depart on Sunday night by 11:59 p.m. local time.

After that, we will be operating rescue and repatriation flights in partnership with the Canadian government, said Sims.

WestJet is also lowering prices on remaining seats to Canada in all cabins to assist Canadians in returning home on short notice, he stated.

The move to help repatriate Canadians will impact the Calgary-based airlines domestic schedule, as it plans to reduce flights within Canada by about 50 per cent.

... so we are no longer sending Canadians out of the country and can instead focus on bringing them home.Ed Sims, WestJet president and CEO

As of Monday night, tickets to foreign destinations during the 30-day period are no longer available for sale.

Sales of outbound international tickets will be halted for four days, from Wednesday, March 18 at 11:59 p.m. MDT to Sunday, March 22 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. This is so we are no longer sending Canadians out of the country and can instead focus on bringing them home, said Sims.

All of the changes are in effect for the next 30 days.

On Monday, Trudeau announced more aggressive border measures to combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the highly contagious novel coronavirus that has killed four people in Canada and more than 3,300 worldwide.

The prime minister said the countrys borders will close to nearly everyone but citizens and permanent residents. Some exceptions, however, include U.S....

Continue reading on HuffPost
I realize it may be impossible for schools to stay open in the short term because there is such pressure to close, former CDC director Tom Frieden said in an interview. He said closing schools might be appropriate once there is community spread, meaning people have been infected by widespread transmission of the virus, not because of contact with a person known to be infected or by having traveled overseas. But he said it makes little sense to do so before then. You are creating unnecessary disruptions with limited benefits.
DUBLIN, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Deployable Military Shelter Market Datasheet, 2019-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

With advancements in technology, deployable military shelter systems are lighter and can be installed easily even under harsh weather conditions. Although there is a lack of foundation, assembling of these military shelter systems is possible on various terrains, whether it may be a mountain, valley or plain and others.



The deployable military shelter systems market size (in volume) of North America, Europe and APAC in the year 2018 constituted to 5689 units, 3748 units and 3491 units respectively, and it is further anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 4.3%, 4.8% and 5.1% respectively by the end of 2027.



The growth of the market in the regions can be attributed to the growing military expenditure incurred by the regions and increasing allocation of budgetary resources towards defense every year by the countries. Moreover, these countries which has a strong economy are investing higher in military shelter systems that is anticipated to increase the demand for deployable military shelter systems in these regions over the next decade.



The deployable military shelter systems market consists of several segments, that include product size, application, shelter type and by region. The shelter type segment is further sub-divided into hard-wall and soft-wall, out of which, soft-wall segment is anticipated to hold the largest market share.



The market size of soft-wall in the North America, Europe and APAC together had reached 4539 units, 2935 units and 2829 units in the year 2018, and is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 4.5%, 5%, 5.2% respectively during the forecast period.



Moreover, the application segment is further sub-divided into command and control centers, military shelter camp and others. Of these, command and control centers is estimated to witness huge demand in these regions, with the military operations becoming highly dynamic and complicated over the past two decades.



The challenges in military operations are required to be met with skill and speed. This in turn generates the requirement for command posts and control centers that are mobile as well as functional.



Some of the key industry leaders in the North America, Europe and APAC deployable military shelter systems market are Alaska Structures, Inc., CAMSS Shelters, Eureka! Expeditionary Systems, Federal-Fabrics-Fibers, Inc., Weatherhaven Global Resources Ltd., RDD USA, Shelter Tent Manufacturing Co., Ltd., US Military Tents, HDT Global, Berg and Losberger GmbH.



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eixovw

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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At least 50 Boko Haram militants have been killed in Niger, the West African countrys defense ministry says.

According to the army, the Islamist militants had launched an attack, using 20 vehicles, on an army outpost at the south-eastern village of Toummour on Sunday night, but were repelled in a counter-attack.

Troops pursued retreating Boko Haram fighters to the shores of Lake Chad, capturing several, along with vehicles and weapons.

The region, a semi-arid stretch of land just south of the Sahara Desert, has been a frontline in the war against Islamist militancy for almost a decade.

The violence is also storing up problems for future generations as some of the Islamist groups deliberately target schools and teachers, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without access to education.

The Diffa region is home to 120,000 refugees from Nigeria fleeing the Boko Haram violence, as well as 110,000 people internally displaced within Niger, UN data released in October states.

Diffa has been under a state of emergency for the past five years since Boko Haram launched a military campaign in February 2015.

The terror group Boko Haram has been present in Nigeria since the early 2000s and has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009. It has carried out attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger since 2015.
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A review of this weeks Better Call Saul, Dedicado a Max, coming up just as soon as I make my own cell phone charger

It seems to me that you are at a crossroads. Gus

More from Rolling Stone

Throughout the run of Better Call Saul, Kim Wexler and Mike Ehrmantraut have represented two very different paths for our main character. Kim is the path we want Jimmy to stay on; Mike is the path we unfortunately know he will take. Because those paths diverge so wildly, the two characters that represent them have yet to meet through four-and-a-half seasons of the show.

Midway through Dedicado a Max, we come as close as we ever have to Jimmys once and future partners sharing a scene, as Kim listens in on Jimmys side of a phone call to Mike. The call is played for laughs, as Mike has no time for Jimmys nonsense while hes recuperating down in Mexico. (Jonathan Banks weary delivery of Im in a tunnel is a thing of deadpan comic beauty.)

The moment for Mike to take on work with Jimmy/Saul isnt here yet, and who knows if he and Kim will ever speak to one another. But the near-intersection between the two of them comes in an episode where both are faced with the same question: Should they retreat into a safe and honest life, or to push into more reckless and potentially exciting territory? In both cases, they opt for recklessness.

The hour does a more thorough and convincing job of detailing how Kim reaches this point than it does for Mike. Much of her half of the episode plays out in charming caper fashion, as Kim and Jimmy run a series of elaborate short cons right under the nose of Mesa Verde, because Kevin mistakenly believes that the chief scammer is Everett Acker, and not his favorite attorney. Its been a recurring theme of her relationship with Jimmy that they seem at their happiest and most connected whenever shes willing to step over onto his side of the ethical line. Here, we see this play out with the delightful scene where Jimmy encourages Kim to role-play as Kevin so he can properly enjoy the story of her latest grift. Kims Kevin impression is pretty broad (more on this below), but within moments, Jimmy is expertly playing Kim(*), and then it veers into a sex game without any warning at all.

Story continues

(*) Its so expert that I burst out laughing later in the episode when Kim made the same hand gesture at Rich that Jimmy had used while copying her.

Ultimately, though, Kim isnt doing this to feel closer to Jimmy. Shes doing it because shes mad at Kevin, at Rich, at Mesa Verde, and even at herself for not disentangling from this problem sooner. She may not consciously be trying to sabotage her job at the firm, or her status as the banks top lawyer, but her fury and her need to control things has led her onto some very shaky ground. Rich sees through Kims puppeteering  a smart narrative choice, since it defies credulity that everyone involved at this level would be hoodwinked  and quietly tries to assign her to other cases to protect both her and the firm. Instead, it inspires a public scene from Kim that could have easily resulted in her dismissal. Even if her anger begins as an effort to protect Acker and the scheme by staying on the case, she takes it way too far when she continues the fight out in the hallway in front of half the firm. This is no longer Kim the ice-cold manipulator, but Kim the hot mess.

Even Jimmy knows she is taking this too far. Like Rich in that hallway, he tries giving Kim every possible way out once it seems like theyve run out of maneuvering room to save Ackers house. For once, Jimmy is being the responsible one, while Kim cant let go of the need to win and get over on her social superiors. As entertaining as it is to watch her and Jimmy whenever theyre in cahoots, if hes the one advising her to stop, she has placed herself on extremely shaky ground.

Where Kim makes a clear choice at her professional crossroad, the episode technically ends with Mike still considering between the two paths Gus presents him: going back to civilian life and marinating in guilt and anger, or signing up for Gus cold war against the Salamancas. We obviously know what hell choose  if not in the next episode, then soon  but Dedicado a Max doesnt lay out a hugely convincing case for why hell choose Gus.

We discover that the village he woke up in at the end of the previous episode, a days drive south of the El Paso-Juarez border, was constructed by Gus as a charitable tribute to his late partner Max. Mikes injuries heal up with some help from Dr. Goodman(*). Its a nice place, and Mike fits in well once he accepts the idea of staying for a bit. He can enjoy watching children play even while hes estranged from Kaylee, and he can put his bountiful home-repair skills to good use. By the time hes healthy enough to leave, you almost get the sense that he could just stay for a while.

(*) Years later, remember, Goodman will patch up the bullet wound Mike receives during Gus grand revenge on Don Eladio. Mikes impatient to get home that time, too.

Instead, Gus arrives and meets him at the fountain bearing Maxs name. He presents himself as a relatively good and moral drug dealer  more artfully than Walter White will in a few years, but still deeply hypocritical  that Mike would do well to work alongside. And he frames the war in terms Mike can also appreciate: as revenge. Mike still owes them for the murdered truck driver, and it was Lalos tenacity that led to Werner having to be executed rather than sent home. Its not a bad point for Gus to make in his favor. But the case against just going home to Kaylee and Stacey doesnt entirely ring true. Mikes in a bad way right now, but thats in large part fallout from the job he already took for Gus. Which seems more likely from this point: a) That Mike stays a civilian, and within weeks, or maybe months, he is playing with his granddaughter on the regular again, or b) That Mike goes to work for Gus and never has to do anything that will linger emotionally when hes around his family? These seem like odds that should be easy for Mike to measure in favor of rejecting Gus, yet the episode seems designed to explain why he would instead accept the offer. Yes, Gus has built this nice place in the middle of nowhere, but he will be asking Mike to murder people  even if theyre bad people. The potential for messiness, and for it to bleed onto Kaylee (metaphorically, if not literally), just seems way too high.

Maybe the next episode will more thoroughly explore Mikes thought process before he ultimately becomes Guss button man. But his time in the village feels more like a pleasant interlude than a strong dramatic argument for taking him one big step along the way to the guy he is on Breaking Bad.

Ive often thought that it would be nice to see Kim and Mike meet at some point before the series ends, if only because Rhea Seehorn and Jonathan Banks have such abundant and amusing chemistry whenever they appear together in public. For a long time, it felt like they couldnt possibly come into contact, because Jimmy would be moving away from Kims world and rules and toward Mikes. Now, though, Kims parallel path seems in danger of taking a sharp turn toward Mikes, and suddenly the prospect of seeing them share a scene doesnt feel so fun anymore.

Some other thoughts:

* Last week, I had a great interview with Rhea Seehorn thatll run sometime later this season. When we discussed her role-play scene, she said her big question for the creative team was whether Kim was supposed to be good at imitating Kevin or not. Everyone decided that Jimmy is the great actor in the relationship, and that Seehorn shouldnt sweat the impression very much. Rex Linn, who plays Kevin, wound up on set that day, watched the scene, and even teased Seehorn after, I dont sound like that at all!

* The discussion of Kevin as a side-sitter felt extra funny because side-sitting was a Curb Your Enthusiasm topic a few weeks back.

* With Mike unavailable, Jimmy asks the local veterinarian/crime concierge for another investigator, and winds up with the bearded, intense, Mr. X. If actor Steven Ogg looks familiar from this series, its because he appeared back in Season Ones Pimento as the loudmouth easily disarmed by Mike in a parking garage. The character in that episode was never referred to by name, though the script called him Sobchak, since writer Thomas Schnauz had John Goodman from The Big Lebowski in mind when he wrote it.

* Meanwhile, if the construction foremans voice sounded familiar, thats because he was played by ace voice actor John DiMaggio, a.k.a. Bender from Futurama, among many other roles.

* Mike trying to cobble together a homemade cell phone charger out of stray bits of electronics debris seemed like it would be one of his most impressive feats of MacGyverism. Instead, the scene has an amusing punchline when his hostess emerges with the exact charger he needs to get back in touch with her anonymous benefactor.

* Jimmy may be operating professionally under a new name, but he still likes to change addresses on things to cause problems, here borrowing the same gimmick he used to steal Mesa Verde out from under Chuck as the first of his many gambits to keep Mesa Verde from stealing Ackers house.

* The song playing over the montage of Kim pretending to be frustrated by Jimmys various scams is Stanton Moores Blackbird Special.

* Finally, Jimmys love of old movies plays out beautifully when we see him spreading the slightly radioactive smoke detector residue onto Ackers property using the same method Ashley-Pitt invented to dispose of tunnel dirt in The Great Escape.

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Islamabad: Pakistan's coronavirus cases surged to 183 on Monday after dozens of new infection were reported in Sindh province.

Official said that Sindh had 150 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan 10, Gilgit-Baltistan 5, Islamabad 2 and Punjab 1.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that 119 patients were among the passengers who arrived in Sukkur from Taftan.

The exponential increase is largely due to the recent inflow of people brought in from Taftan after a purported quarantine," said Wahab said.

The number of quarantined pilgrims in Taftan rose to 4,000 by March 11. Some of them were allowed to go their provinces after local Balochistan government said it could not handle the rush of pilgrims coming from Iran.

About around 300 people were taken to Sindh and quarantined at Sukkur to undergo tests before going to their homes.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accused in a press conference that pilgrims were not properly isolated at Taftan and were kept together.

Meanwhile, government is taking steps to contain the pandemic as authorities in Punjab province converted all public sector universities' hostels into quarantine centres as an immediate arrangement.

Officials said that universities were informed in the province to clean all hostels and shift the belongings of students, if there were any, to store rooms after properly tagging them for identity.

The Prime Minister's Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that all educational institutions have been closed and their staff stopped from attending the institutions.

The deadly virus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December, has claimed over 7,000 lives and infected more than 170,000 people over 135 countries and territories.

China remains the hardest-hit with 80,860 infections and 3,213 deaths. After China, Italy and Iran are the two worst-affected countries.

Pakistan's high-powered National Security Committee on Friday took several decision to boost efforts to defeat the threat posed by the virus.

Among other things, it decided to close down the western border with Afghanistan and Iran. It also ordered the closure of all education institutions in Pakistan till April 5 in view of the virus outbreak.
SAN RAFAEL (BCN)

San Rafael police on Tuesday identified service modifications they are making in the wake of a regional shelter-at-home order issued by local public health officials to try to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The order limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential needs until April 7. Marin County has identified 11 cases of the coronavirus as of Monday.

San Rafael police request that residents who need to conduct business with them call from their home before going to the Police Department. Residents can also use a telephone outside the lobby to contact a police dispatcher. Non-emergency and 911 lines will function as usual.

Officers will take police reports by phone if possible in order to reduce the need for in-person contact or visiting a residence. A phone call, however, may not be feasible for all crimes, and residents should consider the necessity for making a report during the shelter-at-home period, police said.

Police said they will enforce the legal shelter-at-home order and may issue citations if there is a violation.

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The Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris, who was the first woman to be ordained a bishop in the Episcopal Church of the United States  indeed, in its parent body, the worldwide Anglican Communion  an election that caused a furor among conservatives, died on Friday in Lincoln, Mass., outside Boston. She was 89.

Her death, at a hospice, was confirmed in a statement by the bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts, the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates. He did not give a cause.

Ms. Harris served as suffragan, or assistant, bishop of the Massachusetts diocese from 1989 until her retirement in 2002, and in some ways she was an unlikely candidate for the role. She had neither a bachelors nor a seminary degree, and she was divorced  a profile that some critics said made her unfit for election, regardless of gender. Others feared that she was too progressive for the church.

An African-American, she went on to challenge the Episcopal hierarchy to open its doors wider to women as well as to black and gay people.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ben Bebenroth has closed Spice Kitchen + Bar.

"None of it was in the works," Bebenroth told cleveland.com. "We were growing the hell out of the catering business.  The reality is that restaurant is a lead generator and credibility generator for everything we do. There's no way we could have climbed out of debt last night."

On the negative side, the restaurant lost $25,000 in business just last week and is seeing $150,000 from planned events evaporate, he said. On the plus side, he can focus on moving and growing his profitable catering business while mulling ideas for a new concept down the line for Spice.

"As soon as you took away Dyngus Day, the writing was on the wall," he said. That celebration, held the day after Easter, marks the end of Lent and has evolved into a festive day especially in bars and restaurants in Cleveland's Gordon Square neighborhood.

"We look for the day to refill our cash account," he said.

Bebenroth said he is taking time to consider Cleveland's evolving dining landscape. The scene has been changing in recent years, and probably will look much different after it emerges from the current shutdown order from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

Weve been looking at the changing dining clientele anyway, he said. This was totally out of the blue. Weve been hitting our goals this year operating on budget. I have a catering business that makes money and a restaurant that breaks even at best. Theres no way I am going to jeopardize that and the non-profit work I am doing. It has to evolve.

News of Spice's closure came less than 24 hours after DeWine ordered all restaurants and bars to be shut down for the foreseeable future as a way to combat the spread of coronavirus.

The well-regarded restaurant, which embraced the farm-to-table concept, emphasized in its announcement that "full-service fine dining isnt what the world needs right now, and likely isnt what will best serve the community when it is safe to open our restaurants and bars again. While the Spice Kitchen + Bar you know will not return, we will reopen as a new version of ourselves, one that better suits the new 'normal' on the horizon. Were working through what this will look like as things evolve, and well keep you posted."

The announcement goes on to say ticket holders for the restaurant's events through May will receive refunds via eventbrite within the following business day. Events after May remain scheduled. And gift cards will be redeemable when the new concept becomes operational.

Bebenroth opened the restaurant in 2012.

"We are so grateful for the community weve built from this scrappy corner in the Detroit Shoreway," the announcement reads. "Thank you for being part of it. Thank you for helping us support local farms - theyre going to need our support more than ever in the coming weeks, and were going to need local food more than ever."

Spice is located at 5800 Detroit Avenue. Cleveland.com's Joe Crea wrote soon after it opened that the location "is loaded with the ghosts of eateries past." Former restaurants in the space include La Boca Barrio, Roseangel, La Boca, Krazy Mac's, Cheddar's, Snickers Tavern and Lou & Eddy's Bar & Grill.

Bebenroth is dealing with the changes, shutdown and future with a steady head.

"The Marine in me makes it real easy to serve in a time of crisis," said Bebenroth, who served in the last 1990s and early 2000s.

Related cleveland.com coverage: Coronavirus and food

Northeast Ohio takeout and delivery options for restaurants

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Wanted: Restaurants please send us your takeout, delivery options

Defrosting food: Facts, tips to know
Historical export and import of low-THC, high-CBD medicine marks beginning of global trade relationship

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., March 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultra Health, New Mexicos #1 Cannabis Company with a nationwide presence, successfully exported low-THC, high-CBD cannabis medicine to Israel last week through its strategic partnership with Israeli pharmaceutical group Panaxia. Ultra Health is the first-ever commercial United States cannabis company to export cannabis extracts to Israel.



The high-CBD medicine was created from extracting New Mexico-produced hemp in Bernalillo, New Mexico after Ultra Health and Panaxia US received hemp extraction and manufacturing permits from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). Ultra Health is also a recipient of two continuous hemp commercial research production licenses from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.

After being successfully imported into Israel via a permit from the Israel Ministry of Health, Panaxia plans to make the high-CBD medicines available to patients suffering from epilepsy or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many of whom are children. The first suite of products will include sublingual tablets, oral tablets, and sublingual drops, with future expansion plans to include inhalable products, ointments, and creams.

Upon the successful import of the high-CBD medicines to Israel, Ultra Health agreed to purchase another 1,000 pounds of New Mexico-produced hemp to begin expanding further production and export.

We are pleased to be able to extend care to our patients in Israel who are in acute need of this kind of medicinal cannabis care, said Dr. Dadi Segal, Panaxia CEO. Panaxias superb R&D capabilities combined with the added value of a high-quality strategic company such as Ultra Health prove themselves time and again, especially with regard to the high quality of the products and stringent regulatory compliance.

"We are grateful to the New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, who had a key role in making all of this happen," said Duke Rodriguez, CEO, and President of Ultra Health. I look forward to the continued success of the Ultra Health and Panaxia partnership that has proven to greatly enhance both entities' abilities to innovate the cannabis industry on a global scale.

Story continues

About Ultra Health:

Ultra Health is New Mexicos #1 Cannabis Company and the largest vertically integrated medical cannabis provider in the United States. The provider currently operates 20 dispensary locations statewide, with another 10 stores slated to open by the second quarter of 2020. Ultra Health provides unparalleled medical cannabis care by producing accurately dosed, smokeless cannabis products such as sublingual tablets, oils, pastilles, suppositories and more through its partnership with Israeli pharmaceutical group Panaxia. Ultra Health has been at the forefront of patient-rights issues and continues to fight for adequate supply and rural access in the New Mexico medical cannabis market.

About Panaxia:

Panaxia is currently the largest Israeli manufacturer and home-delivery distributor of medical cannabis products in Israel, and the first to have received the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Health for the manufacture of medical cannabis-based drugs (under the IMC-GMP directive). Panaxia is part of the Segal Pharma Group, founded over forty years ago and owned by the Segal family. The company manufactures over 600 different pharmaceutical products distributed in over forty countries worldwide. Panaxia US manufactures over 60 medical hemp and cannabis-based products in North America, including sublingual tablets, oral tablets, oils, and inhalers aimed for the treatment of conditions such as PTSD, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, anorexia, burns, and many other ailments. Panaxia has over 150 employees, and all of the clinical trials are led by group employees. The Segal Pharma Group additionally owns Luminera Derm, manufacturer of injectable dermal fillers, and Tree of Life Pharma, manufacturer of over-the-counter drugs. For more information, visit the Panaxia website at: https://panaxia.co.il/

Contact: Marissa Novel 480-404-6699

marissa@ultrahealth.com
One of the most common questions I recently get from those on the Coast is: what are those Starlink train satellites we see at night?

If you go out in the early evening, just after sunset, you may look up and see a number of lights travelling in a row, one after the other. Sometimes you can count up to 60 of them in one period. These form what is called the Starlink satellite train.

Starlink is a project from the mind of Elon Musk and his SpaceX Corporation. They plan to offer high speed internet to every corner of the globe via the use of these satellites. They will be offering broadband services for customers by mid-2020.

In addition, SpaceX will also provide satellites for businesses and governments, including possible tracking of commercial planes and ships.

While these satellites hold potentially huge benefits, they also come with a few serious issues.

SpaceX plan on launching 1584 satellites by the end of the year, with 302 currently in orbit. The final estimate is around 42,000 satellites in orbit to cover the globe. This creates an enormous amount of space clutter and would create massive problems in trying to find clear space for launching rockets. What if they collided with one of these satellites?

It gets worse when you consider that we have a number of manned missions planned to the moon and to Mars. Should one of those rockets hit a satellite, the consequences for those on board could be catastrophic. The large number of launched satellites have already had a huge impact on the astronomical community.

Astronomers claim that the number of visible satellites will outnumber visible stars, and that their brightness in both optical and radio wavelengths will severely impact scientific observations. Already there have been a number of astrophotography images showing the impact that these satellites have had on optical astronomy.

The International Astronomical Union and National Radio Astronomy Observatory have released official statements expressing concern. It has recently been reported that the Russian Academy of Sciences will file a complaint with the United Nations regarding Starlink.

And now educators at NASA have launched a project that asks for the publics help documenting these satellite streaks as part of a long-term effort to study how the technology will change our night sky. Anyone with a modern smartphone and a tripod can contribute to the Satellite Streak Watcher project.

Recently Elon Musk has said that SpaceX are looking into ways of reducing the albedo (brightness) of the satellites and will provide on-demand orientation adjustments for astronomical experiments, if necessary.

The problems dont stop there.

In addition to Starlink, another company, OneWeb, has already started launching their constellation of satellites and they face competitors such as Amazons Project Kuiper service, Telesat, and potentially other companies such as Lynk and Facebook.

One thing is certain: ground-based astronomy will never be the same again. A solution needs to be found, which balances the science of astronomy and the technology of communications. Is this even possible?

On a clear evening, look up into the sky and see whether you can spot these satellite trains. Then pause and consider the awesomeness of the ideas behind it, as well as the potential damage it could do to astronomy.
WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases

India in stage 2 of coronavirus outbreak, private labs being engaged for testing: ICMR

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday that India is in stage two of coronavirus outbreak.

"We already know that we are in stage 2. We are not in stage 3, clearly as of now. There are four stages. Third stage is community transmission which we hope we shouldn't have. It would depend on how strongly we close our international borders, in terms of which government has taken very proactive steps. But can't say that community transmission won't happen," Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Balram Bhargavasaid while addressing a press conference in New Delhi.

Further elaborating on the matter, he said: "There are 4 stages. The third stage is community transmission which we hope we shouldn't have. It would depend on how strongly we close our international borders, in terms of which the government has taken very proactive steps." "But can't say that community transmission won't happen," he added.

Bhargava said the body is currently engaged in laboratory expansion and at present, there are 72 functional laboratories in ICMR system.

"We have also engaged non-ICMR, Ministry of Health, government laboratories including CSIR, DRDO, DBT, govt medical colleges," Bhargava said, adding that 49 of those labs will start testing by the end of this week.

"We are trying to engage private labs. We are in the process of getting them on board as soon as possible. They are not too many in number," the DG added.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 137 on Tuesday, while one more person died taking the death toll to three, according to Health Ministry.

The cases include 24 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Delhi has so far reported eight positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 15 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 39 cases, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 26 cases which includes two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients.

Ladakh has reported six cases while Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported five cases which includes two foreigners. Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners.

Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each. Odisha reported its first case on Monday. In Haryana, there are 15 cases, which include fourteen foreigners, while Uttarakhand has reported one case.

According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) Officials manning checkpoints for the Luzon-wide quarantine were urged to be more lenient on the first day of the measure's implementation, as some Filipinos struggle to get home.

Interior Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya told CNN Philippines that some commuter-workers were left stranded on Tuesday as they were not informed of President Rodrigo Duterte's latest directive.

Malaya admitted the task force has yet to iron out the specific details and guidelines of the "enhanced" community quarantine, which restricts movement of people in mainland Luzon to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

"Ang recommendation ko in the meantime, kahit luwagan natin nang kaunti kasi 'yun iba, na-trap sila. Naiistranded sila, gusto nilang umuwi pero hindi sila makauwi," Malaya said in an interview with Newsroom Ngayon.

[Translation: My recommendation in the meantime is for officials to be more lax because some were trapped. They are stranded, they wanted to go home but they couldn't do so.]

"Again, these are first-day implementation problems, which (are) normal in any situation," he added.

Several commuters and employees of exempted business sectors were left roaming the streets and searching for rides to work early morning, but to no avail. The public mass transportation in Metro Manila and other areas in the island have been suspended in accordance with the executive's quarantine order.

Malaya said the "kinks" in the rollout of the directive are expected to normalize in the next few days.

He said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will be sending out vehicles to help fetch the stranded passengers, while also urging the local government units to do the same.

'Not aware? No excuses'

The Philippine National Police meanwhile lamented the lack of information dissemination, saying there's "no excuse" for Filipinos not to know the latest developments in the government.

"I just don't know where these people come from. There's news, there's social media, and I think there's no excuse for anybody not knowing things. It's a national concern... dapat sana, aware ang mga tao (I hope people are aware)," PNP chief PBGen Archie Gamboa told CNN Philippines' The Source. A Social Weather Stations survey released in 2019, however, said that only half (or 46 percent) of Filipino adults use the internet.

Gamboa likewise stressed that those who would violate the provisions of the island-wide quarantine may be subject to administrative charges as well as arrest.

"We very well know that the law excuses no one. Sinabihan kanina ang patrols na hulihin niyo lahat, kung kailangang i-impound natin lahat (they instructed the patrols to arrest everyone, and to impound cars if needed) ... so that the people will see that really, we will enforce the law," the police chief noted.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said that those who violate the quarantine may face arrest for resisting and disobeying a person in authority.

Those who use force in resisting the quarantine may be arrested for assault, and for violating Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.

Malaya, however, emphasized that officials should give way for "humanitarian consideration", especially when the guidelines and exemptions are not yet clear.

COVID-19, now considered by the World Health Organization as a pandemic, has infected over 180,000 individuals in 155 countries including China, the epicenter of the infectious disease's outbreak.

The Philippines has meanwhile recorded over 100 new confirmed cases in a span of days, prompting the government to enforce the home quarantine measure (except for essential services) and suspension of transportation services.

CNN Philippines' Xave Gregorio contributed to this report.
A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved its order on a plea filed by one of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder convicts -- Mukesh Singh -- seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana reserved the order after hearing arguments from both the sides.

Advocate ML Sharma, appearing for Mukesh Singh, claimed that the convict was arrested from Karoli in Rajasthan on December 17, 2012, and that the prosecution has fraudulently withheld the documentation carried out by Delhi and Rajasthan police with respect to the apprehension.

Sharma claimed that if the prosecution has not withheld the document then Mukesh would have been pronounced innocent by the court and said that fraud vitiates all the proceedings and this court should accordingly quash the trial court's death sentence order and direct police to file verification report in this subject matter.

Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan and Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmad opposed the plea saying that Mukesh has filed the application with mischievous attempt to stall the death sentence scheduled on March 20.

The prosecution also told the court that Mukesh's application is without merit, not maintainable and deserves to be dismissed.

"By concealing these documents and facts, belongs to State, State succeeds implicate Mukesh and to procure death sentence and conviction of the applicant Mukesh," advocate Sharma said.

This comes as the four convicts in the 2012 case -- Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma -- are scheduled to be hanged at 5:30 am on March 20.

Meanwhile, the convicts have also filed petitions in a Delhi court, the Delhi High Court, Election Commission and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal against their execution.

The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Representative image

The World Health Organization (WHO) has lauded the Government of India for its efforts in effectively controlling the spread of the deadly Novel Coronavirus in the country.

Though 126 people have tested positive in India and three have died of COVID-19 infection, the Centre has adopted a rigorous approach to combat the disease.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of a meet with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), WHO representative to India Henk Bekedam said they are very impressed with India's commitment to fighting Coronavirus Pandemic.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Death toll in India rises to 3



Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India on meeting with ICMR: We have very good research capacity in India and especially at ICMR & Dept of health research. They have been able to isolate the virus, now India will continue to be part of the research community. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/QrlVOG8AiG

 ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2020

He said, I think the commitment of the Indian government from the top level -- the Prime Minister's office himself -- has been enormous, very impressive. This is one of the reasons why India is doing very well. I am very impressed that everyone has been mobilised.Bekedam even lauded Punes Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) for successfully isolating the strains of COVID-19. Notably, isolation of virus strains is necessary to develop drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic kits, etc.

Meanwhile, in most Indian states, large gatherings have been banned, schools and colleges have been shut down, and people have been advised to restrict venturing outside for recreation.

Besides, the Centre has also put up a temporary ban on travel to India from any country of the European Union, Turkey, and the United Kingdom starting March 18. People from the Philippines, Afghanistan, and Malaysia have also been barred from travelling to India for the time being.
(Natural News) President Donald Trump on Monday issued a two-page memo containing several guidelines for Americans and state leaders to follow over a period of 15 days as a way to limit the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

But for some lawmakers and White House officials, those measures fall far short of what they say is needed: A national lockdown similar to those imposed by China and European governments.

During a White House press conference Monday afternoon, Trump referenced the memo titled, 15 Days to Slow the Spread, which officials noted was not a national lockdown order.

As USA Features News reported:

Rather, they contain suggestions for Americans and businesses to follow in order to reduce contact and thus help blunt the spread of the coronavirus.

If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus, the president told reporters. Were going to have a big celebration all together.

The president, who was no doubt quoting his health experts, added that the outbreak could last into July or August.

The Epoch Times notes:

The administrations new guidance advises Americans to avoid drinking and eating at bars, restaurants, and other food establishments. Trump also recommended against most social visits, including visiting nursing and retirement homes.

My administration is recommending that all Americans, including the young and healthy, work to engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, avoid discretionary travel, and avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and public food courts, the president said.

Trumps recommendations come a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans to avoid places where 50 or more people were gathered.

But the presidents recommendations did not go far enough for Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). As Breitbart News reports, he is calling for a China/Europe-style national shutdown.

Our military plans for exactly this kind of contingency

The time has come for extraordinary measures to combat the Chinese coronavirus. What seems extreme today will seem obvious tomorrow, said Cotton, who has been critical of the Houses coronavirus relief measures.

Cotton premised his recommendation on the current situation in Italy, where hundreds of people are dying by the day as the virus outbreak surges there. He notes that the outbreak has led to hospitals and healthcare clinics being overwhelmed even as they ration care for older, sicker patients.

The Arkansas Republican said he thinks the U.S. can only hope to shorten the risk to Americans health and the economic hardships if the government takes drastic actions now. (Related: Secret UK health doc predicts 80% will become afflicted with coronavirus as outbreak stretches into 2021 and kills 500,000-plus.)

That could also include issuing cash stipends to workers amid a national shutdown which ceases all but essential activities.

Call it what you wanta shutdown, quarantine, curfew, whatever. But only absolutely essential work should continue: groceries, pharmacies, supply transport, health care, electricity, water, sanitation, etc. Everyone else should stay home, Cotton added, according to Breitbart.

Shut down all but essential government agencies & services. At federal, state, and local levels, officials working to arrest the viruss spread and mitigate its economic harm (and other essential services like food aid and VA care) must continue working, he continued. No one else should.

He also added that the U.S. military should also be preparing for the defense of civil authorities  a dire statement  especially at hospitals, nursing homes, etc. & do whatever is needed to increase our capacity to treat patients.

Our military plans for exactly this kind of contingency, he said. Our doctors and nurses may need them. As Dr. Anthony Fauci said yesterday, well be thankful that we overreacted if we arrest the spread of the virus, preserve hospital capacity, and save lives, Cotton said.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

TheEpochTimes.com

USAFeatures.news
BRASILIA, March 17 (Reuters) - Brazil has recaptured more than 500 prisoners who fled four jails ahead of a planned lockdown of the facilities over the coronavirus pandemic, the Sao Paulo state prison authority said in a statement on Tuesday.

It is unclear how many prisoners are still on the run, with the Sao Paulo Secretary of Penitentiary Administration saying that it was counting the number of fugitives. Local media reported on Monday that as many as 1,000 inmates had fled.

The four jails - Mongagua, Tremembe, Porto Feliz and Mirandopolis - allow prisoners to leave to work or study during the day and return to the facility at night.

But as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic, the prison authority planned to halt the day-release programs on Tuesday to avoid inmates picking up the disease outside and infecting those in the prison upon their return.

The prison authority said the measure was being instituted for the benefit of the 34,000 inmates as well as guards and staff.

In addition to the escapes, there were "acts of insubordination" over the measure in the prison, but the state Penitentiary Administration said the situation had been brought under control immediately. (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca and Jake Spring Editing by Alistair Bell)
The Navy has shut down a schoolhouse in California after several personnel connected to the facility tested positive for coronavirus, officials announced Tuesday.

Training Support Command San Diego closed the schoolhouse Saturday after three sailors tested positive for the new virus, named COVID-19. Two of the sailors were students at the schoolhouse and one a uniformed instructor, Cmdr. James Stockman, a Naval Education and Training Command spokesman, told Military.com.

Stockman declined to say what type of training occurs at the schoolhouse. The building is now being cleaned according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, he said.

The training occurring there has been temporarily halted, Stockman said, and not moved to another location or online. It's not immediately clear how many personnel are affected by the closure.

Read More: More Military Reservists Face Drill Cancellations Due to Coronavirus

Training Support Center San Diego officials said in a statement that they're committed to taking every measure possible to protect the health of the force. The center supports several major Navy training programs in the Pacific region, including Surface Warfare Officers School, Submarine Learning Center, and the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, among others.

On Saturday, a sailor from the amphibious assault ship Essex tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the news release. The sailor had been attending a training course at Naval Base San Diego since Feb. 6.

"The individual is currently isolated at home and restricted in movement," the news release announcing the closure states. "... Personnel that the individual immediately identified having close contact with have been notified and are in self-isolation at their residences."

Two other sailors, one at Naval Base San Diego and the other at Naval Base Point Loma, also tested positive for coronavirus since Friday. One of those sailors was in the same course as the Essex sailor, Stockman said, and the other an instructor.

Military health officials are investigating whether those sailors had close contact with other Navy personnel. Depending on the results, additional precautionary measures could be taken, the statement adds.

"We remain in close coordination with state and federal authorities, and public health authorities to ensure the well-being of our personnel and local population," it states.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read More: Military Travel Restrictions Eased in South Korea as Virus Cases Drop
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks during a press briefing with the Coronavirus Task Force as President Donald Trump looks on, at the White House on March 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House Seeks Big, Bold Coronavirus Stimulus Package

'I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it,' Trump said

The White House is seeking what President Donald Trump called a big and bold coronavirus relief plan, said to be worth at least $850 billion.

At a press briefing on March 17, Trump said that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was working with the Senate and the House on a package to provide relief from the economic fallout of the pandemic. COVID-19 emerged in China last year before spreading around the world. It has caused major disruptions, leading businesses to shutter, and sparking fears of an imminent recession.

Its going to be big, its going to be bold, and the level of enthusiasm to get something doneI dont think Ive ever seen anything quite like it, Trump said.

Asked whether the White House stimulus package would stress spending over tax relief, Mnuchin said that while the administration favors tax relief in principle, the urgency of the situation demands quick action that will put cash into the hands of individuals and businesses amid virus-related shutdowns.

A payroll tax holiday would get people money over the next six to eight months, and were looking to send checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said.

And what weve heard from hardworking Americans, many companies have now shut down, whether its bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now, and the president wants to get cash nowand I mean now, in the next two weeks.

Were looking at getting people money as quickly as possible, Trump said. Well have a pretty good idea by the end of the day what were going to be doing.

Mnuchin planned to outline the package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials aiming to have Congress approve it this week, The Associated Press reported. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in opening the Senate on March 17, promised swift action.

The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps above and beyond what the House has passed to help our strong nation and our strong underlying economy weather this storm, McConnell said.

The package Mnuchin is pitching to Senate Republicans includes payments to small businesses, loan guarantees for airlines and hotels, and business interruption payments for workers.

Well be looking for support for small and medium-sized businesses. Well be looking for support for certain industries that weve talked about that are particularly hard hit. Ive talked about airlines, hotels, others. And we will be looking at a general stimulus, Mnuchin told reporters on March 16, The Hill reported.

Mnuchin was asked by a reporter at the March 17 briefing to specify how much the stimulus package was worth.

He declined to provide specifics, saying, I will be previewing that with the Republicans; there are some numbers out there, they may be a bit bigger than whats in the press.

The Washington Post first reported March 17 that Mnuchin would be seeking $850 billion, anonymously citing a senior administration official who reportedly said the proposal would focus mostly on spending, and to a lesser extent on tax relief.

Fox News confirmed the figure, citing a separate unnamed source, but noted that $500 billion would be tied to a payroll tax cut, $250 billion would come in the form of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, while some $58 billion would target the beleaguered airline industry.

Mnuchin told senators March 16 during a meeting at the Capitol that he would like to see the new package pass the Senate by the end of the week.

Early on March 14, Congress passed and Trump signed an $8.3 billion package to battle the coronavirus. The same day, the House approved a second measure, which underwent technical adjustments on March 16.

The Senate was expected to take up the House proposal on March 17. In order to avoid sending the legislation back to the House, the Senate would need to approve both the original bill and the correction.

Republicans said the Senate would work to pass the third measure this week containing the much larger stimulus package, because of uncertainty about the Senate schedule caused by the coronavirus outbreak. That would require the House to take up the legislation when it returns from recess next week.

Some administration officials and Senate leaders have expressed reservations about whether such a large bill could move that quickly through the Senate.

Reuters and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh



Chouhan, who has moved the supreme court seeking immediate floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, on Tuesday accused the Kamal Nath government of employing "pressure and allurement" tactics to save it from falling.

Chouhan's statement came hours after the apex court asked the state government to give by Wednesday its response to his plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test.

Chouhan also reiterated that the saffron party has the requisite numbers to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

"Everything will be clear...The Kamal Nath government should face the floor test at the earliest. They are buying time so that the attempts could be made to save the government through pressure and allurement," Chouhan told reporters here when asked about the apex court order.

He said the BJP paraded its MLAs in front of Governor Lalji Tandon on Monday.

"The Kamal Nath government has lost majority (in view of resignations by 22 MLAs of Congress last week). The BJP has the required majority among the available numbers in the House and it will be proved in the Assembly," the former chief minister said.

Chouhan and nine other BJP lawmakers, including leader of opposition in the state assembly, moved the supreme court on Monday just after Speaker N P Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test.

The floor test was ordered by the governor who wrote to Nath on Saturday night, saying that his government was in a minority.

After the speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators.

These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted.

The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.

On Monday evening, the governor once again directed Nath to hold a floor test on Tuesday.

After meeting the governor in night, Nath claimed that his government enjoys majority, virtually ruled out holding a floor test as demanded by the BJP.

In his two letters to the governor, Nath had stated that the MLAs of Congress who have resigned are held in captivity in Bengaluru by the BJP with the help of local police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UPDATE: Follow the Houston Chronicle's coronavirus live blog for Wednesday, March 18, here.

10:19 p.m.

Halliburton plans to furlough about 3,500 employees in Houston for 60 days while shale producers cut spending amid falling oil prices, according to a Reuters report.

Staff will alternate working one-week on and one-week off during the two-month period, the report said. They will keep their benefits during the furlough, but workers will not be paid for the weeks not at work, a spokeswoman told Reuters.

9:47 p.m.

Matagorda County reported its third positive case of COVID-19, this time in a woman who recently traveled to Washington state.

The woman, between the ages of 50 and 55, underwent testing at the onset of her symptoms, officials said.

She told health officials that she immediately went home to self-quarantine and that she has been in self-quarantine since last

Friday. The patient reported that she has been in contact with state health officials who are monitoring her health status, and that she expects to hear from them in the next day or two for more information on the expected duration of her self-quarantine.

9:38 p.m.

Southeast Texas is running low on emergency medical supplies days after receiving its first shipment from a federal stash, the Chronicle's Stephanie Lamm reports.

The first shipment of federal supplies was delivered to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, a private contractor which coordinates with hospitals, law enforcement and EMS providers across 25 counties.

For a region of nearly 9 million people, the first shipment contained just 19,000 N95 masks, a thick, molded mask that blocks most airborne particles.

Darrell Pile, CEO of SETRAC, said they will run out of masks to distribute tomorrow, calling the shipment "woefully inadequate." The agency sent most of those masks to paramedics, EMTs and people caring for the elderly.

This is the first of four shipments SETRAC expects from the federal stockpile.

9:06 p.m.

A 77-year-old Arlington man who died Sunday became the second coronavirus-related death in the state, according to the Associated Press.

Pat James was hospitalized with double pneumonia about a week ago at Arlington Memorial Hospital, the Dallas Morning News reported.

Family members received the positive test result Tuesday, the Morning News reported.

The state's first death involved a Matagorda County man who died Sunday with symptoms consistent with the virus, officials said.

9:02 p.m.

As testing for the novel coronavirus becomes more widespread across Texas, so do the confirmed cases of the disease.

An analysis by the Houston Chronicle found more than 50 presumptive positive tests across the state today, with Dallas County, Bexar County and Travis County all seeing spikes in the number of cases. The state total went from a little more than 70 at the start of Tuesday to more than 120 by that evening.

The Houston region saw six new cases of the novel coronavirus, with three cases in Harris County and one in Fort Bend County.

Nearly 1,270 people have been tested in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Health Services. That number is likely to increase as major metro areas step up their testing efforts.

8:20 p.m.

Fort Bend County reported an additional positive COVID-19 case, bringing the county's total cases to 10.

The patient, a woman in her 20s, has a history of international travel, officials said. She experienced mild symptoms, which have resolved. She is in isolation at home, officials said.

8:07 p.m.

Governor Greg Abbott said on Twitter that he waived the 10-day investigation period for people applying for unemployment benefits.

The Texas Workforce Commission typically investigates why you lost your job and mails a decision explaining whether you are eligible for unemployment benefits, according to an earlier news release from TWC.

"We want you to get your benefits ASAP," Abbott said.

7:32 p.m.

A man who recently traveled to California became the fifth person to test positive for COVID-19 in Montgomery County, officials said Tuesday.

The man, who is in his 50s, is a resident of South Montgomery County, officials said. He is currently in isolation in his home.

7:24 p.m.

NASA is taking precautions to protect its Houston-based employees and Astronaut Chris Cassidy, who is in Russia preparing for an April 9 launch, from the new coronavirus, reports the Chronicle's Andrea Leinfelder.

All of its centers, including Houston's Johnson Space Center, were placed on "Stage 3" of NASA's response framework. Stage 3 mandates that all employees and contractors telecommute, though mission-essential personnel will be granted access to onsite facilities.

As of Saturday, NASA had two known cases of COVID-19: one at Ames Research Center in California and another at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.

"Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement on Tuesday.

7:09 p.m.

Read how the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically slowed business at bars in The Woodlands during St. Patty's Day.

As Houston-area counties order stricter measures to avoid gatherings of any size, bars like The Gooses Acre Bistro & Irish Pub are left empty, reports the Chronicle's Rob Tate.

Theres no one here, bartender Sarah Buehler said Tuesday. We thought last year was bad. This is nowhere near it. Its like a million times worse.

6:53 p.m.

Courts in Montgomery County announced changes in operations, delaying some proceedings for weeks or months, reports the Chronicle's Jose Gonzalez.

The five justice of the peace courts are shuttering their doors to the public. The Conroe Municipal Court also is pushing back court hearings by 60 days.

Read the comprehensive list of closures.

6:38 p.m.

Thousands of Texans applied for state unemployment insurance last week, as localities shut down major events across the state, low oil prices continued to roil the energy industry, and customers stayed home to prevent exposure from the new coronavirus, reports the Chronicle's Erin Douglas. Last week, more than 16,000 people applied for unemployment insurance claims in Texas, nearly 4,500 more than the same week last year, representing a 39 percent increase from 2019, according to data provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

6:32 p.m.

If you were trying to stockpile Girl Scout cookies to ease your quarantine woes, think again.

For the first time since 1917, the beloved tradition of cookie sales has screeched to a halt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Chronicle's Claire Goodman.

The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, which is the governing body for all Girl Scout troops in 26 counties, including Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery and Waller counties, decreed that all cookie sales cease as of March 14. In an email to all local troops, the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council said, All members must discontinue all public activity, including booths, walkabouts and lemonade stands effective immediately.

6:24 p.m.

Houstons iconic Art Car Parade is another victim of ongoing cancelations of entertainment and public events due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Chronicle's Greg Morago.

The 33rd annual Art Car Parade Weekend, scheduled for April 16-19, including the parade set for April 18, was scrapped Tuesday amid ongoing restrictions by the City of Houston and Harris County pertaining to public events.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, stating all weekend events including the Main Street Drag, the Sneak Peek at Saint Arnold Brewing Company, The Legendary Art Car Ball, The VIPit Experience, and the Houston Art Car Parade Awards Ceremony were canceled.

6:05 p.m.

How might the economic slowdown across the country impact Houston retailers? The answer may lie in Chinatown, where since January dwindling demand has been impacting business, reports the Chronicle's Nancy Sarnoff and R.A. Schuetz.

Restaurants have been particularly hard hit. Some have seen sales plummet by more than 50 percent and have begun cutting staff and thinking of ways to begin delivering food directly to consumers.

Such moves reflect the economic impact of the prolonged reduction in crowds and have become a necessity in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and now Houston.

5:51 p.m.

Officials are working to create COVID-19 testing sites throughout Houston, but contrary to rumors, the sites won't be open tomorrow, according to a release from Harris County Public Health.

Testing site details have not been finalized as of Tuesday afternoon.

"Please do not show up to a location you may have heard is a testing site," the county said. "You will NOT be tested for COVID-19, and your presence could unintentionally put others at risk, cause delays, and interrupt the healthcare professionals who are working expeditiously to open the testing sites."

Anyone currently experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should contact their healthcare provider. Harris County residents without access to healthcare can call the triage line for COVID-19-related questions at 713-634-1110. The line is open daily from 9am-7pm.

5:47 p.m.

More tests are coming.

Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas this week will receive an initial 15,000 testing kits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The kits will be disbursed throughout the state to public and private entities providing testing, he said. By Friday, the state estimates that Texas will be able to perform 10,000 COVID-19 tests per week, Abbott said.

5:32 p.m.

Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George is extending the county's disaster declaration and issuing new orders for restaurants and bars, effective through April 1.

According to a news release, restaurants with or without drive-in or drive-thru services may only provide takeout options, including delivery. The same goes for microbreweries, micro-distilleries and wineries, he said.

Bars, nightclubs, lounges, taverns, or arcades and private clubs are ordered to close, the release said.

The county's disaster declaration for public health has been extended through March 24.

5:26 p.m.

Houston Baptist University will resume classes remotely March 23 and will continue in that format through until the end of the semester, according to a recent release.

5:09 p.m.

Kevin Durant is among the four Brooklyn Nets players who tested positive for COVID-19, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Durant told Charania he is not experiencing any symptoms. The Brooklyn quartet has been isolated and is receiving medical care from team physicians, per the Nets.

5:05 p.m.

Governor Greg Abbott has requested an emergency designation from the Small Business Administration for the entire state of Texas in order to access the agencys disaster loan program for small businesses, reports the Chronicle's Erin Douglas.

The SBA will consider the request, and if it grants an Economic Injury Disaster Declaration, small businesses in Texas will be able to apply for long-term, low interest loans from the federal agency.

At a time when small businesses are hurting from the economic impact of COVID-19, the State of Texas is committed to helping these businesses receive the financial relief they need to continue operating, Abbott said in a statement.

The SBA Tuesday morning announced it would loosen the criteria for states seeking the economic injury declaration related to the impact of the new coronavirus, called COVID-19. Typically, SBA loans are only available to small businesses within counties identified as disaster areas by a governor.

The SBA is now granting disaster assistance loans related to damages from COVID-19 statewide. SBAs Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for each affected small business.



5 p.m.

Catholic churchgoers should be worshipping from home for the time being, according to an announcement from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

The Chronicle's Nicole Hensley reports that the Houston-area archdiocese is planning to suspend Sunday and other daily Masses amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, as government officials urged people to stay home and away from each other.

The pastor of Saint Helen Catholic Church, Jim Courville, said Tuesday afternoon in a message to parishioners that he met with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and the rest of the presbyterial council to prepare how the church leaders would handle the cancelation of events.

Courville said there would be no Mass on any day of the week and no prayer gatherings, public celebrations of liturgy for groups of people larger than 10. He did not provide how long the suspension would last.

4:47 p.m.

Houston-area hospitals do not have enough beds to accommodate even a mild coronavirus outbreak, according to data from the Harvard Global Health Initiative, reported by the Chronicle's Stephanie Lamm.

The study modeled 9 scenarios: an infection rate of 20%, 40% and 60% with the outbreak spanning 6, 12 and 18 months.

Under the best-case model -- a 20% infection rate over 18 months -- Houston-area hospitals will not have enough beds to care for all patients in need of hospitalization. Experts say a 20% infection rate is conservative.

In a moderate scenario, where 40 percent of adults contract the virus over a 12-month period, and about a fifth of those cases require hospitalization, more than 430,000 people in the Houston area would be hospitalized.

This would require 14,300 beds, or nearly three times the estimated number of beds available in the region during that 12-month period, according to the study.

Also, Governor Abbott today announced a temporary waiver for hospitals to increase unused bed capacity without submitting an application or associated fees.

"By working to expand hospital bed capacity, as well as meet staffing and equipment needs, Texas is ensuring our hospitals are able to care for those who contract COVID-19, while maintaining normal health care operations," Abbott said in a press release today.

4:38 p.m.

There's been no decision on the 2020 Summer Olympics, reports the Chronicle's David Barron.

The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it remains fully committed to staging the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and sought to discourage speculation that the event could be delayed until later in the year or until the summer of 2021.

Despite the continued spread of the new coronavirus as the scheduled July 24 beginning of the Tokyo Games draws closer, the IOC said there is no need for any drastic decisions at this stage, and any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive.

4:36 p.m.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is putting the brakes on face-to-face transactions, reports the Chronicle's Dug Begley.

To reduce risk from COVID-19 for employees and customers, DMV officials said Tuesday that the 16 regional service centers would close at the close of business.

Services and support will continue to be provided by mail, email, and phone, officials said in a release.

The decision follows the earlier closing of the Harris County Tax Assessors Office to customers, which also handles many vehicle registrations. Tax Assessor Ann Harris Bennett said the office will continue to handle requests via a dropbox at the county office and by phone.

Vehicle owners, meanwhile, dont have much to worry about regarding that expired tag. Monday, Greg Abbott issued a temporary extension of all expiring registrations, vehicle titles, temporary vehicle tags and disabled placards. The temporary extension will last until 60 after the DMV says it is re-installing regulations following the coronavirus emergency.

4:20 p.m.

Starting Wednesday, the Harris County Clerk will close its main office and annexes until further notice, according to a news release.

Harris County Clerk Diane Trautman said employee will continue to work by email and phone. Residents can access most services online, including electronic filing in real property, electronic filing in the courts and personal records.

Trautman is currently working on a plan to continue to make voting accessible for the upcoming elections, the release said.

"I can assure you our office will do all it can to make sure voters are able to cast a ballot in the elections they qualify to vote in," Trautman said in the release. "Once the plan is ready it will be shared with the public."

4:07 p.m.

You can still go to Harris County libraries, but all programs and events will be canceled through March 31, library officials announced.

Meeting room bookings will also be suspended. Most HCPL branches will continue to operate normal business hours. However, Lone Star College CyFair Branch Library will be closed Sunday, March 22, and Lone Star College Tomball Community Library will be closed Sunday, March 22.

If you currently have a meeting room reserved for an event during the month of March, you will receive a cancelation notice.

4:02 p.m.

Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the new coronavirus, reports the Associated Press.

That brings the total number of positive cases in the NBA to seven.

The team said one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic, the AP reported. All four players have been isolated and are being teated by physicians.

3:55 p.m.

The COVID-19 outbreak is also impacting operations at Big Bend National Park.

While some campgrounds remain open, all Big Bend visitor centers and contact stations will close today, including Big Bend Natural History Association bookstores.

The Boquillas Port of Entry also will be closed, effective March 18. All ranger-guided activities and special events scheduled for the next 60 days will be canceled. Park interpretive rangers will be roving park trailheads and trails to provide information and answer questions.

Park campgrounds will remain open to advance reservations and first-come, first-served self-registration only. Group campsites will be closed.

View the full list of changes on the National Park Service website.

3:52 p.m.

The Texas Capitol will be closed to the public as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, per a memo from the State Preservation Board, reports the Chronicle's Taylor Goldenstein.

Elected officials, staff and state agency personnel with state IDS will still be allowed inside the building, and vendors, contractors and others making deliveries will have to be met by staff at the entrance, according to the letter posted to social media by House Speaker Dennis Bonnen.

The board will reduce staffing at the capitol to "skeleton crews," including "essential housekeeping and facilities services."

"We regret any convenience this temporary disruption may cause," the board's executive director Rod Welsh said in a letter to Capitol office employees. "Thank you for your understanding and patience."

3:45 p.m.

Senator Ted Cruz said he feels healthy after 14 days in voluntary quarantine.

Cruz extended his quarantine after a second interaction with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. He said on March 3, he took photos and shook hands with Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox Party in Spain, after a meeting.

In his announcement, Cruz said he will push for more measures to stop the spread of the virus.

"Tomorrow I will return to Washington, D.C., where I will be focused on advancing more common sense, targeted proposals to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and provide relief from the economic impacts of the outbreak."

3:42 p.m.

Gov. Greg Abbott acknowledged on Tuesday that he has the authority to postpone May 26 runoff elections or conduct them exclusively via mail-in ballots, reports the Chronicle's Jeremy Wallace.

Everythings on the table, Abbott told reporters about expanding vote-by-mail.

On Monday, Hearst Newspapers reported that state officials have been kicking around the idea. Currently, Texas allows limited use of vote-by-mail.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said because of how low the turnout is, he thinks Texas could easily do an all-mail election to keep people from having to stand in line to vote.

3:30 p.m.

Changes in Park Operations due to COVID-19,

In response to an increase in confirmed novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Texas, and new guidance from the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Park Service (NPS) today announced a number of operational changes at Big Bend National Park.

3:26 p.m.

The Houston Gallerias management office stated that the mall will be open from 11 a.m.to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, reports the Chronicle's Brittany Britto.

Select eateries will be open for takeout and delivery service, but the receptionist did not say which eateries and whether customers were allowed to eat inside the food court.

3:21 p.m.

Houston Community College classes won't start until March 30 to give faculty and staff time to prepare for online classes, the school announced.

Students should not report back to class until Monday, March 30. HCC will provide classes in multiple formats, including online, hybrid, small groups or by appointment, depending on the course, the school said.

Faculty and staff should still plan to return to work on Monday, March 23.

HCC officials also stated that of the two cases of possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, on campus  one person is asymptomatic and the other has tested negative for the virus.

All buildings that were subject to the possible exposure, including the Fraga Academic building and Coleman College buildings, are being cleaned and sanitized according to CDC guidelines

3:16 p.m.

The Texas Public Interest Research Group issued a call for Governor Abbott to require all non-essential state employees to work from home.

In a time of uncertainty and confusion, Texans need clear and consistent policy from our highest state leaders, Lauren Banister, TexPIRG Associate, said in a news release. By requiring non-essential state employees to switch to telework, Governor Abbott is delivering a clear message that the best thing we can all do right now is limit our contact with others.

3:05 p.m.

Because insurance is difficult (and stressful) to navigate, the Chronicle's Jeremy Blackman wrote up this explainer about insurance and the coronavirus test:

Thinking about getting tested? Here are some helpful things to know, courtesy of the state insurance department:

Most health plans are waiving some or all of the costs of testing for coronavirus. Heres the list of state-regulated plans that have signed on so far: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Community Health Choice, Golden Rule Insurance, Humana, Molina, Oscar, Scott & White, Superior and United. Many are also offering telemedicine, where physicians can screen to see if you need a test, at no cost. But its best to check with your insurer first. For those without insurance, call 2-1-1 for help finding low- or no-cost options.

If you get a bill, call your doctors office to make sure its not a mistake. With changes coming so quickly, doctors and insurance companies are adapting their billing process from day to day and there may be errors. You can also call the insurance departments hotline at 1-800-252-3439.

In response to the virus, some health plans are allowing people to increase their refills on prescription drugs to 90 days. Again, check with your insurer first.

3:03 p.m.

With schools, stores, bars and restaurants shut down for the near future, one might wonder: Should I go to the dentist?

If its not an emergency dental procedure, reports the Houston Chronicles Julie Garcia, the smartest thing to do is reschedule.

2:56 p.m.

Gov. Greg Abbott said he does have the authority to postpone the May 26 runoff elections or turn them into an all-mail-ballot election in response to the coronavirus, reports Jeremy Wallace for the Houston Chronicle.

Everything's on the table, Abbott told reporters about expanding vote-by-mail.

Currently Texas allows limited use of vote-by-mail. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said because of how low the turnout is, he thinks Texas could easily do an all mail election to keep people from having to stand inline to vote.

His office however is not certain he can order the May 2 municipal elections around the state to make similar changes because those are local election.

It may only be the municipalities have the power to make that decision, and so theres that legal issue that we are making a determination on, Abbott said. That said, if I dont have the legal authority, we may provide suggested guidelines.

2:51 p.m.

Commissioners Court on Tuesday extended Harris Countys public health disaster declaration in response to the coronavirus, but only for eight days, reports the Houston Chronicles Zach Despart.

Meanwhile, about the same time, several blocks away, City Council extended Houstons disaster declaration indefinitely.

2:44 p.m.

The city of Galveston will be ordering bars and amusement parks to close indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak, city officials said.

The order also calls for restaurants to offer takeout only.

Galveston Mayor Jim Yarborough told the Houston Chronicle's Nick Powell on Tuesday he will sign three separate ordinances: to close amusement venues such as Pleasure Pier and Moody Gardens effective immediately; close bars effective this afternoon; and restaurant dining rooms, likely effective tomorrow.

2:38 p.m.

All Major League Baseball teams will donate $1 million to stadium employees impacted by the coronavirus shutdown, reports Chandler Rome.

Houston Astros outfielder George Springer already donated $100,000 to Minute Maid Park workers.

2:32 p.m.

Texas' first coronavirus-related death was Eddie F. Roberts, a 97-year-old Bay City resident and longtime funeral mortician.

An employee at Duncan and Roberts, the funeral home he owned and ran, confirmed the news, reported the Chronicle's St. John Barned-Smith.

Roberts had been in and out of the hospital recently for health reasons, said Aaron Fox, spokesman for the Matagorda Regional Medical Center.

Fox said Roberts came in for complications from pneumonia. When Roberts first came to the hospital, he wasn't tested at first, because of strict government protocols that required patients to show they had traveled or had contact with someone who traveled. After Roberts' initial hospitalization, that changed, Fox said, and he was tested.

Roberts died Sunday night, Fox said. His test results came back the following day.

County epidemiologists are currently investigating everyone who had contact with Roberts or the 60-year-old woman who also tested positive, Fox said.

"They're going to start with what they know and work backwards, like any investigation," he said.

2:30p.m.

For anyone missing their favorite bar after County Judge Lina Hidalgo ordered them closed in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Chronicles Emma Balter has you covered with DIY quarantini options.

A quarantini doesnt have to be a pared-down version of a drink. Jeremiah Butler, beverage director at B&B Butchers, suggests a negroni, which is made with one ounce each of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari. Stir the three and serve over ice with an orange peel for garnish.

If you switch the gin for bourbon, you have a classic boulevardier, says Butler. Only have rye whiskey and dry vermouth? With the Campari, you have yourself an Old Pal.

2:21 p.m.

The Southeastern Conference announced that all regular season competitions are canceled for the 2019-20 year, including SEC championship events, reports the Chronicle's Brent Zwerneman.

2:17 p.m.

Federal officials are grappling with how to replace the lost revenues and wages of workers and businesses as half-empty planes leave airports, restaurants and bars close across major cities and social distancing measures keep people at home, bringing the consumer-driven U.S. economy to a crawl, reports James Osborne.

Economists are increasingly worried that sudden collapse of demand will force mass layoffs and smaller businesses to shutter all together, sending the economy into a years-long recession from which it would be difficult to recover.

2:05 p.m.

Lonely during your coronavirus-imposed social distancing? Looking to do some good in the time of a global pandemic?

Call up a Houston-area animal shelter, suggests reporter Rebecca Hennes.

Houston-area animal shelters are reporting increased intakes, fewer adoptions and fewer fosters as the coronavirus makes its way across the region, according to officials Best Friends Animal Society. Area shelters are facing near capacity levels that could lead to dangerous overcrowding.

"If you have thought of adopting or fostering," said Kerry McKeel, Houston Program Manager for Best Friends Animal Society, "now is the time to do it."

1:58 p.m.

Chambers County extended its disaster declaration indefinitely, according to a press release from Public Information Officer Ryan Holzaepfel.

The original disaster declaration was issued March 12.

1:46 p.m.

As cities across Texas roll out coronavirus test kits: Chronicle reporter Jeremy Blackman has the breakdown of what insurers are saying about the costs:

Several insurers are waiving the costs of the tests, but it doesn't cover other costs that may come with them (think: physician fees and facility fees) that may or may not be covered by insurance.

The test-fee waiver includes state-regulated plans. Not included: federally regulated plans, self-funded plans through an employer or no insurance. If a plan is state-regulated, it will have "TDI" or "DOI" on the insurance card.

Officials are urging people to contact their insurer if they have any questions about what is covered. Those without insurance should call 2-1-1 for help finding a low- or no-cost provider.

1:37 p.m.

A little something about our numbers:

The Texas Department of State Health Services publishes the number of novel coronavirus cases in the state every day around noon. As of Tuesday, March 17, there were 64 known cases of the virus in Texas, with one death.

However, a Hearst Newspapers count shows there to be 98 cases during the same period. So, why the big difference?

Data journalist Jordan Rubio has the explanation:

It comes down to the way we and the DSHS collect the data.

The state's health department bases their number on cases that have officially been reported to their epidemiologists, spokeswoman Lara Anton said. This means that reports may take a day or two to reach the department.

For the Chronicle's number, we are basing it off of the DSHS count as well as other news organizations' reporting, including our own. That means we can update with any new cases that are reported during the day, no matter where they're at.

We believe this better informs our readers and gives them a sense of where and how widespread the known cases of the novel coronavirus are in Texas.

1:33 p.m.

One Houston clinic is already offering drive-through testing, Todd Ackerman reports.

My Family Doctor clinic says it is offering testing in its parking lot to people who are at risk for the disease for $150. The clinic asks people to bring that amount in cash in case their insurance cannot be verified or doesnt cover the test.

People who visit My Family Doctors drive-through testing site at 6430 Hillcroft will be asked to fill out a short screening questionnaire so they can ensure the test is only conducted on those at risk, the website says.

The Houston health departments drive-through program will provide the test for free.

1:13 p.m.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced three new coronavirus cases from unincorporated Harris County.

Two of the cases are in critical condition, reports Zach Despart. An initial investigation has found no evidence they had traveled recently.

Hidalgo repeated her call for residents to avoid any unnecessary contact with other people.

People should not be going to the gym. They should not be going to a party. They should not be going to church, Hidalgo said. That is how we will prevent the spread of the disease.

Eleven total cases in Harris County have been recorded since the start of the outbreak.

12:51 p.m.

The country's largest apartment manager has decided to shut down the tenant amenities throughout its U.S. portfolio of 1,875 properties, including 150 in Houston, the Chronicle's Nancy Sarnoff reports.

"Everybody's hopeful this will be a short-term situation," said Stacy Hunt, executive director of Greystar, whose U.S. portfolio includes more than 450,000 apartment units. The company owns about 10 percent of those units and manages the rest primarily for institutional or private investors.

12:40 p.m.

At this point, there is no known connection between Galveston County's second presumptive positive coronavirus case and anyone else who has been reported as a positive.

Dr. Philip Keiser of the Galveston County Health Authority said he was concerned that the new case points to community spread. He asked bars and restaurants to close.

12:25 p.m.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office is reducing "non-essential contact" between residents and deputies, according to a tweet from the office.

Deputies are taking non-emergency crime reports, such as theft, ID fraud, stolen vehicles and more, by phone at 713.221.6000 or online here.

The Sheriff's Office still wants residents to call 9-1-1 in case of emergencies.

The move follows a similar plea from Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, reports Jay R. Jordan.

12:16 p.m.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has activated the Texas National Guard to respond to the coronavirus, reported Taylor Goldenstein.

Abbott said there is no need for them to be deployed at the moment.

Texas joins more than 20 other states in making the move, including California, Florida and Arizona, according to the National Governors Association.

By activating the Texas National Guard, we are ensuring Texas is prepared as we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," Abbott said in a statement.

On a video-conference call, Abbott said 1,264 Texans had been tested for coronavirus. Viewers will be able to submit questions via social media using the hashtag #AskAbbott. Preference will be given to those questions submitted as videos rather than texts. For a list of stations where the town hall meeting will be broadcast, check here.

Abbott announced plans to hold a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m.

12:06 p.m.

President Trump wants checks sent to Americans in the next two weeks to try to curb the economic plummet, said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Congress must approve any proposal.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) called for sending $1,000 to every American.

Every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy, Romney said in a press release.a press release.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) tweeted a proposal to send up to $500 to "working families" every month.

12:00 p.m.

To help keep up with the ever-growing number of COVID-19 cases in Houston and the rest of the Lone Star State, we've come up with an easy-to-use map, based on our reporting and official data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

There are 82 confirmed cases and 1 death so far in Texas.

Keep up with the latest numbers here.

11:28 p.m.

Galveston County has its second presumptive positive case of coronavirus, according to the Galveston County Health District.

The individual is a male ranging in age 45-50. He presented to a UTMB clinic with symptoms including fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache and body ache. Test results from UTMB show he is positive for COVID-19. Results are pending confirmation from the Houston Health Department laboratory.

An initial investigation shows the man has not recently traveled or come into contact with another infected person. This suggests the first signs of community spread in Galveston County.

There will be a press conference at 12:30 p.m.

11:22 a.m.

For those of us worried about the economy (read: all of us), the Chronicle's Erin Douglas spoke to economists and learned that local officials will be almost entirely reliant on Congress for financial help.

Because of the nature of the virus, it can easily overwhelm the resources of state and local governments, said Brian Rose, an economist and senior investment strategist for UBS, an investment bank. They dont have the kind of funding that they need to deal with the situation. We need a federal response.

11:21 a.m.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state's environmental agency, will work from home from March 23 though April 3, the agency announced Tuesday.

11:10 a.m.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced he is suspending all campaign activities while the nation responds to COVID-19, reports Jeremy Wallace.

As our nation responds to this unprecedented international crisis, people - not politics - must be our top focus, The Texas Republican wrote on his campaign website. With this in mind I am hearby suspending all campaign-related activities, including fundraising, volunteer efforts and special events.

Cornyn easily won his Republican primary on March 3 and faces challenge in November from either Texas State Sen. Royce West or former Congressional candidate MJ Hegar, who are squaring off in a Democratic primary runoff on May 26.

11:07 a.m.

Houston hopes to start its own drive-thru coronavirus testing later this week, reports Todd Ackerman.

Dr. David Persse, the citys health authority, said the hold-up involves getting an adequate amount of protective gear for personnel who will take specimens from car-bound individuals suspected of having the virus. He said the gear is en route.

We have a plan and are ready to go, Persse said Monday at a news conference led by Houston and Harris County public officials. Weve done some dry runs and hope to be up and running by the end of the week.

Persse gave no other details about the plan and could not be reached for comment after the meeting.

Dallas, San Antonio and Austin already have their own drive-thru services up and running.

10:53 a.m.

Star Cinema Grill is temporarily closing its 10 theaters in Texas and Illinois, Paul Takahasi reports.

We value our staff and the communities in which we do business, and look forward to providing our guests with an unmatched dine-in movie-going experience in the near future, the company said in a statement.

Star Cinema Grill joins other major theater chains in closing cinemas during the coronavirus outbreak. AMC Theaters, the nations largest theater chain, said it will shut its doors nationwide for between six to 12 weeks. Regal Cinema, the nations second-largest, said it will close its locations until further notice. Alamo Drafthouse, an Austin-based dine-in theater chain, also said it will temporarily close.

The Houston-based dine-in movie theater chain was just acquired by Cinemex, the seventh largest movie theater chain in the country.

10:45 a.m.

Harris County suspended jury service through March 31. Any juror who received summons for dates through March 31 does not need to appear and does not need to reschedule, reports Samantha Ketterer.

10:39 a.m.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed one of its own employees tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

This is the first known case of coronavirus at the CDC, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The federal agency reports that the employee is in good condition and has been isolated.

10:23 a.m.

The Harris County Tax Assessor will use drop-box payment methods, according to a press release from the office.

All Harris County Tax Office locations will eliminate direct customer service transactions for the safety of our employees and the community, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Ann Harris Bennett said in the emailed release. The Tax Office is not closed. Employees will continue to provide services to those who usually visit a Tax Office location by accepting transactions by drop box or mail. Customers are also encouraged to use the Tax Office website to conduct all other business.

10:19 a.m.

Houston City Council extended the city's emergency declaration indefinitely.

This is a crisis. I hope theres no one around this table thats questioning that, Mayor Sylvester Turner said at Tuesday's meeting. And its a crisis thats going to be with us for several weeks if not several months. And I hope no one is questioning that.

Dylan McGuinness reports that The measure gives the mayor power to suspend rules and regulations and to undergo additional health measures that prevent or control the spread of disease, such as quarantine or setting up emergency shelters. Similar orders have been issued after hurricanes.

10:15 a.m.

Brazos County's first positive case of the new coronavirus is a woman in her 20s. The county will begin notifying people who were in close contact with the woman, reports Samantha Ketterer for the Chronicle.

She is not associated with Texas A&M University, the school tweeted.

10:11 a.m.

Abuse victims are at even more risk during the coronavirus quarantine, reports the Chronicle's Hannah Dellinger.

We anticipate an escalation of violence as people become more isolated, said Emilee Dawn Whitehurst, president and CEO of the Houston Area Womens shelter. Isolation compounds violence.

All of the women centers 120 emergency shelter beds are full, officials said. The other shelters in the region that the center works with are also full, Whitehurst said. But victims are still being provided access to immediate emergency shelter through the centers Safe Harbor program, which places them in hotels.

Reports of family violence in China, where the novel coronavirus originated, have reportedly tripled since the pandemic began. And advocates say Houston will experience the same phenomenon in the coming months.

10:07 a.m.

Lyft driver Benjamin Scott gets the most business on weekends, when the bars of Midtown are packed and travelers need rides to and from Houstons airports. On some Saturday nights, he can pull in $400 over 12 hours.

But that has all quickly vanished for 39-year-old Conroe resident, who drives for Lyft to supplement his day job as a pest control technician. As the rapid spread of the new coronavirus cancels major events and keeps people, his Saturday night earning could plunge to just $60 over a 12-hour shift  only enough to cover his costs.

It constantly sticks in the back of your mind, Scott said. This person just coughed, or this person just got sick on the side or inside of my car, what kind of germs are they spreading?

The Chronicle's Gwendolyn Wu talked to rideshare drivers who don't know how they'll make ends meet as their earnings disappear.

10:04 a.m.

Wash your hands for 20 seconds, wipe down frequently used surfaces  but what about cleaning your money?

And no, not the Tony Soprano or Walter White type of clean. With the spread of coronavirus, people are finally looking at studies that have shown that our dollar bills can be a Petri dish of bacteria and wondering what, exactly, we should do about it.

The Chronicle's Diane Cowen asked the Federal Reserve Board. They didn't say whether to wash your money, but did say that the Fed is holding currency shipments from Asia and Europe for seven to 10 days just in case.

10 a.m.

What is Texas without our (in)famous B.B.Q. line? The Chronicle's food critic Alison Cook asks in this column. Still just as Texas.

9:54 a.m.

Online retail giant Amazon has limited warehouse restocking to household staples and medical supplies, reports the Chronicle's Paul Takahashi.

Amazon warehouses won't accept any other types of shipments from its vendors through April 5, and will let vendors and sellers know when it resumes regular operation.

"We are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so we can more quickly receive, restock and deliver these products to customers," a company spokesperson said in an email.

9:43 a.m.

Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough signed an order reducing restaurant occupancy to 50 people or less and mandating that tables should be 10 feet apart. All bars in Montgomery County must be limited to 50 people or less, and movie theaters must limit occupancy to 25 or less.

The order is significantly less strict than Harris County's, which shut down all bars and nightclubs.

Catherine Dominguez has the rest of the story.

9:34 a.m.

Some people stocked up on toilet paper because of the coronavirus. Others bought as much hand sanitizer as they could afford. But some people are opting for another type of stockpile: guns and ammunition.

The Associated Press reported that many of the sales are people buying their first gun.

It's been insane, said Jay Wallace, who owns Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna, Georgia, adding that his ammunition sales are up more than five times the usual numbers. This is like a Rod Serling Twilight Zone episode."

9:03 a.m.

In more coronavirus-related delays: Houston's much-anticipated Rooftop Cinema Club has postponed its opening date until May, reports Joey Guerra.

Rooftop Cinema Club, an open-air movie theater, was going to open on March 18 with the locally filmed "Urban Cowboy." The theater is now hoping to open on May 1, featuring "Love and Basketball."

People who purchased tickets for March or April showings will be getting emails with available options.

Guerra, the Chronicle's music critic, also ranked the eight RodeoHouston concerts we got to see before the City of Houston shut it down. If the Rodeo were still happening, we'd be looking forward to Gwen Stefani, Khalid, Marshmello and Luke Bryan.

And yes, we'd have already seen Lizzo. Don't remind us.

8:51 a.m.

Social distancing? Not so much for these spring breakers at Port Aransas, who went out to party in spite of clamp-downs on gatherings by government officials around the country and repeated warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to gather in large groups.

The Chronicle's Dan Carson has more, complete with photos of people gathering in groups of more than 10.

8:37 a.m.

Brazos County has its first case of coronavirus, according to a tweet from the Brazos County Health District. There will be a press conference at 4:30 p.m.

Texas A&M University tweeted that the person is not a student.

8:33 a.m.

Texas grocer H-E-B is making a $3 million donation in light of the coronavirus. The money will go to food banks, at-home feeding services for seniors and low-income families and institutes researching the virus.

8:11 a.m.

Malls were hurting long before coronavirus. Now, with social distancing in full effect and an oil bust, analysts predict even more of a challenge. More here from Paul Takahashi.

People are avoiding going out in public places, especially malls," Venky Shankar, research director of Texas A&M Universitys Center for Retailing Studies, told the Chronicle. "The industry is going to go through a severe period of pain.

8:01 a.m.

President Donald Trump is set to ask for an $850 billion stimulus package in light of the plummeting economic fallout of the crisis, reports the
The coronavirus will be here for "many, many months" and the country must decide on a path forward, infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm told CNBC on Tuesday.

The world is still far from rolling out a vaccine, Osterholm noted, and until then, COVID-19 will present a threat to everyone, especially those most at risk.

"We have to continue to consider what it means to die from this virus. It's a very, very difficult and tragic situation. We also have to have a conversation about how we're going to live with it. We have to figure that out," the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "Do we envision an America that for the next 18 months will be in complete lockdown?"

The virus has infected more than 4,661 people across the U.S., killing at least 85 people, according to Johns Hopkins University. The rapid spread of the virus has prompted local and state officials to roll out stringent mitigation policies.
New research raises the possibility that some parts of Mercury's subsurface, and those of similar planets in the galaxy, once could have been capable of fostering prebiotic chemistry, and perhaps even simple life forms, according to a paper by a team led by Planetary Science Institute Research Scientist Alexis Rodriguez.

Chaotic terrains on Mercury opposite the large Caloris impact basin are landscapes produced by the removal of vast volumes of upper crustal volatiles, the paper says.



"The findings mean that Mercury had a thick volatile-rich - possibly but not necessarily water-rich - crust in this location," said Rodriguez, lead author of "The Chaotic Terrains of Mercury Reveal a History of Planetary Volatile Retention and Loss in the Innermost Solar System" which appears in Nature Scientific Reports (www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-59885-5). PSI scientists Jeff Kargel, Deborah Domingue, Daniel Berman, Maria Banks, Kevin Webster, and Mark Sykes are coauthors on the paper, written in collaboration with the University of Arizona, NASA Goddard, and the Southwestern Research Institute.



"Mercury's surface temperature reaches a scorching 430 degrees Celsius during the daytime, and in the absence of an atmosphere, it plummets to -180 degrees Celsius at night. So, its surface environments have rightfully been out of scientific consideration as a possible host of life. However, the paper raises the prospect that some subsurface regions of Mercury have shown capacity for hosting life," Rodriguez said.



"The deep valleys and enormous mountains that now characterize the chaotic terrains were once part of volatile-rich geologic deposits a few kilometers deep, and do not consist of ancient cratered surfaces that were seismically disturbed due to the formation of Mercury's Caloris impact basin on the opposite side of the planet, as some scientists had speculated," said coauthor Berman. "A key to the discovery was the finding that the development of the chaotic terrains persisted until approximately 1.8 billion years ago, 2 billion years after the Caloris basin formed."



"We identified multi-kilometer surface elevation losses within the chaotic terrains located at the Caloris basin's antipode. This finding indicates that enormous volumes of crustal volatiles turned into gas and escaped the planet's upper crust over a surface area slightly larger than that of California, approximately 500,000 square kilometers," said coauthor Gregory Leonard of the University of Arizona Department of Planetary Sciences.











Fig. 2 Zoom in showing variable magnitudes of collapse, which includes a relatively unmodified rim section that is smooth but not broken into knobs (arrow 1). This area adjoins another part of the rim that has been almost entirely removed (arrow 2). The adjacent intercrater regions also exhibit deep and abrupt relief losses (arrows 3 & 4).

"Our investigation also shows that there are also numerous extensive chaotic terrains in other regions of the planet, which have latitudinal distributions ranging from equatorial to subpolar. Hence, Mercury's volatile-rich crust appears to be greater than regional, perhaps global, in extent, and it is most likely made up of compositionally diverse volatile compounds. The apparent compositional diversity suggests that the planet's upper crust might effectively be comprised of a large number of compositional and thermal conditions, some perhaps habitable, existing in Mercury-like exoplanets," Rodriguez said.



"Vast lava fields formed soon after the development of the chaotic terrains, so volcanic heat could have destabilized and released the apparently vast volumes of crustal volatiles," said coauthor Webster.



Coauthor Kargel said, "We also observe evidence of surficial devolatilization, probably caused by solar heating. If so, we have an opportunity to infer the range of Mercury's volatile properties and compositions. A possibility is that Mercury's volatile-rich crust was delivered via impacts from the frigid confines of the outer Solar System or the main asteroid belt. Alternatively, volatiles were outgassed from the interior."



"While not all volatiles make for habitability, water ice can if temperatures are right. Some of Mercury's other volatiles may have added to the characteristics of a former aqueous niche," Kargel said. Even if habitable conditions existed only briefly, relics of prebiotic chemistry or rudimentary life still might exist in the chaotic terrains."



"Interestingly, we find that crater ejecta rays, which form some of Mercury's youngest geologic deposits, appear absent from extensive areas of the chaotic terrain, which we interpret as a possible indication of very recent volatile losses," said coauthor Domingue.



"Evidence of recent, and perhaps on-going, volatile losses from within near-surface geologic materials on Mercury has been previously documented through the investigation of small depressions known as hollows, which kind of resemble melt pits in terrestrial permafrost," Rodriguez said. "However, an unresolved issue remains the age disparity between these hollows and their volatile-bearing geologic units, which are thought to be billions of years old. Our results suggest that some hollows might represent the locations where lavas or sublimation lags covering these ancient geologic materials underwent collapse. This is exciting because their distribution might highlight areas where we can effectively access volatile-rich material, that after billions of years existing in the subsurface, have been finally been exposed to the surface."



Coauthor Sykes said "if these results are confirmed, this and other similar areas of collapse on Mercury could be important considerations for future landing sites to investigate the origin of the planet's volatile-rich crust and, perhaps, even its astrobiological potential."



Domingue's work on this project was supported by a grant to PSI from NASA's Solar System Working program.

Fig. 3 Context view showing the location and extent of the chaotic terrain antipodal to the Caloris basin (outlined in white) relative to the ray systems of the Kuiper and Debussy impact craters. (B) Close-up view of panel A that provides the context and locations for panels C and D. The numbers 1-9 identify individual rays within the region's view. (C, D) Close-up view showing crater rays that extend over the chaotic terrain (green lines 6, 8, 9) and other crater rays that appear truncated over the chaotic terrain (red lines 1-5, 7). We provide the location of the hollow hosting crater Dario in panel C.

THE PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE:



The Planetary Science Institute is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to Solar System exploration. It is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, where it was founded in 1972.



PSI scientists are involved in numerous NASA and international missions, the study of Mars and other planets, the Moon, asteroids, comets, interplanetary dust, impact physics, the origin of the Solar System, extra-solar planet formation, dynamics, the rise of life, and other areas of research. They conduct fieldwork on all continents around the world. They also are actively involved in science education and public outreach through school programs, children's books, popular science books and art.



PSI scientists are based in 30 states and the District of Columbia, and work from various locations around the world.

Please follow Astrobiology on Twitter.
Kathy HoganBruen, a Washington-based clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety disorders, echoes that advice: Now is the time to start establishing some healthy habits. For example, start the day by getting exercise and fresh air in nature if possible. And a person feeling overwhelmed by the grim news might do better by limiting time spent following coronavirus bulletins. Really try to limit the news consumption or just staring at your phone and your computer, because for most of us that makes mental health worse rather than better, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 18:24:44|Editor: mingmei

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BERLIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Tuesday that the country has launched repatriation efforts for thousands of Germans stuck abroad due to travel restrictions amid coronavirus outbreaks.

"We will do everything we can to enable the thousands of German travelers stranded abroad to return to Germany in the next few days. To this end, we agreed yesterday with commercial flight providers to launch a unique program," said Maas on his Twitter account.

The minister also warned against all unnecessary tourist trips.

"Hence the urgent request: stay at home. You are helping yourself and others! This travel warning for tourist trips applies worldwide," Maas tweeted.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Germany has climbed to over 6,000 on Monday. Its government has introduced a package of strict measures to reduce social contacts.
An Ohio judge late Monday rejected a request to postpone the states primary scheduled for Tuesday.

The governor and others had sought the delay amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected thousands and killed dozens across the country.

Judge Richard Frye ruled against the motion Monday night because he didnt want to rewrite the law, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The ruling can be appealed.

There are too many factors to balance in this uncharted territory to say that we ought to take it away from the legislature and elected statewide officials, and throw it to a common pleas court judge in Columbus, Frye said.

Ohio officials sought a court order to postpone the states primary election scheduled for Tuesday, as authorities around the country have moved to prevent large gatherings of people amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, both Republicans, backed a lawsuit on Monday by voters who are asking the court to push in-person voting back until June 2 for the primary, which includes battles for presidential and congressional nominations; that would also give anyone casting absentee ballots more time. Neither official has the power to postpone an election on his own.

There have been questions raised about the impact on turnout among both elderly and youth voters, and DeWine said he didnt want older voters to face the choice of staying home, as recommended, or going out to vote.

We should not force them to make this choice, the choice between their health and their constitutional rights and their duties as American citizens, DeWine said.

Most people who come down with COVID-19 have relatively mild symptoms, but it can be deadly for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Most people infected with the virus recover in a matter of weeks.

Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden, the former vice president, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are competing for 136 delegates in Ohio, which also has primaries in congressional and and state legislative races, as well as local-issue votes to be decided.

The recommendation could mean polling places will not open Tuesday, despite LaRoses assurances as recently as Monday morning that voting was ready to go forward.

Suspending in-person voting is a serious matter, and we have tried to do everything we could to avoid that, LaRose said. State officials said they had been getting calls from concerned voters and poll workers.

A Democratic candidate in a contested congressional primary expressed support for the move, saying by email that public health must come first.

As a candidate, changing the date of the election is an unexpected challenge, but it is nothing compared to the importance of community safety and minimizing lives lost, said Kate Schroder, who is seeking the nomination to challenge 12-term Republican Rep. Steve Chabot in Ohios 1st Congressional District, in the Cincinnati area. I wholeheartedly support Governor DeWines recommendation.

Louisiana and Georgia earlier postponed presidential primaries scheduled for March.

LaRose on Sunday had issued a directive that required all 88 county boards of elections to offer a curbside voting option Tuesday to concerned voters and to accept absentee ballots through most of Election Day.

Absentee ballots would be accepted through the new election date if a judge upholds the states request for a delay. That action could come Monday night.

Voting rights advocates had raised issues that the earlier steps werent enough.

As a result of last-minute polling location changes and fears around contracting the coronavirus, an increased number of voters were in need of absentee ballots on very short notice, representatives of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the civil rights group Demos, and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law wrote in a letter to LaRose on Sunday.

The groups said short staffing at county boards, slow postal delivery times and the number of steps needed for a voter to request an absentee ballot were making it all but impossible for voters to meet the absentee ballot deadline. Absentee ballot voting has been underway for a month.

They reported that 2,603 combined absentee ballots were requested from Montgomery, Summit and Lucas counties, three of the states largest, and only 29 had been returned and designated countable.

A Democrat who is exploring a run for governor in 2022 disagreed with efforts to delay the primary, saying although he believed DeWine was acting for public health, he is concerned about calling off scheduled voting with so little notice.

I worry that the precedent could haunt future elections by people who are not motivated by the same public good, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said in an email. I also believe that there is no reason to assume that June 2nd in-person voting wonto be delayed.

He also urged that absentee ballots be mailed out by LaRoses office.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:31:20|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Military Tribunal's decision to drop charges against Amer Fakhoury, former head of an Israel-linked prison, sparked outcry in the country, local media reported on Tuesday.

Lebanon's Amal Movement issued a statement condemning the release of Fakhoury which it said contradicts with Lebanon's history of resistance, said Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said that U.S. pressure and threats forced the release of Fakhoury who holds an American nationality, LBCI local TV channel reported.

U.S. officials complained on several occasions about Fakhoury's arrest in Lebanon in September 2019 and it threatened later to freeze assets of Lebanese officials involved.

The 57-year-old man has been accused of collaborating with Israel in torturing prisoners in Khiam in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat asked the state commissioner to submit an appeal against the Military Tribunal's decision to release Fakhoury.
Two persons, one in Mumbai



and another in Pune, tested positive for the coronavirus in Maharashtra on Tuesday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the state to 41, officials said.

The number of Covid-19 patients includes a 63-year-old man who died in Mumbai earlier in the day, becoming the first casualty of the disease in the state.

A 49-year-old man who had returned from the United States on March 7 tested positive on Tuesday. In Pune, a 26- year-old man who had returned from the US on March 14 tested positive, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Drivers across the public transport network will refuse to handle cash as the coronavirus crisis worsens, a major transport union has warned.

The leader of the National Bus and Railworkers Union Dermot O'Leary has told the chief executives of the CIE companies that alternatives to buying tickets "will have to be put in place".

At a meeting with the company yesterday, he also called for hand sanitisers to be supplied and social distancing measures to be immediately implemented.

"Alternatives to purchasing of tickets will have to be put in place. Our members will not handle cash," he said.

"Transport workers can only provide this service if they are given the tools required to operate through this crisis.

"They cannot, nor will not, operate the service without the recommended protection measures being in place to do so."

Staff in Dublin 15 refused to deliver post without hand sanitiser yesterday, TD Paul Murphy said.

A spokesperson for An Post said a bulk order of sanitiser was being circulated through the network.

"The HSE, for example, advises there is no evidence of a risk of contracting the virus that causes Covid-19 by handling money, mails or parcels," he said.
From canceled conferences to a delayed Mars mission, the space industry is starting to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic as it spreads across the globe.

Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of people are already experiencing the devastating effects of the pandemic.

Experts say people involved in the space industry need to be vigilant as private agencies and organizations start to be impacted as well.

"We're all, I think, taking it week by week if not day by day," Space Angels CEO Chad Anderson told Axios.

Whats happening: Europe and Russia decided to delay their joint ExoMars mission two years in part due to concerns around travel brought on by the pandemic.

NASA expects to prioritize missions with small launch windows like the Perseverance Mars mission to make sure they remain on time. The agency hasn't announced any delays so far.

Major gatherings of space industry insiders and scientists have been postponed, cut short or canceled, including the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs and Lunar and Planetary Sciences conference outside of Houston. The American Astronomical Society is also considering moving its summer meeting online.

Multiple NASA centers have moved to mandatory telework as the virus spreads through communities in the U.S.

Blue Origin and other space companies are encouraging their employees to work from home if they can.

China, on the other hand, is still on track to launch its first Mars mission in July despite the pandemic, according to state media reports.

What to watch: Experts say it's possible the space industry's workforce and supply chain issues will cause launch delays if impacts from the coronavirus continue to be felt for months.

Industry watchers should also expect that space companies, for the most part, will hunker down as the pandemic continues.

In a few months, as the crisis passes, it's possible that the government will start awarding relatively flexible contracts with few restrictions to help jump-start the space workforce, says Caelus Partners' Jose Ocasio-Christian.

Many new space companies are also dependent upon raising funds to get off the ground and build hardware. As the economy slumps, that money might be harder to come by.

Go deeper: The company leading the race to a coronavirus vaccine
Six days after Rishi Sunak unveiled 12bn of support to help the economy through the coronavirus outbreak, hailing it as one of the most comprehensive responses of any government anywhere in the world, he was announcing something 30 times bigger.

The exponential growth curve of people infected by the virus has been replicated in the governments fiscal response and it is likely to expand further, perhaps in a matter of days.

The chancellor unveiled 330bn of government-backed loans made available to businesses big and small to help them through the upheaval - equivalent to 5,000 for every person in the country.

On top of that, anyone who cannot pay their mortgage because of the virus will be allowed a three-month repayment holiday.

There was a further 20bn in the form of grants and tax breaks for firms which, the government hopes, will keep businesses trading and workers in their jobs.

While much of the detail is yet to be developed, some aspects of this unprecedented intervention are now known and the ultimate message of reassurance was delivered loud and clear.

If more money is needed, it will be found, the chancellor said on Tuesday: We will do whatever it takes.

Individuals

Anyone struggling with mortgage payments as a result of coronavirus because, for example, they are off work and on statutory sick pay, will get a three-month repayment holiday.

The chancellor did not lay out any specific measures to help renters but did make it clear that the government is keen to protect jobs and will go much further to support peoples financial security.

On the key issue of how to pay wages, details are to be hammered out with unions and companies in the next few days. He hinted that there may be direct government financial support to prevent companies laying people off.

Recommended Sunak is the star of the latest coronavirus show from the government

The government will look at ideas that have already been developed elsewhere, he said, not look to invent something from scratch.

It may well look across the Channel to many countries in mainland Europe that pay unemployment benefits as a proportion of a persons previous salary rather than the flat (and relatively low) rates paid here.

That results in a higher up-front burden on the public purse but it means the loss of a job is not compounded by a sharp drop-off in peoples spending power which ultimately hurts the economy.

Denmark went a stage further on Sunday, offering to pay 75 per cent of the wages of private-sector employees at risk of redundancy because of the coronavirus.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested that the UK government could create a mechanism for shifting people laid off by companies that are badly hurt by the pandemic (like pubs) into industries that benefit (like couriers). Employees would then be able to move back to their old job once conditions allow.

To an extent the market is already facilitating the first part of this shift. Amazon announced this week that it needed another 100,000 staff to deal with increased demand and reached out to hospitality workers who have lost their jobs because of Covid-19.

330bn of loans

Businesses will be able to take advantage of 330bn of government-backed loans - 15 per cent of the UK's GDP - via two schemes, one for large firms, one for small and medium-sized ones.

The chancellor said he wanted SMEs to be able to go into their bank from next week and take out a "coronavirus business interruption loan". The loans will be low cost with no interest payments for the first six months.

Companies will be able to apply for a loan of up to 5m, a big increase on the 1.2m promised in the Budget last week.

This will undoubtedly keep some firms in business and their employees in work but ultimately these are loans that will be have to be paid back. There are some firms who will make the calculation that, given the precipitous drop-off in trade they face, it still is not worth continuing. There will be pressure to turn some of the 330bn of loan guarantees into direct cash payments or further tax relief.

There is likely to be more to come from the chancellor who will be given new legal powers to deliver whatever financial support the government thinks is needed to deal with the crisis.

Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Show all 26 1 /26 Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town An empty street in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease in New York City Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A cab drives down at Seventh Avenue in Times Square Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University campus is seen almost empty as number of universities are moving all classes to e-learning, due to the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen near Lincoln tunnel Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty chairs are seen near Hudson yards Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty restaurant Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town A mobile souvenir shop sits in an empty parking lot at Allianz Field as a match between the New York Red Bulls at Minnesota United FC is postponed USA Today Sports/Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan An empty Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Syracuse University A person sits in an empty eating hall Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Jacob K Javits Convention Center Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Seventh Avenue Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty retail stores Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty street is seen outside the New York Times building Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Empty parking lots Reuters Coronavirus turns New York into a ghost town Manhattan Reuters

Airlines, pubs, bars

Airlines, pubs, bars and hotels are among the businesses that have warned they could collapse in weeks as trade dries up and cash runs out as a direct result of the virus and the social distancing measures implemented by the government.

There was little for airlines other than a promise that sector-specific talks would be held in the coming days in the hopes of coming to a solution. Last weekend they called for a 7.5bn bailout. Don't be surprised if that figure swells further.

All shops, pubs, restaurants and other leisure businesses will not have to pay business rates for a year under the new plans. Companies with a rateable value (a measure of property values) of up to 51,000 will be able to apply for grants of up to 25,000 to help cover their immediate cash-flow problems.

The smallest firms, who currently do not pay business rates, can apply for a grant of up to 10,000.

In total this amounts to an estimated 20bn of direct financial support that does not have to be paid back.

That might leave manufacturers, who face a different but similarly difficult set of problems, wondering where their support is.

Companies who have insurance for pandemics will be covered for losses suffered as a result of measures taken by the government to stop the spread of covid-19. That will come as relief for some pubs and bars but many do not have cover for pandemics in any case.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Mr Hans-Helge Sander, the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Ghana, has touted Ghana as the anchor of security in the sub-region.

Ghana has shown leadership in border security which is one of the key areas in national security, he said.

This was contained in a statement signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency by superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta, the Head of Public Affairs, of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

The Deputy Ambassador, according to the statement made the remarks on Wednesday, when the Federal Police of Germany donated state-of-the-art document fraud detection equipment to the Training Centre of the Document Fraud Expertise Centre (DFEC) of the GIS.

The equipment included electronic microscope, modular stereo microscope and mobile microscope, among others which would aid in document forensic training of Officers of the GIS.

Mr Sander, the statement said, lauded the Service for achieving significant successes in the area of border security, saying: the Embassy is happy to support Ghana in the fight against document fraud.

He advised the GIS not to renege on its capacity building of Officers towards effective scrutiny of travel documents.

Mrs Judith Dzokoto-Lomoh, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration (DCGI) in charge of Finance and Administration, who received the items on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Immigration, expressed gratitude to the German Government and the Federal Police of Germany for the kind gesture.

She gave an assurance to the donors that the equipment would be put to good use for the benefit of Ghana, comity of nations and other stakeholders in the migration industry.

It will help bolster activities of the Training Centre, she added.

The DCGI, according to the statement, indicated that the donation was just on time to help arrest the dynamism in migrant crime, adding that the support was a demonstration of international cooperation in tackling transnational crime.

More needs to be done to ensure neighbouring countries receive only desirable immigrants, she added.

She called on the personnel to go beyond just detecting fake documents and prosecute offenders and secure conviction.

She also advised personnel to take good care of the equipment and utilise it to deliver positive results.

Superintendent of Immigration Frank Apronti, the Second-in-Command of Document Fraud Expertise Center, explained that all migration-related crimes, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling and terrorism, were rooted in fraudulent documents, the statement said.

These devices will simplify document examination and their mobility will prove very useful in training officers across the borders, he added.

Present at the ceremony were DCGI in charge of Command Post and Operations, Mr Laud Kwesi Afrifah, Officer-in-Charge of DFEC, and Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) Kwabena Somuah Amponsah.

Others were Regional Capacity Building Officer, Alistair Rushton, Police Liaison Officer of the Federal Police of Germany, Dirk Kattlun and the Visa and Document Advisor at the Federal Police of Germany, Frank Dukpe, the statement added.

---GNA
LONDON  When Boris Johnson was campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union in 2016  a path that many experts warned would end in disaster for the country  one of his close allies, Michael Gove, famously declared that people in this country have had enough of experts.

Now, Mr. Gove and Mr. Johnson are leading the British government as it confronts the calamity of the coronavirus, and Mr. Johnson, now the prime minister, insists the process is being guided by experts. The trouble is, those experts can often disagree with each other or change their minds about the right course of action.

That messy back-and-forth has been on vivid display this week with the publication of a startling new report on the virus from a team at Imperial College in London. The report, which warned that an uncontrolled spread of the disease could cause as many as 510,000 deaths in Britain, triggered a sudden shift in the governments comparatively relaxed response to the virus.

American officials said the report, which projected up to 2.2 million deaths in the United States from such a spread, also influenced the White House to strengthen its measures to isolate members of the public.
This article, Diplo, Dropkick Murphys stream concerts to slow coronavirus spread, report says, originally appeared on CNET.com.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US government have encouraged social distancing to slow the spread of the sickness. This has led to the cancellation of large gatherings like NCAA's March Madness and concerts.

The Dropkick Murphys, a band known for Celtic punk, announced it will still play its 25th annual St. Patrick's day show. The group plans to stream the show live, and for free, without an audience. The show will be available on the band's YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch and Facebook channels at 7 pm E.T. on Tuesday.

More artists are still trying to provide experiences for fans without sacrificing safety. Diplo, a popular DJ, reportedly said he will host nightly music streams. In addition, the Metropolitan Opera will show Nightly Met Opera Streams, according to OperaWire.
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall voiced frustration Tuesday over the Senates delay in taking up coronavirus relief legislation passed by the House on Saturday and backed by the White House.

This should have passed a long time ago, Udall said during a press call with members of the New Mexico media.

The Family First Coronavirus Response Act would provide free testing COVID-19 for all Americans. It would also provide federal assistance for paid sick leave, $1 billion for enhanced unemployed insurance for workers furloughed by the outbreak, $1 billion for food security programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), student meals, seniors nutrition and food banks, as well as increase federal funds for Medicaid to support local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems so that they have the resources necessary to combat this crisis, the senator said.

All three members of New Mexicos House delegation, Democratic U.S. Reps. Deb Haaland, Ben Ray Lujan and Xochitl Torres Small, supported the legislation in the House.

Udall said members of the Republican caucus have problems with the legislation. According to reports, Republican senators are concerned about the sick leave provisions of the bill.

The senator said the bill is one of the first federal response steps in relief for families. It should not be the last, Udall said.

The senator said he was among Senate Democrats crafting a more than $750 billion economic assistance package that includes both economic relief measures and public health emergency response funding.

The package would provide resources to increase hospitals treatment capacity. It would enhance unemployment insurance. It would put federal loan payments into forbearance and place moratoriums on evictions and mortgage foreclosures.

It would also provide relief for small businesses, Udall said.

The legislation would help childcare centers and help keep public transportation running, he said.

Udall criticized President Donald Trump over reports the president told governors, including New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, that they had to get respirators and other hospital equipment to treat the coronavirus on their own.

The fact is, states and local governments have had to take the lead on this, he said.

Udall said he and other lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to provide the resources for the ventilators and other supplies through provisions of the Defense Production Act.
Scarllett Moffatt took part in 'The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off' (Channel 4/Mark Bourdillon)

Scarlett Moffatt left judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith goggling at her lurid pink roulade which they branded sinister and inedible.

The Gogglebox star took part in The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off along with EastEnders star Patsy Palmer, Inbetweeners funny man James Buckley and 72-year-old Hollywood legend Richard Dreyfuss who were all challenged to make a roulade.

Moffatt, 29, took inspiration from Disneys Alice In Wonderland and made an Unbirthday Cake pink roulade flavoured with strawberry cream liqueur and covered in bright decorations.

Read more: Alex Jones was left needing stitches after Celebrity Bake Off accident

She told the judges: I know it looks like my little sister made it, but its meant to look like that... Shes 13.

Hollywood retorted: More like a six-year-old [made it].

Leith asked her: Its meant to look sinister and inedible?

Hollywood told her: A roulade is all about being light and delicate - youd need a machete to get through that. The butter cream is terrible, its too sweet and too thick.

Paul Hollywood told Patsy Palmer her sponge was like cardboard. (Channel 4/Mark Bourdillon)

Hollywood also told Palmer of her sponge: Its like cardboard. I think youve overcooked it.

Read more: Mel and Sue quit 'Great British Bake Off' on first day

Buckley surprised both himself and the judges with his baking skills - producing a great chocolate roulade, topped with shiny ganache.

And Jaws star Dreyfusss roulade was hailed as a triumph, despite cracking when he rolled it, and also impressed with his cannoli Italian pastries in the Technical Challenge.

were gonna need a bigger tent ! @PaulHollywood x pic.twitter.com/gG8LrAZilQ  noel fielding (@noelfielding11) March 17, 2020

Host Noel Fielding admitted he was feeling starstruck by Dreyfusss presence in the tent. Telling him at the end of the Technical, Youve worked with Spielberg, you get an extra 30 seconds!

Story continues

Moffatt was taking part in the show after her father Mark Moffatt beat skin cancer last year.

The celebrity spin-off of the hit baking show is in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has decided to stamp the hands of people who are undergoing self-quarantine.The state government said that the left hand of all people who are under home quarantine will be stamped. This move comes as the number of cases in the state has reached 38 and the government is looking at implementing more measures to curb the spread.

The government has described the decision as a precautionary measure. Greater Mumbai's Municipal Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi has issued an order to all officials at hospitals and airports asking them to stamp the left palm of the individual. The stamp would also have the dates of isolation.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: 64-year-old COVID-19 patient dies in Mumbai; death toll rises to 3

The ink would last for 14 days. The Chief Minister also appealed to home quarantined people to refrain from stepping out in public to prevent spreading coronavirus.

The state government has also made evading compulsory quarantine a punishable offence. If any person attempts to evade quarantine or breaks home quarantine protocol then he or she would be forcibly moved to a government isolation facility.

Maharashtra government has also suspended all breath-analyser tests required to check drunk driving in an attempt to protect police personnel from contracting coronavirus.

So far, 139 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. While two people have succumbed to the virus, 13 people have recovered. India is already putting people who have arrived from coronavirus-affected regions under home quarantine. As a precautionary measure their samples are also being sent for tests. UK, EU countries and Turkey are the latest countries India has put travel restrictions on.

Also read: Coronavirus: Domino's switches to contactless delivery; here's how it works
Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded his former judo instructor the title of Hero of Labor for building a controversial bridge from the nations southern provinces to the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.

Arkady Rotenberg, a friend of Putins going back decades when they practiced martial arts in their youth, received the award on March 16, the sixth anniversary of a widely denounced referendum that was organized by Russia to annex Crimea.

Rotenbergs Stroygazmontazh was the general contractor for the $3.7 billion bridge, which stretches 19 kilometers and is the sole link between Crimea and Russia. The bridge was opened to automobile traffic in 2018 and rail traffic last year.

The United States and the European Union have condemned Russias construction of the bridge, calling it a violation of Ukraines sovereignty and have imposed sanctions on firms associated with its construction, including Stroygazmontazh.

Rotenberg sold the company late last year for 75 billion rubles ($1 billion) reportedly to companies affiliated with the state-owned gas giant Gazprom.

In 2013, Putin signed an order establishing a "Hero of Labor" award for Russia to "raise the prestige of selfless and conscientious labor."

The award had also existed in Soviet times.

With reporting by Kommersant
To the annoyance of some shareholders, American States Water (NYSE:AWR) shares are down a considerable 30% in the last month. Even longer term holders have taken a real hit with the stock declining 7.3% in the last year.

All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. 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. 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 American States Water

How Does American States Water's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

American States Water's P/E is 28.67. As you can see below American States Water has a P/E ratio that is fairly close for the average for the water utilities industry, which is 30.4.

NYSE:AWR Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 17th 2020

American States Water's P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. The company could surprise by performing better than average, in the future. Further research into factors such as insider buying and selling, could help you form your own view on whether that is likely.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

American States Water increased earnings per share by a whopping 32% last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 7.7% per year over the last five years. I'd therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high.

Story continues

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

How Does American States Water's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

American States Water has net debt worth 20% of its market capitalization. This could bring some additional risk, and reduce the number of investment options for management; worth remembering if you compare its P/E to businesses without debt.

The Bottom Line On American States Water's P/E Ratio

American States Water's P/E is 28.7 which is above average (12.7) in its market. While the company does use modest debt, its recent earnings growth is superb. So to be frank we are not surprised it has a high P/E ratio. Given American States Water's P/E ratio has declined from 41.1 to 28.7 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 should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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.

But note: American States Water may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).

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 government decree which entered into force on Tuesday 17 March prohibits foreign citizens from entering Hungary. From today, the travel documents of all arriving passengers are checked at Budapest Airport.

Following this inspection, only Hungarian citizens are permitted to enter Hungary. Foreign citizens are turned away by the authorities, and they must wait in the designated transit area until departure.



Budapest Airport is not closing; it will continue to welcome and launch flights. However, only Hungarian citizens can enter Hungary from Tuesday. Anyone, Hungarians and foreigners alike, are free to depart from the airport in the coming days.



The Airport Police Directorate checks the travel documents of the passengers of all flights at the border crossing point. In the case of families traveling together, if at least one of the parties is a Hungarian citizen, the foreign family member (child, parent, grandparent, husband or wife) is permitted to enter Hungary.



EEA citizens holding a residence permit will be allowed to enter the country.



The requirement that Hungarian citizens arriving home from South Korea, Iran, Israel, China and Italy must undergo mandatory medical screening upon entry to the country remains in force.



Foreign citizens who are not permitted to enter Hungary must wait in the designated transit area until departure. Budapest Airport provides blankets, food, mineral water and, upon request, face masks for such passengers waiting in the transit area.



Together with the Airport Police Directorate, Budapest Airport is prepared to implement border controls. To ensure a seamless process, all flights will arrive at Terminal 2B going forward, where the inspection of travel documents takes place.



Source: bud.hu



MTI Photo: Zsolt Szigetvary
It's in area under Chinese occupation for 60 years: MEA on China constructing bridge across Pangong lake

Respect sovereignty: India slams China-Pak for reference to J&K in joint statement

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 17: India on Tuesday slammed China and Pakistan for reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement released by them and said it expects other countries not to comment on its internal matters and respect its sovereignty.

The Kashmir issue figured in the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi in Beijing on Tuesday during which the Chinese side "underscored that it was paying close attention to the current situation".

"Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistan side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments, including its concerns, position, and current urgent issues," said a joint statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

Reacting to it, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar asserted that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and issues related to it are the country's internal matter.

"We reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement issued by China and Pakistan after the recent visit of Pakistani President to China," Kumar said.

"We expect other countries, including China, not to comment on matters that are internal affairs of India and also to respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries," he said in response to a query on the issue.

India would like to strongly object to and reiterate its concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called illegal 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947, Kumar said.

"India is resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&K. We call on parties concerned to cease such actions. Such illegal activities will never be accepted by India," he said.
A Tornado is heading for Northern Ireland - but it is nothing to do with the weather.

The Tornado jet fighter has been gifted to the Ulster Aviation Society.

It will arrive on Tuesday, March 24, with a convoy of five large lorries carrying the dismantled machine from harbour to the twin hangars of the aviation society at the Maze/Long Kesh site near Lisburn.

The aircraft was disassembled at an RAF base in England.

Its components will arrive here courtesy of a specialised unit called JARTS - Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron.

That unit, of RAF and Royal Navy members, will rebuild it in less than a week.

The society was gifted the Tornado by the RAF to add to its museum of nearly 40 aircraft, the largest collection of aircraft and displays on the island of Ireland.

According to staff at the society, the Tornado cannot be flown here because it lacks the necessary technical equipment to do so.

The Tornadoes were the cutting edge of the RAF and Nato's attack force and as such contained secret "black boxes", which were stripped from all Tornadoes at their home base, RAF Marham.

Ray Burrows, chairman of the Ulster Aviation Society, said: "The whole Tornado fleet was being dismantled there and it made sound economic sense to do our aircraft there as well."

He said the society has a special interest in this machine because a former head of the RAF's Tornado force was Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, originally from Donaghcloney, Co Down.

Mr Smyth, the patron of the society, led the charge to acquire the Tornado, and said it will be an important item for younger generations visiting the museum to view.

He said: "From a heritage standpoint, it'll be good to see the Tornado there, considering all the good that the aviation society does. It's an aircraft that provided 40 years of good service to the country. To me, this was too good an opportunity to miss."

The Tornado, no longer in RAF service, was critical to its operations from 1980 to 2019.

A few served as interceptors but most were GR4 models - ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft.

In those two roles they saw action over Afghanistan, Bosnia, in both Gulf wars, over Libya and against Isis forces in Syria. Mr Smyth was involved in most of those operations.

The particular GR4 variant acquired by the UAS was designed to train the crews of those combat aircraft, as such it is a special two-seated version with duplicate controls.

Mr Burrows added: "Very few GR4s have been delivered to museums in the UK and ours is the first one to be gifted to a non-national collection."
The Met Gala, one of the biggest nights in the fashion industry calendar, will no longer go ahead due to Coronavirus.

The much-anticipated annual red carpet event celebrates the opening each year of the Costume Institutes fashion exhibition. This year the exhibition, and therefore the events theme, was About Time' and was due to form part the Met's wider 150th anniversary celebrations.

American Vogues Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, the events organiser, announced in Vogue on Monday night that this years Gala, originally set for May 4, will be moved to a later date due concerns about the lasting effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

One day that will not arrive on schedule will be the opening of the Costume Institutes exhibition, About Time. Due to the unavoidable and responsible decision by the Metropolitan Museum to close its doors, About Time, and the opening night gala, will not take place on the date scheduled, she wrote.

In the meantime, we will give you a preview of this extraordinary exhibition in our forthcoming May issue.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:46:56|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China has completed the clinical research of Favipiravir, an antiviral drug that has shown good clinical efficacy against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to an official Tuesday.

Favipiravir, the influenza drug which was approved for clinical use in Japan in 2014, has shown no obvious adverse reactions in the clinical trial, said Zhang Xinmin, director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development under the Ministry of Science and Technology, at a press conference.

More than 80 patients have participated in the clinical trial in The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, including 35 patients taking Favipiravir and 45 patients on a control group. Results showed that patients receiving Favipiravir treatment turned negative for the virus in a shorter time compared with patients in the control group.

A multi-centered randomized clinical study led by the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University also suggested that the therapeutic effect of Favipiravir is much better than that of the control group.

Favipiravir has been recommended to medical treatment teams and should be included in the diagnosis and treatment plan for COVID-19 as soon as possible, Zhang said.

A Chinese pharmaceutical company has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration to mass-produce the drug and ensure stable supply, Zhang added.

China is also pushing forward the utilization of some advanced technologies such as stem cell and artificial liver and blood purification in the treatment of severe cases.

Zhang said stem cell therapy proves effective in reducing severe inflammatory reactions caused by COVID-19, as well as reducing lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis in patients.

China has initiated several clinical research programs on stem cell therapy against COVID-19, including a stem cell drug that has been approved for clinical trial and a mesenchymal stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy has been used to treat 64 patients in severe and critical condition. Those patients' breathing difficulties were gradually relieved and they were generally cured in eight to 10 days. The therapy also showed advantages in preventing pulmonary fibrosis and improving the long-term prognosis for patients.

The Chinese Society for Cell Biology and the Chinese Medical Association have jointly issued a guideline to standardize the clinical research and application of stem cell therapy against COVID-19.

Zhang said China is trying to use artificial liver and blood purification technology to treat critically ill patients. Patients receiving this treatment have seen reduced levels of inflammatory factors and improvement in chest imaging. Their time on ventilator support has been decreased by an average of 7.7 days and the required ICU monitoring time has been shortened.
Government has spent 8.97 million dollars in printing the new 100 and 200 cedi notes, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed.

Mr Ofori-Atta made the revelation in Parliament Tuesday while he was answering questions from Lambusie MP Edward Dery.

The information obtained from the Bank of Ghana indicates that the cost of printing the 100 and 200 Ghana cedi notes was 8.97 million dollars. This is made of 4.45 million dollars and 4.53 million dollars for the 100 and 200 Ghana cedis, Mr Ofori Atta said.

He added that the Bank of Ghana will provide details in their financial statements to be published soon.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) in November last year launched the new higher denomination Ghana cedi banknotes.

A new GH2 coin was also launched.

Starrfm.com.gh
The headlines used words like "delusional," "surreal" and "sad" for the March 16 swearing-in ceremony of Israels 23rd Knesset amid coronavirus precautions and political deadlock. Israel faces two major crises at once with the spread of the coronavirus and its leaders' inability to form a government after three rounds of elections in the span of a single year.

The outbreak is clearly taking a toll on the worst political crises Israel has known since its founding. Anyone at the Knesset could see the breakdown in the countrys parliamentary system up close. Two weeks after a very impassioned and stormy election campaign came to a close, there is still no clear decision. It is as though the campaigning rages unabated.

On Tuesday at noon, a few hours before the ceremony took place, President Reuven Rivlin tasked the chairman of the Blue and White Party, Benny Gantz, with forming a new government. The chances he will be able to cobble together a minority government are slim. Gantz received the mandate to form a government after 61 Knesset members rallied around him with the ultimate purpose of replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a bizarre coalition, unlike anything ever seen before in the Knesset. Avigdor Libermans Yisrael Beiteinu, which spent years waging racist campaigns against Israels Arab population and its leaders, joined forces with the Joint List, including its most radical faction Balad, which rejects the notion of Israel as a Jewish state.

Gantz could form a minority government, at least on paper, but within his own party there are at least two Knesset members  Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser  who are vehemently opposed to it. In contrast, Netanyahus bloc remains stable and cohesive. When Gantz called the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties to ask for a meeting, they refused. So did Defense Minister Naftali Bennett, who demanded that Gantz first renounce the support that he just received from Balad. Meanwhile, negotiations are underway behind the scenes to form a unity government, with the position of prime minister rotating between Netanyahu and Gantz.

The mood is heavy and the divisions run deep. The hostility between Netanyahu and Gantz hasnt diminished in the least since the election.

In the background, the coronavirus is raging across the country. Some 200,000 citizens have already been put on unpaid leave or fired, leaving them without a source of income right before Passover. The educational system has been shut down, as have large swathes of the economy. Israel is facing one of the gravest medical, economic and social crises it has ever seen. Under normal circumstances, such an emergency would have immediately produced a unity government. But this time, the rifts and divisions run so deep and the polarization is so extreme that neither bloc is willing to put its differences aside and work toward what the majority of Israelis want, according to all the polls: a national unity government.

The images coming from the Knesset this week, with the coronavirus crisis still developing, illustrated how the Israeli political system has ground to a halt. They show how it is incapable of rising above itself. Leaders from both sides of the political divide are unable to put their egos, mutual loathing and ambitions aside to do what is necessary.

What is normally a happy ceremony turned into a depressing event. The Knesset building itself was scrubbed and disinfected. Anyone entering had their temperatures taken first. Knesset members could not bring their families. Instead, the newly elected parliamentarians were sworn in three at a time before a virtually empty plenum. Speaker Yuli Edelstein refused to allow the new Knesset to replace him with the support of the 61-member coalition as the first step of deposing Netanyahu in yet another bizarre moment that pushed the boundaries of parliamentary democracy to their limits. Edelstein was the first to be sworn in, followed by Netanyahu and Gantz. In attendance were President Reuven Rivlin and President of the Supreme Court Justice Esther Hayut, who sat together in the plenum.

Israelis are exhausted after all the elections that forced us to sharpen our differences.  The people of Israel have always argued, but now they are tired and worried. We need a respite. We need healing, said Rivlin in his speech. He sounded desperate. Three Knesset members at a time were then led into the cavernous hall, where they were quickly sworn in and left. For most of them, it was their third ceremony in less than a year.

Meanwhile, the coalition to replace Netanyahu was hard at work behind the scenes. The newly sworn-in members submitted three pieces of legislation designed to remove Netanyahu from the political system. They included a term limit of two for prime ministers, a prohibition on a Knesset member under indictment from forming a government and a law forcing any lawmaker to step down upon indictment. Senior members of the Blue and White Party explained to Al-Monitor that the moves are intended to pressure Netanyahu during the negotiations to form a unity government.

Everything that happened in the Knesset that day held a sense of alienation. In conversations with ministers and backbenchers alike, no one could predict how the political crisis would end. In a conversation with Al-Monitor, one of the four members of the Blue and White partys leadership accused Netanyahu of preventing the formation of a unity government because he wants a fourth round of elections. As if in response, a senior Likud minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The animosity that the Blue and White Party and Liberman feel toward Netanyahu breaks every record. They are prepared to collaborate with Knesset members who support terrorism, even if it means tearing the political system apart. They have no minority government, and they know it.

Amid this political tailspin, Netanyahu continued to manage the coronavirus crisis. During a late-night cabinet meeting by phone, the government approved emergency regulations to allow the Shin Bet to track the cell phones of people diagnosed with the coronavirus as well as people who spent time with them over the past two weeks. This extreme step, a violation of privacy, should have been overseen by the Knessets subcommittee on clandestine services. However, with the Knesset paralyzed, Netanyahu decided that the country couldnt wait. The move came under sharp criticism from the left along with accusations that the prime minister pushed to postpone his trial, which was scheduled to begin the following day. Following instructions by Justice Minister Amir Ohana to limit the activity of the justice system, the judges assigned to Netanyahus trial pushed it to May 24. While senior officials in the justice system made it quite clear that the state attorney general had approved Netanyahus proposal to monitor coronavirus patients and that it was the judges themselves who decided to postpone his trial, these explanations are not convincing to Netanyahus rivals, who claim that the prime minister is taking advantage of the crisis to escape justice.
A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by one of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder convicts -- Mukesh Singh -- seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender rejected the petition after hearing arguments from both sides and sent the matter to the Bar Council of India for appropriate sensitization observing that the conduct of the counsel for the convict needs to be brought to notice.

The prosecution, during the hearing, had accused the defence of making a "mischievous attempt" to stall the death sentence scheduled on March 20.

The court observed that some mischievous brains have been projecting and consciously nurturing a misplaced notion that there is a premium over dishonesty in this country.

It said that the court is of the considered opinion that the authorities involved in the dispensation of justice are duty-bound to dispel such ill-founded notion.

"The learned members of the Bar appearing before the court are duty-bound to render full cooperation and assistance to the court to ensure that justice is delivered expeditiously to the litigants without any unnecessary delay," the court said.

"In these circumstances, I deem it appropriate that the conduct of the counsel for the convict needs to be brought to the notice of the Bar Council of India for appropriate sensitization," the court added.

The court said that the duty cannot be extended to the extent of procuring relief to the client by resorting to all kinds of schemes and stratagems.

Advocate ML Sharma, appearing for Mukesh Singh, had claimed that the convict was arrested from Karoli in Rajasthan on December 17, 2012, and that the prosecution has fraudulently withheld the documentation carried out by Delhi and Rajasthan police with respect to the apprehension.

This comes as the four convicts in the 2012 case -- Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma -- are scheduled to be hanged at 5:30 am on March 20.

The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 20:41:51|Editor: xuxin

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TOKYO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Some schools in Japan held scaled down, low-key graduation ceremonies on Tuesday, with proceedings shortened and participants limited amid concerns over the spread of COVID-19 here.

March is the last month of the academic year and despite the education ministry on February 28 requesting all schools to close down until at least the spring break, which usually ends in early April, some opted to hold graduation ceremonies as per tradition.

The ceremonies, however, were unconventional in many cases, amid concerns over the spread of the virus, with some schools holding ceremonies lasting just 20-minutes and others ensuring that those in attendance remained at least one meter apart.

Other schools' ceremonies mandated that only one parent or guardian be in attendance per child graduating, and in some cases the graduation speeches were written on paper and handed out to participants to be read rather than being spoken, as all participants including the speakers were wearing surgical masks, local media reports said.

On Monday, some schools in Japan reopened for lessons after being shut for around two weeks after the education ministry requested schools be closed to contain the spread of the virus.

Education boards of Toyama, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu and Naha cities as well as Okinawa Prefecture decided to resume classes at their elementary and junior high schools, as they have judged the virus has not affected their communities, local media reported Monday.

Japan's health ministry and local governments said Tuesday the number of COVID-19 infections rose to 837 in Japan as of 6:30 p.m. local time here, with the death toll in Japan from the virus currently standing at a total of 36, with the figure including those from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, close to Tokyo.

The latest statistics also showed a total of 16 new cases confirmed.

Of the schools that reopened Monday, some of them took what they deemed to be precautionary measures against the transmission of the virus, such as keeping classrooms well ventilated and keeping pupils' desks apart from each other.

According to a local media survey, of the 18 education boards that were planning to reopen on Monday, 13 of them decided to extend the closure until spring break in early April.

The majority of regional education boards, meanwhile, announced after the education ministry requested the closure of schools across the country that they would not reopen until at least the spring break.
Officials inspect the site of a bombing in front of the Southern Border Province Administration office in Yala, Thailand, March 17, 2020.

Updated at 5:10 p.m. ET on 2020-03-17

At least 25 people were injured Tuesday when suspected insurgents attacked a government office in Yala province in Thailands Deep South, officials said.

Posts on a Facebook page linked to what some believe to be supporters of the BRN, the largest armed group in the region, had appeared to warn of an imminent attack on Saturday, and pictures of the attack scene were later posted with the words as promised.

The attack occurred while officials were meeting at the Southern Border Province Administration (SBPAC) office in Yala town to discuss Malaysias decision to close its borders to contain the spread of coronavirus, a local official said.

Attackers drew people to the spot by tossing a hand-held device into the yard of the building, then remotely detonated a car bomb in front of the compound, said Col. Narawi Binwae-arong, chief of Yalas Maung district station.

While officials were meeting on COVID-19, two men on a motorcycle tossed a bomb over the fence. Later the car bomb was set off, Narawi told reporters. At least 25 were injured, including the deputy director of the SBPAC.

On a surveillance camera, we found a pickup truck carrying wood was parked at the site before the explosion, he said. The driver left the scene with a man on a motorcycle, according to officials.

The road in front of the SBPAC office was filled with billowing smoke while injured police ran for safety, video clips from the scene showed. Civilians, police, government workers and local reporters were among the injured.

It was so scary, a loud bang. I could not imagine such a big explosion. There is no safe place, even at the SBPAC office, a witness who asked not to be named for safety reasons told BenarNews.

Prepare

The attack came on the heels of a days-long military operation on the border of Yala and Pattani provinces, where security forces have been pursuing a group of men they believe are responsible for killing 15 people in attacks on a village in Yala on Nov. 5, 2019.

Four members of the security forces have been injured since gun battles began on March 12.

On Saturday, a Facebook account that posts news about the Deep South conflict as well as videos and statements purportedly produced by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, or BRN, appeared to reference the military operation and warn of an upcoming insurgent attack.

Thanks people for sending us message after the operation took place. The BRN army will demonstrate our gratitude ... the Siam Thai army should prepare for what is going to happen at its position.

After the attack Tuesday, the page posted photos of the bomb site with hashtags as promised in English and Malay.

Military and intelligence sources contacted by BenarNews could not confirm the authenticity of Facebook page.

A person with contacts inside the BRN who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter said it was not an official platform for the group, but was run by some of its supporters.

Police investigators arrive at the wreckage of car bomb following an explosion outside the Southern Border Province Administration office in Yala March 17, 2020.(AFP)

We shall condemn them

Col. Pramote Prom-in, the spokesman for the military command in Thailands heavily militarized southern border region, ISOC-4, condemned the attacks.

The assailants wanted to massacre people by luring them out of the meeting room with a grenade, then exploded a car bomb, also to add to the economic hardship amid COVID-19 threat, Pramote told BenarNews. We shall condemn them widely.

National Police Chief Gen. Chakthip Chaichinda said the attackers were Deep South insurgents and said he had stepped up security vigilance around government properties.

Thailands Deep South borders Malaysia and encompasses the predominantly Muslim and Malay-speaking provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala, as well as four districts in neighboring Songkhla.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the region since insurgents renewed their campaign against Buddhist-majority Thailand 16 years ago.

The BRN is involved in peace talks with the Thai government, brokered by Malaysia. A round of meetings took place in Kuala Lumpur in early March, but violence continues almost daily in the southern border region.

Since the start of this year, 28 civilians and Thai security personnel have been killed and 32 others injured in violence in the Deep South, according to figures compiled by BenarNews. At least nine suspected fighters have been killed.
[March 17, 2020] Intercontinental Exchange sets date for 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading operator of global exchanges, clearing houses and provider of data and listings services, will hold its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on Friday, May 15, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET at The St. Regis Atlanta*. The proxy statement and admission procedures will be available in late March for stockholders of record as of March 17, 2020. A live audio webcast and replay of the annual meeting will be available on the company's website www.theice.com in the investor relations and media section. * As part of the company's precautions regarding the coronavirus or COVID-19, it is planning for the possibility that the Annual Meeting may be held solely by means of remote communication. If the company takes this step, it will announce the decision to do so in advance, around May 1, 2020, and details on how to participate will be issued by press release, posted on the company's website at http://www.ir.theice.com and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as proxy material. About Intercontinental Exchange Intercntinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company formed in the year 2000 to modernize markets. ICE serves customers by operating the exchanges, clearing houses and information services they rely upon to invest, trade and manage risk across global financial and commodity markets. A leader in market data, ICE Data Services serves the information and connectivity needs across virtually all asset classes. As the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, the company is the premier venue for raising capital in the world, driving economic growth and transforming markets.



Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located at http://www.intercontinentalexchange.com/terms-of-use. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading "Key information Documents (KIDS)". Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC (News - Alert)) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2020.

SOURCE: Intercontinental Exchange ICE-CORP View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005822/en/

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Half-a-million Australian jobs could be lost in the coming weeks as the coronavirus takes a stranglehold on the economy - with hospitality workers, travel agents and airline employees the first on the chopping block.

Despite the panic-buying hysteria sweeping through supermarkets across the country, COVID-19 has sparked a huge downturn in consumer spending.

Casual workers have had their shifts slashed, while employees in customer-based roles face an uncertain future with crowd events banned and social distancing measures in place.

More than two million Australians are employed casually, mostly in the hospitality, retail and tourism industries, all of which have entered uncharted territory.

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia CEO Peter Strong predicts about 500,000 will be forced out of work as a direct result of the coronavirus.

The tourism sector, still reeling from the bushfire crisis, is grappling with coronavirus travel bans and a 14-day self-isolation period for anybody arriving in Australia.

International visitor numbers have plunged and would-be holidaymakers have cancelled their flights in droves.

Adelaide-based travel agent Holly Velardo broke down in tears revealing she didn't know where her next pay cheque will come from.

Adelaide-based travel agent Holly Velardo cried as she said she doesn't know where her next pay cheque will come from

'When airlines and operators are offering full refunds, it means we're offering refunds as well, so we're working for absolutely no money,' she told 9 News.

'Now I have nothing, so it's very scary.'

Ms Velardo said she applied for a series of casual jobs to try and make ends meet.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the coronavirus crisis was an 'incredibly difficult time' that could see almost eight per cent of workers out of a job.

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

'One in thirteen Australian jobs rely on the tourism and hospitality sector and those employers, those businesses and those jobs are all on the line right now,' he told The Australian.

'Ultimately, we're not going to be able to save every single business or every single job either. This is a terrible, terrible event that we're dealing with. It's something that has never been encountered before.'

While casual employees normally don't have the same holiday and sick leave entitlements as their full-time and part time counterparts, Attorney-General Christian Porter successfully campaigned to amend the rules in the face of the crisis.

Accordingly, casual workers who have been forced out of their jobs due to COVID-19 will get support through the welfare system.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are working to give financial aid to at-risk businesses.

One of the industries hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis is hospitality (stock image)

A $715m package to help Qantas and Virgin Australia will be announced on Wednesday.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce announced a 90 per cent cut to international flights and a 60 per cent reduction to domestic flights.

He described the coronavirus crisis as the 'single biggest shock' in the history of Australian aviation.

The Morrison government is also considering a second round of measures to add to its $17.6billion economic boost announced last week.

'We're looking at some pretty significant options that we would never have considered in the past,' Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told Seven on Tuesday.

'We are working our way through that as we speak.'

Aviation and tourism workers are losing money after mass cancellations amid the coronavirus crisis

Qantas boss Alan Joyce announced a 90 per cent cut to international flights and a 60 per cent reduction to domestic flights (stock image)

Mr Cormann said the hospitality and tourism sectors would be among the hardest hit.

'We are focused on supporting those businesses and workers most affected by the downturn of the coronavirus,' Senator Cormann said.

The initial rescue package targeted relief for small and medium businesses, along with cash payments to people on welfare.

The government intends to pass both tranches of its support package when parliament sits next week.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- A Kalamazoo woman was sentenced to life in prison for starting a house fire that killed a man.

Melissa Morgan was sentenced Monday, March 16, for the death of Zachariah Hayes, who was killed in a house fire in Kalamazoo last year, Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said.

Morgan, 33, was found guilty on counts of first-degree murder and first-degree arson Feb. 13, by a Kalamazoo County jury after a three-week long trial.

She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder charge, Getting said. She was also sentenced to a minimum of 40 years and a maximum of 75 years on the arson charge. The two sentences are to be served concurrently, Getting said.

Morgan, the prosecution said, lit Hayes home at 427 Wallace Ave. on fire while he was passed out inside in February 2019.

Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Rebecca DAngelo said in her closing arguments of the trial on Feb. 5 that Morgan killed Hayes after an argument because he would not get her drugs. She said Morgan is addicted to drugs and manipulates others to get what she wants.

Morgan never cared for Hayes and it was a one-sided friendship, DAngelo said.

The prosecution showed the jury text messages from Morgan sent around the time of the fire, which Morgan asked multiple people for drugs, food or cigarettes. DAngelo told the jury the texts show Morgans state of mind leading up to the fire, and prove she had a motive to kill Hayes.

According to the text messages presented during the prosecutors closing arguments, Morgan told her boyfriend that Hayes raped her three times the night of the house fire.

Defense Attorney Eusebio Solis argued that Justin Flegel, a witness in the case who was at Hayes home the night of the fire, was the person responsible for starting the fire. Solis said during trial that Flegel started the fire out of anger because Morgan told him she was raped by Hayes multiple times that night.

Also on MLive:

Woman found guilty of murder for setting fire that killed Kalamazoo man

Jury deliberates murder, arson charges for Kalamazoo woman accused of setting fatal fire
The minister of state for health, Olorunnimbe Mamora said Nigeria will not officially be quarantining travellers coming into the country.

According to him, Nigeria will insist on 14 days self-isolation which he said has been an effective way of checking the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

While giving a national update on coronavirus in the country, Maroma said anyone coming into the country from countries with reported cases of Covid-19 will be checked using the details they provided, and subsequently be asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

He explained that the government will be taking thermal temperatures, visual scanning and giving forms to every airborne passenger coming into the country.

We will monitor the travellers who come into the country. We will also be doing the thermal and visual screening. We dont consider it very necessary at this point in time to isolate (quarantine) people compulsorily when they are not giving any symptoms or features of Covid-19, he said.

Furthermore, the health minister noted there wont be any public gatherings ban for now as there is no reason why for such.

We have not advised against any closure or cancellations of large events. However, organisers of the event must ensure that appropriate measures are in place such as temperature scanner, hand washing facilities, etc, he said.

KanyiDaily recalls that some African countries such as Ghana and South Africa had imposed a travel ban on countries highly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the Federal Government said it will not stop Nigerians from travelling to China or any other country where coronavirus has manifested.
Damascus, March 18 : The Turkey-backed rebel groups violated the cease-fire in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, state news agency SANA reported.

The rebels on Tuesday shelled several military positions in the Kafr-Nubul and Hazarin areas in Idlib countryside, causing damage, Xinhua reported, citing SANA.

The Syrian army responded to the attacks by firing at the rebels' positions.

Meanwhile, SANA cited a report by Russia's Defence Ministry as saying that the rebels in Idlib have violated the cease-fire five times over the past 24 hours and 38 times since the cease-fire went into force on March 5.

Russia and Turkey agreed on a ceasefire in the de-escalation zone in Syria's Idlib on March 5.

The agreement comes after several times of direct confrontation between Turkey and Syria in Idlib over the past two months when the Syrian forces have been campaigning against the Turkey-backed rebel groups in the province.

The Syrian army started the operation in Idlib after Turkey failed to live up to pledges made during the Sochi agreement in 2018 between Russia and Turkey.

Under the previous deal, the rebels should have withdrawn from certain areas around the M5 and M4 highways in northern Syria.

Turkey was also supposed to disarm ultra-radical rebel groups in certain areas in Idlib, which did not happen.

The current ceasefire was seen as a chance to quell the recent confrontation in Idlib, mainly to allow humanitarian help for Syrian refugees who fleed their areas during the recent military showdown.
Indonesia has recorded another sharp rise in coronavirus cases, with 227 people now recorded as infected. That's 55 new cases since Tuesday, the biggest single-day rise the country has recorded to date.

More significantly, the death toll has nearly quadrupled to 19 people, up from five.

A medical team checks passenger body temperature at an underground station in Jakarta. Credit:AP

Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto said at Wednesday's daily briefing that the country was now in the "acceleration" phase of the disease.

Achmad has warned that a significant increase in cases is expected as the country belatedly ramps up its efforts to test for Covid-19 and expressed the hope that by April, the situation will be under control.

The country is finally expected to bring other labs online to process tests, including the Eijkman Institute in Jakarta, the University of Indonesia and a lab at Airlangga University in the country's second-largest city, Surabaya.

Tests in Bali will now be sent to Surabaya, which is much closer geographically to the holiday island. Eighteen people are currently in Bali hospitals and under observation - 11 foreigners and seven locals.

Official government statistics on the Health Ministry's website state just 1255 people have been tested so far, a tiny number relative to the country's population of nearly 270 million people, and compared to neighbouring countries including Malaysia, Australia and Singapore.

News website Kompas.com reported the country had ordered 500,000 coronavirus test kits from China on March 10, but the delivery of the kits had been held up by Health Ministry regulations.

President Joko Widodo visited a national supply depot of rice in North Jakarta, where 1.6 million tonnes of rice is being stored, as panic buying increases across the country and new limits are introduced on what shoppers can buy.
The precautionary measures being enacted in Alabama to prevent the spread of coronavirus could be in place for months to come, according to state health officials.

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said in a press conference Tuesday that the measures to limit coronavirus spread could be necessary for months to come, although information was limited because this particular virus was not known to occur in humans before December.

I think with respiratory infections, a three- or four-month course is a reasonable place to start guessing how long its going to last, Harris said. We certainly hope with these mitigation strategies that it wont last that long, but its just unknown because its a new virus.

On Monday, Jefferson County announced new restrictions on restaurants, bars, private schools, day cares, and nursing homes. On Tuesday, Harris and Gov. Kay Ivey announced that those restrictions would also extend to Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Blount, St. Clair and Walker Counties, which immediately surround Jefferson County.

As of Tuesday morning, 20 of Alabamas 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were in Jefferson County, which contains Birmingham, with eight more cases in the surrounding counties included in the order.

The order prohibiting bars and restaurants from serving food on-premises will be re-evaluated after one week, but health officials say they dont know how long measures like that may be necessary.

The information that we have to base our ideas on is from what weve seen in other parts of the world, Harris said.

"We see whats happened in China. Their cases probably started in at least early December maybe even in November, and then by early March they had seen a significant improvement, although that was with some really stringent measures to keep people from traveling and to keep people in [an] isolation situation.

South Korea also has had a really robust response and their numbers have not, as many as theyve had, their numbers have not been as high as perhaps people were anticipating earlier.

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 full press conference with Harris is embedded below:
Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market, by Drug Type (Generic Drugs and Branded Drugs), by Product Type (Prescription Drugs and Over the Counter Drugs), by Application (Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal, Oncology, Anti-infective, Metabolic Disorder, Central Nervous System, Genito-urinary, Gastrointestinal, Respiratory, Hematology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Others), by Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy, and Online Pharmacy) and by Country/Region (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Russia, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Rest of Europe) was estimated to be valued at US$ 219.9 billion in 2019, and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period (2019  2027), as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Request Free PDF Research Report Brochure @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/3541

Patent Expiry of Leading Branded Products is Paving the Entry for Generics, which, in turn, is expected to propel growth of the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs devices market

The pharmaceutical drugs market is expected to witness significant growth in the near future, owing to patent expiry of major pharmaceutical products. Generic products are economically priced and provide better affordability. Large number of companies are introducing these products in the global market, thus contributing to the high volume of the sales. Therefore, this has created lucrative opportunities for market players in supplying low cost of the generic formulation of the drug. For instance, Cetuximab (Erbitux) is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor indicated for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancer. It is manufactured under the patent by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lily Company in Europe. The drugs patent expired in 2018, and thus, is expected to provide an opportunity for a large number of market players to manufacture the generic version.

Furthermore, increasing mergers and acquisitions are expected to drive growth of the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs devices market during the forecast period. For instance, in August 2018, Novo Nordisk completed acquisition of U.K. based diabetes drug manufacturers Ziylo. The acquisition is expected to increase Novo Nordisks product portfolio for diabetes therapeutics.

Browse 30 Market Data Tables and 38 Figures spread through 199 Pages and in-depth TOC on Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market- Europe Forecast to 2027, by Drug Type (Generic Drugs, and Branded Drugs), by Product Type (Prescription Drugs, and Over the Counter Drugs), By Application (Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal, Oncology, Anti-infective, Metabolic Disorder, Central Nervous System, Genito-urinary, Gastrointestinal, Respiratory, Hematology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Others), By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy, and Online Pharmacy) and by Country/Region (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Russia, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Rest of Europe)

To know the latest trends and insights prevalent in the Negative Pressure Wound Therapy market Press Release, click the link below: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/press-release/europe-pharmaceutical-drugs-market-2860

Increasing incidence of chronic diseases is expected to drive the market growth. For example, over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes in Europe, which is expected to drive demand for branded and generic drugs. For instance, in 2019, according to the International Diabetes Federation reports, prevalence of diabetes in European is estimated to increase from 6.3% in 2019 to around 7.8% by 2045.

Key players in the market are focused on adopting expansion strategies such as partnerships and acquisitions to expand their product portfolio and geographical position in the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs market. For instance, in January 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim entered a strategic partnership with PhoreMost Limited, a U.K-based bio-pharmaceutical company, for development of new therapies.

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Key Takeaways of the Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Market:

The Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period, owing to increasing incidence of diseases, mergers & acquisitions expenditure, and product For instance, on January 2019, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited acquired Shire plc. The acquisition is expected to increase Takeda market presence in Europe.

Among drug type, the branded segment is expected to dominate the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs market in 2018 owing to increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing strategic collaboration. For instance, according to reports published by the World Health Organization in 2017, around 10% of men and nearly 9% of women in the age group of 25 years and above have diabetes.

Among product type, prescription drugs segment is expected to exhibit higher CAGR during the forecast period owing to increasing strategic partnerships between manufactures to enhance their presence in the market. For instance, in December 2019, Pfizer Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline entered a strategic agreement to combine their consumer health care units to create a joint venture to increase focus towards prescription medications.

Among application type, the oncology segment is expected to hold a dominant position in the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs market in 2019, owing to increasing patient population. For instance, in 2018, according to the World Health Organization Cervical cancer is among the most common types of cancers affecting women in Europe, with around 69,000 new cases every year. Therefore, increasing patient population is expected to drive demand for pharmaceutical drugs in Europe during the forecast period.

Key players operating in the Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs market include Allergan plc. , Novo Nordisk, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck KGaA, GlaxoSmithKline Plc. , AstraZeneca Plc, Baxter AG, Novartis AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Shire, and Sanofi.

Detailed Segmentation:

Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market, By Drug Type: Generic Drugs Branded Drugs

Global Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market, By Product Type: Prescription Drugs Over-the-counter (OTC) Drugs

Global Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market, By Application: Cardiovascular Musculoskeletal Oncology Anti-infective Metabolic Disorder Central Nervous System Genito-urinary Gastrointestinal Respiratory Hematology Dermatology Ophthalmology Others

Global Europe Pharmaceutical Drugs Market, By Distribution Channel: Hospital Pharmacy Retail Pharmacy Online Pharmacy

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While Washington's focus is on coronavirus and the race for the White House, a devastating humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Syria's last rebel-held region. It's time for the US political establishment to do something about it.

On March 15, the Syrian civil war will enter its 10th year. In the days ahead of this sad anniversary, the US announced Tuesday an additional $108 million aid package to provide essentials like food, medical care and safe drinking water to the estimated 3 million people trapped in the province.

However, not only is the $108 million too little to make a major difference, but President Donald Trump's administration has not put forward a plan that will enable effective delivery of this aid, given Russia and China's December veto of a UN Security Council plan on cross-border aid to Syria.

On Wednesday, a Syrian defector testifying before the US Senate Foreign Relations begged Washington to take action to protect civilians rather than to give more money to alleviate their suffering.

"When you give us more money, what you are telling us is you will not stop the atrocities," said Raed Saleh, director of the White Helmets, the volunteer emergency rescue force.

The situation in Idlib is dire. A million civilians were forced to flee their homes in the last three months. Overcrowded camps have forced many to live in the open, exposed to winter weather so harsh that some children have frozen to death. Others are starving. While a ceasefire negotiated between Russia and Turkey brought some respite, few expect it to last given Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's stated determination to retake "every inch" of Syria.

Nor should we expect the Trump administration to do much if the air bombardments start again. The State Department has yet even to issue any statement outlining the consequences for the breaking of the ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia signed in 2018. President Trump has yet to tweet about it. And when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did tweet his "condolences" to the families of the Turkish soldiers killed in a recent air attack on Idlib by Russian-backed Syrian forces, he made no mention of the hundreds of Syrian civilians killed in similar assaults.

The Trump administration's passivity on Syria seems to be one of the only Obama-era legacies the current US president has embraced.

The consequences of inaction are clear. The international community failed to appreciate the gravity of the humanitarian consequences of Assad's Aleppo campaign in 2016, where those fleeing the carnage exacerbated Europe's refugee crisis and sparked a far-right populist rise on the continent.

The displaced in Idlib  an estimated 80% of whom are women and children  number more than those uprooted by the siege of Aleppo. In addition, the sectarian nature of the conflict  the regime is dominated by the minority Alawite sects and Assad's allied ground forces are Iranian-backed proxy militias  will sow the seeds for the next Sunni insurgency in Syria, which could again feed into an expansion of networks like the Islamic State abroad.

The debate in American politics right now centers on whether the United States should "end endless wars." That may explain why there has been so little discussion of the Syria crisis during the 2020 election campaign. During the Democratic debate on February 25, only two out of then-seven candidates were asked how they would deal with the Idlib crisis. Both gave vague responses, with Pete Buttigieg changing the topic to life and health insurance in Denmark and Elizabeth Warren not providing any specific steps to end the catastrophe.

In an earlier poll by the Washington Post, only three of the then-eight Democratic presidential hopefuls answered "no" to a question on re-opening diplomatic relations with Assad, a man who has shown flagrant disregard for, if not glee in personally ending, the lives of his own people.

So, what should be done? First, Washington should cooperate with its European allies to force serious political negotiations on Damascus. The European Union recently called on the Assad regime and its supporters to end the Idlib offensive; Washington can go a step further by putting pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to persuade Assad to take part in the talks. The Trump administration should impose sanctions on Russians who have committed war crimes in Syria.

Second, Washington should provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) for the Turkish government to create a no-fly zone to protect and shelter Syrian civilians fleeing the air attacks that are likely to resume.

Third, Washington must rally diplomatic support to stop Russia and China from again using their veto power on the UN Security Council to prevent the expansion of humanitarian aid delivery through the Turkish border. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has suggested adding the Tal Abiyad border as a crossing point. This needs to happen long before the Security Council's July 10 deadline for a resolution extending its mandate on cross-border aid.

Turning a blind eye right now may be tempting, but history will not look kindly on those who do. World leaders can hide behind toothless UN resolutions, or throw up their hands over the lack of an easy solution. Three million people are counting on them. The Assad regime's policy of extermination of the civilian population is a crime against humanity. No US government should allow such behavior.
For GBS social worker and BSU sponsor Andrea Ball-Ryan, the visit to the museum and memorial is a difficult trip emotionally. But she said the reward is seeing the students learn history experientially, guiding them through as they have meaningful conversations about their own family histories and discussing how to bring the lessons from the trip to their own communities.
She also expressed hope that the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill 2020 to get assent from the President on Monday.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday reached out to the chartered account (CA) community to promote the Vivad se Vishwas scheme aimed at resolution of direct tax disputes.

The scheme aims to settle and see a finalisation of 4.83 lakh direct tax cases, with revenue worth Rs 9.32 lakh crore locked up in them, pending at various appellate forums such as the commissioner (Appeals), ITAT, high courts and the Supreme Court.

Addressing CAs at an event here, Sitharaman said they should work hard to make the scheme successful.

The government has a lot on its plate due to the coronavirus outbreak and "it would be just helpful if you could move quickly in these just 15 days so that the financial year ends with decent settlement of dispute and settlement of claims", she added.

Sitharaman said 31 March is the date given to pay dues without any additional penalty, whereas between 31 March and 30 June the dues can be paid with additional penalty of 10 percent.

Further, where arrears relate to disputed interest or penalty only, then 25 percent of the disputed penalty or interest shall have to be paid if the payment is made by 31 March, beyond which the same shall be enhanced to 30 percent.

The scheme would remain open till 30 June this year.

She also expressed hope that the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill 2020 to get assent from the President on Monday.

Following the assent, the ministry will issue a notification.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 13:03:23|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Health Ministry said on Monday that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 234, up by 34 from the previous day.

Several states have already taken measures to mitigate transmission, such as suspending classes in schools and shutting theaters and concert halls. Several churches and religious temples have suspended activities as well.

Cases are found in most states. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the first and third most populated states, have seen sustained transmission.

The Health Ministry said it will not adopt mass testing for now, but is considering importing quick test kits.

The government has been facing criticism for not taking more severe measures, given that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is sharply growing.

President Jair Bolsonaro, despite testing negative, was told to maintain isolation for a week and be tested again, as 13 members of his entourage in a recent trip to the United States have tested positive.
BBC presenter George Alagiah has revealed he has decided to 'stay away from the newsroom' amid the coronavirus panic, adding that he is 'absolutely gutted'.

The newsreader, 64, was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in April 2014 and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

In a tweet, he said: 'Absolutely gutted. After talking to colleagues and doctors I've decided to stay away from the newsroom.

'I'm on a few weeks cancer treatment break at the moment but, on a balance of risks, we all decided I must heed the advice for those with underlying health issues.'

Mr Alagiah underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy to treat advanced bowel cancer in 2014 before returning to presenting duties in 2015.

In January 2018, he revealed that the cancer had returned.

George Alagiah, 64, has revealed he will be staying away from the BBC newsroom because of the coronavirus

He has decided to self-isolate because of the risk the coronavirus poses to people with underlying health issues

It comes as 407 more people tested positive for the virus in the UK, with the total number now standing at 1,543.

The Government has advised people classed as 'vulnerable' to ensure they are 'largely shielded from social contact' for around 12 weeks, or possibly longer.

This includes people over the age of 70, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions or undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy.

Mr Alagiah's agent Mary Greenham, from Newspresenters, had said on Monday night that he would not be working from the newsroom after consulting with his doctors and editor.

He is self-isolating, Ms Greenham confirmed.

Alagiah said: 'It's been a difficult decision. At a time like this I so wanted to play my part in the BBC newsroom, working with my colleagues to report on this unprecedented crisis - especially as so many are turning to the BBC to make sense of what can seem a frightening and confusing situation.

'After talking to my doctors and my editor we all decided that, on a balance of risks, it was probably best that I withdraw from the newsroom.'

Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid, who is self-isolating after one of her children developed a 'persistent cough', was among the people sending well wishes to Alagiah.

She tweeted: 'Huge best wishes George x'.

BBC Breakfast presenters Naga Munchetty and Louise Minchin also tweeted messages of support.

Munchetty tweeted: 'Stay safe George x', while Minchin wrote: 'Take care'.
Jaipur, March 17 : If political sources are to be believed, the BJP in Rajasthan has started chalking out a strategy to dismantle the Congress government -- it is eying six former BSP MLAs who had merged with the Congress in September last year. Simultaneously, it is also trying to lure away the 13 independent MLAs with an aim to get a chunk of votes in the Rajya Sabha elections due March 26.

On March 6, BJP MLA Madan Dilawar submitted a petition to Speaker C.P. Joshi praying for the disqualification of the respondents (ex-BSP MLAs) from the membership of the Rajasthan Assembly from September 16, 2019, quoting disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

The former BSP MLAs are: Lakhan Singh, Rajender Singh Guda, Deepchand, Joginder Singh Avana, Sandeep Kumar and Vajib Ali.

The petition signed by Dilawar claims there has been no merger of the BSP into the Indian National Congress. Even at present, the BSP is continuing as a recognised political party, both at the state and the national Level.

"Since the Bahujan Samaj Party never merged with the Congress, therefore its legislature party has no power or right to merge their party with the Indian National Congress or, with any other party," said the petition.

The petition further says that the respondents have voluntarily given up the membership of the Bahujan Samaj Party, on whose ticket they were elected, and joined the Congress in violation of the provisions of law. Hence, they are liable to be disqualified under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

Deputy leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore told IANS that the party is ready to go to court if the Speaker fails to act against the six MLAs.

Meanwhile, BJP's loacl leaders are busy meeting the Independents to ensure that the party gets substantial votes in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The BJP fielded a second candidate, Omkar Singh Lakhawat, at the eleventh hour as party's second candidate for Rajya Sabha polls, ensuring a tough fight for the seats from the state. Otherwise, the party is slated to get one Rajya Sabha seat. The decision on the second candidate leavs little room for a unanimous election.

The BJP has already fielded extra candidates in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh for the Rajya Sabha polls which are Narhari Ameen and Ranjana Baghel respectively.

The Kamal Nath government is in deep crisis in MP after resignation of its 22 MLAs and its senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP. Things are not very rosy in Gujarat too where five Congress MLAs have resigned while the remaining are camping in Rajasthan to escape horse-trading.

For one Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan, a party requires 51 votes. The BJP has 76 members (73 BJP and 3 RLP). That means there are 25 votes extra which it wants to cash in on.

"If all goes well, we shall make a comeback not only in RS polls with two members, but will also form government in the state as there is a strong faction in the present Congress government which stands segregated. So MP story will definitely be scripted in the coming months in Rajasthan," said a senior BJP leader.

A Congress leader said cross-voting would definitely take place in the RS polls as "we are not happy with our second candidate, Neeraj Dangi, who had lost assembly elections thrice, but surprisingly has been given the opportunity by the CM".
The rapidly-spreading coronavirus has launched Oregon into uncharted territory, and with recent orders to stay inside and avoid crowds, it can be difficult to figure out how to solve common problems that could usually be fixed by a simple trip to the store. For those problems, though, one coastal police department is here to say: Calling 911 is not the answer.

The Newport Police Department posted to Facebook on Saturday, begging residents not to call the emergency line if they run out of toilet paper.

You will survive without our help, the post said.

The post then went on to explain that if residents do run out of toilet paper, they can get creative, as many people throughout history have done  even using the natural resources that abound in the region.

Seamen used old rope and anchor lines soaked in salt water, the police department said. Ancient Romans used a sea sponge on a stick, also soaked in salt water. We are a coastal town. We have an abundance of salt water. Sea shells were also used.

The post went on with an impressively long list of alternatives to toilet paper, ranging from the reasonable (cotton balls) to the alarming (corn cobs??).

Be resourceful. Be patient. There is a TP shortage. This too shall pass, the post concluded. Just dont call 911. We cannot bring you toilet paper.

The post quickly gained thousands of views, with outlets like CNN sharing it far and wide. But despite their impassioned plea for residents to find other solutions, the Newport Police Department took to Facebook on Monday afternoon to clarify an important point. No one had actually called 911 yet about a lack of toilet paper.

This is being pro-active and preventative, because we know from experience over the years that people tend to call 911 with the weirdest request. Its just a matter of time before the TP shortage was one of those weird calls.

They also urged people to use common sense.

We did not suggest that anyone using alternative options flush any of it, the post said. We assumed that adults have already been educated on what they may and may not flush.

If youre one of those unlucky people out of toilet paper, maybe its a good time for a trip to the beach  at a socially appropriate distance.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

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[March 17, 2020] DATA Communications Management Corp. Announces Anticipated Late Filing of Annual Financial Statements and Proposed Management Cease Trade Order

DATA Communications Management Corp. ("DCM (News - Alert)" or the "Company", TSX: DCM) today announced, owing to, among other things, COVID-19's impact on certain human resources as well as the recent implementation of its Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") system, it is unable to meet its filing deadline (the "Filing Deadline") of March 30, 2020 to file its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the "2019 Annual Financial Statements"), annual management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the corresponding period and management certifications of annual filings (collectively, the "Filings"). The principal reason for the delay relates to a confluence of events, including continuing remediation efforts with respect to our previously reported implementation of a new ERP system company-wide (excluding Eclipse, Thistle and Perennial) on June 3, 2019, which resulted in the issuance of inaccurate invoices and delays in collection of accounts receivable, together with the COVID-19 outbreak which has resulted in the Company and many of its customers and suppliers, including DCM's external auditor, activating business continuity procedures, including work from home policies, which are expected to contribute to delays in timely completion of the Filings. Collectively, these events have created the need for additional time to finalize the 2019 Annual Financial Statements and MD&A, including management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2019 and to prepare its financial statements for audit by DCM's external auditor. The Company expects to make the Filings and any other periodic disclosure required to be filed under applicable securities laws as soon as practicable once it has completed this work and the audit. The Company has informed staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") about its anticipated delay of the Filings and has applied to the OSC pursuant to Part 4 of National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203") for a Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") pending the filing of the Filings. If a MCTO is issued, the Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the "alternative information guidelines" set out in NP 12-203, including the requirement to file bi-weekly status reports in the form of news releases containing prescribed updating information, until the Filings are made. A MCTO would not generally affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or insiders of the Company to trade in securities of the Company. There can be no assurance that a MCTO will be issued. The Company has established a blackout on trading by directors, officers and other insiders of the Company, and intends to continue the blackout until the Filings have been made. About DCM DCM is a communication solutions partner that adds value for major companies across North America by creating more meaningful connections with their customers. DCM pairs customer insights and thought leadership with cutting edge products, modular enabling technology and services to power its clients' go to market strategies. DCM helps its clients manage how their brands come to life, determine which channels are right for them, manage multimedia campaigns, deploy location specific and 1:1 marketing, execute custom loyalty programs, and fulfill their commercial printing needs all in one place. DCM's extensive experience has positioned it as an expert at providing communication solutions across many verticals, including the finanial, retail, healthcare, consumer health, energy, and not for profit sectors. As a result of its locations throughout Canada and in the United States (Chicago, Illinois and New York, New York), it is able to meet its clients' varying needs with scale, speed, and efficiency - no matter how large or complex the ask. DCM is able to deliver advanced data security, regulatory compliance, and bilingual communications, both in print and/or digital formats.



Additional information relating to DATA Communications Management Corp. is available on www.datacm.com, and in the disclosure documents filed by DATA Communications Management Corp. on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com. Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward looking" statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan", and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. These statements reflect DCM's current views regarding future events and operating performance, are based on information currently available to DCM, and speak only as of the date of this press release. These forward looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not be read as guarantees that future performance or results will be achieved. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. The principal factors, assumptions and risks that DCM made or took into account in the preparation of these forward looking statements include: DCM's belief that the release of DCM's financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the other Filings may be delayed; DCM's new enterprise resource planning system has failed to perform as planned and interrupted operational transactions during and following the implementation, which has, and may continue to, materially and adversely affect DCM's financial liquidity and operations and results of operations; risks relating to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, a rapidly evolving situation the impact of which could be material on DCM's business; there are material uncertainties associated with the resolution of the liquidity challenges currently facing the Company, as described in the Company's condensed interim financial statements for the three months ended September 30, 2019, that may cast significant doubt as to the ability of the Company to meet its obligations as they come due; there is no assurance that management's initiatives for dealing with these events and conditions will be successful and there are risks in the expected timing of resolution thereof and the possible effects of these issues if they are not resolved; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon its ability to return the Company to profitability, generate positive cash flows from operations, obtain additional financing as discussed in those interim financial statements; risks relating to DCM's ability to access sufficient capital, including, without limitation, under its existing revolving credit facility, on favourable terms to fund its liquidity and business plans from internal and external sources; the limited growth in the traditional printing industry and the potential for further declines in sales of DCM's printed business documents relative to historical sales levels for those products; the risk that changes in the mix of products and services sold by DCM will adversely affect DCM's financial results; the risk that DCM may not be successful in reducing the size of its legacy print business, realizing the benefits expected from restructuring and business reorganization initiatives, reducing costs, reducing and repaying its long term debt, and growing its digital and marketing communications businesses; the risk that DCM may not be successful in managing its organic growth; DCM's ability to invest in, develop and successfully market new digital and other products and services; competition from competitors supplying similar products and services, some of whom have greater economic resources than DCM and are well established suppliers; DCM's ability to grow its sales or even maintain historical levels of its sales of printed business documents; the impact of economic conditions on DCM's businesses; risks associated with acquisitions and/or investments in joint ventures by DCM; the failure to realize the expected benefits from acquisitions it has made and risks associated with the integration and growth of such businesses; increases in the costs of paper and other raw materials used by DCM; and DCM's ability to maintain relationships with its customers and its suppliers. Additional factors are discussed elsewhere in this press release and under the headings "Liquidity and capital resources" and "Risks and Uncertainties" in DCM's management's discussion and analysis and in DCM's other publicly available disclosure documents, as filed by DCM on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Unless required by applicable securities law, DCM does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005845/en/

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Photographers move around in a nearly empty press room as European Council President Charles Michel, right, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, speak after a video-conference with G7 leaders at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, March 16, 2020. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the European Union to put in place a 30-day ban on people entering the bloc for non-essential travel reasons in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. 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. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

The leaders of European Union nations have agreed to institute a travel ban that prohibits most foreigners from entering the bloc for 30 days to discourage the spread of the new coronavirus.

EU leaders agreed on Tuesday to shut down the 27-nation's bloc's external borders immediately.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the proposal by EU officials "got a lot of support by the member states. It's up to them now to implement. They said they will immediately do that."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said late Tuesday that European leaders agreed in a conference call to the Commission's proposal for an entry ban with "very, very limited exceptions."

Merkel says citizens of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom and Norway are exempt.

The EU leaders also agreed to coordinate the repatriation of EU citizens stranded outside the bloc, she said.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

European Union leaders are set to hold their second summit in two weeks on Tuesday, a fresh attempt to forge a joint response to the novel coronavirus as Europe takes over from China as the front-line in the fight against a disease claiming thousands of lives.

The virus case count in Europe has climbed to over 50,000 and more than 2,000 people have died. The inexorable spread of the disease has roiled markets and sown public fear, but nervous governments have introduced quick-fix measures - partial border closures or quarantine - with little consultation.

A man wearing a protective mask waits for a train at the nearly empty Central station in Brussels, Monday, March 16, 2020. Belgium has closed schools, restaurants and bars as well as cancelled cultural and sporting events in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 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. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

After Italy, ground zero in Europe's battle with COVID-19, Spain and now France have imposed lock-downs, confining citizens to their homes except for urgent business like buying food or heading to any hospital that might still have the capacity to treat them.

Seven countries have informed the European Commission, the EU's executive body, that they've reintroduced ID checks inside Europe's passport-free Schengen Area. Among them are Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, which all took unilateral action to halt the influx of migrants in 2015.

Indeed, it is a similar challenge that leaders are grappling with as they confront the coronavirushow to ensure that the fraying solidarity among partners in the same European club does not completely unravel as the crisis deepens.

Asked Monday whether Europe can ever return to real ID-check free travel after this, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "I hope so. But it's been shown that coordination didn't work well everywhere the way one would have hoped."

A man looks at departure boards at the main hall of the nearly empty Central train station in Brussels, Monday, March 16, 2020. Belgium has closed schools, restaurants and bars as well as cancelled cultural and sporting events in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 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. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

The main problem confronting the leaders, as they meet in a virtual online video-conference from their offices in the bloc's 27 capitals, is to halt the arrival of more virus cases, coordinate any border closures and guarantee that vital medical equipment and food can reach those in need.

They are expected to endorse a 30-day travel ban on people wanting to come to Europe for tourism or non-essential business. Long-term EU residents, diplomats and members of European families would be exempt. Health care and transport workers could escape the ban too.

Separately, so-called "green lanes" would be set up at the internal borders of the 26 Schengen countries, allowing fast-track access for trucks ferrying essential supplies to defy the traffic jams that have begun forming at some crossing points.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a news conference, where journalist placed in distance, about the novel coronavirus outbreak and the German government measure to curb it at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, March 16, 2020. 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.(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, Pool)

The aim, according to EU Council President Charles Michel, who will chair the summit, is "to reduce unnecessary movement but at the same time to ensure the movement of merchandise, of goods, so that we can guarantee as much as possible the integrity of the single market, guarantee the deliveries that are needed."

The proposals are relatively modest, but Europe's powers in this crisis are limited. While it may be a Union, the world's biggest trading bloc remains an accumulation of 27 individual countries, some with populist and far-right governments that reject orders from Brussels.

"In recent days, European countries failed to coordinate their approach," Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Saturday as he announced the closure of retail businesses in his country. "We didn't need to wait for Brussels to give us any advice."

A patient in a biocontainment unit is carried on a stretcher at the Columbus Covid 2 Hospital in Rome, Monday, March 16, 2020. The new Columbus Covid 2 Hospital, an area fully dedicated to the COVID-19 cases at the Gemelli university polyclinic, opened today with 21 new ICU units and 32 new beds, in order to support the regional health authorities in trying to contain the pandemic. Sign at top in Italian reads "Admission COVID 19". For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

A woman watches French President Emmanuel Macron addressing the nation Monday March 16, 2020 in Paris. France is imposing nationwide restrictions on how far from their homes people can go and for what purpose as part of the country's strategy to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)

An empty courtyard is seen at a closed school in Paris, Monday, March 16, 2020. France plans to close all creches, schools and universities from Monday until further notice to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, President Emmanuel Macron says. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Maja, second name not given, is sitting at Tegel Airport wearing a breathing mask and use her phone as she waits for a bus to leave for Poland in Berlin, Germany, Monday, March 16, 2020. She says that it is no longer possible to return to Poland by plane. 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. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP)

A nurse in protective headgear with documents and patient waiting for his coronavirus test at the contagious diseases hospital in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, March 16, 2020.For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

A young man wearing a face mask poses for a photo for his friend while walking across an empty Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, March 16, 2020. The Czech government has imposed further dramatic restrictions on the movement in efforts to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the government is declaring a quarantine for the entire country, an unprecedented measure in his country's history that became effective on Monday. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Health workers react as people applaud from their houses in support of the medical staff that are working in COVID-19 outbreak in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, March 16, 2020. Spain is restoring border controls and severely restricting who can enter the country. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced Monday that from midnight only Spaniards or residents in Spain, people who work just across the border or who have a compelling need will be allowed through. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

Undertakers carry a coffin out of a hearse at Bergamo's cemetery, northern Italy, Monday, March 16, 2020. Bergamo is one of the cities most hit by the new coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)

When President Emmanuel Macron declares that "we are at war" with an invisible enemy, every French citizen from Marseille to Metz understands. The democratic legitimacy conferred on him at the polls gives Macron the freedom to mobilize resources, money and quick policy fixes with public backing.

In times of crisis, Europe's machinery is painfully slow. Like a super-butler dealing with an unpredictable 27-headed master, the EU's massive bureaucracy offers ideas, proposes plans and occasionally cajoles but often it must wait for approval.

And what's good for the people of Portugal, might not suit those in Poland; what seems logical to people in wealthy Germany, could feel poisonous to the long-suffering citizens of Greece, who've barely emerged from an economic crisis and still require help to manage migrant tensions with Turkey.

When nations are under pressure and their citizens are nervous, Europe is an easy target. Blame routinely focuses on the "unelected officials" said to be earning lucrative salaries. But in these times of the coronavirus, only individual nations can police public health and safety.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A five-year-old is amongst the 80 new cases of coronavirus presumed positive in New Jersey, bringing the state's total to 178.

According to reports, state health officials said that a five-year-old was amongst the 80 new cases of Covid-19, but did not confirm the condition of any of the new patients.

Officials also did not confirm where in the state the child was from.

Bergen County has recorded the most cases of coronavirus in the state according to the report, and in Teaneck residents were urged to self-quarantine over the weekend.

New Jersey agreed to close all movie theatres, casinos and gyms as of 8pm on Monday alongside New York and Connecticut in a collective regional attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

While President Donald Trump has closed US borders for travel from 26 European countries into the country, they have yet to impose any kind of domestic travel restrictions between states.

Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, would not confirm whether this would be likely in the upcoming days.

We're looking very carefully at the data every day and that's why you see this escalation in guidelines from the president, she said on Fox News.

As we track down these outbreaks, if we see that that is happening from flight travel, then I think the president will react but we don't have enough information right now to suggest that, she said.

About 3,800 cases have been reported in the United States and more than 65 people have died of Covid-19 in the country.

Hoboken has already implemented a citywide curfew between 10pm to 5am, requiring all residents to remain in their homes except in the case of emergencies.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.

Other states across the US have entirely closed public schools and ordered venues to shut.

Mr Trump has said the new normal established in the country as a response to the spread of the virus may last until August.

Additional reporting by agencies
VBSPs credit programmes have helped many needy families and policy beneficiaries move out of poverty in a sustainable manner

One destination, full of affection

Policy credit by the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has brought a facelift to diverse localities across the country. Ha Tinh province in the north-central region is a shining example.

The family of Nguyen Thi Kim in Duc Thuan ward, Hong Linh town has left poverty behind thanks to credit from VBSPs local branch office. The family has been a beneficiary of VBSPs policy credit programme for more than 10 years.

Kims family has taken up three loans from the bank with the total amount of more than VND101 million ($4,390) to support their three children to continue their university education.

They have repaid VND78 million ($3,390) so far, with about VND30 million ($1,300) left.

Kim shared that without taking policy credit from VBSP, their family could not have escaped poverty. To raise seven children, the family had to make do with one hectare of arable land, one-third of which it then had to return to the local co-operative.

After getting the first loan from VBSP in 2015, Kims family has begun raising pigs and chickens, and doing small trade with agricultural tools.

The banks loans helped their three daughters to cover tuition fees at universities. After graduation, they are now helping their parents gradually pay off debts and have extra money to support their youngest sister who is currently studying at university. The mature children also helped their parents repair their home.

Pooling our strength to combat poverty

Ha Tinh is one of 63 provinces nationwide that have benefitted from concessionary policy credit sources the government has authorised VBSP to lend to the poor and other policy beneficiaries. This came in the context that Vietnam has grown into a medium-income nation which has led to a reduction in the volume of financial aid from international organisations earmarked for the poor and underprivileged people.

More and more free trade agreements (FTAs) have helped Vietnam integrate more deeply into the world economy, while simultaneously creating challenges and increasing pressure to ensure social wellbeing in the face of the growing threat from the increasing gap in peoples living standards.

Unless support policies are put in place in a timely manner, the gap between the rich and the poor will widen, and needy people might fall farther behind. Well aware of the situation due to having close contact with the poor and other policy beneficiaries, VBSP has launched diverse concessionary credit programmes in time.

Growing from three such programmes in 2003, until now VBSP has executed 22 programmes, as well as many time raised lending amounts to meet essential demand for economic development and combat adversity.

Growing from three such programmes in 2003, until now VBSP has executed 22 programmes, as well as many time raised lending amounts to meet essential demand for economic development and combat adversity.

Significantly, during the last ten years (2011-2020), the birth of VBSPs two credit programmes to lend to near-poverty households and those that just moved out of poverty were considered a breakthrough in sustainable poverty alleviation.

These two programmes, paired with other policy credit programmes applied in the previous years, have brought a sharp reduction in the number of needy households.

For instance, the rate of needy households fell to 5.2 per cent in late 2015 compared to 9.45 per cent in 2010. The danger of local households falling back into poverty has proven high, especially in the North-western, Central Highlands, and South-western regions which are plagued by natural disasters and epidemics and locals have little decent agricultural knowledge.

The deployment of these credit programmes has, therefore, pushed up the poverty reduction cause effectively.

As of January 2020, the bank reported about VND34.692 trillion ($1.5 billion) in total outstanding balance earmarked for the poor and other policy beneficiaries.

Notably, the loan structure has improved significantly, with only 16.7 per cent of VBSPs total balance taken up by the poor, compared to the 40.4 per cent rate spotted in 2010.

Lending volumes to near-poverty households and those who just moved out of poverty rose sharply, touching 15.4 per cent, equal to VND31.856 trillion ($1.39 billion) and 16.8 per cent, equal to VND34.750 trillion ($1.5 billion), respectively.

As of now, VBSP has posted more than VND209 trillion ($9.1 billion) in total outstanding balance and more than 6.5 million policy credit beneficiaries. This provides a firm bedrock for the bank to make further strides in development, and continues to effectively carry out its role as a bank specifically catering to the poor and those in need, realising the target of not letting anyone fall behind during the countrys development.
17.03.2020 LISTEN

Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, the Dean of Academic Affairs, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, has urged Ghanaians to stop the politicisation of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

He said President Akufo-Addo had taken the right step by closing down schools and universities, and banning social gatherings for four weeks as part of efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

So, the President has taken the very necessary steps, which we should all support, Dr Antwi-Danso stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday in Accra.

He noted that steps such as washing of hands and distancing from congregations very important measures in combating the virus outbreak.

He said it was where people congregate, touching each other and shaking hands that brought about the effect and spread of the virus.

Dr Antwi-Danso noted that the security implications of the COVID-19 was dire; declaring that it was just like a war situation; where people would be dying, with food rations being made in addition to panic.

This coronavirus and its spread is just like war. And so we must not take it lightly at all. Look at how businesses are going down, air travels are dropping and factories are also closing down.

Let us not politicize this. There are a lot of media houses who are making jokes out of the whole thing. It is not a joke, the Dean said.

I believe the President has done well. No politicisation as I have said. I repeat no politicisation.

And I believe after this, the necessary sanitation that we are talking about must still go on, because viruses spread where there is not good sanitations.

Dr Antwi-Danso said the washing of hands must still go on whether there was coronavirus or not; adding that this kind of attitude must stay with us in Africa and in Ghana.

He said everywhere in the world, people have recognized the reality on the devastating effects of the coronavirus adding; ''It is not a new thing as such, but the strain is what people don't know. This strain is unknown to the world, and where it is coming from we don't know.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic was very serious, especially in the temperate regions of the world.

In our part of the world, yes, we have it, but we haven't heard of any death in (sub-Saharan) Africa yet. In places like Italy and others, the pandemic is very devastating.

---GNA




Former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) chief executive Frank Chitukutuku will lose a total of six houses, a fleet of vehicles and several companies  including an insurance company  if the civil courts agree with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that he and his wife probably acquired this large block of assets using proceeds of corruption.





The assets have been proven on a balance of probabilities to be tainted and liable for forfeiture, according to an NPA application filed at the High Court yesterday, seeking to recover the movable and immovable properties.





The test using balance of probabilities, the formula for civil cases, is less rigid than the proof beyond reasonable doubt used in criminal cases





Chitukutuku, his wife Nyasha, and a company called Hotspikes (Pvt) Ltd are listed as respondents in the civil forfeiture suit.





The prosecution is asking the court for an order to confiscate the identified properties owned by the Chitukutuku couple.





Chitukutuku is facing charges for criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, fraud, bribery and money laundering during his tenure at Zinara.





The movable properties, which the State seeks to confiscate include a Mazda T35 truck registration number ACN 2758, Mazda T35 (CAN 0695), Hino Dutro (ABI 2738), Toyota Land Cruiser (ADF 8240), Prado (ACP 9977), Nissan NP200 (ACN 0713), Range Rover (ACM 2555), Hino Ranger (ACU 6845), Land Rover Discovery (ADA 7621), five tractors, a 10-tonne UD truck and four water tanks.





Immovable properties listed for forfeiture include the couples Borrowdale estate measuring around an acre, Lot 3 Glen Lorne, Borrowdale, an upmarket Farm House, Farm Pride (Pvt) Ltd, Chisipite Road and Champions Insurance Company.





Another property targeted for civil forfeiture and indirectly owned by Chitukutuku is a company called Hotspikes Trading (Pvt) Ltd. It owns subdivision A of Sentosa of Mabelreign, Harare, measuring 9 536 square metres.





The company also owns another property known as Remainder of Lot 1 of Lot E of Colne Valley of Reitfontein measuring 4 552 square metres.





In his sworn statement, the acting national director of public prosecutions in the NPA, Mr Justine Uladi argues that there is a reasonable probability that Chitukutuku corruptly caused and generated flows of millions of dollars to favoured corporate entities for his personal gain and illicit enrichment.





This in turn created a fertile ground for Chitukutuku to start money laundering through allegedly cleaning dirty money by acquiring assets and businesses, argues Mr Uladi.





Even where Chitukutuku acquired property legitimately, this should be forfeited to help Zinara recover its losses, he said.





In his 39-page affidavit, Mr Uladi chronicles how Chitukutuku allegedly formed several criminal syndicates to defraud Zinara, on 29 occasions, of money running into millions of United State dollars.





One such company used is Notify Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd fronted by the late Nkululeko Sibanda that was heavily involved in some of the alleged underhand dealings in this regard and a principal beneficiary of criminal activities that prejudiced Zinara of more then US$3 million.





Givemore Kufa, a Zinara engineer, Thomas Mutizhe and Collen Moyo (the chief executive officer for Umguza Rural District Council) are part of the syndicate that allegedly defrauded Zinara after misrepresenting that rehabilitation work had been done on Ilitshe Road and construction of a bridge across the Umguza Rural District Council had been done by Notify Enterprises, resulting in Zinara making payment of US$3 199250.





Notify Enterprises allegedly created two fictitious road rehabilitation projects for a total cost of US$2 700 000 for purported rehabilitation of 31 kilometres of Ilitshe Road, a gravel road that links Umguza and Bubi Rural District Council in Matabeleland North Province.





The purported project included construction of a six-span bridge across Umguza River along the same road.





Chitukutuku allegedly targeted some executives in rural district councils, and Goromonzi was one of them, where he would create a tri-cycle relationship for the successful implementation of their hatched plan where Zinara, represented by him, was funding the purported projects.





Fremus Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, at the centre of Supreme Court Judge Justice Beres suspension for alleged interference, was allegedly used to siphon more than US$20 million from Zinara.





The company is under the directorship of Freddy Chimbari and Musline Chimbari nee Bere.





The company was into buying and selling local and import products.





According to Mr Uladi, investigations carried out established that Fremus Enterprises was awarded a tender to carry out road rehabilitations in the Rural District Councils of Buhera, Gutu, Mhondoro Ngezi, Murehwa and Zaka during the period extending from 2010 to 2013.





It was established that Chimbari was allegedly Chitukutukus close ZAOGA church associate as they both attended ZAOGA Ruwa Church.





Mr Uladi says between 2010 and 2013, contrary to the statutory role of Zinara and the organisations standard procedure, and as an act of favouritism, Chitukutuku authorised and signed RTGS forms in favour of procedural direct payment of US$20 million to Fremus Enterprises for the road rehabilitation works it had carried out in the rural district councils.





He says in this case investigations by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission revealed Zinara allegedly did not follow tender procedures in awarding the company tender for its projects in the mentioned areas.




A panel called Innovating With Open Government Data was all set for for this year's SXSW, slated to bring data scientists  many with experience in the federal government  to Austin, Texas, as part of the largest media conference in the world.It was all to happen this week . Between networking happy hours at houses converted to bars on Rainey Street, plus lunches at food trucks serving tacos and barbecue platters, attendees would have listened as this group spoke about data work at all levels of government. They would have heard them describe what was being done to give citizens, journalists and volunteer civic technologists access to data sets that could be used to innovate. This panel, of course, was cancelled earlier this month along with the rest of SXSW to stop the spread of the coronavirus.That panel, however, still happened during its scheduled time Monday, taking place instead as a webinar online . All of the original speakers were in attendance  moderator Nick Hart, CEO of the Data Coalition; Amy Edwards, the deputy assistant secretary for the Office of the Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury; Rebecca Hutchinson, the big data lead for the U.S. Census Bureau; and Neil Jacobs, the acting administrator with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The panel was obviously different than it might have been in person. Attendees werent able to engage in small talk with those seated beside them, nor were they able to engage speakers in a quick walk-and-talk as everyone shuffled to the next panel, the next event. And spontaneous interactions between panelists were null.But all of the speakers got their time to deliver their comments along with PowerPoint presentations, and a solid 20 minutes at the end of the panel was dedicated to audience questions. It was, in other words, the next best thing to being in an Austin conference hall.And this panel is far from the only event in the government tech and innovation space to be moving online now. Last week, Code for America responded to the cancellation of its annual summit by holding a panel in a virtual setting . That panel was Successful Remote and Distributed Work in Uncertain Times, a fitting choice as tech workers everywhere hunker down at home in the name of responsible social distancing.Theres a list of other event organizers taking similar measures, too. If you were slated to go to an event in March, April or potentially even May, youre probably already aware of a virtual alternative. But take for example, URBAN-X , an urban tech accelerator based in New York City.URBAN-X had an event called Designing Out Waste set for March, as well as its semi-regular demo day event scheduled for April. With the advent of the coronavirus, neither are happening now. The group sent a note Monday announcing that it was discontinuing in-house programming at our Brooklyn, NY headquarters until further notice.Both of those events, however, will now be streamed online, and URBAN-Xs next startup cohort will become its first-ever remote group, with companies working with the accelerator virtually.Meanwhile, in the upper echelons of American government, campaigning to be the Democratic nominee for president has moved to non-physical arenas. On Monday evening, former Vice President Joe Biden held a Tele-Town Hall event, during which he spoke over the phone with voters from states that are still headed to the polls Tuesday. Bidens rival for the nomination, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has hosted similar virtual events Looking forward, timelines for when it will once again be safe to congregate in large numbers at events, panels, or even community hackathons are unclear. Some cancelled spring-time happenings are being shuffled to the fall, with new dates being picked for September. Others are taking the virtual route, enabled by high-speed Internet and advanced communication technologies.To make this all possible, telecoms nationwide have also worked to enable faster speeds and discounted rates for the mass of workers and even students who are newly entrenched at home Some in local government or the adjacent spaces are going a step further to simulate the sort of spontaneous interactions that take place at physical events. Christopher Thompson is the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation program director for San Jose, Calif., a role that puts him in close proximity to both tech and government, given Knights work and the citys location at the heart of Silicon Valley.Thompson organized Tuesday what he called a virtual coffee via Twitter , noting that there was no agenda other than connect with each other. Its the type of thing that took place all the time in cities up until roughly a week or so ago. Moving forward, well all be joining meetings like this from our offices, kitchens and living rooms for the foreseeable future, making the most of virtual panels, coffee chats, happy hours and webinars as this crisis evolves.
Coworkers standing near a wall

Hello, Fools! Im back to highlight three high-yield dividend stocks. As a reminder, I do this because high-yield dividend stocks

provide a healthy income stream in both good and bad markets;

usually come from stable industries; and

tend to outperform the market over the long run.

So, if youre looking to pounce on this recent market crash, this might be a good place to start.

Without further ado, lets get to it.

Bank on it

Leading off our list is financial services giant Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX:CM)(NYSE:CM), which offers a scrumptious dividend yield of 7.5%.

CIBC shares fell particularly hard on Monday, providing Fools with an incredible opportunity. Specifically, CIBCs massive scale (total assets of more than $650 billion), high regulatory environment, and a diversified business model should easily weather the current storm.

In the most recent quarter, adjusted EPS of $3.24 easily topped estimates, while the adjusted return on equity clocked in at a solid 16.1%. Management cited a strong boost from its capital markets segment for the market-beating results.

We delivered a strong first quarter in 2020 as we executed on our client-focused strategy and continued to diversify our earnings growth, said President and CEO Victor Dodig. We are transforming our bank by leveraging our client-focused culture, optimizing our cost base, and strategically reinvesting our capital to deliver value to our shareholders, clients, employees and communities.

CIBC shares currently sport a forward P/E of 6.1.

Fortis of strength

With a healthy dividend yield of 3.7%, electricity giant Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) is our next high-yield play.

Fortis has held up relatively well in recent months, suggesting that its business model is perfectly suited for turbulent times. Fortiss scale advantages ($52 billion in total assets), diversified business model (electricity, gas, infrastructure), and a highly regulated operating environment should continue to deliver consistent dividends.

Story continues

In the most recent quarter, EPS of $0.62 beat expectations as revenue improved 5.4% to $2.3 billion. In fact, management continues to target average annual dividend growth of about 6% through 2024.

Fortis had industry leading operational results in safety and reliability which complemented our strong financial results, said CEO Barry Perry. Going forward, our capital plan focuses on cleaner energy along with innovative, sustainable and affordable investment in our electric and gas networks.

Fortis shares currently trade at a forward P/E in the mid-teens.

Make some dough

Rounding out our list is fast-food pizza joint Pizza Pizza Royalty (TSX:PZA), which currently boasts an incredible dividend yield of nearly 13%.

Pizza Pizza shares have been hit particularly hard during this selloff, providing enterprising Fools with a possible opportunity. Specifically, Pizza Pizzas scale (749 restaurants across Canada), well-recognized brand, and solid management team should continue to provide solid long-term income for shareholders.

In the most recent quarter, earnings clocked in at a solid $0.234 per share as revenue increased 3.8% to $147 million. More importantly, same-store sales  the key metric in gauging a retailers health  increased 2%.

We are pleased with the sales growth at both brands in this highly competitive environment, said CEO Paul Goddard. Our successes are attributable to this quarters on-trend product introductions, restaurant operational excellence and our full relaunch of Pizza Pizzas website and apps.

Pizza Pizza shares currently trade at a forward P/E of 7.1.

The bottom line

There you have it, Fools: three top high-yield stocks worth checking out.

As always, dont view them as formal recommendations. Instead, look at them as a starting point for more research. A dividend cut (or halt) can be especially painful, so youll still need to do plenty of due diligence.

Fool on.

The post Trade the Crash: 3 Top Dividend Stocks to Pounce On Now! appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

More reading

Fool contributor Brian Pacampara owns no position in any of the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of PIZZA PIZZA ROYALTY CORP.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The Franklin County judge whose ruling on an 11th-hour bid to halt Ohios primary election amid growing coronavirus concerns is no stranger to weighing on issues of statewide importance.

Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Frye has proved in the past that he will buck the wishes of state officials. Because of that, lawyers who practice in front of him said they werent surprised by Mondays ruling but maintained that he was a good jurist for the task.

If your case gets assigned to Frye, you know youre going to get a fair shake, said Sam Shamansky, a longtime Columbus criminal defense lawyer.

Frye, 71, issued his ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by two Franklin County voters over 65 years old with medical issues who asked to postpone the primary for fear that opening polling places would exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus. The state reported 67 cases as of Tuesday, and the voters filed the suit as part of a plan by Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose to bypass the legislature and take emergency action to move the primary to June 2.

The judge, however, said he made his decision because he felt uncomfortable with postponing an election just hours before polls opened in the primary, especially since officials couldnt say whether June would be any safer.

There are too many factors to balance in this unchartered territory to say that we ought to take this away from the legislature and elected statewide officials, and throw it to a Common Pleas court judge in Columbus 12 hours before the election," he said Monday evening.

The ruling complicated an already chaotic Monday for Ohio officials, who announced at about 3 p.m. that they intended to postpone the primary. Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton later closed polling places, and four justices from the Ohio Supreme Court subsequently issued an order in a separate case that mostly stopped the election but did not move the date.

While Mondays decision stemmed from the most notable case Frye has presided over in his career, he has issued other rulings that ran counter to the wishes of state officials.

He ruled in March 2016, right before that years presidential primary, that 17-year-olds who would turn 18 before that falls election could vote in the primary. Jon Husted, now the lieutenant governor and then the secretary of state, opposed the change though did not appeal the ruling before the primary.

Frye also issued a ruling in June 2017 that struck down portions of a bill that, among other things, blocked a part of a state law that prevented a city from setting its minimum wage.

Before his election to the Franklin County bench, Frye was a partner and trial lawyer at the Chester Willcox & Saxbe law firm. The firm, which merged with Taft Stettinius & Hollister in 2011, had lawyers known for their Republican connections. Jack Chester, whose grandfather started the firm, represented President Richard Nixon during Watergate, while Bill Saxbe was an Ohio senator and was an attorney general for both Nixon and his successor Gerald Ford.

Frye ran as a Democrat in 2004 and won. He has stayed on the bench since winning re-election in 2010 and 2016, though he cannot run again because he is over 70 years old.

His time on the bench has not been without controversy. The Fraternal Order of Police chapter in Columbus rescinded its endorsement of him in 2018 after he apologized to a defendant while sentencing him to prison because a police officer in the city stomped on his head during the arrest, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

He also testified at the trial of lawyer Javier Armengau, who is serving 13 years in prison for rape and other sex crimes. A woman testified that Armengau tried to convince her to perform oral sex on Frye, who presided over her sons criminal cases, but she refused, according to The Dispatch.

Frye later took the stand and said the woman was lying and that he had never been to Armengaus office.

Lawyers who frequently practice in front of Frye described him as a judge with quirks. They also said he was incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable of the law and court rules.

Shamansky said he is a judge who values prepared lawyers and that nothing stays past him. The field stays level.

Columbus criminal defense lawyer Brad Koffel said that Frye is the type of judge any lawyer should want to preside over a complicated case.

He is a trial lawyer and an excellent trial lawyer, but hes a very, very good jurist, Koffel said, adding that he doesnt see Fryes politics entering into the judges most recent controversial decision.

Because of that, Koffel said he feels Frye made the right call, even if it appears the judge punted on a significant issue or made things more complicated.

There are other agencies and other branches of the government that ought to be acting first before him, and I think legally speaking, hes right, Koffel said.

Read more:

Ohio polls remain closed following overnight ruling from Ohio Supreme Court

Citing health emergency, Ohio officials to order polls closed on Election Day, despite judges ruling

Judge denies request to delay Ohio primary election until June over coronavirus

Gov. Mike DeWine wants to postpone Ohios Tuesday primary election till June 2 due to coronavirus

Judge tosses out state minimum wage law and micro-wireless law cities opposed

Judge: 17-year-olds can vote in Ohio presidential primary
New Delhi, March 17 : The Centre is mulling a relief package to save Indias aviation sector which has been ravaged by the outbreak of coronavirus, sources said.

At present, the sector is the worst affected due to the outbreak. Airlines are forced to ground aircraft due to massive rate of cancellations, rebookings and truncated operations.

March has especially been hard on the sector, said an industry watcher citing domestic cancellation rate of 20 per cent.

This quarter had traditionally been considered as the lean season for the sector.

Accordingly, highly placed sources revealed that several meetings on the proposal have already taken place between the Aviation and Finance Ministry.

However, financial details of the move is not known as of now.

Nevertheless, sources indicated that a short term waiver or reduction in landing, parking and housing along with other aeronautical charges are being considered.

On its part, industry representatives have met senior officials of the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Earlier during the month, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told reporters in New Delhi that government is aware of the situation being faced by the airline sector.

On March 11, airline major IndiGo said that it expects quarterly earnings to be materially impacted due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

It also pointed out that the rupee has also depreciated sharply which will have an adverse impact on its dollar denominated liabilities primarily on account of capitalised operating leases.

Last week, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said that the sector is under a lot of pressure which is temporary.

Besides, a top Boeing official has said that coronavirus scare has brought down the air traffic in Asia Pacific region by more than 50 per cent.

According to Darren Hulst, Vice President and Global Head of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, excluding China, in the rest of the Asia-Pacific market, the number of flights came down by about 50 per cent.

Earlier, global industry body International Air Transport Association (IATS) has estimated the combined revenue loss for airlines in the range of $63-113 billion.
Gideon Roth, right, works with a student on hand-to-hand defense and combat/ Courtesy of Krav Maga Seoul



By Hallie Bradley



"It's no secret, although people often act like it is, that women are targeted more, assaulted more, threatened more and attacked more than men. As a young girl my biggest fear was assault, and especially sexual assault," began Krav Maga Federation (KMF) Korea instructor and manager Rachel Goodgion.



Formerly a student, Rachel attended Krav Maga classes avidly under head instructor Gideon Roth and lead instructor Gareth Anthony and is now an instructor herself. "Now, I know that wherever I go, I am safe as long as I'm breathing. I'm not afraid to go certain places anymore either. I'm not afraid, and I'm absolutely dying to educate other women about self-defense and bring that confidence back to us all," Goodgion said. "I want to see women being as powerful as they really are, and most importantly, remind women that they, themselves, are worth defending."



KMF Korea, the only legitimate certified Krav Maga gym in this part of Asia, has seen an influx of students since moving from Yongsan to a new studio in Gangnam. The studio focuses on Krav Maga classes, but also has Kali classes, women's self-defense classes and a "rehab fitness" class taught by Dr. Steve Eom. The instructors are also able to provide private lessons on request.



"Our instructors have years of training and have truly been tested. We are especially looking to reach out to more women in Korea, as there is little to no access to self-defense classes for women. We want to focus on practical self-defense for everyone," explained Roth, who has 21 years of experience and has pioneered the spread of Krav Maga in Korea. "We aren't looking to be a huge gym, but rather foster a real community we have here. We really care about our students and want to grow Krav Maga in Korea."



Krav Maga is the official self-defense and hand-to-hand combat system used by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli National and Military Police. Developed originally for professionals in the security field, it's also an accessible self-defense program for civilians because of its efficiency and focus on using instinctive movements. Krav Maga focuses on real life-situations and attacks that are the most common and teaches students preventative and self-defense techniques.



"We stress test everything unlike other martial arts," Roth explained. "The goal is to get home safe if we needed to fight. We want to help our students lose their freeze mechanism when people are attacked. Our goal is to have an even balance of concern about the attacker but have enough skills to confront the attacker, disable them and get home safely."



The classes cover everything from more aggressive scenarios to soft techniques, such as dealing with someone who is too touchy in a nightclub, for example. Weapons scenarios are practiced and rape prevention techniques are demonstrated in the women's self-defense classes, too.



"At our gym, while we don't celebrate or glorify violence, we don't hide it. We don't hide it behind pretty techniques; we won't lie to you," Goodgion explained of their classes and instruction. Information that can be found online or is taught in other self-defense courses tends to be a bit far from reality in her experience. She explained, "Realistically, in an attack/defense situation, the tips you hear about online, like keys poking out through your fingers, are false and not reliable. Even if they work for a second, it's not going to be enough to make certain you are safe. It seems like a great idea, theoretically, but you'll get hurt if you rely on these false security tips. You need effective techniques, not 50-50 chances."



Everyone from complete beginners to longtime students of martial arts and self-defense programs attend classes with KMF Korea which focuses on encouraging, empowering and building confidence, especially in women to protect and stand up for themselves.



Visit kmfkorea.com to find out more about the lessons and get in touch about classes.





Hallie Bradley is a writer based in Seoul and runs the popular site thesoulofseoul.net.


By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: A day after Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan summoned the state election commissioner N Ramesh Kumar to know the reasons for the postponement of local body elections, he wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary clarifying doubts raised and maintaining the the decision was taken after careful consideration of the situation across the country.

The Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney had earlier written a letter stating that the situation related to COVID-19 is under control in Andhra Pradesh and requested him to revoke the halting orders.

In the three page letter, which was released to the media, Ramesh Kumar did not mince words to set the record straight as to the reasons for the postponement of the elections. On the possibility of the postponement of elections may likely hamper the possibility of accessing the 14th Finance Commission grants meant for local bodies, he said he had worked as Finance Secretary prior to his stint in Raj Bhavan and handled the Finance Commission matters and have an intimate working knowledge.

For the release of funds to local bodies (basic grants and performance grants) holding of elections to local bodies is one of the conditions. ln the past, the State Government was able to access successfully withheld funds after holding elections for the previous years as well, he pointed out.

The State Election Commissioner assured that they are prepared to support state governments efforts to access the 14th Finance Commission funds through any requisite documentation from their end. Based on my experience, the release of the basic grant is on a more flexible terrain and performance grant has different parameters. But since Andhra Pradesh is not alone in the present situation, the States, in a similar situation, can make a common pleading. On my part, l will vouch for the State's and our collective efforts, he said.

Ramesh said coronavirus is truly a circumstance beyond anticipation and pointed out that even, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and neighbouring Odisha have put local body elections on hold. ln fact, in the State Election Commissioners Group, which is active information sharing real-time platform; all the Commissions to my knowledge have deferred holding bye-polls. Bihar is one such example. UP is following suit. Goa is actively reconsidering its election schedule understandably, he explained.

In the letter, he said had the decision of postponement to be announced just a day later along with Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Odisha, the scenario would have been completely different. lt would appear in retrospect that the Commission is needlessly faulted for acting just a day ahead than similarly placed States. I have a duty cast to safeguard the high Constitutional status of the Commission as well as to clear the air about its conscious and objective decision-making process, he said.

Stating that Andhra Pradesh is not alone at the present juncture facing 'COVID-19' challenge, he sad state election commissioners are accessing World Health Organisation (WHO) warnings and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare circular guidelines and information placed in the public domain.

Precisely keeping this in view, I had specifically mentioned to you to expressly get in touch with Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, on March 14 when we met at SEC's office. Prior to this, I had also been regularly in touch over the telephone with Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare. For the record, all these conversations were initiated from my end. Understandably, the Health Department was busy and could not share any information or send any functionary with any data. Therefore, to put any blame at the doorstep of the Commission is not factual. It is incorrect, he said in the letter.

Further, he clarified that ln the absence of scientific data for which no one can be faulted, he responded stating that the CS may refer the case to the 'National Task Force' set up by the Government of India so as to revisit the issue.

The health experts are of the view that India might have entered Stage-2! lf the task force is able to categorically advise that after risk assessment permits holding elections in Andhra Pradesh, the SEC is prepared to readily revisit the issue before the 6-week postponement proposed, he said.

Ramesh said he was happy to know the measures the State Government has initiated to combat the spread of COVID-19. He said Coronavirus understandably has several phases as per the WHO and progress from one phase to another is very rapid and unusually so. The guidelines to combat the spread speak about different protocols, i.e., moderate distancing, attempted quarantine and extensive distancing.

The postponement of elections perhaps may fall under the 'Moderate Distancing Protocol'. China, for instance, followed 'Extensive Distancing' and is commended for its containment, he said
Currently, the United States of America is encountering a shortage of coronavirus testing kits and medical face masks. The need for these goods is increasing due to the continuous spread of the deadly coronavirus. That is when the founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma lends a helping hand.

Check this out:

President Trump Announces Strict Guidelines to Combat COVID-19

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How to Find Out if You are Positive for the Novel Coronavirus

Jack Ma's Charitable Institution

On Friday, the charitable foundation of Alibaba's founder had released an announcement. The announcement includes a statement saying how Jack Ma exerted his best efforts to collect a huge number of the needed medical supplies such as coronavirus test kits and face masks for weeks.

The statement did not include any specification wherein the United States the test kits and face masks will go. This donation from Jack Ma will help ease the country's problems with the shortage of test kits. This shortage had even made the US fall behind other countries on the total number of coronavirus tests conducted per capita.

Basing from His Own Country's Experience with Combating the Spread of the Deadly Virus

Speedy and accurate testing for the coronavirus, including the sufficiency of personal protective equipment for medical workers are the most effective in controlling and preventing the spread of the deadly coronavirus, says Jack Ma. He based this statement from observation of his country's fight with COVID-19.

He believes that the key to winning over the virus is the elimination of resource constraints, sharing information, and hard-earned lessons from the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Statistics of the Coronavirus Pandemic

The deadly novel coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, a city in mainland China. It was first identified in December last year. The lethal virus had already infected at least 128,000 people from different parts of the world. Also, 4,700 had already lost the fight with the virus, with the majority of the deaths occurring in mainland China.

In the United States of America, there are at least 1,676 cases. The total deaths caused by the new coronavirus illness is 40. 31 of the 40 are in the state of Washington while there were four deaths in California, two in Florida, one in South Dakota, one in New Jersey, and one in Georgia.

According to specialists, there is a possibility that the coronavirus epidemic will be more widespread than the current data about the United States.

Jack Ma's Charitable Effort: Not His First

This is not Jack Ma's first time lending a helping hand, he has a history of being charitable.

On January 30, Jack Ma promised to give 100 million yuan or $14.5 million. The donation will be used for the development of a cure to the coronavirus illness. Later, he donated another $2.15 million to Australia's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. The financial aid is also for the creation of a vaccine for the new coronavirus.
There's a lot of talk right now about how to "flatten the curve" of the coronavirus pandemic. But what does that actually mean  and what will happen if we don't do it?

The "curve" in question is the parabola of any epidemic, be it your standard seasonal flu or something more serious like COVID-19. As the virus infects more people, the graph starts to climb. In a worst-case scenario, it's an exponential curve, infecting millions around the world until enough people are sickened and recover that virus spread slows and the curve goes back down.

In Italy, the climb has been steep. As infected individuals came into contact with healthy ones, coronavirus spread rapidly through communities. Three weeks ago, Italy had three confirmed cases. On Monday, over 3,000 new cases in 24 hours were reported, bringing their total tally up to 27,980. There are at least 4,000 cases in the United States.

"We are at a critical inflection point in this country, people. We are where Italy was two weeks ago in terms of our numbers," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told Fox News this week. "When you look at the projections, theres every chance that we could be Italy."

By limiting exposure to others  a practice known as "social distancing"  epidemiologists believe the curve could be meaningfully flattened. Social distancing means avoiding contact with others and, ideally, staying at home as much as possible.

This is crucial from a global health perspective. Limiting coronavirus cases not only has the obvious benefit of keeping the elderly and vulnerable safe, but it lessens the single biggest public health issue: overwhelmed hospitals. An exponential increase in coronavirus cases will inundate hospitals and health care providers. There won't be enough hospital beds or respirators to treat the ill, and doctors will be forced to make devastating decisions on who gets care and who does not.

In case you think this is just alarmist thinking, it's already happening in Italy. As cases spiked, Italian hospitals quickly couldn't keep up with the patients coming in.

"Right now in Lombardy, we do not have free beds in intensive care units, Lorenzo Casani, a health director of a clinic for senior citizens in Lombardy, told Time. Doctors are having to "make this horrible choice and decide who is going to survive and who is not going to survivewho is going to get a monitor, a respirator and the attention they need."

It's a scenario American experts fear could play out here, unless more measures are taken to limit social contact. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress recently the scope of the pandemic is "totally dependent upon how we respond to it."

"If we're complacent and don't do really aggressive containment and mitigation, the number could go way up and be involved in many, many millions," he said.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Katie Dowd is an SFGATE Senior Digital Editor. Contact: katie.dowd@sfgate.com | Twitter: @katiedowd
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 17, 2020 14:39 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b4078c 1 Business coronavirus,COVID-19,economy,lockdown,emergency,public-health,economists Free

Economists are calling for a well-prepared lockdown and an emergency status declaration to further save the country from widespread COVID-19 coronavirus infections and soften hard-hitting effects on the economy.

Senior economist Faisal Basri wrote on his twitter account (@FaisalBasri) that the government should halt construction of its new capital and "unite all the nation's power" instead.

"To save Indonesia, the President has to immediately declare an emergency war against the coronavirus. That is also the key to save the economy," Faisal wrote.

Untuk menyelamatkan Indonesia, Presiden harus segera menyatakan darurat perang melawan coronavirus. Itu juga kunci menyelamatkan ekonomi.  Faisal Basri (@FaisalBasri) March 16, 2020

The country has yet to set a national emergency status. However, Banten and Tangerang in West Java and Surakarta in Central Java are among those that have already declared extraordinary occurrence (KLB) statuses. Jakarta and Surakarta have both closed their schools as Jakarta mulls over a lockdown plan.

Read also: Regions close schools, cancel public events because of COVID-19

Center of Reform on Economics (Core) Indonesia research director Piter Abdullah said that authorities should meticulously plan a lockdown before executing one, as quoted by Kontan. He said that an unprepared lockdown could hurt the informal players and producers as the move could diminish resources used for production. Such unpreparedness would make the recovery take longer and the negative economic impacts worse, he said.

He said the government has seemed hesitant about taking drastic measures to save the economy as it faces a dilemma between fighting the coronavirus and saving the economy, citing several stimulus packages as an example.

Indonesia announced last Friday it is allocating Rp 120 trillion from the state budget to stimulate the economy through tax incentives and subsidies for workers, businesses and families affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The second stimulus package announced on the same day, worth Rp 22.9 trillion, would include individual and corporate tax breaks, as well as relaxation of loans disbursement and restructuring. These add to a Rp 10.3 trillion stimulus package announcement on Feb. 25 that boosts staple needs and mortgage subsidies for low-income families and fiscal incentives for travel-related industries.

The government would also speed up disbursement of social spending in the first quarter, as well as the new training subsidies connected to the pre-employment card this month.

"If we're going to execute a lockdown, its impact will certainly be significant, as if we are turning the economy off. All of this needs to be anticipated and prepared with solutions," he said.

He said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's latest appeal for people to stay at home has failed to take shape in several regions since companies and government offices are still open, resulting in congested public transportation.

In his first national address on the COVID-19 outbreak last Sunday, the President highlighted the importance of practicing what is called social distancing to stop the spread of the coronavirus that has already claimed thousands of lives worldwide.